# 1 Thai & Vietnamese Restaurant - Seattle, WA (47.6589741, -122.3131056) (University District)
4 - Annalisa S.: There are five Vietnamese and/or Thai restaurants on this block of the Ave alone, and it's hard for me to recommend one over the other (though the Than Brothers Pho place has those delicious little cream puffs).  The plus here is that you can get both kinds of food in the same spot; it's also roomier than #1 Thai.  Prices are average and the food is flavorful.
4 - Joolie T.: their vietnamese sandwiches (banh mi) were the best on the "ave". best. i loved their quick service and kindness. the pho was never spectacular, but i was here constantly with my roommates and i could always order up a Thai dish--- made me happy. 

i miss this place dearly.

1-FIVE-0 - Atlanta, GA (33.7784129, -84.409885) ()
4 - Deanna J.: The deal with this place is that everything is under $150 - a boutique with mid-tier boutique prices. The shop is located in a nice loft-like space on the Westside. There's splashy art everywhere because the other deal with this place is that they support the local art and music scene by focusing on monthly artists.  

The shop is owned by 99X's Leslie Fram (hence the dedication to local arts) and husband.  Leslie wasn't there, but one of the nice neighboring shop owners was (Leslie also has a stake in Luxe, the boutique next door), to convince me that everything looked great on me. 

The selection is pretty varied - they had some cute dresses and also some stuff I'm not quite sure about. Brandwise, they carry some nicer denim brands and some clothing brands I've never heard of. 

They carry both women's and men's clothing, shoes, home accessories . . . as well as vintage candy and Andy Warhol notebooks. Like I said, pretty varied selection here. 

I would shop here again - especially during their end of season sale - because of their reasonable prices and revolving selections.
3 - Andre S.: This place is waay too over-priced for the merchandise they offer.  

This high end boutique offers both men and women apparel, from what I can tell from quickly skimming the place, the women's stuff is much more trendy than the guy's.  

I know that traditionally men's wear is not as trendy and usually stale, but for a high end boutique, hip boutique, if you are a self-proclaimed fashionisto, like me, you'd expect their stuff to roll right off the runways of Paris. They have all the old school candy we grew up with, like Atomic Fire Balls and Lemon Heads (which deserves another star).  

I do appreciate the over all look of the store, however, it does have a more a cleaner, sophisticated Urban Outfitter's appeal.  But I'm not quite yet convinced that this is a place I would like to regularly shop.
4 - Joel C.: Stopped by 1five0 again to shop for some xmas gifts and found some great deals that were worth yelping about!

First, all of their jeans are on sale!  The owner told me that they wanted to stop selling their supply of jeans, so all of their jeans are 50% off.  Guys jeans are $50 and women jeans are $60.  You can't beat that and they have a bunch of sizes still available!

Second, check out the sale tubs near the register.  Surprised again to see sizes available in the bins.

Third, everyone should accessorize and 1five0 has the most unique add-ons to your clothing that everyone will be asking where you got it.  The display cases are filled with local designers goods.  Some noteworthy items - Buddha like key chains/necklaces for $25-$30, Fashion Rings for $10 and a necklace with fortified wood for $45!  Also, if you love Joxsa leather wrist bracelets, they have them here too!  The owner of Joxsa is great and I am happy to see him extend his line outside or the VA Highlands area. 

Well what are you waiting for?  Start shopping!!!
4 - Lindy F.: Boutique shopping and everything under $150 - I love it.

From books, to dresses, to purses, to tees, and even some vintage candy for sale - I have found plenty to be happy about (and spend my hard-earned paycheck on) at 1*FIVE*0.  I have bought everything from Angry Girls books to cool new t-shirts.  The sale bins are a must-sort-through and even grab yourself some candy cigarettes or Necco wafers while the awesome staff rings up your purchases.

Not only do they sell cool items, but they support the local music scene every month with a party that includes pizza, popcorn and PBR.  

If you get a chance, check it out.
4 - Beth W.: Everything in this store is promised to be less than $150.  The girl that works there, I forget her name, but she was SO helpful and cute.  

I stayed in this store for at least an hour just looking around at all their little things and clothes.  

They have concerts in the store (with free beer and wine) I believe twice a month (but that may be incorrect)

You must check out next door, Luxe.  Both stores are owned by the same people and everything is hand-picked.
3 - Courtney D.: Cool store with a cool vibe......and interesting clothing and "stuff", but it's just not the same without sweet Laura (considering she practically lived there)....bring her back!!!!! I loved her company at the monthly live music + free food and drink parties, I always thought she was such a great asset for the store.

However, I still highly recommend that everyone should go to 1-FIVE-0. You can find practically anything you need from nice clothing to gag gifts...
Also, during those monthly parties where free PBR and pizza is typically featured, they have the Atlanta Pet Rescue and Adoption come out and all donations ($5 to get in) go towards the charity. Such a good cause, and good time!

1/4 Price Books - Houston, TX (29.7318917, -95.4108321) (Upper Kirby)
4 - Liz S.: This is a different kind of used books store than Half Price Books.  The books are more carefully curated, perhaps - when I was last there, there were many first and second editions (fairly priced).  The owner is knowledgeable (but talky) and tends to feature books that coincide with his personal interests.  I've found some weird choices here (some paranormal studies sort of stuff) that I'd never seen before, and paid about $5 to go home with three excitingly strange paperbacks.  It's a good Saturday afternoon poking-around sort of store, as well as a good place to find something for your quirky bibliophile friend.
4 - Therese T.: Much better, much more personal than 1/2 Price Books. And from the other end, they are very fair about selling book prices (if you sell) and pay right away. One thing to note, though, is they sell more "literature" than novelty books. More academic, or at least classics, poems, even rare editions! And no CD's i.e. non-book items like what 1/2 Price books would have. Still, well worth going to. Independent bookstores--selling used books nonetheless--are a dying breed. I am so grateful to have this bookstore in my neighborhood.
4 - Cory O.: Ahh, Cory, Cory, Cory.  When will you learn to check Yelp before going on a hunt for a specific items?  If only I had read Liz's review, I could've saved myself a trip from 1/4 Price Books.   Don't get me wrong, the place is great, but it didn't have what I needed and had I read her review, I would've known that.

Considering how similar the name is to Half Price Books, I expected the selection to be similar.  Not even close.  This is a cozy (read: tiny) little shop that is quirky and fun.  The cramped quarters are filled with all sorts of fun books and are organized in a way that pretty much requires you to wander around aimlessly.  Which is not a bad thing.  You'll find all sorts of interesting topics in these aisles that could provide hours of entertainment.  Really though, most of the novels I looked at weren't that much cheaper than Half Price, though supporting the local businesses is always a plus.

The true gems of this place lie in the older, rare books.  Unlike how commercialized the rare books collection is at all the Half Price Books, this place really does it right.  I saw some old school Bibles with the embellished leather covers that were just gorgeous.  There were beautifully bound copies of classic novels on another table.  And all of these were in pristine condition.  If you like to collect antique books, this is a great place to start looking.  The owner seemed very friendly and nice and if I weren't on a mission to find school books at the last minute, I would've loved to stay and chat for a bit.  I think that just means that I'll have to make another trip back and really give this store a more thorough once over.
4 - Paul A.: I killed an hour here this weekend, and I was amazed at the variety of 1st editions available - and the prices of same! The owner was very helpful, and really knows his stuff. I, on the other hand, know nothing about 1st editions....so maybe he DOESN'T know his stuff, and just bamboozled me into buying a $1K copy of Dr Seuss's "original" Spooky Pants manuscript!
Maybe I should have suspected something when I noticed the good Dr's name was spelled "Sewce".....
But seriously... I only bought a paperback, costing $2.99, and a couple of kids books for my yard apes.  Check this place out, but don't expect a poodle lover ambiance, with coffee, soft music, and easy chairs - this is a hard core used book store.
5 - Jack H.: Chain bookstores can be too often focused on the bottom-line, and larger used bookstores can seldom be bothered to do more than point you in the right direction. But Quarter Price Books is that rare specimen run by a knowledgeable owner who selectively houses some of the finest works in the history of letters. In an essay recounting memories of time spent working in a bookshop, George Orwell lamented the lack of truly bookish people, his store plagued by customer quickies on a specific errand or those with only a vague idea of what they were looking for. Touted as the "Headquarters for Thinkers," however, Quarter Price Books is a place well-suited to intellectual investigation. As classical music softly plays in the background, and with a children's area filled with books and toys to keep your little ones occupied, one can easily get lost in reverie among the stacks. Visit the "Wonder Wall" for some fine leather-bound editions or comb the shelves for those old hardcover Modern Library editions giving off that "sweet smell of decaying paper." The owner's tastes favor classic works of fiction, non-fiction, science, history, philosophy, art and design, and the like - if you're looking for the latest trade paper edition of the biography of Britney Spears, you won't find it here. Get the man behind the register going, and you may well find yourself walking out with an armload of recommendations to compliment the book you intended to buy in the first place. I think this is precisely the reason why Orwell thought "[t]he combines can never squeeze the small independent bookseller out of existence as they have squeezed the grocer and the milkman" - the big stores simply can't fully staff themselves with the truly bookish. And one can only hope Orwell's sentiment remains as true today as it was when he wrote it. To lose the ability to while away an hour or two of a Saturday in peace and quiet among the great thinkers would be grievous indeed.
3 - James G.: Very interesting store with a very knowledgeable owner.  However, I would recommend that you do some research on prices before purchasing the rare books in the store.  All three of the books we purchased were valued at at least $30 dollars by the owner but I was able to find copies in similar condition going for less than $5 on multiple websites (eBay, Amazon).
5 - Catherine M.: This is one of my favorite used bookstores in Houston. He may or may not have the books you are looking for, but after analyzing your request the genius bookseller can recommend other books you may be interested in. It is true that he is talky, but also quite intelligent and easily takes body language hints that you wish to browse alone.

He has a wonderful kids selection of very old and cool books as well as some well chosen newer juvenile books. I still never take my young children in here as it is quite crowded with rare and expensive books--and I can't shop properly whilst nagging and supervising=)

I'm not sure I have ever bought a 1/4 price book here....but I always leave richer for the experience.
3 - Tawny T.: I went here with my SO, who adores this place.  He's big into esoteric math and philosophy books, and apparently he's had really good luck with finding those here.  I have different taste (history, sociology, political science, memoirs, etc.), so I was a little skeptical.

Basically, this place is every used bookstore you've been to, with some interesting twists for people that either a) are into decorating with books or b) appreciate really esoteric books in the genres my SO does.  I couldn't find anything I was particularly interested in, and the store seemed to be organized as a maze.  It took me forever to find the sections I wanted, and when I did they were filled with pretty generic stuff.  

History had the usual presidential biography glut, and the typical 3-4 copies of The New Russians (a great book that apparently EVERYONE read, if the number of them in the wild is any indication.)  Sociology was sparse and filled with dated books from the 70s and 80s.  I don't think I ever found Poli Sci.  (All of this is pretty forgivable for a used bookstore because they tend to carry lots of fiction and generic interest stuff, but that's basically why I find used book shopping to be *so* annoying.  It's also why I fell in love with Kaboom Books!)

Anyway, the positives of 1/4 are that they have a section of coffeetable books for the aspiring eclectic decorator and good philosophy/religion/math sections.  Some of the former would make pretty awesome selections for keeping guests occupied while you cook or whatever, but that's not really my thing as of yet (450 square foot apartment FTW!)  If you're into the latter, you might find some interesting reads here.

Essentially, 1/4 Price is much like all used bookstores: a little stale, difficult to navigate, and filled with the same books you see most places.
5 - Erika V.: Popped into this bookstore last week to kill some time and ended up in there for 2 hours.... 

The man that ran the place was very knowledgeable and friendly.... He kindly took down a list a books that I was looking to add to my home library.... 

He also had to coolest selection of old books that I have ever seen! If I ever win the lottery, this place might just be one of my first stops :)
2 - Haroun K.: I'm wondering if Houston just is deprived of good bookstores.  It seems like everyone likes 1/4 Price Books, but I can't understand why.  Yes, the owner was nice.  But, the books were not 1/4 priced.  Instead, they were all overpriced.  Quite a bit overpriced, and uniformly so.  The selection was not very impressive, either.  No one should be paying $3.98 for any random old Penguin Classic.  There needs to be a more nuanced pricing system, I think.  But, maybe I'm too much of an outsider to judge.
4 - Martha D.: So let's set things a little straight on what exactly this bookstore is all about. This is NOT where you go to buy new mass printings, this is where scholarly, first editions and out of print books come to be loved, appreciated and understood. If you don't understand this book trade, then you won't find yourself enjoying this bookstore for what it is. Put on the perspective that this is more like buying from an antique store, not your local Barnes & Noble. 

We finally made a trip in here after driving past so many times on our way to Star Pizza, Freebirds or Amy's. Luckily we were actually here when they were open, horay! It is a little dangerous for us, lovers of leather bound printings of classic books. There are too many things here that I want, but sadly can't afford right now. *sigh* Why do I have to be an adult and pay my bills?

We left with two books. I picked an anthropology text on the Mayans, written by respected authorities on the subject (I'm so tired of getting books only to find that they just got their research from the other books I own), as a prep for our summer trip to the Yucatan. One of my favorite past times is arguing with tour guides when they are perpetuating misconceptions or old information that is no longer accepted scholarly. The hubby got himself a book on the scientific aspects of music, very nerdy and up his alley. The Mayan book is a first addition and out of print, the owner made me a protector for the dust jacket to preserve the condition. My husbands book is also out of print, believe me music books of this type are hard to find! Amazon has much later editions from $110. Worked out to be exactly 1/4 the price of Amazon and a better edition. 

I primarily enjoyed the treatment you get when you go to stores like this. the owner knows his stuff. I get so irritated with other stores when you ask them a question and they just aren't educated at all on what they are trying to sell. They take personal checks and give hand written receipts. I love a place with character.
5 - Southernpilot S.: I always get a great deal here. Was just in there yesterday, and Larry honored the store credit from a few weeks ago. I'm very pleased with this store.
SP
3 - May N.: This is a Houston institution.  If you like books or are looking for a gift for someone who likes books, you should come here.  This place is chock-full of used books.  What sets this place apart is their selection of early editions and out-of-print tomes.  

When I walked up to the store, a couple of tables outside features discounted paperbacks - one table with an international interior design bent, the other with bestsellers/movie tie-ins.  Don't be fooled.  I stepped inside where to the right, a woman was having a conversation with a man behind the table.  They ignored me and carried on.  I wandered up and down the stacks exploring fiction, history, science, animals, travel, cookbooks, horror, and more.  Paper notes sticking out the top of the books note what edition the book is and how much it costs.  If you know someone who's a Stephen King fan, there were quite a few 1st, 2nd, and out-of-print books when I was there.  

Later, the man I presume was the owner came up and offered a coupon for a discount for a purchase that day.  When I mentioned I was just looking this time and needed to see which King book my partner didn't have, he took it back.  Oh, well.  With my desire to unclutter anyway, guess I'll move into the e-book world.
2 - Alan S.: I'd seen this place a number of times from the street but never had a chance to get inside until yesterday.  I was early for an event at Star Pizza so figured this would be the perfect time to check it out.  I walked in and was kinda taken aback by the clutter.  Then I thought, well it's neat, kinda unique.  I wondered around for about 10 minutes until someone came up to me and offered me a "discount" by holding and index card out... I wasn't sure if I was to just look at it or take it.  Kinda awkward... but clearly the answer was "take" as he continued to hold the card out and stare at me so I eventually did.  Despite the weird approach, he seemed friendly enough offering to take the books out form behind the glass that I was looking at.  

Despite the name of 1/4 price books, things seemed more expensive than half price books.  A few books that looked somewhat interesting were priced significantly higher than I could find on Amazon though the ones at this store were in better condition.  I guess this place is suited for book collectors, not people who want to buy and read books.  Perhaps their prices for good condition old books is good, but for someone like me who wants to read them and doesn't care if a few pages are dogeared or if the dust cover is missing... it's not for me.  So after about another 10 minutes of wondering and nothing really peeking my interest (once considering the prices) I made my way for the door.  To make the entire visit more awkward, the guy asked for the index card back as I was walking out.  I think I'll just stick to Amazon... so much for trying to support local businesses.

100 Landsdowne - Cambridge, MA (42.3600199, -71.1012016) ()
3 - Nana J.: This is a great building if you are looking for new construction; it has many positives, and unfortunately quite a few drawbacks.

Pro:

-- location -- about 5 minutes walk from Central T-stop, 3 minutes from Mass Ave buses, great for MIT and companies in Cambridgeport

-- cleanliness -- since the building is new, it is in very good shape, and the staff maintains cleanliness like my mother would (except for the common area chairs that are white and in bad need of re-upholstering or deep cleaning)

-- convenience -- 24-hour concierge is extremely helpful (wonderful staff that I really miss dearly), and the attached garage is superb peace of mind in otherwise impossible-to-park-Cambridge, they also have a contract with a taxi company so you rarely have to wait more than 3-5 minutes for a cab, and a contract with a dry-cleaning service so your laundry is picked up and dropped off at the building

-- unit amenities -- a/c, all the kitchen stuff you need (and some you don't), in-unit laundry, huge windows (light apartments even on the north side of the building)

-- building amenities -- this building has more amenities than a busy professional can use: 24-hr gym, theater room, common dining and living rooms, flat-screen-TV lounge with Wi-Fi access and computers, 16th floor common area with view of the Charles and the city (ideal for 4th of July fireworks), and ONLINE portal for residents to request maintenance, reserve facilities, etc

-- staff -- both concierge and maintenance staff could be on Best-of-Boston lists

Con:
-- neighbors -- unfortunately this building attracts a bipolar group of people: on one end you have the considerate busy professionals and well-raised students, and on the other a bunch of spoiled foreign trust-babies supposedly attending college but instead being a nuisance to everyone around them by playing loud music, shouting in the hallways, and being a nightmare for the concierge and security staff (the building allows undergraduate students, and and still can't fill capacity)

-- air-conditioners are loud and poorly constructed -- if the neighbors don't keep you up, your air-conditioner probably will... where do I begin? I mean, this a/c is just bad: bad construction, bad thermostat, bad installation... and it's built into the wall so there is nothing that can be done about it. The thermostat housing is connected to the a/c output which means that the thermostat gets cooled more intensely than your apartment, and when the thermostat thinks the temperature is ok, it turns off the a/c... until the small volume of air around the thermostat heats up in like 2 minutes and then it turns on the a/c again for about a minute because it already cooled off the small volume of air around the thermostat... on and on and on. And it clicks and bangs every time it turns on and off.

-- cost -- one-bedroom units are about $2700, plus parking for about $280 (units are spacious, but still high per-sq-foot cost)

-- materials -- like James K said below, it is easy to see that the materials and the craftsmanship are the look-nice type (from creaky, ill-spaced flooring to warped doors, you can tell this was built on a short schedule and budget)
4 - Lily L.: 100 Landsdowne is part of the University Park system.  They have 4 buildings--100 Landsdowne, 91 Sidney, KBL, and Loft23.  I think out of the 4, 100 Landsdowne is definitely the most luxurious.

Pros:
Location: It's located next to MIT dormitory, which is great if you're affiliated with MIT.  MIT's shuttle system is right beside the building.  You can also take the EZ Ride to Kendall T.  And it's not that far from the #1/CT1 bus stops.  The #70 & 70A which go to Harvard Business School are located about 3 minutes away next to Shaw's.  It's not too far away from the Central T either.

Cleanliness:  Yay for being new.   Wood floor for living room and carpet for bedroom.  Appliances aren't stainless steel but hey, they're pretty new.  Also, yay for in-unit washer/dryer!

Amenities: There is no amenities fee.  And you can use their kitchen, media room, and gym.  These are all pretty standard.  There used to be a Sky Lounge but that's been long gone.  I wish I could get the views of Boston from there.  But hey, getting $4000ish/month in rent means they've converted this space to an apartment a while back.  

Prices:  Thank goodness the prices of this place has come down significantly in the recent month. So their pricing is flexible.  It depends on the number of available units, how long it's been on the market, and general market conditions.  I checked the website for 1 bedrooms around February, which is a pretty dead month for real estate and all 1 bedrooms were at their normal prices of $2500.   I've kept track of the 1 bedrooms.  It's gone down from around $2500 to $1800 now (April).  What a steal!!!  The 2 bedroom prices are still around $3600, which means it hasn't come down at all.  If you know someone who lives in the building, you can split a referral fee of $750.  It's not as high as say, Watermark, but it's not too bad.

Neutral:
Gym: This place definitely has cardio machines--ellipticals and treadmills.  But other than these, there's only a weight rack.  True, you could use the gym at 91 Sidney, but on a cold wintry day, I'm not sure I'd actually trek over there.  Yes, I am THAT lazy.

Parking: If you get the apartment on the first day that it's available, you can park at 91 Sidney for $100 per month.  Otherwise, I think parking is around $235/month.  If you do reverse commuting (gone by 8AM and back by 6PM), then you can park at 100 Landsdowne for $100/month.  There's no direct access from inside the building.  You have to enter the parking garage from entrance area, but it is covered.

Cons:
Inconsiderate/idiot neighbors: Why someone wants to BLAST music at 6AM is beyond me.  I can feel the vibration.  Soooo annoying.  You are not the center of the universe, please try to be considerate.  

AC:  Yay for Central air, but it's a bit noisy.  But alas, what can you do?

Ventilation: I think all the air gets vented into the hallways.  So there may be funky smells at time.  Think some people may smoke in their room b/c sporadically, there would be some weird, smoky smell.  I don't think there's a hood above the stove, so I guess if you like cooking a lot, the smell might permeate all over the place.  Not sure if I would like it.

Lighting: There's no actual light fixture on the ceiling for my living room and bedroom.  You can actually buy a ceiling light fixture and have maintenance install it for you.  But I'd never have noticed because well, I expect light fixtures to be included.  There's no light fixture in the bedroom.  Better get some floor lamps ready.
3 - Anil K.: Agree with the 2 reviewers before on both pros and cons.  

Additional Pros:
- For the high-end, full service segment, this is probably the best development in Cambridge.  Better value & more space/$ than Third Square, better finishings than Watermark; overall a great building.

Additional Cons:
- Cannot stress enough what the other 2 reviewers mentioned about neighbors.  While there are good people in this building, the ones that you will see, hear, and be awoken by are unfortunately in the other aforementioned category.  It's a pity because the concierge and maintenance workers are very friendly.  But having loud, obnoxious, spoiled, and impolite neighbors in the elevators, lobby, and occasional hallway encounter is a huge turn off.  It baffles me that the leasing company doesn't care about who they let in, but it makes sense that rich, "daddy pays for me" clientele are the people who can afford the outrageous rent that 100 L charges.  Our first year here I honestly thought I was in a college dorm by the amount of pot I could smell waifing into my living room, the constant door slams, and loud music/ppl coming through our neighbors' apt on any given night.  Lastly, if you do care about your neighbors, 3rd Square is a bit less sterile / more friendly for some reason.  

- For this price point - especially in Cambridge - you kind of expect everything to be perfect or close to it.  For $2800/mth, that's a pretty fair statement.  Instead, you get a really understaffed maintenance crew (during peak time you can wait for WEEKS to get a response - they have about 3-4 ppl for all of their properties - 91 Sydney, KBL, here, and the lofts) and at times questionable finishings.  We have water that at times can be either scalding hot or just cold; they've tried to fix it before but to no avail.  It's a small point, but it goes to the aforementioned issue of occasionally "cutting corners" on the final finishings of these sub-developments (hence, the thin walls, poorly painted/incredibly easily scratched white walls, easily chipped "wood" flooring, etc.)

- Minor point - but worth stating -- Location is actually ~11-12 minutes from the Central Square T stop.  Walk it before you sign here.  It's a big deal if you're not paying $250/mth for parking because 12 minutes in the winter can be grueling.


If you go with 100, you will be happy.  Your friends will think you live in a beautiful apartment.  And you will.  But you will also question your decision for the reasons above and especially when it comes time to re-sign your lease and you're paying the "usual" cost adjustment on an already outrageously priced apartment.  Even if you're only committing to one-year on your initial lease, make sure to think through how long you really are in Boston and what you're willing to pay if they up your rent.

100 Memorial Drive Apartments - Cambridge, MA (42.3600502, -71.0856199) (Kendall Square/MIT)
3 - Jeremy K.: Aside from having one of the best possible views onto the Charles river and Boston itself and a very nice, convenient location within the city of Cambridge allowing for easy access to pretty much anywhere in the area and with only one minute to walk in order to get onto the red line subway station, there are many negative things which are to be heavily weighted and considered before signing a lease with the management of this community.

First off, the management doesn't care much if at all about people's comments. Recently, and for the 5th time in the past couple of months, the building has been faced with plumbing issues. As usual, because of the plumbing work, each resident, including myself received a memo about the work being done again. But every memo states that the work as to be complete. And because it has been attempted so many times, many residents started to write on the memos which were placed in the elevators that they have had enough with it and every time such comments were written, they had been taken down my the management team as an act of sole censorship which I find disgusting considering that they aren't the ones who can't shower in the morning because of the water being cut. Keeping in mind that people pay an absolute fortune to live in this building, I also believe that it should be better maintained. The materials used are very cheap and its very easy to hear your next door neighbor's door bell ring right through the wall along with the numerous doors slam at all hours, which all generate quite a disturbance.

The third-party concierge team is great though and are in most cases very helpful. Which I could say the same about the management team which tries to charge residents for any kind of service possible. You lock yourselves out of your apartments: $50. you need an extra key: $5. You lose your laundry card: $10. Its absolutely ridiculous. And you can also consider that the central air doesn't work well, and that the plumbing is absolutely horrible, and especially the toilets which are one of a kind and really, really crappy (pun intended). The kitchens are tiny and the windows are very very rusty, and semi-functional; they also leak an extreme amount of air which is bad in the winter when its really cold and energy-wise, very inefficient.

Overall the building is very overrated despite its convenient location. They either need to charge a LOT less per unit or heavily renovate the building, especially the windows.

Recently they decided to take it upon themselves to fully replace all of the toilets throughout the buildings with more water-efficient one.. I didn't like the old ones and the newer ones aren't much better, and I'm not the only one who stated that since I've spoken to a few residents about it...

Also for some stranger reason, the residents in the building don't seem to respect one another much. Rarely do others ever hold a door or elevator for myself or anyone, or do they not slam their doors at all hours. The door slamming is actually one of the main issues with this building. People constantly slam their doors... And that is very very loud. I've definitely had enough of this building and look forward to moving somewhere else in the near future...
4 - Solomon B.: I'll admit, I kinda didn't want to move in here. I had spent so many of my recent years at MIT, why would I want to spend any more in Kendall when I could join the hipsters in Central...or the...hipsters...in Porter...this town is full of hipsters, huh? Anyhow.

The last review had a few comments that I think are worth speaking directly to. I don't normally do this, but an apartment is a big purchase, and it's worth getting alternate opinions on things like this. 

Firstly, the doors in this building slam because they slam. It's annoying, yes, but that's just the way they are. My roommates and I try our darndest NOT to slam my door, but it just has just the wrong weight and is just the wrong strength, and 2 of 3 times we come home to a huge kerBLAM! - caused by us. I always chalked that fact up to it being an older building - they're heavy, solid doors, the sort you don't see much nowadays. It'd be nice if they could install door-softeners of some sort, but I wouldn't dream of calling it a reflection on the community here. 

Moreover, I've never notice any hint of coldness from the people in the building. In fact, there seem to be more families and elderly people here than in other places around town (and the friendly door staff are a big part in keeping spirits generally high, even in the winter.) It's not the neighborhood feel a street in Central or Porter would have, but it's far from sterile. (If you want sterile, try the MIT graduate dorms....)

But I digress. This guy's gripes are fairly well-placed - this building has a lot of weaknesses. Too many, for the price you're paying. Nevertheless, I've always found them to be pretty reasonable in dealing with them. A number of these issues stem from the simple fact that the building is old (...quite old - I think built just after WW Two), and they've been slow to completely replace things, instead trying continual repairs. For instance, the elevators break down constantly, and I suspect need replacing. However, there are three of them - and I know they hire overnight repair crews as soon as more than one breaks (at an enormous cost), to ensure that all three never break at the same time. The water system was a horrible ordeal, and the office could have handled it better - but the work always got done when they said it would (and is now largely replaced). To me the more important stuff is individual unit repairs anyway - and for my unit, they've made all unit repairs, no matter how big or small (from fixing leaky faucets to changing light bulbs and adding window shades) within 2 days or less. The place isn't energy efficient, yes, but the rent includes all heat - so just crank up the heater, and if you're feeling moral, buy some carbon offsets to make up for the waste. ;) Finally, if you can hear your neighbor's doorbell, it's probably less because the wall is thin, and more because they are, quite possibly, the loudest, most obnoxious doorbells money can buy. (Maybe my unit has better walls, but the only thing I consistently hear is my neighbor's doorbell.) My unit briefly had bathroom roaches, but they hired Terminex overnight, and I sympathize with completely wiping roaches from a 60 year old building....

My friends and l have assorted grumblings, but by far our biggest common gripe is the money. (In fact, I think we'd complain less about the other things if the place cost less.)
The fees here are absurd. And the rent, even moreso. Don't get me started on the rent hikes. A T-stop or two away you could rent a 2 bedroom a few blocks from the red line for the price of a 1 bedroom here. You're paying a premium for the location - and pretty much only for the location. (The staff is great, the service is great, but let's face it, there are places in this town you could get this sort of 24-hour manned building and a new television monthly for the same price.) I think there's also some premium for having a 24-hour doorman in Cambridge - it seems very few buildings exist in Cambridge with the doorman thing that someone from, say, New York City might expect to see more often.

Is the location worth it in a town with such great public transport? For most people, probably not, especially if they've lived here a year already. But for an MIT student new to town who doesn't feel like paying the even MORE absurd rent at Watermark and just wants to focus on classes, it's definitely worth considering. It's a good "safe bet" - and sometimes it's worth being "ripped off" as a price of convenience. In fact, while you're spending so much, I'd actually look into getting a higher floor - I seem to hear more complaints about lower floors, and I'm beginning to wonder if a high concentration of students increases some of the problems on those floors. (Unfortunately, not everyone treats this building with respect...)

1020 Bar - New York, NY (40.803379, -73.964007) (Morningside Heights)
3 - Isaac d.: Friday 5 to 7 $2 draft beers.  From here it is all down hill.  A mixture of Columbia students and regulars from around the corner, the atmosphere in this cave-like bar is no place to take a date, find a date nor intrduce to someone you are trying to impress.  Friday at 5pm + BYOF (bring your own friends) + $10 = good times.
4 - Dave L.: Beer is always cheap, atmostphere is (almost) always chill, and there's usually a good bad movie playing in the background.  The cute Columbia grad students are a bonus.
5 - Brittany W.: cool atmos...
went for a few drinks..
college vibe..
and CHEEP beer...

sounds good to me..

the end..
4 - Ji C.: The best thing about freshmen at Columbia?  I get older, they stay the same age.  A-gigity gigity.  

Unfortunately, they're probably not able to drink at 1020 but on any given night during the school year, there are probably some seniors at this bar.  And rightly so because this is a great neighborhood bar... booths made for 4 although you can squeeze more, a pool table in the back, and a friendly bartender.  This is the kind of dimly lit bar seen on TV shows when characters just want to let their perfectly coiffed hair down and have a casual beer with their equally mega-attractive pals.
4 - Maggie M.: A neighborhood bar so great, I'm horrified that I have lived 2 blocks from it for a year before discovering it. The beer is cheap, the music is pretty good, and the bartenders are friendly. Full of Columbia students on a weekend night, but still remarkably pleasant. I have seen a few small cockroaches on the walls during my visits, but they haven't scared me away yet.
4 - Thea T.: If you see a large Puerto Rican guy working at the door, and he's either nodding off or looking really angry, tell him Thea says hi.

Spent way too much time at this place during college. Like Cheers, but infinitely drunker. I'd like to blame it on my friends who were bartenders and bouncers, but really, it's just me. 

Don't use the women's bathroom! Looks clean, but ladies- it's just not right in there.
3 - christine h.: Sometimes you just want to perve on some college kids. No big deal.
4 - Dave B.: Late on a Monday night, I walked up to the unattended bar. One of the people shooting pool looked up, carried his cue over and said, "yeah, guy?" Bingo. My kind of dive. 

Cheap beers, including a bunch of $2 happy hour brews the likes of which I've not seen since moving east. A pool table. A dartboard. TVs with, at this late hour, old 80s movies playing. Also the lowest credit card minimum I've ever seen at a bar in this town -- $10.

It was summertime, so students weren't really anywhere to be seen. Maybe a few others in their 20s. BYOWomen.
5 - Ethan C.: This place is a great neighborhood bar. I've been there twice, once with a large group and once with a couple buddies, and this place is great for either. They have great deals on weekdays, such $3 draft beers and shots. And not just one type of light beer or anything, we're talking quality stuff here: Brooklyn Ale, Yeungleng, Blue Moon, Stella, etc. They have a dart board, pool table, and a couple of tvs. Really great booths along the right side, perfect for you and a couple of friends. With a group, head to the back where you'll find a projection screen, usually showing a sporting event, and a kind of secluded 'VIP' area with low couches and a coffee table. Really great place and I'm definitely going back.
4 - Rachel K.: 1020 is THE dive bar of the Upper West Side, with cheap drinks, trivia nights, and a big screen TV to top it off in the back. Not to mention it's only two blocks from Columbia Univ. in one direction and only one block from the 110th/Cathedral Pkwy. subway station in the other. This is the perfect place to share a drink with your friends on about almost any night of the week.
5 - Miguel d.: This bar is the guy's ideal first date: cheap, easy, and relaxed.

I'd love to call this place my dive bar if only I didn't live in Brooklyn. It's definitely a place to go whenever visiting the Columbia friends.

On any given night you can cozy up in here, play some darts, watch a game on the screen. I'd avoid Saturday at all costs, though; it ends up smelling too much like a frathouse.
4 - Zach H.: Friday and Saturday this place tastes like Linkin Park and date rape, but by all means, you should be going the other 5 nights. Nice 4-7pm happy hour with $2 pints of Yuengling, some Brooklyn Brewery selections, Red Hook, etc. Darts, TVs, pool. Cozy and divey and that ideal level of banter that vacillates between the inane (i.e., the merits Perez Hilton) and the absurdly pretentious (i.e., the merits of Hegel's legal philosophy).

For some reason this is a Red Sox bar, which rubs me the wrong way (as an Indians fan, not a New Yorker), partic during the postseason. But all-in-all I love this place. Nice large-group areas (for 8-12?) in the front and back of the joint.

And a shout out to Paul and Mike, who run Trivia Night on Tuesday nights at 8pm there... check it out. Free to play and prizes all around!
3 - Sasha d.: To use a tired metaphor, 1020 is a bit of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I hate it, then I find a reason to love it and then I make the mistake of going back on Thursday, Friday or Saturday and...we're right back where we started from.

The closing of virtually every watering hole in Morningside Heights has made this otherwise unremarkable bar a total mob scene during the college weekend (Thurs-Sat). There is a regular line of up to 10 people at prime hours--I kid you not! When you get inside, you can hardly attract the attention of the frantic bartenders. Once you manage to secure a beverage, good luck raising your arm to bring the glass to your lips without spilling half of it or elbowing some fratster in the back. But everyone knows space is at a premium in Manhattan! This place used to be a sort of alternative option on the weekend but now...you'd have to pay me to go there.

However! All is not lost! There is one shining light salvaging this bar, one glowing rainbowy explosion of fantastic known to a select few as: Tuesday Trivia Night. 

From 8 to 10 on Tuesday you can get your ass kicked at trivia, drink $3 pint, meet friendly folks and actually sit down while you're at it (unheard of on the weekends!). Bring your friends! If they don't like trivia, at least there's actually room to play pool because...its Tuesday! You can even order a pizza and eat it while you play trivia! Or play darts! Chat with the friendly bartender if you want! Have a ball!

Tuesday night at 1020 is one hot ticket to funtown. Just don't get mixed up and go on Thursday.
3 - Ben C.: 1020 Rap:

(intro)
1, 2, 1, 2, wait!
10, 20, 10, 20, yup!

(begin rap)
1020, somethin's funny
it ain't my money,
'cuz I'm no easter bunny!

uh, uh, uh,

2010, my name iz Ben,
I flow upon the mic,
and you think it's all Zen.

no, no, no,

1020, like my eggs runny,
if I have to have a day,
then I hope it's all sunny.

(outtro)
It's a bar.
M'tan Valley.
Columbia kidzzzz.
Represent.
4 - Paul E.: I host a trivia night pub quiz at 1020 every Tuesday night so I am at the 1020 a lot.  It's a great bar, with booths so you can sit with your friends and large tables in the front and back of the joint if you are with a large group.  The beer is dirt cheap for NYC.
On the weekends it is full of college kids making it crowded and impossible to play darts.  There is a also a beaten up old pool table that takes quarters to play.  The bartenders are chill and work hard to serve people quickly.  

Here is info on the Trivia Night.
Every Tuesday at 8pm
Live hosted trivia game with a fun, laid back atmosphere. Come in for pub quizzes, prizes, and friendly people! Best of all it's FREE!
Win bar tabs! and Junk Food!!!
Prizes for 1st, 2nd and third place teams. Prizes for funniest team names and funniest wrong answers.
4 - Pete r.: College bar with pool table and darts. Great drink prices ($3 Brooklyn) and casual atmosphere.

Only downside is no kitchen.
1 - Ben W.: I like a good *dive* bar as much as anyone, but this is a *dump*. Filthy, smelly, with cockroaches the size of collie dogs.
4 - Jane K.: This is where I finally admitted that I'm horrible at darts. I really always thought that I had some skill or at least "beginner's luck" with the game but really...I don't. 

The bar has a nice layout, sort of old school. It's basically a rectangle with darts when you walk in, a long bar on the left and plastic cover booths on the right with a pool table at the tail. Columbia students abound and I'm guessing we were probably the only folks in there not associated in some way with the university. 

One of the things that stood out to me was the bartender. He was actually nice. And the drinks were cheap, I ordered two grey goose sodas and a stella and the bill came to an even $15. 

This is a solid spot when you're in the middle of nowhere C-Country.
2 - Esther K.: Hahahaha. If you ever want to feel like a cougar at 22 years old, come here on a Friday night. 

Drink a $3 Brooklyn Lager.
Scope out the underage Columbia kids with fake IDs.
Get shoved around by crowds of said kids anxiously trying to sleep with each other.

Repeat if desired.
4 - David Z.: The booze is so cheap. So much of it gets spilled, but thank god for cheap bars, y'know? After a few repeat trials, the crowding and rampant making out and bad movies kinda becomes your thing, regardless of your previous opinion on divey ass places. Perhaps I no longer regret being too lazy to walk to La Negrita. And girls can pretty much expect with certainty to be massively hit on, I think.
3 - Hary H.: Not a bad place when it's not overly crowded - in general a good date bar or a nice place to sit with your bud and enjoy a brew.
4 - Jeff L.: can't go wrong with $3 brooklyn lagers and yuenglings...only been here on tuesday trivia nights...good way to justify drinking on a tuesday...the host is kind of annoying but the trivia is fun...good way to justify reading news about tom brady's baby momma...come early at 8 to get a table and get a team with a clever name together...
2 - jen f.: if you've ever wanted to watch 'mean streets' projected poorly on a screen while surrounded by 18 year olds drinking tequila and beer at 11pm on a weekday night, then you should come here. otherwise i don't know.
3 - Chris S.: Beer selections stinks. This is the hipster hangout. Woopti do.
2 - Kris O.: Word on the street is that this is where the cool kids hang out...

I LIKE:
Convenient to me
Not sheik, expensive, just your typical looking bar (nicer than a real dive)
Reasonably priced, good drinks
They have a pool table! 


DISLIKE: 
Super crowded, hard to find seating
**Rude bartenders - friend lost his bag here, and called the bar the next   
                              day, bartender told him that he should stop being so 
                              drunk so he wouldn't lose his stuff next time (how 
                              would they make money?!)
4 - matt L.: complete dive. i like.
2 - Jessica F.: Why does a dive bar with a mediocre quiz night get so crowded?  They don't even serve food!  Ok, the vibe wasn't bad and many of the trivia buffs here seemed pretty dedicated to their game.  I just couldn't help but think of all the better nights in the city on Tuesdays.  But when you go to Columbia and you're too lazy to get on the train... why not?
4 - G A.: Cool atmosphere during the summer and it has super inexpensive drinks making this the spot to be at! Bartenders are really cool. Best thing is that after the bar you can walk right accross the street to gourmet deli and get a cheap samewhich.
3 - Paul B.: Great local bar for cheap friendly happy hours. You can score 2 dollar pints of red hook during happy hour which is a story that pretty much writes its self.  The place changes significantly when the late night rolls around. Mostly becomes drunk college kids / grad students who didn't feel like making the trek downtown. A great place to have available.
4 - Alessa M.: My friends and I came in here after a Thanksgiving day dinner up at City College. We love it in here because of the cool crowd, awesome full bar and the pool table (lets not forget there are darts as well). 

The girls sat in the booths and guys at the bar, all talking our usually talk about life, love...wait maybe that was just the girls?

Great music was playing and everyone had a great time. They only con i've ever had with the place is that there are Columbia students all over, very childish at times (they are children seriously). 

The bartenders are always very cool, and get me my Corona's in a timely manner.
2 - G S.: This place is just kinda average. 

The beers are cheap (especially during happy hour). There's a pool table. It's dive-y. That said, it's not particularly impressive either - the bartenders are just ok (not mean, but not particularly friendly). I don't go often, but when I do I try to go at a non-peak time to avoid crowds.

I really have no particularly strong feelings about this place. It's just a bland dive bar. I certainly would not go out of my way to try this place.
5 - Elyse P.: I love this place.  I rarely want to drink anywhere else.  Most importantly, its cheap.  But its also got a great vibe to it - its always dark, they play great movies (anything from trippy 70's scifi to westerns), they play great music (mostly classic rock), and the bartenders are awesome.  

Love it.
3 - Bryce A.: Typical bar, nothing speical. 

Get a rum and coke, and than get another. After three, you will not remember the rest of the night. 

~Have a Dart board, which is the only reason I go back!!!
4 - Evan H.: I should really enjoy this place while it is still summer.  I'm sure that once the school year hits, this place will be swamped with Columbia students.  Being new in the neighborhood, I need to find the good bars, and I love a good dive bar.  I would say that 1020 classifies as such.  

Dart board up front, pool table in the back, barley lit bar area, small booths along the side and a few more tables and benches around the sides.  Cheap PBR and Schlitz, good happy hour deals, all the great makings of a dive bar, and a good bar.

The music was also pretty solid through the course of the night. Mostly reggae. Supposedly they play indie movies on the tv's/in the back, but they were showing baseball, which is ok by me.  

I think I will add this to the list of bars I will be giving my business.
4 - David C.: unassuming pub with a great location.  This place gets crowded on weekends with columbia students.
4 - Jess L.: I really enjoyed my experience here, a random jaunt with three friends. I was fully aware that this vibe will not be the same when the students come back, but nonetheless, we relished in the cheap prices, the chill atmosphere, the rugged crowd, and the seating. (I've been told I'll never get a seat here again!)

I also met Michael, the owner. He was quite charming.

I'll definitely come back! Nice 'hood joint.
3 - Dimitrios D.: It's a standard looking bar with a pool table.

I enjoyed the small gang of baby cockroaches that were congregating on the wall behind the couch my friends were sitting on.
4 - Tommy C.: Cheap drinks ($3 for yuengling), un-sketchy atmosphere, and the cleanest and most well lit bathroom Ive ever seen in a bar of this type.
3 - Francisco H.: I have a love-hate relationship with this place.  I hate that it gets super crowded but when I can get a seat, I find that I generally have a good time.
The bartenders make a strong gin and tonic which is always a plus.
The last time we were there, a couple came into bar and tried to play darts.  This one douchebag came over and totally did his best to win cockblock of the year.  This nice couple just wanted to play darts and this moron kept trying to give the girls tips on how to throw darts.  Of course, when the aforementioned idiot tried his hand at darts, he proved to be among the world's worst.  Oh and he smelled.  So he was a stinky, douchebag cockblocker who provided some measure of entertainment.
4 - Max B.: It's kind of a dive but you can get cheap drinks here, such as several beers costing three dollars a pint. This place fills up with students on the weekend with more students than it can hold. They even go there to study, so I would avoid it during the semesters. There's a pool table too, but you're unlikely to get to it.
4 - Michael W.: Jameson and IPA drinking while watching Flash Gordon on the tube with subtitles was a treat. Sidebar Seinfeld conversations with a total stranger was a bonus.
3 - Allison C.: I didn't MEAN to come here on a Thursday night. It just kind of happened.

It was everything I expected it to be.

WHY DIDN'T I FOLLOW MY OWN WARNING?!

I just keep telling myself it COULD have been worse. The drunken Columbia students swinging their beers around yeling, "BIIIIG RIIIIIGS!" for reasons I am still unsure of could have spilled their beers on me. I escaped unscathed.

Praise sweet baby Jesus.

Never again on a Thursday night. Never again.
3 - Matt R.: A chill dive bar with decent beers on tap and a pool table in the back. Crowd was you typicla mid 20s group. The place had a good vibe going and if I lived in the neighborhood would definitely swing by frequently.
3 - Leaf W.: The reason I went here was it was close to my house and my friends place and we were both tired and I wanted to play pool. mission NOT accomplished. Damn it!!

The bartender was this really nice older fellow with a shorn white beard and glasses. Like Santa's brother. He asked what we wanted and made jokes, and chatted to me about old films from the 30's once I mentioned how much I loved musicals ("Hollywood" was playing). It was not too busy and everyone seemed friendly, but we had to sign up for pool and when it was our turn we were told it was to be played again the last winner, which was fine, if we had known in advance and both signed up.
Instead, we just walked away and sat drinking and talking for 4 hours. uuuugh. the beer is very affordable. The drink prices all look pretty reasonable. They might have food, I did not get any. I consumed quite a bit of ice water out of plastic cups near the end, there. I would go back, but in a different mood. Not a good place for chilling and writing or lollygagging. More a very social place, which is nice, too.
4 - Sam S.: Price/quality this place is very solid. Yes, yes the decor could be better, but you could also pay twice as much for that beer. Were you looking for a Marriott? This is a bar and should be rated as a bar. 

Bar qualities:

There is a pool table, and a dart board (and they have darts). What else do you need? Food. Ok, there's no food. But you can bring it in from outside and they're cool with that.

One caveat: this place gets packed on the weekends. Don't be here. Really. On a weekend night (or a Thursday) this place can get so packed that your experience will suffer. Think about the motor skills of your average graceless transplant student, who doesn't know (or care) how to navigate small spaces without knocking into people. How bad can it be? Well, it's clear to me that people are no longer scared of strangers in New York, because I've had literally a dozens of experiences at 1020 of 5"3 inch girls slamming into me like it's a game of kill the carrier and my beer is the goddamn ball. 

That said, again, this place is wonderful.
4 - Sarah J.: I LOVE this place. $2 and $3 beers during happy hour in Morningside Heights?? Unheard of! Yeah it's dark and smells kind of funny but it's a great hangout!
4 - Matt G.: If you're looking for cheap beers in Morningside Heights, this place is where you should be.  $3.00 Yuengling drafts during happy hour.  Come here early, pound as many as you can and leave before the ironic mustache crew shows up to spend their parents' money.  Or if you're unattached then stick around and throw some game at the underagers.  Whatever, I don't care, I'm old and I'll have left by then.
5 - Chantal D.: this is definitely my favorite dive in the city and its a school crowd. they have a pool table and ive always had fun here - my trashy uni bar and i say that in a good way. come on a thursday or friday.

also, i see a lot of reviews saying its all under agers on these nights - i found when i went that the majority of the crowd is composed of 21-25...sure some 19 yr old stragglers but you gotta love em! ok...maybe 20-30% of the crowd
4 - Doris S.: I really like this bar! Cheap beer and a bunch of Columbian grad school students. The feel of the place is very social and friendly. Definitely a default go-to bar in Morningside :)
2 - Jacob T.: i like playing darts.. I don't like worrying that I'm going to hit an unaccompanied minor with a dart.
4 - Hayley A.: Yeah, this is one of the only good bars in the neighborhood. And if you go to Barnard or Columbia, you're going to spend 50% of your nightlife time here. It's like some weird magnetic pull - towards the end of my time at the 'nard, we would start out the night saying we wanted to go anywhere BUT 1020...and 3 hours later we would always end up there. The crowd is a pretty nice mix. On Saturday nights it can be overwhelmingly Columbia people, but usually it's a mix of pretty attractive locals and the school crowd. There are definitely underage people (I may or may not have been one of them), but they've gotten stricter about that, and it's never overpowering. The young ones usually camp out in the back near the bathroom for some reason. Yes, the bar is miserable when it's too crowded. But there's often this perfect din where it's crowded but not packed, and there's music going and people playing pool and suddenly you're in the middle of a 2 hour discussion with some random guy about Plato. Or nachos, or something. It doesn't matter. This bar just kind of brings groups together.
3 - Chelsea D.: I've been here a handful of times with friends who live near Columbia.  Overall, it's a solid dive... cheap prices and a school-aged crowd, but I'm perpetually a student so I enjoyed that.  It's hard to get a seat, though.  We enjoyed a booth just once.

But keep an eye on your stuff!  My friend's purse and coat were somehow transferred from the bar seat she was sitting at to a table all the way at the back of the bar, even though we had stayed with our things the entire evening.
4 - Ryan R.: Cheap drinks. Cool atmosphere.
4 - Krystal L.: God damn it. This place has won me over. I don't know what happened. I just fell head over heels again and choose to ignore all the bad experiences in the past. Maybe it was the late night finals studying that did me in and I just wanted something familiar, and didn't think a late night visit would mean anything........but it did. Curse it! And now I am thinking about 1020 during the day, taking my friends to it, making future plans with it involved. Sigh.
. 
Occasionally friends and I bring pie and cookies into the bar, so if you see a group eating sweets just holla'. (I also bake for this bar, sigh, what is happening). 

Note: The bartenders are so much better since my last review. Shout out to Ray, Gabe, and Tim. Also another cool thing about this bar, is that it was used for that really cool bar scene in "The Other Guys". Check it out.
4 - Peter C.: 1020, you hold a special place in my heart. This was my first "my" bar in NYC. 
I finally returned recently after many years to find it...brighter. OK, so maybe I'd never been there before 10pm before. Maybe I start drinking a little earlier these days. Maybe I have a few greys mixed in, and wear a suit to work. But you know what hadn't changed? 
1020. 
Still a dive bar, as the gods intended dive bars to be. Still cheap. The bartenders still buy you a shot now and again. Yes, it also still smells vaguely of stale beer, stale people and stale dreams, but how else would you know you were in a dive bar? There's a pool table that's more fun to watch than play on. There are always movies playing in the background. There are CU coeds mingling and sweating and debating. There's a little bit of a lot of things at 1020, and it's always right where you left it. Good to know.
4 - JOSEPH M.: Great happy hour:$3 beers. Tim is the best old-school bartender in the city. He seems to be the last one who knows the meaning of the word buy-back. After 9 and on the weekends it's full of Columbia kids, but in the early eves it's a civilized watering hole. Trivia nights are amusing there too.
3 - Robert J.: It's a dive bar, and it smells like one, but that's just how I like it.

Been going to this place since "way back when" you could smoke cigarettes in a bar. 
I don't go as often as before but I'm always down to meet some old friends at this spot.
I always get the same, a nice pint of Brooklyn Lager.

By the way, this is one of those places that got hurt bad by the smoking ban, not because people stopped going there when you couldn't smoke, but more because once the cigarette smell was out, we all realized how awful this place smelled ! 

It never stopped me !
5 - Ben S.: No frills, no fuss, and no fancy cocktails... just a musty old bar with cheap beer, a pool table, sports on the tube, and adequate space to mingle or sit.  I love happy hour here for the TWO DOLLAR YUENGLING!! The neighborhood just wouldn't be the same without this place.
1 - Ashley J.: My reviews lately have been pretty harsh....I'm really hoping to finally go somewhere worth at least 4 stars on here.....but anyway on to why this place sucks.....

No food....but you can order and bring it in....except there is really nowhere near there except V&T pizza which is the single worst food I've ever had in my life, (seriously).

The Bartender, completely ignored my boyfriend, but gladly helped people who walked up way after him.....it took him way longer than it should have to get a drink. plus side, it was only 7$ for 2 beers....

We came on trivia night, if you are a trivia fan DO NOT PLAY HERE. We're trivia people, my bf and I both used to run our own at the bars we worked at.....and this was the worst one we've ever been to. well, actually it's a tie with common grounds trivia. 

It was just awful. Awful questions, not hard, just stupid, and the music round was ridiculous ....and we definitely know music. we did our own music trivia as well.

and then, he switches papers around and you grade other teams.... i didn't come play to put thought in to grading other peoples shit, esp w/ half points, having to find answers that are placed randomly on the paper.... it's a stupid, lazy, not worth it trivia. 

we will never ever play here again. its also really dark, hard to see, and there is no limit on how big your team is, the team behind us had like 11 or so people....um no wonder your winning....every trivia i've been to has a limit of about 6 to make it fair. whatever though.....im just saying there is way better bars to play trivia at in the city. skip this. skip the bar all together.
5 - Shannon O.: Great dive bar, good cheap beer on tap. Paul's trivia is awesome! It gets crowded so get there early for a table.
4 - Nicole G.: Uggh man, the tortured love affair I have with 1020. It's like a mediocre mistress whose heart you don't have the heart to break. So you show up early because classes ended at 4pm, order your $3-4 beer and colonize a booth, and wait for the Columbia crowd to overtake the regulars-- mostly middle-aged single men in solitary worlds who are watching whatever porn or mainstream movie they're showing on the TVs.

The bartender is sufficiently creepy (but nice) and, I think, drunk 97% of the time. I enjoy the vibe here, except when whatever annoying men at the pool table (there always seem to be gross hotshots at the pool table) decide to hit on my girlfriends and I when we're just looking for a quick drink in the neighborhood after work. 

This once devolved into a really circuitous argument between me and a guy I'd patently rejected (I'm a lesbian, duh) about how he didn't believe homosexuality happened in his country (India). I haven't been back to 1020 since then, but I don't blame the establishment; it just attracts some lurkers on a weekend night, and if you're a gay person looking for cheap drinks in that neighborhood, you're much better off going to Suite, which is a 2-minute walk away.

107 Rainbow Cleaners - New York, NY (40.8000098, -73.9621292) (Manhattan Valley)
1 - Aaron L.: I've never had an experience with a business like the one I had at Rainbow Cleaners. Say what you will about your Duane Reade disasters, your Time Warner debacles, your Con Ed fiascoes; this beats all.

You see, I'm a 20-something bachelor in the great city of New York. I may not have a penthouse apartment nor a Bentley in the garage (nor a garage), but at the very least I can look like I do. I take pride in my wardrobe, however limited it might be, and I take care of my most precious numbers so they might last until I settle down, marry a trophy wife and develop the rock-hard beer gut I've so dreamed of.

Flash forward to Monday the 1st of March. I brought my three favorite shirts to get steamed and pressed at Rainbow Cleaners. Yes, it costs extra, but they are two Armani's and a Zegna -- total retail cost: $600.

I came back to pick up the shirts, saw them nicely hanging in their plastic sheen, paid and left. When I returned home, I noticed something unusual: my gray Zegna button-down now featured two new varieties of buttons. In black and brown. The remaining, factory buttons were a shiny gray color, so black and brown don't exactly match. To add insult to injury, they sewed them on improperly with thread dangling off.

My first impulse was to run down there and tear someone's head off, but I realized I should probably investigate my two Armani shirts. One was pristine. The other: NEW BUTTONS and two tears in the cuff! Not little tears either.

By this point, I was furious. I took the shirts and went back to the store to demand an explanation, a refund, and for them to fix the problem.

Imagine my surprise when they refused on ALL THREE ACCOUNTS. No refund, no explanation, and they refused to fix their own destruction.

I don't need to tell you that when a company DESTROYS something of yours, that they are responsible to fix it on their own dime. But this went beyond that. They wouldn't even take responsibility. According to them, it was not their fault. No apology. No remorse. No attempt to rectify.

Anecdotal rants aside, I realize that it will only cost about $25 and a trip to a sewing store to fix this mess. I have no delusions that this is the end of the world.

However, when a business treats me like this, I take it to the streets. While I may not burn their establishment down, I will certainly make it known that this is how the folks at Rainbow Cleaners operate.

You've been warned.
1 - Alexandra C.: Definitely the worst experience I've ever had at a dry cleaners. They took all the buttons off of my Diane Von Furstenberg blouse (which incidentally said Diane Von Furstenberg on them, well actually her initials DVF). I think these people remove the buttons from nice clothing and then put them on clothing that they make and try to pass them off as genuine garments???

Word to the wise: Don't go here; they will rip you off, and destroy your clothes.
2 - Jess L.: It seems a bit disheveled inside. Figured out after the fact that they send their dry cleaning out, which isn't appealing to me. Got four items done within four days, but I'll be going someplace else next time.

107 West Restaurant - New York, NY (40.8027013, -73.968078) (Manhattan Valley)
4 - Steve M.: We have eaten here for years and have never been disappointed. Excellent appetizers, pasta dishes, specials, great seafood, all fresh. And save room for the best apple crisp ever!
4 - Kim D.: This is my go-to brunch spot in my neighborhood.  I have come here with several people and have always enjoyed my meal.  It's a bit calmer than the Columbia-area restaurants, which is a relief, especially after a late night!  The portions are generous, and I love the homefries and the fruit salad which come with the main dish.  You can order veggie options from waffles to black bean burgers.  I'm always stuffed by the end of the meal.
4 - Kimberli M.: This seems to be my go to place in the neighborhood when I can't decide where to go. 
It's one of the few places I've found where I can sit alone at the bar and not feel awkward that I'm sitting alone. The staff is friendly, although can be a bit laid back (which only means let them know if you're in a hurry.)
The yum... Fried half chicken, the Tofu appetizer, any chops - yum -- and always take a look at the specials! 
It's always tasty for brunch too -- , the southern french toast (rolled in corn flakes for an added crunch and served with strawberry butter.) 

Thursday nights they often have live jazz to boot!
4 - brenda s.: We only use lunch delivery and we only get one thing, but it is excellent.    The steak  and black bean burrito, ordered and delivered rare, is a huge, juicy, delicious meal for  two with rice and guacamole.   I would give 5 stars, but when I have eaten here in the very distant past,  (more than ten years ago so it doesn't count),  it was different.   I can only vouch for the lunch, and also it is a great value at $7.95.
4 - andy t.: 107 West has a loyal following among its neighbors, and I can see why. Speak to anyonee who has eaten here, and they will probably tell you they love the place. 

Count me among them. 107 West is a very understated restaurant with terrace seating up front, bench seating and spacious tables in the back -- with a few interesting nooks and crannies and art on the walls -- and a 10-seat bar in the middle, always tuned to the local game, usually the Yanks. 

Personally, I love sitting at the bar, where Andrew has been tending for about 10 years, off and on. It's a friendly bar and the perfect place to have some dinner on your own. If you want to chat with the friendly locals next to you, it's no problem. If not, no big deal. In other words, it's a great bar dining spot. 

As for the food, I always get the fried chicken. This dish is just so great that I cannot force myself to order anything else on the menu. Others -- you know you're out there! -- know my plight. 

I'm sure the fish specials are excellent, and I've heard the pork chop is sweet. I imagine most everything on the menu is pretty good -- but the fried chicken at 107 is world-class. It comes as a half chicken with choice of a side (read: fries) and collard greens. It's perfectly juicy, never greasy, always consistent. 

In fact 107 West gets my vote for most underrated fried chicken in NYC. In a neighborhood not lacking for its fried chicken (see Miss Mamie's Spoonbread and Rack & Soul), 107 holds its own. And then some.
2 - Kate M.: Was pretty underwhelmed at brunch, remember thinking "I'm never coming back here again" but all the fantastic reviews might have me convinced to give it another shot sometime. Until then, two stars it is.
2 - Courtney M.: I went here on a weekday night and the service was great and the place was very clean. The only thing is...the food was really underwhelming. I ordered a char-broiled burger and my boyfriend ordered the steak quesadilla. It was pretty big portions, but I thought that the seasoning was really uninspired. I was a bit disappointed, but then again the prices were really fair. I don't think I'll go back.

Overall: Fair prices, large portions, good service, blah food.
3 - jen f.: had some 'corn flakes shrouded bread'. i think they called it 'crunchy french toast'. it was pretty good, but a little too bland. the midday baseball scene at the bar was a welcome sight though. might go back for a 'happy hour' or 'music night'. weirdest decor.
5 - Nick L.: Newly renovated, 107 West has finally upgraded it's decor to match it's food. The only restaurant in Morningside Heights were the food actually is worth the price.
4 - Josephine A.: I just went last night... They have recently revamped their menu... adding Japanese and sushi fare. I didn't try any last night... my friend was a little leery since there wasn't a sushi bar/chef in sight. I am curious to read some of the reviews about the asian offerings here. Their continental fare still tasty.
3 - Bibiana C.: I've been here twice, and while it may have redeemed itself the second time around, it's best still isnt good enough.

The first, I was tricked into attending a friends bday dinner. I was not happy to find out it was prix menu for $50 and entirely seafood entrees ( im allergic). The salad was mediocre, and my steak, which I had to harass the waiter to get, left much to be desired. 

The second time was a better, perhaps b/c it was a party of 2 as opposed to 20, and the bf loved the ambience. I'm sure he thought it would make seducing me easier...he was right.

We were seated in a comfy corner near the waterfall and candlelit. The appetizers are actually recommended, the sausage stuffed wontons were amazing! and served with some sauce I am still trying to duplicate back home, but they come HOT so be careful or youll wind up as I did trying to resist the urge to spit it out much to your companions amusement. I got some type of chicken which was, well, just chicken. Not impressive or inventive enough for my liking. 

The perk is there's a Haagen das one block down, so I'd advise you to skip dessert and go there. Trust me, your not missing anything in that department
5 - Pang L.: Read a good review on urbansppon about this place and I was really glad I went with it. The food was delicious (especially the oven roasted half duck) and the portion is generous with the price being very reasonable. Originally I was only going to give this restaurant 4 stars because I thought the bread is a little difficult to swallow but given the super professional service, the five stars are well deserved. We stayed at the restaurant for 5 hours, 2 of which were after we finished our meal but not only were we not pressured to leave, they brought us more drinks!
2 - Dan T.: Menu is all over the place, as were the heads of the employees. When I bring a twenty-spot to takeout lunch and emerge with less than a fiver, especially in M'side Heights, something's terribly askew. That being said, I called in an order via their offensively watermarked menu on the site that bears their familiar-looking logo (hmm). Pitafish/feederfish? (catch OTD) lunch special was saved by the sauce that accompanied it. Fish itself was OK and prepared blandly, spinach was canned, mashed potatoes were absolutely atrocious (worse than any instant I've ever had). Soaked up my misery with the decent bread in the stapled packaging. 
+1 since my food was ready & edible, and +1 because the guy was nice and fished my change from his own Louis Vuitton coin wallet.
4 - Steve M.: The front of this place looks like a greenhouse.  Weird facade but once you enter the main dining room decor becomes quite cool with blue lights and a waterfall.

Prices are reasonable.  The hangar steak, spinach, and mashed potatoes were delicious.  The menu has too many types of cuisines though.  I didn't order the sushi since I prefer to see it made in front of me at a sushi bar.

I always try the local brew on tap.  Red Wagon IPA from the Fire Island Beer Company complemented my meal perfectly.  I would go back just for drinks.  Plenty of local Yankee fans at the bar!
3 - Joni K.: We used to live pretty close to this place and got delivery from here on several occasions. I am partial to their mango avocado chicken salad but I hate that on seamless web the default is no dressing instead of the recommended dressing, but that isn't their fault. My husband enjoys the chicken fajitas and I agree that they are quite good, but it is necessary to order an extra side of guacamole. Really, their prices just aren't that great and they never send utensils with delivery despite my requesting them EVERYTIME.
1 - RZ X.: I have ordered from this restaurant for 4+ years and have had a few complaints over the years. Every complaint one makes is treated with hostility and instead of being apologetic and correcting the mistake, they blame the customer! A few nights ago, I ordered my wings extra crispy, super well done. The order taker, Ruby, repeated my exact order back to me, but when the wings arrived they were soft and sticky, clearly under cooked. I put them in stove and cooked them further. An hour or so later, I ended up vomiting. When I called the restaurant, Ruby said, "we thought they would be too dry if we cooked them more." They ignore your requests. Further, my food  has arrived at times with staples in it or hair, etc. I think it is time to say farewell. They should appreciate their customers more. We are not at fault for requesting that our food is prepared a certain way. Isn't that their job??
2 - Nikki S.: So I'm hungover, watching Sleeping with the Enemy and working on a Saturday.  Of course I'm getting delivery. 

I ordered the hanger steak and a shrimp and avocado roll.  

They did a good job being speedy - my hangover hunger wasn't making me particularly patient. They did a good job substituting vegetables for mashed potatoes - some restaurants don't even look at the delivery notes.  And the vegetables themselves were quite nice.  

But, good sides with a crappy entree? Not good. The steak smelled great - the begging dog to my left agreed. It was a perfectly cooked steak; unfortunately it was also the *saltiest*  "sauteed" steak I've ever had. It was Poodle the Bulldog's lucky day as she got nearly all of my steak, and I... well, I grabbed a beer to wash it all down, and went back to my pile of work and my Julia Roberts movie, no more satisfied than I was before the food arrived.
4 - Brenda M.: This place is an asian fusion, seafood restaurant. At least that is what I gathered is their specialty from their menu. We ordered the calamari fritti which was excellent and the chicken quesadilla which was mediocre. I really enjoyed the Spicy Trio Rolls and can say they are one of the best sushi I have had. I will def be back to have this trio and try some of their fish dishes. They serve a large variety of fish and seafood on their menu at reasonable prices.

Place is decorated with modern decor that encourages tranquility. They also have a bar with sports, draft beer and cocktails. I had the ruby red cosmo and it was delicious. I did not like the raspberry mojito and would not order it again, too bitter.

Great Wednesdays specials $5 cocktails, beer and select appetizers! Will be back for goodness!
4 - Tiffany A.: I just went here for a farewell get-together for an old co-worker & really enjoyed myself! It took me a minute to find the spot (yeah I knew the address, but I almost didn't notice it at night because I found the signage to be poor), but loved the decor when I got inside. (But then again, I'm a sucker for a place that has exposed brick & tea lights strung up around the place.)
We all just had drinks and apps and I was happy to see what a nice helping of Cabernet I got to each order :-). The bacon-wrapped scallops were yummy, but I would've appreciated them being a bit more done in the center. The calamari was soo yum! And a friend held my hand (figuratively) as I tried a new piece of sushi, a food group I generally have issues with cause of the whole raw fish thing. On the menu is Crispy Salmon Roll, but my gf got them to substitute it with tuna.  I gotta say, I was wowed to the point I was trying not to snatch up all her pieces! I'm going back for that sushi! I'm a believer!
3 - Seth H.: Pretty standard meal, nothing too special.  if you're in the area, definitely give it a try for dinner and drinks
4 - Megan H.: I loooove this restaurant.  The hanger steak is delish and quite possibly the best I've ever had in the city.  I took off a star though since their delivery isn't that great.  For some reason the food loses something on it's way from the kitchen to my apt (and I'm only a few blocks away).  Definitely worth making the trip to eat-in.
4 - Andy D.: They have the weirdest menu. All of it tasted good.
2 - Mike O.: I ate here last night with my wife and an old friend. Not very busy on a Sunday evening. Strange how we New Yorkers sometimes disdain a too busy establishment, yet are wary of an empty establishment. You almost feel, "What's wrong with this place?"

The first thing I saw that was wrong was the B rating the health department gave it. Given that there are so many A's across the city, I've come to find a B rating to be akin to an F. C'mon, guys, keep the place clean and healthy!

The second thing that was strange about this place is the menu mishmash, which seemed to be a combination of Japanese and Southern food. This sort of culinary schizophrenia can't bode well, and it didn't. Let me be clear, it's not like the menu was a fusion of any sort. This place served BOTH Japanese and Southern food.

And the food was blah. When the best part of your meal is the mescaline salad. When the second part of your meal are the steamed asparagus...you know where I'm going with this. I could make this stuff better at home, and I'm not much of a cook.

My entree was the vegetarian sushi combo, and I couldn't finish it. The vegetables didn't taste fresh, the seaweed was too rubbery, and the ginger tasted like it was prepared that morning.

Our server was very nice and almost meek. The wine was fine. My company made no comment about the meal, which gave me the impression that it was indeed "blah." My wife concurred that the best part of the meal was the salad. Apparently this place was recommended by New York Magazine. I would counter this recommendation with a "soo many better places to go."
2 - Jess L.: My cousin and I came to 107 with a Restaurant.com voucher. We weren't feeling the A/C too much in the front, so we made our way to the back, right by the kitchen.

Our waitress was perfectly nice. She brought us more bread when we scarfed down the first basket, and she kept our water filled.

The menu was all over the place. To me, that's often a sign that there won't be one good cuisine. 

And that's kind of what we felt. The burger was bland, and my cousin had to ask for cajun spices. The sushi was fine, but I've had fresher tasting. 

All in all, pretty "meh."
4 - Benjamin M.: My sister and brother-in-law live a short walk away from 107 West, so we decided to hit it up for my sister's birthday dinner. We ate dinner here on a Sunday evening, and there was no wait time for our party of four.

We were seated by a ceiling-to-floor waterfall thing that had me totally entranced for the first few minutes. Honestly I don't remember if the rest of the restaurant was well decorated... mainly because I was so fascinated by the waterfall.

The menu was interesting. In most places, I'd laugh at the menu and say there's no way it could ever work. However, this is New York City we're talking about. An American-Asian-Mexican menu with a New Orleans twist works in New York City. Sushi, fajitas, burgers, and jambalaya on the same menu. I had the blacken Mississippi catfish with roasted new potatoes. THE BOMB, I tell you. It was SO good. The roasted red pepper chipotle sauce was awesome. 

We were all completely satisfied with our appetizer and entrees, but the real highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the mocha mud pie. I've had some world-class desserts in my days (thanks to many trips to the legendary Harry Waugh Dessert Room in Tampa) and I think that this dessert tops my list of best desserts ever.

Service wasn't quite on par with what would be expected of a restaurant of this caliber; this is the only reason that I am not giving five stars. After our table was cleared, we waited at least twenty minutes until I finally had to request our check.

107 West has great food and even better dessert. I can't wait to go back for another delicious slice of mocha mud pie!
3 - Adrian L.: I went to 107 West with a few Asian friends and we all ordered Japanese food. I had the spicy trio rolls, and there are 3 types of sushi 6 each. I loved the one with crispy salmon skin, but the other two...taste too fusion to me. 

They try to blend western taste and japanese food together, but it is hard, and they did a decent job, but not good enough to make me recommend them to my friends (except the crispy salmon skin sushi)
4 - Kurt R.: They know how to make a martini, scallop appetizer excellent, blackened catfish almost as good as Red Rooster!
2 - K L.: I'm all for the benefit of the doubt so it was hard for me to give it 2 stars but as adorable as this restaurant is. It really wasn't the best experience which could account for all the open seats on a Friday night.
The menu is a conglomerate of American and Japanese. I tend to fear any amalgamated menus. It usually means the restaurant isn't sure what it wants to be and therefore is not good at being anything at all. 
I went with the American side of the menu. Started with Coconut shrimp and dumplings. Both seemed pre-made not the worst taste just nothing special although my date enjoyed the dumplings. 
For entrees it was the burger and Jambalaya. The entrees were as the appetizers: unexciting. The Jambalaya was a large portion but pretty soupy and low on shrimp sausage and anything other than rice and liquid. 
The burger laid quietly next to the fries hoping that who ever came in contact with it would be hungry enough to devour it.  
I'd love to say that since we were one of the only two tables that we received exceptional service. I cannot. Our server changed 3 times from seating and drinks, to actual ordering. Luckily we weren't in a hurry or super thirsty because after our food was dropped off. We were left to our own devices( we were there for an hour) and to an angry waitress who would've much rather lit candles than drop our check.
1 - Art G.: Clueless wait staff; specials confused. We ordered a special--a half lobster on capelini, and decided on the salad as a side. It came  minus the pasta. When asked why, the confused waitperson claimed the salad was the "substitute"--not so, but we let it ride. My dish, shrimp and scallops, was totally ill-conceived: they wrapped the skinny little shrimp around the scallops. Do they know that scallops take longer than shrimp to cook? I guess not. The shrimp were overcooked and the scallops were mushy and undercooked...all covered in a goppy breading that turned to an uncooked batter. Never again
4 - Peter K.: A place where you can actually find something for everyone!  Creole, American, Mexican and even Japanese!  Another great find where most of the entrees are under $20.  The soft spoken waiter excelled at his job. Bread basket was great.  I finally found cornbread I like.  

The creole chicken and shrimp with red pepper chipotle sauce was off the hook.  You get a lot of food, enough for lunch the next day.  Comes with lump free mashed potatoes and delicious spinach that soaked up all of the garlic. 

I will recommend this place to my friends up there and cannot wait to come back.  Dunno about the lounge though.
1 - Keith J.: Mixed menu with multi national cuisine= usually not a good idea. The sushi tasted frozen and the sushi rice was kind of crunchy, but not in a good way. The sashimi was flavor less. The waitress was attentive but not all there-- we ordered a bottle of sparkling water and she only brought us one glass with it. The meal came with small corn bread muffins as the bread supplement which were decent. The spicy tuna roll was good...if I would've bought it from Morton Williams I mean. 

All in all it wasn't a horrible experience or anything but compared to other places in the area it was bottom of the barrel. Maybe it was just an off night.
3 - Maria S.: Very decent food at a reasonable price.  Lovely decor, nice staff.  Interesting choices on the menu.

1110 Carriage House Inn - Austin, TX (30.2865142, -97.7497439) (University of Texas, West Campus)
5 - RIKETA C.: Wow...where do I start? 

If you are visiting Austin, this is the place you should be.  I would have to say that this Inn tops the list of all the places that I have stayed.  Everything was perfect, and I was not disappointed once. I don't have any complaints!  Tressie is one of the nicest people I've met thus yet, and a fabulous innkeeper! 

The rooms are spotless, inviting and spacious. The beds are really comfortable, and I really appreciate the complimentary treats that are left in the rooms.  

Every morning at 9:00 am (our designated breakfast time slot -how cool is that?) we walked over to the cottage next to the Inn where breakfast is served.  Everyday when we stepped in we had our own private set up table where we were served a homemade delicious organic breakfast.  I wish I could live like this everyday!   I can't explain how nice it is to wake up, and walk right to breakfast being made and served in a pretty setting.   Say goodbye to those cookie-cutter-continental-prepackaged breakfasts and say hello to made-from-love-and-scratch organic breakfasts!  Everyday there was something different, and if you didn't prefer that you could always request what you wanted! 

It's so weird..when I walked around the neighborhood it didn't look nearly as pretty as the Inn. It's like the Inn is it's own little world in that neighborhood. There are so many pretty things to look at just in her yard. There are also so many places to sit and relax and read a book, or just have conversation. 

It is also very close to everything in downtown Austin and if you didn't know where to go, don't worry, Tressie has a ton of information.  She is like the Austin tour guide! 

I didn't know that the truffles that she offered had to be purchased (but that is because I should have read the website a little better), but I thought it was so sweet that right before we were going to check out she came to give us one of her truffles to taste!  I thought that was so nice of her. 

Checkout was as easy as pie.  Just leave the keys in the room and be on your way.  We also got served breakfast on the last day, which I didn't expect.  

All in all I was very, very, very sad when I had to leave.  Tressie if you are reading this: Thanks for helping to make my trip to Austin one of the best!  We will be back for sure!
5 - Jeff B.: What Riketa said. Wonderful place, convenient location, gracious hostess, and incredible breakfast. Hard to imagine a better B&B in Austin.
4 - Lenah K.: Our history with this place is pretty interesting.  Awhile back (2008 I believe), before we were married, we booked a room here for our dating-anniversary weekend, which was also Valentine's weekend.  At the time we were living in Galveston, but we were visiting Austin for a concert.  I emailed about availability, etc. and was assured that they had a place for us.  We were excited to stay at a cool bed-and-breakfast near where we used to live when we attended UT.  Well, it was not to be.  When we arrived we were told that right after the confirmation email I was sent weeks before, another email had been sent that said a previously-booked guest had asked to extend their stay another night.  I didn't get that email (I never delete anything, so no, I didn't get it).  Tressie, the owner, spent quite a bit of time calling other similar establishments to see if they had openings, but she couldn't help us, so we picked a random hotel along the freeway and stayed there.  We were disappointed, but well, these things happen.

We got married July 3rd, 2009.  We were stupid and decided to go out drinking with our friends the night before.  We wanted to avoid the downtown hassle and stick to establishments in the campus area, so we decided to stay near campus as well, and this place came to mind.  Tressie remembered me and made sure that she had space available.  

When we got there we found out that we had been upgraded from a room to a suite for no extra charge, which was cool.  That meant we got an extra half-bath and a livingroom-type area with a microwave and coffee and tea stuff.  We were also given some weird coffee-flavored m&ms.  There were other commercial-sample type things in the bathroom that we could have, including fancy his-and-hers razors. 

Our bedroom was pretty nice, decor was subtle, not too "grandma," but not much character either.  After we arrived we wanted to rest and watch TV a bit before going out, but we found that the cable wasn't working, so all there was to see was static.  We let Tressie know, and she said she could move us to a different room that was in the actual house, but then we wouldn't have a whole suite.  We decided to just forgo the TV since there wasn't much time to watch it anyway.  

So we went out drinking that night and were out later/drunker than we intended.  Both of us kind of had a rough time back at our suite during the 5 or so hours that we had before we needed to get up for our wedding in the morning.  

The breakfast area was in the same building as our suite, and when we woke up we heard Tressie puttering around in there making breakfast.  Food sounded awful to us.  I was ready first so I went to the breakfast area before my groom did.  Tressie tried to make cheerful conversation to me but I felt horrible and it became apparent that we were from two very different worlds.  She assumed that my husband-to-be was suffering from nerves rather than drink, and told me some story about a nervous groom who stayed there before, emphasizing that he and his intended stayed in SEPARATE rooms pre-wedding.  She also asked who was going to "stand up with us" at the courthouse.  I was confused by this and she tried to explain it to me, saying it was a legal requirement, but it turns out she was wrong, that wasn't required at our wedding later that day.

Food was okay, but I was hoping for blue corn waffles because that was mentioned as an example on the website.  There was some kind of omelet with turkey and garden veggies, and some fruit and biscuits.  At the end of the meal there was a vanilla "breakfast pudding" that was pretty awesome and the only thing that I actually enjoyed in my sick state.  My groom came in halfway through the meal but was only able to get a couple of bites down.  He was pretty sad about that later since he liked the looks of the breakfast pudding too.  

Overall this was a pretty nice place, just not for us.  Tressie did say we could come back for anniversaries and get the whole suite for the price of a room again, but we'll most likely pass.
5 - Beverly S.: I've been visiting my daughters at UT for almost 8 years and regret not having discovered Carriage House Inn before now. It is in a very "Austin" residential neighborhood (to all who love Austin, this is a good thing!). Had I found it years ago, I would have been spared the cookie cutter hotel room, boring breakfast buffet, and paying ridiculous parking fees at the varied 4 and 5 star hotels where I stayed there. I would have been able to take my morning jog in the peaceful neighborhood under aged umbrella topped trees and come back to the most wonderful, creative, organic breakfast served in an open dining area with lots of Texas, country charm and sun streaming in through the windows. After my day around Austin, I could have come back to the Inn and relaxed in the meticulously manicured garden around the koi pond with waterfalls making its soothing sounds in the background. Then, in for a shower where I would have had no anxieties had I forgotten my toothpaste or razor because it's all there.  At bed time I would have slipped between crisp sheets and warm cotton blankets and unwound on a mattress with good support and perfectly stuffed pillows listening to a distant owl and waking up to the happy sound of chirping birds and another delicious breakfast. 
I have stayed at about 2 dozen inns around the country and I have found that the best are the ones where the owner(s) is on the premises and running the place themselves. Carriage House fits into this category. Tressie is warm, welcoming, accommodating and has a high standard for every aspect of the Inn. Tressie adds that personal contact that rounds out the inn experience. If you love Austin or want to get to know it in a more intimate way, leave the downtown experience to the tourists and stay at Carriage House. It's located close to everything you'll want to see and do there, but at the end of the day you'll get to relax in the "real" Austin!

119th St Tennis - Manhattan, NY (40.810755, -73.964424) (Morningside Heights)
4 - Ray M.: Definitely one of the better set of tennis courts in the City.

I went to Columbia and never played here.  It was only after graduating that I discovered this place and started to play here a lot.  

The courts are better than most courts, for example, at Astoria or Fort Greene.  

Everyone knows everyone (there are a lot of regulars like at other NY courts) and I've found everyone to be approachable and nice.  There's an active association that holds tournaments and clinics.

Like other NY parks, the tennis courts cannot be reserved in advance and can only be booked for 1 hour each time.  Repeats are only allowed if there is availability.  During the summer weekends, it's impossible to repeat unless you get there at 7 in the morning or 7 at night.  During the summer weeks, it usually gets crowded as well.  You have the best chances of getting a court from 7-8pm.  

Connections are key.  If you know the right people, you can play longer during peak times... such is life in our beautiful city.  

Courts 1-2 are the show courts but I also like the courts in the back where there's less traffic of people coming on/off courts.
5 - Mayela O.: do you have the phone of there? i mean i wanna call to see the cost of play there.... 

does it have any cost??

12 Lounge - Philadelphia, PA (39.9540328, -75.2024769) (University City)
3 - Kimberly P.: This bar is located in the back of the Bridge movie theater. I love the dcor and the drink specials as well. If you go on the weekends, they even have a live DJ although there is no room to dance &#61516;. 

Happy hour also is a great time to go, with half off appetizers and many drink specials. The crowd is evenly split between pre-/post- movie goers and locals. If you happen to see a movie at the Bridge, definitely stop by for a drink or two!
4 - Anthony C.: This place used to be much better when they had karaoke on Wednesdays. However they do have an amazing happy hour. Decent drinks including Golden Monkey, Labatt Blue, Bud, Yuengling, Heineken, Stoudts American Pale Ale, Fosters, & Magic Hat 9 that I can think of off the top of my head. I used to go there every week at least once a week during college. They never carded me ever, I've been going since I was 19 and they saw me so often that nobody ever got around to it. It is connected to a movie theater(the bridge), but if you want good beer I'd recommend Marathon Grill connected to the same building. Also Rob is my boy so tip him well, he's a funny guy too. Also a DJ on Friday nights. Also this bar has computers at the bar, it doesn't look cheesy either, a spot worth checking out in the 40th street area.
3 - Molly O.: knockin it down one. raised they prices. Charged me for beer we didn't order.
Still a decent deal but didn't leave too happy this time.
3 - Christopher R.: Happy Hour here is pretty good but the crowd is surprisingly sparse. If I were in the area, I'd probably go here pretty often.

I mean, how could I argue with $2 pints of Victory Prima Pils and Stoudt's American Pale Ale?  Its kind of a bummer that the Golden Monkey stays at $6 (the only beer excluded from the special) but I'm willing to overlook that.

I think either Kimberly is inaccurate, they changed the special or the bartender lied to me about the appetizer specials for Happy Hour.  I was told $5 for chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks or artichoke dip, not a full half off on everything.  I tried the artichoke dip and it tasted like a package of frozen T.G.I.Friday's brand & is served with tortilla chips out of the bag.  Oh well.

Kind of a cool lounge area and plenty of flatscreens makes this a pretty decent place to hang out while you're waiting for your movie to start.
2 - Jason S.: NOOOOOOO UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT WHERE IS MY COLD BEER HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP.

Seriously the bar is closed for the time being so if you want some really gross looking bacon cheese fries with nothing to wash it down with but cranberry juice this is your go to place.
2 - Dana V.: We tried this place for the dinner and a movie combo. The food was pretty awful actually. The idea is great, $25 gets you dinner and a movie ticket, but unfortunately the dinner leaves a lot to be desired. I'm not giving it one star on the chance it was an off night, or maybe we just ordered the wrong thing.

120th Street Halal Cart - New York, NY (40.806979, -73.953503) (Harlem)
3 - Ben C.: Quickly becoming my favorite quick-cheap lunch spot in the M'side area.  Typical, satisfying Halal fare: meat over rice or wrapped in a pita.  I usually get the chicken or chicken and gyro combo over rice ($5 and $6, respectively).  Service is friendly and extremely efficient, and the food is mighty tasty (not quite 53rd & 6th tasty, but tasty nonetheless).  Offering extra red & white sauce to-go or at least having bottles on the side of the cart might earn them an extra star.
3 - Brice P.: Saying this is "fine," "solid," halal might sound like a slight, but we've all walked up to a halal cart and been disgusted, unable to finish the food. Or even--like the cart down on 116th and Broadway--had food that was barely passable. This place is much better than that. It is good.

These guys are nice, happy, and efficient even when there's a crowd. I absolutely recommend this as an occasional lunch spot when you're looking for something fast, cheap and edible.
3 - Dimitrios D.: I'm going to say up front that the food isn't amazing; the meat quality is sort of suspect and everything offered on the menu is basic and won't astound anyone.

However, with this said, my chicken over rice combo is satisfying me, especially when I consider the $5 it cost me. It's not even bland like I thought it would be, because the guy squirted a bit of tahini and hot sauce over it.

Plus this place is immediately across from Teachers College and the main Columbia campus, so it's convenient for students.

I just wish the meat was slightly better quality to keep things inexpensive but also not so... Suspect.

125 Lasalle Laundry And Cleaners - New York, NY (40.813773, -73.960059) (Harlem)
4 - Dimitrios D.: They haven't lost any of my clothes yet!

And the lady working there is friendly and polite!

125th Street in Harlem - New York, NY (40.811452, -73.953343) (Harlem)
1 - Tempest B.: There are some places that are so famous and iconic you almost feel like you don't need to go there because you already know what they're all about.  That's how I felt about 125th Street in Harlem.  The Apollo is there and the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. building is there and Harlem is there.  You expect certain things of it.

In 10 years of living in NYC, I never actually went to 125th Street.  Not until this past week when I had to fly out of LaGuardia.  I decided to take the M60 bus cuz it's cheap and easy.  The bus travels the length of 125th, so I got a good look at this historic street.

God, I am so dissapointed.  

The Apollo is still there, but what else of Harlem is?  I see H&M and Payless and Starbucks.  STARBUCKS.  On the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X Blvds.  Both of these men are probably shaking their heads in the afterlife.  While not united in their ideologies in life, I'm sure they both agree that it's shameful for a Starbucks to be at their intersection.  

Where are the black-owned businesses?  Where are the *local* businesses?  Where is the lifeblood of Harlem?  Not for nothing, but to have all these crap stores be white-dominated corporate evil shops lining the street is just as bad as the rampant commercialization overtaking the area.

I'd heard about the gentrification, but hadn't realized the extent of it.  Harlem isn't going to be Harlem anymore, it'll just be another place for condos to go up and for folks to walk by the Apollo or the one other 'historic' landmark and think: "Oh, some famous black person did something here once!  I live in a very ethnic place."  Jesus.

For the moment, one can travel up to 135th to locate a little soul, but how long with that last?  The creeping gentrification should be labeled for what it is: whitewashing.  And it will keep going and going like the energizer bunny.  How can we maintain the character of Harlem without selling it's soul?
4 - Namrata A.: I very much disagree with the opionion underneath.  Yeah, we got Starbucks, CVS, Marshalls, etc, but we also have the shops that are individually owned, more so than most areas in New York.  125th street is a major market area during the day, gets slightly desserted at night, but it's a great area and though I've been living here for a a month now,  its reasonably priced all around.  Adding condos to this area only gets the area to get more culturally diverse, which is awesome.
4 - Daniel L.: One of the fattest streets in America. 

SERIOUSLY.

Throw a stone and you'll hit an obese person.

The street is downright fat-tastic!

I've been verbally harangued by those psychotic Sons of Israel morons, accosted by socialists on the intersection of 125th and Fredrick Douglass Blvd., had my ass admired by girls who probably were in junior high, cruised by some of the sexiest creatures in Manhattan--all on this very street that is the main street (particularly in the commercial sense) of Harlem.
 
True, a lot of its historic local flavor is giving way to more polished looking development and retailers, but honestly, I won't get worried until a sushi restaurant opens somewhere on the street.
1 - Ethan C.: I took the M60 from Amsterdam all the way to Jackson Heights in Queens everyday last summer, and it goes cross town on 125th street. The bus was consistently filled with annoying people with the huge bags taking the bus LaGuardia. There were definitely many situations with the locals there that I haven't experienced anywhere else, I'm not a fan.
3 - jenny A.: Here are the chain stores on a 6 block stretch of 125th, the main drag of Harlem: American Apparel, The Body Shop, H&M, Sleepy's, Dunkin Donuts, popeyes, Duane Reade.  I think that's about it.  Every other aprt of Manhattan has a much higher concentration of chain stores.  There are still tons of locally owned businesses.  Sadly this is probably going to change because of new zoning laws that will allow big buildings with retail space on the ground floor.  

I really think Harlem needs to have a history or cultural museum down here.  It's one of the most interesting areas of the city.  For now it's tourist free, which may be what has kept away the chain stores, but I kinda doubt it.  There are a lot of people who come to new York, who just want to check out the different neighborhoods and soak up the flavor.  When the flavor is all Dunkin Donuts, then its really lame.  More and more, when you want to find the "real" Manhattan you have to go to Brookyln.
5 - Willis W.: Of course, I gotta give big ups to HARLEM...5 stars forever!!
3 - Dee B.: Ok, so here is the deal. Although I am a fan of Harlem I have never been a huge fan of 1-2-5. See, it is crowded, loud, and busy most of the time. However, unlike the previous poster I do see the value of 125th Street. There are some wonderful stores that are not chains. Carol's Daughter, Brownstone, there used to be a cute little eclectic store got priced out, Pollen Nation, African fabric stores, and other little nooks and crannies. The problem is working your way down the crowded sidewalk that is lined with vendors selling self-published 'urban' literature, scented oils and black soap, as well as bootleg CDs and DVDs. Once you manage to skirt them, shake the African hair braiders, and out-pace  the hawkers trying to get you into their cheap hip hop clothing, sneakers, electronics, and junk stores you can actually enjoy the sights and sounds. Another benefit to shopping 125th is a selection of at least 3 different plus size stores, which is hard to find in a city that worships sizes zero to two. 125th is also home to the world famous Apollo theater. the Studio Museum, and soon will be home to a forthcoming cultural center. Skip past the numerous Manna buffet eateries and pop into one of the local favorites like MoBay, Uptown Juice Bar, Fishers of Men, and Taste of Seafood near the eastern end of the street. If you venture off the main drag you will Sylvia's, a new French bistro, and several Carribean eateries.
3 - Aisha M.: I love just walking around here  because to me this is the part of New York where we see how people really live and not just the SATC version of New York. It really completes the picture.
3 - Dan T.: Offers a few nice choices and it's growing, albeit gentrifying (via NYT, etc). One of the few spots to find both bargain retail and some of the most unwelcome yet highly frequented fast food chains from around the country.
3 - Alessa M.: I like Harlem. I always feel like it gets a bad rap from a lot of the rich ass people as a place where it's an end all be all or a future robbery, and that may be true but most times the people are so alive with life and spirit. It's great to see. 

They know what's happening to there neighborhood. What the rich don't know is that they aren't ignorant. People in Harlem are being pushed further uptown. Thanks Bill Clinton for moving your ass to Harlem and making sure that the under/middle class would be forced out. The rich think it's cool to live in Harlem because he is there. Stupid reason rich people. 

Oh and the food is amazing up there. I've eaten so much soul food that I swear I can gain a whole size in one day. So rich and so good. 

I won't say there isn't violence because there is violence anywhere in the city. You just don't here about the guy in Soho ho robbed a little old lady. People wanna hear about it if it happen in Harlem or the Bronx or in Brooklyn. Oh because Lower Manhattan can't be bothered with violence. They are too busy shopping fifth ave. 

I've got one question or the rich people, when you've managed to completely kick out the middle class from Manhattan and we are so far away from Manhattan that we can't really travel there as much and find jobs near our new homes, who's going to sell you those clothes? Who is going to wash them? Who will baby sit your annoying rich kids? Who will clean up your gardens? Who will do your laundry? Answer your phones?

Not us. We live in Yonkers, and white plains. Thanks.
3 - Christopher M.: Ghetto-tastic!  This is one of the best places in the city to pick up your incense and oils...to find good soul food...cheap eats and shopping...and to watch colorful people of all types.

But the bus system is just not adequate for this street.  It's so inadequate that I had to knock off two stars.  You rarely get on a bus that isn't standing room only...and I'm talking dangerously tight standing room.  I've even had full buses at 3 am in the morning on a week night!  

But if you can hoof it on foot, it ain't too shabby!
5 - Miss A.: love harlem.

love one-twofif.

so much so that i cant review it because i dont know where to start.  i am humbled by its awesomeness.
3 - Rui T.: This place is Dunkin Dounuts.
2 - Sam P.: I had the most ridiculous experiences on 125th street this week.

I was taking the M60 bus back from LaGuardia and we stop at Lexington Ave. No surprise there. Then, things got weird - I heard some shouting outside of the bus. Five minutes later, we still hadn't moved. 

Turns out a man in an electric wheelchair had been sitting directly in front of the bus, preventing it from moving. I am not entirely sure what happened but I think he was claiming that the bus had hit him, which I highly doubt to be true. He had an amputee in a wheelchair corroborating his story...it quickly devolved into a complete s**tshow and I was outta there. 

So....I decide to huff it over to Lenox to catch the subway. On my way over there a guy approached me trying to sell me a CD to help with his band and "mobile studio" and I was going to give him a couple of bucks for the CD. Well apparently the minimum donation for a CD is $10 so instead he just took the two bucks, said I was a "real dude" and walked off. Fantastic.

Oh and in case you're curious - by the time I walked four blocks to Lenox and got on the train the M60 still hadn't caught up with me.
1 - Harlem r.: Ghetto, NOT-tastic. Chaos rules. At all times of the day and night, packed with families, women, men; sometimes small gangs of unsupervised children. When walking west one early evening, I was harassed by a trio of boys that looked no more than ten or eleven. Perhaps younger. 

Visitors to one of the many addiction clinics, homeless service centers, and so on, everywhere, demanding money, making "political" speeches, harassing people, fighting with each other. 

Litter everywhere. People engaged in littering, everywhere. Literally. When my companion commented on the piles of litter, a man walking just ahead of us turned, enraged, and threw his Popeye's garbage at out feet. Littering is apparently a treasured hobby. 

No decent shopping venues. A few down-scale versions of the corporate usuals. Many many many stores celebrating and encouraging ghetto culture. The balance filed in with "dollar" stores. 

The Studio Museum is an interesting place, and the Olive Tree (?I think) Market is also nice. Mobay is okay; at times it can be quite good (although the service NEVER is). But I quite seldom visit these places, preferring to avoid the environment of random violence and chaos that surrounds them. 

The street vendors display the most specious, ill-conceived political propaganda that I have ever encountered. Do these individuals actually know anything about Zimbabwe ? About Mugabe ?
4 - Philippe C.: Forget the high-end, hoity-toity snottiness of 5th Avenue, forget the over-commercialized, urban-suburban atmosphere of Times Square, THIS is the place to shop in Manhattan, or The City. 

I fell in love with Harlem. I definitely thought Brooklyn would have been the place in the NY area that I would have fallen in love with but I didn't spend enough time there to get a real feel of it, so it's Harlem for now. For years this was the only place in Manhattan where black people could live, and I find it so admirable and inspiring how they took the place, made it their own and took pride in it. There is so much history and culture contained within these buildings and streets. 

125th is the shit. From the Apollo Theater to Dr. Jays. From the various booths selling bootlegs and other out of the ordinary goods to the street performers. I almost want to move to New York just so I can spend more time there. Sylvia's also isn't all that far from here.

There's also the Studio Museum, which I wanted to see so bad, but of course it was closed. Maybe next time. 

Well anyways, Harlem, I love you.
3 - Lovet O.: I was at 125th and St. Nicholas yesterday and I was bombarded by women who wanted to braid my hair and "give me a good price". I wasn't interested but that didn't stop them from pestering me. 

Anyways, I think this was my first time at this particular area of Harlem and it looked better than what I expected.
5 - Sasha G.: It's Harlem. Yes-- Harlem, NY. 
That place you read about in your African American Literature lecture in college. 
The home of the "Harlem Renaissance;" one of the main focal points during the Civil Rights Movement. A neighborhood praised and visited by prominent African American Writers- Langston Hughes being one I admire most. A neighborhood whose sole name elicits feelings of pride and black power for many. A place whose streets were graced with the presence of prominent African American figures like Martin Luther King. JR and Malcolm X in the time when politics wasn't simply a "middle class thing" and was instead a part of the average American discourse.
Home of many underground clubs-- jazz clubs visited by all ethnicities. When the blues was topping the charts and the most popular style of dance wasn't humping on a dance floor. 

It's hard to believe that this same Harlem is the Harlem that we walk through this present day. Immigrants selling their "homemade" shea butter and incenses in the street, trying to make a living to support their families. Merchants unfortunately resorting to selling "Welcome to Harlem" t-shirts depicting black young girls and their afros, in an attempt to make some money off these tourists. Tour buses driving by with tourists nervously snapping pictures of "that woman in a cool headscarf." Litter everywhere-flying in the wind, getting caught on your shoe, being completely ignored by the Sanitation department because low-income places really don't rack in revenue for Mayor Bloomberg's pockets right? 

It's a bittersweet feeling walking through Harlem. It still holds so many memories for many, I'm sure. 

Although I'm:
1. not from Harlem
2. don't live in Harlem
3. not considered African American

AND I can't offer much commentary on what it use to really be like- I can appreciate it for what it is and absolutely LOVE it for what it use to be.
2 - Tiffany S.: Not what it used to be.

Please do not mistake my description of 125th street for ALL of Harlem.

125th street used to be on a popping back when I was in middle school and high school (about 7 years ago). I would window shop with my friends, buy the latest Jordans and Timbalands, and just kick it with my crew. 

But now? Ugh, its dirty, grimy, filled with cheap knock off stores and crack head bums all around. WTF 125th street. People preaching the "word of God" and acting like fool.  Illegal activity all around. "Newports! Get your Newports here!!!"

125th, how dare you fall so low? You used to be my secret getaway. Now I just want to getaway from you! Dust yourself off and return to the greatest that you once were. I don't know how much longer I can bare to see you sink any lower.
1 - Christian L.: my how harlem has changed.  im gonna leave it at that

12th St. Catering - Philadelphia, PA (39.9628298, -75.1910726) (Mantua)
5 - Caitlin W.: Without a doubt the number one catering company in the Philadelphia area.  Would (and have) recommend time and time again!
5 - Adriel T.: 12th Street Catering (actually, it's official 12 Street Catering) catered my rehearsal dinner and my wedding reception in June.  They were fantastic.  Let me count the ways.  From the very first meeting, they understood what we wanted.  We wanted to do a lot of things DIY - the reception was in my parents' backyard -- and they were completely on board.  They didn't ever push us to spend more money and they explained why we should want to spend money on certain things -- like servers (they were right!).  They met with the people at our rehearsal dinner site (we don't live in Philly, so it was great that they made those connections without us) to discuss what needed to be done and to get permission to cater there.  They were open to our menu selections and never made us feel like our taste was questionable.  

They were fantastic at getting us to think through what we needed to consider (everything from the moment the guests arrive).  At the walk through at my parents', they helped us realize what we needed to do and they surprised us by being willing to do things that we thought we'd need to get our friends to do.  And they did it too!  When my parents' arrived from the ceremony, the servers wanted to be given more to do and they helped set up our origami paper lights and other decorations that we thought were not their responsibility but we were pleased that they were willing to do it.  

They took the menu cards that I had made and used the same font and graphics to make cards for the buffet showing what each dish was, creating a sense of continuity through all the things we printed ourselves and making our DIY stuff look much more professional.  I had one conversation with one caterer at the reception, and other than that, they didn't need direction from us.  My parents were really happy with them, too.  They came on the Monday after the wedding to pick up things they had to leave.  

Also, the food was fantastic at both events -- a fish and a meat for each dinner and amazing vegetables and macaroni and cheese sides!  We got so many compliments on how good it was.  

But the thing that makes a caterer deserving of a five is that even when there was an error in the numbers that we thought originated with them, they admitted it and swallowed the cost of correcting it.  I don't think they make errors often because they are obviously seriously professional, but their willingness to take care of it themselves gave us every faith and confidence that we were in good hands and so made the whole weekend just magnificent.
5 - Courtney T.: 12th Street Catering catered my wedding in August and we could not have been happier.  They are fantastic and you should have no hesitation in hiring them.  The food, service, and pricing is excellent.  We wanted vegetarian food for our wedding, and while most places state they can cater vegetarian they basically mean some variant on baked ziti.  12th Street has an amazing selection of vegetarian food.  The food was delicious and we got compliments from the most skeptical meat eaters!   Also, our main contact, Lisa, is awesome.  You will never feel pressured into anything.  She's a joy to work with- fun and funny and at the same time professional and super competent.  Go for it!

14th St Citgo - Atlanta, GA (33.7863612, -84.3979516) (Westside / Home Park)
1 - David K.: Just driving by this place pisses me off. They're the only gas station on this stretch of 14th Street, so I guess they think that gives them the right to charge 20-30 cents more per gallon than anywhere else.

I shouldn't be too pissed because they've probably got a pretty good hustle going on with that. I just can't get over how blatantly inflated their prices are and they do it constantly.

Of course, money talks, so I gladly bring my hard earned money to other stations who aren't trying to cheat people that don't have another price to immediately compare before they make a decision to buy here.
1 - Daniel B.: Who actually buys gas from 14th Street Citgo?  Well I had to once when I was on the verge of running on fumes.  I paid $4.90 per gallon for premium fuel.

$4.90.

That's the most I've ever paid for gas in Atlanta.  I'm glad I'm not the first person to Yelp about this station's price-gouging ways (thank you, David K).  I don't know how this place manages to stay in business unless it stays afloat purely off the profits of ripping off desperate, soon-to-be-stranded, Midtown motorists.

14th Street Self Storage - Atlanta, GA (33.786817, -84.391912) (Westside / Home Park)
5 - masoe o.: This self-storage facility is right of the expressway, which is totally convenient. The management staff  totally understands the immediate needs of its customers, and I recommend anyone needing a U-Haul, or storage space to check them out.
4 - David K.: I'm not sure about the storage experience here, but if you need to rent a U-Haul this is your place. They're open 7 days a week and have an entire fleet on their lot.

The employees here are really friendly (if not a little flirty, but I could just be flattering myself) and made renting a truck completely hassle free. I didn't even have one reserved and I was able to walk right up and get one. I'm sure they'd prefer for you to visit their website, so encourage you to do so for an even quicker transaction.

They even have a dropbox where you can leave you keys in case you bring your truck back afterhours.

Again, if you need to rent a moving truck this is your place. They make it sooo easy! I definitely regret not also coming here for a storage unit since my experience at Public Storage has been so awful.

15th Street Cafe - Austin, TX (30.277465, -97.742557) (Downtown)
4 - Kani S.: My husband and I first tried this place because of the entertainment coupon. Not many locals go here, it seems like, but we can highly recommend the place!

Don't be fooled by its almost-too-quiet atmosphere when you walk in, and suppress the urge to turn and go home! Just stay! The prices are reasonable, their food is fresh, good veggies, and the service is super nice (the manager, Dan, is so sweet and fun to talk to). 

I especially like their tortilla soup, Ruben (one of the best around), and fish dish. My husband usually orders steak or burger, which he likes also. Oh, and the fries that come with those dishes are really good too! 

You can also go there to watch sports and have a beer as well. It's also fun to watch out-of-towners travel and go places, or feel like you're having some secret affair while having dinner. 

To sum up, 5 stars for it's melancholy charm, good food, and unpretentious attitude. Giving 4 stars to keep it an Austin secret! Seriously, give them a try!!!
2 - Brittany R.: It was a little strange to walk in at 6pm on a Saturday and be the ONLY people in the restaurant.  Luckily, there were 2 more couples that showed up while we were there.  
We used a Restaurant.com coupon. Even using a coupon, I wouldn't come back or recommend the place.  
Their website said there were wings on the menu.  When we got there no wings under the appetizers. So we ordered the crab cakes.  $9 for 2 itty bitty crab cakes.
For entrees, I ordered the salmon and my husband ordered the fried chicken.  We both ate all of our food, but I've definitely had better salmon and fried chicken.
The server was a little strange and we were quick to leave.  Do not plan on returning ever.
3 - Melinda G.: This is a good place to have a lunch meeting. It's quiet with a business atmosphere and reliable customer service. They do not have a large menu but it's still a variety and the food isn't bad. I recommend the salmon, the bbq chicken salad or the hamburger. Prices are what you would expect for a hotel, certainly not the cheapest. But when planning a business meeting, there is never a wait, always good service, and decent food. They also have sweet potato fries which is a plus in my book.

16 Hands - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2842777, -83.7468217) (Kerrytown Ann Arbor)
5 - Mae S.: Sixteen hands equals eight artists? Well, the name isn't very definitive. A wide variety of hand made art work and various greeting cards do make this an amusing gallery for browsing, gift buying, or self-indulgence.
4 - Lisa W.: Ok, so why did I never enter this place until a few days ago?  Because, quite frankly, their window display and entrance area does not look appealing at all.  It looks like...  fairy metal or something.

However, wanting to visit a fresh place on Main Street, I walked in with the babe and his daddy, and was pleasantly surprised.

What was awesome?  Their kids section was pretty cool, very carefully selected items for the home and for gifts.  I wound up buying these coasters made out of vinyl record centers.  (We have one for the Wiz, awesome!).  They have a beautiful and stylish selection of journals and cards.

If you walk in go towards the back where the good stuff is.
5 - Theresa F.: Sixteen Hands is one of a kind -- representing many local artists with a constantly changing inventory and truly unique art & beauty.  They also represent a few artists that also show at the Ann Arbor Art Fair (Michael Orr and his lovely ravens, for example).  I have to hold myself back not to explore this wonderful store each paycheck, because inevitably, I will always find something I like.
If you are in the market for a stunningly beautiful, handpainted and hand-oxidized copper/metal watches, they carry the Watchkraft brand.  The moment I saw the one they had in the store I had to have it -- the owner has one he wears daily.
4 - Dani A.: This is one of my favorite places to buy gifts.  They have a few things that are basically standards in the store, but a ton of things that are constantly changing and make it very fun to stop in and look.  Yes they can be a bit pricey, but they always have fun unique things.  And the best part is local artists!

I absolutely love their card section in the back.  They have beautiful handmade cards that I love buying for special occasions like weddings.  Next to the cards are the "StoryPeople" prints and wall hangings.  They are absolutely adorable with beautiful quotes and are always fun to look at.

A definite must stop downtown
3 - Athena K.: More of a store than an art gallery (which they bill themselves as), 16 Hands has both decorative and functional art pieces for sale. You'll recognize the work of some -- especially the jewelry-- from local street fairs and festivals. Love the blown glass, but the prices are a big high.

1724 Skin Care - Houston, TX (29.72595, -95.403074) (Museum District, West University)
5 - Christy L.: 1724 Skin Care is the only place I go for facials.  Ashley is extremely knowledgeable and professional.  Her whole demeanor is calm and welcoming.  I have never enjoyed facials, but I love the results!  

1724 Skin Care is the only skin care salon that has me wanting to come back again and again.
5 - Paula D.: I have never had a more thorough facial with immediate results until I met Ashley.  She's extremely knowledgeable and I can tell she really loves what she does because it shows in her work.  I love that her products are thoughtfully selected based on my needs and that she is attentive as she works.  The extractions were skillfully performed (with Q tips!!!) and I didn't have any redness, splotches or swelling after my treatment.  I've never experienced that before.  I've had lesser quality facials (that were much more expensive) that were so painful that it scared me away from facials, but Ashley has changed that for me.  Her prices are very affordable and I love the convenience of online scheduling.  I could go on and on, but the bottom line is that you will not be disappointed!
5 - J J.: Excellent Facial!!! 

I purchased a Facial for 1724 Skin Care from buywithme.com and loved it! The skin care salon is unusual, a 1920's home with eclectic style but nice. Ashley is very knowledgeable in this field. She was very professional and explained my skin in detail. It was more than a facial....very calming and relaxing. She offers really good products but was not pushy in selling them to you. Will definitely return and send my husband, as she specializes men skin care also.
5 - Nandi E.: So I was in Houston for my birthday and my best friend set up an appt with Ashley. I was so excited to do my facial after hearing my girlfriend's rants and raves about 1724 skin care. Although the location is not like your typical day spa, I immediate felt a zen like ambiance when I entered Ashley's facial room. The room was softly lit with aromatherapy scents floating in the air. Ashley was very pleasant and explained each process along the way. She uses a holistic approach to skin care which was a first for me (and I'm no stranger to facials). But what made Ashley's facial so extraordinary was her 20 minutes facial, neck, arm and hand massage technique that was absolutely amazing!!! At the end, I felt so relaxed. It was almost like I got a full body massage. 

At the end of the appt, Ashley recommended products that were suitable for my home care. Being a lover of lotions and potions, I got a couple which were reasonably priced and organic. I've been using these products for over a week now and I've seen a tremendous different in the appearance and texture of my face. 

Overall, I loved my facial experience at 1724 skincare. Whenever I'm in the Houston area, a visit to Ashely will now be a MUST do!!!

PS. Facial is reasonably priced and first timer's get a discount.
4 - Meghan K.: I've had one facial here and I was pleased with the results. The day of my appointment I got a call saying she was overbooked and asked if I could move my appointment back. Luckily, I had the day off of work so I was able to do it, but that wasn't the best first impression. 
I drove right past the place when I was looking for it, so keep a sharp eye out for the sign on Bissonnet. I'm not sure what the rest of the place is, but there was some sort of tin foil art sculpture stuff going on downstairs, so maybe an artist lives there or something? lol i dunno it was weird...Ashley's area is actually upstairs, so be aware that this place is not handicap accessible. 
The facial itself was nice...we talked a good while about my current skincare routine and what I could do to improve the look and condition of my skin. 
Afterward, she recommended a couple products to me. The way in which she offered them kind of made me feel like I was being put on the spot, which I don't like, but I was sort of interested in the night cream so I bought it. Turns out, I love it. I've used it just about every night since I bought it.

If you're on her email blast, she occasionally sends out emails for discounted facials.
Also, if you make an appointment online it says that you can a free eyebrow wax with your facial. I'm pretty sure I opted to have it done, but no mention of it was made during my appointment. Maybe I forgot to check the box...who knows.
5 - Tattiana R.: I have had 2 bikini waxes from Ashley and she did a terrific job each time. She created an environment that made you feel comfortable and confident that she would do a g great job...and she explained each step of what she was going to do. (i was a newbie the first time).

I recommend her for everyone. you get great professional service. She uses quality products and her technique leaves you at ease, no pain! 

I will be back!
5 - Candace M.: I have never had a facial in my life...never....so I had ZERO idea what to sign up for. after arrival, we talked about my skin and there was a thorough inspection. Everything smelled great and the products were very gentle to my skin. I even got a mask/scrub that I use a couple times a week. I was a little worried about the extractions, but I had ZERO scars. the only after-effect of the facial was a bit of dry skin in my t-zone, but toner and moisturizer fixed that. Ashley even gave me a couple of tips with the regimen I was already using. 

After not ever having a facial, I will definitely be coming back since seeing the results. In fact, I have another appt in January to start monthly facials. I cannot believe how much my skin cleared in the first week afterwards.
5 - Jackie E.: I was nervous about going to Ashley when I first went last month.  I have very sensitive skin and I had a few facials years ago that pretty much turned me off forever.  With the other facials my skin was red, blotchy, and the products made my face burn.  When I met Ashley she asked me about my history with facials and throughout the entire facial she was sensitive to that - she would ask me if something burned, if it felt active, etc. There was absolutely no pain, burning, or discomfort throughout her entire facial. 

On top of the fact that she was really attentive her products were great.  I have gotten 2 facials from her now and each time my skin looks better and better - brighter and more glowing.  She asks at the end of the appointment if you want to buy the products she recommends and I bought 1 at the end of each facial.  The soothing cream is pretty amazing. 

All in all I would highly recommend going to Ashley. The place is hard to find but its 100% worth it.  I will be getting monthly facials from her from now on.
5 - Matthew K.: Cool little place. As others have said its a quaint little house that's the storefront for Ashley and a hair stylist. I got a Jessner facial and I was a little worried it might inflame my skin but Ashley did a really great job in making sure that we didn't do too much and in the end my face feels great! She even mentioned that my diet might be the cause of some of my blemishes based on their location on my face.  That definitely inspires confidence in how knowledgable she is in regard to skin care. I wasnt really expecting to get any extractions, but she did some and they were painless compared to ones I've gotten in the past  All in all a great experience and I will definitely be going back.
5 - Rose Ellen D.: ashley is awesome!  very relaxing and really knows her stuff.  she's great with skin and doesn't overcharge or hard sell you on products.  she's worked at all those kinds of places before so it's great to get the same level of service in a friendly homelike environment.
4 - Abbey P.: Still a huge fan! I don't get in there as often as I like, but I wanted to post a quick update because...

About a year and a half ago Ashley told me that due to where some of my breakouts were occurring I may have a dairy and/or wheat sensitivity. I listened, and definitely cut back on those foods, but didn't cut them out entirely.

Earlier this summer I came across some local raw milk. After so long without a glass of milk, I couldn't resist drinking a few glasses. Yes, it was very tasty, but I paid the price and my skin looked terrible for a MONTH afterwards. It finally sunk in that Ashley was right all along, and I could not tolerate dairy. 

I finally cut out ALL dairy products (including my beloved butter) and my skin drastically improved. Feeling encouraged, I recently cut out all what/gluten as well. My skin has never looked better! I can't believe it when I look in the mirror now how much my skin has improved. 

Ashley definitely knows what she's talking about!! I am forever thankful to her for improving my skin so dramatically.
5 - Martha D.: I've been seeing Ashley for awhile. I have yet to find anyone else that does my eyebrows as well as she does. I actually get complements on my eyebrow shape after getting them done here, which I think is a weird thing for someone to comment on, but I love it!

She is very precise in her waxing and very dependable at getting great results. I never have irritation or ingrown hair, and I do have sensitive skin so it's very nicely done. 

I have gotten a facial as well and it was very relaxing. I am very allergic to tea tree oil, like going to the hospital allergic, so I always have to be careful where I go. Ashley checked every single product to make sure there were no problems, which was fantastic because other people have assumed if it doesn't say it on the front of the bottle that it's ok, but many products will have it low in the ingredients list and I'll go home with a terrible headache and immediately jump in the shower to wash off the toxins, which wastes the spa feeling. 

The first time I came I spent a fair amount of time waiting downstairs for someone to check-in with. The hairstylist was busy in the back, once he noticed me he pointed me upstairs. So your first time there just head straight up the stairs for your appointment. 

The only reason I may go somewhere else is when I'm in a pinch and have to get some waxing done in a certain timeline. Ashley is usually booked two weeks out, however she does have online scheduling which is crazy convenient and has made me very spoiled.

17th Street Homestyle - Philadelphia, PA (39.96244, -75.19993) (Mantua)
4 - Michelle L.: I noticed this cart conveniently parked right outside my office, and decided to try it because it looked different from other food carts (i.e., not one of the gyro stands that seem to pervade the city...) It's reasonably priced - around $4 for a breakfast sandwich, and $6-7 for lunch items (pulled pork or meatball sandwiches, mango habanero chicken, etc). I approached the cart wanting a breakfast sandwich, but the guy told me they were out of eggs... so I then asked for a pulled pork sandwich, but they were out of that too! I decided to go with the mango habanero chicken, which was a rice platter that had chicken topped with mango habanero sauce, corn, peas, and bits of carrot and green beans. It was really delicious but a bit too spicy for me... luckily the guy offered me a free drink with my meal since he felt bad about being out of the things I wanted.

I'd recommend it as a good place to grab lunch. Hopefully I will be able to try their out-of-stock items sometime!

Note: they don't seem to have a website, but this is their twitter: http://twitter.com/17thStHomestyle
5 - Chris S.: I can't believe I got food from a street vendor in Philly that tasted like this.  I had a breakfast sandwich last week that was really good so I went back to try the lunch.  The quality of the food is that of a restaurant and not a lunch cart at all. The pulled pork tasted like it came right out of a Memphis BBQ restaurant.  The guy working the truck told me he was also the owner and that he makes the food fresh everyday.  Everything was under $10 so it was great to grab and go to bring back to the office.  My only complaint was that he didn't have a soft pretzel to go perfectly with my sweet pulled pork sandwich.  I am definitely making this a regular lunch spot for me and my co-workers in the city.

1865 Restaurant - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2893533, -120.650854) ()
1 - Dana L.: I was pretty disappointed by this place - expensive and bad. When I pay $20 for an entree, I expect it to be pretty good. The food was totally unmemorable, and the service sucked. We were almost totally ignored by the waiter. After I paid, he forgot to process our payment. About 15 minutes later, he returned with another copy of the bill. I wasn't too impressed.
1 - Joanna S.: They had mints at the door when  you left.  That is about the only nice thing I can say.
1 - Winter Lee S.: Com'on, if a place can't make a simple thing like a shirley-temple it's not worth going.
1 - Caroline C.: The only way you will enjoy this place is if you like food that was considered fancy and posh in the 70's, like your steaks overdone, and you're a tourist staying at the Madonna Inn.
1 - Gourmet G.: How can a place that looks so promising fail to deliver in so many ways? Oddly-seasoned, heavily-salted, overcooked, high-priced food and inattentive, bordering-on-rude service left us dumbfounded and dismayed . . . and as a final insult, the mints at the door were stale. Spare yourself agita and go to Burger King instead.
3 - Stacko M.: Never knew this place existed until we were given a gift cert for it.  This place is a fairly overpriced steak house seemingly stuck in the early 80's. 
The french onion soup was the worst I have ever had, the onions weren't cooked and got a good amount of onion skin too, plus no toasted bead with swiss, therefore, not French onion-fools! I got the ribs which were actually pretty good, flavor infused and scored for easy cutting.  The BBQ sauce was a bit lacking, so I skipped it.  The garlic mashed potatoes are pretty good, tho a bit salty.  My "date" got the filet, which was very well cooked (med-rare) but flavor was nothing spectacular, but still good.  We both really liked the rolls too. 
The service was good, we had like 3 water boys filling us up after every other drink and quite the perky waitress. Oh, and the mints at the door were good,  cinnamon, and luckily not stale!

1920 Commons - Philadelphia, PA (39.9524864, -75.1993713) (University City)
1 - Kimberly P.: Worst. Campus. Food. Ever. Will. Puke. If. Eaten. Stay. Away.
2 - Hank C.: I wouldn't say puke, although I haven't eaten the actual Commons food since I was last here for a Homecoming weekend.

The breakfast is generally good, and the food types and variety tend to go downhill from there as the day goes on. It used to be a three-level facility of all the same food for the undergrads in the area, but it simply couldn't compete with the local food carts for the food attention. We used to watch the Simpsons as we ate dinner and played foosball in the basement level.

Now, there's a study space down there, and the third floor is campus dining. Second floor has a coffee shop, a Subway, and a chicken place of some sort now. If you're a visitor, a meal is about $10 or so. Buffet-style campus dining, of course, on the classic trays.
5 - Marissa R.: It's good!!!!

194 Manhattan Avenue Deli - New York, NY (40.8002232, -73.9603096) (Manhattan Valley)
4 - Shea D.: I've watched in anticipation as this little deli right next door to my apartment building came to fruition.

First, the sound of hammers and automatic saws. It was music to my ears. Then, the plastic-wrapped deli cases and ice cream freezers that sat out on the sidewalk for a couple of days. They were the most beautiful thing I've ever seen (except for my girlfriend of course!). And finally, the doors opened and the birds (or pigeons) sang their songs.

On Monday this week I ordered a hero with the usual of turkey, lettuce, cheddar cheese, and mayo on it. Cost? $4.50. Taste? Mmmm mmm good. Today I ordered another usual on wheat bread. Cost? $3.50. Taste? Oh yeah...

I'm hooked. However, during my post-workout "now I have to go to work" mood this afternoon, I was also on the hunt for a sugar free Rockstar to maintain my energy at work tonight. They didn't have it. They didn't have any sugar free energy drink (I don't like the crash of the "regular" ones) except for the Red Bull can, which was $2 for an 8 ounce, $3 for a 12 ounce, and $4 for the big one. Ouch. My guess is that as business expands, they will diversify their options. For now? This is my go to spot for deli sandwiches after my workout at the gym.
4 - Margot G.: It's so shiny! We're placing bets to see how long the squeaky clean new feel is going to last. I'll go long and bet a year :) There's a bodega around the corner that looks like it's slowly collapsing like a flan in a cupboard under the weight of grime, random poster adverts, and cat food.

In the meantime I will definitely enjoy their deli sandwiches which ring in at either 3.50 or 4.50 depending on the type of bread you get. They have a butcher counter where you can buy fresh meat...an interesting twist on the traditional bodega. Have no fear though, they still have all the staples...taco supplies, cereal, soda, and beer!
5 - Crystal F.: Yay I love my deli.  Obviously, grocery shopping in New York can be a pain but this deli is fab.  It's clean, clean, and clean.  This goes a long way with me.  They carry all the staples that you'll need.  They even take credit cards (min. $5.50).  Sandwiches are amazing as well!
4 - Anthony F.: After hearing alllllllll too often about this place from Shea D. (you have no idea how many "I'm eating a delicious sandwich that only cost $4!" texts I've gotten...) I finally was able to give it a try!

Wow. $3.50 got me a huge turkey sandwich will all the fixin's I could ask for. Unlike down here in the damned West Village where A FREAKIN' SLICE OF TOMATO COSTS AN EXTRA BUCK! WANT CHEESE ON YOUR SANDWICH? YEAH THAT'S A DOLLAR TOO. Oh, you want bread with your sandwich? Fine, but that'll cost ya! GRRR!!!!! 

Anyway, delicious sandwich yes. The only thing was that it took a good eternity to make. I mean, Margot G and I both fully exchanged our two separate trip to a friends wedding stories we were on in the time it took the guy to make a couple sandwiches. Lame on that part. But again, $3.50. I won't complain... much.
3 - Jess L.: A bit disappointed in the veggie options at the deli, but the store has surprisingly a lot of stuff packed in. It's very handy!

1947 Tavern - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4556818, -79.9311441) (Shadyside)
4 - Rachel M.: This is part a. of what will surely be a longer review, as we were only there to try their bourbon cocktails, and didn't sample anything from what looked like a delicious new-American menu (ok, so we did get a slice of bourbon pecan pie, but no dinner entrees!). 

We tried their Sazerac, mint julep, and their house Tavern drink, which reminded me of a fall-spiced Manhattan. Definitely a great bar spot--a small restaurant with big potential in Shadyside.
5 - Amanda R.: I love this bar. Love!

I haven't really eaten here so I don't know about the food but if you love bourbon and whisky, which I do, this is your place. 

They have an a.m.a.z..i.n.g. list of whiskey's ranging in price but covering several single barrel varieties. 

The vibe is very sophisticated and modern without being pretentious. It's the 1st bar I've been to in Pittsburgh with no TV's and I love that because it allows for more intimacy with friends. 

Bartender Wes is very knowledgeable and nice. He also made up a cocktail for one of my friends. All the staff are sweet and attentive. 

This place is new, but I hope that it's here to stay.
2 - Michelle S.: Disclaimer: I've only been once, and though I'll give it another shot, it won't be anytime soon, considering all the other new places there are in the Pittsburgh area right now. Overall though, it seems like a great bar spot for after work or dinner drinks. 

Also, I totally disagree with Munch's latest review in the Post-Gazette (6/9/11). The mac and cheese was NOT a revelation. Seriously. If you're one to always agree with Munch, you probably don't want to read this.

The Staff  & Service:
* Host - We arrived with no reservations (I don't think they take them) at about 8pm on a Friday night, and were welcomed and seated immediately.
* Waiter - He seemed a bit out of it. We dined there not too long after this place opened, so I expected tighter service. Alas, I had to ask for a glass of water three times before actually receiving it (a few minutes after we received our meals), and he was only manning a few tables. Be better.

The Interior & Branding:
* They 're going for a more upscale look, and it's nice. I expected a more "tavern-y" pub feel, but the copper wall behind the bar and the patina'd copper wall that ran opposite it were nice design details. Seating was comfy and basic, not refined or special.
* The lighting - Lighting is so important to me, and their lighting was GREAT. Makes for an intimate and cozy feel.
* The website - I'll keep hounding restaurants with poorly designed websites until the day I die. I'm in online marketing, and my husband makes websites for a living, so this is something I feel pretty strongly about. Their site looks like DIY. They, like many others, need to put their hours on their homepage, not keep them lost on their "Connect" page. Also, the menu is an image and very hard to read as is. It should be in plain text like their Bourbon, Beer, Wine & Cocktails and all other pages.

The Drinks:
* I'd go back just for drinks. They've got a great selection of wines and beer.
* Bourbon - An excellent and large selection. My husband had one of their bourbon cocktails, which he liked a good deal.
Lindemans Framboise - It's not like they're making it, so you can't really screw up. It was good: sweet and tart as always.

The Food:
* Mac and Short Rib - The mac and cheese was undoubtedly oily and lacked flavor. However, the short rib was well-prepared/seasoned. Not the best I've ever had, but good.
* French Dip - Tasty, but ours was not served rare, as advertised. All sandwiches are served on the always great baguettes from Allegro's Bakery.
4 - R. L. C.: I met 2 friends for an early dinner last night. We shared four of the 2 for 1 happy hour specials which was more than we expected. The egg rolls were our favorite. 

The menu selection was limited but included vegetarian options. The wine and beer options were adequate. 

We are all planning to return, I heard their mac and cheese is superb.
2 - Lionel E.: Their interpretation of mac and cheese was bland and greasy, kind of gross.  The short rib entree was ok.  This seems like one of those restaurants where the food doesn't seem to live up to the wonderful descriptions on the menu. 

It's a nice concept and I agree with a previous reviewer that the lack of TVs is refreshing.  I hope that's a trend that catches on with more restaurants.  Hopefully they can get the kinks out.
2 - Melissa S.: Not too memorable. Waited a very, very long time to be served, and I was sitting at the bar in mid afternoon. I just had a diet coke as the bartender actually never came back over to ask me if I wanted to eat. The decor was cool, but I probably won't go back. Bummer, because the location is great.
4 - Serena R.: I only had drinks when I went to 1947 Tavern, but I really liked the feel and decor.  My friend and I sat outside in the beer garden area and it was great.  I had a kwak beer, which was very tasty...it was smooth but had a bit of umph at the end.  We didn't have any food as we ate at Meat & Potatoes earlier in the night (review to follow shortly) but the items on the menu looked good.

I'm not a huge bourbon fan so their selection of mixed cocktails wasn't really appealing to me.  Overall it was a positive experience and I'd definitely check this place out again.  

We went around 9:30 PM on a Friday and it wasn't overly crowded at all.
3 - Tiffani M.: Sometimes I just get a weird vibe from a place, and, while nothing was particularly unnerving, I got it from 1947 Tavern. We decided to try it at about 6:00 on a Friday, which, at many places, is kind of a jumpin' time with the leftover work crowd and early diners, like across the street at Harris. No so here. There were only two tables occupied by middle-aged couples, which was also kind of unusual. The place was attractive enough, but the empty bar and dining room gave me a bad feeling right away. 

The first drink I had was a bourbon/peach tea concoction, which was too bourbon-y for me, but my next drink, a frozen lemonade thing with Framboise, was tasty. 

As we drank and perused the menu, we noticed a few more middle-aged people and a really old dude come in alone with a newspaper. This guy seemed like he would be much happier scratching lottery tickets and complaining about "kids these days" at the end of the counter at Eat-N-Park. True to the stereotype, he asked a bajillion questions about the menu and made ridiculous demands for his meal. On top of this, there was an older, "rough around the edges" waitress...like, Tweety Bird sweatshirt, stretchpants, glitter eyeshadow, bad perm, mullet-rough. And I realize I'm being terribly critical of people who I'm sure are very nice, but people make or break atmosphere. All I kept thinking was how old and uncool the place felt because of all the old, uncool people. And last, but not least, the bartender was our waiter, who seemed to forget about us completely by the middle of service, and through an inquiry on our part, unofficially handed us over to another slightly less inattentive waiter. 

There was a bright spot to our visit, though...the food! We got the pulled pork appetizer thing, the kielbasa appetizer, and the bacon mac and cheese. Everything was really tasty. Now, I compare all mac and cheese to my favorite--my grandma's--which is a little drier and oniony. The Tavern's mac came close, though creamy. It was the best non-grandma mac and cheese I've ever had...and I've had a lot.

All told, we'll probably be back for the food and just hope that the clientele includes a few more "youngsters" like us.
3 - Amy R.: Meh, it's okay.  My husband and I shared the pork egg roll which was pretty good.  I got a crab avocado salad which was not really good at all (just a weird combination of food, with no real taste at all...) and he got the short rib macaroni and cheese.  His had more taste but he just said it was kinda strange.  Not good, not bad, just strange.  They seemed to have an impressive wine and bourbon list though, so I'm sure it's great from a purely drinking standpoint.
5 - Angela S.: Friend and I stopped in early Sunday evening. Had drinks and food at the bar. I highly recommend the mac/cheese, the kielbasa sausage and the Unibrove Ephemere Casis on tap. We had great service, decor was awesome and women's bathroom was spotless. What more can you ask for on a hot day?!!? :)
2 - Jeff R.: I was pretty disappointed in 1947 Tavern.  It really felt like they were trying to be hard to be trendy and cool.  I had the mac, cheese and spare ribs and they were really only so so.  The pasta was a little undercooked for my liking and the spare ribs were dry and low on flavor.  Otherwise the place was pretty standard.
1 - Rusty M.: What a Joke of a wine bar. 

Just moving to PGH, my partner and I decide to venture to this establishment since I am in the wine industry. I was excited to hear a wine bar in a walkable distance from our home. 

Let's start with the host......

Wait... there was no host... she was next door. After seeing us at the front and not walking with a sense of urgency to the host stand to seat us.... she set my expectations. 

Server.... Okay... I can't be harsh on the guy.... wait ... I CAN!!!! (It gets better)
So, the server was new. I don't think he had ever touched a bottle of wine before in his life. I asked him what is new and great on the bottle menu, he responds... "Um, I'm not for sure." I proceeded to order a bottle of rose, because it was nice and warm out and I was craving a nice semi-dry wine. Nothing like a porch pounder!  They either had Godello or Vermintino on the menu, but an outrageous (like most of pittsburgh)  price for the bottle. ** I'm a Som, but that's not for here**

Anyway, after bringing out a Pinot Noir, I sent back the bottle because that is not what I pointed at or ordered verbally. A new server came back with the other server and gave lessons on how to open the bottle of wine. I was fine with that... the more knowledge the more money. I get it. So server tells server step by step what to do...... now on to food. 

I ask what is on the cheese plate for the day, "ill be back with that answer", ten minutes later.. I get the host telling me what is on the plate. 
While he was trying to explain the menu, all four (water and wine) of our glasses were empty. We said we were not going to order food, so he looked at the table, said "okay", then vanished.
 Note to reader... only 12 people in the entire place and  we were the only people in his section UNTIL ********* his FRIENDS showed up!!!!!!!! I really wished I knew his friends because they got the smiles, the charm, a handshake, and the DL on EVERYTHING from the menu. ... Lucky, friends.

After finishing our half ass snack that I could have made at home because my cheese drawer is more interesting then theirs, we searched and searched for our server.

 We eventually flagged down another server that was on the floor because our server ignored us.  We asked for water and our check.

We paid.. never saw the server again.

We walked out. ... no one said "Thank you for spending your money here" , "Please come back", or even "Please sit in the middle of traffic".

What a shame.
2 - Ted W.: Bourbon selection: not so great. Rye and scotch selection: nonexistent. Decor was bland and my bartender wasn't particularly friendly. Oh, and the peach iced tea cocktail kinda tasted sickly-sweet like they used diet snapple. On the plus side, it was easy to get a seat. Love the Devil's Cut. It could also be called punchintheface (in a good way).
1 - R J.: My hubs and I came here on a hot Pittsburgh weekend night in late July, meeting with two other late-20s couples.  The waiter seemed to be walking through sand, taking what seemed like hours to come over to greet us, take our order, and then come back with drinks.  I asked him if they had any citrusy white wines on the menu, and he just started reading me the wine list, verbatim.  Kinda rude....I know how to read, buddy.  I wanted a description, not a list of what you offer, which I'm obviously holding in my hands as I'm talking to you.  Luckily, I picked a nice Chilean sauv and my friend got a pinot noir.  We wanted to order food, but seeing how long the drinks took, we opted out.  There was only ONE other table outside and maybe two or three people inside at the bar, so I don't know what the delay was.  

At the end of the night, we split the checks and one couple had been charged for an extra glass of pinot noir.  We alerted him to it, and he darted off with the checks.  When he returned, the extra glass of wine had been added to OUR check.....like we wouldn't notice.  Each couple's check was like $60 for drinks alone, so we would have offered a nice tip (my hubs and I are 25%+ tippers as a rule).  However, his super snotty attitude when I alerted him to the red wine I DEFINITELY wasn't drinking, now on my check, pretty much made up my mind about tipping the guy and about coming back.  When I said, "I think you might have put that glass of wine on my check, and was drinking the white,"  he shot back, "No, I know exactly how much you drank."  

We went ahead a paid for the extra glass and left him under 10%.  What a jerk.  I will avoid this place like the plague next time and you should too.
3 - Sheryl T.: 1947 Tavern is right next to Bites and Brews. Its Ooooook. But thats about it. If you're looking for something trendy 1947 Tavern is trendy. Its cute on the inside. The bartenders are Ooooook. I generally always ask the blonde that works there for my drinks because shes quick and shes effecient and pays attention. Other than that 1947 is what it is. A "trendy bar" next to Bites and Brews.

As far as drinks go. Their Bourbon Lemonade is definitely yummy you can request for your favorite spirit to be mixed in. I generally ask for Chamborde but have fun with it. I've also had the Georgia Peach. Eh personally its too Bourbony for me not enough peach flavor to it. I just request more simple syrup to be added but thats MY preference. 

I will give them this though. Bourbon Pecan Pie YUMMY! 

3 STARS!
4 - Beth K.: I went with a group from work to 1947 Tavern for happy hour and dinner.  I arrived around 5:30pm and the place was almost empty. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, even without a lot of people. I was the first one there, so I sat at the bar and ordered a beer.  The bartender was very friendly and knowledgeable.  He told me about the drafts they had and described one from Troegs that I wasn't familiar with.  As the others in my party trickled in he helped each of them pick drinks and made one girl an impressive mojito (that involved him putting something in a bag and beating it loudly against the bar...i think it was the sugar).  He told us that happy hour was ending soon, so we hurried up and ordered 2 appetizers (I believe they were BOGO).  Unfortunately, everything with crab was off-limits, he informed us, because they were out of it.  We ordered the fries and hummus.  Both were fantastic.  

We moved to a table and ordered dinner.  I got the mac n cheese with bacon.  The portion size here is huge, folks, get ready for left overs.  I also ordered a side salad.  I highly recommend this place for these reasons:

1.  The house salad is delicious and our waiter brought me 4 different dressings to choose from.  I could have poured all of them on if I wanted to get wild.
2.  The mac n cheese is a little different, like some of the other reviewers have mentioned.  It could be a little creamier.  ITS STILL DELICIOUS.  I had enough left over to use as a side the next day for my husband and I at dinner. 
3.  Our bartender turned waiter superbly handled our large group and wasn't phased by working with multiple cards for the bill.  

I should mention that the place got VERY BUSY around 6:30-7:00pm.  

I was hesitant to give 1947 Tavern a try since it had that "trying too hard to be trendy" sort of feel to me.  I was pleasantly surprised by fantastic service and yummy food.  Next time your around Ellsworth give it a try...with so much awesome competition in that area I'd love to see 1947 do well.
2 - Paulina W.: This establishment is having an identity crisis. 

My impression from my one visit is that its lacking vision as to what it wants to be, what kind of clientele it wants to attract, what proportions it takes on as food/wine/social destination..and at what cost. 

Maybe its a curse of the old location since  the old elbow room was so overwhelmingly "soft boiled egg" aesthetic - whatever it is, the place certainly HAS tons of potential and maybe with some growing pains and one good cook/leader  in the kitchen can become someplace I actually want to spend 12 dollars for on a drink. 

+ The space, the long bar, the seating, the wine display, the lighting, the copper sheets behind the bar - all signs point to a nice dark den for imbibing alcohol. The feature cocktails are good (although my opinion is that they would be more delicious if they used fresh pressed juices and crushed/hand cut ice in the craft cocktails) They could use a long bank of linear mirrors on the wall behind the bar and the opposite wall - it would make the space seem bigger and invite people to check other people out :) 

-The wine & food combo - the wine selection seemed decent (i only drank the cocktails) and the waiter told us about the expanding/changing selections - so that aspect of this place being a wine bar seems to be covered well.. however.. if you're going to bill yourself as a wine bar, and sell 150 dollar bottles of wine, then you REALLY need to UP YOUR FOOD GAME in pairing. 

I had quite possibly the saddest looking cheese/olive/hummus plate I have ever seen in my life. The hummus was fluffed with something (you know to make it seem like theres more of it than there really is) - the olives and hot peppers were from a can. It was sad, just really really sad. The cheese.. yep there was some on my plate. 

We also had the mac n cheese - which lacked flavor and salt. It bills itself as the best mac n cheese in town but take a walk to Kelly's down the street - thats some great mac n' cheese. The food was terrible especially at 10 dollars starting for an appetizer i can just buy in a can from a store. 

If you're going to be a wine bar, visit some wine bars in big cities for these kindof prices.. see that you dont need a giant plate of subpar food, do something small, delicious and perfect for the wine.. 

-The waiter told us about some upcoming changes and mentioned that they were trying to make the earlybird clientele happy as well as get in the shadyside crowd off the street into the place so it couldnt be too whatever... I see a huge flaw in this.. you cant possibly be a destination hi-end wine bar with class and at the same time pander to the lowest common denominator of douchebaggery. 

Have the courage to be a destination place - i would LOVE to have a regular wine bar with great cheese, cocktails and music to go hang out at for happy hour and Pittsburgh needs something that isnt a football watching venue in between. 

Plenty of restaurants (i.e. Legume..i know its not in the same league).. pick crappy locations and focus on becoming a destination and succeed! So i hope that 1947 doesnt continue to try to get the sloppy seconds coming out of bites and brews and rights itself into the kindof place where you can sink into your chair and stay for a while without it feeling like a meat market and making the food and drink worth it.
1 - Matt C.: The Food:
They got a new chef for 2012, and he has an insufferably and inaccurately high opinion of his own culinary skills.  The menu went upscale, as did the prices, but mistakes and questionable decisions were virtually omnipresent.  The burgers are small and dwarfed by a comically  large and not particularly well chosen bun.  The seafood soup bread-bowl is disappointingly bland.  The mac and cheese is chewy and quite deficient in cheese.  And one of my fellow diners was served raw pork.  In a party of 6 people, not one would even consider going back for dinner.

The Drinks:
Awesome--if and only if you like bourbon.  That's really the only reason to go.
3 - Jake V.: I visited the 1947 Tavern on a Saturday night with five others. We luckily had a reservation as the small space was pretty packed at 6:30.
     Our server gave us a run down of the specials and we proceeded to order drinks. There were no bourbon drinkers at the table, but my lady got a whiskey sour and later a shady cider,  both of which she enjoyed.
     The first course of the table consisted of bruchette, cheese plate, mac n' cheese, and a cup of the soup du jour (beef vegetable).  The bruchette had duck confit on it, great flavor, but the crostinis were a little soggy. The peanut sauce was well liked by the table, but the fruit jam was out of place and bland on the cheese plate. I quite enjoyed the aged goat cheese as well as the pate. The mac n cheese was just pretty eh. It was served in a casserole dish covered by a parm crisp. It lacked flavor and moisture and although i ate the entire cheese crisp it seemed odd. I'm not sure if it was intended to be eaten with the macaroni since it pulled off as one large chewy/crispy sheet of baked cheese. I was told the cup of beef vegetable was very good. 
     The entrees consisted of lamb burgers, the fish special, lamb pasta, chicken, and I got the lamb loins. Everyone at the table enjoyed their entrees and left full. We all cleared our plates with the exception of the lamb pasta, which was definitely the largest portion at the table. 
     Some notes on the main course;  My lady was not a fan of the buns used on the lamb burger. The dish itself is two slider sized burgers on what looks like large dinner rolls. The buns texture though reminded me of stale biscuit. The fries and demi sauce were both tasty though, as well as burger patties that came out as requested, medium. 
     My lamb on the other hand came out about a doneness too far, luckily I ordered it MR so they were still good. The meat was about four chops worth of meat served off the bone. The dish looked a little messy and lackluster because of this, but I enjoyed the lamb, roasted tomatoes, polenta, and sauce on my plate. 
     My sister got a MW steak which was cooked perfectly. She really enjoyed it, but said her scalloped potatoes weren't very warm and had an odd flavor. After tasting them I believe they used a goat cheese in the potatoes for a bit of tang. The steal of the night was the fish special, which was a pan seared Hawaiian Escolar for $15. It looked good and the plate was cleaned pretty quickly. 
     In conclusion I should mention the staff did well. Our server was a young lady that offered to answer any questions and checked on our meals promptly after they were served. She refilled waters fast even though the restaurant leaves a carafe of water on the table for the guests. She also brought out a plate of toasted crostini when asked for something to pick at our peanut sauce with while waiting for the main course, which wasn't a long wait. Sadly the tavern does not offer bread service. All said and done it was pretty ok. With myself not living in the city I can't say I will make my way back here anytime soon, but I wouldn't be opposed to trying more of the menu sometime.
1 - Nich J.: The food here is full of grease and fat.  The menu sounds good but once you try it you will see that it is just mediocre at best.  I have had gourmet mac & cheese, braised meats and fried apps before that didnt make me feel like I was clogging my arteries with every bite. The food is messy too, and you leave with grease all over your hands.  It's just not my idea of a nice dining experience.  Also, the atmosphere is really dark, not enough windows or color in the joint. I miss the old Elbow Room, like before the change in ownership, at this location.  I think this place needs to change it's entire identity and menu if they want to recover.
5 - John S.: I love this place. 

Cozy with a big fireplace and logs stacked in the wall. Huge window facing the street.  Warm lighting. Patina Copper on one side and polished copper with all the bourbons lit up behind the bar creating a warm glow.

It is the perfect atmosphere to enjoy a great drink. They have a selection of wine, beer, bourbon and whiskey that should satisfy anyone. And their specialty cocktails are perfectly crafted. The bartenders put a lot of attention to detail. It may take a few minutes for the drink to be made, but they are doing it right. I've even seen a batender go get a special ice cube for a bourbon someone ordered. 

I went there last week and I had the best burger of my life. The bun was out of this world. They bake the bread next door at Bites N Brews. It was a tarragon bread. Moist and slightly sweet. It was incredible. The meat was cooked perfectly. It was juicy but not greasy. The meat, bread and cheese were in just the right ratio of each other. I got a good balance of each in every bite. A week later and I am still remembering this burger. I pray that they keep the recipe the same and maintain the quality for my future visits.

As an appetizer I had the bruchetta with duck confit. I loved this as well and would recomment it.

A separate time I went there and ordered just a dinner entree of Mac N Cheese. I thought it was ok. I was a little disappointed. It really wasn't large enough to fill me up. It seemed a little dry and bland- not cheesy enough. 

The place is small, but I have been there several times and never had to wait for a seat. The crowd there can be a bit too snobby or hipster, but I don't care. I feel so comfortable there. This place was designed perfectly to just relax and saveur a good drink.
4 - Peter D.: Full Disclosure: My brother works here. Lucky for you, he tried to drown me when I was four years old, so I would never let that influence my review. If anything, I would dock them a star or two for employing someone who would so callously throw a toddler into a pond.* But I'm far too levelheaded to let anything like that color my judgment, or to hold a grudge for twenty-something years. 

Anyway. I could drink here all night. Because I like this bar. 

1947 is a simple space. The decor is all dark wood and back-lit bottles, and the vibe is warm and friendly. There's a long bar that runs the length of the space, and as far as I can tell, it's all about the whiskey. 

I appreciate that they've got at least 25 different bourbons back there, and that the bartenders will mix you a mean Manhattan with any one of them. I haven't had a chance to try any of the food yet, but I did see a man going to town on a burger I gladly would've stolen, and the mac & cheese smelled amazing. Either way, a fireplace and lots and lots of bourbon was all I really wanted anyway.  

Although, as a general rule, lots of alcohol and no food can lead to you making an ass out of yourself. I know a guy that once vomited directly onto the shoes of a police officer. 

Definitely wasn't me. I don't care what you heard.
__________

*It was a lot like this: http://whatshouldwecallme.tumblr.com/post/19239895670/my-relationship-with-my-siblings
5 - Stephanie P.: i LOVE this place.....I've been going since they opened.  When they first opened you could tell they didn't really know what they wanted to "be", but they revamped the menu in the winter of 2012 and did a wonderful job.  I'm from Southern VA and it makes me feel like I'm back home - not because of the food but because of the ambiance and warmth of the place.  Low-lights.  Nice, comforting food (the duck salad is my favorite) without huge portions and tons of oil to make you feel weighed down.  And, the bourbon, yes the bourbon.

Delicious food, reasonable prices for the quality, great atmosphere.
5 - Zach R.: Full Disclosure: if I was rating 1947 for both dinner and drinks I would go 4 maybe even 3 stars.  But for me, there are plenty of places around to dine.  There is only one place to drink bourbon.  That is what this review is for, my neighborhood bourbon bar, not my neighborhood dinner spot.  

The bartenders get some heat here because they take a while to make a drink.  But my question is: would you rather have a sloppy drink made quickly or an immaculate drink made slowly?  For anyone who appreciates the art of bartending, it's not a question at all.  All drinks are measured and poured with accuracy and in the proper order (absolutely the correct way despite what any quick-tips may say).  The tenders are knowledgable about their bourbons, the ones I've talked with understand the nuance of flavor and use this knowledge accordingly when subbing different bourbons into classic cocktails.

If you want to drink bourbon in Pittsburgh, there is only one place to do so and know that you are in capable hands.
4 - Stephanie C.: The burger (I just asked for a plain one) was great. As we're the fries. The beer choice was excellent (had a bitter and porter). The waiter was friendly, helpful, and had strong opinions (against) serving ketchup in ramekins. Nice back patio. Little expensive for my budget, but a great place. I'd go back for sure.
3 - Alex K.: I was fairly impressed by the food. We came here on a verbal recommendation that if we were looking for good food, go here, if we want cheap food go to Bites and Brew. We opted for good food.

I got the Bleu Cheese burger and thought it was very tasty. Good bread, cheese, meat, etc. Fries were pretty good. Basically everything was good, but it seemed to lack the one thing that makes it memorable or super good. Of course, I did order one of the cheapest things on the menu, mainly because the other things were quite expensive, but I think in general this place is about two steps away from being a really good restaurant.
5 - amy b.: i used to live a block a way and have been here a lot.  it's a nice space, cooler bar ambience without a douche edge.

i'm giving it 5 stars because i had my best pittsburgh burger experience here. i had the one with port reduction and bleu cheese.  it was a perfect medium rare.  mmmm. 

cocktails take a while but are ok, sometimes a little too strong but depends on your goal for the night.
3 - Sara C.: When my friends wanted to meet up at 1947, I groaned because my experience there last winter was NOT good (see original review).  However, when my PIC (Partner In Cuisine) and I arrived last night, we were pleasantly surprised to see that 1947 had a pretty nice back deck for warm summer outdoor seating.  "Ok," I thought, "Maybe at least we'll have some nice atmosphere."  When I picked up the menu, I realized it was completely different.  The options were actually pretty decent looking and the prices were WAY better than I remembered - especially the beer prices.  I ordered the fried chicken salad and I got a deliciously fried chicken breast on a bed of greens with a 1/2 of avocado.  It was pretty darn good.  The downside this time was the service.  The restaurant wasn't really that full (certainly not at capacity) yet it took almost 10 minutes to get a beer from one of the hipster wannabe waiters.  

Sometimes it's good that even if you have a negative experience at a restaurant to go back and give it another go after a while.  I'm glad the management made the menu and price improvements because my second experience there was leaps and bounds above my first.  They will definitely be given more opportunities to earn more stars from me if they keep it up.

***Original Review***Not a fan.  Our party spent more time and money at the this place than we should have.  The service was good, but otherwise the food tasted like something my elderly grandma with no sense of tasted put together and the drinks were way, way, way too expensive.  With all the quality places to spend a Saturday night in Shadyside, 1947 doesn't even rank.
4 - Lydia M.: Well I can't say that being around the corner from my house isn't a huge contributor to the fact that I've been here about a dozen times since it opened.   I've tried a lot of the menu and haven't had buyers remorse on a single dish, have been super jealous of anyone who orders the spare ribs on top a heaping serving of mouth watering mac & cheese.  I've had more than a few bites and it's awesome.

The bbq pork eggrolls are my fave app as is the sandwich sampler.  My favorite thing, though, is a drink that has become a major craving during these sultry summer nights is the super refreshing frozen lemonades with bourbon and Framboise.  SO GOOD.  I highly recommend stopping in for a low key happy hour and grabbing one or two of those!

2 Dogs Coffee Co & Internet Cafe - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2819505, -120.6609805) ()
3 - K. L.: Although I don't drink coffee, I do recommend this place because they offer a variety of different types of drinks. Plus they buy their beans direct from the growers and roast them themselves. Rumored to be the best coffee in town.

The atmosphere has really improved since they first opened.
1 - Craig M.: Stopped by on 3/30 and it appears to be out-of-business.

2 For 1 Pizza - Los Angeles, CA (34.0284983, -118.275625) (South Los Angeles)
3 - Megan S.: I'd place these guys above Domino's and Pizza Hut, but below real pizzerias.  Garlic bread was warm and yummy, but really, I'd rather just one good pizza instead of 2 ok ones.
4 - Sue C.: I love the coupons and deals that Eat24hours has been giving me and will continue to order pizzas with them. So far it's saved me a lot of money, and their service at 2 for 1 has been spot on. That and the combination of online ordering and your great customer service has made me a loyal fan. Keep finding good places like this and keep on delivering your trademark great customer service and you'll have a legion of fans. Good job!

2-9 Café - Los Angeles, CA (34.028543, -118.284365) (South Los Angeles)
4 - Lew H.: I second Eddie.  Best place around USC and cute, friendly waitresses.  Hey that's something if you're close to University of Spoiled Children.
4 - Thisonegirl h.: I've been here couple of times because it's super close to my home. It's a fairly cool, hangout cafe for lots of USC students, faculty, etc.

I recommend the Asian Chicken Wrap, but not the tuna wrap (too plain!). You can sit outside patio under the trees, or inside. I like that the woodsy-feel I get when I come here.

Good food, good prices, not much to complain.
3 - Ruth A.: I had lunch at "the 29th" today and it was definitely a mixed experience.  The food was good (29th St. Salad, very good), but our waiter was either (1) on drugs or (2) needs some drugs.  He had a hyper sort of air, and patter that veered wildly between smart-ass friendly and edgily nasty.  He zoomed by, tossing things on the table, snatching things from the table, making smart-alec comments and while at first it was sort of funny if annoying, by the time we left, both I and my friend were unnerved.

Example:  our drink glasses never got less than half empty, which was rather nice.  However, the last time he was trying to refill mine, I said, no, thanks, enough and he replied, "Oh, ALL RIGHT," playing (?) as if he were insulted.  Then just after he turned to leave the table, he whirled around, pointed to the drink, and said, "DRINK IT!," glared at me, then grinned at me and said, "Hey, it's free!"

It was a first for me:  I've never before left a restaurant  looking over my shoulder to make sure the waiter wasn't following me.  Eek.
2 - Justin H.: The Two Nine seemed like a fantastic find - quality beer, a solid lineup of burgers and entrees.  And I think it was good, back in 2005 or even 2006.

But at some point, the "hand-crafted" burgers listed on the menu became sad patties.  I swear - I watched the transition.  I watched it over glasses of Newcastle Brown Ale, while listening to sisters and brothers from the nearby sororities and fraternies assemble and hold forth.  I watched it as I munched on fine thin fries, dipped in mayonaisse that I had to request but thoroughly enjoyed.

I watched the transition from plump, juicy, thick beefy burgers to dry thin freezer patties, and I took a stand.  I asked my waiter, who knew nothing.  I asked for the manager, who wasn't around.  I called later and found this manager and asked them: "what happened to the burgers of quality I expected from the 29?" and he replied, "sometimes we run out of ground beef and we have to use other patties."

And I remembered his words, because the next two times I returned, they must have run out of fresh meat.  Because they were using other patties.  And it was damn sad.  Because even if you order some fancy burger with mushrooms and cheese and grilled onions, a weak freezer patty can't support it.  And a broken down burger, crumbling dry meat in your hands, that's an affront to carnivory.  If I'm going to eat meat, and order the slaying of cows at a distance, I want my meat to die for a good cause.  A carefully prepared tasty burger.

The 2 9 gets 2 stars because they have decent beer.  And there's not much decent beer around USC.
1 - Jackay C.: if you enjoy the following, the two-nine is for you:

-- mediocre food (frozen beef patties and bag-o-sald)

-- expensive

-- stupid or stoned waitstaff (they constantly forget to put in orders and dont apologize even if its their fault)

-- long waits for food (they probably order it from another restaurant down the street)

-- being charged $3 to split your order (im surprised they dont charge for toilet paper)

the only reason they're still in business is because theyre the only bar you wont get shot at near usc.

ps if they ask if you want garlic fries, say no. it costs more and it aint good.
4 - Akkara S.: As a Trojan alum, I gotta admit I love the TwoNine.  Great beers, including some pretty yummy ciders.  They had some really good Dutch Beer that got me messed up after a few sips.  A good place for a group, but still low key enough to hang by yourself.  There's a new bar on the other side.  The food's pretty yummy although you'll hear a lot of people complaining about how it's overpriced.  I disagree.  It's pretty decent I think.  Good food, good beer, good vibe, always a place to sit.  Try the burger.  It's so big.
3 - Jay M.: a quick stop by USC.
4 - Ewa M.: This is the closest place to hang out after or between classes if you do not want to eat at USC campus. After a while, you get tired of the same sort of food, or nearby Denny's. Great to hang out at nights on the patio. I wish there was more places like that around the campus, that would definitely revive the neighborhood and give more options and hang out places. Oh, and the food is really good too!
3 - Kunney T.: I smell a frat!

I walked up to the 29th street cafe to meet a friend, but what I found were a bunch of young college kids, mostly boys, wearing indian (to them, but native american to this cal grad) and cowboy costumes.  There were girls here that made me feel old.  But it's a bar.  And I'm 24.  It's not right.  It just isn't right.

I would talk more about the drink prices and whatnot, but as a "professor" at USC, the frat boys made sure my drink was always filled.

Goooooo Betas!

:)
3 - Julie E.: The 2-9 is the "nicest" restaurant in the immediate USC vicinity. By "nicest" I mean "table service," "alcohol" and "reasonably edible food," because USC is seriously plagued with a fast food virus. Except for In-N-Out. Can somebody please rectify that??

So the best thing at the 2-9 is the nachos. I'm not a big nachos person, but for some reason, the mound of chips, guac, cheese, salsa, and whatever else comes on nachos is really really good here. The rest of the food is decent - salads, sandwiches, burgers, etc. They have a nice outdoor patio. The best choice if you're in the area and want a nice sit-down meal that's not at McDonald's, Del Taco, Fat Burger, or any of the other varied local joints.
2 - Aimee A.: I went here today with co-workers. I've been here before, but it's been steadily getting worse and worse over the last nine months or so. I suspect it's under new ownership now, since the menu has changed (read: shortened) considerably, and the employees are unfamiliar to me. It was the worst it's ever been today. Normally, I am not a complainer (despite the reviews here), but today, it was a combination of things that just made our experience unacceptable, and nobody seemed to care. Bad service (actually, not a lot of service, although one of the servers was running back and forth from kitchen to tables), chili was lukewarm (sent it back, came back a tad bit more warm, but not HOT), and paid $3.00 for a glass of minute maid lemonade. I will not be coming back here.
1 - Jeff S.: I was there last week for dinner...you have to be kidding me.  You call this a restaurant with servers that bring you food.  This is not like me to complain, but the service was horrible and my server was non existent.  There was no manager in sight and my server didn't even bring my bill, pretty sure a busboy brought my bill.  We think the server left??  This is the last visit we will be making to the 2-9.
1 - candace b.: The service her is terrible.  Our server forgot our drinks and we had to remind her FOUR times.  Then she was pissed off that we kept "bothering" her with requests for napkins and forks.  The food was over priced and not very good.
3 - sara l.: It bugs me to NO END that people think that this is the ebst place around USC to go.  Do you people have no sense of adventure whatsoever?  Or palates?  You're killing me here.  Ever heard of Harold and Belle's?  They take "nice" to a new level.

That said, the wings here are good and so are the burgers.  I don't get why  people cut their club sandwiches into quarters, it just makes the avocado squish out.  Still tasty, though.  The 29 is a restaurant/sports bar that services almost exclusively USC students, staff, and teachers.

But at least it's equal opportunity.  You'll find as many disgruntled teaching assistants as you will loud/obnoxious frat boys.

The 29 is NOT quality.  It is NOT "nice".  It is a sports bar.  But, a perfectly respectable, college sports bar.  Take it or leave it.
1 - Laura W.: I pretty much agree with the below comments.  Poor service and even when we alerted them, they did nothing about it.  We waited 30 minutes for our food and a good 15 for our check.  It is too bad this place sucks because USC really could use a place like this that is actually good.
1 - Kellee S.: This place did change management, I think somewhere in the '05-'06 school year. Not that it was fantastic before, but it was an okay place that was convenient to most people around campus. 

The menu got shortened, but somehow that didn't result in any of the dishes being better. And, in fact, they got much, much worse. I won't go to this place, even if someone else is paying! And that says a lot, because I'm really cheap.
2 - Melanie A.: the dining options around usc...are not so endless (but improving)
if your looking for a sitdown sorta place within walking distance to grab and drink and hang out with your friends , it seems like the 2-9 is your only choice. 

and don't think the establishment doesn't know that!

thus, the food is mediocre, the prices are kinda steep for mediocre food, and the service is off and on
3 - z l.: the 29th street cafe opened up under new management and with a new menu in August 2008. I visited a few days after its reopening.

Observations:
The menu seems to have improved. there are interesting-sounding tacos now and the specials really are specials (rather than permanent fixtures like they were on the old menu). The pricing level seems to be about the same as before i.e. slightly overpriced but what do you expect for one of the few okay places to eat in the dull desert that is the USC neighborhood? (I never understood why the old owners didn't leverage their near-monopoly position in the north of campus neighborhood better.... perhaps the new owners will do better...)

I had the hamburger with sweet potato fries. It was surprisingly good - even I would say one of the best burgers I've had in LA in the year I've been here (not that I've had many burgers...) ...  and certainly better than anything I had at the old 29th. The service was quick though rather clueless (its early days though, so maybe the waiters will improve). This is an improvement over the previous management, where the service tended to be slow and clueless (and the old kitchen seem to be prone to running out of basic items as well as specials)

anyway, back to the new 29th. 
desserts are kind of boring ( a choice between 3 cupcakes and plain cheesecake?) and overpriced. Nothing has changed with the decor, which is a shame.

===further observations===
okay, so they have a weekend (or just saturday? not sure) brunch menu too. It's not well advertised or promoted when I went, so you may have to prompt your server (??). basically 4 item choices - french toast with bacon&eggs; pancakes with bacon & eggs; and I think 2 kinds of omelette. $9 for each item. Quality was okay, I think this is a bit overpriced given that none of the ingredients or presentation are special. Admittedly, I am comparing this with fancier brunch places, and well at least the 29th street new owners are making an effort.  
Hopefully if their brunch business picks up, they will introduce a better variety of brunch items (or even brunch cocktails - surely this is a nobrainer for the student crowd?) . I understand that their menu is still being tweaked, and I look forward to improvements. Certainly I will return to check.
3 - Ade O.: Nothing spectacular. I live on the same street as this bar. I went and had their chicken wings. I ate three out of the 10 served and still have the rest in my fridge. Go figure
2 - Jim R.: I wouldn't really go out of my way to eat here but if you're with a few friends its an ok place to get a beer.   They have Stella Artois which is a plus.  I like the 2-9 better than the 9-0.
3 - Janelle Q.: Fondly called "The 2-9" by most people, this little cafe doesn't have too much special to offer besides its convenient location close to USC and typical American food (appetizers, sandwiches, and burgers) if you're craving it. I've been here a few times for happy hour, and even then with the discounts on appetizers, I didn't think the food was particularly worth it for the price since the portions aren't too generous. The beer was decent, but a bit on the pricey side as well.

The place is most often visited by the college crowd so I wouldn't recommend going with kids or as a middle-aged adult... unless you're a nostalgic Trojan alum perhaps. The atmosphere can be described as chill or laid-back and is more like that of a small bar. The outdoor patio is cute touch for those who would like to eat outdoors on a nice day. 

Be forewarned, though, that on late nights and often on weekends, this place can get fairly crowded with members of the party-loving USC Greek community if that's not your scene.
1 - John S.: As a USC student, 29th street cafe (affectionately known as the "2-9") would be a likely place to grab a quick bite to eat, or hang out with some friends. Sadly though, this place is none of that, as the 2-9 fails on a number of levels. (NOTE: This review is written based on the new management/owners and their respective changes.) The food and service prior to the 2008 change were impeccable, and the 2-9 was a favorite hangout of mine. But ever since they changed owners, everything has been lacking. I went there for dinner a couple nights ago with my girlfriend, and it was a travesty at best. From the beginning, when it took 15 minutes for a waitress to even ask us if we wanted anything to drink, it sucked.  When she finally came around to take our orders we asked if their chicken tortilla soup had cilantro, since my girlfriend doesn't like it and I'm allergic to it. After learning it does, we decided to order the turkey sandwich and phili cheese steak with a side of fries and pasta salad. Fast forward 45 minutes, (yes, 45 MINUTES!!!) to when our food finally came out. I was quick to find that the pasta salad had cilantro. As soon as that horrible, pungent smell stabbed me I the face, I knew this was going to be a bad meal. Seriously? We just asked if the chicken tortilla soup had cilantro, BECAUSE I'M ALLERGIC TO IT. Now what do you do, you bring out this pasta salad with cilantro. Good lord!  Anyway, we got them to switch pasta salad with some fries, but that didn't do much to make things better. The sandwiches were okay, with my phili cheese steak being slightly lukewarm (confirming my idea that it was done and just sitting there waiting to be picked up). Finally, I ordered a vanilla coke, which was waaay to sweet (it's essentially coke with vanilla syrup) and a couple waters. The waters tasted like crap, literally. Worst tap water ever.

Pros: - Cheap beer during happy hour ($3 bucks per glass). Stella Artois available on tap. 

Cons: - almost everything else.
1 - R W.: This place is so bad Id rather eat at the 90. The 2-9 is expensive, the food is tasteless, and the atmosphere awful.
1 - libs k.: the food is essentially stuff they picked up from the frozen aisles at costco and then reheated in the back, except they couldn't even make prepackaged food taste good. the burger i had was completely burnt, and they had dried out the wings to the point where the red sauce was encrusted on the wing.

then they had the balls to charge you $10 to $12 for each dish.

now that they got their liquor license suspended, they really have nothing going for them.
2 - Tin N.: This is a house turned into a restaurant.  If you're not part of USC, you're not gonna know about this place, and you shouldn't really care.  Its one redeeming quality is that its outdoor eating area is pretty nice, especially at night when they turn on all the pretty lights.  The food is whatever, its not exactly cheap, and its in the middle of a not so nice neighborhood so that takes away from the nice outdoor seating.  People usually come here because they either lack options, or are too lazy to do their other options.  I did drive by here one night and the place was bumping with young students.  Ah, confused young college students that have no money, no ID, and no form of transportation.  You gotta love em, they'll congregate anywhere.
4 - enhage r.: The ambiance cant be beat - a 100-year-old house in the historic USC University Park neighborhood. Free wi-fi. Great for lunch and they also have beer - a great happy hour.
3 - Diana W.: The burgers are tasty and so are the fish tacos. Not too much to say about this place. You can always find a few SC students and their parents eating here. It's a popular place to watch the game if you can't get tickets (or got kicked out of the game.) The beer is always flowing and the french fries are pretty awesome.
3 - Albert S.: The Food here is affordable and pretty good tasting. The service is nice and friendly; the atmosphere is generally that of USC Students, including the waitresses.
2 - Larissa B.: The food here is really a 3, a 3.5 even, but the service here is so slow, overall the experience is a 2 at best. I have been here twice. Both times it has taken us almost an hour to get our food. They were not particularly busy either time (in fact the second time, the place was mostly empty) and considering that they serve pretty simple American fare, there is no justification for that kind of wait. The food I've had there (fries, cheese steak, some soup I can't remember) was all pretty good, but nothing I couldn't get at an Applebee's. Plus I was told that the head of my department at USC got food poisoning there. Sorry 2-9, I won't be back.
2 - Haz O.: Expensive, not-so-tasty buffalo chicken sandwich served with terrible waiter service (our friend's order that wasn't even put in on time with the rest of us was doubly billed!) and equally bad fries (how can a restaurant oversalt fries?) make this place pretty bad. Didn't get one star because at least it didn't cause constipation.
4 - Shushu R.: I somehow like this restaurant and think it got some decent food. The price is a little unreseaonable but it is definitely worth a try. recommended for brunch. Love the burger, omelette and housemade brownie w/ vanilla seeds icecream on top. Yummy. a cozy place to hang out w/ friends if price is not in your primmary concern.
1 - Mark V.: It was a sad sad day when I returned to the 2-9. I remember when....A giant rose bowl picture covered the wall that is now a fireplace. Really? a fireplace in a college hang out in Southern California? Sure that's way better then the huge blimp photo of the rose bowl with USC painted in the end zone. I remember when management/owners where part of the crowed and a friend to those who came in to grab a bite to eat or a few beers mid day. I remember when foosball tables where a plenty (there was even a tournament once a year) and the beer was flowing. I remember when this place was a respectable neighborhood jem for the mighty Trojans. I went back a few years ago and what did i get, crappy food, some lame fireplace and jerks for management. Someone needs to pull this places USC card!

FIGHT ON!!!!!
4 - Ris A.: Kind of surprised by all of the low reviews.  I really enjoy eating here, i come all the time with my friends after a long day of classes.  Some of my favorite items include: the loaded fries, sweet potato fries, the cob salad, and the veggie sandwich...sooo good. i'm going to have to object to anything lower than the four stars that i'm giving them.  They do lose a star for service though- that could use a tad bit of work.  Other than that I definitely think its worth trying!
1 - Emmie M.: Dear Two-Nine,
I don't know if a prerequisite for being a staff member at your restaurant is to suffer from debilitating depression-- but if so, you have most certainly found your staff! 

My boyfriend and I dined here a few weeks ago (after I TOLD myself I would never come back) and experienced mediocrity yet again. I made a specific request for a bread change (from wheat to sourdough) and then they still gave me what I didn't ask for. When I asked them to change the bread they looked up upset and betrayed that I would ask such a chore of them.
Unfortunately, the sourdough bread was as miserable as the wheat. Do not get that either. Do not go to the Two-Nine either. Unless you love misery. Not the movie. The emotion.
4 - Sarah P.: I don't know why this place has just low ratings - I've been here twice and have had really enjoyable experiences so far! The location's right down the street from campus so easily accessible (not sure about parking though), and the building used to be a house so it's cozy with lots of seating both inside and outside.

Menu is extensive with plenty of options, and I've gotten the Natural sandwich with a side of sweet potato fries. Fries are good, and I love the sandwich (chock full of sprouts, avocado, sunflower seeds, etc) and since portions are huge I can make two meals out of one order. Plus prices are reasonable ($10-ish per entree).

Service is by working students, so they try, but don't expect the best. Very USC decor inside, so you can feel the school pride. Cute place to come and eat, I'd like to try more of their other entrees next time I come around!
4 - Abra W.: When I first went to the 2-9, I hated it. I thought the food was wayy overpriced for what it was.

A few years later, I gave it another try. I'm not sure what changed, exactly. Maybe I didn't order the right thing the first time? Whatever it is, it's definitely a lot better. So much so, that I now go fairly often.

Their best menu items IMO are their sandwiches. I particularly enjoy their Cashew Chicken sandwich, Tuna, and Tuna Melt. I also like The Natural. Their soups are good as well (their Chicken Tortilla, especially). I also LOVE their potato salad. Friends have ordered all sorts of non-sandwich items and enjoyed all of them. The Tzatziki Chicken Lavash Wrap comes to mind. I can't think of any off hand, but I remember enjoying the appetizers that I've gotten here before (maybe I've had the Loaded Potato Fries?), and their red velvet cupcake is pretty good too (although I've had better).

Their portions are large, and their ingredients fresh, although they're still a little expensive. Honestly, I'd be confident bringing anyone to the 2-9, and would probably vote it the best sit-down restaurant in the USC vicinity (as in, walking distance). Which isn't saying TOO much, but it does say SOMEthing.
3 - Alexander M.: 3.5 stars! I really WANT to like The 2-9, but the dismal level of service makes it hard at times. Before the advent of Bacaro, The Lab and a couple other sit-down spots around campus, the 2-9 was THE only spot to bring your parents for a nice local meal. And then of course there's its history of getting its liquor license revoked, and renewed, and revoked, and renewed....thanks to serving of alcohol to the underaged. It does and will always have a nice list of standard and alternative beers on tap, and the food menu is solid, but seems to be always changing. The sweet potato fries are to die for, especially when paired simply with just ketchup or mustard. They have all the standard lunch sandwiches and salads, in addition to some surprises, like the lamb gyro, which is good. The best part of the 2-9 is the outdoor seating area, which is two-pronged - the upper wooden deck along Hoover, or the lower brick patio along 29th. Christmas lights and screaming frat bros make for a magical experience. But like I said, the service is laughably and consistently DISMAL. One time I was 20 minuts late to my first class of the semester thanks to the unapologetic staff.

Nice setting, good food, but don't go if you have anywhere to be after.
4 - Alize R.: I think the quality of the food is quite decent. I've been a lot of times. The first time I had a hamburger which was really good and juicy. I've also had salads there and nachos which were all great! The prices are not bad, something you would see at Denny's. I personally like its historic feeling and like the staff:)
2 - Kim N.: came here cuz its by school.

got the frisco burger, it was decent. Liked the sweet potato fries. What made me really sad is that on my way out I decided to try one of their red velvet cupcakes...it was NASTY, tasted nothing like red velvet .cant believe i wasted 3 dollars on that. should stick to what i know..sprinkles. lesson learned  -_-
3 - Kiko Z.: Heard very good things about this place and now I've moved very close to it, I finally tried  it out...meh?
First of all, service. They were friendly, but the waiter was very hard for me to understand, I felt bad but I had to ask him a few times what he meant because of the accent. But that's not anyone's fault. What I didn't like about the waitress was that when they go from indoor to outdoor sitting they would kick the door really hard so it opens, it makes a big noise and it's really kind of rude in my opinion....
The food was pretty good, but as a breakfast person, I ordered from the lunch menu because there's nothing that appealing from the breakfast menu. I got the Chicken Enchiladas.
They were CHESSY. Last time I had enchiladas I remembered them having more flavors than cheese.... Still cheese tasted good, so I finished it. Huge portion tho, if you come here to be filled up you'll leave very happily.
There's only 2 dessert options. Red Velvet Cupcake and Brownie. You could get them with icecream.
I got a cupcake to go. Both the cupcake and the brownie were large portions but the cupcake was not top notch, not that I expected top notch. 
I can see why it's a favorite hang out spot. Here's TVs on the walls and people were watching the world cup, there's outdoor sitting so people could smoke etc. They sell alcohol (beer, mimosa, bloody mary). But it's not a great food place for me.
4 - Brenda Y.: I'm very surprised about all the service complains about the 2-9. Sure, they're not professional waiters, just cute chicks from USC, but they've always done me good!

I have very limited experience with the menu, although I've been here repeatedly (freshman year at USC, no car, what's a girl to do?), I always end up craving the same thing: their burgers!

The bf always gets the bacon and egg burger with a slice of cheddar cheese added. And it is probably the biggest, most savory delicious thing I have ever stolen a bite of. It doesn't have the lovingly tuned taste of an umami burger (TRUFFLE BURGER!!!), but it is damn good.

Any other burger will do you good, especially with a side of sweet potato fries. The enchiladas are generous and VERY cheesy, be warned. The sandwiches are standard, but I'm not much of a sandwich girl anyway.

If you're in the area, give this place a shot. :)
2 - Alyssa B.: Had breakfast here. Nothing special and the food was a tad overpriced. Probably won't be back.
4 - D K.: Went here for the first time in eight years this past weekend. It was tasty. Very tasty. The burgers were really good -- my cousin who ate with me agreed.
3 - Sally E.: Although the menu is overpriced, I quite enjoyed the food. I ordered the buffalo chicken burger with fries, and it was delicious--succulent, and the fries were perfect.
Though there are lots of service complaints on here, my friends and I received very good service when we went there. Granted, I've only been here once so maybe I was just lucky.
The location is convenient for SC students, and has a very cutesy diner ambiance, often brimming with students. I've heard the dessert is good, but I was too full to try it.
Overall, a pretty standard menu with nothing too special on it, but the service is good, the food is better, and it's pretty close to campus.
4 - Jennifer V.: I came her for take-out after running errands in USC. Monday after 3pm the place empty, take out was supper fast and the staff was friendly  It was so hot out the nice waiter gave us cups of ice water while we waited. This was my second time here and I was not disappointed yay. 

I order  the delicious Genivees Tuna Melt Sandwich. I had a side of sweet potato fries and I shared 1/2 of order of buffalo wings with my buddy. The wings were nice and crispy only I wished they had been completely toss drench in buffalo sauce. I want my wings hot! but other than that I loved my sandwich.
4 - Kenna C.: I just ordered a BBQ Chicken Salad as a wrap from there and was pleasantly surprised.  Usually, you order a salad as a wrap, and you know that the salad was bigger. Not here!  This was a "don't put this wrap down or you will be having a salad instead" kind of wrap.  It was huge and delicious! :)  Plus, I ordered it to-go and it was ready the moment I walked in the door 10 minutes later.
4 - megan p.: I LOVE the tuna melt and sweet potato fries here. Its a delish meal that i crave on a regular basis. The 2 times i've eaten in, service has been friendly and fine enough for me. You should come here expecting a chill, tasty dining experience, not 5-star service. I really don't think the prices are incredibly steep-the tuna melt i get is huge, and the helping of fries they give is pretty decent too. I always have leftovers, so basically i pay $10 plus tip for 2 meals, which really isnt bad if you're in the mood for good, simple food that you don't have to make yourself. If you're concerned about cost, order take-out and save yourself a few bucks.
3 - Jaclyn S.: Sometimes I have to go to the two nine simply because it's near my research annex, there is next to no competition in the area and it's not a fast food chain, a supermarket, or a food court. 

Here you will find overpriced diner staples (I paid $15 including tip for half a tuna sandwich, a cup of soup and a cup of joe). Although the bread on the tuna sandwich is truly blech, at least the inside has slivered almonds and other little bits to give it interest. 

The clientele is 90% greek row, so keep that in mind. At times I find this intriguing, being that this is so different from my own undergrad experience at an artsy college perpetually stuck in the year 1969. At other times, I have to remind myself 800 times or so that every 21 year old thinks they know everything, including me at that age. 

They get an extra star because when I came in the other day and was in a rush, they took note and courteously made sure I got my food pronto and was offered the check immediately after I finished but not a moment before - which is really polite. Also, the coffee -  while not awesome - does not suck.
3 - Katie C.: TUNA MELT. all the way

that is all


why not a higher rating?
- prices on menu are affordable but the happy hour menu is kinda ridiculous. 
- service is really slow, something I can't stand.
1 - Cora M.: Seriously RUDE wait-staff with too much of a negative attitude. It really ruined this place for me completely. A few years ago, they used to have decent food, but, the menu here has changed. The food is okay, but overpriced. The worst thing here, though, is the tacky decor and the dreadful attitude of the people who work here. Overlarge split plate charge. Inattentive and unhelpful servers. Won't be back here anytime soon. Maybe it's good for people who want cheap beer and crummy service, but I am not part of the undergrad USC contingent.
3 - Chanel D.: Anything you are craving The Two Nine has. 

Everything I have had has been good except for the French Onion soup.

They also have happy hour M-F 4-7p. $2.90 Beers and 29% off all appetizers. The Nachos are huge!
4 - Jayson J.: Excellent food at modest prices. Lunch was the Santa Fe Chicken sandwich w/ sweet potato fries and ice tea...12.00
4 - Lorren A.: This is such a cute cafe! I had a really delightful glass of iced tea and a huge meal for just $15 lunch. What a bargain. Plus, our service was stellar. I had the pecan chicken salad sandwich. We sat in a cute corner, near a window and talked for hours. The place had great ambiance.
4 - Kristen S.: Since the 2-9 is right next to USC, it's really convenient for lunch or dinner with friends or when my parents come to visit and we don't want to deal with traffic. They have really great sandwiches, burgers, wraps, etc. The variety is great, too. They also have the best sweet potato fries -- hands down my favorite thing on the menu. It's a little on the pricey side for a college student, but I think the quality of food is worth the price. 

The restaurant is always decorated for different holidays. Sometimes the decorations are a little cheesy, but it adds to the fun atmosphere of the place. You can sit inside or outside on the deck, which is really nice on a sunny Los Angeles day.
3 - Claire C.: The Two Nine is the ideal place to grab lunch or dinner especially since its within walking distance of where I live. They have awesome burgers wraps and sandwiches and its definitely a good step up in the food from some other places around USC.  Their sweet potato fries are good too and while its nothing life-changing it's still good and certainly convenient! Just wish they were open on Sundays!
4 - Linda L.: Who knew that there's such a decent lunch spot right by campus? I'm surprised I never came in here to try, I used to live right by this place! 

Came here with my friends for her birthday lunch. I got a Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich with french fries. Birthday girl got a Tuna Melt w/sweet potato fries. My other friend got a Santa Fe Melt w/sweet potato fries. We all loved our sandwiches and fries! The fries!! Oh my, I love fries and these are soo good! And great service too :]
4 - Tim A.: The 2-9 is a great place to go get breakfast, lunch, or brunch.  The food isn't too expensive and it is pretty good.  Most of their portions are pretty big so it is worth the money.  My personal favorite is the Cashew Chicken sandwhich on the croissant.  There usually isn't a very long wait and it is located right at the end of the row at 29th and Hoover so it is a quick walk if you live in a fraternity or sorority house.  I would recommend checking it out at least once because I promise you will want to go back.
3 - Maria M.: Good portion of food and really really good sweet potato fries! They also have good burgers and tuna melt. Even though it's really close to SC, I liked that they have their own parking right at the back
4 - Matt M.: The 2-9 is a great place to eat around campus. It's within walking distance of pretty much everywhere in North Campus, so it's really convenient. They have a wide selection of food, from wings, to burgers, to enchiladas, and much more, so it's a good place to go if you're craving a few different types of food. I like to get a half order of BBQ wings with a cup of Tortilla soup and the 2-9 Turkey sandwich. It's a lot of food, but I like taking some of it home as leftovers to enjoy later. Oh, and they sell red velvet cupcakes, which are amazing. I recommend going with friends for dinner.
4 - Grace L.: Above-average Americana, conveniently located next to USC. Though service can get a little slow on crowded Thursday nights, all that is redeemed by the following three words: Sweet. Potato. Fries.
2 - chrisy s.: Decent.  Better than the surrounding fast food options.
4 - Nick K.: They have Anchor Steam on tap. Ask for it. During happy hour, it's a great deal ($2.90)
Oh, they serve food too. The nachos are bountiful and very tasty. It's an appetizer that will serve 6 easily. The soups are decent, but nothing spectacular.
I really wanted to like the philly cheesesteak variation they do. I like the components individually but add them together and the result is a little off balance, and it feels really heavy in your stomach. I wouldn't have it again.
3 - Eric B.: I like this place.  Decent baked goods, decent bar food, and a decent selection of beers at decent prices.

Pros: outdoor seating and a parking lot all its own.  Cons: closes really early.  

I like this place, for what it is... it's one of the best options for a casual meal near USC not in the new USC campus mealplex.
1 - Pilar D.: The only reason I come to this place is because it has a decent space for a business meeting.  And there is nowhere else in the area.  I have really, really tried but the food has no taste.  I had a soup and salad and they tasted like they just came out of a bag and can.  The roll that came with my salad was a bit stale.  I love food and I am easy to please but the food tasted like something from a cafeteria but better presentation.

Also, the last time I was there (last week), the only other waitstaff seemed really stress about life in general.  I was in the waiting area for awhile and could not help overhear (because she was loud) her talk about her stress about meeting her professor, traffic, etc.  Seriously.  

The area where my friend and I were seated had an middle-age gentleman who was very nice, but service was still really slow.  I decided not to hold it against him when tipping because he probably had to babysit the other waitress.
4 - Vanni M.: I've only been here once, but I came with my roommates and we all loved it. The service was good, the food was good. We all got different burgers and they were delicious.
2 - Nick P.: I'm a USC student writing this. Just so you know.

I think this place kinda sucks. As far at USC-area dining options go, it's okay (I guess), but nothing special.

I really like the restaurant itself, in terms of the layout and space (balcony is nice, which is great for hot-guy viewing purposes).

Some people don't care about the service they receive when they go out to dine, but I do. The 2-9 could really improve if they better trained their staff. I know, I know - it's hard waking up at 7:00 in the morning to serve greasy breakfast food to a bunch of uninspiring, hungover college students... but did a little smile ever hurt anyone?

Food is typical American, aka Nothing Special.

Going back to the service issue: I think the reason why the service is so bad is because the 2-9 Café doesn't really have much competition when it comes to providing students with a sit-down dining option. It's central location and USC theme gives students a seemingly good dining option, when in reality the place is plain old mediocre. Perhaps if USC had more sit-down restaurants, the 2-9 would "pull it's socks up" and deliver better service and, therefore, a better experience for its patrons.
2 - Lauren P.: The food here is good, well at least the American food. Try and order something off the Mexican part of the menu and eh. Don't really recommend. I am a big fan of the breakfast menu though. 

The outdoor patio is great, nice place to grab a beer and relax after a long day. 

I'd like to give it more stars, but the service is so bad I can't. I've been here at all times of the day, with all sorts of different groups of people, and everytime the service has been incredibly slow, and oftentimes the servers have been downright rude. I understand having a bad day, being tired, etc, etc, but not every server, all day every day. 

If you have plenty of time, and don't mind sitting around waiting to get a server's attention for a refill or anything really, than I would definitely recommend this place. It is a lot better than the fast food options in the area. 

If you're going with a large group, they won't split the check more than three different ways, so make sure everyone brings cash.
3 - Vince A.: Good location in North University Park, near USC. Food is decent, but the service is slow. Good place to go watch games and drink beer. There is also nice outside seating. Btw, the sweet potato fries are nothing special.
2 - Nicole L.: It's not that I don't LOVE this place... it's more of the convenience factor versus opportunity cost!

PARKING: Designated lot or street parking. Close walking distance to all things USC. Fight on trojans!

FOOD: The food here is very typical cafe fare. I had a couple of their wraps, but personally, I think their breakfast menu is a lot better than anything else. They have a decent assortment of beers for a random cafe. Sweet potato fries are pretty good! :)

SERVICE: I always get decent, but not stellar, service here. No complaints!

MISC: One time on a Sunday morning, I walked in here with a friend and the interior of the restaurant smelled like the inside of a stale bathroom. It was REALLY nasty!
3 - Juana and Jonathan C.: At first we were rather skeptical about this place since its overall rating was 3 stars, but it was a really pleasant surprise.  I had the grilled cheese with avocado and it was amazing, and Jonathan had the santa fe with avocado and both were delish. the sweet fries were good as well. The cherry coke they serve there has a really distinctive taste from the other popular  brands. There is parking adjacent to the cafe, but its also to walking distance of USC. and service and price was good. 

Definitely would try this place again!
2 - Char B.: Pros: I enjoyed the patio area. Quaint spot to eat, study etc. 

Cons: I only had the enchiladas (mind you). BUT beans tasted as if from a can, the enchiladas were cold in the middle, plate presentation was unappealing in general. $10 is quite high for reheated food IMO.
4 - Bella C.: If this were located anywhere else, it would only be 3 stars.  They get an extra star for being a full-service cafe that doesn't overprice everything.  You can't say that about most places this close to USC.

The food is decent, but nothing special.  It's not worth making a special trip for, but it's definitely a chill place to stop by if you want to grab a simple lunch away from the on-campus options.

Try the cobb salad -- Yum yum!
2 - Ana C.: They gave me shitty face today...
2 - Ryan R.: Used to like the chicken burgers there a lot but since they have changed their menu I have been relatively disappointed. Always known as a pretty good option for food in an area without many good choices but the new, smaller menu doesn't have me yearning to come back any time soon.
2 - Princess M.: bad, slow service (-1)
mediocre... borderline bad... food (-2)
the only thing worth doing is ordering their potato skins to-go.
4 - Saul G.: This place is tucked into a beautiful Victorian style house.  You will miss it if you are not looking for it, or if you are not a local around USC.

The ambiance is nice, and filled with school spirit from the school down the street.  It's very affordable, and it's a change of pace from all the fast food fare around campus.

Personally I love The SC Club.  A grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce, tomato, bacon, cheese and avocado.  What more can you want in a sandwich.

Service has been great every time I've stopped by.
4 - Jordan H.: I've been at USC for three years and I've yet to try the 2-9 until tonight. I was impressed! Cute ambience (in an old victorian house, lit porch), ample TVs for sports during dinner, and friendly service. I got the Frisco Burger with sweet potato fries and it was good. The food isn't spectacular, but the 2 9 gets 4 stars because its one of the only decent atmosphere restaurants within walking distance of SC.
4 - Lauren W.: YUM. This is my go-to for an easy, sit-down, and reliably delicious meal. It's a three minute walk from where I live on the Row, so it's really convenient for pretty much every occasion. You can dress-up, dress-down, and no matter what this restaurant feels right. Plus, I've never been disappointed-- whether I get the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich or the 'Frisco Burger, I always leave satisfied.

Plus, it's relatively inexpensive for a sit-down restaurant, good for parents, friends, or dates. There's indoor and outdoor seating, which is a must for any blue-skied California day.

Read more about my experience at the 2-9 Cafe on my blog: http://viterbivoices.usc.edu/lauren/the-two-nine-cafe/
..And yes, I did get the 'Frisco Burger next time I went!
4 - Omer M.: Great corner. Food is wonderful but a little bit pricey..or maybe I'm just cheap. But great place for meeting
4 - Jina C.: As a die hard Longhorn, eating in USC country is not very good for the old digestion. 
Football aside, I really enjoyed eating my lunch out on the patio with my coworkers. The atmosphere is laid back and the service pretty decent for a college eatery. The food was a little bit overpriced for the quality & quantity, but the taste was more than acceptable. I'm sure the appeal of this place is more nostalgia and atmosphere than the grubbing.
4 - Annie G.: The others are correct: this place has great sweet potato fries!! In addition, the food is pretty much all typical cafe comfort foods.  Fried things, chillis, ribs, burgers/melts.  I think a good number of their sandwiches have avocado in them, too. :) Delicious! I ordered the Frisco Burger.  It came with avocado, tomato, some sort of chipotle mayo, and onion on buttery grilled sourdough.  So oily and multi-colored and delicious!!! You can choose between a good number of sides for the entrees (sweet potato fries, cole slaw, fries, salad, another kind of salad...), too. Variety is the spice of life. ;)

I can't believe I'm a senior at USC and I'm just trying this place... -_-" I live so close, so I'm sure I'll be back for a beer or something.
4 - Gordon L.: One of the best spots to grab a bite near USC. The 2-9 has a strong selection of burgers, salads, soups, and mex-fusion options. My favorite think to order is the Frisco Burger - sourdough bread and avocado make for an awesome burger. Prices are pretty fair for the amount of food you get - $10 goes a long way here. The best part is the outdoor patio; it adds a lot of atmosphere and it's a great place to watch a sports game. The 2-9 is now open 'til 2am on Thursdays and Fridays as well - nice!
4 - Kory S.: Had a fantastic dinner here the other night.  Food was superb, we all agreed.  Large portions for the price.  Seemed like a slow night, so the wait staff was fairly attentive to us.  Definitely looking forward to coming back soon!
2 - Alan C.: I used to enjoy going here all the time before it was bought out by T.K. Burger. It used to be a perfect place to grab a quality lunch with your friends. However, it honestly has lost some of its shine, mainly because T.K. Burger, which serves up delicious cheeseburgers that sort of rival those of In-N-Out's, doesn't even serve its burgers at this restaurant! I'm confused about that decision - - that's like In-N-Out buying the Grinder and not serving its burgers.... Weird.
4 - Katie S.: This cafe is a casual place with a decently large menu - they have typical pub food, salads, wraps, sandwiches, burgers, and breakfast stuff. 

Each wrap, sandwich, and burger comes with a side.  They actually have a good variety of sides to choose from, including fries, cottage cheese, Caesar salad, coleslaw, fruit, etc.  It's nice to have some healthier options, just in case you decide you don't want fries.  

I ordered the tzatziki wrap (chicken, feta, tzatziki, tomatoes, lettuce) with a Caesar salad as my side.  I ended up filling up on the Caesar salad - they really give a big side portion. I took the wrap to go, and it was delicious leftover!  Great fresh flavor.

One amazing thing - $2.90 for a pint of any draft beer all day every day.  Pretty awesome when you can get a pint of Fat Tire for that cheap.

It's good to sit on the patio on a nice day, but the inside seems like it has plenty of room too.  Nothing super fancy, but still clean.  Good for a casual lunch with a group of friends.
2 - Sweet C.: Food is good and there are plenty of options. However, the wait staff or kitchen staff is so unbelievably slow and spotty, it is impossible to come here for lunch unless you have an hour an a half minimum. At the most recent visit, I watched a couple come in 10 minutes after me, they sat down, ordered, ate and left before our food had arrived! It was over an hour before a salad a tzatziki wrap got to our table. Crazy.
I'd also love to see a few more vegetarian options - not one salad without meat or fish on it. The only choice is to get the salad without the meat, but they charge the same price. Hmmm. 
Nevertheless, there are not too many options for restaurants in this area, so I will probably continue to patronize...
2 - Jessie G.: I use to like there salads but since having different owners the meu has changed. I went to have lunch today and well I was dissapointed. I order the chicken/greek wrap, the chiken was really salty, and it was done in a flour tortilla instead of a lavash bread as it use to be done...It was probably one of the most dissapointing lunches I have had in a while...
4 - Nicole Y.: Went here with a friend for happy hour.  Snagged a table outside on the little patio...

Totally BLOWN AWAY by the fact that at any point in the day for $2.90 you can get a pint of draft beer.  Keg Killer specials!!!  Cheapest place I've ever been to in LA!!

Food was also good, typical bar style food (lots of fried items, burgers, etc).  The onion rings were some of the best I've had in a while.  A table next to us ordered some and they smelled so good I just had to order a plate of my own!!  

A little out of the way if you're not a USC student or live in that area...but super convenient off of the 10/110.

Go there just for the cheap beer!!!!!!
3 - Rosie H.: Came here with a friend to enjoy a nice lunch time break. Its righ on the corner of 29th and Hoover...thus the name 2-9 Cafe.  Its a nice little place with an outside patio that caters to the USC community. Its a welcomed reprieve from all the fast food establishments in the area.

Unless you are lucky enough to squeeze into a spot in the tiny parking lot adjacent to the cafe, you will have to hunt down parking in the very crowded and permit restricted neighborhood.  I parked four blocks away last time.

Expect typical fare such as sandwhiches, salads, burgers, etc.  I really wanted the chicken skewer with two sides, but sadly for me it was the only item on the menu not available. I opted to order the fish tacos which where actually kinda decent. They were somewhat Baja style but the seasonings and condiments didn't quite get it there.  Your order comes with four tacos and NO side order of any kind. The fish was grilled and not breaded (a little healthier) and they came with shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, and guacamole; I would have prefered crema. The guacamole if I am not mistaken, was probably not fresh..it had a artificial green color to it and tasted too "preserved".  So for the sake of not killing my meal I chose to not consume the guac.  Overall, decent meal. Not great, but also definately not the worst.

Service was prompt and courteous.  Prices were fair. Getting a table out on the patio on a nice day is the way to go.

I would definately come back again to try other items of the menu.  The food ordered at the neighboring tables looked appetizing. I also hear they have a cool happy hour thing going on. The downside to this place is the parking if you aren't close enough to walk here.
3 - Julie M.: THis place was ok. I got a Cobb salad and it was fine.  Nothing special. Probably would not go back.
3 - Vlad R.: I'm giving this place 3 stars out of respect for my old memories created here. I've recently had dinner here after almost 2 yrs of absence and I was shocked to see how much it changed. Where are my chicken enchiladas with salsa verde and my lamb gyros? What a fucking disappointment? Ended up getting a club sandwich which was pretty sad tasting! Oh well, at least the beer was $2 a pint!

20 King Restaurant - Kitchener, ON (43.4501904, -80.490119) ()
5 - Jesse T.: It's a little pricey, but the service was great at the 20 King.  The only reason I know it's called 20 King is from the receipt.  I swear it was called something different on the outside.  

We drove 7 hours to Kitchener, and then walked down the way from the Delta Hotel.  This was suggested by the desk staff there.  My wife had a mushroom pot pie, and I had the wild boar schnitzel.  If you're looking for big American portions, don't come here.  I got plenty of schnitzel, and some interesting root veggies scattered around my plate.  They had Steamwhistle as well as two Mill Street brews on tap.  I totally liked both of these brews.  I thought the Steamwhistle was going to be another cold American lager, but it was actually a nice take on a Pilsner.  I could taste no corn in it.  Very nice.  The Mill Street Tank Farm ale was sort of like a hoppy amber.  I enjoyed this very much and even had another one later in the week in Toronto.

Atmosphere is nice - quiet, with subdued lighting.  I would say it's casual leaning towards upscale.

I totally recommend this place.
2 - Lauren A.: I know a lot of people in KW feel some sort of nostalgia for this place, but I can't see why. The food I've had there has ranged from lacklustre to downright gross - how about the white bean and bacon soup, which consisted of a few beans in bland broth and one fatty string of sub-par pork? I was there for a networking event once and the washrooms had no running water. Ew.

20 Toes Cat Sitting - Albany, NY (42.6762253, -73.6418473) ()
5 - stacie n.: After being stood up by John from Critter's Choice, we were able to secure Twenty Toes Cat Sitting for our trip.  Lori, the owner, and her employee Pamela came over a few days before our trip to pick up the keys and meet our cats.  Both of them were very friendly and seemed very trustworthy, and I felt immediately at ease knowing our cats would be in good hands. 

Lori, the owner, was in software for many years prior to starting her business, and it shows in her thoroughness.  She is a true professional and takes her work seriously, and we very much appreciated that.

Long story short, we came home to two (alive!) cats, a clean house and litterbox, and they even managed to keep my precious mini balcony veggie garden alive and thriving!  (They will also water plants for you).

Anyway, we were very happy with their service and it eases my mind knowing that they now have a copy of our key, so if for some reason we're away and unable to get home, we can call them and they'll pop by and make sure the cats are OK.
5 - Sparky T.: We have been using Lori and her team as pet sitters for several years. 100% reliable. We have them come twice a day when we are out to feed and play with our cats. They also do a few extras like put out trash, take in mail/packages, etc. They leave a daily diary of what occurred and how the animals are doing and will even send email/text updates to us which is a comfort when away.
5 - Stephanie S.: I will never entertain the idea of finding a new cat sitter after relying on 20 Toes.  Lori and the 20 Toes Crew are absolutely amazing, thorough, trustworthy, and GOOD at what they do.

After scheduling the week I needed the sitter via online/email, Lori (the owner) arranged a free "appointment" to meet my boy, go over various insurance/pet emergency/ home tour / info with my husband and I.  She was extremely nice and pleasant, and I knew within 5 minutes that she was going to get along great with my 5 year old male, Diego.  

Diego tends to be quite shy, but warmed up with Lori during the week that I was out of town. She left a daily diary of her time with Diego, and also texted updates (with photos) to me throughout the week. I have never felt so at ease while away from my precious pet.  I wasn't worried about him at all, and was able to enjoy my family at Christmastime.

The rates are extremely affordable for the amount of attention 20 Toes gives to the furry little creatures.  When I returned from my trip, I was pleased to find plenty of kitty toys laying out, food dish full, litter box spotless, and the daily kitty diary - which topped the cake.  Lori was amazing.

21 Choices - Los Angeles, CA (34.0260398, -118.2839965) (South Los Angeles)
5 - Eunice L.: +1... no wait, +21 USC!

I am SO excited that a 21 Choices location opened up in walking, err... CRAWLING, distance from USC! Located in the UV (University Village) across from Starbucks, 21 Choices offers some 21 different mix-ins that you can choose from and 6 daily-changing yogurt flavors that you can mix them with. Think, Coldstone Creamery meets Pinkberry (or Red Mango, or Yogurtland, or any other froyo shop for that matter).

The location is fantastic, the flavors are scrumptious (Think: Fresh Strawberry Margarita, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, etc), and the employees are all-smiles. I suspect I'll be frequenting this place often... hopefully my wallet (and stomach) won't suffer too much! :D
5 - Sarah P.: Yesterday was my first time at 21 choices (I've heard about it from kids in Pasadena), and it was my lucky day because the cash register was broken and so my yogurt was on the house!

I gave it five stars because of the concept of MIXING IN toppings into the frozen yogurt. Not just frozen yogurt, but really good, flavored frozen yogurt! I tried the vanilla (which was creamy and good), the kahlua (yummmm), and my favorite, which I got, which was the Lemon Bar (lemon froyo w/ graham cracker). I added some waffle cone and crushed peanuts and a little bit of chocolate syrup, which made for a tart, crunchy and sweet treat perfect on a hot afternoon. It does melt sort of quickly, so eat it soon! 

Also, the workers there are mostly students are they're incredibly friendly (definitely willing to offer you as many samples as you want). Flavors are always changing, and location is perfect for students. Only downside is that it issss kind of pricey (compared to Yogurtland), but since I'm trying to watch my figure and my wallet, it's a good place for me to indulge once in awhile!
4 - Kevin C.: 21 choices has finally arrived in South Los Angeles! Being the Ice Cream lover that I am, frozen yogurt (NOT FROYO) is the poor man's/hipster's ice cream, 21 choices is one of the few frozen yogurt places I would consider going to out of my own free will by myself. I went on the grand opening first day for some free yogurt. Awesomely it did not have that yogurt taste, which I'm no fan of. I got a mix of Fresh Strawberry Margarita, which tasted a lot like a sorbet, and Malibu Coconut Passionfruit, which was really pina colada (I don't drink pina coladas) like. But being free, they were

The second time I went was the time I paid for one. I decided to get a Kahlua Mudslide (I drink white Russians, SHUT THE F*** UP DONNY!) with 1% alcohol, hahaha. Since they ran out of the tres small cups i just got a cake cone. And being the fat arse that I am, I loved it even without any mix ins (which are 0.95$ per topping).

21 choices is a refreshing change from all the other yogurt place, in particular a certain self serve chain, around the area which I shall not name. Also the staff is REALLY FRIENDLY, which I like. Hopefully I will keep coming if I have some cash to splurge, and hopefully they'll have some tres small cups. Its a bit addictive, so remember to watch your wallet.

Pros
-Tasty frozen yogurt, but I'd rather think of them as soft serve, made freshly.
-Awesome staff
-The illusion of choice is very very enticing
-Coldstones like with out the gut buster

Cons
-A bit pricey for some (me), but not for others
-Lack of the cheapest cup, tres small
-From what I've seen, some days they only have 4 flavors

****
4 - Eric N.: I don't know why they put a 21 Choices at the University Village...slated to be torn down any year now

...but who the hell cares? Now there's a 21 Choices by USC!  take that, Westwood!  I'd pick 21 Choices over diddy riese any day =D

They display their 6 daily flavors of the day on separate TV screens.  4 stars, because when I went they only had 5, with one screen displaying "GO TROJANS"...which was not a flavor. *sad face*
2 - Sandra V.: Innovative flavors, friendly staff and a mind-boggling array of "mix-ins" do not make up for what I find to be a fatal flaw:  frozen yogurt is too soft of a base to be folded and molded in with a pile of chopped up walnuts or cookie dough. What gets put in your cup looks more like a smoothie than anything that can or should be eaten with a spoon. 

Hey 21 Choice, what works for Coldstone Creamery does not work for you, so cut it out. Also, lower your prices please. Thank you.
2 - Abra W.: So I had first heard of 21 Choices a few years back, when friends raved about the Pasadena location. Unable to justify driving out to Pasadena to try some ice cream, I've never had the opportunity to try some until now, a few weeks after the USC location opened up.

I hate it when my friends hype up eateries. It makes me expect too much. If I had tried 21 Choices on a whim, without years of expectations, I might not have disliked it as much as I did. Instead, I was thoroughly disappointed.

Every day they have five flavors. Apparently, one flavor is always their Plain Yogurt, one flavor is always a type of vanilla (the day I went it was French Vanilla), one flavor is always a type of chocolate (the day I went it was Mayan Chocolate), one flavor is always fruit related (the day I went was Peach) and one flavor is something random (the day I went it was Orange Creamsicle).

For more than what Coldstones charges, you can get a Tres Small, Small, Medium, or Large cup of ice cream. I got the Tres Small. Then, you choose from a multitude of mix ins. I was disappointed because they didn't have brownies (say what!?), and settled for the only chocolate cake-like option they had available - Ding Dongs. Um, sure. Charge me a dollar to mix in a Ding Dong.

I got it with the Mayan Chocolate (which I tasted along with the Plain Yogurt - both were ok. I was more in the Chocolate mood). And then I watched as the eager/pushy/nice girl chopped up the Ding Dong and mixed it together with my frozen yogurt. And then it was time to pay, and time to eat.

I didn't finish it. I couldn't. It wasn't that it tasted horrible, it just didn't taste very good. And actually, the Ding Dong wasn't the problem. The boy and I both agreed that the Ding Dong went quite well with the Mayan Chocolate. It just wasn't very good. And I was pretty disappointed. Being that disappointed makes me lose my appetite, apparently.

The boy finished his Plain Yogurt with Raspberries mix in, but I didn't like his either. The Plain Yogurt wasn't very flavorful - it was just tart. And not a good tart, like Pinkberry, Red Mango, or Yogurt Land. It was a bad tart, similar to spoiled milk. The Raspberries were frozen, and even after the girl chopped them up, my bites were filled with iced Raspberries. Not appealing.

So in conclusion, I've decided that 21 Choices is an overpriced, OVERRATED, ice cream shop. Similar to Golden Spoon, mixed with Coldstones, mixed with Scoops (on Melrose and Heliotrope - one of my FAVORITE ice cream/gelato places).

Except the frozen yogurt wasn't very good, the topping choices were plentiful but unappealing (ranging from Twinkies, to frozen Raspberries and Grapes, and some standards MINUS Brownies), and the flavors were seriously lacking (Mayan Chocolate that isn't very spicy doesn't even compare to Scoops' flavorful Guiness Chocolate or Brown Bread. And only 5 repetitious flavors a day doesn't compare to the 20 or 30 that Coldstone and Scoops offer a day. With unlimited tasting at Scoops).

The only plus was that my boyfriend, who is lactose intolerant, can eat their ice cream. Which would be the ONLY reason I'd ever go back there. But even then, I wouldn't get anything unless I was sharing with him, or he pays for me, and even then I can't think of anything that I'd want. I'd rather go to Golden Spoon, Coldstones, or Scoops, to satisfy my craving. Seriously.
3 - Julia W.: More frozen yogurt places around campus! Yayyyy!!

Very similar to the Pasadena one, except I feel like the frozen yogurt isn't as...frozen?

Either way, the service is amazing and everyone's very friendly. I still love the flavors and choices, and they always give out samples with a smile. :)
5 - Maggie Z.: This is like Coldstone but with organic frozen yogurt and way more toppings.  I don't know what the "21" refers to because they actually have SIX different, rotating flavors of frozen yogurt each day.  You pick one of those and they'll let you taste them all before you decide. I had Spicy Mayan Chocolate and my guy settled on vanilla (that's how he rolls).  Then you get to inspect approximately 849 different toppings (from lychee to sour worms to 3 Musketeers bars) and you pick a couple and the friendly folks will measure them out and mash them into your yogurt.  I had chocolate shavings and organic peanut butter (everything is organic except stuff that's obviously not--like Kit Kats).  My guy had crushed Heath Bar.  

Now, above, I used the word "measure" with regard to toppings.  But actually the friendly young lady asked us how much Heath Bar we wanted and when I joked that "he wants as much as you'll give him" she started to fill up the entire cup and we had to stop her.  After she finished mixing together our cups, she gave us a spoon full and told us to try it and make sure we loved it or she'd need to make it again.  But there was obviously no need for that.

We both got the "tres small" which was not really that small.  It was $3 and change for the yogurt plus $0.95 for each topping.  About the same price at Coldstone, but way better!
3 - Jenn L.: it might've been the choice of yogurt i got.. it was too sour for me to handle, but the experience here of  watching them make it (very similar to cold stone's) it was fun~ super friendly staff.. i'm looking forward to try other flavors, and mix & match.. maybe next time the ratings will be better =)
3 - Colin M.: 21 Choices, the hippest place to go (well probably the only hip place...) in the USC neighborhood, makes good frozen yogurt. Not great, but considering the big lack of other options close by (Cold Stone, Baskin Robbins...), 21 Choices gets the job done.

The highlights are obviously the 6 flavors, which change every day. There's always some type of vanilla, a chocolate, and a fruit. They go all out with the flavors, and there's rarely a time I've been when I haven't been enthusiastic about at least one. Blackberry Passion, Oreo Cheesecake, Animal Cracker, Hershey's Whopper are just some of the excellent flavors I've had there before. The variety is always great, always innovative, and the samples are always bottomless. A (très) small cup of yogurt, which you can 2 flavors in, won't even run you $3, so that's great.

Unfortunately, they trick you with the mix-ins. I've had to just give up on getting mix-ins here, since they're so pricey. Hey 21 Choices, how about I just go next door to Superior, buy my own Hersey's bar, and you can mix it in! That way I'll save the extra dollar it somehow costs for you to do that. The mix-ins add up quickly, so I'd say if you want something like that, go to the other side of campus and hit up Cold Stone.

My other big problem with 21 Choices is the SUPER in-your-face customer service. They're always happily chirping at you to keep the line moving, or asking you to try your mix-ins to see if everything tastes alright. My server tonight noticed that one of my flavors wasn't piled very high, so she asked me if I thought she should top it off. Uh sure, honey. You're the professional, you can just go ahead and do it, no need to ask. I know the cheery staff is one of their proud points, but maybe they can tone it down just a bit for the jaded college crowd. 

In the end, if you're stuck at USC and need a frozen dessert, I'd say hit up 21 Choices. But if you've got a car, well...take the extra 10 minutes and go to Yogurtland.
5 - Sam G.: 21 Choices at USC! As good as it gets!

Amazing Frozen Yogurt - I recommend the Blueberry Muffin and Sam's Smores.
4 - Lillian L.: Friendly and happy staff, cute and very coldstone-like decor, but the yogurts really depend on the day/flavor.
I've heard multiple times of my friends having "watered down" or "melted" yogurt.... and unfortunately, today, i had to be let down with an almost all ice peach fuzz yogurt.
I honestly couldn't help but thinking of shaved ice every time I ate a spoonful of it. The cute girl who mixed my peach fuzz yogurt with strawberries just looked too sweet and happy when she handed me my spoon for my first taste.
I had to smile, and I felt too terrible to complain, so I simply smiled and told her it was good; I paid, and I left feeling guiltier and guiltier.
The sample of oatmeal raisin yogurt was delicious, however i can't handle too much sweetness, which is why I preferred peach over oatmeal raisin. But boy, I regretted not getting that oatmeal raisin. It was so much creamier and more yogurt-like. The strawberries in my peach yogurt were practically FROZEN as well... 
I couldn't help asking myself: really? is this yogurt? or is this shaved ice?

I praise this shop for its coldstone/mix in technique, HUGE variety of toppings which even incl GIRL SCOUT COOKIES! (almost overwhelming - makes me so indecisive), change of flavors each day, cleanliness, and friendly, happy staff.

the reasons why my first experience had sucked:
1. My peach fuzz had lost its flavor and was like shaved ice.
2. My strawberries were practically frozen.
3. Each topping = 95 cents.. WTHELL? no offense, that's absurd.
4. My 6 oz yogurt cost almost 4 bucks...

meh, would've been happier with yogurtland.
5 - Sandra M.: I wondered over here with a friend while we were on break from an all day conference being held at USC. I had never heard of 21 choices, but she got so excited to see one that we went in. The place is clean and bright. The staff were super friendly...like really really friendly. I sampled as many flavors as I wanted and they were not annoyed by it. They also offered me toppings to sample, which I was totally surprised by. I like the idea of having the toppings mixed into my yogurt. Overall, amazing staff and customer service. Tasty yogurt. Affordable. Only complaint...the mangoes weren't ripe enough.
3 - Alexander M.: I finally got around to trying the second outpost of the legendary Pasadena fro-yo spot owned by a USC alum. And I must admit I was not blown away. First of all, this newer version obviously lacks the inherent excitement associated with the original - line out the door, tingling chatter amongst the patrons, over-the-top enthusiasm from the staff. But the staff here are nice and, like the original, offer you a taste of your yogurt before you pay. There's also no real organization - patrons were sort of wandering around looking at toppings and the staff were assisting them in some random order. So I ordered a medium plain yogurt with marshmallows, graham crackers, and Butterfinger, trying to emulate my favorite order at Cold Stone. But to no avail! Eating there made me realize that 21 Choices is a sort of combination of Cold Stone and Yogurtland, but without the fattening happyness of Cold Stone or the independent efficiency of Yogurtland. (And note to self: plain yogurt is sour, and should be paired with fruity toppings, not chocolatey ones.) But it comes down to this:

21 Choices fills a void of off-campus food options, and is much preferable to its predecessor - Payless Shoe Source.
4 - Hillary L.: I love this place, but I'll start off with one negative-- almost a dollar for a mix-in?  Seriously, you guys.  It's a ding-dong, not Ghirardelli.
THAT BEING SAID, however, this place is awesome!  The staff is always friendly and helpful, and when they're busy, they don't ignore you.  They acknowledge you're there, say a friendly hello, and tell you they'll gladly help you in a minute.  Props to that.
The flavors are pretty unique (Peach Margarita?  YES.), and they let you try the flavors and your final fro-yo mix before buying.  Hats off to you, 21 Choices.
1 - Ellyn G.: I want to give them 2 stars because they try.  They try so hard. They try so damn hard that I'm taking back one of the stars for being annoying.  I first tried their Pasadena location -- maybe the froyo was better that day?  This stuff was melty/flavorless.  I got the dark chocolate flavor (mmm I love all things dark chocolate) but it barely tasted like chocolate, let alone dark chocolate.  Everything in my ice cream concoction had seemed to have a strange after taste.  They were all out of almost all fruit.  I should have just gone to Cold Stone.  At least then I would have blown the calories on something worth it.  Plus, I wouldn't have waited 25 minutes with a bunch of chattering sorority girls (no offense, ladies).
5 - Anna Y.: My friend kept on raving about how she tried this place that was just about as good as Pinkberry (we love Pinkberry) so when she told me to try it, I said no at first because I am not a fan of melty smushy ice cream or yogurt. (Does this make sense? I like my ice cream & frozen yogurts hard, right out of the machine, frozen rock hard cold!) Anyways, she begged me to try it so I did. I got a 'tres small' which is their extra small size. I got the Almond Vanilla which tasted pretty good when I was given the sample. So I went along with it and got it but I didn't like it. Sadly. Maybe if I was more into the melted soft texture, I would be but I am not.

Reason for giving this place a 5 star: A-MAZING, friendly, humorous, loving workers. They're just the cutest. There's this one girl who dances while she makes, it's adorable!~
3 - Annie P.: Been here twice... 

.. and I like it! 

I work down the street from this place and I might frequent this place in the summer. I knew of 21 Choices from seeing it in Pasadena, but never had a chance to stop by and was surprised to see I had one by my job! I go during my lunch break and I like how it's not busy. Surprisingly!
But I must say, my first time here was not so great. Although they have amazing selections of toppings for whatever yogurts or "choices" of the day they got for you to choose from, I learned NOT to have them mix my toppings in with the yogurt. WHY?

Because the yogurt melts faster! I thought it would be like Coldstone Creamery and stay cold longer, but noooooo! As they crush the toppings in the yogurt and were busy smashing away, the yogurt ends up turning into liquid smoothie by the time you get to the car. I tried the Vanilla yogurt and the Caramel deLites/ Samoas Girl Scout Cookies. 
Oh and don't even get me started on having whipped cream on top. Maybe it was the location I was at, but the whipped cream was so watery I was appalled at the fact she still gave it to me like that! More so, I was appalled at the fact I didn't say anything! The Vanilla sucked, but the cookies made my visit worth while. Which happens to be the only topping I will come back for. 

It honestly looked like I was holding a cup of semen that started running down my hand. I was driving and licking the mess up at the same time and needless to say, I was in a sticky mess by the time I drove back to my job. 
Until next time, I guess!
3 - Angol M.: Everybody's super nice here, it's just that concept seems to be a mash of everything (coldstone meets yogurtland meets pinkberry) and it doesn't seem to be working out quite right. After they mix in the mixins, the yogurt basically turns into a giant smoothie/mush... my friend didn't like it, but if you just took the yogurt straight without mix ins, it tastes ok. I rather have my mixes on the top like pinkberry because things don't start melting even before u start eating it...
3 - Aida D.: I finally tried this place when I had to go to the bike shop in the USC village. I really thought there was going to be 21 flavors waiting for me- instead there were only 4 or 5 options to choose from. So I tried the Chocolate Nutella Chip- & it was pretty good. But the price was a bit too much for me.This place just can't compare to my fave yogurt places!  There were not that many flavors to choose from & i like my fro-yo a bit sour! 
Would I come back again- probably not......Yogurtland awaits!
3 - Alexander E.: 21 Choices is a cool little spot at the Village that serves up frozen yogurt.  I prefer frozen yogurt over Ice Cream and living in the ghetto; these places don't exist, so I take full advantage when I come across places like 21 Choices.  21 Choices serves up about four or five bases and you add your toppings from there.

Their frozen yogurts come in three sizes and range from about $2 to $5 not including toppings.  Both times I tried 21 Choices, the frozen yogurt was consistent and not gooey or melted.  The day I visited they were giving free strawberries on all orders which was a nice touch.  I can honestly say I enjoyed both visits and the employees were cheerfully friendly.  I'll be back whenever I'm in the area.
3 - Vip B.: Limited on yogurt choices.....
3 - Grace L.: The yogurt's on the creamy side (instead of tart, like Pinkberry), but if that's your thing you should definitely try 21 Choices.

The place has got great froyo, a veritable cornucopia of toppings, and bigger size servings for lower prices. But the best part about this place is the service. The people here are almost freakishly chipper, always asking about your day or your plans for the weekends. And if you're even slightly unsatisfied with the product, they'll make the whole thing for you again until you're absolutely happy.
3 - Sarah F.: So maybe I just have too much loyalty to the Pasadena branch, but I was somewhat underwhelmed by this location.  I realize it's right online, but it says on the doors in huge letters that they're open until midnight daily, and it's really 11; I don't know how long ago they changed the times, but it seems like it would annoy lots of people other than just me.  Also, they don't have the little dehydrated marshmallows which are pretty much the only topping I ever get.  Lastly, we found a wifi signal called "21usc" but when we asked one of the people working there for the password, they said they didn't have wifi, which I find a little strange and hard to believe considering the name of the network.  I'll probably end up here a lot more in the future since my boyfriend is going to grad school at USC this fall, but otherwise I wouldn't go out of my way to go to this location.
5 - Joanna S.: I have been an avid fan of 21 Choices for years, specifically of the Old Town Pasadena location. This was my first time visiting the USC location if you exclude the time I tried to attend its grand opening but confused the date and had to return home 30 min away. I would say that this location is on par with its predecessors, with a few minor differences:

- The decor here is better/cuter than the Pasadena location and has newer technology, such as monitors on the wall that each display a flavor of the day (so 6 separate monitors.....a tad unnecessary. A whiteboard could've done this just fine without wasting electricity.)
- There is definitely more space inside and outside this location than the one in Pasadena where people usually have to stuff themselves inside the closed doors. Also, there are more tables to sit at here to enjoy your yogurt, both indoors and outdoors.
- The ambiance of the Pasadena location is better. There are usually always several workers there, all of whom are super friendly, and there are ALWAYS multiple customers there as well. The USC shop was a little empty and there was only one girl working, but she was friendly, too. 

Now more importantly, on to the yogurt. I ordered a Tres Small half something-Banana-flavored and half Kahlua Brownie with granola topping, but the banana ran out half way through so I told the girl she can fill the rest of the cup with the Reese's Peanut Butter flavor. I know, my need for variety/indifference towards mixing flavors is mildly disturbing. However I thought I would get each flavor separately in the cup with the granola thrown on top, so when the girl dumped everything out onto the marble slab and started mixing all of the different-flavored yogurts and granola together, I got a little nervous. This girl was about to ruin my treasured 21 Choices experience.

Butttt even the combination of banana creme, peanut butter, and kahlua brownie flavored yogurt and granola mixture turned out to be really good, and this 21 Choices infant ended up exceeding my expectations on the very first try - very good! 

My position stands: 21 Choices is the best.
2 - Tanya K.: This outpost is not as clean as the one in Pasadena and they aren't always open when they are supposed to be... There is a yogurt land opening in the area so this place will definitely be losing my business.
5 - Raphael R.: I have no idea why the frozen yogurt at 21 Choices tastes so good.  I just tried the oatmeal cookie flavor, and wow: it tasted exactly like oatmeal cookies.  21 Choices, you're killing me.  I want to get your awesome fro-yo every day!
3 - Lauren C.: 21 Choices is a good option and one of the only frozen yogurt options in the area. The thing I like about this place is that mix-in toppings within the ice cream itself when it comes out of the machine. Downside of this is if you don't like the toppings mixed in you are stuck with more plain flavors. Another downside of this place is that toppings are freaking expensive. However, I usually just get the yogurt with toppings already mixed and no extra toppings so it's cheaper, but I also don't like a million toppings. Also, the consistency isn't like Golden Spoon or anything, but still tasty.
4 - Erika G.: I am a huge Frozen Yogurt person, so I was excited to try this out! I like that you can get a yogurt that they have made that day and it doesn't always require a mix-in! Some will say that Yogurtland is cheaper, but it can be pretty comparable if you don't get mix-ins (which isn't always required depending on what you get!). 

The name suites what you get because there are SO many choices! Flavors, toppings, fruit, pie, etc! Still not sure why it's called exactly "21" Choices, but I like it regardless!!
4 - Jackie G.: Today was my first time going...I'm not really sure why I'd never tried it out before!

I got the Brownie Cupcake fro-yo with almonds mixed in...SOOOO GOOD!

You get to mix in whatever you want (at 75 cents a topping, so it's a little pricey for the amount you get, in my opinion) but the creation comes out looking and tasting great!
3 - C S.: Don't know why this place is such a fad right now. I guess people just justify it because it's slightly healthier than ice cream...which really, there's pretty much just as much sugar in frozen yogurt as in ice cream. And seriously, if I'm going to splurge on the calories, I'm sure as heck not going to do it the frozen yogurt way--soft serve sucks. Something richer is more what I prefer.

Anyway, I do like the fresh fruit...even more the ability to just get a cup full of fruit with maybe a drizzle of chocolate chips. Which I do sometimes. It's very nice. But generally I don't care to go to 21 Choices. It really is overrated.
3 - Mike K.: It was like Coldstones, but with yogurt instead of ice cream.  I'll be honest, the yogurt was good.  Their vanilla and peach flavors were pretty legit.  I ordered the vanilla and added kitkats and they mashed it up together.  Only thing is, yogurt melts pretty quickly... had I gotten a large size, I think I would have ended up drinking half of it.  The last parts of my mashed up yogurt/kitkatness was all liquid.

Undoubtedly very tasty, but the fact that you can only enjoy it if you stuff it down your throat or you actually like melted yogurt with kitkat pieces (or whatever 20 other toppings) in them kind of ruins the experience.

This place falls into: "try it once just for the experience" category.
1 - Grace P.: I rarely give 1 star. But I do NOT like. Gross. I don't know what you people are talking about - this is not fro-yo!! This is just nasty.

I went to 21 Choices ONCE because they were giving out free ones. So yea I'm down if it's free!! I got the animal cracker or cookie or whatever it's called- small size I may add. It was GINORMOUS. I took 2 bites then promptly threw it out. I cannot physically eat more than that without feeling sick. It's WAY too sweet for me to handle.

Bike (or drive but I'd suggest biking or walking bc parking is expensive) to University Gateway's Yogurtland instead. Now THAT'S real fro-yo.
5 - Kimberly B.: Three words. Mango. Gummy. Bears.
SO GOOD.

Came here on a Friday night and it was not busy at all. This was probably because all the SC kids were still on winter break. I've had 21 Choices before but I think this location is top. The service was excellent and the people behind the counter were so friendly and helpful. They were nice enough to let my three friends and me try every flavor we wanted to and were even suggesting which flavors to try and which toppings to pair with the froyo. The strawberry sorbet yogurt is very tasty and refreshing!

They even gave us a free cup of the mango gummy bears!

Service is good. Quality is excellent. 
Overall, 21 Choices made me a fan and I'm looking forward to coming back if I'm ever in the area again!
3 - Yakshita D.: 21 Choices is fro yo's answer to Coldstone.  They have a rotating set of fro yo flavors, and so many choices for mix-ins!  Be sure to try the flavors before you get them though - some of the berry ones are much more sour than preferable.

Overall, good yogurt.  Not sure if I like having everything mashed up, but it's good every once in a while.  Plus, USC students get a good discount.
4 - Jojo L.: I love the fact that they will give you all the yogurt smoothies after blending them. Not like Jamba juice or most of other places, 21 Choices is very generous about the smoothie. If all the mixture cannot fit into one cup, they will just give you a spare one to take the rest from the blender. Nice!!

Also I like one of the girls who works there, she is always energetic and lovely. Pretty too!! :)
5 - Christine M.: AHHMAZING. It's more of like Coldstone but with soft serve/sweet fro yo. The Honey Vanilla makes my life.
4 - William M.: 21 Choices is a great place to get frozen yogurt.  The upside is they have some very interesting flavors and mix-ins.  The downside is that it's a bit pricey.  But on the days when they have circus animal cookie flavored yogurt, it's all worth it.  Plus it's right outside the University Village so it's very convenient!
2 - Stephanie G.: This place is terrible because they close whenever they feel like it. What's the point of having hours on the door? During USC's Spring Break, they shut down for a week. Uhh, there are other people that live in the area. Yesterday there was a hand written note saying, "not opening till 12." Whoever is running this place needs to go back to business class 101.
5 - Krysten I.: I was really impressed with how much froyo they give you here. The smallest size they have is a small (unlike the "tres small" they have in Claremont) and I think the price for the small at the USC location is the same as the price for a tres small at the Claremont location. 
They had about 25 huge mangos that looked delicious, but I dont think any of the flavors would have gone with mango, so I got both the oreo and peanut butter flavors with banana. The bananas didn't look so great, they were brown and bruised and the girl actually apologized for it.
5 - Bella C.: I love that they're always changing the flavors, so it's like an adventure each time you come!  Don't be shy about asking to sample the flavors  :)  They recently added "Sex on the Rooftop" as a tribute to the sex-capades at the USC campus this past week.  Love a place with a sense of humor!

I always go for the tres small -- super small -- size, and it's just the right amount to satisfy a sweet tooth without over-doing it.

Service is friendly, prices are super low, place is always really clean.

I'd give this place 5 stars plus a heart if I could because it reminds me of Yogurt Park in Berkeley  :)  It's like having a little piece of Cal here in LA!
3 - Christine C.: This place is so popular; the process of simply getting yogurt took 40 mins!  (My friends almost killed me bc I persuaded them to get 21 Choices on our way home.)

It's like Cold Stones (how they mix in crushed toppings), but healthier because they use yogurt.  Brilliant idea!  They change their flavors regularly, but to give you an idea, one of the six flavors were "Sex on the Rooftop," which included Schnapps and Margarita mixes! (The name "21 Choices" comes from the choice of toppings).

Must try: cookie dough topping (their most popular one by far)

Service was great.  Trying as many samples as you want is not something to be guilty about.  Downside: line moves incredibly slowly.  The guy that helped me was so nice!  He wouldn't serve the yogurt until I had a taste and it was to my liking.  (:  

But until they find a way to move the line faster, I won't be going out of my way to come here..


To 21 Choices: please let us put toppings on the tres small size!!!
4 - Jade C.: Ask any USC student and they'll admit to being either more of a 21 Choices person, or a diehard Yogurtland fan. (Both chains have locations right next to campus.) And I always considered myself more of a Yogurtland person-- I mean, self serve! All those toppings! 

But I recently went to 21 Choices again, and the place is really good. They have uniformly great service (everyone working there is always happy, and they will hand you free samples of EVERY flavor of the day without dropping their smile). And the flavors are very good. There are usually a few fruit and a few chocolate/dessert type flavors each day. Ingredients are usually the same; Nutella, and various alcohols and liqueurs are always featured. And-- If there's something with fruit and peach schnapps in it-- GET IT. Just do it. It will be delicious.

The downside is that it's kind of expensive if you get mix ins. At $0.75 a mix-in, getting a $3.00 small with two mix ins means you're spending $4.50. On the bright side, you can pick and choose different flavors of yogurt to fit in your cup! I almost always just get two flavors in one small size, no mix ins. I prefer the fruit flavors because they're made fresh; they're probably better than Yogurtland's. But Yogurtland is better at doing the dessert flavors (devil's food and red velvet cupcake batter frozen yogurts? yeah, they win). 

The space is clean, brightly-lit, and decorated cutely. Beware of going when the line is out the door, though, or your wait will be horrendous-- the worse times are around/after dinnertime. The best times are early and late afternoon.
5 - Sarah A.: People at USC tend to favor Yogurtland over 21 Choices, but I disagree. It's not that I dislike Yogurtland- I mean, it's okay and all, but it just tastes so... I don't know, generic? 

21 Choices is great for many reasons. I love the fact that they rotate flavors daily, and will post them online. They will always have one vanilla, one chocolate, and one fruity low-fat flavor, while the others constantly vary (my favorites have been Oatmeal Cookie, Circus Animal Cookie, and Nutella Cow, or something along those lines). While I will admit that some nights are better than others, I have yet to be disappointed, and will always find at least one flavor (if not two) to satisfy my craving.

The service at 21 Choices is also strong. Even on nights when the line is out the door and it takes forever, I am still happy, just because their workers are so friendly and will give you all the time and samples that you need to make your choice. Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen a server that doesn't have a smile on their face. 

In terms of price, they are competitive with Yogurtland. Toppings are an additional cost, but I've never felt the need to have mix-ins because of what is already in the yogurt. Also, you can use the USC discount card that takes 25% off your purchase, regardless of the amount spent.

In the end, if it were reasonable for me to go 21 Choices everyday, I probably would. Unfortunately, I don't think my wallet nor my blood sugar would thank me for that.
2 - Jeffery S.: fake version of Cold Stone Creamery  Overpriced and not as good as YOGURTLAND but the staff is EXTREMELY friendly!
4 - Vanni M.: Kinda pricey, and usually I would normally just get Yogurtland since it's self-serve. But the service here is SUPER good, they have really unique flavors and tonsss of stuff you can mix in with your yogurt. Also I am addicted to the Circus Animal flavour. SO GOOD.
4 - Jonathan C.: Went here in the afternoon after hearing it was the coldstone of yogurt. 

I decided to get a small dulce de leche with the red velvet cake mixed inside. 

I have to say, I wasn't expecting much, but it was delicious. The creamy texture of the yogurt along with the bits of red velvet gave it an absolutely delicious texture. Not sure how the other combinations would stack up though, there's not a lot of fruit to choose from. 

I wish they had some more flavors though. I also wish an extra topping wasn't so expensive at 75 cents. Furthermore, it would have been cool if there were some preset combinations.

The seating in here could have been a lot better. Theres like 3 tables with small couch chairs that touch each other. 

Overall good experience.
4 - Amanda C.: I love the cute design and layout of this store!
Most of the 21 toppings (not flavors) are kept in covered but convenient clear plastic bowls. It's very sanitary :) . When i walked in, i saw a fly around the uncovered cake area though....gross. 

The prices of the different yogurt cups are pretty cheap, but each topping is 75 cents more. They prepare the yogurt in cold stone creamery fashion, by putting the yogurt on a board then smushing the toppings into small pieces and mixing it on top of the yogurt. 

Decent price for good quality yogurt and clean/sanitary toppings (minus the cakes). I tried the Belgian Chocolate Pudding with cinnamon toast crunch on top :) good stuff! The chocolate flavor was rich, and the cereal made a good crunchy contrast. Chocolate fans, youu gotta try it! I'm coming back here for sure.
3 - Mary N.: Yogurtland meets Coldstones.  8 oz small is $3.00 and mix ins/toppings are 75 cents each.  the froyo is delicious and are rich without the guilt.  

two things that would add to my stars would be cleanliness (there were a bunch of toppings on the floor) and if the staff was friendlier (they seemed to be counting down the minutes until their shift is over)

 ice cream is supposed to fun! and food clean so these two elements really knocked the potential stars down.
4 - Lloyd B.: I think this is the same yogurt shop as the one in Pasadena minus the crazy crowded line. There wasn't a line here, but now I know why the line can be so long. The lady behind the counter encouraged us to sample each flavor and there were five to try. The yogurt is made fresh every day and the flavors change daily so you're probably going to end up sampling stuff every time you visit.

Today's choices were Belgium chocolate, mango, vanilla bean, butterfinger pudding, and plain yogurt. I sampled them all and each of them were very good. I had to choose one so I opted for a small ($3) butterfinger pudding, which had bits of chocolate chips and butterfinger. It was creamy sweet without being to rich. Additional toppings can be mixed in or sprinkled on top for 75 cents more. 

A great alternative to the Baskin Robbins right around the corner.
4 - Todd N.: :D That's how exactly how I feel once my ice cream-full spoon enters my mouth.

I first came across 21 Choices in Old town Pasadena where I heard was a total rage and when I did try it, I had the same reaction.

Basically it's fro yo and Cold Stone mixed together into one concept.  They get a cup full of fro yo and put it on a cold slab (where it freezes until it's an ice cream like texture) along with your sides (fruits, candy, nuts, etc.)  Each additional side is I believe .75 cents which you can imagine can stack up quickly.  My $3.00 yogurt easily went up to $6 as I added in fruit and nuts.  I'm a big fan of that combination and it makes any ice cream taste delicious.

My advice? Go here anytime you just want to grab a quick dessert or just to experience in dessert delicousness in any case you'll love it.
3 - Jang David K.: 21 Choices is a froyo version of coldstone.  You can add any toppings you like and have them mix it for you.  I got their vanilla with strawberry.  Pretty refreshing.  

Their business colors and mixing methodologies closely reminded of cold stone creamery!  Both stores actually began about 22 years ago and I wonder who started first....hmmmmmm.....Hmmmmm....
4 - Miguel R.: Never expected to find a 21 Choices in the GHETTO of all ghettoes next to the most ghetto "university" in the world but here it is :(

I can't complain. The girl behind the counter this day really earns her money!!!! So friendly and helpful!!!! This is something you can expect at 21 Choices. The girls at the Pasadena one are also very nice and helpful.

Today flavors were not too great though. I chose milk chocolate but was hoping for Belgian chocolate :( There aren't as many fruit toppings here as at Yogurtland but sometimes the yogurt flavors are better than at Yogurtland. Yogurtland never has anything that comes close to Belgian chocolate. I love taro and green tea but Belgian chocolate is way better!

The girl here told us that the day before it was a customer appreciation day and that free yogurt was offered and also told us that that day the same thing was going on in Pasadena!!!! Few places do this kind of thing! Oh, and she told us you can check what flavors will be available online!!!!

A plus at 21 Choices is the way they mix in the toppings for you!!!!

This 21 is not half as crowded as the Pasadena one and that's another plus :) Unbelievably parking is no problem since there is a big lot for the "university" Village.
5 - Andrea K.: I like many fellow Trojans am in LOVE with 21 Choices.  The flavors are amazing, creative, and delicious.  I love seeing what flavors they've concocted for that day and the prices are very reasonable.  The employees are always super friendly and attentive.  Once I waited an incredibly long time for my froyo and was given it for free out of courtesy! Not to mention their customer appreciation days where everyone gets a free yogurt.
5 - Steve W.: I just wrote a review for Yogurtland, so I figured I'd send out some Yelp love to 21 choices.

They have delicious yogurt, and their rotating flavors are very interesting. It's super easy to check their flavors on the website and see if you're interested in the daily selections, so you're almost guaranteed to enjoy something every few days. 

Their pricing is a little higher than yogurtland, BUT I've found that they're usually super generous, and I can't count the number of times they haven't charged me for toppings or a size upgrade, so I think it balances out. 

Another thing I love about 21 choices is how incredibly supportive they are of the community. I'm a student at USC and we have tons of philanthropic clubs that always want to do fundraisers. 21 choices will frequently donate stacks of free yogurt coupons, and they're super helpful and easy to work with. I always love to support companies who support their community, and honestly I often choose 21 choices over Yogurtland simply on this criteria alone
4 - Kevin L.: Seeing as I live on the West side of campus, 21 Choices is definitely a lot closer than Yogurtland whenever I need my froyo fix. It's also very close to the Starbucks and University Village -- a place I frequent more than the Figueroa side. 

What's brilliant about 21 choices? It's sort of like a gourmet froyo store -- they dispense the froyo for you and then put toppings or mush it altogether if you want (similar to what they do over at Cold Stone). I really enjoy the flavours -- they're usually a bit thicker than Yogurtland -- since they're always changing. You can check on their website for the flavours of the day. I'm a fan of their peanut butter stuff. 

The staff are super friendly -- oftentimes they're actual USC students. It's a place I go to if I want a froyo fix and I'm near the UV. Try out a flavour they post on their big whiteboard -- I have yet to explore those options!

Also: keep an eye out for free froyo -- 21 Choices has times where they give out free froyo!
1 - Ashely N.: My friend told me about 21 Choices and I couldn't handle her nagging about this place. I took a trip to this place a few weeks back and it's was waste of my money. Here's why...

I spend $3 on a small cup (that's right) and they charge 75¢ per topping (I am not kidding). With only the TWO toppings, the total came out to be $4.50. With $4.50 you can get whatever you want at Yogurtland and in a bigger cup! 

The other toppings looked great but it was too expensive, and I'm not exaggerating. I ended up picking white chocolate chips and mini-marshmallows. Let me make it clear that I LOVE white chocolate and marshmallows, but on this occasion, it seemed a bit off. I agree with one of the reviewers about the marshmallows. They were dehydrated but on another level! Major dislike! I shared by cup with my friend and we ended up not eating the toppings.

I will give kudos to the staff for being helpful, but never again will I buy at 21 Choices.
1 - James C.: I love the 21 choices in Pasadena but the one here in LA SUCKS. Maybe it was the worker. She was a short blond girl, seemed like a USC student and was the only one working. I went today,Wednesday, July 18, at around 5:30 and ordered my usual favorite choice that I order in Pasadena, the animal cookie(#1). I don't know if this girl knew what the hell she was doing or if she was just an idiot, but I figured she'd know because it's just yogurt right?..... Wrong... Apparently she wasn't trained well enough. In Pasadena the workers always do a great job of grinding the ice cream and cookies so that it's almost like a puree and delicious. Not to mention that the workers in Pasadena are ALWAYS cheerful and ready to give A+ service. But this incompetent little girl was first of all pretty apathetic and did a mediocre, almost effortless job grinding out the cookies. I didn't pay much attention because I thought she would know what she's doing, but when I ate it there were still some pretty large chunks of the cookie in the yogurt. I guess I could have asked for a refund but decided to just let it go and not come back...And to top it off, she put waay too many sprinkles in it. It ended up being so makeshift that literally a 5 year old could have made that. And yea, it costed $5.50.. Never coming back here again. Learn how to do your job right, blondie.
4 - Celeste C.: Yum! I'm so glad that there's a 21 Choices close to school so I can get my vanilla/red velvet fix! The prices here are pretty cheap--I've always thought of them as cheaper than the Pasadena 21 Choices but I'm not positive. I don't come here too often but I've had great service each time.
4 - Jenelle B.: 21 Choices???? Yea that's a bit excessive for me when I only care about 1.....

Oreo cookies is my LOVE. Yes I have a sus ass palate when it comes to ice cream and frozen yogurt but hey "its my palate I do what I want, I'm a big girl now"  (not many will get that reference only trills). 

But any who I'm always a lil frightened stepping into enemy's territories (USCK...GO BRUINS!) but this 21 Choices was more than enough reason to head to Hoova. And I must admit they really cleaned up the area. Parking was simple and the 21 Choices was very welcoming. It wasn't that crowded so we were able to sample all the flavors of the day. I ended up going with the Double Stuffed Oreos flavor with extra oreos mixed in. I always get the SMALLEST size cus too much ice creams bloats and excites me all at the same time. But the smallest size is more than enough to please ones craving. It was yummy and I do appreciate all the different toppings, when I feel adventurous I will get bonkers on the toppings.
3 - Candee L.: Yummy, Yummy, YUMMY!!!

Came here with some friends, got parking right in front.
My friends (fellow Yelpers) rave about this place, so I was excited to finally try it. There are so many options!!! Flavors change daily, so the chances of getting your favorite one is skim. 

They let you sample the different options...though I loved the flavors I tried, I like my froyo plain and tart. 

It was dirt cheap too! I believe I paid under $3 for my froyo ^_^
4 - Dahlia S.: I go nuts for circus animal cookie, and they are definitely taking note because they have it way more often. This place is basically a combo of any frozen yogurt place+coldstone in the sense that they have a marble stone where they mash extra toppings in for 75 cents each. They let you try it and will add more/redo the whole thing it if you don't like it, now that is customer service!

Angela and the rest of the staff here are sooo nice. :)

Another plus it that they are open til midnight! Perfect for late night snackage on hot days :)
5 - Kevin C.: My friend introduced me to this place and it's become one of my favorite yogurt spots when I'm craving sweet frozen yogurt. They have rotating flavors that change every month (our favorite is Animal Cookie) and they blend in the toppings for you like they do at Coldstone's. One thing that sets this place apart from other places are the variety of toppings you can get. They have actual slices of cheesecake and poundcake (I think it's 75 cents per topping, regardless of what topping it is) which is pretty awesome.

I personally recommend getting animal cookie with graham crackers and peanuts.
5 - Ben S.: Cheap, healthier, and better alternative to cold stone!

The concept is simple. The flavors change every day with lots of toppings to choose from. It's cheap and the people who serve are wonderful. Some of their specialty flavors are delicious (peanut butter, pom pom something), but some are lacking (sorry green tea mochi). 

They deserve 5 stars because it's simple and good. You get what you paid for. Nothing more, nothing less. It's just a solid business. I wish they had more yogurt flavors to choose from daily, but I guess this is some ploy to get people to come more often! SNEAKY. :)

21 Choices Frozen Yogurt - Claremont, CA (34.107098, -117.7293246) ()
3 - Sergio R.: Best thing to do is visit the website and check what the premade flavors of the day are gonna be. Chances are there's gonna be one that sounds good to you. And it will be. They're good at that. I find them to be MUCH tastier than anything I try to customize. 

I don't like the smoothies

There can be a line out the door
4 - Paul C.: My friend Co took me here, claiming it's the best frozen yogurt in Claremont. Oooh watch out! 

It was raining, and there was still a line out the door. Awesome. I had the vanilla with strawberries mixed in, cause I'm unique and it represents my moral purity. It was pretty good, not overly tart or fake tasting. They serve in biodegradable earth-friendly cups as well. The guy who took our order gave me the "Gay look of Acknowledgment." Yes, there is one. It's kind of like a "Ah, understanding!"  You'll know it when it happens.
4 - Christine T.: I have been a huge fan of 21 Choices before the frozen yogurt craze and before I even knew about Golden Spoon. I love this place because it's not a massive chain that only cares about taking people's money. I love 21 Choices because:

1) Their menu changes every day except for two flavors: chocolate and vanilla. They have a website and you can see the different flavors of the day.

2) The different flavors actually have mix-ins in them (i.e. Twix or bananas), so that saves you the extra charge for mix-ins.

3) They are generous with their portions; you can get a small and share it with a friend. 

Oh 21 Choices, how I love thee. Too bad there aren't any in San Diego.
3 - Sarah M.: So...I am a frozen yogurt-o-holic. I was not completely impressed by 21 Choices but it was decent. It seemed a bit plain and the variety was severely lacking. I was told by a fan of the place that the selection the night I went was not as good as it usually is, but I don't feel like wasting time to attempt it again. I'd rather stick to Golden Spoon.
3 - The Sock S.: I wish they still had color changing spoons.
5 - Sparky H.: A national treasure!

The yogurt flavors are awesome, and the mix-ins are terrific.  They kind of pioneered mix-ins here; now the world and his brother offers them, but 21 Choices been doing them the best and the longest.

But the best part is the staff.  They are relentlessly friendly, out-going and cheerful.  They really want you to be happy!
5 - Laila R.: I'm a 21 choices addict, I really love this place. 
For each night of the week, they have 6 new and unique flavors.  Every night you will find some form of vanilly and chocolate, the other 4 vary greatly.  Usually they have 1 fruit flavor and a couple of sweeter ones.  
To find out which flavor they have, you can look them up online, where all the flavors for each of their stores are listed.

(Now that there are 2 locations in Claremont, I usually check both stores and figure out where I want to go....)

Anyway, there is also a wide variety of toppings that they mix into the yogurt upon request.  Some of their flavors already have some toppings included in the mix so a lot of times you don't need a topping.

The staff at 21 choices is great, it's very nice to come there, both for the yogurt and for friendly service.  They are always helpful & happy and eager to offer a free taste of the flavors of the day.

9 out of 10 times, 21 choices is our choice when we're in the mood for frozen yogurt :)
5 - Christopher L.: yum! better than ice cream! so freaking good!!!
4 - Kristine P.: I'm reading over previous comments, and I didn't know that they had spoons that change colors! That's sooo cool!

Anyway! On to my review...

 If you're in the mood for creamy frozen yogurt that tastes more like ice cream than it does tart yogurt, this is THE place to go. Although my tastebuds scream, "TART!" when I have an itch for froyo, I do prefer 21 Choices over Golden Spoon. 

One time, I got chocolate yogurt with strawberries. Delicious..! 

Another thing: There's ALWAYS a line out the door for 21 Choices (at least for the times I've gone.)
5 - August G.: 21 Choices does a mixing type deal where they have 6 choices of yogurt, and you can get the yogurt plain or mix it with as many toppings as you want, INTO the yogurt. I kind of wish they had ice cream as well, but their frozen yogurt is really creamy and as good as ice cream.

Although their frozen yogurt is very good, it's really their staff that kills me. I don't think I've ever dealt with friendlier staff than the ones at 21 Choices, and that's a huge plus. I also like that they always have fresh fruit out to mix with the yogurt. Plus it's cheap!
4 - Antonia C.: I have been coming to 21 Choices since I was a teenager (back when they were located way down on Indian Hill by Arrow) and am happy that they have relocated to two clean cute spots!  Came in here yesterday to get some Fro Yo with my sister and they were giving out free small vanilla yogurts with fresh strawberries for Mothers Day so we snapped up one for our mom and I ordered a small plain with pineapple so good.  My sister ordered cheescake flavor with maraschino cherries...she wasnt too thrilled with the cherries but hey it was still good.
5 - Sam S.: This is the store where I first experienced fro-yo, casting off the shackles of ice cream addiction forever. Now there is only one creamy delight for me. I will love 21 choices forever, or at least until the earth is struck by a giant meteor that causes temperatures to rise and all fro-yo to melt.
Every day there are six new flavors (a variant of vanilla, a variant on chocolate, and four tart/sweet concoctions) and tons of toppings to mix in. This place mixes your toppings in more a la coldstone than pinkberry. Also, the fro-yo is much creamier here than most other places. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
There are two 21 choices in claremont, for a total of 12 flavors each day. You can check their website and decide which site you want to visit. If you see the circus animal flavor, eat that business up, it's delicious.
5 - Danny G.: I just happened to be driving through the Claremont area on a hot day, passed by this place and thought frozen yogurt sounded good.  I walked in expecting your typical froyo, tried their vanilla and double dutch chocolate and was totally blown away.  It actually tasted like premium vanilla and chocolate ice cream--not anything like the tart and overly sweetened froyo you find on every street corner these days.  I could actually see the specs of vanilla beans in the vanilla!  As a huge plus, their containers and spoons are bio-degradeable.

If you are looking for tart froyo, I suggest Pinkberry.  But if you want something that tastes like ice cream in soft-serve form, this is the place to go.
5 - gloria g.: I must admit, as a child my dad used to buy only plain yogurt and everyone seemed to love it, except me. He'd force me to eat it, and as a reult, I developed a hate for yogurt. Even yoplait yogurt is gross to me, so the idea of frozen yogurt was sort of icky for me. But i dont ever say no to trying new things, so when my friend asked me to try it, I did. I was super surprised! i loved it! even the vanilla flavor doesnt have a yogurty flavor and its low fat! Now, instead of eating ice cream, i have frozen yogurt, but mostly only from 21 choices bcuz it has the least yogurty taste (as i mentioned b4). Its just like cold stone, in that they mix in the extra toppings you want into the yogurt and whatever you put in it, its delicious!! So, if youre not a fan of yogurt and youre apprehensive to try  frozen yogurt, go for it! be brave and like nike, just do it! :p you wont be dissappointed.
1 - Kiki D.: i dont like how they put the soft serve on the cold stone...it just makes it even runnier. they must not clean their machines enough because my friend has peanut allergies and had a bad reaction to their plain yogurt...theyre a bit pricey for what they have to offer.id much rather walk across the street to yogurtland and get the same thing but more for half the price.
5 - Mint T.: I have become quite the regular of this place since my first review.  Why do I get so excited about them?  

1) Their flavors are consistently the most wildly creative and well-executed of all the yogurt places I go to.  There's something endearing about finding little pieces of texture and toppings in your yogurt, like bits of Oreo, mini chocolate chips, or real strawberry fragments.  And this is directly from the soft-serve machines, as I haven't tried the marble slab mix-ins.

2) They have the most friendly, enthusiastic employees I've EVER encountered in the food or retail industry, which means both their company culture and hiring practices are spot-on.  It's not a phony friendliness, either--these are people who love people!

I'm really impressed.
4 - Kat G.: Sometimes I dream about "Animal Circus Cookie". Best flavor EVER. 

I just wish the prices were a little less to add toppings.
5 - Jason M.: What an outstanding find!

This is honestly the best frozen yogurt I have had in my life. They make fresh flavors everyday and you can mix and match and have different toppings mixed into the yogurt. What a treat!

I got a small with 3 flavors: Butterfinger, Oreo, Mayan Chocolate. Each flavor was unreal and so tasty. 

The soft serve isn't even the best part; the customer service was fantastic. The second I walked in the lady behind the counter handed me 4 different samples without even asking. The strawberry flavor was outrageous but I didn't think it would go well with chocolate.

For 2 smalls, my friend and I were out the door for $6. It was a perfect experience: great price, great service, GREAT ICE CREAM!

I can't wait to go back!
5 - Christine O.: It boggles me as why there are two 21 Choices in Claremont? I feel blessed. Anyways, this has got to be the best damn froyo I've ever had. I love all the unique flavors they come up with. The best one I had recently was "Animal Circus Cookie." Geezus, it knocked my socks off! Excellent quality froyo and fresh fruit (although frozen). Love the space too! Small but quaint.

I definitely recommend this place!
4 - Lilly H.: I've been coming here since back when it was located on Indian Hill & didn't take credit cards, and I even worked here briefly, as did probably 50% of Claremont High students.  Some tips:

-You can favorites like Circus Animal Cookie & Oatmeal cookie whenever you want!  It costs a little extra, but have them mix vanilla yogurt in the machine (not the tabletop) with the toppings - circus animal cookies, sprinkles and cookie dough for Circus Animal flavor.  I always liked getting things mixed in the machine to create my own flavors.

-Switch it up and try a shake or a banana split.  Me and my boyfriend loved sharing the banana split (a banana w/ 3 flavors & 3 toppings, plus whipped cream & a cherry).  And I remember a delicious Oreo shake hitting the spot after my wisdom teeth got pulled.

-If you don't like melted yogurt, they have the "hard pack" variety, usually in chocolate, vanilla, and tart.  On a summer day, half hard pack half normal yogurt and fresh strawberries mixed in on the table is perfect.

-If its your first time, try all the flavors!

I miss not being in Claremont anymore and having to suffer with only Yogurtland and nothing to satisfy my craving for yogurt.  But, I don't miss working there - being constantly reminded its "Yogurt" not "Ice Cream" and "Choices" not "Flavors." ::big smile::  Who could ever think this place had anything to do with a certain number of flavors ;) ?
5 - Jena S.: If you haven't had yogurt here you are severely missing out.

Once upon a time I came here after trying the chains of new posh yogurt and fell in love.    FRESH fruit.  Great flavors.  Amazing toppings.

It's disappointing that there aren't more of them beyond Claremont.  

If you are ever in the area making a Donut Man run, you won't regret the extra stop to chase the sweetness.
4 - Julie M.: Animal Circus Cookie!  Nothing more to say.
5 - Diamond G.: I just moved here from LA and I've never been to a place like this! The yogurt is DELICIOUS and they use fresh fruit. I had the 98% fat free vanilla (which btw tastes amazing for being fat free!) with chocolate chips, coconut and pineapple! Uh so good. I think I will have some tonight :)
5 - Rachel R.: I loved this place when I went to college nearby! I used to BEG my roomies to take me every single day.  

Best flavor? Circus animals on parade with extra rainbow sprinkles.  

Tip? They have hard vanilla soy which they can make soft and blend with anything. Delicious.
5 - Jonathan K.: great service and I always have the luck to beat the lines
got to love frozen gummy worms
5 - Juliette M.: love the fat free vanilla
4 - Dustin E.: i love this place! I could say some of the best variety for yogurt anywhere! 

go to their website and check out the choices first before you make the drive. there is another location honestly, right up the street that has an entirely different menu to choose from. whatever sticks out, go to that one. i chose to review this location because i had my first experience with 21 choices here. 

anyway, the yogurt choices are always really good and when you add a topping of your choice, it gets even better.  i also like how the choices change everyday so you always try something new. this location had less toppings to choose from than the other one by the university, but sometimes the yogurt is just good enough that toppings are not needed.

the prices can be a little steep when it comes to yogurt. it is definitely no 30 cents an ounce like yogurtland but you won't find this kind of unique variety their. i would say for a small cup with 1 topping will run you around $4 to $5. that is why i do not come here as often as i would like. 

i would say if you are in the area, try this place out and see the magic that is 21 choices. who knew such a little town had such big variety....for yogurt :)
2 - Amanda C.: I waited to go my first time until it was an "off" night, when there wasn't a line running out the door, so I'd have the time to enjoy it. Boy was I wrong. The older woman helping me was very abrupt and kept making exasperated sounds as I looked over the options. I was fine with people passing me by but she insisted on hustling me through first. Because of the lack of oppurtunity to ask questions I ended up with what I thought were Melt Away Mints but seemed like a burnt coffee wax. Afterwards, she kept bending over and showing her butt crack to everyone in line. The whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth.
5 - Liz G.: I love this place! It is near CGU so it is nice to drop by after a weekend class. The employees are very nice and always accommodating. They quickly help you with your order and purchase - all with a smile. I can't say enough about their low-fat frozen yogurt and fresh fruit...yum! This is soooo much better than any other frozen yogurt place!!!
4 - Deborah W.: This is an awesome yogurt shop! So fresh tasting.  In fact, they make it up fresh (with fresh fruit) in the back.  My banana tasted like real banana, not that fake banana liquor-tasting flavor.  The vanilla bean was to die for.  I love my frozen yogurt and next to this place Yogurtland is my favorite.  I just wish they had more flavors and more stores other than Claremont and Pasadena.  Please, open some up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4 - Paula A.: I love that this place has been around for so long!  I remember back in the day when I was in college, and they were at their old site on Arrow and Indian Hill with their old chalk board and retro music videos...

They are such a staple to the community, and their quality has remained high over the years.  I love that they change their flavors on a daily basis, so if I go several times in one week, there is always something new on the menu!
5 - P J.: Consistently good. I've never tried a flavor that I didn't like but there are a few they have that are just awesome! I've never had any of the other toppings added in because the yogurt really doesn't need it. The 6 flavors change daily so you are usually in for something new when you visit. Keep track of their website for the days flavors if you find a few that you just gotta have.
5 - Krysten I.: I love the fruity flavors at 21 choices. They are soooo much better than yogurtland. The only complaint I have is the pricing. Seventy-five cents/topping. I can buy a whole candy bar for 50 cents....I usually don't even get topping though because the yogurt is so good. If you have any complaints about powdery flavoring like in boba milk teas, i would recommend 21 choices over yogurtland. 
21 choices changes the 5 or 6 flavors they have daily. They alway sonly have one fruity flavor and I always like it the best.
5 - Bernard P.: it was delicious!!
3 - Jane D.: I stopped here with a couple of friends of mine. It wasn't amazing, but they have all different types of topping and yogurt choices, which is nice. 

The price is my only concern otherwise not to bad for a Yogurt place.
3 - Lando T.: This was my first visit to 21 Choices. I love that they let you sample the feature flavors. I'm not a big fan of the whole FroYo thing, but the customer service would make me come back.
4 - Jia B.: Amazing!
Delicious & Fresh FroYo (New favorite word, thanks to my roomie). Great choices. Tons of toppings. Very cool decor. Very friendly staff. Tons of locations. Give free samples. Yum. Yum. Yum.
Enough said.
5 - Bridget J.: With all the new yogurt places out there, this little joint is still my favorite. Their amazing daily mixes are just some of the best flavors, and with the ability to make your own and add such a variety of toppings, it's totally worth it.
5 - Sarah-Mei E.: 5 Things to note:

1.) Their flavors are more sweet than tart

2.) Can't decide? Sample all, then create a combination of multiple flavors :) 

3.) You can mix in toppings, but the yogurt is super good as-is!

4.) The "small" size is big! They also have a mini cup.

5.) Friendly service.


This was a fave of mine when I was an undergrad...We used to get coupons for a free small fro yo! I was back in Claremont recently and happily returned to 21 Choices. It did not disappoint!

Fun memories + Good fro-yo = Five stars!
4 - geoff s.: great place for frozen yogurt.  i prefer this place over pink berry.  if you're ever in the inland empire and have a craving for frozen yogurt this is the place to get it.
5 - MsCynthia M.: So Good ! So Good ! So Good !

I was here last Sunday with my boyfriend and his family. The staff was very friendly and they frozen yogurt... MMM MMM MM!!!!
3 - Ji O.: they have daily specials think they get new flavors every day
they have some unique mixes i am waiting to try 
this location is not big compared to the one in claremont village
1 - Sam G.: The help had no concept of the next customer in line. One helper started to argue with me to defend another helper who skipped me and instead offer free samples to a large group that came after me.
4 - Pamela G.: Pretty good...and its like a coldstone  but its frozen yogurt! Its in the middle of pomona claremontish...so not too familiar with the surroundings...i think this place is price c ER then your average yogurt place...but id say give it a try...i became a fan doing so.
3 - Eunice K.: The concept of mixing things is a good idea but the flavor is not that great. It's like four or five flavors of frozen yogurt and you get to mix in toppings like cold stone... But the flavors of the yogurt is not very nice. It's like $3.25 for a small (pretty big) and $.75 for a topping. The service is really good though.

I gt the Kohula Coffee flavor but it felt like iced coffee.. It wasn't smooth how i like it. It's all icy.. Not my style..
5 - Fern R.: I Just Love 21 Choices!!!

My Best Friend And I Love Going Here Just To Eat The New Flavors Everyday!!!

I Am Partial To The Fruity Flavors And Having More Fruit Mixed Right In!!!

The Only 2 Regular Flavors Are Chocolate And Vanilla.

If You Love Yogurt You Gotta Try This!!!
3 - Sidalia C.: I always get a stomach ache after I eat here.  Nonetheless, I continue to give them business.  Oatmeal cookie is the best.

I enjoy this place in the summer.
5 - Kelly B.: One of my most favorite undergraduate past times!! Whenever there was a doubt of what to do, 21 always pulled through. A dependable place to endure your cravings are completely satisfied.  Even if you didn't even know you had one I'm sure 21 could satisfy that one too. With flavors changing on the daily makes you twitch in anticipation to be on the look out for some of the favorites!! (circus animal cookie, chips ahoy chocolate chip and the list just goes on and on.) If you are just passing through on the 210 this is a great place to stop, stretch those legs and get blood sugars back up!
5 - Emily B.: The employees make this place my favorite location.....I love that most people don't realize this is actually the ORIGIONAL one, the old one on Indian Hill and Arrow is the one that moved to the village. This one has been here since the start. Yes its smaller and not as snazzy, again its the origional. 

Plus they have A&W rootbeer night which is great with mallows mixed in!
1 - Annmarie M.: Nah, don't like it. Yes they have a lot of flavors but the ones I have tried are just not that great.

The fruit flavors are very fruity, like frozen fruit, and they melt very very quickly. If it is hot, by the time you pay it will be half melted. Its more like a sherbet than yogurt.

I'm not particularly fond of the long waits, made longer by mix-in service (why?),and there is no place to sit.

Plus the Claremont organic-vegan-hybrid people annoy me when they take 7 years asking the ingredient list in Every Single Topping and if its gluten-free. Sorry.
5 - Stephanie F.: The employees were super nice!! And the Ice cream was BOMB!
Have only been here one time, but we will definitely be returning!
5 - Brittany M.: Great cold-stone, choose your own ingredients, frozen yogurt. It's totally overwhelming with so many choices, but the quality is there, so you can't go wrong. Can't wait to come back!
5 - Brandy W.: This place is legit. The way that they set up their toppings is really dope and retro. The yogurt flavors are unique and not like anything you would get at say cold stone or baskin robbins. This is one of those places you must try if you're in the area!! I know I do.
5 - Amy S.: Great people, great yogurt, and sooooo many fun choices!
4 - Katherine C.: #64. Yes, they really do have 21 choices.  I ordered a Tres Small Kit Kat Cookie Bar.  It wasn't overly sweet-- just the way I like it! Some of their flavors change, so there might be a flavor you wanted that wasn't available on that day.   Check their website for the flavors offered for that day if you're interested.  The wait is a hit-or-miss, but the staff is generally very friendly.
1 - Ashley H.: Used to LOVE this place growing up
and into college, I moved out of state 3 years ago and whenever I visited since I had to have my 21 choices. My last visit in June my usual chocolate tasted watered down, but I thought hey just an off day, well we just moved back and I went in for a fix today, bad news they must be using cheaper yogurt stuff now and my usual butterfinger mix in was precrushed and stale, plus the mango and strawberries looked very old. 
I'm devastated, I thought I'd be hardcore 21 choices until my dying breath, the quality has just gone out the window, but the prices have gone up
2 - Michele C.: I've decided I'm not a fan of 21 choices. Well at least for this location since I can't comment on what other locations are like. 

The staff here is always friendly and smiling, always willing to offer suggestions and samples. But, their yogurt is always watery even after I've asked them to leave it on the ice block for awhile. I think because it's yogurt, it just doesn't harden up right. And 75 cents/ topping. That's kinda pricey, no? Anyways, I've decided that the yogurt served here is more like a milkshake and they rarely have any fruity flavored yogurts. I would say all but one of their flavors is super sweet. In general I'll stick with froyo if I want yogurt and if I want ice cream, well I'll just get ice cream then. 

food: 1 stars
staff: 3.5 stars
3 - Karen N.: The yogurt here is just okay, nothing special in my opinon, BUT, I do like:


1. The staff.:
The employees here are trained well and all are very nice. 

2. Toppings:
Awesome variety of toppings. There's a lot to choose from, you'll never run out of choices 

Cute little yogurt shop right in the heart of Downtown Claremont. Great for the summer, but not something I would crave to go back to.

21 Choices Frozen Yogurt - Claremont, CA (34.0903463, -117.7192359) ()
5 - Alicia A.: 21 Choices is great.  They have vanilla and chocolate frozen yogurt with way more than 21 options for mix-ins.  The strawberries with cookie dough is vanilla yogurt is awesome.  They also have 5 different flavors of frozen yogurt every day that they make.  The portions are huge and the prices are just right for poor college students.
3 - Yvonne W.: They have the same flavors as the one in Pasadena but the service isn't as good. They don't chop the add ins as great. Plus they are sloppier. But still pretty good flavors.
1 - David K.: I only go here if the flavors are ok for the day...other than that the service isn't that great...they need to bring some of their people from Pasadena in and show them how it's done!
4 - justin r.: WHYYYY is everybody hatin' on 21 choices?!  This is a top choice for off-campus dessert for Claremont College students; there will also be another location in the Claremont Village Expansion in a month or two (kind of silly to have 2 locations that close together if you ask me, but hey, now we have EIGHT flavors to pick from every day!)

You can look at their flavors for the day on 21choices.com, although sometimes they don't update the page as early as they should.  There is always French Vanilla and Dutch Chocolate (or something very similar) and 4 rotating flavors.  Also, 4 days of the week there is a "low-carb" flavor (meaning that they just use Splenda to sweeten it instead of sugar along w/ fruit, 'no sugar added' chocolate chips, etc.). 

True, it may not be the most amazing dessert you ever put in your mouth, but I hold a special place in my heart for 21 choices.  No matter how long the line is at night, the staff is always helpful and cheery.  Plus, you know how at some ice cream places you feel bad for sampling more than 1 flavor?  Well, my friends and I ALWAYS sample all 4 of the rotating flavors and have never been looked at twice - AND they don't skimp on their sample portions!  I rarely get an add-in because of the additional charge, but the flavors are usually good enough by themselves and don't need anything extra.  Prices are college student-friendly (good-sized 'small' = 2.50), AND they use biodegradable cups!  

One of the few cons of 21 choices is that if you go really late at night to avoid the crowds, they might be out of 1 or more of the flavors.
2 - Erynne J.: I used to love this place.  I went here on a weekly basis, if not more, and enjoyed the great flavors of yogurt they make daily on site.

However, I recommend going elsewhere.  Their employees that they have working there now are no where near as sweet and genuine as they once were, and are often borderline rude.  My major complaint, and why I only give this place 2 stars now instead of the 5 I would've given them before, is the awful price hikes they've been instituting.  $3 for an itty bitty yogurt?  Dude, you can buy a decent sized Starbucks drink for that.  

Skip it and go somewhere else.
5 - Eazflo O.: no no no, you are all nuts. walk your ass down there and get the cream cheese mixed into the tart ice cream, make them put it through the machine (not on the table people) THEN have them put some brownies on the top. If you still rank it 2 stars you are full of it.
1 - Allie P.: Though I've been inside the 21 Choices in Pasadena prior to going to the one in Claremont, I have not ordered anything.  I didn't know what to choose or what would go good with what because the menus all looked packed and overwhelming.  But i was able to decide... and like Coldstone (except this was frozen yogurt), I didn't like how it got all gooey.  I don't like liquid, melting textures for smoothies, ice cream, frozen yogurt... so I usually eat those things before they tend to melt.  Anyways, the service was okay.  It's very loud inside so they're like yelling at you when taking your order.  I wasn't that impressed with the final outcome of my yogurt.  I don't know if I'll even order something from there again.  Guess I like Pinkberry and Yogurtland the best.
BTW, the place is tiny... so the place truly does get packed during the night.  You'll see a line going out the door.  Most of their customers are locals who have been going there for years.
5 - Jaime K.: I am in major trouble, because the new 21 is about to open within walking distance from me. Let's all just accept it - frozen yogurt is NOT low-cal/low-fat/healthy when you add in the cookies and candies and sauces. But it is just so yummy. And the samples make walking in the door just so pleasant (poll - how many can you ask for without seeming piggish?). The people working there are always so nice. I know if I worked there I'd want to hurt somebody.

Hopefully the new one will have some decent seating. 

What's the mixing machine about?
3 - Jennifer N.: It's good but I don't really get the hype.
If you're going for this kind of frozen yogurt,
yeah it's better than Golden Spoon but of all the other ice cream/frozen yogurt alternatives out there- this is not thaaat great.
Little bit pricey too?
I've only been once. Don't attack me. 
It's just not my cup of tea.
3 - Sergio R.: This place has moved to 817 West Foothill Blvd.

21 Choices Frozen Yogurt - Claremont, CA (34.0944922, -117.7204986) ()
3 - Gina Q.: Came here on one cold and blustery April evening (a week after opening). So what better thing to do than to get some frozen yogurt!!

This new store offers about 5 flavors at a time, but the number of toppings is quite numerous. So I'm not sure what the 21 choices part is about, but I guess I'll discover that soon enough.

I got Strawberry and the 98% fat free Vanilla in the tres small bowl. My fella ordered the Caramel Cappuccino in the tres small. We went out the door for only $5. A bit pricier than Golden Spoon for sure, but less expensive than any of the Pinkberry's or Cefiore's out there.

I asked about the calorie and fat count on the strawberry. I was told that the strawberry is only 30 calories per ounce and fat free. The tres small is only 4 ounces. But as far as the other flavors you'd have to ask. They don't have nutritional info available online nor in the store. Bummer.
4 - Paul C.: This one's all new and snazzy with its flat screen TVs and the fact that it's in the "trendy" village of claremont. Sometimes I truly regret my flavor choices here, (root beer float)-----omg NEVER AGAIN, but usually I'm happy with what I get.    They have their toppings out in bins for customers, and I stole some M&M's. Those were pretty good, too.
2 - Vanessa H.: We came here to see what the fuss was all about. From what I can tell, people love the combo of frozen yogurt ("healthy") with a the toppings (sugar/fat bombs of chocolate, etc).  Unfortunately, I find the combo off putting...the thin, watery yogurt doesn't hold up well against the toppings.

Cold Stone has the opposite problem...too creamy, almost greasy, with the toppings, to the point where it can be stomach-turning.

This branch of 21 choices is a snazzy looking concept store, so it's worth it to try if you like this kind of thing.  I don't.
3 - Seth G.: They offer decent frozen yogurt. It is one of the proverbial hangs in the newer part of the Village. This particular one adopts a more modern aesthetic as compared to the one practically due North of it or the location in Old Town Pasadena. 

You may want to try before buying. The last time I was there, I was handed a cup of French Vanilla which tasted like some Comet cleaner mixed with fresh blueberries. Yeah, I have heard about antioxidants cleaning you out, but that's ridiculous and putrid at that. ;)
3 - Jess B.: i love froyo...so that, in and of itself will force me to award a few stars.  the look of this location is cute and clean..and they just opened a few months ago.  
the service was super friendly and fast. 
my only complaint?  i got a small froyo (one flavor) with two toppings...same as my friend and they cost $9 and some change together.  at yogurtland i can get as many types of yogurt as i want with a sizeable amount of toppings for about $3 for one! 
yogurtland, you have my heart. 
ps this location was not accepting debit/credit cards on labor day....not sure how often this happens.
3 - Keiko T.: They have a million mix in choices - but for the base there's vanilla and chocolate (which are a bit sweet for my taste) - and the others bases have the stuff already mixed in... like blueberries or Reese's.

They just added a tart base too... it's pretty good, but not as good as pinkberry.
3 - Marie S.: this one looks better than the one on foothill, but they are missing one essential topping........COOKIE DOUGH.

if they got that topping, they will gain a star. (i hope you read yelp 21 choices!)

best frozen yogurt in claremont for sure tho.
5 - Kim G.: I am addicted to frozen yogurt and I must say, this is my favorite place.  It's even better than golden spoon; which I didn't think was possible.  It's a bit expensive, but the yogurt tastes so good that I'm still willing to pay for it.  It'll cost about $9 for yogurt for two.  Pricey, but yummy.

I don't like the flavor of Pinkberry's yogurt (too sour), so if you love their yogurt, you may not like 21 Choices.  Just a warning.

21 Choices offers lots of flavors, but I usually stick w/ the vanilla and add in 2-3 kinds of berries to cut down on the fat.  Vanilla w/ strawberry, and nilla wafers is really good too!

The staff is very friendly and they're very good w/ suggestions (if you need them).
4 - Laila R.: This one's still good, but it's more modern and not as cozy as the 21 choices that is located on Foothill.   Still, the yogurt is very good, they do have a good variety of toppings.  It's a great idea to taste the toppings first, some of them are delicious while other times, some can use some improvement.... the portion sizes are big, I usually get a small yogurt, that way it lasts me for a couple of days :-)

For the flavors of the day, check their website.  

Friendly staff, great yogurt just the way you want it.... it's got my vote :)
5 - Elizabeth P.: Simply Heavenly!

This is a great yogurt shop with a wide variety of fresh yogurts and wonderful mix ins. There are many more options than the name implies, all equally delicious.  Any flavor you can think of one of their yogurt experts can create it.  They have everything from peanut butter cup to fresh fruit (not frozen, fresh and seasonal).  

The employees are always smiling and friendly, offering samples while you make your decision or wait in line.  

Aside from the awesome yogurt and friendly service this place is also very clean which always makes the food taste that much better :)

My favorite, Mr. Goodbar, absolute yum.
5 - Christopher L.: across the street from the hotel i stay at. get this. i stay at that hotel because it's across the street from 21! that's how good 21 is.
5 - Olivia H.: I'm a student at one of the Claremont Colleges and 21 Choices is my favorite place to take (delicious) study breaks. I love the atmosphere! The staff is quite friendly and are more than willing to give recommendations about choices/mix-ins. Plus, you can get samples of all the daily flavors if you want.  My favorite choices are "Reese's Chocolate Chips", "Twix Fix" and pretty much all of their fruit based yogurts. You have to check this place out if you're in the area. One of the best late night places in Claremont.
5 - Sam S.: I just reviewed the other claremont 21 choices site, so my well of fro-yo jokes is a little bit dry; thankfully, the yogurt here is anything but.
This site has a great location, in the "new" claremont village. I loved to go eat really spicy food at Bua and then quench the burning sensations with a sweet fro-yo. Also, the staff is quite friendly.
Every day there are six different flavors (a variant of vanilla, a variant on chocolate, and four more complex flavors) and tons of toppings to mix in. 21 choices mixes your toppings into the yogurt, more a la coldstone than pinkberry. Also, the fro-yo is much creamier here than most other places (again, more like coldstone than pinkberry). My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
As tommy l. mentioned below, check the website before you go and decide which 21 you want to solicit. Granted, you'll probably be pleased either way! If you are lucky enough to see the circus animal flavor, lap it up, es tan deliciouso como un oso.
5 - Amy B.: I go here for the yogurt. More specifically, the Circus Animal Cookie yogurt. It's TO DIE FOR.
The staff annoys me most of the time I go in though... a bit too happy and talkative. Sometimes a girl just wants her yogurt in peace and quiet. Avoid going in on weekend nights- tons of college kids running around.
3 - Jasmine W.: around way before the yogurt topping craze, 21 choices is the perfect after-dinner-wandering-around-the-village dessert. 6 yogurt flavors changed daily with a coldstone twist of mixing various fruit, chocolate, cereal, cookies, etc right into your order. super friendly service, great location, but slightly expensive and alas, the yogurt, while tasty, was a little too soft for me. 

while i love to support local business, be careful, 21 choices... we noticed they're planning to open a yogurtland right around the corner!
4 - Johnny N.: Ok, I figured it out.  I think 21 Choices was merely reacting to the threat from the likes of Yogurtland and decided to fight back with their own version of tart.  

FAIL!

Please just stick to the stuff you've been good at, namely the non-tart stuff.  I sampled dutch chocolate, kahlua, fresh strawberry, and monster cookie today (got a medium monster cookie), and they all tasted great.

I would still prefer to serve myself, and I'm annoyed that 21 Choices really should be renamed "6 of a Possible 21 Choices Today," but it's better than when I first tried tart and others.  Stick to what you know, and you'll do fine.  Leave the new fangled stuff to the other guys.
2 - Loraine O.: If you're ever thinking about getting 21 Choices, do yourself a favor and walk that 300 ft away to Yogurtland.

I copied this from my Yogurtland review, but it definitely suits its purpose here as well:

Yogurtland (YL) vs 21 Choices (21C) - 
YL is great for the wallet and tummy-concious because you get to control how much you eat and pay since it's self-serve while at 21C there's pretty much no flexibility. 
YL has 16 constantly changing yogurt flavors ranging from tart to sweet to suit every tastebud and an overwhelming and always different assortment of toppings while 21C has 6 different choices (irony?) each day and pretty boring choice of toppings since they rarely change. 
YL employees give you a huge stack of sample cups which (if you're like me) can use over and over and fill way over the top and pretty much have a free dessert while 21C employees give you the evil eye when you ask for that 3rd sample. 
YL has plently of seating inside so you can enjoy your yogurt in the cool while 21C has none whatsoever, forcing you outside to eat your already melted yogurt because that's what happens when the employees mix your toppings and yogurt together Cold Stone Creamery style.
5 - Marissa C.: I just wrote a review for Yogurtland, and I feel obligated to write one for 21 Choices. As much as I love Yogurtland, 21 Choices will always hold a special place in my heart. 21 Choices has brightened many a dismal and grey day. The staff is always so helpful and friendly, and they are always good about getting you samples and telling you when they will get to you if it is busy. 

I LOVE the variety of flavors at 21 Choices. They are very unique, tasty, and well-blended. My favorites are the Malibu Coconut, the pineapple, and anything with brownies in it. They rotate flavors on a daily basis, but they always have chocolate and vanilla. Plain yogurt is scheduled for mondays, wednesdays, and fridays.They will also do a mix-in with toppings, and will make favorite flavors that they don't have for the day as a mix-in. Mix-Ins do cost extra money though. 

I also like that they have a tres small size, because sometimes I only want a little yogurt. 

Oh 21 Choices, there are way more than 21 ways you can please me.
5 - Christine O.: Two words: Good Sh*t. 

And of course, I have to mention their varieties in topping! Every topping imaginable! Any candy bar you can think of and, of course, fresh-cut fruit toppings. I love that they have a "Très small" size for those who don't want a damn gallon of fro-yo like every other yogurt joint who only have the option of using cups the size of your head.
5 - Christine Z.: Love it. Best  Yogurt in town. Try the banana Split.
1 - Hannah E.: Trivia question: when you go to Baskin Robbins 31 Flavors, how many flavors do they have out for you to choose from?

That's right, 31.

Now, let's continue on with that thread.  When you go to 21 Choices Frozen Yogurt, how many choices do THEY have out for you to choose from?

Not 21! 

6.

Look, did me and all the other reviewers even go to the same place?  I'll be up front here and admit that I like the tart stuff, a la Pinkberry.  Which is clearly not what this place serves.  But I like ice cream too, and candy.  I am an unbiased liker of things that taste good, by which I mean: don't taste like chemicals, don't taste like artificial sweeteners, and don't taste like stuff that isn't supposed to be an ingredient in food.  21 Choices' yogurt tasted like all of the above.

I sampled the yogurt before I bought any, luckily.  I tried some kind of mint oreo, a raspberry or strawberry with something else, and finally, vanilla, to see if maybe their failing was too many ingredients and something simple would be better.  No.  The vanilla tasted fake, the mint oreo tasted like bad coffee, and the raspberry tasted like Froot Loops.  All came complete with ice crystals everywhere.

(I went to their website just now to look up the exact names of the flavors I tried, and not only do they not post a menu of all their flavors - just whatever the daily ones are - but as I clicked around, looking for the elusive menu, 21choices .com crashed my browser.)

Anyway, as I stood there in shock about the awful things that were going on in my mouth, and then tried to tell the cashier I didn't like it, so wouldn't be ordering, in the most inoffensive way possible, she asked, 'Oh, is this your first time eating frozen yogurt?'... as if the reason I thought it was bad was because I knew nothing of the joys of the froyo.

No.  I've had tons of frozen yogurt.  It's just bad because it sucks.

Look, I felt guilty about saying that because the cashiers were so perky and friendly, but seriously.  Bad.  My mom was there too and she was making the same face as me.

Dan ended up getting a Butterfinger something-or-other with sprinkles and Heath Bars rolled in.  Oh, this would be a good time to interject that, on its website, before it crashed, 21 Choices told me it made all its yogurt with only 'wholesome & organic' ingredients.  Really?  Where do Butterfingers fit into that equation?
2 - Patrick L.: For some reason I [erroneously] thought this place was a different type of fro-yo place, more like Yogurtland, etc... Instead it's more like TCBY, basically the imitation ice cream style, which is ok but not that great. Still, that's ok we decided to give it a shot anyways. The place looks great, and the kids working there are exceptionally friendly/helpful. That said, I was really disappointed in the yogurt. They only have a handful of flavors, and 2 of them were OUT! They have many topping choices, but nothing special, just stuff like candy and nuts. I won't be back to any 21 Choices ever again...I'd take a soft-serve based version like a Blizzard or McFlurry over this any day.
5 - Sara R.: You guys.  This place was around waaaaaaay before the yogurt trend hit the United States.  Maybe not this location, but the one in Old Town Pasadena has been there as long as I can nearly remember.

The new yogurt trend a la Pinkberry is a more tart yogurt.  Old fashioned frozen yogurt places serve ice-cream tasting frozen yogurt.  Bring in 21 Choices.

Perhaps they should be more clear that they don't have 21 choices of *yogurt*, but rather 237482973487 choices of toppings/mix-ins.  But what about Boston Market?  I don't think Boston even has one, and I don't think meatloaf and rotisserie chicken with green beans and sweet potatoes are a Boston thing, either.  

The frozen yogurt, or whatever it is here, is complete awesomeness.  Maybe it was the flavor and the combo I got, but I don't even care.  It was just the best frozen yogurt/ice cream I've ever had.  Better than gelato.  Yup, ya heard me!  Albeit, I still love a good gelato - I'd just go for this *Choice*, first. :)

Swiss Almond yogurt (which has white chocolate, not pieces, but flavor), mixed with chopped almonds.  OMG*(#&*(@#$&*(@#$&(!  Can someone take the spoon away from me now because it looks like I'm on speed?  Granted, it was my first sweet treat in over two weeks (trying to cut down), and I wouldn't have wanted the re-intro any other way.  Anyway, this flavor was not overly sweet, so it was a subtle treat in their "tres small" size (still pretty big portion if you ask me)!

I tried one of their other flavors (forgot the name), it was also VERY good, but very sweet for what I was craving at the time.  

Toppings galore.  From macadamia nuts to flax seeds, to candy bars and beyond.  

Per their website: "There are no syrups, powders, or flavorings - just wholesome and organic ingredients & cultured yogurt....."

Service: Amazing.  And I use that word entirely in context.  They are so giddy, pleasant, and bubbly, it's contagious.  I'll admit, it's a bit over the top - and I think they do it for some fun shock value and as a trademark perhaps.. but either way, love it!  My friend made a good point: "wouldn't you be that happy if you worked with frozen yogurt all day?".  Point, taken.  :)

YUMMY.  MORE YUMMY.
4 - Tiff C.: This is the 2nd location to open in Claremont- the original one is off of Foothill and N Mountain.

In my college days, we used to hit up that locale at least every other week when we were craving something sweet and cheap. Since the opening of the New Village area, it seems more people have been frequenting it since it's closer. But I digress.

On this particular visit to the "new" 21, there were the 2 usual flavors offered (some sort of Dutch Chocolate and Vanilla flavors), and 4 unique flavors for the day. My memory is a bit fuzzy, but there was Blue Hawaiian (a fruity mix of blueberry, pineapple, and mango), chocolate dipped strawberry, and toffee coffee crunch.

I got half and half of chocolate dipped strawberry and toffee coffee crunch. It was delicious, as usual! The froyo was smooth and creamy, and hit the spot. Unlike the recent trend of Yogurt-flavored froyo, 21 choices stays true to the original concept of froyo and soft-serve ice cream. 

You can also add fruit, toppings, candy, and cookies, to your froyo. Think of a regular soft-serve place like Dairy Queen with a mix-in ice cream place like Coldstone's. 21 Choices would be their love-child. Each topping is $0.95.

My favorite all-time flavors include Snickerdoodle, Circus Animal Cookie, and Strawberry Cheesecake. Because the flavors always change, it's a good idea to check their website for daily updates. Another plus with two locations in Claremont is more choices in base flavors.

The yogurt comes in 4 sizes and starts at $2.50: tres small, small, medium, large. My insider's tip: order a tres small half and half with 2 flavors- you get about the same size as a small order but still for the tres small price.  Also, it gets pretty busy during night hours after dinner, so if you can go at a different time, I definitely recommend after lunch/before dinner.
5 - Sam C.: I love 21choices! The workers are ALWAYS friendly here--they give generous samples and are super cheerful all the time. 
Usually, there's always at least one flavor that I like (most of the time it happens to be the 3rd one--the fruit flavor) although they have other pretty good flavors sometimes too (like today--hazelnut nutella chip). Out of the many many times i've been here, about a fourth of the time, they gave out free yogurt--the owner apparently likes to give back to the community and has random free froyo days, which is always a nice surprise. 

Service is better than yogurtland, the yogurt is WAAAY better than yogurtland, price is comparable to yogurtland (unless you're a toppings kind of person, in which case, yogurtland probably is a bit cheaper--i personally like my yogurt topping free, especially since 21choices yogurts already have actual things in them--like for blueberry acai, you can see blueberry/acai bits). 

i am addicted to this place!
3 - Caroline W.: Um, first of all, the people who work here are creepily cheerful. Okay, so their yogurt is pretty good on the rare occasion I feel like spending $5 for some vanilla with strawberries and graham crackers mixed in, but how excited can you honestly get about serving it to me? And please don't ask me to "try it and tell me you love it" as you hand it to me... eek. :( Basically Coldstone on crack for the college kids spending their parents' money.
3 - Gloria G.: A bit overzealous on the flat screen displays, but not one showing entertainment to pass the wait time.  Waited 15 minutes only to be a disappointed to receive a cup of froyo that's lumped up into a frozen paste ball.  Sorry, but this type of mutilation only works for Cold Stone which was a fad too. I prefer my froyo self-served not man-handled.
5 - Ami S.: LOVE it!  My first time at this location- very cute area and everything inside is new.

I really don't think you can go wrong here.  I'm especially in LOVE with the vanilla with fresh strawberries and granola...mmm good!  If you are a ice cream or frozen yogurt lover, you MUST try 21 choices!
5 - Jonathan K.: I come here probably like once every week and a half
It is so good
Only thing wrong is they have the Wheres Waldo books and I can't find him on one page and it's really annoying
5 - Gina M.: All of the flavors here are delicious! They mix the toppings in with the yogurt instead of just putting them on top...fantastic :)
4 - Poupee C.: What a cute FroYo shop!  You will find Beatles songs playing on shuffle here.  Really nice.  Perfect little yogurt environment.

They had a handful of yogurt flavors...Shoot!  I should have tried them all.  I went with:

Swiss Almond yogurt (almonds and white chocolate) with the berries.  I chose the berries to be mixed into the yogurt.  It was nice.  Size: tres small at $2.50 + 95 cent per topping.  Small price to pay for big long-lasting happiness.  Plus it's yogurt!  And yogurt is good for you!

Service was so friendly.  It is obvious that these girls here love their jobs.  (My goal and dream - to find that perfect job and love it)

Too bad we don't really frequent this area too often....Oh well...I will just have to keep looking and running into yummy FroYo bars closer to home.
3 - Roger C.: Went here for dessert with some friends after dinner.

The place looks pretty nice.  Sort of a hip-yogurt place.  What I liked about the place when I walked in was the different toppings you could get in plain view.

The servers were really nice.  They let me try different kinds of yogurt before I made my decision.  What I went with was Twix with the vanilla yogurt on a sugar cone with chocolate sprinkles.

The yogurt was good.  It wasn't too sweet, which is more to my liking.  The Twix went very well with it.  What seemed cool to me was that they pretty much grind al lthe toppings up and mix it INTO the yogurt, instead of putting it on top like other places like Yogurtland and etc.  I didn't know yogurt could be molded so easily.

Aynway, the only really bad thing about my experience there was my stale sugar cone, which was really what I wanted from the get go.  Oh, and it's kinda pricey.

I'm not a big sweet tooth, but I can see why places like this exist if I was.
2 - Corey P.: Of all the frozen yogurt I've had in my time this may have been my least favorite in terms of flavor and texture. 21 Choices reminds me of Cold Stone Ice Creamery but with frozen yogurt in terms of set up, look, and feel. The difference is that you're psychologically set up for some rich creamy ice cream but you get runny questionably flavored frozen yogurt.

I don't know what was up with their machines at that time, but everything came out runny. They apologized and froze it up for people on their cool ice board things, but why was it runny in the first place? They they had a strawberry and peach flavor which was made with real fruit and tasted like a smoothie. Am I eating frozen yogurt or drinking Jamba Juice? This place is such a mixed bag! 

I got a small ($3) and they are nice enough to mix two flavors. I chose Honey Vanilla and Banana Nutella (which in itself had minced chocolate chips in it) and it was all right. Like I said, a little runny. I didn't get any toppings because it's 95 cents a topping. That's a little ridiculous. Sure, they dice it up for you and make it all nice, but instead of getting two toppings, why don't you just get another small frozen yogurt.

They took so long to make my friend's that they gave it to her on the house which was nice. They have friendly workers.

There was a Yogurtland down the street and honestly I should have just gone there.
5 - Nicole B.: BEST yogurt ever period. Its just fun to be here - workers are friendly and genuinely nice and helpful. The yogurt is amazing and its just enjoyable to go to downtown Claremont and hang out here :)
3 - Lovey O.: I am particularly fond of this place because I got free yogurt last Halloween despite not wearing a costume (the requirement).  Beside that, I am a fan of this location because I enjoy walking around the Village as I enjoy my yogurt, they post the flavors of the day on their website, and free parking at the huge structure right behind the store, and unlike the Pasadena location, I've never had to wait a ridiculous amount of time to place my order.

I enjoy the fruity/non-dairy yogurts.  The last one I had was like a strawberry cooler but solid.  It was icy, refreshing, and made out of locally grown organic strawberries (for those out there that it matters to).
3 - alli t.: $2.50 got me a tres small sweet potato pie.  i was hankering for a pumpkin flavor since it is the season, but they weren't offering any that day and I didn't feel like doing mix ins.  

I like that each video screen describes a flavor, however there were some flavors with long descriptors that didn't fit on the screen....so you only got a partial description.  The old non-techy white board is just as descriptive isn't it?

I'm thinking crowd management influenced the store front arrangement, but it feels a little cramped.  

Easy parking in the deck behind the store if you can't find any on the street.
4 - Monica M.: Been coming here for years, and although it's gotten a tad bit expensive, last time I went I had a very nice experience.

I had a coupon for a free small yogurt so I showed the girl and told her I wanted the chocolate flavor with Oreos and marshmallows but they were out so she told me if I'd like to wait 2-3 mins I could have it.

My friend got her goodies and was halfway done eating them an yet still no goodies for me. Low and behold, the server brings me the biggest cup size, full of the double stuffed Oreo flavor and tells me it's free for waiting so long and to keep the coupon for next time...yay!

Only con? The place is tiny and gets easily cramped for the amount of people that go in....otherwise, I still love it.
3 - Jia B.: Even when its cold out... 21 choices is totally a good choice!!
After a nice dinner out with friends we walked over to 21 choices for some fro-yo! (still my new favorite Cali word) They always have such great flavors to choose from!

It's nice that the flavors change every day, and the employees who make them, choose them! This means every location differs too!

Today I tried the mango-peach, the chocolate truffle, and the double dark chocolate yogurts... I decided to go with the chocolate truffle with mini m&ms and dark chocolate chunks :) mmmmm

One downside is that the toppings are 95 cents each... and there are so many great toppings that you want more than one or two but you can imagine how fast the price would go up with that...

yum... fro yo :)
4 - Krysten I.: I am a huge fan of 21 choices....way better quality than yogurtland although it is a tad more expensive. However, tonight was the worst experience I've had at a 21 choices.  2 machines were broken, but while we were standing in line, we noticed one of the guys working there was making the flavor that was broken. When we were asked what we wanted a few minutes later and we asked for the flavor in the broken machine (thinking they could just make it for us), we were just told the machine was broken and we had to choose another.  :( all the other flavors were runny and they had to let it sit on the cold counter thing for it to harden. sad day at 21 choices, we should have just gone to the foothill location (next to sprouts).
4 - Sarah Y.: My fav is the vanilla with almonds and strawberries. Can't beat a winning combo. Sometimes their fruit flavored yogurts can get a big icy. Generous with the toppings and samples. Don't forget to ask for samples, even if you know what you're gonna get! Fun place to hit up after a satisfying meal. Sure, it's more pricey than Yogurtland but the style is different and the quality is that much better. Btw, this yogurt melts fast (unless you like it soupy), eat it up!
2 - Michelle K.: the yogurt was runny and if i wanted it to wait for it to be frozen i would have been there forever.

the oreo cookie flavor was delicious though.

step up your game
4 - Helen H.: i never seen toppings mixed into frozen yogurt like they do at Cold Stone or Marble Slab. Where have I been?! 

I tried the cupcake flavor with almonds. The taste and texture of the yogurt was amazing :) The way the shop set up is a bit confusing since the topping/ prep table takes up a lot of space so the actual restaurant part of the shop is really narrow. I could imagine it being a pain to wait in while it's busy. They have 4 different sizes. I got the small and paid around $4.50 for everything. 

A couple of areas to improve on would be 1) their customer service and 2) cleanliness. First off, I asked the girl helping me which one was her favorite and she replied "um, well, we sort of have a menu board". uhh... okay? Second, I was eating my yogurt while I was waiting for my friends and happened to look down at the floor.. They had all sorts of toppings on the floor under the toppings counter. Umm.. I really hope they weren't saving it for later.
4 - Valerie M.: Too bad this 21 choices has mixed reviews. Personally, I've always been a fan. 

On Tuesdays, they've got the Animal Cracker Cookie Fro-yo which I can never get enough of. Btw, fun fact of the day.. did you know that there are 18 different Animal Cracker Cookie shapes?? Eighteen! 
(This is where you pretend you think it's cool too.)

=) Anyways..... animal cracker fro-yo and red velvet chocochip, highly recommended. Oh and be sure to look for Colleen Y. She's awesome and deserves a good tip!
5 - Christine K.: Okay. I am officially obsessed with 21 Choices.  I can't even look at Yogurtland or Pinkberry anymore because I feel like I would be cheating on 21 Choices.  I dream about this place.  I think about it constantly.  I can't get enough of it!

The bff and I drove all the way from OC to Claremont (that's how much we love this place) to get our froyo fix.  The Claremont location is a lot bigger and cleaner than the Pasadena location.  LCD screens show the yogurts of the day and clear containers filled with chocolate, cookies, gummies, fresh fruit and even cheesecake are on display.

I got the Five Fruit Frenzy with fresh berries and circus animal cookies.  Interesting textures and I loved the taste of froyo.  It tasted like a fruit smoothie.  Awesome.  

I did not know that this location has a teeny size?  It's smaller than the small.

Free public parking right next to 21 Choices so you can enjoy the deliciousness of your froyo and walk around the area.
5 - Ava R.: I went to college in Claremont and moved out the east coast.  21 Choices is top five in my list of reasons I should consider moving back to Cali.  Clean, great service, and more toppings/mix-ins than you can shake a spoon at...  Nothing more to be said.
4 - Shayna W.: This place is great. They have different flavors every day, and post them on their website so you can decide which days to go. If you are motivated you can even compare the locations and drive  to the one with your favorite. 

Some of the flavors are amazing and creative! Others are just classically good, like the plain yogurt. My favorites are the Circus Animal Cookie, or just the plain with fresh chopped strawberries mixed in. Mmm.

I think they are a little pricey for what you get, but the vibe is always fun and friendly. Definitely worth a try.
5 - Chandni D.: Awesome. I love going there to try the new flavors!!!
5 - Michael M.: Even though there's a YogurtLand near by, I really like 21choices yogurt much better.  It tastes creamier, richer, there's just something about it.  Great location in the Claremont Village
4 - Monica G.: Yes sirree!! I am a fan :) I love this place because of their friendly service, delicious treats, and pricing. Pretty reasonable for all you receive. Every store I go to, I receive the same great upbeat service. The last time I visited, they had just closed, but gave my boyfriend and I free " snicker version" cup size treats!! How wonderful is that!! It was pretty tasty and I was grateful;) Come by and get your satisfying scoop of heaven!!
4 - Dev D.: I've been to this 21 choices several times and I always leave happy. This includes my last visit when I showed up several minutes after they locked the doors. I expected the girl to come out and say, "Sorry, we're closed"- which she did- but to my surprise she came out with two small yogurts for my girlfriend and I.
Really great customer service here. I am truly impressed.
4 - David M.: Friendly staff and free samples...can't go wrong.
5 - Yen Yen C.: Love how the yogurt changes daily and I never have to add additional toppings because I'm always so satisfied already. Next time you go try to get a flavor that is already mixed with different ingredients without any additional toppings! You'd be amazed! 

And if you don't trust me, ask for samples! 

Also, you don't have to wait in line if you just want the yogurt by itself without any topping. Just go towards the cash register!
1 - Kathy G.: I don't know if it was the flavors that day, but I was not a fan of the concept.  The yogurt flavors were all on the sweet side and mixing in your toppings just makes the yogurt a runny mess. Tried the chocolate, the nutella, and peach, not impressed.
5 - Fern R.: I Just Love 21 Choices!!!

I Remember When They Used To Be On Indian Hill Blvd!!!

My Best Friend And I Love Going Here Just To Eat The New Flavors Everyday!!!

I Am Partial To The Fruity Flavors And Having More Fruit Mixed Right In!!!

The Only 2 Regular Flavors Are Chocolate And Vanilla.

If You Love Yogurt Your Way Gotta Try This!!!
5 - B S.: Are you kidding?  I had dinner earlier at Walters went to the a comedy show and then I was looking for a treat.  I kept seeing everyone walking by with yogurtland cups and I was like yes.  I was parked near 21 choices and I went it.  The staff was awesome and very happy.  Any and as many samples that you wanted.  They want you to be happy.  Picked a flavor and a topping and then the unexpected.....they put it on a cold stone and combined it all.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?   There needs to be one of these in LA.  excellent!!!
2 - Lana N.: After a burger from The Back Abbey, I stopped by 21 Choices for a nice dessert. Unfortunately, 21 Choices definitely does not compare to any of the other frozen yogurt/ice cream options out there. They have 5-6 different flavors of frozen yogurts and 21 different mix in options (Butterfingers, Oreo, sprinkles, Circus Animal cookies, etc.) ... think Yogurt Land meets Cold Stone. The thing is, the yogurt here is just much too light to hold up to any mix-ins... thus the concept and execution of 21 Choices somewhat fails for me. The frozen yogurt flavors on their own are also not all that amazing ... the service is nice and friendly though! And parking is easily available in the free parking structure or on the street.
2 - Anthony N.: ***21 Choices Frozen Yogurt is not my favorite frozen yogurt spot, but like a lot of ice cream, frozen yogurt and gelato places, it can (at the very least) provide a satisfying little dessert***

The 21 Choices in Pasadena has a very long line and sports an incredible collection of toppings.  21 Choices is kind of like frozen yogurt meets Cold Stone Creamery since they mix in the toppings.  This 21 Choices in Claremont (which features a newer decor than the Pasadena location) is similar though they seem to have a smaller selection of toppings (thankfully though, the line was short in comparison to the Pasadena location).

I just had their frozen yogurt in a cone because I wanted only a little dessert after a satisfying meal at The Back Abbey.  I also added some rainbow sprinkles (which were not that fresh).

The frozen yogurt cone was okay.  The frozen yogurt was a little bit icy and lacked a great distinct flavor.

Service was fine.

The price was a little high for the small frozen yogurt cone I had.  It was tasty and refreshing, but it would not be my favorite soft serve/frozen yogurt cone out there (personally, I like Foster's Freeze the most though I haven't been to many soft serve spots).  If you are a 21 Choices fan, you may like this one even if it seems to lack the charm of the Pasadena location.

Free parking is available on the street (easy to find a space).
2 - Dmitriy S.: 21 Choices didn't leave too great of an impression with me or anyone I came with. After a wonderful dinner at The Back Abbey, we decided to go for some dessert. At first, I was excited to see all the toppings and the way they prepare everything for you, almost like they do at Cold Stone by mushing everything together. 

I sampled a few of the flavors, and that's where it stopped for me. Their yogurt tastes very fake and watered down. It wasn't horrible, but definitely not something worth spending money on. Everyone in my group agreed and we just left after trying two flavors. We felt bad, but if your product sucks, don't expect us to spend money on it.

The other thing I didn't like is how it's not self serve. Yes, I can't blame them for setting it up that way, but I just find it so much easier and tastier when you do yogurt your way and don't have to deal with the person behind the counter. Just a thought.
5 - Emily B.: If you don't like 21 Choices you must be bitter, dumb, ignorant or an alien who does not like things that taste good. 

This is a FAMILY owned 'chain' of 4 stores. I have been going there for as long as I can remember. All the yogurt is made fresh daily with fresh ingredients by hand. They also get busy, which may be why people occasionally get 'runny' yogurt. If they start to run out they have to make more, they will leave it on the stone to firm it up for a minute. OR you can be smarter than you look and pick a different flavor.

I go here probably on average 3 times a month, any more and I would have to start going to a 12 step meeting. Since they have different flavors every day I check both of the Claremont locations to see which has the winner for the night. Everyone that works there is wonderfull and they always have a smile on their faces. I really can't say enough good things about this place. If you want you toppings sprinkled and sans the granite rock just ask!

Yogurtland is just a buffet with so so yogurt made out of a mix and its full of preservatives and crap. I drive by one on my way to 21 Choices, I don't need to mix in my own ingredients or put them on top. They always have the same flavors and the people that work there seem like they just crawled out of bed off a bender.

If you want good yogurt and have a bigger IQ than a politician this is the place for you!
5 - Rosemary M.: 21 choices is the best. I don't know how they do it - new delicious favors every day, fresh fruit, cake, and  other toppings, and excellent customer service.

I don't know why people complain about the prices. A small is plenty for me, since they pile the cup high!

I don't know why anyone goes to YogurtLand instead.
5 - Ralph O.: Great frozen yogurt.  They have about six different yogurt flavored that changes ever so often.  The yogurt is organic and so are some of the condiments that you can add to the yogurt. They have so many different condiments from cake to candy to fruit.  They also have a list of preselected yogurt and condiments if you are unsure what goes well together.  I like their vanilla yogurt with strawberries and nutella which is one of their creations.  They give generous portions so the tres small size, the smallest of them all, fills me up.
5 - Hailey R.: Love it!!!

I like getting fresh fruit and chocolate with my for-yo!!!  My way not some corporate mix of what companies think you want on your for-yo!!!

Sweet, delicious and mixed all together just for lil ol me!!!  YUMMY!!!
4 - Van D.: I'm so spoiled :) Most people have to drive to Pasadena for some amazing 21 choices, but I just have to drive 5 minutes to this downtown Claremont location :) The wait isn't as bad and the people who work here are super sweet! 

If you don't know what this is. 21 Choices is eco-friendly frozen yogurt place where you can put whatever custom ingredients you want in it.. .Basically a healthy and yummier version of coldstones. 

They have 6 flavors that are on rotation daily. And you can get the original 21 choices at any time for an extra dollar. If that doesn't work for you, you can choose the plain vanilla or chocolate base and throw in all of your favorite flavors!! Cant go wrong w that... 

My personal favorites are: 
- NY Cheese Cake
- A&W Root Beer Floar
- Captain Kahlua Mudslide 
- Custom: Vanilla base + nutella + more nutella + cheesecake

Some of my friend's favorites are:
- Strawberry Shortcake 
- Red Velvet Cookie Cough 
- Circus Animal Cookie 
- Custom: Vanilla base + nutella + reeses + crunch + heath + snickers + some other stuff too O_O 
- Custom: Chocolate base + strawberries
3 - Shorty H.: Pretty awesome yogurt place! They have a great selection of mix ins and flavors of the day. It's like a Cold Stone but full of yogurt!

GOOD: friendly service! Samples are given ^_^ And the technique they do like Cold Stone is amazing :D It looked weird seeing goopy yogurt going on top of the marble,  but once the action started with the mix-ins, it solidified to a nice soft yogurt consistency. The taste is delicious :P

BAD: Hmmm, I have a whiny set back about this place. I had the oatmeal yogurt and my partner had the strawberry cheesecake and we both got the smallest cup, which ran about $2.70ish + the mix ins, and together came out to $7. It's not very price friendly for a small in my opinion. I could just go to a do it yourself yogurt place and mix my yogurt like crazy with all the toppings I want for the same price. Over there it is 75cents each toppings. 

So delicious and within a nice area. I'd come again, but not an urgent sweet run for me.
5 - Shina P.: This place is amazing and an ice cream lovers dream. Sorry Yogurtland our relationship is over. You pick a frozen yogurt which by the way is 98% fat free and choose from any of their 21 toppings but I think there are more then that. My new fav flavor vanilla with nutella and almond mix ins. So delish!! Can't wait to go back
4 - Raymond R.: After grubbing down on a burger from the Back Abbey, my friend's and I decided to satisfy our sweet tooth at 21 Choices.

This place sure does satisfy my ice cream cravings. I also like this place more than I like Cold Stones. Try whatever you want! You'll be satisfied!

Workers are friendly and will give you a sample of the ice cream before you get it.

TRY ITTT OUUUUUUUT!!!
5 - Catherine W.: this is HANDS DOWN my favorite froyo place! You can sample all the flavors of the day, but you can also make the flavors that are up on the board above--they'll take vanilla yogurt and add in stuff like red velvet cake and stuff! It's really awesome, they mix in lots of toppings like cake, fruit, cookie dough, cereal, granola, candy, everythinggg!! They mix in that stuff on the cold board thing, like at Coldstone! It's sooo great, please go and try it out!
5 - Heath C.: Love the yogurt here and love the location!  Me and my wife love frozen yogurt and this is our favorite place.  Seemed a bit more expensive than Yogurt Land but less than Pink Berry.  Depending on the day of the week, they have different yogurt selections.  Not only are the yogurt and topping options interesting and delicious, the yogurt just seems less processed tasting than any other place.  Try it out!
5 - Adam And Judy B.: Hands down the best frozen yogurt around. VERY friendly staff. There's usually a line but well worth the wait.
4 - Emilie N.: Delicious fro-yo!! 

This place is perfect for a little dessert after lunch or dinner! It's a combination between Cold Stone and Pinkberry, and the prices (though a little steeper than other fro-yo places) are not TOO bad if you get a Tres Small ($2.50). Although, I'm used to the 30 something cents an ounce at other places, so I'm biased!

You can sample one of their six choices of the day (vanilla and chocolate are always part of the six choices). It's different at each location, which makes it awesome that there are two nearby (the other is on Mountain Ave). Mix-ins are additional prices, and since I'm cheap I'll just get the fro-yo by itself. There are SOO many choices to mix-in though and they use the Cold Stone technique where they mash it out on the counter and mix in the goodies! 

I'm not sure when they changed it, but they now have 21 choices! This was not there a while back. It's vanilla fro-yo with various mix-ins! I got one with Nutella and cookie dough, my friend got one with Nutella and strawberries, and my other friend got one with organic bananas and (I FORGET what else hehe). They were all delicious nevertheless and the girl working gave us larger portions than normal. Awesome =)

Summary: Good (fro-yo flavors and service). Bad (slightly higher prices, but you're paying for service and quality so I think it's worth the extra money)
4 - Pye N.: This is the first time I've EVER been to the Claremont shopping area.  It was just too cute!  21 Choices was super busy when we got there.  Service is great!  They let you try as much as you want.  

Nutella - too chocolatey, kind of has a coffee hint.  Although I don't really like chocolate stuff.

Mango - refreshing and tasty, but kind of slushie in texture.

I ended up getting Mango with Fruity Pebbles.  Nice and crunchy!  My friends got the vanilla with strawberries and mango?  That was also super delicious.  I'm glad they do the stone thing because otherwise, it gets really melted.  For what it is, I really enjoyed it.  Price is comparable to most other yogurt places.
5 - Mike L.: We came here after eating at the 425 lounge and really needed something to drink and decided on some yogurt.
I havent found a yogurt place that i have ever liked, never. i stay far away from them.
but this place has lots of cool creations.
I ordered the red velvet and it was pretty good, i would order it again and again.
When we are in the area i am sure we will be back.
5 - Roger S.: I love going here occasionally to have yogurt. Every time I go the yogurt is great.. 
Especially when it's hot.

21 Rio - Austin, TX (30.284205, -97.744744) (University of Texas, West Campus)
5 - Akansha S.: I LOVE LIVING AT 21 RIO.

 I have moved apartments each year I have been at UT and 21 Rio is by far the best apartment I have lived in. I have a gorgeous view of the tower and the Capitol from my balcony. All appliances are brand new and add to the classy-feel of the apartment. I haven't had a friend visit who hasn't been at least somewhat impressed with my place. I loved my previous apartments as well, but what sets 21 Rio apart is the management. They are so helpful and a pleasure to work with. I was so disappointed with the management of my last apartment that I had to write the Better Business Bureau of Austin about them.

They also plan several events for the residents including pool parties, hookah parties, American Idol viewing parties, and they even give out cupcakes to celebrate birthdays!

I know their apartments may seem expensive, but I think the added cost is well worth it. You get an amazing apartment and a worry-free residential year. Maintenance requests are also taken care of within 24 hours! How great is that?!

If you are interested in living at 21 Rio, ask for Daniel! He is extremely nice and very helpful!

I am really sad to be leaving this place and hope my next apartment is even half as good as this one was!

Hope this was yelp-ful! Happy apartment hunting!
5 - Emily S.: I really love living here. I lived at J26 last year, so anything is an upgrade, but I still think that 21 Rio is pretty  fantastic. 

I have a downtown view that is to die for! I forgot to renew my lease this year, but I'm planning to find another room in the building that I can rent for next year. I considered moving into a high-rise downtown or something, but I just like this place too much.

The maintenance crew is wonderful! They're friendly and always fix things quickly. They even took extra time to help me install my curtains, which really meant a lot!
I live in a 1 bedroom and it's wonderful, however I do know that most 2+ bedroom plans feature at least one room WITHOUT a window. I wouldn't want to pay much for an expensive apartment without a window...but that's just me. My 1 bedroom is PERFECT!

I highly recommend this place for its wonderful staff and maintenance crew, the great views, and the AMAZING security.
5 - Roberto W.: Pretty much the best apartment complex in West Campus. Its views from the apartments to downtown are unrivaled. The staff are always nice and always in a good mood. Maintenance is great, almost always a maintenance call gets attended within 24 hours. Its a little higher priced than some of the others like The Block (but for paying less they force you to actually live at The Block... which sucks). You definitely get more bang for your buck at 21rio. 

The only advice I give is to take time to make sure you pick a good floor plan, they have a lot of different ones, and some are better than others.
2 - Frank K.: POSITIVES:
Rio's repair staff is responsive. It takes less than 24 hours for them to fix anything. The view is so so, but you get bored of the same view after a while.

The price is high for this place. On average, the rent per room is about $1000-1700/month. This building is accessible only by clicker keys so it is safe around here.

As for parking, there are a lot parking spaces in the garage and I have never had any problems because you get your own designated area. You can tow anyone who parks in your place. Not all parking spaces are the same size so be very careful when choosing your parking space. Careful when you are driving through the garage :) Use those mirrors!

The longest wait for an elevator was around 3 minutes. The place is not that crowded throughout the days because not a lot of people live here (21 Rio only has about 200-240 rooms). For the noise level, I have never had problems with it at all. My friends occasionally complain about loud noises so I guess it's a hit or miss when choosing rooms.

For utility bills, you will only get 1 bill in your mailbox each month if you are living alone. If you are living with a roommate, you and your roommate will receive separate bills. My monthly average for the bill was around $60-120 per month (my roommate's bills were an additional $60-120/month); the bill includes electricity/water/sewage. God knows why the bill was so high... We usually run the A/C at 78 degrees F in the summer and 72 degrees F in the winter.

NEGATIVES:
On December, 2011, 21 Rio experienced a blackout - during which, the building was without water and electricity for about 1 week. During that 1 week, the staffs were responsible enough to pay for us to stay at the AT&T conference center, this was something they must do, it was not something they did because they were nice. After the electricity and water were up again, they took the initiative to go and threw away everything in the residents' refrigerators. They did not compensate people - those without renter's insurance - for the food that they threw away. I didn't have that much food in the fridge at that time so I didn't lose that much money, but I felt bad for those who went shopping right before the blackout. You might wonder if renter's insurance is necessary. For me, I didn't think it was necessary because I never had that that many valuable things.

I removed 1 star due to the sudden power and water outage, which occurred twice. I removed another 1 star because they threw away my food and didn't compensate me for it in the first round of blackout. In the second blackout, they informed us of the rotting food before they threw those things away; they also compensated everyone who chose to forgo the hotel stay they offered during the 2nd blackout. I will gladly give back 1 star if they mail me a compensation check for the first round of blackout. I removed 1 more star because I felt that the quality of service expected of the office staff was not worth the $1000 rent. The office staff literally never did anything until something major occur, like a blackout. Oh, the stairwell was dirty but I didn't feel like subtracting a star for that because people rarely use it.

I give 1 star for the exceptional service provided by the MAINTENANCE STAFF. My god, I love these hardworking guys. I give another 1 star for the awesome view up here.

Before signing your lease here, ask the office staffs to introduce you to several random residents and talk to the residents directly for 5 minutes about their experiences. Make sure you visit at least 5-10 different residents and ask for their opinions before signing. Make sure you choose which room you want to visit and don't let them choose for you, people living here are friendly so don't worry. It's a lot of money you are paying to live here so ask around first before signing the lease. JUST ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS!

21st St. Co-op Music Venue - Austin, TX (30.284097, -97.7460263) (University of Texas, West Campus)
1 - M N.: Just upon first arrival for the trash soaked yard, I remained positive that at least the venue stage would be cool. Yes, the artwork is fascinating. The whole place is fascinating. But after seeing the band struggling with setting up, I thought, " what is wrong here?"

1. Bands were booked to play and according to them No One in the co-op was aware there was a show, much less anyone to help. 
2. The co-op is clothing-optional. This would be fine if the place was clean. Clean in some way...but no, along with the trash EVERYWHERE, I concluded that the girl with the sandy, tar-colored vagina sitting on the bench was enough for me to feel significantly disgusted. 
3. The only available bathroom there was, I kid you not, covered in sticky urine and feces. I couldn't use it, I had to go across the street.
4. They have really nice kitty cats roaming everywhere.

Pros: cool art, unique, new experience, could be enlightening, kitties
Cons: dirty, absent-minded, trashed, and lacking in usable female bathrooms.

I recommend avoiding this place if possible, or if you do plan on going there try to avoid the heroin dealers, and broken glass, and sitting on benches.
2 - Austin H.: I went because a friend said that I could get a root canal done for a low price. For a fifty dollars, it was a pretty good deal, but I don't know what kind of anesthetic they used. First of all, it was a solutions I was supposed to take under my tongue. Also, instead of knocking me out, I felt like everything was heightened. My skin felt like it was dripping off of me. Also the whole place was a mess. Talk about disgusting. I understand that I shouldn't ask for much from students, but PLEASE, get serious and clean up a little. They did sell me some more of the anesthetic for an extra 25 bucks, so over all I feel like I won. Also they let me keep the teeth that were taken out!

238 Broadway / Harvard Street Park - Cambridge, MA (42.3669268, -71.0949972) (Kendall Square/MIT)
1 - Richard S.: This is a park in progress - hopefully it will be finished and open before winter, but things aren't looking so promising at the moment.    There was a park here before that didn't get a ton of use.  The tennis court was kind of crappy and it was right next to an old semi-industrial site.  The city tore some buildings down and It will be much bigger now.  They found asbestos so all of the soil has been replaced and the plans look great.  Should be a great lunch spot for Kendall Square offices and good for kids.  

reference location: www.restmap.net/yelp/238Broadway-HarvardStreetPark.kmz
use: earth.google.com/download-earth.html
2 - Bruce B.: Really is nothing now but is a work in progress. Only downsides for the park is that it will not offer anythign for the people who actually live in the neighborhood. They are planning on putting tennis courts in. Who in the inner city really plays tennis. Why not lighted basketball courts that can really be used by the community. Ohh well I guess it's just Cambridge looking out for those with the money.

23rd Street Armory - Philadelphia, PA (39.9532, -75.178092) (Penn Center, Rittenhouse Square)
4 - Krista T.: Great place to get up-close-and-personal to your favorite (my favorite!) #1 in the Eastern Division Philly Roller Girls action. Although be careful because tickets sell out early (the space is limited, unlike when the girls skate in the Feasterville 'burbs)--as I sadly found out on my birthday this year. The time after that we bought in advance but sort of last minute, and ended up with VIP seats. They were still pretty cheap for a night out though (I think about 20 bucks each), and include a goodie bag and all the beer you can drink, delivered right to you by an off-duty skater. Gloria Grindem bringing you your frothy cold beer?! Life is good!
4 - Sputnik S.: Seriously, a better time you could not have. 

The Philly Roller Girls (The Liberty Belles, The Philthy Britches, The Broad Street Butchers, and the Heavy Metal Hookers) give it their all in a rolling, rollicking, counter-clockwise melee, versus mean teams from all over the great US of A and even Europe. Lascivious daughters and granddaughters to the great Philadelphia Warriors tradition, they rock-em and sock-em, and bring the crowd to their feet, roaring for more. Violent? Sure! But that's how we love it! OK, there's no blood (well, not much), and no broken bones (well, not many, anyway), but there IS, athleticism, teamwork, and fist pumping action. And beer, broads, and bruises.
It's all in good clean fun, and it, for all the naughty names, slightly slutty uniforms and double-entendres from the announcers, Eddie Spaghetti and Gutterballz, is great family entertainment, and full of serious girl power.
Go and prepare yourself for  a great time!

23rd Street Cafe - Los Angeles, CA (34.0339369301652, -118.280889987946) (South Los Angeles)
4 - J M.: Cheap food and a friendly staff make for a pretty incredible restaurant. They have American, Indian, and Mexican food, and--surprisingly--they do it all well. You can get a hamburger, fries, and drink for less than $4 and it's way bigger and way tastier than anything at MickeyD's or any of the big chains. Samosa's for $2 and an incredible breakfast burrito for $3 make the 23rd St. Cafe a great place for anyone on a budget. Also, they have ice cream and mango lassi. hooray!
5 - jesse e.: 5 stars, despite being a local cafe by USC, this place packs the punch for the price, variety and taste of everything.  It's so far the best Indian food i've had, for the price an overall taste.  I find myself trying to scrape at every remaining morsel, whether it be the yogurt, the paneer, or whatever else they cool.  The Tacos are cooked with homemade tortillas that are soft and fluffy.  The NY pastrami is also amazing.  

Even their rice has a subtle down-home flavor.
5 - mike j.: 5 stars based solely on their breakfast burritos. 

Today I had the best breakfast burrito I've ever had (pictured above)...

The awesomeness is 3-fold:
1. they have veggie breakfast burritos- never seen them done right before. it's your basic breakfast burrito but with all the stuff you've always dream of- avocado, grilled onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, the perfect amount of cheese and hashbrowns
2. hashbrowns, not bfast potatoes...yea, legit.
3. great tortilla

It was $4.39.

The fact that there wasn't really salsa/pico de gallo really didn't matter- it tasted amazing....and I truly love my salsa.

They also took the time to cut it in half, which really helps so you don't feel like you need to eat the whole thing before you put it down.

The service was also great, though it wasn't busy. The guy even brings you your food.

Also, check out the back patio on a nice day. Nothing too special but nice nonetheless.

Free wi-fi.

Very nice gentlemen/spanish lady.
4 - Ellen S.: i'm just happy to have found a new food option after four years (and many more left to go :P) at usc!! it's a little tucked away on 23rd east of hoover. but i'm more than willing to shell out $7 for plate of tummy-warming tikka masala, naan, rice, lentils and yogurt any day over $7 for a dry, cruddy, pre-packaged "organic" sandwich that you can get from the campus cafes. blech.

23rd Street Cafe is great too because if your buddies don't like Indian food, there's always tacos and breakfast burritos and sandwiches and burgers on the menu. the service can be a little slow because there's usually only a few people working behind the counter and a steady stream of students filing in. but try the samosas too...they were crisp and filling!
3 - Yulree C.: You don't go here for the ambiance. You don't even go here for top quality food.

It's cheap, decent food. and a pretty wide selection at that - you can get anything from club sandwiches, burritos, tikki masala, smoothies.
4 - Samantha H.: My favorite eatery local to USC.  The Indian food is top notch and I swear they put crack in the avocado veggie sandwich.  Also, they carry the complete line of Yogi Tea!!!  

Considering the limited amount of good food around USC, 23rd street cafe is a great little find.  It is by no means perfect though- today my side salad was slightly wilted.  If that grosses you out, then clearly you haven't spent enough time outside of Chanos.  True Trojans can handle a little bit of ick factor in our food.
4 - Lawrence A.: My first review on Yelp! 

I found this place a month ago from this website. I was in search of a new place I can get lunch at. I work for USC for a few years now and I am burnt out on most of the places within a 5mile radius. I saw that pic of the Breakfast burrito and I there was hope for me yet!

I love indian food but no one in my office does. This place gives me an option of getting indian food because they have burgers, sandwiches, and mexican food as well. So my orders to this place is pretty diverse lol.  

Whenever  I try a local spot near work I like to try a couple of items at a time. I have been there four times. This place has been good each time.

So far I had the following items:

 Tikki Marsala - 4/5 really good but I am not a expert on indian food :P
 Somosa -5/5 it was cooked good. They only have the potato one tho,
                          no lamb version.
 Pupusa - 4/5 Really good, not greesy like some. Cheese was better than the pork one tho.
 Sopes - 5/5 pretty big for a sopes and really tasty! 
 Veggie Breast Burrito - 4/5 Good but they didn't put avacado in both times. :(
 Hamburger- 3/5 Good burger but being in LA competition is harsh. The fries that come with it are awesome tho. 

Food overall 4/5 - This place is generally not real greesy which is a plus for many ppl. The variety is great and so far each type has been great.

Atmosphere 2/5- is not great, No Air-con so it gets a lil hot in there. Don't get your hopes up, its still a mom n pop place. You won't see a flashy corporate setting. I don't suggest taking a date here but togo orders are recommended. 

Service 3/5- is OK. Friendly staff but don't expect much small talk. No orders were ever missing. Really helpful advise if you don't know what to order.    

Prices 4/5 - Cheap especially for the quality. 

This place has it all! Mexican Food, Indian Food, American Burgers and Sandwiches as well as Coffee, Tea, Deserts and Ice cream :)

I definitely recommend this! Cheap and there is something for every picky friend!
2 - Diana L.: Okay so they are really inconsistent.  The last couple times I came here, at least one ingredient that the menu indicated would come with the meal was missing.  For example, I got a veggie breakfast burrito, and it had no avocado in it. wtf, the avocado's the best part. I also asked the guy behind the counter if the burrito comes with cheese, and he said yes. It did not. No avocado + no cheese = really really really sad Diana :(
4 - R W.: The 23rd St Cafe is one of the best restaurants to eat around USC. I've had the breakfast burrito a bunch of times and it never fails to impress. Its big, packed with meat, and cheap so its perfect for my college student budget. 

I recommend calling in your order because sometimes it takes a while to get your food...
4 - Elvis H.: 23rd St. Cafe is my best friend during this recession. If I ever don't feel like cooking, I'll come by here and get takeout.

Here are some highlights:

2 samosas for 2 dollars (WHAT!)
Sausage breakfast burrito w/ Avocado (One of the best around)
Chicken Saag (this counts as veggies to me :P)
Mango Lassi

Hell yes.
5 - Brent N.: everything on the menu is good!  My personal favorites are the taco combination and all of the breakfast items.  Breakfast is served all day, which makes this restaurant perfect for those late morning afters and spontaneous grub sessions.  The owner is very nice and personable.  Truly, a nice place for local residents to unwind.
4 - Linda N.: My first experience with the 23rd Street Cafe was half of a breakfast burrito someone didn't finish on the drive home from LA to HB. I hate to say it, but the thing was even better than Nick's in Seal Beach. It was incredible.

My second but first real experience was in-house, and I was SO impressed. The place is on a corner and if you weren't looking for it, you probably wouldn't notice it. It's like a sparse cafeteria, and the diversity of the menu is unexpected. From American to Mexican to Indian foods, it runs quite a gamut.

I had the pupusa and samosas, which took a little while to get but were worth the wait. The pupusa was a pupusa, but the samosas were so good with the mint/cilantro sauce I almost ordered more but stopped myself. I still don't know why.
4 - Alex T.: A friend introduced me to this hidden place. I don't think I would have ever discovered it otherwise. It's in an area where there are a lot of USC students and I've seen some regulars frequent there, but other than that its quite concealed.

The general feel of the place is very relaxed. Free wi-fi, student-friendly prices, sometimes music playing, semi-self-serve style, and a nice patio area out back. In addition there are just slight touches to things that make it feel almost home-y. I have definitely suggested this place more than once as a meeting place for talking over student org. stuff etc.

The food can be slightly inconsistent, but if you know what's good on the menu, its generally not a problem. My personal favorite is the breakfast sandwich with the breakfast burrito coming in a close second. You definitely get good portions too.

For more reviews visit http://www.sixtaste.com
3 - Stuart M.: Good food, but it CAN TAKE A REALLY LONG TIME.
4 - Rachel P.: My boyfriend's brother, who goes to USC, took us here. He is a regular and knew about a dish that wasn't yet on the menu - the malai kofta. All the Indian food is vegetarian and a lot of it is served thali style. My boyfriend and I were able to share one and it was plenty of food. The prices are good, and so is the food! I would definitely recommend the malai kofta - ask for it! 

This is a small place but nice. We went again during our 4 days in LA, and this time I had their grilled cheese. It has 3 pieces of bread, so you get a lot for what you pay. It was average grilled cheese, but the fries were seasoned wonderfully. I really liked this place!
2 - SF To LA Y.: I live down the street so I wanted to try it out based on the other yelp reviews....While I haven't had the breakfast burrito that everyone seems to rave about, I had a hanerking for Indian food....so I ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala.  Blech - I've had better from Saffron, that Indian fast food place....barely edible.  Willing to try it one more time, but definitely not the same meal.
5 - alexandra C.: This place is the best ever.  Great variety for all different tastes.  The owner is the nicest man ever and always makes the experience a great one. Ask about the secret menu...there are a lotta yummy things to get that aren't on the menu but still available. This is definitely the best place at USC!
5 - Michael R.: I love this place!  It's so cute, great (healthy) food, and affordable.  The patio area is adorable.  The owner is very nice and makes everyone feel at home. I've had their wonderful specialty - Chicken Tikka Burrito - before, but today I wanted something different.  I ordered and had a delicious Saag Paneer Burrito.  Yummy!
4 - Aubrey J.: 23rd St. Cafe had been on my radar and I finally made it there after visit to CA Science Center. Cute space with lovely outside courtyard. The best part of my experience was their delicious Chicken Tikka Burrito and Mango Lassi. The savory, mild spice of burrito and sweet flavored drink was a perfect combination. Looking forward to sampling more of the Cafe's offerings soon.
4 - Christina Y.: I'm sure there are plenty of cute little hidden cafes around USC that all the students know about and hang out in all day studying. Unfortunately, I didn't find any of them. In the area before an appointment and completely unfamiliar with the neighborhood, I found myself at 23rd St. Cafe. I will say right off the bat that I messed up by not consulting the Yelp reviews before placing my order. If I had, I would have definitely chosen an Indian-Mexican dish like that tikka burrito that sounds so amazing. Instead, i went with a boring tuna melt and fries. The fries were sprinkled with some seasoning that made it a little different, but the tuna melt was basically a tuna sandwich with some toasted bread. Don't get me wrong - I love me a tuna sandwich, but when I order a tuna melt I basically expect a grilled cheese with tuna in it. That means some buttery-ass bread and lots of melty cheese. 

Maybe it's been too long since I was in college, but the atmosphere left a bit to be desired as well. The place was ok clean..the bathroom was in good shape, but I had to do a bit of a wipe down before sitting down at a table. 

HOWEVER, this business greatly redeemed itself by having a couple of outlets available for laptop use, plenty of tables to spread out on, and for employees who had no problem with me sitting there for hours doing work. Granted, there wasn't much of a crowd in there at all, but never did  I receive a dirty look while I mooched off of their space and electricity. 

I'm giving it four stars for their niceness and their usefulness to me when I was in dire need for a spot to sit and work. I hope I have another appointment at USC sometime soon so I can check out that Indian burrito!!
5 - Debra P.: First of all i regret big time for not finding this restaurant in my first semester at USC. I have been going here quite often since January. You might miss this restaurant if you live close to USC campus as this is on the other side of Adams. 

This is one of its kind restaurant with American, Indian and Mexican food, not to mention Indian-Mexican fusion which is incredibly delicious. And they serve breakfast until they close.  Highly recommended their Chicken Pesto sandwich/ Club sandwich and Texas burger. Indian food combos are really good, especially Chicken Tikka Masala. And everything Indian-Mexican fusion is a must. 

The service is the best part of this restaurant. Even though it's not a full-service restaurant, they bring the food to your table. Very friendly and always smiling people, especially the young guy Jimmy who is the best at his service, he treats you like your friend and always smiles. 

It's not recommended to go here on a lunch time on weekends as there is a war like atmosphere there, it's very busy. I would rather recommend to go here in the evening when there is not much rush.
3 - Alexander M.: The attraction of 23rd Street Cafe is that it features Mexican, American, AND Indian food, and for good prices. I used to go here when I lived on 24th St. and tired of the greasiness of Pete's. The menu is long and confusing so you kind of just have to shoot and hope you don't miss. But I would bet on the Indian food, as the staff appear to be Indian, and it is easy to find superior American and Mexican food elsewhere. I usually get the tikka masala which is really good and sort of spicy. Everything (I think) comes with a little rice and naan on the side and is a perfectly large lunch portion. Their coffee isn't bad either. The inside is pretty depressing so if you're eating in, go out the back to the luscious outdoor garden patio. 

Interesting assortment of options, quirky location, good lunch.
5 - Andrew L.: I honestly don't know why anyone would rate this place less than 5 stars.

I live about half a block from the 23rd st cafe, and so it has gotten me through a lot of this year.  I understand that the ownership recently changed, and since the new owner took over, it has been awesome.  I haven't had anything on the menu that I dislike, and the whole staff there is incredibly friendly.

I'm about to go eat there, so I gotta go.  I highly recommend this place to anyone who wants great food for a reasonable price!  The portions are usually big enough that you can eat it in two sittings.
2 - Abra W.: Mm, I don't know about this place.

The owner was REALLY friendly and clearly loves his restaurant/menu, but the food was just OK. The boy and I split samosas and a breakfast burrito. The samosas were filling, but just OK. The breakfast burrito tasted fine when eaten with the green salsa, but without it? Super disappointing. And I really don't like it when food isn't stand alone tasty. Sauce is like icing on a cake. Icing can really improve/ruin a cake, but regardless, the cake needs to taste delicious on it's own and that breakfast burrito that everyone is raving about left SO much to be desired.

Also, the prices are apparently no longer super cheap (as in, this $5 breakfast burrito that everyone is raving about is NO LONGER $5). In fact, it's extremely obvious that they raised the price of almost ALL their menu items by $2-4 because they just cut and pasted new prices over their menu. Der. And it seemed as if the more popular the item, the more the price of that item was raised by. WTF? OK, if you're going to do that, please don't make it so obvious because now I just feel as if I'm getting completely ripped off. If you were willing to sell a product for $4 less than what it currently is listed, clearly you still make money off of said product at the lesser price. So you're just trying to overcharge me, is that it? NOT appealing.

My favorite part of the whole restaurant was the backyard patio, in which there is a bit of quaint, peaceful seating and some lovely trees. A rare find in this part of LA. Unfortunately, the lovely ambiance was kind of ruined by the gas station trash can (the really big, industrial looking ones) that they put out there. Um, ew.

So while the menu was very large and the owner was very (overly?) friendly, I really don't get what the big deal is. The food wasn't that great, and I felt like I was being overcharged. Their one redeeming factor (the backyard patio) lost so many points with that disgusting trash can. I might go back to try their Indian (which looked pretty good, but looks can be deceiving) or fusion food (specifically their tikka masala burrito...), but I don't know. I'm not excited to go back anytime soon.

ALSO!! I just noticed that 5 of the 8 five star reviews on here are by people with less than 5 reviews total (3 of which have only 1 review total??) which makes me think that SOMEBODY IS TRYING TO RIG THE RATINGS here on Yelp. Don't be fooled...
4 - Alex K.: I just got back from my first trip to the 23rd Street Cafe, which I found via Yelp in an attempt to try a new place around USC. I was a little hesitant about the combination of Mexican, American, and Indian food (plus a full espresso bar), but I decided to make the trip nonetheless. 

My dining partner and I spent several minutes looking at the expansive menu before we each decided to get the chicken curry. We also decided to try an Aloo Paratha. The owner greeted us and took our order, and he was both extremely friendly and extremely gracious. I mentioned that we heard about this restaurant on Yelp, and he paused before earnestly thanking us for coming in. I knew we were in for a good experience.

He mentioned a few other items on the menu, then we placed our order and made our way to a table. A moment later, I decided I should try the coffee, so I went back up and ordered a mocha latte. It was quite a treat, though I should have had it iced, since the curry really got me hot and bothered.

Shortly thereafter, the owner made his way to our table with what I assumed would be the paratha. Instead, he set down a plate of samosas, a special appetizer on the house as a thank-you for coming in. Wow, incredible service.

The food arrived, and while it was way more than we needed, everything was delicious. For a reasonable price, I got a very satisfying meal, excellent service, and an altogether pleasant and memorable experience. I really look forward to trying this place again, as I promised the owner on my way out the door.
5 - Kyle J.: When you first walk in you think American, Mexican, and Indian food in one place? Then you get the idea (from the Indian music playing and owner/staff) that Indian fare is their game. But wait! there are some Latino chefs in the back, too, cooking it up! Dunno how the American fits in but your wanton Indo-Mex desires will be satiated here. According to other reviews, the fusion Indo-mex dishes are not to be missed (i.e. Chicken Tikka Burrito). I only tried the Indian food and it was off the hook. An oasis of good eats in the Good-Eats Void that is Hoover/Adams near U$C.

EATEN: Malai kofta: veggie meatball curry. Holy Maha Raja, these meatballs tasted like meat! tender moist and flavorful. Piping hot melted into the curry sauce so nicely as i chewed.
Chicken saag: tender chicken and spinach (saag) with a spicy kick to it. 
I basically had the best mango lassi ever!! Order it! I will probably come back just for that. 
Usually I don't like lentils from Indian restaurants but these were exceptional. 
Finally, the SOFT nan was tasty in it's own right, but with the tamarind chutney sauce it became a worthy side dish. 
The JOVIAL owner (manager?) gave us a COMPLEMENTARY side of Briani (sp?) Indian fired rice. It was an experimental dish he was trying to customize including onion, ginger, curry powder and a butt load of other Indian spices, according to the generous shop-keep. Is that not awesome? he brought us a dish he was still trying to tweak for free. that is hott.

I'll be back to try a lot of other dishes, at this rate. Most items are $6.99-$7.99. The Indian plates I had (to stay) were very, very filling. Large portions!
5 - Jeff T.: I lived next door to this place and it's truly awesome. Paul, the owner, pours his heart and soul into running this small coffee house and has come up with a few gems on the menu. However it is the "secret" menu that makes this place shine. Pretty much think of any Indian/Mexican combination you can imagine and the chances are Paul can make it happen. The Breakfast Burritos are fantastic and are the best way to start a groggy morning. The steak fajitas are flavorful, well portioned, and all the corn tortillas are hand pressed and grilled fresh. Also the Chicken Tika Burrito is a must try.

It's not too far from USC's campus, just passed Adams.

In terms of what to order
-Breakfast Burrito
-*Update* CHICKEN CURRY Breakfast Burrito!
-Chicken Tika Burrito, very filling and very flavorful

What to Avoid
-No bad experiences so far

Final Thought
If you need a great place to get an espresso and study, or you want a slow morning to get some fantastic breakfast, check out 23rd street.
4 - Weley L.: I live two blocks away from this place and I came here because I heard that they have free wi-fi and I needed a place to get some work done. Someone had also told me that this place (which is owned and run by an Indian man) served Indian, Mexican and American food (with plenty of fusion items on the menu) and I thought "interesting... maybe I'll try it one day"

Anyway, they have a full espresso bar so I ordered an iced coffee because I didn't want to use their internet without supporting the business. The guy working at the cashier was super helpful. After working for about an hour and a half I got up and decided to try one of their fusion dishes. I got the chicken tikka taco combo ($6.99 + tax) and I gotta say it was pretty damn good.

Also, I was in the restaurant for about 4 and a half hours and they were totally cool with me staying, which I really appreciate.

I'll definitely come back here to try some of their other menu items. I heard their breakfast burritos are really good.
4 - Tiffany S.: My boyfriend and I were sitting in my new apartment on a Tuesday night with no food in the fridge to speak of when the hunger pangs kicked in. We decided to yelp the nearest Indian food to USC and stumbled across 23rd Street Cafe. Indian food? Delicious. Chicken tikka masala burrito? EVEN BETTER! 

We called in our order of 2 Chicken tikka masala burritos and mango lassis ahead of time and arrived 10 minutes later. The cafe was a bit smaller than expected, with tables pushed against walls and the 2 rooms dimly lit, with a sort of intimate, cozy feeling. The food was ready and still hot. We realized with delight the burrito was made from naan! 

All in all, the burrito was pretty good. I've had better chicken tikka masala before, but the portion was huge (I had leftovers for lunch the next day) and the meat was tender. The naan leaked a bit of the sauce at the bottom, which created a soggy mess. The taste of the spices wasn't as strong with the rice and naan - eventually I couldn't taste it anymore. But it was still a solid meal. The mango lassis we ordered were made with more yogurt than we expected, and had a very creamy, slightly sourish taste. I didn't mind it but my boyfriend did not enjoy it, as he wasn't used to eating plain yogurt. 

4 stars for the hot, good, plentiful food, and fast service. 
Minus 1 for the taste of the spices not being strong enough. 

Will definitely be back!
4 - Scott H.: This place was an awesome surprise.  The ambiance is not their thing, from the front, I thought it was a mini-mart.  But the food spoke for itself.

I tried my friend's tikka masala burrito which was fanTAStic.  That was fusion at its best....really good stuff.

I ordered the sourdough breakfast sandwich (at 1 pm in the afternoon...no problem for them at all) and it was REALLY good.

I plan to take others here for the burrito...maybe my new acquaintance Aarti Sequeira...right up her alley!
4 - Raphael R.: I love this place.  I love that it's a neighborhood restaurant; I love that it serves both Mexican and Indian food, and I love that they sell Reed's Ginger Brew.  I have tried one of their Indian thali's, an Indian-style burrito, and a paratha: all were excellent.  The inside is clean, and the staff is friendly.  What more can I say?
3 - Lauren C.: Food and prices are decent. But don't come here if you are in a hurry it is SLOW! I had to get up and ask about my boyfriends order when a table of guys who came after us all got served before him and I already had my food. Uhg.
5 - Patrick S.: Fantastic restaurant! Lots of great selections, from American, Mexican and Indian to fusion, but the specialty Chicken Teaca Masala Quesadilla (butchered the specialty) is an instant classic.

Reasonable prices with big portions, delicious food, and great service means that the 23rd St. Cafe comes highly recommended, and will definitely be a new favorite and go-to place in the USC area.
5 - Christy K.: One of the better eateries near USC!

The owner is almost always there and is super friendly, and down to earth.

I've tried their fusion Indian/Mexican, veggie burritos, Indian platters...all great!

Their Indian dishes are fabulous and each comes with lentils, yogurt, this warm bread... really big portions and super satisfying. I've also had their vegetarian meatballs, which is apparently a homemade unique recipe, bathed in a yummy curry-ish sauce.

They also have great breakfast food and a full coffee bar. 

My favorite time to come is during the day, and you can sit outside on their cute patio! Give it a try!
4 - Kristina R.: 23rd Street Cafe is a hidden gem.  Indian and Mexican food for decent prices. Good service. Chill environment. And.. Free Wi-fi! Put it all together, and you got a great study/meeting spot! Or, just a nice place for lunch with friends! ;)

Recommendations:
-Chicken Tikka Masala
-Samosas
-Mango Lassi

As you can tell, I'm a fan of the Indian food.. Get ready for yummy and humungous plates!
4 - Joe T.: This place is the bomb dizzle. Yes I said dizzle, make your peace with it already.

From what previous yelpers have spoken about, this is one of those nice gems you find in the concrete jungle and away from the mainstream eateries you find locally near USC.

Granted it can get packed on weekends, when I checked in on Sunday from a few years hiatus, it's STILL DAMN GOOD. Friendly staff, prices are progressively rising, but the food is worth the trip.

So whether Mexican, American, or Indian, this is a nice "getaway" joint from all the other crap that's a cancer on Figueroa. But make it just as a secret or else I will come after you with a 3 week old loaf of bread that's been sitting out. Them sticks are hard as rocks, and they will hurt!
5 - Cora M.: Great food. Cheerful atmosphere. The owner is super friendly and most of the people who work here are efficient and polite. You can get American Diner food, Indian food, and Mexican food here. I love their smoothies and chai. Also, their unusual menu items, like the Chicken Tikka Masala Quesadilla. My husband's picky, but likes this place, too. This has a great ambiance for just chilling out with a coffee or meeting friends, as well, and I've met lots of interesting, friendly patrons here. Lots of USC students, but you have a good mix of grad, undergrad, and local community folks. I highly recommend this place! I go here about once a week.
5 - Dan B.: Great place! Very nice owner. Breakfast burritos amazing, great variety of food. Highly recommend. About $10 for meal and drink.
2 - Anthony C.: This place is good if you want some mediocre breakfast. The breakfast sandwich, the English muffin egg sandwich and the breakfast burrito I say is the best. The variety of the menu doesn't convince me to try anything else. Come on they have Indian, American and Mexican food there, probably even more.  If it's busy don't expect to get your food for like 25 mins even though it's supposed to be quick stop. The inside is like a hallway with a little outdoor patio located in the back. Barely any parking but there's plenty on the street. Like I said the food is nothing special but it's a quick bite to eat that's actually around USC.
1 - David B.: Had to wait one hour for food. Cashier didn't want to give free samosa as advertised on Yelp and acted pissed off after I pulled up the website on my phone to prove that the deal really existed.

Food tasted like it came out of a can: bland and generic. Left the restaurant with a stomach as empty as my wallet.
4 - Larissa M.: I love Paul and his awesome Indian-Mexican-American food.

Try the breakfast burrito or the tikka masala quesadilla. YUM. Mango lassis are delicious, and offer a nice alternative to coffee (which also happens to be good here). 

Free wi-fi, lots of tables, never crowded. Great place to study, work, or meet with friends. I once came in with a group of 8 friends, and Paul treated us so well. He recommended his favorite dishes, and even brought us complimentary Indian sweets for dessert with our check.
4 - Tim A.: The 23rd Street Cafe is a great place to go.  It is very close to USC's campus but it is not too well known so there is never a line.  I usually go here for breakfast on the weekend.  The breakfast sandwhich is incredible.  They have a pretty diverse menu including breakfast, American, Mexican, and Indian food and it is all pretty good.  It's not expensive and the food is great so what's not to love?  Definitely check it out.
4 - Maria M.: A good place with a variety of ethnic food options. I never thought one place selling both Mexican and Indian food will be good at both. It is especially ideal for a Sunday morning group breakfast with friends.
4 - Jasmine F.: The Malai Kofta (veggie meatballs) here are fantastic! You don't have to be a vegetarian to enjoy these meatless meatballs; I certainly am not. The sauce that they come soaking in is so good, and I love the lentils and tangy yogurt sauce that they serve with the meal. The platter is humongous, and makes for a good amount of food: good bang for your buck (and so my mind quite stupidly/interestingly jumps to "Wham, bam, thank you ma'am")!

Boyfriend prefers the Tikki Masala here; in my opinion it could be way spicier but the creaminess is pretty nice. The sauce is very good, don't take it for granted! 

The naan? I noticed that they take it out of pre-packaged bags, so it's not like they bake it at home or something. But the way that they serve it with your food, crispy and ready to soak up all that sauce. So delicious. It is such an amazing means by which to eat food with!

Really close to my place, and it can get pretty crowded around lunch time. I tend to go to this place before and after lunch rush; and if you are going to brave the place during the rush I would suggest calling in and ordering first. Also, keep in mind that when you order, it's going to take a while for that food to hit your table- probably around 15 minutes. But hey, they make it to order which makes me happy; I'd rather be eating something fresh!
4 - Colette G.: Would have given them 5 stars because the food is so darn delicious BUT I feel it is slightly over-priced.

This place is right down the street from where I live, and I couldn't be happier.  I mean really, what's better than an Indian/Mexican/ American food place?  

This is definitely vegetarian friendly.

Love love love the Indian style burritos.

Never crowded, although on the weekends the locals like to come for their breakfast burritos.

Clean and friendly :)
4 - Patrick F.: So glad a friend of mine took me to this place today!

Food is awesome!  The paratha was so damn good. Tried a bit of the Mex-Indian fusion and have to say the Curry Taco was delicious- something abod the "tortilla" which was like quasi tortilla quasi nan- just yummy stuff!

The service is amazing- the guy is very friendly at the front, he even remembered my friend from having ate there 2-3 weeks ago- just overall a great little place near USC!
4 - Lynn s.: This is a really fun place and the owner and other staff are super cool and friendly and make you feel at home in what can be an unfriendly neighborhood - especially for dining.  The 23rd Street Cafe has a mellow Berkeley-cafe vibe which is refreshing.  

The Indian food is tasty and solid.  Love the samosas!  The hybrid Indian-Mexican fusion part of the menu is unusual but good. Food is very fresh and made to order, so don't expect fast food timing.  It's worth the wait, though. Nice drink selection and yummy desserts - I had key lime pie and it was delicious!

Another big plus is the free WiFi, the  cute patio for outdoor eating in the back, and a safe parking lot out back.
4 - Anilee A.: Free samosa when you mention Yelp?! Since when?! I'm sooo there!

23rd St. Cafe is on the corner of 23rd St. & Portland St next to a mini- mart. There's a really small parking lot on the Portland side and street parking is usually available.

I'm a fan of the Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Curry, Samosas, Naan, & Ice Blended Chai! The Indian dishes come in a really cool big plate with lentils, naan, yogurt, and basmati rice. You can substitute the yogurt with more lentils if you like. MMMMmm soo good!

There are only a few tables, but this is a great spot to meet for a small study group during lunch or dinner since there is free wifi! Indian food & free wifi! How could this get any better?!
5 - Richard L.: This place is amazing!

Best items are: breakfast burritos,  the chicken tikka masala burrito, guacamole and burgers.  

Only thing is they raised their prices awhile back and I cant dine there as often as I would like.
5 - Taylor C.: Perfect place for the college crowd that surrounds the location. Everything on the menu is moderately priced and comes in large portions. The staff is super friendly and will start to learn your name if you come in more than a couple times. My favorite stuff on the menu are the breakfast burritos. They come in large portions so be ready to eat. The best one is the salmon breakfast burrito (although it is currently not on their main menu, you have to ask for it). The guys who work there are also willing to customize most items if you want to make it your own. The place also has free wi fi which is an added bonus
1 - Sidharth K.: This place is the worst food and to top that off, the service is plain horrible. They take forever to bring out anything, the waiters are rude and uncouth and the owner seems to care more about chatting up the ladies than actually serve food and take orders. A lot of the reviews here seem very suspicious. 
Give this a pass, unless you are into getting abused and bad food.
4 - Vee J.: I simply love this place. Amazing home cooked meal feeling, good conversations with the owner and very good staff.

Try Chicken tikka masala quesadilla, any thali, samosa, and not to forget the masala chai....yummm!
3 - Louloua J.: Our very own café at the corner. They have an amazing variety to choose from. They serve different cuisines as well which is commendable for a café. I have tried their Indian Paranthas. And each time, I remember them, my mouth starts to water. Awesome place for a quick bite.
5 - Denise N.: good variety of food with enough vegetarian options
cheap and a very casual atmosphere
during the summer, they often have shorter hours (i recommend calling to make sure that they are open)

i recommend the following:
paneer tikka misala 
paneer tikka burrito
sausage egg and cheese sandwich
chicken tikka quesadilla
somosa sandwich
5 - Rishi S.: Great food and reasonably priced. They even have aachaar.
5 - Michelle s.: During the four years that I attended USC, I had never heard of this place...and I'm sad that I didn't! I had this enormous craving for a breakfast burrito this morning and luckily fellow yelpers mentioned they had one of the best breakfast burritos here. I would have to agree!

I was completely confused by this place, Mexican food, with a full espresso bar, with American and Indian foods as well. There was a cross, a picture of Ghandi and a statuette of a Hindu god. I usually feel skeptical of when a restaurant tries to do too many things and no things well but I still had a hankering for that breakfast burrito.

The burrito was the perfect ratio and combination of scrambled eggs, cheese, sausage (meat of choice, but they also had chorizo, ham, and bacon) and hash browns. The burrito was literally larger than my face! They wrapped it tight which I liked because I didn't end of with a huge mess at the end which sometimes happens when all the ingredients sink down to the bottom. The only thing I had a problem with was their salsas were a little too watery for my taste. but that may just be personal preference. All in all, I would totally recommend this place, if only just for the breakfast burrito.
5 - Steven F.: When I arrived at 23rd St. Cafe I didn't really know what to expect. I mean how often do you see Mexican-Indian restaurants anywhere. My girlfriend ordered a sourdough breakfast sandwich and I played it safe with a Texas Burger. 

At first, I felt my girlfriend was getting the short end of the stick because our meals came out to the same price, but I got fries and a drink with mine. Boy was I impressed when she received her delicious monument of a sandwich filled with what looked like four eggs, hash browns, cheese, and bacon. The sandwich was literally the size of a small child and tasted 10x better. 

When I received my Texas Burger, I knew I would be yelping about this place in the future. The slaughtered cows and pigs came smoldering off the pan and onto my plate topped with melted cheese and thousand island dressing. What made this burger so great was the thick, chewy bacon. The meat strips were sent from heaven to my mouth and reminded me of homemade beef jerky I used to have as a kid. 

The only problem I can say about this place was that the service was pretty slow, but then again, you can't rush food with that kind of quality. Definitely a great place to go to in the morning after a night out of heavy partying. Great location really close to USC.
5 - Lauren P.: LOVE this place, although the only thing I've had here is their breakfast burritos. I've been here dozens of times, but like them so much I don't want to try anything else. The owner is really nice & friendly.

While it does take a while to get your food, particularly when it's a little more crowded, I'm perfectly okay with it because you can see your food being made fresh right in front of you. No old, rubbery eggs here! If you're in a rush I recommend calling in your order ahead. It's always been ready in exactly the time I've been told and I've never had to wait a minute. Not to mention the food is still hot! (oh, and they serve breakfast all day, which as a huge breakfast fan is a giant plus!)
3 - Maria R.: After a disappointing breakfast @ the Farm of Beverly Hills in LA Live the day before, ex-roomie, lil cuz & I got past our laziness and ventured a little further from our surroundings to get some real grub. 

It was 4th of July, so the first couple of places we yelped were closed. :( However, 3rd time's the charm. :D This place was open till 3 on the holiday!

The cook/cashier/waitress that ran the place by herself was very sweet and friendly, even when more peeps trickled in. It seems the place is a fusion of Mexican and Indian cuisine... very interesting. We finally settled on a carne asada & eggs plate w/ toast and a sausage breakfast burrito. 

The sausage burrito was HUGE and we actually didn't finish it. It was very tasty, but the best part for me was the green salsa it came with.... I love green salsa and this one was bomb. :) The carne asada plate was okay... the beef was overcooked, but I can't whine about it cuz the lady mentioned it as she delivered (the grill got too hot) and offered to change it. We were really hungry so we just kept it. It was still tasty.

I mentioned the samosa offer here on yelp and the lady delivered TWO huge samosas with a big smile. :) They were pretty good!! This rating should actually be 3.5 stars. Not amazing, but we were very satisfied. I'd come back. :)
5 - Vineet S.: My dad and I came here earlier today for their samosas. He does this once a month.

Actually, this is the only place north of Artesia and south of Fremont that my dad comes to when it comes to samosas.

Actual conversation with Le Papa and the owner, Gopal:

Father: "Your's is the only place in LA that has good samosas"
Gopal: "Glad you like it."
Me: (under my breath) "Gives him something to wash down all that YogurtLand with..."

Yeah my dad loves YogurtLand too much. It's hilarious seeing him in line with the little samplers with all those freshman girls who live in the building above the USC YogurtLand. They think he's a professor or something. It is very LOLable.

I think between 23rd St Cafe, Health Hut, Chipotle and the two Thai places around campus, you'll never go hungry.
5 - Ben V.: SPECIAL NOTE: Hours are changing (back) to 8am-10pm as of Monday August 8th, 2011.

Also, there is a $7 minimum for credit cards or else they charge $.50 to use one.  Bring cash or eat well. :)

PARKING: In the back and on the street.  Not too hard to find.

This is my first visit here, and I love the place!  The iced coffee I ordered was way too sweet, and they were kind enough to give me a new one.  The WIFI is fast, and the seating is comfortable.  Best of all: plenty of outlets (no need for 10,000 foot extension cords to reach one like other cafes).  Great place to hole up and get stuff done!

The food is down right funky good.  I'm talking about Bootsy Collins playing Sex Machine funky.  I tried a Samosa and a Chicken Tikka Taco, and they both are worth having again.  The Indian Fusion here is completely legit.

If you're serious about trying good places and you are in the USC area, you better get yourself over here to 23rd Street Cafe.
5 - Jenna R.: Great little hole in the wall. Fabulous fusion food, reasonably priced-- really sad I didn't discover it until my senior year!
3 - Prashanth R.: Ah.. the good old 23rd street cafe. So many memories from this restaurant. This is the place frequented by all the desi (indian) population in USC. Has valuable and essential indian groceries that we cannot live without. The indian groceries are reasonably priced (well, not all of it, but it's not outrageous) but the regular groceries like milk and juice are expensive. Day-light-robbery I say. 

The restaurant here is decent. I haven't had any excellent dishes here.Okay types. In fact, once my friend found a piece of meat in his veggi dish and was totally grossed out.
5 - Olivia S.: 23rd Street Cafe is awesome!!! It's one of my favorite places to go! Plus, they have a good amount of seating, so its a good alternative to Starbucks to go study or get work done, plus they have free wifi. I love their Chicken Tikka Masala Quesadilla and their Samosas!! My favorite drink is their Mango Lassi!!!! Sooo Good!!! Also, their Chai Latte is good, tastes like it has a hint of vanilla :) Their Naan is also really, really good!! The people who work there are super friendly and the owner is really nice. The place is always clean and you get your food pretty fast. I will definitely continue going to 23rd Street Cafe!! :)
5 - Jan S.: I graduated this may and there's no place I miss more around SC. Fortunately, I still live close enough, and will be returning soon!
The owner and staff are very nice, and even when there are a lot of orders to get done, they make sure that you are satisfied with your meal.
4 - Samantha S.: 23rd Street is a safe haven for all hungover USC students! Great food at a starving artist price. Try their clever blends of Mexican/Indian cuisine like the chicken masala quesadilla. The internet access is free and the staff is friendly. Not a Sunday has gone by without at least one of my groggy eyed roommates accompanying me for a revitalizing breakfast sandwich and Mexican mocha.
5 - Jason B.: Aside from Bacaro, the only other place near USC that's not apart of USC that's delicious, well thought-out, and serves the upper echelon of the culinary community. While the menu involves Indian/Mexican fusion, you can divide the two as well. 

In addition, the service is outstanding. It truly feels like your neighborhood cafe! Grab a cold Tazo iced tea or a piece of cheesecake too! 

Also, the coffee is off the hook with its full service espresso bar. Don't knock this place - it's way more than the neighborhood lets on.
4 - Arrick S.: Holy crap..chicken masala quesadilla. Delicious, brilliant, simple. Drowned in tamarind sauce = OMG
4 - Amro N.: This is my favorite place near USC.

The idea of Mexican-Indian fusion initially sounded weird, but the best way to think of it is as an Indian place that makes any of their classic Indian dishes in burrito form.

My favorite dish is Chicken Sa'ag, which is great as a burrito (an easy and quick meal) or as a plate with side dishes ($0.50 more, with raita, lentils, and rice on the side, this usually leaves enough leftover for takeout).

For a cafe aimed at university students, it's somewhat expensive (~$8 per entree with tax), and you have to wait about 10 minutes once you've placed you're order, but you get what you pay for: high-quality and freshly made Indian food.
3 - Hongming L.: Nearest place for me to eat. Not bad taste. I think I will be here again.
5 - Christine L.: Got the breakfast chorizo burrito, which is huge and well worth the $7. I split it with my boyfriend. They also have an interesting drink selection. We got vita coco and our friend got some sort of Italian juice/soda. For checking in, we also got two free empanadas. They were mouth-watering!
3 - Sally E.: I never knew this place existed until a week ago, and it's my last year at USC. It's a far enough walk from school though, all the way on 23rd (duh).

When I first yelped this place and found that it was "indian-mexican-american" I was a bit skeptical. However it was pretty decent. I had the chicken tikka burrito and the iced chai tea. 

The chai was AMAZING, though a little pricey. 

The burrito was just okay. The rice and beans overpowered the chicken flavor. I would have loved to have gotten more of the indian flavor in there. 

Also--they only take cash if your order is under $8 (?) which is sort of a pain. It's also a little pricey considering they're catering to students. However I would definitely go back and try something else on the menu!
4 - Brian I.: Meet the owner because he's a really nice guy.  From what I was told, the restaurant has been there for about 6 years and the current owner had it for about three.  I've been here with friends to dine, to study, and to chill.  It's pretty popular among the USC students.  Sometimes you'll see students in their PJ's picking up a quick snack.  They have free wi-fi and they have power outlets near every table.  It's a terrific place to study.  

They have American (burgers, sandwiches), Mexican (burritos, tacos, quesadillas, etc.), and Indian food and some of that is a little bit of a "fusion" cuisine.  For example, they have items like the Chicken Tikka Masala Quesadilla ($7.99).  If it's your first time, it's a good thing to try.  I've tried the Chicken Curry and Chicken Saag and you get naan, rice, dal, and salad.  The prices are very reasonable, all under $10; in fact, most meals range between $6 and $8.  Again, it's a great place to study and use your computer.  I'm glad it's really local to me.
4 - Amy S.: What a great idea....People love Indian food, People love Mexican food, so why not combine them together?? GENIUS! 

Things to know:
1. street parking, just beware of the signs. I parked across the street when I visited
2. Definitely try the chicken tikka masala quesadilla..it's delicious 
3. FREE WIFI! 

a great place to chill and eat good food. I'm already thinking about what i want to try next...the chicken tikka masala burrito...sounds delicious.
5 - Elyse M.: How amazing is 23rd street cafe? Let me count the ways.

1. I created a yelp account specifically so I could review this place.
2. Keep them on your speed dial! The menu is online. I'm not sure how, but you can call in a huge order of indian, mexican (or the infamous indi-mexi fusion) and it's ready in15 minutes. 
3. The service is amazing. The woman that makes breakfast burritos? She's got mad origami skills when it comes to wrapping up a huge chorizo breakfast burrito or any other burrito-vehicle. She'll be getting a call to cater my wedding. 
4. Often when you go out to a joint that has a giant menu, you assume its either all bad, all old, or some gross combination of the two. You become lost in the menu's extensive pages of food and feel scared and alone, not knowing what or how to order. Friends, don't consume the 23rd St. menu this way. Open and choose whatever your heart desires with no reservation about quality or freshness. Everything at this restaurant is at Holy Grail status, right down to the chai tea lattes.
5 - Christopher M.: Love this place!!! I'm from London and know Indian food! This chicken here is tender and everything is fresh. Although you might wait 5- 10 minutes for a burrito/curry, they cook everything here from scratch so you know you're getting a good meal. Both the Mexican and the Indian is divine! But for those of you with  adventurous taste buds will definitely be rewarded with the Indian-Mexican fusion food! I have never heard of such a concept and was wary at first, but I have never looked back!! Favourite has to be the curry quesadilla. 

Overall, this cafe has a really good vibe, nice decor, very well priced and really friendly people behind the counter. They know my name and I've been maybe 5 times!
5 - David A.: Dear Yelp: Let's be real. You need to add a sixth star.
5 - Mary B.: Like the Calgon commercial, 23rd St. Café's Indian food takes me away to a special place. Seriously, it's amazing. You get buttery naan and jasmine rice along with a side of yogurt sauce and miniature lentils with the main item. I have had the mutter paneer, saag paneer, and chole samosa, all great and homemade tasting, like the Indian mother I never had. I usually get a Masala tea-not to be confused with the sweeter, more American chai-and it is genuine, a pot of scalded milk that needs sugar to even out the intense spice. They have a whole selection of Tazo teas and an espresso bar too if you need some caf.

The service is casual, where you order at the counter and get food brought to your table. Usually a lot of hoodie clad USC students are around eating and working on their laptops 'cuz the WiFi is free. I can't personally testify about the Mexican food, but my friends gave the burrito an A+. They even have chicken tikka masala burritos, a hybridization of said Mexican and Indian cuisine.
5 - john n.: salmon burger is delicious, nice avocado spread and a 3 cup green salad 

Everything here is always a delightful surprise
5 - Beeha H.: Their chicken tikka masala quesadillas are out of this world.
3 - David R.: The chicken tikka masala was not good.  I know my tikka masala, and this was not the business.  I was shocked at the reviews saying it was good. The aloo gobi was on the good side.  The thali sides were good enough.  The samosas were very good!  The guy seemingly running the show was nice to us, but snapped at his employee, and was testy with someone on the phone.  Not nice to see at a place of business.  But the ambiance of the restaurant was nice.
4 - Katie S.: My boyfriend and I walked in pretty late (9:30-10ish, I think), and we decided to get our order to go because the place was empty except for the two employees - awkward.  We waited maybe 10 minutes, which wasn't too bad, since we saw them freshly preparing our food.  While we were waiting, a person came in and picked up their order, so next time I will definitely call ahead to place an order.

I ordered the chicken tikka masala burrito - a huge Chipotle-sized burrito filled with Indian and Mexican goodness. It was big enough to save half for lunch the next day, but my boyfriend finished it all!  I don't remember much of what was in the burrito, but I remember I loved the flavors.  My boyfriend wasn't too big of a fan - the mix of Mexican and Indian flavors was too weird for him.  I'm sad about that since whenever I go visit him, I get cravings for it!
5 - Travis B.: One of the best restaurants around USC. Breakfast is clearly the best here; I tend to go for the standard breakfast plate, and the hashbrowns always blow my mind.  Their Indian and Mexican food is pretty good too, but breakfast is much better. Their coffee is the best in the area, and they are also the only purveyor of freshly squeezed orange juice.  Cozy, awesome patio, and the employees are always friendly.
3 - Jonah R.: Friendly staff and unique menu. 

Chicken tikka masala quesadilla is probably the best item on the menu. I like the samosa sandwich as well.
4 - Joey K.: Because its located north of Adams, I'm not sure how many USC students are aware this place even exists, which is slightly unfortunate. I stopped by last week with two others and neither of them had heard of 23rd Street Cafe. 

At first glance, the menu features an odd combination of options: a mix of breakfast, deli-style sandwiches, Mexican food and Indian dishes, but it works rather well. It's also a bonus that pretty much every plate is under $10. Admittedly, there aren't a ton of food options surrounding USC's University Park campus, a place historically cluttered with fast food. Thus far, this stop is one of the better places I've tried while here.
4 - John T.: So far the Chicken Tikka Masala plate and the breakfast burrito of the same name have been really good. My friend had the pastrami melt on sour dough and he, a strict foody, loved it. The prices seem to be fair and the service is descent. 
The Mexican Indian infusion choices are a lot of fun, and they allow you to mix and match ingredients a lot. I will happily be coming back.
5 - Stuho H.: Today my co-worker and I went to the 23rd St Cafe. He had the BLT and I had the Club sandwich. My sandwich was loaded with tons of fresh avocados it made the it one of the best club's I've had. I was able to talk to owner of the place, John who was super cool. I look forward to going to back and recommending as many people as possible to this place!
4 - Lyla c.: Although I am not Indian, I have dined at various Indian restaurants and eat it about once every other week. I haven't tried many Indian foods in LA area and this was a first. 

I would have given a 3.5 but couldn't. The portion and amount of meat given was great, not like how other places tend to serve a lot of potatoes and sauce to make the portions look large. The flavor was lacking though, in comparison to the ones I've been to before and also friends' mother's home cooking; this place is on the bland side. 

I love to eat Indian food for it's rich flavor in herbs and spices, it wasn't up to par. 
Perhaps a 3.5 is harsh, so I guess the 4 would work for the rating. 

Btw, I didn't care for the lentils&beans side. They do however have excellent chai tea, it's sweeter than some places but that's how I like it.
4 - Elizabeth L.: I. Love. This. Restaurant.

Things you HAVE to try:

Chicken Tikka Masala Quesadilla: Interesting, new, and the perfect combination of flavors. 

Salmon Burger: great twist on a burger

Breakfast Burrito: As good as it gets.

Mango Lassi: best in the area

Ginger Beer: kick in the throat in a good way

The service has always been great, they're personable, flexible, and always polite. The portions are totally worth the $8 price for a BIG meal. This place is so worth it and better than a buttload of stuff arounf USC.
5 - chuck s.: Good prices, good food, great location, outdoor patio, cool owner.  Perfect lunch spot!
5 - Monica G.: Breakfast burritos are incredible and the owner is a total sweetheart. Wait can get a bit long on weekends, but it's worth it and not a problem if you get there early.
5 - Josh C.: This is my favorite restaurant in the USC area by a long shot. The owner is a magnificent guy, staff is friendly and the food is just killer.. Especially the bacon breakfast burrito and tikki masala quesadilla. I would strongly recommend 23rd street cafe for any meal of the day, you can't go wrong!

Notes: limited free parking out back, other is street. Dishes average around $8-10, and the coffee is surprisingly great. Fresh squeezed orange juice is awesome too..
5 - Greg K.: This is my favorite restaurant in Los Angeles. Not only do I love the food -- a banner outside boasts the best Mexican, Indian, and American food the city has to offer -- but the service is great, the prices are right, and the place is amazing.

There's something about the 23rd Street Cafe that just makes you happy. It's not the free wifi, or the delicious Chicken Curry, or their amazing fries (which a former roommate of mine refers to as "their secret weapon"). No, it's just the general positivity that the place exudes. That's what makes this place so great.

One day I just missed Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins! They came in for lunch.

To drink, you should try out their smoothies, which are absolutely delicious, or their mango lassi -- if you've never had a magno lassi, you should definitely try it out: it's so good! They also have coffee, a bunch of teas, several bottled sodas, and of course fountain drinks. All reasonably priced.

If you go to USC, and you don't hang out at the 23rd Street Cafe, you're missing out on one of the best things the school has to offer. Really: they should put it in the orientation packet.
5 - BLake C.: Me and my friends come in here all the time!!!! Artin, Mark, Amir... they live around the corner and told me about this place. Right near the USC campus!!! This food is amazing and the vibe of the place is wonderful. The owner is such a cool guy that interacts with his customers.

If your in the area come here. The menu has a wide variety and everything is DELICIOUS!!!

I like the blended chai... with a shot of espresso! A dirty chai!

GREAT PLACE!!!!
5 - Ben B.: Great Indian, Mexican and American food! The owner is really creative, and has some great fusion options, or you can order food traditional to one of the three cultures. Service is great, and the employees are always fun to talk to. PS: best breakfast burritos in town!
5 - Karla F.: Delicious, Authentic, everything I've tried so far is just too good, wonderful peaceful environment, I recommend this place very much!
4 - Tarun S.: Owner is punjabi and usually stays on premises during business hours. The place is perfect for a late morning breakfast of aloo paranthas after a night of binge drinking. Served up with yogurt and it takes care of hangover right away.

Not 100% authentic when it comes to indian food but it's one of the better substitutes.
2 - Princess M.: Veggie breakfast burrito was not good! How disappointing...
4 - Prateek A.: (Y)
1 - Kimberly C.: Terrible.  Samosas were burnt and tasted funny inside, even the chutney and tamarind sauce were bad.  I ordered a naan, which never came then on reminding them-when I got it, it was a pita fried.  Sooo bad, cheap but bad, esp if you think you're getting any authentic Indian food.
5 - Rhyan S.: A USC area GEM.

- Indian / Mexican / American fusion 
- Reasonable prices ($7-$8 for a Chicken Masala Burrito)
- SUPER FRIENDLY service

It also offers indoor as well as outdoor seating. Depending on the time of day you may opt to sit indoors because the ONE PROBLEM: flies. Lots of 'em. I felt like a Lord. That said - that's not really the restaurant's fault. SUCH GOOD FOOD... Happy eating!

Also see: Cowboys and Turbans, the pricier, fancier, EVEN TASTIER version in Silver Lake where you sit in hollowed out upright pianos... O.o !!
4 - Vivi T.: One of my new favorite places - Mexican Indian Fusion plus breakfast all day?? How can you not be in love?

This place gets an extra star bump for making curry tacos and burritos - 'nuff said.
Staff is extremely friendly. Food is slightly better than decent (for diner food).

Prices are a hint high for what you are getting, but again, you're not going to find this kind of friendly gem anywhere else around USC.  Love it!
2 - Vince A.: 30 minutes to get two breakfast burritos to go :-|. The burritos were OK. One was chicken tikka masala and the other was bacon, but they both tasted like potato burritos. Someone said this place has the best mango lassi's...are you serious? The two I ordered were incredibly tart and thin. I was really hoping this place was great too, :-/.

24 Hour Fitness - Houston, TX (29.719448, -95.417325) (West University)
5 - David N.: So I came for the grand opening of the 2nd Super Sport in Houston!

I lost my express on Holcombe but got this awesome new gym!

Ok where do I start.  

There is a parking garage in the back, however, no entrance on the back so you gotta walk all the way around to enter in the front, there is street parking along the side streets but lots of businesses so good luck with that.

Once you enter the main level is the pool, sauna, steam room, and hot tub.

Down one level in the basement are the locker rooms and the cycling room.

The 2nd floor is the weights section, a HUGE selection of free weights and brand new machines.  They have a dedicated training area.  They have the new TRX training equipment.  They have many of the same equipment so that there is conformity but at the same time you don't have to wait around for that 1 special machine.

On the 3rd floor, you have your group X room, and basketball and racquetball courts.  I must say the basketball courts were a bit on the sad side.  No full court, I think they did it on purpose to discourage a rowdy clientele.  They have 2 awkward half courts with poles in the way and a slanted wall.  I must say not a fan.

Overall, this place is beautiful, everything is brand new.  It's close to my house.

I'll have to update after a few months when the people start using the equipment and see if it's still nice.  Right now I'll drink the koolaid but I still think the midtown location will be better in the long run.
1 - Katie W.: One visit and I already miss the Greenbriar location.  The parking situation is a nightmare.  I parked in the garage on the roof (on a Sunday afternoon) and there are no stairs.  You have to walk down the ramps that the cars use, which is just not safe.

The front desk staff ignored me when I checked in, I at least thought some introduction would be in order since it is the first weekend they are open.  They acted put out when I asked where the Kids' Club was. 

I thought the club itself would be a lot bigger.  It felt very cramped and not well laid out.  The water fountains had tepid water, which is not good when you are looking for a cool drink.  I think the location on Richmond at Sage is nicer and it isn't even a Super Sport.  It feels much more open there and the equipment is just as nice.

Mainly, I miss the kind workers from Greenbriar.  Hopefully I will see more friendly faces over the next week, but I am not holding my breath.
1 - Tom M.: Holy Cluster F@#$'s Batman!

"Hi, welcome to Carmax!" 
When the he#$ did 24hour fitness turn into a Used Car Lot??

I have been a member of 24hr fitness for several years and have been looking forward to this place opening, anticipation of a new club with decent parking. Walked in, scanned in with the fancy comanchee finger print system and off to check out the new club. Immediately I'm stopped by the big, bald, black guy (I'd have gotten his name if I cared to go back) asking me if i had filled out a profile. "Did you check in up front?" "Umm, yeah, I scanned in, why?" "Did you fill out a profile?" "Why? I'm simply checking out the gym." "Well you can't until fill out a profile." At that point I said forget it and turned to leave. He responded "ok". I was headed out the door when i thought I'd ask the front why in the hell I needed to fill out some sort of profile. "Are you a member?" "Yes, remember all that fancy finger scanning 30 seconds ago!??!" "Then you don't need to fill out anything." Hmm, why the hell did Einstein request that I do???

Anyways, checked it out and it is a decent gym, but as one person said previously, they have used up valuable space on the first floor to "sell" you a new car, I mean, membership.  Trying to leave we were approached again (man, never go to a gym in your work clothes and without headphones!) for sign up/buy trainer something or another/undercoating add on and so on. Enough already!!
You'll need to track down to the basement to change, then up 2 levels to work out. Heck, I have stairs at home, no need to go there! The place is new at the moment and therefore everything works. However, within months it will most likely resemble the Elgin location. For those that love the cardio equipment, they have tons and should be a better choice than the Elgin location in that regard. 

Looking for a simple summary? Here it goes:
New gym, new equipment. 
Ridiculous (to the point of not wanting to return) 'sales team' hoard on the first floor.
2 parking garages, you'll get your cardio in walking to the front door (if you're worried about safety).
Plenty of cardio equipment (just walk back and forth to your car, save some money).

Would I recommend? Oh h.e.(double hockey sticks) no! Already saved a few people the trip in checking this place out and will continue to give that as my recommendation. 
My membership is basically free, therefore I go with whats convenient. However, this place is certainly not worthy of whatever the upgrade is for a 'Super Sport'. 

SAVE YOUR MONEY!!
4 - Kristine H.: Wow, tough crowd based off these reviews but let's put things into perspective.

* Do they have towels? Yes
* Is the place clean? Yes
* Is it well ventilated? Could be better but definitely not the worst
* Are there enough cardio machines? Yes, the entire top floor has an assortment of cardio ranging from regular elliptical, treadmill, and that one that has yellow accents and are hard.
* Are there enough Group X classes? Definitely. Again, another nice assortment.
* Are there enough resources for strength training? Definitely. The entire "2nd" floor is dedicated to that.
* Is the staff nice? Definitely. I was greeted at the door and when I left.
* Is there parking? Yes, but like any other place, it's going to be crowded if you choose to go at peak hours.

I went to the Zumba class taught by Jennifer on Friday evenings. She's the same Jennifer who teaches at the YMCA and doesn't really use queues when she teaches. It's fine if you go to her class regularly, but if you are new to Zumba or her class, be prepared to stand still in confusion for a couple of moments.

The flow of the gym is a little confusing. The stair cases to navigate the different floors are hidden in the back. It's funny because the elevators are in plain sight... but you're at the gym... to exercise. Oh well. They can't help the engineering of the building. There's signs that will point you in the direction you need to go.
4 - Jerrikka A.: OH MY GOODNESS!!! This is the best 24 hour I have been to in years! Why? There was once a rumor that 24 only built there gym in existing buildings like old grocery stores and office buildings. Might be true but this one beats La Fitness and blows them out of the water. 

I was a member of 24 a while ago. Then joined LA Fitness because I thought the grass was going to be greener. It was nice and new and it sparkled and I was trapped. 

Then I decided to come back to 24, this location is a Super Sport which means that have the pool, b-ball court, raquet ball, wet and dry sauna, and towels. That is one thing that I always forget, even if I pack my gym bag the night before. The towel always gets left behind. So that's a nice touch. It is 4 floors though, the basement has the locker rooms and the cycling area, then everything else is on the 2nd-4th floor. So you do get a little bit of a work out just getting to the cardio equipment being that it is on the top floor. But hey who's complaining that is why you are there in the first place right? 

The only thing I don't like is the used car salesmen tactics, unfortunately. If I tell you no then I mean no. Just let me join the gym and if I need a personal trainer I will let you know. I don't ever remember it being like this in the past. Maybe they have a different credo? The parking is not bad, that I have experienced at least. 

There are two parking garages and you can also park on the street. For a membership it will cost you about $40 for just this location. If you want an all club membership its around $50. Also you can add a family member for $34.
4 - Alvin J.: I'm surprised at the overly negative reviews. Some people complain that they were ignored when they walked in, some complained that they were being harassed by employees trying to sell them whatever.  I just walked in, scanned, was greeted politely and went on about my business, just like any other 24Hour Fitness.

 The layout does feel a bit cramped but then again that's a matter of preference and doesn't deter from the functionality of the place. People complaining about having to walk too much to get to the gym is hilarious to me, but the lack of stairs on the parking lot could be a bit of a safety hazard. Plus I can imagine during peak hours parking could become a huge pain in the ass.

Other than that, the place looks great, they have every machine you could want, they have a lot of classes on their calendar (I would expect the list of classes to become a bit smaller as time goes by just like it happened at the Galleria location), they have plenty of towels and the locker rooms are big.

Agree with David N that a review will be needed in a few months and that the Midtown location will probably remain the better one.
4 - Elizabeth T.: I was nearby and decided to give this location a whirl. The parking left alot to be desired but the staff was very friendly and helpful. I LOVED the treadmill with the tv attached and I was excited that I could hook up my iPhone and watch a movie straight from my phone on a personal bigger screen! It was VERY clean and I was very appreciative of the towel service because I ended up leaving my sweat towel at home. The showers were wonderful I didn't have to shower hop to find a shower that had good water pressure or didn't have a defective knob. I will definitely have to return to this location again even my son enjoyed himself in the kids club, he even requested to return another day.
4 - Jana P.: I love this gym!  This gym is close to my home and I'm so happy that they opened this.  I was scared that since this was a Super Sport that it might be super busy like the one in downtown and really... it is not. Every single time I enter into the gym, i'm greeted with my first name when I didn't even check in yet. Pretty impress that most of the employees know your name.... very friendly customer service.  I've been here early in the morning, lunch, after work, or late nights and its not packed at all. 

This gym has 3 levels plus basement area. The basement area is where the cycling class is and the men and women's locker room. I believe in both locker rooms they provide shampoo, body wash, towels, and hairdryers. The first level is where you coming in to check in, the kid's play area, and the pool area (which has the jacuzzi, pool, steam & sauna room). The second level is where the weights stations, and the body (arms, abs, legs, and etc.) machines. Lastly, the third level has the basketball court, the aerobic class, the treadmills, elliptical, bicycle, stair masters machines. 

Oh yeah... plus this location has amplify of parking... there's two garages with a 24 hour security guard. I always feel safe coming to the gym. :D
4 - Leslie K.: i like the new location, but maybe it's because i'm a girl.  most of my male friends were not impressed.

i go to 24 because of the group x classes and this is the place for an abundance of them.  

i love how the treadmills have individual tv screens on them.  i feel extra glutinous when i'm watching food network at a slight jog 

i don't mind walking up and down the stairs for the locker room (basement) and cardio equipment (third floor) = warm up!  haha
i haven't been into the basketball courts, but they look unimpressive.  

the parking garage does not  have stairs....kind of dumb having to walk down the ramp.  although, i think there is a garage on the tangley side - i would just try street parking further down dunstan toward morningside
4 - Chris C.: This is nicely renovated over the previous Bally's, as I used to go there a few years ago.

The whole layout is slightly weird with so many floors, but I was really impressed by the openness of the free weights/body exercise space.  And plenty of mat were available so you didn't have to lay on the floor.  Plenty of exercise balls and towels available on the workout level.

The only thing that was weird were the lockers, as they were manual rather than the digital ones at the Galleria.  Maybe next time I'll figure out how to use them!

Big big spin class downstairs.  I'll definitely have to come here during MS150 season.

Swimming pool and spa are nice too, as the windows let in the light from the first floor.  So not your typical windowless pool facility.  You just have to watch your step, as the locker rooms are below and you have to climb/descent the stairs with wet sandals!

Overall, a good gym with nice and clean facilities.
3 - Theresa N.: The pros: 
- TVs on some of the cardio equipment (like 1/3 of the treadmills, 1/3 of the stairmasters, 1/2 the ellipticals, and none of the bikes)
- New machinery - i.e. the TRX machine, stretching machines, etc
- Cleaning wipes to wipe down machines (even tho probably only 1/2 the people actually do this...I'm looking at you, Mr Sweaty As Hell Stairmaster Dude)
- Nice locker room facilities. There are even a few lockers on each floor that has locks on them so you don't have to bring your own.
- Plethora of parking (especially in comparison to other locations aka Midtown and Galleria)

The cons:
- There's not enough cardio machines with personal TVs! Additionally, some of the cardio machines with personal TVs do not work...and there's no apparatus on those machines to be able to tune into to the community TVs. Which is a problem...I'm not one of those crazy people that can run for 30 minutes in silence.
- For a new facility, I was expecting a lot more...as in a lot more group exercise rooms (there's only 1 regular group exercise room and 1 spinning room), more cardio machines (although that hasn't really been a problem, even during "rush hour"), and more room for weights (this IS a problem...especially during rush hour!)

My biggest complaint? I was asked to refer a friend and receive a $20 gift certificate if the friend signed up. Well, said friend signed up, and I never heard from them about my gift certificate. After talking to 2 separate people on 4 different occasions and leaving my number twice for a club manager to call me about the situation, I have heard zilch. Talk about crappy customer service!
4 - Adrienne O.: This makes the 24 I'm currently working out at look like a filthy high school gym. The upgrades are amazing here, and there's no shortage of equipment or towels. Free lockers are a huge plus -- shouldn't most gyms offer this? I don't think most gym rats rent lockers or keep locks on them overnight, so it seems at least half of all lockers should have the built-in lock.

The classes fill up really quickly, which seems to be the case at any 24 in the Central Houston area. I do wish more classes were offered on the weekends and mid-morning.

The parking garage lacks a staircase, so you waste time walking down through the cars. But I can't complain too much, because it beats the hell out of the parking situation at Elgin.
5 - Rubi C.: I really like this gym. The bodypump classes are the best. In the morning during the week its about a 3/4s full. The saturday morning class was packed beyond belief. Im not crazy about parking because like everyone else said, there are no stairs. I have always found towels and everything has been clean, then again I dont go during rush hour. Overall I dont have any complains.
4 - Kevin D.: I am a fan of this location and I come here almost everyday. 

The staff is great, everything is clean from the pool & spa area to the locker rooms - I actually have no complaints to speak of since the place opened.

Also, I never have any trouble parking my bike.
4 - Phi L.: Wow this place looks awesome!! I parked on the street before I actually saw the garage parking for 24's guests...but eh that was fine. I managed to walk by the pool before going in, and it looked reallyyyy nice (and empty, so that's another plus!) 

Lobby--who has a lobby for a gym? I've never seen a lobby for a gym...one that takes up a whole floor! There were tvs, computers, and lots of lounge/chairs/couches for you to kick back, relax and hand out if you like. 

I had to go downstairs into the basement for the locker room. My toilet kept flushing by itself while I was changing, so that was kind of weird, but neat at the same time :) 

Downside? Well it depends on how you look at it. I had to climb up 3 flights of stairs (past lobby floor and weights floor) to get to the top for the cardio machines. There was my cardio! I loveeee all the tvs they had and there was also a bunch of folded towels for you to use and then toss into laundry bins scattered throughout the floor and lower floors. 

Only did cardio here so I didn't check out the weights section. Maybe one day! Because I was just in the area, I came here with an all-club pass, which is different from the super sport, so I got to try it for free but would need to upgrade my membership if I wanted to go there regularly. It was a nice experience, but I'm already contempt with the one by my house!
4 - Tina P.: I've been here twice and I was blown away by how nice it was the first time, but the glitter is starting to wear off. 

The good:
Garage parking
4 levels, lots of space and machines
Lots of TVs
Free towels!!!

The bad:
There are no stairs in the parking garage. It's very inconvenient to walk down the ramps especially when you're on the top floor.
Some of the machines are already out of service. Not all of the personal TVs work on the machines.
Awkward layout with the stairs. It can get confusing.

Overall, I'd probably come here again if it was included in my all pass membership. However, I don't think I'd pay to upgrade my membership since apparently, my membership doesn't cover super sport clubs. Whatevs... I'm happy with my other 24 anyway!
4 - Tracey S.: This gym left me in awe.  Everything is new and awesome except the multiple floors and two of the disinfectant wipe dispensers in the cardio room running out by 8:30 pm on a Tuesday evening.  I prefer gyms with only one floor.  The whole gym was like a space-age workout resort.
4 - Long T.: Solid gym in the old Bally's location in Rice Village.  Overall, 24 Hour Fitness remodeled the old Bally's location and deemed it a Super Sport location.  Overall, I'm not sure if it's that much better than the other locations like the Galleria, but they do offer a good diversity of classes that others lack, such as the Bodycombat class.
3 - Charlene I.: Right now I'm going to give this gym a 2. If there is one thing I can't stand it is a dirty MF. Thanks to the New Year everyone has all of a sudden decided they no longer want to be obese or  finally decided they don''t want to be fat. So they have all piled into my once clean, cool, good smelling gym and ruined it with their filthy and lack of respect. This place is a hell hole right now, I've tried coming later in the evening or earlier, but I can't win it is consistently and annoyingly packed!!! There is never any parking in the front, people have extreme pronounced body odor and stank halitosis breathe that some times makes it unbearable to workout . Not to mention I now have to wait in line for machines. Oh and no one ever re-racks their weights in this place anymore. Reaching my breaking point.....but on two separate occasions I found blood on the machines....utterly disgusted......For now this place just pisses me off, I'm hoping all these pretenders will leave by the end of February and I will have my pleasant, clean work out facility back. And people even more so then ever are leaving the workout equipment drenched in their filth and sweat yuck!
4 - Sheila C.: Nice club but needs more classes, especially spin classes in the mornings.  Needs more water fountains.  The spin classes in the basement do not have any water available except in the restrooms.
4 - Anze U.: Great place to work out! I got 3-5 times a week. Even during the busy hours of 4-8 pm there is always enough space for everyone. It is a good idea to bring a lock for the locker room as sometimes the lockers with the built in locks are full. 

There is always parking even though most of the spots are somewhat on the small size for compact cars.
4 - Aimee L.: If you can get a deal on an upgrade, DO IT!! The Super sports are definitely a lot nicer then the rest of the 24 hour fitness clubs.

This location isn't the most convenient location to me, but I rather go here then the one on Richmond (not a Super but has lots of the same equipments). The parking here is very convenient. They have two attaching garages plus a fairly good amount of street parking. 

I like the fact that since it is a super sport there are less members therefore it is less crowded. The worst thing to me at the gym is having to wait forever for machines and changing up your routine too much. Here that isn't a problem.

The equipments are all new since this gym hasn't been open very long. I love that they have the TRX section in the gym which is accessible to all members. TRX workouts are great at helping strengthen core and improving balance. 

Also they offer all the Les Mills classes here and the instructors are energetic and fun. Lots of classes on the schedule so you have many options to choose from.
2 - J J.: The location is great and the facility had all the machines and amenities I want in a gym, but the staff do not keep up with maintenance. The towels are always overflowing and just a dirty piles all over. Trash on the floor. Dirty bathrooms. It's kinda gross.
4 - Kimberly W.: I love this 24hour fitness!! Parking isn't that hot, but it isn't really all that good at any gym (during peak hours anyway)...
5 - Dennis H.: I have trained at this location since January 2012. I work out at this gym 6-7 times a day. I know the employees there very well now, and when I walk into the gym, they greet me with smiles on their faces (and they say my name!)

Parking: Is not a problem. With two parking garages, parking on the street, and if you come during non-peak hours, there is plenty of good parking.

Locker Room: Located in the basement floor, they have lockers for members that want to bring their own locks, and lockers that have a number dial lock built in.

They have plenty of free weights and machines, everything is clean, organized, and it doesn't feel cramp in this space compared to the regular sport 24 hour fitness gyms. They have a number of cardio machines and built in televisions, so you can pass by the time rather quickly. They have two basketball goals and a racquetball court on the third floor, and they have so many group classes that aren't offered in regular sport clubs.

Personal Training: I have had two personal trainers during my time at this gym. They know what they are doing, and they help motivate you to do better and to meet your fitness goals. My trainer, Diego, will makes sure to focus my work outs on what I need to accomplish my goal, and also makes sure I get a good sweat before the session is over.

Overall, a great gym that I highly recommend.
5 - Omar K.: Clean...nice equipment...and always open. Can't complain
4 - Liana T.: Clean gym, spacious work out areas, variety of machines and towels are provided. Took a star off because I wish they had battle ropes here like at the Elgin location. Overall I am happy with this gym.
4 - Webs G.: Great, friendly service.
A LOT of space.
Nice locker rooms.
Great Les Mills classes.
5 - Natasha G.: it's close to work, has a pool and large covered garage so my car doesn't get as hot in this terrible weather.
5 - Fabian E.: I love the classes and the crowd.  A great place to dig deep.
3 - Jordan B.: Quickly there are two parking decks... One on the south side of the building that is 1/8 full at the busiest times. So parking is not a nightmare, most people don't know about the extra parking.  
This is much better than the Midtown 24 - cleaner, less crowded etc

24 Hour Fitness - Houston, TX (29.7063065, -95.4126089) (Braeswood Place, West University)
3 - David N.: This is a very small 24 Express.  It has mainly machines and a few free weights.  It is 2 stories with a small aerobics room downstairs and the weights and cardio upstairs.  I come here after working in the medical center because they stay open until 10 pm.  If I want a more serious work-out I go to the 24 in meyerland.  The people here are very nice and not a lot of meat heads who are screaming as they throw around their ridiculous weights.
5 - Marisa F.: Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like me?  She would be if she worked out at 24 Hour Fitness medical center.  This gym is full of friendly staff wanting to go way and beyond to help you meet your fitness goals.

Jillian is my trainer, I visit her twice a week and the workouts she gives me are personalized to my fitness level (advanced).  I suggest Jillian to anyone who is in need of a fantastic trainer.  I am giving this location 5 stars based on their customer service and the top notch quality of their trainers.  Ariel is also a fantastic.

"Jillian, I have a Maxim photo shoot in 2 weeks!"  Jillian gets me there in no time.  

This med center location is cozy, it is perfect for the get in and get out quick workout.  When I'm bored of my usual treadmill routine, I opt for their kickboxing or hip-hop class.  To cool down I stay for yoga and sometimes if I have extra energy I go for pilates.

Their gym hours are not 24 seven, but I will not take a star off for that because, I believe in quality over quantity (their retarded midtown location, eww!)

If you are looking for a cool new club to try out, the med center location is worth the visit.  

It is a smaller location so don't expect it to be the huge.

I bought I body bug that was not Mac compatible, 24 is not supposed to exchange or refund body buggs, but they went way and beyond and sent my body bugg back to corporate, I got a refund and 24 sent me a new Mac compatible body bugg, customer service like this is what keeps me a club member.
4 - Danielle S.: So far, this has been the best 24 Hour location for me.  This is the second closest to my apartment (the first being Midtown, but since I didn't spring for the Super Sport membership, I can't go there) and I was really impressed.  I suggested my workout buddy and I meet at this 24 Hour as a way to split the difference as I was over at my folks' in Bellaire and she was home in Montrose, and after my visit tonight I think it'll be our regular meeting place.

This used to be a small private gym when I was in high school, but has been absorbed into the 24 Hour Fitness chain in the past few years.  I pulled into the parking lot and had to leave my car way, WAY down the row.  But hey, it's a few extra calories burned walking over, right?  I was expecting the place to be packed with gym-goers when I stepped in by virtue of the busy parking lot, but surprisingly it seems like the owners of most of those cars were either patronizing other businesses, or were in the yoga class being held when we showed up.  We traipsed upstairs and I was completely flabbergasted to find that the cardio machines and machines making up the weight circuit were largely unoccupied.  This is the kind of gym I like!

Since it's a 24 Hour Fitness Express, there aren't any showers (just lockers in the main area) basketball court or a pool, but considering I generally just take advantage of the cardio machines only, this is a fantastic option for me.  The machines are a bit older than the ones I've seen in other 24 Hour locations but seemed to be in good working order, and I had no complaints about the staff.  Overall I think I've found my ideal gym, after a few weeks of searching for the perfect locale.

Another perk of this Greenbriar 24 Hour is the CVS just down the strip center.  You can get your G2 for a whole dollar cheaper by picking it up before your workout!
5 - Peter C.: This gym is designed to get you in and out. Being one the smallest gyms in Texas, this location has everything I need. Workout area is located upstairs and mainly has cardio equipment, weight machines, and free weights. They also have a circuit training zone that is designed to give you a total body workout in under 30 minutes. Downstairs is the locker rooms and Group X room. Most of the classes start at 5:30pm on weekdays and early morning on the weekend. Club hours are Mon-Fri from 5am-10pm and Sat-Sun from 8am-5pm. The staff is nice and friendly and members that go there are serious about working out and comitted to staying fit.
3 - Dennis L.: I've been checking out my gym options for rehab work on my knee, and this is the backup location that I go to (24 midtown is my primary location).

This place is small, no doubt about that. But it's got everything I need. This place is less busy than the midtown location, but has shorter hours. If I have to get my workout in during the rush hours, I'll come here instead of midtown. I wish there were dedicated bike racks outside, but there are enough random poles around the parking lot that I can lock my bike up no problem. For drivers, the parking lot is a total zoo during the evening rush hour; good luck finding a spot.
3 - randy s.: Writing Review While Having a Garage Sale!!!

This is the tiniest 24 Hour ever.  I mean there is just not much here.  But it serves it's purpose.  You need to work out on a machine...  there's nobody there to wait on.  Need a treadmill...  there's nobody there.  Dumb bell, bench, a mat...  still nobody there.  I don't think there's ever anyone there.  Which makes it's cool but adds to the boorish routine of working out in the gym.  At least you'll never get hit on at that gym (like I always get hit on all the time.  I'm sexy... hahah)  Great for you women looking for a gym to work out at in peace.

Special Note:  They always have clean towels and lots of them.  Not like there is anyone there to use them.
3 - Anna W.: An itty-bitty gym. There isn't that much parking in front of the gym, so, during peak hours, they'll be taken up, but, as it's located in a giant strip mall, there's plenty of other parking. After you work out, you can nosh on healthy foods from My Fit Foods or carb it up at Fred's Italian Corner.

There are two showers in the locker room, three bathrooms, and somewhere around a dozen lockers. No towel service. I find it hilarious that the ladies who work out here will go to the bathrooms to change. Seriously, we've all got the same junk. We've seen it all before. I promise not to ogle, though no guarantees on not assessing. 

Besides the kids zone (which is open for a few hours in the morning, maybe...8-11am?, and a few in the afternoon, something like 4-6pm?), downstairs has the classes. Upstairs are the weights, some stationary bikes, treadmills, and ellipticals. Though there aren't a ton of machines, even during traditional peak hours, there are always machines available, which isn't to say that someone won't decide to sit down next to you and yap away on her phone. Shut up, lady. I really have no qualms about looking like crap here, because there's a higher proportion of older (and perhaps, out-of-shape) people who work out here.

I'd talked to someone who works here, and he said that 24 hour will be opening larger and nicer gym near the Village and closing this location sometime next summer.
1 - Joe N.: This gym tops the worst gym I have ever been too.  The equipment is not kept up.  If you use a personal trainer, don't use one here.  Their experience and knowledge of fitness and diet is lacking greatly. They gave me a 2 week trial then tried to sign me up before I said ok, had about 3 pages of crap and penalties if you break the contract before time was up....  Stupid... music in the gym. Light pop??? Really?   Talk about motivating---NOT!.  Could go on more about other issues this gym has, but I think you get the point.

Glad to hear their out of business !!!

Would give -1 start if I could.

2400 Dry Cleaners - Philadelphia, PA (39.952614, -75.179174) (Penn Center, Rittenhouse Square)
1 - Lauren E.: The man who works there is really nice, but they did a terrible job of hemming my pants.  I got them back and then immediately went out of town and had to wear them all weekend anyways.  I had my pants taken up, tapered and the original hem put back on.  The pants were still way too long, they were not tapered AT ALL, and I could see exactly where the original hem was attached because it was sewn back on unevenly.  I am definitely going somewhere else next time.
3 - Ka-Lin H.: I've gotten my bridesmaid dress altered here for a RIDICULOUS price. I think they charged me like $45 or something along the line for a simple hem. They did an OK job. Definitely not worth $45. When I got my jeans hemmed here, it was a reasonable price of about $10, but it was so obvious that the hem was done crooked. I don't think I'll ever come back here.
3 - Louis D.: I like that they're green, plus 10% off Wednesdays and Saturdays.

I've only had shirts and pants cleaned here, to mixed results. Some stains out, others were still there, although I don't know enough about dry cleaning to say whether that was more my fault or theirs (probably mine).
2 - Barrett L.: I think when it comes down to it, the only reason why I went to this cleaners was that they were located in the basement of my building.

They're a decent neighborhood cleaners and will clean just about anything you bring them.  To be fair, I think their prices are a bit steep, and even though they take card, they strongly prefer you pay cash (even if you're above the $15 credit card minimum).  While the owners are nice, they don't always get the job done.  I remember needing two shirts for interviews cleaned and pressed and they didn't take the stains out.  That bugs me beyond belief.  I would never ever trust them with alterations though (I have my guy for that).

Frankly, I can't imagine anyone other than those who live at 2400 who would use these guys to clean their clothes.

241 Optical - Cambridge, MA (42.370973789813, -71.1139011383057) (Harvard Square)
5 - Sarah L.: For those of you who are as blind as I am, this is an amazing find! I love having more than one pair of glasses to choose from, and you'll be able to expand your selection without depleting your wallet at 241. 

This is a small eyeglasses shop right in Harvard Square that's run by a Russian brother and sister, who are just wonderful. They are so kind, knowledgeable, and pleasant. Yulia is especially good at picking frames that will work well for your face. 

Though the frames aren't name brand, they're still of good quality, there's a really solid selection of plastic and metal frames, and the price is extremely reasonable...especially since you get 2-4-1, yes, two pairs of glasses for the price of one.  And since the lenses are made in-house, you can usually pick up your glasses on the same day you ordered them. They also do tinted lenses for any of the frames, so you can also get prescription sunglasses. They also do the usual super-thin plastic for high prescriptions, and anti-glare coating. 

Do have your prescription from the optometrist when you go in. Great place to use your flex spending account. 

I highly, highly, highly recommend this place!
5 - Liz K.: Amazing eyeglasses deal (two for the price of one, with no additional costs for anti-reflective coatings, thinner lens material, or even sunglasses) AND a fantastic selection of unique-looking frames. 

As Sarah said, the two owners are so friendly and helpful without being pushy--they used to be in wholesale so you get the feeling that they really know what they're talking about in terms of frame quality. According to the shop owner, the lenses and frames are sourced from Japan.

There are dozens of optical stores in Harvard Square but I would personally guarantee that this is the one place where you'll be more than happy to give your business.
5 - Charles B.: What a good experience! 

I am fussy when it comes to eyeglasses, and I have a hard time making up my mind. The owner here was extremely friendly, patient and helpful. Extremely low-pressure too - in fact he tried to talk me into a much less expensive pair of glasses than the ones I had initially wanted. 

Prices were very reasonable (I ended up paying about $350 for two exceptional pairs of glasses with anti-glare coating)

The selection here is smaller than some places, and the brands are Japanese designers that I hadn't heard of - but the frames seem very solid and there are some really cool designs - it was very difficult to choose two because there were so many good ones. 

So - I'm a very happy customer, and I bet you will be too :)
5 - Miriam L.: I don't think it gets much better than this!  I'm pretty blind, so regular lenses aren't an option for me, and 241 Optical did charge me a little extra for the strong prescription, but nothing near what I've paid in the past.  They have a great selection of frames and service is top quality.

As an aside, I wear contacts everyday, so my glasses don't get heavy wear.  Because of this, I can't really speak to durability, but I've had no problems.

Just remember to bring your prescription with you when you go.
5 - David C.: I've been wearing glasses for about 15 years and this is easily the best place i've ever been to when buying a new pair.  They are honest with you about what looks good, and are also willing to work with you on special cases.  Michael and Yulia (spelling?) were very helpful, and I think they deserve a ton of business.  There are so many glasses shops on the same street, but this one was by far the best when I walked in.
5 - Cecilia L.: The dog we were sitting for ate my glasses. I was pretty upset because I have a super strong prescription and need special expensive thin lenses. I couldn't remember how much I had paid for them, but guessed they were a few hundred dollars. But Michael at 241 was terrific and helped me out. They normally offer two glasses for the price of one, but he said if I really needed just one pair, he could take half off the frames. He also helped me decide which frames were best for me without being pushy at all. I got a sharp pair of designer glasses and a cool case for just $175. And Michael emailed me when they were ready, which was so convenient I wonder why every store can't do that.
5 - Roanie B.: Michael was great.  I needed glasses when I lost a contact and he fixed me up within the hour when I took in my prescription. I had called around and couldn't find anyone who could do it that fast. 
The 2 for 1 price enabled me to get Stylin' sunglasses too which I came back for another time. Michael seems like someone with a lot of integrity, very helpful.  I'm posting because I'd like to see them get the good business they deserve.
1 - Pt N.: Seriously, not worth your time. If you want to spend some money on a good set of glasses, you want a place with MUCH BETTER customer service and warranty as well! 

About a year ago, I spent $400 dollars on a pair glasses (and got another expensive pair free, which i thought was a good deal). The frames are nice but constantly loose and keep slipping off my face. I've had to retighten them so many times. 

Last week they finally slipped off my face and landed on the floor, somewhat gently but a piece of the frame snapped and the lens fell out. I went to the store and the woman (It's a brother/sister run store), was basically like "Oh, its just broken plastic now. Sorry". No sympathy, no assistance, no help at all. I asked about the warranty and she said "Sorry. You can try to superglue it". 

So there goes $400 

I am never going back to this store, and I strongly recommend against using them.
4 - Summer A.: The eyeglass frame selection - 5 stars
As a lifelong Lenscrafters customer, stepping into 2-for-1 was like entering a brave new world.  Who knew glasses could look this good?!?!

The prices - 4 stars
I like the two-for-one aspect of the deal.  Of course, by the time you get duped (oops, I mean convinced) into getting the extra special non-glare lenses, you'll end up paying a little more than you wanted to have paid.  But all in all, you're still getting a bargain to be able to create two different looks in your frames!

The customer service - 3 stars
The lady who helped me find my glasses wasn't exactly the "warm and friendly" type, and I can't tell whether she was particularly attentive given that I was the only customer in the store at the time.  But she did her job, and I have two fabulous pairs of glasses to show for it!

All in all, I recommend that you at least stop in here if you are looking for a new pair of specs!
5 - ryan v.: 5 star customer service!!
5 star price!!

As I walked I was promptly greeted by one of the store owners, Michael. Michael was very friendly, gave out some good suggestions and pointers. You'll find a no-pressure sales enivornment unlike going to car dealership. 

After you selected your frames, he'll begin to evaluate the measurements of your face, nose, etc as you sit down. A good thing to bring with you is prescription slip to get the best results for lenses. 
All the frames are made in Japan and the lenses mainly Japanese or German.

Depending on what frames you get and the prescription strength, there's a chance that you might get it on the same day or a couple days later. Once you receive your glasses, Michael will do one more evaluation for the correct fit and make adjustments from there.

The overall experience I received here was beyond my expectations. I would definitely recommend this place. Remember you get "Two" frames "For" the price of "One" hence the name 241 Optical.
5 - b w.: Bought a pair of glasses about 6 months ago.  We thought the 2-for-1 deal was really good.  The shop buys directly from large frame manufacturers that produce frames for brand-name vendors.   Friendly, helpful service.   The frames have continued to look & perform like high-quality frames.

I returned yesterday after a screw fell out of the frame, and they replaced it on-site for free.
5 - Brigid F.: I have had two pairs of glasses from them for close to 2 years and they are still both fantastic.  I thought initially, why do I need 2 pairs?   but, if you misplace one pair, the other pair comes in handy.  and I've done so a million times.  

the frames are superior to other frames I've had.  I have a small nose w/o a bump and have had problems w/frames staying on the face.  but not these frames, they are light and very well made.  the lenses have also not scratched.  

in response to PT N who gave them one star, s/he complained that a pair fell and broke.  I find that unlikely, as mine have fallen and not broken, but, assuming that is correct, PT N failed to mention if one pair of glasses broke, then s/he had the second pair as a backup?  what could be better?
3 - Liz A.: I came here to get some glasses last spring. The siblings were very pleasant to deal with, and all in all, I'd say this is a great place to get glasses if you have a fairly standard prescription.  

However, if you have an odd prescription, like me (super bad astigmatism/myopia), the game changes a little. If your prescription is really strong, they can't make them in-house. The Rx will have to be ordered and you'll have wait a few additional days, compared to other customers.

Also, another drawback of having a strong prescription is that you don't qualify for that sweet two-for-one deal, which really bummed me out. I smell sight discrimination! How come I should be disqualified just because I have terrible eyes?! It's not my fault! I guess I understand, though. Strong prescriptions must take more work or something.

The other annoying thing about having a -15 prescription is that many many frames are unsuitable for the lens thickness that I need. That stinks too, but that's certainly not 241's fault. 

Again, the only reason I give 241 3 stars instead of 5 is because I feel it's rather misleading to offer a 2-for-1 deal, and then renege if the customer's prescription is too difficult.
5 - Christina B.: Brother-sister team are very pleasant to deal with and very patient.  I was looking for frames in a specific color and the sales woman was very helpful - even going out back to pick additional options from the stock not yet on display.  I settled on a pair of glasses and sunglasses and they are both perfect.  Can't beat the price and selection.  I will be back.
5 - James S.: I just got my 4th pair of glasses from 241 today.  They have a range of interesting styles, spend copious time with their customers, are never pushy, and have superior value overall.  I tell all my friends to go there for their next glasses and have always had good comments on my frames.
5 - Jonathan F.: The best! Seriously, I only rejoined Yelp cause these guys (actually brother and sister team) deserve huge kudos. They were literally almost half the price of a nearby competitor on pricing and as great on style and, in my mind, the best on service. Lovely people who reflect the best type of business. They really care. They went out of the way to make sure this customer was happy and they didn't need to.
2 - P G.: I got my glasses about 2 months ago.  At first, I was really pleased with 241-- the customer service was great, there was a huge selection, and I got 2 pairs of titanium frames with anti-reflective lenses for around $300.

After a couple of months though, you can figure out why they're so cheap.  The lenses keep falling out of both of my pairs, no matter how much I tighten the screws.  The hinges also keep loosening, and my glasses fall off my face almost every time I bend over. 

Bottom line-- they're just cheap.  I would have been better off paying more for one pair.
4 - Marie H.: I went here for non-prescription glasses to wear with my existing contacts.  Everyone I dealt with was pleasant, friendly, competent and did not try to force me to spend unnecessary money.  If your needs are more complex I could see this perhaps not being the place for you -- it has more of a "come here to get glasses" feel, as opposed to "full-service optometry" -- but for what they are, I was very pleased.  My very spiffy glasses have held up great since I've gotten them, too.
5 - John D.: After shopping all around Cambridge and parts of Boston, 2-4-1 offered the most competitive prices by far.  I needed a new pair of lenses, and other places I visited wanted to charge me anywhere between double to quadruple what 2-4-1 charged me.  Michael is a great person and very kind.  He is very willing to accommodate the customer's request and make it convenient for the customer.  I know where all my friends will be going to if they ever need glasses and I highly recommend anyone in need of new glasses/sunglasses/lenses to check out 2-4-1.  If I had visited this place first, I would've saved myself a lot of time shopping around.
5 - Erik M.: One of the lenses in my RayBans cracked. Luckily, on a walk through Harvard sq this evening, I stumbled upon 241 optical. Within 20 minutes I had two new wonderful looking, premium quality lenses set in the frames. Great service and reasonably priced. And I couldn't stop checking out some of the frames. Very cool stuff.

This place is well worth a visit! Just don't whistle inside...
5 - Jessica T.: A couple of weeks ago it was recommended to me that 241 Optical would be able help me get prescription lens into a pair of vintage frames. I finally got over there today and amazing! Michael helped me -- he looked over the frames and said they looked sound, but, of course, with vintage there is no guarantee. I left the frames with him and, in about an hour, he had them cleaned and ready for me with high index lens in my prescription. I've never been happier with an eyeglass purchase. Thank you so much!
5 - Misha W.: This place is great: my wife got two pairs of glasses from here a couple of years ago,  and I just ordered a pair I'm incredibly happy with. The deals are great, especially with the two pair deal, and most importantly, the service is great. Yulia (who was the only one there when we went in) was very honest, tactful, helpful, and unobtrusive. Having shopped around all of the other Harvard Square eyeglass places, I can say that they have consistently been the best.
5 - c x.: To start, the owners impressed me by allowing me to try many different frames on my own with no pressure at all...it was so easy to shop there. Once I chose a few pairs, they helped me narrow down my choices to the two that really looked best, and yet they were kind enough not to push too hard in any certain direction, so I could make up my mind at my own pace.

The selection of frames is maybe not as wide as some other places, but I had no trouble finding great designs. Most of them are very modern yet not overstated. I ended up with four pairs of glasses with AR lenses, including a pair of prescription sunglasses, for a total price that I feel would be comparable to getting just a single pair made at some-other-local-eyewear-establishment-if-you-did-not-know-about-241.

And you know what? I think they were even less expensive than going the online route.  Hard to believe.  But I'm pretty sure that's true in my case, however I'm sure this depends on what options you choose.
5 - Pokey R.: I have had an extremely difficult time shopping around for glasses in the Harvard area - rushing to places that close by 6pm, finding frames that I liked, and trying to figure out the pricing schemes. 241 Optical instantly made the shopping experience much easier.

First, they're open until 7 on weekdays, which makes coming by after work a lot more relaxing. Michael was helpful yet unobtrusive - a balance that I've had a hard time finding in other shops - and very pleasant. I forgot to bring my prescription slip, but generally knew my numbers, so he offered to either call my optometrist or take an official copy of the prescription over email.

Second, they had a great selection of frames all available out in the open. No waiting for someone to unlock a case.

Third, the prices. Every time I picked out a frame somewhere else they quoted me a $400-600 price on glasses and lenses. The frames I liked at 241 were $200 and they had an easy pricing for lenses: the options cost free, $30, $60, and $100. Can't understate how nice it is to deal with up-front pricing and round numbers. I walked away with two pairs at this shop for the price of one at a different shop.

The staff notified me by email when my glasses were ready - just two days after I ordered them.

All in all, everything I could ask for in a shopping experience - affordable, fast, technology-savvy, and great customer service. Will come here again.
5 - Melissa D.: My past several experiences ordering glasses have been unpleasant, expensive, or some combination of the two. Luckily, I had an A-HA! moment and decided to try YELP to find a new business from which to purchase my glasses. Enter 241. 

I work in Harvard Square and the last pair of glasses I purchased cost about $750. Granted, they were a very high-end brand name, but still, that's a lot o' cash. At 241, I purchased two pairs for $360, including paying extra for anti-glare and high index lenses. What a deal!

When I walked in, I was greeted by an extremely pleasant person, who was helpful, but did not pressure me. I thought the selection of glasses was certainly adequate, and was able to find four pairs that I liked, which I narrowed down to two. I should note that my coworker came with me, and she, similarly impressed, also ordered two pairs of glasses.

My glasses were ready two days later and they are beautiful. Note that most glasses at 241 are ready within hours, but they did not have my lenses in stock at the time (I have a very strong prescription!). 

I couldn't be happier with this experience. Thanks 241 and thanks, Yelpers!
5 - Jennifer Y.: I couldnt believe the price and stylish frames this place had.  The owner is very pleasant.  They usually email u when glasses ready but I requested phone call and my glasses were sent promptly.
5 - Michael S.: I was always disappointed with the frames my optometrist carries and I was always overwhelmed by the price and gaudiness of some of the designer shops when looking for frames.

I checked Yelp! to see if there were any other shops around the area I should check out and landed on 241.  I was able to walk out of there with a pair of primary glasses and a pair of prescription sunglasses at the end of the day, spend only around $300, and be very pleased for months to come.  

I do love the two for one deal, but I think what draws me to this place is that they have a very simple shop full of awesome frames.  The frames are all stylish, but not too crazy to the point where you can't ever find a time and place to wear them.  These are mostly everyday types of glasses of all shapes and sizes.

Awesome place, excellent service...I will probably never get glasses anywhere else.
5 - Karisa S.: History:
I've been going to Lenscrafters for my entire life until today. I decided to try a new place that was cheaper and had a more stylish selection that appealed to me. I read all the reviews for Boston area eyeglasses stores and I decided to check out the shops around Harvard Square. 241 was in my top three places in the Harvard area to visit based on the great reviews. 241 was my last stop. 

Goals:
I wasn't completely satisfied with the other nearby stores because of the prices, the styles, and the fit. I am very picky about my glasses. They have to look good, fit comfortably, and be cheap. 

Price:
ALL OF THEIR GLASSES/SUNGLASSES ARE 2 FOR THE PRICE OF 1!!!!! And the price tag includes the cost of the prescription lenses. The average price of glasses is ~$200.  
Anti-glare/UV coating I think costs about $40 per pair.
Transition lenses cost $100 per pair. 
I ordered one pair of regular glasses ($199) and one pair of transition glasses ($100 for transition) so my total came out to $299. 
I actually got FREE anti-glare coating on the first pair because the man at the store felt bad that my prescription lenses were out of stock. So I basically got a $40 discount.

Experience:
I walked into 241 not expecting to like anything and boy, was I surprised! I liked so many of the frames that I had trouble picking out just two. 
The store is small, but the selection is very well selected. 
The man working there was so nice for giving me that discount and I liked how he didn't hover over my shoulder. If I had a question I could just ask him instead, which I prefer when I go to a store. 
My only and very tiny complaint is that 241 only has one big mirror for customers to try on glasses.

24th Street Theatre - Los Angeles, CA (34.03469, -118.284481) (South Los Angeles)
4 - Ken N.: This is actually not a "cinema", it's a small theatre - possibly 99 seats? - that does consistently challenging and interesting and theatrical work.  There is apparently a company of the same name (24th Street Theatre) that works out of here, but whenever they've hosted other companies, like Circle X, the work is always inventive and it seems like they're always able to create really amazing effects on obvious shoe string budgets.  I've seen Sandra Tsing Loh perform a show here last year that was so funny, people (that'd be me) were stomping their feet, trying (successfully in my case, I promise) not to pee their pants (she's part of the current season, doing a show called MY DINNER WITH SANDRE later this year).  I just saw a very bizarre but compelling play about faith and Robert Oppenheimer in the post-nuclear age that is a prime example of why I think live theatre can be the most magical and transformative of all the arts.  LA has some of the best actors, directors, and writers in the country, all trying to make it in Hollywood, and all with talent to burn that they have to put SOMEWHERE, since they so seldom get to do it for cash, so as a result:  LA has some of the best low-budget theatre in the country.  This little gem is a prime example.
5 - enhage r.: Community theater - strike that - professional theater at its finest in the USC University Park neighborhood.
5 - Ivonne R.: Don't let the size of this little theatre fool you. They bring powerful, impacting Latino perfomances to the community.  I've seen a few of their projects and have not been dissappointed! 
They also do so much for neighborhood youth.  They have a wonder after school program called "After 'Cool" and bring the world of art that many of these kids.
24th Street Theatre "es una joya en el barrio". 

Great for the family. If you bring your kids to a performance be sure to check what the recommended age limit. The staff is wonderful.
5 - Laurie S.: La Razon Blindada -- Playing September 18 to November 7  

This production was mezmerizing.  Not being a spanish speaker, I had thought I would lose the performance to the supertitles projected at the top of the stage--but nothing of the sort happened.  Rather, the quality of the acting and writing was so excptional, that I was drawn into the production to the point of forgetting that I was reading the super titles.   

Small theatres often bring good work to our communities, however, when done as well as last night's performance, it is a gift.  Thank you 24th Street for wrapping this present and bringing it to Los Angeles.

You MUST take the time to see this production.  It plays 3 times a week (Fri, Sat., Sun mat.) through the begining of November.
5 - Vardui K.: This place is amazing!

26 West - Austin, TX (30.291367, -97.7438593) (University of Texas, West Campus)
1 - Alice F.: In response to the management's comment:

As I stated in the second sentence of my original review, I resigned because in the first year that Jefferson 26 was open, I did not experience any major problems. All the things I have stated in my review are problems I have experienced in my second year there and as a visitor. And clearly I am not the only resident that has experienced problems, evident by the other Yelp reviews and by word of mouth.

Granted that the intentions of Jefferson 26 may be to promote a welcoming environment. I'm pretty sure you all are not intentionally trying to promote Jefferson 26 as a party complex. However, it is what it is. As you have said, Jefferson 26 has over 1000 residents - it is simply too large of a place to keep up with all the problems that I have stated in my review. Yes, it is in West Campus, but I have lived at the Quarters and currently another location in West Campus and my experiences were not anywhere close to Jefferson 26's. Since Yelp is a place to discuss the experiences that Yelpers have had with various businesses, I do not think I really have to validate the experience of "holding my breath". I do not feel like it is an over exaggeration at all. I have walked past the trash room too many times on the first floor. I have smelled the rancid milk puddles that have been dribbled all down the hallway to the dumpsters. There would be a crowd of flies all the way from the trash room to the dumpsters. I have witnessed and smelled random individuals vomiting into the hallway corner.  And yes, I have especially held my breath when I open the door to a stairwell because someone had peed there the night before. I agree the maintenance team is hardworking because I know it would try my patience if I had to clean up after the crazy residents, but that's my point. The sheer number of inconsiderate, disrespecting residents, that only keeps on growing, is what made my and other residents' living experience at Jefferson 26 unpleasant.  

I'm not sure what the housing laws are on security, but I do know that the door between the Quarters and Jefferson 26 worked without a security card for several months. And of course, I am sure you know that visitors did not actually need a security card at the front door for a couple months either, since the door remained broken and anyone could just pull the handle and walk in. 

I do not see the point in discussing the paint issue since I have already moved out and there is no way to prove either side. However, since I lived there for 2 years with 3 other girls, of course there was the normal wear down on the paint, but I believe we were charged despite the "normal wear" clause.
1 - Erica C.: DO NOT LIVE HERE!!! OR AT ANY GREYSTAR PROPERTY.

Alice F's review is completely valid and 100% true. I've lived there for 2 years and experienced the exact same issues. The holding of the breathe is actually an understatement. The combination of pee, poo, rancid trash would immediately cause a gag reaction on any poor soul walking passed. 

I lived there the first year it started leasing. There were a few minor problems that were forgivable being a new apartment. The major issues came the second year. The number of disrespectful residents is horrendous. It is guaranteed that you will not be able to sleep every night as it's a huge party complex with loud music and screaming all night.

The management is terrible. The are rude and unresponsive. Not only was the experience living here completely horrible, it continues to be relentless as they bill you unlawful charges. Apartments cannot bill you charges for normal wear and tear. I got an $78 bill when itemized was for paint. PAINT. I sent letters disputing this bill and calling the complex which they became unresponsive and deferred me to the collection agency - "once it becomes collections, we have no control over it, bye!".  I've given up on the dispute and want to just put this horrible experience behind me and just pay the unlawful $78. However, multiple calls to collections and leaving voicemails left me in a dead end. I called greystar corporate about 5 times, got transferred to 3 different people, and left voicemails to settle this annoying amount so I can just move forward with my life and off my credit report.

DO NOT LIVE HERE unless you want to not sleep, practice holding your breathe, deal with gagging, broken security gates, and a relentless charge on your credit report that you cannot get rid of for the life of you in 2012 when you lived there in 2008 . Don't say we didn't warn you!!!

As a working professional, this experience has scarred me to a point where if I see GREYSTAR management on an apartment, I immediately put it on my shitlist and avoid living there at ALL costs. I suggest you do the same.

Check the filtered reviews for more proof on how awful this property is.

29th Street Ballroom - Austin, TX (30.2954948, -97.7416978) (University of Texas)
5 - B M.: New Year's Eve at the "P Spot" (US Art Authority is housed in what was once a plasma donation center) was a smash!  We headed out to the Art Authority for a couple drinks and to hear dj's...turns out they had a lot more going on.  Funky old movies were projected on the walls while everybody danced--so much fun.  Out back the big patio area had seating around a fire pit for us pyros.   They even had a guy grilling veggies out there.  The patio was open to SpiderHouse, so we were able to hear a couple live bands, too.  The cigarette girls roaming with selections of smokes and individual-sized champagne bottles were adorable.  Met some cool people that night; glad we checked it out.
5 - Holly O.: What a nice new venue/bar.  I really like the welcoming feel of this place. Very contemporary without a bunch of clutter. Plenty of  room for an art show, dance or music show.  Very nice bartenders, make it totally worth your while to tip. And the DJ is very compliant with song requests.  I really love this place.!!!!
2 - Carla S.: Well I hate to be the dissenting reviewer since the two prior reviewers loved this place so, but I did not.

First every single person in attendance was confused as to where it was (including someone helping with the show).  There is nothing that clearly marks where you are to go.  Several of us were standing in front of the place and could clearly be seen by the people right inside the locked door.  No one bothered to tell us the proper place to go.  Several people went next door to Spider House and were sent back to where we were to begin with.  

Finally it was sorted out that we should have gone to the back.  We entered through a completely unmarked wooden fence that I would have never guessed was the place to go.  

(anyone going in the future, you evidently have to wind your way on through SpiderHouse's patio and maybe you'll find it {others who were told this could not find it either})

we were lucky enough to have gotten there early enough to get chairs.  both the chairs I tried were precarious,  i was stablizing myself on the chairs of the two people i was with. 

now the show was awesome.  if it was another event like "Mortified", i'd go back; however, i would need to know that whatever i was watching was going to be worth my while.

god, i feel so complain-y, but i really was put off by the venue.
2 - Mary C.: Word to Carla and Marla, we had the exact same experience at the Mortified event. Pain in the butt to find the entrance, I was in the group of strangers mentioned by Carla (I was w/ fellow Yelpers, and I didn't even realize it?!) all linked together by our confusion on actually getting inside this venue. 
Once inside, it was really smelly. Like muggy smelly. Our table and chairs were unstable and wobbly.
They were out of the beer my bf wanted and the Bloody Mary I ordered, I seriously believe was a shrimp cocktail sauce, with a splash of vodka.

I echo the statement that I would come see Mortified again at this venue.... but otherwise, probably not.
4 - Lorena O.: You may remember this place as the United States Art Authority.  Now dubbed the Spider House Special Events Center, it seems as though the new name has ushered in a wealth of changes, and from the looks of the old reviews, they're changes for the better. 

Upon entering, I was greeted by one of the most eclectic bars I've ever laid eyes on.  This was neon I could appreciate - no Miller or Bud Light signs here!  The venue is small but very open and intimate all at the same time, the perfect setting for last night's Mortified performance.  

I enjoyed checking out the various pieces of art strewn about on the walls and even on the walls outside.  If you'd written this location off before, I say give it another shot.  I think you'll like it better the second time around.
4 - Kevin N.: Oddly enough, I wandered in here for the first time recently. I note this as odd largely because during my nearly ten years in Austin, I've never once made it over here. I guess that's a testimony to circadian rhythms if ever I've heard one. This time around, it was the clarion call of the Mortified show (and specifically the participation of Jessica "lowercase" S's participation in said show) that brought me in. On that side note, I highly recommend A) asking Jessica what her story was about, as it was awesome and B) catching a Mortified show when you can. Who knew that I was supposed to keep all of that ridiculous tripe I wrote back then? Certainly not I.

The Spider House Special Events Center (formerly the US Art Authority, RIP) is a great venue for these types of intimate shows: it's a small, angled space, ambient and rife with character. There's a small bar tucked in the other room, and the stage dominates the main event space to your immediate left upon entry. It was large enough to feel semi-anonymous on a night like this one, but small enough that even at the back of the room, you always felt part of the proceedings. And I'm sure that at least to some degree that was due to the clever and nostalgic (and frankly, hysterical) readings that demonstrated our experience. But the warm embrace of the Special Events Center didn't hurt a bit either. It's likely I'll be back.
5 - jimmie d.: ok y'all, first of all, the art authority is not closed. it is being operated by the artseen alliance now but it is part of spiderhouse, which is where the confusion about it getting shut down or whatever. i have hosted and been to many events in this space, and i have to say, it is awesome because it is tucked away a little bit. you don't have this random influx of people stumbling in on an event they may not even be interested it or know about. for my purposes, that's a plus. i personally know the people who are operating this space and they are super cool and nice. they donate the space for fundraising and other charity events and are actively seeking to build community around art events.
4 - Jessica F.: Went here for the first time last night with only a few wrong turns made.  I admit that any street beyond MLK confuses me especially in the UT area.  I live South so have very few reasons to go past downtown.  Caught a hilarious stage production of "Saved by the Bell" last night and really enjoyed it.  The size of the venue was great and I wasn't straining to see.  I liked the bar setup and thought the canvas of Audrey Hepburn was particulary cool.  I will definitely be back for next month's show and look forward to going next door for a drink.
5 - Tara M.: I have been here numerous times for Fashion and Trunk Shows when it was called the United States Art Authority and always thought it was a good venue for that sort of event but last night just blew my mind! 

I went to the Animalesque Burlesque Animal Show benefiting Austin Pets Alive last night and I am still trying to figure out how to describe my experience!?! Animal Burlesque how does one describe that? 

Mistress Kayla and Miss Scarlet were f****** Fantastic!
5 - Lenell R.: 1. IT IS OPEN!
2. The times I've been to USAA have been a blast.

It is a truly great local venue for the Arts in Austin. 
The server, host and other staff are provided by the event (not the venue/USAA) most times. 
When I go, I use the clearly marked entrance on the street side of the building.  The entrance through the  Spider House courtyard is not hard to find either, and it gives easy access to the Spider House food and drinks!

I'll be going back :)
4 - Omar Z.: nice space
2 - Toriphil E.: went there for the first time saturday sept 11th, 2010. granted i went early and didnt stay more than 15 minutes but i was the only patron in there. an hour after opening and they were still setting up the artwork. no muzik. no conversation or pleasantries. i'm being extra nice giving 2 stars. the bar next door was alot more enjoyable.
4 - Tania H.: I was there on Friday night attending a charity event called Animalesque, basically a burlesque show with a silent auction.
I found the place a little hard to spot, but otherwise I thought the event was very successful and really enjoyed the silent auction that showed some quality art work.
Alcoholic beverages were available at the bar and they even had a covered street patio for smokers.
5 - Tara L.: This place never fails to blow me away. The black-box theater space can be re-arranged to accommodate  any event you can fathom. It's no grand concert hall but every art show, trunk show, concert, birthday party, and stage show I've ever seen here has been a blast. The ambiance is great and the bar drinks flow freely.

You feel like you're in an avante garde film, or maybe a moulin rouge depending on the event...

I love the red mood lights and the marquees as art pieces adorning the walls inside, and the outside staging area made for a great screening of Saturday Night Fever around the fire bowl after ringing in the new year. 

I get the warm and fuzzies thinking about it because at it's heart this place celebrates art and provides a great venue for those who share that same passion. 

Check 'em out and see what's shakin' because there's always something to stimulate the senses going on at The United States Art Authority. Always.
5 - Lauren C.: LOVE this place. I've been here for the past few nerd nites and to the 2011 showing of Mortified (a ridiculously awesome and hilarious show that you should definitely catch next time). 

Comfy booths. Cool lights. Only had one time where the temperature regulation was really off, but otherwise it's been quite comfortable inside. 

They don't have food but you can get that next door at Spiderhouse and bring it over. 
Drinks are reasonably priced. And they sell strongbow cider in cans.... WIN. 

Fantastic venue!
4 - Karen B.: This little venue is a master of disguise, transforming itself into space for art exhibits, dance parties, band performances, etc.  Door fees depend on the event so be sure to check the host's website prior.  The event of the evening began with It's All Better in Drag, a "come as your alter sex ego" hosted by the fab Luna Tart, backup band Kings and Things and other eclectic soloists.  As soon as the patrons of this event filed out, the hipsters trickled in for a dance party.  The full bar has a nice selection of draft beers (no glass, please) and, while I'm not typically a beer drinker, felt the need to indulge in the wheat and hops of Fireman's #4 while dressed as a "king".  Sippin' an unoaked Chardonnay just seemed wrong.  Clean unisex restrooms with little or no waiting.  Walk next door to Spider House for eats and great people watching.  Parking sux so drop any stiletto heeled girlies off at the door or be prepared to hoof it a few blocks.
3 - Adrienne O.: When I heard I'd be attending a concert at some place called the "29th Street Ballroom," I had no idea what we were talking about. On 29th Street? I lived on 28th Street in college. Near Spider House? Oh wait, owned my Spider House. It was an art supply store? Or an Army surplus? Whatever. We're going.

Since it's so new, the venue is remarkably clean for Austin and lacks that old beer smell. The restrooms are clean (for now). But the sound quality is kinda terrible, and they should honestly fix it. This place would kill it if they got some sound person to come in there and retrofit for music. There are so few venues within walking distance of West Campus; I can see this place getting huge.

It's got a great, big outdoor seating area, prime for hipster-watching. The female bartender was your typical bitchy, I'm-better-than-you old hipster, so it's obvious she's a transfer from the coffee shop. Sigh. The things we'll put up with for a beer.
4 - Jeffrey F.: Love the Nerd Nites they have here...a little Spartan for my tastes and parking is a bitch, but better than downtown...
5 - Koko D.: I have played and watched shows here and it's my favorite in the campus area. The patio is great because there is limited room inside when they are using the small stage by the bar, but you can still hear the music well from the patio. They have interesting drinks... this is the only place I have seen giant cans of beer like the hobos and myself enjoy. If you want to hear some good/interesting bands and be wowed by the fashions the hipsters insist on sporting these days, check it out. The cover is never over five bucks as far as I know and there are a lot of free shows.
5 - Arthur M.: Night patio.
3 - Jessica A.: 29th street ballroom is an interesting music venue but I only say that because the first time I went there a few years ago, it was being used as a multi-purpose facility.  I am pretty sure there was an art show there of some sort.

Although the bar area is tight, the main room is huge.  The stage in the main room is pretty elevated which means everyone can see, regardless of how many people are there. The smaller room is my only complaint: the bar is literally next to the tiny stage. During busier shows, it gets crowded at the bar.  The bartenders are good about fast pours, but there are still lines.

I should mention the bathrooms can also be seen as a negative (1 seaters) but since so many other bars/venues have that same issue, I don't even really complain about it anymore.
3 - Ben B.: 512 beers on tap, next to spider house and a good taco truck, cant complain!
5 - Andrew C.: I saw Paul F. Tompkins here a little over a month ago and had a blast.  The venue was comfortable, the drinks were strong, and everyone was very pleasant.  I have never been to see music here so I can't speak for the sound quality.  Good beers on tap, good selection of liquor, decent priced shows.  I'd absolutely go back.
5 - Clowndog B.: I saw The Sword here and a Talking Heads cover band. Bad ass!
5 - Jomar V.: Great venue!!! I come here every Tuesday and the bar staff is very friendly and extremely courteous. Good drinks and specials too! It's great that they now have a food cart on site. Door staff is super great. Last time I was there, there was a very intoxicated man trying to get in and the door handled it really well. Great Austin venue!

2nd Wind - Carrboro, NC (35.910457611084, -79.0704193115234) ()
4 - John L.: 2nd Wind is a fascinating place.  Catering to sports and sports enthusiasts, it's a juice bar, bar, and restaurant, all in one.  As I have been known to play sports (softball, indoor soccer, kickball, meek attempts at football and basketball, and, of course, Tecmo Super Bowl), I do have at least some justification in going here.   It is definitely catering to the more ultimate frisbee/extreme sports crowd (the paintings on the windows are of people playing ultimate/guys climbing up mountains, ultimate frisbees are all over the wall, and sometimes they show highly hypnotic 1980s skiing videos).   

Overall, it seems like a nice place to chill, and hang out on a nice evening.  Situated perfectly in the midst of Carrboro's hopping bar scene (The Station, Southern Rail, and Spotted Dog across the street; OCSC and Tyler's/Speakeasy just down the street), it offers a nice middle stop during bar crawls or other tomfoolery.
4 - Lisa G.: havent had the food, so no review on that...

bar hopping found myself there with some friends, not gonna lie, was possibly really drunk and/or heading that way...

stopped in here to check it out and liked it alot more than i thought...friendly crowd, drinks OK...but im not a fan of short pours and/or the use of jiggers to make a drink...cut costs somewere else...its tacky. 

overall...great little joint, a little too bright at night. dim the lights, make a proper drink and i will def. be a regular. 

great bar hopping place but a little too stiff right now to call it home, which a bar in Carrboro should feel like. i will return during the day to check out the vibe.
3 - Caroline S.: A new bar in Carrboro that's less Carrboro and more Raleigh.  No offense Raleigh.  But let's be honest, Carrboro, the Paris of the Piedmont, touts funky and fun bars and hangouts, but 2nd Wind isn't one of them.  It's your run of the mill bar with no character and some tvs playing the game.  On a Wednesday night they had a singer on a mic at the back of the bar. While nice to have some entertainment, it was loud and difficult to hear anyone sitting next to you.  The service was great, very friendly and attentive.  Tried their soft pretzel which was good. While 2nd Wind may not be my cup of tea, it looks like it'll be a good hangout for the younger crowd.  They have a great location (next to Armadillo), so just by location they could do really well.  But meanwhile, I'll stick with OCSC.
3 - Kaitlin D.: This was the first stop on my quick trip to North Carolina over the weekend. I can't really commit to more than 3 stars, but with caution in mind. I came here immediately after arriving--we drove straight through the day from Cleveland, so I may have been in a slight all-day-car-ride-haze. We also only stayed for one drink, as we were arriving late to the "party."

The sign outside is a little misleading because to me it seemed more like a quaint, hippie joint inside. The artwork was really cool and I liked the outdoor seating in the back. I only had one beer here and it was a pretty good local brew, so I can't speak too much for selection, service or food. 

While we were here, it was empty of others, so I got a nice look at the interior, but it was just so strangely ghost towny...the bars across the street were getting all of the business and from an out of towner's perspective, it seems as though that happens a lot. But, I'm the type of person to avoid raucous crowds, so I'd probably choose 2nd Wind more often anyways.
3 - Andrew D.: I don't want to go bagging on these guys. I mean, the beer had bubbles ... the glasses were clean ... 

It sort of feels like a bar placed in the middle of a rectangle? I guess it will take some time to acquire that obligatory "gezellig". But for now it kind of feels like a space that used to be something else but is now a bar. 

When we went, there was no AC, I assume that's a temporary situation, because you know that doesn't fly in NC. 

I had a credit card issue, they handled the call this morning, and if I haven't updated this with invectives then it means they resolved it amicably.
4 - Felecia B.: So nice to have this little bar in downtown Carrboro right next to the Armadillo Grill on Main St.  I was a little unsure about this place because anything that touts itself as a "Sports Bar" isn't usually my cup of tea, but this place was so understated with two tvs and no one screaming, YEAH and fist bumping that I relaxed and enjoyed a few beers.

There is an inside are and outside area in the back.  It's small and cozy but felt comfortable with a nice range of ages.  Mostly 30's and up when I was there which is where I fit in, so I was digging it.  

It is relatively new and the bartender we had was his first day and I thought he did great.  He was the perfect combination of solicitude and warmth without being overbearing or ignoring you.  I felt just fine sitting at his bar.  They had a nice selection of local beers on tap plus Sierra Nevada plus about 20+ bottles of beer.  Also all the liquor for mixed drinks, top shelf stuff and wines and champagne.

I regret not getting something to eat.  It was a small but serviceable menu.  I wouldn't go just to eat, but as an add on to your drinks perhaps.  One lady had her dog in the bag patio which was cool so seems to be kosher for dog lovers.  

LOVE the bathroom.  Seriously, I have never seen a bar ladies room that classy.  Mosiac, beautifully painted and smelled really clean and fresh.  These little things make a big difference.  

The sports theme is minimal-thank god-mostly ultimate frisbee which is cool by me.  Nice laid back atmosphere.

3 Steeple Street Bistro & Bar - Providence, RI (41.827427, -71.409843) (College Hill)
4 - Lee H.: Cozy atmosphere, with two smallish table areas and bar.  Great for an informal sit down lunch or a relaxed dinner.  Always something interesting on the menu... most recently I had the special smoked salmon and boursin cheese omlette, quite tasty.
4 - Michelle S.: Comfortable neighborhood bar with decent food.
4 - Jason C.: LOVE IT!!!!

Everything on their menu is terrific and the ambiance is equally as impressive.  However, I did need to give a 4 star rating because their menu is limited and may not have something for everyone.
5 - Bill M.: My Favorite Restaurant in Providence!

Bill & Julie took a Providence staple and made it relevant again.  The food and service is top notch!  Everything from as simple as the Billy Burger (Grilled onion, Swiss cheese, mushrooms.) to the Pork Tenderloin (Herb marinated & char grilled, with rosemary merlot demi & house mashed potatoes), you will find something you will love.

For the beer fan, they are one of the few places in Providence to have a Belgium Tap System.  Meaning you will always a have a fresh pint here.  The bar area is very nice and thats were I normally sit.  They always a have a great bar staff.

Head to 3 Steeple Street tonight!
5 - Aaron K.: 3 Steeple Street . Nice place.

Had the Grilled Cheese Sandwich and 2 Stonehill IPA's. Friendly local atmosphere. Traditional pub interior. Food & Beer well above average for pub grub. $17.50 and a tip. I would definitley come here again.

The sandwich while not the traditional grilled cheese is totally delicious. It was made with bacon and avocado in addition to cheese and tomato. I was impressed. 

Take the five star rating for what it's worth I had a sandwich and two beers but nothing comes to mind when thinking why I would take a star off the food/service of this good simple pub/ bistro.
2 - Annie J.: I ate at 3 Steeple Street for the first time on Valentine's Day.  It was the perfect spot for a romantic dinner--small, dark, but still fairly bustling.  There was a much younger crowd (20's) than I'm used to seeing at nice restaurants in Providence, which was cool.  I ordered the scallops wrapped in bacon with garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus.  Our food was delivered quickly which was very much appreciated, but my scallops were grainy and the bacon was soggy.  Not awful, but I definitely wouldn't order this again.  For desert we ordered a chocolate lava cake, which was so incredibly blah I swear they must have just ordered it pre-made from Sysco.   

3 Steeple Street also features two Providence restaurant scene staples: grilled cheese and mac and cheese.  Some day I will solve the mystery of why these two comfort foods seem to be on every menu in PVD...

If you don't mind paying a little more, Mill's Tavern has much better food than 3 Steeple Street, and the ambiance is just as good.
5 - Steve P.: Went on a whim while out to see Waterfire and had an excellent dinner. We (a party of three) ordered the Caesar salad for the table as an appetizer, which had plenty of shaved parmesan on it. 

I had the pepper-crusted ahi tuna, which had amazing creamy mashed potatoes to accompany it. The tuna itself was quite good, although it wasn't prepared in a way that really let the quality of the meat shine (a bit too cooked for my tastes). 

My brother had a burger with some fantastic sweet potato fries. We finished with a very good crème brûlée and an exceptional cherry bread pudding. 

Our waiter was very friendly, helpful and engaging and the atmosphere was calm and comfortable. They have really nifty walls, with stacked stones and mortar. 

Overall a very pleasant surprise! Being a bit further away from the main drag, I suspect it'd be a great place to go to avoid the crowds.
1 - Vilay S.: The menu isn't too large, but it's all over the place in terms of style. They had things like spiced Asian duck, seared tuna w/wasabi mashed potatoes, Cuban pork tenderloin, and Moroccan lamb stew - all on the same menu. That's a little weird. Maybe I've been spending too much time in graduate school, but where is the cohesion here??? There were a couple of pasta dishes in the $12-$14 range, burgers for $10, but the dinner entrees were all around $20.

They ran out of what I wanted to order, so my partner and I both got the cheap $19 prix-fixe menu that comes with an appetizer, entree, & dessert, all of which is already chosen for you and changes weekly. Today, it was bruschetta, steak tips with mashed potatoes, and bread pudding.

All three portions were all gigantic, so it's a good deal. Unfortunately, the steak tips were not winners. It was funny because we both ordered the same thing, and our first few minutes of eating were in awkward, confused silence, until was able to laugh it off. First, they asked me how I would like the steak cooked, and I said medium rare. The meat was bland, tough and most of the pieces had no pink at all. I know it's hard to cook steak tips to temp because of their size, but if you ask me then you should deliver! Second, sauce was a very bland mushroom-wine gravy. Tasted kind of like a watery marsala sauce. All of this was served over a giant bowl of mashed potatoes, and topped with 3 pieces of roasted asparagus. Third, the mashed potatoes were also weird. They were gritty and something tasted odd about them. And believe me, I really really love mashed potatoes. I fished out some very weird, semi-solid, globular masses from my potatoes. I debated a lot about what they could be. At first I thought it seemed like if you were making a roux sauce and forgot it about it, and you had chunks of hard floury dough in your gravy or bechamel. Then I decided it was more like when you bake potatoes or make potato skins, and the parts that are close to the skin get all hard and weird. I think that's what it was. Maybe they make mashed potatoes by baking them first instead of boiling them? Whatever it is, it doesn't work!

To be fair, the stuff on their bistro menu are not things that are on the regular menu, so maybe it's just stuff that they're experimenting with. But there are so many restaurants in PVD that I don't have to go back to one I didn't like for a loooong time, if ever.
5 - Hillary S.: I LOVED this place. We sat at the bar and ate off the appetizer menu, which was a good way to not spend too much but still enjoy a lovely meal. My friend had the house red, which was great, and we each had a bowl of the truly wonderful seafood chowder. It wasn't as chock-full of fish as I would have liked, but still totally delicious and great on a freezing cold day. Then we split a great Hawaiian pizza (grilled pizza of the day) and an overflowing plateful of sweet-potato fries. 

I loved the ambiance, because it was an old-school bar but still with white tablecloths and a general classy atmosphere. Bar staff was very nice, too.
4 - Lydia H.: Quite, cute little restaurant. Good place for a date.

BEST sweet potato fries you'll ever taste.

I got the French Onion Soup and 3 Steeple Street Grilled Cheese Sandwich (Rhode Island Monthly Best of). they were all pretty good. Our waitress was super cool & nice.

I would definitely go back if I visit Rhode Island again!
5 - Fin H.: 1st visit, I'll be back. Soon!

We visited this past Saturday night during WaterFire and the place was pretty packed downstairs, we had no reservations but they had a couple of tables for two left up in the loft. The place is an old foundry built of old stone, brick, and huge wooden timbers. White tablecloths throughout but the host was wearing jeans - neat, clean, yet comfortable & casual. Some say it is not child friendly but there was a large party upstairs with several children playing around at a table with a semi-booth divider, so perhaps ask to sit upstairs which appears even more casual than downstairs with tons of room.

The waitstaff was awesome, we were tag teamed all night by two waitresses who worked the loft. We started out with a couple of Maryland crab cakes which were very nice, more crab meat than most around here that are mainly bread imo. Next time I won't share with my wife. Then I had a cup of their seafood chowder. After reading some of the other reviews I agree that I've have had thicker but this was not watery either, I found it suitably thick with lots of seafood along with some potato & corn (may offend some purists). Very tastey! Oh back to the crab cakes - yumm served with two sauces with a pleasant bite to them - Chipotle remoulade & Dijon Aioli - wow!

For our main meal my wife elected to have a huge and I mean huge Asian Pear salad with the grilled chicken, I sampled the chicken and it was excellent, perfectly grilled but still moist inside. I really wanted the pork chops but I really wanted the seafood chowder too and decided to keep the fish theme so I elected to have the grilled Salmon which imo was the best piece of salmon I have had in years. It was Cajun seasoned, grilled and served with a port wine raspberry glaze which was very pleasant, along with corn on the cob, and white rice which was good but I think I would have preferred a wild rice (not sure if this is available though) for dietary reasons.

Left totally satisfied!
3 - Matthew H.: My fiancee and I went to this restaurant on a recommendation and I certainly wouldn't recommend it to a friend, family member or colleague.  

The "stuffed" mushrooms were probably the worst, most overpriced appetizer I can recall ordering from a restaurant that wasn't a chain.  They had untraceable amounts of goat cheese, sauteed onions and some type of sauce (balsamic?) but it's irrelevant because it was a joke.  The size of the mushrooms was laughable and the "stuffing" was basically non-existent.

The waiter was awkward at best and attended to a couple behind us before us even though we'd been seated first.

The menu is bizarre and I can't really tell what the restaurant is trying to be.  I have to agree with James B. with respect to the art and the bathrooms - both are a detractor here.

The main meal was actually fantastic which is what salvaged the place.  Cornmeal encrusted catfish with snap peas and mashed sweet potato - EXCELLENT.

So I would say that I'm not mad I went, but would never allow anyone I know to risk it.
4 - Bailey M.: Came here late at night on a Monday, so the place was almost empty. Our party of four sat at a table, but the bartender served us. 

They were out of Sam Adams Light, which the bartender didn't know until after taking our drink orders and coming back to offer up some other beer selections. But that was the only major problem. 

I ordered the American Burger with sweet potato fries. The fries were excellent--- a little bit sweet but mostly salty and definitely deep fried. I wanted to eat them all but the portion was so generous that I took some home with me. The burger was just a burger, what can I say? 

Little things like bringing me my ketchup in a tiny ceramic cup instead of a nasty ketchup bottle upgraded the dining experience a notch, and was much appreciated. I would like to come back and try something more adventurous on their menu.
3 - Lou P.: Priced ten to twenty
Old industrial building
Sweet potato fries

The Monday and Tuesday Burger and Beer special really can't be beat. It's always a favorite, although they bank on people like me who don't just get one beer and leave. Seriously, who does that?

If you're going the healthier route, the salads are quite good, and they've usually got something special on the lunch menu that's a perfect mid-day repast. The last time out I had a delicious Asian pear salad with some of the freshest greens I've had all winter.

I really love the wood and brick interior, it's really warming and gives the place an intimate feel. It is kind of dark inside, so if it's a first date make sure she's hot before you get four deep inside.

Points deducted for a lack of cheap parking and price point of some items being a touch too high for the return.
4 - Darcy G.: I liked this place, unfortunately I stopped by early this week and it was closed with a sign that said it is closed, probably indefinitely. I wonder why; it always seemed busy when I went there.
1 - Andrew G.: This place used to be a nice combo of interesting architecture with classic, american food.  

Unfortunately, it has really gone down hill.  The last time we went (waterfire and it was not crowded), the food was borderline inedible it was so bland.  In addition, the service was slow and somewhat rude.

It is funny, I used to have such nice memories of this place ten years ago, which are completely ruined now.

3-16 Entertainment DJ Services - Stanford, CA (37.423548, -122.159745) ()
5 - Pansy S.: We can't thank Robin enough! He was our DJ at our wedding and he did such a fantastic job! Robin had everything we were looking for - uplighting, projector, wireless mic, etc. He played all the songs we wanted and more. Robin is wonderful to work with - very easy going, quick in responding, and takes the time to know the clients. He definitely is great at his craft!
5 - Sam K.: Stanford QSA uses DJ Kuya every chance we can get!  He has great taste in music, is easygoing, has a fair price, and he brings all of his own equipment.  He is also incredibly nice and has done lots of events in the Stanford area, so he knows what he's doing.
5 - Alexandra L.: I found DJ Kuya on craiglist while having a hard time looking for a DJ for my wedding that provides the whole package (lights, slideshow equip, emcee, etc) and can guarantee us and our guests a great time (as I have been to lots of boring weddings clubs and functions in the past), all at an affordable price. And after months of searching, I found him! Robin is extemely nice, patient, flexible, and prompt with everything that he does, and goes above and beyond to ensure your big day is perfect down to the last second. He was an excellent emcee, played all music from ceremony to reception to slideshow etc without a single hiccup. He has great taste in music and mixes very well (we specifically requested hiphop, r&b, dancehall, and threw in some traditional cambodian music) and he kept the party going all night. My husband (who was skeptical about me picking a dj) was very impressed and to be honest we did not expect to have as much fun and enjoy our wedding as much as we did!  Lots of our guests complimented on the music as well and I have been told by several that this is one of the more "funner" weddings they have been to, and I owe it all to DJ Kuya. Thanks for making my day perfect!!!

30 Boltwood - Amherst, MA (42.374527, -72.518396) ()
4 - Courtney R.: Since my last review, we have visited 30 Boltwood on 21 Feb and 6 March 2012. On 21 Feb, we had lunch and the service was wonderful. Our waiter was very eager to find out the answers to my questions and remembered to clean the crumbs from the bread as well as the stray drip of soup from our table. The Potato Leek soup was wonderful. It had great texture and flavor. I had the flank steak for lunch. The steak was cooked perfectly and had a wonderful seasoning. My only complaint with my entree was that the fries that came with the steak seemed of the frozen variety and they were garnished with shredded parmesan and parsley as a disguise. The trout caesar salad was predictable, but tasty and not over dressed. The Passion Fruit sorbet for dessert was the highlight of the meal. 

Now, for this evening. We were given a large booth at our request, which I was very pleased about. Our waitress was pleasant and said her specials with confidence. She brought me a taste of wine in a timely manner, and promptly brought our final selections. Scallop Carpaccio was excellent again, and the zucchini ring was unique in presentation, however lacking in flair as was the artichoke nicoise. For dessert we shared a scoop of blood orange- vanilla ice-cream infused with rosewater. I was the highlight of the meal. It was delicious.
2 - Elizabeth K.: We were greeted with a welcoming death glare and "you're 5 minutes early" upon checking into our lunch reservation.  The place was empty - it was lunch - and I didn't know that being 5 minutes early was a crime, but, apparently it is.  (Ironically, later that evening, I got a call from the restaurant I was going to dinner at, when I was 5 minutes late, because they had such a long standby list, they wanted to make sure we were definitely coming.)  

Anyway...

Our waitress was nice but there were these other weird tones.  For instance, where someone else came over after we had eaten apps (not the hostess mentioned above, but, a food runner?  a manager?) and made an a grand gesture about taking away our wine lists as if they should have never been there in the first place and then made some under-the-breath comments about our waitress.  This totally put me off because our waitress was actually the only friendly person I encountered!  I really didn't care that she had left the wine lists.  Then the hostess and other servers would periodically come over and filled up half our water glasses and then totally forget that she hadn't filled up the other half (or purposely didn't, who knows).  

What I did like - their iced tea.  It was super strong!  The Bloody Mary's were also a huge favorite among our table.  The crab cake was probably the best crab cake I've ever had!  

For an entree I got the burger.  So, did my aunt, brother and sister.  My sister, aunt, and I all got ours medium rare.  My brother got his well-done (shame on him and yes, we all criticized him horribly for that order).  Anyway, when they came out, all of them were cooked exactly the same - to about a medium-well.  They were super dry and flavorless.  

My mother and sister's boyfriend got fish and chips.  The menu raves about the homemade tartar sauce.  Guess what didn't come with fish and chips?  Right, so, we had to ask for tarter sauce as well as ketchup for half the group as only half of us who had fries actually got our little ketchup ramekins.  By the end of the meal, there were still some of us sans ketchup.  

Takeaway:  Definitely not worth the price for mediocre food and snobby attitudes.
4 - A S.: Excellent roast duck.

301 Mongolia - Champaign, IL (40.1183536, -88.2435825) ()
1 - Colleen G.: Our dining experience was generally poor.  There were few people in the restaurant, and yet it took a very long time to take our drink orders, get our food, and bring our check.  Service was relatively slow given the buffet-style setting.

I was part of a group of four, and we all selected fried rice for our rice option, however, when our dishes were served we all found chunks of white rice in our bowls.  The roti bread felt stiff and dry, and several of our bowls had bits of ingredients that weren't personally added.  Overall, these issues make the dining experience unpleasant in general.

However, in addition, the food is over-priced at $16/bowl (plus $2 if you want to take your leftovers home).  I never thought I'd say this, but if you're in the mood for make-your-own stir-fry?  Go to Flat Top, in Campustown.
3 - Jason D.: I enjoyed my trip to 301 Mongolia enough for a 4-star review. For create your own stir fry, the vegetables were fresh, the meat was good, and I liked the sauces very much!

The reason for 3 stars? The price. Lunch is $9.99, not bad, but we went for dinner; $15.99 definitely was steep, esp. since there was a $2 takeout charge. For $11.99 or $12.99 even it was a quality meal, I just wish there was a way to not have a $40 dinner bill for two meals and no drinks or appetizers!
4 - Soubhan S.: So when it comes to stir-fry in Urbana-Champaign it was always flattop grill. Now flattop grill is no longer the monopoly in town and 301 Mongolia are its number 1 rivals. 

I went to 301 Mongolia last weekend and I have to say it is my new number 1 stir-fry place in town. The meat are much more fresh,less frozen and there is better variety in comparison to flattop. The sauces are much more interesting and fresh since they are homemade and you get a deeper bowl which is much less messier :) 

Now, I know the dinner price might be a bit too much since it is 20 dollars but a fair argument is that it is unlimited amount of food that you can eat :) the restaurant ambience is very nice too. I'm giving this place 4 stars because of the little pricy dinner bowl. Other than that,im definitely going again some time soon!
5 - Rid H.: Tried it for the first time last night... Had really good service... It's a really nice atmosphere... The food was fresh and there were a lot more meat options than I had expected.... Salmon, crab, shrimp... They've changed their dinner options to one bowl and unlimited... I got the unlimited... Tried a noodle soup with shrimp and warrior sauce... It turned out so good and then got noodles with chicken with a combination of the peanut and chilling sauce... 

Definitely going back ... I want to try their appetizers ... They looked so good on the menu
3 - Benji K.: The problem with this concept is that the food is only as good as YOU make it. If I were king of this castle, I would have some pre-established recommendations for those of us not well versed in sauces and combinations. 

They also don't mix any of the rices with your stir-fry, but they may do it if you ask. 

Also, someone in my party had shrimp in their dish that were part of someone else's dish...sloppy. 

Overall though, I would go there again because I found a combination that I liked. The server's were great, the decor was great, and I liked the background music.

If you are a vegetarian and like a mostly noodle dish, I recommend the lo mein noodles with carrots, mushrooms, baby corn, and broccoli. My sauce was 2 parts teriyaki, one part garlic water, one part ginger water, and 1/2 part of pineapple sweet and sour.
2 - bayrox K.: This is a simple and straight forward Mongolian barbecue. And yes, I really did "Meh, experienced better". Same food, same greasy plate and same mish mash of flavors.

How can you improve on a simple Mongolian barbecue? 

Better ingredients, better service and accommodate what the customer asks for - especially when you are charging a premium for the same simple, easy to make dish/food. A simple request like .... dont mix the egg in the rice but fry it separately like a simple omelette ... should be honored. Instead, we simply got what he decided to make and no explanation on what happened to our request. Whats the point of having a "additional requests" space if you dont honor them. when asked about it, we got a "oh, we forgot about it" and no offer to make a replacement.

The overall experience was as any other Mongolian bbq place - be it in a mall or a food court, only at a much higher price. 

So what can draw a customer to this restaurant? 
food ... if you havent experienced mongolian bbq, its worth a visit
service ... meh. nothing to brag about
overall .. worth a visit once in a while, maybe for lunch
3 - Debby R.: I ate there for lunch...first time diner. Our waitress was very nice and guided us through the process. I tried chicken the first time through and it was good. But the second trip I opted for noodles and shrimp which was delicious. The bread was tasty, although I'm sure unhealthy! I would suggest making small bowls and going back multiple times to try different things.
4 - DJ R.: Finally got around to trying this place last night...

Overall, the food was fresh and tasted great.  The selection of veggies/add-in's was fairly extensive.  They offered a great protein selection...including big fresh chunks of salmon, which tasted awesome!  There was also an odd tasting spicy sausage which I wouldn't recommend unless that's particularly your thing.

If you're not familiar with the format of mongolian bbq places, I recommend asking the server how it works if you're confused.  They offer to turn your meal into a "salad or soup", which I think basically means the veggies are cooked or served raw.  I went for the soup version, and while the broth it's served in seemed like a lot, overall I have no complaints on the taste.  I might opt for the "full" order of rice next time to soak up some of the broth.

I'd say the service we got was adequate.  Our server wasn't the best at explaining the system there, and was somewhat slow at times, but I'm sure that's more the individual as opposed to the overall service of the place.  The ambiance was great, and the prices were fairly typical.  $13.99 for a one-trip bowl, $15.99 unlimited with a $2 take home fee.  Lunch is cheaper at $9.99.  I'm definitely going back to try the Mongolian nachos, which sounded delicious!
5 - Samuel S.: I went here for Lunch not too long ago, and I was impressed.  They have a better layout than Flat-Top, but otherwise It's very similar.  Would definitely go there again
4 - Matthew L.: UPS: reasonable price for a potentially HUGE portion, awesome location, busy and fun with friendly waitstaff and cooks, cheap drinks for downtown, GREAT quality ingredients and they 'use local farmers when possible' which I love, love, love. Oh, and you get to watch the food being cooked!
DOWNS: Red lights make my eyes bug out...and um yup that's about it.
Other things:
Don't order an appetizer unless you can eat a LOT of food.
The wonton appetizer is flavorless - I squeezed lime and added salt and pepper to the dip and it was much tastier.
2 - A J.: First: the good.  301 Mongolia has a cool atmosphere, great selection of ingredients for their bowls, and excellent cocktails.
Now: the bad.  The sauces just weren't very flavorful.  My husband had to go back to the buffet several times to get more sauce just to try and get some flavor!  The roti bread was only ok...  Finally, we both got bits of food that were not in our bowl, not cool!  If I want Asian grill... I'll probably just go to Flat Top.
3 - Liz R.: J pointed out 301 Mongolia to me on our way in to Destihl the night before, and I must admit I was pretty excited to try it out as we both love Flat Top Grill.  So, when she informed me that's where we were going for dinner the next night... woohoo!

When we arrived around 7pm on a weekday, I was impressed by the look of the place.  Personally, I loved the muted red color of the globe lights and the open feeling of the restaurant.  The hostess and our server were friendly.  Practically empty, customer-wise.  I perused the food options as we were seated and liked the variety of veggies, sauces and proteins.  So far, so good!

We ordered drinks and an app - the Mongolian Nachos.  I liked my Martini, another smooth sipping winner... J's Margarita packed quite a liquor whallop... and I hated te nachos (even with some help from sauces from the stir fry bar, it was dull city).

On to the main event - and I'll compare my finds at 301 to Flat Top for those of you who've tried FT.  301 had more basic veggie choices (no premixed 'stir fry veggie' bins), and a whole bin of bean sprouts (yah!  my fav stir fry veg).  There appears to be an equal amount of sauce choices at both locations, but the sauce flavors at 301 were not as robustly seasoned.  301 had many more protein choices than FT but no vegetarian options that I could see (FT kicks butt on veg protein options).  I was able to make my 301 stir fry into a soup, but there was not enough broth and the flavor just wasn't there (and I swear I put 6 ladles of sauces into my stir fry).  301 had more herb and spice shakers too.  301's roti bread was good (and they'll give you extra, same as FT), but FT's roti is just amazing.

If I'm craving stir fry in Champaign, I'll stick with Flat Top.
4 - Mark B.: This is another Mongolian Grill located near downtown that has a lot of good things going for it. The things that were great were the selection of fresh vegetables and protein, including salmon and shrimp. 

The things I didn't care for were  that I thought it was pricey, but maybe I have grown accustomed to the student discount at Flattop Grill. 

I went about 5 PM on a Friday night and it didn't start getting crowded until we left. Service was very good, but almost to attentive as we were at the counter creating our bowls. I also thought it was interesting that none of the employees had recommendations on selections of sauces. Also, the person I went with asked for some simply soy sauce once we had creating our bowls and they had none. It wasn't a major downfall as I found a sauce that was tasty.

Outside the stir-fry, you can also turn your stir fry into a soup or salad which I didn't do. The bread that comes with was just OK in my opinion.
3 - Christina R.: I don't LOVE this place but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone who is craving a good place to eat stir fry. Flat top Grill would be a direct competitor, yet this place is much better. 

They had a fresh array of vegetables, sauces and meats/seafood which is a HUGE plus. They have Calarmari and Salmon for seafood lovers, chicken, beef and pork so theres something for everyone! (there is no vegetarian protein option) 

The Servers recommend eating small portions so you can go up and try as many combinations as possible. Also, It is easier for them to cook with smaller portions as well. Just remember to set your portions 

This place might be pricey for some but I believe its reasonably priced. If you want the most out of your money, I would suggest going there for lunch since it is only $9.95 for unlimited bowls. 

My friend works at 301 so I got a great experience. We started off with the Mongolian Nachos which I was quite impressed with it. The chips were fried with wonton batter i believe, and topped with a mixture of sour cream, green onions, tomatoes & chicken. I would definiltey give this a thumbs up and worth the try!!

Once I got the bowls I went up and added all my ingredients, but when i got to the sauces i was overwhelmed with all the choices. Even using the small cups to try out the sauces didn't make my decision making any easier so I asked the chef for his suggestions and i was VERY happy with my stir fry. I used sesame soy, hunan and warrior. The warrior gave it a little spice so don't put too much if you don't like spicy. 

He suggested also the coconut curry, peanut sauce, warrior sauce and 301 BBQ sauce for more of a pad thai mixture which I didn't get to try. 

We ended the day with the Chocolate wontons for dessert which I'm sure would've tasted 10X better if I wasn't so full. It came out with caramel, strawberry dipping sauces along with whipped cream so it was hard to turn them down. 

Overall, 301 was a great experience, and would recommend to anyone unless you aren't craving for it. TRY IT OUT!
5 - Angie S.: This is fast becoming one of my favorite places to eat.  The veggies are all very fresh.  The atmosphere is great.  I love being able to have a salad and my stir fry.
4 - Raymond T.: great food and tons of choices although i was overwhelmed with the sauce selection. better to eat at lunch time it's cheaper and it's unlimited. tip: if you are going for seconds after handing off your 1st bowl to be cooked go sit down and ask for another bowl and then go make that one and that way your eating the 1st bowl while your 2nd bowl is about to be or is being made. i learned my lesson the previous 2 times iv'e dined there when it took 15 to 20 minutes to make my 2nd bowl. lunch time it's $10.95 at night it's $13.95.
5 - Lydia A.: I was questioning whether to eat at the restaurant or not for dinner on a Sunday night, and as we were pondering outside, we thought that the restaurant was very trendy and the hostess looked very professional and put together. So at the end we decided to go eat there. The food was very good, the hostess and the waitress was extremely adorable. The service was very good. I liked it and highly recommend it. 

p.s. the chocolate wontons were delicioso
3 - Lee M.: atmosphere is nice but hard to enjoy when too busy because the tables are close.
Appetizers are average and though cleaner and slightly better aray 
of options than flat top the price is too steep for dinner.  can spend 
$40.00 for two at a local restaurant and have much better quality. Go for lunch
to save.
5 - Chelsea C.: I had a very pleasant experience here. The hostess who sat us was very friendly and helpful. The decor of the restaurant is trendy but also inviting and it is a comfortable place to eat. The food was delicious and I had a fun experience putting it together. I was nervous mixing so many sauces and ingredients at first but it all turned out to taste amazing together. I don't think you can really go wrong when making it. The servers were very friendly also and I would definitely come back again
4 - Katy H.: It is similar to Flat Top Grill, which has been a campus favorite for a few years. However, the atmosphere is better, the ingrediants a bit fresher and it is NOT on campus (which is huge for us townies). It has a more up-scale vibe as opposed to Flat Top's college-student vibe. 

I do wish they had some sample dishes/good sauce mix ideas, like Flat Top. 

The lunch is $9.95. Sounds like a lot, but the portion was large, and if you do smaller portions, you can make multiple trips for that price. The drink menu looked intriging. I think it'd be a fun date place.

Some mentioned not seeing a vegetarian protien. I believe I saw Tofu, but it was in with the veggies, not the meat section.

We tried the chocolate wantons and I thought they were perfect, light and flavorful. The waiter also recommended the cheesecake.

Speaking of the waiter, he was incredibly attentive. My drink was refilled before I even realized I was low.
4 - Melissa K.: Good food, nice quality and variety of ingredients, love the sauce choices. Also, we went on a Monday and all beers were $1 OFF. Not sure if this is a normal Monday thing, but I like it!

Hats off to the owner - there was a mishap and my food was messed up, but the owner and chef were both very apologetic, had my *new and correct* bowl cooked up as soon as I was done re-making it, and took half the price off of the meal for me. Glad they made up for the mistake.
5 - Suran Y.: Great place! It came to one point where the waiter started recognizing me and my boyfriend and didn't give us menus...

It is kind of like a Flattop, but much better. The salmon is so tender and juicy, it's amazing. In addition, their prices are pretty great! On Sundays, it is all day lunch price, which is a great deal for multiple trips to the food bar!
5 - Stuart L.: One of my very favorite places to eat in Champaign.  As others have said here, the selection of *fresh* vegetables and protein are outstanding, and grilled to perfection.  I've never had anything but excellent service, but I tend to eat later than most folks, and it's never very busy when I go in.
I can't believe that several people have complained about the sauces being flavorless.  They must have used just one sauce rather than mixing 3 or 4 to make their own custom sauce.  I love curry, so I start with that and add a little warrior to hot it up, and then a ladle of whatever else I'm in the mood for.  Adding spices from the shakers at the end makes for even more customization.  
For desert, if you like chocolate, you absolutely must try the fried won-tons filled with dark chocolate.  Save room for them.
4 - Sam N.: Definitely a lot better than flattop grill on campus.  The quality of the meats are also an upgrade.  The sauce choices make for an adventure.  The lunch specials add value for those looking for a deal.  The desserts are pretty good - make sure you try the chocolate filled wontons or the lemon ginger cheese cake.

The service can get slow sometimes, this is the only negative.
4 - Jamie L.: When I lived in Bloomington, I LOVED Flat Top!  I haven't really enjoyed the Flat Top in Champaign during my visits and decided to try 301 Mongolia.  Love it!  I really enjoy their salmon and crab when it's available.  We've always had great service which is a huge plus!  If you're new to the place, try it at lunch when it's cheaper.
3 - Judy E.: This is one of those places that if people want to go have dinner/lunch there I will go with them but it is not a place I will suggest. The food is good but its mainly create your own stir-fry so if it is not good then you didn't put the right food in your bowl. The small plates are good but nothing is spectacular. I find the prices to be decent for what you get. The quality of the stir-fry ingredients is very good and you can tell they keep an eye on it. Good place if you like stir-fry, but definitely get the bread!

30th Street Station - Philadelphia, PA (39.9548473, -75.1832766) (University City)
5 - Billy A.: The keystone (sorry!) of the Amtrak Northeast Corridor line, 30th Street Station is a fully functional grand old dame building dating from 1934. Great location -- it sits just across the Schuylkill from downtown, and offers inside connections to SEPTA, NJ Transit,  four or five rental car counters, and two busy taxi stands too. There's a small food court, with McDonald's, Au Bon Pain, Antie Anne's Pretzels, and Dunkin' Donuts among others. Of course, no train station is complete without a cruisy men's room, and Philly won't let you down.
5 - Poker Bunny Y.: Much less ghetto than you would expect.  It's the Ritz or the Four Seasons compared to Market East.
4 - Russ C.: Ok, So it might not be Grand Central Station, but our largest rail hub has anything you could ask for in a station...  I've been sitting here trying to think of something clever or unique to say about 30th St., but let's be honest, it is what it is, a train station with the usual suspects of stores.  If you have not been here, I will give a quick overview: Dunkin Donuts, Auntie Anne's, Bucks Co. Coffee, McDonald's, newsstands, ticket windows, teary goodbyes, cheerful hellos.
4 - Nicole R.: Funny to review a railway station, but I suppose these are more like malls these days than just a place you go to catch a train.  If you are meeting someone at 30th Street, make sure you specify as to where or you could be walking around the perimeter of the building for hours wondering if they're actually coming.  Trust me on that one.  Thank god for inventing cell phones!

My last voyage from 30th street I had a sandwich and beverage at the little bar.  It had a friendly, non train-station atmosphere and the bartender even bought my drink!  Very unusual...
3 - Jake P.: The way some of you haters write about Reading Terminal being a dirty, pigeon/bum infested holding tank... that's always how I've looked at 30th Street.

There isn't a good bite to be had in here. People will con you. And it's more and more corporate by the minute. 

Still, I've got a lot of memories here, and on a lazy Saturday, it's cool to kick it on the pew-benches and drink coffee with some friends, cracking jokes at/about passers-by.
5 - Jacquelin K.: 30th Street Station is disgusting, we know.  If you can't deal, you can hire a limo service.  5 stars for the incredibly moving angel sculpture.  "Titled Angel of Resurrection, or sometimes Pennsylvania Railroad War Memorial, it depicts an angel lifting up a fallen soldier, to honor the 1,307 Pennsylvania Railroad employees who had died in military service in World War II, out of the 54,035 PRR employees who had served."  My favorite piece of public art, this sculpture stands at an awe-inspiring 36 feet.  It's worth your time to come stand at the base & look straight up to behold.
4 - Caitlin C.: I think if Philly wants to make a better impression on tourists and become a city to be reckoned with we need to A) totally overhaul our Subway system and make it a clean and usable mode of transportation B)make the first thing they see not crap aka: 30th street station.

It's grandiose, but lacks the shine and care it needs to do it's architecture justice.

The food court is also pretty lacking (think Gallery food). There is an Au Bon Pain here, which besides DD should be the only place you eat here.

SKIP LINES: Use the kiosks near the tellers to buy and print train tickets.
3 - Daniel D.: 30th Street Station could be really beautiful, but it needs more love. Right now it seems very desolate, with sounds echoing and fading in the distance. The surrounding area is not that nice, and too needs a face lift.
3 - angela n.: The parking garage was sketchy - we seriously worried that slabs of rotting concrete would fall and crush the car. 

But hey, at 6am we liked the 24-hr McDonalds, easy connections to public transit, and benches from which to appreciate the sleek architecture, lofty ceilings, plentiful windows and natural light...

Ranked 137th on the AIA list of America's Favorite Architecture http://favoritearchitecture.org
3 - John P.: i would of given this three and half stars, but the fact that a cop shot and killed a bum because the bum threw a chair at the cop here, makes it an even three. I've ridden the rails on many occasion, mostly NJ Transit, sometimes Septa, and sometimes Amtrak. I've actually spent most of my time here studying and cramming all night for exams. Yes college students. If you think the library is too quiet, this place might be for you. This place has just enough backround noise, and they have a Dunkin Donuts and Mcdonalds going 24/7.  

I thought I might mention they had the Stanley Cup on display when the Flyers were in the playoffs, that was pretty nice.
3 - Tami R.: So normally when traveling to Philthadelphia I go by plane... my how I despise that airport... but this time I took the Amtrak from DC... which was quite nice (I got to go through Delaware , check!)

But when arriving here everyone was nice and helpful and the ceiling is pretty cool.
3 - Bill M.: The Mini mall food court can be the epicenter of tackiness, but you can get a cheap drink while you wait for your Amtrak train. The Septa part can be pretty annoying and horrible, but it's your best place to go for getting the R7 for your Jersey/New York connection, and connecting to just about every subway line.  The Amtrak line can actually be pretty efficient. so overall there's plenty of good reasons to be middle ground when it comes to here.
3 - Chip S.: I have never spent too much time in here, but it is pretty clean and has a decent amount of shops and restaurants if you are stuck there.

Restrooms off the main hall are okay, cleaned often, private stalls, lots of stalls.  It is not to bad, plan ahead if you are traveling on the SEPTA, 3.5 Flushes.
4 - Khalid S.: I had plans to go to Kababish on 42nd, but the sequence of events leading up to this evening forced me and my roommate to eat here in this food court. I'm a firm believer in things happening for a reason. And tonight the reason was that I was supposed to discover the real Philly Cheese steak which I did at the Boardwalk. I must say I was thoroughly impressed, but the locals tell me that this ain't nothing. I need to go to South Philly to get the real thing. Someday...

There's a decent number of restaurants in this food court.

And you know what? Bucks ain't bad either. It's not Starbucks, still not bad though...
4 - Zoe P.: This place is essentially drop-dead gorgeous and when I lived in Philly, it was in nice shape. 

Frankly, I prefer it to Grand Central and Penn Station. Why, you ask? Because it has lots of great benches. And you might well be waiting in a train station. And the bathrooms are usable. The food options aren't something I'd want to explore very far, but I'm here for budget travel, not cuisine. Update: Bought an egg sandwich at Cosi - it was disgusting, not exactly what I ordered and waiting for it I almost missed the train. At least it was cheap. Travel/News store is well stocked. 

The only real drawback is that it runs SEPTA trains, which are few and far between. 

Maybe it's gotten dingier in the last few years; that wouldn't surprise me a bit. But oh, Philthy, how I love your devil-may-care grubbiness. May you never be gentrified to point where you lose it. Super-violent cops I could do without, though.
5 - Colleen B.: Of all the cities I've lived in, this is the cleanest, most useful train station. They even have healthy stuff like Au Bon Pain (aside from all the pastries)! There are plenty of ways to kill time while you wait for your train and the building is fairly pretty to look at too.
3 - A L.: Ok, trying to help out future Yelpers...  If you are trying to get the R1 to the Philly airport, go to the SEPTA part of the train station, NOT Amtrak.  No one told me this.  

Septa is hidden in the back corner of the station and you walk up to the dirty little area it inhabits.  Well, it is dirty compared to the rest of the train station.  Which of course had a McDonald's in it.

But I think there was a separate food court also if you want an alternative to McD's!
3 - Andy H.: Very beautiful architecture and the Amtrak trains have suddenly started to be on time within the past year or two which I'm happy about!  Their literature says "historically on time" which is a dirty lie.  In 2005 they were NEVER on time!  Literally I always showed up about 15 minutes past my departure time...NO BIG DEAL!  The train was nowhere even close to the station yet!  Then when they suddenly started being on time I would always miss the train!  Grr...

They have OK food options.  The usual suspects - McDonald's, KFC, Dunkin Donuts, Boardwalk Fries among others.  They have a Cosi cafe now too so you can sit and have a cup of coffee while you're waiting for your train!  My favorite though is Delilah's!  It's southern cuisine and was featured on Oprah many years ago.  They have THE BEST mac and cheese (it was Oprah's number one favorite on her quest to find the best mac and cheese in the US and she was right it is really good).  That stuff has like 40 different cheeses in it!  Oh yeah now that's what I'm talkin about, baby!  Yum!  The sweet potatoes and the ribs are good too!
5 - Seiji C.: it just works so well
4 - Christopher T.: This station is so nice and almost transports you back in time, apart from the 40 foot Macy's advertisements. I can picture the train coming in the station back in the 60's though and just the feel of this place and all the buzz when airfare was such a luxury.

You come up from the tracks and immediately are drenched with sunlight and these HUGE ceilings with this gorgeous, timed, chandeliers in the waiting area. The wooden benches just add to the feel of it all. The station is not immediately in the center of town, however it is a quick 10min walk to city center or 4-6mins by taxi. 

There wasn't much shopping apart from a bookstore, but plenty of food to choose from. It is pretty typical mall kind of food like Auntie Annes Pretzels, Subway, Ben & Jerry's, and a pub with some food as well.
4 - Brian G.: It's quite the pretty station. I like the roominess of this station. There are more crazies here than in NYC Penn Station or Boston Back Bay but thats Philadelphia! I love love love the two trucks with Caribbean food outside!! They are amazing. I like all the food options because they are in a very close proximity to where the trains board which is extremely convenient, unlike in New York. 

The kiosk with Southern food here is great too! I love the big huge board better than the board in New York too. I like the big statues. I like this station a lot.
4 - Patrick N.: This is a train station.

High ceilings, ornate decorations, that booming voice calling out the next train to arrive and leave, this is a great place to board a train to Boston or New York. I know it's no Grand Central, but most of the rest of us, it's good enough. 

The staff is pleasant, the signs are easy to read, and you feel like you are taking a trip back in time, especially as the early afternoon light streams in to illuminate the concourse.
4 - Carrie E.: Amazingly, I find this place to be incredibly peaceful. Even with all the people running around like the world will end if they miss their train (and maybe it will - who are these people? They could be curing cancer and eradicating hunger for all I know) there's something calming to me about it. 

I love the high ceilings and stately wooden benches. I love it that birds make their nests high above commuters heads. I love the ticking sound that the board makes as it updates the arrivals and departures and I love that there are people from all walks of life who pass through there every single day.

I can't wax poetic about the food court or the bookstore (I've already reported how I felt about THAT purgatory) but every time I come through here a strange peace fills me. Who knew a train station could inspire such passion?
5 - Gordon D.: 30th Street Station is a beautiful art-deco structure, built in the golden age of rail in 1930.  Although air transit has mostly replaced rail 30th street station remains as awesome and immense as ever.

I remember the first time I took the train to Philly all on my own.  I walked up the stairs into the main concourse.  I wasn't expecting much, since the Harrisburg train station is small and of course most of the train stations we stopped at on the way were nothing more than a platform.  But then I saw the main hall and I was in awe.

30th Street station is really huge, and really beautiful.  It's always busy of course, but it's so big you hardly notice the other people unless you're waiting in line behind them for a train.  I don't always go there for trains of course, sometimes I stop by on my way to work for Dunkin' Doughnuts or visit it on the way home for Subway.  The shops are nice and convenient, and I love the variety.  It's just a nice place to meet somebody, or stop by for a quick bite, or even just walk through for no reason at all, taking in the sights and sounds of the people in the city.
3 - Tom G.: My favorite of the big 3 stations (Suburban, 30th, and Market East) for regional rail.  The regional rail lines are easily accessed and clearly marked.  No Track A and B here. 

The food selections are decent and the florist is surprisingly excellent.  

The exterior is, IMHO, quite nice and it is matched inside by gorgeous cathedral ceilings and a huge, ornate sculpture.  

The major downside, and why I don't give it 4 stars, is that the subway system is NOT accessible indoors.  You need to walk across the street and go downstairs to get to the trolley and subway system.  This is wholly inconvenient in the winter and if you're running from the subway to the RR you have a huge distance to cross.  Much further than Suburban or Market East and that makes those stations better IMO.
2 - Meg C.: My family lives in and around Boston, so I mean it when I say I have spent a lot of time at 30th Street Station. Amtrak trains are often delayed, so I have explored extensively.

It is a lovely station, you can tell it is depression-era both by the design and the height of the ceilings. It has a lot more seating than Penn Station as well. Also, I love the announcer who sounds like James Earl Jones, he always makes my day.

The stores here consistently suck. I was so excited when they put a Cosi in, but it is terrible. I had the most overdressed salad ever here. I also had the worst coffee of my life at the Dunkin Donuts. Even though Penn Station has mostly chains as well, I can usually find something that I know I will like and won't make me sick.

If you're taking one of the late trains (between midnight and 4 am), your only options for food will be Dunk's now stale goods and Mickey D's, so you might want to bring something from home. 

The bathrooms are gross, but so are the ones on the train. 

Also, there really should be a concourse connecting the station to SEPTA, it's just common sense.
4 - Mike D.: Note: See Trading Places

The only station more ornate and exemplifying the grandeur of the railroad age is Grand Central.  Penn Station used to be ahead of it until they knocked it down and built Madison Square Garden.

If you want to see a prime example of the beauty and workmanship of Art Deco architecture, this and the post office across the street are the places to go.  The brass fittings, complex stone engravings, grand light fixtures and sheer expansiveness come together to form a structure worthy of simple ogling and inspiring pride in the ability of man.  This was the high-water mark.

The hustle and bustle and frequent Amtrak announcements instill the feeling of being someplace important, a hub of commerce and leisure.  It's awesome that Amtrak has kept the older flip-letter destination/arrival boards as opposed to moving to LCDs.  When there's a large-scale update of information, it's almost  hypnotic.

Vagrants aren't uncommon in this lower, main Amtrak area, though I've found them to be less aggressive and more industrious than those found on most streets and in SEPTA.  One man "sold" me a sketch of the station that actually wasn't horrendous and another offered to dispose of my trash.

What doesn't SEPTA make worse with its steadfast lowish mediocrity?  Accessible by a single sloped hall in the Northwest corner which tourists and infrequent riders usually miss, you're greeted with ugly 80's transit-style schedule monitors for SEPTA's various Regional Rail lines.  Much of the time, they are inoperable and display Illegal Operation errors for an undetermined older version of Windows.  Usually only 2 ticket agents are active at once, despite it being the height of rush hour at the second busiest SEPTA station (of ANY SEPTA station), with lines resultantly spreading from wall to wall.  They used to have ticket machines accessible, but since SEPTA cheaped out on them when buying them in the 80's so they could never be reprogrammed to accept an updated bill design, they hadn't been able to accept the "new" bills prevalent since 1996.  So, instead of purchasing new machines, they simply put a sheet of frosted Plexiglas over their fascias and took them out of service.  And this was about the time they instituted a mandatory on-board surcharge for all tickets purchased on the train, though no ticket agent nor machine may have been available.  Thanks.

On the SEPTA platforms, they removed the "old" analog clocks and installed digital information boards with time, presumably in the name or progress.  Problem is, more often then not they're either blank of wholly incorrect.  Blaring music on a boombox clearly audible from anywhere on the platforms or aggressive grifting of money (if a black guy asks for money to get to Trenton to get to a job or his mother's house, he's lying) is completely looked over, but light up a cigarette in the open-air and you'll be dived upon my multiple employees.  Want to know why your train never showed up?  No one knows.  Anyone in the scheduling office will not only be completely unhelpful, but will reprimand you for having talked to them.  It's not THEIR job!

Anything to screw the public, that's SEPTA!
3 - Karen F.: OMG I practially live here. (And not just as a commuter rushing thru every day.)

Every 2 weeks I have a 1-2 hour wait here to pick up my little girl.  It's always iffy as to exactly when her deadbeat dad will return her safely home - so I know every cop in the place.  (Alas, they are rarely there when you need them.)


I also know the Amtrak red caps Rich & Rich (the cigar smoking one is our fave) who work weekends.

We also know the nice Korean lady who owns the flower stand with her husband.  They give my little girl flowers every so often. 

And the lady who chops the fruit at the Smoothie stand is nice too.

Oh, and Susan with the hairy upper lip who man's (or wo-man's) the Hertz rent-a-car booth is a godsend.  She allowed my daugheter to play with the (broken) yellow hertz phone and "call" people.

There is good and bad in every situation and I sure am making lemonade out of a BIG Honkin' Meyer Lemon that life handed to me.
3 - sri n.: I agree with Susan's comments about the guy who announces the trains. Its kind of fun to listen. Yes, the bathrooms in this station sucks. But, I guess men have it easier...Food choices are limited. My recent experience at Cosi's was actually pretty good. I had a TBM-melt and TB-soup. Lots of place to sit and wait around for delayed amtrak trains.
3 - Andy H.: I really like this train station.

As a NYer, I often get annoyed at how large, packed and unorganized Penn Station can be at times. So it is nice when I stop in this smaller station, that seems easier to navigate and does not get overly crowded.

They have plenty of places to eat, mostly fast food joints, but still many shops to fill your belly.

It is also in a location of Philly that is very walkable to most hotels and attractions. I usually walk from the station to where I will be staying more often than not. 

It is a beautiful station, but nothing unique...you have seen stations like this in many major cities around the country.
4 - Joy G.: 30th Street Station is totally decent.  Easy to navigate, very clean, staff relatively helpful (by Philly standards) and really good food choices.  There's plenty of seating to park your butt on while you wait.  The building is impressive architecturally and it's a cool place to sit and people watch.  Parking is a bit of a problem, so plan on being dropped off, picked up or taking a taxi.  The location of the train station is a bit remote, not really in neighborhood, so don't plan on walking anywhere from there.  Took the train a lot when I was in college and never had a bad experience there.
4 - Diana N.: Philly's 30th Street Station is one of the nicer train stations I've commuted to in a while.  Easy to navigate and easy to get to (walking distance from downtown Philly).  Lots of great food options (Au Bon Pain, Cosi's, Ben & Jerry's, Seattle's Best, etc.).  Brightly lit and orderly, this train station does not feel sketchy at all.  Best of all, it's very organized and there is never a crazy commotion of people.
5 - Walker S.: I loved everything about this lovely train station.  The staff was friendly and helpful.  The station was beautiful.  Every aspect of passing through was wonderful.  It is a great place.  Thank you Philadelphia for making our vacation special and providing such a great place.
4 - Edward L.: This is a nice train station. The deco style is wonderful and the open terminal makes it almost romantic. I wish it was a little cleaner. I feel like SEPTA has somehow infected it with that dirty sense of neglect that seems to haunt all their trains. 

But this station is certainly worth a tour. Plenty of dining and architecture for you to pass the time while you wait for your departure.
4 - Ethan C.: My Bolt Bus pulled up to 30th Street on time, and I was steered towards the station by a friendly local from the bus. Thankly, the staff was extremely helpful in explaining that the Trolley line and the SEPTA subway lines are NOT the same thing, or else I probably would've made that mistake. The trolley only goes as far East as City Hall area and not all the way across to Old City, where my hostel was. Round trip tokens for under $3, nice architecture, and cleaner than New York subways - definitely seems like the way to get around Philly.
4 - Alexandra W.: It's hard to rate 30th Street critically.

It's close, it gets me where I need to go.
That's pretty good in and of itself.

There are some good places to eat, sit, etc. I've heard the pub is good (I've never dined there, only gotten a Coke). The Cosi is nice (they bring your food to you!) but they have three different items on the menu with the same name. Confusing. Ben and Jerry's is always great, and there's a new creperie. 

I do really like the old-timey feeling you get inside. Very Grand Central in the 1930s on a smaller scale.
4 - Hank C.: I love this old station. It has gorgeous columns and a very high ceiling, and a statue inside.

Simple layout - the center area is all Amtrak.  An attachment connects it to the Regional Rail and the Amtrak building.

This is the train station for regional rail, the subways (green trolleys and blue el line), and Amtrak lines. Plus the Bolt Bus stops outside, too.  Food options inside include things like the McDonald's and Subway, plus a cell phone store, florist, and more.

It's like Grand Central in NY.
4 - Eve S.: It really makes Penn Station NYC feel, taste, touch, sound and smell like an ugly step-sister.
3 - Sean S.: I need of some American Recovery and Reinvestment Accredition dollars for a makeover.

That's what this station told me.  So come on Arlen Specter, get w/the Amtrak crowd and shower this place with some love.  Look at what Amtrak did for Joe Biden's career!
4 - Jenna N.: Been hangin' out at this station a lot lately, and not because I'm homeless. I may soon be, with what Amtrak charges me.

I love the board listing the trains, departing times, gates. Is there seriously any noise better than the "flut" it makes as it updates? No.

I love how small the station makes me feel. It's much more effective than the Comcast Center.

I hate that there's no connecting hallway from the MFL to the station. It didn't bother me last summer, but walking through all of the snow from the station to the subway entrance has made me pretty passionate about this.

I hate the staff's inability to communicate. Last weekend my train was an hour behind, and it was eventually announced that it was canceled due to mechanical problems. Some muffled instructions were stated over the PA and everyone shuffled over to customer service, sighing dramatically. However, since I am impatient and lazy, I avoided the line and asked some random guy in uniform if I had to exchange my ticket. I did not, and I was in the front of the line when Amtrak randomly procured a train three minutes later.
3 - Alicia G.: I'm far from impressed with the eating options (McDonald's, Cosi, a Dunkin Donuts that never seems to be open when I'm there) that 30th Street Station has to offer but I still look forward to a train ride to PHL instead of NYC or EWR. Okay, I admit part of this is because it's cheaper but also because I do actually like this particular train station.

I love the architecture- the high ceiling, the tall columns - it feels very old but still has a modern touch to it. The waiting area has one of those old schedule boards where the letters and numbers keep turning til the right one comes up. Much cooler than just a tv screen.

The customer service here at the ticket station is hit or miss...some days they're kind of cranky and some days they're nice. Either way, they are pretty efficient.

I always try to make sure I get to this station early so I can pop in the convenience store and buy a few of the PA Lottery scratch-offs. Just a few $1 or $5 tickets to keep me occupied til I line up to hop aboard my train downstairs. 

I'll probably ride the Amtrak less frequently now that I am able to rent a car without young driver fees but when I do, it's very likely that I'll find myself at 30th Street Station again. Just look for me in the waiting area scratching lottery tickets.
4 - Alicia R.: This station is really beautiful. I'm not a fan of taking trains home but Amtrak and sitting in there makes it better. I've never eaten at the food court but it's big and has fast service! 

What I really love about this station is that even though I got there 5 minutes before my train left the multiple kiosks available to scan my barcode made it easy to get my tickets and get in line. Speaking of that line? It ran from the stairwell to the back of the building. I thought I'd be there another 20 minutes but instead it only took about 5, if that! They're quick and efficient. What more could you want? 

The only thing I can complain over is the security. Some days there are dogs sniffing every bag. Today I didn't see a single officer. It should be constant, come on.
4 - Nikki I.: Nice big station located conveniently next to Drexel. Might be a little hassle to drive in and out from the parking lot.
4 - Miriam W.: Drastically better than New York's Penn Station, here are some reasons I like Philadelphia's 30th Street Station:

- Plenty of wooden benches to sit on
- Soaring ceilings 
- Art deco decor
- Tasty hoagies
- Easy parking if someone's coming to pick you up
- Rarely, if ever, a long wait for a taxi
5 - Mary S.: I love 30th street station, always have. I've lived in Philly for over 8 years and ever since I was a bumbling freshman at Drexel I have always found something so peaceful and settling about being in 30th street. Is it the high high high ceiling? the interesting archetecture? the sculpture? I don't actually know. I just know that this place inspires a kind of calm that very few other places inspire in me. 

Oh right, this is also transit station- good point- on that note - I find it pretty easy to navigate for Septa or Amtrak or NJ transit running in and out of it, and they have a nice selection of eateries on the premises. I think they do a nice job of keeping everything clearly updated and having the lines form for different trains early enough so that nothing gets too mixed up.  When there's a train issue the train employees do what they can to keep everyone informed- though they really could use a new PA system because what did they just say? is a common problem.

I always think this would be a great place to have a wedding, I know they rent the space, but I doubt it's in my price range, but hey it's nice to dream.
5 - Adam M.: It's just as nice as always but additionally, AMTRAK just installed free wifi.  It works well.  they also have cheap luggage storage.  Great station!
5 - Caroline L.: 30th Street Station is a traveling place, a waiting space, with a sense of romance and adventure that is from a different time. 

It's easy to kill an hour there without feeling bored. And if you must, you can sleep there on the long, wooden benches. 

It's a hard place to review b/c it serves so many purposes. Septa can be brutally frustrating. You could be trapped near the Regional rail tracks waiting forever. And it's annoying the subway is not connected to the station.

Amtrak still has the same flip board system that it has had for many years. I kind of like seeing the flipping numbers, like it's a game.  When there are Amtrak delays, the notification system is slow. I've stood in line for 30 minutes before finding out my train is delayed. 

Haven't eaten at too many restaurants, but they have a decent selection and the bathrooms are okay.
4 - Jess N.: Yes, 30th Street Station has been in countless movies but a couple times a week, it's my set. While I'm usually in a rush to get from point A to point B (or CD and Z), I always notice something new. This place is gorgeous. If you have a spare moment, just look up. Even the ceilings have it going on. In the Amtrak area, there's even one of those old signs where the numbers flip over. The sound makes my ears perk up. The regional rail/commuter rail zips through this station, making it one of the most convenient stations around. 

There are tons of restaurants, cafes, magazine stands and even a gift shop inside the station. If you get stuck waiting, and bored of people watching there will be plenty to check out on any budget. Need to pick up an "I'm sorry, I'm late again" gift? Check out the flower stand. Hungry on the run? Au Bon Pain has meals to go. Stressed because traveling can make anyone go a little koo-koo? Have a beverage at Bridgewater's Pub. Face it, this is the station that has it all.

Side note: The bathrooms are what you'd expect in a big train station... they're a little on the gross side. Hey ladies, try flushing.
4 - Jeffrey K.: I really like this station, and if you have to come to Philadelphia or are passing through and have the time, it is worth walking around the station and taking in the sites of the station.  It is art-decco, and apparently was refurbished in the last 10 or 15 years to its grand old form.  There is a beautiful old plaster / marble scene on the wall in a remote area of the waiting area that dates back about 100 years and was part of the original station I believe -- it is a must see and chronicles travel at the time.

The thing that really came in handy for me was that there, and was totally, but pleasantly unexpected, was the rental car companies which operate right there in the station.  You have your choice of a few different rental car companies and the cars are parked right beneath the station -- made my complicated spontaneous trip much easier once I got there.  Although getting in and out of the station with a car (rental or otherwise), is a bit of challenge especially during rush hour.
4 - Peter D.: The Good.

-There's a very decent hoagie shop.
-I'm a sucker for high ceilings. 
-There's always places to sit. 
-It's better than Penn Station* in almost every way.
-The bathrooms are surprisingly not that filthy. 
-Free wi/fi.

The Bad.

-There are no late night food options except for McDonald's.
-I broke my three year streak of not eating McDonald's.
-It costs more to get a bacon, egg and cheese than it does to get a platter of eggs, bacon, homefries and toast. That's not right.
-The place that serves fried chicken, meatloaf etc. puts all that food out on the hot plates at like 9:30 am. Which scares me. 

The Ugly.

-Eagles fans.
-Phillies fans. 
-Me.
__________

*NY Penn. You couldn't pay me to get off in Newark to see what that station looks like.
3 - Oski B.: Classic Northeastern rail station and way better than New York's awful Penn Station.  Don't forget that lazy Penn and Drexel employees can take the SEPTA LUCY bus to various points in University City.
4 - Tate P.: Time to YELP for some HELP!  Please someone, anyone at least "try" to make a good cup of coffee. The D & D closest to the main hall sells hot/burnt coffee, Mickey D's, try as they may, is selling water disguised as coffee, Saxby's is afraid to leave sugar and cream out to the public for obvious reasons, Cosi...ahhh better then most in the station, my personal fave is Au Bon Pain which should seriously give the people an alternative to light cream. 

So...coffee lovers- drink before you come. 

Incredible building- I have met Richard Simmons here and of course Philly's own Phanatic. 

The word "vast" would best describe this place. The openness of the building opens ones mind...now if we could just get some decent coffee!!!
3 - Nicey J.: I've been here way to much . but it's ok. You can get anywhere from here.. it will in some way shape or form get you anywhere you need to go inside or outside of philadelphia... or it'll get you on something that will get you where you need to go.. it's well lit, which makes it seem way safer, and theres a bar inside which.. I mean isn't sketchy and well it's a bar in a train station, who could complain.
4 - sm c.: Help!
I am will be traveling from the R5 to 30th street...I need to transfer to the R1,2, 3 or Manayunk/Norristown Line to get to Univercity City. Do I need to switch platforms at 30th street station to get on any of these trains?
5 - Robin D.: Like our Toronto Union Station, but more grand. It looks monstrous from the outside yet still keeps a slight elegance.

Lot of seating available inside where you can sit and listen to the sound the the Amtrak board updating. All this while enjoying your free wifi connection.

If you are looking to catch the megabus, walk out the west exit to 30th street and it is at the NW corner.
4 - Kelly G.: I love the way the arrival times update with the numbers flipping over like the family feud answer board. Philly's 30th Street Station is the stuff dreams or old time TV movies are made of. That morning, I'd visited NYC's Grand Central Station for the first time and loved it and NYC's Penn Station and it was ok. But standing in 30th Street Station, I thought that any minute, the long-lost love of my life would run up behind me and grab me and kiss me and ask me not to go. Too bad I was just getting there. Maybe when I leave? Oh well. I'm still a fan of this place with its vaulted marble ceilings, wooden benches, and conductors who still yell things out loud even if evidence of Y2K or 911 are ever present in the K-9 gas-mask-toting transit cops who lead their german shepherd around to sniff your suitcases. I am a fan of this place.
4 - Eric D.: I'm not sure how you really rate a place to wait for trains.... as far as I could tell using it a few weeks ago for the first time in about 8 years it has been cleaned up a bit. There are a lot more dining options if you feel like poisoning yourself and the customer service was friendly. I don't know what more you could ask for.
4 - Christopher M.: This has always been one of my favorite transfer hubs anywhere in the world...and I've been through a lot (hey now ;-)!  

There's ample seating as well as space for standing/waiting in lines, lots of ticket machines, relatively polite information people, decent bathrooms, great architecture/history, class/elegance/ambience, lots of food options both inside and out of the station (one of my favs is the Carribbean truck across the street ;-), tons of cabs waiting at all hours of the day, and it's easily accessible via public transpo/car.

Just know that your Bolt or Megabus drop-off/pick-up doesn't happen in or around 30th Street Station.  You have to walk a little bit down the road in the direction of Center City and wait next to the big parking lot.
4 - Karin R.: If you are planning to meet someone at 30th Street tell them to meet you at the angel.  You can't miss it in the main hall.  30th Street is a well run station and the services are maintained in good condition.  Transferring from Amtrak to SEPTA can be a bit confusing.  Don't be afraid to ask a local for help.
4 - Corey M.: Welcome to Philadelphia, the land of constantly agitated, unfriendly workers.  Ahh, feels like home.

Regardless, this place is beautiful, inside and out.  It's actually pleasant to just sit down on the benches for a while.  If you have to wait for a while, it's kind of a hike to get to places in center city.  Leave at your own risk, or just take in the beauty.

Don't forget to look up.
5 - Tony L.: Philly's 30th Street Station is what a train station should be: Inspiring, exciting, beautiful and an experience that makes you WANT to travel. 

There are ample choices for food and other pre/post travel items...but what really gets me is how incredible the experience was coming up from under the station (having come from New York Penn Station...which is everything a train station shouldn't be). It took my breath away. 

The 1933 design elements and WWII Memorial Statue (from the 50's) were perfectly paired. 

This is a train station you will want to stay in for a while. Arrive early for your departing train or take some time after you arrive to take it in.
4 - Jane K.: Good place to catch a train if you're running late, great place to wait if you're running early.

Beautiful high ceilings and plenty of food options make this train terminal both quite functional and gorgeous at the same time. Unlike Penn Station (where I wait all too often) there is plenty of seating at 30th. The traffic at the front can get bad if your trying to get in or out during a rush or snow storm but ultimately you'll get in.

Coffee, tea, magazine or coffee. Despite the wait, the Philly folk at Amtrak will help you get where you need to go.
4 - Susanne J.: 30th Street Station - how I prefer you over Penn Station in NYC! There is plenty of wide open space and seating that doesn't make me feel like I'm in an underground bunker. The lines for Amtrak trains tend to be orderly because you aren't forced to snake around the 400 other passengers milling about or sitting smack in the middle of the floor.

There are plenty of options for a meal or a snack before your journey. The new Old Nelson Market serves up a good breakfast sandwich in addition to having the odd sundries that you might need on your way home via SEPTA. I like that I can get fresh fruit there instead of from Au Bon Pain which charges an arm and a leg.

SEPTA still bites most days but that's not the station's fault.
4 - Helen Y.: Daydream your time away as you wait for the train by looking up at the marvelous ceilings here. I used to come to Philly on business and have never stopped being fond of this station.The gilded columns speak of grandeur of days past, the squares on the celing hypnotize you with their beauty. The station is cavernous, so you can always get a seat. There are vendors enough to satisfy your last minute food craving or if you are bold, hike out to the Caribbean food trucks. The bathrooms are serviceable(NY Penn has cleaner ones).  But the fun new "deal" i just discovered is that if you ride in on Amtrak, you can go to Center City(Suburban Station or Market East) on any of the regionals for free; it's the Amtrak Septak link. Thank you, man at the info booth.
5 - Phillip Y.: Well, I have been here back in my undergrad years when I traveled between PHL 30th Street Station to BOS South Station.  Now, it's a little over 10 years later and fond memories come back to me.  I just love the architecture here.  It's layout is gorgeous and plenty of shops to browse around while you wait for your train.  

I grab a cup of joe and a raisin bagel at Au Bon Pain.  I miss this place and only a couple of them around Philly.  Here in 30th Street Station and inside Wharton's Huntman Hall at UPenn.  Other places as well which I remember fondly like the Bucks County Coffee with Le Bus a few years ago.  But, I think this place closed up around UPenn so it might not be here anymore.  There is a bunch of Dunkin Donuts which is a big plus. I'm from Boston so I definitely can appreciate the presence here.

Now, there is long-term parking garage at the Circa Center.  Parking is obscene here at $25 per day.  Plus, it failed to print me out a receipt when I pressed the receipt button at the exit gate.  Aggghhrrr...   It's not the 30th Street Station's fault but Central Parking at the Circa Center.  So, 5 stars for the 30th Street Station.

Well, here are some things to appreciate about this place.

* SEPTA Commuter Rail and Local Subway/Trolley
* SEPTA Airport Line to all PHL international airport terminals
* AMTRAK Service along Northeast Corridor (DC to Philadelphia to NYC to Boston)
* Connections from SEPTA to NJ Transit, Atlantic City, PATCO lines
* Walking distance to University City- UPenn and Drexel campuses
* Minutes from Center City with taxi service available
4 - EricaLynn J.: Some of my most beautiful memories and some of my most heartbreaking memories have all taken place at 30th Street Station.  Usually they occur within three or four days of one another.  Such is life when you live far away from loved ones;  they are there to greet you with the warmest hug you could ever dream of, and they are there to send you off tearfully before you know it.  I am thankful to 30th Street Station, mostly, for keeping me sane.  For being a constant in my self-inflicted crazy traveling, ever-changing world.  I know that no matter if I am blissful or miserable, coming or going, 30th Street Station will remain strong for me - and will always provide me with a way to get where I need to go, and ice cream, snacks, or a stiff drink if I need it.   

And if you are a people-watcher as I am, you'll never be at a loss for some excellent people-watching at 30th Street.  But don't take my word for it....
4 - Jennifer B.: A much bigger version of New Haven's Union Station. Plenty of dining options during the day, not so much at night or in the evening. It's a gorgeous station that hands down beats Penn Station (ugh) or Newark (hobo central). 

My only small complaint is that unless you know the station well, getting in and out of the station and back on to the city streets can be mildly confusing.

SEPTA sucks but that's not the fault of 30th Street Station.
4 - JENN W.: I've used 30th street long time ago, then I was there recently again to pick up some relatives. My-have they cleaned up their act, cleaner, more security which is good, the shops/vendors have more of a selection then before. When I used them, didnt know which platform to go, couldn't find anyone to help me-now its so much better-the service is much more customer oriented-which  would make me want to use them more. Good move !!!
4 - Megan M.: I'm here every single day. At least once a week, I have to remind myself to look around and take it in. In addition to getting me where I'm going and providing me with occasional tasty snacks; its an amazing building. 

The sheer SCALE is what gets me. It can be easy to ignore, but try for a second to imagine the manpower that built this PRR hub in the 1930's. The lights alone are bigger than my car. It's humbling. 

Please make the time to check out The Spirit of Transportation and the War Memorial. The War Memorial (That's the Archangel Michael, not a winged Victory as I thought for my first 2 years of daily ridership) is especially moving when its back lit on sunny mornings around 7:30 am. 

A word about SEPTA . It may not be perfect, and sure, I don't take the El after 8pm or past Market East (Do I look like I've got a death wish?) but revenue from SEPTA and Amtrack support historic stations like this one. And it beats the Hell out of the "Sure Kill Expressway". Tourists and natives alike should be taking MORE public transit. 

I'll grumble more quietly about getting hit in the head *again* by your kid's "Genuine copy of the Declaration of Independence" if just a few more dollars can be committed to preserving PA's railroad heritage.
4 - Tony L.: In Immanual Kant's Critique of Judgment, he talks about the mathematical sublime as one's ability to appreciate the whole of an object made up of seemingly limitless objects. A common example is the pyramids. You can examine every stone, but step back far enough, and you start to lose grasp of the number of stones you're looking at. You just realize you're looking at something awesome.

I was surprised to get a similar feeling on the inside of the hall at 30th Street Station. It's cavernous. It's impeccably kept. There are still marbled waiting areas with room for shoe shiners and newsstands, even if they no longer exist. There's also a KFC express and a Subway where I picked up a Coke. I guess it's nice that it's up to the times, too.

I wouldn't go out of my way to come here. But if you're stopping through, as millions (yes, millions) do every year, it's a nice place to pause, stare up at the vaulted ceiling, and appreciate the sublime.
3 - laura g.: 30th Street Station is still grand and lovely but Rae is closed now.  It's been replaced by JG Local, which Craig Laban loves....we had takeout from JG Local and the menu was uninspired, the portions were tiny, the prices high, and the soup WAY too salty.  It's the weak link in Garces' chain from my perspective
4 - Dave H.: For food options alone, 30th Street Station wins in my book. If you've got a second, there's a few buffet options (Chinese and American) and chains (Cosi, Au Bon Pain, McDonald's, Auntie Anne's, Taco Hell) to fill your belly.

This facility is clean and connects you to local SEPTA bus and rail lines, as well as Amtrak. It's conveniently close to the BoltBus and Megabus bus stops as well.
4 - Andreas H.: I've only stopped in here a few times on quick jaunts into Philly.  As for the building itself, it's a classic.  I have yet to eat here, but the dining options seem plentiful.  Be sure to read some of the other Yelp reviews, as they go into greater detail.

And finally...  The bathrooms are actually decent.  Just remember to wash your hands.  *glaring at the dude who didn't*
4 - Secret V.: Every city needs to have a gorgeously grand railroad station smack dab in the middle of town. Great place for sitting, relaxing, people-watching and yeah...going places.
5 - cindy p.: Beautiful architecture.  It is a pleasure to sit on the pews and watch the world go by.  Coming into the station on a train is nice with the wondrous Philadelphia skyline coming into view.  I spent 2 hours in the station and didn't mind a bit.
5 - Alex Z.: 30th street station is one of the great American train stations.  Its massive size makes New York's Grand Central Station look cramped and second-rate by comparison.  The echoey interior of the mail hall makes you feel almost like you are in a museum, and the building also looks quite grandiose from the outside as well.

From a practical standpoint, however, this station wins on many counts.

(1) Train service is good.  Philly has good options.  AMTRAK goes up and down the east coast, and there's also the line going to Lancaster and on to Harrisburg and then Pittsburgh and beyond, and this line is reliable and runs frequently up until Harrisburg (not Pittsburgh, alas).

(2) Good location...if you're not averse to a moderate walk, this station lands you within walking distance of center city, Drexel and UPenn, the Art Museum, and numerous other destinations.  Yet...far enough away from the downtown that there's a bit more space, leading into my next point:

(3) Easy access by car, remarkably actually, for Philly, which tends to be pretty car-unfriendly.  It's always convenient to drop off or pick up a friend by car at this station, and there are ample metered spaces if you want to actually go into the station.

(4) Pretty decent food court too.

(5) For how busy this place is, it's pretty clean.  Kudos to the employees here who do a good job of keeping this place up.  Even the bathrooms tend to be on the cleaner side for such a heavily-trafficked public area.

Yeah.  This one gets five stars!
4 - Sylvia M.: It gets 4 because it's better than Septa, the Chinatown buses or any other form of transportation in Philly. It's not wonderful, it could be better but this is why:

Pros
1. Trains are hardly ever late, even when they say 2 minutes late, make sure you're there on time because it's probably not late.
2. There is an old nelsons in there now! awesome! i dont have to run to cvs before a take a trip.
3. Clean bathrooms! The one next to the mcdonalds aren't that nice, theyre small and often dirty. BUT the other ones are SO much better!

Cons
1. I wish some of the food places stayed open later
2. I am always hesitant to go to the atm, theres always sketchy people around them and i need to go with someone
3. It gets really empty and creepy at night, ok I get it if it's midnight but around 9 or 10? I feel the need to run out.
4 - David C.: My only problem with 30th Street Station is that inside it is a bit disorienting, so I wish the signage was a bit better. Much smaller and more focused than Penn Station with much less clutter. It obviously doesn't see the volume that Penn Station does, but I like 30th and am proud as a Philadelphian that this is one of the first things that people see when they come into the city.
5 - Reinaldo D.: Fav AMTRAK station.
4 - Teri M.: I like this station better than any of the other stations. And there you have it.
5 - Ashley P.: 30th Street Station is stunning!  It's grandeur, architecture, and art pieces (along with the fact that its one of the main train stations in Philadelphia) make this station a delight to visit.  After passing by for the first time on the train from the airport, my eye was drawn to the beautiful exterior of this location.  Knowing that I'd be travelling through here on my way to Atlantic City, I was excited to check out the rest of the building.

Upon entering, each visitor is greeted by the massive "Angel of the Resurrection" statue honoring the fallen soldiers of the Pennsylvania Railroad in World War II.  The statue watches over all those that sit in the benches waiting for their intended train to arrive in the main hall of this building.  Another notable piece of work is the "Spirit of Transportation" relief in an adjacent hallway.  This massive work of art depicts the evolution of transportation with 'transportation' herself riding in a chariot in the middle.  

Signage in the station is simple and clear and I had no problems finding the ticketing station for the NJ transit to Atlantic City.  Plenty of shops along with the artwork are available to pass the time.  Train was on time, location was clean, and our overall experience was a great one!  I would not have minded having to travel through here more than just once during my trip.  

This place is comparable to visits to Boston's South Station and Washington D.C.'s Union Station.
3 - Aaliyah P.: 30th St station is organized chaos. In a good way I think. Its clean enough and has a good amount of eateries to satisfying anyone with a quick nibble or that extra caffeine jolt they are in need of. Its a lot easier to navigate than i remember and though i only stopped in to use the restroom before my bus came. 
My real issue is outside the station and the crazy ass philly cabbies who have no regard for pedestrians walked or other cars on the road. I travel to NYC enough to know what times are even more ridiculous. Steer clear of the station mon-fri between the hours of 7-10 am and again from 4-7pm.
2 - Jewel W.: You've heard of BYOB. Well, a trip to Philadelphia's 30th Street Station almost always means BYOTP: Bring Your Own Toilet Paper!

Traveling with my flight phobic mother means one of two things: "We're catching the train..." or "We're catching the bus..." Needless to say, I've seen my share of Amtrak waiting areas over the years. Given the resounding glowing reviews,  I suspect that this won't be a popular opinion, but after years of battling the hustle bustle of Washington's Union Station and NYC's Grand Central and Penn Stations, this place just "don't impress me much." (To rip a page from the Book of Shania Twain.)

Sure, it's a cut above Baltimore's Penn Station, but it doesn't take much to trump B-More in everything aside from Row Houses and House Music. (Sorry, Baltimoreans...)

I've run into so many problems here, I'm not sure where to begin. Hmmm...the restrooms are probably a good place to start. Ah -- the bathrooms. We can sum those up with one word: Filthy. And the tiny ones nearest McDonalds are dirty as often as they are without toilet tissue (Hence my lead sentence...). Speaking of McDonalds -- in all my years as an underpaid, overworked salesgirl, I never ran across a ruder bunch of disgruntled employees than the ones taking up space in this very outdated Mickey D's. My mother has been verbally assaulted on two occasions by Golden Archers livid that she'd have the unmitigated gall to request additional barbecue sauce for her McNuggets. The nerve! Even the lady (I'm using this term loosely...) running the cab stand out front delivers nothing but attitude, with an emphasis on the "Tude." 

City of Brotherly Love my arse! 

Where are the telepromoters alerting passengers of train arrivals/departures? Geez, what year is it?

Further complicating matters is the homeless population -- who aggressively panhandle through here like someone's handing out government cheese. 

There's no escalator to take NJ Transit travelers down to the train platform. (Translation: If you're traveling to Atlantic City for the weekend, prepare for a workout as you haul your bags down a flight of steep stairs.) 

Fair enough, there are food options (Auntie Annie's, Pizza Hut, an overpriced convenience store, and even a soul food establishment...), but after getting a peek at the john, I'll pass on anything being chopped and fried around these parts. 

And the high ceilings and architecture everyone is so mesmerized by pale in comparision to Union Station's, at least in my humble opinion. And our bathrooms are cleaner. (Kanye Shrug...)

Final Verdict: 30th Street Station -- One of several reasons I loathe traveling to Atlantic City by train and will never be a Phillies fan. 

(Ducking to avoid all the tomatoes you're hurling...)
3 - Andy F.: Good Public Transportation station. Plenty of people getting around from one spot to the other, signage helps get u to your destination. I would recommend having a vending machine to buy tickets for the Septa metro, that was the only disadvantage. This station could be cleaned more often though.
5 - Phil T.: "Squawk!"

I turned to my left.

"SQUAWK!"

A woman in a motorized wheelchair wearing a camouflage sweatsuit, a safari hat, and a green superman t-shirt was driving straight at the line of people waiting for the Amtrak train boarding on Track 7, squawking at everyone in her path. Confused and somewhat frightened, we moved.

Instead of passing, she stopped right beside me. She leaned in, looked directly at me, and spoke precisely.

"If you say, 'excuse me,' no one moves. You have to yell, 'squawk!' Then everyone gets out of the way."

I laughed. She drove off.

Here's a Vichet O. style Pro Tip: if you need people to move at 30th Street Station, do not ask. Squawk.
4 - Ben F.: Beautifully Cavernous, this is a candid duo of an adjective and adverb to  describe 30th st. which comes to mind first when thinking about the station. I appreciate the ability to see the track board, raised on a platform above the clerks and help desk, unobscured by the clutter of women and men dogging other men and women running to their platform. The pigeons ornate above are the living tribute to the monument of the fallen angel for soldiers that died in World War 1. The echoes of their fluttering wings are a bizarre calling and rightfully distract the traveller from the seriousness of their journey. 

The marble is a grand addition, intrinsic to the oldness of the station. I feel as if I'm in a place of peace; the intricate power of the station is its powerful simplicity of design, coupled with intentional beauty. 

N.B. Great place to people watch.
3 - Michael K.: Hustle and bustle in the heart of Philly.  If you like people watching, this is the place to be.  Got stranded on the tracks waiting for my train to take me to the airport.  The police had shut down the line from 30th Str Station to the airport due to police activity on/near the train route.  Waited about 30 minutes and Amtrak were able to reroute.
3 - Maureen L.: This is a beautiful train station, particularly from the outside.  I was also impressed with the shops and food options, as I had a two hour wait for my train.  The Amtrak employees could not have been nicer or more helpful.  The ladies room, however, left a lot to be desired.  It might have been clean but I had the perception that it was filthy.  I couldn't get out of there fast enough.
5 - Pam S.: I love travelling through 30th Street. It's the quintessential old train station. It makes my travels easy. It's close to the subway. The cab captain actually knows what he's doing. The signs are big and easy to read. When you do need customer service, they're nice. 

You really can't go wrong here. I've seen some gross train stations, some mean train stations, and some weird train stations, and 30th Street is just NICE. I love seeing is come into view when getting dropped off, finding it from the subway, or riding up on my bike (which, by the way, great that this place is fairly safe to leave your bike at overnight!). Cheers to you, my lovely train station.
4 - Jim H.: Pretty good place to kill some time if you are "forced into a 3 hour layover" Thanks AMTRAK...Good food selections awesome 1930's architecture.
4 - Celia B.: As an out-of-towner I loved coming to the 30th Street Station. On the west coast we don't have real train stations like this, but rather dirty little Amtrak hubs. I was impressed by how clean it was inside, and how pretty it was! There is even a food court! The place is huge, and considering it was about 50 degrees out, it was very warm in there! 

We had no idea what we were doing and where we were going so we approached a woman at the counter and were shocked at how friendly and nice she was! She gave us all of the tips that we could have needed. We were taking the train to the Newark Airport and she even told us what to do once we got to the other side and how to get into the airport, etc. Very helpful!

I like this train station and would be happy to travel through it again. I can't imagine a nicer station. Only weird part is that there were cops pacing the place with dogs...
4 - Maura G.: this station is just beautiful. very clean. the bathrooms were just ok, but much cleaner than any septa station, that's for sure. decent food options (au bon pain, mc donalds, cosi, etc.). there is a newstand that sells magazines and books as well as drinks and snack. i found the staff here to be rude and not at all friendly, but it didn't bother me since i wasn't spending much time in there. i find the set up in this station to be very organized. the station staff is very helpful and approchable.
4 - Frances L.: 30th Street Station reminds me a lot of Union Station in Los Angeles. I find it kind of funny that someone who reviewed this station mentioned that we don't have stations like these on the West Coast considering Union Station is a historical icon that is featured in tons of movies (and is sometimes passed off as NYC...) But anyway, back to my point. 30th Street Station is a great hub for several train lines and bus lines. Much cleaner and prettier than NY's Penn Station, this old station features beautiful old architecture, is easy to navigate, and has many inexpensive dining options for when you need a little pick-me-up. There is also ample security and it feels safe, even though the people working here do tend to be a little brash every now and then. Convenient for Amtrak, NJ Transit, and SEPTA as well as Bolt Bus and other transit lines. Taxicabs are also easy to come by; lined up right outside.
4 - Eric W.: I don't always take Amtrak, but when I do, this is my second favorite station (soft spot for Union Station in DC). The main area is open and spacious with many places to sit. There are plenty of food options. The staff has always been helpful for me. I can keep going on, but you get the point. There are many reason that Amtrak might turn people off, but 30th Street Station should not be one of them.
5 - Michelle C.: What's not to love about this gorgeous example of architecture? Traveling can be hectic and sometimes stressful, but whenever I find myself inside 30th Street Station I feel calm. There's usually a pretty chill vibe about the place, which puts me in a good traveling mood. Whenever I return from a trip, I feel welcomed back by a beautiful building that reminds me I'm home. 

There are plenty of coffee options for the morning, and from what I hear some of the restaurant selections aren't half bad, though I don't believe I've ever taken advantage myself. The book store is pretty decent, and there's usually somewhere to sit if necessary.
5 - Julie M.: 30th Street Station is simply a beautiful work of architecture and is extremely well maintained.  I enjoy taking the train to and from here as it is so pleasing to my eyes.  It is also nice, compact, and clean.  There are also decent places to eat such as Saxby's and Cosi.  This place is so much better than NYP!
4 - Emily C.: It's a beautiful station (lovely architecture, high ceilings = lesssss claustrophobic) AND a great place to putter around if you're early for your train (like I was). So I grabbed a cuppa joe and sat down with a book. Ok, who am I kidding- I sat down with my laptop and enjoyed some freeeee WiFi before hopping on AMTRAK back to Hartford. 

30th Street Station is QUITE the contrast from Penn Station, where I found myself bustling through mobs of travelers later in the day. I definitely appreciated the ample seating options AND ease of catching for a cab (very short wait). 

All in all, gorgeous station with lotsa conveniences. I'm a fan.
4 - Seungha L.: For a transit location (provides AMTRAK, Regional Rail, right across the street is the Blue Line "El" subway, also with Boltbus and Megabus that departs to and from NY) located fairly near west Philadelphia, it is not as "ghetto" as city hall. However, beware, there is a good handful of homeless people that sit or stand around outside of the subway station that ask for money, cigarettes, and whatever else they can squeeze out of you.
5 - Jordan W.: I don't come to Philadelphia that often but I do like passing through this place.  Either for a Megabus adventure or a Amtrak trip on train going back to NY.  It is a cool place to spend a few hours if need be.  There is free WI-FI in the terminal.  I did have a plane super delay a while back WHERE i did not wanna stay overnight in a philly hotel so I got a free voucher to take the Amtrak train and I got a $20 food voucher to use on the train.  I kind of just looked at it as I am in Philly so CLOSE to home, why stay overnight at this hotel.  Let's just go back home.  I would have had to go through Newark Airport any way so NOT fun really.

I was here yesterday and yes there was plenty of seating. I ate some ice cream at the food court while Waiting for my megabus to finally arrive. I was in a Philly all day so I was just ready to come back home around 8 or so hours of wandering around.

-I would definitely come back here. I agree, bathrooms are not really that filthy either.
4 - Samira S.: I looooove this station! Partly because when I arrive here, I know I'm gonna have nothing but Philly fun times! It's huge and mostly clean ( it is a major hub of the northeast) and there's plenty of snackage in the area. And by snackage, I mean most of the places you could go to when you're back wherever you live. Still useful though. 
I will say that the station is beautifully done. Very high ceilings, columns, long benches, not too many homeless people, bright and plentiful signage, all that jazz. Plenty of secret places where you can chug that 12 pack of Heineken you brought along for the ride. 
The bathrooms were tolerable as well! Whowouldhavethought? 
I can't wait til the next time I hop on the Septa and make my way here, only fun and merriment will be had. 

Happy new year!
4 - John R.: What else can be said about this gorgeous piece of architecture that sprang out of the New Deal?  It is currently the 3rd busiest station in the Amtrak system, serving about 4 million passengers a year (not including SEPTA and NJT)

Even if you aren't traveling by train, check out the beauty of this station. Sit back with a coffee and take in the sounds of the trains, people and that the really cool train board in the center of the station.
3 - Mark N.: the architecture is beautiful, the staff seem friendly and helpful, and between Amtrak and the various commuter rails (SEPTA and NJ Transit) which use this station Philly is lucky to be one of the few places in the USA with close to European quality public transport options (the others being NYC and San Francisco) .  I love all this public transport availability, having recently moved from Florida where public transportation seems to be viewed by the politicians who  currently control the state as being a "socialist / communist evil" or something and thus is pretty much pathetic anywhere outside of Miami, where it is just barely approaching mediocre..  There is an impressive selection of  places to eat or grab a coffee or a beer in the station But the restrooms in this place are NASTY!!!!  Yeah, airport and bus station restrooms in the USA also tend to be quite nasty, but these are pretty bad..
5 - Tom M.: My 100th Yelp review was for the Wissahickon Valley Trail at Forbidden Drive. So it is fitting for my 200th to be of another Philadelphia classic, 30th street station.

My view of 30th Street is biased because the first two times I saw my future wife, it was on trips to Philly through 30th Street Station. So fond memories.

Being from New York, I know all too well what happens when a classic station is torn down. 30th Street's classic charm speaks to an age when trains were how transit happened in our country. This city is blessed that it remains. 

What a main room! To be fair, I would like some better food options. Even Penn Station in NYC has some great pizza options. The recent addition of Old Nelson mitigates this concern somewhat. Brightwaters is a very good sit-down pub. Great selection and some unique food items. I do enjoy getting dinner there.

The Amtrak platforms are not very nice so people should consider their real entrance to Philadelphia to be when they enter the grand main room. Interestingly, the SEPTA platforms are actually very nice. The design touches on the overhead signs and lights are actually quite charming.

We can't have Philly without 30th Street Station. It better stick around for a long time.
4 - Ryan W.: A great ol' train station, the kind they wouldn't build like this if they built a new one today.  It's a gorgeous building, with soaring columns and its solumn War Memorial statue on the 29th Street side of the main concourse.  The location is extremely convenient to downtown Phlly.  It could use a few more diverse and interesting food vendors.  A nice gateway via train to the City of Brotherly Love.  Unfortunately, if you're here, you're more than likely travelling on Amtrak, so the experience is almost undoubtedly about to go downhill.
4 - Andrew K.: $10 from Philly to Atlantic City. 90 minute trip and very simple. You can buy a ticket at a vendor in the the station or pay an extra $5 to buy one from a person on the train.

Train was surprisingly clean and it was a quiet ride. No compliants at all.
5 - Mike M.: Great station!  Good food choices (check out Bridgewater Pub), wide open spaces, general cleanliness all make it practical as a transportation hub.

What makes it special is the architecture and the grandeur of it all.  It might be missed by those rushing for a train to Harrisburg or DC, or maybe by those enjoying one too many fancy beers from the Bridgewater Pub (see above).  That's too bad, because usable public spaces like this are rare and worth taking in.
2 - Bryan P.: Although this is a visually stunning building, the amount of dirt that is visible and the mere conditions greatly detract from the majestic beauty. Amtrak, please invest some funds into first your trains, and next this GEM of a building.
4 - Mitch S.: Nice station, with tons of classic station goodness. Easy to navigate, and plenty of seating. It gets busy though as a connecting hub for Amtrak trains moving north, south and west, there is always plenty of staff around to assist. It's an easy station to navigate as I said in the open, and an even easier station to love.
3 - Lisa M.: Classic old school train station that has Amtrak, Septa and NJ Transit trains.   I love it purely because of the architecture, not everyday you walk in a room that large.   I used to be here everyday because of commuting to my old job so now when I visit, I get pure joy out of nostalgia.
5 - Charlee D.: Now listen here. What I love about 30th Street Station, and about Philadelphia in general, is that public transportation is not stigmatized the way it is in south Jersey. In this case, "everybody's doing it" is actually a great reason for you to do it, too. I've only recently started making use of public transportation, and 30th Street Station has made me into a believer. 

It's architecturally (say it five times fast) stunning. It's wildly spacious and open, it almost feels like a museum. Food options are varied and good. Signage is clear and concise. Employees are helpful. Ticketing is easy. Getting a cab is even easier. 

Once I hit 30th Street, I fall in love with this city all over again. Excitement starts building as soon as I hit Lindenwold, and culminates as I shuffle up the steps to this gorgeous homage to everything that is Philadelphia.
4 - Pamela B.: A gorgeous, serene train station with robust free wifi. The place is so calming, my friend and I sat and half-watched a promotional video about bomb-sniffing dogs instead of finding a nearby Starbucks to kill half an hour before my bus left. Unfortunately, this station has the food selection of NYC's Penn Station. If someone could combine the comfort of this train station with the food of Grand Central, I would commit my life to becoming the George-Clooney-in-Up-In-The-Air of the rails.
5 - Joshua V.: The building itself is an architectural marvel, and really freakin' huge.  You could dig it from out of the ground, blast it into space, and it could still independently sustain itself (buncha little shops and eateries on the inside)

Definitely a great way to start your experience in the city if this fine station serves as your port of entry into the fair city of Philadelphia.
4 - Louis B.: OK, I love trains, eh?!   And if the US was as civilized as most of Europe where you can take your dog on mass transit, I would rarely, if ever, ride on my car.  And in this equation is 30th Street Station, the transportation showplace of Philly.  It's not Grand Central, but still a magnificent edifice, way friendlier and eons more comfortable than the disgusting, smelly and dirt-ridden ant farm in New York's Penn Station. 

Entering the building is done on three sides, one of them a huge food mall.  The main room of the station is a magnificent neo-classical structure where people come and go without realizing the gem that they have overhead.  There are numerous cubbyholes in the station.  A VIP area on the mezzanine floor with direct access to some of the main platforms.  Office space galore.  A modern tie-in to the New Jersey Transit terminals.  And an overhead walkway to the parking in the ultramodern yet beautiful Cira building.  The old, former underground parking has been taken over by taxis, security and maintenance.

A definitely sumptuous welcome to Philadelphia.
2 - Crystine W.: I personally have not had a very good experience with this train station - they close down their escalators and do not open them up until 5-10 minutes before boarding which only makes the boarding line EXTREMELY long when they make the announcement that we can board.  As a first-timer, there was NO sign detailing this so I spent about a half hour searching for stairs leading downstairs (so thankful I arrived early) and lugged my 50-lb suitcase down 3 flights of stairs only to find that I had to lug it back up those stairs to get in that stupid line. 

There is a very active and bustling food court area, Doc Popcorn is a pretty unique find (try their sinfully Cinnamon and Poppin Jalapeno flavors).
4 - Nando F.: I have always enjoyed looking at this building when i am driving thru the city, or on the (sure-kill expressway) It is almost at the center of everything.. all roads start and stop at the station basically.

I remember going inside here when i was a little Nando.. and i would just stare at awe at the hugeness of this place... look at the ceiling and just wonder how they would change a burned out bulb... 

I walked in there on Sunday seeing i had time to kill with what was going on that day, and the little boy in me came out again... but now they have alot more in this place than a coffee stand and newspaper stand  and a little sandwhich shop from what i remember.
Ok i see what they are doing and I like it... restaurants and shops now good for this place. They are trying to compete with D.C. and NY and good for them.
4 - M. M.: As East Coast Amtrak stations go, 30th Street Station is pretty decent.  It doesn't quite have the variety of shops and convenient parking that DC's Union Station has, but it does have two Dunkin' Donuts that are open early and late, more food offerings and decent places to sit and wait than Boston's train station, easy accessibility by local trains and subway (although the subway is more skeezy than the DC Metro and locals have suggested it's better not to ride it after dark - depends on how many in your group and how comfy you are with a little urban danger I guess), and nice vintage architecture for us historic preservation heads.  Plus, the awesome opening scenes of "Witness" were shot there, so, yay.  I do wish they had larger and nicer ladies rooms, but as the old soul song went, "be thankful for what u got."

I wanted to write a little something about how to access the parking, since as a noob to driving into this station (been through it many times by train, taxi and subway but only recently started driving my car down) it was pretty hard to find the parking, at least if you're coming at it down Market Street as I do, and not via the highway.  I went in the wrong place several times before I figured it out.  If you are coming down Market Street heading east, you want to drive PAST the station and take the left that has signs for 76, then stay in the left lane, turn left past the station and you'll see the Cira Center parking area and garage, which has a walkway connecting it to the station and has guards at all hours of the day so you won't feel skeered.   If you are coming down Market Street heading west, make the first right just as you come over the bridge, and get in the left lane and turn left.

I say this because the signs for 76 and 676 look like if you turn down that street you will be bypassing the station and getting right on the highway.  Also, if you're driving eastbound on Market, you will see signs telling you to turn left for 30th St Station BEFORE you hit the station; that turn will take you past a parking lot that is a farther walk from the station (the one behind where the Megabuses are pulling up, which can make it hard to even get into that lot) and then take you to the station driveway entrance, which is where you can drop off/ pick up, but only has parking in a tiny little lot to the left (the "short term parking") that is almost always full and charges too much.  You will then see signs directing you to "parking" that will take you to a garage that has parking only for people who work at the station, and then more signs directing you to "parking" that is only for rental cars.  You will NOT be able to access the Cira Center parking by following any of those "parking" signs; it's a real mess and if the rental car garage guy had not given me directions on how to actually get to the Cira Center lot by passing the station and going around the block, I would still be confused.

Anyway, maybe this is information that is obvious to everybody else but I know there's gotta be one or two people who this will help.  There are many wonderful things about Philadelphia, but its signage in directing people to where they want to go is a definite big red F.  Hope this helps and happy parking!
4 - Lenny Z.: This is a great station. You can get regional rail or more long distance Amtrak. It's near the light rail and a number of bus stops, so access is pretty easy. Also, you have your pick of several car rental places, including your by the hour types like Zip Car and Philly car share.

There is a ton of open space. Tons of seating. The architecture is pretty cool too. There are always a lot of taxis outside. And, there are shops and places to eat galore. I really like the food choices. Awhile back I was stuck in the 30th Station because of transportation issues and super hungry. I stumbled upon Denise's Soul Food which is out of this world.

Def a train depot a step above your average depot.
4 - Nick B.: Before I moved to the Philly area, I wasn't a huge fan of public transportation. SoCal's public transit was pretty sucky - trains were pretty expensive and didn't go a whole lot of places, and the bus system - yeesh, it'd take you hours to get any place even semi-far away.

30th Street turned my conception of public transit around.

You can take a regional rail from the suburbs here and catch an Amtrak, the el or run outside and get your Bolt Bus up to NYC/Boston/etc. It's a huge and well kept place, too. The food choices here are not too bad either - Dunkin' Donuts, Cosi and the like. This place is truly awesome!
3 - Abhishek Y.: I'm in this place every day. Every. day. of. my. life.

That being said, 30th Street Station is a pretty nice place for what it is. After all, if you've gotta get somewhere, you gotta get there, regardless of how the station is. 30th Street makes that a bit more manageable, by having several nice amenities for travelers. 

Ample coffee shops (2 Dunkin' Donuts, Saxby's, Cosi, and Au Bon Pain), a decent spattering of restaurants/fast food joints (Aunt Annie's Pretzels, Doc's Popcorn, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Subway, Bridgewater's Pub, Au Bon Pain, Cosi, and a (soon-to-open) Jimmy John's Subs), and a few shops for regular odds and ends (Farber News and GNC) line the hallways of this massive beautiful structure.

The upside for Amtrak Guest Rewards Elite members and First Class/Sleeping Car passengers taking Amtrak is the ability to access the ClubAcela, which is an oasis within this busy hub. SEPTA is appropriately separated away from Amtrak/NJT, which makes it easier to avoid confusion, and cabs are present outside both sides of the main hall, making it easier to get one in a hurry.

Tip: if you want to bring a smile to that special someone's face, grab some flowers from the shop in the corner of the main hall, near the Au Bon Pain. They are overpriced, but they're quality flowers!
5 - Janet l.: ok, so it's kind of weird to write a yelp review of a train station, but i really like 30th street station.  i like it better than south st station in boston, penn station in nyc (although that goes without saying), penn station in baltimore (did they run out of names for train stations?)... 30th street station is just so pretty.  there are lots of food places and plenty of benches with lots of leg room, and there's great people watching.  i spent an hour here yesterday waiting for my train and thoroughly enjoyed myself.  look up at the ceiling!  so pretty!  i'm sure if i were an architect i could tell you all kinds of factoids about this place, but since i'm not an architect, "so pretty!" will have to suffice.  my only complaint is that the old school wooden benches don't provide any padding if you're deficient in the butt padding area :P  but if you have to wait for a train, this is a lovely place to do it.
4 - Christa N.: This is a beautiful station that felt very safe for a single female traveller.  All areas were clearly marked and well lit.  I would happily travel through this station again!
4 - Sean H.: 30th Street Station is definitely a Philadelphia landmark. That sounds kind of weak for a train station to be one of a city's notable buildings, but 30th St Station isn't your typical train station. It's one of those beautiful, old-school buildings with insanely high vaulted ceilings and marble and the kind of Gilded Age architectural detail that would certainly spawn its own Occupy movement if someone attempted to recreate it today.

There are restaurants. There is people-watching. There are even birds. It's a great place to pass a few hours as your Amtrak is delayed over and over. (Much better than Penn Station, which is tied with LaGuardia for the title of "Place That Most Definitely Proves the Existence of Hell.")
5 - Kevin C.: Not only is 30th Street Station the best station in all of Philadelphia it's also probably one of the most elegant buildings in the entire city as well. The "waiting room" is a massive architectural wonder created in the Art Deco tradition and to view it at night is absolutely breath taking. Eight giant "lanterns" hang from the ceiling illuminating every nook and cranny of the room, and the magnificent bronze sculpture of Michael the Archangel (commonly known as the Pennsylvania Railroad World War II Memorial) further adds to the awe-inspiring visual experience. Besides it's ocular splendor 30th Street Station also has a vast array of amenities to help make a weary traveler's life just a little bit easier.

Numerous fast food restaurants and coffee shop coupled with a full service bar, as well as a flower shop, provide everything one could need for a long transit trip, or a short walk back home. Before every trip to visit family in Central Jersey I make sure to pick up a hot tea and a bagel (or a beer and a burger, don't judge me), to hold me over and it always seems like the best idea I've ever had.

If you're a tourist in Philadelphia, or just passing through on Amtrak, 30th Street Station is always worth the visit.
5 - Christopher C.: After reading some of the negative reviews of 30th Street station the thought occurred to me that several of my fellow yelpers are either:

A.  Completely ignorant of the history of the building    or

B.  Dense beyond belief and need a reality check as to what to expect from a train station

Since a lot of the reviewers clearly are not old enough to remember what this building was like pre-Amtrak renovation let me help you out.

Before Amtrak started it's $75 million dollar, in 1988 dollars, renovation of the station in 1988 it looked nothing like what it does today.

Dirty, filthy ceiling with only a handful of working lights.  There were numerous broken windows that were covered by plywood boards all around the outside of station as well furthering the tomb like lighting that existed at the time.

A PA system that sounded like Charlie Brown's teacher was speaking.

No food other than McD's.

That's right, no other food.  The entire food court that exists today wasn't there as that entire side of the station was closed and boarded off.

No retail to speak of except for the newspaper/magazine place that's still there.

Probably about 50 times the homeless that are there now.

A serious lack of police presence and the list could go on and on.

Sure it would be nice if the bathrooms weren't as dirty or as scary as they still are but overall this train station is better than any other station in the Amtrak system with the exception of Union Station in DC.

You got Regional Rail upstairs, AMTRAK downstairs, the subway across the street, a decent food court, a post office, tons of seating and less homeless/safer environment.

What's not to like?

(As a sidebar, Amtrak can't just conjure up money to renovate things further as they are obviously beholden to the whims of Congress for their funding and renovating train stations that were already renovated within the last 25 years is nonexistent on their radar screen.

Also when the Circa Center was built it was with a private funds via a private developer and "they" couldn't spread funds around to do something with the station or concourse because "they" (being the private developer) could care less about the concourse just like Amtrak has zero to do with the Circa Center.)

A bit of light reading on the two most significant things to happen to the station within the last thirty years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_City_Commuter_Connection
http://articles.philly.com/1988-12-02/business/26224945_1_station-renovation-30th-street-station-amtrak-passengers

If you youngin' bumpkin hipster wannabes think this station is bad or is not good enough seriously shut the fuck up and be glad that you don't have an Amshack like 90% of the stops are in the Amtrak system and/or be glad you don't have to see what the station looked like thirty years ago because now that was something to be scared of and the way things are now are world class compared to then.
4 - Kurt I.: One of the most beautiful places in Philadelphia, but still has that lingering smell of urine.  Breathe in the city folks. I wouldn't have it any other way.
4 - Jorge G.: I see 133 other reviews for 30th St station; but seriously I can not tolerate one single world of complaint about this transit hub. Philadelphians...sheeesh, you do not know how good you have it. This awesome station wouldn't last three months in New York City. Treasure it. Treasure the fact that you can walk through here even during the highest-volume, peak rush hours and find yards of 'buffer space' between you and the next nearest other human being. There's so much room, you don't even have to really look around you as you walk. Nothing needs to be 'dodged'. You don't have to even *think* about anyone around you. You don't have to change your path because some other idiot is blundering across your trajectory (as happens every few seconds in NY).

How awesome is that? How can this even be? Well, its not that the place is all that huge, but it does enjoy elbow room! Room to swing a cat in! Philly has low-density transit; it is never as mobbed as New York. You just don't know. Its clean. Its lit. Its calm. Its orderly. There are always 'quiet areas' to go and park yourself, knowing you will not be intruded upon. People are courteous. The worst annoyance is someone's bawling brat from Upper Darby. 

When you want to factor in stress, it just doesnt compare to the screaming, howling, maelstrom that is NYC's Penn Station and all the wall-to-wall SCUMBAGS you have to shoulder past in that crypt. That atrocity. 30th St station is Mt Olympus compared to that black, infernal, Stygian, pool of burning blood...count your blessings! I WISH this was the train station I could use every day..I would be so happy..
4 - Harry E.: Organized chaos is a good way to put it Aaliyah!

But please do pause and enjoy the amazing architecture!  Love this building, inside and out!
4 - Christina J.: Very nice transit station in Philadelphia. It's an Amtrak hub, Regional Rail hub, SEPTA hub, taxi hub, rental car hub and trolley hub. For a large city transportation center, it's pretty clean and quiet. Not a lot of rude people but there is the occasional pigeon because the doors are consistently being opened. The staff there is fairly helpful as are the Philadelphia cops that are always on duty if you ever get lost or are a straight up tourist. There's plenty to eat, the restrooms are clean, you can read a book on a bench or in a corner by an outlet while your phone is charging. I have take Amtrak, Regional Rail, SEPTA, taxis and rental cars from this location. The trains run on time and the taxis are numerous. I've never had an issue at 30th street station. 

Even when not going anywhere, you can just stop in for something to eat or just browse the architecture and people watch.
2 - Yan W.: Absolutely beautiful architecture, but you really can't judge a book by it's cover.

Although the shops inside the 30th street station were great, the artwork (and classic train schedule ticker) was amazing, and the seating area comfy; it really can't make up for three HUGE issues:

1) The disgusting bathrooms - I've been to many third world countries and these bathrooms take the cake.  Imagine what would happen to bathrooms in a zombie apocalypse and it's the 30th street station's bathrooms.  In fact, they were so yellow, I really could not tell if someone had flushed-that's how gross they were.  Instead of fixing clogged bathrooms full of... well, crap, the maintenance crew instead just put in HUGE industrial fans to blow the stench into the station...
2) Staff associated with the trains.  They were, for the most part extremely aggressive.  I wouldn't say rude, but there was a train delay due to weather conditions and all they could do was speak very loudly to patrons who were more than understanding and willing to wait.  The Staff seemed extremely confused.  They would speak into the garbled up speaker and announce different trains at different gates.  Case in point - Train 137, please go to gate 4; again, that's train 542 go to gate 4...  and no one seemed to correct the issue.
3) Did I mention the staff?  Case in point - "Ma'am, may I ask where the bus stop... " "ACROSS THE STREET" (point)...  Again, it wasn't rude, but that's not how one would want to be welcomed to a new place!

Seeing how it's the transit hub of Philadelphia, I guess I'll have to be back, but next time I'll just pray for no delays, not ask for directions or go to the bathroom.  Then, it will be a more pleasant trip.
4 - Mattie C.: The building is quite pretty, it is an easy walk into downtown Philly from here, there are plenty of restaurants and the staff is quite helpful.  I'm used to flippant or indifferent service at airports/train stations etc. but here I feel like the staff has gone out of their way to be helpful.  Last time we were here we were thinking of shipping bikes back on Amtrak and the woman working at the baggage counter was so helpful and friendly and thorough in explaining everything to me that I really appreciate it.  Amtrak really needs to hire more employees like that.

As for restaurants, there are some nice cheap standard places around the gates and then around the back some more fancy places including a pub that has a pretty good beer list.  I would like to hang out there sometime if I ever need to be waiting in the station again for a while.

Union Station beats this place out in terms of good looks, but this certainly comes close and is a very nice train station to have to wait.
4 - Derrick P.: great train station - has everything you're looking for, easy to get around, and not so busy like nyc's penn station.

also, the open lobby is quite a sight to see.
4 - Allie A.: How can you walk in here and not think of the movie "Witness" with Harrison Ford?  The architecture here is iconic, and they try very hard to keep this place clean and ship shape.

Food choices are many and there's some surprising good options.

Staff always super helpful, friendly, and willing to help a hand and give tips.

310 Burnham Apartments - Champaign, IL (40.1126664, -88.2352201) ()
1 - Craig M.: Not Good.  My brother was supposed to move in here in the Fall...When the building was finally completed, and he spent 2 months in Savoy with a roommate who caused him to fear to fear for his life as he might've stabbed him up, he was finally able to move in.

There's only been pee in the elevator once since then.
1 - Chris V.: I stayed here for a year while I was in graduate school.  There was pee in the elevators, trash in the halls, constant noise issues, and a staff that had no clue what was going on.
I moved in and was told, "we don't pro-rate rent, so you'll have to pay the full month of August even though you're only staying here for two weeks".  My roommate moved in the following weekend and paid pro-rated rent.  REALLY?
I renewed my lease for the summer to complete grad school, and of course their summer lease wasn't tailored around the University summer session dates in the same way that their typical school year lease was written, so I asked if I could stay an extra week.
They told me, "sure, don't worry about it.  Just make sure you leave it really clean when you move out."  I did so, and hadn't heard from them for about a month, when they sent me a bill.  I expected that when they said not to worry about it that there would be no charge for the extra week since I was leaving it clean enough for the next people to move in.  They never presented me with a new contract the way a professionally run apartment building should have done, so I expected that I was not having to pay any extra.  Not only did they charge pro-rated rent (wait... I thought they didn't do that...), but then charged a full month of parking.
After I emailed them about how I didn't think I should have to pay for this (considering I got over charged for August rent, and was not informed of any financial responsibility), they said nothing.  At this point, I figured I could move on with my life.
Two months later, I GOT SENT TO A BILL COLLECTOR WHO THREATENED TO RUIN MY CREDIT RATING IF I DIDN'T PAY UP!!!
The staff has no clue what's going on, and this place is completely overrated... find someplace else and save yourself some pain.
3 - Chaofan H.: Everything is good except the fking internet. We used to use comcast and it works so good, high download speed. But starting from this summer 2012, they switched to pavlov media and that suck. Feels like 1mbps, cant watch youtube, no online games at all and keeps disconnecting. just be aware of this

32 Good Reasons - Seattle, WA (47.661158, -122.3163078) (University District)
5 - Shaun R.: I have been a Patient at 32 Good reasons for 7 years now.  Dr. Barret and Dr. Schwedhelm are the best Dentists in Seattle. My hygienist Jen is top notch as well. Going to the dentist is not one of my favorite things but the Doctors and staff make it as pleasurable as possible. If you need a dentist look no further, these guys are great!
5 - Kris P.: First off, let me tell you that I'd rather be butt naked, in the doctors office, for an ob/gyn appointment, rather than go to the dentist.  I HATE GOING TO THE DENTIST!  To me, it's one of the few things that I'd like to give up for Lent, and never start up again.  But, it's a necessity in life.  Luckily, my really good friend, CJ, recommended 32 Good Reasons, and so I made an appointment.  I was shocked to find that it would take almost 2 months to get in, but I was a first timer, and they are very busy.  I was extremely apprehensive going in, and the staff knew it.  They were exceptionally friendly, and made me feel at ease, from the start.  Jamie did my x-rays (and I KNOW that it was a chore for her, as I have the worst gag reflex around).  She made it go as fast, and easy, as possible.  And she kept me laughing (when I didn't have something in my mouth).  Next was my cleaning with Jenn.... who did my measurements, and found that I was going to have to come back, next month, because my cleaning was going to require numbing my mouth.  They worked with me to make it as easy as possible and helped me out with payment options (since I don't have medical insurance at this point).  I'm actually not feeling too nervous about returning.... and even if I am, I know that Jenn will make me feel okay.... calming my nerves.  Dr. Barrett was really nice, and complimented my teeth.  That was a good feeling.  Even though I'm losing bone in my jaw.... and it's causing problems for my gums, it's nice to know that my teeth are okay.  If you're looking for a dentist, I highly recommend that you give 32 Good Reasons a try.  You won't be disappointed.  And they are open REALLY early.  Another positive.  I don't even mind the drive (through traffic) to have a place that helps put me at ease.
5 - Daniel M.: Dr. Barrett is hilarious, and the hygienists are all great, but the best thing about these guys is I trust them to not rush into doing something unneeded. Before I came here, I went to a different dentist who (falsely) said I had a cavity based on an X-ray. Dr. Barrett looked at the image and told me I had nothing to worry about. 

Five years later and it turns out he was right. Plus, did I mention he's hilarious?
5 - Marysia Y.: I have been very pleased with this dentist. I am going to need implants eventually because I am missing 2 of my permanent bottom molars (I still have baby teeth!) Some dentists are pushy and want to pull the teeth and get you to do implants as soon as possible, because they cost a lot of money. Well, Dr. Barrett has never once pushed me to get implants. He says that my baby teeth are still firmly in place and I should just leave them alone for as long as possible. I really appreciate that - I feel like they are actually looking out for my teeth and not just their own profits.

The waiting room is also the best ever. They always decorate it for holidays - Halloween, Christmas, etc. It helps brighten up a not-so-pleasant experience.

33rd Street Armory - Philadelphia, PA (39.956445, -75.188673) (Powelton Village, University City)
2 - Carrie E.: Last night we gathered a mini Yelp army to go to the MIA show, and none of us had ever been here before. So obviously we had no idea what to expect. Lemme break it down for you so you will:

1) Gotta tinkle? Looking for some action? Then get ready...'cause you're going to the Port-A-Potty!

2) No bar. Whaaa whaaa. So be forewarned and prep in advance if that is your thing.

3) it is hot. Desert hot. So hot that I was sweating my boobs off. And FYI, that's pretty damn hot.

4) The acoustics are ok, but basically it's a big room. You know, an armory. So don't expect World Cafe Live or anything. 

5) There is a pretty good chance you may get punched in the eye by some overzealous fan who will take out everybody in her path to get to the stage. My advice? Stay low and just get out of the way. And when she comes 'a swinging,  move back a little so when it lands you don't feel it as much. Or drink as much as you can before the show so at least you don't feel it until later.

Not that I know about that firsthand or anything..
3 - John P.: Drexel had some college fest here several years back. I remember seeing the Eels, and Goldfinger might of played, but don't quote me on that last one. I have the tendency to blur shows together sometimes. Nirvana played here way back when before Kurt Cobain got severely depressed and well you know. 

The main purpose for the Armory is for Drexel's ROTC to do their thing. I think its cool that they lend the space out. I kinda agree with Carrie, its probably not the best place for a show, but then again as far as West Philly goes, its not that bad.
4 - Steve M.: This review is for the Philly Cooks 2012 event held at the Armory last night.  

This space is an excellent size for a Philly Mag event!  I hope this becomes the new standard.  While previous venues have been classier, they're all too cramped and tiny and the crowd becomes very difficult to manage, especially with a drinks in one hand and food in the other (or, you know, a second drink!).

But last night had plenty of room to maneuver, lots of little tables to stand at, and a really nice vibe to it.  Unfortunately they ran out of alcohol about 3/4 of the way through the night, that stepped on things a little bit, but the food was lots of fun and in some cases superb (notably Ela's cheese/mushroom dish and the black bass/pork belly/star anise dish from Heirloom Fine American Cookery).

Overall the Armory was a great venue for Philly Cooks, and I hope to be there again to enjoy it next year!
4 - Lindsay H.: This review is for the 2012 Philly Cooks event hosted by Philadelphia Magazine. 

I already can't wait till I can attend another Philadelphia magazine event. They really know how to do it. The food was fantastic and the space was perfect. I can't say it was a classy venue but it allowed for plenty of space for the food vendors, bars and mini tables to munch at. They even had a coffee and dessert area. 

Some highlights for me included:
Ela- super soft creamy italian cheese with kumquats, tiny mushrooms and a shortbread crumble. My favorite of the night!
Farmers Cabinet- Tuna tartare with a salty won-ton crisp on top. 
Heirloom Fine American Cookery- black bass with pork belly and star anise. Not only was this delicious but it was a beautiful tiny plate of food!
Brauhaus- this shocked me because i'm not a lover of german food but there foie gras stuffed bratwurst was rich and delicious...especially paired with the homemade sauerkraut!

Overall, this event was fantastic. I went with a bunch of friends and had an absolutely blast. I even added some restaurant to my list to try in the future!

35 Chinese Restaurant - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9122092, -79.0581211) ()
4 - Andy H.: This restaurant was great.  They helped me help my family order in Chinese, and did a pretty good job.  I was a little bummed that they didn't have my favorite stuff but I got to try a couple new things that were really good.  The buffet looked questionable, but no one should ever eat Chinese food via buffet anyway.  Highly recommended, very friendly and fun staff.
5 - Mary B.: Chinese buffets are always touch and go for me, I never know if I'm going to leave satisfied or with a belly full of nothing but the fried rice.  I think this buffet is great, lots of tasty American Chinese food.  I think I have only had to wait for a table once, there always seems to be ample seating.  The buffet is large, definitely by NC standards, and they always seems to stock the dishes that I love.  They do have the old standbys such as lo mein and orange chicken, as well as some dishes I may not have tried before, such as squid.  There always seems to be at least a couple veggie dishes, along with a tofu option.  The desserts aren't too great, but honestly I'm too stuffed by the time my eye wanders in that direction.  I seem to remember that they used to offer sushi on the buffet too, but it disappeared the last few times I went.  I also can't vouch for how authentic this place is, I admittedly grew up on Americanized Chinese food, but for what it is, it's great.  They also offer student discounts.
5 - Caroline Z.: OK - I have kind of a love-hate relationship with Chinese buffets. Love the splurging on dumplings and spring rolls and ten kinds of chicken with vegetables, hate the...ya know...pain afterwards. But I have to admit, 35 is seriously the mother of all Chinese buffets. My husband (who is all about buffets and knows no indigestion) calls it "the standard by which all others are measured." It's popular with the UNC students - I spent many a meal here while in college myself. Sometimes the line reaches out the door.   

The buffet is large and offers an unusual variety of foods.  Yes, they have fried rice, General Tso's chicken, and kung pao chicken, but you'll also find spicy squid, sesame beef, sauteed chicken with asparagus, and spinach on the buffet too.  The champagne chicken (don't know why it's named that) is elusive - it's not always there, but when you catch it, it's delicious. The hot and sour soup is also quite noteworthy. There's lots of seating, and the ambiance is a bit better and more upscale than your average buffet restaurant.
4 - Jake S.: Worst thing about this place: It's an all-you-can eat Chinese Buffet. Best thing about this place: It's an all -you-can-eat Chinese Buffet.

35 Chinese is solid Chinese fare. While they are bound to the downsides of a buffet, they have great food and refresh their selections often. They offer most every one of my Chinese favorites in some variety. 

The best time to go is when it's busy. Sure it might take a minute longer to find a seat, but they refresh the food much more frequently. 

They also offer a very nice student discount.
5 - Michael P.: Best Chinese I've had in Chapel Hill. 

Though it's a buffet, most of the food is very good, and as its a buffet, it's perfect for a college student, as you can eat as much as you want.  I usually just stick with all their chicken dishes, as they always hit the spot.  Also, the candy in the dessert section is always worth browsing, especially the gummy bears.

Never forget to mention their student discount when you're paying.  It might only be a dollar, but discounts are always sweet.
3 - Jessica T.: Everytime I go here the food is great. But, the people are extremly rude, and I feel rushed the whole time I was in there. Again love the foods just confused with the atmosphere and employees.
4 - Rebecca T.: I like it, but I can't speak for everyone. 

I've heard horror stories about eating at 35, but I've yet to get sick. I agree that the servers are terrible, yet they always look for tips.  

My favorite things that have nothing to do with Chinese food are the fried sweet potato sticks.
4 - Henry S.: The mother of all Chinese buffets in the area, 35 Chinese is a great place to go for anyone who loves LOTS of Chinese food. All of the standards are on the buffet, with some Dim Sum and Sushi as well. Soup is not on the buffet, but if you ask for it they will bring it for no extra charge. The service here is pretty terrible, but it is a buffet, so it doesn't interfere with the meal that much. One tip for students is that you receive one dollar off with a valid UNC One Card, and I think this applies for UNC employees as well. For under $10, 35 Chinese is a great deal.
1 - Kun P.: This review is based on my last experience here, about 7 years ago. 

I threw up after coming out the restaurant. Probably msg overload. "Wowaweewa".

I can't bring myself to go back here, but seems as though recent reviews are getting better.
5 - William J.: 35 Chinese holds the power to rend men's souls, and lo, my child, thou must respect that power, lest the buffet beat its great black wings - which form the night sky - and consume you whole.

What I am trying to do here is impress on you the greatness of 35 Chinese.  While it's definitely not the best Chinese buffet I've ever been to, it's very worthwhile and definitely the best in Chapel Hill.

Who gets sick here?  I have never gotten sick here.  None of my friends have gotten sick here.  None of THEIR friends have gotten sick here.  Who are the people writing reviews complaining of sickness.  Suck it up, guys... if you overeat like pigs at a trough, expect to get a tummy ache.  It's not the buffet's fault.

You may have a little trouble finding the place, since it's entirely underground.  Look for the sign on the awning, then park, then descend the furious tile steps into the land of chicken and mirrors.  They actually do a very good job handling the decor, opening up the place with mirrors and plants.  It's quite nice.

Try the Crab Rangoon.  It's some amazing stuff.  Also, student discounts at night.  During lunch time you wouldn't need it anyway, it's very affordable.
3 - Christina G.: I got the :biggest: stomach ache the last time I came here -- I blame that not on the food, but on my ostensibly insatiable appetite. A buffet always screams a challenge to me. But it's easy to overload here even if you don't have that ego issue going on. They have loads of your typical fare -- General Tso's, beef & broccoli, wonton soup, donut-y things rolled in granulated sugar. But they also have some more interesting cuisine -- there's usually a pretty good selection of dim sum style dumplings. So if you load up on a little of everything and come back for seconds; and then don't forget the dessert bar (I love those balls in sesame seeds with the sweet, brown filling)! -- you'll probably walk out with a stomach ache too.
4 - Adrienne E.: I think 35 is just a love it or hate it type of place. I harbor no pretentious shame about my affinity for both buffets and Chinese food, so it's perfect for me. 

Having eaten at the inferior Asia Cafe and Hunam, I think the food at 35 is pretty decent. The tip about going at busy times when the buffet is being regularly refreshed is on point - there's nothing like staring at a bunch of dry, room temperature chicken and beef to kill your appetite. 

The majority of the time I eat at 35, I get a take-out box and fill it up with items from the buffet. It's a little more expensive this way because they charge you by the pound, but the service is pretty terrible so I'd rather just take the food with me. 

A word of warning: the steps leading down to 35 are incredibly slippery when it's raining. Just saying.
2 - Katherine M.: I think everyone who's giving this a 5 just hasn't been to a Chinese buffet before.

It's a Chinese buffet. So you can expect twenty kinds of fried food, many coated in gloppy sauces, and nary a healthy thing around (unless you count the fruit.) If that's your thing, great.

I've been to better and I've been to worse. And I did get sick after eating, but that's par for the course. It wasn't from overeating either. I've eaten far more than this without discomfort.

EDIT: It's 3:00 AM (I'm writing a paper) and my stomach is still staging a minor revolution. Star deducted.
4 - Brian W.: So many people rag on 35 Chinese, but I know they go there anyway when nobody's looking.  You have to... it's the only good Chinese food in CH.

It is certainly not the best, or most authentic Chinese dining experience in the world, but what do you expect from a buffet?  I expect tons of tasty food for a flat rate, a bottomless glass of sweet tea, and a badly translated fortune cookie at the end of my meal.  35 Chinese delivers all of those things, and without any MSG.  And, truly, most of their food IS pretty good.  

The best thing I've had here is the green beans with garlic and oil... They have a name, but I can't remember what it is.
2 - Kenny O.: I'll try to make this a short review.

The restaurant is hidden away in the sub-ground level of the shopping center it is situated in. It seems pretty easy to overlook when you are driving or even walking by.

I had come in for lunch after it being recommended to me by a friend. He had warned me that it was not the best Chinese food (boy was he right!), but it hits the spot and at a good price.

He was very correct about the price: I think it was $6 for all-you-can-eat style buffet. The place had a very nice selection of Chinese and American dishes. They had a lot of the Chinese-American dishes like Orange Chicken, Kung-Pao Beef, Fried Rice, Chow/Lo Mein, etc., and they even had some Dim Sum, including Siu Mai, and Bao Tzu. They had a small selection of seafood, but it did not look palatable, so I tended to stay away from that.

The place seemed like a good place to come in with a group, and kinda sad place to come in by yourself. I saw one man near the corner of the booths who looked ready to just about kill himself.

The waiters/waitresses are very attentive and my water glass was never more than 1/2 empty. They were very courteous and I appreciated that.

The cleanliness at the tables were great, but at the actual buffet--not so much. It's most likely due to very disrespectful patrons who don't clean up after themselves (in fact, I KNOW it's because of this) and leave the buffets dirty, but I don't think they were ever wiped down in the 45 minutes I was there. I'm not a clean freak, by any means whatsoever, but I appreciate the facade of cleanliness at least.

Anyway, I would rate the overall quality of the restaurant around 2.5. The food was alright, and I'm sure it would taste amazing intoxicated. Too bad I was sober and went in at noon when I could appreciate the greasiness. I might come here on my next visit to Chapel Hill this weekend! If I do, I'll be sure to update on my impressions of this restaurant.

PS. Crap, this wasn't short at all.
4 - Tom H.: OK, its a Chinese Food buffet, so my expectations were low going in, but they give you a solid selection of food at a reasonable price (especially at lunch).  Food was good, I really enjoyed the Chicken and Asparagus (wish they did the same treatment with String Beans) and while the quality of the fruit at the dessert part of the buffet was mixed, I was able to assemble a refreshing plate.

Service here is great.  I do not think my beverage was ever even half empty.

It is a little dark in the dining, but it is clean and seemingly well maintained.
5 - Ted Z.: I lose all credibility with friends when I talk about 35. It is, simply, my favorite restaurant in Chapel Hill. A paragon in the land of Chinese buffets. I would come here every week or two in college. 35 is more than your typical Chinese buffet. Yes, they have the usual suspects - multiple varieties of glazed meats, egg rolls, kung pao chicken, fried rice, etc. But there's also a broader array of dishes like mussels, squid, fish, sesame beef, different types of dumplings, and lots of vegetables, such as sauteed spinach, and chicken with asparagus or zucchini. And who can argue with unlimited M&Ms, Reese's pieces, and gummi bears for dessert?
But who cares only about variety? That's a given at a buffet. The food here is just plain good. It's always hot, and tastes far better than any other buffet in the area. The atmosphere is also a bit nicer than places like Gourmet Kingdom and Hong Kong.
3 - Emilie R.: Better than the other Chinese buffets on Franklin street/ 15-501.  Reasonably priced
4 - Daniel G.: Checked out the dinner buffet at 35 Chinese the other day for the first time and I must say, I'm impressed! For the price, this is some of the best Chinese food I've had outside of China. We were promptly seated and well-attended to for the entire evening. The buffet was fully-stocked, clean and fresh. The food was hot, flavorful and not too salty or oily. 

My fiancée is a vegetarian and Chinese buffets usually don't bode well in the vegetarian selection, but 35 Chinese's massive buffet had more than enough choices to accommodate her with a considerable selection. This was the first time I've ever seen one of my favorite dishes, eggplant, at a Chinese buffet and I definitely recommend trying it.

The buffet is huge and has a lot of different styles, from typical Chinese to curried chicken to seafood and even a Thai inspired dish or two. They have a large variety of fruits and desserts and even toppings for the frozen yogurt.

Their location is definitely not the best, as they are basically in the basement of the shopping center they are located in. The stairs that lead down to the restaurant are pretty daunting and not handicapped-friendly. There may be rear access, but I'm not sure. There is an elevator in the shopping center next door that can make coming from or going to the street level easier,  but while this may make things easier for those with stair problems it doesn't help those in wheelchairs, as there are still a few steps involved.
4 - John L.: I had no idea this was down here.  Seriously.  I thought the only food you could get at the strip mall thing near UNC was Time Out!

So, I came over here with some friends of mine for some lunch buffet.  35 has what can best be described as a fascinating lunch buffet.  Yes, you have the standard Chinese buffet fare:  Crab Rangoon, various chicken-related dishes, beef with broccoli, and other food.  

But there were others as well.  Mozzerella sticks.  French Fries.  Iced Brownies.  Gummi Bears (and yes, I did put Gummi Bears on my iced brownie.)

All of this for about $7.  is it remarkable food?  No.  But really, if you're getting a Chinese buffet, what were you expecting?  I mean, for $7, it's a good deal.

On a side note, the Fortune Cookie told me that in the next century, I may live on the moon.  Two thoughts:  1: That's not a fortune, and 2: I would have to be at least 119 by then.  That will be great... bouncing aimlessly around on the moon while having no idea what's going on.  Lovely.
5 - Donny A.: Best Chinese Buffet I've ever visited.

Let's put it this way:  while studying for the bar exam, this became my group's oasis for great food and random non-legal conversation.

The wait staff doesn't speak english well, but they fill up your drinks regularly - so the service is just fine.

The food is chinese buffet food, but it's high above average... and at 7 bucks, you won't find a better stuff-your-face meal anywhere.  Heck, I'd drive from Raleigh regularly to eat at 35 Chinese with friends.

If you're a student, visitor, or just someone looking for a spot thats out of the way and a great meal... check out 35 Chinese.  It's the best Chinese Buffet in the Triangle.
1 - Charlotte P.: Ok, so this is probably one of the biggest restaurant disappointments I've ever experienced. My husband and I were tired, feeling indulgent and came across the reviews for 35 Chinese on Yelp; how could we resist?!

We walk into the restaurant and do a lap around the buffet to orient ourselves and plan how we're going to do this. Everything looks GREAT, we were saying to each other "this could possibly be the best buffet we've ever experienced." So we go for it, we load up our plates with what are sure to be delectable delights and when we take our first bites...

The food is TERRIBLE. I mean, really really disgusting. It tasted like the same sauce was used for multiple dishes, which was a mistake because it was gross, and honestly the only thing that was edible to me were the rangoons. I would have said crab rangoons, but there was no crab in them. This is an extensive buffet and I really gave them a chance because like I said, we were SO excited when we first walked in. The kicker? When we were leaving I saw a little roach-type bug right next to the side buffet. Are you kidding me?! At that point I almost barfed.

I don't know how all these people had such great experiences, ours was terrible and I definitely would NOT recommend this place to anyone.
4 - Andrew D.: Don't believe teh haters, they sux0rs.
This place rocks. 

I wonder how you say "Always bring a fresh plate for each trip to the buffet" in Cantonese.
3 - Jessica B.: Hostess has good taste in laughter- ask her to do her barn laugh. 

Large selection of food- chicken dishes good in general. Dumplings were very good! Ice cream and skittles were a nice way to end the gluttony.  Egg drop soup and lo mein noodles were a disappointment. Waitresses were very attentive at refills. 

Fortune cookies were tasteless and the fortunes seem to be biased towards the positive.

Bottom line: solid Chinese buffet for $10.
4 - Rus G.: Reasonably priced and reasonably good! A favorite with the whole family. Eat lunch and pay less for the same great food! Only complaint is that (occasionally) food on the buffet is not hot enough...tastes good, but food poisoning can be a drag. (I have never got food poisoning here, but food service requirements are that the food needs to be over 140 degrees and I don't think they are close) I still eat here often because everything on the buffet is always freshly put out. 

Oh yeah....this is american-chinese food.....not like traditional and authentic cantonese.
3 - Akin O.: Believe it or not, there are some Chinese buffets that are relatively authentic. This place was Americanized to the fullest...    which is of course great for me. I'm pretty sure no one in China actually eats Orange Chicken. But I piled that on my plate #2. They don't have as much selection as other places. For example no sushi (which I don't eat at buffets regardless, but just FYI). Soft drinks aren't included in the 9.35 buffet meal. The one thing I didn't understand about this place is why they had to refill our water and serve us soup. Why couldn't they have made these items part of the buffet? Ante up and buy an automated drink machine and save money on one or two less waiters. Also don't get me started on the flooded bathroom. Went to wash my hands when I first got here: d@mn near lost my appetite. I was able to get over it, after swimming back to my chair. So one word of advice: bring some hand sanitizer for yourself if you're a germaphobe like myself.
5 - Leen K.: I've been eating at 35 at least once a month since I moved to Chapel Hill five years ago.  Don't go there if you are expecting exotic or authentic Chinese food, because their offerings are very Americanized.  But if you have a palate like my little brother's, who considers Panda Express to be the definition of great Chinese food, you will love this place.

My favorite items on the buffet are pan fried dumplings.  These are juicy, tasty and totally awesome.  I usually load up my plate with them if they have just been refreshed by the kitchen staff.  My second favorite dish is the eggplant dish.  It doesn't look like much, but try it if you like eggplants.  I love that stuff, it tastes just like my grandmother's.  I also like the salt and pepper shrimp, though it takes a bit of work to peel them.

There's a good variety, ranging from the typical orange/sesame/sweet & sour chicken, broccoli beef to fried salmon and steamed flounder.  They also have a variety of little steamed Chinese dim sum.  There's a nice fresh fruit and dessert section, with a candy bar for your soft serve ice cream.  I also like their egg drop soup, which they bring out to you with your drink order.  

Overall, I love this place and will continue to go there on a regular basis as long as I live in Chapel Hill.  It's not PF Chang, so don't go there expecting that sort of service.  But it is a great Chinese buffet in a college town that will fill belly for a very reasonable price.
4 - Lucy F.: I have always had good service at this restaurant.  I believe it's family owned so you become familiar with the staff.  The bar gives me a HUGE selection and always has my favorites.  The only complaint I have is the ice cream.  I'm used to the 'white' stuff like McD's soft serve but this is more like ice milk.  That's not a big issue because after I have all my usual, I'm not too much into dessert!

Try this place out!  I don't think you'll be disappointed and the prices are reasonable.  You can also order off the menu.
3 - Samantha E.: Just your typical Chinese buffet. Nothing to really write home about but you will get a full stomach for a pretty good price. Be sure to show your OneCard to get a student discount. If you are looking for authentic and or quality Chinese food try somewhere else.
2 - Matt D.: 35 Chinese is a staple for many people in Chapel Hill. Not for me since my mother discovered a cockroach on the buffet over a year ago. I wasn't there, so I can't really say anything about that. At any rate, most of the food was a decent temperature, but the food was a little soggy (the sesame and orange dishes were at least). The vegetable dishes were decent, though there weren't many. I thought the wonton soup was basically a little wonton in a salty broth, practically water. 

If you're nearby and want americanized chinese and a lot of it for cheap, then it's ok. Otherwise, just go to Hunam, Red Lotus, Ming Garden or even China Wok over this place. At least the food is prepared freshly and tastes good..
4 - Sarah T.: if you need chinese food, this is totally the place to go! the takeout is a  great deal!
4 - Richard D.: I always crave this place, and then regret going in BC I come out 10lbs heavier. For the price you pay, there is a good amount of food.
4 - Mike H.: I wanted food. I wanted Chinese food. I wanted American-Chinese food. So being from Boston, I had no idea where to eat down in Chapel Hill, NC. I looked this place up and went over there. The fact that it was in the basement level kind of geeked me out, but since I was only doing take-out  I wasn't totally phased. It didn't look terrible from what I saw from the front entryway, but the fact that it was in the basement level doesn't do it for me.

Food wise, it was great. The dumplings were perfect, and there were even a few extras in there. I felt like I got the extra ones since I was Asian. The lady would not stop talking to me while I waited for my food and kept throwing extra stuff in there. I got the Beef Lo Mein and while it wasn't top notch, it won me over for two reasons. 1) The amount of beef in there was unbelievable. 2) It came in a chinese food takeout container. I mean, where I get chinese food from back home, they use plastic containers. I like those cliche chinese food containers more than you can imagine.(WOW. That looks so weird in writing. It made sense in my head. I sound so weird...)

Price wise, it was super cheap. 

So all in all, get over there if you have a chance.
2 - Hannah P.: 1.5

BEWARE: NOT AUTHENTIC CHINESE FOOD.

Honestly, half of the food may have been frozen foods you can buy from Trader Joe's or wherever. It's very Americanized, though I wasn't expecting much in this part of town to begin with, and very greasy. A lot of the entrees were over-salted, and the desserts tasted soggy and had a strange aftertaste. It just seemed like a crappy Panda Express (with more variety/options - I give them that).

Excellent price that comes with a great variety of sub-sub-sub-par food with good service.
3 - Caroline S.: A decent buffet for the price, $9.75 for dinner, with all the fan favorites: General Tso's chicken, lo mein, fried rice, crab rangoon, etc with other items like Thai curries, french fries, fried bananas, etc.  Service is great.  Location is odd (underground) and outdated.
3 - Liwei Y.: This is a decent place if you want lots of food for cheap. Some things here are decent, but in general I think buffet food is not that great because it doesn't taste fresh. This place is also NOT authentic Chinese food. Several of my friends think this place is great and it's real Chinese food, but it's not at all close to real Chinese food! I think this place has the most buffet options out of all other Chinese buffet places in the area. If you want a "Chinese" buffet, come here.
4 - Laura M.: Eating from the buffet at 35 Chinese means you have to be a strict adherent to the #1 rule of Chinese food: If it tastes good, don't ask.

I like to come here for a quick lunch in between work and school (ah, the grad student life) and it always pleases. The singapore noodles, any veggie choice, and the dumplings are all standouts. Usually I am wary of buffet seafood any farther than 5 miles from the coast, but although the squid sometimes has that "frozen then thawed" texture I have never had any problems here.

I'm sure it's not the best quality but heck, it's not like it's Lantern or anything. The wait staff is attentive, and for hot and sour soup lovers, this is the place. No weird cabbage, no gross chunks, just peppery bamboo shooty delicious.
4 - Greg S.: 35 Chinese is the best joint in the area for a good Chinese buffet.

I'm not really sure why folks are decrying it for being "Americanized" -- when you go to a Chinese buffet, you pretty much know you're not getting any sort of ethnically genuine experience.  Chinese buffets are pretty Americanized by default, so docking points there is just silly.

Anyway, the food is pretty good and the staff is very friendly and incredibly attentive.  I always leave there with regret at the amount of food I consumed, but that's my own fault and not theirs.  All in all, 35 Chinese is a pretty good restaurant that I enjoy visiting every once in a while.

EDIT: I have been informed that I forgot to mention that the hot tea here is delicious.  So, there you go.  There's your tea update.
2 - Jason V.: 35 Chinese offers your standard Chinese buffet fare with the added feature of being served in a basement.  The restaurant is kept fairly dark, and the red brick walls and lacquer-style tables do nothing to bring a little more light into the space.  It wasn't at all crowded when we visited, but it looks like the dining room--packed with tables--would be fairly cramped if it were ever at capacity.

Of the food, the crab rangoon stood out as particularly creamy (though notably with not that much crab) and better than most places.  The spare ribs also seemed a little more meaty than what you usually find and weren't glowing that unnatural red hue you often see.  The butterfly cookies were disappointingly old and chewy, probably from sitting around too long, and the soft serve ice cream wasn't served cold enough to maintain any shape in a regular cone.

There's not much to differentiate 35 Chinese from other area Chinese buffets.  In the end, you should probably just head to whichever one is closest to you.
3 - Mika W.: I do not like buffet and I do not eat it unless I am tired of cooking
3 - Patricia G.: Been eating here since I moved to Chapel Hill in 1998 (initially as a freshman living at Granville Towers).  Never disappointed, although it's not exactly haute cuisine.  It's what I would think most would expect when eating at an $8 Chinese buffet.  I love that they have fried bananas.  I also like that they typically put small amounts of food out on the buffet and replenish it often.  The only items I've ever had that didn't seem fresh were some of the pastry desserts, and I rarely eat that anyway (fried bananas and fresh fruit are good enough for me).  Soup comes with the buffet, you just have to ask for it.  And I always get the hot tea.  It's excellent.
4 - Jasmine G.: For a CHINESE BUFFET, this is definitely top notch (I'm not a fan of buffets,really).  The food isn't too greasy and carry-out-like but it is certainly more health-conscious and the choice of food items are pretty fair.  If I were out and about and wanted some place quick and no-fuss to dine, I'd think of 35.
3 - Joe G.: I used to go to 35 all of the time when I was in high school and college. After probably five years of not going, I visited the restaurant again when back in Chapel Hill this past weekend.

It's still the same solid Chinese buffet. They have a few things on the buffet that are unique like octopus, mussels and salt baked shrimp. You can't go wrong with the pan fried dumplings.

I'm subtracting one star because they really need to clean the bathrooms here. I've seen better bathrooms at truck stops and gas stations. It was pretty disgusting.
4 - Amy B.: Legit chinese food in a red lantern festooned environment.  Don't bother with the American menu--tasty I"m sure, but the Chinese menu is much more exciting. Our waiter was really helpful in selecting dishes for us, and was excited that we wanted to try whatever came down the pike.  We got the shrimp with melon balls & walnuts...a little odd, but tasty.  We got a Szechwan pressed chicken (steer clear of the bones).  All in all, a good dining experience.

35mmART Photography - Los Angeles, CA (34.0295114, -118.2848199) (South Los Angeles)
5 - Jessica N.: I had the opportunity to work with 35mm art as a wedding coordinator.  They were very professional, easy to work with, and flexible.  They were excellent at corresponding with me during the planning process, and on the day of the event.  I also had the chance to see the end product, and the pictures were high quality, creative, and truly captured the beautiful couple on their special day.  Since working with them, I have recommended them to many other newly engaged couples.
5 - Esther Z.: Our wedding was photographed by Tim and Ryan at 35mmART. Everything was perfect - the service, the quality, and the price. If you are looking for reasonably priced yet gorgeous photos - got to 35mmART. You won't regret it! One less thing to worry about for your wedding day!

365 Laptop Repair - Los Angeles, CA (34.0252094, -118.2840778) (South Los Angeles)
1 - Ariana F.: My laptop wasn't holding a charge anymore, so I went to this place (closest to me since I am a USC student) at around 11am on a Thursday. The guy at the shop told me the computer repairman wouldn't be in until 3. I came back at 3:30, guy still wasn't there. I waited until 4:15 - 45 min!! For him to show up. When he did there were about 5 angry people waiting for him, several of whom he had told their laptops would be ready by 2pm that day, and he told them to come back at 6. When it was my turn, we figured out I just needed a new charger. I should not have bought this from him. He charged me $50 for what you can find online anywhere from $18-$33. I was totally taken advantage of because I couldn't go online and shop around. Don't go here if you can afford to travel farther for better service.
1 - Alli S.: First of all, I would note that the other 5-star reviews are all written with the same month by yelpers who have only written one review so far....for this company, which I find to be shady and misleading. If you read them carefully, it's almost as if the business is advertising their services through these reviews (oh what specific prices and services!)

My problem with this company is that they don't state their shady-a$$ business practices (no refunds?) when purchasing. And because if you don't ask at the time of purchase, this accidental purchase will be "your fault", according to the business owner. I had a receipt and it was within one week of purchase. 

Their business phone seems like it's the guy's cell phone, which isn't a big deal unless you're trying to make a complaint and he asks for you to call him back because he's busy.

The company is a shared space with the photo developers.

Other than it's convenient location, I would avoid this business. 0 customer service.

40 Acres Group - Austin, TX (30.2932338, -97.7360334) (University of Texas)
1 - Liz B.: It's taken me two years to get over my anger and deep hatred for 40 Acres Group. I now feel that I can write a review that is not as foul.

There are a few (very few) good properties managed by this group. However, those properties are few and far between. Be extremely careful when looking at homes/apartments leased by 40 Acres. They are very good at cosmetic fixes. Everything will look very pretty as the sinks leak, the floor boards break, the windows refuse to shut, etc. I must also say that 40 Acres cuts A LOT of corners to meet their bottom line. There was a huge hole in my bathroom that opened to the space under the house that was never fixed in the time I lived in the house (903 30th Street, 78705). 

40 Acres Group will also only fix items that they are required to fix by law. But, they will only fix those items when they get around to it. 

Item 1: Our AC broke one week upon moving into the house. (Early August) By law, the property manager must fix the AC within a 24 hour period of notice. 40 Acres took more like 2 days to fix the problem. I deeply regret not reporting 40 Acres to the AG.

Item 2: The front door to the house broke in late June (about a month before the lease was up). I called to request maintenance. I was told it wasn't an emergency issue since I could still physically shut the door and use the back door or side door to enter the house. I then read my lease to the 40 Acres rep -- anything that makes it impossible to secure the property is considered an emergency issue and must be fixed within 24 hours. And then I told them about my dear friend in Dallas who is a successful litigator in property/landlord disputes. So, they finally fixed the door. 

If you are looking at any property managed by 40 Acres Group, save yourself the trouble and look somewhere else. The employees are unprofessional and generally ignorant of the lease you sign and the laws to protect you. The properties are very pretty-looking, but they are no better than the slums of developing nations. 

Oh, and take a look at those move-out procedures before you sign anything. These people are absurd and unreasonable.

410 Salon & Skin Care - Ithaca, NY (42.44746, -76.495001) ()
5 - Kate T.: I have been seeing Laura for my waxing and skin care needs since my Freshman year, when she was still running Stress Out downtown. I was heartbroken when they closed, but the I saw that Laura was going to be working out of her home. The set up is, well, a bit cozy and not as spacious as your average day spa, but it gets the job done. I love going to Laura because she is the perfect balance of professional and friendly...we often have personal conversations as she gently rips hair from my bikini line. She is a thorough waver, and her facials are like a taste of heaven with scalp massages and neck rubs to die for. It's a bit out of the way to get to, but there's free parking and the prices are reasonable. Highly recommended for all your skincare needs!
5 - Amanda R.: 410 Salon is a cozy slice of heaven in downtown Ithaca.  I've been there twice:  once for waxing and once for a facial.

The salon is in the owner's house so has a very  "home-y" feel.  It is a little small...the facial room in particular is compact, but you definitely will not notice it once she starts working on you!  My wax (brows and bare bikini) were both the best I've ever had...and I'm a "brow diva!"  PERFECTION.  

The bare bikini did hurt, but in my experience, when I've had a wax that didn't hurt much, it was because they didn't get all the hair.  All I can say is:  She got all the hair!  She spent at least 10 minutes poking, prodding, and tweezing strays and ingrowns.  A bit painful, but very worth it in the end. 

I scheduled a facial two weeks after my wax appointment. It was, by far, the best I've ever had.  After, my skin looked better than it has in three years.  The facial includes a FANTASTIC massage of the face and neck.  I left feeling like I was in a dream state...so relaxed.  

I've already scheduled my next appointment.  Can't wait!

411 West - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9109041, -79.0614848) ()
3 - Sarah A.: The artichoke dip and flatbread appetizer is always delicious.
3 - Erik S.: This place was a bit of a paradox to me... the food quality was actually pretty high and the ambiance in there is great, but the food's flavor was just off the mark somehow.  It was definitely decent Italian food, but it wasn't as amazing as I'd hoped.  It's worth checking out, but don't get your hopes up if you want amazing flavor.
4 - Melanie D.: A quainter, more cramped version of it's sister restaurant (518 West), it has a very similar menu.  Looking over the menu, it was pretty much the same thing with the chef swapping out a couple of entrees.  Also, the daily specials were different from anything I've seen, too.

Overall, the atmosphere was very nice.  We went for New Year's dinner, so my only impression is:  cramped.  But tasty.  With nice service.  

The waiter was incredibly kind and accommodating.  A few notes on the food:

- Shrimp Polenta, one of my favorite dishes, was cheesier here than 518 West's version, as well as less salty.  Yay!
- Shrimp Carbonara was incredibly heavy.  Like, wow, there is a lot of cream in that dish.  Unsurprising but very filling.  It was good!
- I loved the tender sweetness that the pear salad had, but didn't like the addition of blue cheese and nuts.  However, I dislike both blue cheese and nuts so this is slightly biased.  :)  I was sharing this dish with someone, which is why I had less control over it.
- They serve dinner rolls as opposed to the soft, almost focaccia-like bread served at 518.  They both have their advantages.  The bread at 518 is more suitable for olive oil and vinegar, however, if you like that more.  

Overall, pretty good but I will stay with 518.  Not only is their bread better, but it is not worth the longer trek for me to drive out there.  However, were I in the area, I would not turn down a meal at 411 West.
4 - Daniel S.: 411 West is a fantastic restaurant for us out-of-towners to enjoy while in Chapel Hill.  The service was great and the food was excellent.

4 out of 5 stars because the wait was a bit long and the tables were a bit small.
4 - Regina S.: Great Benedict's for brunch on Sundays. It starts at 10:30am and gets packed around 1:00pm so go early. I recommend the Santiago. The OJ here is the real deal too: fresh squeezed. The bartenders are great. I actually prefer to sit at the bar for every meal, even dinner.
5 - Smanda P.: One of my favorite restaurants in Chapel Hill. Go here for tasty, local Italian specialties. The pepper  fettuccine Alfredo dish can't be beat. They have a pretty good wine list and good cocktails. It's a nice place to take a date or to celebrate a birthday. For the quality of the food, it's also very reasonably priced. 
Also good for Sunday brunch, if you want to take your parents somewhere fancy.
3 - Piper L.: It's OK. Nice atmosphere, and good service, but the food wasn't that great.  At my table of 4, we had two different personal pizzas, a steak, and I got the hazelnut angel hair pasta.  Mine was pretty good, but everyone else's was just OK.
5 - Grace K.: Whenever I come home to visit my parents they take me out for dinner at 411 ASAP.  We sit at the bar and catch up with their friends and the super-friendly and accommodating bartender.  The dill rolls are amazing - I could just eat two of those and a creme brulee and be a happy camper!  Not to imply that the entrees and apps are not wonderful in my experience.  I usually stick to the specials and always ask the bartender what he recommends.  Go have drinks at the Lantern (bar) afterwards!
3 - Malabar J.: Above average, which sounds like damning with faint praise, but that's not my intent. It's a good place that I enjoyed, but it's not the first place I'd go in CH. The food is good, but not great. The service is very, very good.
4 - Leah P.: Awesome breakfast/brunch.  The benedicts and omelettes are good, and the coffee cake never disappoints.  I brought my best friend here when she was visiting, and I think we got a funky pot of coffee.  We ordered lattes after giving the coffee a try, and their espresso was much better.  I've been for lunch as well, they have a nice menu with good salads, pizzas, pastas and sandwiches.  If you're going for an hour-long lunch, warn your boss that you'll be back late.
5 - Jenna M.: I was treated to lunch here on a Monday around 11:45am. The place was rather empty, and only slightly filled up come 12:30p. I was rather distracted by good company, but here is what I remember of the place.

Tons of windows created a light-filled, welcoming ambiance... wooden everything (including bar area) and natural plants spread about. Waiter was present and attentive - drinks were fast and refilled regularly; appetizer came first; plates were cleared as we finished; and all the while I only noticed him once or twice. 

3 out of 4 dishes were cleaned up and/or taken home - a seafood/pasta mix, a pizza, and a chicken panini. Moderate prices for an Italian lunch - $9-13 for a sandwich or pasta.

Would not hesitate to go again.
2 - Sierra G.: I think this place is highly overrated. While the food is okay, they are not good at keeping reservations. I had a reservation for a party of six and they made us wait for an hour.....with a reservation. They did give our table appetizers of hummus and pita on the house, but we did wait an hour. I like the atmosphere of the restaurant and they have a crab pasta dish I enjoy, but other then that its average.
4 - Owen S.: 411 West is a solid, amazingly consistent restaurant with decent food and truly admirable service.  To me that says a lot about the management and training in both the kitchen and dining room.

I've never had an amazingly great meal there, but I've never had a bad meal there, and though the menu seems as solid as the inscription on Plymouth Rock, they do offer regularly rotating food and wine specials and the seafood specials are always good, and they consistently find little-known wines that are interesting and reasonably priced.

The negatives have been mentioned by others; they often overbook so reservations can be a problem, and the glass and stone section of the dining room echoes like crazy and it can be irritatingly noisy at times; there are times you can perfectly hear a conversation across the room but can't hear your dining companion across the table.

That aside, it's solid, consistent, usually good for groups, and has free (after 5pm) parking in the city lot directly beside it.
4 - Jake S.: 411 West is very good. It's not incredible, it's not terrible, it's very good. That combined with consistently good service and a creative menu makes for a quality dining experience.

This Italian eatery has a fantastic atmosphere that feels almost like you've stepped into a secluded greenhouse. It creates a very romantic feel inside of a bustling restaurant. The dining area wraps around a classy bar that stays bustling throughout most Friday and Saturday nights. 

My favorite dish here is the, and I have forgotten the name, peppery salmon pasta (that's definitely not it). And despite the high quality service and food, the meal won't break the bank. You can normally get away for much less than $15 a person. 

A great date stop and wonderful Chapel Hill restaurant.
5 - Caroline Z.: This has always been an old favorite for me. It's that place where you go for a nice dinner with friends on their birthday, or to catch up with people who don't live in the area any more.. the place where your parents take you for your birthday when you're in college. I tend to pick my favorite dishes and stay deeply loyal to them. Until 2002-2003ish, I ordered the whole-wheat fettuccine every time. Now, I swing between the pasta salad (a green salad with noodles, chicken, bacon and tasty dressing) and a thin and crispy pizza with mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, feta and garlic. Specials are often quite good, and the millionaire pie ( peanut butter mousse) is a fave for dessert. Also, if you have room, the mushroom polenta is excellent to start out with (unless you're filling up on the universally beloved rolls). Atmosphere is good - just the right amount of "upscaleness" without being dull or formal.
5 - Henry S.: 411 West is a good restaurant to go to for reliable Italian food. They try and mix things up a bit with some of their dishes, but most of are standards you would see at any Italian bistro. The prices are reasonable, averaging about $15 per plate. One nice thing is that on Mondays they have half dollar bottles of wine, and you can make reservations with them on opentable.com if you don't feel like calling ahead. In addition, as parking can be problematic on Franklin Street, there is a pay lot right beside them that is free on Sundays and after a certain point in the evening, so parking shouldn't be a problem.
3 - Kun P.: 3.5 stars. This establishment has been consistent in the past 12 years I have been. Consistent, decent service, and pleasant decor. It does get loud when it it crowded, but that's to be expected with the layout. 

Three favorites of mine that I usually don't up deviating from: the wood grilled shrimp, carpaccio (I'm glad that they are one of the few places who serve it), and the tenderloin pie. I'm not too thrilled about their pasta (not much for paying $10+ for pasta when I can whip up something even better at home for less than half the cost). Their bread is nice and moist.

I've been to 518 West as well, but I much prefer the overall dynamics of 411 West.
4 - Christina G.: One of my favorite brunches in town! You must get the Eggs Florentine -- I nearly cried when they stopped serving this during the spinach scare of '07 (or whenever that was). A wonderfully cute space, 411 has seating in three rooms -- two indoor dining areas and one indoor-that-feels-outdoor space. You can also sit at the bar. 

This was one of my top choices for date dining when I was a student confined to Franklin Street; and it continues to be one of my top choices for Italian. I used to stick to the chicken marsala, but I've since branched out to other dishes and have failed to be disappointed.
4 - William J.: A very nice Italian restaurant `conveniently located on West Franklin, 411 has everything going for it if you're looking for a nice meal.

I don't understand people coming here for brunch; to me it is and always will be a dinner spot.  Absolutely perfect for dates, one of the best special occasion dinner spots for couples that you'll find anywhere around.

I always go for one of their various pasta dishes, and I don't think I've ever had the same thing twice.  Everything I've had has been delicious.  They deserve special props for not overdoing the heavy cream in their white sauces like a lot of Italian places do.

The only real problem I have is the pricing... They tend to be more expensive than I would normally like, but a lot of what you're paying for is the superb atmosphere and elegant, professional service, so it's not that big a deal.
4 - Adam L.: Beautiful, simple Italian fare that is served in a very attractive, sunny building. The quality of the food is terrific and combined with the atmosphere it's obvious why this restaurant is so popular with Chapel Hill residents.

My only complaint is that it is a little pricey and poor service demeans the experience.
5 - Justin C.: This place has probably the best brunch I've ever had, and narrowly edges out Ray's Hellburger ( http://www.yelp.com/biz/rays-hell-burger-arlington-2#hrid:FWVuoSOrUzS4SvTmQjTeHA ) for the best burger I've ever had in a restaurant. I ate here many times during my year spent in Chapel Hill, and I never found another restaurant in this area that could consistently put out the quality of food we always had here.

The one time we went for brunch we ordered the following: 411 French Toast, Eggs Florentine w/ Salmon, and the Country Breakfast w/ home fries and sausage. Everything was perfect. I had the Country Breakfast and Nicole had the Eggs, and we picked little bits from each others plate, and saved the French Toast to split at the end. The brioche bread comes in huge portions, and has just the right moistness to slice right through with your fork. The cinnamon sprinkled all over gives it a great kick, and the bourbon glaze sweetens it up just enough. The home fries here were really flavorful, and have just the right amount of peppers and onions mixed in, definitely reminds me of mom's.

The Maple View Burger here is my absolute favorite from any place that doesn't share an address with me. I usually get it with the gorgonzola cheese and bacon, top on the tomato, lettuce and pickle, spread on some mustard, ketchup and the garlic aoili they give you, and enjoy every incredibly drippy bite (do not wear white here). All the flavors meld together so harmoniously it's hard to believe you're still eating a cheeseburger. On top of that they give you some of the best fries outside of a French/Belgian restaurant.

The staff here is always super friendly, even when we hosted a company event with 50 plus people. Also, be sure to get a seat in the "indoor patio" area, it's so charming! There's a water fountain and little cafe tables with a large glass botanical garden type ceiling.
1 - Big B.: This place sucks.  

Had heard good things, and was really surprised with the "Ponderosa" style interior and flavorless, overpriced food.

There has to be better Italian around.  Please enlighten me.
4 - Adrienne E.: I feel like 411 West is one of those places that gets a lot of hate just because it's popular and therefore people go there with really high expectations. It's a great place for a special event (my graduation lunch with the fam was here, as were several birthdays and dates), and I've never had the brunch but I've heard great things. I love the whole wheat chicken fettucine, and for an appetizer I like the grilled shrimp wrapped in prosciutto. None of the dishes are particularly creative, but it's the kind of place where everyone can find something they like. 

While I do generally like 411, I do have a few gripes. First of all, the service is terribly spotty - sometimes it's great and sometimes it flat-out sucks. There's a parking lot next door, but of course it's a pay lot and the only other place to park is at a metered spot. And finally, their tables are way too small and cramped, especially in the outdoor-but-not-really room. The chairs are heavy and metal and it's just difficult to get up from the table without jostling your fellow diners.
3 - Oliver C.: 411 West if a very popular Italian spot on West Franklin. It kind of feels high-class except that part of the restaurant is kind of gross (last time we sat in the weird back room with the dirty fish pond).

I've had mixed results with the entrees, but the pizzas are fantastic. So I recommend trying one of those. The service varies greatly as most places in CH/Carrboro, you'll either get a seasoned professional, a bored student, or a stoner. Good luck!
4 - Clarisa M.: I was really surprised by 411 West because it was so good.  I normally don't love marinara sauces, but they have an amazing marinara sauce. Also, the grilled chicken salad is exceptional with the mustard dijion dressing.  Also, the desserts are fabulous and the cappuccinos are a must.  I love going on Saturday mornings.  Not too many people there...
2 - Ingrid C.: I stumbled upon (and ultimately decided on) 411 West because it was clearly the most popular and busiest place on this strip of restaurants and shops on a Monday night. 

It's basically an Olive Garden that's owned by a local restaurant company with some kitsch slapped on the walls inside. However, I will say it was much more aesthetically pleasing than an Olive Garden. If I was a UNC student, I'd get a snack and sit by the window here (and eat artichoke dip). 

Artichoke dip was super garlicky and good. I had beef tenderloin over truffled mac and cheese. Sounds delicious, right? It wasn't. Mediocre. Beef was flavorless, and the mac and cheese wasn't anything special. A waste of truffle oil, if you ask me (it was a special). My companion's artichoke and sun-dried tomato pizza was only marginally better than mediocre. Millionaire pie was yummy, in a white trash sort of way (sugary sugar goodness). 

On the upside, Monday is apparently 1/2 price on a bottle of wine night.
4 - Lindsay T.: Solid italian food with a good wine list and beer and cocktail selection.  I've had the spaghetti marinara and the cheese lasagna and I would recommend both.  The desserts are incredible, as is the herb butter served with the rolls.  The service is also pretty good.  They accommodated our walk-in party of 8 at 6 p.m. on a Friday night with a minimal wait, even though the restaurant was crowded.  I wouldn't call the food spectacular, but it's a safe choice if you're looking for Italian in Chapel Hill.
5 - Lina B.: I'm surprised by the low-end reviews!  I've had several wonderful meals here.  The atmosphere is great, and there are white tablecloths and a nice decor, but the prices are so reasonable.  Pasta/pizza/ smaller entrees all under 15 bucks.  They have a gorgeous greenhouse like room in the back.  And the dessert list is so good.
4 - N B.: I love 411 West!  

It comes down to the basics -- their food is really good, the menu is diverse, they have interesting, often locally-sourced specials, it is not cheap but not over-priced for what you get, and both the service and the atmosphere are completely satisfactory.

My only complaint is that they recently took my favorite dish off the menu -- a brick oven pizza with gorgonzola, roasted pears, sage, and candied walnuts.  It was So Delicious.  Bring it back, 411 West!!!
4 - David W.: I finally came here for the first time after hearing enough of the place from friends and it lived up to the expectations.  I came here for lunch and got a steak panini and it was good along with the fries.

When you factor in the price and size of portions, it's a great deal for lunch.  You can easily get by here for only $10.  The place gets pretty busy during lunch time so if you have a group that's going you may want to make reservations.

I definitely recommend it for lunch but can not attest to how good it is for dinner as their dinner menu looked a little on the expensive side.
4 - Amanda G.: I'm new to Chapel Hill and after one visit I am adding 411 West to a short-list of favorite restaurants. They start you off with a complimentary bread basket which was especially nice because of the only downside of this restaurant - the service was a little slow. But the bread held us over until our waiter made his way back for our orders. 

Their pasta is made daily in house and is just amazing, I could have had my dish with just the angel hair and loved it. Instead, I had the angel hair hazelnut pesto, (with asparagus, baby tomatoes, squash, mushrooms and goat cheese) and it was good enough that I already want to go back for it again. 

A lot of their pasta dishes offer small or full portions which is nice. The small was more than enough for me and only $8.95. Their pizzas are a also great and reasonably priced, my boyfriend got the Pizza Luigi ($9.25) and said it was big enough - but did end up finishing off my pasta for me. 

And, since the survey questions don't offer me these options: You can eat here for just over $10 a person and I'd say the attire is somewhere between casual and dressy for dinner.
3 - Matt B.: 411 West is a good restaurant that has been a staple in Chapel Hill for years. 

Bar - One bar....great wine selection (as one would expect in an Italian restaurant). Draft beer selection is limited but covers the basics. It gets crowded on Monday nights....half price bottles of wine draws a crowd. 

Food - Been impressed over the years. I love the Black Pepper Angel Hair (with smoked salmon) but was disappointed with it last time I went.....hopefully the kitchen was just having a bad night. 

Service - Good and consistent. Don't think I have ever been disappointed.
3 - Liz K.: I went here on a girl's night out with my sister and her friends. It was my first introduction to Chapel Hill and I was ready to be knocked out of my chair with some delicious Italian cuisine.

The Stella's Insalate ($5.45) was full of flavor from its toasted walnuts to its gorgonzola crumbles. 

I had the Hazel Nut Angel Hair pasta and it was ho-hum...good, but not that kick in the taste buds great. I ordered a small portion ($8.95) instead of the larger portion ($14.50) and was very satisfied with the serving size. I think the larger portion is for those who like to leave the restaurant rolling out the door.

I topped it off at the end with a delicious LaVazza coffee...yum. 

Meal was complete with a stolen taste of my friend's Chocolate Chess Pie ($5.95)...can't go wrong with chocolate!

Overall: This is a trendy restaurant with a lively scene that I would highly recommend for groups. The food is good with some tasty flavors. I thought it was very reasonably priced for dinner. The coffee was delicious which makes me want to come back for brunch...and I think I will!
4 - Stephanie K.: I went here with a group of friends for my birthday. A cozy little Italian place on Franklin Street. The food was solid, the wine was good, the service was friendly yet unobtrusive. I would definitely eat here again. For my dessert, because it was my birthday, they added a slab of white chocolate (with "Happy Birthday" written on it in dark chocolate) to my Tiramisu. A nice touch.
5 - John L.: So I ended up here on the snow night with some friends, needing some high-quality grub.   411 West delivered.

I had the Arizona pizette:  it was basically a chicken taco in pizza form. But the tastes went together perfectly.   One of my dining companions had one of the other pizzas (I think it had gorgonzola and pears, or something) and from trying a little bit of that, found that to also be outstanding.

Service was very good (our waiter checked in regularly with water/drinks), and despite the snow, the restaurant looked great.

They also have what looks to be excellent general Italian food, so if you're looking for something a little bit pricier than elsewhere on Franklin Street (but not in the mood to spend the $$ that you would have to spend at Elaine's), then 411 is a good pick.
5 - Charles B.: One of the best meals I've had out in a long time. Great menu selection, just the right selection. If you're in the Triangle area, go there.
3 - Matt K.: My experience at 411 West started off on the wrong foot when we were seated 30 minutes after our 7:30 "reservations".  The hostess (who was very sweet) informed me they aren't technically reservations, but "priority seating".  If that's their policy, that's fine, but the link on 411west.com says "Reservations" thru OpenTable.com.  It's still worth reserving something though because if we didn't our wait would have been at least an hour (based on how long people around us said they were waiting). 

Moral of the Story: Do make "reservations/priority seating requests" thru OpenTable or by phone, but arrive early if you can to get seated as close to your requested time as possible.  Either way, expect to wait (especially on a weekend night).  

I'm partial to what I'll crudely describe as "mafia style" Italian restaurants.  I like to hear Italian coming from the kitchen and Sinatra coming through the sound system.  411 West reminds me of the style of the Bravo chain.  I don't mean that in a negative way; it's just different.

Once we got seated things got better.  There were a lot of menu choices and I had a hard time picking just what I wanted.  For drinks, I highly recommend the Citrus Ade, a very refreshing and satisfying non-alcoholic drink.  I would have loved to explore the wine list, but we're in Lent right now, so maybe next time.

We selected the prosciutto wrapped wood grilled shrimp as an appetizer.  It came with 6 shrimp, good to share among 3 people.  It was okay.  The Stella Insalate was a great version of the traditional balsamic/gorgonzola/walnut salad you see on a lot of menus.  The dressing was really well done both in flavor and quantity (not soaking everything, but not leaving the salad dry).

Where the evening really took off was with the entree.  I tried the bacon wrapped monkfish special with a side of orzo.  It was unique and delicious.  The half portion of pasta and small plate dishes provided just the right amount for my wife and mother-in-law who will often share when we go out.  This way they each got just the right amount but were able to have different things.

I had the vanilla gelato for dessert, which was good but not legendary.  We also had another desert at the table that I didn't try but made my mother-in-law very happy.

When the bill came we were really pleased with how much we got for the money we spent.  We went into the evening thinking it would cost much more than it did - so that's a win too.

I'll try 411 West again and look forward to a follow up review where I can give more stars.  In the meantime, I'm going to try and find that classic Italian restaurant where I can fantasize about being a made man.  Got any recommendations for me?
3 - B B.: Generally this is a fine restaurant, but.... The service is quite good, the food is decent and 3 out of 4 times the ambiance was ok, but just ok. The fourth visit was a disaster. We were seated in a room with two large groups, both were quite loud, making it difficult for a table of 4 to carry on a conversation without yelling at each other. So at 411 expect to get good service, decent food and terrible ambiance. It felt like we were trying to have a nice dinner in an irish pub full of drunks - not my cup of tea.
2 - Karsten H.: I do not get all the raving about this restaurant.  I've only been once, but that was more than enough to convince me that it was just not worth the time or the money.

I went as part of a very large group of people, so I got to sample a large selection of things from their menu.

The cocktails were poorly-made and overpriced, and I had to send mine back to get it to a vaguely-drinkable state (which is rare for me). After that I stuck with tap water.

We started off with some pizzas.  Bland and boring, though at least they weren't offensive.   As I was perusing the menu, I saw an interesting entree special:  coffee-infused pork tenderloin or some such.  I've never had pork and coffee together, and was curious how the chef would make the two flavors come together and harmonize.

He/she didn't.  I got a piece of Hormel pork tenderloin encrusted with the coffee grounds that were used to make the coffee that day. Disgusting is too kind a word for what was on that plate.  

The pasta dishes my companions got were generally overcooked and mushy with what tasted like canned sauce; the lasagna tasted microwaved.  I can make better examples of those things at home for much less money.

I didn't bother trying dessert.

I give it two stars and not one because, besides my abortion of an entree, the rest of the meal was not disgusting, and because service was adequate.

However, in short:  No.
3 - Jim N.: I most recently lived in Boston, so when people say "let's go get Italian", I have high expectations, which are generally not met in the area.  Many people have loudly recommended this place, so I made my first visit over the weekend, and I see why they speak loudly....the noise last night was so intense, you had to shout across the table!  I went here with group of eight; we were seated promptly and it's an attractive place with killer aromas; I had angel hair pasta with seafood...it was good...maybe even better than good, as was my wife's lasagna: around the table all in the group were happy but two, one whose dinner was served cold and one whose salad had no dressing; the service was great, and we had really good desserts; good wine; They have an interesting menu and tasty food; we'll go again but not with a group or on a Saturday night.  A smaller group or a couple on a quieter evening and this place could be wonderful.
5 - Karl M.: 15 years in chapel hill, 411 never disappoints.  very good food, good wine list that rotates, I always look forward to the specials...often surprised by great fish specials.  One of the few nicer places where you can sneak well behaved kids in and no one notices.  It is very busy some nights (hour plus wait - because it's good) and a little loud for some but we don't mind that at all.  Staff is good, management is excellent.  Maybe 5 issues in 15 years with a monthly visit and management was all over it.  Kudos to 411, keep up the great job
2 - Aaron F.: Can`t say it`s bad, but I really go there when I have no place else to go with my friends. Not more italian than olive garden. Foodie`s will be very disappointed, however families with lower weekend dinner expectations may like it a lot. 

Can`t lie, I`ll go there again, but mainly because there are not many options in CH.
4 - Monica M.: This was definitely a good call by my man to try this place out for dinner!  

We started out with very courteous service, and were seated in the back patio atrium area - very cute.  I always love a natural light lit patio that has air conditioning, especially in the summer.

We ordered a bottle of wine, and it was really very good - I think I've found a new Malbec to love.  When we asked about which dish was better, we got an immediate non hesitant answer (just what I like to hear), so we placed our orders and enjoyed the ambiance in the meantime.

The food came out - and I really did like the lasagna.  The sauce was excellent, and tasted like it was made of fresh tomatoes. It was almost a tad too cheesy for me, but it was so good overall that it worked out really well.  We also ordered the Chicken Marsala - which for me, I always did not like - and it was REALLY good.  I think my distaste for the dish had to do with me tasting one that didn't have a good sauce.. so this place has opened up a whole new realm of Italian dishes for me.  Definitely had a good time!
4 - Lily P.: cute beautiful place in UNC! I got the crab with seafood pasta called THE CRAP. The lemon linguine also looked amazing with huge scallops. The appetizer of pita with dip and also the calamari were great but needed 2 orders of each for our table of 11. There were some great red wines, the service was spot on, and also the pries were 10-16 depending on half or full portions. the half portions were enough for one person.
4 - mari h.: 411 is a most excellent dining spot for someone that wants to go out, have all the perks of going to a place that totally breaks the bank, for the same price you'd pay if you went to [insert chain restaurant with mediocre food here].

They have excellent, perfectly cooked food, a fabulous bar and a really knowledgeable staff. I don't really suggest you go there if you can't enjoy the hustle and bustle of a loud Italian restaurant, because it is loud, but I love that about it.

Also, I don't know how long it's for, but Monday is half off bottle night, which can be a total treat!
4 - Robert D.: Fantastic: the service. Our server Taylor was always on hand, without hovering. When members of our group asked, she made great suggestions for wine and dishes. Also we got stuck behind a large party (the Stanford women's soccer team) so we had to wait quite awhile for the food -- before it even came our waittress apologized and told us dessert would be on the house.

Good: Appetizers and wine. The shrimp w/ spinach was bursting with flavor! The cherry malbec was a bit raw at first but opened up nicely after I let it sit for a bit. My brother's she-crab bacon and gnocci was undersalted -- but that it is an easy thing to fix, and it was tasty tasty after he fixed it.

Meh: the main course. I had the balsamic scallops with rice cakes (?!). It was fine but just not as good as other scallops I've had in this fine coastal state.

I'm giving four stars because the other members of my party were much more satisfied with their food, and because the service was so great.
4 - Crystal D.: Go here for brunch.  The eggs Benedict is to die for.
2 - amanda h.: Disappointing. If you're going to cook mediocre Italian food, don't even bother. Way overpriced for Olive Garden quality food. I felt like oil was seeping from my pores when I was finished eating. The only thing saving this spot from a 1 star is their delightful 1/2 off wine bottle night.
4 - Kellye M.: Very tasty food, My bf adores this place and was excited to take me.

First thing I got excited about was the Abita root beer they offer.  As I was raised in New Orleans, I have a sweet spot for Abita, and was so excited to see it available in CH.  

The atmosphere was fantastic and our waitress(yes, all females so far) has been wonderful each time we've gone there.  

We LOVE the calamari.  Their seafood is pretty tasty.  I don't have a favorite yet, but I'm willing to go there and eat until I find my absolute favorite :D
3 - Akin O.: We came here the night of the UNC-Clemson game. We tried to reserve a spot, but for some reason they don't do this. When we got there, they were telling everyone that the wait is 1 hour and 15 minutes (obviously a conservative estimation to be safe): which leaves people in an awkward situation. Should we wait outside (there was really no lobby area to sit as it was very crowded) and hope that something opens up sooner or find something else to do and come back in an hour. We chose the latter, but when we came back from an epic foosball match at another place, we were told that our spot was given to someone else because we weren't present. So we had to wait another 15 minutes. The food was probably not worth the wait. My ribeye steak was a little charred (which I still prefer to overly bloody), and her scallops was a little smaller than expected. The service was pretty good, though, and the photos on the walls were nice to look at. Also, the unlimited bread they served as an appetizer was amazing.
4 - Michael M.: Excellent lasagna. Great prices.
5 - Chip R.: As I said in another review (518 West) I have been coming here and its sister restaurant 518 West in downtown Raleigh for many years, and I as well those accompanying me has never been disappointed.  Great Northern Italian food consistently and a nice bar with great drinks.  Highly recommend the Whole Wheat Fettucine and Lemon Linguine.  The rolls they make are INCREDIBLE, you really have to try them...they are unique to this location and not found at 518 West, unfortunately.  Great place to visit when in Chapel Hill.  Tends to get crowded pretty fast so get there early for dinner if you can.
4 - Brian R.: Great food !  This411 West is one of my absolute favorites.
5 - Cam H.: I'm confused how this place doesn't have a full 5 star rating. The service is always awesome - you can tell they go out of their way to hire spunky, happy people who know how to take care of you without being obnoxious. The food is GOOD - not Charlie Trotters but delicious, and they never quip when I ask for some crazy substitution. It's always lively and warm and rarely (unless you go on a game night) loud. Mondays are 1/2 price wine night, which is great if you want cheap wine, not so great if you don't want to sit next to a table full of drunk-as-hell 40 year old women making a ruckus. This place is a Chapel Hill staple for a reason. Oh, and who doesn't love a nice restaurant with real take out service?
3 - Samantha E.: Another standard joint for celebrations and "fancy" nights out for students. It really is the only Italian place of its kind in the near vicinity of campus so students don't really have another option. It is decent Italian food but I have definitely had better. Pizza is always a safe bet but many of the real entrees lack the flavor I want in my Italian food.
4 - Susan Z.: Delicious food, reasonable prices, great atmosphere.  An affordable date night option on busy Franklin St. as well as a good place to meet up with friends.

411 West is probably one of my favorite restaurants in Chapel Hill (it ranks right up there with Med Deli).  I pay $5 extra to add a piece of salmon to their vegetarian pasta and it is amazing.  Their vegetarian pasta is the best vegetarian pasta in the Triangle.

HOWEVER!  Their brunch is not that good, probably 3 stars.  Their brunch beignets are like hard doughsticks.  The service is also very spotty during brunch.  Save your money for Rue Cler beignets or brunch anywhere else.
3 - Jennifer B.: I was really torn between three and four stars on this review but really would rate it 3.5 if I could. My boyfriend took me here the day before V-Day to celebrate our anniversary. It was great atmosphere for a date. The service here was good not incredible but good.
I had a salad and the fillet for my main course. Both were good but not great. The thing that got me was that my bf ordered the chicken marsala and his meal came with the same veggies and potatoes as my steak. 
Maybe it is just me but when I am paying over $20 a plate I expect a bit of uniqueness to my meal. 
Dessert was very good and rich and I did not come close to finishing it. I would recommend this for a date and would maybe try the pasta next time or something a but more "Italian"  to see if they might sway me a bit.
2 - Bryan C.: I went there tonight with my family. The atmosphere was nice, but there were a lot of people there and the acoustics were terrible. It was very noisy. The prices were very high considering the food portions were so small. The food was not that great either. Overall, I really didn't like it. We won't be back. The service was good though.

The biggest thing that shocked me was they did not have any alfredo sauce. Really? At an Italian restaurant? Oh well... I ate the chicken parm with homemade whole wheat pasta. It was OK. Chicken was good but the sauce wasn't that tasty.
4 - Kathryn E.: This restaurant hits all the high points for things you look for in a local joint: Good date/family/group place, cozy bar, consistent/quality food at reasonable prices, great location. I have never been disasappointed by their food and have tried the gamut of offerings including pizza, salad, pastas, seafood. Wines are inexpensive, weekly specials are usually innovative. 
Overall, a great local place...get reservations on opentable.com if you are trying to go on a weekend- it gets packed!
3 - Sara A.: I hate to do this, but 411's food just hasn't been as good lately. My previous favorite, the whole wheat fettuccine, doesn't taste as flavorful as it used to, and they are giving you less sauce. Rolls are less often hot/fresh out of the oven, and therefore a little harder/stale. They're still tasty, but not nearly as good when they are hot/fresh/soft. I thought it was a fluke the first time it happened, but the last few times, it's consistently been off. Get back on your game, 411!
2 - Fran M.: My daughter and I had dinner here a few weeks ago.  The service was good, the food - not that great.  I ordered the chicken marsala, which I thought was alright.  My daughter had the beef tenderloin which had so much grissle, she could not eat it.  The restaurant seemed nice, I just wish that food was as nice as the atmosphere.
5 - Matt T.: I went there for dinner, so I can't comment on some of the more negative reviewers other than to say the following: 
(1) noise level is not a basis upon which you should be rating restaurants. If you want a quiet restaurant, then investigate BEFORE you go. Moreover, if noise is what turns you off, why would you then sit down? Just leave! This complaint is similar to people who camp out in the left lane and then complain that people are tailgating them: move over! Nobody is holding you hostage. 
(2) I didn't go there for brunch, not sure how that would be bad... dinner seemed great. 
(3) The prices are high, but again, this is determinable BEFORE YOU GO. You can't complain about things that you can KNOW ABOUT BEFORE GOING. 

So let's talk about the things that you can't know about before going: 
This place was great. Our server was fantastic, and here's how I know: I never thought once the entire night "where is our waiter." Anytime I needed something, it was already on the table, or the waiter was on his way over to ask what I need, recognizing that I am looking for something. 

The wine was fantastic. Can't remember what I picked, which is why I know it was fantastic. ;-)

The food was also great. The steak was perfect. When you say medium they listen. This isn't one of those places that cooks it one step up what you request. 

All around top-notch. 5 stars.
3 - Roxanne O.: Stopped by 411 West on the way back to Winston Salem after visiting some friends in Durham.  This restaurant came highly recommended by a co-worker and seemed to have decent reviews on Yelp, so...I figured it was worth a try.  

The ambiance inside the restaurant was nice.  Others have described it as "loud" but I'd call it energetic - the way a restaurant should be on a Friday evening.  Service was fast and I enjoyed the free bread that was provided.  My boyfriend and I felt a smidge out of place because it seemed like most of the tables were comprised of college kids having a nice dinner with their families, but...we made the best of it.

I had a salad to start that was alright.  Then I had the vegetarian pesto pasta dish.  Not sure I've ever had such a bland pasta in my life.  I had about 3 pounds of thin angel hair noodles, a handful of vegetables, and a comically small amount of sauce.  In contrast, my boyfriend had a seafood pasta that he thought was absolutely amazing.  At least one of us enjoyed out meals, right?

Overall, I'm not sure I'd go back to 411 West, but it was nice to check out the neighborhood.
3 - taiyyaba q.: I've had pretty great food here and at its sister restaurant in downtown raleigh.  worth a trip for reasonably priced italian cuisine in chapel hill, though franklin street pizza and pasta or pepper's is awesome if you just want some good pasta or pizza.
4 - Sarah L.: Walked in at 5pm on a Wednesday afternoon and the place was empty.  Snagged a seat by the window where we could watch the rain and people on the street.  We ordered 2 things from the dinner menu:

1.  Butternut squash and black bean salad with cilantro - very good.  Definitely would recommend this. Refreshing, tasty, and satisfying.

2.  Duck and gnocchi over wilted spinach - definitely going back for this one.  The duck fat was readily apparent, but the meat was cooked to a firm, almost jerky-like consistency.  It paired really well with the tomatoes, spinach, and gnocchi.  

Serving sizes were not large.  This might not be the best place to go if you're starving and desiring a huge meal (so it seems from previous posts), but it is a wonderful spot for light bite, some wine or beer, and a coffee.  I wouldn't fret about not having alfredo or such nonsense.  I wouldn't necessarily call this an Italian restaurant, but perhaps New American with a heavy reliance upon Italian-inspired dishes.

Bottom line: I'm going back.  I'd take my mom (a bit of an Alice Waters inspired foodie) to this place without a second thought.
5 - tommie r.: I love this place.  I think I've been here four times and I've never had a bad experience, the best being during their Sunday brunch (seriously fantastic - fresh squeezed juice, hearty omelettes, waffles you keep change in.)  Every other time I've had a steak and it's always come out well cooked...veggies are always fresh, tender...so while it's not the most adventurous cuisine in the world, it'll seriously hit your traditional italian spot.
2 - Gene G.: We liked the restaurant's atmosphere, but were unimpressed with the food.
It was just okay.  It might have been better if the waiter had been more "professional."  It seemed like he was inexperienced and really didn't know the art of being a good waiter.

I was especially surprised when after finishing our meals our waiter did not make an effort to remove the plates.  He was kind and sincere and said "feel free to stay as long as you want," but didn't remove the plates until we were ready to leave.
4 - Kathy Y.: Stopped here due to the madness of the Food Truck Rodeo in Durham and Lantern closed on Sundays.  It was by pure happenstance as we were hungry and not that familiar with the area (Lantern was only a choice due having bookmarked it a few months back).

We were /very/ pleased with our serendipitous choice!

Started with the flank steak (w/ salsa & fries) and ended with the millionaire pie (peanut butter mousse, chocolate and more chocolate).  It was... delicious!  One of my friends wanted to see if I'd split the pie if she tried a different dessert but nuh-uh, I knew it would be love at first bite.

And it was.  ;D

[note:  they listed much of their items as local or organic. lovelovelove!]
4 - Melissa P.: The ambiance of this place makes it for me. Classy dinner date for less than you'd expect. The Godiva chocolate martini is delish!
5 - Holly B.: I've eaten here about 4 times now and I've never had a bad thing to say about it.  Their food is excellent and extremely affordable.  It feels like you're eating at a fancy restaurant for inexpensive prices.  Servers are always professional, energetic, friendly, and very attentive.  Anytime I've needed something, I've received it promptly.  The ambiance is awesome!  I love the garden patio room.  The wine is always excellent, I love their bread, and I've always enjoyed my entree.  My parents came in from out of town and they were very impressed as well.
3 - Liwei Y.: The desserts here are pretty good. I expected their pasta to also be good since I hear that it's handmade, but I wasn't super impressed. Everything tasted average. I've definitely had better Italian food. Also, there is an outdoors area located at the back of this restaurant that is pretty loud.
4 - Josh M.: Dear 411, 

I truly miss you and your perfectly seared ahi. Couldn't you please move to California to be near me now?  We have lots of ahi for you to sear.
3 - Jesse P.: I have only been twice but they were both enjoyable, came for lunch and dinner and the service was above average. 

Food wasn't as good as I was hoping for though, lack of flavor in the meal that both my date and I had. (I had chicken Parma) I forget her dish.
4 - Maria M.: I met a friend here for dinner after a Football game in Chapel Hill. Obviously after a game it is going to be super crowded and busy. The hostess told us it would be a wait of around 30 minutes so we grabbed a drink from the bar. We were lucky enough to grab two seats so we did not have to stand the entire time. That definitely made a difference. 

I think my glass of wine was $5.50 and I think that is a great deal. I had the crab dish for dinner and it was AMAZING. I don't think I have gotten anything else in the other 2 times I have been here. 

I think the staff did a great job considering how busy they were. I will definitely go back when I visit Chapel Hill.
5 - Justin W.: My favorite restaurant in Chapel Hill.

Food is always good and the dinner specials are constantly changing. 

Took my wife on our first date here 8 years ago, am a frequent customer, and have never had a bad meal. 

THe servers are friendly and hte atmosphere is great.

The beef tenderloin and the shrimp and polenta are my favorites.
3 - Ruxin R.: Food:
Food is Pretty good....not fine dining or the best Italian around but it's consistent, food out of the wood fire oven is the way to go. I like the pizzas!

Service:
Very Attentive Bartenders are knowledgeable

Atmosphere: 
You know it's nice but it hasn't changed in the 15 years I've been here....so it's kind of gotten boring and not that interesting to go there. Fine for lunch time but I wish they would update something if anything. Really the look is dated and we're tired of going to the same old space.....please do a remodel!
2 - Nic D.: Eh. It was fine. Nothing great. You can't go wrong but you could definitely find something more right. Portions slightly on the small side. Service totally mediocre. Ambiance left something to be desired - though I did like their "green house" motif.
2 - stacy W.: My experience here was really underwhelming on all fronts. Maybe the reviews set my expectations a little high? Either way, I know Italian food, and this place reminds me of a american tourist trap in Rome. You know, they kind of place that would list their menu in english on a little chalkboard outside the door...
We sat in the atrium room. MISERABLE. I was so freaking cold for the entire meal. I didn't have to worry about the water making me any more cold, because it was never filled. 

The wine was  blah - it tasted "vintage"... and by that I mean it tasted flat and like it sat over two nights. Luckily my boring homemade pasta dish drowned it out. My uncle makes homemade pasta - at his restaurant in Verona - and this stuff was an attempt at best. But, I will give them a little bit of credit - it's an art, and I appreciate the attempt.

We didn't dare try dessert. After that kind of meal, and battling hypothermia next to the waiter's station (i hate sitting next to a waiter station, that's so tacky) - there was no way in helgramite that i was gonna go down that road - there are too many good places for that in chapel hill.
4 - Andrea B.: Great atmosphere and a nice beer selection.  The homemade pasta is outstanding!  We had a lovely waitress from Georgetown and she was absolutely delightful.  Very busy during the weekends, but they have a large bar to sit and grab a drink while you wait.
3 - Meredith D.: I used to eat here a lot as an undergrad at UNC when it was a special date night or a friend was celebrating a birthday or a pre-fraternity formal dinner. I attended a graduation party in the atrium, too, so that's available for reservation. 

I recently went back with my family for dinner, and it didn't feel quite as special as it used to, but it was fine. Everyone was pleased with his or her choice. I had the pear salad to start, which I've had before. It was better the other times (the pear wasn't very flavorful and I think some other items listed on the menu were missing from the salad). For my entree, I enjoyed the pesto pasta with vegetables, and they traded out the linguine for whole wheat fettucini for me. A solid choice for not wanting something too creamy and cheesy.

I will always remember their Million Dollar Pie. It is deliciously peanut buttery and chocolatey. I did not check the dessert menu to see if it's still available, but I'm willing to bet it is.

The wine list is not my favorite.
4 - Paul I.: I have been here 3x and each time the food and service were great.

Good bottle of wine specials during the earlier part of the week.

Great pastas. This place does the balancing act of cheap and delicious very well.
5 - Greg B.: The staff was very polite and the service was prompt. I loved the dish I ordered, as well as the wine. It was everything a romantic dinner for two should be.
4 - Viviana M.: Great food in a great location, downtown Chapel Hill! I ordered the Hazelnut Pesto and it was excellent! Full of fresh vegetables, a hint of fresh garlic and topped with hazelnuts. For dessert we ordered the Chocolate Chess Pie and it was delicious! It tasted like a very creamy fudge cake. Even the complimentary bread was very good. I definitely recommend it!
4 - Brian L.: Was in town on business and came here at the suggestion of the front desk staff at the aLoft hotel.

Glad we came here.  Started off with the Tomato Basil Bisque soup which I thought had the right seasoning and consistency.  I love dipping bread into Bisque soups and this one made it a perfect little marriage.

I ordered the Whole Wheat Fettucine which had Grilled Chicken and a rosemary and marsala cream sauce.  I'm not a big fan of mushrooms and so I had them hold those out of the dish and to my surprise, they actually doubled up on the chicken.  It was fresh, home-made pasta and the flavors were spot on.  The do offer the chance to get either a full portion or a smaller portion.  I went with the full and couldn't finish (although I got close).

My business associate got "The Crab" which is a red-pepper papardelle pasta in a dill cream sauce with lump crab meat, mushrooms and bacon.  He thoroughly enjoyed that and it was the recommendation of our server.  She was really helpful going through the menu with us and letting us know about the daily specials.

We were full, otherwise I really would have loved to have the Millionaire Pie which is a Peanut Butter mousse pie with chocolate and over graham cracker crust.  Next time.
5 - Brian T.: Wonderful atmosphere.  The reuse of an older building with a glass-ceiling indoor patio is a nice touch.  There were also plenty of friendly regulars around us at the bar, another good sign. 

The food was delicious and reasonably priced and portioned.

All-around great experience.
4 - Andrew D.: Me and Louis D. got dressed up and went here one night, and they really treated us right.
3 - Chris R.: 411 West is somewhere between the Olive Garden and Macaroni Grill.  Decent food, good atmosphere, but nothing to write home about.

The price is right, but you can tell it's because they are based around volume, not detail.
4 - JoAnn P.: We loved the ambience.  The food was delicious.  Our waiter was very pleasant - but spaced-out - made two mistakes on our simple order for two. Will definitely go back.
4 - Melissa A.: Wandered through here on a Franklin Street pub crawl. Good beer selection, friendly staff, and chatty patrons. I'm intrigued by this place and will definitely stop by if I find myself back in Chapel Hill.
4 - Michelle L.: *Brunch only review*

I've been here twice for Sunday brunch and enjoyed both visits. We've sat in the indoor patio, which is beautiful and gives the impression of outdoor eating without the Carolina heat! 

The food is very reasonably priced and their mimosas are delicious! The servers are very friendly and took great care of us. The food is quite tasty (both savory and sweet options) and the portions are well-sized. We won't hesitate to return!
4 - Yang C.: Was recommended this place and enjoyed it.

Started off with splitting a grilled chicken spinach salad. It was pretty solid, presentation needed some work though. 

Wife had the lemon linguine and I had the lasagna. We both enjoyed our meals. 

I guess why I gave this place 4 stars is because it didn't disappoint, whereas many other restaurants in the Chapel Area have. 

Service was also spot on, only negative is that when we were initially seated, out of all of the free tables, the hostess decided to seat us right next to where they had put a tray for when they cleared the tables. It seemed a bit weird that she didn't take notice of the overabundance of dirty plates/dishes that were right next to our table. Anyhow, I brought this up to her and she moved us. 

All in all, i'll will most likely be back.
5 - Heather T.: The food was amazing!  I got a small plate, which was the perfect amount of food for dinner.  Pretty nice restaurant and the prices were reasonable too.
5 - Karen M.: I have visited 411 West on four different occasions for dinner and have had four great dining experiences.  Each time we went, we had a reservation and were seated promptly.  The wait staff is friendly and knowledgeable, yet unobtrusive   I most often order off the chef's weekly specials menu and am very pleased.  However, most recently, my waiter recommended a fairly new menu item, shrimp with beet pesto... Oh, my!  It was fabulous!  We are looking forward to our next visit to 411 West for another wonderful meal.
5 - Taryn L.: Ooo, super love! I'm being a little bit generous perhaps given that I've only stopped in for drinks and dessert, but being that experience was so pleasant, I simply cannot mark it anything less.

The bartender, though busy, was happy to chat, offering recommendations at our request for both beers and dessert as well as for other spots around town (since we were visiting.) When my husband asked the bartender for a description of and his preference between two particular beers, he brought K out a taste of both -- I love when they do that! And because they offer a handful of wines in tasting portions (I love when they do that, too!) I requested it as a flight. I know that means more effort on his part but he was happy to do it, putting them in the order he recommended and asking me later for my opinion on each.

For dessert, he offered several suggestions: we went with his fave, the chocolate chess pie, and neither of us could keep our spoon away for too long. Essentially a chocolate lover's dream, it's a rich, velvety chocolate fudge filling baked into a pastry crust. Then, as is my nature, we also sampled the sampler, not only a good way to try several items but a good way to enjoy them each in a manageable portion! The hit here for me was the Millionaire Pie, a peanut-butter mousse in graham cracker crust, so delicious that even my hubs, who claims to never care for PB desserts, ate more than half. The creme brulee was creamy and the sugary crust on top just as it should be. The vanilla gelato was refreshing but the toffee cup was the highlight, though I don't think I'd order that one on its own. The key lime pie was probably my least favorite, though my opinion was tainted; the bartender had already noted his distaste for it, and K, having just spent time in the Keys, said nothing could ever come close to what he'd had down there.

I loved the vibe of the restaurant, which to me said to me classy but not stuffy. The entire space was well-lit, much my preference in almost any scenario (okay, I guess I can put up with a candle-lit dinner when I'm in the mood for a little romance), and even though it was packed, it wasn't too noisy. We cannot wait to return for both dinner AND brunch!
4 - Cindy G.: Decent food
2 - Kathy M.: We just went here tonight.  Although I had been here several times by myself, this is the first time my husband and I have gone to the restaurant.  We made reservations a week ago because it was our 25th wedding anniversary.  When we walked in the staff at the front desk was very cold and rude to us.  We then were seated at a table in the back with metal chairs next to the water station which wasn't very romantic and it seemed like we were an afterthought.  We did ask to be moved and we were, although two couples who came in directly after us without reservations were seated at nicer tables and got waited on and served before us.  Our food was mediocre and our waitress not at all friendly nor the bartender.  There was really no mention of our special occasion at all or recognition of it (not that we wanted much but we did travel four hours for the meal).  Additionally, it seemed as if that if you weren't dressed or looked right, you got sub standard service and seating.  Our advice is to go somewhere else if you want good Italian and, not even to bother with a reservation since it didn't matter, and NOT to be here for any special occasion since they really don't care.
4 - Denise B.: Love this sweet bistro.  The food is great.  I had the chicken marsala which was yummy and perfectly cooked. My server, Sam, was friendly, helpful and attentive.  
It can get a little loud and I would ask for a table away from the hostess station and front of bar because this is a popular restaurant and quite a few customers gather around the front.
4 - Nina B.: Full disclosure: my cousin has worked at 411 forever, so I might get special treatment when go, but as far as I know, the service is great for everyone.

Besides being treated like family, the food is amazing. I went for lunch the other day and had a delicious cup of soup (potato and corn), a watermelon/arugula/tomato salad that was unexpected and so good, and the hazelnut pesto. The pasta was stellar, with veggies mixed in and topped with some pretty fantastic goat cheese. My husband and I split it, and they brought it out in two separate bowls!

Also recommended: the 411 Citrusade, a perfect blend of lemonade, limeade, and orange juice. Next time I'm adding vodka or gin. (And you can, too!)

Aside from the food and service, the space is really charming; perfect for impressing out-of-town visitors or a date, though it can get pretty cramped by the bar and loud in the evening with all the regulars stopping by.
2 - Ann G.: I have to say, I haven't ever had a good meal here. My friends love it, the atmosphere is alright, but for all the hype - its just not that great. The pasta is usually overcooked and mushy and the vegetables have tasted like they were frozen. I like the location and the convenience so I've gone back, but I can't say I've been impressed.
4 - Jennifer B.: We went here for brunch today and the food was fantastic!  I had the steak and eggs.  Medium rare steak was perfect, scrambled eggs were perfect, and the cheddar gritz were OMG fantastic!

Service was good, could have been better.  Biggest bummer was that they don't start serving alcohol until noon lol, which is lame when you show up at 11:30 and want some mimosas!!

42 Degrees - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2779364, -83.741251) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
4 - Nina N.: 42 Degrees is one of the best head shops in Ann Arbor. Great selection on a lot of different types of "accessories", from the basic and strictly utilitarian to the downright "I'm-going-to-make-a-day-of-it" pieces.

They also have a lot of incense, candles and tobacco for hookahs, which is why I'm the shop so often. 

And without fail, I always get a free lighter with my tobacco!! :)

$10 limit on credit/debit.
4 - Nancy K.: When it comes to Ann Arbor head shops, I prefer 42 Degrees to Stairway to Heaven.  Why?  Namely because, as mentioned in my review of StH, the signs at StH make me want to scream.  42 Degrees is a little more laid back, often under or even un-staffed, but it's easy to find someone to answer questions and help you out.  They have a greater selection of glass pieces and while they have other things, they are mostly focused on pieces.  

Some of the stuff here is absolutely beautiful - definitely artistic, albeit expensive.  Even for those who aren't into "counterculture" (not that I'm saying they sell anything to be used with anything except tobacco!) this is definitely a very cool, very Ann Arbor spot to check out - really, really interesting stuff.
5 - J C.: 42 Degrees is as much a functional-art gallery as it is a head shop.

It is the single most stocked head shop I've ever been to-- they have everything from $15 little steamrollers to $4500 Salt+Illy collaborations that are one-of-a-kind.

Their selection of waterpipes is unmatched in any store I've been in 
before or since. Everything from Pure, We The People, to Illadleph coils and Roor customs. They also display custom work by artist, and they carry all of the major artists I've heard of, and many I haven't.

There is a good collection of incense, bongos, and beads in one corner (normal head-shop fare), as well as a very large selection of rolling papers, blunts, and other tobacco behind the counter. 

Finally: they have a raffle every year. I HIGHLY recommend you enter this raffle. I bought a $10 ticket in October, and in March won a $400 custom Freeek dry piece. 

If you're looking for anything plexiglass or metal, go to Stairway to Heaven. For anything in the low-to-medium price range, or any custom work you need done, hit up Foggy Bottom. (both around the corner)  

Anything higher-end in glass, this is the shop you should be at.

420 Grand Caregivers - Los Angeles, CA (34.024555, -118.2733531) (South Los Angeles)
3 - Robert C.: I went to the "Medi Mar" clinic that is conveniently  located right next to this marijuana dispensary. The gentleman in here was very nice and they  DO ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS (A plus). I got 2 "Pecan w/ coconut chocolates" and each of them has a Gram of kush in each (SOOOOO GOOD!) for 10 bucks it was not a bad price in my opinion.

I did buy a 8th of this Hybrid that he had and the stuff is " A Good smoke" but the price $75.00, eck! was more then I wanted to pay for an 8th.

He did give me a FREE mini bubbler so that did make me think that since I got something free, the price was not as bad.

All around the price's are high in my opinion, and the selection was not that impressive (around 5 different kinds of buds)
4 - Cinque P.: The product here is high quality.  If they have AK-47 or LA Kush in stock then I recommend that you grab those strains.  I believe they cap at $75 now though, which is the only drawback.
3 - Justin F.: LIttle pricey but it is located right downtown.

420
1 - Scottt I.: I drove 35 miles to this place to find out that its either closed permanently or workers are too lazy to open the door.  I called and the line was busy twice.  I waited for about 10 minutes, called again, phone rings, but no one picks up.  I waited at the front door, knocking, but no one came.  This was at 11:30am, it says store hours are 11am-8pm.

4240 - San Diego, CA (32.8723721, -117.2154812) ()
5 - Joanna P.: This great restaurant it is located at the Marriott in La Jolla.
Very good food and exellent service.Lisa was my waitress,very nice!The manager was always on the floor helping the server!
Please add some candle lights and dim the lights a bit for better atmosphere.same with the loby BAR.Just a little twist!
The NuJazz music it is just perfect!!!!!!!!!!
1 - Cheryl L.: Went there for an important business lunch.  4 words: COCKROACH IN MY LEMONADE.  And I drank some of it already before I saw it in there!!  Note that for the rest of our lunch, my lunch partner and I had to examine every bite of salad to make sure there were no bugs in it.  NOT enjoyable.  The server was very apologetic, which was nice.  Their exuse was 'we just fumigated and it must've gotten into the hose that feeds the lemonade'.  GROSS.

I was trying to get over the horror of a COCKROACH IN MY LEMONADE, but every time I would tell a friend and try to laugh about it, my friends were terrified.  SO, I wrote a letter to the manager a few weeks after the event and never heard back.  Isn't this like a super bad health hazard?  Note to management (Thad, that is you): address your clients' letters!!  I took the time to express my dismay...  even if it's with a written response and nothing more, do something!  A written apology would've been nice!!
2 - Lakeya C.: This is my favorite hotel to stay at when travelling for business. 4240 wasn't my first choice with regards to restaurants to dine at when visiting San Diego, but its location in the hotel made it worth trying.

The decor is beautiful. My server was very friendly. However, my food was NOT worth the wait or the price.

I had the salmon with potatoes and vegetables-yuck. It took forever for me to receive my food, and upon receipt of my food, I wished I would have avoided dinner altogether. My salmon was dry, unflavorful and simply unpleasant. My sides-blah! I would never order that meal AGAIN and I am tempted to never try a hotel restaurant ever again. Ehh....

On the other hand, my co worker had a dressed up chicken meal that she LOVED-go figure...next time, if there is a next time, I suppose I should go for the dressed up chicken.
3 - Jennifer D.: we were staying here for a weekend and a storm inspired us to stay in the hotel for dinner. I enjoyed my crab salad and the service was very nice too.

42nd Street Bagel - Claremont, CA (34.096202, -117.718292) ()
3 - Joe J.: When it comes to bagels, city folk have it made. You can't turn a corner without walking past a deli, coffee shop or bakery that serves up at least a few variations of the boiled and baked dough. Here in the suburbs however, we don't have so many choices. There are a few restaurants and corporate coffee shops that will offer a few basic choices, but when you spread on the packaged cream cheese and bite into the average looking bagel you begin to wonder if it's even worth the trouble. Those bagels aren't what the establishment is known for. Those bagels don't make or break the corporation. Those bagels aren't even made in that location! What can you do? Go to New York? Maybe. Or you can go to 42nd Street Bagel Cafe, located in the Claremont Village.

At 42nd Street Bagel Cafe, you have more than 25 choices of preservative-free and freshly baked bagels, beginning with the humble plain variety and taking off from there. Keeping the theater theme of 42nd Street in New York, the choices are broken down into two main categories: Star Bagels and Supporting Bagels. Among the stars, there is the Italian Bagel (a bagel costumed like a pepperoni pizza), the Honey Glaze Bagel (coated w/honey & cinnamon sugar), the Parmesan Tomato Basil / Spinach Herb Bagel and the always popular Everything Bagel (rolled in sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onions & garlic). Prices range from $0.79 - $1.52. The Supporting Cast includes Whole Wheat Honey, Garlic, Super Onion, Salt and Jalapeo ($0.69/each).

If you're not satisfied with the lone bagel, then try the Chorus Line of Whipped Cream Cheeses. Freshly made and packaged to go, these toppings come regular strength, low fat or non-fat and get mixed with choices like Scallion, Pumpkin (Sept. --- Dec. only), Lot's O' Lox, Low Fat Very Berry, Low Fat Sun Dried Tomato Pesto, Non Fat Blueberry and Non Fat Fiesta w/Jalapeos. On a bagel they're priced at $0.69, but small ($1.75 - $2.30) and large ($3.05 - $4.05) containers are also sold separately.

For the review, I tried one of the Scene Stealing Cold Sandwiches: a combination sandwich that is served on a choice of bagel with lettuce, tomato, red onion, a pickle slice and a side order of either potato salad, fresh veggies, pasta salad or fresh fruit (seasonal). My choice was the Lox, Stock & Bagel (Nova Lox & Whipped Cream Cheese) on an Everything Bagel with fruit ($6.75). While I waited for my order I walked over to the coffee bar and had my first of three cups of bottomless coffee ($1.65).

The person taking my order was friendly and patient, giving me as much time as I needed to mull over the bagel choices even though the commuters behind me were piling up. Once the order was placed and the money was exchanged, I noticed my bagel was selected using a pastry napkin, which gave me some assurance that the shop takes pride in maintaining high health standards. A few minutes later a basket arrived at my table and was overflowing with everything I asked for. The lox, a brine cured and smoked salmon, was perfectly balanced out by the tomato slices and the low fat cream cheese. Everything tasted fresh, including the fruit choice, a generous slice of seedless watermelon. My sandwich was quickly eaten and enjoyed, and I was out on the street with a combination buzz of coffee and carbs. It was the beginning of a good day.

If you have the time, dine in and enjoy a bottomless cup of coffee at the help-yourself bar ($1.65) and read the newspaper or people watch at one of the outside patio tables overlooking Yale Avenue. It's a nice way to start the day or relax over the weekend.
2 - Vanessa H.: Eh. Noah's is better, sadly, though I'd like to support a local chain. Mediocre and a bit overpriced.
4 - justin r.: I've had 2 bagels here in the past 2 years; why, then, do I give them 4 stars??  the COFFEE, baby!!  I wasted my whole freshman year of college getting my daily fix from starbucks before I realized what I was missing out on at 42nd street: self-service coffee with BOTTOMLESS refills!  Even if you don't need 3-4 cups of joe, you'll find most of their blends are just plain better than Starbucks (which I find to be burnt/overroasted most of the time).  Every day they have 2 different blends (reg. or decaf) and a flavoured brew, with offerings ranging from Butterscotch to Chocolate Almond to Creme D'Irlande).  They also always have Splenda, which some chains such as Gloria Jean's don't carry (probably bc of its cost) - pretty handy when I'm using 20-25 packets on all those refills.  At only $1.89 a cup (1.70 with my 10% student discount), you can drug up without going broke.  AND you're supporting local business instead of big corporations!  The main downside caffeine-wise is that they're not open as late as Starbucks (I think they close at 7 and 6 on the weekends)

I can't really comment on their food, but their bagels seem decent enough, and they have a good variety of bagels and cream cheeses whenever I go.  The sandwiches seem a bit overpriced, though.  The atmosphere is really nice on weekend mornings, especially on Sunday when a lot of people stop by either before or after going to the Farmer's Market right down the street.
2 - Karen P.: Gee, if only they knew how to make a REAL bagel and not an elaborate roll with a hole. Californians or inexperienced Westerners may well love these bagels - but not if they have ever had a REAL one - you know, you boil them after they have been resting in a cool place over night, then you bake them - REALLY hot. 

So - if you like rolls that want really bad to grow up and be a bagel - go here. If you want REAL bagels - search out more reviews on Yelp for authenticity. These taste fine. But bagels, they are not.

(PS - 10 points to anyone that remembers the place this building held before it became a fake bagelry!! ;) )
4 - Corey G.: I had just got of the Metrolink train and was lugging a large bag around and waiting to be picked up by friends.  It was morning time, I was tired and a little hungry.  Thought of going to Starbuck's, but 42nd came to the rescue.

A decent local bagel shop in Claremont's Village shopping district.  I went for a toasted blueberry bagel with berry cream cheese, and an ice coffee.  They were all good.  I killed time here, munchin' out, caffeinating, reading an LA Times and trying to steal a wifi signal (42nd didn't offer one of their own).  

Liked the ambiance of listening to an employee here sing to some of the songs on the radio--she had a good voice.  :)
3 - Sergio R.: Greeeeat Jalapeño and Cheddar bagel

Fucked up price

I come here never

Haven't eaten a bagel in a long time but a couple
times I've made one of these guys at home and
it's just as good and WAY cheaper

My suggestion - go, order what seems most appetizing
to you, eat it, and if you like it you can most likely make it
at home

Thx for the ideas

Here's a story you might find interesting about this place:
http://www.goddessofpomona.com/2008/04/not-pretty-scene-in-claremont.html
4 - Michelle A.: Uhm, So there is nothing like an everything bagel toasted with cream cheese and lox to get you going at 6am before your Pomona court hearing.

I ordered this bagel and fell back in love with Claremont. Sure it's trying to be way too much like a New York bagel place, with the interior decorating, the lox there tastes so good. Its just so good.

It's a little on the pricier side...about 9 bucks for my cream cheese/loxified bagel, it was worth every bite. 

God I miss that bagel, I want to go back in time so I can eat it all over again...
3 - Janet S.: If anyone doesn't know then here you go... If you wondered why 42nd st bagel has suddenly started going down hill then here is your answer. they have changed ownership. the new owner who was previously the store manager bought it from the previous owner when he went belly up and shut down all the 42nd st bagel shops. 

Before the change in ownership I was a frequent visitor to the claremont and rancho cucamonga establishment and although NOTHING like a real NY bagel it was good. Since the change of ownership the quality and service has been rapidly declining. My standard order is an everything bagel with veggie cream cheese. The bagels have 3/4 less "everything" on them then they use to, at least they have the last 2 times I have been there, and before they were very generous with the cream cheese, now not so much. And they are seeming smaller everytime we come in...

Coffee great as usual, but again if any employee or better yet the owner reads this please know that the regulars (the ones who will keep you in business) can taste the cut backs and they are not appreciated. Please do not make unecessary changes.. We loved our bagels the way they were. Also, get the other register fixed if you have not already... It is quite a nusence to have to wait 30 min cause there is only 1 register especially since I always call in my order to expedite things. DON'T SKIMP ITS NOT WORTH THE BUSINESS YOU WILL LOSE...
4 - Angelique S.: I love this place!

My pre-exam routine includes showing up here around 6:30a and getting a plain salt bagel and the coffee of the day iced to go... YUM!

My favorite coffee flavor is the Nutty Doodle... it's hazelnut... so yummy. You can always purchase the coffee grounds to go and make it at home... I seriously need to do that again. We finished the first bag a long time ago... soo good!

For students this is a great place... b/c you do get student discounts (just make sure to show your student ID). You don't have to be a student of Claremont colleges... I'm a student at Western U and we still get the discount too ;-)

Great place for early AM bite to eat and delicious coffee!
5 - Amy S.: This place gets an extra star making it a solid five for being open at 7:30 in the morning. My sleeping arrangement for my stay in LA evicted me from the couch ever too early and thus sent me on a breakfast hunt of some kind. 

42nd St. Bagel was there to save the day. 

Walking inside the walls are covered in what looked to be theatrical playbills and had a very 1950's feel to the tables and flooring. 

The employees were the nicest and most patient with me as I contemplated what type of bagel I wanted for my breakfast. Whole wheat honey bagel with cream cheese and a small coffee set me back a little under 5 bucks which was delightful because the bagel and the coffee lasted far longer as I was consuming them than I ever expected them to. And held me over until almost 5 PM today.

Let me just say that their "small" coffee was anyone elses large which was wonderful for an upcoming driving adventure, and their selection of coffees were better than any I had seen before. Their Italian roast was INCREDIBLE. This Wop approves. Maybe the coffee cups seemed even larger to me after I found my favorite blend because you could savor the taste of the coffee rather than slugging it down like a regular coffee stand.

Delectable.

Even the customers inside for the busy morning rush were extremely polite for my ignorance as to where to move about for bagel pickups, coffee filling, etc. etc.

42nd St needs to open in San Diego.

Badly.

Wonderful mix for all ages to go. Kid friendly but also looks to be a good place to catch up with an old friend or stop in for a date. 

42nd St is my now must stop at location for future visits to that area.

I'm in love.
5 - M T.: love this place. i used to work in pomona 2 years ago. i forgot about this place until i shopped at noah's bagels in pasadena. so i stopped by today at 42nd street and saw their variety hasn't changed much. i think they have a much bigger selection of bagels than any other bagel cafes i have been to. I would come back again when i have the time.
2 - Andrea H.: Not bad, but these are not NY bagels.  Too light and fluffy.  Also the service is quite slow.
4 - Prim P.: Good bagels, soft enough that you don't have to get them toasted. Staff was very nice. Now I know where to get bagels when I'm in this neck of the woods.
2 - Evelynn D.: I went in recently and got this bagel and egg sandwich (it had some ridiculous name that I blocked out of my memory) and the menu said you could get "veggie sausage" on it, which I got very excited about!

I go home, open it up and find a Gardenburger.  Um, what?  In what universe does a gardenburger patty = veggie sausage?  Really disappointing!

The bagel was delicious though.
5 - S R.: I love 42nd Street Bagel's...they have some of the most fresh and delicious bagels I've ever had. I love their Jalapeno Cheddar bagels, the Cinnamon Sugar Bagels(I can't remember if this is the correct name) is one of the best things I've ever tasted), great Onion Bagels, and the Pizza Bagels are really yummy. I can't wait to move back to California to get my fix of 42nd Street Bagel!
4 - Luke J.: Five stars for the coffee. I went to the Claremont colleges and this place sustained me when I had lots of homework to do. It's rich, roasty, and very caffeinated.

The bagels are good too for the West Coast. Sometimes they get slammed and make mistakes, but they are quick to correct them.

I love their veggie deli sandwich.

Sandwiches should probably be $1 cheaper but this is Claremont.
4 - Linh N.: I think any place with "bagel" in their name better be a pretty darn good bagel place with lots of bagels to choose from.

Although 42nd Street Bagel isn't located on 42nd street...their wide selection of bagels, and bagel sandwiches fits its name.

Located in downtown Claremont in "the village", 42nd Street Bagel boasts 16+ types of bagels and sandwiches which include the breakfast "ConEGGtion" (bagel, egg, cheese), club sandwiches, roast beef, reuben, and more.  I like their wide selection.  Their coffee is pretty good too.  They have a young cheerfull staff that's happy to serve you.

Prices are less than a dollar for a bagel (94 cents) and my ConnEGGtion was just under $4.   Got it on a sesame bagel. Eggs came out real fluffy and the cheddar cheese on it was pretty standard.  I wish I had followed my friend's idea of adding a sausage to his sandwich, because my bagel lacked the savory breakfast taste I so desired.   

I will definitely come back to this place for a quick breakfast. Yay! I'm a fan.
4 - Sandy S.: I'm not a huge bagel fan, but these bagels are great! They're big and the cream cheese is yummy. They have lots of flavors here from pizza bagels to chocolate. I got the honey glazed one since my sister said it was good. It was. She also said that they change the flavors of their coffee daily and sometimes have exotic flavors like white raspberry chocolate to coconut coffee. It's too bad that they didn't have those flavors there that day. Oh well. I got some hazelnut coffee and it was pretty good. I also got a side of bacon, but it wasn't that good. I only ate it since I was hungry. They also have salads and sandwhiches here too as well as soup. 

The place sells out of bagels quickly so we had to wake up early to get our bagels. It's a very popular place and all the seat were taken inside when we got there around 9a.m There is additional seating in a nice hallway with lots of tables at the side of the place. Just go out the side door and sit in the hallway if you'd like a more quiet place to eat. It's really nice, they have Spanish art along the walls and even a real confessional booth there, lol! Also, this is a very quaint and cute area with lots of cool boutiques, shops, and restaurants in this little village like place. It's a nice place to wander around in. Parking seems like it might be a problem as it's a popular area, so try to come here early if you can.
5 - Charles Z.: You can't beat the downtown Claremont vibe along with a tasty fresh bagel from 42nd street.  You can freeze them and then have it for lunch every day of the week if you are not in the breakfast mood.
3 - Adam D.: A surprisingly crowded breakfast location for a Sunday morning, but with a noticeable absence of Harvey Mudd students. Get the Nova bagel for real lox instead of just lox spread -- but be prepared to scrape off the 1.5 lbs of cream cheese they put on it.
4 - Susan L.: Mmmmm can't go wrong with tasty carbs lathered in cream cheese! This place gets packed and if it's packed, you can expect about a 10 minute wait before your bagel is ready. They have a wide selection, though, so take your time and explore all the options. I completely missed the 'melts' section and could have ordered something hot and toasty. My nova bagel was pretty basic. Cream cheese and a couple slices of lox. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend it since I think they have better things on the menu. I wish they had a lox options that came with tomatoes, red onion, the whole 9 yards. Ah well!
3 - Sarah Y.: 3.5 stars

Mmmm... their honey glaze and jalapeno cheese bagels are so good. So is their pumpkin cream cheese (when it's in season). They're not as chewy as Einstein's bagels (more of a NY style bagel) which I prefer, but these are still pretty good. I ordered a bagel sandwich once with bacon, eggs, and cheese... it was so filling! I didn't eat lunch, but it was also like $7. So good though.
1 - Dana W. D.: Way too overpriced. The owner must be paying off his boat. I wonder if he takes his employees out on it?
5 - Ji O.: bagels are delicious!! 
i was so sad when they closed the upland store.. 
but i dont mind the drive to claremont for a good bagel!!!
3 - Elaine C.: The place is pretty packed on Sunday mornings.  It's a nice place to have some breakfast, drink coffee and chat with friends and family.  The service is good and the wait for your order is not bad at all.

They have a good selection of bagels, but I only really come here during the fall and winter for the pumpkin bagels and pumpkin cream cheese.  I wait all year to get my fill and I haven't been disappointed with it yet.
5 - Cherie D.: It's so cool how many things you can do with a bagel. I love this place! Breakfast, lunch, coffee or tea it's all here with outdoor seating next to fresh air, trees and good company! Bagels are made to be a meal here, breakfast, lunch or dinner. This is a bagel lovers choice spot
4 - Lauren M.: Mildly slow yet nice service.  Great lox bagel!
4 - Henry S.: I ordered the California roast beef sandwich and it was delicious, although a bit pricy. The service was good and the line was decently long. It's a recommended go-to place for breakfast.
3 - Roehl A.: Good bagels and pleasant staff.

I asked for assorted bagels and plain cream cheese. The bagels were warm, soft, and freshly baked. Yum! Really can't beat freshly made bagels.

The staff was also very courteous and worked quickly. The store was also clean and well laid out.

I ended up With half a dozen bagels and coffee. Place is right by Rhino records and viva Madrid in cozy downtown Claremont.

The place was reasonably packed for a Friday morning. I was expecting to see it packed with mostly college students being located next to the Claremont colleges. I was surprised to see families and professionals filling the space as well.

Good bagels and coffee. Great way to start the day!
5 - Kiki D.: looooveee the jalapeno cheese and the sweet sugar one..theyre THE BEST!
4 - Jessie H.: BAGEL LOVE.

Sometimes I suffer from an emptiness in my heart that needs to be filled with bagel love. This bagel shop successfully fills that void every time. I always get the Lox, Stock, and Bagel (haaaaaaaaahah) with less cream cheese and no onions or tomatoes. I don't know about you, but I like my lox and bagels plain and not topped with weird raw vegetables like onions; capers I can accept. So yes that's what I usually get here and they are most delightful.

4 STAHS BABY
3 - Beau R.: Claremont 42nd street Bagel. I love bagels so I used to hang out here a lot. The bagels are decent and the coffee is nice. The prices are a bit high but fair. I personally enjoy the Italian pizza bagel. The main reason I stopped coming here was the annoying Broadway NY themed decor on the walls (yawn , boring) In order to use your card for payment, you must spend at least $5.00 (Hate this)
Id hate to say it but I prefer Sals in La Verne for Bagels. 42nd  street, I once loved you. Id like to say "it's not you, it's me" but its you. You need a face lift. Let the Bagel wars begin!! Round 1 Sals vs. 42nd st. At stake, my business and heart.
4 - Silvia H.: Really busy place, but staff was super friendly and I was out in 5 min. Bagels were Yummy. Def. Going back!
1 - Bob S.: Note to self: When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Meaning, how many times have you heard, this is a steak house, why are you ordering chicken?

42nd Street Bagel is a Bagel place, so why are you ordering the egg scramble dish thing?

You get the point, don't order that egg dish here, it seriously makes the chicken choice at the steak house look like a genius decision.
5 - Laura D.: My favorite bagel place! I love getting a sesame seed bagel with lots of lox cream cheese. SO good. They are always very busy!
3 - Krysten I.: I am not the hugest fan of bagels, but I have come here a couple times to get bagel sandwiches. The sandwiches are decent, definitely not my fav (I prefer Claremont juice Co. across the street). The sandwiches come with a pickle and fruit (I got a pretty junky looking orange once and havent gone back). 42nd Street bagel has a pretty large variety of bagels though and if you like bagels, its probably the place to go. 

They have daily specials on sandwiches that allow you to get a free drink.
5 - Danny L.: 42nd Street Bagel place is in the downtown area of Claremont where it is packed with customers on a morning and daily basis.  The bagels are good, coffee is fresh and the lox, stock, & bagel is something you must try here.

If you're looking for some fresh coffee and bagels, this is the place to be.  The staff here is nice and friendly and usually greet you with a smile.
4 - Susan P.: This brings back the best memories of breakfast while at Pomona College.

Fresh bagels with lots of different flavors.  You can get the usual suspects of egg, sourdough, raisin, onion, parm/tomato, and cheddar and jalapenos. Additionally, they have seasonal selections such as pumpkin bagels! 

When you purchase one there, they will toast it to perfection, and put cream cheese on it for you. 

However, if you plan to take it home, splitting the bagel will cost you $1.60. . . I don't know any other place that charges to split your bagel. 

Also, do not buy the cream cheese here unless you have to. The TINY container (equiv to the small container of phillly in a market) costs $3.25. 

They do provide freezer bags upon request. 

It's more expensive than Noah's/Einstein's but it is MUCH better than the other local mom and pop owned bagel. It has a nice crunchy outside, with a nice fluffy inside. You won't regret trying one!
3 - Jim W.: Not as good as many a bagel I've had back east but pretty good nonetheless.  Less crowded than anyplace I've been on "The" 42nd street.  About as pricey though :-(  The bagels have a good hand, not too chewy, not too fluffy.

Still, when you needs a good bagel you could do worse.
5 - Anastasia G.: Bagels are amazing for the left coast. Don't even bother Sunday mornings, it's insane. It is always extremely hot in there. There chocolate chip cookies are amazing too.
5 - Kevin G.: Great bagels & coffee.  Fast service even when busy which is nice.  You can stop in for breakfast quite often.
4 - TM S.: Whenever I'm craving a great bagel with lox, this is my go to in the area. Bagels here are tasty & have a lighter texture than the extra doughy chewy ones I've had at their competitors, The Baglery, closer to home. Definitely worth the drive on those rare occasion I'll splurge on a freshly baked bagel. Get the baker's dozen with their heavenly flavored cream cheeses if you want to surprise your coworkers with a healthier & more substantial breakfast treat than ordinary donuts.
1 - Tim R.: I know this is my first post, but it's also one of the first dining experiences where I've felt the need to write a review. A little after noon this Sunday, when 42nd Street was somewhat busy, I ordered a tomato melt with provolone. I waited for 30 minutes without receiving food, with others who ordered after me having gotten and finished their food. I assumed they'd lost my order, so I approached the cashier who had originally helped (her name was Sam, if I recall correctly). She asked for my name, checked with the kitchen, and confidently replied that it was coming right up.  I waited another fifteen minutes (Sam had conveniently finished her shift and walked out by now), and asked them again if they lost my order. Turns out they had. They got my order out in another five minutes. It was a fine mozzarella tomato melt (a bit lukewarm, despite ostensibly having come right out from the kitchen), except I ordered provolone.
5 - Ami S.: Fantastic bagels!  Perfectly moist, soft,  fluffy all wrapped into a round baked goodness!  I absolutely love the everything bagel with vegetable cream cheese.   There is something about this bagel different than others. A great place for bfast and lunch!
4 - Joe V.: Never have I been so impressed by chicken salad. It's not necessarily a favorite, but I wanted to try something different and it paid off. 

I was wandering around downtown Fullerton with a friend after picking up tickets for a show. We stopped by Some Crust for sweets, but had no idea what to do for the savory part of our late afternoon lunch. As we walked down Yale Ave, a friend called out to us from 42nd Street Bagel and it just made sense for us to eat there. We've enjoyed the coffee and the atmosphere there before, but this was our first time going for the food. 

My buddy ordered eggs and bacon on a sesame bagel while I contemplated my lunch. They have a good variety of sandwich options available, and a decent variety of bagels considering the time of day--around 2:45pm. Nothing really stood out to me, but I hadn't had chicken salad in a while so I asked about it. The helpful ladies behind the counter told me it was really excellent and I went for it, on a jalapeño bagel no less. It came with chips and a drink for about $6.50. Not bad at all. 

A couple minutes later the food came out and I was pleasantly surprised. It's definitely the best chicken salad I've had in a while, if not the best I've had. I know that sounds dramatic, but I don't eat chicken salad that often.

I'll definitely be back for the good food, good coffee and friendly service.
4 - Letty P.: I used to come here as a grad student. I love their bagels and coffee!
5 - Kathie W.: Love this place. Prices are reasonable and ther egg connection sandwich is fresh and tasty.
5 - Harrison K.: This is my primary bagel place now. Love the variety of bagels here. I like their interior a lot as well.
4 - Catherine W.: love this place! Can't really go wrong with bagels anywhere, but the salmon and cream cheese sandwich is really excellent. I'd recommend this place for a casual meal while walking the village. the inside is kind of dark and not so comfortable.
4 - Andrew M.: Came here with my girlfriend and one of our friends. Nice atmosphere, friendly employees, and a good number of drip coffees. Egg bagel was good, not the most amazing but not bad either, and the bagel sandwiches look pretty good as well. I go to a similar themed bagel joint in Riverside which I think is actually better, but since this is 15 miles closer I can't complain. 

The bagels are definitely better than Panera or Starbucks, and since we don't have a lot of dedicated bagel shops in Rancho this will become a regular spot. If you're in the mood for bagels, be sure to hit them up!

463 Beacon Street Guest House - Boston, MA (42.350914, -71.08823) (Back Bay)
1 - MissP ..: 463 Beacon Street Guest House
Ok- I always try to be just and not write out of ire or any distressed emotional state. However, this place caused me such distress. The first few nights, I  spent at the actual 463 Beacon street house B&B. It wasn't bad--I had read good reviews all around, especially from tripadvisor.com and even the New York Times! I was a little disappointed when I first checked in to the 3rd floor room. No, a microwave and a mini fridge with some plates sitting on top, do not count as a "kitchenette". The room itself was pretty small, which is understandable, and the furniture slightly shoddy. The bathroom was just ok, lighting was about the only thing that caught my attention. It was pretty good compared to the dingier lamp-light of the bedroom. 

Anyway, at $69 though, I could not really complain. The location was also a plus, right on Beacon and a block from Mass Ave and of course walking distance from Newbury St, and all the touristy places in the vicinity. 

The distress does not however stem from the room at 463 Beacon, rather from one of their rooms available for short term rentals. Yes, a place on 325 Beacon street. It is on the first floor (stoop is at eye level with the bedroom--actually entire room) . As soon as I entered this room I was hit with a strong smell of cheap Walgreen's eau de toilette laced with another scent. Yes, I would say it was a dead-ratish or perhaps a backed up toilet (chronic problem perhaps?) aroma that permeated the place in conjunction with the cheap perfume smell. 
The bed was most depressing as it also seemed to smell like someone's unhygienic nether-regions. The shower/toilet/kitchen sink combo was no better of course and was lit by a bulb about 20 watts?  Yes there was a mini fridge and a microwave and dishes I hope no one washed with the shriveled brown sponge but one can only hope....

I had a distressing vision of myself being found at the week's end with my wrists slashed on the bed accompanied by a suicide note...so in order to prevent this most disturbing fate, I had to quickly run--not walk back to the main house and beg the concierge to please return my prepaid week's amount. I was ready to beg, plead, grovel, but was pleasantly relieved when the horrified look on my visage was enough. The concierge was gracious and kind. 

I advise you that you also run not walk from any thought of staying in a room at the 325 Building.....
Be warned!
4 - Slim S.: I recently stayed here with a friend for two nights in mid-October.  I had done a lot of research and realized that Boston was definitely not cheap in terms of hotels.  I read some decent reviews here on tripadvisor.com and so decided to book, paying one night for a shared bath, two bed room (#40) at time of booking and the other at time of check-in.  

First off is the location - which couldn't be better.  We were only a five minute walk from the "T" metro stop at Hynes/Convention Center and the surrounding neighborhood is really beautiful with quaint brownstones and a tree-lined avenue.  You are pretty much walking distance to everything.  We even walked about 15-20 mins to Fenway Park for some beer drinking and rooting for the Red Sox playing in Tampa Bay during the playoffs.  

The guesthouse itself is beautiful and very charming.  We never had to wait for the bathroom and the shower and toilet are kept pretty clean.  There is even a sink in the room, along with a microwave, mini-fridge, plates and plenty of closet/storage space.  You could hear a bit of noise from the neighbors in other rooms but not too much.  A bit of a huff up the stairs to our fourth floor room (since there is no elevator) but just fine for the exercise.  Keep in mind if you have massive luggage...

Only big downside was the saggy full-size mattress in the room.  They could stand to update the bedding and mattresses to provide a bit more comfort, especially for the prices paid.  We shelled out $109 a night total for the shared bathroom on the fourth floor.  It wasn't expensive for Boston but it wasn't that cheap either.  The furnishings and carpet are a bit worn around the edges but it adds a bit to the charm I guess.  They just need some new beds!  

Guy at the front desk, Brian, was helpful enough for ideas on what to do and where to go.  I can't stress the location enough of this place.  It is really what made the experience.  That and there was even some entertainment on Saturday night around 1:00 AM after we got back from the bars down on Lansdowne Street. It happened outside the window on the street when some drunk-ass kid crashed into a couple cars parked on the street and then tried to drive away, but his wheel was totally smashed up in the Lexus he plowed into.  Then he took off running down the street with some passers-by chasing him down.  That was fun.  Plus the Boston police are on the ball.  They had two fire engines, a patrol car and a chopper hovering above, all within five minutes of someone calling in the accident!

There is no breakfast offered at the guest house but they have roadhouse brew coffee (you know - drip Folgers with powder creamer and sugar packs), water dispenser, and wireless connection if you bring your laptop computer.  

I do recommend a certain nice little place if you are in Boston on a Sunday.  It's called CafeTeria and it's a short walk away on the trendy Newbury St (279a Newbury, to be exact).  They had a cool Sunday brunch with a mimosa, Bloody Mary, or Screwdriver included in the price.  Good deal and the portions are not that big, but that was okay, since I don't like how they give you so much food in most American restaurants.  Website for the menu is: http://www.cafeteriaboston.com/ in case you are interested.

So I'd probably stay again at the 463 Beacon St. Guest House if I'm in Boston again.  We saw some of the other more expensive rooms and they were huge with king beds and coffee tables and private bath.  You might want to upgrade to one of those, but our room was totally decent, considering we only were in the room for rest and sleep in between all of our exploring beautiful Boston.  It really is a great big little city!
4 - Emily F.: I stayed here in September while visiting graduate schools.  It's definitely not the Ritz, but like previous reviews, the location cannot be beat.  The amenities are limited, and the building dated, but it has a lot of charm.  The staff was extremely polite and even made suggestions as to where to go to eat. Returning in December, and got an AWESOME off-season rate of $90/night!

If you're looking for a comfortable, convenient place to rest your head that won't break the bank, then definitely look into staying at 463 Beacon St.
4 - Valery C.: First off, your mileage with 463 Beacon rests mostly on the sort of traveler you are.  I think you'll either like it or hate it.  I'm firmly with the former.  Its essentially a bed and breakfast, without the breakfast or the host/hostess.  If you like B&Bs, nothing here will be surprising.

Its a tall Victorian brownstone located in gorgeous Back Bay.  There are no signs to declare it any different from the rows of houses on the same, serene, tree-lined street.  Its a lovely feeling to walk out, as though departing from your home, imagining you lived here.

After getting buzzed in, the first floor has a small communal area with a bench, coffee and tea station, and information about Boston to take.  We checked in at the tiny, adjacent office, which keeps limited hours.  Friendly, easy-going staff, and we were able to leave our luggage there at start and end of the trip.

I booked, with just a a twinge of trepidation, a room at the uppermost level, a fifth floor walk-up.  I banked on the walk to justify all the eating planned, and it really wasn't bad at all.  A bit of old detailing was kept in the building, so we had much to admire going up the winding stairwell, including the long chandelier hanging down the center from a stained glass fixture. 

Every room here is different. We peered into a few on some mornings, where guests apparently just checked-out, and found most to have their own attractions.  Our room, #51, was one of a few with two beds.  Basic features: private bathroom, kitchenette (sink, microwave, fridge), dining table, armchairs, desk, spiral stairs leading to the loft area with one full bed and one twin, and a tv mounted high on the wall, viewable from both levels.  There's free wi-fi that didn't work for me, but I felt no need for it so I didn't bother asking the office staff to trouble-shoot.  Nothing plush here, but the beds were comfortable enough.  Metal key entry, the old-fashioned way.

PLUS (room #51)
- high-ceiling loft set-up
- atmosphere
- spacious
- cool, old metal spiral stairs

MINUS (room #51)
- truly tiny bathroom, I kept hitting myself as I showered and I'm small!
- everything a bit worn overall
- limited windows

Great location in beautiful Back Bay and convenient, within a 10-minute walk to commercial Newbury and Boylston Sts, the Hynes Convention Center, and the T metro stop on Mass Ave, which allows fairly quick access to other areas in Downtown Boston.  But even on foot, Boston Common is just a pleasant 20 minute walk away.

I emphasize that the minuses here don't bother me.  I considered it part of the experience, and quite enjoyed it, but others may feel a refurbishing is required to pay to stay.  Sure, I don't disagree about a refresh, but a thorough refurbishing will also mean they can (and should) charge a fortune.  As it is now, 463 Beacon St is a great deal in a great location, a good alternative to a boutique experience at more than twice the price.
5 - huffy s.: ive stayed here at 463 4 times,and for the price $69 (low season) its so cheap,its on beacon street,you would never know this place exists,no big garish signs,just the number,itsjust back of newbury street ,on a lovely Boston townhouse,close to the T hynes convention center,or hop on the mass ave bus,if you want to go to central square or harvard,fenway park is in walking distance,as is pretty much most of the Boston center is,there are good local bars,crossroads irish pub on the left hand corner,resturants a plenty,the guest house is old ,not sure how old,but its charming and has character,homely is the word im looking for,rooms come with tv,cable,en suite,microwave,fridge,didnt try the A.C its winter when i have been,there is no lift,which i dont mind,just enough time to like the large spiral wooden staircase,which adds to the old style,which i really like,the staff are great dave,brian, all have been nice welcoming,and grat source of local knowledge,i really enjoy coming back to Boston,and love this place,its warm,cheap,and on a great street,it really does feel like your a local in Boston,wherever you are from in the world,this is why ive just booked for a fifth time,tell your freinds,if you go to Boston,stay here
2 - Marc W.: Shoddy. Feels a bit like a fraternity house in terms of furniture and cleanliness. Would be fine if it cost $69 for the room but it cost us $180.
1 - Ifeoma A.: If you are a parent, do NOT bother with this place.

I tried to reserve a room at the Beacon Street Guesthouse and upon hearing that I was bringing an infant (the reason I choose the guesthouse is because they have a refrigerator and microwave in room so my husband can feed our baby while I am occupied), the reservations desk informed me that they that I "should not come with a baby, because it was an older, traditional building and other guests might be disturbed by the crying baby."  When I told him that I think this "policy" might be illegal, he then informed me that they could put my family in a basement room but that we would have to pay more.  So, essentially, because we are a family we have to pay more for a lesser bedroom and be relegated to the basement.  MAJOR FAIL!
1 - Pliny B.: For those who stayed here at $69 per night, I can understand the decent reviews. However, we paid $179 per night and were extremely dissatisfied. When we arrived, the bathroom was filthy. There was still used soap from the previous guests in the shower (along with their hair...everywhere). The air conditioner functioned poorly, if at all. There was only one outlet. The remote control didn't work for the TV, and the service could not have been worse. The manager there is grouchy, unfriendly and rude. Even though we paid for 3 nights in advance, we left a night early because we were so uncomfortable. They would not reimburse us for the night we did not spend there. This was easily the worst place I've ever stayed...dirty, dingy, unfriendly staff and extremely overpriced. Horrible experience...
1 - christine m.: Save your money, stay ANYWHERE else in Boston.

With this place, you get a good, convenient location, but that's about it. It's on the cheap side, too, but there are reasons for that. I was booked to be there two weeks. I left after three days because I simply couldn't stand it anymore.

Be advised that you have to ask about EVERYTHING. Does the room have a bathroom? Some of them share. Does the room have a window? I was given a room that basically had a tiny window in the bathroom as "the same" as one that I paid for with an AC. Is it clean? (Spoiler alert, the answer is probably no).

My first was very small, with a dirty toilet, but more concerning was the bug infestation that happened from some fruit that the previous person left there. Where, you ask? Who knows, but neither guest nor staff cleaned the room before I moved in. Hence the hundreds of ants. They swiftly moved me to another (really nice) room but were dismayed that I wouldn't move back to the same room after they "cleaned it out." Given the standard of cleanliness from the first time, I didn't want to take my chances with the Raid residue or "just cleaning" of the room. This lasted for three nights of them shuffling me around to the types of rooms I described above until I finally couldn't take it anymore and went to a hotel that was twice as much. It was worth it just to get away from these people. 

The attitudes of everyone who worked there was just that they don't care. They're not being mean, they just don't care whether you're happy or not. They actually shrug their shoulders when you complain about the standards of cleanliness, etc. with an air of "well, what am I supposed to do about this?" Dave, who would not answer a straight question of whether he was the manager or not, has a ton of excuses of why everything isn't his fault. Please note that, unlike other businesses who actually write back to clients on Yelp, there is deafening silence from them.

Oh, and they just don't answer the phone or their email. Unlike the other posters, I got a partial refund because I was here for work and had someone one my side to take care of it. It took three days and a lot of back and forth, but it happened. But, unless you're looking for terrible service and shoddy unclean hotel rooms at just below market prices, I would strongly recommend you steer clear of 463.

Oh, and it has changed management. It used to be a much better experience, as I have stayed here for several years, but the new owner(s) just seems to think that it's the cheapest hotel in Boston, so it might as well feel that way.

49ers Team Store - Palo Alto, CA (37.4388463551251, -122.159065048493) ()
5 - Allister D.: Fuck yeahhhhh!!! New team store in palo alto!!! Yeeeeee!! Fully get to pick up my gear here!!

5 & Diamond - New York, NY (40.801889, -73.956847) (Harlem)
3 - David M.: My trendy coworker told me about the soft opening at 5&Diamond, and seeing as how I live a few blocks away, I decided to try it out.  I ordered the burger, which features three cuts of beef, not ground too finely, which kind of reminded me of the chopped steak burger at Peter Luger's,  It came with white cheddar on a onion bun, it was great.  I might be biased because its  been a while since i'm able to walk down the block and get a burger that is not from frozen (such are the benefits of gentrification) but I would say that this burger is objectively delicious, its tender, juicy, well seasoned, and meaty.  I also tried the rabbit with speitzel, and my companion got the grilled chicken with chanterelle mushrooms. Both where ok, but oddly cheesy, there is alot of cheese in the sauce, and we both noticed that the cheese did not fair as well with the chicken with mushrooms.  The speitzel was pretty good, kind of reminded of hamburger helper, but fancier.

We also got to meet the owners and the chef Ryan Skeen, which was cool, plus they asked us for our feedback on the dishes, which we gave much like the above review.  They said that they would look into it, which was nice. I think this place has a lot of promise, and I'm really excited to see it grow out into its full menu, as well as the prospect of new restaurants coming into my neighborhood.  I'm really excited to come back to try it again once they do the full opening.
4 - Amy B.: I enjoyed a pre-birthday dinner here last week during the soft launch with three friends. We were impressed with the cozy interior, fabric covered walls, soft lighting, nice bar and nice vibe. The wines and beers we tried were all delicious and everything from our appetizers-a very sharp mac n' cheese and a light salad-to our entrees-the smokey burger, hearty lamb ragout, fragrant chicken with chanterelles and the trout-were well prepared and delicious. I think this could be a five star experience after they work out the kinks. Our young waiter was eager to please but uninformed about the wines, the dishes on the menu, the side dish of the day, etc, perhaps a bit more training pre-opening would have been useful. The kitchen timing was also off with one entree arriving with the appetizers. However, the staff were all friendly and checked to make sure we were happy with our meal and the food was so good that, kinks or not, we will be back! As others have noted, this are not your average SoHa prices but I didn't think that the dishes were very overpriced for the quality.
4 - Megan C.: Soft Opening still in Progress...

:-)

Date Rating: 6
Pick up Scale: TBD

Strong Suggestion: come over and give it the ol' Yelp try.
4 - T C.: I came here with my date on Friday night - I called around 6pm and was able to get a reservation for 9pm.  The front of the house seemed a little flustered and we sat at the table for a good 5 minutes without menus - however we were in no hurry and once the server noticed she was apologetic and friendly.

The restaurant offered a delicious looking tasting menu but we decided to stick to the regular menu.  I started with a lovely small plate made up of arugula, tomato, melted eggplant, and olives.  It was very pleasing to the eyes and in taste.  The boyfriend started off with a rabbit and ratatouille sausage spaetzle that looked as if it also had green peas and a white sauce.  It was incredibly delicious but fairly heavy.

For the large plates he went with the shell steak which was humongous!  It was served with creamy kale and mushrooms.  He barely put a dent in the thing and it served for a lovely lunch the next day.  I went with a black bass served over quinoa with almonds, soybeans, lime and perhaps mint??  I do not remember exactly but it was delicious and I cleaned my plate.  It was very light and I felt like I should have been fuller than I was given the size of the portion.

Of course we had to have dessert.  We ordered the creme brulee per the servers request.  It was very good and was unique in that it has an underlying layer of chocolate sponge cake.  Once again I was most pleased with my dish - and in this case so was my date.  I order a cheesecake served in a ramican topped with fresh grapefruit and meringue and what looked like bits of parsley.  It was such a divine combination!  Not too sweet, not too tart.  Oh man it was great.

The restaurant is very small inside but has a great feel.  The restaurant has only been open for 2 or 3 weeks so I have no fear that the servers will become more comfortable.  On my way out I promised to tell my friends so here it is!!

I am so happy that this restaurant has come to the neighborhood.  SoHa is an ever expanding playground of culinary art!  Keep it coming!
4 - Ellen C.: I just finished my first visit to 5 and Diamond and it's a great new addition to the neighborhood.  They are still working out some of the service kinks (my first drink took about 10 minutes to arrive, but I ordered it from the host rather than my waiter), but in general, the service is attentive and friendly.  We especially liked the mushroom confit  and the Portuguese sepia small plates.  They were both nicely spiced and a bit out of the ordinary.  Maybe next time I'll make my own tapas and just get small plates.  The bread at the table was deliciously warm.

The inside is pretty hip - I especially like the giant modern floral bouquet on the bar.  It seems the bar is already gathering some neighborhood regulars, so I am hopeful that I will become one of them!

It's a bit small, and around 7:30 on a Friday it was packed, so I would make a reservation if you're planning on coming on the weekend.
4 - Robert T.: This is a great new addition to Harlem dining! We've been twice now. The first time, one of us had the steak and another the salmon. The steak is expensive ($35), but amazing. The salmon was more typically priced ($20-something), but a little bland. So second time, we both went for the steak, which was still amazing. Martinis and wine ... pretty much classic.
The place is packed with an upscale crowd. Staff is attentive--the host is maybe a little overly attentive, but I guess he wants to show how much he loves his guests.
5 - Shanda S.: I watched this place developing for a couple of months as I walked to the Cathedral Parkway subway stop every morning, so I couldn't wait to try it when it opened.  But then it opened... and I waited to try it (something about the idea of preview days that just makes me a little nervous). Oh, what a mistake.  I should have gone in the first day and then eaten there every day thereafter for the rest of my life.  

The wine list is short (for wines by the glass), but perfect.  The menu is just right-- seasonal, fresh and simple (trout with smoked black beans, anyone?).  The dessert was exactly the opposite (in the best sense)-- complicated, creative, innovative.  Whoever is back there whipping up the sweets is doing us all a public service.

And as the icing on the cake, the odds and ends and so much more than odds and ends-- the cheese selection is absurd and the mac and cheese appetizer was making mac and cheese brand new for me (potato pasta, maybe?).

Final analysis:  I love that it's in my neighborhood, but this is food that I would travel for regardless.
4 - P. S.: Two friends and I popped in this morning for what turned out to be a fabulous brunch! Food was delicious, staff was ever so friendly and nice, totally recommend this place to food junkies!
1 - Adam C.: Will NEVER go back to this restaurant again.  My girlfriend took me to 5 & diamond to celebrate my graduation from residency.  I had heard that the burger was good and since i have tried almost every other "great" NYC burger I figured I needed to try this one.  My girlfriend ordered the striped bass.  After waiting for what seemed like forever for the meals to come out they finally arrived.  After one bite of the fish my girlfriend looked at me and said "is it rude if I don't eat this, it tastes like something is wrong with it."  We told the waitress that something didn't seem right with the fish and the owner quickly came over.  The owner took the dish away and brought it back to the kitchen.  She came back and told us that everyone in the kitchen tried the fish and that she agreed that the dish tasted very "fishy" but unfortunately that is what the dish is supposed to taste like.  The owner apologized and then left our table to attend to what seemed like more important customers sitting at the bar.  We were ready to leave at this point but they told us dessert was on them.  After dessert the waitress brought us our bill and not only was the terrible striped bass still on the bill but so was the dessert! After one bite of the fish that was then taken back to the kitchen, eaten by the staff, and never brought back we were still charged for it.  And to top it off we were charged for the dessert that we didn't want in the first place.  Needless to say we will never go back to this restaurant or recommend it to anyone.  On a side note the burger is average at best with below average fries.
4 - Aron M.: My gf and I trecked here from midtown b/c we had a gift certificate. It was def worth the trip. 
Staff was extremely friendly, helpful and appreciative. It almost felt like we were rooting for the underdog.  A great restaurant in a very unassuming location. 
We started with the eggplant, which was a little lackluster, but the entrees quickly made up for it. The rabbit ragu papardelle was excellent and the sea bass atop quino was fantastic, a unique combination of flavors.  
Prices were set very fair. The neighborhood should be pumped to have this place.
5 - Mei O.: Another trendy addition to the neighborhood.  Wow.  What is happening to this hood?  It feels completely different from ...say 2 years ago!

There has been so much hype on this place and I guess the chef is pretty famous.  We are back in town(ny) for the holidays and went out of our way to try this place out after reading all these articles.

Now I admit.  This place is not just trendy yappie place.
It's really delicious.
And had a great ambiance.

Congrats to this place.  We'll have to come back soon
5 - JR E.: Came for my birthday, and loved it!  Like most restaurants in this area, there isn't much space but it is well decorated, clean, nice, with a great staff.  The food is top notch, and adds a little tiny bit of downtown to Harlem.
5 - Alece O.: Wonderful for Brunch! People were checking out the menu and kept walking and I say "keep walking so no one else can find this hidden gem!" But I need to express my pleasure in coming here. The shrimp and grits hushpuppies were. to. die for!!!!!!!!!! so good and the manager (I think) knew every ingredient in the hushpuppies (which I will try and replicate at home) I had the eggs benedict pre-fixe meal. The biscuits with the homemade jam was just as delicious. The atmosphere and decor is upscale and welcoming. This is a perfect post-church chill spot. It's not very big, perfect for a few friends or even a date. I highly recommend it!
4 - Stefan H.: Chic dining in Harlem - Love it! Went there twice with friends who are foodies and always enjoyed the experience. Great food, interesting presentation, elegant yet casual atmosphere and great service.
Highly recommend it!
4 - Charles I.: Went here last night with my girlfriend. We'd been meaning to go for a while since it's in the neighborhood but hadn't gotten around to it. Village Vines was offering a 30% discount though, so we finally went at 7:00 on a Sunday. There were only a couple of other people there at first. The service was very good--they let us take our time with the menu and were very accommodating with our questions.

We ended up ordering the prawn appetizer which came with a cippolini puree and iberico ham. The prawns were perfectly cooked and seasoned and the iberico was, well...iberico fucking ham. 

I had the pork tenderloin entree. It was wrapped with north country smoke house bacon and served over sautee of sweet corn, mushrooms and figs. Totally delicious. Kristina had the branzino, which was actually three small filets, grilled and served over this incredibly buttery sweet potato puree. The potatos were called okinawa sweet potatoes (but were actually from spain), and they were this totally psychedelic purple. The branzino itself was perfect.

The chef ended up sending out the grilled sepia appetizer, which was shockingly good. We kind of have a running joke that I will never ever order cephalopod because I think they are gross--in theory anyway, because it seems like half the time when we go out to eat we get comped octopus or squid. Anyway, this was no exception. It wasn't too chewy, the texture was perfect and it was served with this piquillo puree that was completely outrageous. Sometimes piquillos can get a little bitter, but this had the perfect balance of acid and sweet.

The creme brulee was the only desert option, and a little underwhelming. Otherwise, we had a great experience and will definitely be back, discount or not. The neighborhood finally has enough good restaurants that we hardly have to go downtown anymore. I hope now that Skeen is out of there 5 and diamond can find a nice loyal audience and some stability. I can't wait to go back for brunch...
1 - Mark M.: Was in on friday night. The service was terrible and we waited on everything from water to entrees. Food was just average and not really worth the wait. I live in the area and was hoping for something very good. Its a shame. Dont think i will be returning.
3 - Brenda M.: Food was cooked to perfection, both the scallops and the chicken entree. However, the serving size was small for the price, more of what you would expect downtown. Service was friendly but it does take time for the food to come out. When they say SMALL plates, they mean SMALL. The scallop small dish $13 came out with 3 scallops, a little bigger than quarters each. You should have seen the look on my bf face when he saw what he ordered. Hilarious! Extensive wine list for those that enjoy vino with dinner. I wasnt in the mood for anything alcoholic. Creme brulee had a nice sugary crunchy top with cinnamon custard on the bottom, all topped with raspberries for a fresh taste. Overall enjoyed my experience but pricey. Good service, well cooked food! Clean simple decor, romantic with soft lighting.
3 - Kelly M.: First time at 5 & Diamond last night with a group (6 total) of friends.

GREAT food.  Mac & Cheese is unreal.  I had the hangar steak, which was tender and flavorful.

The service must improve though.  Very slow.  As soon as we flagged someone, they were there.  It was just the length of time for food, drinks and even the bill to arrive.

Hope they improve service because the food was great.  Pricey for Harlem, but decent presentation, good flavor and a fun atmosphere.  Eclectic crowd.
1 - twinkie j.: I picked 5 & Diamond for brunch because it had good reviews online.  I rarely write reviews online, however, after my experience, I felt compelled to write this review to correct the misinformation that has been written about this place. I would not recommend this place for brunch. The wait staff was clueless and they did not have several items on the brunch menu.  Even a basic item like jam!  The bacon was undercooked.  We asked to have it cooked longer and it came back out overcooked.  The butter was ice cold and unspreadable.  They did not have the chorizo, biscuits, jam, or bourbon maple syrup listed on their menu, typical foods eaten during brunch.  I will NEVER go back to 5 & Diamond.
4 - Brendan B.: As the stretch of Frederick Douglass Blvd continues to evolve and grow, there is a wonderful addition to the restaurant scene above 110th street and that is this sophisticated but cozy gem. My boyfriend and I enjoyed an excellent meal with friendly, competent service....something sorely lacking in Harlem. Menu speaks to seasonal, quality ingredients.  I ordered the heirloom tomato salad which was tasty though perhaps a bit light on the burrata cheese promised on the menu. It was more like a burrata "foam" but the flavors melded well and was a balanced start. My boyfriend ordered the scallops. Scallops for us have become a running joke: most of the time, scallops reveal ineptitude in the kitchen (both eating out-and our own attempts at cooking these devils!). These scallops were cooked perfectly; seared with a tasty glaze and the meat was sweet and fresh. 5 & Diamond passed the scallop test!
For entrees, he ordered the pork loin and I ordered the hanger steak. Both choices were robust and filling and delicious. Hanger steak was cooked to my specification (medium rare-more to the rare side) and served on a rich bed of potatoes and carrots. Pork loin was wrapped in bacon and served on corn. 
For desert, we split the chocolate mousse which was very nice.
I see that other yelpers had issues with the service-especially during the opening months but our experience was positive.
This restaurant deserves to build a dedicated following and we will be back!!!
4 - Paola C.: Yummy!

A mix between nouveau americaine and mediterranean... some fun innovative dishes.

My mother heard about it and wanted to take me for my birthday in August 2010.  It's a quaint little restaurant with a few tables, a modern take and right on the edge of Central Park on the West Side.  It was a Sunday when we went and it was around 5pm so it was quiet and we almost had the entire restuarant to ourselves.  Service was good.

The food...

My boyfriend had a deconstructed philly cheesesteak!  It was delicious!  There were crispy onions and a strip steak, pre-sliced, and cheese crisps that were flattened out, all in a delectable cheese sauce!

My mother and I each had the Branzino that they were serving at the time with potatoes that were turned purple from beets and spinach and shallots that were absolutely divine.

My father had the pork tenderloin that was cooked to perfection, still juicy and seasoned with apples and fig sauce.

We started with an appetizer of a salad that was delicious and crisp and another appetizer that I am now at a loss for.

We opted out of dessert but were fully satisfied with the meal.

The one thing I didn't like too much, and this is why they get one star off, is that they were washing windows and still setting up for dinner while we were eating close to 6pm.  A big no no in my book.  

I'd definitely come here again and as I understand it they now offer tapas and a $5 tasting/bar type menu,
4 - Kate L.: I've been here twice and have been very pleased both times.

The first time I sat at the bar with a friend and got the linguini with clams and a vodka and cranberry. The dish was great! Just the right amount of food and the ingredients were fresh and right on point.

The second time I came with the boyf and we sat at a table - it was 11 p.m. so I was afraid at first we had missed dinner, but luckily they were still serving. We both got the burger with cheddar cheese, medium well. They were cooked perfectly and super tasty - great texture and balance between the meat, bun and toppings. The fries are really awesome too - reminiscent of McDonalds' in that they're thin, crispy and salty - yet worthy of being in a nice restaurant. 

I also got the Mac n Cheese, but after a few bites I took it home because I was too full. Even the day after (I'm eating the leftovers as I type) the mac n cheese is oily but still blazing. All in all, I'm a fan of the place and am looking forward to going back for some guaranteed good food. 

p.s. The restaurant is certanly small but the lighting and decor is really lovely.
5 - Nate H.: What a wonderful experience.  A small and delightful spot just north of Central Park.  

Food 5 - We shared a bottle of Chianti which was a lovely classic bottle with expected dryness and earthiness.  We had the pork tenderloin which was unbelievably flavorful.  I am a bit squeamish about undercooked pork, but this was perfectly moist and prepared with a wonderful and flavorful sauce of mushrooms, corn and figs.  We also had the hanger steak which we described as "the best hanger steak we have ever had."  Finished with a cappuccino and the cheesecake which was a rich end to a wonderful meal. 

Atmosphere 5 - Wonderful music and perfect mood for a romantic winter evening.  With high ceilings the dining room felt neither small nor large, just very inviting.  The room is not overly decorated and was pleasant in its simpleness.

Service 5 - The service was the perfect blend of very attentive and not intrusive.  There was also a mix-up with our waiter and the kitchen and we never received the appetizer that we ordered, however our waiter comped our dessert to make up for the mistake.  Some folks would have knocked the service for this, but they were lovely about it and handled it in a way that made us feel that they appreciated our patronage and wanted us to come back.  

We would definitely recommend!
3 - Marilyn S.: This place has suffered a little from having a high turnover of chefs and menues and for having had periods of being closed.  It seems that whenever I want to go there it's inexplicably shuttered and when I'm least expecting it I happen upon it.  All of which makes it a difficult place to take friends, but as a neighborhood joint, or somewhere to escape to while there are maintenance men in your apartment, it's pretty good.  Nice food (although see my note about the menu changing), and strong unlimited drinks at brunch.  Really friendly staff which always goes a long way towards bringing me back to a place. It's a little noisy and not much elbow room, but definitely worth checking out if you're in the neighborhood.
5 - Stephanie D.: Went for their "5 at 5" deal that they have Tues-Friday 530pm-7pm, and it was literally one of the best meals I've had since I've been in NYC (Sept.2010). 

I had the Mac and Cheese, the duo of sliders (bacon cheeseburger and lamb burger) and the vegetable tempura (SO delicious!), along with the Sangria and the panna cotta (the panna cotta was not on this $5 menu). Everything was flavorful and delicious, the portions were unexpectedly huge for the price, and the servers were as friendly as can be. The atmosphere is great and relaxing, and while they took a little while getting us our bill, the food and the drinks made up for everything. I am DEFINITELY coming back to this restaurant, and telling everyone I know about it :D
5 - Jaimie M.: I came here for the 5 for 5 special. Basically from 5.30 pm to 7pm on Tu-Fri you can get a selection of dishes for $5.

What a great deal. The portions were much bigger than expected and the food was delicious. My friend and I got the wings, the potatoes brava, mac n cheese, vegetable tempura and the sliders. Everything tasted great, the only thing that was absolutely perfect was the beef slider, which was a bit bland and dry.

We then decided to get desert at normal prices and that was also great. What a great find! I will be back!!
5 - Frederick L.: Had a terrific meal here and 5 & Diamond is well worth the (easy) trip -- B train from midtown, get off at 110th and walk a couple of blocks north.    Simple!  The neighborhood here is happening!

The two of us had: Mac & Cheese -- flavorful, crunchy on top, macaroni al dente--truly, one of the best ever; Scallops w/date and apple sauce, nicely seared, large and tasty; Chicken--great flavor, moist, and potato puree w/goat cheese -- decadent & yummy; Pork tenderloin -- will be finishing that dish today...big portion, a real deal for $25 and very delicious.  High quality farm ingredients...a good red wine...home-made rolls, hot...chocolate mousse & pecan tart for dessert--also home-made and good!  We left happy & satisfied.

Service attentive & knowledgeable; very good music; comfortable room.  If this restaurant was in my neighborhood I'd be there all the time.  Very good value, excellent flavors...recommended without question.
4 - Megan K.: I've been meaning to try this place for awhile (I live 3 blocks away), so a 30% off deal from Village Vines gave me the push I needed. We showed up for our 8pm reservation and received really great service for the next ~2 hours. The place wasn't too crowded (it was a Wednesday), so we had a lot of personal attention. Atmosphere is cozy, with mostly 2-person tables and candlelight. My date and I split a bottle of Malbec (very good, but $50 for a $15 bottle of wine is too high). We were brought warm rolls and olive oil to start and then shared two small plates - lobster mac & cheese (yum!) and sea scallops with date and apple puree. For my main dish I had the Berkshire pork wrapped in bacon over wild mushrooms - I don't eat meat that often, but this was so worth it. The bacon was crispy on the outside and the pork was very juicy and flavorful. The man-friend had good things to say about his steak as well. We split the 3-chocolate mousse for dessert - just the right amount. I was surprised at the level of sophistication and culinary talent at this restaurant - more people need to venture to Harlem to give it a try!
4 - Angella S.: Good menu, solid food, phenomenal mac & cheese!

This is "New Harlem".

I think the cuisine would be considered a semi-updated New American.  On the food tip, a little on the oily side (but hey, most people wouldn't complain about that).  They had some pretty fantastic options for me--an awesome starter salad, quinoa with sauteed shallots, grilled brocolini, and the highlight of the night--mighty mac and cheese!  How can you be in Harlem and not get your mac and cheese on?!   

Service though...Needs a kick.  Seriously.  I'm a snob.  I hate it when bussers don't take plates away, or don't come around to check on you, especially in such a small place like this.

Ambiance is semi quiet, semi-chic, semi-friendly.  I'd certainly return with friends, or even on my own :)
3 - Nana M.: Three girlfriends and I stopped by 5 and Diamond this afternoon for an early brunch.  The food was ok... nothing to get too excited about.  

We were coming from a hard workout so I was craving some red meat and was really excited about the burger topped with a fried egg... unfortunately they had sold the last 2 burgers to the ladies at the table next to ours..... I thought it was odd they already ran out of burgers at 1:00pm on a Saturday, but I guess things happen.  I ended up getting the Fish BLT which was made with Salmon.  It was ok... a little fillet of salmon and a piece of bacon on white toast with a mushy "roasted" tomato and some greens.  The BLT came with home fries which were pretty good.   

One of my girlfriends got the "buttermilk fried chicken, mac and cheese and biscuit" prixe fix.  Unfortunately we were told that they were now serving a croissant with the meal instead of the biscuit.  Seemed like a strange pairing with mac and cheese and fried chicken...  The mac and cheese was different, but pretty delicious.  It tasted like they used a lot of mozzarella (and maybe some ricotta?) in the mac and cheese... instead of the typical cheddar or Gruyere, etc.   Because of the cheese they used in the Mac and Cheese, it didn't really seem to go with the southern fried chicken and biscuit combo.  Maybe that's why they decided to switch the biscuit with a croissant?... but then again Southern fried chicken, Italian mac and cheese and a French croissant doesn't really seem to go either.  Bit of a strange plate.. but I digress.  I didn't taste the chicken, but my girlfriend had to pour some honey on it in order to eat it... not a good sign. 

The highlight of the meal was the Bourbon Champagne cocktail.  It was DELICIOUS and really really strong.  I had one and a half cocktails and it knocked me on my ass.  I fell asleep about 30 minutes later and was tipsy for at least a few hours after.  I'm usually pretty tolerant of alcohol but the combo of champagne and bourbon totally knocked me out.  Probably wouldn't get it again with brunch because it totally ruined the rest of my Saturday, but it was a damn good cocktail!

All in all I'm not sure I would go back to 5 and Diamond, except for the cocktails, or maybe the 5 for 5 special other folks have written about.
4 - Sarah F.: I LOVE 5 & Diamond! This is what "dining" SHOULD be! 

Solid, flavorful, artful small plates that offer seasonal tastings and polished service. The ambience is lovely. A small place with simple decor and an inviting staff that makes you feel right at home. Cocktails are deee-lish! Fresh fruit muddled and mixed with fine liquor and champagne. The wine list is good. I would like it to be more extensive, but then again I'm a wine snob and the place is small so it's probably just about perfect. The staff is great. Everyone is super friendly without being obnoxious, and I don't know about you guys, but I prefer my service to be a bit understated and not too in-your-face. Too much makes me feel like I'm at TGIFridays...and I HATE TGIFridays. 

A little pricey for the neighborhood, but almost worth it for the delicious cuisine and A+ service. All in all, a little piece of heaven. :)
3 - Raquel R S.: This is one of the best restaurants on 'restaurant row" in Harlem. Most of them have all kinds of problems - service, cleanliness, food, etc. but 5  & Diamond's slight problem is their service. The waiters need to listen closer to the diners' requests!
5 - Michael F.: This was some of the best food I've had in Harlem. Senat Farm Chicken with goat cheese mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts. It's hard to find this kind of cusine in the upper parts of Harlem, where I live. But I believe you have to eat at a place at least twice before you can really make a solid judgement. Hopefully, your first visit isn't so horrible you're never tempted to go back. 

It's a tight squeeze, but well decorated and very comfortable. Got a res through VillageVines (30% off entire bill), which was perfect because this place does have slightly higher prices than most of Harlem. The service was good, and the bathrroms clean, which as of late has become an important gauge of the overall quality of a restuarant.
3 - Karyn K.: I strongly believe that 5 & Diamond have some really good food. I liked the owner and service was great. 

But this review is for their tasting menu.On a normal occasion it is $50 per person, but Gilt City had a promotion $63 for a tasting menu for two. 

The starting appetizer was Heirloom Tomato Salad with Herb Burrata Creme, Baby Mache, White Balsamic Gelee). The Gelee (looks like a transparent jelly) was delicious with the mini tomatoes. 

Then there was the Chorizo Crusted Halibut with Asparagus, Sunchoke Puree, Sweet Pimenton Oil). The fish was slightly more cooked than to my liking but still flavorful.

Third dish was Senat Farms Chicken with Vermont Goat Cheese Potato Puree, Brussel Sprouts, Natural Jus. This was not too bad but quite the ordinary. 

And finally, we had a chocolate cake for dessert. This was very so-so. Dessert is definitely not a strength for this restaurant.

So maybe the tasting menu isn't the greatest. Portions were definitely half of actual entree sizes. Therefore, the tasting menu isn't necessarily value for money since I could pick and choose my own food and share it with my food partner.

Nonetheless, there are several indicators that suggest that their food is really good. 

For one, next table neighbor couldn't help complimenting and oozing 'Ah so delicious', 'Wow, cooked to perfection', 'Best I've had in a long time' for their Slow Braised Lamb Shank ($26). 

And second, many friends from school (school is pretty close by) have raved about their amazing 5 at 5 special where beers, wine, appetizers are all five dollars between 5.30 - 7pm Tues - Friday. I have been told portions are great and food is excellent. 

Service was great, attentive wait stuff and a pretty romantic ambiance. 

I recommend you try it out yourself, and let me know if the food (not tasting menu) is as good as what my next table neighbor proclaims. Go on now!.. 

Check out my tasting menu food photos
2 - Artem P.: Everything honestly was on the lower side of average. Nothing terrible, just nothing good either. Linguini was soggy, creamy soup was mostly cream, salad dressing did not taste very good. Atmosphere was decent, though a little empty for a Friday night. The owner was very nice, but I am sorry, the food needs to be better.
2 - andy t.: This is a tale of two restaurants, which takes place over the course of one weekend. 

On Saturday, the chica and i went to 5 & Diamond for some brunch. Aside from the annoying pop music blaring, the meal was quite tasty. Service was prompt and we both loved our eggs with spicy Spanish chorizo.  I made a mental note to return. 

The next day, I returned and grabbed a spot at the bar for a solo brunch. Eventually I was served a plate of fried egg yolks that looked disgusting, and weren't even close to the eggs over medium that I had ordered. Also no hash browns -- donde estan? 

The waiter explained there was a chef in training, and it would take a few more minutes to fix. No big deal, I said, as I nursed my coffee and Sunday Times. 

About 10 minutes later, the waiter came back out to inform me that nothing would be coming out. Even the chef came out to apologize and ask if I wanted some pancakes. Total fail. I left without eating a thing. Wasted 45 minutes of my life. 

In a nutshell, I don't think this experience is necessarily indicative of 5 & Diamond, which seems like a nice place, but I'm not rushing back to find out for sure either.
4 - Kate F.: Very good food at very very high prices. I like that they pay attention to the look of their restaurant (modern, airy, not too stark) and the look of the food more than a lot of Harlem haunts, but for north of $25 an entree, the inconsistent portioning and occasional lackluster item make me wonder how often I'll be back... The lobster mac and cheese was a standout, the swordfish (though one of the smallest cuts of fish I'd ever seen) was very good. My dining partner loved her lamb - it looked straight out of the Flintsones. Grrr meaty. 

If I do return, a full half of my reasoning will be based on the waiter who looks Pacey Witter of Dawson's Creek fame, as in, an adorable 18-year old looking kid who made me feel at once ridiculously old and young again. What can I say? My teenage dreamboat loving self likes a nice meal now and then. And for that (and the lighting fixtures and that mac and cheese) 5 & Diamond gets a new fan.
4 - Dahlia R.: I had spotted 5 and Diamond walking in my neighborhood about a month before going with a friend for their $5 specials. I had the breaded macaroni balls. They were super delicious and so fun to eat! We ate at the bar which was a nice option and the service was confident and not overbearing like some of the other new restaurants opening in the area. 
The decor was great and everyone looked gorgeous. Its the kind of restaurant you want to be the first to bring others too, maybe show off a great new necklace or hairdo as well. A great new gem of Harlem.
4 - Jeff R.: Great food!  The truffle and Mac is delicious!  I had the chicken, which was very flavorful. My friend had the burger and loved it. The hanger steak left a bit to be desired. The portions are really tiny, so don't come hungry.
3 - Brian D.: We went here last night (Friday) and it was quite busy but we got a table without a reservation. Service-wise it was all downhill from there. Our appetizers took about 40 minutes and it was almost another hour for our entrees. The occasional update from our server would have helped but she studiously avoided our table the whole evening. When it finally arrived, the food was quite good. I had a chilled carrot soup and the chicken with potato puree and brussels sprouts. They don't underseason the food, to be sure. Will give it another shot but never again on a Friday night.
2 - Steve P.: Good food. Small portions. Rather expensive. Your stomach will not go away full and neither will your wallet.
4 - D L.: We had the 5 course meal. Food was fantastic!  The service was great too. They have inside and outside seating. The scallop was sooo good. Beautiful presentation as well. Cocktails were delish. My only complaint was the door. Every time the waiter went outside to serve people it made a horrible noise when it closed. It's quite a small place so there was no escaping it! Small complaint for a great place.
4 - E T.: Cute restaurant--good atmosphere.

Tried two different specialty cocktails, both unique and quite good!

Very friendly bartender/staff.

Excellent food--I loved it all (had the Chef's tasting menu).

This would be a full five star review, except the service was a bit slow.  Everyone was super-nice, but had to wait a while for things like water, wine, and the check.  We started to grow impatient by the end, when we were the last two people in the restaurant!
5 - Nick V.: Came here for their Sunday brunch with 3 other friends. We all opted for the $20 pre-fixe with the option for bottomless dranks for an extra $10. worth it! we all mostly drank the bourbon champagne cocktail. lets say the bike ride around the city afterward was ignorant bliss :)

as for food we had the argentinian steak with two pepper potatoes, baby salad, eggs and toast, another was their buttermilk chicken with mac n cheese and biscuit and another was their bacon and eggs with salad and toast. all were really good. probably the steak was the best value. the waitress was super friendly and knew we were on one that day and just wanting a great time so she kept the drinks flowing. my kind of woman! the place is not super big. the bathroom was clean. they have some outdoor seating but its located on a busy car street so not much people watching. id come back again!
3 - Robyn F.: Came here through a Gilt City offer.  The food was quite delicious, but the portion sizes were really tiny.  Our main course of chicken was a bit overcooked and dry.  The scallop salad appetizer was good though.  The atmosphere is really cute too.
1 - Linda W.: For our 3rd anniversary, my husband made a dinner reservation at 5 & Diamond on  6/21. The decor of the restaurant had a very simplistic and modern setting. The place is situated in Frederick Douglass Blvd, a couple of blocks from Columbia University. A few charming patio tables & chairs greets the entrance. It appeared to have a very relaxed and cool vibe. I was pretty excited and looked forward to a great night! 5 & Diamond received such great reviews and feedback. 
Our server gave a brief introduction for the presentation of the 4-course Chef's Tasting Menu. After filling our glasses with champagne, the server told us we would be served momentarily. The first course was a Heirloom Tomato Salad which was nothing special except for the balsamic vinaigrette dressing that compliment the salad well. The second course was seared scallop with cauliflower puree. It took over 30 mins for a single seared scallop. The third course was the Creekstone hanger steak with roasted fingerling potatoes. It was three thinly meager slices of steak with roasted fingerling potatoes. And it took over an hour wait. And the conclusion of the final course was dessert- a small slice of tres de leche cake with mango mousse filling. It was the only enjoyable course throughout the evening. We were very disappointed with the management and service at 5 & Diamond. Neither the manager nor host attempt to bother and address the delay on the wait time to serve the dishes. The duration of the wait time on each course was completed in a painstakingly manner. Our patience worn very thin at several times throughout the meal. I was even ready to skip dessert altogether so we could finally get the check. I do appreciate the fact that the waistaff did apologize for the wait. 
Overall, I have to point out  it was just the most outrageous dining experience where the waitstaff diligently replaced untensils and fresh bread every 15-20 mins. Who would even wait over 2 hours to complete a 4-course dinner? It was a total disaster and nightmare! A table of 5 who were most likely regulars sat next to our table. Their party received a drink on the house with a formal apology from the manager. He explained there had been a malfunction with the oven in their kitchen. 5 & Diamond furthered the injury with an automatic 20% gratuity billed to our tab. And the host asked how was everything? It was a total disbelief. I could completely understand if it were a 3-4 star restaurant. In reality, 5 & Diamond is an understatement of an American bistro/cafe fare. No, they clearly could not disguise as fine dining. The Chef's tasting menu was poorly planned and executed that night. Aside from the fact that the Chef disappeared and left several times throughout the night. Needless to say, it was very disappointing and ruined our anniversary dinner. Don't waste your time here!
5 - GIOVANNI A.: AMAZING RESTAURANT !
We had dinner last night the restaurant was packed  the service was fun and upbeat but very professional as well!

the food at this restaurant is 5 stars very fresh, tastes great, we were surprised to have this meal in harlem i thought i was downtown at some 3 star restaurant. keep up the great work !!!
definitely will be back real soon.
4 - kristine g.: My boyfriend and I came here for an early dinner after checking out the Central Park pool.  I didn't know what to expect, but  we were pleasantly surprised.

We walked thru the doors and were immediately welcomed by the staff, and seated.  After taking a couple of minutes to scan the menu, I decided on that pappardelle pasta and my boyfriend opted for the beer and burger special. We got a side of the corn and mushrooms.  

Everything we had was delicious. You could tell that the staff took their food and the restaurant seriously. 

This place is definitely worth checking out if you are in the neighborhood!
3 - Ivonne V.: Being a Harlemite I make it a point to support local businesses especially restaurants. I had an evening meeting there with a friend who happens to be a chef and his fiancee. None of us had been there yet so we decided to go. I arrived before my friends and was politely greeted by the manager John. I ordered a glass of prosecco while I waited. Once they arrived, we were toldthe specials and placed drink orders.We were never tod what the tasting or chef's menu consisted of until we asked. The cocktails were tasty. I ordered the Fontina & gruyere mac n cheese which was completely bland. The seard scallops were average. My chef friend had the short-rib parpardelle and it was the best dish out of the three the meet was super tender and seasoned very well. His fiancee ordered the fish of the day rainbow trout. It was...really bad. As hungry as she was she couldn't finish it and her fork was in her man's plate during most of the meal. It was butterflies with collards in the middle. The collards were alightly bitter but the fish was dry and had no taste at all. The space was intimate and had a nice ambiance with the salsa music playing in the background. I would try it again during bunch or Monday night special.
2 - Elsa M.: More like 5 and Disappointment.  I have read nothing but great things about the brunch here, but things have definitely changed apparently.  They messed up a third of all the orders in our party and what we did get was just ok.  The prices are affordable, but honestly - there are way too many great options for brunch in New York to spend time at a mediocre one like this one. Competency is scarce around this place.  Just skip it.
3 - Ryna D.: To say that 5 and Diamond had a rocky start is putting it lightly. It was originally slated to be under the hands of Chef Ryan Skeen but the wanderer chef couldn't even stick around without causing a fuss for more than a couple months and within a few months after opening 5 and Diamond had to replace both the chef and most of the house staff. That it's located north of Central Park didn't make it a candidate for the newest hot spot in town either. But over a year later and under the hands of Chef David Martinez, the 3rd chef to helm the kitchen, 5 and Diamond have persisted to be a refreshingly chic dining spot in the area. 

The slightly over priced menu is eclectic and you would be satisfied with any one dish but the fresh linguine with blue crab and sea urchin stands out. The coriander saffron broth is perfect that it does not weigh down the pasta nor does it overpower the seafood and a slight peppery kick brings the entire dish together. The bacon wrapped Berkshire pork tenderloin with figs and a balsamic glaze is delightful and the house pappardelle with braised short rib ragout and Manchego is excellent. For a classic standby the steak is a great option and the burger is the best in the neighborhood. Aside from a solid food menu the cocktail menu is also remarkable. From a boozy brandy and bourbon cocktail mixed with guava, mango, and prosseco to a unique daiquiri using chai tea infused rum the cocktails are well-crafted to compliment the menu.
4 - K O.: Brunch at 5 & Diamond was pleasant. The staff works tirelessly to accommodate an array of colorful characters. Whether it be the local young couple with their dog or the group of tourists from Italy who don't speak a word of English, the staff aim to please. 
The food is less finessed than the evening fare but Brunch at most places lacks finesse. Where their presentation is lacking, their quality exceeds. 
I will return again and again.
4 - Trish R.: I'm an UWS resident who is discovering the wonderful restaurants in Harlem.

 5 & Diamond will be my new favorite. I planned this outing for a friend visiting from the UK and two locals. When I arrived, I found them happily enjoying the small but lively bar scene. They even have a TV for a sports nut like me...no sound, but so appreciated! Nice contrast to the lovely jazz soundtrack in fact!

Djoe was our waiter, and he couldn't have been nicer! Though they were out of a few choices, we enjoyed our dinner...love the great farm fresh flavor..big fan of the Brussel Sprouts, corn and mushrooms...lovely sides for our fish. Locals and visitor both LOVED the evening. Feels very homey while being "POSH" as my Brit friend said!

John was a great pleasant gentleman...so I'd say, between the lovely setting and delicious food and ambiance...I'll be back again!

Meet any friend there at anytime! :)
3 - Tara B.: I have lived in the neighborhood for over 10 years, and small new restaurants and bars like this have been opening up.  This is a great new addition to the area.  It is clean, bright, and intimate, there is a small bar, it had the game on.  The decor is simple and sleek.  The staff are welcoming and work really hard to please, even if they are just shy of the details, but are more than willing to accommodate if you speak up.  The menu is slightly over priced, but the food and drink is delicious once they arrive.  Coffee wasn't the best, but it was manageable. We were pleasantly surprised and will likely go back.  Note, that it is cash only, or maybe when we went there, but many places in the neighborhood are cash only.  We'll probably go back for brunch for sure.  PS  They deliver too...
3 - Akilah G.: When you walk in you would not believe that you are in Harlem.  Very quaint and chic.  The decor is welcoming and attractive.  There is an open brick wall that attracted me on first glance 9but I guess that is because I am a fan of open brick walls).  
The server greeted me right away and I told that I would be waiting for a friend and her daughters.  I was seated and given the menu.  It was around brunch time so I decided to go with brunch. Once my friend arrived, we talked some, our server came over and we placed our order.  My friend and the girls ordered the eggs and pancake off teh brunch menu while I had the spinach/cheese omelet.  When my order got there, my food was comepletely wrong and so was one of my girl'.  They sent it back to be changed and my order was still incorrect (once again they forgot teh spinach in the spinach and cheese omelet).  By then I was a little bit annoyed so I told the waitress to change it and I'll take what everyone else at the table was having. The owner then came over and asked me about my order, said that he was going to make sure that it came out quickly and fix it.  The food came back, it was missing the pancakes and a fe pieces of turkey bacon but by that time I was famished and just wanted to eat.  less than 5 minutes later he brought out more pancakes, silver dollar style and turkey bacon.  The pancakes werent that good but my eggs and turkey bacon was so I munched on that.
The owner came back out and apologized, briefly, and left again.  The place wasnt very crowded but everyone there seem to be regulars.  

I wanted to LOVE this place and I dont know why but I just did.  I was impressed at the effort to change the food but I felt that they werent very sorry about it and at one point my waitress said "Ok its messed up again, Im out of this one."  I could have dealt without her comment.  They did take one of the meals off the tab and didnt charge us for our sodas.  We still left a decent tip and went on our merry way.

The place is very nice. I see mixed reviews so I am assuming they have off days so I think that I am going to try my luck at this place another time. The next time I will take my husband and do dinner maybe and see how that works out. 
I gave 3 1/2 stars because of the decor, ambiance and the fact that they did try to fix what was wrong.
I would suggest people try them, it maybe worth a shot
4 - Christina C.: The mac and cheese is OD Good. Like for real. any of them, the crab, the short rib, the regular, it doesn't even matter. Monday Mac Night- that's where its at. Half off drinks ( that are kinda strong btw) - you just can't lose - well except for that ONE time when they must have had a new kid in the kitchen, and the m&c was missing it's magic sauce...

The service takes soo long tho-  so go with friends and drink then act surprised when they finally deliver gifts from the cheesy delicious gods. 

Ps- I've have the real food on the regular menu and it's always  good and totally unexpected.
5 - Hashem D.: Went there for the special offer they have on most weekdays (tuesday to friday, from 5-7 pm) where you get to choose appetizer-style platters for $5 each and drinks for $5. I had heard about this place from my girlfriend, and her raving about it (in addition to her being a total foodie, which meant i highly valued and trusted her decisions concerning places to eat) meant that we should try it together, and all i can say is that i was NOT disappointed, i absolutely love it!
To start with, the service is great, the waiters were very pleasant, giving us a very nice table and constantly checking on us during the meal. The menu itself, a specially made small menu for the "5 at 5" deal, seemed a little sparse on the items, but diverse in the offering, ranging from mac'n'cheese  to vegetable tempura and sliders (a regular beef and a lamb burger). There was also a variety of drinks, with the newly added "pear bellini" catching the eye (and subsequently the taste buds) of my girlfriend, while i opted for an irish cider. The pear bellini was delicious, one of those drinks involving pears that had just the perfect taste of pears, without being overly sweet and sugary (i tasted some, so this is my judgement as well as my girlfriends - see, this review is good, you get two opinions through reading one review! you can thank me later...).
As for food, we both ordered a portion of Mac 'n' Cheese, and it was delicious, i had heard about it from my girlfriend and also read about it here on Yelp, and boy everyone was RIGHT, this was PHENOMENAL!!! We also shared the vegetable tempura, which was plentiful, crunchy and quite tasty; and also the burger sliders, i really liked the lamb burger which had a special blend of spices that gave it a unique taste, and the regular beef burger was also juicy and tasty, done just right.

Definitely worth a try, if only for the mac 'n' cheese but for the overall experience. I've heard they have a bunch of special nights, and so i will definitely be going again.
2 - Adrienne M.: I went to 5 & Diamond for brunch with my book club this past Saturday (1/7/11). 

I had the Chicken & Waffles: I've had better waffles from the frozen food aisle at Shoprite.  The fried chicken, however, was SLAMMIN'!

I also had a side of the Mac & Cheese: The quantity was SKIMPY but the taste was SUPERB!

The venue is SMALL and it was not crowded while we were there. The waiter was SLOW and SLOPPY!  The service really SUCKED!  

SUCKY service and "SO-SO" food was my first-time experience at 5 & D, so it is highly unlikely that there will be a SECOND experience for me... :-(
3 - Sharifa C.: lord have mercy PLEASE let the staff at 5 & Diamond figure out the quantity of food that needs to be ordered to properly run their restaurant. 

Before delving into the rest of my review, let me preface by saying that I LOVE 5 & Diamond and I'm there regularly for dinner and brunch, it's my go to, it's by my church, it's a meeting spot amongst my friends...it is just there for me lol.

HOWEVER, it never fails (except one time) that there's something on the menu that they don't have on hand. On my first visit in April, I tried to ordered "o we don't have that", ordered something else instead "o we don't have that either"....ummm.....Apparently, they weren't prepared for how much business they would get on Mother's Day weekend. That's an amateur/cop out response but you know what, fine.

The NEXT time I go, same thing happens. So I Google the restaurant later and see if it's a new restaurant (I'd expect this from a new spot) but low and behold, they've been serving for 2 years or so....Come on yall, we GOTS to do better than this.

THE GOOD NEWS: So be prepared to not be able to order what your heart desires. Otherwise, love the ambiance, very intimate/low key spot. The baked chicken on the brunch menu...was amazing (coming from someone who doesn't order it while dining out b/c how many variations can you get) BUT 5 & Diamonds chicken....delicious.

What's better, the mac & cheese....OMG!!!! Besides my own MOTHER'S mac & cheese, this place KILLS it! I sometimes crave it lol (both the truffle mac & cheese and the 5 & Diamond mac & cheese). ***Monday nights are 1/2 off cocktails and other menu items. Another pro to this place is that they change up their menu throughout the week, which is nice because you get a variety if you're a frequent diner like myself. Good luck and enjoy!
3 - Rose M.: Food was fine, waiter was extremely friendly and attentive, my only complaints:
the waiter let us in a few minutes before they opened for brunch and when he told us about the specials (crabcakes benedict), I ordered that. It is always a risk if you don't know the price of a special to not ask, but, everything else on the menu being pretty consistent, I stupidly didn't ask.
And it turned out to be $22 (TOTALLY not worth it). My fault for not asking, and then upon leaving I noticed they had put up a sidewalk chalkboard outside (after we went in) showing that crabcakes benedict was $22. So this is not entirely the fault of the restaurant when they let us go in early and the sign wasn't up at that time.
The other thing was that I had two nonalcoholic bloody mary's. According to the menu, a bloody mary was $7. So...wouldn't that mean a nonalcoholic version would be a little less? It was also $7. I asked the waiter (since by now I was up to $36 for a so-so brunch) why it was the same price both ways and he said "for the mix" so I pointed out that that meant the alcohol was free (?) and he said he'd look into it.
He then deducted the price of one of them from the bill which I felt was beyond what he needed to do and I really appreciated that. 
Highest marks go to the waiter for going beyond what I expected of my complaint. It's a small, cute space and I'd definitely eat there again, just watch the prices of what I'm ordering.
4 - Julia D.: Five & Diamond proves to be a fantastic little spot when you're lookin' for a fancier, special kind of old school American/Southern cooking. They use Bourbon in almost everything, and serve up classier versions of your favorite fried chicken, grits, and steak recipes while mixing up breakfast to be much more alcoholic by offering dishes like waffles with bourbon fried chicken, or bourbon soaked french toast. (Like I said, bourbon in eeeverything). 

The service is impeccable, and at least with brunch they bring you a complimentary alcoholic (bourbon, of course) hot chocolate when you first come into the cozy, small establishment. The brunch special will get you an entree and -- you guessed it -- bourbon cocktail, for $20, which is very reasonable considering the portions and freshness of the ingredients. 

I wouldn't necessarily trek up here if I lived downtown, but as a practical Harlem resident I find Five and Diamond to be a great brunch spot for when you're feeling something a little more exciting than your standard pancake stack, and their happy hour is an incredible deal (all appetizers and drinks are $5) from 5-7 on Tuesday through Friday. In addition, they mix things up on their menu pretty frequently, and offer an elongated mac n' cheese menu on Mondays (Mac Monday).
4 - Nakia C.: I love 5 & Diamond. It's one of my favorite places to eat in Harlem. The service is friendly and more on the casual side. They could be more prompt, I'm never in a rush when I go, so it doesn't bother me- just pretend you're in Europe! But the food is GREAT!! You can tell ingredients are fresh and cooked with technique. Every dish is a simpler version of gourmet but still very tasty. I highly recommend the papardelle, roast chicken and the pork chops. The burger is just ok.  The crowd is usually local and a tad quirky, which makes it fun. Definitely check it out!
2 - Jessica R.: My family had brunch here today.  I chose this place because the brunch menu looked very appetizing and on their website, they publish a separate kids brunch menu, which I thought was fantastic!  However, when I asked for the kids menu the waiter looked at me as if I was nuts.  It also took about 15 minutes for my child's apple juice to come; when I asked for the 3rd time the waiter told me they were out of apple juice...another 15 minutes for orange juice to get to the table.  Don't get me started about how long it took the food to arrive!
OK now onto the food...I think my dish was the best (I had shrimp and grits) - delightful - the sausage that was served with the shrimp was also super tasty.  My mom and husband both ordered the chicken and waffles.  The waffles were undercooked and soggy; the fried chicken was really well seasoned, but otherwise not so great.  The best part of this meal?  The delicious bloody marys - they are VERY generous with the horseradish!
All in all, far from the worst dining experience I've had but I won't be coming back to this place.  Not worth the money.
4 - Charles S.: I came here with a party of four for brunch on Sunday at 1 pm.

Despite it being busy and not having a reservation, they were able to seat us.

For $20, you can get a brunch item with a drink (mimosa, champagne bourbon cocktail, blood mary, etc).  For $10 more, you can make the drinks endless (for 1 hour).

For brunch, I got the Fried Chicken and waffle.  It was delicious and exactly what I was looking for.  Nothing groundbreaking here, but I was not disappointed in the slightlest  My GF got the blueberry french toast, which she thoroughly enjoyed, but was a bit too sweet for my tastes.


Also, our party stayed for nearly three hours and they didn't pressure us to leave at any point (quite nice on their part).  They also refiled my drink at least four times and most likely way after the hour was up.


If you are looking for boozey brunch in Harlem, I'd highly recommend 5 & Diamond.
2 - Nicole K.: Really disappointed by the experience here.  2-2.5 stars.

Saw the restaurant on a food network show about Harlem restaurants, so went in with high hopes.

The ambiance was eh, cute place but nothing special.  They couldn't figure out that the curtain in the entrance should be sealed on one side since there's a table on one side.  Cold wind kept blowing in on us.  The guy at the door was trying to be nice and block it but it didn't work.  4 staples would have solved the problem.

We had brunch at around 1:30/2pm.  They were out of more than one food and drink item.  Really bad planning for a popular place.

The service was fine, would have liked a few more pass-bys to get things for the table, but not bad.

The bloody mary was one of the worst I've had.  Thin, weird flavor, and about 12 pounds of a bad horseradish.  I love a spicy bloody mary, but this one wasn't spicy, it was really unpleasant and I didn't drink it.  (Unfortunately, they were out of the cocktail I had wanted to order.)  And nothing in it.  I like an olive or something crunchy to absorb the flavor of my bloody, and there was none.

Everyone's food was "fine".  I had the breakfast burrito, and I seemed to be the most pleased with my meal.  Nothing else was really remarkable in any way.

I went in with high expectations and was really disappointed.  I don't plan on going back to try it again.'
3 - Abbey V.: My brother-in-law's favorite spot, and he finally got me there a few weeks ago. The bartenders are friendly, and welcoming and now - only after a few visits from him - know him by name, and his order. So sweet.
2 - Steve M.: Just wasn't happening the night I went.  So much on the menu was not being offered since the chef ran out.  I ordered the beef medium rare and it was served well done.  Not good people.  Cold air draft from front door was an annoyance the entire time.  Prices are a bit high.  Herb chicken was $26.  What kinda herb is in that chicken?   Waiter was cool.  He was constantly apologizing for the inventory issues and the overcooked beef.  Seating is extremely tight.  Amazingly, they even squeeze a dj in here on select nights.
4 - Brian G.: This restaurant is an intimate place to take a date. Our waiter was very helpful and polite and I got a family feel to the setting (the manager filled our glasses with wine for free near the end of our meal). Definitely want to go back again.
5 - Ashley D.: The food was absolutely delicious here. Worthy of the Michelin rating. I'll be back.
4 - Shameek R.: This place gets 4 actual stars and 5 tentative stars. I can't give out 5 stars until I go back and get consistent service - my nirvana experience might be a fluke for all we know.

So I heard about this place on TV and what struck me was they have Shrimp and Grits with Andouille sausage made out of LAMB...

I was determined to find out.

Me and a friend made our way over to their brunch (TIP: they ONLY serve the Shrimp and Grits during brunch) which started at 11am. Getting there a little after 11, we were first and seated right away (though the place does take reservations). We sat outside so I can't remember the interior of the restaurant, but I can say it was small (seats maybe 30 or so), but well appointed. 

The service was outstanding. Other restaurants could and should come and take notes on this place.

The Shrimp and Grits comes with sunny side up eggs ( you can request they be prepared any way you like though - I did and asked for scrambled with cheddar - so I'm traditional - so what). My friend ordered the Buttermilk Chicken and Waffles with Banana - Habanero Syrup. The Chicken and Waffles comes with an alcoholic beverage choice too (Sangria anyone?)

Wait, Banana - Habanero syrup? That sounds intriguing.

The food came out in good time and...

Yowza! The food was delicious. Giant shrimp flavored nicely (though cooked a tad hard) with peppers and onions in a nice chessy grits dish that is not too soupy and not too thick. The Andouille sausage? They were there, AND made of lamb, but not as flavorful as I thought. My eggs topped the whole plate and I was good to go. Yummy.

My friend had the chicken and waffles with...banana-habanero syrup. So when they bring out the dish, the waffles have already been "syrup-ed" and the chicken is on top. Now the crust on the chicken is pretty good; it's crispy from the buttermilk with savory flavors and a touch of sweetness (maybe honey).

The waffle? With the banana-habanero syrup? Well the waffle was light and flaky. The syrup was infused nicely into the waffle. The hint of banana was there. There were even several banana slices on top of the waffle. I missed the habanero though...

Overall, Amy Ruth's still has the best chicken and waffles in town. But the buttermilk chicken was different and tasty. The waffle was decent, with hint of banana, but no spice.

The shrimp and grits? They're high on the list of some of the best shrimp and grits I've had in NYC. 

I will definitely keep this place on the list, and hope to return soon to let them earn that 5th star (it's really theirs to lose).
2 - Shauna D.: The restaurant was nicely decorated, it was simple with nice exposed brick, simple decor and wood tables. The bartender was nice.

We went there for drinks but if the menu had been appetizing and not unreasonably priced we probably would have had food too. ALL cocktails, including our two drinks which were good, were $14 each. When you are a small restaurant in the up and coming (but not yet) area of Harlem 110th-116th, the sky rocket prices are uncalled for. The menu was not tempting for us to eat there and all the entrees seemed to be $23 and up, up, upwards.  Even the brunch menu ($30 for all you can drink) had only 6 options for brunch and I wasn't tempted in the least. I don't need shrimp and grits, steak and grits, or grits, for brunch.

We won't be coming back, its a great neighborhood thats diverse and growing, but this place was so overpriced it was ridiculous and undeserved.
3 - Sydney P.: I really enjoyed this place. Its small and cute. Located right on Harlem's "Restaurant Row"

The Happy hour was very tasty and priced well.. $5 drinks and food. I had the sangria & pear bellini.. very good. I also had the mac and Cheese (Yum) and Wings (average but good)
1 - Andy B.: I didn't realize it until we were done eating, but the runner was wiping the edge of the plates before he brought them out, get this, with the same towel he was cleaning the tables with. 

I thought I saw it once, then when they were taking away our plates, and he wiped down our table before dessert, I saw him walk straight to the kitchen window and wipe the edges of some more ready to go plates with the same towel.

It's now one of those places on my short list of places I will never enter ever again.
5 - Jennifer R.: I came here for brunch a few Sundays ago and thought it was amazing. The atmosphere was elegant and the croque madam was excellent. I would definitely eat here again.
3 - Nicole N.: Had a fathers day brunch with a party of 9 adults and 3 kids. Overall we had a good time, though service was slow. 1/2 of our table received their meals 10-15 mins after the others. We are sure our food went to another table. They were apologetic but it was annoying. This place has potential as long as the kitchen timing issues are worked out. The brandy cocktail and burger was great. We are willing to try again.
2 - Ann H.: Our third visit will be our last.  Our first visit, back in November, was positive.  Second visit, the service was an issue - it took forever to get drinks, and the DJ music, while a good selection of songs, was just way too loud for 7:00 on a Monday.  On Memorial Day, the service was horrible, including from owner Selene Martinez.  
 
Once seated, we had to ask for all the service we received. After waiting several mins to get menus, we finally asked for them.  We were given lunch menus, even though the email I received the day before from the restaurant excitedly proclaimed that they were serving brunch until 4:00. When we asked our server about getting the brunch menu I saw on their website (since I had checked it out earlier and wanted an item that wasn't on the lunch menu), he was not aware of a different menu and pointed to the section with a few egg items as the brunch items.   After another 10 mins we had to ask to order drinks.  We had to flag down our server to order food.  When we finished our first drink, we sat with empty glasses for a long time. For our second drink order, our server forgot what we ordered and had to come back.  

When our food arrived, the food runner asked if she could get anything else for us, and we told her we had also ordered sliders. She never came back to us, and the sliders never arrived.   My husband's wings also did not come with the blue cheese as was stated on the menu, so we flagged down Ms. Martinez.  When we told her we didn't get the blue cheese, she didn't say a word - just scowled - and then a few minutes later someone else dropped blue cheese on our table without a word.  About 10 mins later, she finally came back to our table with a quick sorry and excuse that the computer system was down forcing them to handwrite orders.  I certainly understand how a computer system being down would slow things a bit, but the computer system was not the issue.  The restaurant is one small room, about 12 tables.

During our meal, nobody checked on us to ask us how our food was.  When we finished eating the food items that we did receive, we moved our plates towards the edge of the table but still had to flag down the server to get our check.  When we asked the server to take off the sliders, he was surprised that we never received them.  (We were seated next to the bar and the kitchen, so our server, as well as Ms. Martinez, walked by us several times.) 

As former servers, we always leave 20% or more, 15% if the service was poor.  However, we discovered that because we were using a credit card, 15% was not even an option - the lowest tip we could leave was 18%.

We were not alone in our experience.  People at the table next to us said, "Where are our drinks?"  When they asked for ketchup, they were given only a teaspoon full in a ramekin. Ms. Martinez told them that they would have to wait for more because their supply was downstairs.

The problem with this restaurant is the owners.  They don't schedule enough staff.  (There was 1 server who was also the bartender, 1 person filling water, and 1 person running food or taking payment.  There were only a few people working on our second visit also.)  Even if the owners did schedule appropriately, and staff called out sick, etc., it is the job of the owners to pick up the slack.  Although our server was friendly, it is not surprising that he had had no sense of urgency, or that he would walk right by our table empty-handed on the way to the kitchen or bar without picking up our empty plates or glasses, because Ms. Martinez had no sense of urgency.  Ms. Martinez walked by our table probably 10 times - while we were waiting for menus, while we were waiting for drinks, while we had empty plates or glasses, while we waited for our check - and did nothing.  The owners should be setting an example for what they expect from their staff in terms of efficient service.   Ms. Martinez was also not the least bit welcoming or friendly. Our last two experiences at make this quote from the owners on their website even more ridiculous:  "For years, Selene and I would visit various places for brunch after church services, but we would always be a little disappointed in the service or quality of the food."

People who talk of Harlem's "Restaurant Row" do not live here.  Quality restaurants are still few and far between.  Ms. Martinez and Ms. Sanfilippo:  We beg you - please visit restaurants who are known for their service and take detailed notes, or call it a day and turn your restaurant over to people who know what they are doing.  Harlem residents need good restaurants, and right now you are not fitting the bill.  Chef David Martinez:  Your food is pretty good.  You deserve a better restaurant for your talents.
2 - G B.: Where do I start. Nice staff, nice decor...thats pretty much it.  We had a group of 9 and we all ate at different times. One of the first meals came out luke warm (eggs XP) The chicken and waffles wasn't anything special at all. There were suspicious burnt charcoal on each waffles. The sangria was a C+. 

The waiting staff made sure to apologize because they knew their performance were subpar. 

My 5 y/o niece had the best question. Why have chocolate milk on the menu if you had to run out to the store to make it.

Sorry no diamonds here.
3 - Ben R.: I appreciate this establishment for trying to bring something more upscale to the neighborhood, but this place is just too expensive for what it is.  Call me cheap, but I won't be coming back.  Some places I expect to pay a little more, but for a place between the projects and homeless people walking around...no.  

The food was fine.  I got the chicken and waffles....it was all right.  Nothing amazing, but good.  That habanero syrup was a nice touch, though.  

I do like the service, they are attentive, without being pushy and seem ok if you linger a bit after the meal, talking with your friends, sipping coffee, etc.  

It's a small place, was a bit crowded when I went, but it didn't feel crowded.  

So overall, come here for the service.  This won't be my regular brunch place.
3 - Mark R.: Good room with excellent service. The food was tasty, but nothing that would cause me to rave...but was good enough that I will definitely return, and will be open to revising my review based on that experience. Don't go hungry, however, as it took a very long time to receive our food on a quiet Sunday morning when the restaurant was relatively empty. 

I would suggest removing the tv, as it seems out of place in a quiet, small restaurant, but the volume was off so it was not intrusive...simply out of place.
4 - Luba P.: Yammy food, friendly staff. Monk fish was outstanding!
4 - Tiffany S.: Endless brunch cocktails with shrimp n grits: $30. Life is good!

The place is very small which deters larger groups (and makes the wait time fairly long depending on the time of day).
2 - Quasona C.: Ughh, I wanted to love this place so bad.

 5 and Damond is a small storefront restaurant so it looked like it could get real crowded fast, I recommend reservations if you were going to give it a try. I stopped in here for dinner with my bestie on a Saturday evening around 5 and we were immediately seated. The staff was super super friendly and I give them 5 stars, the ambiance was very romantic and intimate but the food was another thing all together. 

We started off with a $9 oxtail and sofrito empanada and when they only brought one out I was like um where is the rest. We cut it in half and I thought to myself out this empanada is good well seasoned too bad we only had one. For my meal I ordered the cavatelli with oxtail and bone marrow hoping I was right by sticking with the oxtail. When the waiter brought the meal out I was like eeek, you could see how bland the pasta was with little pieces of oxtail that someone ripped of the bone and put on top of the pasta. It was bland and left my feelings hurt. I had the waiter dose my food in salt in pepper which is always a sign of a bad meal.

For my drink I had a Rhythm and Soul- very nice and refreshing but such a small glass for $14.

I am going to give this place another try because i loved the service and their cool r&b tunes, next time I will have the lamb burger which seemed to be everyone else's choice for the night.
4 - Le Anne A.: MAC AND CHEESE FINGER LICKIN' GOOD!!...and Joe the maitre d, is the NICEST, most gracious host you can ask for. I have been to this place twice, and was never disappointed in making the trek from Brooklyn to enjoy their savory meals. Their menu is short, sweet and good. The small plates are my favorite. This is where you will find their treasure, that OH SO GOOD mac and cheese!!!! I cannot stop YELPING about it! It is great for groups as well as couples. Their brunch is bustling; unlimited mimosas with your food order. I have to mention again how great the staff is. My second time here, I showed up an hour late for my group of 6 reservation. Joe was as always, gracious and he and the other work staff stayed AN HOUR later, all because my group and I would not get up to leave! He also treated my bf, whose birthday we were celebrating, so sweetly and even poured us some complimentary glasses of wine and blessed up with two complimentary sweet treats. I will always go to this place once I am invited and will make a trip uptown very soon to inhale that mac and cheese goodness.
3 - Elena K.: Overall I would say the food is not that good and amounts are too small for the price. The overall attitude of the serving staff was "we are top notch snobby establishment so deal with us". In place of cloth napkins they gave us these see-through paper napkins that immediately soaked in whatever moisture was around them. I had to grab few more napkin sets from the nearby tables just to cover  my lap.

Tiny place that's easy to pass by from the street when it's dark. Most tables are positioned right next to the entrance door that doesn't automatically closed and just like other reviewers mentioned, in the colder months of the year you will want to keep the coat on when you sit there.

Cocktails drinks were priced at $14 and while they were tasty there was very little liquor poured in between copious amounts of ice so it tasted like two sips of sugary syrup. I feel that for $14 good bars will pour plenty of liquor. Beer selection was very limited according to the stained menu. When I asked for Guinness it was brought in a bottle. This should be communicated ahead of time if beer is not on tap. Along with the bottle I was given a smal narrow glass that barely fit a third of the bottle and due to its shape prevented Guinness from forming its typical Guinness foam. All of this made this bar not a good place to drink in my opinion. 

Now onto the food. We ordered two appetizers: bread with seasonal dippings and oxtail empanadas and rabbit stew, $9 each for the appetizer and $22 for the entree. We got two slices of bread soaked in some grease with, you won't believe it, some  hummus. So much for the "seasonal" dippings. There is was, hummus with bread. As for the oxtail empanadas, the filling was great but the empanadas were oversoaked in grease. When I held it above the plate the grease kept on dripping leaving orange stains all over the plate. The oxtail filling was tasty but very measly amount not fully filling in the empanadas. Wait, did I say in plural? It was one empanada with "mesclun greens" covering the rest of the plate.

Rabbit stew was delicious but TINY. The container that had it was slightly bigger than a deck of cards. 

Not a place I would ever go back to. Pretentious service with see-through napkins and stained menus and the food and drinks are not worth the price.

5 Seasons Brewing - Atlanta, GA (33.77854, -84.410682) ()
4 - Katherine D.: Opening night featured a few of the normal opening night hiccups in service, but overall, I'm really looking forward to seeing what this 5 Seasons has in store for us south side dwellers. The food, of course, is phenomenal.
1 - Liz O.: After seeing the "Coming Soon" sign for month after month after month, when 5 Seasons finally opened it was not very exciting for me or any of my friends. Nevertheless, we stopped by last night to check it out and were sorely disappointed. Dark and depressing decor, combined with very few guests made for a bleak backdrop as we waited way too long only to have our 3 simple drink orders messed up. The service was slow and incompetent, which was even more disappointing considering a) there was hardly anybody there and b) it was the first week. I understand that it takes a while to get  a restaurant/brewery up and running, but I do not understand why the staff wouldn't at least try their very best to make the first, poor experience a little better for the customers. 
I'm sorry to say, as excited as I was when I found out 5 Seasons was coming to my neighborhood (which - by the way-  was about a year ago), I will probably never go back. 
If you're looking for some good food and beer, and a fun atmosphere and competent service, then do yourself a huge favor and head just a few blocks away to Six Feet Under. 

I promise, you'll be much better off there.
3 - Karl H.: This rating will go up, they just need to finish the place/add their fantastic beer.

Roof top view of Midtown is awesome!  I had a pizza with a funny name...it was great.
4 - Cara C.: If you want to sit on the coolest roof top terrace (sans the attitude that other rooftops have) you have got to go now to 5 seasons. The Food is made with a seasonal thoughts, and the beer made with love will be soon available too! I can see the 5 o'clock happy hour is going to to be a ritual experience at 5 Seasons! The view is awesome.
3 - Justin P.: Went to eat with the lady on whim as we were in the area. First thing we noticed. How nice of a terrace deck area they had. Also had parked on the roof, so finding the door/hostess was kinda funky but all was well... Sat down, and started with drinks and beer. I started with the Stout, and was impressed. Very tasty beer. Appetizers were the Ceviche and Grilled shrimp, which were very good. Entrees were the Lobster Cakes for my wife and i had the Organic Ribs... Wife said her food was not good. Very Bland and fried in a fishstick looking batter... The ribs were pretty decent, but slight dried and tough. I really think this place would be awesome (need more than 5 beers as well but its early though) if they could get the food right.
2 - Christian R.: I first went on a Friday night - it was busy as expected.  We put our name down, and after waiting longer than we were told, asked when we'd be seated.  People had been jumping in line and camping for tables, sitting as soon as someone left.  The staff had no control over the customers, and simply apologized to those who kept getting pushed back further in the queue.  We just left.

I went back Saturday in the early evening.  The rooftop was pleasant.  The beer was very impressive, and reasonably priced.  However: They were out of several items on the menu, my ribs were dry, the servers kept mixing up our table with another, the portions were small for the price, one of our plates had a hair on it (though it was comped), and our waitress was forgetful and neglecting.  

I really hope these are just kinks that'll be worked out in the opening months.
2 - Jeremy J.: Look, I did not give this place 3 Stars because I want them to improve and I think I could easily see myself giving this place another star real soon as long as they fix a few problems.  Obviously this place is brand new and they have not even had their Grand Opening yet (June 6th according to the sign) so there is no need to lash out and yell and scream.  Here's what I remember and feel needs work:

1. Parking, we parked on the roof of the garage and had to walk through a private event upstairs to get to the hostess stand.  Ok, we are not eating outside on the roof and this place is confusing to find your first time.  Next time we will know where to park.  No biggie.

2.  Hostess stand experience -  fine, polite, accommodating.  

3. Atmosphere needs some comfort.  This is a big cavern of a space and the noise is there to prove it.  The walls are pretty bare, its a large space, and you can hear everyone else except your dinner mate and your server.  I feel like a restaurant that is trying so many local and organic products could have spent  a bit more attention to the green-ness of the building.  Maybe something that does not waste so much with the double level open room.  

4.  Food-  new places never concern me when the food is ALMOST there and 5 Season's is almost there.  We had the Fish and Chips, Onion Rings with curry sauce, mussells with beer sauce, and my daughter had the Cheese burger with fries.  First, the fries are delicious.   Very similar to Five Guys.  The fish was breaded nicely and ended up being Skate wing.  Interesting taste, almost crab tasting.  Pretty good.  The onion rings were bland but plump and fresh.  The curry dipping sauce was forgettable.  The mussels were fresh and tasty.  I thought the dipping sauce was a bit buttery and we did not find ourselves slopping up the remaining juice.  My daughters burger was very good and the beef was delicious.  All the breads on our meals was fresh and tasty.

I am kind of walking through this review as I hope to write something more from our next visit.  We are going to give it a couple of weeks though before returning to let them settle in.  Also, I think we will leave the kid at home next time as they are not 100% kid friendly.  We need a night out anyways.
4 - Kent S.: I went to the Grand Opening party for 5 Seasons last night and the place was great.  You can tell they are still working out a few kinks but in general the place looks great and the food was delicious.  

We started in the main dining room downstairs.  We tried most of the beers they had except the IPA which was not available at that time.  All were good.  As for the food.  This is not your typical pub food.  They were bringing us sampler plates so we got to try about 10 different items in small portions.  All, very tasty and worth of meal status by themselves.  I especially liked the alligator egg rolls.

When we were done downstairs we decided to go to the upper deck to check it out.  This is definitely the the more up beat area.  There was  band play out on the corner of the roof deck and the space was packed.  Great views of the Atlanta skyline.

There is a third level underneath that is still being constructed.  When I have a chance to try that space out I will review it.
2 - Laura M.: The best thing I can say about my lunch at the new 5 Seasons is that the service was really friendly.  I know the place just opened, so  I'll probably go back and give it another try. But...first impressions do mean a lot.  

First was the issue of finding the front door.  If you park on the roof top parking deck you will probably use the elevator.  Well, when you get off at the 1st floor you empty out onto a back courtyard for the Brickworks complex.  No signs directing you to the restaurant or even a sign in a rear window to show you that in fact there is a restaurant.

If you go down the stairs (my next try) you have to exit on the 2nd floor--not the 1st.  In fact, if you walk down to the bottom you'll discover a door that has no handle! and will have to climb back up to 2.  

The Brickworks complex is obviously still under some construction.  Hallways are blocked off and being painted, etc.  You can't really blame that on 5 Seasons, but it does sort of mar the initial experience.

The restaurant itself has a piece of paper taped to the front door with their hours.  A little tacky.  The decor inside is....well, actually there isn't much.  Just burgundy paint and some really odd antique, grandma style chairs that definitely don't match the more sleek bar area.

The best part of my actual meal was the sweet potato fries.  The organic BBQ sandwich was flavorless and cold.  My dining partner did enjoy his vidalia onion turkey burger, but also commented on the odd, lackluster decor.

This place is super convenient for work lunches, so I'll probably be back for try #2.  You know what they say, "fool we twice...."
2 - Sheila M.: We looked forward to the opening of the 5 seasons midtown since we've loved the Roswell Road location for years. Before I detail the disappointments, I'll say a few good things. Each of our food selections were fairly creative and tasty. The huge upstairs patio had a nice view of the midtown skyline. Beer was fine. It'sin a nice location with Octane Coffee across the street, 4 or 5 galleries right there, an Italian market across the street and Hop City, a nice beer and wine shop, next door. 

That might be where the standouts end. Service was mediocre at best. The wine list (yes, I know it's a brewery) was limited. It was hot that night so was looking forward to a chilled white. The list of white wines was pretty uninspired and weighted heavily towards Chardonnay. The Riesling I wanted was out. That left maybe 2 non-Chardonnay choices by the glass. Next, one of my food choices was sold out. 

I think the thing I found most disappointing about this location is how chain-y it felt. There seemed to be more than the usual number of tourists making it seem even more so. How does a restaurant with 2 locations manage to feel like a chain? 

We might return, but only for the location and view.If we want the good meal and service that we're used to from 5 Seasons, we might have to suck it up and drive to Sandy Springs.
2 - Mark B.: I have been really looking forward to this opening for the last year, as I want a good nearby pub to do my favorite activity, beer drinking. But you know how we all have a friend who is a home brewer and he'll give you this bottle of his latest brew, and you smile and thank him and promise you'll drink it but you know it will be awful because he hasnt a clue? Well, he's opened a brewpub!

Arrived with 2 friends Sunday night before 7, it was pretty empty and sadly too hot to sit outside. Sat at the bar. Then moved to a table because we couldnt hear each other. Ordered beer and then some more. We tried the Pale ale, honestly I have never seen such a murky beer. It was like mississippi delta water. All gritty and thick, I just couldnt get over the sensation in my mouth. Blah. One friend liked it and had another. The re-cession ale was average. A session ale, yeah, but you are supposed to WANT more. I didn't. Moved on to the cask ale, a mild. I had to have 2 because I couldnt quite figure what the heck I was tasting. Could it be minty hops? Never heard of it. Then it came to me: It was those seeds you get at the check-out desk at the Indian restaurant. Is it Cardomom? In a beer? What the heck are they thinking, who wants a beer that tastes like Indian breath mints? You can visit every pub from John Ogroats to Lands End and you will never find a mild ale with cardomom seeds in it. So why do we have to have it in Atlanta? I am grateful that I then got a taste of the secret ale that is only reserved for those real beer connoisseurs. Wait for it..... Licorice! Really! See what I mean?

The food- I was real hungry so immediately ordered a pretzel. 5 Bucks. It arrived after 30 minutes, and was a bready doughy disappointment. For 5 bucks! The Pomme Frites were okay, 4 bucks and we had the calamari, again, good, for 8. Looked at the menu and decided it was a bit expensive so moved on for our main course. 

About the prices, really I read a quote from the owner that one could find a great beer for $4. So why are theirs $4.75? Its made right there for gods sake it should be cheap! And the cask ale was $5.55. At those prices I definitely do not want a 2-inch head of foam in my glass!

I dont think we'll be going back. My friends give it 6 months. I am very generous with the stars when the beer is good- see my other reviews!
4 - Andrea R.: Whoa- this place is HUGE. Big enough for me and 1200 of my closest friends. Now if only I had that many friends to invite.... 

If you like beer you'll like it here. And if you don't (me!) there's a full bar of other stuff from you to choose from.  And there are plenty of places to enjoy your drink of choice: the main downstairs area, the terrace up top with a kickass view of the city, and there even building a little beer garden to the side of the restaurant. I got lost just walking around! 

When I was there they were hurrying up to finish construction on a private room where an unknown person's rehearsal dinner would be held just 2 days later.  It looked like they were cutting it a bit close since the room still didn't have floors, but the manager didn't seem too worried. A week later I"m guessing it's done so now there's probably a private party room if you have a special occasion coming up. And that room only requires a few hundred of your closest friend...;)
4 - Joseph J.: Tried this out for the first time a few weeks ago and just went back again. The Quintessence (shhh!  It's a secret) is an awesome high gravity beer. The Dark Star is no slouch either. Organic beer was wonderful as well.  On the the food. Love the local/organic theme. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable about the food. Loved the special pizza with chicken, fresh jalapeños, and peaches. Fish tacos were great with fresh fish lightly battered and fried to perfection. Easy to get to, ample parking. A must try!
2 - Heyward W.: well I have to say I always have been a fan of 5 Seasons. Since I live Dunwoody, I patronize the Sandy Springs location a bunch. I was looking forward to their new location. I have a few issues with this new spot. First is parking. what a cluster. After making my way through the labyrinth to the restaurant, we decided to sit down out side. Our waitress said she would be right back to take our order, well something happened to where we had to get another waitresses attention. We placed our food order quesadillas & fish tacos. Very greasy and with average flavor. The quesadillas had too much cheese which made the whole plate greasy. The shrimp in the tacos were deep fried. The menu itself seemed to be too diverse and all over the place.
My biggest disappointment was the decor. This place has no soul. The dining room chairs were queen ann style and do go with there modern environment. I will still go to the location in Sandy Springs but not this one.
3 - Joel C.: Brooks, Katherine and I stopped here before our ballroom dancing class to grab a quick bite to eat.  We decided to eat inside, although I was a bit confused if the skybar and 5 Seasons Brewing were the same establishment or not.  

We were quickly seated and our waiter took our drink orders, but we decided to wait on ordering until our friend Oksana arrived.  When she arrived it took our waiter probably 15-20 minutes to arrive to take our order and that's because Brooks had to wave him down.  (We ended up being late for our class!)

The food menu was pretty diverse and a bit more pricey than I expected.  There were no sandwiches or burgers and had to get either a small plate or entree.  Brooks and I tried the fish n chips, which were pretty decent.  Katherine got the grilled ravioli and Oksana tried the Fish Tacos.  We all decided to split the fried ice cream as well which was delicious.

The best thing on the menu...The Octane Beer...a dark stout combines with espresso = AMAZING!!!!  No doubt do I wish that I could have a glass of this every morning to start my day!

I would go back for the beer...hopefully would be able to give it more stars for better service.
4 - Julie R.: Went back to try the burger, and WOW!

Move over, The Earl. This is my new favorite burger in Atlanta. I am really surprised that no one mentioned 5 Seasons on the recent favorite burger thread. My waiter, who had a cool British accent and a total sweetheart, talked to the cooks into letting me order it since it's only on the lunch menu. No way, Jose! This burger warrants a regular appearance on the dinner menu as well. 

Unlike most cooks who read "medium-well" or "well" whenever I order my burger medium, they do it just right at 5 Seasons. Yes, I do expect to see lots and lots of pink on my burger when I say medium! Are you picking up what I'm putting down? 5 Seasons certainly did. 

The quality of the beef is one of the best, if not the best, I've had in Atlanta. It's so juicy and flavorful.. I couldn't figure out how they seasoned the beef, but it must be laced with voodoo powder because I was instantly hypnotized. It comes with lettuce, tomato, and onion, but I relished it plain with just their awesome homemade bun. I didn't need to complain that it was missing the cheese I ordered because it was just perfect as was. Again, WOW!

Their onion rings also are worthy of high praise. They are beer battered and comes with some kind of creamy sauce in which I tasted hints of curry - without a doubt the best onion rings I've had in Atlanta. I ended up having a fried fest because I ordered fries with my burger, which were excellent as well. 

I love places like this where the chef allows the quality of the ingredients to speak for themselves and don't do any fancy footwork to create unnecessary and fireworks. I had great service again but noticed that the couple next to me didn't. Please get it together, Mr. GM. You've got an outstanding product and a great location. Make the service part run like a well-oiled machine, and your restaurant should be hopping every night! 

4.5 stars. 

p.s Tried their goat cheese cheesecake. Hmmm.. The kind of goat cheese cheesecake I prefer to make and eat are extra creamy and smooth. This had a gritty texture, just like the crust. It was still good, but I wasn't a fan of the texture. Hence the 0.5 star deduction.
3 - Michael E.: I went back to 5 Seasons last week after they've been open for a while now. The beers were excellent and so was the service. I haven't tried the food again yet, so I'm hoping that will be the same. 

Either way, glad to have them in the neighborhood and it's my go-to place for a quick drink after work if I don't want to leave the Westside.
3 - Scott C.: The manager responded back to me through Yelp.  

He did offer me dinner, which I politely declined.  I'll go back on my own dime.  He did say that the restaurant does have brewing equipment, but it's located in the basement.  

Update to come.  

Thanks for responding 5-Seasons!
2 - Katherine M.: I liked the idea of them brewing their own beer, which was okay, but nothing to rave about.  They get points for sourcing locally, but the food was just okay, except for the brats, which were awesome.   I say try it out, but I doubt I bother returning myself.
4 - Matthieu M.: Came here on a SUnday afternoon looking for a patio in the shade and a light lunch. I ended trying their very refreshing watermelon beer to go along a good Cuban sandwich. Portions are not too big, which I count as a plus. I had coleslaw as a side, and there could have been a little bit more of it... I sat on the lower deck and traffic can be a bit annoying but not too much on a Sunday afternoon. Definitely will be coming back with friends in the evening to try the roof deck.
4 - Bren B.: I've only been here for lunch, since it's practically  next door, but I immagine it could be a nice after-hours 'get my drink-on' spot...I'll have to check.
 
As for lunch, the menu is pretty great and has never disappointment me, with everything fresh and yummy, great atmosphere, a fantastic outside patio, really awesome wall art and super friendly wait staff. 

I'm not a beer drinker, but can certainly appreciate the gusto with which they treat their beer brewing and sharing...they even offer you tastes of seasonal or daily brews if you start to look bored (which BTW had nothing to do with 5 Seasons, I was waiting for my time-defficient friends who'd die horrible deaths if their lives ever depended on them being on time :) You know who you are!)
3 - Laura W.: 5 Seasons Westside, you're like the gangly kid brother of your Prado predecessor.  If you could just get your act together, you'd be on my regular rotation, but as it stand, I'm going to have to sit back and wait for you to grow into your potential.

As always, I applaud your appreciation for local, farm-sourced ingredients.  Sure, I wish your kitchen would do a little more with them -- my Georgia peach and arugula salad with berry vinaigrette, for instance, was a great flavor pairing, but poorly composed -- I wanted to get the contrast of spicy/bitter arugula and height-of-season peaches in every bite, but you just stuck the peaches on the side, and not enough of them.  Bummer.  And my braised Asian beef entree was just a weird combination... maybe I should've known better than to order a lean cut of beef braised, but it sounded interesting.  

Still, the lobster bisque was tasty enough, and The Boy's steak frites were solid.  And those two person "feasts" for $30-$40, like the duck five ways?  Those actually looked pretty neat; I'll have to try that next time.

But let's talk about the beer.  You're a brewpub, right?  And I appreciate that brewmeister Crawford Moran is branching out and experimenting with new brews.  Trust me, I want to support local brewing, and oh how I wish this state allowed growler sales.  But that's another story.

Here's the thing, 5SW: your ideas are fantastic, but your execution is seriously lacking.  I can chalk some of it up to lack of experience or the new brewing setup, but your beers are all vaguely watery and off-balance.  The only one we really enjoyed was the watermelon wit -- one of three different wheat beers on the menu, might I add -- which actually pulled some great cucurbin notes from the melon rind.  A rare success in our lineup of four beers in which maltiness and body were largely nonexistent. 

What's really confusing is that there are several outstanding beers at the Prado that could have -- nay should have -- been pulled over to the Westside brewery as standard "house beers" to create some consistency between 5SB locations.  The Seven Sisters Munchner alone would revive the beer list, and if you added the Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale, I'd be a happy girl.  Which isn't to say you shouldn't keep experimenting -- I'm all for it!  But please, make sure you have some dependable A+ beers in your lineup... or give me a call when you grow up and want to play with the big kids.
2 - Frank W.: Great history in Atlanta! Unfortunately this location is seriously disjointed with service and beer quality. The food is excellent and some new ideas have improved the original Roswell Road locations menu. Though lacking the vast list of daily specials I was used to from "HQ", the portioning (having a choice of 6, 10 or 12oz cuts of meat) choices are a great idea. The beer is untypical for "HQ" standards. At best I can compare it to some of the most rookie home brew kit beers I've tasted. Crawford, their brew master for this location just isn't a Kevin McNerney (Founder of Sweetwater and brewer for the Roswell Rd HQ). Dave Larkworthy who is in charge of the kitchen on the west side, Alpharetta and HQ definitely rocks the show. Final verdict: Enjoy Kevin's beers and David's recipe's at HQ on Roswell Road. You may not get the view, but your experience will be incredibly better. (HQ is on 5600 Roswell Rd, I-285 and Roswell Rd, just inside of the perimeter (I-285).
5 - Erin W.: Iceboxx Watermelon Wheat Beer--WHAT?  How about, the best beer I've ever had in my life!  Yeah, I like fruity beers (Sweetwater Blue, Sam Adams cherry Wheat, etc).  Really didn't think I would dig the watermelon beer here at 5Seasons, though, but holy cow, it went down like Kool-aid.  It comes with a little watermelon slice on the rim.  The watermelons came from local Moore Farms.

Go try this seasonal beer while they're still pouring it!

And the upper level patio is as good as it gets for me.
3 - Rob C.: My 5 Seasons Haiku Review:

Room too big and loud
Onion rings to die for yes
Alas, beers are meh
3 - Louise B.: Last week I was prepared to give 5 Seasons 4 stars. This week I'm settling on 3. I've been here several times & have been waiting to write my review because I just hadn't quite figured out how I felt about it. I'm settling on 3 because I do really like the food (mmm, Quail), the service is great, there's plenty of parking BUT I went on Sunday & to my dismay, found out that the Sky Bar wasn't open. The rooftop bar is no longer open on Sundays & adding insult to injury, they aren't offering the specials ($2.50 mixed cocktails & half priced appetizers) at the bar in the main dining room. Maybe I'll get over it in a few months & update my review later, right now the wound is still fresh. I was so looking forward to sitting back & enjoying a few Sunday afternoon cocktails. Oh well...
4 - Samantha H.: The bread was perfect. You have to pay $1 for the bread, but it is so worth it. It was about 8 of us so we ordered appetizers, bread and drinks. The service was fine and the appetizers were good, but the bread was great. I will be returning just for the bread.
2 - missy g.: I was pretty excited to check this place out. great location, great rootop deck, cool menu. I was disappointed in service, in the menu, in the food. It was okay, but in times like these, okay isn't good enough. I had the burger thinking it was going to be spectacular, it was dry and flavorless. Charging $1 to put bread on the table seems silly to me and another way for the restaurant to make an extra buck, literaly. maybe i'll give it another try, but I won't be running back. There are too many good/ fun places in the neighborhood being Six Feet Under, La Fonda, etc...
2 - Dina C.: Great space, great beer, and great potential.  I still think this location is getting its bearings though. Service is friendly, but slow and somewhat choppy.  While I respect a pub that tries to enhance its menu with organic choices, creative selections, and local ingredients, the menu at this location is quite pretentious and overpriced for the atmosphere of the place.  $14 for a salad with a protein is a bit much and a pub should offer some typical pub snacks at affordable prices for those who want a small snack with their beer.  I would suggest 5 Seasons to tone down its menu.  I would recommend management to fine tune its service, events, and live music choices.  It has great potential, but it needs work.
2 - Scott C.: wanted to like this place because it's nearby and I'm just hoping we can file this visit under "I think the staff was still drunk from the night before or they're all new at this so maybe another visit would be better" 
as another poster brought up, they were out of 4 beers on the beer menu, ok...they were also out of breakfast hash listed on the daily specials menu...huh? 

regarding the menu- REALLY appreciate using as much organic/local as possible but overall, really weird menu.
beyond that, service tried and tried but to no avail. my son got his food along with another party at my table and then the rest of us waited 25! minutes to get our mains.

inre- wings- ok, she warned me that they were super spicy and asked if I wanted an alternative. we said yes, but they were terrible. if you're just going to cook the wings, and then slab on a different sauce, for crying out loud, just put it on the side and I could do that myself. therefore, you don't ruin ALL the wings if said customer doesn't like the sauce suggested. did I also mention they were undercooked.
the mains turned out to be fine, my wife's vegetables were ice cold sitting under a warm salmon (how does that happen?). 

To the hostesses credit, she realized (as did the waitress) how bad things were going for us (which is only why I gave it an add'l star) and offered a free app next visit. 

not sure we'll be using it. 

best bet, go for a beer and sweet potato fries and sit at the bar.
4 - Greg B.: 5 Season Westside for me is all about the beer and the location.     Every Thursday at 5:55 they tap a new cask, which goes right to the hand pumps.    I love all their regular line up of beers and there is always something new to try everytime I go in.

The bartenders are super attentive and Crawford the brewer is usually on hand to describe each beer to you.   Also, 5 Seasons Westside brews all of their beers with filtered rainwater which is pretty cool.

I am not really a foodie, so I do not come for the food, but  it has always been fresh, delicious and compliments the beers well.

Located between downtown and my neighborhood, it is often difficult to make it through "the beermuda triangle" without stopping in to see what they've got brewing!

The only downside I see is that if you eat there, it can get a bit pricey, but they do have appetizer specials during happy hour.

Great atmosphere and an awesome view of downtown from the upstairs bar.
2 - Alex H.: I wanted to love this place more than I did. I tried real hard to love it, but the location failed me and I'll continue visiting either the one in Sandy Springs or farther north for my 5 Seasons fix. I visited over the summer, and maybe they've gotten better. Unless I have a real compelling reason to go, I'm not going to be the one to find out.

When our group was seated, we had to ask for a beer menu. They didn't have one. I was offered a wine list. I checked to make sure I was at 5 Seasons Brewing. Verified that was indeed the case. I pursued the beer option. Our server had to check to see what beer was tapped, as he wasn't sure off the top of his head.

The dining experience did not help make up for the disapointment of the beer experience. The menu had "feast" sized things that were not feasts and smaller plates that were larger than one of the feasts. The food was good, but the experience was below the standards of the other branches of this brewery. The inconsistent and unpredictable portion sizing, the need to order additional food, and the need to steal from other plates to round out the meal really hurt my desire to return.

Good luck 5 Seasons Westside.
2 - Darren H.: I'll have to agree with Alex H. on this one,  I wanted to like this place more due to the location & building but with the rather limited menu items and so/so food it's hard to want to go out of my way for this place even if it's right across the street from Octane.
2 - Brigitte M.: Oh dear. Where to start.

Driving by this place looks great. It also is nice on the inside. The view on top of the patio is decent (although there are better views in Atlanta). The service is pretty good. The food on the other hand, is a different story...

I have a friend that swears by 5 Seasons and has been pestering me for months to go. So I went for lunch and had a little cup of their Lobster Bisque (what my friend 'highly recommended') which was absolutely not worth my time or money. It had no flavor.  That was experience #1.

I like to give the benefit of the doubt. I thought I would give it one more shot. This time we ordered Smoked Brisket Reuben sandwich with sweet potato fries. The beef was overcooked on the sandwich and the bread was completely soggy. We also ordered a caramelized onion and asparagus goat cheese pizza. The pizza was just average--nothing to boast about, and there was absolutely no goat cheese to be found on it.

I have lived in Atlanta for 5 years now and love to go out to eat at all the new spots. I am a very generous rater in general-but this just is not a good restaurant.

Now if you just want to drink beer, and skip the food, my rating might not be worthwhile for you.
3 - Travis B.: friendly staff and great space - well laid out and decorated and big enough.  I did not have any food, but did try two beers including the cask.  They were uninspiring and bland, yet not unfairly priced; nothing special.
4 - K B.: This place and I had a nasty false start.

A couple months back, I attended a party thrown by a local business in 5 Seasons upstairs event space, complete with food and full reign of all of the brewery's house-made beers. The beer was more than fantastic. I think I tried a sip of nearly everything, and even the bitter, hoppy stuff I generally detest tasted pretty swell. The food, on the other hand, was horrific; the worst, obviously frozen, bland, icky buffet crap I'd had in a looong time. I thought "damn. this is what their food's like? No way I'll be eating here."

Well, happy to say that I was enticed back for a proper dinner, downstairs, last weekend. And no, thankfully the food is not like that. 

In addition to some more really excellent beer, our group of 5 ordered onion rings (pretty average, but with a tasty sauce), bread and butter (perfectly dense and chewy), and a range of plates from the ploughman's platter to the gut-busting pork-fest plate (which has a more clever name that I can't remember), veggie burger, soup, and antelope patty melt.  I got a good taste of both the platter and antelope burger. The platter was clearly the better choice - semi-sour sauerkraut, spicy sausage, and some mixed green concoction (which was a little baffling, since the menu said "sausage and three salads"...unless bread counts as a salad, I only counted two). The antelope melt was just OK, a little dry, but not bad, and I ordered sweet potato fries but received regular fries (no big deal, but a little disappointing).  That said, the four stars up there belong to the beer more than the food. We tried a few and again, i was impressed with every one, especially the cask ale - uber delicious.

I'm a little sorry I judged this place based on what must have been an outside caterer (I hope so anyway), and I'll certainly give it another try.
5 - Lauren H.: Went to 5 Seasons last night for probably the millionth time ever. I absolutely love this place. Not only do they have great beer, the food is also excellent. 

We started the night with some of their $1 spent grain bread. This is probably one of my favorite things here. It comes fresh out of the oven, all warm and wrapped in a napkin. The bread is made from the spent grains used in making the beers that they serve here. It has grains on top and is really a delicious hearty bread. 

For dinner I had the Asparagus Mushroom Pizza. This is my staple when I go here. It is a thin crispy flat bread pizza with mushrooms, asparagus, and ricotta cheese on top. It is absolutely to die for. I am somewhat of a pizza snob coming from Chicago, so when I have pizza I have high expectations. This is by far one of my favorites in Atlanta. It is just thin and crispy enough for me with extremely flavorful fresh ingredients. 

I also tried a few of their beers while I was there. I was in a dark beer mood so I had the Thor and the Dar Star Stout. Both were quite good. My favorite of the night was the Thor tho, because it was extremely dark, smooth, and had a hint of sweetness to it. 

Overall a great experience as always. Friendly staff, good food, great beer, and just a great time.
3 - Rachel A.: Where's the rainwater beer? It has been raining enough in the ATL to brew it, and what's with the live musician who cannot play or remember the words to the songs?

Meh is right. I prefer the Prado highly over this place.
5 - Jeremy H.: 5 Seasons is the best microbrewery in Atlanta.  Crawford is the brewer at this location (as well as Northside) and crafts solid, unique beers.  The food is also excellent, although a bit pricey.  

The beers are pretty solid.  I've had a few that aren't up to par, but I appreciate the fact that they are creative and come up with beers that are unique and interesting.  The beer list changes daily depending on what they are currently brewing, and they write down the current ones on a chalkboard.  I recommend any of their IPAs or stouts, although I've also enjoyed some of the weirder ones like a watermelon or cherry beer.   

We get the spent grain bread almost every time we go, which only costs $1 and is really good for the price.  I also love the Wild Mushroom pizza with asparagus and goat cheese.  The crust is thin and the flavors are great.  To be honest I don't generally experiment much on the food menu - I usually stick to the bread, appetizers, pizza, and beer.  

This location doesn't quite have the ambiance of the Prado location, but it's got plenty of bar space, room for groups, a nice patio, sometimes live music, and always good beer and food.
4 - Kate B.: I went to 5 Seasons for a tweet up. We were upstairs in the skybar, and my only complaint is that it's seriously loud up there! I had the Scotch Abbey, which was a good enough for me to drink two. 

Afterwords, we had appetizers in the restaurant. We had the calamari, alligator eggrolls and kari kari, as well as a pear tart for dessert. The food was all pretty delicious, but the sauce pairings were a bit odd. The dipping sauce that came with the calamari is absolutely delicious. Like I would take a bath in it if I could. However, the ponzu sauce for the kari kari and the sauce with the eggrolls were both seemed to overpower the flavor of the food. (We totally used the calamari sauce for everything. It's delicious.) 

I'll definitely be heading back to 5 Seasons to try out more of their beers.
5 - Joe W.: This place has the most exquisite menu and the best fresh beer being brewed here in Atlanta. The only 5 Seasons I haven't been to is the one in Alpharetta but this location, along with the Prado are both fantastic. While some of the dishes seem small in portion, it's important to note that it's often featuring top-notch organic/locally grown/sustainable meat or veggies (organic and/or local rabbit, elk, gator, sweet potato, gourmet mushrooms, even the chicken). There are plenty of large dishes as well and the pizzas, soups, and ice creams are always terrific. The spent grain bread is a great add to your order for a buck and goes well with appetizers, soup, or a meal. And just a note, if you want fried fodder and bar food, you might not like this place. They have it, but it's been chef designed and probably is more complicated than someone who wants a burger, fries, and a bud light. And to anyone who knocks the beers, I'd question their taste in general. There are about 8 or so rotating beers, all of which are fantastic, artisan offerings. I have my favorites but like each one. If you can't find a beer you like and claim there are no good beers here, you don't know what good beer is. On that note, great veggie bar food option = Black Bean Burger with Goat Cheese with fries or onion rings. It's awesome. And the Dark Star or Octane Stout are the best stouts I've had.

And one last thing. Take a look at these nasty reviews you see here and you'll note that most of them come from some d-bag that created an account just to dog on this place, and that's their only review. Don't let online d-bags dissuade you from enjoying great food and beer.
2 - M L.: Went tonight for a quick bite while the food was good an the bee was not bad I still cannot get over the shit service. Everyone who works there seem to just not give a shit. Worst of all the food runners don't know table numbers and you watch your food go to the wrong tables! This place needs new management and new staff.  I you want to enjoy 5 seasons go to the prado.
3 - Thomas H.: I didn't have a bad experience at 5 Seasons Brewing, but it wasn't anything to write home about either.  I visited this location with about 10 co-workers as a farewell to one.  Since it was early in the afternoon, there was no problem getting seating for us all.  The wait-staff was excellent the entire time we were there.

I had a few different things, but the only thing that was very good was the beer.  They must have some talented brew masters, because the beers I tried were great.  Also, the onion rings were pretty good as well.  The flavor was right on, but I prefer my rings a big thinner (no harm no foul there though).

The Maker's I got was $10 (9 plus 1 for ice... really).  That's a little absurd.  I could have walked to the Vortex and gotten it for less.

The menu online doesn't correspond to the menu in the restaurant.  Actually, the menu in the restaurant doesn't correspond to the food in the restaurant.  I wanted the ribs plate diplayed on the site, and my wanted the crawfish on the menu.  Neither were available.  I settled on a rib appetizer that was ho-hum.  We decided to get the fish tacos to split, and they were just OK.

So, if you just want a few beers and to hang out with your friends, 5 Seasons is the bees knees.  I don't suggest anything else though.
4 - John H.: So maybe after 40+ visits to this place I should finally write a review huh?  That's right.  Since my friend Meghan introduced me to this place last June, I've been there about that many times.  What keeps me coming back?  Well they do have very solid service, plus I've always like their beers and the food is much better than the Prado location.  

The biggest thing though is the 2nd floor patio.  I'm a patio guy all the way, hence all of the high rating reviews I have of places that involve patios.  I think the reason I like 5-Seasons so much is the overall look, feel, and comfort of that patio.  I can sit there for hours.  Much like the Nook.  I'm just comfortable there and anyone I've ever taken has enjoyed it thoroughly as well.  I do also enjoy the view back towards Midtown.  

Only request I have is bring back the Watermelon Beer.  That shit is awesome and I don't like fruity type beverages IN ANY WAY!  

Must take hot friend there soon.
4 - Michelle A.: The patio has now been graced with my presence, and it's divine. Watching the sunset against the Atlanta skyline? Beautiful. It's also open, not too loud, and has it's own upstairs bar so you're not waiting on drinks for a while.

As for food, I'm going to add that the steak is divine as are the fish and chips! The steak is tender, moist, delicious... melts right in the mouth. Mmm. And those sorbet flavors I mentioned before? I remember now that I had margarita a while back. This time I had mango, strawberry, and grape, and let me tell you that they were all excellent - especially grape. Whoever makes those should get a well-deserved raise or something!
4 - Kevin L.: 5 good reasons to dig 5 Seasons:

1.  Saison du Bob - crisp golden Belgian brew, perfect for sipping outside under the sun.

2.  Outdoor upstairs deck - combined with a beautifully sun-drenched afternoon and a pleasantly cool breeze, there's no better place to be for a relaxing lunch.

3.  Cool-ass server - the kind that'll give you a -real- opinion when you ask for one, and makes the food happen.

4.  Antelope burger - just cuz you get to say you've had antelope.  Oh, and it's juicy and delicious, although I'm not completely sold on the flatbread it's served on.  Wicked fries, though.

5.  Price - ain't necessarily cheap, but considering how full I was when I left, the stellar ambiance, and the no-nonsense service, it's certainly fair.
1 - The Food Abides W.: Ugh! What a joke!

I had literally the worst meal in recent memory last night. Nope, it wasn't at a hot, new spot or a crummy run-down dive. It was 5 Seasons Brewing - a pretty well established brewery chain with an equally popular reputation. So without further adieu, I give you 5 reasons not to go to 5 Seasons: 

1. The Beer - This place is a brewery, right? There was no beer list on the menu or at the table. Our server (we'll get to him later) asked us if we wanted something to drink. We replied "Yes probably some beer." It took him two more trips inside to get us the house chalkboard with just the names (no descriptions) of their beers. We all ordered and the server disappeared again to retrieve our choices. It turns out that 2 out of the 3 we ordered were out, and our second choice was out as well. 5 Seasons Brewery. One of my friends went with the Golden. It honestly could have been from a golden shower. The beer was flat and flavorless. My other friend and I went with the Venus (as our server and the two of us couldn't think of any of other beers). It was essentially a beer flavored mimosa. The Venus, like the rest of 5 Seasons, didn't have any depth. The flavor was just that of light, orange syrup. My two friends didn't have the heart to even finish their beers and asked if the brewery carried any bottled beers. The waiter's response was, "No, we only carry our own, after all we are a brewery. We have $25 bottles of some stuff." Yes, a brewery that doesn't carry two out of three beers and delivers beers that taste like piss. 

2. The Service - Honestly, it seemed like there wasn't a seasoned professional in the entire building. Seriously, Fisher Price my first waiter, waitress, host and manager. Our waiter couldn't answer a single questions we had. What's the Scotch Abbey Like? "Ummm... Ummm (as he checks his notes)... I don't know, it's like, in between the other two we have. I don't really know, I don't drink beer." I'd honestly rather be lied to than listen to this nitwit who works at a brewery tell us he doesn't like beer. We went through this with every single question. What does antelope taste like? What kind of peppers are on the sandwich? The dude made up a new species of peppers - Soblano. I honestly couldn't make this up. Additionally, he claimed bell peppers gave a kick to a sandwich. 

3. The Food - Strangely enough, this 5 Seasons menu is not like their Sandy Springs location at all. The Prado location focuses on small, higher quality plates. This menu really reads like any bar menu with a few added items to make it seem cultured. There's an Antelope patty melt and Kari Kari (crab/cream cheese dumplings) but the menu consists primarily of sandwiches and pizzas. 

One friend got the Antelope patty melt and said that the Antelope could have been any meat and tasted the same. This same friend ordered the Lobster Bisque as a side. He said it was just plain disgusting and even told the waiter. The waiter came back saying that they planned on taking it off the menu because a broth-based lobster bisque doesn't work. !?!??!?! Then why was it still being served?

I went for the organic beef burger. It truly was the worst burger I have ever had. Ordered at medium rare, the burger came out well done. The texture was that of sawdust. I've honestly had many better BUBBA Burgers. In fact, every single fast food burger is better than this one. Additionally, there was no seasoning or flavor - unless you count fish flavoring. Yes, my burger tasted of fish. The fries were passable, but unsalted and unseasoned also. 

My other buddy ordered the curry grilled chicken sandwich, which he claimed was just OK. 

4. The price - The bill, for our abysmal time spent there was roughly $60. 

5. The atmosphere at this location is sterile and has no depth. Honestly the brewery felt like a place where middle aged happy-hour drinkers go to give up on youth and doing anything worthwhile and fun. Lastly, 5 Seasons is well known for their roof-top patio with a view of the Atlanta skyline, so we asked to be seated outside. We were sat on a street level side patio. The roof was closed... I'm guessing they only open it up when there is a lot of traffic inside but really, the view might have been 5 Seasons' only saving grace. 

I can't seem to find a nice thing to say, but would like to warn diners from coming here when every other option in the area is better. Worst case scenario if you can't find anywhere good to go in this area - buy yourself a case of fine Belgian beer next door at Hop City and drown your sorrows. I guarantee the hangover the next day won't be nearly as mind-numbing as the experience next door.
3 - Nancy R.: Big restaurant and great parking on the top deck.  I was a little surprised it wasn't busy for a great location.  I've been to the other 5 Seasons and I don't remember the food as much as the drinks.  Of course they have a variety of beers to choose from.

FOOD:  We started with the buckwheat Pretzel which is light, but a little dry.  I had the club Salad which comes with chicken, bacon, and ham on top of a pile of greens, onions, grape tomatoes, croutons, and pickles, yes pickles.  The salad was edible, but not out of this world.  The ranch dressing was good.  I didn't care for the pickles and thought it was strange they put it on the salad.  I heard their pizzas are decent, which I'll try if I venture out to 5 Seasons again.
2 - Lindsay W.: I am giving this place 2 stars because 1) They have parking that is free and 2) they have outdoor covered seating.

I went on a Tuesday night...the slowest of nights for most restaurants.  I did not expect the service to be THAT slow also.  Our server obviously needed training.  We ordered a beer sampler and she brought it out in brandy sifters.  She did not have a list of the beers and their flavors and it was made clear that they were not in order.  
We orders two appetizers - Edemame and a bowl of beer cheddar soup.  For dinner we ordered mussels and scallops.
We made it VERY VERYclear that we wanted out apps first.  I could not understand why it was taking 20 minutes for it, but then a man in a white teeshirt comes out with ALL of our food.  I told him that we wanted our apps first and to bring the other food back to the kitchen.  He gave me a nasty look.  I told him to ask the server.  The edemame were fine- I do not know how you can screw those up.  The soup on the otherhand, tasted like it had been old and reheated and had so much spice in it, that all you could taste was heat.  I have had better.  The entrees were good.  No complaints EXCEPT the server cleared my plate before my friend was done with her food.

It is a shame that such lousy service come out of that establishment.
3 - Sarah E.: Let me preface this review by saying that I didn't drink any beer while I was at this 5 Seasons location the other night.  Maybe next time.  I did, however, try several food items.

I've been to the original 5 Seasons location in the Prado shopping center on Roswell Road a couple of times, and I remember the menu there being more creative.  There were so many offerings that caught my eye and I wished I could try everything.  It's been a while since I visited that location, so maybe the menu has changed since then.  But when I perused the options at the Westside branch, I just didn't find that much to be excited about.

I was waiting for a friend who wasn't going to be there for a while, so I ordered something small in a desperate attempt to avoid having to go back outside in the 90+ degree heat before she arrived.  I really wanted to love the beet salad, but the beets and goat cheese just didn't seem to have much flavor to them.  The salad was also missing the candied walnuts that were supposedly a part of it.  It was an okay salad, but certainly not outstanding.  

When my friend got there, we split the chicken wings (you get 6 wings for $5).  The wings were probably my favorite part of the meal.  They make their wing sauce in house and I really just wanted to drink it.

For dinner, I ordered the reuben with a side of sweet potato fries.  The reuben is made with brisket instead of corned beef and served on flatbread, but they do tell you that on the menu - if you're a purist, don't order it.  The sandwich was good but didn't really stand out.  The fries were pretty good, but I like the ones at Vortex better.

My friend ordered a burger, which she said was amazing.  Our service was really good, too.  Our glasses were constantly refilled, which was quite a feat since it was boiling hot outside and we were sucking down ice water like it was air.  Our server was cheerful and pleasant and didn't complain when I wandered in, sweating, and told him I was waiting for a friend who might not be there for over an hour.  

I would definitely go back to this location because of the convenience (I work 5 minutes away) and good service.  I just wasn't as wowed by the food as I have been at the original restaurant.
4 - Lauren S.: 5 Seasons is a fun place to start your night.  The prices were a bit higher than I expected before going, but the food was great.  The beer selection is impressive, and I enjoyed every brew that I tasted.  I haven't been back to 5 Seasons since winter, so I look forward to sitting on the large rooftop patio.  

The service, food, and beer were all great - I look forward to trying 5 Seasons again!
3 - Margaret M.: Positioned on the newly polished edge of Atlanta's West side 5 Seasons represents the pungent social aroma of urbane evolution of what was just a few years ago a sucking vortex of grinding poverty. 

Remarkably, the menu and food offerings are skillfully constructed to the point of impressing food industry veterans such as my Father! 
Yes, the beer is up to the same standard. 

The bad... 

As usual the owners pinned hopes on a shiny modern interior falls short in simple things like "foliage, fire, and water elements" that represent a crushing reminder of how important it is to soften interior spaces with the elements of nature. Sadly the upscale menu clashes with the big screen televisions ominously installed above the bar 

Overall, a worthy venue and menu that represents Atlanta's move West. But too cold and new to be a home base bar for the likes of me..
4 - Jamie G.: We went to Five Seasons Brewing with several friends recently one Friday night.  Overall, it was pretty good!  First, we had a great server who was very knowledgeable about the beer and menu and was ready with recommendations.  Two, everyone at our table liked the beer fairly well.  I'm not necessarily a beer fan, but I did have a couple that I enjoyed.  Three, the food was very good and fresh.  I wasn't a fan of the chicken salad sandwich that I ordered, but I must say it was because I was used to a different type of chicken salad (more Atlanta Bread style and not a type with carrots).  However, the bread it was on and the sweet potato fries were absolutely heavenly!  My boyfriend enjoyed his burger immensely.  Long story short, we will definitely be back to try other things in the menu.
5 - Mitch B.: Im not sure I trust Yelp anymore. I read some of these reviews on this restaurant and they just sound like stupid people. 

This was hands down the best service I have ever recieved at a restaurant of this level in atlanta. As opposed to some of the reviews, we got a full reading of the beers/specials and everything we needed to make a choice. 
When we got our food it was of high quality especially for the price, same for the beer. 
The only small complaint I have was the spicy-ness of the food took us a little by surprise. The waitress appologized for that and took note.
I would give a 4 for that normally, but I would like to counter-act some of the rediculous reviews I have seen in among the rest of the "real" reviews. Foodies can not always be trusted for a good review.
5 - Natasha O.: Gluten Free - seeing how I came here with the Atlanta Gluten-Free Dinner Club MeetUp group, I'd say that's a yes.  This location has their brewed gluten-free beer & Monday's feature gluten-free specials.  They also can make many of the regular dishes gluten-free.  They understand cross-contamination in the kitchen & will let you know if something has gluten in it (like the Ketchup so don't get it for your fries).

Service: 4 stars
Our server answered many questions & gave honest options.  While he hadn't tried any thing on the gf menu he could tell you what things had never appeared on it before.  One of the non-gf people got the beer sampler & the server explained each one to him plus allowed him to try another one that wasn't part of the sampler, that he ended up getting a full glass of.
That being said, towards the end of the meal it was harder to find our server & we were essentially the only big group on the patio area upstairs (inside due to rain).  In addition, the time it took for the food to come out was slow.  While I had expected that, with a group as large as us (16), it made the pacing of the afternoon very uneven.  Some people were just getting their appetizers as others were getting their main dish.  They weren't that busy as it was a Sunday afternoon and the usual torrential downpour that passes for rain down here generally keeps people inside.

Food: 4.5 stars
I took a off .5 star due to the pizza.  I'm sorry but I'm one of those people that feel Chicago perfected the pizza.  As such, the crunchy thin crust pizza just doesn't do it for me at all.  I do have to give them props for the topping though as I loved the Spicy Sopressatta on the fontina, Parmesan, and cheddar base.  The watermelon & blackberry salad was to die for.  The lemon vinaigrette added just a little je ne sais quoi and the field greens, almonds, goat cheese, & onion just rounded out the flavor.  The pan seared salmon was just yummy.  It had just the right bit of sea salt and sweetness in each bite, making you want more until you realize there's nothing left.  They were out of the peach sorbet so the gave me 2 scoops of bluberry & 1 of grape.  I loved the bold flavor of the blueberry and in fact I felt that it actually over powered the flavor of the grape.  I tried the grape after I had tried the blueberry and it's a much milder flavor.  It would have been better had I tried it first. so for me it was just ok.  I tried some of my neighbor's okra which was slightly encrusted with some sort of savory cornbread mixture, yummy.  The fries I tried were good but needed a little something something like more salt & pepper or a dipping sauce.  While I tried the pizza there, I actually ordered it to go so that I could have something later.  It being a thin crust pizza actually makes it a better choice for next day left overs.

Ambiance: 5 stars
As the sun came out, the view was great from within the glass enclosed part of the roof.  It's very light and airy and even with our group it wasn't too loud.  It's a very nice down to earth kinda place that fits in with my expectations of a brewery.

Beer: 4.75 stars
So.... even before I was gluten-free I was never a fan of beer so I'm not a person that can really judge beer.  It wasn't as good as the white beer I had in Munich before I went gluten free but it was defiantly better than Budweiser & the crap that my dad liked when I was kid.  It had less of a beer after taste than the Belgian fruit beers I'd had before and I just can't compare it to the Guinness I had at the factory in Dublin as that was just a meal.  I liked it more than the ciders I've had though of which the best I give a 4.5.

In short, just go with good company & enjoy the food as it comes.
2 - Kara G.: I had lunch here with those gorgeous admissions representatives from Morehouse College.  Giles made the suggestion and Kory Hawkins (my one true love) agreed.  The space was nice, we ate outside which ummmm well you're essentially eating on Marietta Street which is busy and loud and honestly a bit scary.  I had the turkey burger with sweet potato fries.  The fries were great, the burger not so much.  Service was mediocre and I thought the whole meal was overpriced.  I doubt I'll go back, it just wasn't my type of spot.  I mean nothing about it was horrible, but I can think of better spots, so ya know it was just okay.
3 - Jennifer M.: Unlike the Porter, the more often I came here, the more I was disappointed.  The staff tends to be a bit clueless, the food is good, but a bit overpriced (5-6pm, it's 2 for 1 small plates), and the beer is good, but not fantastic.  It's hard for me to say that 5 Seasons is bad.  It just has so much potential that it almost refuses to live up to.
3 - Elaine O.: Great concept (local, sustainable) but just doesn't deliver.  I've only been a few times but it nothing on the menu speaks to me and I've always left feeling 'meh.'  It's pretty pricey (it is still a gastropub).  The beer is just alright.  Tuesdays are a decent deal - tapas & [small] beer pairing for $7.  (The braised pork with okra was disgustingly slimy though.)

Service is great - Jonathan got me that heirloom tomato salad that wasn't on the menu  :)
2 - Love T.: Great place for drinking specialty beer and not much more.  The food is unpleasantly plain and expensive. Atmosphere is relaxing especially if you can enjoy a beer on their rooftop terrace.
3 - Addy C.: Great place for large groups - service was friendly & attentive, and atmosphere was perfect for our birthday party gathering. They were great about accommodating us and letting us take over a corner of the restaurant. Also liked that parking was convenient (just outside the restaurant if you're lucky enough to snatch them) - otherwise garage parking is available above the restaurant. 

The food on the other hand was just ok. Pondered the sandwich & burger list b/c the prices were more reasonable plus I'd read the food was just ok so I didn't even bother looking at their more expensive dishes. Server recommended the "Sweet Onion Turkey Burger" so that's what I got - toppings were just sprouts & their cranberry ketchup. For sides I relied on the server again to tell me what to get - so I got the sweet potato fries. I liked my dish at first but then quickly got bored. There just wasn't too much flavor or excitement there. Oh well, at least it was just $10. 

The beer was pretty good though. I tried the "Watermelon Wheat" beer which was nice & light ($4.25) - thanks for the recommendation, Alexa G. 

Like the other 5 Seasons location, I'd say come here for drinks & atmosphere, and go somewhere else if you're looking for good food. I might come back though when the weather is cooler b/c the rooftop area looks pretty cool.
2 - Daniel B.: I came here for a birthday party with a group of about 20-25 people.  It was sort of an odd setup because they split our group into two tables, although they did let us have one "corner" of the restaurant to ourselves.  5 Seasons Westside is located in the "Brickworks" development right where Howell Mill ends into Marietta St. heading south.  There are a couple entrances into the parking lot for this development from Marietta St.  The south-most will lead you to some rooftop parking while the other entrance will take you to a nicely paved surface lot in the back.  So there's ample parking for this restaurant.  

Spacious, dark, clean, and relatively new/modern interior for a bar/brewery.  Indoor and outdoor patio seating available.  They have a second level, but I didn't get a chance to check it out as they were having a private party up there.  I did not try any of their beers, but they are also proud of their food, which uses seasonal ingredients from local farms and is mostly organic.  I ordered the "Organic Brisket Reuben" with "5made kraut" (made in-house I'm assuming), swiss cheese, 5000 island, on rye flatbread (also made in-house).  Sides were limited and I went with the sweet potato fries.  While it wasn't bad, the food was mediocre and slightly overpriced at $13.  Service was slow, but I don't blame that on our server as we had quite a large party and she seemed to be the only one assigned to us and did a good job with the task at hand.  Almost everyone in our party who has dined at the Sandy Springs location said that location is better.
4 - Todd P.: I would come back to 5 Seasons *just* for the beer braised mussels. Despite being called a small plate, they give you a healthy pile of mussels in the most delicious broth with sweet onions and shallots, and a hefty piece of focaccia. This dish is a winner in my book and a great excuse for me to come back to partake of some of their other specialties -- aka, BEER!

I washed it all down with a pint or two of their Double IPA, a nice, bright beer with not too bitter of a finish. 

There's ample, free parking in the lot in the back, too.
2 - Shannon L.: I think the food at 5 Seasons is pretty good and love supporting local breweries, but I had such a horrible experience at the location on the Westside that I don't know if I'll ever go back.  While participating in a summer program at GA Tech, a bunch of us went to 5 Seasons on a Friday to celebrate the end of the week.  It was an impromptu decision and we didn't make a reservation ahead of time, but we didn't think it would be a problem since we went fairly early (5:30-ish) and 5 Seasons has a huge patio on the 2nd floor that can accommodate a lot of people.  From the moment we got there, the staff seemed put out that they had to serve a large group (and we only started out with 10-12 people, although more did show up later).  It took 45 minutes to get our first beers, and when we asked if we could just order at the bar we were told no.  At one point a server came around to all of us and said, "If you come back without a reservation, we will recognize you and will turn you away."  What?!  There were several of us in the group who'd previously been servers, and we were honestly flabbergasted at why we were treated that way.  I know it can be tricky to deal with a large group, especially unexpectedly so, but they weren't especially busy at the time and that's also just part of working in the restaurant industry.  With so many other options for local, seasonal food, I'm not planning to return any time soon.  For everyone else, I recommend making a reservation if you're planning a group happy hour or dinner.
4 - Tim R.: Started with the "secret cask" beer, which was a Belgian saison style.  Pretty good, but not in the vein of a Saison Dupont.  A bit dissapointing considering it was almost 7$.  The second beer was the Bohemian keller pilsner, which was crisp and refreshing like a pilsner should be!  Definitely sessionable.  Now to the food.  I had the Roja Vieja (sp?) which was braised beef in a bowl on top of avocado mashed potatoes and onions and green peppers.  The beer was good, but to be honest, was not the highlight of the meal.  Never had avocado mashed taters and don't know why I've never thought to make them at home.  YUMMY.
Wife had the daily veggie plate .  While a little pricey, she left with a full stomach and enjoyed it.  I sampled it, and the best part was the marinated mushrooms. For dessert I had the peach ice cream (homemade, reallly delicious!) and my wife had the goat cheese cheesecake, which was excellent as well.
 No major complaints, a great meal.  If I could make it 3 and 1/2 stars, I would, but since the service was so nice, I'll leave it at 4.
4 - Scott M.: Went to this spot on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.  The weather was perfect, the company was great (at the time), and the drinks were tasty.  I love the rooftop deck that allows for you to enjoy your meal or cocktails with an interesting view of the city.  

The space looks fantastic, and I wish I had enjoyed this a tad bit more when I was in the city.

Although I didnt try the food, the items that were coming out of that damn kitchen looked delicious.

I am sure this is going to quickly become a hot spot in the city once ppl give it a try.
2 - Evan R.: I ordered a Caesar Salad with Chicken: at best, I had the worst salad ever created by man. While others in my party enjoyed their meals, this was simply inedible. The salad was deconstructed romaine hearts laid on a plate, smothered with some orange anchovy water and a random blast of Parmesan-like substance. Do not get this.

The only reason this places gets two stars is because of the service. I sat at the bar and they were very attentive and helpful. After the bartender took away my uneaten dinner, she asked if anything was wrong. I asked if she had ever had the Caesar, she replied, "Sure have... it's terrible." and comped the meal.
3 - Alexa g.: I can't comment so much on the food (as I only had a calamari appetizer-which was tasty) But the management was more than nice arranging for a reservation of 10+ people, sans a reservation fee like some other places I have ran into around town. Free deck parking, ice cold beer, and friendly staff!!
2 - Tracey R.: Overall, just okay.  Pizzas are really good; but haven't really enjoyed much else.  Really not crazy about the beer and unfortunately their own brewed beer is all they serve.  Root beer is awful.  Service is spotty and weird.  I'd only go if you are craving a nice gourmet pizza.
4 - Erin M.: Hello beautiful!

They have gluten free pizza - at no extra charge, delicious gluten free beer - on a separate tap, a star on the menu that denotes which items are gluten free, and good, friendly service.

Speaking about service, granted I've only been there once, but this kid was good.  He walked me through some of the beers, the food, everything.  I felt like he was actually trained and that 5 Seasons sends their employees home with menus and beer lists and tells them to study them then actually tests their abilities.  Honestly, I don't see that much anymore.  That used to be a standard practice but lately it seems any jack/jill can get a waitressing job anymore and have NO idea what they're doing.  So thank you, 5 Seasons for having at least 1 fully competent employee.

I was a bit taken back by the prices but can totally understand as the food is local/natural/free-range/blah blah.  I will gladly pay extra money for that.  I AM from Upstate NY after all.

I had some amazing gluten free pizza, and even had a few slices to take home for lunch the next day.  The gf beer was hands down the best gf beer I've had.  I'd love to get some bottled!  Maybe?

Anyway, I was there with a normal "I can eat all the wheat I want" eater and he liked my pizza too.  He enjoyed the 2 beers that he tried as well.

I'll definitely be back.  I'm actually pissed I haven't been back yet, hopefully soon.
2 - Travy T.: I could write long, wordy review detailing the minute details of my evening at 5 Seasons Brewing.  However, you have better things to do than reading the words of a handsome and intriguing man such as I.  So I'll keep it at this:

Beer=Good
Food=Not very good and a bit overpriced
Service=Well meaning, but bad
Decor=I can't remember because the beer was good
5 - Herman W.: Special event is a serious yes for these folks.  Handled a birthday party & adapted for special diet requests beautifully!
4 - Brittany K.: Alligator eggrolls FTW!

Suggestion to anyone considering dining here: If the weather is nice, go upstairs and ask to sit outside. Lovely veiw. NEVER sit outside on the first floor. Traffic is super noisy and you'll hardly be able to hear your own conversation!

I haven't had much here, my friend and I have ordered the alligator eggrolls (the soy chili glaze was yum), a blue cheese wedge salad (eh- not that great), and the some chicken liver appetizer special that was pretty good. 

The Moscato D'Asti they serve is also great. 

But what really makes this place for me, is the veiw!
4 - Jason E.: Went here on Sunday to take advantage of the Scoutmob discount after the incredible win by the Braves! 

Had a group of four, walked right in and were seated immediately. The place was no where near as packed as I expected it to be, which was nice, but I could've used a crowd. It was unfortunately the first frigidly cold day of the year so they didn't have the patio opened, but whatever. 

The beer was AWESOME.... no better way to describe it. Our server, Will was great as well. He asked if we had ever been to 5 Seasons and when we said "No" he told us all about their brewing program, the farm to table menu, the company itself, etc. He suggested the Reuben noting that it was rated by the AJC as one of the best in town so I tried it. The sandwich was good, but the flatbread killed it for me. I don't care for flatbread to begin with, but when it's cooked too much it becomes crispy which makes it very hard to eat in sandwich form as it basically cracks and falls apart. I don't know if this was their intention, but I'd much rather have just regular rye bread toasted up... the corned beef, etc. was great though. 

We will most certainly be back, hopefully on a warmer day when the patio is opened up.
5 - Chris L.: We had a great dinner here, came because of a ScoutMob deal. I had the mussels and a salad. Mussels were prepared perfectly, salad was nice as well, great balance. I loved my first beer, an i.p.a. style beer, second oktoberfest had a nice balance, not as food friendly - good on it's own.

More than anything I appreciate the service. We walked into a slammed dining room expecting mediocre service but were pleasantly surprised by how attentive they were. Hostess staff was complimentary and professional. Alexis was our server and awesome! I also like the face that there was a manager "presence" as well, just quickly checking on us to be sure we had drinks coming. I could tell they were very teamwork oriented here.

Thank you!
4 - Michelle B.: This was my first visit here, and being the multi-tasking b&%$h I am, I had several agendas: a meeting and a Scoutmob deal. How nice for the organizers to let me "take care of business". 

I have to peruse menus before I go to a new place or I'll drive everyone crazy with questions and can't make a decision. (That's why I do buffets!)
I had my palate set on lamb chops, but when they presented me with the specials menu, I got lost! I ended up ordering spicy lobster tacos. 

Probably because I was craving lamb, the tacos disappointed...the lobster was finely chopped, the spices overwhelmed, and the corn tortillas were toasted instead of steamed, which made eating these suckers a true challenge. They were built upside down, with the avocado on the bottom...they were very rich; I couldn't finish them and had them packed to take home. 

To take advantage of my Scoutmob coupon, I ordered the mussels next.  The order was huge, the mussels were squeaky fresh and the sauce was magnificent. Fennel, beer, garlic, butter and parsley with just a touch of red pepper...YUM! 

Both dishes came home with me. The lobster tacos were much better after marinating for several hours (they rocked at 4 this morning and I was NOT drinking!). I just finished the mussels and focacia, with butter dripping down my chops, for "brunch". The sauce is too good to waste. I'll be having it over rice with veggies for lunch.

Heaps of menu items to try...lots of specials (Monday is Gluten free day, and everyday is 1/2 price tapas 5pm-6pm)...friendly bartenders that will let you taste their housemade beers before you buy? I'll be back!

I forgot...they only serve beer brewed in house, they change weekly; all produce is local...they have farmers who grow just for them and a guy who drives to Florida several times a week to get fish. Pretty impressive!
2 - Sarita A.: I've only been here once, and I have little reason to return. 

We came for trivia night and it was really crowded. Like, 80 teams crowded. After waiting 20 minutes at the upstairs bar to get a drink, I decided to bail and grab a table in the dinner area downstairs where it was less crowded. The hostess seated us and we waited 15 minutes. I notified her (and the other hostess) that no one had been over. We waited fifteen more minutes and left without being acknowledged.

I get if you're busy, but staff appropriately. And hire new hostesses.
5 - Robert B.: Great brews. Excellent specials. And a conscience. Whenever possible, they cook local, organic, and awesome. Look for their daily specials to include the choicest ingredients and try something you never have before.
4 - Stephanie W.: If I had reviewed this place a year ago, It would have been fewer stars, but I wanted to give it time to find its feet.  I'm glad I did.  

We went for an impromptu date night, pretty early on a Friday night, so it wasn't particularly crowded.  We ate in the upstairs area (inside because it was COLD).  The service was very excellent.  I ordered a pretzel for an appetizer and it was warm and fantastic, perfect amount of salt (I'll order a pretzel anywhere, can't resist).  I had a pork entree (with a "slaw" of shredded brussel sprouts and apples, topped with a chipotle type glaze) from the specials menu - which has local and sustainable meat and veggies - and it was phenomenal.  Perfectly cooked, with a glorious blend of flavors.  They were out of their one cider to drink, so I had a glass of wine.  We had the pear tart for dessert, which was less wonderful as the pastry was a little tough.  I was really pleasantly surprised, and using that scoutmob coupon at the end just was the icing on a really nice evening.
3 - sarah p.: I dined here on a chilly December night because the Scoutmob deal is expiring soon and I loved the pizza here when I went to the original location.

I like the space, although its so open that it doesn't feel very cozy in the wintertime. 

We ordered the belgian white beer and it seemed kind of flat to me- like it didn't have the bubbles that a beer should have. Kind of disappointing.

My companion started with a wedge salad - which was bland despite having red onion, toasted pecans and tomatoes. He added salt and I'm not sure that helped. I found the menu to be lacking in shareable starters. 

We both ordered off of the specials - I ordered a pizza with pork, pineapple, pickled jalepenos and white cheddar  - the pork was more like ham/proscuitto but it was delicious- the kick from the jalepenos was perfect and I found the combo to be tangy/sweet/spicy. I devoured my pizza.

My companion had the brisket special - the waitress wasn't very well versed on the special because she came back to ask if he wanted fries whereas the special was listed with potatoes/greens - we clarified. It looked tender, but not as tender as I would expect brisket to be. It was fatty and yet not as cooked down as I would expect. He didn't clean his plate.

With Scoutmob this was a reasonable meal - no real hits or misses save my pizza, but a solid meal. With a space this large and an audience this captive on the Westside, I would expect them to hit it out of the park a little more.
4 - Darcey S.: My husband and I stopped in to use our Scoutmob deal Friday night. We were able to sit right away, and the service was prompt. We aren't really beer experts, but my husband enjoyed his, and I had a good glass of wine. The menu had a nice variety. I ordered a pizza featuring goat cheese and blue cheese, and he had the grilled ravioli. The blue cheese added something interesting to the pizza, and the ravioli was also tasty. 

Our only complaint was the size of the ravioli wasn't quite what we would have expected for the price. But that just meant my husband wasn't quite full and we had to order dessert - fried ice cream was recommended by the waitress, and it did not disappoint!
3 - Cara B.: Our group came here for a celebratory graduation dinner.  

Beers all around the table.  The IPA was good, my neighbor liked the belgium white.  My boyfriend and several others had the stout all thought it was oddly light for such a dark beer.  

The menu is pretty expansive.  Despite the options, my boyfriend and another friend decided to have the burger.  It was a mistake.  Very little flavor and not very juicy.  Definitely would not recommend it.

I had the rabbit enchiladas.  The presentation was beautiful, but the food itself was just okay.  The rabbit was very dry, and the sauce lacked flavor.  

Merr.
4 - C J.: Oh, how I love you,
Five Seasons, my friend.
With your house brewed beers
and the food.  I could spend
hours in here. 
No, days!  No, weeks!
And the espresso stout
would keep me all geeked.
And I would eat that damn pizza
that fills me up every time:
Wild mushroom and asparagus--
a combination so divine!

I recommend you for dinner,
for parties, for lunch.
If someone's dining single,
or has a huge bunch
of people.  It's true
everyone will leave glad
after the amazing food and beer
they will have just had!
3 - Sabrina M.: I really like the location of this 5 Seasons.  It's in West Midtown, so you're pretty close to other cool spots in the area and down the street on Howell Mill.  I met a friend here on a Monday evening and the crowd was pretty nice.  We decided to eat at the bar and while I'm not completely in love with the menu, I do like that everything is fresh and organic.  I ordered the Georgia Lemon Chicken sandwich and it was pretty good.  Nothing remarkable but pleasant enough.  They had a special dessert menu that included a pear tarte that we simply had to order and it was quite tasty.

Shockingly, I ordered wine instead of beer (at a brewery? I know, blasphemy!) and I was surprised at the very nice selection they offered.  Our bartender was very nice and stayed attentive to us the entire time we were there.

All in all, a pleasant enough experience, but it may be awhile before I go back.

#Yelp365 - 8/365
3 - J Det D.: This place is OK.  What can be hit or miss at 5 Seasons is the service.

First, the food is alright.  Nothing amazing, but for the price I think it's pretty good.  Lots of yummy fried foods and their specials are pretty creative.  My favorite so far has been the duck prosciutto with pomegranate seeds and onions.  One irritating thing is their wine selection.  Every time I order a wine they don't have it. Ever.  Ok, so maybe you should invest in a separate wine and beer list so you can reprint one when you never, ever have that wine.  Just a thought.  

What really sucks about the place is the service.  I have had some fantastic servers and then I have had some of the worst servers of my life.  Hubby and I went on a Wednesday night, so it wasn't too busy.  Our server came and took our drink orders and said he would give us a minute to look over the menu.  I didn't think he'd give us 20 minutes.  Half of our drinks later with the menus sitting closed on the edge of the table, our server decided to show up.  

The food took forever to get out and when it did show up we didn't see our server for a long time.  Other servers stopped by, but when it came time for the check it took over 45 minutes.  Now I get that some servers are new and need a bit more time on the job to do well, but we stacked all our plates on the end of the table and put our coats on and sat. And sat. And sat some more.  I think this is a very helpful cue that the table wants their check and wants to leave.

When the check arrived it was wrong.  Did we get that quickly fixed? Nope. Our server left for a long time and finally reappeared with the correct check.  I quickly handed him my credit card so we could leave.  Oh, you don't take this type of credit card, ok here is my....wait!  Where did you go???  Yes, he left as I was trying to get a different credit card.  So we wait some more and some more.  Finally we left cash.  

Like I said, the food isn't too bad for the price, but the service can be so bad sometimes that I don't want to go back and waste my time.
2 - Jessica C.: 5 stars for the beer, 2 stars for the food!  First off, the beer is fantastic, and it is a severe disappointment that the food isn't.  Our waitress was super nice and helpful while we were making our beer selection, and the rest of the service was outstanding.  The food was a huge disappointment.  My husband ordered the BBQ sandwich and potato salad.  The salad was ok (nothing to write home about), but the BBQ was too sweet and it came out cold.  He was too nice to send it back.  I got the black bean burger and sweet potato fries, and it was salty to the point that I couldn't even eat half of it.  I love salty food, but this was completely inedible.  Same goes for the fries.  They were overloaded with salt.  I really wanted to like the food here because the beer is awesome, and I like that they try to use organic, local ingredients.  But I recommend going only for the beer.
4 - Wendy T.: Went here at 7pm on New Years Eve, before the Zac Brown concert and didn't have a reservation.  But my friend and I were seated right away (wasn't a problem) and had a fantastic meal!  Great atmosphere, great food, ok service.
5 - Christy B.: As a "beer person", I am in love with 5Seasons. Their staff is great, and Chef Dave and his crew keep pushing the limits with the dishes they come up with. One of the best things about 5Seasons is their dedication to using fresh, local, and organic ingredients. I also love the "exotic" meats you can sometimes find on their special menu... sweetbreads, alligator, you name it. Master Brewer Crawford is truly as master of his craft. Their periodic beer dinners are enjoyable, delicious, and intimate experiences with the chefs and brewers explaining why and how they choose the combinations that are served. 

If you have a chance to attend a beer dinner here, do it. Even more special than a regular meal here, which is great in it's own right.
5 - Jose A.: Great beer, great food, great service, i mean "Come on Man!" what else do you want, and they great music playing the whole time to match all of the above...if you like a solid brewpub this is the place for you!
4 - Zlatko U.: Wow 5SB was such a sweet surprise. From the atmosphere, beer, to the food everything was super satisfactory.

The food was a bit pricey but the menu was well crafted to offer plates for those of all sorts of dietary styles. Needless to say, this vegan went home with a full belly. 

The beers that they offer is quite extensive and full of win. Their wine menu is quite good as well. So, basically, any adult will have a good time here drinkin' and dinin'.

The service was pretty good too. Our server was polite and friendly, though not uber attentive, despite the place being 1/4th full. 

If it was not for the semi lazy service and the pricey menu, I would have gone with 5 stars here but at the time 4.4 will have to be rounded down. I would definitely come back here to see if there have been improvements, if not just to drink delicious delicious beer.
3 - Josh M.: Had lunch here on a Saturday around 3:00pm.  Dead when we got there but lively when we left.  House-brewed beers were great and cuisine was very creative for bar food.  Lots of game on the menu.  Wanted to try the antelope, but table did not agree.  Good place to go after hitting-up Hop City or an art gallery.
4 - kate a.: 5 seasons was a bit of a surprise for us. we stopped by around 4 one day for a beer and ended up sticking around ordering a few apps. the main reason we stayed was the glorious weather and our perfect table on the upstairs deck. but also, the food looked...interesting! where we expected traditional bar food instead we found a touch of whimsy, international influences and plenty of greens. intriguing. everything we had was tasty and beautifully presented. this is a great spot for meetings or after work drinks. we went for dinner once and it was really loud in the main dining room. stick to the deck on a beautiful day and you'll have a great experience!

don't miss the fresh spent grain bread! we are guilty of going just for bread and beer. :)
4 - todd s.: On my Brew Tour of Atlanta I stopped by here, and glad I did.  A great range of very eclectic beers, as well as some traditional favorites.  Won't offer my thoughts on my favorite beer because everyone's taste is different; order the tasting flight of everything they have on tap and I'm sure you'll find one you'll love.  I was particularly pleased with how much the server knew about the beers.

The atmosphere is a bit sparse and loud, but it's a brew pub, not a French restaurant.  What did you expect?

Food was also quite good -- served quickly and hot.  Will definitely be back.
4 - Marcus R.: Just found out about this spot last week and we went on a Sunday.  Light crowd (like I like) and awesome menu  (like I like)!!  Sat at the bar..one of tenders was slightly slow to acknowledge us (like I don't like)!  once we did get service, Will gave the run down on the brewery and the food.  He really knew his stuff and help me select a great brew from the tap.  Ordered a special pizza and burger!  Both were great!  Can't wait to go back and try other menu items and brews!
2 - Micah W.: I hate to say it, but I don't like this place. Went for an early dinner, sat out on the patio, and was really hoping for a good meal. I really wanted to like this place. But I just couldn't.

The service was terrible. Really slow and things like bringing our food when we don't have any silverware and we have to flag our waiter down to get forks so we can eat. That kind of stuff is just unacceptable in my opinion. 

Then the food- it just wasn't good. To me, it was pretentious and just overdone. I like simply done food, good flavors, fresh ingredients. This seemed overly complicated, too many flavors on the plate. And it just didn't work. It just wasn't good. And it didn't seem freshly prepared. I'm sure it's not prepackaged food, but it didn't seem fresh either. I couldn't quite figure it out. 

So I will not be going back.
5 - Sarah B.: We LOVE 5 Seasons! They have an amazing upstairs, outdoor area. It seems they always have fun events going on. It's a great place to chill with a freshly poured home-brewed beer. The beers have never disappointed us.
The food is fresh and fantastic. I always get the sweet potato fries, and never have any left over. The best sandwich is the Reuben. My husband always orders it, and has never been disappointed. I always try something new, knowing that I'll get a bite or two of the Reuben. Good beer, good service, good food, good atmosphere....what could be better?!
3 - Francis M.: I love the food here and service is generally pretty good. The atmosphere is very nice, especially on the upstairs deck. 

**Do watch prices. This being my 4th time here without a problem, my sever Kalyn opted to not tell me that the special salad in a large size is twice the price as the one featured on the menu that we originally wanted. So... For an average sized salad with grilled chicken, iced tea and 20% tip, my lunch cost me $28 and left me a little disappointed.
4 - Bob B.: White Pizza was excellent (and has been consistently excellent over multiple visits).  In-house beer is also very good.  I had the Espresso Stout on my last visit, but I have had others before.  The roof-top patio is really nice and knocks this place into four-star territory when it is nice out.
3 - Christina G.: We decided to try this place as it is close to our apartment and we are looking for places to take our friends that are coming to town that I am not about to cook for...mostly because they would never come back. The server was really knowledgeable about the beer and was more than willing to describe them in detail. My husband and I were both happy with the beer we picked based on the waiter's description. As far as the food goes, it was ok. My husband ordered a salad with the dressing on the side as he does not really like dressing. The salad came with dressing on it, which the waiter noted, but decided himself that it was fine because "they usually don't put too much dressing on." The salad was pretty heavily dressed, so my husband ended up picking through it to find the drier areas...not worth the $12. I had the soup of the day which was a curried butternut parsnip soup. The soup had really good flavor and texture, it just was not super warm. Probably won't be bringing our friends here, but we may try it again sometime since it's so close and has parking.
4 - Alex B.: I had the organic farm greens salad and the cheese plate, and my friend had the scallops and the fried green tomatoes. All of it was quite good, and I really appreciated the organic and locally sourced ingredients. The beer was very good, too. Overall, everything was very good (although not mind-blowing). I'll definitely be back.
5 - Michelle D.: Had the flight.......Yum.....nice selection of beers....the Provence seasonal is insanely flavorable with its Lavender notes!  Enjoyed the beet arugula salad, crispy sweetbreads and the brisket ruben sandwich on flat bread...the best!
4 - Sarah E.: Kicked off my 21st birthday festivities here -  went with husband and 2 friends. 

We started with an app of grilled antelope, which ive never had. It was like a gamey deer meat and had nice presentation.

Mains:

Seasonal veggie plate: included mashed potatoes, asparagus, argula & strawberries, peas, and mushrooms...this was amazing! Everything was presented well, the asparagus was still al dente.

Organic Beef Burger w/ avocado: "the beef itself was very good, the dressings were so so."


Drinks:

Belgian: "outstanding"

Sampler: "well worth it"

Sparking Mojito: not refreshing and very syrupy...almost choked on the mint leaf. 

Acai Spirits Sparkler: YES! favorite drink ever! Veev makes the acai spirits and wow! it was refreshing and light and very very very drinkable!!! 

all in all, everything was priced well for the offerings.
3 - Jackie S.: I have been back a few times. This place is inconsistent, even ordering the same items on a different day.  When it's good, it's really good, but I'm not sure it's worth the gamble for me to keep coming back.
5 - Michele A.: delicious beer, tasty food, great atmosphere and a knowledgeable staff make for an awesome experience every time. I am excited to go on one of the brewery tours on a Thursday evening and try more from their great beer selection. I have only been to the Prado location, which is so convenient to where I live, makes for a great neighborhood bar!
5 - Kurt N.: I had the Ploughsman and was very impressed. It is on the pricey side, but is high quality food.
4 - Ain H D.: Good beer. Patio. Live music. Organic eats. Friendly staff.

I'll take it.

I went to 5 Seasons with a group of about 20 people for a birthday gathering and they were incredibly accommodating, the service was flawless and they didn't b*tch and moan when it was time to split checks. 

I tried the Peach Ale and it was delicious. I also had a portabello mushroom sandwich that was absolutely divine. 

The venue itself is nice and open with a spacious outdoor seating area that overlooks Marietta St. traffic - with a slight glimpse of Atlanta's skyline.
2 - Rob M.: The beer at 5 Seasons reminded me of  that guy who gets up at karaoke who thinks he's Mick Jagger, then proceeds to not hit a single note for "Satisfaction" despite strutting around the stage in a full Rolling Stones persona.  Every one of the 5 beers (they do give you samples) my father and I tried was a poor imitation of craft beers from other brewers. For example, the IPA I finally settled on had some hops, but it lacked the big, booming body of a West Coast IPA and it lacked the undertones of flavors that some breweries can coax out of an IPA. 

When I went, I also had the fish tacos, which were fine, competent renditions of the dish, but lacked any of the creative flair that the dish really needed to elevate this overall rating.

If you're in the area, it's fine for a pop-in, but not worth making a trip out of your way. If you're willing to travel, I'd recommend either The Porter in Little 5 or The Brick Store in Decatur for better food and vastly better beers on tap.
5 - Candice M.: Just finished my meal and am plotting how I can make it back here tomorrow. This is my new favorite restaurant; I just wish they could export it to Austin! :) A couple of friends and I went here and shared a bunch of small plates. Everything we had was absolutely the best: mushrooms under a brick, calamari, vine ripe tomatoes and basil pizza, beer braised mussels and vine ripe summer tomatoes. For dessert we had the blueberry tart and the sorbet trio. Oh, and our server was attentive, cool and explained the concept of the restaurant in depth.
1 - Bryan A.: On a recent trip to Atlanta, we happened upon this place while driving around Atlanta. I thought to myself...brewery, food, looks okay.....let's try it! Oh, how I wish I hadn't judged the book by its cover.....

First, when we went in, the place was dead. There were a couple of people at the bar and a couple of people at the tables. They offered for us to go upstairs for live music; however, we just wanted some good beer and food!

Our waiter brought out a beer menu on a chalkboard. Their selection sounded okay. I ordered their Saison Ale. It was okay; however, it was nothing to call home about. 

As for my meal, I got the Ploughmans dinner. The sauerkraut was the only decent thing on the plate. It had a good flavor. The potato salad was bland and boring. The salad was a basic salad. The "5made" sausages were pretty disgusting. I personally LOVE sausage; however, these made me want to throw the whole plate out. The blue cheese was just blue cheese crumbles and the deli mustard was your typical stone ground mustard. The sausage was so bad, I ended up cutting my bread in half and made a hot dog out of it covering it in blue cheese and mustard. 

If you are in Atlanta and want good food and great beer, look elsewhere!
3 - Angela C S.: Hmmm... I like the one at the Prado better. It took FOREVER for our food to come. Our waitress was a bit underdressed and overdone with the weave and feathers..and sunglasses - doesn't have much to do with the food of course but it's hard not to pay attention to such things when the service is spotty, the food comes slower than JHC and we didn't get the "Watermelon" special menu until after we ordered - not to mention we had to ask for it and then it was casually "ooops I forgot" dropped off...thanks "Kiki". But the food was good, the atmosphere is pretty nice...and there was a large bunny drinking beer and smoking a cigar. Really! Anywho, if you go to 5 Seasons Brewery and you don't mind not eating within 2 hours of arriving, then it's all you...if not GO TO THE ONE ON ROSWELL ROAD AT THE PRADO...(end scene).
4 - Michael D.: I have a large group that I have taken here twice since (on short notice, too). The staff here is CONSISTENTLY friendly and smiling. They never give me grief about coming with 20+ people in a couple hours notice. They just bring us upstairs and deal with us in a friendly, professional way. 

These people WANT you there.  I've been here several times to eat and have never once felt a remotely negative vibe from the staff. I want to go back for a sunset because the upstairs patio would be great for that!
3 - Solomon W.: 5 Seasons is definitely located in a hipster district, but I felt like it was very low-key and casual. When I went in, the bar was fairly spacious, and the service was not too rushed or stuck-up. My server was awesome and willing to talk.

They have a cool selection of unique (but expensive) bottle-conditioned brews. The beers are roughly $30, so be prepared to pay a premium for some cool booze. I am a Porter fan, and the only dark beers they had were the special bottles; sadly,  I could not afford to get one... for price and sobriety sake.

I got 2 half pints, one of the Provence saison and the other of the Stepsister saison. Both were great; the Provence was a little fruitier, and the Stepsister was a bit heavier and berrylike.

I was disappointed that the cheese tray was different than advertised: a heavy cow's cheese instead of the leiden, and a gruyere instead of the gouda. The Gruyere was nice and nutty, and the cow's cheese was creamy. I really liked the "spent grain" bread; it was warm, soft on the inside, crusty on the outside, and the carbohydrate had a nutty flavor. The blue was good, and the local honey was a nice pairing.

The pimento cheese "brulee" was not anything noteworthy. As brulee is normally not hot in the middle, this one was room-temperature/cold, as well. Sadly, I would have liked it warmer; the cream-cheese consistency was too thick and creamy. I also would have preferred more pungency, as most Southern processed cheese possesses.

5 Seasons is an awesome brewery/restaurant for anyone looking for a cool little spot to grab a bite, hang out at, or simply a place to enjoy a drink.
4 - Gillian R.: I've been here a couple times now, as I live in the neighborhood.  As someone mentioned, this area can be a bit pretentious, but 5 Seasons is laid back and comfortable.  It's the kind of place that can cater to mid-20s and late-50s at the same time.  

The food is delicious, but nothing innovative.  Kind of your standard pub fare, kicked up a notch.  Nothing to complain about here, it's reliably tasty and goes well with their homebrews. 

I've had a few of their beers now and highly recommend the stouts.  They have a milk stout that is incredible, and I'm not even normally a stout gal.  They didn't have a brown ale on tap, so the waiter recommended the milk stout to me.  Home run!  

I enjoyed sitting on the downstairs patio, but it got a bit loud when somebody drove by blasting rap music.  I highly recommend sitting on the rooftop patio.  Gets you away from the street a bit, but you can still enjoy the open air.
4 - RadioCobb R.: Food is good, beer is good, staff could be improved.
5 - Niki M.: Love the westside location for their amazing grit cake!! Beware that the other locations have a different chefs & menus... Driving to this location is totally worth it!
4 - Scott M.: This is by far the best of any of the 5 Seasons Brewing restaurants.  The food is always good and the beer beats the other 2 locations hands down.  When ordering beer ask a lot of questions, consider the cask beer they have at the moment, and then think about ordering a conditioned bottle of beer.  The casks and bottles of beers come and go, and when their gone their gone.  Just the other night I was here and went through 2 750ml bottles of "Great White Buffalo" beer with one of my best friends and his 21 yr old.  This cask aged Belgian style beer was off the charts, AND the food was outstanding.  After we polished off the bottles we changed it up and ordered individual glasses of beer.

I always enjoy this place and have never had a bad experience (food or service).
5 - Megan C.: I absolutely adore 5 Seasons. The beer is incredible - I love a good microbrew, and they never disappoint (and I've tried quite a few of their varieties through the seasons - just had the oktoberfest this week, and it was delightful!) The food strikes a great balance between upscale fare and pub grub, and the quality is very apparent - always super fresh, top notch ingredients. On top of general yumminess, the servers are great - they are super friendly, they all know the food and beer menus inside and out, and are great about describing and recommending so that you get the perfect meal. On top of the tasty eats, brews, and service, 5 Seasons Westside has an enormous parking lot (total win in Midtown), an awesome skyline view, and a fun/funky decor vibe to match the industrial area of town. 

And a quick note regarding some of the criticism from other Yelpers: I absolutely do not understand the complaints about pricing. Yes, it is a bit more expensive than, say, Ruby Tuesdays. But you are paying for higher quality, organic, local ingredients. OF COURSE IT WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE. If you don't care about that and just want a $5 chuck ground burger, go to T.G.I.Fridays. And to address complaints about the service - I will admit, the first time I came to 5 Seasons was about a year ago, and our servers were a bit slow and a little disorganized (very nice, but just scatter-brained). However, in the past few months they have really gotten it together, and have become a much more seasoned crew without losing their charm - if you had a less-than-wonderful experience here over a year ago, I would really encourage you to give it a second chance!
4 - Ben E.: A terrific place that seems to have finessed the rare skill of uniting a culinary approach with service style.

The handcrafted beer made on site, the local-food driven gastro-pub grub, and I-drank-the-Kool-Aid-and-loved-it service is all roughly polished and sincere.

The large dining area may feel empty at times, but that is only because the place was constructed in anticipation of a West Midtown renaissance temporarily delayed by the economic kiss off. When Facebook opens its next door office, good luck getting a seat.... Go now.
4 - Keith A.: I discovered 5 Seasons quite some time ago and sort of by accident. I took a cooking class at the Kroger School of Cooking. It was led by 5 Seasons partners David Larkworthy and Dennis (I can't remember his last name.. and I'm not sure he's still with the restaurant). Dennis taught us how to roll sushi and David talked about the 5 Seasons menu and beer.

I still roll sushi how Dennis taught me and I enjoy David's lessons about paring food and beer.

Though I haven't visited 5 Seasons very many times. I always have good memories. I've lunched there with my mom, spent time at the bar, and had a late night snack - all at the Prado. Tonight was my first time at the Westside location. I was starving, thirsty and wouldn't make the trip to Decatur in such condition. 

There were 3 people in the place and the kitchen was closing in 20 minutes. The bar service wasn't rushed. I had my choice of the full menu and it may as well have been in the middle of the regular dinner service. 

The first thing I ever ate at 5 Seasons was the grilled rice balls, so I stuck to the familiar. That has to be the most perfect appetizer ever created. Palm-sized rice cakes grilled and served with a light slaw with ponzu sauce. Perfection. Apparently it's a traditional Japanese snack. God bless them, I could eat 'em all day. 

I added to that an order of lobster and chorizo tacos. Wonderfully spicy and tangy. I can't tell you if there was any lobster in it but the sausage was dynamite.

I'll put this location on my return list. It's a huge space and has an upstairs deck. I wonder what it;s like when it's really busy. I'd recommend it as a good destination.
2 - Katrina W.: I really want to like this place, but it always disappoints. The beer is good and the service is hit or miss. I've had great service here and I've had crappy service. 

The spent grain bread is amazing - that is definitely always spot on. However, entrees are kinda meh. So meh that I can't really remember the last few things I got here - sandwiches of some sort. All I really remember is that bread appetizer.

The actual restaurant is pretty cool and they have a nice bar and patio on the rooftop with great views.

So...go here for beer and bread. Not so much for full on dinner.
1 - Emily L.: Don't see what the hype is about this place! My experience was ok! I actually took a look at their menu on line before my hubby and I decided to come here. From what I read on the menu it sound very interesting! 
Here we were at the restaraunt waiting for someone to sit us, come to realize we had to go upstairs! We went upstairs and sat on the patio so that we will be able to see the view outside! It  started to become alittle chilly so we change our seat closer to the bar! Our server took forever to take our order which is a big negative for me!!! We finally got to order after 20 minutes of waiting! We had order some type of bread and alligator egg rolls for our appetizer! The bread was alright but the egg rolls was actually really good! Our entree was just a waste of our money! The hubby ordered a reuben sandwich with sweet potato fries and I order curry chicken  sandwich with regular fries. Both of the entrees were a big disappointment!!!  Maybe it could just be the fact that I cook alot at home I maybe expecting too much! Or maybe it's not good at all! 
I don't think I would come back here! Both the service and food was not worth the money that we spent there!!!!
4 - Brett B.: Good food, slightly better than mediocre beer.

1.The beer: Not bad.  On par for what I'd expect from a brewpub.  Palatable, but not amazing.  I have to admit I only tried the beers on tap.  Maybe their bottle aged beers were some treasure that I missed out on.

2. The food: The seasonal variation seemed interesting.  I was also impressed by the diversity.  Definitely much better than the typical pub food.  And everything tasted delicious to boot.

3. The service;  Not terrible.  It took a while to get my sampler, but after that, wasn't bad.  The server was friendly and brought extra beer samples.

4. The environment:  Decent environment, but nothing to write home about.

Worth checking out or even becoming a regular at.  Would definitely like to go back.
3 - Jill S.: What can I really say about 5 Seasons other than it's bar food at it's mediocre best. Just about each person in my party had a burger, which we devoured b/c it was a BURGER, but the sweet potato & regular fries left much to be desired. What can I say, I'm a fry kind of gal...mess up my fry, mess up my meal!

Our waiter was very attentive and cracked a few jokes with us so that was a plus. I thought the setup of the overall restaurant was conducive to a bar slash (I like saying slash than using a / ) dining room b/c some of the chairs looked to be 'refurbished' from someone's grandma's house. Charm? Ehhh...

Another spot that may be good for a group and a standard burger, skip all the fries.
5 - Richard W.: I've been to the West Midtown location three times and love it.  The beer menu is constantly changing, and I've never ordered anything I didn't like.  I don't think I'd absolutely go out of my way just for the beer...

The food, though... YOWSA!  So freaking good.  Their whole spiel is that everything is locally grown and organic, so you can eat happily knowing that you're consuming something that hasn't been festering the the back of a truck on a cross-country journey.  I've eaten here three times and, admittedly, only ordered two different dishes.  The ropa vieja stole my heart and I don't care who knows it.  The beef was so tender and flavorful, and the lime avocado mashed potatoes... I almost died.  Delicious.

Another plus for this place is the really nice view of Midtown from the rooftop patio.  It's really nice to wander up on a pleasant evening and watch the sunset against the skyline while you have a beer and dinner.

The service can be a little hit or miss, but just patiently await your ropa vieja.  I tell you, this dish cures all the world's wrongs.  Seriously, though, sometimes the wait staff is really on top of it, and other times it's like a hippy convention.

Two last bits of info: there's plenty of easy, unmetered parallel parking outside, so finding a spot isn't an issue.  Also, if you want to eat upstairs, just walk yourself up.  It's a whole separate dining area from downstairs.
2 - Gino M.: I'm conflicted about 5 Seasons Brewing in this location.

When it first opened I was excited - any expansion of the Roswell Road company was good by me.  

Then I ate here ... and ... blech.  This was NOT the same quality of food as what they were cooking up further north.  Then the Roswell Road location split off and formed its own place -- then they came back.

The service has never been anything but good.  No complaints about that.  The food quality, however, has never matched that of the original.
4 - Leslie W.: Five Seasons Westside is a great spot to have a drink before heading over to the King Plow Arts Center to see a show.  Or just hop-load before heading over to Hop City! 

While not the most amazing brewery I've ever been to, 5 Seasons pushes the limit with innovation.  During the Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival, they brewed a tomato beer!  Tomato!  And if you haven't tried their Watermelon Wheat during the summer you are really missing out.  Most recently, I had the Echo St. IPA and the Mayan Coffee Stout, both delicious.  The bartender even gave me a sample of their cellar dweller, a free-form Belgian Black Stout that was aged in whiskey barrels.  It was very interesting but so strong that it made the Coffee Stout seem like a session beer! 

In case you haven't figured this out by now, I come here for the beer.  The only food I've tried is the pretzel and it was downright tasty.  

If you see a show at Actor's Express, bring your program over to 5 Seasons.   They will usually give you a shorty draft for free!  I wish I lived closer so I could get over here more often.  It's a great place for a beer lover like me to try a few new styles.  And with the shorty option, you can try several beers without needing a taxi!

Beer *IS* food!
4 - Tyler M.: Had the Organic Brisket Reuben with The Answer to drink. The Reuben was amazing and the beer was very good. My wife had the shrimp and grit cake and she loved it. We had the Goat cheese Cheesecake for dessert. The cheesecake was better than I expected. The flavor of the polenta crust was great but it was a little too hard (had to chisel at it with a fork to break it).
4 - Ashley W.: I love the ambiance of this place. The shrimp and grits were ok. If your looking for Charleston, SC shrimp and grits then keep looking. The ribs are great, along with the salmon and Caesar salad. The service is always wonderful and always quick.
3 - Lynn E.: The menu is vast so many options...First select your beverage...this is a brewhouse so skip the wine and see if anything on tap or bottled like wine tickles your fancy. During our recent visit we were intrigued by the beer, cured in barrels and bottled in 750ml bottles. We selected the Redhead (pinot noir barrel) and the White Buffalo (bourbon barrel) - both were fabulous.

Our table dined in fine style and had plenty of smiles:

- side salad
- veggie pizza for a table app

- Mussels (app version is a hearty meal) 
- Shrimp and grits
- Turkey/Vidalia burger with sweet potato fries
- Curry Salmon and rice and veggies (YUM)

I can vouch for the burger and salmon - both were super yummy.
I'm still crazy about their ropa veija as a main dish - but the salmon is also a superstar dish.
4 - Beth W.: We went here for dinner on a Saturday night.  We sat up on the upper deck.  I'd recommend sitting up here, as there weren't as many people up there.  The views were great, the staff was super friendly and the food was excellent.  We had the alligator eggrolls - yum! and the calamari (eh.. same ol same ol) for apps and I had the portabello mushroom sandwich which was awesome.
4 - Eddie H.: Went here the other night for a special event. (magic show with a magic themed dinner with beer and wine pairing) let me say GREAT feel to the place, open and inviting! Staff is outstanding, the beer well done, and the food is an 11 on a dial of 10! (that's right I used a "Spinal Tap" reference to describe the food) I'm planning on going there again real soon and try some more beer and food pairing, and I suggest you should as well!
4 - Ken R.: Nice building, nice atmosphere, nice menu. The food here is tasty and original. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. 
It was pretty loud, so it's hard to have a conversation at larger tables. 
I'm a beer snob, and although I applaud the brew pub model, there wasn't a single beer the I would have to taste again. Not to say they were bad, but nothing blew me away either. 
All in all a nice place for dinner, and enjoyable.
4 - Tabetha J.: Whatever! I give it 4 stars!

I live across the street so I eat at the bar counter and take visitors there. It's a very cozy welcome place with enough people in there to keep the chatter interesting and lively without being overbearingly loud. On weeknights its a bar counter dining crowd with couples and singles sprinkled around. 

Food. I ordered the lobster here (seemed random)  but it was SO GOOD! It came with smoky fingerling potato salad which was so fantastic. It made my friends from out of town, go back to their town and dream about it!

I really love this shrimp/chorizo/polenta/grits situation that you can order as a small plate or a meal. (Small plate is enough for a meal size, definitely). It's very broth and soothing. Love that and the spinach and shallots side! It's so delicious and flavorful!

Last night I had this weird garlic avocado lime mashed potatoes. It sounded totally weird, but I thought I'd go for it. Wow. I liked it better than the rope vieja meat that it came with. The meat was tougher than I thought it would be and quite salty. I was crunching on the sea salt...

Consistently amazing sides for some reason!
I highly recommend. I actually first went there for a business lunch! The locals love it.
4 - Justin D.: A buddy of mine and I decided to swing in for a pint.  On a whim, I went for the Coffee Stout.  Im very glad I did!!  Smoky, smooth, with a hint of caramel flavors.  Definitely one or the best stouts I've ever tried.  

The girl working the bar was very knowledgeable, and helped us both settle on beers we were very happy with.  A great way to kill a Friday afternoon!
3 - Lee T.: I don't hate it, in fact- I'd come back for more.

If you're lucky enough to find parking on the street, 5 Seasons is pretty convenient. 

The first thing they do is try to get you drunk. Again, I don't hate it.

If you're my waiter, and you come up to me with a cute chalkboard of drink specials, I'm going to want to know all about it before I tell you I'm not drinking. -1 star, because I like to know ALL THE THINGS.

My second subtracted star goes out to whoever thought it was a good idea to keep an outside door opened during the "cold" of Atlanta winter. I love to shivering while eating, because it burns more calories?....Nope, the point was to eat the calories, not burn them (yet).

During the summer, I most always request to sit outside with a cocktail.

I decided two weeks ago that I would check out the turkey burger with the cranberry catsup. This burger can't hold a flame to my previous tastes of cranberry turkey burger goodness at The Square Pub in Decatur. 
The meat on 5 Season's version was dry, and the cranberry wasn't anything special. It was served on the side, and the preparation was luckluster. 

On the flipside, I was very happy with the alligator rolls that have a chili glaze that won't wait! They're not actually filled with alligator, but it's fun to think about.
The shared items and small plates tend to be pretty popular. I have heard good things about the pretzel as well as the antelope patty melt! 

Beware veggies who dislike mushrooms: You have options if you're a pescatarian (such as salmon entrees + fish & chips), but your main squeeze will be the black bean burger, mushroom burger, and.... salads. 

Good luck fillin' up.
4 - Ron R.: good beer .  They even have a  delicious gluten free beer...tastes more like punch
3 - Emilia L.: I came here for dinner as part of a group of 7. We entered on the second floor and were therefore seated on the second floor. From glancing at the other reviews, it sounds like they have tables on the first floor too? 

The reservation was made for 7:30, but it was changed to 8 and that's when we had arrived; however, the hostess told us the reservation was down for 8:30. She had us few earlybirds seated at a table inside while they prepared another table outside for the group. I noticed it was extremely cold inside the restaurant. I was grateful when we were led out to the patio fairly soon after sitting.

The BF ordered the homemade "5" pretzel made of buckwheat and served with creamy mustard cheese. He also got a cup of the beer cheese soup.

The pretzel was not the kind that you find at Auntie Anne's or anything. It didn't have that shiny exterior. It came in the shape of a "5." You could definitely tell the dough had a wheat-y taste to it. With the salt sprinkled on top, it was a bit too salty. The mustard cheese was exactly that... it tasted like a whipped mustard with a cheese aftertaste. Kind of strange. I didn't hate it, but didn't love it. The beer cheese soup was creamy, cheesy and I didn't taste too much beer but I'm not a beer connoisseur, so don't take my word for it. It, too, was overly salty.

For my entree, I got the grilled portabella mushroom sandwich on foccacia with goat cheese and balsamic. I got sweet potato fries as my side. It came with a similar whipped sort of dip like the mustard cheese, only this tasted like... heaven. No, really. I think it was some sort of honey butter. I wish I had asked the waiter what the hell it was, because I was spooning it out of the ramekin after I finished my meal. The fries were also good, though a little colder than I would like. The sandwich itself was also delicious. My only complaint is the foccacia was on the thin side, so it kept falling apart in my hands. It was a very messy sandwich to eat. If they replaced it with a thicker slice of bread, maybe ciabatta, it would be a perfect vegetarian sandwich.

I also had a bite of the BF's fish from his fish and chips platter (he substituted for their slaw). Very tasty. Their regular fries are also good.

Our server did a good job. We asked for separate checks and he accommodated us. When he brought the checks, he mentioned that they normally add a gratuity for larger parties, but he didn't do that. Unusual, but nice of him.
1 - Britney B.: The food is over priced. If you want to spend over $40 for a couple of appetizers and a beer five seasons has you covered. I got calamari. It was pretty standard calamari. I also got egg rolls which should have been at a tapas place for about $3 because that's how much food it was. Nothing about it impressed me. They allegedly had alligator in them. They could have bought frozen egg rolls from wal mart and put one and a half on a plate and slapped an outrageous price on it and I wouldn't have known any different.
Their roof top is never open. I drive by this place almost every day and have never seen anyone sitting up there. The one time I went the people beside us were complaining that the only reason they came was for the roof top and it was closed. I don't understand why anyone would come here unless you wanted to see how many different kinds of animals you could eat in one meal because that's kind of their thing other than the beer brewing.
3 - Angela M.: On the Sunday after the Publix Half Marathon, I wanted a hearty and filling brunch.  I'd run 13.1 miles, I deserved something tasty, both in solid and liquid form.  We had set out for many other places but with half our party inside the race loop and half outside, we kept getting held up by street closures.  So we headed to the Westside and decided on 5 Seasons.  We tried parking on the roof, but the top was locked and we met some guys coming off the elevator who said they'd gotten stuck inside.  So back down it was.

We were seated in the back corner with a high chair.  We ordered waters, perused the menu, and waited the 10 minutes until we could order our beers.  I chose the saison and thought it was good.  For the food, I got the black bean burger, which comes with grilled green tomatoes, and I added avocado and sauteed mushrooms.  When the food arrived, I had to remind the server that I had ordered mushrooms and avocado, and he made the offhand comment that it wasn't my fault or his as he took it back to the kitchen.  Everything was made right in no time.  The burger was pretty good, though a tad on the dry side.  The sweet potato fries seemed overly charred, but the brown sugar and cinnamon whipped butter for topping helped with that.  My little guy seemed to like the mac and cheese.

It was a pleasant enough experience.  I'd go back if someone suggested, though I probably wouldn't choose it specifically myself.
2 - melody m.: I heard so much about this place and the mind-blowing food and beers. 
I hate to say it, but it was just ok. 
The beers were good, the food was pedestrian at best. 
We had shrimp and grits, shared some alligator egg rolls and another friend had lobster tacos. 
Shrimp were overcooked, fries were the same as any other pub, alligator egg rolls were awful. Bad concept. No taste differentiation between all of the ingredients and the alligator. 
Meh.
5 - Stephen M.: Great place to stop by for a few beers and enjoy a meal. The upstairs room is perfect for private parties. Good, quick service and never too pushy. Drink prices are on the cheap side, especially compared to Downtown. Lots of parking on the rooftop deck. (Not sure what other people are talking about when they say 'no parking anywhere.') The area is a bit dingy, but don't let that dissuade you rom coming.  

The kitchen closes at 10 PM, and when its closed, its closed. I'd like them to stay open till (or at least closer to) last call since there is *nothing* else open in the area past 10 PM.
3 - Susan S.: Food pretty good. Fresh ingrediants are always a plus! I had the antelope burger and it was ok. Tasted decent but was a more like a dense veggie burger consistency since there is very little fat. Fries would have been better if they were hot. Hubby's veggie plate was good. It consisted of curried eggplant, grilled watermelon (which was serverd very cold and not grilled and had to be taken back) once served was quite tasty. Argula and peaches, potatoes and asparagus rounded out the plate). Service was not really good so marks were lowered for that. May try again because we like eating fresh!
4 - Melissa B.: Maybe I'm a little too easy to please, but expansive roof top patio and plenty of unique brews to try pretty much sold me. And free parking. I didn't eat on this visit... but honestly, from what I'm reading and what I saw other people ordering, I don't think I will. Seems pricey and nothing looked that great....but that's certainly not a fair judgement. 

I came seeking sunshine and beer for happy hour and wasn't disappointed. The upstairs bar/seating area was closed off from outside when I went...but I would've loved to have the garage style doors open up the patio. Although I understand wanting to keep the air conditioned space too. I grabbed a beer at the bar and then went out and got myself a table. I was pleased that the bar tender came out to check on me considering I wasn't ordering food and I didn't really ask to be seated. Thank you kind sir for tending to my beer needs. I had one of their IPAs and a lager...very good beer. If I wasn't such a lady and trying to cut back, it would've been nice to try maybe just one more on this visit, but I'm sure I'll be back for some more sunshine and beer. They do those two things well.
2 - Megan E.: Came here with a large group of people for a friend's birthday dinner. My husband and I arrived a bit early and had a drink at the bar. It was our first time and the bartender did a great job of recommending beer based on what we said we like-he was spot on.

They did a great job seating such a large party (around 20) and our waiter was incredibly attentive and helpful. That's about where the good things end though.  My husband ordered what sounded like a margherita pizza, though to be fair it wasn't called such on the menu.  It didn't look--or taste--like any other pizza. It was more of a cracker crust with scattered shredded cheese and a few basil leaves and piddly tomatoes-no sauce to be seen.  He ate the whole thing but mainly because he was really hungry.  My portobello burger was actually quite good but a little heavy on the balsamic glaze. My sweet potato fries that came with were practically black. Still edible but pretty dry, I'm surprised the kitchen sent them out like that. 

We won't be eating the food again-it wasn't that great and it was quite expensive for bar food.  I'd see us coming back and having a Friday night pitcher of beer, but that's about it.
5 - Jami M.: The smoked potato salad is incredible and Cowin is the best server ever!
4 - Jon G.: 4 star Because of the beer and what they are trying to do with local product . Our bar tender was kinda an ass but nice he was nice to me . The food is ok it is all over the place and everything I have ordered would not make me come back in . The atmosphere, beer, music, will bring me back.
4 - Abby M.: Based only on my visit for lunch today, I am disappointed for 5 Seasons-Westside that their reviews are so across-the-board and that some really are negative. To be fair, however, our lunchtime hours of about 3pm until 4pm (on a Sunday, no less) may not have let us see an accurate representation of a typical to busy service at the restaurant. We were immediately seated at a table near the front of the dining room, which is fronted by floor-to-ceiling glass panes that give the room an airy atmosphere that really freshens and livens the feel of this location. Given the semi-emptiness of the floor, I assume we could have chosen either a booth on the perimeter, a table in the middle of the dining room or a pair of barstools without opposition.

Our server, Courtney, was AWESOME and I was pleased that when she greeted us and gave us menus she also asked if we would like a tour, if you will, of the beer list. Now, I work in the beverage industry and teach beer classes for the company that I work for; I can generally figure out the gist of a brew without the full explanation. However, I had never been to this location and I absolutely love learning about new beers (or beers that are new to me) and enjoy hearing the description and opinions from a fellow beer geek, or at least someone that knows more about the specific pint than I do. She did a fantastic job of briefing us on each offering and told us just enough about the selection to allow me to knowledgeably choose one; it didn't hurt that she respectfully threw in her own two cents, which I took advantage of in making my own selections. She also made two good recommendations from both the standard menu and the specials list, which was a full printed-off page of daily specials and seasonal items that are not on the more permanent menu.

As soon as our beers were delivered, we ordered the Kari Kari "snack" and were not quite ready to place our entree orders. Courtney told us to take a few minutes to make up our minds and when she came back to take our requests she returned with the appetizer already in-hand. The crispy won ton-wrapper exteriors of the small deep-fried pockets were golden, but not oily, and the filling, thought scant, was piping hot with crab (not sure if it was real or imitation) and cream cheesy goodness and the ponzu was just right to cut through the richness of the pocket. In addition to the Kari Kari, Courtney suggested the specialty pizza topped with bright red chorizo, fresh cilantro, large-diced avocado, sweet onion and [maybe fontina] cheese. My S.O. seemed to really like this choice and was awesome enough to pass a slice my way... and it rocked! For my own entree I went pseudo-healthy and opted for the large "Club Salad." I wanted a lot of food on one plate and this more than satisfied, and I rarely say that about a non-modified salad. This was a garden (and barnyard) of heaven with a bed of arugula, spinach and various mixed greens topped with tender pieces (not unnatural chunks) of chicken, bacon, ham, tomatoes, sweet onions, pickles and croutons all tossed with a tastefully light amount of 5made ranch dressing. I am glad I did not request the dressing to be kept on the side, like I usually do, because they actually used the right amount of dressing and incorporated it evenly and thinly.

Now the beer. From the sips that I tried of the Peach Ale and the 5A Pale Ale (which they point out is Jerry Seinfield's apartment number) they were both quite nice. The Peach Ale was a little peachier than I generally enjoy in a beer, but that's solely personal opinion and I am sure it is popular here in Georgia. Their 5A Pale Ale had nicely-pronounced new-world hops and was a more refreshing summertime alternative to the beloved IPA that has taken the beer world so strongly by storm. The Watermelon Wheat, undoubtedly inspired by 21st Amendment Brewery's Hell or High Watermelon (a wheat beer from San Francisco make with fresh watermelon), was awesome and actually had more body, flavor and brightness than its west-coast counterpart. Not to mention that it was served with a neat wedge of fresh watermelon, which I am an unwavering fan of. The Smoked Session beer was the most approachable rauchbier (beer made with malts that have been smoked) that I have ever had and was "sessionable" at less than 4% ABV, or alcohol by volume.

I definitely will return to this location the next time I am on this side of town or whenever I can make a trip out of another Hop City/5 Seasons visit. And just in case anyone from the 5 Seasons-Westside location ready this, please give Courtney some recognition! Regardless of whether she is a huge beer nut or not, she knows how to make her guests feel at home and comfortable with their selection. Whether you are a tried-and-true beerophile, a novice drinker or you don't know the difference between a lager and a stout just doesn't matter here; you are bound to find something that you like that you probably haven't had before!
4 - Angela H.: This was the very first 5 Seasons that I had dined at last year, yet I hadn't been back until recently.  My friend had made a reservation for about 20 people at 8 pm on a Friday for her birthday dinner.

Several tables had been put together in preparation for our large group.  Six of us had arrived on time, and three others arrived about half an hour later.  While we waited for the others, our server took our drink orders and checked on us every 10 minutes or so to see if we wanted anything else while we were waiting.

Around 8:45 pm, my friend gave our server the "OK" to take two tables away to seat other customers who were waiting.  Although our group ended up being just half the size that the reservation had been made for, our server and the other employees were incredibly patient and kind about the situation.  They didn't make my friend feel bad at all, which was a huge surprise considering it was a busy Friday evening.  Many restaurants don't even allow reservations for large groups on Friday nights, let alone seat just part a group.  Kudos for their friendly and accommodating staff!

I ordered my usual, favorite meal at 5 Seasons - the Honey Curry Grilled Georgia Chicken sandwich with fries.  By the time we got our food, which (thankfully!) didn't take too long, it was well after 9 pm and we were starving.

* Beer Battered Onion Rings w/smoked tomato mayo ($8) - One of my friends ordered the onion rings and kindly shared with the group.  I'm not a fan of onions in general, and I wouldn't ever order onion rings myself.  However, I'll munch on onion rings if it's offered.  The onion rings were cut thick and served hot.  I thought they were actually pretty good with the tomato mayo that is served with it.  Although it's not cheap, the portion is fairly generous and good for sharing.

* Honey Curry Grilled Georgia Chicken Sandwich ($11) - Per my reviews for the Sandy Springs and Alpharetta locations, this sandwich consists of grilled chicken with arugula (salad greens) and red peppers between warm, herb-encrusted focaccia bread.  I usually LOVE this sandwich, but this time around, the focaccia bread was a little harder than usual.  It didn't taste as fresh as the past couple times I've had this sandwich at the other locations.  However, the honey curry sauce that is served with the sandwich was as delicious as usual, especially with the fries.

Since we were celebrating my friend's birthday, the server let the birthday girl choose a dessert off the menu.  She chose the Flourless Chocolate Cake with vanilla bean ice cream.  

* Flourless Chocolate Cake w/vanilla bean ice cream ($5) - My friend let me try some of her birthday dessert, and I thought it was amazing!  This was the first time I had ever tried a flourless chocolate cake, but it was a real treat.  I would recommend it to anyone who has room for dessert after dining here!

Overall, 5 Seasons Westside gets 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 because of the excellent service.  Again, my chicken sandwich wasn't as good as I've had at the other locations, but the service was exceptional.  If this 5 Seasons was closer to my house, I'd probably come here more often.

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4 - Justin G.: The servers here really know what they are talking about and are helpful for your beer/food selection. 

The food tastes great, and for the price, this is a good farm to the table restaurant. Definitely check it out.
3 - Andrew P.: +1 star for great service

Recently went to this 5 Seasons Brewing for a friend's birthday.  The restaurant has great service the waiters were very helpful considering we had a group of about 20 people.  They set up a long table for us to all sit and enjoy our meal.  The head waiter came out with a small blackboard with the brewed drinks for the day and gave detailed descriptions of all the drinks.  They had a good variety from malty to sweet and crisp drinks.  Unfortunately I was DD and didn't have a drink.  

+2 stars for edible food

The food was "A-OK."  I ordered the Honey Curry Grilled Georgia Chicken with Sweet Potato Fries after reading a review recommending this sandwich.  The chicken was pretty dry even considering that they had glazed it with honey curry.  Another friend who had ordered the Ploughman's had similar issues with overcooked bratwursts.  The sweet potato fries were pretty standard and had the skin on so at the ends of each fry was the earthy flavor of the skin, which was relatively hard to the soft fries.  I was particularly glad that I stayed on the cheap side of things because I feel that I would have been far more disappointed.  

I'm open to giving the restaurant another try considering that it can be very difficult to cook for such a large crowd at once.
1 - Russ G.: I'm done with these people. Not once in all my time dining at places have I ever been so pissed at such horrible service, and never have I actually not left a tip. If it wasn't for the beer being good I would have even walked out without paying. 

I've tried this location a few times, and every time it falls short. Still, I give the benefit of the doubt and go back. Never again. The last few times I've been here I've commented on the 'club' feel inside, it's staffed with very young, very inexperienced people who are more concerned with hanging out and chatting than actually serving customers. This time though I was surprised to see the staff of 18-21yr old 'zero experience' employees replaced with 23-27yr old 'have experience but don't really care' employees. The hiring manager must like watching Miami Ink because the three girls behind the bar were all well adorned with tattoos, which isn't an issue at all with me, but it gives the place a weird feel when you're only hiring one type of person regardless of their skill level (in this case, none). Seriously, I don't mind employees matching, but they all need to actually be trained and good at their job. I came in solely to order a flight of their beers which they were doing a special event of this weekend, and possibly a meal if I was pleased with the beers.

I sat at the bar for a several minutes before being approached by anyone, a guy came over (sans tattoos) and sat down the numerous menus to which I went ahead and ordered my flight to get it going. They arrived within reasonable time after, but I never saw him again after that. No problem, there's other people behind the bar. The flight consisted of five 2oz pours (they were poured heavy, maybe 3-4ozs each) so I sampled each one a bit while browsing the food menu. After deciding on a meal I looked up to see only four glasses in front of me, the one with the lowest level (still a good ounce of beer) was gone, being carried away by a very burly chick. I was so stunned to realize what had happened that I didn't say a word (wouldn't have helped with the noise level), I just sat in awe. A few minutes later a younger girl came by, saying nothing to me but looking at my glasses like they were gold. I pulled them each back a bit and brushed it off, now decided that I wasn't going to order anything more and give them another dime of my money. Shortly after the burly chick came by again and took a second glass, this one being even more full than the previous. Seriously??? I got so livid after this I couldn't begin to form words and knew if I did speak, it'd be bad for everyone, so I polished off the last three glasses and pushed them aside. 

The younger girl came back by and asked if I liked them, I told her I was ready for my check and I could tell she picked up on my displeasure, she brought it and hurried off before I could say anything. Total was $10.75, and sadly I didn't have any quarters so I left $11 and stormed out. That was way too much to leave them. 

So thank you 5 Seasons for hiring such worthless employees that they actually take beer away from me before I've finished it. You won't see me in your establishment ever again.
2 - Oliver B.: Let me start this review by saying the Crawford started me down the dark spiral of beer love back in the Dogwood days. As far as I'm concerned, that man can do no wrong.  If I were just reviewing the beer, there would be five stars up there. Unfortunately, the rating reflects the whole experience and two stars is being generous. I've been going here since they opened, but I don't think I'll be back. The front of the house needs to get its act together. 

When I came in, the bar manager greeted me with hyped up, insincere gusto. It was mildly annoying but not terribly so. Not until he overheard my conversation with an out-of-towner about the local beer scene.  He had the nerve to interrupt and tell us how my *opinion*  of a local brewery was wrong and justify it by blustering that he's a certified beer judge. A) nobody cares about your hobbies B) don't interrupt a conversation and try to talk over your customers.

I won't say the service is uniformly poor.  I liked the place enough to hold my rehearsal dinner there last year. I will say that, at least half the time, the staff is more interested in chatting with their friends or coworkers then taking care of their customers.  It's been just enough to keep me from coming back frequently but not bad enough to keep me from coming back. This is the first time someone there has been outright rude to me. If it were a server it would be a mild indiscretion, from a manager it's unforgivable. 

Crawford, David, it's time to hire a 'James Dalton'  and get your Road House cleaned up. You've got great beer, great food and a great location but incidents like this are just going to keep driving people away.

P.S. Primus on the sound system? While awesome it doesn't really go with the ambiance. Still... awesome.
2 - Candace M.: I was really disappointed with this place. I had passed it so many times and thought that it would be better.  The food was either too salty, had to much mayo or was just not good.  

The staff was nice enough and helped with beer selections but even the beer was just OK.  I don't think I will go back.
4 - TJ N.: Had dinner and a couple of drinks here over the weekend with some friends.  The food, atmosphere and drinks were all great.  The halibut was cooked nearly perfect (a little under) and perfectly seasoned.  A few of the other dishes that came out for others in our group didn't look nearly as good  - so maybe stick with the special like I did.
5 - Jared B.: Although I am giving 5 Seasons 5 stars, I admit there are some small issues with the place (which seem to be a more recent phenomenon).  But let me explain why my wife and I go here repeatedly. 

First, the wife is a beer-loving pescatarian, and I am not that big of a beer drinker and a dedicated carnivore.  Finding a place we both love is nearly impossible, with one of us often making concessions to the other.  5 Seasons is one place that we can always agree on.  The menu is varied enough to keep both of us very happy.  

Going back to the beer, the wife really loves the beer at this place.  And they can always find something that I will like, despite not being the biggest beer fan.  They have some unusual beer selections that I would guess would be very attractive if you're looking for something a bit different. 

I like the location, because it's easy to get to from a traffic perspective, and the upper level has great views of midtown.  On top of that, parking is always easy.  There is a lot of free parking available, it's all close to the restaurant, and you don't have to deal with a valet (it seems like valets are the only reason I ever carry cash anymore).  

Another reason this is our default place is that there is almost never a wait.  Occasionally there is on a weekend night if they have the upstairs reserved for an event, but out of 20ish trips there, I think we have only waited for a table once or twice.  

The service is the only area where I have seen problems, and this has only been recently.  The last two times I have been, we have had new servers.  It seems like there has been a lot of turnover recently, so I can't speak to what you'll get any given night.  But in the past, we have had great service.  They're always willing to talk to you about the food or the beer, and multiple times our server has gone back, without prompting, to get more details about something from the chef.  

I have also had a small (20-30 people) private party in the upstairs space, and it was an extremely easy, smooth process.  Definitely worth considering, especially if you can get upstairs space reserved.  

I admit that things aren't perfect now with respect to the service, but for a place that gives you a great, varied menu at a reasonable price with easy access and little to no wait, it is hard for us to justify going somewhere else a lot of nights.
1 - Anita C.: I ordered a Boon kriek and it was warm!!!!! For those of you who love beer, you love yours ice cold, right!?!?!?  

The guy who served us was extremely rude to my friends and he was making a mocking laugh at my friend for no good reason!!!! I wish I got his name so I could put it on my review for all of you to avoid! I have never heard of anyone in the service industry mock a customer!!!!
5 - Matthew S.: This place is amazing. Fresh local food, some of the best beer in Atlanta, and some really amazing servers. I always try and eat from the specials menu.
4 - Matthew D.: Great rooftop, it reminded me of when I lived in Chicago.  Living there gets you hooked on rooftops like Bell's Brewery gets you hooked on beer (shameless home state plug).  I enjoy it when a brewery really takes pride in what they do and works on training their staff to share that passion.  With a robust beer and (surprisingly extensive, tons of bourbons, uh, yes please) liquor list, there are a ton of great options.  They are a little light on wine, but it is a brewery so I will let that pass.  

Local organic influence on the menu, with a nice mix of apps, small plates and salads for lighter options.  Which is nice, because I like to drink my meal at a place like this.

If I lived a little closer, this would be a happy hour spot for me in a heartbeat.  Free parking too.

To Recap:

The Good:  The beer, the spirits and by far, the rooftop.

The Bad:  Just OK vino.  

The Band This Restaurant Most Resembles:  The Beatles playing that rooftop in New York.  There is just something about being on top. :)
4 - Natalie K.: I can't believe I've never been here and I've been in the Atlanta area for over 2 years.  In my defense, I was living in Marietta for about 2 years and just moved to Midtown at the beginning of September.

I sampled several beers...venus white ale, fresh hop ale, ryebock AND to eat...homemade pretzel, lamb tacos with delicious tzatziki sauce, and the cuban sandwich with amazing ages meats.

i was really impressed with the space.  really clean, great service (my server was awesome, and a very westside feel.. which I love.

I will definitely be back soon!  They just started a brunch menu this week so I will have to check it out.
2 - Kiya H.: I frequent the West-side for lunch because I work downtown.  

In my opinion, 5 Seasons (West-side)  is like a decent looking person with a bad disposition.  You soon start to notice all of their flaws and they then become less appealing.

My main concern with this place is Service:  Wake the heck up; it's past Noon folks!!!!!   

Who cares if you are hungover! 

Who cares if you hate your job! 

Who cares if you haven't had a cigarette in ten minutes!

Who cares if you think I'm ugly! Not!

Just weird.  Each visit has been weird.  

Common traits of the servers:

Drops the food off and disappears (Probably taking a cigarette break).
Waits until your food digest to bring you bill.

Random server brings you knife because yours is nowhere to be found.

Waters are empty.
  
I know that this is a brewery but have some standards.  Perhaps, start with the wait staff and bartenders.

I have dined here at least 15 times.  So I am entitled to get a little spicy with this review.  I've tried several things from the menu, but they could all  be easily forgotten.  

Grilled Ravioli: Nice flavors...really tasty!
Curry Chicken Sandwich:  Pretty decent
Chicken Salad sandwich:  Safe
Bean Burger:  Thick.  The bun does not go well with this patty.  
Fish Tacos: Blah
Wings: Not again
Cuban:  No
Pizza: Meh
Ropa Vieja: Good Idea, just a tad bit more flavor needed.
Fries:  So-So 
Desserts:  Sunday-Night-at-the-Nursing-Home-like.

Tighten up the service at this location or soon it will just be a stinky old bar ran by a cranky disgusting bartender, that serves mediocre food in a great location.

You can do better!

Peace
5 - Sie G.: I had the opportunity to have a corporate event at 5 Seasons Brewing October 1, 2012.  The meeting planner who assisted was Christy Dryden.  She answered all questions and helped create a solid menu for our event.  The staff for the function  included:  Colby, Jen, Sam  and Cowin.   

BTW, we ordered too much food but the staff boxed up everything and helped deliver it to my car.  It's the small touches that mean the most!

Will work with them again in the future.
5 - Cadet Y.: Ever changing menu. Ever changing in house brewed beers. Barrel Aged in house brewed beers. Can you ask for a better combination.

50 North - Seattle, WA (47.665048, -122.300996) (University District)
4 - c b.: My husband and I went to try out some menu items on the 13th of Dec. and were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. We started with the fried calamari appetizer which was pretty good.  Then I had the fried chicken as my main course which was accompanied by creamy mashed potatoes and gravy and steamed green beans.  The chicken breast was lightly coated with a crunchy crust and cooked perfectly,potatoes were very smooth and creamy and beans cooked with a nice crunch.  My husband had the beef short ribs which came cooked wonderfully tender with a nice sauce, pureed parsnips and a nice apple cole slaw which was delicious too!  We ended our meal with apple pie and a slice of chocolate cream pie.  Both were an excellent way to end a great dinner out.  The place has a relaxing ambiance and has a great selection of menu items to please the most finicky diner.  The emphasis on gluten-free, locally grown and organic food is a welcome addition to partake in.  I would love to return and try their burger n fries next time!
5 - Kyle B.: Great service, amazing food, energetic vibe.  Go before everyone catches on and the line is out the door!
5 - Pat M.: Food was excellent.  I had the "wedgie salad" for my entree and started with the calamari and goat cheese apps.  Everything was great.  I also tried some of the fried chicken and it was perfect, some of the better I've had in the NW.  Keep it up!
5 - Gabriella A.: I have gone here a few times now and the food has always been amazing. Today I ordered the 50 North burger to go medium done and when I received it it was undercooked but when I went back to let them know they replaced it, walked over to my work (I work in the complex) and included a $15 gift certificate for the trouble. I am completely amazed by the level of customer service I have received here. I would definitely recommend everyone eat here.
5 - Doug A.: We had our company Christmas party here this year and we were not disappointed in the least.  Everyone loved the meal and the ambiance was perfect.  Honestly the best restaurant soundtrack I've ever heard (Alexi Murdoch, Ray LaMontagne, Citizen Cope, etc.).  The food was excellent (recommend the short ribs and virtually every appetizer), the wine list robust (with PNW wines) and the staff incredibly kind and accommodating for such a large party. They made it feel like it was no big deal.  As for dessert, spectacular as well.  I recommend asking for the "Walton." it's off menu but involves bacon and red velvet cake.  I personally (and I know many of my team members feel the same) will be back again and again.
5 - Griffin G.: Last week I went to this place to have a nice casual dinner with my boyfriend and his family.  We had made reservations so we were sat right away at a table large enough to accomodate the number of people in our party.  Our server was great and offered up a seperate vegetarian and gluten-free menu!  I have been a vegetarian for more than 22 years and this has only happened at one other resteraunt.  We started off with the Hazelnut Crusted Goat Cheese and Margherita Pizza.  Both were delicious.  For my main course I had the Tossed Salad, Cider-Sherry Braised Brussel Sprouts, and Yukon Gold Mashers (also excellent)!
They even had on the Huskie bowl game on in the bar stayed open passed their closing time so we could finish our meal.  They never once rmade us feel rushed.  Next time I will go to try out their lunch menu.
5 - Amos P.: Just what the UV/Ravenna nbhd needed! 50 North is a commendable combination of elegance and comfort that will bring me back over and over again. 

The location is convenient, with 2 levels of free parking underground and shopping shopping shopping everywhere you look. (It's across 25th from U Village.) While the building exterior is somewhat cold, as soon as you enter 50 North you feel the warmth of comfy booths, wonderful music, and a friendly staff. 

The menu is a welcoming mix of fresh seafood, poultry, burgers, steak, pasta, salads, and more - - something for everyone. A wonderful touch is that they identify vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free items on the menu to help today's picky eaters make the best choices. In addition to a well-stocked bar, they have a superb selection of NW and other wines. The NY-native bartender made me a *perfect* gimlet, something that is rare. 

I recommend the sea scallops on braised winter greens. The chef did a marvelous job of complementing the greens with a sweet and savory ratatouille and the plump, perfectly seared scallops. The spicy chicken sandwich is a colossal portion of moderately spicy grilled breast on ciabatta with harissa aioli and cole slaw, served with fresh-cut fries. This choice is worth it for the harissa aioli alone, but what a zingy, crisp mouthful of a sandwich it is altogether! 

A wonderful starter is the mussels from Taylor Shellfish Farms -- so plump and delightful in a complex and flavorful wine broth. Their sides are hard to choose from. I am still dreaming about the airy and light potato mashers, oh my word, so good. 

To end it all you simply must have a slice of pie. Those of you familiar with The Hardware Store restaurant on Vashon know that it's famous for the remarkable pies. Well, they've come to the mainland! Try the banana cream -- exquisitely fresh and creamy with a chocolate cookie crust. I can contentedly leave this earth now that I've had the best banana cream pie that the planet has to offer!

What a wonderful dining experience. What can I say more than this: Eat at 50 North. Go when you are hungry. You will be so glad you did.
1 - Matt E.: Seriously? - Everyone else has given this 5 stars? I really wanted to love this place, - due to the location and kid-friendly atmosphere and staff, - but the food was horrible. Perhaps they were having a bad day, - but it started badly (mussels and clams, - none of which were open), then deteriorated from there, - french fries that even an 8 year old boy couldn't eat, tasteless mashed potatoes, overcooked pasta drowning in tomato sauce. None of it was good. I am sorry, but it wasn't.
2 - Kylie A.: I really wanted to like this place but I just didn't.  The decor is really fun and the staff was nice.  First off we ordered vodka martinis and they brought them with blueberry vodka...with olives.  Honest mistake and they replaced them and he was nice about it but still.  In my mind taking a swig of a blueberry martini with olives deserves a free round.  Nope.  So they have a really cool menu and almost everything has apples.  So we ordered the goat cheese app and the calamari.  Goat cheese was good but the calamari was soft and luke warm at best.  I ordered the winter greens but asked our waiter what the greens were since I hate dandelion greens and his response was ugh I think it's fennel and arugula but I'll check.  He never checked and when I got them it was Swiss chard and one sliver of fennel and they were undercooked.  The "crispy" scallops were not crispy and way over cooked and I got brussels sprouts... Also over cooked.  There was maybe one other table there but there was a 5 minute lag between us all getting our food.  My friend ordered the steak salad which to the waiter said just so you know,  it's going to come out kinda wet and soggy.  Like nice sell there.  I am assuming he said that because it has sauteed greens on it but still.  My other friend had the short rib with a pomegranate reduction which tastes more like grape jelly. anyways our server was nice but with the cocktails and wine and apps and dinner each of our checks was about 80 bucks and I just wasn't impressed but really wanted to be so maybe I'm being overly critical.
4 - edelweiss s.: Dashed in at lunchtime. My burger was delicious! Fries were ok. Lunch date needed to request side of bread with his crab cakes, but otherwise was happy. We both have biggish appetites and were satisfied. Got a little lost looking for parking elevator. Plan on returning with large group, since back table accommodates 14+. I was also told they have space for reception upstairs.
5 - Trudy T.: My new favorite restaurant in the U District. Went for lunch with my sis-in-law and had the most delicious meal. We split a salad that was a wonderful mixture of pears, beets & farrow (something we would never come up with on our own, but was fantastic)... calamari that was cooked perfectly (lightly breaded and not rubbery!!)... and a goat cheese appetizer that was amazing. Everything was fresh and cooked to perfection. 

The atmosphere & prices were a nice addition to the fresh food!

I can't wait to return for dinner and breakfast!!
5 - Andrew D.: I have been here a couple times- once for happy hour and another time for Sunday brunch. I would, and do, recommend this place for good food and good people. Both times the staff have been more than helpful and very pleasant. For happy hour I had the calamari, which was great especially with their "secret sauce".

Sunday brunch was delicious. I ordered the Joel's Special scramble which was the right temperature, and great flavor with the arugala and goat chese.

TIP for all customers- new or returning: TRY THE HOMEMADE DONUTS! They are unbelievable!
5 - Leslie H.: Stopped in for lunch and was very pleased both with the service and the food.  Menu items are clearly marked as vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free.  I had the "Crispy fried True Cod" which the menu says is done with a rice-tempura.   These are served with amazingly delicious house cut fries and a cider vinegar sour cream rather than tartar sauce.  

My wife had the Margarita Lavosh pizza which was an absolute WIN. This is a pizza on a cracker thin crust.  I couldn't have been more pleased.  

If you need a space for a large party, they also have a gorgeous space upstairs for catered events.  We went to a birthday party not long after our lunch visit and found it to be exceptionally nice with excellent food and staff attention.  Even the owner came up and checked on us all again and again.
4 - Christina B.: Just stopped in for dinner with a friend. From the outside it looks like a strange extension of the medical center behind it, but inside it's very relaxed and cozy. I got the chicken ratatoullie lahvosh 'pizza' without the chicken--apples, fennel, zucchini with mozz and pesto on a cracker crust. It was good, and I loved the apples. Decent price, too. I'm a little person and I couldn't quite finish the whole thing, though I did my stomach a disservice by trying. My friend got the ancho chile and tomato soup to start, and fish and chips for his entree. He said he enjoyed everything a lot. I stole fries from him and can attest that they were really good: crispy, salty, greasy.

Service was attentive and nice. Maybe a little quick? Whatever. I enjoyed it and want to go back for breakfast sometime. I really appreciated the clear menu markings/categories. It's a wonderful relief to have a restaurant nearby I can go to with vegan, omnivore, or GF friends and have something we can all eat without cutting corners.
2 - Megan Y.: I wanted to really like 50 North because I live a couple blocks away, and it would be so convenient to meet up friends. I eyed it for a while when it was under construction and went the first night it opened. However, we were turned away because we didn't have a special "grand opening night" invitation. We asked if we could try the bar but was still turned away. I understand the need for training/testing out the logistics, but next time, have a special sign posted (on the door) to alert guests beforehand.

Anyway, a couple weeks later, I visited again. This time, it was very busy, so we offered to sit at the bar. We waited a while before being able to get the attention of the waitress even though there was only one other table. 

The menu selection reminded me of southern comfort food and seemed very appealing. Their Caesar Salad was very good; the croutons were excellent. For the main course, my boyfriend ordered the Classic Buttermilk Fried Chicken and I ordered the Smoked Bacon Bucatini. It was good but not amazing. We did not like the choice of veggies for the fried chicken, I believe it was Chinese Bok Choy, which makes for an odd combo. The bucatini was spicier than I expected but came in a very large portion, which was nice.

The decor is really trendy and inviting. However, it can get very crowded and loud. There were many families with children present at dinnertime. I wish the bar seating area was a bit bigger- it is quite cramped.

Overall, the food and service was alright, but it felt mostly overpriced. I had to ask for more water a couple times and got the attention of the bus boy to help bring us boxes. It took a long time to get our checks. Table service could definitely be improved.

Our shared salad and dinner (with only one drink) came out to be over $50. I may try their brunch another time, but probably not dinner again.
4 - gloria j.: Really nice place. Really yummy food. Great beer and wine selection (although their pours a bit mean). Lady owned and operated with lady cooks in the kitchen. Very nice staff. Cozy, relaxing space. 

Oh...and this place is wonderfully kid and veggie friendly, considering the meat-tastic and sophisticated menu.

This is a great addition to the the North East end's dining options. I just hope they make it as you don't really notice it from the out side.
2 - Victoria C.: Wow. I can't believe others have had (supposedly) better dining experiences than my two gfs and me. We came here for our ritual happy hour and my vegan friend was really excited to try the place out. Unfortunately, we were all pretty disappointed. The waitress seemed distracted and inattentive, the food was disgustingly greasy/oily, and it was just overall an ostentatious attempt at impressing, but it failed to impress.

PROS:
1. Free parking in the garage next door.

CONS:
1. Rude, inattentive waitress. I seriously had to flag her down for everything: ordering our food, getting more water, and getting our bill. It was like we didn't exist unless I flailed my hands and spoke up.

2. Greasy/oily food. What the heck is up with all this grease? First we shared the sweet potato fries. Five or six greasy fries (there was so much shine on them fries, Danny Zuko and Kinicki would have had a field day greasing that car) that were like mush. Crispy? No. Fried? Who knows? As my friend put it, "It's like eating baby food." Also, my farro salad had apples and pears. I thought they would be fresh. Nope, they were a failed attempt at roasted (?) fruit and again covered in oil. The calamari my friend got was also super soggy, under-fried/under-crispy and super greasy. Oh. Did I mention the food was greasy?

3. Bland food. As if the grease wasn't bad enough, my salad was meh. Tasted kind of like nothing. Definitely needed some salted nuts of some sort, or maybe some citrus.

4. Lame labels. You don't need to label things with "v" for vegan or "veg" for vegetarian. It's one thing if you have tons of options. It's another thing to label salad and cheese pizza. Come on, people.

I don't think we'll ever come back here again.
3 - Mike W.: My fiancee and I are on a new neighborhood try-every-breakfast-and-brunch-joint-that-we-can mission. We started at our regular place of Noah's Bagels (no review needed).

50 North is curious. It's in sort of a cursed location that has been 4 different Italian/pizza places since I've lived jn Ravenna. The new version is nicely laid out, but the decor is a bit off - trying to be downtown modern chic, with a strange "let's go for wood everything" furniture concept. Oh well, you don't eat the furniture. 

Breakfast was soso. It wasn't cheap, and there were only about 7 options to choose from, all of which were trying to have somewhat upscale metro ingredients like Tom Douglas' Lola. Thing was, the plates were small, and rather unexciting (I had a Joel's scramble). The food was well prepared, just sort of boring...more options and lower price would have been nice. 

The staff were very nice, and it was quiet and low key. I've heard dinner is really good there, so I'll give it another shot, but breakfast was forgettable.
4 - Erik V.: HH Review:

Great to try a new spot in search of a consistent, local HH.  Nice open space and very convenient with free parking next door, overall enjoyed the decor but nothing too special.

Served by the bartender who frequently checked up on us and was attentive to our needs.  Ordered corn beef sliders and fish n' chips, both of which were decent deals for $5.  Fish n' chips were flaky, light, and pleasantly surprising.  Fries were definitely not greasy and very hot.  Would order them again, +/- the sliders.

Food selection was broader than many HHs with all items $5 and the portions we saw looked like something you could make a decent meal of.

Thought the drink specials were the best deal, with cocktails, wine, AND beer all discounted - all with multiple options.  I love when there is an option to get whatever you may be in the mood for at a HH.  My gf's cocktail was tasty with fresh lime juice and I really enjoyed my $6 Pinot.  

Summary:  One of the better HHs in the area with a nice selection of cheaply priced plates at $5 each and a wide variety of beverages equally well-discounted.

Won't be our #1 spot but when we need a HH fix and don't feel like driving far, will head here.
1 - Jillian R.: DO NOT eat here. The terrible, bland food is not worth the food poisoning I came down with after giving this new place a shot.  Service was polite, but also slow, which is inexcusable given that we were the only patrons, and according to our server, it was due to a shift change in the kitchen.

I have been in the industry for 10 years and found this drab place to be mediocre at best, until I awoke several hours later with a terrible case of food poisoning, which only added insult to the poor experience my bf and I had.

Bottom line: AVOID!
5 - Peregrine S.: Warm Bluebird Grains Farms Farro Salad. Wow. Never felt so satisfied after a salad. And the staff is friendly!
4 - Andrew B.: Have eaten breakfast twice here.  Both times had great service, and deliciously prepared meal at a very fair price.
5 - G S.: This is a great neighborhood restaurant for NE Seattle folks. It's consistently good food, and great prices. 

We've had the chicken sandwich which has a great sauce, the hamburger and the salmon which was done perfectlly and was atop a leek and potoato puree. The sauce was very unique tasting and realy oustanding.

And the desserts are delish. We've had the chocolate fondue cake with whippepd cream - outta this world! And the banana cream pie was perfect.  Wow!

This food is not your run of the mill regular food, it's steps above with a great casual and family feel.

Great for kids.

Wait service is excellent and the owner is very nice and wants to make sure you walk away happy.

We'll definitely be back!  Can't wait for the next visit!
4 - Airy A.: Went here for Seattle Restaurant Week... the $28 prix fixe menu looked pretty sparse so I just got one of the $12 burgers. Sooooooooooooo good. Out of the 20 or so different burgers I've had in the city, this was by far the best.

Decor was cute and clean. Basically nobody was here though. Sad and empty. Service was fine and fast enough. 

Will be going back for more burgers.
2 - iheartfood s.: We went for Happy Hour last week.  It was disappointing--and expensive for happy hour food.  We ordered the calamari, goat cheese, pork sliders, and sweet potato fries.  The calamari was so greasy that the breading slid off and stuck to the plate--it was also flavorless.  The fries were just as greasy.  Both were tiny portions.  The goat cheese was fine but was the size of a quarter.  The slider was the best--tender and full of flavor.  All the plates were $5 and the portions were very small.  If you are looking for a good deal on happy hour with decent portions, head up the street to Pair.  Perhaps dinner is better, but happy hour was a dud.
4 - Annie S.: Nice setting. i went for breakfast, and at first was disappointed in the small selection. I ordered eggs and bacon with a bisquit. It was amazing. I sampled my friends food. Pancakes were great, doughnuts delicious, the omelettes were very strange combinations so i didnt try a bite of that. The kids meals were perfect size. best chichen strips I've tasted, at a good price. Only thing missing was a better selection of omelettes. I really wanted a california omlette.
3 - Tommy T.: We went the week it opened.  We have 3 little girls so dining out needs to be very 'kid friendly'.  We were not that impressed after dropping a benji on food.  Burger was ok.  Very limited kid menu, but I've heard it's been greatly improved, so we're open to giving it another shot.   We do miss Fondi because it was so predictable, but they tanked after turning into a McDonads (order when you get in at a counter..huh??)  This place is a good addition to the hood though.
4 - Vivi Y.: The place is pretty decent but not expensive in this area. Went their twice, and both of the time I liked the food. I like their pizza because they're crispy and it's pretty nice. 

And I love the box they put the check in~ My friends and I were totally clueless of what that was.
4 - Laura M.: 50 North is just around the corner from my house, so admittedly I've been there now about 4 times and will continue to go back as often as allowed.  My friends and I have enjoyed the food and the service and its location and style are impeccible.
It's fun to read other reviews and have to admit that those individuals with KIDS wanting a place to bring them, should NOT consider an establishment who has a GREAT bar/wine service. No offense, but personally I ENJOY not having tons of kids around (any more, mine are older now thankfully) and I most certainly wouldn't want to go to Olive Garden, Denny's or the other comparibles listed here.  There are plenty of other options for families and to be quite honest, you know where they are.  Stop trying to change every place to accomodate your style! Let some of us adults enjoy the ambiance and decor without having some child glaring at you over the next seat.  
I just hope they get more business and keep up the great service and food!  KUDOS.
4 - Jen B.: We went here for brunch, so can't speak to dinner. I got the omelet special, which was a bunch of fresh vegetables. It was divine- tons of fresh local veggies including purple cauliflower, which was quite pretty! There was a good cheddar melted on top. My other friends got the burger and fries, Caesar salad, and pancakes. and all were pleased. The fresh fruit they served was good too. They have a dedicated gluten-free menu and veggie and vegan options for those who are so inclined.

The only reason I took a star off is that the omelet was a bit too greasy for my taste, and the breakfast potatoes were super-greasy. The omelet was delicious and the potatoes definitely edible, but more oil/ butter than I would have liked.
2 - Tarah M.: I was excited to try this place after a friend from work sent a menu suggesting to come here for lunch.  50 North is certainly a decent place to get lunch.  Ample free parking, not packed like in U Village, friendly staff. But the food..that is what will get me to crash my diet and come back again and again for their tasty offerings.  Sadly, I don't think this place will fit the bill.

I ordered the farro salad after asking the recommendation of our waiter and he suggested I get this with an egg served on top.  I took him up on his suggestion and chose the fried egg over the poached egg.  What I received was a perfectly fried egg, with farro, beets, arugula salad...and a whole bunch of oil at the bottom of my dish.  Ick.  I was so turned off by the grease factor of this dish that when the server came back and saw all of the oil, he said he would have them make a completely new salad with a poached egg instead of the fried egg in ordrer to eliviate some of that grease.  What I received was the exact same salad but with the poached egg replacement.  The dish was so heavy that after several bites, I just stopped eating and waited for my friends to finish their dishes.  And speaking of their dishes, one who had the crab cakes said she felt they were too oily as well.  Hmm.  

I do admit that their service was great, considering their lackluster food.  My salad was comped at the suggestion of the manager and the waiter was really apologetic about my experience.  I just don't know if I would come here to try their other offerings if they're too heavy handed with the oil.
4 - Ariel Z.: We had a nice dinner here - a burger each, some cocktails, dessert, and an americano to round out the meal.  Service was cheerful, friendly, and efficient, and even though this seems like a rather trendy spot, there was absolutely nothing pretentious about the service.  I like that they make an effort to locally source their food, and the beef is grass-fed.  Even so, a burger with fries was only $12, which I think is pretty good, considering their efforts toward local and organic (and cage-free, in the case of eggs) food sourcing.  Menu items are clearly marked vegan and gluten-free, and their cocktail menu featured two cocktails that were part of a charity program - $1 donation to a lymphoma charity, I think, with each cocktail purchased.  You might say hey, it's just a $1, but it's not something I've seen in many other places, and if you're gonna order that $9 cocktail anyway (and I was definitely going to), it's nice to know that at least part of the money is going somewhere helpful, right?  I also noticed that they have a fairly large wine selection, a variety of cocktails, and other fun non-alcoholic drinks.  Something for everyone.

The burgers were tasty, if a little bit past "medium rare" (as requested), fries were great, and the cocktails were different and fun.  I also had the apple pie a la mode, and I was pleased to find that the pie actually tasted like apple, not just like cinnamon sugar like some other pies.  The crust was soft and crumbly, not the flaky kind, but it was chewy without being gummy.  My americano was served with a little pitcher of cream and some brown sugar cubes;  I love little touches like that.

The aesthetic of the restaurant is modern and rather trendy, but we liked it.  We took our time with dinner, and never felt rushed.  Free parking in the garage is also a plus.  It's nice to have a little spot like this close to home.  Sounds like brunch could be fun, too.
4 - Tamara D.: Fabulous menu and all natural, organic and clearly marked for people with dietary restrictions.  We had a burger (it was simple & fantastic), sweet potato fries that were probably the first time I've ever received a correct portion (as opposed to a heap o' fries), and a simple green salad with the most amazing citrus dressing.  The interior was beautiful and the seating very comfortable.  It might be our new favorite place.
3 - Barbara W.: Want this place to be so much better. First time I went we had amazing service and great food. Was raving about it to everyone. Went again and was disappointed with the food and the service was less than satisfactory. Seemed that they weren't working as a team and hated it there. Tried again for take out, was better food this time but the hipster wait staff is rude and seems to be "bothered" by any form of customer service. Please get new staff!
2 - Antione T.: This place is overrated. I really wanted to like this place but our first experience was terrible.

I had a beer and my wife had a Lemon Drop, she started to drink it and noticed that the was a huge chip right on the lip of the glass. Luckily she noticed it right away or she would have possibly cut her lip. She decided to just drink form the other side rather than return it for another.

So we ordered the calamari as an appetizer, she ordered the special of the day the filet mignon medium and I ordered their signature Buttermilk Fried Chicken.

The calamari was great and seasoned well, but when her steak came out it looked medium, but as she started to eat it she found that is was only medium on the out side edges and still raw and cold in the middle, and it wasn't seasoned well at all. I really was looking forward to trying their signature Buttermilk Fried Chicken. It looked good and was juicy but it was also really bland, but the potato's and the veggies were awesome.

So, over all out first experience was not a good one. The service was ok, but the food was bland. We eat in this area often and we really wanted to try this place since it was new to the area. Jak's Grill is always a sure bet and everything there is great, but a little bit more pricey. 

I think we might give this place one more chance, maybe for lunch, but not any time soon.
3 - Alex H.: I had high hopes for 50 North and maybe those high hopes will be affirmed if I choose to go to 50 North again, as it stands after my first visit tonight, I wasn't overly impressed. The decor was comfy and full of green tones(which is a personal favorite of mine), and the service was average as well. The food was disappointing, because it looked so delicious but the flavors I was anticipating just weren't there. This is my experience with one dish, the Chicken Piccata over a bed of pappardelle and artichokes. I'm not a fan of artichokes and hoped they would be a small part of the dish, but unfortunately the dish came topped with a fried artichoke(which was cold on the inside and had an unpleasant texture. And the artichokes' strong flavor permeated the white wine-butter sauce in a way that made it loose the classic piccata taste which I usually enjoy so much. The chicken, however being probably the biggest disappointment  because it came to the table looking perfectly golden brown with a light breading, and it was exactly that, chicken with a breading. My dinner partner ordered the  Bacon Bleu Burger which was a very nice burger with good flavor, though the fries got flaccid rather quickly. I do want to try more of the menu eventually and plan to be back to try more something new.

Besides my overall conceptual critique of the Piccata, we had good service and the menu and overall ambience of the restaurant makes me want to come back and give it another go.

One final comment is that it is very hard to distinguish that there is a restaurant in that complex, everyone I talk to never notices that there is actually a new restaurant there. The sign almost looks like the name of an apartment complex, and the structure of the building doesn't help.
4 - Michael D.: This place is just around the corner from where I live. I saw the restaurant go in and was excited to try it. I went here twice for lunch, first with a friend and then with my mother and aunt. Both times were excellent. The place wasn't jammed packed, the staff let us take our time, and the restaurant was ultra-conscious about my mother's allergy to canola oil. The food was also good, organic and local whenever possible. Unlike many restaurants, this place really cares for the customer and the prices are not outrageous. Definitely a better QPR than places in the U Village just across the street.
4 - Kelly S.: I love this place. The service is fantastic. The food is really good. Wonderful family friendly, local neighborhood restaurant. Their breakfast menu is quite good too. Don't miss the homemade donuts.
4 - T C.: I have been there 3 times and it is a solid place.  My 2 year old son likes it also.
4 - Tom B.: There's everything to like about this place. You don't think of finding good food in great abundance in this neighborhood; it's a busy retail corridor and 50N has done a great job carving out a space for themselves in amongst all the generic storefronts. And that's part of the surprising effect this place has on you--the way the sign looks, the fact that it's in a tilt-up office building full of dentists and whatnot, the fact that most of the restaurants in the area are either fast food or clustered around U-Villa--it all makes you wonder whether you're actually driving past a real restaurant when you're first looking for it.

But, really, there honestly is everything to like about this place. Big parking garage that's totally free. Floor to ceiling glass windows (and the ceilings, at that, are nice and high). Nice dark wood and polished metal everywhere. It feels like solid new construction done to a high level of quality. All the furniture is kind of understated and matchy; given that the light in here is really only interesting when it's beaming through the windows from outside, you do kind of feel like you could be anywhere, but, to be clear, that would be anywhere nice, not just any old anywhere.

The people are super friendly. They seem really warm and genuine. The managers wear their own clothes, the staff are all in black. Very welcoming vibe. We came in for a medium-sized group birthday dinner and they took everything in stride, despite having no tables for anybody unwilling to wait at least 45 minutes. 

Nice single-card menus and wine list, printed in a matter-of-factly stylish way. The beers are well chosen, half local. Lots of nice wines from all over, but mostly American. Fairly serious effort at a cocktail list--not my area of expertise, but lots of good things happening there. They ran out of clean martini glasses, which did seem a little peculiar, but they served one in an executive glass to decent effect.

We had hazelnut crusted goat cheese, calamari, and scallops to start. The goat cheese was nice; spread on vegetable chips for good flavor. The calamari was about 98% batter. Didn't get a scallop but they looked and smelled pretty spectacular. They forget my order of mussels, but didn't charge for it, and I ended up full, so that's a non-issue. 

For dinner we had a bunch of different things; I got bites of the Iconic Burger (very nice; great fries), and the fried chicken--beautifully cooked, but seemingly unseasoned. I had the pomegranate short ribs, which had awesome fruit flavor against a nicely roasted rich meat. All of these entrees were either very good or very near very good; no stragglers but no real stars either.

The desserts really were pretty spectacular. Great apple pie with chewy apple slices and great crust; amazing chocolate cream pie and genuinely good red velvet cake (red velvet cake rarely reaches any real heights; most places seem to be content to serve it for visual impact alone). 

Bottom line, this is a very serviceable, somewhat neighborhood-y joint that doesn't get too overly chummy with your credit card. I could certainly see visiting again. I don't know that I'll go out of my way for my next visit, but if gravitational forces move me this way again I won't complain.
3 - Nicole F.: Great service, friendly staff.  We came here because we heard they had an ample gluten free menu.  Hmmm, ample being the operative word here, because we wouldn't describe it as such.  If you aren't totally into seafood, then there isn't much choice here for entrees, and for all of us gf'ers you know how sick we get of eating salads!  Not even a gf chicken dish. I ordered the pork---but the pork itself was divided up into 8 tiny pieces--the rest of the plate was engulfed with polenta and kale.  I'm sorry, but if I'm going to pay $19 for dinner, I want a little more meat for my money.  I second the free parking--that's a great perk. And personally, when there's only 1 other party in the restaurant, sit us in a freakin' booth already, not at a tiny 2 top table.  I think more people would frequent this place if they would seat people in booths when the restaurant is empty and expand their gf options.
5 - Dustin B.: The best dessert in the world... seriously it is the best Banana Cream Pie I have ever had.  Not only the pudding great but then it hits you with an Oreo crust with Carmel!  What !!!!!!!!!  Worlds collide as you savor this great dessert!

ps - That is the only thing we had there.
5 - Red B.: Definitely one of my favorite restaurants. My girlfriend and I first ate at 50 North on their opening night thanks to an invite from the owner who passed out invitations at my girlfriend's work. It was an amazing dinner, far exceeding my expectations.

First of all, the look and feel of the restaurant is absolutely perfect. Very modern and classy. (Think Kid Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness" music video, minus the spraying of champagne and confetti of course). Very nice without the whole feeling of needing to be uncommonly proper. The waiter seated us quickly and kept us entertained throughout the night far exceeding the typical "What would you like? Coming right up" relationship that you normally experience at any restaurant.

At the bar, they were showing some sort of sports game that I can't remember. Football maybe. Not too sure, but whatever, not important.

I ordered the Iconic Burger with the Caesar Salad while my girlfriend chose the Chicken. The burger was perfectly made and the fries were delicious. Each meal is served with complementary bread. Whatever sauce they gave with it is pretty much the best thing I've ever put on a little slice of bread. As far as the salad goes, it was delicious. The croutons tasted homemade, or at least well disguised as just that because I've never had any crouton that good before. Soft, yet crunchy with a perfect flavor.

Why am I obsessing over a crouton? Because 50 North does all the little things perfectly. In addition, all the prices are very reasonable. Nothing much over $20 and if it is, it's well worth it. Our bill ended up being roughly $50 or $60 and we threw in a $20 tip because we were so pleased with how it all went. From the friendly service, to the delicious food and the refreshing atmosphere, this has become my favorite restaurant in the area by far.
3 - Ryan T.: All I can really say is that it's ok...my girlfriend was ok with it but I was a little more judgmental , maybe I need another experience ...
4 - Q L.: I was surprised how empty this place was when I arrived.  It did seem a little bit out of the way, but close to the University.

The staff was very attentive (but again, the place was pretty empty).

HUGE points for the gluten free menu!...and not just that, the food was really delicious.  The reason for 4 stars instead ofthe 5....the salmon was pretty undercooked for my taste, the center was about raw.

Definitely try the special cocktails...the bluberry and lavendar was amazing!
Also.....I would have had the short ribs as a full size instead of the appetizer if I could do it all over again.  The short ribs were so tender and tasty.  Everything just appears to be of great quality!

I liked the modern look of the place and the color scheme as well.
4 - Adrienne D.: I thought this place was quite yummy! My friend and I stopped for a late lunch on a Saturday while shopping at U-Village. The service was friendly (although our waiter was very awkward) and the menu was great with a nice variety of seasonal offerings. Being that I am a gluten free eater, I loved that they had a seperate menu of choices just for me. For the first time I had Gluten Free crabcakes and an amazing fresh salad. Both items were delish! My friend loved her lunch too.
5 - mike t.: Ate here last night with my girlfriend. Pleasant experience from the host stand to paying our check. Carson, our server, perfectly managed checking in with our table and offered spot on suggestions. Can't believe it wasn't more crowded when we went. I will definitely be back! Oh and great variety on the menu, was hard for me to choose what to get. Went with the bleu burger and didn't regret it.
3 - Anton Z.: New find near the UW.  We were looking for a lunch place in the later afternoon on a Sunday, and my partner suggested we try this place out.  We found it (the parking garage is a tight squeeze for our Prius), and were surprised with how empty the place was.  Service started out really slow, and it took a while for them to come find us and take our order.

I ordered the burger, which was actually really well cooked and tasty.  The fries were fried a few times, so they were nice a crispy.  My partner had the steak salad, which looked really good but had lots of liquid, and wasn't quite what we expected.

Overall we want to try it again, and I'm excited to try their happy hour menu!
1 - Elizabeth C.: Damn, another mediocre restaurant near the Village. Who needs it? I was stoked when I read the menu online. Nice people, made a reservation with no problems. That's where it ends...
Walk into this place stinking of perfume and flesh. The bar is right next to the entrance and they are LOUD!!!. Booths line the windows and scattered through the center are your standard tables. The bar is packed with meat marketeers the booths are packed with genex parents and their screeming whelps. And the frickin fruit flies are everywhere. Clean your restaurant! My husband and I sit for the meal, order the spinach salad and the goat cheese appetizer. Eh, nothing special. The Taro chips and compote are the only redeeming thing on the plate. I order the bolognese. He gets the andouille pizza. They both suck. The only thing worth the money was the wine 2006 Pinot Noir. If it wasn't for everything else. I could have at least enjoyed a nice glass of wine. Then a fruit fly flew in my nose. So done and not happy.
3 - Yiling W.: Really nice place for a healthyish brunch lounging outside before you go to Julep salon with your girlfriends.
4 - Danielle C.: I wish that I could give 4.5, the 50 North burger earns five stars from me. Quite possibly the best 'fancy' burger I have ever had. I love that they use local, grass fed beef in their burgers. Everything about this burger is amazing, the shiitake mushrooms and bun are perfect.

Service is very good and attentive. The dining room is decorated in a clean, modern style.

Seriously love this place, plus they support the local team. On Husky football game days they do food specials (purple and gold fries).
5 - Dennis D.: Really good food! I'm WAY impressed with the quality.
Shouldn't really be a surprise though considering their sister-store is Vashon's "The Hardware Store", which is in itself an awesome place to go. (The best on the island, IMHO).
2 - marnie s.: I have eaten here four times. The first time it had just opened so I put the mediocre food and bad service in the category of first restaurant jitters.  The second time I went for brunch and it was decent. The third time...terrible. But the fourth put the nail in the coffin.  Dirty dishes and napkins, inconsistent quality, slow service in an empty restaurant.  It's over.
2 - Shauna N.: Always empty but the SLOWEST service. The first time I went they had run out of martini olives and they made me a Grey Goose martini with KALAMATA olives, saying it would taste the same. It didnt.

Second time I went, same slow service but the chef made a last minute special that was pretty good. Oh and the mussels are pretty good as well.

I dont think i'll be going back a 3rd time
5 - Emily S.: Great food, awesome staff! Great alternative to the chaos in UVillage
4 - Sara H.: This place is pretty sweeett!!! I'm not sure about the prices because I went here for a private event but there was good parking, the hamburgers were super tender and juicy, and the glasses of wine had more than generous pours!!  The location is only a block away from mama melinas but i liked the atmosphere a lot more for a gathering because there was a bar area as well as tables to stand at and booths....overall very chill place go check it out!
4 - karen b.: What a nice surprise. What a  treat!
Our steaks and au gratin potatoes were truly fabulous . . .
. . . . no, they were Beyond fabulous.

Based on great reviews on a the web, we went to 50 North last night for the first time.  The restaurant was nice looking from the outside, modern with cool flamelike installations in the gardens.  Reminded me of restaurants you would see in southern California.  

We started with calamari.  I thought it was a little salty.  Boyfriend didn't.  It was ok, kinda a small portion, but tender and just ok.

We ordered a Caesar salad.  Waiter split it onto two plates without our asking, so that was nice.  The romaine was cold and crisp, but I felt it was too light on the dressing.  And the dressing wasn't tangy like a good Caesar dressing should. It as lackluster. 

The bread was tasty, but a very small serving.  The"loaf" was only about 4" x 2", sliced into 3 pieces.  It came with olive oil and balsamic and they were ok, but there was too much balsamic in relation to the amount of oil.  However we asked for a second "loaf" and the oil/vinegar ratio was right that time. (We had to ask for more bread, it was not offered). 

The service from our waiter was quite lacking. We saw many waiters walking their sections, checking on their tables repeatedly. But our waiter  disappeared for most of our stay.  However, when we asked him for suggestions, we felt he gave us good, unbiased explanations and we appreciated his candor and opinion.

At this point we were not very excited about the restaurant and wondered what all the rave reviews were about.

And then the entree showed up ... we both ordered New York steak, rare, and it was servied with au gratin potatoes.  

THEY WERE DELICIOUS.
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS.

We are foodies.   And we are excellent cooks. And this steak was delicious and perfectly cooked. Perfectly rare.  With a tasty butter/sun dried tomato topping on top.  And the extra bonus, it is grass fed beef, no icky chemicals and herbacids and anti-boiotics.  
 
And the potatoes were just as absolutely delicious as well.  Really something to rave about.  However, they look really weird. A big square (4" x 5" x 1") of a beige blob.  We didn't know what it was at first, kind of looked like a big piece of fat.  But then we tasted it and t was delicious. I haven't had anything quite like it before. Creamy sauce and yet firm potatoes, all at the same time.  It really was excellent.  

And the portions were huge.  We  we both had a lot of left overs of both steak the the potatoes.  When I woke this morning I started thinking about the left over steak and the potatoes in anticipation and my mouth watered. We finished them about an hour ago, and they were just as delicious as last night.
5 - Bob S.: What a nice evening. The service was impeccible! Our server "Smitt" was so observant to our needs that it made dining at 50 North something that we will highly recommend to others. Fact - did so the next day.
Seven of us w/ 3 separte checks and not one peep of extra effort from our server. Just a cordial "no problem, will have it done right away, attitude."
We ordered the Fried chicken dinners. Highly recommended...the veggies, carrots & spinach were crisp and tastful. Whipped, mashed potatoes held much flavor and the Chicken (range free) was so delicious. 

Other orders: Blue Cheese Burger w/ fries and Bacon Burger w/ same. When served all one could do was to hope the fries would be shared! They were and just darn good.

Wine selection: Mostly local, great cab w/ H3, pinot gris superb and a nice house bubbling rose!l Beers too and excellent recommendations by our server in that regard. 

Room for desert?  Wish we had some b/c the selection look yummy and affordable.

Would we come back..You Bet! Thanks to a memorable great evening.
1 - Nicole W.: Okay, let me tell you that this place would have gotten a better review by me if the service here wasn't so sh*tty. My girlfriends and I came here for a friends 21st birthday dinner a day before. The place looks amazing walking in and its pretty tiny if you take the time to look around and realize, "wow, this place is kind of small/cozy." So we get sat at a booth for 7 and our server comes up to us and seems nice and happy to greet us, took our order and everything was fine. Drops off our waters and I was the only one legal to drink so I asked if I could order something to drink. His body language and facial expression was disturbing and not because he needed to check my ID and I'm tiny (trust me, I'm defiantly 21. I get it all the time being carded) but the fact that he was lazy to go and get it that he made me wait awhile. At that moment hey, maybe he was super busy or came across some needy customers that keeps him from going back and forth all the time. But the place wasn't even busy. He made a fit about how I should have ordered it when we put the food order in, whatever dude. Our food came out and it was good. Finished up and the server came over again and he seemed fine. Which was weird..As if he had a sudden mood change that we were about almost finished. We ended up waiting there a little bit longer and asked for our tab. He drops it off in one tab and for all the girls at the table as waitresses we don't mind splitting it evenly but the guy was pissed off and couldn't do that for us. So we asked to have it split up and he even made a bigger deal about that, that he even sat at the table and jotted down everyone's food order for each tab! WTF dude, as a server you shouldn't have a problem about it since this is affecting your tip! And also that you should already know who had what food since we were a pretty easy table. We finally figured it out the reason why he was so upset, "Parties of 8 or more are gratuity" on the menu. Probably thinking that "Damn, these group of females are going to sh*t tip me so therefore I shouldn't care and half a smile when I need to." Sorry Mr. but if you would have respected us and treated your guest with some respect we would have left you a 20%+ tip, but you decided to go and blow it by being a butt head. As a server I give a lot of people the benefit of the doubt by judging on how busy or how decent the service is and I'll be willing to give a good tip no matter what because I know how it feels, but if attitude is involved, scratch that this is your tip HAVE A BETTER ATTITUDE OR NO TIP! Karma.
4 - Jackie turner T.: 50 North is the gem of the U District. My favorite entree is the perfectly seasoned southern fried chicken. The meat is simultaneously juicy and crispy. For dessert, I enjoy the banana cream pie or the creme brulee. The banana cream pie is up there with my favorite version by Emeril. Thankfully this slice does not require a flight!

I agree with the other reviewers that the service can be slow. They definitely need more staff on hand.
3 - Carolyn S.: The hostess, who I believe is the owner also, was very pleasant. The service in general was not as attentive as I would hope for. I usually order Chardonnay and the least expensive was $10 a glass - quite pricey given the menu. We ordered burgers and fries - the burgers were great, but the fries were quite greasy and limp. The dessert - an apple pie was fantastic. In general, I found that menu was priced a bit more than matched the quality of the food. With so many restaurants to choose from, this wouldn't be one that I would return to as there was nothing that truly set the place apart from others in the same price range.
4 - Dustin S.: Great place.  Friendly, warm atmosphere. I spotted something wrong with my order (salad dressing preference...very minor) and they had a new one out to me in under 5 minutes.  Food was delicious.
3 - Angie B.: At last something new in this area of town with a little more menu variety & a nice (but still family friendly) sit-down atmosphere. 

I'll reserve a higher star ranking for another visit or two, but based on a recent lunch visit, I'd say it's A-OK. 

The hostess/servers seemed to be "in training" & a bit unsure of themselves, but that was just a general observation - not something that caused specific errors or problems.
1 - Chris R.: Hmm ... something interesting is going on here. The reviewers either love the food or hate it. My experience was in the hate camp unfortunately. The cook clearly had no clue what he/she was doing. Cold toast, half cooked potatoes, funny tasting sausages (could barely swallow the first bite) and terrible coffee. Ambience is quite nice though so maybe alright for after work drinks. 

PS. Judging from other reviews I suspect the problem with this place is consistency. So if you're going for the first time be prepared for the worst is all I can say. Dont do breakfast here for sure. Even a Dennys would be a much better choice.
4 - Darrel C.: My first visit last evening about 6:45. I'd say the restaurant was about 3/4 full, so the hostess offered to seat me at a small table in the bar area. Good choice. The bartender was my waitperson, and after he served my Manhattan, he brought an ample dish of crispy potato chips. I had the roasted beet salad and fish & chips: all were fine and exceeded my expectations. I looked out across the dining area and saw single people, pairs, and families, and all seemed to be enjoying [no scowls or arm waving to get someone's attention]. I rate 50 North as comparable to another fave spot: Sand Point Grill, although in the latter it can be very difficult to be seated on Friday evenings.
4 - CARY T.: Surprisingly good food - we thought the banana cream pie was great.  The atmosphere is a little hotel-ish, but the service was friendly.  Nicely accommodating for gluten-free diets and vegetarians, which made ordering easy. We found the setting family friendly, and our waitress was very helpful.  Exceeded our expectations.
4 - Erin D.: I loved the food I got--the risotto & the wedge salad, and the lavosh pizza on another occasion (not sure if they still have it anymore, however :(  ). 

You could take a friend for happy hour and you could also take your family & kids here, too, but it doesn't feel like Red Robin. That said, the design choices in the restaurant are a little confusing--I think they were going for mod, slightly fancier than casual, but I'm not sure their patterns on the seats & throughout the rest of the place go well together. I think I notice these things more often if they are trying to be more design-conscious, rather than if they gave up on those things altogether!
4 - Mona S.: I loved this place. Went here with a group of people and everyone seemed to really enjoy their dish. For appetizer, we had the hazelnut crusted goat cheese, which was delicious. I had the Farro and beet salad, which was very good. Other had the Wild Mushroom Ragout, Salmon, and the Scallops. 
As other Yelpers have stated, their Banana creme pie is to die for. I am not even a huge fan of traditional banana creme pie, but this one is not made with vanilla wafers. They use a chocolate base which contrasts perfectly with the lightness of the pie. I also tried the chocolate soufle, which a bit too dark and rich, but still good. 
I would love to come back.
3 - Craig Z.: Food was a solid 4-stars but the service was only a 2. Waiter was nice and polite but messed up my daughter's order (mini-cheeseburger with fries and milk came as hamburgers with fruit and no milk). Throughout the meal if we didn't ask twice, we didn't get it. That said, the reuben was really good and the fries tasted fresh and homemade. I prefer Grace Kitchen, but this place is easier to get a table.
4 - Robert C.: Had breakfast with my SO and a couple of the kids a couple months back.
Good but not over the top good. Our server was awesome, and the doughnuts were excellent.

We will return if in the area.
5 - David C.: Went here with my Dad.  He had blueberry pancakes, and I had the beet salad and a cup of soup.  Not sure what was in the beet salad, it was a wheat berry or something, but it could have been crack, as it was addictive!  The soup was fresh and tasty, with obvious fresh vegetables (al dente carrots).  

Wait staff was attentive and friendly.  They added blueberries to the pancakes even though it wasn't on the menu.  Great place.

I like the bar setting as well.  Seems like a place you could go comfortablye watch a game, or take the family.  A nice job and a great place to eat!
2 - Susan M.: Food just OK, and service was awful.  Waited too long at every point (to be waited on, to get the food, to get the check.)  Certainly any place that is trying to be family-friendly needs to be a bit quicker.  Will not come back.
4 - J K.: Good food.  Good service.  Not too expensive.  The atmosphere is a little cold but whatevs.
4 - Lisa B.: I really like this place and I hope they stick around. Food is consistently good, atmosphere is nice but low-key, service is quality. I think their happy hour is generous even if other meals can be a tad pricey. Love the sweet potato fries - I feel like I'm eating my veggies rather than just salt and fat.  Pulled pork sliders were also tasty. There is outdoor patio seating for summer weather.
5 - John C.: Wonderful place!

Food is nice and borderline upscale, but without the price. 
First I ordered one of their specialty cocktails super delicious, had a nice flat bread pizza another drink and then Desert. They have these beautiful homemade donuts that are quite possibly the best donuts I have ever had. Jesse (one of their servers) is super attentive but not overbearing, very friendly but does not linger longer then he needs to. Great place cant wait to try this place again.
2 - Adrienne N.: We stopped here for lunch on a recent trip to Seattle to visit the family.  It was only a week ago but this place has already faded in my memory.  I had to ask my boyfriend to remind me which restaurant this was.  It doesn't stick out as great but it also doesn't stick out as particularly bad.  I did get a coupon for checking in here via Yelp on my phone.
5 - Victoria C.: My new favorite seattle restaurant!  My first experience I was highly impressed.  I went to the bar and had a knowledgable guy who could even tell me details on every item on the menu.  I had 3 appetizers and discovered my an amazing red: H3 label.  Have been aback a few times and still need to eat breakfast there.  Super excited!
3 - Adrienne R.: I went for a lunch by myself. The service was friendly and prompt, and for the most part I was left alone while I read.

The menu emphasizes their vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. However, I find the food a little on the pricey side. It seems as though because they are offering trendy food, they can ask more for it. However, I didn't really feel the quality of the food rated the cost.

I had the artistic skillet and coffee to drink. The jam to go on my multigrain bread was delicious and the bread was yummy. It came with okay potatoes. The egg and vegetables were quite good. The tofu was pretty good and the coffee was good.

Overall, while this was recommended somewhere, someplace to make it on my "try list," it wasn't really that good.
3 - Kathleen F.: Stopped in here for lunch recently after a nail appointment around the corner.  To start we tried the donuts which were $1 each and pretty good.  My one qualm is that they were not served warm which I thought was a downfall.  Our waiter was nice but service was super slow at lunch time.  We ordered some cocktails and he had to go to the bar to make the drinks himself which took a little extra time.  I did love my cocktail though-the watermelon martini-it as the perfect summer drink.

The food took a very long time to come out.  I tried the burger which was delicious and juicy.  Not the best burger I've had but probably a 3.5 star burger.  The greens that I got on the side were delicious though so I'd imagine their salads are pretty good (did not try a full salad though). 

I would probably try this place again while in Seattle but maybe for dinner instead of lunch since it seemed like the timing issue could have been due to lunch being a slower time for them and not being staff appropriately.
4 - S B.: Really friendly staff, good prices. Initially came here for steak and drinks when they first opened. Recently discovered they have great breakfast.

501 Diner - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9223713, -79.0255678) ()
3 - Smanda P.: From the owners of the Carolina Coffee Shop on Franklin, Owens 501 diner serves similar fare. IT's a little greasy, but overall, a good experience. I'd recommend the corn flake french toast, which I'm sure is horrible for you, but it's soooo tasty. 
Typical 50's diner style: booths, checkered floors and walls, vintage photos, etc.
2 - Claire N.: This place is hit-and-miss.  It is one of the few places in Chapel Hill or Durham to get breakfast.  The menu is average for breakfast fare.  It's stuff I can make at home, but it's nice for someone else to make it for you.  There have been a couple of times that we got a good waitperson, and there has been at least once (I think it was the last time I went) that the waiter was terrible.  I haven't been back since, but I don't go out much for breakfast anymore.
3 - Sharon L.: Only been there once so far, but good down home food experience. Red potato mashed potatoes...very creamy and not too salty. Meatloaf was great! Very moist, but not mushy.  Mac and cheese better than box, but not stellar.  $7.50 for a large plate of food.  The decor is classic diner...so kind of fun atmosphere. I'd go back when in the mood for some comfort food.
3 - Christina G.: Looks and feels like a diner ("would you like some flies with that?"). Ok, it's not completely scuzzy but it's definitely less comfortable to eat in than fellow brunch joints Breadmen's or Elmo's. The booths have weird hard lumps in them and the floors and counters have grime collected from years of being in business. Still, it's a kitschy place to come get brunch on a Sunday (the typical fare you'd expect, with some things done better than others -- the hashbrowns are fresh potatoes with herbs, the sausage links are big thick dense logs of meat [ahem] with little spice or seasoning).

Local art for sale on the walls, which I always enjoy seeing businesses taking part in. I wouldn't recommend venturing out here on a weekend if the weather is bad, since there's virtually  no lobby area inside and only one covered bench outside.
3 - William J.: I've hit this place a couple of times when I crashed with people on Ephesus Church Road... It's near to them so it's their preferred breakfast joint in the same way that north campus people tend to go for Ye Olde.

I wasn't terribly impressed with the place's atmosphere, which was a little grungy, but I have to admit the diner theme was consistent and it did grow on me by the end of the meal.  The menu was nothing surprising, but the food was unexpectedly quality, especially the eggs (it's really hard for me to find an over-well egg that suits my fancy, but these guys did remarkably well).

The prices were better than most and the service was unobtrusive but efficient.
4 - Henry S.: So my review is biased, because I only ever get one thing at 501 Diner, but I really like going here. The cornflake french toast is to die for here, and is probably the best french toast I've ever had. No, 501 Diner isn't the nicest restaurant, and the service may be spotty, but the corn flake french toast brings me back every time. My friends' food always looks good too, and I know a lot of people that are huge fans, so I'd give it at least one try (for the french toast)
3 - Adrienne E.: 501 Diner is definitely not my favorite breakfast place in Chapel Hill, but it's acceptable if everything else is too busy. I've been a few times when the service was atrocious, but the food is pretty decent. The french toast is delicious, and I also like their hashbrowns. The space itself is kind of cramped, and depending on your luck and timing you could either get seated at a teeny little two-top or a nice spacious booth. It never really feels completely clean, either. On the plus side, prices are reasonable and the retro decor has its charm. I've never been for lunch, so I can't comment on that, but there are far better breakfasts in the area.
2 - Ben M.: Pretty much your typical greasy spoon, 50's-style, good for a hangover diner.  The food will come out ready go clog the arteries, slightly over-priced, and thoroughly acceptable.  The burgers are good, but even chains like Five Guys  and Hardee's will do you better.  

Nestled in the awkward intersection around the Trader Joe's, you'll find getting into the parking lot on a weekend won't be much of a problem, but getting back out means dealing with the nonsense that comes off of 501 and into the shopping center behind the diner and vice versa.

If you happen to be trying this on a game day at Carolina, it's even more frustrating.  It actually wouldn't be so bad if the food made the annoyance worth it, but there's a lot better you can do in the area for breakfasts, lunches, brunches, dinners, and late night eating.
3 - Martin O.: I tried the Corn Flakes French Toast which was unique. The portion was a bit small but I also had a few pieces of bacon from my W's eggs and bacon order. 

Overall, a nice breakfast before going to Trader Joe's.
3 - Sam T.: 501 is never my first choice when we go out, but maybe a fall back or second choice. The food is okay, not great, the service is okay, not great, about how you would expect from a diner. I think the decor is really cool, very diner-y, checkered floors, etc (even though the took out the cool truck in the back!). Food sometimes takes a while, especially when it is packed on game day or something. I would rather go to Breadman's or Elmo's.
2 - Debby T.: The food is nothing spectacular.   A little pricier and not quite as satisfying as Denny's.  Of course, there's no Denny's around for most to compare.  

I guess the folklore of the place, that's it's some sort of Chapel Hill institution makes it "cool".  But quite honestly, the hype was a bit much.

I'm particularly annoyed at the moment because of the lack of customer service.  Not like in the past I'd been wowed or anything, but it was unremarkable at best.  Last week I had a rare child-free morning.  I popped in at 10 a.m. with a major hankering for a BLT (minus the B) and some diner fries.

Five minutes went by and I wasn't acknowledged, then 10.  I pinched myself to make sure I wasn't invisible that day.  Indeed I was not.  Another customer arrived.  A server walked by me three times in this timeframe, I even said "goodmorning" once.  After about 3 or 4 minutes the second customer looked at me and said "I guess they aren't taking names this morning".  I told him I'd been waiting over 15 minutes (and they weren't full at all, I could see several open tables plus the bar).  I'd finally had enough and left, so did the other guy.

I don't think I'll be going back.  I'd rather drive a few extra miles to Elmos and be acknowledged.
4 - Cristina K.: So here's what I have to say about this place: Corn Flake French Toast. Order it. Wait for it. Examine it. Smell it. Smear it with butter. Apply maple syrup. Appreciate its aesthetic beauty. Behold the perfect dusting of powdered sugar. Note the freshness of the perfectly sliced fresh strawberries. Smile at the crunchy sweetness before you. Corn Flakes and French Toast? Who's the freakin' genius? This was the best French Toast ever. I mean ever. Really. No really. 
My fiance ordered the chili cheeseburger. Another couple with us ordered the biscuits and gravy and an omelet. We all left very happy to have avoided the 1.5 hour wait and the uber-snooty Weathervane where our brunch plans had begun. Yay- Corn Flake French Toast!
3 - jennifer s.: This is a nice place to go for breakfast, and the place I usually go when I have out of town guests (particularly family). I almost always order the breakfast burrito, though I am partial to the veggie burger as well. Once I had the tomato soup, which was very good, and a nice big piece of cornbread.
2 - Jennifer W.: We go here because it is close. The service can be great or awful, so I can't say much about that. The food is overpriced for how boring it is. If there were more breakfast locations in Chapel Hill I would never go here again. 
And the Corn Flake French Toast, at least when I ordered it, was super soggy and gross. Would you want to eat a bowl of corn flakes that had been left out too long?
After being disappointed with their breakfast burrito, I just order the overpriced eye-opener now.
3 - Lori H.: We are so spoiled here in Philadelphia with Sabrinas, Morning Glory, & Honey's Sit-N-Eat that these are the standards I hold a great brunch to.  I got the biscuits and sausage gravy along with a side of eggs over easy.  Good but not great.  Fiance had the breakfast burrito - didn't elicit any oohs or ahhs.  Service was good - friendly and responsive.  Loved the kitsch on the walls - and the fact that one of their staff shirts was printed on a tie-die.  Not bad for just picking a place randomly off of the GPS.
3 - James M.: I had the steak and eggs. It was pretty good.  The hashbrowns come as chunks of potatoes mixed with grilled peppers and onions but the potatoes arnt shredded.  They were good though.  The steak was a little drier than I would have liked but all in all it was tastey.  It was also a little more expensive than I would like for a breakfast place.  The meals were around $10 depending on what you ordered.

I went on a sunday and it was full.  I ate alone so I didnt have to wait long but larger groups definitely were gonna be 20+ min.
3 - Samantha E.: Pretty good diner food and an alternative brunch spot that not many students visit.
3 - L Z.: My family was visiting for the Easter weekend and we wanted something that was close and we didn't have to fight for parking. We decided to stop by 501 diner because it always seems to be busy.

Wait staff was very friendly and provided quick service. The potatoes were delicious! There was lots of food and everyone said it was good. 

Would recommend if you're looking for a diner type place, with good portions and quick service.
2 - Dirk C.: Used to have good food, but pricey for a diner. Now, it's just pricey for a diner. The decline is showing up in the emptier parking lot, too.
3 - Mei O.: We thought it would be nice to get the Sunday paper and clog up the arteries with brunch from a diner, so we stopped here to see what the scene was. It was meh. The menu wasn't too rich with options, but it had your standard eggs/omelets/baked goods fare. We had to wait about 10 minutes to be seated, and then we were promptly ignored for about 15 minutes until Andrew asked if we were going to get served. Especially because two tables around us were seated later and had already placed their orders. Our server was apologetic and comped the coffee, but I don't think he was covering more than 5 tables. 

The food, overall: Not bad, not great. I got the breakfast burrito, and only one half had veggies in it, but the tomato balsamic dressing that came on the side was pretty tasty. Andrew's pancakes were decent, but not of much note.
4 - Joe M.: These guys do dinner as well M-F 8pm close. I had the best NY Strip steak here last night. It's worth going back.
3 - Patricia G.: It's ok.  My husband likes it more than I do I think, because of the lox bagel.  I'm more of a bacon and eggs kind of girl, and their grits (by which all breakfast places are judged) leave something to be desired.  Never had lunch there, only breakfast, but the menu looks interesting, and I like the changing specials list.  The corn flake french toast is worth a try too, if you're looking for your diabetic coma fix.  Not big on the biscuits and gravy though, they use link sausage for it, which is odd, in my opinion, but the biscuits are good.  Try it, they're local and varied.  It's not quite good enough to be a regular stop for us though.
3 - B R.: a week ago we ate dinner at 501 and found the food lacked taste (I would heavily recommend against eating at 501 for lunch/dinner).  We only came back because we had another Groupon.  This time, we tried breakfast.  The breakfast at 501 is better than their lunch/dinner.  We tried the biscuits and gravy (okay), french toast (very good), the eye opener (bacon, hash, eggs, biscuit - good), and the daily breakfast strata (average..but lacked flavor).

Service seems to be a constant problem here (based on both our experiences and from other reviews)...we had to call out the waitress for things we needed.

Thus, if you have to eat at 501, eat breakfast there.  But there are plenty of other good options in Chapel Hill.  I hate to admit this as we used to be fans of the restaurant when it was Owens 501 diner several years ago.
2 - Cherry M.: My partner and I went there for breakfast this morning. We were seated promptly and got our order in in a reasonable time.  The food is a little overpriced, and the food left something to be desired. I got a pancake and hashbrowns. The pancake was ok, I did not like the "hashbrowns", however. When i think of hashbrowns I think shredded potatoes that are fried into a pancake. 501 Diner's hashbrowns are little potato cubes that are cooked until soft with a minute bit of seasoning and some onions. They were bland and left me feeling really disappointed. 

We won't be coming back.
1 - Aaron J.: So I came into this place a couple weeks ago because some friends wanted to grab breakfast on a Sunday. I must say I was completely blown away. I loved the 50's diner feel and the friendly....but that's about it. The staff was really busy so I didn't mind the wait so much and I arrived before my party of four so I expected to wait a hot minute. When the rest of my party arrived however we waited and waited....and waited. After finally getting our orders taken we played the waiting game again. I didn't mind waiting so much as that our drinks were never refilled. The waitress pretty much ignored our table until our food was just about to come out. By this time I was starving so seeing the food on the tucked way food bar in the back I became elated until.....the waitress cleaning the bar off with a bar towel proceeds to use the SAME bar towel to wipe of my plate (I guess it was still wet from washing) and set the food on the plate!!! I immediately told the waitress my friends and I were leaving AND why. She replies..."oh..."
Needless to say I will never come back or recommend this place!

510 Skateboarding - Berkeley, CA (37.8651295, -122.258423) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
5 - Aspasia S.: A very cool, hip, grundge, and simply eclectic clothing store!

I noticed the 510 store sign across the street today.  My son and I browsed through, I wanted him to shop for his birthday, he was hesitant, but I was insistent.

Reminds me of a Haight Street store like Villains or others.  Yet, this place was peaceful and calm, nestled in the corner of Telegraph and some other Berkeley Street.  The selections are one of a kind, unique while grundgly dignified.
_
It was predominantly a hip male store, with some femme stuff.

We found a cool and hip sweatshirt, one of a kind with a goth, gangstah, skateboard, and dotcom look!  .. Really, it's a strange fun store that basically carries a contemporary male selection that reflects in a single item a symbiosis of today's urban lifestyle.

For over $60, my baby boy was thankful ... it was not over ... we were to venture over to the East Bay TARGET,  to get him a Power Ranger toy.
4 - Leaf B.: So this is directed at the shoe/clothing store.   I bought my first pair of I-paths here.  At 80+$ they were no steal.  I payed half that for my second pair online.  they do have the rent to pay though.   I like their shop shirts, some are very cool.  I like the western style 510 shirt I bought there.   Realy nice people  though,  they get big props for that.   The other good thing is they are at the end of the shopping area on Telegraph.  You can drive over from ashby and not even have to get into Telegraph insanity.  Stop by  check out the clothes maybe pick up a sticker or two.  Nice place...
4 - Jeff I.: lets see now. I bought shirts, sweaters, and shoes here. Only thing I haven't gotten was a board from the otherside. Got the skater feel with the workers and the people that hangout around the place.

Prices are okay, not too high at around the medium. Place is a bit small though, but they still sell good stuff here.

I make it a tradition to stop by and see the place always when I'm in Berkeley
4 - Josh L.: I bought a skateboard from here today and had a great experience. The staff was laid back, informative and not at all rude. 

The prices were reasonable and I had my new board ready to go in 10 minutes. They could use a larger selection of boards, but their four designs for "shop" boards are artistic and well made. 

I'd recommend this place to anybody looking to get a skateboard without attitude or malice toward newbies.
4 - lizette c.: Yes, I spend all my money on food and shoes.  I am one of those people that will sleep or waaait in long lines for shoes. Well, I usually send my bf in this place while I wait in the car or get the hot cocoa at peets but YES I am one of those crazy people. This little spot gets big shoes (big as in popular shoes you can't find anywhere else). When I am lucky, they have a size 6.5 in boys for me.. they usually have 1 or 2 size 6.5s for the guys that buy shoes for their gfs, there are a couple regulars *ahem* hehe. This place only loses a star because they dont always have a 6.5 for me but I still love this place!
5 - Tony P.: holdin it down from the beginning...thank you guys for everything.
5 - Andy C.: Great locally owned skateboard store. Best place in the area to buy a good board.
3 - Aileen A.: They've got a pretty decent selection of shoes and clothing. However, they seem to offer alot more for men in the latter.

The staff is laid back, prices are moderate. Space is tight, but it's not crowded, even on weekends. I've been going here for 4 years and I like how the store still has it's roots and has a very organic kinda feel. I quote their website when they say: "HYPEBEASTS NEED NOT APPLY."

Stuff they've got:
Real
Krooked
Krew
Nike (SB's!)
Antihero
The Hundreds
Vans
Spitfire
Stussy
Wesc
in4mation...

If you're looking for some skateboards, they've got a store one store down.
4 - Thomas J.: I truly do love 510 Skateboarding, but you have to REALLY check their site all the time if you want to jump on new releases. I don't browse NikeTalk like that anymore, and I wish I could walk in once or twice and find the DSC tee I want. I went in the other day, and I saw some really nice Hundreds stuff they were stocking, but I was flat broke, so Lady Luck kinda spit on my face, though I knew I was going to get all grabby before I went inside. Pricey, so coming in looking for "just a t-shirt" will leave your wallet slightly more empty than expected. 

Overall, badass just like most of the Men's Apparel/Shoe Stores on this stretch of Tele.
4 - Jason A.: Man, how times have changed.  510 has gone through major remolding and has evolved from their full skateboard roots and into the streetwear scene.  They basically knocked everything out and gave the store a brighter open feel to it.  They now stock brands like In4mation, The Hundreds, WESC, Diamond Supply Co. to name a few.   They still carry decks, skateboard shoes and of course still stocking Nike SB.  Check them out if you have done so already!
4 - Ryan C.: Ah, the famous 510 Skateboarding from The Pack's song "Vans." Picked up my first skateboard from 510. Of course, I had no idea what I wanted, but the staff at the skate shop was really helpful. They knew what they were talking about and what would work for me. Very good experience there.

Of course, 510 is now about the streetwear. For kicks, this is the place to go to get your Nike SB fix. You can also get some nice hoodies, tees, etc. from brands such as Spitfire and Nike SB to Diamond Supply Co. Pick up a 510 shirt and represent while you're at it. Staff on this side is laid back. They won't approach you, but they're happy to help.
4 - Jason P.: Since I haven't skated for years, I basically only go to 510 for their streetwear.  That being said, they have an excellent assortment of threads and lots of shoes to choose from.  Whenever I need a new pair of Vans, 510 is where I go.
5 - Irene S.: i love this store.

many, many years ago, i dated a boy who skateboarded all the time, who made friends with any skater, anywhere, anytime, and of course, we ended up being friends with everyone involved with this place, way back when 510 was just one store on the corner. i had a crush on one of the boys who worked there, bad, boyfriend aside,  & also later ended up living with another dude who worked there & his girlfriend. sometimes, some of the little barely teenaged boys who hung around the shop would be sent up to the candy store where i worked to bring back candy for the dudes who worked at 510. they always carried notes that said things like "give this little kid some candy. or punch him in the face." i always gave them candy. 

really awesome people own this place.

& i'm sure if you are into skateboarding, you can find everything you'd ever need here.
5 - Al M.: A real clean & quaint store that I'd always stop by at during breaks when I used to work on Telegraph. They're known mostly as the store that has the Nike SB account, and I've copped some pairs without any problem at MSRP prices. The staff is real chill and by no means overbearing, which I totally dig. A nod and "let me know if you need anything" is all that's required by me, and that's what they give.
4 - Brendan M.: This place is sick! They have two stores for two different needs.They always have some fresh soft goods to peruse through and all the skate hard ware to stay sprakin around the town. Another plus, unlike 90 percent of the kids in AZ , the guys there actually skate and you can catch them around the Berkeley high blocks almost any afternoon...
5 - Hollyce J.: When I drive or walk past 510 I get this feeling like, DANG! ...they are still here... like 10 years later and STILL kickin' ass... art window and all. It's so obvious that Jerry, Dandy and their staff are a part of the community they serve. Thus, they absolutely LOVE providing the space/place to satiate like-minded folks needs. Whoot!
3 - chris a.: -CALLING ALL HYPEBEASTS-

i walked in looking for a reasonably priced fresh pair of something with vulc and gum - 'perhaps some mj2's' i thought to myself..

turns out that 510 is the place to be for street wear - its prob like a 4 or 5 in that respect - but 510 as a skate shop is pretty meh.  if you're looking for skate shoes you can choose between a few lakai's, es's, emerica's, and a metric fuck ton of nike's.    

i'm about 10 min away from 510 but will be hitting up active for shoes from now on. 

(this review is just for the section with product though - their actual skate shop is a 5 for sure - shop decks for hella cheap!)
4 - Andrea C.: The most ridiculous thing happened here when I was getting tattooed next door at Industrial (which I love, btw).

Someone threw a heart into 510.

No joke.

A HEART. An animal heart, presumably.  

I'm sorry, who does that? 

One of the tattoo artists went next door and took pictures and came back to show me.  It was just thrown in and was on their floor. 

I won't lie, it was kind of awesome. 

The story alone is worth the four stars.
3 - J C.: Awesome selection and cool guys behind the counter nice to a beginner like me and assembled me a solid custom board and gave me the run down of the basics. 
I always see local sponsored skaters when I'm there but they really live by the 'buy or fly' philosophy.
5 - Zach W.: I've been coming here for all my skateboard stuff since I was a young'n. Jerry, Dandy and 510 truly care about the East Bay skateboarding scene. You can feel free to stop by, ask questions, watch a video (30 minute lurk limit applies) and get any skateboard equipment you need. 510 stocks legit skateboard stuff at reasonable prices.
5 - David R.: The number one spot to go for skateboarding. Jerry and Dandy are great people who put a lot of positive energy into the Skateboard scene and have been for a long time. The staff all skate and know what there talking about when it comes to skateboards and gear. Support your local skate shop, because they support you.
4 - Jo L.: so after checking pretty much every skate shop in san francisco and once again not finding any shoes in my size, i headed out to the east bay. i had a good feeling about this shop, and i wasn't disappointed. they had the exact shoes i wanted in my size and even had different colors available. (vans half cabs, to be exact.) i was thrilled. plus the guys working we're very helpful and nice and even recommended good places to eat, etc. in the area since i'm not from berkeley. and i called them once a long time ago and whoever answered was really nice too about recommending a flat rail that i asked about. i like 510.
2 - Gordon L.: Is this place the Huf of Berkeley? The section with the skate decks was cool, mellow, and the guy who worked there actually said whats up and asked if my friend and I needed help.

Over at the "street wear/ shoe" side, the guys there just didnt care. They dont give you eye contact, they talk amongst themselves, and they seem to be really into themselves more than selling stuff.

They had some key brands that most shops do but really just plain stuff you can get from any street wear shop. Hundreds Ts... Nike SB... Vans... I mean key accounts Im sure but not much variety. I had always thought this skate shop to be a bit more core and rider driven, but its more hype and image driven... 

To be fair, most shops are like that now. I cant hate but the lack of customer service was just not that smart of an idea since there are so many shoppers out there who are willing to spend money these days...
4 - Zed B.: This place is skater-owned. Usually I would support a shop for that reason alone. But 510 is one of the best skate shops around. In my unprofessional opinion, it's on the level with DLX (though smaller and more streamlined inventory), and way better than Mission (although I do like that place, I'm just not down with the bike messenger vibe). 

Their boutique look is clean and artistically minimalist. Yet the atmosphere is inviting for one and all, whether you're young, old, male, female, hesh or fresh. 

The staff is friendly, full of knowledge, and down to help you find what you need no matter how picky you are, or how long you take to decide. They recently consolidated the hard goods shop with the shoes and clothes. I don't think they've suffered for it. 

Expect the latest graphics, sizes and shapes from all the skater-operated board companies: Girl, Chocolate, Baker, Deathwish, Real, Krooked, Anti-Hero, Organika and more. I have not noticed the mall favorites, like Santa Cruz, Element, etc. If that's what you want, maybe try Destination 1440. 

As far as trucks, wheels, bearings and accessories, they've got more variety than you can shake a stick at. They also carry Paradox griptape, a new-fangled crowd favorite that's not widely available. 

Clothes and hats: HUF, Nike SB, Fourstar, and various others. 

Shoes: Best variety of skate shoes, hands down, including Nike SB, Vans, Lakai, Emerica, Cons and Adidas. They stock some hard-to-find colorways and collabos, and the premium Nike SB stuff I don't see anywhere else. If you've got small feet, you will probably find outstanding sale shoes. 

Gripes: If you drive, parking will probably be a hassle. And to be fair, their prices are often kind of high, which bums me out. However, these prices are totally in line with the current market. If you can't stomach them, go to the thrift shop. Or make yourself feel better about it by watching their cast of shop riders shred in the team videos. Remember that your purchases are contributing to the progression of deserving young skateboarders. 

Overall, this is a true "core" skate shop serving up the goods without any BS. You will not be disappointed.
5 - Tony N.: Awesome place... Staff are friendly... and they got awesome shoes!

No other place like 510
5 - Heather J.: This place is sick.
I'm down. 

They have a really good selection and really helpful people working there. 

Sometimes you walk into a skateshop as a girl and it can be super intimidating, but not at 510. they're super down to earth and friendly. 

They don't sell girls apparel anymore but they have a good amount of shoes and skateboards that we girls can use.
2 - Romy I.: You know, I hate to downgrade but skateboarding is a great thing. It can really change people's lives. Therefore it's a crime to inflate yelp reviews and potentially turn away the innocent.

a) I saw that someone wrote that this was a great place for girls trying to get into skateboarding. well it really isn't. the women that hang around here are pretty hostile to any single woman who isn't on the arm of some guy, and they usually have no idea about anything involving skateboarding. 

Unless you're dating someone in the shop, I'd avoid going here if i were a girl or it might kill your love of skateboarding (and if you are dating that person... do you like skateboarding less than a guy? choose skateboarding!)

inexperienced women mightl think that all skaters are like this place. I recommend checking out dlx sf instead because one guy especially knows his shit and will not destroy your love of skateboarding.

 you don't need to have anyone hold your hand, but you definitely need a place where people aren't going to make you want to never skate again and this could totally happen at a place like this if you haven't been exposed to the world.

I've also heard purple skunk being recommended so i'd try that out too! I haven't been there that much but one of the girls who works there is part of Skate like a girl so it must be awesome.

b) I got some great dvds here so that's why this gets 2 stars instead of one. Stay Gold, ah yeah! and it was a great place to get local skateboarding DVDs and eye my next purchase when I'm not broke, the metro pleasant hill skateshop one that has someone's dad commenting on it in a funny way.

c) people that come in here have so much attitude and i've never felt a love of skateboarding emitting from anyone who worked here. instead it felt all about status and there was never any willingness to really talk about the boards in a meaningful way except stuff I would find googling the internet. 

they are also not into giving advice on how to skateboard as well. I know that I'm not buying stuff every time i'm in there but such an unwillingness to even talk about the basics will really turn off cool people. and by cool i mean cool for real, not the cool where you wear cool clothes and act as if you were tough but aren't.

d) this gets two stars because the facebook postings are cool .support the community! whoever is doing the facebook stuff is holding down their fort. maybe they're the bullied guy hidden away in a corner because i've never met anyone who gave off that vibe of supporting the community... but that person exists! and they're updating the facebook page! keep up the good work! you rule!
5 - Lauren J.: Love 510. 

510 is a genuinely welcoming place for skaters or people just interested in skateboarding.  As a female, I appreciate being treated like anyone else and never feel out of place here. The customer service is always on point--good vibes all around!
1 - Marina B.: I am in a bad mood after visiting this store for several days already  
Manager there was horrible that day.
Here what happened.  My son is proficient skateboarder so his boards are braking once a month usually. I was ready to buy a board but asked for the discount to be encouraged to come to this store again.. Manager looked at me like I am his enemy. He said that it is rude to ask for the discount in his store. He said that he had a harsh time with his parents when they were upset to spend so much money on the skateboards. He called me rurde and almost burned me with his angry sight. I've turned around and left the store. 
Good news is that I went to another store in San Francisco and bought a board for $30 instead on $50 at 510

*store is expensive
*customer service is bad
*manager has an anger management problem
5 - Erin Y.: As a young, female skateboarder I always looked forward to trips to Berkeley so I could stop by 510. I was so impressed with their selection of products and the people who worked there were always friendly and knowledgeable. It was also encouraging to see Dandy--one of the owners of the store and a female skater--out at local skate spots. 

When I grew older and moved to Oakland, 510 became my local skateshop. Aside from no longer carrying women's apparel, not much has changed. They still have the same great selection of skate goods, shoes (men's/unisex), and videos to offer us ladies and the staff is just as awesome as ever!
5 - Jocie B.: Chase was super helpful and on the level. He showed me how to take my roller skate's bearings out and replace my indoor skate wheels for outdoor ones. Cool place, great service, and they're easy on the eyes ...I'll go back for any skate needs.  ;)
4 - Laurie H.: Look, I found them extremely helpful to pick out boards for beginners, as well as getting helmets when they did Cal Skate camp. They were perfectly friendly - but in my 6 or so trips here, I have seen a grumpy guy a couple of times. He wasn't doing customer service at the time - probably a good thing - so didn't effect me at all...and he was just pretty distracted and grunting answers at the young'uns asking him questions. 

All in all, I like the place. When the kids go deeper and have to get boards/wheels/whatjamajiggers serviced, we'll see how it all holds up.
4 - S A.: I'm an old skateboarder....embarrassingly old. Yet the staff here always treats me with respect, they answer questions about board sizes, wheelbases, and product in general. And to that woman below asking for a discount because her son breaks his boards? Seriously? Go to Zumiez in the mall. You probably embarrassed the hell out of your son and then drove your Lexus to San Francisco to save 20 bucks. Other reviews on your profile show wineries, dance studios, sushi, and skin care studios! Show a local business owner some respect and support them! I highly doubt you asked the person at Vivi Skin Care Studio for a discount because your eyebrows will eventually grow back, did you? I agree with the manager of 510, you are rude.
4 - Nicole A.: My son loves this little skate shop. More for their clothes than boards though. His style and favorites change a lot. 510 usually has the current biggest thing in boards and apparel. On more than a few occasions my son has found the very latest style of a new skate shoe. Most recently it was a style of Adidas shoe. They also carry Pink Dolphin which is still mainly sold online or at Odd Future shows.

 Unfortunately they rarely have sales and not very good discounts.
5 - Eddie L.: Great shop.  Very good selection of equipment and shoes.  Reasonable prices.  Very helpful staff.

Built my new board at 510 and it was ready in 15 minutes. I'm a happy camper.
5 - Eric H.: Excellent service.  Good board selection for beginners to advanced,  Not the cheapest in town, but as with most things in life you get what you pay for.  They were very kind explaining A to Z to my 5 year old as he watched them put his board together (his first!).  Thanks, guys.  Keep up the good work.
4 - Mariah T.: I was a little intimidated by the workers inside (I think it might be because I'm a little shy when I'm in a place that I have not been in before) but once I asked questions they were very nice, helpful and knew exactly what I was trying to ask!

512 Realty - Austin, TX (30.28861, -97.744828) (University of Texas, West Campus)
2 - Justine H.: I have waited months to review this place because when we first moved in to our apartment, things were so bad that the review would've been an ugly read.  Fast forward to now and it has certainly improved, but it seems fair to reflect upon the whole experience here.

512 typically manages student housing, and has recently branched out into managing other properties. We found this particular property on our own, and 512 representatives showed us the place - or rather, neighboring apartments similar to it as the unit in question was still being renovated. The renovations looked nice, and most importantly, it was in a good location. That is the main reason we chose this apartment.

The promised move-in date came and went not once but three times as the place was still being worked on.  We had to stay with family outside of Houston and camp at McKinney Falls state park so my husband could get to work.  When we finally did move in, the apartment reeked so strongly of paint, finishers, and floor sealants that we camped again, out in the backyard.  

Within hours of moving in we noticed several unfinished things/areas of the apartment - missing baseboards, window screens, rough patches on the floors, a missing light bulb, paint chips, etc.  After our first night of sleeping in the apartment, we woke up to find a puddle of brown water on the kitchen stove top and floor, which was coming from the cabinets overhead, which was coming from the ceiling, which was coming from the toilet upstairs. Thus began a several week process of fixing the toilet and the huge mess that it made. They fixed the toilet relatively quickly but we had a hole in our ceiling for days and then an unfinished ceiling with a dangling bare bulb for many days after that before they finished the job. We also had to have maintenance people come every couple of days the first couple of weeks to fix other problems around the house.

What it comes down to is that they got in over their head trying to fix the place up in order to rent them out as quickly as possible. They made promises they couldn't keep and did a half-assed renovation job. On the surface our place looks nice, but once you look a bit closer (or just live here) you notice the unfinished things, sloppy paint job, crooked cabinets, etc. Perhaps this is just the nature of renting and one of the inconveniences we all put up with until we can buy a home. 

Subsequent service requests are dealt with promptly and we haven't had any major problems since the initial overwhelmingly awful ones. I want to end this review but two more things come to mind. One is that after the massive inconvenience of it all, of not being able to move in for a couple of weeks after we were supposed to, and then not really being able to live in it comfortably for several more days after we did move in, we wanted out of the lease. We had another place ready and waiting for us and just desperately needed to unpack and start living somewhere. But naturally 512 wouldn't let it happen without taking our money, which we couldn't afford. They did, however, give us about a week's worth rent free, for what that's worth.  

The other thing is the girl working their front desk was consistently rude and unhelpful. Other people working there are decent and nice.

Ok. That's it. Anyone still reading this?
2 - Allison F.: I regret doing business with 512 Realty.

1) The gates to the parking garage for my apartment complex were not functioning properly for the first few months. They had to leave one of the gates open because most of the tenants' clickers did not work with the gates. Then they said they "fixed" the issues. Wrong. I must have gone to the office/called at least half a dozen times telling them that my clicker did not work. What is the point in having gated parking if it is not even going to work/will be open to anyone, which defeats the security aspect.

2) A maintenance man came during winter break and left several lights on in the apartment for who knows how many days or weeks until my roommate came back for a few days.

3) Most recently, the microwave broke. I sent in a maintenance request on a Thursday night and received an email saying someone would be in on the following Monday. Come Monday, no one. I called the office on Tuesday, and a girl told me someone would be in the next day. No one showed. Surprise surprise. I called again on Friday, and the guy took my name and number down, saying he would call me back after he called the maintenance man. No call back. I called them again four hours later, and no one answered even though they did not close for another two hours. I called again on Saturday, and a different girl told me she would put in another request for me. It is now Tuesday, almost two weeks since I put in the initial request, and still no one has showed up. I sent in another email request today because I am tired of telling my issue to every employee at 512 Realty. We shall see if they actually come fix it this week. 

Dear 512 Realty,

I can cook with the stove. I just like to reheat things with the microwave because it is more convenient, and I like to use the timer on there for when I bake. Is it really such an issue to fix my microwave or even send someone out to LOOK at it? Good thing I did not resign with you guys.

UPDATE: Grover (not sure what his position is) called me shortly after I posted this review. He apologized and gave me an excuse for everything and said someone would be here tomorrow morning. An hour later, a maintenance man shows up at my door and resolves the issue. He also apologized and informed me that it was all his fault.

So I upgraded it to two stars for showing up early (but late overall). The lack of communication/miscommunication on 512's part is really frustrating.
5 - David E.: I'm writing here mostly to opine that 512 Realty is not the devil.  In fact, they've been nothing but nice and attentive to me in our three year relationship.  

That said, Austin rental management companies are uniformly terrible.  512 Realty gets such a high rating from me, in part, because I've dealt with so much worse.  Were I still in Minneapolis, 512 Realty would be nothing special, but in Austin, they have been the most competent, organized, friendly, and professional that I've found.

In response to the most frequent complaint I see about them: yes, they fix places up and charge more for them.  My rent has gone up, well, a lot, but I'm still happy.  My apartment is nicer, more energy efficient, and literally brighter than when I began renting here.  I'm also fairly rational and fully expect to be charged the most the market will bear, and would do the same were the positions reversed.

Just wanted to throw it out there that you could do a lot worse, and probably not any better, when renting in Austin.
1 - Markus B.: I've rented from a couple different places during my last 14 years in Austin (Eyes of Texas, etc.), and these guys take the cake as the worst company by far.  I was living in a nice apartment complex in central Austin at a reasonable price when these guys came along and bought the place.  Cue the circus music...

First problem - PRICE: They jack the rent up on existing tenants by 50%, and tried to lease out the quickly emptying units at twice what we were paying.  The justification for doing this?  They spray-painted the place primer white and landscaped the front yard.  They quickly found out that the market wouldn't bear that for a paint job and the prices for new tenants start coming way down.  Older tenants are screwed.

Second problem - SERVICE: The shared washers and dryers for the complex start falling into disrepair.  There was a whole month without a working washer.  They don't fix it, they buy new ones.  But guess what?  They're cheap as possible and don't get anything clean.  Just leave a grimy residue on everything.  Residents resort to washeterias.  Oh, and now you have to pay for this privilege, as they've been replaced with coin-operated machines.  Oh, now you also have to pay for the water, electricity and waste water for them, too.

Third problem - PRIVACY: Or, rather, utter disregard for privacy.  Service guys are given keys and don't even call when they come to fix anything.  You just come home and someone has been mucking around in your place while you were gone.  And the leasing agents are worse.  I had one call me four months from my move out date asking if he could show the place. 

"Man, I'd like to help you, but I'm having friends over for dinner.  Maybe some other time."
"Um, it's in your contract that you have to let me show the place."
"Sure, 30 days out from the end of lease, and even then I CAN STILL SAY NO."

And he just keeps pushing the issue like he's going to come over anyway and show the place, because he, as a 23-year-old representative of 512 Realty has inalienable rights to my home.  Unbelievable.

But I think what really speaks to their disability as a company is that only eight months after they bought the 12-unit complex, there was only one, pissed-off tenant left from the original bunch.  Usually an apartment rental company isn't something you even think about, or if you do it's briefly, but these guys managed to empty this complex in 8 months.  And the new guys were already looking to break leases.  This is impressive.

I guess the silver lining is that the office staff seems pretty nice.  And maybe it was just my experience dealing with one complex, but the whole operation just doesn't seem quite ready for prime time.  And an opinion is an opinion, but these 5-star pieces seem a little stilted and defensive.  Hmm...

Anyway, if you have a choice, choose someone else.  They may not be great, and probably won't be, but it'd be tough to match this epic fail.
1 - Omar Z.: I am about to become old before your eyes. Really old. And Square. 

I lived next to one of their properties for two years. It was two years of suffering. Varsity Properties (at the time we knew them as Alan Ware and his buddy with the matching Porsches) took two 2-family duplexes, added partition walls into each of them and packed 16 students right next door to me on an otherwise quiet street, 8 on two properties. There were now too many cars and overflowing garbage on the street. The overall lack of respect for the neighborhood was appalling. To be fair, numerous nagging calls to the owner did result once in the garbage being picked up. But for the most part, we had to live with nightly howling and honking by disrespectful students and a landlord who either couldn't or, more likely, didn't want to keep his tenants under control in a residential neighborhood. We moved. We couldn't believe someone would buy our house and live next to that slum. But someone did. 

So, yes...youth of the "age of entitlement": Your are too loud. But it's not your music. You have no idea what it means to ROCK!..... It's your drunken stupidity. And quit calling my shorts "old school"! 

This was 3 years ago. Hope things have changed. They may have. But for me, whenever I see "Another Varsity Property" popping up in the Hyde Park or Hancock neighborhoods, it makes me cringe. 

So there's a review "from the other side". And, after all, one may say that I was asking for it living within 2 miles of a large university. But I don't think so. I now live even closer and the renters are great. I think it makes all the difference in the world when a landlord or property manager cares about these neighborhoods. And, at the time, VP aka 512 didn't appear to. 

Love, 
The Crazy Old Guy.
1 - Vincent N.: I'm just glad I don't have to deal with them directly anymore.
5 - Ashley G.: As a young adult growing up in this world, there are many responsibilities that we inevitably face. One of them being a chance of to acquire property for your own shelter. For help with that I chose 512 realty as my real estate agency to help me find my perfect place. My Realtor Sara Stenzler was able to help me find a great place in West Campus and I have slowly turned this standard college apartment into a home away from home. 

I highly recommend 512 Realty for all of your real estate needs and I would also recommend Sara Stenzler as your real estate consultant.
5 - Jessica D.: I used Sara Stenzler to help me find an apartment. Let me just say I gave her some pretty tough criteria. I wanted a onebedroom with W/D connections in the city for under 700, move date in 4 weeks.. impossible you say? Well not for Sara. She is my miracle worker! Found me something great by my work and near bus routes. She held my hand the whole way through and even tolerated my after-hours freak out texts.
1 - Mohit M.: There are some helpful people at 512Realty, but on the whole I've had a bad experience with them.  I've had plumbing and leaky pipe issues for the past several months.  The kitchen sink in my apartment was regurgitating up a mucky, black substance and it took the maintenance crew several days and calls to figure out what to do. 

An independent plumber finally came by and replaced the plumbing underneath the kitchen sink (using my pots and pans to drain out the water---I promptly threw those in the dumpster) but 6 weeks later, the kitchen sink is possessed and spitting up from hell.  I'm convinced there is a major plumbing issue here but the leasing company doesn't seem ready to make a permanent fix.

It wasn't a big surprise when I didn't wish to renew my lease and for two months, realtors and agents would drop in unannounced (several times while I was sleeping) to try to rent out the place.  512Realty really capitalizes on the student and 20 something crowd that is prevalent in Austin and wants to pre-lease all their crappy apartments out.  

Also, they have all these crazy things in their lease that you aren't smart enough to read until you are moving out (my fault) like paying for the electricity long after you've moved out, hiring a professional cleaning company to clean the place and pro-rating the water bill shared equally among the twenty tenants. That's just ghetto practice.  They should have individual water meters.  I guess I was paying for the wonderful daily occurrence of Old Faithful in my kitchen spitting up black garbage. 

Don't live here:

808 Winflo 78703.
4 - William G.: I leased an apartment from 512 Realty for two years and overall I thought they did a great job managing service requests and any issues that came up during my tenancy.
1 - Tate S.: Though there are some nice people at 512 Realty, on the whole, they run an operation that I can only call breathtakingly incompetent.

The worst, as others have mentioned, is that they can show your apartment at any time during your lease just by calling you an hour in advance. Except they don't always come when they say they will -- one time they were almost two hours late, and they finally showed up while I was in the shower, completely unapologetic. They also require you to arrange and pay for your own cleaning service from their recommended vendor on move out, which is frankly just very lazy on their part.

Facilities are abysmal without much hope for improvement. The antiquated air conditioning system is barely effective and has broken several times -- once for over a week in the middle of the summer. 

I've received "outstanding balance" notices for utility bills that aren't due for another two weeks, and spontaneous one-time "lawn care" charges. (There's no lawn.) Their correspondences treat everyone like they're students, referring to dates in academic calendar terms that have no meaning to me as a non-student.

Rent at this complex increased quite a bit last year -- yet unlike a reviewer below me, there were no improvements whatsoever to the units or the grounds. They recently added some seating and decorations to the small courtyard, and I have no doubt they will use that as justification for the rent skyrocketing next year.

This is not to count the small bits of incompetence that surface from time to time -- like when the receptionist hung up on my realtor because it (?) was "too much." 

They're snapping up all the apartment complexes in my area. While I'd love to stay in this vicinity, I'd rather leave the neighborhood -- in fact, if it came to it, I'd rather leave Austin -- than continue this nightmare of an engagement.

512skincare - Austin, TX (30.287911, -97.727715) (University of Texas)
5 - K M.: From the minute you walk into the door of 512 skincare, you are greeted with beautiful decor, and a nice relaxing atmosphere.  My treatment was great!  My skin felt fresher and brighter, and it was just the break I needed from my hectic schedule.  I especially like that Terra discusses your needs with you and customizes the treatment instead of just giving you a menu of services to pick from.  I highly recommend 512skincare.
5 - Deb W.: As a girl with problem skin I am always worried that a facial will somehow make my skin worse than when I started.  That said, I'm happy to say I left feeling taken care of and with a plan. Terra made me feel completely at ease wit her knowledge and method.  I highly recommend 512skincare to anyone.  Loved it!
5 - Cassie W.: Love Terra! I get so many compliments on my skin thanks to her. Professional and highly detailed to my individual skincare concerns. My skin looked wonderful for my wedding. I've gone to several of the other well known spas in town for facials but haven't been truly satisfied until I came here. It's the personalization that makes all the difference. I'm going again this week for the eyelash extensions.
5 - Becky C.: Terra is awesome! I called to make an appt for an eyelash tint and she fit me on the same day. She did a fantastic job. Her rates are reasonable and she offers a student discount. The place is a little bit hidden, but lovely once you find it. I will definitely be heading back!
5 - Lisa H.: I've been having issues with my skin for so long and finally decided to try dermaplaning with Terra. I'm so happy now with how my skin looks! It has helped dramatically with my acne, acne scars and fine lines. My skin looks and feels better than it has in years. Terra really knows her stuff! I'm excited to try it again in a few weeks!
5 - Allyson K.: I met Terra over a year ago and she has been providing me with fantastic facials ever since.  Her quality products, professionalism and the service that she offers her clients is a wonderful and relaxing experience.  The location is a bit challenging to locate but a true gem once it is found. I'm really glad that I have found someone local that I can trust.
5 - Aga N.: I've been looking for a someone to actually correct my skin, not just get a foofoo facial.  Now that I'm in my 30s, figured it was time to actually start caring - but where to go? Terra really explained to me what's happening with my skin now [and what all the time in the sun with baby oil did].  She's the first person to actually discuss the process, what my goals are, and what it's going to take to get there.  I've never really done much, so I had no idea what my goals are, other than to age gracefully and she knew exactly what I meant.
I feel confident now, much more educated and aware - and she didn't even try to get me to buy an exfoliant [which I feel every spa does]

It's a bit hidden, the space is hidden and more medical than spa-ish, so don't expect insence, water fountains and zen like music.
5 - Michelle W.: Terra has successfully dermaplaned her way into my heart.  I was not sure what to expect when she said that she was going to basically run a scalpel over my face to take away all the dead skin and fine hairs!  This was a painless and strangely enjoyable experience.  As that dead skin was being taken off, I felt like my new radiant skin was ready to shine through.  I have always had problematic skin issues, and she was very sensitive to that.  She did a thorough consultation and she definitely knows what she is talking about.  I asked approximately one million and one questions about my skin and other health issues, and she had answers for it all! She is very professional and thorough and I think that is extremely important when you are letting someone work on your face.  I highly recommend her for this service and the peels that she does have also been game changers for the look of my skin! Thanks Terra!
5 - Keli W.: I'll keep this short and sweet. I went to Terra for a Dermplaning, and it was the best spa service I have ever had! I will definitely be back,  and I have been faithfully passing out her business cards. Loved it, loved her!
5 - Amy Z.: I'm one of those girls who washes her face with bar soap and throws some moisturizer on.  I've had 3 facials in my life and although they where nice, I never really thought about making sure to get them.  The results I've been experiencing from the facial and dermaplaning, that Terra did for me, are so lovely!  My skin is brighter and smoother.  I felt a few tugging sensations during the process and a few hair plucking type tweeks when she extracted a couple of calcium deposits from my cheeks but, nothing that made my eyes water with pain.  I am so pleased and I'm looking forward to learning how to do more for my skin...now that I'm 40!
5 - Meagan C.: Terra is a gem! Friendly and professional.  I found her thru an Amazon Daily Deal for dermaplaning.  When I went in for my dermaplaning session, she gave me a full consultation and tailored the facial to my specific skin needs.  She did a great extraction job and got rid of some skin problems I had been harboring for years.  The dermaplaning was surprisingly painless, and my skin looks and feels a 100% better. Definitely going back for a chemical peel and another dermaplaning session.  I even bought some products and am really happy with how they are helping me maintain my skin.  Very affordable and totally worth it!
5 - I I.: Terra is super sweet and great at what she does. I wish I had time to write a more in depth review, but just trust me (and all the other Yelpers) when I say you should see her!
5 - Dana M.: AHHH-MAZING!! 
Let me just say if you have not tried dermaplaning before, get your toosh in to see Terra. It was such an awesome experience and my face feels incredible! Now I am only 27 but realize that now is the time to start taking care of my skin and believe that I have finally found an esthetician worth keeping. Terra was very personable and answered all 1587946 of my questions without being annoyed, she also asked me questions so she could tailor my enzyme treatment to exactly what I needed. She even wrote out what I should be doing as far as a day/night routine. I also appreciate that the products she uses are actually affordable and won't break the bank. I already recommended her to all my friends and can't wait til they go see her. If you are reading this - get off the computer and go see Terra, your fresh face is waiting :)
5 - angela c.: Skincare by Terra is fantastic! The woman knows what she is talking about, too.
This is the 4th dermaplaning she has done for me and the results are significant.  My skin glows. And, I left her wonderful space thinking about all the recommendations she made to me. I am a fan and want to spread the word.
Check it.
5 - Courtney M.: Having recently moved to Austin from Los Angeles, I have tried several spas and, unfortunately, have had a few rather mediocre facials.  After reading all of the lovely reviews for 512skincare, I decided to book an appointment with Terra.  I cannot say enough good things about my experience.  Terra specializes in results-oriented corrective facials so while I did find it incredibly relaxing, she goes above and beyond the standard granular exfoliation and hot towel experience. My facial included dermaplaning as well as a powerful aha peel and even now, nearly a week later, my skin is perfectly smooth and clear.  Up until my recent experience at 512skincare, I had been a devoted microderm fan for a decade plus.  Terra has now made me a dermaplane believer and I am really excited to see the long term results as I continue her treatments.  Her facials are simply wonderful!
5 - Alden S.: Terra is superb.  I so look forward to my time with her!  The conversation is always pleasant and helpful, plus she really cares.  She's also super generous with products -- it's so helpful when there's a zillion different combinations & options to choose from.  I've found my Austin skincare guru :) Hooray!
5 - Jen D.: Terra is fabulous! She is warm and welcoming, funny and knows her skin!
She takes the time to ask what your goals are for your skin and customizes your experience for YOU. I had dermaplaning done followed by the signature facial. My skin is oh-so happy! Can't wait to go back!
5 - Kris O.: I visited Terra for the first time today and I want everyone to know what a fantastic experience it was! Terra is, without a doubt, an amazing skincare professional and is truly dedicated to understanding your unique skin type and helping you achieve results. This was genuinely a superb visit and I look forward to many more visits to 512 skincare!

55 Bar & Restaurant - Houston, TX (29.7161821, -95.4149299) (West University)
5 - D. K.: So glad 55 is in the Village - Absolutely love it! The atmosphere is great and the food has been very good. It is the best of everything. There are TVs but it's not a 'sports bar', the music is fantastic, but doesn't drown out conversations, the patio is enjoyable on nice days and the inside is equally enjoyable regardless of the weather. 

The staff is very friendly and courteous - After only a few visits they remembered what we drank and how we liked what we were drinking. And don't get me started on Alicia's margaritas! While the house frozen ones (Called Blondes) are good, the 'Aliciaritas" are addicting! Unfortunately this is an off the menu drink and since Alicia is waitstaff and not bar tending, we can't always get them (Hint to management...:)

Bottom line in an area where there are many watering whole choices, this is our new go to place!

DondiK
5 - Summer B.: Mmm...this place is so good! I love their fried chicken and waffles! On steak night you can get a really good grilled steak - delicious! They have a good happy hour that last till 9 I think. It's a good, fun atmosphere and the staff is friendly!
5 - Katherine M.: Great service and food. The prices great and I love the mushroom swiss burger!! All of the staff was friendly and helpful and gave great service.  My friends and I had an awesome experience!! Plus they show the football games and validate your parking!! I'm definitely going back.
3 - Mari L.: First the good - the food is absolutely delicious.  We went on Tuesday for their steak night, and the chef is amazing.

Now the not so good - took about 45 min to get our steaks (which, after BON run, it was an eternity).  The place was so crowded and we were unfortunately paired with an inexperienced waitstaff who made a lot of mistakes.  Regardless of her experience level, you could tell they were way understaffed for the crowd.  Out of the whole restaurant, I only saw 3 wait staff.  Approximating 50 tables total, on a busy night like steak night, the waitstaff didn't have a chance.
4 - Destinee W.: STEAK NIGHT.....Best thing in the universe......The bearded man at the grill can make a perfectly rear steak and  a perfectly medium steak and a perfectly....well you know what I mean. The potato is delicious, and the veggies are good AND they have Sangria!  I may be developing a problem but I don't mind it. I also came her for brunch once...but only remember the mimosas but no complaints!
2 - Nupur L.: So I imagine that the planning of 55 Bar went something like this. Someone was writing possible zeitgeist-y ideas for a bar on a piece of paper. Amongst them included "sports bar," "bar for college students who don't have cars or cab money to leave Rice Village," "chicken and waffles," "cocktails with simple syrup" and "sexxxy lounge." In an apparent stroke of genius, they decided to use ALL THE IDEAS. Nothing solves the problem of needing to find a name that screams trendy when there's such an obvious dearth of imagination like naming a bar a random number. Hence 55 was born.

This is the bar for the everyman, I suppose. Or when you were all set to go to Washington Ave and lost steam after dinner. Or when it was too crowded to watch football at Maple Leaf and nobody expected there to be football here. Or if you fall into all of the above.

We came to this jack-of-all-trades on a Saturday night when yes, everyone was feeling indecisive. In a obvious move to create a "scene," the music was deafeningly loud inside and speakers were on the patio so that most of the patrons were huddled in one corner of the patio as if we had all just witnessed some terrible event. They have some reverse happy hour here. None of the waitresses here seemed to be aware of when it actually started. The waitress cheerfully told us the specials and they sounded fine so we ordered from those. She came back about ten minutes later, apologized and said that the happy hour actually started thirty minutes later so " is it okay if you're just charged full-price?" That was fine although the lack of finesse was a bit grating.

Finesse is clearly not what 55 is going for in any regard though. I ordered some cocktail with vodka, tequila, St. Germain and orange juice. When I took my first sip, it tasted like my worst memories of college. The alcohol was floating on the top and the orange juice had settled to the bottom. Being there just felt really dumb by then. 

Have I ruled out coming back? Nah. It's just a place that you come back to with some measure of irony. Or if your only criterion for the destination of the evening is "a fully stocked bar."

5801 Video Lounge and Cafe - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4563396, -79.9306884) (Shadyside)
4 - Brandon B.: This was the biggest and busiest of the bars as guided by my Pittsburgian guardian angel Derek (he really was angelic), and seemed to be the best people watching as well.  Very nice porch out back, a bit crowded but with many of the right people, almost felt like a little slice of Chicago but with nicer people that would talk to you even though they are twink-lie.  Seemed like the place to be on a Friday...too bad the drink were slightly weak but they kept flowing.
3 - Mat K.: Follows the general equation: 

Pop Music + Videos + Cocktail Drink Specials = Gay Bar

Pretty typical.  

Patio is probably super rad in the not-winter months.

Quote of the evening, "Aaaah 5801, where you're guaranteed to get a complete reading of the canon of Rihanna every Friday night."  

Almost religious.
2 - Chris C.: There are two types of people in this world; sheep and not-sheep. If you would classify yourself as the premier, then by all means 5801 should become your new hangout!

The drinks are poured precisely to the shot (aiding a perfectly proportioned mediocre night at best) The clientelle is typical gay pittsburgh, hardly anyone is interesting enough to have a decent conversation with for more then 2 minutes. (and they all kind of look like they were rejected from Los Angeles)

The music is the worst,  typical gay pop remixes blare from this place. When will gay bars realize that we aren't in the late 90's anymore?

The interior is decorate and reminiscent of a Radisson hotel lobby. (Which isn't good) The bartenders are neither pretty nor polite. I don't recommend this place at all.
4 - Gina K.: The best deck in the burgh, for the gay bars anyway. Great bar though, the food has gotten better recently, and the drinks are always good. Its a good time, and a good place to hang out in the community. Very friendly staff and ownership. Who also really supports the community.
5 - E W.: I visited in January and thought this place was great! Everyone was really friendly, yeah drinks were poured with care, but still... i got buzzed! I really really reccomend this place... seemed like the least trashiest place (and it was) at the time! Parking was a little rough but besides that i had a ball. AND SMOKING ON A DECK big plus. I hate smoking outside a door.
4 - Iliana C.: Best homo bar in Pitt!  The staff and clientele are friendly.  The food menu looked delish (didn't try anything) and the music was fun.  

As a lesbian it seemed cauttivo was my only bar option and I really didn't like it.  So I'm glad I found this little gem that has a good mix of guys and gals.

Perk: didn't take long to get a drink!
3 - ReviewHaiku F.: I'm undecided-
Some people live in this bar.
Get drunk and then leave.


(b)
4 - Holli D.: Cute place, cool atmosphere, great people. My boyfriend & I went here one night, LATE, sat up in the outside, rooftop area. It was an interesting night & sat as a reminder that I should STOP torturing myself by trying to have a dance off with gay guys...I NEVER WIN!!!
4 - Richard H.: During our brief visit to Pittsburgh, this was definitely our favorite bar.  It's attractive, nicely laid out, and the bartenders, staff and clientele are very friendly and welcoming.  We did not try anything on the menu, but the drinks were good, and the videos well selected.
5 - Meredith B.: 5801 is the go-to place for my coworkers and I to go for happy hour.  I've been here in all kinds of circumstances....straight from work at 5 pm (when we were basically the only people there), and also at 2 am on the crowded dance floor.  The music is great, the patio is expansive and comfortable, and the bartenders are really friendly.   Their happy hour actually doesn't start until 6, but I like that because that gives me time to actually GET there - usually when bars have happy hours that start at 5 pm, I've already missed half of it by the time I arrive.  They have a creative martini list and the bartenders are willing to make you surprise creations if you aren't sure what to order.  I've only had a little bit of food here - spinach/artichoke dip, hummus, sweet potato fries, buffalo chicken dip - all were perfectly tasty, a step above regular bar food quality.

Everyone is comfortable and welcome here.  My boyfriend and I had a fantastic time dancing here late one night, and we love how they play music videos!  Sometimes we'd just stop talking, drift off, and watch the videos.  I'll give it 5 stars just because it's been consistently great, service is super friendly, clientele is awesome (this is the kind of place where you make new "best friends" in 5 minutes), and it's good for both a chill drink and a crazy dance-off depending on when you show up.
3 - Joey R.: "580-1309"

This place is enormous.  I am not actually sure I saw the whole thing!  Suggest doing a lap before you commit to a location.

As a NY'er I was shocked you could smoke inside!  Unfortunately this was where the cute guys were.  So I had to invest in Febreeze.  Fine.

Fun place, and easy to go with a group of friends.  Many spots to hide if you need to.  The patio was such a pleasant surprise, felt like I was back in NY.  P.S. this place def has its regulars and if you're from out of town they sniff you out like a bad gallon of milk.

Not sure where the video part comes from but wasn't a deal breaker. 

The vodka came out of a soda gun which was worrisome, so don't expect a jacked up drink, its to the measure.  Bartenders were all super sweet.  That being said I don't know why almost everyone here was WASTED but me?
5 - Mindy W.: Loved it! Great dancing, great drinks, great crowd, loved the music videos! The DJ was a bit of a jerk, but I wouldn't want drunk people setting drinks near my equipment, either. I loved that he would randomly play the electric drums during the songs he was playing. Really cute.

I would come here all the time if I lived in PGH!
1 - Justin M.: Door guy kicked a dying cancer patient trying to make the most of his time left out due to "stumbling around." He was stumbling because of his treatments, not from drinking. He also wouldn't listen to an explanation. Also, it's a bar. It was a Friday. People stumble. I'm considering taking this to local news outlets. It's ironic that a gay bar is intolerant. Especially the jaded drag queen doorman who never can get ahead in life. You have no real power in life, get a clue and be nicer. Excuse my tone, I'm very angry.
3 - Sheryl T.: I like 5801 especially being a single straight woman. If you're looking for a fun bar to go dancing by yourself or with a group and not get hassled by jerks all night 5801 is it.

Bartenders are OK. They're nothing special they do their job. 

Dance floor isn't huge but it works for what it is. Just be careful and not get hit by the crazy gay men hoisting their friends in the air.
5 - Matthew L.: Awesome bar - one of my favs in the mid-west. I always stop by when I'm passing through Pittsburgh... nice mixture of soaked locals and curious travelers. Great location - average drinks.
4 - Matthew U.: I'm a fan of this place, who can't be with three separate bars to go to?  Even if it is packed most weekends.  With the three separate bars it's like three separate atmospheres. 

Downstairs is the kind of cool, kind of hip bright bar where if you want to get up close and personal with someone, you can.  The jukebox has an ample selection of tunes to choose from to tickle just about anyone's fancy.  On the colder days you can stand by the fireplace to warm yourself.  On the warmer days you can still stand by the fireplace, but don't worry, it's not on to roast the patrons.  It serves as a place to lean against and carry on a conversation with someone and be able to set your drink down if you like.  Several high tables dot the area if you feel the need to sit as well as stools around the bar.  Big windows allow you to view the people walking on the street as well as it lets them view you.

Upstairs is kind of the dim lit, low-key lounge bar.  Electronic dartboards for play, some Saturdays the dance floor can be in use if a DJ is on premise.  Nice big, somewhat circular bar in the middle with stools (they are in the middle of a remodel by the looks of it, to make it look even roomier).  Booths and high tables are available for sitting as well.  A coat rack is there for you convenience to place you coat, but be careful, especially if you're wearing a coat that looks similar to others.  The music played upstairs when a DJ is not around is that of the videos mentioned in this place's name.  It's like a DJ is there with the videos playing.  Dance and remix is all you hear, huge plus.  

The deck, recently added onto, is a nice place to be able to go and take in the air.  Tables are at an appropriate level outside, enough to seat people, but also the right about for people to mingle.  The newer portion of the deck reminds you of sitting in a small garden with lighted seating.  The deck is also used in cooler weather as well with their drop-down curtains to keep the elements out and they heaters to keep the temperature comfortable.  Stools also line this bar as well.

Cash or credit and you can always start a tab.  I believe Tuesdays they now have a Bingo event available as well as a dart league.  Bartenders are always friendly and if you frequent enough remember your libation of choice.  One of the best bars to go to in Shadyside whether you are gay or straight.
4 - Sam H.: My best friend and I were visiting my mom in Carnegie and we needed to get out and find something a little more exciting before we left. A bear friend of my mom's recommended 5801 and we had a great time even though we were just talking. The three separate bars are great - we were able to get away from the hideously smoke-filled lounger, which is really pretty and had awesome bartenders, but...ugh, cigarettes. the "upstairs" bar was also very nice, much less smokey, so that's where we stayed. patio was CROWDED.

all the bartenders are amazing and have very deft hands. I LOVE the cocktails, especially for their names, like "Platinum Blonde" and "Smurf Cum" - absolutely delicious, and you can't taste the booze at all. the "upstairs" bar was not too loud so best friend and I could actually carry a conversation without shouting, which seems a bit backwards considering the lounge bar is smaller and more intimate, but the music (while great) is BLARING.

each bar has a different atmosphere, which is also pretty cool. I'm also glad that they welcome all genders, so that my best friend could walk in with his token straight girl with no trouble ;)
4 - Jared P.: I would have given this place 5 stars, but you still have to walk through the cigarettes to get in and out of the place, like it's 2006. Big negative.

BUT this is my favorite gay bar in the city. You can relax on the deck on a sunny afternoon or you can party it up there in the crowd on Saturday night. Very versatile, depending on the time and day you go.

The renovations that this place has gone through in the past years are awesome. Bartenders are friendly. And the food is AMAZING. I'm serious. And cheap.
3 - Kelly T.: I love the patio here. Always a nice crowd, good music and friendly Pittsburgh locals hanging out. It's my favorite of the gay bars in the area, and they often have theme nights and friendly regulars around that love to chat up a friendly California girl. 
Make this your stop to get acquainted with the local gay scene in Pittsburgh, and know that the venue is friendly for gays and non gays in any case.

582 East Salon - Claremont, CA (34.107633, -117.704047) ()
5 - Andrea H.: They do a great job here and it costs less than some of the place in downtown Claremont.  I haven't had anything complicated done here, just simple haircuts, but I've been quite satisfied.
1 - Christine W.: Short story- Ok cut, lousy customer service

Long story- Since I recently moved to the area, I was looking for a new place to visit.   I was looking for someplace great, but much more reasonable than what I've been paying in Pasadena. This place was close by, so I decided to check it out.  Upon entering, I noticed that the other women inside at the time were a little bit older, which meant no one was getting anything super stylish done.  I didn't mind though, as I was only getting a basic trim.  The massage here was great and since the stylist didn't mess up the trim, I had decided I would be back to try it again.  
As my mom's birthday was coming up, I wanted to treat her to getting her hair done. I have never experienced such rude service.  
When we walked in, two of the other stylist looked us up and down.  When all was  done, the stylist told my mom she needed to come back at least once a month if she wanted her hair to look decent.  She then nodded at me and said she would fix her. Honestly, none of the stylist in there had amazing hair- it was all pretty average.  
Their rude and snooty attitudes will keep me from ever coming back to this place.  I asked my mom what she thought, and she did like the color.  As for their attitudes, she just shrugged and said you can't help rude people.  True- but I don't need to pay to experience them either.  Lesson learned- I'll spend the money on someplace that is welcoming to others outside their general population and can do super cute styles as well.
5 - M H.: I have been coming here for years and I love it. I have been to several different hair dressers and they have all been amazing.
5 - Abby K.: I love this place! I've gone for waxing and to get my hair cut/colored.

When you walk in they are super friendly and greet you at the door. They have a nice waiting area for you to sit in while you wait for your appointment. The waxing room is nice, clean and relaxing and the girls are really nice and make you feel comfortable. They also did a great job when I went to get my hair cut/colored. They listened to what I said and were also friendly and talkative throughout the appointment.

I will definitely be going back!
5 - Barb C.: This is a great Aveda salon.  Products are superb and service great. Anna A does
my hair and is patient and a perfectionist.  She takes her time and
gives me a great haircut and color every month.  The friendly people in there are great and greet you at the door.  It is very clean and a positive atmosphere.
Anna does great work...highly recommend and like the whole experience here.
2 - J T.: I visited this salon several times, mostly out of convenience.  I saw two different stylists, and both were very average.  However, on my second or third visit to Michelle, my "permanent" hair color washed out 2 days later.  I called and left a message at the salon explaining my problem and my call was never returned.  I haven't been back to this salon since, nor would I recommend it to anyone.

595 North Event Venue & Lounge - Atlanta, GA (33.7700528, -84.4067679) ()
4 - Erin T.: I was invited to this new lounge and event venue last week for an R&B artist listening party.  It has an industrial vibe and feel to it since it's housed within a converted Loft/Warehouse building.  

The lounge features a long bar near the entrance and there are several tables, high bar stool seating and couches along each side. VIP tables are set up in the middle with an intimate view of the stage where either a DJ spins or an artist sings.  There's a dance floor near the stage where dozens of people can get down with the get down.  I didn't get to go upstairs, but it looked like additional space was up top where patrons could spy on those below.

There were maybe a dozen people in my group, which made service tricky at first. It took a little while for a waiter to come serve us but it didn't matter because we had already just gotten up and ordered our own drinks from the bar. Once the waiter did arrive, some of us ordered food and it didn't take long at all for it to arrive.  

595 North features a good mix of food such as pizzas, wings, chicken or shrimp skewers, sliders and seafood platters.  I tried the flatbread pizza, which really hit the spot and complimented my Cabernet wine.  I love that the food and drinks are so reasonably priced!

There was a female DJ from 95.5 who kept the crowd dancing with a clever mix of both old school and new school jams until the artist appeared for his set.  

Overall this was a great time and the party promoter Chris is a young, talented brother doing great things for Atlanta's young and professional crowd.
2 - K H.: one word, eh
3 - Dori A.: I went here last weekend for a charity event, so I didn't really get a true experience. But, it is a great space with a good vibe and I look forward to checking it out again. I hear they are still building the stage area, so once the sound gets fixed that should really help out. I wasn't crazy about the parking (cones so you can't park in the street, with an attendant offering $5 for the dark lot around the corner or $10 for a proper spot) or the drink prices ($9 for a tiny cocktail is a little steep for somewhere off the beaten path like that). The staff was very friendly though, so a good event will get me back in there for a second try. I haven't tried the food yet which could swing my review either way.
4 - Karin A.: My review is based on appearance only. I thought the place looked hot.  I was not impressed at the event I went there for but I had good company therefore my time was okay.  The event however, had nothing to do with the space itself.  It is a huge warehouse that is pimped up a club vibe and I think they did a good job with that.  Loved the space.  Parking needs some help though. Me and my acegirl had to walk hella far in heels and in the dark and the peeps around the area were creepy.  So a parking lot designated for the club would be a great touch.
4 - Nateia F.: I enjoyed this spot a few weeks ago.  A good friend of mine was on the 1's and 2's...so the music was definately live!  It's a jazzed up warehouse and it's a great venue for private parties.  The bartender that evening made the best appletini i've ever had...and was not stingy with the liquor!

Parking could be better.  My friend and I had parked up the street and around the back of a neigboring building.
3 - Whitney T.: I went here Dec. 08 for a private concert hosted by V103. The concert was great! I got to see Brandy, Monica and Slim from 112 perform. They did a great job. 

Now, the actual venue was okay. Our server was not that good. She barely checked up on us and when I wanted some water it took her forever to get it. I had to ask another server for it and she bought it to me asap. Then here comes my sorry server trying to bring it to me after the other server already got it for me. I have it now after you took so long! Geez! I guess she had more important customers to worry about. We also had to eat our food on our laps and put our drinks on the floor because unless you had reserved seats (which were more than likely for the radio station) you had to sit in this area along the wall, so you had no table. The food was okay though. The building is also kind of located back in a cut Lol! And the pictures on their website showing the interior of the building looked a little better than it actually did in person. But it's probably because they removed all the tables and chairs from the middle and it was really dark inside for the concert.

If the concert wouldn't have been so good I wouldn't have given them 3*. However, I'm pretty sure that the event that we're having there this weekend, that I'm going to miss :(, will go much better! I can't wait to hear about it.
3 - Leah J.: 595 north is a great example of taking a simple building/ warehouse and turning it into an awesome hang out spot. I went this past Friday and two words. HAPPY HOUR! free drinks from 6-9. Lets just say I had a GOOD time in the first three hours alone. The food is typical bar food( wings, chips&dip etc.) the wait staff is not the best, but they were @ least friendly. Overall great time.
3 - SHERIE S.: Sooo. I went to 595 North for a Joyce Littel Event. 
I would definitely suggest you verify with security at  the entrance regarding a good location to park your vehicle, because I had parked down the end of the block, and they were quick to notify me that cars do get broken into.
I entered the building and the atmosphere was very relaxing, dimly lit, great space. Sorry ladies i did not check out the restroom.

After I saw the menu I decided on Fried Tilapia Sandwiches, which were excellent. I really liked the menu selection because I dont eat pork or beef and there were alot of choices available and prices were excellent.

Now to the waitress, she was a nice girl, but timing was all wrong, she did not bring utensils and napkins with my food order. And when it came time to pay the bill she took forever to bring me back my card. I'm not a baller by any means, but when you disappear for an extended period with my card I do get rather impatient.

I would definitely hit 595 up again, no questions asked.
5 - Tai D.: I went there for October's "Spreadlove/Felabration" event and I enjoyed everything about the place. There was plenty of room on the dance floor with limited space on both sides for people to sit. There is also a really nice lounge area upstairs where you can go and see the dance floor from above. The live music was fantastic and the alcohol was on point. This is a place I definitely plan to frequent.
4 - Ruthie G.: This review isn't so much about 595 North as it is about the Tambor Party held there recently.

If a Tambor Party is what you'll be going to 595 North for - you can forget about wanting to sit down. The music was so awesome I didn't take the time to go on a tour of the venue. I was there for one reason - to cut the rug, to shake a tail feather; in other words - to dance!

From what I could see from where I danced; it looked like a pretty trendy place. It's nice and spacious lots of room for dancing, spinning, whirling, dippin' and flippin'.  

Tambor the spanish word for "drum" is a perfect definition for such a party.

The guest  DJ  for this event, one Culoe de Song from South Africa who drove the beat all night long; well...until 3am, which could have easily gone on until sunrise and the crowd would have kept dancing and being moved by the music which was hypnotic - once it grabs you - it never lets go. 

It's the kind of  music I'd danced to on the boardwalk at Coney Island all last summer. I found it to be euphoric - dancing on and on to a syncopated rhythm. If the music doesn't move you - you simply do not have a soul. 

It was so amazing, afterwards, people stood around outside talking about it and I heard things like:

"Girl, you sure got your dance on!"  

"It did my soul good, that's my church."

"Girl, you look like you just got out of a shower!"

So, no matter what kind of party or event going on at 595 North...I'm willing to bet money nothing's got it going on like a Tambor Party.
3 - Treskall M.: Nice venue, large, but not poppin last night on a Saturday. The bartender said sometimes people pick Fri or Sat to party here, nit both, so hit or miss.
4 - Ed S.: Best house music in Atlanta, correction the only house music in Atlanta. But only on Tambor nite.

5th St Ribs-N-Blues - Atlanta, GA (33.7767458, -84.3898767) (Midtown)
2 - Sara K.: Full disclosure: I don't eat meat, so I'm hardly the target clientele for this place.  However, I've been to BBQ places before that have several appetizing sides for people that would be satisfied with a scoop of mac n cheese, some green beans, and a potato salad.  Their pint-sized sides were not conducive to this, and they looked thoroughly sub-par.  The meat-eaters I was with found their ribs and pulled pork sandwiches to be largely uninspired and cheap for BBQ but expensive for the quality.

As far as ambience, it's proximity to Tech means most of the people there are college students in groups with people coming and going, and the restaurant has not figured out how to accommodate.  We had people climbing over stair railings to get to and from the bathroom, and I was constantly moving my chair to let the waitress through to serve other tables.  Overall, the place completely lacked character, so I don't see any reason to come back.
2 - Scott D.: First visit here for my weekly southern BBQ fix. This place is just OK. There are much better throughout Atlanta. I had the pulled pork and it tasted like something out of a store bought container. Rum baked beans were great. Restaurant was mostly empty during lunch time. Nice service though.
4 - Makirio M.: This is a great place for Midtown lunch.  I ordered the wings and my boyfriend ordered the 1/4th chicken.  The owner warned me about the quantity of chicken, but I was really unprepared.  Thankfully, my boyfriend was pretty hungry!  Really good food, environment, fast seating, fast service and great location for Midtown workers.
4 - Jessica L.: As a non-Southerner with limited experience in barbeque, I thought this place was quite delicious. I went with a friend who goes to Agnes Scott, and I pigged out on a quarter of a chicken (with bread too!) and she on a rib sandwich. Not the most extravagant place, but all in all, pretty yummy and filling for the price and location.

5th Street Cafe - Atlanta, GA (33.7772776, -84.385057) (Midtown)
4 - Katie W.: As someone who actually missed Eno after they closed (I love their wine list and some of their pricey food), I am so happy that something has opened in its place.  But, I was worried it might suck.

My first impression is that it does not suck at all.  In fact, I kinda like it and I see myself hanging out here (it is on my block so....).  The interior is much more open that it was with Eno.  They have taken down a wall, opened up the bar, made everything white, and also opened up the part that used to be Barrelman.  The former Barrelman site will be a patisserie, where they will bake their own stuff daily for sale and will have sandwiches and coffee and such.  They are already baking their own bread for the restaurant (and it was good).

We only had drinks and appetizers from the smallish menu.  We had the chilled artichoke with lemon dipping sauce, the cheese and meat plate, and goat cheese tarte.  All were good.  The cheese was really good and I'm glad they are continuing Eno's tradition of having interesting and delicious cheeses.  The goat cheese tarte was delicious, too.  The artichoke was good but I think I might order something else the next time.

The service was friendly but I think they are working out some kinks still.  But, everyone was super nice and I like it here.  I will definitely be back.
4 - Anna P.: We originally decided to try this place because of the 50% off deal on Scoutmob, and after dining I would definitely say that I'd go back even without a coupon.   The restaurant had only been opened for a few days, and we came for an early dinner on Friday night.  My husband and I split the goat cheese tart, warm vegetable salad, and spare ribs.  The goat cheese tart was small but it had the most delicious, melt in your mouth buttery crust.  If you're a fan of beets then you'll like the vegetable salad.  The spare ribs had a very "comfort food" appeal to it- rich flavors, the meat was very tender, and it was a very satisfying dish.

It looked like there were still a few items to be addressed on the punch list (e.g. no toilet paper holder in the bathroom) but the food is spot on and definitely a place I look forward to dining at again.
3 - J. D.: I believe this soon to be trendy spot is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. I wasn't happy with my cold artichoke appetizer (it was under cooked therefore inedible). The manager handled the situation very gracefully however. I also wasn't a fan of the gnocchi entree - it was way over sauced and looked unappealing.  They do better here with simpler preparations like the fillet of beef and I believe the menu needs some tweaking. With that said you can have a decent meal here, and the service is great. I really think this place is more about the bar scene than the food anyway.
1 - Robert C.: So I definitely will not become a regular or even returning patron of 5 St. Cafe after giving them two attempts and been sorely frustrated both times. 

First attempt was after seeing one of those cheap looking sandwich board signs outside offering breakfast lunch and dinner finished with me wasting most of my lunch walking there only to find out they wouldn't be serving lunch until the following week - with a little bity print out in the windows not visible from the street. Why put the sign out yet if all offerings aren't available?

Ok, I'll give you a second chance. 

What a disaster. Again, went in for lunch, waited over 20 minutes for what appeared to me to be pre-made food. I then attempted to use the Scout Mob deal but was told that it was only valid during dinner hours when servers were present. There's no disclaimer on the Scout Mob that deal is only for dinner hours, and after my ridiculous wait for my food (again, eating up my entire lunch hour) I would suggest that maybe there should be servers during the lunch hour. 

At this point I've been fooled twice, so shame on me. And shame on you if you experience the same after reading this. I won't even bother trying to use the Scout Mob during dinner - growing pains or not for a new restaurant.
1 - Scott L.: Ok, to be fair, this is a review of the lunch cafe and not the restaurant.  But it's enough to turn me off from both.  Maybe I'll give the restaurant another try, but won't be for a while.

Just finshed meeting a friend there for lunch and came home to eat a snack since I was still hungry after my EIGHT DOLLAR sandwich.  We chose to go there b/c of the ScoutMob deal, but after ordering were informed that only applies to dinner.  (Had we known that, we probably wouldn't have even gone in the first place.)

I ordered the French Dip and saw the lady take it out of the fridge, unwap the cellophane, and take the pre-made sandwich to the back to warm it up.  When I sat down to ate it, there was such a thin layer of meat between the bread, that I pushed it all to once side just to have a wholesome 1/2 sandwhich.  The homemade chips, which I normally can't stop eating at most places, were not crisp and needed salt.  I left half of them on my plate along with the rest of the bread from my sandwhich.

It seems like they are still trying to figure out what's going on too.  The doors were locked when I tried to get in.  Apparently i tried to walk into the restaurant instead of the cafe.  But when you order from the cafe, you sit in the restaurant.  I think they are trying to be two things at once, but yet one in the same.  

I'm not a frequent Yelper but check here for reviews quite often.  Today I noticed the Yelp lady was sitting at the table next to me trying to coordinate a Yelp event there.  Maybe the bar/restaurant has a lot more to offer than the cafe.  But, Miss Yelp, I would vote for a different  location!

Cafe = Overpriced and Underwhelming
4 - paulita b.: I am so excited to revisit 5th Street Cafe with buddies!!! And in reference to the lady who complained about walking 5 blocks in the heat.... would anyone in their right mind ever listen to a lazy broken down human, their amount of consumption does not speak for their commitment to quality. Next time Mrs. 5 blocks should consider hijacking the nearest jazzy rascal and racing down peachtree screaming feed me....
4 - Evan R.: Had a very pleasant meal at 5th Street Cafe. The food was solid top-to-bottom. Our waitress was attentive and helpful and the manager was glad-handing people all evening. The vibe is much more relaxed than the previous tenant Eno, but the overall atmosphere is still great. Could stand to lose or reposition the televeision, but other than that, no complaints.
4 - Lynn E.: Charming. The former Eno's space has been transformed into a contemporary bistro with black and white decor including a b/w ceiling, b/w movies playing on TV screens, and charming touches to add a Euro vibe. While the decor beckons you and the food will keep you coming back.

After the Yelp Elite party we stayed for dinner. Needless to say the Peach sidecar (peach nectar and vodka with a peach slice), cod fritter bites and taste of the brisket entices us to stay to enjoy a meal.

We savored:
local vegetable and beet salad with a beet balsamic syrup - this delicious warm salad is fresh, fresh, fresh and soo yummy with seasonal veggies cooked to perfection and tossed with balsamic reduction.
warm goat cheese and caramelized onion tart - this butter-crusted tart is worth the calories. it is topped with a frisee salad and a light vinaigrette 
chilled artichoke with lemon dipping sauce - perfectly cooked and chilled choke with a decadent dipping sauce
beef short ribs, red wine reduction, garlic potatoes and green beans - tender, melt-in-your-mouth short ribs (cooked to perfection) - this is comfort food at its best. (Would have liked to see the the cippolini onions cooked a few minutes longer - minor point in such a delicious meal.)

We didn't sample dessert or the raved about coffee. But plan to come back for dessert and a visit to the charming patisserie tucked in the corner of the bistro.
3 - Nateia F.: Until I get a real taste of the menu, I'd say this place if A-OK.  I must say that I love the chic decor...Black & White.  I most likely would've had these colors on anyway at the Yelp event cuz they're my signature colors.

I started off with not one but two peach sidecar drinks and one cranberry and vodka....both were very good...not too sweet and just strong enough to have me light headed at the end of the eve.

Then came a taste of the "spoon" entrees, I could only eat the corn tortellini which had an interesting flavor. They also had short ribs and I heard they were good. The waiters seemed to be overwhelmed and short on the hot food items and you had to position yourself or flag them down to come to your table. I kept wondering...Where is a chicken dish?  The servings were light as light can get...barely available!

For dessert they had some pastry bites.  One was some orange marmalade type, then there was a chocolate cheesecake and red velvet cake...the last two being my favorite. Best of all they had several rounds of dessert...I hadda say No thank you...and I think I did so as to not appear greedy in front of my new Yelp friends...cuz I was hungry. Tipsy...but hungry.

Oh yeah...the main bar is beautiful and well stocked...it turned me on and I rarely drink...but eh hem..Yelp events bring out the closet alcoholic in me! (Just be sure to tip well, cuz as Kathleen says, "Drinks don't pay for themselves!")

I had a chance to sit and talk to the marketing rep for the place, she was really nice and I know that I'll return, using my wonderful coupon provided.
3 - Travis N.: I'm a little confused as to how to write this review.  I'm not really sure what I CAN review out of this place.

I went there for lunch..and walked into a very empty restaurant.  There was one other couple out on the terrace.

I walked up to the bartender who was setting stuff up and asked if they were even open. (that's not a good sign to start a meal).

He assured me they were, and another employee appeared and was helpful. directing me to the sandwich counter that they use during the lunch/brunch meals apparently.

Their selection was a limited but creative take on sandwiches, along with a soup and a few salads.

After ordering, I was surprised when the drinks were almost an afterthought,  I was walking away to find a table when they asked about them.  When I inquired about what they had I was told a generic list of colas, tea, water etc.  No attempt to offer a glass of wine, or beer or mixed drink, even though they have an impressive looking bar.

The sandwich was better than average, though a little on the small side.  The homemade chips were better than expected, not bathed in grease like many others.

There wasn't anything I could really ding this place on...It just seemed like it doesn't know what/how it wants to be.

Maybe dinner is where it shines...maybe if my schedule changes I'll check it out.
4 - Henrik C.: Went to the new restaurant for a Sunday Brunch. We were literally the first poeple in there at 11AM. Guess it will take a little while before they pickup a crowd. The restaurant is located in the space that used to ENO's. 

The space has been renovated and there is much more light in the room now. Very nice. Great space layout and they also have outdoor seating. Not sure I am too crazy about sitting in Peachtree St exchaust fumes for dinner/brunch, but we all have different preferences. 

The place has been changed to be more of a bistro with a European flavor to it. The place is both a bakery (opens 8AM in the morning) and a Bistro. The bakery has some very appetizing things, you have to stop by if you happen to go there ot get a sense of the kind of baked goods they do. 

We have only tried the Sunday brunch. As the number of people there were limited we had a lot of attention from the staff (thank you!). The juices are not freshly squezzed. The coffee is really good if served in smaller European styled cups. 

We had quiche and eggs with bacon. The quiche was very good and served with a side salad. The scrambled eggs were served with bacon and fried potatoes. The scrambled eggs were very fluffy and tasty. Overall the experience is that they have a high quality chef that makes great food. 

We had a great experience and are certainly coming back to test their dinner. I am sure we will also return for more brunches. Very nice addition to the neighborhood.
2 - Joe M.: It was the day of the Midtown Festival of the Arts, and brother it was HOT!  My wife, my father-in-law and I had seen enough booth-art, and we were sweaty and thirsty and a little hungry.   5th street cafe happened to be at the south end of the festival on Ptree St, and my (pregnant) wife just needed to sit down and have some water and a nice lunch.  OH and it was her birthday, for christ's sake, so we wanted someplace kind of nice, and from the exterior, this place seemed like a good fit.

The interior seemed nice enough.  We weren't really acknowledged by anyone, and there was no host, so we finally asked if we should take a seat or wait for someone to seat us.  We were told by a breathless waiter running by that we could sit down where we wanted, but it might be a few minutes before someone got to us because they were so busy.  That's odd:3/4 of the restaurant is *empty* and there's no line waiting to sit, but OK...it's apparently the busiest they've ever been.  This should have been taken as a warning sign, but in our starved naivete we cheerily took a booth by the window.

We were brought water, but weren't offered anything else to drink.  I would have liked some cold tea, but that's ok.  I'm not quite sure who our waiter was, because we had about 3 different people come to our table over the course of the lunch.  Each of these three seemed to be harried by the apparent crowd of people filling 1/4 of the restaurant.  Maybe I'm being a little harsh, but if these people were overworked on that day, it's only because the place is poorly managed.  There's a freaking art festival going on right outside your front door, so you better be prepared for some traffic.  They clearly weren't.

We ordered some sandwiches, each of which sounded interesting on the menu, and none of which fit the description on the menu when they finally arrived.  My 'rare roast beef' wasn't rare, and didn't have any pickled onions as indicated on the menu; my wife's fresh mozzarella and tomato sandwich was a little dry because it was missing mayo (again, as indicated on the menu).  On top of that, about halfway through the sandwich, my wife had to put it down because she said that parts of the bread tasted *moldy*.  Granted, her pregnancy has given her superhuman smell and taste, but at the very least these sandwiches were not *fresh*, as we were expecting.  

Service was very slow for everything; we got only one water refill, and it took forever, of course, for the food and the check, etc.  Overall, not a very pleasant place to eat.

I'm pretty certain that I wouldn't go back here.  The service was slow and spotty, the food was disappointing.  I'm giving this place two stars because I'm a really nice guy and it wasn't completely disgusting (although my wife would probably disagree).
1 - Alexis E.: Wow, this place is horrible.  I'll be nice and tell you the only two things about this place that are any good.  First the decorations, it is a fun looking atmosphere and second the Berry Mojito, it's amazing!
However the food sucks and the service is worse!
We went there last weekend we had a server with the attitude of a NY city taxi driver on a bad day.  Then without rhyme or reason after we ordered drinks we had a new server.  We had to reorder drinks!
Then the fun really began.  When we began to order we were disappointed to find out that half of the items we ordered were not available.  I mean literally half of the items!  And it wasn't like the server told us up front.  We requested an item and then were told it wasn't available, we would look over the menu again and again we were told it wasn't available.  We finally had to ask what was available!
Next we ordered a beer only to have the waitresses come back to us and tell us they were out.  So we ordered a different beer and again they didn't have it.  My friend finally just stuck to water.
The worst part of all is when the manager came by the table.
Without any introduction, we had no idea who he was, came to the table and rested both his hands on the table and leaned over.  He asked how everything was going.  Of course to someone reading this they would think that this was the manager, but being there it was more intimidating than anything else.
We will never go back to this place, horrible overall!!
4 - Karl H.: They somehow impressed me with brunch..??  Well done 5th St.!

In all honesty, that fact that we could buy bread and cupcakes from their bakery as we were leaving made 5th St. Cafe 4 stars in my book.  (I'm a sucker for cupcakes)

Worth noting -- their cupcakes inspired us to have a cupcake tasting between the 3 closest bakeries (this place, Bakeshop and Chocolate Pink).  5th St. Cafe's red velvet won our taste testing -- again, well done 5th St.!
4 - Mona P.: Fresco is the best drink to order at 5th Street Cafe, hands down.  And it definitely lives up to its name.  With fresh muddled mint and cucumber mixed with sweet grapefruit juice and Jose Cuervo Silver, my parched self was incredibly happy after my first sip.  My friend ordered the Bon Voyage drink, which was a combination of Four Roses Bourbon, Cynar, maraschino, and celery bitters (note: she's hardcore and bourbon on the rocks is drink of choice) was happy with her drink, although she did mention it was a bit too sweet for her.  She also didn't appreciate a bourbon drink being served in a martini glass, but that's more about her than the actual drink.

Our courses were great as well.  I ordered the chicken milanese, which was topped with mixed green and cherry tomatoes, and served with an amazing saffron aioli cream sauce.  I almost licked the plate.  The chicken was tender, fried to a nice crisp without being overly greasy, and the sauce was light, slightly tart, creamy and left me wanting more.  It all worked really well together.  My friend ordered the bacon wrapped brook trout, which was paired with a port wine reduction.  Although not Jewish by birth, she is experimenting the religion and attempting a kosher lifestyle.  She decided the sin meal was worth every bit of guilt that was felt after she cleaned most of her plate.  The trout was seasoned well, incredibly moist, and had a great overall smokey flavor from being wrapped in bacon.  The bacon was crisp, flavorful, and left us lamenting how much kosher people miss out on.  Great entrees and great drinks allowed us to have great coversation and catch up on each other's lives without having to focus the conversation on the banality of our food.
4 - Kathleen M.: Ah, bien sur! This is a Midtown eatery I can get behind, if solely for the fact that they have a croque madame on the menu. I don't know what it is about a ham and cheese sandwich all grilled up and covered with egg, but I love it. And I typically don't even like ham. 5th Street Cafe's version is quite good: a seriously sizable portion with great flavor, if a little dry. The frites that come with are delicious and oh so garlicky. Not recommended for a hot date, but definitely worth the swing through CVS after dinner to grab a pack of gum.

I love the decor and vibe of this place: just what Midtown needed. Classy enough for a nice date, casual enough to not be reserved for special occasions. I can foresee sidling up to the bar for a great cocktail and some appetizers or coming back for dinner on the patio when the weather is cooperating. There's just too much on the menu that I've yet to try, and it's going to take a lot more than one dinner (especially when both me and my dining companion get the croque) to try it all out.
4 - Wendy R.: Tried out 5th Street Cafe for lunch today and can't wait to go back. Located on 5th and Peachtree, where Eno used to be, this cute little cafe is perfect for lunch, but I can also seeing it being a fun scene for a post-work drink/bar scene.

I had the Croque Madame, which had a poached egg vs fried or over easy egg on top, which left a lot of clear egg goo on the sandwich. I'm a fan of the traditional preparation, but they did warn me that it was poached. Also had their soup of the day, which was a butternut squash and it was absolutely fantastic. I'd go back for the soup alone! Perfect for Fall.

My friend got the chicken salad, which said on the menu that it had apple, golden raisins and celery, but she didn't see any apple in it at all, and there were also pecans in there - which would have been good to have been included on the menu for people with nut allergies. Even with these quibbles, she said it was very good and I want to try it next time I'm there.

The chips that came with the sandwiches were very good and we got a sample of the Monkey Bar from the bakery side of the restaurant, which was also fantastic. Got a Baker's Dozen of cookies for $9 to go for my co-workers. They had a really nice mix of oatmeal raisin, choc chip, choc snaps, ginger snaps, and peanut butter cookies.

I used my Scoutmob again for this, so got $15 off my bill, which was half including the cookies. Really reasonably priced, even without the discount. Would have liked to sit on the patio, but Peachtree is just so loud with the traffic! 

UPDATE: So bummed this place closed!
4 - Todd P.: Had brunch here on a Sunday afternoon. We walked in just at closing time but they were cool serving us anyway, which was great.

The patio seating is nice, but if you're sittng closest to the road, be prepared for panhandlers hitting you up. Gotta love Atlanta.

I had the tomato salad to start, which was refreshing and tart, with creamy gorgonzola cheese. Delicous!

For my main I ordered the bacon-wrapped brook trout with a port wine reduction. Tasty!

All in all, a nice meal on a gorgeous Sunday Fall afternoon.
3 - David Z.: Went for a weekday lunch and wasn't all that impressed...sorry, Zaza.

Both my friend and I ordered the lamb sandwich (but on different kinds of bread), yet they came out looking identical. The flavor was fairly weak, partly because the pepper jelly was very thinly spread, and the cheese didn't taste freshly sliced. Also I could have sworn the meat was roast beef, but they assured me it was lamb. Their homemade potato chips were pretty good, if a tad thin. 

I didn't take advantage of it, but there is a small pastry counter at the front that appeared to have several tasty options. And the meal did end up being quite cheap because of ScoutMob, so it wasn't all bad.
4 - Matt U.: Fun place with good food, great patio and great service

5th Street Ribs n Blues - Atlanta, GA (33.7768474, -84.3899876) (Midtown)
4 - Drew W.: A lunchtime favorite of both Tech students and the business people at Technology Square. 5th St. Ribs n Blues offers all the standard barbecue staples: ribs, pulled pork, chicken, lots of sides, and overly sweet tea. And wet naps (a lesser known barbecue staple, but essential for a lunch of ribs).

This was one of the first barbecue joints I'd been to that offered a rib sandwich, with bones still in the ribs. I was a little taken aback, it was basically two ribs with bones on two slices of Wonder bread. My next trip I went back to the pulled pork and felt better for it.

5th St. manages to pull off barbecue in the least likely of settings. The brunswick stew will make you forget you're essentially in the first floor of an office building. In the evenings they run beer specials and sometimes all you can eat pulled pork specials.
3 - Brian H.: Now that the Invisible Corporate Hand has deemed it necessary to move my office from Downtown to Midtown, exploring the nearby lunch options has moved up to the top of my to-do list, and this place was one of my first destinations.

It's definitely geared toward the student set, Keystone Light pitcher specials and all. I am a huge fan of pulled pork and potato salad, so that's what I ordered. It was about as plain as it gets. They cook the pork crock-pot style -- not smoked -- and shred it with sauce included. The experience is very ketchup-y and sandwiched between the standard white roll. The potato salad is very bland and has eggs in it. If I'd wanted egg salad, I would have ordered it.

I halfheartedly think I should go back and try the ribs, since they had the audacity to put them in the name of the business, but something about ribs for lunch just doesn't excite me. My quest for good Midtown BBQ continues.
1 - Stephanie S.: So-so BBQ in Tech Square
 The restaurant serves average BBQ sandwiches and ribs. The stuff you can get at any family picnic including the store bought white bread sandwich buns. The owner isn't trying to make any statements here, the dcor is quite boring. There are a few outside tables on the sidewalk where you can watch Tech students walk by. I had friends who would I would walk by every Thursday afternoon on my way to statistics and they would be sitting at Ribs 'n Blues downing a few pitchers and when I walked back a hour later, they would be drunk. So even though the food is so-so, at least it's a place where Tech students can start the weekend on Thursday afternoons in between classes.
5 - Amy B.: Had a great chopped/pulled pork sandwich there. I would also recommend the mac & cheese and the brownie. I'll definitely go back!

UPDATE:  Just wanted to let you guys know that this place also does a great job at catering! We had an event at work last night and had BBQ and fixin's. I already thought the food was good, but their service for the event was great too! Upgrade from 4 to 5 stars!
2 - Stafford B.: This is an average college campus eatery. The service is usually very prompt (mostly because you have to order before you sit down) and professional. However, they are pretty strict on substitutions; meaning you are gonna have to take this chips that come with your pork sandwich. The meats are about as good as you can get with out having a BBQ pit but I would say the sauce is below average (and they put it on everything).

Also this place is called "Ribs and Blues" but there are no blues. I have never know them to feature any actual blues music (recorded or live).
3 - Joel D.: Despite being born and raised in the south, I discovered BBQ quite late in life. While 5th Street Ribs & Blues is NOT Fat Matts, it is a pretty decent chopped pork sandwich - if you like that style of BBQ.
I'd never take an out-of towner here as an example of great bbq, but I do think its a viable option when you are in midtown and craving a sloppy sandwich.
2 - Angela M.: Decent, and better than dining hall food, but nothing special.  To me the meat tastes like you can buy at a grocery store, as does the sauce, and the sides are nothing special.  It's nice to have a place this close to campus that serves beer, but I would rather eat at one of the other establishments nearby.

As previously mentioned - no blues.
1 - Brendan S.: Well, if there is one thing I love to hate, its commoditized BBQ.  For starters, it is odd that the BBQ sandwich dwarfs the chopped pork sandwich, I dont get it.  For such a small amount of money, I think ~ 1.00 dollar, there should be more parity here.  The pork is also not a true BBQ, its simply as another reviewer stated, a crock pot concoction. Its flavor is given by the overwhelming sauce, I would rather have a McRib.

As for the ribs, they were not cooked evenly, the thick top of the ribs were tough, chewy and lacked much smoke, char or anything else.  Besides, ribs should not be "fall off the bone" unless cooked in an oven.  This is, at best, average BBQ. 

The sides, ugh, canned green beans and box made mac n' cheese. 

I suppose, for a business lunch, if you must, then fine. eat it.  This is not BBQ, its Hardly-Q. I would rather eat at Shane's than here.
2 - Christian B.: I came in here not expecting much and was still underwhelmed. Things started off promisingly enough with a great smoke smell and a friendly owner. But when the food came out, I knew I wasn't going to be happy.

I firmly believe good BBQ shouldn't require sauce. Sauce can be added, but the best joints always serve their 'cue without sauce. Why? Because if the meat is smoked right, it won't need it. So when I saw sauced shredded chicken piled on a sad grocery store bun, I knew immediately what I was getting. The same kind of 'cue you'll get in an airport food court or some company cookout. 

You know the BBQ I'm talking about. The kind that's cooked (but not really smoked), then slathered in a brownish sauce that tastes like it was poured straight from a jar. I finished the sandwich (as well as the just-OK mac 'n cheese) not because I enjoyed it, but because I was hungry. 

Maybe with a built-in customer base of Tech students, 5th Street doesn't really have to put out a better product. And I guess that's fine if they want to make BBQ without any of the love you'd get from a true pitmaster. Honestly though, I could make better 'cue at home with my Big Green Egg.
4 - Michelle A.: $50 gift certificate = 3 pounds of meat and 3 sides to take home. So I hoped this was good because otherwise, I was screwed with a freezer full of crap.

Upon entering to pick up the order, I was smacked in the face by the smell of BBQ. Good signs, good signs. The drive home was brutal as the smell kept filling up the car. I wanted to stop at a red light and make a sandwich pronto! Too bad. When I finally got home, I had my chance. I tried to pulled pork and the sauce and wow, that's some good stuff for Tech Square! Those Tech kids don't know how good they have it, seriously. If you're tired of Tin Drum and Cold Stone but can't afford Waterhaven, try this place!

I disagree about BBQ not needing sauce. Maybe it's a southern thing, but condiments are a food group here. Thankfully, the sauce here was delicious and compliments the meat very well. I devoured that sandwich last night and had sweet dreams with my food baby.

The staff was also friendly and laughing as this tiny girl and one tall guy are standing there to pick up 3 pounds of meat. The fact you can use your Buzz Card here doesn't affect me, but that's excellent news for Techies. I was told that Fat Matt's owners actually helped get this place off the ground and the menus are identical, though having never been to Fat Matt's I can't draw this comparison.

This is one place in the square that won't leave you a ramblin' wreck! Har har.
1 - Scott M.: Gross.  Horrible bbq.  I really wanted to like this spot, but its just simply not that good.

Sits right in the heart of the GA Tech district, and for novice bbq fans I am sure this place is wonderful...but for the pros, it sucks.

While I would love to give a whimsical review about all the nooks, crannies, and character of this place.  BBq spots dont need all that, they just need good ribs.  Anything else is a distraction....
3 - Isaac S.: The ribs were mediocre.  I was particularly impressed with the pulled-pork sandwich.  It was exceptionally tender and very flavorful.  The bbq sauce may need some tweaking but overall it was tasteful.  However, we were heavily disappointed at the side dishes.  The amount given seemed skimpy.  This place is centrally located in GT district so it is packed with students during lunch time.  However, we were able to get in and within a reasonable time.  Great place to go and grab a quick meal when you're having a craving for bbq!
2 - Val M.: I was wandering around 5th street starving... and since i was in Atlanta I thought I would opt for the BBQ. It was a hot day and the staff promptly offered me some cold water while I perused the menu. (must be that southern hospitality). I ordered the chopped pork sandwich, a side of greens and it came with good ol' lays potato chips. The greens were good but a bit salty and the bread on the sandwich wasn't very soft. It's okay because I didn't eat the bread anyway (lo-carb , hello!) 

It hit the spot, but ME, I've experience better.
4 - Bridget J.: This place kinda took me by surprise. The ribs are good. I can't say a bad thing about the ribs. The pull pork sandwich was great. You get so much meat on the sandwich you could take one sandwich and make two. The sides were ok. I ordered the rum baked beans. Not sure what taste they were going for but I wasn't a fan. 

My only issue is that the menu didn't have enough combo type platters. Everything is a' la carte which can be heavy on the pocket for a family of four. I would like to see the menu have more combo items on the menu. 

I will go back for the food. Best ribs I've had in a long time.
4 - Huntting B.: I'm surprised that this place has such a low rating. This was my go to place for BBQ. I'll say though, the ribs aren't where its at here. If you are obsessed with a spicy and tangy BBQ sauce and enjoy pulled pork, then you'll love this place. 

If you are looking for slow cooked, meat falling off the bone ribs, make them yourself. 

If you have a hankerin for ribs, and think that juicy/tenderness matter's more than sauce, and don't wanna cook them yourself, go to fatt matt's.
4 - MaryHelen D.: Visited on 8/9/10 

It is a order at the front, seat yourselves, get your own drinks concept like Fat Matt's. Menu is similar too. Restaurant is very very clean and the staff seemed friendly. Since there were six of us we tried pretty much everything on the menu b/n us. I had the pulled pork sandwich and thought it was great. Sauce was yummy, portions were plentiful. I also had the coleslaw, not as sweet as I like but still very good. My boyfriend had the ribs and mac n cheese. He enjoyed it as did the rest of the group. All in all I would recommend and plan to go back. 

The parking out front is pay parking and has a one hour max so don't plan to stay long and be prepared to pay to park.
3 - Alex D.: I've been here a few times and thought I'd rate it. It has a pretty good atmosphere and pretty good music which is a pretty good feature I guess. Putting the aesthetics aside, however, this restaurant is a fairly average bbq joint. The ribs were good, but I've had better. Same can be said about everything else on the menu, save for the pulled pork sandwich which is pretty good. The food also seems a little overpriced for what you get.
4 - Ron M.: No real complaints about this place! chicken is absolutely superb, pulled pork isnt bad at all, i guess its the style typical to any Georgia bbq restaurant (smoke some meat, drench in an apple cider vinegar-sugar-ketchup sauce, let the meat absorb the sauce, almost like a casserole).  I'd prefer straight meat then i add the sauce, but to each his own.  Some of the sides are lackluster, others are pretty solid.  Very reasonably priced draft beer, especially their "house" pitcher (I'll go ahead and spoil it for you, its usually just Busch light).

only complaints:  parking, as it is anywhere on Georgia Tech campus, can be a problem.  The easiest would be metered spots right outside the restaurant, but if you wanted to stay for longer than an hour seek other options.  They also usually close kinda early, ~9...or really just when they run out of beer.  So, a great place to start the night . . . They could also use some new TVs, but now i'm just being nit-picky.

All-in-all, a great value, def worth your time if you're on Tech's campus
4 - Brandon H.: A few of my friends and I went here before Winter Beer Carnival and it was great! Not the ribs mom makes at home but damn close. Great little place for a pitcher of beer and bbq. I would recommend it. I think I will also have to go back and try the pulled pork sandwich. We just ordered 2 slabs for $19 a pop but there was enough for 4 large guys and my wife.
3 - Irwin S.: While the food was not spectacular, this was exactly what I was looking for.  I had a quick break from work and wanted fast tasty southern bbq.  This was it, no frills.  One person working counter and bussing the tables was very nice.  Food was out in 2 or 3 minutes.  I got the combo, with 1/4 slab and 1/4 chicken.  Both were above par, but not spectacular.  Ribs and chicken both cooked correctly (not overcooked as some ribs tend to be).  The sauce on the side was underwhelming and the beans as a side were ok.  Came with two pieces of plain white bread, right of a supermaket loaf . . . maybe that's to justify a "homestyle" self-image.  I'd go back again, but only if I didn't have time to find great bbq.
2 - Drew D.: If you are looking for something quick to satisfy your BBQ craving, this is the place to go.  Do not expect great food, but the food is not bad, either.  I enjoy their bbq pork sandwiches, but I would rather just drive to Fat Matt's. A little more expensive than I thought it would be, too.  If you are starving or want a quick meal, stop by.  I have always been treated very well by the staff, too.
4 - Stephen M.: It was a good meal. The staff was friendly as well. Used restaurant.com coupon with ease.
3 - Will T.: This uncomplicated menu will satisfy any bbq craving you have and do it deliciously.  I worked late Friday night and stopped by for an order to go - pork sandwich (which comes with a bag of chips), macaroni and cheese and Brunswick stew.  The smoky scent in the air was a good omen.

When I got home and dug into my goody bag, I found a bun piled high with pork.  So high that I removed half the pork - there was enough there for two meals.  Sides are on the small side, served in a 6 oz. soufflé cup, but are thankfully straightforward and don't suffer from some funky treatment.  Macaroni and cheese was creamy, not oily or dried out.  And thank God somebody knows how to make Brunswick stew.  My 12 oz. portion was like a stew should be, full of diced veggies and shredded meat.  If you've read my other bbq restaurant reviews, nothing can lose a star faster than watery, insipid Brunswick stew.  There are some newer bbq joints that get more buzz, but 5th Street Ribs and Blues delivers better bbq.
2 - Chris W.: I haven't ate here that much. Maybe twice. I ordered a veggie plate to go once and the veggies came in containers the size of dixie cups. That's screwed up. Made me mad. Grrr.... Gave me the Blues. 

Otherwise, I can't rate the actual BBQ, because I haven't tried that yet. Still the petite veggie servings were so ridiculous that I feel I need to rate it just for that.

Near Tech, so lots of students.
2 - Atlanta S.: If you order the ribs, you'll get the blues.

Nice place, wonderful smoky smell, very kind and helpful staff - but the que just doesn't cut it.
3 - Kristin F.: Got a pulled pork sandwich with chips and a drink to go. It was about $8 or so. You get a LOT of meat on the bun which is great. I thought the sauce was okay, it was kinda sweet and tangy but it was a bit spicy which I'm not a fan of myself. Great space, easy to walk up to the counter to order and then find a seat to wait for your food or eat if you want.
4 - Gary T.: just went here again for lunch and they were absolutely excellent. In my opinion, if you can go eat somewhere and the quality never varies, that's a sign that they know what they're doing and they take it seriously.

61C Cafe - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4361609, -79.9227592) (Squirrel Hill)
4 - Tosca F.: Muffins from heaven! Not too sweet and amazingly huge and fresh. Great tea selection. Nothing fancy inside, but warm and inviting. Great place to meet up for a leisurely afternoon chat or alone with good book in hand.
4 - Tolga E.: If only this place was in San Francisco! The 61C Cafe was my favorite coffee shop/study place when I was in college. It is named after the bus route which stops outside the front door (the 61C bus route...).

They have a large selection of coffees and loose-leaf teas. They have lots of great home-made baked goods. The Ginger Snap cookies are the best I've ever had. It is the only coffee shop where the DEFAULT is "for here" mugs...people who get drinks "to go" are looked at strangely. Go with your laptop or a newspaper and get out of the freezing (I mean FREEZING!) cold of the Pittsburgh winter and enjoy this place.
5 - Lili X.: Love this place - the internet is free and the coffee is strong! Staff are friendly and make you feel welcome (even if you bring a laptop and stay for a few hours). The coffee shop is small, but they've managed to squeeze in just enough small tables for customers to find somewhere to sit. There is also a nice side patio that is open whenever the weather permits. The only downside is that they only accept cash, but in case you forget, there are atms down the street (or just go to Giant Eagle). Metered parking is available nearby, but you might find some free spots farther out in the neighborhoods.Or just hop on the 61C bus - it will drop you off right in front of the shop!
5 - caitlin o.: I love the 61C! 

Great music is always playing, making it a nice place to study or chat with a friend. Pared down decor with some nice etchings hung on the walls -- no cheesy paintings all over the place like the Beehive. Very very chill. 

The staff is excellent and remember your face. The drinks are great (I especially love their hot cider during the winter months), and the outdoor seating during the spring and fall is an excellent mingling spot.

However -- cash only ...and the staff is so kind they let some typical Pittsburgh weirdos (one who always comes in and shouts on his telephone like clockwork every day, one twitchy old guy who does his rosary beads, etc) come in once in a while during the early afternoon.
5 - Patrick Gage K.: It would now be impossible for me to count the evenings I have spent at 61c. With free internet good hot chocolate and desserts - and also amazing fresh smoothies I am set for hours. The music is very good. The staff are great, go there enough and you will soon be friends with them.
4 - ally r.: Atmosphere- reasonable. Mostly seems like a good study shop for college kids. Not as many lap top outlets as there needs to be it seems. They make good chai and Lattes which is what I mostly get there. The coffee is fine. Most of the food available is sweets. Watch out for the no credit card deal.
2 - Brittany G.: I really would never have stopped here, but the sign on the street promised a fresh smoothie.

The atmosphere was kinda dark and not in a moody way. Each small table was occupied by one person with a laptop or a book. I came in with a friend and felt slightly uncomfortable just talking. It was just dead in there.

I went to the counter and said that I wanted a smoothie but I wasn't sure what kinds they had. The girl behind the counter stared at me. Ok, so I found this board that had smoothie ingredients on it and tried to figure out what I wanted. I ventured to order and was told that I had to pick something from each column. At this point the girl behind the counter actually turned her back on me. What the hell? Why do I feel like I'm taking some kind of smoothie aptitude test. Just tell me what is going on. So, to the back of this girl I say, "apple"... Apparently this completes some requirement that my previous order hadn't fulfilled and another girl starts putting apples in the machine.

At this point, I think that while I don't plan on coming back, at least I'll get a nice fresh treat to take out and ponder the wackiness that was my experience. Nope. The first girl opens the fridge only to tell me that they are out of the other ingredients I had asked for. Whatever. I'm actually glad I got out of there without spending any money.

I don't know if she just didn't like the look of me or what, but if you don't like serving food to people you probably shouldn't work at a cafe. Also, if your smoothie ordering process is even slightly unclear, it wouldn't hurt to help a customer out.

I don't doubt that other people have had better experiences here, but the dark, solitary atmosphere and terrifying service won't be bringing me back in the foreseeable future.
4 - Shelly M.: My first coffee shop stop in Pittsburgh!  It was such a gorgeous day and they had outdoor seating!  Staff was friendly and efficient!  Coffee was decent.  There is also free wifi, which is always a plus when you need to bust out of an apt in a new city to explore!  Most of all the outdoor seating called to moi!
3 - Angela S.: I would like to hang out here more often, but my laptop battery is a piece of shit and there are virtually no outlets in this place.  

?
3 - adam t.: Coffee is very drinkable not great but very drinkable. You can buy a 6oz cup for like a buck and a quarter (if you like small things?). Always crowded... maybe it the free internet? Windows gallor and outside seating. I love Sq. Hill so it is set within a good community. Taking a star away because it's a little run down with some wobbly tables but hey maybe that's why the coffee is cheap (low overhead on decor).
3 - Maxwell D.: Awkward but okay.

61c is a cafe with an identity crisis.  The seating, a blue grid of cramped narrow paths is awful and totally fills the space, I mean, seriously, get a couch or maybe a table with more than two seats.  Just weird.  I feel like getting to my seat is a game of pac-man.

Given 61c's utilitarian, classroom, look, I assumed that the angle was that it was a no-nonsense wifi type cafe, but really, if there are no outlets, where do i plug my computer in?  It seems like there were once outlets but maybe they have been passively aggressively covered with blank wall plates?  I don't get it.

The coffee and other pastries are acceptable and slightly above average, but seriously,  do something about the awkward room.
3 - Solomon B.: I'm so relieved that someone else noticed the fact that the tables are arranged not like desks in a classroom. I thought I was going crazy...coming in I saw maybe 15 people sitting down at 20 little identical tables, *all* in front of laptops...nearly all facing the same direction. All I could think was "This must be what coffee shops in re-education camps look like". (It's not *that* bad- and they have more traditional seating in the back; I think this is just how they've had to adjust to crowding.) Because of that, it took me a few minutes after taking myself to really feel comfortable. 

I had a tasty (and cheap, albeit small) pot of tea and sat down facing the opposite direction, just to be contrarian. Their wifi was free, which is a big plus, but they didn't have good power outlet access, which is a big minus. The staff was friendly, the selection of teas was phenomenal, but the music was just a bit too loud (and at some times, flat out awkward) for my tastes, and all in all, it just didn't quite click. I had gone there to get some reading done - I was able to get it done, which was good, but I didn't feel the desire to linger around once my work was done, which was bad. All in all, asi asi.

I did see someone there reading a seminal paper in ubiquitous computing, so I have to vouch for the crowd (sorry, nerd pride). And the desks are actually well suited to getting serious work done (I imagine a big plus for a lot of people, given the number of laptops). But for me, I was really hoping to find a cozy place to escape the world while being productive - and for that, I'll have to keep looking.
5 - smriti k.: Phew!! Another coffee review in Pittsburgh. People in Pittsburgh like to be caffeinated !!

 Located at the  corner of the street with a cute sit out area serving good types of coffee and sandwiches and biscotti.I am a great fan of pittsburgh coffee and biscotti's. Apparently Pittsburgh has kept up with my expectations. :)

  -Smriti
4 - Oday S.: I'm coming to Pittsburgh from Portland, and Portland is the elitist's paradise for coffee and espresso.

I'm glad to see that Pittsburgh has so many independent coffee shops.  I would not put them in the same class as those in Portland, but in the context of a city Pittsbugh's size and located in the mid-Atlantic, I'm impressed.

Came to 61C based on a couple recommendations.  Very cool place.  Seating is a bit tight, but then, coffee shops struggle sometimes with relatively low turnover and low priced items, so I don't mind the sardine-packing atmosphere. 

The positives: decent number of wall outlets; nice selection of teas, sustainable to-go containers; good selection of sweets; friendly barista; great location on the Murray Ave strip in Squirrel Hill; fresh veggie/fruit juice available; very cool music.

The negatives: Lighting could be much better, especially in the back away from the windows; no design to speak of, very plain tables/chairs, and a ceiling badly in need of painting and repairs.

One hopes that the 61C bus line doesn't get relocated or cancelled...
2 - Christina P.: Way too crowded, and not intimate at all with tables practically stacked one right over the other. If you don't have a laptop, then you will feel really awkward. The only nice thing is when it's sunny outside and you can sit on the patio with the sunflower garden they have. The coffee is mediocre. For better drinks, go down 2 blocks to Te Cafe or Crazy Mocha.
4 - Adam L.: I love to support local baristas over the corporate coffee shops. 61c is a great place to grab a cup of coffee or some delightful loose leaf tea. I do agree that the interior can be crowded, and that the majority of the patrons are typically affixed to their laptop screens.

I give 61c props for outdoor seating (in the spring/summer), delicious homemade granola, and the best blueberry cheesecake that you've ever had. The blueberry variety is made in-house, and is incredibly substantial (I am a total whore for cheesecake). Remember, 61c is cash only!
4 - Kate D.: I spent many many nights here drinking hot chocolate and studying when I was in college! It can be a little crowded, and - at least 6 years ago - power outlets could be a little sparse. 

The atmosphere is relaxed and quiet, they have a great variety of drinks and deserts and really excellent staff on hand. In the summer, there is outdoor seating which is nice as well.
4 - October R.: I've never been disappointed by anything I've ordered (coffee, tea, pastries, lemonade, smoothies) They have a lot to offer and you can get whatever flavor combination tickles your fancy. One day I was feeling adventurous and ordered a strawberry-coconut soy latte. The barista said "In 15 years I've never made that before" It was amazing! 

The only negative things I have to say about the 61c is that it can get very crowded and the tables are situated very close together to maximize seating .
4 - Jane F.: cute! how could you NOT like this place?
5 - Jason Z.: The smoothies are incredible. They make them from fresh squeezed juice and fruit as you order them. The pastries are good too - not quite as standout as the smoothies, but still tasty.

It can get crowded sometimes, but they have a fair amount of seating, so it isn't something they could easily fix.
1 - Thien L.: This is the problem with independent coffee shops... they can get away with murder! People talk their shit about Starbucks, but they've at least some structure and a higher level of customer service (most, not all).

It was raining on this particular day in Pittsburgh. It was humid but I was still in the mood for a delicious mocha! I yelped local coffee shops and came upon 61C Cafe. It was a cute joint - everything you'd imagine an independent coffee shop to be. Cute and quaint.

The barista, however, was incredibly rude. I had greeted her myself, and all she could muster up was, "yes?" I ignored it and ordered an Almond Mocha. She quickly steamed up some milk on the counter (not from the fridge, mind you) and POURED in the mocha and almond syrup into my cup. What happened to all your pumps? Talk about inconsistency! I should have asked for two pumps each to really have messed her up!

I don't know how she did it, but she made no eye contact with any of us throughout the whole transaction (and we ordered 2 more drinks on top of the almond mocha!). What's wrong girl? You need me to pet you?

I was so exhausted with this girl, I couldn't even enjoy my beverage. It only takes one person to really mess up the whole experience.

61C Cafe, have some standards and check up on your staff. The beverage quality is abominable. 

And BTW, your cookies are awful, too.
4 - Eric K.: 61c is definitely my favorite Squirrel Hill coffee shop.  Their lattes are the best I've had in the Burgh and their m&m cookies and granola are delicious.

Pros:
- usually very good music.
- decent customer service.
- nice ambiance and a good place to get work done.
- nice location in the heart of squirrel hill.
- free wifi.

Cons:
- not many outlets.
4 - Holly G.: Comfy little Squirrel Hill coffee shop. I pretty much only order my usual decaf (black) but there is a nice selection of coffee drinks and sweets on the counter. My favorite aspect is the little outdoor patio with lights strung up above. It's the perfect place to spend a summer evening catching up with a friend.

Indoors it can get very crowded with students studying, and you'd be better off if your laptop had a strong battery because it can be difficult to get an outlet. Even with the crowd, though, it never gets very loud because most people have their noses in books and headphones in their ears.
2 - Adam F.: Positive: great location, free wireless, several very nice baristas.

Negative: 2 outlets (it's no longer cute), wobbly tables , terrible coffee, burnt, low quality, inconsistent. Haven't tried more frou frou drinks. The occasional inexplicably asshole employee.
4 - Peter B.: The best coffee place in sq hill. And they had the best cookies. But at the end of last year they changed their cookies to be smaller and harder. But if they changed back their cookies they would earn the last star!
2 - Meredith B.: Okay.....I've only been here twice, so it's hard to judge.  But there were two things I disliked.

1. Hardly any outlets!
2. My chai latte, which was neither hot nor very tasty.  wah waaaaaah.

It's like, a block from my house, so I'm sure I'll give them another go.  There was a super friendly barista dude there last time, and the outdoor patio looks nice in summer.  But I'll need to have a tasty beverage of some sort in order to up this review.  sad face because I love local businesses!  But....I also love tasty chai lattes.  and I did not get one.
3 - Alberto T.: It's after 5:00pm and you're cruising around Squirrel Hill looking for a cafe... You come across 61C.  Sure, it isn't such a bad stop. Yes, the only electrical outlet is next to the front door, and yes the coffee doesn't compare to other Pittsburgh stops like Voluto, 21st St., or Tazza D'Oro, but it's not terrible... well, usually. The music has been known to take the turn towards the non-stop sounds of rap and pop. Not that I mind rap or pop, but in a cafe when most people are trying to study or catch up on their reading it can drive a person crazy. If it's late, most of the good cafés are closed, and you're not willing to drive over to Highland Park, sure, I'd recommend 61C... although there is a pretty decent Crazy Mocha down the road.
4 - Antoinette Marie D.: More like 3.5 stars. I do not go there often enough, but it is a little more than A-OK. I gave it the full 4 because the hot apple cider is that memorable.

61C Cafe has  even 1-1 human-laptop ratio. Yes, the cafe may seem a little hipster (it is), a little grad school (it is), and a little granola (it is). But don't let stereotypes deter you; 61C is a pleasant experience.

The drinks I have had at 61C have been good, I might have had a better chai here or there, but overall I have left satisfied. I especially love late summer nights under the strung lights and people watching on Murray Avenue.
4 - Susan D.: The 61C has long been a coffee mainstay in Squirrel Hill. And it's the perfect place to go before or after a movie at the nearby Manor. My friend Marla & I did just that last night. We came here for a little libation after seeing "Of Gods and Men" (which was VERY good, BTW). Despite my love, nay dependence for caffeine-y goodness in the morning, it does keep me up at night.  My decaf tea with biscotti really hit the spot though.

And yes Marla is still one of those people who can drink an espresso at 10pm and then go to bed.
4 - H B.: They're good on all the standards. Coffee is fresh and affordable. No frills here, but it's a cute place that's dependable and inviting. I'm admittedly a bit of an eco geek, so I get a kick out of the fact that they use biodegradable plastics, too!
4 - T.C. J.: What I like best about this place is that there is plenty of outdoor seating. Inside is cool too, but sometimes it gets really packed and is hard to find a place to sit.  

Coffee is about 50 cents cheaper than Starbucks and they have the cream and sugar out so you can help yourself to as much or as little as you want. I've recently started trying their fresh juice. It's really cool, they cut the fruit right in front of you and squeeze like 4 or 5 pieces into your glass. If you don't like pulp stay away from the juice though, because being fresh squeezed tends to lead to lots of pulp. Kind of expensive though, $2.75 for a small glass. 

The crowd seems a little hipster-like, but not really pretentious or engaging in ridiculous discussions that make them sound smart, but in reality they know nothing about like hipsters are sometimes known to do. Pretty chill crowd here and everyone has always been friendly.
2 - Kevin A.: Decent coffee, okay atmosphere, good juice.  The place is a little crowded - a few too many tables (many of which are wobbly).  Three stars.  Minus one star for not taking credit cards.  Hello, 1995.
5 - Michael S.: This has been my go-to coffeeshop for over a decade now. It's one of the few places I can go and get a plain coffee that doesn't taste like regret. When they're in season, they also have the best pumpkin muffins around.

The rest of the clientele are generally polite and leave you be to your web surfing or crosswords, but there are definitely characters you'll come to recognize if you are a regular that lend the place a neighborhoody feel (such as the Bob Dylan gospel guy, who you'll sometimes find fashioning belts and other leather products across a table or two).

Added plus: for years the place had but one or two outlets, which made laptop loungers like me sad. But they have upgraded and now there are plentiful outlets! (Using one now.)
3 - Sarah R.: I've never had the coffee here. I don't know why. I think it's because this place looks so dirty. The steam wand is always covered in crusted up, burnt milk... but they've got a nice selection of granola and other little goodies. They have a nice tea selection, which is usually what I order to drink. 

The cafe is super cramped, and pretty hard to get a spot to plug in... but they've got free wifi and a nice outdoor seating area. I only go here if I want to do a little reading or there's nowhere else to go. I have to make sure to bring my own headphones. The blasé baristas are usually pumping music super loudly, especially during the evenings.
4 - Caitlin C.: So I hosted a little 1-hour Facebook battle of asking my friends one simple question:  "Who has GREAT Coffee?  And if you say Starbucks, I will smack you!"
A lot of great suggestions came up; however, a friend mentioned 61C Cafe and because of it's close location to my apartment and was the one place I hadn't been to before, I chose this place.  However, before you go - CASH ONLY!!!!  That being said, on with the review!
What a great suggestion 61C Cafe is because of my one criteria:  GREAT coffee, was met!  I do consider myself a Foodie, but I consider myself a Coffee SNOB!  Yes - I like my coffee hot and black, without the bastardization of sugars, creams, syrups, and foams.
When I pulled up - I immediately liked the exterior as it looks like an old coffee shop from the 60's.  But upon going inside, it's very warm, cozy, and simple.   No schticky decorations or fake histories on the walls.  
When I ordered a large cup of Dark Roast, they were actually at the bottom of the caraffe, so the barista asked if I wanted it, or if I would be willing to wait for a fresh pot.  (Duh!  Coffee Snob!  Wait for a fresh pot!)
I took a seat and started reading a book while waiting for my coffee, when the barista brought my coffee over to me a few minutes later and said with a genuine smile, "You can pay when you're ready!"  I paid $2 for a LARGE CUP OF COFFEE!!!  $2!!!  AMAZING!!!!  I tipped him another $2 for being so awesome!
Another great thing about this place, the clientele are awesome too and are not pretentious, too hipster, or too trendy.  Just people drinking coffee, passing time, and reading books.  When I asked my table neighbor to watch my bag while I went to put another quarter in the meter, when I returned we actually had a great conversation!
I didn't get a chance to taste the biscotti or the baked goodies, but definitely on my next stop.  Great coffee.  Great Atmosphere.  Great People.  Great Prices.  
JUST BRING CASH!  :-D
3 - Akshay B.: They do make good coffee, decent smoothies and crappy hot chocolate. I tried hot chocolate at least 3-4 times, and it is one of the worst I ever had. To be frank, I prefer Starbucks smoothie, hot chocolate over 61c any day. 

I do visit this coffee shop because of the environment. Most of the people here are trying to get their work done and environment motivates me to get my work done too. I also like outdoor seating when it is warm.
4 - Jennifer S.: Cute little cafe- typical selection, prices, cafe ambiance.  The food and beverage I've had were good.
4 - Sarah S.: I have only ever had their smoothies. They are amazing! My favorite part is watching the barista make fresh-squeezed apple juice that then goes into my smoothie. It makes it taste so much better! I am also a big fan of the fact that their smoothies are all natural with no sugar and still delicious!

622 North - Blacksburg, VA (37.2344872, -80.4195237) ()
2 - Jeremy H.: I've been really excited to visit 622 North since I heard they were opening - Blacksburg needs a good place that isn't a bar or sandwich shop.  A recent trip to 622 North tells me that, at least for now, we're still waiting.

Arriving at 7pm, we were seated outside on the patio - a nice place to sit overlooking Main Street, for sure.  The restaurant wasn't full at the time, and we placed orders.  After an hour, the restaurant was much fuller ... but still no meals.  We were enjoying ourselves and so the delay wasn't terribly inconvenient, but we certainly wondered what was taken so long.  The server didn't have anything to offer - they don't serve table bread, and he couldn't provide any explanation.  After TWO hours, the meals finally came, and were underwhelming at best.  Everyone's asked why we stayed so long - some within our party knew others who had helped start the restaurant, and we wanted to support that.  

I've heard that they weren't prepared for the "grand opening" that weekend, that it was slated to be a week later, but nevertheless there are some kinks to be worked out, and a menu to be tweaked.  Here's to better reviews here on out.
4 - Sheena F.: My experience was nothing like the two previous ones. 

Wait staff was really good. We didn't wait long for our food, and the suggestions for food were spot on. I loved the potato appetizer (don't remember the name of it now, but more than one wait staff said we made the right choice). I was more than pleased with the main dish I got, soft-shell crab, cheesy polenta and asparagus. Yum!
We got dessert too,  cheese cake with a strawberry sauce. Pretty standard, but lighter than most that I've had in the past. We also got ice cream with it (and an extra scope from our server). The wine is good too! The list isn't as long as I've seen in other restaurants/wine bars, but that's understandable for a place that just opened about 3 weeks ago.
3 - Evan D.: The food was very unique, tasty, and reasonably priced. This is not your typical Applebees menu. They also have a modest selection of draft beers; I had a Bell's Oberon, which I'd never had before, and it was excellent. The wait staff, however, was harried and stretched too thin. We went for lunch, and while they didn't appear to be too busy, we had to get our own menus and spent a lot of time waiting to order. Don't know if that was typical, but it certainly wasn't ideal.
5 - Edward R.: Wow, what a wonderful restaurant.  The building is beautiful.  The seating is wonderfully laid out.  And the pianist is fantastic.

Now.... to the food.  I had the Papa's Penne.  Absolutely fantastic.  Everything was made to give my taste buds one of the finest meals they've ever had the pleasure of having.  Wonderful wine selection, great selection of craft beers.  All I can really say is wow.  This place definitely won me over.
4 - Nick W.: Went here for dinner while visiting Bburg after moving away two years prior.  This restaurant is an excellent addition to town for slightly upscale dining.  The food was really good, and the waitstaff friendly.  Highly recommended for a nice night out.
4 - Greg P.: What a find in Blacksburg!  In all honesty, i have only been to the wine bar area but the overall atmosphere is very unique to the area.  The "house" is divided into 3 main area's - main restaurant, wine/beer bar and a regular bar with pool tables/tv's/etc (which is seperated for noise purposes).  They have a piano player that sits in the main dining area that can also be heard in the wine bar.
I have been to the wine bar on 2 different occasions and both have been very good experiences.  Within the wine bar, they have booths, tables as well as a few leather couches/chairs.
The service is very good.  The hostess was very nice and explained their layout and then took me to the requested wine bar area.  Both times i have sat in the leather sofa section.  Not only did the server check on me quite often, the hostess came by on occasion to make sure everything was all right.
For food, i have only had the appitizers.  I have had the spinach artichoke dip and the buffalo chicken flatbread pizza.  Both were really good and seemed very fresh.  I have seen entree's ordered within the wine bar area and they have each looked very good as well.
The wine list has lots of whites and reds to choose from.  The hostess mentioned that they have a few staples but they also rotate the list quite often.  The wines are priced very fair which allows you to venture out and try different styles.
Overall, i rate this a great experience in Blacksburg.  It definitely different from other restaurants in the area and its obvious from their attention to service that they are trying hard to succeed!
5 - Bernard W.: My wife and I were told about 622 North by a guest of our Bed and Breakfast, The Oaks Victorian Inn, in Christiansburg. We were not aware that it existed but after researching it online I realized that it is owned by the same person of one of our favorite restaurants in Blacksburg, Leftys. We know the food is good at Leftys and knew that the food here would be good as well. We were correct. The restaurant is in a victorian home that has been restored. The atmosphere is bright and tastefully decorated. The food is delicious and nicely presented. :Leftys serves my wifes favorite dressing(lime cilantro) and 622 has the same dressing. the dinner menu changes daily, so we can't wait to go back and try something else. We were so impressed that we asked for one of their menus so we can recommend them to our guests. A great addition to Blacksburg!
4 - Gary M.: Great food, thoughtfully prepared and presented.  Service was attentive. Wine bar looks interesting.
3 - Kevin O.: So we came back to try the main dining area. First thing I noticed was the menu was slightly different than what was available on the Franks side and the list of drafts had changed. We ate from the Chefs Table menu, which was a choice of appetizer, salad, and entree for a set price. Everything was pretty good, except the main dish. I'd ordered Jerk Pork, and was expecting something with flavor and seasoning, not a very mild almost tasteless clump of meat. The sides were good, the appetizer was good, and the salad fine. My wife didn't have any complaints or compliments on her main entree, a shrimp pasta. I don't know I want to give them a third try, considering the price.
4 - Jacob R.: This place is outstanding, and is most likely the best place to eat in Blacksburg.

Anyways, so I was attending a business conference at VT for the week (with my attractive, flirty female coworker of course - I try to take her everywhere). 

The first thing I notice is the mix-and-match 4 course meal for $30! You get to pick swordfish, snapper, pork loin, ribeye, or whatever the menu has that day, and match it with any soup you want, some scallops or a salad, and have your choice of desert. You get a LOT of great food (the taste and aesthetics are both excellent) for what I consider to be a reasonable price for a 4-course meal. There's also your typical burgers and whatnot served here as well, which were also good.  From the dining area you can also see into the beautiful mountain scenery and watch the sunset.

My coworker and I shared a bottle of Gehrwurtstresomething Riesling (the wine and beer menu is massive, with many local flavors), which got us pretty buzzed, and all the better because our company is paying for the entire trip!

However, the best part was our waitress, Harmony. She was just "WOW."  Some servers just give your service, but Harmony was outstanding. This girl must really enjoy her job because I have never seen a waitress so friendly, funny and personable.  We actually came back a second night that week, and she sat down at our table with us and talked about what bars she goes to and how much she likes dubstep and how her Robert Miles CDs were stolen (I love Robert Miles btw). Hell, she flirted with me more than my flirty coworker did. I was about half a glass shy from asking her if she wanted to come back to my hotel room when her shift was over.

Bottom line: come here, eat, be merry, and chat with Harmony. Oh, and the restaurant is actually a haunted house (some lady pushed her sister down the stairs and killed her) which was converted into the restaurant. Awesome.
2 - Kellie H.: The interior and atmosphere were very nice, but the food left much to be desired.  Slightly overcooked fish and chicken.  Very plain meals that I could make at home for WAY cheaper.  Very nice wine selection though.  Also, our server had the personality of a door knob.
4 - Chris B.: Great food and bar selection, but it can get real expensive real fast.
4 - Paul C.: After more than a year's hiatus, I've visited 622 North three times in the last month; twice for dinner, and once for Sunday Brunch.  The Restaurant is now much improved over the opening, really hitting it's stride.  Main courses are excellent--my last was quail fried in a light cornmeal batter.  The risotto cake appetizer was excellent. For brunch I had the house version of eggs benedict with cappicola instead of canadian bacon.   I am looking forward to returning and to trying one of the Prix Fixe "Market menu" meals.  I agree with Jacob R. that this restaurant now offers the highest level of dining in Blacksburg. All they need to do now is get rid of the tacky plastic "coca-cola" water glasses from the previous establishment (Bogen's).
4 - Derek V.: I've been to 622 North around 20 times since they opened in the former Bogen's Steakhouse.  I've explored almost the entire dinner menu, and haven't had a bad experience yet.  The pizzas are a highlight, but the salads, burgers, pastas, and meat cuts are all great, too.  My lady enjoys occasionally coming here after work for appetizers and drinks (favorites include the spinach-artichoke dip and potato rounds).  They have a great wine selection, and a rotating choice of high-quality beer (draft and bottled).  Service is the best and most professional in Blacksburg (which isn't saying much, but is still worth saying).  

622 North started serving weekend brunch a few months ago, and it's already a winner.  While the eggs benedict was surprisingly bland and tough, everything else I've tried (e.g. omelets, biscuits and gravy, the enormous "pancake club") has been great.  They also serve the best bloody mary in town.

We'll be back!
1 - Carisa W.: If I could give this place a smaller rating I would.

I have frequented 622 North on numerous occasions since their opening. When they first opened I (and my adult friends) were very excited to have what we hoped would be a classy, adult, restaurant/wine bar that we could go to for all of our celebrations, luncheons, birthday parties, etc. However, what we found instead was an understaffed restaurant with over priced food whose owner does not appreciate the residents of Blacksburg who support locally run businesses. 

When you first walk into 622 North there is rarely anyone at the front door to greet you and I have had to walk all the way back to the kitchen on several occassions in order to find an employee that could seat us. Once seated, there never seems to be more than 1 or 2 waitstaff therefore the service is terrible and you can expect to wait at least 15 minutes for a greeting and a glass of water. The food is mediocre to bad and is definitely overpriced for the area and what they have to offer.

But the worst part of the whole place is the owner, Frank Perkovich. My party of 8 adult women had an unfortunate incident with one of the staff recently and when we emailed Mr. Perkovich to convey our issue we were met with a response so unprofessional and rude that it was hard to read. However, Mr. Perkovich made it very clear that he does not value the people of Blacksburg who have supported his business since their opening.

Needless to say, Mr. Perkovich has now succeeded in losing the support of my family, friends, wine tasting group, gourmet group and other civic organizations to which I belong. As a matter of fact, we will no longer be frequenting his other restaurant either.
4 - Dani M.: We went with a party of 8 and were seated in the wine tasting room. The pianist played a very lite sweet melody and the ambiance itself was a nice quiet, and peaceful. We were promptly offered drinks, appetizers and quickly recieved our orders. Sam, the manager, visited our table, offered main dish suggestions and chatted with us for a few minutes. Our server was very knowledgable with each dish and drink. Our food was delicious. I was the sun dried ravioli with corn, greens, and asparagus, delicoius! Their spinach and artichoke dip was creamy and served with nicely toasted bread bites. It really was a wonderful experience for a little charge.

I highly reccomend this place!

We also had our wedding rehearsal dinner here. Wonderful service, wonderful food, and a warm friendly staff. We couldn't have asked for more!
4 - Emily M.: I was at 622 North on a recent Saturday night with three other people. When we arrived around 7:20 there was a sign on the door that said they would be closing at 8pm for a private party. We decided to pop in and see if they would still seat us and they were extremely accommodating. There was still a 25 minute wait though so we went into the bar side to have a drink. Although the bar is now smoke free it still reeks of previous smoke. However, we found a table and proceeded to order drinks. After waiting for a little while the hostess actually come into the bar and found us to tell us our table was ready.

Our waitress was extremely helpful and friendly. I wish I could remember her name, but I'm drawing a blank at the moment. We ordered the charcuterie and daily cheese plate to start which were both delicious. The dish that I personally had was the Portobello Brie Sandwich with french fries. The bread that the sandwich came on was fabulous, I only wish that there was a little more brie to go with all the portobello!  The fries are actually seasoned fries which was a nice surprise as well. Other dishes that my party ordered were the Roast Pepper Alfredo, which I thought had a good flavor, but it seemed a little dry, and the 622 House Salad. The salad was beautiful, but the lime-cilantro dressing stole the show. It was amazing! We also got the Sausage Pizza for the table to try. I didn't personally have a slice, but there was so much gooey cheese that the others seemed to enjoy.

The patrons were definitely more of the local, Blacksburg type, not many students at all, which was nice. However, the bar side did seem to have more students/younger crowd. I've read some of the other reviews that said the restaurant seemed understaffed, but I honestly thought it was maybe slightly overstaffed because I kept looking up and feelings like we were being watched as we ate. But we were also there right before they were going to close and there was only one other table by the time we left.

Would definitely go back as I'm dying to try the Risotto Cakes which I was deciding between when I ordered.
4 - Jessica L.: 622 North is one of the nicer upscale restaurants in Blacksburg (if not the only one because it's such a small town). I've had plenty of great meals here. I love how the menu changes weekly based on what is fresh and in season. The dishes are also a nice change of pace from your regular steak and potatoes. I'd call their style classic, creative, and eclectic all in one! I'd recommend to get whatever their special of the week is, which can be found on the large chalkboard menu on the wall next to the piano (or you can just ask your server). Some of my past favorites have been their soft-shell crab appetizer and their bacon-wrapped duck. I've also had the crab cake which is delicious, as well as their spinach artichoke dip. I can't remember all the appetizers I've tried but I don't remember not liking one. When it comes to desserts, I loved when they had the panna cotta with fresh berries and their lemon cheesecake was perfect. Love the ambiance as well! 

The only bad thing about this place is that the service can be a little slow at times. And for first timers, make sure you go around the side of the building to enter, don't go through the first door because that is the bar side of the restaurant, which is completely different! 

I would definitely try this restaurant if you haven't gotten the chance to :)
2 - Glenn P.: Inside porch decor.  Pleasant enough except for surly service from a male waiter.  After the poor service, we found a compulsory tip of 20% for our party of six.  I called the restaurant later and asked if this policy was on the menu;  they said it was not.  The custom of the country is 15% and sometimes 18%, but 622 North encourages their servers to do the least for the most.  Bad idea.
4 - Jeff A.: Great salads, loved the Cuban sandwich. No waiting on a Thursday night! Good selection of wine and beer...all in all, very worth the price!
4 - Pam G.: we had a very nice dinner at 622 north on a recent trip to Blacksburg. They had a seasonal 3 course menu that you could also order a la carte from with some very interesting choices. They have a nice selection of wines by the glass and bottle, and seemed to have a good selection of beers on tap as well. There weren't a lot of people there when we stopped in on Thursday night, and we had no problems with slow service as some of the other reviewers have mentioned.

We started with the cheese board which was quite large for the price, with 3 kinds of cheese, grapes, walnuts, dried apricots. baguette slices and balsamic honey. The balsamic honey sounded very interesting, but just tasted like honey.  There was quite a large bowl of it on the plate, I'm not sure why...?

We followed that with one of the selections from the special menu, a sauteed calamari and shrimp in a spicy tomato sauce over a lemon risotto with prosciutto cracklings and the crab cakes. The crab cakes were good, but we were a little disappointed that the black bean puree they were served on was cold (like icy cold) and the mashed potatoes that came with them, while very tasty, were cold as well. The shrimp and calamari dish was fabulous though! 

We took a peek in the wine bar on the way out and it looked really cozy with white leather couches and a beautiful bar. It looked like a great spot to enjoy a glass 9or bottle!) of wine and an appetizer.
4 - Shep H.: I came as part of a corporate event and our menu was shortened to accommodate a group of 30.  Everyone seemed to like all of the options that were served, and I didn't hear any complaints or see any food sent back.
4 - John K.: The service was terribly slow, but the place was romantic and easy-going enough that it wasn't a huge problem.  The food was prepared really well, but the ingredients weren't the freshest.  Overall, I'd say the chef is great, but everything else is bad.
4 - Orr R.: This 4-star review is the rounded-up average of the 2.5-star bar on the side of the building, visited at comedy night, and the 5-star brunch spot, visited on a Sunday afternoon. 
The comedy night was pretty irritating; the bouncer proceeded to YELL at everyone in the bar for an hour straight, delaying the show. He then announced raffle results for a local fundraiser. Now, I understand the philanthropic reason for the raffle, but it could have been handled MUCH more smoothly and shouldn't have all been announced at once, before the already-late show. The first two acts were not particularly special but I wasn't expecting Demetri Martin... The last act was decent but the comedian was a bit too smarmy for my taste. Raunchy isn't ALWAYS funny, you know? 

Now, onto the BEST BRUNCH EVER. 
Cream-cheese-and-raspberry stuffed brioche french toast with key lime pie ice cream. Visualize it. Yeah it was THAT good. The ice cream was mild but interesting, with pie crust bits inside, and a nice bright green color (in the good way...). The french toast itself was hot, so the cream-cheese and raspberry goodness was melty and wonderful. The orange juice was thumbs down, expensive and small, but not a big deal. My friends enjoyed their various egg dishes and such, but oh man, that french toast was so good. Oh! The biscuits were very good, too (very similar to Red Lobster cheddar bay biscuits).
4 - Linsey M.: There's hope for dessert at 622 North! The September 2012 seasonal market menu included a winter squash cheesecake for dessert. It was both delicate and rich, not too sweet except for the very sugary crust which added some pop. The red snapper with wilted arugula on top of risotto cakes was a winner, too. The fish was tender, and the accompaniments complementary. Mmm, perfectly cooked green beans again, too.

We also had polenta fries for an appetizer. They were hot, crispy, and delicious. The aioli dipping sauce was good, although I would have chosen something different such as a pesto or roasted pepper theme.

Usually, I think food at restaurants is way too salty. Oddly, several of 622 North's dishes seem like they could benefit from a little more salt to bring out the other flavors.
4 - David M.: Though a bit pricey, both the food and the ambiance are some of the best you'll find in Blacksburg.  I've gone twice already, loved it both times, and intend to return.

67 Orange Street - New York, NY (40.8022697271481, -73.9567852020264) (Harlem)
2 - Dee B.: I kept hearing so much about this place.  Apparently the food and drinks are really good -- if you still have that kind of money to spend on discretionary items. The place was very expensive, dark and very tight.  There were only a few tables opposite the bar and we were told they were reserved! OK.  We looked around and saw there were stairs but didn't discover until much later that the stairs lead to a dining room in the basement.  I might give this place a second chance but I really don't like for quarters to be that tight. Plus side is that it was very chic with the upper echelon of "new" Harlem turning out in full force. The music was the kind you might hear at one of the downtown lounges that overlook the city that fusion-y music they use in car commercials. If you are looking for something different from the usual scene in Harlem, this is the place!
3 - V S.: I am not a fan of the proprietor's other establishment, Society Cafe, also in the neighborhood. I feel it is over-priced (tiny portion sizes and mediocre ingredients in many menu items.) However, I loved the cocktails prepared by Ms. Irwin at 67 Orange Street the night I went-a couple delicious Dark and Stormys and a terrific cucumber martini. 

The space was quirky and warm (literally and figuratively.) One cheesey element was cheap "Spin" barstools bought from Crate and Barrel. They just didn't fit with the decor and were a less thoughtful element than the other aspects of the interior design.

I met a friend, who also lives nearby, for a couple drinks on a Saturday night. The service was good, but the space was very tight (there was a private party downstairs that night.) I was forcefully bumped by the actual owner (who didn't apologize), as he walked by. The music was safe R n' B (Stevie Wonder, etc.) and was a smidge too loud for this small-ish space. However, the lighting was warm and inviting and the crowd was beautiful and pleasant.

I did not eat at 67 Orange Street, but might do so soon. Three cocktails, two cranberrry juices, and a plate each of chips and popcorn set me back $55 without tip. Again, the drinks were delicious, but did not pack any real punch. Next time, I'll stop in for one drink, rather than stay for a second and third (and fourth.) A last-minute shot of Jameson's (was that supposed to be a double?) set me back $13.00-WOW! I had been stunned by $9.00 for the same in Tribeca, where I'm certain the overhead is considerably higher.

Overall,  67 Orange Street is a nice place to impress a date in Harlem, but you'll need to find a spot that allows you to have a hassle-free conversation. Generally, if I want an upscale cocktail experience, I'd rather go to a place like Stone Rose, where I can imagine where my money is going. Like at Society, I felt a bit ripped-off at 67 Orange Street.
3 - Aaron M.: Two new joints recently opened on Frederick Douglass Blvd., just across the street from one another. Atomic Wings and 67 Orange Street. If that doesn't perfectly encapsulate the gentrification of Harlem, I don't know what does. 

I haven't tried the wings yet, but I did go to 67 Orange Street, and I have mixed feelings. It's definitely cute, all dark and moody interior, and the bartender was super friendly and made some really nice cocktails. But $13 each? You realize we're still in Harlem, right? It's nice to have an upscale option in the neighborhood, but I can't afford to make it a regular destination.
2 - Stephanie B.: I was so excited to see a bar come into the neighborhood- a real bar!  Not a restaurant bar, a student bar, or a weird cafe/bar (ahem, Cafe Amrita).  

The drinks were great, the bartender was knowledgeable, the atmosphere was cozy.  But the spell was rather violently shattered when the bill came.  Woah, mama!  $12 for a vodka and soda?  I know they've got to make the rent and all, but damn.
4 - THE JEDI FOODI E.: If you are tired as I am of the pretentious downtown attitude-riddled, bottle-service only, hipster faux speakeasies like The Beatrice Inn and Chloe 81 where you get judged at the door as being worthy or not worthy of entrance, take a trip uptown to Harlem where owner Karl Franz Williams (also proprietor of Society Café) says his latest hideaway venture, 67 Orange Street, is inspired by Almack's Dance Hall, which was at that address in the 1840s when it was one of the first black-owned bars in the city. Appropriately, Williams has enlisted a trailblazing, innovative black female mixologist, Kali Irwin (Le Poisson Rouge), to come up with $13 classic and groundbreaking libations incorporating ingredients like a cynar artichoke aperitif, rhubarb syrup, and of course that purportedly trendy spirit, pisco (it should be noted: Irwin is not above busting out the banana liqueur and whipped cream). One of my favorites is the unique libation known as the hibiscus dessert cocktail; a sweet slice of heaven with an edible hibiscus flower at the bottom of the flute shaped glass. Hugh, the amiable doorman is one of the nicest guys in his profession. Beyond said doorman is a dimly lit room featuring church-esque stone flooring and exposed brickfaced walls, rustic wood trimmings, and iron hand rails. The music is a mix of modern R&B and hypnotic drum 'n bass. There are also tasty small plates priced at under $11, a raw bar, and a private, snuggly dining room/lounge downstairs.
2 - Kathleen R.: 2.5

Those who know me understand that nothing gets me more jazzed than learning about a new cocktail bar in town -- and north of 96th street, at that!  So I've been dying to visit 67 Orange and see how their drinks stacked up against my faves.  

But I've gotta ding them on a few issues.  Mainly because if you're going to charge $13 / drink and channel the nouveau-speakeasy scene, I'm going to compare you to establishments in city that do the same.  Unfortunately for 67 O., the others do it better (and in some cases, for less).  

Let's be fair.  I generally liked the looks of the place.  A semi-secret drinking den vibe with more modern, urban touches (see pics).  On the other hand, the restrooms were of the bubble-gum pink tile variety.  But we go to a bar for the booze, not the bathrooms, right?  But you can't consider yourself a fancy-schmancy cocktail bar without at least a few of the following (yes, I'm being picky, but consider the price range):

*Bourbon, in stock (yup, 67 didn't have ANY, didn't offer to get any and the first drink on the menu is their take on an Old Fashioned)!
*Chilled glasses (although I did like the contemporary style of theirs).
*Metal straws to keep each sip ice-cold.
*Deluxe ice machines (or at least a few different-shaped ice molds) because drinks deserve better than the same old cube every time!
*Comfy seats (my bony butt was in pain).
*Bartenders who know how to shake it (literally).  Manager / bartender Kali was cool and she's obviously a cocktail enthusiast, but that girl shakes it like a girl!  And if you don't shake the drink just right, the ingredients aren't as well mixed, and your cocktail isn't cold enough.
*Fun (free) finger food.  Always a nice touch, but none to be found here.
*As-advertised cocktails.  I was looking closely and didn't see any fresh ginger added to the Domain de Canton in my Five Points (http://images.nymag.com/images/2/daily/2008/12/67orangestcocktailmenu.pdf).  Another drink on the menu that night called for star fruit, but was made with grapes instead. 

Not that we didn't have fun.  Their drinks were well above decent, and I'd be give it another go (I REALLY wanted to love the place).  But here's the thing: owner Karl Franz Williams was recently quoted addressing those who say their cocktails are too pricey: "...You're saying something uptown can't be as good as downtown."  I of all people believe things can be as good (or better) uptown vs. downtown.  But in the case of this bar, they just aren't.  Sound harsh, Mr. Williams?  Adjust your prices and I'll adjust my expectations.
4 - Malik A.: I can dig it. Best if you go late night.
1 - Michael M.: I've been known to splurge on liquor... but I won't be doing it at this place unless they lower their prices. 

Otherwise, nice venue, diverse crowd and ultra friendly bartenders.
3 - Lance W.: I love the idea and the concept of this bar but they prices are high.  My friends and I decided that if 67 Orange created a nice happy hour or even gave you a bigger glass for drinks than it would be worth the cost.  But I love  the fact that I can stay close to home and enjoy a nice atmosphere!!!!

Oh the servers are the best!!!!
2 - R R.: A great breath of fresh air for a neighborhood that doesn't have any classy bars within walking distance... the selection of beer and booze isn't phenomenal by any means, but it's certainly the best in the neighborhood.  

Since the neighborhood isn't the greatest, I understand that you've gotta keep your prices a little higher so that you won't have people coming in to buy a beer with the change from their dixie cup.... but 57 Orange Street takes it over the top.  I don't think you can buy a drink for less than $12 here.  The owner seems to be confused.  He thinks he opened his bar in meatpacking, not 113th street.  Someone needs to tell him that he missed it by about 100 blocks.  

Also, I've been frustrated by the place more than once because they're closed Mondays and Tuesdays--which in my opinion will keep this from being a "neighborhood joint."
1 - Joe Z.: First off, I would like to say that I am glad there are more places like this coming into the neighborhood (i.e. Nectar and Svtn Below).  That said, 67 Orange Street will not last with the terrible service and experience I experienced during my visit.  

The Good:

The cocktails were very good and comparable to any mixology / speakeasy themed bar in the City, however so were the prices! The food menu was interesting, however I could not comment since we ate beforehand and did not sample any of the food. The fruit and ingredients used in the cocktails were very fresh and the drink was served at the appropriate temperature. 

The music was good and the setup / design of the bar and space was nice from a design perspective. 

The Bad:

My wife and I were not happy with the service or professionalism of the staff. The bartender was prompt and courteous, however at the same time he seemed more interested in mixing and experimenting with drinks and the other couple at the other end of the bar.  We watched as the bartender swatted flies in the bar area, prepped but then ate the fruit for the sangria he was making for "Sangria Thursday" which would not be ready for a few more hours as it had to soak some more (keep in mind it was about 6:55PM when we arrived).  Finally, the bartender proceeded to lint roll himself behind the bar, could this not be done in the bathroom?  But it doesn't end there, what I was more surprised at was the cook and the waitress. The cook kept coming in and out of the bar (keep in mind there was only my wife and I and another couple for the hour or so we were there, so this was quite obvious) to get his dinner and later a smoothie.  This was slightly annoying but what I was really shocked at was he then proceeded to go behind the bar and pour himself a nice and heavy shot of rum into the smoothie, again just utter lack of professionalism.  Maybe the owners approve of this behavior, however I have never seen a cook go behind the bar and pour top shelf liquor into his own glass at other bars in the City.  Meanwhile he proceeded to casually talk and basically hang out with the waitress and bar tender at the other end of the bar.  

To top it all off, after about an hour of trying to enjoy our drinks, we proceed to pay. I understand prices need to be at a level to maintain the business, at the same time I was expecting a happy hour price at 6:55PM and not $13, per reading the response on the Yelp reviews. That said, the bartender said it was $26 for two drinks at which point I was in no mood to fight over and I genuinely want to see more of these establishments in the neighborhood so I was happy to help out and pay the steep price to keep a nicer bar in the neighborhood rather than the corner liquor shop or bodega (keep in mind I live at 110th Street and CPW).  I proceed to pay with cash (two $20 bills), however the bartender says he only has $6 in the register and asks if I can pay with a credit card instead, again annoying but I guess tolerable.  

I would also like to state that we thought the bar tops were quite sticky and had not been wiped in a while as we could see the ring marks from multiple glasses on the bar top.  Finally, while I understand they need to keep costs in line, the steel stools are not comfortable bar chairs at all. 


Needless to say, while we would like to see this place succeed and would like to give it the benefit of a doubt, however we will be taking our business to other establishments.
3 - Fred P.: Stopped in 67 Orange Street after a brisk walk in Central Park, (Ok,I was jogging in the park, but it really looks bad to say jogging than brisk walk). Ok, Ok.... I was running in the park and stopped in the bar to rehydrate, like if you haven't done that before; you can only take but so much bottled water. 
This place is small, but ok, because it is laid out very well. It has a very dark and mellow feel, I love that. There were about 7 people having drinks and 3 of them were eating. I had something called The Bend Down; as the bartender was making my drink, the guy next to me asked if he was making The Bend Over, I guess you know where his mind was. The drink was an interesting combo of flavors, it worked. The food looked ok and was presented on par with the look and feel of the place. I did not try any of the food, but I will try something next time. I think 67 Orange Street, is the place to go when you bring your own party, if you went there with 4 or 5 friends, you could really have a good time. I don't feel it a place to meet new people, but rather a place to lay back and be cozy with you own group. The prices for drinks are high for the area, but that is what they feel they need to charge; as a business owner myself I can see due to the space limits, thus limiting customers traffic. I don't think they are trying to make this a local pub/bar spot,but maybe a speciality cocktail chill out spot.... and it feels that way to me.
4 - Traci L.: Yikes, why all the haters?

I was here on a Monday night for a friend's birthday.  We had a party of eight people.  It was cute and cozy, the staff was delightful, and everyone in our group enjoyed their cocktails.  No one was disappointed.  Big smiles all around.  The drink menu had a good selection of clever offerings.

My boyfriend and I sampled the bar food, and loved it as well.  Portions weren't big enough to qualify for dinner, but we savored every bite.

Yes it was expensive, but I'd be back.  I don't drink often, so it doesn't hurt my budget to pay $8 or $12 for a cocktail.
5 - Brenna K.: Great drinks!  The bartender, Asa, was extremely nice and made great drinks.
4 - Anna K.: *If* you can get beyond the sticker shock, then 67 Orange is a charming place to go for a single yummy cocktail before or after a late dinner.  The two I've tried were clearly carefully concocted and perfectly refreshing.  I was initially apprehensive due to the pseudo speakeasy gimmick, but the whole place from decor to patrons strikes me as unpretentious and warm.  Economic downturn permitting, I'll continue to splurge there every so often.
4 - SC N.: On a recent visit to the city, I was pleasantly surprised when I walked inside 67 Orange Street.  It was a Saturday night and there was a pretty good crowd.  And, I thoroughly enjoyed myself -- nice people, good music, great drinks.  

There was a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere, none of the pretentiousness that seems to get in the way at other bars/clubs.  The waitress and bartenders were friendly and attentive.  Everyone seemed to be having a good time and it was easy to strike up a conversation with the folks around you.  There is nothing like going to a place for the first time, meeting perfect strangers, and parting with farewells of looking forward to seeing one another there again.  Perhaps, that next encounter may never come, but it is nice to know that at 67 Orange Street, there is a place in Harlem where the suggestion of it exists.   

Concerning the cost, I believe you get what you pay for.  I had some idea of what to expect before I went (although I read a few of the reviews, I decided to go in open-minded).  Without a doubt, the Veggie Rolls were tasty and the Brazilian Jig was delicious, but best of all, my time was well spent.  And that, I think, is the decisive factor in my review of 67 Orange Street.
4 - M. S.: 67 Orange street is a wonderful bar. I have to disagree with other yelpers about the quality of Orange's drinks compared to other downtown establishments. The cocktails at 67 Orange street are, in my opinion, much better than many downtown speakeasies. For example: I recently went to Pegu Club after hearing rave reviews of their cocktail list. Yeah, it was Ok, but many of the drinks did little to amaze me in the originality department and a were much too sweet. 67 Orange street's cocktails are in exactly the same price range as Pegu's, but much more well balanced and carefully conceived. You can tell just from reading their extensive cocktail list that they are passionate about mixing. Their aviator is the best I've tried in New York. I don't mind dropping 13 dollars on one of these works of art. 

Asa, the bartender is ridiculously handsome, knowledgeable and caring about cocktails, and extremely professional. He goes out of his way to make every customer feel comfortable and informed about the drinks he mixes. He always seems calm and at home behind the bar, and does not posses a snobby, elitist attitude that many "mixologists" do. 

My only gripe is that the space is quite small. It seems especially busy and crowded on Wednesdays. I try to go during less busy hours, and manage to be quite comfortable at the bar.
2 - Robin C.: Came here once. Definitely overpriced for the area.  Would like to go back if the price range came down a bit.  Definitely too small.  The food was good but small bites at a regular bite price! Ouch! $4 for popcorn? Really?
3 - Steve M.: Asa mixed our drinks to perfection.  Extensive but pricey drink menu.
4 - Ellen C.: I'm really surprised by the negative reviews here and I have to agree with M.S..  Yes, fancy cocktails cost money - uptown, or downtown - and the cocktails at 67 Orange are worth the money.  I have been stressed as of late and the Double Relaxation cocktail (chamomile-infused vodka with honey syrup, citronge, and fresh lemon juice) was just what the doctor ordered, and entirely worth the $10 it cost.  The service was eager and attentive and the vibe was very relaxed for a speakeasy - no excessive crowds like you'll find downtown.  Plus, given it's location near both Zoma and 5 and Diamond, it's the perfect place for an after -dinner drink.
3 - Shanda S.: This place is a mixed bag for me:  the drinks are good, the snacks are tasty, the space is cute, the crowd is right, and it's clearly a great addition to the neighborhood.

On the other hand: the space is really small, the service is up and down, the hours of operation are discretionary, and addition of ventilation would be appreciated.

That being said, it's my local and I love it.  I can't even remember what this stretch of Harlem was without it.  Long live it.
4 - Rick B.: I'll definitely be coming back to 67 Orange Street in the near future, for both dinner and drinks.  

The bartender was affable, engaging and (best of all) inventive.  After perusing their cocktail menu and having a brief conversation with him, we decided to take him up on his offer to mix us some things off-menu.  He picked up points right away for mixing my friend a cocktail featuring tarragon, and I was thrilled when he took a bottle of artichoke liqueur off the shelf for my drink.

I got the fried oyster po' boy--savory and tangy with a generous portion of oysters--and have been craving another since.  I wasn't as enthusiastic about the truffle fries as my companion was; there wasn't anything exceptional about their texture or cut, but their seasoning was first-rate.  

67 Orange Street is more a really nice neighborhood bar than a destination of its own, but it's certainly made me want to make more friends in the area so that I have more excuses to go.
4 - Jess L.: My friends and I stumbled into this place after being squashed out of Bier. The vibe at 67 is a lot more chill and speakeasy. To be honest, it has one of the best cocktail lists I've seen in the city. With that said, though, the size of the drinks all very much vary. The Hemingway Daiquiri was tiny, but my Moscow Mule was extremely large, three times in volume, I'd say.

The décor is simple, and it's small enough to feel cozy but big enough to feel like you can enjoy your time with your friends. The tall booths on the right side are a little awkward. It's as if the chair isn't deep enough, and there seems to be some wasted space in the corner, where no one can sit. 

The Harlem Shakes - fries - were quite excellent. A bit crispy, not too oily, and nicely seasoned. Overall, the price on all the bar snacks - upscale bar snacks - are really great, especially considering the high price of drinks.

I'll definitely be back when I'm in the mood to drop some change on drinks. It gives a reason to skip out on the more well known spots south of 14th Street.
5 - Vindu G.: It was early on a Saturday evening. We stopped by here for drinks and dinner. It's a small spot, fairly quiet, but with an intimate vibe.

The owner, Karl Franz, was lounging at a high-top table waiting for customers and immediately offered us "the best seat in the house."

The cocktails, mixed personally by Karl Franz, were exquisite. My girlfriend had the Emancipation (cucumber, vodka, cilantro, citronge, lime juice). I started with the NY Sazerac (a whiskey cocktail with rye, cognac and absinthe) and then went on to a Brown Derby (bourbon, grapefruit juice and honey syrup). All were well mixed and strong, with great subtlety of flavors. Sure, they are $13, but they are worth every penny. (To the Yelpers who have complained about the prices: you are still in Manhattan, and these are better than most drinks you're going to get downtown).

The shrimp salad with delicately dressed greens was the best I have ever had in the city of New York (and I am a salad eater). We split that (although I kinda wanted to eat it myself) and then shared the lobster macaroni and cheese. That was a bit bland for my taste -- the cheese overwhelmed the lobster flavor, but she liked it. Extra-nice touch: the dishes were served by the chef himself.

For dessert, we had the chocolate cake, which was drowning in chocolatey goodness -- very intense and rich. What's not to like?

We will be back to this cozy, inviting find in Harlem. The neighborhood badly needed a great speakeasy like this: a warm vibe, great music, fabulous cocktails and bar food that is not an afterthought.
4 - Arthur J.: Great list of mixed drinks a mixologist somewhere is smiling because everyone in the place that night could not stop raving about their choice of libation ;)

Speakesyest location across 100th Street.

I will find my way uptown again to 67 Orange very soon.
2 - Annie H.: Alright, so I love the concept.  Let's start with that.  And I WANT to love the bar.  However, I really think the owner is banking on the fact that everyone in the neighborhood WANTS to love a new business like this.  Even though many reviewers complain about the high drink prices, I think offering up 'less than adequate' because you know you CAN (because options are slim) is an even worse crime.  

So, we have been here twice. The first time they were missing many ingredients so we kept having to change our drink order, but our final choices were great.  The food had hits and misses. (ex. Deviled eggs=hit, onion petals= miss) The bartenders were nice.  The place was not at all crowded. (Mind you, that last one is in the minus category.  A dark, cozy bar should have customers!)

It had all the characteristics of someplace we would definitely give another chance.  After reading about the owner and then seeing the bar in person, we thought he was probably still fine tuning everything.  We gave him (and the bar) the benefit of the doubt.

Three months later, we returned.
Some stools at the bar are broken already.  The curtains are tied open, letting in garish, mood-ruining light. Instead of being packed with laid back customers sipping hand crafted cocktails, there is only one other group of women in there.  They are singing and dancing to the uptempo playlist, requesting songs to be repeated, as the bartender obliges.  Let me say, I would love to party with these girls - friendly and fun, but this doesn't seem like the right vibe overall. 
 
Our drinks come. They don't have apricot simple syrup (can't think of a decent excuse why, with how 'simple' it is to create simple syrup) so he adds peach juice instead.  Actually....delicious.  My husband's? Not so much.  If you warn that it is 'very Rosemary-y!' we should be able to taste some rosemary!  We order calamari and the oyster poboy.  Poboy and accompanying popcorn (even burnt) was delicious.  Calamari was good and would have been great...had it been hot instead of on it's way to downright cold.

Two more drinks.  This time my husband's is amazing and mine is...ehhh.  He drinks them both.  

Honestly, I still would give this place another shot after the above description.  But then there's this:
So, my drink took a really long time to come.  Like, after our food and way after my husband's drink.  Granted, a few more people had come in at this point so the single bartender was a little overwhelmed.  But here's the kicker.  Guess who else came in at this point?  The owner.  And with only about 7 guests in there and an overwhelmed bartender, guess what he did?  Made himself a drink, ordered some food and sat down at a table.
He didn't say hello to customers.  He didn't replenish missing cocktail ingredients.  He didn't help out the bartender and make and/or deliver some cocktails.

I have seen two types of restaurant/bar owners:
The type who stay inspired and humble and who passionately treat their place like their baby.  Bussing a table if it needs it.  Chatting with customers.  Trying to figure out how he/she can do better and grow.
OR, the one who gets caught up in feeling special and uses the place as somewhere they can come to show off on a date.

I had hoped this owner was the former, but last night he seemed like the latter.
It is a big deal for us to go out.  It takes organization, paying a babysitter, staying up late (two babies at home.  We are exhausted.) When we DO go out, we want to support a local business, even if it still had some flaws, but if the owner himself is complacent and doesn't care how empty the place is or about the service and cocktail choices people AREN'T getting, then why should I care?

(ps.  I understand that with so many ingredients they might be out of some sometimes.  However, they have been out of a LOT both times.  And silly ones, too. Really? You couldn't have bought a little container of strawberries from a street vendor today? That was too hard? AND if the place was packed every night, it would then make financial sense to have all ingredients on hand...so work on getting and KEEPING customers!)
2 - Antonio f.: Unfortunately it feels like the owner has given up on the place. I've been in this place In the past, I didn't mind spending $13 on the drinks because they were well crafted  with great spirits and cordials. My recent experiences I've seen them put store bought ice bags from the Deli (which is a big No to make cocktails) Tropicana Juice (which on the menu is advertised as "fresh")... They were out  of the majority of the cocktails on the menu. I really hope that new management takes over and brings back the focus on making good quality cocktails instead of insulting the knowledge of  it costumers and charging $13 for mediocre quality that sounds good on paper.
3 - Marilyn S.: This place is super sexy but they don't always have everything on the menu.  Really nice staff though, which goes a long way, and the cocktails are divine.  Oh, and check out the decor in the bathrooms!
3 - Christine L.: The ambiance at 67 Orange St...nice.  The extensive drink menu at 67 Orange St... nice.  The bartender at 67 Orange St... nice.   The expensive drinks in small a$$ glasses.. NOT SO NICE! =(

I ordered this chocolate cocktail at 67 Orange St... it was so gross.  I'm sure there are better drinks on their very extensive... and.. expensive drink menu.  Not sure what possessed me to order that mess. 

The spot is on the small side but it's a nice down feel.   The music is pretty good as well.  In addition to drinks I've had several appetizers here which I think are priced pretty well.  The mac & cheese (pretty good but could use some more seasoning)... the hummus and "grilled" pita (not so great.. the grilled pita was straight up burnt but this could be a one off case, I kinda doubt it tho)... the buffalo burger (it was not bad but I'm not a huge fan of buffalo meat... my friend loves buffalo and enjoyed this burger).
4 - Loren H.: I've only been here once and I was already "nice" so take my review with a grain of salt licked off a lemon slice and chased with tequila.

Anyway I ordered a Granny Smith martini and it was incredible, filling and combined complex flavors that border on biochemistry. I had to sip it slow to enjoy the "party is in my mouth and everyone's invited".

I had a sip of my friends drinks which were also lovely, but this one took the cake. The drink menu was very well thought out. Providing an informative back-story on the drinks and the spirits used. I didn't have food, I didn't even know they served food but the drink menu is enough to get me to come back. Gone are the days of $10 cocktails anywhere uptown that's close to Central Park, but this was worth the price ($13 if you're wondering).

My only complaint is how incredibly small the space is, there's seating downstairs, but it's probably for private parties. But that's not their fault. It ends up being a great place to go if you want a solo nightcap but still want to feel part of the crowd.
4 - Lanie F.: They have an impressive cocktail menu, and I have never had an average cocktail here. They always taste amazing.
It has been a while since I've been back, it needs to be revisited soon. 
It's a dangerous place, because you will want to try everything and you will leave drunk and broke. Go with a group and do samplers, your friends will love it.
4 - Hannah R.: great atmosphere...happy to sit here for 2+ hours. between my boyfriend and me, we tried 4 drinks--all were delicious. we also ordered the onion petals and spicy popcorn and both were awesome. 
bartender was super helpful and let us taste a liqueur that we were wondering about as well. 

highly recommended and worth the prices. we'll be back.
3 - Michael W.: Now this review is a long time coming. I enjoyed some of the bartenders from last summer. There was a young lady who was into Fashion Design and Jewelry who was the bomb! The other who was a budding actress....not so much...I came back tonight and there were two male bartenders, and a house of people that I did not know. Plus I was drunk.  

Doused a Moscow Mule, talked a phenomenal mess of "nothing". Met some people, including a "friend." 

Yea, that is an aiight spot.
4 - Chad T.: 67 Orange Street is a solid cocktail establishment, especially if you find yourself (cue Bobby Womack) up across 110th street.  You're not going to find lots of super innovative drinks D&C style, but if stocking green chartreuse is any kind of measure of a bar (it is), these guys definitely serve up some mean traditionals.  The Last Word was perfect.

There are some really great food options as well.  The deviled eggs 3 ways are quite tasty, and if you want something more substantial go for the chicken and red-velvet-waffles.  Yes, you read that correctly.  They take red velvet cake batter and make waffles out of it.  Then throw on some apple butter, and top it off with chicken.  A nice variation on the traditional Harlem soul food.
3 - Toya F.: So supposedly there's historical significance with this bar. Don't know if that's the case or a marketing ploy. They have these mixologist type drinks as well that are just okayyy....So the concept is great but it misses the mark in my opinion. The place is super tight. The prices for the drinks don't fit the community. They don't have a happy hour. I'm in no rush to go back.
4 - Michael F.: At this point, I've pretty much become a regular here. At the same time, it's not like the regular watering holes I usually find myself. It's a cocktail bar, and not some place you come to drink rum and cokes all night long. These are seasonally designed cocktails, and so far, everything I've had has been very good. I like the atmosphere a lot, but I worry this place may get to popular and become unmanageable. There's not a lot of space in there. But it seems the later we get there, the better for us.

I haven't tried the food yet, really. We did have some homemade potato chips that, at the time, were the perfect snack. Honestly, I'm can't pin down why I like this place so much, could be the bartenders, could be the drinks or the atmosphere. But when you live up in Harlem, places like this are not plentiful, so I guess it's only natural to cling to it.
3 - Lauren L.: Where to begin ... I found 67 Orange Street through the Harlem Park to Park offer, which is offering retail/dining pre fixe menus. I highly suggest you check it out and take advantage of a few of these offerings, as it ends May 15th. 

After reviewing the pre fixe menu online I was sold. I needed to check this place out. When I called to make a reservation, also to find out if the menu I was interested in was being offered, the kid who answered the phone didn't have much info and kept yelling back and forth to an employee asking the questions I needed answers to. This bothered me a little but fine. In order to make a reservation at this place you must email them. Great, did that got the reservation for the date and time I wanted. 

The establishment has no strong signage so don't get put off it you can't find it. Also from the outside, with the way they have those curtains hanging, you may question what your getting yourself into. Whenever we walked in to this teeny tiny place I was shocked, no need really for a reservation at all. 

Atmosphere: set up like a speak easy type place, great vibe, good decor (they could fix the curtains though!) and the music was on point. 

Food: We did the pre fixe menu that is being offered right now but everything on that is on the regular menu. Apps: Harlem Shakes, what might be the most delicious french fries I've had in a while. I'm not sure whether it was the paprika or the truffle salt and oil but wow, I highly recommend them. We also have the deviled eggs, which was also pretty damn delicious. 

Entree: I had the tofu sliders and my friend had the beef sliders. The tofu was REALLY good, I always like to see how places are going to prepare there tofu so whenever I saw this on the menu I got all excited. It was amazing. I was told that the beef burgers were also just as delicious. 

Cocktail: BEN DOWN: Appleton Estate Reserve Rum, Canton Ginger Liqueur, Mint, Lemon & Ginger. Get it! I promise you won't be disappointed. 

Overall the food was amazing. I would go back for that. I feel like they have a little work to do in the service area but that's fine that can be overlooked because the food and drinks were hands down great. 

I was scoping out the rest of the food they had and I thought for what was being offered it was a little pricey but I'm sure totally worth it. They have chicken and red velvet waffles on the menu. I don't really eat much chicken anymore, but for some red velvet waffles I might have to go back and take part in that. If you have the chance to go especially while their running this menu I would say give it a shot, its only $20!!
2 - Matt L.: $21 for a cocktail!!?? Well, the $13 cocktail was fine, the bartender amiable, the conversation swell, but the $4 for a (short) seltzer water (with a few dashes of bitters) was NOT fine. And i had 2 of them. WTF 67 Orange!? You dont charge for water, you shouldnt charge for water with bubbles. regardless of the number of dashes of bitters included.
4 - Jaky J.: 67 Orange is, in my opinion, one of the best lounges in Harlem. The drinks (and the menu) are well thought out and isn't just your run of the mill drinks. The ingredients work amazingly together and the bartenders are always willing to give you a taste of something new. The drink menu itself always has you searching to try something new. The food is great. I urge anyone to try the the Lucy Juicy sliders and the spicy popcorn. They also have red-velvet waffles that is fast becoming a famous delicacy in Harlem. It also has a very relaxed lounge atmosphere with little distractions. The place is designed to have good conversations with new folks and old friends. The bartenders are skilled at their craft and at the same time have great conversations with the patrons. This is a great social atmosphere and a bit of a getaway from the other "noisy" places in Harlem.
4 - Elizabeth D.: Not sure how anyone could give this place less than 4 stars. This place is great and not just because it has nothing to be compared to in Harlem. 

The cocktails are solid, albeit a little on the small side for the price. But you come here to indulge in a finely crafted libation, not to get sloshed. The ambiance is great and feels like a true neighborhood bar. The owner is sweet and engages with all of the patrons. My friend and I shared the Spicy Pop (popcorn) and Sexy nachos (wouldn't say they're sexy, but they were tasty). I had the Emancipation and she had the Wild Hibiscus, both of which are their standout drinks.

The only reason this place doesn't get the full 5 stars is because it's just too small! We were lucky to snag seats early in the day but by 8pm it was standing room only.
3 - Angela B.: I went to this spot for the first time the other day, and I liked the atmosphere and refreshments. I enjoyed the hummus with chopped tomatoes and seasoned pita. In terms of drinks, I was really glad I chose the Brazilian Jig. The pineapple juice and chunks of ginger added great flavor to the cachaça. The Ben Down also got rave reviews from a bunch of people in my group.

Besides our elevated booth, there were are a few other seats at the bar, two next to the staircase, and a couple more by the entrance and windows. The venue is intimate, with colorful Harlem-themed art and a diverse books about Harlem displayed on the brick walls.

The service was ok; the bar seemed understaffed for a few hours so the sole waiter was doing his best. Maybe they don't expect many people in the early evening. Also, a few of the appetizers --falafel, guac for the sexy nachos--were unavailable at the time. 

I loved the 70s r&b, 80s hip-hop, and 90s dance music that played throughout the night. It started out at a good volume. You could chat and laugh with friends across the table, or nod your head while reciting Slick Rick's "Children's Story." But the music was turned up a little too high when more people started coming in around 9pm. It's a small place, after all, so the big nightclub volume didn't match the narrow bar space.

I had a good time, and I'd like to check this place out again soon.
5 - Chandy S.: See...my review might be a little skewed because I'm in love with this place.

I love that it has no definitive sinage outside so that upon first visit you may walk past it a couple of times before you realize where it is. 

 I love the downstairs seating area.  Intimate and cozy for 2 people (if you get there early enough to snag it), but also quite comfortable and spacious enough for a group of friends.  

I love the elevated booths on the main level.  I love the bartenders that are super friendly, mix a great drink, and are pretty easy on the eyes. 

 I love the sophisticated yet laidback atmosphere.  I can come here in a sundress and flip flops, or after a fancity night out dressed to kill and feel equally at ease.

I love the creative and quite delicious menu.  The lobster mac and cheese is rich and filling, and I can't wait to try the red velvet waffles.  

Okay, so it's a bit on the wee side and the drinks are in the $13-$15 range.  Two very minor tradeoffs in my opinion.
4 - Susie R.: Very cute bar, excellent cocktails, super-friendly bartender.
3 - Marc B.: Nice place. Not run-of-the mill.  Cool vibe. Small. Expensive. You'd expect that for a $13 cocktail, they could refrain from measuring their pours.
2 - Ryan M.: Wildly disappointing. From an owner that claims to want to compete with the cities best bars, this falls WELL short. I WANTED to like this place. I would love if there were more places uptown that truly compete with downtown. And for 13 dollars a drink, I expect nothing less. Unfortunately, the drinks are subpar for the price point. They couldn't even make a decent Manhattan, which is a massive fail for a bar aiming to be the premiere lounge uptown. Many of the drink specs are just.... off. 

While admittedly, this is still one of the better places for a cocktail uptown, that's not saying much, and mainly due to a near complete lack of competition. If Mr. Williams wants to compete with downtown, they best step up their game on better bartenders, menu development, ice program... pretty much all fronts really. 

Otherwise, lower your damn prices and stop pretending you're something your're not.
3 - Alyssa M.: As others have said, I'm absolutely thrilled that you don't have to travel downtown anymore to find  cool speakeasy type of bar.  

I love how small and intimate this place is and the decor seems very fitting-sexy, yet relaxed and non-pretentious.

It took some time for me and my friend to decide on our drink orders because of the vast amount of menu items. Luckily the bartender was able to help us narrow it down a bit.   

I ordered some cocktail with rum, tripple sec, vodka, and fresh watermelon puree-it was nice and refreshing.  The friend ordered some gin cocktail with fresh raspberry puree-muddled and strained on the spot-nice! 

The bartender was friendly too and definitely had that old school/speakeasy/bartender in Harlem vibe, but the conversation got a little weird at one point. The music was on point too (great R&B playlist in the background).

I really appreciate a nice handcrafted cocktail as I consider myself a mixologist in training and realize that making a drink can be a work of art.  While the cocktails were good, I can't quite give it that 4+ star rating yet-I can't put my finger on it, but something is missing.  I'll need to come back at a busier time and try the food to get a complete picture of this place.
4 - Daniela B.: Great speakeasy vibe. Dark ambiance, great bar decor and killer cocktails. The vodka cilantro cucumber drink was absolutely fabulous. Nice space, friendly staff and not too crowded
2 - Kathleen R.: Okay so the outside kinda looks like shit!!! If you weren't really looking for it you would never really find it! It has cheap deep red curtains hanging from the ceiling. The resturant itself is about the size of my living room. It has bar seating and about 3 tables. It is one of the those 'I have to get my phone out to see the menu" places. I am not going to lie I was a tad bit tipsy when I came there, so I was just excited to eat! Now thinking about it I probuly wouldn't waste my money. The service was okay. The waitress seemed to take awhile to bring up some small talk. I guess the owner made up for that by getting us drinks. 
The unique thing about it is that they have paintings up all around the place and you can buy anyone that tickles your fancy! The food was great at the time cause I was starved but was it worth the $$$? Naw I dont think so. I have had a better overall experience at other places!
4 - David P.: Food network was right this bar is truly a gem.....mixologist sure know what their doing in there....small and quaint very intimate setting. Staff makes you feel like you walked into your own bar...the drinks are just great....find your flavor and you will be back...
4 - Food C.: came here for a few drinks. never been here before. it was really nice. very small. music was good. bartender was great. made great strong drinks that did not hit you until a while later. dark vibe inside. very sexy. after a few drinks and the music and the vibe here, you may try and get it in with whomever you came with. lol.
4 - makin m.: Nice vibe. Great cocktail menu. Interesting snack menu. Friendly service. The basement seating is a bit uncomfortable but not terrible. Upstairs is crowded which is good or bad depending on your mood. I'll be back.
4 - Megan C.: I feel like this place is very much like walking into a Stanley Kubrik film.  Weird but awesome in a weird way.  

Awesome drinks.  Truly amazing mixologist behind the bar making unique concoctions that will thrill and surprise.  

Open late...Yay!  Seriously, Harlem.  Get it together.  This can't be the only place open past 2 in the neighborhood.  Hopefully 67 Orange will inspire others.

I haven't gone here for food, but when I do, I'll be sure to update.  Deal?  Deal.
3 - vina t.: The owner got in touch to let us know that the bartender understands that he could've handled the situation better and offered to make it up to us. Giving it an extra star for reaching out and trying to make things right!
2 - Logan M.: This bar's name refers to the old address of Almack's Dance Hall, a fixture of Harlem nightlife in the mid-nineteenth century, owned by Pete Williams, one of NYC's first black bar proprietors. "67 owner Karl Franz Williams set about an ambitious task in opening this bar 3 1/2 years ago, now-namely, to bring the high-brow cocktail bar so ubiquitous in downtown Manhattan to uptown. For the most part, Karl has succeeded-the food and drinks were mostly solid, although the interior design and general upkeep could benefit from greater attention to detail.

This diminutive two-floor bar feels cramped due to a restrictive seating arrangement. High tables work for couples but didn't accommodate our party of three at all, and the bar itself feels like something from Playmobil-so we moved downstairs. This was probably a mistake, as the downstairs seating area was ill-equipped to take patrons. A couple tables were skirted by dingy backless couches, one of which had sunken in past the point of functionality. Toiletries and other storage items were poorly concealed by curtains, and the room felt dilapidated in general-the mirror's glass was dusty and smudged all over, and some of the light bulbs hanging from the low ceiling were out. After placing our food order-Brussels sprouts ($8.50), deviled eggs three ways ($8) and the house's "Juicy Lucy Sliders," made with beef courtesy of Pat Lafreida ($14, 2 pc.), we were told the chef had "stepped out" and would be back soon. Hmmm... Our drinks came while we waited, and they were decent. My Winter Whiskey Sour ($15), made with Woodford Reserve, lemon juice, simple syrup, sugar, cream, an egg white and angostura bitters, should have had more body considering the ingredients, and was simply screaming for the addition of ginger for some backbone. Doug's Johnny Appleseed, mad with rye, bourbon, Amaretto, Tequila, all-spice dram, apple cider and nutmeg, had an amazing smoky nose of maple syrup, but could have packed more of a punch considering the five different liquors contained in the drink. Our guest's Aviation, made from Plymouth gin, maraschino liqueur, lemon juice, Creme de Violette and "cherry"(?), was sweet, potent and delicious, if not perfectly balanced. I know, I'm being picky... We've just been drinking so many g*ddamn delicious cocktails these days, and the competition downtown is stiff, especially at these price points. Doug's second cocktail, Emancipation Again, made with cucumber vodka, lime, citronage, agave, ginger, cilantro & vinegar, was easily the best of the pack, and was something that could stand up to the likes of the downtown haute creations of Trummer or Petraske. Yes, I'm biased because I'm simply obsessed with cilantro and any cocktail containing that heavenly green vegetable, but this drink kicked ass, and packed a nice natural zip to it.

When the food finally arrived, it was delicious. The Brussels sprouts were crispy, flaky and deep-friend, reminiscent of Tien Ho's sprouts at David Chang's Ma Peche, and the sliders-which unfortunately came as a duo, not a trio, albeit coupled with amazing onion rings-were delicious, on par with those at The Vault at Pfaff's and just shy of the supreme sliders at Death & Co. Speaking of Death & Co., Williams was clearly heavily inspired by that bar's menu, from the scope and variety of drinks down to the formatting and fonts... Perhaps Kaplan and DeRossi are doing some consulting work on the side? That's just my conjecture, but if not, they should be. While 67 Orange isn't an experience on par with the bastions of downtown Manhattan, solid food and cocktails can be had here, and the neighborhood knows it-by the time we left the tiny bar was pretty much packed, mostly with couples of an ethnically diverse makeup. Likely the crowds are drawn in part by the professional air and charming personality of barman Garrett, who made us feel welcome and implored us to come back. With a design overhaul and a nice wipe-down, 67 Orange could be something truly special. Until then we'll stay downtown for the haute cocktail experience, but 67 should be a top destination if you're in the area.

One Drink Ahead
4 - msw w.: 67 Orange is one of my absolute favorite bars in the City. I love the atmosphere and the drinks are all delicious - even drinks made with ingredients that I don't usually like are turned into fabulous, creative concoctions. I always enjoy the spicy pop or other popcorn variety they have available as well. Drinks are definitely pricey so, on a limited budget, I usually opt for just one drink, but that drink is well worth it!
3 - Tommy D.: Vibe is very sexy and signature drinks are o.k. Extremely overpriced
5 - Josh F.: Superb little dimly lit mixology bar. Friendly bartenders. Great drinks. Good music. Did not try the food.
4 - Kent S.: Great neighborhood spot with a warm vibe and gooood cocktails. It is very cozy though, so don't bring the football team with you if you know what I mean. If you are looking for good place to chill with a few friends or a date, it's one of the best spots in West Harlem.
4 - Aisha L.: I have been here 3 times now.

My friend takes me everytime I go NYC to visit him. He lives right around the corner from it.

When he took me there the first time I would have walked right past it if he hadnt stopped me and said that we were there. You would definitely miss it if you are just walking down the street. There is no sign out front, no real door. no windows. 

We stopped in front of a slit of a hole in the wall with a dark curtain drapping it, you pull the curtain aside and walk into this totally hip speak easy kind of bar. It makes me think of a time when there was the prohibition and people were going to special VIP members only kind of clubs.

Its has all exposed brick wass which I love, a very small bar with some stools around it and some small little tables scattered around.

I have always sat at the bar and the bar tenders are personal and it feels so intimiate like you are a bunch old friends hanging around. Everytime I go in there I feel like I want to be wearing Jessica Rabbits sparkly red dress, Elbow high gloves and asking some sexy guy for a light for my cigarette.

It has a timeless feel and a very new cool hip feel, kind of like jazzy club or where you would imagine Erika Bahduh would hang out with Wylcef Jean, and Ray would be there too with Billie Holiday.

The only downside is that the drinks reallly are expensive and you cant just go in there and have just one (I have tried) you just want to keep tasting other things they have to offer.

Its borderline 5 stars, its just the prices the get me.

Maybe once I am a millionare it wont matter, but for now this girls gotta budget!
4 - Natalia J.: Frederick Douglas is blowing up with new additions to the neighborhood, and this is one of my favorites.  It's a small (very small) speakeasy type bar with delicious specialty cocktails you won't find in most bars.  The cocktail menu is literally pages long, which can be overwhelming, but also makes it really fun to try something new each time.  My favorite is called the Emancipation.  This drink was the first time I'd ever tried cilantro in a cocktail, and it made me a believer.  The food is also pretty delicious as well- particularly the mac and cheese.  I took off a star because even though it's small, the service is kind of slow and it's hard to get a seat.  Otherwise, it's a great place to go when you're feeling nostalgic for another era and just want a delicious cocktail.
4 - Jacqueline B.: My favorite bar in New York, hands down. Maybe its because its the closest bar to my house thats not super shady and filled with creepers. Maybe its because the bartender is super friendly and now knows exactly what I like (either the ben down or the ben over). Either way, i love this spot!

Its a tiny little place that definitely has a speakeasy vibe and i pray that it doesn't get too blown up with all the press its gotten recently and the fact that Marcus Samuellson (celebrity chef/owner of Red Rooster) is a regular there. 

The drinks are expensive so I cant go there too often (momma's on a budget!) BUT everytime i do go, its a great experience! everyone is friendly and welcoming and the drinks are deliciously crafted!

I have tried the deviled eggs and the lobster mac and cheese and both are delicious! id like to try the other things on their menu, especially the red velvet chicken and waffles! yumm!
5 - Izola W.: The best bar in Harlem!!  We were visiting from Chicago and had the greatest time!! The bartender Garrett gets two thumbs up!! He made our night fantastic with great drinks and an awesome play list!! The dark entrance takes you another place in time.... We drank, we sang, we ate, we had FUN!! I will visit this place every time I come back to Harlem!!
4 - Kassaundra G.: elote popcorn. fancy drinks. and waitstaff that are theatrical and beautiful. yup, this place will dent your wallet a bit, but always delivers. They need to spruce up the seating downstairs though, the bench seats are suuuuper saggy and uncomfortable. If my friends and I get stuck downstairs we draw straws for who doesnt have to sit on them! the stools are the only safe seats downstairs.
5 - Jodi B.: A place built from an original historic Black Business... It started out as a place you needed to be in "The Know" to know about...Now a LOT more people know about 67 Orange so it has grown into a known Harlem Hot Spot for great drinks and not just any alcoholic beverages-those crafted by the owner himself Karl Franz and made by a GREAT team of mixologists!!! Garrick & Marceo not only mix the drinks they also keep the tunes playing ALL NIGHT LONG until closing time. Since this bar has become more popular you often have to wait for a seat or stand-but it is ALWAYS worth it... I am NOT a bar food girl-but if I am ever going to eat bar food-THIS is THE PLACE!!! Check out their menu-they serve until 2AM Friday's & Saturday's-I love the Shakes and Brussels sprouts YUM!!!
5 - Julia B.: The best bar uptown! This is how a bar should be!  The drinks and food are too notch!!!  And the atmospheres is a comfort ease for people that appreciate art and night life casually!  Great people, great mixologists and a must to start or end your night!
4 - Heather M.: Decided to have a private party for 20 there after checking it out over the summer and enjoying the experience. The foodies loved it and the boozies did too so I was happy.  Staff knew how to accommodate our crowd by playing the right sounds, Intimate setting, varied food choices, unique back-story, pleasant staff and another good reason to do it and keep it uptown.

7 Eleven - Austin, TX (30.2807514, -97.7419586) (Downtown)
3 - Nathan I.: You'll find me here Tuesdays and Fridays, 10 minutes past 6:00 and ready to start my night. It's close to my office on West Campus.

I purchase two things: a pack of Camel Lights, and $5 of Mega Millions numbers if the jackpot is over $150 million. 

Friendly clerks. There was one instance where I was annoyed. As I walked up to the counter, he said "Sup bro?" I hate being called "bro". "That'll be $6.05 for the smokes, bro. Man, they're gettin' expensive." No they aren't, and stop calling me bro. I think he got the non-verbal message. When I got back my change, it was "And $0.95 is your change, sir." Good self-correction on his part. Do I look like a dude-bro who stumbled from the dorm with flip flops, a hemp necklace, and a T-shirt from the latest Tri-Delt party? I didn't think so. But like I said, at least he was friendly, that's just my hang-up.

The place always smells like weed to me.
5 - Lady R.: I was really impressed with this Seven eleven. Went in early morning before work to get a couple things and the cashier was super cheery and new the names of other customers that walked in. It's a pretty clean seven eleven for how many customers it caters to. really convenient but pricey. 

Great and quick service here. What else can you ask for.
5 - Sunnie L.: I love you 7 Eleven. Your friendly staff, awesome deals and clean appearance make you the best convenience store around. I would really love it if you would stop putting artificial sweeteners in the Slurpees though... come on! Gross.

7 Eleven - Sunderland, MA (42.4313253, -72.5435671) ()
2 - John R.: Working outside all day, sometimes you gotta...you know...go. So I figured what the heck, I need gas anyway why not stop here, get some gas and use the bathroom. Sounds easy right? Well, the purchase of gasoline went fine and when I went back in and asked to use the restroom the man behind the counter flatly said no. I asked why not and he said, "no more public bathroom" in a strange middle east sort-of-accent. I told him that I really had to go and he refused not even offering a reason. I don't know if it was temporarily out of order or if it's a new policy but I'm not going back. The dude was rude. And the gas is usually above average in price per gallon anyway. I was able to make it to another bathroom in time.
4 - Bryan K.: This 7-11 is pretty cool. Everyone knows you after a few visits, and always points out their ongoing promotions weather its games or a new product! 

as for John R....you need to get out more.  NO 7-11 has public bathrooms. and if you go to bigger cities most chain bathrooms that normally allow bathroom use in this area, don't.

7 Eleven - Austin, TX (30.2782541, -97.7437553) (Downtown)
4 - Michelle C.: I'm gonna review a 7-11?  Seriously?  Yep.  And here's why.

They have the cheapest, fast, decent lunch downtown.  Fresh turkey sandwiches on cracked wheat bread with cheese and some kind of yummy southwestern mayo for $2.99.  Always ready to run in and grab out of the case and eat.  But wait!  There's more!  Through the end of August, they're offering FREE bottles of Gatorade or Propel with every sandwich purchase.  AND, as if that weren't enough, they have a free condiment bar so if you're feeling all crazy you can load up your sammich with a bunch of jalapenos and stuff.  Yeah, baby.

Plus, the employees here are very friendly and actually helpful.  Convenience store employees - helpful!  Yes indeedy, it's true.

It's not unusual for there to be some rather sketchy looking characters hanging out in the parking lot (maybe even Shane G, judging from his review!), but if you're cool with that, you can snag yourself a sandwich for a song.
4 - alex e.: In my experience, 7 Eleven has the cheapest gas. I don't know about the cigarette prices though... little pricey. But everything looks pricey compared to CVS (maybe i should review CVS, as if the process of reviewing 7 Eleven isn't stupid enough.) 
 
They always let me use the bathroom when I'm drunk and don't want to buy anything.
4 - Erika G.: Yes, I am reviewing a gas station. How does that happen, you may ask? Is Erika seriously out of places to review that the only remaining locale worth talking about is really a 7 Eleven? 

Well, when you go to gas stations as often as I do to get your smoky treat and Diet Coke fix, hells bells yeah it's worth reviewing! This 7 Eleven location actually happens to be equidistant from home to work, so I always stop here in the mornings or on my lunch breaks to get my gas, Diet Coke Big Gulp and snacks. Sometimes all in one trip, because I'm crazy like that.

The workers here are always so nice and chipper, even at 8:30am. Instead of having the usual Shaun of the Dead glazed eye, they are personable and once, I even got a Diet Coke for free! Very nice guys. 

Not sure why the cops sometimes man the counter like us patrons are all thieves on the verge, but it's kinda funny. 

One time a homeless woman was outside babbling to the pile of trash on the outside trashcan, but otherwise it is pretty vagabond and rapscallion free. 

My only quibble is that sometimes they need to better situate their Wet Floor signs - my Napoleon complex need to wear heels is often thwarted when I walk across said slick floor and nearly perform an impromptu and poorly executed Disney on Ice routine for all to see. Egads. 

Thumbs up, 7 Eleven. I raise my Big Gulp full of carbonated (yes, a consistently good soda fountain, guys!) Diet Coke to you.
4 - Cara G.: I'm going to have to echo coming by this location (and other 7-11s) for their cheap sandwiches -- well, relatively cheap.  Their turkey, bacon, and havarti cheese on wheat is seriously amazing. And I hate buying sandwiches.  But at $3.99, I think this is a *serious* steal.  I was seriously craving this today for lunch, and only got out-voted for Koriente, which is Super Yum!  So I hope that gives you an idea of what a great deal & how delicious I think their sandwich is.  Their chicken salad is a solid 3.5 stars for me, but others in my office aren't so keen on it.  But a sandwich + a cheap coffee (versus starbucks down the road) + a 7 minute roundtrip walk from my office? SOLD.
3 - Lisa K.: Living in Houston, I had missed 7 Eleven. I was thrilled on a road trip to find this one. I had yearned for it back in H-Town. 

Then I moved to Vegas and they have them here every 20 feet. Love the Slurpees, taquitos and everything in between. My favorite convenience stores except Hollywood in Houston.
5 - Lindsay F.: Hell to the yes on this sevawn elevawn....

The staff has skills!

Everyone here is so nice!  Especially the cute Latino man that has the good hair.....(couldn't see his name tag, darn it).....

The best thing I have ever had from here:  the Teas of Texas!  These bottles of bursting sunshine will quench any tea lover's thirst!

We started out with just the peach and it was so holy tea-mendous, I went back in and bought all 5 flavors.

I had:

Strawberry Tea....mmmmmm......hmmmmmm.....
Honey Tea with Goodflow branded local honey (has a big yellow daisy on the side of the bottle.....MMMMMMHMMMMMMM  A +++++!
The peach, which you just cannot lose on that one....
The unsweetened which was delightful and
the sugar cube kind......All so very special in their own way!

These are all made locally and with Texas Spring Water and are like a dream to drink...

I had not seen these anywhere else before, and man, am I sure glad they carry this type of iced tea perfection in a glass bottle!

7/11 forever!
3 - Jacob R.: How many of you have tried to actually get gas at this place. 4 pumps, two of which are mere feet from a busy road, it is ridiculous. Trying to wait behind someone else is all but impossible. Normally I have to wait in a parking spot, but trying to navigate that small lot is trouble in its own way. not to mention must times i lose out to the ass who is willing to wait by sticking his end out into the street thus pissing more people off. why did they even tear up the parking lot for a few weeks anyway, doesn't seem different, still a small lot next to a busy street. 
What is that you say? Than stop getting gas here and go to another 7 Eleven? Don't tell me my business devil women. For those who insist on getting the tank as empty as possible, you take what you can get. Working right next to this one makes it convenient. 
You know I still love you though 7 Eleven. You keep pushing out delicious Slurpees and cheap questionable hot dogs (plus new "market" food, who knew) and I will still give you my heart.
3 - Nathan I.: I stop in at this 7-11 for several reasons: 

#1: It's near Charlie's and The Doubletree; you never know when you'll need cigarettes, mixers, or condoms; 

#2: I can redeem my "7-11 only" Camel coupons, which sort of ties in with #1;

#3: I desperately need to refuel Kar on the way home after a night out at Charlie's/The Doubletree;

and #4: I never know what's going to happen. 

When I drove in from Houston and stopped to buy cigarettes with my Camel coupon on the way to Charlie's, I thought I'd go #1 since I was ready to burst from the road. The door was locked. Eventually, a woman in an obscenely tight prostitute dress emerged from the bathroom and gave me a dirty look. Moments later, a nasty guy with a gold grill appeared from behind the door, also giving me a dirty look. 

Oh, I'm sorry--did I interrupt a filthy, early evening public bathroom jamboree? Yes, forgive ME, you know...how rude of ME. I decided to wait to pee. Later my friend said it gave new meaning to the word "Slurpee". Ew.

Seriously, what the hell is wrong with people?

Anyways, the guy working that day was "Tom", something I only recall because some out of town fratty guys kept repeating it in that incredibly patronizing, faux-polite way that only dude-bros buzzed off Keystone can master. "What's goin' on, Tom?"; "We owe ya one, Tom"; "Tom--you're the man. Take it easy, Tom." Ugh.

Anyways, Tom is VERY nice, and always asks if I need a lighter with my cigarettes. And sometimes, I do.  

3 Stars, with the exception of Mr. and Mrs. Raunchy Restroom Romp.
5 - ashley g.: The manager of this place reads Yelp.com and started ordering coconut water!!!!  

How awesome is that?!  Finally, the online reviews matter!!!  

Thank you so much!  

ps. I highly recommend the natural and chocolate!  They are my favorite!!!

7-Eleven - Austin, TX (30.2906657, -97.7414511) (The Drag, University of Texas, West Campus)
4 - Shane H.: How do you rate and review a chain convenience store?  Better yet, why would you?  Because there are some things at 7-Eleven that people just don't realize or maybe even know about and it is my humanitarian duty to share that information.

This 7-Eleven is located on the Drag convenient  to the University, the dorms and all the craziness that is "The Drag".  This location is a little heavier on bums, vagrants, smelly street kids and other human debris than most other locations around town, so that should be noted.  DO NOT give panhandlers money, you only perpetuate the cycle and create a dependency issue.

Anyway, 7-Eleven in recent years has tried to up it's image and spruce themselves up a little, and it's working.  They have a great selection of fresh sandwiches, wraps, pitas, salads and much more made fresh every day.  They also have fresh fruit, fruit bowls and things like yogurt for the health conscious.  No more horse meat burgers covered in a nondescript "cheese" sauce.  You can actually run into a 7-Eleven and get  a healthy snack or a full meal that won't kill you now, not at all like the old days.

Also I should note that they also carry SmartWater and that is a big deal since I hate it when I can't find it and now that I am hooked on it all other water tastes like leftover aquarium water now.  

Overall it's a 7-Eleven, its in a great location, and they actually have decent quick food and the ubiquitous Slurpee.  Check it out, and I personally recommend the wraps, they are AWESOME!!
4 - Rebecca L.: Great slushies. Not as good as Sonic's, but Sonic is a longer drive and 7-Eleven is right here. This one is cleaner and brighter than the one in the heart of West Campus. It is on the Drag, however, and that means vagrants chillin' in the parking lot.
4 - Mark L.: This is not the best convenience store in Austin. It's not even the best in central Austin. (The best convenience store anywhere is called WAWA and you need to live on the east coast to experience what a goof C-Store is like.) It's not the best stocked or even the cleanest. The gas is even more expensive than other places in the neighborhood.
I like this 7-Eleven at 2 AM after the bars have closed. The mixture of west campus drunken sorority girls, hipster rocker boys from the next door Hole In The Wall, shoplifting drag rats, third shifters and me, makes for some good people watching. I stay just a bit longer than I normally would just for the sociological observations that can be made here.
4 - Maurice C.: Man, it's all about the 99 cent Arizona large cans of Watermelon Drink here. Sure, it's half high-fructose corn syrup, but the natural and added flavors they mix in really almost taste like watermelon.

That, and the ability to drive in to the lot and then head in a westerly direction upon exiting, compared to the left-turn-stingy stretch of Guad that it sits on, makes this 7-Eleven invaluable!

7-Eleven - Seattle, WA (47.6586863, -122.313162) (University District)
5 - Kevin W.: Five stars just for the fact of there being a 7-Eleven on the Ave! Seriously, how much better can you get than that? I had no idea that there would even be a 7-Eleven store here. I had always just kind of ignored it while walking by, and I don't even remember what occupied this space before. But I was walking by one day and lo and behold! My dream since freshman year of college had finally come true! I walked in and asked them how long they had been there. Apparently, it was only one day; they opened on March 14, 2012. Why they didn't do so earlier is beyond me because of how great it is that a convenience store like this is finally here! No more buying overpriced food from Odegaard and all the other cafes on campus that close at 5 PM when you have a place like this that's open for 24 hours!

The place unfortunately isn't very big; they only have the narrow space between Thanh Vi and Pizza Brava to work with. But what they manage to pack into that little area is good enough. It's mostly just what you would find at any normal convenience store, but the donuts, chicken wings, and cartons of milk caught my attention. There's a lot of stuff you can buy here with just a few dollars. Also, their two sandwiches for six dollars deal puts the campus cafes to shame. Those places charge around seven dollars for some sandwiches, so I'm glad that's something I'll never have to worry about again. Any UW student around the campus pulling an all-nighter no longer has to worry about getting food late at night again. Take that, By George Cafe, and thanks 7-Eleven!
5 - Diane C.: I completely agree with Kevin W! 5 stars for a 7-Eleven on the Ave. This location slipped into the neighborhood quietly. Located right across from Chipotle, just steps from the Post Office and the University of Washington. I cannot tell you how excited i was when I found out this place opened yesterday (3/14/2012). I went in today and it's sleek (read narrow),  stocked, and so clean. 

I love 7-Eleven. Love it! Grabing a big gulp (cough cough...super big gulp) is a integral part of my life. Not having to schlep up to Cap Hill or Maple Leaf is gonna save me so much time it's insane!
5 - Danielle C.: To celebrate their opening, this 7-Eleven actually gave out free sandwiches, hotdogs, donuts, and Big Gulps to anyone on the street.  And also held a giveaway for a free HDTV.  Can't get much better than this.

And their drink fountain also had CAFFEINE FREE COCA-COLA.  The rare drink that I never see in 20oz. bottled form, much less in soda fountain form.  Amazing.

Enthusiastic staff here makes for a pleasant 7-Eleven experience.
4 - Uhura J.: I was going to rate this 3 stars because how great can a 7-Eleven be? But seriously - it can be really, freakin', totally great.

Hands down the cleanest, freshest, most welcoming 7-Eleven I've ever visited. The small, narrow design works very much in its favor - not a lot of space to mill around, and probably near impossible for crime and shady behavior even without the 3-4 employees working during a busy lunch rush. It's well-lit, with a fantastic selection of hot and cold foods (there were salads! and things that weren't fried!), drinks, and snacks.

It's close to my favorite places to eat on the Ave, and when a sale price didn't do through correctly the clerk not only had the manager investigate but they refunded me the difference on the spot! Seriously I was expecting to never see that $1 again.

Throw in the weakness for Coca-Cola flavored slurpees and this location absolutely earned the 4-star review. Lastly, a pro-tip: the pina colada slurpee makes a great mixer.

7-Eleven - Cambridge, MA (42.3632133352181, -71.0933554172516) (Kendall Square/MIT)
4 - Jeremy K.: Rating a convenience store is tricky but after meticulous meditation towards this review, I've decided to give it a 4 star based on the following adventures that I've had with this 7-Eleven over the past four years.

- I've been there when I had the munchies and managed to hit the spot every single time: check.
- I've been there drunk many times and found both tylenol and cold powerade: check.
- I've been there sober for random stuff like a stick of deodorant, bandages, flour, detergent, eggs and they've always managed to have what I need: check.
- I've been there on New-Years, X-Mas, Thanksgiving and they have always been opened, regardless of the holidays: check.
- I've been there during the intenesely warm summer to get a slurpy and they were there to provide it: check.
- I've been there to grab a cigar before a party, and guess what, they had them: check.
- I've been there when I needed a 24-pack of Arnold Palmer and they provided it for me easily by grabbing it in their backroom: check.
- I've been there at pretty much every single hour of the day or night that you can think of and they have always, always been opened: check.

You get my point, they are extremely convenient and one of the guys there is really nice and a pleasure to deal with, especially when I needed that 24-pack of Arizona Arnold Palmer.

So many memories there!
5 - Ryan K.: 5 stars for the $3.59 chicken salad sandwich. and all the other cost-effective ways to satiate the cravings for really, really cheap food, over the counter drugs, and, of course, slurpees.

7-Eleven - Cambridge, MA (42.3733124, -71.1195242) (Harvard Square)
3 - Francesca R.: This particular 7 Eleven is worth mentioning because it sells beer and wine.  The store itself is fine - has all the usual convenience store items.  There's some frozen meals and some stuff you can take home and cook, as well as a bevy of pre-made sandwiches and hot food items of a dubious nature (I actually saw someone order and eat one of the hotdogs today...and not die.  Hmmm).  Medicine and beauty items are behind the counter, cleaning supplies in the back by the window.

The wine selection here is actually not horrible - not amazing or eclectic, but some sturdy and reliable stuff that you can get on the way to a dinner party instead of spending $35 for a bottle across the way at Cardullo's.  The fridges with the alcohol are locked, you just need to ask someone at the register to open them for you.
1 - Melissa M.: You get virtually NO STARS from this yelper because you failed to have a WORKING slurpee dispenser for my beloved blue raspberry.  This was on FREE SLURPEE DAY, by the effing way!  How could you do this?  You had all the other less delicious flavors, but I made the journey from my comfy, air conditioned office to your smelly, overcrowded and dirty, dirty store for the sole reason of attaining the blue raspberry goodness that only this particular slurpee can fulfill.  I am so disappointed, in you 7-Eleven. If you were on the Simpsons, Homer Simpson would be completely revolted!  I was awaiting FREE SLURPEE DAY since I saw the event posted in yelp.  With some yelp events, I have to think 2 things:
 1.) Am I an "I'm in"!?  
2.) Or am I a "Sounds Cool?"  
I did not have to think long and hard about this.  I was an "I'm in!"  Since I saw the words FREE. SLURPEE. DAY.
I thought, I'd saunter in, grab a cup, and patiently wait my turn in the slurpee line.  Well, since I saw the hastily scribbled sign that was placed on the blue raspberry flavor stating "NO WORK", I sadly realized that my trek was all for naught.  You disappointed me 7-Eleven, you disappointed me so much that I will never again grace you with my presence and I'll never set foot in your store again.  Plus you are ALWAYS out of my favorite, Vitamin water, the Energy kind.  Is it that difficult to oh, I don't know, maybe ORDER more cases of this delicious treat?  I mean you are centrally located at Harvard Freaking University.  FREAKING HARRRVAAARRRD, MAN!  Those nerds need all the stamina and energy they can get.  I know this, I'm one of them.  Why, oh, why do you do this to me???  (Tears...)
1 - John L.: This 7-11 makes me sad.  The place didn't look clean (the floors were egh), there's next to no magazine rack (I was looking for something to read, and it was kind of sad to find it under the register and restricted to Us/SI/Newsweek/etc, whereas you get a much larger selection down in, say, the one near Cambridge City Hall in Central Square), and they have your standard selection of overpriced stuff.  Even with the beer/wine selection, this place just didn't do it for me in any way whatsoever.
3 - Jeremy K.: I work, once a week, about 50 feet away from this Seven Eleven and must say that this one isn't as good as the rest of them. Part of it isn't always their fault, they are usually very very busy but they need to do a better job with keeping it clean.

Another thing that really bothers me is their open-faced drink fridge which means that their drinks don't ever get very cold, just cool and it not only wastes a ton of electricity, but is just plain inefficient. Especially when customers want cold drinks on a hot summer day.

Sure it sells beer and wine but it is so overpriced that I'd much rather stick to the real liquor store.

It is convenient, sure, but isn't as good as CVS which is across the street. Oh and their slurpee machines almost never work...
3 - Kiki B.: slurpies = deliciousness.

convenient in the sense that they sometimes have items cvs doesn't, but for the most part it's pretty hard to pull me away from my cvs-philia.
3 - Michelle C.: Kiki, you are right, slurpies DO = deliciousness!!

but their bathroom = nasty. I think I actualy stuck to the door when I opened it from the inside.
2 - Hank C.: Located right around the corner from Harvard Square, this is a convenient place to grab a cheap bite around campus indoors.

That being said, disappointed that the Boston 7-Elevens don't have wings! =(

7-Eleven Food Stores - Los Angeles, CA (34.0286519, -118.2755043) (South Los Angeles)
3 - Aaron E.: If you have never been to a 7-Eleven you must not be from this planet. 7-Eleven is the convenient  store equivalent  of the Jerry Springer show. You never know what you are going to see. 

This location is no exception, but the service is fast and the coffee is decent in a pinch. You could do a lot worse. 

This location also sells a lot of weird stuff like DVD's and miniature statuettes of the Super Mario Brothers playing soccer...?... I'm not sure why, they just have them. WTF.
3 - Amber B.: This location is pretty cool. I hate the parking lot though. It's really compact and there are always bums or beggars standing around. But, luckily the local police frequent here for coffee and donuts lol :P 

The store is clean and the employees are nice. However, they are VERY chatty!!! I come in on my way to work with only a few minutes to spare. I don't need you and Bob the trucker in front of me talking all day. SO ANNOYING!!!

The only thing I really buy are beverages. I usually get the iced coffee. I'm totally addicted !! I just wish the employees would check to see if the machine is out of product from time to time.
3 - Keesy S.: The parking lot is a horror! Other than that nothing special about this place. Coffee's good, employees were nice. Good place to people watch, a lot of traffic in this store.

710 Peachtree - Atlanta, GA (33.774062, -84.385486) (Midtown)
3 - Cory F.: When I came here, I lived in a hotel for a month until I found an apartment.  My castmate Amy and I scoured every online apartment search engine, Craigslist, and newspapers to find decent deals on living arrangements.  While she was cool with a roommate situation, I needed a small studio for a decent price, in a relatively safe area, where I could park and not have to deal with Atlanta highway traffic on the way to work.

My answer?  710 Peachtree.

Ultimately, my stay here has been pretty good.  I'm not extremely picky, as I have moved 14 times in the past 10 years for college and theatre work, so I've lived in all kinds of strange places - but this time, I wanted a place of my own that would be at least comfortable enough for the run of this show.

Price/space: I have one of the smallest studios, which actually isn't that small at all, especially for one person.  I got a deal on the rent because they were running a special, which is great, so I am paying $115 less each month than if I had moved in under the regular lease price.  

There is plenty of room here in the main room for my queen sized bed, my computer desk,  my large dresser, my instruments, and my little loveseat that Patrick purchased for me at IKEA.  The kitchen is just a walk-in, with a downsized refrigerator and stove (with oven, yay!), but there is a counter on one side with an open view of the main room, and limited but present counterspace on either side of the sink.  There are plenty of cabinets, though I am short and not able to use the ones over the fridge.  There's a decent sized bathroom, with a full-sized bathtub and shower, and under-the-sink storage.  Across the hall, there's a gigantic walk-in closet, with built in shevles over the clothes hanging area and on the other side, as well.

Plenty of space for my money, for sure.

As for amenities and such, the utilities are fairly inexpensive, which is nice, and I have a praking space in the building, though it took them awhile to get me one, so I had to park at the Georgian Terrace for a month.  There is laundry in the basement, a small gym and BEAUTIFUL sun deck on the 3rd floor, and a Quizno's and convenient store downstairs if I'm hungry or need something small and don't feel like going anywhere.  The mail room is easily accessible and well-lit, right off the fancy-looking main lobby, and also has a FedEx drop.  There's also a computer room with online access, a copier and a printer, and though you can only use it for a half hour at a time and have to take your own paper down if you need to copy or print something, it's really handy if any of your own stuff is out of order.

Security-wise, I have been generally happy.  The building has double key-card access in the front and down in the garage, and there is a concierge on duty 24 hours a day to deal with noise complaints, parking problems, or any questions you might have.  Every once in a while the key-card access gate is up downstairs if it's out of order, but not very often.

So why the 3 star and not a five star rating?  WeIl, while I haven't really felt "unsafe" or uncomfortable here, there have been a few problems.

1. I understand that I live in the South, and that roaches are at times an inevitability.  They do what they can to spray and make sure the little varmints don't get in, but I have had to kill a critter or twenty during my 6 month stay (which I suppose doesn't add up to much, but for a Midwestern girl, that's enough).  Since I've put hot pepper under my sinks and at my door, though, I've seen less of them... and management, especially the new management (who are much better), is always quick to respond if I call.  But bugs?  Minus a star.

2. Also, I have had some interesting experiences with my neighbors.  Upstairs, REALLY loud music for awhile until the complaints finally kept their volume to a reasonable level.  To my left, there is a couple who went through a few rough months of SCREAMING at each other - and the guy's name was Cory, so it was extra annoying because I felt like the shrill woman was screaming at ME, though I certainly wasn't the one who made her worry by staying out late, or pissed her off by not talking about my feelings.  The best, though, was my neighbor on the right, who was noisily arrested in the middle of the night (they broke his door down), never to return.  Special.  Scaryt neighbors?  Minus another star.

Other than those inconveniences, I love my little apartment, and it has served me well.  It's a 5 minute drive or a 15-20 minute walk to work (14th Street Playhouse), it's a block from the Fabulous Fox Theatre, and right smack in the middle of a lot of Midtown weekend fun.  And man, compared to some of the other places I visited for similar prices, this was definitely the classiest, occasional bug, crazy neighbors and all.
4 - Ari M.: My girlfriend and I moved back into Solace on Peachtree (formerly called 710 Peachtree) in February....yes you read me correct, back into. We lived here for about three years starting in 2002 . I must say that we're very satisfied with the changes in this place since then. We didn't have too much to complain about back in the day, but we're amazed at the transformation since Lane has sunk millions into the place.

 In the time that we were away from Solace on Peachtree, we lived in the Arts Center tower (which was a pretty good spot as well until they went up on the rent sharply because of their renovations) and 921 Myrtle St (in a cute neighborhood, nice spartan apartment- beware of the high cost of utilities there)

We're still scratching our heads about why we moved from Solace on Peachtree in the first place...the overall place is cool, convenient and despite having over 500 plus apartments, it can be eerily quiet.

I've seen a few comments about roaches/ bugs: when we lived here prior, I didn't see more than 5 roaches during the three years, but heard a few complaints from neighbors about them. Since moving back, we've seen more, a couple of water bugs and a few babies. 

We experienced a loud music playing neighbor the first couple of nights here, but called the concierge and haven't had a problem since then. 

The building is an old one and has many different types of personalities living in it, but we've always felt safe there and haven't had any problems. The leasing staff is very friendly as it were before, and being so close to MARTA is a real kicker!

Living at Solace on Peachtree is not for everyone, if you'd have an issue with living in a building which resembles a mini United Nations, or being around a lot of students from GA Tech/ The Atlanta Univ Center, GSU and other schools as well as being around budding artists, entertainers, musicians, then don't move here.
2 - Ar t.: All that glitters is not gold.  Can't wait until my Solace on Peachtree lease is up (in 13 mos). I have been here for a month. Still haven't received a copy of my lease. Was told to keep calling for a copy.   I was never even told what mailbox had been assigned to me.  I was assigned 4 different parking spaces in my first 7 days living here.   Although I paid for parking, first week 1/2 had to park in visitor parking only to have my car booted. Finally after repeatedly being inconvenienced and begging the concierge to call a manager because my space was occupied, they wanted me to wait hours to "allow" the person in the spot they assigned for me to move. 

30 days in my "newly renovated" unit, Cockroaches in my kitchen, which I have barely used because I'm rarely home! I'm afraid to eat or cook in my apt. I was told they would put me on the "weekly" list for spraying. They come weekly??? ' Elevators reek of urine. Staff inaccessible because of phone & internet problems.  I'm sorry, I don't care if it is a "southern" thing or not.  Cockroaches are unsanitary and transmit bacteria and are should never be consider acceptable.  The fact that there is a weekly spraying... I've never heard of that in all my years of renting in several states.  The Lane Co. needs to sink millions to fumigate the place instead of giving it a face lift.  I'd much rather live in sanitary ugly surroundings than in 3rd world type living conditions.  

Positives, 1. The new outdoor space is beautiful. 2. When you do speak to staff they are professional 3. Concierges decent. 4. Location--grocery, interstate, tourist areas, entertainment, MARTA.   5.  I love my view of the Bank of America Building.  

I wish I had read reviews before moving in...Fool me once....
1 - Arthur Y.: This place is a disaster and the way the staff operates is borderline criminal. Horrible residents, ubiquitous noise, screaming, fighting, and pounding music at all hours. 

The lobby is nice, but that's just a front for the stained hallways, nasty rooms that await, to say nothing of the ATROCIOUS staff. The halls and doors literally look like the DeKalb County Jail and smell like garbage. There was virtually no maintenance staff to be found EVER. They should also change the name to "Del Boca Domestic Violence," since about 1-2 times a week I got to lay awake in bed listening to couples beat the hell out of each other. 

The kicker for me was when I started to head to work one morning only to discover they had towed my car FROM MY OWN PAID GARAGE SPOT, for which I had been shelling out an extra $50 extra per month!!! When I went to the leasing office, they simply recommended I catch a cab to the tow yard, down by the airport. I was furious. I had to pay $30 for a cab and $120 to get my own car back--all with NO reimbursement and not even a hint of apology from anyone at 710 Peachtree.

When I finally got free from this dump, they told me I had to clean the apt to get my deposit back. No problem! I did, and even got the walk-through, and a signed form saying it was clean and that my deposit refund check would be mailed. It never came, and multiple efforts to get it resulted in attitude and runaround.

This place should be demolished (preferably with the staff still inside) and converted into parking for the Fox Theater. 

STAY AWAY!!!
1 - Charlotte T.: I have never in my life have been so disgusted by an apartment building before. I had just moved to Atlanta and I had only about 2 weeks to find an apartment. and like many starting professionals I needed something close to my job, affordable and MARTA accessible. So when i cam across Solace I was very content. The first thing I noticed was the chic lobby, business center and gym---but ladies and gentlemen that is ALLL you will be impressed by...smh

The sleezy car sales man "leasing professional" steve who was helping me through the process. I thought I did good, because I read all the reviews I did research about the area and I visited the apartment on several different occasions and with the recent renovation, it was a deal. The first night I moved in my apt was great--i left and came back around 9pm when it was dark and then I saw Solace on Peachtree for what it truly was. I walked into cockroaches scattered ALLLL over my kitchen floor, living room walls, bathroom and bedroom.  it was absolutely appalling. And what made matters worst is that I didnt own a bed yet so I slept on an air mattress right in the middle of the living room in fear on roaches crawling on me at night. There were cockroaches in my fridge, i woke up with one on my arm, I was sooo miserable in this apartment.  I had NOO hot water and when I told the maintenance man he told me that I needed to run the kitchen and bathroom sink water if I wanted Luke warm water until he can come back and fix it of course he never came.

After 2 weeks (and writing numerous letters and calls) they offered me a different apt--that had less roaches and they were less frequent. I don't bring company over because I'm so embarrassed that a cockroach may pop up on my TV screen or in my bed. 

If the cockroaches, lack of hott water and oh yea cheap air conditioning isn't enough to scare you away. There was a shooting on the 16th floor about 4 weeks ago--and the leasing office didnt even bother to tell until we demanded we be told why police have blocked access and there were bullet shells on the floor. And the icing on the Roach infested cake is that some1 committed suicide off the top penthouse about 2 weeks and splattered right on the community patio that they love to boast about all the time on there website.  The concierge Brian is the dumbest son of a bitch I have ever met in my life and doesn't do anything but watch tv or movies on his laptop. There terry who is extremely nice but fake and a one more plus size African American man that does nothing but talk to his friends all day at the desk., basically the concierge is pointless--just an another image thing. It cost about $5,000 to break your lease, there is NO parking in the area. They say that the pet rule is Max 25 lbs. but I've seen vicious pits, Danes and whatever other beast you can imagine staring at me while I'm in the elevator. Everybody who lives in this building are either college students (who don't bother anyone) Starving musicians who are constantly trying to promote something to you and broke ghetto people who you wonder how can they afford their rent.

I'll be a fair and talk some of the pros: affordable rent, nice sized apartments, free wireless on the first floor, occasional apartment parties and gift give away's. Great networking opportunity for entertainment industry. Blocks away from crescent nightlife strip, across the street from MARTA train station. If your into to nightlife and flashing lights you'll def enjoy your life outside of the apartment complex---but if location is your deal, there are apartments just a couple of blocks up Peachtree and piedmont--look elsewhere this is not the only apt in midtown!

sigh:: I can honestly go for days or better yet 10 more months about the negative because that's how much longer my lease is. If none of the above bothers you...go for it. But I dread everyday at 6pm when I know I have to leave work to go..... home :(

-Desperately seeking solitude
1 - Clayton-Ted G.: Look some place else!!
4 - Joe B.: I saw this review on Solace on Peachtree as well. I posted earlier on the other review area found here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/solace-on-peachtree-atlanta-2

Anyway, if you do move in, there is a way to get $50 upon moving in. To find out the details, go here: http://solaceonpeachtree.blogspot.com/

I enjoy the place. It is not the best in Midtown, but for the money and the location, I enjoy it.

800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria - Los Angeles, CA (34.0597396, -118.4442989) (Westwood)
5 - johnathon c.: Welcome to the new best thing yet in L.A.  
"Straight outta Naples," this ain't your typical local pizza place.

"Experience the real deal," is their motto and it's right on.  really great pizza for $5, and it's real, traditional, classic, Naples style, vera Napoletana.  800 degrees is purely and simply a pizzeria.  They serve no other cooked dishes. Just salads.

The challenge is on for pizza lovers.  All pizza lovers unite.  Gotta rate 800 degrees as one of the best pizza's you'll ever have.  

And get this, they don't even have a stove, as they serve nothing but pizza from a wood burning oven, and all the vegetables for salads or toppings are cooked in the same wood burning ovens.   

Hell yeah we love this place from the first bite.  Pizza takes a minute to cook so there's really no waiting for it, and it's hot and will burn your mouth if you are too excited to let it cool down, like most of us.  The crust is a dream, crispy browned and beautiful, crunchy, and chewy at the same time.  

Very importantly the middle of the pizza isn't wet like most of the vera napoletana, which is why they use a fork and knife mostly.  Keeping the middle crispy was obviously part of the we love tradition, but it's a happy compromise, and you'll see everyone's happy this way.  
All add ons are $1 and they've got everything you might want from anchovies and artichokes to peppadews and pepperoni.  

The burrata with caponata is simply dressed, just get out of the way of the ingredients and let them shine seems to be a motto here and it's working like a charm. And the best part is the salads and small bites and burratas are $5, and they're plenty big not skimpy at all.  

These guys rock, we love 800 degrees for their simple chic, simply casual pizza.  la vera napoletana.  I had my first pizza, a margherita with a fork and knife as a homage to Naples, but they're not being traditionalists here, your pizza comes sliced.  And the tomato sauce is bright and fresh and oh so comforting.  

There's a totally cool soda machine by ferrari.  

La creamery gelato, pistachio at the perfect temperature is my favorite.  Something about pistachio gelato and pizza it's just an old family pairing. 

The room is big and open and you are part of the scene, part of the kitchen too.  The best new fun place in town.  Right across the street from the Hammer Museum.
A dream come true for all the people who work in the office buildings around Wilshire and Westwood.  It's a great reason to move to Westwood, it'd be so nice to live nearby.

Except big crowds, recommend getting their first and telling your friends about it before you have to listen to them telling you, like me.

No beer and wine yet, but it's coming soon.  Take it to go and drink lambrusco at home.

Prices are amazingly low and gonna cause some serious water cooler talking points.
5 - Kevin R.: Very tasty Neapolitan pizza. I got a margarita pizza (with fresh mozzarella) with rock lobster as a topping and Gorgonzola salad. You can use your fingers for the pizza but I would recommend using a knife and fork. I followed up with a cappuccino gelato. They have a soda machine made by Ferrari that can make an soda you want (with fancy flavoring). You start with a base and you can place your choice of amazing (e.g. spiced pepperoni and arugula) toppings. It's only $5 for a pizza base!
5 - andrew c.: I've been waiting for this place to open for the last 6 months.  Caught word of it on Eater LA, then been a fan of it on facebook for what feels like forever for this establishment to open.  And man is it good!  Not quite Mozza quality, but a fantastic alternative at 1/2 to 1/3 the price.  Good work the Umami peeps have done with Pizza, now I can't wait until they expand!
5 - David S.: Really enjoyed the Margherita pizza... $6 and truly prepared within 2 minutes.  Extra points for the freestyle coke machine, I love playing with that thing.  Will definitely be back and spread the word!
4 - Jonathan R.: Excellent toppings, amazingly quick preparation, perfectly customized, and the final product is tasty & inexpensive. What's not to love?
5 - David M.: Was there for the first test night and back again tonight.  Good, fast and inexpensive.  They also have the really cool coke machine that makes tons of different flavors that my kids love.  Salads are super cheep and tasty.  Parking in Worstwood is the only problem.
5 - Mark P.: Make it yourself pizza?  reminds me of that Seinfeld episode where Kramer started his DIY pizza place (why can't I put cucumbers in my pizza??)

This place is owned by the guys who started Umani Burger and what you get feels like a Chipotle of pizza, as you move down the line and they ask you what toppings you want.  The prices are cheap with a starting Margherita pie at only 6 bucks.  Each additional topping costs a dollar unless its something fancy like rock shrimp.  

It only takes 1 minute in the oven and your pizza is ready.  My pie tasted great, the size is more then enough to fill you up for lunch and the crust retained a chewiness even though it was under a 800 degree oven.  They also have gelato and one of those coke machines that has a million different types of combinations.

Finding free parking is a big tricky but walking from the Broxton lot is only a couple blocks away.  Looks like the Umani guys have another winner.
4 - Desiree J.: So far, so good! 800 degrees is definitely fast and affordable, but most important, it's delicious! I tried the burrata with tomatoes and pesto, the meatballs, and a margherita pizza with carmelized onions and prosciutto. Their system is unique, but I like it- basically you design your pizza and they make it and then toss it in the wood burning oven. YUM YUM!

More info and pics here: http://bundtsofsteel.blogspot.com/2012/01/800-degrees-pizza.html
5 - Natalie K.: It's great, and starting at $5 (it gets a little more when you add up the toppings) for a pie, what do you have to lose?? TRY IT!!!
5 - Ali R.: Absolutely fabulous! Fresh and delicious ingredients and a great atmosphere. 5 STARS!
4 - Scott C.: After reading about "real Neopolitan Pizza" finally arriving in LA, I had to check it out - today. There was a long line out the door but it only took about 10 minutes for me to reach the point in the line where you order. The space is very nice and open with very high ceilings, a marble counter where they construct your pizza. I've eaten real Neopolitan pizza in Rome, Naples, Capri and elsewhere in Italy and so I was really looking forward to this experience. I ordered a Margherita Pizza (just sauce, cheese, basil, olive oil) and my protein of choice was anchovies. The ingredients looked and tasted fresh and high quality and the price was great at just over $7 including tax. The pizza was good - not great. And here is the very simple reason why - my pizza was undercooked - significantly. There was almost no char underneath or on the edges of the crust, the cheese was barely melted - and here's the biggest issue - the pizza was soggy/soupy. The two guys sitting next to me were discussing this exact issue with their pizzas as I ate mine. Another 45 seconds or so in the oven (or highter overn temp) might have made this a great pizza. I hope they address and fix this issue - If they do, I will be back a few times a week. Thanks.
3 - Morgan T.: The buzz is apparently now in Westwood for a long-awaited reason to actually visit.  So I did, on day 2 of 800 Degrees.

Showing up bright and early, I entered to a warm welcome and advice on how to proceed with my pizza ordering experience.  The staff I interacted with were enthusiastic and likely would have offered some sage advice on what to order, but I decided before I arrived that I would be going with the old standby: The Margherita.  

The pizza does come out pretty fast indeed, and I was provided with a small cup of peppers from Italy, I believe (which were good).  The pizza has the trademark blotchy appearance of a good southern italian pizza.  The outer crust looked crisp, proportions solid, but at first glance (and subsequent ones) this seemed to be a very soggy pizza throughout the interior. First bite: yeah, pretty damn soggy.  

I'm no thermodynamicist but I for some reason want to attribute this to cooking the pizza so hot, so quickly.  Is it that under normal circumstances the moisture of the cheese and tomato cooks out just a bit? I have no idea what i'm talking about, clearly, but hopefully, for their sake, I'm way off base and I just ended up with a restaurant that hasn't worked out its early-stage kinks.  

I love a good, authentic so. Italian pizza, but this was just way too soggy to recommend right now, especially since you could get a solid marg. from Mozza or Milo and Olive (or Sotto, allegedly).  The flavors are right on and the overall flavor balanced, but the sogginess is just not workable.

That said, if you are in the dining wasteland that is Westwood, you could do far worse.
4 - Nathan L.: Went there on opening day, nice decor.  Could go without the plastic lining on the tablecloth though.  Ordered the margherita pizza.  My thoughts: 

- The sauce is good, but not acidic enough. There's not enough bite... perhaps some garlic is in order.
- A bit too much cheese, which wasn't fully melted.  
- Not enough basil.  
- Also, there was a concentration of olive oil in the middle of the pie... dunno if the shape of the dough had anything to do with that.  
- I've had neapolitan pizzas where it's crispy in the middle and this is not one of those places unfortunately, but it's still a good pie.

This place gets high marks because it's SUPER cheap for the quality and it's pretty good tasting.  The gelato is delicious!  I'll definitely go back a few times to get a better gauge.
4 - Susan L.: First and foremost, I love that this place is only 2 minutes walkable distance from my place, if that.

Love that everything is fresh, fast and fabulous.  It has a modern spin to the traditional pizzeria.  Who doesn't like to have things customized to individual taste and a pizza that's made in minutes.  I was actually shocked how quickly our pizzas were ready even though the place was packed and a huge line behind me.

The Food:  The simple marinara was my favorite, hands down.  Chewy but crispy crust, and a good kind of saltiness to it.  I also got the gluten free with Vegan daiya cheese.  Gluten-free crust wall alright, no comparison to the regular crust.  It had a pasta-like consistency, and I felt like I was biting into a lasagna.  The Daiya cheese was melted perfectly on the outer layer, but the center was really cold.  

The Skeptic: My husband who was skeptical at first and thought it would be a waste of his time(he is a professional chef) ordered a pizza with about 7 toppings, including rock shrimp, italian sausage, pepper oil, olives and I forgot what else.  After the first bite, he was sold.  He said the consistency in the crust  was spot on and the fresh toppings gave it that artisanal feeling.  Of course he thinks of everything at a business standpoint and he thought it was a great concept.

The Ambiance:  Felt warm, but loud.  Unfortunately, we could not dine there because we could not find those highchairs.

Love it and will go back again today!
4 - Orlando M.: Very tasty pizza bread, fresh ingredients, though kinda skimpy but the price is cheap so feel free to add on an extra hand or two of your favorite ingredient. The mozzarella cooled down relatively quickly but its probably normal for that type of cheese and I didn't mind gobbling it up quickly anyway.  The service is fast and it's subway style,  The coolest part of the restaurant is the soda fountain. Welcome to the future! It's the first time, I've used a computer based soda fountain.  A good pizza for a good price. The pizza reminds me of that at Bottega Louie's.
4 - Eugi H.: A really good pizza at a really good price, and at top speed as well! The lines are a bit long during meal hours since they just opened, but it sure as hell is worth the wait.

Convinced my classmates to make the trip down here for lunch today! The line was out the door but for a line that long the wait wasn't all that bad. They really make a fast pizza. For my custom pizza, I started with a margherita base and added prosciutto and broccolini. That bought me about a 12 inch pizza that was more than ready for me by the time I paid and got my soda. And the soda! I heard that the soda machine was made by Ferrari. I don't know if that's true or not, but it's pretty schmancy stuff. There's a ridiculous number of soda and juice choices! And the cost? My pizza with custom toppings was $10, and the soda was $2. What a deal! 

Now price doesn't mean much if the pizza isn't any good. And if you've read my other pizzeria reviews, you know I'm one picky pizza eater. The dough is my everything and without a good bread foundation, I don't care what you put on top of that thing, it's not any good. I can say that 800 degrees' dough is on par with Pizzeria Ortica in the OC, better than Pizzeriz Antiqua in Santa Monica and Sotto on Pico. The dough is just shy of Stella Rosa's on Main St though, and of course, Mozza still rules the roost here. But 800 degrees is pretty high up there, and for half the cost of what most of these pizza places are charging. 

This is by far the best restaurant Westwood has going for itself right now.
3 - Ari K.: This is not anywhere near the best pizza in LA, but for what it costs it is solid.  To have your pizza ready by the time you paid is so worth it and for under $12 is priced just right.

We ordered two pizzas, and two burattas.  The first was a white pizza with cherry tomatoes, basil and mozzarella. It really lacked a strong distinguishing flavor.  It tasted way to plain and the crust was overly doughy and a little under cooked (she liked it though).

My pizza was the piccante, and was perfectly spicy and delicious.  The crust was thin and not too doughy. The primary issue was by the time I was halfway through eating it, the rest of the pizza was soaking in oil and literally wet.

The Burratas topping's were pretty good, the cherry tomatoes and the pesto was top notch and the beets with balsamic were deliciously sweet.  The quality was right for $5, I'm just going to leave it at that.

To sum up this first trip to 800 degrees, the food is just right for what you are paying. If you want more (especially toppings), take a step up in price and quality, head to Milo and olive down the street in Santa Monica.  Nonetheless, I think I will be back.  Enjoy!
5 - Efrain G.: 800 Degrees is like a fancy Subway, but instead of bland sandwiches, you get custom, fresh, delicious pizza!

Walking in, it has a stark somewhat sleek look with accents of pizza boxes lining the walls and a mounted bull(?) head. The pizza guys are ready for you to order with balls of dough being pounded out for you at the first stop.

The base pizza is a margherita (cheese, sauce, basil) and you can customize it from there, plus toppings which are $1 unless you grab fancy ingredients like shrimp. I got a margherita with pepperoni (extra sauce), and the complimentary (freshly sprinkled from a dried bushel) oregano and minced garlic. My brother got the same but with an added bit of chile sauce. 

The pizzas are 'personal' size, but they're big enough to be shared with another person if you're not voraciously hungry; the pizzas equal about six pieces after they're cut up.

With a drink each, it came out to 20 bucks for the both of us. Pizza was ready very quickly, and looked delicious. Then I got to play with their touch-screen Ferrari fountain drink machine. Yes, soda is bad for you, but this machine is fun to use and it (wickedly) makes you want to try so many possibilities. The machine has standard water, soda, powerade, and tea drinks, but add about 5 different flavor (vanilla, cherry, orange, etc.) variations to each, and you have 170 flavour combos possible. That means, if you're so inclined, you can get an Orange Coke! (I went nuts and tried Coke with Raspberry.)

So the pizza... delicious! Chewy dough, luscious flavour with the oregano and garlic... We thoroughly enjoyed our pizzas. [A friend joined us a bit later, and he merely 'liked' his pizza, thinking his wasn't very cheesy or robust. He thought it was just okay. To each his own, I suppose.]

We came in just before 6pm on a Wednesday night, and after we sat down to eat, a huge line began forming, and the place packed quickly - dinner rush? I can see how this place can be super popular with its good pizza and good prices. 

And yes, they're 800-degree oven is the reason they can cook it so quickly and properly.  Can't wait to come back!
5 - Robin M.: White pizza was amazing.  I do agree with other reviewers that the red sauce is a bit lackluster and makes the pizza soggy in the middle... I think this will be fixed soon.  After all, the place has only been open for a little over two days now.  

Adam came in to see how things were going, and we spoke to him about the pizzas and the decor... he couldn't have been nicer or more gracious.  

And the price!  A white pizza is only $5... and the pizzas are a very good size... everyone in my group had leftovers.  We will definitely be going back.
4 - ilana t.: I was lucky enough to get a preview of 800 Degrees so I got to sample a lot. 

Love that you can totally customize your pizza, Subway style. But without having to walk out smelling like...Subway. I got a basic tomato pizza and added eggplant, artichoke and....some other veggies I can't remember on it. Delicious and done by the time you reach the counter to pay. The servings are really big and most normal folks could get away with splitting one pizza and getting a side. 

Speaking of sides. FML the burrata with beets was so good. Salty salty good. We also got some gelato and the pistachio was delicious (sampled a couple flavors and that was the best one for sure). The best part might be the Ferrari space age soda machine. I got some kind of Coke Zero vanilla cherry mash up. That machine is like the Danica Patrick of soda machines... all fast n sleek and hot. 

My only gripe is why the F we didn't have something like this when I was in college living in Westwood. You literally could get away taking a date here and spending $10 max between the two of you. Do you know where I got taken on date in Westwood? Denny's! And the worst part...I think I was actually stoked because it wasn't dorm food.
4 - Jenn C.: I got really excited when I read about this place on Thrillist that I had to stop by the same night. The concept is basically like Chipotle but with a sophisticated twist. I was hoping to order a Specialty Pie listed on their online menu but those weren't available. They did not have their liquor license yet so those also weren't available. Most of their menu items are under $7 (pizzas, salads, burrattas, etc). and the extra toppings are $1 each. The pizzas are a decent size and can be easily shared by 2 people (who are not starving that is). For the quality and size they offer, you really can't beat that. Chef Carron even stopped by our table to check up on us. It's kind of hard to hear though with the hollow design and loud 90s alternative music. But hey-with the tasty food, affordable prices and fast service-who's complaining?
4 - Sharon Y.: Fun place, and a great addition to the neighborhood. Westwood finally feels like it has some really good restaurants that are not chains where you can grab a quick lunch and head back to work. Don't be too intimidated by the line out the door - it moves pretty quickly and by the time you get to the register your pizza is ready!

I ordered the tartufo pizza with truffle cheese, roasted mushrooms, caramelized garlic, and arugula. Suffice it to say, it lived up to its description. Fantastic. My coworker ordered the quattro formaggi, which was also quite good (though I much preferred mine). Nice thin crust, heavenly aroma, deliciousness in every bite. My only criticism would be that the middle of the pie was pretty soggy, and this wasn't my favorite crust in town - Pizzeria Mozza still holds that distinction with Milo & Olive coming in a close second.

Will need to try the soda machine on my next visit - perhaps next week...
4 - Carol S.: It's not Pizzeria Mozza, but it's pretty good stuff.  After 10 minutes of circling the block for a parking spot, I stopped in for takeout din and waited in a ridiculously long line.  I thought it was smooth sailing as I got closer to the front, until the guy ahead of me suddenly greets 15 of his relatives. Gave them the stare of death as they proceeded to cut in front of me.  I was so hungry and pissed, that I could have strangled the entire family -- even the baby.  Luckily for them, my pizza was prepared and cooked in less than 5 minutes.

My order consisted of a marinara pizza ($5) with 3 toppings ($1 each) and a margherita pizza ($6).  Threw in a side of meatballs ($6) for kicks.  The pies are fairly large and the toppings are super fresh.  I really dig this pizzeria, but now I remember why I despise Westwood.
4 - Steevens A.: Decent pizza for the price! The line was arduous and long, but man the staff churns out pizzas like they are nothing! I love the assembly line process and the relatively inexpensive price of the food.

Their base pizza is $5 minimum for either a sauce-only or cheese-only pizza, and $6 for the margherita style. $1 for each of the toppings, and $3 for specialty toppings (i. e. prosciutto or rock shrimp among others). The pizzas are built Subway-style and man these fellas are quick! I was impressed that they use fresh mozzarella for these pizzas... I guess they make money by buying (and selling!) in bulk. ^^

Inconvenient if you're gonna drive to Westwood for this. I'd recommend walking... and that's what we did, right from work at UCLA.

My only concern regarding the food is the black charcoal-like substance underneath the pizza. Sometimes you get too much of it... and it takes away from the flavor of the food.

I guess you get bitten once in a while from firing up a pizza for 2 minutes at 800 Degrees. :-)
4 - Darian S.: I went to 800 degrees last night. Generally, I had a good experience. Here are some specifics:

The food was very tasty. All the ingredients tasted fresh and there was good selection. I had a custom pizza with mushrooms and caramelized onions, a capriciossa pizza, and a caesar salad. I especially enjoyed my custom pizza. My only complaint about the food is that I think the pizzas may need a little more time on the oven. Probably thirty seconds or so. The centers of the pizza were pretty soggy though still delicious. 

My only other complaint was the line. While I know it's a new restaurant, there needs to be a little more efficiency. I'd recommend something akin to Mendocino Farms with someone shepherding people along or sheets of paper where people can write their orders ahead of time. The problem I encountered was that when people were indecisive, the line slowed significantly. 

Overall, though, for a brand new restaurant, everything was great. I definitely recommend trying this place. 

P.S. I love the soda machine.
5 - Raphael F.: 800 Degrees -- coming to an EVERYWHERE near you.  Adam Fleischman (Umami Burger, Red Medicine) hit another home run with this spot.  It's a gourmet Neapolitan pizza joint re-imagined through the lens of Chipotle topped off with a little LA swag. 

The concept is so obvious, it makes you want to say, "Why didn't I think of that?" but the end result is so delicious, that I'm just happy someone did.

Pizza can't really be revolutionary.  It's just pizza after all.  But 800 Degrees comes pretty close: it's relatively cheap, a bit more than the price of Dominos, yet you get a lot more value for your money; the premium ingredients are sourced really well--from all over America and Italy; and you get to pick all of the ingredients you want for your personal pizza; most importantly, perhaps, the pizzas are done in about a MINUTE. 

They have a burrata bar, great salads, beer & wine, and gelato from LA creamery, too.  Personally, I go with a margherita pizza with heirloom tomatoes, truffle cheese, bacon and pepperoni, baked CRISPY.  It's as good as it sounds.

Westwood village just got a whole lot delicious-er.
3 - Casey L.: This place is all hype!

The decor is nice, the servers are cool, the soda machine is on point, but the pizza just isn't very good. 

The high-heat oven cooks your pizza within 5 minutes, which may seem convenient but in actuality it takes away from the taste and composition. The dough is too chewy, the cheese is under-cooked, and the toppings don't have that crispiness you'd expect from a high-level pizza joint. I'm not a fan of crispy thin crust pizzas to begin with but I do appreciate a slight crunch to go with my bite. They're also a bit stingy with the amount of toppings, which sucks. 

There's a few pros here as well: the pizza itself is a good size and the toppings are pretty tasty (the peppadews were really good).  For $9 you get an ~12 inch pizza with three toppings, which is a surprisingly solid deal for a trendy spot such as this. The soda selection is pretty comprehensive, with more flavors than you'd ever care to drink. The service is courteous and prompt, and the line moves relatively quickly. 

Given all the good reviews and hype, I had a disappointing experience at 800 Degrees and probably wont be back again. If you want a better pizza in Westwood I'd venture across the street to Palomino's or even order from Italian Express.
4 - Ryan M.: Thumbs Up!

I vouch for the Margherita Pizza with Arugula, but be sure to wave off the extra pinch of salt thrown on every fresh pie out of the oven.
3 - Kimberly H.: I have been anticipating 800 Degrees ever since I got wind of the Umami-esque expansion. The design and space is exclusive of its predecessor - high ceilings, lots of white space, the perimeter of a wall is decorated with unique pizza boxes - my favorite being "buy pizza now, we knead the dough." The opposite facing wall is lined with church style seating and handsome wood carvings. 

Order in a Chipotle-style manner, pick your base (bianca, margherita, or marinara) and expand from there. Toppings are +$1 unless they're premium, +$3. 

Decent grubs...perhaps it'll change to GREAT as they settle in. I had wished that the crust (tossed thin) be a bit more crisp, it was on the soggy side :(  Other than that, 800 Degrees keeps Westwoodians equipped with healthy pizza, gelato, and one of those cool soda machines until 2am daily. 

Tip: READ THE SIGNS WHEN PARKING! 

Great for:
* late night eats
* cheap, but sophisticated dinner date for 2 (the high ceilings are very 500 days of Summer-esque, you could almost imagine Tom sitting at the corner table) 
* something beyond Noodle Planet and Gushi
5 - Thomas Y.: high ceilings is always a plus no matter where i go, they decor wise they definitely on point.

the futuristic soda machine adds to it as well

the pizza is made pretty damn fast, as in by the time you are at the cashier's ready to pay its ready to be eaten nah mean?

definitely will drop by if you are ever in the area.

DIY nation son.
5 - Afshin R.: FINALLY; a place that is open late in Westwood! Loved the food.
5 - Liz C.: Ate a slice in my car because I was so hungry on my way home. 

Ate another slice because I couldn't have enough, dropped a chunk of cheese somewhere deep inside my car, and lost control driving with my knee and an elbow, but managed to save my pizza slice... I couldn't let it go! Oh, and then I took a big sip of my deliciously refreshing PEACH SPRITE! Yeah, you read right -- PEACH SPRITE!!

My first visit here and obviously, I loved it! The line seemed ridiculous when I walked in because it was wrapping around and around, but then more people came and the line started doing a thing out the other door through some tables... Yet another great eatery on this block with long lines.

First, you tell the 2nd chef in line (1st being the pizza dough spreader) which pizza base you'd like. Then, the 3rd person will take your add-ons and give you a button. I'm assuming each button is like a price tag. I had a green and a blue for 2 pizzas and a fountain drink and my total was around $23.

They have the fancy soda machine with a touch screen where you can pick your soda brand and many flavorful options are available. I hardly drink soda, but I was so tempted to play with this machine!! My Peach Sprite looked like an orange soda, but definitely tasted peachy. Extra points for cool technology!

FYI, I ordered the Pizza Margherita with ricotta cheese, prosciutto, and raw garlic. Mmm-mm!!!
5 - Nick H.: Let me say that my friends who know me know that I'm not a fan of pizzas at all, but this place was amazing.  They have healthier options such as the Pizza Marinara, which is what I got, and I added chicken, shrimp, roasted garlic, broccolini, and eggplant.  I highly recommend it and would go back again!
5 - Brad S.: AMAZING!!!!!  Our 3rd time there since opening. The pizza dough is cooked perfectly and delicious.  The Margarita is amazing and affordable at $5 or $6. The chopped salad is very good - you can taste the quality of the meats and cheeses and the housemade dressing is just perfect!  The line moves quickly.  Tonight there was about 30 poeple in line when I arrived but within a few minutes I was ordering my pizza.  The place is very clean.  Perfect for families and kids.  Very affordable.  Look for parking on Westwood Blvd, Linbrook and the surrounding area.  The staff is very friendly.  Nice to walk into a place where the staff smiles.  Refreshing!  A must try.
2 - Mari T.: really surprised at all the good reviews - our pizza was really soggy and it made the whole pizza really unenjoyable (is that a word?). Line was long (which i would be willing to wait in if it was good food) - not running to go back.
3 - Stefhan G.: With concepts like Chipotle and Subway being omnipresent , doing food assembly front of house in front of the customers to convey freshness and provide choice is all the rage today.  Certain foods like burritos and sandwiches lend themselves to this food assembly presentation more so that other foods. Though there are other pizza chains like Pie Five in Texas,  800 Degrees is the first to serve pizza this assembly style way in Los Angeles. Therefore after reading about  800 Degrees on EaterLA, I had to check it out.

When I arrived, it really wasn't clear which door to enter. It was a Saturday  night, but the line wasn't out the door yet. The line started just at the inside of the door. Unlike a Chipotle, no thought in the planning was operationally really given to queuing or menu visibility. From the door to the counter was about twenty feet. The lined moved slowly, and it seemed every person in line was holding the place of others in their party who had grabbed a seat at a table. With the way the queue worked until you made your selection,  you also really couldn't see the menu boards, so every one was looking at paper to-go menus to help them make up their minds. 

I glanced at my phone when I arrived, it was 6:30. I kept myself entertained while waiting playing a game on my smart phone. I didn't actually select my pizza from the choice of 3 base pies until 6:49. After that bottle neck everything went a bit quicker, and I got my pizza at 6:56PM. So the process from the door to pickup was a little less than a half hour. When I left, the line was a lot longer out the door down the block. Maybe three to four times the length of what it was when I arrived. So, in other words, this isn't a place to go for a quick slice or half hour lunch. Plus if it's raining, or 100 degrees out, people may not want to wait  (queuing inside will be a mess). Thus if they intend to replicate this concept in places where weather isn't as favorable, this restaurant group better really re-think operationally how their patrons move through their locations.

Poorly placed and designed menu boards contributed to the poor throughput, but the main problem was the time it took for the base pizza to be made, and that there was only one person making them. A lot of counter space was devoted to the drama of forming the pie from the dough, but not a lot of space was given to the actual assembly of the pizzas themselves. By limiting selection to 2 pies, a sauce or white pie, and by either having the base pie pre-assembled  or, at least by having two people making the base pies throughput could be drastically improved. A concept like this if they intend to replicate it with its price points really should aim to deliver it product at around the 15 to 20 minute mark max from store entry to pickup. 

The pizza itself was really good value for the price. The crust though was doughy, not crisp, so I ended up folding my slices which is what us former East Coasters tend to do. So  the $5 to $10 price point for the 9" pizza  warrants four stars, but the execution of this concept especially if the intent is to replicate it needs a lot more thought (and warrants 2 stars) since the half hour to hour wait in a line really isn't worth the time even in Southern California.
4 - Ji Young A.: Cool and cozy place to enjoy good pizza with friends. There is an option without cheese for those who can not eat cheese. Not a good place to take your date for a romantic occasion. Tip: don't add cherry tomatoes in your pizza, they will put them in the oven and the crust will be soggy. Otherwise a pretty good place to hang out in Westwood.
5 - jeff b.: Excellent. Had the margherita pizza and the gorgonzola salad.  The only thing I would say is you should ask for the pizza well done. The middle of mine was a little soggy. Great food. Great value.
3 - Brooke F.: I really want to love this place.  The food is delicious and the ingredients fresh.  They really need to work out some kinks, though.  I've been twice, and both times it's been a bit of a logistical nightmare.  You order your basic pizza type from one guy and then get passed to another person who will be putting on all of your toppings.  When your pizza is prepped, it goes off to the oven and you are left by the salad station where you can order salads or burrata plates before you pay.  This is where things get bad.  The first time I went here, my salad was still being made when the pizza was done (that's how fast the pizza was).  The second time was mush worse.  Pizza was done, husband had paid for everything and sat down, but I still had yet to even order my salad.  I was the first person waiting to order salad, and there was nobody even there to take my order (I believe he was off taking care of a to-go order).  So, I sat there and waited for a minimum of 5 minutes after my pizza was already waiting for me, and it was probably 10 minutes by the time I got to my table.  During the process, I was asked to repeat my order probably 5 times and they kept asking for my order name, never once getting it right (the name was Mike, btw).  By the time I got my salad and burrata, I was pretty annoyed.  When I tried to actually take them, I was given a hard time by the person at the register who demanded to see my receipt (which my husband had on the other side of the restaurant).  So, I left my items and sent my husband up with the receipt, who was also given a hard time because it wasn't itemized.  They seriously need to streamline this process because two out of two times, I've run into trouble at the salad station.  Not a good start.

Another downside, is that the pizza itself isn't cooked very well.  It all tastes great, but while the outside crust is on the well-done side, the crust in the middle is so floppy that all the ingredients just fall off when you take a piece.  Perhaps they should slow the cooking time just a bit so that it's cooked right.  It's literally done too fast to be convenient as it is.
5 - Chelsa M.: There is finally a new pizza place with a unique concept.  They make custom pizzas in about 45 sec.  I ordered my vegtable pizza and it was ready by the time I went to pay.  Usually, the pizza's are always pre-made.  

I like that they use organic ingredients.  I'll call them for my next party.
4 - ThreeWordReviews ..: Fast. Quality. Value.
5 - Jason Z.: IT'S REAL NEAPOLITAN-STYLE PIZZA, SO IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE CHEWY AND FLIMSY -- EVEN A BIT SOUPY -- IN THE MIDDLE...

I've scanned several of the lower starred reviews and the complain-refrain seems to be that it's not crisp on the outside or the middle.  Yet that's not a valid complaint, as it's not supposed to be crispy in the middle.

Would you complain about a burger joint that failed to use Naan for its buns?  Or a Fried Chicken joint that didn't add enough Chex Mix to its batter?

If you don't like Neapolitan-style pizza, that's ok.  We all have preferences.  (I'm not a big fan of Chicago-style.)  But when you judge something, at least base your criticism upon the appropriate standard.

Apart from Antica Pizzeria (which is now closed), this is LA's first true Neapolitan-style pizza.  (Other places may use the name, but they don't execute the style.)  So if you haven't been to Naples and eaten it (or experienced any of the 10-or-so great Neapolitan-style joints in NYC or SF), then this might be your first experience with it.
4 - Jessica L.: I don't eat pizza often, so when I do I go all out! Go big or go home, you know? 

My Baller Pizza (remake of something I saw on Food Network's "Best Thing I Ever Ate"

1. Bianca Base
2. Truffle Cheese
3. The chopped cherry tomatoes and basil mixture thing
4. Prosciutto 
5. Egg
6. Truffle Oil

Overall
I thought it was pretty good for 14 dollars. Perfectly melted stringy mozzarella and juicy fragrant tomatoes.  The truffle cheese isn't all that great though, same with the truffle oil. So I'd skip on those add ons and go with a nice pungent gorgonzola cheese. YUM. Plus, it's a new place in westwood so you've gotta try it at least once!!
3 - Alex S.: Very good pizza, but not worth the wait. When I was there (Wed, at 7:45p) it was about a half hour wait before we could even order. The pizzas did come out quite fast  but dang, that line.

The pizza's definitely up to far as far as LA standards go. Wood-fired, crispy crust. Great ingredients. Keep in mind if you get prosciutto or arugula it's placed on top of the pizza, AFTER it's cooked. The truffle cheese didn't really have much of a flavor, and as suggested by the employee I got it WITH the margherita (pizza with sauce and mozzarella).

The burratta plates are kind of a joke. They only give you one little lump of burratta and a TON of accoutrements. We got ours with cherry tomatoes and pesto, both amazing, and with an awesome oil dipped bread. The buratta portion however was just pitiful compared to everything else on the plate. Might want to go with a salad instead.

Overall fine pizza but wait for the hype/line to die down. Until then it ain't worth your time.
4 - Kevin C.: I don't discriminate. I love pies of all forms. Pizza, nonetheless, is one of my go to food. Whether it's a slice of heaven from Mozza or a hearty tasty slice from Lou Malnati's that really gets the job done, I'm all for it. 800 Degrees deserves anyone's chance to get some love and respect too.

It's really simple here. You choose a type of pizza. Classic or burrata on focaccia. Then you pick your base. On my first visit. I picked a classic margherita: crushed tomato, fresh mozzarella, parmigiano, basil and drizzled with EVOO. That alone is already tasty. However, you can then add as many toppings as you want for a $1 each with the exception of oregano, chilies and garlic.

Garlic, mushroom, anchovies, artichoke and extra chilies was my fix. Fantastic combination at the time!

800 Degree isn't the best pizza in the world. It isn't the fanciest either. However, it does execute reasonably and well balanced for it's price and quality. I normally don't like to build my own entree / food (i.e. The Counter), but I really like that same concept applied on the creation of pizza as long as the ingredients are simple. Even though the quality and ingredient isn't quite like that of Pizzeria Mozza, I'm still a fan of this joint. I'll be looking forward to building my own burrata on focaccia.
3 - Earl J.: it's 2.5 stars rounded up.  i guess my issue with 800 degrees is the sum of the parts doesn't necessarily reflect the whole of what it could be...does that even make sense??  my grandparents on both sides were born in italy...i grew up with black dyed hair aunts always squeezing my cheeks. to me neapolitan should ooze rustic visions of italian countryside.  instead I sat before a competent rendition of a neopolitan pie for a measly $5 and all i was thinking about was how much i wanted to leave the soulless, vapid space which houses 800 degrees, very weird vibe for me, actually Westwood in general is not my cup of tea. I also dont want to shuffle through a line like I did when i was in elementary school..or when i visit someone in the hospital and am forced to eat in the cafeteria.  eating for me is always a reflection of times past...boisterous family or large holiday dinners in a crazy italian household.  slow down... everything need not be commercialized...i dont need my pie in 90 seconds.....life is not a race.

P.S.  My $5 pizza ended up costing $58 more because of a parking ticket, my fault but an unnecessary hassle..I won't be coming back.
5 - Ooo A.: Come LATE when there's no line. It's rare that something this cool opens up around here, the pizza is fucking amazing and super, super quick and it's rare that anything is even open this late in LA at all!
4 - Foodie Panda S.: Great concept and delicious pizza awaits for you moments after you've paid the cashier.  If you come during peak hours and can bare the long wait in line, then you're in for a treat.  

I enjoy a good Neapolitan pizza, but not as much as a New York Style pizza where the crust is nice and thin, and crispy.  However, I really enjoyed the pizzas here as they are able to accommodate your request to make the crust crispier.  And with the quality of the fresh ingredients they use, they can certainly give many of the other restaurants that specialize in Neapolitan pizzas a run for their money.

I came here with a group of friends just before they opened last Saturday at 11am, and it was the best time to eat here.  There are no lines, no wait; and you are not pressured to rush picking the toppings for your order.  

Once you get to the cashier, and as you're being rung up, your pizza is placed into the oven.  And when you're done paying and getting your drink at the beverage station, your pizza is ready for pick up!  

The pluses are definitely the fresh and good quality ingredients used in their pizzas, the short wait for your pizza to cook, and the price for a pizza (an average of $10 or less, depending on the number of toppings you select).  In addition, these record album sized pizzas are a perfect meal for 1 or 2 people.  And if you're on a tight budget, this is a much better alternative than the typical fast food joints.  

The cons are the long lines and the lack of sufficient tables for dining during t peak hours.  Oh, and being in the heart of Westwood Village, parking's always a bitch.  The one major thing 800 Degrees Pizzeria needs to make is to staff their stations with more employees so that they can speed up the process of helping the customers build their pizzas, especially having an extra person help out in prepping the dough.

But if you can deal with those cons, or go during non-peak hours, then it's worth the trip.  

I will go back, but I am definitely looking forward to when they start branching out across town...

One thing to note, when we dined there last Saturday, they were not serving beer yet.  Not sure if that issue has been resolved since then...
3 - Amber G.: I just went in there to pick up some pizzas for my boss and you cant hear the people behind the counter so you have to lean over the glass to tell them what you want.  Then I get up to the pay and the Chef is on the phone by the register on a personal call asking how the temperature of the pool is and stayed on the call for a good 10 minutes.   I think you need to be worried that the guy putting the pizza in the ovens isnt leaving them in long enough to get the crust cooked good enough.  And then the guy boxing up the pizzas is cutting all the pizzas with 2 pizza cutters and not cleaning them off.  Gross!!!  What if someone is allergic to something someone had one another pizza.   When you walk in you have to figure out how to order or ask what you are supposed to do because everyone behind the counter just stands there and looks at you.
4 - Jason L.: K.I.S.S. 

Keep It Simple Stupid. 

Pizza was intended to taste fresh and simple. If you come to this spot order a simple Margherita Pizza and add 1, MAX 2 toppings. And think about the how the flavors meld together as well. 

Next time I come here I wil get 1 topping and no more. The pizza isn't as crispy as I like but they use fresh ingredients and reminds me of pizza I had in Naples.
3 - Lissa -.: Maybe I'll go back and try the pizza without mushrooms because my pizza came out runny ang gooey in the middle. No bueno.

Pizzera Mozza is still the best hands down.
3 - Jack D.: The pizza is OK, I've had worse, I've had better. 2.5 stars would be more accurate, but  800 degrees has a nice concept and atmosphere to eat at. The pizza comes very fast and it is at a good price with a good selection of toppings. However, being a pizza connoisseur, 800 degrees passes, but barely. The crust doughy, the cheese was gooey and each slice took a long time to chew. I found some, but not a whole lot, of flavor to the pizza. I'll probably be back, if I'm in a hurry for pizza, but it's not a place I'd go out of my way to.
5 - Anthony S.: This is a fantastic pizza, and for 6 bucks its priced perfectly.    I tried it out for the first time today and I was fortunate enough to have Chef  Carron actually there spreading out the sauce and such on the pies.  I really nice touch for a first timer though unexpected.   So I order a Margarita pizza with garlic, chili ( their chili is half sauce half flakes all in one) and bacon.   First of all wow does it get cooked fast, I think from actual ordering to ready to eat is roughly 5 minutes if not sooner.   The toppings are top notch, its a really good pie and for the price its all the more better. I hear there can be lines and they sometimes take phone orders, so that might not be your style.   Its really worth it Imo, I actually ordered two more pies to go after I ate one there.   Its a definite must try.  

   I do like the overall look of the restaurant with the pie boxes of shops across the country.
4 - Annette C.: Excellent doughy pizza and who can resist a place where you make your own food. We each ordered pizzas and one was vegetable only and the other all meat.  The pizzas came quickly, hot and delicious.  We came before 5 on a Sunday and there was no line.  The staff were nice recommending toppings.  This is a great add to Westwood!
1 - Retardo M.: 1.Layout = Horrible  2.Dining Area = Cluster$%&*  3.Meatballs = Cold Center 4. 2 Pies each with 2 toppings = good flavor but horribly soggy.
If you like standing in lines and repeating yourself 6 times as you stare at your smart phone avoiding the contemplation of your pathetic existence, you'll love this place.
Better Half review - "Sucked Balls."
5 - Tim E.: Wow! I Like I Like! 

I was here the second week they opened and lets just say I was in AH. I love pizza and to my surprise this place was good. 

You stand in this long line and place your order along the way and they make everything fresh. By the time you get to the front and pay your pizza is ready. How cool is that.  

They also have a new drinking fountain that has a large variety of drinks you can order from. Also for dessert I recommend the Pistachio Gellato 

They also have an ample seating area for large and small groups.
5 - Sasha C.: I do not possess the words to adequately describe how fantastic this restaurant is... here is my best attempt.

Ambiance- This is a fast casual place, it's organized like a chipotle- you wait in line, order your pizza ingredients one by one as someone assembles the pizza, then they pop it in the oven for a minute (literally) and its done. Very casual, high ceilings make the room noisy but it is overall a fun, lively, casual atmosphere. The decor is quite nice however, cool wall treatments and a lovely open kitchen and high ceiling make the space feel nice. 

Food- The pizza is out of this world. The crust is thin but soft and doughy (they will make it crispy upon request), and they have a wide range of toppings including interesting cheeses, artisan meats, fresh vegetables, and seasonings. Everything is top quality and delicious. The specialty pizzas are incredible, or you can make your own with any combination of toppings you like. There are also a few appetizers and gelato! 

Drink- They have a hi-tech soda fountain with more flavors of soda than I even knew existed, plus unlimited refills... go wild!

Service- Do not be dismayed if the line is out the door! When I arrived at 7:30 on a Monday night the line was out the door, but from the moment I got in line to the time I took my first bite was approximately 15 minutes. The line moves quickly and efficiently and due to the high temperature of the ovens (800 degrees), the pizza cooks in just one minute! The staff is friendly and professional, and the assembly line makes ordering and receiving your pizza smooth and efficient!

Price- Two pizzas (with quite a few extra ingredients added on) plus two sodas was $27. It can be a little cheaper if you don't go crazy with the fancy toppings like truffle cheese, but I thought it was worth it. The pizzas are personal(ish) in size, my boyfriend and I each had our own, but a lighter pair of eaters could definitely share. 

Overall- I HIGHLY recommend 800 degrees for fun, delicious, high quality thin crust pizza. Enjoy!
5 - Chris M.: WOW!!! Best pizza place ever!!!
3 - Kristin Leigh M.: 'Just what Westwood needs, another pizza place,' I thought - before coming here.

Good thing I like - scratch that - love pizza.

After walking by for a few weeks and noticing the often long line out the door, I finally decided to try to this place tonight (Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.). 

Only 6 people ahead of me in the queue - great!

What's not so great? IT TOOK 6 PEOPLE 35 MINUTES TO ORDER. That, to me, is unacceptable. They really need to sort out some sort of process to speed up the line. You don't even want to know how many people got in line behind me and walked out. Maybe have a piece of paper where you can tick off what you want? I know it would detract some from the 'experience' but really - this wasn't even peak dinnertime.

After navigating the queue and losing my patience from incompetent, slow patrons, I was delighted to finally sit down with my pizza (margherita with oregano and mushrooms).

I could have done without the mushrooms - I'm picky about mushrooms - and the margherita was just plain good by itself. You can tell the mozzarella is nice and fresh! The olive oil is an interesting touch! Although full about 3/4 of the way through the pizza, I managed to eat the WHOLE THING. Whew!

My issue with the pizza? The bottom was burnt! :-( And so were parts of the crust... egh. Without the burn, four stars!
4 - Ali S.: I waited in line to order a personal (err....three) pizza(s) for 15 minutes. While I was hungry. I smiled before I even ate my first slice!

It's the kind of place that, your first time there, will literally "wow" you at every corner.

From their business model of "designing" your own pizza (a la Subway), to the 45 second cook time (blew my mind), to the Coca Cola machine from the future (Holy Peach Mello Yello, Batman!), everything about this place put a smile on my face. A literal smile. You know how goofy it is to walk, alone, with a smile?? (Sad commentary on society but this is neither the time nor place).

I tried the Margherita, the Filetti (I think that's what it was called? It was their "special"), & the Vege. They were all good pizzas. However, the pure and unadulterated flavors of the Margherita really set it leaps and bounds beyond the other two; And at just $6, it's a veritable steal!

The crust is on the softer side so if you like it crispy, you need to request as much. But I'd at least try it their way first. 

The Margherita is just a crushed tomato sauce with chunks of fresh buffalo mozzarella and basil. They sprinkle some parmigiano reggiano on top and then drizzled with olive oil. It's so pure, it's divine!

I also got a side of Broccolini ($5) and a Burrata Salad w/ Beets & Balsamic Dressing ($5). While I recommend you skip the broccolini, you would be well served by ordering the Burrata. In one word: "BOMB!" In one word that's no longer socially relevant: "BOMBDIGGITY!" (and I don't use that as an adjective very often so you should really try the Burrata+Beets!)

Then, and this is the best part, order a soda and walk over to the baddest fountain drink station this side of the Mississippi! I won't even describe it, just go use it! Eat your heart out "World
Of Coca Cola Museum of Atlanta!"
5 - Michelle C.: This place is already a huge hit.  I waited in a long line out the door for a while.  You are getting fresh quality ingredients for such a cheap price.  I was shocked to see other yelpers complaining about this pizza.  If they didn't notice, there is a sign before you hit the order counter explaining that this is Neapolitan style pizza and it will be softer in the middle.  Hello UCLA students?

If you end up just getting a cheese pizza, you are only paying $6!!!!  For a what I would consider a whole medium sized pizza.  Where else are you going to find that other than Little Caesars?  So jealous of Westwood.
4 - James D.: I'm still a fan, but I went back for more and waited in a loooooooooooong line out the door. When I got inside, the dining room had several empty tables. They're still getting it together in there, but something's really gotta change if you've got a line out the door and your dining room isn't even busy.

This pizza is good, but it's not worth a half-hour wait in line. I'll definitely call ahead and take out next time!
2 - Kelly D.: One star for the chopped salad, which was decent, and one star for the soda machine, with all of the flavor options.  

While I like the concept of the order line and picking your toppings as they make it, I don't like the concept if it results in bad pizza.  Pizza here was not good - everything seemed to lack flavor - the sauce, the crust, the mozzarella.  It got cold so quickly that I couldn't tell if it actually came out of the oven hot.  Disappointing.
3 - Raymond H.: Great concept, great price point, and fresh ingredients.  Definitely not the best pizza in LA, but you can get that fancy pizza you always wanted at half the price.

Normal people can probably share one pizza and a salad.  Make sure you tell them you want it crispy - they are stuck on the idea that it should come out in a minute, but I think it still needs to be in there a bit longer.  Nobody likes soggy pizza.
4 - Cage H.: A friend had noted this on Facebook and so I stopped by on the way home from the gym and discovered that it has opened up in the former location of a Greek chain restaurant that closed in 2011. The venue has been totally remodeled in black and white tiles and an impressive pizza oven behind the long counter where pizzas are constructed. 

The basic pizzas are standard neapolitan types: margherita, bianco, and marinara. You walk up and choose your base, then select which, if any, of a wide assortment of traditional and not-so-traditional toppings to add, for a modest price. Roasted garlic and a couple others are free, none are more than $3 per additional topping. 

Make sure to wait for the colored token, which presumably tells the cashier the price of your pizza. The baking process is incredibly fast--the pizza was done and being sliced within a few minutes. 

I got a margherita with roasted garlic. The crust was delicious: thin, chewy, with a hint of crispness around the edges. The center was more chewy than crisp, and I could imagine that a pizza with a lot of vegetables might get slightly soggy. They may need to work on this, though it's still pretty good. The mozzarella may actually be di bufala; in any case, it simply melted into white puddles on the pizza tasting mainly of cream. The fresh basil actually tasted like basil; I should have to comment on that on a pizza margherita, but one finds a lot of substandard versions around. This is the real thing. 

The futuristic soda fountain is justly famous. Its 22 touch-screen options include Seagram's seltzer (yay! no more being looked at like a Martian because I want a beverage with neither caffeine nor sugar), Barq's root beer (regular or diet), Mello Yello (in case you want LOTS of sugar and caffeine with a 70s twist), and the dreaded Mr PIBB, for people who like herb-infused battery acid (not to editorialize--I have friends who will be quite happy to hear that there's now Mr PIBB on tap in Westwood). 

Many of the reviews have commented on the lines during peak mealtimes. However, one of several convenient things about the new 800 Degrees Pizza is that it's open later than practically anything else in Westwood Village, till 2 am most nights.

UPDATE 9/2012: Recently had a friend visiting who has celiac. He said that the gluten-free pizza here is the best he's ever had. They use separate paddles for the gluten-free, though of course they are baked in the same oven, so there may be traces of gluten on the pizza. 

My default pizza has become the piccante base with some added vegetables. The carni is also delicious for meat lovers.
4 - Peter C.: It may be the subway of pizza, watching your pizza get made in front of you, but the ingredients are top notch & the taste is excellent!  I can't believe how reasonable the price is, either.   These are not reheated slices, my friend.  No no no.  Top notch sauce, pizza with made-to-order toppings and cooked with just enough char to give it a smokiness, but not burned & black.  The guy manning the over probably has one of the hardest jobs, making sure that the pizzas cook but don't burn.

I got margherita with mushrooms, and my only regret is that I didn't add pepperoni!  The sauce is really good with the right amount tang to it.  The basil is also something that you can really taste - it's still on stems as they pull off leaves to make your pizza!  They have pepperoni, meatballs, sausage, but no Canadian bacon!  Yes, I guess they do take their pizza seriously here.  But for $7, you simply cannot go wrong.

Yes, the soda machine is AMAZING.  Have never seen anything like it.  The only problem is that a line forms, since 1 machine dispenses a million flavors of soda.  I got the lime Fanta, and thought it was terrific.  

Long line at lunchtime, but they do get you through quickly.  Bring a friend & split a pizza & salad.  You'll be glad you did.  I'll be back!
5 - Nevin L.: This place is a UCLA student's dream. 6 dollars gets you a margarita pizza base (which comes with mozzerella cheese, crushed tomatoes, and herbs and such) that you can add additional toppings for a dollar each (3 dollars for the exotic ones). I was really surprised to find out that the pizza was 12", which is definitely a lot bigger than i expected to get for that price. 

The pizza itself tasted very good as well: the pizza was very light compared to the more greasy stuff you'd find elsewhere, and the ingredients were very fresh. The crushed tomatoes doesn't overpower the taste like marinara sauce usually does, so the other ingredients make up most of the flavor.
4 - Arturo V.: Decent pizza, the best in Westwood for sure. You can customize your own. In my case I ask for not added salt added and I loved it. Fresh ingredients and baked on the spot. I liked the thin crust. My favorite pizza in Southern California so far.
4 - Alfonso A.: Pros: cool design, ingredients are fresh, the coke 22nd-century futuristic soda machine was dope, fairly priced

Cons: long wait
4 - Ryan T.: Make your own pizza? Heck yes! Comparisons are dangerous but this place is like the counter. If you don't like what you eat, it's your own fault! Make good shit people! This casual dining place has suggested options and a near limitless number of pizza combinations you can design yourself. This place is new and they're still working out the kinks a bit. When I ordered my pizza the arugula goes on afterwards, I had to remind them to add it after I paid. Also, they have an odd pricing scheme. They have a baseline charge for the pizza and you pay per topping. The only problem is that their suggested pizza's have a $10 menu price when you can build it your own for only $7. Regardless, they charged me the smaller amount so not much of a problem, just a minor kink in opening a restaurant. 

We're a sugary fat nation so you'll fall in love with their digital soda machine. Pick from dozens of options including vanilla, orange, and raspberry coke. mmmmmmm! It's really a simple machine but do the old man in front of you a favor since you press the lever bar for ice and the push button for the soda. Not hard but eh, learning curves -_-

Bottom line, this will definitely be on my top choices of eats in Westwood (Sockos, Iso, and Novel also making the top of my list)!
4 - Melissa D.: Wow, delicious.

I just wish the toppings were less expensive so I could have gotten more. I'm a poor college student and I want my truffles, goat cheese, and prosciutto, darnnit!

But, I will definitely be coming back here. The individual pizzas are huge.
3 - Daniel K.: Granted I came with high hopes and expectations, but 800 degrees is brought to us by the Umami burger people (although technically thought up by Kramer first) so it's warranted. Make your own pizza is great in theory until you concoct your own shitty pizza. The funny thing is the reason I love umami is the reason I may not like 800 degrees, although I won't give up on the place after one visit. At Umami, they strive to offer you the perfect burger all with the perfect ratio of  bun to meat to toppings. At 800 degrees, you're are left to your own devices. The dough is awesome, exactly the way I want my pie to be, not too thick, not a cracker and a bit of chew. Fresh mozzarella, is never a bad thing.  But the toppings are where I screwed up. They're a little skimpy when it comes to that.  A little advice, when ordering your toppings, double up on the one topping that is most important to you on your pizza. I'm not saying overload it, but if you want a sausage pizza, double dip, it's only an extra dollar. I'll be back, and I'll come with a strategy. Prices are great, atmosphere is nice, will be hectic for a while so go there at off times times if you don't want to stand in line.
5 - David W.: AMAZING, I could go here everyday. One of the best pizzas Ive ever had
2 - Ben-The-Bathroom-Bro B.: While this place had some damn good pizza, the same cannot be said of their bathroom. Located a fair walk away from the main dining area, you would need a key to get in, even though the bathroom ostensibly holds more than one person. 

The bathroom itself only has one urinal, and a low one at that (splatter alert!). Not very dirty, but doesn't look particularly clean either. Two cubicles: one handicapped stall and one regular. Only one sink though, which is clearly a problem for more than one person. 

Hand dryer spotting! No paper towels to speak off, only a weak hand dryer that barely did anything to remove moisture from my hands. 

Cliff notes: Excellent pizzas, but arrive with empty bladders and empty bowels.
5 - Mac W.: WOW! I was visiting a friend at UCLA and she had told me this great pizza place had just opened, but lines were already out the door! The line moved fast and BOY was it worth the wait. You choose from three base pizzas and then have TONS of gourmet toppings to choose from! My creation: Pizza Bianca (no sauce), with Caramelized Onions, Fried Egg, Bacon, Meatballs, and Fontina Cheese. YUM! And the best part is,  it's INCREDIBLY inexpensive. $9.00 total for my pizza. I will definitely be coming back for the amazing pizza, fresh/gourmet  ingredients, fast moving line, lovely/modern ambience, and inexpensive price point!
4 - Jessica K.: Great place. Long lines. Hot pizza.

The place is pretty streamlined. It doesn't necessarily remind me of Subway like everyone else says. It's more like Pinkberry. You choose your flavor (margherita, bianca, and marinara) and add toppings! I've gotten the margherita with bacon and ricotta, and it was DELICIOUS. The ricotta is actually stuffed into the crust halfway around the pie, and it was the greatest thing ever. The pizzas are baked so quickly that by the time you get around to paying for your food, it's already done. I also tried the gorgonzola salad, but I would avoid it. It's overdressed, and much too vinegary for the delicate butter lettuce. Prices are really cheap. Pizzas start at $5 and salads start at $4, but if you get carried away with the toppings, it'll add up quick.

P.S. Coolest soda machine ever. Peach Sprite? Just too good.
3 - Barrie Z.: I've been three times now - mostly because it's an interesting concept, the quality of the food is fantastic and it's around the corner from me. In terms of taste - eh. I would say I'm partly to blame. That's the risk of having a "design your own" restaurant. For my first visit, I ran in for a make-your-own salad. This was really soon after the restaurant opened and they hadn't yet worked out the kinks. They really didn't put enough of the toppings on and they didn't have salad dressing containers figured out. My second visit, I designed my own pizza - margherita base, with sausage and mushrooms. It wasn't very very flavorful. I expected the sausage to dominate the pizza but it was actually somewhat bland. They're also a little skimpy with the toppings. The price is in line so I wasn't all that disappointed, but I knew I'd have to work on the flavors for the next time. For my third visit, I tried the pizza again. I started with the margherita base, added some free crushed garlic then fontina cheese and kalamata olives. I also asked for some of their free chiles on the side (more of a chili paste/sauce). This pizza was definitely more flavorful - but I'm still just not crazy about this place. I really like the idea and will definitely be back, but I don't crave it.
5 - Caye B.: Holy moly... Came here late last night after watching Wicked... This place is So. Good. I was already mentally planning out my Yelp review as well as my next trip as I was on my way walk back to the car.

What is 800 Degrees?
In short: Customizable, wood-fired personal-sized pizzas with fresh, gourmet ingredients at college-student friendly prices.

The set up is similar to Chipotle/Subway... You walk in, pick your base pizza. Add toppings for a dollar each ($3 for premium toppings.) Pay and watch as your pizza cooks in a legit wood-fire oven before your eyes (Bakes in approx five mins). 

For ten bucks, my friend and I split a margherita pizza with pepperoni, sausage, mushroom, red onion and the free garlic and chile. My vegetarian friend got artichokes, tomatoes, mushroom, caramelized onions and garlic/chile. BOTH WERE AMAZING. And that's reaaaallly saying something because I don't believe a pizza is a pizza until there's meat on it. The chile is SO spicy & delicious on both pizzas, and I loved that you could really taste the olive oil on the vegetarian pizza.

Be forewarned - this is a Neapolitan style pizza. That means that the center of the pizza is very thin! When you pile all those delicious toppings on top of this thin little layer of dough, it breaks apart and gets MESSY, FAST. We attempted to eat our pizzas by hand at first but we quickly learned you need to use a knife and fork if you don't want your hands covered in the dripping gooey mozzarella cheese and oil. It was especially bad for the vegetarian pizza because those fresh vegetables get so soggy that the bread couldn't hold at all.

Other perks?
- The customizable touch-screen soda machine. Select your base soda then add a flavoring (peach, raspberry, etc.) Futuristic and fun! 
- Didn't get to try the $2.50 gelato, but the flavors including Hazelnut, Pistachio and Tiramisu... needless to say, I shall be coming back for you, gelato.
- The dimly-lit interior gives this place an intimate, classy, borderline romantic ambience for a pizza place
- It's open until 2AM (hello, drunchies.) 

The downside - apparently during dinner time the lines are ridiculous, and parking is always bad in Westwood. I suggest you do as we did - beat the crowd by coming here for late-night eats
4 - Sandee T.: Food (& ratings):
- Custom (4.5): Pizza Bianca with soppressata and mushrooms.  Crispy-style.  Extra-thin pizza filled with crushed garlic under mozzarella with slight salted top was oh-so-good.
- Friend (3.5): Tartufo (truffle cheese)...it was good just not fantastic.

When:
Last night

Crowd:
College locals & small families

Interiors & Service:
White walls, black menu boards, open-fire wood oven.  Simple wood tables and chairs.  Self-serve.  A low-key, casual, clean feel.  Cool soda fountain.

Overall:
REALLY tasty and fresh pizza for such a low price.  Can't wait to revisit~
4 - Jon K.: My only exposure to 800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria was through the benevolence of a colleague in my lab, which came in the form of cold left overs. It was some of the best mushroom pizza I have had, which is saying a lot since it was room temp. I cant wait to try the pizza in its most beautiful state, fresh from the oven which I assume to be at 800 degrees.
4 - Elisa C.: $6 for an "individual" crispy, thin margherita pizza with mozzarella and basil? You already had me sold there. But with additional choices of $1-3 toppings, now I'm just overwhelmed.

They have all your normal toppings, in addition to some fancy ones like truffles (whoa.)-- for mine, I added mushrooms, arugula, and seasoned shrimp which was amaazinggg.

The only downside was I ate the whole thing. At midnight. 
I'm 5 5' and 115 pounds. I should not be eating whole 10' wide pizza for myself. All large 6 slices worth. Down to the last bits of toppings on the plate.

Hungry college student + open till 2 a.m. + easy on the wallet = extreme increase in caloric intake among UCLA population. Beware.

Also, everyone raves about the soda machine...... it's REALLY, REALLY cool. Designed by Ferrari? No wonder.
4 - Daisy C.: $9 for a customized Neapolitan pizza? I'm in. The line was long and outside the door, but it moved decently fast. I ordered a margherita with oregano, garlic, anchovies, sausage, and broccolini. I forget how salty anchovies are, but rarely can I order it on pizza. The base margherita starts at $6, each additional topping costs $1 with freebies of garlic, oregano, and chilis. They have vegan cheese too if you ask for it. The person behind me ordered it. Doesn't look as good as the mozzarella balls that they literally break apart into little pieces on your pizza. 

The pizza assembly line moves quickly as you point and yell out the items you want on your pizza. Before the pizza goes into the oven, they take your name down on a piece of masking tape and give you a color coded plastic chip that you take to the register. This I thought was pretty clever because it would be difficult and time consuming to keep track and input the different ingredients into the register as your pizza passes through several hands. Instead you get a color coded chip that you give to the cashier that indicates the price you pay.

Some peeves:
Please stop reserving tables by throwing random crap on the table if you are in line. This means that everyone else that actually has their pizza in hand has nowhere to sit. I didn't feel like waiting for a table to open up, so I walked outside with my steaming hot pizza in a box and tried to find a bench on Westwood. (Would it have been rude to push some person's things aside so that I could eat my pizza quickly?  They probably would still be in line by the time I was done.) I felt weird sitting on a bench during lunchtime scarfing down my pizza with my hands. It was messy and I wish they had plastic cutlery for takeout. While I was eating my pizza on the sidewalk, someone walked by and commented on how delicious my pizza was.

Everyone raves about the soda machine, but it is just a Coke Freestyle Machine. Some fast casual restaurants in the OC have had them for a while. 

One pizza is good for 1-2 people. It wasn't the best Neapolitan pizza that I've ever had. For the price and location, I give it 4 stars.
1 - Justin B.: Really long lines.  Poor and confusing ordering process.  You order directly from the guys on the line and it's a bit rushed so there's no time to ask questions or anything.  The chef puts WAY too much garlic on EVERYTHING.  That is practically all we could taste.  The neapolitana was almost inedible.  We left most of it there.  

I probably will not be returning.  Definitely underwhelmed.
4 - Rita S.: It was one of the best pizza places I've been to and with the quality of food they have it's very reasonably priced!  I got their special prosciutto pizza (and asked for crispy) and it was totally divine!

The only downside is it's super crowded and the line is very long!  We went there on Friday night around 5pm and we probably still had to wait for like 45-50 min.  Next time, I will order ahead so I don't have to wait on the line...
5 - Ari R.: Mozza style pizzas for $5. Forgetaboutit! AND it's partly owned by Adam Fleischman, The Umami guy. It's like a dream... but it's real. The pizza is amazing. Can be quite a line so you may want to avoid the lunch and dinner rush and go during a quiet time. You can get a base pizza for around $5-6, which is actually quite loaded and then build on it (or not) or buy a premium pizza for about $10. I love the Quatro Formaggi. It is super decadent with great tangy cheeses. I also love adding an egg, which comes out with a runny yolk and you can dip the crust in it. Awesome! Pizzas are fired for exactly 60 seconds so by the time make it down the line and pay, it is ready! Crust is chewy, not crisp. I love it the way it comes. although you can ask for it crispy... although this is not as good. I've tried it both ways.  Try it the way it comes. And last but not least, they have the soda machine with hundreds of drink combinations... I'm in love!
4 - MalibuKing K.: good pizza!  not exceptional, but good. and you cant beat fresh margarita pizza for 6$!  The additional toppings look fresh, but can get expensive, so i just stuck with a margarita...
4 - Logan G.: NomNomNomNom all day long! I salivate just thinking about 800 Degrees, I live just around the block making it almost too convenient a restaurant for us which my belly loves to hate. 

800 Degrees is almost like the Quizno's of pizza: wait before you get insulted. Not in taste OR quality (obviously) but in style of restaurant. You walk up to the counter where you tell them what kind of pizza you want (my fav being the pizza bianca that has mozzarella, garlic, salt, and oregano), your pizza is put together and then passed along to the next person whom you tell your toppings to (generally pepperoni and extra caramelized onions - YUM!). Your pizza is then put into the oven and just a few short minutes later, voila! Deeeeeeeeeeeelicious pizza! I often find that thin crust pizzas lack flavor but not 800 Degrees! Their crusts are perfectly seasoned and never under or overcooked. 

Ooh! It's also noteworthy to mention that you can generally get out of here for 2 people around $20-$25 which is also pretty rad for a casual midweek date night in Westwood! Definitely becoming a regular here (after the wedding when I'm allowed to put on that extra 10 lbs!) 

The only whompwhomp is that I once called for delivery (because they advertise that they deliver) and they said they weren't yet delivering.... so we decided to pick up instead and asked when they would be delivering - the answer? "Well, we're only going to deliver SOMETIMES, if we're not busy." That seems kind of weak, there needs to be certain hours or a system of sorts so their clientele know when they can and can't order delivery.
5 - nadia b.: Really good. Everything was fresh and tasty. Love the stupid coke machine. Super cheap. Couldn't believe how inexpensive a whole meal for two was.
4 - Heidi S.: Why wasn't this place operating when I went to UCLA? Well, life comes full circle like a pizza pie when I now work in Westwood walking distance from this fabulous pizza joint.

The pizzas are big enough to be shared by 2 people, unless you like to eat and indulge then you should probably get your own.  They are also made to order when you stand in line like Chipotle and they have fancy toppings like artichoke. I like to order the Margherita pizza with mushrooms and artichoke. The pizza comes out to a whopping $8!! What a deal! For the portion of the pizza, the price, and compared to other eateries in the Village, it's definitely a great eatery options for people on a budget with good taste in food =)

They also serve gelato. Enough said.
5 - Lindsay A.: 800 Degrees is delicious, and I love their salads and pizzas - love being able to pick my own toppings. The wait is long because this place just opened, and it's going to be trendy for a while, but the wait times weren't too bad both times I went even with the line running out the door (Confession: I ate here two days in a row.)

Toppings are super fresh and it's like many "made to order" places - you pick a base pizza, toppings, and salad (if you want to add that on, totally optional). I recommend the Burrata salad with cherry tomatoes and pesto is amazing (this is coming from someone who generally isn't into tomatoes of any kind). 

The price is right, the people that work here are super friendly (I love the "hey, girl - is this your pizza, girl?" guy) and the pizzas are ready FAST. It's easy to eat a whole pie if you're super hungry or add a large salad and split it all with a friend. However, they have tons of take-away boxes if you happen to have leftovers. Definitely worth a taste.
5 - sl l.: This place is awesome!  The pizzas are made fresh to order and are all wood fired to perfection. The ingredients make the pizzas taste like those you get at much more expensive, trendy pizza places (Mozza) but the prices at 800 Degrees are totally reasonable -- base pizzas start at $5 and $6 and you can add toppings as you like. The gelato is fabulous too!
4 - Nicholas K.: Great pizza, affordable price, great ordering system, and drink machine with flavored sodas!

800 Degrees really deliver on the idea of fresh food made fast and to order.  I've gone 2 or 3 times now and haven't been dissapointed.  The fact that you can get a nicely sized pizza for $6 is great, and the fact that for $9 you can have that same pizza but with black truffle cheese is ridiculous!  

It's like the Subway or Chipotle of pizza, but way better.  because all the ingredients you get to add to your pizza are fresh and not so boring.  Can you add anchovies or roasted garlic to your sub?  Can you ask for arugula on your burrito?  I rest my case

The pizzas I've had have been great, the only complaint would be the dough wasn't cooked all the way through on my first pizza. . . 3 days after they had opened.  So I don't hold a cook accountable for learning his oven.  The only other gripe I can think of is that the Cheese platter is more of a sides sampler platter since you can ask for anything on the cheese platter to be on your pizza.  I thought that was a little misleading, but their burrata dishes are insanely flavorful.  

How can you argue with a restaurant who's menu says:
"Caesar Salad: Perfect"?
4 - Jenn W.: The hype! It's right!

I'm glad I gave this place a shot. The assembly line is super quick and the decor is nice and spacious. I wish they put more toppings than they did, but for ~$10 a pizza, I totally accept the way it is. I had a bianca with artichokes, broccolini, mushrooms and a magherita with sausages, pepperonis, and provolone. Both were delicious!

Come try it! 

We got there at around 6:10 on Thursday and the line was quick, not yet out the door. But it got busy while we ate. (Still, the line didn't look to be too long.) Now all they need is delivery!
5 - Steven P.: Walking up to the restaurant, the line was out the door and contemplated whether the wait was worth it.

Warning to those who don't like old-school, chewy pizza. You won't like it. Although, you have no one to blame but yourself. This is legitimate pizza.

For the most part, things move fast here. They have perfected a system that gets the pizza made while you pay, etc. For all of the toppings I added on top, my pizza cost just a little under ten bucks: this is really cheap for the high quality pizza I got.

Also, the cashier is extremely nice. She sparks conversation once in a while :).

As for the pizza. The ingredients are absolutely amazing. The sauce tastes amazingly fresh and tangy, JUST LIKE TOMATO SAUCE should be! The mozzarella is legit (I'm tying to think of another word other than fresh): it tastes authentic, coming in little lumps of cheese sitting in brine, keeping it soft and fresh. The greens are also... yes... fresh. It might be the mentality of it all, watching your chef pluck the leaves off of a branch and then shaking dried spices straight from a large stick. I like to think it's because the food is really this awesome. Basically, top notch ingredients that give this pizza an extremely authentic, high class meal.If you are a tomato-lover like I am, I suggest to add even more tomatoes on top. The small multi-colored tomatoes are absolutely ripe and never, ever too sour.

One pizza is a lot for one person, but at the same time, it's a little less for two, so order a salad or something else to share if you're on a date.
4 - Dustin T.: 800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria=EPICNESS! If you haven't been here then picture an upscale subway/chipotle typed assembly line where you build a fancy pizza. I came here with a group of 3 and we all just built our own pizzas and shared. 1 pizza is plenty for 1 person. One of my friends built a pizza that was basically breakfast; bacon, cheeses, some other stuff and an egg right in the middle of it. Phenomenal. 
They have 3 basic blue print pizzas that you build off of, I can't remember all three but I know I got the margherita one. I added feta cheese, mushrooms, prisciutto and spinach. 
The pizza's literally take no longer than 4 minutes to bake. Like I said there were 3 of us and we all paid seperate. I was last and by the time that I was getting ready to pay for my pizza my first friend's pizza was done so that hsould give you an idea of how quick they are. An awesome place for an awesome price in an awesome location so what better word to describe it other than awesome??
4 - Davey G.: Easy menu. Easy process. The line can look crazy, but it moves at a good pace.

Walk in. Pick a base. Margherita? Done!

Move on down the line a bit, pick toppings. Hmmm... bacon, pepperoni and extra chiles. Done!

Pay for your pizza. Grab a drink at the Cadillac of all soda machines (how do I get one of these in my house?! I created a vanilla-cherry Diet Coke!). A minute later, an oven operator/baker calls your name and the pizza is ready to go. Beer and wine are on the menu, but it appears the licenses haven't been secured yet. Either that or they're holding out.

Back to the pizza. Mmm, yum. Slightly charred. Bubbly. Thin. Melty. Incredibly fragrant. Find a place to sit down and devour.

Last step? Repeat, often.
4 - Lorraine P.: I've been like a stalker waiting for this place to open and it did not disappoint! Neapolitan-style pizza, made to order according to your crazy demands in MINUTES.  The ordering system is like Chipotle/ Subway, in that you work your way down the counter, picking your toppings as the employees assemble it in front of you and judge you for your weird choices or how much of a fat ass you are.  

Pick your base pie $5-6 (Margherita, white or marinara) and toppings are $1 each or $3 for premiums. The use high quality ingredients and their dough is spot on: chewy, blistered, thin and slightly soggy, just like Neapolitan style pizza should be.  And they're big!  We had plenty of leftovers for the next day.... ok, ok maybe for later that night :) We also tried the Caesar salad ($4) which was good, not great, and they offer ice cream from LA Creamery to top it off.  There's some tweaks to work out but overall, it's a quick, casual and inexpensive, yet gourmet way to eat in Westwood.  Lucky UCLA bastards.

Like a good stalker, I'm already waiting for their next location to open.  Obsessed!
5 - Liz C.: Simply perfect ! Love this place. I'm obsessed with their soda machine!
5 - Ian S.: Epic deliciousness.
5 - Dave K.: Warning: the lines can get VERY long even during non-peak hours so don't go if you're already starving otherwise you'll be very crabby while you wait...  :)

If you CAN wait however, 800 degrees has great gourmet pizzas, great salads, and great gelato, all served quickly and is quite inexpensive.  Truly a bright spot in the neighborhood.
4 - Karen C.: I invited my gfs to come here to have a casual dinner for my bday.  I wish it isn't so far from me but I would definitely return, it's worth the drive.  Their creamy burrata is only $5 (it's cheaper than buying it at the market) and you can customize your very own neapolitan pizza and even soda for around $15 or less.  I usually don't drink sodas but after reading some reviews about their Ferrari-designed Coke Freestyle, I just had to get my own peach Sprite and raspberry Coke.  That machine is pretty much the best thing that has ever happened to sodas.  I think the whole concept of this restaurant is pure genius and just cool.  Props to the Umami burger team for coming up with it.  

I've always nit picked at pizzeria menus because they wouldn't have exactly all the toppings that I want on one pizza and when I have to add additional toppings, my pizza ends up costing way too much.  That problem is now solved at 800 Degrees.  I had a margherita as my base (crushed tomato, fresh mozzarella, parmigiano reggiano, olive oil, basil) and added bacon, sausage, broccolini, caramelized onions, and garlic.  I was worried that my pizza would come out soggy because of all the toppings I had, and it did which is the reason why I'm knocking off a star.  What I forgot to do is request for a crispy crust.  They do have a sign posted at the front stating that their crusts are soft and chewy.  My pizza was still good though, the toppings were really fresh.  The only thing I wish they cared to do is spread out the ingredients a bit more evenly when you're requesting them.  Some of my slices barely had any broccolini because they were all concentrated on another slice.  I'm just nit picking because I wish my experience was perfect so that I could give them 5 stars.  There was a line that went out the door when I came w/ my gfs on a Saturday night, but it moved pretty quickly.  We waited for less than 10 mins before it was our turn.  I would come back just to create another pizza w/ different toppings and I would like to see how it tastes w/ a crispy crust.  I definitely recommend coming here and checking it out if you haven't yet, it's different from any other pizzeria I've been to.
4 - Daniel D.: Tried it for the first time last week. Wasn't excited about waiting in line, but surprise! Since they flash cook the pizza's in minutes, the line is very fast. 

The place is a little like subway, because you get to walk through the assembly line and pick your toppings. They will make your pizza to your specs, just the way you like it.  

Not as expensive as I thought it would be, their pizza is enough to share.

Oh, it is a classic Neapolitan "CHEWY" crust, but they will make it crispy for you if you ask them too!
4 - Russ W.: Having been several times now, the excitement has worn off a bit. The food is good and the ingredients are very fresh. The value is there for the quality. It is the dough that could use a little more flavor. Still a great place and a major plus for the Village but the dough does not have that same level of magic that Mozza or Bronx (in SD) have.
4 - Oliver D.: Napoli is a city of extremes.  Saturated in vibrant chaos and infected with corruption; every moment is an adventure through an Italian flavored gonzo nightmare.  It's not hard to imagine that pizza, originally made with tomatoes grown on the volcanic plains near Mount Vesuvius and baked at temperates exceeding 900 degrees Fahrenheit, could have been birthed out of such a fiery place.

No visit to Napoli is complete without visiting one of the local, genuine pizzerias.  Three euros will buy you the most amazing margherita pizza with almost paper thin and crispy, yet neither hard nor burnt, crust.

While 800 Degrees deviates slightly from what you might expect from a pizzeria in Napoli, they bring the same sort of quality in ingredients and construction.  The flavor of the base margherita pizza is far above and beyond what you might find at other local establishments at a fraction of the cost.

Savory dough, flavorful sauce, fresh mozzarella and bay leaves, with a sprinkling of salt to add some zest to the occasional bite.  The garden salad alone, dressed only in olive oil and fresh lemon juice, is worth waiting in the long, steadily moving line.
5 - Nikki M.: 800 degrees is amazing!! The pizza is delicious, extremely authentic, definitely feels like you are eating at a little pizzeria in Italy :)  The owner, Anthony, is extremely friendly and goes to any measure to be accommodating to his restaurant patrons.  I can't wait to go back and try more of their yummy pizzas! 

P.S. their gelato is also amazing
5 - Joanna M.: SO DELICIOUS. 

We managed to get in line right before it got crazy long (out the door and around the corner), so I have no complaints about the wait. You order first, pay at the cashier, and then pick up your food when it's ready. (As you progress through the line, you can see each pizza being made.) The staff behind the counter is friendly, nice, and they work quickly. 

Seat yourself! (The seating area is large, but with the size of the crowd this place pulls in, I imagine people get anxious about whether or not they'll find a table.)

The pizza tasted so fresh. and so YUM. Soft, chewy, thin, warm, fresh ingredients. OMG. Foodgasm. (Also, this place has the new coke/drink machine which BLEW MY MIND. soooo cool and fun to use!!)
2 - Alex F.: EDIT: The pizza here sucks. It just sucks. I don't know why/how this concept can seem so perfect, but can have such shitty pizza. Its way way way to chewy and the flavors just aren't there. The concept is perfect. Its just that the pizza sucks. I asked for it super crispy - still chewy. Yuck.


This concept is too good to be anything other than another Fleischman home run. 

Ya know when you think " why didn't i think of that - its so obvious but so genius"? That's the feeling you get looking at the menu here. 

If pizzeria mozza went fast food, it would be this place. 

The only caveat I suggest is skip the default "chewy" and ask for it crispy. I don't care how they do it in Naples - crispy pizza beats soggy pizza any day of the week.

I waited on what i thought would be a long long line, but because the pizzas cook so fast i was only on line about 15 mins on a saturday night.  Parking sucks around here too, so don't say I didn't warn you.

Can't wait to pig out here again. 

Beer and Wine are coming soon also FYI.
5 - Elisa G.: Take your friends and family here for pizza!  It's an adventure just to order and serve your own soda.  If you don't drink soda, do it just to play with the touch-screen Ferrari machine.  Their pizza has the best pizza sauce.  I'll wait to have pizza here every time.
5 - Amber L.: I'm not going to say the same thing everyone else says about the process of ordering... 

Keep it simple. Marg with garlic. 
I'll just tell you this was an awesome find and I will be going back weekly! Yes, parking sucks and the line gets long. If you dont have the time, don't go. I make the time.
4 - Nico L.: Lately there have been many pizza places filling up Westwood, making it the most densely pizza-populated area in LA (*not intended to be a factual statement*). With CPK, BJ's, Enzo's, Lamonicas, Italian express, D'Amore's, Extreme Pizza and now 800 Degrees, what could possibly set this place apart from everything else?? What was the owner thinking when he first punched "pizza" into his phone and saw all those red-pins fall on the same spot????

"There! Build it THERE!!" 

And 800 Degrees was born. 

This place isn't your average dominos, or papa johns for that matter (also down the street). When you walk in, you select your dough, sauce, and toppings, and watch the chef* craft* your pizza. I assume the person is a chef because why else would they be wearing a chef's coat? Once its complete, they slide the pizza into a flaming oven that's probably set to about 800 degrees (give or take) and minutes later, your pizza is complete. Brilliant!

You know right away just from walking in that the owners pulled all the stops to make this restaurant awesome. Take the soda machine for example, it looks like it came off the Enterprise. It was so advanced that watching people pick their soda was like watching someone use an iPhone for the first time. "I JUST WANT WATER! HURRY UP! WHY AREN'T THERE TWO OF THESE!?!?"

What I ordered: Margarita with garlic, sausage, and mushrooms. 

The pizza was delicious but I couldn't help but wish there were more mushrooms and sausage on my pizza. I know times have been hard since ObamAA+ took office but damn! I can count the mushrooms on one hand!!! And from the looks of that line going out the door I'm sure 800 degrees could spare a couple 'shrooms for this guy. Nevertheless, this is a great pizza place for Westwood. 

Parking is limited but most people park in the Bronxton parking garage. There is usually a line but it moves quickly so don't give up! It's not the apple store.
3 - Julie I.: Finally decided to try out this new "hot spot" in Westwood. Not all I thought it would be...

If you want cheap, fast pizza with a little bit of "hype", then go for it. Good place for college students.

Atmosphere: the customer service was pretty bad. Yes, it's a new place and new employees so I'll forgive that aspect. BUT, they charged me for two pizzas when I ordered one. While the new employees tried to fix the problem and scrambled around, they finally had to call the manager/boss to fix it. During this whole time, I was completely ignored, just standing there like an idiot. Thanks for acknowledging my existence and apologizing...not.  I felt like it was my fault and almost told them I'll make it easier for them and just order another pizza.

The only staff that knew what they were doing were the ones putting on the toppings. 


Taste: Individually, the ingredients were fresh and delicious. Combine together... maybe the texture of the pizza will take some time to get used to. Soggy pizzas that requires a plate and fork to eat just doesn't do it for me. You definitely cannot pick up the slice without everything else sliding off of it.

Will I eat here again? Yea, probably.
4 - Karen W.: TRADITIONAL
This place claims to make pizza the way it was invented in Naples, cultivating the style of Vera Pizza Napoletana: cooking the risen dough in wood-fired ovens. The end result crust is thin, soft, and chewy,  closely-mimicking what I tasted in my Italian travels.

CONCEPTUAL
With a Chipotle-like concept of custom-building your pie from foundation to topping, 800 Degrees is attractive in the following ways:

- Edgy and bold aesthetics
- Cool, casually-hip atmosphere--a NYC-like gem
- Something for everyone: customizable or select from the pre-composed pizza topping combinations
- Open late (2am!) 

FOOD
- Fresh and a sufficient variety of ingredients for carnivores and herbivores
- Thin crust: no over-stuffed feeling after eating
- Only 5 minutes in the oven for crust to cook
- Affordable
- *Caution: your slice of pizza will be extremely floppy, even using two hands will have you playing catch with your mouth. 

SINGLE PHRASE:
Casual and simple food accentuated with an authentic flair and spiked with a fun twist for Westwood, LA.
4 - Avishek C.: This place is close to my work so I decided to check it out. I'm not going to get into the details, but this place is unique and delicious. It will get crowded around lunch time so I recommend off peak hours to visit, like an early or late lunch.
5 - Aldrin G.: WOW! This place was absolutely amazing and I had such a good experience on my first visit. It was definitely worth the hype that I was hearing from my friends.

The wait: I got there between 7:30-8:00pm on a Saturday night. The line was out the door and pretty long. I met up with friends though so the wait wasn't too bad, it's definitely not something you want to wait through by yourself (unless you REALLY want the pizza, which is understandable!) I can't remember what time we actually got in, but the wait was for sure over 20 minutes, but I don't think longer than 30. Once you get in the door it's cool because you can watch them make the pizza. They also have paper menus you can look at.

Ordering: Like most have said, it's like Subway or Chipotle where you pick out your ingredients. You start out with your base pizza ($6 or $5) and then add toppings down the line. I like the fact that you get to watch them make the pizza, and the guys that were working the line were pretty friendly.

Value: I was surprised that this place was pretty affordable. When I found out that it's customizable, AND saw the size and quality of the pizza, I couldn't believe it wasn't more expensive. Even with a drink (and you HAVE to order a drink, more on that later) my total was $10.88 for a margherita pizza with two toppings and a drink. Not bad at all, and I'm broke, so there's that.

Soda machine: Okay, I had seen this machine on TV before, but never in person. The soda machine is AMAZING. There are so many choices. Like the pizza, you start with your base soda (Coke, Sprite, etc.) and you can add flavors to it afterwards (lime, vanilla, cherry, etc.) I feel like I would want to come back JUST to try the different options, but of course I'd get the pizza too =] And at only $2 for a refillable paper cup, it's really a good value.

Atmosphere: This place looks nice. Even from the outside, their "800 DEGREES PIZZERIA" lettering shows this is a high quality place. The inside feels like a fancy sit down restaurant, with a casual atmosphere. They were playing really good music that my table was dancing to on occasion, and despite the fancy schmancy feeling of the restaurant, it's okay to grab a group of friends and have a good time talking and laughing while enjoying a pizza. 

Everything about this place was amazing and I had such a good time trying the place out and being with friends. I don't usually wait in lines for anything in Westwood unless it's Diddy Riese, a movie premiere, or In-N-Out, but I will for sure be back for some 800 Degrees.
5 - Michael H.: Genius,

this is coming from an anonymous Chipotle addict. Seriously a genius idea. Awesome~!
5 - Chris V.: Hello, my name is Chris and I am addicted to 800 Degrees Pizza.  
In all seriousness, if you like pizza and you're in the West side, you should try out 800 Degrees.  With the risk of sounding lazy, I would describe 800 Degrees Pizza as the Chipotle of pizza.  You get to pick the toppings you want, and your pie is made fresh in front of your eyes.

Must try toppings:
Meatballs, prosciutto, bacon, red onions.
Free toppings: Chile, garlic (minced is a little too strong of a taste imho, go for the whole ones).

Also, check the front wall, they often list specials that they change out every day or week.  Sometimes you can get truffle toppings or other cool ones not listed on the standard menu.

Salads:
The chopped salad is good and you can easily split a small salad between two people.  Depending on who makes it for you, they may add a bit too much dressing.  I would recommend asking for the vinaigrette on the side or for them to use less. 

Staff: Always awesome and super friendly.  We ended up getting some gelato after too, and they let us sample a lot of different flavors.

Parking... it's Westwood, so expect to pay for parking.  If you're going to be in the area for a bit (*cough Diddy Riese http://www.yelp.com/biz/diddy-riese-cookies-los-angeles) I would recommend The LAX Flyaway lot (Lot 32) (http://www.yelp.com/biz/lax-flyaway-los-angeles-2) on Kindross and Gayley.  Parking there will be safer and cheaper than continually feeding the meters (they do take credit card there).
4 - Brian W.: FINALLY TRIED 800 DEGREES. Since this place opened a few weeks ago, I've basically been hearing about it nonstop. I have to say it lives up to the hype. The first time I came here, the line was out the door and I didn't feel like waiting but the line actually moves decently fast, maybe about ~15-20 minutes from the start of waiting until you get your food?

SO MANY CHOICES! Some math person should figure out how many possible combinations of pizza you can get here... seriously so. many. choices. I was kinda overwhelmed at first, but in the end I chose bacon, sausage and mushroom on a margherita pizza. Got a drink from their ultra fancy drink machine that I've only used one other time at the Irvine Spectrum (weird question: are there really official flavors like raspberry sprite and orange coke? i have a feeling that half of the 1409812094812 flavors in the machine are actually just mixtures of different flavored syrup with the original drinks, but hey, if it works...)

Just have to say... SAUSAGE SO GOOD. I was kinda disappointed in the bacon, I love bacon (...everyone loves bacon...) but the sausage was the highlight. Amount of pizza is pretty filling too, not to the point where you're stuffed but you can finish it if you really want. I actually didn't finish my last slice because I was getting full, I just picked the toppings off. STILL GOOD (SAUSAGE).

I deducted a star because... the pizza I got was kinda soggy (with olive oil i think?). I couldn't really eat it without all the toppings falling off everywhere... I hear that it's not usually like this though, so hopefully next time I go it's not.
5 - jon p.: I think another yelper got it right when they said "In short: Customizable, wood-fired personal-sized pizzas with fresh, gourmet ingredients at college-student friendly prices."

That's exactly what this place is. I'd like to add: it's as authentic as pizza in LA gets. The margherita pizza was comprised of: hand-made dough, buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil, savory tomato sauce, olive oil, oregano, and minced garlic (the last two added at no cost). It's wood-fired and ready to go in less than 5 minutes (although them actually assembling it takes a while). 

Bottom line: it's real, cheap pizza. This is something you're likely to pay twice the price for elsewhere.
4 - Jeremy H.: Pizza does not get much more simple or delicious than at 800 Degrees. The Margherita is simply amazing, especially after adding some soppresata. The quattro formaggi was good; however, the lack of tomato didn't exactly fit my taste buds. For $5 or $6 you will not find a better pizza, period. Oh, and their pop machine is run by a touchscreen and has an unreal assortment of flavor options.
5 - Drake S.: This was such a great place to get pizza I really enjoyed it!!  It is now my favorite pizza place to go to.   I eat a lot of pizza and for me to say this is my favorite that's really saying something.  The atmosphere is very nice, its very clean with vaulted ceilings and great service too.  I just love the fact that you can get a pizza in about 5 minutes after you order it.  I would definitely recommend this spot to anyone that is a true pizza connoisseur.
2 - Bruce F.: Interesting concept, well-executed by a very pleasant staff, but the pizza was just not at all to my liking.  I'm not saying that this was a "boy, this is awful" moment.  It's just that I have very different taste expectations when ordering pizza.  Probably an OK experience (especially price-wise) for a college kid, but not so much for a 62 year old ex-New Yorker.
5 - Anahita F.: You can customize anything in this town and have it handed to you seconds later - your Starbucks coffee, iPhone, Chipotle burrito...and now your pizza. 

For just $5!! you can get a margerita pizza that is ready by the time you're paying for it.  For a couple dollars more you can add whatever toppings your heart desires! And it tastes pretty close to authentic Italian.  They also have simple and fresh salads for very reasonable prices and....get this...they have special burrata dishes - with various toppings like caponata,  pinenuts, beets, etc.  Didn't get a chance to try these but will next time.

Beautifully decorated with high ceilings, wood paneled walls, church-type pews for seating, and dim lighting.  Great for a group gathering or a low key date.  I live walking distance from here and will be a familiar face in no time!   

Was told beer and wine permit still pending, and that delivery service is still in the works (though I honestly don't think the delivered product will be anywhere near as good).
4 - Peter K.: Wow! I freaking love this place! Its like a Chipotle / Subway  except its pizza!! MARGARITA PIZZA WITH LOTS OF GARLIC AND CHICKEN!! The best thing about this place is that it opens till 2 AM! Also, the price what you get for a big plate of pizza is cheap $6 and $1 more for every other topping you get! WHAT A PRICE! It's definitively a college spot (Even though its right next to UCLA)... We'll I'll say this is going to be the next spot for midnight snack cravings! YES SNACK!
3 - Fanny H.: Being the avid foodie that I am, when I saw that 800 Degrees came to Westwood and was quickly surrounded with a large fan base, I knew I had to hop on over and try this place asap.

To be honest, I am not out of this world in love with the place.  With long lines that can trickle out the door and loop around the corner, I was surprised that the wait time isn't so long here.  I wouldn't ideally spend ~$10 for an individual pizza, but if I'm in the mood for pizza, 800 Degrees would be the first option over Italian Express and Dominos any day.  However, don't think it'll be my first choice of eatery to go to in Westwood.

Customizing your pizza is a little tricky.  They have menus in which they list their toppings, but my first time here, I was such a confused soul.  How it works is you choose between a base pizza (margherita for $6 is my standard order) and then have the option of adding any additional toppings you want.  Most are $1/topping with the specialities at $3.  I love the combination of mushrooms and their spicy salami.  I've had artichokes and eggplants interchangeably with the salami.  I think I'll stick with the mushroom and spicy salami or sausage (their sausage is really good).  But the base is what's the best.  Thin crust, fresh mozzarella and basil.  Yum.

What's annoying is that they don't label their toppings so you literally just stare at a bunch of ingredients and are wondering what each are.  Have the menu with you if you're a first timer (I discovered the menu on my third visit here...).

Their soda machine gets a lot of Ohhs and Ahhs, quite the futuristic little thing with a lot of flavors.  I just get water here.  They also have salad and gelato, haven't tried, but probably will in the future.

Ample amount of seating, they encourage you to place your order and not reserve seats, but it can sometimes get crowded (not ideal for super large groups).

Overall nice place.  Glad that it made a home in Westwood!  I'll be back occasionally, can't say I'd be revisiting on a super regularly basis (like a lot of my friends).
3 - Rohit K.: Fresh dough, fresh sauce, fresh cheese, and fresh toppings. Perfect ingredients for a perfect pizza, and yet, I wasn't too impressed with the pizza. 

I got the Pizza Margherita, and added garlic, basil, and Italian Sausage to it. The ingredients were hands-down, the best I've ever had. The mozzarella was just so fresh and delicious. 

My main and only problem with the pizza was the dough. I understand that the crust isn't supposed to be crunchy, because "the original" pizza from Naples isn't crunchy, but that doesn't mean the dough has to be under cooked. I personally found the dough to be a little too chewy, and soggy for my taste. 

Great ingredients, but terrible dough. 

I prefer Pieology to 800 Degrees.
3 - Rob M.: 800 Degrees is a fast-casual pizzeria that serves wood-fired pizzas. The key factor of differentiation here is its assembly line format. From an operations perspective, it's an ambitious endeavor. Customers line up across a counter and pick toppings at various stages of the process. By the time you reach the checkout counter, your pizza is basically ready to eat.

I appreciate ownership's intentions with respect to the format. And the assembly line approach has been proven to work well at Chipotle and Pinkberry. But because pizza is involved, moving from station to station does not totally work here.

My chief complaint about 800 Degrees is that the pizza is not allowed to bake long enough. If you can imagine what a pizza would taste like if it had only been in the oven for a few minutes, then you already know what it tastes like to eat here. Another complaint is that no one working here could remember anything I said or who I was in relationship to my pizza. Super hectic and disorganized. 

Ownership would be better off emulating a good pizza place than emulating Chipotle.
5 - Vincent L.: 800 degrees should be renamed 800 pizzas for vincent. I WANT THIS PLACE ALL FOR MYSELF. T_T

Yes the line is a bit long and takes a while, but what do you expect when the toppings are put IN FRONT OF YOU and then your pizza is baked. 

I got the pizza bianca with prosciutto and artichoke hearts (though I recommend getting a margerita pizza for your devirginization). It's not your jizzy everywhere pizza like greasy pizza hut or  other americanized pizza, it's a nice sophisticated jizz, refined and subtle. Promise you will swallow every bite ;)

No, this place is pizza from the birthplace of pizza.

Effin Naples, Italy. Yea. 

Eat it when your number is called. Otherwise, it will be on the slightly soggy side... like a loose vag. Me being me, I don't want vag, SO EAT IT FAST!!!!!!!!!

The cheese is mouth watering, filling and mouthgasm inducing.
The crust is just beyond amazing, something between garlic sticks and flat bread. I can't even describe it properly. 


You can put anything OR NOTHING on this pizza and it will be good.


Note: Please leave your preconceived your notions of pizza. This is real pizza, none of that deep-fried stuff that can come to your door in 30 minutes or less.
5 - Chase M.: First off I'd like to say this is probably my favorite pizza place. You can get a good pizza and a drink all around a good price. Although the lines can sometime be long is worth it. 
I ordered the marghrita pizza which was good. I got my food pretty fast :)   I also got some ice cream to, this was almost even better, I loved the berry flavor with Vanilla :) 
I'm so coming back again!
2 - Paul S.: floppy pizza.

after waiting in line 30+ minutes, i was expecting some damn good pizza - or at least pizza i could pick up with my hands and eat.  instead i got soggy, floppy pizza that i had to eat with a knife and fork, like a jackass/donald trump.

i ordered the bianca - white pizza, with mushrooms, tomatoes and chicken. the guy behind the counter asked me "is that all???" and made me totally insecure about my selection before throwing like 4 little tomatoes, some chicken, and what can generously be described as a handful of mushrooms on there.

the pizza was tasty, but i guess i was expecting something a little more exciting, and they were extremely careful (read: stingy) with their ingredients.  

then there's the floppiness.  it just kind of ruined the whole experience.  and made a joke out of the name of the place, just asking me to put on my yelp review...

800 degrees? maybe they should turn it up to 850.
5 - Hal S.: Great pizza, fast and delicious.
4 - Andi C.: Cool concept. While custom-ordered pizzas aren't anything new, watching them being made in front of you is. The efficiency of their assembly line is amazing. 
Upon seeing the line out of the door and around the corner when I arrived, I was surprised at how fast we were able to order, pay and eat. The crusts are so thin that one person could easily have a pizza to her- or himself. The price of a meal here is a good deal for the quality, not the quantity, of food. The toppings are of the finest quality but I'm not sure if $1 for 7 pieces of onion is a acceptable even if they are "cooked slowly in the wood oven until sweet & smoky." 

All in all, I can see what the hype is all about and this is definitely THE trendy place to go in Westwood. Totally loved the vibes here. Can't wait for the beer and wine.
4 - Charlotte M.: I've been here twice now--first time I made my own pizza with one of the three base pizzas (a marinara pizza with caramelized onions and mushrooms), and the second time I ordered the tartufo (mushrooms, truffle cheese, and roasted garlic, arugula, but no tomato sauce). Both pizzas were delicious, but the tartufo was especially tasty. A little on the salty side, but not so much that it's too salty. Just noticeably so--I got very thirsty. The middle of the pizza is really thin and both times was soggy and only edible with a fork and knife. Otherwise the toppings were falling off. 

The line is long during peak hours, but it does move pretty fast. And there was seating after we got out of the line, even a few different options. To give you an idea--my friends and I arrived at 12:30pm and waited in a line that was out the door, but we had our pizzas in hand within 30 minutes. 

I really like the concept of watching them put the toppings on the pizza (kind of like Pinkberry and Chipotle), and getting to choose from so many different good-looking options. I haven't tried their sides yet, but their meatballs and the burrata look really good. The pizzas are cut into six slices and can be shared, but you might also want to order a salad/side, which is what two of my friends did.

The soda machine is really cool, having tons of different soda flavors to choose from on a touch screen (and water for those of us who just want that). The wait for the pizza was almost zero, another huge plus. 

Overall though, all of my friends and I enjoyed our pizzas, and I would go back.
4 - Zeenat S.: I really like the concept behind this place.  It's like chipotle but pizza style.  It i pretty cheap and I feel like two people can share and be satisfied.  I like how you can watch them make the pizza.  I got the margherita pizza with some chile and garlic.  The garlic was a bit overwhelming so I don't I will get it on my pizza again!  Overall a really cool place.
4 - Edison T.: It's like Chipotle, only for pizzas!

Fully customizable and the toppings are very fresh. Nice crunch to the crust and gotta love that aroma from the woodfire. 

The base Margherita pizza is delicious by itself but when you start to add your own toppings to it, it surely takes it up a notch. And if it doesn't taste good, it's probably because you got too adventurous and effed up the pizza by mixing things that shouldn't have been mixed in the first place.

Definitely the best pizza in Westwood.
5 - Hae A.: I was torn between 4 and 5 stars because its not the best pizza you can get in LA (although it comes close) but it has the coolest concept. I think their cheap but tasty burrata pushed them closer to 5 stars.  

You go in, order your base pizza and ask for the free topping (garlic, oregano, chile) if you want them. Then you choose your toppings, then ask for crispy crust if you want it. 

The first time I went, I was a little indifferent to the place. I liked it but I didn't love it. I didn't ask for crispy crust and so the bread was slightly chewy, which I didn't like and was damp. Kind of like undercooked dough. I got the capricciosa and the toppings were haphazardly placed making some of the slices have only one topping, if at all. The line did move quickly though. 

The burrata with cherry tomatoes and pesto at only $5 was a steal. The texture was rich and creamy. The pesto was excellent. The salt on the burrata was not spread evenly though making some bites tasty and other bites bland. The broccolini was kinda dry. 

I also got some LA creamery ice cream for dessert, but honestly I think their stand alone shop had better tasting ice cream. 

The second time I went the line was slower but the pizza was worth the wait. Bf got tartufo and I got a margherita with bacon, tomatoes and pappadews. Both were crispy crust and I loved it. 

The tartufo was a little boring compared to my pizza but loved the thin crispy crust and funghi. :) Bf complained and said he didn't like it because there was no sauce so he felt like he was eating bread but  I think he was grumpy from the lines and rules. He did say my pizza was better though.

I loved my pizza. The toppings were nicely spread out. The bacon was nice and thick and not overdone. The pappadews bring a nice vinegary contrast to the pizza. The tomatoes may have been overpowered by the pappadews or may have mellowed them out but I didn't really taste them. 

The burrata with beets and balsamic was a steal. The beets were soo tasty. The salt and pepper was more evenly spread. This time however, the burrata had a outer coating that made some bites kinda tough. But for $5, you can't really complain too much. 

I would definitely go back for the Margherita with pappadews.
4 - marian z.: It woulda been a 5 for taste but the pizza crust is too thin.  We just folded it in half and it tasted like mush after a while.  However, eating with a knife and fork makes it taste better but it seems inappropriate to eat pizza like that.  

The sausages are not like that typical pizza sausage.  Instead, they are huge yummy deletable pieces : ) 

The sorta hi-tech touch screen soda/water machine is also pretty cool =)
3 - Richard O.: Today is the second time I came here. Typically, I would review a place I've eaten immediately, but I wanted a second try to make sure I was right. There's so much to love about this place, but the execution still disappoints. The biggest fail is the sauce, it just taste like crushed tomatoes and water. Certain items on the pizza is precooked, and the pizza is still too soggy even after you ask to make it extra crispy. Sure it's cheap, sure it's fast, sure they have a badass coke machine that customizes so many kinds of beverages that would make anyone's head spin. Yet, the bottom line is that the pizza is just average.
4 - Patrick N.: Adam Fleischman (of the now-famous Umami Burger) is an amazing restaurateur. His sense of branding, marketing, and ability to produce fantastic menus make his restaurants so successful. When you eat at Umami Burger or 800 Degrees, it's sort of like when you finally bought your iPod: you fit in, you were cool, you were part of the "in crowd." And I don't mean that negatively, just as the iPod is a great piece of technology, 800 Degrees is a great restaurant. Yet, still, both benefit from such a well thought-out business strategy. 

800 Degrees is a great pizza concept. Beyond the quality, the price makes this place an attractive restaurant, in my book. An entire margherita pizza, over 1 foot across in diameter, will be ~$6.50. And the quality of the ingredients makes it an even better bargain. 

I got my pizza with crispy crust, upon request. But I don't recommend this. It comes out too charred on the bottom, with a bitter taste to the crust. Get it the traditional way, which yields a pleasantly chewy crust. 

Caution: The line gets very long quickly, maybe come at a slower time. At 4:30, the place was still pretty full, but the line wasn't very long. Only 20 minutes later, though, when I was eating the pizza, the line was out the door. 

I highly recommend 800 Degrees. It serves high quality pizza, at generous portions, for a very reasonable price. 

Adam, you've done it again. When I eventually die of a heart attack, the official cause of death should simply read "Adam Fleischman."
5 - Justine F.: The people behind Umami Burger have brought us a pizzeria worthy of your next pizza craving. Right behind the Hammer Museum in Westwood, you're likely to see a line wrapping around Lindbrook Dr. comprised of hungry UCLA students and LA residents, all waiting their turn to choose the fresh ingredients that will top their Neopolitan style pizzas.

The pizzeria is open till 2 am nightly and has a super efficient ordering process. All you need to do is point to the ingredients you want, or just order something from the menu, and watch as the wheat flour dough is kneaded by hand and then baked in front of you in under a minute.

Seven of us went and ordered a pie each. I have to say, the winners are the pollo with gorgonzola and caramelized onions, and the margherita with its spicy tomato sauce. The pie is crispy and tender and the mozzarella cheese is fragrant without being too heavy. The sausage and peppers pizza is also a great one. Some other fun ingredients to play around with would be the rock shrimp, garlic, anchovies, and artichoke. But not all together!

The roomy dining area with high dome ceiling and clean white tiles has plenty of table seating for you and all your friends. To wash it all down, there is a Ferrari designed soda fountain that offers everything from sparkling water to peach soda. And if you've decided to check your will power at the door, the best part is the L.A Creamery gelato bar. The creamiest of ice creams with surprisingly fresh flavors. The chocolate chip will blow your mind how much it tastes like fresh mint.  

It might be time to plan that pizza party.
2 - Kian A.: Tried it again last night with a friend, and yeah... still way too overhyped. It's "decent" pizza, but I can make "decent" pizza with a microwave and a Tostino's box. 

After six weeks, service is still sluggish, and worse, the people behind the counter are developing what I call, "The Chipotle Snarl." You know exactly what I mean by that.

Pass.
5 - Vanessa H.: I'm glad I didn't realize that this spot, formerly occupied by Daphne's, is another brainchild of the folks behind Umami Burger when I ate here. My expectations would have been thrown way off. As it is, this is one of my new favorite lunch spots in Westwood Village, with serious 5-star potential.

The line is intimidating, but it seems to go at a reasonable pace -- and bear in mind that the ordering point is not far into the entrance. This means that with little more than handful of people, the line will already be out the door. There may be a need to figure out a better system for handling the demand they've already established.

So they have a few variations on the burrata salad. I was already blown away by this. We got the Cherry Tomato + Pesto option, and it was fantastic. We also ordered a few pies, including the Margherita Pizza (and added pepperoni), and Piccante (which had a few hot spots but was otherwise very manageable). The cheese on these pizzas was incredibly fresh and high quality. They point out that their thin, Neapolitan-style pizza is topped with locally made cheese and local vegetables.

What makes this an even more amazing experience is that the prices are super reasonable, even for Westwood. A classic pizza (margherita, bianca, or marinara) will run you $5 - $6, and one pie is plenty for one person. That means you can get out of here with a drink for under $10, making it an incredible value in the Village. Beer and wine are coming soon too!!

I hope that I have an opportunity soon to take advantage of their late hours. Open til 2am all week? Ridiculously awesome. UCLA students, you have no idea how good you have it here.
4 - Seiji N.: Subway of pizzas. You wait in a long long line, then you get to the front, you order your base pizza (I got margarita) then add on top of that. In terms of price:food ratio, it's not that great. Each additional topping costs 1 dollar and I can see how someone could easily make a $15 pizza and still be left hungry. Don't get me wrong, the pizza is still fantastic with the neapolitan style soft dough, but I would come here only on occasion and with someone that has experienced this place multiple times and can give me the exact toppings I want to order. As you move further down the line, they throw your pizza in the oven while you pay and with in 5 minutes you are ready to go sit with your pizza and eat. The decor of the place is nice; high ceiling with a consistent theme of pizza.

Def check this place out once to see if it's a good fit for you. After that you can decide for yourself if it's worth the money and time to come back for a second round.
3 - Mary T.: This pizzeria has a pretty interesting concept. I came here with a friend the other night and had dinner. Just think of this place as a Chipotle but instead of serving burritos and tacos, they serve pizza! I went around 6ish on a weekday and it was pretty packed. There was already a line. But hey, that means the food is good right?

I got the margherita pizza with chiles. I did not feel like eating any meat that day. The pizza was done really fast. I wish they put it in the oven for a little longer because the center of my pizza was a little soggy. I thought it was still good though. The chile had a good kick to it but it was also too salty for my liking :/. 

It is good that the pizza is personalized and freshly made. Most add-ons are $1 which include vegetable, cheese, and meat. They use all fresh ingredients. I was a little sated when I went because I ate before I went so the pizza was not as spectacular as many yelpers said. I want to come back again and try it again soon to see if I still feel the same about their pizza!
4 - Andrea P.: Once upon a time, there was a nurse named Andrea who was hungry while working night shift. What are the late night options, she wondered? Her hungry taste buds led her to 800 degrees and that's where this story begins...

So yeah, in a jist that is how I came to 800 degrees. I had been wanting to try this place since it opened and since it's open until 2am, what better place to grab delicious affordable pizza on a night shift?!

Fresh ingredients = delicious thin crust pizza. Add however many toppings you want, for only $1 each. Although $1 may be a little steep, just remind yourself that these ingredients are fresh and unique! 

FREE extras: oregano, chiles and garlic = SO YUMMY. Don't skip out on these.

For my devirginization, I had just a plain ole Pizza Magherita with all the free extras. It was plain but DELICIOUS. A little salty for my taste but totally bearable with lots of water. Um and did I mention this was only $6?!?! SO worth it. 

Super fancy soda machine in the back... kind of love it.

LARGE space, lots of tables and casual atmosphere.

They even serve gelato for dessert for $2.50/scoop.

Prices are totally reasonable. Love it.

It's no Pizzeria Mozza (who still holds my #1 forever until the end of time) but for the price, the fresh ingredients, the location and service of this place... I'm totally a fan!!

I can't wait to go back and build my own or try the Tartufo and Proscuitto! And maybe some gelato. Thank you Adam Fleishman (aka Mr. Umami Burger) for this delicious add on to Westwood.
4 - Darin L.: After a dinner at LudoBites, somehow the topic of 800 Degrees came up. It was open late (until 2am everyday), was nearby, and would be relatively quick. We were sold.

There are plenty of pizza options in LA, but this one's a little bit different. It's essentially fast-food pizza, but customizable and made-to-order with fresh ingredients; I think comparisons to Chipotle are fitting. It reaches a medium ground between the quickness of a Domino's or Pizza Hut and the higher end pizzas at something like Mozza. Kind of like Pitfire Pizza, but even cheaper and more customizable.

The pizza creation process is assembly line, with one's preferences taken throughout. Three base pies are available (margherita, bianca, marinara at $5-6) at the first station, where fresh dough is rolled out.

Next a whole host of toppings are available, completely optional, most $1 each. Don't want toppings? Fine. The Pizza Margherita is $6.

Once ready, the pizza is baked in the wood-burning oven for just a minute or two, all while the customer watches. Pretty cool.

Also cool is this futuristic looking soda machine - various "base" sodas and flavored syrups are available. It's all about customization here, apparently.

Between our group, we ordered up a variety of pies:

Margherita with Salame
Bianca with Sausage
Margherita with Meatballs, Proscuitto, Arugula
Margherita with Artichokes, Salame
Margherita

How were the pizzas? Pretty good actually. The dough was soft, had some nice char, and had a nice chew. I thought the toppings were good, but none were particularly memorable. Overall, it was good pizza at a great price, fast. Very satisfying. I'm a big fan of the model, and gauging other reviews, it seems like the rest of the city is too. I fully expect expansion soon and potentially on a large scale...not unlike Umami Burger.
4 - Michael R.: Well, this place lived up to the hype.  Love the chewy, charred pizza, and the toppings are a blast.  

Here's what we ordered:

Pizza 1:  Margherita base with sausage, carmelized onions, mushrooms, and truffled cheese.  This was very good, but the truffled cheese was a little bit overwhelming.  Definitely very savory, and the crust was excellent.

Pizza 2:  Margherita base with bacon, salame, hot chiles, and ricotta.  THIS ROCKED!  Amazingly, my grandmother put this combination together by randomly picking things on the menu.  The chilis were indeed very spicy, but they were perfectly offset by the sweet, rich ricotta.

I disagree with the complaints about the soggy middle.  I like pizza this way, just fold it up like a New Yorker and it works great.

Burrata with pesto and tomatoes:  This was okay.  The cheese was middling (not high end burrata), and the tomatoes with pesto were relatively lifeless.  This is a tough dish to screw up, and it was disappointing.

Burrata with beets and arugula:  This was great.  The cheese was still just okay, but the beets were excellent, and the arugula pairing worked very well.

My only complaint here is the service.  The pizzas themselves move pretty quickly.  The problem is the employees handling the transactions.  To put it bluntly, 800 degrees should stick to hiring people with demonstrated intelligence.  One guy last night spent 10 minutes trying to figure out how to divide 27 by 3, and held up the whole line in the process.

Oh, and why is the special so hard to find?

Otherwise, this place was awesome, and I will definitely be back.  I think once they work out the kinks, this is going to be a huge concept.
4 - Jaymie Lynn S.: While the high glass is a little bit intimidating 800° is a work of genius. I dislike that some people have compared it to Subway. This is definitely not the case. There's definitely a higher level of class here and it is clear that this place is going to stay in Westwood.

Located next to the old theater on Lindbrook, 800° allows you to not only pick your type of sauce but also your toppings!  Unfortunately, the selection of toppings was confusing.  Nothing is labeled, so I found myself just pointing to something that looked alright.  It may be best to just read off of the menu, to be honest.  THEY know where everything is...I hope.  

I ordered the Margherita for the base of the pizza (basically, normal type of pizza: cheese + marinara).  For toppings, I picked nearly everything that was green, pepperoni, and basil...or was it oregano? Again, some labeling would be nice.

With a soda, my order came out to about $11.  Not bad considering I did have about 4 toppings and the pizza is a relatively decent size - think not a small, but not quite a medium at your average pizza places. (although I think it is actually bigger than the mediums at some places, like domino's)

The soda machine = super fun.  Just saying.  Having a perfectly blended Orange Diet Coke? Totally worth the $2.

Overall, it's a great place.  It's a shame they didn't open up sooner! Even though I probably would not have made it out that far too often, it's a nice place to go when looking to change up the normal college eating routine.  The staff is very cordial...clearly they mean business!  It is rightly so because when the line gets crazy, there's no time for pleasantries.
5 - Jon H.: The line out the door says it all.  This is some GOOD pizza.

It's a little bit different than what you're probably used to... The dough is chewy, but you can taste the slight char from the wood oven.  The mozzarella is fresh, delicious, and creamy.  My favorite topping combo has been: italian sausage, broccoli rabe, capers, and extra garlic.

The wait is long at dinner, but if you slip in a bit early (or late if you're in for lunch), you can get the pizza with minimal wait.

Last I checked they weren't delivering... which is not worthy of star reduction, but something that they need to get on, STAT.
5 - Michelle P.: Great Job all around!  Half the price as Pizzeria Mozza, and just as delicious.. Coolest f'n Soda Machine Ever!!!  I felt like I was 10!  I just wanted to play with the Soda Machine all day!  Delicious Burrata Salad for only 5 bucks, and great Gelato.

Sure, you can bitch about finding parking (beware of Lots around there as it's $2.50 every 15 minutes with no posted signs (bastards)), and you can bitch about how packed they are, but really?  It's not their fault.  

I went out of my way from Hollywood as I was so impressed with Umami.  I'm glad I did.
4 - Bree T.: The good: pizza is made to order in front of your face and the ingredients are incredibly fresh and tasty. The snazzy Coke machine is amazing. The staff is friendly, even when they're swamped.

The not-so-good: My office has had a contingent go for lunch at least once a week, every week since they opened. Over the last two weeks we've gone in or phoned in an order three times, and each time something about the orders was wrong -- from other customers snagging our pizza to making three incorrect pies in a seven pie order, despite the order taker repeating each ingredient and confirming each pizza as it was relayed. While they've been helpful and apologetic regarding the issues and corrected them at our request, it's frustrating that their system for order creation and tracking seems to have broken down within a short time of opening. 

Obviously from the rating given, we still love them. We're addicted, really. However, it's not going to take many more screw ups on orders for us to start looking elsewhere in the vast expanse of Westwood Village eateries to fulfill our cravings.
2 - Max W.: I had reasonably high expectations for this, both for the concept and the team behind it. I found the execution deeply flawed and the resulting product solidly mediocre. 

First of all, the long lines are not such a big deal as they move relatively quickly, just like at any fast food establishment, but the ordering process is pretty broken. You choose from one of three basic pie styles, but the aloof, barely competent crew is so used to everyone ordering the margarita that I watched them erroneously make the wrong pie twice in a row. 

Perhaps that's because they simply can't hear the customers' orders.  it's absurdly loud in the ordering area, which is directly in the same room as the diners (something I've never seen in any Chipotle or other fast food restaurant) and the crew are 6-8 feet away behind a glass wall. This problem gets even worse when you've got to specify the toppings you want, where there are 20+ options, none are labeled, and the employees are so disinterested in their jobs that they barely pay attentiion and are certainly not interested in helping explain what it is your looking at. Some of these toppings are 3 times the price of the others, but there's no indication of which are which, either by grouping, labels, or anything else.

There are a few non-pizza items on the menu, but it seems like kinda a pain to order them as I watched one customer have to yell three times to get the server to make him a burrata plate, and I got handed a receipt for my pizza before I even got to the salad area.

Okay, but how was the food?

Undercooked. I've seen a few reviewers here complain that their pizzas were burned, and I figured they were overreacting because there were a few charred bubbles or something, but perhaps the management saw those and is afraid of that reaction and so rather than properly cooking the pizzas, now they're routinely undercooking them (at least they were yesterday, as I looked around to see if mine was an anomaly but everyone's looked about the same). The pizza was soft and droopy, so if you pick up a slice all the toppings sort of slide right off,  and some bites were so doughy they seemed nearly raw.

And this to me is a fundamental flaw in the concept. I understand the difficult balance they must strike between a properly cooked neapolitan pie (of which I've had many, many great ones) and a mass-market fast food approach that tries to please the majority of customers, many of whom apparently are freaked out by a little black on the edges of their pizzas. But I think that sweet spot between those two things is going to prove a difficult target. 

This same problem is going to arise with the quantity of toppings. You pay $1 for a topping like mushrooms or peppers or brocollini or whatever and they give you the tiniest little portion of each. Now, actually I think this is correct, as piling on too much would not only ruin the taste, but would potentially interfere with cooking times, but I can just see a lot of (fast-food-style) customers feeling a little gypped. Especially because it seems so inconsistent. This is one of the ways Chipotle has smartly addressed the (absurd) American fast-food mentality; no one is going to claim they're not getting a "bargain" there. (Personally I find Chipotle burritos so stupidly big and poorly shaped (i.e. fat not long) that they're hard to eat) But here, i think they're going to generate a general impression that they're "stingy" with the toppings. 

Actually, I think the pizzas are a little too big. Maybe 10% - 20% too much dough. Maybe this is an attempt to address the above concern (give the customer more food than they really need, even if it's just empty calories) but I also think this is why the pizzas aren't cooking properly.

I used to work in Silicon Valley and at several of the in-house gourmet cafeterias there were personal pizza stations that were nearly identical concepts to the 800° idea. But in those cases the pizzas were 20% smaller and thinner, and so they cooked perfectly. Also, there, all the toppings were included in a flat price, so there was no issue of "value" and while some might foolishly overload their first or second order, most people figured out that a few choice toppings would yield a better result. (Also the worker's raised eyebrows as you asked for sausage AND meatballs AND pepperoni would deter some of the others.) I know 800° wouldn't likely work that way (say, charge $12-$15 for the pizzas but all/any toppings are free) but I think it might actually be a better option. 

Anyway, my takeaway is that 800° is a genius concept executed pretty poorly, apparently focused more on the scalability than on trying to be the best it can be. The placement and arrangement of the order area is flawed; the employees seem  far more like they're working at McDonalds than at a real restaurant; and the pizzas are cooked in a way to be the worst-of-both-worlds. Is it a complete bust? No. Would I go back? No.
3 - Lin S.: Customizable pizza that doesn't require much work on my part?! Yay! Love the option of topping off my pie with egg... I love eggs on my pizza. Not to mention the price wasn't as bad as some other places!

Downsides: egg wasn't really cooked all the way, and kind of crowded so seating on a busy night could be a major issue. 

Love the concept but I think it could be improved a bit more.
5 - daisy k.: I walked by this place almost daily (I live up the street) and would simply give it puzzled looks every time I saw a long line draping around the sidewalk.  Finally went in for lunch and I can now understand why people line up for their pizza.  Nothing fancy other than fresh ingredients and made just the way you want it.  Sort of like a better-grade Subway/Chipotle for pizza, if you want it conduced to a simple description.  

For the simple, self-serve and reasonable price, the pizzas are delicious and the dough is perfectly slightly salted and sweet.  I tried their specialty pizza, Carni (with extra tomato sauce) and the Blanca built with sweet Italian sausage, meatball and artichoke.  I personally enjoyed the self-built Blanca over the Carni, mainly because the latter was slightly drenched in tomato sauce.  But then again, I'm sure if the Carni was ordered as it is listed on the menu without the extra tomato sauce, it probably would've been better.
2 - Kimberly D.: The hype for this place is way overrated. Sure, they have an appealing menu, simple numbers for their menu prices and attempts at rustic/vintage decor. But they fall short of a genuinely GOOD pizza place. 

I waited for about 20-30 minutes, and ordered the pizza in line, much like Chipotle and Subway, with toppings placed atop a freshly kneaded disk of dough. They have 3 bases of pizza, which have basic ingredients like tomato sauce, cheese, garlic, and oil. I chose $1 toppings of pepperoni and caramelized onions. They also have 3 free toppings (pesto, garlic, and chiles). I had them put chiles on top since I like spicy food.

The pizza was baked in their large, hot ovens and came out fairly fast. I didn't like how the crust was black and burnt. I prefer my pizza cooked, but not blackened. The bread itself was alright, but very thin and did not support the meager toppings at all. I had to roll up each slice and I felt like I was eating Totino's pizza rolls. 

The pizza was WAY TOO SALTY! For some reason, I couldn't place it, maybe it was all the ingredients. The pepperoni was salty, the onions, the chiles, and maybe even their oil had salt in it. Anyway, my lips started to hurt from all the salt and I couldn't finish it.

I was highly disappointed...I kept recalling a pizza that was worth the wait. CHEESEBOARD in Berkeley. Now that is a good pizza joint. As for this place, skip it and opt for your go-to quick eat in Westwood.
3 - Idy T.: Wow overrated! I was just here because I was having midnight cravings. It did not satisfy my cravings at all.

I am not mpressed with my pizza. You start off choosing 1 of 3 different types of pizzas I chose the pizza margherrita which comes with tomato sauce and mozarella cheese for $6 and each topping you add is $1. I ordered the margherita pizza with roasted garlic and it was nothing special. The roasted garlic was okay but for some reason the dough tasted kind weird when it was toasted. It has some infused scent that I am not used to. One side of my crust was also super burnt. I didn't eat it because I do not want to get cancer. This place is like a chipotle/subway of customized pizzas. But you end up with a pizza that doesn't taste like how you expected it to be. 

They will start selling alcohol on Wednesday so hopefully the pizza will taste better with some beer or wine.
3 - Andrew N.: If both pizzas I've had here weren't that great... Is it because I'm bad at building my own pizzas or because this place isn't that great?

Some of these reviews are kind of misleading. A $6 gourmet pizza sounds great... but its $6 for just a plain margherita pizza (dough, tomato sauce, cheese). Once you start adding on the $1 / $3 toppings, you'll realize that you're probably paying more to customize your pizza than you would for a pizza at, say, CPK (which has a bunch of toppings at a set price and good recipes). 

The last time I came, I got a margherita pizza ($6) with chicken ($1), tomatoes ($1), and sausage ($1). I thought the chicken would be chunks of chicken (like on a BBQ chicken pizza) but it was actually just shredded pieces of white meat. The pizza wasn't that bad but it tasted sooo bland. My friend's had more flavor but I think it's only because she got chili.  I know, I know there was a sign up that warns people that the pizza NOT crispy but deng that thing was soggy. 

It wasn't really impressive but the concept is cool. I wouldn't wait in line for it but I would try it again. The best part is that they are open until 2am so it's perfect for drunchies after a night at brewco!
5 - Lynne C.: so cheap and delicious!

pizzas start at 5$ for tomato sauce, burrata cheese (ohsooogood) and you can get as much garlic/peppers as you want.

you pick your own pay per toppings: sausage, prosciutto, salami, eggplant, mushrooms etc etc etc (honestly the 'base' $5 pizza was good enough for me so i didnt play around too much with all the options, but its like yogurtland with toppings, you can go crazy!)

there are also salads and a gelato bar. my favorite thing is watching your pizza go from rolled dough to toppings, to coming out steaming from the woodfire oven.

there's a line at lunch and dinner everytime i've stopped by, but came once at 5pm and was able to get through the line right away. the way it works is you go through the line 'making' your pizza then its seat yourself (kinda like father's office). i've never had a problem getting a table!

unless you can eat a big ole pizza on your own i suggest ordering it to-go so it comes in a hard cardboard box and just eat out of that. otherwise if you get it 'for-here' and ask for a to-go box later the box material is more flimsy and the oil will seep right through.
2 - AndrewScott S.: PRICE: Around $9-12 depending on how much you add.

AMBIANCE: Casual trendy.

IMO this place is the chipotle of pizza. You walk along the assembly line and build your pizza as go. This place gets uber crowded during peak hours. Not really the place for me. It's not bad. But too hyped up. The great thing about it is that you get a fresh pizza. I'm still the delivery boxed pizza kinda guy. But I can see why people would like this place.
3 - Ken T.: For all the hype that I have read on Yelp, this place did not do it for me. The restaurant itself is very nice with friendly service, but the food was just mediocre to me at best. 

I came here with the girlfriend and at first we couldn't decide which pizza to get. In the end, we got the pizza marinara and the margherita ($5 and $6 respectively). How this place works is that you choose your pizza base and then pay $1 for each additional topping that you want to have. You may also have to pay for cheese because the pizza marinara does not come with cheese on it. 

The pizzas are very thin and therefore burn REALLY easily. On both of our pizzas, the crust was barely edible. My girlfriend was also saying that the her pizza was oily. So for all you people out there who dabs their pizza with napkins to get rid of the oil, this is definitely a place to avoid because your napkin will be DRENCHED if you try to do so!! 

For 2 pizzas, expect to pay around $20. I honestly did not think that the meal was worth that much money and felt ripped off as I was leaving. I was disappointed with my experience at this establishment and don't think that I will be returning anytime soon.
5 - ShopperLA D.: O-M-G!!

This is mind blowing.  If you have been looking for authentic italian tasting pizza in Los Angeles, this is your place.  

They use FRESH BUFFALO MOZZARELLA on a relatively thin crust, with a light, fresh tomato sauce (light, not creamy but actual crushed tomatoes) and FRESH basil --That's their Margharita Pizza for $6.  

It's not heavy, it's not greasy.  Fresh ingredients made to order, in front of you. 

For other ingredients, you have to pay extra. 

Best tasting pizza I've had in LA. And I can't believe how affordable it is.  Love this place.
5 - G D.: This place is great! Finally something in LA that is within striking distance of being called 'truly' authentic Neapolitan pizza. It's seriously close to the real thing. Really all they are missing is a group angry old Italian men to yell at you and make you feel like an idiot and it would be perfect.
I can't believe how many of the reviewers below are complaining about the DOUGH! People, this is Neapolitan pizza! IT IS NOT MEANT TO BE PICKED UP! Pizza in Naples is served UNCUT and eaten with a KNIFE AND FORK! You slice off a nice 1x3"ish piece, fold it up, stab it with your fork and down it goes. It's supposed to be wet and soft. Mmmm.
5 - Pooya G.: Cool pizza place and pizza idea, as a matter of fact I have tge same idea but this guy did it first , good job
4 - Lois K.: Fresh ingredients (esp the cheese!). 
Extra garlic for free. 
Your pizza pie handed to you less than a minute after you pay. 

This has spoiled me because when I had to wait for 10 minutes for my pizza at Little Caesar's a few weeks after, I thought I was going to die of hunger.  

Minus one star because it is just way too loud in the restaurant. Do you really need the music turned up that high? I had to shout so the person making my pizza could hear what I wanted (and he still missed parts of it, such as my asking for the crust extra crispy). Also, some pies end up super salty because the first person in the assembly line sprinkles too much on the dough. I would suggest asking for less salt just to be safe since your other toppings may have salt and you can always add it yourself afterward.
4 - Amy C.: Love pizza but don't want to spend a fortune? 800 Degrees is the place for you. 

In the last month, I've had the privilege of coming here twice already and both times I avoided the long line that seems to form around lunch or dinner. The first time we went around 4 pm on a weekday and it was pretty empty. On our second visit, we were the first customers! Woohoo for being there at 11 am. 

My recommendation is the pizza bianca. White pizza with no tomato sauce. It comes with fresh mozzarella, olive oil, garlic, oregano and se salt. Simple ingredients that blend together nicely. I added some fresh arugula for some color and bite. For $5 to start and $1 for extra ingredients, you sure can't beat the price!

My dining companions got the pizza magherita which comes with crushed tomato, olive oil, mozzarella, parmesan and basil. I had a bite and it was just okay to me. But, then again, I'm not a fan of tomatoes on my pizza. This pizza starts at $6 without extra toppings.

After you place your order, you pay for it at the cash register, take a seat and within 5 minutes your pizza is done! I had an entire pizza by myself and would definitely recommend that to anyone else. 

I'd definitely come back, but not sure I'd stand in line.

PIX- http://bit.ly/wPczwQ
3 - Christine C.: GRAND - we're talking marble tops and high ceilings

YET AFFORDABLE - around $10 for your own customized pizza (quite large)

Eh?  How??  


Nevertheless, awesome.  :)  Seems like new businesses can thrive these days with originality.  A nice make your own pizza joint was definitely needed in Westwood.


HELPFUL HINTS
1. Pizza Margherita is the most popular to start with.

2. Digital soda machine is BOMB.  There are options like vanilla or orange soda.

3. Extremely thin pizza and may get very greasy fast!  And sometimes the cheese is still in chunks.  This is the reason why they got 3 stars.  :/
5 - Kristina K.: Wow, how did I not know this place existed until this past week?! I am so disappointed in myself for not discovering this place sooner. On a quick trip to Peet's Coffee with Jen B., we walked past 800 Degrees and were shocked at how busy and delicious the pizzas looked. We made a plan to head there immediately that week. 

2 days later, we were standing in the long line that stretched outside in anticipation of a fresh, steaming hot cheesy neapolitan pizza. Oh boy, was that wait worth it. 

800 Degrees has the same concept as a Chipotle. There are three kinds of pizzas to choose from and you add the toppings as you go a long in an assembly-line fashion. The three standard pizzas (but without toppings) that you have a choice between are the Pizza Margherita (comes with a sweet tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and basil), Pizza Bianca (no tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese, oregano, garlic, and olive oil), and Pizza Marinara (fresh tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, and olive oil). Then each additional topping ranges from $1-3.

You start off by choosing which kind of pizza you want and add on as you wish! I chose the Pizza Margherita with sausage (+ $1), and mushrooms (+ $1). The damage? $8 and some change! Amazing!  My friends ordered the Pizza Margherita with proscuitto and arugula, and the Pizza Bianca with mushrooms. We decided to all share the pizzas together so that we all could taste each different one.

We weren't expecting the sizes of the pizza that we received - HUGE! I originally thought it was going to be the size of a personal pizza but I was very wrong - one pizza could easily feed 2 people. For the price that it was, let's just say we were very happy college students.

I loved the pizza that I chose. The sweet tomato sauce and fresh melting mozzarella with the sweet sausage and salty mushrooms? Wow I'm drooling as I type this. It was delicious! The pizza pie was thin-crusted too, which made it even better! All of the flavors came together and it was piping hot from the wood-oven. I also enjoyed my friends' pizzas - the proscuitto was added on after the pie was baked and gave it a really nice fresh kick with the bitterness of the arugula. Salty, sweet, with some bite of the spicy arugula. 

Needless to say, we had plenty of leftovers for that late night Thursday munchies when we returned to our apartment after a night of ...studying... (Ahem). Yeah. Studying. 

The leftovers we had brought home were gone by 4 AM. 'Nuff said.
4 - Angela S.: Really good pizza, but it does get soggy very fast since it's so thin. Also it's pretty cheap and they make it really fast. I can even come here for work lunch. Plus they have that awesome coke machine where you can mix all sorts of soda flavors.
4 - Laura S.: My sister found this place on Yelp. So we figured we'd give it a try. It reminded me of Pieology in Fullerton because it's basically BUILD YOUR OWN. 

The only difference is that with this one - you pay $1 for the extra stuff versus it's all included. You start with a pizza type - Margharita Pizza, White Pie pizza, etc then you add on the toppings.

The make the cheese very Italian style (scattered) and very little sauce (+). The pizza is also big enough to share between two people. My sister and I got one. 

We ordered sausage and artichoke. They didn't cook the artichoke beforehand and placed it on top when they put it in the oven. My sister said it was undercooked but I eat anything so it was fine with me. 

The peppers they provide is wet. Im not used to wet saucey pepper. I like the dry seasoned (I had it at home so I was good). 

My sister and I tried a sample of the gelatto - get the Biscotti. 

Overall, fast. The bread was good and the pizza was alright. It's kinda pricey but eh it's for the experience.

PARKING:
Metered street - gets busy at lunch time
4 - Calvin H.: This is probably the best food in Westwood Village, period. Gourmet pizzas made to order, with a wide variety of toppings, at very student-friendly prices. You start off with one of their base pizzas (margherita, bianca, or marinara), which are $5-6, and then toppings cost extra. 

My pizza bianca (olive oil, sea salt, garlic, and fresh mozzarella, no tomato sauce) with mushrooms came out to $6. It was definitely the best $6 meal I've had in a long time. The chewy crust plus the olive oil and sea salt taste great enough, but then you get a piece of the mozzarella and it is pizza heaven. The pizza is about a foot in diameter and is enough for one hungry glutton like me or maybe 2 normal people.

Why only 4 stars for the best combination of quality and price in Westwood? They really need to find ways to improve the customer experience. The line out the door is ridiculously long because each pizza is made to order on a line (like at Chipotle). The pizza takes only a minute or two to cook, but the process of putting it together takes time, and the line full of indecisive people can be slow. I don't think it's necessary to have the pizza made in front of your eyes (just ordering off the menu from a seat at a table or bar would suffice) but they insist on it, and I will admit that it has its charms.

After you get your pizza, the seating situation could improve. There's no guarantee of a seat after you've stood in line for half an hour waiting! Also, when I was there, the cash register wasn't working, and the cashier could barely subtract. They clearly have some kinks to work out in order to get that 5 star rating.

As with all of Westwood Village, parking is near impossible. Have fun with that!
5 - Katie L.: Absolutely Italian. 

- Had margherita pizza. (Indeed fresh Mozzarella, nice crushed tomato, love the olive oil, and PERFECT dough)

- Gorgonzola salad. (nice portion, simple and good.)
5 - Ben S.: Since this has been raved about for the past month, a friend and I decided to check it out last Saturday night.  Boy was that timing a mistake.  Prime dinner hour at 7PM and the line wrapped all the way to Peet's.  We definitely waited in that line for 30+ minutes, if not close to an hour by the time that we got our food.  (A friend did tell me that when he went on a Thursday night there was close to no wait, so maybe it was just the weekend rush.)

So it's build-your-own pizza if you haven't been caught up yet.  And they do use the freshest ingredients!  Their tartufo truffle cheese is nutty and amazing, I wouldn't do without it personally.  Thin crust and covered in deliciousness, just the way I like it.  We also ordered the burrata with cherry tomatoes, which was also amazing.  They've got their cheeses down.  Also they had a gelato area that looked amazing which I'll have to try next time.  And they have a super futuristic looking soda machine.  

We didn't dine in, but from what I gather the noise level was definitely on the loud side and the tables were nearly all taken.  Cool Chicago vibe, love the décor of different pizza boxes on the wall behind the pizza making bar.

Street parking is tough, I'd recommend you park in the Broxton lot, especially because it's free for 2 hours before 6PM.

You definitely have to try this place, just make sure you don't go on a weekend at dinnertime apparently.
4 - Kristine K.: SO FRESH!
I love that everything here, from the dough to the ingredients/toppings are freshly made :) So delicious. My friends and I came here around 6:10 PM on Wednesday and the line wasn't that long! Not out the door at all. But when we left around 7:30?, the line was out the door and along the corner! lol

Like everyone said, there are 3 main pizzas you choose from, then an arrangement of toppings. Its like $1 for more cheeses, toppings and proteins!

Decent to long wait, fast service, freshly made and enough seating by the time you get your food. They also sell gelato for $2.50! :) 

I'm so glad there's new food in Westwood!
4 - Alan B.: 800 Degrees recently opened to extremely long lines in Westwood. For the first time today the line merely reached the entrance door so I jumped at the opportunity to see what all the fuss was about. Note, it only took me 15 minutes to have a pizza in hand so don't be too discouraged by the lines. They move you through hella quick.

I'm not much of a fan of build your own pizza/burger/anything so I went with one of the 10 specialty pizzas. Specifically, I chose the Tartufo ($11) with truffle cheese, roasted mushrooms, caramelized garlic, and arugula. They cook it a bit on the doughy side and you must ask if you want it crispy. I didn't say anything and thought the consistency was pretty good. Next time I will get it a bit more crispy.

Frankly, the pizza is damn good. Maybe not quite as good as the hype, but certainly worth a return trip.
4 - Daniel Y.: Best pizza in Westwood.

Customized Neapolitan pizzas with class. The ordering process starts with your pizza being hand shaped right in front of you. Then, you choose your basic pizza type: margherita, bianca, or marinara. Further down the assembly line, you add any additional toppings. The toppings are $1 (with some premium toppings like shrimp, prosciutto or truffle cheese costing $3) while the base is $5-6. From there, it gets gently laid in a wood-fired oven and by the time I got my cup of water from the machine, my pizza was done.

Here's a caveat: for now, the line gets pretty long so get there for an early lunch - around 11:15, but from talking with the manager, the hold up is with customers taking longer to choose their toppings since they're not familiar with the menu.

I love simple so I got a margherita with prosciutto and artichokes. The flavors were fresh, subtle and delicious - nothing like the heavy-handed spicing of your typical American pizza joints. The dough is thin crust, cooked until done, but not cracking crisp. Unfortunately, with mine, it was left a little too long in the hottest part of the oven as the bottom was too charred for my taste - it left a slightly bitter aftertaste. But I'm guessing that with more time the cooks will better understand the quirks and subtleties of their new ovens.

I don't drink soda, but they have one of those super soda dispensing machines where you can choose whatever flavor you want. Those are super cool!

For about $10, you get a ~11" quality pizza.
5 - M D.: Stop comparing this place to Chipotle/Subway, just use the term made-to-order.  Please.  I beg you to open up your world a little bit.

800 Degrees has turned my pizza world upside down.  I have a whole new perspective now, one which doesn't even take the rest of the pizza joints in Westwood into consideration.  Goodbye wackness.  Hello party in my mouth.

Fresh toppings, any of which can drastically change the flavor of your pizza.  Choose wisely, but don't overdo it.  Keep it simple, don't confuse your taste buds - I try not to get more than a couple of toppings at a time.  And keep in mind that garlic, oregano and hot chili sauce are all free add-ins.  Each time I leave, I'm already planning the toppings I will choose next time.  I kid you not.

If you want a crispier crust, stay away from soggy toppings and ask for light olive oil.  Or start with the Bianca as the base, that seems to come out of the oven a bit crispier.  They definitely take their craft seriously here.  If you ask for a crispier crust, they will warn you that it's not possible if you've overloaded the pizza with too many toppings.  

Thank you 800 Degrees Pizza for opening up an affordable quality restaurant in Westwood.
4 - Catherine J.: I'll be honest: I'm not a huge fan of pizza. Pizza feels one-noted to me, and with the carb heavy cheesiness, it's all a bit too much. 800 Degrees, however, is the exception! I absolutely love that everything is so fresh and made in front of you: very cool to watch! It reminds me of when I was little and used to love watching bakers baking bread at places like Boudin or candy store employees swirling caramel apples at the window.

I had the margherita ($6) pizza with prosciutto ($3) and arugula ($1). For $10, it was a great deal and very satisfying. the crust was, as others have mentioned, slightly undercooked(?) so it definitely was chewier than I was used to but I enjoyed it. The splotches of mozzarella cheese felt really heavy after a while, but that's my fault for ordering it that way. All in all, the experience is great (esp. with the vaulted ceilings and cool, rich decor) and I highly recommend for a meal fancier than a hole-in-the-wall but not $$$+ status.
5 - Jade J.: Holy ballz, this place is amazing. They have Vegan cheese for all us vegans out there! :)
5 - Tracey W.: It's like a Subway or Quiznos for pizza. You have 3 basic pizzas to choose from (margherita, bianca & marinara) as your base or you can pick a pizza from their favorites. Toppings are additional $1/topping. One person flattens the dough while another puts all the sauces on the dough. Then it moves down the assembly line to where the toppings are added on.

The plain margherita pizza is delicious if you're craving something simple. The sausage & peppers pizza is really good as well. I LOVE the peppadews on the pizza! The prosciutto pizza is good as well especially with the arugula on top. 

The price of the pizza is very reasonable considering it's made to order and the ingredients are fresh (fresh mozzarella!) This is one of my go to places in Westwood now. 

Tip: DO NOT go during lunch hours (12-1pm). The line will be out the door and nowhere to sit. Come before noon or after 1pm.
4 - Elizabeth S.: For the price?!!?! 5/5!! I love how cheap it is!

The line can get REALLY long- 45 min max (maybe)... but the pizzas come out 3 minutes after you order it, which is super amazing.

I wish that they would stick it in the oven for a bit longer- I was craving some more warmth/hotness of the food-- but seriously, good portions. I'm a small asian girl so for me, I could only eat half. The bigger asian guys I was with ate all of theirs.

Overall, I'm a big fan, but.... I still love Papa John's for their thick pizzas and garlic butter. 8) I'd definitely come here to show people local food in Westwood!
5 - Khalid N.: They nailed this concept. Great, creative thin crust pizza at a really reasonable price and in the heart of Westwood. Makes me upset I didn't think of it first.
5 - Jordan W.: Mamma mia, it's a pizza, done the best way. 


F - Forget about any preconceived notion of what pizza is/was
R - Rest assured you'll get the custom pizza you want, nay deserve
E - Exceptional ingrediants, staff, and ambiance. Amazing soda machine. 
S - Smiles will beam beneath your tomato sauce smeared face.
H - Have a good day!
4 - Carolyn P.: I've never been to Naples but this is what I dream truly authentic Neapolitan pizza to taste like.  One bite and you're in carb-y cheesy heaven.  You can't help but have ooey-gooey melty fresh mozzarella cheese drip down your chin but you simply don't care.  The crust is really amazing -- super thin and crispy on the outside, but with enough elasticity to be chewy and melty in your mouth.  Droooool...

I had the margherita pizza topped with rosemary ham, peppery arugula, and spicy chilies.  My friend ordered the margherita pizza with mushrooms and caramelized onions.  Of the two, we preferred mine.  We also enjoyed the truffle cheese bread (I wish it had more truffle flavor...it tasted more like garlic cheese bread) and the burrata salad with prosciutto and melon (darkhorse of the meal but the fresh melon really cut the rich flavors of the pizzas and bread).

The line was out the door and to the corner of Lindbrook and Westwood when we got there.  It took us about 20 minutes to get to the start of the counter and another 10-15 minutes to make it through the line, pay, and finally get our food.  Since the line moves at a reasonable pace, and pizza is a fairly quick meal to eat, there is constant turnover of seats and tables so you can always find a free seat to sit down and devour your fresh hot pizza.  The line looks intimidating but it's worth the wait!

The ordering process is simple -- you can either order one of their preset specialty pies or you can make your own.  You pick a classic pizza (Margherita, Bianca, or Marinara) and add on as many proteins, cheeses, and vegetable toppings as you like (each for an additional charge ~$1-3).  You can add oregano, garlic, and chilies for no additional charge.  You follow your pie down the assembly line and watch it go into the piping hot wood oven. 

Only thing missing here is an ice-cold beer to enjoy with your pizza.  The menu says "coming soon" so hopefully they'll have their liquor license the next time I'm there...
4 - Amanda N.: 4 stars depending on what you order.  I like 800 degrees - both for their pizzas & their burrata.  However, it's not so affordable that I would eat here as regularly as say - Chipotle (as I feel it is often compared to).  To me, this is not fast food - or if it is, it's luxury fast food (if that even makes sense).

I ordered the tartufo pizza and burrata w/ cherry tomatoes & pesto.  Mmmm it was all really good, and I definitely liked what I ordered more than my friends' pizzas (most of them built their own pizzas, using the margherita base).  I *really* liked the combination of white pizza with truffle cheese - great flavor and very well-executed.  Crazily enough, I think I liked their burrata even more.  The pesto was the perfect complement to the burrata and cherry tomatoes.  I would actually return just to order the burrata & cherry tomatoes again.  The pizzas, though thin, are still pretty large, so I think they are big enough to share if you aren't starving.

If I had made my own pizza, I might not have liked 800 Degrees as much.  I tried all my friends' pizza creations, but I still liked mine the most.  I think I will stick to ordering from their specialty pies menu in the beginning, until I get a good feel for what ingredients really go together with the style of pizza here.

Overall, I definitely recommend checking out 800 Degrees if you are a pizza lover and/or it is in a convenient location for you.  The ingredients are fresh and I like the quick-order concept.  I don't know if I would drive across town and deal with parking in Westwood just for the pizza, but I definitely think this place is worth trying at least once.  800 Degrees is one of the better food spots in Westwood, so I'll be back for sure.
4 - George T.: This build your own pizza place has been quit the hit in Westwood since it opened. If you're looking to come here for lunch, you better get there before noon.

Since you choose the toppings, it depends on you how your pizza ends up tasting.. actually it depends on how much you want to spend, each topping is a dollar. Wish they would bring down that price. rest assure the toppings are delicious and fresh. They picked out froo-froo names to make it sound even more "authentic". 

The line moves in an expected pace and your pizza is ready before you know it. Even though, the place is busy, there is always seating. 

My only concern is although the crust tastes great, the pizza has fallen apart on me twice and during one of those times it happened twice. First in the oven and second off the wooden board!
3 - Michael C.: My first experience here was with take-out, and by the time I got back to my apartment my pizza was a sad, floppy mess. It wouldn't be fair to review 800 Degrees based on that experience, so I braved the lines again to eat onsite. 

As it turns out, hype doesn't taste that remarkable. Are Neapolitan pies supposed to be this wet and limp? Be ready to eat your slices folded or with a fork and knife, because these things can't wait to fall apart in your hands. And yes, I ordered my pizza crispy.

Granted, the ingredients used here are pretty impressive. The kalamata olives and mushrooms on our pizza didn't just sit on the sidelines while the rest of the pie did its thing -- these toppings were really full of bold flavors. Also, a little bit of the chili oil goes a long way. Ask for it on the side.

If you're into the whole traditional pizza thing, and obviously many are, it looks like this is the place. The rest of us appreciate you guys keeping traffic out of the other pizza places in Westwood.
3 - Maria R.: I liked the food here, but my experience could have be better if the wait wasn't that long.  They need a little more organization.  I am thinking it wouldn't hurt them if they had the staff taking orders from customers while waiting in line, like they do at "in-and-out".  I have been here a couple of times only because every time I am in the mood for pizza I don't want to wait in line forever, so I prefer going to the competition, Pitfire.  All in all, the food is great, but the waiting out weights the benefits.
5 - Viv L.: Pizza is made-to-order and hot on plate.  The traditional pizzas start at $5!  What more do you want?!

I like their Bianca with extra garlic, anchovies and arugula.  The garlic is heaven and I am not kidding!  The crust is thin but has a chewy-doughy texture which I LOVE very much, not dry at all! They are individual pizzas and relatively easy to share with a friend.  However, you will be amazed how much you can actually eat bite after bite.  I have seen numerous times that skinny girls finished their own pizza and a salad.  So I do not recommend sharing!  The line is always long and the place is always packed.  But by the time you place your order, there are always seats open up, so no need to ask your friend to hold a table.

Peets is right next door so I usually grab a latte before I go back to slow down my food coma in the afternoon.
4 - Allison S.: Great fun, good pizza - liked the choices and the price was fair. It was basically a Chipotle for pizza - same uniforms, same set up/atmosphere and same cost. You get exactly what you want and by the time you are done paying, your pizza is ready - hence the 800 degrees cooking temp. Problem is the line. We arrived at 8pm and left at 8:45. The place is certainly popular so be prepared to wait if you want to give this place a go...but it was worth the experience...I enjoyed it. I had basic style with mozzarella and tomato sauce ($6) and then added bacon, mushrooms and olives ($1 each). I would recommend - but maybe go early if you want to beat the late night college crowd :)
4 - Sean T.: Love the food ..Hate the Wait..
4 - Casey Y.: SO GOOD! 

I'm a regular here because I can't stop craving this place dear lord.

FOOD: It's like a Subway/Chipotle for pizza, where you start out with the dough and add on your own toppings from there. So right from the start, you are guaranteed freshness and you are guaranteed to get EXACTLY what you want. A plain pizza with just tomato sauce and cheese is $6 (what most people get as a base), and then each topping you add after that is $1. They have a huge variety of toppings to choose from, from sausage and mushroom to artichoke hearts and artisan cheeses. Since you get to choose everything that goes on your pizza, its is vegetarian friendly, lactose intolerant friendly, and perhaps vegan friendly as well. Each pizza is cooked for like 2 minutes in an 800 degree oven, so even though there are really long lines around lunchtime and dinnertime, the wait is usually just alright. (But i mean... DO avoid those times.)

The pizza size is probably closest to a small Pizza Hut pizza--so it's not huge, but definitely not something like a "personal pizza" size thing. Two people could easily share one pizza (although I always get my own mwahhaa).

They also offer salad here, and YOU DONT HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE IF YOU ARE JUST GETTING SALAD! On top of that, they have gelato, which is delicious as always, and they have a GREAT SODA MACHINE. It's fun to play with, and offers a ton of different flavors of soda, which is cool :D

AMBIENCE: It's inside a historic Westwood theater that closed down--so obviously the place looks really cool :) It's a noisy place filled with people all the time--great hang out place with friends. and OMG IT IS OPEN UNTIL 2AM (so drunchies here are highly encouraged.)

This place was featured on LA Times, LA Weekly, Huffington Post, etc before it even opened. This place is legit so eat here and be happy.
4 - Eileen E.: Omg their burrata and beets appetizer ($5) is soooo good. Their burrata is soooo creamy with a wonderful flavor. The beets are cooked perfectly - tender yet firm. Topped with arugula, black pepper, and balsamic.... amazing.

I also tried their crispy crust this time and thought it made the pizza tastier. I also took them up on their free chilies topping which turned out to be a chili puree (read: chili oil, oh hell yes). 

If you're feeling like you really need to pig out, their truffle bread appetizer is also very, very good. It's more like a calzone stuffed with mushrooms, truffle cheese, and arugula. It's topped with garlic and truffle oil. Very rich and filling.
2 - Jerry P.: I thought I was eating mexican tortilla soup. That soup I like, the pizza not so much.

It was a weekday, 3:30pm and the place was busy. No line.The two men in front  of me asked for their pizza to be extra crispy. I ordered mine the regular way they make it. I ordered my $6 Margherita pie with grilled onions which added $1. Placing the order, paying for the order and getting your finished pie took four minutes.  Except it was tortilla soup with some tomato sauce and burrata cheese.

The crust was limp and thin,  and a brown/gray cement color, and the center of the pie was soupy.  I ate two pieces with a spoon, and brought the rest home for my shiba inu , although my neighbor does have a chihuahua.

Some of their salads look interesting.

And now, in case the owners are reading this, and I usually charge for my advise, when a pizza is taken out of a very, very hot oven, and cooking for about a minute, it still has plenty of moisture in the dough(crust). If you place that pizza immediately on a plate after cooking it at a high temp for a short period of time, it will only steam on that plate and get limp and soupy. One solution is to place a small metal screen (a rack) on the dish and place the pizza on the screen.  Or, after taking it out of the oven place it on a large screen and let it sit a few minutes before giving it to the customer ( although this partially defeats  assembly line idea).


I like the idea of the place, and therefore did not give it one star.
4 - Daniel D.: A pizza-serving Chipotle style restaurant. Probably one of the best tasting pizzas I've ever had. You can customize it however way you like, so you CANT GO WRONG! The only thing about it that I didn't like was that it felt a bit soggy, even right after it got out of the oven, otherwise, it tastes great.
5 - kristin l.: OMG so effing good! 800 degrees is the upscale Subway/Chipotle of making your own pizza! Tons of delicious ingredients that are all of great quality and fresh, three basic foundations to start your pizza out all for under $15 (give or take a few topings) what more could you want!?! Not only is it an amazing restaurant that is totally affordable, you can come here everyday of the week, have something delicious every time and never repeat the same ingredients! I've only known about the place for 3 weeks and I've already been 4 times! shhhhh!
4 - Danny D.: Being from New York, I gotta be honest... I'm a pizza snob. Really. I'm a damn pizza snob, and nobody but New York makes good pizza. Not the surrounding States, and certainly not California. NY pizza has the crispy thin crust, not an excess of dough, and none of that deep dish stuff (I'm lookin' at you, Chicago.). Guess what? 800 Degrees is the first pizza in Los Angeles that I've LOVED. Yes. LOVED.

It's totally Neapolitan style pizza, so it's thin, falls apart (but with a bit of crisp to the crust) and it's not excessive in its doughness. So, it's not sold by the slice, and everybody gets their own pies. 

Be warned, though, because since they make the pies fresh for each person, there tends to be a bit of a line no matter what time you go. I've only gone during off peak hours (after 9 on a Sunday and a weekday), but even then... lineage. But totally worth it, because as much as I love NY pizza, they make that stuff earlier and then reheat it in the oven (hence the trademark crispy crust. Trade secret!). 

So, there are three kinds of pizza you can get. The Margherita, which is marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese and basil ($6), the Bianca, which is just cheese, and Marinara, which is just sauce ($5 each). The dough gets kneaded in front of you, and then there's the toppings. Each topping is $1 each, which includes proteins and veggies and even additional cheese. Extra special stuff is $3 a piece, which includes rock shrimp and prosciutto. I ordered a margherita with sausage, meatballs, sopresata and mushrooms (total of $10). The gf ordered the bianca with sausage, mushrooms and salame. Then, off it goes to the oven. It literally takes minutes to cook, which is much faster than I was expecting.

The pizza is fantastic. Just crispy enough, but falls apart like real pizza should. Not too much sauce, not too much cheese, just right. The sauce is tasty, and you can get fresh garlic and fresh oregano for free upon request before baking. Everything tasted fresh, and the sausage and sopresata is terrific. We also ordered the Burrata with cherry tomatoes and pesto ($5), and that was terrific too. The cheese is fresh, and it isn't overwhelmed with vinegar. The key word to all of this is "fresh". 

The topper is the state of the art soda machine. It's touch screen, and has many different types of soda. I know, I know, that's the point, right? Allow me to clarify: when I say "different types of soda", I mean, "hey, I selected diet coke, and oh look! I can now choose between vanilla diet coke, cherry diet coke, lime diet coke, etc etc etc". Coolest soda machine ever!

Overall, this pizza is great. How great? I was introduced to this a week ago, and I've already been there twice. And I live in Glendale. That's how good. Best pizza ever in L.A. No joke. Damn, now I'm hungry.

UPDATE:

They raised their prices. Bummersville. It's not $6.45 for a margherita, $5.65 for a bianca, and $5.15 for a marinara. Everything else is the same, though, and still a pretty good deal. Nothing else has changed in my review, so stop yer readin' and get to eatin'! Wow, that was lame. Forget I said that. Eat pizza!
3 - Eileen L.: i feel like this place is overhyped. you start out with a basic margherita, bianca, or marinara pizza for $5, add additional toppings ($1 each), then pay and find an empty table while they bake your pizza for you. they have a wide variety of toppings to choose from, so i like that part.

so why 3 stars? the middle of my pizza was so soggy! and all of the toppings (other than the cheese) were concentrated in the middle of the pizza, rather than spread out around the pizza. so sad that i couldn't eat my pizza without folding it!

palomino's happy hour pizza is yummier and more worth it imo.
5 - Janice K.: OMG. Where do I begin. First of all, be warned... the line is very long like 6Flags. But they close at 2am so if you drop in around 9:30pm or 10:00pm it won't be too bad. The pizza here is AMAZING!! Let's face it, LA does not know how to make pizza.. CPK? You call that a pizza? Really? But 800 Degrees is by far the best pizza I've had in Los Angeles.
800 is a cafeteria style joint.. build your pizza as you go. It's a fun process standing in line and watching your pizza being made. They have great gourmet toppings...speaking of which...YOU MUST top off your pizza with a runny egg at the end! SO GOOD *dying*
They had this cool soda machine at the end. I just stood and stared for a good 5 minutes because it was a fancy contraption. I didn't have the patience to figure out this machine with my pizza staring at me so I just had water. 
Also, SHAZAAAM~the TRUFFLE CHEESE BREAD was out of this freakin world. Think of naan bread with stringy cheese and olive oil drizzled on top. I will be dreaming of this tonight. Amen.
5 - Denis S.: This pizza is fantastic.  Very fresh ingredients, plenty of options, and with an 800 degree oven, it's super fast.  Yes, there is a HUGE line outside, but it goes faster than you think and it's all well-worth the wait.

I know there are some reviewers who have compared it to a Chiptole and a Subway.  First, it is nothing like a Subway.  Subway is gross.  But a Chipotle, might be right on the money.  Not just because you assemble the pizza in the same way we used to assemble Model-Ts, but because of the signs, the worker's shirts and the whole decor.  Plus fresh ingredients and delicious food is Chipotle's thing.  So if someone told me that this was started by the same people as Chipotle, or even inspired by Chipotle, I wouldn't be surprised.
5 - Charlene A.: yummy!

pizza is great especially for the price. the place is clean and spacious. service is also nice. 

My friend took me here for an early dinner on a Wednesday. We got there around 5ish and there was no line at all and plenty of places to sit. So if you want to avoid the huge line everyone is talking about, get there early. 

you choose your pizza base, then choose your toppings - $1 for each topping unless you get the FREE toppings:
oregano - they have sprigs of oregano and they kind of shake it on top of your pizza
garlic - minced garlic
chili - not diced peppers, it's like that red, chunky, seedy, spicy paste

i got the margherita pizza base for $6 and since i'm cheap, i only got the 3 free toppings. the pizza was really good and it was big! it definitely got me full and my friend couldn't even finish hers. the only thing is, i wish they put more basil on my pizza. i mean it is a margherita pizza. i literally only got 2 leaves of basil that were ripped apart and sprinkled  on top. 

but overall, highly recommend 800 degrees and remember to get there early to avoid the lines!
4 - Diana Y.: Pizza is closer to 3.5 stars, price is definitely 5. I would have given the food a solid 4 if my pizza wasn't so soggy. I should have followed the advise of other Yelpers and asked for my pizza to be cooked longer to help with the soggy crust problem. 

I got the margherita ($6) with pepperoni and mushrooms ($1 each), and of course ALL the free add-ons as well, chili, garlic and oregano :) For sides, tried the Burrata with cherry tomatoes and Broccolini.  The burrata was ok, it was not as flavorful and rich as better ones I've had, but I wasn't expecting too much from them since they don't specialize in it. The broccolini is just the same as what they would put on the pizza if you ordered it as a topping, only they toss it a little with olive oil and some kind of vinegar, I would suggest not ordering this and just ask for it on your pizza if you really wanted to have some broccolini. They have LA Creamery ice cream available with a good amount of flavors to choose from, about 6-8, plus for that! And for those that love novelty stuff, the drink dispenser is one of those fancy types that lets you mix and match different sodas and flavorings, kids would probably really enjoy playing around with it, I stuck to boring Diet Coke. I would come back again because the pizza is of good quality and reasonably priced, it's possible to have a nice meal in LA without blowing the budget.
4 - Nelly G.: went there with a friend. The line is long. They have a few options and you can build your own pizza- it is yummy and fresh and I am fan.
They have pasta and vegetarian options so go and try.
5 - Aaron S.: I just found out about this place and had to try it.  Its very close to my work.  I will now be a regular here!

The pizza is super tasty and fresh. Its Italy style, simple and fresh ingrediants. Dont expect Pappa Johns style pizza here.  Its wayyyy better.

Pizza's are individuals and you can add toppings. I recommend the Pizza Margarheta with Kalamata Olives.  The Chopped Salad is also excellent. 

I am a fan!
4 - Tamar F.: After one failed attempt at trying 800 degrees (we didn't feel like waiting in line), I came here with a colleague when we were in Westwood.  We came around 2:30pm, so the lunch crowd was pretty much cleared out and we were able to order right away.  The interior is neat - lots of tile and wood, clean yet interesting decor, and the line style reminds me more of Tender Greens than Subway even though they make it as you watch.

I ordered the Bianca with two toppings (ricotta & an egg), my colleague ordered another Bianca (peppadew & artichoke) and we split the burrata with tomato & pesto.  The food took about 5 minutes to make.  Each pizza is about enough for 1.5 people, I'd guess.  I had 2 slices left over of mine, while my colleague ate all of his.

The pizza was delicious.  I was a little taken aback at first as it said that the ricotta would be rolled into the crust, whereas it was thrown on top, but it melded deliciously with the mozzarella.  The fried egg was an oozy bit of deliciousness.  The burrata appetizer was so fresh and flavorful - simplicity at its best.  

They also have one of those neat touch-screen coke machines which are great in theory, but bad once you have a nasty drink because you got too excited about all of the options.

I'd definitely return, though I don't know whether I can stomach the crazy lines with co-eds.
4 - Christine N.: Definitely worth the price!  Not lovin the line out the door though... although, i have to admit, it's worth the wait. I loveee the margarita pizza with garlic and proscuitto. yummmm..
4 - Bryan M.: After a hike up Solstice Canyon, my friend and I needed something to recharge our batteries.  We'd heard that 800 Degrees had really good pizza and a soda dispenser that makes your dreams come true, so we headed to Westwood.  First, the line is not insubstantial, and it existed pretty much the whole time we were there (from 1:30-2:30 pm on a Friday.)  However, once you get inside you'll move quickly.  And, honestly, the pizza is worth the wait.  It's Neapolitan style pizza, so the dough is softer and chewier, and the toppings are fresh and not piled on as freely as NY pizza. 

 I had  a Margharita pizza with Sopprasetta, meatballs and broccolini.  The meats were so flavorful and they paired together quite well.  The broccolini was such a great addition: bitter, savory and so flavorful.  My friend got a pie with arugula and sopprasetta.  The arugula is put on after the pie is baked, so it's crisp and fresh tasting.  Both pizzas were excellent, and now I can't wait to try more.

And the soda machine is spectacular.  There are so many unique choices that I wound up going back for a refill, which I never do.
5 - Mark S.: We pulled up at 10:30pm after building up an appetite at 2nd-Saturday-Swing dancing in Van Nuys.  What a treat to find parking right in front of the entrance, as contrasted with the terrible parking at Habana's in Costa Mesa --- another fave of mine.  The decor of 800 Degrees is a warm and welcoming vintage one, circa 1935, with wood flooring and hex-shaped floor tiles and subway-tiled walls.  The vaulted ceilings make me wonder how prime real estate like this off Gayley in UCLA's stomping grounds wouldn't mandate having two floors requiring additional lease income.  We clearly appreciated the openness, but noted that a quick check-in with staff confirmed that the place had been packed with a 45-minute wait just an hour earlier.  A pretty hep place!  The tables are situated in close proximity, to maximize capacity.  We had no troubles, because there were perhaps 20 people dining at that late hour.

We just wanted a snack, and expected to get a single slice or two of pizza.  However, they are basically the Subway answer to fast-food pizza.  You walk in, stand in a line, pick out your toppings, and watch pizzas made in assembly-line fashion.  The ingredients looked quite fresh and delectable.  My only hesitation....how long would I have to wait for my pizza to cook?  Two minutes!  The literally wood-fired oven is *that* hot, and the crust so thin, that the pizza cooks quickly.  If you're into deep-dish pizza, which I am, then maybe this isn't your best choice.  But, if you're into thin-crust pizza, which I am, then this is a real treat!  Thin crust allows you to taste all the toppings, without losing yourself in bread.  I love crust, but I want to taste my toppings too.

My wife and I had our $6 personal pizza (we regretted sharing it!) in no time, and returned to pick up our gelato.   Could it be as rewarding as the pizza?  Definitely, although it's not made by our pizzateers.  LA Creamery gets the nod, and they supply lots of other vendors, so you may already have tasted their treats.

The funny part of the evening....we just wanted some Yogurtland yogurt, across the street.  We ended up with a memorable experience and can't wait for them to expand to the O.C.
5 - Fara A.: Brought to you by the guy behind Umami Burger and the Fifth Taste...another winning combination of delicious casual food with gourmet touches.

Parking is mostly metered, or if you have a pass, Lot 32 is closest.

Lofty ceiling with wood panels, and great beats make this a fun place to sit back and enjoy your meal. The lines are long but the service is prompt and friendly.

The pizza is in classic Neapolitan style  - soft, thin crust. There are 3 pizza bases...margherita, bianca (white) and marinara $5-6 each). Toppings (vegetarian or meat) are generally $1 each,some are higher (i.e.,rock shrimp $3). Don't think of generic ham, pineapple, or bell peppers...toppings are more along the line of truffle cheese, capers and broccolini. There are other speciality pies that run $8-$11 and have a preset variety of cheese, sauce and toppings. Each pizza would easily feed 1- 1.5 adults. 

They also offer great accompaniments or alternatives to the pizza - salads and burrata - we had the beets and burrata, and small bites, such as meatballs. The beets and burrata was substantial, included both pink and red beets and was a steal at $5.

Soda is dispensed by a sleek, silver machine (I read that it was made by Ferrari) and is oh-so-cool and fun! At only $2 a pop (no pun intended) and with refills, another great steal of a deal!

Looking forward to trying some of their LA Creamery offerings next time, and at these prices and quality, you bet there'll be a next time!
4 - Victoria W.: Came here on SUPER busy Friday night...had to stand in line for 25 minutes. Thefood was great though! Fab pizzas, salads and a cool dunk machine. Will be back...maybe there won't be line next time??
4 - Ryan C.: Good cheap food open until 2am.
2 - Alan R.: Yet another pizza place in LA that claims it has good pizza. Wrong again.
Great gimmick with little taste.
4 - Apollo B.: Can you imagine pizza that is just as appetizing whether you've had a few drinks or simply craving an absolutely scrumptious pizza? Imagine no more!

800 Degrees will spew out your freshly made pizza out of the oven faster than your local McDonald's can hand you over your 5 piece nuggets (Ok, I'm exaggerating, but it's really that fast) No, more will you hear the dreaded "The pizza will take 15-20 minutes to back, is that OK?" And most importantly, the quality is not sacrificed! 

I just wish Westwood would have opened this while I was still going to UCLA!
3 - Stacy T.: I don't know what all the fuss is about.  I ordered a Margarita Mizza and it was soggy.  I don't think iI would wait in that line to get that pizza again.
4 - Catherine H.: Got here around 8pm on a Wednesday night, so I didn't think it would be that busy...I was wrong!  There was still a line out the door.  We waited for about 20 min before we got to the front, which wasn't bad.  My friend and I split a marinara pizza with chicken, eggplant, artichoke, and ricotta cheese, since we had already eaten a little beforehand.  

What makes this place unique is that you pretty much build your own pizza, they also have specialty pies, which are already made combinations of toppings.  If you have been to Pieology in Fullerton its the same concept.  The service was friendly and fast.  We got our pizza about a minute after we paid at the cashier.  The only problem was that there were no tables to sit at!!  We awkwardly waited around people who seemed to be finished so we could quickly take their table.  

Other than that the pizza was really good!  It's neopolitan style, so its soft crust and a little hard to eat since its soooo soft.  I would recommend eating it with a knife and fork!  Probably will come again, prices are very reasonable and all the ingredients seem really fresh!
5 - James O.: Unbeatable for the price. I have been to pizzerias in Italy, an international award winning store in Nagoya Japan, and many others. This place is not on the same level by any means, but the flexibility in what you can order, add, and modify about your personal pizza is unparalleled. Countless toppings, high quality ingredients, down right tastey. It was fun because my brother, friend, and I all got totally different pizzas and shared them around the table, all for under $25. Not far from the university and has a good amount of seating. Only downside is the line. Overall a fun little adventure and was pleasantly surprised.
4 - Christopher S.: Open til 2 A.M. -Yes.
This place is great. Customizable pizzas for a fair price and soon to come, beer and wine. The crust is thin but not crispy, a pretty doughy style.
It's a nice pizza place to have around UCLA, I think it'll do well here.
3 - alex d.: love that the ordering process is interactive and visual

don't be turned off by the long lines during meal times, it moves fast and the pizzas are done in no time at all.

pizzas are unique as far as taste and texture compared to the usual papa john's/domino's.

i say give it a try.  it's slightly on the expensive side given that if you want cheese and 2 toppings on your pizza.. that will cost $9 after tax.  add a drink and you're looking at a $11 lunch.

also their cool looking soda machine with all the different flavored coke.. i was excited to try it but the flavor add-ins are pretty forgettable.
5 - Debra B.: This review is someone who went to Naples Italy last year just so I could eat pizza four days in a row and not feel badly about it. So I feel like I have a little bit of authority in saying that this place is the REAL DEAL.  I'd been waiting to try this place ever since I heard about it, but I don't really get to the Westwood area much. Finally, today I did for lunch and found that the pizza lived up to all the hype.  If you are looking for American style New York thin crust pizza where you can hold a big slice and fold it or whatever, this is not the place. That is not how pizza is in Italy. And I'd guess a lot of the negative reviews for this place on here come from people like the guy I was standing behind today at lunch, who could not for his life figure out how to order a "plain cheese pizza" - of which there is no such thing in Naples. 

I had a Margherita, because that is the standard by which all pizza should be judged. And it was a simply sublime combination of a chewy, sightly-charred crust, fresh tomato-y sauce, and fresh, chewy mozzarella cheese. Real Neapolitan pizza is soggy because of the watery fresh mozzarella. That's just the way it is, and it doesn't make it bad.  Then you add the $7 (After tax) price to it, and I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a better true Neapolitan style pizza in the whole country. Yep, I said it.

In fact, the only American thing about this pizza was that they sliced it. which I actually kind of wish they didn't. Thank goodness I don't live closer!
5 - Alyne W.: Great pizza, great price, great environment. I am not rating on wether this is the BEST pizza in LA but it deserves 5 stars for Taste, ambiance, stafff, price and overall goodness.
5 - Arek M.: Instructions for eating at 800 degrees:

1. Wait in line for about 35 minutes.
2. Order a pizza margherita.
3. Add fontina and provolone cheese.

Eat and repeat.
4 - J B.: My main complaint is the line.  It's on par with a ride at Disneyland.  Otherwise, the ingredients are high quality and fresh.  The baking time is fairly quick and the crust is very good.  Oh yeah, it's Westwood so there's zero parking.
4 - Joyan C.: Pizza is delicious, the ingredients are very high quality and tasty.  We got the margherita w/prosciutto and the capricciossa, both were great.  The pizza is soft, there's a sign saying that's the way it should be in real Italy, so don't expect it to be crispy.
The atmosphere is fun because it's so bustling.  We went at 4 PM in the rain and there was still a line.  Just expect a long line when you go, no matter what the time.
4 - grace c.: I am truly a ny pizza snob and even after having pretty good pizza, places that i would go back to here in LA, my favorite pizzeria still only exists in ny.  Although 800 degrees is a commendable substitute.   For me, there are a couple draws to this place....1) it's probably the cheapest pizzeria around that serves up gourmet pizza with fresh ingredients 2) the crust is chewy like ny crust and 3) the add ons....there are tons of selections and so far, all the ones I've had are pretty good (artichoke, mushroom, eggplant...)

The only downside to this place is it's inconsistency...having only  been here twice, i have to say that my 2nd experience was mediocre.  The dough was too thin in the middle...so much so that it couldn't support the toppins and instantly broke off as soon as I lifted the pizza off the plate...not a fan of that.  I mean I like thin crusts but it was paper thin, unacceptable.  Then the way that the waitress cut the pizza....this is probably just a bit nit picky, and I admit, but the proportions were totally off...really large pieces with tiny pieces...

Either way, despite the inconsitency, this is still pretty good pizza.  Just be prepared for a wait! Even at 10pm on a Monday night, I still had to wait at least 20 min in line.
5 - Joy B.: I'm a big pizza fiend who could eat pizza days in a row.  Nice gourmet pizza with a great price!

Very prompt and friendly service.  It's pretty cool how you get your pizza in less than minutes after paying for it.  

We ordered Margherita pizza, capricciosa pizza, and a burrata salad with pine nuts and caponata.  Delicious!
4 - John D.: Went there last week and again last night.  Prices went UP.  Yes, it's cheap if you have a plain cheese pizza- $6.45.  But each topping is $1 so most pizza's are going to cost you $9-12.  With a drink it's more like $12-15.  So people that rate this as under $10 are not doing the math or they are not drinking or they order just plain cheese pizza.   Keep it real, people.   But the food is fresh, line moves quickly, great drink selection.  In fact, they have every possible soft drink so that's a huge plus.  I love the ricotta topping with pepperoni and basil.  simple.
4 - Erene M.: Went to this place last week and really enjoyed my experience there. 

Arrived around 8 on a Thursday night and the line was very long. It was steadily moving the entire time, but I was very very very very hungry the moment I was assaulted by the aroma of wonderful pizzas being born. 

I got a white pizza with shrimp and basil pesto. It was delicious, especially the amazing crust. One complaint I wanted to register was that I had a total of 5 pieces of minute little baby shrimp on my pizza. For a $3 topping, I thought this was a little ridiculous. Other than that, I thought the pizza turn out delicious and it was a lot of fun to see it run down the assembly line and mature into a delicious pie of goodness destined for my belly. 

I had a beer with my food. Not much of a beer selection, but all the more focus on the food. I wanted to try the ice cream, but was way too full. 

Had the truffle cheese bread, or whatever it is called, definitely not worth it and wayyyyy too heavy. 

Commendations for great pricing. Very affordable and therefore, very much worth the wait!

Tips: Parking is nonexistent. 
Best topping for pizza ever: fried egg (although it will make the middle of your pizza soggy)
4 - Debbie H.: Okay, so I stand in this long line that goes out the door but I get to watch them toss the dough and make the pizza's as I walk through this line.  Pretty cool, the dough is fresh, light and very thin.  I usually like my pizza as a deep dish, thick style but this thin and very light pizza was tasty.  They spread a very thin layer of olive oil, garlic and tomato sauce on the dough put some fresh creamy Mozzarella on it with basil than you go down this line and you get the option to add additional toppings to the pizza if you want or just leave it as the one that you ordered.  We shared a sausage and peppers pizza and a Margherita Pizza and I requested carmalized onions to both pizza's, really flavorful.  The dough was so light that I basically rolled it up like a burrito to keep it from dropping on me.  This is how I imagine pizza in Italy to taste like.   2 Gourmet style 9 inch pizza's  for 20 bucks....not bad at all.

Don't let the long line out the door scare you away, as it does move pretty quickly and all the tables inside clear out pretty quick too.  This is Westwood so nothing but street parking and you are lucky if you get one close to it but I love walking in this area so it didn't bother me.

I'm really torn between 4 or 5 star review on this one.  I will have to come back again to be positive. :)
5 - Steph W.: You get to customize your pizza, the ingredients are all FRESH and high quality, you can watch your pizza get made, and the crust is PERFECT - thin but still soft, not crispy! (although if you like crispy you can ask to have them make it that way).

I have only been once so I haven't tried the salad or gelato or anything else but I love it and will be back.
4 - Valerie W.: Pizza meets Chipotle assembly line by the people behind Umami Burger! It's very rare that there's not a line but it is possible during rainy days and off-hour ventures. The pizza's worth the wait though.

Very fresh ingredients, great crust, and very flavorful! 

It's Italian style baked really quickly at high heat so the crust is thin and softer than normal American pizzas. For me, that means I can scarf down a whole pizza without feeling completely stuffed if I was hungry enough. 

Margherita's the way to go for me. I hope they open up more locations because this place - as great as it is - is a bit too small for the crowd it draws.  :)
4 - Anna L.: Super long line but it moves quickly. So quickly that the guy behind the counter made an assumption about my order and unfortunately put the wrong cheese on the pizza. However! the pizza was still good - got the bianca pizza with sauteed onions, mushrooms and tomatoes. Reminds me of some pizzas back on the east coast. The price was pretty good - about 18ish for two people and I got a fountain drink from the most amazing soda fountain ever!!! Peach sprite all the way :)
3 - Mehul H.: Pizza is very good. Can't say it was jaw-dropping great pizza. Otherwise, it's like a chiptole line but definitely fresh baked pizza with unique toppings. Line is long so expect at least 10-25 minute wait.
4 - Ki P.: well, what can I say? It's as good as they say...went with a bunch of friends.

Had a sampling of about 17 pizzas, all killer. The special Butternut squash and bacon pizza was my favorite...delicious!

Any restaurant that serves up food this good is worth the wait IMHO. Plus added kudos for no corkage when you bring your wine is a BIG PLUS!

Nice Job Adam!
5 - Julie L.: The bf ordered the margarita with mushrooms, meatballs, bacon, and basil.  Holy smokes, it was delicious! Perfect combo with the mozzarella.  Mm...the crumbles of mozzarella just oozed in my mouth.  It was AHHHH-mazzzzzzing!

On the other hand, I ordered the bianca with chicken, basil pesto, and mushrooms.  I was slightly disappointed with mine because it lacked flavor and zest.  I think it would have been better if I chose a different meat and also added garlic.  Lesson learned.  Don't play it safe here - the ingredients are so fresh and the experience would go to waste if you order plain.  

Ordered a drink and a Gorgonzola salad as well.  The cheese was a bit overpowering for me, but it was still a decent salad.  The total came out to be about $26.  Another highlight of the day was the most inventive soda machine.  I normally don't drink soda but the bf insisted I order one just to show me the machine.  Boy was I in awe of the technology! They have every kind of coke you can think of - vanilla, cherry vanilla, lime, rasberry, and cherry.  Alot of other options too...

We were smart and hit this place up on a Tuesday evening around 6PM.  We beat the rush.  Don't make the mistake of coming here on a Friday evening around 7...The line goes out the door and around the corner!  

Definitely a great pizza experience and we had plenty leftover for lunch the next day.
1 - cameron s.: Okay so first you've got the line. Then when you get to the front of the line there's a sign that says something like "we make soggy pizza, if you want it crispy ask".

So I did. Because the first time I went there the pizza was soggy. And there are lots of things I like wet, but pizza isn't one of them.

And the pizza looked great right up to the point it went in the oven. It even looked pretty good when it came out of the oven. And I thought "great, all you have to do is ask for it to be crispy."

Then I tried to pick it up and get it to my mouth and all the toppings slid of and formed a watery pile on my plate. Or to be more accurate they formed a puddle on the table. Because you don't get plates, you just get a big plate with the pizza on it and that's usually in the middle of the table because everyone shares. 

So I've made two trips and eaten four pizzas and that is my limit. Plenty of good pizza around that I'm not going to fight for parking in Westwood and then stand in line and then eat soggy pizza and then have a bunch of people standing over me because they want my table.
4 - Vickie C.: We stood in line for more than 1 hour on a Saturday night to try this place. The pizza is good, but not standing in line for more than 1 hour good. By the time we got our pizza (which... like most other reviewer said, took about 1 minute in the oven to be ready), we were so hungry that probably anything would have tasted good. There are other places slightly more expensive (for the same pizza), but without the lines, which I think I will go to next. The soda machine is super cool though, love all the flavor choices. Maybe next time, if there is no line, I will go again.
4 - Eric M.: Salutations! Ok, This place has a line longer than O.J. Simpson's jail sentence, it's not bad because it moves fast, and it's filled with asian girls (my weakness) who are mostly future Doctors... UNLIKE O.J's jail sentence, lol. It's like the In n Out style because it has 3 main Pizza's which are all bomb as fffff and it's cheap; not little caesars cheap, but cheap, 8 bucks for a regular size pizza. Oh wait, you want toppings? heh, heh... an extra dollar for a few leaves, but still! it's cheap. You order like you're in a soup kitchen and you're on your own when it comes to seating. BUT, they have the iphone of fountain drinks.. it's all touch screen and shit (I'm easily amused). The Pizza is cooked in 5 minutes at 800 degrees hence, the name... The "to-go" Pizza boxes are dope!( ^ see above parenthesis... very easily) On some real shit, I'm a Chicago style pizza kind of guy... but when Annie asks you to dinner at 800 degrees, you don't decline, not because she's hot, but because the Pizza is the business, can I get an Amen!?


800 degrees; I salute you!
4 - Brittany B.: I ordered wrong... I got the white truffle pizza and it was very plain tasting. I was with a large group so I was able to try several pizzas. The margarita and the pesto pizzas were both more flavorful then mine.

They definitely get extra points for serving LA Creamery gelato. I love that stuff!! Particularly the milk chocolate and salty caramel.

The line was insane!! Despite the pizzas being made very quickly the line was a good 25 minutes long. 

I will definitely be back at some point!
4 - Min-Joo L.: I'm always down for some make your own food restaurants like the Counter as long as they offer some cool toppings and 800 had me at Buffalo Mozzarella. And who doesn't like pizza?!   

Got the margherita pizza with some shrooms, caramelized onions, and soppressata (spicy salami). Pretty good but then again it's really hard to screw up pizza (and if you do, just stop. clearly ya need to gtfoutta here).  Crust was crispy but doughy. I'd go light on the sauce though because it does get a little soggy in the middle.
Ordered some Burrata with cherry tomatoes and pesto. pretty good but I didn't like how much salt they put on the cheese.

Wasn't feeling so adventurous about the gelato but I got to try a sample of the pistachio gelato and I regret not getting it. So gooodddd gahhhh

I was impressed by how quickly the food came out. but then again if your pizza's baking in a 800 degree oven it better come out fast. 

There's always a line so deal with it and go try some neapolitan piiiizzzaaa, whatever that means
3 - Jon N.: This Emperor has no clothes.  

Seriously, I was looking forward to this place because of all of the positive reviews and still cannot understand what all the fuss is about.  You get to wait in line to order your pizza from an assembly line and then sit in a cramped, overly-crowded room.  The food is good but nowhere near great.  it's quite impressive that they do the amount of business that that do in the time that they do but they should maybe add about 20-30 seconds to the 60 baking time as the three pizzas that we ordered at out table were all just a bit undercooked and definitely under-dressed.  Way more dough than toppings.  Salads are good.  The Beet and Balsamic is a winner as is the chopped salad.

Didn't get it, but they have gelato, beer and wine.  Soda machine is a bit of a mess.  It's first of all in a terrible spot and is one that dispenses like a hundred choices but there is only one dispenser and subsequently it is hard to get to and a wait for beverages.  That said, you certainly have a ton of options for soft drinks.  Good Iced Tea, too.

Prices are decent, but you're getting what you pay for.

It's not a terrible experience and if you have a friend or a group of people you can chat it up while waiting in line but you could certainly do better than 800 Degrees.
2 - Bonnie M.: I ordered a marguerite pizza with bacon, garlic, onions, and mushrooms.  I really entertained/enjoyed the concept of customizing my own pizza, having it made in front of me, and seeing my pizza thrown in the oven.  There's only one problem - THE PIZZA WAS EXTREMELY SALTY!  They threw sea salt on the pizza after it came out of the oven without asking me.  All I could taste was salt!  I wanted to enjoy my fresh basil, mozzarella, onion, garlic, and bacon.  Bacon and mozzarella already have natural sodium; why did they need to add more?!  I was incredibly disappointed, but my friend convinced me that it usually wasn't that salty and to try it again next time.  Due to her, the friendliness of the staff, the awesome concept, and incredibly high tech soda machine (that I didn't know how to use...but it was fun figuring out), I will definitely try this place again.  BUT IF YOU SEE SALT ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR PIZZA, TELL THEM TO STOP IMMEDIATELY BEFORE IT BECOMES INEDIBLE!
5 - Lauren O.: After eating here 4 times in 2 weeks, I'm ready to bump this place up to 5 stars. Enough said..
2 - Sydney J.: People like to compare 800 to Chipotle, but I find that a bit of a misnomer because aside from the fact that they both have that "we're-so-real" vibe and a handy customization option, they are truly unalike. 

I first noticed 800 because there was a crazy line going out the door. Does advertisement get any better than that? Of course, being a bit of a baby with disappointment, I had to check Yelp, which sealed the deal with its great rating. 

Grrr... $10 for wet, soggy pizza. The restaurant puts them on a white plate that forces you to eat as fast as possible because if you take your time, you're absolutely going to need silverware. I know--it's a hot food and it's a freaking plate. But this type of pizza just doesn't do well on the plates, as moisture collects under the crust and complements the softness of the pizza in the worst way. The funny thing is the pizza was actually burned on the bottom as well. Really?

The taste was all right, but nothing that's going to make me beg the boyfriend to head over there five times a week. Everything definitely tastes fresh and the ingredients are obviously of quality, but the roasted garlic, which had great flavor, was extremely mushy, and the pepperoni was super salty. My base, which was the margherita, was pretty good... except that, you know, the pizza was a floppy headache. 

On a positive note, they have one of those electronic soda machines that seems to have every variant of popular sodas (Raspberry Coke???) known to man. 

I'm not going to pretend I know anything about interior design, so I'll just refer you to the pictures. The place does look pretty nice, but the chairs are rather weak. I found that I had to be prepared to catch mine when I got up because it couldn't seem to stand upright with anything hanging on the ends. 

An admittedly arbitrary aspect that really put me off was the wording of two signs right where the counter starts. One asks you not to save seats because there will be enough seating after you get through the line. Which, well... okay. There's frequently a line and the seating is good but not enough to accommodate the crowds. I can't remember the exact wording of the sign, but it had a sharpness to it that surprised me. 
The second reads (thank you, Yelp images) verbatim: 

"NO, its (sic) not crispy. We make pizza the way it was invented in Naples, Italy in DOP-protected Vera Pizza Napoletana style, which has a soft, chewy crust. 
If you'd prefer it crispy, please ask."

Okay, so that's a capital "N," capital "O," which means business. You're obviously very important because it's not just Italy, it's Naples, and you're doing some very important stuff with a food style that's protected somehow. Yes, as someone whom this sign is obviously meant to address, as I, at the time, did not know what constituted a Neapolitan pizza, I know exactly what "DOP" means...?

Regardless of the rude sign, this place doesn't do it for me. The pizza simply doesn't deliver, and especially not so at the price they're charging. Maybe the sogginess could be combated by getting a to-go box instead? Not that I suggest you get it delivered, my God...

If you're stuck in Westwood, try it, sure. It's open late so that's a plus. I might wander back in one day, looking for an alternative to In-N-Out at 1 a.m., but I don't plan on it any time soon.
4 - Kevin S.: Great made-to-order pizzas for the price! The toppings will make it more pricey but not without them.
3 - Erin H.: I succumbed to the hype and waited in line for about.. 30+ min to get inside, order, pay for, and receive our pizzas. While we were in line, a random dude asked me if this place was good, and I honestly told him that I had never been but the reason there might be a line outside is because of the novelty factor. In less than an hour, I was able to go through the process, and I'm still not exactly sure why there is always a huge line. 

Anyway, my hs friend (Brian L.) and I ordered 2 pizzas to share. People had told me that the pizzas are pretty cheap, like $5, which is true for the basic pizzas. But no one would ever order that by itself because it'd be the worst pizza ever. Super bland, super boring.

We ordered:
- margherita + roasted garlic + some spicy sausage stuff
- white bread/sauce one? + carmelized onions + ricotta + something else LOL
- salted caramel gelato

Notes:
- the ricotta cheese was super creamy, too much in fact
- the pizza is pretty soft, but I like chewy crust, so not a problem
- I guess one pizza is kind of a lot for one person (like you'll be very full, but not like I WANNA DIE AND VOM full)
- each topping is pretty much $1, so.. it seems a little steep when you see that they don't really give out those toppings generously..
- the gelato is awesome! We were gonna eat to-go, so we got the gelato at the sam time that we got our pizzas, so like we were only able to eat like half of it because it was pretty much melted by the time we were done pizza-ing. They give samples, so try them!
- beers are wtver priced, but a nice touch to go with your pizzas

Like I said, this place is alright, but it's bumpin! There were a lot of people on a Wednesday night.. of finals week! Mrawr! Barely got us a seat!
5 - Rafael A.: Nothing that I say or write can fully capture the unparalleled pies that 800 Degrees offers. Like a reviewer already mentioned, Westwood Village teems with pizza parlors: Enzo's, Lamonica's, D'Amores, CPK, Extreme Pizza, etc are all within less than a 0.5 mile radius. Each is unique in its own right, but 800 Degrees takes the cake for originality and taste. 

Everything from the sauce to the add-ons is at the customer's discretion. The list of add-ons is seemingly endless: anything and everything including bacon, rosemary ham,  peppadews, broccolini, and rock shrimp. The meats are sliced there and then, which adds to the validity of their freshness. 

The pies are by far the best that I've ever had. Nothing that I've had in either New York or Italy can compare, which sounds shocking and unbelievable, but true. The "Piccante" is great. It comes with spicy air-dried salami, Calabrian chiles, and garlic. My next two favorites are pepperoni and sausage, and the rosemary ham and bacon. It is tempting to get a bunch of different toppings, but I think your best bet is to keep it simple here. I can't wait to try the burrata, antipasti, and gelato!
4 - ruby r.: Even after reading all the reviews of the long lines, which should have deterred us from going on a Friday night, we decided to go here on a Friday night at 8pm.  Yes we were hungry, but even after the fact we could not call in an order for pickup, we still decided to go.  I thought we were smart by doing the drop-off and drive-around, but what we thought was going to be 15 minutes turned into 45.  Maybe it was the hunger pains from waiting so long, or maybe it was really delicious, but I am going to give this place four stars.  You do have to be a fast eater for these pies, though, because after two slices, it does get cold.
4 - Brian W.: This place is a marvel of balance.

The kitchen takes your order and processes food just fast enough for previous diners to finish eating and vacate their tables, so there's always (just enough) seating. The decor is white tile and glass, works well.

The pizzas, while a little pricey, are also a little large, so a hungry eater will find one pizza and a drink about perfect. The not-very-hungry can split a pizza (although that might not be enough food), or grab a box and take some home.

And the default pizzas-- I've had the sausage and onion, the carni, and a bit of the tartufo-- all seem to pack the right amount of toppings. It may not seem like enough in the case of the sausage and onion, and it's almost too much in the carni, but in the end it's just right! Fresh cheese, olive oil, everything... nom nom nom.

The crust is okay. Right consistency and texture, but it mostly serves as a slightly doughy carrier to the toppings, despite the (just) crispy, (sometimes) charred bottom. You can ask for the crust fully crisp if you prefer, and watching them load wood into the ovens is pretty nifty.

Main issues? It's still a good bit of a wait, even at 2pm on a Saturday (don't even try noon on a weekday), the crust is just okay (cooked just right, lots of other good attributes, but I'm not wowed), and 60 seconds in the oven is false advertising, it feels like longer. *grins*

Final notes-- they've got one of the nifty 100 flavors of coke machines. Nice.
3 - Geoff C.: Lots of hype but Blah at the end of the day.   Very decent Neapolitan pie but the crust bland and too doughy for my liking.

Piccante was solid, but a bit oily from the salami and spice distracted me from the core ingredients.  Margarita with and added meatball was the way to go, but again, the flavor wasn't there for me.

However, prices for pizza and drinks are great, and a welcome addition to Westwood.  Just don't buy into the hype or you will be disappointed.
3 - Corrina S.: I have been hearing so many good things about 800 degrees so we finally stopped by before seeing the Hunger Games to grab some din din. The line was decently long when we got there, but it moved pretty quickly since they have a good system. I couldn't see anything on the menus on the walls (maybe dude to my stupid bad vision, but it the print is pretty small) so I grabbed one of the paper menus. 

We ended up getting 2 pizzas: both margheritas, one with sausage and one with mushrooms. They tasted good, BUT I have a bone to pick with how it was cooked. I would say 2/3 of my pizza was totally soggy on the bottom, which was a huge bummer to me. Like you could see-through it. I don't know if this is how it's supposed to come out, but either way - it kind of ruined the experience. 

Such a shame b/c everything else was awesome: the atmosphere, the high ceilings, plenty of seating, reasonable prices (except for the specialty pizzas - I think they were charging $11 for one of them and that seemed totally outrageous to me). Don't think I'll be coming back, but I'm glad we finally got to try it! Personally, I think Enzo's makes a better tasting pizza than 800 degrees.
5 - Shening S.: MY NEW FAV PIZZA PLACE!!!!

too many good things about this place

1. affordable and reasonably priced
2. extremely fresh, baked to order according to how you want and u can see them make it (you can add garlic and oregano flakes for free if you want)
3. they're open till 2am!! 

the pizza is neopolitan style- really thin and chewy..not crisp. the margherita, a basic pizza with marinara sauce, mozzarella, basil, a splash of evoo is so good by itself. I def want to come back and try their specialty pizzas....drool...

they also have a lot of side dishes and salads to choose from. there are many pizza places in westwood...but this def gets my vote for best value, taste, and for being open so late!

gogogo!
4 - Vivienne N.: Came here for dinner on a whim during spring break. It was around 7 on a Tuesday evening, and the line was still out the door. 

Service style was interesting--it was like a Subway, but for semi-gourmet, Neopolitan pizzas. 

PIZZA:
- I ordered the pizza margherita with arugula and all the free toppings. My crust was kind of burnt on one half of the pizza--which was tolerable, but not preferable. And the Subway-like preparation style was kind of a disservice here, because all the garlic got globbed on in one area--which kind of killed the overall taste for me. Otherwise, I enjoyed how fresh it was, and how it was thin and chewy--no wasted tummy space on bread!
- My friend ordered the pizza bianca with sausage and soppressata (spicy salami). I liked his much more than mine (mainly because he skipped the garlic topping). As a fan of spicy food, I was in love with the soppressata. There was definitely a spicy kick in the right place. I would order this on my next visit. 

DESSERT:
We both decided to try their gelato. I got the salted caramel, while my friend got the tiramisu. The salted caramel was definitely interesting, and worth a try, but very sweet -- be warned. The tiramisu was really good--a very strong coffee flavor, and a very subtle sweetness, kind of like dark chocolate. A nice--and recommended--end to a meal, but kind of pricy at $2.75 a scoop.

OVERALL:
I'm not completely sold on this place, yet--it might take me a few more visits. Quality control (e.g., the proper spreading of toppings and burnt crust), and the outrageous line, are things that need to be monitored. But all in all, an interesting concept and very welcome, unique experience in Westwood's backyard. Will definitely come again--especially for their soppressata and gelato.
3 - Andrew H.: My first reaction upon walking in here for the first time was "Chipotle".  That's right. Here was the assembly line of workers, assembling a pizza, just as they put together burritos and salads at the Chipotle.

Only here, one enters a tall ceilinged, big bucks, fancy space operation with sophisticated graphic art (pizza boxes),columns, arches and a very elegant, old world type of grandeur.

And the cooks pull apart fresh dough and lather it up with three basic types of pizza: with tomato, without and white. These basics are cheap, but then each ingredient you add, adds $1. So tomatoes, garlic, onions, anchovies, sausage would be $5 +$6=$11.  You walk to the end of the counter, cafeteria style, and pay and wait for your pizza to quickly emerge from the oven. 

There are beers, wine and soft drinks to drink.  When you get your pizza you pray that there is an open table. Seating is tough because so many wait in line here.

There is no "saving" tables, that sneaky way of sitting down with your laptop and iced tea before your pizza is ready. You need your food in your hands before you can sit down, though I am sure some violate this rule. And this is Westwood and many who reside in this neighborhood do not wait in line behind others.  Just as every Mercedes in West LA seems to possess a handicap placard no matter the age or athletic condition of the driver.

So how exactly did the pizza taste? Well, we are told it is "authentic" and therefore quite thin and mushy. You don't pick it up, you cut it up with fork and knife and the cheese slips off your fork and back down on the plate.  There is a sign advising the complaining public that they can request crispy for their pizza.   And it's advisable if that is what you prefer.

I don't think I will come back here. There is something strange about pizza in Los Angeles that just never will appeal to anyone from Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston or NY.  Like brick houses, people who show up on time, and good tasting tap water, we cannot expect pizza to be pizza in the City of Angels.

And 800 Degrees is more of the same ersatz pizza.
4 - Sarah M.: First of all, I really enjoy the "pick your own toppings" aspect of this new pizza joint in Westwood. It's very much Subway/The Counter/Hole in the Wall, applied to pizza - you start out with a simple base pizza (margherita or alfredo sauce, for instance), then add on different meats, veggies, and extras of your choice for around $1 each. It's like you're making a pizza at home, except you're having poor young overworked employees do it for you. Awesome. 

The crust here is a little different. It's thin, but not crispy - it's really chewy, almost doughy. I wasn't expecting this kind of crust, so my first bite was a bit of a surprise. It's a new take on a common food. If you're expecting a Little Caesar's/Pizza Hut kind of deal, 800 Degrees is so much more than that. 

Got the margherita base with sausage, mushrooms, and broccolini. They're pretty generous with their toppings. Sausage was disappointingly unremarkable; mushrooms were smoky and chewy and delicious; the charred broccolini lends a weirdly yummy contrast to the tomato sauce. Of course, your tastes probably differ from mine and you'll probably choose different toppings, scoffing at my strange combination and thinking you know better. But anyway. 

The only negative points for this place: we took the pizza to go, and the box doesn't seem to retain heat very well. Our pizzas were stone cold by the time we finally got home to eat them, but still good. They'd probably have tasted better with a pop in the toaster oven. Also, one of the cashier girls (Dorky Frames, I'm talking to you) was kind of rude, but I'll attribute that to overexertion and apathy for customer service.

All in all, an interesting place that I'd visit again. Next time I'd like to try their gelatos and cool customizable soda fountain. I can see this place being a lunch break winner for the gazillions of health care employees and finance professionals in Westwood Village.
2 - Jenny Z.: I don't want to rule out 800 Degrees just yet; I definitely want to give it another shot in the future, so this review is solely based on my first experience. Unfortunately, the pizza I ordered was just too greasy and soggy. I ordered the margherita with mushrooms, artichokes and peppers. The peppers were not what I expected; I was thinking they would be fresh or pickled peppers, but I was dismayed to see one of the chefs putting an oily red pepper sauce all over my delicious pizza. I think that's what really ended up weighing down my pizza and adding all that extra grease to it.  My only advice is to be wary of what toppings you choose. Hopefully I'll have a better experience the next time!
3 - Hank M.: Definitely not the place for anybody who cannot handle waiting in a painfully slowly moving line, then be prepared to order quickly.  Nevertheless, the attention to fresh ingredients and preparation are worth the time spent and physical effort required to eat here when the line is in full gear.  Post-rush, beware: the staff is exhausted, and they couldn't care less to take your order.
4 - Eric M.: I work in Westwood and it is nearly impossible to go here at lunch time due to the lines that go out the door.  However, I have managed to get there twice when I had to go for a late (3pm) lunch.  I was quite impressed.  I'm a fan of the assembly line pizza here.  I think the ingredients are very fresh.  The fresh garlic makes the pizza awesome so make sure to get that as an ingredient.  I'm also not a big sausage fan but their homemade sausage is very good and I've gotten it both times.  What's also nice is that you can experiment with plenty of toppings and you're still at $10-$12 for what I think is a 12" pizza.  Of course because this is 800 Degrees the pizza is done in 5 minutes (maybe even less).  They have a super soda machine which I had never seen before so you just put your cup in the machine pick your drink on a touch screen and there you have it.  This is the 2nd pizza place that has opened in the village in the last 6 months and I have to say I like this one a lot although I think I may like the other that opened just as much (Extreme Pizza) and not nearly the line to contend with.  I highly recommend this place and it will probably be my late lunch go to place.
5 - Sarah L.: Some of the best pizza I've ever had! My friend and I had dinner here and we both got the margherita pizza with our own toppings. I got mushrooms on mine. The pizza is baked fresh with fresh ingredients. And the end result? Deliciousness. Everything tasted fresh. You could taste the goodness of the ingredients. The tomato, the CHEESE, the dough, the olive oil, the basil. Simple, perfection. My friend said it tastes exactly like the pizza she had in Italy. Now that I'm back home I've been dreaming of this pizza. Too bad I don't have brick wood oven?
2 - Brian U.: I figured it would be quick and easy visit before seeing a movie. We showed up at 3:00pm on a Sunday and there was a line going out the door. Sigh. Thankfully, we had planned a little extra time so we could stand in line.

For those thinking this is a special pizza, it's not. It's just a regular pizza with ordinary dough, but with some higher quality ingredients. We had a simple Margherita and then the fancier Capricciosa. The Margherita had a bright tomato sauce, hand-torn pieces of flavorless fresh mozzarella, four pieces (less than the number of pizza slices) of basil, and raw minced garlic. I have no idea why they put the harsh raw garlic on because it ruined the pizza. I can still taste raw garlic. The Capricciosa had artichokes, mushrooms, and ham which was a nice combination, but too heavy for the crust.

The assembly process was unorganized and it showed. I'm not sure if they were supposed to put garlic on the Margarita. The olives were missing from the Capricciosa. Another table had the same missing ingredient problem.

800 degrees obviously refers to the cooking temperature. I sure hope that also does not apply to the burger place, 25 Degrees in Hollywood.
4 - Jessica Y.: Chipotle style pizza? Count me in!!

The line can be incredibly long during peak hours, but it moves quickly and who doesn't love a late night pizza joint? Plus, it's affordable and delicious! This makes for a winning combination!

You get in line, choose your toppings and wait a mere few minutes for your pizza to arrive fresh and hot from the oven! The size makes for a perfect meal and I usually go for the Pizza Margherita. I'd check out some of their specialty pies as well, or make your own!
4 - Karen V.: My boyfriend and I were at his school(UCLA) and were walking around looking for somewhere to eat. We jumped on yelp and found this place.  We walked in and were pleased to see first of all the good prices. You start with your basic choice of pizza, margarita, blanca, or marinara. You then do your add ons: proteins($1), cheese($1), veggies(($1), or premiums($3).  I got a marinara pizza with pepperoni and ricotta cheese. It was amazing.  They stick it in an 800 degree oven for just a few minutes and wa-lah! Fast and amazing pizza.  The salads looked amazing, too.  Definitely going back here to try more.
5 - Liem T.: Holy moly, this is delicious pizza. I'm not from Chicago or NY, and as good as their pizza is, I love my damn city and the strides it's making in pizza. This place is legit. Order anything and it'll probably be good. Price point is perfect and you probably can't get a fresh baked pizza this fast anywhere else on the west side.

If you want it crispy, ask for it crispy. If you don't want to wait, avoid the lunch/dinner rush. If you think Chicago or NY pizza is better, get on a plane and shut up. If you want "special" pizza, stop pretending you're Anthony Bourdain. These 2/3 star reviews are lame. 

I'm going here all the time. It's good.
5 - Loc H.: went here when the line was nothing. went here yesterday, and thanks to the LA times review, it was a 40 minute wait! Everyone and their mamas was here.

BUT ITS DESERVING!

This chipotle style pizza place makes me wonder.. WHY HAS IT TAKEN SO LONG FOR SOMEONE TO COME UP WITH THIS IDEA?

burrata-arrugula, pesto, cherry tomatoes. YUMSKIES to the max
margherrita pizza- plain simple is amazing already, but i had it with meatballs and it was equally awesome.

the soda machine has coke raspberry, coke lime, cherry coke, coke GALORE.

the guys behind the counter are fast and efficient.

i love this place.

beware though, the pizza is meant to be thin crust and soggy in the middle. suck it up and let the freshness just melt all over your mouth.
1 - shaun b.: I heard about this place from a few friends and decided to try it out. I waited in line for about 20 min and I thought it was cool how they make the pizza right in front of you. As I'm paying for the pizza, the waiter called my number and out comes a burnt pizza. They didn't even offer to make a new one and it tasted horrible. It was not worth the wait. I tried my friends pizza and even that didn't taste that good. I won't be going here anytime soon. Service was horrible as well.
2 - Jason B.: Ate here on a recent rainy evening after hearing all the hype.  What I got was a very mediocre pizza (similar to one that you would get from Sbarro's) with sparse toppings and dough that was partially torn.  When I asked the cashier about it she stated "that's just how we make it."  Well that's unacceptable.  Yet another LA pizza let down.  Also this fancy schmancy soda machine dispenses all the mass produced unhealthy sodas like Coke and Dr. Pepper, instead of the natural sodas such as Izze, Hansen or Reeds.  That would make it a lot more special.  Suffice to say, I won't be returning.
3 - Sean S.: So there has been a lot of hype about this place so I had to give it a try.  I went in on a Monday night, just after the line subsided, and was pretty impressed with the interior.  At first glance, the food prep area looked pretty nice.  The Wood Pizza Peels were stacked, ready to be used, and the Pizza was prepared fresh to order That, however, is as far as my happiness with this place went.  

When I approached the counter there were 5 or 6 employees congregating behind the counter at the pizza station.  It took almost 2 minutes for them to even acknowledge that I was ready to order, and when I did, it took another minute or so for them to get ready to take my order.  I can only imagine how slowly this unorganized assembly line takes when there is a line.  

As far as the Pizza goes, it's just ok.  The crust is a little salty, and the crust got so soggy that eating required a fork.  I suppose it doesn't help that I chose mushrooms and olives, both of which, unbeknownst to me, were drenched in oil (the mushrooms were marinated, and the olives were of the oily kalamata style variety. The flavor was ok, but I really was disappointed at how thin and soggy the crust got in the center of the pizza.  I understand that it should be a little soggy, but this was ridiculous....To be fair, I may give them another shot and tell them to make it crispy. The gorgonzola salad was pretty tasty though.

Now, I'm not claiming to be an expert on pizza, but having eaten pizza all over the world, including all over Italy, New York, Chicago, parts of Asia, and beyond, I think this place is more hype than anything else.  Do they have a cool concept...yes, but its disorganized, and food-wise, there is definitely better in LA, but for the money, Its not bad.
4 - Dorothy X.: Pizza made fresh in front of your eyes? Yes please! I think I'd like some extra garlic, chili, and oregano. 

I love that you get to watch people make the pizza for you, because there will be guaranteed NO FUNNY BUSINESS! I only got a simple margherita pizza, but you are definitely able to add any extra toppings (bacon, chicken, veggies) for a dollar or two extra. A single margherita pizza (about 10 inches, 5-6 slices) came out to be around $7, and it was just so cheesy. The thin crust was soft and chewy, but you can ask for it crispy if you want. At the end of the assembly line you pay for your food, and watch them stick your beautiful pizza masterpiece into a brick oven. I still dream about my melted cheese.

Around lunch time it gets really packed, and you'll have to hover like vultures to get a table. There's a sign that discourages saving seats, and you can try it anyways, but hungry lunch people might just come and kick you out of your table. The decor is really nice though, and it's a hip place for lunch.

Parking is typically lame in westwood, unless you are lucky enough to find a meter. There is a parking lot 2 blocks away on Broxton where it's free for 2 hours.
4 - Jae R.: great pizza, great twist on a century old business model, and great salads and extras...got a few pizzas to try as well as the truffle cheese bread...the bread was delicious as well as the cherry tomato + pesto burrata....that was definitely a treat...downsides were standing in line for 30-40 minutes, and the lil attitudes getting thrown around inside by the staff to the customers...dont assume i know where to order what you idiots....and dont assume i wont throw my pizza back at you even if it was pretty good...
2 - Mark S.: Overrated.  I hoped it was the Umami of pizza, but no.  The pizza is good but not great. Do not order wine. It's a small half glass for $9. Chopped salad was really good, probably the best thing
3 - Jason K.: I went here for the first time with a friend that had already been multiple times.  I couldn't believe how long the line for this place was and how it stayed long while we moved through it, ate, and left.  Honestly, I don't quite get it.  I got that it was a gimmick like Chipotle but with pizzas, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to the line and the curiosity that built up in my mind.

We waited probably about 20-30 minutes to order.  I got the margherita pizza with the spicy sliced meat (salcaletto?), meatballs, broccolini, kalamata olives, artichokes, garlic, chili (red chili sauce), and oregano.  I lost track of what was being added to it when they started trying to enter it in to the computer and had me repeat it a few times, and the next thing I knew it was in the oven, but I didn't see any broccolini on it.  I asked if it was added, and the assembler ran to the over to look and told me it wasn't.  She then said they'd build me a new one.

I gave them back my receipt so they could do so, and moved on to request a Caesar salad.  I then ordered a Fat Tire and the total came to about $21.  Not cheap, but not overly expensive.  The second pizza was done baking quickly and I was given a tray to carry my food to a table.

The first bite of the pizza greeted me with an overload of flavor.  Primarily an overbearing saltiness of the kalamata ollives, which I had to remove from the rest of the pizza because it just overbalanced everything.  The rest of the pizza tasted better that way, but still didn't really impress me.  I don't think chili sauce was added during the second assembly.  The ingredients are definitely high quality and fresh, and the pizza was very filling, but it just didn't taste great.

The salad was not overly flavorful.  Fresh ingredients to be sure, but the dressing was thin and just did not really pop.  Ultimately, I appreciate the quality of the food, the nature of how hard it is to push out a pizza that quickly, and the service workers that insisted on making my pizza right.  But would I want to eat here again...not really.  Just not worth it to me.

Summary: Chipotle of pizzas.  High quality.  Slightly high prices.  Filling food.  Overwhelming flavors that conflict, and don't balance well.  Especially the kalamata olives.  Nice service.  Plan on waiting in line a while.  Not sure it's worth it, but some people clearly love it.
1 - Richard H.: As some other reviews have said, the pizza is wet and soggy. I think the only reason they do good business is because of the prices. A margherita pizza is only $6.45. Where else can you get a whole pizza for $6.45? All the college students go there because it is so cheap. It's cheap for a reason. You get what you pay for. The pizza was awful. It was one of the worst pizzas I have ever had. There are plenty of pizza places in Westwood. I have been to most of them. They are all better than this place.  I like the pizza at California Pizza Kitchen. The pizza at whole foods is very good. Lamonica's is mediocre. There is a Domino's and a Papa Jon's in Westwood. The pizza at any one of those places is much better than at 800 Degrees.
3 - Mario G.: Great Deal, $6 for a pie $9 the way I like it! Sausage, onion and those hot/sweet round peppers! Which are 5 stars alone!
But limit your temptations here and keep the pie lite, 1-2 toppings... When you get 2 or 3 it makes it soggy.
Ingredients are decent for price, I'd pay more for a better pie but great for students, you gotta try this place.
3 - Pete C.: The pizza was ok.  It was very wet or soggy.  

The girl handing out the orders was a little rude.  I know she was busy giving everyone's food, but I was also waiting on my food and its been over ten minutes.  My number passed a while ago so I knew something was up.  It was probably a miscommunication but don't ignore me.  I finally got the attention of a different staff and she helped me.
4 - Jill and Ying J.: Ingenious idea, awesome toppings selection (including peppedews, my fave!), and coolest fountain drink dispenser EVER. The line was pretty long, but it went fast, and the table situation wasn't as bad as we feared it'd be. Sadly we went to this place right before their liquor license was approved (I think it is now) so couldn't have a nice beer/wine with our pizza, otherwise it'd likely be a 5 =). Will definitely be back!!
5 - Russ H.: This is the best pizza I have EVER had.

They don't cook it for long, so it WILL be soggy if you try and put a ton of toppings on. If you need eight toppings on your pizza, go to Papa John's. Or Italian Express down the street. Their poor store looked lonely and sad compared to the line out the door and around the corner at 800 Degrees.

Which reminds me, bring Draw Something or a good book, and some shoes you can stand in for a half hour.
3 - Victor L.: When a place has a line out the door you would think that their popularity would equal that of its deliciousness. Now I am no pizza enthusiast, but my food was not worth the wait.

Right off the bat you will see a little sign right before you order. It says that they make their pizza like the ancient Italians do a gazzilion years ago, so the pizza dough is not cooked for very long and will be very soft. You have the option to ask them for a more crispy texture. If I were you I would go with the crispy. Raw pizza dough doesn't taste all that great.

The Pizza Margherita was not good, especially because of the doughy... dough. It was so soft that everything was falling apart. It fell flat on flavor too. My Tartufo Pizza on the other hand was great. You can't go wrong with truffles, mushrooms, and garlic. It was pretty salty and oily, but it definitely beat that other one. We also had a salad that was kind of weird. It came in big stems and leaves of lettuce not chopped up. Is that how they eat it in Italy? I don't get it.

I had high hopes for this place at first, but after my recent trip to NY and I had real amazing NY pizza I don't think LA can top them in the pizza biz.
4 - Jaimie T.: One of the best pizzas I've ever tasted! I like how you can customize your own pizza with whatever toppings you like. There is a base price for the pizza which ranges from $6-$7 and then each additional topping is $1. It is easy to go overboard and get an expensive pizza, but if you know what you want, then it is definitely worth it. 

The reason why I gave this 4 stars and not 5 is because of the long line. I know it's not their fault, but the line takes awhile when people don't know how to order. Also it depends on who is working, because sometimes they don't put a lot of the topping you want on your pizza, only a little (not even a handful). But all in all, one of the best pizzas I've eaten!
4 - Jen G.: The pizza was pretty good. It was a little slower than promised. There was really no line and we waited a pretty long time. You do get a lot of food with 1 pizza! And, it is really nice to pick your toppings. The toppings do make it wet though. I am not quite sure how you get around that.
5 - Eric L.: One of the best pizzas I've had!  It tasted straight out of Italy, not going to lie.  

We went at 4:30 on a Sunday afternoon and there was nearly no line (which I hear can be a half hour long at times).  And right after we got there, the line was out the door...I'm pretty sure that the old Daphne's that occupied this space never had this kind of line EVER.

Even the smell of the inside was intoxicating.  They feature fresh, artisanal ingredients with some local and some imported straight from Italy.  

Here's how it works.  You wait in line for a while and salivate.  Then you choose your base pizza and add toppings for $1 (some fancy ones are $3).  You definitely should add toppings.  Not a question.  Then they bake it while you're waiting and five minutes after paying you'll get 6 slices of pizza.  Definitely get one pizza per person so you can have a couple slices leftover.  If you're really not hungry, get 1 pizza for two people.  

P.s. Gelato from LA Creamery!
4 - Shela J.: I went here for the first time during a weekend visit to UCLA for a late night face-stuffing rendezvous. I'm from Northern California, and I've never experienced a build-your-own pizza place quite like this one! The pizza-building line moves relatively quickly (so don't be discouraged by the line that goes out the door), and the guys behind the counter are really friendly to talk to. Almost too friendly :O Pizza cooks and is ready in a timely fashion. Nothing unpleasant about that at all!

I just really like the concept and the set up they have going here. They knead the dough in front of you at the start of the line, set it on these cute little pizza paddles, and add fresh toppings straight from containers like at a frozen yogurt place. The poster board decor is simple yet delightful under slightly dim lighting. There is also a cool touch screen drink dispenser. Hey, why not? Seating is a little crowded, but ample.

It's also a pleasant deal for the amount of food you're getting. You start off with $5-6 for salsa & cheese, and add from a large variety of toppings for $1 each. You pay $10, give or take a few, for a larger-than-personal-pizza sized dish. Stuff your face right there, or take some home!

The grub. The middle of the pizza is a bit thin & flimsy from the oil, but it might be because I only added one topping for that particular pizza. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed my slightly flimsy pizza mushroom pizza bianca! Deeelish.

Bring your visiting friends here! Bring everyone here, and they will be a happy camper like me.
5 - Alex B.: Place was very crowded with a line stretching out the door
However once the food was ready it was worth the wait
Tasted like a true italian pizza
Could be mistaken for something you could find in Italy
Toppings offered are unique and excellent
Dough was good, pizza was wet and soft with a thin crust
Prices are cheap for what you get with the pizza
A must try for pizza lovers
2 - Bigmouth A.: Full 2 stars.

Having lived in CT, MA, and NYC, I'm picky about my pizza. And I gotta say, I was disappointed by 800 degrees. 

Ordered a Margherita with sausage, mushrooms, and caramelized onions. I asked for my pizza "crispy" because I don't like the traditional Neapolitan soggy center. Despite being way over-charred on one side, the pie was still soggy! Even worse, the char was the only flavor on the gummy crust.

I think the problem is you have to have a skilled pizzaiolo manning the oven, particularly one as hot as they have at 800 Degrees. Yes, their pizzas are cheap, but you pay for what you get. I really hope Antica Pizzeria reopens sometime soon. I'd go there over 800 Degrees any day of the week.
4 - Amy S.: I really enjoyed this Chipolte-like pizza kitchen! You get to custom make your own gourmet Neapolitan style pie as you walk down an assembly line of cooks. Although two people can share one (so you can save room for some gelato or beer), one person could definately devour a whole pie themselves.

I LOVED my Margherita-basil-procuitto-arugula pie. I took a tip from a friend and kept it simple. Though it's tempting to overload with toppings (there are lots of choices) it's best to keep it to just a few.

During peak hours give yourself at least 2 hours for the whole experience. There is a long line (on most days), but be patient. It's so worth it! Plus they are open late!

(4 not 5 stars because I think they could build up their customer service a bit. The cashiers rang up two of our orders wrong.)

Check out some picks and a more in-depth review: http://www.backyardbite.com/2012/03/800-degrees-westwood-village/
3 - Harrison G.: The concept for this place sounded really interesting so I was eager to try it.  I didn't have too high hopes for the actual pizza because, honestly, no pizza in LA has impressed me (although Mozza is definitely delicious).  It seemed like more of a novelty and that hypothesis proved to be correct.

We waited in a line that stretched to the door but moved quickly.  We read the menu while waiting so were ready to go once we got up to the counter.  I ordered the Pizza Margherita with ham, sausage and carmelized onions.  I think the price is very reasonable - $10 for a three topping pizza that's big enough for leftovers is a good deal to me.

Unfortunately, it's just not the best pizza I've ever had.  While it tasted fine, we all agreed it could've stayed in the oven a big longer.  All of our pizzas seemed undercooked in the center - the individual slices flopped around as you held them because the center was too thin and weak to hold itself up.  I wouldn't have minded if I'd gotten lots of heavy, exotic toppings.  But ham, sausage, onions, sauce and cheese is fairly standard.  Your crust should be able to withstand whatever you offer.

All that being said, it tasted great.  I might consider coming here again - I liked the atmosphere in the place and it's a good spot for a quick, cheap meal.  However, I wouldn't go out of way to come here.
4 - Namella K.: I waited for 30 minutes but I will wait another 30 if I had to. 

Had the pizza with shrimp, anchovies, olives and capers. I love anchovies. Don't even argue with me on this. 

This place is an assembly line of deliciousness. You can order whatever kind of pizza you want. Their toppings are unbelievable- from prosciutto to shrimp to celebrated cheeses, possibilities are just endless. 

Yes, you wait but I would wait for good food than have bad food fast.
5 - Chris S.: This is the best pizza on the west side
3 - Darlene G.: This place has a great concept and is open late which makes it perfect for a late night/early morning stop after drinks and dancing...which is exactly what we did. There were people inside but no line so our order of 3 pizzas only took about 15 minutes. It's pretty amazing to be able to customize your pizza in the assembly line fashion and then soon after have your pizzas in hand hot and fresh from the oven. Our group of friends had a garlic pizza with arugula which was my personal fave. There was also a pepperoni one that had a really spicy tomato sauce. Good but definitely spicy. 

I wouldn't wait in the infamous line out the door here but at 2am when it's open with no line and you're craving some grub...this is a great place to be!
5 - Esther C.: My coworkers and I recently went to 800 degrees pizza and it was the most memorable pizza I've ever had~ dare I even say...better than Pizzeria Mozza!  *gasp*

From the outside, you would never notice this place.  The sign for the restaurant is modern, but it's overshadowed by this huge movie theatre sign.  Once you walk inside, WOW.  The ambiance totally changes~inside the decor is modern, sleek, and upscale. You can see the chefs making your personal size pizza and it's pretty awesome.  The ingredients look super fresh, the employees are incredibly friendly~

Now...for the Pizza!  There are a few ways to order yours: 1) order a specialty one (the menu changes often) 2) pick a base and add toppings.  The pizza takes about 10 minutes to cook (at 800 degrees, duh) and it tastes AMAZZZZING.  The crust is chewy and fresh while the combination of topics melts only goodness into you mouth!

I got the: Tartufo ($11.65) with truffle cheese, roasted mushrooms, caramelized garlic, arugula (no tomato).  To drink?  I paired the pizza with a refreshing Blue Moon. =)

With the first bite, I had a serious taste bud orgasm.  The flavors of salty cheese, delicious truffle flavor and fresh arugula burst into your mouth.  I devoured the entire pizza in seconds~ before many of my friends could finish their 2nd slice!  It's very rare that pizza impresses the hell out of me~and 800 did!  I came with really low expectations and left wanting to come back with my other friends and my bf.

I highly recommend 800 degrees to anyone and everyone in the area.  For $12 + a $4 beer~ you really can't beat the prices, the flavor profiles of each pizza, the ambiance and the innovative idea of baking gourmet pizzas in under 10 minutes!
4 - Victoria H.: I liked my salad more than I liked my pizza. But it may be because of user error? The toppings I chose (roasted tomatoes might be the one to blame) made the pizza so soggy. There were juices everywhere, even dripping onto the table as I ate.

That said, it was still a great pizza. I tried someone else's and it wasn't soaking wet, and it tasted much better. The concept is great with the made to order pizzas. They're fast and efficient. I showed up right as they were opening so there was no line. As I was eating, I saw a steady stream of people come in. And by the time I left there was a small line forming. I'm a huge fan of Umami Burger, and their pizza creations are just as yummy. 

Worth whatever the wait is. It moves fast. Just choose your toppings wisely and don't make a sopping wet pizza like me.
5 - Adam S. T.: Best place to grab a bite night or day. Love it here and the late hours are great.
3 - William C.: 2.5 stars.  What is the standard definition of "hype"?  You might find it as you look at the line of diners waiting to get in and order at the recently opened 800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria.  Being a fan of "the pie", I strolled into Westwood on a weekend evening.  I was really hoping they would take my order via phone or Internet, but alas, none of these conveniences were possible.  So, I got in line to place my takeout order.  It took me 90 minutes from the time I got in line to the time I received my pies to go, then another 15 minutes to the dining table.

The "restaurant" is cafeteria style.  You get in line, place your order (while your pizza is built in front of you, and go pay.  Then you go fetch a seat.  All of the service was behind the counter (cashiers, order, line cooks), save for one or two staff busing tables.  Service was swift, maybe a bit hurried, once you got through the line.  They do expect you to know what you want to order once you get to the ordering stop.  Paper menus are inside (Mendocino Farms has staff checking on patrons in line and offering them paper menus while they wait), so you can use ample waiting time to figure out what to order.  Problem is, patience is short if you have questions.  So, basically, you take any standard pie (e.g., Pizza Bianca) and add any toppings you want.  Most toppings are $1, unless noted (e.g., prosciutto is $3, etc.)  Pretty straightforward.  Specialty pizzas can save you some decision making and offer pre-designed combinations of ingredients, but you can also add any toppings to any specialty pizza (e.g., you can add scarmoza and other desired toppings to the Piccante pizza).

The pies: Neapolitan-style means thin crust, simple ingredients, and baked at high temps in a wood-burning brick oven.  Seasoned ovens lend a bit of their woodsy/smoky coal taste to each pie.  Umami.  800 Degrees' pies are tasty, use fine ingredients, but are a bit of a let down because the bottoms are (gasp!) soggy.  Yeah, I get it: they're not supposed to be burned to a crisp as if you were eating toast, but some of our pies came out feeling like they were just a bit thicker than crepes.   The crust is also rather chewy.  The pies are tasty but don't have that taste that comes out of a seasoned oven.  Maybe it's cleaner-burning wood, the oven too new?  Antica Pizzeria, now unfortunately defunct, used to make superb Napolitanas.   Maybe 800 Degrees needs to catch up with the large volume of diners and the popular demand, let the dough rest, and let the pies spend just a little more time in the oven to cook out the moisture and firm up just a bit.  Prices range from about $6 to $13, and you can build up with additional toppings (but keep in mind more toppings = more weight and moisture on the pie, which can result in more soggy crust).   Did I say the pies are tasty?

They also serve superb ice cream from LA Creamery, which uses organic ingredients.  However, my scoop of Sweet Salty Whiskey of Mine could use a bit more chill.

Parking is a nightmare, typical of Westwood.  Takes credit cards.  Beer and wine available for dine-in and take-out.

Verdict:  modern setting, cafeteria-style, clean and casual, but a 90-minute line???  The pies use fine and tasty ingredients, but the crust (or the baking process) can be further tweaked.  If this is VPN crust, then I must have been terribly misled in my previous culinary adventures.  Good ingredients (toppings) and price range make it a good value an welcome addition in Westwood.   I would return if the wait weren't so long (maybe once the hype subsides), and if they started to take orders via phone or Internet.  Somewhere between "A-OK" with occasional hints of "Meh.  I've experieced better".
1 - Stevie L.: I just ate dinner here. First of all, this place is way overrated. I actually waited online for 30+ minuets and it wasn't worth the wait at all. I tried two different pies. 1) The Margarita. 2) Truffle pie. Unfortunately, the crust was soggy on both pies and the sauce and mozzarella cheese was just ok . I also had a glass of wine that cost $9.50 per glass that absolutely sucked. I grew up in NY and I can honestly say that this place is nothing special. There are many restaurants in Los Angeles that make better pizza.
4 - Sarah W.: 800 Degrees, you could be a hit or a miss. Your liking or not liking it will depend on the pizza you choose to make as they employ a Chipotle-esque make-it-yourself mentality to their pizzas. What I did, and what I suggest to ya'll, is to look at the ingredients first and then choose. I chose ingredients based on what looked yummy. For one of them (bacon) I couldn't tell it was bacon, but pointed to it and got it. I was soooo glad too. Overall here's what I chose:

Bacon arugula mushrooms and salami on a white pie = $9.60

I looooved the white pie ($5) base price. Rather than a tomato based sauce they drizzle mountains of olive oil (perhaps evoo) on the pizza dough and sprinkle minced garlic. It was so fragrant after it cooked I loooved it! All in all, I liked the ingredients so I liked my pizza. If I would go again? Probs if friends wanted to go. But now that I tried it, I don't really feel the need to go again, so I suggest to you...go for the experience.
4 - Blake S.: Very authentic and very good. Get there early, it gets crowded.
4 - Debbie O.: The 30-minute wait kind of defeats the purpose of such a speedy oven, but I love the concept. A Chipotle-style pizza restaurant is absolutely genius! 

Came in around 8 on a Friday night and got our pizza in about half an hour. The wait is torture, but once you get through the door, your senses start going and the guy's asking you what kind of pizza you want before you know it. I ordered a margherita pizza with shrimp, caramelized onion, and gorgonzola cheese. Boyfriend ordered a white pizza with chicken, salami, and caramelized onion. My pizza was a bit soggy, but I honestly don't mind that at all; it was delicious and extremely cheesy, just the way I like! The white pizza was not soggy (probably because no tomatoes) but the chicken and salami combo was strange and didn't pair very well. 

A tip: if you are in love with garlic like I am, ask them to add some chopped garlic onto your margherita pizza! It's not an additional topping, and you get the best of both worlds :) They are so kind they added a generous amount of garlic and made my pizza that much better.

Overall, I love the casual atmosphere and concept of the restaurant. They serve delicious pizzas and have a wide range of toppings. I've never been jealous of UCLA students, but now I am.
5 - Matt R.: This place is a great addition to Westwood and offers a type of pizza that most people are not completely familiar with.  This is how pizza started and how it should be made.  I love a great, thin crust pie as much as anyone, but the chewiness of the dough, along with the simplicity of the toppings makes this place a winner.  

I went with a group last Friday night and while the line was a good 25 people deep, it took only a few minute to get to the counter to order.  I chose the margherita base with soppressata and carmelized onions as my toppings.  The sauce was nice, the cheese was fresh and the toppings were high quality offerings.  The pizza was cooked perfectly, the crust had a great bite to it, and it was just an overall great pizza.  For $8.50, that value is hard to beat because of the quality of the ingredients.

Comparing this to Sotto, another new-ish place that also "specializes" in Neopolitan style pizza, there is no debate for me as 800 Degrees is the hands down winner.

Keep your toppings limited, enjoy the simplicity and also the complexity of the pizza, and I don't see how you won't enjoy a meal here.
5 - Denise B.: You must understand something about me: I love pizza more than you love your mother.

This place actually opened up after I graduated and moved away from UCLA, so when I heard that this place came into the Westwood Village, I knew I had to come back and try it out.

I was absolutely blown away! This is pizza like how it's supposed to be made. They claim that they brought the art of pizza-making from Italy, so you get to taste how the Italians make pizza. And I gotta say, real Italian-style pizza beats out American-style pizza any day.

I arrived there around 7PM, and the line for this place was out the door and all the way down the block. It looked so intense that I almost turned around and walked away, but I'm glad that I stood in line for this because what awaited me inside was heavenly.

You get to completely customize your pizza, starting from the type of sauce/cheese to all the toppings that you could add. I went for the margherita pizza (sauce + cheese + basil) and added truffle cheese, mushrooms, and caramelized onions. So. Freaking. Delicious. There are so many other things that you can add onto the pizza, so I guarantee you're gonna want to come back and try new and different combos all the time.

The restaurant gets its name from its brick oven (open flame), supposedly reaching 800 degrees to bake your pizza super quick (and super delicious).

You also must try the burrata cheese as a side. We got the burrata with cherry tomatoes and pesto, and I think it was just as delicious as the pizza (burrata cheese is an exceptionally creamy, soft cheese very much like fresh mozzarella cheese).

The inside is a bit cramped, and they don't allow you to save tables for your party, so my friend and I just took our pie back to her apartment and ate it there. I would recommend taking your order to-go because it seemed like a huge hassle to wait for a table to open up.

I will definitely be making my way back to this place. Only next time, I'll probably try to avoid the dinner rush since it still is a brand new place and still super popular.
3 - Jonas A.: This is one of the better Neapolitan style pizzas I've had.  They make it clear at the door that the pizza isn't crispy and that's it's chewy.  That's fine, and the dough tastes great (cooked with almond wood), but I just can't get along with the "wet center" that is part of the authentic Neapolitan pizza.  However,  they are more generous with the toppings than Antica Pizzeria or Settebello in Pasadena.  

I think that part of what makes Pizzeria Mozza so famous is that they've deviated a bit from the Neapolitan  norm and and made their crust bit more airy and done, but still not quite thoroughly cooked in the center as I would like. 
 
Definitely worth the effort to go out and try, but you may not necessarily want to make a return visit.
1 - Farnaaz T.: This is the new and happening pizzeria in Westwood. When I found out they offered gluten free pizza, my eyes went @@....When I got there, there was a line...so it must be good...I ordered my pizza GLUTEN FREE, but was very disappointed...you get what you pay for.  The gluten free pizza was not good, plus when they remove it from the oven, the cutters dont know its gluten free and proceed to cut it with the same cutter as the other pizza's...a big problem...So Please be aware and let the cutters know or else you will have cross contamination...Sorry 800' I wish I could give you a higher rating.
5 - Jonathan M.: wow! this place is legit. damn good. proscuitto and melon was also quite delicious. cant wait to go back
4 - Tuan T.: I really dig this chipotle style pizza joint. The ingredients look fresh and it's nice to see your pizza being made from start to finish. My only complaint would be that the middle of each pie doesn't have enough support, so be prepared to eat that part quickly unless you want your toppings to fall off.

If you're coming with a group, get a pie each. They're not as filling as you think and they're relatively cheap (unless you go buck wild with toppings).
The line looks long, but it moves at a good pace.

Recommendation: Add extra garlic, oregano and peppers
5 - Melissa K.: 5 Stars for 800 degrees. This is a fantastic concept. Quick, gourmet toppings, cheap. Thin crust, chewy, slighty crispy towards the edges. The only change I would make is to possibly keep it in a few seconds/minute longer so it's more crisp and less floppy. But I definitely will come back when i'm on the westside!
4 - Shelly T.: Decent place for pizza.  Got the margherita pizza with chicken topping for an extra dollar. Love how when I said chicken as the topping the guy grabbed a bunch of chicken and put it on my pizza, which means they arent cheap with adding the toppings.  

Pizza is made in front of you which is a nice change. I honestly thought it would take a while to bake but it didn't.  Staff is generally friendly and getting the pizza didn't take too long. Pizza is thin crust and generally very filling. Margherita pizza ftw. I also love how they serve beer as well. I mean common, pizza and beer that's an amazing combination. Beer prices and pizza are decent.

My only major complaint is that the wait is really long during lunch time. At least 15 to 20 minutes before placing your order and another 10-15 mins to get your food.  Also, when people leave often times there dirty dishes remain for a good 5minutes before someone takes them away, but it's the only available table left....grr.
4 - Greg D.: Solid pizza place hidden  somewhat by construction on  the backside of westwood. Pretty solid LA attempt at a traditional Italian pizza, not the super fat drenched in grease american  pizza most people know.Get as creative as you want, the flavors come through pretty well.
3 - Rory M.: ask for your pizza to be cooked well done- and make sure they don't double charge your credit card like they did mine.
5 - Jonathan P.: If this pizza was closer to where i lived i would be a sinner from gluttony . 

 Adding your toppings and creating your own pizza is great. You really cant go wrong because all the toppings are fresh and very good quality. the basil adds a lot of flavor. I recommend you ask them to add a little more.

Please dont order it cripsy. Get it the way it comes. 
 
Go to 800 Degrees and enjoy yourself. Their only con is the wait but it truly is worth it.
4 - Priscilla Z.: I actually like its pizza, you can choose whichever ingredient you want. And it is fast, tho long line. But once you place the order, it comes to you very fast.

I'm never a big fan of pizza, so I cannot comment if it is really good. But our pizza was a bit under cooked. Toppings fell down when we grab it up. The burrata is actually a big pro! I just love it!
3 - Jeffrey M.: 800 Degree pizza is an assembly line restaurant similar to Chipotle where you first select the base of your pizza(cheese only, marinara only, or cheese and marinara), it gets constructed, then you move down the line and select the toppings, they are thrown on, the pizza goes into the oven, then you move down the line and order salads or drinks and pay.  It's an admirable system that turns out a quality product to a large number of people fairly quickly.

The drawback for me is that 800 Degree only serves gourmet style pizza.  I can't help but think that the product I am eating there, however good, isn't really pizza and isn't really what I want.  Sure, they claim that what they serve is the original pizza from Naples Italy and that what we eat here in the States is the real impostor; but I grew up on American pizza and I love it.  The 800 Degree pizza simply doesn't meet my expectations.
5 - Shannon R.: For vegan pizza that could easily fool an omnivore, look no further.  I couldn't believe it, my pizza was so melty and cheesy that I swore they made a mistake.  But alas, my margherita didn't look like my date's margherita, so I had to believe it was truly vegan.  And OH, it was good.  Fresh basil, fragrant garlic, bright tomato sauce, and perfectly melted slightly bubbly NON-DAIRY CHEEEEEEEEESE.  It's so good, I might need to invest in an oven that reaches 800 degrees myself if it makes rice cheese act like cow cheese.

This is definitely the best pizza I've had for the money (six slices for maybe $7-8) , and when I went at 3:30pm, there was no line to be seen.  They were out of Daiya but I'm so impressed with the rice cheese they used, I didn't miss it at all.  The soda machine doesn't do much for me, but others seem to enjoy it.  I cannot wait to go back!
5 - Julie L.: Ahhhh.. the pizza reminds me of Italy. It's delicious and amazing and tastes just like how pizza should taste! Amazing.

After reading an article from bonappetit.com about this place, I had no idea it'd be in Westwood! I was super surprised and did not expect to drive out at 10pm at night to check this place out!

I ordered the tarfuto pizza, with truffle cheese, arugula, roasted mushrooms, and caramelized garlic, and my friend ordered the piccante pizza, with soppressata, garlic, and calabrian chiles. The caramelized garlic was sooooooo delicious--you literally have WHOLE garlic cloves on your pizza, soft and sweet. It's such a great compliment to the pizza! I love the flavor combination on the tarfuto pizza! The piccante pizza is legitly spicy. haha! It's the good kind, where there's just a ton of flavor in every bite. 

There's so many options to choose from! You can choose  any type of pizza you want and you can add additional toppings, ranging from $1-3, etc. Amazing. 

I WILL come back for more!
4 - Courtney M.: If you're debating eating at 800 Degrees, you should do it.  The pizza is great and you can't beat the prices.  Things taste better when they're cheap.  A lot of variety, and a cool atmosphere.  We saw Peeta from the Hunger Games when we came for lunch.. who knew he is like 5 feet tall? Try to come for late lunch so the line isn't as long.
4 - Seung Eun C.: Believe the hype.

The pizza is goooooood!!

Thin chewy crust and fresh toppings is what makes it delicious.
We ordered the tartufo and what I liked best were the whole roasted garlic pieces.  The truffle cheese was way too subtle, but lovely regardless.

Tried 2 salads:

Beet salad had a balsamico dressing with a creamy piece of burrata cheese.  At $6, this is worth every penny..  Actually, I would pay more for this =)

Chopped salad was very similar to Nancy's chopped salad at Mozza.  The dressing lacked flavor, but at 1/3 the price of Mozza...  Can't complain, right??

TIP:  try a sample of the gelato.  My fave was the salted caramel and pistachio.  I had to have a cup of it...

Line was long, about 30 people deep.  It took about an hour but it was worth it.

My prediction??  There will be a location close to you in NO TIME!
4 - Vincent R.: Think the Chipotle, the Counter, or Subway Model, but for pizza: build-your-own pizza.

800 degrees specializes in a thin crust personal pizza that is surprisingly large without being overly expensive or heavy. You start with 3 basic pizza models, (a) the margarita , (b) the marinara, or (c) the white pizza or you can pick from one of their specialty pre-made pizzas.  They have a good selection of toppings ranging from your traditional like pepperoni and sausage, while still having the less common like cherry tomatoes and arugula. I especially like that because they flash cook the pizza quickly at high heat, the center dough stays a little gooey. They also have a good selection of domestic and international wine and beer (Deschutes, FTW). 

Despite, the line being out the door, the staff is pretty efficient and friendly so you are not waiting in line too long. They are good at keeping everyone moving.  We waited about 15-20 from getting into line before eating our pizza. We went on a weekday, so I am not sure how it would be if it was super crowded. 
 
Just a few minor issues
First, our slices were not cut evenly. Second, my friends pizza  was burnt so deeply in one small place near the edge that she refused to eat that part  (must be in the spot in the oven that was 805 degrees). Thirdly, I wish they listed the price of each ingredient, so you had some idea of how much you could get without breaking the bank.
2 - james p.: 2.5 stars. Sorry, I'm just not a fan of Neapolitan-style pizza that has that soft, chewy texture like Indian naan bread. I need a little bit of crisp in my crust, not just the char. Another Naples tradition I don't care for is using unseasoned, uncooked tomato sauce. I give them stars for their efficiency in moving that line along and for the decent sides, like the burrata with caponata and pine nuts.
5 - Bobby C.: customizable pizza!  hand-tossed dough!  This is definitely a step up from the previous restaurant at this location (Daphne's).

Don't be discouraged by the line, as you have to stand in it anyways as your pizza-to-be progresses along the production line.  You choose from various toppings or their pre-determined pizza toppings.  I've had the carni (full of various meats) and the tartufo (garlic and truffle cheese) and both were awesome.  All the pizzas are topped with chunks of mozzarella. The antipasti is also great for sharing and comes with more cheese, cured meats and veggies that you can throw on to your pizza.  Pizzas are pricey for the size (about 12"), but worth it.  I'm comfortably filled on 4-5 slices of the 6 slice pizza, so most people will want to order a whole pie for themselves, but don't forget to share!

I'm also amused by their soda fountain, which I hope is the future of fountain drinks.  You can customize which flavor shot (cherry, peach, vanilla, etc) you want in the selection of 15 sodas.  The combinations are immense.

I'd like to try the gelato, but i'm always too full to get some.  maybe next time...
4 - Matthew L.: The concept of this restaurant is to go down a line, customizing a pizza, and then bam, it goes in a wood-burning oven(which I'm going to assume is actually 800 degrees).

Since it was my first time, my friend and I just got one of their specialty pies, the Tartufo, which features truffles cheese, roasted mushrooms, garlic, and then topped with arugla after the pie comes out of the oven. Admittedly, I haven't had very much good pizza, but this was definitely up there. The wood-burning oven gives the crust this great crunchy texture and flavor. The toppings were good too. Even though the pizza felt a bit heavy, the arugula lightened everything up enough.The pizza is a bit oily, but that's expected, and it's certainly not in a gross kind of way. They have a great drink selection, and even have a fancy machine for fountain drinks. If you like root beer, ask for a Virgil's.

Prices are pretty decent as well. I think the bill came out to around $15 for one pizza and a drink, but the pizza's worth the little extra.
4 - Christine T.: Make your own pizza Chipotle style! I love the idea, I got the margherita pizza with soppressata, egg plant (really good), egg which sorta ruined my pizza since I got it to go.. The yolk got stuck to my box. I also added the free garlic and chili which I think is a must! The chili gives it a little kick. The pizza is a good size, it's really thin but I think you can definitely share a pizza. There's usually a line out the door but it moves fairly quickly and once you're inside ordering you're out of there in 5 mins! Wish there was better parking in Westwood though.

While we waited for our pizza they also gave us a sample of their gelato!! mmmm it was really good too.
4 - Jacq L.: I'm torn.  This place is a 3.5 to me.

I love how a picky eater like me can decide what toppings i want.  I also love the concept of fresh made to order oven fired pizzas.  Plus fresh mozzarella!  yum.

The place still seems new and are working on their efficiencies.  The lines get suuper long and sometimes it's hard to find a table for a big group if it's crowded.

I'm not a fan of how thin the pizza is in the middle.  It makes it difficult to eat and topping sometimes roll off your slice.  =[

In the end, i like the freshness of the toppings.  The tartufo pre designed pizza is very delicious.  I'm sure i'll be back to try one of the burrata appetizers.
5 - Arya A.: The hype is real, people, check this pizza bar out. I love the Subway/Chipotle feel of actually helping the cooks grace your pizza with toppings!
...the gelato stand at the back register is not bad to visit after u eat...you might have room :)
2 - Geo N.: Pizza great. Process suboptimal. Service - NONE! 
Worth the wait... debatable.. 
I had a tasty vegan pizza - yes it's a bit soggy, but they TELL you that on signs if you want it crispy to tell them.
I also ordered some of the brocollini at the register. After being sternly told that I needed to order that in line - how in the HELL am I supposed to know that - the cashier reluctantly took the order... I then went back up 1/2 through pizza to get it. Shocker, he didn't put in the order although I'd paid for it. A very friendly woman offered to bring it to my table. 15 minutes later I revisited the counter, and asked for my money back. She was nice, and apologized, but... I was done.
4 - Van N.: This is basically the Subway of Pizza... more specifically Neapolitan pizza and it's simply delicious. However, my one gripe about this place is the service. There never seems to be anyone that is managing the seating area. There are always dirty tables that needs to be waited and it turns me off... and since seating is sparse during prime time it is rather frustrating. Besides that, I love ordering the Pizza Margherita with all the free toppings (Oregano, Garlic, and Chile). I've tried many combinations of toppings on my pizza and most of it have turned out pretty well. A simple pizza can start as low as $5 with no toppings but can quickly turn into a $15 or $20 the more elaborate you get with your toppings. 

There was one time my pizza was totally burnt on the bottom and was inedible. However, I went up to the girl at the counter and she offered to make me a new pizza right away. I was extremely pleased at how the situation was handled. So don't be afraid to tell them if you're displeased with how your pizza turned out. 

As for parking it can be a hit or miss in the UCLA area. Especially during peak hours. I've always managed to find parking near the Trader Joe's shopping area.
4 - Chloe P.: At first I really didn't like this place.  Seriously, I went here 3 times and I just honestly didn't get the hype, long lines and why people were going batshit about this pizza. It was soggy, and the sausage to me tasted like beef jerky. 

 yeah yeah, I know the sign says it's soggy. Jesus christ.  that's why I started ordering well done, so you all can just calm the fuck down.  

Food: my 4th magical trip.

1. Bianca Base (well done)
2. ricotta
3. salame
4. baby tomatoes.

OH MAH GAWD. I finally understood what everyone was talking about!! the flavors were mind blowing and damn. damn damn! You've just gota try it! lol. 

**Why I kept going back even though I thought it was meh
Friends obviously. Why else would I be dumb enough to go back to a restaurant multiple times if I didn't like it my first time?
4 - Mandarava M.: Good price fresh ingredients and even with long line you rarely need to wait for a long time!!! Best pizza in this area!! The just raise the price recently but it's still within the reasonable range.
4 - Travis D.: Came here on a Monday evening at 6:00PM with my friend and a couple of his friends. Although there is a bunch of construction handicapping a person's view that 800 Degrees does exist, my friend was able to navigate us there no problem.  The line was already to the door.  After 10-15 minutes, I ordered the tartufo pizza ($12) and my friend ordered the margherita ($7) with some chili sauce.  Previous Yelp reviews mentioned the tartufo having truffle cheese, which sounded very interesting despite being almost double the price of the regular pizzas.  I decided to go with an untainted tartufo without any meat.

Once you put in your order, it takes a mere 5 minutes more until you're done paying for your pizza and ready to scarf it down.  Sadly I wasn't able to eat my pizza quick enough, so I had a couple cooled off slices left to eat.  Since I can eat a Subway sandwich in just 5 minutes, this means this $12 pizza is a damn good deal.  If you're going with a bunch of "normal" people, you might want to order 2 pizzas for every 3 people.  If you're alone, eat half and you'll have lunch for the next day.  This will cut your cost per meal down in half! ($4-$6)

One last thing to note is that seating can be a Beverly Hills bitch.  However, most of the other customers are very accommodating and will squeeze to let you in, give you an extra chair, etc.

Pizza Hut or 800 Degrees?  800 Degrees hands down.  Yummm.
3 - Loni L.: I can see why people would wait in line for this place... but to wait in line out the door, down the street...? Wow... must be some DARN-GOOD-PIZZA, right?

I think the location has to do with it. In the heart of westwood-- in westwood village by UCLA and all the other trendy businesses, it draws a lot of attention.

Their pizzas are all really good tho... they drizzle olive oil on top, also... so it gets to be a bit messy to eat, so make sure you have a lot of napkins ready ;)

Their tomato burrata salad was yummy, but my favorite was their beets burrata salad but that's probably because I LOVE beets!

My favorite "must try" pizza, is their truffle mushroom pizza with garlic and arugula... yum! I'd say this place is worth trying & it aint too shabby. However, I dont think I'd wait a ridiculous amount of time in line to eat here. So if you are like me and don't want to stand in line for hours......... just go early ;) Line seems to get long around 7/8PM. Their service is fast tho, but restaurant is not too big so finding a table might be the biggest struggle.
4 - Julianne B.: yum! tried the pizza margherita with meatballs, broccolini and chilis. pizza was so delicious and crust was the perfect thickness for me.

love the assembly line set up and it's amazing how quickly your pizza is ready. prices are super reasonable too. awesome lunch spot!
4 - Patricia B.: Very tasty pizza! Even if the line is out the door, it doesn't take that long to get through it and sit down with your meal.  It's great being able to choose any toppings you like, although at $1 a topping it can add up quick! And your pizza is ready a couple minutes after paying at the counter!  The seating area is a little noisy and hectic because of the line of people ordering next to the tables and people trying to find a table while carrying their food.  Overall, good food, decent prices, and quick (and kind of easy).  

Can't wait, though, for SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza coming to LA.  It's an awesome pizza restaurant.
4 - Lori R.: Super YUM!  Great pizza, nice fancy toppings and good system to get food in a timely manner.  This place gets pretty busy at the lunch hour (and probably dinner) so get here early if you can.  I love the soda machine - you can mix flavors to create something delicious!  Parking's a little hard since it's in Westwood, but worst case, you can park in the Broxton lot and just walk over.
1 - Steve P.: Are you people crazy???? The ingredients are great and the Pizza is awful. Why does anybody think mush in the middle of every Pizza is good. I've had lots of Pizza all over Italy and nothing resembles the middle of their Pizza. 
People get over the HYPE This Pizza is awful.
5 - Patty C.: One word: Amazing! Get the Filetti - its pesto, olive oil, garlic, fresh mozzarella, and tomatoes... its DELISH!!!  The other pizzas are not as good... trust me. The Margarita isn't that great. Salads are good too.  Also, don't be intimidated by the LONG line, it goes fast and you don't have to wait for your food, you get it almost right away as soon as you are done paying. Good for groups too b/c you pay on your own before you sit down and there is always plenty of seating no matter how busy it is.
4 - Breezy W.: By the time I got home the pizza was already cold. Then again, I live over the hill (WAY OVER) in Studio City and can't knock 800 degrees for that. That, and I must admit, I've become a bit of an expert and fan of eating my pizza cold the morning after a night of many drinks and debauchery. In any case, once I took a bite I was actually pleasantly surprised that the pizza tasted better cold than when I first bit into it hot out of the oven in all its cheesy, and unfortunately soggy delight. I'm not sure if thats good or bad but, whatever. The pizza is fine. 

I kinda like 800 Degrees, not necessarily for the food, more so for the experience. For one, this really is a great deal. For roughly 10 Dollars, you get a home made pizza with a fantastic, albeit limited, selection of expertly chosen ingredients that can satisfy and fill 2 bellies. Secondly, I think seeing your pizza being prepared as you walk down a cafeteria line is amusing, although, I don't necessarily want to do it again. Still, I like knowing where the dough comes from (I don't remember the brand but stacked at the entry are pounds and pounds of authentic italian pizza dough.) and I can see every ingredient laid out in front of me if i decide I want to get adventurous and frankenstein my pie by choosing my own toppings.

I went friday night at around 10:30-11:00 and saw a pretty massive sized line starting to build toward the end of the street. I wasn't thrilled about this, but, what the hell. I probably stood in line for 10 minutes until I got to order. I was so excited to order a Hawaiian, only to find that there were no pineapple toppings on the menu. I should have asked, because at the entrance stands a sign facing the other side of the room announcing a ham, pineapple, and jalapeno special. (Note to the management, Unless I'm walking backwards, I won't see the sign. I'd like to suggest placing it near the menu.) In any case, I decided on the "Pollo" since I needed my chicken fix of the day and wanted to see what the Caramelized Onions were all about and if they compared to those at Umami. (Note to self, next time try the Tartuffo for a truly fair comparison.) Once ordering the Pollo Pizza, I was kindly informed by the pizza preparer that it did not come with tomato sauce. I just want to mention that I honestly didn't know it wouldn't come with tomato sauce and that probably would have really bummed me out. I'm really glad that he was clear about what was and wasn't going to be on the pizza. With that being said, He and everyone working here were extremely helpful and friendly. 

Inside, this place is really just a huge cafeteria. It's possible that I'm only saying this because its on UCLA turf, but It really does feel like a huge cafeteria. Get in, get out. I could barely see the exit as its blocked by the entire square of tables. That's ok though, the fantastic customer service, visually seeing your pizza being prepared and unique decoration of pizza boxes mixed with casual but comfortable lighting make for a pretty good experience. All in all I would say it took about 10 minutes from ordering to holding the pizza in my hands. Not bad. Add another 10 for standing in line, but its a newish, still overly hyped cheap pizza spot in collegetown on a friday night.

 Still, it's much quicker and tastier than ordering from any of the big franchises. Compared to the giant fast food pizza spots, yes, this ZA is miles beyond better. Is it the best in L.A.? Definitely not for me. I would probably give that one to Vitellos Express in Sherman Oaks, especially for value/taste/portions. And seeing your pizza prepared and thrown into a fire oven is nothing new. So why would I come back to 800 Degrees? To be honest, Unless I were in Westwood and in desperate need of a slice of pizza, I probably wouldn't. That being said, as I was standing in line, a shameless geezer passed by and asked why everyone was always waiting in line for this damn pizza place. Was it really that good? "Well, yeah.. I really like it" said one of the people in line. Maybe I should try the Tartuffo next time. And the gelato. and one of the hundreds of drinks in that fancy coke machine. Now that I think about it, the first time I went to Umami I wasn't very impressed and about a year later I returned and fell in love with it. Yeah, I'll come back. You just can't beat $8 for an artisanal 12" pizza with 4 toppings.
5 - Sofia S.: They always a have a long line but it's worthy to wait it. They do very quick so you don't wait for that long time. I think it's one of the best pizza place in LA comparing the quality and the price. I've already been here several times and my favorite is the specialty pies. They have a good pizza but it's not a place to sit down and talk. When you're done eating, just leave right away. There are always people waiting for the table to sit down.
5 - Andrew J.: Just wow! The carni pizza with extra garlic is outstanding!
4 - Angela H.: Now that I've been here a couple times, I can say this place is pretty solid on what they offer, especially for the price. A basic pie is pretty cheap, so unless you spruce it up with a bunch of bullshit, you'll get out of here for less than $10 a person, easily. Heck, add a couple of toppings, it's still a pretty good deal. But... some of the toppings, though tasty and novel, are a tad over priced. $3 charge for truffle cheese? Ya, I realize this is a specialty item, but, it's not a "$3 for half an ounce" kind of specialty item. Still, if you dig that sort of thing, you will not be sorry to have tried it on your pizza, at least once. Go for it...

With all that said, I do really like the pizza here. It has a nice sauce, fresh ingredients, great chew, with crisp edges; and I especially dig that they put dried herbs on the sauce, prior to putting on toppings. Beyond the pizza that comes out of the oven, it is pretty cool and fun to walk down the line and pick toppings. However, you may feel a bit rushed, with the 800 people behind you, milling around to get in line, to get to pick toppings, to eventually, get their 800 degree pizza, too. Nonetheless, because of the size of the pie, and the heat of the oven, this place is able to turn a tasty pizza around pretty quickly, so that's a plus. If this joint was purely sit down, I can't imagine people would line up down the block for hours to get this pie. I mean, it doesn't seem so pleasant for those waiting, 15, 30, sometimes beyond 45 minutes, just to get in the door. Not that the wait bothered me so much (other than the screaming and/or bratty children that were "waiting" in line with their aloof, douchey parents, but I digress). I guess what I'm saying is, really, is this "wait 45 minutes" type of pizza? For me, that's a no. Is this "wait 15 minutes" type of pizza? I'll go with maybe, even probably. Is this a really cool concept with a legit, well executed product? I say most definitely. Beyond the pizza they do have a small salad selection, which is tasty (mmmm, burrata), and they have this bizarro soda machine that I've never seen elsewhere; you can get crazy concoctions like cherry vanilla Fanta and stuff like that...

In the scheme of things, I'm sure I'll be back here again, probably soon. And, I won't be mad about it. But, that line... well, I'm not really looking forward to it.
4 - Jessica H.: There's a wait but don't let that demotivate you from eating at 800 degrees.. Once you make it to the front of the line you choose your base pizza. they have a variety of different red and white pizzas so you'll definitely find something to your liking.. once you've chosen what kind of pizza you want then comes the fun part.. they have an array of toppings to add to your pizza.. keep in mind it's +1$ for each topping.. well worth it in my opinion.. especially since the base price of the pizza is pretty low.

my friends and i ordered the margherita and pesto pizzas.. both delicious but our group agreed that the pesto one was the favorite of the night..

.. one thing to note is that their paper menu has a few more items than the menu you'll find on their wall.. the truffle cheese bread is a must try if you're a fan of cheesy bread..  we saw another table with it and didn't know what it was and when we asked they told us that it's on the paper menu.. i'm glad we asked because it was really good and worth it.. you could smell the truffle oil that they poured on the bread

4 people got pretty full off of 2 pizzas and the cheese bread.. 
also.. if you're a fan of soda they have the new super cool hip advanced soda machine where you choose your soda and once you've chosen your soda they have a variety of flavors that you can add to your soda
2 - Christina I.: Sooo I'm still inside this restaurant and I refuse to leave without telling u how I feel. The crust is very thin. The sauce is wayyy to wet to even be on the pizza. The choices of cheese r great. But there selection of veggies r out of this country and not even recognizable. Seriously =/ Over all...would I come back? NO and I work right around the corner. I gave it 2 stars because the soda machine is FUCKING AWESOME!!! =D
2 - Donna A.: Sorry- but I do not understand the HYPE! I mean I got two types of Pizzas and both had a soggy center with cheese that fell off. I understand that it is a cool experience to go thru the line and pick your toppings but it was still uncooked. I like a crispy crust-so this spot was not good for me. 

BUT: You must try the Gelato- I think one of the most delicious ones I have ever tasted- I got the Chocolate Hazelnut and I could taste the Cocoa.
5 - Dan G.: Awesome pizza, super fast, at reasonable prices.  And their digital soda dispenser is off the hook!
4 - Uy T.: After the hype died down, I managed to saunter in here around 11:50 AM to find a line only 4 people out the door. There was plenty of seating, and the line moved quickly.

Now, the food itself is really, really good. I had a forgettable salad with butter lettuce, but a rather good burrata salad with beets and arugula. The burrata had incredibly soft and fresh mozzarella, which makes all the difference in the world. As for the pizza itself, it came out cooked perfectly. I had prosciutto, garlic, and arugula on a margherita base. I'd probably skip on the prosciutto next time, since they charge extra and it's not that much better than pepperoni.

However, a couple of things that keep it from being five stars: As mentioned, the rather meh butter lettuce salad. But mainly, though the beginning of the line was nice and organized, once they actually put pizzas in the oven, it's like a free for all at that part of the counter. They wanted to give me a plain margherita pizza with garlic, but quickly fixed it when I pointed out I had prosciutto and argula (both added after cooking).

But bottom line is that the food is good, and I will be back here.
4 - Jennifer R.: What better way to celebrate LA Eater's Pizza Week than by going to 800 Degrees?  The atmosphere at 9pm on a Friday was pretty cray.  The line appeared daunting at first but moved pretty quickly.

It is the assembly line or Chipotle/ Subway approach to pizza.  I loved the concept!  You get an amazing pizza but they totally make it casual and fun.  The prices are reasonable and they make your pizza super fast!  We took our pizza home and the flavors held up but I am sure it would have been exceptional if we ate it there.  I would highly recommend eating there if you can find a table.

There is a sign asking people not to save tables assuring you there will be plenty of seating once you move through the line.  That is pretty much bull on a Friday night.  You have a lot of people hanging out and having fun so be prepared to scan for seating or to take your pie home.  I would definitely recommend this spot but go at an off time to avoid the chaos.
5 - Ryan D.: Pizza came out SUPER fast, the line went fast even though it was long, and it was DELICIOUS! I liked that I could choose everything in my pizza and in 10 minutes it was out and ready to eat. I am eager to return whenever I go back to Westwood. I wish it was there when I was at school there.
4 - Nas S.: When I went (Thursday at about 8PM) the line was not bad at all, I ordered my pizza exactly how I would like it, and I thought it was pretty reasonably/ well priced. The soda machine was lots of fun, I wanted to keep drinking soda just so I could use it over and over and over again. Sooooo many flavors. I want a machine like that in my house only I want it to make mixed drinks...how cool would that be! Overall a fun experience and very yummy food. I do agree with other reviewers that I wish the crust was a little more crispy but regardless it was delicious!
5 - Ashley F.: I went to 800 Degrees this past weekend and the pizza was phenomenal - the best pizza I've had in a looooong time! The line was quite long, out the door, which made me nervous at first because I assuming I'd wait forever, however, the line moved pretty quickly. I notice they have a sign saying that you cannot save tables and that y the time you're finished ordering there will be a table, which was suprisingly true. The place did clear out by the time I ordered.

We got a Margherita pizza base with Carni toppings. I also love that they have the soda machine that allows you do get different flavors of traditional sodas.

Overall, the pizza was great and a good price. I would go back in a heartbeat.
2 - Olga K.: I had the Margherita base with roasted garlic. Meh. As one commentor stated, it was salty, and as many have mentioned, the crust somewhat soggy.  Along with the mediocre pizza, I ordered a chopped salad. It was terrible! I expected fresh chopped veggies like, tomatoes, red onions, romaine, cucumber, but it was basically lettuce, chick peas and sliced pepperoni.
1 - Jeffrey M.: I'm with some of the other folks here. The ingredients are great but the pizza itself is below bar. The dough just doesn't work. Too chewy, bready, no crusty crispness to it. Sauce just isn't working. Missing some serious tang. Cheese is the only good part. After trying this place 6 times I'm out. Great concept, great ingredients, but pizza is below the belt. Sorry - wont be back.
3 - Alex B.: Dont believe the hype. This is some mediocre pizza, I mean, it's good I guess. But shit, that line, no thanks. It's just not worth it, because really, its MEDIOCRE. Johhnies pizza on Olympic is MUCH better, try there ricotta and mushrooms - mmmm bella, magnifique!
4 - Richard Y.: Despite coming in for a late Sunday lunch, which was around 3 PM, there was a small line out the door. Luckily, the line went fast because the pizzas only takes about a minute to cook. The more time consuming part is deciding what you want on your pizza from a list of proteins, cheeses and vegetables.

I ordered the Pizza Bianca topped with chicken, soppressata and broccolini. I felt that the topping combination turned out well and the soppressata wasn't that spicy. The pizza crust turned out to be soft with a chewiness to it. After eating a whole pizza by myself in one sitting, I have to admit that my jaw was kind of sore.

The Neopolitan style crust is unique and not personally a favorite. I think it is good, but not a crust I would personally rave about. The customization of the pizza with the variety of toppings pushes up the score and barely makes a 4 star in my book.

Parking note: I looked for street parking around the streets lined with apartments south of Wilshire Blvd. Just drive southward along Westwood Blvd and turn into one of the smaller streets. I found a few spots right away on a Sunday afternoon. Your mileage may vary...
4 - Joi J.: So delicious! Reminds me of this pizza spot in Brooklyn. Definitely the best pizza I've had in LA. Line is always atrocious & make sure you know EXACTLY what you want when you place your order. Seemed a little backwards to me when I ordered and then it was a huge deal to to add or remove stuff as I moved down the line. It looked like a Subway/Qdoba type of setup so I thought I could build as I went. Anyway, the pizza is usually on point. Only once mine ended up soggy in the middle (hate that). Try it, you'll like it!
2 - isabel y.: omg, not another one of those long-line, shitty food places that people in LA seem to love. i was looking for a pizza place in LA that i hadn't already tried, but even scrolling through the yelp pictures of this place was kinda disappointing. every single pizza looked way undercooked, but hey, at least they have some kinda disclaimer that it's what "real neopolitan" pizza is supposed to be. okay i'll be the first to admit that i've never been to naples, but i've been to rome and milan and they sure dont eat pizza like that, so...

anyway the line wasn't too bad, maybe a 20 minute wait (we went at 9pm). we parked behind the building for 6 dollars after circling around for 10 minutes, which is kinda stupid because the pizza aren't that expensive, so it kinda really adds to the cost of your meal. but whatever i'm not going to complain about parking when the real problem here is the pizza.

so we're standing in line, and i'm pretty excited about choosing my own ingredients for the pizza. they have so many options, it seemed kinda awesome. or for you people who hate picking and choosing, there's recommended options too, which i didn't try. as we're going through the line, i'm kinda staring at the ingredients, and realized that their basil was black at the tips. as in i can see that they're black at the tips from at least 3 people away. so they're pretty darn black. 1 point off for not-so-fresh ingredients. 

i pick my ingredients (proscuitto, egg, ham, and mushrooms) and proceed to check out. i also order a caesar salad just for variety. 3 seconds after i pay, my pizza is ready. okay... weird. granted i didn't ask them to cook them extra (also part of the options) but i swear my pizza must have been in there for 30 seconds. wth. is it even cooked? of course not. the pizza was a huge sloppy mess (TOTALLY regret the egg at this point) and i had to eat with a fork and knife, which i NEVER do! i ate 2 slices, and decided to just bring it home so that i could recook it. the tomato sauce is also tasteless/nonexistant, although the mozzarella was pretty good:) the caesar was the STRANGEST tasting thing i've ever gotten. are they trying to make their own sauce there? please just buy it from ralphs, it tastes really weird! sigh i really wanted to like this place, too bad about the long lines and bad food.
4 - Behzad M.: This place is godsend to the LA area, particularly the west side! For under $10 you can eat great Neapolitan style pizza, and get that pizza made in front of you in under five minutes!

The toppings are all pretty top notch, and the dough is nice too.

Why 4 stars and not 5? Consistency.

Last night the crust was funky, and the cheese didn't come out nice and sexy like it should have. Usually everything goes right with this place, it's just the last few times have not been as good as the first few times I came here.

Any who, for the price, usual taste, and fast service, I would give this place a 4 to a 4.5.
5 - Ken L.: Eight-Hundred Degrees...what can I say?  If I lived next to this place I'd be a fat kid and broke!

I freakin' love this place.  Don't be intimidated by the long line here; it moves fast.  And why wouldn't there be a line?  The pizzas here are fresh and made to order just the way you like it.

My first go around here I built my own pizza with the Margherita base and added toppings of my choice.  If you're a purist you'll probably want to go this route.

Me?  From now on I think I'm sticking with the Tartufo (truffle cheese, carmelized onions, mushrooms, and arugula).  Trust me, even if you're not a fan of non-tomato based pizzas you have to try this.  The Tartufo knocks all other pizzas out of the park.

Street parking is somewhat scarce so plan accordingly.
5 - Jennifer P.: WHY DID THIS OPEN AFTER I GRADUATED?! 800 Degrees is exactly what the Westwood area needed. Cheap, delicious food in a great atmosphere. I envy you Bruins who can take advantage of this gem.

800 Degrees is located at the corner of Lindbrook and Westwood, where Daphne's used to be and right next to Peet's coffee. The place looks deceptively small from the outside, but inside there is plenty of seating. Our large group was able to find a table during the dinner rush.

The line was long, but the restaurant runs like a well-oiled machine. First, choose your base: Margherita, Bianca (white pizza), or Marinara. Then, choose your toppings, with most extras priced at $1. I opted for a simple Margherita pizza with mushrooms.  $7.45 before tax. For a whole pizza. Not a greasy mess of a pizza, but one with perfectly cooked crust and delicious sauce.

Enzo's will always hold a special place in my heart, as the greasy 23 inch pizza made it's way to my apartment during many late nights spent "studying." Now the wiser, more sober, and college-degree-holding me appreciates quality ingredients at an affordable price.
4 - Jason A.: Westwood has been in need of a good pizza joint for over a decade. I'm sad that it took this long to get a place like 800d to settle here. 

When we rolled up, the line looked intense, but it goes fast. The pizza makers are pumping out pies like no tomorrow. You get to choose one of 3 pizzas, then add your own toppings to make it your own creation. They also have a few of their own creations that are pretty yum as well. 

We got the Tartufo, the Carni, the Margherita, and I made one with Truffle cheese, meatballs, and pine nuts on a bianca (white pizza) base. All were awesome. The meatballs are a-spicy-meata-ball! So watch out. haha. The truffle cheese?? Magnifico.

They have some good bottle sodas but for over $3, I decided to get water. Most of our pizzas were about $10-$15 each... but the base pizzas are only about $7-8. I think it's a good deal. 3 pizzas will feed 4 people.

Enjoy. I sure did.
4 - Eric L.: This is a GREAT place for pizza.

When you first walk up, you'll see a line going out the door. Don't be scared, the line goes super fast. Basically you'll get to the point in the line where you order your pizza. You can either order a set pizza or order a pizza base and choose your own toppings. They have a large selection of fresh toppings and you can see them making your pizza right in front of you. 

When we went, we ordered the Tartufo (truffle cheese, mushrooms, garlic), Carni (tons of meat), Margherita, and we made one of our own with truffle cheese, meatballs, and pine nuts. The pizzas take about 10 minutes to cook. Everything was so good and fresh! The pizzas are "personal size" but we had 4 pizzas for the 4 of us and we should have gotten 3 pizzas instead. The Carni had so much meat on it and the truffle cheese and garlic on the Tartufo smelled so good. The Margherita was good but a little plain by itself. Next time I'll add some toppings to it. The crust is nice and thin. Overall I would definitely come here again for their awesome pizza.

There's a lot of tables inside but you might have to wait a little sometimes because it gets crowded. We waited about 5 minutes for a table for 4. I wouldn't come here with a large group unless you come at an off hour. Since this place is in Westwood, parking can be hard. If you're lucky, you can find street parking. There's a bunch of pay parking garages in the area too.
4 - Simone F.: I'll admit: I was entranced by the magical soda machine. Punch the screen, get whatever toxic, artificially-flavored potion you desire. Lime/Vanilla flavored Coke Zero?? Done! This is why the human race has ruled the Earth for millennia. But kidding aside, a relentlessly efficient production line will get you your piping hot, uniquely-toppinged pizza served up on a real china plate in record time, no matter how long the line. The price is right, and you will suffer more finding parking in Westwood than getting your 'za. Top-notch operation providing  great product. Enjoy.
3 - Stephen F.: The flavors are good, the choices are good, but the pizza is so watery that the toppings fall off when you pick up a slice.

Lamonicas is just a block away with proper pizza for half the price.
2 - Julia S.: Love the concept! Choose your own toppings and 5 minutes later, a customized Neapolitan pizza is ready.

However, the sign of a good Neapolitan pizza is all about the crust--it should be crispy all the way through to the center, slightly charred, chewy yet soft. My pizza was soggy and fell apart in the middle, though the actual outer crust tasted good. Still, as far as Neapolitan pizzas go, it should NEVER be soggy.

The price is good though. Go late (10pm and after) to beat the long wait.
1 - Sallie and Alex L. A.: Thankgod I have no excuse to ever find myself here again. One thought: wolf in sheep's clothing.

Why? Well, strip down all the college-student hype and the "gourmet" ingredients and you get what you pay for:

1. Soggy pizza
2. Flavorless sauce, salads, and toppings
3. Lines like Bay Cities, Chego, and Diddy Riese but minus the "worth-it" satisfaction

Oh, and what - Can't get my pizza right? Ordered the Tartufo which came out burnt. Second time, the wrong pizza. Third time, forgot the arugula and truffle oil.

Really? I'd much rather pay twice the price and get to eat alongside my friend and actually enjoy my food. 

For the real deal, try pizza from:

Stella Rossa
Milo and Olive

Don't flock like the rest of them...Stray west of the 405.
4 - Patricia B.: NOM NOM NOM.... this place was amazingly good. I'm not a huge fan of Pizza but i like the fact that we can create our own savory pizza. Had lots of options to choose in the meat department and assortment of other toppings. Although pizza isn't a very healthy choice of food but i liked that no grease was used on it and still was very flavorful. Can't wait to go and try again hoping my thoughts of this place can only get better. 

Although i did notice it tends to be pretty busy! There was a line when we got there till the time we left... so expect to wait awhile.... but besides that recommend for sure!

Plus super cheap!! =)
2 - Shad E.: I really don't get the hype. If you want a soggy pizza that falls apart while transferring it from the tray on to your plate even though you're securing it with two utensils underneath, GO HERE. Also, despite adding about 6 toppings, my pizza didn't taste like anything until I added chili paste to it. Never going to go here again.
4 - Joseph J.: Its funny because you can talk to other pizzarias nearby and the owners hate on this place .. saying that they paid too much for the spot and this and that.. But to me, I like it, but only been there once.. It reminds me of a subway in pizza form haha.. but the food is great!! I had the margarita pizza with chilli :) I would say pizza lovers will appreciate it! GO FOR IT!!!
4 - Karen D.: If I could give it 3 1/2 stars, I would., but the fairly decent pricing puts it at 4 stars. 

I mean this place is tasty. I have been there a number of time and it is in the 3 week rotation. I like the ingredients and freshness. The pizza's do get really sloppy, but I guess that is the style? It's definitely decent and a fairly good price (although the prices just went up recently, which is crazy to me because they seem to have more than enough visitors). In any case, its worth a try but I don't think it deserves the crazy lines that it has.
2 - Mina L.: I really wish I could give this place more than 2 stars because I appreciate the prices ($6 for a margherita pizza or $10 for a couple of more toppings) and the innovative ordering process (they customize/make each pizza right in front of you).. but how can a pizza place with lines out the door turn SOGGGGYYY even before you take your first bite?? 

The toppings literally slide right off the soggy pizza bread as you try to pick up each slice to take a bite. As you're about to reach for the second slice of soggy pizza that's dripping and falling apart, you can't help but regret having stayed in line all that time for one of the worst pizzas in Westwood. 

I must note, though, that their plain margheritas and pizza blancos (i.e. no tomato sauce) don't turn as soggy, and when topped with some arugula and prosciutto, make for a decent pizza experience.
3 - Hilary F.: Quick Tips: 
-I (a small asian girl) can finish a whole pizza by myself.
-Best when eaten immediately. No morning after delicious cold pizza for this place :( 

Review:
I'm not a huge pizza connoisseur (damn those french and their very difficult to spell words) but this place is pretty good. 

I ordered take out around 4pm for the shortest line. Didn't get a chance to eat it until around 6:30. I know pizza is meant to be eaten warm and fresh out of the oven but the wonderful thing about pizza is that it saves well and is sometimes even better cold! 

This pizza just couldn't stack up in the cold category. The thin and chewy crust that they pride themselves on gets really gushy when you don't eat it right away. But ingredients seemed really fresh and tasty.

I had sausage, ricotta, basil, mozzarella, and roasted tomatoes. YUM. I can't wait to come back and brave the line to try it warm!
3 - Homan K.: A little to hyped up in my opinion. The pizza was pretty good, I have had better. It was nice to get a beer or glass wine with our food. 

The line killed me. The system they have setup is bothersome. That is the main reason this place gets 3 stars and not 4 stars.
2 - Heather R.: Good selection of toppings. Decent pizza. TOO EXPENSIVE and too crowded. Enzo's is still the best.
4 - Jenny L.: One of my fav places for pizza in Westwood! You get to customize your own pizza!  It's like customizing for subway sandwich, except this is your pizza, you get to see and pick your ingredients, see it pit-fire bake right in front of ya, and ready in about 5 mins!  You will always find long lines if drive by it, but don't get discourage, it moves relatively quickly, been there many times, never waited for more than 30 mins.  

Ordered the followings: 
1. Carni - LOVE!  Great if you love meat, comes w/ 3 different types, great to taste. 
2. Pollo - balance the usual red tomato sauce pizza if ya like white sauce, not too creamy, just right.
3. Chopped salad - dressing is definitely amazing, it came perfectly mixed w/ prosciutto, very chewy w/ an interesting taste!  
4. Hazenut Gelato - absolutely MUST try!!!

Summary:
FOOD - Great Pizza!      
Service - Great               
Parking: Street parking, hard to find sometimes :(
Seating: self service, but you'll always find a place to eat! :)
5 - Suraj K.: GREAT thin crust pizza! Lots of options. You get to choose your own fresh toppings and they make the pizza in front of you! A lot of variety of toppings are available. There always seems to be a pretty crazy rush but the line moves quickly. They also have ice cream, but did not try it.
4 - Miki W.: I was in Naples a few years ago.... and I still think about the pizza I had at a 400 year old pizzeria, where an entire bottle of red wine would cost one 2 Euros. It was the best pizza I have ever had, and I want to have pizza like that without having to fly to actual Italy!

So, most importantly, they are vegan friendly...... they offer a Pizza Marinara (which is the original way pizza was supposed to be, people), which is what I ate in Naples, and it is inherently vegan. Yes, pizza originally had no cheese. So, I was happy for that, because in the US of A, if you want pizza with no cheese, you are instantly a weirdo. And I was happy with my Pizza Marinara.... even though I admit I had a feeling of, "Why on Earth did they cut the pizza for you?!?" ;-) And for the people who complain about the "soggy" pizza, well, REAL pizza is supposed to be a bit "soupy", especially around the middle. Don't you dare argue with Naples on this one! They 
Iterally invented the stuff!

The line certainly got long whilst we were there. Glad we eat early! 

The restaurant is cafeteria style. The pizzas cook in just a couple of minutes, so you don't have a long wait after you place your order and pay. The prices are cheap. My Pizza Marinara was about $6 and my husband's Margherita was about $7.

I liked my vegan pizza just fine. It wasn't quite Naples, but I was in Westwood, so what more could you expect?!?
2 - Chanh H.: Lets see...so many things wrong with this place, but I'll stick to the big ones.  The line was terrible.   I guess its not their fault that they're so popular, but its an issue that they have to address because impatient people like myself will not want to come back.  Now onto the important stuff.  Beyond the line, the reason I wouldn't come back is cause the food is no good.  In order to accommodate all the patrons, they have to cook their pizzas really fast.  Because of this, the center of the pizza is soggy.  and the outside rim and top are a little burnt.  I like the fact that I can make my own pizza, but all in all, not worth the hype or time.  On a brighter note, I would recommend this place over Lamonica's or Enzo's.  It's kind of tragic actually...the lack of quality pizza in westwood.
1 - Chris T.: So I went back with two friends, and decided to give this place another try. After this visit, it went from 2 stars to 1 star (I would give it 0 stars if I could).

First, they screwed up all of our orders (3 for 3!). (1) Friend #1 asked for 3 toppings, they only gave him 2 (and only charged him for 2, though). (2) Friend #2 asked for 4 toppings, they only gave him 3 (but charged him for 4). (3) I asked for 3 toppings, and they only gave me 2 (I learned from my last experience, so I kept an eye on my pizza and caught their mistake).

Then, when they called out the number for my pizza, my pizza was missing nearly half its top. **Check out the picture I posted** The cheese/toppings had slid off half the pizza when they handed it to me. I mean, who serves this kind of crap to their customers?!?!

To make matters worst, the guy giving out the pizza was rude and tried to pass it off as "my problem" and not "their problem." They eventually offered to re-make my pizza. 

What a mess. Check out the picture, for real.
5 - Kat V.: Oh my pizza! This place is AMAZING!! 

I'm normally never impressed by pizza, even NYC pizza, but this was a pizzasm in my mouth!!!! 

I started with the Margherita pizza and then had them pile on whatever toppings my taste buds desired---and they ALWAYS desire bleu cheese. Yes, they have bleu cheese! And there's something about the sauce....it's just...so...FLAVOURFUL. Best pizza sauce ever. The crust is crispy and thin. I don't even care that all my toppings fall off the pizza before it reaches my mouth; it's that good.

Oh and the soda machine is pretty futuristic. Touch screen soda?? Can it play music too?

Anyway, thanks for coming to Westwood, 800 Degrees.
2 - Susie K.: My out-of-town guests heard about 800 Degrees' fabulous pizza, and my sister also mentioned she heard it was very good.  My husband is still on the hunt for yummy pizza spots, so we were willing to check this out.  Our group ordered two pizzas and two salads.  First, the system needs tweaking.  The layout doesn't make sense.  You order your pizza, see it getting constructed, get a receipt, then hop over a chunk of space to pay for it.  You then wait to grab your pizza in the empty chunk of space, where there are obviously people in line waiting to pay.  Really confusing and hectic.  We grab our pizzas when it's made, but notice that our second salad is missing.  No one is helpful.  They ask for our receipt, but duh, they took it.  We tell them we ordered 2 identical salads, and only received one.  They said they'll whip it right up.  Took longer than necessary and I was presented with the wrong salad.  They do it AGAIN and they finally bring it out to our table when half the pizza is gone now.  Really irritating, and the staff wasn't really apologetic about the whole thing.

If the pizza was as amazing as we were hoping it would be, I would still go back regardless of the blah service.  But, sadly, it was meh.  I know others love it, but it wasn't the type of pizza we were looking for.  Those who love Pizzeria Mozza will like this place b/c it's cheaper.  I agree with another reviewer who stated that they cook it so fast that the crust is a burnt rock, and the center is thin and REALLY soggy.  I had to eat it with my fork.  The salad was average too.  They opened a bag of mixed greens and threw some olive oil and lemon on it.  Nothing fancy.
5 - Siobhan D.: Order the base layer pie, add toppings, consider a salad but say no, pay, ogle the homemade ice cream flavors, feel ancient when you can't figure out that darn-tootin newfangled soda machine and then BAM, order's up. 

Tip: the pizzas without marinara sauce (white pizza, oil) hold up better during the rapid burn. Not so soggy in the middle.
2 - Aarash Z.: So it should be said... the reason I rated this place 2 stars is because the pizza was soggy... not just mine, but everyone at my table's... that is the worst thing you can do to a pizza... 

I didn't mind waiting in line... almost any place in Westwood has a line, so that was fine... watching them make your pizza was cool... 

They did goof on my order and give my pizza to someone else, but they quickly resolved that... so that didn't bother me

The flavors were cool... I think they need to work on their tomato sauce a little... 

But even though they had an awesome soda machine and all the pizza tasted really good, they were all soggy... and nothing can make up for that... if they figure out that they can fix this by getting the floor of their oven hotter, and the rest of the oven slightly cooler,(hint hint) then this place would completely rock...
4 - Michelle L.: After my disappointing experience at 800 degrees, I was prepared to give this place 3 stars. However, I (fortunately) got here at 11:30, thus avoided the long lines that snaked around the block as it got later and later into the lunch hour.

Anyways, my experience was disappointing because i thought the pizza was bland, and the center was super soggy. I wasn't able to pick up the pizza without it flopping down lifelessly, causing me to have to maneuver around the floppy pizza to get the optimum bite.

The reason why I bumped this place up to four stars was because after I got home (with 2/3 of my pizza still remaining), I decided to pop one slice in the toaster oven and top it with red chili flakes.

Amazing.

Seriously, a little more time in the oven and a little more flavor did wonders! The bottom of the pizza was crisp and flakey and the peppers added a whole other level to the pizza.

Plus, the service here is really spectacular (super friendly cashier and ridiculously attentive busboys).

Also, they now serve beer and wine!
4 - Joey H.: I always thought this place had a "z" in the name, like "800 Degreez." Weird. Anyway, onto the review.

If you ever thought Coldstone Creamery could be transformed into a pizza place, then you'll absolutely love 800 Degrees. Picking from three basic pies (marinara, blanca, or margherita), you then add toppings for roughly a dollar a topping. The "servers," if you want to call them that, make everything right in front of you. You pay and watch them put it in the oven. It's like a live show, right in front of your eyes! Within 5-10 minutes, your pizza is out and rearin' to be chowed down. Fantastic. The last time I was here I also got the burrata (amazing and in the running for favorite cheese of mine) and a salad (pretty good, and big enough for two servings) in addition to the pizza, because sometimes I like being so full that I can't move.

The pizza itself is pretty good, but it could certainly stand to be cooked a little longer to add some crispness. If you get the white pizza, you'll have a better bet of not getting a soggy pizza than if you the get marinara or margherita. I recommend pine nuts, gorgonzola and caramelized onions on said white pizza for maximum deliciousness. Throw chicken on there too if you're in a meaty mood.

Speaking of moods, the servers don't really have good ones. It seems like orders get messed up quite frequently, and the pizza makers are kind of short-tempered, which I guess is understandable when you have to deal with so many people. But still. The friendliest guy there was cleaning the bathrooms and was quite accommodating to give me the key to go in. That's generally a problem if that's the case, but I guess the food is good enough that I can overlook the poor customer service.

Tl;dr version: Try the white pizza to avoid over-sogginess, order the burrata as an appetizer and prepare for some part of your order to be incorrect.
4 - Cindy T.: Love it, love it, love it.  Fresh ingredients, delicious sauce & crust, fast and cheap.  The only down side are the incredibly long lines.  Even with the relatively fast service, it is often a 15-20 minute wait to get your order taken.
4 - Ricardo F.: To combat the soggy pizza I got mine without the marinara sauce. I loved my pizza and the salad was tasty too. I like their funky little soda pop machine too. Would go again, but might try to get there as soon as it open to avoid the crowd, oh and did I say axe the marinara sauce to avoid soggy center (this is blasphemy to some, but to each their own).
4 - Angela C.: From the creators of Umami  Burger.

The first time we came, we ordered a specialty pie called the Tartufo... and it impressed us so much that we had to come back the next day for more.  The second time around we tried the standard margarita pizza with a sausage topping.  After trying it twice, I would give this place a solid 4 stars... though that Tartufo is definitely 5-star worthy (I'm still dreaming about it).  

The first day we came, it was 4:30pm on a Saturday afternoon and we waited for about 20 minutes.  The next day was a Sunday morning at 11am (when they first open), and there was already a line - we waited about 10 minutes.  I guess we lucked out both times in terms of the wait!

As you wait, you can see the person hand-tossing the dough and you can see all the wood burning in their super powerful wood-fired oven.  You stand in line and put on toppings like you would at Subway or Chipotle.  You tell the first person what pizza you want.  I noticed most people ordered the basic Margarita Pizza (just tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil) and added additional toppings.  Be careful with this method though because at $1-3 per topping, it really adds up!!

Bottom line - try the specialty Tartufo pizza.  It is divine.  Order a soda too just so you can try out their neat soda machine... they have a ton of different types of sodas here!

Enjoy!
4 - Cathy L.: So everything everyone says is true - the pizza does get a little soggy, the lines take forever, they do get your order wrong, etc. etc.

However...the food is so good!  I love the pizza and the burrata salads and the price is more than reasonable for what you get.  The ambience is also great too - really open and airy and a great place to meet up for a lunch date with a friend or *small* group of people.

As a note though - this place is *not* as good as Mozza and is not comparable - whoever said that is missing a ton of taste buds.  Mozza still reigns as best pizza place in LA by far.
3 - Joseph P.: Hip, new, and FRESH!

It feels like a secret level in a game. Located next to the hammer museum, 800 degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria can feel a bit hidden.  800 degrees is an awesome fast food style pizza. 

Unlike all the other mega-chain pizzerias this place boast a plethora of ingredients found in gourmet stores like Bristol farms and whole foods. It's definitely a nice change from the standard pepperoni (even though this place also does that... but BETTER!). Ingredients are SUPER FRESH and include exotic ones such as gorgonzola, fontina, egg, meatball, soppressata, rock shrimp, prosciutto di parma. GOD-LIKE ingredients!

However, you can easily pay a pretty penny for each one of these custom pizzas. Some small personal pan-size pizza can go as pricey as $20+. But the real problem is that it's so tempting to do customize your pizza, especially since the standard ones are so boring and plain. So, BE CAREFUL.

All in all it's a good eat. I came back for the same pizza a few days in a row after the first trip. 

Tips: 
1. Customize your pizza (even if it's a little bit), it will make your pizza experience at 800 degrees way more enjoyable.
2. Start off with the Pizza Margherita, but add pepperoni, fontina, mushrooms, roasted garlic, red onions. This combination worked well for me.
3. Go online and find their menu, write down some combinations you feel like are winners than order it when you get there. Save the person behind you waiting in line the trouble of waiting for you to make your selection of ingredients. 
4. Get your pizza, open the box and take a strong whiff of what you ordered, the aroma from it will stretch your lips from one end of your face to the other end. 


A worthy pizzeria, solid 3/5.
5 - Daniel M.: My friends and colleagues describe the pizza as "soggy" but the accurate description is "soft crust." New York style this is not. The ingredients are first-rate, and the pizza is comparable to what you would get for twice the price (or more) at a "sit-down" restaurant with table service. The line can be quite long - it has taken me up to an hour from when I got in line to when I got the pizza - so good luck! It is best to go for an early lunch or (very) early dinner.
4 - Kristine V.: Great Pizza! Great customer services!!  You also receive your food very quickly.. There many toppings to choose from and the prices are very friendly.   Wish there was a South Bay location!
3 - Anne A.: The pizza here is soggy. 

According to my friend who lived in Italy for two months, this pizza at 800 Degrees is as authentic as you can get and soggy is a sign of a genuine Italian Neopolitan pizza. She recommends sticking only to the margherita pizza -- simple and how it is supposed to be eaten. The more toppings you put, the more wet it will get.

I know pizza is subjective and depends on your personal preference such as if you would rather have a New York or Chicago-style pizza.

So, based on my experience eating this pizza and because it is soggy, you'll definitely need to eat it with a fork and knife and put the pizza in a cardboard pizza box as many people did here eating in the restaurant to absorb the moisture.

I personally like mine, dry, and American-style pizza from New York -- such as from Grimaldi's or Joe's on Bleeker in NYC.

There is a long line which makes you believe they serve a great pizza. Just like their sister restaurant, Umami Burger, this place is all hype.

I definitely would recommend to try it at least once to judge it yourself.  You fall in a long line/queue anticipating an outstanding pizza. The line goes fast so don't be intimidated. This is the Subway or Chipotle of pizzas.

Most people get the margherita which is direction I went based on all the Yelp reviews. About $6 per slice and $1 per topping.  I added caramalized onions, sausage, rosemary ham, and an egg. Free toppings are available -- oreganos, chile, garlic.  $10 pizza

I ordered the burrata salad, with cherry tomato, and pesto -- good, but not any different than I can make myself at home. $5

I ordered from the soda just to try their souped up "machines of all soda machines." You pick a soda and get at least seven flavors for your average Coke, Sprite, Mello Yello, Powerade, etc. I went with the Peach Mello Yello. about $2

I ordered also the gelato from LA Creamery -- small chocolate truffle and salted caramel.  You can pay first or you can pay later by going up and ordering it. Line is only for pizza. Gelato is very good, but not as great as Grom.  $3

Total: $22 + tip  = $26 dinner

You order your custom pizza (a la Subway or Chipotle), you grab your slip of paper, pay at register where you can order your soda, craft beer, salad, and gelato.  Place is packed of course and finding a seat can be a challenge, but manageable with patience and an eye of a hawk!

Music was cool .. they were playing Outkast and not your annoying mainstream radio music. My 6 year old nephew hated this place because his pizza was soggy, the food smelled, and some college kid put his feet on a chair. This is your UCLA, young college crowd.

RECOMMENDATION: I recommend ordering your pizza in a pizza box to soak up soggy, charred of a pizza or you'll be disappointed of your pizza on a plate.

Would I return? Probably not and only if I was in the area. I would not go out my way to eat here as there are better places to eat pizza.  Go for the "build your own pizza" gimmick.

Read Jonathan Gold's review here: http://articles.latimes.com/2012/mar/31/food/la-fo-0331-gold-20120331 

and http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/2011/12/from_umami_to_pizza_800_degrees_opening_westwood.php

Find the certified Neopolitan pizzerias (American Delegation of the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana, an international non-profit organization founded in the mid 1980's by a group of Neapolitan pizzaiolis [pizza makers] seeking to cultivate the culinary art of making Neapolitan pizza) in the US here: http://anticapizzeria.net/vpn/members/members.html
3 - Kathryn Y.: This is totally a subways-style pizza place. The ingredients are freshly sprinkled onto your pizza right in front of you. It tastes freshly made, but it wasn't absolutely mouthwatering. I got the margherita pizza with bacon and broccolini. It was crispy, chewy, tasty... and burnt. My luf got the white bianca pizza with mushrooms, brocollini, and sausage. The sausage turned out to be crispy. Now, that was burnt. I poked a burnt bubble on her pizza and it "shattered" to burnt pieces... 

No well-cooked pizza? No 4 stars. 

Good thing I went after the lunch rush (around 2:30), so I waited for only ten minutes. The restaurant is spacious and has a great ambiance.

It's a bit overrated but it's worth it to try! I would suggest trying their unique toppings like truffle cheese. Watch out though! Each topping is a $1-$3 and it's very tempting to add truffle cheese... and prosciutto... oh and garlic... ooh and rock shrimp...
3 - Catwoman R.: Went back.  Ordered the "crispy"  Really wanted to bump this up a notch, but the crispy is more like "burnt-ish" & the cheese gets kind of weird.  

Next attempt, will be eat at the venue.  

Summary:  flavor, pretty great.  (meats are kind of weird tho, sausage tastes like chorizo instead of italian & chicken was strange), but I'm chalking that up to buyer's error.  

Anyway, great GREAT flavor.  Good price.  Not so great texture.....  Just wish the middle wasn't so mushy & everything falls off.  A LOT more soggier than most Neapolitan places.
3 - Long B.: I finally got a chance to try this place out.  There was a line out the door when I got there but it goes fast.  I tried two of their specialty pizzas, the four kinds of cheese and a sausage style combo pizza.  I found crust to be too chewy and the cheese pizza favor to be too strong for me.  The other pizza was ok.  I definitely need a salad to eat along with eating their pizza.
3 - Pablo B.: The homemade pizzas rate a strong 4 and are really delicious, but the customer service is nearly non-existent. There are no signs in the restaurant to explain what you do at which station, and the employees don't step up to explain or offer assistance. They just stand there watching you try to figure it out...which gets really old really fast. 

So again:  kickass, amazing pies, and awful, disinterested service.
4 - Kari R.: Love the thin crust and great toppings. Just wish they had red pepper flakes for the top
3 - Andy N.: From the creators of Umami burger comes 800 Degrees Neapolitan style pizza!  The ordering style and quality is not like Umami burger at all. It's more like a subway style ordering system. You pick your pizza and toppings that go a long with it. It's just a lot more fancier looking. My problem with this is that the toppings aren't fresh and just looked sad that way. Especially holding that Umami name I would expect a lot more

. I ordered a Margarita pizza. The toppings I added were meatballs, red onions, and an egg. The pizza was cooked in about 5 minutes. It comes out really big for a one person. This definitely could be shared. For 11 bucks this wasn't too bad. I should've added more cheeses to my dish. The dough was chewy and a bit tough. Remember that this is Neapolitan style pizza, not your typical Pizza hut. I like the concept but I don't like it if you're comparing it to the people who created Umami burger. 

Recommendation: Have fun and create your own pizza!
2 - Law H.: Wasn't as good as what I thought it was going to be...
5 - Nathan W.: Pretty fucking amazing! You can get a fresh, delicious, wood-fired personal margarita pizza for $6! We had that and added on some free spicy chilies. Very oily, very good! The gluten-free crust, was the best I've ever had. Usually it's a little sweet, at every other place I've tried, but this tasted like pizza dough! We also tried the Pizza Bianca & the Tartufo on regular crust. Customizing your own pie seems to be the way to go. Unless you get crazy with your protein add-ons, it seems like a bang for your buck! My new favorite pizza joint! Sorry Lucifer's, you're numero dos...
3 - Angie L.: So.. the price isn't too bad considering you get a pizza pie made-to-order.  

Tried the margherita, and it was OK.  I prefer a little more crisp to my pizza, and this was a bit on the softer, soggier side.  After tax, a margherita comes out to $7.01 and it's a small 6-slice pie, probably decent for 3 light-weight girls who don't eat much, but definitely more suitable for 2 people who could finish 3 slices each.

It's nice though that this place exists in UCLA-town..saw some kids in PJ's grabbing some pizza, I'm sure it's a good study break or way to refuel for those late night cram sessions.

It beats a standard chain pizza place because they use fresh ingredients.
4 - Jacqueline R.: I went here for the first time this past Saturday, and I really liked it! The line was pretty long when me and my roommate got there. We ended up waiting for about 40 minutes, but I definitely think it was worth it because the pizzas baked really quickly!

You have 3 choices of bases for your pizza:
1) Pizza...something. I forget what they called it, but it's basically just tomato sauce ($5.15)
2) Pizza bianca: Just mozzarella and no tomato sauce ($5.45)
3) Pizza margherita: Tomato AND mozzarella ($6 something)

Then, you get a ton of different choices from three categories:
1) Meats (sausage, ham, chicken, etc.)
2) Cheeses (goat, truffle cheese, provolone, etc.)
3) Vegetables (spinach, tomatoes, caramelized onions, etc.)

I believe each extra topping is $1, but some of the fancier ones like the truffle cheese is $3. They also have some sets of toppings recommended for people who don't know what to get. 

It's pretty self-explanatory on how you order: basically like Chipotle, except with pizzas.

NOTE: If you order any other side dishes like truffle cheese bread or anything, order that at the beginning of the line when you order the basics for your pizza. I accidentally waited until they put all of my toppings on to let them know that I wanted the truffle cheese bread, and they told me I should have said that at the beginning. It's not like they had a sign that said to, though... -_-

The soda machine is one of those futuristic ones like at Wingstop where there's a ton of buttons and you can choose various flavors of each soda (ie. you select Coke, and then you can have orange Coke, raspberry Coke, vanilla Coke, etc.). 

They also have gelato for dessert, but they only have a few flavors and I didn't think it would be good because they specialize in pizzas. I could be wrong, though.

Overall, 4 stars! I'm a fan.
3 - Elaine L.: I think the concept of this restaurant is really unique. Build your own pizza. It's perfect because I don't eat cheese. I ordered a cheese-less pizza!! However, the pizza was not that great. The dough was undercooked in the middle because they have to make everyone's individualized pizzas in a timely manner. The service, however, was nice and quick. They also have that fancy soda machine with hundreds of flavors that's pretty fun to play with.
4 - Thy L.: Okay fine. I'm a fan, damnit! 

I am not a pizza person. I was very skeptical when they first opened. Why would there be a line for pizza of all things?! I took a friend here when she was in town as a break from driving all over LA doing touristy things. I made my own pizza and it was delish! You pick your base, bianca (just cheese), marinara (just tomato sauce), margherita (cheese & tomato!), then add your toppings. I got shrimp and garlic. Yum. Ingredients are fresh. Pizzas cook fast because the crust is actually pretty thin. Too thin in the center if you ask me, but it tasted amazing nonetheless. I also wished they could've been a little more general with their toppings.  I think two of my pizza slices actually didn't even have any shrimp on it! Oh wells. The line always looks long when I drive by, but I've managed to dodge it both times I was there.
4 - Victor L.: Pretty delicious pizza. The line can get very long though moves fairly quickly. This place is like a pizza version of subways. You choose the pizza base then what toppings you want. There is no tipping limit, but all toppings cost an extra dollar. You can spend anywhere from 8-14 on average depending on the toppings you get. The pizza oven they use cooks the pizza in about 3-5 minutes. They also serve alcohol. They only have thin crusts. Overall a good place but can get pricy.
4 - Angie J.: Oh my GOODNESS! Finally I understand what my friends have been saying. This place is truly amazing.

Yes, yes the lines may be long...which is why i give this a 4.5 instead of a 5...
I went when the line wasn't too long (thank goodness) so I only had to wait 15-20ish minutes before ordering. And once you get inside, you get to stare at the workers and watch them prepare the pizza. Dinner and a show! Awesome.
...but anyway, let's get to the important stuff:

THE PIZZA. So 800 is pretty much a pizza version of a frozen yogurt shop.  You order which type of pizza you want ( margarita, bianco, etc ) and then you get to choose your TOPPINGS! But beware. Each topping is a dollar each.
My friend kinda went buck wild on the toppings so his pizza came out to be over $20 when mine ended up being less than $10 (I got a margarita pizza with one topping. smoked ham, was it? I forget, but it was still delicious!

Not only are the pizzas GORGEOUS, but they are delicious. They're suuper thin though and they can get soggy...BUT I STILL LOVED EVERY BITE!. I usually love deep dish pizza...but if I can be fully satisfied with partially soggy, thin pizza, then you know this place is just off the chain!

and of course I have to mention the drink dispenser. Okay honestly I'm super noob with technology so I was confused as to how to use the machine. I just got water HAHAHAA!! but i had the privilege of watching my friends choose their drinks. It's fascinating. and delicious!

I went yesterday. I was going to go again today with my best friend but it didn't work out...BUT we're gonna come for SURE during the summer. So excited!

800 Degrees yall. Check it. Eat here. There's a reason why the lines get ridiculously long. 
It's THAT good. and it's worth the wait.
1 - John J.: There's always a huge line because of inefficient service. So while they make you wait so long for a pizza that you could cook better yourself, this restaurant loves the publicity at the customer's inconvenience. The pizza crust is soooooooooooo thin, superthin, they put globs of cheese worth only $1 or two that are sure to clog your arteries (all that saturated fat) and for $10?!

I don't see the big deal with this place and I know I can get more food with less saturated and trans fat at on a pizza at other places!
4 - April J.: Everybody knows that I am head over heels in lust with Umami Burger. When I heard 800 degrees was owned by the same people I was determined to come here. 2 hours  later, we arrived. We were greeted with a longlonglong line. Luckily, the pizzas come out pretty damn fast! (5 stars for 5 minute pizza wait).

The Pizzas!

#1- Tartufo Pizza- Pizza bianca with truffle cheese, arugula, roasted garlic, and mushrooms. I added pinenuts to the pizza as well and it was DOPE. It was amazing and everyone's favorite pizza of the night. Something about that truffle cheese. 
#2- Pizza Bianca with Sopresseta ( basically spicy salame), Pepperoni, truffle cheese, and bacon. Okay here's a tip. ORDER THE FREAKING BACON. It is so  good. If you are getting a meat pizza, the bacon will be the star.
#3- Pizza Bianca with ham, truffle cheese and sausage- kinda a worse version of 2. Still good though, the sausage was a bit overpowering.
#4- Pizza Bianca with ham, pepperoni, and truffle cheese. Very similar to #2 and really good. 
#5- NASTIEST PIZZA EVER.  Napolenata: My dad ordered this and let me tell you, it was the opposite of delicious. Anchovies, capers, onion, on a red sauce pizza. no cheese. I am a cheese lover. How can you order a pizza with no cheese?!!!!! The anchovies were soooo strong and the tomato sauce and capers made it taste sour. Sour, soggy, fishy, non cheesed pizza. Are you grossed out? GOOD. do not order this. My dad stared sadly at his plate until we offered him some of our pizza. Luckily, the serving sizes are pretty big and we all were full ( & had leftovers!)

If you've noticed a pattern let me say two things.
1. Yes, my family is obsessed with truffley things
2. This obsession makes sense. The only pizza without truffle cheese made me yearn for the sweet embrace of death. Okay, not really, but it did taste like hot garbage.

The soda machine is cool too! They have the touch screen one where you can pick flavor shots! Yeah, I went a little overboard. Coke Raspberry mixed with Peach Fanta? Not a good experiment. 

You have satisfied me again, Umami People. Though your truffle burger is still my favorite thing ever, I am now obsessed with your pizza too. Thank you for making my weight gain extra yummy.
5 - Ralph B.: This is gourmet cooked to order pizza done up Subway style.  Tell the pizza artists what you want on your pie, watch them put it together right in front of you and it gets tossed in the oven.  Fresh ingredients, tasty pizza, and super cheap too!

This is part of a pizza renaissance that has been going on in LA over the past few years.  You can't say there is no good pizza in LA anymore.
4 - Nicole F.: I finally tried this place last weekend and the weekend before and I'm definitely a fan. The pizzas are amazing and I love that it's all custom.  The ingredients are really fresh and top notch.  The restaurant itself has a really cool vibe and the staff are really nice and extremely helpful! I would say that I think the pizza is better the next day or at least after it sits for awhile. I tried eating it immediately after it came out of the oven and all my toppings fell off. Small price to pay but it's worth mentioning. Just watch out for long lines but if you drive by and it's short, pull over and try it.
3 - Lindsey K.: Maaaaaaaaan, I really wish this place lived up to its hype...but sadly it didn't. 

As I drove by 800 Degrees to park, there was a looong line out the door. The wait probably took us 15-20 minutes, but the ordering/cooking process was really quick. 

I ordered the margherita pizza (as is) and the pizza bianca with argula and prosciutto as additional add-ons. Both pizzas were okay, but something about it didn't sell me on it. I feel like both pizzas tasted incomplete. *shrug*

Unsure if I would come back here to be honest. I would rather go to Mulberry's or Pitfire Pizza.
4 - Wendee H.: After hearing mad raves about this place, this was an anticipated dining experience. And after hearing about the long line on opening day, I figured the hype will die down after a couple of weeks. But as my mother always tells me, do not assume. It was a Friday night, my boyfriend and I stood in line for a good 25 minutes. It is that crowded and popular! Granted, don't get me wrong because the workers are efficient as possible and that pizza oven is cranking out pizzas by the minutes. 
Even after standing in line for that long deciding on what we wanted on our pizza was still difficult. Not only does it take only a few minutes for the pizza to cook but it tastes amazing. Any combination of toppings is a good combination. Never been disappointed and I've been here three times now. We ended up getting Chopped Salad and the Gorgonzola salad too. The Gorgonzola salad is amazingly delicious. Maybe it is just me, but my salads never taste as good as when I order them from eateries. Anyways the salads are hands down good and a must order item from the menu.
Service is excellent. They are fast workers and friendly. There's a handful of seats available.
3 - Teresa C.: It was okay. Definitely not up to the hype that I heard.

The employees weren't very friendly nor helpful. They didn't seem very interested in y'know.. helping the customers.

I asked for light cheese on my margherita pizza; got the normal amount. There was hardly any basil on it, which was a big disappointment. It was extra for the roasted garlic, and there wasn't a lot of that, either. Maybe a little clove per slice. The pizza was alright, but floppy. The underside looked pale and almost uncooked. You have to use both hands, or some utensils, if you want to eat without everything slipping off.

The ice cream, while really expensive, was tasty and would have been even better if it wasn't already melting. The freezer must have been set too high, because ice cream shouldn't already be that soft and watery as it's being scooped.

I'd probably come here again if I were with people who want to try it out, but I'm not really interested in going on my own volition. It wasn't bad, and it wasn't great. It was just okay.
4 - Kristin L.: My husband and I visited 800 Degrees last Sunday around 2:15 PM and we were second in line. Highly recommend going at a slightly off time to avoid the lines. Pizza was awesome and I'm a tough sell when it comes to pizza...especially Neapolitan style pizza. Definitely some of the best pizza I have had outside of Italy. Giving it 4 instead of 5 stars simply because as other reviewers have mentioned it was a little soggy and some parts of the crust were slightly burnt; however, this really isn't atypical for this kind of pizza. I am putting 800 Degrees on par with my other favorite pizza places in LA: Pizzeria Mozza and Olio Pizzeria. Glad to have another spot to add to the mix!
2 - As I See It S.: After four visits, I won't be back for a fifth!  The pizza tastes good, which is why I am giving it two stars, but the pricing is false and the employees are horrible.  My first visit was the first night they opened "unofficially" and everything went well; the second time they messed up my order horribly; the third time all went well because it was an "off" hour; but the fourth time, lunchtime a few days ago, was a disaster.  First the wait was over 30 minutes, then a person behind me in line was told by the staff to cut in front of me to order a salad and both she and the order taker were confused by the system so it took over 5 minutes.  When my turn came to order a salad the order taker was still confused even though I knew exactly what I wanted.  I wanted a custom salad that ended up costing $12, for which I was overcharged for the amount of $1 items I ordered.  Because the salad order taker was so incompetent, he held up my ability to pay for my food, which caused further problems later in the meal.

When I went up to get my food order I wasn't allowed to take it because the cashier hadn't given me the two receipts (one for pizza and one for salad) that were required.  I told the servers that I knew what my order was and no one else had come to claim the salad.  Still they wouldn't let me take it without a manager's approval.  In addition, the side order of broccoli that had been sitting there was being visited by flies.  I told them I wanted a new order of broccoli, which also required a manager's approval.  To add insult to injury, the server was smirky and rude, as if I did something wrong.  Furthermore, the dressing I asked for on the side was slathered all over the salad. The manager claimed to replace my broccoli and when she brought it over told me that I had no reason to be mad.  Really?  Of course I'm mad.  I had just spent $37 for one pizza, one salad, a side of broccoli and two waters.  For the privilege, I had to stand in line for over 30 minutes and carry my own food to the table.  

This place is neither cheap nor friendly, or even that good--we didn't finish the broccoli or the salad.  I'm sticking with Pitfire Pizza where they serve you at your table and have a friendly attitude.
3 - claire P.: I went there following the buzz. 
I guess I had too much expectations. 
Good judgment on my part, i decided to go at 5pm, so no waiting in line. I do like the way you can build your pizza, like subway, the ingredients look fresh, the staff is very nice, the price is amazing, but... the pizza is ... bland, nothing special. Lacking in flavor, I felt like too much soggy dough in my mouth. 
Mulberry pizza is much better or a little more pricey but the pizza are out of this world is pizza Mozza.
3 - Brandon F.: I like the idea, the environment, and the fact that is in my old stomping ground of Westwood (UCLA alum). Unfortunately, I wasn't THAT impressed with the actual pizzas. The ingredients are fresh, but the marinara sauce is salty. The pizza dough is good, but it lacks that true crunch and thinness of a real Neopolitan pizza! The variety of ingredients is amazing though, and they are fresh too! Especially the spicy Calabrian peppers that I haven't had since I was in Italy. 

At least the price is reasonable for what you are getting, and way better than the greasy nastiness that UCLA students used to have to settle for.. ITALIAN EXPRESS!!

All in all, I would still say that Lamonica's New York Pizza still has a more authentic taste than here, but I do like the variety of the ingredients and making your pizza to order here. Additionally, this place has Italian beers for consumption, so at least they win some points for that. 

Sorry, I'm super critical of my pizzas, since Italian blood runs through these veins....
4 - Jenny H.: I am digging this place! The line may appear to be intimidating, but it moves pretty quickly (kinda like Chipotle). I typically like pizzas with fewer toppings, so I got the Margherita. It was really delicious and all the ingredients were very fresh. I usually don't eat the crust at the end, but 800 Degrees makes a pretty tasty crust! I had a slice of the Tartufo, which was very rich and had a strong truffle flavor. I'd probably share this one--it's on the heavier side. 

You can request for your crust to be done extra crispy, otherwise it'll be softer/chewier (borderline soggy) in the middle.
4 - Rina L.: I came here for lunch 3 days in a row....so yes, I like it!!

As I mentioned in my previous reviews, Westwood is not my ideal location for lunch (which SUCKS cuz I'm at UCLA 5 days a week).  Either the restaurants are overpriced (especially for the quality of food), too common (in short- been there, done that), or just plain BAD.  So I was happy to find some new, fresh and delicious!

800 degrees definitely did not disappoint!  The line halfway down the street puts up red flags when you're looking for a quick bite, but do not worry!  It moves pretty quickly.  You can order and be outta there within 15 minutes. 

You can either make your own pizza or choose one of their specials.  They're about $8-10 depending on the style of pizza you want and then a couple bucks for each toppings.  

My first visit, I ordered the margarita pizza with garlic (note: fresh garlic is free), arugula, sausage, tomatoes, and mushrooms.  On the side I ordered burrata w/ beets and chopped salad. I could've done without the chopped salad (it was a bit salty for my taste).  2 drinks and the total came out to $22.  Pretty good for 2 people! 

I do have to say their soda machine is pretty impressive.  I gave up soda a couple months ago and this machine definitely tempted me....but I stayed strong and stuck with iced tea.  =(

All in all, I likey (so far)!

Pros:
- Delicious, fresh ingredients
- Big dining area- pretty easy to find a table
- Friendly, fast service
- $

Tips:
- Parking can be a b*tch in Westwood.  Try the lot on Broxton and Weyburn.  You have to walk a couple blocks to 800 degrees, but they have 2 hrs free parking. SWEET.
4 - Christine W.: When you walk in, the line is long, but it it moves FAST.  There are tons of different toppings to choose from, so variety is not a problem.  The pizzas are a little on the oily side for me, but they are delicious.  Would definitely go back to try more.
3 - Raphael Aizan S.: For under $7, can one really complain about a margherita pizza that is a soggy, sopping wet mess? Not really. At least it tasted good. That's what Neapolitan pizza is supposed to be like, right? Whatever.

The chopped salad was ok, too. Maybe a little too much meat. That was one salty salad.
5 - Spencer E.: This is some good pizza when it comes to how fast they serve it to you! We ordered three different types of pizza in which my favorite was the prosciutto and arugula pizza on a non tomato base. The ingredients are so fresh that there's no wonder why there's always such a long line out the door for this place. We also tried one pizza where it was basically a meat lovers pizza (forgot the exact name) and that one did not disappoint as well. The only thing is that it was more on the saltier side but that is expected with all that meat on the pizza.

Tip of advice: People keep saying to get the pizza extra crispy but I am not a fan of the bottom of the crust being burnt too much. Try it without the extra crispiness and you won't be disappointed. The less crispy pizza makes you have the ability to fold the pizza in half while eating it so you don't have to spill the ingredients everywhere and make a mess.
3 - Bob G.: I heard all the rave reviews about this place so finally went. I grew up in the Bronx. The pizza was soft in the middle and too mushy for my tastes. I got a plain cheese. One of my friends didn't even finish their pizza. The sauce good, cheese good, not enough, and not a crunchy bottom. For a small pie, I am disappointed they couldn't cook the center well enough. For the price, it is a good deal and the pizza is good enough.
5 - Kyle A.: 800 is truly an original pizza place and I love it! It is a great place to take friends or co-workers for a good pizza made with good ingredients.
4 - Bassma M.: This place is like an assembly line for pizza making...(Henry Ford would be proud!) There clean, quick, and their menu options are great! Make your own pizza or choose from various options from their menu. I am the creative type...or so I think. I decided to build my own...and to my surprise it was pretty good! Very affordable especially given the size of the thing!! If your in the area check this place, you wont be disappointed!
5 - Michael N.: This place is AWESOME!  So this is my first review on yelp, so I couldn't think of better place to write a review.  Having lived in New York City for 7 years I consider myself a pizza snob.  And yes 800 degrees is a fantastic pizza, great salads, and a really cool soda machine.  The line moves fast and yes the short wait is definitely worth it.
2 - Rachel J.: I so wanted to love this.  I love the idea of it.  But.....if you've ever traveled to Italy and have had the real thing, this place is dissappointing.  They got the concept right, but whenever a place like this gets too big or popular, you lose the quality of food.  Plus they don't get their ingredients from their backyard, so it's hard to be to judgemental.  My margarita pizza was too soggy and too thin.  Salad to salty, meatballs lacked flavor.  My fav pizza is still too far away :).
3 - Mary A.: Line out the door at 2 p.m. on a Saturday was a good sign.  The line moved faster than I expected and the results were pretty good.  There has to be some way to solve the soggy center problem with the pizzas, tho.  I rolled my slices into something like a burrito in order to eat them without all of the toppings sliding off.  Tasty, nonetheless.  The green salad dressed with olive oil, lemon juice and parmesan cheese was great.
4 - Steven V.: 800 lives up to its hype! If you need some food after a night at Brewco or just want some damn good pizza, this is the place to hit up when you're in Westwood. Can't really beat a quality pizza margherita with fresh ingredients. The cheese is amazing, and the toppings are cooked pretty well. 

The crust is usually burnt though and the pizza can be a little hard to eat when the crust is too thin. Otherwise, the business model here is great and they make a pretty good product. 

Don't come during peak hours, waiting in line is a pain and parking may also be a hassle around the area. It's open late so come after a night hitting up the bars!
4 - .caroline ..: Fast, fresh, delicious, and priced just right.

Fold up the pizza margharita and enjoy it in all its saucy glory.  Love the fresh mozz and top notch toppings.

Pizza bianca holds up stronger and is also tasty.

And burratta.  Oh, burratta.  You can do me no wrong.  I love you.  I love you.  I love you.  Mwah!  With cherry tomatoes and pesto?  Yes, please.

Wish these were everywhere, closer to me.  Open up in the bay area soon, please!
5 - Kristin C.: 800 Degrees makes me wish I lived in Westwood... and I'm a USC alum. Its that good! 

The line here can be taxing, but like my love for Disneyland, and finding true love, somethings in life are worth waiting for. Plus, who doesn't have a smartphone that can kill 45 minutes in no time?

They call 800 Degrees the chipotle of pizza, and it shares the same genius minds from Unami. The pizzas are personal size and personalized with care. I tried the pesto base with gobs of fresh mozzarella, garlic, onions and fresh arugula, and took it to go. Walking back to my friends house, both the smell of my pizza and the heat on my hands was intoxicating. The pizza had thin crust and was heavy with the weight of my desires, but flavorful and wonderful to the last bite. 

*The best pizza I have ever had!! 

This might be the one thing that the Bruins have on us fellow Trojans, but my resume can live with that.
5 - Brandon Y.: And yet another reason to visit my friends at UCLA...800 Degrees is like taking your average Round Table, adding better toppings and putting a Chipotle-like make-it-your-own twist on things.

Although more of a fan of deep dish-style pizza, I really appreciated the speediness of getting the toppings, sauce, and cheese on, waiting for like 7 minutes, and voila - pizza! Just choosing my own toppings as common as pepperoni and mushrooms to fancy things like artichokes, prosciutto, and even an egg, opened my options to some cool combos made fast and easy.

I will say though that the slices do get pretty flimsy, so I usually end up making my pizza into a pizz-aco by folding the smaller part over. But it still tasted delish. Kinda wish they'd put a bit more ricotta on one of the pizzas we got, but at about $1 a topping in combination with this cool make-it-your-own idea, I definitely appreciate and will return :)
4 - Joel T.: I LOVE PIZZA.

and...

I LOVE WORKING OUT.  

Most of all, I love the body that you (usually) get from working out.  I'm not one of those guys that can just eat whatever I like and not pay the consequences; but I'm also not one of those guys that gets grotesquely large after eating.  I usually don't limit my calories or fat intake, but I do limit my carbs. 

In case you didn't know, a pizza contains quite a hefty amount of carbohydrates.  

No bueno for my diet.

However, you can't keep me away from my pizza.  So if I'm going to eat pizza, I'm going to do the damn thing and it better be some damned good pizza. I would gladly eat at 800 Degrees anytime I wanted to carb up and not feel guilty I did.  You have the option to choose from their pre-made specialty pizzas, start at a basic one and build up as you go, or start with a pre-made specialty and add things from there.  Both times I've gone I've just gotten a pizza margherita and built from there.  The great thing is that even with 3 toppings and a drink, I've managed to be at about $15 dollars. A very reasonable price to pay for a trendy, albeit great, made to order pizza.  

I wish I could name off all the ingredients, but the first time I can't remember what I got; the second time, I was extremely intoxicated.  The pizza is thin crust style and I don't know what else to say but that dough is great.  I don't usually eat the crust for fear of having no nutritional benefit from it.  The amount of sauce is just right for each pizza and is right up there in deliciousness as some of the best pizzas I've tasted.  (Current crush: Secret Pizza)

My favorite thing about this place...the soda machine.  I've never seen another  creation as blessed with such high fructose corn syrup as their soda machine.  So many possibilities from a single machine!  ZOMG!  GRAPE SPRITE?!  GTFO!

You just have to try it.

Parking can be a beezy if you're trying to find street parking, there's a structure...but when I parked there in the middle of the day I ended up having to pay $12 for not even close to 2 hours.  Never seen the place busy, seats were plentiful and the wait was nonexistent both times I've been here.

Just thinking about eating pizza makes me want to go do some squats. -__-
4 - francis d.: I like the concept of this place. It feels like the chipotle of pizzas. I had the margherita pizza. Thin, fresh, and surprisingly light for pizza. All for ten bucks, I can see the hype now. While nothing really blew me away, it's definitely a nice spot to hit up every now and then.
3 - Eri H.: Everyday long long line... i really expected that "how delicious" it was good but not Great.... What do you recommend add topping?  I ordered pizza margharita add  Artichoke&Pepperoni /About $9   It was too much salty~~ :(
4 - Kristen C.: Great business concept, I like that there are options to order from -- a pizza version of subway and chipolte and freebirds.   However, I personally am not a big fan of ordering that way -- as I'm soft spoken and rather point at things on the menu, so heaven forbid if the person serving me is illiterate.  And I don't like feeling rushed -- I'm the kind of person who takes a few minutes to look at different kinds of produces before selecting my pick.

I got the Margherita pizza and added pepperoni and gorgonzola (after correcting them when they were trying to grab 2 different cheeses).   As the majority here says, it is soppy wet, and thin.  I don't mind that, that's what fork, knife, and tons of napkins are for.   And oh yes, the soda machine is fun.
4 - ben w.: The Good:  Fast food pizza that isn't fast food.  They have a wood oven to cook the pizzas in and it gives it that thin crust that crisp and chewy texture.  Basically it's the Subway of pizzas, your pizza gets build as you go and you can add or omit ingredients as you wish.

The Bad:  It's newish and during the prime lunch rush there can be a 20-30 person line.

The Ben:  Good pizza, if you like the wood oven neapolitan pizza.  I will put it on my rotation when I'm out in Westwood, well this and my favorite still La Monica's.
2 - Caitlin B.: We came to this place to see what all the hype was about and unfortunately it didn't live up to any standard. The pizza was swimming in grease and  the center was chewy. The gorgonzola salad was good but I will definitely not be coming back here to wait in line just for a salad.
2 - Esteban F.: This restaurant motivated me to write Yelp reviews- every time I passed by the line was out the door.  Initially I mocked those who waited outside, laughing at the herd.  Then I became curious- surely if all these people were waiting outside it must be good, right?  Eh, not really.  It was worth it purely for the curiosity factor but not for the soggy pizza.  Plenty disagree, so check it out?
5 - Luciana B.: After trying to go a couple times and being scared away by the size of the line, we decided to try it right when they opened it on 4th of July. 
We were the first when the door opened. There were a couple people that lined up behind us.
We got the chopped salad and two pizzas. One had shrimp, anchovies and capers. and the other ham, mushroom, artichokes and black olives.
The pizzas were really good, really cheap and were ready really fast. 
They have a fancy LCD soda machine where you can tap the screen and choose from several flavors of Coke alone.
I though the pizza was almost as good as Mozza or Milo and Olive, for a fraction of the price. And the ingredients looked fresh and of good quality.
3 - AV T.: The 800 degrees pizza is overrated! Don't let the line fool you. The worst problem is the restroom. The main problem with the pizza is that it gets wet, really wet almost like a soup in the middle... It is not crisp, it's not solid, all the ingredients were falling apart from the crust as I was trying to eat it. 

They have every exotic ingredient you can imagine but they didn't have green paper, so I asked for jalapenos and they were super spicy! Overall the pizza still tastes good, the ambiance is nice and the price is fare...
5 - Anne H.: Three words: Truffle Cheese Bread. We could have stopped there, but we didn't. It's ample, a cheesy truffle delight encased in warm, soft bread. I ordered the white pizza and added freshly sliced prosciutto for only a $1. They add it on after the pie has baked, so it's soft and delicious and melts in your mouth with the rest of the garlicky pizza covered in fresh mozzarella. 
The prices are amazing, the soda machine I would give a kidney to have in my house. Seriously every single flavor of soda you could imagine...plus flavor shots if you want!
Downside, the line, waiting in line, looking for a table cafeteria style among college students (if you're old, mid-30's people like ourselves). You might feel like the new kid at lunch time, but it's worth it to get that pizza in your mouth! 
And they are open till 2am for your gluttonous late night needs.
4 - Colleen M.: This whole "before your eyes" customized pizza thing ain't new.
...But it's still pretty awesome.

Atmosphere: Hip yet retro, inviting, nice date spot
Service: At the counter, but pretty nice. Some times they're a little impatient, but you have to consider the line behind you.

The line.
On most occasions the line goes way beyond the front door, but do not fret! It moves pretty fast, especially as the pizza's cook in mere minutes. You'll feel like you're in elementary school again, trudging down the lunch line, but the resulting pizza from 800 Degrees is nowhere near the rubber pizza in cellophane. 

Parking: Near impossible, but you can do it!

*Pay per additional topping. ($1 or $3 for the premium toppings)
*The middle of the pizza will be soft, but if you really care (I think I rather prefer it), you can ask for it to be crispier, and cooked a little longer.
*Real ingredients, just look at the mozzarella balls they use!
*The capers - do not ask for too many - they are incredibly salted to begin with.
*OPEN LATE!
3 - Nicole H.: I kept hearing so many good things about this place and was so excited to try it, but I didn't feel like it lived up to all the hype! Yes, it's way cheaper than you'd expect, but the price doesn't make up for its taste.

It tasted just okay. I admit though, I was impressed by how fast we got our food after ordering (maybe five minutes?). I got the Margherita pizza with salame. The olive oil pooled to the center of the pizza and made it soggy and bleh.

I'm pretty sure my pizza was burnt, because the dough tasted like charred pita bread. Not a fan. Saw a couple other people in the restaurant who didn't eat their crust either, and it's NY style pizza so it's not like there's much of it!

I also don't like how tomatoes as a topping costs the same as getting giant meatballs as a topping.

Decent and fun Chipotle-style build your own pizza concept, but wish they could have delivered better.
4 - Farwah N.: Great pizzas! Love the mushroom truffle pizza! Tell them to make a little crispy if you don't like soggy centers! Line looks longer than it actually is!
5 - Bita H.: I'm hesitant to go into detail in this review because I fear that the good people at 800 Degrees will figure out that I paid less that $15 for a very nice sized personal pizza and a very-big-even-though-they-said-it-was-a-small sized chopped salad and come ask for more money. But I absolutely love this place! 

I love that the pizza's start at $6.45 and I can add a whole slew of toppings for only a buck each. I love that the staff was so friendly and patient with me as I tried to think up a perfect protein to veggie combination. I love that i can watch my pizza get tossed into an 800 degree wood-burning oven and that by the time I got my drink and utensils, my order was ready. And my wallet loved that I had enough left over pizza for lunch today (i guess my tummy is pretty happy about that too). I don't have a single complaint and for me, that's a big deal. 

They're open late and they stay pretty busy, but there always seemed to be a table available. I know this build-your-own meal isn't a new concept, but 800 Degrees has got it down pat.
4 - Sean C.: Superhot, wood-fire NOT napalm. When it comes to contemporary pop culture, 800 Degrees over 98 Degrees any day of the week. For me, this is Arugula Heaven. I choose a base and build my own pizza from there (I went Rock Shrimp, Cherry Tomatoes and Arugula). I have to remind myself I don't like Belgium Fat Tire -- too bitter; but they have plenty of import beer selection. Go through a cafeteria line; wait for available tables and self-seat on your own.
4 - Jessica O.: For less than $10 bucks, this is a great place for anyone, (esp.) students, the frugal, CEOs, whomever! 

The set up is much like Subway where you pick up toppings as you go. There are three basic "bases": Margherita (tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil), marinara (no cheese), and something else I cannot remember. My buddy and I chose to split a pizza. I'm the type who eats fairly small portions, but I eat frequently. But if I wanted to, I can finish a whole pizza. Hungry guys? Get your own. Slender/moderately athletic gals who like to eat frequently but not overstuff yourselves? Maybe splitting isn't a bad idea. 

So after we go through the line and pick our toppings, we pay up front and get water/drink/seats on our own. Your number is called just about after all that happens. Then you're ready to eat! If there is NO line, (which is unlikely...), you can be eating within 5 minutes of stepping in. They make it FAST. The only thing I could think of that would improve my rating is for them to have more dough options (e.g. whole wheat, garlic herb dough-- the likes of Trader Joe's). Topping selection is pretty decent. I wish they had a little more options like jalapenos? Maybe they did and I just didn't notice... But anyway, overall, I was very satisfied with my half pizza (again, Margherita base + meatball topping + arugula topping) and quickness of service. Meatballs were very tender and well seasoned!!! Very well seasoned and spiced up actually. The arugula wasn't put on until after they baked the pizza; it was fresh and retained its original taste. I also really enjoyed the casual atmosphere, which included finding our own seats, getting our own drinks/waters, and being able to enjoy a more healthy yet still delicious pizza with friends in the heart of Westwood. 

Parking was not my cup of tea. Street parking a couple blocks away would've had me lost if I weren't with natives. Bathrooms can be a little tricky to find, but not difficult, the signs and directions are pretty clear. Can't comment on the other selections (salads, etc.) since I just came for pizza and didn't get a chance to look into the other menu offerings. But its pizza alone is enough for me to come back to 800 Degrees. I wonder when I will be able to return to Westwood... one can dream :)
5 - Daniel T.: If you want quick, inexpensive and delicious authentic Napolitano style pizza, 800 Degrees is the spot.

This is one of those big city restaurants I sincerely wished existed out in the Inland Empire.

Price: Very inexpensive for the level of quality. $7-11 per pizza and salads around $10 or so.

Food: EXCELLENT. I lived in Italy for approximately 18 months and ate a lot of pizza. The crust at 800 Degrees may not be the best I've ever had in the US, but it's about as good as it gets. It's thin and has that amazing and unique attribute of "real Napolitano"crust in that it is both CRISPY and BUBBLED UP and RUBBERY and CHEWY (that's a good thing!). The pizza was a bit too watery but that's not unheard of with this style of pizza; the upside to that is that the cold leftover pieces my wife and I munched on as we drove to the Hollywood bowl later that day were still fresh and juicy. Buonissima!

Ambiance, etc.: You walk in, tell the pizzaiolo what you want and they put it together in front of your eyes (with just big globs of mozzarella thrown onto the pizza which melt into blobs) and throw it into an oven. You fill up your drink, wait for about 5-8 minutes and pick up your pizza and find a seat or bone out. The place has high ceilings, is decorated with a bunch of different kinds of pizza boxes and is generally an appealing high-end cafeteria style place.
4 - Eli S.: I'm really rating this place a 3.6, but I feel that I give everyone a hard time so why not this place too.. What because the throngs of people love it, or because the foodies of Westwood will attack me if I rate it a little lower on the star-o-meter... No, I must be fair to all the restaurants I rate. Never mind, I do really have to rate it a 4*... So here's why.

Price: Da@#! in Westwood, less than $10 for a pretty decent pizza? Only a few of the specialties get over 10 and a few are around 5. 

Ingredients/crust: The number of dough balls they have makes me think we are here to feed an army...and by the line out the door (I've seen it longer than I waited when school's in session) we might be. They use tipo 00 as they should and the dough looks well risen when it comes carted out for the spinner/tosser (no tossing, just pulling) whose mound of flour is astounding. Don't they say to lightly flour the dough?!!?

Ingredients/other: Man, slow down the selection.. You can pick your base pizza, and already you've got a good selection. Add on top a meat, a veggie, a cheese, &/or whatever you want. The cheese is fantastic and fresh, and so are all the other ingredients. I could hardly grasp the number.

My pizza: a Quatro formaggi (yes, I'm a chees-a-holic, but I took a 4 mile hike and 1.5 hour yoga and didn't eat breakfast or lunch, so it's ok!) and added roasted garlic and pine nuts. 

Taste: just crispy enough and burned to the right degree in the wood fired? oven. I tried to see in the oven, but it looked gas like, but who knows. They've got these giant copper bands running up the sides of the oven... Are they for looks or to prevent a horrendous heat from travelling into the crowds?? But back to taste, purely fresh and purely great. Not as good as Settebello in Pasadena, but good quality pizza. And for it's price, I'm coming back. I added on a beet + balsamic salad and was that good? Yes! The mozzarella was so fresh it was scary at first. I could have thought it was a loose poached egg, but then bam! The beets were very fresh as well and the balsamic cut the over salted materials (yes, oversalted, I said it). 

The problem: The line! They might need to open a sibling restaurant next door or something. :-). Ok, in addition, I got my pizza and waited for 15 minutes almost for my salad and the people behind the counter would not provide any human compassion for this issue and my to-go box with my pizza losing its flare every second (I got to-go because I was there by myself and didn't want to waste such valuable table space, but I should have because of inept organization today). I asked another woman waiting if this was normal and she said no, but she was also waiting for her to-go salad!! If I go again and anything like this happens, the rating will drop to a 3, because it's like delivering a good product and throwing it on the floor... Good thing I had enough sense to start eating my pizza while I was standing there, waiting for the salad.
1 - Angel S.: I'm glad there wasn't a long line when we went here because I was not impressed at all.  We had pizza margherita with pepperoni and chicken and was disappointed with the crust not being crispy enough.  Too much hype for this place.  I say NY pizza is still the best! Oh Grimaldi's when will I taste you again?
5 - Trina D.: Grace C. and I were in the area and decided to stop in when they opened for lunch.  Just after 11am, there's a line of 5-6 people.  We quickly looked at the menu and realized that it's sort of like Pieology but with fancier toppings.  It's sort of like Subway or Chipotle except for pizza.  I have to say, the residents of Westwood are sure lucky.  I wish they had places like this when I was an undergrad at UCLA.  

There are 3 basic pizzas for you to choose from: margherita (cheese, tomato sauce, basil), bianca (no tomato), marinara (no cheese).  From there, you can choose whatever toppings you desire.  The proteins and vegetables will run about $1 per topping except as noted.  They have truffle cheese for $3.  I opted for a margherita with roasted garlic, meatballs and Calabrian chiles.  They only charged me for two toppings so I imagine that the chiles count as a sauce and not a topping.  My pizza was cooked in a flash and was delicious!  I loved the roasted garlic and the fresh mozzarella.  The chiles gave it a nice heat that accompanied the acidic tomato sauce.  The meatballs were yummy and not my usual since I tend to lean towards pepperoni but decided on something different.  I was really pleased with the whole experience.  

My only complaint was that of the bottled drinks I asked for, they were out of, despite being on the menu.  All the drinks were $3 and up so that's where they gouge you.  I ordered a fountain drink to accompany my meal.  They have one of those fun Coke machines that dispense a million different flavors that you find at the movie theaters these days.  They also serve beer and wine.  The pizzas start at $5.15, which is quite reasonable if you're a college student on a budget.  The pizzas are large enough to share, but since everyone has different opinions on pizza, would you want to?
5 - Blair H.: This restaurant and concept are amazing! Went here last night for the first time and it was great. The line may be a turn-off once you see it, but don't worry - it does move! The people that work there are really nice as well. What you see is what you get - fresh, made right-in-front-of-you pizza. Kind of like Subway, but for pizzas. There is one slight problem that could be fixed - it's slightly soggy in the middle when it comes out, making it kind of hard to eat. But like i said, it could be fixed! The crust is delicious. For only $6.45 per pizza (plus around $1 per topping), it's an incredible deal and super fun. 
The soda machine is so cool! Technology these days!
4 - Esther W.: The line moves quickly so I wasn't worried.  I made a prosciutto mushroom pizza with white sauce.  It was good, but my only complaint was that it was ridiculously floppy.  I heard you can order the pizza to be baked well done so it doesn't get that way.  The soda machine is fun but people take forever trying to figure it out.
3 - Sharon W.: The subway (or chipotle, if you will) of pizzas--choose your crust, your sauce, your cheese and your toppings! Nothing out of the ordinary but I think the idea of creating your own pizza really excites the minds of college students that live off of chicken wings and premade, plain pizza!

They have a wide selection of cheeses (but watch out, the fancy cheeses cost extra and you could end up with a $16 mini pizza) but the quality is nothing to rave about.

I personally prefer a deep dish pizza which they don't offer here, but still this place is a cute innovation located on the outer edges of westwood.
5 - ryan c.: amazing
3 - Char L.: Finally tried the hype. Love the price. Love the customization. Love the freshness. But within minutes of being put on a plate and walked to the table, the pizza was soggy. Not a fan of soggy pizza. I even tried this place on two separate occasions with different toppings - still soggy.
1 - Nancy L.: I don't get the hype, honestly. The one great thing is that it's open super late, but the food was below par for me, and I am a pizza whore, if there ever was one.

First, it's beyond thin-crust. I mean, like paper thin. So when you try and lift up a slice, anything you had on the pizza totally just falls off and it's beyond sloppy. And then the best part, the outer crust, has no flavor. The pizza itself, with the toppings is just a slab of dough with some cheese cause everything else just pools in the middle of the plate. 

Look, I really like ranch and red pepper flakes with my pizza. And not just shitty pizza, good pizza too, cause that's what I do. When I asked for the two, the girls at the front were so snide in their glances and responses, I wanted to punch them in the face, but that's illegal, so I didn't. And then when I sat down, I was in shock. The ranch was just awful (can you even call it that???) and the red pepper? Not flakes! Just some goop. They're just flavor enhancers for the pizza, I think, but those were just...ugh. 

The decor was great and the pizza was quick, but I honestly wasn't really impressed. Not my cup of tea by any means, but I can understand why there's a big hype around it. Cheap pizza open late in Westwood, decent deal.
3 - Robert G.: A Co-worker raved about this place to me.  Personally I don't think its anything to rave about.  I enjoyed the food kinda, but I think the thing that draws  people is the subway style service line and the quickness that the pizza is cooked in.  

Be ready to wait in line for 20 minutes.

It's extremely thin, which I like, but a little too thin because the topping on the pizza are too heavy for the crust to hold it up. I got 2 pizzas, the Pizza marinara with some add ons... and the first gourmet white pizza on the menu the Tartufo.  The Tartufo was delicious. Period.

Either way, it's not as amazing as my co-worker made it out to be, but it's a nice joint and some tasty different pizza.

I suggest you walk in to get a menu before standing in line, because right when you get to a spot to see the menu, they are asking you what you want on your pie... (a word from the wise)
4 - Grace C.: WHAT I LOVED:

- The Coke freestyle machine. I discovered this glorious invention at the Food and Wine Festival at Disney California Adventure and was itching to find it elsewhere. This machine allows you to try various flavors of Coke and its products not commercially released everywhere. Where else can you get a cup of Raspberry Coke with Vanilla Mr. Pibb?

- How the line looks long but keeps moving. Have faith. You'll get your pizza and find a spot to eat at the end.

- Customizing of toppings on a THIN CRUST pizza! Ordered the Margherita base ($6.45) with sausage, soppressata, and meatballs ($3) as well as the Bianca ($5.65) with mushrooms, soppressata, and basil pesto ($3). Pesto was the best thing to ever go on a pizza. It's so good that I can see why they consider it a separate topping at $1, even though I'm not happy paying for it. Having 3 types of meat on the Margherita did overwhelm the pizza, so a recommendation would be to mix it up with a veggie topping. 

WHAT I DIDN'T LOVE:

- $3 each for prosciutto and rock shrimp? T_T

- It does take a while from when you get in line to when your custom pizza is done baking. 

- If you aren't a user of knife and fork for pizza, you'll learn that it's better to pick up that habit here. The pesto was almost dripping off the pizza so it was a little messy to eat. Speaking of which, the pesto was more oily than found at other places.

THE VERDICT:

Even though the price can become pricey the more you add toppings (two pizzas with 3 toppings each and a drink came to $22), the value is actually pretty worth it for the taste and ingredients of the pizza. Definitely a must try!

TIPS:

- Street parking is available, but there's a lot on Broxton where it's a flat $3 after 6 pm. Perfect for food coma window shopping afterwards.

- Get some Diddy Riese ice cream sandwiches for dessert!

- Good date night option.
5 - Maureen G.: I am pizza's biggest fan and I am so glad there is another option in Westwood for it.  SO good you guys. We split a burratta, prosciutto, melon and arugula salad and the sausage and peppers pizza. The pizza and salad were delicious - really great, high quality ingredients and great presentation. I also got a soda and was obsessed with their soda machine. (If you are easily amused by technology like myself, I highly suggest the soda machine.) . I went when it was not busy at all so I have nothing to say about lines and tables. The bathroom situation is not ideal however, you need a key and it's shared with the other shops in the building. Not very well maintained is all I have to say about that, but don't let that put a damper on your dining experience! Overall, this place is great!
3 - Jennifer M.: I LOVE this place! So many options and despite the lines out the door usually pretty quick and worth the wait. However I'm only giving 3 stars because the other day I went for lunch (I'm usually a pizza for dinner kinda gal) and was unpleasantly surprised. It seems the day staff could use a little work as they weren't as fast, messed up 2 pizzas in front of us and the sausage and peppers my boyfriend craves at every possible moment was more like sausage and pepper... Singular. Uneven distribution of pepper and shoddy cut jobs aside it was incredibly delicious as usual and I will be back approximately a million more times. Maybe not on a Saturday at noon when every stroller in Westwood is there!
2 - K B.: Do not understand all the hype!  Soggy Pizza....way too thin...fell apart while putting in my mouth....too hot when you get it...too cold a minute late.....fast food style!
4 - Diana A.: It was about 8:15 when I got here. The line is okay (not as long as usual).
The line moved pretty quick. I waited for less than 30minutes.
I ordered the tartufo pizza and magherita with soppressata, caramelized onion and mushroom. They are really good! I like the magherita better but my friends love the tartufo haha but well both of them are really good!!!
The pricing is almost the same like domino's or pizza hut but this one is A LOT better!
Don't worry about the table. THere will be open table once you placed your order and paid for it. 
I also love their soda machine. It was fun! it is different than the normal soda machine, they have mellow yellow orange, dasani grape soda, root beer, vanilla root beer, coke, and so on :p.
They also have L.A creamery ice cream for dessert! I sampled their honeycomb and salted caramel. Both of them are too sweet for me. I opted for mint chip :).
Will be back for more!!! :)
3 - Craig T.: I heard about this place from a friend and it sounded like a great idea.  The "subway" of Pizza.  What I loved about it was the full customization and the pizza was a solid "4."  Unfortunately, the service seemed a bit slow and the employees weren't too attentive to timing.  My Pizza sat ready before it was handed off for a good five minutes, which allowed it to cool probably more than it should have.
5 - Grace S.: Over the past few months I kept hearing about this amazing pizzeria 800 Degrees, that I just had to try it.  Finally made the trek to Westwood and spotted it from two traffic lights away.  The line was out the door and wrapped around.  But line moves pretty fast, or so it seems because you're busy staring at the paper menus trying to figure out what you want on your pizza.  

Dough is from Naples, and they want you to know that as they have stacks and stacks of flour lined up in front of the entrance with a big Naples, Italy stamped on it.  Lots of toppings to choose from, all seemed really fresh.  

If you don't like the pizza here, I think you only have yourself to blame because you're the one who chose everything that goes on it.  I loved my pizza, loved the thin crust and it was cooked to perfection.  

Self-serve soda machine is really cool with the most flavors I've ever seen in my life.  The mini pizza-to go boxes located in the self-serve area are also convenient.
2 - Misty B.: sloppy
4 - L S.: it's exactly like the pizza in Italy = so delicious!

Yes, the pizza crust is thin (READ: authentic).  If you're looking for a thick crunchy crust, hike over to Pizza Hut.  This pizza is gooooood.  The marinara sauce is flavorful, toppings delightful, and priced just right.

It's about $6 for the base pizza (just basil, cheese, marinara) and then you add on toppings for $1 each.  Create what you want.  I've been here about 20 times so far and here's my opinion of some of the toppings:

marinated tomatoes: these will make your pizza pretty soggy, ergo avoid them.
meatballs were tasty and not overpowering, better than the sausage.
chicken: I wish they'd give more.  Often I have to order another meat topping just to feel satisfied
Cheeses: they have a large variety of other cheese you can add in addition to the mozzarella.  Try em.  Fontina cheese is really nice.
Bacon: you can't mess this up.  Always good
Rosemary Ham: Kinda overpowering
Pepperoni: nothing special, but does the trick
The other ones speak for themselves....

Don't forget the free toppings!  Oregano, garlic, chiles
4 - Rachel R.: Make your own pizza is amazing! Great price and the line goes by fast. Large variety of toppings. I got the margarita pizza with olives mushrooms and onions it was great but my favorite is the margarita with tomatoes and basil pesto! Place is large and they are very organized
4 - Mr. R.: Been a regular on the weekend since it opened!!

By far the best pizza outside Italy have EVER had...

the lines are crazy after 11:30am; but well worth it..

have now tried everything on the menu and every topping; can't go wrong with anything!!!

love it!!!!

now if they just open one in Santa Monica and add more wine!!!!
4 - Christopher L.: I can see why this place is so damn successful. Chewy thin crusts topped with your choice of quality ingredients and popped into the oven right in front of your eyes. At least I pay so willingly... for a great price to boot! Flavors certainly come through for a different taste with every variation. My only gripe: I wish the crust held up a little better against the sauce - got a little soggy despite retaining its chewiness.
2 - Chuck C.: great idea. poor execution.

think chipotle + pizzeria mozza. sounds like it could be awesome. waiting in line for 40 minutes was fine. seeing all the ingredients and the magic of the pizza being hand made in front of me was awesome. the end product?

NOT better than Pizzeria Mozza. Seriously? how are you going to compare?!? The ingredients here are good, but the pizzas don't come together nicely. Too watery, dough is burnt and not evenly cooked 

ORDERED: burrata (cherry tomatoes, pesto, and arugula), Tartufo AND Pizza Margherita with ricotta (they only roll it into one side),

I was a little hungry so I ordered two of these bad boys. I got the Pizza Margherita with the ricotta rolled in. But otherwise I wanted it plain. When you have a pizza plain is when you can taste the real flavors. ESPECIALLY with Neapolitan pizza. When you  use that word "Neapolitan" you are saying this pizza goes back to its Italian roots. Needless to say, I was excited. I've had Pizza in Naples (birthplace of the Italian pizza).

GOOD: The burrata (alas I'm a burrata fiend), the ingredients (very very fresh)
BAD: The dough (good flavor, bad execution), how it is cooked, and outcome.
TIPS: don't get too much on your pizza. It will make it more soggy.

I really hope they fix this. My friend Jerry said "burrata was the best thing tonight" Mina "not sure if I can come back when I lift my pizza and everything literally falls off".

Their pizzas has way more toppings than mine, so their experience may have been worse.
4 - Ellen C.: This place is like..a chipotle..but for pizza. GENIUS CONCEPT. I'm kicking myself thinking, "why the heck didn't I think of that?!".

Parking is a pain. Apparently there is a parking structure (after 6PM) near the place that is $3 of $6..don't remember. I got lucky and found street parking $1.75 for 2 hours.

It's first come, first serve, and self seating. You basically get in line, tell them what you want and what toppings you want, then pay. Then you find a seat.

Got the burrata plate, 2 pizzas, and a caesar salad for 3 people. The food is good, fresh, and the toppings are high class. It's lower end compared to Pizzera Mozza (but amazing because the ingredients are only $1 each), and is more like the place in DTLA everyone goes to...the name escapes me at the moment...the one that sells macarons and takes forever to get a seat.

I am definitely a fan of this place.
4 - Makiko N.: Nom Nom Nom.  After eating here, you'll think twice about ordering Domino's or Pizza Hut.  The Chipotle-like pizza themed restaurant is genius!  I love how they use fresh mozzarella and you can pick and choose your favorite toppings to make your very own creation!  Oven baked, your pizza is ready while you wait.  The crust is perfectly prepared, however  the middle is a bit soggy, so it can be a little messy to eat.  None the less i've enjoyed each bite!  

Keep in mind the pizza is thin crust and each pizza will feed no more than 2 people.  If you're an eater, I definitely recommend ordering your own.  Also, if you like garlic ,the cheese bread is definitely worth ordering.  I know, I know it's pricey ($11), but it's REALLY good!  Also, you can even pair your pizza with a yummy salad or finish it off w/ some gelato.  

This place has quickly become one of my favorite go to place in Westwood.. well.. next to Yamadaya Ramen. :)   I'll definitely be back!
4 - NateDog E.: Great inexpensive pizza.  They also have Daiya vegan cheese as an option, but I do not recall seeing it on the menu, so just ask..
4 - John C.: Cheese. Basil. Crust. Caesar. 2nd's please!!! Caesar. Crust. Basil. Cheese. 3rds. please!!! Crust. Basil. Caesar. Cheese. Okay I'm done. The salad was (obviously Caesar cause I always order that) and it was Caesar just the way I like it. The taste wasn't too powerful, right in the middle of bland and powerful. The salad was quite fresh with a good crunch to it. The Pizza was... well interesting. The taste was great but the cheese ran away from the crust sometimes... so what I do is take it to my house and refrigerate it for a day. Then warm it up and voila!! Cheese stays on pizza. Will come back for sure.
4 - Ferdmeister V.: Try the Napoletana pizza!  Love this place but it gets crowded so get here early.  The place is not that big so don't expect to sit down right away plus they have a "No Saving Seats" policy which blows so go for take out and dine at home unless you can't wait try eating it inside your car!  If you're lucky you might find parking close by otherwise it is typical Westwood drive around until you spot one!
4 - MELISSA G.: Cool, trendy and fresh foods!!!! We went here after a UCLA tour and our tour guide/student told us to go try this place and to take in the whole college experience! So we did! When you first go in there is not alot of signage to tell you where to order or how to do it. It is a lil confusing, as others did the same thing I did. But anyhow, you start when you first walk in. Pick your pizza and topping and they make it right there! Kinda like a Subways but in pizza of course! they make it and pop in right into the wood firestove! Pizza was good and so was the salad. The crust is SUPER, SUPER thin.....wasnt to fond of that but overall?? It was a great place! Very much a college area for sure! Lots of other eateries in the area. Place is very popular we got there just in time before the rush!
4 - Erika A.: Great pizza - amazing topping selections and good prices.  Love the soda machine and would definitely recommend it for a late night place.
4 - The Immature A.: Like PizzaRev in the Valley, 800 Degrees in Westwood is an assembly line, create your own pizza place, where you inch down the counter adding topping after topping until your personalized creation meets the oven.  

Comparing the two, there's more of everything from toppings to customers, at 800 Degrees, and as such, the wait for both can be long.  I particularly appreciated the option of a sunny side up egg as a topping (which perfectly complemented the bacon I ordered as well).

As far as the make your own variety goes, I give the nod to Northridge's PizzaRev purely based on 800 Degrees lack of a consistent crunchy crust.  800 Degrees is fancier, but suffers from droop-slice.  Until there's pizza Viagra, I choose PizzaRev.

But in a battle involving pizza-eating, are there really any losers?
4 - Mark S.: They make an excellent pizza! Ingredients are top notch. The rest is up to you and what you decide to have them put on top!
4 - Kevin Jiseup K.: This place was awesome. My friend and I had just driven down to LA all morning from Norcal and were famished. We were cranky and we needed something great to fill us up. When we saw the line of people starting to come out the door, I almost threw a fit. But they do a great job of moving the line along quickly. And better yet, my pizza was customized and cooked all within the time span of 20-25 minutes. 

800 Degrees was exactly what we needed because we could pretty much have our pizza exactly the way wanted it. I felt bossy and in charge after my 7 hour car ride and needed to be served (haha I sound ridiculous). 

I got the basic margharita and put chicken, bacon, mushrooms, and extra cheese on top. It was awesome. The service there was super nice too. I told them it was my first time there and they explained what different customizations I could have. The price turned out to be around $10 and like everyone else is saying I would say it's a fair price.

There are a dearth of these kind places in Norcal. Socal people, you guys are truly blessed... like forreal. I wish we had good food :(

Also, this place is filled with super hipsters and beautiful people. Must come back.
4 - Daniel Dong-Kyu K.: Unique concept. Subway-style pizzeria. You get to choose everything from the base/sauce of the pizza to a wide array of fresh toppings that you wish to add.

I chose the pizza margherita base topped with pepperoni, mushrooms, roasted garlic, and caramelized onions. After adding all the toppings, one of the chefs behind the counter sticks the pizza into the supposed 800 degree oven, and it cooks in literally a few minutes. Too cool. They also have a soda machine that dispenses all different kinds of soda. Also very cool. I tried mellow yellow for the first time, and it tasted like some sort of hybrid of squirt, surge, and mountain dew. 

The pizza and soda came out to be about $12, which isn't bad considering the adequate portion of the pizza and all the different types of soda they offer including free refills for sodas ordered from the soda machine.

But why am I not giving this place 5 stars? Because they didn't have red crushed pepper when I came here!!! What kind of a pizza joint doesn't have red crushed pepper???
5 - Kristina M.: this place is so absolutely awesome. this is like the pizza dinner equivalent of Mendocino farms but even better. good prices, fantastic pizza, great atmosphere. Westwood needed this!
5 - Rocky M.: Really good pizza, great concept, very good staff.
4 - Jennie K.: It's like the Chipotle of pizzas! It's an assembly line of workers and you decide what toppings you want.  They start off with a ball of dough and you decide the type of sauce and the choices of toppings are endless! (I especially love how they have anchovies as a choice).  I suggest since the pizza crust is thin to not go overboard with the toppings otherwise your pizza will be soggy and it'll more or less flop around.  

I've noticed that there's always a risk of your pizza being burned when it's cooked on a wood fired oven.  There was a portion of my pizza burned, while my partner had a perfectly cooked pizza without burnt portions.  I guess it's up to the wood fire oven gods which pizza goes unscathed.  Don't let this deter you, just eat your way around it.

Also, if you're truly a fatty I suggest you get the truffle cheese bread.  It is to die for and can even cost more than your pizza.  I love truffle cheese and this definitely satisfies my craving for it.  The bread is hot and chewy and it just oozes out cheese.  They also drizzle some oil on top.  It is not for the faint of heart (unless you split it four ways).

On a side note, they do have chili flakes and you have to ask for it, but it's more of a chili oil.  Kind of reminds me of the asian chili oil you get at dumpling houses.
4 - Joanna R.: We had lunch at 800 Degrees in hopes of avoiding long lines. We were successful as the line was pretty short and moved quickly.

We enjoyed a Chopped Salad and the Carni pizza. It was more than enough food for the two of us. The pizza had a bit more char on it than I like - luckily Mr R loves the char bits. 

The soda machine was one of those new ones that allow you to mix all sorts of flavors. Kind of realized there are reasons that certain flavors aren't pre-mixed and sold. We'll keep the soda mixing to the experts.

Overall it was good, but nothing we're dying to go back for.
4 - Yi Y.: Just a forewarning, this place has definitely been overhyped and I don't think it necessarily lives up to that overhype. 

Despite that, this is a pretty solid place. I dont mind paying somewhere in the 10 dollar range for an individual pizza that you can customize and watch it being made right in front of you. Unfortunately, it takes a while to get inside since there's always a decent sized line outside. If you bring a friend though, it definitely cuts down on the perceived line time. 

Inside you have a great selections of toppings after you choose one of 3 different pizza bases (i usually get margarita). They have a lot of different cheese, meats, veggies, etc etc. and if you don't know what to get, you can always just go with one of the preselected combinations.

Seating inside is on the scarce side, but it only took me around 4 minutes to find one when I was there, so I don't really have complaints.

All in all, if you're in Westwood and looking for a pretty good place to eat, I would definitely recommend 800 degrees to you.
5 - Patrick B.: Review update so soon?  I had to...for what they do, they get the five stars...flavors just jump out at you when you're eating.  I'm hard pressed to find a better place for pizza with the variety of ingredient, and personal  type pizza customization.  CPK? They are a 3 in my book. Line gets insane, but wait, it's worth it...
5 - daniel m.: Awesome!  Great thin crust-made to order & a soda machine guaranteed to have what you want.
4 - Diana H.: I really like this place! Affordable prices and they make the pizza right in front of you! I guess they're calling them individual pizzas, but I definitely would need to split the pizza with someone as I wouldn't be able to eat one all by myself. We had the sausage and peppers pizza along with the Gorgonzola salad. The pizza was really good - thin crust and the salad was as expected.

I would definitely come back again. By the way, I came at 3PM for a really late lunch and didn't experience the normal crazy lines.
3 - Emily B.: This place is nice, in theory.  In reality, the "cooks" do not know how long to cook the pizzas.  We had a group of 8 and everyone's pizzas were soaking wet.  It was all of our first time trying this place, as we were in the area for Farmer's Classic and several friends mentioned this place.  After we compared pizza opinions in the group we went on yelp and learned you have to ask the "cooks" to cook the pizzas longer????  Is that a joke?  Since when are you supposed to know to tell the "cooks" at a new restaurant to cook their food longer?

Do not order the Caesar salad if you are looking for a classic Caesar, either.

We went on Saturday at around 6:30pm.  Tables stayed busy, but the sign stating that there will be tables available by the time you pay, seemed to be correct for us.

Loved the digital soda machine.
4 - Boyoung K.: After driving by and seeing these crazy lines, my friend and I decided to check out 800 degrees.  Luckily for us, the liens weren't too bad on a Monday night.

I was really impressed with the place,.  The pizza is really big for the price.  I got the pizza bianco with mushrooms and arugula.  It is really like chipotle for your pizza.  You start when it is but a mound of dough and follow it through a magical adventure toward crispy hot goodness.  

I also ordered the burrata with beets and I loved it!  the beets were sweet and earthy, but afterwards it looked like i bled to death all over the plate haha.  

I can;t wait to try this place again, the meatballs looked yummy...next time!

Also, they have this REALLY COOL soda machine with syrups and different flavors, very very cool!
4 - Kim N.: I love this place!!! It is like chipotle for pizza! You wait in a sometimes very long line, take your pick from some basic pizzas and then add toppings. These are not ordinary toppings, they are great quality and they have a good variety. They then bake your pizza in record speed and then enjoy! I love that they have whole roasted garlic and truffle cheese as toppings! TRUFFLE!!!! i love truffle anything! Definitely will come here again and again when I am in the westwood area. Minus one star because I wish the crust was a little crispier...it was thin and very floppy. But I brought my leftovers home, popped them in the toaster oven and then it was PERFECT!!!
4 - Rachel M.: I've seen many places come and go in Westwood, and 800 Degrees Neopolitan Pizzeria will become a Westwood staple. With a line resembling Diddy Riese on a hot summer day, it may be a bit of a turn off. My boyfriend and I decided to give it a try when the line was short. 

There are so many different types of pizza combinations since it's like a build your own pizza concept. There are also salads and starters too. This is what we tried.

Burrata with Beets and Balsamic (5 stars) - This was so good. The creamy burrata and sweetness of the beets and balsamic vinegar complemented each other well with the toasted bread and arugala. 
Pizza Margherita with Mushrooms and Pepperoni (4 stars) - I liked the flavor combination with pizza so thin that it requires the utensils or the folding technique. Although they didn't have crushed red pepper, they gave me chili oil which gave a nice kick to the yummy pizza. 
Pizza Bianca with Chicken and Caramelized Onions (3 stars) - It was good base from a potentially better pizza. Next time I'll probably add other toppings like roasted garlic and mushrooms. 

The space is small and does not perfectly accommodate the high demand. So be prepared to bump into people and chairs and say "Excuse me" often. The table turnover needs improvement. Since there were tables available by the time our order was complete, the previous diners' dishes were not yet cleared. From the start of our order to pick up, it goes relatively fast. So I would give 3 stars for service. 

Although I do prefer the pizza from Pizzeria Mozza, I like 800 Degrees' prices and menu options. Now I know why the concept and quality has become a popular spot.
2 - David D.: I give the owners of 800 degrees an A for effort in bringing in east coast Neapolitan to So Ca. The pizza scene in LA has really seen changed since 08 of course after I moved to SD. Where were places like this when I was living here since the mid 80's. 

Ok so an A for effort, ambiance, and the chipotle/subway style service and affordable Neapolitan pizzas. However, bad news is I'm not happy to give a C- for the pizza. Good news is this can be an easy fix if the owners read the other reviews and make the simple adjustment to the pizza. 

Like most of the major complaints I agree and why the 2 stars: SOGGY PIZZA and lack of cheese. But then again, it's hard to criticize when a 12" margherita is only $6.45. And I even had to ask them to make it well done by adding 20 secs to the 90 sec cooking time and it was still rather limpy. And there wasn't much cheese either, it was like a coating of paint, but if you add more cheese then the crust would be even more soggy so def it's the crust that needs work. 

So like other Neapolitan pizza places I've been to in SD like Blue Ribbon and Urbn, they all had to tinker with the crust to make it right. But I'm really rooting for this place to succeed and be around a long time like Stan's donuts so I hope the owners make the little adjustments because this place has most of the basics down be a true pizza rock star in LA.  I'll be back in town visiting so hope I can give a 5 star update.
2 - dave g.: What a horrible seating system. Prepare to claw your way to a table of its busy.
if you see a line, do not go.
3 - Dan B.: We have eaten here now 4 times.  The pizza dough and crust in really not any better than other top pizza places in Los Angeles.  What Is  good Is the quality of the toppings. I wish ten texture of the crust was better.
Most of the time you have to wait in a line a novelity for a pizza place.
The salads are great and good value.
4 - Tommy Q.: 4 stars, but more like 3.5. I liked 800 degrees but I didn't love it. I'm tired of places being so hyped up! First of all, the line was ridiculous. I expected it to be long, but it went a lot slower than I thought. In their defense, one woman held up the entire line last night, so I'll give the restaurant another chance concerning the line.

Now onto the food. I ordered a margherita pizza with arugula and cherry tomatoes. Toppings were great and super flavorful. The arugula was very very good. The sauce on the pizza was also delicious! People keep complaining about the sogginess of the pizza, but I'm pretty sure that's how Neapolitan pizza is supposed to be? I love this type of pizza, so it was right up my alley. The one thing I had a problem with was the crust. Mine was a little burnt, but my mom says hers was fine, so I'm guessing this was just a fluke. We also ordered the green salad and caesar salad. Both were good, but not great. 

Overall, a solid pizza place, I don't think the best in LA, but definitely a good place with very decent prices! I will be coming back again.
5 - Human Dumpster A.: Reviewer Preface: 
I'm a big fan of Italian-style pizza and pasta, and can often tell if ingredients are fresh or if the food is authentic-tasting.

Ordering Process: 
You choose a template pizza (pizza pie), and then you add toppings on it like Subway. You can spend little money here, like $6 for a pizza for 2. Wow. Except the Chimay beer was $10-wow. 

The main meal: 
I split a margherita pizza with mushroom toppings (there are many toppings to be had) with one other person. We got to see the pizza be made fresh. You can't be sure that the ingredients are fresh, but whatevs. Anyway, the pizza was phenomenal. I heard that it tastes like pizza from Italy, so it appears to be authentic if this person is right. The pizza tastes amazing--the pizza is very thin. There is a hint of basil. There is not too much tomato sauce. It's a perfect pizza in my book, easily my favorite pizza joint out of the many, many I've been. And all this time, I've just wanted an authentic pizza that somehow reminds me of its more recent Italian heritage.

Additional items eaten and comments:
Also, shared a gorgonzola salad, which was quite tasty with nuts and some other stuff. The gelato ice cream was OK. Also, it would have been nice if they gave you plates for your food, but that's quibbling.
3 - Diana W.: Think chipotle but for pizza! This place offers customized build-your-own pizza or buy one of their specialities. No wonder the line gets LONG for dinner. Generous size portions with friendly service. Solid choice.
4 - Minda w.: Burrata with cherry tomatoes & pesto - $5 - The skin on the burrata was a bit on the thicker side but the inside was very creamy. The tomatoes were very fresh. This was a yummy appetizer. 

Special - lardo, black pepper, basil, pecorino (white pizza) - $8.65 - The lardo kind of looked like white worms but they tasted great and all the ingredients worked really well together. The crust is extra thin and crispy. My only gripe would be that a couple parts of it were a bit too burnt for my taste. 

For less than $15, we had a great meal. Everything here is reasonably priced and worth the money. It was also fun to watch how the pizza was made. 

We got in right before the rush so the wait was only 10-15 min. After a quick tour of the Hammer, we wanted to get another pizza to go but the line was out the door. Well....until next time.
2 - Vincent L.: By far the most overrated restaurant I've been to this year. I had high hopes given the owners and the high-end ingredients marvelously displayed, but the end result is just bleh. Although the ingredients and concept are nice, the crust is just too thin to support all of them and, as a result, the pizza ends up being a soggy mess that can't be eaten without a knife and fork (if you pick up the pizza with your hands, it breaks apart and all the toppings fall off). I was hoping that 800 Degrees would be my "go to" pizza spot but, sadly, it isn't.

In case you do want to try it, don't be intimidated by the line out the door. It moves quickly, and the restaurant is designed in such a way where it doesn't take too many customers to have a line out the door.
5 - James H.: Hands down the best pizza in Westwood.
I used to be a big Enzo's fan, then lamonica and this takes it to another level for a very reasonable price. Your personal pizza starts at $5 and $1-$3 for each additional topping.

I had a pesto, bacon, and mushroom pizza on white sauce with an extra crispy crust. The only downside i found with this place is that it was a little oilier than I had hoped but you can definitely ask for less oil or whatever you please. You actually watch the workers toss the pizza and put on your toppings as you walk down the chain... I will be coming back!
3 - Tara S.: Came to 800 degrees late night the other day, and I was surprisingly underwhelmed.  I was quite excited to check it out, but I was left mostly disappointed.

We ordered two pizzas--The Carne Pizza and Margarita pizza with Feta, pine nuts, and basil.  Also, we ordered the truffle bread and the meatballs.

Both pizzas came out soggy... the crust was nice and doughy, but the centers of both pizzas were soggy (immediately after they came out).  Also, they were heavily doused with garlic-- it was a garlic overload!!!!!  Also, the basil on the margarita pizza was literally burnt to a crispy and inedible.

The truffle bread was pretty delicious, also heavy on the garlic, but it was masked with all the cheesey, truffly goodness.  The meatballs were good, but a bit too lamb/porky tasting.

While ordering, the staff wasn't very helpful in explaining the process to us on our first time there-- and borderline rude.  I feel like there is a magical/"right" pizza here, and I obviously didn't order that.  Really wanted to love it here, but don't think I do!
5 - Jessica O.: 800 Degrees is one of the best things to happen to Westwood.

The lines are only long at peak hours (i.e. lunch and dinner times) so I recommend going at more odd hours. Awesome place to go post bar-hopping in westwood.

I get the pepper and onion pizza or whatever its called and its so yummy! I think its relatively cheap unless you get tons and tons of toppings and I love it because it feeds me for 2 meals.

Their pizzas aren't meant to be cooked throughout in the center so some people are thrown off with the soggy middle but its meant to be like that.

Anyway one of my favorite places in westwood!! Their pizza is like crack
5 - Willy H.: I love this place. Highly recommend the marinara pizza (no cheese). My favorite pizza place in westwood.
5 - Rebecca W.: just moved to LA and have already been here twice. love the create your own menu options, fresh mozz, basil and garlic, it is amazing. yes it is messy, but follow the proper form (appears to be folding each slice in half, tilting head sideways and quickly biting...picture taco eating form) and you are good to go. 

plus they have one of those soda fountains that lets you create a bagillion different flavors. impressive and i don't even drink soda.

the line was a bit of a turnoff AT FIRST.  but i was really impressed with how quickly it moved and how available the seating was. 

and diddy riese is within walking distance :)
5 - Pauline L.: Fun!!! Where else do I get to see how my pizza pie gets made? Love the fact that they have tons of veggie options. And my sausages looked like chinese sausage, but the taste is pretty good. I like that even cops come here while they're working...no need to worry about thuggy pizza behavior here, haha.

Lots of people told me about the soda machine, yes it's one of those that does combination flavors and you can marry with your base soda of coke/sprite and other. Too bad I'm on that no soda diet, but I'd sure love to try one of those next time.

And yes, the prices are super cheap! You add $1 for other toppings *$3 for special truffle cheese or Italian meats. I was full by the second slice...my pie came out thin crusted and hot...just the way I like it!
5 - Jacob B.: Great Pizza and great price!
4 - Rachel T.: Chipotle-style pizza joint. I liked that you get to customize everything! The pies are big enough to share between 2 people.

You wait in line, choose among the 3 basic pizzas for around $6, add toppings for $1 (or $3) each, pay, find a table, get your pizza, then you're all set for a delicious meal!
4 - San K.: I had a lot of expectations for the place, seeing that there was an extremely long line whenever I passed by. I finally went in July after months of being opened (with still a long line!) but it moved faster than I expected. I definitely love the quality of mozzarella they used, it's definitely the good stuff. But I personally don't feel that it is the best pizza I ever had. It's good, but I don't know if it is half an hour in line good.
1 - Bepen P.: I came to 800 Degrees at least twice a month. Before today, I would have easily given it 5 stars. Not so much anymore. I brought my family here for lunch excited to show them one of my favorite places in village. My husband's pizza was completely burnt on one side. When I went to get pizza at counter, I asked if they can make another one. The guy grumbled in Spanish to his friend. (not knowing I understood Spanish) complaining about my complaint. At this point, he took pizza to the back and said he would bring me another one to our table. I was a bit wary as to why he didn't throw pizza away in front of me. Got "pizza:" a few minutes later and was SAME exact pizza just some burnt parts scraped off! I was pretty pissed, but didn't want to make a scene. 

I apologized to my husband for taking him there and vowed to NEVER go back there again. They can keep it for the prices we pay for the pizzas! Seems as if this should be a health department issue.
5 - Sam B.: Such a cool place! I will be back for sure
3 - Nicole B.: I've heard pretty good things about this place. I've been here twice and had the pizza margarita. Personally, I'm not much of a toppings fan so I only had sausage on the pizza I ordered. It was pretty good, but nothing that I would rave about. I appreciate the health-conscious choices that 800 degrees has and the restaurant itself it pretty cool. It really does feel like I'm in an authentic pizzeria or something.

I think the best part about this place is their awesome soda machine. I seriously can't get enough of it. That would probably be the reason why I'd come back, but other than that, I haven't really caught on to the hype.
2 - Noah I.: 800 Degrees truly does not live up to the hype. Humanity deserves better.

I get it, people love to control what's on their food and so  "inventing" pizza can make you feel like a chef and Albert Einstein mixed into one superhuman. Don't let the gimmick woo you. The blandness and sogginess (the crust is legitimately  wet) of the dough and toppings makes it so that you need at least 3 toppings to feel any happy sensation on your taste buds. This brings the pizza to around ten dollars, definitely a below average price for what you're receiving. Ask for extra crispy crust in order to reduce some of the wetness and avoid the inevitable sliding off of toppings on a moist surface.

One of the pluses about this place does come with the variety of toppings, since they have raw onions, caramelized onions, raw garlic, cooked garlic, etc. Order the bottled cream soda because it is fantastic. Just like the pizza, they have a soda machines where you electronically choose and adjust the soda flavors and basically "invent" variations of your favorite sodas. Don't get too excited because the soda often lacks a proper ratio of carbonation and it will make you sad, even though it lets you express your creative side.  For fifty cents more go with the bottled beverages.

Even though 800 degrees has managed to market as if this concept is new, you can add whatever toppings you want at most pizza places anyway, so go somewhere else. Making the pizzeria experience closer to an assembly line in a 1930's Ford automobile plant, 800 degrees gets two stars.
5 - Vanessa M.: Divine pleasure with their truffle cheese/mushrooms/fresh mozarella/roasted garlic/aragula pizza. 2 of us. We shared it with a big salad of greens, topped with parmesan and an interesting lemony dressing.
3 - Judy H.: The line just doesn't stop here ... there's no useful tip I can give you about when to avoid the line. However, the line moves amazingly fast! If you're waiting on a few people to find parking & think you can wait in line while they get there ... be prepared to order for the whole group because you'll have ordered and paid before they even find parking. 

Reasons why this place is good:
1. Fast service 
2. Cheap pizzas
3. Cool soda machine ... they had peach fanta =) 

Reasons why this place is not so good:
1. Most pizzas are soggy
2. Way too may people
3. Cramped tables & chairs

Best pizza ... tartufo $11. 

Tips: probably not a good place for large groups (if you want to sit together) and families with strollers etc ... the place is just too cramped. 

Overall, decent place, but not worth making a trek and there are other pizza places that I would prefer.
5 - Nevin E.: Dude this place is a flight
5 - Erica L.: Hate to say it... but this place lives up to the hype... IF you come during off-hours.

I've been here almost a dozen times and I don't know how I've managed to avoid the lines for most of my visits. Probably because I don't eat dinner at normal-people hours. Before 6:30pm and after 9pm are the best times to swoop in. No wait, people! When it's busy, the seating gets suppper crowded. You can overhear everyone else's conversations. At least that can be entertaining sometimes. 

I always ask for the pizza to be crispy. Otherwise, the dough gets kinda floppy and your toppings will slide right off as you try to bring it toward your mouth ='(   I've asked for extra crispy on an occasion or two, but I wouldn't go there unless you want that burnt taste (and the carcinogens) in your mouth.

They took my favorite off the menu, but I can still customize it myself. Pizza Bianca with prosciutto, arugula and roasted garlic. YUMMY. All for $11 and some change.

Pizza had fallen waay down on my list of "favorite foods", but 800 degrees catapulted it right back up to top.

P.S. I will say that the pizza seems to have gotten smaller since my first visit..... and the prices went up (50 cents or so)... but the quality and taste are still top-notch so it's coo i guess.........
4 - Bun B.: At 800 Degrees, pizzas cook in about a minute. This is helpful when the line of customers snakes out the door and around the corner. 

Trust me, as soon as you can say "Oh sh*t, this isn't gonna work. In and Out is right..." you'll have your pizza. Chill out.
 
Watching these beauties get made on the assembly line is fun but best to know what you're gonna order before the angry mob tailing you decides to shove your ass in that 800 degree (I'm assuming?) oven.
 
HERE'S THE FACTS:
 
*Pizzas are thin-crusted and personal-sized, on the larger end.
 
*They are crispy on the outside, soggy in the middle. Crust is very tasty, usually drizzled with olive oil.
 
*Toppings are top notch and sparse. Which I prefer.
 
*Prices are really reasonable. Their margherita pizzas is only $6.45.


BUN BOY EATS LA
4 - Amir A.: Cheap pizzas that you personalize made fresh to order? Ah yes count me in. Westwood has plenty of pizza places but none like this. If you are a heavy in the toppings guy, be notified, the $1 toppings will get ya. But if you like a simple pizza like me, then this is your spot.
4 - Jackie D.: After many, many, many trips here and through trial and error... I wish to bestow upon you guys....

THE RECIPE FOR THE PERFECT PIZZA (you can thank me later)

pie: margherita with (free) oregano and garlic

toppings: pepperoni, proscuitto, meatballs, provolone, and arugula
--if you have more money to spend, why not throw in some salame or gorgonzola?

FYI: their bacon isn't good.
1 - Funky B.: This place is so overblown it's ridiculous.  Soggy pizza with toppings meted out by the teaspoon. You've got to be kidding me.  But still lines out the door! Why? Rich UCLA kids with mommy's debit cards, that's why.  

I will never come here again.  Go across the street to Quiznos and get a grilled chicken pesto flatbread, now that rocks, and it's got some substance. 

Not coming back, ever....

I will give them a credit however, for their friendly staff - good job on the training program.
3 - Adam W.: In short, all three pizzas we ordered were extremely wet and soggy in the middle.  Whatever they're doing to cook these pies is not effective in solidifying the middle of the pie.  All the ingredients taste great but it was a huge bummer to pick up a slice and watch half of it just slide off like watered down lava off the side of a volcano.  If they can figure out a way to get the middle cooked, this would be a great pizza. 

Side note: the truffle cheese is not particularly truffle-y -- not worth it in my opinion but the other toppings were all excellent. Like I said, taste is not the issue. Ultimately, I would have liked it a lot more if I hadn't waited on line for 40 minutes.  As for the famed soda machine, there are a few of these around town (Cedars-Sinai, for example.) But it is really cool -- there must be at least 100 different varieties in there. When I lived in Italy, I used to rock an Aranciata with my pizza so I went for the Fanta Orange Zero but beware, the sodas are almost $3 a piece.

I'll go back again to try the burrata bar and to hopefully get a pizza that isn't sopping wet in the middle. Also, parking in this neighborhood really sucks.
4 - Kim H.: Fresh ingredients, quick and friendly service, ample seating. Definitely would visit again.
5 - Craig R.: Like everyone else said...come at off-peak hours and you get all the pizza goodness without the horrible wait.  Their pizza is fantastic, and if you keep the toppings to a minimum the price is actually really terrific.  Besides with crust, sauce and cheese this fresh why cover it with a million toppings?
5 - Matt M.: Really great pizza and a fun atmosphere.  Only draw back is the huge line that forms out the door and around the corner.  The line does move quickly though.  The daunting line kept my gf and I away the first time but we braved a shorter line next week and were not disappointed.  Love the choice of toppings and being able to watch your pizza getting assembled in front of you.  If you don't go at a peak time you can get your personalized pie in no time. Would def recommend.
3 - Tricia M.: I don't really like to eat pizza. Only because I'm pretty sure I can eat a whole box in one sitting. Eating one of 800 degrees' pizzas always makes me crave more, but that's a big problem considering its a tad on the expensive side. The dough is light and the ingredients are high-quality. The create-your-own-salad can rack up da dough if you're not careful.. each add-on is a dollar. Prosciutto is $3. D: 

I'm glad I came here just once to try it to see what the big hype was all about. But, I probably not gonna go out of my way to eat here. Even though the line is long, waiting for the food felt longer. Salads take a really long time to make for some reason too.
3 - Zayna S.: Came here on a Saturday and waited in a line that looked long but moved pretty quickly. I ordered a pizza bianca with sopressata, artichokes and mushrooms on it, paid, and then went to find a seat while they threw it in the oven. I understand that the crust near the center is SUPPOSED to be relatively soggy but I definitely do think it would taste a whole lot better if it wasn't. 

Keep in mind that  I really wanted to LOVE this place. I can appreciate the way this place is run and  like that everything is fresh and you get to see the whole pizza process but it's just a little overrated in my opinion. Worth a try though!
4 - nicole r.: Although the line may be long the wait is definitely worth it. I mean this pizza is what dreams are made of. It reminds me a bit of how chipotle works, I mean you wait in this massive line whilst dreaming of all the flavors that are going to blow your mind, only to arrive at an anxious situation where the flavors of your destiny rest on your own impulsive and hungry decisions. 

With that being said I have to verify that all of those dreams came true.  Yes, I did have my doubts. Yes, I did think "how good could this possibly be? I mean yeah it will be tasty pizza but nothing that will exceed my pizza expectations." Oh, but I was proven quite wrong.

So you order a base pizza, I think mine was margarita,
4 - Damon D.: Wow, this was so good and so quck for a pizza.  Basically its like a make your own pizza similar to "Subway" or "Chipotle" assembly line.  Pizza was good and enough for 2 to share or if your really hungry most could down one as alot there were doing.  They are open late and that is nice.  

The line was long when we went but went fairly quickly and we waited about 15-20 mins before ordering.  Its worth it!!!  

One think I do wish is that they could have cooked the pizza maybe about 2-4 mins longer to make a bit crispier.  Thats my only really issues and a small one as well.
4 - Ami T.: Awesome concept! I came in with a bunch friends which makes this place cool because you don't have to deal with figuring out which pizza will please everyone's tastes, because you can just get your own! This is a great place to go and is akin to the Chipotles and Subways with the assembly line sort of deal. The pizza comes out fast and is yummy. The middle is usually very soft and undercooked which is still very yummy. 

The toppings each add about $1.00 to the base price. I got kalamata olives on my pizza and they gave me like 7 which was kind of disappointing. Still very delicious and a cool place to check out!
3 - Danielle F.: Off we went to 800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria! In the Westwood Village lives a restaurant with high ceilings, goregous white marble counters and an ordering system that turns you inside out. After asking some customers, we were finally able to locate where and how to order. Go to the pizza men. Tell them what you want. Since I was ordering two items, they put it on two separate bills, which I paid for in two separate transactions. Is this how the system should work? Then you wait at your table for your number to be called. Oh, the insanity! It's not what you expect from the space but suppose it's what you can expect from the prices: 6.45 for a margherita pizza. 

I started with the Burrata with beets and balsamic. The cheese is made in house and was melt-in-your mouth fresh. Drizzled with olive oil and touch of pepper, I would have been ok with just that and some good bread. But wait, there's more! There was bread, but it was tough, toasted too long ago. Nestled underneath was a deconstructed mini salad of arugula with yellow and purple beets. The flavours were classic but well executed. Perfectly cooked beets played off the bitterness of the greens and the balsamic played nicely with every ingredient.

My pizza was a concoction of my own. I ordered the margherita base with soppressata, ricotta and marinated mushrooms. It was so decadent that they might just have to put it on the menu. The ricotta was creamy and mild against the spiciness of the sopressata. The mushrooms were meaty and juicy strewn throughout. My only complaint: the centre of the pizza was a bit too soggy and the toppings were guaranteed to slip off every time.  

Everyone was such happy campers with their huge pizzas! Definitely enough to share or have some amazing leftovers. They're open until 2 AM every day of the week. Come by, listen to the good music and enjoy a pizza pie.
4 - Arya S.: -4.75-
I arrived here at 12:45am, slightly intoxicated, overworked, and hungry. Apparently, there's a long queue of hungry individuals. I was really down to ditch this place for In-N-Out, but the decor and cordial staff teased me in and helped ignore the long queue. 

Regretfully, they were out of Prosciutto di Parma-which I truly love. I ordered a Marinara Pizza with alio, kalamata olives, truffle cheese, chicken, cherry tomatoes, topped with arugula. Amid my dad is a chef de cuisine Italienne, this pizza is incredible. Also, how pizza should taste. However, I do concur with Brittany about the truffle cheese. The price-point is agreeable. I will return shortly.
5 - Mike O.: It's different in the best of ways. 800 degrees reminds me of the pizza i had while backpacking throughout Europe. Service was pretty fast, staff was cool and friendly. The place is pretty big and clean. They seemed poised for mass expansion and I bet they do well.

It's it soft and soggy in the middle...yea a bit. But its still piping hot and the ingredients are delicious.

Best pizza in LA? It's hard to say because it's so different from anything else. My money is still on The Coop.
4 - David T.: What I like about this place is that you can get a pizza that would probably cost about $12 elsewhere for under $7 here. The Pizza Margherita is probably your best bet, since it has the cheese and tomato sauce that most of us are accustomed to, at least when you think pizza.

The only bad thing here is that if you want to add toppings to your pizza, then that will drive the price up signficantly. The only free add-ons are oregano, chiles, and garlic. Everything else costs $1 each, which may not sound like much, but they add up.

The queue system that they have here works pretty efficiently. You first have your pizza made right in front of you, and then you get a ticket showing the type of pizza and toppings you ordered. Take that to the cash register and order your drinks, and while you're doing so, your pizza will be in the oven. After you pay and possibly before you even get your drink from the soda fountain, your pizza will be ready. Pizza cooks fast in 800 degrees!

This is not the best pizza I've ever had, but it really hits the spot. And the price is very reasonable for the quality. Good stuff!
1 - Peter Z.: It's been awhile, hasn't it?  Particularly sweltering summer and busy work and vacationing precluded some serious Yelping. Let's get to it with 800 Degrees.

A few days ago, my co-workers and I went to 800 Degrees in Westwood for lunch.  (i.e. my co-workers coerced me to try 800 Degrees, knowing full well my Yelp history and my vitriol for LA pizza.)  

We stood in a line out the door that moved fast enough to not be annoying. The inside is noisy, but at least they don't do the repugnant Wurstküche smorgasbord seating.  The kitchen is essentially a large assembly line, like Subway. You pick your pizza, and then one man spreads dough, another sauces and cheeses, then it slides down to toppings.  Pizzas go down the line in sequential order, one at a time. This is a serial port, not parallel or USB or eSATA.  Toppings are plentiful and I'm surprised I didn't see honest-to-christ fried eggs there.

Some details: the prices are reasonable; pretty much everything is under $10, some substantially so, and the pizzas are single-serving but large, 10" or more and could satiate a large man or two small men or three small women.  

Pizzas go into the wood-fired stone oven and two men consistently move pizzas around, constantly checking them for doneness, and even suspending pizzas on their bakers peels above the floor, in the middle of the oven, until required doneness is reached. Such constant attention is appreciated, and I'd give it points here, but remember that this is Neapolitan pizza and cooks in three minutes or less. There's no other way to successfully and consistently bring out such pizzas, so this is standard.

Got my pizza in about ten minutes. Line took twenty minutes or more to get through, so more than half an hour before we were looking at our food.  

So I got a basic margherita with fresh mozz and basil leaves and I told them to add a few red onion slices.  I sat down and pulled apart a slice and started eating and now I get to begin my review proper.  

WHAT is this nonsense?  This pizza had no flavor and failed in many ways, and here are those ways:  First, the cheese was bland and had no flavor. Second, the dough was bland and had no flavor. Third, the tomato sauce was uncharacteristic and uninteresting. Fourth, the pizza was underdone; the middle was, without exaggeration, like Jello. It was water-logged, soggy and unfoodlike. I tore open some of the slightly puffed edge crust and took some of the inner white bread and squeezed it. It coalesced into essentially raw dough. My life slowly started losing purpose as I finished that slice and forced myself to have one more so I could calorically justify this Italian SNL skit.

Retrospectively, I knew what I was in for. Upon entering the shop, the dough man had just carried out and opened the lastest bin of rising dough balls.  The bin had "2:53 pm, Aug 23" written on it in black dry-eraser marker. One day prior to our visit. 24 hours isn't enough time for the lactobacilli to develop any real flavor. Next, they spread sauce on the dough, way way early in the Ford Motor Co. Pizza Chain, and about eight good minutes before your pie goes in the oven. They do not brush a layer of olive oil onto the dough before adding sauce.  So the wet sauce immediately begins waterlogging the very thin dough, and has a nice, long eight minutes to do so. The result is soggy dough that Bill Cosby would do a commercial on.  Once I saw these two flaws, I had no sincere hope for the toppings, because nobody that makes these simple mistakes with pizza knows what they're doing, or has given any thought or attention to coaxing true flavor from a pie, and thus isn't going to be endeavoring to acquire decent toppings. One bite proved all this.

800 Degrees, you insult my mouth, nose and tongue and humanity. You should consider UCLA students as human beings with the same rights as awake people. Die horribly.
1 - Marta F.: I really wanted to like this place.  Love the concept but the execution needs work.  Pizza is soggy--so soggy that if you pick up a piece your toppings and cheese immediately slide off.  I asked the manager about this on my second, and last, visit and she said something about the Neapolitan style of pizza being "very juicy."  OK--you call it "juicy" and I call it "soggy."  Either way, it's not what I want in a pizza.  
In other news....cool Coke machine and nice salads.  Better pizza available elsewhere.
5 - kelly c.: The best pizza in LA.  I love their thin crust pizza. How they make it is so authentic.  I hate those american style pizza with thick crust and with many toppings.  U can make your own pizza!! And they are soooo cheap!! Very affordable!  I wish they have one closer to me. I hate driving to that side but I would for this.  Its seriously the best pizza in town for a price.  I like their sida machine too (100 or 300 flavors..I forgot) even though I dont drink soda but they also have beer.
3 - Ada L.: I met up with Mikey L. and Emily S. for dinner here on a Sunday night. The line was out the door, but for the most part the line moved fast. I think we also got there before the line got really long.

My bf and I shared a Pizza Marinara and added on proscuitto, ricotta, and caramelized onions. My bf also ordered anchovies on the side, and we ordered a small bite of Broccolini.

The pizza was pretty good and I liked the proscuitto, but they weren't very generous with the add ons. There was barely any cheese to cover the pizza pie. The Broccolini was good, but they don't give you a lot for $5. My bf liked the anchovies (super salty), but they barely gave him any--I didn't even notice it was in the dish until he pointed it out.

Service isn't bad. Considering how busy it is, they make their food pretty quick.

Parking is always a pain in that area, but since it was a Sunday night we managed to find street parking a few blocks away.

Overall the food tasted good, but I don't think it lived up to the hype. However, I wouldn't mind coming back to try a different style pizza and the burrata.
3 - Grace C.: pizza was good. Good subway style concept for pizza. Fast turn over time. It wasn't the greatest pizza tasted ever, but like the freshness and the idea. I suggest you try it if you haven't already.
2 - George N.: You know what infuriates me?  Picking up a slice of pizza and having all the toppings slide onto your plate, so you're holding a flaccid triangle that dropped out of Pizza University.  That's what eating at 800 Degrees is like.  Enjoy eating your pizza with a fork and knife.

I don't get why this place is so popular.  The line is always out the door (probably has to do with their business model, cooking individual pizzas made to order for every customer in line), and the place is always packed.  I'm more a fan of pizza by the slice, like Lamonicas.  This place only bakes whole pizzas, and has toppings like arugula, goat cheese, and egg.  

I ordered a pizza margherita with 3 toppings (pepperoni, sausage, mushroom) and a bottled water.  The damage was $13, which is a bit steep for a college town.  Charging $3 for a small bottled water is outrageous!  It's as if the manager of the failed Festival theatre next door set the pricing.  I suppose it's costly having someone scale to the top of Hipster mountain to fill these bottles with organic, natural spring water that unicorns drink from.
4 - Liv Y.: I went here for the first time and I really enjoyed myself! The line wasn't very long (around 8pm on a Friday night), which is unusual for this place that is usually PACKED. I was ordering a salad, so I got to skip the pizza line and go straight to the salad station. I ordered a small gorgonzola salad and added chicken. The salad included butter lettuce, gorgonzola cheese, walnuts, cranberries, and a yummy dressing. The chicken was fresh and plentiful (and only $1 extra). For my good-portioned salad with chicken, my total was only around $5. They also have yummy iced tea and fancy soda machine. Next time, I will definitely be trying the pizza!
4 - Lizz P.: I haven't tried Pizzeria Mozza yet, which people tout as the best pizza in LA, but here's the thing. I'm a New England girl. I've had the nation's best pizza and that's at Grimaldi's across the Brooklyn Bridge. Hands down. LA has nothing that even remotely compares, but 800 Degrees is pretty darn good. I'd like it if they weren't so skimpy with the sauce and basil on a margarita pizza, but I understand that the business needs to make money and we're in a recession. I love all the topping choices and my pizza always tastes good. Sometimes it is a little watery and runny in the middle from either my veg selection or the mozzarella and you can't pick up the pizza and eat it it until you get just about to the crust. They should work that problem out. Love that it is open ti 2 AM every day, and until I try Mozza, this place is the best pizza in LA, which I know isn't saying a lot, but hey. It is what it is.
5 - Bongiorno M.: Solid! The boys who created this Pizzeria model have scored hands down. Amazing thin crusts created right before your eyes, with limitless combinations of GREAT flavor all for a: $25 pie that ends up costing $12: applause!
NOTE: If franchising is available, count me in!
5 - Kris S.: I love 800 Degrees Pizza! I've been here maybe 6-8 times for lunch during the week and so far my favorite toppings are the ham, tomatoes and mushrooms. Prices are ridiculous for the high quality food you receive. Lines are very long for lunch so make sure to come early (11:30 or earlier). Highly recommended.
1 - Keith S.: WAY over rated. We just got 2 pizzas, 1 with pep, mushroom, and onions, and the other with jalapenos, smoked bacon and red onion. Both flavorless, soggy in the middle, and unappetizing. We threw both away after a few bites. Ill stick with slice truck. I really think all the peeps that posted so positively are being paid.
4 - Erica M.: So I know ten million people have already reviewed this and I'm super late to the party, but what else is new? This place has good -- really good -- pizza, salad, drinks, atmosphere. Don't be afraid of the long line; it moves fast. Pizzas are big enough to share and therefore very reasonably priced. Go and enjoy!
3 - Heejin L.: didn't think this place was that great.
it's kinda like the subway of pizzas. meaning, you stand in a cafeteria-style line and order your pizza with the ingredients in front of you.  

we tried to order half margherta/vege but they caused a lot of confusion and about the order and the cashier had an attitude.  also, they call your order by number. the pizza comes out super fast, but i had to go up each time for the two different things that i ordered on the side. 

you have to find your own seats.

PIzza MargherIta $6.45
crushed tomato, fresh mozzarella, parmigiano reggiano, olive oil, basil 
was nothing special.  
to me the tomato sauce was flavorless and very watery.

Vege $9.45
mushrooms, artichokes, broccolini
they just put these veggies on top of the margherita.  the veggies were good but the rest was so so.

my pizza was oblong and not circular in shape.

Meatballs $6
Wood-oven baked with tomato, oregano and parmigiano.
had a cold center.

truffle Cheese bread $11
boschetto di tartufo, mozzarella, garlic, parmigiano.
it was like a stuffed pizza. but too much bread in my opinion.  i liked the truffle and garlic flavor.
3 - Richard L.: First you wait in line somewhat like a cafeteria style to order your pizza etc. Now in a just a few minutes you get your pizza (ala 800 degree oven) . The problem is when it does not bake for long enough at any temperature all your toppings fall off when you try to pick up a slice. The prices are fair and the quality of toppings are pretty good as well, It is a hectic situation going thru the process to get a pizza then it is hard to eat it.
4 - Chesca L.: Cozy interior, quick and efficient service and reasonably priced food. I still remember being in love with place the first time I was here and was even willing to give this place 5 stars until my recent food adventure here! Neapolitan pizza at its finest, they prepare everything in front of you. From the dough-stretching to the placing of ingredients and pizzas in and out of the wood-burning oven. 

I am obsessed with their burrata, cherry tomatoes and pesto salad! I always get that on each of my visits. Love love the fresh burrata. I can basically come in and get that everyday. I don't mind it all. Recently though, the burrata has been getting smaller and smaller, I wonder if they are beginning to scale down on their portion sizes?? please don't. :(

The Tartufo pizza is excellent as well. omg my fave pizza in Westwood fo shizzles. too good. I like that it's not tomato-based, and all the ingredients in it go so well together! It has roasted mushrooms, arugula (fave veg) and truffle cheese! That's it. so simple yet all the flavors together make it so complex.

The other times I've been here I have had the Piccante pizza (which has soppressata and calabrian chiles), Pizza Bianca (just mozzarella,garlic and oregano) and a custom made margherita pizza with proscuitto and pineapples (Weird combo I know lol). The piccante one was pretty good if you like spicy stuff! The crust, however, became soggy because of the sauce that was used :( The same happened with the margherita pizza. The pizza Bianca was delish too, but not as good as the Tartufo one!

Lesson learned, I will not get the tomato-based pizzas since it just makes them soggy and quite unappetizing. All the other stuff though is magical, I swear!
5 - Sane C.: When you see the usually massive line leading out the restaurant it makes you wanna go elsewhere. Surprisingly the line moves fairly quickly. The restaurant is not that big and as you get inside the door you'll notice a sign that says you can't save seats prior to ordering and you'll probably start thinking (Damn, how long do I have to wait til get a seat!) But like a well greased machine, the entire concept of the restaurant worked fluidly, at least my experience did. I had the white pizza with prosciutto, pepperoni, and mushrooms. Ingredients were fresh, good and tasty. Only thing I wish they used pickled jalapeños instead of the fresh kind. After you finish ordering your pizza, you'll notice the coolest soda machine ever. That soda machine had so many varieties of drinks I had a hard time choosing what to drink. I finally gave into the orange Fanta and Coke mix. As I got my drink, seats opened up, a few mins later our numbers are called. I was amazed how you don't see too many people standing up after they order as seats keep opening up one by one. We had 5 people in the group so I was thinking we were going to have to wait awhile to be seated which I was regretting, but fortunately for us I was pleasantly happy we didn't. Ingenious idea IMO, fast food cafeteria style custom wood fired oven pizza with good quality and half the price of any sit-down wood fired oven pizzeria. This place is a freaking cash cow, they get their customers in and out with the quickness, it's amazing how fluid the system works.
5 - Andre N.: After hearing so many good things about this place, decided to try it, because I felt very left out and uncool. 

I also heard its gets really crowded, and because I have a general dislike for people (strange since I was a Psychology major) came here at 11:30. And like a genious there wasnt a crowd. Well my friend's a Ho (thats his last name) and was running late and as the time ticked by, I saw more people get in line and order this legendary pizza. So thus I made an executive decision and said screw my friend Im getting in line.

No idea what to get, didnt do research and decided to go with old trusty Margherita (u have 2 other options, Bianca (Honestly, a pizza without red sauce is lame and non-traditionalist) and Neapolitano (pizza needs cheese). Then you order your toppings and like a boss got the Calibria Chiles and Sausage on mine. 

I chose quite wisely as my pizza was rather divine, the chiles on it gave it nice kick. Also a good thing I ididnt wait for my friend cuz he was stuck in line as my pizza finished cooking and was ready for me to eat and of course I ate it as he looked at me. His Fault. At first I thought it was alot for pizza, but actually its so thin, that 1 is quite right.
5 - Evan H.: For all of those complaining of "soggy" pizza and "not generous toppings," it's Neapolitan pizza. It's not supposed to be your Pizza Hut style pick up a slice the size of your head and shove all that sausage in your mouth. You are SUPPOSED TO EAT IT WITH A KNIFE AND FORK, that's not a negative thing.

The ingredients are top notch, super fresh and they even offer fra mani salami, which is hands down the best in America.

Oh and the whole half-half order... don't bother with that here, it's not how it's done.  You want a half pepperoni half pineapple pizza? Then go to Dominoes, but don't fault a place for doing it right, this place truly is phenomenal and the prices can't be beat.

Delicious.
4 - Jared D.: Place hits the hype for sure. Extremely well done concept. I like the pizza a little more than the salads, but I continue to order both (I usually get Gorgonzola salad). Tip: There are usually lines out the door. If you know what you want, skip the line and call the order in. Then you get to skip to front of the line whether you're eating in or out. Def one of my faves.
4 - odelia m.: One of the best pizza places I've been to. It feels very Italian (at least to me) and reminds me of the pizzas' I had when traveling to Italy. It just tends to be a bit crowded and the services lacks. When sitting at the table, it feels like things are more self-serve than receiving further service. Otherwise, I love the food :)
4 - Robin S.: I'm not a pizza lover to start, but what's not to like about 800 Degrees? Their all fresh ingredients have me going back twice now in less than a month and that's a lot of pizza for me. 
1st time - Biancca failed to impress me. My dough was burnt and way too crispy. Bleh
2nd time - Filetti, extra buffalo cheese, hold the cherry tomatoes and add salume. the juice from fresh cheese made the dough kind of wet at the bottom but the extra cheese and salume were super awesome together, I almost ate the whole pie myself! Damn it was good!

So there's no denying that my next trip back will be even better than my last...
3 - Cecilia G.: I've been here three times: twice I've gotten a different pizza with different toppings, and once I ordered a chopped salad. The pizza has good flavor, but I do not like that they add more olive oil than is really necessary. It grosses me out a little bit when I see so much grease on my pizza (not necessarily from the cheese, but because of the oil). It does make the pizza a bit too soggy for my taste - and it gets messy pretty quickly, but again...it does have a good flavor and it tastes fresh. The salad was also pretty good. 

Other likes: the layout and design of the place, the use of an assembly line to build your pizza (and you see them make it front of you), and the use of wood-fired ovens to bake pizzas. 

Biggest cons: the over use of olive oil and the long lines (but if you get there when it first opens, the wait isn't too bad). 

The place is definitely worth trying if you're in the area and you can decide if you like it yourself.
4 - Sarah B.: Love 800 Degrees for its pizza, but point deduction for dismissive service / difficult seating situation... Line moves quickly though!

Oregano, chiles and garlic are free. You wouldn't think they'd change the pizza too much but they really do so don't forget to ask before you start adding toppings or get flustered by the assembly line. 

I'm not normally one to order another cheese as a topping, but the fontina is SO good! 

Order dressing on the side for salads here... Trust.

They have YOOHOO milk!! What a treat :)
5 - Mike R.: Best pizza ever eaten in LA!!!
4 - Kurdy S.: I feel like I am at a disadvantage when it comes to 'Neopolitan' pizza as I've yet to try the real thing in Italy! I can only imagine what its suppose to taste like.  The Americans bring in the so-called brick oven and Italian flour and try to duplicate but I still wonder.

For the most part I did enjoy the pizza here.  If 'Neopolitan' suppose to be semi-wet in the middle of the pie, then it is what it is.  The flavors were pretty nice and balanced throughout.  

Pieology in OC offers similar service in which you start off with fresh dough and you dictate what you want on your pizza.  When comparing the crust, its kind of night and day.  Pieology's is on the crispier side.  Toppings is about even.  

For a pizza joint, the decor was well designed with modern Italian touches.  Very spacious with super high ceilings, but the dining area was kind of compact.  One thing to be aware of is no saving seats allowed.  Even on a busy night, we managed to get a table.  So keep an eye out as you wait for your pie.  Pricing was pretty reasonable around $8 for a couple of toppings.  If you are super hungry, you might order a whole pie for yourself otherwise, sharing between two would suffice for a low appetite.

Would I return, honestly, not sure, only if I was in the area and super craving for a pizza, I suppose.  If you don't mind eating your pizza with a fork and knife, this might be the place for you.

#trendy #subwaystyle
4 - Michael S.: Rihanna sums up 800 Degrees perfectly ... "Come on, come on, come on ... I like it, like it ... "

800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria is a hot and popular pizza joint in Westwood for 2 reasons: the prices are low and the pizzas are your own creations. It combines the assembly line of Subway with the joy of waiting 30 minutes to order and bonus awkwardness of sitting at a table with strangers.

Olivia Z. tried a Pizza Bianca with Double Garlic, Extra Chiles, and Cherry Tomatoes. It tasted like a Boiling Crab Whole Shabang Pizza. She loved it. I liked it. For $6.65, it was a fun flavor discovery. I went with a $10.45 Pizza Margherita with Double Jalapenos, Pappadews (Peppers), and Sausage (Molinari Sweet Italian Salsicoa). The peppers weren't too spicy or the sausage special, but it was still pretty good. Both pizzas were loaded with Olive Oil and way too soggy. If they cut down on the Olive Oil then both would have been better. Even so, the flavors are cool.

We also split a Cherry Tomatoes and Pesto Burrata for $5. It was hyped on Yelp. It was recommended by a guy in line. It was Burratarific! This will be the first thing I order next time while trying a new combination of flavors on a pizza. The soda dispenser is one of the cool digital touch-screen models where you can create your own flavor creations. Love this option since I want caffeine free diet drinks with some flavors.

The service is fine. Not overly friendly, but they are seriously busy. After a half hour wait and placing our order, we then had to search for a table. It's packed, but we were able to squeeze in next to a couple co-eds and share a table. People with strollers and kids were having a hard time "fitting into a table." Note that there are no reservations and it is street parking only.

At these prices, speed, and options, I'm a fan of 800 Degrees pizza.

Because, 800 Degrees may be cheap, 
   but it's perfectly good at it.
Garlic in the air, I don't care 
   I love the smell of it.
Cheese & Soppressata may break my diet, 
   but Margherita and Bianca excite me.

Nanana ... Come on, come on, come on ... I like it, like it ...
5 - Michael C.: I love everything about this place minus the line. Super cool concept that pretty much involves 2 steps: Build your pizza then eat the damn thing!  And if a delicious build you own pie isn't enough then GET THE BURRATA. Its only 5 bucks and at that price its the pound for pound burrata champ in LA!
3 - Jesse C.: 800 Degrees is The Counter of pizza places. Except The Counter has fantastic burgers, while 800 Degrees has OK pizza.

There are tons of options to customize your pizza here. But be careful, too many options and your crust doesn't rise well and comes out a bit soggy and flimsy. You go for the gimmick of seeing a pizza cook in 60 seconds and the customizable options. I recommend that people try this once, for sure. But after having been twice, there is just better pizza in L.A.
5 - Toshiro D.: Ok. I've been in Los Angeles for about four years now. I've eaten a lot of bad food, and very little what I would call "exceptional" food. I want to say that while this Pizza does not taste exactly like what I was used to when I lived in Italy, and in fact, I don't even think that it qualifies as "Pizza", it is truly exceptional. One of the best things I've ever eaten and I wasn't even that drunk when I decided this. :)

Basically, this is Nan Bread, with toppings that tries to emulate Pizza, but accomplishes something else. Good. I love Nan Bread. I want toppings on it. And for those complaining that the toppings fall off their dough, or that the Pizza is "soggy", blah blah blah - good news is that there are a ton of traditional Pizza spots around the corner that suck, where you will feel right at home.

The run down:

1. Ingredients - they are fresh, tasty and the available choices are the good stuff. Pineapple and sopressata were truly excellent. And their fresh mozarella or boconcini or whatever it was blew my mind. Loved it all.

2. Dough - Good. Very good. Not Italian. Nan Breadish. No problem. Sort of like almost eating nothing but not quite.

3. Seating - uncomfortable. Need a face lift, makeover. 

4. Line up. Amusing. Lots of characters and freaks. Make a friend.

5. Cooking staff - Fast, hard working, polite, knowledgeable and engaging. These guys should get an award.

6. Cash/Floor staff - LA-style, obnoxious, rude, humorless. They need a makeover as well. Stop hiring actor/model wanabees and get people like your Latino staff to handle this as well. So many restaurants follow this model. Heroes cook, Douchebags serve and/or take your money. 

The mix of ingredients -- FRESH ingredients -- combined with the choice, excellent bread, AMAZING hot sauce, olive oil, etc. just pushes this place over the top. 

What I would fix:

Floor staff, lighting (dim it out and make it loungey), and get some better alcohol choices and nicer prices. Improve music.
4 - Kislev A.: Even using a GPS, we nearly missed this little gem of a pizzeria. Good thing we were walking because we parked far away.

One thing about this place, this whole area, is the PARKING! Or the lack thereof.

As soon as we walked in, we encounter a sign that says "No reserving tables." Eventually we figured out that we are supposed to get in line, cafeteria-style. You tell the first person behind the glass the pizza you'd like, he'll make it, put it on one of those giant wooden spatulas, and you move on to the cashier to pay. 

Then you may go ahead and reserve your table! LOL

Wine is served. Soda and others are "fountain"-style but not like any soda fountain I've seen before. Super cool and super modern. Maybe it's on every corner in Tokyo? 

So glad we only ordered one pie because it certainly more than enough for both of us (me and hubhubs). The Tartufo!!! It was sooooo awesome. Mushroom, mozzarella, roasted garlic and olive oil. I doubt the mushroom was actually made of truffles but it was yummy nonetheless.

II cannot wait to taste the other goodies!
5 - Ocean F.: I LOVE PIZZA!
I've eaten a lot of pizza in my life. I moved to LA a couple of years ago from Boston, where there are some good pizza joints (Santarpio's). I think this is close to the best pizza I have found in LA. 

No Frills - great salads and appetizers before the pizza, beer and wine on tap, and delicious pizza. Very laid back atmosphere - just go and enjoy.

There may be a long line - but it moves fairly quickly, and it's worth it.

I hope the open an 800 degrees closer to Hancock Park soon!
3 - Jessica L.: a lot of hype. a lot. thank goodness there wasn't a line. not sure how they handle the crowds with one soda machine that requires rebooting every 30 minutes. someone took our friend's pizza order and the restaurant didn't offer anything in return.
3 - Jen H.: The concept is cool, but I found the choices overwhelming. I went with a margherita pizza with tartufo cheese, pappadew peppers, sausage, and pesto. Sounded good, but it was too cheesy, for the amount of sauce. The toppings were a bit sparse too. The ambiance is very casual college.
4 - Lesley C.: Yummy pizza and cool soda machine! The line moves really fast so don't get discouraged if there is a long line.
4 - Jessica R.: I came here a few days ago for the first time and let me tell you i loved it!! I had the pizza margherita, super simple, but delicious. It is hard to find good thin wood-fired pizza that's made just right and this is my spot! I did not give the place 5 stars just because the service was not all that good. They were nice, the guy that prepared our pizza as well as the girl that rung my order but when i came back to ask for crushed red peppers they said they would take them to my table and they never did. No big deal, but i would have appreciated a little more care for their customers. Other than that the pizza was delicious and if it didn't make me fat i'd eat it everyday! lol
4 - Greg P.: gotta +1 on the truffle cheese bread.  my advice is to eat it quick though cuz once the cheese congeals....ewwww def 1 order is enough for 2+ people too.  

line was super long out of the door on a friday night and full of ucla kids speaking loud on their iPhones =-/ but it moves fast.  they also have one of those super soda machines w/ a touch screen and a million diff combos so that's awesome.

oh and btw, the pizza is good too. =-)
4 - Sara P.: I work in Westwood and during lunch hours I always see a line out the door, so I have never made it into this place until last night. Luckily, the line wasn't long and it moved quickly. I like how you are able to see the process of your pizza and you pick your toppings like a Subway line. The first guy with the pizza dough was very friendly and inviting, the rest of the guys down the line were not super friendly, but they got the job done. They did experience a little hiccup with the ticket machine, so there was a slight delay, but nothing outrageous. I ordered a Chimay Blue Reserve to accompany my pie. The fact they have some good beer selections and wine is a definite plus. Seating seems like it could be a big issue during peak hours, but we lucked out in finding a table. The tables are close together and we were sitting right against the food line, but it wasn't uncomfortable. 

The ingredients are fresh and you can taste it. The crust was good and those little charred spots are delicious. My only complaint is that the middle of my pizza was soggy, too soggy. I had to eat that section with a knife and fork. Personally. I like grabbing a slice, folding it up, and eating it. The prices are very fair as well. I will be a returning customer!
5 - Candice N.: discovered a new creation! get the pizza margherita with truffle cheese (still $3 extra), rosemary ham, and caramelized onions. it'll blow your mind .. mmmmmmm.

and no matter how many times i come here & check in on yelp, i'm still not a regular!! that many people come here thatttt frequently ...
4 - Siqi Z.: My first visit was 5 stars. The second was 3 stars. For now, 800 Degrees Pizzeria is 4 stars. The price is right for getting a fresh pizza for under $10. 

I like the Bianca Pizza with cherry tomatoes and extra basil, garlic, and chile. The first time I ordered this it had too much olive oil, but was full of garlic chile flavor. The second time, they messed up the pizza and remade it without asking me. It came out without the extra garlic, any chile, and no basil. It only had the cherry tomatoes. When I complained they gave me two containers of chile i could add on top. It helped, but wasn't what I ordered and didn't taste the same. 

The pesto and tomato burrata is good, too. I love fresh mozzarella cheese. 

Parking is meters on the street. Good luck. You'll need that luck when looking for a seat, too. During lunch or dinner, plan 20-40 minutes for the line.

A third visit is needed to find out if 800 Degrees equals 3 stars or more.
4 - Terence N.: The pizzas are delicious, especially for the price.  I mean this ain't Pizza Mozza, but it's as good as your going to get.  The quatrro formaggi with rock shrimp is the best!  I also really enjoyed the sausage and peppers pizza.  One of my other favorites is the Tartufo with added roasted garlic.  All the pizzas are tasty and have their own unique flavors.  What I didn't like was that the crust on all the pizzas came out a little burnt on the bottom.  It could have been an amazing pizza if they didn't burn the bottom crust, but the pizza was still good.  I really don't like my crust burnt to a charred black on the bottom, but maybe that's how it's always served?  Ive never had this problem at pizza mozza though.   Be prepared to wait in line during busy hours, this place gets packed.  I also really don't like the dining area, its really cramped and there aren't enough tables.  So you end up cramming down your meal and leaving...this ain't the best place to enjoy a quiet relaxed meal, it's more of a get in get out type of place.   Pizza Mozza is still my favorite pizza joint, but this place is really good for a quick cheap eat stop.
4 - Megan Y.: The pizza was pretty tasty. Be prepared to wait in a long line though.
4 - Stephanie L.: 800 Degrees has been on my list of "Must Try" restaurants since before it's opening.  I finally made my way there last Wednesday.  There's always a line out the door, but it is very misleading as the line moves rather quickly.

The assembly line is super efficient.  Make sure you look over the menu before getting up to the counter as the servers want to take your orders immediately.   place your order.  First, pick your pizza base (the first guy takes care of this), and then take a peak at the fresh toppings behind the glass (the second guy will be putting your pizza together).  If you don't choose the pizza base with mozzarella (Pizza Margherita), be sure to pick out your own cheese at the toppings station, unless you don't prefer cheese on your pizza.

I ordered the Pizza Margherita with Soppressata and Mushrooms.  I also got the Beets + Balsamic Burrrata.  Of course, I could not resist the soda machine.  The first time I saw this machine was at Wing Stop and I was obsessed.  My favorite drink is Fanta Peach.  Seriously.  It is amazing.  Try it!

After you pile all your toppings onto your pizza, they take it away and place it into the hot stove.  It doesn't take more than 10 minutes, and may actually be less than that.  The table situation can get a little tricky during busy times, but I didn't have an issue finding a table.  

I ended up ordering more than I could eat, as my eyes always seem to be more hungry than my stomach.  Either way, the Beets + Balsamic Burrata was super tasty.  I really love the sweet flavor of beets mixed with the texture of the burrata and tanginess of the balsamic made every single bite absolutely delicious.

I finished the entire thing within minutes and was only able to enjoy 2 pieces of my pizza.  The mozzarella was super fresh and just perfect.  There is a sweet marinade on the mushrooms that add a kick of flavor, and the soppressata could have been spicier, but I enjoyed the pizza regardless.  If you are a fan of thin crust pizza, this is the place to go!

Each pizza comes with 6 slices, and I managed to save the rest of the pizza for 2 additional meals.  The pizza bases start at $5.15-$6.45 and the toppings are $1 each.  Not bad if you ask me.  Definitely looking forward to creating more pizza combinations with their large variety of toppings.

Oh, lastly.  Parking can be difficult as it is Westwood.  As we walked up to 800 degrees, some guy got the metered spot right out front.  We ended up parking in a lot around the corner.
3 - Michael F.: I have been to 800 Degrees Pizza twice over the past week, and both experiences here have been okay...just okay. I really wanted to love this place, but I can't for a couple of reasons:

1) The crust was WAY too soggy to truly enjoy on both visits.

2) The staff did not seem very eager to actually greet us when my groups got to the front of the line, especially the second time.  On both occasions they were just chatting with each other before even acknowledging that we were standing there.  It took a while for us to get their attention the last time I visited, and they even got my order wrong.  They then had the nerve to come back to me and ask if it was okay that they give me the pizza with something on it that I didn't ask for.  I didn't mind, but after giving them a dirty look they picked most of it off.  They need to make more of a point about being more attentive to customers if the place is packed, and actually get the orders right.  

Besides my issues, I do think that the concept of the place is pretty cool.  For the most part they use high quality ingredients, and everything that I tried tasted great.  They even have one of those fancy soda machines where you can custom make your own soda!  Making your own soda goes great with the 'build your own pizza' idea, so it is a perfect fit.

I think that 800 Degrees Pizza can be a truly great place, and I can easily see myself giving it 5 stars in the future.  They just need to work out some kinks to get on track.   I will come back again for sure, but I do hope that the experience improves.
5 - Saimah A.: Don't need to write much about this place since most people have said what I would say. Bottom line...it's a MUST try. Their assembly line is very efficient and they use all natural fresh gourmet ingredients. It don't get much better than that!
1 - Anthony P.: If you like cardboard thin, super greasy, soupy, non-flavorful pizza...this is the place for you!

We first saw this place a month ago, with the line wrapped around the corner.  At the time, we thought "THAT place must be amazing!"

We finally decided to try it today, and we were thoroughly disappointed.  The line wraps around the corner, not because of its popularity, but because of the crude ordering and seating system.

If you've never been there before, figure out what you want prior going through the line if you can.  Once you get to the front of the line, you get rushed and whizzed through the line pretty fast.  Once you've ordered, they cook your pizza in literally 5 minutes (you decide if that's good or bad).

Once we got the food, it just was not enjoyable.  Not to mention, the place was loud, seating was terrible, and it was over-crowded.  The best thing about my meal, was my Coke.

Needless to say, we will not be returning.
4 - David A.: Westwood had been in dire need of better pizza for the better part of 3 decades.   Lamonica's shitty pizza squares and the current chains are clearly more offensive than Skrillex.  With great enthusiasm, I can say that this place is worthy.  It is similar to the quality at Mozza.  A little heavy on the sauce, but what a great crust!  And the fucking pie was under 10 bucks!  3.5 stars.
3 - Beth K.: I appreciate the abundance and freshness of ingredients, ability to customize, and size for the price, but for me a good pizza needs to have the right crust and it just disappoints.  The outer crust is crunchy and chewy, which I like, but the center is too soggy to be enjoyable.

Service was quick and efficient.
2 - Richard G.: One of my friends suggested we eat here. 

I LAUGHED in his face. Hilarius.
2 - Cassie C.: I don't get the hype. I live literally a walk away from this place and haven't gone since I moved here...

The couple times I've been here I've tried different things and they all share a really tough, simultaneously dry AND soggy crust. I can appreciate some thin pizza but c'mon when my pizza's like a sad boner hanging down from the middle and can't support the tiny amount of toppings on it when it's JUST out of the oven? Not really my cup of tea. I've all 3 of the classics, and the most successful has been the bianca+chicken/onion for me. Still not really worth it though.

This place is always poppin' though, so good that there's gonna be an Umami Burger down the street (same company). Gonna go to that one though because I'm shameless. 

I tried to like 800, I really did...I can appreciate the fresh ingredients, the ability to personalize, the quickness of the line/how fast the pizza bakes, but the actual pizza's just not doing it for me.
5 - valentin v.: Best fresh and inexpenisive pizza
5 - Greta A.: Oh My Gosh, I'm so in love with this place. DIY pizza with real Neapolitan style.
My recommendation is to go for the Pizza Marinara ($5.15) and then you have a great variety of add-ons: proteins, vegetables and cheeses for 1 dollar each.
5 - Tara E.: :'D

I just went today after hearing so much about this place. My first impression was that they really put alot of thought into the design. It's a really beautiful interior.

The pizza was amazing. We ordered the margherita pizza with artichoke and ricotta. NOM! and a small chopped salad (i regretted that because im not a fan of Italian salads)

I have no complaints about the pizza being soggy. The underside of the pizza was nice and crispy and properly held the toppings up. But the inside was deliciously marinated with the fresh sauce. oooooh myyy god! getting hungry again...

We went on a slow day/time so there was no line just fast service.

All I can say is OM NOM NOM NOM
5 - Tiger V.: this place is GOOD! The only downsides I can think of this place is the small interior to accommodate the LARGE masses of people who wants deliciousness. Or the long lines due to that reason. Or maybe even the lack of parking for being a part of Westwood. 

Anyways, there are preset pizzas you can pick, which are pretty good. But you can make your own which is even better. The average pizza may end up around $9-10 bucks, and that's with about 3 good toppings. The crust is delicious and the ingredients taste fresh. It is also made fairly quickly! If theres no one in front of you in line, the wait can be around 15 minutes.

My favorite pizza includes Pizza Bianca (garlic and cheese base) with Rosemary ham, meatball, and mushrooms.  This pizza is garlicky and resembles the Cajun sauce at Boiling crab, mmm. Give it a try!  

Overall, get delicious pizza here. Its also open til 2am every day! The only pizza place that I think is better than this is Pizza Antica in Santana Row back in San Jose. Enjoy!
4 - John C.: I have to admit that I am a fan of 800 Degrees Pizza.  I don't know if they'll be winning any pizza tasting competitions anytime soon, but when it comes to the great quality of their ingredients, plus the prices that leave my wallet feeling very happy, I love coming here!

*Caveat* The lines are almost always ridiculously long (don't come super hungry because you'll be dying in line).  Also, because of their style of firing the pizza, a lot of the time the center of the pizza will be some version of soggy/limp/lifeless.

If you are looking to overlook these things, 800 Degrees has some really tasty cheeses and toppings for your pizza lover.

Now, I've heard from people that the remedy to the soggy middle is to ask the counter staff to cook your pizza "Well Done".  I've tried this a couple times and all that ends up doing is burning the crust.  I like eating the crust sometimes so this is not a valid remedy for me.

Anyway, droopy-tip-shenanigans aside, I'm still a fan because I can usually get away with feeding me and my lady friend nicely for less than a benjamin, and we still have enough dough left over to stroll over for dessert somewhere in Westwood Village.  Pizza-Pun intended!!  YES! *fistpump*
5 - Betty D.: The concept is brilliant-- Subway makes sandwiches the way you want it, and 800 degrees makes pizzas the way you want it.

Please don't hold up the line-- there is always a line...
4 - Craig R.: At 800 Degrees you can start with a basic, plain pizza starting from $5.15 (marinara sauce), then build on that by taking your pick of more than two dozen toppings at $1 each. You go through a line, starting with pizza dough, and then pick your toppings.

While you are in line to pay, the pizza has gone into a hell-blazing, hot wood-fired oven that cooks your pizza in 60 seconds.  By the time you've selected your beverage and finished paying for your meal, your pizza is ready to go.

I went for the Tartufo ($11.65) with truffle cheese, roasted mushrooms, caramelized garlic, and arugula. There is no tomato, and they use caramelized garlic that is incredibly soft and sweet.  The truffle cheese and the arugula is added after the pie is pulled out of the oven, so that it's still nice and fresh, great texture to counterbalance the melted toppings underneath.  The crust has a crisped outside, soft and warm on the inside with a smoky char.  

Aside from pizza, 800 Degrees also offers some very affordable salads and side dishes. I got a side of Broccolini ($5) roasted with garlic, Calabrian chiles and olive oil. It was a nice size serving for the price. Very fresh tasting and flavorful.

It's not the best pizza in town but it's possibly the best for the price and speed of service. Yay! I'm a fan.
3 - Daniel D.: Very interesting new concept with a lot of hot buzz surrounding it.

Lines are super long.

Very rich and heavy food--you feel like you want to go to sleep afterwards.
4 - Greg G.: kinda cool place. Pizza assembly line. Reminds me of Chipotle, but with pizza.
The food is really yummy
5 - Jenny C.: This place is truly spectacular. It's opened til 2am and it takes drunken pizza to a new level. No longer will I need to eat crap pizza slices from a stand if I manage to find one in LA because 800 Degrees got that fancy, bubbly, neapolitan style thin crust. AND, they also have burrata pairings for about $6.

For less than $10, there are some good eats here. I'm not sure how crazy it gets during random hours but I found parking easily at 1:30am on Lindbrook during Carmegeddon weekend. 

Also, def. recommending the salume and roasted garlic. MmMmm... it's so easy to eat all the crust.
2 - Christopher P.: Note that I may have been a tad bit spoiled because of Pieology.

First impression was that this place is pretty cool. The place has a nice feel to it and its pretty lively. I go and order the sausage and pepper specialty, would've made my own but 1$ a topping for anything seemed kinda lame to me, though they do have a large variety of ingredients. My girlfriend however opted to make her own. It was also nice that they allowed pesto sauce base instead of a marinara sauce base, which is a nice change sometimes :D.

During the process of making the food, it seemed like they were very stingy on the ingredients both on mine and my gf's. I mean there were some slices where I had maybe 2 tiny pieces of sausage on it, the sausage was delicious but I only tasted it every other slice. The pizza itself was way too soggy. The crust was barely crunchy as well another disappointment. Lastly, what kind of pizza place doesn't have parmesan and crushed peppers at every table. I mean I understand a harsh economy but to not have accessible parmesan and peppers at a sitdown pizza place is a tad strange. When I asked for it, they come in these tiny containers... lameeee. Theres also no crushed peppers here, instead they have chili sauce.... with pizza....

Maybe I came on a bad day, maybe I had bad workers, maybe I'm just used to Pieology, either way not impressed.
1 - Bill K.: If you like waiting in lines (30 minutes on Sunday night) and soggy pizza this place is awesome!! The pizza was terrible, the dough was undercooked, had to eat with a knife & fork, all of the toppings fell off when you try to pick up a slice. This place is incredibly over rated, I will not be going back. 0 out of 5 stars.
4 - Scott B.: Ok, I used to live with a couple of pizza chefs in Italy back in college, so I'm kind of spoiled when it comes to pizza.  That said, the ingredients at 800 Degrees are top notch and the prices & selection are great.

I've seen many people are not thrilled with the somewhat soggy crust at times.  This tends to happen with this type of oven during high-turnover, I'd suggest trying in off-hours.  Still, I commiserate and for that I'll lower to 4 stars.  Also the amount of toppings varies wildly, sometimes you get a lot, sometimes not so much.  Again this puts things at 4 stars.  Still, 4 is pretty damn good, and I'll certainly continue frequenting this establishment (aiming for the less-busy hours).

I must say, I am impressed that they somehow always have seating despite the line.  It is just big enough and the line moves just slow enough that tables open at the same pace they are needed.  Someone must've broken out some serious math-fu when the designed this place.
5 - Ratika N.: I can't believe I have finally found a good Neapolitan Pizzeria in LA which is affordable! The Pizza here is really good....the only thing that you have to keep in mind is the long line out front, but it moves pretty fast so it's not a deal breaker for me.

There are 3 basic pizzas for you to choose from: margherita (cheese, tomato sauce, basil), bianca (no tomato), marinara (no cheese).  You can choose whatever toppings you desire.  Most cost about $1 per topping except for truffle cheese which is $3.  I ordered the margherita with roasted garlic.  My pizza was cooked in less than 2 minutes in hot wood fire oven and was delicious!  I loved the roasted garlic and the fresh mozzarella.  My friend went overboard on the toppings, so I would advise you to keep it simple and stick to 1-2 toppings. He ordered bianca (wasn't my favorite) and had onions, meatballs, sausages, tomatoes and some more toppings!  It turned out to be too soggy as there were too many toppings. Do what Italians do in Italy, order the margherita (basic and simple) or stick to 1-2 toppings at the most! They even have gluten free pizza for all you people with gluten restrictions. I prefer mine the old fashioned way and love it.

Definitely get the Burrata here, its super fresh and only for $5. I love this place....the food is fresh, reasonably priced and the line moves fast. My only gripe is that it wasn't open when I was a student at UCLA!
3 - Gio R.: PRO: Good Neapolitan style pizza, great toppings, fun people watching.

CON: Seriously price gouge you on wine and beer price!!!  We ordered 2 pizzas, 1 glass of wine and 1 beer.  The two pizzas with toppings were $16 total.  Not bad.  But the wine and beer together were another $17.  Ridiculous.  The drink prices are like a Hollywood night club.

And yes, the crust is soggy and it's loud and the parking stinks.  But LA is hurting for good pizza, so I'll allow it.
4 - Michelle K.: Went with a friend to this place for the first time.  There literally was no line out the door and probably 3 people ahead of us so I decided to give it a try.

You pick a type of pizza for $6 or $7 and add toppings for $1 more.  It's a fantastic idea!  The toppings are definitely nice and fresh (pine nuts, broccolini, sausage, basil, pesto, mushroom, tomato, etc).  After about 5 mins in their oven, your pizza is freshly baked and ready to eat.  

I love this idea!  Plus the decor is nice.  Only con is the crazy line out the door and crowded inside can get insane at 7-8 pm so go early!
4 - Jen M.: I love me some thin crust pizza, so I checked out 800 Degrees when it first opened and it was fantastic. I highly recommend the Tartufo, but I also enjoy the margherita every now and then. The prices are reasonable ($7-$11) for pizza that you can split with someone and have a salad or appetizer. I do, however, recommend avoiding the lunch rush as the lines can get very long, especially during the school year as all the students  fill the place pretty quickly. Although the service is pretty fast, (it's assembly line style), tables can be hard to find. Overall a great place to have a delicious pizza!
2 - Stephanie C.: Seems like quickly cooked pizza is becoming somewhat of a fad around the West LA area, what with 800 degrees and Sawtelle Blvd.'s Clusi Batusi popping out of nowhere and amazing everyone with their rapid cooking skills. My friend recommended me 800 and so I decided to go with my friend and try them out.

First of all the interior is stunning. I'm not sure if it was part of the movie theater or what, but in any case it's beautiful. That chandelier is gorgeous! I appreciate the ample seating space they have for their customers and the music is generally on point (save for a really bad remix of Lana Del Rey's "Blue Jeans," hehe). 

I kinda equate their style to Chipotle: look at the menu, figure out what you want to start off with (burrito, taco, bowl), and you're sent off to the toppings section. With pizza, however, there's a bit more at going on. You need the base which, if you haven't really cooked a pizza before, can be kind of intimidating. My friend is one of these people, and when asking the guy behind the counter how it works, the employee gave him the weirdest stare, as if he's never heard someone ask him what you're supposed to do. After getting a half-answer that still left him confused I explained to my friend what he should do, he ordered his pizza, and after feeling like I took too much of the guys time, I ordered a basic margherita which I later regretted getting. Thanks a lot for making me feel pressured, dude.

Then comes to the toppings. This guy seemed like he was more preoccupied with hitting on his attractive associate than paying attention to what my friend and I wanted, having us repeat our selections multiple times as he laughed and joked around with his friend. I get you're having fun, it's all good, but not when you're taking an order and working.

Getting drinks, my friend is clearly in line behind me and this employee all of a sudden gets right up beside me to get in before him. I purposefully step to her side so my friend can get his drink because A) it's his turn and B) Customers should go first. Nope, she cuts right in front of him proclaiming she NEEDS ice.

When we finally get our pizzas, they just don't look good. The friend who recommended the place told me her pizza was godlike and crispy..mine was the complete opposite. Aside from decent end crust, the pizza in general looked like it had erectile dysfunction; completely flaccid and not willing to commit. When you have watered down sauce plus wet mozzarella plus the toppings, ALL on top of very thin crust (because that's the reason why it can be cooked so quickly), you'll most likely end up with a very soggy pizza. I can understand a little sogginess but this was breaking up and drooping down on the plate...nearly inedible. 

I want to come back to give this place another try because honestly, the service is what ticked me off the most. I get that the service industry isn't the most glamourous occupation to be a part of. The hours are tedious, there aren't many benefits, you're on your feet, and you just don't feel like being there ESPECIALLY on a Friday evening. BUT. If you CHOSE to be in this industry, be COMPETENT in it. Because you as the employee make or break the customers experience of the place, and if you treat your customer rudely, they'll most likely go on yelp and write a bad review and tell their friends not to come to your establishment. Just saying.

So yeah for the sake of my friend I'll give this place another try, but I'm not really convinced about this new wave of fast-food pizza. I'd rather wait the 20-30 minutes for a delicious pizza than 2-5 minutes to get a soggy one that I can barely eat.
4 - Chris W.: The pizza is great, just keep to a few toppings or else your pizza will be overwhelmed.  For toppings, I would recommend the cherry tomatoes and the sweet peppers.  If you want to try something a little different go for the tartufo, which is a sauceless pizza with mushrooms, truffle mozzarella, garlic, and arugula.  All of the burratta side dishes are fantastic, and they have a great selection of drinks and sodas.

My only complaints are the long line, crowded dining area, and slightly steep prices.
1 - Michelle S.: This is the worst pizza i have ever eaten! The dough is really soggy. The toppings just slide off.  I ordered margaritta pizza with anchovies - totally tasteless.
Really the worst ever.
4 - Zeel J.: SO MANY OPTIONS!

Is this the best pizza I've ever had? That's tough to say. There are some places out there that are phenomenal pizza joints.

But this place sticks out in one special way... they have enough ingredients for their build-a-pizza-workshop setup, that you will be able to craft a pizza to almost any oddball craving.

So if you're itching for a prosciutto pizza with minced garlic, topped with a sunny side up egg, then here's your place, because they got it.

perfect for cravings
4 - Justin E.: Amazing. You current UCLA students have no idea how spoiled you are. I'm going to go all old alumni on you (Class of 2010), but seriously... between a Yoshinoya and Subway in south campus, the new Pauley Pavilion, and now this perfect drunk food? Yes, it's expensive as all heck--especially when you're drunk and you keep adding toppings and then put it all on your card. You wake up the next morning and want to slap yourself across the face.

That being said, damn. Good stuff. You guys are spoiled. When I'm back in LA, I'm sure I will stumble my way back here. The 4 star versus 5 star is I never seem to remember how good it is... I just see the aftermath on my bank account...

826 Michigan: Liberty Street Robot Supply & Repair - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2796048, -83.7484086) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - Lisa W.: 826michigan is one of the greatest things ever.  They are a non-profit tutoring and writing center.  As someone who grew up with a fevereish love for writing and stories, it makes me incredibly happy to know that organization exists.  It started with 826 Valencia, which was founded by the author, Dave Eggers.  Though I am admittedly not a fan of his, I am a fan of what he has started.

What they provide is something every child should have exposure to.  All their services are absolutely free, including tutoring, one-on-one time, workshops, and assistance with publishing.  What's awesome is that you can apply to volunteer as a tutor and they provide the training -- no experience necessary -- and for any block of time that you wish.

Interested in having your child join?  Anyone ages 6-18 are welcome!  They are not condescending and communicate with children very well.  They are under the tutelage of some some very intelligent and hip cats, so I have no doubt their students come out armed with creative magic.

Their store has a benefit CD that features favorite local musicians.  Very cool.  Plus, with anthologies like "Fear of a Blank Page" and "Suddenly My Heart Stopped for Just a Small Portion of Time" -- you can't resist buying some good reading with your cup of joe.

 Currently they are home to Robot reparis!  Does that sound interesting?  Maybe you should stop in and check out what it is all about.  I stopped by recently and admired all the creative work that goes into their space.  They had a booth at the Ann Arbor Book Fair and one of their robots was there.  You should stop in to get your robot fixed.  I'm sure they'll do a good job.

If you're not around Ann Arbor, you can still enjoy the work of these awesome kids at the website www.826michigan.org/writing_gallery/.
5 - Tyler B.: Every once in a while, a group of people get together to do something selfless that benefits the community as a whole.  826 Michigan is such an endeavor. 

From tutoring to workshops to involvement in local classrooms, 826 helps community volunteers share their love of the written word with kids in Ann Arbor and the surrounding area.  I know, totally sweet, right? The people who work here do so out of the goodness of their own heart, which produces an atmosphere that's both a riot and conducive to learning.  Not an easy tightrope to walk...

So whether you have offspring or loved ones who could benefit from a little exposure to the wonder of words, or want to spread your own passion to the youth of A2, check out 826 Michigan.  Its truly an infectious thing of which to be a part.
5 - Rob S.: Great, great store that serves all of my robot needs. I had been looking for a replacement eyeball for some time, and they had one here for only one dollar! Take that, Robot-Mart and Robots-R-Us! Also, the "826 Michigan Omnibus" is one of the best things I've ever read, by adults OR kids. The pirate poem kills me every time.
5 - PJ M.: Best store in A2
5 - Amy S.: Am I biased? OF COURSE I AM. 

Writing this from an unbiased-point-of-view, though (or at least trying to), I will say this: It is a BRILLIANT idea to have a fake robotic supply store as the storefront to a sweet writing center for kids. It is INGENIOUS to fund free student programs like tutoring, writing workshops, field trips, and in-school programs (as well as the publications of student writing mentioned below) with a creative and inspired storefront. As neither of those ideas were mine, I feel that I can state those, unbiased.

I will mention what some people don't realize: at least half of the products we sell are made in-house. As in, we order a product, say, a plasma lamp, it comes, we measure it and order new packaging, we create a new name for it (in this case, Better Bot's Positronic Brain), write and design new labels, have Rachel Lieberman expertly hand-cut said labels, and put it on the shelf. I THINK THAT'S NEAT. Maybe you will too. It is the best and worst feeling (mostly the best) in the world when someone asks, "Where do you order all this Better Bot's stuff from?" As if there's a supplier somewhere who STAYS IN BUSINESS selling FAKE ROBOT SUPPLIES.

Currently under development: the Liberty Brand Robot Responsibility Training System, a twelve-step program that will teach your robot how to take responsibility for your children, your cashmere sweaters, AND its own feelings.

It should be noted: We also sell ACTUAL robotics supplies and equipment.

Forgive me for reviewing my own business! I just think it's awesome.
5 - Rachel H.: How often do you go into a store and have them admit that it's a front for something else?  No this is not a front for an illegal panda fighting league or some other type of shady dealing.  It's a front for a free writing center for kids!  That's right, kids!  Now you have to like it.  If you hate kids, you at least like robots, right?  ROBOTS!

They have awesome books by kids, they have robots (ROBOTS!) and robot accessories, and they even had a robot onesie for my precious little niece.  

From the same non-profit as the Boring Store in Chicago, this place is fun and functional.  Can't beat that.

Helpful hint, if you buy the robot blubber, apparently it turns black if you leave it in the sun.  Just a little tip from me to you (via the store manager who was very fun and friendly).
5 - Zlatko U.: You're walking down a street and you see Liberty Street Robot and Repair. Suddenly, you realize that the citizens of this fine city are all robots. Your understanding of the world just exploded. You are all alone, surrounded by robots. Run!
5 - Deena L.: This is a fantastic little place. They sell robot-based toys (incredible) and the proceeds go to support literacy (excellent). The staff is friendly and never minds if you're just there to play with the wind-up sushi. Their window displays are adorable and most items for sale are affordable.
5 - Dave Y.: it's for a good cause. and they have funny quirky stuff. and a very cleverly named place. buy your gifts here
5 - emeril l.: Great mission, great products!

Can you say robot bug made out of a can?  I can, and it's awesome!
5 - mariah c.: It's difficult to review a nonprofit. In order to have an experience with a particular NPO, you are likely either a volunteer or a recipient of services. These different roles are probably going to entail pretty different ways of evaluating an organization.

Though I can't shrink myself down and take 826's children's writing workshops and understand that POV, I can -- as a longtime volunteer -- attest to the dedication of the huge group of volunteers and two (yep, just two) full time staff members who work to fulfill 826's mission. 

This is a place which aims to get kids (and sometimes adults!) excited about creative writing -- to make sure that they are not just proficient, but also passionate. Writing -- as I'm sure many of you yelpers can attest -- is not only useful, but often fun. 

Creative workshops here for kids K-12 are all free of charge. Pretty awesome to remove that cost barrier. In addition to workshops in this space (hidden behind the robot store), 826 offers assistance to teachers in their classrooms as well as drop-in tutoring (M-Th).

As someone who has volunteered on and off here since close to the beginning, it's been amazing to see this organization change and grow into what it has become. 

Whether it's working at the Robot Store (well-described in other reviews), growing a mustache to raise money, or providing 1:1 tutoring help, I'm continually impressed with the quality and dedication of so many 826 volunteers. 

When friends move to town and wonder how to meet people, I often start by suggesting various nonprofits that they may want to get involved with.  826 is always among the top organizations on my list!
5 - Julie D.: Free workshops with robots?  Can't go wrong with 826 Michigan...volunteers who teach my children creative writing? For FREE?  Superb!

Love them! More importantly, my kids love 826!
5 - Sam W.: Yay 826!
5 - Cassidy P.: "Are you here to buy your robot a heart?"

This is the question I heard as I stepped in to Liberty Street Robot and Repair.

"'Cause, you know, robots need love, too!" (so true!)

I looked at the salesperson grinning at me and knew this wasn't your average robot supply and repair... 

Hilariously wonderful and a mixture of my two favorite things (writing and robots), I wish I could visit every day.  Love, love, love this place!
5 - Sachin A.: Disclaimer: I work/volunteer here.

The best part of my week are the days when I work here.  I'd guess that half the people who come in get the joke, and half don't.  The staff members who work the store know all the best jokes and references and if you ask them, they will show you the things that will make your visit amazing.  

Here are some of the protips to get the most out of your visit:

* Feed the robot that takes donations.  The slot on the left is for bills; the slot on the right is for coins.  There are numerous responses the robot will give you.  My personal favorite is the theme song to a very popular daytime television (and occasionally prime time during sweeps!) show.
* Read the copy on the products.  The copy is all written by volunteers and 826 students.  Almost all of it is really funny.  A lot of it is hysterical.  
* As far as I know, it's the cheapest place on earth to get stuff written by Dave Eggers.  And the fancy Wild Things book is in stock here, but not on Amazon (at the time of this review).
* If you have a child, the books we publish by student authors are amazing and inspiring.  You can easily read these stories to your kids, and inspire them to do more writing themselves.  Teach them how words matter, not just stories.  (JK Rowling became a much better writer as she progressed; that's why the books get thicker and thicker from years one to seven.)
* The $1 postcard that says "That thing you're writing is awesome" is the best thing on earth to help you out during periods of writers block.
* Lastly, you'll enjoy the store 123.7% more if you watch this right before you come in: http://www.hulu.com/watch/2340/saturday-night-live-old-glory
3 - Jeffrey B.: Sorry to be the one to break the trend of 5 star ratings, this store/nonprofit is clever and creative and has a great mission, but it just doesn't hold up to the quality of the other 826 stores. I haven't been to all the stores yet, but I've made it to most of them, and the only one that hasn't been a whole lot better is the yeti store in Boston. By all means, I still think everyone should check out the robot store if you have a chance, but if for some strange reason you're deciding where to go on vacation based on which 826 store you'll be able to visit, go to San Francisco, the pirate store is incredible.
3 - Sam G.: I love the concept of 826 stores 'round the nation. Non-profits are the best and I sympathize in these hard economic times. But I'm going to admit something - this store feels a bit starved. Doesn't quite have the exuberance of having everything robot-related you could possibly imagine. Neither feels robotic nor repair shop-y. 

But that's ok. This place is still great for some curios and trinkets, for adults and children alike. The niftier things do get a bit pricey. There are also some great deals. If you want an amusing hand-made card, they sell these 8x5 drawings of robots in hilarious situations with witty quips for a mere buck - drawn by people in-store. 

Also, they have every single Dave Eggers project/writing imaginable so get thee here if you're looking to round out your collection or just dip your toes in the pool of his ouvre. 

My guess is your experience here is likely to depend on the volunteer working that day. I had a rather removed, quiet, and asocial young lady. I know other volunteers have been more playful and involved with customers. 

As for the writing aspect, too bad this isn't in Ypsi or Detroit. Ann Arbor is already such a privileged and educated isolated bubble I feel like other locations would reach a greater population. I realize they might not be able to survive that way but just a thought.

Anyway, definitely worth a stop in no matter what!
5 - Kristen B.: I love robots. I love getting kids excited about writing. I only wish I'd discovered this before Christmas so I could have filled everyone's lives with more robot toys and support for this kickass program. 
Go. 
Put some money in the robot and buy some books published by 826 authors.
5 - Annette J.: I'm a big fan of the author Dave Eggers I have know about the 826 organization for sometime. I've been to the Michigan 826, 826Chicago, and the original 826Valencia and have loved them all in their own way (each location devoted to different theme. While Ann Arbor is robots, Chicago is a spy shop, Valencia in SF is all about pirates). While some locations, like the SF Valencia location, are fare more involved in terms of decor (very interactive) this Ann Arbor location still retains the charm and whimsy of the other shops. 

It's a great spot to pop into and shop at for adults and kids a like. Kids (or if you're an adult like me who loves toys) will dig all the robot themed wind ups, parts, goodies, etc. Adults who are not into toys will still enjoy thumbing through the books from the likes of Eggers himself or the local kids the work with at 826 Michigan. How exciting to be a kid and be able to pick up a beautifully bound and illustrated book with your work in it? I would have been tickled when I was their age. Hell, I'd be tickled now!

The tutoring program and writing workshops are the reason for this place existing so in addition to being a great shop it's a wonderful resource for the community and helps thousands of kids in the area develop literary skills and a sense of pride and self-confidence. Even if they didn't have the robots I would totally be down. But they do so--YAY ROBOTS! YAY KIDS! And YAY to the volunteers and staff that keep this place running. Well done!
4 - Stella W.: Robots and tutoring kids and writing workshops make a great combination of a place. The store is fun for everyone--they have windups for little kids and make your own robot kids for adults and teens (and some kids). 

All the prices are even too, like 13 dollars,  23 dollars, etc. very convenient, no need for coins. 

The only reason they get 4 instead of 5 stars is that the make your own robot duck kit I bought malfunctioned. The instructions were so small and ambiguous with its inconsistent pictures and wording that even Einstein would skip this and go get a beer. 

This review is actually 4.5 stars though, since all of their other products have worked fine. The service bell is good for laughs--buy that! 

Just don't get the robot duck!
4 - Candice G.: My first thought when entering Liberty Street Robot Supply & Repair: Gonna get me some robot lube!

My second thought when entering LSRS&R: A pretty obvious front for laundering money... I was running a tighter operation when I was pimping Girl Scout cookies (Top seller 1992-95, b*tches!).

Okay, to be fair, I had no idea that 826 Michigan was a non-profit writing and tutoring workshop place... I'd never heard of it before and will admit that I was only interested in entering because of the idea that there might be robot lube. 

Now, after being masterfully misled by the name of the store, I entered to see an insanely small (like the size of one handicap bathroom stall) gadget-mart with hardly any stuff at all, no nouveau robo-technics at all, and for the most part, it was just a bunch of dinky-outdated toys. Hrmph. Guess my robot will have to go lube-less once again.

I automatically assumed that the large back room blocked off by only a curtain was where the money laundering went down, that, or one of two things- they brought people back there to teach them how to make robots or brought robots back there to teach them how to launder money... and then I wised up and thought about how foolish I was sounding since everyone knows that robots have an inherent knowledge of money laundering. duh.

Alright, so it was about 2 weeks after I visited the store that I found out what that back room, and the whole point of 826 is, which is to tutor kids up to 18 years old on creative and expository writing- something I think is just great. Stupendous, even. 

In fact, I wish they'd had something like that kind when I was a kid, so when my second grade teacher, Mrs Larson, recommended I be a writer when I grow up after grading my very first written piece ever, where I wrote about the very normal child's fear of dying in my sleep, or more specifically being butt-smothered to death by my dogs, who could lay on my sleeping face... there was even an illustration to go with it (not required, but I was always striving for hidden extra credit). Perfectly normal, perfectly healthy. Anyway, I didn't end up taking my first creative writing class until college, where I wrote solely about one of two things- poop(ing) and my sexual fantasies, most often about publicly jumping the bones of another teacher of mine, who was also very good friends with my creative writing teacher.. so obvi, a creative writing class for children would be something I'm all for. 100%! 

In summation, I would say 826 Michigan might be sh*tty for robot repair, but they're Grade-A in non-money laundering. Check 'em out kiddos!
4 - Aubrey L.: Make your own robot postcard and they will mail it FOR YOU!!!  This is a sweet deal since I suck at actually mailing things.  I'll get it addressed and stamped and in my bag and then I totally forget about it.  Once i kept a Netflix movie for over a year...  But, i digress!

Back to the postcard---if you give them $1, you get a blank postcard that you can draw on and design yourself and jot down a message and they take care of mailing it.  The drawing area is in the back of the store and there was 2 huge couches, a huge box of pre sharpened colored pencils and tables set up to draw.  I thought it was kind of like wandering into a magic world behind the storefront.  

Presumably they have a lot of robot stuff---I didn't look around the store too much so can't give specifics on this.  They do work w students in middle and high school on creative writing projects and then publish these amazing well designed really pretty books w the writing.  Overall I am 2 thumbs up!

842 Palm Street Parking Structure - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2817468, -120.6639316) ()
5 - Steven P.: Garages are located on:  842 Palm, 919 Palm, and 871 Marsh

Monday - Wednesday:  8 AM - 7 PM
Thursday - Saturday:  8 AM - 11 PM
First 60 minutes free
$0.75/hour
$7.50 daily maximum
No overnight parking

Meters:
30 minute meters - $1.25/hour
2 hour meters - Downtown - $1.25/hour, Outlying Areas - $0.75/hour
10 hour meters - $0.75/hour
4 - Charley C.: Nice facility, easy for movies at the palm and for plays at the little theatre, and for jury duty. Choose your levels (if you have a choice) and level one for the palm and out by ticket booth, level two for easy out the north end for the theatre and court house. Be sure to take you ticket to the court house for validation in jury services. - You were warned!

9 Tastes - Cambridge, MA (42.3721076, -71.1205009) (Harvard Square)
1 - Heather B.: I have to downgrade it.  Last meal there was bad and the server was horrific.  I had some good meals there a year ago, but have to agree with the recent bad reviews.
3 - Jeremy S.: An ok Thai place in restaurant deprived Harvard Square. I've been here several times, food and service was always reasonable. Not a destination joint however.
4 - Ruth P.: Decent place. good prices. good food.  My friend asked them why it was called 9 tastes last time we were theere and we were told that 9 is a lucky thai number. he then asked what the 9 tastes were and the waiter looked confused, and then walked away.  oh well.
3 - A T.: We ordered take-away from this place for an office lunch. When we went to pick it up the staff were really friendly and kind. The decor of the restaurant is also simple but cute.  The food is decent--as far as Thai goes, not exceptional, but not bad. I do have to say I was surprised that for as big of an order as we placed they didn't offer a discount or throw in any perks the way other restaurants might.  I'd give it another chance I guess, but Sweet Chili remains my favorite Thai restaurant in the area
4 - Heather Q.: Very good Thai food.  Nothing exceptional -- except for the pad thai, which is excellent.  They have even a pad thai eating contest!

The curries are good, their brown sauces are kind of blah, and if you order a tofu dish, ask if the tofu is fried.  Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't, and there's no way to tell from the menu.

The price is in line with other Thai places, but I think they could take a dollar off their appetizer prices.  Sunday through Wednesday (I think) they offer binto-box style combo meals which are a good deal for the price.

My biggest gripe is that they don't do medium spiced sauces very well.  Everything is either bland or very hot.
4 - J. H.: If you are in Harvard Square and are looking for a place to grab a tasty Thai meal on a budget then 9 Tastes may be just what you are looking for.  9 Tastes has some great special offers such as $7 lunch plates that include appetizer, entree, soup, salad and dessert. Also, they are currently running all-you-can-eat nights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 

The food here is good but the service is inconsistant. They have some different and exotic options on their menu for the more adventurous eaters.
4 - Joe R.: Two words: pad thai.  I usually try to get something more adventurous when I head out for Thai food, but the 9 tastes pad thai is worth at least one taste.  Great ingredients, lots of flavor, and a hearty pile of chopped peanuts on top.  I love peanut dishes.

Cool hole-in-the-wall atmosphere, as well.
4 - Lisha L.: Excellent pad thai!  Not too greasy or sticky like most places have it.   I tried one of their spring rolls - it was tiny and completely unremarkable.  The decor is playful and colorful - a bit of a surprise considering how much of a hole in the wall this place is.  The atmosphere is pretty quiet, but maybe because I went when there was barely anyone in the restaurant (4pm is a weird time to be eating, I suppose).  It'd be a cute place for a casual date.  Prices are decent - not cheap but not too expensive either.
2 - annie k.: Bad Thai food without much flavor for people who don't like Thai food.
1 - Georgia Y.: 9 Tastes is crappy Thai food. I'm sorry - this place is not worth the bargain price. I had a vegetarian "lunch box" for $7 this weekend and I was sorry - the curry was very average, the rice was so gummy it was nigh impossible to separate, and it was accompanied by a sad little salad and an unappetizing, mysterious vegetable soup.I will never go back - if I'm too broke to spend more than $7, I'll go to Pinocchio's or Grendel's or anywhere but this place.
3 - Nancy W.: This restaurant is bit less expensive than Thai Spice (also in Harvard Sq.).  Some of the dishes can be hit/miss.  The tom yum soup is pretty good compared to the same dish at other Thai restaurants in Cambridge.  I would also suggest the tofu (vegetarian dishes).  The appetizers are really small in portion (they look like they were previously-frozen from the supermarket...I could even make the spring rolls at home!) and I would not recommend it .

I am a big fan of Thai food and although I come to this restaurant regularly, I wouldn't say it's the best Thai restaurant.  It can get really crowded and loud here on Saturday nights.
3 - aaron t.: pretty good thai food.
Good place for a larger gathering of people.
Lots of pad thai plate.
Price. good
I'd go there when I'm craving pad thai and some environment..
3 - Jessica R.: One of the few places I'll eat in harvard square even though I'm stuck there most of the time.  Has vegan options  and will deliver to harvard campus.  You can order on their website, google for 9 tastes.

They'll even deliver you a shirley temple!
2 - Emilia D.: i'd skip it and try the indian in the area. while i love me some thai munch, this place just....was a little lackluster. not expensive, which is nice and rare for the neighborhood. cute locale and clean, but still nothing to write home about. good for a quick bite i guess?
3 - Rob P.: Your best bet here is for the noodle dishes. The house special pad  thai is quite delightful actually as are the drunken noodles. Although the noodle soup is really quite bland. Decent place for take-out or delivery. But if you want really good veggies, Spice (its sister) does a thumbs up job.
3 - Wendy L.: Food is okay but pretty much just like any other Thai place.  Nothing is very outstanding but it has typically been pretty consistent...I guess consistently average isn't too bad...?  The curries I've eaten have been fine but not particularly tasty.  

I do find it weird to walk downstairs to eat in a subterranean place; I've never sat by a window, but I think it must be weird to see people's feet as you walk by.
3 - Logan S.: The curries are decent.  The mango curry is actually pretty tasty and the pad thai is very solid (and the other noodle dishes like drunken noodles) though I'm always still hungry afterwards.  The rest of the food is mediocre at best.  They deliver all the way to Central, though they have this lame policy where you have to request free delivery over the phone and show them that you have a menu with a coupon.  It's only a couple bucks but it's an annoying and silly policy.  I ate there once and the service was beyond terrible.  Definitely only order out.
2 - Kabir H.: Nine tastes; all equally bland. This is the worst Thai place in Harvard Sq.  And when you consider Smile Thai and Spice are a couple minutes away, there's just no reason to subject yourself to this.

Also, I heard third hand that a friend found a fly in their soup, and the staff's response was totally nonplussed. I'd believe it.
4 - Bryanne R.: Food here is excellent.  From the outside, you'd never know this place was anything special.  The portions are big and priced fairly.   Everything we had we loved.  Best idea is to each get a different plate and share with the whole group.  So much to choose from, but so far we've always picked well.  The only warning I have is for my fellow lactose-intolerants: avoid the Thai Iced Tea like it's your job.  It may taste good...but don't do it.
4 - Iska B.: I like this place thought the general consensus here is that it isn't that great at all.

I've had the Pad Thai and the Pad See Yew here (your standard Thai stuff) and found the portions to be great and the food itself quite tasty. I've also had fresh rolls and the "golden bags" which were both good as well. The golden bags were especially cute.

My favorite dish was the mango fried rice which I found to be flavorful as well as pretty to look at, with it's large array of colors. The picture menu was what led me to pick this dish out actually, which was very useful. 

I admit the service can be slow especially on a busy night which can get annoying if you've been waiting 15 minutes for the check and then have to wait 10 more to get your credit card back. Minus a few points for that.

If I am in the Harvard area I am sure to come back here though my heart now lies with Dok Bua in Brookline (much closer to me).
4 - Sophia C.: This is a very average restaurant: average service, average food, average setting, average price.  

Not good, not bad.  You get what you pay for.
5 - Lynda M.: Cute place, great Harvard Sq location, great prices. Delicious food. If you want Thai that wont kill your budget, go here!
4 - Anup A.: Excellent service and reasonable prices for well-prepared thai fare.  For some reason I see this place tends to attract tons of Indian people.

My Favs:
Panang Curry & Spicy Basil Fried Rice.
2 - Milee S.: I've never been a big fan of Thai food (I know, I'm in the minority!), but my boyfriend took me here since he loves Thai. It's his favorite restaurant. Wish I could say the same, but I can't. I had spring rolls which were good, but my steamed chicken dish pretty much sucked. Very bland and no sauces to put over it. 

My boyfriend had the green chili curry dish and really liked it. But I doubt I'd go back. I felt like I was in someone's basement, having a meal.
4 - Pilan C.: Pretty good Thai food in Harvard Square, but not spectacular.  Some of their dishes are quite American-ized, which can be a bit disappointing, so you have to ask for some of their dishes "Thai-style."  The Nine Tastes Pad Thai, Tom Yum Noodle Soup, and Basil Crispy Chicken are my favorites.  Curries are average, especially since the vegetables in each curry don't always match the flavor of the curry.  

The dinner can be a little bit expensive, but I think you can say that about most places in the square.  Their lunch menu is pretty good and cheaper.  I especially love Nine Tastes in the winter when it's too cold to walk down to the square, and they deliver!!!
3 - May N.: I was in Cambridge with a friend for a concert & we wanted to grab some cheap, quick food so we stopped in here.  Decor is nice, it was holiday season.  The place was crowded with people, mostly college-aged at 6:30 on a Saturday night.  I ordered the crispy pad thai and my friend had a rice entree.  The pad thai was ok, but more salty than seasoned.  Service was average.  Grabbed a mint & minty toothpick on the way out the door...I love minty toothpicks!
3 - Sarah L.: I think that I like Spice better than 9 tastes for food but not for atmosphere.  My lunch box soup was on the bland side:  broccoli and tofu.  

I ordered the jungle curry and was disappointed:  menu said banana chunks and I think there were only 2 in the entire dish, with one slice of summer squash and a lot of chicken that was very unspicy considering that I'm a huge spice baby and the jungle curry was supposedly the most spicy dish on the lunch menu.
3 - Heather S.: Sorry,  I was underwhelmed, although my friends were sittin fat and happy.  I agree with sophia though- average food, average service, average price (which is actually pretty good given the location).
5 - Tick R.: I love this place. I have been here many times but have only had a handful  of dishes. I particularly love the "Drunken Noodle" because, it's spicy AND delicious. I try so hard all over New England to find something that is suitably spicy and hot (I'll overlook the delicious factor if it burns my tongue) and this is pretty durn good. It's better tasting than other Thai places I have been to...and the Thai tea is not to be passed up. The pad Thai is okay, but shit man, it's pad Thai...try something wild. Their appetizers aren't too special but still tasty. 
But the point is, if you like spicy and want it done right: Go to 9 Tastes!
3 - Michael L.: I would say I was underwhelmed by 2 of the 5 tastes.*

1. Spicy - DELICIOUS! It was perfect-hot!
2. Tofu - GREAT! A little less fried than I'm used to, but tasty. So a double winner for health and yumminess. 
3. Veggies - Crisp, fresh, yum.
4. Noodles - It looked like my "Spicy Noodle" dish was actually a plate of undercooked ramen. 
5. Portion - Not really a taste, but when I finished I was still hungry, which makes me angry!

Overall I'd say it's decent. They are running a special through the month of July where you get one entre at half price after buying one at full price. A full Thai meal coming to $12-$15 is enough enticement to bring me to 9 Tastes again.

*What are the other 4 tastes? Meat, Bones, ?, ?...?
4 - Natasha A.: I have only gotten take out for lunch at 9 tastes. It has been very good especially the seafood kamikazi (nice and spicy, with plenty of basil). They use very fresh, crispy veggies. The take out is prepared quickly and packaged well in sturdy plastic containers. You can order online or by phone. I definitely prefer it to Smile even though its a bit further from my office.
The interior also looks very cute.
3 - Alice Z.: The appetizer combo was actually very good, especially the chicken, but the pad thai was overly sweet and sticky.  We also had the honey duck, which was nice in that it was bone free, but a little overly crispy.  The wait staff was fast however.
2 - Kristina B.: The lunch specials are super cheap.  They include an entree, appetizer, and soup or salad.  I had pad thai with miso soup and shumai, but none of it wowed me.  The pad thai was extremely sweet.  The shumai tasted like it had been microwaved from a freezer package instead of freshly made.
4 - Thuy Tien L.: It seems that I go to a lot of places in Harvard Square simply because they're close by and the quality is decent, at least for what I can pay. This place is no exception. The food here skirts the borderline above average, but it's so consistent. The service has always been good, and the atmosphere is laid back and unpretentious, which is why my friend and I like to convene here every so often when we feel the need for face-to-face human conversation and pad thai. A three-star establishment gets a fourth star for being so darn dependable in my times of need. 

Okay but I have to admit: Spice (also in Harvard Square) is considerably better. The flavors are bolder and more, well, authentic, since they haven't been dulled for Western taste buds (at least in my opinion). But who has the time to wait more than an hour for a table? And this was WITH a reservation. Ridiculous. 9 Tastes is my sort of everyday place for Thai. Spice: special plan-ahead-and-eat-a-snack-before-you-come occasions.
3 - Pipes P.: 9 tastes serves up a great thai meal for lunch or dinner at a reasonable price.  the bar is a nice touch and a step up from the sister restaurant spice a few blocks away.  but don't count on the wait staff to enhance your meal.  much more concerned with their own conversation and less concerned about your dining experience, be warned that you may go for 30 minutes without so much as a check-in on your food or a refill on your water.  oh, if your waiter does check in with you on how your food is, you don't really have to answer because they really don't care.  make sure you emphasize how spicy you want your dish (instructions from you to the notepad to the kitchen often get lost in translation).  nonetheless, the place does dish up some good meals at reasonable prices.  some favorites include the yellow and red curry, the paradise chicken and pad thai.
3 - Deepa C.: I came here with a friend and we had a lovely time. i got the red curry (as usual) and she got the mango chicken. The place wasn't too fancy (it is what it is), but I feel like the prices reflected the ambiance. The place was empty the night we were there (a Monday) so the service was attentive. 

The prices are good - I would probably take out instead of dining in the next time though. It is not worth the tip money and I would rather skip the tacky decor and sit on the couch eating my red curry any day.
1 - Cristina B.: Lured by all the "Best of..." signs in the window and the seemingly good lunch deal, I went in to try some take out.  First, they told me they were closed until 11:30 (when there were two people eating in the window).  Frustrating.  So I came back. Next, the lunch specials are not available on take out.  Ok, fine.  So I ordered the Tom Kha soup and Tofu Pad Thai.  

The soup was pretty bland.  Seemed like veggies in coconut milk, with no spices.  Lots of veggies, though, so that was nice.  

As far as I can tell, the Pad Thai sauce was oil.  Not much more.  I couldn't finish the dish because it was so greasy.  Perhaps it was they were still warming up to the day, but it really wasn't worth the wait for me.  

The staff were friendly in the end, but not a place I would go to again.
3 - Leilani C.: Some of the best Pad See Ew I've ever had (yay chinese broccoli!), but stay away from the Pad Thai!! Consistency in the tastiness of the meals at 9 Tastes is something you've got to watch out for.
3 - Chris W.: Is it just me, or is this place the exact same restaurant as Chili Duck on Boylston?

It has the same artwork and colorful plates and the same food. 

9 tastes was a solid, nothing spectacular, "you get what you expect" Thai restaurant in Harvard Square. 

The service was ok, the selection of dishes was average for a Thai restaurant in Boston, and the prices were $10-20 for dinner. 

We got the appetizer sampler and also calamari to start. The calamari was pretty good, although it tasted more like popcorn chicken than other calamari I've had (which is ok because I like popcorn chicken). 

I got the crispy chicken fried rice which was a really good choice. The chicken was very crispy and the fried rice had just the slightest amount of spice such that it wasn't overwhelming but still made the dish really good.
3 - Dana L.: Came here with a Harvard Square resident, who claimed that this was among the best the Square had to offer. Even before we sat down, I noticed that all of the place-settings had primary color schemes (the serving dishes also had interesting schemes - one of them was shaped like a star).

We ordered the chicken yellow curry and the roasted honey duck. The chicken curry was fairly good, if unexceptional, and the duck was also tasty. Slightly sweet, with a Chinese dwarf vegetables (corn, mushroom, pea shoots, ...) Not too chewy, so it was cooked properly. 

The food didn't make this a candidate for my best meal ever in Harvard Square (sorry), but still makes it a good meal for a reasonable price (the entrees were $12 - $15 each).

The service here was pretty good - the waiters kept refilling our water, and they seemed to be friendly. Overall, a pretty good meal.
3 - Julian M.: Nice cozy atmosphere for the winter. Their seafood dishes were pretty good. My friend ordered the Tom Kah Gai as an appetizer that looked quite good.
4 - shary m.: This is one of the best Thai options in the Cambridge area.  The fish dishes are really delicious, lime leaves fish, or ginger scallion fish,  as well as drunken noodles, pineapple fried rice, and their curries. They make some wonderful homemade sauces to dip their appetizers in, which is very unique.  They also have dinner and lunch box specials, so it's a great place to do inexpensive brunch on the weekend.
4 - Jasmine E.: This is probably the best Thai restaurant i've tried in the boston area so far (and i've tried quite a few and won't even bother to review them).

Their tom yum soup is just the right combo of spiciness and flavor. Great pad thai and pad see ew. I've also tried their ginger and scallion and eggplant delight which was also fantastic. You can tell i've been here a few times right? 

And last but not least, the fried ice cream....I think i'm gonna have to make another trip there sometime soon. :-)
5 - Food S.: This is one of the better Thai restaurants I have been to in recent years.  I frequent a few of them...the service is very friendly, fast and needless to say, very efficient.  I was here on Saturday evening with my girlfriend, we were waited on promptly, we placed our orders for our entrees and appetizers, all of which came out in a very reasonable time frame.  As soon as we were finished with our appetizers, our entrees were out, the food was very fresh, and appealing to not only the eye, but, to the palate as well. There seemed to be a small bar that had limited alcohol, and some beers...none of which I checked out.  
  The atmosphere is cozy and intimate, various Thai artifacts were precariously placed around the walls and ledges.  This place is quite classy and I do suggest checking it out if you are in the Harvard Square area.
5 - Doug W.: I've never sat down to eat there, so I can't really comment on the service. And I've only ordered two things off the menu, so I can't really tell you about the selection. But their 9 Tastes Pad Thai is probably the best that I've ever had (I should probably be more ashamed than I am to admit that I've had it for lunch 5 days in a row on more than one occasion) and their takeout service is ridiculously fast. That's worth 5 stars in my book.
4 - Melissa M.: Good for pad thai (dining in).  The takeout gets really clumpy, so I'd recommend going here to dine.  The service is typical for this cuisine.  They are quick/efficient/but may not speak English too well.  But, I go for the food not the conversation.
4 - Daniel N.: Good food for a good price.  Nice environment to dine in.
5 - Alexandra K.: I really enjoyed my visit to 9 Tastes last evening. Overall, it was a very enjoyable evening.

When you walk through the door and down the stairs an expansive ground floor window-less dining room emerges in front of you. The decor is very appealing. They also have a pretty fishy tank with some beautiful fishes that guides you to the bathrooms. 

The waiters are all very handsome and very attentive. It really was great service. They seemed to all wait on everybody. We didn't just have one waiter, but several. The service was also incredibly fast. I'd say it only took about 7-10 minutes before our food was in front of us. That's a selling point for me!

My friend had a packaged meal that included a little appetizer, soup, salad, a meal, and some fruit. I tried the soup and was in LOVE! I can't remember what it was called, but it was mushrooms and chicken in a broth made of some chicken stock, cilantro, and coconut milk. The broth had an amazing lemon flavor that really tied it all together. I am going to try to make this on my own now!

I had the typical pad thai. It was excellent. It was sweeter than most pad thais that I've had, which was great, as I like it really sweet and peanutty. I had enough left overs for my lunch today! 

I highly recommend this restaurant. They are wonderful!~
1 - Betty P.: Ugh! I had been here a few years ago so when my friend suggested we meet up here, I was excited to return.  I remember my experience last time being pretty pleasant and I love Thai food and have had a craving. Unfortunately,  instead of 9 Tastes, our dinner last night was more like NO taste. 

First of all, our waitress messed up both of our orders and neither of us got the dish we ordered.  I am not sure if it is a language barrier thing or what. But there were only 3 other tables with patrons so it def. was not the noise level or due to a full dining room.  When my friend got a bowl of soup instead of her rice plate dish, she politely inquired about it and the waitress began having an attitude.  How rude!!! She made a mistake but yet she was the one copping the 'tude. Mistake #1. I usually give an extra star for service but if the food and the  service is atrocious, then 1 star is all you're gonna get from me.  So my friend added an appetizer and she said the summer rolls were really chewy and tough to eat.  I seriously watched her suffer through chewing one before she could answer one of my questions.  Moving on to my dish . . .  my shrimp papaya salad was something else and definitely not what I ordered.  Whatever I was delivered had 2 whole shrimp (Whoopee, thanks for sparing the two shrimp) and was spicy, but otherwise was bland and tasteless.  

Needless to say, we both left really hungry and dissatisfied.  I don't think the waitress ever even came back to replenish our water or ask about our meal.  The only saving grace was that the Thai iced tea was half decent. 

P.S. Well, since I still had a craving for good Thai after last night and didn't want to deal with poor service again, I did venture to Super 88 tonight.  Got pad thai from the noodle place in Super 88 and that was by far much better!!!  I should have known!
5 - Teju P.: The best thai place in Cambridge. Cheap and fast = every dish is excellent. They make the food extra spicy upon request, and its actually REALLY spicy. :) Always easy to get a seat if you have 4 or less.
5 - Anna W.: This is my favorite Thai restaurant (the same people also own Spice, which is like a block away).

The Pad Thai is tangy, citrusy, and totally delish. My favorite dish is the Pad See Iew. If you like spicy, get the Drunken Noodles!!! 

I have never had a bad experience here. I've eaten in and gotten take-out as well. The staff is very nice.

If you do eat-in, they have some very good lunch box options during lunch (not available for take-out). It is under $10, and you get soup, appetizer, salad, rice, and an entree. Totally worth the price!! 

Definitely check out 9 Tastes if you are in harvard square and have a craving for Thai. If you go there often, get their lunch card -- you get a free lunch for every 6 that you buy :-)
4 - Sun Y.: 9 tastes has a very extensive menu, especially for vegetarians. 
If you like spicyyy (the real kind of spicy, not the american kind of spicy), you'll like this place. The red curry with a thai iced tea is my favorite. It's also very cheap ($9-$15/dish).
4 - Lindsay R.: The thai tea and pineapple fried rice are delicious. But the Chicken Tom Kha was the best I have ever had! Minus 1 star for the waiter not asking us for drinks...we had to place that order with our dinner.
5 - J D.: best thai food in cambridge.   I go with a mix of meat eaters and vegetarians and there are great choices for the latter, too.  Fresh vegetarian spring rolls are delicious, so are the curries.  There is a dish called something like 3 kings, which is an array of several unusual vegetables.  They have brown rice.  And the staff is super nice.
5 - Zach B.: They have an excellent selection including dinner box meals, which are delicious and a good value. They're located right in the middle of Harvard Sq., and it's a good place to go with a group before you head out on the town. The spicy fish is highly yummy, seriously folks, if I use the word "yummy," it really is. Make sure you check out the coconut soup..
4 - Sean M.: 3.5 stars

it had been at least 3 years since I was here, I could not remember if i liked it or not. The first impression is how "Fast Food" packaged the whole experience is. They even have Thai-bento boxes. But you know what?
The product is very decent Thai food and I rarely have to ask for the condiment tray. The service is decent even when it is crowded. Portions are average sized. 

* Best Drunken Noodles in Harvard Sq, I know that's not saying much...
* Tight seating
* A real lunch value including the time factor, they get you in and out.
4 - Lupe P.: This is a really snazzy place to eat in Harvard Square. The seating is kind of cramped but I like the fact you enter the front door and have to walk down to get to the sunken dining area - it feels very hipster, which I don't think happens much in Harvard Square. 

On to the food. The food was actually really, really good. To start off we shared delicious spring rolls. For the entree I ate the honey duck and fell in love after the first bite. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their dishes as well. After dinner, I decided to turn our conversation to favorite baseball teams and stadiums, despite the fact I was eating dinner with three women. Yes, I am an idiot.  

Overall, I enjoyed my 9 Tastes experience very much and although I would not give it 9 stars, 4 seems reasonable.
5 - Veronica P.: I love 9 Tastes. We were introduced to it by some friends and all agreed it was some of the best Thai we'd had. Everything I've had has been good, but their Tom Ka Gai soup is amazing. It's snug little intimate place, and always busy when I've been there. I can understand because if I lived closer, I'd eat there all the time.
4 - Amar K.: Great Thai food that is fast, reasonably priced, and delicious.  I have had better, but this works well enough for me.  Free delivery to campus is a HUGE plus!  Try out 9 Tastes if you get a chance - you will be happy.
4 - Kat C.: The food at Spice is better but 9 Tastes has far superior service. So I've realized that the food here tastes just as good since the waiters don't give you bitch face like the ones at Spice.
4 - Dan C.: One of the most important things for a single guy to have, aside from an equally desperate female friend, is a "go to" place.  She wants to see that you have an opinion and can make a decision from time to time.  This is my place, and it should be yours too.  Now I don't think I need to go into how 9 Tastes is appropriate for even the most wonder bread of pallets, but it is.  9 Tastes has something for everyone, and can still be marginally exotic.  This cozy little spot on JFK serves a small selection of wine and beers (all bottles), but is a stone throw away from a number of Harvard bars, which make great after dinner hangouts.  Draw back is I am always hungover the next day, which makes writing a funny review ever so difficult (compliment me more, yo!).

The steamed shumai, as it should never be fried in this guy's eyes, is a little underwhelming, but the sauce is sweet and a little hot which makes up for the lack of taste.  The pad thai is delicious, and served in heaping portions.  The 9 Tastes pad thai, packed with everything but the kitchen sink, is definitely where its at.  My person favorite, the drunken noodle, is just spicy enough for me to enjoy it with a beer, but not to the point where I also need a water.  Prices are in the $10s so you wont break the bank while trying to chat her up.  The place is rather cozy, being in a basement, but also bright, so don't try to make a move at dinner you naughty man...but then again that is what the corner table was made for, right?

Bottom Line: 1st date, great.
3 - Britt C.: I ate at 9 Tastes almost every Thursday afternoon with a group of friends for a year and a half.

Most of the staff is very friendly and, if you look carefully, you'll notice that the owner/manager chooses to wear neither belt nor underwear with oversized bluejeans. Given the fact that the walls are covered in mirrors, this makes for an amusing lunch hour. The walls that are not covered in mirrors are covered with equally amazing paintings of Thai mermaids and sealife. 

As for the food, get a lunch special (between $8.95 and $10.95). These come with soup (clear broth with whatever leftover veggies or fried bits they have from the day before, I would guess), an appetizer (spring rolls or shumai) and a box with rice, salad, and whatever one or two main dishes you've ordered. My favorite is the combo special of yellow mango curry and vegetable delight.

Their pad Thai isn't bad, their red curry is good, and their satay is good too.

One of the better lunch finds in the square.
3 - Geraldine K.: ** Important Note: I'd give this place 3.5 stars -- above 3 for sure but not quite 4.  I hope Yelp can accommodate this suggestion in the future.  **

9 Tastes takes the overall lead amongst its Harvard Square rivals, Spice and Smile Thai Cafe, in terms of food and service.  While the food is on par with Spice, the service is superior and that's why I give 9 Tastes 3.5 stars.  Portions are decent to generous -- you leave the place full.  Ambiance is cozy, and stepping into the dim lit space inside makes you feel as if you've entered a different time zone. Indeed, this can be attributed to its subterranean location, which deters from my personal geographic preferences.  But the warmth created by food, service, and cheery clientele makes up for this slight defect.
3 - Josh M.: I've heard that 9 Tastes (what are the 9 tastes, anyway?  I'm dying of curiosity) is owned by the same people as the nearby Spice.  I wouldn't be surprised - the menus are very similar - but to me, 9 Tastes comes up short.

That's not to say that it's not good - I've never had a bad meal here - but it's nothing to write home about.  The noodle dishes can be a bit too oily, and the appetizer portions are way too small.

Come to think of it, there's really nothing too extraordinary to mention about 9 Tastes, good or bad.  Given that, I can't think of any reason to go here over Spice (which has slightly better food, a nicer atmosphere, better lunch specials, and is no more expensive).
3 - Margarita Y.: The PAD THAI is very good. Went with some friends on a Friday Night, it wasn't very busy but I felt rushed there. Once we ordered, the food came right away which was nice. 
Since it didn't look busy, we just chatted a bit. The waiter tried to take my plate away even though there was still food on my plate (which led me to believe they were rushing us). 
Its good food and I would go again but I wish it was more relaxing. 
I just felt that we had to eat fast. The decor is nice, lots of Thai culture hanging on walls.
5 - Valerie L.: I'm not a fan of curry, but I am a huge fan of pad thai.  I think 9 tastes has the best pad thai I've had in the Boston area.  It's slightly sweeter than most places.  I also think they have the best crab rangoons.  The price though for them is expensive for the quantity you receive, but still worth trying.
3 - Tiffany D.: OOO food was good here :] Good service and good pad thai!!! This is the only thai place I've been to at Harvard so I can't really compare like others... but it's tasty. Altho it wasn't a place that I chose to go to repeatedly while still living in the area.
3 - wesley r.: So I went there with some friends. First of all the service was good, but way too fast. The soup/apps were on the table all of 45 seconds when the entrees came out. 
When I got to my Pad Thai it wasn't exactly steaming hot because it had been sitting there for a few minutes, but it was good. Not great, but good. It was a little too sweet, not enough heat for me, but it was good. Everyone else liked their dishes too.
Ill probably go back eventually but I'll check out some other places on the area first.
4 - Kris M.: Impeccable service.  Got seated at a table soon as I walked in, took my drink order soon as I was ready, came around shortly after for food, which was delivered not 5 minutes later.  Waiter made a point of asking how it was, but after I had actually had a chance to eat some (which a lot of waiters will surprisingly not do).  Took the plates quickly after I finished, bill quickly after that.  Excellent timing.

The food was pretty good, too.  Thai iced tea, a little more bitter than I'm used to but still delicious and refreshing.  Got the drunken noodles, which were not as spicy as I was expecting, sadly.  Lots of veggies in it though, even with chicken added, and some excellent snap peas that actually snapped when I bit into them.  I'd definitely come back here and possibly make it a regular place for Thai, if I were sticking around.
2 - Bob W.: Just not very good.  Wasn't terrible, but I have certainly had better.  I went with a friend who is a thai fanatic and she didn't care for her meal either.
5 - Sal B.: This is the best Thai food I have ever had on this side of the states.  The service is professional, and fast plus the food is always consistently very good.

I have taken all my friends there, and they have taken their friends there and I am still to hear about somebody who did not like it, or who knows a better Thai restaurant in the area.

I recommend you try the Spicy Basil Crispy Chicken, the Paradise Chicken, and/or the Green curry...simply amazing.
3 - Sarah G.: Ya gotta love lunch specials that give you an entree, salad, soup, appetizers and rice all for around $8. And if you are feeling extra happy and lunch loving for about a dollar or so more, you can get two entrees with it!!

Such a steal, but just average food really. I got their 9 tastes special for lunch with crab rangoon and they were not the best crab rangoon in the world...tasted like they had been sitting out for a little while and even if imitation crab that can't be too great, right? But my nine tastes stir fry with chicken in a sweet kind of sauce was pretty good especially for how cheap it all was. The salad was basically lettuce and not enough dressing and the soup was actually pretty good too!

Matt J loved his two entree lunch box but i honestly did not think the curry sauce was that great....a little watery and not enough curry punch!! heh and Dave C got pad thai which he ate happily and I stole a bite of and it was a little above average but not by much. 

BUT this place has some of the best water service ever. Our glasses never even got a chance to get empty even during the lunch rush, and we drank A LOT of water that humid humid day, so 9 Tastes here's 9 cheers to you giving us hydration!!
3 - Huan z.: Chicken satay is very tasty. Masamum curry and Green curry dish are very good. right across Bamby club and Tamarind bay( India food). No wonder people love Harvard Square!
3 - Zoe P.: The food is just fine, and I like that you can dine alone at the counter, in the midst of cheerful, anonymous hubbub.
2 - Diliny C.: Was not impressed.

I found the pad thai to be lacking in the flavor I would usually expect.  The curries we ordered were relatively bland.  The only upside was the iced tea coffee.

I won't be returning unless someone makes me.
4 - Kate D.: After a lot of reconnaissance work, I think this is the best Thai food in Harvard Square.  The fried rice dishes are especially great.

This is where I go with visitors when I want good, cheap food.  The atmosphere is quiet enough to carry on a conversation without a lot of distractions.
5 - Jamie K.: will someone PLEASE steal some of the peanut sauce that comes with the chicken satay or the silom garden rice entree, have it chemically analyzed, and give me the recipe? i seriously need to put it on everything i eat, at all meals.
2 - Orly M.: Mediocre Thai food.  In the absence of other local options, maybe this would get three stars, but there are plenty of delicious Thai restaurants in town.

I went here with a friend once, I'd probably give it another try and see if it was an off night.  Got a spicy seafood dish served over mixed greens.  The shrimp didn't taste very fresh -- very chewy, almost like vegetarian shrimp but not as tasty (You heard me right, faux shrimp is delicious).  

The flavor profile was just off.  Waaay too much oil for my liking.  It kind of reminded me of the "thai" meals you can buy in the international aisle in the supermarket to make at home which cost $3.
3 - Anne W.: Fabulously cheap and near the Harvard Square.  We decided to go to this spot when looking for affordable but decent food before a night out.

Not really fabulous Thai food.  The fresh spring rolls were less than fresh.  I will give them props on the chicken satay.  Very good.  The food was just okay... the spicy sauce was not Sriracha (which dissapointed majorly) and made me sick afterwards for hours.

Waitress was okay.. but took forever to get us the bill.

But I guess the places in Harvard Square are not meant to be great.  I have given up on this square.
3 - Pauline S.: I'm not from the area so I can't judge this place in relation to other Thai establishments in Cambridge/Boston, but overall I felt the place was mediocore. I came here on a Friday night and the place was buzzing, which was a good sign. It definitely had good vibes. The waitress was attentive enough and came around to refill our waters, which is always a plus in my book. On a side note, the place is pretty dark. 

I ordered the yellow curry chicken and I didn't really enjoy it. It was a bit too spicy for me. My bf had the mango fried rice with chicken and I got to enjoy some of that; that was definitely better than the curry. 

All in all, it seems like an all right place to go to if you're in harvard square and just want to get some food with friends.
3 - Christina A.: So if you go to 9 tastes, make sure to go Sun-Wed night. They have a great dinner special here for $15-$20 (depending on entree) which includes an appetizer, soup, salad and entree. Great value!

This place is also great for groups--it's frequently a location for our girls dinners, since there is such huge variety at pretty cheap prices. Waitstaff are professional and attentive and have never made a mistake. 

Now the food, I agree, is pretty mediocre. The Tom Kha soup is pretty amazing, but that's the only thing that really excites me from 9 tastes. But, I've never had anything terrible from here either--so make your choice.
3 - Dominique N.: Perfectly serviceable Thai food.  Nothing spectacular, but it's decent.

Good location in Harvard Square and they generally allow reservations, unlike many other lower / mid-priced restaurants in the area.  The decor is ok, though since the restaurant is in a basement, it has low light / ceilings.  

The food itself is a little high priced for what you get (most entrees range from $12-15/16) and it's about average in terms of taste and authenticity.  The portions also aren't particularly substantial (which might matter to hungry undergrad guys).  

But again, it's a place good for groups, in a good location with decent food at reasonable-ish prices.  Plus they deliver for free, which is key during the cold Boston winters.
3 - Stephanie L.: Aw, I'm disappointed. I used to be a huge fan of 9 Tastes. Something about the availability of the lunch/dinner box combos as well as the fast but decent atmosphere ... I really liked it. 

But today the menu made me cringe. Was there a substantial price increase that I missed, or did I just finally realize how much they charge you for some dishes? The pad thai serving also seemed small somehow, and although the tofu hot pot was delicious, it could also have been made larger for a dinner size (the marginal ingredients wouldn't really raise their costs in that one ...)

Still 3 stars for the good service and decent food/atmosphere; nothing stellar. With the abundance of Thai options within walking (and especially driving) distance, there's no reason to go out of your way for this one.
4 - James A.: I lived in Thailand for a year, so it's not uncommon for me to get Thai cravings. In terms of bang for buck, this place is hard to beat. The staff are authentic Thai ("sawadee krap!") and the 9 Tastes Pad Thai and Mango & Sticky Rice are both great (as long as the mangos aren't too under-ripe).

It's certainly not gourmet Thai... and I haven't ventured too far into the menu (my addiction is normally satisfied by those two dishes... and nobody sells kow mun gai in the US) so I can't speak to the rest of it... but with those two caveats, it's great for a quick fix of Thai.
4 - Lauren G.: I've actually never eaten IN this restaurant. I've only ordered delivery. And, the delivery pad thai is delicious. I have pretty high standards on delivery food (I expect it to be just as good as when I go to the restaurant, but I find that it rarely is), and so you can trust when I say that the pad thai is so good it may be addicting.

I also love the spring rolls and shumai (since the pad thai alone doesn't qualify me for delivery minimum). 

Only problem is - I think word has spread. It usually takes between an hour and an hour and a half to get my food after making the phone call. But, as long as you plan accordingly, it's worth the wait.
4 - Abdullah A.: Gone a couple of times during lunch and dinner. The taste of the classical dishes is pretty good (Pad Thai, Thai fried rice, crispy chicken are a must try)  There are some dishes that could use a little work (like the garlic beef, didn't have any real taste at all)

My appetizer favorite are the golden bags, a real treat of seasoned shrimp in a fried dough sheet.

What really stands out is the atmosphere, the restaurant is much bigger than what you would think from the outside, and it definitely looks nicer inside. The service is very amenable. The only con is that food odor invades the seating area (good food odor in any case), so that your clothes will be smelling if you spend too much time seated.
4 - Fereshteh Z.: 9 tastes is the reason I can't cook.  It is my go-to for delivery and lazy evenings. They usually quote you some ridiculous delivery time...just tell them that you are a regular and they will adjust. I always order the mango chicken curry- yummy! I feel like you get a bucket of curry---good to last for the entire week. I have a theory that if you order food you get more of it than in the restaurant.  Meal after meal it doesn't disappoint. Great value and food!
3 - Claudia C.: I had dinner with a friend recently. I ordered Tom Yum Soup and clearly said "with chicken". But it came with shrimp. The soup was not very generous as I was used to in other Thai restaurants. So I also got a papaya salad. It was good, but not delicious. My friend had the drunken noodle and was very happy with it.
The ambiance was very noisy, several big groups in a small space.
4 - Giselle E.: Never been to a bad Thai place, and this is just another place to put on that list.

Fancy, nice big fish tank, cool decorative dineware, big menu to choose through. Seating was a bit tight and made me nervous to make any sudden moves and have people yelling at me for knocking over their flower/candle on their table. But nice lighting.

Appetizer sampler was nice and had a little bit o everything I was curious to try, but didn't want to order full orders of them. Their version of samosa is really really good too.

Mango fried rice, delicious. I just wish the mango wasn't that ripe, but a little softer would've made it perfect.

Fried ice cream. Perfect. Not too doughy, not overly burnt/crispy with unmelted ice cream waiting for you in the middle. CRACK. I highly recommend this dessert after your meal because it's well worth the wait.
1 - Patty T.: After reading all the yelp reviews. I thought this would be a good place to get take out.  Boy was I wrong. Maybe the food tastes better dining in but I was not impressed at all. 

I would give this place a 1.5 stars.  I had one decent dish which was the Kra-Pow Rice dish but the rest of the order was terrible.  The egg-rolls were super oily and had no flavor.  Then Pad Thai my boyfriend got was terrible.  There was no sauce, no flavor.. yuck... it tasted like they toss rice noodles with veggies and oil.  Completely disappointed.
5 - Steven F.: Every few months, after not having had Thai food for a while, I stumble back in here and remember why I love the cuisine and this restaurant. Even though 9 Tastes is in the heart of Harvard Square, across from some other major spots like Om, Upstairs on the Square and Grendel's Den, I've never had to wait an excruciatingly long time for a table like I would at the others. The best thing about that, is that I think this place offers better quality food and service than most places in the square. 

In my most recent trip, I went here on a date with someone who'd lived in LA and was used to genuine, high quality Thai and I assured him, while crossing my fingers, that this would be Boston's equivalent. The speedy, attentive service, the lovely decor and the intimate setting all make for a fine evening out. (I love places where I never get to finish my water glass before it's refilled.)

The real star, of course, is the food. I've had several meals here. Unlike so many of my other favorite restaurants, I never feel like I need to stick with what I know. I'm always confident every new dish I try will be fantastic. I strongly recommend...well, to be honest...any dish on the menu!

Oh and p.s. my date was very pleased with his meal and said it definitely compared with his previous dining delights. I  was sure the option of a third date hinged on whether 9 Tastes rose to the occasion. I was right, it did AND I got the third date.
3 - Lauren L.: 9 Tastes, just because you're located in a subterranean space doesn't mean you have to play up the whole 'cave' theme with super dim lighting which makes me feel like I'm stepping into a Thai-food scented abyss. 

They serve Chang's beer. Instant +1 star. And they have a really tasty appetizer dish called Nua Dad Deo which is unbattered deep fried pieces of beef served with a sweet chili dipping sauce. SO savory, juicy, and flavorful. Definitely a must-try if you're tired of spring rolls and tod mun shrimp cakes. 

Solid place for noodle (drunken noodles, noodle soups, rad nah, crispy pad thai) and stir fried rice dishes (basil fried rice), but go elsewhere for curries. Their yellow and green curries tasted a bit watered down, without enough curry pizazz. The raved about mango curry fared similarly, I essentially got the same yellow curry with literally 3 cubes of mango in it (yes, I counted, and savored every piece of it). Like other reviewers mentioned, I'm not fond of how all the curries use the same veggies, as if from a frozen bagged mix. 

I would come here again for their noodle dishes, the amazing beef appetizer, and Chang's beer but I see 9 Tastes not so much as a destination but more of a 'Hey, we're hungry, and 9 Tastes just happens to be here' type place. 

I personally prefer Thai Basil on Newbury, Pad Thai (absolutely no ambiance but tasty) by Berklee, and Sugar & Spice in Porter over 9 Tastes.
5 - Christine L.: SO YUMMY try the 9 Tastes Pad Thai or the Yellow Curry or the Red Curry. Delicious, good-sized portions, not too expensive, fast service... and you know it is good food when while you're eating it, you think you'll be sad once all the food is gone. Definitely recommend! The place is rather small though, and a little hole-in-the-wallish because it is below street level.
5 - Anush J.: We lived in Boston for 2 years, and no matter where we go, we always remember this Thai spot.  It is easy to pass by on the street, and is situated lower than street level.  It has a cozy atmosphere and we loved the food.  They have this crispy chicken that is just amazing.  Crave this place and miss it.
3 - Angie G.: What a cozy little restaurant, this is. It's a small little thai place that has your basic key thai noodle dishes (pad kee mao aka drunken noodle, pad thai and pad see iew.) The food was wicked cheap and their bathroom was cute. 
i recommend it.
4 - Abigail D.: 9 Tastes fed me essentially every weekend for the duration of my college career. It's my go-to Thai place, although I'm pretty dull about it and always get the same thing. Maybe I'm unadventurous? Or maybe their Pad Thai is DELICIOUS.
3 - Augusto T.: Solid Thai noodles.

I have been here a few times and I am always satisfied with my dish.

I tend to gravitate towards their drunken noodles. They are spicy stir fried noodles and you can get them with a choice of beef, chicken, tofu, shrimp, or pork. If you like spicy food, they are always a solid choice.

The portions at the restaurant are decent. The service is OK for this somewhat casual, yet cozy restaurant. They were able to accommodate a large party of 20 for a birthday, which was impressive.

Overall, a solid place to try out. I have no real complaints. It is definitely more of a sit-down place than a take-out place.

Definitely check it out if you like Thai food and want to explore the many Thai restaurants in the Boston and Cambridge area.
5 - Emily H.: This is my favorite thai restaurant in the Boston-area.  Everything I have tried on the menu is delicious!  My favorite entree is the Spicy Basil Fried Rice --- the vegetables taste extremely fresh, but beware -- it is quite spicy!
4 - Jay A.: Shrimp Pad Thai was really good!  I'm Thai and 9 tastes makes it pretty darn close to one in Thailand!  That's why I like Thai restaurants in East and West coast.
Friendly staff.
Friendly price.
I would go back to this place whenever I'm in Cambridge again.
^__^
2 - Liz G.: I enjoyed the chicken pad Thai very much!  I was disappointed that they don't have any mixed drinks.  My friends really liked their crab Rangoon but were HORRIBLY overpriced for only 4 rangoons ($7) !  My appetizer of chicken satay with peanut sauce and cucumber sauce was tender but bland. The terriyaki steak with vegetables was also very bland. There was a fly bothering us during dinner and the waiter kept skipping my water glass when refilling my friends'.  I'd rather go to Mangoes in Tewksbury!
3 - Sarah C.: If you want a cheap, easy and fast lunch place in Harvard Square then 9 Tastes is a no brainer.  Come here for affordable Thai food that will fill you up and get you back to work within your 1 hour time period.
2 - Judy L.: We were attracted by the sign "Best of Boston 2007!" 2007 wasn't that far off right? 
I guess it was. 
I ordered 9 spices pad thai and it came out quite sour, with dry chicken. Though my friend really enjoyed his honey glazed chicken. I'd recommend Tamarind House 10 minutes up the street from here for more affordable and more flavorful Thai food.
4 - Steven L.: I liked it but my vegetarian husband was not that jazzed about it.

service was good, I thought food was good, vege band thought it was too salty.

Overall good.

Go, it's convenient, fast and made me happy.
2 - Marlee C.: I am confused as to why this place is rated so highly. I went there with high hopes after reading the reviews, and I am NOT a good cook, but I ordered the Buddha Delight, and I have to say, I could cook better than what I got. It was just very plain and flavorless and not cheap either.
4 - Sam C.: Pad Thai is amazing! I happen to like my pad thai pretty sweet, and 9 Tastes's had just the right flavor and amount of sauce. I ordered it with vegetables in addition to the chicken and shrimp it comes with, and I got lots of vegetables that were fresh and of good variety. I'm gluten-free, and they said the pad thai doesn't have soy sauce (and I haven't had any problems yet). 

Only downside: $7 mango sticky rice I ordered to meet the $15 delivery minimum.One oval of sticky rice and then a lot of mango that looked like it could have ben a little fresher. Still tasted good, just not $7 good. But I know for next time.
2 - T T.: The atmosphere is like a tropical bus.  Very hot and crowded with no space to move.  The food comes out quickly, l'll give them that.  The portions are big, true.  I just find the food uninspired and bland. The waiters were great until we wanted a check....then ghost town.  Probably won't be giving them a try again.
2 - Jace F.: Having grown up in South East Asia, I've had my share of authentic Thai cuisine, and I know when I've found a place that has strayed from its culinary roots. 
9 Tastes was not great , it was just okay. The pad Thai was alright, but lacked some of the subtle spices that the real pad offers. 
The atmosphere was nice, lots of couples. The service was alright. 
There are better Thai places around.
4 - Katy G.: I had been wanting to try this place for a while, but I'm rarely in Cambridge. We went there on a Sunday afternoon, and there was hardly anyone else there. The waiters were very attentive. I was really dehydrated, and they were right on top of filling my glass. 

I had the vegetable curry. It was very tasty, but the flavor was a little different than what I'm used to. It definitely felt like comfort food- hot and spicy for a November afternoon. 

I might not go out of my way to go back to 9 Tastes, but I still would recommend it to anyone who enjoys Thai.
3 - Seth A.: Do you like your Thai food spicy?  This place isn't kidding around, at least when it comes to the Shrimp Rad Pik.  (More like Shrimp Rad Pick!) That dish was delish, and sweet and spicy as heck.

Tom Yum soup was also very good, as was the Chicken and Basil Fried Rice.

I will be returning!

UPDATE:  2nd visit was not nearly as rewarding, thanks to the "9 Tastes Pad Thai" I ordered.  It was overly sweet and mushy.  Not terrible, but not what I think of when I think "Pad Thai."

CC got the yellow curry and it was OK, but not the best we've had.

Had to switch from four stars to three.  Next time I'll go back to the Shrimp Rad Pik.
3 - Janet X.: This place was better than I expected.  I got the drunken noodle and it was slightly more expensive than what I'm used to, but considering this is Cambridge, I let it slide.  There were plenty of veggies and chicken in the dish, and the portion size was perfect.  Even though I wasn't very hungry going in, I still finished almost the whole thing.

The only thing that knocked it down to 3 stars is the service.  My server was incredibly impatient and it seemed like everything I wanted was a great inconvenience for him.  (And keep in mind this is around 5 pm, when the restaurant wasn't busy at all).  He didn't even offer to refill my drink, which is one of those things that should be second nature to being a server.
2 - Jen Y.: Stopped by for dinner a few months back and was expecting a little more from this place.  First thing I noticed when I walked in was how packed it was, good sign.  It was the golden bags being advertised outside of the door that really lured us in.  Of course we ordered that, a chicken pad thai, and pia kra pow (spicy fried fish with basil).  Looking at the tables around me, the pad thai seems to be their most popular dish.  It turns out that the golden bags are pretty much fried wontons that you might have tried from a Chinese take out joint, about $7 for 4 pieces, never again!  I was satisfied with my pia kra pow, it was one of the dinner box specials so it came with a side of rice, salad, soup, and 2 spring rolls.  The fish is deep fried with onions, basil and bell peppers and then topped off with a spicy chili sauce, went very well with the rice.  I chose the chicken tom kha soup, which was a coconut based curry type of chicken soup.  It was new to me and pretty good, but a little watered down.  Nothing special about the salad.  You would think that the dinner box is a deal, but neat little portions for about $15-17, not so much!!  The boyfriend had the pad thai, but I managed to try some, portions were decent, tasted average though, only good thing was that it was less on the greasy side.  Presentation is good at this place, but I'm sure the same dishes are available somewhere else with improved quality & prices!
4 - Steve B.: Let me preface this review by telling you that I am a typical American in a Thai Food restaurant, which is to say that I order pad thai and spicy pad thai if I am feeling adventurous. I dont know what "good pad thai" is, I only know what I like, and I like this place. Ok, preface done.

I work about 1/2 mile away from 9 Tastes, up Mass Ave towards Central Square. A few weeks ago, I was working late and decided to have dinner delivered to the office. A co-worker suggested 9 Tastes, having just been there for lunch for the first time today. I looked at their online menu, and decided to get -- guess what -- the pad thai...more specifically the "9 Tastes Pad Thai" this house version has some difference spices, as well as both shrimp and chicken. I also got a side order of steamed shumai dumplings. The order totalled about $15. Not bad for dinner. Delivery was quick...about 25 minutes. 

Portions are pretty good and the food was DELICIOUS. So good that I ordered it again about a week later, then went there for lunch last week. 

We made the walk and went downstairs (restaurant in below street level) and were seated right away. Service was good, though typically not really big on speaking English...They have lots of lunch specials, and my buddy Matt enjoyed one of those. I had my standard 9 Tastes Pad Thai with a side of shumai. I just cant get enough of it. Im like a junkie and I need my fix!

Come to think of it...I'll have to hit them up for lunch again this week!
2 - sheree I.: I originally planned on ordering drunken noodles, but when I called the lady on the phone told me that they ran out of the rice noodles-- I mean seriously?? So, I ended up ordering basil fried rice with  vegetables and Tofu. The rice was super greasy, I know its fried rice but its prob the greasiest rice I have ever ate...not sure if I would go back, not a fan!!
5 - Shawn D.: This was the best service I have had at a restaurant in months. They were the perfect balance of attentive, but not annoying. The food was delicious. Not too greasy, and not cooked beyond having any texture. This is the first time in far too long that I tipped not because I felt obligated, but I actually felt that they deserved it.
1 - Kathryn S.: Food not up to par, crab appetizers too fishy, crispy chicken was soggy mystery meat.   Had to stop early in the meal due to the fact that the manager/bartender ???  (directly facing me) stuck his index finger up his nostil, then his pinky, then looked at the results.  This was not a fast pick, this was a long lengthly process.  Needless to say, I left early and informed the waiter not to bring me a check.  Don't know if I'll ever be able to eat Thai again......
3 - Eric F.: My friend had her birthday dinner here recently and the food is pretty solid.  I had a chance to try a few things including:

Paradise Chicken - nice spiciness, but chicken itself was average and the "crispy" frying batter was in fact very soggy.

9 Tastes Pad Thai - great flavor though the noodles themselves were on the wet side.

Spicy Basil Fried Rice - lovely texture and spiciness, a winner!

The service here does merit 4 stars as the staff did an exceptional job of managing our two large tables in the midst of an absolutely PACKED Friday evening.  The waitresses were prompt with taking our orders, the food came out quickly and they provided napkins and utensils for the lovely birthday girl's cake.

All in all, I really want to round up to 4 stars overall...it's just that the food wasn't memorable enough to justify another trip out from the South End.  9 Tastes is a great go-to if you're local, but not quite good enough for a 30+ minute trek unless there's a special occasion ;)
4 - Mister Chub S.: Affordable, tasty  and unpretentious Thai in Harvard Square. 

Sure, the interior's not the most chic but the food is good with large portions and the waitstaff is accommodating. 

They have a lot of veggie options too. 

No complaints here.
2 - Lauren S.: 9 tastes? The only taste I could detect was one: vinegar, and lots of it. Maybe it was just bad luck with the dish I ordered (vegetarian pad thai), but the tofu was swimming in an awful vinegar taste, the noodles were bland and the whole dish was wet and soggy.

My friends also remarked that their dishes were rather unremarkable -- bland and rather on the soggy side. To top it off, they gave me about a fist full worth of pad thai and then covered it with their gross vinegar tofu. What the heck?! 

On a funnier note, one of my friend's ordered something on their menu and the waiter said "Oh, that's very dry." My friend replied that it was okay and he didn't mind if there wasn't a lot of sauce, to which the waiter responded "No, it's gross. You don't want it, I'll bring you the drunken noodles instead." Funny, I guess, and I always like when waiters are up front about their opinions, but come on, if it's that horrible, why is it on the menu!? ANNNND why didn't my friend get a chance to order what he wanted?! A little rude if you ask me.
1 - KC F.: Maybe this rating is partially because I'm having a bad day, but that's not the point. The point is, their pad thai is tasteless and they don't give you chopsticks in your take-out order.
4 - Jenna H.: 9 Tastes is a lovely Thai restaurant with good food and nice ambiance. Dinner's usually about $15, so not too expensive, and the Drunken Noodle and Spicy Noodle are both very delicious. In fact I'd recommend anything on the menu that has the little star next to it that stands for spicy! Service is good and fast also.
3 - Justin H.: This place has a monopoly on Thai food in Harvard Square as evidenced by the constant crowds of students and their families.

The food is solid, not spectacular but nor does it have to be- it has a great location and a loyal following which I admit includes myself (though I haven't been there in a few months now).

My staple dishes are the green curry with tofu and the drunken noodles with tofu (both extra spicy).  The watercress soup with tofu is tasty as well.

I order here a lot and although I enjoy the food, sometimes it is more out of necessity than passion.  The reality is that good Asian food in Harvard Square is simply a white whale, true there are decent options like 9 Tastes, but they always end up leaving me wishing for something dirtier, spicier, cheaper and more authentic.  

I demand too much though, have probably been reading too much Kitchen Confidential, and to be fair the service is generally friendly and the atmosphere is pleasant.

They have an iPhone app which is surprising and some other loyalty incentives which makes me think someone with an MBA and/or a passion for exploring marketing techniques works here.

Overall a solid option for the neighborhood.
5 - Gabrielle S.: Probably the best tofu pad thai I've ever had.

Massaman w/tofu was also good, though my boyfriend didn't enjoy it (probably because it was spicy, he doesn't like that).

I can't figure out why it's got such a low rating.  I ate here consistently a little over a year ago, and it's always been good.
3 - Rachel H.: Hard to explain why, with the same chef, it's undisputably better than Spice a few blocks away, but everyone agrees. 

The menu is solid--seems like it should be hard go wrong with curries, but then see above. I don't love the basement atmosphere most of the time but occasionally, when I'm in a casual mood, it hits the spot. 

Not special but very reliable. I'll go when I'm craving Thai.
2 - Robert B.: 9 Tastes seemed so promising, but I'm not sure I'm sold on it.  The food was just alright.  I felt like it wasn't any better than the 'fast food' Thai place by my work.   I got the rainbow chicken which was boring.   And the service was pushy, for lack of a better word.  I definitely felt rushed, as in they wanted us to leave because being in the restaurant at 8:30pm on a Friday was some giant inconvenience.  I think they had something better to be doing.  Funnily enough, I do want to go back and give it another whirl, though... just to see if maybe I have a better experience.
3 - Will A.: Pro's: Seated immediately on a Thursday evening, cordial staff, food was delivered somewhat quickly, water glasses were always full.

Con's: Waiter took a long time to come over and take our order, only 4 crab rangoons for $6, one of the rangoons was mostly empty and all were somewhat greasy

Meh's: 9 Tastes pad thai was not what I was expecting from pad thai. Maybe it's my American palette but I didn't taste like I expected. Still good, just a bit lighter in flavor than anticipated. Could use some peppers or other things mixed in.
5 - Nidhi M.: I had only once there but my experience was awesome. We went there for the dinner and luckily we sat on the window side,  the weather was really amazing the cool breeze and the awesome Thai wow i just loved it. I really loved the Pad thai which was the best I ever had. Though I tried Thai at other places too but I would simply say "Pad thai is best at this place". my husband too ordered  Tamarind curry and we really liked it too.
The hospitality is really good they served us with our order too fast. 
I would defintely like to visit again & again!
4 - Jen S.: Excellent. Sort of reminds me of another Brown Sugar Cafe, but much cozier. The service is quite decent. The food is GREAT. Prices are fine

I actually came here about a million years ago with my Hub when I first moved here. I didn't really know about Yelp then but I had the mango curry chicken. My first time having anything like mango curry. It was pretty good, but I got tired of the taste after a while. I guess you have to really be in love with curry to tolerate eating the entire dish, and I'm not. so yeha.

Came here two night ago. Here is what the table ordered + a small critique of each, since I tasted each one just so I could Yelp this place WELL (or a well as I can!):

FIRST- we split the spring rolls. VERY GOOD. Came with yummy, sweet peanut sauce. Presentation = awesome. 

1) me (yes, I'm number ONE)- crispy basil chicken. VERY VERY good. Not super spicy (as indicated by the ONE chili pepper). Comes with a decent amount of chicken and rice (and onions). Loved it.  My only critique is that the chili pepper sauce becomes a bit too much at times. Presentation on plate was great. 

2) Friend/former student visiting from France- he had the crispy chicken dish- came with a decent pile of chicken. Also came with a decent amount of rice and a bowl of sweet and sour sauce. The sweet and sour sauce was yummy but the chicken is also good by itself. Presentation- great.

3) Friend/former coworker #1- she had the Bangkok Jungle. She enjoyed her dish immensely. Mind you, she's been to Thailand. Not a very spicy dish, despite the 2 chili peppers. Ginger permeated the meat, which is not a bad thing. Was quite yummy. I wouldn't order it myself but if I attended a CATERED event and this was one of the items, I'd put a nice pile on my plate. :) Presentation was ok. 

4) Friend/former coworker # 2- She had (can't remember the name) fried spicy tofu. It would be been AMAZING had it not come with cilantro leaves. Even though my piece of tofu had no cilantro on it, I could still taste it. Cilantro is the BANE of my EXISTENCE. There are few things I hate in this world (like Pepsi, seafood, any type of lemon/lime drink, the smell of cigarette smoke, Popeye's), and cilantro is one of them. The only time I can TOLERATE it is in some salsas. (and I guess I can TOLERATE Pepsi as a fountain drink, just thought I'd share).  But it was otherwise good. And I'd order it and beg for no cilantro. And without cilantro it would be one of the yummiest fried tofu dishes EVER. 

What I love about Thai food as opposed to Chinese are the flavors. American Chinese food is SO SO bland. American Thai food is actually (in my opinion) closer to real Chinese food (and I know cuz I've been there and I have eaten like a dozen types of cuisines in my 11 months of living there SO I KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT IT OK!?). I don't know how it compares to real Thai food. I will try it one day.

I wish they had young coconut juice like most other Thai places around here. :( oh well! The food is yumtastic. 

Will definitely go again. Many more times.
3 - Hannah P.: Went on a Sunday night, seated immediately. I like the basement location and the ~mood lighting~ that's not too dark.

Water glasses were always full.
When we ordered, though, we asked the waiter about the Golden Bags (I think that's what they were called), but he didn't even know where it was on the menu and he wasn't able to explain it without looking at the menu o_o He was friendly though ...
Anyways, we ordered the Pad See Ew (tofu) and Pineapple Fried Rice. Both were decent. Our waiter actually first gave us Mango Fried Rice by mistake. I had already placed a spoonful on my plate, but he took the plate of mango fried rice AND my plate with the spoon of it to bring back the original order of PFR. That was pretty upsetting because I actually wanted to taste the MFR, haha. There was nothing too memorable about either plate, and I feel like the PSE had a tad bit more soy sauce than necessary.

Both plates were okay and the service was okay. Okay.

Oh yeah. And I think they were too expensive for the amount of food given.
4 - Alexis V.: I love 9 Tastes' food so much!  It is affordable and my food always tastes great.  They also bring the food out quickly.  I am a vegetarian and find great options on the menu.  My boyfriend doesn't like the food as much as other Thai places (especially the noodles), but to me they're top notch.  The only thing I would say is that sometimes I feel like they rush you to leave and the waiters don't seem invested in you having a great dining experience.  When you get take-out or delivery, this doesn't matter obviously.  When I think of my favorite dinner spot (Rafiki Bistro) and compare it to 9 Tastes, I'd say my favorite place acts like they're happier you're there and makes an effort to make you feel welcome and comfortable.  But 9 Tastes is awesome and affordable, and you should definitely go when you're in Harvard Square!
3 - Dean S.: I was visiting my friend in Cambridge and he took me to dinner here on my last night in town. I think if I were to plan our schedule out again, I'd have gone here earlier during my trip and instead spend the last night going on a giant seafood bender. But I digress, this place was just OK for a thai food place.

We came in around 7pm, and there was not much of a wait. The restaurant itself is located on a basement/garden floor, so the ceilings are kind of low. I am 6'6" and had to stoop a little to walk to our table, but other than the low ceilings, the decor/ambiance is nice and asian-y. We ordered right away and our food came back even faster. I ordered shrimp pad thai and I think my friend ordered chicken pad thai. My pad thai was a little greasy for my tastes and could've used more shrimp, but overall it was decent in taste and portion. I've had better / more authentic pad thai before, but I was still happy with my meal and what I paid for it.
4 - Andrew R.: Good neighborhood Thai place.  Good service, interesting variety for Thai food, and prices are ok.
4 - Marie E.: Wasn't sure what I wanted to eat....came upon 9 tastes! Prices were really affordable....lots of food...I could not finish my entree. My server was pleasant and I never felt rushed. Worth trying!
4 - Maia C.: wow, I always crave thai food but Ive never actually had good thai food before coming here so I dont really know why I always want it. I have finally found good thai food!!!! I wanted spicy, really spicy, so my friend and I decided to give it a try after hearing some good things. We went on a Thursday night and it was a lot smaller or bigger than I expected. Im not really sure, they had two rooms but they were small. It was also really crowded. I guess that is a good sign though. We got sat next to a really loud girl who talked way to much about her personal life but not their fault. When it came to ordering we decided to go "family-style" as loud girl next table over called it, which is when we get little things for the table instead of individual plates. Except we were only two so we got two plates to share. My friend recommended we try the pineapple fried rice, a favorite thai dish of hers, and I chose the jungle something or other. It had two red hot chili peppers next to it signifying it was a spicier dish. Sounds good to me. We had two servers. The girl first greeted us and she forgot to ask if we wanted something to drink but brought over plenty of water and I probably would have said Im ok with water anyway so no big deal. The guy seemed to be a bit snobby but in the end turned out to be pleasant, just your typical server. The food came out and it was delicious. The jungle dish was SO spicy!!! I loved it. The Pineapple Fried Rice was also quite yummy and had a bit of peanut taste to it. The food was actually amazing now that I think back to it. Service was good enough. Atmosphere actually made me feel like I was "out" and not just eating out. Overall, I was very please with the experience and will definitely go back again. I didnt give the place a five because I have only been once but I will update if need be.
5 - Nadia S.: Really good thai. Have not been disappointed yet. Service is pretty good too. Prices are very affordable.
4 - Jen D.: This would really be 3.5, but the people here are *so* *nice* I bumped it up to 4.

I've tried two things: pad see-ew and green curry. The curry was rather thin, but tasty. Quite a large portion (ate at the restaurant). The pad see-ew (which was just okay) was to-go and a smaller portion.

There's not much to choose from in Cambridge for Thai food, and given that the prices are reasonable for the area, I will definitely be back.
5 - Due H.: Nine taste does things right. Their lighting and environment is done well. I like looking at the decoration of mirrors. I like the food. I usually come here and order from the various amounts of fried rices. Had a few and I like them all. I usually avoid shrimp because I think it doesn't mix that well with the thai flavoring that they use. I guess thats opinion, but if you like shrimp go for it. If not, I wouldn't recommend the combination. Prices are medium. A rice plate, you can expect to pay 9-10 dollars.
2 - Mandy L.: Not horrible for thai food.....but not the greatest either. Its more geared towards american tastes and not quite the authentic style. their thai iced tea is too sweet for my likey.
2 - Haley T.: I have been here for dinner and delivery. I really liked them! The service was quick and friendly, and the vegetables are plenty in the drunken noodle dish, forgiving the fact that they're more expensive than most thai places around here.

The reason they get two stars is that the delivery went from good, to fair, to awful. I waited 2 hours for a lukewarm dish that had obviously been sitting under a heating lamp for those two hours. I repeatedly tried to call them, and always got a busy signal.

I'm pretty sure the piece of plastic in my dish just broke my crown. Certainly done being a customer here!
4 - Champika F.: I ordered some pad thai to go from this place and was really pleasantly surprised by the entire experience. 

First - I walked in and immediately wished I had time to sit down and have a meal there. It's located on the lower/ basement level of the building so it's really dimly lit and cozy and super charming inside. It wasn't overcrowded when I walked in and seemed like a good place to enjoy a low key meal alone or with a friend. 

Second - I ordered a can of coke with my meal and they took the time and courtesy to notify me that a can of coke costs $2.50! So of course I passed.  After I paid for my pad thai - they asked me to wait a moment and filled a cup up with fountain coke in a to go cup...on the house. Wow - super bonus points. 

The pad thai wasn't exceptional but it was decent for the price. I'll definitely be back for a sit down meal and to try other menu items.
2 - stacy c.: Went with a friend to 9 Tastes tonight because of the number of strong reviews it has received from Yelp and was very disappointed. She ordered the Eggplant entree (which had 1 spice icon next to it) and I had the Basil Leaf w/ Tofu entree (2 spice icons). The food was bland and our entrees had the same basic ingredients except hers had Chili in there (which was way too spicy for someone who didn't want a spicy dish) and mine did not. The fried tofu in my dish ranged from small tiny dried up cubes to medium sized dried up cubes - did not capture the flavor of the sauce well. Also, for a 2 spicy icon dish, wasn't spicy at all. 

Compared to other Thai places in the area, NYC, Thailand, LA - this definitely does not match up. Maybe this was a bad night and 9 Tastes deserves its positive rating, or maybe it's on JFK and more likely to be positively rated... either way, i'm not going back.

PS - and they charge for tea.
1 - Elaine H.: hideous pad thai.  the worst.  i ordered the 9 tastes "special".  syrupy overly sweet inauthentic sauce and soggy noodles.  should have had scallions, bean sprouts, and egg.  just a couple of nasty soggy bean sprouts.  but the WORST was what they call the 'baby shrimp' in there.  taste like a combination of chlorine and rotten fish and were crunchy with shrimp poop.  memorable in all the wrong ways.......
3 - Ernie F.: RATING: 3 stars

NOTE: Only tried their noodle dishes and Thai iced tea. I have eaten here (or for take-out) more than 10 times, mostly for convenience and a Thai fix.

QUICK SUMMARY:

FOOD = Its what you would expect from most thai places. The meat offerings (pork, chicken, and beef) have all been overcooked more than well cooked in my 10+ visits. Noodles are done nicely. I recommend the pad see ew and the pad kee mow. Avoid the Rad Na (the gravy was not too good).

THAI ICED TEA = Just right. Not overly sweetened.

PORTIONS = There is enough food in the noodle dishes for an appetizing meal. There is slightly less food when you order to-go (from a qualitative standpoint). Lunch and dinner portions are the same size, the only difference is in the price.

OTHER = Don't expect Lunch pricing on the food during the weekends, because they do dinner pricing all weekend. I learned the hard-way when ordering take-out at noon (despite the hour listings on their website). On another note, their website has broken links and is a bit outdated.

SENTENCE SUMMARY:
"Like their website, their 'Boston Magazine 2007 Best Neighborhood Takeout in Harvard Square' is definitely outdated-- the food, whether you dine in or takeout, is not really worth your money unless you eat here during lunch (with their lunch pricing) and have a craving for Thai food"
4 - Celia Z.: It's exactly 44 minutes before my three hour science exam, and here I am Yelping instead of cramming.  Yepp. This just goes to show the extent of my dedication for Yelp.  

9 Tastes is actually one of the places that is helping to get me through reading and exam period.  And throughout college, it's been one of my go-to places: get togethers, birthday celebrations, study breaks, or anytime I need an excuse to binge eat.

So yesterday, stressed to exhaustion, I asked my resident tutors for a study break: being stressed is a perfect reason to binge eat.  So they bought two large catering boxes of pad thai--delivered. Greasy, sweet, salty, lemony, with a generous helping of eggs, veggies, and chicken, it is definitely one of the better pad thai I ever had.  When we had leftovers at the end of the study break, I took the rest to go.  I brunched away by stress this morning with two big plates of deliciousness.

By the way, the lunch boxes are amazing.  You get two entrees, rice, salad, appetizer, and soup for $10.  The mango curry and sauteed garlic vegetables with tofu are especially delicious, as well as any of their soup noodles.  And their sauce for their dumplings and shumai is actually some of the best soy sauce I've ever had.  It's flavored with a bit of fermentation, sugar, and other subtle tastes I still cannot detect.

And my exam in exactly 32 mins, now that I have finished this review?  It's called Science of Cooking.  Famous chefs from around the world come lecture to us about the science of food, and we do somewhat sciency equations to solve for gellation, viscosity, specification, and flavor release.  Pretty cool, eh?  That is, until I fail.
2 - Anuj M.: I usually have a good experience here but this time I went with a friend and it blew my mind. There were fruit flies all around our table and me and my friend are both vegetarians! 
Not just that, my friend's veggie soup had bits of chicken in it which the server confirmed. He told us that they use the same pot to boil chicken and veggie soup - what's the point of a veggie menu then? They replaced her dish with something else but charged her for it - no courtesy!
I am probably not going back to this place. The service was super slow too.
3 - Hannah M.: Trudged through the snow for Thai Cafe which no longer exists and ended up at 9 Tastes.  
Scallion pancakes (I'm obsessed, I order them everywhere) were really good!  Crispy, light, flakey, and the gingery dipping sauce was delicious.
Drunken noodles was a little lackluster.  Could have been saucier, more flavorful, and less oil.
Crispy pad thai was delicious!  A crispy, sweet twist on the standard Thai fare.  With chicken (no gristle!) and shrimp, definitely a go-to for 9 Tastes.
Don't think I'd go to H Square just for 9 Tastes, but would certainly go again if I was in H Square.
5 - Andrew G.: For extremely reasonable thai food, this place is the best around. Drunken noodles w/ beef are fantastic, and only $8 which is an incredible deal. This place is certainly not going to stack up against fancy, pricey restaurants, but for what it is trying to be, definitely 5 stars.
2 - Jared S.: Meh.

Ordered delivery on Sunday from foodler.com because my go to Sweet Ginger isn't open for lunch on Sundays.  Boo.

The food came in 20 minutes, which immediately gave me pause as surely all of the food must be pre-cooked and waiting for someone to order it.  I mean, I know I live at least a 10 minute drive from 9 Tastes through Harvard Square on a good day.  I did get pretty popular stuff, though, so if the delivery guy was just about to leave and they just got my order in and whipped it all up, things could be good, right?

Pad Thai and Tom Yum were decent.  Chicken satay, while meaty, was super dry, and the peanut sauce with it was disgustingly coagulated.  The "fresh spring rolls" were by far the worst part of the meal, the rice paper very very thick and hardly wrapped around the filling, spilling lettuce, sprouts, and basil everywhere.  For $6.95, it was an absolute joke.

Indeed, the whole meal was entirely overpriced.  Had it not been for a 20% foodler discount, I would have been one pissed off camper.
3 - Sarah L.: I went for dinner with a large group, and we were seated quickly with a reservation. Once we placed our orders after a fair bit of lingering, our food arrived within minutes. I chose a simple, but enjoyable vegetarian dish comparable in quality, I think, to what's available at many other Thai restaurants throughout Boston and Cambridge. The portion was generous and reasonably priced under $13.
2 - Sallie M.: Omit my previous review for this place. After having gone back there the second time with my boyfriend, their quality of food has changed drastically, I don't know what happened. I got the same dish as last time and it was not up to par. :( His pad thai was bad too.

------------------------- ------------------------- ---

FOOD - B+
I would have given it an A for their Spicy Lemongrass Seafood Noodle Soup because it's DELICIOUS, but then I also ordered one of the dinner box specials at a different date and it was just "eh." I got the salmon and it was a bit dry. However, the dinner box also comes with a lot of things like appetizers and choice of soup.

LOCATION - A 
It's under ground, but it's right in the middle of Harvard Square so it's still convenient. There are garages to choose from and metered street parking.

SERVICE - A+
The waiters are excellent. I asked one of them for a pitcher of water because I was especially parched and he didn't even miss a beat and immediately fetched me a pitcher of water. Not only that, he would check up on my glass a lot as to refill it for me even though I already had a pitcher of water.

FACILITY - B
It is under ground and small, but the decorations make up for it. It does give an exotic feel and it has an intimate atmosphere. There's also a fish tank, which is a big plus for restaurants or any place really.

OVERALL - A-
The food is excellent or at least the Spicy Lemongrass Seafood Noodle Soup. The rest are still pretty great! I love the service and it's just a trendy and affordable place to eat tasty Thai food.
4 - Hyun Y.: Portion and price are good. And tastes great! I like the pad thai, and some of their appetizers are delicious. Although, the appetizers could be a bit pricey considering their portion.
2 - Laura B.: i work around the corner from this place. i've ordered lunch here three times in the past year. they say, "three times a charm" but that is not the case with 9 tastes. I feel that this establishment has progressively gotten worse since my first experience. 

the food is reasonably priced and the portion sizes are generous. however, the taste and presentation of the food is greatly lacking. my vegetable pad thai is mediocre at best. the veggies did not taste fresh. the peanut sauce was clumpy. the noodles were slightly undercooked and slimy with too much sauce. it seemed like the cook threw the ingredients together, stir-fried it up really quickly, and did not allow enough time for the flavors to mix together. 

if you agree that good things take time, dont order your lunch from 9 tastes and expect a delicious, fresh tasting meal.
4 - S W.: Good food with medium range price. Quite popular Thai restaurant in the neighborhood.
1 - Janis C.: UPDATE:

I tried them again, just to give them another shot. I dined in this time and ordered the same plate of Drunken Noodle. Yup, still bad -- greasy and gross. My friends laughed at me for taking the same risk with the same dish. Well, joke's on YOU GUYS, for eating at the same restaurant with me! Your dishes weren't much better, either! Suckas.

Well, at least this time around, I got flat rice noodles.
1 - Eric K.: Unfortunately I can't rate it at 0 stars.  The food was mediocre at best and overpriced. My crispy chicken basil was just soggy and lacked flavor - it also gave me a bad stomach ache.  

If only that was it . . . 

The service was the worst I have ever experienced at a restaurant (seriously).  We were there for a little over an hour and weren't finished our drinks and they asked us to leave because they needed the table.  Yes, the place is really small, but still, this is ridiculous.  We wanted to skimp on the tip because of it, but they put 18% right on our bill.
2 - Andy H.: I came here with my parents and it wasn't a pretty dismal dinner.  It didn't help there was some girl at a large party behind us who had this laugh that was so loud, it resonant through the entire basement eating area and she seemed to think everything was funny.  But the food itself kinda sucked, I got some combo platter.  Wont be coming back!
4 - Molly Y.: For the food alone, this place is 5-star, hands-down. We stumbled across it, ordered stuff that looked good, and WOW, we were SO impressed. Very authentic Thai food, amazing flavor, incredibly fresh - if you want to treat your tastebuds, GO HERE.

Minus half a star for the OMG noise (it's kinda tight-packed in there) and another half-star for slow wait-staff, but then again, it was lunchtime on the Friday of Harvard Graduation, so some slowness is completely understandable.

I'm going to drag all my colleagues out here for lunch someday because OH MAN, such good, good food. I'm a fan!
4 - Kat V.: If you would have told me I would have liked a Thai food place I would have called you a liar.  I would have found a glove to smack you with so I could challenge you to a duel!

Well, the glove is in your hand, my friend, and it is your turn to smack away...because this place is damn good.

The menu has a ton of options - even for the food allergy weary such as myself.  

The staff was great - very attentive and polite.

The prices were good - considering the portions and that it is in Harvard Sq.

Our dinners came out insanely fast even though the the restaurant was somewhat busy.

All in all I will definitely be back to this place - which again, had you asked me prior to my visit I would have laughed in your face had you told me that.

Just goes to show you, try new things and be pleasantly surprised!

1 taste down..8 more to go...
1 - Laura M.: I have been to 9 Tastes a total of three times. On two of those occasions, I have found eggshell in my dish... no thanks! Won't be returning.
4 - Carol W.: I was here yesterday evening right when they open for dinner service at 5PM.  On Mondays through Wednesdays, they offer special dinner boxes.  I got the tofu with vegetables in garlic sauce with spring rolls and chicken tom yum soup dinner box.  Of everything I had, I was most impressed with the soup.  It was the tastiest tom yum soup I have ever had, full of flavor and spice.  I couldn't help from coughing a little and needing water!  It was so good that I would definitely go back for that alone!  I've had tom yum soup at other Thai restaurants, including Rod Dee, Dok Bua, Montien (surprisingly bland), Amarin of Thailand, House of Siam, and a few others.  None of these other restaurants have as memorable a tom yum soup!  The spring rolls were good and the entree was okay.  I would come back again to get the soup and to try their curries.  The service was quite attentive, and my water was refilled several times.
3 - Christopher F.: I think Thai and/or Laotian people who go here would be insulted by the 4 &5 star reviews for 9 Tastes--my girlfriend certainly is. 

This is a place to go when you want somewhat affordable, decently cooked dishes that have a Western twist to it. But in no way is some of this food remotely authentic.

The Indonesian fried rice is very filling to me BUT OK in terms of taste. The dish had tasty chicken satay enhanced by the smooth peanut sauce and a plentiful plate full of rice. But you could tell that the dish was not made fresh at all. How hard is it to make fresh fried rice, really? Not hard at all. 

I ordered the crispy duck on another occasion when some friends wanted to come here. The duck was okay, very crispy and goes very well with the sweet plum sauce that accompanies the dish. But I've had better since I've gone to Asia and had duck prepped there. Furthermore, the greasiness of this duck left me bloated and with a stomach ache. Ouch.

Overall, this place is good but not great. Probably great to Westerners and novices of Asian cuisine, but insulting to Asians and foodies who actually have gone to Asia and/or had home-cooked Thai, Indonesian, and Laotian cuisine.

Spend your dollars here if you have a fix for Thai food and have nowhere else/ better to go to in your time constraints.
3 - Aisha L.: I got the Pad Thai with Tofu, yummy. Not too greasy. My friend got the calamari, I took a bite and it was tasty.
Nice casual cheap asian food. No high expectations so I wasnt let down.
1 - Enuma I.: Forget about it. Went to pick up a late night dinner, waited and watched the young girl text on her phone for a good 2-3 minutes before so placed her phone down and noticed me there. The food was extremely average, watered down, and you can taste the main use of American spices and pepper. I'm no expert but after having had authentic Thai food not only in several states and even in Thailand, this food was just disappointing. Maybe they were tired because it was the end of the night.  So much for getting a great late night dinner :-/
3 - Jenn T.: I got some take out here for dinner after craving some thai food.  They have a pretty vast menu for decent prices.  The restaurant itself is pretty dimly lit with a themed decor and a few tables.  The places was pretty crowded when I came to pick up my food.  I went for the 9 tastes pad thai, which was ok.  It came with shrimp and chicken, and was mixed in lots of sauce, which was a little too tangy for my taste.  The flavor was ok, not the best I've ever had, but pretty ok.  The order was made fast, within 5-10 minutes.
3 - Guillermo M.: Decent option if you are craving Thai in Harvard square. Great location. Spring rolls and satay were delicious. Pad thai was decent and the thai iced tea was so good that I could have tons of them.
2 - L L.: I love Thai food and many places can do a decent job on the usual dishes...but this place has definitely disappointed me.  It is just not up to par and I won't consider coming back here.  

Had the appetizer sampler, which actually taste fine.  But, the pad thai and the spicy basal fried rice didn't taste quite right and lacked the complex flavors/spices that they normally have' the fried rice didn't even have enough salt.  It's just very surprising that they aren't able to pull off the average taste for the usual dishes.
2 - Sugar L.: I yelped this place and saw the good reviews and decided to order.  I wanted home delivery, which they did, though it took them OVER an hour to get from Harvard Square to Central Square to make the delivery.  Food was lukewarm when it arrived.  I got the Pad See Yew, (mostly cause I love those wide noodles), the  Veggie Puffs (they sounded so good on the menu) and the sweet sticky rice with mangos.  So, it arrived later than they said and getting through to them was really challenging to find out when it was coming.  The Pad See Yew was mediocre--not tasty or fresh.  The Veggie Puffs were meh.  The sweet sticky rice with mangos was delish--yum!  Though honestly, the frozen ones from Trader Joes are just as delish.  Over all, I wouldn't bother.
1 - Melynda J.: I was craving Thai food and decided to try to a new place. That was a mistake. The crab rangoons were not fully cooked and were extremely soupy. My Pad Thai was far from crispy and was dripping in grease. Despite the amount of grease, my chicken was beyond dry and I had to drink water to get the piece down. Both items were cold. I understand that  take-out is not going to be piping hot, but I expect it to be relatively warm,  To say that my craving was not met would be the better part of ordering from here. I got through half (because I paid for it, and it was not cheap) only to get sick. I for one will never order from here again, and recommend that no one does, unless you are looking for soggy, greasy food, then by all means, this is the place for you.

90.1 FM - Austin, TX (30.289162, -97.740716) (University of Texas)
3 - Bill S.: Were moon landings were faked?  Did Oswald have help from someone on the grassy knoll?  Is the military hiding irrefutable evidence of alien life at Area 51?  

If you answered Yes to any of the above, you should listen to Central Austin's 90.1 FM.  I spent the last hour listening to a birther (who is also an expert on typography, image analysis, and 50-year-old typewriter technology) explain why Barack Hussein Obama's published birth certificate must have been faked.

Tune in, folks.  And remember: trust no one.
5 - Chalools C.: Kook radio. I love it. Broadcast through pure tinfoil hat power, it's the most entertaining thing on the airwaves.

90.1 KZSU Stanford - Stanford, CA (37.429764, -122.1666504) ()
5 - Marina N.: I work in Palo Alto and stumbled upon this channel. So happy that I did. The music is fantastic and the range of music is incredible. I was suffering from POP poison and now I feel alive again. ;)

Recently, David Bug led a 4-hr show and again, I couldn't believe how incredible the range of music was, that all the music was good, and it all worked together. Very impressive.
5 - Cheri R.: The only thing I dislike about this station is when I drive far away from its signal and it turns to static.

A special high-five to Holt at Eclektronik Groove -- particularly when he brings in guest drum and bass DJs -- even though I'm kinda bummed the show moved from Thursday to Monday. I looked forward to my drives to work on Thursdays; listening to loud techno in the early a.m. is an acquired taste.
5 - terry h.: This is the best college radio station in the country. 

I love them especially for their sports programming; football, volleyball, basketball, baseball and others. I do not like their music though. It seems like every wierdo is a DJ and they play nothing I like at anytime.

But I sure luv my sports therefore the 5 stars. I can always listen to KFOG.
4 - Martha L.: Great music for  EVERYONE!

 Some shows WE love are:
  
  SUNNYSIDE UP w/ Bruce (bluegrass, country, cowboy, trucker songs, etc.) Sunday mornings 9 - 11:30

  BLUES WITH A FEELING w/ The Byrd (blues old & new, in between, too) ... now you know, he loves everybody but especially you! Saturday mornings 9-Noon

  DEEP FRIED and SANCTIFIED (love the name, baby! I've found religion) not sure when she's on anymore, only caught her special, but you can find out more at www.deepfriedandsanctified.org
5 - kevin b.: Driving around santa clara valley, it's hard to find an acceptable station to listen to. I find this station has,8 out of 10 times, something weird and wonderful playing  that i normally would never listen to,or download from i-tunes! Reminds me of the good ol days of KSJO and KOME!

901 Bar & Grill - Los Angeles, CA (34.0257103, -118.2775446) (South Los Angeles)
3 - Eddie H.: Dancing? Well technically yes because they have music, but 95% of what's going on in there is not dancing. It's either dry humping or white guys snapping their fingers off beat as they bend their knees.

Sorostitues swarm this place on Wednesday & Thursday nights. 

Plumbing here was awful when I was an undergrad - toilets were always overflowing...

Come here early for drink specials or come here on graduation morning for bloody mary's right before you walk the aisle to grab your diploma.
5 - Julie C.: This place is so filthy they have a nickname for the grime that accumulates on your shoes: 9-0-sludge.  It's a dark, dank, dirty hole-in-the wall.  The bathrooms are indescribably disgusting.  You can buy a Bar Mat Shot for $1, at which point the bartender picks up the sticky bar mat he's been pouring drinks on all night and dumps it into a shot glass.  It's a hot order.  I'm pretty sure I've got mad cow disease from the burger I ate there in '94.

Yet for all it's repulsiveness, it's the most happening bar in South Central.  Pretty much the only bar near USC, it's going off at any time of the day.  Hot sorority blondes and I'll-be-taking-over-daddy's-company dudes cram into the joint with such furor that the irony is overwhelming.

It's my favorite bar for many reasons: the least of which is not that I had my first kiss with my husband there. 
;)
5 - Ari C.: Some of my best college memories happened here. Where else could one find people with such high credit limits diving so low, and waiting in a line for the honor? This dank little hole in the wall is a typical old-school bar; bar on right, booths on left. Only we rarely sat IN the booths; we usually sat on them to get a better view of the talent coming in. Sometimes we put our heads right through the acoustic ceiling tiles from pogo-ing on the bouncy bolsters.

I recall eating many 9-0 burgers here, its salad was a wedge of lettuce with thousand island dressing on top. Quality dinner. The drinks were standard, prices to match. Luckily the bar was built for power, not beauty - semi indestructible materials from the '70s throughout, so rarely were chairs or tables broken. And rarely did fights break out in the day. Although plenty of bottles were broken on the concrete floor.

The bathroom was the worst ever; one time the men's toilet simply disappeared and you had to pee into the remaining hole in the floor. The jukebox typically was playing southern rock like "Sweet Home Alabama"... Always dress-up (er, down) time at the 9-0.

As a bonus there was (is?) a blue and white painted line out the front door, across Fig and right down 28th Street; terminating in front of the Phi Delt house. It came in handy for finding one's way home after too many kamikaze shots.

The 9-0 is a legend, and if its walls could talk... business and political careers would have been stopped in their tracks. The only bar worth mentioning in SC's neighborhood. Bonus points for grabbing after-drink meals at Chano's a couple doors down.
4 - Sean M.: I'm not even sure why I'm reviewing the 9-0 because if you're not a USC student, you would never go there, and if you were one, then you've already been there. But...it just has so many memories...

Showing up with one of my roommates as soon as they opened the doors for Wednesday $5 Jack and Cokes and being beyond plastered by the time anyone else got there an hour plus later. Random hook-ups on the dance floor. A machine to check people's IDs that was never plugged in. The infamous bathroom overflows. The little alcove where you could spit your game. Crowds that were way over the capacity limit. Chanos and Del Taco late night. And if you remember having burgers here, you were here before my time. Although a year or so before I graduated, they got busted for letting in minors and since the whole environment has changed -- they went back to serving food, not letting in minors, and keep the crowds to a limit. Oh...those were the days...
3 - Akkara S.: If you're an undergrad, you'll probably love this place.  If you're a grad student still clinging onto your undergrad days, you'll probably love this place.  I love bars, music, partying, and drinks so maybe this wasn't much of a stretch to catch my fancy.  It's just a fun place to go unwind on a week night, especially since I think they have specials. 

Be warned, the place smells like vomit, the counters are wet, and the floor is sticky.  But hell, isn't that what a college bar is all about??  Now go take a shot!!
2 - Bianca C.: Ohh goddd. The 9-0.

I've been there, done that, and really don't want to again.

The 9-0 is absolutely nothing to write home about, but somehow manages to be consistently full to capacity with drunken USC students. Why?? You're askin' the wrong gal.

Since last year the "901 Bar & Grill" (as it's been renamed) has had a facelift. Long gone is the 9-0 Sludge and bouncers who you could slip a 20 to get in if your fake ID didn't work. Apparently it's under new management now - the interior and exterior definitely show the change. 

HOWEVER. It is STILL JUST the 9-0. There truly is absolutely nothing special about this little, cramped, crowded bar. Do yourself a favor and don't get pulled into the hype of this USC "hot spot"
4 - Joanne R.: If you had asked me a year ago what I thought of the "9-0", my initial reaction would have been to vomit.  Every college campus has "that" bar.  You know . . ."that" bar which pretends to check ID's, smells of urine, and has a post it note on the wall next to the kitchen and call it their menu.  But after this summer's renovations and the owner's valid attempt to clean up USC's most laughed at bars, I must say, I'm a fan.

While I was in college, the best time of year to go was during the summers, when people were more relaxed and the bar was less full.  I'm not sure if things have changed much since then, but if you like your bars crowded with underage sorority and fraternity boys, then come during the weeknights and you won't be disappointed.

The reason I'm giving the 9-0 a good review now is because it's become a legitimate sports bar.  With USC paraphernalia, plasma tv's, and a respectable menu, I don't mind coming here on game days to watch other football games and even grab a bite to eat.  In fact, I'm happy to be one of those alums that can say she remembers the 1 inch thick sludge on the floors and the toilets that wouldn't flush in the women's restroom.

So, if you're an SC alum and feeling sentimental, stop by.  You'll be amazed.

-1 star for the smell of vomit.  After decades of being "that" bar, all the dollars the owner spent on remodeling this place couldn't get the stench out.

TIP: Try the Sunset Wheat on tap.  My favorite beer there.
1 - mike j.: The food really is very good. 

The service is fucking terrible. like, bad enough to take away 3-4 stars.

We asked for 2 beers (assuming she knew that since it was happy hour, one would be free), she brought us 4. Ok fine.

We asked for a burger with well done fries and one of the unlimited toppings pizzas (assuming since we have 2 people, that it would be the 10in. one). 

First she brought us a side of fries (not fries that came with the burger aka we didn't ask for these) before any of our food came out.   We figured ok, fine, we'll just take it, even though they're pretty damn cold.

Then she brought us an 18in pizza. We were now like shit, we guess we'll just have leftovers.

Then our check came and she charged us for the 18in cheese pizza- charging us 1.75 for each topping we asked for (when it's really just the unlimited topping pizza). We got it corrected.

Could these all be coincidences? Doubt it.

Another time I went there, they $2-3 to the tip I gave them on a credit card. 

They think you're stupid. Don't let them take advantage of you.
5 - Jane K.: My friends and I are regulars here now.  Come after work, get here early, watch games, get drunk, and just have a good time.  Everyone is very friendly.  Happy hour rules.
3 - terry h.: When I went to school at SC, this was THE BAR. It was filled to the brim on Wednesday's and Thursdays with frat boys and sorority girls looking to dance, eat horrible burgers and get really, really drunk.

You just had to be there on Thursday nights to believe how many people this place would pack in being in the perfect location, right at the end of the Frat/Soro Row on 28th Street.  It was a rite of passage to get bombed at the 9-0 and stumble home in a blind drunk.

No TV's were there then and no pizzas. It was a real dump. Only a juke box for music and drunk dancing. Sweaty, hot, steamy, stinky, slimy, dark, singy, oily, filthy and in a wierd sort of way fun with a way to help make memories. I am a different person now and probably wouldn't do what I did then but I can't go back and change it either.
5 - Vanessa S.: prior to fall 07, the "90" truly lived up to its nickname--the 9 'hole." however, after the revamping and remodeling that was done to this beloved USC tradition, it is now truly a diamond in our south-central rough. Ya, its kinda fratty, and yeah it can get ridiculously crowded, but its "that bar" that you know you can always go to in gym shorts and a t-shirt (although 99.9% of the underage, freshman girls with be in stilettos and dresses).

Always plays pretty good music, sometimes has bands come in that are normally actually somewhat good. 

GREAT Happy hour, and the food is surprisingly amazing.

If your not from the area, dont make a special trip---find your own local gem. BUT if you are within walking distance, like I am, you should be there very night between 4 and 8 for 2 for 1 drinks, like I am.
1 - Alex D.: The 9-0 is synonymous with 'SC and separates two types of students: those that go, and those who have never been. When I was a student at 'SC, the 9-0 was dark, dingy, sticky and generally unpleasant. With their new upper-scale, sports bar like interior complete with the predictable, ever-distracting flat screen tv's and apparently serving food. My revisit after a couple of years was mixed:

Good:
Young, Very attractive crowd of 'SC students; healthy pool of hot but vapid sorority girls; nicer interior; numerous members of the Trojan football team present.

Bad: doormen are INCREDIBLY rude, fowl and irrational (no exaggeration). When they are not getting their jollies from gawking at the hot sorority girls entering or already in (with not much effort to mask it) they unreasonably and unjustifiably harass almost every person who comes in, are harshly curt, and very arrogant. When my guest and I had arrived, there was no one in line so naturally did not walk around to the other side to go through the velvet ropes; there certainly was no point, and anyone would have walked right to the doorman as we did. This dolt stared at me as if I insulted his family and ancestors, and without saying a word signals with his finger to walk around the building and enter the other side of the rope--again, there was not a sould in line. I stood there in amazement, but did not react in any way, and certainly not stooping to the level of this sad sad person. Seeing that we didn't immediately follow his unreasonable request, he rolled his eyes and asked for our ID's using a rude and impatient tone. Completely and totally uncalled for. As I went outside to have a cigarette, I notced how very poorly he would treat those coming into the 9-0...well, the guys at least.

I will always go back to SC, and will go again to the 9-0. Despite the great, classic frat-and-sorority college bar scene a la Ralph Lauren, the experience was so ridiculous that I am have not choice but to offer the 9-0 a single star.
1 - Andrea Z.: fucking kill me. 

go ahead- just do it.

I've been here on two occasions only... and i can assure you they were both before 5pm.

I hereby pledge to the good people of yelp that I will never, NEVER, come here for a night out! (This coming from a USC student).

Worst service ever. The waitresses are complete ditzs (as I imagine the girls who frequent here also are!) - The place is crawling with frat boys and sorority girls.

The food sucks. The pizza is sogggggggy! 

Only good thing about this place is I was able to watch the Chargers game on a bunch of flat large screen tvs.
3 - D K.: Inexplicably, this (former) dive is one of the most famous college-tour bars in the country. Why? Probably because it's the only bar at SC. Hey, those notorious SC football fans and frat boys have to go somewhere, right?

But don't let the fame fool you: this is the original bar that you could not enjoy sober. If it were located anywhere else besides the end of frat row it would make no money. Location is everything.

The new 9-0 is 9-0 in name only, bearing zero resemblance to the infamous 9-hole (or as it was sometimes known, the 9-crack) of yore. But oh, the nostalgia! Every single SC alum from 1955-2005 has a 9-hole story. Probably multiple 9-hole stories. All of them embarrassing. Go on. Ask. Amazing how the SC "scene" for forty years was pretty much summed up by football, Chano's, and one smelly bar.

The sludge on the floor. The creepy born-in-east-LA bouncers who dated USC sorosti-girls. The cushionless "booths" that you had to sit on top of and not in. The men's bathroom with no doors allowing those on the dance floor the unfortunate opportunity to see...um...body parts and fluids that should have remained private. The bi-annual underage ID LAPD raids. That bizarre cigarette/ganja/port-o-potty 9-0 smell. And, of course, the legendary 9-0 summers, when it really did become a "where everybody knows your name" place for those who stuck around through August, although they reverted back to their real cliques once school started.

Makes you miss the sludge...naaah, nevermind. Kudos to the owners for the remodel. Memories are good, but in this case change was long overdue.
1 - anon y.: This place absolutely sucks and the ONLY  reason it gets packed is because there is literally nowhere else for USC students to go. If you're a girl...get ready to be hit on by the shady bouncers. If you find you can't move while in the bar, that's because the redid the floor with flypaper. The only two reasons worth going: 1) nowhere else to go, 2) decent prices during happy hour.
4 - Jim R.: It's totally worth it to come from 4-8  2 for one booze ... they have good specials and its Everything Trojan...  I have never eaten here but some of my stuck up Marshall School Friends do so it must be at best OK...  

It will grow on you
3 - Alex P.: Oh the 901 Bar & Grill, what wonderful memories you hold.  Once part of my regular stomping grounds back in my collegiate days at SC, we called this place the nine-O, which then turned into the nine-hole (for the simple fact that it is just a hole-in-the-wall bar), we spent many many countless drunken nights here.  A perfect place for broke college students to go to fill up on $3 kamikaze shots or $2 beer nights, my fellow fraternity brothers, a mass of sorority girls, and just the student body in general would get smashed on some random Wednesday night. 

With Winamp for a DJ and floors filthy from spilled drinks and countless cigarette butts (they used to allow smoking inside; no it wasn't back in the 80's damn it - I'm not that old) we would drunkenly dance and sway the night away.  When it finally came for closing time we would all drunkenly jay walk back to frat row with blackened nine-O-toes (for those brave enough to have worn sandals) with the satisfaction of another night of debauchery under our belts.

My last trip to this bar/club/hole was my graduation day.  In our caps and gowns, we all wandered into the 9-0 one last time at 6:30 AM to grab one more memorable drink.  Why?  Because it was our way of leaving the school just the way we came in - drunk.
4 - J M.: The pub is a hole-in-the-wall, in the good sort of way.  Very college oriented and populated by, well, college students.  A fair assortment of beers, with an exceptional happy hour -- 2 for 1 drinks, 4-8pm, 7 days a week.

My only concern was the guy checking IDs at the door.  I haven't looked 21 in a long time, and the guy obviously knew that, since he assured us "we just want to know who comes in here".  Then I noticed the digital photo being taken of my driver's license as he swiped it through his machine...  Is that legal?
3 - Josh R.: I used to come here during the good ol' days of being a USC student. I even came here until my last moments as a student, the morning I graduated. I love that they opened it up early in the morning to give graduates one last hurrah. The momosas really helped me get through commencement. 

This place is a total dive, and you won't really appreciate it unless you go to USC. It's a great place to hang out with friends and get drunk any night of the week. It's not glamorous, and I never tried the food, nor would I ever. But, it gets the job done, and is a great place to watch USC football, especially if you don't have tickets to a home game, or come after a home game to have a drink and wait out the traffic leaving the Coliseum.
5 - R W.: USC's only real bar. 

Drinks are STRONG, girls are attractive, and service is good enough.
2 - Geno B.: The one thing I have to say about this place is DON'T come for the food. The pizza is decent enough, but everything else on the menu is pretty bad. It's all very bland, and cooked horribly.

The drink deals are not too bad, and the bar service is attentive enough. Lots of "typical" college students crowding up the place. It is fun to go and watch the sorority girls tripping over themselves and the guys trying to take them home. Karaoke is also quite amusing to watch.

Definitely a lot of better bars downtown, with much more interesting people, and better drink options. It's nice that it's so close school, and the inside isn't as gross as it could be, but it's too bad that it's one of the few options around USC. If you're not living in the area, I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to come here.
5 - MAC M.: Beside Staples Center, the 901 is a great spot to check out the LAKERS win this years championship. My only advice, get there "EARLY"! 
Oh yeah, you'll be leaving the 901 singing the following verse!

Blame it on the ah ah ah ah ah alcohol 
Blame it on the ah ah ah ah ah ah alcohol
4 - Dennis R.: My feelings about this place are beyond love / hate. It's like that girl you've been seeing on and off for years, and at this point you know the relationship isn't going anywhere and she kind of sucks but you keep getting drunk and hooking up with her anyways.

I hate it because it's an expensive crowded dump that you frequently have to wait an hour in line for. I hate it because it's the only choice for bars within walking distance of USC. 

But my oh my do I love it too. I love that I know the DJs, and that they play techno music to clear everyone out like rats at 2AM. I love how the Panda Express sign subliminally advertises the "after-party" that goes on there the whole night. I love how they blatantly allow smoking inside, almost as much as I love how everyone in there is blatantly underage. I love the hot girls doing coke in the bathroom, and I love that I'll usually run into someone I know there who is drunk enough to buy me a drink. I love that I can cut with the VIP line (or that a shithole bar like this can even have a VIP line in the first place). I love how I fell asleep there on a Sunday night once.

Most of all, I love how when I go there after a long hiatus, the bouncers all tell me "Welcome home." With sincerity. Well, I guess I kinda hate that too. Um, four stars.
4 - Tom B.: The Ninety is like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: During the day it is actually a fairly legitimate sports bar, at night it is an overcrowded and sweaty mass of students. If you are an undergraduate or recent USC graduate, you probably enjoy both sides of the coin. If not, it's probably best if you avoid The 9-0 past 9pm.

As far as sports bars go, I'm not sure there's a better one in downtown Los Angeles. Then again, I haven't done much searching. But they have a ton of flatscreens, and some decent bar food. The pizza is actually pretty good, and most of the other dishes I've tried have been at least OK.

What sets it apart, though, is the happy hour. Running from 4pm to 8pm (I believe), happy hour at The 9-0 features 2-for-1 drinks... Meaning two tall glasses of beer for $5. Not a bad deal at all, especially considering they usually have some legitimate beers on tap: Sam Adams seasonal, Pyramid, etc.

As a college dive, well... It seems like people are always bitching about The 9-0, but on any given Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday during the school year, there is bound to be a line out the door and around the corner. It gets PACKED on the inside, but that's all part of the fun... If you know at least a few of the people you're jammed up against.

It's entirely too expensive for a college bar, but I guess you can get away with that when you have a monopoly. Well cocktails will run you $10 a piece, but if you stick to specials you can usually get out without breaking the bank. On Tuesdays it's $4 for your first Miller Lite and $2 for refills... So if you reach the $10 credit card minimum, you should be good and drunk. Wednesdays are Jack & Coke night, and I think Thursdays are $0.99 Kamikazes... But I'm not sure. Word.
4 - Edgar S.: As a USC student, you'll end up at the 9-0. I was a grad student so couldn't really stand the crowd past 10pm, all undergrads, but before then it's an actual sports bar, with plenty of TVs, an awesome 2-for-1 Happy Hour (til 8pm), good bar food and good service.
5 - Diana W.: It's a sloppy Trojan Tradition. Enough said.

Oh yah, 2-for-1 happy hour. You can't beat that with a stick.
1 - Josh F.: What is this dive? It's nonsense. It seems like the extension of USC's frat row in a bar form. I don't get why it is so popular but when something becomes a staple in a community it's hard to change that. I don't think I have ever left that place with clean shoes.
1 - tiffany y.: this place is gross.  if you live at sc, it's convenient, cheap (on weeknights), and can be fun... but when it really comes down to it, i would never go there.  i think the word that best describes this place is: STICKY.  also, there's a line a lot of the time, the bartenders aren't very cool, and the place gets really hot and muggy.  if you have to drive to get to this place... you should just drive past it and check something else out.
2 - Tina m.: it was only $5 for a large cocktail when I went on Sat. night at 9:30pm. I thought that was pretty cheap but it's not a bar i'd go back to. it's a half-assed attempt at a sports bar (which isn't even my thing to begin with).

i'm an sc student and i live super close but i'll make the 10 minute drive downtown for a decent bar with a better crowd.

i don't party on frat row but for some reason the frat guys party at the 9-0. they should just stick to their houses cause they kind of make me nautious.
1 - David T.: Its my understanding that credit card minimums are in violation of merchant contract agreements with MasterCard. 

You can report them at: 

http://www.mastercard.com/us/personal/en/contactus/merchantviolations.html

Notice the check box towards the bottom "In order to make a MasterCard purchase, the merchant/retailer required a minimum or   maximum amount."

After I purchased a drink I was told there is a $10 minimum for purchases with credit cards and had to buy a second drink.
3 - Debra P.: There are better bars in downtown area than this one, but this is pretty close to USC and it's the only one i guess. Overall it was ok, the food and everything. But sometimes it gets too crowded.
4 - Mary W.: 901...I like it a lot!!!

My husband and I came to see a Laker's game at the Staples Center earlier this year and we got there a little early. So we decided to spend our money on drinks prior to the game rather than spending money on overcharged drinks at the game. We drove up and down Figueroa and I was terrified of everything down that street.

MY 1ST IMPRESSION...901 looked like a hole in the wall bar that probably doesn't cater or even welcome people who are my or my husbands race.

But my husband and I wanted to drink up before the game so damn bad we finally decided this place is a little more decent than the seedier places we drove past on S. Figueroa so we walked in. It's so not what my 1st impression was...It was especially empty there that day and it was during happy hour. The bartender was extremely nice and tended to our every need...I'm sure since there really wasn't anyone else there. He even changed the channel on one of the screens so we could watch a basketball game instead of the xtreme sports channel they had it on before we got there. I felt like I was sitting in the trophy room of the USC Trojan's for a while but after a few drinks I really didn't care. 

I tell ya...That bartender got us right!...and all for the right price!!! It wasn't expensive here at all and I would definitely come back for a pre-game drink when the basketball season starts again!!! Thanks 901 bartender guy!!!
2 - Lindsay M.: More commonly known as the '9-0,' this is the pride and joy of USC's fraternity and sorority population.  Now, I'm not bashing on the row or anything, but merely stating that as a known fact.  Take it as you will.

It is quite unfortunate that it is one of very few options for USC students to drink around campus.  And more unfortunate that 90% of the crowd is peering around to find the hot girl/guy they want to makeout with in the dark corner by the bathrooms. Let's just say it's not exactly the place to 'keep it classy.'

The music is your basic top 40s playlist blaring from the speakers that slowly tranforms into a medley of 80s metal songs around 12AM only to end with a rousing rendition of 'Don't Stop Believin' sung by all the bros in the room.  So really, in finding your hottie of the night, it's gotta be all about the eye contact, cause you won't hear shit in there.

They have the lowest variety well drinks, but they are cheap...I did enjoy the 2 for 1 deals.  
BEWARE: I've heard many rumors about watered down alcohol and Grey Goose bottles being filled with well vodka--I think this would be an appropriate time to use the word 'sketch'  

Basically, don't go here if you're not a college student. 
1. You're wasting your time
2. It's weird and creepy

All in all, you can expect yourself in a small room with a sticky floor, pushed up against girls way overdressed and guys in polos and fraternity shirts who are more concerned with what's under those $500 silk frocks.  (I'd drop a label name, but I don't really know designers very well...rodarte for target, anyone??)


Two stars, not one for the following few reasons:
1. Panda Express and Chano's are right next door, convenient to stumble to after your run in with the Captain, or better yet, Mr. Daniels
2. I have to admit I had some amusing run-ins at the bar (with that other 10% of the crowd)
3.When anyone mentions the 9-0, I find myself cracking a grin and enjoying a small chuckle followed by, 'oh the 9-0.'

...It's like that person from high school that you really didn't like, but looking back, you have to admit they provided some good times.
3 - Christopher C.: I watched a game here on a Sunday, and it met my needs.  The fish n' chips were below average, but there was a drink special and I had a solid view from a comfortable seat.  I would like to check it out at night.
4 - Ricardo X.: great  place to go for lunch.  bartender anthony is good peoples and so is the manager. (forgot her name) It is kinda pricy but the Greek Chkn salad is really good. Wash it down with a beer and your ready to sleep through the last couple hrs of work....
2 - Emmie M.: I love the pizza.
I love the happy hour. 
I love the jalapeno poppers. LOVE them.

BUT....the post grad crowd that still lingers around (which primarily consists of 9-0 management) is creepy. They tend to discriminate if someone isn't the typical "Frat-tastic" bar goer. They make some people feel terrible just because they can. I fear it has something to do with their inability to let go of their "glory years." Essentially, this is a bar that looks like anyone's basement. And it smells. Stale.
4 - Ingrid R.: It is either heaven sent or a plan for total destruction to have a bar with 2-for-1 drinks so close to school!! The happy hour lasted till 9pm on a Friday!! that is crazy stuff. I have had the nachos in the past and they were very good. I've heard that it is a completely different scene late a night but I have yet to experience it so i can't comment on that.
3 - Ishan J.: So bad it's good. You know what I mean?
3 - Michelle H.: If you are a part of Greek system at USC you've experienced the "9-0" at least once...and for some it was more like once a week.  I'm not big on the bar scene, but I still managed to go a handful of times.  Its nothing too special but it is very apart of USC.

During the day they have tables and serve all your basic bar food.  They've got your pizza, fries, buffalo wings, etc.  All oily and hearty and taste better when you wash it down with a beer or two.  They have a bunch of flat screen TVs around so you can watch whatever game is on at the time.  At night when the college crowd comes they clear the tables and play music videos on the monitors.  They also have a DJ playing music above the door.  Literally above, just look up after you enter.

They have some nice happy hour specials if plan on staring trip between 4 and 8.  It is usually 2 for 1 drinks and a special bonus deal.  The bonuses are like dollar shots of sex on the beach or other fruity shots.  I found that they make their drinks well and they don't skimp.

It gets really crowded on Thursday - Saturday nights aka college party nights.  Now that I'm old and graduated, I don't see myself ever going back to the 9-0, unless I have a strong desire to have a tipsy walk down some of my college memories.
5 - Nick C.: Best bar ever if your an SC student.  Others really don't show up past 10PM.  Happy hour is 2 for 1's 4-9PM.  Alot of memories here and everyone who's someone ends their night at the 9-0 if they go to SC.
3 - Samantha M.: Oh, the 9-0. You haven't had the full experience of being a USC student if you haven't made a stop at the 9-0 at least once. If you are a non-USC student (or a non-college kid for that matter), you really should try somewhere else.

Happy hours seem to last forever, from 4pm to 9pm, offering a sweet 2 for 1 deal on all drinks. They have a range of about 6 beers on tap and a bunch of other bottled beers. One thing though, they don't have Bud Light. Weird. Beers go for about $5 or $6 while the mixed drinks and cocktails are around $10. One time when I was there, the bartender made something up and called it "Spread Your Legs". It was an amazingly fruity drink. Try it if you get the chance to.

Food is average bar fair. Waffle fries and onion rings are pretty popular. I hear their pizzas are good, but I've never tried it. They have about 8 flatscreen TVs hanging from every wall so this is a great place to hang out and watch a game.

I've always wondered about the huge, snaking line of people waiting to get in on those Friday and Saturday nights. The 9-0 is not a big place. How the hell do all those people fit inside?!
5 - Quisha H.: This place isn't much to look at....okay it's NOTHING to look at but by golly I will come here every chance I get!! And I say this as a NON USC STUDENT!! 2 for 1 on ALL drinks weekdays until 9. It is impossible to leave here even remotely sober. I use to frequent this place after work when I worked down the street.

PLEASE USE CAUTION...with the cheap prices and strong, tasty drinks it's easy to get carried away. 2 large Adios' are only 10 bucks. I always have the same waitress cute little blonde girl with glasses who always remembers what I like and is *super* nice I luv her!!

Just a FYI once happy hour is over at 9 they clear all the tables out because apparently USC kids like to pack into this tiny space and dance. Also parking can be a beast as the lot only holds 15 cars (maybe) at the most.
3 - Hugo V.: I arrived here on a Friday night towards the end of Happy hour, the majority of the people seemed like they had been there for that...friends, co-workers and randoms. 

Seems like a great place to go during happy hour 2 for 1 drinks. 

 The crowd was mostly young 21-30ish... A lot of young people just chatting... Food is ok although that's  not a driving force as to why you should come here. 

I wish they would have played some good music vs. showing the baseball game on their screens...weak!
1 - J D.: During one of our Bar Hopping nights around the USC Campus, we decided to stop by this bar at the recommendation of the bellman at our hotel.  What a big mistake.

After scarfing down some Mexican Food at Chano's Drive-In down the block, we stopped by here for some Beer and fun.  A few of us arrived a little early while the rest of the group was finishing their food to scope it out.  We paid the $5 cover charge and went to the bar to order some Beer.  I ordered a Blue Moon and sipped on it while the rest of the guys went to check out the place.

After about 10 minutes, one of my friends said "Let's get out of here and go somewhere else"....he was insistent that we leave right away.  With 1/2 a Beer left, I was a little upset, but left anyway.

We found the rest of the group and headed somewhere else.  During the walk to the next bar, he explained that there were 3 hood-rats at the bar next to us with a set of Brass Knuckles sitting on the bar in front of them.....that means they were looking for trouble.  With a group of 30+ people, we didn't want any part of that.

The baffling part is why would the bar allow that?  They should have been tossed.  We didn't say anything because it was not our place to do so.

Will I return?  Hell no!
3 - Sebastian L.: Another 'SC/Notre Dame game (really, Mitch? Really?!!)...another opportunity to get reacquainted with the 9-0. God, how I love you, 9-0, and how I've loved you for such a long, long time now. 

Back in the day when I went to 'SC and was in a house, we spent many a night there. They even used to have painted footprints on the street leading back to the Row so you never had to worry about being too wasted and getting lost. And back then, the 9-0 was a pit. The ceiling was about 9 feet high, no windows, a few lightbulbs, someone puking by the pinball machines in the corner...and they would ring a cowbell like clockwork at last call to let everyone know it was time to leave.

It wasn't a pleasant place, but it was THE place to hang out. To this day, I have no idea why, but it just was.

Times have changed, and so has the 9-0, and it is STILL the place to hang out before games.

A few years back, this place underwent a complete renovation. The ceilings have been lifted to almost 20 feet high, giving the interior a barn-like feel. The original windows have been re-exposed and the place is filled with natural light. They installed a designated seating area along the wall, which makes perfect sense because everyone used to just sit on the top of the booths anyway. They installed probly 10-12 flat screens around the room so there's not a bad seat in the house. And the food has gotten better.

Here's the thing about this place: if you aren't a student or an alumn returning for a game, I can't imagine why in the world you would ever want to go here when there are so many better places to spend your time. But in an ever-changing world, the 9-0 is one of my happy constants.
1 - Andrew W.: I am a Trojan saying this.  Unreasonable drink prices, terrible music, way too crowded.

Terrible excuse for a college bar.
2 - Daphney B.: This is (unforturnately) one of the first places you hear about when you get to USC-probably because it's the place closest to campus that you can get into under-aged that is not a frat house. When you're legal, it just becomes the place you go to close to campus before you go to your actual final destination. They re-did this place a couple years ago, but I liked it better sans the flat-screen TVs when the likes of Matt Leinart still roamed around the hood.

No, I wouldn't recommend making a trip out of your way here, but if you're on campus-why the heck not.
4 - Lauren L.: When you're bored, it's fun.....

.....but 'tis a trashhhhhhhy dive bar.
5 - Johnny H.: the 9-0 is great, tailgate the game and if you dont have tix go here.
4 - William G.: Can't beat this happy hour in town! 2 for 1 drinks during happy hours including well drinks, can't beat this in town. The prices are super cheap, and the place is not that bad. If you work around the USC area, or attend, check this plce out, great sports bar/kick it spot. They have appetizers and plenty of room for your post work hang out.  They have now parking, but you'll find places to park across the streets.  Go here and get drunk in order to forget the daily grind.
4 - Kimberly B.: Typical college dive bar super close to USC 
but 2for1 drink specials for happy hour... 
what's not to like!? 
And they have happy hour every day! 

The chili cheese waffle fries are DELICIOUS.
The rest of their menu looks pretty good too.
4 - Janelle R.: Walking distance from USC, this place is good for getting together with friends after classes to blow off steam or whatever.  The staff is really nice and they gave us free rounds whenever someone had a birthday or something to celebrate.  Almost everything here is fried so, obviously, its deliciously fatty, cheesy, and a heart attack in the making.  Avoid the buffalo wings, but the waffle fries and cheese sticks are great
4 - Eva V.: Never heard of this place, but I came here with a couple folks for a friend's goodbye celebration. It was definitely their off night, since we were some of the only people there and it was a Thursday night. I was really impressed with their service-- we had the nicest waiter and the food and drinks were prompt. Not a terrific selection of beer on tap, but they did have Sierra Nevada and Blue Moon which isn't too bad. Crazy delicious waffle fries-- a must eat! We could have done a lot worse and if I'm ever in the area and looking for a place to get a casual drink, I'll come back. Note: parking is, however, terrible... carpool.
3 - Elle E.: If you are looking for a casual place to grab a burger and a good happy hour, this is it. 2 for 1 is always a win. The waffle fries are a must. Yum!!  The only con is how crazy packed it gets. It will actually have a wait outside the door at times. Ummmm, not happening.
3 - Laura F.: If you are close to USC and have nothing better to do, just go.
Yes, it is a college bar.
The food is ok and they put the games on T.V. which is great.
4 - Nicole L.: BEST HAPPY HOUR AROUND. 2 for 1 drinks every day, and deals with a student ID. Super friendly staff & lots of TV's for sports, etc. The food is surprisingly awesome. Boneless buffalo wings are my fav, mac n cheese and the Italian salad are really good too. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area and need a good place for some bar food & drinks.
3 - Paul A.: The only real 'college bar' USC has to offer.
Expect to see lots of students on a busy night. It's a little gritty, but that's a good thing if you're in the mood for it.
4 - Alex V.: The place to be if youre an SC kid on a night where you want to go out.

But what people always forget is that the food is BOMB. I tried their normal burger the other day, and it was to die for.
1 - Mike R.: We walked into this place because we wanted to find a local place for happy hour before we saw Morrissey at the shrine. First off they didn't offer happy hour specials because it was USC game day. The staff was rude and bartenders would not even look in our direction. We stood near a group of waitresses and neither of them even acknowledged that we were there. After being in there for about 15min we had to leave. And everyone in there starred daggers at us. This place was douchebag central!
5 - Gary M.: Well this spot is the best place to watch a USC game. So if you are looking for a lively hard core USC crowd this is the spot. There is a $5 cover charge on game day and they have no parking so look for street parking or a nearby lot but those run pretty steep about 10 - 20 bucks to park. Most of the meters there don't need money after 8 pm but if it's a day game the meters usually only give you 1 hour. The bar itself removes all tables and chairs, and is all standing room only but they do have some bleachers set up against the wall to watch the game. They pack the bodies inside and their drinks just keep flowing. Beers are $6 bucks and then we ordered a pepperoni pizza that was thin crust and it was delicious greasy goodness. I want everyone to understand that this is a whole in the wall spot with a great party scene. This is not your upscale trendy overpriced snooty bar in downtown or on Sunset BLVD. This place is comfortable and chill which makes it perfect for game day. I love that you get the feel of the stadium crowd without being at the game, of course it is never the same but it gets pretty damn close.
4 - Ashley D.: 2 for one drinks! i got 2 tall drinks for 10 bucks! the pizza is really good also... i would have gave 5 stars but the drinks can be a lil watered down im assuming cause of there 2 for one special they try n water them down buut thats still a good deal. 4 drinks for 20 bucks not bad at all, it did the job ;) i will be back :)
4 - David M.: I come here for the drinks. great 2 for 1 happy hour. Usually full or half full with college kids. The fries are amazing and the pizza is decent.
1 - Bryan T.: READ THIS TO FIND OUT HOW DANGEROUS THIS BAR IS FOR WOMEN: I've been to this bar close to 20 times, both alone, with a couple friends and several times I've gone with very large groups of coworkers. To break it down very simply, when I go alone or with a couple friends, we sit at the bar, and everything goes fine.  The second we bring more than a couple people, we have to sit at tables and we end up getting ripped off by the servers.  This has happened now 4 TIMES!!  You might wonder why I would go back to a bar that has ripped me off 4 times, and the reason is that I couldn't convince other people to stop going there until it happened to them as well.  One at a time my friends and coworkers started to find that they were being cleverly ripped off by the servers during happy hour.  Extra drink here, wrong price there.  Once I even tipped the server in cash, and got home only to found she had ADDED HER OWN TIP TO MY CHECK!

After last night however, they won't have to worry about any of us ever returning (35 of us who were all regular customers). We decided to use them to give our Assistant Principal a going away party.  They reserved 3 tables for us, which isn't that much, but we grew larger and larger as people showed up.  The difference this time was that the server refused to do split checks as they had EVERY TIME we had been there, and instead took 1 credit card and said she would split all the checks at the end.  Well, the end came, and after everyone split off their food there was still $91.00 left on the check and the server had no clue who had eaten what, even though it was her choice to wait until the end to split checks.  THEN, we realize as we're paying our checks, SHE ADDED GRATUITY TO EACH CHECK!! No wonder she wanted to keep it on one tab, what a dumb @$$. What server doesn't realize you make WAY more money when you split checks than when you have one big check? People tip smaller percentages on larger checks.  Anyways, people kept offereing more and more money to pay down the bill (multiple people paid for more than they ordered), all the way until there was only $21.00 left on a tab that had begun at over $500.00.  But that wasn't good enough, so finally everyone just decided to leave and let the manager eat the mistake his server had made.  But I realized a few people hadn't left yet, so I walked back in only to see that the manager and a bartended had cornered the last female in the group and were towering over her threatening not to let her leave until she gave them the last $21.00!!!  THEY PURPOSELY CORNERED THE MOST INTOXICATED WOMAN IN OUR GROUP AND THREATENED HER UNTIL SHE PAID!!  Then when we walked outside there was some Armenian guy sitting a car with a 901 shirt on staring at us like he was some kind of mob enforcer smoking a cigar waiting for us to leave.

Oh yeah, and after the manager forced the last innocent female to pick up the remainder of the tab, he looked at her and said "DON'T EVER $#!#ING COME BACK HERE AGAIN!"   Great way to treat a group of people who have contributed thousands to your bar over the last 4 years.  Bye bye 901.
1 - bushpilot b.: I was part of Bryan T.'s group (see review from today) though I left early and so avoided all of the unpleasantness that my coworkers had to endure.

That said, it doesn't surprise me that it happened.  I've never felt that this place is run by people who care about their patrons (their staff has never impressed me in any way, and I've been UN-impressed numerous times).  This place instead seems to be one that cares only about all the money they make off of their regulars: college kids (an age group that rarely makes discerning choices about where their dollars go... if you're a college-kid hangout, I can be pretty certain I'm going to be unhappy with the level of service - I avoid these places like I'd avoid the plague).

Every time my coworkers have encouraged me to go here, I've always agreed with a sense of rueful resignation: I simply wouldn't spend my precious time or money here, ever, but have agreed to do so in the past because precious people in my life have wanted to.

Never again.

PS: ride your bike or walk if you do come here, there's zero parking, and college kids: look forward to the day you realize that you don't have to eat an expensive (monetary or spiritual) bowl of s*** to enjoy yourselves, and that there are indeed places that are grateful for your patronage.  I'll buy you a drink when you arrive.
2 - Alyssa B.: I'll be honest: I've never actually set foot in this place, but we did order delivery.

The pros: The food got here fast, like 30 minutes, when the wait was expected to be 45. The food itself was okay, nothing special.  This is why they get 2 stars instead of 1.

The cons: I was fine, but the next morning I got a text from my boyfriend: "I just barfed so hard it came out my nose."  We called them to ask if they treated their salad with anything, because he's gotten the pukes a few times in the past couple of years and the common denominator has been salad, and the manager was absolutely adamant that they had nothing to do with it.  Not even a "We're sorry you puked your guts out after eating our food".

We don't think we'll order here again.
4 - Tom M.: College Dive Bar.

This is a Dump with Televisions and Eye Candy.  Concrete floors, About 20 TVs with sports on, Background music too low to hear, but too loud to ignore, Bad Food.  Crowded.  But if you want beer and burger to watch the game with other sports fans in an unpretentious atmosphere, this is for you.  

I happen to like Dive Bars.
4 - Christina B.: My brother, a USC student, took me there one night about a week ago..  I was a little out of place being that I'm FAR from college age and the place was packed with college students.  But I really had a good time.  Got an overpriced but excellent gin and tonic.  We found a place to sit on a raised area up against the wall.  Good place to people watch.  Music was really loud but if you have wimpy ears, stay the hell out.
3 - Val L.: Happy birthday J.  Can't believe white boy had an alcoholic beverage. Good seeing you! Packed after 11, great bartenders
5 - Shonte T.: I absolutely adore this place, there happy hour is great! Perfect place to watch a game or sporting event
4 - Ted C.: An SC Institution, Lord knows why or how.
Maybe it is your credo: "Ugly girls are not allowed!"

You tempt with your dollar beers you woo with happy hour
But it's tequila shots and bourbon waters that I so loved to devour

OH!  Cherished "9-0"  five years I frequented thee. 
Somehow getting in, not yet 21 but with a poor fake I.D.

Concrete floors and Spartan decor puts a strain on the eyes
Even that cute DG over there cannot this place disguise.

We pack this place on Saturdays to watch our beloved Trojans Fight.  
Frat Boys, Asians, Hipsters and Nerds gather all cheering alike. 

A Trojan Conquest!  And libations pour, we yell Fight On and shout.  
A Trojan loss, The spirits console, we weep but never doubt 

Sports and boos tell oh so little of "9-0's" place in lore.
Weeknights I'd go there, drunk and horny, looking to score.

Tri Delt's, Kappa's, Theta's, and Alpha Phi's frequent Thursday Nights
2 AM, at my place, post "9-0" these ladies were true delights.

Brunettes and blonds, size zero's and two's oh you gather here so often
So many women of such hotness my dick would never soften

The memories so bright and vivid, the good times were so priceless
I'll be back!  My dear "9-0" at 45 during my Mid Life Crisis.
4 - Robert K.: Slutty Collage Chicks & Cheap Drinks. What more needs to be said?
2 - Carlus H.: This is without a doubt the worst bar I've ever been to. I'll break down the terribleness by category:

Karaoke-We went on a friday night for karaoke and good lord was it terrible. Even if you can look past the black out drunk frat guys making Jay-Z roll in his grave, the music is played at a volume too low for you to really hear. However, the mic levels were pushed to the ceiling meaning every slurred syllable is drilled right into your head. I assume this is so the staff can laugh at you. 

Service-Everyone who works here looks like they go home at night, stick a pistol in their mouth, and then after about ten minutes decide they don't have the courage to go through with it. This is reflected in the service. I waited at the bar for 10 minutes, gave my drink order (beer and a shot of whisky) with two other patrons and watched as the bartender filled their orders (about a dozen neon colored drinks full of Malibu) instead of mine. The doormen are also incredibly surly, though to be honest I would be too if I was forced to work here.

Ambiance- People are packed in here like sardines. Getting anywhere requires literally shoving people out of the way. I tried going out front to smoke a cigarette but the surly doorman said "The smoking area is in the back". I fought my way through the crowd and discovered that the "smoking area" is actually just a 5x5 fire escape exit. My buddy and I were having a cigarette when we realized that the fire escape is actually padlocked shut. My buddy asked what would happen if there was a fire and I replied that we would all burn to death and deserve it.

I'm not even going to describe the bathrooms.

Clientele- Drunk frat dudes. Wall to wall. Drunk beyond comprehension even. After my ill-fated trip to the bar I turned around to leave. The guy in front of me was trying valiantly to put his wallet into his back pocket and failing miserably. Normally this wouldn't effect me at all but due to our extreme proximity it meant he would brush my crotch after every attempt. After I pointed this out to him he raised his wallet above his head and scurried off into the crowd. It was the closest I came to getting laid that night.

The bar itself is like an overcrowded nature preserve of douchebaggery, but I'll give it an extra star because I got a good story out of it. Go once, marvel that a place like this exists in Barack Obama's America, and never return.
3 - Nicole L.: You can't consider yourself a Trojan unless you've been to the 9-0. Their AMFs basically run through your veins. Now..is it worth the trek if you've graduated? That's a whole different story.

It gets ridiculous on the obvious weeks (game weekends, Senior Week!, or basically any night you want really). Walk up, present your (fake) ID, straight shoot to the bar for your AMF, rub shoulders with everyone and anyone, and you're done. 

Our beloved 9-0 is a dive bar..there's no doubt about it. Do we still love it like a mother loves the ugly duckling? Yes. 

Two stars for the bar/drinks/atmosphere..one star for sentimental memories
4 - Donavon L.: This is a USC must for any student, not just the Row/Greek kids. Great staff and if you are looking for SC beautiful people, they are all here. COme on out and get down. I hear the DJs are pretty fun on Tuesdays and Thursdays too.
2 - Eder P.: Don't even bother coming here if you aren't a fan of USC.

Do I like USC?

Yes.

But this bar just doesn't offer me anything in the way of anything. I can picture this place full of rowdy college kids on any given Saturday during a USC game, but I'm past that stage in my life.
2 - Javier J.: This is where USC douche bags go when they can't muster the energy, taxi fare or just didn't ask daddy for some spending cash and couldn't afford that trip to Seventh Grand. 

It's a Trojan headquarters, which is only fitting since it's filled with a lot of dicks. 

Okay, that's a little harsh and crude, but let's just lay it out there. It's the slumming it of the USC crowd. It's a terrible sports bar and the service and atmosphere is really bad when it's a night club. 

They do have a slew of specials, but none of them seem worthy enough for you to come down for and endure just being in here. 

It may be your scene if you're still tossing around the beer pong. It is pretty crowded on weekends, so perhaps if you're into the meat market scene.. but for most, this sort of setting and lack of anyone giving a fuck, added in with the amount of police around this area laying in wait for you... Yeeeeeeah, it's not the best. 

Careful with the riffraff here.

91 Sidney - Cambridge, MA (42.360883, -71.102234) (Central Square)
4 - Lily L.: 91 Sidney is part of the University Park system.  It's one of the newer buildings.  

Pros:
Location: It's located near the MIT graduate dorms so it has easily accessible transportation: #1, #70, #70A, EZ Ride, and MIT Shuttles.  Also within walking distance to Central.

Prices: So the prices for the 1 bedroom has come down significantly.  Now, the 580 sq ft bedroom are on the market for about $1700!!!  When I was looking around Feb, the prices were around $2100.  I'm guessing the referral fee is around $750 because that's the referral fee for 100 Landsdowne.

Gym: 91 Sidney has the full machines available.  The gym is accessible to other residents within the University Park system though.

Parking: If you sign up on the first day, you park at this deck for $100.  If you live at KBL or Loft23, parking is also assigned to this deck.

Cons:
View: The view from the 1 bedroom is pretty ugly.  I think I saw bricks.  There are no good views from the 1 bedroom apartments as far as I can tell.
2 - Harry H.: Well it happened again.  At 2:30 this morning (October 1), I got woken up by the smell of pot smoke in my bedroom.  Went outside and the entire hallway smelled of pot.  Went downstairs and the person behind the desk told me something I already knew (see below), security couldn't do anything because the source couldn't be determined.  I told her yes, I know they're useless.  If you read the 2 "filtered" reviews they describe this place as being dorm like.  I agree with this assessment.  I will say again that it's too bad because this place is great in every other way, but management caters to the students a bit too much.

For some reason my previous review got "filtered."  I don't know why this would have happened.  I've lived here 3 years and stand by what I wrote.  As a matter of fact, this morning at 2:00 AM (September 24) the smell of cigarette smoke was so bad in our bedroom that my wife went to sleep on the couch and I had to open the window.  This experience has taught me to check the filtered reviews on Yelp if you want to get the real scoop.  Anyway, I'm repeating my original review below.

Not a bad place, if you don't mind the smell of smoke.  You can't smoke in the common areas but you're allowed to smoke in your apartment.  As anyone who's lived in an apartment can tell you, if you allow smoking in the apartments you may as well allow smoking everywhere because you can't keep the smell of smoke from entering your neighbor's unit.  Management has a bunch of CYA measures that don't work, like sealing around openings in your apartment which does absolutely nothing.  Security is no help either.  I called them once because the smell of pot was filling my apartment.  They came but said they couldn't enter my apartment to confirm, they could only walk down the hallway.  There is a positive air flow into the apartments, so they weren't able to smell anything even though my apartment reeked.  The next time, the pot smell was so overpowering in the hallways that it was entering everybody's apartment.  They came, said they could smell the pot, but it was too prevalent to pin point which unit it was coming from, so there was nothing they could do.  In other words, they were completely useless again.  I don't know why management caters to smokers over non-smokers.  It's a shame because this place is great in every other way, but if you don't like the smell of smoke, cigarette or otherwise, filling up your bedroom as you're trying to sleep, I'd look elsewhere.

919 Palm Parking Garage - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2821034, -120.6628927) ()
5 - Steven P.: Garages are located on:  842 Palm, 919 Palm, and 871 Marsh

Monday - Wednesday:  8 AM - 7 PM
Thursday - Saturday:  8 AM - 11 PM
First 60 minutes free
$0.75/hour
$7.50 daily maximum
No overnight parking

Meters:
30 minute meters - $1.25/hour
2 hour meters - Downtown - $1.25/hour, Outlying Areas - $0.75/hour
10 hour meters - $0.75/hour
5 - Kris A.: Free parking on Sundays!

75 cents per hour after the first hour? Compare that to parking structures in the big cities of California. What a steal!

Beware parking here during Farmers Market on Thursdays, as this place will be poppin with cars just like the streets of SLO (aka full capacity folks).

935M - Atlanta, GA (33.7778687, -84.4086724) ()
4 - Matty H.: Lived here for 2 years. Love it. Good staff, maintenance and neighbors.
1 - Kurtis G.: This place is not a place you want to live. The rent price is appealing but the apartment complex grounds is very disgusting. The halls are very dirty and smell like dog urine. The staff are very nice but the manager doesn't really have the grounds under control. There are many days the elevators won't work. Plus, you will have to get use to many residents leaving trash around the apartments. Oh, and don't forget to watch out for the dog poop that is laying around... You might step in some on a daily basis. 

Really it's a bad situation. There are ton of complaints.

94th Aero Squadron - College Park, MD (38.9761857, -76.9213346) ()
4 - Niki V.: 94th Aero Squadron was an interesting place to stop for dinner - it was on our way home from NYC. The place was nicely landscape with couple of airplanes on the grass and the dcor inside showed photos and items of the old old old times. The restaurant over looks College Park airport runway - but we couldn't see it because of the tall trees/bushes blocking our view.

We order buffalo wings (sauce on the side), salads with ranch dressing and salmon. The salmon with garlic mash potatoes and veggies were GREAT! And of course we stuff our self with bread and popcorn. 

Check it out if you're in the area!
4 - Nicole P.: I worked here years ago, and hated working here, so when I don't give compliments to this restaurant lightly.

The food is pretty darn good.  If you go to the 94th, you will get an above average meal.  Especially the Sunday brunch.  The brunch is fantastic.  Come hungry.  The ambiance is nice.  It's a french farmhouse look with all kinds of mixed WWI and WWII decor all over, big band music playing in the background.  You can watch the planes take off and land on the College Park airport strip, if you dine at the right time.  Again, great food, nice looking place, decent service, but don't, for the love of God, ever work there.
4 - aaron f.: Good food and good service here.. laid back, not pushy, a different atmosphere than you are normally accustomed too around the area. 

no hustle and bustle outside - just a very unique setting at a very historic location.

(the oldest working airport in the world) where the wright brothers used to teach pilots

i shattered my collar bone outside the place in a bike accident - i got insdie and they gave me a bathroom to clean up in and ice for my shoulder till my "ride" got there.
4 - Kim S.: I have been to this place for brunch and dinner. Most recently for brunch.

The young staff is not really attentive but the food makes up for it. We were seated, waited for our server, then decided to just go help ourselves to the buffet. When we got back to our seats we had water! yay! The server arrived 10 minutes in our meal.

Bacon, sausage, grits, eggs, an omelette station, carving station, pasta, salads, crab legs, shrimp, desserts and more! Brunch is from 10a-2pm but after 12 you can have a free mimosa (only one!)

If you are the romantice type - go for dinner. The place is dimly lit and very quite.

Great view of the runway - which usually showcases a family of deer running after each other!
4 - J. R. H.: High salutes for service and food quality.  94ths are a franchise similar to Chart House, and this one does not disappoint.  They serve a very decent entree of crab cakes. 

I've brought large groups and VIPs here with great satisfaction.  It's not the best service or food quality I've ever had, but it's solid and consistently good...a great value for mid-upper range.

The outdoor patio is a nice after-work gathering spot.

Also note...in a post SEP 2001 era, not much takes off or lands at College Park airport these days.
5 - Heather R.: awesome brunch on Sundays!! great food! great service!
4 - Natalie K.: This place is close to my house, and I love going there with either friends from out of town or just the immediate family. The menu is very nice, with entrees, soups and salads that are both homey and elegant. The decor is very nice too: simple but intimate. The only objection I have is that on weekdays at lunch, they allow businesses to have corporate lunches, which can get noisy. Perhaps a separate room for them would be nice so everyone could coexist and those would want to could have a quiet lunch too.
5 - bruce s.: Rave reviews for everything - atmosphere, food quality, service - all excellent. But I do believe the place has closed down for good. We haven't been by to look-see but their phone number is disconnected and their website says operations have discontinued. If true, very sad day in hell; this was a great fun place to dine.

The 3 other locations are apparently still open, in CA, IL and FL.
2 - Jeff M.: Appears to be closed now.
4 - Andrea C.: closed.  :-(
4 - Cesar P.: Sad to see this place is closed (though it seems it may come back after they fix all the flood damage).  We had our wedding reception there and they were excellent to us, very accommodating and helpful.  They gave us a great menu and worked with us to make our event special.  Great food, great staff, and the decor is very nice and rustic, with a great view of the airport. 

We've also been there for their insane holiday brunches.  Way too much food choices, and all of it good.  Hopefully this opens up again soon.

99 Cleaners - Pasadena, CA (34.145861, -118.1314983) (Pasadena)
5 - Diana L.: 99 Cleaners is by far the best dry cleaning service I received.  I get a lot of my formal dresses dry cleaned and they can be pretty pricey at other cleaners.  99 Cleaners' prices are very affordable, efficient with their work, and to top it off, the workers there are very friendly.  They also do professional tailoring, which I haven't had anything tailored, but will go here if I need something done.  I did get a zipper sewn back on my dress because it ripped off and they only charged $8.  They are located on the main street of Colorado, so this would be a place to drop off your clothes during your lunch hour, since there are a lot of businesses around.
5 - Janani R.: They do a fantastic job, and they have always been very pleasant. Extremely good prices as well.

999 Lounge - Manhattan, NY (40.8011962, -73.9614182) (Manhattan Valley)
4 - Gal S.: Nice and cozy neighborhood bar, frequented mostly by Columbia University students, but also some interesting locals. They have good drink specials, a very nice atmosphere, and good Caribbean food. The bar can contain about 25-30 people when crowded. Usually only on weekends. I was there a few times, and each time was different: Once they had live music, like a flute and guitar duo playing some jazz. Other nights they had a live DJ's playing old skool hip-hop or house music. The place is dark but again, very nice atmosphere. It is good for a date as well. Everybody is nice and cordial and welcoming.
4 - Khalib B.: To tell the truth this place would probably be a plain 3 star bar for me on most nights but I happen to frequent it the one night it gets an extra star in the form of one of my favorite NYC bartenders. 

Now to describe it, one only needs to only imagine a small on the corner lounge which is a bit too bright during the day due to it's massive windows. However once the sun goes down that loungey atmosphere can be felt. The music is chill and the seats are low, there isn't too much of a crowd and the people there are more about conversing with each other than about finding something to grind on. The bar is also in a residential area so it has regulars who just sort of chill there. 

So far none of that would make me a fan of a place. It certainly wouldn't make me hate but wouldn't make me keep coming back either. What does however is Mel. Yes Mel, remember her from the Tuesday night lush fest at Patrick Ryan's where you drank all the beer your body could contain and some heavy handed cocktails. Well she is working here now on Saturdays and in addition to the 5 dollar special on M drinks (mojitos, margaritas, etc) she is there to mix up Long Island Iced Teas that will put you on your caboose. Ever the friendly type she knows her customer base and loves making introductions, so even while lone wolfing it the bar becomes full of friends in a few minutes. She definitely adds fun and comfort to this bar and makes the experience here more pleasurable. 

So if you happen to be in the area, need a chill place to hang, and especially if it's Saturday come on in and let the mellow take over. I doubt you'll be disappointed. Stay thirsty my friends!

P.S. Freda's (See earlier review) is across the street and delivers to the bar.

@burger - Ann Arbor, MI (42.279429, -83.742937) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
3 - Sara G.: So many burger joints, so little bookstores.  

As the landscape of Ann Arbor changes, so must I.  It took me a few years to actually walk into Bruegger's Bagels (nee' Drake's). 

About this burger invasion...it's going to be hard for me to maintain maximum safe distance.  I relish a good juicy meat patty (or patties) creatively composed into a symphony with gooey cheese, crisp pickles, creamy avocado,etc., all flagrantly defying the laws of physics between two pieces of bun. 

@ has carved out a nice patio for themselves in the nearby alley. They have cute t-shirts for their staff to wear. Their prices seem pretty reasonable. Their burgers come with a generous portion of homemade chips!

Here's how you do it @ this joint:  You order at the register and are handed a small device that isn't a taser but looks like one.  You get your napkins and silverware (metal, not plastic!) then sit down.  Suddenly, your non-taser will buzz and start talking back to you.  A server will appear with your food and set it down on the table before you.  Everything comes with a piece of candy (jawbreakers, mostly). 

I "built" my own burger with cheddar, a fried egg and garlic mayo (the menu says "aioli" but the person taking your order reads it on their register as "mayo").  The egg wasn't cooked as hard as it should've been because after the first bite, the yolk was on me!  The burger itself was cooked medium-well, yet juicy.  The bun was fabulous (whole wheat?) and soft yet crisp-toasted on the outside.

I ponied up the extra $1 for skinny, skin-on fries.  They were average. I'll stick with the chips next time, which looked much more appetizing.

Here's my MAIN complaint: here are TWO flat screen televisions along the walls (maybe three, I didn't look above where we were sitting).  Each of them was tuned to a different channel. 

I don't understand WHY restaurants feel the need to have televisions. I detest televisions in any type of dining or drinking establishment.  If I want to watch TV while eating I'll stay home and make my own burger and watch something far more interesting than ESPN.  Am I to gather that these new burger joints are being tailored for a specific market?  If so, I'm staying the hell away.  I like my burger joints old school.

Aside from the pesky televisions, the service was great.  The servers were all smiles and extremely helpful. 

Blimpy's is my favorite, but heavier on the grease than most places.  For those in-between times, I can see myself coming back here for take-out.
3 - Dj M.: Waited for this place to open,and wanted it to be great. Like the look and vibe they've achieved. It makes me think that one of the Big Boy execs had paid a visit to one of the Bobby Flay burger joints and lifted much of his concept. However, it's not even close to being that good. BUT, it is better than Great Plains Burger Co. and Bagger Dave's in my opinion. I'll keep waiting for Five Guys to open in the fall on State Street.
3 - Preston O.: So far so good. I stopped by a few days ago and wanted to see how good there fries were. I was a little disappointed that they didn't have menus on the table and that you are forced to order in a cramped space when a lot of people come in but back to the fries. I decided to order the bbq, ranch fries which don't sound all that good but were actually pretty damn good. I was impressed so I think I'm gonna head back this week and try one of there burgers.
2 - Ashlie I.: In my opinion, a good burger doesn't need any extras - it should taste delicious all on its own. @burger falls short of delivering that simple, juicy burger. My burger was hopelessly bland and I needed to add salt and pepper to get any kind of flavor. I feel like the burger needed more fat and a lot more zing. The house-made potato chips had no salt on them! They tasted like deep fryer. As much as the food was lacking flavor, I have to say the service was great! The staff is all smiles and very helpful. Hopefully they will work on the food some more and create a tastier burger...otherwise I suggest going elsewhere.
2 - Tim K.: @burger would have been a much better value had the burgers been around $5...but to be spending close to $9 (with chips and drink) this becomes a problem.  For the same amount I could get much more food somewhere else.  

For this kind of price I would be expecting tons of flavor, but sadly there wasn't any.  I haven't a real beef burger in a few years and decided for this new place I would break down and get a real burger.  I got their guacamole burger with regular chips and a soft drink.  Honestly, it didn't blow me away by any means.  Flavorless and a little pricey.  Looks like I will be heading back to bean burgers after all!
5 - B F.: Burger was juicy and fresh. Service was all over it! Loved the strawberry cheesecake shake...please make a small one Togo! Chips were under salted but hot.
4 - Red G.: It's new, clean, plenty of seats. The service is good, and the people are very friendly. It now offers free wi fi for customers. The burgers are decent; I like the toasted buns and the various toppings to choose from. The chip comes free, the fries are $1 extra (I think). I had the garlic mushroom & Swiss burger and my friend had the veggie burger and both were pretty good.

There are better burgers out there and perhaps the prices are a bit high for some (or depending on the day, for us college students) but if you like burger with a good bun and a lot of toppings, this is a good place. I wouldn't be dying to come back but it will be one of the places that I come back once in a while.

Trying to decide between 3 stars and 4 stars, I'm giving 4 stars because of the friendly staff. Don't order the shake though unless you like the thick, overly sweet stuff. My strawberry shake had an artificial color I didn't like and it was way too sweet and sticky, not the way I like my shakes. It was similar to the Wendy's shake, which I also hate. I like my shakes made with real ice cream.
3 - Betsy W.: I went here one Sunday afternoon when I looking for a quick lunch while in downtown Ann Arbor. I'd passed this place several times but never actually went in. I decided to try it out. I loved that you were able to build your own burger. I got a simple cheese burger with bacon and mayonnaise on it. I also got an order of fries. 

The burger was good and the fries were good quality. This is a great place to go if you want a simple no frills good burger. I would go here again for a simple lunch.
3 - Jessica C.: Eh...not too impressed. The burger was good but not great. The place is pricy, you pay $10 for a burger, fries, & a soda (yes soda not pop!! :P)

The only cool thing about this place is the condiment table. Actually it's just a table with different flavored salts. There's the lawys salt, sour cream and onion salt, cheddar cheese salt, lime chill salt, etc. The salts are made for putting on popcorn but hey...it was unique and it made my fries taste interesting! 

Overall, the burgers are okay. I'd rather save my money and wait until Savas has $1 burger Mondays :)
2 - Ariel F.: The only thing that I liked at @burger was their strawberry pecan salad. It's a great combination of strawberries and lettuce with a raspberry vinaigrette. Unfortunately I can't give it a better rating because it was still over $8.
2 - M B.: Burger was nothing special.  Big fan of Five Guys.  @Burger wasn't even a contender today.  Music and TV played in restaurant was too loud to carry a conversation.
2 - Gjon C.: I ate here for lunch.  I wanted to like it, seemed like it could be a burger joint experience.  They did have a number of elements that tried to push them into the "hip" zone, but they just couldn't get there.  

The staff was very friendly and helpful.  The burger I ordered was not bad, presentation was good.  Although I like the @ idea, they at-ed the heck out of me.  The overall feeling I got is they were trying a bit too hard to do all the right things, but didn't stand in the middle of the place to see how it all came together.

I would certainly eat here before many other burger places out there, but not sure I would come her first.

Atmosphere **
Food **
Service ****
Overall **
4 - Jeffrey P.: I had a craving for burgers and decided to try @burger even after reading the mediocre reviews. The Southwest Jack burger had good flavor but didn't really have any kick to it. It was very slightly overdone, but still juicy and enjoyable. The chips were "meh", they didn't have much flavor, but did give a satisfying crunch. Next time I'll try sprinkling on one of their many seasonings from the condiment table.

I agree with the other reviewers that $7-$8 just for their burger and chips is a bit steep. I went during their daily 2-6PM special, where a burger+chips is just $5. For that price, I think @burger is a decent value and would recommend it to anyone looking to satisfy a late-lunch burger craving.
3 - Alex T.: The food is ok- the onion straws were delicious, if greasy and heartburn inducing. But the milkshake I had might've been the worst I've ever experienced. It tasted like melted ice cream mixed with FROSTING. Not delicious frosting, either. Grocery store cake frosting. It was undrinkable. Huge, though, so I guess it's a good deal if you can choke it down.

Also, WTF- "@burger"? Do they even understand how twitter works? Why are they trying to direct a message to this "burger" individual? And where is that message? Quit trying to be trendy, you're owned by Big Boy. Which is weird because Big Boy has far better shakes.
2 - Jen S.: So I came here after passing a sign they had outside saying '$5 burgers'. If it wasn't for that I wouldn't have even gone in because the name alone is pretty sad. I don't get some of the burgers they have on their menu; I think I remember seeing a velveeta burger. I don't know, velveeta just freaks me out because it's a cheese product... not cheese. Maybe they're trying to be a fusion restaurant, mixing burgers and 'classic college food' -- I don't know.

Anyway, I just got the regular @ burger and it was fine, nothing special, but if I had to pay more that $5 I would have just given them just 1 star.
3 - Adam V.: Simply put, @burger is just okay. The food is fine, but not spectacular; prices are a little too high, but not outrageous; staff is friendly, but not particularly memorable. 

This is not the kind of place I would recommend to a friend,...but if someone invited me to dinner there, I wouldn't turn down the offer.
2 - Brian K.: Not very good. Five Guys is about two blocks away. Go there instead.
1 - O'Shea J.: Oh darn, I just heard they were going out of business.  Oh my, what a shame.  Oh well.  They fucking sucked a fat Samoan mushroom powerup anyway.  On the surface.... yeah it was fine.  I really liked the fries especially, but you know what?  This shit was just Big Boy with a larger marketing budget. No really, Big Boy/Elias Brothers really did open @Burger and serve the same mutherfucking shit and charged more because it was supposed to be urban and trendy.  I'm glad they failed and are closing, I hate that conniving ad firm bullshit.  I read that this one in A2 was actually the first leg of an experiment that if proved successful would have been pushed down the throats of our whole goddamn nation.  Well, I'm glad that shit turned out to be a just a wet fart. Next time I want a Brawny lad, I'll just go to Big Boy.  They don't have beer, of course, but I can manage. I was amazed at how few people were ever there, and yet how many @Burger t-shirts were on the wall for sale.  Fuck that.

A & M Halal Food Truck - Philadelphia, PA (39.9583587, -75.1953934) (Powelton Village, University City)
5 - Lori R.: This place is sort of famous.  It was featured on the Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate"  On the Hidden Treasures episode.  The sandwich that was featured was the falafel omelet.  And that is what I had for lunch today.  It comes served on a long roll with fluffy eggs, gooey melty cheese, peppers, onions, and the perfectly fried and tasty falafel.  And they can top it with Siracha if you wish (yes please).  The owners of this truck are very sweet and gave me a little falafel as I waited for my sandwich.  By the way the price of this baby was only $4.  $4 never tasted so good.  I am anxious to come back to this truck for other delicious food items.  They have other Middle Eastern specialties as well as our Philly food truck staples.  

A& M Halal is located on Drexel's Campus on "food truck alley".  "Food truck alley" is Ludlow Street between 31st and 32nd Streets.  Check them out!
5 - Randy C.: Teh Falafel Omelet Sandwich is indeed one of the best things I ever eaten.
1 - Nancy P.: Heard about this on the food network 'best thing I ever ate'.. Boy were they mistaken.  I went during my lunch break and I tried the falafel omelet sandwich.  Dry as ever! I've definitely had better.  We also tried the gyro fat sandwich with the fries and mozzarella sticks inside.  As you can expect, it was too greasy from the fried stuff.  

Don't come here if you're looking for a good lunch break or if you don't want to feel nauseous coming back to work
3 - Amanda F.: Three stars for fond memories, -2 for an uncertain future... In the past I have loved pretty much everything from this truck, falafel, biryani, etc. but now I am uncertain if I will go back. It just won't be the same without the smiling proprietors!
3 - Erica C.: I had to go here after seeing their falafel omelet sandwich on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." I went twice - the first time I wasn't UBER impressed, so I had to give it another shot. Even the second time, I wasn't a huge fan of the sandwich. Was it good? Sure. Was it the best thing I ever ate? Hell no! I'll probably get it again because the truck is around the corner from me and it was pretty tasty. But I guess I had high expectations after it was on the Food Network!

A A T S Ancient Art Tattoo Studio - Blacksburg, VA (37.2293108, -80.4140045) ()
5 - Ryan K.: Tivis did great work! He is an extremely talented artist. I will be back for more ink soon, and I advise you to come by for all your tattooing needs.
5 - Sabrina S.: I get all my piercings here by Vicki and she's the best! Everyone there is really nice and helpful. If I'm going to get a tattoo, it'll definitely be here. The environment is really chill and the place is clean, not like some shady and dark tattoo parlor somewhere else. I've had body piercings and dermals done here and Vicki walked me through the procedure, answered my questions, and gave very good detail on how to take care of it while it heals. I have just gone in to ask a few questions and if I was having trouble with a piercing, it was no problem to just walk in and ask what's up. I recommend this place to all my friends! I nearly don't trust anyone else to pierce anything for me anymore haha.

A Beautiful Day Spa - Pasadena, CA (34.1459207, -118.1303967) (Pasadena)
1 - Elizabeth L.: PLEASE READ BEFORE GOING TO THIS SPA!!
I know it sounds outrageous, but I swear, every word of this is true:
I went for a massage yesterday, and the massage itself was quite wonderful and very inexpensive. Here is where the craziness starts: I come out to pay and the man takes my card, tries to run it through the machine a couple times, tells me the printer isn't working and I will have to pay cash. I said, "Are you sure my card wasn't charged?" He assures me it was not. So I walk three blocks to an ATM, give the man $45 and go home. I had a weird feeling about the card situation so I checked my online bank account and, sure enough, I had not one but 2 $45 charges from "A Beautiful Day Spa". At this point I have paid 3 times. I call the spa, the man tells me it's not possible, I assure him it is, and he tells me to come in for a refund. I go BACK to the spa, and wait while the dude is frantically trying to help customers, asks one if he knows how to issue a refund through the card machine (weird). After a few minutes he tells me he'll have to give me cash. He gets some cash from the register, some from his own wallet and hands me $80. I tell him, again, he owes me 90. He gives me the money, I go home. Definitely a bizarre and inconvenient experience but no big deal. 

Last night, around 9pm, he calls my cell phone,  and tells me that my card didn't get charged and I have to come in and bring his money back!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I told him I have the proof in my bank statement, and that I'll come in the next day and show him. He keeps accusing me so I finally just hang up. At this point, the guy nearly scams me out of $90, is unable to refund my card, and now, he calls me at home to accuse me of lying and stealing from him. UNBELIEVABLE. 

Today I went to the spa AGAIN (good thing I live close by!), bank statement in hand, ready to give this man a piece of my mind. The place is dark and there's a handwritten note in the window that says that they're closed today. 

So, unless you want to be overcharged and harassed at home, I suggest you take your business elsewhere.
4 - Ann S.: I saw the sidewalk sign as I drove east on Colorado one day. I am a regular patron of the $15 hr San Gabriel foot massage parlors; Exotic (nice and clean) and formerly went to Joyful (but they didn't clean and I got creeped out from the hair on the chairs and them using wet (used!) towels on my feet)
I have been to Beautiful Day 5 times in a couple of months; I adore foot massage, it's my luxury.  I recommend the foot massage. Very relaxing and soothing.
I have always paid cash and been very happy. I wish parking was easier.
5 - Aileen C.: I love this place. The prices are great, the staff is friendly and I love coming in. My favorite is the one hour Swedish massage. Mr. Shi is by far the best person to get a massage from. He knows exactly where the pain is coming from before I even have to tell him. He is by far the best. This is a great treat for anyone.
4 - Brian C.: a foot and sholder massage for $20 thats a great deal, it is clean and staff is friendly. Massage is only $40 not bad either.
5 - richard h.: I have have many massages before from Two Bunch Palms, P.S..to New York Ritz..and the Beautiful Spa is up there with the rest. The massiuers know the pressure points on how to releive tension and discomfort.  This place is very clean and they are attentive to detail. The tough part is the parking buy depends on the time of day..and they try a reserve that back lot.As far as the pricing...the $20 per foot massage is very good.Some are less but you do not get kids running around and bugging you. Good value on the full body massage..
5 - Belle U.: This place is AMAZING!! $20 for a 60 minute foot massage?!?!?! YES PLEASE! 
They begin with soaking your feet in warm water & herbs for 20 minutes, in the meantime as your toesies soak they massage your scalp, arms, shoulders & neck.... yesssss.... 
The foot massage is perfect after a weekend of dancing in 4-6 inch heels! I would HIGHLY recommend this place. Its inexpensive, everyone is very nice and clean. 
They also are opened until 10pm! What more can you ask for??
4 - jane m.: I came here last week with my sister, who has been here before.  I had the one hour foot massage for 20 bucks. What a deal!  Its actually a head to toe massage.  

First of all, the leather chairs they sat us in were so comfy and relaxing.  They started with our backs and shoulders as our feet were soaking, then moved on to our heads and arms.  Then, finally to the best part - feet and legs!!!  I love foot massages!  The man that worked on me worked on every toe and it was really great and relaxing.  The time flew by!

They are very friendly and seem to care to please.  You can choose how much pressure you want in the beginning but also, feel free to tell your masseur if you want more or less during the process.  I'm also happy that the two masseurs didn't talk to each other during the massage, which kept the atmosphere very calm and relaxing.

I will definitely come back.  There were a few thing I didn't like which I now know to mention when I return to make my experience perfect. 

 I really didn't like the face massage, it felt uncomfortable and strange, I will make sure to let them know to leave that out next time for sure.  

Also, I felt like he didn't use enough lotion when massaging my arms and hands, I felt it was a little dry and forced.  But when he worked on my legs and feet, the amount of lotion was perfect. I don't know if that was the choice of the man that massaged me or if its a standard thing.

Lastly, I felt that the body massage, in all, took more time then the foot massage. I know because I checked my phone for the time at the beginning of the foot massage.  They advertise 20 minutes head to back massage and 40 minutes for feet, but it was the opposite.  I don't know if that just happened to be my experience but I will mention it on my next visit to make sure I get a full 40 for feet.  Its the best part for me!

All in all, its a great experience and much needed due to our busy and hectic life at such an affordable price!
4 - Joselle D.: finding parking here is a hassle. i made a 7:20 pm appt on a busy friday night. they had me fill out a customer service card and i paid cash up front before the massage. then they walk you back into the "spa". there are private rooms for full body massages but if you're just getting a foot massage then you're in a open area with 4-5 massage chairs. 

i have nothing but good things to say about the masseuse. i felt so much better and he did a fantastic job. and the place is nice and clean. you don't get that icky feeling you do at some of the san gabriel places. 

i would definitely go back but only if heart & sole on green st was busy. i hate circling around for parking and also it was difficult to relax and enjoy when you've got so much noise from other businesses and street traffic.
4 - Olexandr P.: Great place and very affordable.  $20 for foot massage, which is actually 30 minutes of back, neck, head and hands and 30 minutes of foot massage making you able to relax.  And you can't argue that twenty that you have to pay is making relaxing way easier. :)  They do accept credit cards, just in case you don't have cash handy. But don't forget to tip.  It's hard to find their parking spot though.
4 - stephanie m.: GREAT GREAT GREAT massages here, $40 for full body and $20 for feet/back/neck/arms both 1 hour. 

Its not a fancy lil place but they get the job done, make you feel completely relaxed and try very hard to make sure you're comfortable (especially the owner, VERY sweet man and gives one fantastic massage).  I've been coming here for over a year now and brought many ppl as well as referred others. I'll definitely be coming again.
5 - Arlene D.: My future mother-in-law was in town visiting me, and she wanted us to do a spa day so we could bond. She asked me to choose a place to get facials and massages. After reading countless reviews on Yelp, I decided to make an appointment here. I had already been here before, but for a full body massage.

There isn't much parking in the back or on the street but we were greeted in a friendly manner as we entered the spa. The young Chinese guy confirmed our reservation and then asked for us to pay for our services ahead of time. I told him we wanted to pay afterwards and he was fine with that. They make you fill out a sheet of paper with information, including an indication of where your pains are located.

This time I decided to try the $20 head to toe massage, where you are sitting in a chair with your feet in a bucket of soothing hot water, and you are being massaged fully clothed, from head to toe. For $20 you can't beat the price. They massage your head, neck, back, arms, legs, and feet all in one hour. The woman who was working on me was great, and pretty strong. She got to all the spots I had indicated on my sheet, such as my neck, shoulders, and upper back. She actually digged in, as I specified I wanted hard pressure.

The facial I received was awesome, and probably one of the best I've had, not to mention it was only $40. Aida did a great job on the facial, even including a face and head massage as I laid there. 

My future mother-in-law came out raving about the place, saying that was probably the best facial she ever received (and she has had many facials). I will definitely return again for the $20 head-to-toe massage and the $40 facial. We tipped the women well for their excellent service. I'm returning in a few weeks to get the deep deep cleansing facial just before my wedding.
4 - Jackie D.: Preface: This is my secret place. 
Body: This is my secret place. 
End: This is my secret place. 

If I were to share this secret with you I would tell you that its $20 for a 1 hour foot massage where they also massage your head, neck and back. 
It is $40 for a full body massage and they are really good. 
The place is clean, relaxing and eventhough there are language barriers  the basics are understood. 

Shhhh
5 - Mitch B.: By far the best foot massage for $20. They give good massages and the place is very clean and relaxing!... After going here the first time I kept on craving for their massages every week!
5 - Megan Haleh A.: My new place for massages!

My boyfriend gave me a gift card to this spa because I had a very stressful week. The massage hit the spot. My entire body was so tense, and now I feel wonderful. 

I usually hold all of my stress in my upper traps. I told the therapist this, and she did a very good job of focusing most of her attention on this spot. 

Yes, it is a small establishment, but it is very elegant and quite on the inside. They have parking in the back, so you do not have to worry about finding street parking. 

I cannot wait to go back and try their acupuncture! 

I highly recommend this Spa!
4 - Joanna J.: I've been wanting to try this place out due to the many positive reviews. I kept in mind of the ONE bad review that the place had and of course I forgot to bring cash. I'm pretty detailed, so here it goes.

It is a very small establishment. Parking was hard to find, but the owner was very good at giving directions. It did take me two tries to find the small alley behind their establishment, but the directions were correct. It didn't seem like there was a lot of parking assigned to this place, so you might want to bring coins for meter parking just in case. 

When you walk in, its very small. Maybe three chairs, the front desk, and water if you are thirsty. I'm a pretty punctual person. My cousin and I were there about 20 minutes early. We were talking to the owner and told him that we were early because we needed out appt to start at 2 for a reason. We had somewhere to be and did not want to be late. We got the one hour signature Beautiful day massage. Our appointment was at 2. My cousin did not get in until 215 and I did not get in until 225. I also keep track of my time because I've been to places where they cut massages short. Usually the massage places I go to have some kind of warmer on the bed so that the client isnt cold. This place does not have that. It was pretty cold in the room and on the bed. The lady started massaging me with the cloth over me. She probably did this for about 10 minutes which worried me because if I thought she was going to massage me over the cloth the entire time. But eventually she did pull the sheet down. She concentrated on my problem areas (shoulder, neck and back). She did a really awesome job getting me relaxed and spent extensive time getting my knots out. The massage was nearly perfect minus the 10 minute warm up and it not being on time. My cousin stated hers was cut off about 10 minutes short which is not a good thing. If you offer an hour massage, it should be an hour massage.

The ONLY review that gave a one star suggested because they charged her card one too many times and she had some disputes with the owner. Before going into my massage, there was a lady whos card did not go through. She had to call her bank and asked the owner to swipe her card again. It went through the second time. This can be really stressful after being relaxed. When I came out of my massage, I had the same problem with my credit card, except it did go through, HOWEVER, it did not PRINT OUT. so, the owner asked to swipe my card again. I brought up the fact that I read the reviews on the place and I should've brought cash. Sure enough, the second time around, the credit card machine did not print out a receipt. The owner ended up calling the company that disbatches the transactions and found that after 10 minutes of waiting (after my massage), the owner did charge me TWICE. He had no problem giving me my money back in cash. But, we were extremely late leaving. Our 2-3 appointment ended up being 225-350 appointment and we were stuck in traffic on the way home. 

The owner felt bad and he did end up giving us a coupon for the next time which was good. Maybe because he knew I was a yelper and that I write extensive reviews on places AND my experience was not the best experience. It was a little stressful in the end. 

Overall, i rated this place a 4 out of 5 because the venue and the massage was nice. I want to try the reflexology massage next time and maybe a facial. =) hopefully it will be more prompt or I will just go on a day that I am not strict on time.
5 - M.K. U.: I went for the Acupressure Massage and the 1 Hour Foot Massge!

All I can say is WONDERFUL! BEAUTIFUL! MARVELOUS!!

Truly 1 hr massages! :)

I will definitly be back!!!
4 - Lannie L.: For $20 a full body massage for an hour you can't beat that. Especially when it's in Pasadena.  It's located right on Colorado blvd. Right across from new Delhi restaurant.  There's parking in the back.  kind of confusing because the businesses had assign parking with there business name on it but guess what a beautiful day spa had no parking space with there business name on it. So I called the spa and the man just told me to park anywhere.  So I did and luckily I did not get a ticket.  It was probably because it was a Sunday. I would suggest to find parking on the streets better. Just to be on the safe side. 

It's a very clean and quiet little place.  There was actually two things that I didn't like about the place 1st was that the workers couldn't speak any English and 2nd was that in the front desk area had a how to tip sign saying good massage $8-$10 and very good massage $15&up.  When I first came into the shop I liked the whole atmosphere then when I got to the front desk and saw that sign I was like that's not right. 

Overall the massage was good.
4 - Kim K.: My boyfriend and I came here last night for a massage at the last minute.  We planned on going to another place we never been to but it looked real suspect so did a search on my phone and found this spot!  So glad we did!

It is strictly a massage spot and very small but it was super great!  We did the couples massage which the room was pretty small but the ladies were awesome!  They definitely work your muscles out!

It was $40pp for an hour.

Definitely would go back.
4 - Danica J.: I went with my friends the very first time for a foot massage. $20 for one hour! Can't beat it.  I went back with the same group of friends for my birthday and I got a full body massage for  the price of a foot massage. Because there are 5 of us and they only have 2 rooms and 3 chairs, my friends got the foot massage and my friend and I got the full body massage because of the rooms and limited space.

Service was good too. The people are nice. Seems like a family owned business. I plan to go back and bring my husband.
3 - DAM D.: I took my girlfriend to relieve some stress off her back it was OK.. full body 40 bucks i thought was a deal TOOK CASH... after reading the reviews but upon paying the manager demanded i tipped 10 Dollars! a surprise from my 15% usual... in the end payed 100 for both which is about average so its OK.
5 - Susie B.: It doesn't get better for a massage than this place.  They will apply as much (or as little) pressure as you want to make it the perfect massage for You!  
Normally you get what you pay for, but here you get a $75 massage for $40.  Good stuff!
5 - Hector C.: Just had a deep tissue massage for lunch and the quality of massage was great. It was nice and hard like I like them but you can tell them how hard you want it. The place was nice and clean and owner was polite. I will definitely go back and maybe try one of those $20 one hour foot massages.
4 - Clara K.: It was the first time i tried this place today. The main reason i picked this place was of course the good review i read on yelp, but also the price was better than other places around pasadena.  I have been going to Swanya in culver city which has good price and amazing masseuse, and needed to find something that will keep me sane.. anyways, the guy at the front was very nice, and the masseuse i had today was very genuine. I had stronger massages before, and been to fancier places, but today i felt like the masseuse really cared and communicated with me nonverbally during the massage. She took time on each pressure and each section and relaxed all the tense muscles.. I believe that the massage isnt just the deep pressure technique but also the energy that transfers from the masseuse to the client and fills the area that the client needs. I feel great after the massage and feels very relaxed and centered.  I will definitely go back to this place again.  It will be great if they can have dimmed lighting and may be comfortable chair in the frontdesk area to create the soothing and relaxing environment.
4 - Philippe M.: Other Yelpers were right! It's a great place for the price. I went during a lunch break and for $25 got a 30 min massage on a table and it was fantastic (the chair massage is $15 for an hour). You enter by the front desk and fill a little form where you choose between male or female therapist, circle the areas of your body that hurts and choose between gentle, medium or strong. I went for strong and she really worked my back, which was sore that week. Very nice and relaxing. The place in itself is not fancy, but clean and nice nonetheless. I'm going back next week!
3 - Jenny w.: My husband bought me a gift card here for a one hour massage. The massage was pretty good. It really isn't a spa type place, just a simple get in get out kind of establishment to get a serious massage. They don't really speak english. It was clean and small. I'm glad I requested a woman, because she did get on top of the table and squat above me, and the sheet they used seem kind of thin. Anyhow, all was good, until I left and went to the front desk. It was very AWKWARD. I tipped 7 dollars, which is more than 15% for a 40 dollar massage. Apparently, I didn't see the sign that other yelpers are referring to that they expect at least a 20% tip.So when he took my cash, he looked down at it and said "7 dollars," and we stared at each other in awkward silence. I looked back at the sign to make sure the massage was in fact 40 dollars, at this point I didn't know what to do and I felt really lame for giving him more cash after he took it. I would come back and pay 50 dollars I suppose, but the whole experience was awkward. I think if they expect at least 50 dollars in their pocket, they should just charge more instead of telling people what to tip, or making them feel bad for tipping less than 20%, its just poor taste.
1 - Jonathon S.: I went in for a foot massage, which seemed like a great deal at $20. The massage was quite nice (no complaints there), but at checkout I payed the $20 plus a $4 tip. The man at the counter said I needed to tip more, and I said I thought 20% was appropriate. He haggled with me for several more minutes, refusing to take my four dollar tip, and wouldn't let me finish checking out without at least a $5 tip. Whether or not my $4 tip was cheap, I don't appreciate being hassled after a nice massage and told what to tip. If he want's to make sure his masseurs get a $5 tip, he should charge $25 for the massage and not hassle his customers! I thought it was in really bad taste.
5 - Rick C.: very good massage for the price....as far as the tip sign.....i just ignore it! lol
2 - J T.: I get regular massages a lot--from luxury spas to foot massage factories. I can attest that a good massage has nothing to do with price - as I've had good massages for $50 and mediocre massages for $150. The full body massage here for $40 is meh -- at least, based on the particular therapist that I got -- no technique, poor communication skills, no recognition of my problem areas (despite filling out a piece of paper in the front). 

I'm sorry but brute force does not make a good massage. The table is also extremely uncomfortable and the sheets are rough.

Plus, you can hear the sounds in other rooms and there was no air circulation in the private rooms (and no relaxing music for ambiance). 

For the same price, there are a lot of better options.
3 - Jason W.: Good massage, reasonably priced. My only complaint is the massage table. Extremely uncomfortable! The hole is too rigid and small. It stops circulation to your face. And your neck will be uncomfortably positioned. If it were not for the massage table, I would visit here more often.
3 - Kim T.: Another favorite Pasadena joint...$40 for a full massage, yay! Trudy rocks! She does this incredible thing with her thumbs on my spine, and loved loved loved it! Was disappointed that she wasn't available when I came. I had Linda, and she was pretty good as well. Though a little too talkative...less talk and more massage! Two stars off because of the parking...gets packed pretty easily, and so $5 parking lot across from Ice House. Another star off because the owner or whoever else that works the the front desk gives me funny looks when I add on the tip afterwards. Be professional, and don't make a face right there and then...it just makes you look bad....
1 - Lenh S.: disappoint for an establishment in pasadena. First of all the lady at the front desk didn't speak English well so the communication was poor. She as us to pay first and we said we want to pay afterwards. The foot massage was $20  but there was a tip sign that said "good service = $8-9 tip and great service is $10-11 tip." which tick me off but whats more is when i heard a lady request her client for tip. she literally said "give me my tip...no tip next no come back" i was shock when i heard that. all in all i will not go back again.
4 - Foster K.: Best value for a massage in Pasadena. They take it seriously, and can accommodate a request for couples massage. I'd recommend Lucy, but have never been disappointed with any of the staff.
4 - Mariana R.: Full body massage: $40 for an hour. The price is decent and way cheap for the LA area. Or actually, any massage for an hour. I'm a happy camper and will def. go back.
5 - U Y.: For $20 the reflexology treatment worth every penny!   I found this place from yelp after a long day of hard work volunteering to build a house.  My neck, right shoulder, and arm were extremely sore.   I called to make 2 appointments just about 1hr early and it was no problem.  The place is nothing luxury but really quiet and clean.  The guy worked on my husband and the woman who worked on me were both excellent and thoughtful.  

The treatment started from shoulder and back massage with a foot soak. We were both filthy from working at a construction site but they still treated us very nicely.  They use some lotion/oil that smelled like sandalwood and it was very pleasant, relaxing, and not overly sticky.  They then gave us a head massage, and worked more on our neck and shoulder and arm.  They finished with a very nice leg/foot massage and by the time I was completely passed out.  That's how great it was. I felt 5lbs less after the treatment.  The best thing is on the next day we are both sore-free!

I read about the tip ($8-10 dollars despite the reflexology was only $20) so I was aware of it.  I didn't try to give them less so when they got $10 tip each they gladly accept it.  I think even for $30 it's absolutely amazing.  I'll definitely come back and recommend it to anyone who want a amazing cheap treat!
5 - Super Z.: Great service and great price. Very friendly people at the front and friendly masseuse. I only recently discovered this place but have been here twice and plan on going back.
5 - Ginger P.: This was my FIRST experience with a massage of any kind. My friend and I chose the $20 Reflexology Massage. It is true that the place is not a fancy ,schmancy, luxurious Spa, but it is clean and quiet. This "foot" massage started with the neck, shoulders, back and arms (I declined to have my head massaged) and finished with the calves and feet. For the price, I thought we received a great deal. We made appointments and were seated as soon as we arrived.  Andy did my massage and I thought did a GREAT job.  In older reviews, some of the negative comments referred to a notice enforcing tipping, but no such sign was visible when we went. Another negative comment was in regards to challenges in finding free parking - and this is true. But I think I just need to scope out the area a little better and I'll be able to figure out a way to park without paying. Even though the sign no longer exists, don't forget to be a little generous with the tip - they work hard for their money.  I will definitely be back!!!!
5 - Kevin L.: Great people, great service, and most of all... Great Deals! Also, free parking... I love this place. It's clean and peaceful. I've gone to many spa in LA county, but this is one of the best I've gone to. Everyone there were very friendly, and most of all, they all understands English.

«:::P:::» «:::E:::» «:::R:::» «:::F:::» «:::E:::» «:::C:::» «:::T:::»«:::!:::»
4 - christine p.: if i'm ever in pasadena, i'll come back here.

the parking was fairly easy for colorado blvd in pasadena. the prices... are amazing. its like a full body massage. they lean you over and do your entire back too. they have tip recommendations, which i find to be appropriate, but might as well charge me $30 instead of $20, you know what i mean?

they were sweet people. the guy was a bit difficult to understand, but i won't complain too much. he was soft spoken and nice.

my boyfriends masseuse was telling him where he was tense and stuff, which was nice of him. he pointed out the spots, worked on those spots a bit more, and explained. 

hehe. i like nice people.
5 - Greg N.: The massage was good to great, very friendly staff. Easy parking - FREE might i add. The guy at the front desk, george i think his is name, hes a nice genuine person. The bathroom was super clean, only thing is, it was kind of hot n cramped in the small waiting room, but your not there to wait, your there to get a massage, and it was worth every penny. nice location too. Thanks!
2 - serena E.: i agree , $20 massage is very cheap..but does it really worth it ?not sure, after reading all those yelp reviews i decided to go and try it out...this was the worst massage ever, it was painful and the next day i had bruses on my legs... i wont recommand this place regarding my experience. my  friend courtney who came with me had the same bad experience so i guess we are not the only ones... and on top of that they followed us outside to ask for a tip because we just left $2 each regarding the horrible experience we had... i d rather pay the full price and go for a real good massage , once a month (envy massage or burk williams) that a cheap one and every week.. quality or quantity...
4 - Tanya N.: Super inexpensive, yet effective 1 hour massage! 60 mins for $30, in a simple, but comforting environment. If I'm in Pasadena again, I would definitely go back
4 - Peter B.: I had a really nice deep tissue/Thai style massage today. Good experience great price. BTW...their page on Yelp says $30 for an hour. It's actually $40.
5 - Cassie C.: I made the best choice of my massage life today when I decided to come to "A Beautiful Day Spa". I have been traveling for work, for a week and decided to pamper myself with a massage. After looking at reviews online, it seemed that this place was a definite 'bang for your buck'.

They were able to get me a massage right when I walked through the door at 2pm. I had Angel who was truly a massage angel! If you don't speak Chinese, it'll be tough to communicate with her. Thank goodness for college Chinese since I was able to tell her where my problem areas were, and she could give me feedback on my tense areas. For someone with dainty hands, she sure knew how to get into my deep tissue and work out the knots. 

I got the full body massage, and it was well worth the price! Anytime I come back to Pasadena, I will be sure to visit. 

Thank you Angel!
4 - Mrs D.: Ok.  Pretty good first time try.  You can never know about these places.  My hubs tried the reflexology and said it was pretty good.  I got a whole body massage.. and to tell you the truth.. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to take my clothes off or not..

So.. I decided to get naked.. and make it a surprise for the poor unsuspecting Chinese girl masseuse.  

At first, she didn't massage with any lotion - so I thought.. WHOOPS... maybe I was supposed to wear clothes?  *AWKWARD*  But then she eventually busted out the lotion and worked her way deeper into my muscles.

I appreciated that she kept asking if I needed more pressure.  But I'm wondering if she looked at my chart at all.

See when you first pop in.. you get a sheet of paper where you circle all your trouble spots.  I definitely did extra circling on my right shoulder/arm -- but I guess it's not all Angel's (my masseuse's) fault.  I think my knots like to attached right on my bone, so it's really hard to get to - for anyone.

Overall, I think she was very efficient with getting to all parts of my body.  I do think I needed more time on my back and shoulders... and I think maybe she's right handed... cuz her right hand/arm motion was dope.. her left arm/hand work seemed a little less precise -- which is sad because my right side is the side that needed more precision.

Language barrier was a little difficult -- hence the uncertainty about getting naked... cuz I did ask LOL.. 

I'll definitely go back and check it out again.  For the price - not bad.  

PARK on the street.  There is parking in the back, but if you go at night, you might fight with all the people coming in and out of ice house. 

NOT a frou frou spa.  You can hear through the walls.  But it's clean and organized.
2 - S C.: Pluses: clean, good location, great extended hours, with decent pricing.  Cons: Not the best massage for the money.  I came to the location late on a Sunday night with pain in my back that I couldn't ignore.  I was happy to have them accommodate me when I called, and ten minutes later, I was in a massage bed nekkid.  I had asked for a hot stone add one which was more like a lukewarm stone add on.  They only charged me $5 instead of $10 and they apologized saying if they had "known" it would be warmer.  Hello, its the end of the day, your stones should be warm.  I get it at the beginning of the day in the morning but not in the evening.  Also, the man in the front came to tell me something WHILE I WAS GETTING UNDRESSED and he cracked the door open.  I did not tell him it was ok to open the damned door.  I think Thai yoga may be the only kind of massage for me at this point, because the deep tissue one I got (with lukewarm stones) was just a little better than OK.

However, I am willing to come back because it did seem very promising.  They had some kind of massage promotion for packages that were very cheap.  They are also the kind of place that has a big sign for what appropriate tips are.  Really?  There is always a part of me that wants to say to places that usually only do one service per client (as opposed to a random sum of numbers off a dining bill) that if you have to ask, you probably don't deserve it.
4 - Sarah E.: My first review! Cool! 

Anyways, I read the reviews on yelp and had to check this place out. I had been achey in my shoulders and needed some firm pressure to work out the kinks.

I got the 60 min body massage for $40. Honestly, not the best massage I've ever had, but DEFINITELY would be the best hour long massage i've had for **40 bucks**! Julie, the masseuse, asked a few times if the pressure was enough, which it was. My only true qualm was that the music (albeit very quiet) was kind of like elevator music, i'd rather have none at all. 

I will be back again to try the $20 foot reflexology/back massage soon!
4 - Summer O.: This spot is a GREAT choice when you are willing to forgo the day spa aspects of a Burke Williams to save some money.  Don't get me wrong, I love a $130 spa/massage experience as much as anyone ... but sometimes I don't have the time for it ... and other times, I don't want to spend quite that much.  A Beautiful Day Spa is the perfect compromise.  

It's clean, quiet and the staff is very kind and attentive.  Some other reviewers have griped about the music, the tables, etc ... but I am confused as to why.  Surely you don't expect to pay only $40 for a ONE HOUR FULL BODY MASSAGE and get a fluffy robe, hot tea, a jacuzzi and a live performance by Enya?!!  COME ON people.  This spa is perfectly nice--just without the frills ... you know, the ones you are paying Burke Williams another $90 to enjoy.  I'm not made of money, and while I maybe can splurge on a Burke Williams day once a year ... I am grateful for a place that lets me afford to get an actual massage for a much more affordable rate more regularly.

I chose the 1 hour Deep Tissue massage--and Linda (my massage therapist) did a beautiful job.  As other reviewers have noted, there isn't much conversation or instruction ... but she was soooo very warm and gracious and she paid attention to the problem areas I noted on my chart.  She gave my neck and shoulders extra attention and though I walked in there with some major pain, I left feeling incredibly relaxed and better.  She was very thorough and applied the perfect pressure--I happily tipped her more than 20%.

Meanwhile, my fiancé got a reflexology massage.  One hour for $20.  I thought I wasn't hearing things properly.  He was thrilled with it ... and said his therapist did a wonderful job as well.

The only hard part was parking--but I can't totally fault them for that as some jerk had taken up one of the only two spots they have designated in the lot.  There are several community pay lots nearby on Colorado, so its not a huge deal.  

So, if you are a demanding diva who wants big fluffy towels, hot tea and rose petals on the floor ... this isn't the place for you.  But I personally think you are a bit ridiculous to expect the frills and service level of a super expensive elite spa of a place that is giving you an incredible rate like a mere $40.  Do the math.  That's not even a full third of what it costs to go to Burke Williams.  A Beautiful Day Spa is friendly, clean and cozy.  You get more than what you are paying for ... and for that I am grateful and definitely going to be returning.
1 - D L.: I think it was about a year ago that I had a good college friend in town for a visit. She had never had a full massage done before and I had heard great things about this place from another friend, so I made an appointment for both of us. 

To be honest, that was the first and last time that I will go there. My massage was okay. Not great, not bad. But the thing that I have issue with is that my masseuse had a cold. Full on sniffles. During the entire hour massage, I could feel her massaging me, then lift one hand to wipe as she sniffled, and then go back to massaging me with the same hand without washing or anything. I should have said something but I'm way too non-confrontational. (To be fair, she was massaging me through a thin sheet, so her hand never actually made contact with my skin, but still. Gross.) 

One, it's bad enough to have a cold that you could spread. But, even worse, you massage me with the hands that you're wiping your runny nose with? She was a sweet enough gal, but they need to improve their sanitary practices.
2 - Agnes T.: After researching dozens of spas in Pasadena and realizing that most places charged $85+ for a 1-hour facial, this place almost seemed too good to be true. When I called for a quote, I was told that a 1-hour facial cost only $40. Looking to save a little money, I booked an appointment for the next day. 

PARKING: I was told that they have 2 free parking spots in the back, but lo and behold, I couldn't find them after circling the area 4-5 times. Almost late for my appointment, I finally decided to park in the neighboring parking structure that charges $1 each 15 min, maximum of $10. 

FACIAL: The esthetician spent the first 2 minutes cleansing my face. Then she turned on the steam machine and spent the next 20-25 minutes literally massaging my face and upper chest/arms, and it didn't even feel that good. I couldn't help but think that she was trying to waste time and I was a little annoyed because after all, I came for a facial, not a massage. 

Finally, she turned on the bright light, and told me that if I wanted an extraction, it would be an additional $15. Although I was annoyed that they weren't completely honest about the pricing from the get-go, I relented because the main reason I choose to pay for facials is for the extraction. After all, I can cleanse my own face at home, but I can't do my own extractions. 

EXTRACTION: Unlike other spas that use an extractor (which I prefer), she used her fingers and Kleenex, which hurt 10X more. It hurt so much and I honestly felt like I was being tortured. I was definitely grimacing during the painful extraction. However, not once did she ever ask me if the pressure was too hard or if she was hurting me. After the extraction, she cleansed my face again and used a cooling clay mask, which felt SO good after the torture she had just put me through. She did a scalp massage for 5 minutes, then left the room for 10 minutes and returned later to take off the mask and cleanse my face for a third time. After this, she put some type of liquid Chinese-smelling "medicine" or so she called it, onto the areas that she had just extracted, and let me tell you, IT STUNG LIKE HELL! 

Overall, this wasn't a very relaxing experience. I definitely learned my lesson and next time, I will pay the extra money for a more professional and enjoyable spa experience. My $40 facial ended up costing me $71 ($40 facial + $15 extraction + $10 tip + $6 parking). I don't think I'll come back here for another facial. Maybe I'd return for a massage - it's hard to screw that up.
1 - Nancy M.: Came in on a Sunday morning - I had made an appointment and was contacted by management to come in 10 minutes earlier.  After sitting in the waiting area for 25 minutes I was taken into a room.  The woman who would perform my massage told me to disrobe and place a sheet over myself -FINE- the sheet was actually half a sheet (barely covered me).  I laid on the table but the opening for my face was so small I could barely breathe.  I experienced one of the strangest massages ever (I have had Korean Spa experiences if you know what they entail!)  At differing times I felt very exposed (buttocks  or my leg would be placed in a position that pretty much inappropriate).  A few day after my massage my back was hurting - I looked at it and I am covered with bruises - never have I gone ANYWHERE and gotten bruises from massages!  Perhaps that is what I get for such a deal......

BUYER BEWARE!
1 - Jenny C.: I set my mind to surprise my boyfriend with a Couples Massage. Little to say we were the ones surprised.

There were many signs at first. Their Intake forms does not ask for specifics on client med history, current rx meds, etc. Nadda amigos. The therapist did not come out to greet or meet with us. The front desk guy moseys us into the room. Confused for sure we wonder what will happen next. 

This is the undressing part? There is no top sheet - it's a half thing? There is huge bottle of Jergens. A therapist cannot get friction with Jergens (I speak from exp)

We give it a go. Two female therapists come in and do not say a word. Mine proceeds to fling my sheet upwards and reveals my naked body. They do LOTS and LOTS of over the sheet compressions. After several minutes of this uncomfortableness - she uncovers my back. She drops several COLD Jergens lotion into my back from far above. Shudder. Later she hops onto the table and is near my butt. She jams my undie deep into my ass crack (it was NOT the right time of the month to be doing that!) As I continue to deal with this ordeal I look over at my boyfriend. 

HIS therapist is straddling him! She shoots me a look - the NERVE! 

This set us back $110 with tip ($80 service + $30 tip) The front desk guy was SO ecstatic about the tip he left the rest just laying out on the table. I went into this place because he had good reviews from my fellow yelpers but I was VERY disappointed with this establishment. I left feeling violated and stressed.
4 - Adrienne H.: I've been here twice. I really like it. I never had a massage before coming here and now I want them all the time! Friendly and welcoming staff.
5 - Jimmy C.: $40 for 1 hr full body
almost passed out afterwards felt so good
feelsgoodman.jpg
3 - Michelle N.: Came here for a girl's day out and got the full body massage for $40/hr. I thought the experience was quite pleasant. My masseuse paid attention to my "problem spots" and lightened the pressure accordingly when she saw that medium pressure was too hard on me. She didn't make conversation with me, but I found that just helped me to relax as she gave me the massage.

The place is tiny, but clean and quiet. Parking can be difficult since they only have 2 parking spots in the compact area behind the building. It's quite a drive for me here, so I don't know if I'd come again when I can find other places around me, but overall A Beautiful Day Spa is A-OK in my book.
1 - Darlene P.: I got the lamest massage ever. Came here with my BF. He told me his masseuse was pretty good. He got some really young chick. I got some middle age lady. She sucks ass. She did not know any of pressure points and the massage did not feel good. They had me fill out some card before my massage. I mark strong pressure but the massage felt...hmmm...let me see if I can describe it....you know how you put on lotion and just rub it all over you....that's how the massage felt. I kept waiting for some pressure to feel good but it never came. She was all over the place and did not know what she was doing. When the massage was over, I told the guy in the front that the massage was not good, and I told him why. I don't think he understood. Yes, $40 bucks for an hour massage is cheap, but if the massage sucks, it's not worth it.
5 - Nicole F.: Had my first experience here today. I saw May(english name started with an S..sorry i forgot!) I learned she was new AFTER i got my massage. But, it worked out..she was great! She gave the right amount of pressure at the right spots. She even found some deep knots in my shoulders that i didn't even know i had!!! Deep tissue or swedish, she can do!

It was no fancy shmansy place. But it was quiet and clean..and for $40/hour...that is a STEAL! 

Although, the place was a little chilly. It was in the 60's today in pasadena and so when she moved the blanket and wiped off the massaging oil,  I got goosebumps! Maybe it'll be better on a warmer day.

BTW Parking sucks. They only have two spots in the back. I parked two blocks away and walked, which i didn't mind. But just a heads up for you lazy people lol
5 - Sy S.: My wife and I are regulars.  We have tried many places from Pasadena to Hermosa Beach, including Glen Ivy and none give the personalized and professional service like A Beautiful Day Spa.  We have 2 month old twins and it seems like every muscle in our bodies are sore.  Julie and Kim made us feel like new people, I even feel an inch taller!  They really got in there and restored our tired muscles.  The place is always clean and quiet, so we can relax and enjoy. We stand by our opinion and give gift certificates as gifts!  As well, they offer acupuncture for a variety of ailments, which successfully cured my teeth grinding-amazing!  You will not be disappointed.
5 - Andrea G.: Reflexology is great! $20 +tip.  Robert is the bomb!!
3 - Regina L.: Sometimes, a girl like me wants the whole she bang of pampering. But, today, I just wanted to get the job done with no frills.

It seemed somewhat shady. $40 for a one hour skin cleansing facial or a massage. Dimly lit rooms, soft instrumental music of John Lennon's Imagine, and a somewhat welcoming staff albeit a language barrier. Yup...I sure am back in LA alright.

To the best of her ability, my aesthetician did a good job making sure I felt comfortable and even complimented me on my good skin. (Much credit goes to Oil of Olay, of course) The place seemed cleaned , but I wished they could increase  the amount of aromatherapy smells to drown out some other smells wafting about. Not that the smells were unpleasant (I couldn't really pinpoint what the smell was), but what do I expect for $40, right? Definitely a decent place to go to for a no frills pampering.
1 - Mike P.: This place used to be way better than it is.  I've been going here for about a year and the past 3 or 4 times I've been there, the service was just absolutely terrible.  My experience before the one I just had was where my masseuse stopped my massage over 10 times to go answer the phone in the period of an hour and it was miserable.  Most recently, I visited and they were running late as usual.  This time, I decided to leave without even having a massage after waiting for over a half hour.  I will not go back to this place!  Spend a little bit more money and go to a place where they will take care of you.
5 - Amber T.: Just went today for my first massage from Kim and it was wonderful!! Their signature massage is amazing, versatile, and very comprehensive. She was finding knots I didn't even know I had and she checked at the beginning to make sure I was comfortable with the pressure. 
Some people were saying it was small but since I was laying in a room with my eyes closed listening to relaxing instrumental music most of the time, it did not bother me at all. It was clean and comfortable. The massage was fabulous and only $40/hour to boot. I will definitely be going back here again and again. I would so recommend this place to anyone and everyone so go check it out! :-)
3 - Laura V.: I have been going here for over a two years. The massages are generally very good except when they wear latex gloves for a massage???? They seemed to have a lot turnover except for one snotty employee, Julia, who never leaves.

Anyway, whenever I try to make an appointment on the half hour, they always accept but then call me to postpone???? This has happened so many times I have lost count. This last time I made an appointment for my friend and me at 9:00P.M. I am a very punctual person and we arrived a little before 9. The owner came out and said that they were running about 10-15 minutes late......hymmm. So while we're sitting there waiting I see a new sign posting the penalties for clients who arrive late. Ten minutes late you lose ten minutes of your massage time, 15 min......etc. Sounded fair to me, but they were 35 minutes late for our massages. I left them a note asking if they were going to add 35 extra minutes to our massage time. They did not even apologize for being late and obviously overbooking.

They need to put up signs at the front and back doors telling people to keep talking to a minimum and their voices low. You can hear people talking in the waiting area and the employees answering the phones. It mars what shoud be a relaxing experience.

Another time the guy that was massaging me was sick and kept sniffling and wiping his nose. Yuk! The next time I complained and it was better.

Also, they have a sign with outrageous suggestions for tipping. Obviously, they know next to nothing about American tipping standards 15-20%.
4 - naheed c.: I got a wonderful massage here and enjoyed every moment of it. I can't believe the price, I have had other massages that were more expensive but not as good. I think I might have to start coming here regularly. I got a massage from Cucu and she is very talented...
3 - Kevin L.: I have gotten probably 6-7 massages here.  I would like to give it 5-stars, but the owner's customer service is severely lacking.  Sometimes my girlfriend and I go together, so we were excited that our stamp card was almost complete (9/10) and we would be getting one of our massages for free.  After the massage was over, the owner said that even though we got 2 massages, he would not honor the stamp card with until the next time.  He also said "a stamp card is supposed to be for one person." 

Honestly, if you have a stamp card and customers who like coming back often, you might not want to alienate them after their massage by arguing about special rules and exceptions.  It left a horrible taste in our mouths.

That said, the massages here are affordable, clean, and almost always done with competence by Chinese ladies.  They even got rid of the ticking clocks and now have silent clocks.  The massages here have exceeded $200+ massages I have gotten at other places, and have been remarkably consistent each time, even though the masseuses are different.

A Brush With the Past - Claremont, CA (34.0950716, -117.7164544) ()
4 - cherie s.: I love vintage and Anne owner of Brush has a great eye. I'm  a photographer/hair dresser and collect many different things .I recently bought  some vintage photograph's ,some 1950's  hors d'oeuvres plates ,and some really neat stamps .You will also enjoy her art that is on the walls !!
5 - Kim B.: Interesting and funky assortment of treasures including retro, vintage, antique, mid-century modern. Everything from artwork, books (specializing in local and regional artists, architects, etc.), furniture, clothing, jewelry, quilts, linens, hardware, what's its.  The prices are more than fair. This is a new business in the heart of the Claremont Village, nestled in a modernist building just west of the post office and south of city hall. Ample parking including off of First Sreet between Harvard/Yale. Look for the teal blue sign with a brush on it.
5 - Tory T.: I'm adding up how much I've spent here since they opened last September - I sure got an awful lot for very little!  Including brand new vintage tea towels, hand tooled cowboy boots, a fabulous 1950s swing coat and an amazing cowboy shirt.  The place is tiny, so things are priced to move in order to make room for new stuff.  The owner has cool taste and is also an artist.  And, if you want buttons, this is button heaven - Bakelite, pearl, horn, you name it.
5 - Hannalore G.: I've been in so many shops with cute, but ordinary items. This shop is so different. Eclectic mix of books, records, clothing, houseware and wonderful discarded items from the past. The owner has a great eye and I want everything I saw on Sunday. Can't wait to go back.

A Burger Place - Seattle, WA (47.6593264, -122.3130855) (University District)
4 - Rohan S.: This is a nice place to grab a better burger. When you walk in, you pick up a piece of paper and mark what kind of burger you want and what you want on it. You then hand it over, and they make your burger. It's that simple.

The burgers are decently-sized and taste alright. The curly fries are pretty good, too. Just keep in mind that the cost of this place is generally a bit higher than most places on the Ave, but it can be worth it from time to time.
5 - Liz A.: Quiet possibly the best "burger joint" in town. Order by filling out a burger checklist and add things like sauteed mushrooms, onions, pickles, pepper jack cheese, swiss cheese, curly fries, steak fries, onion rings, salmon patty, beef patty, garden patty (the list goes on and on) The possibilities for creating your dream burger here are endless. Be ready to walk out of A Burger Place a couple pounds heavier, cause the food is real-deal junk food.. but it is oh so good. Bonus points for the flat screen TV in the dinning area, all that's missing is couches and beer.
4 - Geoff N.: A Burger Place is like that build-your-own teddy bear place at the mall, but with burgers. You fill out a check sheet to place your order. Each item you add to your burger raises the price slightly except for obvious freebies like lettuce, or ketchup. Some of the premium options include mushrooms, grilled onions, extra patties or veggie patties. You also get to pick your fries of choice. I usually chose steak fries because they reassure me of my masculinity.

Ideal for a quick lunch in between classes, expect to pay about $7 for your meal if you get a couple extra goodies on your burger. When you are finished, you can sit down to a meal that was custom made for you by employees who are too lazy to fill out their own order forms.
5 - Deborah S.: Affectionaly known in my office as Burger Burger. This really is burgers "have it your way"  . Step up to the counter and they hand you a slim sheet of paper, a simple check list. Tell them :

-What kind of burger (Beef, Salmon, Veggie, Chicken)
-how many patties (For the beef)
-What kind of cheese (Cheddar , Monteray Jack, and a few others)
-Veggies (Lettuce, tomato , onions)
-Extras (Sauteed mushrooms, fresh mushrooms, barbecued  onions, bacon) 
-What kind of fries (Fat , skinny, curly, or onion rings.)
-If you want a drink. 

Think of the different combinations!  So many choices so little time.   I've never had the salmon burger or the veggie burger, but I've had both the beef and the chicken and found them tasty. 
I've tried all the fries but the skinny fries, and I've tried most of the toppings and have always been happy.

They have wifi and an ikea austere interior. And gosh darn they are always friendly.

All in all my only wish would be that they would do shakes with a menu like they do their burgers. Can't you imagine, pick a size, pick an ice cream flavor, pick a flavor, or a berry or.... the options are endless.
3 - JD E.: Good, but not great. When I heard about this place I was really excited, but the options seemed to be somewhat limited. The burger I had, with a couple of the options was delicious, yet the fries definitely need some work. All in all, I guess it is cheap and fast.
4 - Wes W.: Like Deborah S' office I also affectionately refer to this place as Burger Burger (you'd have to see their sign).  A Burger Place approaches the task of bun-meat-bun by having the customer indicate exactly what they want on a paper slip, complete with golf pencils and the like.

It's nice to have the precise control of your options, and the final product is the epitome of "have it your way".  Don't get me wrong; its good stuff.  I even fancy their fries.  It's just not enough -wow- to have the experience stick out memorably in your head to the point where you use it as a benchmark by which all other burgers are judged.

Also of interest is that you can catch free wi-fi inside, although I don't think burgers and fries are particularly condusive to mousing and typing like coffee is.
4 - Jeff G.: Good burgers, strange sign. The sign is very odd, it reads A[Burger Burger] Place; but the words Burger are stacked on top of each other and one of them is upside down and backwards. 

Beyond that there's nothing particularly distinctive about the joint. It's very clean, the staff is very friendly and the burgers are fat, fresh, and well cooked. They offer fries three ways too; curly, steak and traditional.

If you're someone like me, who absolutely loses his mind when the person in front of you spends 5 minutes at the register deciding what they want, you'll really appreciate the ordering method. The perilously indecisive folks can spend as long as they want filling out their order while I breeze to the front.

Nothing super special, but in this good burger joint deprived town it's a pretty good effort.
4 - Geoffrey R.: Best place in the U-District to get a burger. Made to order, fresh ingredients,  a fairly friendly staff.... Oh, they have a big-screen tv that is always turned to CNN, so you can learn more about child-molesters and rapists, and war whilst you eat your onion rings. 

They raised their princes a while ago, so if you get a full meal (Burger, fires & drink) you have to spend about $10.00.  

Oh, and red meat causes Colon cancer.
3 - Krishna V.: The custom burger concept definitely wins points. The service is usually pretty quick and friendly. The restaurant itself is pretty clean and well lit.  All that said, the patties, while by no stretch of the imagination bad tasting, don't have much to offer in the way of distinctive flavor or texture. If offered a burger from here in a blind taste test, I would not be able to identify it - or rather I would identify by it's extreme lack of remark-ability.
If the toppings are more important to you than the meat, you'll love it. If you care about the meat, you'll probably still like it. But not as much.
4 - Jonas C.: I like burgers, and this place is pretty good.  The quality I would say is very high, and while a little pricey for U-District, I think it's well worth the price for the quality.  You pay for the convenience, it's almost as good as Red Robin, minus the bottomless fries.
4 - Chet C.: A Burger Place (or Burger Burger) is a good place to stop for a burger (what else?) in the U District. They also have a good chicken burger. It's nice to be able to choose the condiments, veggies, cheeses, etc that one wants on their burger. 
A Burger Place has curly, steak and regular fries in addition to onion rings.  The rings are nice and crunchy. 
My only problems with A Burger Place are that it is somewhat pricey and they always have CNN on the tv. And the place is so small it
s hard to avoid the tv.  Still, the staff is friendly, the service is quick and the food is hot.
5 - C K.: The burgers are delicious and everything is customizable. Service is quick, and the seating area is clean and spacious. A good deal all around, but what really makes A Burger Place a winner is the goodness of the people.

I had a friend who spent several years homeless on the Ave. A Burger Place would always allow him to come inside, warm up, use the restroom, charge the phone someone had given him, and sometimes even give him free food.

That sort of humanity, in stark contrast to the assholocity of many Ave owners, earns A Burger Place their fifth star.
5 - Phillip S.: In opinion, the best burgers on the ave: delicious without being overly greasy. One of my top 3 favorite restaurants in the U-district. VERY fast service also, with good take-out. Try the curly fries; they are amazing!
4 - Pendleton F.: Although the Brooklyn Burger Pub was opening up in soon, the Burger Burger Place was already open, so Dad and I stepped in to see how good th burgers really could be.  We've tried a lot of burgers in our time, so we're finicky about the quality of a good, beefy burger.  Bonus points for the check sheet - makes ordering simple and fast, and that's exactly what you want with restaurants in this area.  The grills are right there and you can bear witness to their methods, which involve careful consideration of the two kinds of grills.  From what I could tell, most of the cooking takes place on the griddle to the left, and are finished in the charcoal grill to the right.  I opted for a single patty burger with cheddar, onions fried in butter, all the basic condiments and a side order of the curly fries.  This was good greasy fare, and as burgers go, I'd do it again.  The other nearby burger place, which has copied the checklist system, seems to offer fewer options, so Burger Burger might continue to reign supreme.  Refills are free (as they should be) and the TV is obnoxious, but you don't really go to eat on the Ave. for fine dining and ambiance.  Get your food and go!  Oh, and the onion rings were good too, but I was more impressed with the curly fries.
4 - Anna C.: Also known occasionally as Burger Burger it's definitely the cleanest looking place on the Ave.  Love the order form, you get a burger with exactly what you want on it with nothing else.  Fast service and good food... Especially the veggie burger and curly fries.  My only complaint would be that they don't have milkshakes, but that would defy the beautiful simplicity anyway.
4 - Nath, A.: This used to be my go-to burger place on the Ave until not too long ago, but I recently came here after a gap of several months. It isn't open as late as Burger Hut, and the food and value aren't as good as Mr Lu's. However, A Burger Place has a lot going for it.

First, there's the ordering system. Can someone explain why all made-to-order burger places don't do this?

Then there are the burgers. At first glance, they look like something you might get out of one of the better chains; however, the first bite will prove to you that this places uses better ingredients. The burgers come on a slightly toasted sesame bun, and are light enough that  you can have one for lunch without feeling all fast-fooded all day. (That's a polite way of saying that they're a bit on the small side.)

The salmon burger also deserves a good word. The fish is perhaps a tad dry, but still surprisingly good for the price. Goes well with the hot sauce.

All things considered, I'd probably give this place a 3.5 if I could.
4 - Julian H.: The burgers are only good (not great), and the seating is not that comfortable. 

But this place gets four stars for a bright, clean space with TV and free wifi.  Also, service is fast and prices are moderate.
4 - Samantha F.: My housemate and I walked down the ave hoping to find some place still open after 9pm that would fulfill our unexplained craving for.... something. 

We had never seen this place before, but we gave it a shot. I'm SO glad we did. As a vegetarian, I got the veggie burger. It wasn't just a plain, Boca-tasting burger. It was fabulous. I'm picky about my veggie burgers. 

The order style is that there's a sheet with a checklist and you check off what kind of burger you want and what toppings you want. 

The only reason this place didn't get the fifth star from me is that is wasn't the most filling burger. I could have had another half of one to really be satisfied. 

PS. Try the house sauce! If you're unsure, get it on the side and give it a try. That's what I did. I'm a fan!
4 - Andrew S.: A friend just got us burgers with bacon and sauteéd onions, and curly fries and onion rings to share. Wow! The curly fries and onion rings are both so good (and the onion rings are huge!) The paper wrapped around the burger was soaked in grease, so that was kind of gross, but the burger was excellent. WIll definitely eat there again.
4 - Brianne D.: Burger Burger (what my friends and I call this place) is pretty darn good. Ordering is simple: Pick up a pencil and sheet from the counter, check off what you want on your burger and pay. I'd give this place five stars, but this place doesn't serve milkshakes (which means I usually end up going somewhere else farther down the Ave).
5 - patricia r.: I have only been here twice and have to make a point in 2009 to make more visits.  When I was here the staff is really freindly and my orders were made fresh and I was happy with the burgers and fries.  In 2009 there is this one burger that I want to try that has a egg in it I think.  I also like the fact that they are open till 3am .
3 - Natalie W.: Walk in- pick up a check list- check what you want (meats, non-meats, cheeses?, free toppings, charge for toppings, condiments)- hand the order in to the nice counter worker and note stay or take out- pay somewhere in the ballpark of 4.50 (basic burger) to 10.00(everything + fries and soda)- sit in the ikea chairs and watch the tv (CNN) or read a newspaper laying around- have your meal brought to you- eat= process done 

I liked my veggie burger- ordered it with stir fried mushrooms and suppose to be stir fried with BBQ sauce onions. Typical large burger bun and garden burger. The taste was good, but didn't win praise. The toppings weren't as plentiful as I expected- one piece lettuce, two small tomatoes, and a glob of mushrooms and sorta diced onions with BBQ sauce glopped on top. The workers, cleanliness, and vibe(free wifi- cute plates) won more over at this restaurant more than the burgers- To be fair I probably should have tried the meat version, but I wasn't in the mood.
4 - Colin S.: A Burger Place has really good burgers and awesome curly fries. It's a great place to go for a delicious burger that is a little more than a normal burger from Burger Hut. It's also substantially cleaner and more modern than the other burger places on the Ave. It isn't open as late and doesn't have quite the variety in food options that Burger Hut does.
4 - Rob W.: A burger place makes great burgers, and exactly how you want them.  I really like the convenience of just writing down all the things I want and handing it to them instead of having to explain it and hope they remember.  

A single patty hamburger (no cheese) with mushrooms and onions and lettuce, and steak fries ended up costing $7, not bad.  We're not talking about tiny Dick's style burgers here either, one will be enough.  These are home-made style larger burgers.  The patties are nice and juicy while still being thouroughly cooked, and it makes for nice flavor.   

As good as the burgers are, the fries leave a lot to be desired.  I don't know what to say other than they're very average and not tasty.  They seem like they're lacking in freshness I guess, it's hard to put my finger on, but they don't do much for me.  

The place is definitely worth visiting, but try the onion rings instead of the fries.
5 - Alexander B.: Burger+real toppings+curly fries+free WIFI+fast and cheap= A Burger place

Man I wish this place was closer to my house.  This could become a UW institution and is so good.  I can't think of anything negative to say about this place.  I highly recommend the house sauce on their burgers with some pepper-jack cheese it makes a great combo, and of course get the fries!
3 - Angie K.: I went here for lunch with a friend today. The place is clean and cute, has quick service, and the food was hot and good. They had burgers, chicken, salmon burgers, and a veggie option. You fill out the menu card yourself to let them know what toppings you want, and hand it to the counter person. 

If I were to compare this to other places on the Ave, I guess it would get 4 stars, and the 3 star rating shouldn't be interpreted as a negative . . . It's a safe bet for lunch if you are walking around the Ave feeling like you are surrounded by less than safe bets. (you kind of are) My chicken, fries and soda came to 9.25.
2 - John T.: I love gourmet burgers! I mean it....love them! So when I find a place dedicated to the craft of making burgers I have to check it out.
They have a nice ordering system where you build your own burger. The results......meh at best!
I went big and got a double cheeseburger with the works. The burger patties IMO were lame. The cheese was cheap and tasteless. They only put one slice of cheese on my double patty burger. Really, the taste wasn't spectacular at all.
If you love gourmet burgers, check out Lunchbox Laboratory, Red Mill, or Red Robin.
4 - Melissa G.: This place was a pleasant refreshment. A Burger Place has a clean fresh environment in the middle of the U district. Plenty of seating and very nice staff was also a plus. 
The burgers themselves were cooked to my perfection and had a nice grilled type of taste to them. They weren't loaded with seasoning, which in this case was good because that could have taken away from all the tasty fresh fixings I added to mine. Vegetables were crisp and fresh. The bacon was also cooked to my liking, crispy not burnt. 
The steak fries are much better then the regular fries. Both were prefect golden and crunchy. Kind of wish they had milkshakes to offer or some other specialty drinks, rather then just soda. 
This place is interesting because you fill in a card with everything you like on your burger, kind of a lunch line style back in school. 
Prices were decent, $15 for two burgers, two fries, and one drink. 
Very yummy. Burger Place is in my top favorites for my search for the perfect cheese burger.
5 - Shannon M.: Love this place! Fast, reasonably priced good food and friendly service
5 - Huan L.: Amazingly delicious customizable burgers, great service, and awesome curly fries.

Oh, and the prices are GREAT! I can get a great sized, cooked to order gourmet tasting burger with a BUNCH of condiments for only $3.50, which is pretty amazing if you ask me.
4 - Dylan B.: The Ave can be a dangerous place, but take heart in knowing that A Burger Place will give you something tasty with a nice space to eat it in.

Order whatever you like by quantity of meat (they'll do chicken, too!), and then add toppings.  The toppings are all pretty good, and there's a wide enough variety that you can make something you personally enjoy.  The burgers themselves would likely not be as good just bread and meat, and this place was really smart to let you customize your meal.

I strain to give this place a four star rating.  It is only just barely a four, as I've given some restaurants I rate much more highly a four.  It earns this score in my book for a unique, accurate ordering system and consistently tasty food.  Were it open significantly later, it might become a more solid four.
3 - Laura B.: Run of the mill burger joint.  Consistent but burgers are overcooked for my (medium-rare) taste but still good.  It gets really busy during the noon hour but the cooks are pretty quick about getting orders out so I've never had to wait too long.
3 - Eugene O.: You walk in, you place your order on an order sheet and you sit down. Kind of feels like a cafeteria, but the food is a little better than that.

The burgers are good, but they won't blow you away by any stretch of the imagination. The toppings are plentiful and you can choose as many as you'd like (though it'll cost you more after a certain point). The fries are the steak kind, which I like, because you gotta have a little meat to your spuds. Overall, a decent burger and side of fries that hovers around your average burger joint fair.

Unfortunately, I encountered a friendly little six-legged critter during my visit (HINT: its name starts with a "C"), and the staff was quick to kill the darn thing before anyone noticed.
4 - Carter S.: Sometimes I want a good hamburger without fanfare.  This isn't about Dick's deluxe; sometimes I want that, too.  This is different.

The burgers taste better than most d-i-y places (lunchboxlab, thecounter-both of which I love) and, if you avoid the rush during traditional lunch hours, the whole experience is relaxed and delicious- whatever you consider that to be.  

What I like most is the limited choices.  I would rather pick from 30 viable options than be dazzled by over 7000 choices for my hamburger accessories.  Burgerburger has fresh accessories in just the right quantity, including grilled onions.  This is a burger joint with really good, reasonably priced burgers and very good fries (except the curly ones- I have trouble aiming those at the right orfice.)  

I should probably just drink less.
4 - Inna B.: It was good enough for the burger-loving friend who was hanging out at the hospital with his new twin daughters... and it was definitely good enough for me!

The employees were pleasant and I enjoy being able to pick all of my burger toppings one by one. (Some of them cost a little extra, some are "free.")

The bonus price-wise was that the items I'm usually happy with (on my burger) are 'regular' things like lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and onion.... and all those things come at NO EXTRA CHARGE! So I checked off the one-patty box and checked off everything else that I wanted... and that made my juicy, tasty burger cost just $3.50+tax. Score!

The onion rings were pretty good and I was hungry enough to finish them (4 big ones, 3 small), but I don't get why some fried onions have to cost almost as much as my actual burger. I think they were about $3.25! 

I think next time I'm craving a burger on the Ave, I'll probably come here for the burger.... but skip the sides.
2 - Joshua J.: Well, being a student in the U-district, ABP used to be a favorite haunt of mine, but really, the burgers are just fair, nothing special, and even fair is pushing it these days. I used to come for the cheap, custom-made burger, granted that you'll find only the basic toppings, nothing out of the ordinary (well, pineapple, I suppose, but that's pretty basic in my burger book). The main problem that I have with ABP is the meat. It is bland, flavorless, run-of-the-mill, probably-comes-in-a-gigantic-ass-pre-pattied-box sort of thing. Like I said, as a student, I loved it... with my tastes a bit more refined these days, I opt for the homemade or a place that uses some real beef that has a little texture and flavor to it. Don't get me wrong, ABP isn't bad, and having the option to put just what you want on it is nice, plus, the get it right every time (at least, every time that I've been there), but that isn't enough to get me to come back. As soon as the prices went up like 2 years ago, I stopped frequenting. Good fries. Can't go wrong with waffle fries. The place is always nice and clean, service is snappy. A 3-star burger? I think not.... Thanks for listening.
4 - Michael K.: A Burger Place is more than just a burger place.  It's a damn good burger place.

The place itself is relatively small and cozy.  The kitchen is open and in the front, so you can see your food being made.  The service is impeccable.  Though the line may seem long, you'll be in and out of there faster than you think.  The lady there runs her team seamlessly, and never fails to give you your burger with a smile.

For people who have never been, the first thing you gotta do is grab an order form and a pen.  Write your name at the top and then go down the column and check off what you want.  Advance up the line and hand the order form to the main cashier and pay.  You'll get a number and you can go ahead and sit down anywhere.  If you want water, water cups are right by the cashier.

The burgers are solid.  When you eat it, you might think, "Eh, nothing special."  I'd probably agree.  But sometimes I just want a good ole solid hamburger.  And when I feel like one, this is where I go.  No gimmicks, no crazy inventive flavors.  A hot, juicy patty, accompanied with fresh toppings at a good price is surprisingly hard to find in this fast-food-and-gourmet-burger-ridden world.

Now, I know I said a good price.  But this all depends on what you order.  If you go and get a double patty with all the extra toppings, you might be digging further into your wallet than the guy next to you.  Also, the fries may seem a little pricey (it's still only $1.50), but you get your money's worth.  The curly fries and the regular fries are your best bet because they literally spill over the edges.  The steak fries, not so much, but they're still really tasty.

The only bad thing about this place is that you smell like burgers for the next few hours after you leave.  Wait.  Is that a bad thing?

GET:  Single Patty with Lettuce, Tomato, Onions, Jalapenos, Stir-fried Mushrooms, and House Sauce; Any Fries
3 - Travis J.: Solid burger place. They have a checklist-style ordering mechanism that appeals to the hyper-nerd in me. They keep a nice clean kitchen and it's always one of the cheaper places on the Ave.

My favorite: Double with a couple cheeses, pineapple and teriyaki sauce. They also have salmon patties for the pesco-vegetarian. 

Three stars? Yeah, while they are solid burgers, they just aren't great burgers, they close too early, and they cost a little too much.
3 - K A.: The burger and fries were cheap and delicious. Add free wi-fi and a flat screen while digesting, and you've got a pretty reliable burger joint.
4 - katya l.: BURGER BURGER.

This place is my go-to burget place in the U District. Outside of a sit-down restaurant where the burgers come with bells and whistles, this is one of the best burgers I've had. Especially in fast food.

The space is small, but clean and modern, with an open kitchen that allows you to watch your food being made. No shady business in a hidden back kitchen - it's all clean, clear and honest. You can put together your perfect burger as you go down a checklist that allows you to select your patty, sauces, cheese, veggies and add-ons like mushrooms or bacon. It's all very affordable - right in that space between fast food and 'real restaurant', which is exactly where this place falls into. And their curly fries are delicious.

The people who work there are so sweet and friendly. Get your burger on with a smile!
4 - Andy G.: Delicious curly fries.  I love how I can customize exactly what I want on my burger.  Always comes out tasty.
2 - Jessie F.: Meh is right.
I love a good veggie burger and every I've had them here they have been delicious. They are also pretty reasonably priced. They fries are crispy, yummy and you have several options.
Why 2 stars?
They don't clean the grill or utensils before grilling veggie burgers after grilling meat.
The last time I visited I witnessed the employee manning the grill touch a meat burger with his glove and then eat a little bit of the scrap of the meat off of his glove. He then did not change his gloves.
GROSS.
Call me crazy or anal but that is just taking it a little too far for me.
It's things like that make me want to stay in my house and never let a person I don't know cook another meal for me.
Gaaaah.
This saddens me because I love burgers and being able to select my toppings very much. :(
Sorry Burger Place. I won't be back.
1 - Kristin C.: I really don't understand why this place has such good reviews. Not only is the food extremely bland, but it made my boyfriend and I sick.

I liked the idea of getting to choose what I put on my burger, since I am so picky. I got a burger with pepperjack cheese, the house sauce and grilled onions. The sauce was bland, the pepperjack cheese tasted like jack cheese and the onions literally had not flavor. The only good thing about my meal was the curly fries.

It was easily the worst burger I have ever had, and my boyfriend agreed. I was very hopeful, it had good reviews, I liked the idea of the place and the inside, although it looks like ikea, was very nice. To top it off, I got sick. 

Please, do not go here!!!!
4 - Heather H.: I am a fan of any place that offers up a decent veggie burger with lots of topping option, all at a decent price. 

Cafeteria style, you walk in fill out the check boxed card and order up some yum! Its usually pretty empty in there it seems so don't worry about having to wait forever. 
My yummy smelling veg burger was your basic soy patty grilled, they definitely don't skimp on the toppings here. I had plenty of delicious jalapenos, onions, and lettuce to nosh off. Major points go for the burger not coming swathed grease too. 

Great options for pleasing both meat and veg eaters on a budget!
4 - Edwin W.: 4.5 if I could. Tucked away next to the U-district post office, this place probably has the best burgers on the Ave. The unique feature of this place is the ability to create your own burger from the cornucopia of ingredients. I love this place because of the chargrilled flavor and texture and the accompanying curly fries. I only give this place short of top stars because I prefer Red Mill just a little more. (Yeah, I'm a little critical sometimes).
4 - Amanda D.: I love A Burger Place or Burger Burger as we have coined it (due to the sign). I love that you can "build your own burger", much easier to check off what you want than to explain what it is you don't want. 

I pretty much get the same thing every time. The fries are good sometimes, the onion rings are great. The house sauce and hot sauce combo is wonderful. The best part is I usually spend anywhere from 8-11 dollars.
4 - Frank G.: Amazing service, food and quality of food make this place a must go for people with just a little bit more time on their hands for a good lunch. 

Burgers here are good and done well and the fries here are amazing especially the curly fries.....curly fries I do adore! You can get good discounts here if you are CSA or JSA or something like that or HKSA? I don't know but this place is very good to go to and good for the price!
2 - Sean M.: bland, bland, bland. I've been here twice - it would have been just once, except the positive reviews made me wonder if my meh first experience was a fluke.

On my last visit, I had a burger with cheddar, bacon, fried onions, house sauce, and lettuce/tomato/onion. The flavors were so lacking that I had to check to see if the cheddar or house sauce had been left off; I could only tell the bacon was there by its texture. It really doesn't matter that I can make my own burger if it all tastes the same anyway.

Another negative: what sort of build your own burger place doesn't have blue cheese or avocado/guacamole? 

Plusses: the curly fries are pretty good. The service is friendly and good. This is not enough to make me come back; pity that the food that was their whole raison d'être tastes so boring.
4 - Ly P.: Stopped in here on the way to a Husky football game and was very pleased.  I love the way you could customize your burger.  The menu is just a list that you place checks on.  You decide your sauce, how many patties, what type of cheese(s), the veggies, any extras like bacon, and what type of fries.  The food was delicious and the portion of fries were is pretty big. The service was very good too our food was done very quickly and brought right out to our table.  I do have one complaint though, the main reason we went in there was because from the picture outside It looked like there was a fried egg on the burger which is one of my favorite toppings, but I was mistaken, no fried egg option on the menu. Oh well.
3 - JJ B.: Great burger and curly fries!  I got a double patty, mushrooms, onions, bacon, and pepperjack cheese and man was it piping hot and delicious. 

My only complaint is it was quite pricey.

I would rather go to Dick's for a good fast food burger that was on the cheaper side.
2 - Stephen T.: Not the worst burger I've ever come across, not the best either. It's a step above McDonalds, but several steps below Red Mill or Teddy's. Once the novelty of crafting every single aspect of your burger yourself wears off, you realize its just a typical, pre-formed patty burger place with reasonable prices. 

If you're in the mood for a relatively quick burger for about $5, and don't expect to have a life-changing burger, then this is a solid place. That being said, if you're in love with the "design-your-own-burger" concept, then I'd recommend The Counter in Ballard, where everything is locally sourced and more substantial in terms of quality.
5 - Fortyone M.: Best burger I have ever had! Service is ok too!
4 - Jim D.: As others have said: best burgers on the ave. 

It's a bit heavy, but when you just need that burger fix at lunch time, this is your spot. 

Good service, the curly fries and onion rings are awesome. Everything is freshly made infront of you! Awesome
2 - Jennifer O.: I like this place, I really did. But then a cockroach ran across my table. Yuck. never again.
4 - Lydia K.: I know, I know... burgers aren't the healthiest things to eat. BUT...
1) I had just finished my last class for the quarter (yipee!)
2) I had a 5-hour shift at work right after lunch (I will definitely burn some calories from constantly moving around)
and 3) I had been craving a nice juicy burger for a couple of days now!

I went here during the lunch time rush hour. The place was busy, but with a couple of empty tables here and there.  At the register counter, you get to customize your burger by filling out a sheet specifying what type of patty (meat), cheese, extras, veggies (free), sauce (free), and side orders/drinks you want. (Check out the photo I uploaded of the form w/ prices!) Then you hand it over to the cashier who adds up all the various prices for the add-ons.

It took about 5 mins to get my food, which wasn't bad at all.
I ordered a chicken breast burger, w/ american cheese, all the FREE veggies, and a side order of curly fries.
I have to admit, the burger was solid! I thoroughly enjoyed it. The chicken was perfect- a bit crispy on the outside, but moist and tender in the inside. The portion size was a winner as well. As for the curly fries, they were amazing! Seasoned well, hot, crispy, and... curly? They really do give you a lot too!

Other pros: free wi-fi, good service, and a big LCD TV (I was able to watch for updates on the tsunami/earthquake situation in Japan)

All in all, I will DEFINITELY be coming back here the next time I have a strange, out-of-nowhere craving for burgers.

But why not 5-stars?
- It adds up to be a bit pricey for a poor college kid as myself. (My total was $8.25)
- Doesn't beat Red Mill (my fav!)

(Phew, that was a long review. But it was my very first Yelp review, so thanks for reading!)
4 - Dominique F.: One of my favorite burger places on the ave/ The fact that you can pick & choose whatever you want on the burger is so cool! Plus there's free Wifi and a big TV screen. It also doesn't hurt that the place was clean when I walked in with my two friends from out of town!
4 - Ninette C.: I really like their salmon burgers here and the fact you can customize everything.

Just wish the prices weren't so steep (for the Ave) especially with all those add-on costs.
4 - Russell L.: Solid, fresh, made-to-order (probably the best) burgers on the Ave... Tasty and it doesn't feel like a gut bomb afterward. They've got a good choice of fixings/toppings and their fries/curly fries come in a heaping pile.  The price can get a bit steep if you bling up your burger but whatever, it's tasty.
5 - Susan N.: It was really good. I got a burger with mushroom and swiss, grilled onions and fresh onions. Their curly fries were really good. It was really fast too. Yummy yummy yummy.
4 - Thomas D.: I go there & eat hamburger.
5 - Brent L.: This is without a doubt the best burger place I have ever been to. By a significant margin. I ate here all the time last summer during an internship. I'm from California so I know what I'm talking about when I say A Burger Place blows In-n-out away. In-n-out deserves its reputation; it's the best chain in California. But A Burger Place is leaps and bounds ahead of it. It's ridiculously good. I recommend getting the hot sauce, the house sauce, and ketchup on your burger. Then you can add ketchup to the sauce that drips out onto the wrapper and use that for the fries. You order by checking things on a little form; it's really convenient and lets you see all the great options. And the service is amazing. The employees are considerate and friendly. I cannot recommend this place enough.
4 - Lilly A.: My boyfriend and I rolled in here on a warm sunny afternoon a week or so ago. We had always wanted to try this place and all of a sudden, here we are. It looks like a hole in the wall kind of place but its actually pretty large. They definitely have 12 or more tables and its all pretty spread out. 

Ordering is pretty simple too, there were a few pads of papers where you can customize your order. If you are a plain burger kind of gal like I am, a burger there is decently priced (they give you lettuce, onion, tomato, mayo, etc for free). If you are an add-on kind of person (bacon, the works...), their add-ons... add up!

So the outcome? The burger was good, not knock you off your feet good, but good. What makes them a four? Service and their curly fries were pretty dang good!
5 - Regina Soonmi L.: I got a mushroom burger and onion rings. It was sooooo yum.
Especially, I love onion rings. I definitely recommand to try burger and onion rings."  Best onion ring in town."
2 - Alison L.: I came here on a Friday night with my boyfriend to grab something quick to eat. I've been here a handful of times before and always thought it was pretty decent for what you pay. Although this time, I walked in at around 8:40pm and the first thing they told me was that they close at 9pm and I had to be out by then if I ordered food "for here". They had everything already cleaned up and the cooks seemed to almost grumble when they had to make my food. Also, the time constraint made my feel very rushed.

I work at a restaurant and I know that as long as we are open, we have to happily seat and feed our customers. A Burger Place does not seem to operate this way. The way I was treated made me never want to go there again.
5 - Goat K.: Whenever I see that the line to Chipotle across the street is full I come here. In this case, isn't a bad thing at all. The burgers here are high-quality and the curly fries are delicious. The menu is more like a checklist to create your own burger, which is why their service is so efficient.

Carmalized onions and grilled mushrooms are what makes the burgers stand out from other places. They are .50 cents to add on but they are definitely worth it. The burger sizes are a little bit smaller than Red-Robins, but they are definitely cheaper by a couple bucks. 

My favorite part about this place is that they always have ESPN on, Burgers and sports? Sounds like the perfect meal for a guy. The staff is wonderful and they always seem so jolly. Their worth ethic is excellent and whenever I leave they nicely say goodbye. I'll definitely be coming back.
3 - Colin D.: I like this place, but I constantly go back and forth between whether I think it's a good deal or not. Unfortunately, the food isn't good enough for me to evaluate it except as a quick bite to eat in the super-competitive market of places serving up cheap-but-tasty lunch options on the ave.

By the time you get a double-patty burger with fries, it winds up being about $8 which is pretty steep for what's not exactly a gourmet burger. The salmon filet is a slightly better deal because it comes out about the same price as a double burger.

The curly fries are really good which makes up for some of the disappointment with the price and quality. To be fair, the food isn't bad in any way, it's just that it doesn't stand out at all either.

The only reason I come here is because it's a relatively inoffensive place to go out to lunch with people when everyone's having a bleh day because they've eaten at chipotle, thai and pho 3 times each in the last two weeks.
3 - Brad P.: A Burger Place is the perfect nondescript name for a restaurant that is ultimately forgettable.  Located in the center of the Ave on the University of Washington campus, this place relies on a regular flow of hungry college students who are clearly not discerning when it comes to the bells and whistles that other restaurants might concern themselves with.

When you enter A Burger Place you are immediately at the counter to place an order.  The ordering process is definitively impersonal - the build your own burger concept is laid out on order sheets that you fill out for yourself.  The options are plentiful but typical.  I ordered a double patty burger with cheddar cheese, bacon, mushrooms, and onions.  I also ordered curly fries and a soda.  The total for my order was $11.75, which is a little pricey for this type of place.  As soon as she told me my total all I could think was "this had better be a great burger."

I filled my drink and found a seat.  As I looked around I was pretty disappointed with the atmosphere.  There was one tv on the wall, placed high enough that it was almost at an uncomfortable to watch.  One corner of the wall featured some posters for concerts and other local events, but most of the walls were completely bare.  The paint was a bland greenish color that added nothing to the overall atmosphere.

My food was brought out to the table, and I was excited to dig in.  The burger was . . . good, but a lot of burgers are good.  I was certainly not displeased with the burger, but it hardly wowed me.  The fries were typical curly fries but again nothing more than what I expected.

In the end I will probably not make it a point to return to A Burger Place, but if you are looking for a decent burger on/near campus this place will do just fine.  There is nothing "bad" about the restaurant but nothing that will make it stand out from any other casual burger place out there.
5 - Jessica W.: This is the best place to get burgers in the U-District. I especially like it because I'm a picky eater, and I appreciate their ordering cards that let you pick your meat, cheese, sauces, and other toppings. I like that I can come here and get exactly what I want on my burger. 

The burgers are cooked when you order them, and it's nice to know that they're fresh. The fries here are always good and perfectly cooked. I've been here lots of times and have never had a bad experience. I recommend adding the onions stir fried in butter!

The food here is consistently good, and they always make the burgers look good. There's never half a slice of cheese hanging out of the side, everything is always in it's place. The restaurant is really clean, and the employees are nice.
3 - Amy G.: Kinda expensive for a DELICIOUS JUICY burger. But yeah, kinda expensive.
5 - Sterling K.: My favorite burger place!  I enjoy customizing my burger; I always try something new every time I go there.  The curly fries are probably the best side order there.  I wish it wasn't so busy all the time!
3 - noell b.: really decent burgers! fresh and made to order. the fries are fabulous as well. 

i don't usually go for burgers in the u-district, but i'll come here from now on for them.
3 - Jian Pang G.: Clean place, good structure. I think the price is allittle high for the food they give me, but a huge plus is they got a nice tv in the dining area to watch ESPN lolz
5 - May N.: I love the check list type ordering - it's easy, efficient and the combinations are "endless".  

The food itself is really good.  Their curly fries are pretty bomb and the quality of burgers is nice.  Vegetables are fresh and cheese is always melted properly.

What makes this FIVE stars instead of just four is the completely amazing, sweet owner.  She is this sweet Korean lady that I almost want to call my Korean mom.  When I was short on change to buy with cash, she didn't turn me away or make me buy more to qualify for the credit card minimum - she just let me use my card.  I was short on my order a few cents to qualify for a free drink and she gifted me a cup for free.  Of course I don't EXPECT this kind of generosity and I definitely don't think you should go in and try to take advantage of her kindness, but it goes to show you that the owner really cares about her customers.  The rest of the service is pretty friendly, too :) 

I definitely want to encourage people to check out this place and support the awesome owner ^^
4 - Niko B.: Best burgers on the Ave. Nothing fancy. Just really good burgers done on a grill.

A C Moore - Latham, NY (42.754289, -73.75714) ()
5 - Thomas N.: AC Moore is a great place to shop for those extra special finishing touches on home craft projects or those "Gotta Finish your Thesis Model and put some trees and funcky scale people so I can get my degree" type outings.

Fair prices and always having some kind of massive sale on "crocheting'" and fun "I need something to fill my time" side expenses.
3 - Laura N.: This store always feels crowded, and sometimes cluttered like some craft stores can get. Constantly rotating seasonal section full of cheaply made, marked up, then marked down imported crap. Good yarn section, though, and nice selection of needles. They're great for scrapbooking and art supplies, and the toy and kids' crafts section looks all right.

Always busy, even with Hobby Lobby open almost next door now. Get on the mailing list if you want coupons for the few items that aren't on perpetual markdown, which is most of the good stuff.
2 - Colleen M.: When someone's brother asks her for a dream catcher and a bedazzler for his 30th birthday, a sister is obligated to procure such requested birthday presents (to teach said brother a lesson for giving ridiculous answers to simple questions).  Where else would one go to find a kit to make a dream catcher and bedazzler besides a craft store...perhaps a craft store that she and her brother use to go to get loom potholder kits in neon colors when they were kids?  Well that is what this sister did after calling to make sure they had a bedazzler in stock.  When this sister arrived to purchase said bedazzler (15 minutes after calling) she was informed that they don't have them and haven't had them in a while.  She was then stared at blankly when she inquired about kits for dream catchers.  (they didn't have those either).  

On another occasion, this sister went in hoping to find window film (aka rice paper) to put on her front window for a little privacy when she likes to trot around in her underoos watching ball games.  Again she was met with blank stares and a long "nnnnn....nnnnooooo" and a shrug when asking where it could be obtained.  

Poor girl is going to have to let go of her fond childhood dreams of potholdering as AC Moore just isn't delivering anymore. 

(yup for his 30th birthday the brother eventually got a homemade dream catcher with a picture of his sister on a charm in the web, a bedazzler, and a knock off shake weight that was found at Christmas Tree Store for $5...what an amazing sister)

A Cafe New York - New York, NY (40.7995742, -73.9624449) (Manhattan Valley)
4 - Paul R.: "A" is an laughably tiny french/caribbean place I went to the other week and it's definately worth a try.  When I say laughably tiny, I mean like it seats 24 uncomfortably.  If I'm not mistaken, I believe the food is prepared in the same room behind the refrigerator (from where I was sitting, at least).  Their menu is understadably small as well:  3 apps, 3 vegetarian and 3 meat entres.  The food gets an F for  f-ing great!  "A" is also BYOB and that's highly recommended because they only offer water.  So, if you don't mind sitting on your neighbors lap and bringing your own favorite beverage, "try it...you'll like it".  If you're one of those high maintenance diners, don't try it...you won't like it.  Oh yeah, it's also quite discrete with it's sign, but just trust me: it's on the east side of Columbus btw 106 & 107.
5 - Pete C.: This is my favorite restaurant in the city! Its outrageously small interior is made up for by the enormously fabulous time you'll have inside! Grab a few friends and lug in some wine and you're bound to have a memorable evening (it's BYOB). The menu, like the restaurant, is small, but each item is worth every bite! Start with the mussels as an appetizer (if they don't do it for you, go with the avocado). You must try the duck as a main dish! Perfectly spiced and the proportions, although a bit on the small side as NY standards go, will keep you satisfied.  It can get a bit loud since it's such a small place and they really pack in the people. When you run out of wine, which I always do, there's a liquor store 2 blocks south on Columbus.  Many a visit have I made to that place! "A" is the type of place that warms my heart and I get excited to take people I love there. I wanna share it that much.  For a truly fantastic experience, bring a small crowd - 6-8 people - you'll end up waiting for room to open up, but once inside, let the wine flow and share everyone's meals!
5 - Brad S.: This French-Caribbean spot was an incredible find (thank you very much).  It is absolutely tiny (seats a couple dozen people), with the kitchen actually in the dining room.  The food is thoughtful conceived, excellently prepared, and exceptionally varied.  Most ingredients are locally sourced, and they are top notch quality.  The manager, Sebastian, is a very kind and loves sharing his recommendations and creations.  The seasonal menu changes every couple of months.  The duck confit is, typically, unbelievable, whatever the preparation.  Roquefort + pear is neato, as well.  Vegan options, if you roll brittle like that.

It's reasonably priced, and, perhaps best of all, it's BYO.  Bring booze, though; the neighborhood stores make up in bullet-proof glass what they lack in selection.

And don't tell your friends.  The wait can be tough, though I haven't been able to discern a pattern.  I think it's closed on Sun and Mon.
5 - Kimberli M.: I popped my head into this wee little spot (seats perhaps 24 people?)and was greeted with a smile. I reserved a table for 15 minutes from then and dashed to the liquor store up the block for a nice bottle of wine.

Let me state here how MUCH I like BYOB restaurants!!! It's also CASH ONLY so hit the ATM before you arrive!

Upon my return, Sebastian, the owner, greeted my smile with a big one of his own. Upon popping open my wine he suggested a few dishes on the petite but lovely menu that would go well with my wine selection.

We had 3 apps -- the baked Shrimp with rum curry special, the pear with raw honey and Gorgonzola and the pate. Yums all around! We had the chicken and the duck - yums again! 

I was FULL...but when they threw in a dessert I had to eat it up! YUM! He had gotten the Chocolate creme brulee (which he commented was less cremey and more puddingy but good none-the-less) while I enjoyed my French apple tartin - very buttery and not too rich. 

I can't believe it's been in the neighborhood for seven years (as I have too!) and this was my first visit. Shame on me! I'll be back! Yum!
5 - yellojak k.: BYO and quality eats !
my favorite choice in the neighborhood.  its small but the laid back vibe makes it comfortable. you can tell some discerning thought went into choosing the menu and preparation.  because its BYO, you can getaway with a real good meal without dishing out too much.
5 - Rachel D.: I am a devoted Ivo & Lulu fan, so I was really excited to find out they had a sister restaurant uptown.  This place is equally phenomenal.   sexy and hip but also relaxed, friendly and affordable.  Put a plate of merguez sausage & couscous in front of me, and I am a happy woman.  Also the music playlist included "hungry eyes" from dirty dancing. Could you ask for more?  

they have a $20 prix fixe dinner menu from 6 to 8.  jump on that deal, my friends.
2 - Furyk C.: Restaurants Subcategory - Strange
Strange strange strange... 
 - First, the name is very misleading given the fact that they DO NOT SERVE WINE!! this is BYO-type place which is fine but don't call it Vodka snd Caviar if you sell tacos...i mean really.
 - Second the food seems to have been concocted by a stoner former vegetarian with grandiose dreams of gourmet stardom, but no training andonly a rudementary understanding of food pairing.
 
to be fair, the food items have some redeeming quality.  The Pheasant 'Pate" was really tasty, but was so far from being pate i really have no idea why the description came into it.  Maybe "pate" actually means "jimmy-dean sausage with melted cheese" and my french is really off - i don't know, but it was tasty.

The "Lamb mergues simmered with figs and dates in a coconut creme fraishe" (my fault for ordering it) was actually "tasty lamb sausages in a horrible creamy mess with overly sweetened couscous and crunchy oven-dried figs and dates" WTF

Finally - the give-aways (yes i know it's not very gracious to bemoan the freebies) when you serve herbed oil as a dipping for the bread, use somethign other than plain vegetable oil and DRIED herbs, try some GOOD OLIVE OIL and FRESH HERBS (little salt wouldn't hurt) - yes it'll cost more - but it won't be TASTELESS CRAP!
4 - Krista J.: I can't write a very fair review of A as a restaurant, since I didn't actually eat any of their food.  However, I can say full confidence that this little (and I mean little) French-Caribbean restaurant on the Upper West Side is pretty awesome.  I spent my New Year's Eve at "A" with a ton of great people; we really filled up the narrow and long space, but had a blast.  The tables are a tight fit and if you plan to eat here, you should be comfortable about sharing your personal space.  We met the famous Sebastian, and he is really fantastic!  He knows how to take care of everyone, and all with a genuine smile on his face.  I can't wait to go back!
4 - Haley S.: This place is around the corner from my apartment, so is my stop gap when I go out to dinner locally.  The $20 prix fixe is a great value.  I had the duck confit and the pear with Roquefort last time...super yummy.  I was with a vegan friend of mine who found quite a few options and was raving about her avocado appetizer.  Maybe not worth a huge trip,but a great neighborhood place.
5 - Nancy R.: Boy oh boy, were my taste buds in for a treat! After being warmly greeted by the co-owner-hostess-ipod-DJ, we started with poached pears baked in raw honey with roquefort and drizzled with balsamic dressing and complemented by wine from next-door -- BYOB and NO corkage! How deliciously affordable. The other owner, her husband, stopped by our table to chat us up -- he has managed nightclubs and restaurants in NYC for the better part of 15 years and is a charismatic whirlwind. But back to the food -- my friend went with the forest mushroom ragout stewed with tofu, carrots, spicy sprouts and caribbean beans, while i opted for free range chicken breast marinated in lime jus and jerk spices with chevre and papaya puree. So tender, moist, and dripping with taste. That sounded dirty, didn't it? But I'm talking about some damn good cooking. And the portions so generous even little miss piggy here couldn't finish her supper. When it came to dessert however, this little piggy had none.
5 - Mina K.: so the night prior to eating here, i had thrown up all over the bed in the apartment that me and my boyfriend were renting for a week in harlem. oops. must have been one too many drinks. ): 

...so we skipped off to the laundromat the following evening. while waiting for our loads to finish, he wanted to grab a cup of coffee so we went wandering nearby. a few doors down from the laundromat we spotted a dark, small room with a glowing neon sign that said CAFE. but was it even open? suddenly a guy poked his head out the door saying that they had moved from down the street and this was their new location. introduced himself as marc, the owner of the restaurant, asked if we were hungry. 

the plan was to just get a cup of coffee but when marc broke off one of the reserved tables just for me and my boyfriend to sit at, i figured we should get a bite to eat. was very crowded in the small room so the way he accommodated us was very much appreciated! marc told us about the 20 prixe fix theater menu (appetizer and entree for $20) and the lack of corkage fee and made us to try two bottles of organic beer for free. the past week of living in new york had convinced me to be uneasy at this show of generosity and hospitality!

i chose the avocado appetizer and the poulet fum, boyfriend ordered the avocado and duck. looked simple and tasted absolutely wonderful. marc and his wife, blue, chatted with us and asked what we thought of the meal. needless to say, we were blown away by the service and the quality of food for such a low price. sure enough, the bill came out to $20 per person plus tax. a steal!

as we were leaving, marc threw us hugs and kisses and told me to call him up when i get home to los angeles. what a sweetheart! he also invited us out to a bar with his friends later that evening but i had done enough drinking for one week. and then we remembered the laundry. ):

GO HERE.
5 - laura a.: Byo wine (with no corkage fee!) and cheerful, laid back service (in NYC!) in a cozy restaurant with a fireplace= hapy customers.   That was too many exclamation marks but I said before the food even arrived that I didn't care how it tasted because I already loved the place.   This restaurant has a village look and the friendliest vibe ever.  The diners were an eclectic mix of owner's friends and random people who'd happened upon the place from the street.   The pre fixe menu  was delicious and well worth the $20.  We both tried the broiled pears with gorgonzola and then split the mushroom ragout and stuffed acorn squash.  We were delighted with everything we tasted.
5 - Anna W.: Dude, this place is GOOD.  I've been meaning to try it for a long time, but I always forget and end up going to the same three places in the neighborhood over and over again.  I finally went last night, and it was AMAZING!  I had the avocado appetizer and the lamb sausage entree, both for a total $20.  There are more items on the regular menu than are offered on the prix fixe, which is too bad... the shrimp appetizer and duck entree among others are not offered with the prix fixe.  

My companion got the pear appetizer and the squash entree.  

Anyway, seriously, amazing.  I couldn't stop commenting on how tasty the sausage dish was.  And I can't believe that it's totally BYOB and they just have wine glasses waiting on the tables for you to bring something to fill them with!  Weird, right?
5 - Shoshana g.: As my boyfriend's friend remarked while we were at 'A' the other night, "I don't even care how the food tastes, I already love it here."

Walking into A, a French-Caribbean restaurant which is housed in a practically hidden Columbus Ave. storefront, one feels more like they are walking in to their friend's kitchen, than into an unknown restaurant. Yes, it's tiny, and yes, it's cramped, but somehow, A manages to use this to its advantage, and make the restaurant feel warm and inviting: The owner bounces back and forth, kissing familiar patrons on the cheek and dancing along to the music (which is played from an iPod hooked up to speakers in the back, btw) ,  while his wife waits the tables and chats up each customer.  The customers, sipping on all the alcohol the strictly-BYOB-policy affords them, are often in an upbeat, light-hearted, chatty mood,  causing the restaurant to feel like it belongs on the set of 'Rent,' and I mean that in the best possible way.

Luckily for my friend, however, the food lives up to the precedent set by the atmosphere. I had the Pear in Raw Honey with Gorgonzola cheese 
which was amazing--the only way I can describe it is 'layered,' with each flavor highly distinct, yet still lending itself to a sweet-yet-tangy combination that was different than anything I'd eaten before. The avocado app was tasty, although not as impressive, and the weird half-creamy texture was kinda off-putting, but my boyfriend couldn't stop raving about it. 

 As for the main course, I am in love with the Squash Bowl (butternut squash, chickpeas, cinnamon, curry, and a bunch more), which seems to showcase A's tendency to mix two seemingly unrelated flavors into something wonderful, and the Free Range Chicken Breast (seasoned with lime and 'jerk spices') was a bit dry, yet still tasty.  

We also sampled each one of the desserts, and I recommend the apple tart (Tarte Aux Pommes). The chocolate souffle (Gateau Au Chocolot) was too chocolate-y for me, but if you're into rich, gooey chocolate, you'll love it. The Creme Brule was nice as well.


So, in conclusion: amazing atmosphere, better food , and BYOB. Plus, the most expensive entree is only $18, so how can you go wrong?
4 - Noel R.: From the same team that brought us Ivo & Lulu I find this gem in my neighbourhood. Tucked away on Columbus Avenue it misses the crowds that fill Broadway but don't expect an easy seat. This tiny space is full of more clued up locals who found this oasis before me. 

The food is French Caribbean and the menu is not expansive which to me is a good thing. I like it when a restaurant puts their faith in a few dishes, rather than try and bulk out their menu.
Started with snails in a spicy, herb sauce. I'm not a big fan of snails but if they have real-estate on a limited menu it means they're probably worth trying. And they were... delicious. I mopped up the sauce with extra bread.

For main, I had the lamb Merguez sausages which were served with a fig and date sauce and couscous. Delicious. My friend had the stuffed meat loaf. It was very tasty but I found the meat part over-powered the filling which you couldn't really identify. The sauce was tasty but the dish was a little too rich for me and I doubt I would order it again simply for this reason.

Both dishes lacked a little detail in presentation. I found myself missing some colour on the dish but this is a small detail.

Overall the food was absolutely great value and I will certainly  going again soon to try the rest of the menu.

The service is laid back but friendly. The owner and his wife don't look like they get stressed easily and this rubs off on the diners. The management of the waiting list is a little random but it all seems to sort itself out in the end. But, the wait on a rainy Friday night was long. I probably waited for over 30 minutes and when I did get seated the food took time to start arriving at the table. So not a place if you're in a hurry but well worth it if you have a little patience. If you get a chance to look at the kitchen then you'll see a closet sized space which explains some of the wait times but it amazes me how they make such good food in such a small space.

Good quality, great tastes, great value.
5 - Mog C.: My friend Jon suggested we try this for dinner a couple of weeks back.  He'd never been but had heard good things.  After checking out the website and finding out that they were related to Ivo & Lulu, I was curious to see what this place would be like.  

The area is still gentrifying and it's weird b/c everything closes at 7pm.  Ie:  I was looking for a coffee place to hang out at while waiting for Jon and everything was closed.  So I just went to the restaurant.  The space is tiny and I passed by it a couple of times before retracing my steps and counting down the numbers until I found the small restaurant front.  The restaurant layout consists of a very long and narrow space that goes far, far back.  The kitchen seems to be tiny (it would actually fit into my studio apartment - though to be fair, there wouldn't be room for much else) and I wonder if there's not a downstairs or another room past the back door b/c if that's all there is to the kitchen, then the chef is beyond talented for being able to cook these dishes in that small of a space.

Anyways, there is a prix fixe menu until 8pm that includes the majority of the normal menu, except for a couple of dishes.  Jon started with the grilled avocado for appetizers.  I had the escargots.  I'd heard the large table behind us moaning about how good the avocado was so I wasn't surprised when I took a bite.  It was very good.  And so, I was completely surprised when I took a bite of the escargots.  The cilantro chili butter gives the dish the kind of kick that makes you wonder why it hasn't been done before.  It's pure genius.  Even Jon who is not an escargot person ended up eating half of my half dozen.  So, round I:  Avocado vs Escargots, escargots win.  

Jon then had the merguez while I opted for the Duck Leg.  Duck came on the bone with skin on.  Skin was perfectly crispy with that gorgeous orange color only duck gets.  The leg meat inside was tender enough to cut with a fork.  I'm sure the merguez was good but the duck so blew my mind that I don't remember much else.  Round II:  Duck leg vs Merguez, duck wins.

This is BYOB and with the prix fixe menu at $20 for an appetizer and entre, you can't go wrong with this place, though I highly recommend spending a little more and trying some of the non-prix fixe menu items.  At the end of the day, both Jon and I won since we got to eat all the yummy food.  But, seriously, if you live within 30 blocks of this place, it's definitely worth checking out.
1 - Geoff C.: By far the worst place I have ever eaten, bar none. The ingredients did not go together, and the owners do not know how to cook. Not that I'm a big fan of Gordon Ramsay, but they'd do well to heed his "cook good food simply" advice. 

Avocado appetizer was frightful, the vegetarian main dish was with me for two days afterward. 

Owners were shocked that no one was in the restaurant - maybe because the Mets were in town, they said. More likely, people had found out the truth about this truly awful place.
4 - Laura Z.: i have gone to A multiple times - always bringing new people to show off this restaurant. It makes you look cool just for taking people there. bring your own drinks saves you money on entrees - which are so so good. get there between 6 and 8 to get the pre-fixe, it's basically a free appetizer (get the avocado, and make sure to ask for bread, it is unreal). i'm not always a fan of my entree, sometimes it seems like they try too hard to be inventive - but the flavors are always great and when it's right it is very right. really rich though, make sure you go hungry.
5 - Debbie M.: This place was amazing. After reading the reviews for it, I couldn't wait to taste for myself! 

The owner is especially friendly and service was great. We tried the avocado, pate, and pear appetizers - all were amazing, even if you don't normally like pate. We also had the duck confit and lamb sausages - both were great. The wine service is also amazing and who wouldn't be happy about a BYOB place in NYC???

I will definitely be going back and highly recommend this place.
4 - Koko H.: Nice option to have in the neighborhood. The $20 prix fixe is a great deal. The staff was really sweet and friendly. 
The food was very good, but not mind blowing. 
Free bread - meh. hard as a rock! Really good olive oil to dip it in though.
Pear appetizer - delicious, but the cheese was really strong. 
Avocado appetizer - my sister ate every last bit but I didn't like it much.
Merguez sausage + cous cous  - I was a little turned off by the pool of liquid in the bowl (oil??). The figs and dates in the dish were delectable. 
The menu is pretty small, so check it out beforehand to see if you like the options.
5 - Kate M.: It's hands-down our favorite restaurant in the City. There are of course comparable or better restaurants but not at this price range, and it doesn't hurt we live right around the corner. The owners are friendly and will remember you and greet you with a smile. $20 prix fixe menu is a total steal. The portions may look small but you won't leave hungry unless you're used to the likes of TGI Friday's. I've liked almost everything I tried here though I usually stick to escargot for appetizer and duck confit or lamb merguez for entree. The only appetizer I didn't like was avocado, but I know plenty of people who like it. The only weakness is their desserts. I've tried all three (creme brulee, chocolate cake, apple tart) and they were all pretty forgettable.
5 - china p.: Marc & Blue are the friendliest people in earth and make you feel like a regular your first visit.  By the second time, they throw their arms around you and give you a kiss when you walk in.

There's nothing about A to complain about, really.  The prices almost doubled since they moved, but since it's still BYOB and they were comically underpriced to begin with, it's hard to complain.

The food is always delicious.  The lamb merguez, the pheasant pate, the duck and the escargot are special favorites.  The vegetarian options are also great, and everything is organic.  

There can be a little bit of a wait, but it's worth it.  Bring a strong red wine to go with the food.  Most things are very rich and overpower lighter wines.

Actually, now that I think of it, don't come here at all.  It's terrible and crowded enough as it is.
5 - Lucy Z.: I love BYOB places like this.  This is the UWS sister of Ivo & Lulu.  Service is extremely friendly and the pre fixe price cannot be beat.  We showed a bit before 7pm on a Saturday night and had our choice of table.  Within 20 minutes, the whole place was full.  Everything we had was great, but I particularly enjoyed the pheasant pate and the duck leg confit.
5 - Jamie S.: 5 stars, easily.

I stopped by to make a reservation in person, since I was in the neighborhood, and it was thus that I got to meet Marc, the owner.  Great guy, extremely friendly, and remembered my name when we showed up a few hours later for dinner.  Not only that, but he personally seated at us the best table in the (albeit tiny) house.  Truly a class act all around.  Service was phenomenal all night long, and the food was absolutely outstanding.

Bonus points: Killer prix fixe menu for $20 from 6-8pm. You can't beat it.

More bonus points: BYOB. Marc is willing to give up the huge markup he could be enjoying on wine sales, so take a look at the menu before you leave and pick up a suitable bottle on the way over.

Can't wait to go back.
5 - James R.: $20 3 course prix fixe is amazing.  quality of the food makes the deal unbelievable.  can not recommend this place highly enough
4 - Ben S.: This is one of my favorite places in New York. I like BYO since I can bring whatever I have at home, it's the only way my wine gets drunk and it helps keep the prices low. If you get there before 8pm they have a prix fixe menu for $20 which is a great deal since some of the entrées cost almost that much on their own.

The menu is fairly small but what they do they do well and they put a lot of thought into the ingredients and search the world for the best. There are always a couple of vegetarian options, i always go with the "meatloaf" with mango gravy. There are several great appetizers including the pear and avocado.

The only reason they are not getting 5 stars is lately they have been serving rice instead of the couscous that they used to serve with their dishes and it's not as good.

It can get crowded because the restaurant is pretty small. Also if you can try to get one of the low tables the tall ones are kind of annoying.
5 - Anon R.: This restaurant is a real gem. Does only a few things, but does them very well. I've probably eaten everything on the menu, and I would say order whatever strikes your fancy, because it's all delicious. Combine that with low prices and BYO, and you've got yourself a winner. This almost seems like a vanity project by the owners; they could get away with charging a lot more based on the food and the decor, but I think they like the crowd they attract with the way things are today.
5 - Bonnie L.: This is hands down the best organic/green restaurant I have ever been to, if anything just for the standards. Everything down to the toilet paper was natural, recyclable, fair trade, and green. The first time I went it was a little confusing to find, because it is so small and tucked away, not to mention the name of the place is just one letter! Also they have weird hours, open from Tuesday to Saturday from 6 pm to 11 pm, so when I got there they were closed. But I came back 2 hours later and it was sooo worth it! The chef took our coats and said we didn't look familiar, so he started talking to us about the dishes on the menu, what their philosophy was and all this stuff. It was amazing! From 6 to 8 they offer a prix fixe for $20 and it's BYOB. We didn't know about that so he just pulled out a bottle of wine and kept our glasses full the whole night. We came in early so the restaurant was empty but within the hour it was packed, but not in an uncomfortable way - more in a homey way. It felt like everyone knew everyone. The atmosphere was wonderful, very cozy and rustic with Bob Marley playing on the stereo. The menu is limited but from what I could see everyone enjoyed whatever they had. The cilantro chili butter escargot was really tender (The chef said something about getting a certain species shipped from France since they were tenderer). We also tried the pheasant pate and the shrimp sauté, which were good, and the jerk roast duck, which was just unbelievable. The shrimp was a saute of coconut milk, cayenne curry, rum, and parsley. Eating the shrimp alone made the sweet flavor overwhelming but eating it with the rice mellowed it out and made it deicious! The roast duck leg with jerk spice and peppercorn was the highlight of the meal. It had crispy (not chewy or tough)  skin and JUICY, tender meat. You could taste the spiciness on the outside and a kind of sweet, peppery taste on the inside. The chef and the server were really attentive, even with the big crowd. The crème brûlée and the chocolate fondant for dessert outdid the main course. The burnt layer on the top of  the creme brulee was crunchy, fragile and thin, and tasted like roasted marshmallows/caramel which contrasted with the smooth, silky, light buttery, not overly sweet taste of the creme. Melts in your mouth and makes you feel high. The chocolate fondant was even better. It was like a really light, soft, moist chocolate cake shell with chocolate fudge inside. At first I thought I was going to hate it because I can't stand when chocolate is too overwhelming but when you cut into it, the fudge just slowly melts out of it onto the plate. It was like warm chocolate syrup except it had a rich "real" chocolate taste (if that makes any sense) and a very slight buttery/vanilla flavor. sublime.
4 - John M.: A Cafe can be a bit hard to find, unless you're searching for it after 8:00 on a Fri/Sat night or Holiday.  In that case, just keep your eyes open for the long line of people waiting for tables and schmoozing on the sidewalk.  

Once you've made it inside, you'll find a cozy, if-often-crowded, semi-formal dining space.  The restaurant is really ideal for an intimate dinner for two, or a cozy group of four.  If you're booking a holiday/office/birthday dinner locale for 10+, this is NOT the ideal setting.

As for the (french-themed) food, the menu is concise and doesn't vary a tremendous amount, but is always delicious (love the duck entree and the baked avocado appetizer).  The owners, who are usually running around serving tables and waiting on customers, are accommodating and super, super-friendly.

-  I recommend showing up early to avoid what can occasionally be a crushing wait.
-  I recommend showing up early for the prix fix (appetizer and entree for the price on an entree - before 8pm). 
-  I recommend bringing your own bottle - good french food and a nice bottle of wine are hard to beat... especially when you can bring your own and not have to pay corkage.
4 - lillybug a.: This place is really great.  If you like Ivo and Lulu downtown then you'll love this place - it was started by the same owner.  The food is very similar if not the same, and the BYOB policy is the same.  A Café is much bigger than Ivo and Lulu and you don't need to be sitting on your date's lap to eat here, but the vibe and relaxed neighborhood atmosphere is the same.  

They have a $20 pre-fix dinner which includes one appetizer and one entrée - try the escargot and coconut curry shrimp.  VERY GOOD!
4 - Alfred D.: Excellent confit!  My girlfriend and I came here for valentines day dinner.  We had a reservation for 6:30, but due to a train mishap we got there 20 minutes late.  We were worried that we wouldn't get our table, but they were extremely welcoming and seated us immediately.

The atmosphere is really great.  The decor was nice; we liked the scarves on the ceiling.  The tables are all packed together, which on one hand makes it cozy, but you also do get quite a few tidbits of other people's conversations.

One of the only drawbacks was that the food takes a very, very long time to arrive.  We waited over an hour.  However, there is a reason for this:  they have one chef making all the food in a tiny kitchen.  That's one guy making food for some thirty or forty people.  So just be aware: probably not the best place to go if you have somewhere to be right after, or if you don't feel comfortable sitting and talking to your dinner companion(s) for hours at a time.

The food was awesome, definitely worth the wait.  We thought the confit was definitely the best of what we ordered.  The sauces on everything were all really delicious; the sauce on the escargots was especially good.

All together, a great place, great food, just make sure you're prepared to wait a while for the food to come!
5 - Siobhan C.: This is really one of my favorite restaurants in the city. The owners are wonderfully nice and helpful, it's BYOB without a corking fee and the food is really outstanding. 

I can't get over their pate - it is one of the best things I have ever eaten in my life. The flavors in the food have been wonderful and consistent every time I have come here.

It's a small place, so you can feel a bit cramped at times but the welcoming and friendly attitude of the owners/staff make it all worth while. I wouldn't take a group larger than 4 here, but I will keep coming back until I have brought all of my friends!
4 - Andrew C.: The food is very delicious, its BYOB, great value for the quality and variety, and the owners are pretty much the ones who are serving your table. You'd have to go pretty far to top all that in NYC. The restaurant is roughly the size a smaller apt; however, it packs close to 40 people inside. Can get a bit cramped, but for the experience I had, I really didn't care. The menu (which I understand changes frequently) was small but awesome. I like it when the menu's are small, that way I know I'm getting fresh stuff with attention to detail. Great spices and imagination in each dish.

Only thing I didn't like (why its not getting the coveted 5 stars) was the side of couz couz which had a bunch of whole pepper corns throughout. Maybe thats the way they do it in the French Antilles, but I didn't like it. Everything else was great to say the least.
4 - Rachel L.: As other reviewers have noted, this place is SUCH a bargain.  Just to gloss over the highlights:  $20 prix fixe from 6-8, BYOB with no corkage fee, great service, and adorable set up. [I heart the location because it's near my 'hood.]  I went there on a Thursday night with my supper club (there were 6 of us), and we all enjoyed it immensely.  Clearly it's darn popular -  the place was completely full when we took our leave at 9:30 PM.

The place is impressive for its originality.  The menu is classic, quality [ORGANIC] French food, but with a ["Carribean"] twist.  For instance, the pate is *not* like any other pate I've ever had.  It is an amalgamation of deliciousness - it has a BRIE crust [yum].   I thought the cheese made the dish a bit oily, but that didn't stop me from asking my dinner companion for a second taste. [Or a third...]  Also, their home-style meatloaf is seitan rather than meat [and was one of the best dishes I sample].

I supremely enjoyed my appetizer and entree.  I opted for the grilled hass avocado and the roast duck leg confit.  The appetizer was divinity herself.  I have never tasted anything like it in my life.  With each bite, I closed my eyes and attempted to dissect each component in the shitake-sesame dressing.  I, however, was distracted by the sheer pleasure of the flavor combination, and failed in this mission.   The duck leg confit was good.  The flavor was right on, but the duck was a bit overcooked for my taste.

My meal here was a blast.  I'd recommend this place to anyone.   Of course, the 4 bottles of wine my party finished off  could be a contributing [or convoluted, if you will] factor towards my attitude...
5 - Emily W.: This place is my new favorite restaurant/hole in the wall in the City! It was literally the smallest restaurant I have ever seen. It is about 9 ft. in width and about 30 ft in length and the kitchen is the size of my studio apartment bathroom. But the taste of the food is astronomical.

I ordered the anjou pear with blue cheese as an appetizer and had the duck leg confit. I literally died when I cut into the pear and the crispy skin and perfect meat of the duck just took me to a whole new paradise. My boyfriend had the duck pate with baked brie *amazing* and the chicken breast with key lime and papaya puree which had a surprisingly strong kick to it.

To top it off, the owners are super nice and being able to bring our own favorite bottle was wonderful. They have a super affordable 6-8pm prix fixe for only $20. 

Go. Now. But don't tell anyone else in case this place becomes over crowded.
4 - A C.: Definitely a great place to have on the UWS.  Good food minus the downtown attitude.  Smoked chicken for my companion was prepared perfectly, overshadowed my own mellow shrimp saute which was a bit bland for someone who doesn't love coconut (but that's my fault for ordering it, as I kept looking for more, as in more flavor).  

Service is attentive and friendly, water refilled and silverware replaced as needed.  Food is enjoyable and accessible, has complexity if you're looking for it.  Prix fixe, love it!  Quiet but not dead on a Tues. night.  Small but cozy, low lighting, but comfortable all around.

With a one-page menu served at a very relaxed pace and no corkage BYOB, this is a good choice if you want to linger over your meal and a glass or two.  Looking forward to repeat visits.
5 - ryan c.: There's nothing bad to say about this place!  I went here on a Tuesday night.  It's a small restaurant front so it's easy to miss.  Once inside the restaurant is about the size of a shoe box.  By 8pm there wasn't a table that was empty and yet we still felt like we had plenty of space to enjoy each others' company without feeling rushed.  The place is essentially run by one guy who is the host, waiter, and bus boy.  The kitchen is, well, non existent.  I saw one guy in the back throwing appetizers and main courses into an over sized toaster oven.  But don't let that scare you away because the quality of the food is not compromised at all this way.  Some other high points is that it's BYO with no corkage fee! That's tough to come by in the city.  Although I have to mention you get plastic wine glasses at this place but to be honest, who cares?  If you go between 6-8 you get an appetizer and main course for $20.  Considering that their duck main course is $20 alone this makes for a great deal for those on a budget.  I'd definitely go back for some more toaster oven goodness.
4 - adam m.: This restaurant feels like a fantastically well kept secret.

There is absolutely no way you could stumble upon this place unless you were looking for it and that is one of the things that makes it special - you feel like you are eating in one of those special establishments known only to the locals and kept hidden from the masses - even though is was full when we left!

I must admit that the external décor is initially disconcerting since it looks like a dark shoebox of iniquity that you might expect to occasionally expel mysterious looking folk hurriedly stuffing arcane brown paper packages into jackets - but don't let this put you off!

They have a $20 prix fixe menu from 6-8pm and we arrived at about 6:30 to be greeted by the very friendly waiter (the only waiter for that manner!) who seated us and was very attentive the rest of the night.  It is such a small place and is apparently a 2-man show with the waiter scurrying here, there and everywhere whilst the chef, subtly hidden by a screen at the back though still largely visible, works his magic in a kitchenette barely larger than a toilet cubicle.  This place is bang on for intimacy and though it was full by 8 you don't feel crammed in and the drapes hanging from the roof make you feel like you are in some culinary boudoir.  I was also a fan of the poultry paintings that adorn each wall - which added a unique flare!

The food itself is great - the dishes are not standard fare and seem to be fairly experimental but succeed in what they attempt to do and all in all it was outstanding.

Check it out.

PS - it is BYO with regards to alcohol, so although it calls itself a wine room there isn't a drop of it on the premises!
2 - Jiehua C.: The place is very small and suffocating. The kitchen is very small. So they cooked the food during the day and heat it when people order it. Eight of us ordered almost everything in the menu. escargots is oily and does not have much flavor, the duck leg is very dry. Grilled Hass avocado is the best order. I just don't think this place worth the price ($30 each).
3 - Andy H.: They have new management, and it showed.

I've gone twice since the new management took over.

The food is still good and consistent from the previous owners. However, the service is not up to par.  Unless you don't care to wait 40 minutes for appetizers and another 30 minutes afterwards for your main course, then I would still recommend you come here to try out the food. The place wasn't even full but they had problems getting the food out quick and for me, service is half the experience.
4 - Neha M.: Now that Ivo and Lulu has become overly popular and the service has gone sour, we've been frequenting its sister restaurant. The Owners of A Cafe used to own Ivo but sold it off to concentrate on this UWS gem. Very similar concept and menu, *BYOB*, warm service and a prix fixe option before 8pm.
4 - Yumi A.: I came here because my friend raves about the food, and also because I had a great experience at a different byob french bistro (La Sirene) and was hoping this place would rock my world as well.  

The night started off great as they graciously accommodated us even though we were almost 30 minutes late for our reservation.  I did my yelp homework before coming so I went with the pate appetizer and duck confit that everyone seemed to recommend.  The pate was almost like a sausage casserole.  Even though I'm not quite sure I like the crumbly texture, the fennel went well with the gamey meat.  The duck came out a little cold, so that was a bit of a disappointment.  The jerk sauce was not too sweet and went really well with the meat and couscous, but the duck skin wasn't crispy!  So sad.   

I really wish they had real wine glasses instead of scratched up plastic wine glasses that look like they were bought from Party City.  Yes, I did just graduate college and I should be used to drinking wine from plastic cups, but not in a restaurant and not when drinking good pinot noir! 

As for the size of the restaurant, it IS small, but there are much smaller restaurants out there.  There's space between the tables so no worries about people eavesdropping on your conversation.  Just be sure to make reservations for Fri-Sat because it fills up quick.  

I think this place is worth trying out again, especially because it's such a good deal.  Next time, I'll have to try the cilantro butter escargots.
3 - Masumi T.: Food was still good and it's still BYOB (love that), but it just wasn't the same without Marc.  He was really upbeat and it just made the experience that much more enjoyable.  He and Blue were away when I went back to open a restaurant in Miami.  Escargot is still my favorite.  Despite my fear of turkey, I tried it and I can't say I liked it.  It was dry.  My friend had the lamb merguez which was as good as I remembered it.
4 - Juston P.: A Cafe gives the complete NYC Hole In The Wall experience, both good and bad sides of it.  

The Light Side of the Hole

- Low-fi decorations and an intimate space create the feeling you've wandered into a parallel dimension, or are at the very least not in NYC.

- Tasty food that was clearly prepared by a chef stuffed in what used to be a closet.  It's delicious, if not glamorous.  

-  An ever-so-friendly skeleton crew makes you feel like a regular.

- BYOB, B! 

-  The other patrons all seem happy to be there.

The Dark Side of the Hole

- The service was slow, very slow.  The friendly waitress was also in charge of the entire restaurant 

- It's not expensive per se, but you can also tell there's no economies of scale here.

-  It's worth mentioning the wall in which A Cafe is a hole.  Put it this way: metaphorically, it's covered in graffiti and unmentionable fluids.

I definitely recommend it if this is your thing.  It's tasty and intimate, just not terribly refined.
3 - Kayla Z.: Not too familiar with this neighborhood, but came here to meet a huge group for a prix-fixe dinner.  I ordered as an appetizer the pheasant pate with fennel, truffle oil, cognac, and brie crust.  It was very salty, but I quickly realized that most normal people pair pate and soft cheeses with bread, so I quickly grabbed a roll.  The pate was definitely "pate", and not so much of a mousse, which I am used to.  Even with the bread, it was salty.  It appeared that the people around me loved their baked pear appetizer.

For the entree, I chose the gulf shrimp sautee with dark rhum, coconut milk, and cayenee curry.  Absolutely delicious.  Some people offered me a bite of their entree, I politely declined and told them that I had to finish licking my plate first.  

The service is good, but slow.  Then again, they had to serve about 30 people.  If in the neighborhood again, I'd probably come here..
5 - Christina M.: Fantastic place. We had a 7.00PM reservation for a Friday night. We ended up getting there 30 minutes early and they were able to accommodate us (the place was empty).  The food was fantastic.  The menu is limited, but what they offer are very unique and creative dishes.  I had the pate appetizer and it was a huge portion. I really enjoyed it but the size of the portion was a little overwhelming for such a rich food. And it tasted more like gamey sausage than pate. Also the consistency was not as smooth and spreadable like a typical pate.  My husband had the escargot which was absolutely fantastic. They came in this fantastic cilantro sauce that I couldn't stop dipping my bread in.  For the main course I had the shrimp and it was sooooooooooo good. The sauce was so delicious and the shrimp were huge and fresh.  My husband had wanted the duck confit but they didn't have it that night.  So he got the smoked chicken breast. It was equally fantastic as the shrimp dish.  The chicken was cooked so well and was so tender. The sauce was a smoky, souped up version of barbecue sauce.  The service was really great and friendly.  You really can't beat the $20 pre-fixe and BYOB.  One of the best deals in NYC.  Will definitely make the trek from Queens again to the place!
5 - Jamie M.: I thought this was a really cool place... As previously mentioned, the place is tiny so if you are not ok with a small table, this place may not be for you. BYOB with no charge (not that I mind paying a little but for the AMAZING deal that is byo...) but it was a nice perk to not be charged a corkage fee. The food was nice, not the best meal I have ever had but it was really good and I left full and satisfied. My friend and I split everything so, effectively, I had the pear and stilton appetizer (pretty good, heavy on the cheese) and then the baked avocado (so tasty!!!) then we shared the chicken (cannot remember what it came with but very good) and the jumbo shrimp with coconut lime curry and rice which was very good.

Overall, bring a good friend and a nice bottle of wine to enjoy because the server is bound to be busy and service will be a bit slow. I honestly didn't notice since I was occupied by good conversation and booze
4 - Diana L.: Simple but enticing menu of just a few apps and mains means that the amazing aromas you're smelling are probably on their way to your table. But the amount of time they take to get there could be enormous given that this place was a 2-man operation during peak dinner hours tonight (a Thursday). Our dinner took over two hours and not by choice, although we weren't in a rush and were happily enjoying both the candle-lit hole-in-the wall ambiance and the no-fee BYOB aspect. 

Even though the waiter kept us waiting to order for about 20 minutes, he spontaneously told us we could choose the 6pm to 8pm prix fixe as the time limit had expired while we waited. And that was no small concession given that for $20 you can score a tasty app that normally costs up to $12 and the main dish that would have already cost you $14-20 to begin with. 

PS: the definite winner was the lamb sausage main course which comes with figs and dates over couscous in a spicy coconut creme fraiche. It also sold out by about 9 pm!
5 - Jeff S.: The food is unique, and this place has a very nice vibe. I was pleasantly surprised when I went to the restaurant. Not only is the food great, but they are also an eco-friendly restaurant. A Cafe is also BigGreenG approved in 2 categories.
4 - Hillary C.: This small, low-key place is just the answer to "where should we go uptown?". The $20 Prix Fixe is 100% the way to go, too. My baked pear app was deliciously filling and my friends loved the duck leg entree. It is true that there's only space for one big group reservation, but this is a great addition to the neighborhood. The one waiter is friendly and will get to you when he has a minute. If you're not in a hurry, this is a really great date spot. You can use this quirkily decorated, ceiling fan-cooled, good food-producing place to immediately tell if s/he will roll with spontaneity or will be a high-maintenance stickler unworthy of date #2.
4 - Eating through Manhattan am I.: went with a friend and 2 bottles of wine to try the prix fixe. had the avocado and sausages. food is delicious, rich, and packed with flavors. a small menu but it all sounds great. waiter was accommodating, super friendly, and was in absolutely NO HURRY to turn our table. i dont know if they just didn't book a second seating that night but it was the kind of spot where you could go and spend a couple hours catching up with no worry of annoying the staff. am going back tonight for more of just that!
4 - Robby T.: Cozy.  Great date spot. Friendly staff.  What more can you ask, right?
Not overly experimental w/ food, but always has a twist in the menu for people who don't want the standard bistro fare.
3 - Billy C.: I did my research on A Cafe on Yelp and their website just like most of the restaurants I go to.  Lots of glowing reviews (4.5 stars average).  But by now, I have learned to curb my enthusiasm and not expect too much.

Thursday evening, 7:30pm.  Group of 22.  This place is a bit bigger than I imagined from the reviews.  Cozy ambiance.  Service was very good.  Bottles of water were never left empty for long.  BYOB, no corkage fee, nice!

From 6pm-8pm, choice of appetizer and main for $20.  Following the general consensus of reviews I ordered the Scottish pheasant pate, fennel, truffle oil, cognac and brie crust.  Definitely to be eaten with bread as it is on the salty side.  Reminded me of sausage as the taste of fennel over powered everything else but the brie crust.  It was okay.

I also tried the baked d'anjou pear, roquefort, raw honey, balsamic vinaigrette.  The balance between the sharp taste of the roquefort (sheep milk blue cheese) and sweetness of the pear could of been better I think as the roquefort was too overpowering.

For the main, I went with the Roast duck leg confit, jerk spices, peppercorns and citrus jus reduction.  The skin was crispy, I liked that.  The duck, although a bit dry was good.  I did not like the citrus jus reduction as I found it to be too sweet, almost like dessert.  Too rich.  Would've liked to have more of the jerk spices flavor stand out.

So overall I found the place to be A-OK as there wasn't really anything memorable or at least nothing memorable enough for me to warrant a return visit.
3 - Laura A.: Honestly, I'd like to rate you guys more.. but I really can't. Totally agree with Billy C. who was also in our group for a dinner on Thursday nigth. We were 22 people, 2 tables reserved but still there was 8-10 customers outside our group. The place is very nice; not sure how to describe the deco but I'd say like modern Harlem, Jamaican inspiration; stone walls and nice paints all around the place. Soft lights but not dark. I'm agree with Robby T. as a great date spot in that area, which I'm not very familiar with, but I could see that A Cafe and Wine Room is like a white spot in a black wall, totally separated of what you can find around. 

With a first look to the menu days before, I get really excited: organic french Caribbean cuisine.... Should be my first time for this kind and then... that combination of ingredients and flavors in all the dishes: sweet, fruits, and spices that for sure will add a special touch that can makes a difference. It's also BYOB with no corkage. 

A separate line for the service because they were great. Not only friendly, it was excellent, focus in all the details, continuously refilling of water, very good bread in the baskets. The food was served quite fast and considering the size of our group, we were probably noisy, no complaining, the restaurant was like for our private party. 

Sadly, the resolution of the food doesn't reach the quality of the rest. I order the Pear baked in raw honey with Roquefort and balsamic dressing. Large size for an appetizer but the Roquefort that they use totally kill the rest of the flavors. A goat cheese or a light blue cheese could change everything but the pear alone didn't have a good flavor either. Should be more sweet and it was tasteless. As main course I order the Forest mushroom ragout stewed with tofu, carrots, spicy sprouts and Caribbean beans. in one word the mushroom was swimming in the sauce, almost like a creamy soup, so again just a predominant flavor .. and eat just sauce is not fun. I fished some mushrooms and after dry it a little it was ok; 2 types, the smallest was good cooked but need to be more salty, but there was another one, big that wasn't cooked at all and not seasoned; and I'm that one who likes non cooked food, including vegetables. 

A friend order Escargots sauteed in pastis with garlic and cilantro-chili butter. I got a bit and I'm glad to say that it was good. The escargots was a little overcooked and so, not very soft but the flavor was very well balanced with a light spiciness at the end. Others order the Avocado grilled with vegetable mousse and shiitake-sesame vinaigrette (she said it was good); the prawns port royal was said it was ok and with the Pheasant pate nobody was dying for. The Free range chicken breast looked nice and she like it and the Roast duck leg confit apparently was ok. 

After the dinner, I'd say is French but strongly influenced for Jamaican cuisine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaican_cuisine). The fusion doesn't work well in my dishes but if I'm in the area I'd come back and give a chance. The escargots, the bread, $26 in total and the service worth a second visit and the Squash Bowl still sounds interesting.
4 - Ava R.: Thins I loved:
-My dinner date
-They had organic soap and 7 generations toilet paper in the bathroom
-The entire menu is organic and there are some vegan choices (I'm no veg, but I respect that)
-Prix Fixe from 6-8 pm includes an appetizer and an entree for $20.  This is such a steal because the prices ranges on their entrees alone were between $16 and $20
-The restaurant smells like delicious food
-They had a local artist's paintings hanging for sale and the ceilings were draped with sheer cloth which made me feel like I was in a pillow
-The duck was effin amazing--the skin was crisped to perfection and the meat was tender and flavor pervaded every bite
-Gateau au chocolat fondant and Tarte de pommes were mmmmmmazing!!
-Free BYOB

What was just OK:
-Grilled avocado.  Came in a delicious sauce, but it wasn't packing the flavor I was expecting and certainly reminded me nothing of shittake mushrooms
-This place is teensy!  We were the first customers of the evening but it felt really crowded by the time we left
-One waiter (and 1 cook, I think) poor guys were busting their asses to make sure the service was good (and it was!)
3 - Chris H.: A Cafe is a lone bright spot in an otherwise desolate strip of nothingness in the UWS.  Seriously, this area is the neighborhood that restaurants forgot.

At $20 and no corkage, their prix fixe dinner deal is unbeatable.  It's cheaper than cooking at home, and is certainly worth the priced paid.  Major points for the frugality and value for money.

The decor is eclectic to be charitable, and downright weird to be un-charitable.  It's cozy enough, but I made a comment that the decor was reminiscent of my stoner friend's dorm room in college.

The menu, like the decor, is also eclectic, with some questionable items.  An escargot starter with a garlic butter sauce, spiked with West Caribbean spices, had me sopping up every morsel of butter and snail juice with the complementary crusty rolls.  

However, the scottish pheasant pate was more of a gratin and clumsily done.  Baked pears seem more of a dessert than a starter, and the grilled avocado, while I didn't try them, did not look appealing.  I couldn't fault my duck leg confit, but the accompanying cous cous seemed like an afterthought, and didn't bring much to the party. 

To be fair, these guys are working under some serious restrictions.  An open air kitchen shares space with the dining room, and is about the size of a broom closet.  More impressively (or scarily), they lack a range, plancha or any flat cooking surface.  They do all the cooking with a salamander and a few small ovens, which severely limits the type of execution that they can achieve.  Unfortunately, this limitation resonates in their food, which is fairly clunky, heavy, and about as elegant as a NY Jet's Defensive lineman.   

It's obviously popular with the locals, as the place was packed on a weekday evening.  But would I travel all the way up to BFE UWS for some hot snail action?   Probably not.
5 - Liz B.: 5 stars for the food (and my date) :-)

Here's one of those places I would have never tried if it weren't for yelp. And this time, I can also thank yelp for allowing me to add some checks to my "Things to do in life" list: Eat escargot.

So I got the escargot. Absurdly good. If you can get past the whole snail thing. I was able to get past it.

You must get the duck for dinner. I can't imagine anything else on the menu being better. I don't even LIKE duck. And I licked my plate clean.

The apple tart was okay. It smelled better than it tasted. Ava's chocolate dessert was way better but I wasn't in a chocolate mood.

$20 3 course prix fixe. BYOB no corkage fee. Everything organic. I must be dreaming you say? No, it is real indeed. A little oasis on a street of mostly nothing else. Take the journey there and you will surely be pleased.
3 - Grace P.: I really want to give this place 3.5 stars because the staff is lovely and I love BYO places, however I thought the food was just average.  Well actually my duck tasted a bit "off" and since I didn't get sick from it I figure it is actually supposed to taste that way, which is an even bigger concern. 

The plastic wine glasses and folding chairs scream low-end wedding in a a church basement. These are 2 things, if replaced, that could really bring A Cafe and Wine Room up a few notches.

I would not go out of my way to come eat here, but it is a good alternative (and BYO) in this neighborhood.
4 - Kissmahon e.: I'm giving this place 4 stars for its potential and overall experience. First of all,I love no-corkage BYOB! It's very small but pleasant. The music isn't too loud but the musical selection needs a little work - at times it ruins the ambiance.
The $20 special is awesome. We had the baked pear and the warm pate. Both were very good. For dinner we had the Seitan meatloaf and curry shrimp. I would say so-so for both. The meatloaf was good but really...um...it tasted just like Chef Boyardee Spaghetti O's with meatballs! (I'm not exaggerating!) The shrimp was good but not great. 
Still, the overall experience was good and I'm looking forward to going back and trying some other dishes.

FYI - they only have plastic wine glasses there so make sure to bring your own glass if you're into that kind of thing.
4 - Tamara T.: This place is small!! I'm 5'9 and with a gym bag--well I got nervous. However, my friends were there and the server was nice enough to let me order from the prix fixe menu though I was about 20 min late. 

The food: Well they don't have a 'kitchen' however there are some clear hits and misses. 
Hits: Grilled avocado, escargots, baked pear, duck and mushroom ragut.
Misses: Pheasant pate (too salty), chicken (we sent it back, the sauce/ texture are both off), and lamb sausages (not sure where to start).

The big hit is BYO (we had both wine and prosecco!) and in this area, well it's a fun night! Overall, great spot to catch up with friends, and they don't mind if you linger. Not much of a romantic/ first date spot, but good for 'sometimes two folks gotta eat'
5 - Eileen Anne F.: A conflation of romanticism, subtly thematic cuisine, and first-rate service packaged into a tiny restaurant.  You can't beat the BYOB.  Venturing to the UWS is worth the trek.  Next time, I'm getting there for the 3-course prix-fixe and I hope my next time is soon before I can't even make a reservation!!!!
5 - Sara M.: This place rocks!  6p-8p they've a $20 any app + any entree deal that's unbelievable.  Plus it's BYOB with no corkage fee and no restrictions (you can even bring your own stemware).  The servers and owner Al are accommodating, charming, and a lot of fun.  The combination of rustic French food with the bright and zesty flavors of the Caribbean is simply wonderful.  YOU MUST GO HERE!
3 - avi d.: Setting: dinner party of 19, someone's birthday, weeknight, 7pm. It's a narrow space but long-ish, tables up front, kitchen of sorts in the back, artwork (for sale) of women in hoods, also a small hanging witch doll from a lantern

Crowd: we take up  of the space for tables, a few couples or small groups of the morningside heights crowd at the other 4-5 tables. There's no problem walking around, not that cramped

Scene: dark-ish, some tunes (maybe?), romantic perhaps but maybe not advisable for a first date, there's a bit of bustle and while cute-ish its not exactly a warm setting

Service: is fine if you're a small group but constraints of the kitchen means that for a larger party things tend not to show up remotely at the same time, the owner stopped by to congratulate the birthday boy, invited us to his bar a block north

Food: the prix fixe is now $25, so that's a minor disappointment but the food is solid and flavorful, the duck I felt was the standout dish, really quite excellent, much of the rest was good but not remarkable, byo with no corkage was a nice bit, and the party housed a serious amount of wine considering the number of people with exams coming up

Bottom line: if you live in the neighborhood I could see it being a go to spot, but considering the potential trek factor, I'm not sure I'd make the trip just for this
4 - Dana F.: A Cafe was such a pleasant surprise in so many ways. The restaurant is tiny, just a few tables line either side of the restaurant. I love the darkish vibe and the exposed brick walls. The atmosphere was very nice - I loved that they were playing the Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel! 

The kitchen is virtually nonexistent. It amazes me what they are able to do with so little space and so few tools. One guy was working the "kitchen," the other was waiting the tables...the place was packed and they did an excellent job. We always had water and bread on the table. 

The restaurant is BYOB, but not in the raucous Milon sense. More of the place where you bring your bottle of wine (and there's no corkage fee) to enjoy with dinner. The two course prix fixe menu is $25 from 6 to 8pm which was a deal considering how large the portions were. The food is French with Caribbean influence in the spices and seasonings. 

To start, I had the pear with roquefort in a balsamic type sauce. I had no clue how rich this was going to be or how much melted cheese was going to be topping the pear (a lot! not that I'm complaining). I had the mushroom ragout as the main, which was one of two vegetarian main courses on the menu. The ragout is definitely one of those hearty winter dishes to warm you up, as there is an abundance of beans and mushrooms with a generous slab of tofu on top. It was great, but very filling. 

Random observation: the ventilation in A Cafe is not great, so my hair and clothes smelled like food and cooking afterwards. Not nearly as bad as Korean BBQ, but it was noticeable.
4 - Jeff C.: BYOB W/ NO CORKAGE? I'M SO THERE

From the hit restaurant Ivo & Lulu comes the follow up hit, A Cafe. I took 20ppl my Foodgasm meetup here for our monthly Mix & Mingle. Quite friendly and accomodating was the Manager. Warm and cozy was the ambiance. Everyone had a great time with good company, making new friends and enjoyed the food equally.

Ordered:
-Roast duck leg confit ($20) [with jerk spices in a citrus jus reduction] - melt in your mouth goodness, you may need 2 to get full though

They also offer a $25 Prix Fixe (6-8pm)
Choice of appetizer and main course

Total came out to $26 after everything
4 - Tiffany R.: My boyfriend and I went here for valentines dinner. We brought our favorite wine - which was great because we were able to save a little money and get something we knew we liked. It was a little dark inside, but it didn't bother us too much. Otherwise the food was great and there was great service. You could tell it was a family run restaurant with the waitstaff very friendly and not overbearing. I had the duck which was delicious (but a pretty small portion) and my boyfriend got the shrimp curry dish, which was also pretty tasty. Overall a great deal for the $25 fixed price!
5 - Richard H.: Went there last Friday (2/26/10) and it was GREAT.  Superb food, really good service and very caring staff.  Was a birthday meal but ,would go there ANY time. Really top of the line effort & very reasonably priced. A
find!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Will tell everyone. In fact, did tell a neighbor on the same night round midnight walking the dog.  Spread the word! - Richard

==============================================
4 - Nicole B.: A Cafe and Wine Room is definitely a find.  Anytime I come across good Yelp reviews and BYOB in Manhattan, I'm excited.  This place has always been able to accommodate us for last minute weekend reservations, even though it has less than 10 tables in the tiny restaurant and its always full when we're there.  Prices are great, and they do take credit cards, you just have to trek up to 108th St.  

We had the lamb sausages with figs, dates and coconut creme fraiche and the gulf shrimp with coconut milk and cayenne curry.  Both were unique creations with depth of flavor, thoughtfully presented, and fair size proportions.

The server has a Master in Fine Arts, so you can expect a beautifully crafted aluminum foil swan if you take home leftovers.  The prix fixe with entree and app for $25 is a steal (from 6-8), but the prices are always a bargain.

Probably the only downside is the limited menu (though delicious), which keeps from going back every week.
5 - Aaron L.: It's time to write a very serious review. You see, I do take my food very seriously; it's just that some restaurants don't take THEIR food very seriously. This isn't the case with A Cafe and Wine Room.

I have lived above this restaurant for almost two years and have visited it several times now. I can happily report that you can believe the hype.

While many Yelp patrons rave about their BYOB policy (yes, with no corkage fee) I must insist that they be reviewed on the merits of their food and service exclusively. After all, the last time I visited A Cafe, I brought a bottle of ginger ale. Yes, it complimented the food just fine.

I must warn that despite the supposed $20 Prix Fixe on the window menu, the actual Prix Fixe price is now $25. Also keep in mind that it is only in effect between the hours of 6pm and 8pm.

Despite that inconsistency, the food looks and tastes far more expensive than what you are paying. The baked d'anjou pear is among the most surprising appetizers you will find, but the moussee truflee and grilled avocado are equally delectable. The baked Scottish pheasant pate was a particular favorite of mine, though it doesn't leave much of a visual impression being served as if a casserole.

Again, it may not surprise you that my favorite main course is also the most expensive, being the roast duck leg confit. It is surprisingly refreshing, served with a citrus reduction and a tender orange slice with tender peppercorns that balance each other in a perfect harmony that must be tasted to believe. They don't mention it, but it is served with a portion of cous cous, which turns out to be the perfect side to soak up the leftover reduction.

Did I mention that this is all cooked in a kitchen the size of a Manhattan closet?

A Cafe is one of our great Manhattan Valley treasures, and locals need to take the time to experience it.
4 - Jonathan J.: Came here with a friend because they are BYOB and because I've never had real French Cuisine before. All I can say is magnificent! Everything about this restaurant was on par. They have their shit together and it shows. From the food to the no fee for corkage to the decor. Everything about this place screams quaint meets quality.

The food was simply amazing! I had escargot and a chicken dish that was covered in a sort of coconut sauce. It was superb and quite filling. The escargot was cooked to perfection and the sauce was excellent. My mouth is beginning to water just thinking about it. I believe this place is a blend of Caribbean and French and the blend of spices and fruit flavors dances on your palate with each and every bite.  

The decor was great, with interesting art displays thrown about and a dim-lit atmosphere worthy enough for any first date. The space is a bit small, but that jus adds to the intimacy. The only thing I would say is a down-side to this place is that the service was a bit slow. Maybe there's not enough people on staff, but it was difficult getting our waiter to serve us and to even open our second bottle of wine. 

Regardless of that, I would recommend this place for everyone looking for an interesting French spot!
5 - Maria R.: This place is awesome. Personal attention, nice atmosphere, BYOB and incredible food. The kitchen is tiny, but the things they put out are fabulous. Really worth going here!
5 - El Z.: Goddamn this place is delicious. Every single item on the menu is incredible. With free BYOB, you can't go wrong. The only thing I don't like is that they use plastic glasses but if you don't mind that, this should be one of your favorite restaurants.
3 - G S.: Overall this place does pretty well: good for groups despite its small size, BYOB, reasonable prix fixe, yummy bread on the side.

The food is an interesting mix of French and Carribean. While the food is decent, it wasn't awe-inspiring. I would go back to this place only if I'm in the area. Not really worth the trek from Brooklyn...
2 - Buo Z.: This place from the outside looks a little shady since after 6PM or so all the shops seem to be closed and there's barely a sign on the outside for this place. 

$25 for appetizer and entree before 8pm.
BYOB or BYOW.

Food I tried:
Pear with goat cheese in balsamic vinaigrette - weird taste combining the pear with the vinaigrette
Pheasant pate with crust - tastes like chicken (obviously)
Snails in buttery sauce - chewy goodness
Roast duck confit with a slice of tangerine - duck was good 
Organic chicken (6 or 7 slices) - chicken was kind of dry

Overall, I would say that I'm not a huge fan of the food here but the BYOW part is pretty awesome.
4 - Karen S.: It could have been 5 stars but just a few things were off.

Great things:
BYOB - (for poor starving medical students this is very important) not only that they go to extra lengths to chill your beverages or offer bottle sleeves, awesome
Service - one of the nicest guys in the business
Mousse Truffee - rich and amazing
Duck - perfectly cooked and tender

OK things:
Dessert - was almost disappointing, tried all 3 and nothing special
Couscous - had whole pepper corns in it and it was a little tough to eat

I will be back for sure
5 - Cory N.: Pre fixe was criminal at $20 and still a great deal at $25. The food is a nice fusion of French preparation and Caribbean spice, and is always excellent. This is always the first restaurant we recommend to our friends when they're looking to try something new.

Must try: scottish pheasant pate, mousse truffee, rabbit sausage, duck leg confit.
4 - Alex S.: Small, nice, cozy place with a BYOB and no corkage fee.  The artistic decor in the place livens it up as it gives it a cool vibe that is down to earth.  Plus, the music was light so it was easy to have a conversation with anyone.  Did I mention it was BYOB!  There was a liquor store a block away which is great if you get there by 9pm (it closes its doors and then you have to get in line with the local thugs to order through a window).  

Had the escargot as my appy and the rabbit sausage for the entree.  Both were mediocre.  The escargot was a little bland and the rabbit sausage was dry.  My friends chicken on the other hand, was two thumbs up.  One of the owners was there and I had a chance to talk to him.  Really nice guy.  Let my friend and I stay and finish our second bottle of Rioja while the place was closed and the staff was cleaning up.   

Did do the pre-fixe but I'm willing to come back if I'm in the area.
1 - Craig C.: Weirdest experience I've ever had in a restaurant.  The only table for four had been reserved, but the party was late, so he sat us.  He did not "warn us" or anything, just said, "they're late, you take the table."  Then he ignored us for literally 10 minutes (the place was full and he was the only one working).  The party of two who sat before us remained unserved as well.  Then, the party with the reservation (now more than 15 minutes late) showed up.  So the waiter literally "unseated" us.  When we complained (being long-time New Yorkers) that we'd never been unseated like that, he basically threw us out.  And became verbally abusive.  I had been excited to try a new place in the neighborhood but will avoid it like the plague in the future.  The energy was not good.  And it was very hot in the restaurant, to boot.  And, just out of curiosity, why would you call it a "Wine Room" when it's BYO?  I mean, hats off for no corkage fee, but ... ???
5 - Chris G.: I had some friends in town and we were looking for someplace, somewhat in the area. No one wanted to make any decisions, so I chose to look for BYOB's (recession and all) and then we narrowed the cuisine to French.

We arrived with our wine and beer in hand. The place was fairly small and there were only two other tables occupied, yet when I called to see if I needed to make a reservation for 9 pm, I was encouraged to do so. Go figure.

Our table was reserved in the back, and we were promptly sat, and our wine and beer were opened. The remaining beer was placed in a fridge to keep cool. It was at this point that we began to feel a little weary as to our restaurant selection.

We noticed that our server/host, may have also been /cook. The "kitchen" was tucked away in the back of the room, "hidden" by a bamboo curtain. It was the smallest kitchen we had ever seen. My manhattan kitchen was twice the size, and thats saying something.

Thankfully, good things do come in/from small packages (despite what my ex might say). It turned out that there was a cook, he was just in the potty when we were casing the joint. We all ordered the Duck Confit, and while it was being prepared, we had time to munch on the bread and ponder why the place is called a Wine room when you must bring your own.

The duck, we all agreed, wath the betht any of uth had ever conthumed. It wath thucculent and juithy. Perfectly crithp, yet it melted in our mouths. It was accompanied by a delicious couscous atop a pureed veggie. It was the perfect size, leaving neither of us any room for dessert. 

Unfortunately, we werent there in time for the prix fix, but I will definitely be back. The service was extremely attentive and friendly. The atmosphere was dark, yet warm. This may just become my regular go to cafe and wine room.
5 - Arkadiy K.: Fantastic. Maybe my knowledge of french cuisine is not up to par but my continentally inclined friend seems to agree. First-class vegetarian options.

All of the dishes come out of a "kitchen" that's about half the size of a studio apartment kitchenette and, aside from a small convection oven, similarly equipped. It's kind of amazing. Service is obviously not particularly speedy as per this.

The plastic glasses are bizarre but proved utilitarian when my friend knocked a full one directly into my lap. BYOB sans corkage fee results in multiple bottles of malbec and less than great coordination.
4 - Jared S.: Great little restaurant.  The food is delicious.  We had the pear appetizer as a first course, and for me it was my favorite dish with the perfect combination of sweet and savory that I look for in a first course.  My date had the portobello wellington and I had the rabbit sausages.  The wellington was tasty and well spiced in a large portion size.  The rabbit was served in a  carrot, ginger, and cashew sauce and the dish was overall delectable, but the sausage was spicier than I expected.  For dessert, we had the chocolate lava cake.  It was divine, with a nice crust on the outside that gave way to a rich sauce with a nicely balanced chocolate flavor (not too sweet, not too bitter).  Overall, a wonderful experience.  

My only complaint is the restaurant was too warm.  We arrived early and the AC hadn't had a chance to cool the place down.  

Finally, remember, this is a bring your own wine restaurant with no corkage fee.
4 - Erica W.: This place gets major points for charm.  The old incarnation was a total hole in the wall with subway maps as decorations, but I loved it even more.  I understand though- it was really hard to cook there.  The renovated space is considerably nicer in the conventional sense.  
That BYOB policy is great.  I really enjoy this aspect.  The food is also pretty good.  It is kind of expensive for what it is, and also it sometimes feels a bit amateur- in all honesty.  However, it has always been a great experience to eat there.  It always gives me a warm feeling like I am more than just another customer in an eating institution.  I go as often as I have the chance with friends that will "get it" and not ask why we brought them to such a tiny weird place.
4 - Ann L.: A Cafe and Wine Room is the restaurant equivalent of a studio apartment - no borders between the bedroom, dining area, and kitchen. The kitchen is literally sectioned off by small metal shelves holding all the cookware, with a small stove in the back. But the tiny size of the kitchen belies the huge (and great!) taste of the food coming out of it. 

I'm a big fan of prix fixe menus - hence my obsession with Restaurant Week - so I was immediately drawn to the $25 offer that is a permanent fixture here. For the appetizer, I had the baked d'anjou pear with roquefort in a balsamic vinaigrette - I'm not a fan of pears, usually, due to the grainy texture, but this baked pear was smooth and had a pleasant mix of sweet and sour from the pear and the vinaigrette. For the entree, I had the free-range smoked chicken breast in a key lime and papaya puree - perfectly cooked chicken, not too dry or overly greasy, and the puree provided a light, zesty complement. I had the creme brulee for dessert, but it was relatively standard fare. 

Drinks are BYOB with no corkage fee, another factor that contributes to the awesomeness of this place (aside from the quality of the service - one of the owners stopped by to talk to our table and was very friendly).

Highly recommend this place - a must try if you're ever in the area and looking for a gourmet dinner that won't bleed your wallet dry.
4 - Fred B.: Small, adorable, tasty.

The kitchen is tiny, so don't expect super-fast service, but the staff are extremely friendly, and attentive (as they can be given the staff / client ratio).  The food was scrumptious, and there was no wait on a weekday.

Please note that the prix fixe menu is now $25 and not $20
3 - Yu S.: This place plays great music.  First, it was the lulling voice of Enya humming softly in the background.  That was followed by a montage of Simon & Garfunkel songs, with some Beatles mixed in.  The music was played at just the right volume: not so loud that it is intrusive, but loud enough to be audible and appreciated.

Now the food: the menu is a very simple one, with no more than 10-15 items.  There is a prix fixe option for $25 (appetizer + main course), and that's what I ended up getting.  As I am a seafood fiend, I got the escargots for appetizer and shrimp saute as my entree.  Both were rather excellent and exotic.  

Why 3 stars despite the wonderful music and good food?  I wasn't a fan of the physical setting.  The lack of air conditioning on an 85-degree day made the dining experience less than ideal.  The tables are small and low, that combined with relatively high chairs makes it not so comfortable for tall people.  Also, the portions are small and you should be prepared to eat a second dinner.
3 - Takako T.: I've been here a couple of times, always with invitations of friends from Columbia. Their service is really good and attentive, and food is decent as a BYOB place. 

And as usual for BYOB place, the portion of food is small, but who can complain while you can eat $28 prix fix (appetizer and entree) with your own wine. 

But... one biggest con here is, PLASTIC GLASS! Even though I brought decent wine, I felt like I'm drinking a cheap magnum bottle wine in a dorm room..! I'll definitely add one more star if they change the glass in the future...! 

Anyway, still my friends love their food (so, i think it's just I'm not used to french Caribbean, should be considered as something more than just decent) 

Over all, the service is most outstanding part of this place and the price is also reasonable. Could be a great place for drunkards' casual dinner and parties
1 - Monique S.: A Bunsen burner and a microwave do not A Cafe make, or at least not  one that can serve food.

What I thought would be an intimate, sort of unassuming and potentially lovely dinner with my two girlfriends, turned out to be a 2 hour long dinner punctuated by the barny smell of alfafa sprouts and the ambivalence of a delinquent server.

My wild mushrooom ragout should have been titled "boiled mushrooms and grass in gray bean soup ($15!!). The seitan meatloaf was underportioned ($16!!). To be fair, the pear-stuffed with roquefort was good, and the coconut milk shrimp, decent.

I believe in fusion foods, and I believe that had they had an actual kitchen and cook, they could have pulled it off...as it now stands D Cafe would be a more appropriate name.
2 - Jennifer H.: I spent $16 on a vegetarian meatloaf made on a bunsen burner.

And I thought the rain was going to be today's lowpoint.

We sat down immediately following a large table which, in a small restaurant like this, means there's going to be a delay. Ok. That happens. Such is life. But normally your waiter will apologize or let you know or at least bring the bread in a timely manner. Instead, we were essentially ignored in the hour (!!!) it took our entrees to arrive. And during the 20 minutes between us asking for the check and receiving it. The food was good, if small in portion size for the price, but I was willing to consider coming back if this crap waiter wasn't working.

Until I went to the bathroom. And walked by what I realized was the kitchen.

Their kitchen is a large toaster oven, a fridge and essentially a bunsen burner. 

What. The. What.

Did I seriously spend $16 for something you reheated?! Suddenly the entree lag time makes total sense. And yet it is no less annoying.

Two stars because the food is decent, especially considering what they're working with. But I have no interest in paying somebody to treat me poorly while they reheat my food on chemistry class equipment.
5 - Jonathan C.: Extremely friendly service and great atmosphere.The $25 prix fixe is a great deal - you get your choice of an appetizer and entree.  

Also, this place is BYOB with no corking fee. The food is also interesting and delicious. The rabbit sausages (my main course) were full of flavor and served with a delicious tomato sauce (our waiter offered us more bread and said it was good for sopping up all the extra sauce). My girlfriend's escargots (her appetizer) were also wonderfully prepared and served without the shell. 

And even though there was some kind of event for Columbia faculty/students going on that took up roughly half of the restaurant, it wasn't overwhelming and we were never ignored. The atmosphere is also very chill - from the very low-key exterior to our friendly and helpful waiter, it was an experience where I didn't feel rushed as is often the case at a lot of new york restaurants. 

Bottom line: Definitely recommend getting dinner here. Would be a great place to take a date as it's got a bit of an underground feel and is also easy on the wallet. If I lived in any of the 5 boroughs or New Jersey, I'd try to make it out here as often as I could, but alas, I'm currently stuck in Boston.
4 - Alexander M.: A Cafe is an adorable little "French Carribean" restaurant that you would never notice if you were just strolling by. It's tucked into a dark, skinny space with nothing but a little neon "Cafe" sign announcing its entrance. When I went on a weekday night at around 7 it was dead empty so we took the window seat. By the time we finished a good number of larger parties had made their way in. The menu is short but it is very unique and they do have vegetarian options. (My friend got the seitan meatloaf.) I was feeling adventurous and ordered the rabbit sausages in a ginger carrot puree with a scoop of couscous. It was delicious and the perfect portion. For $25 you can get any entree plus any appetizer, but with the bread rolls, that comes out to be a lot of food. The prices may seem high but when you take your own wine and there is no corkage fee, it becomes quite reasonable. There is a great wine shop at Amsterdam and 106 where we got a bottle of Luscious Lips Moscato + Pinot Noir, which turned out to be the only bad thing about our dinner. Our server was a little slow but very considerate. 

Romantic and mysterious little restaurant.
3 - Hayley A.: What a great, cozy little space. I had my birthday dinner here this year. Very small so you want to plan ahead. The owner is great. Unfortunately, I find the food to be subpar. Except for the escargot. DELICIOUS. Also, they should think about switching up their menu once in a while.
4 - Toya F.: I had a birthday party here with 10 to 15 people. I made reservations because the place is narrow and small. This place is where you can eat good organic food and save money. In case you didn't know this place is BYOB. My friends and I had red wine, white wine, champagne, and vodka and they were able to accommodate us. The staff was nice even though some us got a little rowdy.... I will definitely go back.
5 - Liz M.: This place definitely deserves 5 stars. It's small, romantic, the food is great, and it is BYOB!!

It is very easy to miss if you are not looking for it, which I love. The place probably fits 25-30 people, but the way that it is set up it does not seem cramped at all. It wasn't packed when we went but I would make a reservation just in case. This is a great spot to take a date, or meet up with friends. There was a large group who seemed to be having their rehearsal dinner there when we went and they were having a blast. I will definitely keep this place in mind when I want to take family or friends out for dinner when they are up to visit. 

The food is delicious. My date and I split the escargot and the pheasant pate as appetizers. He got the duck entree and I got the rabbit sausage. Everything was delicious, so it was definitely worth the trip (since I live in Queens). The service was great and, of course, it is BYOB!  It's hard to find byob restaurants that serve food other than sushi, indian, or middle eastern so it makes A Cafe a rare find. We left tipsy and satisfied, ready to take on the rest of our night exploring the bars in the area.
1 - s l.: NEVER AGAIN!  i have lived in NY for over 20 years and i eat out often.  Because I am in the food and beverage industry, I am the first person to make allowances for poor service and ill tasting food.  I understand that everyone has an off night.  Because this place is near my home and has the BYOB policy, I have eaten here twice--BOTH meals were TERRIBLE and the service was extremely RUDE and obtuse.  In addition, our friends/neighbors went for dinner on a busy night.  After 15 minutes of patiently waiting for water and menus they were asked to give up their table because a reservation of 4 had shown up 15 minutes LATE and wanted to dine!!!!  When our friends expressed that this was unheard of the waiter was impatient and actually cursed at them! They took this as a pretty good sign to simply leave and never go back.  NY is full of wonderful places to enjoy a dining experience....DO NOT BOTHER GOING HERE!!!!
4 - Danny H.: A tiny but incredibly delicious place to eat and it's BYOB!

I've been here twice, both times for birthdays, and it's always been a treat. I would go for the prix-fixe menu because the food is delicious! I had the: Baked d'anjou pear (scrumptous), Grilled Hass avocado (I don't know what a terrine is but it was SSSOOO good), Roast duck leg confit (it was perfect and tender in a savory citrus sauce). My mouth is watering just by writing this review!

The waiter was very nice, but service can be a little slow. There's just one tiny kitchen for the entire restaurant (which can house maybe 15 people at most).

All in all, I love this place!
4 - Tisch T.: Great little spot... Emphasis on little... Although quite & quaint, the Food was rich  & very flavorful ... The byob is the icing on the cake! I went with a party of 6 so we sampled the entire menu & everything was de-lish! Went back again and went for the $25 prefix dinner, I had the Shrimp...and again wasn't disappointed!  I would highly recommend!
4 - Merrick D.: I had a Groupon, that I grabbed because I had never been to the place, and invited my Father & Step mother, to come along. We are all foodies, and the food was very good. Small menu, small place, but thats not necessarily a bad thing, to me ! Between teh three of us, we had  Pheasant Pate, the Pear , the Avocado..appetizers..and for entrees, Rabbit Sausage, Portobello Wellington and teh Duck Confit. All were well done, and we wiped up out plates with the lovely Whole Wheat Rolls.  The desserts were fairly common French, but well executed. I would have liked to see a touch more variety in that category, some Sorbets for example.. But, that was my only complaint, if one could call it that.. All and all, excellent ! We will be back...
4 - Jess L.: My friend and I came here for dinner last Friday, and we really enjoyed ourselves. The BYOB set-up alone is a selling point.

While the menu is small, everything sounded unique. The prices, while high for the neighborhood, were worth paying for the quality food that we received. We recommend the vegetarian meatloaf and the wild mushroom ragout. 

The service got a bit spotty at the end, and it took forever to get our check and change. However, I wouldn't hesitate to come here again when looking for a good meal in the 'hood. The owner is very nice.
5 - Stephanie C.: I can't believe I haven't reviewed this yet! Last night was my second adventure up to the Manhattan Valley for this decadent French Caribbean BYO spot. I came here once a year plus ago with a big group of foodies.. and I think last night was honestly better. The menu changed slightly- I can't say A Cafe offers too much variety, but the key thing is that it's consistently good, and they know the few things they put on the menu can be executed well. 

Let's first start off by the obvious: BYOB (which should be wine...cause it's A Cafe and Wine Room) with no corkage. The waiter opened us your wine ASAP and gets it a cooler... to chill (for whites). Last night, on Friday, the place was jammed packed with people- with most coming in after 8... I would say, they still offer the pre frixe (2 course for $25) even after the specified hours of 6-8pm. I saw people still getting the pre frixe menu after 8. That's nice. You need to make a reservation though because the place is small (10 tables maybe) and gets filled up fast. My bf and I came here at 7:30 and it was just getting started... 

The service was good- the one guy was nice. But considering there's just one guy, you can expect dinner to take a while. Long while. It's not his fault- so you have to take it with a grain of salt. Even if you tip him the minimum, he'll still go plenty to go around. He works hard for having the whole place to himself. There's only one cook too- amazing considering the quality of food. Even more amazing, as it's been said because there is ZERO kitchen here- just a little corner with maybe a bunsen burner and oven (legit!).  The room is nice for how small it is... 

The ambiance is great too; a little out of place in a very deserted, gentrifying neighborhood. But overall, good for intimate group gatherings (no more than 4) and dates. 

ONTO THE FOOD, which is awesome. My bf and I got the 2 course pre frixe. If you don't like French food, you might be limited with options- which means, yes they have rabbit and escargot. I have not yet tried any of these. I can't remember what I got last time. This time, I went with the haas avocado with mushroom terrine- I'm not sure what that was but it was good. The best part was straight up the grilled avocado- so flavorful thanks to the grilling. I even ate the skin! It was crispy. 

My bf got the baked pear with gorgonzola- there's lots of that so you need to like that cheese to enjoy this. He said he preferred his pear over my avocado. My memory is coming back to me..I think I got the pate last night. I prefer both the pear and avocado over the livers. 

This time around, I ordered the roast duck as my entree. It might have been possible I got this the last time. I must admit there is not a lot for meat eaters here- only duck, and chicken breast (boring). There is, though, a LOT for vegetarians, which is nice- seitan meatloaf, mushroom dish, and portobello wellington..which my bf ordered. Get to this in a bit.  I think a lot of the stuff here is organic too- no doubt they use high quality ingredients. 

The duck is melt in your mouth goodness- soft, on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside. Even better is the excellent sauce- citrus and good. Good cous cous too, when mixed with the sauce, becomes curry like. Pretty French-Carrib. Other dishes, even have an Asian twist (I think my avocado had a sesame/shittake dressing). 

My bf got the portobello wellington; I don't even think that if you were a meat lover, and fan of beef wellington that you'd miss the meat. I think this is a newer dish- the gravy around it is beef. But the puff pastry is done to perfection and the filling is so goody and good. Portion size across dishes is satisfying, even though it might not look it. 

They give you bread on the side while you're waiting- french baguette with their own EVOO mix. Yummy for soping your sauce, too. 

Def. worth the trip up once in a while- I'm recommending it to all my friends.
5 - Andy B.: It's small, but not crowded. You can BYOB with no corkage fee. They even bring you a cooler for whites. The prix fixe is a steal at $25. The baguette is fresh and refilled on request. The food is great and there are good vegetarian options. What's not to like?

To start, we had the grilled avocado and the baked pear and roquefort, which was simply delicious. I had the rabbit sausage, which was spicy and flavorful. My girlfriend enjoyed the portobello Wellington. BYOB was just the icing on the cake.
5 - Stephen L.: A Cafe is the best restaurant in the Manhattan Valley area. In a wasteland of dive bars and cheap latin food, this French Caribbean bistro really shines. When you discover the menu is prepared almost entirely with convection ovens you are even more impressed. 

It's a tiny place with just a few tables, one chef, and one server (the owner). It's best to make a reservation if you're more than 2 people. 

And don't forget it is BYOB with no corkage fee. If you bring white wine or beer they'll even keep it chilled for you in a mini-fridge under the cash register.

The menu is pretty simple - a single page of a half dozen starters and a half dozen mains. Highlights are: 

Starters

Country Pate. This is the no-doubt star of the entire menu - a chopped goose pate baked in a ramekin with a cheese crust. Absolutely delicious. One of those flavors I crave when I think about my last meal there. 

Escargot. Savory snails. Very nicely seasoned. They've been shelled so you don't have anything left to do, but eat them. 

Mains

Duck confit. Delicious. 

Shrimp Curry. Big prawns sauteed in a sweet Caribbean curry over a very nice rice. 

Portobello Wellington. Beef Wellington, but with portobello instead. Very tasty. 

Every time I go back I'm not disappointed. Definitely worth the trip and if you live in the neighborhood you owe it to yourself to try.
5 - Matt B.: Had a late dinner here last night and loved it.  The place is pretty small but looks nice.  The waiter/owner was very friendly and the quality of the food is unbelievable, even more so because the food is all prepared in a tiny corner of the restaurant.  We had the escargot and d'Anjou pear for appetizers, which were both very tasty.  The sweetness of the pear contrasted nicely with the melted cheese on top.  The mains were what really blew us away.  The duck confit was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, and surrounded by a slightly spicy sauce.  The shrimp was in a rich, sweet curry sauce that my girlfriend finished, without quite finishing all the shrimp.  When we got to dessert, unfortunately they were out of the melting chocolate cake, but the apple tart was delicious.  I had never had French Caribbean food before this, but now I'd say the flavors are French with a nice kick.  Excellent food.  Can't wait to try the avocado and pate apps, the Portobello Wellington, the chicken, and of course, the chocolate cake.  A Cafe is BYOB and even though we missed the prix fixe hours, it's still the cheapest French fare I've ever had.  I will definitely be a regular here.
4 - Sal S.: So I'm not exactly sure how the story goes but this place is somehow a sister/cousin restaurant to Ivo & Lulu which is in west village.  From what I was told from the owner/operator at A Cafe (I think his name is Al?), apparently they were both once started and owned by the same person and eventually broke apart.  Either way, A Cafe and Ivo & Lulu have remained very similar in terms of menu and feel.

Anyhow, back to A Cafe.  In terms of food, it is French-Caribbean fusion which makes for an amazing blend of flavors blended with outstanding ingredients.  The menu is limited, but this is okay considering they have perfected the select items which are served.  Considering the short menu, I highly recommend going back multiple times to try all the various dishes at least once.  Between the short menu and the pre-fixe deal offered it shouldn't be terribly difficult to try everything. 

Some notables are the pear with roquefort, shrimp curry, and the duck confit.

In terms of layout...the restaurant is quite small but still maintains a warm cozy-feel about it.  You should definitely make reservations if you're going during peak times, particularly if you have a group of 3 or more.  

To note:  It's cash-only.  Also, it's BYOB with no corkage fee so don't forget to make a stop somewhere before hand.
5 - Jeannie H.: Awesome food, awesome service, great date night place! BYOB makes it even better! Will def be back at this place. The grilled avocado and the poached pear app were to die for and the duck confit rocked the house. The owner is so sweet and caring!
4 - Brett D.: My wife and I went to A Cafe with a Groupon and left happy.  The service was great (which is typical when the owner is the server).  Food was very good French fusion food.  We loved our appetizers and argued over whose was better (I got the escargot with sop-it-up yummy cilantro-chili butter sauce, and my wife got the grilled avocado).  We tried to be daring with the entrees and were a little disappointed after having had such great appetizers.  We got the seitan meatloaf, which couldn't avoid the fact that it was made with seitan (somehow I thought I'd finally like seitan, but I was wrong).  The rabbit sausages were tasty but not as great as I had hoped.  Overall a very nice night, topped off with a very nice red wine that we brought (BYOB makes it a much less expensive evening!)
5 - Sue P.: Ah-may-zing !!!!! Took my husband there for his birthday :) just bring your own wine/beer. Food was soooo good, my hubby had rabbit sausage and I had the duck leg confi. Both highly recommended!!!! Yummmo cant wait to go back
5 - Katie C.: This restaurant was fantastic and I loved it, but you should be informed about how it certain aspects that you may or may not like. Do not go here if you are in a hurry because it will take 1:30-2 hours for you to get your food and finish eating because there is only one cook and one waiter. The waiter is also the owner and he is a perfectionist. It is best to get a reservation because it is the first question that he will ask you, even though there are plenty of seats, is if you have one. If you say no, he looks kind of annoyed. Also, it is BYOB and there is a liquor store right down the street. There is no corkage fee either. 

Now for the good stuff. The prix fixe menu is the way to go. Appetizer and entree for only $25. The menu was short but each item has a unique combination of flavors that are combined into an absolutely delicious dish. I got the roasted avocado and the wild mushroom ragout. I've never had a roasted avocado, but it was really good, especially when I dipped it in the sweet dressing that was served with it. The ragout was exquisite, the taste of truffle oil exuding through every bite. I definitely want to go back and try the portabella wellington...and the pear appetizer...and pick up a bottle of wine on the way...already got it all planned out. :)
4 - Doreen L.: A Cafe is a self proclaimed French Caribbean restaurant started in 2001, only at its current location for 4 years. It was as if someone took a look at 5 guys and said, "Five guys! I can run a place with one!"
And that one man is owner, chef, waiter, host and dishwasher in this cozy 30 person cafe. On the weekends, there might be (gasp!) two people working! 
Yes- there is a Ikea divider separating the kitchen from the dining room and yes- at most the chef has several ovens and a broiler to work with but come on! You have to give the man props for running at least a four to 5 person job completely without help!
Despite the lack of staff and the longer wait, the food was sufficient, rich and unique. 
Locals come here regularly and you might even find New Yorkers grimace and smile when told there will be a 1-2 hour wait. (Also why I highly recommend you make a reservation).
We ordered escargots with cilantro-chili butter, rabbit sausages with carrot puree and gulf shrimp saute. The rabbit sausage was a spiced roasted blend of cumin, paprika, and coriander; nestled amongst buttery mashed potatoes and cream based carrot sauce. Certainly my favorite amongst the two entrees but halfway through, I found myself satiated on the cream and butter, so I began picking off my partner's plate.
4 - Michael T.: Terrific food and good eats!
4 - Tiffany P.: The boyfriend and I headed here for an Easter dinner based solely on the fact that we wanted to eat rabbit or duck for dinner. This place offers both and did not disappoint. It has a cool vibe, is low lit and is good for conversation. 

A Cafe is BYOB and doesn't have a corking fee, which right off the bat I thought was pretty boss. We made a reservation and when we got there, as small as the place was, found we didn't need one (not sure if it was because it was Easter Sunday or if it is generally not very packed). At our candle lit table near the front of the tiny restaurant we could see all  the way to the back nook being used as a kitchen that only had one man working it. Other than the chef, there was only one waiter. 

Though we came because of certain specific items on the menu we had a little bit of a struggle once we were sitting with it because everything on the menu sounded delicious and every dish had something a little intriguing about it. We, of course, ended up ordering what we came for. Our food took a bit longer than I generally might have liked, but I was I was in good company and didn't mind. The rabbit sausage in a carrot, ginger & cashew purée was delicious. It had a bit of spice which I generally try to stay away from but eaten with the bread I worked through it, because it was totally worth it. The duck, though, oh the duck. It was falling off the bone perfection and the jerk spices with hints of citrus complimented it exactly right.

For dessert we split a creme brulee, and I said there at the table I would go back just for the creme brulee. I loved it.
4 - Ida C.: We had a wonderfully romantic (and probably calorically extravagant) meal last Saturday at A Café.  Despite being named for the A-train, the restaurant boasts a decidedly relaxed ambiance with dim lighting and mouth-watering aromas wafting from the small kitchen area.  

When we arrived at 9p, we were warmly greeted and offered the last table in the back by the kitchen, one of the largest 2-tops on offer.  Our bottle of sparkling (procured down the street at Whole Foods wine shop) was efficiently whisked away, popped, and returned in a cooler wrap along with wine glasses and water.  Happily, we sipped our bubbly while agonizing over the extremely seductive menu.  It was probably the best BYOB service I've EVER had!

We finally managed to make our decisions after we found out that the shrimp was finished for the evening:

1. Baked Scottish Pheasant pate ($12) - introduced by our waiter as the most popular appetizer on the menu, we were quick to order it, and given the preparation with truffle oil, cognac and a creamy brie crust, we had absolutely no regrets.  It was amazingly rich and delicious and perfect on the accompanying French bread

2. Broiled Bourgogne Escargots ($12) - this was an interesting twist on the traditional escargots dish.  The cilantro chili butter almost resembles a cilantro-rich Indian saag and it worked well with the earthy and tender escargots.  I was happy to soak up the extra butter with the bread

3. Roast Duck Leg Confit ($20) - widely touted as the best entrée in the house, we were quite impressed with this fork tender duck.  The skin was balanced with a slight crisp and becoming (but far from overwhelming) fattiness.  The sauce was citrusy with a subtle kick of jerk spices.  Truly a refined taste of the islands!

4. Portobello Wellington ($18) - this ball shaped pastry was chock full of veggies with a Portobello mushroom gravy on the side.  It was well presented but perhaps a bit heavy on mashed broccoli inside the pastry for my taste.  I would have preferred a lot more mushrooms in the filling

5. Tarte aux Pommes ($8) - home-made medium sized apple tarte with thin sliced apples arranged beautifully on top, perfect sharing size for 2!  We liked that it wasn't too heavy, just a nice, sweet finish

Overall, we loved our experience at A Café and it was well worth the trek uptown!

PARTING THOUGHT: We'll be returning, perhaps for the $25 Prix Fixe from 6p-8p one of these nights!
5 - Celeste M.: Look forward to dining here everytime we're in nyc! Our favs: pheasant pate and seitan meatloaf!
4 - Shawna L.: For those of you who hate vegetables, you have found a match.

The menu items are so rich and flavorful, and for the most part delicious - but there literally is not a single thing on the menu you can order to cut the fat.

Part of what makes French food French food is the balance and often delicacy of flavors pairing together. That's why pates are normally served with acidic fruit jams or frisee salads to put on the toast. That's why even decadent meat dishes will have some side vegetable component to balance the unctuousness of butter and oil and fat.

We ordered the chicken liver pate, the escargots, duck confit, and rabbit sausage. All but the latter were quite good; but my palate was so bogged down with cream and heavy sauces that honestly the flavors kind of melded together by about the middle of the meal. Had there been a salad or even side veggie offering, I think I could have made the balance work and had a near five star meal. But I really have to take two stars off for that; however they gain one back for being BYOB which is always awesome and appreciated.
5 - Cindy F.: Excellent French food with a wonderful twist. A gem in the UWS.
4 - Kanier L.: Like the ambiance of A Cafe,romantic,artistic and somewhat French.
Food is delectable in a French way.
We tried Bourgogne escargots(love this appetizer), Scottish pheasant pâté,Lamb Merguez sausages(too oily and sweet!),Roast duck leg confit(best of the all).
Choice of appetizer and main course from 6:00pm to 8:00pm Prix Fixe $25.
4 - Thao N.: This review is long overdue - I had a fantastic meal here last winter, but haven't gotten around to writing a review until now. This restaurant was BYOB - amazing!

For an appetizer, we had the baked avocado. I've had avocado cooked before and can't say I'm a huge fan - it gets a strange taste I don't appreciate - but this was not cooked to that point and was really tasty, as was the stuffing it was cooked with.

The portobello wellington. Wow. I'm sure this took up my calorie intake for the week, but it was so amazingly delicious. I actually think about this dish about once a week, but am a bit too lazy to make the trek all the way uptown.

The service was good - we used a Groupon and they weren't rude about it, which was a nice change of pace.

I'll be back for the portobello wellington. I promise.
5 - Zvonko N.: A well kept secret - you'd never guess that this is a real gem because it's on a mostly residential block and most people wrongly associate the low 100's with Harlem.   I love that restaurant doesn't have much of a sign.  

Everyone I've taken here raves on about the food.  One friend summed it all up by saying: "We New Yorkers who travel the world are spoiled and the best fare often doesn't excite us much.  But THIS place is just downright amazing."
4 - Mollie K.: I think this place is adorable. It's tiny and you can just about peek behind the screens to the kitchen, which might even be smaller than what I'm working with in my apartment. Nevertheless, most of the things that come out of are excellent. My hands-down favorite is the curry shrimp. Some of the other dishes aren't exactly hits and the menu is limited and seems to never change, but I like coming here because it's e a cozy, romantic retreat on this otherwise rater bleak stretch of Columbus Ave. It's also BYOB with no corkage fee, which is convenient.
4 - Danace Y.: This is by far one of my favorite places to go:

1. The place is intimate and small so it doesn't get too noisy when I go to dinner with my fiance or friends.

2. The food is consistently good.

3. The service though a bit slow is phenomenal. Since there is only the owner and the cook, the wait is worth it.

4. The pre-fix $25 menu is amazing. I have yet found anything this cheap with this great food in the city.

5. It's BYOB, meaning drinks with friends won't mean I will be going broke.

I keep coming to this place and keep bringing friends. So far I have yet any complaints and it won't be either in my part.
4 - Hillary B.: Pros:
BYOB (& no corkage fee)
Fresh, organic ingredients
Intimate atmosphere 
Vegetarian options....not actually a pro for me. :)

Cons:
Need a reservation - it's small
Smaller portions - order an appetizer and entree (or entree and dessert) if you want to leave satisfied.
2 person staff = slower service, but super friendly and knowledgable.
This may not be a con to some, but the meat entrees do not come with a vegetable, just a starch.
Pre-fix menu ends at 8pm

Favorites:
Grilled Hass Avocado
Escargot
Roast Duck confit
5 - Laura S.: A Cafe is A-mazing.  My friend and I shared the pheasant pate cooked with truffle oil.  It was so delicious.  Then we shared the chocolate desert, another win.  And you can't beat a BYOB with no cork fee.
5 - barbara j.: Oh. My. Goodness.
Amazingly wonderful experience here.

As mentioned, the place is small, yes, so make reservations early (I think ours were for 7 or 7:30? - I know that's early for New Yorkers but, hey, it's worth it.  Hang a bit! Bring an extra bottle of wine or something)

Anyway - the one and only server that night seems to have been the owner of the establishment (this seems to be standard, based on some earlier reviews I read?).  Even though the place was full and he did a good amount of running around, we never felt like we were waiting for anything. (Though, yikes, how long can this guy possibly keep up this pace?)

We stuck with the Prix Fixe menu (who can beat this deal?)

Our group was my husband, our daughter (who moved to NYC 5 years ago) and me. 

For appetizers, DH had the baked pear, DD had the pate and I had the escargots.  ALL were FABULOUS.  Truly!  But the pate (which was nothing like a traditional pate) was by far the most delish.  

For main course, both DH and DD ordered the shrimp curry and I, the duck confit. Again, as with the appetizer, my choice was wonderful and tasty (if I recall, it was served with Israeli couscous)  but after sampling the shrimp, wished I had gone with that - it was scrumptious and with just the right amount of perfectly seasoned "sauce" to swim in (though can't remember what came with it). Yum to the max.
 
True - the portions are not enormous, but where will you get 4-star dining at these prices?

For dessert, DD and I shared a classic crème brulee and DH had the Gateau AuChocolat Fondant.  The brulee passed the "tap test" (in my opinion, crème brulees should always have a good "crust" that will withstand a gentle tap of the spoon.  If the spoon breaks through too easily, it is not a good crème brulee!) This one was perfectly done.  The Fondant (basically chocolate lava cake) may have been the only disappointment, if you can even go as far as calling it a disappointment.  Our only complaint was that it was a little dry with only a little "lava".  However, DH had no trouble consuming every crumb and drop.

The lack of corkage fee is a huge plus - though my daughter, who has been a NYer long enough to have visited plenty of establishments, fears this awesome Prix Fixe deal or the $0.00 corkage fee (or both) cannot possibly not last for too long - so get it while you can!

Even with all the amazing choices NYC offers, I would love to return to A Café next time we are in for a visit!
5 - Maddy N.: We have been going here for years and have always had a great meal. It is BYOB (major bonus points in my opinion) and they have a pre-fix for $20 or $25 (appetizer and entree). They use sustainable products (even the drinking glasses are made out of recycled corn product) and the food, I think, is organic. They have great veggie options (like seitan meatloaf) as well.  We highly recommend this lil' gem of a place.
2 - Patrick B.: Service was OK, but I wasn't crazy about the food.

A Cleaner World - Chapel Hill, NC (35.909763, -79.0322671) ()
2 - Henry S.: At the end of every winter, I take all of my sweaters to be dry cleaned. My previous dry cleaner had closed, so I chose to try Carolina Cleaners instead. I had a coupon that was not expired, but they would not honor it. When I asked why, they could not provide a reason, but with 20 sweaters in hand, I wasn't going to go anywhere else. When I finally picked up my sweaters, two of them appeared as if they had not been cleaned at all, and the price was $10 more than expected. I'd recommend trying another cleaner in the area before this location of Carolina Cleaners.
4 - Felecia B.: I am a performer and juggler with a flame resistant wardrobe.  I often use fire in my acts and need special care and handling so the finish is not removed.  I trust this dry cleaners to make sure that I stay safe and my outfit is clean and tidy.  They do a wonderful job of pressing as well.
4 - Elizabeth H.: I am a huge critic of dry cleaners (I've tried almost all of them in CH) and A Cleaner World meets my expectations!

I gave them a solid, beautiful, green silk dress to dry clean that had been doused in olive oil at an Italian restaurant.  They got the entire spot out.  I don't care about their prices, because if it means my clothes remain wearable, I'll pay any (reasonable) price.
2 - Jill M.: A Cleaner World did do right by me after all. Shortly after I posted my review on here, one of the people from corporate called and said they would have a check waiting for me that afternoon. I appreciate the fact that the company recognized the error and made an effort to make it better by reimbursing me for the shirts.
1 - Jasmin U.: All I can say is $29 for two blouses and a dress - You have got to be kidding me! That is outrageous!
2 - David G.: Holy cow this place is expensive!  I just paid $35 for two suits!  At the place I normally go to it would cost about $10.  The clothes came back in once piece and the cute little forest critters of Chapel Hill are better off  without the evil unspecified toxins, or so they tell me, but geez.  With those prices, you are better off buying new clothes instead of getting them cleaned.

A Clear Path Professional Organizing - Los Angeles, CA (34.0631451, -118.4367551) (Westwood)
5 - Marjorie M.: I am so pleased with my new de-cluttered closet!  It is the best gift I could have given myself!  Regina from "A Clear Path: Professional Organizing for Home, Work, Life" was a joy to work with.  She is upbeat, on time, non-judgemental, and FAST!   She worked with me to sort out my belongings into various categories such as keepers, throw outs, donates,  and move elsewheres, and in a few hours it was done! 

 Regina is a PHD in history and got her organizing skills from categorizing bits of information for her thesis.  She was  recently written up in a Wall Street Journal article  reviewing professional organizers around the country, and she was one of the best!

In addition  to organizing closets, garages, and homes in general, Regina also de-clutters offices and businesses, and is a life coach.
5 - angela L.: O.k. so I'm not the most organized person (i've passed that off as 'being creative' )and I also can't think very well with messy unorganization because as I keep making my piles bigger the less I think clearly.  That's where Regina has come in.  I also am trying to grow my business and hadn't known where to start.  Little did I know Regina could help with that too.  The first time she was over, we started with my closet.  I think it's on her website.  It was a nightmare!  She works quickly, efficiently and I didn't feel judged in anyway.  We got rid of about 5 bags and she did something so cool with my boots- She hung them up on skirt hangers! Fabulous idea! 
Regina loves what she does and it shows in her work and her care and compassion of others.  
The past few weeks she's given me some new tasks.  One is my daily To Do list. Whatever I don't finish, I take to the next day.  In the past month I have redone my closet (because honestly, I don't always stay tidy!), did my husbands closet and was able to give him more room, my dresser, the HUMUNGOUS pile on my desk that i've been avoiding for months that actually took me only about an hour or so to do.  
I could keeping going but I'm sure you get the idea.  Regina is the best and she really cares.
5 - Cindy W.: The garage seems to be the final resting area for so much stuff I don't need or use. I've used Regina twice to help me organize and get rid of
things. I find her ideas and organizational skills very helpful. I'm able to let go of a lot of things that I wouldn't be able to on my own. She makes it fun and it's obvious that she loves what she does and I don't feel embarrassed around her because she creates a safe space to explore  feelings and reasons for hanging on to stuff. My garage is cleaned out. I'm happy. Call Regina If you want someone to help you who is fast, efficient, and shows up on time.
4 - Nisha P.: Regina has helped me so much when I worked with her one on one. My work, personal and family lives were colliding. But she gave me great tips and helped me create an organized and more functional space for myself. I also co-hosted a party for my friends and it was wonderful. She was able to provide us all tips on our specific concerns.

I also love her website. It gave me great ideas on what can be donated, like stuff animals to animal shelters!
5 - Carol L.: I am not exaggerating when I say that Regina changed my life!! I was not a hoarder, just had too much stuff (seriously, who needs birthday cards from 10 years ago?!) from too many disorganized moves. It all seemed too daunting to tackle, but Regina came in and made it seem easy and even fun!! I am still shocked how this task that seemed undoable is DONE and DONE FAST!! She is the best!! What I loved was that there was no judgement and she didn't "make me" throw out anything. (Yes, I even kept a FEW birthday cards). In fact, her big question was how did I picture what organized meant. She also was a great connection to a garage build-out company and great places to donate. I cannot recommend Regina highly enough!! Go on her website and take her quiz - you'll know that she will get you and your situation. CALL HER!!!
5 - Jackie M.: I had A Clear Path help me de-clutter and organize my items for a Saturday garage sale. I was so impressed with how patient and thorough Regina was from sorting to tossing to tagging. And she came over at the crack of dawn to help hang signs in all the right places to promote the mob scene that turned up for the sale. I could not have been happier with the result and having A Clear Path at the helm made all the difference in the world.
5 - M J.: I have a lot of fun cooking but one thing I did not like about my kitchen was that everything was everywhere. 
I decided to get some professional help to get started with organizing my kitchen. 
I contacted Regina and she contacted right back (Next day!) to schedule an appointment.
Before her assistant Danielle visited my home, she called to make sure she understands what help I needed.
Once she came, every minute was spent towards organizing, not only for kitchen but also building my organizational skills for future.
She guided me how to clear the area, reorganize the things I need, categorize things that I use, and store them.
As we were working on organizing the kitchen, I already learned the system of organizing without noticing!
The kitchen looks amazing. Open, easy access, clean and most importantly organized!
 I would like to thank Danielle for helping me and I highly recommend Regina and Danielle to anyone who wants to organize the any room but quite not sure where to start.
5 - Christine S.: Regina is amazing. She's a guru of organization.

I asked for her help in organizing my home office, which I stopped working out of because the papers, drawers and closet were so out of hand. When she arrived, promptly on time, she got right to it. We started talking about what I was concerned about and she asked some very thought provoking questions throughout our time together - about things I was holding on to like, "Is this helping you become who you're going to be?" 

I felt as if she took it to the next level, not just getting things organized, but helping me learn to evaluate the things in my home - and provided me with insights and mental tools so that I can keep things organized.

I highly recommend Regina's service and would hire her again in a heartbeat!
5 - Katherine L.: Regina is wonderful- She goes right in where others may " fear to tread!"
Helping to de-clutter and organize seniors' homes,  having great resources and referrals to help seniors to be safer and happier at home.
5 - Denise R.: Regina came to the retirement community I work for to do a workshop for our seniors. One of the biggest roadblocks we get from seniors is "I have too much stuff to get rid of before I can move" 
I can't thank Regina enough for her time in coming to our community. Our residents and prospective residents raved afterward about how helpful her workshop was and how wonderful she is. I personally loved her personality and how wonderful she engaged and encouraged everyone in the group to participate. I spent my day off on Sunday tearing through my shed and filled my car up with "stuff" I was planning to sell at the garage sale that I have been planning since last November. I took it straight to Goodwill.
I also tackled my tank top drawer. She definitely lit a fire for me. I'm not sure who benefited more, me or the residents!
I will definitely will be sending Regina referrals, and hopefully in the future making the call for a family member as well.
Gratefully,
Denise
5 - Christine K.: Regina came this morning and saved the day! 
What a relief to have my garage finally cleaned out. It was chin deep in 20 years of teacher treasures, my son had moved home for his last year of law school and my daughter had downsized from 4 to 2 bedrooms -without storage! They both agreed to help.  It was even better that half of the junk belonged them :) Bless them for helping but there had been a few hoarding comments. I hired Regina because I was afraid of the usual: getting near the end and running out of time or steam and tossing things back in just to get the garage door shut. That didn't happen. Things moved so quickly and Regina is so positive that no one was grouchy and we were finished by lunch. Both "kids" actually said it had been fun. Thank you, thank you, Thank you, Regina!
5 - zippy d.: I called Regina Lark to help organize a really cluttered area of my house. She was a amazing! She asked about my goals for the space - what did I want it to look like after it was clear? and then created the strategy to do the work and we got started. I made 100s of decisions that day about what to do with all my STUFF and it wasn't long before I could see that we making a lot of progress.

no matter what issue bars you from obtaining the organized life you desire, Regina gets to the heart of the matter with a jovial approach which makes organization fun.  among many other incredible traits... Regina is dedicated, witty, non-judgmental, and kind.  exactly the type of individual you'd want on hand when navigating a 'closet purge'.

Regina talks you through all of your decisions. 
she asked a lot of questions about my relationship to my "stuff" and because of that I was able to pay forward a lot of my stuff to Goodwill and Out of the Closet.  Regina is truly a rare find, and i intend to keep her on standby for all of my organizational needs from this point forward.

THANKS REGINA!
5 - Jim L.: Regina is a miracle worker!  This may be the best birthday present I ever received. Her ideas and energy are infectious--I 100% recommend her!! (Plus she made it really fun!)
5 - Kristen B.: I rarely take the time to write Yelp reviews, so that alone should say something right there.  Regina is no doubt a true PROFESSIONAL organizer...it's a rare gift that she embraces and shares with her clients.  I, like a lot of people, tend to have too much "stuff"...and in a studio apartment that becomes an extra challenge.  I am also the kind of person who doesn't do well with organizing paperwork or throwing things away...I'm a saver who thinks "someday I might need that".  Regina not only helped me clear a cluttered space to start, she also evoked the motivation in me to keep me going.  She is a true expert in her field, because she doesn't just come in, organize your space, and leave...she does it with you and works with you on the psychology of what might be holding you back.  She has a way of unlocking your potential...I swear she's like a down-to-earth motivational speaker as well as a professional organizer rolled into one.  She has you create a vision of what you want the space to look like, at least she did with me since she recognized I am a visual person.  She really knows how to get to the heart of the problem and to deliver a solution.  I have had some success moving forward on my own since she left, but being that I want my apartment in tip-top shape when my friend's come out to visit to celebrate our big birthday, I'm actually going to invite Regina back.  Honestly, never in a million years did I think I would pay someone to do this sort of work, but Regina works magic in more ways than one, as well as being a true delight to work with.  Thank you Regina for all you've done so far.  The best is yet to come!  :-)
5 - Aaron M.: Regina was amazing!!! Huge progress made to my extremely hoarders-style messy condo.  Worth every cent and more.

A Cut Above Salon - College Park, MD (39.0216689, -76.9251925) ()
1 - Jerry A.: Normally my hair takes an hour to cut and blow-dry. Two hours later I was done. The stylist didn't make sure everything was the same length. So with my hair slightly uneven, I left the salon with $55 gone.   Save your money for a better salon.
3 - Marissa T.: Funny... When I yelped this salon a couple of months ago, there were several reviews ranting & raving about this place. Go figure....

I visited the salon b/c of the reviews that are mysteriously gone. Let's break it down:

Ambiance: Very nice, clean and peaceful w/ relaxing music (Went on a Thursday at 3pm)

Service: I can't remember her name, it may have been Natalie, but the Hispanic girl cut my hair. She was very nice and easy to talk to. She gave me a scalp and shoulder massage which was probably the best thing I experienced. I cut A LOT of hair off... Probably 8 inches. However, it definitely didn't come out the way it should have come for the price I was paying. I've gotten the same cut, maybe even better from Bubbles at $35-40. i just expected a wow factor, which I didn't get. My hair did feel lighter, but I know when other people have textured my hair correctly, it feels extremely light. Not this time. 

Price: $55 for shampoo, massage, cut and blow-dry. Seems reasonable for  this area, but I've honestly had better cuts from Bubbles for cheaper.

Also, when I mentioned the Yelp promotion, she said it was only for products and not for service... Yeah... I read otherwise, but whatever.

My hair still looked good, don't get me wrong, I didn't look terrible. But it wasn't the cut I showed her...
1 - AJ D.: i asked for a simple color and highlights, as well as a trim.  My appointment was at 11:15.  I arrived at 11:20.  I left the salon at 4:20 WITHOUT any highlights and just a dark color on my hair.  

I opted out to blow drying my hair and told them NO HAIRCUT since im running extremely late. I have been there for 5 hours already and have wasted an extremely beautiful day.  

So basically for 5 hours, i just got a solid color that could've been done in 30 minutes.  To top this whole scenario, the lady that did my color, CLAIMS that she sees highlights in my hair! 

I'm going back to my old hairstylist.

A Friendly Inn At Harvard - Cambridge, MA (42.375048, -71.1109405) (Harvard Square)
3 - Sarah T.: This place is fairly bare bones.  But you pay for what you get.

I was at a conference for Harvard and was lucky to make a reservation the day of.  When you arrive, you have to ring the door and wait out in the cold until the proprietor comes downstairs and opens the door for you.  Waiting for 5 minutes in the cold is no fun!  

Then my friend and I got put in room 101.  Make sure you are not given this room.  Room 101 is right next to the inn's office, which is right next to the stairwell/entrance/pseudo kitchen.  So basically you go to bed when the last person gets back to the inn, and you wake up when the first person runs down the stairs nosily or talks w/ the Inn proprietor.

Also, just FYI:  they don't have an iron or ironing board.  

Good shower, though.
3 - Jeev S.: The best part of the inn is its location. It is very close to the Harvard Yard and 7-8 minutes walk to the Harvard Square T-station. Recently, I  needed a place to shower and relax for a few hours while visiting Cambridge for a very short trip. I had booked the room for $90 for the 3-4 hours I was planing to be there but when I reached there, the kid at the office gave me the room for $70 including taxes. The room and the linen were clean. I felt the wash-basin taps could be upgraded, overall I would say that it was an okay experience, not impressed but no complains either.
3 - CeCe O.: We booked this place late afternoon the day of arrival so we got room 107 instead with 1 queen/1 twin/private bath down in the basement. For a basement, I expected a bargain but the price was a little higher than expected but still lower than what's available around this time and very close to Harvard. 

The shower was great (pressure + heat). The bedding was okay though being in the basement, you can hear loud footsteps above. So if you're a light sleeper-I would not recommend that room. Overall it was a decent place for an overnight stay.
4 - Ben R.: Very close to Harvard, free wi-fi and breakfast.  A great place for visiting Harvard.  My room was fine, fairly large with lots of desk space.  There is some variability, though, with some rooms even in the basement.
4 - Josh P.: I stayed here for two weeks over the course of a June and July while traveling on business. (Bear in mind, my stay was during the summer when school was out.) Rates were very reasonable considering the close proximity to Harvard Square and the free parking behind the building ( about 6 spaces - first come, first served but I never had a problem). 

Rooms are fairly basic. Tabletop ironing board was a bit frustrating, but it got the job done. Breakfast is sparse but enough to get you going (cereals, oatmeal, pastries, fresh fruit, boiled eggs). The coffee is strong and available 24/7. Some private bathrooms only have showers. If you need a tub, ask for it. Front door to the building is secure which I didn't mind. 

If you want to be pampered, go pay twice as much for a hotel. If you just need a reasonably-priced place to stay in a great location, this B&B will serve you well.
2 - Jeff G.: No doubt about it, the staff are very friendly. Which would be great if I just needed to chat with them, but it turns out I need to actually stay at their hotel. 

The rooms are tiny and dank. The heat is centrally controlled requiring me to open the window so I don't suffocate from the heat. This last point wouldn't be a big deal, except for the fact that at 7am, the garbage trucks come to pick up the trash right outside the hotel. For breakfast, they offer hard boiled eggs and stale pastries. Overall, everything in this hotel just feels cheap. It certainly convenient if you have some business at Harvard (which I did), but otherwise, pass on this place.
3 - Alex W.: It's not bad. It's not good. It is perfectly located. The rooms are clean and small and pokey. The price is absolutely high but relatively-speaking almost moderate. The shower is nice. The food is bad. The wifi is free. The staff are fine. But the location is great. I would probably stay here again and neither enjoy it nor resent it. I guess it works.

A Heart to Heart Wedding Consultant - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2827524, -120.6596156) ()
1 - J C.: I asked very little of this "consultant" and I ended up doing the work myself for my location wedding. Waste of my money...but happy not to deal with it anymore. Complete Headache!
5 - Jen C.: I have no idea what we would have done if it wasn't for Brenda!!   She did my sister's wedding on 9-10-11 and I can't rant and rave enough about how professional she was and how knowledgeable she is with her craft. She had a lot of fresh & great ideas to incorporate into the planning process.  I will forever recommend her services and will use her for my wedding (eventually, when I get there).

Thank you so much Brenda!  You ROCK!
5 - Meagan R.: Our wedding coordinator was a blessing from God!  Brenda Boorman of A Heart to Heart Wedding Consultant coordinated our wedding.  I can't say enough about Brenda and her husband Andy.  She was so patient with my busy schedule, so will to help with every detail.  Planning a destination wedding is even that much more difficult but she mastered it!  There were so many details that I was not on top of that she was most definitely on top of for me.  I had a very specific vision and what I appreciated so much was that Brenda really embraced my vision instead of trying to force her own, and then made my vision possible by making sure she was as familiar with it as I was.  To this day people talk about all the details at the wedding and how everything came together.  To see pictures of all that hard work done on that day you can go to http://styleunveiled.com/destinationrealweddings/category/location-mexico-weddings where the wedding was published.

Brenda is personable, friendly, reliable, genuine, and beautiful both inside and out... I would recommend her to anyone.  Her husband is also a crucial part of the team, they are really quite the duo and work so well together.  What I loved about Andy is that I would give him some crazy idea and he would make it happen, above and beyond.  

George and I would not only recommend Brenda and Andy as wedding coordinators because of their amazing work but also because of their friendship and support throughout the entire process.  If I could do it all over again I would do it all the same a million times over! :)
5 - Kenny C.: I love it! She is awesome. I would use her services again.
5 - Mila B.: I didn't know where to start! Brenda gave me all the options and costs and help me make the right choices. i've been married before and took the easy way, with a quicky trip to Vegas. I've always regretted not doing it right. After all how many times do we get married? Thank you Brenda for everything!

A Heart's Desires Bridal - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2792908, -120.6636218) ()
4 - Kate A.: I actually had a good experience here. 
I booked an appointment (recommended so they know when you are coming in) and they actually stayed late after closing to accommodate me in trying on dresses. 
Be sure to wear the bra you would like under your clothes...as the fitting room situation is a little different (open doorway with curtain inside)
The dresses were not in any order on the rack, so it was hard to tell in what shape/style they were. 
Very unique gowns that were just gorgeous. 
The owner and daughter were not pushy at all to purchase which I really appreciate. 
I found a gown that I really liked and they gave me heads up that it would be about 6 months out for an order.
1 - Michelle G.: I bought my bridesmaid dresses here. I ordered them in November and went to pick them up on Saturday. To our surprise the store had ordered a size 24 for my maid of honor who is and was not in November a SIZE 24 and is more like a 12 or 14. The store insists that she must have lost over 100 lbs since she was fitted in November and refuses to acknowledge that they made any mistake.  The owner told me that it was hard to order "when you are not the perfect size."  She also made a variety of rude comments about he weight.  I requested that they order a new dress or refund the money so I can go to another store.  They have refused stating that "we don't make mistakes like this." (Now that I look at Yelp it appears that this is not the first time they have done this.  I picked up the dresses in an attempt to take them to be altered somewhere else.  The other store said that they wold have to put an additional seam down the middle of the front of the dress and it would look "cut" and not be correct.  I again called the dress store attempting to work with the owner.  I stated that I may dispute the charges through my credit card company and then she accused me of attempting to "steal" the dresses.  I said that I would happily give them back and I was not attempting to "steal" from the store. The owner refused to return them stating that she didn't want them back and wouldn't take them if I brought them in.  At this point I am out $420 in dresses and scrambling to get different dresses in the same color since I have matched everything else in my wedding to these dresses.  Not to mention the extreme difficulty this causes me the owner has been repeatedly rude, insulting and accusatory.
5 - Mil E.: I had already purchased my bridal gown before I found this store, however, I must say I wish I had waited.  The dresses that they carry in this store are GORGEOUS!  Every single one of the staff members had offered to help me, the owner incuded.  It turns out that this store is under new ownership, and are in the process of revamping their store.  I came in 2 weeks later and the owner actually remembered me!  Just for kicks, I tried on a few gowns, and the staff was super friendly and accomodating.  I found the perfect accessories and am sending both my mother in law and mother to shop for their gowns there.  I must say, I cannot understand the negative reviews as I have only experienced amazing service from this place.  It must have been under previous ownership as there's no possible way that the new owner would act in such a manner.  I can't wait to see the store after the rennovations as their inventory is already very impressive. Cheers!
5 - Michelle P.: I've had a great experience with my wedding dress here. They were polite and helpful with myself and my bridesmaids.
1 - Isla A.: Let me tell you why to not order from here and therefore save yourself a headache: I was a Maid of Honor for a wedding about a month ago, and I was so disappointed in this place. I wouldn't recommend to any friends. I would think after dropping over a $1000 for 5 bridesmaids and thousands for the Bride's dress, I would expect more. They measured us and told us what size we should order, using the largest size we measured at to order. I was a size 16 at largest, 12 at smallest. When I tried to order the 12, they insisted that it wouldn't fit. They told me that I needed to order the 16, but I argued until they ordered a 14. I lost 15 pounds and went down ONE pant size over the next few months, went back to try on the dress and FIT INTO AN 8! Half the size they wanted me to order! All the other bridesmaids, not just myself, had dresses that they were swimming in. When we asked why the dresses were not correct to size, the associate said that this brand runs really big. When we questioned why that was not brought to our attention when ordering, she said that the store wants a dress that can be taken in and fixed (whereas a too-small size would need to be re-ordered), so they don't mention it. We accused them of ordering large dresses so that we have to use their seamstress, so they told us that the alterations would be $20 at most. We were all pinned more than a month before the wedding. The bride has 3 appointments leading up to the wedding, which were all cancelled by the seamstress running late. The seamstress also didn't measure or mark things, so the dress didn't fit and she put holes in the specially ordered lace and made a plunging neckline in a dress when the bride had asked for a piece of the beading to be removed in the center of the neckline. This was one week before the wedding! The poor bride had to deal with all of this! And they charged her over $100 for a custom made jacket that didn't fit and had holes and was just unwearable, which she refused to pay due to her inconvenience. They did rescind those charges. One bridesmaid came in a week before to try on her dress she had fitted a month earlier- and there were still pins in it. No alterations had been done at all. I came in a week before and my dress didn't fit still. The staff said that it was fine until the bride grabbed fistfuls of my bodice material and demanded it be re-pinned. So it was. I came in a few days later and it was still not done, the hem was too high (I had to change my shoes for ones with a shorter heel, and the floor length gown still came to my ankles). They said that I had to pay for the alterations in order for anything else to be done. They charged me $65.00! When I mentioned that we were told no more than $20, they replied, "I have no idea why you would have been told that. It's $65.00." The next day I came in with the bride. The real in-house seamstress looked at the dress, said that it was unacceptable (the bodice was sewn on one side but not the other, the bust was gaping, the train which we had a bustle hook made for had been sewn into the dress, so only half the train was on the ground). I was upset and stressed and requested that I not pay for alterations on a dress I was embarrassed to wear. The seamstress said that she would talk to the owner. She did fix my dress as well as the other dresses done by the other seamstress in less than 10 hours, but I still had to pay for those alterations and was never contacted about the inconvenience of having to keep coming back (especially the day before the wedding) and being given false alteration quotes to subdue us. Compare this to how David's Bridal/ Men's Warehouse told our groomsmen that they would wave charges if things were incorrect, and I feel as if we made a mistake in our choice of retailer.

A KEY TERMITE AND PEST CONTROL INC - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2827524, -120.6596156) ()
4 - Jason M.: I recently used Key to handle a gopher problem that had gotten out of control.  I was very pleased with the service--quick response to my request and very professional in their handling of my pest issues.   No more gophers....

A Kline Chocolatier - Claremont, CA (34.0956132, -117.7165768) ()
2 - Miranda N.: $4 for a little bag of gummy worms and swedish fish? So overpriced! Some of their chocolates in the display case looked good but their bulk candy sucks. It's all in big jars that you have to awkwardly carry up to the counter to have them weigh out. What a pain. As much as I love to support local shops, I'd rather just go to the drugstore next time and buy pre-packaged candy.. unless of course I'm looking for some handmade chocolates then maybe I'll give this place another try.

Side note, the young guy behind the counter was really nice but the lady who seems to run the place was rude. Okay, so it's valentines day weekend and maybe she's stressed out but come one! You work in a candy shop! Sweeten up!
5 - Lisa M.: I love this chocolate shop. I grew up in Claremont and I make sure to stop by for chocolate every time I am home to visit. They have alot of choices in candy and they make the best chocolate in town. The staff is always so helpful and kind and they really know their chocolate. I highly recommend this chocolate shop and especially the delicious truffles. yum.
2 - Andrew B.: It's very expensive but the chocolate is not that good. The only reason they get two stars is that their homemade caramel is delicious. However, the chocolate itself is borderline chalky and is less appealing to eat than a pack of Dove chocolates from your local grocery store.

Too bad, I was really excited about having a good local chocolate store.
1 - Emily F.: I was very disappointed in the quality of chocolate here. I got a large milk chocolate peanut butter cup, a sea salt caramel, a piece of English toffee and a lollipop for my daughter- these four small items cost me $9!!! Granted, the lollipop was $3.25, but $5.75 for three pieces of candy? That's ridiculous, even for Claremont standards. The sea salt caramel was tasty but I could tell that the chocolate was not that fresh; the peanut butter cup was barely edible, as the chocolate was also not very fresh or of high quality; the toffee was again okay and in no way impressive.

 All in all, the quality of ingredients seem to be lacking a lot, as if they are using cheap chocolate and ingredients and still charging crazy-high prices. I prefer to support small businesses and have been trying to do that since the economy tanked but I will not support A. Kline because they just don't have a good product. Sees candy is so far above this place, so I suggest you head there instead- at least you can get a half pound of fresh, high-quality candy at Sees. 

Another thing that I noticed right when I walked into the store was that flooring was carpet and that kind of grossed me out for some reason. Cheap, dark-green carpeting in a place that's supposed to be a high-end chocolatier is not going to score points for ambiance, that's for sure.
2 - Fern R.: It's OK, Not That Great.
I've Had Better Chocolate Elsewhere.

Some Things Are Overpriced And Can Be Found Elsewhere For Almost Half Their Price.

I Just Try Something Different When I'm There To See If There Are Any Redeeming Chocolates.
3 - R Y.: The chocolate was good but the woman working there was rude.  I will not go back because of that employee.

A La Francaise - Seattle, WA (47.6632973, -122.3007571) (University District)
4 - Robyn H.: The crossiants are at their best early in the morning while they are still warm from the oven.  Fresh bread is a treat and the sandwiches are great for a picnic later in the day.
5 - Maria C.: The baguettes are so French and the sandwiches are very good, but my favorite reason to stop by is to buy their Toscano bread. Slightly sour, perfectly chewy, it's a slice of heaven. You can get their breads in grocery stores, but it's so much better fresh out of the oven.
5 - G S.: The UVillage mgt was stupid to close this. Now they have an awful bakery. This was THE BEST in the area for pastries, bread, sandwiches and soups. Great to grab something and continue shopping, etc. Too bad!

A Little Taste of Cuba - Princeton, NJ (40.351668, -74.6606831) ()
2 - Christopher S.: A decent cigar selection and knowledgeable staff. Pretty neat store a couple blocks off the Princeton campus. Their prices are ridiculously expensive.
4 - Alexander W.: Great little cigar store with ample seating, a good selection of sticks and accessories, and located only steps from Nassau Street and the university.  Even with the ridiculous tobacco tax (no better than NY), I always stop here when visiting former schoolmates in Princeton when we're all in town.  The Cuban artwork and music create a very congenial, soulful, and smart atmosphere.  If the weather's nice, there is seating outside.  If you don't come with a friend, you'll probably have made one before you leave.

A Nails & Spa - Blacksburg, VA (37.218436, -80.401818) ()
2 - Carisa W.: I have been frequenting this place faithfully for the past year and I really dont know why. Every time you go into the shop they have increased the price and their work is just above average. They have a couple of the people there that can give a GREAT pedicure but that doesnt make up for their nickle and diming you to death. They actually charge you an extra $3 if you ask for shorter nails (isnt this part of the service!?!?!?) and they charge you an extra $2 if you dont pay in cash. I have never been happy with my solar nails there and I have finally decided to try somewhere new for my next fill. I will be sure to post a review of the next one.
2 - Meredith B.: This place is good if you want a cheap manicure in which you have 4 different girls rotating out performing a "manicure". The girls barley got any of my cuticles off and I still had a few hang nails when she "finished." They also kept putting my hands in weird positions because they couldn't see my nails even though there were two lights shining brightly on them. And then, halfway through, they made me move to a different seat. 

The lady who did the gel manicure kept going back and forth between me and two other people. And then she got into a fight with whom I assume was the other owner and told him he was mean and to just go home. He threw a fit and pretty much threw the phone on the table she was doing my nails.

The only good thing was the cheap price compared to back home and the color selection.
5 - Angela C.: Love it!  Go see Julie!!!!

A New Leaf - Providence, RI (41.8232588, -71.3898962) ()
5 - Allisan W.: I really like this florist.  My boyfriend always sends me flowers from this florist and every arrangement has been beautiful, fresh, and lasts for quite sometime.
5 - Joanna r.: The flowers were gorgeous and very high quality. The bouquet I received had roses, lilies and chrysanthemums in shades of pink and white. After two weeks the flowers started to wilt, but still looked great! 

I also love that A New Leaf gives individuals with psychiatric disorders an opportunity to work. Being involved with the community and truly helping individuals makes A New Leaf a special organization that I will gladly help support in the future.

A Pizza Mart - Seattle, WA (47.6652623, -122.3130719) (University District)
1 - megan d.: this is probly some the worst pizza ive ever eaten. In fact i think some the worst food ive ever eaten any where. blah! don't go here.
5 - mike d.: Another UW Staple.  I really love their pizza!! Its been difficult replacing them since Ive graduated from the Ave.  Sam- the owner- really had the place booming before I moved on.  Its one of those mom and pop places that you really want to see do well and grow!
4 - Geoffrey R.: Do you like eating really cheap food at 12:48 am? Do you drink too much while craving said food? Are you unaware that your toilet is overflowing, and your best friends girlfriend is punching a hole in the wall of your apartment? Then call A-Pizza Mart! They've got your back!
4 - Robin N.: ok, I'm giving this place 4 stars, mostly based on my second experience there, and I'll tell you why...

First off, the guy that was working behind the bar counter was SUPER COOL, very friendly and good at starting conversations... super nice!
Secondly, I had a funny experience...

I was sitting at the bar having a beer and waiting for a friend to show up.  There were 2 guys sitting on either end of the bar from me (I was in the middle).  The guy to my left, we'll call him "left guy" starts talking to the bartender about Ouzo, the greek alcohol, and telling him about how his first time drinking it was actually in Greece, so it had a warm place in his heart...  The bartender said that was cool, and Left Guy said he also had it in Greece the night he lost his virginity.  The bartender, exclaimed, "wow, that IS a great memory of ouzo..."  they continued to talk about this for a few minutes, when suddenly the guy on my right, we'll call him "drunk guy" belts out, "Oh yeah?!?  Well I lost my virginity to Mr. Bubbles."  (You know, the cute cartoon bubble man on the front of those bubble bath bottles?)  
Well, needless to say, we all froze, and the bartender looked at him and just said, "dude.... wtf?!?  That was just WRONG dude!"  

Seriously though, this place has a cool laid back atmosphere, fun decorations (including lots of christmas lights and buddha tapestries, along with tablecloths covered in fruit patterns) and good beer.  
Great place to grab a quick slice and a beer with a friend before heading off to a movie or show.
4 - Andrew F.: A-Pizza mart, seems nice enough, has good pizza, and great place to head when things get a little out of hand at a new years eve fiesta. 

Let me start off by letting you know that for whatever reason, I tend to call this place "A1 Pizza Mart." I don't know why I do this, as I've never had steak sauce here or even want to. 

The last time I was at A-Pizza Mart was on New Years Eve, it was at least 1am though, and someone kept screaming "2008 man, 2008!" as we were eating our pizza. I had been drinking a bit, but I know the pizza tastes great from the previous time I was here. The atmosphere seems like it's a great place to hang out with friends and eat a good slice of pizza. 

It never took too long for the food to arrive, and was always satisfied with how the food tastes. When in the U-District, and in need of Pizza, there are many places that will offer your fix, but "A1 Pizza Mart" is most likely what I would recommend.
2 - Ryan S.: The only reason one should really go here is for an after party or if you are already kinda drunk or something and want to walk like two blocks and sit inside (sorry ragazzi but you don't protect from the elements).  

The pizza is pretty bad.  It's almost like a "pizza for one" that you put in the microwave or something, it's that bad!  But whatever,  I give it two stars because the staff is really friendly and the drinks are cheap.  It's a nice late night spot in the neighborhood.  I never go in expecting the time of my life or my next great meal.
3 - Nathan J.: funny little story: so i'm up here visiting my sister for her graduation/ wedding and she goes, "hey go (brother), let's go out tonight!" so i'm all like, "why not?" around 9pm, we head out and meet up with her coworkers and take the bus down to god-knows-where. we end up wandering around for about 2 more miles til we ended up at the baseball stadium. after that, there was nothing or nobody else around, so we decide to walk back another 2 miles to a different bus stop to take us back; since it was so late already... probably like 1am. so on the bus ride back, the bus must've broke down like 3 times, which made our trip 3x longer getting back. hungry, somewhat angry, and tired from walking, one of my sisters friend said that we should go to pizza mart because they have 1) pizza, and 2) alcohol. i say to myself, "fantastic." if there are two things that i like, it's pizza and alcohol.

so we finally arrive to pizza mart at about 1:57am. i order my pizza and drinks and kick back. interesting little place. it just so happened to be a block away from the hotel i was staying at. funny. i probably would've enjoyed myself a little bit more if we went straight there, instead of aimlessly wandering around the ballpark for 4 hours. i order two slices, which was like about the equivalent of like 1/3 a large pizza! just as i sit down, the bouncer said that we had to finish our drinks in the next 3 mins, since we got there right before 2am. so my brother-in-law and i decided to pound all of our drink at the bouncer's recommendation. fun times. :P after we finished our pizza and ice cold beverages, everyone went their separate ways, and i walked a block down the street to my hotel. 

i'm never going to hang out with my sister ever again.
2 - Jason C.: For the longest time, the my only interaction with A-Pizza Mart was seeing their boxes. Usually discarded ungratefully to the floor, or left to rest on a coffee table next to several empty Natural Ice cans and unmanned xbox controllers. Though I didn't live with the young men who lived at this house, they were my friends so I visited frequently. The logo of A-Pizza is particularly deceptive. If you look at it closely is almost looks like "Pizza A-Mart". So for the longest time I thought it was Pizza A-Mart, even just calling it A-Mart. 

This is really not relevant to anything, but what is relevant is that they deliver late into the wee hours. It's such a wonderful service that my friend has a habit of tipping big. Even dishing out a 50 dollar bill for a tip on two medium pizzas. But as the story goes, he was drunk and alone. And when you're drunk and alone, the A-Mart delivery guy is your best friend. And he is priceless.
4 - Tim G.: For the people that think this is bad 'za, what are you expecting at 2am? Really?

Seattle has no legit pizza period.

This stuff is exactly what you'd expect. They're on time, accurate and it's pretty tasty.
2 - Marshall B.: Barely decent pizza, reasonably priced beer and drinks but, stay away from the by-the-slice pizza.  It is usually burned beyond recognition and hardly worth the $2 it costs.  The only people that come in for the stuff are drunk anyway so I guess that is acceptable quality.  If you're going to eat here, get delivery or order a whole pie, then it is at least tolerable!
5 - Amala P.: First of all, I cannot express how excited it makes me that they play GOOD hip hop.  really loud.  I revel in it. Brother Ali and the like.  tis epic.

Second, they pour super stiff super cheap drinks.  Not to mention that I was there last night and all Mexican beer was only TWO DOLLARS (it was a Sunday...I don't know if that's the usual).  Hell yes.

And lastly, I don't think it's fair to judge this place based on their pizza quality (despite their name).  Go for the drinks.  And the cute bartenders.  And the good tunes.  Fuck the pizza.
3 - Sophia D.: How can anyone say no to cheapish strong drinks? I've been going to this place since before they redid the interior and I like the atmosphere. its a nice place to hang out with friends without creepers coming up to you while you're enjoying yourself. 
the pizza though, when ordered by the slice is not very good, but if you order a whole pizza its surprisingly tasty. there are usually coupons for here in the student survival kit from the UW bookstore that make the pizza an even better deal
2 - Mike C.: The new decor is a step up, but don't go to get fast, professional service from the bar.  Maybe the night we went the owners niece was tending bar, or I suppose a Monday night is the right time to break in a brand new bartender - but if I was the owner and saw ten customers walk in, put their stuff down, form a small crowd at the end of the bar and get completely ignored for ten minutes as the bartender managed to get a drink for one other customer - then see all ten customers pick up and move out the door to spend their money at the bar down the street...I'd be lecturing my staff on the importance of touching base with new customers and letting them know that you at the very least see them waiting.  Having been in the industry for years I would understand if it was a busy night.  It was not.
Yes, just a one time experience, but a waste of time and it's gonna be a while before we give 'em another try.
3 - Alan F.: Rad place to both cause and satisfy Drunchies. Cheap pitchers (7 bucks!), generous pizza slices and cozy interior made me want to hang out for a while. 

I've seen the late night scene degenerate pretty quickly though--a growing influx of very wobbly people, lookin' for pizza and booze after a hard night of pub crawling. So this could be either a good thing or bad thing, depending on what you're after...
4 - reese h.: Whoo!  I'm getting drunk flashbacks just thinking about this place.

Stiff, affordable drinks.  I have not had the pizza.  Loud music, perfect for the University District crowd.

Nuff said.
4 - Sara L.: Wow, I was pleasantly surprised by this place.  I thought it was a crappy pizza place on the other end of the AVE, not a cozy, atmospherically lit bar.  9 dollar pitchers of Mac and Jacks, seats at the bar, comfy chairs, and glowy lights make this place an incredibly pleasant AVE option.  I'd definitely come here instead of Kai's next time.  Big Time's still the best though.
5 - Uhura J.: Just spent Wednesday night here hanging out with a bunch of Seattle PAXers - and by that I mean we arrived around 7 and didn't leave til around 1am. (Okay, I'm a slacker and didn't get there til 8 but whatever.)

My point is, we ordered a ton of pizza, lots of drinks, and while our first bartender wasn't the greatest, everyone loved the pizza, the prices, the second bar team of the night, and commented frequently on the amazing music selection. Everything from The Beatles to Pearl Jam and Tupac Shakur? Check.  For such a diverse group with eclectic musical tastes it was high praise indeed.

We also played Connect Four for several hours - PAX 09 Omegathon practice ceases for nothing!
4 - Yolanda G.: My standards lower after 10:00pm, so take this review for what it's worth.

* Good pizza
* Good drinks
* Good music

Are we seeing a theme here? That's right, A damn GOOD time! All of this for C to the H to the E to the A to the P!

Would be here a few times a week if I lived in the city.
5 - michael m.: This place is somehow the most comfy place I've found in Seattle.  Maybe the Signage keeps out the regular Seattle crowd?

Whiskey 

Pizza

Fun People

Good Music

Cute Bartender
3 - Mele Y.: I used to live a stone's throw away from here so this was a popular choice for my thirsty friends and I. 

On most days  it is a chill place to hang out, enjoy $9 Mac and Jack pitchers and watch the game.

On weekend nights (starts on Thursday...it's the UDistrict, c'mon), this place gets packed to the brim, good luck trying to get service.

On one Thursday night, my friend and I stood around for a good 10 minutes trying to get drinks. We left soon after for good ol' Earls. 

I'd suggest you give this place a try, just not on the weekends.
4 - Sarah C.: A-MART!!

That is what my friends and I exclaim every time we want to go out and get a drank. This place has it all, folks. Good drinks. Adequate pizza. Tolerant and friendly staff.

This one time at A-Mart I was just minding my own business when a man proceeded to barf all over the place. Normally I am not disgusted by vomiting, but this one was just plain grody. The guy was ricocheting off of the walls, he just could not control himself or what was coming out of his mouth. Anyway, it was a sorry sight. Then all of the jolly people in A-Mart joined in a serenade of "Happy Birthday" to this poor fellow, clapping on him on the back and cheering their beers. Then, after he finally made it to the bathroom, the staff started cleaning up with ear-to-ear SMILES on their faces. This is A-Mart for you. Everyone is just having a grand ol'time.

They also recently moved around the furniture, now there is a tapestry of a native american chief hanging from the back wall. Cool.
3 - little b.: Okay so I went here again around 6:00 on a Wednesday, where it was me, my friend, and a gaggle of bros shouting and high-fiving at the bar. Haha! Pizza is good, cheese bread is awesome (and cheap!)... but the atmosphere just isn't my thing. Added a star for the friendly bartender and my lack of annoyance. Not my favorite place in the world, though.
4 - Alli D.: By reading the sign, I just assumed that the owners of "A Pizza Mart" had gone all-out with naming the place and had used up all of their creativity, leaving zero possibility for anything cool inside.

Just goes to prove what they say about when you assume...

Because inside, you'll find:
2 HUGE paintings: one of 2 kitties eyeing a snail, and one of Chief Joseph (if that's not style, I don't know what is!)
A happy hour menu worth remembering--cheap pints, pitchers, and pizzas.
Good pizza, served on paper plates. (Not sure how I feel about that, but it makes sense when they sell by the slice.)
Specialty nights, including Service Industry night (Sunday), GLBT night (Monday), Open Mic night (Tuesday), and 90's night (Wednesday). I can affirm that Open Mic night draws in the patrons. 

If it's that packed on a Tuesday, I can't imagine what it's like on the weekends. But I'm willing to try it and find out.
5 - Liza D.: I still adore this place. The bar is amazing. I don't have much experience with ordering pizza for delivery and that seems to be the only bad "stars" issue here... the bar and bartenders are amazing, friendly, hot and funny!!! I love going to the A Pizza Mart and plan on going back sooner than later.
5 - Hannah R.: I would live here if I could. It would be like sesame street. Except I'd sleep with all the bartenders and have whiskey for breakfast lunch and dinner. And pizza to wash it down.
3 - Elise D.: Stop number four on the Ave Crawl.  I used to hate this place, mostly because of the weirdos that were always there eating pizza at 3am.  Well, since my last visit they have remodeled and things are so much better. Of course it was only about 9pm or so.. that could be the difference.

Our whole group ordered Washington Apples and the bartender was happy to take our group photo for us.  I didn't have any food so I can't comment on that, but I will say that I no longer hate this place like I used to. If you haven't been since the remodel it is worth checking out again.
3 - Jeff H.: Drunken eats, no more, no less.  If you are out in the U District and looking for a place to sober up, look no further.  However, count on about 100 of your closest friends also having the same idea, so be ready to wait for your grub.

Stopped in after night of combative drinking with one of my buddies who knows peeps here, so we got seated right away.  Yes, the other people waiting were pissed, but life isn't fair.  It's happened to all of us at one time or another.

I can't really comment on how good or bad the pizza was, but I'm giving it three stars because it did an outstanding job of soaking up all the Patron sloshing around in my stomach.
2 - Paul B.: I came here before the remodel. It was alright. I liked the dive-esque feeling of it.


Since the remodel like...maybe a year and a half ago. It became even more douche-tastic than before and filled with fresh 21 year olds who have never had a bar experience in their life. Even for the Ave., I really dislike this place. Every other bar has at least some redeeming quality ilke Earls for it's strong drinks or Finn's for its shepherd's pie and clover foam Guinness. 

I'm going giving this place 2 stars because of the memories. Siiigh
3 - Keoni W.: We needed a place for late night eats. After a game of softball we were famished. Drove to Ivars on lake union closed. Rancho Bravo closed.
Hawaii BBQ closed. We were running out of options till my buddy ERIC pointed this place out. After I ordered my first pizza from these guys 5 years ago I have not returned. My buddy just wanted to drink. I needed something to eat. So last resort we went in.
Half packed on a sunday night with college coeds. 
We ordered a pitcher of beer and a large Indian pizza (Chicken, cheese, jalapenos, thin crust).    People watched and talked while we waited. Pizza arrived in 30 minutes. Was not that bad. At 11pm like I said not many choices.  As usual I just have a glass of beer and ERIC cleans out the rest. $30 w/tip for pizza and beer.

If you want to COED watch and eat pizza. This place will do..
4 - Tom Y.: A Pizza Mart (who needs the hyphen?) is a surprisingly quality place for being between a dark alley and a shadier street corner (only half in jest). It's a bit farther afield for the brunt of Ave drinkers, but if you're in a car (and manage to weave your way up the road) or you're in the area, it definitely is a great place to go. Many people will spend the whole night here, but we always end up there after drinking somewhere else. 

The food is superb for the prices, which are fairly average. The pizzas are always tasty, and the portions pretty decent. The atmosphere is always a steady friendly kind, which is great, since many drunk food places will swing wildly one way or the other. With this place trying to make itself partly a lounge, the seating is quite nice. You can choose between couches, tables, or raised platform and bar seating. The bartenders are totally fine when you stumble in after midnight and only want pizza; there is no attitude if you don't order drinks. The kitchen is pretty fast, although it's fun enough that I normally don't notice a 10 minute wait. 

I would recommend getting the cheese sticks, as they are something like half the price of a pizza, and almost as large; not to mention, pretty tasty too. If you don't finish all of your food, just close up the box and take it to go. 

One thing I would knock about A Pizza Mart is again, the location and sometimes the people. While the area around A Pizza Mart is clear, if you're walking from the south, you usually have to brush off a couple of druggies or dealers here and there. Additionally, for some reason, A Pizza Mart hosts douchebag Wednesdays or something, as there will randomly be some obviously single posers scoping the place out. My female friend's haven't really complained too much in the past though, so it's not too bad. All around, A Pizza Mart is a great place to hit up if you're up late in the U District.
3 - Colin S.: Cheap pizza and a good place to hang out late. Not exactly conveniently located since it's so far up the Ave.
4 - J K.: Okay, so after reading some of my esteemed Yelp colleagues, I can see that some people dig it and some people don't.  I would put myself in the "dig it" category.

The pizza delivers late.  Yay!  The pizza actually tastes pretty good.  Not the best, but way better than I expected.  Yay!  I called for the pizza and by the time I got home, the delivery guy was waiting for me at my front door.  Way faster than I thought possible at 2 am.  Yay!

But why is it called "A-Pizza Mart"?  A (hyphen) Pizza Mart?  Is it some sort of ironic Italian accent thing: "A-pizza-mart-ah!"  Oh, I just figured it out -- so they can be listed first in the phone book.  Who uses the yellow pages anymore?  Does that book even exist these days?
4 - Inna B.: Live near the U-District (or one of their other locations) and have a serious craving to get some pizza delivered to your doorstep... at 1am? 

Check out the Eat 24 Hours website and you can make your order without even picking up the phone!! They even have some nice specials going on!

Their crust was a disappointment and they left the pizza in the oven a tiny bit too long, but they did a FANTASTIC job accommodating our requests!

What kind of requests? They let us substitute cheese with garlic on one pizza and pineapple on another. Plus, they put the veggies on after the pizzas were cooked. 

On top of that, they were apologetic about the fact that our toppings had to be put back on the slices. We understood that would be the case, though, because the cheese wasn't holding everything together!

All in all, it wasn't as good as the pizza we usually order from Pagliacci... but, it was cheaper and we'll definitely order again if we're craving pizza after 11pm!
3 - Kendrick R.: anyone remember the days when there was a espresso stand on every corner in the city, the benaroyal hall was just a field of mud and A-Pizza Mart was possibly the worst pizza in the U-district.  

how times have changed in 15 years!  i remember those dawg coupons where you can get 2 A-Pizza mart pizzas for 10 bucks.  Only the brave, the stupid or the incredibly smashed used those dawg coupons.  I was all three in the flower of my youth.  those pizzas knocked for a loop and i remembering begging for change on the ave. digging out half-smoked cigarettes from ash trays. back then, this place would have received negative stars.

now, it's actually a better joint than it was.  gone are the cheap '80's tables. gone are the chairs with rips in the cushions.  it's a full-on bar!  

this is a great place for late night pizzas, drinking and sports watching with nary a care of being.  usually, my choice to pound a beer after a tattoo.
4 - Amanda D.: I personally have always liked a late night pizza delivery from A-Mart. The survival kit offers a large one topping for $8.99, can't get much better than that! The cheese bread sticks are also quite tasty.

I've also sat at the bar several times including for some away Husky Football games. I've always enjoyed the service, the beer and the pizza.
4 - Liam R.: This pizza is legit. Right after Belltown Pizza and Pagliacci pizza in my taste rankings. Huge slices, as well.
3 - Lisa N.: Had a well, a beer, and a slice of pizza for $8.50. I don't think you can beat that! If you can manage to come here and avoid the bros and get a place to sit down it's really not as bad as it's made out to be.

$5 shots at happy hour! You know you're at a college bar when they're trying to liquor you up at 4pm.
5 - Gabriel G.: A Pizza Mart is considered by pizza aficionados to be the "Pabst Blue Ribbon of Pizza." And the pizza aficionados are right. Just as PBR is to beer and Aqua Fresh is to toothpaste, A Pizza Mart always delivers an affordable, dependably average slice of pizza that tastes just like it's supposed to taste.

I know, you're asking "How can a pizza that is only average be a five star pizza?" But anyone who has been to A Pizza Mart will understand. Sometimes average has its place. A Pizza Mart has perhaps the most dependable pizza I've ever had. I suppose you could say that "A Pizza Mart takes average to a new level" or "A Pizza Mart changes the way you think about 'average.'" It's never bad, just like PBR is never bad, and A Pizza Mart's pies are certainly better quality and more consistent than the chains. There is a time for an average slice of pizza at an affordable price, and A Pizza Mart understands this. And next time I'm in the mood for a slice of cheese, a slice of veggie, or a full pie of my signature green pepper and pineapple pizza, someone ought to remind me to keep A Pizza Mart on my shortlist.
5 - Brooks D.: This place made UW cost about 5k more than it should have.... Which is fine.

Pros:
Tecate horsecocks 
Hamm's for a buck
HUGE shots
Great Pizza

Cons: 
The bar closes at 2
1 - Jon E.: I can't decide if this place is a college dive bar or a place with mediocre pizza.  It's not really great at either.  Last time I came here, I just wanted a slice of pizza, but I had to wade through a bunch of drunk people and wait 5 minutes for anyone to notice I was there.  My pizza was COLD!  My change was generously plopped on the beer-soaked bar -- even though I was standing right there.  I was getting it to go and they didn't even have a box to put it in.  I don't think I'll be coming back.
3 - carmen l.: So you can get a good slice of pizza for cheap, and the drinks are stiff and the waitstaff is okay, but you can't bring your kids. Boo A-Pizza Mart. Boo. 

Now when I go there I have to fight my way through the crowds of fist pumping frat boys. 

But I suppose you are still A-OK with me.
3 - Michael L.: I've actually never had pizza here before but I stop by for drinks every now and then. They are reasonably priced the downside of this place is when it's usually always packed. It's nearly impossible to move around and if you can find seating here you should consider yourself a lucky man.

Not a bad place though during off peak hours to grab a cheap drink.
4 - Rachel P.: Yumo! Cheap pizza and beer, but no space here ... we went late night after the UW game and the place was packed! But cool place!
5 - Brett J.: Great pizza anytime.  Only $5 for a personal pizza during Happy Hour at the restaraunt.  

Or get it delivered until 4am.  

You don't have to drink to enjoy it - but if you do like to drink - the bartenders know how to pour craft cocktails as well as strong pours on the standard cocktails.  

I believe happy hour is $3 wells.
5 - Ula J.: I hear this place can get pretty crowded with college kids, but that was not the case the day I wandered in here hungover and in desperate need of pizza. It was dark and the music was good and the bartender Liza may be one if the best in Seattle. Me and my friend ordered a small cheese pizza which was pretty darn good for a bar and super cheap since it was happy hour. We also tried the drink special, the "Charlie Sheen", which was refreshing and light. After an hour here I felt like the night before had never happened and ready to go back out into the world. Thanks!
4 - J J.: A great happy hour location for college games. A very decent and reasonably priced $5 one topping pizza during happy hour. GIGANTIC orders of breadsticks that taste great (like their pizza crust) are also inexpensive ($5, I believe). Drinks are adequate and nothing special. All around a very good, welcoming atmosphere to watch games on the weekend.
4 - Hesh B.: Walked in and they were actually bumping good hip hop (dead prez, Tribe, Nas, etc) super chill spot
5 - Michelle F.: Firstly, the bartenders at A-Pizza Mart are a-mazing. I absolutely adore them, each and every one.

They do pizza whole or by the slice, and they're really very good. Which is funny, because when I used to order delivery, it was awful... but apparently in house is great. Go figure. I have no explanation for this.

The drinks are cheap and the atmosphere is fun, funky, and eclectic.

It's a great place to meet new people - most everyone that comes in is friendly and sociable.
4 - Sarah H.: I got a piece of the pepperoni they have available as singles, and a beer. During happy hour I paid five fifty. They were playing rap, which I am usually not a fan of, but this stuff was actually pretty cool. Not radio hiphop. And the vibe here is nice. Minus one star for a kind of sour smell near the front window where I sat.
3 - Ninette C.: When I was in college, this place had drinks, then late night drunk munchies to throw back afterward.  Plus I love pizza and they have decent late-night pizza and a lot of varieties. 


It's still college kids, but I find the crowd here slightly better than the rest of the Ave crowd.  Perhaps because it is quieter due to its location?

Compared to other bars on the Ave, this place is clean. haha.  Some people mentioned it has a dive-y feel, but I think its way cleaner. It has tacky plastic lights that make me laugh, but let me just tell you, I would rather laugh than be scared or grossed out like I am at some other Ave bars.
1 - John R.: I hate to say this but feel like I should let the general public know of my experience. I have been a regular patron of this pizza place since I have lived in the university district. I have always felt they provided good service with good prices but the place was always kind of dingy. I never really minded it until the other night when I went to use the restrooms and I saw a RAT scurrying back through the kitchen. I will never eat at this place again, DISGUSTING!!!
1 - Susie C.: HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! I was a loyal costumer here but this past Saturday when I ordered my pizza they delivered the wrong one. When I call to complain due to the fact that I could not have one of the ingredients that they had put on the pizza they blew me off saying that it was too late to deliver a new pizza and that they were busy. I did not eat the pizza and threw it away.  So the next day I called to get  a refund and the lady called me a lier and was yelling at me over the phone!!! I was trying to calmly explain that I had not ordered what they had delivered and just because she could not understand what I had said over the phone she blamed it on me. Not only that but she then HUNG UP the phone on me!!! Very disrespectful and truly do not care about their costumers!
5 - mimi n.: It's early evening on a mid-Autumn Wednesday in the U-District.

The sounds of underground hip hop pulse just loudly enough to diminish the murmurs of a birthday party in the back booths. The slick black wood bar inside is packed: UW students wearing Husky apparel;  the token slightly older men with salt-and-pepper beards; local tattooed scenesters in skinny jeans. 

There are pizzas around. A-mart's pizza is a wonderful thing, of no particular geographical provenance or food snob absurdity. They are just good ingredients paired well, then cooked in hot, fragrant smoke and quickly served. 

The bartenders provide a sort of Michelin-service-for-the-people that can come as a surprise if you are jaded by typical Seattle--much less college--bars. Expect nothing less than family.

There are no elitist "muddled sage with blackberry compote and prohibition era gin" cocktails. The drinks are good; strong, consistent, and made with care.

Christmas lights provide mood lighting, and flea-market art dapple the walls. A Pizza Mart may appear an unlikely bastion of distinction and authenticity, but a beacon it is. 

Being here is like discovering something comforting, like finding home for the very first time. The cost: $12.
5 - Hanz Z.: This place is awesome, they have a pretty good beer selection, not to mention the prices are super reasonable with kick ass bartenders. Liza fucking rocks! Go see her!!! The food is good as well, with a kick ass atmosphere.
3 - Chris L.: Pizza Mart is one of the most frustrating bars on the Ave.  On some nights it's got the best crowd and best vibe in the U District, but other nights it can be totally dead while bars a block or two away are packed.  Timing makes a huge difference, it usually doesn't get going until later, usually around midnight or even a little after.  The hit and miss nature has gotten worse in the last year or so, and that means I don't go there as much as I used to, but it can still be a nice way to end the night.  It would only get 2 stars, but the bartenders are pretty good, and the pizza really is wonderful drunk food.
5 - Jordan T.: Depending on the day of the week, there are several incarnations of this awesome bar. 

A few things you can always count on:
1. Wonderful bartenders.
2. Great service.
3. Fantastic deals on stiff drinks and fresh food.
4. Very tasty and cheap pizza, salads, and wings.
5. Pretty people (specifically in the later hours).
6. Good music (mostly hip-hop).

Wednesday is all-day happy hour, and Thursday is college night (which I avoid, but is super-fun if you are a college kid).
3 - Anna I.: Cam the bartender is awesome, the drinks are stiff and cheap but the damn delivery service sucks. I have ordered delivery from this place maybe 5 times and Im pretty sure my order was screwed up every time wether it be olives instead of jalapeños or forgetting my cheese cake all together. I just keep doing it cause they have delivery till 4am and the chicken bacon sub is really good.
3 - Sarah N.: My friend invited me out to watch the Huskey basketball game at A Pizza Mart a week ago.  The atmosphere was pretty sweet.  It wasn't too crowded when we walked in therefore we quickly found a table.  We ordered a pepperoni pizza and cheese sticks both of which were delicious!  The cheese sticks were AH-MAZE-ING!  I will definitely need to get them again.
I would have given a better rating except for we sat for quite some time at the table when finally the bartender yells at us from the bar that we need to come to the bar to order.  I'm assuming they were understaffed, but I'm pretty sure there were several times when she could have not chatted it up with her friends or what I assume are regulars to just stop by the table and quickly take an order.  It just left me and my friend confused as to how we would get our food... would we need to walk up and watch for it or would she actually bring it to us.
We only came to get some food and watch the game and it was really fun.  It seems like it would be a fun bar to chill at because the place started to get extremely packed once the game was over and we were heading out so I definitely recommend this place for drinks and socializing.
4 - Leviticus W.: This is pretty much the only bar I spend my money at. The bartenders are top notch, especially Liza! I really enjoy the pizza. The turnover on the pies is frequent, I have never had a stale slice here, ever. Great music that's not blaring. Sports on t.v. usually, but does not dominate the atmosphere of the bar. One of the best.
4 - Kevin W.: This is by far the most mysterious restaurant that I've visited in a long time. First of all, is the place I went to even the same that all these other Yelpers are describing? It sure doesn't seem like it. I walked into A-Pizza Mart on a very rainy Thursday at around noon. There was literally no one in sight. How could this be? It was dark inside, and there was not a single customer or person working there from what I could see. There was also no music playing and it was almost completely silent. It was just empty. The place looked more than closed--it looked abandoned. Did I just walk into a restaurant in Seattle with 65 reviews on Yelp or a saloon in a ghost town?

Walking farther inside, I still saw no one. I had every reason to believe the place was closed, except for the fact that I was apparently able to make it through the door. Slowly making my way into the kitchen (what else was I supposed to do beside just leave?), I saw one lady working there. I asked whether they were open and she said yes. She directed me back into the dining area and offered me the menu, saying that a large pizza with one topping is only $8.99 for UW students. I ordered just that, requesting pepperoni for my topping. It's the most rudimentary pizza topping, so what else would have been more appropriate?

Then I sat down and looked around me. What is this place? They have advertisements around the University District and a moderate number of mostly positive reviews on Yelp. Yet it was just me and one other person inside this still and lifeless building. Despite the darkness, it looked like some care was put into cleanliness and decoration. They even had a nice TV, one that wasn't on. There appeared to be a full bar, a full bar that's empty. It looked like a place that would be lively and packed with people. Instead, there I was sitting alone in the darkness and silence with the gloomy rain outside. Really, it looked nothing like a pizza place. If it weren't for the sign and name displayed outside, I wouldn't have been able to tell that this place specialized in pizza out of all things in the world.

A little over ten minutes after I made my order, my pizza arrived. I was sitting there in such bewilderment that I almost forgot that I was waiting for a pizza. Well, suddenly there it was. The lady also brought me salt, spices, a glass of iced water with a straw, a paper plate, and napkins. She then proceeded to make small talk with me, asking me what I'm studying at the university. It's nice to be treated like a human with a life history at a restaurant every once in a while and not just a nameless face. She was a very friendly woman, visibly enraptured by the arrival of a single customer. Then she returned to the kitchen to continue working.

The pizza was enormous and cut into ten slices. The taste of this pizza was about as generic as a pizza could possibly be. What else could be fair to expect? The pizza was made of dough, cheese, pepperoni, and probably little else. It wasn't a bad pizza, just not outstanding. The size really made up for it, though. Even though I came in hungry and I'm a big eater, I was full after only seven slices. The lady offered me a cardboard box to take the remaining three slices home, and I thanked her for it with a hefty tip. A large pizza that was more than I could finish came out to $9.85 after tax. That's above average in my book any day!

But there's one thing I'm much more concerned about. What did I just experience? Why do the other Yelp reviews bear no resemblance to what I just witnessed? Did I even go to the same place that everybody else did? I walked into a restaurant right next to Tandoor Fine Indian Cuisine, and it had a sign that said "A Pizza Mart" on it. Was it because it was rainy that no one else was there? Because it was Thursday? Do people not come here for pizza at around noon, and I should've come around happy hour? Was what I experienced even real? Like, I didn't enter a very realistic virtual world, or somehow imagine or dream the whole thing, did I? I have pictures to show I was there, but that's about it. I'm still searching for answers. Maybe it's the people on Yelp that are playing an elaborate joke on me instead. I don't know what the explanation is, but I enjoyed the pizza I had, or think I had.
3 - Garrett F.: Great pizza, not great service, although I must say I've only done take-out here.  That said, the service on the take-out hasn't inspired me to return for a sit-down with friends.  Somewhat irrelevant sidenote: this place has some extremely eclectic decor, including pictures of cats and Jesus - not what I expect to see in a college bar, which is what A Pizza Mart amounts to.
1 - Eliza B.: The man on the phone tonight was so rude I could not even believe it I have never been talked to that way from a restaurant and I always order from them. I live about two miles away and he acted like i was crazy and had never heard of the area. The man began talking back to us very sarcastically etc. Eventually we were so offended that we hung up. This place stays open late so i suggest calling them if your desperate but do not expect polite service on the telephone.
3 - Maria G.: I have had several late night visits here. It was always packed with college students.

During my recent visit, it was still a packed evening. It was difficult to walk around or even make my way to the bar. People were pushing each other and trying to make their way around as well. Not so sure if the extra fence that separates the bar and seating area really helps anything.

They sell single slice of pizza (pepperoni, cheese, hawaiin) for $3. Portion is relatively large.
5 - Michael A.: For late night pizza this place cannot be beat, because noone else delivers until 4AM!! Also, the pies are great and the price is reasonable. If you have never woken up in the morning and found a half eaten A Pizza Mart box, you have not lived.
5 - Cara K.: I won't be ordering pizza from anywhere else anytime soon! I am a big fan of their pepperoni pizza and even more so their service! Everyone I spoke with was incredibly friendly and energetic. It was a nice compliment to the couch potato mood I was in
5 - Jonathan D.: i love this effing place, great pizza, awesome bartenders aaaannnddd the drinks, oh my the drinks, heavy and in a good way great for return business. liza, cam, trevor,  ms. jones, ask for them, you will be in the best hands the mixology  field has to offer
4 - Brandon G.: I have never been in A Pizza Mart, but I get it delivered all the time. Great midnight munchies. Try the chicken bacon pizza and you wont be disappointed. If you really wanna be an adventurer, you gotta do white sauce instead of tomato. Both taste good, feel free to pick your poison, so to speak.
4 - Kellie C.: Casual, laid back atmosphere. Can't attest to their food, but their beer is good.

A Quality Garage Door Company - Claremont, CA (34.107604, -117.731614) ()
5 - Eric S.: Anytime I have a home repair I panic and dread the anticipated rape I feel I'm about to receive. My anxieties were put immediately to rest when I spoke to A-Quality. I was treated professionally, cordially and personably. 

Their repair guy came early and was friendly. He confirmed the problem and did not invent other problems to charge me for. Everything is back to normal. The price was fair and should I need garage repair service or a door, I will most definitely give them the business.
4 - Alan M.: I read the reviews in Yelp and they did not appear to be fake reviewers.  

I forgot the repair guy's name, but he was friendly, fast, and knew his job.  Fast doesn't imply sloppy.  He simply probably did this many, many times.

The quoted me a price over the phone.  "$195 for light doors which is 95% of our customers".  That was good to know.

I shopped around, and got a lot of  vague quotes which I suspect upsell things you don't need.

The guy also lubed the garage door joints, mechanisms, and so forth.

There was no up-sell when the repair person came.
5 - Jay K.: followed other yelpers and called. 
Great service, the guy came out within a couple of hours.
Did a great job, quick and explained everything.

New torsion springs, lifetime warranty.
1 - Laney B.: BEWARE: 

Wowza-- this place must be run by baboons. So I called this company and left messages 3x before I finally got a call back. Apparently this is a small operation because they don't always have people there to answer the phone. 
When I did finally hear back, the guy left me a message and I returned his call within 20 minutes- got his voicemail and left another message. 

Another couple days pass so I call again- this time I got a human (YES!) I talked to this guy (I believe his name was Derek) who led me through a rigmarole of troubleshooting what exactly the problem was with my garage. Once we determined a technician would have to come out to take a look, he told me that it would cost $85 to have an estimate-- uh... one small problem... the website says FREE ESTIMATE. I complained about it and they bent-- they said they would send him out to take a look for free. So on Friday I took Monday morning off work and scheduled my appointment as the very first appointment of the day-- 8am-10am. 

Monday morning- 8am, no technician. 9am- no technician. 9:45am- no technician, so I call. A woman answered the phone (Hallelujah)-- I gave her my address and she said, oh yeah-- the technician is running late, he had to make a service call elsewhere; he should be there at about 10:30 or 11am. I was immediately frustrated and asked why nobody had called to let me know, and how they could even have serviced another call when I had scheduled 3 days in advance and taken the earliest appointment of the day?? She had no excuse but that he was on another service call and they could offer me a whopping $20 off whatever service I needed. 

Ordinarily at this point I would just tell her to can it and call another garage door company, but I had already taken the morning off work, and had waited days for this technician to get out here and fix this door-- I was over-invested and had to see it through. Bad decision. 

Monday morning- 10:30am- no technician, 11am- no technician, 11:30am- no technician, 12pm-finally-- I get a phone call ~ I'm hoping the guy is calling to let me know he's in front-- no such luck-- he won't be able to make it to my house until at least 12:45- 1:15pm. Uhh... I have to be at work at 1pm. 

Needless to say, I called the office and gave them a serious tongue lashing. A complete lack of professionalism, customer service, and "quality" on this company's part. I told them I would for sure be writing a yelp review and they not only didn't care, they scoffed and said "It was just 5 hours". 5 hours of my time wasted for nothing-- 

Tip: BUYER BEWARE- I wouldn't dare to see how they would treat a warranty after they had already coaxed your credit card out of your wallet.
5 - MEEMEE T.: This morning my garage door would not open.  So I called A Quality Garage to ask them about repairing my door.  Leticia first wanted to troubleshoot to pin point what was wrong.  Well after following her instructions, it actually fixed itself!!  She really knew what she was talking about!  I've used them in the past and they did a good job repairing my garage door.  I definitely can recommend them!
5 - Remy P.: Fast service/fair price

A Safe and Sound Nannies Agency - La Jolla, CA (32.8739842, -117.2156507) ()
1 - Julia R.: As a nanny applying through this agency, I felt very disrespected. I took an extensive online psychological evaluation. The next day, I received a call from the agency that my results were invalid. The woman on the phone delivering this info said she didn't know what this meant, but that I would have to retake the test in order to register with Safe and Sound Nannies. She was unfriendly, unhelpful and just not very nice. Needless to say, I didn't retake the test.
1 - Brandy L.: I applied to Safe and Sound nannies online. From there they have you fill out an extensive psychological evaluation. I did so thinking okay, sure whatever needs to be done. I completed the evaluation and gave them a week to follow up with me. They didn't. I called them and left several messages and emails and have never once heard back from them. I find it completely disrespectful and rude not to respond even if they did not want me to work for their company. Needless to say i moved on and found a far superior agency!! Their is so much more to a person than just taking an online psychological evaluation!!
1 - Lynny V.: I applied through this agency before I moved to the area in hopes that once I did arrive in SD that the process would go quicker. Not only did it not help but they lost my application and psych evaluation. I had to retake the survey MULTIPLE times. Once we finally got the process going I was mainly aimed at one job and was treated very rudely the whole time, like I was wasting her time. Once I accepted the position I was hounded about contact with the family since i was having to wait for the family for a few weeks. In accepting this position it was stressed that I commit for a year a minimum. Three weeks later the family decided to go with a different person for less money. Understandable but given the pressure the agency puts on a nanny to commit for the year, I would think the agency would continue assistance in finding another family. NOPE. I have not had any contact with the agency in over 2months and it wasn't on my end. I have sent emails, calls and texts and have received nothing back. I talked to a couple families that have also used this agency and they have agreed that the agency was very rude to them and wasn't consistent with keeping in contact. I can honestly say that going through this agency is more of a hassle than its worth.
1 - Allison C.: I applied to be a nanny through this agency, did the online evaluation and completed the hour long phone interview.  While I appreciate the extensive interview process, I felt like I was being interrogated rather than being deemed a good fit or not for a family.  I was told multiple times that she typically does not hire younger nannies because of commitment issues, which is understandable, however it took over much of the conversation.
My interest was focused on a particular position and the agency owner and I spoke about the potential for me to interview with that family.  She told me, "The dad doesn't like Americans so you will have the challenge of winning him over.".   This made me very uncomfortable , how could I be confident at an interview knowing that the family already doesn't like me?  The most important thing in a nanny placement next to experience, is compatibility.  I don't think this is important to this agency,  I feel that the nannies she places take being a nanny as a job and not a bonding relationship with the child and family.
My concerns with the nannies this agency hires were only confirmed when I met a nanny that nannies nearby my current position (a family I found on my own). She told me she has no experience being a nanny but was hired through safe and sound nannies because she had preschool experience.  Come to find out, the family she works for told the family I work for that they aren't thrilled with her performance and she doesn't go above and beyond.  Last week I saw her walking with her boyfriend and the took the baby in her car with her boyfriend and drove him somewhere.  I could only imagine what the agency owner would think of this as I see it as an immediate termination if she were my nanny, assuming that the family is unaware of it.

After the phone interview I was asked to interview in person but decided to take my search elsewhere and found an amazing family on my own!

A Street Bike Named Desire - Palo Alto, CA (37.4381553, -122.1583879) ()
5 - Kelly L.: I just went here for my first time, and I just love this bike shop. Great, helpful and so friendly mother and son team who walked me around the store and explained their whole selection and accessories. You can tell this place is run by someone passionate about what they do. Busy on the weekends, but you'll find great one-on-one time on a weekday.
4 - Ellick C.: This hidden little gem has some of the best e-bikes around the Stanford area. The owners are definitely passionate about e-bikes and their enthusiasm shows.

I ended up buying an Ecobike Vatavio folding bike from them after looking at products from many other stores, both online and brick and mortar. This shop had the best selection of e-bikes around the Stanford area. What set them apart was the personalized attention and their focus on e-bikes rather than traditional bikes. I had considered ordering an iZip via Mezza or via Urbano online, but the cost of shipping such a heavy bike made it impractical. Moreover, buying from a local dealer offered me some assurance that I could get the bike repaired locally if needed. Other bike shops did carry larger bikes, but I was looking for a high quality folding bike that could be transported easily.
5 - Jane C.: The cutest bike shop ever!  They carry a number of delicious European cruising bikes along with unusual accessories (eg. helmets painted like watermelons or shaped like fedoras).  The owners are extremely nice and helpful; they let me test drive their bikes in the back parking lot to see how much fun they are to ride.  If you are looking for a unique cruising bike, this is the place to visit.
5 - Graham K.: I was looking for a Montague Paratrooper and this store was one of the few that carried them. I went on a weekday at lunchtime. The person who helped me was very knowledgeable and easy to deal with. He spent a lot of time showing me the bike. 

It's a small shop, but they're passionate about what they have and they're really helpful. There is none of the attitude and indifference you find in many other bike shops.

Highly recommended.
5 - Laura H.: I feel like a queen riding my Pashley Princess Sovereign!  Many thanks to Joe and the rest of the crew for opening up a terrific new bicycle shop--offering a wonderful selection of hard to find bicycles and having great accessories to match!!  Run, don't walk to visit this new shop, and enjoy riding away on your new wheels!!!
5 - Virginia k.: Just bought an Ecobike and am already in love.  We live in a condo, so having a battery that is easily removed and can be brought inside to recharge was a big selling point.  I'm 62, have had a couple of knee surgeries and back problems so bike riding hasn't been something I could do.  I also live up in Sharon Heights in Menlo Park, so having the battery assist is awesome.  It took me just a little bit of riding to realize the bike knows when  I'm starting to "work" and will slip into assist mode by itself.  I had so much fun riding it from the very first ride.  Joe was very helpful, helping me to switch to more of a cruiser style seat, adjusting handlebars so I was at a good angle for riding and explaining the bike from head to toe.  I recommend the bike and the shop.  What a great addition to our community and a great place for those of us who aren't "bikers" but want to bike.  Thanks for being here.
5 - Jason L.: Joe and his family want to sell the right bike for YOU. There's no pressure to buy but plenty of support to help you make the right decision if you do decide to buy.
The service doesn't stop after you purchase the bike.  They stand behind all of the products they carry and ensure that they function in the manner that they promised you that they would.
If you're looking for a bike as a means of getting around town then this is your first and last stop.
5 - Jessica R.: so so pretty... i wish i could have one of these amazing bikes. I bought my kids helmets here.. super cute and fun NUTCASE...
5 - wells l.: Last fall, I purchased a large cargo bike from A Street Bike Named Desire and I have nothing but good things to say about the experience and the shop generally. 

They were the only dealers in the region to carry the bike I wanted (the Christiania Bike or "Box Cycle"). They were knowledgeable about it, and it's respective advantages and disadvantages, and the one they sold me has functioned flawlessly since I made the purchase. So, in this sense, they offered everything I would want from a bike seller. 

But they went above and beyond in several ways and made me feel like they were ready to work for my business. First, there was some confusion about my bike's appropriate list price and, though the confusion was not their fault, they came up with a solution to the quandary that was very fair. Second, they were quite responsive throughout the whole experience--they addressed me by name and paid attention to what I communicated. Finally, they were unstinting with their time on the phone and in the store. In fact, they let me haul one of their mechanics around in the bike in the parking lot, just so I could see what it was like to carry a person in the bike. That was fun. 

I'm just glad that I live in Oakland and can't access the shop too easily: their selection of bikes is AMAZING and I could seriously spend every last dollar at their store if I didn't restrain myself! They specialize in bikes that people use in their daily lives--not  racing or touring bikes--and have a great selection of folders, commuters, and cargo bikes, all displayed beautifully. 

This is my favorite bike shop by a long shot. A great place.
5 - Teresa C.: Outstanding customer service is found here...and really cool urban style bikes, unique helmets (people keep asking where I got mine), and quality bike panniers and baskets. Every item I have purchased here has been augmented with great customer service like helping me fit my helmet and giving me extra padding to do so. The guy went to the trouble to install a front bike pouch on my bike and showed me little tricks to help change the cover on my new helmet. Great store for anyone who enjoys the urban style biking and enjoys quality.
5 - Caro T.: This is a family owned business in the best way possible. Joe and all the employees offer unparalleled customer service, and they have been nice to me even when I have been clearly not in to buy. Because of that, when I was in search of a more grown up bike, I went to them and bought one. The experience was amazing, I got to test ride without pressure, and Joe had excellent suggestions and advice for me, without making me feel like he was pressing any one bike or any more expensive feature. He simply wanted me to get something that fit me and my riding style. 

I ended up purchasing a Linus Dutchi 8, and a Brooks saddle and grips to go with. Pricey but well worth it, and the experience was perfect. Nothing to improve.

Bear in mind that most of the bikes in this shop are European inspired, comfort or city bikes. If you are in search of performance bicycles, or mountain bikes, you will not find that here. They have a good price range, but the bikes start more expensive than in most bike stores. 

 If you are style conscious, and love riding in comfort, and love the European look and craftsmanship, then by all means visit A Street Bike. Their website is very well made and has every bike they have in store, if you want a preview of what you will find there.

I love this shop and will come back time and time again. Thanks Joe and family!

A Tangled Skein - Hyattsville, MD (38.9525922, -76.9405606) ()
5 - Rachel C.: This is what a local yarn store should be.

The walls are covered in fiber.  So much to choose from - favorites like Malabrigo and Noro, lots of natural fibers, and more sock yarn than you can shake a stick at.  Couches and armchairs abound.  Good selection of affordable needles and notions.  A beautiful rack of hand-painted yarns for those of us who can't get enough yarn porn.  Did I mention spinning tools?  Helpful and friendly shopkeepers who let you search on your own, but happily strike up conversation.  Sit and Stitch hours twice weekly.  And classes that run the gamut.

You'll get yarn, supplies, books... and a sense of community here.  That's what keeps me coming back.
5 - Anna B.: So glad I found this place! I've been looking for a yarn shop in the DC area with a large selection, helpful staff and cozy vibe and this shop fits the bill. The selection is large, but pretty well organized and the staff is happy to let you browse without following you around or grilling you on what you're looking for (and offer assistance if you need it). They have a frequent buyer's program that is free to participate in and I will definitely be going back to give my card a workout. 
Well worth the trip from DC to Hyattsville.
5 - Ange D.: A warm and friendly shop with a great mix of yarns. The staff is helpful, but never pushy. Se sure to check out knit groups, spin groups, classes, and the frequent shopper club.
5 - Flaneuse D.: Fiber porn!  A deliciously sensual place to browse for yarns and more.  It's not a church-lady yarn store -- they have a lot of unusual fiber blends and upmarket knit/crochet books of the Vogue variety.  The shop itself is homey, with the staff and customers appearing to be more like family (or fellow addicts!) but the selection is classy and tasteful.  Also, they have frequent-buyer discount cards.

I took my first knitting class at Tangled Skein and hope to take another series in the future, in part because I'm inspired by all of the beautiful things I see when I visit the store.  Maybe someday I'll be able to make something beautiful!  (See also:  Looped in Dupont Circle).
5 - Angelique W.: Lovely yarn store filled with fun & friendly people. Visited during their evening hours Friday 13th sale and enjoyed my various conversations with staff and customers (plus bought yarn and fiber).

Store has a great mix of product, very comfortable for shopping, plus lots of places to sit and knit.
5 - Lloyd P.: extremely friendly and an incredible selection of yarn.    Might be my new favorite yarn store in the DC area, though I still need to check out Looped in Dupont
3 - Bridget P.: I reallly want to give this place a better review.  It is beautiful, they have such a great selection, but I was really disappointed in the lack of customer service.  I went into the store having never touched yarn, needles, knitting, say what?  (I though "purl" was spelled "pearl.")

I walked up to the otherwise quiet front desk and said as much and asked for some assistance picking needles and yarn.  I was surprised that the store clerk didn't get out of her seat, but instead, looking up from her iPhone, gave me a few quick tips and directed me to the "back wall."  

Truthfully, it ended up being fine, but I really wish that she had helped me out a little more. As I was checking out, she was lovely and very kind.  I will try to go back for a class or something, but my initial impression was less than wonderful.
2 - Kerri P.: I really really really wanted to love this place.  I kept going back thinking that my bad experience there was a one-off, but each successive time I would received the same poor treatment from the staff.  When I moved to Hyattsville a few months ago, I was beyond excited that there was a local yarn shop within walking distance of my house--I love yarn and I love supporting local businesses.  Each time I have walked into the store, I received no acknowledgment from the person at the counter (which is literally a foot away from the front door).  Note:  the store was not busy any of these times.  I take my time looking at everything in the store, and a few times I was in there for over an hour, and not once did anyone say hi, ask if I needed help, etc.  Kind of weird.  Every trip there I have purchased yarn, and each time I had to wait around for someone to ring me up.

The last time I went, it was so bad it was comical.  I walked in and the woman at the counter looked me straight in the eye.  I smiled and said hi, and she just looked back at her smart phone or whatever without so much as a smile or a nod.  Are you serious, lady?  There was even one point while I was browsing that she accidentally bumped into me, and didn't apologize or even acknowledge "hey, I just rammed into someone."  After about 45 minutes of browsing, I finally selected the yarn for purchase, and I waited patiently at the counter while the lady was chatting it up with someone in the store.  After about 5 minutes of waiting, I just laughed, put my yarn down, and walked out.

Besides the customer service, I found the yarn selection to be pretty "meh" (also, the lighting in the store is not great, so when you buy something, you might be surprised with the color when you get it home).  The selection isn't terrible, but I guess just catering to a different type of knitter/crocheter than I am.  Not as much higher end yarn as I would have liked.  I think I have been spoiled living in Boston, which I'm realizing has an abundance of really fabulous yarn stores.  Although, maybe it is better that A Tangled Skein has kind of a crap selection of sock yarn so that I won't be tempted to spend all of my money (I am a sock yarn junkie).

In terms of how knowledgeable the staff is, I have no idea (since no one talks to me while I'm in there!).  I did notice on their website that if you need help with a project, it must be a project with yarn bought from their store or they will charge you for the help.  I find this to be an incredibly weird policy, and have never encountered this at any yarn shop that I've been at.  It wouldn't be as much of an issue except I am never able to find yarn there that I would want for my larger/more complicated projects.

So, if you don't mind getting the "sixth sense" treatment from some cranky older ladies and are looking for some Cascade 220 or other scratchy yarn for a sweater, then this could be the yarn store for you.
5 - karen k.: Great selection of premium yarn with just the right amount of help, not pushy at all and many wonderful sales .... what not to love. There is even parking near bye and a great restaurant across the street.
5 - R C.: When I go to a yarn store, I prefer  to walk around myself, absorb the colors and the yarns and feel them, and to do so in peace without some salesperson breathing down my neck.  I've been to A Tangled Skein a few times now, I've always been asked if I needed any help, so I wouldn't say their customer service is lacking.  But never much more than that, though that is exactly how I prefer it.
4 - Elodie T.: I'm a complete beginner, so I looked up a few things online about what I needed and decided to go and give it a shot. A Tangled Skein is the closest yarn shop to me and I went despite mixed reviews from Yelp. 

The store itself is a good size with a beautiful selection of yarns. The woman at the front was busy, so I took a moment to take a look around and get an idea of the pricing. They have yarns of varying beautiful colors, and these were all mostly labeled with the recommended size of crochet hooks to use (yes! Exactly what I needed). They also have a section for their sale items, called "Orphan yarns" which I ended up making my selection (I figure I won't feel too bad about screwing up with cheaper yarns.)

When I saw the lady at the front was free, I went up to her, prepared with two sizes of crochet hooks (6 & 8 mm) and corresponding yarns, and asked her what she thought I should use as a beginner. She was really nice, and told me that the labeled sizes are suggestions and that different people usually have their preferred sizes/styles to work with, and that either the 6 mm and 8 mm would work for me. Both sizes of yarns were close enough that picking one either one wouldn't really make too much of a difference. I also asked her for any suggestions on crochet books, and she led me to a booklet that their instructors use. It was really detailed and had a lot of diagrams.

Overall, I had a good experience there, although it IS my first time. I overheard a few other customers talking and one said that she didn't notice that their list of items on sale was at the front counter (which seems strange to me?) and the other saying that finding the corresponding sales items was like a scavenger hunt. I'm not sure how I feel about that, but I'll find out the next time I go!
4 - Gwyn K.: I love having a local yarn shop. The staff is friendly. The selection is good. Lots of staple yarn ad knitting supplies. Lots of classes good for beginners and intermediates. Highly recommend.

A Taste of Bangkok - Pasadena, CA (34.1458955, -118.1313764) (Pasadena)
4 - jonathan m.: I love this restaurant for take out! So yummy! Thai iced tea paired with the shrimp or pork pad see ew - awesome. Have had thai all over LA and its excellent. Friendly, family like service. 

UPDATE: just tried the mango sticky rice, wow, delicious! Fresh, sweet mango with coconut sticky rice - amazing.
5 - Gerard I.: In my not so humble opinion--THE BEST THAI RESTAURANT IN PASADENA!  That's right, I said it! ;-)

The portions rock, and the staff are the coolest ever! Their best dish is, of course, the pad-see-ew (beef,chicken,)--spicy. 

2nd on the list is the Pad Thai. 

There's nothing special about the decor, but there's a lot of room. Parking is a bit of the bummer, since there aren't that many spots on the street, you gotta go around to the back. It's a chore, but well worth it once you're inside. 

The owner will come out on certain occasions to say hi, and carry small conversations with guests. SHE'S SO COOL! 

The ingredients are fresh, and every dish (stay or go) is made to order.

Oh yeah, their Thai Iced Tea is killer!!
5 - Juan E.: I love this restaurant.  The people that run this place are terrific and the overall service is just super.  I love the garlic shrimp and the drunken noodles.  Take a look at the full review with pictures of the dishes on the link below.

http://tinyurl.com/387hxq
3 - mike j.: 3 stars purely for the food
0.35 for the decor

The food was good, but definitely not good enough to go out of your way for. Just as good as the average good (not amazing) thai place.

The decor was terrible- it was a mix between a 50s style diner and an oriental themed restaurant - oriental seats, and a couple oriental decorations on the wall, and then blue/white tiled floor with 50s diner glasses of water...sort of weird.

Generally I like finding hole in the wall type restaurants if the food is great, but this just wasn't.
2 - Denise A.: When I first moved to Pasadena, I started looking for my new fave thai restaurant. This was one of first couple places we visited....
It didn't make the cut.
The food was ordinary (BBQ chicken too salty) and did not match the prices. The place itself (decor, etc) didn't match the price either.  
I enjoy discovering a hole in the wall just like anyone else, but this one was just whatever.  Nothing to brag about and definitely nothing to come back to.
4 - sophia c.: this is probably the office favorite for thai food.  it's slightly larger than the other thai restaurant in the area so it can accommodate our groups.  the food here is also good.  all the favorites/normal thai dishes here are excellent.  

*if you tell them to put sauces on the side or go easy on the salt, they'll do it.  really great service, friendly waiting staff.

i like their noodle dishes mostly.
2 - Kimi O.: 2.5 stars because yes, I've had MUCH better but it's A-OK for a quick lunch.

Bangkok is a small, cute, cozy, family owned and run restaurant. It is convenient for lunch during the work week because of the quick service. After being seated, you immediately get an iceberg salad and ice water. They offer lunch specials anywhere from $6-9 and the portions are not bad: the main dish with a scoop of white rice and a scoop of fried rice. 

The food is not authentic Thai food meaning the food is sweet, not as spicy/sour, and the flavor is toned down. The tom yum soup was spicy chicken broth, not very sour, and had very little chicken and mushrooms. The pad thai is sweet without much depth. The sweet and sour fish fillet included two fried fish fillets swimming in watery sweet and sour broth with bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, pineapple chunks and cucumbers. The drunken noodles are a favorite and the veggies are perfectly cooked. My favorite is the cashew chicken which can be very spicy but addictive. The chicken satay was kinda mushy.

Even though the authenticity is mediocre, the smiling service, decent prices, and quick food keeps us coming back; like sophia c said, it's an office favorite. Good for lunch is you work close by, but don't go out of your way to come here.
4 - Maria L.: I went here for the first time, and I don't usually eat Thai food  so I'm not an expert, but I had a good experience.  I ordered the Pad Thai, steamed shrimp dumplings, and Thai Iced tea.  The iced tea was really yummy, not too sweet, the dumplings were fair just very simple, and the pad thai was good.  My friend said that the color was weird (it was really orange) but, both she and I both agreed that it was pretty good.
The decor was interesting, I felt like I was having dinner at my old aunt's house, but it was cute.  Oh, and it's a pretty small place.  But it totally feels like your at someones house, the servers were like uncle bob and uncle bill in their plain everyday clothes and you could see aunt margie in the kitchen cooking with her apron.
I would totally come here again.
3 - Amy s.: Ok Thai food..
3 - Gabriella G.: So I've been here twice.  Both experiences were good.  First, as you walk in don't expect to be overwhelmed with the decor...this place needs a major cleaning/renovation!  With decor aside, I've been pretty pleased with the food.  I've tried lots of items on the menu and liked them all.  All the dishes seem to have good, balanced flavor.  I really like that the brown rice isn't your typical brown rice.  It has lots of yummy flavor.   I like this place and will be back after trying all the other gazillion thai restaurants in pasadena!
4 - Richard M.: I've been eating at Taste of Bangkok for years and this is by far my favorite Thai restaurant in Pasadena.  I get the tom kha gai soup every time.  Other favorites include chinese broccoli with oyster sauce and chicken, pad prik king, garlic shrimp, hainan noodles, and pad woon sen.  Sue and Phil are really great!
5 - Arin D.: I've been eating here for years and by far this is the best Thai food in the San Gabriel Valley. Especially in Pasadena. 

The other Thai places in Pasadena don't even come close! The service is excellent and the prices are reasonable. 

I highly recommend this place!
3 - Simon I.: This place is one of the better Thai places in Pasadena, which isn't saying much when places like Alhambra or San Gabriel have the best.  But for the Pasadena area, you really can't go wrong here.

Their Pad Thai is great, not overly sweet or sour like some other places *coughChandracough*.   It has a nice balance, with the sour being the more powerful taste. Almost everything on their menu is standard Thai, nothing being stand-out "bad", but nothing spectacular.  I haven't tried any of their curry yet, so I can't comment. 

This place is simply average, with nothing truly outstanding, but nothing terrible either.  It's a very safe pick, and you're sure to come out satisfied.
2 - Jason H.: My office is right across the street from 'A Taste of Bangkok', so out of convenience, I chose to try this place out. 

I was quite surprised by how filled this place was during the lunch hour. Usually when I either pass or drive by, the place seems a little dead beat for business.

Anyhow, I tried the Cashew Chicken lunch special. I asked specifically for them to make it extra spicy, and so they did. It was the right amount of spicyness for me but I expected it to be a lot hotter given that it is a Thai place. 

I think this place is suitable for lunch servings only. It's not real quality authentic thai food, meaning a lot of soy sauce and msg in their flavors. Just a very generic place for lunch if you feel for a thai twist.
2 - Mark L.: I had lunch with the family. Nothing special here, pad Thai was too sweet with limited spice. Pad sew ew was too salty. The appetizers were okay with the satay lacking any bite.
1 - Lia J.: You're better off going down the street to Target and buying some precooked Thai in a bag  food that never goes bad.
Seriously, how do you get pad Thai or Thai ice tea wrong? Shrimp were over cooked. The pad thai noodles were bland. The Tom Kha Gai was flavorless. The special of the day was not special at all. The beef was tough and over cooked. BLAND even when asked for extra spicy.
5 - Haik A.: The Best! I love this amazing Thai Restaurant.  Hadn't been back since working in Pasadena but the food is always fantastic and the owners are there to greet you with a smile!  For lunch I had the Japanese Eggplant with ground pork lunch special, Yum Nuea--Beef Salad, and the days Special Soft Shell Crab in Curry broth. The lunch specials come with a light salad consisting of iceberg, shredded carrots and a sweet dressing and your choice of Fried rice or sticky white rice. This was the tastiest lunch Ive had all year!  The eggplants are cooked perfectly and the smells and sauces keep your mouth watering throughout the meal.  The soft shell crab was deep fried and served with wok fried veggies in a beautiful curry sauce.  The beef salad is pungent and a perfect starter dish.  Their Thai Iced tea is sweet yet delicious and cools the spiciness from their dishes.  Parking is available in the front on Colorado or in the back of the restaurant-a bit of a tight fit.    Highly recommend this to anyone in Pasadena or the FOothills craving a memorable Thai meal.
4 - Michelle Y.: I have been coming here since I was a baby! 

It was because of this place that my favorite Thai dish is Lad Nah noodles, and it is the first thing I always look for on a menu at any Thai restaurant; their Thai Coffee drink is pretty good too.

A change in the chef has mildly altered the taste in food but it is still good. The service is incredibly attentive and kind!
5 - M D.: Lea F, Jason H, and the others... what are your qualifications for real Thai? 

Been going here since the early 1990s, and have been to Thai Town and both places have great food and are comparable. I ask this of you yelpers because what have you been eating that constitutes authentic food? Yes, the food is "Americanized," but if you got to know the people that work there, they just might let you sample real Thai food, and if you know of some real Thai dishes, as you so seem expertly tuned to, ask them if they can whip it up for you. The food you sample here, as in 99% of Thai restaurants, are built around familiarity. Meaning the stuff put on Thai menus won't offend the taste buds of Americans not used to Southeast Asian food. If you can deal with dishes laden with lime juice and fish sauce and heavy with toasted shallots and garlic, or dark green leafy veggies sauteed in fermented fish and it's brown fermented goodness (unfiltered fish sauce), please, critique away. BUT before you label ANY food as not being authentic, know and experience what's REALLY authentic and if you don't know, ask yourself if you're even qualified to label certain foods authentic or not.   

So what are my qualifications? I've grown up with Thais for a majority of my life, and my mother-in-law is Thai and her family opened the second Thai restaurant in Los Angeles county, and possibly California. She knows a lot of the restaurant owners in Thai Town and has prepared authentic dishes for me not seen in those 99% of Thai restaurants... my wish is that more authentic Thai food will be served by your local Thai spot and bring a whole new level of Thai food to the American palate 

Back to the task at hand:: The food is wonderful. The masaman gai is great, with it's big chunks of soft potato and fall off the bone chicken leg and thigh. Their starter salad is just julienne carrots and hand torn lettuce leafs, but the tangy, creamy sauce it comes with is great. I wish the salad was a bigger portion. Yes, the food may be Americanized, but guess what? I expect it from them and the food is still delicious and the people are as nice as people can be!
5 - Marissa B.: Had a late lunch today past 4 pm. It was pretty crowded for a Sunday! Ordered the soft shell crab special and for $15.99, I was expecting more, but overall delicious (kind of pricey, so I should not order a special too much). The coconut juice was yummy. Great service, low key. I would be a regular I think :)
2 - Carly S.: So disappointed.

I was on Colorado around lunchtime, and happened by this place.  It looked like it had a decent sized crowd, and I took that as a positive sign.

After I arrived and let them know I'd be dining alone, they initially put me at a table right by the bathrooms.  I asked to move to a window table, and they accommodated me.    

I ordered the Masaman Gai, which is described as "chicken curry with potato."  Now, if you know me, you know I love chicken, curry, and potato.  This seemed sure to be a slam-dunk!  The lunch specials come with salad, and a small scoop of steamed rice, and one of fried rice.  I'm not sure I need two types of rice, but OK.  

When the dish came... it looked like soup, not curry.  I guess I'm just used to the coconut milk based curries, but this just looked like an oily soup, with a chicken leg/thigh (including bone), and a HUGE chunk of potato.

Um, alright.

The broth was decently spiced, but again- super oily.  The chicken was tender, although there were some pieces that didn't look entirely cooked.  The potato was alright, but while it was decently tender, I definitely felt like I had to struggle a little to break pieces off.

When the waiter cleared my table, he didn't ask how my food was, (nor did he check in with my during my meal.)  "Meh" is exactly how I feel about the food and experience.
3 - Matt S.: I'm always amused by the number of Thai restaurants in the Pasadena area.  It seems that there is at least one on almost every commercial block in town- perhaps even more than there are in Thailand.

I usually gravitate toward President Thai over on Rosemead, but A Taste of Bangkok is within walking distance of my house (of course, so are about 12 other Thai food places...)  This place is not bad, and I usually get the Roast Duck curry with the Chicken Sate as an appetizer.  The service is fast and friendly, and prices are reasonable.  The only real drawback is the huge windows that look out on the not-so-pretty section of Colorado Blvd.  It's kind of disconcerting to be enjoying your meal as homeless people shuffle by.
5 - Ian L.: Been coming to this place for years. Unfortunately i can't tell you about all the great things on the menu because every time i go here I always get my favorite dish - drunken noodles. Friend of mine usually always gets the chicken curry. The chicken in the curry is amazingly tender and juicy and the curry sauce is very tasty.

I cant even tell you what it is about the drunken noodles that makes them so good - i just love them. And I always get a thai ice tea with it. 

Their thai ice tea is not the same as most other places. It's a lot sweeter and creamier. I think it's great - like a desert drink. Although if you don't like sweet drinks or prefer a more traditional thai ice, you should probably skip it.
5 - Liz C.: This is the best Thai food in Pasadena. My favorite dish is the garlic shrimp. My second fav is the shrimp pad see-ew. I can not find that delicious flavor of the garlic shrimp anywhere. It is family owned and they are the nicest people. If you want quite and well priced delicious food, you'll love this place.
4 - Randy D.: just came from dinner here with my mom.  been eating around colorado and lake alot lately.  i'm a sucker for crab fried rice and eggplant dishes.  they had both, so major props.
we started with steamed shrimp potstickers topped with sauteed garlic.  10 per order for 8 bucks.  pretty good stuff.  also had the noodle soup which had chicken, green onion, garlic, bean sprouts, and egg or rice noodles.  we chose rice.  nice flavor.
the eggplant dish came sauteed in oyster sauce with green beans, garlic, basil, red bell pepper, and steamed eggplant.  it was tasty even with a couple eggplant pieces being undercooked.  
but the crab fried rice stole the show.  it was filled with meat and even had a claw in it.  now, that's what i'm talking about!  there was the right amount of egg and soy sauce too.  definitely the highlight of our meal.
the restaurant was clean, while the service was quite attentive.  a fine way to end a long day.  taste of bangkok did not disappoint.  i fully expect to be dreaming of the fantastic crab fried rice tonight....
5 - Sky P.: Garlic Shrimp is to die for !!!  No other restaurant can make it this good. I love spicy good and this one always satisfy my spicy cravings ....
4 - Zach G.: Came here and got the red curry. It was pretty spicy and not bad. For the price, I was definitely satisfied, and the service was pretty good.
2 - Andrea B.: I honestly don't know how this place got high reviews. We ordered the drunken noodles and the garlic shrimp because of all of the "good" reviews it received so when we finally ordered  the drunken noodles it was EXTREMELY spicy which is odd because we specifically asked for MILD. The size of that entree was pretty decent I suppose and the taste was alright too .Then we ordered the garlic shrimp which was basically like a dollar per shrimp and the plate was SO small there was more garnishes then the damn dish itself. I was like seriously? Looks like a damn appetizer if you ask me. When we were done eating we were looking at their dessert menu and the mango sticky rice was expensive as sh%t. IDK everything about this place just screamed CHEAP A$$. They charge for rice here and even the lemon they give you with the water was cut RIDICULOUSLY THIN. Like OMG how cheap can you be?! You could literally buy like 15 lemons for like $1 Anyways, probably NEVER going to return sorry but prices are whack for the quality & quantity of the food.
1 - Alana K.: How this place has achieved a 4-star rating on Yelp is beyond me, particularly with there being absolutely no shortage of good Thai restaurants nearby.  I first tried this place about a year ago for lunch.  I remember ordering some spicy tofu and veggies lunch special and a thai iced tea, both of which were completely underwhelming.  After seeing how regularly packed they are during lunch (I work right around the corner and pass by daily), I figured that I must have just had a bad experience and decided to give them another shot.  This time I ordered pad thai tofu, generally a safe bet and a fair dish to rate a Thai restaurant by.  Well, despite being slathered in neon orange sauce, it was bland as hell.  Seriously, it was like eating plain, undercooked noodles with soft, unseasoned tofu.  I flagged down the waiter and asked for chili sauce, doused the shit out of it, and choked down as much as possible.  I will not be giving them an opportunity to strike out a third time.  I will instead happily continue to spend my lunch up the street at President Two.  Do yourself a favor and do the same.
5 - Jaime K.: Thai food is my favorite type of ethnic food and so I'm always craving it. I've experimented with many Thai restaurants in the SGV and in LA and found that this place has THE best Thai food, EVER! Their Thai tea is AMAZING as well. It's not like any other Thai teas I've ever had. Too bad they will be shutting down by the end of this month for renovations. Where will I get my Thai fix??
5 - Margaret L.: I love the owners of this restaurant, they are super sweet and are always very accommodating.

But even more importantly I love their Drunken Noodles and Thai Boat (with pork), I can never choose which one I want more so I get both (luckily I have a foodie boyfriend to help). Everything is always really fresh and cooked with a good level of spice... you know the kind, when your nose is running but you can't stop eating.

They also have really good desserts, the Coconut Ice Cream they make is super yummy and they have real chunks of coconut in there and of course the Mango Sticky Rice is always really good (it helps that they tell you that they won't make it if the mangoes aren't ripe).

However, I believe they are moving to a new location due to some remodeling so stay tuned for their new address!
3 - Blake Y.: I don't quite know what to say. The food was healthy for thai food, not under cooked and cooked in heavy oils but the thai salad wasn't very good, combination fried rice had a good amount of meat but very bland and both plates were a little on the small side. The salad was supposed to come with peanut sauce but I had to ask for it and there were no chopped eggs as described. Over priced for the food quality and quantity.  Did the trick for the time being, the chef was hispanic, I was suprised he didn't season the food more.

 Best thai food i've had in LA is Jasmine thai in Reseda.

A Taste of Culture - Cambridge, MA (42.3713334, -71.1145211) (Harvard Square)
2 - Jessica R.: "A Taste of Culture" may whet your appetite but it won't leave you satisfied.  I was attracted into the store by some of the items in the window.  But when I got into it,  I found they do not have that much selection.  Really the only things I liked were the things in the window.  They carry embroidered clothing, wraps, tapestries, rugs, jewelry, etc.
3 - Ellie L.: more like a taste of liberal arts undergrad dorm room (well, it takes one to know one...):  tapestries, incense, thick silver rings.  more of a pit stop than a destination.  not bad if it's november and your four white walls are still taunting you with their blankness.
3 - Patrick B.: You could get this stuff much cheaper in Peru.  The little knitted finger puppet llamas, alpacas, and lizards that go for a buck on the streets of Cusco are 3 for $10 here, but they've got a Spiderman one and the coolest looking hatted octopus ever.  Went with my friend who wanted to pick up her $60 silver earrings that look like a partridge in a pear tree, but the store wasn't open yet--the woman was running late.  When she finally showed up, she felt so bad about us waiting in the cold she didn't charge tax and also threw in a free SpongeBob finger puppet which went to me and is now riding the finger llama on my desk.  An hour later one of the earrings broke, so be sure to inspect the quality of your purchase even if you're getting a deal.
3 - Lana G.: Very cute little place. I only bought things from the jewelry section. I love their stuff, but you do have to look carefully and make sure you are buying quality stuff. Their pricing is odd. Sometimes you can find the cutest things that are not too expensive and are made well. But other times they'll have something oh.. not so great ... that's priced too high. Still worth a visit on a nice summer day when you are walking around Harvard Sq.
5 - Melissa M.: Culture.  Tis a nice word.  Culture.  I need me some culture.  Imagine my surprise when traipsing through the Square of Harvard, that I came upon a lovely little store, aptly namped "A Taste of Culture".  The window displayed a variety of interesting pieces of culture.  The shop is run by a sweet Peruvian woman, I did not get her name, but she was very nice and helpful to me, a girl who needed a culture fix.  They have handmade clothes that were made in Peru.  I wanted a dress and asked her what size it was because it looked like it fit my physique.  Well, it was an extra small, there is no way that I'm an extra small.  She held it up to me, to see if it would fit, but well, when she got to the chesticle area, she smiled and said, "dress to small".  I went onto look at her other wares, baby clothes that were precious, darling little tops, but nothing would fit me today it seemed.  They had some nice handcrafted boxes and hand-sewn bags.  I was in a spendy mood, but couldn't find anything today.  I know I'll be back soon, for another taste of culture.
3 - T. J.: Draw in by some cute things in the window.. overall an okay store, though some of the things border on ugly, and some items are randomly overpriced.  My mom got a well-cut Alpaca jacket there though-- it was originally priced $150 but the owner only charged $125 because it was "such a hot day" and it was flustering to try on.
They have some beautiful chandelier-type earrings that look a little vintage and ethnic. I got a pair for $18 that are really unique looking and beautiful, but once I got home I realized they had some little pieces missing-- Be sure to check for quality and all parts before purchasing!
The owner was very friendly and nice, although it was a little uncomfortable shopping with her as she wouldn't exactly leave us alone.  If you like shopping with lots of help and feedback, this works.  She heard my mom say my name and then kept calling to me from across the store, which was awkward.. Also she gave me random advice like how she kept insisting that I should apply to Harvard (I'm a jr. in high school).. overall it was a little uncomfortalbe shopping with her when every time i picked up one thing she would go THAT'S SO CUTE! GET IT! IT LOOKS GORGEOUS!  Overall though it's worth stopping by, just to look at the nice jewelry and find an occasional cute top.
4 - Shannon K.: I was with a friend and we walked past this little shop.  My friend  was lured in by a pretty cape hanging from the door and I also fell in love with one once we got inside.  

The owner was so helpful, warm, and cheerful.  I love great customer service!  She also gave me a discount without me asking!  I enjoyed her and the shop immensely.
4 - Sarah A.: Interesting little boutique featuring objects from South America. I was mainly interested in their jewelry and picked up a nice bracelet. The owner was very friendly and even offered me a deal on the bracelet when I was unsure whether or not to get it. Definitely worth checking out, especially if you are in the market for nice jewelry. They also have clothes and South American decor items, but I was not really intersted in those.
5 - maya s.: I have purchased a number of clothing items from this store ranging from cute summer dresses, to blouses, winter sweaters, hats and a beautiful alpaca wrap. 
Everything thing has been of the highest quality, and i really enjoy speaking to the owner and supporting this wonderful little store. She is a real sweet heart, and i have even heard her arranging with other store owners to donate towards internernational tradegies such as Haiti and Japan.
Oh and she has some great little dress purses too, got one for a wedding i went to...worked out great.

A Taste of India - Los Angeles, CA (34.0248982, -118.2838585) (South Los Angeles)
4 - Kevin L.: Taste of India is fast, cheap (for the UV), and good. I'm always full afterward. It's not amazing Indian food, but for the price it is quite good.
4 - smriti k.: I am giving this 4-stars because,its really cheap and every time u are hungry the food is just there,ready in 2 minutes!And trust me!the food is great for it's price.
  They have good Channa masala,and Channa baturas and chats and other great combinations.The chicken item's are good too.
   I would totally sing "2 minutes Maggie song" for taste of india,with maggie replaced with "taste of india" obviously :)

-Smriti
3 - Sandeep S.: The food here is okay, not that great. One can get better better Indian food at Manas. One downside to this place is that the food isn't fresh. They cook food in bulk and refrigerate and serve the same thing over the week.
3 - Jim S.: Good value if you're on a poor grad student budget. The food is decent, filling, and cheap, but overly salted.
3 - Sara L.: You can't really expect it to be high quality amazing Indian food for the price and location, but the food is cheap, fast, filling, and pretty good. The naan that they give you kind of varies on what time you go though--sometimes it's warm, sometimes it's cold.
3 - Michael K.: The only indian food I know of close to USC.  It's not that good, but it's decent.  Customer service Sucks

Pre-made that they scope on to plates (panda express style)
I've been there a lot of times and I've only seen the guy crack a smile one time, usually he has a scowl the whole time.  The woman (guessing wife) isn't much happier but at least she smiles some times.  She is happier when you buy a drink, if you get a water they less happy.

The food sometimes is good to meh, from hot to luke warm.  I go here when I haven't had indian in a long time and just have a craving.   

One other thing they make a burrito type item, but when they are busy they won't do it.  As my friend was literary turned away when he asked for it one time.  I guess his money wasn't worth it.  

And I believe they charge you extra (illegally) if you use a credit card
1 - David L.: The service here is terrible.  What can be so terrible about fast food Indian?  Well, for starters the main dude who slops the food on your plate is a total curmudgeon.  I used to frequent this place because the prices are good for the amount of food you get and I love Indian food.  On one occasion, I ordered the "chicken wrap" and the man there told me "No!  I can't do that now, I'm too busy!"  in a nasty voice.  So why is the item even on the menu if you refuse to make it?  I've never heard of such a thing.  Both him and his coworker (maybe his wife) rarely ever crack a smile.  Also, the food is mediocre.  Overall, it's a pretty bad experience.
4 - Ruby C.: I've only been to this plaza for Wendy's, when I learned of the food court I was amazed. 

I came during a day that wasn't swarmed with students. I was greeted by a young woman who took order quick, gave me a recommendation of the spiciest chicken, and even offered me water when i didn't buy a drink. 

I did notice the owner hovering behind her.

Food quality: the naan was not stale compared to other places, the chicken was so spicy I was sweating; so you know
it's good. And the price was decent;$5.49 plus tax. 

The WTF of my meal: 50 cent charge for using card? Not cool.

I would come her for a quick Indian fix, and it's relatively cheaper than the other places I saw.

UPDATE

I went back for a second time. Food was as equally good but the Mango Lassi tasted sour. When I went back owner had me wait until he tried it and he told me there was nothing wrong with it.Something about it being the yogurt and different places do it differently. I ALWAYS have the lassi, it never tastes sour anywhere else. So I didnt buy that. But eh. I was staring at him like, it tastes like sour milk to me. He told me he could put more sugar instead. I asked for a refund, which he denied. But said I could have a soda instead. I don't drink soda. 

I bargained a lemonade and I got back my difference. He wasnt that bad about it, but i will think twice about the lassi.
3 - Nick K.: For the USC student looking for cheap and very close indian food, this is a decent option. You don't get too many options for food and even less for drinks and paying with a credit card costs extra.
On the other hand the food is filling, the naan is tasty (if a bit little doughy) and it's not too spicy.
1 - Charles C.: Terrible food and service. I asked for a sample. NO! we no give sample.

Damn, I learned a life lesson today. If someone doesn't let you try their goods, it is probably crap and in this case it was. Both my entry was extremely salty.

I am the kind of guy who will eat everything off his plate. I threw most of this food away and felt like I got robbed.
4 - Bella C.: Yummy and affordable.  You get a lot for what you pay.  I got the two-item combo and it lasted two meals.  It came with naan and a small (very small) side salad.  The curry chicken was yummy and the dahl was great.  Definitely enough food to justify the $8.22 total, especially considering almost everything in this food court is overpriced.

Someone got upset because the food place wouldn't give free samples?  LOL  This is a cafeteria, folks, not a fancy delicatessen!  All things considered, this is pretty good for what it is  :)
1 - Jim A.: Thieves! They took a extra $20 from my hand and denied it. Literally. I am not joking. That put a bad taste in my mouth I could not eat my $26 dollar lunch. I had 2 $20s in my hand.
5 - Joseph O.: This is the best Indian food in all of America. I used to go here all the time when I was in college at USC. I usually ordered a three item with two chicken dishes and a veggie dish. The eggplant and potato dish was the best. Wish I can eat here again.
1 - John N.: An Indian spot run by Koreans with food prepared by a Mexican. They get 5 stars for diversity 1 star for the food.
1 - Rich L.: Very deceptive.  Saag paneer, which is labeled spinach and cheese, actually has tofu instead of cheese.  Saag paneer is supposed to be spinach and Indian cheese.  Some of their other dishes also have tofu in them.  That is bad for people trying to avoid soy products.  Tofu is no longer considered a health food, as the only good soy is fermented organic soy products, like miso, soy sauce, and Natto.

A Touch For Health Muscle - West Lafayette, IN (40.466982, -86.972601) ()
1 - danae c.: my husband bought a coupon via deal chicken for our anniversary. he bought it over a month before our anniversary, & as always there are expiration dates with these things. so i called over 2 weeks before the expiration date & asked if i could be scheduled in the next week. [i was going on vacation during the last week the offer was good.] the guy [owner?] called me back & said there was no way he could fit me in over the next week. he said he sold 80 of these deal chicken coupons & everyone "waited till the last minute" to use them, so he was booked solid. i asked if i could use it after the expiration date, seeing as i was returning to town the day after it expired. he said he would credit the coupon to me if i paid for the other half of the massage. 

i won't be using the coupon. i won't ever be using this place of business, & i'll warn everyone who will listen not to use it either. what a waste of money.

in summary: poor customer service. acted like people calling & booking appointments were hassles rather than providing him business. seems like he overextended himself in selling so many coupons & then wasn't willing to deal with the consequences. plus, he was kind of a jerk on the phone.
5 - Laura Z.: I've been to Jerry several times including using the Groupon. He's a one-man show with one pair of hands and there are only so many hours in the day. May I recommend that if you don't wait until the last minute before your coupon expires, you won't be disapppointed. Not fancy but he sure knows how to unkink all those knots in your neck and shoulders.


Finish your review

A&A Mailing Services Plus - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4507845, -79.9346847) (Shadyside)
5 - Lindsay P.: This is a great little mailing shop that is conveniently located in Shadyside.  They do charge a little bit more than the post-office (I think 10%) but it is worth it.  The owner is usually there and is helpful.  It is never crowded so they can help you figure out the best way to send something.  I like that they even have some old post-cards of Pittsburgh.
4 - Kaitlyn R.: I've used this shop about a thousand times because it's so convenient. You can do everything you need to do mailing-wise, plus they wrap gifts and it's dog-friendly, which in my book gets 4 stars off the bat (they have a water bowl outside and always give dog biscuits.) It's tiny but almost never crowded. They're not big on giving tracking numbers so MAKE SURE TO ASK or you'll get home and realize you don't have it, then you'll call, and they don't seem too big on that. I've heard several people complain about that. If you're the type to frown on paying an extra few bucks, it might seem expensive but nothing's a bigger time-suck than standing in line at a post office.  If you live near Walnut St., you'd be nuts to go anywhere else unless you're a fan of wasting time.
5 - Heidi S.: USPS, FedEx and UPS services all in one place! They'll even do the packing for you, if needed. Super convenient and waaay more pleasant than the East Liberty Post Office.  I often leave with a feeling of nostalgia for old fashioned family business', something I'll never get from the kids at the FedEx counter. Even so, I wouldn't go out of my way to spend extra to ship from A & A, but it's great when you're in the neighborhood and/or need to ship from multiple carriers. And it's usually a quick stop. They've even come to pick up some unwieldy boxes from my workplace to send out. A+!

A&E Beauty Laser - Austin, TX (30.2955519, -97.7440753) (University of Texas, West Campus)
5 - Glenn W.: I purchased a living social deal and ended up in her chair for a Chemical Peel.. 

It worked as promised. It worked so well that I didn't need a second treatment. Although I'm still going to go back for maintenance. lol

Great service, very knowledgeable and very affordable. 

Go and get your skin refreshed here!
5 - linda f.: Jaime is a real skin pro - Knowledgeable and up to date on the myriad of products there are out there - More importantly knowledgeable about what works and what doesn't  Tailors skin regiments for the specific client.  I will continue to go to A&E  as long as she hangs her sign out!  
Linda

A&G Italian Fine Foods - Plainsboro, NJ (40.3360768724664, -74.5957946777344) ()
4 - Laura S.: Try the cannolis here -- they're very good.  The sandwiches and entrees are also pretty good, although you may wait for a bit if you order from the deli.  This is a great place for a lunch stop while you're in Plainsboro, the atmosphere is very casual and relaxed, and they have a few gourmet Italian foods you can pick up to take home as well.

Take out is also available, and they have a lot of options on the menu.
4 - Todd O.: A&G was literally the first place I came to when I initially moved to NJ and was in search for decent food.  While I typically take my order to-go from this location, I had the pleasure of dining in earlier this week.  Ordered their Special Foccacia (~$8), which they cooked in their brick oven, along with their Di Casa salad, with olives on the side ($9).  While waiting, they brought out their awesome homemade bread, covered in cheese and garlic awesomeness.  Both dishes were delicious, per usual.  I'm always a fan of their Portobello panini on foccacia bread ($8), which contains a nice piece of portobello (not surprisingly) and grilled chicken, along with roasted peppers and their fresh mozzarella.  While I think I have a big appetite, I can usually eat half for dinner, and save the 2nd half for lunch the next day.
Was slightly peeved that they automatically put in 18% tip (I'm already a pretty nice tipper, but please don't tell me what I should be giving as gratuity unless I have a party of 6 or more), but all in all, a great place to grab a bite.
4 - Keith B.: Awesome Food!
killer sandwiches & pizzas... great atmosphere.
The best A&G I've been to. This place makes a great lunch spot, or for a quick bite.

Would be 5 star if the deli service was a little faster.
2 - Ryan L.: Waited 20 minutes for 1 sandwich (seriously). Over-priced for what you get. Just OK as far as the food goes. The chicken cutlet was so thin it was like I was eating a fried breading sandwich with cheese.
4 - Paul H.: Had two nearly identical experiences here, each of which involved stopping in for take out food during off-peak experiences - and I agree with the others here; the food is amazing!  Had a flatbread pizza the first time, and a great sandwich (chicken panini, think) the second time.  They were quick and the food was great.  

Though I think there were a few tables, doesn't really seem like a place you would for a sit down meal.  And were I a local, I'd definitely want to explore some of the catering take-out items.  Looks like a great selection, and if it's anything like their lunch entrees, I suspect it's great.

Thumbs up A&G!
2 - Maggie M.: This was my go-to place for years. Then two out of the last three visits were not good not even worthy of one star:(
The beef is no longer tender. Out of an entire portion I ate one or two bites. Even with a steak knife it could not be cut. Too much salt on the overdone pasta and too much pepper on the under cooked veggies. Nothing was right. Same last month. The lasagna in the display case looks old and dried out. So does that lunch meat.  I used to love this place but it seems like it will be out of business in no time. You just can't serve inedible unsafe  food. There is still a chance for this place to save it's self. Go back to the way you were, use the best ingredients, only use fresh foods and you won't be losing loyal customers like me...

A&M - Philadelphia, PA (39.9542959, -75.1855117) (University City)
5 - Sarah B.: I'll keep this review short and sweet.

This is my go-to truck whenever I'm craving a falafel sandwich. My boyfriend always gets the shawarma and loves it. The lady is always super friendly. 

(Thanks, Mike D., for posting the first review!)
5 - Mike D.: This is one of the food trucks outside Drexel's Main Building of the many that line Ludlow Street.  It's the easternmost truck.  I only first went here because the lines were enormous at some of the other trucks closer to the building entrances that I'd normally go to.

I had read in a review of the lunch trucks in the Drexel Triangle a few years ago, ravings of a sandwich called the Big Fat Jimmy that was a take on the original found at trucks at Rutgers.  It consists of chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, french fries and tomato sauce in a long roll.  When I had walked up to this truck, I saw that they had them, along with several variations such as Jimmy's Sister (I don't know the differences off hand).  They were also a quarter less than they were at the only other truck (as far as I know) that has them so I got one here.

Holy cow.  It could be one of the most delicious sandwiches I've ever had, perhaps slightly behind the chicken cordon bleu sandwich at Sandy's.  The ingredients are great.  They don't just buy junk quality because they're going to throw it together in a roll, each of the ingredients could stand on their own if ordered separately.  I later had one of the more expensive ones at the adjacent truck and it was a step down.  This is the real deal.

Later in my frequenting this truck, I've also ordered their falafel platter and it too is top notch.  The only reason I tried it is the woman who works here was nice and gave me a sample without my asking.  Good marketing strategy.

The Big Fat Jimmy though.  Oooh.  I want one now.  I thought you New Jerseyans had suspect tastes (White Castle?  Seriously?) but you may have redeemed yourself.

If you're in the area and looking to break (destroy) your diet, drop by and get one.  You won't be disappointed in the sandwich, though you may hate yourself for the levels of calories and sodium you've just ingested.

A-1 Limousine - Princeton, NJ (40.310868, -74.667831) ()
4 - Abby W.: I have used A-1 several times and have been pleased with every aspect of their service. 

They show up a few minutes early, have professional, courteous drivers, comfortable clean cars and excellent service overall. I can count on them for rides to and from the airport (I have used their service for Newark but according to their website they serve "all major airports") as well as from Manhattan a couple of hours outside of the city to visit relatives when I'm without a car visiting. 

So pleasant to take a nap while someone else deals with driving, they get me there safely and on time. I don't want to deal with renting a car and driving after a long flight.

A1 is not "cheap" but to me you are paying for what you get: great reliable service, high-quality and customer service. The gratuity will automatically be included so you don't need to worry about carrying cash for a tip. 

Highly recommend!
5 - Jason D.: The best car service in the Princeton/Mercer County area.

One time, I was on my way to JFK to travel west for work (yes, JFK. I didn't book the flight). Our car's alternator died about 15 minutes from home. I was panicked - I was traveling with a group of about 30 people and rebooking my flight was going to be a huge hassle. I called my neighbor to help us out, and she said 'get on the phone to A1 and tell them what's up'.

I called them, explained what had happened, and they immediately dispatched a towncar to the location roadside where we were broken down. They stayed with my wife and I until the tow showed up for our car, then whisked me off to JFK in time for my flight.

Since this, we have used A1 every single time we need to travel as a family to PHL or EWR. No, they might not be the cheapest - but they're the best, hands-down. The drivers are reliable, friendly and flexible. When they pick you up at the airport, they're waiting outside of baggage claim holding a sign with your name on it. They have always provided a child safety seat for our daughter when we request it, at no extra charge.  The last time we were picked up at the airport, we were given a complimentary upgrade from a towncar to limousine.

Can't say enough good things about them. If you need a car with driver in Mercer County, stop looking and call A1.
4 - Percy N.: Used to take A1 all the time to the airport and trips to NYC when I lived in the Princeton area. Newer Cadillac fleet, always on time and courteous service.
1 - Angelica K.: UPDATE: it took several days for them to work out a refund.  I was constantly told they would call me in "15 minutes with a decision" and would then wait 12 hours.  Eventually I got part of the refund I requested but the remainder of it I had to dispute with my credit card company.  Most definitely would not use their services again.  Completely unprofessional and did not treat me with the kind of service they promise.
1 - hallie g.: I was hoping to at least get a phone call back from A1 regarding my horrific experience so I did not have to go public with my negative review, but obviously I was not important enough to warrant such call, so here I go...

Pick up was on time (actually 5 minutes early), 4:10 am. Driver was putting car seat for my 4 year old son in the backseat and said he'd be done in a few minutes. I said great, I'll go wake him up and get my bags. 15 minutes later he is still trying to get the seat in. We needed to leave by 4:30 LATEST to insure i'd be able to get through security and have 15-20 minutes at the gate to deal with my child (food/bathroom) at 4:30, seat is not in, i even tried but was unfamiliar with the latch system on the seat AND in the car. So I was forced to HOLD DOWN MY CHILD IN HIS CAR SEAT the entire 45 minute ride to Newark airport. It was an awful thing for any parent to do but the seat was not secure.

When I arrived at the airport the driver was very apologetic and immediately gave me the card and number of his boss. When I returned home I called and spoke to the nastiest woman (how she is in customer services is truly a mystery) and she never once apologized she immediately said 'WELL, IT'S THE CUSTOMER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO INSTALL THE CARSEAT' This was never told to us and how would I know how to put a strange car set in a strange car? After several phone calls with this person including one where she told me 'YOU KNOW, THIS CALL IS BEING RECORDED!' (I said great! maybe your boss will hear how you speak to customers) I finally got in touch with the VP Jeff. I left 7 messages in 2 weeks with no return call. FINALLY I called and he answered and said he had been ill with strep throat etc. He was VERY kind to me on the phone and said he would review the call and my issues and promised he'd call back.

It's a good thing I didn't hold my breath because it's now 3 months later and, well, you guessed it...never heard back.

A1 is NOT the only game in town and I'd rather spend 2x what I spent for that disastrous and potentially dangerous car ride to the airport, then to use A1 again.
1 - Emma M.: What a total rip off! Quoted $120, charged $240!

I was in Princeton for business and these guys happened to be at the station, so I used them as a normal cab service to get to the office. It was a decent car and the driver was great, so I asked how much to drive me back to Manhattan at the end of the day. He quoted $120, which was cheaper than the company's usual car service, so I took his number. 

I called and booked him later on and he drove me and a colleague who lives three blocks away back to the city. When we arrived he wanted $240 - exactly twice what we had agreed. I had asked for a complete price, but he had charged $120 plus tolls, tax, a 'second drop' charge and then a 20% tip on the full price (including the tolls and tax!)  

I have complained to the company since, and they simply didn't care about my experience.

A-Rl-Rang - Champaign, IL (40.1112026, -88.2288853) ()
2 - Kwoky L.: I am not always a big fan of Arirang. Somehow I find that their food is kinda bland. But surprisingly there's lots of Koreans eating at this place. In fact, my Korean prefers this place over Dorcas, which I love to go. Oh well, I am not Korean. What do I know? =)
3 - Anne W.: Arirang is oh-kay.. when I have a craving for Korean, I would rather pay a little more and go to B-Won on Neil or Dorcas.  They are a little pricey for what you get.  Supposedly, a lot of Koreans go here because they have adjusted the menu and taken out the MSG.

I think the dolsot bim bim bap is good here (rice in a hot stone bowl with veggies and meat).  I also think their bacon and spam with noodles is really good... forgot what that's called.  I don't think their rice cakes with spicy sauce is that good though.
5 - Eddie C.: I'm a HUGE fan of the combination bulgogi plate.  Chicken, pork, beef...all on one plate.  I'm getting hungry for some right now.  Too bad I'm two hours away...*sigh*
3 - Alice M.: The food's decent, but I've never been impressed by this place.  The only things I can say I definitely enjoy about this place is that 1. it's usually not too crowded, and 2. they have mool nang myun in the summertime.  Mmm
4 - Michelle J.: Although they don't provide the best customer service (none of the k- restaurant do), I always come back for their great food. Authentic and affordable, plus no MSG!
2 - Hannah M.: When we first walked into this place, we went to the front to order. Hmm..I see this is a trend with the korean restaurants in campus town. So first things first, they don't accept cash. My, we need to get with the times people. And I ask the girl at the front (who's spacing off) "what's good here?" She looks at me completely puzzled as if she's never been asked that question and shrugs looking at the specials saying "here are the specials". Um, okay.. So I order one of the specials, which is tofu soup and fish. I actually enjoy the salty fish and the kimchi is alright, not the greatest, and the tofu soup could be better. So yeah, the food is okay, not too bad. But yes, this place looks like a cafeteria and it was packed with college korean students..why? I don't know.. Maybe there aren't too many korean restaurants around here? I'm getting deja-vu from woori jib but the food was better here.
4 - Alex C.: Pretty fast. I've had their soup, fried rice, dumplings, rice sticks, and some Korean stir fry thing and they're all pretty good.
3 - Eric M.: Judging by the percentage of Korean customers, it must be the most authentic Korean place in Champaign, and it's better Korean food than I expected to find in such a small town.  A-OK - three stars - seems about right.  The food was a little bland, but the flavors were generally right and cooked well.  The ingredients seemed lower-quality as compared to Korean places in larger cities, but still very edible.  If I had a jones for Korean food while in Champaign, I'd go here without hesitation.  If I just wanted some good food, I don't know that it would cross my mind while in Champaign, though.
3 - Thomas B.: "A-ri-rang" is the most popular and best-known Korean folk song. A-ri-rang is an ancient native Korean word with no modern meaning. 'Ari' means "beautiful"; 'Rang' can mean "dear".

The food here is good, but there is nothing beautiful about the joint and the proprietor is anything but dear.

I have been coming here for years and he has never smiled or said "thank you".  Today I ordered bi bim bap and instead of coming in a hot stone bowl as usual, it came in a cold plastic bowl.  At the very least, I wish he would have asked me to clarify my order.

There are communal tables in the center of the place, which I like but they are merely worn out old folding conference tables.

He always has the TV blaring on Headline News.

But the food is good, maybe the best Korean on campus.  This is no small feat in a university town hosting 3500 native Koreans.

So I added a star for good authentic Korean food, patronized by mostly Korean clientele, but subtracted a star for a surly owner and subtracted another star for crappy interior furnishings.
3 - Joan C.: When I'm on campus, this is where I like to eat.
4 - Bobby S.: If you want Korean soup or fried rice, go here.  Best on campus.
3 - bayrox K.: Good food
Low prices
Slow service (-1)
Quality of the meal can be improved (-1)
5 - Nicole B.: I've heard my friends complaining about how bad their food is but I totally enjoyed the food when I was there! I love the potatoes appetizer they offer for free. we waited almost 20min for the food. go somewhere else if you're in a rush...
4 - Tricia K.: I loved the beef bone soup I got to go from here and I found the crankiness of the owner to be charming. This is a low key campus joint so what do you expect?? Actually, the owner was fairly nice to me and smiled, probably because he figured I wasn't a student. It looked like most of the foreign students in there were also ordering soups (could have been because it was really chilly).

The soup came with a large portion of rice and only 3 kimchees (not really banchan). Oddly enough, there were somen noodles in mine but the soup was deeply flavored and I was more than satisfied it. I can't wait to come back to IL to get another bowl of this soup, its my comfort food when I am on the road for recruiting.
4 - Vivian L.: Straight up best budaejigae on the planet.
5 - Samuel I.: The Korean food here is scrumptious, and from what my Korean friends tell me, it's super authentic. Judging by the high volume of Koreans eating there as well, this seems to be the consensus.

The restaurant is a dive-y little joint and reminiscent of a beef stand, burger joint, or whatnot, but if you want fancy ambiance AND really good food, you should be prepared to pay extra for it. I can leave here with a full belly, a smile on my face, and be less than $10 lighter in the pocket.

Concerning some of the other reviews, the owner has smiled and thanked me every time that I've ordered/paid or returned my dishes.

During lunch, this place can get quite busy, so you might have to share a table with strangers and/or wait up to 20 minutes for your food, but it's totally worth it.
5 - Hao C.: Good Korean restaurant and close to engineering labs.
2 - Erica V.: I don't know if they gave us the flavor-less version because we are not Korean. But we had soon doo boo and dwenjang chigae and they were so-so at best. I had to add salt, gochu powder and gochujeon to mine to give it a little flavor. The owner was irritated as promised in other yelp reviews. The dining area was cramped and uninviting. I will definitely find another Korean place to go to in the future.
3 - Ali A.: Food is pretty good, though rather pricey for a campustown restaurant in my opinion
4 - Hieu L.: Very good soup and fish dishes.
3 - Sonny S.: I used to come to this place before I found out about other Korean places around campus. Each place has their own specialties. I love getting the bibimbap and bulgogi from here. In my opinion, the soon du bu doesn't have much flavor. 

I started coming less and less because the owner at this place isn't too friendly. Also, once I came to get food and saw them refilling the water dispenser with a tub that didn't look so sanitary...made me lose my appetite.
5 - Yijia P.: like the Tofu soup and Kimchi fried rice Here! l

A-Skin Care Salon - Cambridge, MA (42.3726317, -71.1198692) (Harvard Square)
5 - Robyn L.: Darn! I am so impressed with this place that I was hoping to be the first reviewer. 

This spa is very well hidden -- so much so that I walked by it dozens of times without ever knowing it, and I only discovered it recently because a girlfriend of mine sent me a promotion about Spa Week coming up in October. A-Skin Care is the only place in Arlington on the list and I decided to go check it out.

This spa is very clean, relaxing and professional, with separate rooms for just about every service, and they make it a point to talk to you about what exactly you want done and how to maintain it. One of the services I tried was the eyebrow waxing . . .  Just to give you a quick comparison, the eyebrow waxing process at the place I usually visit goes something like this: Quickly darken eyebrows with a pencil, apply wax around the lines, rip and send me on my way. No penciling at all at A-Skin. Using the type of lamp I typically only see during facials (or maybe some dentistry), she actually studied my brows, which are pretty delicate already, and decided to spend more time plucking than waxing so she could pay attention to detail without over doing it. The result is the best eyebrow shaping I've ever had. 

Goes without saying that I booked an appointment for Spa Week.
4 - kerri s.: I went here recently for a facial and an eyebrow wax.  It's a cute little salon, tucked away off Mass Ave in Arlington.  I have to agree with Robyn L. that they did an amazing job on my eyebrows!  I haven't had them done for quite some time, and the clinician transformed them into what a co-worker of mine called "perfect."  As for the facial, it was very professional and complete.  My only gripe was that the salon is so small, and the treatment room walls do not reach up to the ceiling, so noise  travels easily from the receptionist and people in the waiting area.  I like my facials to be relaxing, and the noise was distracting.  The clinician also made me cry while squeezing all the gunk out of my pores.  I think the technical term for this is 'extraction,'  but she squeezed the shit out of me, and I had broken blood vessels on my face for a couple days later.  I am not sure if this is normal?? After this cleared up, my skin was looking rad though!  If you are a new client,  mention it to them, and you get $10 your first visit!!  To sum up, eyebrow waxing is A+, and the facial was a solid B.  I will return.
5 - Terri P.: So I had initially tried to go here during spa week but the schedule didn't work out.  but....

Coupla weeks ago I felt like I was feeling dull and grey and thought how I would love a microdermabrasion and this place was right near May's Nails in Arlington...could it work?-much to my surprise it did.

To keep it brief,my experience was far less than expected.  I say expected because Svetlana did what she could to rectify my situation. She explained that they focus on the treatment of the skin and not the salon itself (can be loud-it's very much not what I'm used to for a "spa" treatment)  

She offered to give me the same treatment the next week and I will tell you-she is unbelievable.   My skin looked amazing (not that it didn't the first time but I didn't feel that the technician was thorough)  Svetlana is ALL about treatment and explained everything she did as well as asked me about my level of tolerance (which is high)

Now, if you are looking for one of those serene places-this would not be for you-I guess I expected that b/c that has only been my experience thus far.  However, my skin's texture has improved dramatically since my microdermabrasion and collagen treatment. I can honestly say I looked in the mirror today on my way to the gym (no makeup) and was tickled pink.  

I will be back for more....so much more!  HIGHLY recommended-and I've been to many many many spas..New York, to Las Vegas, to Bev Hills ...even canyon ranch and gotta tell ya-this little place knows the deal; the latest and greatest.  give it a shot! Booking my 2008 appts tomorrow!
4 - Nancy L.: Since I've never been to a spa or gotten a facial before, I am semi-torn about how to review A-Skin. I just had my first facial done at their place for Spa Week 2008. 

Thanks to Yelp, I also requested Svetlana to do my facial. This tiny Russian woman is seems knowledgeable about facials and answered all my questions (I love asking questions about things I don't know. For example "What is that goo that you are smearing on my face?" or "Will it hurt?"). She did not give much of a massage and choose to concentrate on the facial instead. When it came time to do the extractions... it was quite painful and my eyes teared up incessantly. Since A-Skin makes their own products, at the end of the facial Svetlana gave me a baggy of samples (about a few days to a week's worth of products) catered to my skin to try. YAY for samples! 

BUT do not expect a glamorous spacious chic setting at A-Skin, it's pretty tiny but functional. I've always imagined a spa to be wide, spacious, and quiet. None of which A-Skin is. The rooms are not fully separated, with the  upper walls unconnected to the ceiling so you get to hear every little thing and all the chatter going around, which does not make it soothing or calming despite closed eyes. There is also music blasting from a radio, which can be hit or miss. I also caught a whiff of incense-like odor which may be a turn off for some people. 

So all in all, the setting would definitely reduce it to a 2.5 or 3 because it's not relaxing enough for a spa treatment due to the noise. But the expertise and friendliness of the staff plus the customize samples and recommendations elevate it to a 4. Don't know if my skin will be amazing from now on thanks to the facial but it was an experience.
4 - Sarah T.: Svetlana does an excellent job and I highly recommend her.  She came recommended by one of my long time friends and I was a little skeptical because entrusting waxing with someone you don't quite know can make one nervous.  However, Svetlana makes you feel at home and at ease and does a superb job.
4 - Juliette W.: Great knowledge when it comes to skincare. My facial was informative and helpful, but not exactly relaxing. They gave me great free samples. THe only beef I have is that the walls of the facial room do not meet the salon so you can constantly hear the hustle and bustle of other's conversations. IT makes you wonder how many people can hear your facialist discussing your skin woes with you.
5 - Marina Z.: A-Skin Care Salon is my beauty oasis. I've been going to this place for the last five years getting my waxing, facials, manicure and pedicure there. I mostly see Svetlana and find her extremely knowledgeable, professional and friendly. She is an eyebrows wizard and definitely takes the time to figure out the right shape for everybody. Same with facials, Svetlana is passionate about figuring out the right treatment and products and has helped many of her clients get a much better complexion. My face feels amazing after her facials. She also once offered me a complimentary make-up session and I loved the result so much that I now look forward to some occasion when I'll need to have my make-up done professionally with her.

Her daughter, Anya, has recently completed all the training and started working alongside Svetlana. I'm confident she's as great as Svetlana, because she's been getting the informal training since her childhood.

The salon is extremely clean with such precautions as individual plastic bags being used during pedicures being taken. They also do a great job being creative with the seasonal window decorations and always having fresh flowers at the desk.

I find the home-like and friendly atmosphere of the salon relaxing. It's true that you can hear other people's conversations when you are in one of the rooms, but it does not detract from my experience. Above all, I find the personal service that I get at the salon extremely valuable and it is very important to me to have found the place and people whom I can rely on for my beauty needs. Finding the A-Skin Care Salon has been a great quality of life enhancement for me and I highly recommend you try it!
5 - Alla T.: I go to Svetlana for many years for waxing and facials. She is amazing! I tried bunch of different places when I moved to Boston, but once I found A -Skin Care Salon, my search was over. Now, I can't trust anybody to wax my eyebrows or do the facial but Svetlana. Not only she does the perfect job, but she also goes an extra mile to make you feel comfortable. First few times I had the Brazilian wax, I was terrified, I am afraid of pain, she talked me through the whole thing and it wasn't even painful!! She is absolutely the best !!!
4 - Courtney B.: After reading other yelpers reviews, I had to check out A Skin Care salon. I was in desperate need of a facial (its been about 2 years) and booked an appointment for the same week I called. 

When I arrived they took me right in and set me up in one of their rooms (which are more like cubicles in  a hair salon) and began with a great face and shoulder massage. The facial took a bit longer than usual because I needed extra care, but Anya, the esthetician, didn't charge me for the time because I didn't know.  She also  talked to me about my skin and its condition, and made recommendations for follow up care. She also gave me a bunch of samples to try at home. It was nice because I didn't feel pressured to purchase anything that day. 

Overall a good experience. The only reason I'm rating it with 4 stars is because of its location. Its in the middle of a hair salon, and the rooms are more like cubicles, so it gets loud. Its not as relaxing as a spa.
1 - Jenny B.: I got a Brazilian waxing here and I could say that I don't like it at all. I got a lot of waxing in my life and here... It was really very painful, because Svetlana applies wax for a big peace of skin. And, a lot of hair was remain, so I had to brush it at home. But she told me too much about another  very expensive procedure. I think that at first I'd like to have a good waxing and only after that I'll decide about something else.
5 - M. G.: Hi, everyone! My regular esthetician whom I love dearly and have been going to since 2003 has reduced her hours recently--which means I am competing with a lot of happy folks who are booking appointments with her, as well. 

*Sigh*

I haven't been able to go and see her for a waxing before two important occasions this year (i.e. professional meetings, and dates!) where I wanted to make a really good first impression. My brows are very important to me! Nevertheless, I turned to Yelp! and read reviews for A-Skin Care Salon. With hours to go before leaving to go out of town, I was able to book an appointment immediately and on very short notice! I was not disappointed!!! In fact, I might be coming here from now on :-) I NEVER thought I'd consider anyone else besides my regular esthetician!

I sent an e-mail to them around 2 pm in the afternoon, and received a response at 4:30 pm! Thank God for iPhones!  It turns out that Anya had received my e-mail while away from the salon, and contacted her mom, Svetlana about my situation. I got an appointment for 6pm with Svetlana for an eyebrow/lip/chin waxing, and I am very satisfied!  I was thoroughly impressed with her warmth, careful attention, precision, and talent, just as other reviewers have said. It was my very first time in the salon, and she works quickly!

I was worried at first that she didn't ask me what kind of shape I liked before she began, but TRUST ME, she KNEW EXACTLY what looked good on me. I needed a clean up, basically, around my brows, which are nicely shaped to begin with, but she SCULPTED my brow into a shape that really complimented my facial features. It was different than I normally get, and she explained to me what she did right after the session. I am very pleased.

Svetlana also politely commented on my need for a facial for my excessive dryness and dehydrated skin, which I was very aware of. Her skin is beautiful by the way! I had a terrible experience with a facial about 4 years ago, and haven't done one since.....but Svetlana has helped me to trust again! LOL So, I will definitely be back for a facial as well soon! Thanks Anya and Svetlana.
5 - Dashas S.: Finally I found an amazingl place for a brazilian wax that is both a great value and exceptional quality. Anya Sharapova has a wonderful technique that was really an eye-opening experience for me. She is gentle and quick (unfortunately for most of my life I thought as far as brazilians go it had to be either one or the other). Just follow her instructions for a painless procedure.  I've been going to see her for about 5 months now and never had a bad experience. Anya is truly a professional, a master of precisions and is second to none (I was a regular client at Bella Sante Lexington in the past).  

A Skin Care Salon is my one stop shop now for all my skin and hair care needs.
5 - Dougie F.: I just LOVED my facial and eyebrow waxing! This mother-and-daughter team have a lot of Old World secrets. It's a very clean and professional environment.
1 - Caitlin F.: Full Browed Yelpers beware!!! This salon does NOT understand the definition of full and natural brows. I just went in for a clean up underneath my arch and above. I specifically said I like my brows full and natural. Ladies, I have the two skinniest, shortest, stubby pair of brows I have ever seen in my life. I almost cried on the T ride home. Thank goodness it's summer and I can wear sunglasses. It's going to take a long time for my brows to get back to normal.
5 - Jenny M.: I got a facial from Svetlana about 10 months ago, and I think about it all the time. I'm planning to go back to her soon. I found her on impulse, when I searched the yelp phone app for "facials" in Harvard Sq. I was surprised to find out this business is in the Garage- I walk through there often but had never known about it. It's tucked into the salon next to Newbury Comics. She was able to take me later on the same day I called.

Since it's been awhile, I'm only telling you what's lingered from my long-ago experience. First off, Svetlana has beautiful skin. Beautiful, clear, glowing. She's a real role model for skincare and she's very knowledgeable about products, ingredients & techniques.

I learned a lot from her during my facial, about skincare myths and proper practices. My skin has looked better since I've been following her advice. 

The treatment itself took place, as others have said, in what amounts to a beauty salon cubicle. It was very bare-bones, and the walls don't go to the ceiling, so it can be hard to relax with all the noise of other salon folk chattering or blow-drying or what have you. I should probably take off a star or a few for this but I really liked this place otherwise.

The facial itself was fine. Extractions are always uncomfortable, but it wasn't too bad here. Svetlana had me under the steam for 10 or 15 minutes before we started. Oh my god, I feel blessed that I can pay someone to professionally do extractions; they are the #1 weirdest part of skincare. All the salves and stuff were fine but I don't remember any doing anything except for an AHA peel. 

I left looking wicked shiny (uhhh... glowy). 

I used the samples she provided from her own skincare line. It was about 2 weeks of product, and it was a very complex regimen of serums, toners, scrubs, day and night creams, etc. Everything was detailed in a printed pamphlet and I had the routine down after about 3 days. It felt so decadent to lavish so much attention onto my skin every day. Coming from a no-frills routine, it felt vain, but I gave it a go. Her products, at the very least, kept my pores from clogging up for the weeks I used them, and kept that fancy spa treatment glow.

A. Dragon - Troy, NY (42.74004, -73.656811) ()
5 - Pete W.: This is, by far, the best Chinese food I've found in Troy and the immediate area.  I've been eating Chinese food for almost 40 years, and this really is some of the best take-out I've found.  Right here in Troy, no less!

The food is fresh, cooked properly, and very tasty.  There's a reasonable variety, maybe not as much as a full-fledged sit-down, but there are still many choices.  Seafood is treated properly, which is a real tell for any eatery of this type.

If you like, there is some sit-down available, the place is clean, well-lit, and the staff is friendly and willing to alter their choices to suit your needs or tastes.  The prices are excellent, with really good lunch, dinner, and student specials.  For $6.75 at lunch you get an entree, pork fried rice, soup, and a drink.  And there's a lot of food for that price, too.

If you do sit-down, try the General Tso's chicken.  Even though it's not a "traditional" Chinese dish, it's still really, really good if you eat it at the restaurant - hot, crispy, and well-flavored.  I've tried a wide range of their dishes, and I've never been disappointed.  My real test for a take-out Chinese place has always been the Lo Mein, and I have to admit that A. Dragon gets it right - not greasy at all.

Try it, you won't be disappointed.  It's a real treasure here in Troy, and they even deliver!  (Good for my taste buds, perhaps not so good for my waistline!)
4 - Don H.: We love a dragon! We get delivery from here all the time. We also pick up our food if we happen to be nearby. 

The food is good. 

The delivery driver is really nice and he always gets a good tip from me.
5 - Bill S.: As far as Chinese take out goes... you cannot beat A Dragon. Their prices are excellent, they even just came out with a new menu for college students.. which i was a year ago so they let me enjoy... for 4.99 you get your standard combo plate of entree and rice (fried or white) and a can of soda.. I think for a $1 you could add a soup. Excellent food, they are the nicest people in the world. Hot and sour soup is off the charts and in my last visit I tried their "house specialty' Chow Mei Fun... Holy COW!!!! im done with the ole beef and brocolli.

Recommend this place delivery, take out, or eat in, they are the best in troy.
5 - Adjoa A.: I go to school up here and A Dragon is my go to for chinese take out. Good food, good portions, cheap prices and super nice staff. They will always be my fave and be sure to get the student special!
2 - Marco B.: Ugh. 

$4.99 college special gets you a meal, rice, and a soda or egg roll. It also comes with a free serving of stomach pain, aches, and other things that I feel should be left unsaid.

Yea, sure, it's cheap food and you get a good amount, but gastrointestinal diseases aside, it's still not good food. The lack of quality and the condition of the store should have tipped me off, but mistakes were made.

Ugh.
4 - Ian W.: The food at A Dragon (Chinese Restaurant No. 2) is pretty good, which is one of my favorite places to stop for inexpensive Chinese takeout in the Sycaway (Brunswick) neighborhood. 

This little Chinese takeout restaurant  in the Gateway Plaza (circa 1994-Screen Jems era) was formerly Lee Tang. The place is very cozy inside with an order counter and small table seating area for eating in and a flatscreen TV on the wall.

The prices at A Dragon are very reasonable with good portions of food. No MSG according to the menu. Most items on the menu are priced under $10 and most Chef's Specialties Combos (with white rice) are priced $9.25-$11.95. 33 Lunch Specials11AM-3PM ($4.95-$5.50) served with pork fried rice & pint of soup and 27 Special Combination Platters ($6.80-$7.45) are offered.

My favorite lunch specials are the L5 Shrimp Lo Mein, L25 Eggplant in Garlic Sauce with Shrimp and L26 Scallops in Garlic Sauce. The pork fried rice (light yellow color) is fairly standard with peas, carrots, onions, and small pieces of tender roast pork with soft light rice. I enjoy hot and sour soup which has good spicy flavors. 

Since the lunch specials for takeout may be served in round foil containers, I make sure to transfer any leftovers into a microwave safe container.

The service here is good and prompt.

A. Quinn Hair Studio - Cambridge, MA (42.3712079, -71.1147754) (Harvard Square)
5 - Amy C.: I would travel (and have traveled) 100 miles to get a hair cut from Arthur Quinn. It's so great to see him thriving in his very own beautiful new salon. For me, the sign of a great haircut is walking out of the salon feeling like a million bucks and having it still look good a couple of months later. Arthur never disappoints!
5 - Michelle L.: I accidentally found this salon on my way for some frozen yogurt and was AMAZED when I walked out. Maki is a brilliant hair stylist. She puts in all the tender love and care that I wish I could spend on my hair everyday. And has pleasant conversation to boot as well as helpful tips and explanations of every step. would HIGHLY recommend A. Quinn Hair Studio.
* Maki's gone!!! :'(, so have I gone... It's not that I wouldn't trust another stylist there I'm just a bit depressed over her absence...
5 - arianne d.: I have been getting hair cuts/colors from Maki for the past few years now and LOVE what she is able to do for me. I've never enjoyed myself as much as after seeing Maki. I always receive genuine compliments on my hair. And to be honest, it makes me feel great about myself. I look forward to visiting her at A. Quinn Salon and anywhere else she goes :) A true gem of a person!!!
5 - Bridget O.: I have v e r y curly hair, and always have problems finding people who actually know how to cut and style it, rather than just treating it like straight hair and hoping everything will end up OK.  Maki did wonders with my hair -- really.  I walked in with a mess full of curls that had not been cut in ages, and left with a cute, fun style.  She's also delightful to talk to.  I would highly recommend Maki and A. Quinn Hair Studio to anyone desperately seeking hair care for curls!
5 - ADAM G.: Shelley has been doing my hair for a year now and don't know how I ever lived without her!  Whenever I see her I just let her do what she wants and it turns out amazing.  She always sees things I never can on my own.  I wish I could wake up and get styled by her every morning on my way to work!  The last time I was in there I even got an eye brow waxing by this fun girl named Erin.  This was my very first waxing experience and it looks fantastic!   I can't say enough about this new Salon they've moved into.  The environment and vibe from the stylists is so fun and enjoyable.  I always leave there is such a great mood!  Thank you Shelley and Erin...see you in a few weeks!
5 - Max G.: Fantastic experience all around. I wish I had known about this place sooner. Shelly cut my hair and did a great job asking me what I liked and suggesting things that would look good. The whole experience was comfortable and way above my expectations. Also, the price was very reasonable considering the value and comfort.
5 - Gwen F.: I first went to Shelly because I had heard amazing things about her from people I trusted.  I made an appointment with her when she was at the Carriage House.

I walked in to visit Shelly with hair past my waist.  I had had a lousy haircut six years earlier that left me beyond traumatized and hadn't been to a salon since.  At that last place, it was like the stylist had downed a six pack before hacking away at my hair, making me look like a lion.  And not even in a cool Duran Duran way.

Shelly understood my trepidation, and also knew that I was somewhat attached to my long, long, hair.  At the same time, she knew I was ready to let it go, with the proper TLC.  

At first, she trimmed my hair only a few inches, leaving it healthy.  The next time, she styled it.  After that, she cut a little more off.  The next time involved cutting off even more, with more style.

Essentially, she helped me cut my hair in stages, taking it slowly,  

Today I visited her at A. Quinn, and we cut my hair to my shoulders!  She styled it beautifully.  All this time, she was patient and went at my own pace.  So many stylists aren't sensitive to their clients' fears.  Shelly was a shining exemption.

As for the salon, I really dig it.  Everyone there seemed super friendly, and the room is bright and airy, even though it's small.  The music is perfect for snipping.  Oh, and they're expanding.  There will soon be another room for all hair and spa needs.

Oh, and their magazines are current!

Look, folks.  I would have been content growing my hair forever and perhaps having a steady-handed friend trim it every now and then for the rest of my life.  Now I have cute hair!  I owe that to Shelly.  Get thee to A. Quinn, and prepare to look your mostest awesomest.
5 - Matt W.: Everyone here really seems to love Shelley! I mean she is ok (just kidding Shelley) but I also have to promote the man himself, Sir Arthur Quinn. He might not have been knighted by the queen, or have ever lived in England for that matter, but his hair cuts are truly worth facing a dragon for. Until I met Arthur, I bounced from one salon to the next, facing a non-stop parade of dull razors and corded trimmers. Out come the scissors at A. Quinn, scissors I might add that are actually called shears, which Arther has professionally sharpened. Yes, sharpened, like a knight and his glorious sword! Trust me, you want Arthur to tame the beast that is your hair.
5 - Kristen R.: Arthur Quinn is an artist.

My hair is thick, wavy and, more often than not, totally unruly.  Arthur is amazing at trimming down the horizontal volume so the waves actually wave instead of poofing.

When he was at the Carriage House, my mom would travel from Rhode Island just to have him tame her curls and now I understand the hype!

Props for playing awesome music too.  This was probably my best hair experience in four years.
4 - Allison R.: Conveniently tucked behind the hustle and bustle of Mass Ave Harvard Square and the serene Bow Street scene you'll find A. Quinn.

I made an appointment day of to see Arthur for an emergency cut; my ends were dry, my hair was shapeless again, and I was bummed.
He got me in that day and was super friendly. I hate making small talk with stylists, but our conversation was natural and friendly, and the right mix of hair stuff and real-life chatting.

He didn't judge that I've been coloring my own hair, and gave me some tips on other things I could do to keep my blonde locks healthy. When I asked for a recommendation for a good leave-in, he sent me to another salon because he was out of the product he thought would be best for my hair.

I also liked the attention my hair and I got: he listened to what I wanted and steered me away from a drastic change. And he laughed at some of what I had to say.
5 - Jane M.: There's no one better than Melissa.  She has been cutting my hair for about 16 years!  Just started having my hair colored, which I have been very pleased with.  I've never had a bad experience with Melissa.  People ask  me, "You've never had a bad haircut, how do you  manage that?"  And I've had every haircut-short, medium and long.  As a bonus, Melissa is one of the most entertaining, funniest people I have ever met  - she's just the best!  If she ever relocates, I'm going with her...
5 - Jess L.: I really enjoyed my experience here - and I came because of Yelpers. So thanks!

Anyway, Arthur was my stylist. He was chill but very knowledgeable. For example, I had heard from another stylist [at another salon] that I couldn't ever have layers because my hair is thick. He thought that was nonsense and proved her wrong! I really like my cut!

In addition, he wasn't too chatty - but not mute. It was a nice balance of chat and no-chat. 

He was clearly very knowledgeable about what he was doing, explaining to me along the way about what he was doing. 

The price is a bit more than what I'm used to, but for a good haircut - a haircut I only get done twice a year - it was worth it.
5 - Brandon V.: I'm a guy with very simple hair cutting needs, but I also hate SuperCuts and all those other places, so I opted to go with Shelly based on a recommendation a couple of years ago.  I've been going to her ever since, and won't go anywhere else.

With most places, if you have a receding hairline or are going bald at ALL, the barber or stylist tries to cover it up or mask it for you, and 99% of the time in not a good way.  I don't really care that I've got a bit of hair loss going on, as long as it looks good.  Shelly understood exactly what I meant when I said this, and makes my head look as best as it can.  The atmosphere of the shop is wicked laid back, and the music is always pretty good.

I'm simple and easy and am really nervous at stylists and barbers and places like this, but this place puts me at ease more so than others.
5 - Kate W.: Yup. I'm back. 
Had to give props to my new imaginary BFF, Erin... Esthetician to the Stars!!! Fantastic job with waxing and just had my amazing facial, of which my skin still glows... I ended up buying a lot of the products too, they are amazing.
I highly recommend you not only get a cut from Melissa here, but also check out Erin for your other beauty needs!!!
Thanks Erin!!!
5 - amira s.: This place is great! I went here a few months ago and the staff were beyond kind. The owner cut my hair and did a wonderful job. I felt they really knew about curly hair. The prices are reasonable for people with the curl, and the products they include ones for curly hair specifically. I would totally recommend this place if you want to relax and get a good do. VIVA LA CURL :)
4 - Michelle M.: Just went today and Shelly was awesome with my curly hair.  Will definitely be going back for more...  Very suprisingly reasonable pricing for a ouidad haircut in Cambridge
4 - Shelby V.: Arthur does solid work!  And his salon has the perfect atmosphere: clean, uncluttered, laid-back.  The staff chat just enough with you to be pleasant, but not so much that you feel like you're being interrogated during your cut.  And best of all, they use great products, but don't push you to buy them AT ALL.
5 - Stephanie G.: I go here for one hairdresser, and it's Melissa. She's fantastic and really knows how to deal with curly (or in my case wavvy) hair.

I went there with several photographs, and we talked through all of them and end up cutting off over a foot of my hair. She took my messy frizzy hair and changed it into a hair-do that requires almost no work and looks fabulous. And this was several months ago, and my hair still looks great .

Also, I know it is the art of hairdressers to make you feel as ease, but Melissa gets top props for it. And to boot, I got great tips about how to care for my hair that have been serving me well for months. 

Like most good things though, the prices are prohibitive, and half the reason I haven't been back yet is because I simply can't afford it. At least cut I got is lasting!
5 - not t.: I went to see Arthur based on a friend's recommendation (and Yelp). I have straight hair that's fine and wanted to grow it out. Arthur's cut was brilliant - very subtle but my hair has body and styles effortlessly. 

Arthur has created a comfortable atmosphere without pretense. Everyone on his staff has been courteous and welcoming. All in all, I'm a big fan.
5 - Margaret C.: Oh thank god for this salon. I made an emergency appointment here the evening after I got a tear-inducing cut from DHR Stylists down the street. The receptionist was very patient with my babbling hysteria and assured me I would be seeing someone very experienced with curly hair (mine is--or was--quite long, wavy to curly, and relatively fine). She got me in for 9am the next morning, for which I was so grateful. In short: great stylist, great cut, super friendly staff, lovely clean salon, nice product, no hard sell anywhere.

Kriya was my stylist. With her very short, cutely styled but dead straight hair, I was skeptical. But she took serious time to listen to me not only about what had gone wrong with my first cut, but also about what I wanted ultimately in great detail. Kriya made me feel like she knew what she was doing every step of the way--and she did, as it turns out. I ended up with shorter hair than I wanted, but she was working with pre-existing conditions and it does look amazing.

I got a cut that framed my face beautifully and has gorgeous shape wet, dry, curly or wavy (ie, lazy...). Kriya talked to me the whole time, took slightly OVER an hour with me, and brought out all the best qualities of my hair while subduing the rest. I can feel confident about it no matter what product is in it now, or how wavy or curly it might choose to be on a given day.

Also, she charged me for a normal cut instead of for the specialized 'ouidad" method for curly hair--I wouldn't have known the difference ultimately, so I appreciated her honesty, especially since I was paying for my second cut in 24 hours. It cost $65 pre-tip; considering the $50 I paid for my hack job, it was a bargain, and I will definitely be going back there again. Everyone else who came in while I was there was clearly a regular.
4 - K.C. K.: I've gone to Paula for years, and when she left another salon for A. Quinn I was so glad she let me know. Now I see her here and the service and atmosphere are great. Paula is a fantastic stylist and I always leave happy with my haircut. A. Quinn seems to have reasonable prices all around, though I've only visited the salon for haircuts.
5 - K P.: I have long hair and don't get it cut as often as I should.  When I showed up at A. Quinn Hair Studio, the exchange went approximately like this:

me: unravels mess of hair
Kriya:  So, are you growing it out....?
me:  um, no, I'm a grad student.
Kriya: *instant understanding* Oh!  I see.

Kriya then proceeded to give me a lovely cut (that grew out beautifully) and we had a nice chat.  It was a fantastic break from studying!  I've been to a few hair salons in the Harvard Square area but this is definitely the one I'm going to come back to.
4 - Ashley J.: Here's why this place was great:

1) I called on Thursday and they got me in on Friday. Unheard of!
2) I have curly hair and have yet to get a good haircut since moving to Boston. I was intrigued by seeing everyone else's reviews about this place being good for curly hair - so I called, asked for someone who could cut curly hair, and they delivered. Paula was awesome, friendly and above all, gave me a great cut and style (that I have since been able to reproduce myself).
3) The salon specializes in certain curly hair products/styling - and while I appreciated their "expertness", I was worried they might be pushy about trying to up-sell me. Not only were they not pushy, but the experience was so pleasant that I actually bought product anyway.
4) It wasn't over the top expensive (ok it wasn't cheap, but it was worth it!).

I'll definitely be back and I encourage curly gals to go see Paula!
4 - Sandra K.: I admit it - usually I'm a Pyara babe. But when I called to see a junior stylist, they couldn't take me for three weeks! Unless of course I wanted to come get my hair cut at 9PM on a Friday. What is this, New York hours? No thanks Pyara, I'll take my business elsewhere.

Hence, my journey down the street to A. Quinn. It was raining. The dark of winter. Thursday night. And my hair was the bane of my existence. Winter split ends PLEASE go away! Since Pyara won't save me, I fell into the skillful and pleasant hands of Lauren at A. Quinn.

First, I'd like to say that Lauren is awesome for working past 7PM. For the work crowd, it is VERY much appreciated that she stays late to accomodate those of us losers who sit in a cubicle all day long.

Second, she was just AWESOME! She really took a look at my hair - told me what she thought about it and my face shape and how she could improve my desired cut to flatter me even more but stay within the parameters of what I was comfortable with. I've gotta say, my new cut is excellent! It is what I wanted but even better - and super easy to replicate on my own. For someone with a lot of hair, but thin hair, Lauren knows how to work your 'do.

Third, the company was perfect. She let me sit and whip through US Weekly and drop stupid commentary left, right, and center. It was exactly what I needed to decompress - gracias chica!

The only thing that I didn't like was the $65 bill. I needed the cut and I enjoyed the experience so it was great - but I'm still of the school that a haircut should be $50 or under, particularly if you aren't getting anything super snazzy done.

Other than that - a solid four stars!
5 - Lindsay J.: I stopped in at A.Quinn on a whim to get my eyebrows done I was able to get in immediately  and I was so happy with the experience the women who did them Erin was amazing! she was super friendly and the products she used after to clean the wax off my brows smelled amazing! It made me want to get a facial with her which I will hopefully do in the near future!
5 - Jane C.: A Quinn is a knight in shining armor. Thank you to Amy C for sharing your tales of being rescued from the incompetent clutches of the evil Carriage House salon. After my experience at CH, I followed Amy's advice and ran did not walk to A Quinn on Arrow Street. I unclipped my hair, and he didn't even need to inspect the cut. he knew a horror story when he saw one. His jaw dropped, his eyes wide as saucers, and I told my tale of the worst haircut ever (except for that one time when I was ten yrs old and my mom brought me to supercuts and the mean lady gave me a mullet). Anyway, Anthony got an idea of what I was looking for, and seeing my traumatized state, was really clear about what he would do. He did a really meticulous job, and I left feeling a whole lot better. It is hard to judge the cut since he didn't have a lot to work with, considering that he didn't want to further traumatize me by taking a tone more hair off. But definitely a nice place with friendly and experienced stylists who care about their work.
5 - Ken V.: I love this salon! Paula cut my hair and did EXACTLY what I asked for. Stylists who can do intricate, fashionable (but respectable) short cuts for men are hard to find! Will definitely be going back for my next cut.

Bonus star for having a charming receptionist with a British accent!
5 - John H.: I saw Jessica today for a haircut. Seriously? Best haircut I've had in years... :-)
4 - E K.: Went to Jessica.  She was awesome.  I loved that she had a vision of what would look great before I even said anything.  She even styled it and it looks great!  Will defn be going back.
5 - Shelly R.: Paula cut my wavy hair so well that I was able to go for seven months without a cut, and not feel completely inhuman! I would definitely recommend this place, and especially Paula!
5 - Ali A.: Just saw Erin again today and she is still AMAZING!  Also, gotta leave a huge thanks to the staff for accommodating my incredibly embarrassing moment while trying to pay - thanks you guys, you're wonderful :)  This salon is all around A+...enjoy!!!
4 - Allison T.: I have been getting my hair cut by Lauren for ~5 years. I love her! I was first a customer of hers at Pyara, and when she move to A. Quinn, I happily followed her. 

I have extremely thick, curly/wavy/schizo hair, and Lauren does a beautiful job taming it into something manageable and, dare I say? pretty! And what's more, I do not get charged the discriminatory "curly hair cut" price, but rather her standard price because she knows how to cut curly hair but is not using the Ouidad method that they use in the salon. And yes, $65 is a lot, but it is pretty much the standard entry-level price for a good cut in the city, and to me, is totally worth it. 

Lauren is also just a lovely, affable person, and she's willing to chat or not, depending on my mood, which I appreciate.

I give the salon four stars instead of five only because I miss the glamor of Pyara's decor and their little pampering touches (man, I miss those neck massages!), but the staff at A. Quinn are wonderful, and the salon is clean and pleasant, and I have had very little trouble getting an appointment.

I have also had cuts by Kriya and Arthur, back in their Carriage House days, and both were also excellent.
5 - shannon g.: This salon is worth the money...by far the best and most consistent haircut I've had in years!!
5 - Azella P.: I have curly hair and was scouring the web trying to find a salon who had people who know how to cut my hair and not leave it looking like a mushroom. I decided to go with A. Quinn and they were great.They got me in literally the next day, and were totally cool with it, when I called back 4 hours later to reschedule to later in the week. I've always been worried that places who had tons of availability meant they weren't good, but after going here I realize that's not the case. 

I literally walked out in less than an HOUR. wash, dry, cut and all, without feeling rushed or hurried. I had Lauren as my stylist and she was great - took time to explain what she was doing, didn't try to push product on me, listened to what I wanted and delivered. 

Would definitely reccommend this place. Just make sure to confirm whether you want the regular $65 curly haircut or the $100 Ouidad haircut. They don't do the expensive one and then tell you later, but it doesn't hurt to clarify upfront :)
5 - Leelee M.: My hair is a crazy mass of naturally curly ringlets that are wholly unruly. Until now, I had yet to find a stylist in the Boston area that could give me a haircut that looked as good when I styled it as it did the day I got it. Jessica at A. Quinn Hair Studio asked me about my hair and how I would like it to look. I explained the way it dries and how some portions curl up tighter and end up looking much shorter than other parts. I lost all sense of doubt when she gave me her gameplan and then showed me how to style it at home. Her advice was awesome and although it contradicted what I had been told in the past, it has given me an excellent hair day EVERY day since. I can't wait for my next cut AND we're going to do color!!! :D 

OMG I can't forget to mention that Erin is excellent at waxing! She was funny and talkative which totally distracted me from what was going on. The atmosphere was totally relaxing and I felt more like I was hanging out in someones really nice apartment instead of getting waxed in a day spa. 

I had such a positive experience and look forward to my next visit!!! :D
5 - Jennifer W.: Paula has been cutting my hair for 6 years and I will never go anywhere else. I followed her to A. Quinn from Pyara and would follow her again! The only thing I miss about Pyara are the neck massages, but everything else about A. Quinn is great!

They are very friendly and the shop is always clean. It can be tough to get an appointment with Paula, but that is only because she is so great. :)
5 - Jessica M.: Made my very-picky-about-her-hair mother an appointment with Jessica, and she had a fantastic experience. Jessica took a lot of time in the beginning to sit and chat about hair type, hair cuts, designs, etc. My mom is very happy with her cut!! Great price, too. I think it was $65.
5 - Necole A.: As a girl with curly/wavy/straight combination hair and two cow licks...my hair has been a nightmare my entire life. I have been to some of the most expensive and "Best of Boston" salons out there.  I have never walked out of a salon actually EXCITED about how my hair looked until I went to A. Quinn! 
I needed a quick haircut before a vacation so I Yelped! salons in Cambridge and found all of the great reviews, especially from people with textured hair. I was able to get an appt with Paula for the very next day! 
I showed her what I didnt like and what didnt work about my hair, and used pictures to show her elements of hairstyles I did like. 15 minutes later and voila! She even showed me how to blow dry my hair into both straight, and curly styles, and which products to use. I am so happy with my haircut now, it finally works with my thick, textured hair and it looks great! As I walked back into my office after the visit, I got so many compliments-the improvement was immediately noticeable! I would highly highly recommend!
5 - Jess Z.: I worked with Lauren last week on hair for my wedding.  I got tons, tons of compliments on it at the wedding, and I really recommend her services. It was a looser, somewhat curled updo that, as she said, looked like something that I might be able to do on my own but never really could. Everything stayed in place through an evening of bike transport and dancing. Lauren was totally pleasant to chat with during both my trial and appointment, and the studio is a nice, relaxing place to spend time before the big event.
5 - Justin s.: As a past client of J. Russell in Palm Desert and Christophe in Las Vegas I set the bar pretty high when it comes to getting my haircut. To me, more important than the service at the time of the cut (not to say my experience with Lauren was anything but spectacular) is how well the cut evolves until the next time I have it cut. My experience with Lauren was perfect. It's been 2 weeks and my hair looks even better than it did when she cut it. I'm sold.
4 - Esther G.: I feel bad giving this place 4 stars because I WOULD have given this place 5 stars....if I had curly hair. 

Probably. Most likely.

I think I came into the salon with too high expectations after reading all the amazing reviews on yelp. Perhaps I came in thinking that the people here will do something amazing because they're Hair Superheroes.

But when I walked out of the salon weighing $75 lighter, I couldn't help be a bit disappointed by the trim that I had gotten. I have straight hair and I asked Lauren, who was super lovely, to do something different with my hair (but not cut off too much) to complement my overall face shape. She suggested adding more layers, so I agreed. After all, it wasn't the first time I'd gotten layers before in my hair.

Unfortunately, the result wasn't anything amazing. If anything, I felt like I looked even more Asian than before (I can say this because I AM Asian). It's not that I DIDN'T want to look Asian or anything, it's just the first thought that I kept thinking of when I looked at myself in the mirror. I didn't really feel like the straight hair + lotsa layers really worked for me, not this time at least. 

I really wished I had curly hair then, because I [still] have it in my weird little head that I would have gotten get this amazing haircut if I did.

That being said, the salon itself is a great place. The receptionist was able to book me for a weekday appointment and was easily able to change it to a different date/time after I called asking to change it. Lauren was sweet and we kept up a steady stream of conversation, despite my dozing off while she cut my hair (I love it when people play with/touch my hair, it makes me sleepy).

I would still recommend this place. If I actually lived in Boston permanently I'd probably come here again, probably with not-so-high expectations ;)
5 - Erica S.: I have seen Jessica 3 times. I requested her originally after reading good reviews here. She is excellent. I was a bit worried that this salon would not be the place for me since my hair is really straight (and many folks at A. Quinn specialize in curly hair) but I have been very pleased with my cuts here. Jessica is pleasant and nice, always on time, and does a great job. Last time I brought in a picture of a friend of mine with a cute cut, and Jessica gave me the same cut. Thumbs up.
4 - xiao p.: Mixed feelings about this place. Would give it 3 1/2 stars if I could.

I've now gone there twice and had two different stylists. I loved the cut I got the first time around, but I am really unhappy with the cut that I got today - it sticks out in all the wrong places, the blowout has no body or movement, and the stylist used shears on my fine, wavy hair which makes the ends all wispy and frizzy. (I LOATHE shears.) I was really hoping the blowout would look good for a party tonight, but now it looks like I will have to go home and re-style it before I go out. 

On the other hand they are very professional and the ambience is good.. so I'll probably give it another shot and go back to the stylist I had the first time around..
5 - Rebecca V.: Great place to get a waxing!! Erin uses HARD WAX which makes the entire experience a bazillion times better than everywhere else in Cambridge I've tried. She is incredibly thorough and obviously knows her stuff. She is very, very friendly and not uncomfortable at all, which is great if you're getting that special area worked on. I haven't been able to find another great esthetician for waxing anywhere in Cambridge, so finding Erin is SO AMAZING. I highly, highly, highly recommend going to see her for all your waxing, hair removal needs.
5 - jenny b.: I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place yet!  I've been going to A Quinn for a couple of years now.  I see Paula for haircuts and Erin for brows.  I highly recommend them both!
5 - Lauren S.: I went to the A. Quinn Hair Salon for the first time last month, after reading the excellent Yelp reviews, and I had a terrific haircut - best I've had in years! I am new to the area and wanted to find a local hair stylist.  I was assigned an appointment with Shelly and she was fabulous - very thoughtful about what she was doing and understanding of the vision that I had.  She has a great eye and I am definitely going to go back to her for my next hair cut.
5 - Betts C.: I walked in to my appointment with Arthur with this terribly shaggy, windblown thing going on, and I fear he wondered what the cat had dragged in. However, after I explained that I was desperate to cut off my half grown out hair not because short is easier, but because I know it works better with my face, I actually could see a bit of a twinkle come into his eye. For the next 45 minutes, he not only cut my hair, but taught me a couple of styling tricks to get body and lift out of my waves (without charging for the special curly cut, since I hadn't scheduled that kind of cut and my hair is only on the verge of curling anyway). He explained why certain things worked not just with my hair type, but my facial shape. And when all was said and done, the cut was perfect. He had created a shape that lifted in all the right places for my round face. He had brought the bounce back. And he had been incredibly kind and considerate throughout.
I did not particularly love the Ouidad products he used, as they made my hair crunchy, something I can't stand. But even when I went home and did my hair with my cheapy stuff, it turned out perfectly. It's cute both wavey and straight. And most of all, I feel great- it was a refreshing and welcoming experience. To be honest, having read the reviews, I expected to be a bit intimidated or feel some pressure. I didn't. 

I'll admit I haven't rebooked a second appointment at the end of my first appointment maybe ever. But I did that with Arthur. Frankly, I have been trying to find a stylist in the area who I could really trust, and I know I have done that. When I turned Arthur loose with my shaggy hair, he found a way to make it perfect. And even my partner likes it, and he is oddly fussy on this particular topic.
2 - Jennifer H.: I've had a couple haircuts with Paula and feel that she's not a particularly good listener.  I went to this salon because it has a reputation for stylists who understand curly hair.  My hair has a fragile wave, fine strands with lots of body, but despite my repeated comments about how I don't blow-dry it straight, Paula cut my hair and dried it as though I did.  I'm frustrated that the prevailing attitude is to fight the natural tendencies of one's hair instead of playing with what it really does.

We discussed ways to help even out the bulkiness of my hair, but she did a hack job on the back of my head--which will take about two years to grow out--and all with the attitude of "well, this is what you asked for, this is what it's going to do."  

It's possible she knew what she's doing, but actually *communicating* with the client about not only the cut, but the subsequent behavior of the cut and the style before the fact--not afterward--would have prevented major disappointment.  So after this expensive haircut, I am now returning to an even more expensive salon to come up with a style that works for my hair.

I wish A. Quinn had been a better experience.
5 - Roxie D.: If you've been hurt by an egomaniacal stylist who didn't listen to your input and butchered your hair, I suggest coming here. It's where the healing begins.

I came to this salon after reading the rave reviews on yelp- and I'm so happy I did.
I've seen too many friends leave other salons in Harvard Square in tears, so I knew that picking a good place to reign in my unruly hair was key.

My appointment was with a smashing stylist whose name I wish I could remember. I had chopped my waist length hair off at the end of the summer, and had been left with a super short pixie cut that had grown into a quasi-mullet over the last 6 months. I had some photos and pics of what I wanted to do with it, but she gently pointed out that certain styles would require alot more maintenance than others, but gave me exactly what I wanted based on one of the photos I'd brought in. She evened out my hair and made me look like a grown up-which was worth the more than reasonable $60- and even went back and made several revisions at my request during our 1 hr appointment.

I just called to make an appointment to get my bangs cut, and was pleasantly surprised to hear "Yup, we can fit you in tomorrow." "How much will it be?" "Oh, since you're a regular customer, it's free." AMAZEBALLS.
1 - Lindsay L.: Why did A. Quinn have to get rid of the waxing & facial services?!?!  Not cool.  Erin was the only esthetician at A. Quinn but an amazing one.  She's my go-to person for eyebrow waxes and facials.  I was so bummed to hear these services were discontinued at the salon because it was conveniently located ... but that's fine.  I'll figure out where she lands next, and I'll go there!
4 - K P.: i received a great cut from kara (sp?), and received many compliments. i will be back!
4 - Nancy F.: I came here for the first time a week ago because a friend recommended it. 
The place is small, cute and nice. Very clean.
No pretentious hair dressers. Just great service.

I did not get the person my friend recommended so I followed the salon's recommendation and I am happy I did as Cara, my stylist, was very nice and kind and patient and good.

I got a haircut and full highlights for the first time ever. I loved my haircut and Cara did the best she could with the description of the color I gave her. I did not get what I wanted (mostly my fault) and she offered to fix it free of charge.

I took the bus#1 to get off near Crate and Barrel on Mass Ave. It's a 2 min walk from that bus stop.

I will be definitely coming back here.
4 - Cara F.: I'm not going to seriously downgrade here because by and large I've had such good experiences at A. Quinn - but I wish Paula had been a little more careful with cutting my bangs the last time I came in.  Relative to the rest of my hair, they're just a little too thick, and they go too far to the sides -- the hair at your temples does not belong in bangs!  These things aren't really noticeable to anyone else, but they do irritate me.  It was the end of the day and she was probably tired, and she did a lovely job with the rest of my hair, but I wish she'd measured the layers out with her fingers and asked "How's that?" before she started cutting.

A1 ABC Lock & Safe - Houston, TX (29.7262729, -95.410539) (Museum District, West University)
5 - Sarah p.: Not the first place I called but the price was competitive and the staff was friendly. 

Knowledgeable staff asked all the appropriate questions and responded quickly. The quote and bill matched to a T.

I'll definitely keep their card handy.
5 - Anton F.: Excellent and friendly service. The price was reasonable, and they offered to give me a long strike plate for my door for free, which I promptly forgot about and just remembered as I started writing this review.
5 - Mallory G.: Came in to have some keys copied. Such a better option than a big home improvement store!!! Nice and close to my house and I walked in and he made the keys then I left! I didn't have to track down a worker and then they don't have the keys I need. I would much rather support a small local business anyway. I will be back next time I need more keys!
4 - M T.: i accidentally locked my car in the garage (it's separate from the house) and these guys were out within 20 mins.  $79 which i thought was reasonable.  I asked him about prices to install new residential door handles along with rekeying- all very reasonably priced.  Will call again in the future.
5 - Tirey C.: I had a complicated repair that involved 2 different houses.  Both job were done perfectly even though this was all done on a day with a terrible thunderstorm.

A2 Hosting - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2836, -83.7455) (Kerrytown Ann Arbor)
4 - Anna K.: Reliable, helpful hosting providers.
5 - David H.: I am extremely impressed with A2's customer support.  I've used many hosting companies before, and if you never have any issues I don't think it matters which company you use.  

But, I recently came across a problem when my website was shut down by someone who didn't have my permission.  I immediately called tech support and asked for help.  They told me that they have a backup of all the files and restored my website within seconds.  I was impressed.  Then I asked how I can prevent this from happening again and he told me to call back when I am at home, so he can walk me through the steps to changing my passwords.  I got home later that evening , called up tech support and started to explain my problem again, when the guy interrupted me and said "Is this David?"  I have to admit, I was quite impressed.  That's customer service!  I'm sure they deal with customers all day long from all over the world, and this guy didn't just remember my name, but he remembered my situation.  It's so nice to not have to repeat myself over and over.  He walked me through the steps to changing my passwords and protecting myself from this every happening again.  It was simple!  

Thank you very much A2!  Oh, and they have tech support available 24/7 which is great if you're as busy as me!

A2Z Wireless - College Park, MD (38.9809335, -76.9375876) ()
3 - Martin B.: This place is an authorized Verizon Wireless dealer. It's pretty understaffed, so if it's busy you'll be waiting a while. They also didn't have any BlackBerry Tour chargers, which was pretty surprising. The employee was friendly but the store really was quite crummily stocked. They also didn't seem to have any functioning demo models. If you can, go to a real Verizon Wireless store.
2 - Jen F.: A2Z is a convenient Verizon location if you need charger or phone looked at.  They are tiny though and have a minimal selection.  There is usually only one employee at a time so there is likely to be a wait, but the employees are quite friendly.  Although the wait is probably longer, I would recommend going to a legit Verizon store if you are getting a new phone or need something done. For example, A2Z charges ten bucks to move contacts to a new phone, while a Verizon store will do it for free. It's all about convenience with A2Z which means sacrificing some of the selection and services of a Verizon store.  It's good for Maryland students who don't have a car/don't feel like sitting in Rt. 1 traffic to get to the location by Ikea.
4 - Vincent R.: Nothing beats the mom & pop friendly experience nowadays. A2Z delivered just that! Sajjad was the only one working in the store today and he was very knowledgeable about all the phones and their offerings. 

He even gave advice you probably wouldn't get at an "official" Verizon store such as hints for skype apps and upcoming verizon service changes. Just knowledge of the phones/service was enough to win me over. 

What I liked most about the service was the fact he was not a typical salesman atmosphere in the store where employes are diven on productivity but looked at it from the consumer perspective. I would assume this is because the store does not have to follow the "official" verizon store speil of "your my 1000th customer of the day....lets get this over with"

The only reason I am giving 4 stars is because though he got me in and out with a new phone in under 30 minutes there were times he said his computer was slow. if not for that he could have got me out of the store quicker. 

I'd recommend going during in the morning or lunch hour and of course during the summer because UMD is not in session.

AAA - Providence, RI (41.8238301, -71.4121545) (DownCity)
4 - Melissa S.: I have gone here to get my license renewed and just yesterday I went with a friend so he could do the same. There is never a wait the place in super dead so when you go in they help you right away. I could NEVER imagine going to the DMV for registry services when I know that AAA can do most of them. This location was small but right in the heart of the financial district downtime, really convenient if you work in the area and have things to get taken care of on your lunch. When I went I was in and out of there in 10 minutes and this time it was exactly the same. Quick and friendly service, no wait, no worries.
4 - Elise J.: Once you find parking - the staff is pleasant, and helpful.

They are really customer-service oriented - especially for AAA members.

Take advantage of their passport photos, DMV registry services, etc.

Thank you AAA Providence!
1 - Doug M.: I paid AAA of Southern New England (Providence, RI) $82 in December 2010 for a 1-year membership, as I have for the last 14 years.  I rarely use their roadside assistance services, but I called this past January for a tow of my car, which is covered under the roadside assistance agreement for which I paid.  AAA refused the tow, and then refused to answer my complaints for several months.  After I asked again for a response to my complaints on 8/25/11, they cancelled my membership without notification.  I would like this company to be investigated for unfair and fraudulent business practices - they STOLE over $1100 of my money over 14 years without providing any services.  I believe they are abusing their roadside assistance customers and their Non/Not-for-Profit status to promote for-profit businesses like travel, loans, and insurance.

AAA Lessor Service - Pasadena, CA (34.1424652, -118.1322383) (Pasadena)
1 - Tony N.: I used their service for an unfortunate situation i had with my tenants.  AAA lessors number was given to me as a referral and I decided to use there services without doing any leg work of my own.  They are very quick at collecting your payment however their services are next to nothing.  I could not reach Jim or anyone that could help.  They are in the business of ripping people off, I would not be surprised if they are no longer around.
4 - anthony s.: I've used AAA Lessor Services for at least 9 years on n off and they always done an ok job for me.

Anthony
1 - Linda N.: Its been years since I've called on this company for evictions.  When I did call recently I found that they are no longer at the Arroyo Pkwy address.  They moved to Lake St. but still operate under the same number.  

The first time I used AAA Lessor Services was about five years ago.  I wasn't counting on using them again for a very long time but unfortunately another bad tenant has prierced its ugly head.  This time its a whole new staff of imbeciles.  You could never get a hold of the main guy.  He's either on the phone, in a meeting, or with a client.  In fact, it was all a lie!  I paid over $700 to Craig Doolittle to file an Unlawful detainer and stated I should go to the court house to get a copy of the case #.  when i did go the courthouse I found out that the Unlawful Detainer was never filed.  thats right! He Lied!!!!  and now he won't refund my money.  BEWARE!!!!!!
1 - eddie t.: I'm officially pissed too.  I've been getting the run around from AAA Lessor Services's also for a couple of months now.  When I ask questions, none of their answer make sense or are consistent. They've been telling me the Sheriff's have my Wit For Possession and they're waiting on a lock out date.  I just followed up with the Sheriff's Department and they have no records of anything being filed.  AAA Lessor Services provided with a bogus Court Case Number that does not exist anywhere.  

To top things off I still have to get these pain in the neck, squatting, tenants out.  I wasted a valuable 2 months with AAA Lessor Services!
1 - Joz Joz Joz W.: I could probably write a short novel about this whole ordeal when it's (finally) all over.  Unfortunately, this ugly chapter is still in progress and I blame it on AAA Lessor Service.  

In the 2 weeks since my last update, I actually amassed more things I could complain about-- like more unanswered phone calls/emails/etc-- but mostly what happened was that more time went by with no progress.  I still don't have possession of my property and more time is being wasted.  

The reason for my updated review is because I was supposed to receive some paperwork from AAA Lessor Services last Friday before COB and I didn't receive it, wasting my time scheduled on the weekend to deal with this sh!t.  I called and left messages on Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, and finally got to talk to Craig on Wednesday before he faxed the papers to me.  

He kept claiming that he emailed me the documents the previous Friday (untrue) and that he called my cell phone on Friday when he did it (also untrue).  Even if by some unlikely chance that those emails and phone calls/voicemails mysteriously didn't get to me due to some technical glitch (no one else calling or emailing me had any problems reaching me), I did call and email repeatedly starting on Saturday saying that I hadn't received it yet.  I should have been able to get my documents on Monday if they had been prepared as he claimed-- maybe Tuesday at the latest.  

I finally have the documents in my hand-- which I had been promised 5 days ago, but the added insult to the injury of the lost time is that they think I'm dumb enough to believe that they sent me anything on Friday and that my emails and phone calls from them somehow got lost. 

The only dumb thing I did was to trust these people with my very important property/case.

They have two listings on Yelp: 
http://www.yelp.com/biz/aaa-lessor-services-pasadena
1 - Matt S.: AAA Lessor services is the most unprofessional company you will find.
I think it should be illegal for someone to provide this bad of service. 

The unlawful detainer was ordered 2 months ago and still no info on Sheriffs lockout. Having dealt with many evictions this should take no more than a week to get. After calling, leaving messages and emailing without response I finally got someone who answered the phone only to inform me they made a mistake and had to redo it. 

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY.

I am a Real estate broker, 10 yrs, 100+ transactions. I work for individuals, investors, banks, asset management companies and attorneys. Never have I experienced this much headache from a company hired to get rid of headaches.
5 - Jeff N.: AAA is an experienced firm.  I had never dealt with something like this before.  I had no idea what to expect and how long it would take.  Craig is tremendously knowledgeable with all aspects of eviction.  He knows this business inside out.  The customer service was not optimum in the beginning of the case but when it got down the negotiating and strategy I was very impressed by Craig and his group's responsiveness and customer service.  As I learned eviction is a legal process and you are on the court and the bureaucracy's time line.  My case was not typical.  Craig knew every strategy that he or my tenant might use.  I felt Craig's price was too low for the service that I received.  During the process I tipped Craig $200 twice because I was so grateful that he and his staff where handling the matter and not myself.   If you are a landlord I would go no where else for someone to represent you if you are faced with an eviction
1 - Hank H.: AAA Lessor Services Inc. has sold their scams business to 626-446-0004
5 - Renée R.: I've been using AAA for over five years now. I have nothing but positive things to say about about them. It has been worth every penny for me. I had two ugly evictions and a couple ridiculous ones that I just needed guidance with. 
Yes, they can be hard to catch, some email attachments weren't compatible with MAC. But I always got the service, info and just plain old good guidance from them.

AAMCO of Upland - Upland, CA (34.103569, -117.690208) ()
5 - bryce a.: I had been having progressive trouble w/ my manual transmission (clutch). Although I didn't know it at the time, ...luck would have it that when it became undeniably serious enough for me to exit & limp off the fwy; knowing something was majorly wrong --  that I would find myself here at this AAMCO in Upland.

Being vaguely familiar w/ the area, I stopped first to formulate a plan & to browse local car repair places on my phone. This random AAMCO was 1.5 miles from my location; I had never even known of it's existence, & so based mainly on proximity,  I made my way ever-so-slowly w/ my hazards on, creeping along in my poor disabled vehicle. 

I must say that I am so glad that I did, & that it turned out that way, because I had the most positive, smooth, uplifting, & excellent 'car-repair experience' that exceeded my expectations from the minute I walked in, to the time days later when I picked up my car & walked out.  

The center manager Sal Manzo is who I dealt with, & was so polite, courteous, attentive, & so thorough in his listening to my tale of auto woe & subsequent examination of my car. 
I don't know much about car repair at all, but I do know a lot about vibe, & even more about customer service! 
Although my clutch was the culprit & I did have to replace it to the tune of $784.00 -- (comparatively priced, as my research showed) -- I was so thankful that all my concerns were addressed, that the place was absolutely immaculate & customer-friendly. --  There weren't any surprise/hidden costs, it was ready when promised, they arranged pick-up w/ Hertz down the street, & I felt like all my concerns & questions were addressed in such an outstanding way, that it put me at total ease! -- & warranted this stellar review! 
=)
5 - Suzuki G.: Another trip back to AAMCO. Every time I go in, it is a pleasant experience. I have never had an issue with work or price. These guys have always been fair price and faster than most with return. I had a blown head gasket, had to get the sent out to be resurfaced, all spark plugs cracked, needed a new water pump, etc... They had the truck back to me within the week. Shaun is a great manager- Very friendly, and even offered to come pick me up if it was raining to bring me to the truck when it was done.
I have moved further away from this location but still keep going back. It's tough to find honest, fair, and quality mechanical work, but this location has it all.

ABC Cafe - Ithaca, NY (42.441984, -76.490042) ()
4 - Joshua S.: Vegan and vegetarian friendly.  This is one of the best places to grab a cheap meal in Ithaca.  The food is good but not great, the service is friendly and the prices are right on.  The salads are generally excellent.  Parking can be a hassle right nearby but a block or two in either direction is usually fine.  They have many vegan desserts and pastries which are good.
5 - Ashley M.: This place is awesome, get the vegetarian reuben and definitely go for one of the sundaes!
4 - Andrew M.: ABC Cafe serves a really good breakfast in a nice atmosphere. They occasionally have live music, too.
5 - Kristin W.: Amazing breakfasts.  Delicious veggie entrees.  Live music.  Close to the Chapter House and its homemade (barmade?) rootbeer.  I have to respectfully disagree with Larry B. and his "flavorless" veggie burger description.  I've always had lots of flavor.  But then, I love my mustard and pickles.    The teas they make here are definitely worth a try, and the specials are very fresh and scrumptious.  

I just love this place.  Yumyumyum!
4 - Lush L.: I went here again the other day. The food isn't amazing and the service is so so (the servers all seems so stoned or whacked out from their juice fasts or something). I still give it four stars because it is great for Ithaca and always gives me that hometown happy feel when I go there. 

The veggie burger was super dry I haven't had it in years and I remember loving it so I was a little disappointed. The fries were great, the nachos were yummy. We had a nice cold carrot ginger soup to start that was also decent.

I used to love coming to see music here and I'll always come back here for a meal when I'm in town.
4 - Rebecca W.: Most of my visits to ABC have been for Sunday brunch - which is almost always accompanied by live music.  I love the fun, artsy, eclectic feel of the place.  Their omlettes are tasty and generous, whether you design your own or oder a special off the board.  Most recently I tried their cheddar avocado omlette - dreamy.
5 - Jessica M.: I used to eat at ABC cafe everyday when i lived next door. sometimes for more than one meal in a 24 hour period. i recommend the tempe arizona sandwich. the blue cheese dressing. the breakfast burrito. the vegan brownies. the enchiladas calabacitas. just typing is making me hungry and a whole bunch nostalgic too. the cafe side is a great place to study and people watch. i mean hippie watch. often when i'm bored i wish i had an abc next door.
5 - Psy D.: No, no! You have closed! I grew up at the ABC! I came of age at the ABC! I dated at the ABC! I worked at the ABC! My handwriting was still on the masking tape on some of the spice jars when I came to visit a few years ago! Toffee bars, rhubarb surprises (we got paid in rhubarb once, didn't we?), tempeh reubens, real root beer floats, all the finest ingredients: best baked tofu ever, best NY cheddar cheese...

 I've been living in Berkeley California since 1991, and nothing, NOTHING here compares. But then, Berkeley can't hold a candle to Ithaca in general. It's just bigger. Good luck with your new adventures, Ken. 

Love you all from back in the day... Annette Roman (p.s. facebook me!)

ADT Bel Air Patrol - Los Angeles, CA (34.08132, -118.435567) ()
4 - Sally P.: Bel Air patrol has been great. They are professional, thorough and diligent. They gave me signs to put in the yard that say they are patrolling. When we go on vacation they watch the house closely, pick up the mail, and contact us if they have any suspicions or concerns.

I'd give them 5 stars if the price were a little bit lower.
5 - Angel T.: I ran out of gas, because I was in a hurry and not paying attention.  Destitute, and parked illegally, I was a good 25 minute walk from a gas station.  I knew the chances of coming back and finding my car towed were good.

Then a light shined down from the Heavens.  A sweet, dear man named Adrian Reid, who deserves a big, fat raise, pulled over to help me.  He said it was against the rules to give me a ride, but took my gas can, filled it with gas, then brought it back to me.  Then he pushed my car to re-angle the gas tank so the engine would start.

Not only that, but he wouldn't take a tip from me.  My faith in humanity is slightly restored. Thank you Adrian!!! You're the best!! :)

ADT Security Services - Berkeley, CA (37.8705949, -122.2659562) (Downtown Berkeley, UC Campus Area)
1 - Michael L.: ADT provides inferior servicies and poor customer support.  I have attempted on two occassions to have an improperly functioning zone repaired.  I pay an additional monthly fee for extended service.  On both occassions the service person was to call my office and I would meet them at my home in 20 minutes.  The first time I was informed that ADT cannot reqiuire service personnel to use their mobile phone to contact a customer.  I was subsequently informed that this is not company policy.  The second time I was told the service persons phone broke.  It has been 6 months the repair work had not been completed and ADT accepts no responsibility other than to offer another appointment with a 4 hour window.  I would not recommend ADT to anyone.
5 - Patricia W.: After meeting with several security companies I selected ADT for my home security system.  They had the best price. Brandon (the service representative) and Hector (the installer) were knowledgable and professional. Both provided excellent customer service.
1 - Sam M.: I live in Oakland and just moved. We cancelled our service but here's the rub: they require 30 days notice cancellation, so now I have to pay an extra 30 days for a service I'm not getting. This is a SCAM and is SHAMEFUL. The only reason they gave for this policy is that it's "in my contract." Like 5 years after signing up I'm supposed to remember that? Who's going to remember that when it makes no sense? Why do I have to pay 30 more days when I'm not even in the house? Again, a scam. All the utilities--water, garbage, PG&E, cable--they all happily terminate services, and billing, WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH THEM. This is b.s. contract fine print obviously meant to trap people into paying an extra month when they move or cancel. DON'T EVER SIGN UP WITH THESE TWO-BIT THIEVING CRIMINALS.

AJ Foreign Auto - Ithaca, NY (42.437483, -76.51604) ()
1 - Alicia L.: When I attempted to receive repair work from this place, they tried to replace more parts than I needed replaced and the quote was exceedingly high.   I took my car elsewhere and had an easy repair for about 1/3 of the quote from AJ Foreign Auto.

Strangely, while my car was there they gave me an inspection (I requested the inspection, but I assumed that with a broken exhaust system, that they wouldn't inspect it until after it was repaired). Even stranger, they said my car passed NY State Inspection... even though I needed exhaust work.  Isn't a working exhaust system necessary to pass NY State inspection?

Happily, I took my car to my trusted mechanic and he repaired it for 100.00 rather than 300.00 that AJ Foreign Auto wanted to charge and it works perfectly.  I was trying to give AJ Foreign Auto a chance but I won't ever be back!

***Added in response *** of course I will not give you my "real" name or my husband's real name.  You contacted me by message and there is nothing really to talk about. I have no reason to give you my name...what does that do to help me? You tried to replace more parts than I needed and I found your place of business to be suspect that is what I said in my review and that is what I strongly believe.  I drive by your business every time I go to get dog food (as I drive behind Wegmans towards State St...passing by Cherry St, where your business is located), so I am quite familiar with which place you own.  You are trying to make excuses to deflect your poor service and incorrect plan for repair.  Your office woman who I dealt with on the phone and when I picked up my car was very rude and should not deal with customers.  And, i was just surprised that it would pass with a hole in the exhaust...it was a minor point and I stand corrected that having a hole in the exhaust is perfectly fine in NY state.   I still would not have my car repaired by you and I know others who feel the same way based on their own experience.
1 - Kae S.: No.  Don't even think of taking your vehicle here.  Daughter was told this was a good place by her co-workers. She took her 2000 Mitsubishi  there. They clearly don't know what a good garage is.  They charged us TWICE AS MUCH as the dealer for parts.  Then they tried to tell us that a control arm needed to be replaced.  The total estimate was $800!!!  We had just replaced the control arm, so we held off on that.  We took it to our garage, and surprise, surprise, the control arm was fine. We had everthing fixed for $300.

I kept thinking that the name was familiar. 25 years ago, when I first moved here, I took my little Triumph there and IT WAS THE SAME THING!!!

Skip this place.
1 - Steve M.: I ignored the review above to my detriment.  I took my Mercedes into AJ's because the check engine light went on.  They diagnosed the problem as the air sensor and replaced it.  After driving less than 50 miles, the check engine light came on again.  I took it back into AJ's, they ran diagnostics on it and found that the air sensor was giving them another error code.  They said that they'd need to work on it for another 3 hours, but that they would pay for the hour they'd put into it and one more hour.  I decided to take it up to the Mercedes dealership in Syracuse instead.  They got the same air sensor code as AJ's (and quoted me a much lower price then I'd just paid AJ's to fix it), however, when they opened up the engine, they found that the problem was a vacuum hose dripping fluid onto the sensor.  Apparently, a clip inside the hose had been broken and to fix it, someone had put a vacuum hose around it and attached it with some electrical tape.  The only people under the hood for the past 2.5 years was AJ's Foreign Auto.  It struck me as suspicious, at best.  When I returned to AJ's to confront them with the part and evidence, I was given a blank stare and a weak explanation...and a credit toward future labor...that I'll smartly never use.  So, I'll just make sure that anyone that checks Yelp! first knows...stay away...do yourself a favor and take it to the dealer, AJ's is just going to end up costing you more in the long run.

AJ's Burger & Peruvian Chicken - Pittsburgh, PA (40.441387, -79.958739) (Oakland)
4 - Kyle M.: A new, quaint little stop in Oakland.

I stopped here with a friend the other day for some dinner. The decor is kind of bland, but the prices are reasonable. There's a plethora of food to choose from, from burgers and fries, to Peruvian fried rice, which is what I ordered. 

The food was great. The chicken is seasoned beautifully, and the portion was GENEROUS. The staff is friendly and was willing to help us out when we needed it.

My only complaint: there was no ice in the ice machine, so one of the staffers went outside and came back with ice in a tiny bucket. Kind of sketch, but, oh well, I got ice.

I suggest you check this place out. Pretty yummy stuff.
4 - Andrew F.: A pretty solid and cheap rotisserie chicken place. They don't do much but they do it competently. Burgers, chicken, fries, salchipapa (which is essentially hot dog and fries), and a fried rice which just has the other stuff mixed in pretty much. They deliver which is nice.
3 - Michael F.: Actually good ceviche, delivered, and not expensive. I had little home made corn nuts with mine the first time, which were perfect with it, none the second time, which made me sad. The burgers and fries are just as good, if not better than five guys.

Star lost for inconsistent delivery, not actually having great chicken, and never giving me those corn nuts again.
4 - Jennifer G.: LOMO SALTADO is where's at! 

I lived in Miami for two years and I discovered this yummy Peruvian dish. It's steak, tomatoes, onions and french fries over rice. I used to eat it at least two times a month. 

I was excited to try AJ's after my friend told me it was awesome. It wasn't the best lomo saltado I have ever had but it definitely hit the spot. 

AJ's has other Peruvian goodies like Inca Kola and the Purple Corn drink (you have to try this at least once)
3 - r. h.: Hearty portion, reasonable price. Probably one of the better delivery options via campusfood.

I ordered the 1/2 rotisserie chicken. I got two large pieces: a wing and a leg. Both were juicy and well seasoned. Plus, I enjoyed the zesty cream sauce that accompanied the chicken. The dinner came with a generous serving of thickly-cut fries and a bit of salad. The fries were a little limp on arrival; maybe they just don't travel well. I also ordered a side of sweet plantains. They were indeed very sweet, which made them seem more like banana slices to me (which is a pity because I really like plantains!).

All in all, not bad for $15 and a short wait. While I might like La Feria in Shadyside a tad better food-wise, I'm glad that A&J's delivers!

3.5 stars
5 - Chris H.: My absolute favorite place in Pittsburgh... I eat here as often as possible... the family that runs the place is very kind and delivers the food out to you. 

Their burgers are pretty much a carbon copy of what you can get at 5 guys down the street, but slightly cheaper, with a quieter environment and (in my opinion) better fries, which you can get made cajun style... seasoned fries aren't done any better than here. 

The peruvian food is also very good, the ceviche was delicious especially for the price: they serve americanized salchipapa for about 4 dollars which is a great fast meal (though pretty bad for you). The chicken is great as well, always well done and seasoned, juicy and delicious, though you are going to want more than a 1/4 bird

A small complaint is that while they do make a chicken sandwich, its actually a piece of white meat served in the style of their hamburger, and not pieces from the rotisserie.
4 - Tatyana K.: (fish) Chicharrones! 

So they might not be the pork kind but they're still tasty. We ordered through CampusFood, I've never been to the actual restaurant. The chicharrones came with 2 sauces, one spicy guac. and one sour cream-y, and a nice helping of plantain chips - all around $10, big portions
5 - Juan M.: Really good lomo saltado! 

It is owned by a really nice family from Peru, who is very friendly and cook authentic food in a home-made style. 

It is also an awesome place to go watch some world cup matches in the big flat screen TV.

I definitely recommend!
4 - Albert L.: This was the first place I ordered off of when I got my food through collegebite.com.  I must have misread that their delivery is free, but it was $1 with a minimum order of $10.  Delivery took an hour, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt that something came up.

After having fallen in love with lomo saltado over summer back in LA (at the much cheaper price of 5.99 that also included a cup of soup), I ordered the Lomo Saltado here for 11 bucks.  Granted it is a tad expensive for the ingredients that go into a lomo saltado, i was still CRAVING it. I also ordered an extra serving of Aji, the peruvian green-colored sauce.  Even with both servings of Aji, it was far from enough for me.  But regardless! The beef was slightly overcooked, but the dish definitely did satisfy my craving for what I wanted. They also did not provide enough rice for my liking, so I simply heated and added a bit of leftover rice I had in my fridge.  On the positive side, I was happy with the portions; it definitely filled me up for the rest of the night!

Next time, I'm going to try to go to the restaurants itself to see if they offer unlimited Aji through a squeeze bottle or something.  Rotisserie chicken isn't my thing, but I will definitely be ordering this dish from them again, given that other peruvian places near my apartment don't offer lomo saltado (e.g. La Feria).
2 - Dana B.: I had the chicken and fries here.  It's a little pricier than my spot back in DC but that's okay because I assume this is the only choice here in Pitt.  Chicken was okay not the best I've had and the fries were a nice fresh-cut surprise.  They were like beach fries with sea salt but a little greasy.  I went to reach for an Inca soda (pineapple is my fav) and I looked around and saw that they don't have a commercial cooler....just a beach cooler with no ice just, drinks.  Odd.

I'd go back if I'm craving the chicken, but it's just okay. Worth trying at least once.
4 - Adam W.: I went here last Friday with one of my best friends (who is of Peruvian descent) because neither of us had tried the place before; it wasn't there before we graduated from Pitt!  The rotisserie chicken was excellent! It was so moist yet firm, the skin was delicious, and the seasonings were spot on--in short, it was everything that my Thanksgiving turkey didn't turn out to be.  I was very impressed.

The fries and sweet potato fries we great, too.  All-in-all, it was a great lunch.  I'll definitely be returning. 4+ Stars


--------
For reference, my reataurant grading rubric:
1 star: I will not return under my own free will.
2 stars: If my coworkers want to go here for lunch, I will attempt to dissuade them.  I may attend if I am bored enough.
3 stars: I won't mind going to this restaurant, but I won't suggest it.
4 stars: I will enthusiastically return to this restaurant regularly when I'm in the mood for their food.
5 stars: What, you haven't been here yet?! We have to go. Right. Now.
2 - Brant H.: I want to like this place.  I'm a fan of Peruvian food, and was delighted when this place opened in Oakland back in 2009.  However, the disappointment I experienced during the first visit surged again during the visit today.

Both times I ordered the 1/4 chicken combo, which comes with two sides.  I don't recall the sides I ordered the first visit, but the ones today (the sweet potato fries and pinto beans) were the saving grace of the visit.  Fries were fresh and crispy (although somewhat less so by the time I got them back  to my office); pinto beans were well-seasoned and savory.

But the chicken, the main reason I went to AJ's?  In contrast to other reviewers' experience, the chicken was terribly dry and not particularly flavorful on both trips.  On my first visit in 2009, I chalked it up to the expected hiccups of a place that had just opened. Two years later, that excuse no longer holds any water.  The 1/4 chicken portion today was from a small bird, and composed of a wing and breast. Perhaps because of the small size, the little meat on the wing was so dry as to be crunchy...and not in a pleasurable way.  The skinny breast was also dry and fibrous.   My side order of aji pollero sauce, while piquant and delicious, could not save the chicken.  

Perhaps there's something different about the chicken at lunch (left over from the day before?), but I'm not likely to rush back.  My last complaint about the place...again one that I initially chalked up to just-opened hiccups...is how long it took to get my order. Both times I was the only person there.  Both times it took 15-20 minutes to prepare my order.  Odd.

To avoid ending on a sour note, besides the delicious sides and aji pollero sauce, the other clear positive at AJ's are the employees, who were friendly and welcoming both visits. Makes it that much harder to leave this negative review....
1 - sun s.: Maybe I went on a bad day...maybe they recycle food in the summer with less students...maybe my taste buds are off...

But the chicken was gross! Seriously... My four years here at Pitt I pass this place frequently. As a lover of Rotisserie Chicken, I figured maybe this is a mistake...how have I not made my way in here at least once???

-___- I guess I found out why. I dont know what it is about this seasoning, but its the least bit good in my opinion. It smelled good...the chicken looks semi appealing (mmmm moist..look at dat skinnn!) but in reality its just something off about it. Over-seasoned with non tasty seasonings..that sums it up.

I got the 1/4 chicken and rice and beans. Like another poster said, the beans saved it..but nothing to write home about. The rice is decent too. I actually ate all the rice and beans...nibbled on some chicken...might save it for Shuffles (jk..that would be an insult even for him!)

All in all, for 7-something this was not my "just got paid, let me eat out for a change" treat that I was looking for. Boston Market on Center would have given me Rotisserie and some healthy sides. Oh yeah...and the portions were small...and Im a small chick so.....that should say something.

Do yourself a favor...grab something off of Atwood or Oakland ave...

[end bitter rant]
4 - David K.: I've been meaning to order from these folks again, but I'm just never home to order delivery.  So my window to this restaurant is pretty small: I've only ever eaten from there once.  Regardless, my review:

The delivery came fast! Faster than I expected.  That's always a pleasant surprise.

The Peruvian fried rice is awesome! It was a new taste, and it was a good one.

The rotisserie chicken is boring! Definitely not a selling point.

You could definitely do worse for delivery.  I need to get that fried rice again soon.
2 - Scott A.: Dear AJ's,

I tried to like you, really I did. But this relationship just isn't working out. I'm not sure what puts me off the most, but I'm going to say it is a combination of overpriced, under-flavored, slowly created food. Also, I like when children under the age of 8 are serving lemonade on the street corner, but this practice is unacceptable in a restaurant; also, since the children did not know what to do with money, having the adult creating food in the back have to come out to actually make change was slightly annoying but mostly gross. While your chicken is pretty good and probably better than the rotisserie at Giant Eagle, your other menu items are not even worth commenting upon. I'm sad to say you've disappointed me for the last time, and I must now bid you adieu.

Eternally hungry,
Scott
2 - Jee L.: I've tried all kind of fries from AJ. Simply put, THEY SUCK.
If you want sweet potato fries go to Fuel & Fuddle or UPMC Montifiore 7th Cafe has even better and great sweet potato fries!
5 - Jammie M.: They have great beans. But I'm writing this review because I ordered take-out and there was some confusion because I pre-paid online, but then they gave me a whole burger and fries for free along with my order!

That, or they accidentally gave me someone else's order with my food. Whatever. 5*s because I love the beans.
3 - Monica K.: Right across from my office, so I went here on a whim. The food is AMAZING. Seriously, I could live on the pollo saltado. The flavor is fantastic. 

That being said, they are always "out" of something. The first time I came in, I was briefed by the waitress as to all the things they didn't have because (I think she said, very broken English) their truck had no arrived yet. Last time I went in and wanted chips and salsa. You guessed it, no salsa. 

If you're the only one there, you get prompt, attentive service. If there is one other party there, good luck. There's usually only one lady waitressing at lunch time and sometimes another guy bringing out food. The problem is that he doesn't speak English at all, so if there's an issue, you have to wait for the other waitress. I wish their service and menu was a bit more consistent to match their tasty food!
3 - Tessa M.: this place was... interesting. if you're not used to south american cuisine, you might be disappointed in their menu. (peruvian is totally different than mexican) but i knew what to expect, and that's exactly what i got.. except a little bland. what a combination of foods though.... peruvian, mexican, and burgers. who thought of that? although i will say, the sweet potato chip things they give you while you wait for your food were pretty good and so was the rotisserie chicken. it wasn't my favorite, but i didn't hate it either. oh, but also, i should mention, while they do have a tv, all that was on were infomercials... i watched the wonders of p90x for about 45 minutes during my meal... not my idea of entertainment.
4 - Elane F.: I believe they are now named Inca Prruvian Rotisserie. I very much like the Pollo Saltado. I also really like the cilantro sauce, which comes with most of their dishes. The fried rice (with hot dogs) Arroz Chaufa is also very good, but greassy. As others mentioned before, since the owners are so nice and hard working, I am happy to overlook the slow service (I think a part of it can be cultural differences). When prompted, they ususally are fast enough.

AMC - Cambridge, MA (42.3744254, -71.1188618) (Harvard Square)
4 - Jamie G.: Came here for the midnight showing of the Hunger Games. The perks of this theater are: parking is generally easy in Harvard Square, tickets can be purchased online and you can print from home and go right into the theater, tickets are cheaper than theaters in Boston, seats are decent, and the best thing- they actually let us inside the theater HOURS before the show! Usually at these special showings they make people wait in line for forever, but instead, I got to pick a seat and wait comfortably in the theater for the movie to begin. The downside to this theater is having to watch a movie with a bunch of immature college kids who giggle at every sexual innuendo. They totally ruined the movie for me. But that's not the theater's fault, and I would still watch movies here... just maybe not for midnight showings!
3 - Frank W.: Works for a movie venue, but their lobby is non-existent, which is minorly problematic when it's raining out.

Went for an Avengers showing at 8pm.  Theatre wasn't too busy but it was decently packed.  The clientele are all obviously Harvard students.  Well, except me that is.  The screen isn't as big as the Loews on Park Street, but the sound quality was just as good.

I'll revert back to my Stadium theatre seating I think.  Its only 20 minute more invested on the transit.  Worth it.
3 - Damien S.: For the most part, this Harvard Square mainstay offers what any movie theatre would: multiple screens, decent pricing (no shifting for matinees or students - except Thursdays when coeds save $2).

The plus is accessibility to Stubs rewards, which (due to a machine glitch) has given me endless popcorn and free upgrades on drinks. The main theatres are just grand, whoooo doggie, yet we can't ignore the weakest link.

Theater 2 (upstairs) is the epitome of poor space usage, sliding the viewing spectrum from where you'd expect (front and center) to where you might likely be (beneath the sweaters, getting those handfuls. I mean seriously, forget about the movie if you're sitting on the sidelines.)

But, again - free popcorn with Stubs pass! Thanks to all the comped corn from AMC and a vast majority of the screens boasting typical seating, you've got the key draw: cheaper tickets than your next nearest cousin - Boston Common. Just fix that avant garde approach to the cinema in Theater 2 and we might be regulars.
1 - Gwen R.: It's CLOSED!!!!  Not sure when that happened, but there's a sign on the door saying it's closed permanently.  Total bummer

AMC La Jolla 12 - La Jolla, CA (32.8646385, -117.2313004) (La Jolla)
4 - Christine C.: Not bad theatre. This cinema does not play a lot of art house, but at least it is not a multiplex. 

I like this theatre because it is located near a plethora of restaurants. That being said, the landmark theatre across the street is a much better alternative if you are looking to see a quality film.
2 - Brad F.: This theater is always filled with students from UCSD (not necessarily a bad thing), though it means that it's almost always crowded on the weekends. The seats are old-style (low back, immovable) and the sound systems are dated. It's never very clean inside the lobby or the theaters either.

I'll take the AMC Fashion Valley 18 over this theater any day of the week.
2 - Paul S.: As others have pointed out, smelly carpets, no stadium seating, dated sound system and small screens for 2 week old movies.  

Unless you live in the area and don't feel like driving further to a better theater, this place is not worth the money.
3 - Kelsey M.: I like this theater for its 5-dollar early showings and the fact that it is never sold out.  harry potter, opening day?  no problem!  
i wish it had better seating and an automatic ticketing machine like other AMCs, but i won't complain.  a 5-buck movie is only a few more cents more than renting a film, so it's worth it to me.
4 - Maryann C.: EDIT: Due to policy and pricing changes, I had to drop my rating a star from my original five. Apparently all good things must pass.

I really can't believe what I'm reading here. I love love love this theater! I go out of my way to go here instead of the one near my house (Pacific Theatres Town Square, which I detest.)

AMC is my favorite chain to begin with. It has a great rewards program (MovieWatcher), their matinee prices end at 6PM, much later than most chains, and if you want to go early on a weekend, you get a deep discount on tickets (from $4 to $7.)

EDIT: That price is now always $6, and there are no matinees on weekends, including Friday. Matinees also end earlier.

And, here's something that might interest you: AMC doesn't have a policy against outside food and drink. Seriously. You don't have to sneak it in. You're allowed to have it. I had my purse searched for cameras at an advance screening at this very theater one time. I had soda and candy in there and the woman said it was just fine. I have since learned that this is the same at all AMC theaters.

EDIT: They have since changed this policy. They now ban food just like everybody else. Bah humbug.

AMC's Mission and Fashion Valley theaters are a bit of a pain, as most people who've been to them know, but this theater eliminates their problems (parking problems, crowds.) It's hard to find (which I count as a good thing) and located underground.

Others are saying this theater is sometimes crowded at the weekends. I strongly disagree. I've never seen it very crowded. Ever. It's always been a fraction as full as the Fashion and Mission Valley theaters. Of course it's more crowded on weekends... but if you compare it to the bigger theaters there's no contest.

Parking is super-easy underground (protected from any weather, including heat and wind) and the whole theater is indoors, even the ticket counter, which is a huge plus. Concession lines are short to non-existant. The theater is relatively small for a multiplex so it's easy to get around.

EDIT: PARK UNDERGROUND, PEOPLE!
I see several people criticizing the parking. Um, no. Don't park above ground. There's an extremely well-lit underground lot (it's recently been remodeled with enormous amounts of lighting) that leads directly to the theater.

One thing I adore about this theater are their employees. I've never met a rude, inept, or unpleasant employee here.

AMC La Jolla has only one drawback. It's the only AMC in town that does not have stadium seating. This has never been a problem for me, however, it's never been too crowded for me to get a good seat.

One last thing. I'm a young adult, but I don't think it smells funny. It smells *clean* to me. Very well-maintained. On a similar note, it has mind-blowingly excellent restrooms. I heart its restrooms.

EDIT: ATTENTION COSTCO MEMBERS!

You can get tickets for AMC Theaters on the cheap at Costco! You can get a pair of single-ticket gift certificates for $15.99, which is less than the matinee price. They're meant to be given as gifts, but if you use them for yourself, I won't tell. ;)
2 - Karen L.: .... NO STADIUM SEATING???  I never knew that movie theaters could have NO STADIUM SEATING before coming to this AMC for the first time last fall.  When I told my friend who stayed up in norcal for college that the AMC by campus didn't have stadium seating, she was as shocked as I was - "Is there a law in La Jolla that prohibits stadium seating in theaters or something??"  She exclaimed.  

I wonder... IS there a law?  I can't think of another reason to explain why a modern movie theater would not have stadium seating.

If this weren't the closest theatre to campus showing the latest feature films, I would not come here. I love my stadium seating too much!
4 - Jon T.: This place is not bad, it's not the fanciest theatre around but it gets the job done, the good thing is that it's usually not packed and so it's pretty easy to find seats, but at the same time it still is pretty nice and has all the major movies you want to see, the seating complaint by the person below I very much agreed with when I first came here because I'm also from norcal so i was so used to that style of seating, but actually this style isn't all that bad, but then again I'm about 6 ft so I probably am blocking whoever is behind me :).
4 - mindy d.: 1 star for easy parking.  Parking is easier if you park underground.  Always has spots.
1 star for not being full, like, ever.  I think I waited in line once or twice for an opening night movie, and that was Harry Potter 3 and Matrix 2, but that's about it.
1 star for short lines and student discounts.
1 big star for being able to go to Trader Joe's and Starbucks and walk into the theater with a shopping bag of food and coffee, and not have anyone bat an eye.

No, there's no stadium seating, but I don't remember any special smell from the carpets.  Trade-offs, you know?
3 - Josie H.: This place is small
no stadium seating, thus no comfy seating
HOWEVER, this place is close to campus, it's 8 dollars or may be 9 now:0, and it's pretty decent. You can even walk back to campus from here if you happen to miss the very last bus ( yes, my friends and i had to walk all the way back to campus:( )

BUT, i can only give it three stars because I watched harry potter opening night here and during a VERY intense part, the screen went blank! ulfjaflsf, yea I was pretty mad.
3 - Richard B.: After our weekly Kabuki Sushi date last night, Ape and I went to see the 1045pm showing of  "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" at the AMC La Jolla Village 12.

We found parking very quickly... on the ground level by ULTA. Walked right in. The line to buy tickets was average, about five minutes. They allowed us to buy two student discount tickets with only Apryl's school ID. We bought some popcorn and smuggled a couple cans of Wild Cherry Cokes in to the theater. 

WTF? The seats are horrible! No stadium styled seating really does suck. First off, it limits how well you can view the movie. Secondly, I can't lift the armrest up and get fresh with Apryl! Damn!  

Another thing that really drove Apryl and I nuts was the fact that everyone in the theater was obviously under 21 and a student from UCSD. Is it just me, or is every student from UCSD a social retard? Some idiot in the row in front of us was making duck call noises during the previews, while two girls stood in the aisle practically yelling a story to another couple people. Seriously though girls, your story about the butter dispenser was NOT that interesting!

Once the movie started things got better. The sound and picture quality were good. And I finally, being the crafty guy I am, managed to get fresh with Apryl.

**Side Note** The movie was hilarious!
4 - DivX ..: This theater is a great and often forgotten about option when going out to the movies on friday night. You can park underground for free, nullifying the otherwise nonexistent parking situation. There are some nice little stores and eateries to keep you entertained until its movie time, and the temperature inside is always comfortable.

Biggest reason i love this theater, you dont have a million noisy kids running around the place.
4 - Andy C.: This place is pretty nice. Kinda hard to find in the whole shopping center, but if you have been here before, than you know where it is. 

the parking lot is kinda really crazy just cause it is so WHOA! and there's all these people cutting you off and going when they shouldn't. 

the only horrible thing about this theater is their seating. they really need to update their seats inside the theater. it is horrible uncomfortable and plastic. 

The staff here is really nice and friendly at the front box office, snack area and whatever areas they have.
3 - Molly R.: Whatever, its an AMC movie theatre... there isn't gonna be too much different about it than any other. But allow me to identify why it sucks.

1. It ALWAYS smells like feet. WHY? I swear, every time I walk through the hallway to the screens, someone clearly left their nasty sweaty socks in there and stink up the place. Someone should look into that.

2. Tonight they had some weird power problem only affecting the credit card machines, butter for the popcorn, and soda machines. What? They had random printed out signs everywhere saying these things. So weird.

3. Re: the credit card machine not working, we had pre-purchased our tickets online and wanted to pick them up at that little table down the stairs. Since she couldn't look up our reservation or anything, she just took our word for it and gave us three tickets. Of course, we had to sign for it, but still! ANYONE could have just walked in and said they had bought their tickets online!! I'm not complaining, I just think its a bizarre way to run things.

4. I always ALWAYS forget what side of the street its on! Both of those little shopping centers on La Jolla Village look the same to me, and they both have movie theatres! Way to make it confusing.

However, they got an extra star for having one of those unnecessary really short escalators to take you down to the theatre. Because they're fun.
4 - Jeff L.: This is one of the better AMC's I've been to.  It doesn't get too crowded, the help is friendly, the place is very clean, and all the equipment seems to be in good working order.

In fact, this place is a really nice theater.  But the parking situation is inconvenient at best.  I don't know if it's just me, but this lot feels like Fashion Valley in December, only this mess is year round.  It's a nightmare.  The one plus while you're trekking to the mall doors is that there are a lot of cool Porches and even Lamborghinis to look at.  Makes me feel cool when I roll up in the 'Clipse.  Word.  

Not.

Beware the empty arcade next door.  The security Nazi will pepper spray you if you try to go in there with a drink.
3 - Nadia C.: So we went to see Role Models tonight as part of date night.

Remember in my last review how admission was only five dollars. No luck this time. Ten a piece. Ugh.

As always the theater, like any, smells strongly of popcorn and pissing. One of the thrilling things about venturing outside your own home for anything.

There was some convention there and the bathroom was crammed packed with old ladies doing their lipstick. WTF?

Not much to be said. This place is just eh. It was better when I thought they were selling five dollar tickets but...apparently that practice never happened according to the girl that sold us our tickets today....?

And the damn parking in that lot is effing UNREAL. I seriously want to choke someone everytime Im in there.

Whoever came up with the design in effots to make it more streamlined simply succeeded in making it so freaking hard.

Ugh... Gotta love California.
3 - meg r.: It's a close theater to me but I have only gone here a few times. The parking can be a pain and it's kinda old feeling and musty. I've had them give me crap about not getting the student discount because I didnt have a current student sticker on my *amc* card, i had my current school id. *stabbies*. In general I find myself at the theater over in mira mesa instead. 

Overall,  It is just a movie theater and it works. It's not normally too crowded, I have seen films here and been the only person in the theater, which is kinda a cool thing.
3 - Madison B.: This theater used to hand out a lot of free movie passes for screenings, which was the only reason I would ever come here.  I'm not even a huge fan of screenings either.  There's just something about, waiting in line for half an hour to see a movie that you're not sure, let alone the people releasing it, if it will be good or not.  

This theater is average, its clean, and they have your standard candies at the snack bar.
4 - Dan D.: I think that this is my favorite San Diego movie theater.  Not too many special things about it, but there aren't any real downsides.  

They usually have all the midnight screenings and put it on enough screens to so that their full, but not overwhelming.  Parking is okay.  They have a Trader Joe's and Ralph's in the same center for a snack and go.  They have all the new blockbusters, but they also have some of the bigger indie's (which doesn't sound right).  Ex: Had Little Miss Sunshine when first released.  Usually not a line for tickets and doesn't really usually sellout other than 7pm Fri/Sat.
I used to drive up for this theater, it's just solid.
2 - Jason M.: Overpriced and poor seats. This theater needs some upgrading. Seats are old school. Rows are tight the rows are too wide, there are always people moving around blocking views. The bathroom was  a complete mess. Parking is good. Show times are good.   I rather see a show elsewhere. Hopefully, the management will upgrade the facility.
3 - Melanie G.: AMC La Jolla Village 12 itself is your average theater.  It has no stadium seating and has your average looking concession stand.  The only things that make this theater stand out in my mind are these:

-It's located in a strange part of a shopping plaza.  One half of the plaza resembles your average outdoor mall.  The other half resembles your average indoor mall.  AMC 12 is located in the indoor part.

-The ladies room is freakishly pink.  I mean Pepto-Bismol pink.

-The water pressure from the automated taps are on turbo.  

-I had mistaken an advertisement for the concession stand for an actual movie poster for a phony film called, "Hunger Destruction."  Apparently, pizza is sold in the theater according to the ad.  I was disappointed because I actually wanted to watch a film about pizza.
3 - Jeannie O.: Located in a plaza known for it's horrible parking.  I think everyone on the UCSD facebook networke joined the "whoever designed the Ralphs parking lot is a dumba$$"

ANYWAYS.  $10 for an average theater with no stadium seating.  However, this theater has its good points.

- The employees are relatively nice and friendly.

- If you join the AMC MovieWatchers club, you get a free small popcorn (or credit towards a larger one) on Wednesdays.

- Movie Watcher club, you get bonuses here and there.

- It's the only one and closest to campus

- It's along the shuttle route (beware of the hobo on Nobel Dr.)

- you can bring food in (CHIPOTLE!!!)
3 - Victoria M.: The parking lot is a joke! You have to drive it to really experience how ridiculously designed this parking lot is! 

The theatre is in a really old looking mall and the theatre itself needs some upgrading as well. I had free passes and this AMC was the closest to my house in Oside. 

The women's bathroom has a lot of stalls but only 3 sinks so you have to wait in yet another line to wash your hands? 

On the plus side the employees are nice and that night they had free icee samples...I love free stuff :)
3 - Jessica L.: This theater has old school seating-  like where a woman with big hair sits in front of you and you can't see the lower half of the screen.  :S
BUT the seats are surprisingly comfortable for what they are. They also have great show times if you are a mom and want to see a movie while your kid is in school and STILL get there on time to pick them up! I also saw something about $6 movies.....  although I can't really remember what that was about.
2 - Cynthia H.: Maybe I expect to much....like a parking spot to fit my car in, or movie screens that would be too big to fit in someones living room....

First of all, we are blocks from UCSD where a LOT of us like to go to the movies. So you would think the local theatre would be a lil' impressive, right? Not a chance.

The parking here is so ridiculous you feel like you're on candid camera as the audience is being entertained by your 30-point parking job.  The screens are WAY smaller than other theatres.  Last movie I went to was in a mislabeled theatre that we found by luck AFTER the guy who took our ticket stub pointed us in the wrong direction.  Glad these people are not surgeons or something more complicated like bus drivers ;-) No stadium seating...boo.  And they advertise movies in 3 D, but of course they don't actually have the capability to show them in 3D, is that legal??
;-)
4 - joe a.: This theater is pretty good. It is very clean, comfortable seats, a little pricey ( but all theaters are), and the food selection is legitimate.
2 - Pacifico O.: i like theatres with armrests that go up...why?  if i'm with a date, that stationary armrest makes the intimacy very awkward...and if i'm by myself...i like to stretch out and take up 3 seats so i can watch the movie laying down.  

i could understand putting up with this seating at the landmark theatres, but amc la jolla village shows the same movies you see in almost every other theatre....just go somewhere else.
1 - donald g.: I have gone to this theater many times and we scheduled an outing with YMCA adventure guides to this theater 2 weeks ago.  Well, the movie times have changed twice!  Showtimes here just aren't stable!  

Now come to find out, Nobody answers the phone and No showtimes appear on the web, not even on the AMC website !!  They don't advertise showtimes in the newspaper, either!!!  I had to call building security to find out if they were closed for remodeling!  They weren't !!!   Finally, I found a separate phone number that listed movie showtimes, after 3 mins of trying to talk to the phone robot !!!

I predict bankrupcy within 3 months.
2 - brian d.: The concession prices are now officially insane.  And they dropped small-sized soda from the menu.  Even though the small-sized cups are behind the counter -- you can only get them if you order some kids combo with popcorn, candy, and a soda.  

They charge $4 or more for a small bottle of Aquafina water, which is Coca-Cola's brand for tap water in a plastic bottle.

The movie theatres themselves --- as others have pointed out --- old-skool seating, lousy seat pitch (not enough leg room), and the sound is getting worse as the months roll by. 

I don't know what it is about San Diego cinemas but they are very reluctant to acknowledge let alone fix their decrepit audio speakers.  In cinema 1, there's a terrible rattling/distorion sound coming out of a blown surround-sound speaker on the side wall.   And I just saw INVICTUS there the other night, in cinema 8, and that now has the same problem -- painfully distorted audio coming from what sounds like a torn speaker cone in one of the front-right wall surround sound loudspeakers.  All during the movie -- rattling distortion that grinds at your ears something fierce.

The one thing AMC does which I will credit them for -- and that LANDMARK violates big-time --- is they stop the adverts the moment the clock strikes show-time.   Well, usually they run a little bit of their video-mode crap past show time but pretty soon, within 60 seconds usually, the trailers begin.

AMC gets a major demerit for registering the trademark to "Silence is Golden".  It is so crassly commercial and corporate it sets my teeth on edge every time I see it.

And finally, the new little vingnette they show of the three young people, two girls and a guy, walking into this mythological AMC cinema and sitting in their seats sipping HUGE COKES and LARGE POPCORNS (gotta get that plug in for the HFCS and corn industries, after all!) grosses me out every time I see it.

AMC epitomizes the notion that movie theatre megaplexes are nothing but extremely overpriced fast-food restaurants that happen to show movies to attract you to buy their nutritionally toxic fast food.

Oh -- one more thing --- AMC corporate announced this month that they officially no longer allow people to bring in their own food or drinks, that if you're caught bringing in outside stuff, they will take it or deny you access.  

Once again, the corn industry wins!
3 - Cindy W.: Parking spots: wayyy too small, I have to slide myself out without hitting the car next to me. I get wonderful notes on my car too. 

Theatre location: not bad, but it's in a mall so when the mall is busy, it's very overwhelming.

Theatre food: popcorn not too bad, they run out of blue raspberry icee a lot but when they do have it, it's good.

Seating: not too many spots and it's not slanted as much so if there's a tall person in front of me, I can't really see. 

Seats: rather comfy, not bad. I can lean back pretty far, arm rests goes up and plenty of leg room. 

Sound: very good, I felt like I was there when watching Avatar. 

Crowd: not too packed or tons of teeny boppers, which is a plus in my book.
2 - Robert H.: OVERALL: The parking situation is terrible, the ticket price is decent, the screen isn't that large and the seats are uncomfortable.

Finding parking is like being a mouse in a maze looking for the cheese. You find yourself doing circles and doubling back to the same spots a few times.

For a $12 IMAX ticket, this place is not bad. I am used to paying about $7 but then again, you can't expect IMAX in 3D for that price.

I may be a bit spoiled when it comes to screen size, because the IMAX at the Palms, Las Vegas is my comparison for the largest screen. The size of the screen in La Jolla 12 was decent, but nothing to write Grandma about.

The seats were so uncomfortable, I was glad I had an AMC gift card. I wouldnt have driven this far without it and probably would have ended up with a more reasonably padded seat. The only theater that seems to get their seating right is Edwards Cinema in San Marcos.

Overall, good IMAX 3D experience, thanks to James Cameron's attention to detail and taking 3D to new levels. The whole Avatar movie was 3D, not just select parts.

Average movie theater experience.
3 - Chris P.: Tried to see Shutter Island here but alas, it was sold out.  The staff were friendly and helpful though.
1 - Louise G.: NO Stadium Seating. . . period.  I wouldn't return to this theater.

Inevitably I come early, but someone always sits in front of me. I hate it when the whole movie has a head in it and then I have to shift from left to right see in between the heads.
1 - Daniel S.: The theater is clean and is a great neighborhood. Other then that, it has nothing going for it.

The parking is terrible unless you want to park in a creepy underground lot. The seating is that old school seating that you see from theaters from the 1970s. Every time a tall guy like me takes a seat, the patron behind me can't see the screen.

La Jolla deserves a better place to watch Cinema.
2 - Nicole E.: This theater is pretty terrible. The style of seating makes it difficult to see and many times that I have been there its been dirty. The popcorn is really gross here too. Its always burnt the whole theater smells of burnt popcorn all the time. It's nasty. I know a lot of movie theaters smell like popcorn and sometimes that's a good thing. (Kinda nostalgic) But not burnt popcorn that's just gross. AMC La Jolla is also out of date. They don't have digital projectors so they don't have 3D movies. This sucks since so many movies are coming out in 3D lately. They also don't have online ticket purchasing which can be a total annoyance when your in a rush. There are so many better theaters then this one so if you have a choice pick somewhere else.
4 - Sarah M.: Honestly, it's your typical movie theater. But here are some things that make it better :)

1. Their popcorn is pretty decent! And whenever I go, it's fresh out of the popper.
2. Go on Sunday mornings before noon. Why you ask? 6 dollar tickets!! And no crowds :)
3. It's pretty clean. And the workers are friendly.

The only downside is that there isn't stadium seating. Everytime I've been here, either a freaking TALL person, a person with HUGE hair, or a person wearing a ridiculously POINTY hood sits in front of me and blocks a portion of my view. So annoying :(

Oh yea, don't park anywhere near Ralph's. The other side and even the underground parking garage has much bigger spaces and isn't as disgustingly confusing as the Ralph's side. Your welcome :)
3 - Nitsa C.: La Jolla deserves a better movie theater. 

AMC 12 doesn't have stadium seating and it's quite annoying when you're 5'2 and pretty much anyone sits in front of you. I'd like to be able to see the movie I just paid $15 to watch. 


I don't enjoy going out to movies much for many reasons, if I wanted to listen to a peanut gallery during the entire movie, I would have thrown a small get together to watch a movie, I don't enjoy walking through spilled soda and left over popcorn from the previous movie nor do I enjoy watching 13 year-olds make out the entire time... 

AMC 12 should step it up on the cleanliness inside the theater and perhaps do a better job monitoring the youngsters who sneak into rated R movies and giggle the entire time. 

The three stars go to: 
-Plenty of parking in the underground structure 
-The popcorn is fresh & tasty 
-Allowing people to bring in their own food/several food options nearby as well.
1 - Michael C.: The reason for the one star is that they misquote their ticket prices, then when you show up it's more expensive than they said.  This has happened twice now when I called for their matinee prices, so it's unlikely to have been an accident.  It might seem trivial to be so annoyed over a few dollars, but a few dollars matter when you're a student, and it's not good business practice to lie to customers about your prices.  I won't be going here again.
2 - Katherine M.: This theater in awful! All theaters I've been to have been updated, not this one though. They still have the small short chairs with no stadium seating, what a bust!! Especially since I'm short. Although, there is always parking and available seats in new release movies, which is nice since I can't seem to make it on time to anything. But honestly, comfortable seating is a huge thing for me if I'm going to sit there and watch a movie for 2+ hours. There are not many places to eat in the same center as the theater but there is a golden spoon for you who like to get yogurt before. There's and Islands, CPK, TGIF and BJs close by if you're thinking about doing dinner and a movie. It is in a convenient location to, easy to access off the freeway and from the main streets. I think I also remember seeing a sign that they only offer student pricing one day a week. I guess that's because it's so close to UCSD.
3 - Susan C.: This AMC can afford to keep sucking because its close proximity to UCSD makes it the default theatre for the majority of students on campus.

Sadly, I could tear this place apart in this review, and I'd still end up watching the latest release here.

So instead of complaining about the inflated prices and lack of stadium seating, I'll convince myself that this place isn't so bad, pay a little extra for a ticket, and carry in a booster that my height of 5'3" requires.

FYI,
Matinee tickets are available all days of the week for showings:
Before noon ($6)
Between 12-3:55pm ($8.50)

Senior-discounts apply only on Tuesdays ($6), and student-with-ID-discounts apply only on Thursdays ($7.50); all-other-days, expect to be charged at regular price ($10.50).

...Unless you like your movies in 3D. That will cost you $3 extra.
1 - Rob Y.: Wow, this is one shitty movie theater!!  This has to be the nastiest AMC/ chain theater I have been to in YEARS.  I am greatful that I don't have to go here frequently.  I went to see Machete in this dump.  The place really is looking its age and they really should do something about this place.  You definitely get the 80's vibe here and not in the good way.  My back ached when I left this dump.  The foot lighting was distractingly bright.  To be honest with you, I really don't have anything good to say about this craphole.  I am not familiar with the theaters in the area, but I hope that you can find somewhere else to go.  
You people in La Jolla deserve better.
2 - Maria C.: Came here for a movie screening. This shopping center gets super packed - even on a weeknight! I was annoyed... Theaters are located inside the shopping center. 

Not very busy, but don't know how it gets during weekends. No stadium seating, no lounge chairs and the arm rests do not go up. The theater we were all in was really small so if you're sitting behind a person with a big head - good luck!

The establishment is a bit dated. The bathroom had pastel colors and was not tidy. At least there is plenty of parking, however, the spaces are really small.
3 - Kinga H.: I like this theatre for 2 reasons: 
whenever I come here it is not too busy and the location. 

Otherwise this place could use an up-date. It's a bit retro.
The seating is something typical of what you would be seated in during a high school drama performance. If someone sit's directly in front of you or a few rows in front, then you will have an obstructed view, that is unless they are 4 feet tall.

Prices are those of any movie theatre- meaning? PRICEY!


I still come here though, although I prefer any other location to this.
2 - Jay K.: Went here for an smaller film, got seating in one of their smaller theaters. (10 in case it matters).  As we were watching previews it became clear part of the sound system wasn't on (felt like I was watching a big TV with tinny speakers - no surround / limited bass).   I quickly stepped out and told customer service who radioed someone.  I went back in and ...  nothing ever got fixed.  So really weak sound - hardly worthy of the ticket price.  Additionally seating is not stadium - hope for short people in front of you.
4 - Miss N.: What, there's a theater here? It's so hidden! I feel like for that reason, not many people come here, so you don't have that usual feel of a theater. I mean, it's a theater, but I feel like it's more well-maintained and because of the neighborhood it's in, there aren't a lot of young kids who visit this theater. We all know that means less abuse to the seats and property. Clean, large bathroom. Can't comment on concessions cuz I didn't have anything from there.
2 - Sarah V.: This AMC is really really old. The theaters are very small and the seating is set up in a way that if someone is sitting in front of you, you won't be able to see unless you tower over the rest of the population like I do. The only time I ever come here is for the $6 matinée shows before noon when I can drag my sister out of bed in time (she lives down the street). Otherwise, I'd prefer to head over to the AMC in Mission Valley. The only plus side to this place is that they're always pretty empty early in the mornings and I've even watched movies all by myself here (not a plus when I'm watching something scary).
3 - Brandy C.: Ummmm.... This place is around UCSD, so my friends and I usually come here to watch movie.  They have student discount on every Thursday.  

The environment is not super good.  The theater is a little dirty, so I don't really like it.  Also, the restroom is wet over the place.  (eeew)

I think the only reason I still come here because it's really close to UCSD.
2 - Angela Y.: ...Why does La Jolla, a city full of beautiful beaches, expensive houses, a million nice apartment complexes, a world renowned university.... have such a crappy movie theatre?

Yes, it is the closest theater to UCSD. but I'd GLADLY drive 10 minutes to the Edwards in Mira Mesa or 15 minutes to the AMC in Mission Valley or Fashion Valley instead. 

You pay the same HEFTY price no matter where you go... why pay for a theatre that doesn't even have stadium seating?! Do yourself a favor and go the extra 10 minutes to relax in a movie theatre somewhere else.
4 - Jen E.: The reasons why I like this theater so much are probably the reasons others are turned off by it.  Yes, it's old & a bit shabby 'round the edges -- but if they updated it and gave it that whole generic stadium seats, gigantic screen, multi-plex revamp it would lose all its charm.  The location is fantastic (in a mini-mall with ample parking & plenty of places to eat or grab snacks -- not that I'm condoning sneaking in a reasonably priced beverage or box of candy from Ralph's or Trader Joe's) and there is always a great selection of the latest movies (blockbuster, kid and art/indie).  It's also so never crowded, so you don't need to freak about a show selling out.   This is the place to go on an opening weekend to avoid the crowds.

The theaters are updated enough that they have 3-D & digital sound, etc.  I have never had a problem with the seats (seeing over people & the like), but then again I've never been a completely packed theater here either.  Personally, I think people are a bit spoiled with stadium seating...

The popcorn here is really good (as I think AMC does make the best popcorn) and while the theater does show its age, everything is clean.  The staff are nice (especially the box office personnel).
2 - Chrissy N.: I am not a fan of this movie theater at all. The parking is TERRIBLE most of the day. I would suggest parking underneath in the parking garage (even though it looks super shady) or near the Ulta/Ross area. The parking lots near the Ralphs is...ridic.

The theaters are fairly small and while they are usually kept some-what clean, the seats are old and not very comfy.

Plus side: the popcorn is usually pretty fresh (albeit pricey, but thats to be expected). I wish they had more stadium-esque seating. Oh wells. Old theater is old.

This is honestly my last choice in theaters in San Diego. I'd rather take the extra 15 minutes and drive to Edwards Mira Mesa or AMC Mission Valley. You should too.
3 - Alex T.: This theater isn't that bad because of it's merit, but rather because of the competition in the area. The parking isn't that great, but that's mainly because it's in a plaza with a multitude of other businesses. 

The theaters themselves are showing their age, the seats are old, and the seating isn't very stadium-like, which is a huge minus in a crowded theater. 

If you can take the time to make the drive out to another theater in the area, I would definitely suggest it. I did hear they were going to build a new AMC near UTC, but I don't know much about it.
3 - PaulSEGAL ..: Old dilapidated non-stadium style seats with sticky floors.Sign up for their frequent program. AMC has the best.
I buy 50 pack of booklet from AMC Corp @ $6 each. 
WHo the hell wants to spend over $10 for a movie???
NOT I., so I buy the tickets in advance in BULK and, get this....THEY NEVER EXPIRE
YEs you heard it here first....THEY NEVER EXPIRE!
2 - Alex M.: I watched TRON here, but I did not have a good time.  I think the dilapadated seats plus the higher price, plus the acoustics made it a bad experience.  Given TRON is a loud movie b/c the soundtrack is Daft Punk, but I believe the placement of the speakers in the theater made the the sounds effects absolutely  excruciating to my ears.

I'll try to avoid this place next time I watch a movie
2 - April A.: I come here ALL THE TIME for three reasons:
1) It's in UTC area, which is convenient for me
2) It has a sushi place next door in a pinch and a Trader Joes, Ralphs, and Starbucks in the same lot
3) My boyfriend buys the tickets in BULK for $6 and has been an AMC fan for years so it makes things easy

Otherwise??? Would never come here. It is teeny tiny, dirty, gross bathrooms, sticky floors, no stadium seating. There are truly no frills at this theater. 

A tip though - sometimes we will stop by the trader joes beforehand for some MOCHI and eat it in the theater :) A no no, but so good..
2 - Brad T.: I've lived within walking distance of this theater for 8 years now, so, really it is my local theater. But over the years, the sound system has gotten worse, and in 2010 alone I can recall at least 5 movies where the sound was a problem.  I spoke to the manager in October 2010, and was told they were renovating the theater in December 2010 - still no sign of that. Maybe the Manager could make a posting here with an update ?  
 
I've been told by the manager they were adding a cafe ?  I saw on their box office window not too long ago that they were applying for a liquor license.  I've had other people tell me that they are going to replace all the seating and add a more definite slant to the theater (not stadium, but sloping).  I've wondered if they'll have any money left to fix the audio system ?  I hope so -- maybe someone connected with the theater can give us their take on what's going to happen with this neighborhood theater ?  The area really does deserve a classy theater.  I thank Landmark next door for their art house movies, but classy they are not. As someone who loves to WALK to the movies, though, I hope both places can do a bit of renovation and prosper for years to come.
 
In 2010, I went to a Black Eyed Peas Simulcast from Los Angeles in which the vocal track (feed) NEVER worked. The only way to listen to the concert was picking up faint vocals bouncing off the walls of the Staples Center.  It was a disaster of a showing.  And the staff had a half hour before the showing to fix the problem when told about it during the pre-show.  For "How To Train Your Dragon" only the front speakers behind the screen were firing - nothing from the side speakers.  Other showings, the ceiling fans were making too much noise as the blades wobbled so much I imagined the possible carnage and next day's headlines "AMC Ceiling Fans Decapitate Viewers - They Are Offered FREE Passes to Return to Future Viewings!".

Prepaid AMC passes are a great deal. By California law they cannot expire, and this theater honors this without question.  The parking is fine - park in the underground garage.  Theater is rarely crowded, but if you're short and anyone is in front of you, you'll probably end up moving.  One row in many of the theaters are elevated about 6 inches higher than the row in front of it - look for that row (about 3/4ths the way from screen to back).  It took me quite awhile to notice this, but when the theater is really busy, it's a godsend.  And if the sound is bad, let the manager know. You deserve your money's worth.
2 - Eun Jae G.: poor selection of movies and times, seats are horrible, theater is horrible.. there was once the sound was horrible too.. 2 stars coz not many people come here.. so its easy to find seats that u like.. oh well..
3 - Alan P.: Been here a few times since its pretty close to the UCSD campus

Pros:
- near UCSD
- Trader Joes, Ralphs nearby

Cons:
- Old Style, Flat, Non-Stadium seating
- Parking can be hard to find during sometimes in the day

Its not a bad movie theatre, but for $10, this isnt a great deal, If you can, head out to Edwards Mira Mesa which is much bigger and the seating is much better
2 - John L.: If you want a movie, and you happen to be here, and you happen to have a free ticket. go here.
it has the basic requirements of a movie theater.

but if you wanted a screen over 10ft. chairs that aren't ridiculously uncomfortable, and film quality that makes you question the projectionist.

GO ELSEWHERE, if you need another AMC, go to a different one.
2 - Erwin L.: I forgot how bad the seats were over here. Went to watch Battle Los Angeles and didn't enjoyed it.  It's never really crowded here so I guess that's a good thing.
3 - Sara Y.: The theatre is located inside La Jolla Village Square, which means that the parking situation sucks hardcore.  Be prepared for wandering pedestrians and get there with a little more time to look for parking.

You head indoors and down to the very lower level.  Once inside, you will notice that this theatre is like most other AMC theatres in terms of layout and overpriced concessions.  

I saw The King's Speech this weekend, which has been out for about a million weeks now.  I don't know if it is because of something faulty with the sound system or if the reel was on its last leg, but the surround sound kept going in and out.  LOUD, soft, LOUD, soft.  It was rather annoying (but the movie was so damn good that it did not matter much).  

Don't expect anything amazing here, but it does not disappoint either.
3 - Theresa N.: The theater is ok. I've been here quite a bit and it's my go to theater in San Diego.

(Pro): Plenty of parking and free! 
(Con): The parking lot has 15 million speed bumps and terrible line spacing technique (some spots are drawn ridiculously small).

(Pro): Not crowded at all! Usually has 50 people max per theater, meaning I can get the middle middle seat! Note that I have only been to this theater at night.
(Con): Seats aren't too comfortable. The seats are built on FLAT GROUND, which means if someone tall sits in front of you, you probably can't see what's going on. Dumbest design ever!

(Pro): Very close to UCSD and the apartments! Bus and shuttles stop right in front of the complex too!

(Con/Pro): The screen is kind of small, but you get a good seat so it kind of counteracts the smallness.

All in all, I'm used to the parking lot since it is in the same plaza as Ralph's and Trader Joe's. Also the non-crowdedness rocks! Even when I saw Twilight on opening night, the theater wasn't too crowded. Majority were screaming tweens and even they didn't fill the capacity of the theater (NOTE: I was forced to see this movie -____-). The only real complaint is the design flaw of building a theater on flat ground, not kind to short people like me. The architect's incompetence actually baffles me. Can you imagine all of Petco Park's seats on a flat surface? Ridiculous.
4 - Clarissa A.: This is probably my most favorite low-key spot to watch movies on the big silver screen.  I know, I know . . . this theatre does not offer stadium seating which is a shocker for most people.  BUT, I really like how the crowds usually avoid this place.  I hate it when I have to wait until the next showing just because the time slot I originally planned for got filled up.  
:(  They offer underground parking which is always nice and usually the lot is pretty empty.  They fixed the one issue that I did have with this theatre and that issue was with the line for the ticket booth.  Previously, they did not have a sign or ropes for the lines.  If it was busy, people would cut or some confusion would occur since no one was paying attention to which customers were waiting first.  This has all been fixed and there is one line cordoned off and no one gets shunted by rude patrons.  The bathrooms need a bit of an upgrade since they smell funky and are a little too small for my liking.  Popcorn here is good and much better than the Regal Cinema/Edwards brand.  Concession stands are usually really busy though so expect a good 10 minutes for your snacks if it's a busy weekend evening.  Service is pretty good by most of the staff - they smile and greet you which sometimes is missing at other bigger theatres.  Thanks!
4 - TJ P.: It's never crowded. The location is good. And the staff is friendly.

Don't even attempt the main parking lot. Do yourself a favor and park around the side on the Staples side (enter from Via Mallorca not from Villa La Jolla). You'll be walking a couple hundred yards further, but the aggravation you'll save avoiding the main lot is well worth it.

Don't be surprised if at least one of the two escalators is broken. I lived nearby for a year and I saw them both operational at the same time just once in about 60 visits. But you can grab some sushi, or some Shlotzky's, or heck, some fresh fruit from the fruit stand outside if you're there in daylight hours.
2 - Allen J.: What is the most important thing in a movie theater?
To see the screen.

So, when a movie theater fails to accomplish that, then its usefulness begins to drop down to zero. The seating style ensures blocked views and craned necks.

People like TJ and Theresa think this place is great because it's never crowded. Do you know why it's never crowded? It's because this place sucks for watching movies.

On the plus side, they workers don't care if you bring in outside food or drinks. However, at that point, you might as well just stay at home and eat your meal on an actual table.

One time, I won a bunch of free tickets to this place. Not wanting to go to this theater, I gave my tickets away to my crush and her bf so they may go watch a film miserably together. I call that situation a win-win.
1 - Sean B.: This place reminds me of a discounted dollar house. Presentation of movie was way below today's standards. Sound was bad, trailers were presented badly, and seats were very uncomfortable. It's been a few years since I sat in short antiquated theatre seats. Hard to believe La Jolla is so lame on theaters.
4 - Andrew S.: Rarely crowded and decent parking If you know where to look.  Also the sushi place next door can serve up a snack or beer very fast.  Really like that.
2 - Matthew R.: This location is old, seats don't recline, and the screens are to small. But it's not that busy during the week and you can find coupons online.
2 - Cindy G.: I can forgive the lack of stadium seating. What I can't forgive is the terrible sound quality. I made the mistake of watching Inception here and the sound was awful. Now I just go here for romantic comedies and other light fare without elaborate sound effects.

At least the bathrooms are quite large, and there's no wait.
2 - Jeff L.: I take my cinematic adventures very seriously. I've been to many different theaters in my life and this one is definitely one of the worst theaters I've been to.

This theater sucks. 
1. No stadium seating? Really?? I mean, I'm pretty tall, so it doesn't bother me, but I've noticed that people move to different seats when I sit in front of them. I feel bad. 
2. Small ass screens that are also very dirty. Screens are super small and you can see stains on them so when there are bright scenes taking place, you see all these dirty marks on actors' faces and stuff.
3. What kind of janky sound systems are they using? I feel like my stock car stereo sounds better than the sound system here. Everything is so quiet and explosions don't feel as explosive. The sound quality is awful. 
4. Fixed plastic armrests without padding? There are times when I don't want to use the armrests but I have no choice. It's just there. How am I supposed to lay down and sleep if the movie sucks?
5. Sticky floors. I don't like sticky floors.

Yes, this theater is rarely crowded... probably because it sucks. 

Quick tip: If the box office line is semi-long, you can go down to the theater and buy movie tickets on the right side as soon as you enter. It's like a customer service booth type place but you can easily purchase tickets there. No line there. 

I only go here because it's the closest theater to my apartment.
2 - Aaron B.: The movie theater was extremely hot. I am used to going to the movies to escape the heat and this movie theater was hotter than outside. I would rather go to the movies in mission valley.
1 - Cheryl N.: Eww.  Eww.  Eww!  The worst theater I had ever been to!  I don't know what happened here, but 10 years ago, my husband claimed it was a nice theater.  Today?  Well, this theater is reeked with BAD ODOR!  It smelled so bad, I couldn't enjoy my movie at all!  :(  The restroom smelled like vomit, I just nearly died the entire time!  I would NEVER come back!
2 - Regina Z.: This AMC theatre is probably one of the crappier ones that I've been to.  They don't have stadium seating, each individual theatre is small, and the whole establishment is pretty dingy.  Feels like you traveled back in time...  Also, the walls are so thin, you can hear the movie going on in the next theatre!

Parking is horrible (located in the Ralphs/Trader Joes shopping center) so I would recommend parking on the back side towards Staples or by  Schlotzsky's.

I do like the fact that it's never really crowded so I don't have to fight the crowds or arrive too early for good seats (unless it's the opening night of twilight or some other tween movie).  But this is probably because most people are going to the nicer theatres.

I will continue coming here only because it's super close to where I live, but if you've never been to this theatre, you're not missing out on anything.
3 - Carey W.: I'm reading some pretty offensive reviews for this place, but it's really not so bad. Yes, there are a lot better AMC theatres that exist, but this is still way better than any other century movie theatre. 

I don't like that they don't have the raised seating (stadium seating?) so it kind of sucks when a tall person sits in front of me since I am so short. All of their rooms are also pretty small, which can be good if you want fewer distractions and more privacy. But I usually go out on opening/busy nights so it gets pretty crowded early. This also means the screen is smaller and it definitely feels less spacious.
1 - Jean E.: I've never been in a stuffier movie theater in my life! The movie we saw was the 2nd day it was released so it was packed. You would think they would have it well ventilated. The smell was overwhelming musky, awful smell. The screen's resolution was also poor & the chairs were so uncomfortable. I get that this place is old, but I will avoid this theater at all costs in the future.
4 - Lisa H.: Never have had issues with LOTS of people being here. There is an underground parking lot under Ralphs and I also like parking by Staples and the AT&T store. 

I was there the other day watching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2. The bulb went out half way into an intense part. It took about 10 minutes for someone to come down. People inside the theater were hissing and hawing. Finally a movie attendant came down and apologize for the inconvenience and told us to hang out. They gave us a re-admit slip for another time. We sat patiently and everyone was happy that they did that for us. A lot of people slipped into the bathroom since the movie was pretty long. Another movie attendant came back about 10 minutes later and apologized and told us that they had to cancel the movie. They told us to go to guest services for a full refund. I think they handled the situation very calmly and professionally. I was bummed that I didn't get to see the ending, but was happy how they handled the situation.

I like ordering their "cameo" which comes with a small popcorn and a small drink. It only cost about 7 to 8$ and has a lower calorie count. They have hotdogs (not really good. the bun had become hard for sitting out too long) As for candy choices, they have practically everything. 

Bathrooms: Big with at least 20-30 stalls, so not much of an issue unless a movie lets out. They have video games for kids outside to keep them busy if there is any waiting. They have about 12 different theaters.
2 - Ruth T.: Yes, it is a crappy movie theatre.  It's in an awkward location, it doesn't have stadium seating, the screens are small, there aren't enough chairs, and the armrests are locked into place so I cannot cuddle comfortably with my hubby.  But will I keep on coming back? Yeah, probably.  what other choice do the car-less have in La Jolla? If you, like myself, have no better options, this is what you can do to make the most of your experience:

-Take advantage of the discounted rates! (matinee, senior citizen, students with ID on Thursdays (7.50))

-buy your AMC tickets at Costco or at the UCSD Box Office...ANYTHING besides paying the horrendous $10.50 they charge.

Well, at least this place gets the job done.
1 - L M.: First off the theatre is hard to find! Its indoor. Its a really strange set up. When you walk in you are immediately placed in a time machine. Everything is old. It smells. There is NO stadium seating. The screens are tiny. They are the old school chairs. The arm rests dont even go up (i tried lol). It was simply atrocious and I am surprised that a theatre company like AMC has their name on this piece of crap theatre. Never again will I return especially at the full price they charge. Skip this place!!!
5 - Bakudai A.: Saturday morning = easy in, $6 movie, easy out.
2 - Trish C.: This AMC is severely, severely outdated.  Robert H. hits all the points in his first statement: parking sucks, the screens are small, and the seats are decrepit.  Most modern AMCs feature stadium seating where you can slightly recline or lift the armrest up, but these look like they came out of a lecture hall and had a cup holder thrown on them.

Theatre #1 smells like a mixture of barf and mustard in the center middle row.  The concessions are horrendously overpriced (when did popcorn and a drink become more than a single movie ticket???), and I don't know what kind of person would conceive the horrendous layout of this place and call themselves an architect.  At least the old lady behind the register was friendly ("Make sure to come back after your show to refill your large popcorn/soda so you can bring it home to your love ones that missed the movie.").  She is the single redeeming factor of this place.

I'm only rating this 2 stars as opposed to 1 because this theatre plays shows later than others around it.  I'm starting to learn the downside of SD in comparison to LA -- movie theaters aren't high on the priority list of keeping up to speed with the movie going experience.
1 - Martin P.: Here on vacation, had a lovely dinner in Old Town, looked for a nearby theater at which to see Hugo.  I figured an AMC had to be a pretty decent standard multiplex.  Wrong.  Parking is a problem -- highly congested.  Lines for tickets are long and slow (unless you go downstairs, go past the ticket taker, and buy your tickets inside -- you figure it out).  Seating is not slanted, so you don't see over the head of the person in front of you.  And the last ten rows in the theater remain brilliantly lit up by floor lighting which is a huge distraction (except to insiders who bring their own material and lay it out on the floor to cover the lights...).  This place is packed, so there must be a reason.  I suspect the only game in town.
3 - Greg G.: Annoying when there are stains on the screen that detract from the movie.  But nice that this place wasn't too crowded on saturday night and we were able to get our tickets.
4 - Lila Z.: Not sure why all the hate for this place. The theater is a little older but all things considered, still the best deal. Now that they've turned the Del Mar Ultrastar into CougarIsHungryLand and altogether demolished the Flower Hill Ultrastar, this is the only place in the vicinity for one to watch a movie.

The box office lines are usually short and go quickly. Parking is never an issue (you might not park right in front but there are spots towards the back. Walk a little...you are going to be sitting for the next 2.5 hours. Before/after the movie, you can easily walk to a number of restaurants for a nice meal and drink.
2 - Angela D.: The place needs heavy remodeling. Came here with some friends to watch Mission Impossible since the location is close to my house. I was pretty surprised not to see stadium style seating....I can't remember the last time I went to an AMC and they didn't have this.  The seats weren't the comfortable needless to say. Also there was some blemishes on the actual screen and it irritated the hell out of me during the course of the film.

I wouldn't recommend it, I'd drive a little out of the way to see a movie at a larger, more updated theater.
4 - stella l.: Nice theater! I wish there is a kids popcorn that is smaller. I can never finish the whole bag!   
      
     Eh,nothing unusual or anything. I don't know what to say.
4 - Danny W.: Yeah parking kinda sucks, and yeah there's no stadium seating, but I totes dig this theater. Never had a bad overall experience. 

They've usually got a great selection of the latest flicks, the staff is 10 times friendlier than any theater I've ever been to, and it's rare that there's a crowd on account of the theater being slightly hidden. 

A bag of fresh popcorn, and the latest Jonah Hill flick here, and I'm a happy camper.
4 - Lena K.: I am a fan. Pretty close to everything and has some good grub in the area. Never had a problem there, also got a seat and didn't have to wait too long in line.

Minus one star because their nachos were stale.
4 - Kristen E.: Tip to save money:  Go to the movies matinee (before noon) on the weekends, it's only $6.  My friend and I have made it a tradition to go to the movies on Sunday mornings so we can avoid the $11 insane ticket prices.  There are also less people that go at that time too, so it's never crowded and nobody ever sits right in front of you.

This movie theatre isn't the best I've ever been to, but it's very close to where I live and I have no complaints.  There's a good selection at the concessions stand and yes, prices are insane there too, but they are at every movie theatre.  Their popcorn is good and they will give you free cups of water (I've been to other places where they won't even give you a cup for water, you have to buy a bottle).

The staff has always been nice and the people at the concession stands are always nice about giving you an extra box to share the popcorn.  There are tons of stalls in the bathroom which is great.  I don't know what more I'd want out of a movie theatre :)
4 - Christina K.: One of the smaller theaters in San Diego but good theater for being so close to UCSD. I've several movies here and I've never been disappointed with service or sound. Good atmosphere if you really want to watch a movie without having to drive an extra 15 minutes.
4 - Carlo R.: I like AMC.. yeah it doesn't have theatre seating but it's a pretty convenient movie theatre to get in and out of and is pretty clean and always have the newest movies! 

I highly recommend parking underground as it makes your trip a lot easier!
3 - Mandy D.: Like, whoa, it is totally like going back to 1992 here.  The theaters are "flat", not that fancy stadium seating that you're used to now a days, so be prepared to not be able to see the lower edge of the screen, since it'll be blocked by the person in front of you's head.

Other than that, it's pretty typical.
3 - Dan D.: Honestly...I don't hang out in La Jolla/UTC often...maybe 6-12 times a year...but I had NO idea this mall even existed.  Went here for the first time for a Movie and a Brewski event and although I was not thrilled with the pic....I had a good time here.  Nothing I would go out of my way for but at least I know it exists now.  Parking is pretty easy in-n-out....didn't check out the mall otherwise but it is close to everything in LJ/UTC.  It's a theater people...nothing more...nothing less.
3 - Christine K.: Tip: Park in the underground garage outside of best buy and just walk to the theatre.  So much better than fighting with people outside.  

Good selection of movies, decent concessions, pretty clean, no crowds, and also the only theatre around here.  Unfortunately, the theaters I've been to didn't have stadium seating...hate flat theaters.
1 - Alex L.: They're showing "The Raid: Redemption" in SD? Sweet!

Oh, and it's in La Jolla? Let me get my fancy 1% hat on.

Wait...what the eff...?

Small theaters inside a sad-looking building that looks like an illegal patio extension with a mall-theme. An empty deserted mall-theme. Guess not-having stadium seating is the new stadium seating. No worries, since no one is sitting in front of me. 

Wait.

What's that smell? Is that drunk guy in front peeing himself?

WHY DID YOU LET IN A GUY WHO'S CLEARLY DRUNK AND SMELLS OF URINE INTO YOUR THEATER, AMC?

Avoid this theater if possible. Parking can be horrible outside (go underground to avoid some of the insanity). Bring a blue tarp to cover your seat as it may be soaked with human urine.

Popcorn was not bad.
3 - Lindsey B.: A little hard to find, its located literally in the middle of the shopping center. Decent prices, considering how pricey movies are now days. I go here only because it's the closest to my house. Not much to complain about but not much to praise either.
3 - Andy P.: I've definitely been to better AMCs and this one is kind of okay. Just okay. It's conveniently located near UCSD but that's the only perk. 

UCSD students, in case you're late to the game - go to Costco or the UCSD Box Office and buy the AMC Silver/Gold pass tickets. Don't pay retail price! It makes AMC happier but makes your wallet cry tears of sadness. Or look out on slickdeals for AMC deals!

Pros:
- Uhhh, they dont really check bags if you bring in food? Haha, clearly I've done this way more than I should, huh. Dont follow after my example, but I've never been bag checked. Just dont pack huge bulges of food...

Cons:
- The bathroom can be kinda disgusting at the end of the day. Yuck.
- The general screen size seems smaller than other AMCs. This may be just me.
- The sound quality is somewhat lacking too, but just by a little. I expected a little more crash boom bang. This may also still be just me.

In the end, if you read this review I'm really surprised you did. Who reads movie theater reviews? Just go already...watch the Avengers. Wait, I would rather do that at Edwards...
2 - Kevin P.: Very old typical 90's theater that is in a mad need to be updated. no stadium seating. Ticket counter guy was very friendly and helpful. cant quite remember his name though. ps dont get lost in bathroom.
3 - Eunice K.: I was expecting more out of this AMC, but maybe I just had my hopes up because I'm just a poor college student who had not gone to the theaters in way too long. 

I dared not try to go to the bathroom. Not like I had to go anyway. I never buy the popcorn, so I didn't buy anything. I stashed my own stack of snacks in my backpack (literally stashed) with 20 Capri Suns, Circus Animal Cookies, Manila Cookies, chips, and all, and they didn't check my bag. 

Sound system was not that great, and the seats weren't as much "stadium" like as I would have liked, but I still enjoyed my time watching The Avengers with my friends. 

Advice: Go buy your tickets at Costco, but for $11 a ticket, I guess it's not too bad..
1 - Garrison S.: When I first moved here, I thought AMC was a theater with reputation but the reality disappoints me. This theater sucks. Ridiculous price, tiny screen, lazy staff. Countless cons. Maybe i need some time to find an alternative, otherwise a theater like this only worse my mood. Totally unacceptable.
3 - Shimon T.: I grew up in an area that had nothing to do but go to the movies most days, so I do care about a great movie-going experience.

Staff: Friendly. They tell you when you are up for deals on your AMC rewards cards etc. They dont hastle you, especially if you are bringing in a bag full of food (just dont make it painfully obvious)

Environment: Fair. Theater rooms are mostly clean, well kept. Bathrooms are clean.  Well air-conditioned. Sometimes the floor lights in the walk-ways stay on and that can be annoying if you are in the wrong seat. 

Prices - about the same for what you will find in the SD area. As other reviewers have pointed out - do the Costco tickets for cheaper. Food is per usual overpriced. If looking to sneak food in, ralphs is right next door and "interestingly" sells cheap candy, hot dogs, sandwiches!! Coincidence?? Perhaps not. Can also go the Chipotle burrito route, but common thats just being rude!

Viewing experience : I find the screens actually SUPERIOR to Edwards (the gold standard?) on multiple screens for some reason. Sound is lacking at times - either WAY too loud or not loud enough. Cmon AMC, you should figure this out already!

For some one who lives close to UCSD, this is the ideal movies destination that is close by (save gas and time) has parking (saves haslte) and is near nice places afterwards like Golden Spoon or Ralphs for snacks before or after. 

Overall Edwards is probably superior in this area, but there are times where you just dont feel like driving for miles to get there, putting up with all the loud and obnoxious teenagers,  praying the whole time there will be parking.
2 - Juan F.: Probably the worse AMC I've been to so far. Not only was the theater really small and janky, but parking outside sucks too! Whoever designed the outside parking must've been on something!!
4 - Teresa N.: Nope, no stadium seating but I don't care.

Yup, really small theater but I don't care.

PARKING - READ THIS
Do not try to park outside Ralph's and fight for a parking spot because you don't need to. There is a big underground garage that is connected to the theater. Where is it? Right next to Jamba Juice, you will see it ;)
4 - Shalini G.: small theaters
free refill on large soda and/or popcorn
current films
$6 matinee price
very friendly staff
clean, swanky restrooms

i like this place a lot!!!!
3 - Lillian C.: I went to watch The Dark Knight Rises movie here with a few friends. It was my first time coming to this particular theater, and I was caught off guard by what small theaters there were. It wasn't stadium seating either, so everyone was seated on the same level. Although it's not my personal preference, it's nice when you want to be in a cozy atmosphere. Small and quaint!
4 - Krista H.: Love this theater.  Very convenient location and always clean.  Free unlimited refills on large popcorn... very important considering the cost of theater snacks.  Get the AMC card for rebates and specials.
4 - Steve F.: While a bit out of the way for me - and with parking being the way it is at La Jolla Village Square (that is, horrendous) - I have to admit, this theater isn't that bad.  I've never had a bad experience here; while there isn't any stadium seating, at least the seats are comfy.  Added bonus: as the AMC La Jolla 12 is a bit hidden in the mall, there's rarely a crowd here (then again, I did catch an afternoon showing of Taken 2).

Clean restrooms, tidy theaters, and proximity to Islands, Fins, and several other restaurants in the area in case you want something to eat after your movie... yes, I'm a fan!

AMF College Park Lanes - College Park, MD (38.999888, -76.930498) ()
3 - laura w.: Ohhh....where do I begin. This place is hilarious. It's duckpin bowling. If you go on a sunday night when business is slow, the owner/manager will tell you that she's going to close up early cause not enough people are coming in. It's the cheapest fun you can have in 28 minutes (after that they shoo you out because you are the last people in there.)

It's like regular bowling, but the balls are small and wooden, and you try to hit small pins in 3 tries. At this particular location, there is nothing modern or electronic about it. They give you a paper score card! What a flashback to the 70s. Wait for the Will Ferrell movie. It's coming.
3 - Aaron S.: brought the whole family, it was good fun and was not too expensive. I have kids ranging from six years old to eighteen years old and they all enjoyed themselves.

They were doing remodeling so the whole place was not open; they are finally upgrading the scoring systems so you do not have to figure it out on paper!
4 - Beneeta D.: I went here with my 2 boys and was excited to see the duckpins. This place has obviously been remodeled and its really nice, half duckpins half regular bowl. The computer system has a cute thing for kids like a cartoon between every throw--my kids didn't really notice it but it was cute!-- One star off for service, they weren't slow or anything but I got the "I don't want to be here" impression from the cashiers. We'll be back and maybe they'll be a little more pleasant!
4 - Lauren B.: We went here yesterday morning to use up a Groupon.  The place looks a little scary from the outside, but the interior was clean and inviting.  Half the alley is duckpin bowling and the other half is regular.  We had to reset the pins a few times, but it did not take long at all to get things back on track.  It was a very reasonable morning and we will be back.  Note that on Tuesdays all games are $1.79 each.  Can't get better than that!
2 - Kurt I.: DUCKPIN BOWLING!  This is seriously the coolest thing I've done in a while. Wiki it if you have no idea what it is. So you ask why the 2 stars?

#1- I called the day before to inform the place that we (my 2 young sons and i) were driving over 150 miles and one of the reasons was to check out duckpin bowling.  They didn't care - no reservations, 'but if you come at 4PM you wont have any problem getting a lane'.  So we came at 4PM the next day - no duckpin lanes available. "come after 9PM" sigh

#2 - Place was full of lousy people.  We shared a space with a family of 9.  They took over the whole bench area, left trash all over, and discarded their bowling shoes all over the bench area when they were done. The staff was no better - the people behind the counter were complaining "about the damned people who don't speak english"

#3 - $45 for 3 of us to bowl 2 games.  Really?  That seems way steep - at my local place its a few cents under $20 for the three of us.

#4 - The game kept being stopped by "call the front desk" notes in the scoring.  Apparently the guy at the register entered it wrong initially.  After he had fixed it, he apparently still did it wrong again - hence another "call the front desk" and frozen game.

#5 - It is sketchy as hell looking outside.  I almost didn't go in.  It is nicer inside, but wow, damn, outside makes it look shady mcgrady.

Would I come again?  Yes actually - duckpin bowling is just that cool and when I come to DC I stay just down the street.  However I'll be a bit more prepared for the lousy experience of it all - perhaps come with a well concealed bottle from the liquor store, that will make anything bearable.
2 - Gertrude G.: My hubby and I bought a Groupon for two because it seemed like fun - it gave us two hours of unlimited bowling.  We then had our niece and nephew (9 and 6) with us one night, and they wanted to go bowling. We figured that we could pay for the two of us with the Groupon and pay for the kids regularly. The manager refused to do this, stating that the kids would be pay-by-the-game, and we were pay-by-the-hour, and the two could not mix on the same lanes. They really could have cared less about trying to work something out.

If it weren't for the kids disappointment, we would have left right there. We went ahead and played, paying the usual price for all four of us. We played one game for an hour. (the 6-year-old doesn't bowl very hard!) Then we left. The kids had a good time, which was the main goal of the whole thing. The place was relatively clean and not a bad place to go bowling. 

Clearly, the management could have worked something out for us to use our Groupon if they wanted to - we were willing to lose an hour of bowling! Duckpin is fun, but I like the White Oak lanes better.

I can't say we'll never go back, but I definitely made sure that we got our Groupon refunded so we wouldn't have to go there again anytime soon.

APPU's Indian Food Cart - Austin, TX (30.2868863, -97.7417459) (The Drag, University of Texas, West Campus)
5 - Moh R.: Dramatized version:

So, I was walking back  from SXSW (ya know how craazy it gets there) and was craaving some good spicy food, when voila, like an angel, Appu's cart apparated in front of me. Oh my. I quickly ordered myself a paneer tikka roll before it disappeared like cindrella's carriage. Well, I shouldn't have worried. Soon after, I was handed my roll in shiny foil. As I dug in, my taste buds cried out in joy. This was no run of the mill roll... it was a well thought out combination of spices and vegetables (and paneer) grilled to perfection. Not too dry... not too drippy. All enclosed in a thick pita kind of bread. And despite all that sxsw spending, my wallet was not crying! I went home a satisfied man... and slept like a baby.

Plain truth:
It was delish. price on par with other trailer food places. I sleep like a baby.
4 - Divya D.: Appu's  is great food cart for some quick Indian food! The menu is nice and simple and everything tastes really good. My favorite is the paneer roll, but i like the chicken biryani as much. Very affordable to students I think! The biryani specially is a lot stuffed into the box.

They accept credit cards, UT co-op parking is very close to Appu's and has 30 min free parking and have specials from time to time. It all works out great. 

I would definitely recommend Appu's to my friends.

ARMSTRONG WES DDS - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.282227, -120.654929) ()
5 - Dawn Dan Q.: Our entire family have been going to Dr Armstrong for over 20 years!! He's a great dentist he is on top of new procedures and a great conversationalist.
5 - Jen P.: Like many others, going to the dentist gives me anxiety!  Dr. Armstrong is the best and I am so glad I have him for a dentist.   I actually drive up from San Diego to have my dental work done.  My mother, brother, and I have been going here for years.  Dr. Armstrong gets things done very quickly and is always on-time with appointments.  They take insurance, but also offer a cash discount if you don't have insurance.  Very professional, but also very personable (always asks how the family is, how school is going, etc.).

AS220 Community Print Shop - Providence, RI (41.8232926, -71.4151726) (DownCity)
5 - Natalie K.: I took the Intro to Letterpress class here, taught by Morgan. It was fun and easy-going, and Morgan was great about showing us the basics and letting us experiment and make mistakes. Taking the class allows you to become a member of the shop which I plan on doing at some point (maybe this summer). A fantastic resource for anyone interesting in printing!

ASA Hair Design - Cambridge, MA (42.372692, -71.1199215) (Harvard Square)
5 - Damita S.: This is a great place to get a haircut. I've been getting my haircut by Elizabeth. She is pleasant, easygoing and does a great job. They work with all hair types and there's a stylist for everyone. When she first cut my hair I freaked out because, even though it was exactly what I asked for, I had never had it cut that short before. But once I got past the initial shock, I was pleased with how great it turned out!!

From what I hear, Chris is an amazing hairstylist and colorist. Many people adore him.
5 - Irene R.: LOVE THEM!!!
I have curly hair and people always try and straighten it before they cut it.  So many stylists have no idea what to do.  But Gina was great, she had some great ideas and did a great job. 
I feel totally at ease when she cuts my hair and trust her ideas.
5 - s p.: This is the first review I've ever written for Yelp! I've been tempted before, but after having a really great experience at Asa Hair Design today, and realizing how outdated their reviews are, I'm finally taking the plunge.

Here goes.

I called to make an appointment at Asa and was greeted by a friendly soul who offered me some options and quickly booked me for the next day. I arrived and was warmly received by Nina, who seems to be sort of my ideal stylist-- warm and full of advice, but not intrusive or overbearing. She talked to me about my hair and the cut I'd like, listening carefully, and offered me a magazine to flip through while she clipped away. Perfect! When I looked up later, my hair had been freed from straggly ends, and Nina, after giving me some advice about styling, asked me if I wanted anything special. I emerged from the salon soon after, into the Cambridge sleet, with beautifully curled, tousled hair-- really a miracle given my stick-straight tresses. Nina did such a great job and, further, really seemed to enjoy her work and loved giving me advice. I am definitely going back to her.

Pros: 
*great great deal. my shampoo, cut, style, and blow-dry was only $45.
*good location.
*despite being in the Garage, the space is cozy & pretty.
*the staff is super-friendly & warm.
*full service: tucked into the salon are a really great spa (so I hear) and a shiatsu masseuse. 
*Nina is fantastic! 

Cons:
*n/a.
4 - Rachel W.: I was an hour early when I walked into ASA hair design, but I wanted to see if I could get immediate service since I was on a tight schedule. The greeter was so nice and checked the schedule book and in less than 2 minutes, found a hair stylist that could work with me right away. My hair stylist's name was Gina and she was very nice, handed me a glass of water, talked with me about how I wanted to cut my hair. When she began cutting my hair, she seemed a little amateur when she didn't really know what brush to use and handled my hair a little awkwardly. I began to think it wasn't the smartest idea to come in an hour early, since I was schedule to have a different hair stylist. After she finished cutting my hair, she started to blow dry it and in the end the end result was EXACTLY what I had pictured my hair to look like after the cut. She might have seemed a little awkward, but the haircut turned out great (shampoo, trim, blow dry...I have long thick hair) and only cost me $45. I was very satisfied!
5 - Amanda G.: Chris cut my hair and made it look better than it has in ages!  He is experienced and an excellent conversationalist.  He's just a genuinely nice person and made my experience fun and worthwhile, which is hard to do with a measly haircut! The cut was $45...a great price for a true professional!

Originally, I was going to go to Alfred Harvard Square Salon because it had great reviews, but when I called, they were a little rude (+ a cut there is $60!!!).  Looking for a cheaper (and friendlier) alternative, I decided to call ASA, located in the Garage on the second floor.  I think after five years in Cambridge I've finally found a salon I'm willing to go back to.

It was great.  When I got there, I was asked if I needed anything and chatted with the receptionist.  He was very friendly and fun to talk to.  Even the shampooing was great and included a little "massage".  Overall, my haircut experience was actually fun, which was unexpected.  I think I'll go back for some coloring in the next few months.  I would definitely recommend it!
5 - Robert L.: I highly recommend Gina for shiatsu massage.  I was flying from SF to Paris on vacation and stopped in Boston for the day.  While at Harvard campus, i walked in and made an appointment.  It was one of the best treatments i have ever had.  I felt amazing afterwards, plus i didn't have to take my clothes off or get oiled up and then need a shower.  And, she does amazing hair cuts too.  Multi talented and very friendly.  My mini spa day was so much fun, that i will definately be back when ever i am in town again.  Until then, thank you so much and all the best!
5 - Jessica B.: I had a really pleasant experience at this salon. I called to see if anyone had canceled on a day with terrible weather, and they were able to see me shortly after. I'm not sure if it was because I was the only customer there, but Chris the stylist and the shampooist whose name I missed were really attentive but not in an overbearing or forced sort of way. 

Chris listened carefully to what I wanted and verified it by looking through a few pictures with me (ones that were from this decade, no less) before jumping in. I think a lot of times people get cuts that are *close* to what they wanted but not exactly right becasue the way they describe it is slightly different than how the stylist would understand it. Looking at pictures may seem old school but I think it really made a difference. The cut is a little shorter than I was anticipating, but the style and shape of it is so perfect that I'm actually glad it will take a little longer to grow out. I've found that most of the time stylists get pretty close to what I think I'm describing, but this was the first time that someone actually nailed it.

I have to note the decor - it's this odd little combination of rustic and urban with flattering lighting. I can see why this salon has such high reviews - I left with an awesome haircut and I actually enjoyed my time there as well.
5 - Jill K.: Let me preface this review of ASA by saying that Dougie Freeman (an amazing stylist and colorist at the salon) gave me the single greatest hair appointment of my life.

If you are looking for someone you can feel comfortable with and someone who understands all types of hair to the fullest extent, then please make an appointment with Dougie.  His approach is truly masterful - as soon as we met, he was incredibly attentive and approachable and knew exactly what my hair needed.  Dougie is a stylist who listens to his clients, always imparts his creativity to your benefit, and strives to make you look wonderful.  My appointment was at 6PM and Dougie stayed well beyond closing time to ensure that my full head of highlights was perfect.  I immediately scheduled a haircut with him for this week and can't wait.

Dougie is only at ASA on Tuesdays and Wednesdays because he sees clients at his own salon in Provincetown the other days of the week (westendsalon.com).  I would book early with him if you can - I know I was lucky to get an appointment - and if you would like to learn more about Dougie as a stylist then look him up!  He is internationally known and it's because he's unbelievably talented and really connects with his clients.

I had never heard of ASA Hair Design before scheduling my appointment last week.  I was forever an Aveda girl, but after a disappointing experience at the Athena Aveda salon on Boylston, I am now 100% an ASA client and a Dougie client.  I called ASA one afternoon and was able to snag an evening appointment that same day!  The individual I spoke with on the phone was extremely accommodating and warm and said I'd look completely fabulous later after Dougie did my highlights.  He was absolutely right...

When I arrived at ASA's beautiful loft space in Harvard Square's Garage that evening, I was greeted by the very polite staff who offered refreshments, magazines, and even asked if they could order me take-out as my appointment was running into dinnertime hours.  Talk about going above and beyond.  I would recommend ASA Hair Design to anyone for Dougie's expertise particularly but also for the welcoming atmosphere and ambience of the salon.
5 - Maxeme T.: Dougie and Svetlana are my two new favorite people!
5 - Vanessa D.: Every few months when I go to have my hair cut and colored I'm looking to have the full experience.  I want it to be like a relaxing visit to the spa.  My appointment with Dougie was just that.   I left feeling refreshed and in love with my new locks.  

He agreed to meet me a bit earlier than usual which I really appreciated.  He's only in Cambridge two days a week and with my work schedule I would not have been able to meet him otherwise.  He was warm and friendly throughout the appointment.  I cannot stress this enough!!  He had lots of interesting stories to tell and I was constantly entertained.    

Dougie had a lot of good ideas for my hair so he worked with me in determining the best plan of action.  He cut off the bottom few inches of my hair, and added some nice subtle highlights.  My hair is still long, it's just healthy now and I no longer have unsightly roots :)  He also styled my hair with way more volume than it has ever had before.  It was a little overwhelming at first, but  it calmed down throughout the day, and by that night my curls had the prefect level of bounce.  I now know a great new way to pump my hair up!

Also worth noting, he gives a great scalp massage when shampooing your hair!  Just remember that if you want to leave a tip on your credit or debit card, that you have to tell them before they run it!  You can't just write it on.  If you forget you can just tell them and they will re-run it.
5 - Kelly W.: Still love Chris and all the staff and Asa...just got a new haircut (I'm often pretty boring in my hairstyle choices) and it looks GREAT and Chris did EXACTLY what I wanted. The highlights are amazing, as usual. Most of the world thinks it is real blonde hair!  Cannot recommend Chris and Asa more highly!!!!!!
4 - sammie j.: TO THE POINT REVIEW:

PROS:
Respectful of customers time, being time efficient by not handling too many customers, taking too many breaks or having a lack of organization which means I'm out the door faster, unlike other salons.

Friendly staff overall, so I never felt uncomfortable. To be more precise, Dougie who was my hair colorist was engaging but not excessively where I couldn't enjoy my pampering time.

Beautiful dye job.

Not too expensive.

Accessible via the subway

CONS:

Better to take the T here because you will pay like $8.00 for parking w/ a discount

I am of African decent and came to Dougie for a hair dye job. I wanted more of a caramel blond color but I received a bronze blond shade, however to date this hair color is the most complimented compared to priors. The highlighting job was done beautifully. However the straightening of my hair,(I am natural aka no relaxer) was decent but I've experienced better straightening results at Black hair salons. However when consulting with Dougie about hair colors, he was very open to my wishes to satisfy me as a client but would also give feedback to choose best color for me.

I definitely will be back for future dye jobs.
5 - Sara G.: I impulsively wanted to cut off the long hair I've had for my entire life. I decided to call any place that was open at that moment with good reviews on Yelp. I was a drop-in and a new client, and  had my hair cut by Geeta. My request was super vague - ("I want short hair- anything from a bob to a poofy pixie cut") - and with that information - she gave me the best haircut of my life. I have a stacked bob that is longer in the front (where it's chunky and wavy 'cause that's how my hair rolls). Finally, the cost was very reasonable, especially considering how much time and effort she put in to the final product. Thanks, Geeta!!
3 - Joanna C.: It's hard for me to give this place anything but 3 stars because I typically judge a salon on the cut, but I didn't even get that far at ASA Hair Design. Unfortunately my stylist didn't show up on time because there must have been a miscommunication about the time. I waited for 30 minutes and gave up. But you know what, miscommunications happen. We're all human, and I have no hard feelings about that. 

What bothered me about Asa is that it seemed like no one knew what was going on. There was no receptionist, and the hair dressers that were manning the desk were more concerned with what they were going to get for lunch, then the fact that I was waiting there. Then when I asked whether I still had an appointment, the woman I spoke to when I arrived looked at me confused as if she had no idea what I was talking about. It seems like this salon is very disconnected, everyone fends for themselves and has no interest in helping each other out. I don't like the lack of team effort here which is what really turned my off from Asa. Also, the style of the salon itself needs some organization. There was a massage chair I nearly walked into when arriving. This place needs a little TLC.
1 - Andrea P.: Well I felt good walking into the salon...but have kind of felt like crying the 5 days since! I wanted a cut and color, and felt confident that we had decided on a perfect shade for me. Saw samples and even a photo, great!

Somehow that didn't translate into what I received. Multiple shades darker, and not even the correct tone of reddish brown that we discussed (or that was being excitedly spoken of during the processing.). Best part? The top half of my hair isn't even the same color as the bottom half! It's an interesting look, to say the least.

I will never return to Nina (I believe this was her name, but I tore up the card soon after getting home out of depression.) It's a shame I didn't get the great experience everyone else had here.

Also- why are the mirrors so high that I can only see my nose and above? Was my chair just crazy low?
2 - Rey R.: This place is not actually easy to find, it is on the second floor of a mall...

Gina is calm, nice and patient, she takes her time which might be good sometimes, but for me, I did not like the results. It kinda wasted my time, 70 MINUTES working on my hair, really??? Doesn't it mean that she cannot do it right for men? I am a man though, maybe she is good for girl styles, idk. I was really embarrassed by my hairs since it was too short (I could cut my hair like that myself in 5 minutes, using a machine). I really wish never went there and I DO NOT recommend this place FOR MEN.

ASPC Coop Store - Claremont, CA (34.0992181, -117.7135446) ()
4 - Justin M.: It's admittedly grandiose to call the ASPC Coop Store either a department store or a grocery store.  But for the students of the Claremont Colleges, it serves as both: in addition to selling Pomona College sweaters, hoodies, beanies, shirts, shorts, pants, socks, and other Pomona merchandise, the Coop Store carries water, soda, tea, coffee, Naked Juice, energy drinks, frozen meals, Ben & Jerry ice cream, chips, rice cakes, and your standard convenience store's repertoire of candy.  The Coop also sells office supplies, cigarettes, and Diva Cups (it's a licensed retailer).  

DVD's are available for a dollar a day, for Pomona College students only.  Game room equipment, including a Nintendo 64 and about ten games, four sets of billiard balls with cues, chalk, and triangles, and foos balls are available to all students, and can be lent out with an ID card.  

In general, the employees are good natured and helpful, and it's fairly easy to find things in the store.  If you can't, just ask an employee; they'll check in the back for you.  Also, keep an eye out for special deals and sales: for one day near the end of the semester, the Coop offers a 25% discount, and it's also offered discounted DVD rental rates.  

In general, the Coop is a vehicle to a good time: you can get a snack to smuggle in to a theatre performance or a game, you can borrow some equipment for a game, and you can keep yourself from starving.  It's a good place if you're in search of mixers, your cigarette fix, or gifts for people back home or prospective students.
5 - Susan P.: A really good selection of naked juice which blow vons selection out of the water!!!! 

The rest of the stuff is usual college paraphernalia and microwaveable food and snacks for students on campus.

One reason why all the girls should hit this place up is the divacup. Sorry to all the guys to whom this might be way tmi. 

Gals of the 5cs if u havent tried it yet stomp on over here for the diva cup after u google it. It may be a little pricey but it really is worth it. I'm not sure where else u can find it conveniently....

ASUC Berkeley Art Studio - Berkeley, CA (37.8698311969632, -122.259818315506) (UC Campus Area)
5 - Philip H.: I would marry this place if I could legally marry a ceramics studio.  Oh yeah--look for the awesome genitalia mobile at the front door.
2 - Pepe H.: I took two classes, photography and drawing. Teachers were very laid back and I was not impressed at all with the courses.

The photo guy spent his classes showing his own pictures and commenting about the different people... then next day he tried to do the same with the same pics and we had to tell him we already saw them. I mean, he was not prepared for his class in any way. The drawing guy was better, but still I did not have the impression of learning much, it ended up being just an excuse to spend some hours drawing. The prices are fine but I would expect a bit better for $140
5 - Sisi C.: Okay, I may be a bit biased because I'm a pretty regular member of the studio, but this place is wonderful.  If you really want to get into ceramics, this place will provide not only the facilities to do so, but also a warm friendly, and encouraging environment for you to express your creativity.  

However, if you're not prepared to invest time into the art, then it may be kind of frustrating. Ceramics, especially throwing, takes a lot of time to get some working proficiency. 

Although the classes are expensive, you get access to the studio during all opening hours and it's still wayyyy cheaper than the Berkeley Potters' Studio. All glazes and firings are free.  You only pay for clay, but even that you can recycle from the recycle buckets. 

The facilities include: 
wheels (electric and kickwheels)
kilns
extruder
slab roller
lots of plaster molds for general use
lots of different kinds of glazes, oxides, etc for general use.
2 - Will A.: Saw a photography class that is right for me.,saw it started in three days, and signed up.  

Get to the class last night, guy tells me "oh, yeah, that class was canceled... didn't you get the email?" My answer was no.

He asks, "When did you sign up?"  I said... I signed up on Monday and showed him my confirmation receipt.  He then said, "Oh, yeah, we sent out the notice before this".  Somebody needs to do a better job on the website.

So, for now, they get two stars (at least my card hasn't been charged yet).  When I actually sign up for a class that isn't already canceled, I will then provide an equally honest review of it.
5 - Alice A.: I miss taking classes at ASUC Berkeley Art Studio.  Over the years I have taken several drawing and painting classes, a B&W photography class, and the last one was the poetry writing class that led me to attempt writing poems such as this:

Apparently people were offended by my poem, so I had to replace it with the following condensed version:

(blah blah blah...
blah
blah blah blah)

I think it's necessary for the soul to engage in a creative process to grow and thrive, even if you might not be great at it (case in point here).  I love that UC Berkeley offers this option for a wide range of interest for artists and writers in all of us, and with the recent fee hikes and funding cuts in the UC system, I fear for the future of this great creative community.
4 - b l.: The Book Binding class has been worthwhile. I was able to learn a number of stitches and methods. The teachers were knowledgeable and generous with their time and resources. As a result of the class. I finished a 300pp hand bound, hand stitched "Wedding Guestbook" order. I have also grown to respect handmade books.
5 - Jen W.: The ASUC Art Studio is an incredible community resource, and a fabulous place to spend time.  It's open to the public in addition to Cal students, and in my mind it has "best-kept secret"/"really-shouldn't-miss" status when I think about the things I love about Berkeley.

I started taking ceramics classes there last fall and love it there.  To gain access to the studio, you have two options: 1) you can pay a flat fee for unlimited studio access, including unlimited access to their glazes and unlimited firing, or 2) you can pay $10 more and register for a class, which includes six two-hour classes and unlimited studio access.  They're both great deals if you throw a fair amount.

The ceramics studio has a great range of classes, from beginning/intermediate classes where you learn and solidify your basics, to special topic classes that focus on one particular issue (like a type of form, firing, or glazing) for more advanced students.  They're mostly focused on pottery, but there are classes for figure sculpture and handbuilding, etc. as well.  The teachers have all been excellent.  They're experienced, thoughtful, and great at pitching their observations and critiques to your experience level.  I feel like they can look at what I'm throwing and know immediately how I'm (in)experienced, and their feedback's always completely on point.  One of my favorite things about working in this studio is that many of the teachers also work as studio techs (handling firing and other maintenance in the studio), so when you're at the studio during "free time" and have questions/problems, there's always somebody on hand and happy to help.

There's also just a great sense of community being here.  As a beginner, I was a little intimidated coming in; pottery was something I'd always wanted to try, but I was honestly kind of scared to do it.  There are potters in the community who have been coming here for years, and they're modest, approachable, and friendly.  People are always bringing in snacks and leaving them on the shelf for everybody else to share.  People are constantly giving each other ideas, or asking each other what they did when they see something they like.  A woman whose name I didn't even know lent me a book because she overheard me say I wanted to try something.  I've been there when the atmosphere's focused and quiet, and when it's chaotic and chatty, but it's always a welcoming place to be.  If I could just find a gym with the same vibe, I'd be set.

If you've ever wanted to learn to throw pots, or if you've been meaning to get back into it, this is the perfect place to do it.
5 - Lisa K.: I took a beginning pottery class here over the summer, and I really loved. it. The instructors here are great, and you learn a lot in a 6-week course. If you are a Cal student, you can take classes at a discounted rate, which includes unlimited studio time. I only hope that I'll have more time in the future to come back here.
3 - new b.: Life drawing class pluses:

- Three hours a week of drawing, with occasionally insightful remarks by instructor about drawing practice, handling media, and formal elements like line quality, contrast, and composition
- Slides of figure drawing before or during class
- Drawing can really improve over the course

Life drawing class minuses:

- Desultory critiques
- Course is short, just 5 weeks or so
- Instructor uses the time for her own drawing, and gives very little individual feedback or attention
- No course evaluation form at the end of class -- which gives the impression that these classes are just a cash cow for UCB.

ASUW Experimental College - Seattle, WA (47.6547504347739, -122.301864624023) (University District)
4 - Robyn H.: When I get bitten by the knowledge bug, this is the place I go to find a class that is informative, creative and fun.  No credit for these classes equals no stress and I'm all about keeping stress at a minimum.  The EC is always adding new classes and instructors so there's always something unusual I haven't tried yet.  Taking a class at the Experiemental College helps to chase those winter blues away and keeps my brain from losing too much grey matter.
4 - Maria C.: Lifelong learning, gotta love it. I learned German through Experimental College before I went to Germany - actually, just enough to read signs and ask my way around and buy things, but it was really nice to take the class without worrying about a grade. I also took a graphic arts class years ago and love pouring over the catalog when it comes in the mail. I don't want to be the smartest person in the world, I just want to know everything. Experimental College helps ;-)
5 - Cathy G.: just got the new catalogue. Good classes, although it has really gotten smaller in the past few years! I am going to teach a class next fall. Some of the same instructors are teaching who taugh tfo rmany years: Margaret McAndrew  she is great! I loved her ballet class! ! Nils Osmar!

OOPs better make that a 5!
5 - SArah L.: I love the EC.  They have great teachers, the ones I have personally taken are Michelle Badion (dance),   Cossette Le Ceil (Tai Chi), Nils Osmar (art, writing, acting), Jim Altengarten (photography), and about 200 others.  The classes cover an amazing range, everything from cooking to filmmaking to Capoeria fight dancing.

I remember the days when the EC was "the" alternative school in Seattle, it was really the only school in those days. Hundreds of people would wait in line on the first day of registrations to sign up.  That was over 20 years ago and the amazing thing is the school is still going strong, and a lot of the same instructors are still there.  It's a great school, really an asset to Seattle, and I'm happy it's still going after all these years.  An amazing amount of creative energy and good learning vibes in one place.

Since this is a review I should mention they were having problems a couple of years ago, a weird computer system that made it hard to register.  It was frustrating because I would try to sign up and couldn't.  But that's fixed now.
5 - Fei G.: I find the website very cool -- ExCo puts the effort to design a new website every quarter! It is 100% that this place is student run, and indeed a little disorganized -- but just because of the fact that it is student run and beating the less-expensive class rate! Gotta keep loving it, and help this non-profit student organization running for another 50 years! :D

My friend took a exercise dance class with Michelle Badion last quarter, and she loved it! Some instructors have been teaching with ExCo for 30+ years, and they always get 4+ star rating from students :) I feel the price is very worth them! :D

I wanna take that flirting 101 class in summer.. wouldn't that be lovely?

AT&T - Seattle, WA (47.6625377, -122.3007584) (University District)
1 - Eli G.: I visited this University Village store today in order to purchase a new SIM for my mother, who lost hers while traveling overseas. Prior to visiting, I was told by an AT & T phone rep (and two employees of this store) by phone that they would be able to sell me the new SIM, and migrate her phone over to it.

However, when I arrived, the young kid at the front desk said nope, no, they're all wrong. Not possible.  (Actually, when I arrived, the young kid ignored me for several minutes -- rather than saying something like "Welcome! I'll be with you in a moment" -- but we'll skip that step.)

He gave me some lame excuse about my mother being on a pre-Cingular AT &T plan, and said I'd have to sign a new two-year contract to receive a replacement SIM. He adamantly insisted that this was the case, and made no effort to solve the problem. In other words, he didn't know how to solve the problem himself, and therefore insisted it wasn't solvable - rather than get help or figure out how to actually fix it. (After all, it's really easy to be done with those pesky non-commissionable customer transactions if you don't actually help the customers, eh?)

I left the store, and called AT&T's main service number, who was able to resolve this supposedly "impossible" problem within 5 minutes, with a new SIM in the mail en route to my mother.

But with no thanks to the pathetic employee who "helped" me in this store, though.
1 - george s.: I must live in shadow of a hill or something.
Bad bar.
Dropouts.
Echoing.
What high tech?
4 - Kat F.: My phone decided to start shutting itself off, sending my calls straight to voice mail, deleting text messages before I could read them - so many cute things.  I took it by this store on my way home from work.

Girl looked at it, looked up my account, told me I was still under warranty and gave me the number for the warranty center so that they could ship me a new one.

3 days later, new phone.

Helpful, quick and friendly can't be beat.
1 - Maria C.: A dear friend of mine has great parking karma - something I don't possess. What I have is good people karma - the kind where I don't usually get the terrible waiters or surly store employees or run into the parents of screaming kids. I'm blessed, I know. 

Karma failed me at this store.  

When you walk in, any employee foolish enough to glance your way will just as quickly glance away to avoid having to say anything to you until they're damn good and ready. When they are ready, they will make a beeline to the person standing in front of the most expensive phone, regardless of the order in which customers arrive. They will rarely make any significant eye contact while helping you. 

Do not buy a GoPhone here. Do that online. If you want a GoPhone (that's a pre-paid phone) you are the lowest of the low. Why you want a prepaid phone in the first place is irrelevant. When you buy a new phone and have them switch over the phone number and give you a new SIM card because the old one jumped into a swimming pool along with its phone and owner, you will ask about the $50 airtime credit that comes with the new phone. They will tell you that the credit only comes with new phone activations. 15 minutes later in the car on the way home a message will appear on the new phone stating the $50 credit is now active. Yay for that. Boo for the employee.

Oh, and of course, since karma failed me in this store, we also had to endure 15 minutes of a mother with 3 very young children running around and screaming in the store while knocking things off racks and playing under counters while mommy said things like "oh you precious poppets" and "you are such sweet muffins." This isn't the fault of the AT&T store, but it does make me wonder if this store is indeed a swirling vortex of bad karma.
5 - Jenny F.: We had a tough phone switch scenario last night, and ended up at this store.  Wow.  What a crew!  

The first thing we noticed is their intentional knowledge of their products.  It was like having "Google search" on phones in person.  Braavo.

We noticed their staff being very patient with all of our questions, and helpful at the same time.  They were invested in our situation and wanted to find the best outcome for us. Incredible, and not common in 2009.  

We specifically worked with a gal named Caitlyn, who stayed late and worked hard to present all of the best options, and once again showed great patience in the process.  Since we were there late and kept saying we can go, they insisted that we stay there.  The guy was vacuuming at the end of the night, and the manager came and apologized for the extra noise there.  Uhhh...no problem...and I'm shocked that you apologized!  Thank you for being so focused on client relations.

Client relations was clearly the goal of the team last night; they go above and beyond.  Yes, they may be busy when you walk in (referencing the review below), and it is likely because they are working hard for the person in front of them.  Once you realize you aren't the only person on the planet, you can be patient as well...and they will help you.
5 - Samantha t.: I had an excellent experience at this store. I have been to this store several times mostly for account Change stuff and have always had a good experience even when the store was busy. Even when there were kids around. 

The staff has always been friendly and accommodating. Most recently I went in to upgrade my phone. They went above and beyond for me. 

Thanks again!
2 - Seattle Su n.: Went in today for some info on monthly iPhone plans.  Service = pretty darn unprofessional.  The gentleman wouldn't tell me what was included in the different plans at different levels, or what the plans cost.  He didn't have any printed materials, and refused to show me online, so I could track what he was saying.  I kind of felt like I was having a bad experience in one of the little shops that wants to rip you off in the Old City (Jerusalem).

In response to "What is the least expensive family plan available?", he just entered some numbers into the calculator and faced it to me:  "$119."   I knew his "calculator response" to was $60 (!!) more than what AT&T posts online.

His attitude was pretty unhelpful, and increasingly surly bordering on a little rude.

I could go on and on.  But now I have to go online and do more research since, apparently, the brick-and-mortar AT&T stores aren't really there to help.
1 - Edward T M.: If you're buying a phone and you're not going to have ANY problems with it, this is your place.

If you have any questions or if you have any problems, forget it.  They're not bad folks here, just completely unable to handle anything outside of a sale.

When I tried to get a defective iPhone looked at, I was told "I've never heard anyone say that", "You're doing it wrong" and "call Apple Care" (I had just told the guy I DID call Apple Care, and spent a total of 6 hours on the phone with them, 3 different calls, and Apple Care said go back and get another one. Glad the guy in the store was listening to me).

If you just want to get in, spend your money, and get out, this is your place.

If you want informed and intelligent service, go to the AT&T Store in Pacific Place instead. Those guys know what customer service is about.
5 - Gerald R.: This store is as good as it gets! 

I had a problem with registering my iPhone 4 that I bought at the Apple store because I have a business account and Apple can only do personal sales. The problem is they didn't tell that. The manager, Steve, at the AT&T store jumped right on that and called Apple and told them how to do it. Really good service considering that I didn't buy a thing at the AT&T store.
1 - Yago P.: ATT (not this store in particular) has the WORST service of any cell phone company in WA.

I regret that we moved away from Sprint.

If Yelp had less than 1 star I woulod be using that.
1 - Jen X.: these fucking morons managed to give me a new sim, activate it to my HUSBAND'S phone, and then turn his phone OFF.  thanks a fucking lot, assholes!  I have to wait 2 days to get a new one, now.  Never go here.
1 - Paul B.: Came into the store during the Apple iPhone 4s sales tirade. Obviously a busy time, but we stood in line to be helped.  Had a simple question not pertaining to sale, but a question about service... easy right? Well I got shunned by the nasty little manager that looks like the chef off of a can of Chef Boyardee... The manager lost an iPhone to this. Rather not go into details, but his exact words were "i don't understand what the big deal is [about the iPhone], it's just a phone right." Hello dude... You work in the phone business for a living!!! Thanks for the help...

Not to mention the guy was the manager.
1 - Maria W.: I have had the WORST experience with AT&T. I am so bummed I switched from T-Mobile.
1 - Alejandro V.: The worst!! The have two employees outside preventing you from coming into the store because they were busy! Little managing tip : you are busy because you have two employees outside the store instead of helping customer! Don't go to this store!
5 - AJay M.: They must have teleported the old store away and replaced it with a new one populated by evolutionarily advanced beings disguised as ATT employees!  

We've all heard the horror stories about ATT customer service, so I wasn't expecting much when I walked in with my old prepaid phone that I couldn't reactivate, even though I had valid airtime card.  However, as soon as I walked in, I was quickly acknowledged by one of the staff who asked how he could help as I got to the counter.  

To make a long story short, I explained my issue, handed over the phone and airtime card, and he was able to figure out that the SIM card had been canceled, causing my issues.  He very nicely installed a new, working SIM card without charge and got my airtime loaded, so I've got a working backup phone again.

Taking a frustrating customer problem and solving it on the spot with no hassle and no charge, now that's customer service! That's the best I've been treated in ANY cell phone store, not just ATT.  

I did notice that all the staff were rushing to open the front doors for the customers they'd been helping on their way out, so I still think it's plausible that all the staff have been replaced by very nice aliens...
4 - John C.: The overall rating of this place is very misleading and unfair.
Some of the reviews here are about at&t and have nothing to do with this location.
Which is very stupid to say the least. Now to talk about [
4 - Alice C.: Yelp, wheres the love??? I think I super lucked out when I came here yesterday with my Mom to get her switched over to AT&T and an iPhone 4. I've lucked out and had nothing but good luck with AT&T in their stores- Jose was who helped set up everything for my Mom yesterday, and he was nice, professional, super patient, and explained all the  details of setting up the new account and what my Mom could expect in the next couple of months for first time monthly payments and fees as well as the warrantees and return policies; I actually learned more here than I did  at the store where I set up my own AT&T account and moved off my Dads. 

Now, we were probably here about an hour and a half getting everything set up and information transferred over from T-Mobile to AT&T. Jose was nothing short of awesome. My Mom isn't what I would call tech savvy, and he answered all of her technical phone related questions without any condescending attitude and with nothing but total sincerity. He gets three whole stars to himself. The other staff was, from what I could see, just as patient with clients who came in, and everyone got helped within 5 minutes if all associates were occupied when someone came in. I'd go out of my way to come to this store.
5 - Cathy G.: super service today
no 'talking down'
straight forward explanations and quick assistance
that brings people back!
yahoo, thanks!

AT&T - Princeton, NJ (40.3143709, -74.6585268) ()
4 - C S.: We stopped here this morning after a lot of hullabaloo from AT&T regarding adding a line.

I had a T-mobile phone (out of contract) and it didn't work--zero bars--at our new house.  

Went to the shop at Washington and Route 1 (southbound--the map is off) and they were helpful.  I don't know what is going on, but things that are usually crappy have been helpful.  They let us know that yes--I could keep my 415 number!  Really?  No commitment service since I love my current phone and simply needed a new sim card, and I was out in less than 20 minutes.  I did have to find my Tmobile account number, but the rest was smooth.

So now I don't have to update my resumes and all of my friends even though I live in NJ and have a SF number.  YEAH!

And at home, I have 5 bars so I don't have to annoy Jim with using his phone instead.

AT&T - Seattle, WA (47.6626459, -122.3131038) (University District)
2 - Cathy G.: Too busy. I have always had to wait in line. They have 3 desks for staff and always only 1 staff working.

Then there is the time in 2005 when I went in for a cellphone and after completing everything to set up an account I was told," ok now in just one second after I activate this number, your phone will be ready."

That one second turned into a classic.. 2 hour mess. I had to refill meter, then move car; speak to manager; hear that my phone was just fine it seemed a thousand times.. andultimately it did no.l
The hassle involved and Mr. Hyper practically yelling was a classic for a sit-com.. better than real life.
1 - sue t.: Please research, in detail, before you sign a contract. We do NOT recommend this YP Connect program. It was not a good program for us.

AT&T - La Jolla, CA (32.8646667, -117.23181) (La Jolla)
4 - Steve R.: Clean and friendly store. Well stocked with many models so that you can get hands on and feel them.

Non-pushy sales staff. Lots of La Jolla housewives with nothing better to do will be bitching about their cell phone bills to the staff while you are here.

One of the larger Cingulars in the area.

Plenty of strip mall parking in this lot.

A solid 4.
3 - Jay D.: Knowledgeable staff who don't seem to work on commission, as in, they are not pressuring you to purchase a phone you don't need.  Tons of accessories and models of phones to pick from.
4 - natalie p.: They didn't have what I was looking for, but I will give 4 stars for the mapless treasure hunt the sales associate guy went on to find it.

Good service, but it seemed like they had way too many people working at the same time.  There were 4 employees and two customers...not bad for us, but either AT & T is really concerned about customer service, or they (being the company) need to sell more phones to get more people to complain and get confused.

Said sales associate touched my arm when he told me they were out of what I needed.  The awkwardness is still on the brain.  I would definitely come back though. 

 I think that means my personal awkwardness trumps the awkwardness that he himself possesses.  (i can do it grammatically too!)
2 - Kristin F.: I had previously rated these guys as 5 stars, but after going back and finding their approach and vibe very different, I am changing my rating.

I lost my regular cell phone and walked in to purchase a go phone until my replacement phone arrived.  After placing my name on a waiting list and hanging around for what felt like quite some time, my name was called and I was finally allowed to approach the counter.  I explained I wanted to purchase a go-phone and why.  When the salesman grabbed one for me and rung it up it was about twice what it was the last time this happened.  When I asked him why this was he said "Ohhh, so and so sold it to you without selling you any minutes-he no longer works here anymore, probably because of stunts like that".  So, the guy who helps a customer out no longer works there and I get stuck with some guy who keeps going off about how that guy did the wrong thing, as if it was a federal offense or something.  He even stepped away from the counter to tell his manager about it!  Get over it, man.

Anyway, I think I'll try another dealer next time.
4 - Rob K.: Unlike the previous reviewer, I arrived at 6:30 and was 30th in line and did happen to get an iPhone on launch day.  I actually went to the store the day before and had them run a qualification check.  The guy who helped me was really friendly, and when I asked him how many phones they had, he told me 60, even though he probably wasn't supposed to.  

I don't know why it's rocket science for AT&T to just tell people "hey, we've only got 60 phones, so you might want to just go over to Apple" or whatever, but I guess they wanted to give people the opportunity to order one and have it shipped to them, so they just let everyone stand in line.

I would have probably been mad if I hadn't gotten my iphone, but I have to give the people who work at this store credit.  They are only following AT&T's policies, so if you want to get mad, don't be angry at the employees, be angry at the company.  I happen to feel that the people at the store are all VERY friendly, and treated everyone with respect and dignity on launch day.  They even provided bottled water, which isn't much, but better then nothing.

As for the speed, again it was not their fault that 1 million people decided to buy an iphone on the same day and the computers slowed down and crashed.  Blame Apple and AT&T for that one.  

I give these guys props for their positive attitude and their customer service skills.  They all seem to really enjoy working thre!
1 - Robert B.: Don't go here unless you want end up in an  endless cycle of frustration.  I have been waiting for 2 weeks for an I-Phone that I ordered through this Cingular store. All I wanted to do was to receive a refund for the phone since I purchased one through the Apple Store in Fashion Valley (Five Stars all the way!). I was told by the manager  at Cingular that I would receive a telephone call when my phone arrived through  the mail but I never did. I discovered that my phone had arrived a week ago. I drove over there  to inquire about my refund but their computers were all down. I was told by the manager to come back later. I waited 3 hours and called back. A female employee told me that the computers were back up. So I drive over there thinking I am finally going to get a refund and the computers are down again. Honestly, from my experiences here I will never enter this store again. I would suggest to you to try the other Cingular location in Clairemont. For the G-3, avoid Cingular altogether and go to the Apple Store where they know how to take care of their customers.
3 - Gabriella J.: Very helpful staff.
4 - Nick T.: Sunday morning I found myself in La Jolla looking for Christmas presents for my two nieces and I wound up in the strip mall that used to have a Tower records , which is now a huge shoe store. Sad.

After fruitlessly perusing the busy aisles of World Market for almost a good hour I gave up, wondering why Im at a store like this when Im shopping for two little girls that arent even ten yet.

I leave and I noticed the ATT store to my right. I was having voicemail issues so I figured I would just walk in and see if they could fix it, which they did. Very friendly and very efficient. I was in and out in under ten minutes.

There isnt really much more to say. It was an overall good experience.
1 - Jeff W.: I came here to get a new phone, one with bluetooth.  Signed in,  was greeted by an employee who told me a sales associate would see me soon.  Bullshit!  I waited and waited, at least 15 or 20 minutes.  The store was not crowded at all and the few people who were standing at the counters stood there the entire time I waited not moving.  This is the second time this has happened at this store.  Once was a few months ago.  The store was empty and I still had to sign in and wait and wait and wait some more.......Perhaps I was impatient?  Well, how many hours should I wait before I give.  I could have taken a steaming brown shit in the middle of the store and no one would have noticed.

When you try and get an employee's attention they will deliberately try and not look you in the eye, actively try to ignore you.  Perhaps I'll switch carriers now.   I know that shitty service and lazy surly employees are the norm now in America, but I really really don't want at&t to get one fucking dime more of my money.  

Fuck these lazy assholes.  I can't believe that Sprint or Verizon could be any fucking worse than at&t.  

AVOID this place like herpes. One star is far too kind this toilet.
1 - Awyeahh N.: AT & T U-verse has its good and bad points.  Compared to service- cox is much better.  Sometimes it doesn't work and if its after hours you have to call India or the Philippines.  They dont understand a word you are saying and you cant understand them.  They keep asking you the same questions from their prompts that have nothing to do with what you need help with.  When you do get someone over here, they charge you fifty bucks to come out and help you, even if it is a problem with their router.  Because it is DSL, the internet sometimes runs super slow.  When you complain, nothing happens.  They don't care, they have a new sucker signing up every day.  The only good thing is, you can record more than one show at a time, up to four non HD shows.  If not for that, and the fact that we don't have to have cable jacks in every room in order to have cable in every room, it would be gone.
5 - Michael D.: So I got hammered last Friday night, and while the evening started out great, it ended with me being abandoned in PB with my friend.  After somehow catching a cab in a drunken stupor and getting my friend home, I got really upset on my walk home and I spiked my phone against the ground.

So I went in asking about getting a new phone, knowing that I was completely in the wrong.  And sure enough, I was only eligible for a "partial discount" even though I've been with AT&T for 2.5 years, and that means I pay an extra $75 for a phone.  But then their sales guy told me that customer service might authorize me for an upgrade if I called.  So I did, and they did!  Their guy helped me get a free phone, so that means I give them five stars.
2 - Margie M.: I've been with ATT since 2002 when it was still Cingular.  I was eligible for an upgrade and was interested in getting an iPhone when they had a special for $99 online.  However, the iPhone required that you purchase a data plan for $30/month in addition to the phone service.  So I bought a Blackberry instead as i figured if I needed the internet I would use my laptop.

Two years later I'm eligible again for an upgrade.  I go online and order another Blackberry for $.01  Then I read the fine print in the new contract and it states that any Smartphone must have the data plan.  I didn't like that this was buried in the fine print and I didn't like that I had no choice about purchasing a data plan.  The rep said that it was now automatic to have a data plan and that the phones "needed" to have the data plan.  I told him I had used my Blackberry without a data plan for 2 years and had no problems.  He keep repeating that I had to have a data plan if I wanted to get a Smartphone.

So I can never upgrade my phone to another Smartphone because the minute I give up my current smartphone it will cost me an extra $30 month.  What a ripoff.....

I sent the upgrade back and will hang on to my current phone until my contract expires and then start shopping around for a new service provider.
1 - Andrea T.: AT&T, you can kiss my @ss after tonight. Why did it take 8 people, one who spoke to me in Spanish because of my "ethnic" last name before someone "decided" that AT&T themselves had canceled my auto pay in order to apply a rebate credit to my balance? As much as I enjoy getting yelled at about my non-bill payment by someone whom AT&T is paying 33 cents an hour, I can think of a thousand better ways to spend an evening...some involving salmonella or red hot pokers.  And why did it take 5 more people and 3 hours to turn my internet back on? 

"The Power of You"? I'll show you the power of me! 1 Star! Hear me roar!

Oh yeah...and my DVR STILL doesn't work!
2 - Rei O.: Me: Hi, so my current phone is old and crappy... I'd like to start a 2 year contract and a new basic phone.
ATT guy: (snickers) oooh yea, this phone is nooo good. Here, check this out. We have new lines of iPhones, Blackberries, and phones that you can watch TV on!!!
Me: .... that's great but I just want a basic phone.
ATT guy: Oh no no, you want look cool if you get a basic phone. It's for suckers!! You should get this iPhone!!! (with extra monthly data charge).
Me: .... you don't hear me. I WANT A GODDDAMN BASIC PHONE
ATT guy: Here, I'll even give you a discount on the iPhone! I'm suuuuch a nice guy aren't I?
Me: :LSDJKG:LSDKJG (round house kicks him to the floor)

Ok, it didn't go exactly that way. The conversation went on a bit longer before I floored the guy with my kick.
In either case, the guys here were kinda unhelpful when it came to me wanting a basic 2 year contract with a basic phone.
Maybe the guy was just over zealous about getting a commission or something. I have no idea.

I'll go here if I every do need to go to a AT&T store, just because it's close by and my phone is under AT&T. Otherwise, why the hell would I go in here???
1 - Charles C.: Terrible AT&T representatives, I'll tell you why.

I grew up in an Asian community where almost all of my friends were phone and technology enthusiasts, and where people owned small cell phone businesses and competed through charisma and friendliness to get return customers, just because things were competitive locally and there was just no other way to make an extra buck.

This is not the case in the AT&T at the Ralph's / Best Buys / Marshall plaza.  I walked in and was immediately accosted by a man in a clip board, asking me very official questions and jotting notes onto his pad as if I were being studied for some scientific process.  I tried to explain my phone issue to him (nonstop rebooting), but apparently the only thing I got through to him was "HE WANTS A NEW PHONE."  He told me to text myself, which I couldn't, since my phone was nonstop rebooting.  Finally he told me to wait and browse around the store while he searched for a free representative to assist me with my problem, since apparently all he was hired to do was accost me with his clipboard.

READ: The store was EMPTY.  I literally stood there and pretended to look at their stock of phones while a ROOM of representatives (at least 8, plus clipboard man) stood there and watched me, judging me with their beady little eyes.

A couple minutes later, he returns and introduces an Asian man to me.  He asks if I need help with anything, and when I explain my problem to him, he completely disregards my issue with my phone and asks me if I'm able to make changes to my contract information.  Being on a family plan, I told him I was not able to, and he literally told me that he could not help me.

Let's take a second to reflect on that.  Neither representatives were able to look at my phone, nor were they even remotely interested in doing so.  I have to say, being on the AT&T family plan contract for almost two years and a loyal customer for many more, this was just the most depressing AT&T shop visit I have EVER had.

So I told the guy to give me a couple new SIM cards, to which he told me to read the instructions for myself, and then sent me on my way.  


Metro Clipboard man: RUDE
Metro Asian representative: RUDE

Terrible, terrible store.  I'd highly suggest that people look around the area for another alternative.
1 - Russell G.: at&t u-verse is the worst t.v. provider i ever had. with in two months of having the service i lost connection out of nowhere. it then took them 4 days and hours on hold for them to send a guy out. once the guy got to my house he then told me he couldn't fix the problem and that they would have to send out a different tech. four days later and hours on the phone the other tech came and fixed it.
not even a month later the service wen't out again i called tech support wich is an hour hold time at best. the tech then told me that there is a sync problem in my nieghborhood and they were working on fixing it. what, why didn't i know about this sync problem when i signed up for this crap. bottom line is administratively they are very disorganized i would not recommend this service to any one.
1 - nicole c.: Apparently for AT&T to make any actual change to the problem in the street node that gives you your cable service, 75% (SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT) of the people in your area have to complain (HAVE TO COMPLAIN).

Currently, according to the last condescendingly-polite person I spoke to on the phone, we're riding at a just-barely-acceptable 54% (FIFTY-FOUR PERCENT) of people in our area complaining (IN OUR AREA COMPLAINING). 

6 months. 7 technicians. 4 new modems. 3 new DVR boxes. Countless erased Top Chef episodes, and an innumerable amount of rage-induced brain cell explosions. 

It takes quite the shitty cable company to make a person who is openly obsessed with television decide they would rather watch reruns on Hulu Plus. But congratulations, AT&T! YOU DID IT!
4 - Julia S.: I called three time within one hour - yes, I was that desperate. Anyway, all the time I wasn't placed on hold for more than 30 seconds. Associates were listening attentively and addressed all my questions and helped me over the phone. 
I see there're many not really good reviews, so in case of confusion, try call first and talk to a local operator.
3 - Brandy C.: they only have 2.5 stars?  WHY??

I mean.... I only give them 3 stars, but I think they deserve more than 3 stars.  The reason I only give them 3 stars because they are like other cell phone store (Verizon, T-Mobile....).  Nothing special, but nothing bad.  3 stars is reasonable for them.  

One of the assistant said he likes my phone!  AWWW!  Thank you!  (It's HTC Wildfire!)

I am surprised that AT&T ddin't come out any better plan to beat Verizon!  Now they only have 1000 msgs for $10 or unlimited for $20.  The options are not a lot.  However, these are nothing due to the store.
1 - Karma S.: I wanted to let fellow Yelpers know that you have other options for high speed wireless internet than AT&T.  I was pleased to see that Time Warner Cable offers a competitively priced ($40/month) basic internet package for my neighborhood.  I'm sooo glad I don't have to use AT&T for internet!
1 - Beth B.: WORST. PLACE. EVER!!! We went to AT&T after being with Verizon for 10+ years because we were looking for a better deal and to bundle everything. John, who works at this location, completely lied about the cost of our services. I call them LITERALLY every month to have them adjust the bill to what John promised us. When I went back in to try to rectify the situation, this jackass goes "whose writing is that?" Ummm.. yours, liar.

AT&T does have slightly better prices than Verizon, but not worth the headache at all! And now that Verizon has the iPhone? Forget about it. Stay away from John and this sh*thole place if you can!
4 - Ben C.: While I have personal grievances with AT&T's network, the staff at this location was very helpful and courteous. I just can't knock a single location for a company wide issue.
1 - E B.: NEVER AGAIN!

AT&T DSL Internet is easily the worst service offering on this planet.

1. DSL was not activated when promised
2. Technical support was ineffective
3. Service repairman did not even show up (after scheduled by Tech Support)
4. Internet service falls off (flashing red light on 2Wire modem) hourly
5. Connectivity speed is 1MB/s vice the 6 MB/s that I paid for

STAY AWAY!!!
1 - T K.: AT&T turned off our DSL internet without our request or authority.  I contacted AT&T and spent about 1 our and it was at that point they advised me the service was disconnected.  All bills had been paid, we had not requested termination of the service - it was simply their error.  The service, which was slow and frustrating could not be turned on again.  After another 2 hours I was told to speak with the Orders Department to resolve the problem; of course, this department is open during "normal busienss hours."  I have been without internet for over a day, which causes great problems when you try to work from home.  AT&T personnel, who are nice, are not given any authority or ability to resolve issues and simply transfer from one department to another.  The customer service is the worst I have encountered.
1 - Alex G.: This review is not for the local location, but for the toll-free "customer service" providers.  I have never been more frustrated with technical support - worse than Time Warner, which is terrible.  Missed work all day yesterday due to being on phone with someone, on hold, passed on and no one could help me after 8 hours.  Miraculously, my phone service started working today, so I got to spend another 30 minutes trying to cancel my technical appointment.  Most internet/phone providers allow you to cancel on-line, but not AT&T.  Maybe they will get their act together, but for now STAY CLEAR!
1 - Michelle D.: I will start by saying I am so irritated I could scream!!! This review is for the company-not the local store. I ordered DSL service in May. I immediately registered my account separately, because for some insane reason even though I have been an at&t wireless customer for years I have to log in with a completely new ID (so I can forget it) just for Internet. I registered using the same login I use for everything and immediately chose paperless billing. Unfortunately while being paperless anywhere else isn't a problem (I mean really - any info they need is about me , which I know) AT&T can't grasp the concept. I have not been able to log in to see my bill. I have called 6 times and spent over 30 mins a call minimum for them to tell me one story after another and still am not able to log in. Last straw - I gave all my info, but apparently there is a mystery number that only appears on bills that I don't get and we have to call the billing dept when they OPEN to get it??? Are you freaking serious?!@&$!
However, one thing they can do is allow me to pay my bill month after month- this seems to be no problem. I would rather pay more and actually have access to my info than deal with this. My worry is - if you can't help me log in to see my own account after 5 months, what other issues are hovering in the background that I am unaware of? I have no complaints with the Internet. For $25 a month I have no issues. But this login crap has gone on so long and is just a complete farce. I am boiling over on something so completely dumb - I'm amazed. I'm done.
2 - Gabriel C.: Bad experience.  You come in and after wandering around for a while someone takes your name and puts you on a waiting list.  But, they don't care if you need just a battery or an accessory or to program a phone, you wait for your turn.  If what you need is something fast, they should just take care of it.  If what you need will take long, then ok, wait.
Well, not a good visit.
1 - Andrew M.: If you absolutely must go to this store, consider throwing away your phone first and communicating through smoke signals.
1 - Michelle R.: ***AT&T U-VERSE service rating - not this particular AT&T store***

I have to agree with Em B's rant - as long as you don't need anything from these people, you'll be fine.  Expect to spend an hour on the phone to get even the SIMPLEST task completed.  The website is worthless, and the customer service sucks.  How hard can it possibly be to move service from one apartment to another one, just down the dang street?  

It's so frustrating and disappointing, especially since we're locked into a contract and can't even get rid of them.

GRRR.
1 - Em B.: Guess who got another bill? This time for a $75 early termination fee for our "9 month contract" which we didn't even have. We had a month-to-month plan specifically because our old lease on our old place was gonna be up in 4 months back then. Grrrrrrrrrrrr. 

I.HATE. AT&T. U-VERSE.
1 - Tom D.: Don't bother with these guys.  Same crap as Cox Communications.  Both companies charge too much and deliver too little.  Stay away from AT&T!
3 - Brandi E.: This company has the worst service ever, I bought dsl from them and I never get the same speed which they told me that I was going to get. How do I know? It feels worse than 56k. I called the service technician out to fix the problem but they only made the problem worse and added on 60 more dollars to my bill. If I could do it again I would have got time warner cable and save my self from the horrible customer support.
1 - la f.: I have had a major issue with AT&T DSL. They had an advertisement for 19.99 a month with 100.00 rebate for the wireless router (which doesn't work wirelessly anyway). The first bill was for 63.00. The second month was 125.00 dollars. I called and complained. I told them I havent recieved the rebate in the mail and I also got charged all these fees. They said the 63.00 was to connect the service to my apartment. And the 125.00 was for the modem and the current months bill. I said isn't it supposed to be for 19.99? They said you went with 3.0 connection and that is a higher price. They clearly did not state this on the promotion. I asked where the rebate was then. They said it should be coming in the mail shortly. Another month goes by and still no rebate. I first went online to talk to their support that way. They explained they could not take care of the issue via the internet. They gave me a number to call. I had to leave a message for customer support to call me back. They never called. I then called them 2 days later to talk to a customer service representative. I told them the same issue. They said well theres no reason why it should take this long, it should be coming in the mail soon. Another 2 months go by and still no rebate. I had enough and called the number online. I got the wrong department so they gave me a direct number. They answered and said you want to call this other number. Completely frustrated at this point, I finally got a hold of someone for DSL Internet service. I asked her why havent I recieved the rebate? She said since you purchased the modem 5 months ago, that promotion is over and you no longer are qualified for that rebate. She said this was the first time they saw I called. I explained to them that I had called a number of times all saying the same thing. Now you're telling me a don't get the rebate at all?? I asked to speak to her supervisor. The supervisor then said because I did not sign up for the home phone service I do not qualify for the rebate at all. I told her when I signed up it clearly showed online that my rebate would be mailed shortly so how is it that I do not qualify. She appologized and said that was the promotion at the time. I read that agreement through and through and it never mentioned anything about purchasing the phone service in order to get the rebate. I told her had I known that I wouldn't have gotten the wireless router in the first place and probably wouldve gone somewhere else. I told her I will be canceling my service. AT&T DSL INTERNET IS A SCAM!!!
2 - Leonard A.: A year ago we switched from Cox to AT&T. We had problems with the cable boxes from the very beginning.  The remotes lost their programing within hours of the tech leaving the house. Getting help through  their Pakistani Customer service provider is a joke. Three months of messing around with the remotes, getting new ones, replacing batteries and reprogramming, we finally got the system working.  Then everytime their lineman installed a new AT&T customer on our block we lost service until he was finished, usually 3 hours. Paying extra for HD is also a big negative. 

To be fair, their DVR is an excellent machine, recording two minutes before and after a scheduled "record" program without losing a second if you record back to back shows. Phone service is excellent because they've been doing it forever. Lots of extra channels if you can afford them, also games and free 0n-demand programs.  If you can't afford the upper tier package with HD it may not be worth switching ($175-$190 / month).

Internet service is good but I don't like routing my IP through my electrical plug to get to the gateway. Your house configuration will determine your network path. Be sure the gateway is near your computer for higher speed.

Overall grade: C-
Lots of talk and promises with only fair execution. They are too expensive for us. We're switching back to Cox.
1 - Jimmy H.: This place and its staff is absurd! Why are you having me wait 30 minutes or more when you have three people standing around doing absolutely nothing. I'm so irritated I'm going to call management. This whole experience is absolute BS.
1 - Bob K.: This review is NOT based on this particular store but rather for the company itself, AT&T.

Some years ago I had both my internet service and my cell phone through AT&T. In both cases, the provided services were at an 'acceptable' level. Nothing special but equating to other companies. My eventual overall dissatisfaction arose from multiple cases of what started off as relatively minor problems.

In each case, what I thought of as relatively minor problems, grew into unresolvable beasts, when I had a need to contact CUSTOMER SERVICE (and I use that term very loosely). I don't know that they still do so, but I learned to cringe when they answered the phone with, "How may I provide you with excellent service?". It got to the point that my standard opening response was, "I'll accept decent service". 

Without going further into details, I haven't had business with them for over 3 years now, that said... they have come back, uninvited, into my life.

My credit monitoring service recently contacted me with a notice of unusual activity. Investigating, I discovered that a collection company out of Florida had placed an unpaid bill of $33 on my credit report. There were no details but digging deeper, I went to http://annualcreditreport.com/ and found that it was associated with an AT&T claim.

As much as I dislike AT&T, I ALWAYS pay my bills (assuming I'm aware of them). I'm still investigating, but, this is just another check box confirming to NEVER again consider purchasing ANY service from AT&T.

Their sales people will say all the right things. Their brochures are shiny and refined. Their commercials are alluring. Their actual services and products are.... okay... but when something goes awry, and sooner or later something will... their customer service is substandard, significantly so, and is the basis for AVOIDING this company at all cost. Don't take my word for it, check out ConsumerReports regular reviews.
1 - Spencer H.: The worst consumer decision I have ever made was switching from Time Warner to AT&T U-Verse. Time Warner raised their prices, and I got a similar cheaper package from AT&T.

The problem is that if ANYTHING goes wrong, you are just completely screwed. Their customer service has got to be the worst service organization in business. In the month of January, I had 12 phone calls for Technical Support, and 7 seven visits by a technician where I had to take time off from work. It took all that time to resolve whatever issue kept causing the cable and internet to blink out.

Each time I called in, it was like starting over. No one had written down any notes about my account, so I had to go through the same set of easy troubleshooting questions that I had answered 11 times before. Everyone is polite, sure, but just completely ineffectual.

Then finally, after basically three weeks where we had service 50% of the time at best, the problem was resolved. I was assured that I would be credited for the approximately 10-12 days the service was out. January bill comes, and it's full charges. I have now been on the phone for 1.5 hours and talked to 5 different people. TWICE NOW, I have been told I was being transferred to someone who can help me, only to have the call dropped. They are either deceitful scumbags doing it on purpose, or complete morons. Nothing in between.
1 - Dagny M.: This isn't about the specific business but the slowness of AT&T internet connection. We just switched and videos are constantly buffering, loading page times are taking forever. Big mistake to use AT&T. It's taken about five minutes to upload a 3 minute video. REALLY?
1 - Dennis E.: I got the Uverse 2-wire system in April and it was crashing 5 to 10 times a day until the second tech they sent out found a 'bridge tap' on the phone line. Fixed & it worked for two weeks. Now, TV & internet out again- crashing about every 1/2 hour. 

Thankfully I have Verizon phone or I wouldn't be able to call AT&T tech support. I figure I have spent 4 hours on hold with AT&T since I was blessed with Uverse.

Just got off the phone with AT&T Tech support. He said let me check the line. I've got blue TV screens and no internet. Ok, now it is back on. Did you fix it? No, he says, it just came back on by itself. It's out again. Yes, he says, I see that - you have a lot of errors on your line. I have errors on MY line?
MY LINE? AT&T owns the right of way and all of the equipment between here and there. They wired my condo for Uverse but now they say the errors are on MY line and if they find a wiring problem, I must agree to pay them to fix it.
Two weeks ago AT&T found a 'bridge tap' on "MY line". (Google 'bridge tap' and read what a mess can make of a data line) They removed it and all was well for a while. But the system is acting the same way again.
Did someone put another bridge tap on MY line? Since AT&T owns the right of way and all of the equipment, it MUST have been them.  Doncha think they should have asked me first .
1 - Frederick Y.: DSL Internet doesn't work about 10% of the time. See the picture I uploaded.
1 - Lynne S.: I walk in with my not-that-old phone needing a new charger and the very clueless agent (after taking down my name and making me wait 15 minutes) finally gets back to me and after ten seconds of talking to me realizes that they've actually discontinued my charger and has to send me over to Best Buy.

*sigh*
1 - Stacey M.: My Complaint is also not with the Store but with AT&T Business Services. We had Time Warner in our previous building but decided to give AT&T a try because they offered to bundle our cell phones with our internet and telephones.
This is not really a bundle as they cannot be billed together and the departments are in no way connected. It has been over 4 months and we still do not have a working line for our conference phone, our internet drops off line multiple times daily. There seems to be no one in the company that can get this fixed for me. The solution is usually to transfer me to another department that is also unable to help me.
I would have switched back to Time Warner a long time ago but we are in a two year contract.
1 - A. N.: This review is for AT&T U-verse, not cellular service.  If I was able to give less than 1 star, I would have.  Absolutely terrible.  I moved here from the East Coast in April and went with U-Verse because of the recommendation of my apt building leasing office.  When I called to get it set up I specifically asked if they had the YES network to be able to watch all the Yankee games and had to purchase the Sports Package to get it and was assured I'd be watching all the games.  Long story short, the games were always blacked out.  I wasn't able to watch ANY games on the YES network and after 4 months I called to cancel the Sports Package and demanded a refund, which I was granted.  

Now on to the other problems... The service constantly goes out and or freezes or just shuts off and has to reboot.  I have had numerous tech's come here claiming to do something else to fix it or replace the boxes...yet it still happens.  I have had service shut off claiming late payment, yet never receiving a bill or notice. I had service shut off last month and called to ask why and they apologized and said it was a mistake, so I had to wait 2 hours until it came back on.  I call and complain several times a month and literally speak to AT&T more than I speak to some relatives back home.  Each call consists of transferring me to at least 3 or 4 people who try and say "they understand my frustrations".  No you don't, fix my service.  I tell them how unhappy I am with their service and have never experienced anything like that back in Jersey.  I called every other cable service in the area and unfortunately no one else provides service here for me to switch other than DirectTV... I tried to get them, but when they came to my apartment they said I can't get it, because the rest of the apartment building is blocking the signal from the SE direction, so I'm screwed.  I can't wait until I move this Spring to literally call AT&T and tell them to f*ck off.

My advice:  Get any other service but them, all of these reviews are accurate.
1 - Lindsay S.: My complaint is specifically with this store and not my AT&T service (which I'm really happy with!). I bought an iPhone 5 case here that had a manufacturing defect, and in order to simply switch it I had to check into a seemingly endless list of people waiting to be helped. Three sales people were roaming around the store not helping anyone and I still had to wait just to exchange a stupid case.  The lady at the front of the store was extremely rude as well- when i checked in she said there "might be a bit of a wait."  The next person checked in and she said it would be about an HOUR. An hour to exchange a faulty case that they sold me.  Let alone the fact that she didn't tell me it was going to be an hour. Needles to say I'm never going back to this store.
5 - karyn m.: This truely is the one ATT that has good customer service! As soon as you walk in you are greeted and asked the reason for the visit. Everything is entered in a computer and as soon as a rep is ready, your name is called. We went in to get an Iphone 5 activated. My boyfriend traded in his iphone 4 and got a gift card for $137! I need to do that with my 3G but i doubt I'll get much. Anyway, the sales rep and manager were both extremely personable and attentive. I also like that this particular store has a kiosk to pay any att bill. We will be back

AT&T - Hadley, MA (42.356909, -72.552154) ()
5 - Foodie Z.: this experience WAS as good as it gets! Even though it took us three visits, 2 weeks and 4 hours to complete the transaction (none of that was their fault), my husband and I had a FANTASTIC experience at this store. I can't believe how helpful, courteous, knowledgable, upbeat and caring the customer service reps were, and in particular, Sean. 

If you are thinking about getting an at&t phone, or switching over from Verizon, like we did, run, don't walk to the Hadley, MA store (right in front of Walmart in a free-standing building)

I never expected to have such a positive experience, because for me, a long time Verizon user, it was almost traumatic to switch cell phone companies. I couldn't have asked for a better experience and I am VERY picky. Kudos, gentlemen of the Hadley store, my hat's off to you!
1 - Andrea B.: Whenever I had reception problems with my cell phone while I lived in Amherst (sadly, this was a fairly frequent occurrence), I wound up at this store to see what was wrong.  With the exception of one time when I needed a SIM card replacement, the issue always ended up being a cell phone tower or their network. Which is understandable once in a while, I suppose (even though I never hear about Verizon having such problems...hmph), but it was starting to be a yearly thing - September rolled around, thousands of students returned to campus with their AT&T phones in tow, and just like that, the cell phone towers were in overload.  

What irritated me was the way the customer service reps handled it.  They were short with me, and one time, they more or less ushered me out of the store.  Another customer was purchasing a phone at the time, and I can only assume that they didn't want him to overhear my complaints.  Anyway, the moral of the story here is, don't buy an AT&T phone if you live in the Hadley/Amherst area, and if you already have one, don't go to this store for customer service.

AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center - Austin, TX (30.281273, -97.739981) (University of Texas)
4 - Shep G.: Nice rooms, very modern, flat screen and HD. Most hotels have the flatscreen now, but most don't have HD....this place is very well thought out, and the rooms are atractive and roomy....
4 - Byoung Kyu S.: PROS:
--  New and modern
--  Free Wi-Fi
--  Environmentally friendsly (for example, toilets have dual-fiush system to help conserve H2O)
--  Extremely helpful staff 
--  Walking distance to the drag, downtown, and Capitol
--  Bathrobe in the rooms

CONS:
--  Never replenished toiletries 
--  No pay-per-view movies available
--  Shower drizzles and the water needs to get hotter
--  All doors get locked after down except for the front door.  Even your key can not unlock other lobby doors.  
--  No fire exit routes or room rates posted in the rooms
--  Staff gave terrible restaurant suggestions.  They must not be knowledgeable of the area or have terrible tastes.

If you want to watch movies off your laptop, bring your own HDMI cable.  No good restaurants near by delivers because you are so close to campus.
5 - Leslie W.: AT&T Conference center = fab.  I got a $97 per night deal on Expedia for the weekend, and probably won't stay anywhere else when I return to Austin, hotel-wise.

Extremely clean hotel, spacious rooms, free wi-fi and AT&T U-verse.  I'm a big fan.  The Aveda toiletries were great, and the bathroom was well-planned out.  Unlike the last reviewer, my shower was fantastic, and the water was HOT... and I like extremely hot showers.  Woah, that sounded scandalous.  Whatever, you know what I mean.

I had a comfortable king bed, and it came with a pullout sofa bed.  Great TV, too.  Also, if you're looking for something for delivery, Jimmy John's (sandwiches) delivered to our ROOM on the 4th floor at 2 AM after a concert at Stubb's and night on the town.  Woo-hoo!

Fair warning: parking in the garage is $14 a day.  But think about it... would you want to park your car on a street or in a lot, unattended, overnight?  It's well worth it.  The parking garage, albeit safe, can get a little confusing the first couple of times, but I'm still a fan of this place.

To top all the other greatness off, the staff was fantastic.  Kudos, champs.  For added fun, flirt with the bellhops... it makes them nervous.  They also are more attentive when calling you a cab.  Win!
5 - Richard D.: I came here on a saturday in the summer (no UT students around) with my boo after I booked the hotel on priceline.  

Not really much to say about this place, but it was a pretty solid hotel visit.  It was located in a really quiet area right next to the UT campus.  It's close to everything.  We parked on the street and because it was the weekend, it was free.  It's also a short walk to the Texas History museum. 

We got a nice room that had a view of the capitol building.  This place had comfy beds, and free internet. I was really surprised that an expensive place would have free internet.
4 - Claire M.: I, and several of my co-workers, use this place religiously in order to keep our book-learned "professor guest speakers" from sleeping under an I-35 overpass. (I work for an academic department at UT.) They DO give us a discount rate, so I suppose I should disclose that. However, after seriously about 100 picky and on occasion high-maintenance professors have laid their brilliant heads here, I have yet to hear a complaint about the AT&T Center. Not one! My oh my. The place is nice and big, brand new, and classy (there's only a *little* Longhorn kitsch. But for a hotel located ON campus, I'm amazed at their restraint.) We often are told how "nice" it is. The staff here are highly competent and helpful, and when I've attended receptions here for work, I've always been impressed with the service and look of the place. Fancy-schmancy hotel, on UT campus. Niiiice.
4 - Melissa M.: Bring a Sweater, parka, arctic survival suit... because you'll be C*O*L*D!

Beautiful new facility.  I wasn't a guest at the hotel, but rather sat through three days of meetings in the actual conference center in June 2009.  So this review is about the conference center. The conference area is connected to the hotel.  The conference center is large and comfortable.  There are balconies on the outside of the building where you can warm up fro the freezing inside temperatures.  In the conference rooms there is a little natural light (which is unusual) so that's nice.  We were in one room and the lights kept going on and off.  Our presenter couldn't determine why.  They it was determined that the lights in our room and another room were connected.  Crazy! 

We were served lunch by the conference staff and kitchen on three days in a row.  I was impressed with the food.  We had wraps one day and they were very good.  The flavored iced Tea was overly flavored for me.  

The place could use a small room with vending machines.  What about those of us who don't drink coffee? soda please?  The parking under the building is expensive.  You can park across the street for as low as $5 a day.  Don't waste your money. 

I spoke to many people who did stay in the hotel and they were all really impressed.
5 - Christina P.: I have a lot of Austin trips in my future, and I have finally found my resident property.

I stayed here this week, and even though things were crazy with a million people in town for ACL - the personnel made sure everything was business as usual. From greeting you outside, grabbing your bags, and walking you to the elevator.

There are a million reasons to stay here, these are mine:

LEED Certified/Green
Aveda Products (plus: provide face wash, special touch: bath salts, minus: no lotion?)
Soft towels (a rarity even at the best hotels)
Service was impeccable
Accommodations are top notch with all updated features (think dark wood + granite) - the room I was in was an Executive Parlor which is larger than standard rooms, with a lounge area, wet bar, desk + computer chair, table with chairs, TV, etc. The reallllllly comfortable queen bed is actually a murphy bed in this particular room in case you want to have meetings in your room. Very clever.
Location is second to none, right on University, as on campus as you can get
Amenities
Pool & gym
AT&T U-verse TV service
Subtle UT theme throughout (burnt orange tastefully incorporated)

I can't wait to go back! I even canceled my upcoming reservations at another hotel and booked this upcoming weekend @ AT&T!
3 - Nikki B.: It was ACL weekend, and when you pay $289 for a room it's not exactly going to be on the high scale for that weekend. I hear rooms here normally go for around $100, so we just bit the bullet and ponied up the plastic.

For nearly three Benjamins a night, I was expecting a pretty darn decent hotel though -- and that's just we got. Decent. Yes, the room was clean and the staff were nice but a little bland, but you can get that at a Holiday Inn (not that there's anything wrong with Holiday Inns). 

It's the little things that bothered me, like Sunday morning I stepped out to get ice and there was a pile of hand towels outside of our door (they were NOT ours) that looked like someone's stomach had put on a show into them. Four hours later when we checked out, they were still there. And there was a cleaning cart just a few doors down, so it's not like they didn't see them.

Saturday as we waited for a taxi outside, someone's tube of some sort of skin cream had fallen onto the pavement where everyone walks/drives. The bellman just kept looking at it, hoping the rain would melt it away I guess. Even worse...I stepped in it. Gross.

Obviously this hotel is geared towards the business traveler versus a weekend getaway and I'm fine with that - but for gosh sake's, guys...remember to dot your I's and cross your T's.
4 - megan n.: Great service. Really clean. Soft sheets. The beds are so deliciously comfortable. Really heavenly. The lobby is gorgeous and there are lots of nooks for relaxing both inside and out. We got a great deal at this hotel by naming our price on Priceline so the price was great. I have two complaints- they should have fire pits or something more in the outside area for relaxing. It needs a little curb appeal. Also the bathtubs (in the standard rooms at least) are TINY. They look way bigger than they are. It was rediculous how small it was.
4 - Greg D.: While this is an excellent hotel, no one wants to be woken up at 4:55 am like Monday morning before a conference with a false fire alarm.   And while they do have some very comfortable robes made from microfiber cotton complete with a UT logo on the breast which many other people outside were wearing in the main entrance after getting woken up (and they sell them for $99 at the souvenir shop), someone needs to determine why the fire alarm went off.   The hotel staff said that it had something to do with a broken / leaking water pipe?

This hotel is certified as LEED high energy / performance (environmental friendly) efficiency yet the scary thing is that the parking lot inside the building has some of the better parking spaces reserved for Hybrid cars only.   Someone needs to start selling Hybrid stick on logos on eBay.  :)
Even the soaps they are providing are green friendly and sulpher free by Gilcrest & Soames of the UK.   

The floor design of the fitness center has the UT colors of orange and black in a checkered pattern and every single orange square had a UT logo which would make you dizzy while wearing a maroon shirt...  :)

The hotel staff and chef provided an exceptional lunch to conference attendees, that is well worth noting.  The location is also very convenient to simply walk to other places to eat like Texadelphia and Swirlls.

If it had not been for the fire alarm and the fact that it's at UT a 5 star review might have been reasonable.  Staff is very friendly and professional.  Thumbs up from Aggieland.
1 - Jim T.: Small rooms with mold. I wanted to like this place...I really did. It boasts agreat location near DKR stadium.  But reality just won't let me give it a higher rating. The staff is clueless. My first room had mold so bad I coulnt stop sneezing. The front desk said they would send keys to a new room "right up". It took almost a hour. Oh yeah the lest part... It runs over 400 a night on sports weekends. Bad rooms+bad service + sky high rates = I'll stay elsewhere next time.
5 - Elizabeth H.: We booked this room via Hotwire and probably wouldn't have otherwise gone out of our way to stay at a CONFERENCE  CENTER, but hot spit, it was lovely.

* $14 parking, which seems like a VALUE to me after my last few hotel parking experiences.

* LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS of beautiful looking conversation areas in the lobby and in the courtyard.

* Probably the best hotel robes I've ever seen. So good, in fact, that I actually bought one.

* I commented that I liked the burnt orange accent wall in the room and the coordinating burnt orange accented sheets and was really admiring this hotel's chic decor and then my gal pal pointed out that EVERYTHING in Austin is burnt orange and OMG she was RIGHT.
Seriously, these people have some school spirit! Hook 'em Horns?
5 - Jocelyn W.: We wanted to go out an have a good time on NYE, so that meant no driving!  I was worried about getting a taxi to/from my house by the Arboretum, so I decided to splurge and book a hotel downtown instead.  We didn't really care where we stayed, so I thought I'd give Hotwire a try.  I wanted a 4 start room in the Downtown/Town Lake area - anywhere in that neighborhood should be an easy walk to our party on 3rd St.  I click to buy and... OH NOOOOO!
 
It's still pretty new, so I completely forgot that the AT&T was there.  Pretty shady that Hotwire calls the neighborhood downtown and Town Lake but then books me a room on the UT campus.  Now the whole reason for booking a room (to avoid having to catch a cab) is out the window.  Then to make matters even worse, I realize that the Hotwire price is MORE than cheaptickets, orbits, or booking.com.  Hotwire also bakes in a booking fee with the tax charges so the comparison rate used for their "double the price difference guarantee" is not comparing apples to apples.  I still applied for my refund, which they took 2 days to review and then denied because the rate was no longer available (well, duh, you checked on the 1st... of course the rate from the 31st is not available).  No worries, I have screen prints to send you...  Oh, but they can't accept screen prints as proof over email for security reasons.  You know, they can figure out how to accept credit card payments securely but not how to receive screen prints.  They said I just needed to mail the physical copies overnighted to them, and then they could review it.  Uh, right... then they'll give me another excuse not to pay me the $48 they should have.  The interesting part that I learned is that expedia, hotwire, and hotels.com are really all the same company and although the listed hotwire rate was lower, the total cost was exactly the same as posted on hotels.com - $174.  Things that make you go hmmmmm.  Why would I not want to know the name of the hotel if I could get the same price or lower using a service that displays the name upfront?
 
Oh wait... I'm supposed to be reviewing the AT&T hotel and not the scam that is Hotwire!  The hotel is UT-riffic!!  OK, I may be biased as a Texas Ex, but I LOVED the decor.  Our room had a pic of these old white dudes with ZZ Top beards that was of the faculty from 1886 or something like that.  It's new and modern and they have AT&T U-verse TV with a billion channels!  The staff was super friendly and had a taxi ready and waiting for us, so my worries were for nothing.  (An amazing feat to be sure - I could only get a busy signal from the 3 cab companies I tried.)

The only thing that was annoying is that the restaurants/room service were closed because of UT break.  Luckily, Players is open until 3 AM, so I was able to walk next door and grab a bag of fried goodness to help prevent the hangover that was to come.

In summary - Hotel = Great place to stay if you want to be close to campus or the capital, but be prepared to take a taxi if you want to visit most hot spots downtown.
2 - Ela B.: This was way too expensive for the experience.  

Stuff that was their fault: It took them literally 30 minutes to do check-in for me, at 1 am (they blamed the computer system, which I completely believe, and the guy behind the desk was clearly doing his best, but really? why hadn't they been properly trained on the system?).  Someone from the staff clipped their nails on my bed... and left a thumbnail behind.  I got a mistaken wake-up call one morning at 7:06 -- thankfully I'd already woken up at 7; if I hadn't, I'd have been upset.  I forgot my toothbrush and the one they gave me was the crappiest crappy toothbrush I've ever used -- granted, I don't suspect many people forget their toothbrushes. Gratuity was already included in all of the checks from the internal food places, but there was still a line to add in extra gratuity (gauche).  The shower head was ineffective.

Stuff that wasn't their fault: The water in the rooms tasted like fish (and I didn't see a way to get bottled water except by going all the way to the exercise level or the conference center).  The hot water heater broke while we were there (also not their fault, but there was no warning and no one to tell us when it came back online).  

I did get a free-breakfast-for-two coupon for the 30 minute check-in inconvenience, which was good of them.

Apart from that, everything was beautiful and what you would expect (nice TVs, nice electronics, good shower, robes in the closet, very supportive front desk, wonderful and helpful conference staff, beautiful grounds and rooms, wonderful picture windows, ...).  The experience just had significantly too many hiccups compared to what I'd have expected for what the hotel charges, hiccups that I haven't experienced elsewhere.
5 - Trent L.: It's not an ULTRA luxury hotel like.. say a Ritz., but for it's class, it's very nice, new, modern, and all around a great stay.  Customer service was excellent and the rooms were spacious and clean.  No complaints.

Flat screen TVs with AT&T U-verse.
Comfortable beds
Great location
Lots of sitting areas in lobby and around hotel
Lots of parking in underground garage (for $18 overnight)
Great front desk customer service and helpful service from staff outside when getting taxis.
Restaurants within walking distance
5 - Danny V.: We recently had a conference here and needless to say I was impressed.  The rooms are great, and have state of the art equipment and support for just about anything that you need to do.   The food supply that they cater is ample and has a healthy and unhealthy assortments of any fruit, veg, or chocolate covered cake imaginable.  They also have a great cafe also with equally great eats and it really impressed our clients and European staff.  The parking sucks but its parking...if you have a big car beware some of the turns are hairy.  

I didn't stay in the hotel part but did walk into a friends room and they had all the amenities of a standard 4 star hotel.  He also said they had awesome robes with a price tag on them to keep you from stealing them.
5 - Enia T.: Really enjoyed staying here.  Gorgeous and huge, but not in an overwhelming way.  Modern decor and amenities in the rooms (free really fast Internet).  

I stayed here and had business downtown, but it's only a $6-7 cabride and the staff will get you one quickly.  Walk through UT campus for amazing views and Guadalupe is filled with restaurants, shops and anything else you'll need while visiting.  Plan on staying here next time I'm in Austin.
5 - Stephanie I.: This place is so nice! It was built just a few years ago, so everything is brand new and state of the art. The rates for a night's stay are pretty reasonable as well, and the rooms are really nice. It's a great place to stay since it's so close to campus, and of course they have really nice ballrooms for corporate events. The place is really big with outdoor seating areas as well, which is really nice. Great customer service.
3 - Jessi P.: Great rooms! Very clean place with a great staff. On the negative side-the bar has slow service and the food is not the best.
5 - Lynne S.: This hotel was pricey, but worth every penny, in my opinion. The rooms are large and beautiful and the service is amazing. There's also free wi fi anywhere in the hotel and conference center, which is a bonus. Even the room service was very reasonable and really good. The shower was powerful and the beds were very comfortable. I really had no complaints.
4 - Heather S.: we had a great experience here last august, and yes I'm just now writing the review.

this is a new hotel, we got it on hotwire though, so we didn't actually pick it, it picked us, so naturally we were enchanted. $100 a night! or something like that but either way - it was a steal i felt.

i loved the aveda toiletries, and i loved our bed. the brunch downstairs wasn't awesome, but i just felt like it was so much more modern. i would love to come back here again but I feel like i'll never be able to afford it.
4 - Sarah C.: I work for AT&T so imagine my astonishment when i bid on a hotel in the downtown area for my friends bachelorette party and I get this hotel?! I can't seem to stay away from AT&T, even during my vacation time. 
Any who- 
The hotel is absolutely gorgeous. The lobby had beautiful centerpieces that we considered swiping from the hotel for my friends wedding. The staff was very friendly, even after telling them we were staying here for a bachelorette party. Parking was $14.00 for covered parking in their maze of a parking garage. I'll admit, we got lost a few times trying to get out of there. 
The room was very comfy and had all the amenities you would ever need. Robes, a safe, a mini-fridge, a lighted makeup mirror, flat screen TV with U-verse (naturally) and an alarm clock with built in CD player. I was really hoping for an ipod/iphone dock on that alarm clock but it didn't have one. The beds were SUPER comfy and plush. There wasn't a spec of dust/dirt anywhere to be found. Trust me, I looked. 
The only complaint was a tiny bug that was found on the bride to be while she was laying in bed. We're still not sure if it came from the hotel or was in her overnight bag. We called the front desk around 1 AM. and told them about our dilemma. They sent a housekeeper up to our room within 10 minutes to have her sheets changed. Again, I checked every nook and cranny in that room to determine if there was a bug infestation but i didn't find anything. The jury is still out on that one. 
The decor is completely UT themed. The rooms are burnt orange and the walls in the hallways and rooms are adorned with very cool retro UT campus pics. I'm not a football person but if you are a fan of UT, this is your place!
5 - Tracy P.: This place is HUGE!!! Holy cow. 

The first test any hotel has to pass with me is: the bed.
 Is it clean? check.
 Is it fluffy? check.
 Does it have awesome white sheets and comforter that makes it feel like I'm sleeping in some kind of cumulus cloud? check.

 Test passed with flying colors!

Moving on...

The room was a good size, included a mini frige, desk, and separate vanity area- which is basically a requirement when you have multiple girls in the room who all need to shower and prep before going out. 
 

Other goodies include the pool. We definitely utilized that! Very pretty, with little fountain streams spraying into the water. The only complaint here is it's a touch small. Chairs were a hot commodity and were jealously guarded by 3 pm when everyone and their mother showed up to cool off. 


My all time favorite part of this place is the courtyard! It is gorgeous and gigantic. Tables and (cushy) chairs are scrattered throughout and there are trees, plants, fountains, etc. It's just insanely pleasant! I stole away here at night to make some phone calls as to not disturb everyone else in the room. It was so nice that I returned the next morning just to read and enjoy being outside. 


In short: this was the most enjoyable hotel stay I've had in a while! Yay At&t Conference Center :D
4 - Matt S.: Place is one of the better places I've been too.  Good size, many different options in regards to places that are nearby for food and entertainment.  Situated right on the UT campus, there will be a lot of students walking around.  

This hotel rivals some of the top end hotels in Austin.  I would come here again.
4 - david h.: The one word that comes to mind when I think of this place is - convenient. If you have business in or around the UT campus (especially including game days), this is by far the best option. 

The trappings are exteremely nice. It has a hill country feel in a downtown setting and that's no small feat to pull off. The people are friendly and try to be as helpful as they can. 

I think that the rooms are small. The amenities are fine (food bar downstairs, gift shop w/ UT stuff galore, sports bar, restaurant, etc.). It has most everything you could need. The beds are VERY comfortable.

I got my reservation through Hotels.com 2 days before a game and the price was steep ($300+/ night) but that was on me for not planning better.

We called to see when we could check in and they said "How 'bout we check you in over the phone!". Nice touch.

We had smal glitch with our keys that kept my family of 5 in the hallway for about 20 minutes. Took three visits to the front desk to fix. They kept saying "I don't know why they won't work." I would probably offer a free drink in the bar or something for the trouble but it didn't dampen the experience too much.

All in all, it's a very nice place. It is very convenient and I would come back for that alone.
4 - R Y.: Overall, we had a great stay.  Room was clean and good size.  Air conditioner had a hint of a musty smell, but nothing worth complaining over.  
The hotel is really nice and in a prime location.  Lots of area to sit and relax and enjoy the outside.  UT Tower a couple blocks away, so makes for a nice evening walk.  
Room service was great.  Breakfast is delicious.  My son enjoyed his big Texas shaped waffle with fruit.  My pancakes and coffee were delicious.  The bar has great food and drinks, bit pricey, but so are all hotel bars of this caliber.  
My only complaint is that they would not allow late check out.  It was the first day of Austin City Limits and we were on our way out.  We have two babies and my husband was in a conference at the hotel that was not over until 2:30.  Even an hour after check-out would have helped but they declined our request knowing the scenario.  The hotel should accommodate their guests, especially when conference is being held there.  If they needed all guests out of their rooms by 12pm because ACL guests were arriving, then hire extra house cleaning staff for that weekend.  
If not for the late check-out incident, it would have been a perfect stay.  The staff is extremely helpful and friendly, vale workers were awesome.
3 - Joshua G.: This would have been wonderful but for a fire alarm in the room with a bright blinking light. When I complained they said they could do nothing about it.
4 - Angel S.: We waited until the last minute to book a hotel for Austin City Limits and when I saw the rate was under $200/night, I was pretty nervous that we had just signed up for a cockroach motel.  

Wow, was I mistaken.

Immediately upon pulling up in the airport shuttle, I was greeted by two bell hops, who were extremely friendly and grabbed my bags to help me get them inside.  The foyer was very clean with high ceilings and another friendly face to guide me to the front desk for check in.  

The room was extra large, clean and the television has more cable options that I have in my home for $150/month!  Each room has a balcony, which is great to sit on while enjoying the coffee made from the in-room coffee maker (it's a must have!)

We spent one of the days at the pool and it was also clean, with plenty of tables and chairs to relax in or out of the sun.  I was there for 5 days, so ended up eating at the expensive restaurant for brunch and also the bar restaurant for lunch.  Both had a great selection of food, decent service and weren't marked up like you see at some hotels.

I would definitely stay here again.
4 - Jhoren C.: my 3 day stay here at the AT&T hotel was very relaxing, they also have a fitness center / pool downstairs that's 24/7, complimentary towel, water and apples after a great workout oh and they provide FREE Wifi (iPhone users I know you'll love that!) service was good and since it's located right smack on the UT campus they have alot of walking distance fast-food/restaurants nearby and Sixth st is the place to be during the night scene always busy and plenty of Bars to choose from with $3 beers and no cover charge
4 - Jen L.: The hotel was good; comfortable rooms, the water was hot and the tv & ac worked well.  My only picky comment was that the room smelled..stale.  Like it hadn't been used in a while.  A colleague said hers was really dusty.  Maybe the hotel part isn't getting much use?

The conference center was well laid out and the meeting rooms were really nice, a little chilly for me.  But that's the way it always is.

My colleagues who planned the meeting said the staff was great to work with.  And it's very conveniently located to a bunch of restaurants for those who arrive without a car.
1 - Susan D.: This hotel was a big disappointment and we did not have a restful stay there.  There were a number of problems.

1.  The in room smoke alarm flashes a light all night long.  Very disconcerting and made it difficult to sleep.

2.  The air conditioning/heating system is very noisy and there were  humming/buzzing noises in the room.

3. The walls and floors were very thin.  We could hear noises above us and also in the next door room.  It was easy to hear voices in the hall as well and there was a lot of this sort of noise all through the night.

4.  The mattress was not particularly comfortable--which is unusual in a hotel of this sort.

5.  The fire alarm went off at almost 1am and we had to evacuate down the stairs.  (It was set off by a prankster who decided to deploy a fire extinguisher.)  The hall filled with smoke and the clean up took a long time, was noisy and was right outside our room.

6.  Late guests entering our floor were very noisy.  

7.  Very poor lighting in the sink area for application of makeup.  

I would not recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a restful night.  This is just NOT the place for that.
1 - Kris U.: This review is regarding the Catering Service (at a lunch time conference) I recently attended:  FAIL!

It started with unfortunately the best thing on our menu, the iceberg wedge salad.  It's pretty tough to mess up iceberg lettuce as long as the dressing is decent.

But next up were the main courses.  I had the "vegetarian option" which was labeled as "wild mushroom crepes."  Unfortunately, my dish arrived with two crepes full of cooked onions (and nothing else) and covered in a nondescript crème sauce, garnished with a green leaf of some sort.  After two bites, I'd had enough onions!  Only after I was done with my plate and they finally served the other vegetarian optioned person at our table, did I realize they completely left off the mushrooms on my crepes.  My plate was also missing one of the two accompanying side vegetables.  Still, my dish was far better than the raw chicken breast served to the poor woman sitting next to me (she looked over at my plate and decided to pass on a main course altogether).

Dessert was hardened Christmas cookies (they might have good, if they hadn't probably sat out a day ahead of time).
4 - Jeena L.: The room itself isn't very spectacular but the hotel is pretty amazing especially with all the UT longhorn paraphernalia. Parking is about $18/night in the garage but there's 2 doors to remember, one purely for guest check-in and hotel area and the other for the conference area.  I liked that they provided a women's vanity/lighted/magnified mirror. The bathtub itself wasn't that great, I really wanted to take a bath but it's just too tiny! The pillows were not very comfortable as it was too thin to sleep on, I had to double up. (my personal preference though)

The tv offered a wide variety of channels and there's free wifi or at least complimentary free wi-fi with my corporate rate. Being on the recruiting team, it's so convenient to stay at the at&t center - hands down. This is probably the reason why I give it 4 stars instead of 3. The lounge and sitting areas in the hotel are pretty nice, quiet enough to study or even chat with a friend. The staff is pretty friendly and accommodating - they even let me check out till 12:30PM to give me enough time without having to rush back with an event that ended at 11:30AM on campus.
4 - Sara K.: Immaculate, great service and wonderful rooms.  I do wish the lighting in the vanity area was brighter it was a little too dim to put on makeup.  The staff was friendly, I could tell they were students but they were professional.  Overall a great place to stay.
4 - dolly s.: After looking at several wedding venues in Austin, my husband and I decided on the AT&T Conference Center for our early March wedding.  The Conference Center is centrally located in Austin on UT campus and the interior of the building is beautifully decorated, has high ceilings and is very spacious (which creates the feeling of grandeur).  The public spaces are well maintained and service is on point.  

The event coordinator at the venue was Amanda Barone and she was a dream to work with.  I had several requests and questions throughout the whole planning process, all of which she took care of with a smile, I didn't need to worry about a thing.  We used the outside courtyard for the ceremony, which contains different native Texas vegetation, and used the ballroom for the reception, all of which the staff set-up beautifully.  The dinner was generous and delicious with impeccable service.

One of the best thing in the wedding package was that a free room was also included for the night.  The room was nicely appointed with a seating area, a separate bedroom, and a large balcony.  The room was perfect for getting ready and for my family to sit and relax before the hectic wedding activities started.

For me, I couldn't have asked anything more of a venue.
4 - Rick G.: We held a conference this weekend; the keynote speech and patio reception were here, and the visiting attendees stayed here.  The room for the keynote talk was very comfortable.  My only complaint is that the jumbo-tron type back-projection system was a little distracting, since you see the edges of the different monitors that comprise it.  It's probably fine for projecting images, but the extra visible lines were distracting when projecting scientific-style graphs and charts.

I've never been in the guest rooms, so I can't say anything about them myself, but all our guests who stayed there said they were very nice.  All the staff members I interacted with were polite and knowledgeable, even the security guard who told me I couldn't park where I wanted to unload our registration materials.
4 - Katherine P.: My parents got us a hotel here for my graduation - yeah I lived in Austin but I did not feel like fighting it out for parking ...especially around UT. The decor is beautiful. Very UT but also very classy. 

My favorite thing about this place? The bed. I laid down, 2 minutes later, and I was KTFO. I don't know too much about the amenities here since I didn't get a chance to check out much but I do remember that parking was about $18/day. Honestly, I feel parking should come with a room but that's just my opinion. 

Would I stay here again? Maybe if I was okay with dropping about $200 a night + parking. But that bed ...man, I'd come back for seconds.
5 - Jeffrey S.: Excellent facility. Clean, modern, and great location.
5 - Tania H.: I was there for an educational event for UTeach and found the facilities to be exceptional. The only complaint really is the pricey parking at $18 for a full day..
4 - Megan T.: So I decided to try my hand at priceline.com for the first time and this is the hotel they got for me. This past weekend was out two year anniversary and we wanted to stay somewhere lovely. I have to admit that when the name popped up on priceline I felt a total let down. But this was definitely a "don't judge a book by it's cover" moment. 

The hotel was really nice and spacious. We parked in the garage under the hotel ($14) and could come and go as we pleased. It was close enough to all the things we wanted to do downtown, just a couple minutes drive. 

Our room was normal size, clean and definitely had a TX decor vibe. It had a lighted makeup mirror, refrigerator, TV with Satellite, robes with longhorns on them lol (I am always a fan of robes!!), and a hairdryer (ours was broken, it only blew cold air). And Free Wifi!

We had a view of the pool and street from the 5th floor out a HUGE window. We didn't go to the pool but it looked nice, a little small though. 

We ordered room service, my husband got angle food cake with fruit which he loved and I got chocolate cake but without the raspberry sauce and I think it was a bad decision because it wasn't the greatest. 

Overall it was a very nice place to stay at a great price. Don't let the name fool you!
3 - Shannon B.: Just stayed here over the weekend,7/21 - 7/24; decent place, decent location. Food from room service is pretty bad (seriously, don't do room service, there are plenty of places within walking distance to eat), the elevator situation is a pain and THE POOL IS TINY, it's a ridiculous excuse for even a private residence much less a 4 star hotel! The one "plus" would be that they offer free wifi...but they charge $14/day for parking. The rooms were ok, the beds were comfortable but the bathrooms are pretty skimpy; only a stand up shower with a door that barely clears the bathroom door. And you can forget showering as a couple; one person can barely turn around in it and it's nearly impossible to shave your legs, ladies! I can honestly say that I've stayed at a few 3 star hotels that blow this place out of the water....Next time I will stay somewhere else for sure.
5 - Jim L.: After many years of sitting on hard chairs, in cold rooms, getting "staff development" from the likes of those who could present as well as a monkey, I believe to have the ethos to know a good professional development facility when I see one. The AT&T Center is the place to learn, boy! Large, fully equipped rooms, excellent technology, spacious meeting and passing halls, excellent break and dining options (inside and out), and a winning staff that should get the "Better Work and Professional Learning" seal of approval. 

Each time I take a course at AT&T I contrast with sharp, published, engaging professors with all of those years of school-based dimwits who called themselves principals. The conference center is on UT's campus, so it's not wonder that they draw from a strong pool of noted scholars and authors. 

The food in the Tejas Dining Room is varied, well-spaced, and generally lovely. I would put the quality of the dining experience up against most high-end cruises. 

A great place to learn and grow!
4 - Lily C.: I've been  here twice to attend conferences and both times stayed three nights. It is a lovely hotel and the staff are wonderful. The rooms are comfortable and clean. There is free WiFi. I've never had any trouble with anything in my room not working. Room service is great.
4 - Karrlie O.: A friend and I headed to Austin for a girls weekend and found a great deal at the AT & T Center. We shopped around and found a rate that was pretty low. Upon arrival we were pleasantly surprised with the atmosphere of the hotel. They are a "green" building and it really shows in their design. 
Upon check in the woman was polite and friendly. Our room was clean and well decorated. The beds were comfy and the room had a great view of the pool and part of downtown. 
The hotel was pretty close to downtown and a pretty inexpensive cab ride to 6th street. We were able to always get at taxi quickly thanks to the gentlemen in front of the hotel. 
Overall it was a nice hotel that I would definitely stay at again (if the price is right).
5 - Nada O.: I was just an attendee at a conference - I didn't stay at the hotel.

The wifi is fast and free! Every table in the conference room I was using (201) had pop-up power outlets - very convenient.

The rooms seem acoustically excellent - I noticed strategically placed sound panels which are apparently very effective. One of the presenters had a tendency to wander away from the mike, and he remained understandable even from my perch in the back row. At the same time, though, I wasn't bothered by audience sounds. 

The food for the attendees is incredibly good. I was astonished. There was a variety of delicious vegetable dishes, everything from expertly prepared parsnips and cauliflower to nicely protein-rich bean dishes. The dishes were labelled vegetarian, vegan, and/or gluten-free as applicable.
5 - Mimi G.: I am a super fan of this convention center and the hotel itself. 

Ikki-con was moved here from the convention center and the location for it is 10 times better. Its right off of Guadalupe and MLK Area. There are resturants all around that are decently priced for food. For the people who love Anime conventions, we all know you save all year around in order to go! So being able to eat cheaply and not fine cuisine is very important. 

The hotel staff did a fantastic job in taking care of everyone. With all the people and various age groups, it can get extremely crazy and out of control. It was their first year with is and they could have not done a better job. The staff was very kind and welcoming. I really loved the room set up that my friends had. They were in a corner room with a great view of the UT Tower. I do not believe it was an accessable room but they had a nice walk in shower! It is fantastic. Some of the rooms even have small balconys that look into the court yard! I LOVE the fact that half of the building is the hotel and the other half is the convention center. That have a beautiful courtyard area in the center that everyone took their photos at. 

What I really enjoyed about this center that made it great for the type of the convention was the classrooms! When you have tons of people trying to watch and see panels/movies its difficult to see everything with people just have lined seating!  The seating in here was classroom seating but elevated on each step! Its fanastic and a lot of place should do this. (Than again this is part of the UT student area!)

Other than all of that. The experience was great. They were wonderful to everyone that I saw and did not mind to much!
4 - Steve M.: We attended a private event at the AT & T Center in one of the ballrooms on a Tuesday night. The ballroom was very nice, decorated well. The wait staff was attentive and courteous, although they picked a nerve when they served some of the men at the table before the ladies.

Good experience in a clean, well done atmosphere.
1 - Mike f.: The rooms are glorified dormitories.  The A/C is noisy and rooms are bland.  Hotel staff completely not interested in guest services.  This is a three star at best and you'll get better results at a Holiday Inn
4 - Steven K.: I was here for a conference for a long weekend recently and was quite surprised by the amenities.  The pictures of the tiny mints that my Felpers (for the uninitiated, Fellow-Yelpers) is very accurate.  There are more bowls of these little mints laying around than there are conference participants.   

I was surprised by the $$$ rating for cost, especially after I spoke to our conference organizers and found out it was a bargain compared to what my company normally pays.  

The bar, the place everyone goes right after their meetings are over, is nice enough to pick up a little something to take back to your room.  Just don't mess it up by inviting your colleagues to join in the fishing trip; oh wait, I guess in Austin it's a roping' party.  However you bag your limit, the bartenders are pretty adept at keeping things moving at a relaxed pace.  They pour some nice high end (had to get that in somewhere) liquors and when its on someone else's dime, have at it. Nothing like a little Hennessy OX to warm your tummy after dinner.   Or better yet, sip down a glass of Glenlivet 21 year old.  Its as old as some of the kids hanging out in the bar!

One thing that must be mentioned, and the reason this isn't a 5-star review, is that the AV in every room we used was a projector sitting on a box on the floor.  As a presenter you had to stay away from the center of the screen because you would block the projection.   I was really surprised that for a center named after a phone technology company they were vastly lacking in technology.  And it bears mentioning that the wireless microphones seemed to have issues as well the whole weekend.   

All in all, the facility is well appointed, the catered food was much better than average and the view outside of the rooms, because this is a college campus, are striking as well.
3 - Renee W.: I bid $200 on Priceline trying to get any 4 star downtown hotel for a romantic weekend.  The location was great.  It was a beautiful , but I think it feels and looks like a conference or educational building, like the name says. Wasn't so great for a romantic or luxurious escape.
5 - Emma L.: I stayed here for a conference in April and my stay was fantastic. The rooms were big, clean, nicely furnished, and the staff made it easy to split the cost of the room with my conference roommate so we could both get proper receipts for our expenses. The conference was at the conference center right across a bright courtyard, making it incredibly easy to get around and pop back in to your room for your forgotten USB key or whatever. 

We had breakfast included in our conference fees, and this was a buffet style breakfast in the Tejas Room that was open for long enough that early birds and late risers could both get something to eat. The coffee between sessions was always plentiful (and good!), and the snacks were fantastic. Yogurt and granola is a great mid-morning snack.

My only minor complaints were that I didn't love the shampoo and conditioner in the rooms (I'm picky, I guess) and that some of the conference rooms had the air conditioning on full blast, making it actually quite cold. I expect it to be warm in Texas! But that's nothing. We're having the conference back here  again next year, and I can't wait to be back!
2 - Jessica R.: Was not impressed with anything except the friendly staff and the super soft bath robes that could've done without the Longhorn embroidery. 

Rooms are drab in decor and seriously why are you putting a big HD TV in the room and not offering the cable in HD?  Everything on TV looked fuzzy.  I also do not understand how you can claim to be a 4 star hotel and not offer room service past 10:30pm.  I had to order take out from an Austin restaurant and get it delivered to my room, which was kind of baffling to me in the respect that the delivery guy was allowed to roam where ever he wanted and didn't even have to check in with the front desk.  

This hotel really is just like an extension of the University of Texas.  It is overpriced and overrated.
5 - Jess F.: If you can snag a good price, this is definitely a great place to stay. Usual prices are pretty high, given that it's the nicest hotel with such close proximity to UT campus. Everything inside is pristine and very modern. The hotel staff is helpful and friendly - many of which are UT grads and/or students. The lobby is spacious and there's plenty of comfortable seating, for afternoon or evening relaxing.
4 - DrWarren B.: I recently stayed here when I took my daughter for her freshman orientation.  The hotel is in an excellent location and sports clean and upscale rooms.  My only complaint was the attempt of the front desk staff to upsell the TOWER rooms for more money.  

The TOWER ROOMS are nothing special and are not worth the extra money invested in the room.  They are basically the same as the other rooms with a view of an ugly parking garage and a clock tower off in the distance that lights up at night.  Save the $100.00 a night and stay in a normal room.  Just fine!!

I would stay again but stay in a normal room.
5 - Trevor H.: I love...great deals on priceline. Money location, plenty close to downtown & Congress, river, etc.  Room = nice and good use of space. Enjoyed balcony on 6 th floor. Cool views of Capitol & UT clock tower.

Bar is friendly w happy hour specials.  Free wifi throughout property.  Tons of channels & Free On Demand shows through AT&T cable package.  Guess they market their brand at the "AT&T" Center!  Courteous staff. Keep an eye out for street parking if you want to wave $14 per night. Overall, great 5th Anny trip here!
4 - L T.: I got this room by bidding on Priceline and got a good deal.  The hotel itself is nice, and the location is fantastic.  I was able to walk around UT and check out all of the cool stuff on the drag.  The room is a decent size and is well planned.  Luckily I went to UT so I thought the longhorn memorabilia was cute - Aggies may well feel like they're in hell.
4 - Virginia D.: stayed here on biz for a few days.

this place is pretty nice!  stayed in the Capital tower-- rooms are big & modern.  amazingly comfy beds & spa robes. decent gym. pool is a bit small. loved all the open spaces to lounge both inside & out. especially loved all the free WiFi! (pet peeve: hotels charging through the nose for WiFi.)  the rooms need more light, though.  

had late dinner & drinks @ Gabriel's Cafe & bfast @ the cafe- both were tasty, plenty of vegan options

the staff is very courteous & helpful (it's a Southern thing)

right across the street from UT & near funky cafes, restaurants, etc. kind of a haul to the live music venues everyone raves about (I was too G-D tired to venture out at night)
2 - GianPaolo M.: We were attending a meeting on UT campus and agreed to stay here because other attendees were and we could spend a little more time with them.  The room was a disappointment, with the exception of the shower (which really was awesome).  If you stopped in Austin just to take a shower, I would definitely recommend it.  When we entered the room, we had to hunt for the light switches.  No lights left on in the room (which I agree is a good green feature) but we had to put on the flashlights in our cell phones to find the light switch.  No wastebasket in the bathroom, where it would typically be most needed.  The rooms are apparently more designed for meetings than sleeping, as the fold-out double bed featured a very rudimentary mattress as thin and spring-loaded as a sofa-bed mattress.  Pillows are not left on the bed, but are kept stored in the closet.  One dense pillow per guest, so hope you like your pillow firm or don't mind calling downstairs to see if they have something different.  It seemed a great deal of care went into the high-tech features of the room, yet, we had to unplug existing items like the room phone to have a place to plug in our cellphone chargers, since there were no spare outlets.  The famous robes are two layers, with the inside layer being a very high thread count smooth cotton - which would be really comfortable if, for example, one did not put on the robe just after a shower, whereupon the inner layer becomes cloyingly clingy and doesn't breathe.  It was like putting on a rain coat.  The room was interesting to look around, generally comfortable, spacious, and with some thoughtful features.  Books in the cubby seemed to be posed to make the room seem homey - but the choice of the books being titles that were clearly discarded by Goodwill, as no one could possibly be interested in reading them, rather thumbed its nose at the guest.  How bad would it be if a guest really fell in love with a book he found in one of the rooms?  Hotel staff was super friendly and helpful.  The room was acceptable as an accommodation, but $170?  Really - $170?  For a foldout bed?  Really?

AT&T Store - Los Angeles, CA (34.0598963, -118.4448211) (Westwood)
3 - Master G.: Here for a Micocell 3G.  Representatives addressed my issue for my Bel Air home accordingly.  Would like to see more employees here to compensate for the "lunch hour".  Overall experience was acceptable.
5 - Tyler H.: Jonathan and Tiffany rock.  Professional and friendly.  I was just about ready to cancel AT&T and switch to Verizon due to poor reception and no help from the customer care via phone, but these two convinced me to stay.  Thank you!

AT&T Wireless - Houston, TX (29.717681, -95.418163) (West University)
4 - May N.: I've been in here a few times for help with my pda mobile phone.  The sales reps are very nice.  They have a private lot so although this is in the Village, I never have trouble finding parking.  I was having issues with a short ringer and the rep spent about 45 minutes on the customer line to help me.  That was awesome.  And now my ringtone lasts longer than 2 rings.
5 - Jim M.: You know that mental image you have of incredibly pushy and yet somehow ignorant, bored and apathetic cell phone sales people? Banish it from your mind, and come to this shop if you need cell phone assistance. 

We had a really great experience in this shop this past Saturday morning.
5 - Karen N.: W.   O.   W.  That spells wow by the way.  I know that I spent $350 on a phone that was stolen promptly 13 days later after upgrading from a 3G to a iPhone 4 but the service at this location is simply impeccable.  (Some of the patrons can definitely learn some manners though.)

At the beginning of March, I visited this store and Donovan (I think the manager?) assisted me with upgrading to an iPhone4 because my 3G no longer wanted to take phone calls or check-in (yes, really because of yelp), or go the correct application.  I had a coupon which gave me two items for $350.  Instead, he gave me three items.  What?  Did you just give me more stuff?  ME LIKEY.  

For two weeks I lived in glorious bliss with my phone.  i loved it.  I kissed it.  I whispered sweet nothings to it.  

Then an evil person who will definitely rot in iPhone hell... well stole it.  

That's where Chris steps in.  I suppose I was being pretty dramatic when I walked in that day.  I mean, seriously, I feel separation anxiety with it now.  I feel like I never got to say good bye.  So back to Chris....  He basically asked me who could help me - I said I needed Donovan.  But essentially he still patiently helped me out.

Two options: Pay as you go.  I guess I literally asked him to look at my face and see how high maintenance I looked.  How could one go from caviar to a big mac??

Option two:  $600.  I.  FELL. TO. THE. FLOOR.  And if you think i didn't.  my friend and the rest of the store can attest that i did.  I normally am not this dramatic... but we are talking about the love of my life here!!  It just left me!!  And you want me to pay for another?  

At this point Donovan, who is assisting another customer chimes in and adds that if I had insurance for $11.99 - CUT OFF - WAIT.  Insurance?  Donovan.  I have not filled out your customer survey form which I plan on doing.  I could have insurance?  You only sold me that Apple iCare!!!  Insurance would still be $350 because Apple knows that all of us crazy people will pay it!! (so Donovan still gets thumbs up I guess for not selling it to me.

So for now, 3G back in action - what i want for my birthday (JULY 9th - bookmark it - collective donation for the iPhone5 in white).  And is it weird that Chris and I have the same birthday?  Is it even weirder that I know that his favorite dessert is Crave cupcakes?  Man, I love you AT&T - Kirby for being so awesome and all you did was reactivate a phone for me and I lost $350 in the transaction!!

So, sorry AT&T customers for acting foolish although I saw all of you laughing at my plight.  Moral of the story: have homeowners/renter's insurance for this type of dilemma and hope that you have a low enough deductible to cover it.
3 - Mallory G.: Came here after going to another AT&T who did not have the phone that Josh wanted. The other store had called ahead to make sure they had it. We were greeted as soon as we arrived and told them what we needed. They very quickly went and got the phone. I then asked if they could throw in a car charger since we had been customers so long. The sales associate told me that he did not have the power to do that and all the managers had left at 4:30 as they do everyday. This irked me. So I said isn't that when the store is slow? Aren't you busy in the evening? He told me around 2 was their busiest time. I have a hard time believing that but whatever. But shouldn't a manager be there at all times?? Seems like weird business practices to me.

He seemed nervous the whole time he was helping us but did everything we needed. He did try to sell us a case for $50 that he said would not be cheaper anywhere else. I then looked on amazon on my phone to see it was about $23 on amazon. 

Always give yourself at least an hour to visit AT&T. Even if you think your request is very simple. There could be someone in front of you that takes forever or its just more complicated than it needs to be.
5 - Carrie C.: GREAT service here today!

I usually hate going into these stores, but was very very impressed with the quality of customer service I received today. Made everything simple and the lady was very friendly and prompt. Thanks!!
1 - Tyler H.: Terrible service today. Waited around while all staff busy, only to have someone come out of a backroom and start signing up patrons waiting to be helped.  She didn't bother to inquire who was waiting first I said something I was told "it won't be long....".   It was I left. I'll stay with Comcast for now.

AT&T Wireless - Los Angeles, CA (34.0622264, -118.4452463) (Westwood)
3 - Kalvin C.: Helpful and friendly staff, although their phone selection is a bit small. I'm almost positive this is as good as a cell phone store can possibly get.
1 - Jordan M.: Worst customer service I have EVER seen, regardless of the type of store. They lied to my friend about the terms of her contract, saying the $500 security deposit was required for 6 months when in reality it was required for a year. They also gave her a broken phone and  charged her $20 when she exchanged it 2 days later for a working version. Since the store was bullying her around, I decided to try to help her resolve the issue, only to find a staff that was completely unhelpful, very rude and threatened me numerous times.

After a several minute discussion in which all they could say was literally "Call customer service, we won't help you unless you want to buy something", they began to threaten me. They criticized my friend from China saying the problem was a language barrier, since she has an accent, despite her being fluent in English and being a doctor with an MD/PHD. I asked for the full names of the employee and the manager at the store and they refused to tell me knowing I would make a complaint. At one point, several of the employees began screaming at me when I asked for a pen to write down the number for customer service.

This behavior is absolutely unacceptable, and the bottom line is that there is no reason to go here and take their abuse. I called ATT to file a complaint about this store, but we all know those complaints tend to be a dead-end. Because of this store, my friend is going to cancel her cellular phone and use a different carrier. Neither of us will ever consider using ATT again.
1 - Jay r.: i will never return back to this store again.
1 - Bronson N.: The owner's name is Josh. Balding middle aged man. He may have Downs Syndrome, please be patient with him.

I went shopping for an HTC Aria. I walked into the store with him yelling at an old woman who returned a non functioning car recharger. He yelled "how dare you try to return something I will go out of business!" It was surreal to watch this spectacle of verbal abuse over a $25 phone recharger, no one can be that cruel. This merited further investigation.

Cautiously I asked about the phone, worried he may suffer from Tourrettes or schizophrenia, as those types do burst out at others for no reason immediately apparent to those not involved with their chaotic inner world.

He pressed his fingers to his temple. Migraine? Perhaps, but again, we don't know for certain. He stood still in a catatonic state, then as if some magical hourglass tipped over to control the flow of his life energy, instantly he recovered but only enough to sacrifice his remaining strength and order it because, according to him, scarcity of the HTC Aria increased since one week ago when AT&T listed it as "in-stock" on their sale advertisements littering Westwood Village.

I agreed, apologized for causing him pain, then walked home to research more about the HTC Aria online.

A week later, he called to tell me the phone arrived. Holding the advertisement in my hand, I casually asked for the price despite already knowing in advance. He seemed to want more dialogue than just paying at the register, so I humored his desire and gave in to the role of "clueless shopper". I do this often because I try to please people far too often and those sales types seem so eager to feel good and mighty in a rare position of power. The sacrifice on my end is so small compared to the sense of empowerment they appear to feel as their body language and tone changes into a form of confidence.

He asked $600 for it with a straight face. However, we discussed several times that I would pay the price offered with a renewal of my two year contract. He forgot this detail several times throughout the interaction. To help aid his failing state of mind, I quickly reminded him about this price detail each time he forgot about it.

It seemed like forming this memory troubled him, but I told him to believe in himself and eventually he would consistently remember the price for the phone is the same as the price listed with the service bundle, not $600. Eventually he succeeded in remembering - a strong accomplishment for him and it felt rewarding to help someone with a learning disability make a step in the right direction.

The playful guy that he is, each time he nervously laughed, clearly scarred by years of taunting and teasing by his peers, or perhaps parents, who poked fun at his slow learning curve. He brushed the $600 price mentions aside with a chuckle, "oh sorry about that hehe. I meant $300 and because I like you I get you a mail in rebate!"

However, memory only classifies one of his deficits in ability, and our hearts must remain open to his unfortunate disposition. His lack of spacial awareness became apparent as well when he forgot that the mother-ship AT&T store, just down the block from his little shuttle store, sells the HTC Aria directly online for $99 as did the Radio Shack a few doors down the block. 

It felt terrible, but I had to establish my boundaries at some point otherwise he would believe too firmly that his ineptitude was not ineptitude because of my disease to please. Let that be a lesson that it's better to just be honest because even though it feels like we help at first, we hurt people by padding criticism.

I told him that it was too high of a price and I will buy it online from AT&T, the company he works for and fully knows the prices with. He said, "you drive a hard bargain. I like that! I give it to you for $169!". Or perhaps he meant $196? There's a chance he may also suffer from dyslexia but I excused myself from the store. More work would be too much of a sacrifice, but perhaps someone will help him and his condition. Someone... Someday...
4 - Shannon H.: Upgraded here to iPhone 4.  It was slightly complicated because we had two lines and the upgrade was for the other, but Hector took care of everything quickly and efficiently.  Only thing keeping this place from five stars is the limited case selection, but that's not really what you go there for anyway.
5 - k s.: The best and smoothest transaction ever!  I came in expecting to get the run around like I have been for the past 2 of the 8 yrs i've been with AT&T but Matt made everything smooth and easy!  Wish everyone else would be as friendly and competent!  I highly recommend having Matt assist you with all of your needs!
4 - Kia K.: Let the AT&T bashing cease! by the way that 8/12/2010 review by B.N. is obviously for another store.  

I came in here because I have been trying to get a MICROCELL to remedy the crappy coverage in my house.

The manager Tiffany went out of her way to help get me a free one.  The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is that I had to spend a good 15 superfluous minutes on the phone with AT&T customer care AT THE STORE, but Tiffany hooked it up.

Go here, and BE NICE (not an arrogant UCLA Professor prick), and they will go out of their way to help you.
1 - Marjorie M.: I had no cell phone service Saturday, September 24th, 2011  and neither did most of Los Angeles apparently.  No calls and no connections out  .Not even 611.  No 911 either!  Nothing.  I am  lucky enough to live in South OC.. Ran home as fast as I could from LA. Got service restored again on the 405 somewhere around Downey...
They say service didn't get restored to "most areas" in LA  till  LATE SUNDAY NIGHT!.
Really,  AT&T?.
5 - Rosa M.: this site is to RATE STORES who provide at&t service! If they helped you and were nice at an at&t store then give your rate based on your experience while at this store. If service isn't good, if network wasn't working, etc THEN CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE and complain! 
Whoever said that at&t charges you a restoral fee for not paying your bill, guess what? all companies charges about the same! (unless you have a prepaid service, so if you can not afford a bill, then get a prepaid service!)
At&t provides payment arrangements, extending your payments but you must call them first. They are not your guarding angel to make sure you make the payments (which you should have made anyway and if you could not, then you should have let them know). If people don't pay their car payments, the creditors eventually will take your car away. At&t suspends service because of the economy, why keep service on for people who can't pay their bill or responsible enough to call them for an arrangement? 
when i had a high bill, i usually call customer service and if i am nice, they help me understand my bill (whether it is overage of minutes, etc), sometimes lowering the charges.
 P.D i have had at&t since 2001 (when they used to be Cingular Wireless) and even though reception isn't great in all areas, no company can guarantee service everywhere. So far i have been very happy, 
I have never been to this store yet, but based on these crazy reviews, i would go because most of these reviews can't be taken as a valid review for a store.
Some reviews are helpful like the one with the HTC Aria one, and some other ones but the rest- you know who you are :)  Chill and cancel the service if you are so unhappy with them, but don't take it up to the stores.
1 - E Y.: This was on Thursday (Feb. 16, 2012) around 11am. Worst customer service I've experienced. My family changed my cellphone provider from Verizon to AT&T and mailed me a new phone that requires activation. All I needed from them was to activate my phone and transfer my last number to the new phone.
Clerk 1: "I don't know how to activate your phone. Maybe you should call this number [gives me a number] and follow their directions."
So I call, the call takes about 5min, but something is wrong and my phone doesn't activate. I'm just standing there for 5min with troubled look on my face, yet he's just standing right next to me texting. I ask for help and he just shrugs. So I decide to give it another try and call. During that 5min call, he doesn't even say a word and walks out of the door. Apparently his shift was over.
Clerk 2: "I don't know why your phone doesn't activate. Maybe call the customer service and ask them why? [gives me a number] and follow their directions."
So I call, after 20min of waiting and talking, I figured apparently the problem was that I didn't turn off my old cellphone.
Now my phone is activated, and I ask if they could help me transfer the old phone number to the new phone.
Clerk 2: "We actually don't do that here, you should call this number [gives me another number] and follow their directions."
So I call once and realize that I don't have enough information. Took few min to retrieve my Verizon account information and make another call, wait and talk for 20min, and finally get my phone number transferred.
Things they've done for me: giving me 2 numbers and standing around.
My point is, the only reason I went to this store for help was to save time, but the whole process took over one hour and thirty minutes. If I just decided to do it at home, it would've been a lot faster, and I would've saved walking time as well. What's the point of visiting the store and ask for help?
What pissed me off the most was the fact that they were standing around texting while I was making a call, not giving any sort of attention (or even avoiding attention) until I actually asked for help.
Hella raging ftw
5 - Cindy H.: I feel bad for those who have had an awful experience with this store's cust svc. I can actually relate. There were a few times in the past where they were busy and didn't know how to juggle the customers accordingly. But obviously my views have changed...hence the 5 stars :)
Not sure if managers had seen the bad cust. svc reviews on here and opened up a can of woop ass on the employees but now the reps immediately greet you and at one point are on you like flies on snit! lol But I have to give praise to the sales re, William... that went far and beyond for me and deserves all five stars! I actually never had any issue with him in particular. He had always been attentive with me. On this specific day he took the cake though. He accommodated my every need which involved calling AT&T general svc number (we all know how much fun that can be!) and making sure I was getting the best deal on my plan by informing me of changes that would take place with my new phone and making sure they inputted notes on there so I wouldn't have any problem in the future. He had spent at least an hour with me and when we were done he still made sure he would follow up and to contact him if I had any other questions.  I left that store ensured that he had taken care of me the best we was able to and now I feel even though all the reps might be as efficient I would still seek William to assist me...and if he's busy I'll wait!
5 - Han C.: Like the review before me, I feel bad for those who receive bad customer services. For me however, it has been great doing business with this particular AT&T branch.

I started using my current AT&T phones in October 2010. Since then, I have added 3 additional lines to my family plan, all at separate times and transferred one of the lines to a relative living in another part of the state. I did that by having both of us present at our local (one in Northern California and one in Southern California) AT&T branch and communicate via phone an text.

The customer service they provided during all those times were great. I was immediately greeted when I enter the store, and the service rep that greeted me either made sure I get help, or he stays with me until my issues were completely resolved. I think 2 of the three times were with the same rep, and the 3rd time was a different rep. Both of the reps were professional, helpful, and always smiling and keeping a positive attitude.

These people are completely opposite of those reps you get when you call your ISP. I don't think I've met with better reps anywhere else. Hence the 5 stars. Unlike restaurants, I think for services like mobile phones, people don't come here to leave good reviews as often. The 2.5 star average does not in any way represent my experiences on average with this branch.
2 - M D.: Good to check out the physical phone in store before you buy.  But if you want to keep your sanity, and a few extra bucks in your pocket, order online or over the phone.  

If you have an Enterprise or Business account, they can't help you.  The staff here do not understand or refuse to honor the same deals offered by AT&T phone support folks.
3 - Michelle O.: Friendly and helpful but always packed.

Aahs! Gift Store - Westwood, CA (34.0609084, -118.4452641) (Westwood)
3 - Cathleya G.: A store chock full of crap you didnt think you needed but you actually do.  Generic halloween costumes?  Great in a pinch!  Penis pasta?  Sure!  Strawberry Shortcake memorabilia?  Of course!  Overpriced movie posters they surely got for free?  Definitely!  Disco Balls and annoying multicolored lights?  Perfect for my decor!   A must stop in for decorating your dorm room with...well, annoying crap.  Hard to leave this place without buying something useless...although they do have a nice and extensive greeting card section that is unique and humorous.
2 - Jon N.: a gimmicky store. it's only use is when bringing people to LA for the first time and you just are walking around trying to kill time. a bunch of randomness that can be found cheaper elsewhere. the staff is pretty immature too, as they try to shoot you with air guns or blow bubbles in your face yearning for attention. sometimes they get a little out of hand.
1 - Charm N.: The staff here sucks ass! I remember one day after class I came in here to buy a card and this annoying sales dude kept shooting people with an air gun and when he got to me, I stopped and turned around slowly to look at him in disgust and dismay and he was shocked! Ahahahahahahaha! (evil grin) I guess I was the only one who gave him a reaction like that. And then, he proceeds to tell his fellow co-workers what had happened and they just shrugged their shoulders...like are they really gonna do something about it. 

Ugh! I can't stand this place! I mean "Aahs, I know why this place is annoying."
2 - Mike V.: Fill a store with fist-sized chintzy crap and you're practically begging shoplifters to skillfully deplete your inventory.

If someone ever buys you a gift from this place which does not assist you in getting drunk (with the exception of the blow-up bounce around room they have at the 3rd Street location), disavow their existence.
4 - hank c.: this place is so funny. when you had nothing better to do and you wanted to just fiddle around with things that would make you laugh -- AAH's was the place to go. i still remember when putting up those stars on your ceiling was the cool trend for all of 6 months back in like 1999 -- yeah Aah's had all the glow in the dark paraphenilia you needed back then too.
4 - Michael L.: I'm always been a sucker for weird and unique stuff and this is the perfect place for a sucker like me.
3 - Kit S.: You know that one kid who is impossible to shop for? You look everywhere for something and there's a lot of pressure because for your birthday he got you the coolest miniature ping-pong table, basically your favorite possession now and one you are considering declaring an heirloom and passing on to your progeny, only doing so might prevent the progeny part of the plan from ever happening. 

Yeah that kid. Aahs is where you find something for him. Posters, gag gifts, Sex in the City trivia game sets, novelty tees and early bird Halloween costumes. It's sort of the kind of place you take your young relatives if they ever visit you and then after they leave you think about getting your tubes tied. But you feel guilty because you definitely bought yourself a doll -- oh, excuse me, *action figure.*

Right. Aahs also carries Angry Little Girls gear and products.
2 - Daniela L.: You could shoplift the entire store and the staff would never know it. When I was in college, cutting class and eating diddy riese cookies with friends, that was always the impression I had whenever I'd walk by this place....not that I ever thought about shoplifting...just that I totally know I would have gotten away with it had I wanted to.

I'm surprised this store still exists.  I don't get it.  It's a waste disposal for idiotic gag gifts, ugly t-shirts tourists wouldn't even buy, penis and boobie pasta and, judging from the last time I went there in June, about 100 Brazilian soccer shirts.

What a waste of a good location!
1 - Jose N.: I only go to this store if I have to.  The staff is mean and void of people skills.  You shouldn't approach the register to make a purchase unless someone is already paying.  Otherwise, you will stand there and stand there while all the employees walk past you.  They avoid eye contact, proabably in fear that you will call out to them and ask them to ring you up.  

I also don't trust a store that has a high mark-up on their merchandise.  I am all for making a profit, but they have the Nintendo Wii priced at $750.  A Wii?!?  That is a five hundred dollar mark-up!  

A rip-off, tacky employees, poor service.  You can find most of the items they sell there on the net for way cheaper.
3 - Tony T.: This is a fun store that is a break from the norm.  They have fun gag gifts like candy with funny names to T-shirts with 80s cartoon characters to some adult gag gifts like edible underwear.  I swing by this place every once in a while if I'm in the area and it's just fun playing with all the craptacular stuff! There are also greeting cards with raunchy and funny sayings for the holidays or birthdays.  It's a store of the weird and the fun.  I always have fun going in and seeing what kind of junk they have that I can buy for someone.  Don't take yourself too seriously when you're in there and you're all set.  Have fun!
5 - Linda T.: Nice place to shop/waste time at. It's just like Spencer's but with better lighting.
3 - Claire H.: I saw Diane Keaton here. And that's about the only good thing I have to say about this store. It sells mostly those cheap, specialized little trinkets and costumes that you only want once a year - say at Halloween, which may be why it calls itself "a Halloween store". If you want anything pretty or useful though, you're not likely to find it - even such basic party items as ribbons and bows. Wander in here for entertainment if you want, but it's rather creepy and not even particularly cheap.
2 - Kalvin C.: I realized that I could get a lot of this stuff anywhere. I wasn't too amazed by their selection but its not all bad, I thought it was way better than those souvenir shops in Chinatown.
4 - Bianca L.: So to me, Aahs is a store of one day.....the day after Halloween! I admit, I'm an addict, I go down to Aahs still drunk and wait for it to open, so I can rush through and buy every costume and accessory I can for 50% off!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this sale!
They have tons of costumes and every accessory you could want, for any theme party, or continued Halloween party throughout the year. 
I do occasionally go into Aahs for gag gifts etc, but really, the day after Halloween, Aahs and I have a date every year.....
1 - Tom R.: I bought a book here yesterday for $15.99.  Later, I peeled off the store bar code/price sticker and saw that the publisher's price was $14.95.

Plus the woman at the cash register acted like she was doing me a favor since I was taking her away from chatting with her friends.
1 - Ricky V.: The store reeks of the pre-crumpled land fills that all this low quality product will find itself in. Every other costume is a huge stereotype and worse off its done poorly. I wouldn't have been surprised to find a silk button knot red shirt with buck teeth and chopsticks here.

Its like Spencers, The wal-greens card isle, and Hot Topic had an incestual mutant child that grew giant sized.

The Prices are horrible, the only time to find a good sale would probably be after halloween or Zero Creativity Day.

The staff is too old to give creative advice, are not open for dialogue,  and the standard unimaginative uniform they wear affirms the shop is no place for ideas.

FTP
1 - Javier J.: I can't for the life of me think of a time when I came in here for anything specific. It's normally a stop to kill time before a movie or if I'm waiting for someone to show up to grab some dinner. Certainly has been a place to kill some time before a class. Simply put, this place is the last resort to entertainment. 

Oh yeah, and I guess you can find a halloween costume that will scream "WHORE!" here. I lost count on how many costumes you can attach SEXY in the front of and then just offer a couple of pieces of clothing in the plastic package. 

Though I guess I shouldn't complain too much about that given that I'm a guy. But still, there's always one person I know who just insist that we go in there to check out ideas for a Halloween costume and we always leave wondering how Halloween was ever anything more than a socially acceptable reason to wear your underwear outside of your home. 

Then there's the other worthless toys and gadgets that they carry and the over priced video game systems. It seems like everything here is overpriced by at least 20-30% than what you should be paying for it. 

Add in you have a lack of any costumer service or any help trying to find anything in here and you have a recipe for some place you really don't want to be.
2 - Jena S.: I have driven by this a few times but I'd never felt as if I had to go in.  Until tonight.

"You've never been there? Seriously?" he said.

As we walk in I feel as if I have gotten into a time machine.  It's a giant Spensors.

"I'm afraid." I say with a glare.
"It's ok not all of it is this bad, trust me."

And it wasn't.  There were a few quirky things there that weren't horrifically cheesy.  Like the alarm clock that runs from you when it goes off and the flasks with pinups and snarky sayings.

Walking around, I didn't think I was going to walk out with anything.  There were postcards in a back section of the store but they were 99 cents each and the same 10 or so I can get down at rite aid where I can get 5 for a buck fifty.

I did however walk out with something:
Buttons. The little Miss ___ ones on my bag o'tricks came from here.  

Walking around with an Aquarius, I was not too surprised by what he pointed at.  He picked up a nerdy fist toy.  I texted my best friend.  Oh god don't get me started.  You Aquariuses know what I'm talking about so don't try and deny it.

I could have easily walked out of the place without paying.  There is little to no security and the workers are ghosts.

While it was a fun place to walk around in, the disarray of the store and pure amount of American trash stuff there didn't balance enough with rad to do anything for me beyond the night.

I think I've been spoiled by the greatness that is Wackos.  This is a bit too low brow for me now.
1 - Shannon T.: Went into the Halloween Superstore a couple of days ago because like most other stores, everything is 50% off.

What was good:
-There was still a lot of great things to look at and purchase.  You would have thought that it being the 2nd week after Halloween all the good stuff would be gone. 
-And well of course the 50% off!

What was bad:
-The 50% off was for the "suggested retail price", which if you ask me was absolutely outrageous!  Example: A costume's suggested retail price may have been $130.  Aahs "listed" the price" at $97.50.  The 50% comes off the $130.
-Many items had no price tags at all so you were constantly asking a sales person to find it for you.
-the sales staff were...let's say zombies. Unemotional yet on the verge of being rude and had very little knowlegde of the products.
-Not allowed to open packages without one of the zombies oversight.
-No EXCHANGES for items purchased after Halloween.  I can understand no returns but if the store is still open, why not exchanges?  (I am upset because I DID want to exchange something today that I purchased 2 days ago!).
-Many items were broken and missing peices.
4 - Joie P.: A little updated version for ya.....
During Halloween is the best time to stop in.  They decorate like no other.  Absolutely everything you can think of, they have.  My favorite item that I've gotten here is my huge "The Chop Shop - Fresh Cuts Daily"  sign that now hangs on the wall in my kitchen.  Nothing like some skull n crossbone & bloody butcher knives to get inspired by!
During the "off season" ;)  I have bought the kitschy stuff here and there.  The best item has been my sons Beatles book bag.  He loves it.  Not to mention the soccer jerseys they sell even when it isn't World Cup.
Check this place out for some fun
2 - Jean L.: After going through innumerable Halloween stores these past two weeks, the last thing I want is another step-over-your-hands, hair-on-hats, split-open-bags experience. 

The Halloween portion of this store is next to Toys R' us and across the street from the regular store carrying stuffed animals, cards, etc. By the way, when did CVS shut down? Where can one now get toothpaste and toilet paper in Westwood without hauling themselves over the hill to Ralphs? 

I'd say only one 1/5 of the store was really great - the garden and outdoor Halloween decor portion. They have the space for it and really went all out with the displays of graveyards, arms in meat packaging and hanging spiders. *wince*

Otherwise, you have the kind of inventory that has been clearly squished into all deformity by the human hand in order to see if that eyeball really does pop back up (alas! plastic packaging does not).
1 - Henry C.: MANAGEMENT FAIL
Vita, Manager (1/3/11)

Their customer service has always been something left to be desired. 

Today... has to be my worst experience yet. I purchased several mardi gras masks for New Years and didn't open/use one of them. As a result, I wanted to receive store credit as their receipt clearly states that they do not do refunds.

No problem.

I go in and am refused the credit as they supposedly do not exchange/credit seasonal items. The receipt clearly states that they do not for "seasonal clearance items". Seeing as how I paid full price, I walked back into the store. Conversation went as such:

"We do not exchange Halloween costumes"
"It's not a Halloween costume. It was on your New Years wall and as you can see there is nothing that notates Halloween on the packaging or this wall."
"Well we don't exchange masks at all"
"You receipt says that you exchange costumes within 14 days and it's been only two"
"I don't like it when you people come in, wear the mask and try to exchange it after"
"What do you mean YOU people? I'm not a poor student and it's NOT opened"
She put her hand up to my face and said, "Excuse me. I will go ahead and let you exchange it this once"

If she hadn't said that she'd exchange it, I would've swatted her hand away. I've never met a manager that characterized me with "you people" nor put a hand to my face. I asked an associate what her name was. I'm writing a letter to the owner.

If you buy anything, expect it to be SALES FINAL ON EVERYTHING.
1 - mimi w.: My last and final experience in the west wood aahs location was in September when I bought a hello kitty thermos for my daughter.  I took her thermos home, opened the unopened box that they had given me and realized that the seal on the thermos was damaged.  I returned to the store the next day wanting to exchange the thermos for the same item, they said they didn't have the same item for exchange.  

What kind of store sells you a faulty item and doesn't stand behind their merchandise?  This one.  Which is why I won't ever shop at this store ever again.  Too bad for them because I have spent hundreds of dollars at this store over the years.
1 - Casey C.: Terrible customer service!

Here's my story. I walked in today 2/17/11 and picked up a cupcake looking item. It fell into two pieces in my hand and one piece hit the ground and broke! I picked up the pieces to try to be courteous and then the manager, an older woman, tells me very rudely that I need to pay for it.  I explained to her that I had not dropped anything, it simply fell apart! She calls security and they take me to a back room and basically intimidate me until I agreed to pay $5 to get out of there.

After looking up California law I went back to explain that even if I had dropped it, responsibility falls on the store because "you break it, you bought it" is not valid in CA.  The manager said "I am not good with the law. I DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE LAW."

Terrible place, terrible customer service. I will be writing to ownership and company headquarters with my complaints. All this for a $5 after Valentine's Day clearance item!
1 - Elizabeth C.: I'm not difficult to please. Really. Throw me in a room with innuendo laced fortune cookies and wind up Obama dolls, and I will be able to entertain myself for the better portion of an afternoon, eventually spending way too much money on some trinket I will manage to break in less than half an hour. Guaranteed.

Which is why, in theory, at least, Aahs! is an excellent franchise*; it caters to those of us of the immature six year old bent. Awesome, no?

"No" is right.  As it turns out, the standout of this Aahs! is the singular ability to make a shopper--even a happy-go-lucky moron hellbent on wasting money, such as I--feel like a six year old who just learned about the evils of shoplifting at Mormon camp: self-suspicious and guilty, even as his innocence is reflected before him (seriously, I'm talking about the big mirror). 

Super cereal, guys. The staff is exactly as bad as you've heard, paranoid and wary, multiplied by a million and then tripled. One can scarcely walk through an aisle without being hounded by suspicious looks and yet more suspicious throat-clearing, even when she carries no purse or oversize coat and touches nothing because she totally knows that the dude in the vest thinks she is going to somehow walk away with half the contents of the store in her miniskirt. 

I'm not used to being treated like a criminal. And anyway, everyone knows that when I do eventually go to prison, it will be for either buying hookers or money laundering.

One/one and a half stars--I must give Aahs! credit for the amount of amusing tacky shit it offers--rounded down to one because I am callous and feel like stealing that half star back. 
   

*serious question: how many locations must one store have for it to count as a franchise? I've been led to believe by a drunk of vague credentials that the answer is twenty, but I've also been led to believe that it is rarely a good idea to listen to either drunks or people with vague credentials. But that doesn't mean you should stop reading this review or anything. No siree. No siree @t aldjffnen55ksdnfd###
1 - Maricris P.: I went here to buy a green lantern shirt and an angry birds board game.... The way I shop I look things up online first to compare. so this store always has coupons that are like  30-40% sometimes even 50% to 60% but every time I go there, without the discount everything is 4-5 dollars more than it should be so even with the discount you are only playing the normal price you would pay at walmart or online! what a rip off! I ended up not buying anything.

The angry birds game online is 15 bucks here its $29.99 what a RIP!

this place is OVER PRICED for its cheap quality goods!
2 - Michael N.: There is quite a nice selection of goodies here, from UCLA, USC (yep!) and Lakers goods to Hello Kitty. The prices are average for most items, and overall it's a decent shopping experience. 

That is, unless you're trying to buy something advertised in a newspaper (such as the Daily Bruin). I bought a piece of UCLA gear I saw in the DB, to find out later that the price I paid was not discounted as advertised. I went back to the store to get a price adjustment, but I was told I had to bring in the newspaper to get it. (The way the advertisement is designed does not suggest it is a coupon.) The SKUs the coupons are good on are also tricky; in one case, it was only on a certain size of shirt (not all the sizes of the line). I got the sense that the manager had no idea an advertisement had been taken out and/or she did not care to sell the items at a discount. 

If you're looking for UCLA apparel, I would happily recommend the nearby 901 Westwood. No advertisements there, but much better selection and great prices and service.
5 - Via G.: I actually read some horrendous reviews about this place, right before I had to try to exchange a defective $30 Mario back pack on wheels I bought for my son. 5 days after we bought, my son realized the reason it never stood up was because it only had 3 pegs and it needed 4, so I geared up for a major fight, to try to return or exchange this.  They were 5 minutes late in opening the store, but when I explained what happened, she could not have been more helpful, she tracked another back pack down for me, called the Torrance location and had it sent over, 3 days later when it came, she called me, no hassle or any problems what so ever.  She did ask if I noticed it being defective, I explained my son picked it out and I just paid, that was all!!!  Very friendly and would highly recommend.
4 - Holly C.: This store has it all.......Party supplies, Candles, Bacon Products (yeah random) I love Lucy and Sports memorabilia, Hello Kitty items, Twilight stuff, Rings, Sunglasses, and SO MUCH MORE. Basically its my dream store! Some items are tad bit overpriced but this is LA and its close to UCLA so yeah.......
5 - Donald R.: This place has everything fun!  You can't get bored in this store.  Every row has different types of fun things to buy.  Reminds me of a Spencers from back home.  They also turn it into a Halloween store during Halloween.  Right now a quarter of the store is covered with Hello Kitty stuff.
1 - spooky s.: Beware of their store policy and don't listen to what the salespeople tell you.  I bought a $50 item for my daughter and was told by the sales guy that even though the store has a return for store credit only policy he would take the item back if it wasn't right. well it wasn't and he wouldn't.  so I am stuck with it and the owner is rude and couldn't care less if her customers are happy.

  I also bought another item for $18 and then saw it at Amazon for no more than $12 at many different places.
1 - Charles D.: I remember when AAhs! first opened in Westwood and there would be lines down the block to get in! Yes, we're talking ancient history here, the early-mid '80s. It was over on another street and was filled with interesting gifts, gag toys, stuff that was WELL MADE and funny, not cheap, knock-off crap and insulting to your intelligence. Add to the fact that it (the one in Westwood at least) seems to be run by one humorless, penny-pinching family and you have the makings of a real "has-been" over-the-hill type of junk store filled with fall-apart items you can find at the .99 cent store or any junk-novelty type of place. 
Thanks for the memories, folks, too bad you suck.
2 - Christopher H.: Aahs! was so much better when I was a kid. The one in Westwood is kind of small and the merchandise is not as cool as other stores. I've been in here like 10 times and walked out empty handed every time because the stuff here just sucks. However, I find it hilarious that they sell USC merchandise 2 blocks from UCLA.
3 - Zoie H.: No me gusta the bad reviews.

I find Aahs! to be an awesome place where I can load up on over-priced "do I really need this?" crap. The selection of beer pong glasses and 72oz. steins are impeccable, the Power Rangers shirts bought a tear to my eye, and the wall of USC memorabilia made me laugh.

Hey, it's Aahs! It's nothing great, but the staff didn't hound me and I found some reasonably priced edible panties for a gag gift *shifty eyes*. Whatever.
1 - Mark G.: Let me get this straight: Westwood Village has no bookshops but it has a giant store that sells nothing but stupid, useless, plastic crap? 

Please go out of business soon.
2 - Fran K.: This place is a hole. Not a hole-in-the-wall...just a hole. If the window displays don't scream trashy to anyone walking by, I don't know what does. The rare few times I've been in, the experience was just meh. Just a lot of cheap junk at high prices. 

Aahs! does have one saving grace. I was desperately searching for a shop that carried stones with words engraved during a lunch break a couple of years ago. Specifically, I was looking for a natural stone with the word "peace" on it. I went to all the local gift shops and stationary stores before finally finding the damned thing at Aahs! The special someone I was giving the stone to still carries the thing around, so the store has a place in my heart for that one reason.

Otherwise good for random stuff that can probably be found cheaper elsewhere. A bunch of novelty items and the like. Nothing special...except when it is.
1 - Katie G.: This review is specifically for the Halloween Club, which is an extension of Aah's and opens across the street around Halloween time. It doesn't have it's own page, so I'm reviewing it here. Don't get your panties in a bunch.

Aah's is great for fun, tacky 'I don't need this but I want it' type stuff.  

Their Halloween Club is way overpriced; any costume you want there you can get for $10 less at the place that opens at Wilshire & Cochran Ave, and any accessories are going to be twice as much as they will be at other stores.

Also, NO FITTING ROOMS. Want to try on a costume? You do it over your clothes, while the semi-weird staff guys stand there WATCHING YOU to make sure you don't steal anything. So they're watching you, which is weird, and it's impossible to tell how the costume will fit over your jeans and sweater.

Also, the boss lady spent the whole time yelling at or talking down to one of the employees, and one of the staff guys hit on me.

Go somewhere else; you'll pay half as much and it won't be a half-assed store.
1 - Aquabat L.: The staff was really incompetent, and didn't recognize the living social voucher we brought in. They told us we could use the voucher on the masquerade masks and after trying them all on and picking the right one, they told us it was $4 on sale and not eligible for the voucher. Manager was extremely rude and yelled at us for trying on the masks in front of a mirror in the back of the store and made us try them on by the register in front of a sales rep.
2 - Shelly A.: Ick. It's like a crappy Spencer's.

At least Spencer's has decent customer service, and is organized. I was confused by the layout of this store, unimpressed with the prices, felt NO air conditioning on a 100-degree day, and stood at the front counter for -- no exaggeration -- at least five minutes dinging the damn bell waiting for someone to come ring me up. I would've left except I was with the girl I nanny and she would've been upset if I'd made her leave without her selections.

Two stars as opposed to one because they do have some okay items -- I got my friend a monkey slingshot in a superhero cape for $5 -- and because once someone did come up to the front to ring us up, she was nice enough. I suppose if you need a very specific kind of gift this is the place to go, but don't make this your first stop.

Aaron Brothers - Pasadena, CA (34.1401448, -118.132244) (Pasadena)
3 - Yulree C.: I felt a little out of place when I stepped into Aaron Brothers this weekend. 
I was the only non-white, non-mid 40's, non-trophy wife female in the store. Is it always like this?

I bought some art from the nucleus gallery the other day and decided to get it framed - to my dismay, the custom framing would cost more than the actual art.

Give me a couple years. I'll be back. Hopefully not as a trophy wife.
4 - ericka L.: i have like a dozen posters at home that need framing. the problem with posters is they cost about $10 each and it costs twenty times that to frame them. it's some sort of pyramid scheme or something; i only wish i'd gotten in on the ground floor.

so anyways, i bought this awesome huge yoga poster dirt-cheap and because of its odd size, i needed a large frame and a mat for it.  i went to aaron brothers and they earned their first few stars by telling me a sale would be going on at the end of the month if i wanted custom framing. (they lost one star when they added up how much it would cost and told me it would be around $250, even with the discount. holy crap!)

however, they had plenty of frames on sale and they offered to cut a mat for me that very night so that i could take home my lovely artwork ready to hang on my wall. i selected a dark cherry-stained wood frame and deep blue mat, and not only did laura cut my mat immediately, but she and pedro helped me put it into the frame while i was in the store. i *probably* could have done that alone, but occasionally i surprise myself with my incompetence with very basic things, so it was super-nice of them to help me. (laura even re-cut the mat because she didn't think it was perfect the first time.) and all this for just over $60, a quarter of a "custom framing" even though i really did get it custom framed.

there were actually a lot of nice frames on sale, so i'd go back to pick up some as gifts or for all the pretty pictures i have of myself just waiting to be displayed on walls in homes across the southland. i totally recommend this place.

free parking in the lot between lake and mentor!
4 - David M.: Excellent Service!

The service is great.  At the end, I still have not framed my lithograph because the total pricing is a little steep without a sale.  However, the service is friendly and they had no problem with how much time I took.  They printed out the dimensions and all details for my lithograph for the next time.

I admit it was tempting to go to The Framestore because I have a 50% off coupon, but I know it would truly come out to be more like a 20% discount.  Also, the salesman at The Framestore was not friendly and asked if I could go waste time somewhere for one hour and come back when he was free.  No thanks!  I will pay a little more for better customer service and getting the framing done the right way.
1 - Daniel C.: Terrible. Absolutely horrid. I brought in a 30x45 Metallic print to be dry mounted and then framed. It was carefully rolled when it was brought in, and after taking it out and talking to the sales guy about it, he immediately proceeded to bend the print several times right in front of me as he was rolling it back in. When I get the frame back, I realize that they had not dry-mounted it. I took it back to get the print dry-mounted. After I brought it back for a week, bubbles started to appear between the print and the mount. Then frame wire broke while the frame was on the wall and broke the frame. My complaints in list form:

- Did not do mounting
- Broken frame wire resulting in broken frame
- Dry-mounting produced bubbles
- Had to replace frame (at their cost) and print (at my cost)

Never again.
4 - Tony Y. Jr. Y.: Being a proud uncle, I've been on a search for a frame with some type of "uncle" inscription in it.  I was hoping I would find one at Aaron Brothers but I didn't.  However, I did find some other interesting frames, that are on sale.  There's a section in the back of this store that consist of many sale items.  Then I noticed, as I walked further, there were sales throughout the entire store.  The employee working this evening was rather nice and sought the need to help customers.  I may just have to come back here to have a custom frame made.  Wow, didn't know I'd get so excited in a frame store.
5 - Alb C.: Yes, custom framing is expensive.  Really expensive.  The staff at this location is professional, patient and very helpful.   Very pleased!
5 - Jenn B.: Awesome!  Excellent, patient service.  I've gone in a couple different times and each time has been so great.  Most recently, I brought in an odd size document to be framed and Richard (I remembered to look at his name tag) carefully measured it, took a moment to think and thoughtfully went to the mats and picked out the perfect size and frame.  The frame was a 9x12 and I don't even know the mat size (6xsomething weird).  I NEVER would have figured that out.  Plus, they had a 50% off sale on those frames and I got a 40% coupon from their website prior to coming in (it expired that day) so I unbelievably was able to purchase everything under $20.  The $20 thing was probably a complete fluke but as a rule they have great deals. 
And just a note on another person's review.  I've gone in during the week, after work, so no trophy wives and lots of diversity as far as I've seen...
1 - Wayne E.: arts & framing.... if you're going to advertise you sell art supplies and I pay to park my car only to hear you only sell picture frames you damn well better advertise such on your storefront.
5 - Cindy Y.: I've been coming to this Aaron Brothers for years, and it's so nice to see familiar faces who greet me every time I go in:  Lynee and Richard.  They are both so friendly and competent.  Using their coupons have saved us money for framing our childrens' artwork.  There is a great variety of photo-related items....and they even now stock jewelry! :)
2 - Chris H.: Slow.
They require 7 days just to schedule simple framing, but then fail to satisfy their own deadline.

Aaron Brothers - La Jolla, CA (32.8674223, -117.2333284) (La Jolla)
4 - Jennifer A.: What I like most is when they have their 1 cent sales.  Buy any frame and get a frame for 1 cent...but it has to be a frame with a copper sticker...but granted almost every frame has a copper sticker.  I also like that I can find any size frame or of course you can customize the size.  Regular price, can be a little costly, just look for the bargains.
4 - Amber K.: Aaron Brothers has a frame for every occasion! I frequent this store for gift ideas, picture frames of all shapes and sizes, even large frames with artwork already inside! I decorated my office with two large prints framed with beautiful, sturdy dark wood, and all for under $30 (on sale). This store has some really astounding sales, most notably their buy one, get the second for a penny sale!

One area where they rape you is with the framing itself. I purchased a pretty big frame at a very decent price, and when they offered to put it in the frame for me for $17, I agreed... too bad I misheard and she actually said $70!!!! Now that's just unheard of! I don't care what special paper they put in it, It takes one lazy person to pay someone $70 to place their piece in a frame for them.

I noticed this location always looks dark and closed from the parking lot, even in the middle of the day. They should leave their doors open to attract more customers. Not very welcoming...
3 - Cal M.: Fairly good merchandise selection and prices. Service is fair to poor. On a recent visit, I waited five minutes At the checkout for a cashier.  Understand, there was no cashier. I finally called the store on my cell  phone. They promised to send someone up right away.  I ended up checking out at the framing service checkstand much to the consternation of the customers waiting there for service.  Mind-boggling!
1 - Mark M.: The custom framing person here was so challenging to work with that I could not do business here.  I had been to the Ranch Bernardo store and wrote down some mat and frame numbers and when I arrived in the La Jolla store I provided those numbers only to be icily scoffed at that it would be like finding a needle in a haystack to pick out those mats and frames from their collection.  So I quickly found them because the employee was incapable and would not lift a finger.  Of course, I knew what I was looking for, so this was not a challenge for me.  Next I asked for a rough price estimate of my first option.  The employee did not acknowledge my request and instead started measuring and entering data as if it was a done deal.  I was simply trying to get started with some options.  Again I asked for a price estimate.  No answer.  No friendly explanation of the process to arrive at an estimate.  Finally I get an estimate -- $340 for a 24x30 frame with double mat.  OK, so this is more than I wanted to pay so I asked would it be less expensive if I went with a standard frame.  She said probably not.  I said, where are the standard frames and she took me to the back corner where there were plain black frames.  Then she left.  I had to look around myself to find some more decorative frames a couple of aisles over.  So I find a frame I like, in the size I want, in gold only, and notice that they have a different size of the same type frame in champagne color.  So I go back to the desk and ask if they can get the frame size I want in the champagne color.  She says everything they have is on the shelf.  I said is  there a way to check to see if champagne color is available and could be ordered.  Again she says everything they have is on the shelf.  I try to point out that she doesn't get it, that I am asking if they are possibly out of stock of what I want and is it even possible to order it, but alas she goes back to search the shelf which I told her I had already done.   At this point I could bear no more, so I asked another employee to identify the manager and he said that the person I had been dealing with was the manager!  OK so that was the last straw.  Too challenging to do business there.  Too frustrating.  I'm outta there.

So I head over to Michael's and have a totally different experience.  Very nice and friendly.  Helpful.  Suggestive.  And best of all --- $140 less price for basically the same frame.    

Now the interesting part is that Michaels owns Aaron Brothers.   How these two stores can be managed to give such different user experiences is beyond comprehension to me.
3 - Chrissy N.: The employees here are very nice and approachable. They'll help you find what you need.

I went here to get a couple of photo albums and although their selection is pretty slim, I got what I needed. There are always coupons floating around (look online too) that can save you up to 40% off!

They also have a pretty rad selection of art and design supplies (pens, markers, paints, etc.)

Yeah, they're a little expensive compared to other places, but overall I guess you get what you pay for because the quality of their products is pretty good.
3 - Alex T.: I'd say more along the lines of 3.5 stars.

I've been in here a couple times to get some art supplies, the first time I came in they were having a huge sale on prismacolor markers and colored pencils, they don't have as wide of a selection as Blicks downtown does, but I was able to get quite a few of the colors I needed for pretty cheap. The other times I've been here the prices were about the same as other art supply stores in the area.

Overall though I've never had any problems with service, though one time I was trying to look for a mat board cutter and the lady couldn't really answer any of my questions and just kind of walked away after she showed me where they were.

I'm pretty ambivalent about this place in general, if they have another prismacolor sale I might be back in.
1 - J.j. B.: I purchased an item at the Mira Mesa store (five stars all around, by the way) two days ago.  Well, when I opened it today I discovered it was damaged.  Since I am so close to the Villa La Jolla store, I decided to head over there instead.  As soon as the lady at the counter discovered I'd purchased the piece at the other store, she scoffed and scolded me, telling me next time I needed to return the item to them so they could get credit, and then said "I'll do it THIS time only."  That was issue one.  Issue two was finding the same product in their store.  This place was so cluttered, and disorganized I'm not surprised another Yelper was told the employee would have trouble locating something.  The aisle I needed was in complete disarray.  Once I finally found the item, I returned to the cash register for issue number three.  Once she confirmed I had the right item, she said "ok have a nice day."  I asked her for my receipt back, which she abruptly informed me she didn't have, and that she hadn't kept.  I confirmed by checking my pockets that I did NOT have the receipt, and that she had kept it....which she began to argue with me about.  Another associate that was standing there then leaned over, picked up the random junk that had somehow ended up all over the counter in the last two minutes (leaving no room for a customer to set down their items to be purchased), and found my receipt buried under all the junk.  I was so frustrated at this point that, instead of making any rude comments, I just said "uh huh," and began walking out the door.  Behind me I heard the clerk mock my "uh huh" as I left the store.  I won't be going back into that store ever again.  I'll go out of my way and go to the Mira Mesa store where I was treated with respect and even offered help with my project.
2 - Lisa G.: I have not been to this particular Aaron Brothers in a while but went a week ago to have some custom matts cut.  Normal dimensions, just wanted different colored matts to off-set a print. The customers service is good when you can find someone in the store. This time, it was hard to find someone to help. That was a little disappointing as there always used to be someone easily found to help and knowledgeable.  My matts were not ready when they said they would be and when I called them the day "after" they were supposed to be ready, they "still" were not ready.  Unfortunately, I will be thinking twice about using this particular Aaron Bros. again.
5 - Mary Beth A.: I've been to several Aaron Brothers, but usually go to this one as it's the closest. The LaJolla store is one of the smaller ones, and concentrates more on framing than art supplies. Other AB stores (Midway esp.) have a larger stock of art supplies. 

I've had several pieces framed here. A few were pretty expensive, but it was worth it because they were special pieces and I wanted to really show them off. When I went to pick them up, we unwrapped one and the corners of the frame were poorly fitted. The manager took one look at it and said "Oh this won't do." She apologized and sent it back - a couple of days later it was done and perfect. She was also very cool about finding inexpensive framing solutions for some less important pieces. 

I have also bought art supplies here. Some staff are better educated about the technical aspects of certain pigments, brushes etc., but that's cool. I can find out that stuff online easily enough. 

What really blows me away about the LaJolla store is their sale pricing. One time the guy saw me buying acrylic paints off the discount table and mentioned that their canvases were 40% off, and they had just gotten some unusual shapes/sizes in. I found a large one that I wanted, but I wasn't sure if the brand was part of the sale. When I asked he said no, but he'd give me 40% off if I wanted it. You bet I did. Last time I was there they had just put their pads of paper on BOGO. I asked if that included the Arches watercolor blocks (expecting to hear a no, Arches blocks are like comparing a Timex to a Rolex). The woman helping me said "I don't think so, but let me check with the manager." A few seconds later she came back and said, "She said sure, it's not technically included in the BOGO but we'll make it work." I saved over $125.00 just on the that! 

For framing and commonly used art supplies, they get a big thumbs up. If you need specialty items, Blick is probably a better choice for selection. For customer service, well, they have saved me a ton of money so I'm a huge fan.
3 - Dmitriy S.: I came into this Aaron Brothers with the same mission as during my last visit to the Mission Valley store, and that was to find a large magnetic page album. Thankfully, I was able to find a good selection here, along with other photo albums. 

I quickly purchased the albums and was told by the cashier they were having a buy one get one free deal for those albums, but only for the black ones. Seems kind of bizarre to me. I wanted to have variety, and there were other colors, but I could only get the black one. It's all the same on the inside, right?

Also, the cashier was pretty rude in my opinion. I was trying to describe to her how well these albums worked and how I tried them out after getting one at the Mission Valley store. I was completely ignored and cut off by her, so it pretty much felt like talking to a wall. I know that working at Aaron Brothers isn't the most exciting thing in the world, but the least you could do is interact with your customers. Thanks for the deal, though!
4 - John D.: I came in here to get the back part of a large picture frame fixed. Their prices are very reasonable for an art store. There are always good deals to be found in the most random places, like at a flee market or spring cleaning art sale at the local university or junior college, but, if you know what you need and you know what you want, if it relates to physical art and its mediums; you will find it here.....so you are paying for the peace of mind that they have what you need/want.  

They fixed my frame in about 10 minutes, which was just the right amount of time for me to get together some painting supplies. I was helped by several nice young ladies and I walked out with my picture frame fixed and exactly everything I wanted to get.
1 - Halle S.: My service was horrible and rude. I was told they did not carry a specific sized frame. Then I found the frame I needed in the back of the store and then was questioned where I found it?!? I bought the frame because I was in a hurry. However, I will never go back to this store.
3 - Brian M.: Summary: Good selection, okay prices, hit-or-miss service, iffy product quality

If you want frames or art supplies, Aaron Brothers has a relatively good selection.  A lot more than a general store like CVS or Target, but still less than a dedicated art store you'll find in Little Italy or downtown.  I come to Aaron Brothers for the convenience when I have something specific I want.

AB does this thing where they have sales practically year round, so their "sale price" is actually their normal price.  If you look at their "sale price", it's okay.  Not expensive, but not cheap either.  When it comes to the more expensive brand name art supplies, you can usually get it cheaper (and tax-free) off Amazon. 

The service is hit-or-miss.  Both today and yesterday I waited several minutes for someone to show up to the checkout stand.  

Yesterday I bought a frame from them, and one of the four mounting screws was clearly defective and snapped under light pressure.  I was told to wait at the frame department, where several minutes later a lady came along and asked me what I wanted.  I told her I needed to make an exchange - I had my receipt and showed her where the screw snapped.  

She reluctantly said she'll exchange it for me "this time".  That's odd, you mean they don't guarantee their product from defects?  I pointed out that the screw was of cheap quality and the lead drill holes were clearly too small - this was a manufacturing problem.  The screw snapped under light pressure - much lighter than the other three screws which didn't snap.  We debated this with her trying to lay the blame on me.  At this point, another employee came by to help me by helping to mount the new frame I'm exchanging for.  This is what I mean by hit-or-miss service.  They're both nice and mean to you *at the same time*.

This frame in particular was made in Thailand, and a lot of their selection is made in China.  I don't have any problem with that, as long as they understand that occasionally somebody's going to bring in a defective product and ask for an exchange and they need to honor it.  You pay a ridiculous markup for these goods, and that leads me to the final point that their frames are not the best quality.  Even Target - which also gets its products from China - has significantly higher quality in their frame selection.  Not all Chinese/Thai factories are the same.

In summary, they're very convenient but nonetheless a substitute for a dedicated art store / Amazon.com
1 - Joseph B.: Horrendously over priced.  I took several canvasses in to get stretched today and was astounded by the pricing.  The woman first asked to measure my art work so I laid it all out.  I asked how much they charge per linear foot and she told me "The computer doesn't give me price by foot" (well, it's just a matter of doing some quick division sweetie).  Anyways, to stretch my approximately 15"x20" cow painting it would cost about $120!!!  That's over $17 per linear foot!  Absolutely outrageous prices!  I said, "Whoa, that's double or even triple what I've been quoted at other places" (standard pricing for canvas stretching ranges from $6.00 - 10.00).  She simply responded, "That's interesting" and moved on to the next customer.

NEVER going back there again. Total rip off.  

Oh yeah, parking is horrendous.

***update:  Just got three paintings stretched onto boards for 15% less than Aaron Brothers wanted to charge me for 1 painting.  So I would say to the snooty blonde woman working at the counter today, "Yeah, that IS interesting isn't it".

Abby Auto Stereo - Los Angeles, CA (34.0383626, -118.2841238) (South Los Angeles)
1 - Raven M.: These guys SUCK!

Don't get me around; their attitudes are nice, but they are crooked as hell!
Okay, as part of my DUI program (I got caught for a DUI back in Dec.), I am required to get a DUI device in my car. Lifesaver - and all the ditzes who work for the short, militant man was not working - so called Smart Start Interlock, a co. my lawyer referred me to.

Now, I go in there. dudes are cool, but when I have to blow (for 3 secs.), then BLOW and HUM for 10 to 15 secs. (How the fuck can I sing into a damn interlock device), I almost killed my car (since they wire it to the engine). I DID EVERYTHING IN THE BOOK, EVERYTHING, AND NOTHING BLOODY BLEEPING WORKED! After a WEEK, of having this torture in (and having a good man stop to help me - Thank you to whoever you are for being a gentlemen), I get it taken out. 

So I call on Monday and tell them I need to take this out! I spoke to headquarters first, then I called Abby. Abby concurred and said, "Come on in", to have the device purged from my car! Awesome! So i go in all happy, and the dude there who runs it says, "You can't take it out!" WTF, you two bit double crossing snake! You just said I could! I was f*cking LIVID! They claimed they called HQ's, too. So I get on the phone and talk to the head B*tch in charge (thank goodness for her I forgot her name, I think it was Betty) and she REFUSES to take it out, saying that I have to send a letter saying it is not court ordered. I pull out my contract and say, "B*tch, READ IT AND WEEP. THERE IS NOTHING ON THE CONTRACT SAYING THAT IT IS COURT OR ANYTHING ORDERED". The other bitche$ take it out! But not before one threatened that "A cop will show up at my door as they did another lady". Knowing the law, I said, first off, if they catch you DRIVING, they CAN take you in! Also, IT IS NOT COURT ORDERED, so WTF the cops got to do with this, idiot!" I leave without incident, having to tow my car back since the HQ bytch basically said I would not be allowed to drive it according to her orders. Thank goodness I have triple AAA and they cover me FOR FREE for 7 mile rides! I also had to pay them $180 to out it in and a whopping $230 to take it out (of which the HQ lady gave me a discount after I went Mad Max and proved that the contract PROVED she was BS. 

So I go to Draeger in Montebello, not far from where I take my DUI courses (a POSITIVE review is coming up for them later), and the repair guy finds that, gasp, THOSE BASTARDS AT ABBY/ SMART START PUT THE DEVICE/ WIRING IN WRONG AND DID NOT CUT ALL THE WIRES OUT, WHICH COULD CAUSE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR! I got this on TAPE!  I ought to sue them. 

When you have to get an interlock device, go with Draeger in Montebello (I know I am giving them free advertisement). They are nice, reputable, honest, CHEAPER,  the device only requires 3 to 4 secs AT BEST. Smart Start is a scam. There are complaints all over the internet about them. Avoid Smart Start and avoid Abby's if you want an honest experience!
5 - C.R. T.: Just came back from a stereo install they did for me in under 30mins. on a busy Saturday afternoon. WOW! They were honest, helpful, nice, professional. All around a great experience with Abby and I will definitely deal with these guys again for my car stereo needs.

Abby's Restaurant & Bar - Blacksburg, VA (37.2387403, -80.4204283) ()
3 - Adam A.: Best kept secret in Blacksburg.

I know you've driven up Main Street and passed by the ordinary-looking building with the "dog sign" in the front. I did for three years before we ventured in -- and once we did, we kept going back.

This place is as simple as you can get. Generally we would go for ANY of the specials they have to offer (a different one for each day of the week), but we got a little crazy with the menu sometimes, as well.

Go in, get yourself a large sweet tea or a PBR and enjoy some comfort food.

Your friends may look at you strange for stopping in here, but that's only because they're ignorant.

In this case, ignorance is not bliss. But eating a special at Abby's just might be...
5 - Dean K.: Great homestyle cooking.  Cheap.  Relaxed.  Best meatloaf throughout the universe (but only on Thursdays).  This place has not been discovered by college students either, or maybe its just that they'll card you at the bar.  Either way, Abby's is a prime lunch stop for non-student locals!
4 - Jeremy H.: Best kept secret in Blacksburg?

Yea, that's probably true. Great local place with fresh food. If you want exotic this isn't your place, but If you want to be comfortable and enjoy a relaxing meal in a friendly environment, this is the place. And don't be shocked when the servers call you "hon".
5 - Patrick T.: Happy Hour = $1.25 beer..$3 doubles liquor
Monday - catfish Po Boy = win
Tuesday - meatball sub = win
Thurdsday - Meatloaf = epic mealtime
Friday - Openfaced Roast Beef = win
Saturday - Pork Chops = win
Sunday - Fried Chicken = win

You really can't go wrong with any of the food here.  It's homey and comfort food at a very affordable price..$12 will give you more than you can eat and let you leave a very deserving $3 minimum (emphasis on minimum because their staff deserves more) for their friendly servers and bartenders.  The specials are the secret gems of Blacksburg.  If you haven't discovered this hole in the wall located across the street from citgo gas and the YMCA on north main St and progress, you are seriously missing out.  FYI my price range is including a minimum of 25%-30% because that is standard tipping percentage these days.
3 - Pam G.: We chose Abby's for a quick dinner after arriving in Blacksburg based on the positive reviews here. I have to say though, I was a little disappointed that they were out of the special of the day, since that seems to be the thing to get. There is nothing fancy about Abbys, it's very stark inside, but the food is solid and the prices are good. They have a full bar which is a bonus too. I went with the Cobb salad and the chicken was hot and freshly grilled, the dressing is homemade and tasty. DH had the BBQ sandwich which he said was good but nothing special. DD had a club sandwich which as also good but nothing special. The service was great and very friendly as others have commented on.

Abby's Seafood - Los Angeles, CA (34.0193097, -118.3089151) ()
4 - April D.: This is a great neighborhood spot. The Shrimp Ceviche is deliciously addictive. The food is fresh and inexpensive. They've only been open for about seven months. It's a family owned spot and they are super nice.
4 - Xochilt L.: Let me just start by saying that I'll definitely be coming back for more. The mojarra asada plate and shrimp ceviche tostada bring other locales to shame. Did I mention that the mojarra was great. I had not one but two and the shrimp ceviche was simply delicious. I can't wait to try other items on their menu.
5 - Kito C.: The food here makes you wanna slap your mama. It's the best Mexican and seafood restaurant in L.A. And they accommodatee vegans, vegetarians and folks with gluten and corn intolerances. I have to eat a gluten-free and corn-free diet. The beans and ceviche are the best! Love it.
4 - Monica P.: Since I don't eat meat or fish, I ordered the quesadilla which was the only vegetarian option on the menu.  I thought it was would be a plain cheese and  tortilla but it was actually filled with onion cilantro and diced tomatoes. It was pretty big sized quesadilla; I couldn't finish it all. I would definitely recommend this spot to friends.
It was very good, inexpensive and filling. 
Not to mention- the salsas were delicious

Abe's - Providence, RI (41.819674, -71.397127) (Fox Point)
3 - Jonny C.: So Abe's is the long separated replacement of Babe's, same spot, different feel. Pristinely clean and new, it is a simple bar at it's finest, some booths, a long clean bar, and that's it. No TV, no juke box, no kitchen. Just a clean space with a great selection of booze.

I went in to check it out alone and found respectable conversation with some Fox Point locals. It was a bit bright for my taste, but they have an impeccable selection of European beers and Whiskey's of all denominations.

Great bar and addition to the Wickenden Street / Fox Point Scene.
4 - Christopher W.: Fox Point/Wickendon needed a bar like this. Clean and new, well-let, with amiable young bartenders and a unique drink list. There is bar space and table space. This is where the adults will be drinking, I assure you.

Go before it gets popular. Won't take long.
4 - Eric M.: This place fulfills a longstanding wish of mine that there would be a bar in the neighborhood where I could go and not feel out of place reading a book with a couple of good beers. Finally, here it is.

They run book clubs and the fancy drinks are named after authors, but beyond that it's comfortable in a way that makes me want to read. Even on weekends where it gets a bit more crowded the focus is still on conversation. The music is terrible but low and in the background.

I find myself going here more and more as I age out of the loud places. In the puritan northeast it seems like people need a bar to be a BAR - loud music, dancing, picking people up, or dingy, dark, cavelike. My ideal, the fun coffee shop where people just happen to all be drinking beer, just doesn't exist around here. 

Abe's takes a step in the right direction. Call it aging gracefully.
5 - Mark C.: I think Abes is one of the most relaxing and enjoyable saloons that I've ever been to.  It's sedate, clean, and has a warm atmosphere.  If you are looking for a wild night this isn't the place.  At the time I went they offered a "take out" menu of food that is delivered there from a sister establishment.  Wing, ribs, and chili was the fare and it arrived quicker than if the kitchen was on premises.  Tasted great and was nice and hot.  Great selection of beer.
4 - Lauren C.: My friend and I discovered Abe's about a month ago. They don't have a website but their Facebook page intrigued me enough to plan a trip to check it out. Any bar that has a book club has got to be pretty awesome, right?

Well my intuition was correct. The double sided drink menu has some of the most delicious sounding specialties and martinis I've heard of. So far I've sampled the Fishbowl (combination of vodkas + blue Curacao Swedish Fish garnish) and a martini with Malibu, pineapple and champagne. Oh, and the ThinMintini and the margarita. See...the list goes on and on. I must say that the drinks are extremely well made and the atmosphere is nice. I'm not much of a beer drinker but my husband appreciated that they had Loose Cannon on tap. They also have Trivial Pursuit cards sitting on the bar. This provided at least a few hours of amusement on a recent Saturday afternoon with friends.

The only downside about this bar is that it closes at midnight.  Seems to be a trend with the best bars in Providence.
1 - Eve H.: A preceding reviewer mentioned Abe's' "unique drink list", another "the fancy drinks named after authors". I am going to explore this topic a bit, referencing the aforementioned menu itself. With all due respect to the previous Abe's patrons who've reviewed it on this site, they know nothing of cocktails, or liquor, or beer, or bars, for that matter. Abe's isn't a good bar; it isn't an okay bar. It's a soulless, thoughtless sorry excuse for a bar, a bar that could just as easily (and probably be more successful) in Penn Station as commuters rush by, slug down a beer, and board their train home. A place for someone to sit and drink something generic under bright lights before they go on their way. 
Abe's cocktail menu the one that ostensibly involves writers, is, without question, the sorriest excuse for a cocktail menu I've ever seen and the best example of how thoughtlessly and passionlessly this place has been assembled. 
The list presents to you, dear customer, very basic drinks. Like a martini or a bellini. Rather than owning up to the fact that these are very basic drinks (that no research has gone into this "cocktail menu" whatsoever), it disguises this fact by pairing each with a random writer. Therefore you get such baffling titles as the "Ayn Rand Spiced Appletini".
The Ayn Rand Spiced Appletini. 
Think about it. 
But there is more: several of these "cocktails" aren't cocktails at all, they're shots. So you have the Truman Capote Crazy Redhead, which is a large serving of a red headed slut. 
Who in their right mind wants to drink a large serving of a red headed slut? 
Even more importantly: what bar owner in their right mind, what bar owner who knew anything about bars, would ever serve this beverage? 
Finally, for no reason I can tell, except that the owner and his crew probably couldn't think of any other writers, their martini (who puts a martini on a list?) is named after Winston Churchill. Who, yes, while he did write, is probably better known as a politician, wouldn't you say? You honestly couldn't think of a single actual writer to pair with THE MARTINI? 
I hope this place goes out of business, though I hope it does so slowly. Providence deserves so much better than this.
Also, returning to the topic of the other reviews on this site: many, in my opinion, look like they've been written by the establishment itself. Pathetic.
4 - Steven A.: At last, a neighborhood bar that you can enter without fear for your life... and enter you should.  
I was introduced to Abe's by some friends who are regulars and I was delighted at the chance to spend a couple of hours among nice people, in a nice atmosphere.
Abe's is not hip, chic, happening, cool or "in".  Thank God.  No "bro's" allowed.
I hope we will see a resurgence of the local tavern, an important ingredient in any true community.  A place where you can feel at home without being at home, alone.
Check out Abe's but leave your ya-hoo friends at home.
3 - Briana M.: Great place for a happy hour, if you find yourself on the East Side around that time, hankering for a beverage. (Or if it's Tuesday and you're looking for trivia...) It still smells brandy new, although it's been open for about a year already. The smell of wood made me feel like I was walking in Laura Ingalls Wilder's house. Not entirely a bad thing...They make their own infused vodka, and offer a great selection of craft beers and wines by the glass. 

Best thing about Abe's: I can come here for a nice romantic rib dinner from United BBQ. Better digs than UBBQ, AND I get everything 20% off, AND I can drink an ice cold Paulaner at the same time? Are you KIDDING? Crazy awesome score! 

This place seems to be everything that a simple bar should be. Not quite your (or Laura Ingalls Wilder's) living room, but kinda like it, but better....
3 - B. H.: Mediocre bar, no character. Some ok beer. Menu naming is offensive to this reviewer. Owned by the BBQ guy.
5 - mark l.: This is a beautiful bar thoughtfully put together. We need more like it. I tell all my friends to check it out. Sounds like Alex S. and Eve H. had their milk money stolen when they were kids. You're a little too earnest in your argument --- perhaps you are a disgruntled employee???? Leave your resentments behind and drown your sorrows in a more conventional dive bar if that is your thing.
4 - Andy F.: I like Abe's. Its not amazing or anything but its pretty comfy has a nice clientele and a decent rotating beer selection. The service is good and since its owned by the United BBQ guy you can get discount BBQ there, not bad.

Its a whole hell of a lot better for neighborhood pub than Wickenden Pub which always over-prices and under-fills beer.

So my bars of choice in Fox Point/Wickenden/India Point are: Abes in the winter, and either Captain Seaweeds or Hot Club when you can sit outside.
3 - Matthew Z.: Good bar and decent beer selection with a comfortable wood interior and some literary themed drinks. Trivia on Tuesday's is especially fun and one of the best things about this bar is the free delivery from United BBQ around the corner (and there's a discount on the food if you order from Abe's).
3 - Maura C.: I have found myself at Abe's quite a few times recently. Last night I stopped in during Trivia after an event at the D&B next door. There was quite a crowd there... I knew 2 of the trivia teams there. Abe's is a nice small bar with limited seating. They have an interesting beer selection as well as some good wines. They are even nice enough to let you bring food in since they don't serve any - great neighborhood feel to this place! It would be nicer if it were my neighborhood...

Also, you can rent the space for events. I went to a Meetup holiday party there.. good times!
4 - Kel S.: We went here to catch the Final Four game (March Madness). There was one flat screen, but no one paying attention to the game. The bar was nice and the ambiance was comfortable and well done. I liked the lighting. I'd go back... but not to watch sports. This is definitely not a sports bar.
4 - Lindsey G.: Really, just see my friend Kay R's reviews. She dragged me along to Abe's and I also feel in love with this beautiful lil bar. Great local feel and with a perk like goldfish or chex mix for "bar snacks" - I'm a happy person.
1 - Mark S.: Stopped in here last Friday to meet friends for after work drinks.  According to Yelp they open at 4pm every day.  It was raining so I was psyched when I got rock star parking practically right outside.  

I walk up to the door and it's locked and pitch black inside.  It was 4:50.  The sign on the door says they open at 5.  I would figure somebody would be inside setting up if they open in ten minutes.......  I was meeting 7 other people (all driving separately) and now I'm standing in the rain and have to figure out a new plan.  Do I divert everyone to meet somewhere else or do I wait 10 minutes for them to open?

I walked down to Z-bar and texted everyone with the venue change.  The plan being we'll grab a drink there and then head back to Abe's.  I really wanted to give them another shot.  As everyone trickled into Z-bar they all said Abe's was closed when they walked by and this was up until 5:45.  

Heading back to the car Abe's was up and running at 6:30.  So I guess they open up when they want.  I figured a bar would be open for Friday Happy hour.  Since parking is sometimes difficult on Wickenden I won't bother taking the gamble next time to find out if they're open or not.
3 - Mike D.: A great, clean bar to stop in and grab a drink or a beer but not being a huge fan of barbecue means going hungry.  I like that you get 20% off, but to me, barbecue just isn't all that good, no matter where it is.  Other than that, the staff and other patrons were talkative and extremely friendly.  It's not anything like a dive bar, which I somewhat expected.  The bar is very clean and almost seemed as if it were recently redone or maybe just extremely sterile.  Either way, a good bar for a beer but not for food; in my opinion, of course!
2 - Sarah E.: Short and sweet review, just like my time in this bar last Friday night. 

1. Very bland inside. Older crowd, no real music or entertainment. 

2. OK selection of micro beers, nothing great, a few big names mixed in. 

3. Not clear if there is waitress service or not. We sat for 5 minutes then went up to the bar. 

4. Bartenders were nice and quick though. That was good. 

Ok if you just want a chill time to talk with a friend or two but I wouldn't come here to pregame before going out dancing like my group did. 

Closes at Midnight. Older, quiet crowd. Bland decor.
4 - Jennifer E.: Abe's is a pretty cool and classy joint with a fine beer selection and super friendly staff.  On one occasion the ultra helpful bartender worked it out for a couple to switch with us at the bar  in order for us to sit at the large table that they were occupying.  This was awesome since we were a group of six there for trivia and there were only the two of them.  I am always pretty impressed with the vibe of Abe's.  It is intimate and uber-cool, without feeling at all pretentious.  I love the fact that you can bring food from other places around Wickenden in to the bar (as with other bars on the strip) or you can even have food from the Duck and Bunny or United BBQ delivered there.  

If I am looking for a place to bring friends that is laid back, but a little bit nicer than say, the Wickenden Pub, for a drink then I would say Abe's would be one of my go to spots.  I must say that they have won me over with their great service and their scores of different bar snacks to choose from (Goldfish or chex mix please!).
3 - Kay R.: So - this is no longer Abe's.

It was sold a a few months ago to one of the owners of the community bar, Round the Corner, around Ives.  It is "The Point".  It now has two signs in the windows.  The lights are brighter.  The music is louder.  The music selection was shifted to what I consider 'easy listening'.  Depending on the night I've been - some new bartenders (a one-time experience, but worth mentioning: new bartenders that say "Got it!" to a wine and beer and then 15 minutes later you go back and they realize they forgot to act on your order).  

No more 20% off United (former owner of Abe's still does own that) BUT - they do have food from Duck and Bunny next door!  

That is the one addition that I'm really okay with.

Surprisingly, much of the same crowd.  But also a lot of 'fresh faces'.  Fresh as in they should have been carded.  And shots all around at the table next to us.

I still like what used to be Abe's.  But I miss the dim lights, the softer music you could have a conversation over.  I miss it feeling like a place you could relax and spend quality time with good and random people, instead of a place you crawled through that screams of a bar on Pine Street.

Time will tell - but I'm crossing my fingers!
4 - Tim C.: This is now called The Point and Tim and Manny, the new owners, are really taking things up a notch. Good crowd, great selection of bourbon, scotch and of course great beer. A good spot.

Abejas Boutique - Houston, TX (29.7208649, -95.4188213) (West University)
4 - Liz S.: Adorable, carefully-selected, classy-trendy clothes in a friendly, low-key boutique.  Definitely check out their website to get a feel for the store.  I saw many, many dresses and tops that wanted badly to come home with me.

All the pieces here are unique, which means a. different and b. possibly pricey, depending on your budget (think $40 t-shirts and $200 jeans).  Not everything falls in that range, though, so stop by and have a look even if you think that's out of your range. They also offer great jewelry and other accessories.  This is another great store to find something for a special occasion or to fill in that nondescript hole in your wardrobe.
4 - Larina C.: NY style with NY prices. This boutique is like a good shoe, stylish and comfortable. They offer a variety of brands from Velvet to Havaianas, sell fun accessories from scarves, handbags, and unique jewelry.  A little bit of Soho shopping right in the middle of Kirby.
4 - Chasity M.: What a cute store, with super cute and friendly sales assistants!  Today was my first visit to Abejas, to pick up a pair of their adorable leather flip flops.  The items they carry aren't my typical style, but anyone a bit more bohemian would find a lot here!  

They have everything from their own line of tees and shoes, to Hudson jeans, to alice + olivia items.  They have quite a bit of amazing, unique jewelry that I can't wait to go back through and purchase when I have more time (I stopped by today on my lunch break).  

The atmosphere and items reminded me SO much of shopping in Austin.  They also have a couple pairs of cowboy boots as well as their own line of cute leather handbags (casual).  If you need something cute, casual, summery or white (they had a ton of white skirts and dresses) you need to stop by Abejas to check out their selection!
5 - Ann E.: I concur with the previous reviewer. Abejas is one of my favorite gem boutiques in Texas. If you're looking for something special, but casual, you'll find it here. They have the occasional cocktail item as well. Get on their e-mail list to get in the know about the awesome sales they have every once in awhile. 

Thank you Ryan and all of the Abejas girls for your incredible customer service!!!!!

Abercrombie & Fitch - Palo Alto, CA (37.44336, -122.1726006) ()
2 - Brandon M.: First, I'm not into rip jeans. A friend told me to go see the expensive rip jeans so I did. I do like the music here though. Gave it two stars for the feel and the cute girls.
3 - Kiki B.: Okay, I admit, it's a pretty annoying teenybopper store. But oooh does my butt look good in them jeans.
1 - Jordan M.: The music is so loud that you feel as though you might go into cardiac arrest while shopping.  The staff is hired because of their looks and not their brains = unhelpful and annoying.
5 - Rachelle M.: I love this store. But i hated working there. But i love shopping there. Uhhh, everything look sso cute! i love it
4 - Aaron M.: OK, I feel like I really need to apologize for liking this place.  I came to hate it in high school and college because it was the preferred tool for acting snobby among the crowd of my schools' preferred tools... 

But I went in there a year or two ago anyway and discovered that they make the absolute softest men's clothing (the shirts, not the jeans) of any store I can find, and they fit atheltic people well (which has also been a source of much consernation, especially among the female set).  Anyway, hate the place for its prices and snobbiness but at least once before you die go in there just to feel the men's T-shirts.  It's like petting a puppy's belly!

Is that weird to say?
2 - Kara R.: So before I go off in a rant about how this store is awful, I must say the clothes are really attractive and fit me really well. So in most abercrombie stores the service is awful, this one is definitely included. You take clothes, and then they make you walk up so many stairs to try them on in the dressing room upstairs. The staff is very snappy and ignores you and there is no place to sit in the whole store and the limit on clothes in the dressing room is so obnoxious. I think I will just order abercrombie online because that store is a pain in the neck.
3 - Ruth C.: Things to establish:

1. I am Asian.
2. I am NOT a model.
3. I DO have a sense of dignity.
4. I DO think it's stupid that A&F advertises their clothing by showing models with no clothes on.
5. I don't shop here for myself on purpose.

All right.  So now that it's clear I'm not the target market/audience for Abercrombie, I do shop here, but mostly for other people.  These people live in Japan (where there is no A&F).  Who knew A&F would be so popular with the Japanese?  Well, if you think about it... most Japanese people really love Americans and American culture.  My Japanese friends are no exception.

A&F tries very hard to maintain the image of representing "American" fashion.  Whether you agree or disagree, it's pretty clear that these clothes are popular.

Things that are NOT ok at A&F:

1. The perfume permeates EVERYTHING in the freaking store.  If you even step ONE foot in there, it's going to end up smelling like A&F the whole day.  It's almost as if they douse their entire inventory in their scent...
2. The music they play in store is annoying, loud, and obnoxious.  WHY do you need to blast it so that my ears are ringing for hours after I leave??
3. Everything is overpriced.  I'm no cheapo when it comes to quality clothing, but this place is ridiculous for what it is... but you're paying for hype, so there you go.
4. This store makes me feel fat.

Now, I know I'm not fat.  I'm a petite size 2 in most stores!  But these clothes are seriously made for people who are either anorexic or children.  Maybe that's another reason why these clothes are great for my Japanese friends.  At GAP in America, I am a size 0.  GAP in Japan, I am a size 8.  Go figure. (Not saying that Japanese people are anorexic or children, but they tend to be more petite than Americans.)

Why am I still giving this place 3 stars and not 2 or 1?  The sales are actually quite reasonable.  I can tolerate most of the things that aren't ok, especially at this Stanford Mall store.  (The Valley Fair one is just a rat maze with too many people.)  Also, my Japanese friends can't get enough and I'm quite willing to buy for them.  The clothing also lasts a long time and you can't deny that you can look quite preppy in a good way... and the fabrics they use are so soft and feel nice on your skin.

And yeah, the models are hot.
3 - Vicky L.: #802

My sheer laziness allows me to get away with dressing down at work... and I mean Down down down down... No more suits! I can wear jeans and a t shirt! I have to admit that their sheer fabrics don't last too long but their jeans and shirts will last through tons of washings...

Nice large store but the layout upstairs is a little funky. It makes me feel like a lab rat routing around in order to get to my prize of the clearance section upstairs.
3 - Linh N.: I came on Sunday last week and the store was clean and organized. There aren't much merchandise upstairs. I found a white low cut tank top that was on sale from $20.00 to $15.99. There weren't anything else there that I liked too much. This place is ok.
5 - Ashley S.: Had a problem with the cologne I bought and asked Valley Fair to exchange for a new bottle since I bought it there and they said no. So I called Stanford store and the manager Raquel gave me NO problems with exchanging it! She was sweet and gave great customer service! I guess Valley fair assumed I was trying to exchange a bottle that was all used up when that was not the case at all. The bottle was still brand new! So I will definitely be shopping at Stanford store more often! :)
5 - Nicole O.: This is one of the nicer a&f stores I've been too. You can clearly see that the managers are on top of things because the clean and folded store. This abercrombie has music that is a lot lower than the store I used to shop in san diego. I can imagine how difficult it is to manage a store like this where you have high school students who have been handed everything to them by their parents. So I agree that some workers are going to have an attitudes but most of them don't. With all that in mind I say good job abercrombie and fitch in stanford mall..
5 - Devin B.: This A&F is the BEST! Great people working, so helpful, found everything I was looking for! Have to stay away for a while just so don't spend all of my money! The people that work there are SO adorable!!
2 - Alice T.: Granted this is Christmas and it is crowded everywhere however, I have to say that I was not impressed with the customer service at this Acrombie and Fitch.  There was a long line and only one cashier working.  And when I choose to buy a shirt that had no tag, they grab another shirt that costed more and just rung it up and said it was that price.  I told them I found it upstairs under the sales rack, they said well we couldn't find that exact one so it looks like the expensive one so we will charge you for that one.  Here is your total..  ?????

There seems to be no one on the floor when you need help.  Dressing room in every single Acrombie and Fitch is always backed up and there is never someone that cares to make sure that people are happy and well taken care of.  Place is always smelling like their perfume.  Which is quit annoying if you don't like that smell.  

I do like the clothes for men, and that is where I buy my husband's clothes sometimes.  If you do decide to shop here expect to wait in line for the dressing room and to get run up.
1 - Linda M.: The worst experience I ever had was at Abercrombie & Fitch !!!!!!!!!! at Stanford Store!! Walking in to the store the music was so loud that my ear drums were vibrating. I had to return a item, but by the volume so loud i couldn't even think straight!! I had to stand in line, by the time i got to the register to do my return  the clerk and i had to scream back and forth to each other to accomplish the task. I grew up with  many years of being around music, and enjoy music. but the volume was like siting in front of a rock band speaker. PLEASE BAND THIS PLACE FROM YOUR SHOPPING EXPERIENCE
1 - Tony Z.: This company can't manage its mail order. It sends you the wrong item and it won/'t give you a full refund. When I gave them a call, the customer service claimed that even thought it was their fale, they can't give you a full refund because I used the smart label for return. If the seller were Amazon, you would get a free shipping for return of wrong item.
1 - A T.: Worst customer service, period.  

My cousin bought 3 sweaters with the same design but different color online.  Because the quality was not good, she had to return them to the store.  So we went to the A&F in stanford mall. It took the sales person, Alex (not sure if she gave me her real name) almost 30 minutes to return 2 of them and then she refused to return the third one because she said she did not see it on the receipt.  I saw the item on the receipt clearly and showed it to her, but she said she has the right not to return any item.. Then I wanted to speak with the store manager.  After 15 minutes, the store manager, Shy, came out and immediately said, "we have the right not to return any items to anyone."  Excuse me??  Then she said "it clearly states that on the back of the receipt."  Then I asked her to give me the customer service number, and she said "go find it yourself."  I asked, "do you have a business card?"  And of course she said no..

Worst experience ever..  I am amazed.
2 - Zak R.: Sometimes the universe conspires to help you read bloomberg articles on the demise of uber sexualized brands such as Abercrombie. Really, you can keep upping the ante but tolerance develops quickly. Sex may sell, but only temporarily. 
I hadn't been to an Abercrombie in years. Years! Prompted to visit after someone I know was sporting an adorable checkered button down, I walked into a dark maze of cheap smelling perfume and blaring music. All the sales people were zombies (presumably from perfume intoxication or hearing loss from the music?) Except one guy who was very friendly. However his advice was hilarious. When asked if a particular color of pants would look good he replied that color wasn't made for his skin tone and his mom always suggested he wear darker colors. The question was about me, not him...... Haha. 

Two stars because I was amused and they had yellow skinny jeans in just the right color. 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-22/abercrombie-sales-slide-as-half-naked-models-underwhelm.html?cmpid=linkedin
2 - Annette S.: Seriously. WHY is the music SO LOUD! I really like the clothes, but honestly, get nauseated by the overwhelming smell of perfume and the incredibly loud music. The sales staff isn't too helpful either.

Abercrombie & Fitch - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.281176, -120.661022) ()
4 - Christina G.: I know, I know... I should instead be visiting the local boutiques in downtown SLO, but I seem to keep getting sucked into this joint because of their awesome sales.  You wouldn't think that a store where you can "smell it before you see it" would be so successful, but the quality of their clothes keeps me coming back.
1 - Cherri N.: I was embarrased. Not for myself , but for a young customer in her twenties that was treated very rudely by a manager named anastatia or something like that. I will not shop there again. It was awful and I overheard her tell someone that the same person had been rude the last time she shopped there and that she would never come again. As a mother of five grown children, I am supposing that the manager , who is young was jealous of the customer who was extremely beautiful. Just a guess. She was incredibly rude.
5 - Diana G.: Half naked male models, right before Christmas, standing just inside the entry way, as what would have been the AnF front billboard. LOVED IT!! The number of girls who walked in and then JUMPED when these boys uttered Hello - HILARIOUS!! My sisters and I got a pic with them as a HAHA gift for my parents. Originally the idea was to put it in a super nice frame from... Ross :) and present it to them at Christmas. Unfortunately, we found out later the quality wasn't good enough to make a large pic out of it. Ohwell. The boys loved the idea, though, and we took model shots for quite sometime with them. If anything, it warmed them up a bit.

Clothing wise, I can seriously look through this place for quite sometime but sadly my short stature doesn't look so great in their clothes suited for longer torsos.

Abigail's Restaurant - Cambridge, MA (42.3653395, -71.0826335) (East Cambridge, Kendall Square/MIT)
4 - Alex P.: Stopped by for a beer. Nice selection and menu looks good, organic but s little pricey. Good vibe, experienced hip waitstaff. Oysters look great- can't wait to come back and try.
5 - Charlie M.: It has been a long wait for Abigail's to open.  Not sure if the wait was longer for us who live in the neighborhood or for the god folks opening the restaurant, but it's finally open and, it was worth the wait.

The atmosphere is great and, unlike too many restaurants today, you can actually carry on a conversation.  A big plus in my book.

The bar is wonderful and the seating ample, but the food is what takes the cake.  The offer a wide range of choices, I had the seared tuna which I recommend highly, for almost anyone to find something they like.

The service was prompt and attentive without being pretentious which is great.  Our waitperson was very helpful in offering suggestions when asked and delivering the right level of service.

In a few words, this restaurant is in keeping with it's neighborhood (East Cambridge and Kendall Square), great food without being overly stuffy. I look forward to seeing Abigail's full more often than not and will be back again to try some more of the tasty items on the menu.
5 - Bree R.: This is my new favorite place!

Just to give you an idea of how much I liked it, I have been there twice already and they've only been open for three days.  The first night I got a table and had excellent service from Josie....she really is rosey!  ;)

The next night I sat at the bar.  Oooh, the Bar...It is gorgeous and comfortable with lots of leg room.  The vibe is cool, the bartenders were spinning old vinyl records and mixing up some nice cocktails. I enjoyed the Mint & Ginger w/ gin, ginger liquor, house made ginger syrup, mint, lemon & soda.  mmmmmm......  

The Apps:
I had the Serrano Wrapped Scallops w/ smoked tomato jam & balsamic-port reduction.  He had BBQ'd Chicken Livers - mashed, spinach, bacon & onions.  Both were excellent.

Entrees:
We tried the Ribeye with a green peppercorn demiglace, marrow butter and the Oven Roasted Chicken - lemon-tarragon pan gravy, fluffy mashed potatoes, broccoli rabe.  No complaints, it was all great.  Prices are very reasonable, with entrees price between $17-$26


I went there obsessing about the slushies but when it came time to order, it felt too much like dessert to have it before dinner and we opted for the flour-less chocolate walnut cake with sweet cream ice cream instead for dessert.  We were very happy with our selection!  So nice to have good gluten-free options!! Still looking forward to trying the slushies though.
3 - Joe R.: I went here the other day with my family. It was a Tuesday night around 6pm. A nice crowd had gathered around the bar and a few of the tables were starting to fill in. We were seated immediately. 
I ordered the slow cooked brisket. I am a big fan of brisket. This serving was small, dry, lacking in any discernible amounts of the advertised horseradish mustard and the french bread was a bit stale. My side of fries probably constituted one potato. 
My father ordered the pork chop which was cooked perfectly. Sadly, the accompanying black pepper dumplings were rather flavorless and could have used more seasoning.
My brother ordered the grilled veggie burger which he said was fair, but he would probably not order again. His side of fries was also on the small side.

All in all, a friendly staff provided excellent service, but for the cost and quality, I think I'd recommend passing on the food here. Having said that, the bar looked packed and had a great selection of drinks. I'd suspect they'll do a great bar business.
4 - Amy L.: Abigail's has a friendly staff, great drink menu.  The good is good slightly pricey. It is espically convenient if you work in the area, but I would make a trip across the river from Boston for it.
3 - Blair H.: Pros: (Before Hos) A shot and a beer for $8...and...umm...stuff.

Cons: Cheap, flimsy buns on the burger and pulled pork.  It looked like a white-castle burger for $8.  The brisket burger was a bit dry and got my mayo parachute when I was almost done.  Got charged $12 for the $11 sammich.  Service was brisk, but not really in a good way.  The salt marsh was a salty saline soup with the table salt they used in lieu of rock salt.   

I've gone twice, and I'll have to check it out again before I recommend it to the boss-man for a company outing.  I can be understanding of the new venue shake-down, and I'll be happy to revise my position sometime.
4 - Jessie Z.: Yay! I know these guys have only been open for a week, and like all knew restaurants, still have some kinks to work out. Keeping that in mind, i thought the food was really excellent and worth the price we paid for it! I had the veggie burger, with mozz and tomato jam, Messy to eat but I DEVOURED every single bit. Yum. My friend had the chicken sandwich and also gave it a pretty great review as well. The service was good but took awhile for the food to come for lunch service. I'd go back.
2 - Lisa W.: Decided to try this new place in my neighborhood and it needs a lot of work.   

The decor is clean, fresh and new but the room divider is a bit high.  Unless you're seated at the bar you feel like you're dining in a train car.  The room divider is a little too high, you can barely see over it.  It would be nice if it was a lower so you could see out the window.  

The service was very slow.  Wait staff was friendly and courteous but SLOW.  It took a while before our server came to greet us and when she came to the table you could easily see we were ready to order (menus closed and stacked), but she only asked if we wanted something to drink.  She didn't offer to take our order.  My boyfriend ordered a beer and after another long wait it arrived and then we ordered.   

I ordered the tuna while my boyfriend ordered a burger.   Again it took longer than it should have and not worth the wait.   Although the burger was very good that's the the only thing that was.  The tuna was really salty and the tomato salad that came with it had bruised pieces of tomato mixed in.  Not really worth the $25 the entree cost.   We also got the Gouda fries, again very salty.  

Overall a very big disappointment.  I am pretty sure we will not be going back.
3 - Phil S.: We really want this restaurant to succeed because Kendall needs good food, but it does need a little bit of work.

My girlfriend and I went to Abigail's for the first time tonight. We tried last night with a group of six but we were told by the hostess that there was a 30 minute wait since they were swamped that night. Clearly that must've been the case since we were left waiting - alone - at the entrance for 5-10 minutes before anyone spoke to us. 

Tonight, we tried again and got a table for two.  The host was very professional, even asking us which table we wanted, the one in the middle or the the one in the corner.  We asked for the one in the corner and so was confused when we were taken to the one in the middle. No biggie, just strange. Perhaps the host couldn't hear us over the loud restaurant.

Speaking of, the sound in this place was way to loud for the number of people there.  The music should be switched to a genre that has less variation from peak to peak.  Often there seemed to be no music, then all of a sudden loud music.  Pick some new tunes and play them lower.  You could also try to put something in your place that absorbs sound. It's really loud right now.

After we were seated, we noticed that the table was rather wobbly. Props to the waitress for fixing it with a smile when we pointed it out.

We ordered fried oysters, a chicken salad, a steak and a veggie burger.  The fried oysters were excellent.The veggie burger had frilly toothpicks, which seemed tacky for a place that charges $28 entrees.  No toothpicks please. The steak was good, one shade overcooked, but good.  Fat probably needed to be trimmed a bit.

At one point the waitress - as she was taking our bread plates away - looked at my empty cup and asked if I wanted another.  When I declined, she walked off without my cup, leaving it as the only thing on the table.

Bread plates kept whizzing by me, so I asked for some bread.  Bread comes, and it was okay.  Nothing special, but perfectly functional.

About the restaurant, the dividers are a bit high, they should be brought down 6 inches so people can see out the window or raised so they block things out.  As of now, it's a weird middle ground and I'm tempted to hide and look out the window in alternation.

We had our food wrapped up, but it was brought back in a bag with the dessert menu. Again, kinda weird.  They should have brought it back with the check. We balanced it on the divider while we ate our dessert. 

Dessert was good.  We ordered a flourless chocolate cake with sour cherry sauce and sweet cream ice cream, which was tasty, but...it wasn't a flourless chocolate cake, the sauce was decidedly raspberry, and the ice cream was more along the lines of chocolate hazelnut. Perhaps it was indeed flourless, but it was more like a fudge brownie. Complete with that light-brown brownie crust. Again, it was tasty but, c'mon, update the menu or at least have the waitress note the changes. When the check was brought, we noticed that they had accidentally left the cake off the bill. 

Abigails needs to figure out what they want to be. Is it going to be the neighborhood after-work hangout or the fine-dining restaurant that it seems to aspire to? If it wants to be the former, then it needs to lower its prices. If it wants to be a fine-dining establishment, then it needs to step up its game. Right now it's trying to do two things and it's failing at both.
4 - maya s.: We went to Abigail's origonally just for a drink, but after viewing the menu, we ended up so hungry we ordering a full meal. 

I got the coffee/choco slushy which was delicious, and my boyfriend's drink that was fantastic too. If anything, come to the bar for the drinks, they are definitly not stingy.  

While we were tempted by the gouda fries, i ended up getting the tomato/buffalo mozz salad and minestrone. My boyfriend was between the burger & brisket, but the burger won out b/c of the potato bun-YUM!  While i think his plate was a little small, even with the delicious fries (yes i helped myself), my 'cup' of soup was pretty much a large bowl. The minestrone was freshly made, but needed some seasoning. The salad was delicious, but i have to say, when i saw buffalo mozz /tomato salad, i thought something more like a caprese. I got 3 tiny half slices of cheese on top of my salad. While it was amazing in taste...can't say i wasn't dissapointed when i first viewed it.

Staff was super friendly and attentive, but not pushy. i really liked the atmosphere, and once they hook up the tvs etc at the bar, it should be an awesome after work or weekend dinner place.  Would love to come back and try the steak!
2 - Kate M.: Very disappointing.

First the good: I liked the modern, clean decor, it fits well in the surroundings of Kendall Square/MIT.  The BBQ'd chicken livers to start (one of their small plates) were tasty - although the hubby is pretty sure they were deep-fried, not BBQ'd.  The drinks were fabulous!  The bartender is doing it right; shame about everyone else, really ...

The rest of the food was pretty bad/sad.  I had the sweetcorn bisque.  Very watery, and far too sweet.  Pretty much inedible.  I also had the panzanella salad.  There were three tiny morsels of mozzarella on top - nowhere near enough for the dish - and the tomatoes (what should have been the star of the dish) were ... mealy?  If you don't have amazing raw ingredients to work with, don't offer a dish like this.  The garlic croutons tasted of burnt garlic.  And so did my mouth for the rest of the night.

My husband had the BBQ pork shoulder sandwich.  Again, not BBQ'd, and such a shame, because the meat was completely lacking in flavor.  The only things you could taste were the BBQ sauce (this does not make a dish BBQ!!) and the blue cheese.

Our server was ... odd.  And not very good.  But my main complaint was just that she seemed lacking in any kind of human warmth.  I usually get chatty with my server - this chick was COLD.  She also served me a cup of soup (I asked for - and was charged for - a bowl).  But maybe she knew how bad it was and was just trying to save me ... :)

If this place wasn't so new, I'd be hard-pressed to give it more than 1 star.  But I'm nice.  And the drinks were really good.
2 - I D.: I've been here twice now. Once for just drinks, and last night for dinner. The first time i had a good experience since we only got drinks. Last night was very disappointing. I ordered the house roast beef sandwich (which is supposed to come with Swiss cheese and on a french roll). I got American cheese on a sesame bun. This would have been okay if the server informed me they were out of the ingredient's they didn't and they weren't even out. I saw other tables get the French roll after my sandwich came out. For a $12 sandwich I expected a lot more. My bf got the pulled pork and said it was okay.  Also we asked for some bread after we ordered our drinks and got 3 dinky pieces of old french bread, while other tables got focaccia. Not sure what the deal was last night with the inconsistent food to different tables, but if i come back I'll only be having drinks.
3 - M G.: Burger is very mc Donalds like. Pretty good salad. Decor is not bad. Gets very loud.... Pretty good beers though. For beers its okay...
5 - B.Kiddo K.: I rarely , if ever, give 5 star reviews so this place was yum-mah. I went here the second week they were open.The place is very funky and the bar and decor is great and all wood. Esp loved the modern bar. 
The beer selection is very good and nice drink menu and the bartenders looked very capable beyond the menu. My waitress was great and so sweet.  My heirloom tomato salad was UNBELIEVABLE! it is the specific part that sent me to yelp, the whole world must eat this salad! My vegetarian meal was great and my bfs aid it was the best brisket(?) he has had in ages.
 Everything was perfect until our dessert. My bf got rice pudding and it was really gross although I am not a fan regardless. I think if you offer only three choices they should all be precise and deelish. I did mention how weirdly gross it was ( in passing) to our waitress and Sarah( the owner) came right over and took it off the bill and I spoke briefly to her. She was so nice and all these facts just made  the overall experience great! A def rarity!
3 - Dorothy W.: Back to Abigail's a few times and definitely not as happy. 

We live in the neighborhood and we love to eat at the bar but two of the bartenders are consistently inattentive and rude. Gosh, guys, stop the back stage gossiping, stop drinking on the job and stop telling us not to forget to tip you and that we should "relax" in such an abrupt and uncalled for manner. We are very relaxed. Until you growl around. We are not the only ones to feel this way based on conversations with fellow diners. Really unprofessional. 

Overpriced veggie burger is among the worst we have experienced in terms of flavor, texture and appearance. The fries are your basic dry french fries. Ketchup that comes along must be Heinz; if it is made in house, they need to tweak the recipe. 

On our third and fourth visits, we ordered oysters, which took $30 out of our retirement account for one dozen of these babies. They were tasty but every single one had bits of shells to contend with. 

The drinks are delicious. 

The volume of the music is improving, as is the selection (I'd rather hear Bob Marley than anything else they have offered) and there are a few TVs for watching the game.

But seriously. We want to come back for the food and for a professional and welcoming attitude from the folks behind that beautiful bar. With so many new places opening up in the area, Abigail's really needs to step it up.
4 - John P.: I just went to this place for the first time since they opened a couple weeks ago, and wow it was amazing! The service Was impeccable, the food was top notch, and the atmosphere was first class. I ordered the duxbury oysters on the half shell to start, followed by amazing scallops prepared in an orange butter caper sauce. One word, DELICIOUS! Only reason I didn't give it five stars is because I thought it was the slightest bit pricy, but I'm also known to be a little frugal. I highly suggest anyone try this great restaurant as a romantic date, or even a gathering of friends. Oh, and the music was pretty right on, featuring several Michael Jackson classics throughout the dinner. Totally my style.
5 - Jason C.: As you can tell by my previous reviews, I'm pretty much a prick and don't give a place 5 stars unless it is remarkable in some respect.. 

Anyway, I can't say enough about how good my experience at Abigail's was. 

To start: 

The staff are outstanding. They made you feel right at home from instant  you walk. in. The hostess, the server, the bartender and even the owner Sarah (who seemed to greet every costumer) made you feel very welcomed...and the place was packed. 

The music is top notch. The staff bring in their own vinyl and the choices are perfect. I like Hall and Oats and Ian Durry... a lot. 

The food: 
Aps: Guoda fries with bacon. ...dangerously fucking rad.     
Oysters: Outstanding and huge. 

Entres:
The way I judge a restaurant is by how well their steak tastes medium rare. The grass feed rib eye really got me going. It was massive, delicious and cooked perfectly.  

The drinks. WOW! The bartender knows what t he is doing.

WELL DONE!

Oh and PS:, to  Nancy P:  there is obviously a reason why you were sitting alone.
5 - Naomi L.: So, I did go back and sit at that beautiful wood bar for those oysters... Brian and Duggan hooked me up one afternoon with a dozen fabulous Barnstable Moon Shoals and a perfectly chilled Jack D'Or. Oysters were as fresh as they get--with a deep cup, refreshingly cool briny liquor, and a sweet, lightly chewy finish. Heaven.
5 - Cyndi C.: Got to try this place last night with a group of friends- what an experience!! 

Atmosphere was different than I imagined, but modern, sleek, yet comfortable. 

Drinks menu is amazing- good prices for delicious cocktails. I got the Stone Rose, highly recommend it if you like ginger beer and brandy. Didn't think this combo was going to work, but it did so I had two. 

For starters, our table did a few of the small plates, gouda fries- AMAZING- a cheese sauce with chicken gravy and bits of bacon- by the time you inhale the fries there's this beautiful cheese sauce/soup at the bottom of the bowl I just wanted to lick it clean, but I was with company, so that could've been weird. We also got the chicken livers, which I loved, but that's only because I like liver, if you don't like liver, don't try it. Chicken and mushroom skewers were also quite tasty.

I ordered the bbq pulled pork sandwich with the salad- SO GOOD!! The pulled pork was perfect, topped with some cheese (I think blue cheese, but don't quite remember), and fried onion strings and bbq sauce. The salad was even amazing- dressed perfectly, and the croutons were so insane- you could tell they made them in-house probably with their own housemade bread. 

My friends got the mussels and the veggie burger and couldn't get enough of each. I tried the mussels and they were amazing. The sauce was so perfect- garlicky, buttery, oniony, I just dipped the crostini it came with in the sauce, it was so, so good.

For dessert the table ordered the flourless chocolate cake, perfect consistency of a brownie. I don't like sweets, but I give this dessert a thumbs up. My friend also ordered the ricotta pie and said it was delicious.

Overall, I definitely intend to go back here for more food- I really want to try the brisket and the roasted marrow bones- there's a few things I can say no too, and marrow bones is one of them.

Definite great addition to the Kendall area, am looking forward to my next meal there.
5 - I Can R.: This place was A MA ZING foodie www.nextinshow.com Worthy

The waitress was phenomenal 

Fried oysters come in this sauce and OMG I wish they came in batches of 20 I would order them easily for like $25 bucks
2 - Cassie R.: I truly want this place to succeed, but unfortunately it could use a little work. Please, please re-work your food menu so I can come here after work!

Service: AWESOME. Everyone is incredibly friendly and attentive.
Atmosphere: So chill. The bar is made from a fallen tree and the dining area has a very cool vibe (love the curved wall.)

Food: I've tried a sandwich, the Gouda fries and a cheese plate (all but the fries were regrettable.)

Don't get the BBQ Pork Shoulder sandwich! The pork was bland and the non-flavorful juices had soaked through both slices of bread before it got to the table (Ew.) The blue cheese (which could have been the saving grace) was practically non-existent. If you can't see or taste chunks of cheese...then it's false advertising to list it as an ingredient.
3 - Beth M.: Sometimes you can win my heart with a cocktail. The El Mariachi at Abigail's did just that - tequila, aperol, grapefruit bitters, grapefruit juice and agave nectar? It was like an extremely classy margarita - brilliant. Loved it.

In the end, I enjoyed my dining experience at this new resto in Kendall - went with a bff this week for dinner and loved the fact that it looks like it's kind of been there forever...in a good way. The operation, in my experience, doesn't appear to be working out kinks. Our host and waiter were great - efficient and charming. Decor is nice, tables are cozy. All good things.

Oddly, the food was probably my least favorite part of the experience. It shined in strange places, like 'wow the buttery toast with these muscles is awesome for some reason!' and 'damn this corn sauce for my tuna is executed perfectly!'...but overall it wasn't gastronomically mind blowing. But it was fine. My tuna and her steak were tasty and cooked fine. Muscles were fine too.  Nothing at all was wrong with it - I definitely plan to go back, especially for drinks because the bar is lovely and the cocktail offerings are excellent.
4 - Thuy L.: Kendall's making a comeback ya'll. The owners and chef of B-sides decided to start anew with Abigails and they brought their bartender (Rob) with them too.  I was so excited when I heard that they were finally open.  And they didn't disappoint. 

The bar: Awesome! Great bar, literally---made out of solid wood.  The cocktail menu is pretty decent too with a decent variety of gin cocktails (my liquor of choice) and freshly made sangria waiting to be ordered. 

The food: Okay. Our group started off with some oysters and the gouda fries. Oysters were good and the gouda fries were excellent (chicken gravy and gouda--are you kidding me?) I did wish that the fries were a little crispier but hey, it won't stop me from coming back.  We then moved on to he sweet corn bisque and the bone marrow.  The bisque is good with a hint of bacon and its got a little kick with the jalapeno.  The bone marrow was a little less desirable as it didn't really have the much marrow. Finally, we all got some sort of sandwich and they were all okay, not quite memorable but not bad either. 

I will definitely have to come back to check out their brunch soon.
3 - Vivian L.: Went here today with a large group. The restaurant was very nice about accommodating us even though there was limited seating, and they were always attentive to our table (in particular getting us drinks). The server recommended some appetizers to use, one of them being uni (sea urchin). It was fresh, nicely seasoned, and served beautifully. Appearance counts, of course ;)

I ordered the Grilled Veggie Burger, which comes with your choice of mixed greens or fries. The burger itself was actually rather hard to eat -- it's rather large and the veggie patty was thicker than the breadbuns. The mozzarella was unfortunately not as melted as I would have liked, but the tomato jam was delicious. The veggie patty itself wasn't horrible but I've definitely had better -- it was very apparent that it was a mishmash of vegetables instead of attempting to imitate the consistency of regular meat, which I would have appreciated. The fries were your standard fare - nothing too fancy but definitely not bad.

Not a bad experience; the restaurant is definitely a bit pricey but for the types of food they serve (mainly seafood), it's not too shabby. Still can't tell if they're trying to go for the high-class fine dining experience or more of an after-work dinner type thing. If the latter, I'd raise an eyebrow to the price. If the former... boy, were we all underdressed.
2 - road s.: Food is ok. But they need a little more variety. I've been here now like 10 times because it's near the office. Running out of food to order. The service is awful. I know they're getting their wings, but really - they need a more professional manager who actually walks around and checks in on things. Case in point - we usually have 5 or 6 people in our party. What do the wait staff do when we need to be served? He or she brings it out two plates at a time. 3 trips from the kitchen.  Not an isolated event. Happens all the time. Really irritating when you're on a schedule.  Also the place isn't sure what it wants to be.  I much prefer my staple Za/EVOO.
4 - Rachel B.: Good food and good bar scene. Very busy at happy hour. Have tried the brisket sandwich, veggie burger and minestrone soup all which are very good. The sandwiches come with fresh baked french fries too which are a very nice addition!
3 - Jeff M.: I went to Abigail's for dinner last night after getting stuck at work late. I had pretty much the same experience as I had at lunch. Cucumber salad with grape tomatoes, feta and pickled red onions was the best thing I've had here. Chicken was nothing you could not by at Shaw's, you know the rotisserie. The pork chop was alright, nothing I could not grill at home. I think Abigail's would impress more people at a different price point and a if the decor were more casual. The decor has you expect something a bit more out of the food than what is dropped at your table. That being said Abigail's is a nice addition to the Kendal dining scene and I'll probably return since its the best nearby option.
4 - Maureen O.: I have eaten at the bar at Abigail's three or four times and the dining room once. I will admit here that I prefer dining at the bar in most restaurants, but with four people we chose a table. There is a very friendly and familiar feeling here; it seems that almost everyone on the staff used to be at another restaurant I love in Cambridge (most notably the B side and East Coast Grill) and they know what they are doing. I really missed the food when the B-side closed and I was happy to find the spirit of the baked gouda alive and well in the gouda french fries. We couldn't resist the bone marrow and wished it came with more crostini. The scallops wrapped in serrano ham are delicious and I have ordered them every visit.  For a new restaurant with a storied staff, Abigail's is doing a great job. It has moved right to the top of my rotation and I look froward to many more meals!
4 - Sarah F.: The restaurant has a great look, but I found it to be too noisy, and I had to shout to be heard, which meant I just added to the noise level! On the plus side, the staff was friendly and I loved the grilled veggie burger with the smoked tomato jam.
5 - Morgan P.: Great beer list !!!!
1 - Andy H.: I was really excited to check this place out.  I like East Coast grill and I heard that one of the chefs from there started this place.  A group of us decided to check the place out for cocktails over the weekend.  It's a good looking place, the aesthetics are nice.  We told the host we were just there for drinks and she seated us.  Then we waited 10 minutes only for one of the six waitresses to tell us they aren't serving anymore and we'd have to order from the bar.   So we ordered 5 cocktails from the surly bartender who said that he'd have one of the waitress bring them over.. we watched him chat with his coworker for 5 minutes and then not serve us.   Once getting them to the table, none of us were pleased.  2 of the drinks were just soda water.  One of the cocktails was undrinkable.  It was from the menu and it tasted like a spoiled margarita.  Mind you these are 10 dollar drinks.  So I wrote a note saying that we weren't happy with this chain of events.  The surly bartender came to our table and decided to lecture us about what tequila tastes like.  Never coming back here again, never bring clients here ever.
3 - Trey Joseph W.: Lowering my rating.  Been a couple times since I initially reviewed it and had some poor experiences with the wait and bar staff.  Seems the opening kinks never worked themselves out.  

One time I was ordering four drinks for myself and family at the bar and the bartender made each drink individually and then proceeded to wait on other customers between drinks.  It took 20 minutes to get drinks.  Thankfully, our wait for the table was more than that otherwise I would've been pretty cranky.  Also, we keep having the same waitress and she just is not material for her career choice.  Slow, doesn't remember things too well and disappears for very long stretches of time.

Lastly, I am sick of the booth seating.  The tables are sooooooo far away from the benches.  It is absolutely the worst thing about the place.  Having to lean over the table for an entire dinner just to reach your food is really uncomfortable.  First time I dined there it was a regular table. They really need to fix it.  

Still happy to have them in the neighborhood and the Mr. Grant is still the best drink they make!
4 - Matthias T.: First thing, right out the gate: BEST VEGGIE BURGER.  That is my overwhelming impression from my first visit.  Everything else was good, foodwise, but the veggie burger was an in-house prepared, bright green veggie burger. I and my fellow pescatarian diner agreed.  My lunch was fine, and our appetizer of scallops was first rate.

Service was impeccable, 5 stars for the excellent, uncomplaining, well-mannered and helpful waitstaff.  Worth coming back for just for them. 

Great place for lunch, great place for a business lunch. 

Oh, one shitty thing: they were playing a freaking Traveling Wilburys album on repeat while we were there.  Execrable.
2 - Katy F.: I'd categorize this place as an app and drink spot only. Everything else was just eh.

Waitstaff: Very friendly. But not very prompt. Failed to tell us what they were out of out (arctic char, sigh.) and never mentioned the specials (one of which was a seafood bouillabaisse that I absolutely would have ordered if I had known it were on the menu.) Almost too fast with refilling drinks --- I know, I know, when is that a bad thing? -- Well, when you're 3 sips into a glass of wine and they're asking if you want another, it just feels...awkward.

Appetizers: YUM. The Sweet Corn Bisque was delightfully light. Was expecting a heavy cream base, but wasn't heavy at all. Very tasty. Mussels, a little grainy but the taste of the broth was out of this world. The Gouda fries speak for themselves. Can you ever go wrong with glorified cheese fries?

Entrees: Green Bean Sandwich: I didn't try this personally, but my buddy thought it was good. Ahi Tuna: Overdone. Tuna should be rare, this was medium plus. The panzanella salad it came with though was fantastic. Pork Chop: Tiny. When I order a pork chop I want it to be Flintstones style, the size of a small dinosaur. This was maybe the size of a deck of cards. Maybe. The spinach was so tough it was inedible. I'm not even convinced it was cooked. Wouldn't be surprised if the chef just plopped the chop on top of raw spinach and hoped the heat would steam it a bit. I was particularly excited about the dumpling side, but again was disappointed. FAR too dense. An addition of sauce would have helped to moisten this up, but since I didn't have it, I improvised by dipping the dumpling in the leftover mussel broth. It helped, but not enough to make me want to eat more than one.

Desserts: Sound a lot better than they taste. The flourless chocolate cake tasted like most flourless chocolate cakes, i.e., like a warm brownie. And while I had high hopes for the ricotta pie, it was more of a cheesecake that could have used a lot more of the chocolate ganache I was promised. It was drizzled on, lightly, while I prefer my dessert (and hands, and body, and mouth...) swimming in ganache.

Final verdict, I probably wouldn't go back. And if I did, it'd be for apps and wine only.
5 - Sarah Q.: Love this place.  My husband and I keep going back for the good food, great service and intimate dining experience.  I understand it may not suit everyone's style (nothing rarely does) but we really enjoy it here.
3 - Andres M.: The waiters are very attentive and the decor is nice. The food was just OK. I had the salmon and it was a bit overcooked. I didn't try the oysters which seems to be their forte, next time!
5 - barry k.: Went on Saturday night with a party of 6 for dinner. Great ambiance and smooth service. The cocktails were creative and came out fast. We shared apps of oysters on the half shell, lamb ribs and Gouda fries. All perfect. Entrees looked great and tasted better. I had the pork 3 ways with polenta, and my partner had the duck. Sticky toffee pudding ended a perfect meal. Whatever rough spots they may have had when they opened certainly have been addressed.  We'll be back!
4 - Sean B.: 2 words:  Gouda Fries.  A+

If you work in Kendall, great place to stop by during lunch or after work for some drinks.
1 - Alex G.: I hate to be that guy who straight pans a place for one bad experience, but it was bad enough that I feel compelled to leave a stinging review.

I ordered my sirloin medium-rare, and received it well done.  I sent it back, and then spent a significant amount of time staring at my wife eating her meal.  In fairness, they provided me a cup of minestrone that I didn't want.

The nail in the coffin, though, was when I received the second steak.  The maître d' summarily served the plate and then left before I could cut into it to find that it was also overdone.  Simply unbelievable.  I've occasionally had restaurants serve me a steak that's still mooing in response to a complaint of overcooked meat, but at least they got the message.

The waitress asked if I was satisfied with the replacement; I informed her that I was not, and she kind of shrugged and gave me a pained look of apology.  The bill came with everything at full price (less the cost of the cup of minestrone - what a deal!).  I paid the bill, left a reasonable tip because it wasn't the waitress' fault, and wrote a note on the back of the slip informing them that I'd be leaving a negative review on Yelp and that I would not be coming back.
5 - michael r.: Excellent food - perfect salmon, among the best i've ever had. Great service. Bar looked surprisingly lively given the location. I will definitely return.
1 - Melissa W.: Service was okay except that our waiter practically bit my head off when I went in for a closer look at their tea selection. Menu awful and overpriced, skimpy cheese plate, gouda fries simply passable, bone marrow absently disgusting (but that is just something I would never consider eating, my friend ordered it) had a very dry stale pulled pork sandwich gross. For a $130 I got an upset stomach. Stay away, there are much better places to dine in the area.
3 - Hannah M.: I've said it before, I'll say it again.  I wish there were 1/2 stars here.  I'd give Abigail's 3.5.  Deductions are for high prices and somewhat skimpy portions, poorly shucked oysters, and dessert which fell flat on it's face.  

I'd read an article in the Globe and decided we HAD to try Abigail's.  We went early on Friday and the place was pretty quiet.  We were seated right away and Rocco came over to take our order.  He seemed disappointed that we didn't want any specials and knew what we wanted to order almost instantly.  We got oysters (I'm obsessed), duck confit, and crispy skinned salmon, all to share.

We had ordered 2 kinds of oysters and usually when they bring them out, the waiter will tell you which are which.  Nope.  So we just dug in....and both got a mouthful of shell that required delicate oyster eating so as not to impale our gums.  Oysters were big and tasty, but picking around shell is not.

Duck confit was pretty good.  There was barely enough for each of us to have 2 bites of the cracked wheat-preserved lemon relish.  The white bean-apple salad was tasty, but also a little skimpy.

The crispy skinned salmon was, in my book, outta this world.  BF was less thrilled.  Again, portion was pretty small.  I probably could have eaten it all by myself and still been hungry and we were sharing.

The upshot to small portions (yeah, I'm a silver lining kinda gal) is that there's always room for dessert.  Which was a disappointment.  Ricotta pie tasted like bland cheese cake with meh chocolate ganache drizzled on the plate and chopped hazelnuts sprinkled on top.

We have paid $80 for heartier portions and left with full tummies other places.  I don't like to feel bloated after eating, but contentedly full is nice.

I think we'll go back if we are in the area.  I'm hoping that this is just Abigail's working out the kinks and they take all these reviews to heart.
1 - Meredith P.: I couldn't agree more with the review about the overcooked sirloin.  I ordered mine medium rare and it came out well done, not a trace of pink.  My boyfriend and I work down the street and were really excited to try the place out.  We also ordered a bowl of the roasted hubbard squash soup...simply disgusting.  It was literally squash and water...most likely not vegetable stock or chicken stock, water.  No salt, no pepper...just squash, water and a dollop of marscapone cheese.  My boyfriend ordered the beet salad with grilled chicken, he wasn't so hungry.  The beet salad was measly and was atop a leaf of lettuce and was accompanied a grilled piece of cold chicken.  TERRIBLE!  This was a restaurant that I sat in and the whole time I kept saying, "I cook better than this", "I could open a restaurant and blow this out of the water".   Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts is right down the street, maybe they could teach you a couple of things.  Just saying!
4 - Jeremy K.: Comfortably nested in Kendall Square, across the street from Za and adjacent to the Voltage coffee shop, Abigail is the area's second newest restaurant, topped only by Catalyst. Considering that the entire area is going through somewhat of an uplifting gentrification - something that has been rather exciting as this is my old neighborhood, where I lived for over five years...

Anyways, Abigail's is a modern restaurant serving rather small but well executed menu. There's a surprising amount of seafood-inspired dishes including two of the specials that our waiter mentioned. Being allergic, I had to skip past that. 

We decided to try and find an appetizer that we could share - After searching and asking for a waiter's help, we concluded that the only two, easily sharable apps available to us were either going to be the Gouda fries ($9) or the 3 cheeses plates ($14). We decided to fore-go the second one and get the fries and just instants later, a pipping hot plate of fries arrived, with a side of chicken gravy in it's own little receptacle and some bacon sprinkled on top. The fries were surprisingly good but the chicken gravy didn't add much to the dish. It was almost like a weird poutine minus the cheese. The Gouda wasn't very present in the dish though. It was great for sharing however we were a tad disappointing that they didn't have more options available. 

They did however have some nice appetizers in there, including a bone marrow one ($8) that I must check out at some point, one featuring a smoked turkey wing ($9) and various others. Note however that the cheapest of appetizers will run you at least $8 which is a bit steep, especially for small plates. However their raw bar is much more affordable.

For my entree, being hungry and tired from a long day at work, I decided to treat myself to something a bit more gourmet than their selection of sandwiches and instead ordered up from their dinner entrees section which is only made available after 5PM. I ordered up their pork and polenta dish ($19) which featured three pieces of pork: a piece of pork belly, some loin and some roast shoulder, all served over a heaping serving of creamy, rich and delicious polenta and with a spoonful of brandy & prune mostarda. The prune which was sweet wasn't overwhelming and added some nice flavors to the dish and paired well with both the pork and polenta. I was impressed.

I must first start and say that the polenta was absolutely delicious. It was flavorful, creamy, had a great texture and was comforting while not being overwhelmingly rich. Great execution right there. My pork was also pretty tasty and was both moist and juicy. I would have liked a bit more of a sear on the belly but still devoured it. God bless that big that sacrificed itself - it was definitely a noble-worthy way to go for that animal.

I proceeded to wash my meal down with a Pils beer from Victory Brewing and left the restaurant both happy and full, as did my dining companions.

All in all, I strongly believe that Abigail has a solid base and a great menu despite a few flaws. Service could have been slightly better and it was pretty loud in there but overall the value and quality of the food and the pace of the kitchen made for a very pleasant experience. I'm going to give them a chance to settle in, but looking past those flaws the place definitely has some great potential and I cannot wait to return in the near future for more meals. Welcome to Kendall.
3 - Nate J.: Went there for Sunday brunch recently. Ambiance was only eh but the food was solid. Pulled pork hash and brisket were great as were the drinks.
2 - Margaret C.: Don't bother. Out of four items ordered, 2 were hardly worth eating (and one I actually sent back, which, as a former waitress,i am loathe to do). Drinks way sub par, which considering the wealth of talented bartenders in this neighborhood was sort of shocking. Decent, if amateur, service. Beautiful space but I wouldn't waste my money here again.
2 - Nat T.: Stopped in for dinner at the bar after work. Cocktail and food menu is pretty decent, and we liked what we ordered. Nice to have some evening options in Kendall Square, finally.

I think the bar tender had more drinks than I did though, doing shots with his buddies who were sitting next to us. That'd be cool at a dive, but damned obnoxious when paying $75 for dinner. The whole "I know what you want better than you do" attitude is played out too, just make the drink and hand it over.

Also $15 for six oysters? Maybe in Vegas, but we ain't that far from the ocean here in Cambridge.
5 - Jawann S.: Went to this place for Sunday BBQ Brunch this morning and I only have one word: damn. My friends and I have been on a brunch tour for the last few months and this is probably the best combination of food and drinks that we've had yet.

The cocktail list is great, very creative and well-executed. The special was a Ghost of Mary made with filtered bloody Mary mix. Bomb. The Bloody Maria and El Mariachi are both made with tequila and are delicious, if you're into that kind of thing (I am).

We had the Smoked Duck Eggs "Binney" and the Brunch Burger with a Sweet Chili Corn Cake on the side. Binney was poached eggs on cornbread and duck confit, topped with hollandaise sauce. Each component was made well, especially the duck. I was a little ambivalent, but the duck tasted more like bacon. Brunch burger was a burger with Canadian bacon, fried egg, and hollandaise. This was awesome too, and I'd never seen something like it on a menu before. Loved the Corn Cake and was sad we only ordered one.

All in all, a great experience. Already looking forward to going back for dinner.

Do yourself a favor and sit at the bar, those guys are hilarious.
3 - Stephen T.: Up-front notice: this review covers the raw bar only. I did not get the chance to try the other dishes.

Oysters: The oysters were served well, on a half shell on ice with both mignonette and cocktail sauce. Some weren't cut clean from the shell and were a bit dirty. The taste was pretty good, nice and briny. They only had a hint of fishiness, which is acceptable. Overall decent oysters but maybe not worth the 1/2 dozen for $15 price.

Little Neck Clams: Sub-par at best. They were quite small and fishy-tasting. I judge them inadequate.

Crab Claw: Terrible. Pre-cooked, cold, dry, and old. Do not get the crab claws. $3.50 for one of these is ridiculous. 

I give the raw bar at Abigail's 3 stars simply for the oysters. If you take out the oysters, it drops to 1 star.

If you live around Third street, this is a really convenient place grab a drink in a nicer setting. The bar is made in large planks of untrimmed wood, giving the place a decent atmosphere. Go for drinks, not the clams.
4 - Aubrey W.: I like the fall menu more than the summer one. I haven't tried the gouda fries again but most recently when we went, the fries that accompanied the boy's brisket sandwich (which he loved) were good. I had the herbed chicken sandwich which was pretty big and quite tasty. Also, I love the dressing that they use on their side salads. The sandwiches are probably the best bang for your buck.
2 - Andrew S.: I have been twice (we recently moved to the area), both times I have been underwhelmed. The most recent visit I had the risotto and it was undercooked and had NO taste. It was actually kinda gross.

Basically, if you are going out to dinner with your gf/bf/whoever and you are going to spend $50-$75 (including cocktails) there are other places in Cambridge/Boston that are way better...

* side note, I have heard from a few people the brunch is decent....
3 - Ken M.: I read about this place in today's Boston Globe Magazine under "The Best of the New" and since I was staying at the Cambridge Marriott, I decided to give it a try. Like the Legal Seafood in Cambridge from the night before they didn't have a good selection of pinot noir, so I ordered unsweetened ice tea. They did have some very interesting and original cocktails, but I am not a big drinker so I passed on them. While looking at the menu, a was pleased to see a lot of originality. I ordered the House Seaweed Salad as an app, and it was unusual because it contained a mixture of two different types of seaweed, the traditional Wakame and the less traditional Hijiki. Hijiki is more of an aquired taste. The two together were OK because of the seasonings used. For my main course, I ordered the Grilled Salmon. I wanted it grilled on the outside and raw in the middle and it was served as ordered. It came with a grainy mustard cream sauce, lentils and green beans. The lentils were a very unusual combination for salmon, but it worked very well. For dessert I was trying to decide between a flourless chocolate cake and a ricotta cheese pie. I usually would go for the chocolate, but it came with a cherry sauce. The sweet ricotta cheese pie was good but not great. The place is definitely worth another visit.
2 - Angelos K.: Went there for brunch today. Place was busy, but not packed. It took them about 30 minutes to bring us coffee, forgot the remaining drink order. The Eggs binney were not with smoked duck (the server warned us) and were served cold with semi-rancid tasting collard greens. My friend had the brisket which was also cold served with rock hard cold sourdough toast. There are lots of places that can do eggs properly where you don't have to wait for coffee. I can't think of a single nice thing to say, so I think I am done with this place, especially given the quality of the rest of the restaurants that have opened in the neighborhood.
4 - Shaina P.: I was pleased with my latest solo visit to Abigail's.  Sick with cold and sick of the office, I sauntered over for a little pick-me-up.  Without first seeing the full complement of heated cocktails on the menu, I immediately requested a hot toddy, which they were happy to make happen for me.  A clove-impaled lemon wedge topped off a muted sweet mix of warmed water, honey, and Jameson, and perked me right up.

To slow the alcohol-to-cold-head reaction, I ordered the bone marrow app for myself.  Hopefully, the patrons next to me weren't mortified when a caveman sized bone was delivered before me overflowing with deliciously soft, roasted marrow with a perfect number of toast points.  It really hit the spot.
3 - E. L.: Lunch Review:

I'd heard a bit about this restaurant and how the owner named it after her daughter, good food, etc.  So I was a bit surprised to find the service quite slow on a weekday lunch.  (I mean, I have to go back to work....)  We were seated promptly, our server took our drink order made some recommendations and then disappeared.  I was chatting with my coworker so didn't  notice time passing until I looked at my watch and discovered we had been sitting there for about 20 minute with no order taken.  Finally the order was taken, but then another half hour for a couple sandwiches to come out.  So on the service, I'd say, a bit disappointing.

Food-wise it was great.  We got the gouda fries as recommended.  Tasty.  They seemed like a take on poutine which is popular in Canada.  But if you like gravy, fries, and cheese, you'll be all set!  Brisket sandwich with fried egg on top, house made pickles and a greens salad made for a great lunch. The brisket was nice and moist and not overly sauced.  (moist=a nice level of fat)  My coworker got the burger which was described as "OK".  Overall food value is medium, in that it's a bit pricey for what you get, but it was very good.
2 - Chuck H.: Went for drinks and apps after work.  Drinks were best part of the experience.  Mussels were mostly enjoyable with tasty broth, however a few were not in good shape. The pricey cheese plate had 6 thinly sliced pieces to it which left you feeling slightly cheated.  Worst offender was the lamb ribs which were 3 quite small, mostly bone, well done pieces without much meat on the bone.  Other than that nice atmosphere and good service.
5 - Brian S.: Ate lunch here recently. Bloody Mary was excellent, and had the BBQ oysters and pulled pork sandwich which were top notch. Staff is friendly and service is good. Highly recommended for a cocktail and some comfort food.
3 - Dessa R.: I had a totally pleasant experience at Abigail's. As with so many restaurants in the Boston area, the tables were nestled just a bit too close together for me to feel entirely comfortable though.

We tried the gouda fries that were mentioned in many of the reviews, which were better than I expected; sort of like a play on poutine, I think-- a winning combination. The fries were obviously hand cut and fresh, the gouda high quality, and the gravy warm and tasty. 

One reviewer called the burger a "gourmet Big Mac." I would like to second that brilliant notion. MUCH better quality than lowly fast food, of course, but definitely reminiscent of a casual type burger. I had a single patty (8$), which was pretty small, even for my modest appetite. I'd imagine most people should double up if they want a full belly.
5 - Michael M.: Excellent raw bar, staff, and drinks.

We had oysters from Buzzards Bay (delectable), mussels (tasty broth with portions bigger than expectations), and great mixed drinks. Uptown Sidecar and French 75 drinks were made perfectly and served with a smile.

Any place that serves Peak Organic gets the grade with me!
4 - Ellen S.: We've been dying to go to Abigail's, so what better way to start off 2012 than with brunch here!  We had a party of 9 and were given a nice table with plenty of room.  The services from beginning to end was stellar - attentive but not overly so.  The array of items they had for brunch was a tough list to choose from as they all sounded so good - and since most of us ordered different things, I can say that they were all quite yummy.  I am not a bloody mary fan but some in our group are and they enjoyed the "bourbon mary" very much.  Definitely looking forward to our return trip to Abigail's and would highly recommend it to anyone who might be thinking of going to check it out.
5 - Anna T.: Came here for lunch during that slow week between Christmas and New Year's.  We were seated and greeted by our server immediately.  I tried the Ghost of Mary drink to start which is basically a martini with a slight bloody mary and lemony taste.  If you like bloody marys, this is a fabulous drink!  Lots of great options on their menu - I ended up going with a poached salmon sandwich which absolutely delicious.  This will be my new fun lunch spot for sure.  Definitely recommend.
4 - Jon P.: This is my new favorite place in Kendall Square, great bar, service, and drinks for reasonable prices.  I have only had the Gouda fries and raw bar, both were delicious.  Perfect date spot and place to hang with friends or family, not the best place to watch a game because the TV's are almost hidden, which isn't a bad thing sometimes.

Highly recommended.
4 - Shirley Y.: this elegant eatery is set in the new space built at the third street apartments, which provides them with high ceilings and beautiful mood lighting.  i have been wanting to try this place ever since i heard that it was being built, opening with a luscious menu of oysters among complex entrees and a fantastic and inventive old-school cocktail menu.  

little did i know until i finally made my way there well after the opening that the bar manager is none other than my old bartender, rob, from the now-defunct bside lounge.  no wonder.  it was great to see such familiarity, professionalism, memory and generosity again.  bside, if you have never been, never forgets your name.  and rob did not forget me either, welcoming me and my friend with a fragrant appetizer of smoked shrimp.  yum. 

needless to say, the cocktails are wonderful.  the vast cocktail menu [it takes up two pages of the menu] is separated into different sections depending on the patron's mood, from bubbly, to more classic cocktails.  great beer selection from the tap as well.  the food is wonderfully done as well, although i prefer the dinner menu to the lunch.  lunch consists of mostly sandwiches, whereas the dinner menu consists of richer meals, which is my preference.  i still do not understand the american obsession of sandwiches.  

obviously will return back here again as much as i can, as it is on par with other kendall square restaurants that have been around for a while, such as hungry mother, and accompanying other new restos in the area, such as firebrand saints, hopefully making kendall square area a dining destination!
4 - Tera K.: great neighborhood spot - we go often and while I agree that sometimes the entree's can be hit/miss, the drinks and small plates are always awesome.  

It's great for a group and the atmosphere is solid.  Not sure how reservations work, but it looks like it's really busy on Th/Fri/Sat nights. 

Order a Left Bank, some fresh oysters, and gouda fries! Delicious!
4 - mike y.: Liked the setup. Waiter was great. 

parking could be better. not enough street parking / meter.

Went for lunch. So ate light.

Braised oxtail pot pie...was very good

our table ordered : roasted bone marrow ...first time.. was okay.. can't compare it to others

ordered a bloody mary.. not good ..was missing ingredients ..i've had better

i would go again  ..not good for groups
5 - Kate E.: took my kids and inlaws to abigail's for my husbands birthday....
we can start at the top:
parking= $2.00 with validation...in cambridge where the parking clerks are like ninjas and that's if you can even find a parking space....love the garage! plus it's only about a 2 minute walk.
drinks= yummers! they reminded me of the b-side lounge. 
menu= duck, fries, steak, mussels, stuffed clams, salmon, cod and more....(yes we like to eat:) it all was cooked perfectly. my nine year old twins LOVED the fries and salmon.
ok, i need to talk about the duck cassoulet...omg hold the phone...the house sausage was the best ever...and the heirloom beans were like a bob ross painting....they were happy beans...i swear on my life! so yeah order that dish for sure!
staff= everyone was so nice. i loved our server...she really new her stuff.
in closing: if you are looking for a friendly, hipster, yummy place...go to abigail's...you will love it!
4 - Katherine D.: Stopped in for dinner on a Saturday night around 9 and was able to snag a seat at the bar.  The hostess was friendly, and offered to hang my coat on the rack.  Decor is minimal, and the lighting is nice.  I had some stupendous cocktails while I mulled over the menu.  Nice focus on seafood, but decided to go with the pork shank.  It was falling off the bone and scrumptious with a nice side of mashed potatoes.  The menu described them as "fluffy" which set my hopes high, and they delivered!  Reasonably priced delicious food and attentive service make this place a winner.
4 - Heather M.: I had drinks at the very nice long bar table late on a Sunday night. It was quiet, but once word gets out about this place, the bar is really well designed for a packed crowd.

The bartender Rob is one of the best. the cocktails drink menu looks great. not too heavy on the sweet.
5 - Arthur M.: I went for brunch with my girlfriend.  Parking was easy on Sunday morning, and Kendall Square was looking good.  She had a bloody mary and the duck benedict, I had oysters and the pork hash.  I enjoyed the collared greens that came with both dishes.  I saw a lot of old friends from the ECG.  Loved it.
5 - Robert V.: Great little spot near Kendall.  Very varied menu, with small plates, sandwiches and mains.  Great whiskey list, nice atmosphere, and the food was great.  Nice to have a reasonably priced, casual, but nice place in that area.
4 - Becky M.: Found Abigail's when walking by from the Kendall Sq red line.  NOTE:  we only had drinks at the bar -- no food.  

My BF likes a whiskey drink -- so he tried the Mr. Grant and the Kentucky Waterfall.  There was debate with bartenders of which he liked more.   It was undecided since he was happy with both.  
I was in the mood for a more fruit-based beverage, so I tried the Cranberry Lemon Drop and the Starf**ker.  The former tasting mildly like pink lemonade with a sugared rim and the latter simple deliciousness.  

The bar is polished beautifully -- but exposes the grain of the log it was cut from.  GORGEOUS.  If I have a bar in my home ever -- I'd want it to be like that.  

The bartenders were both friendly and willing to chat without staying too long.  
Overall a great spot.
4 - Richard C.: Unless you ditch the notion that a burger has to taste, look or feel a certain way, you're missing the point. It doesn't make a difference if it's big, small, grilled or griddled, the only thing that's important is that it tastes good. After all, isn't that really what we're judging?  A heftier price tag may make you think twice, but if it's $20 and it's incredible, who really cares? Lucky for you, the burger at Abigail's costs a mere $9, ($13 if you want to "double down" with an extra patty) and is a satisfying, unpretentious offering. Clearly a lot of thought went into this burger, but they weren't foolish into trying to gussy up a classic burger. No, it's not Shake Shack or In-N-Out, but it is a successful, thin burger that is more akin to a Big Mac than anything else. But that's not its downfall, it's more a testament to its attributes.

I suppose if Big Mac's or fast-food burgers aren't your thing, this may not be the burger for you. Topped with a special sauce, iceberg lettuce and American Cheese, it's eerily similar to the Golden Arches classic,  but in the best way possible. While everyone else in Boston is trying to put their stamp on the gourmet burger, it's refreshing to see a place like Abigail's take a chance with an underdog. It's not without flaws, however, and although it is comforting, it's hardly slapping you in the face with beef. The slim burger has flecks of pink throughout, and has a good attack of juices, and is a far cry from the greasiness that is the downfall of other burgers of its kind. The melted American cheese brings adequate creaminess to the sandwich, and the cooling special sauce (basically a Thousand Island type spread) balances it all out. The choice of a Martin's Potato Roll is no accident, it works perfectly for a burger of this size for obvious reasons; it's soft, not too squishy and has enough structure to fit the patty and not fall apart. But the burger is mostly understated; it's delicious in its own way, but nothing is over-the-top and it almost leaves you wanting more. Doubling down with an extra patty seems to do the trick, as is the case with any burger, more beef makes everything better. It's a neat little package, contained and flavorful, it's hardly messy but it hardly matters. The lack of a good crust on the surface of the burger was a minor letdown, as any caramelization could have gone a long way. The hand-cut fries are good and crispy with a soft and fluffy inside, although the crispiness is fleeting, eat 'em quickly or you run the risk of a less than perfect fry, but eating them fast shouldn't be an issue.

Overall the burger is solid, it won't blow you away but it certainly does't make you wish you had some massive pile of over-cooked beef on a stale Brioche bun either. It's a great version of what it is, nothing new or ground-breaking, just good, and that's all that matters to me.
3 - Saba N.: So I have been to Abigails quite a few times now. I really like all the food I've had... portions are a little small but nonetheless, very tasty. The service has gone down hill though. Every time I come it takes longer and longer to order/get my check/etc. 

Still, I'm a regular and come back quite often. The sandwiches are really delicious and reasonably priced. I'm a big fan of the lamb. A win in my book.
4 - Andrea M.: Decided to give their BBQ Sunday brunch a try after hearing about it from my brother, who knows I get annoyed if he sends me somewhere crappy.  Lo and behold, I was not only not disappointed, but pleasantly surprised.  Yes, it's a bbq brunch, but it should just be called the pork-lovers brunch and be done with it.  
There were three of us and between us we had the Brisket & Eggs, the Windsor Sandwich, and I had the pulled pork hash - add a few mimosas and sides of cheesy grits and bacon and we were good to go.  The guys I was with were overjoyed with their food - after a late night out the night before, this all really hit the spot.  Nothing was chopped up so fine that you couldn't discern what you were eating, and the eating was good my friend.  Sure, little tweaks here and there could make it better (the collard greens were a bit heavy on the vinegar, especially for brunch), but all in all, we were so pleased with delicious, flavorful food that had texture and weight to it - this works as a serious afternoon, this is going to be my only meal today type brunch.  
Not only this, there was easy parking (we were lazy, although it would make a nice little walk to get there), friendly service, and no wait.  Couldn't do this heavy a meal every week, but I'll definitely be returning and trying out more of the menu.
4 - Danan R.: The lamb ribs in the orange glaze are just delicious.  I still miss them after almost 2 years.  They are incredibly tender and slow-raosted to flavorful perfection.  If you eat here, they are a must-try.  The marrow bone app is also a good option.  The burger is just okay; Mr. Bartley's is only a few stops away on the T so I would much rather go there for my burger.  However, the small plates here are very good.  Highly advise just pairing 2 for a meal rather than getting an entree.
4 - Brian D.: Stopped by here last week before a flight out to the west coast and decided to have a few drinks and dinner. I sat at the bar and had the Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, a half dozen oysters and braised pork shank. Oysters were fresh and the beer was cold.  As for the pork shank, it was good, but not great. All and all, I'll be back, and service was great.
4 - Megan C.: Spacious contemporary, clean + great place to have a drink

I have to say, based on service alone both at the bar and at my table during lunch this is a 5 star restaurant. I can be a pretty picky eater and they were more than happy to accomodate me. The drinks were phenomenal, the food was good, and there seemed to be enough variety for everyone. 

After reading several reviews, I have to admit I was a little worried when my dining partner suggested the place. I ordered the pulled pork without the bun and a side of bib lettuce to wrap my pork in with a side of extra sauce. Thank goodness I ordered the extra sauce, apparently their North Carolina pulled pork doesn't have as much sauce as a typical slathered pulled pork sandwich. The pickles were good, the coleslaw on the side was GREAT it didn't have an overwhelming amount of mayo which was nice, it was lite and with a little salt and a little fresh lemon I was in business. My friend had a salad with shrimp, though it looked a little smaller than I thought it would the quality of the greens was apparent. 

The seaweed salad was good, a little surprised to see it on the menu here, but I'm not going to complain because I always love seaweed salad.  This neighborhood really needed something other than the restaurants that it had open late night. I felt it was limited before. At least now you don't have to just have pizza.  

I asked to try a tobacco onion, which apparently has nothing to do with tobacco that must have simply  been the name, but it was unavailable as it used to come on a menu item that is no longer here. 

The oysters that I had were incredibly fresh! Well fleet oysters that are local to mass, were delicious. The Northern Cross  Not chewy  :) but still liked the flavor more of the well fleet. Look carefully for any shells btw I didn't notice any in mine but I always look. The evening bartenders are very personable, they seem to take care of the people who were there. I really enjoyed my time here.

Date Rating: 5
Pick up Scale: 5

Strong Suggestion: have a drink, try the well fleet oysters, and enjoy the people watching.
4 - Mark W.: Abigail's is a great place to stop in for a quick drink and bite at the bar. Very clean and modern, I stopped in for lunch yesterday and had a good experience. One of the few places that you can find Murphy's Irish stout on tap. My burger was perfectly cooked and was complemented well with the side salad. The Gouda fries with the chicken gravy was delicious and servers as a great snack while having a drink, definitely get them. Bartender was attentive but not overbearing and the prices are reasonable.
5 - Jamie G.: Wow, I was SO impressed with this place! It is very cute inside, very contemporary, very clean, easy street parking because it's a bit outside of Kendall, incredibly friendly service. Perhaps because it was new, or because it was a nice day out, or because St Patricks Day festivities were in full swing, Sunday brunch at 1pm was nearly empty! We made reservations but didn't need them, and decided to sit at the bar because that's my new preferred seating location. They have a great selection of cocktails and local beers on tap (they had Harpoon Vermont Spruce Tip! I dont see that very often!) They also have a very interesting brunch menu with some kind of southern/BBQ inspiration/twist to almost all of the items. 

For a drink, I tried an Uptown side car: Remy Martin, Cointreau, lemon juice, sugared grenadine rim. The rim was a nice touch, but the drink was a tad lemony for me.  

For food, we had a breakfast appetizer (one of my new favorite things) ... the banana bread-- which was a huge warm slice with whipped creamand fruit. A great sweet treat to start off with! For "main course"  I had the Pulled pork hash- with beans, collards, two eggs, griddled cornbread. It was so good I ate practically all of it (which I totally regretted later) but I couldnt help it.... sooo delicious. 

Would love to come back here and try all of their other selections!

PS: All they really need now is outdoor seating!
4 - Eunice E.: I've been to Abigail's twice now, and each time, I am happy I came here.

The first time I ate here was at the bar--which is super long, and super cool, because the raw bar is right there in front of you, and you can people-watch from the windows that span the entire length of the bar. I remember being impressed with their food the first time, and the second time... I was just as thrilled.

The last time I went to Abigails, my dinner partners and I shared a plate of their gouda fries -- very yum. They each had sandwiches, and I had their Apple Salad, and all of us left full and content. When you're here, be sure to try out their cocktails--I tried both their Cucumber Rose and their Pimm's Cup (I'm always so delighted to see this on menus!), and both were delectable. Expertly concocted.

The ambiance is swanky--it feels like eating inside a DC metro, but it's quite clean and chic. I will definitely come again, and keep recommending this place! (I still need to try their BBQ Brunch, too!)
4 - Jimbeau W.: This is kind of a specialty place, probably in keeping with the neighborhood which is local office workers for lunch and condo dwellers for dinner. But within the limitations inherent in that demographic, this is a GOOD place. Very cool bar with numerous interesting beer choices (not like Mead Hall of course but what could be?) several nice wines by the glass and not astonishingly overpriced, and an eclectic menu.The food is surprisingly good, quite inventive and deserves and gets high marks. I've seen some comments about small portions but I've made a meal from an appetizer here so I don't necessarily agree. Reasonably casual sophisticated atmosphere in keeping with the local flavor so this definitely is a casual after work or lunch place, not probably a date choice, at least not in the hazy halcyon early days of dating. Good service, efficient setup. I like it. Especially that view of the street from the bar. Reminds me of a pedestrian version of the bar at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago.
1 - Chris T.: The bartenders are especially not attentive. This has been an issue since they opened and still happens today.They can be found doing shots with friends and other staff while totally ignoring you at the bar. The kitchen closes by 10:30 on weekends. The food is just ok with usually a strange ingredient that overwhelms. Burger is a good deal for sure.
4 - Milz G.: Great food, cool place, decent service.
3 - Elena Y.: After a movie at 1 Kendall Square, my friends and I took a short walk (perhaps 10-15 min) to Abigail's. We sat outside at a nice table and had good service. The outisde seating is facing a main street so it isn't really picturesque yet it was prettty low-key and quiet on a Saturday evening. It has a big city vibe without the attitude.

My friends and I also got the gouda fries and weren't that impressed. Essentially it's french fries with a cheesey sauce and bacon bits. For some reason we thought they were fries made out of gouda cheese. It was tasty enough (we did polish it off) but not what we expected.

I ordered the steak salad although good, it was pricey ($13) for a such a small serving. We stayed for a couple of hours and they  never felt pushed to finish and leave.
3 - Peter T.: Kendall Sq seems like it's still a bit hit or miss regarding eateries. Stopped in here for a quick dinner before heading off to a concert. Had the bouillabaisse, which was tasty, but just not terribly exciting. Overall an average experience.
4 - Angela A.: Kendall Square is kind of a dead zone, so it's nice to have Abigail's as a summer booze option.

We've come twice: the first time we sat inside, had very complicated martinis made very very custom to order, and were served by a bartender who was a cross between Jeff Goldblum and Stephen Toblowsky ("Ned? Ned Ryerson!?!" from Groundhog Day). That is, he was very very funny. Once I was 1.5 martinis in, I was LOLing too hard at his dry jokes to be able to order what I wanted: JUST SOME PIE. I still chuckle at that memory. And I have very fond feelings for Abigail's because of that bartender.

Anyway, the second time was a warm Friday afternoon in May, when the whole place turned bier garten-ish. This was a bit more miss: you "had" to order food to be able to sit outside (gouda fries it is!), and I don't like having obligations like that. But so be it. A couple Wachusett Blueberrys and all was well again.

Food is good, but maybe not worth the price. I had a lamb sandwich which was not great. I feel guilty saying this though, since they have this wonderful thing on the menu where you buy a six-pack for the kitchen staff. What a great idea! I kind of want to do it next time just to pay it forward/generate some goodwill in the world.
1 - Mark M.: Horrible service!  Went here on a Sunday evening with a 7:30 dinner reservation for party of five.  Restaurant was empty and still waited 40 minutes for a first round of drinks (and they weren't complicated: gin+tonic, wine, etc).  Appetizers took another 10 minutes to show up even though also not complicated (oysters).  Food was mediocre and overpriced.  Will never go back here for a meal.  Might check out happy hour deals at the bar if they have them but that's about it.
3 - Paul R.: I waited on this review until I;d been in a few times. I always eat at the bar, which is a beautiful space and very comfortable. It was my last meal there that really caught my attention. I jumped on the duck charcuterie plate, which had an array of very interesting tidbits: a little liver, some interesting sides, a rillette I think, but most striking was the cured duck breast, fat on, that was served like a fine ham: thin slices fanned across the plate - this was very good. I followed the duck up with a marrow bone, very nicely done and satisfying, with very good toast points.

I have one well meaning suggestion for Abigail's: if you are going to stamp out an awning emblazoned "Oysters" you really need to keep more then 2 types on hand, and I'd dump the bland and uninteresting Island Creek brand for something of better quality. Also, train your staff to know the difference - on one visit I asked which variety were being used for the fried oysters, and was told "the big ones".  Hard to take given the pricing on these.

Regardless, I can't wait to go back and cruise the new menu (I just checked online and it looks very good).
2 - Jake G.: This was my third time at Abigail's. My first two times were really great, but the third time was a pretty big shock, in that most of the menu items had changed and what I picked was pretty bad. The Shiitake yellow noodle soup was bad (when I told the waitress it was bad she immediately said she wouldn't charge us for it), and the Coriander lamb was average; it came with a really hot and spicy sauce that I was not at all prepared for.

After my first two times I thought Abigail's was one of my favorite restaurants, but then today's meal was simply not up to par. Their dessert menu also lacked anything appealing to me. I'm usually big on desserts, and was hungry for one, but not a single dessert sounded appealing, and so I passed.

I don't know what happened at this restaurant, but someone seriously dropped the ball.
3 - Kat R.: I've been here quite a few times, and loved it at first.  Very quick lunch service and friendly staff.  However, I don't know what's been going on lately, but I've had to drop it down a star.  The menu has changed and my coworkers two favorite dishes were removed.  I usually either get the flatbread of the day or the burger.  I went again the other day and my coworkers new dish (tried the fish tacos) were not good.  He also asked for no onions, and they had a billion onions all over them, so that wasn't a great start.  I had my usual burger, but the waiter took my plate away before I finished.  I'm sure it was just a mistake, but it was very odd since I was in the middle of eating a fry... he just reached over and took the plate and walked away.  I think I was in shock for a minute because I didn't call him back.  But perhaps the staff should be taught to at least ask if it's ok to clear a plate.  Especially when you see someone eating off of it!  I'll be taking a bit of a break from Abigails.  Hopefully after a month or so, they'll find there way back to how they used to be.
But if you're looking for a quick 'real' lunch (ie- not a sub or salad bar), give it a try... maybe you'll like it!  Just guard your plate, unless you want to save some calories.
3 - K K.: Average food, nothing to write home about. Nice spot to sit outside. Good service.
1 - Ryan S.: I had the worst pulled pork here that I've ever tasted.  I swear it tasted like boiled unseasoned meat.  Did they run out of salt?  There is no excuse for food this bland.  Others at my table had similar experiences with other dishes.
5 - Cashmir D.: Looking for a restaurant that offers great food, wonderful and friendly staff, and awesome bar?  Well, Abigail's restaurant is just that place to be in, in Kendall Square!!  I always enjoy my lunch there and the staff e are amazing!!! I love Abigail's restaurant and I'm sure you will to if you try them out :-) !!!
1 - Tolga O.: This was my second visit to Abigail's as part of a work lunch group. Both times we went there as they had oysters on the half shell. I had the Lamb sandwich the first time (~$14) was dry and tasteless.

Against my better judgement I went there again for another group lunch. I had a tiny steak salad with inedible steak tips there was so much tendons in it.

Waiter brought my grapefruit salmon  chevice with the lunch entree and it was over powered with avocado in it.

Most other people had complaints about their food, we are a foodie bunch.

Never again!
5 - Mike H.: How is it I haven't reviewed this place yet? I probably get out to this place twice a month. I almost always get the cheeseburger and a beer. It's hands-down the best fast-food style cheeseburger in Kendall Sq, possibly all of Boston. Wait, you ask, fast-food style? Hell yeah! Thin patty, shredded lettuce, "secret sauce", and pickles served with fries, how do you define a fast food burger?

$9 gets you the burger with either fries or a salad. I will say that sometimes I get fries that are clearly the tail-end of the batch (with some that are small, overcooked, crunchy) but most of the time they're awesome. I've occasionally sallied forth and had their specials or entrees, which have been very good, but most of the time I sit down and before I even look at the menu, ask for a Murphy's and a burger.

I have always gotten excellent service here, whether I come on a Sunday afternoon after being called to work for an emergency, or on a Friday night when it's packed.
2 - David P.: Abigail's...*shakes head*...such a promising restaurant but definitely disappointed...Go for some apps and fries but stay away for entrees and plan on taking a while.

The good - the patio area was nice and the grilled squid salad appetizer was yummy.  The squid tasted fresh, was tender, and the grill marks and taste were pleasant.  

The bad - where to start...  I ordered the burger with gouda fries and my girlfriend ordered the poached salmon salad.  The portions were TINY for the price.  The burger was the same size as one of those small patties you buy for BBQ's where you're trying to feed hundreds of people.  I asked for my burger medium and it was definitely cooked through.  It wasn't necessarily the fault of the chef that it was cooked through considering how thin the burger was.  The bun was flimsy too.  I guess they did add a lot of pickles.  The salmon salad was "meh."  The lettuce was butter lettuce which is a good start but the salmon was fishy and the portion was again: tiny - and for $13!.  The only thing good with our entrees was the gouda fries.  We ate all of those up quickly.  

Lastly, to top everything off, the service was ridiculously slow.  The food took a while between the appetizer and the entrees, so ok fine.  But our server was no where to be found after our entree plates were taken away.  He finally gave us our bill and then disappeared again.  It probably took us over 20 minutes to finally pay.  When the server brought our check back the table next to us had to wave him down and ask him if they could order now.  

Overall, head over to Tatte for a salad/pasta or over to Central Sq.
5 - Cport J.: Abigail's is pretty perfect.  I think of it as a great neighborhood cocktail bar with a restaurant attached, a la Green Street or maybe Eastern Standard.  Their cocktails and bar staff are top notch, good beer selection, and they have a small but good late night food menu served at the bar.  I've eaten here several times and always thought the food was very good, from the charcuterie plate to oysters to mussels to salads to burgers and other sandwiches and fries.  

Abigail's one of my top choices in Kendall, which is really saying something given how incredibly competitive the Kendall dining scene has gotten!
4 - Barrett R.: The bartender was humorous, and the flatbread pizza was very tasty.  Nice decor, as well.
2 - Alisa K.: Pretty busy for Kendall with a nice ambience.  The food is only mediocre.  Had the fish tacos, which were bland and unimaginative and the fries, which were soggy.  Was really excited to try this place but pretty disappointed in the end.
3 - Christine M.: This place looks really trendy and hip from the outside but on the inside its food is far from perfect. I went here with a few of my co workers for lunch one day and I was thoroughly disappointing. The waiter forgot some of the drinks and had to be reminded to bring the, He also forgot about us once the food was set down...okay so you aren't always going to get good service-I could accept the rotten service if the food was decent but it wasn't! The veggie burger was just OK nothing to rave about and I was left wishing I had gone somewhere else. Maybe I should have gotten something better *sigh*....It gets stars for the ambiance but that's about all.
3 - Connie C.: Cute spot in the Kendall area with a promising menu. We sat outside on the little patio out front and enjoyed slushy watermelon cocktails and shared a bunch of smaller plates.

To start, we sampled the grilled local squid salad which was perfectly grilled with a surprisingly delicious level of heat from the harissa. The grilled bread served alongside was a perfect vessel to sop up the rest of the fiery sauce. The "crispy fried Thai wings" were cooked perfectly, but the spice (or lack thereof) didn't seem particularly Thai.

Next, we shared a veggie burger which was topped with burrata and a tomato-y onion jam. Each component was extremely tasty on its own, but the yummy tomato topping overpowered the delicate burrata.

Overall, we had a nice meal at Abigail's and look forward to trying more of the dinner specials and brunch!
3 - Nayiri B.: I ate at Abigail's recently and thought the food was good. Their fried oysters are actually some of the best that I have tasted and they seem to do very well with fish. For dinner I ordered their wedge salad and their shrimp-yucca fritters. I wouldn't recommend the fritters, but the salad was very refreshing (a sherry/bacon dressing rather than the standard bleu cheese). Others in my party seemed to enjoy their dishes as well. And the gouda fries went quickly.  

To echo what others have said, the cocktails were fantastic. I had the Persian Bellini and it was amazing, great flavor and a good value. I look forward to going back for drinks and oysters.
5 - Liz H.: When you meet good friends for a Sunday brunch and their (seriously adorable) two year old is hungry, a gigantic line out the door at the Friendly Toast is just not going to cut it. Enter Abigail's -  a gracious second option that turned out to be a perfect choice, even if they didn't have any crayons and coloring in pictures. They let us come in, even though they weren't officially open for another ten minutes and we had our pick of the seating arrangements, a nice curved booth with two tables pushed together to accommodate our party of five. Service was excellent - the occasional check in without feeling like they're hovering or interrupting, friendly and warm. They went out of their way to offer some extra choices for the little Miss and she eagerly chomped down on the fresh watermelon and a well done egg. The adults were happy with their choices, from the spinach and tomato omelette, to the pulled pork hash, and brunch skillet. We were allowed to linger over our coffee, tea, and bloody mary's without feeling rushed and the conversation topics frequently returned to the stylings of Phil Collins and the whereabouts of Mike and Mechanics as the kitschy but fun 80's throwback soundtrack crooned overhead - somehow it just fit with the brunch timing. Abigail's should be a first choice and shall be next time we brunch Kendall-style.
3 - M M.: Abigail's is a comfortable and inviting place. But in three visits, something has disappointed each time. Last night, it was the apple-goat cheese salad with soggy wilted greens and tasteless mushy "goat cheese."  The time before was having servers completely forget about us when we were eating on the patio. We got some nice apologies.
4 - X D.: CPost got it right. Great bar and then  when I finally ate, great food without the Kendall prices. (Westbridge are you listening) 
I love a bar that is long, cool top and I can still look out the windows behind the bar to spot so cute Mary's prancing by. 
Rob is the best bartender in Cambridge, by far. I actually, took the leap of faith and ordered from the special drinks menu. And was not disappointed.

Abner's of University City - Philadelphia, PA (39.95528, -75.198879) (University City)
3 - Jon L.: An average neighborhood cheesesteak place, with an above average history and cool employees.

The steaks and hoagies at Abner's fall into that gray area, where they'll never compete for Best of Philly, but they're still better than Pat's. I really like the criss cut fries, which you may recognize from such fast food places as Chick Fil-A. I think that the criss cut fry is, in general, a much under-appreciated fry, and the crispiness of Abner's version earns big points over the competition. 

Abner's has a pretty extensive menu, too, for a cheesesteak place. I don't know how I feel about this. I usually like to see a place do a few dishes and do them very well. Unimpressive salads and dishes like mozzarella sticks and chicken nuggets (which, I'm pretty sure, come ready made in a big bag) certainly don't help the business's integrity.
2 - Jake P.: In the cheese steak debates of the 215, leave Abner's out. While this place, and their penchant for UPenn/Drexel mens & womens' basketball has kept it relevant, it's about the last place you want to get your grease.

I've always found their service to be mirrored after Pat's/Geno's, and yet there ISN'T a line likely to be behind you, so the rudeness is purely for aesthetics. Equally, the food is easily forgettable - provided you don't have a bad experience. The ambiance is crappy '80s Philly sports memorabilia,  blaring TVs with ESPN, and slippery floors and tables. 

I'd order off of a truck any day before wasting my time or cash here.
1 - Joe R.: I had not eaten here for a long time, and since I was in the neighborhood, i thought I'd stop in as I remembered it as being a pretty good steak shop. It was started by the guy who was one of the originals at Jim's. 
 Well Jim's (or almost anyplace else) has nothing to fear from Abner's. The place has really gone to seed, and my sandwich was undersized, the roll was doughy, and there was a vaguely funky taste that came from the onions. It looked like the grille could use a cleaning, and the rest of the place seemed a little hygiene-impaired. Oh well.
1 - Drew W.: I have not eaten here in some time, but even now I remember how bad this place was.

While visiting Philadelphia with my family, I asked a passer-by where I could get a good authentic Philly Cheesesteak and he kindly pointed me in the direction of Abner's (telling me it was the best place in town).  Well, I apparently asked the only other tourist in a 5 block radius or had some local playing a cruel joke on me because Abner's was anything but good.

The beef was flavorless and rubbery (I almost stole the salt and pepper shaker to take with me), the cheese only exacerbated the problem, and the bread roll was terrible.  I could have microwaved a piece of beef jerky, thrown it between 2 pieces of Wonder bread, squirted some cheese whiz on it and still made a more appetizing sandwich.

If this is best place to pick up the city's signature food, I'm surprised there has not been a mass exodus out of Philly in search of sustenance.
4 - John P.: I dunno about any of the other reviews, but I've always had a good cheesesteak here. I remember going here when I was 15 or 16 and it was the cool thing, because we would get a beer with our cheesesteaks.
5 - Luke S.: Where are these bad reviews coming from.  All of you Philly people are going to hate me after this review, but this is the second best cheesesteak I've had outside of Philly's Best in Chicago.  I lived in Philly for two years and I tried out the Cheesesteak diet, which didn't work as well as the Subway diet.  I loved this place!!! The meat was always fresh and the service was always great.  Pat's and Geno's are decent, but I would much rather have an Abner's steak with whiz any day over those.  If you are in Chicago give Philly's Best a try and let me know what you think of it.
1 - Michael C.: Sketchy tables, unfriendly staff, poor quality-tasting meat and underwhemling bread. All that made for a below average cheesesteak. And yes, I got it with the whiz. The only things Abner has going for it is that it's pretty much the only cheesesteak restaurant in University City and it gives some deals if the local university sport teams do super well.

Too bad there's a smattering of food trucks that do cheesesteaks just as well, if not better than Abner's. Be nice to your stomach, find a different place to fix that hunger.
5 - Mabel C.: I loved Abners when I was a college student in Philadelphia.  I liked it better than Pat and Gino's because it was much greasier.  That's how a cheesesteak should be in my opinion because it goes down the throat easier that way.  I'm normally a slow eater, but I can inhale these cheesesteaks.
4 - Hank C.: I have to say, I've eaten at a lot of cheesesteak places in Philadelphia, and I have to say Abners is still probably my favorite.  Yes, it's not like the messy, slobbering at Pat and Ginos, and not the same as the crowd on South Street, but here is definitely something close to my stomach.

Always plenty of meat, extra mushrooms, and pickles in the center to pile on - and space to sit, relax with people inside, and watch the local games as you slog down a beer and as Mabel C said - it's greasy, but in the best way possible for a cheesesteak!
2 - Dan K.: Look, in a City full of cheesteaks for the most part pretty terrible ones, Abners doesn't really rise head and shoulders above the competition. Now just because I can't deal with cheesteaks much anymore, doesn't mean I'm pilling on the hate for Abners. Infact it's an sentimental fave of mine. It was one of my very first taste of Philadelphia. Late at night, drunk, above the defunct club wizards. It is what it was and still remains, just another steak shop. But it was the first, no you never forget your first.
3 - Tom G.: Probably the best steak in Univ. City.  My experiences have varied, though.  Sometimes the roll is fresh, the meat is tender, the onions are fully cooked, and the cheese is plentiful.  Other times the meat is overcooked, the cheese is sparse, the roll is hard, and the onions are half-raw.  

It's cheap and good eats for the area.  If you go to Penn you've prob. been there a few times.  They also deliver to Drexel.
3 - Martha M.: Anyone who hasn't visited Abner's during their college days or after a local sporting event must not be from this planet.  

Abner's tastes best after a night of drinking but the sandwiches are full of meat and very generous with the cheese on a tasty roll. Condiments are on offer as well. 

One of the highlights is the basin in which to clean your hands after the juice runs over your fingers! 

The staff is nice considering the shadies that come into the place during late night binges.  Stop in and try a sandwich.  I don't think you will be disappointed.
2 - Meg C.: Abner's was right around the corner from my apartment my second year of college. So I ate here about once every three months. 

The steaks were good some days, not so great others. It depended a lot on who was making them. Some of the workers were sketchy, as was the manager (that interaction marked my last visit). I remember the steaks being a bit watery, ew.
4 - Zac S.: I haven't been to Philly in a decade, and I'm staying in University City. I am extremely jetlagged so I picked whatever place to get a steak that was close. 

Abner's is definitely a divey joint, kind of dirty inside. The guys working the counter were nice, though, and cooked me and my buddy up some steaks right away. Meat was really fresh, as were the rolls. They melted the cheese well, although I'll be honest, there wasn't nearly enough cheese. Other than that, though, this place was a quality choice, especially given that I refused to take a cab ride at the time.
5 - Adinah J.: Thank you Abner's for being so great.   The cheesesteaks and chickensteaks are delicious without being too greasy, and the service is excellent.
5 - Jim S.: My favorite cheesesteaks in Philly by far.   Well, OK Jim's is close, but Abner's is a direct descendant of Jim's.

You can all go to Pat's or Geno's but for me nothing compares to Abner's.
4 - Kevin S.: I can't help but feel that inspite of it's flaws, Abner's fits perfectly with it's west Philadelphia location. It may be a little grimy and rough around the edges, but it makes up for this where it counts. They make good cheese steaks, and that's the bottom line. It really feels like a neighborhood fixture, as they have more personality in a few faded photographs than the Chilies next store no matter how much goofy stuff they put on the walls. 

Additionally, the prices won't hurt your wallet, as you can expect to pay half what you would down at Geno's or Pats. The staff is friendly and the food is good. You won't loose any weight eating here but that's why it's good. If you want to double your temptation, they have a decent beer selection and sell by the bottle or the case. 

Overall, Abner's is a fine place to hang out with some college friends and catch some highlights on ESPN, satisfy that late night cheese steak craving, or exchange your basketball tickets for a free soda to wind down the evening.
4 - BJ M.: Abners gets a solid 4. The past 2 times I've been there the cheesesteak has been phenomenal. Prior experiences were not so great. Maybe they have turned over a new leaf.

Only gripe, bread was not the best IMO. A little too weak,
4 - Will L.: A local friend of mine took us here for our first stop and I was more than pleased with the service, the casual but efficient feel, the quality of the chicken cheesesteaks (I've only had regular cheesesteaks before) and most of all, the availability of beer (and porter at that). Next time I'll try their regular cheesesteak.
4 - Chenai G.: I went on a Sunday and it was quiet. They made an enormous hoagie/cheeseseteak that I couldn't finish but that tasted pretty good. Like the previous reviews said, it  was fresh. My friend and I spent like 3 hours eating the cheesesteak and split a 40 ounce  beer. No music, just people watching the people who come in and out without being bothered, or rushed away.T'was nice.
4 - Michael F.: I went to Drexel and Abner's was a staple late night cheesesteak destination.  Oh man, many fond memories of seeing a show at the now defunct Chestnut Cabaret, then strolling over to Abner's.

I might give Abner's a 3.5 if I could, but I'll err on the positive side from having a great steak time and time again.

You might as well order a big side of cheesefries while you are at it.
4 - Lisa M.: Great cheesesteaks... I've only ordered delivery from Abners, but every time I have been surprised by how fast our food got to our apartment.
3 - David S.: Great service and criss cut fries.  I just thought the cheesesteak sandwich itself was bland, average at best.  This barely beats Subway.
5 - Kim N.: Abner's is everything a cheesesteak should be. Soft bread, tasty meat, perfectly cooked onions and gooey cheese. I have heard friends rave about other places but when I take them to Abner's, they all agree that they are good. I have been going to Abner's for over 10 years and have never been disappointed. The cheesesteaks are consistently good. I look forward to my next trip to Philly and introducing my son to Abner's.
3 - Charles C.: I liked Billybob's better but since it no longer exists, Abner's is the next best cheesesteak around for the college crowd.
5 - Rob R.: The waffle fries are a great addition to their cheese steak and the condiment bar is filled with hot peppers, hot sauce, ketchup, and fresh pickles. Yum! 

While the place looks like it's stuck in the early-90s, the uncompromisingly good (yet greasy) food more than makes up for it. 
Easily one of my top 5 Philadelphia cheese steaks. Those UCity kids are spoiled with this approachable and affordable cheese steak house.
3 - Carrie C.: For what I was told  was "the best cheesesteak in University City," Abner's is only okay.  The decoration on the walls is pretty cool, as Abner's is a huge supporter of all the Philly universities.  And while the cheesesteak was tasty enough, it really wasn't anything special and the meat was a bit dry.

Overall, a fine cheesesteak for a reasonable price, but nothing super special.  I would swing by Abner's if I was really craving a cheesesteak and didn't have time to travel further.  However, if I had a choice, I would rather take a little bit more time to travel farther and get a juicier, tastier cheesesteak.
4 - Matt T.: This place is not pretty, but it makes a pretty solid cheesesteak.  Onions are optional and peppers and mushrooms are a 60 cent addition.  Great bread and great, well-seasoned steak.  Large selection of beer, nice flat-screen televisions to watch baseball, and plenty of seating for the large and soon-to-be large.  Glad I don't live within 100 miles, because Abner's would become quite a habit.
3 - Asuka N.: Back in the good old days, my buddies and I would occasionally order food from Abner's when we were taking it easy. The place itself isn't anything great - there are tables and a couple of booths, but otherwise it's not somewhere you're going to take someone on a date. Aside from that, the food itself was reasonable, if not a bit greasy - eating a cheesesteak was an adventure in and of itself. The food was generic and average; I would say the steak was okay but nothing terribly special, and the same goes for the wings, chicken tenders, and fries as well. It'd also be a stop for us because they sold 40s at a decent price, and, well, who can resist a well-priced bottle of Old English? It is what it is, which is a decent place to get a steak at (probably one of the better stops on campus), as well as other fried, greasy foods.
4 - Tim C.: Been once so far.  Super solid cheesesteaks.  LOTS of well seasoned meat, cheese, and onions, cooked perfectly.  A do it yourself fixings bar, plenty of seating (though I didn't care for the decorating), and sports on a big TV.

I definitely prefer it over Pat's or Geno's.  In fact, out of the cheesesteaks I've had in Philly so far, this one is my favorite.

Did I mention that the people who work there are actually nice?  I was beginning to think cheesesteaks were only made by jerks, but these guys proved me wrong... Thanks Abner's.
5 - SANDRA R.: Love these cheesesteaks!
3 - Kevin C.: Having just moved into my dorm, I headed over to Abner's with my dad and brother for my first cheesesteak in Philadelphia. The place was empty, and it kinda has a grimy feel about it. Our sandwiches were quickly assembled with meat that was already cooked and sitting on the flat top griddle. The self-serve condiments station had hot peppers, which was a nice touch. I ordered my cheesesteak with Provolone cheese and onions, and while it tasted fine, it was a bit on the oily and greasy side. Yeah, a cheesesteak is going to be a bit greasy, but the cheesesteak from Abner's left huge pools of oil - not very appetizing. Overall, Abner's is a decent choice for a cheesesteak fix if you are in the area, but it's not a place that I would go out of my way to get to.
4 - Alayne L.: Great spot for a quick and delicious cheesesteak before going to the Rave for a movie or anywhere else in University City.  Easy parking and great food.  But, I have to specifically note their customer service - always accommodating and friendly.
3 - Lenny Z.: Abner's is right where it should be, in a collage town.

It's the kind of place that's not great, but good enough, and cheap enough. And, they have a menu fit for collage students.

I got a cheesesteak and it was what it should be. Greasy and tasty. It's no Pats or Ginos or Jimmy's, not what you think of when you think of a great Philly cheesesteak. It is, however, what you think of as a good cheesesteak in Anytown, USA.

So, if you want something quick, cheap, and good enough, check out Abner's, because it is just that.
4 - Wally C.: Ah, cheese steaks.  I like this place.  It has, to me, a nostalgic feel to it.  You walk in, smell the meat, grease, and meat grease and it clogs your nostrils full of unhealthy goodness.  The place screams Crown/Hollywood/Kennedy/Palace Fried Chicken (NYC fried chicken chains), including the same looking menus, same greasy booths.  Who knows?  Maybe they use the same grease...Same owners?  Dunno.  Anyway, they had a few flat screen tvs playing football.  I didn't make it to the bathroom here, so I can't tell you how it was, or if there's air conditioning.  This place is quite spacious.  The meat in my cheese steak was shredded.  It's just the style here, I think.  I have no beef with that (pun intended).
4 - Thomas M.: Good wings here! Stopped by here after a long day of partying... you get 10 pieces for $5.95 and the value is there. The wings well well fried, crispy on the outside and still juicy on the inside. Sauce felt and tasted right, a little watery but that's how it should be in my mind.
5 - Kate W.: I am no expert of Philly cheesesteaks, in fact this was my first.

But, living in Chicago and liking popular food establishments, I am an expert at a few things: long lines, lack of parking and wind. 

No one likes these things. Continually driving around looking for parking makes me more hungry, and more irritable. Add in long lines and wind, and you don't actually want to be eating with me anymore. 

So when we drove by Pat's/Geno's on a recent cold, blustery day, and saw the very long lines at both, we opted for Abner's. 

Again, I don't know the difference: but dah-ym! It was delicious. Provolone and wiz (goodbye diet) and criss-cut fries. Unbelievably good. 

Don't brave the elements. Don't look for parking. Don't wait in line. Go to Abner's!
2 - Steve T.: Meh cheesesteak.  Maybe I'm spoiled by my suburban sandwiches, but I have yet to find a Philly cheesesteak that can hold a candle to the likes of a Lou's or Pudges.

Maybe this is how dialects form...what is "cheesesteak" in one area may mean "dogfood" in another.  Over years and generations, these subtle nuances can grow to tremendous proportions, resulting in the birth of new languages and employment for google translator code crunchers.  Thus, years from now, people in the burbs may say, "did you give the dog his philly cheesesteak" which to out-of-towners would seem like quite a boon for the canine, when in fact said pooch got Alpo.
3 - Melissa S.: I ended up visiting here twice during my short visit to Philadelphia - once, because it was close to my hotel and someone said that Abner's had the best cheesesteaks, and a second time, because a colleague who had graduated from UPenn 20 years ago wanted to come visit an old college haunt while we were in town. I guess this place restaurant has been around for a while. According to her, the campus has changed considerably since then, so much that she barely recognizes the area anymore... but there's still Abner's.

Coming off a less than thrilling visit to Pat's the day before, I decided to try my luck again with a Philly cheesesteak in Philadelphia... I'm not a cheez whiz fan, so I ordered with provolone, and onions. I thought it was slightly meh, but decidedly greasier, tastier and overall a better experience than my visit to Pat's. I'm guessing that I'm not really a fan of cheesesteaks after all. I quit.

When my colleagues decided to visit later in the week, I came anyway, but decided... no more cheesesteaks! So I ordered a steak stromboli... which is filled with cheesesteak ingredients. Hah. And it tasted so much better! I have no idea what a stromboli really is supposed to be, but the cheesesteak/stromboli hybrid tasted so much more delicious to me. I thought it was quite good. It was also unexpectedly enormous; I had expected something that looked like a Hot Pocket, but was instead presented with an enormous, greasy monstrosity over a foot long (Los Angeles readers: it reminded me of the portion sizes of burritos at El Tepeyac). It's best split among two people!

I found the service to be hospitable and friendly. One of my colleagues asked for a cheesesteak with half whiz and half provolone (which we joked was the "tourist special") and they happily obliged. There's also none of the attitude that seems prevalent at those other two famous rival cheesesteak joints. It seems kinda like a dive locale. Our group was able to sit, eat, drink, watch a basketball game and converse freely for a couple hours into the late night. Prices are cheap and reasonable as well.

About Hair - Cambridge, MA (42.371155, -71.114609) (Harvard Square)
3 - Tarah F.: About Hair is a Salon / Art Gallery / Antique shop in Harvard Square. I am always treated well and never feel like I have to be on my best behaviour or like the people who are styling my hair would never talk to me outside of the salon. I get compliments on my choice of trying out new styles when all I have to do is go in and say I want something shorter, do what you think is best...
1 - J T.: The owner, Duncan Purdy,  was convicted of running a brothel out of this hair salon.

See the articles in the Cambridge Cronicle and in the Harvard Crimson:

http://www.townonline.com/cambridge/homepage/x222324212

http://www.thecrimson.com/printerfriendly.aspx?ref=517346

Above Ground - New York, NY (40.800572, -73.961483) (Manhattan Valley)
4 - K C.: Pros: I enjoyed my short stay at this salon. My stylist was Janet. I arrived at the Salon around 2:00pm and my hair was finished at 3:15pm.Great timing!! My hair turned out very beautiful and shiny. The service cost was only $20 for a wash, set, and deep conditioner (However I did bring my own conditioner).  Everyone was polite and did their best to make me feel comfortable. There is also a barber shop within the salon.
 
Cons: This salon is not upscale in regards to its physical condition, however they are very comparable to other salons within the area.  They did not provide me with a cape before washing my hair, so my clothing was splashed with water.

Overall, I was impressed with my stylist Janet, and I would definitely return to this salon.
4 - Dario T.: I stumbled upon this place during my first visit to NYC a few weeks ago, in which my goal for this trip was to do it all.  Thus, a primarily Spanish speaking- Dominican owned barber shop located in the outskirts of Harlem was perfect for the occasion.

My spanish is a little rusty but I was able to carry a light convo with my barber (first chair in the window, can't recall his name), I showed him a picture of what I was going for and he went to work.  I liked the overall vibe of the shop, traditional spanish music blaring out of the speakers as the stylists took turns chiming in during the chorus. 

As for the haircut, he did a good job and even incorporated the lost barbery art of using scissors correctly to finalize the shape of my thick/ difficult straight hair. I could tell he understood how to cut based on the shape of my head/ tendencies of my hair as the results showed it.  For $15 you'd be hard pressed to find a fresher cut than this.

Above Ground Hair Studio - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2792192, -83.7408609) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - Marissa B.: Above Ground is hidden up above bustling State St.  The space is full of personality - vibrant, full of color with soft music pulsating in the background.  The hair studio accepts walk-ins as well as appointments.  I've been going to Sandy for several years now, who is faaabulous.  She's  got a quirky, good-natured, energetic personality.  I always enjoy chatting with her as she cuts my hair, and I'm always very happy with the result.
5 - Jennifer A.: Above Ground is by far the best hair salon in Ann Arbor.  I've been going there about 2 years now.  Cookie is the stylist to see if you want fun, wild hairstyles.  She is amazing with color, and brave with the scissors.  (She is NOT the person to see if you want a safe, boring hair cut that will leave you looking like everyone else. )  Cookie recently did my hair and make-up for my wedding, and the both got great reviews from friends and family alike.  It is also a funky, comfortable environment to go to.   All of the staff are really friendly, and the decor is hip and ever-changing.  (I think the walls are a different color every time I go in!)  You might not get the haircut you thought you wanted, but you will leave with a haircut that is perfect for you.
5 - Ileana S.: I only went to this salon two to three times during my two-year Ann Arbor stay. Mostly because of my then-budget...or else I would have gone there all the time.

I have received a short haircut a few times in my life. The only time that I absolutely loved loved loved my short hair was when Dawn cut it. I went from a little bit past my shoulders to about chin length. My old stylist said that it couldn't be done with my thick, straight hair but Dawn made it happen. :)

I have also had Sandy as a stylist and threader. Unfortunately, I was just asking for a trim so I don't think there was much to work with. Her threading skills were very (insert good adjective that I can't think of). Left the area spotless. 

If it's not already obvious, I highly recommend Dawn for a life-changing short 'do and Sandy for threading.
5 - Nupur L.: Only after moving to the East Coast can I appreciate the magnitude of what Dawn at Above Ground used to do, providing hot, trendy haircuts at the price of $45. In other words, a song-or a hilarious rant on reality television. She was the first person to tap the potential of my lovely locks-and this pomposity comes from the realization that haircuts don't always have to leave me looking a like a poor, angry little boy. 

God, do I miss this place.
5 - Sarah W.: I come here because I come to see Vito. If you want a good hair cut you should ask for him. Almost everyone I know goes to him for a hip and trendy cut. Your going to want to make an appointment to get to him.

Above Ground is a great place for a good hair cut at a reasonable price. You know when you come here your going to get something stylish. The staff are friendly and there are plenty of magazines and comfortable couches to sit on while you are waiting.
4 - Rebecca F.: I have good hair. 

But that's not to say I know the first thing about styling, I just find people who do.  I like a stylist who knows more than me and helps me help my hair.

I have yet to find a salon in Chicago, so while visiting Ann Arbor decided to check out Above Ground... It was great: I got a really hip sexy cut, from a sassy, knowledgeable stylist  (Sandy) who made my hair do things it has never done before (like curl, how exciting!) and it look really hot. Even the next day.

I'm used to paying East coast prices (like Nupur), so Above Ground seems insanely cheap for this caliber of style.  My cut, which included a wash, conditioning, extensive cut, styling and blow-dry, was only $50! My boyfriend's cut was only $25. (I'm only giving 4 stars because his cut was a lot shorter than requested, but he still looks good - I think it will grow in nice.)

We both used to go to the Beehive in Brooklyn (also highly recommended) and were tickled to learn that the owner of Above Ground used to work there. That says a lot about how well they can be relied on for consistently good styling.

Also of note- most stylists are cash or local check only, but there is an ATM downstairs.
5 - Lisa W.: The only person I've ever met who is as picky about a haircut as I am is my friend Claire.  I am the type of person who is more concerned about quality than price.  I do not care if a haircut is cheap, if it isn't precisely what I want, then that person is not going to touch my hair.

Cookie is the owner, and my first experience with her was when she did color correction in my hair when I was in a wedding and needed to get rid of the pink in my hair.  She put me at a light brown without frying me and it was awesome.  She was at Orbit at the time, so when I found out she opened a hair salon that specialized in ethnic hair, I was pretty happy.  She is so fun and vivacious, it is not boring to sit in her chair.   She even made me drink cod liver oil when I was sick, and I didn't hate her for it!   Also during my last haircut, I had the input of three stylists while she was cutting, so I really feel like I got my money's worth.

Cookie wasn't the only person I've followed here.  Aaron used to work here and I miss him so, so much.  He is hands down the most talented person I've ever met with my hair.  I've done a few rounds at Above Ground, and Aaron is still my favorite.  My heart fell when he moved.  But I do love me some Cookie!  I highly recommend her.  She is great at listening to what you want exactly, she can follow pictures really well.  If you have bone straight hair and you want a fro, she can do it.  If you want corn rows she can do that.  If you want to get rid of a stupid mistake you made with pink dye so you can be in a wedding and still look amazing, she will work you with flying colors.  She an also do a mean pompadour for guys.  She has given me my last two haircuts, and her craftmanship really shows through.  She told me that I could get my bangs trimmed for free and that I didn't have to make an appointment.

I want to reiterate that while all the stylists work with ethnic hair, not all of them specialize in it.  I know because that's what one of the people who works there informed me.  So when you make an appointment, it is a good idea to state specifically what you want and what kind of hair you have, because it can make a difference in the way your hair will lay after the cut.

They have a really cute space, with colorful walls and a cozy waiting area.  The different stylists have different ways they accept payment, so it is good to inquire about that.  Cookie takes all types of payment, including checks.
4 - Sam S.: A stylist, who unfortunately moved away and will remain nameless, used to get fucked up on ecstasy and cut my hair. He would initially recommend a romantic "Flock of Seagulls"-cut that I would need to veto, but my request for a "dirty-ass sexed-up Serge Gainsbourg" would turn out pimp as fuck. If this doesn't deserve 5 stars, I don't know what does.

UPDATE: I went here again, and the chick fucked my shit up. Boo. Minus one star.
1 - Katy W.: What. The. Shit.

I finally found someone at the Douglas J student salon that did my hair just right.  Then she graduated.  I figured I'd graduate to a big-kid salon, rather than rolling the dice at Douglas J again.

I came here asking for an itty bitty trim.  I have short hair, and in keeping up my hair biznass, I always need more off the back than off the front, and a bang trim up.  Not difficult, right?  

I wish I remembered the name of the woman who did my hair.  It was not the famous Cookie, or Kristen.  Whoever it was, she f'ed up my hair progress.  I went from progressing ever closer to an angled bob to a goddamned pixie haircut.  Those layers she said she was cutting?  Not layers, she straight up chopped all my hair off.  

For the record, I am not even picky about my hair.  I'm the person with the "eh, it'll grow back" attitude.  And it did ... grow back, but when I'm dropping $50 on a simple haircut, next time do what I ask for, mkay?  Though in this case there won't be a next time.

For my last cut, I went back to Douglas J.  Two hours and $15 later, my hair looks as I would have hoped.  Yes, two hours is absolutely ridic for a simple cut, but I'd rather that than my botch up at Above Ground.
4 - Elaine C.: The only place I've gotten my hair cut in Ann Arbor, until I find another place that knows how to cut Asian hair even better. Two semi-short stories.

1. The Beginning.
A co-worker recommended AG after I moved to A2 and said I was looking for a place that knew (at least somewhat) how to cut Asian hair. (Now some people might be thinking, how hard can Asian hair be to cut? Trust me. I have very, very difficult wavy, course hair and dread getting a hair cut almost every time.) I was also desperate. I had gotten my hair permed, straightened, and colored all in one sitting while in Taiwan a few months ago. Dumb, yes. But I trusted the stylist at the time... Who knew my hair would turn itself into dreads?? I needed help, ASAP. I even prayed. "Dear Lord. Please let me find someone to help mix my hair. I don't want to go bald at the age of 22."

And the Lord sent me Cookie. 

I went into my appointment and explained what happened. "Your hair needs help," Cookie said. "I know... Can you save it?" I asked. "Yes." she replied. And she did. It took 3 appointments before my hair finally returned to a somewhat normal and healthy condition. I was scared to chop my hair off, but Cookie was honest in explaining the stages of how we could revive my hair, and what would happen if we deviated from the plan. Each time I went in to fix my hair, I came out with a stylish haircut that didn't fight against the natural flow and kink of my hair. It took a few months, but I could finally run a comb through my hair, and wash my hair without clumps falling off. 


2. The Straightening. 
I will note, however, that as happy as I am with Cookie, I later got the Chi straightening process done, and was not satisfied with the results. The process took only 3 hours (which is about 5 hours shorter than when I get the Japanese straight perm done in other salons). The results lasted a few days, before my hair returned to its natural wavy/course state. I later found out I was the first client they had ever used the Chi process on. I went back in and told them what had happened. Cookie said to schedule another appointment and re-do the process again, on the house. So I did, and the results lasted slightly longer (few weeks), but eventually washed out. Now I just straighten my hair every day with a Chi straightening iron, which tends to work for the most part in keeping my hair more manageable. 


Lessons learned here: 

1. If you have very thick and course hair, and are looking for a permanent straightening process, don't go to AG. However, I'm sure the process works better with those born with finer, less crazy hair than myself (grr...).

2. The stylists at AG (at least Cookie and some of the other stylists I've seen working... sorry, don't remember their names) really take the time t understand your hair, and give you a cut that works with your hair rather than fights it. 

3. Walk-ins are possible, but appointments are even better.

4. Only Cookie accepts credit cards. All other stylists take cash-only. (There's an ATM in the ice cream place next door if you need $$).
4 - Shawn S.: What I like most about Above Ground? How the staff really makes you feel comfortable. It's funky and friendly. Stylists have their own unique perspectives on hair, unlike what I've found at other places in A2. 

Ash, a pretty bad-ass stylist, cut the hair of my girlfriend and me in about an hour, which was pretty impressive - and she did a great job.

An interesting thing about Ash is she used a straight blade to clean the hair off my neck. I've never had that done before.

If you're looking for another place to get your hair cut, check this one out, it's a cool experience.
1 - Lindsay N.: I went here for my first cut in AA and it was awful. I just wanted a basic trim and by the end my hair was so messed up I had to wear it pulled back in a pony tail for almost 2 months. The stylist kept lecturing me on how damaged my hair was from all of the color while she was standing there with bleached white hair and then she razored the life out of my hair which should not be done on damaged hair. Horrible!
2 - Josephine Q.: I'm sorry, but I totally don't get the enthusiasm for this place. I made an appointment for 10 am on a Thursday, and upon arriving the place was totally empty except for some slovenly, half-asleep dude lounging on the sofa going through magazines, who could barely muster the energy to get up and greet me before telling me he would be cutting my hair. I resisted the urge to get the hell out of there before letting some guy with eye crusties still in his eyes and a sebum-infused air go at my head with scissors, but alas I was desperate for a haircut and my schedule makes it hard for me to schedule anything duing the workweek. Anyway, so I reluctantly followed him to a dirty, uncomfortable chair. He asked me with the UTMOST APATHY what I wanted, and I told him. He seemed confused...at the idea....of a trim with layers. It was like I was asking for something totally unusual and out of the ordinary.  I have a lot of respect for hairdressers, but it's not the most complicated thing in the world to cut and style hair, people. Anyway, he got on with the cut...very....very....slowly, like there was no energy in his hands and no spark in his heart. All the while he was doing this, he was talking to some young apprentice (I suppose...because why the hell would this young dude be there watching this long, slow, dragging ordeal?)...and barely even looked at me. He would take long breaks, with my hair in one hand and the scissors in the other, to turn and look at the apprentice and make some or other comment about how he couldn't believe that so-and-so had said whatever, and so forth. I was desperate for him to be done, but it took FOR-e-ver. Finally, it was over, and to be honest I have gotten better haircuts from stylists-in-training. Then,to  top it all off with a cherry, they informed me that he only took cash, which I didn't have. So I went down to the ATM and got some, no sweat. But still, such an inconvenience.

I hated it. I hated the place, the attitude, the sloppiness and dirty-chic aesthetic, the haircut, and the experience. If this is what passes for "hip" to people in Ann Arbor, then they need to get out of here and find out what hip is.
4 - mariah c.: I've been going to Above Ground on and off since they first opened.  The only reason I took a little break from them for awhile was that my friend was going to hair school at Douglas J. (the local Aveda school), and I knew I could get a perfect, ridiculously cheap cut from him.  Once he graduated, of course he moved along to AG, and I happily followed back. 

Over the years I saw Andy, Vito and Shannon. I knew both Andy and Vito personally as well, but as hairstylists, they were excellent. I didn't even need to get into much detail with Vito, he just always knew what I wanted and had great suggestions if I was a little unsure or brought multiple photos.  It's rare to have that with a stylist -- friend or not -- and so I'm sad that he, as both a friend, and as my ever-favorite stylist, has moved to Portland.

However, Shannon is an expert at the short cuts -- totally creative yet knowledgeable on color. We're getting a good thing going now. She's picked up where Vito left off.  I just got color this last time, as I'm trying to grow things out a wee bit for winter (ears get chilly!), but Shannon throws in free touch ups/trims on and necks and bangs. I appreciate this, since it's pretty essential to keep shorter hair from looking too raggedy. 

I haven't seen too many of the other stylists, but my man has gone to Cookie, and so have many friends with hair they describe as "difficult."  I think Cookie would just see it as a challenge. 

Cookie's the master at making things happen.  As hilarious and fun as she is to be around, she is also plenty serious about running a quality salon. If anyone had a gripe, I would think that Cookie would be super speedy to try to make things right.
5 - Leanna G.: After five years of recovery from a bad haircut, I was a little hesitant to come here because the reviews on Yelp seemed so mixed, but I figured that for half the price of Douglas J it was worth seeing if I got lucky.

My stylist was Donzel, who did an excellent job. He was super patient while I babbled a really convoluted description of what I wanted and didn't flinch at my request that he mishmash four of the pictures I had brought together into one super-hip impossible awesome haircut. Not only that, but he was actually able to give me exactly what I wanted! He was very careful and meticulous and did an excellent job. I'd definitely come here again.
5 - Lenny K.: I wouldn't go anywhere else!

When I first moved to Michigan, I had several unfortunate hair experiences. One stylist, looked out the window AS she cut my hair, when I asked her if she was paying attention, she literally said "I check in every once in a while". Another supposedley 'hip' shop (turned out to be hippie shop), the stylist's dog was annoyingly running around and getting way more attention the I was, and I was paying the dog was not!

When I found Cookie, I knew I'd found my haircutting home for the duration of my stay. 

She's fun, knowledgeable, not afraid to tell you what she thinks, and keeps the joint jumpin' She's GREAT with curly hair, excellent with cut and color!

Don't expect a speedy in-and-out, AG is about the experience. Pamper yourself, relax, read some fashion mags, enjoy good music, and an eclectic thoughtfully hip interior an occasional 'beverage' and a professional FUN staff!

Also, if they do (rarely) screw up, or give you something you're not completely happy with, they will fix it, no questions asked! However, I have learned this is rare as my wife and I have gone hear for years.
4 - Nick L.: Came in today based off of the Yelp reviews solely and I was not disappointed!  Requested a haircut with Andrew; he was running a little behind but it wasn't a big deal.  The inside of the place was very cool, wide open spaces with a few chairs for styling.  Even though he was running late, Andrew did have time to ask me what I wanted and offered some hair magazines if I wanted them (I decided not to so I can't say about their selection).

Once Andrew was ready, he started dry cutting my hair which I'd never had before, and it turned out great!  I've seen a bad review or 2 up here about Andrew but I had quite the opposite experience.  Andrew was very thorough and a bit of a  perfectionist with my hair, which I am more than fine with.  I ended up loving the cut and it only cost me $35, I'll definitely be coming back here next time.
5 - Mikey K.: I swear I thought I wrote a review awhile ago about Above Ground.

I've gone to Cookie (as well as Shannon and Vito - although now gone) for many years.  She knows how to seriously chop out the ugly and bring in the new.

I've gone through many different hair styles, including those that will fit well in the corporate work place.

I love, love, love this place.  I've since moved, but any chance I get when I'm in town I book an appointment with the crew.  I'd recommend Cookie, but anyone of her knowledgeable staff is suitable.  She's very particular about who she let's work in her shop.  You have to know the drill.....making people look less ugly!
4 - Andrea M.: I've been searching for a great haircut in Ann Arbor for 4+ years now and I did get one at Above Ground. 

STYLIST
I had Ashley as my first stylist and was pleased with the attention and time taken to get the details right.  She knows what she's doing and I left with the style I wanted.   She is good at short cuts- that's what I got.  I'm sure she's good at much more as well. I'll be going back for a second run. 

PRODUCTS, ETC.
They have excellent products there. I'm not a huge product user anymore, but I do love the Hemp pomade that's pretty natural.  They seem to promote a more natural-based hair care there and that's in line with what I do with my hair, as I avoid harsh ingredients in my shampoos and conditioners.  

OVERALL
At any rate, AG is reasonably priced (at the time it cost me $42 for a cut and I had shoulder length hair), and everyone is friendly.  The music is upbeat and the vibe is good.
4 - Danielle S.: I really like Above Ground, but there are some real weaknesses about this place worth noting. I see Cookie, FYI.

PRO'S: My stylist is hilarious and really talented. I have gotten 3 really amazing haircuts from her and one I wasn't so thrilled about. The atmosphere is this funky attic space that's the right combination of relaxed and trendy. Cookie cuts curly hair dry, which I also really appreciate, because it changes so much when it dries up. And she's the only stylist who's styling I don't have to fix right when I get home.

CONS: Be prepared to have your vision completely reinterpreted and often ignored. I first came to the salon with long hair and left with about 10 inches less than when I started, without ever asking for that (actually, I asked to keep the length). Cookie informed me that she was just going to cut off the damaged parts...evidently I had a lot of damaged hair. Each time I have gone back, I've had similar luck. Once my hair was so short, I had no part and you could see my earlobes (not a good thing in my opinion).  If you want something specific you have to be VERY clear and articulate what you want exactly. Otherwise, it can be a little surprising when something really different turns up.  I'm ultimately ok with this because my hair looked pretty cool most of the time, but it's definitely a buyer beware situation.
5 - Kim L.: The people here are superficial, and that's what I want in a hairstylist. They are passionate about good looks at Above Ground. I usually get my haircut by Cookie. And every time I come into the studio, my hair gets personal treatment--its seen for what it is (thick and currently permed curly)--as opposed to being given some standard, formulaic treatment (as if my hair is straight, thin white-girl hair).

The price is reasonable, even though it is much more expensive than where I used to go--Aveda. I just get my hair cut less often. Quality is better than quantity. And the haircuts I have gotten here keep its shape for a while.
5 - Cathy B.: I haven't had my hair cut in a year.  I've been growing it out so I can wear it long and curly.  I read reviews of Above Ground, both good and bad, but decided to go for it.  

Cookie is a magician.  She's a caring, loud, funny, over-the-top magician.  She looked at me, sat me down and read my hair the riot act.  Then proceeded to save it.  All the while laughing, complaining about the music playing, telling wonderful stories about other stylists and clients, but always focused on my hair.  She took a lot of time with me, but I'm so glad she did.

It was a completely dry cut.  My hair is really dry and damaged and curls need lots of moisture.  She put an oil on and some other conditioners, then cut the dead ends off and cut in some layers, always looking to where the curls fall.  Then off to the sink for a color rinse and more conditioner.  Then off to the hood dryer.  Then, pincurls in the front where it isn't as curly.  Then back to the chair for another dry cut and lotion and spray and lots of wonderful smelling stuff.  I stood behind the chair so she could get the back right.  I absolutely loved her attention to detail.  All the while chatting and laughing and being the life of the salon!

You could tell the other clients loved their stylists, each seemed to take as much time as needed to give them their best.  The receptionist was warm and smiling and super stylish (as a good receptionist should be)!  Prices seem to go on a sliding scale according to length of hair and the work done.  The best thing, in my opinion, was that Cookie constantly told me what I need to do to take the best care of my hair, what products to use and not to use and how much time to take between applications of certain products.  

This may be a long review but I've been searching for a good salon for curly hair and I've found it.  I'm a Cookie fan and I think I will be for as long as she'll tend to my curls!  Let her do her thing and hopefully you'll be satisfied.  For me, I've over the moon!
3 - Ryan B.: Have been looking for an alternative to getting my eyebrows waxed, and I found it at Above Ground.

$20 gets you beautifully threaded eyebrows, no risks of burnt & swollen skin, a good conversation and a few laughs. 

The hair stylist that does it, Sandy, is super friendly and fantastic. I have to say though, Brow Art 23 offers threading too, and at $12. 

If can't make it out to Briarwood, I'd definitely come back.
4 - Jessica W.: I went here about a year ago after hearing that a lot of their stylists specialize in curly hair. That was a super intriguing note since all my life I've had to deal with stylists who were afraid to just go for it with my hair due to it's thickness and curliness. So I was excited. I called and they set me up for an appointment with Ryan.

Appointment day came and I ran up the stairs to the salon and checked in. I waited maybe 10 minutes, which seemed like an eternity because I'm always nervous trying out a new salon or stylists.

So finally Ryan came and got me and it began. He asked what I was looking for. My hair was fairly long so I had a lot to work with. I basically just told him I wanted something different. Take off some length, layers, whatever he wanted to do. Since the people at this salon were comfortable with curly hair, I was trusting and giving him freedom to give me something awesome and new. 

He started with a dry cut, which I had never had done before. He was just doing some trimming and maybe a little layering at this point. Then he took me in for a wash and basically did all but slap my face when I told him I washed my hair every other day. He told me I only needed to shampoo every couple of days or even less. I've taken this advice and have actually seen a difference with that, so I learned something there. He also told me that wrapping my hair up in a towel, turban style, after getting out of the shower could be causing some of my frizz. I've cut this out since then and I haven't had frizz issues. Another lesson learned. 

So then we get back to the chair, some more cutting and so on. And then he showed me how to bring out my natural curl for when I let my hair naturally dry or blow dry it, without scrunching it and making unnatural curls. Amazing, I was learning so much this day! So then he stuck my head under the hair dryer. Ugh. These things take forever on my head. So after almost a half hour, I believe, he gets me and blow drys the rest of my hair by hand because it was taking so long. My hair rebels like that. So when it's dry, he does a little more cutting and says it's done. 

Oh. Aside from a little taken off in length, it didn't look that much different than when I walked in. No one, even my mother and sister , even noticed I had got a cut or anything different when I went and saw them later that day. I had given him artistic freedom to give me something new and awesome and I just got a more polished version of what I went in there with. I didn't walk out with that "Oh yeah, I'm looking hot today" feeling you get after a good haircut.

And then on top of it all, including  a small bottle of shampoo that was almost pushed on me(but I understand), it costs me $70 bucks. Yikes. It wasn't a total bust, because I learned a ton that day about taking care of my hair and since my visit I've had more good hair days than bad just using the tips I learned. Their staff is obviously super knowledgeable  when it comes to curly hair, there is no doubt about that. 

The only things that put the minus 1 stars for this place is that I didn't love my hair and it was expensive.

I'd still definitely go back here in the future though, even to Ryan, I would just make sure I have an idea to present for what I want instead of expecting them to work magic on a new client at 10am.

Above The Plane - Austin, TX (30.2961708, -97.7389543) (University of Texas)
5 - Paul S.: We are a local plumbing contractor and we have worked for and with Brandon on several projects.  He has always been very professional and easy to work with.  I have been very impressed with his attention to detail and quality workmanship on all of his projects.  It has been a pleasure working with Brandon and Kevin.
5 - Andy D.: Brandon did a great job on my recent remodel. We gutted one bath to the studs, and updated a second bath. Added new HVAC, vent fans, windows and lighting to both, reworked plumbing and electrical, moved a doorway, tiled, painted and finished out the new bath. He custom-built a vanity cabinet and pull-out storage cabinets in the master. I designed a custom pocket door, and Brandon turned the drawing into a verycool door. 

I was the client and the designer, so it was important that Brandon was easy to work with. He was great to bounce ideas off of and come up with creative solutions (like the pullout cabinets that provide a good amount of storage in a verytight space). 

Brandon is also very conscientious. It makes a difference when someone wants to do the best job possible, instead of just what they can get by with. He built a room around the bathroom access (inside the master bedroom) to contain as much of the construction dust and material as possible. Brandon did a lot of the work himself, brought in help as needed and ran the licensed subcontractors effectively. He laid floor protection every day, and cleaned up every night. In short, he did everything possible to minimize the disruption of living in the house while doing this sort of project.

I suppose the best recommendation is that I'm about to have Brandon do some more work in the second bath. I've found the guy that will be my first call when I need work done to my home.

Abracadabra Jewelry & Gem Gallery - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2796015, -83.7470665) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
4 - Lisa W.: A former beau and I went to this jewelry shop because we got the cheesy idea to get matching Celtic promise rings specially made.  Needless to say it's good we didn't because we didn't last and probably would have thrown the rings out the window.

However, the owner of Abracadabra helped us out and was such a sweetheart.  He was patient and sat with us even though we probably looked crazy -- we both would dress in all black and a trench coat.  He told us he would make a wax replica of the rings to make sure we liked them.  Another time I went there was when I was going to get my mother a cross pendant, and the woman who helped me pored over catalogs with me, again, very patiently.

One of my favorite reasons to go in here, however, is their doggie.  Their dog hangs out from time to time and it gives the place a really chill, welcoming vibe.  I think it's awesome when businesses have a well-loved pet hanging out, it puts everyone in a good mood.
5 - Sarah B.: I had Abracadabra put my Great Grandmothers ring back together (long story) and they did a wonderful job! 

They were able to put two of the original diamonds back into the ring (one was chipped before they got their hands on it) and since my Mom has the center diamond in her ring, they came up with an AWESOME idea, they put in a white sapphire for the center stone (at a much cheaper price than a diamond!) and it is beautiful! This is my engagement ring.

Now, the process of picking out the right sapphire for the ring became a little stressful because I couldn't see any difference between the stones he was showing to me, but he did his best to explain what the differences were, although he wouldn't just choose one since I had no idea! So, that was a little frustrating BUT it shows the dedication to his clients and to jewelry and gems that he puts so much effort and time into everything he does.

Thank you Abracadabra!!

They weren't able to guarantee that the chipped diamond wouldn't fall out, but I took the risk anyway :-( Yep, you guessed it, it fell out, the small baguette diamond is somewhere in the universe... Anyway, the OWNER of the shop was about to go on vacation with his wife (and co-owner of the shop) and took their personal time to get the precise size of diamond that I need for my ring! They brought it back to Michigan from New York City and put it into my ring (with guarantees that this one won't fall out since it's not chipped) and got it back to me!

Talk about customer service!!

My family always comes here first when looking for the best jewelry because they can always deliver! Since my family keeps on going here and technically referring each other here, we keep getting the referral discount! So, they are awesome, end of story!
5 - Amanda Z.: Like the previous reviews said, the most wonderful thing about this store is that they spend as much time with you as you need. Very kind, helpful and patient! My husband and I bought a beautiful vintage ring to use as my wedding ring, and they gave us as much information as we needed to make an informed decision that was right for us. They even steered us away from the platinum version towards the white gold version of the ring, since they were nearly identical and the latter was about $1K cheaper. My husband even brought in his deceased mother's wedding ring to use the stone, but after inspection they informed us that the stone was CZ. He decided that he didn't want to trade the setting in if we weren't going to use the stone, so they re-set it and cleaned the ring, free of charge. I recommend this store to everyone I know who is thinking about buying jewelry.
3 - Danielle S.: I think that Abracadabra is great for really unique custom work. For everything else, it's over-priced. Are you going to do some crazy tension set diamond reversible pendant? Then by all means, fork over a gigantic fee for the design (note, you pay this even to see a mock-up in wax). Thinking I was the type to get some incredibly complicated custom design, I inquired with Abracadabra about designing my e-ring. Turns out I'm more of a classic elegance kind of person so I saved almost $1,500, without sacrificing the quality of the metal, and went somewhere else.

I haven't ruled them out for doing our wedding bands. But I still think that it's only really worth it if you're doing something really artsy. For simpler designs put that money into the quality of the metal and forgo the cache of Abracadabra's artistry.
5 - Dave Y.: We got our engagement ring here. We stopped by a couple of times to look and it was probably a year before I actually ordered it. Katherine and Steve are super nice and helpful from helping me choose the gem and the ring to getting it sized without my fiancee really knowing. I did a bit of price comparison and didn't really find them to be overpriced. Plus, when it comes to gem and precious metal, what with all the unethical and environmentally dirty mining practices, do you really want to go with the *cheap*? One of the things I liked the most about this place is that they use only recycled gold and ethically-mined gems. They're also about as locally-owned as it gets. They have nice and creative designs, some of which I've never seen anywhere else. And the people here are nice and pleasant to work with. To me, this is one of the cornerstone businesses of downtown Ann Arbor, and should be the go-to place for jewelry in this area.
5 - Alicia L.: My fiance bought my engagement ring at Abracadabra after some friends of ours suggested the shop.  Abracadabra did an amazing job at creating exactly what I wanted.  They researched my diamond to ensure it was conflict-free and found me a gorgeous estate setting, which they engraved in the style of its time.  They care for and love all of their creations and will go out of their way to ensure that the customer is happy with what they get.  I love their work, as well as the attitude and service of the employees I talked to in the shop.
5 - Stephanie B.: I had an antique gold plated locket with a broken clasp that I needed to have repaired. This was on of my favorite piece of jewelry and I was already bracing myself for an expensive repair. I thought I would try Abracadabra given other reviews about their customer service and my poor experiences at other places around town. The woman in front was very nice and took the locket to the back to see what the jeweler thought about the repair. She came back in 10 minutes with the locket in perfect working order! She said the jeweler was able to fix it at her bench, and that there was no charge. I'll definitely be back here to purchase jewelry and with any other pieces I need repaired. Thanks Abracadabra!

Abraham Veterinary Clinic - Austin, TX (30.2809343, -97.7433132) (Downtown)
4 - Kelty G.: This vet is conveniently located close to UT and hot too far from downtown in an pretty house with a porch.  

My dog and I have always received fast, friendly, helpful service from the doctors and the employees.  They called (twice!) to check up on my dog after a recent visit to make sure he was feeling better.  At your request they will call or email you to remind you to give your pet monthly heartworm medication. And, last but not least, they are open every other Saturday.
4 - Erica R.: They have one (1) exam room, which is fabulous.  This meeans the focus is on you and your pet's needs and not getting the visit over with so they can move on to the next patient in the next room.  Rarely will you arrive and have to deal with more than maybe one other pet in the waiting room.  The staff is knowledgeable and super gracious and  happy  to see your pet, 

Dr. Chan spends time getting to know you so she can guage your knowledge and experience, and freely offers any advice she thinks might help you take the best possible care of your pet.

Follow up calls to check on your bud are always a nice gesture.  Glad this clinic is so close to home!
5 - Topaz N.: Dr Chan and her staff are wonderful.  You can tell that the staff is happy to work there and they really care about pets (as well as knowing how to run an office). They worked with my friend's Rottweiler who had been abused and had grudge against men.  The male tech was amazing and the rottie loved him.  When I finally had to put my dog to sleep, they were so thoughtful, kind and professional. 
The office is in a house and doesn't smell like a vet's office.  I live nowhere near them and it's worth the drive.
5 - Misti W.: I didn't know Vets could be this good. I honestly didn't realize that the standard I'd been okay with was sub-par. But I know now. Because I've seen Dr. Chan. 

First off, their office. I want to kick them out and move in *immediately*. High Ceilings, all wood floors, amazing windows. 

Only one exam room means the focus is on your animal and *only* your animal for the duration of the visit. And that exam room is pretty awesome. How awesome? An old steel doctor's cabinet, filled with useful items, is topped by a cat skeleton looking quite happy in his black cape and round wire spectacles. Yes, there is a cat skeleton dressed like Harry Potter in the exam room. I knew then there was no room in my heart for any other vet. And this was all before Dr. Chan walked in the room. 

She is knowledgeable, efficient, friendly, gave me options, has a true love for her work, flexible and kind. Bonus: She has experience with my breed of dog, which isn't common AT ALL. 

My little guy has had an ongoing problem with allergies in his life and no other vet, ever, has offered any sort of treatment beyond 'make him take this pill'. Dr. Chan had a plethora of ideas, starting with 'very affordable' and only working up to 'something I haven't even done for myself' as a last resort. 
 
The woman working the front desk was unbelievably helpful. I'd asked my dog's previous vet(s) to fax in all his information and they hadn't. She smiled, and began calling them herself. ALL OFFICE STAFF IN AUSTIN TAKE NOTE: THIS IS HOW YOU OPERATE. 

I really can't think of a single bad thing to say. As long as I live in Austin, my pup will be in Dr. Chan's care.
5 - Kristin T.: I can't express how grateful I am to have found a group of personable, attentive, and knowledgeable people to care for my kitten. 

The office itself is a cozy little house that is clean and well-equipped without the sterile "doctor" feel. As another review mentioned, there is only one exam room, so each pet receives appropriate time and attention. The staff is friendly, funny, and always excited to see my pet. I felt completely comfortable boarding her with them for 6 days last month. 

Dr Chan is very thorough and informative, and I found myself completely trusting her from the get-go (which is so important to a first-time pet owner like me!).

Today, however, is what really inspired me to sign up to write a review. My kitten was spayed yesterday, and this morning she just still seemed to be having such a tough time. She wouldn't willingly eat or drink without crying, and she just couldn't get comfortable. I called and spoke to one of the staff members, and Dr Chan called me back within the half hour. She gave me some suggestions, and she told me to call back with the outcome. I did, and they scheduled an appointment for us within the next hour. No questions asked. Dr Chan examined my kitten for free to make sure she wasn't experiencing a complication, and she administered a subcutaneous fluid bolus as well as some pain medication - both for half price. 

If any of you are like me, and your pet is as much a member of your family as you are, what more could you ask for than a veterinarian and a staff that actually knows and cares about your pet? My kitten is resting comfortably in my lap, and I'm so grateful for Abraham Vet Clinic!
4 - Sarah H.: I began taking my dogs to Abraham Vet Clinic a few years ago when I was looking for a small, personalized vet clinic. I found it! 

The front office staff is always very friendly and helpful, the place is clean (and cute!) and the vet techs are awesome. You can tell they really love their jobs.

I have seen both Dr. Chan and Dr. Stone and they are very patient, knowledgeable and helpful. What I love is that they are willing to spend time with you and your pet and discuss your concerns and options. 

I will agree with Alex C's opinion that they do sometimes seem to be trying to "upsell" some other type of test or procedure, but you are allowed to say no. You know your pet best, they are just giving you options. Sometimes I have taken their recommendations (like a much needed dental cleaning for my shepherd mix),  and sometimes I have not (like twice yearly blood work for my senior lab). Just use your best judgment. 

Would highly recommend.
1 - Rachelle D.: Myself, my husband and my cat just had the worst possible vet experience of our lives here and are still reeling from the experience.  We spent the first 30 minutes with a vet assistant who did nothing but try to sell us preventative tests and medications before the cats were even examined.  It wouldn't have been so bad if she hadn't talked to us like we had absolutely no knowledge about pet health or care.   

The real issue came when Dr. Chan came in to examine the cats.  One of our cats is older and has very fragile/sensitive joints and is not comfortable in certain positions.  He gets pretty pissed off when anyone handles him harshly and we told the assistant this, but there was no communication between her and the doctor.  Needless to say their handling of our cat was miserable.  They didn't attempt to introduce themselves, pet or calm our cat at all before three of them started pushing him down to "get control" of him which in turn caused him to freak out and start hissing, screaming, flailing about and urinating all over (which he has NEVER done before).  I tried to tell them repeatedly that it hurts him to be pushed down in such a manner (having to shout to get someone to pay attention) and no one ever listened or attempted to let him up.  This went on for a tortuously long time and he ended up with a bloody nose by the end of the scuffle (that he didn't have before we brought him in).  If anyone had listened to us in the first place this sort of catastrophe could've been avoided.  They told us they weren't hurting him, but indeed they were.  When we got him home and out of the carrier we noticed that he is now limping and is clearly having pain in his hind leg. They acted without care or concern and we should've insisted they release him and let us take him home the moment things started going awry. Unfortunately we were so stunned by the whole incident and eager to get him treatment for what we thought might be an upper respiratory infection that we didn't listen to our gut.  

I went here because I believed Dr. Chan  had a more natural approach with TCM/acupuncture, and although she does have experience with acupuncture she is primarily a western oriented vet.  She was quick enough to think to get a urine sample while he was urinating everywhere and able to do a test on site so I assume she has a certain amount of competence, but her and her staff really missed the mark for me when it comes to careful handling and just plain caring or attentiveness.
5 - Martha R.: Dr. Chan and her staff are about as professional and attentive as any vet or doctor's office I have ever been. First, when making an appointment, the staff is very polite and made it work for me as far as time was concerned - not a hint of irritation at my crazy-busy schedule (I work full-time and go to school, making my time demands annoying at best). When I got there, Odin (the best dog in the world) and I were put in a lovely examination room. So much more homey than some of the other vet clinics I have been in. They took a little picture of Odin, had the tech do the tech stuff, and then Dr. Chan came in after a very short period of time. She thoroughly examined Odin, and talked to me about the shots he should get to avoid the common diseases of Austin.

The entire thing went off w/o a hitch, and they even presented me with a cute little page with Odin's picture on it and all the things that I need to know about my doggie's health.

The negative reviews I am seeing here are shocking at the very least... I am so happy that my dog's health is in the hands of the folks over at Abraham Vet Clinic. If I don't want to run a preventative test on my dog, then I don't have to do it. I didn't once feel that they pressured me into anything. Nor did I ever feel that a tech or Dr. Chan not treat my dog with the utmost respect and kindness.

I recently left the country for a short stint and brought my dog along with me. Dr. Chan made some suggestions on how to make sure that my dog stayed disease-free in his new environment.

I really cannot express how happy I am to have Dr. Chan as my vet, as well as the well-run office. This is definitely as good as it gets.

Abrano Silver - Cambridge, MA (42.3736331, -71.121025) (Harvard Square)
5 - Meredith K.: Lots of pretty and/or funky silver necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, etc.... 

I always like coming in here and checking out all kinds of cool stuff. It's hard to narrow the decision on what to get because there really are so many great choices. Prices range from fairly inexpensive, to a few hundred dollars. 

The back area of the store has a whole bunch of items that are on final sale for 50% off. I ended up getting 3 super cute pairs of earrings for $50 total with the discount! My best bargain of the day!
5 - Stacy P.: Abrano Silver has the best silver jewelry at affordable prices in the city. They also have so much to choose from. Every time I go in I seem to find something different that wasn't there before, and that I can't live without!
The staff is super! They know their stuff, they will treat you like family and they don't pressure you into buying.

I highly recommend stopping in and seeing what you can find!
4 - molly f.: Gorgeous silver jewelry...at mystery discount prices? yes please! I popped into Abrano after a trip to their sister store, Baak, a few weeks ago to exchange a pair of earrings. While I was looking around I spied several pairs of gorgeous silver earrings and the friendly staff made me aware of a special promotion they had going on...a mystery discount with every purchase!  Not one to turn down a bargain, I picked out a gorgeous pair of silver earrings and took my chances with the mystery discount basket...30% off my purchase! Score. Now my gorgeous silver earrings are not only lovely...they are super affordable too.  I've been back a few times since & have been really impressed with their level of service. Most of the jewelry is hand made and custom designed, and the quality is superb. 

I would absolutely suggest stopping in & taking a peek at their selection!
3 - Brin L.: Two years ago, this used to be one of my favorite stores as I could depend on it always having a good selection of affordable pick-me-ups. Unfortunately, the designs have stopped evolving and the prices have kept on rising. The last straw for me was when I saw the exact same necklace sold there and at Zinnia's down by JP Licks, only that Zinnia's was $15 cheaper. If your thinking of going there for repairs, don't bother. They charge you nearly as much as the cost of a brand new item.  Oh and don't be fooled by the 20% and 50% discount announcements. They've existed since I first moved here, three years ago, and they never ever disappear. Its a marketing tactic to make you believe you are getting a bargain, when in reality they have that factored in the price, You are paying full cost plus a labor premium every time and I know this because I make jewelry myself from time to time. Sorry Abrano but you give new meanings to the term con artist. Greed is not a good color on anyone.

Abricott - Pasadena, CA (34.14175, -118.131823) (Pasadena)
5 - Matt T.: This is the most delicious food ever!! We had the sweet and salty wings for starters.  If I could get this as a half or whole chicken I would be coming here every day. Comes with an awesome sweet dipping sauce but I like it just as much without it as I do with it. Either way is yummie. 

Then came the Pho and the Savory Pork and Cabbage. OMG what can I say! Both were even better than the wings. The portions where huge. The Pho was a little more expensive than other places, I have tried, but worth it. Flavor was delicious and I like the fact that I can now get good Pho, without driving to Alhambra. 

My favorite part was for sure the Pork and Cabbage.  If you are on some crazy diet you might want to skip this. It is everything good pork belly should be and the cabbage accents the flavors better than I can describe. It is fabulous! I highly, highly recommend it. 
 
The cost for my fiancé and I was under $40. So the prices are very reasonable and on par with what we normally pay for dinners out. After just one visit I can tell we will be coming here regularly.

YUMM!!!
5 - Allie G.: Awesome food! My favorite thing (so far) is the pho. The server was super friendly and all in all was a great experience. I can't wait to have a party so we can use their awesome private room with a table for like 14, and an amazing chandelier. Give it a shot, I am sure you'll love it
5 - Amy E.: I've been walking by this place for weeks, and it looks really cute and warm filled with wood furniture and books.  I had a mocha there for the first time two days ago, and was happy to find that they had a full breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu.  The menu looked like asian/french food which is interesting.   I went back for dinner tonight, which was REALLY GOOD. 
I had the Thai shrimp salad which had deep fried onions and the dressing was I think  fish sauce and thai basil--which was light yet flavorful.  The pork belly on red cabbage had just the right amount of pork fat and the skin was super crispy, and the red cabbage was also delicious.  We also a steak with mashed potatoes, the medium rare steak was really tender, cooked just right.  For dessert I had something called a avogado (?) which was ice cream floating in espresso... which was hot/cold and bitter/sweet --- DELICIOUS!   I definitely over-ate, but i was very happy. 

I'm really glad this place is so close to my work. The owners and staff seem to be really nice . Hopefully this place is open on weekends because i've been looking for  great brunch places.  Either way I'm coming back for sure.
2 - Craig M.: Got to say. Pretty disappointed. Menu looked good bit that has to be the smallest sub par bahn mi for $8. Worth the drive to sgv for a third the price and 10 times the flavor. Spice table in little Tokyo is also miles better.
5 - Elaine C.: Abricott just opened a couple weeks ago and I decided to give it a whirl. The moment I stepped into the charming restaurant, I fell in love with the ambiance. Old books are stacked up along the shelves with old vintage trinkets and photos hanging on the wall. Check out the back room with its gorgeous handmade table and chandelier ensconced by a beautiful draping curtain. I took a picture but I'm not going to upload it because the snapshot on my old phone just doesn't do it justice.

Anyways, on to the important part: the food! I came in for a late lunch and had the Pork Belly Bahn Mi. Pure pork belly happiness - a lot more decadent than your run of the mill bahn mi.  It came with shoestring fries (almost julienned fries) that were cooked perfectly - a little bit of crunch but none of the char that can come with such a delicate cut. 

My mom had the trout with the papaya salad. The fish had just enough seasoning and balanced well with the salad. I'm usually not a huge fan of fruit in my salad but the sweet and tart flavor paired perfectly with the fish.

Capped off the meal with cappuccino paired with a little trio of cakelettes in a light hazelnut crunch, pomegranate, and chocolate. Just perfect.

All in all, a fabulous restaurant - great food and vibe. I can't wait to check out their breakfast and dinner menus!
4 - Jason L.: I had the burger with pork and thought it was pretty good. It maybe could have used a little bit of spice, but that's just personal preference.
The decor is really fun and cool inside. They did a great job with repurposed materials.
Just an FYI, they just opened, so I'm sure they're still working out the kinks. I'll be back within a week or two to try something new.
4 - Stephanie B.: Wonderful atmosphere and ambience. Great service, very friendly. The owner couldn't be friendlier, and the food is delicious. We loved the chicken wings, the burgers, and the curry in particular. A nice addition to Pasadena!
5 - Jenn S.: My husband and I had lunch here for the first time and it was awesome.  I had the burger and he had the spiced pork belly sandwich.  My burger was juicy and flavorful, his sandwich was perfectly spiced.  Both dishes came with string potatoes that are to die for.  The restaurant was very clean and we loved the decor.  It looks like a great place to hang out  with friends.  The service was also great, we were treated like we've been going there forever.  I highly recommend it.
4 - Nancy R.: Went to lunch today following a lovely hike in Eaton Canyon. Had wanted to try the papaya salad without the trout and the owner was kind enough to allow me and my friends to just order it alone.  Great side dish to go along with our spicy pork belly sandwich and the burger.  The food was well made and everything tasted delicious. The look of the restaurant is super cute with nice ecclectic decor.  Already making plans in my head to use the private room in the back for birthday dinners. Looking forward to my next visit. Thankfully, it's only a couple of doors down from my hairdresser, so it is super convenient for when I have to wait out the freeway traffic to die down.  Now I can just have yummy food while I wait.
5 - Kiel M.: Abricott is an ABSOLUTE MUST VISIT in Pasadena!!   

My wife and I live walking distance from Abricott and we watched it grow the past couple of months during the construction process.  When it was finished, we were blown away with the design and decoration on the inside.   It's one of the most uniquely decorated restaurants I have seen to in Pasadena!

Before I even talk about what we ordered, I think it's important everyone knows that this place has the same owners as Daisy Mint (#10 restaurant in Pasadena via Tripadvisor.com). We all know how amazing Daisy Mint is.  

They are still shaping the menu and have only been in business for about a week.  For only being in business a week I was very impressed that this place was packed on a Wednesday night at 8:30pm.  

We ordered Ice cold Coconut water served in the coconut which was incredible.   My wife ordered the Pho and I had the yellow curry.  Both meals were excellent.  

The best part about this place was the staff is genuinely nice.   They genuinely care about each and every customer and are very appreciative of your business.  

If you are looking for a new place to try, this is it.    I would come as quickly as you can because once word spreads about this place, it's always going to be packed!
5 - Kris I.: Atmosphere:  Love the decor.  it has a cute/cozy library feel.  The woodwork on the patio is gorgeous and the chandelier in that back room is beautiful.  

Service:  Everyone was extremely nice and attentive.  

Now for the food...
Starters - Fried chicken wings were crispy and had good flavor by itself.  But the tangy mayo sauce was YUMMY!  The other sauce was tasty by itself, but I felt it lost its flavor once you had it with the chicken. 

Entree - I had the PHO with brisket.  YUMMY!  The many large pieces of brisket were ridiculously tender and the broth light and flavorful.  Huge portion!

The BF had the flank steak with mash potatoes and string beans.  The flank steak was cooked medium rare and was a rather thick piece...AMAZING!  The seasoning on it was perfect with just the right amount of char!  Now the mash potatoes were AWESOME!!!  It was like eating a cross between a baked and mashed potato with a hint of cheese flavor throughout.

Dessert -  We had the flaky waffle with ice cream and shot of espresso.  This was also absolutely fantastic.  The waffle is very light, but crispy with a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream.  When its served to you the espresso shot is on the side.  We poured the shot over the ice cream.  Every bite...AMAZING!  Now when you eat this, make sure you get a a good amount of ice cream, when eating an espresso drenched pc of waffle.  The ice cream balances out the richness of the espresso.  

Overall a fantastic restaurant....Def  will be back to try more!  

Good job guys!
5 - Toni L.: Big upgrade from the Koo Koo Ro that used to be here. I've tried almost every item on the menu and am not afraid to confess my obsession. 

Food: I came here last night after having walked by the remodeling job several times and getting a tip from my coworker that it was finally open. Let me just say that the food is really tasty, but you have to know what to pick. They serve what appears to be Vietnamese/Korean/French fusion, so obviously it's going to be a little pricier than what you might expect. I got the Abricott burger thinking it would be a safe choice (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/R2-_hZIboGriSatS2kn7rw?select=XKjc8ACgrEOvToJkSiIMmg). The burger was juicy with tremendous flavor and came with a side of shoestring fries. Actually, I don't even know if I'd call these shoestring. It was more like they took a cheese grater and then fried the result. Anyway, not complaining because it tasted fantastic. My boo got the pork belly with cabbage (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/R2-_hZIboGriSatS2kn7rw?select=uWrXLzu9tYi2p1zJtKbXEw) which looked pretty disappointing on the plate, but tasted fine. It probably could have used more seasoning. They have since updated this dish and it's much more appetizing. I was at first skeptical this place could deliver on some of the more traditional Vietnamese items. The banh mi, however, was mindblowingly good (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/R2-_hZIboGriSatS2kn7rw?select=6YlAO1xLDdkqm71MWHfbRA#rzcMsuEBRdHx6AM2EK_Fww). This concoction was melt-in your mouth perfection with juicy meat and all the fresh veggies you could want. The croque monsieur was similarly good if you are into lots of cheese (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/R2-_hZIboGriSatS2kn7rw?select=6YlAO1xLDdkqm71MWHfbRA#GE2sDL9G32k3Ou_-iKlRxA). I think the only disappointing dish here is, not surprisingly, the pho (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/R2-_hZIboGriSatS2kn7rw?select=6YlAO1xLDdkqm71MWHfbRA#tM_ReGhmlPiKfxxa8B0WDQ). There are almost no veggies in it and you don't have the option of adding organs, meatballs, or any other fancy items. You also don't get a side of veggies to dump into the broth. Save your money for a cheaper, more filling version at a non-fusion Vietnamese restaurant. 

Atmosphere: Abricott excels in this area with a handsome display of books lining the entryway, lots of pictures on the wall, and a fancy, draped ceiling in the back. When I went there was a substantial number of people waiting for a seat. I am wondering if it'll die down soon since this place just opened. The front has a beautiful, spacious patio that is shielded from Lake with a clear screen. 

Service: Order at the counter and take a number for your table. You'll have to get your own water, utensils, and napkins from the tables at the front or the back. They'll take your food to you when it's ready. 

Synopsis: An amazing place all around. Just stay away from the pho and you'll be fine.
5 - Victor C.: Friday night and the place was very busy! Food is very good, with some adjustments still being made, bring your own bottle of wine to enjoy with dinner, until they get their liquor license. 
Had the burger with pork belly, asked for it cooked medium well and it was very pink, but still good. 
Wife had mussels, very good sauce, actually took the left over sauce home.
Friends had Trout which was good, croque-monsieur(yes for dinner) and it looked good.
The crispy fried potatoes are yummy! Like hash browns but but better.
John the owner is very friendly and accommodating, be sure to say hello, and "Rock on Ozzy"
Will be back for lunch and breakfast! 
Abricott is what South Lake was missing!
Real food daily is coming too.
5 - Minda w.: Abricott, Daisy Mint's newest sibling, is an absolute new favorite of mine. It's just a few weeks old but it's already off to a great start. The boyfriend and I came by on a Friday night for dinner and it was packed like their bookcase (I love their bookcase). It took a little while to get a seat but the wait was well worth it.

Latte & Mocha - Delicious LAMILL coffee. The mocha was very rich and reminiscent of thick hot chocolate. 
Sesame Steak with mashed potatoes and green beans & Pork Belly with red cabbage - I don't even know how to describe how tasty these two entrees were. The sesame steak was wonderful rich asian flavor profile. The mashed potatoes were hearty and perfectly seasoned. The pork belly was very soft. The red cabbage had a nice tang that paired well with the fattiness of the pork belly. 

They also have a beautifully decorated small private party room and I'm definitely looking to snag that for my next birthday gathering. 

The menu is so very very good. The decor is comfy and welcoming. The coffee is amazing. Abricott, I am rooting for you to do well! =)
5 - Bex Q.: The kinks of opening a place needs to be worked out, but lets just forget those for now. The pho, as far as "hipster pho" goes is totally awesome. I will not need to leave Pasadena for Alhambra for lunch. It is a little more, but who gives? I save on gas! My dad had their Abricott burger with pork belly and he enjoyed every last bite, however he did order it Medium Rare and the burger was more Medium then Rare, however he said it reminded him of the flavors of Vietnam, which was a good thing for him.

I look forward to coming back again and again...We have all of their menus and I am excited that there are good places to eat surfacing in Pasadena again!
4 - Denis K.: I am a bit torn. I love the place. I love the husband/wife owner team and their creations. From the food to the decor to their crazy hard working ethics.  Abricott is a great restaurant. But I am less than crazy about the Old Town Pasasdena pricing scale. 

Croque-Madame is really good. The sauce has a heavy horseradish taste. It doesn't give you that sinus clearing sensation, but the taste is bold. Perfect sandwich. Love it.

This came with shoestring fries which were more like potato threads. They are good but not as addictive as regular fries. For the heath conscious, this is great. Enough to satisfy but less filling. 

I am not totally sold on the pho. Maybe cuz I'm too married to the tradition stuff. Wife loved it. A bit lacking in depth for my taste. Or maybe just missing MSG. I dunno. 

Try this place out. You'll like it. A great variety of solid dishes.
5 - Tamara M.: New Fave place in Pasadena . Cool, casual ambience. Food affordable and Everything I have had is Delicious!!! Pho is Best EVER. The staff of people are friendly and welcoming. I have been back 3 x in one week and everything my husband and I have tried is incredible. Love their coffee too.
3 - candie s.: The food is OK.  The decor is unique and fun.  The prices are a bit steep for the amount of food you get.

Went in for breakfast ... it's an order at the counter and grab a number kind of place.  We got the croque-madame with country potatoes ($12) and the salmon benedict ($13).  

The croque was tasty and the bechamel sauce was heavy handed with horseradish.  I did enjoy it quite a bit, but I was also really hungry.  The potatoes on the other hand, though seasoned well, were super soggy and mushy.  I wasn't a fan of them at all.  

The hollandaise on the benedict was tasty but the portion was quite small.  Only a sliver of salmon was given per benedict.

Overall, for the amount we paid I guess I just wanted more.  I might be back to try the banh mi and/or the pho ... but I probably won't.
5 - James D.: A fantastic and much-welcome addition to fast food row on South Lake. Genuinely welcoming atmosphere in both decor and service. I'd almost forgotten the impact that a business owner's love and dedication can have on the visitor experience. The place lacks all corporate cynicism and it's refreshing. The menu is simple and offers few surprises but what they do, they do well. This is definitely going to become a regular haunt. I wish them well.

PS: Don't believe the truly bizarre complaints about the prices. Dinner for two is only slightly more than at Chipotle next door. Some people are just plain cheap and think they're entitled to something for nothing. I for one have no interest in trying to cheat small business owners out of deserved success.
4 - Greg N.: For those of you who have been to Daisy Mint this is the same owner.  It has a similar vibe with a different cuisine.  This is more of French Vietnamese flavor.  Heavy on the French side.  I thought the prices were very reasonable for what you get.
5 - Jason C.: Abricott is the latest venture of Chef John of Daisy Mint and it does not disappoint. The quality and attention to detail Abricott exhibits does not fall far from it's already established elder sibling. We went for dinner and got the pork belly and sesame steak and I highly recommend both dishes. Here is the nitty gritty:

Food: The pork belly was served as one slab with red cabbage and purple potatoes. Soft and unctuous without being overly heavy, I felt the serving was a good size for a moderate appetite. The red cabbage had a nice, slightly subdued, crunch and mild sweet/tartness that helped reign in the pork - Great balance and good textures. The sesame steak also had a good size (8-10 oz, by my estimation) and packed great flavor, despite it being medium rare. The marinade is, no doubt, the sesame sauce with slight tweaks that is prevalent in Japanese cuisine. This was piled on mashed potatoes, which took on some of that delicious marinade and made for a truly unique flavor profile. They ended up tasting like traditional mashed potatoes with a definite daikon radish flavor - the end result was quite nice. Sadly, this was finished off with a somewhat bland pairing of green beans, which were not really seasoned, albeit probably healthy. Lord knows that I need that!

Restaurant: Chef John is a awesome guy! He makes you feel welcomed and this seems to be the mantra of the staff. Although we waited a fairly long time (45 min), we had coffee on the house and the staff was attentive while we waited. The decor is akin to Daisy Mint, with more emphasis on books than art. They also have this beautiful room in the back, I'm guessing for private parties.

So in summation: Abricott has great food for a fair price. Expect a wait, but a pleasant one at that.
5 - aaron j.: Great fusion at a great price. Many places try to mix culinary influences and fall short by spreading themselves too thin. Not the case here. Each dish is masterfully prepared with top-quality, authentic ingredients. Want a Croque-Madame for breakfast, Pho for lunch, and Trout Amandine for dinner? Abricott won't disappoint.
And don't forget the tea and dessert menu. The waffle with ice cream, topped with a shot of LAMILL espresso is off. the. hook.
P.S. The burger + pork belly really is All That. 
You've heard of Animal Style at In N Out... ask for Johnny Style and they'll add a Kimchi puree for $1.
P.P.S. I heard they're still working on a beer & wine license. In the meantime, it's BYO. with no corkage fee. How sweet is that?
5 - Julie S.: I felt like I was stepping into a cool music video set.  We tried several things, but my favorite was the Abricott Burger. (add pork belly) It was super moist and marinated well. I noticed the comments regarding the price, but in my opinion it's an expected price for the area. I can't wait to go back again!
5 - Lana M.: Such a great find! Cute place with great food and service.  I made reservations and I'm glad I did. I came with a friend on a Saturday night, and this place was packed.  Four names were ahead of ours in their check-in list.  I went to the counter and spoke to kiko, who was super friendly, and seated us promptly.

While my friend and I were passing time by catching up, kiko came over to apologize for our wait, and said the kitchen was offering us some little amuse bouches.  I hadn't even noticed our food was delayed, but it was really nice of them to offer!  We got little tarts, i think petit fours? One was berry, the other chocolate. When our food came, it turns out they got our order wrong!  She offered to change back to what we originally wanted, but since the food was already out, we didn't want to have even more.  She felt really bad, and insisted that we have dessert on her! 

The entrees we had received were the trout and the mussels. OMG the mussels are so good! Served in this rich, tomato cream broth and pressed toasted bread on the side. My first taste of the broth and the bread, I was in heaven.  I wanted to drink it all up! But its really heavy, so I got nowhere doing that...:P

The dessert we got was the chocolate ganache cake with hazelnut.  Filled to the brim with hazelnuts.  How could you NOT like that combination? :) My friend also ordered a cappuccino, while I got the mango and peach infused tea, served in a French press.   The staff came over to check up on us a lot, and even gave us some FYI on their coffee and tea selection.  The teas the chose are infused, and they still keep their  scent after being in hot water.  Most of the ones they had tried out initially didn't.  As for their coffee, they have to go through special training to learn how to serve it, since its LAMILL coffee.  So much attention to details!

Great food, great service, great ambiance all at a great price, what more could you ask for? And I gotta mention the ample parking in the back too! Definitely coming back!
5 - Sandy S.: This place just opened up within the last month or so and I've been 3 times already. I've tried the Nicoise salad (fresh salad with tuna, veggies, and a hard boiled egg, good but not my favorite). I also tried the pho, yellow curry, mussels and pork belly - all outstanding. In my opinion everything is delicious, but I think the mussels have to be my favorite so far! The coffee is from La Mill and petite fours for dessert would be my recommendation but I think the main dishes are really where it's at! BTW, the decor is stunning! I've gotten excellent service everytime I've gone.
5 - Angelino M.: I love this place so darn much.  The decor is so beautiful, the food is just plain tasty, and the staff & owner are so friendly.  This place is really special.  My favorite thing so far is the chicken curry.  It's 10 bucks, and its so filling that it's enough for dinner, and lunch the next day.  Try to get a big group together & make a reservation if you can, it's all about the private room in the back!
4 - Tim B.: 3 meal trifecta complete. We've done breakfast, lunch, and dinner her and all were solid. It's new and they are still ironing out a few kinks, but should be golden in a month or two.
5 - robert s.: We were just in Abricott for a late snack. The Pho noodles were recommended. Outstanding. I have had this dish a couple of times since. Each time the noodles and broth were delicious.  I like that about a restaurant - consistency. You can count on a great food experience with Abricott.
4 - Br C.: Background:

I came here on a Friday night with a friend, I have passed this restaurant numerous times and have yet to try it out until now.

Overall Food Quality: 3.5/5.0

-Spicy Pulled Pork Sandwich: This sandwich was really good, the baguette was very soft yet crunchy at the same time, the filling was flavorful even though it lacked in spiciness, the pork was soft and well flavored, and the seasoning balanced well with the rest of the sandwich, overall this was good sandwich. - 4.5/5.0

-Yellow Chicken Curry: The curry had a nice texture, decent viscosity, and smelled quite wonderful, however it was a bit on the salty side. -2.5/5.0

Atmosphere: 5.0/5.0

I really like the atmosphere in this restaurant, it has a very eloquent decor, sort of a modern, yet classy look and feel to it. It really stands out as a memorable restaurant.

Service: 2.0/5.0

I think that since this restaurant is still new that most of the staff still hasn't really gotten the hang of it yet. When we arrived at the restaurant we weren't really properly greeted by the staff, the cashier made eye contact with me but didn't bother to say "hello" nor did any of the waiters/waitresses walking by, the only person who actual greeted me was the manager/owner several minutes later after standing at the front of the restaurant.

Price: 3.0/5.0

The was price was decent, it was what one would expect at this type of restaurant.

Overall: 3.5/5.0 

I actual think this place for the above reasons deserve a 3.5/5.0 but I'll be generous and round up to the 4.0. I would definitely come back to try the Croque-Madame or the Croque-Monsuier though.
5 - Deidre F. G.: I love Daisy Mint, the sister restaurant to Abricott, and when my husband found out that they were opening a new restaurant, I knew it was going to be equally exceptional!  Abricott is fresh modern quaint and expressive in food and decor!  A wonderful place to eat great food and converse with friends and/or family.  The whole look of Abricott is extraordinarily vibrant and comfy at the same time.  The food leaves your taste buds wanting more.  The staff is alert in giving service like you were dining at a friends' house, comfort in a somewhat self serve atmosphere while acknowledging you are there.  I love their pho noodle soup, great to have on a cold day, earthy, savory and comforting.  The Sizzling eggs with toast is simple and savory, great in kick starting your day, especially with a cup of Lamill coffee!  Awesome Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame!  I also love their tender Savory pork belly with red cabbage, the combination is perfect.  Definitly going back for more!
5 - Max L.: jesus, what a sandwich. Spicy pork sandwich punched my in the face so hard, in a good way. Would eat it everyday if it didn't mean I'd be dead by 30.
5 - Macy H.: OH NO, I'M ON YELP ON MY PHONE WHAT SHOULD I ORDER?!
+ Spicy Pork Sandwich
+ Abricott Burger w/ Bulgogi

Prices range from about $8-12ish, but that's expected when it comes to Korean food.

------

Ah, a new favorite place to indulge my inner fatty. I love Korean food with a passion so I have my reservations about fusion food. But when done right, oh my goodness!

It was a little hard to find this place from the back parking lot, so really.. just head towards the general direction of Chipotle and it'll be to the right of it (from the back parking lot).

The atmosphere was a little romantic. Dim lighting, quiet conversations. A good place for a date. Unfortunately.. I was here with just one other platonic friend haha. Awkward!

Service is oh-so friendly, and the food was really delicious! Like there's a chef back there taking his time to make sure that everything's just right. We ordered a burger and a sandwich, and switched half with one another (because we're fatties and couldn't decide, so we wanted to try everything). You just have to come try this place. The bulgogi on the burger.. so worth it.

Some people have complaints about the "fries" it comes with. I actually enjoyed it. It was like eating deep fried yummy goodness. My friend put it in his burger, and it added a nice texture/taste :) If only it didn't stab every corner of my mouth as I tried to fork it all in, lol.
5 - Zachary S.: Abricott is definitely a great addition to North Lake, nicely interrupting the *cough* national food chains that define this section of town with an extremely quaint and surprisingly affordable and delicious restaurant with loads of style and character!

The prices for entrees are definitely reasonable, given the locale and the ambiance; our table had a variety, and I tried the Abricott Burger, which is definitely unique (it kind of reminds me of Taiwanese beef jerky - you have to try it to understand), and pretty tasty. Nobody seemed to have complaints about their food, and portions are fair. Desert - waffles with ice cream and hot expresso (waffle affogato al caffe) - was delectable. Service is excellent, the owner is extremely high-energy and affable, and the ambiance - small tables surrounded by books, or the large party room (which needs prior reservations) - is quite quaint.

We were able to BYOB at no charge as well.
4 - Ally T.: ive been to this charming new restaurant twice in 4 days.  and i dont live in pasadena!  such a cute place, reasonably priced food, lamill coffee, wonderful apricot glazed croissant, and my favorite, the pulled pork sandwich with kimchee!
love the decor and the friendly staff. since its only about a month old,. there are kinks being worked out (my order has come out wrong before) but the food was so yummy, i didnt sent it back. 
nice patio and modern decor as well. LOVE!
5 - Jenna C.: I was saving review #300 for some place special... and Abricott is the perfect place for my 300th review :-)

I went to Abricott last night with my boyfriend, cousin, aunt and uncle.  I was impressed by all of the great reviews I read on Yelp, so I was excited to go.  The place is really hard to find, especially because it's new and they don't have a sign up.  But it's right near Chipotle, and there's plenty of parking in front of the store, or in the back lot.

We had a reservation for a party of 5, and we were seated at the cutest little table in a pretty private location.  It was seated right next to the private room, which looked VERY impressive!  I LOVED the decor - a chandelier, cute little window-pane decor, stacks of books, it was so cute and romantic.  The owners told us the chandelier was strung by hand by the owners/decorators, which is so cool.

On to the food... we tried the mussels, wings, and arugula salad for appetizers.  Everything was great.  I was really impressed with the arugula salad, served with a solid strip of cheese (parm?) and nuts.  The salad appeared under dressed, but once you ate it with everything, it was perfect!  The mussels were also very fresh, and my boyfriend, who doesn't regularly like mussels, really enjoyed the dish.  The best part was the toasted bread that it came with for dipping in the yummy, thick tomato broth!  The wings were nothing too special, but they were tasty.

I ordered the pork belly with cabbage for the entree.  The portion (like all the portions here) was huge!  It also came with rice, which complimented the pickled cabbage nicely.  My boyfriend had the burger with the pork belly and he absolutely loved it.  He didn't love the fries, but was raving about the burger.  My aunt had the trout, which again, was a huge portion.  I tasted it, and it was really fresh and well cooked.  My cousin had the papaya salad with trout, and my uncle had the steak.  Everyone was very pleased with their meals!  And I can not get over the prices!

We also tried the waffle with ice cream/espresso and chocolate cake for dessert.  Again, two other winners, which were definitely big enough to share among a couple people.

It is BYOB (they don't serve any alcohol... yet?), but who wouldn't rather bring their own bottle of wine for no corkage fee anyways?

The server was great, and we met the owners who were also very friendly.

We WILL be returning.  I don't know the last time I gave a restaurant 5 stars!  Although not all of the food was 5-star out-of-this-world, all of the food was at least 4 stars, and the decor/service/prices/ambiance really elevates this restaurant to 5 stars.  I'd love to try Daisy Mint, their sister restaurant, sometime soon!
4 - Les L.: Abricott comes from the makers of Daisy Mint.  This time, they've created a French-Asian fusion bistro.  The one-page menu features a mix of very Asian dishes like - crispy chicken wings, Pho, or curry, and others that are more European, like Mussels Provencale and Trout Amandine. 

Abricott adopts a similar library-shabby chic decorating approach.  They favor empty vintage frames as wall art and shelves full of old books are room dividers.  The overall effect is cozy albeit dark.  My only comment is that there seems to be a disjointedness between the front and the back.  The front feels like a to-go lunch spot with a big bakery display case and open patio seating whereas the back is a dim dining room.  
  
We started with the Sweet and Salty Chicken Wings, which are deep-fried marinated chicken wings with an Asian dipping sauce.  The wings themselves were standard fare  - crispy deep fried wings with little to them.  In that way, it was slightly disappointing - we expected some kind of twist to the chicken itself.  Perhaps a dusting of salt and pepper salt or some five spice powder once out of the fryer would have added more interest.  The Asian dipping sauce turned out to be two: one similar to a Vietnamese chili and fish sauce, which was a nice combination of sweet and hot and tangy and the other was a creamy spicy sauce, probably mayo and siracha mixed. 

John selected the Savory Braised Pork Belly, which was served with red cabbage.  The pork was fork tender and very tasty.  It was reminiscent of a Chinese or Korean braised pork, with soy and aromatics in the braising liquid.  It went well with the tangy and tart red cabbage on the side.  The owner came to check in on us early on and gave him a small bowl of shrimp fried rice to go with the dish.  He explained that the restaurant is considering this period its "soft opening" and is in fact still tweaking and adding to its menu.  They will be serving the rice alongside the pork in the future but at the time, the addition still felt like a generous gift.  It turned to be a dry, stir fry of diced dried shrimp and rice.  It was a homogenous textured rice with the salt seasoning coming from the finally diced dried shrimp.  Overall, it was a hearty, satisfying entree.  The pork belly portion was very generous, a thick 1.5" slice cut off the slab.  The presentation could use improvement.  It might help to slice the pork and fan them out instead of leaving it whole and ominous on the plate. 

My dish was also rich and hearty.  A sizeable soup bowl was filled with a huge pile of small mussels floating in a tomato cream broth and three very large toasted baguettes.  This was the most abundant mussel dish I've ever encountered.  There were mussels for each bite, which is practically incredible, like running across a unicorn.  Everyone knows that mussel dishes are all broth.  The soup was incredibly rich and salty - a textured, chunky tomato soup.  The kitchen could probably scale it back on the cream and salt.   Like the pork belly, there were probably Asian ingredients (maybe soy) hiding in the dishes.

I liked the experience and the general approach and hope that Abricott continues to do what its doing, which is to serve interesting food and taste and tweak its menu. With its moderate pricing and uncommon cuisine style, Abricott is a necessary addition to the Pasadena food scene.
4 - aubrey a.: Had dinner here on a Monday night.  Decor is super hip, a bibliophile's fantasy - they use books as decor here in the same way that sister-restaurant Daisy Mint uses empty frames, to achieve a slightly-bohemian, artsy vibe.

Service was...a little rough around the edges (weird for a not-so-busy Monday night).  The waitress was very nice, but not quite on it.  One example: after asking if we'd like glasses for the bottle of beer we'd brought (it's BYOB/W and no corkage!), she came over with two glasses full of ice.  When we said thanks, but we'd rather have the glasses empty for the beer, she said sure, and then never brought us empty glasses.  The Chef ended up noticing we were glass-less and remedied the problem, and it was no big deal, just...weird.

Anyway, I ordered the mussels and, as others have said, the broth was amazing.  I wish they hadn't pressed/flattened the baguette pieces, as a crusty, fluffy baguette would have sopped up waay more of that garlicky tomato-y goodness.  Huz ordered the croque madame (over easy), and it was bomb diggity. (Though I *do* wish they'd offer a veg version - asparagus, spinach, or even tomato would make a simple and awesome sub for the ham).  Love the peppery haystack of shoestring potatoes that come with it.  All-in-all, our entrees were a 4.5.  

I'd read that they serve a creme brulee for dessert and I just couldn't pass it up, though once it arrived I wished I had.  It wasn't bad (how could creme brulee ever be truly BAD?!), but it wasn't good either.  Call me traditional, but I like my creme cold with a crispy crust of warmish brulee.  This pudding had definitely been stuck under the broiler to brulee, and the crust was molten hot and a touch sticky (think toffee-sticky), and the creme steaming as well.  Merh.  I'll get the waffle next time. 

It's nice to finally have a decent restaurant on Lake!
4 - Derek T.: Abricott is an inspired creation brought to this part of Lake Avenue, in lieu of a "Denny's Cafe" (Yes, as in Grand Slam Denny's).

Helpful staff, open kitchen, ample seating, and an adorable secluded area for parties.  The familiar elements of a Vietnamese restaurant: the food, Sriracha, and condiment caddies meets the French cuisine and library.  Honestly, with the decor and music, I felt like I stepped out of a scene from "Midnight in Paris" --- adorable.  Informative and kind staff eagerly answer all questions with the familiarity you would typically only get from your local neighborhood restaurant; EVERY BUSINESS SHOULD BE LIKE THIS.

Items on the menu were inter-mingled Vietnamese, French, Korean, Thai, and Chinese; their influence in that order.

My friend and I ordered the Pork Belly Sandwich and Rice Plate.  Both contained Korean strips of pork belly with a Vietnamese twist.  His Rice plate had Pickled Daikon/Carrot, and Kimchi Relish, which is one of those "WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT?! Moments".   My sandwich was above average, pork/relish/cucumber and would've been vastly improved with some toasting.  Served with shoestring fries, and they were nice enough to throw in a small side salad free of charge.

WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO:

It's cheap, tasty, welcoming and filling without being overly ambitious.  They are still working out some kinks, (i.e. NO SIGN and some items on the menu), but it's clear that their intent is to make this place successful.

La Mill Coffee and Teas, with a somewhat short drink menu, but with more to come!
3 - Karen C.: Been coming here at least once a week for lunch since they opened.  The staff here is terrific, they always greet me with a smile and are very friendly and helpful.  I like coming here for lunch mainly because they serve my favorite dish from Daisy Mint - yellow curry chicken!  You must try it if you haven't had it.  Other dishes that I like to order for lunch is their tuna nicoise salad.  It's such a tasty salad made with fresh and good quality ingredients, it's another must try if you're not sure what to order.  I haven't tried their breakfast menu so I can't comment on that but so far I'm not too impressed with their sandwiches. I tried the banh mi which I thought was too dry and their croque monsieur was too rich and soggy.  I would give it a four stars but the dishes are kind of a hit or a miss, but overall, this is one of my favorite new lunch spot.  They also serve Lamill coffee and some yummy pastries.
1 - J. Nathaniel B.: The books on the shelves and the play of light and dark in the different rooms is kind of inspired, but sadly the food is not.   Abricott seems to be confused as to what it wants to be.  Is it French or Asian?  I know Fusion is the big thing, but when neither your French food or your Vietnamese/Korean food is authentic it's hard to Fuse bland and bland.  The only consistency is the lack of flavor all around.  Pho, usually filled with flavor anywhere I've tried it was watery and sweet, the shrimp in the shrimp salad were overcooked and not even seasoned (and the romaine lettuce swimming in a pool of the water used to wash it) and the Croque-monsieur, best of the lot was greasy.  Koo Koo Roo, the former occupant, at least knew way it was and did comfort food right.  I predict Abricott has a very short life in Pasadena.
4 - patty l.: John, owner, is awesome! Served us even though they had "just" closed for the night...and whipped up some pretty good yellow chicken curry over rice in a jiffy!  :)  Other pluses: fresh lemonade, iced tea, etc., and then the dessert: chocolate ganache mouse(?) and pistachio ice cream -- sooo good b/c it was imported direct from Italy! :)  And then, John sat down for a casual chat w/ us -- nice guy, good food & good service...definitely winning brownie points from us!  Yes, he's also the owner of the very popular Daisy Mint, which I have yet to try!
5 - Michelle Y.: so i have finally tried items off the lunch menu. 

the banh mi is loaded with delicious fatty pork belly and delicious veggies. it was amazing and the pork belly was perfectly bbq-ed. it was awesome! i squirted a bunch of sriracha in the sandwich and it made it infinitely better! no meal can be had without sriracha! also, i chose not to go with the salad or fries (the fries are little potato sticks that remind me of potato chips...not really a fry). 

my favorite item on their menu is the open faced kabocha sandwich. holy smokes. this is by far my favorite sandwich of all time! the caramelized onions and kabocha squash is amazing on top of a baguette. of course i naturally put sriracha on it. 

you can go with the option of fruit with everything here....it's a healthy portion of cantaloupe, blueberries, strawberries and oranges.
4 - Cheryl L.: Just had dinner here and didn't realize how new it is!  

The decor is really comfortable and full of books everywhere.  Super cute!!  

I ordered an arugula salad and the burger.  The salad was alright, kind of plain, but the gruyere (I think I butchered that spelling) cheese was good.  The burger and fries were good!  Burger was huge and really juicy.  I had to eat it with a fork and knife.  The shoestring fries were tasty, but I've got issues and can only eat one at a time so it was frustrating.  I did manage to get a few good mouthfuls with my fork though.  

Service was good.  The owner stopped by at the end and asked us our honest opinion of how it was...and we told him it was really good!  I'll be back here again.  Definitely make reservations because it seems to get busy at dinner!
5 - pizza l.: This is a great little place.5 Star for excellent interior design,unique and trendy,with bookshelves,real books.It has also a semi-private room with a big table and classy decorations on the wall and ceilings.
Food and service are also great. We were greeted by the owner at our table,and as they are still getting use to a jammed packed restaurant he apologized because it took long to deliver the food.
Plenty of parking on Lake Shoppers Lane behind the building.
5 - l g.: Amazing food, beautiful interior and terrific service!   A new great find in Pasadena!!  Must try for all foodies!
5 - Pierre G.: Awesome eggs-benedict, sauce is made with citrus which gives it a perfect taste. The Pho was great too. Coffee is wonderful. Orange juice was perfect. They are friendly and helpful, this is a happy place/
4 - Stepha G.: Shelving units constructed from plumbing parts to form the holding structure and wooden planks for the shelves topped with hardbound books without dust jackets---this is the ambiance of Abricott,  visible from Lake Street.   This is not a bookstore to replace Borders,   This is a food establishment using the colors of the covers of books and the repetition of the similar shape and size of the books to provide a comforting interior decor.  It turns out that the books reside in the middle dining area in the same room where the customer orders food at the counter.  This is a semi-self service establishment.  Besides ordering at the counter, the customer retrieves flatwear and tap water at a table immediately to the right of the front door, steps away from the ordering counter.  A certain degree of orientation is involved in one's dealings  with Abricott because so much is happening in a small area.

2 other dining areas are available--one adjacent to the sidewalk, the other in the rear; one public, the other more private with a chandelier.  

Immediately when walking into Abricott, the menu is posted on a glass wall to the left of the front door.  For lunch  I ordered the flank steak salad with a few slices of avocado along with a spicy dressing, on the side.   My husband ordered the chicken curry with brown rice alongside.  Not a big lunch eater, he had leftovers for the next day.  The portions are adequate for sedentary workers, most of the customer base of Abricott.

For the pedestrian customers in the neighborhood, Abricott is a welcome addition to the dining scene on Lake Street.  Not everyone is searching for parking.
5 - Kevin C.: Great food, nice ambiance, friendly staff with reasonable prices. This is one of my favorite dinner spot in Pasadena to meet up with friends for meal + coffee.

Here are some dishes I have tried and would strongly recommend:
1) "Johnny style" Abricott Burger with pork belly and Kim Chi
2) Trout Amandine
3) Spicy Pork Belly Sandwich
4) Mussel Soup
5) Iron Skirt Steak
6) Pork Belly with Red Cabbage

Also, make sure to try out their coffee deserts too :)
5 - Anya T.: Awwwww, thanks John! My friend and I were looking for a place tonight where we could have a cup of tea and talk after being on a panel at Caltech. We saw how cute the place looked inside and walked in, but the girl at the register said they were closed. The owner, John, came outside to chat with us about the place, and then my friend asked him if we could come in anyway. Not only did he let us sit down for a pot of tea, he also offered to bring us some curry! And oh man, it was delicious. Sooo flavorful, with chicken just falling off of the bone, carrots, potatoes, and a wonderful brown rice. Mmmmmm.... a pot of hot hibiscus tea and a light and lovely cheesecake, and we were in heaven. We talked till they were finished closing out the register, and then were on our way. Thank you! We will DEFINITELY be back. I can't wait to bring my family for breakfast. Ever since we moved here almost 2 years ago from foodie-heaven Berkeley I've been looking for an amazing place to go for awesome food and a welcoming ambiance, and tonight I finally found it!
4 - April C.: it seems like we've been here weekly almost since it opened - there are lots of places on lake but i think my workmates and i keep returning because it's so damn cute, in addition to being pretty damn yummy.  
i admit i'm a bit hesitant about that whole 'fusion' concept - but abricott does okay with it.  the ordering process is a bit chaotic but seems to be improving; peak lunch hours are just a little nutty is all.  the overall style and atmosphere are a welcome change to the collection of places on that block.  also, this one server/busser guy - i wish i remembered his name - he's The Most attentive and friendly human i've ever encountered, i swear; he puts us all in a great mood as he's so sweet and kind to everyone you just kind of want to hug him. 
and, lamill coffee.  yum.
3 - Steve D.: Okay I've been here about 2 times now. Seem like a REALLY good STUDY place if you come in during the day and used the front of the place. Parking can be a pain in the butt during rush hours. The place is a bit hard to find so just head toward chipotle and you should be able to see the sign to the place. 

First, time the food was amazing! I ordered the Spicy Pork Sandwich and the Abricott burger WITH Bulgogi (Pork Belly). You have to order the Abricott burger with the Bulgogi. *****WARNING****** The Abricott Burger is huge, you can barely fit a bit into your mouth. 

Second time I order the Spicy Pork Sandwich it didn't reach to my expectation like it did from the first time. Not going to lie it was good but it wasn't as good as the first time trying it. 

Overall expect to pay around 10 ~ 15 dollars. The only reason I'm giving it a 3 star is because of the second visit, if it wasn't for that it would of been a 4.
5 - Jason L.: 4.5 stars.

It's a semi-self service joint.  You order at the counter, and they bring the food out to you.  I like that.  You don't have to rely on a lazy waiter to take your order.

Food was good.  Had a soft omelette with gruyere.  $8.  Come with curry or plain country potatoes and two slices of toast with butter and apricot jam.  I would go here again.  That's a big compliment since I hate most restaurants I visit.
3 - rajiv p.: I ate the Savory braised pork belly.  The meat itself was very good and I enjoyed it alot.  However, there was waaay too much cabbage and altho it went well with the pork, it was not very good by itself.  I tried eating with the rice, but that didn't make it much better.  

I also tried my friends dishes: 
The Trout Amandine (fish entree) was totally bland.  I do not recommend that at all.  
The shrimp salad was a total waste, it is just lettuce with some really watery dressing that barely has an flavor with 4 shrimp.  
The flank skirt steak was flavorful, but pretty tough.  I think it was just piece my friend cut off cuz she said hers was good / soft.  My piece reminded me of beef jerky cuz it was super tasty and kinda chewy.

I wasn't that impressed with this place overall.  Also the water glasses kinda smelled bad.  I think their dish washing machine needs a tune up.
5 - Hailey H.: My boyfriend and I were trying to figure out where to go for our date night, and this little spot showed up on our radar when we were perusing Yelp.  
Well it didn't disappoint!!  Super cute spot, great food, and wonderful dessert!  I'm itching to go again just so I can try more stuff on the menu.  Everything looks(and tasted) fresh and delicious.  We had the abricott burger with gouda(It was cooked just how I like it!) and the pork belly sandwich(yum yum), and took home some carrot cake(ridiculously great taste and texture).  
Next time I'm going to try for breakfast because the people next to us were eating the dessert waffle with ice cream, and I can only imagine that the waffles are cooked to perfection.
Nice work Abricott!
4 - Vinnie C.: First of all, please notice that this place falls under the category of "Café." So for those of you looking to be greeted right at the door and chitchatted to the table, this is not the kind of place.

With that out of the way, the service is prompt and friendly. As many yelpers have stated, the owner couldn't be friendlier, and he would come to talk with you about the food, the place, or answer whatever question you may have.

We were here for dinner, and even though the sign on the wall says "remember to pick up utensils," we had napkins and real silverware on the table as we sat down.

Tuna Crema was ok. Freshly grilled/buttered baguette slices sat on top of a mixed salad and were covered with tuna that was creamed into a salad dressing. Bread was toasted and warm, salad was really fresh, but the tuna dressing was a bit bland.

Trout Amandine was beautifully presented, with sliced roasted almonds generously covering the Trout filet, pan-seared with skin on, served with a side of asparagus and hollandaise sauce. Two things: fish was a bit overcooked, and was served skin-side down (soggy), and the dish overall was bland. Salt needed.

The saving grace was the Mussels Provençale (in a tomato cream sauce). I've been searching for a replacement ever since Quadruple changed ownership and no longer had the famous Mussels in Lobster Cream Sauce. Abricott's version of mussels was definitely a winner. The sauce had BIG flavor and decent portion, and even though the dish came with three perfectly toasted baguette to soak up the goodness, they weren't nearly enough. I'm kicking myself now for not taking the owner's advice to have the remaining sauce to go. It was that good.

Desert was decent. For chocolate lovers, the Chocolate Ganache with Hazelnut was definitely the way to go. The three mini cake cubes (Petite Fours) was not bad either. Coffee was very good tho.

Recommend this place for a simple date (ask to sit in the back), or a quick get-together.
4 - Ed H.: Came here for dinner after driving past this the last couple months. Obviously I didn't know what the place was because they didn't have any signage out front, but the space looked cool. And when they did get signage, it wasn't the kind of signage that lit up and night saying "Hey, here's Abricott!" I think they're secretly trying to make it a cult restaurant or something.

Walked in for dinner, and was kind of confused at what to do. There WAS a sign that said "Please wait to be seated", but it was right by the register, so I was like "do i order first or do I sit down and then order?" The lady behind the counter was like "Oh we're full service for dinner". Well ok then!

My friend and I sat down pretty quickly on a Fri night at 8:20ish in the outdoor area. The menu is pretty simple, but what they have they do it well (based on what we tasted). I ordered the Korean pork belly sandwich with kimchee and cucumber. This was a really tasty sandwich and the cucumber was a nice refreshing touch to the sandwich. I told the owner this too, but I thought the bread should have been crunchier on the outside like a french baguette, which he said is what they use. They must have used something completely different when I ordered. Nonetheless, still a tasty sandwich!

My friend ordered the pho. I just sampled the broth, but I thought it was rather tasty. Our waitress told us people have said it's on the sweet side, but I didn't think so. But then again, I had a mouthful of the sandwich while I sipped the soup lol. Apparently they don't use MSG in the broth, which many Pho joints are guilty of, so +1 for these guys

I'll definitely be going back to try some of the other dishes!
4 - Angel P.: Loitering in the area, wanting to try something different.

Caught between Abricott / Chum / Counter. Decided to come here 'cause of the free parking at the lot on sundays.

entered through the backdoor. saw the intricately constructed vintage "book house", marveled at the owner's attention to detail and choices of materials. It reminded me of the Santa Monica Viceroy, but from a much earlier era (instead of 1950's, this is more 1850). love the decor of the rest of the restaurant also, although wish there'd be something on the left hand side of the room so the restaurant doesn't feel "rightside heavy"

Hubs was going to order the porkbelly sandwhich but decided against ingesting more fat for the day and ordered pho. I wanted to get the pork and cabbage but since porkbelly sandwhich wasn't ordered, I changed to that so I can get my daily fat intake.

camomile tea to boot.

the sandwhich had korean bbq pork in the middle, a slice of cucumber, mayo, and perhaps kimchi sauce in it. I'm guessing it was pressed and came with toothpick fries....have I mentioned how much I love fries? I do. The bread, which is a hybrid between regular sandwhich bread and a brioche, was on the moist side. Wish it could've been a little crunchier, as it would have complimented the juicy pork.

Pho broth was surprisingly above par. about a quarter inch thick cut of bristket, but coooked to tender so it was a-ok. 

Best part that would bring me back to Abricott? The byob policy with no corkage fee, that is, until they get their liqueur license, which will hopefully be never.
4 - Jeanette M.: nice place. casual... good food... nice service... reasonable price... :)

been there 2 weekends in a row... ^_^
1 - Alex L.: Same owner as Daisy Mint's!? Well then, Abricott must be that ugly stepchild.  We ordered the hamburger, the trout and the Croque Monsieur.  All three dishes were mediocre.  The hamburger patty was dry like a hockey puck.  The overcooked trout was served on a scoop of mashed potato with too much garlic and drowned in some bland buttery sauce.  The "fries" served with Croque Monsieur were like potato chip crumbs...greasy and unsatisfying.  Go to Julienne's in San Marino if you want a good Croque Monsieur.  Since we like Daisy Mint so much, we were desperate to find something positive with this place.  So we ordered cappuccinos and their chocolate mousse cake.  The cake was dry but their $3 cappuccino was good.  Definitely won't be coming back.
1 - Daniel Y.: Pre-prepared food at individually prepared prices!  REALLY?
2 - Anita m.: Service - 5, Ambiance - 5, Food - 2.5

Although I loved the menu offerings and the super cute romantic cafe decor, the food was sub-par. I ordered the pho which didn't quite satisfy and hubs ordered the hamburger with shoestring fries which really lacked flavor. We also split the tuna crema salad which was a little bland.

I'd like to come back and give breakfast a chance, but for now, this won't be on our list as a dinner option.
4 - Melissa G.: Yay for Daisy Mint's Vietnamese lil sister.  

I had been hearing wonderful things about Abricott since it opened and we decided we'd finally try it.  

Um.. YES to the pork belly sandwiches (sans mayo for me...but hey, whatever floats your boat). Heck YES to the Mussels Provençal. That broth was so garlicky, creamy, tomato-y...I just wish they served it with more bread on the side to sop up that juicy goodness.  I did end up asking for a few more pieces, and they were super awesome in bringing me some...but still... I could've drank that juice up, it was so good.  

The decor is adorable, just as everyone else has mentioned. It's obviously very reminiscent of Daisy Mint's decorations - which kind of feels like Anthropologie threw up everywhere and made a restaurant (at least, that's how my friend put it!).  

My only qualms? Our service was just a touch off. Not from our waitress, but some of the other guys. The three of us asked for waters, he comes back with two. We waited ... and nothing.  Apparently, the third person does not get water here? :)
He seemed sweet, but just a touch forgetful when it came to all the necessaries.  Can't wait to come back and try that burger..yes.. WITH pork belly added. bam!
4 - Esther H.: Love the ambiance! Wooden decor and books on a large bookshelf across from the register, making Abricott real trendy. There's outdoor seating (warm vibe), or indoor seating (dim-lit, more romantic). 

This place is an Asian/French fusion, which had renditions of bahn mi's, pho, curry, etc. I ordered the Grilled Trout & Green Papaya (Papaya salad was in a tasty fish-sauce mixture, and the trout on top was very slight in flavor. Makes for a very light dish, $12), and the Spicy Pork Belly Sandwich (A smaller version bahn-mi with korean meat inside, and crispy potato "fries" to the side, $8). I wish the papaya salad had more of a kick or special addition to the trout. And if I had known that the pork belly sandwich would be just like a vietnamese sandwich, I'd rather go to a vietnamese store to get a larger sandwich for $3. However, food was tasty and I enjoyed it! 

Probably wouldn't come back unless I had a groupon or coupon/deal.
4 - Charlene C.: Pricier than you'd expect for the ambiance, but the food makes up for it.

Must tries: pork belly, burger, and yes the Pho. I know it's pho and it should be good only from a viet place, but just try it.. you'd be surprised.

Desserts are average we tried everything in the menu... nothing special but if I had to choose one I'd say go with the lemon mousse.

They have a room in the back for about 14 ppl? maybe more. Very cute decor.

There was no sign from the back, but is next to Panda xpress. Free parking at night.
5 - ray c.: Great americano, great hamburger (ordered it medium w/ pork belly) and super great service.  the manager, john, is great!
5 - Benjamin C.: This place is owned by the same people that own Daisy Mint. The Pho is really really good. It's sweeter than normal so you wont need hoisin sauce. The coffee is amazing. They spent a ton of money on a state of the art coffee machine and they use very high quality coffee. The scone is also really good too. Plenty of parking, its located right across from the Merrill Lynch office in Pasadena. I would absolutely recommend this place!
5 - Josie F.: Cute place with tasty bites. I have a new local favorite for a salad-sandwich meal=D
3 - Audrey L.: Mm.... was a bit disappointed.
The older lady waiter was very friendly and helpful, and all the other staff was very nice as well. Just the food was kinda "eh" and for the price it made it extra "eh". Yeah... I got the mussels for dinner and the broth was on the salty side for sure, and the mussels were not too meaty. Their baguettes are really tasty though. After tax and tip I ended up paying like $17, which was too much in my opinion since it only came with some mussels that were not meaty, bread (although tasty).
4 - Roger P.: I went to Abricott in Pasadena for the first time tonight and loved it. I've been addicted to the sister restaurant Daisy Mint for years, so it's not like I expected anything less. I loved the style of food, interesting flavors, easy atmosphere and reasonable prices. I've yet to try but a small offering of the menu, but I'm off to a good start. I'll be back on Thursday and Friday to try other items on the menu. I expect to up my stars to 5, but for now an easy 4 stars. I'm also excited to see the fancy espresso machine for mornings... 

I lived in Pasadena for 6 years prior to my exit to the East coast and Daisy Mint was my all time favorite place to dine in Pasadena. Abricott is a welcomed addition and possibly a "the" new favorite place. Although my lunch at Daisy Mint on Saturday had my eyes rolling back in my head.

I hear it can get packed, make a reservation.... A great large table in rear for large group.
5 - Mason Y.: I love this place. I've been there twice for breakfast (served until 3 pm) and several times for dinner. The food is superb. The service is excellent. The staff is friendly and courteous. The prices are incredibly reasonable. And, if possible, get to know John, the chef/owner. He is a trip! Love him!
5 - Lawrence L.: Older sibling spinster chic Daisy Mint, sista-girl Abricott is more bookish chic...
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/R2-_hZIboGriSatS2kn7rw?select=IhD8rpJttXlNk53OPMlHUA
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/R2-_hZIboGriSatS2kn7rw?select=RgPbX5x1-bLdbFBrx_-eNg

They have a nice covered patio in the front for warm days/evenings as well as a very fashionable dining room towards the rear...
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/R2-_hZIboGriSatS2kn7rw?select=A8j4fYDZIye9o_Q6zPkSXg

Grilled Trout and Green Papaya Salad http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/R2-_hZIboGriSatS2kn7rw?select=pG418JMBXPolaBlD3r74Qw -- Pan Grilled Trout fillet with shredded green papaya or green apple, carrots, crushed peanuts in a spicy, sweet and sour dressing.  The dressing was tangy, there was almost a hint of peanut-butter like flavor from the peanuts, the papayas and apples were finely julienned but still firm and crunchy, like the julienned carrots.  The boneless trout fillet was firm, and held up nicely in the salad...

Mussels Provençale http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/R2-_hZIboGriSatS2kn7rw?select=NSZNjqqMDmm-w9hbTSafIw -- Black mussels in a rich, creamy tomato broth served with a toasted baguette.  The broth was not thick and creamy, but rather rich and buttery like a thin bisque, slivers of crushed tomatoes could be detected in the delightfully delicious broth.  The mussels were east coast variety, perhaps from Maine, they were very meaty, sweet, and succulent...

The Yellow Curry with Chicken http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/R2-_hZIboGriSatS2kn7rw?select=ixLi9Sp2cW5fYq4of8KdVg was the most pedestrian of the dishes we tried this evening, but it was still delicious, the coconut milk curry was thick and smooth, and had just a little mild heat.  It was comfort food at its best --  boneless chicken so tender that you can separate it with a fork.  The carrots provided sweetness while the peeled russets provided the starchy texture to fill out the generous dish.  The Jasmine rice was served on the side and was slightly nutty tasting and fluffy steaming hot...

The service at Abricott is better than that of the parent Daisy Mint;  Akiko had everything down pat, and she had the whole dining area by herself.  The owner John is a really nice, gregarious fellow.  He took the time to come out and greet all the guests and really get to know them and talk to them.  Dressed in a lid, jeans, and a tshirt, he just has that speakeasy way about him that makes you feel good and comfortable about the food and his restaurant.  We traded stories on how we do bechamel, how often does that happen?  He brought out some more delicious broth for the bowl of mussels and some extra toast to soak up the wonderful broth.  He also let us try some of the fries on the house which were thin and crispy like fried slaw.  How cool is that?...
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/R2-_hZIboGriSatS2kn7rw?select=8SPdfSqZOAKGx1iSxNpXyg
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/R2-_hZIboGriSatS2kn7rw?select=rmUXl2LdeVqTztdN9rwUNw
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/R2-_hZIboGriSatS2kn7rw?select=KTil0SBco6fsDSzN4sBl9w

No corkage fee (for now).  Large (common) parking area in the back.  Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner which is pretty cool...

Even though the menu is more modest, the selections are better thought out than its older sibling Daisy Mint.  I feel like I'm cheating, but I just have to say it:  Abricott is better than Daisy Mint.  Will definitely be coming back for more...
2 - Todd O.: If I was to rate this place based off of my food I got alone it would be one star.  I ordered a banh mi sandwich and it was probably the worst one I have ever had and I am a bahn mi fiend.  The worst part about it is that it was also twice the price of many pretty good bahn mi places. $8 is still cheap for a sandwich but  there was zero effort put into this one.  I would say the meat to fat ratio was about  90% fat 10% meat.  I only ate half of it and was feeling like crap after.  My girlfriend got some bacon and eggs, nothing  interesting to say about eggs but the bacon was also really cheap.  We had a side of fruit and that was good, probably because they did not have to cook it haha.  I did see some other people around us getting food that could of possibly been decent so I will give them two stars instead of one.  I would not go back here though, there are to many amazing places to eat in Pasadena to be wasting time and money here.
3 - Jason A.: breakfast until 3pm deserves at least 3 stars! props to abricott for extending the most important meal of the day!!

don't get me wrong, it was ok food. but we paid $8 for sizzling eggs (2 fried eggs with green onion and soy sauce, a toasted half baguette, and a small portion of curry potatoes). if it was $5, it would have been a good deal. but $8 was a bit steep for me. we also got a trout salad = half of a trout filet on a bed of chopped apples with dressing. Again, not bad tasting, but it looked a bit wanting.

will i be back? perhaps. the soft egg omelet seemed promising... if they lowered prices even just $2 i might be telling others about this joint.
not a bad place, but i won't be having any birthday parties here.
4 - Ellerton W.: Awesome chicken curry
No alcohol (yet?)
But BYOB is a-ok!
Temperature was a bit warm in the restaurant... at least in the room where they stuck our group.
1 - Thomas L.: Ordered the pho and banh-mi sandwich figuring if the restaurant can't get these two staple dishes right on my first visit, then I would not bother going back.  The food came out really quick, but that is the only good thing I can say about this place.  The pho broth had a gross grease slick swimming on top and was probably the equivalent of hospital food in Vietnam - totally bland and did not even bear a reasonable similarity of what good pho should be.  Likewise for the banh-mi.  The bread was not a classic French baguette with a crispy crust and lighter than air dough.  It was served on a rubbery artisan wannabe ciabatta and was drenched in a putrid balsamic vinagrette sauce.  No liver pate spread, pickled carrots or radish, and certainly no jalapeno or cilantro.  Yes, yes, this is supposed to be Asian fusion.  But, without a suitable respect to authenticity of whatever cuisine they are attempting to fuse, the food turns out as a complete failure.  I give this place another 6 months before it closes down like the Koo Koo Roo it replaced.  Bleh!!!
5 - Tawny I.: Food:5/5
Service:5/5
Atmosphere:5/5

 This place is on the smaller side and is pretty busy during lunch hour due to the working crowd so definitely be prepared to wait for seats.

I tried the Abricott burger with gouda, yellow curry, thai iced tea, ice mocha, and gelato (pistachio and vanilla(?)). I am a fatty :P

Abricott burger: You'll definitely need a knife and fork for this as the juices will run down your hands. I'm pretty skeptical as many places cannot cook a medium but I was pretty surprised. It was close to the raw-er side as it was a bit mushier and pinker than usual but it was soo soft and good. As much as I would have liked to try it with pork belly im not a huge fan of eating copious amounts of fat but I can see why people rave about it. The fries that accompanied the dish resembles shoestring fries but the taste reminded me of crispy thin hash brown! :)

Yellow curry-excellent thai curry flavor with just the right amount of spicyness.

Iced mocha- I've never tried LaMill coffee before but my mocha was oh soo yummy. It had a deep rich flavor and was on the creamier side.

Thai Tea: Mix the tea in the beginning but afterwards be sure to let the tea leaves settle.  It wasn't strained very well but not a big deal.

Gelato: I've tried a few gelato places however I really liked Abricott's. It wasn't as creamy as some places I've tried but it was more on the light/fluffier/foamier side :P both presentations were excellent with crushed candied pistachios on top of pistachio ice-cream and almond slices on vanilla sitting on a layer of strawberry/strawberry jam both in what looks like a hour class cup but without the roundness.  As the manager(?) was explaining it to us I can't remember if it was the machine they use is from Italy or the gelato itself is from Italy. Either way it is definitely a must try.

During the midst of all this scrumptiousness there was a little mishap. I found a piece of plastic in my burger -___-  the manager came to our table and apologized several times and even offered to comp my meal. I didn't feel it was necessary and I just wanted them to be a little bit more careful however the manager kept insisting on doing something for us and gave us the two free gelatos! I had only expected 1 but they brought out 2, one for my friend and I. She was soo sincere, kind and generous that I actually felt bad for bringing it up :/

Even with the mishap I still love u Abricott!! :)
1 - Michelle M.: Pretentious. Strange decor. The coffee is way too strong. The cuisine and restaurant lacks focus. Daisy Mint is better.
5 - Alixandrea M.: Welp. Finally did it...had to dust off the Yelp account to review this spot. Everything here was just so good: The cool, quirky books that line the walls, the fun-loving demeanor of all the staff, and most importantly the FOOD. It's phenomenal!

I went here with my family with the gluttonous mission of trying and sharing as much as we possibly could off of the menu. Success...

Starters: The Tofu Delight was definitely my favorite of all the starters...it's simple, but layered flavors that are awesome on their own but infinitely different - and better - when you combine everything into one bite. Silky tofu, citrus sesame soy dressing, crispy onions, and salad greens.

The Tuna Crema was another one where I liked the combined bite a lot more than the individual parts...the tiny little cornichons (gherkins) gave it the perfect little punch of acidity...

I would have more to say about the Sweet and Salty Wings and the Grilled Trout salad if it were possible to pry them out of my brothers death-grip. But the few bites I did have of both of those were awesome. 

Mains:

I went for the Savory Pork and Red Cabbage, because when you see braised pork belly on a menu you GET the braised pork belly. Very happy with my choice... It was kind of hard to choose because there were so many variations of pork belly on the menu. 

We also ordered the Abricott burger - One with Pork Belly and Gouda added to it and one plain. DEFINITELY add those...the plain burger was great, but the one with the add-ons achieved epic-burger-status. I like it even better than the Father's Office burger. Yeah, I said it.

The Yellow Curry with Chicken was another hit. They do NOT skimp on the chicken, and the curry itself is super flavorful.

Last but not least...dessert. The freaking pistachio gelato. Even if you have to give away some of your dinner to save room, don't leave without ordering this. I'm serious...this is the ice cream dreams are made of. Super rich,  nutty flavor...super smooth...drizzled with chocolate and then more fresh pistachios. It is AWESOME.  

So all in all...this place is amazing. If you are an introvert or don't like the general noise level that comes with a busy restaurant I would highly suggest getting there before the rush. It gets packed in here, quickly! Also, Chef John is awesome and his passion for good food is clearly translated onto the plate. Happy eating!
4 - Alina K.: The restaurant's interior is very cute. The food is clean, fresh, and delicious. Although I  am a new customer I enjoyed my experience eating there. The price is more on the slightly pricey side because just getting an entree and a drink, it adds up to about $12-15. I'm not sure if they have a parking lot in the back, but it's not hard to find street parking close to the restaurant. Overall.. I would definitely go back here!
3 - Eli S.: Interesting location on South Lake. The problem with the area has been turnover. I'm not sure why. However we had a great calais back conversation with the owner who was very candid about the business. He was very personable and genuinely wanted our feedback. We were seated in the rear of the restaurant (a bit disconnected, but I haven't visited the front of the place) in the book infused massive table room. The table, created by one of the owner's friends is a nice addition and gives personal depth to odds and ends books and a distressed wall piece.

On to the review...
The meal was pretty tasty, at least appetizers and main dishes. The appetizers we had were the tonnato like paste on bruschettae and a mixed green salad with some chèvre. We also had a tofu block set in sesame oil with some seasoning on top (simple, good, home-like). The main courses served up some sweet (literally) pho (more from the stock and a lot of basil, the sort of basily sweetness you can get only in pho), the yellow curry (chicken) which was flavorful and the vegetables were obviously fresh. Finally the trout amandine, which showed a touch of class and was well prepared. The overall feeling with the very personable service and relaxed feeling was great. I do wish for a more robust menu or at least a little refinement. The dessert suffered, and I'd rather not comment on it, maybe next time when I can give it a fair shot. I'll be back to watch this place progress.
4 - Samira H.: Abricott makes a good first impression, but my experience has been distinctively different each time I've gone.

Friday night, I went to dinner here with my boyfriend and mom. We ordered the arugula salad, the pork belly with red cabbage, and the chicken curry. 

The curry was excellent, more sweet than spicy. The rest was unimpressive. 
I know the salads here are meant to be simple, but while a pile of arugula topped with a long shaving of almond encrusted cheese and balsamic dressing sounds great, it was mediocre at best. Not enough toppings and too much arugula. 

To be completely honest, the cooked red cabbage was terrible. It would taste better if it were served chilled. My boyfriend said that while the pork tasted good, he felt like he got jipped on his slice of meat in comparison with the photos of the food we'd looked at on Yelp before arriving at Abricott. 

The dishes are hit and miss. Some are very, very good- the steak salad, the spicy pork belly lunch dish, the curry. Others miss the mark.
4 - Berta A.: This place has only been open for about 8 weeks, but it's a hit!! Not to say anything bad about Koo Koo Roo (it has it's place), but Abricott has brought life back to this particular block of Lake. This place is charming, whimsical and simply adorable. The eclectic decor of antique chairs, mirrors and pictures give this place a warm feel and they have even added the touch of large book cases full of actual BOOKS leaving you aching for a time before iPads when people actually read books and enjoyed conversation via face to face rather than text messages. I must quote Goldilocks here, cause "it's not too small, it's not too large, it's not too far, it's not too close, it's JUST RIGHT!" As you walk in the delicious smell of fresh waffles and pork belly hit you and make you think you must be floating on a cloud. 

I'm told for dinner they have full table service, but for lunch they offer counter ordering / table service. as an added perk if you come any time during 11 AM. - 3 PM., you'll have the flexibility of ordering either breakfast or lunch. So this is a perfect place with something for everyone. During lunch you'll order your food at the counter, and the staff will bring it to you with a friendly smile. Opposite the counter they have pitchers of water, glasses, utensils, napkins, salt & pepper all of which is for the customer to help themselves. 

We enjoyed the spicy pork belly sandwich ($8), French ham & Gruyere sandwich ($8), and their signature Abricott burger with the added topping options of Korean pork belly and Gouda cheese ($10 + $1 +$1 = $12). While everything was delicious the 4 people in my party agreed the burger is a definite must try for anyone's first experience - it was off the hook!! Every plate that passed by me I was eying like a kid in a candy store because it all looked mouthwateringly yummy. I'll definitely will be back for more of this. 

Keep in mind that there is a small room in the back that looks like it can hold 10 - 12 people. It would be perfect for a small shower or office lunch. Charming yet sophisticated. Let's hope that we have years to come of enjoying Abricott.
5 - Theophilene X.: The owner greeted us & gave a cool backstory on how him & his wife started this business. The food was DEE-LISH-USH!!! Portions are relatively filling & there's a great variety to choose from their menu. Must have is their waffle dessert with vanilla ice-cream on top. Yummmmm~ I also had their Trout with Asparagus & that was amazing~
4 - Tina F.: This is a gem!  We found this place by Yelping the most highly rated restaurant near Vromon's.  Waffles, Pho, and Croque Monsieur served in one restaurant.  Striding in with flip flops, my husband almost didn't go in because this place looked so fancy from the outside.  Actually, it was casual.  Very comfortable, partial booth seating and patio area.  Serve your own silverware and water.  My 4 yr old and 1.5 yr old shared the waffles-2 eggs-bacon ($12).  The waffle was delicious and surprisingly light.  My husband enjoyed the flavorful shrimp salad and a side of oatmeal, which our 1.5 yr old loved too.  My pho soup was flavorful, the soup and the meat were not too fatty.  It could have used more noodles and meat.  The kids loved my noodles too.  As for kid-friendliness, the milk came in a coffee cup w/lid (good), plenty of high chairs.  Bathroom is very clean.  Unfortunately no changing table.  However, extra brownie points for sink, soap dispenser, and paper towel holder that my 4 yr old can reach.
5 - Daniel T.: Walked in and had just about the best  burger in the area...the Abricott burger with gouda cheese...it was delicious!  I also got the fries which are really, really, really thinly sliced, kinda like hash brown, but crispier...they were ok...but the burger was the business!  I'm going back for waffles...
3 - Patty H.: My husband loves it. But i honestly think the reason he loves it so much is that he has been working on Lake ave. for 7 years and his lunch usually meant a trip to del taco, corner bakery, wahoo's, panda express, or a walk to ralph's for a banana and a yogurt. NOT very exciting at all. 

Since Abricott opened, he's been raging about this place and told me the food is some heavy vietnamese-influenced french dishes. Now, I don't feel particularly excited about lunch options on lake avenue in pasadena because I work in Glendale and I am just 3 minutes away from Porto's, so you can understand how I was simply reluctant to drive there just to have lunch there with my hubby (I am not romantic at all!), even though he succeeded in the end.

The place was very quaint. It was quite busy during lunch hours, but service was fast.  We ordered two spicy pork belly sandwich with fries ($8), which my husband claimed to be the best dish there. The sandwiches came very fast; I can taste the marinated BBQ pork belly with the hint of korean taste, and a layer of kimchi paste in between the bread and the meat. The most unique thing about their sandwiches is that the baguettes are slightly crushed, unlike the traditional, authentic vietnamese sandwiches made of baguettes, the bread in Abricott is not as hard, dry, or sharp on the edge so it doesn't cut your mouth or require for you to bite hard when you try to eat it. To the opposite, it's quite chewy, and the firmness on the texture remains.  

I have to say i was quite pleased with my meal, but there wasn't a WOW factor there that made me want to go back again. Additionally, I think $8-$15 for lunch is not cheap, although I also know that on Lake ave, that's pretty much what you are paying for lunch everywhere. 

If you work near pasadena downtown and/or old town and are very much bored with the restaurants that's been around for years, definitely worth it to give it a try. It's new, the service is great, and it's different. If you don't work there... I think there are much better options out there.
5 - M M.: Food is a fusion of originality. Great food here that is different.
5 - Paul S.: 1) excellent service - water never empty!
2) ambiance - cool books and library-atmosphere
3) and last but not least -- super awesome food! mussels, broth, pork belly, etc. have never had anything bad here, will be going back a 4th time next week!
3 - Christina K.: The interesting name caught my attention, but overall I only thought this breakfast was okay. The interior has charm with the bookshelves and wispy, light color scheme. There isn't a lot of seating, but they also have an outdoor area. 

Tried the Croque-Madame, some other sandwich I don't recall and a hot mocha. Nothing special beyond eliminating my hunger. 

Parking: Large private lot behind the restaurant or street parking with meters. The lot is 2 hours free then you need to go out and pay the meter if staying longer, although not sure how they monitor this.
4 - Bianca P.: I was excited to see a new fusion restaurant open up in Pasadena.  Albeit close, driving to the SGV can be a pain sometimes.

So, the hubby and I ventured out for a Sunday afternoon lunch/brunch.  I'm a huge fan of burgers and since so many Yelpers had already raved about it, I tried it.  Lo and behold, I forgot to mention I wanted the Korean pork belly meat...but all was okay, I was not disappointed.  The regular burger was delicious.  I will definitely be back to try the korean pork belly meat next time.

My hubby on the other hand, loves poached eggs and decided to try that of all things on the menu.  It was okay...nothing special...but then again, I don't think Abricott specializes in breakfast...so I chop that up to his fault.

Service was fantastic...super nice and friendly people.  On a nice So Cal day, the outdoor seating is perfect.  

I will definitely be back!
1 - Nina N.: I really wanted to like this place, but despite the lovely decor and ambiance the food was bland and overpriced. I won't be coming back.
4 - Amy L.: Atmosphere:  the decoration is super cute. It's got the antique decor.  The wall is filled with books like a antique book room.  

Food/price/quality:  Ordered croque Monsieur (sandwich) with salad on the side, $10 - it tastes super good but the edge of the sandwich was burnt :(.   Abricott burger - added pork belly ($1) to the burger with shredded thin fries, for a total of $12.   -It's a pretty tasty burger.  The porky belly gives it a spicy kick to the burger.     Tuna crema (salad), $7 - it tasted okay.  I wouldn't order it again because it's just a bed a of greens with blended tuna as dressing.  

Service:  The boss seems pretty cool.  He tried to seat us as soon as possible.  Our server was nice and offer us a sample while we were ordering.  BUT she never came back to follow-uo with us after we got our  food.  No one stop by to refill our empty cups with water :(.
5 - Jason H.: Really nice addition to the restaurants on Lake Ave.  Great decor inside, very homey and unique.  Not a lot of tables in the "main room", but they have a front covered patio area that seats quite a few if it's full inside.  Good for party of 2, 4 at most.  Bigger groups might be hard to find seating together when busy, tho they do seem to have a room with single large table for parties of looks like 6 or more, which I am assuming you can reserve ahead of time.

Food here is a nice mix of asian/french fusion.  Have had breakfast lunch and dinner and have to say there is nothing to criticize.

Croque Monsieur very good.  A bit of horseradish in their sauce which gives the sandwich a nice kick.

Burger-def get this with the pork belly and cheese.  They use gouda which is perfect since the smokiness of the cheese compliments the burger nicely.  Cooked to temperature and they do a good job with getting it right

Banh Mi - not a traditional one, more like their interpretation and I like this better than an authentic banh mi.  Pork belly is excellent, and the spicy "kim chee" slaw gives the sandwich a nice kick.  Bread is also excellent, not the typical baguette.

French Toast - again, solid.  

Flat Iron steak - flavourful piece of meat, seasoned nicely and cooked how you want it.  

Thai Iced Tea and Coffee, great!  Like the tea better, you can taste the "orange" more, very refreshing.

Not a huge fan of the super skinny fries, prefer the salad as a side

Staff very friendly.  The setup for dinner is odd IMO.  Breakfast and lunch are order at counter and they give you a # and bring food to table.  Dinner time they change to a waiter service, tbh not sure if that's necessary.  I think I would prefer just ordering at counter all day, but not a big deal with the waiter service either.

Parking is easy in back lot, or on metered street (free on sunday)
5 - Jun Y.: They are so nice!!! And the food is good too :) I came here with a stroller and they were so accomodating and sweet. The covered outside area is roomy. I had the burger with Gouda and it was delicious. I am looking forward to trying their pho.
4 - Stephanie H.: Been here twice already and loving it!  

Breakfast is a great time to go with locals nearby enjoying their weekend morning breakfast.  I ordered the eggs benedict while my husband had the waffles.  Both were absolutely amazing!! 

The best part was that I was looking for some hot sauce for my eggs benedict and the only hot sauce they have there is Sriracha, which is a asian hot sauce.  I thought it would've tasted weird putting that on my eggs benedict but it was so GOOD!  Definitely an eye opener to my taste buds and I will be putting that on my eggs benedict from now on! 

The environment is great to just relax or to chill with friends.  We went for dinner as well and really enjoyed the food.  The Savory Pork with Red Cabbage was our favorite as well as the Mussels Provencale.  The mussels are served in a flavorful broth which comes with some bread for dipping.  And the Abricott burger was another great choice as well. 

I'm so glad this opened up near to our place!  Such a great place to go!
5 - Andrew A.: Anyone can make a good restaurant that follows a standard formula to please the customer in order to make the owner money.  Abbricott does not follow this cash cow formula.  The owner John personally is on the job as a server all the time to make sure everything flows and guarantee's that every customer gets a unique and amazing experience.

We had the Abricott Burger with kimchi and korean meat no cheese as Johns recommendation.  Make sure you get medium rare..  

Let me tell you;  I've eaten many different Wolfgang Puck burgers, Holeman & finch in Atlanta,  to Minetta Tavern's burger.  Some of the as you know best burgers in the entire world; and It's extremely surprising to say that their burger ranks up with the best of them.  Let me tell you why:

The buns seemed to be an artisan bread bun with a hint of garlic to them that withheld almost all the grease and didn't in fact fall apart. The beef was succulent, juicy & extremely flavorful.  The moistness is even comparable to some of the greats like R&D kitchen Newport beach burger.   On the bottom of the actual beef is a small portion of Korean pulgogi.  You would think that adding another beat within another is overkill; but you'd be wrong.  It brings the taste to another continent; and with the meat so tender, it's all sitting on top of some lettuce wraps at the bottom that were so crisp I felt like it I was eating some gourmet lettuce beef wraps.  The onions were thick and fresh, and the mayo underneath was very subtle but perfect.  

They also give you a side of Kim-chi which John the owner himself told me to put it in the burger or eat it with it as I go.  I dived in and just slathered it onto of my meat and sealed it in with the bun.  The taste was phenomenal, stupendous, it was epic.

They garnish the sides with the crispy potato stringy type fries that I've never seen served before.  I bathed it in ketchup and it was divine.  The entire burger + fries was just around 14 bucks with a Diet Coke.  Honestly guys,  this place has so much innovative cuisine I don't think you can justify it with just one visit.

The servers are fast and fantastic.  Honestly John, if you're reading this: I'd give you 7 stars if I could.  You've done it right, and you've done it well. and that's not something that anyone can do.  I very much favored your approach of not sticking to a solid concept; but going with creative solutions to the foods that you and your wife like to make.  I can only wish I know what you guys enjoy eating at home.  Until next time!
3 - cherie T.: Love the decor of this place -- very cute! 

The prices are a bit expensive, in my opinion. $8 for banh mi.. my goodness..i guess i'm just used to the SGV banh mi prices.

I ordered the Spicy Pork Belly Sandwich $8-- i thought it tasted really good. The pork belly was very flavorful and so soft! I chose the crispy fries because it looked good on yelp pictures. But i realized i should have gotten salad instead. The crispy fries were TOO thinly sliced. I would like it more if it was a bit thicker to have some texture. besides it wasn't even THAT crispy. 

i also ordered an Iced Cafe Latte. it was alright. they could have added another shot of espresso or something. 

Eric L. ordered the Abricott Burger w/ spicy pork belly ($10 + $1 for the additional pork belly). The burger was pretty big and they cooked the patty perfectly - medium rare. The burger was pretty juicy which i love. 

Would i come back? yeah i wouldn't mind . I want to try their breakfast items next time. 

i would have given 4 stars, but i just thought it was a bit too pricey for what they give you.
5 - Jimmy D.: Okay, I'm gonna make this sort and sweet.  I came here with  my girl.  She got the open face pumpkin sandwich, and I got the burger.  My burger was OOOHHHH SOOOO good.  I didnt get it too well done (l like it juicey).  It was like an orgy in my mouth - a slow orgy.  The open face pumpkin sandwich sounds weird, yeah, but OMFG!!!!  It was like a rough orgy in my mouth; it kicked my tastebuds asses.  Try it! Our server was cool. Didn't get his name.  Hispanic guy, sort hair, cool dude. Can't wait to go back and try the Pho :o)
4 - scott k.: That was the best waffle I have had in a long time.   Very good flavor.  They bacon was terrific.   Remember to ask them to heat the syrup before bringing it out.  Very friendly people.  Nice atmosphere...  they should put painting or something on the wall I think.  Very good coffee.  Remember to grab your silverware, water, and salt and pepper before you sit down.  No Wi Fi but I think they are working on it.
5 - Linda L.: Nice litte gem in Pasadena!! Actually, it's now one of my favorite restaurants in Pasadena. The interior design is so cute! My goal is to try a different item each time I go there. So far I've tried:

Yellow Curry with Chicken (with brown rice) ****
Croque-Madame  ***** (My favorite!! Such a simple sandwich but so delicious)
Mussels Provençale ****

Dessert:
(forgot what the name is) Waffle with ice cream and a shot of espresso (don't pour too much espresso on the waffle, it drenches in and tastes really bitter!) *****

Great customer service... Had a small chat with the Owner, he was very nice and courteous. Thanks for the hospitality! :]
5 - Jason Z.: Such a nice little place, staff is super friendly, and the waffles are soooo amazing.  Nice and crispy, a nice sweet taste to them.  I definitely love going here for bfast waffles. :)
5 - Eric B.: I'm a big fan of this place. Very unique atmosphere but the service is friendly and quick, the food I've had, delicious, and a very pleasant experience overall. This morning, I had a soft omelette with curried potatoes and fruit. Very good. And they serve lamill coffe, which is a plus.
3 - Lyn F.: okay place. I'm gonna have to give it another try one of these days. I had an omellette, but it wasn't to my liking b/c mainly the shiitake mushrooms were not seasoned enough and I couldn't taste the gruyere cheese.  Hmmm...will have to try something else on the menu next time.
2 - James A.: Very disappointing after reading all the good reviews. Had egg Benedict and sizzling eggs with curry potatoes. The food was different but not good enough to charge $10 for each meal. The egg Benedict was the worst one I ever had. The bread was fried with a ton of butter... Curry potatoes were awful and old.

There are a lot better places in Pasadena.
3 - cindy m.: Naw, man. 2.5

The decor is super cute and it attracts a hip, foodie crowd... but restaurants are for food and their food was painfully average.

I got the Vietnamese banh mi, and it tasted flat. Honestly, I've had better sandwiches with more robust flavors at Lee's. Abricott's was completely boring, especially if you've had banh mi from Vietnamese establishments before.

(I get that this isn't a Vietnamese restaurant-- It's an American mix of Pan-Asian and French. Since when does American mean bland and neutered?)

To credit them, their bread was PERFECT. Crusty, but chewy and soft (I'm going to contrast the popular westside Bay Cities Italian Deli here-- their crusty bread ripped up my mouth. Literally, there was blood).

Also, the pork belly was grey and limp. 

When I stepped away from my table to get some napkins, the waiter asked my date, "Is your friend okay? She looks so sad." Yes, I was.

(I'm going to try them again, though, cos their menu was wide and varied.)
4 - Forrest D.: Look, someone wandered off and left a cafe in Anthropologie or they left an Anthropologie in the cafe. It's all so very confusing. The good news is they serve a pretty mean burger here. Not mean like nasty, mean like good. Oh kids these days and their crazy patter. For the old people, the restaurant has a very tasty hamburger on the menu.

The clever folks behind the better than expected Daisy Mint, are also behind Abricott. It's not hard to tell, even if you are unaware as they look and feel very similar. I'm fairly certain someone in the clan hijacked the above referenced Anthropologie trucks on a delivery run because, well....I suppose I've run this joke into the ground.

Back to the lecture at hand. The burger is a nice version of the suddenly common upscale hamburger that everyone and their inbred cousins are serving these days. Pork Belly and Gouda Cheese top a high quality ground beef patty alongside some decent skinny fries. 

French Ham and Gruyere Sandwich with Cornichons and Truffle Butter was good, though it took a second effort from the kitchen to get it right. The first try had no truffle butter, not intentionally probably but it completely changed the dish.

The pillaging of Anthropologie renders any memory of the previous tenant, Koo Koo Roo from memory. And if it doesn't, the delicious and refreshing menu will do the trick.

Best Plates: Burger with Pork Belly and Gouda Cheese, French Ham and Gruyere Sandwich

Palate: mainstream 

Food - B+
Ambience - A-
Service - A-
Value - B+
4 - diane l.: It's a refreshing, light and airy restaurant along South Lake. Compared to it's neighbors it feels like a more grown up place.

Tofu salad: fresh silky tofu on a bed of greens topped with a light vinaigrette. 
Yellow Curry with Chicken: One of the favorites of Daisy Mint brought over to it's new sister restaurant.
Savory Pork with Red Cabbage: A strip of pork belly on a bed of warm red cabbage slaw. It was good, but my friend left hungry after this dish.
Abricott burger w/ Pork Belly: It was a tasty burger. I wished the pork belly had been cooked a little longer. They gave me kimchi slaw on the side which was not overpowering. I opted for the house salad on the side, the fries were so thin and crispy that they don't satisfy the way other fries do.

Red Tea in a pot: great caffeine free tea served in a french press. Serves two people and they will refill with hot water.

Overall it was a great meal with sophisticated offerings in a neighborhood that needs it. Dinner is full service without being stuffy. They still allowed BYOB this weekend.

One thing that was a bit upsetting: they allowed the table next to us to bring their dog. We were on the patio area but with plastic sheeting enclosing the space. I'm ok till this point. They allowed the dog to sit on one of the seats and at one point the dog was even half on the table. That is not cool. I have a dog and would only bring them to have them stay on the ground. It was difficult to say anything since John, owner/chef, came out and cooed and pet the dog. Hope he washed his hands after.
3 - Tj J.: Mmm, so a friend and I heard about this place and decided to go and try a few items. 
Savory Pork belly, Spicey Pork Belly Sand, Steam dumpings, Salty Chicken wings, Clams in creamy tomoato sauce. 
Over all it was ok, noting like OMG I want to go back. I will however say I will go back and try some other itmes, it could of been us or just not the best of night for Abricott.
3 - Les S.: This is definitely Asian fusion, but which Asian I'm not sure.  It's like a mixture of everything.  My wife and I tried the grilled trout and papaya salad which is Thai but the spicy pork belly sandwich has Korean flavored pork belly in French-Vietnamese sandwich.  The sandwich was good but I didn't think it was anything special.  The combination with kimchi relish and mayonnaise is interesting but I've had much better pork belly elsewhere.  The grilled trout and papaya salad was about average as well.  I prefer the papaya salad at other Thai restaurants.  We got the fried potatoes with the pork belly sandwich which were really thin and crispy, more like potato chips than regular fries.  Some people may like this better but I still prefer regular fries.  The sandwich and the papaya salad actually made a pretty good combination.  The citrus flavor from the salad helped neutralize some of the fat on the sandwich.

They also have pho and curry here but I'm not sure if I want to try those at a fusion place.  I think I would still stick with traditional Vietnamese and Thai restaurants for those items.
4 - Nicole M.: Cuuuuute. It's like eating in an Anthropologie store. LITERALLY.

Decorated all vinatge-y and whimsical, there's even a "library" room where the walls are book shelves (and yes those are real books, I know cause my friend and I thought they were fake and pushed on it and knocked out a few).

The Pho is a fresh take, the usual flavor but very... clean? healthy tasting even? I like it!
The waffle with espresso is my favorite, but be sure not to drown it in espresso... do a LITTLE at a time, because I loved it so much at first bite, I drowned the whole waffle and it was too strong -_-

It is teeny tiny inside, though there's a bit more outdoor seating. I recommend this for really very early in the morning! Brunch date perhaps :]
2 - Bristol C.: It was fine and my friend had good curry (I mean, it's hard to do curry wrong), but there was one thing....

THEY MESSED UP THE VEGETARIAN ORDER BY GIVING ME MEAT!

I ordered the tofu Vietnamese sandwich. I get it. "Wow," I tell my friend. "It really looks like meat. Must be one of those faux-meat kinda tofus." I take a bite.

NOPE! IT'S PORK!

And I tell the server. She says - "My bad." Takes it away, and makes me a new one, with tofu. She says sorry when she brings it over. Obviously rushed, this new sandwich had undercooked and very wet tofu that had been thrown on the baguette without worry about taste. Which there wasn't. Very sparse veggie toppings. And it was missing jalapenos, so I had to put the pickled ones on there. Yuck.

I'm not much of a complainer, but if you mess up that bad with someone who is avoiding meat - especially pork, which could be worse on many other cultural levels - then at least give something free or give a refund or something! This place lacks in that level of customer service that you aren't usually aware of, but that you've come to expect.
5 - richard h.: This is a hidden gem. Inam hoping no one else can find this place. Great food and Lamill coffe makes this hands down 5 stars which I rarely give anyone.mushroom mashed potatoes are excellent as all the entrees. This is the in place...and a must go to.
1 - Eunice C.: I don't understand how this place got such good reviews. 
The atmosphere of the restaurant was nice but the food was terrible. I could have made a better meal at home and the portions were tiny!
I had the eggs benedict. The eggs were way too overcooked. Instead of being runny, the yoke was complete hard. The ham on top of the English muffins were small very thin slices; I could hardly taste the meat. The hollandaise sauce tasted really weird. It was like they had added some vinegar in it or something. The curry potatoes didn't really taste like curry and they were mushy.
I was still hungry after my meal (and unsatisfied) so I walked down the block to get myself from refreshing Jamba Juice.
3 - Jordan C.: This place has interior design with females in mind. Bookshelves, paintings, retro-looking furniture... probably earned them a few points with the girls. The food itself was just decent in my opinion. I had high hopes for the spicy pork belly sandwich... but instead of a big fattening chunk of belly, it's sliced up and served banh mi style. Not that that's a problem, just not what I was hoping for. I had the spare rib for my dinner entree and it was just decent. 

We really wanted to try the waffle dessert, but they were sold out... we really wanted to try the little sampler of ganaches or whatever, but they were sold out. So we settled for the chocolate cheesecake... and I think I prefer cheesecake factory. Sorry!

Decent place, I'm willing to come back and try other entrees.
3 - Isabelle H.: Honestly, I don't know what to rate it.. 

I would probably give it a 2 1/2 for the food but

but I don't want to downgrade .. 

O well.

So basically, I came with two others and we automatically
thought it was a REALLY cute cafe/eatery!

I really liked the "booked" walls and the paintings were adorable.

(I might even come back and buy one! later)

The food... was DEFINITELY A NEW EXPERIENCE for me...

We ordered the top three popular dishes and so we had:

Spicy Pork Belly Sandwich (with cute itty fries),
Trout Salad (which... didn't have any greens whatsoever),
some kind of Thai Curry.

First of all, the spicy pork belly was basically (dehji bulgogi- in korean terms)
and it even had a layer of kimchi..

I give cred. for the person who thought of eating 
edehji bulgogi with bread instead of rice!

Secondly, I love fish, I can eat it raw or cooked, fish is good.

Butt.... fish on a salad? Nothing was fishy about that:)

BUTT! (another butt I know...)

The salad.... dressing was a bit... ODD....and it was basically julienne
carrots... with I don't know what else... was julienne... in the salad...
but definitely... not my taste.

In conclusion (sounds like an essay, huh?)

The thai curry... was (EHHHHHHHHHHHH......)
as a personal opinion, I don't like curry.

Tried my friend's at this one thai restaurant... BLECHH!
This one..... I will say I liked just...because... of the CHICKEN!

Now.... If you have never eaten out with me... I LOVE chicken...

anything chicken.... the chicken in the curry was pretty good~

The curry itself... was a new experience... but I wouldn't order it again.

:/

overall.. kind of disappointed but the interior was GREAT!

Don't let this review stop anyone from trying this place:)

My tastebuds didn't like it ...
2 - M D.: My husband and I decided to have Mother's Day dinner at Abricott after having dined there for lunch and dinner.

I made a reservation for the Saturday before Mother's Day making sure that Abricott could accommodate us since we are a large group and this is a small restaurant. I was assured that they could accommodate us and was told we would be put in the patio. I even called to confirm our reservation the day before (Friday) including the size of our party.

We arrived 10 minutes before our scheduled time on Saturday, checked in, and was shown to the patio. There were not enough seats for our party and the seating that was set was tightly packed. Additionally there was no room on the end of the tables for people to get in and out. Everyone would have to slide in from one side! Instead of giving us the entire banquet for our party they seated a table for 4 on that same banquet. Everyone arrived on time but could not be seated since we had to wait for the table at the end to finish eating so they could add one more table to the end of our tables. After the tables were available Abricott still left a table for two on the same banquet rather than giving us room on the end. People at one end of our tables had to climb over the patio railing to get out. Eventually we pushed one table out of the center so that people could get up.
Not sure why this was acceptable for the restaurant and they didn't even bother to acknowledge their mistake or apologize. 

On top of this, they only had one waitress for our entire party (and seemingly the rest of the patio). She did well and was nice but it was not enough for a group of 17.

We also ordered iced teas but rather than promptly being told that they were out of all their iced teas, we had to wait and follow-up on our own. Only to be told that they were out after our food came and having waited. 

Finally at the end of the evening when paying the check we had 6 credit cards to evenly split the bill. We were told that there would be an extra charge of $1 for every credit card over two cards per check (so $4 more). This is not stated on their menus(or anywhere else) and while I agree with the spirit of the rule this was a party of 17 evenly splitting the bill with 6 cards. No special amounts or 17 separate cards. When pressed Abricott agreed not to charge us extra.

I really wanted to like this restaurant but after giving it several chances (dinners and lunches) it is just not worth it with so many great restaurants around.

Summary:
Nice staff
Cute decor
Okay food
Not accommodating
Poorly prepared
3 - Wendy S.: Wow, whoever designed the inside of this restaurant gets major props. It's just so perfectly cute: lots of bookshelves with old books, a really nice covered patio area that gets a ton of sunlight, a private room in the back with a chandelier and a canopy-like ceiling. The best way to describe the decor is if you took Anthropolgie and turned it into a restaurant, then it would look like Abricott.

Unfortunately, the food does not quite live up to its perfectly cute decor. I got the curry, and it was okay. The vegetables were not chopped very well, resulting in huge, unwieldy chunks of carrot and potatoes. The flavor of the curry itself was good except I feel like I could have made something similar. In short, it didn't particularly stand out.
4 - Emily M.: My family came in during Mother's Day weekend on a Saturday night. At first impression, cute little restaurant with a real library and photos on the wall for sale. We were able to make a reservation since we had a large party of 17. I knocked one star down because even with the reservation, we were missing two seats so those two individuals had to stand until another table left and had room to fit in another table. However, after that, the food and service were great! 

Food: Everything I saw looked great, and everyone said whatever they had tasted great as well. I ordered the yellow curry with chicken with brown rice. They were very generous with their portions as I couldn't finish it and had to take the rest home. I was also able to taste the flank stank, and that, too, had a nice little sweet kick to it. For appetizers we had the chicken wings and dumplings. Let's just say we were all fighting over for the last piece...no shameful last piece lingering on the plate at all!

Service: Great! They were very kind and accommodating, especially to our large party, which the waitress mentioned, we were their largest party yet. Woohoo! Even the owner came around and chit chatted with us, making it seem like we were old friends. They even had a sign that said "No outside food or drink allowed," but let us bring in our own wine and desserts. 

Prices were great and affordable. For a party of 17...the bill came out to a little over $300, including gratuity...not bad...not bad at all!

Definitely coming back again!
4 - Christine T.: Very cute decor, greatly priced, food is really good but service was mediocre... didn't really get a friendly vide.. so one star down. Came here on mother's day around 6ish and it wasn't that crowded, but we did have reservations. 

Ordered:
Mussels: very tasty and came with bread, I just wanted to soak all the bread into their sauce

Trout-Very tasty and good portion, came with the best mashed potatoes ever! Also came with asparagus over their hollandaise sauce.

Steak-mmmm this was definitely my favorite, meat was just cooked perfectly and the taste was just as perfect. It also comes with a side of dipping sauce for the steak. It had a lemonish/butteriness to it. This dish also came with mashed potatoes and some green beans.

Will definitely come back to try their sandwiches.
4 - Joyce M.: Definitely a 4-star place. The cafe is SUPER cute. Definitely felt like I was in a private home blessed with the company of many strangers. The concept is pretty simple, kind of like Panera Bread. You order at the counter, get a number, and seat yourself! 

I had the Pork Belly Sandwich = good. The portions were a bit small but I guess fitting for a good sized meal. The curry was delicious but as always, there's never enough rice for ALL THAT CURRRY! Everything was greatly priced, ranging around $9 per plate. 

The only thing that got to me was that a waiter told us to wait until our friends all came to get a table... and when they would arrive, the waiter would have a table for us. NOT! We waited around, then approached him 20 minutes later and he basically forgot...about us.......therefore, we had to scavenge for a table ourselves. There aren't many tables either which makes it difficult. 

Overall I like this place and would come back for more on their menu
5 - Darragh C.: I love the atmosphere here.  Just like Daisy Mint, it is unique.  The kids also love it.  Quiet enough no tech needed, therefore there's no need to be on the wi-fi and tv category....  Trendy for teens, lots of options I love the atmosphere here.  Just like Daisy Mint, it is unique.  The kids also love it.  Quiet enough to chat food at all meals is consistent and tasty have to be on the wi-fi and tv category....  Trendy for teens, lots of options and all those that want a meatless day out... Here you go.

Simply put!   FABULOUS......cannot wait to go back t'nite. all those that want a meatless day out... Here you go.

Simply put!   FABULOUS......cannot wait to go back t'nite.

A fabulous breakfast!
5 - Emily R.: We just went here last night for the first time.  It was more crowded than we expected, but we got a table almost right away on the beautiful patio. Delicious dumplings started our meal, and my son had fun trying to pick them up with his chopsticks.  I was too impatient for that, so I used my fork.  I loved the salade niçoise--it was very fresh.  The Abricott burgers my sons had were great (of course I had a bite), and my husband loved the trout almandine.  The desserts were my favorite part, of course.  We had a hazelnut torte, a slice of chocolate cake, some pistachio/chocolate gelatto (can't remember the whole name of that one), and crème brûlée.  This is our new favorite restaurant on Lake!
5 - Rhonda S.: This is currently my FAVORITE place in Pasadena, mainly for the curry potatoes that come with breakfast.  Chicken curry or pho is a safe bet for lunch, but dinner is amazing, there are always great specials like noodles in a rich coconut broth.  The owners are really, really nice and remember their regular customers.  And you want to be a regular customer there!

The only drawback is that you can hear the conversation of your fellow diners... tables are close together like at Maximilliano, but Abricott isn't as noisy so you can hear their every word...
4 - Julie Y.: Abricott-- you have wowed me. You and your friendly bearded guardian who I suspect may be a manager/ owner of the establishment. 

My friend and I came here via a recommendation from a staff member who works at Daisy Mint. Apparently both restaurants are under the same establishment, and if that's true, then I am definitely hitting up Daisy Mint when it is done remodeling because Abricott's entrees were simply love on my palate.

Abricott is, as my friend so eloquently put it, "a cafe vibe with restaurant quality service and food". I couldn't have said it any better. Each wall/ section of the cafe has it's own vibe to it. If you were to walk in through the door, the first section of the restaurant reminds me of a brunch cafe with its own display of breads and pastries. Then the restaurant stretches out as one hallway where one wall is covered in visually appealing animated pictures of different sizes and the other side is delightfully furnished in an intimate couch and chair seating arrangement. On the way end of the hallway, there is separate room set up with these gorgeous hanging curtains and shelves stacked with books. That's right, they were all REAL books. Props to the interior designer because throughout the entire meal, I couldn't help but admire the little details that kept stimulating my eyes. 

Onward to the food, which really is the best part. Just from eating three dishes, my friend and I both concluded that this cafe has quality and taste down to the very pinch of salt Abricott's chefs may have added to season the food. God, if enjoying food was a sin, I would be the first to admit that I have sinned indeed. 

Note: this restaurant is serves fusion food. However, each entree in itself is made well and tastes the way authentic Vietnamese, Thai or Chinese cuisine SHOULD taste. +star for that. 

My entree: Grilled Trout and Green Papaya Salad. 
I admit I've had some poor made green papaya salad where the papaya itself is inedible and unpalatable because it's so hard to bite. Abricott's was delish. The trout was juicy without being tough and grilled ever so slightly without excessive amounts of oil. It was a bit on the bland side but purposefully so because the shredded greens on my plate packed more than enough flavor to compliment the dish as a whole. My salad consisted of carrots, green papayas, crushed peanuts, tiny slivers of green pepper and some crushed red chilies that gave the a spicy kick to the sweet and sour tanginess of the salad dressing. I was seriously in heaven.

My friend ordered the pho (yes, she ordered pho in a cafe restaurant...) buttttt she enjoyed it a lot. She said it was pretty damn good and I suspect that means she tasted little or no msg, which is typical of so many pho restaurants.  

We both shared a special that day. Xiao Long Bao!! :) I really liked that the dumplings were juicy and filling. My only complaint was that when the dumpling had cooled a bit, the skins would stick to the bottom of container, which would cause the dumplings to rip underneath and spill all their pork goodness. :( Maybe it was a slight fluke? 

Best part was that I heard the menu is in process of being finished. What does that mean for you fellow yelpers and cuisine hunters alike? That means Abricott has even more to offer than what I just ate. YES!!!! Christmas has come early. 

I'll be coming around a LOT more when I'm in Pasadena, especially to try the Mussels, which apparently is really popular.  I already recommended this place to my mother. :) 

Note:
* parking lot in the back 
* Abricott has a cafe vibe with cafe table settings. Meaning, it's probably best to come here for a more intimate meal. Perfect location for a simple girl-catch-up date :) 
* portion sizes are PERFECT. Abricott is about quality over quantity. If you are wanting to enjoy a relatively delicious meal without being too full, this is the place for you. If you are the typical American like me who is constantly barraged by foods that have been made supersized, this is NOT the place for you.
4 - Keila N.: The Abricott is a new addition to the restaurant row on Lake.  There is free 2 hour parking in the back.  I entered through the rear into an inviting living room like decor.  Books lined the walls as the hustle and bustle of the restaurant was in full force at 7 p.m. on a Tuesday night.

The staff seemed slightly overextended.  I ordered the grilled shrimp salad.  To be honest, I didn't care for the dressing.  It was too sweet.  But there was a generous amount of shrimp for $10.  There were pork dumplings that were not on the menu.  The server said the dish took 15 minutes, so I didn't order it.  But our neighbor did and it looked solid.
3 - Winnie S.: The decorations were really cute, the employees were really nice but the food was only ok. 

I ordered the grilled trout and green papaya salad with a thai iced tea. The thai tea was really good but the salad was only ok. I felt like the salad was drenched with dressing but the trout had no flavor. Maybe it's supposed to be like that? so you can dip the trout into the salad dressing? i dunnnoooo! 

Anyway the owner/manager? was really nice! I hope to come back to try some of their other foods! :)
3 - Dawn Y.: HUGE loyal fan of Daisy Mint so was totally excited to get my mouth into something fabulous at Abricott.  

Love the location on Lake.... fun for after shopping bite etc.  I will have to say the DECOR was my favorite thing about the whole place.  The cutesy framed art, mirrors, room to room seating.... totally cozy and chic... LOVED IT!  I ordered the fish and papaya salad and my bf had the pho.  The fish/salad dish was just "ok."  Nothing fancy... it was nicely grilled but nothing amazing.... the papaya salad was "good."  I was hungry so the portion of food for the money was a bit on the smaller side for me.  As for the pho.... probably our mistake for ordering this at a non-vietnamese joint and trying to compare it to a favorite local dive place of ours....... so not sure this is a fair comparison.....  The pho barely had any noodles in it...... lacked the sprouts and fun mixes of stuff you put into it....  the broth didn't have alot of taste to it...... I guess I wanted something more traditional pho or would have liked to see their version of how'd they would mix it up....... all in all, he finished it.  For the amount of food we got the price was a bit expensive in my eyes..... about $35-40 bucks.

The service was a bit off.  Prior to finishing the food the staff kept coming back asking to clear the dishes...... thought he was a bit hasty.   Other than that the service was "fine."

Well didn't LOVE my first experience there but since I'm a LOYAL fan of Daisy Mint I would totally come back and try something else.  Alot of my friends love the breakfast there so I would definitely be willing to come back to get a breakfast bite!

I look forward to my second visit.
4 - Stephanie W.: I have enjoyed dining with John and Jo since their first restaurant, Sweet Garlic in Monrovia (now closed) then onto Daisy Mint in Pasadena, and now Abricott.  The decor is shabby chic with a library.  It has a date night nook and a private dining suite.  

The food is that of comfort.  I would recommend going with a few friends so you can sample different dishes from the menu as portions are generous.  The trout and papaya salad is light with a sweet and sour dressing.  Pork belly with red cabbage is one of my favorites.  Fork tender pork with a creamy slaw is rich and filling.  Mussels in a tomato based cream broth also delicious.  You can also order coconut water which is served in the coconut.   Definitely order the waffle with a side of Lamill espresso.  A light fluffy waffle with a scoop of ice-cream with a pour of the espresso and you experience layers of flavors.  We also had the Creme brûlée and a chocolate cake, both solid.  

The owners are so welcoming and their restaurants are definitely a labour of love which is evident in their design and food.
4 - Jessica H.: eggs benedict.. and a coconut.. that's all you need to take from this place.
well that's probably a highly biased statement because that's what i ordered and i've only been to this restaurant once.. according to other reviews the pho is something to take note of and also the pork belly sandwich..

..my table ordered one of the sandwiches.. 2 eggs benedicts and a strawberry waffle.. i can only talk about what i tried which was the eggs benedict.. i thoroughly enjoyed it.. to the last bite.. the main reason that this place gets set apart is the curried potatoes.. really good.. i love curry.. i love potatoes.. curry potatoes are delicious.. 

if you like coconut ... getting a young coconut to complement your meal is the perfect finish.. and you get to scoop out the coconut flesh at the end.. yummy.

slightly on the expensive side but not something to complain too much about... overall maybe 3.5 stars but i gave it the 4 cause of the potatoes and coconut.
2 - Stephanie Y.: Went for lunch the other day and was sorely disappointed.  I ordered the Croque Madame with fries and my bf ordered the Spicy Pork Belly Sandwich.  My sandwich was nothing special really.  I would kind of describe it like a grilled cheese with ham and eggs on top.  My bf's spicy pork belly sandwich was much anticipated and although I did enjoy it -- I don't know if I think it's really work the $8.  I just didn't feel like anything we ordered was really special but  I did however, like their shoe-string fries! 

Maybe it was from all the hype and the great reviews, but I did not think this place was that spectacular.  Might be back to try other stuff on their menu, but I'll be keeping my expectations low.
3 - Wendy C.: Upon first glance.. I expected this place to really deliver!  People lined up waiting to be seated... beautiful decorations and the whole restaurant just smelled delicious!  
However I was sadly pretty disappointed with how the food tasted. 

Spicy Pork belly Sandwich: Spicy.. sandwich.. and Pork Belly.  All three of my most favorite things combined into one dish.. I was so excited to try this!!  When it came out.. I was definitely disappointed.   No one told me it was going to be a bahn mi (vietnamese sandwich).  Pork Belly... was like.. spicy bulgogi you get from all you can eat korean bbq.  I guess what I had in my mind was all wrong.  For what it was worth the sandwich was good.. tasted exactly like a bahnmi you get from a pho restaurant only with korean spicy bulgogi inside.  Just upset it wasn't the hamburger bun with braised spicy pork that I had envisioned.  Oh well :(

Service was a little slow and all the desserts that I had wanted were all sold out.  I wouldn't be against coming here again to try something else.. just not paying $$$ for something I could have easily gotten at my local pho shop for under $5.
Sorry Abricott... you just didn't impress me.
3 - Charis D.: The fish was not bad but lacked flavor and seasoning, the steak salad was pretty good but not much to it and small.  Slightly overpriced for what you get. Great ambiance and tea!
3 - Janet M.: I love the decor at this place, it was very unique and something different.  The galleries on the wall were very attractive and they are on sale too.  Very interesting. 

However, I wasn't very excited about the dishes that we had.  We had chicken wings, normal.  We had a papaya salad, hmmm, not so good.  We had the curry chicken, it was normal but the chicken tasted very good.  We also ordered their signature dessert the waffle with ice cream.  It was flesh-made very yum!! 

The bill came out near $50 so I think it was quite pricey.  Again, anything over $30 for 2 people is expensive according to my standard.    It's a good try at this place but do not have too much expectations.
5 - Amy S.: Lunch time! Ignore the temptation to go to neighboring Chipotle and instead come here!

It's only been open about 4 months or so, but already locals are digging this French-American-Korean-Thai-Vietnamese café. Owned by a husband and wife team who also owns the Daisy Mint (asian fusion), this place is super cute. Features LaMill Coffees and has a cute (covered patio). I also love that they support local artists (actually good art!) and sell the pieces through a gallery via a QR code that you can scan with your phone. Fancy! I like that they are keepin' up with the times!

As a fellow yelper mentioned, if Anthropologie was a restaurant, it would probably be like this place. The style is very artful and bohemian-chic.

The Food:
I loved the... 
Pho - huge bowl!
Angel hair pasta in a curry coconut cream sauce (with shrimp or mussels)
Curry Chicken with rice - slightly sweet, but not over powering curry flavor - good to share!

I keep coming back to try different things on the menu. The employees are really nice and helpful when ordering. Some are servers are new and are still being trained, so have patience. Also, I'm told that the menu is still being figured out and that they will be adding more vegetarian dishes soon. Can't wait!

BYB Tip: Although they are a café, there's no WIFI access :(
4 - richard l.: This restaurant having one of best best wow candy I had see.  Food here is also very good, little bit pricey.

If you never been here, definite worth to visit.  Is a fusion restaurant with french interior. It even offer pho which is my favorite dish, cost $8. Which is probably the most pricey Pho in  L.A. but is also has the best broth i can tell, the meet in the soup, the beef is better too is tender. not big portion size.  For quality is hard to get better than this.  

You paid in front first, it does take credit card, the menu is very simple, all in one page.  It take some time for the order to come since is quite busy here.  Parking could be problem during peek lunch and dinner time, but a least is free.
4 - Calvin T.: I've come back here once in awhile and still return.

The food they serve is all very refreshing and light, but still rich in flavor.  The salmon amadine is very good. the starch served goes well like a thick sauce with the fish.

Today, i tried their off menu special: angelhair pasta in a coconut sauce with clams.
it was very delicious, although i had curry the day before, this held it's own.  I wished i had some bread to dip into the left over sauce when i was done.  

Honestly everything on their menu  is pretty good although their choices represent more of a new-american fusion flavor.
3 - John L.: Having enjoyed Daisy Mint for so long, I was really excited to try Abricott. The decor is considerably eclectic: with a mush mosh of style and design from retro, casual, to borderline elegant touches. Artwork and keepsakes adorn the walls and even a makeshift gallery wall hosts photographs and paintings for sale. I found the menu to be an interesting assortment of simple dishes with subtle Asian themes. My girlfriend and I shared the trout w/ green papaya salad: it was crisp, tangy, and flavorful with a pleasant kick from julienned jalapeño. The trout was mild and tender. As entree, she had the Panang curry: evenly seasoned and faintly rich curry with carrots and potatoes complimenting tender shredded chicken. Delicious! I had the steak entree, slightly marinated with roasted garlic and mushroom mashed potatoes and lightly-seasoned haricot verts. The green beans were the best part of the dish: crisp with a hint of salt and pepper. The mash potatoes were wanting for a touch more flavor and texture. The steak had good flavor, but the cut of meat lent itself neither to the rare temperature I prefer not the lightweight steak knife that accompanied. Service here seems inconsistent as well. Our server started out very attentive but as the dining room filled she became more distracted and appeared to be reactive rather than in control. Though polite and friendly, she failed to bring us both replacement silverware for our entrees and after waiting nearly 10 minutes I finally got up and got it myself. Lastly, we shared a lemoncello raspberry cake which we both found to be dry and not particularly overwhelming. Though a lesser experience than I'm used to getting from Daisy Mint, I will give Abricott another try to be a new favorite restaurant.
5 - Michael F.: Had the best experience here!  I love to eat pho, but hate the MSG...  They make MSG free pho and the flavor is superb!  Had the pistachio ice cream dessert and that was amazing as well...  Two thumbs up......!
3 - Mika W.: I really want to like abricott. I really do. 
You order at the counter at lunch and it is a sit-down restaurant at dinner.

PROS:
- great location with a parking lot in back (though that parking lot gets very crowded during lunch)
- very modern and interesting decor (love their private room with the chandelier and books)
- friendly service

STILL ON THE FENCE: 
- I really really want to like their food. But so far it hasn't been as impressive as I hoped. First time I ordered the kabocha open-faced sandwich. I love kabocha. But there was just too much kabocha and the flavor was just okay. Second time orderd the sizzling eggs. It was good, but it was a dish I could make at home pretty easily. Third time I had their special: Spicy eggplant and tofu. This would be my favorite dish so far. 

I'm not ready to give up on them but it hasn't made my list of favorites.
4 - Wendy H.: Let me start off by saying that the decor in this place is beautiful. As soon as I walked in I let out a little squeal. It's just that charming. There are old vintage books stacked high to ceiling, artwork for sale on the wall, and the most adorable room in the back for larger parties. I know I'll be coming back with a bunch of friends just so we can sit in that cute little room. Haha. :)

As for food, boyfriend and I ordered a steak salad and a pork sandwich. The dressing in the salad was good, but there was way too much and it made the lettuce soggy pretty fast. I'd ask for it on the side. Also, the steak was too overdone. The pork belly sandwich was good, but I was expecting sliced pork belly. Instead, it had more of a bulgogi texture. I ordered a jasmine pearl tea which came in a nice sized teapot. Yum. Boyfriend had lamill coffee (latte) which was delicious. I normally don't like coffee, but this was good. I'd order again.

This is a perfect little spot for casual date night.
3 - Katy L.: One word to describe this place: CUTE!

Abricott is a cute cafe that is owned by the same people who runs Daily Mint, another popular asian fusion place in Pasadena. The ambience and space was simple, nicely decorated by various interesting art pieces on the wall, and shelves with books. I totally thought I was eating at someone's house. The ambience was very quaint and a great place to catch up with friends during lunch or dinner. 

Service- Overall Service was good! The waitress was very knowledgeable about the menu and was very thorough in explaining to us the popular items on the menu and the day's special which was great. 

Food:

Grilled Trout and Green Papaya Salad- Pan-Grilled Trout Fillet with Shredded Green Papaya, Carrots, Crushed Peanuts in a Spicy, Sweet and Sour Dressing. This is definitely a very light summery asian salad. The sweet and sour dressing reminded me of the fish sauce you pour over in the vietnamese restaurants. I liked the fresh crunchy balance of the shredded green papaya and carrots with the warm tender fresh trout. The added slice of the lemon juice on the trout definitely brightens up the sweet meat of the trout. For those who like really heavy flavors, you may not like the dish because it is more fresh and simple, light on flavors (in a good way).  Careful of those little green asian peppers you will find in the salad. Not sure why they put that inside because they are super SPICY!!! I had to gulp a huge glass of water after I accidentally ate a pepper thinking it was part of the salad but yes, make sure you take them out before consumption because your mouth will be on fire!

Vietnamese Grilled Shrimp Salad- My friend ordered the Fire-Grilled Shrimp on a Bed of Romaine Lettuce with Crispy Onions, Mint, and an Asian Dressing. Overall flavor was light and the asian dressing gave a nice acidity to the crunchy bed of lettuce and onions. The mint also gave a unique aroma to the lettuce without overpowering the entire dish. It is like summer on your plate. 

Waffles with Ice cream- We ordered the waffles with a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream, sweet syrup, and chocolate syrup and espresso on the side. The waffles were delicious and everything you want in a waffle, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The dessert wasn't too sweet which I liked. Definitely worth saving your stomach for. 

*Tip: Forget driving around for parking out front. There is a parking lot in the back with plenty of parking space! Arrive after 7 and the parking is free, yay!
1 - Mr A.: Such a cute place and conveniently located.  I've been there 2x and both were a disappointment.  The first time I ordered a salad to go.  It was supposed to be romaine but was made with field greens which - ok but then... opened it up to find a bunch of greens with only dressing (Vietnamese version of oil and vinegar) and nothing else.  A huge disappointment and totally unsavory.  I decided I must have ordered the wrong thing so I went back with a friend.I placed my order and they didn't know if they the bread order had come in so they could make it.  Luckily it had come in.  I'm allergic to egg yolk so wanted the eggs without the yolk.  They charge an extra $2 to separate the egg! Ugh, I thought in this day and age people have the whites on hand.  The owner was there but she was not willing to budge from the $2 price- oh well.  Ended up walking down the street to the Corner Bakery where they typed in egg whites in the computer and done.  It is a cozy place but I haven't been lucky with the food.
4 - Brandon W.: Just the phrase, "Asian fusion" bothers me a little since it's such a silly food trend that very few places do correctly.  Doesn't my grilled chicken technically become "Asian fusion" if I pour a drop of soy sauce on it?  Anyway, the pictures here and the menu of Abricott made it a little more intriguing to me.  Maybe Asian fusion only sucks in the central valley.

THE GIST: Very cute setting / Fun menu / Good food

SERVICE AND SETTING

I went here on a Wednesday night for dinner.  The place never really filled up, but there was some decent business.  Anyway, Abricott is very pretty.  Just as the food is fusion, so is the interior; the cafe front looks a little modern, and the restaurant is furnished to look very home-y.  If it were closer to home I'd definitely be comfortable studying there in the afternoon.  Service was friendly, quick, and unobtrusive.

FOOD AND VALUE

Pork Belly Sandwich: Kinda expensive for a sandwich, but delicious.  And the fusion was definitely there!  It was like a mix of Korean and Vietnamese/French flavors.  The pork belly was very tender and the bread was perfect for the sandwich.

French fries: Thin cut, not too greasy, but still crunch and flavorful.  You will need to ask for your condiments though.

Croque-Madame: I got to try this one.  It reminds me a little of a Monte Cristo  It was cooked perfectly, but the sauce really dominated.  I think if you order light on the sauce, this sandwich will come out really good.

Dessert waffle with ice cream: It's a cute dish, with the scoop of ice cream looking at first like a humongous scoop of butter sitting on the center of the sweet waffle.  With just chocolate and no fruit to brighten up the dish, I feel like they can only do so much; it was great, but not spectacular.

Dinner with a drink came out to about 15$ per person after tax and tip; reasonable considering it's an Asian fusion cafe in Pasadena.  One plate at the local fusion restaurant in Stockton almost costs that much.

CONCLUSION

Reasonably priced, not too heavy, but very tasty, Abricott is exactly the type of place I'd like to have right outside of where I work.  It was a memorable meal and I would return if it were closer to where I live.
5 - Sarah H.: True to other reviews, the ambiance was well done - unique on so many levels. The service was excellent and all the staff seemed like one cohesive team, helping each other out with refills, checks, etc ... all to our benefit. The curry was excellent with tons of filling, and the recommended croquet Madame was cheesy creamy deliciousness. The menu also had a very diverse selection, so you're pretty much guaranteed to find something to satisfy your craving.
4 - Jen E.: I love the creative decor of this restaurant! 

I went with a friend for dinner and we shared the pork belly with cabbage and the mussels.  I was a bit hesitant in ordering the mussels since this didn't seem like a seafood place, but I am so glad we did.  The sauce that the mussels were cooked in was so delicious!  We kept asking for more bread to soak up all the sauce.  Then I asked for a take out container for all the leftover sauce and ate it with some pasta the next day. So delicious!
4 - Jolieann H.: I came here on a Saturday afternoon right before the kitchen closed at 2pm, and ordered the trout with papaya salads. The trout was a bit soggy, the salad is pretty nice. 

I love the decor of this place, consisting mostly black and white. Very nice location as well! I would definitely come back.
4 - Dave M.: The strength of this place is that the prices are quite reasonable considering the type and quality of food, combined with the hip, fun atmosphere. The patio area is nice for breakfast and the staff is pretty cool. It's a specific style of food that leans a bit toward Vietnamese French, and that may not appeal to everyone. Not all of it appeals to me, honestly. However, considering the prices, you are well-served to give it a try.
4 - Casey D.: I'll admit, my first impression of this place was not too great.  When it first opened, I came in for a coffee.  I asked where the cream was and the polite lady behind the counter informed me they did not have cream.  

"What kind of place has coffee but no cream?" I thought to myself.  

I'm glad to say in subsequent visits, Abricott has redeemed itself and then some.  My last visit I could not make up my mind between the Abricott Burger and the Pork-Belly sandwich, both of which I highly recommended.  Then I saw it, the burger with pork belly on top.  Of course, I ordered it.  After my first bite, I felt sorry for everyone else at my table that did not order it.  Its the BMW of burgers.  Fresh ground beef (ground in house according to the menu) and a tangy topping of pork.  Now I know what they mean by fusion.  

My group left very happy that day, all agreeing we need to return soon.  I already know what I'm going to have.
4 - Teresa C.: This review is for hosting a private party at Abricott. I did most of my planning through email with Lea at Abricott, who was pretty friendly and easy going about how the process was. We worked out a prix-fixe menu that ended up being $12 a head, including tax and tip as well as two refills on a variety of drinks per a person. She stated that she would put out some fries and cut fruit as an appetizer (we got the fries but never received the fruit) and that she could put any cake or dessert in their fridge for us as well. 

The menu items was a brunch style, which on hindsight I would probably have changed to be all lunch items. We were told that we would get 15 minutes before the party to set up and the room was ours for 2 hours. We went about 30 minutes over but no one kicked us out, which was nice. The room is pretty roomy and can sit 12 comfortably. There's some small ledges and counters to put some decore and flowers.

The service was the downside- the server, though nice and friendly was very unorganized and we basically had to take our own orders and just give her a grand total of drinks and entrees. The food was served pretty fast but I wish someone had mentioned that the kitchen closes at 3. Nevertheless, the food was pretty good (I would stick with their more exotic choices) and the venue was pretty without being expensive. The lighting in the room is on the dim side so be aware of that. All in all, I'd use Abricott again for small parties!
4 - Celeste C.: My first impression was that the interior reminds me of Anthropologie. It's very cute and homey! I had the french ham and cheese sandwich and while it was decent, I don't think I will order it again--I have a thing against cold cheese. Maybe I should have asked for it hot? The french fries that came with it were really good though. I tried my cousin's kobacha sandwich and liked it a lot more than mine. Want to come back to try the banh mi and the croque monsieur!
2 - Ryan B.: Now I see why they have books, you can finish War and Peace while waiting for your food.

I've been wanting to try this place and heard a lot of good things from other friends on how great the food is here. Walked in and liked the atmosphere. Ordered our meals and here comes the first problem, very minor though, got fries instead of a salad. Server gave a little attitude about it being wrong. Looked passed the issue since they were busy and just happy to try the food. Food was good no complaints.

Next we ordered dessert. Waited 15 minutes still hasn't arrived to our table. Some one walking by asked if we needed anything and I said we were just waiting for our dessert. Now 5 minutes have have gone by someone brings our bill and asks if we would like dessert. Really? By this time I was loosing my patience. I explained that we already ordered dessert and we still were waiting. Another 5 minutes goes by and someone notices we still don't have our dessert. It finally comes out and we notice that the hot fudge is no longer hot and has started to harden in the container. My best guess it that it has been sitting there the whole time.

So we got the check and I realized my time is not worth their money. I wanted to love you but I lost that loving feeling.
5 - Patrick X.: I've been there a variety of times (mostly for lunch, eating off the breakfast menu) and have never been disappointed. 

This place is delicious. Everything on the menu is delicious. I'd recommend everything, especially the fries, the pork plate, and the sizzling eggs. It's a really cute, adorable place.
4 - Ken K.: Twelve of us reserved a room here last week for a surprise dinner for my cousin who had just gotten engaged. It's a cute little room (am I allowed to use the word cute?) that fits no more than 12 people that has sort of a library feel to it (which was quite fitting because my cousin loves to read). And the service we received here, mainly by Akiko (I think that was her name), was top-notch.

Now onto the food!

Because there were so many of us, we got a few different dishes to share in addition to our own plates. The Sweet and Salty Wings ($7) were decent at best. They were crispy, but very mildly flavored in the marinade. I'm not exactly sure what the two Asian dipping sauces were, but I enjoyed the creamier one of the two. 

The Grilled Trout and Green Papaya Salad ($12) was light, fresh, and had a nice little kick to it.

We also ordered the Mussels Provencale ($14) to share. I loved this. They were not stingy with the number of mussels and the broth was fantastic... I would swim in that if I could. It wasn't too rich or creamy and it had the perfect balance of flavors. They even gave us extra baguettes to dip in the broth, which I thought was nice.

And we also ordered the Spicy Pork Belly Sandwich ($9) just to have a taste. That was good; very well-flavored.

But the highlight of the night for me was my Abricott Burger ($11). I added the Pork Belly and Gouda cheese for $1 each (per Yelpers' suggestions) and requested it to be cooked medium-rare. It was... delicious. The patty was so juicy and cooked perfectly, and the pork belly and Gouda added a dimension to the burger that was quite necessary; as others have noted, I can imagine the burger being a little boring without them, so I would recommend it as well. My only complaint about this burger is that the Brioche bun is a bit too bready. Other than that though, it's great.

Overall, Abricott has above-average food and service.
5 - Rick A.: This place is the bomb. It's everything I want in a lunch restaurant, hip, relevant, and above all the food is really good. The pork belly sandwich is amazing, the fries are super thin but good, I mix some mayo and siracha together to create the perfect dipping sauce.  I don't give many 5 star reviews, and honestly I would give the 4.5 if yelp would let me. The close for 2 hours on wknds between 3-5 to prep for dinner, so keep that in mind.
5 - Liz K.: Great foods with good atmosphere!

Lunch is self service with no hassle, easy and quick! Waiter are nice and friendly.
Foods are all in the reasonable price.

We 6 girls ordered Waffles, spice pork belly sandwiches, burgers and omelette with coffee and tea, had great time.

p.s. we are sitting outside! and if you come on sunday/hoilday, parking is free on the street or back parking lot. :D


will def come back to try other food, like PHO!!!  saw lots of ppl ordered.
5 - Danny H.: I really like this place. I've heard its owned by the same people who own Daisy Mint. If that's true, then I guess that explains why I like their food so much. For those of you who haven't gone there, that's a great Thai place. Probably my favorite Thai place in Pasadena.

But I digress. 
Abricott is a great place. It's sort of like one of those quaint places that you find and you like to take your friends there just to have a great bite to eat. It's not a super fancy place and it can remind you of a library with all the books around, but I think that adds character to the place.

I've had the Pho and the Pork Belly Sandwich. The pho is not cheap at $10 when compared to other places like Golden Deli and Pho 79, but I think it's definitely higher quality than those places. The meat is especially tender and delicious.

The pork belly sandwich tastes so delicious that it's probably not good for you. If you're having a cholesterol test tomorrow, I'd recommend not getting this. Definitely come back to eat it after your test.

All in all, I really like this place and I can't wait to come back!
5 - J Y.: My favorite place in LA so far, hands down. The pho is so good, I got it the first time I went, and then couldn't help but order it the next 6 or 7 times I went. It's hard to try anything else on the menu when the pho is so good! Love the 'library' ambiance, and the service is great. A group of friends and I once waited two hours after they said it would only be a little over an hour, and they were very friendly and sent over desert. Great place!
4 - Alice L.: Liked: Cozy atmosphere! They have this cute little room in the back for private parties-- reminded me of Alice in Wonderlands tea party for some reason. Arugula salad was refreshing. Abricott Burger + shoestring fries were delicious. 

Meh: Tuna crema was nothing special-- the pureed tuna just wasn't my cup of tea. I prefer my tuna to have some texture? Croque-Monsieure was good, but a bit salty.

Disliked: Nothing =)

I'm a total sucker for restaurants with cute homey decor, so I was sold as soon as I stepped in.
3 - Matthew K.: Very nicely decorated restaurant with a cute dining area.  The walls are decorated with books, there's an oversized safety pin in a corner, and the big dining room area has a beautiful chandelier and a rustic wooden table.  Props to the decorators.

No props for the food.  The eggs in my eggs benedict were way overcooked but they were nice enough to give me another one with soft yoke.  However, the dish overall was really bland.  The hollandaise had a nice texture but was not seasoned at all.  The pork belly sandwich is interesting.  More sweet than savory but still just okay.
4 - Topanga S.: I had a banh mi my first time in life although I don't eat pork. I don't really know how it's supposed to taste but it was pretty good.  However,  It was little too sweet for me so I added a little Asian hot sauce. It's on French bread, which I don't think is too healthy.  My husband had a burger. It was also good. 

I most likely will come back whenever I'm in the area. I want to try other stuff too.
3 - Aiko S.: Asian fusion!

I got spicy pork sandwich with kimchi.
It was very tasty!
Side of fries was very good too.
It was like Banh mi, but with Korean style thin sliced spicy pork.

I want to try yellow curry next time!
4 - Paul E.: What a fantastic find (with help of the Yelp community, of course). We stopped by Abricott for breakfast, hopeful that my in-laws would enjoy it as well.  First, the decor is creative and eclectic, with art on the walls and clever arrangements of bookshelves. I ordered the sizzling eggs with toast, along with the curried potatoes. The flavors were fantastic!

One thing I would mention is that the service is rather informal. This is a no-fuss joint. You order your food at the register, and then get your own silverware, water and condiments from a table in front. Then you find a seat. I commend the staff for getting the food to our table lickety-split since we only had a limited time in which to eat.

Overall, this is a welcome addition to the neighborhood and I look forward to trying that pork belly sandwich everyone is writing about.
5 - Rob S.: I have only been here for brunch, but given how good the food is I can only imagine dinner its amazing as well. I've had the eggs benedict, which was great, and the croque monsieur, which I highly recommend for breakfast or lunch. The atmosphere is very quaint with lots of curios on an industrial-style bookcase. Service is quick and friendly; I highly recommend this place.
3 - Brett B.: Since my review was based almost entirely on their fries, I wanted to mention that they've changed their recipe/style. Ok, but we miss the old ones!
4 - Nicholas M.: This place is so good. The food is awesome and is a blend of asian and french cuisine. It's a really relaxed environment and good for a nice dinner. The food is pretty healthy and you won't feel bad about eating it. The staff was really nice too. Highly recommend it.
2 - Joanne K.: the food itself is good esp. for a cafe. but they need to work on their tabling / reservation system. i was on the waiting list for a reservations only back room that sits up to 10 for more than a week. during that time i called in and visited in-person to follow up on my waitlist status. the person that i repeatedly contacted was the waitress/seater i encountered for dinner. during that time they never mentioned another 6-8 person 'reserved' table. the day i went in at 7pm i asked the waitress/seater if i could have the 6-8 person table for a group of 8. and she said yes. they even started to sit my group which at that point consisted of 3 people. then they changed their story and told me i had to sign a 'reservation' book for the table which i did at the front register. the group that had signed before me (but had arrived later than me) had a group of 4 and their listed seating preference was for either the outside patio or inside. i was told that the table was reserved for a group at 7:30. then i was told that they were waiting to see which group (mine or the 7:30) would arrive first (meaning all the members would arrive). at that point my party consisted of 4 people and we were seated outside on the patio. patio tables can sit  2.  they can also be pushed together to make a long table. eventually 7 members of my party arrived and we were still seated outside on the patio. the inside table had a group of 4, presumably the group who had made the 'reservation.' i preferred the inside seating area b/c i wanted to enjoy the interior. my gripe is they were playing a numbers / $ game, that they didn't need to play, at the expense of their customers. total communication fiasco among the customers, wait staff, managers.
4 - Krista Y.: Abricott is deeeeeelicious!!!!

The owner was soooo passionate and enthusiastic about his place.  I have strict dietary restrictions and he was so gung-ho toward catering to my specific needs.

Our waiter was so cute.  I totally have a crush on him!!!

My cousin had the burger - it looked phenomenal. He said "that burger was awesome!".  My other cousin had the pork belly sandwich and thought it was super good too.

I think the atmosphere is so charming.

It is byob!!!!!!  Which is no problem because a wine place is right down the street - that made my mom VERY happy.

The price is DEFINITELY great for what you get.

Love this place - I'm going to visit my cousin in Pasadena more often just so I can come here!!!
3 - Allyssa D.: First, I heard of Abricott through Daisy Mint. I am completely in love with Daisy Mint, the ambiance, food, everything just great. I decided yesterday to go to Abricott to check it out since I heard it's very popular and has good breakfast. I didn't make it in time for breakfast but I did get my little lunch in. 

I ordered the Banh Mi since I love banh mi from places like Lee's Sandwiches, Saigon Bakery and many more, but I've never had a somewhat higher priced banh mi. My first thought was better ingredients, fresher quality etc. My mom got the french ham and gruyere sandwich which I will discuss later. So each item comes with a mixed green salad or french fries. I opted for the mixed green salad because I usually love those and I was feeling a little lighter today. The menu was definitely fusion, with pho to croc madame. 

My banh mi was a little different then ordinary. It had thick slices of cucumber, spiced pork belly and pickled vegetables with mayo. For me the pork belly was not my liking. It was very peppery and I'm usually someone who enjoys lots of pepper but this was too much for me. It was spiced with wasabi and that was a little weird for me, I would have preferred srirracha instead but otherwise the bread was good, meat was cooked well. I do wish there was more mayo to tone down the peppery pork, it overwhelmed the sandwich. On the other hand the mixed green salad was amazing. It was so simply but so refreshing! It had a balsamic and olive oil dressing that was so simply but tasted delicious. Don't know why. But it was amazing! So overall, I wouldn't get the banh mi again. 

My mom got the French ham and gruyere sandwich, that came on sourdough bread with truffle butter and this vegetable that is used in place of a pickle I completely forgot the name, forgive me. The sandwich at first bite was not what I expected. Immediately the truffle butter was overwhelming. It tasted like I bit into a huge truffle butter sandwich. I could barely taste the ham or the cheese which was super disappointing because I love gruyere cheese! I do love truffle (Umami burger fan!) but for some reason this sandwich didn't have a good balance. My mom got the french fries which were really good too, somewhat cut thin though but good. They weren't overly greasy but didn't have much flavor. 

Maybe I came on a bad day? Or ordered something wrong. I'll come again for breakfast if I have the chance. Oh and the ambiance is super cute and reminds me of corner bakery but a little more posh.
1 - Anthony i.: Don't understand the 4 star rating here... service is decent but the cooking staff and management are sub par.  Our order took 20 mins to come out - the popular "burger" and eggplant. Fine. Burger was ordered medium but came well done.  I mean, dry ass well done; the bun even seem to fall apart from being dry.  When asked, the waitress agreed it was overcooked and brought it back to the kitchen.

Took another 10 mins and came out missing the cheese I added.  The meat still tasted dry! A brioche bun is supposed to be a good idea but it didn't help the so-called burger.  The waitress brought out 2 slices of gouda to add to the burger...complete miss/fail.

The plates that our meals came on were chipped... all of them. When this was mentioned to the waitress, the answer was "I know".  Not to nitpick, but c'mon... put food out on some clean, decent plates.  Aren't they a relatively new restaurant?
Overheard the owner/manager apologize to another table for not having something they ordered...but no word about the fiasco of my burger or our dinner.  On our way out, I was looking for him to provide some constructive feedback.  Nowhere to be found in the open kitchen.

This was actually the second try here...came for brunch and was utterly displeased.  The Madame Croque was definitely not noteworthy.  Thought we'd try dinner to give another chance.... won't be doing back anymore.
5 - Jenn S.: I recommened trying any dish that appeals to you because I'm sure it'll taste good. But expect classic dishes, whatever their origin, with a modern twist! I even loved their pho! 

Pho - thick slices of beef brisket with a surprisingly flavorful broth! It's an expensive pho but great quality meat and broth!

Birdsnest with chicken curry - crispy noodles drenched in chicken curry

Trout Amandine - moist fillet topped with toasted almonds and served with mashed potatoes and asparagus. 

Abricott Burger - typical delicious gourmet burger. You can't go wrong with this one.

Roti & Curry - super greasy and crispy. It's easier to pull it apart with your hands than using a knife and fork. 

Waffle - served with vanilla ice cream and shot of Lamill espresso!!! One of the best desserts I've ever tried!
4 - Pippi L.: Tasty food and a great place to get some work done. 

Plenty of spacious wooden-top tables out on their lovely sheltered patio looking out onto Lake Avenue. 

Perfect shoestring fries, delicious (if a bit fatty) banh mi with crunchy fresh veggies, rich latte, artful atmosphere, interesting menu.

Think sexy library (is that an oxymoron?) that serves food.
3 - Sherry V.: Cute spot, very eclectic... almost doesn't feel like a restaurant. Had the Trout Amandine which featured  almond crusted trout w/ mashed potatoes and asparagus. The mashed potatoes were thick and a little dry. Almond Trout was super bland but had a nice brown color. Okay but overall tasted pretty one-noted.
1 - Monkey T.: The kitchen is slow!!! Waited forever and the burger came out dry and well done when we asked for medium rare. Burger was redone but they forgot the cheese. Waited forever again!!!

Both entree dishes were chipped. When addressed to the waitress she just said" i know" and walked away. WTHeck... Its a total safety hazard lady!!!

I really wanted to like this place. Tried this place for breakfast, lunch and dinner on three different occassions and sadly all three meals were terrible...
4 - Sam S.: The decor is great. Walls of books! Wow! They even have outdoor seating on Lake. The food and the service are great. Our group tried the bruschetta, crispy noodles with chicken curry, the pork-belly sandwich and that day's special of cod fish. All of them were great and well priced ($10 or less per entree) with generous portions. My only gripe is that it closes at 9 PM even on Fri and Sat. I know it is in a predominantly business area, but still? Keep it open till at least 11 PM on Fri and Sat.
4 - Shawn W.: If you have a party of 10 or so, be sure to reserve the cute little "living room" at the end of the restaurant. Very cute, wonderful art and interesting books. We had a group to celebrate a birthday and the room with walls of books added a nice touch to the ambience. 

The dinner was excellent and reasonably priced. Had the abricott burger with Korean pork belly. Had the vietnamese hot coffee (kind of similar to thai coffee with the condensed milk). Everyone enjoyed their meals. The shoestring fries were not great, but those who ordered it told the waitress and she brought out fresh batch for each guest (I tasted a few and they were awesome!) Check out the desserts- nice.

Definitely come here again! Will probably try their breakfast next time.
5 - Nelson K.: I don't write many reviews and this is not your typical restaurant review, but there is a back story to this one that I think is noteworthy.  My parents came here last night, along with my sister in law and nephew.  My dad can not stop talking about how much he enjoyed the food.  This is extremely rare coming from my dad.  My dad is an old man from Taiwan and set in his old Taiwanese ways.  He is very narrow minded when it comes to food and I have never seen him go to the same restaurant twice here in Los Angeles because he is a grumpy old man with unrealistic expectations. As I am writing this review (as we speak), both my parents are feeding me left overs from last night, hovering over me, constantly asking me "isn't everything delicious?" My dad and I barely get along. We hardly talk and have very little in common.  For him to be so giddy about a last night's left overs and won't shut up about it, speaks volumes about the food here. To fuel my dad's excitement, I looked up Abricott on Yelp to see some pictures of the food and read some of the reviews. My dad has never seen Yelp before (he has several times, he just doesn't remember) and made a comment how he would want to write a review for Abricott.  So here I am, enjoying the food (chicken curry, tacos, steak, and fish) and it is really delicious. My parents are also raving about the mussels and waffle with ice cream, but they dusted both of those last night.  I can't wait to go to Abricott to try the mussels, waffle, and burger. I am trying to be stingy with giving out 5 stars to only places that are outstanding.  To honor my dad's extremely rare praise of a restaurant, I believe Abricott deserves six stars.  I wasn there to vouch for the service, but my parents said that the Abricott was packed, no open tables, but the owner made a special exception and seated them in the private room.  They thought the owner was funny, had great recommendations, loves what he does, and a real class act. I am really looking forward to coming her in person.  I polished off all the food before finishing this review.  The curry is really good along with everything else.
4 - Brenda S.: Stumbled upon this gem when we were about to go to hamburger hamlet.  Great place.  Love the decor.  Vietnamese food w a twist
4 - Matt F.: They screwed up my order. "Perfect" I thought, knowing I'd get a real idea of what the service was like when they had to do something beyond come by every once in a while and ask "Is everything okay?"

I ordered a well-done steak. What arrived on my plate was a room temperature slab of meat that was still bleeding... (Does that mean the food is fresh?) Anyways, they took it back and brought out complementary fries while I waited, and also apologized for giving me an almost live beast. 
Fries were good -- lightly salted (which I prefer). Steak came back tender and brown. Garlic mashed potatoes were yummy.

Moral of the story: Everyone makes mistakes; it's how you handle them that is important. Abricott staff handled the situation well.

The restaurant itself is a nice cozy place. Kind of dim lighting, with good bench seating inside.
5 - Richard C.: We just came back from a great dinner. Korean tacos excellent, chicken curry excellent and trout with mushrooms excellent. Service was great. Can't wait to go back.
4 - Sheila S.: I can't get over how adorable this restaurant is! Read a couple reviews that said this is what Anthropologie would look like if they were a restaurant, and it is dead-on. 
That said, I found the food to be average...I had pho and my friend had the spicy pork belly plate. Both were good but nothing to write home about. Next time I think I'll have some of those fries; the table next to us ordered them and they look awesome lol.
For now though, the decor is what will keep me coming back here.
5 - L P.: This place is fantastic.  The decor is great, and the food is fantastic.  I've been here a bunch of times and had almost all the dishes on the menu and all are very good.  The waffles are great, the steak salad is killer, the croque madam/monsuers are fantastic. They have various specials that are always very good.  I miss the carrot soup, but that's because the rest of you bastards weren't buying enough of it.  The espressos are really good as well, but can vary somewhat depending on who makes it.
4 - Kathy C.: Abricott has easily become my new favorite restaurant in Pasadena.  

I love the ambiance of the restaurant with all the artwork from local artists and books tucked in every corner. 

The food is always tasty without being pretentious.  The service is always quick and delivered with a smile.  

My favorite item on the menu is the dessert waffle.  They used to give a shot of espresso and maple syrup gratis, but now you have to pay $1 extra to have both (the waffle comes with the choice of either: chocolate syrup, maple syrup, or a shot of espresso).  I've also noticed that the huge scoop of vanilla ice cream has been magically shrinking in size from what it used to be, but that won't deter me from ordering this sinfully delicious dessert.
4 - Christine H.: Super sweet looking place! Asian owned place that have a lot of different cafe style food. It's a little on the small and light side but the price reflects it. Like for example their waffles are very light and fluffy. I kind of was looking for a dense and crunchy waffle so their waffle wasn't too filing. Loved the art on the walls and the attentive side service. Everything tasted fine and we'll be back!
3 - Ross W.: There are many Vietnamese dishes to choose from in this quaint comfortable fusion eatery.   I had Curry Chicken with brown rice while Hubby had Pork Tacos.  Food was good, comparable to their Vietnamese counterparts, but at a slightly higher price.   You pay for the Pasadena location.
5 - Stephanie C.: Abricott reminds me of all the cute cafes in west LA with its outdoor patio seating and memorable decors, but without the long drive from home, the search for unavailable parking meters and best of all--free parking for two hours in the back lot!

I've been a big time lurker of Abricott and always told myself that I should check it out. I never did. Luckily, a friend reminded me of this restaurant as we were deciding on where to go for lunch on a Sunday afternoon. I'm so happy she suggested it or I would have never remembered to come here.

The Vietnamese Grilled Shrimp Salad is exactly what I wished other Vietnamese restaurants would serve from their menus when I want to avoid a carb-loaded dish of rice or vermicelli. It was simple--bed of lettuce, crispy onion, grilled shrimp and a light dressing. It's the kind of salad that makes you feel healthier about what you're eating, especially when compared to having a poor diet from the day before. And with coffee from Lamill? There's no way my cup of cappuccino could have gone wrong!

I already told the boy I want to take him here so don't be surprised if you see me again within the same week, Abricott!
3 - Lauren C.: Abricott is an adorable little asian fusion cafe with a great ambiance.  There are different eating areas: a bright sun room in the front, dimmer/more intimate back area, and a long private room in the way back.  The variety in seating areas makes it great for various occasions.  The main long wall is lined with books, giving it an almost collegiate/Anthropology feel. 

As great as the interior was, the main point of going out to eat is to .. well, eat.  To my disappointment, the food at Abricott just wasn't that fabulous.  Everything was just A-OK (hence the 3 stars). Nothing stood out to me as being something I would be excited to order again. The "spicy" pork bellly bahn mi was definitely not spicy at all and could have been much more flavorful.  This may be a pet peeve of mine, but if you say something is going to be spicy, it doesn't have to burn your tongue off, but I have to at least sense the spice. The curry was mediocre and slightly bland. The burger was not memorable.  

Service was inconsistent for me.  I definitely had better service when sitting in the front room because it is directly attached to the front / kitchen.  However, in the back I was neglected for quite a while and had to go up to the front to tell them I was ready to order.  Generally, though, the people were very friendly. 

Overall, I'd recommend Abricott as a cute place to meet up with friends and enjoy the adorable atmosphere.  However, don't keep your expectations too high when it comes to the food.
3 - David E.: Abricott is a nice, quick-casual restaurant featuring asian fusion cuisine. Upon entering, we were greeted by a cheerful and friendly cashier, who offered to explain any of the items on the menu. Seeing that it was almost 100 degrees out in the patio and most of the smaller tables were already taken, she offered us the private dining room in the back. It was a "communal dining table" for now. 

The menu is comprised primarily of salads and sandwiches, many of which had Vietnamese, Korean, and Thai twists to them. Looking around room at what others had ordered, everything looked very appetizing to the eye. During this outing, I decided on the spicy pork belly sandwich with shoestring fries. The sandwich had some nice flavors, although it could have been a bit more moist. It was decently good. The mound of fries were satisfying, although for Abricott's fusion approach it would have been nice if they could have offered some unique dipping sauces rather than the standard ketchup...perhaps a wasabi mayo or a lime-chili aioli. 

The setting is attractive and unique for the area. As many reviewers have noted, the restaurant has the vibe of an Anthropologie store (coincidentally located a block away), with the look of a rustic European study with distressed this 'n that and shelves full of old books you can actually borrow and browse during your time there. 

Overall, Abricott was a good casual dining experience. Although I wanted to be a bit more impressed by my sandwich, the good service and general appeal of the food may have me coming back to give it another shot.

Three and a half stars.
4 - Scott D.: I have returned to eat at Abricott about six times now and I am always impressed with the excellent food and funky ambiance. Service is efficient and no frills, but this is a causal neighborhood place where food is the priority and it really shows.
5 - marian z.: I've come here a few times and the food and service consistently amazing.  This place has reallyy good food and a GREAT owner.

They have different menus during each meal and I've only come here for dinner.  Hopefully I get to try their lunch or breakfast soon because their menu looks tasty too.


The owner comes out and personally talks to you and out of nowhere gave us a small sample of this mix salad.  It was delicious and when we told him how amazing it was, he came back and bought us a bigger portion of it.  I was absolutely floored by his nice gesture =)))


The other foods I've tried here is greatt.  I especially love the mussels in the tomato broth.  The broth is SOO freakin amazing especially with the garlic baguette.  We had to get more of the baguette because It was that heavenly.   Even after all the mussels were gone, I just had to take the soup home to go to dip my own bread in.  I would also recommend The spicy pork belly sandwich.  It taste like a banh mi (viet sandwich) but with a twist.  The spicy pork belly is really smooth and surprisingly goes well with the asian mayonnise and kimchi.

Everything here is unlike any other places I've been to.  Their menu is innovative and creative and not your typical food =)

The atmosphere is like a bookstore.  There are books you can actually pluck out and read.  Park at Shoppers Lane in the back for plenty of parking.  There isn't a sign in the back so It was a little hard to find when we first went there but it looks like a modern art museum store from the back(if that made any sense)
5 - Klayton C.: I come here often and absolutely love this place! Okay so now for the favorites, Pho, pork belly sandwich, steak salad and to finish it off either the waffle with ice cream or the cheese cake. I literally have not have a bad meal here. I look forward to the specials, especially the kimchi tacos.
4 - Tiffany T.: Situated on the quaint and lively streets of Pasadena, Abricott is the perfect little spot for a casual date or a gathering with friends. Asian fusion fare is what they're known for and when it comes to creativity and ambiance, you'll find no shortage here. 

Upon the waiter's recommendation, I ordered the Abricott Burger. A juicy and succulent beef patty piled high with lettuce, tomato, onions, gouda cheese and.....KOREAN PORK BELLY! Yeah, that's right! Bet you didn't see that one coming! I didn't either and was like a giddy, little schoolgirl while waiting for my order to come out. 

Now when I say that the burger is stacked high, I'm not exaggerating. For a small girl like me, I couldn't possibly fit that monster into my mouth, so I actually had to take it apart. Each bite I took was brimming with rich juiciness to the point where some parts of the burger were soaked in its own juices. I had to say, it was one of the hardest burgers I've ever had to eat, but also one of the tastiest. 

The burger was served with a generous helping of shoestring fries. I would've preferred the thicker cut variety, since the fries were kind of dry and hard to eat. However, our waiter was awesome and brought out four different kinds of dipping sauces for us to dunk our fries in. 

My boyfriend ordered the oh-so-popular Spicy Pork Belly Sandwich. It was sort of a fusion between Vietnamese and Korean cuisine, since it had the elements of the banh mi sandwich and was stuffed generously with korean pork belly. Of course, since this dish is by far one of the most reviewed items here on Yelp, it certainly did not disappoint. 

One of the things I love most about Old Town Pasadena is that you can never find a shortage of unique dine-ins where the food is delicious and the ambiance is wonderful. A cross between a cafe, restaurant and library, Abricott is truly one of a kind.
5 - Chavo D.: I'm going to keep this review short and sweet.  I love the Abricott burger!  It has made it into my top 3 burgers of all time!  Great atomsphere and nice owners!
3 - Michelle R.: Good food, great ambiance.
4 - Taylor C.: Pork belly sandwich is decent. The marinated pork belly was great but the bread wasn't the freshest. Still tasty.

The design of the interior is great. Also love the fact that they have art for sale on the walls.
4 - Tina S.: Definitely worth going back!  I like the atmosphere and the food is delicious!  Out of the four of us girls we tried the spicy pork belly with kim chi and rice (Yum), Pho (smelled sooooo good), Croque Madamme (yummy in my tummy) and an omelette (looked like it was cooked perfectly).  Breakfast and lunch you have to place your order at the front and they will bring it to your table.  Apparently for dinner they will come to the table and take your order.  Regardless, the food was good, service was good and the ambiance was lovely.  We sat for quite awhile and no one bothered us.  Left a good tip for the use of their table  :)
4 - Lillian H.: Got the mussels that came in a big bowl of delicious tomato-ey broth. Hit the spot. And the books! Felt homey. No wait around 7:30pm on Saturday night. Good friendly service. I'll definitely be back to try the other 10 things on the menu that I wanted to eat.
3 - Amorn B.: I tried out Abricott for breakfast on a Saturday morning, and it was a pleasant if unremarkable experience.  

The store itself is comfortable and inviting, and the service was fine.  However, while I do realize that the store may be the victim of the high expectations I had and maybe it's much better for lunch and dinner, breakfast was nothing out of the ordinary.  I scanned the menu for any dishes that may have distinguished Abricott from the myriad breakfast options in the area, but none were to be found.  I settled on the eggs benedict with curried potatoes, hoping that the dish would be done extraordinarily well or would contain some twist that wasn't mentioned in its description.  It was a serviceable eggs benedict, and the curried potatoes are a good idea executed with seemingly little effort - simply the potatoes that sit in a Thai yellow curry served without the excess curry.  I may have to return at later hours to see what Abricott's really all about, but their breakfast, while decent, is nothing to write home about.
3 - Dietrich S.: I met my girlfriend and her sister here before a UCLA game at the Rose Bowl. As I sat at the table I was saving for our little group, I had the chance to peruse Yelp reviews of this place on my iPhone and get ideas for what I wanted to order. Many people seemed to be RAVING about the Abricott burger with the pork belly, and when it came time to order it did look enticing, so that's what I got. 

Everyone in our group actually got the Abricott burger, but I was the only one who got it with pork belly. It was pretty good, but not amazing, and the pork belly definitely makes the burger messier. Some of the french fries on my plate were soggy and gross due to the pork belly juice, whereas my girlfriend's fries were dry and (sort of) crisp. For shoestring fries, I wished they were crispier. I also had a bite of her pork-belly-less burger, and if I had to do it all over again, I'd order it without the pork belly. It isn't worth the hassle, in my opinion. 

Desert was good, we had the waffle with the vanilla ices cream and the espresso. Very tasty and interesting, I recommend that. 

The decor was a little too overdone for my tastes, but still cute none the less. If you fancy yourself a haute intellectual, but you pronounce that first word as "hot," you'll love this place.
4 - Nicole L.: **Brunch review**

PARKING: Street (hourly) or there's some parking in the back!

DECOR: If Zoey Deshanel imploded and consequentially morphed into a Vietnamese-fusion cafe, it would be Abricott. It's a nice home-y vibe with a bit of quirkiness. Books line the walls as if we were in the Pasadena Library, and the menu is printed in a typewriter-eque font. I appreciate it's originality :) 

FOOD: 
-Waffles: They taste like exactly how they're described. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. I love! 
-Curried potatoes: Great side. It's an interesting spin on morning potatoes, and I would order them again. Nice amount of spice, but not too overly powerful as it is still breakfast time. 

DRINK:
-Coffee: I love that they serve LA Mill (just like Cafe Dulce!) ...it's one of my favorites. Nicely prepared, but I mean, how could you go wrong with black coffee. It's got to be REAL bad to be bad. 


Overall, Abricott fits in perfectly with its Pasadena neighbors. No sibling rivalry here!
5 - Mitchell C.: Everything was wonderfully tasty, but I can't get the Pho out of my mind.  I gotta go back and get more.
3 - Ivy W.: I love brunch and was excited to try this place out, seeing that they serve breakfast items until 3 pm. The inside looks like a coffee shop, very nicely decorated, but I preferred the outside patio. Very open, everything wooden, clean, and simple. Had no idea it was Vietnamese-American fusion until I saw the menu.

You order and pay at the counter and then you have your food brought out to you. Since it was our first time, my friend and I both ordered what the cashier recommended, the most popular dishes. He got the Banh Mi ($8) and I got the Sizzling Eggs with Toast ($7).

I was excited to receive our meal since everyone around us seemed to be enjoying their food, that looked pretty well-proportioned. My Sizzling Eggs came... and I was shocked. It literally was two eggs over easy, sizzling on one of those black sizzling plates with a toasted baguette. My friend looked over and commented, "Are you sure that's enough for you?" I'm on a diet anyway, so it was fine. I can see other people being very upset about paying $7 for two eggs... but other than that, it was pretty good. I didn't try my friend's Banh Mi, but it certainly looked pretty fancy for a Vietnamese sandwich. He did say that the meat quality was very good. Since I wasn't completely full, I ordered dessert as well: the Dessert Waffle with ice cream, which came with a shot of espresso. I didn't get why it included the espresso, so I left that untouched lol. The waffle however was surprisingly good. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, with a hint of tartness. It went pretty well with the vanilla ice cream.

I wouldn't come back for the food, but wouldn't mind coming again to get some of that waffle.
5 - Jennifer W.: I've been here a few times. Its my go-to in Pasadena and I've never been disappointed. The food is always amazing. My favorite is probably the Abricott burger, who's only downside is that I'm too full from devouring it to eat many of my fries... I took my mom here the other day and its her new favorite spot too. She's dying for another steak salad. All in all, great place. Go try it.
4 - Yesenia V.: Lunch can get pretty boring day after day, especially here in Pasadena, where it's not exactly a Foodie Paradise!

So this cute little cafe called Abricott opened on Lake Ave and came to our rescue! 

Obviously I had to take advantage of the closeness this is to my work... So I made my way out there for lunch the other day and decided to try their most popular item: Pork Belly Bahn Mi!

Now, I'm not an expert in Bahn Mi sandwiches and therefore cannot tell you if its close to a "traditional" one, I am however, an expert on "Deliciousness", and it was delish!

Being as persnickety as I am with food and specially fat on meat & smells...I was a little worried the Pork Belly would  be just too fatty for me, but it wasn't at all... in fact, I loved it's slightly sweet taste ever so gently caramelized onto the charred meat... yummy, right??

The Bread was a soft french style baguette, lacking in crispiness, but fresh and easy to bite into.
The traditional accompaniments such as the lightly pickled veggies and fresh cilantro added a nice balance. 

**2nd time I was here... the quality of the Bahn Mi was not as good as the 1st time... why does that always happen?? ugh... still good though, but lost a star so 4  instead of 5...
3 - Christy L.: Portion is small but prices aren't.  That's where my 3 stars come in.  If the dishes had larger portions OR the prices weren't so expensive, I've easily give this place 5 stars.  

The catfish that was swimming in the middle of their garlic/ginger sauce was TINY for $10.  At this point, it's not even about the price.  Although I really enjoyed this dish and loved the sauce, I can't imagine sharing this dish with anyone else.  Think Tapas portion.  Couple bites and you're done.  

The chicken wings were dry and tasted like it was sitting underneath a heat lamp for a while.  I don't recommend getting this appetizer.  The Papaya trout salad was good and was the ONLY dish big enough to share with another person.  

The kimchi taco's were overloaded with spicy mayo sauce and had way too much sweet taste to it.  It was flavorful but a bit overwhelming with TOO much ingredients trying to dominate each other.  

Overall, the place is cute and the dishes were packed with flavors.  I just wish they can take down a notch with their prices and some flavors in the sauce but add more portions in all their dishes.
5 - Eric C.: very delicious Vietnamese Asian fusion. 

Recommended:

1. Banmi Spicy Pork Sandwich
2. Catfish * i think only during dinner

Prices are reasonable but portions are pretty small. 
Theme is hipster
3 - Jinny H.: Came here on a weeknight for dinner.  No wait, service decent but food was just mediocre for me.  Asked our waitress what they were known for so ordered the pork tacos (which were actually quick delicious), but wasn't impressed with the steak salad as my entree.  The lettuce was a bit soggy from all the dressing and the meat was a bit too hot for a salad.  Might give the place another try some day, probably not the salad again though.
5 - Eunice K.: What a nice addition to the restaurants on Lake! Highly recommended from all my coworkers, finally got to try Abricott on my birthday!

Yellow Curry with Chicken ($10) - gotta try the Thai curry since the owner is Thai! A nice heaping bowl of house made coconut milk curry with shredded chicken, carrots, and potatoes. The curry was more watery than dense - like the consistency of a typical Thai curry. My brother ordered it with brown rice but Jasmine rice is also an option. My only complaint would be the sweetness! Couldn't eat too much of just this one dish..  but it IS delicious! So order and share!

Chicken Burger ($10) - YUM!! My favorite dish of the night! A burger usually weighs me down but substitute the patty with ground chicken - and voila! A lighter burger! The patty was seasoned nicely and dripping with juice! Topped with a sweet Thai curry like sauce (coco-tarmarind) - the mixing of the sweet and salty flavors made the burger just SO delicious! I wanted to ask for more servings of the sauce to just drink! Fries or salad on the side - get the fries if you hate the typical boring mixed green salad!

Gotta have birthday cake! The waitress said the Hazelnut Chocolate Ganache ($6) was lighter and less sweet than the chocolate cake so went with it. But like all ganaches.. it was a bit dense. Not my favorite! Check out the cake selection in the front entrance!

If you're a fan of LaMill - get it here! I got the Jasmine Bubble Tea ($3) and my brother got the Espresso shot ($2.5). We love the strong flavors of LaMill - plus you need something to cut through the sweet dessert!

Extremely friendly service and they were really cool about allowing dogs on the outside patio. Like Daisy Mint - very cute decor.. you can tell they take pride in their restaurant. Thank you for a wonderful meal on my birthday! And for letting my dog join!
4 - Carrie T.: Better than I had expected! After reading reviews, I wasn't sure if it was going to be worth trying since it is an asian fusion type of place and I have had so many real banh mi's around my area already, but I still wanted to try this for myself. Let me tell you, I'm glad I came here despite some mediocre reviews because the food was really good. The food was unique and service was friendly. Decor was pretty cool, library/pottery barn-like. You order at the counter and a number is given to you, then they'll bring the food over when it's ready....like urth cafe. 

What we ordered:
Spicy pork belly sandwich (4/5) the burger beats it. Pork belly is made really tasty here.
Abricott burger with Gouda and Korean pork belly (5/5) awesome burger! A must try, the pork belly is a great add-on, but overpowers the Gouda cheese. 
Seared sesame ahi tuna salad with soba noodles (5/5) fresh fish and refreshing salad...dressing was delicious
Grilled skirt steak salad (3.5/5) good dressing
Korean pork tacos with kimchi rice (4/5) very flavorful and it comes in a plate of 4 tacos

Abricott just gained a happy customer...I'll be returning for more. 
Parking is easy, just down the street from lemonade so there's plenty of parking lots to choose from. You get a good amount of food for about $12-$14. Pretty decent prices...enjoy!
5 - Yoshiko T.: Fantastic! The food was delicious, and really nicely priced. Had the trout, loved it, lots of almonds and perfectly crisp skin. My friend had the yellow chicken curry, deliciously soft and very tasty oils. We also enjoyed the French pressed tea.

Enjoyed the atmosphere, the arrangement, and the service. Five stars on my first trip, and waiting to come back!
4 - Karen N.: I can't believe I haven't visited this place until now! It's a nice, quaint place...Lovely decor: bookshelves full of books, different art pieces hanging on the wall, and a small chandelier hanging above. Oh! There's also patio seating. I really like the feel of this place. It's a great place to have lunch with friends.

I loved:
Mussels Provençale
Seared Tuna Salad with Pear and Sesame Dressing 
Pork Belly Sandwich
Cucumber Lemon Water (Yes, even their water is amazing!)
Lamill Coffee

I am definitely coming back!
4 - Henry L.: Great value with nice flavors.  Had trout with green papaya salad, fresh tasting yet filling.  Came back and had yellow curry with chicken.  Nice flavor, and only complaint is that it needed a little more heat.  Next return visit was spicy pork sandwich, was pretty good, but there is a great pork sandwich across the street at Cham.  On every visit, the kids and I shared the waffle dessert.  Soooo good!  The servers were friendly and nice from the first visit then treated us like regulars the second and third visit.  A very nice find for value and comfort food.  Wish I lived closer so I could eat here more often.
4 - Cherry B.: One of the better pho places north of Huntington.  Saves time off the drive PLUS no MSG so I can get on with my day afterwards without a coma-crash.

Cute decor & art on the walls.  Great vibe for getting together w/ the girls.
4 - Visvamitra L.: Cute casual French cafe vibe that is stylish and warm.

Friendly and attentive staff.

Conveniently affordable pricing, considering the food is well prepared.

Had the:

Pork tacos: delicious kimchi-sweet shreeded pork yuminess. Stale tortilla (grill it a little, makes it seem fresher). Enjoyed these.

Ahi and soba salad: decent. ahi seared nicely, soba and dressing were meh. Could have been more interesting. Perhaps a citrusy high note would have been nice there.

Pho': delicious and satisfying. Very tender beef, rich broth, safe style (none of my favorite tripe/tendon bits in there).

Shangai dumplings: delicious juicy lil things full of savory hot broth and a meat ball. wait until they cool a little so you don't burn your mouth off like I did :-/

Mussels Provencal: depressing. Too much tomato (paste?) overpowered the mussels. Was expecting more mussels and less of that overpowering broth/sauce.

Vietnamese coffee was decadent and tasty.

I hear they are BYOB until the liquor license clears. Should take advantage of that!

I'd definitely return. Charming place.
1 - Brian C.: I've eaten here a few times. The PHO is overpriced and average. Even the Pho in Saigon Noodle (old town pasadena) is cheaper, better and a bigger portion. I can't imagine the rental being cheaper in old town for a restaurant. I wonder what's up with that.

But the best and ironically cheapest PHO in Pasadena is Beany's Cafe.

and Lee's Sandwich nearby serves up cheaper and better sandwiches than Abricott.

The Chicken Curry is the same one from Daisy Mint but $2 more. The burger is not bad. But being on Lake in Pasadena, one does not expect anything close to culinary perfection.

I went into Abricott once at 9:05, the doors were still open. However, I was greeted by a hostess/waitress, Akiko, with much rudeness.

"Can you read the sign?"

I turned to look at the sign.

"It says, CLOSED"

then she turns and walks away into the kitchen.

The bigger upset for me was that she used to be so sweet and polite to me. I know, it's foolish of me to expect genuine niceness from a waitress! Jokes aside, I appreciate honest service more than fake niceness. So i guess I appreciate her honesty that night!

Nevertheless, being a small business, non-franchise type restaurant, I could not help but to expect better service. Looks like it is just another overpriced, over hyped restaurant on Lake.

I have a philosophy of supporting small businesses with family style business.
Having experienced the hypocrisy in their service and considering the average to below average food, small portions, high prices. I don't see any reason to support this business.
4 - Pamela S.: Great food for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, though I prefer dinner.

Lovely ambiance.

This is one of very few Asian fusion restaurants I actually like.

- Vietnamese sandwich is good (lunch)
- clams are excellent (dinner)
- pork belly is very good (dinner)
2 - Caroline C.: I think this place is very frou frou. People who come here are trendsters or die-hard Daisy Mint fans. And, honestly, I don't get it. 

I came here for a friend's birthday dinner, and we got seated in a table at the back by the private room. I ordered the pho since I was sick, and I wanted to see what gave them the right to charge so much for pho. I was expecting some crazy good pho, and I was pretty disappointed. No, the pho was not bad. But it definitely wasn't so good that it deserved the hefty price tag attached to it. I can get better pho down in the heart of SGV for half the price, and that's no joke. They also don't even normally give bean sprouts w/ the pho, which really disappointed me, so I asked the lady for it. She never came back with those bean sprouts. Service was also super slow. 

Mehh.. I say pass on this place.
3 - k m.: What happened with this place?  The people are still nice and they have cool new pictures for sale on the wall, but the menu has gone downhill.  First, they got rid of the pork belly entree.  Now only the sandwich is available.  Second, the steak entree now has a lower cut of meat and the veggies seem to be the frozen kind.  Previously the meat was tender and the veggies were freshly grilled.  A huge difference.  Third, I agree with other reviewers on the pricey not so special pho.  The prices were justified by the food.  The service and decor alone are not enough for me to keep paying those prices.
5 - joshua w.: Excellent flavor, decor and quality and value.  They serve coffee from LAMill.

Abrigo - Atlanta, GA (33.776895, -84.383159) (Midtown)
4 - Kelly H.: My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this quaint restaurant recently. The decor was very nouveau mexican and was a cozy transition from the rain we were in. We stopped in at the bar and tried out their margaritas on the rocks- this def. had room for improvement because it tasted as if it was from a mix. I just like my tequila, I guess! 

We ordered the shrimp diablo- I little spicy for me, but I really enjoyed the huge shrimp they served with the rice. For my entree, I ordered the Picadillo Enchiladas. Fabulous! Every ingredient was fresh and the black bean salsa was a fresh & healthy side.The boyfriend had ordered the Vaca Frito and could not put it down it was so good. He raved about the cilantro oil and how tender the meat was.

Overall, our experience was wonderful with excellent service and more-than-reasonable prices. This was a great find and an impressive new restaurant. I see great things on the menu and potential! Looking forward to my next visit to Midtown @ Abrigo!
3 - Rick F.: New restaurant open about a week! Server was funny and efficient Sonoran southwest cheese crisp with chicken appetizer Excellent! Red Sangria was way to strong returned it brought out another one tasted better than the first but still not the best I've had! Tortilla Soup tomato based no tortillas in it! Good but not what i was expecting! Vaca Fritas  was really good loved the onions! Spanish rice needs a little work! The Charro beans were amazing I could eat that for dinner! I like this place and look forward to coming back soon! Great music!
1 - Stephen W.: Total fail, as a result of the food and the service.  Outside of the decor, I can't really think of anything positive to say.  

Showed up with a party of 10 on the Friday night after Thanksgiving.  The restaurant was completely empty - which wasn't entirely surprising given the holidays - and turned out to be a blessing in disguise.  Our party mingled around the bar for a little while, and had a drink or two, before sitting down.  The drinks were ok, but prepared at a painfully slow pace.  When you order a simple cocktail like a margarita or a mojito, it shouldn't take 10 minutes to make it, unless you're reading the instructions from a manual.  We took our seats, and the menu seemed to have a lot of promise - simple, yet diverse, with a few different dishes as well as the staples.  However, the taste was bland at best.  I had the mole, which was eh.  More concerning was the fact that, on a night where the restaurant was empty, at least 4 of the 10 people at our table were served cold dishes.  However, people dealt with it, and moved on.  

Then came the check process.  We asked if the could divide the bill into a few separate checks.  Under normal circumstances, I would never expect a restaurant to do this.  However, the place was empty, and therefore it shouldn't have been much of a problem.  30 minutes later, with the work of the entire staff, the managed to have 1 check split off.  As we waited for 30 minutes to simply receive the first of a couple checks, the manager came over and offered a free round of drinks for us while we continued to wait.  The effort was appreciated.  However, as it was still amateur night behind the bar, in the additional 20 minutes it took to finalize the rest of the checks we received 6 of the 10 cocktails that we had ordered.

What you have is a restaurant that has been open for 2 weeks, and should therefore have the major kinks worked out - your bartender should make cocktails at a faster rate than 1 every 5 minutes, your coordination in the kitchen shouldn't be delivering cold food to a large number of people, your staff should be able to handle split checks, etc. - ESPECIALLY when there isn't a single other table in the place to cater to.  Needless to say, I won't be back, which is unfortunate as I hate to be unsupportive of the few urban restaurants there are in this city that aren't franchised, but this building is better left vacant.
3 - Josh M.: Good atmosphere.  Attentive server. Generous portions.  Fresh ingredients.  Owner actually visited our table to check-in.  Chips with queso and salsa were incredible.
4 - Dan M.: I've only eaten here once (it's new), but everyone liked their food, and their margaritas were pretty good too - from what I remember (hence the sketchiness in my review - I ate there last weekend!). I remember the prices being quite reasonable as well. The place had a good atmosphere. And, I would have given it a 5 star rating, but I feel like I have to try a few more things on the menu and go a few more times before I rate it that highly.
5 - Thom A.: I've now been here twice, the second time with 60 of my closest Midtown Atlanta friends. The food is awesome. Considering I have a Cuban partner that can cook many of these things, the Vaca Fritas is amazing. And I can hardly ever pass up the Sea Bass! 
Easy walk from your condo or Historic Midtown, and parking is available next door! Make this your new neighborhood hangout...I know I will be!
3 - Jamie G.: Holy MSG poisoning, Batman!
The food was delicious, but both my partner and I had ridiculous reactions to the MSG that was obviously used in the seasoning.  Took us almost 24 hours to recover.
I forget that stuff is not just for Chinese restaurants.  A lot of seasonings, like Adobo (used to season a lot of latin food recipes if restaurants are lazy and don't use their own seasoning blends).
Definitely ask before you order.
5 - Kevin K.: What a nice surprise!  Went with my bf tonight and was impressed.  The chips and salsa were really delicious.  The red salsa was standard but yummy.  However they also bring you a green poblano lime salsa that was AMAZING!  Not quite like any salsa I've ever had, and definitely not the standard salsa verde.
My bf and I both ordered the vaca frita - a lime marinated beef dish.  It was so unique and absolutely delicious!  Was a little alarmed that it was covered in onions, and wound up eating every bite.  The beef was toothy and bursting with flavor, and the onions were sweet.  The house rice was also delicious.  I had the charros beans as my side and ate every bite.  My bf had the maduros and made me taste them - oh so good!
The service was fine - the staff was genuine and friendly.  The owner came around to see how we were enjoying the meal and he was a real pleasure to talk to.
I resisted this place because it's in the old Mitra building, and that restaurant was overrated and overpriced.  That was silly of me.  Abrigo is underrated and very fairly priced.  For me 5-stars does not mean this was the ultimate restaurant experience.  But it was a really good one and I was so pleasantly surprised that I wanted to give credit where it's due.  Give it a try!  Especially if you miss Lupe.
5 - Justin R.: OMNOMNOM!

I went here with zero expectations. I ate here when it was Mitre and was sorely disappointed and my disappointment attached itself to the cool building instead of to the departed restaurant.

New owners, new life. Abrigo was amazing! When they brought out my maduros I was a little disappointed to see an artful little display of maduros instead of a big bowful. Then, I took a bite of one and my head spun off into space. I would take one plantain prepared like that over two dozen prepared like I've always had them.

Now, moving on to the important stuff. The vaca frita. I've had cuban food before and I enjoy their combos of spice with citrus, but I've never had something like this before. Knocked my socks off. The lime was so vibrant and the spicing so subtle, it was clear that a lot of thought and care went into the balance. The rice that came with it was pretty rad too. I never get excited about Mexican/Spanish type rices. It was such a unique texture it was almost somewhere between orzo and rice.

The margaritas were awesome and reminded me of Lupe (I shed a tear every time I think about Lupe).

I've already told everyone at work about this place, and informed them that if they're going, they have to call me first so I can go down and eat with them. I can't wait to try the taco platter next time.

Awesome atmosphere, really friendly staff, and killer food. I'll be back. Again and again.
2 - Bindi N.: I went here with zero expectations as well, like the previous review.  I agree that the chips were good, and the two salsas they bring to you were tasty and promising.  However, everything else was disappointing.   Firstly, we were there on a saturday at around 7PM, and even at that hour, they were "out" of two of the mexican beers we ordered, as well as the shrimp diablo appetizer, which was the only thing that looked fairly non-standard on the menu.  I am fine with limited menus, but this one was weirdly limited.  My friend and I both ordered chicken enchiladas, and the portions were huge (I didn't even eat half) but the taste was below average.  When we asked for jalepenos, they only had pickled.  The sides we all ordered (black bean salsa, rice, plantains, refried beans) were also quite plain. 

I think the service is well intentioned but don't' really fit with a midtown restaurant like this seems to want to be. (For example, they had trouble understanding my vodka soda order, which is never a good sign.)
1 - Chip P.: I don't know what the hell is going on here but it's not about good service or food! Check my yelp reviews I have never given 1star to any business until now. I went with my husband and my foodie friend Crystal. Disappointment doesn't even start to describe the experience. I want to write this in hope that whomever owns this place will wake up and quick! First there is no one to greet you at the door and when they do make their way to the door they really aren't that excited to see you...big points lost on entrance when you really ought to be giving your first impressions. There are no specials and not even a real menu it's suppose to be a "soft opening." Second point...no bartender. Just the waitstaff trying to make a margarita. I say "trying" because we don't know what we got but it was so bad we had to ask for the ingredients and show them how to make one. I won't even tell you what they charged us for those drinks that we made ourselves but when I saw the bill I knew right then and there we wouldn't be back. Third and final nail in the coffin of Abrigo the food. I feel if you are going to do a small and limited menu you need to hit it right out of the park. Abrigo bunted the ball infield and all runners we tagged out. I personally hate writing reviews like this because they are in my neighborhood and I really want them to succeed. However, if someone doesn't get in there and mind the store this will be another great chance wasted on another fleeting midtown restaurant.
1 - Chuck W.: This place is closed

Absolute Bagels - New York, NY (40.802506, -73.967269) (Manhattan Valley)
3 - Alma Z.: Freshly baked bagels on a daily basis. There's nothing like biting into one of these bagels fresh from the oven on a cold day. Ignore the outside which is a little drab. These bagels more than make up for the decor.
5 - Blake R.: Best bagels I've ever had.  Period.
5 - Steve M.: The bagels themselves are great, but what really sets Absolute apart are their creative and unusual topping options--try an egg bagel with bacon and cheddar cream cheese or a whole wheat bagel with dutch apple cream cheese for something different in your morning routine. However, you may want to bring your own drink, as their cooler is poorly stocked with a very limited variety of beverages.
4 - Heather H.: With Columbia Hot Bagels gone, Absolute reigns supreme for the Columbia neighborhood (some would argue that they're the best in the City, but I'm not New York enough to pass that kind of judgment).  

There is some kind of magic in these bagels though.
5 - Becky P.: I was so stunned by the amazing soft warm wonderfulness of my bagel I stopped in my tracks on the sidewalk.  It was a simple plain bagel.  The second time around I had an egg bagel, which was just as incredible.  I never knew what bagels could be.

Oh yeah, they have oodles of different tofu and cream cheese spreads to choose from.
4 - Kim D.: Even though I've lived in the area for two years, I'd never been to Absolute Bagels.   The exterior made the place look drab so I never imagined that it was a well-known, well-visited location.  Well, I have been missing out.  Something about the way they prepare the bagels and the cream cheese/tofutti toppings makes everything seem so light, which is a nice change in the morning!   On my first visit, I had a whole wheat sesame bagel with vegetable tofutti, which was refreshingly cool on the soft bagel.  The next visit I tried the blueberry cream cheese on an oatbran bagel, and all I have to say is that more NY delis need to have blueberry cream cheese.  So tasty.  These bagels are definitely a notch above the rest.
5 - Jeff K.: Don't listen to people who tell you H&H bagels are the best Manhattan has to offer, because they obviously haven't tried Absolute.  Undeniably, the best bagels I've ever had.

The quality alone is enough to put it above H&H in my book, but adding the fact that they've got a plethora of delicious toppings available secures Absolute's place in my book.

I usually go for a hot everything bagel with vegetable cream cheese and tomato, and sometimes when I feel like splurging I'll get the nova salmon.  Nobody makes a better bagel.
5 - Shannon O.: The best bagel I've had in NYC. Nothing like some Saturday mornin' bagels. Quick, no nonsense service. Friendly staff that remembers your order if you come in often. I cannot move out of Morningside Heights ever unless this place closes.
5 - Dave L.: What's there not to love?  There's a constant supply of freshly-made bagels at prices that'll make your grandmother proud.  And even during those busy times when the lines threaten to go out the door, your turn will be up in about two minutes.
5 - Norah K.: It's funny that one of the city's best bagel stores is Thai owned and operated, but such is the case at Absolute Bagels. The staff is very friendly and very efficient and the bagels are very great .

I'm so tired of the giant, yeasty, dough ball bagels that you find in so many bagel shops these days. Absolute bagels are the perfect size, consistency and are usually warm when you get them. They can definitely hold their own against H&H but get bonus points for actually putting the cream cheese on for you.
5 - Zach V.: The perfect bagel. I mean, unless you don't like GOOD bagels. You do like GOOD bagels, don't you? Because there is a lot of peer pressure. But the mob of people, as always, is right. Plus, friendly staff, comfortable room.
5 - Jay L.: These bagels are heavenly.  Much lighter and air-ier than H&H.  Always fresh.  I don't think I will ever eat a H&H bagel again.  Not after these.
5 - Rachel D.: yelp's vindication of my love for absolute bagels is making me tear up with joy.

i used to live around the corner from Absolute on 107th.  the only thing I was looking forward to about coming back to the upper west for school (besides la rosita) was Absolute.  I didn't know about the ess-a-bagel link, but it figures because that place is great too.

my choice:  everything, cream cheese, lox.   O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!
5 - Ayelet I.: Holy shit are these good. I didn't know a bagel could be all that tasty before I had these but once I tried my first I had one for breakfast every day for the week I was in New York and the next week I was there too. I was lucky that I stayed just a few blocks away but these are worth traveling uptown for. H&H ones are too sweet or something...

The staff is also nice and keeps things moving-the place is so good it's often got a line in the am but I never had to wait more than a minute or two for my bagel and coffee. 

I have since tried to curb bagel cravings in L.A. with Western Bagels, and they're good, but Absolute are still on another level.
5 - Tom T.: When I told my boss I was moving to the UWS/Morningside heights area he got all nostalgic and told me the two places I had to go were Absolute Bagels and Silver Moon Bakery.

The bagels here are delicious.  Quite possibly the best I've had with the possible exception of Panera's cinnamon crunch bagel.  But there's no panera in new york plus the cream cheese at absolute is so much better.

Ordering and paying seems to use the mob system so sometimes it's hard to figure out who's paying for what.  Just be careful they don't hand you someone else's deliciousness.
5 - Joe R.: I walked the six blocks to Absolute Bagel during the height of a vicious nor'easter this past weekend.  Was it worth it? You bet. Despite the weather outside, the bagels were warm and fresh. Close your eyes and pick whatever is available - along with a container of cream cheese and salmon.  They have mastered the bagel.  Should be called Ultimate Bagels!
5 - Noel R.: I go there nearly everyday and get very special attention by the friendly Thai staff. They're fast efficient and the bagels are baked often so if you go at the busy times you're almost guaranteed to get a warm one. The bagels are soft and moist and sometimes still steaming inside. If you get on the right side of the staff they'll teach you Thai and let you quietly jump the line.
5 - Kendall C.: Blah blah...great bagels, reasonable prices what else are you looking for.
5 - Brian M.: My first review has to be Absolute Bagels, the best place for bagels in NY. Those partial to H&H probably haven't been here. The bagels are soft and chewy, and I long admired the fact it didn't have a toaster, although they've since added one. Absolute was one of the reasons I moved back to the upper Upper West Side two years ago, after actually traveling here from the UES for bagels most weekends.
5 - Zach K.: I'd like to thank the Yelpers for awakening me to this place.
Bagels are perfect, tons of cream cheese spreads. 
When you walk in you know this place is the real deal.
Maybe I'll go there for dinner tonight.
5 - Andrew C.: Not saying anything new here, but it's the best bagel I've ever had.

Try the everything bagel with Jalepeno cream cheese.  I also gave the Egg Bagel w/Cheddar and Bacon cream cheese a try, but didn't like it as much as their other flavors.
5 - Diana G.: Best bagels in the city, no holds barred, and no doubt about it.  Forget H&H, and don't even start about Ess-a-Bagel or whomever else.  This is the place.

The egg bagel is insane, and the staff are always friendly and nice.  Luckily I no longer live close to there, but they're worth
the side trip when I have a craving.
5 - Trevor H.: Best in the city, and unlike it's competitors for this coveted title (H&H, Murray's etc) they are nice. They will toast your bagel and make it the way you want. They say thank you when you buy something. They don't act like it's your pleasure to be there because Zagat tells them they're the best. 

Absolute is the best. On top of the prices are cheaper than other bagel places. If your uptown treat yourself to a great, surly-free bagel experience.
5 - Frank W.: The one item my ex-New Yorker friends requested when I came up to Maine to visit...Absolute bagels...the pumpernickel.
5 - Riley B.: my friends brought me a garlic bagel from here last weekend. it was the best bagel i have ever had. better than ess-a or h&h or any other bagel in the world. umm ok yeah. it's really good.
5 - joe r.: NYC's best bagels without a shred of competition.  Their everything bagels are sublime.  Their lox spread will change your life.  And when the cutie counter girl gives you a free brownie for cleaning a ruder patron's table, your heart will fall in love again.
5 - Davey T.: Consistency is a delicacy in itself around here. Because, let's face it: this city is one big whirling Cuisinart. Oh, I should note, since I've elected to use the kitchen-appliance metaphor, that when I say "consistency," I'm not referring to chunkiness. I'm talking about getting the same thing every time. 

Which is what I can get down the street at Absolute Bagels. 

Yes, unlike many of the bars I know in New York, many of which I often walk into and say either "where the [expletive] did all these people come from?" or "where the [expletive] is everybody?" and unlike many restaurants or bars or coffee shops where the quality of the product depends upon who is wielding the wand that day, Absolute Bagels is always the same. And it's always superb. 

They're my people, you know? I'm in there just about every single day that I have off. The only thing that varies is my bagel selection and the length of the line, and I'm pretty sure the length of the line is a function of the time of day I can manage to fall out of bed and crawl over there. I've heard that Absolute is a family business. I haven't been able to confirm this rumor, but that may be a good explanation of its cohesive harmony (and of why they're all Asian). 

Along with the sponge-worthy bagels, they offer a cooler full of soft drinks (including two sizes of orange juice, my drink of choice), mini-muffins, pound cake, normal-size muffins, fancy cream cheese made to order, and cornbread. Ain't nothin wrong with that!
5 - Elissa S.: Forget Tal, H&H, Lenny, Broadway Bagel - this is where it's at.  It doesn't matter if you have to take the 1 train twelve stops away from your neighborhood - just do it.  It's good for your soul.  Your waistline, not so much.
5 - Alyssa B.: I walked 13 blocks carrying 2 suitcases for a bagel from this place before taking the subway back home. It was worth it.

(oh, my god, the cream cheese! the bagel! they're so nice! so good!)
5 - Maria B.: My recommendation: pumpernickel raisin bagel w/ dutch apple cream cheese.  Not too sweet, BIG chunks of apple!
5 - Nikhil S.: Superb!

They put so much of the yummy cream cheese on a bagel, that my wife and I usually order 1 bagel with cheese and 1 plain, and share the cheese - there's that much!
5 - Thomas H.: The long line (10AM/Saturday) moves pretty quickly, and the service was friendly and fast.  More importantly, the bagels are excellent.
5 - Brian H.: The world's most FABULOUS bagels. Those poor ignorant bastards Out West who smugly gnosh on Einsteins and Bruggeurs don't know what they are missing.
5 - katy f.: Sweet mother of God.  They know what they are doing.  

A toasted everything with cream cheese from Absolute just might be my last meal, if I got to choose.

Worth the wait, if there is one. About 1,000 different kinds of cream cheese, and tons of bagels. My room mate and I couldn't be luckier to live around the corner. (For now anyway, we'll let you know when we're 50 pounds heavier, and you'll all know why.)
5 - Ben C.: These have to be the best bagels in Manhattan, if not the world.  Okay maybe the latter is pushing it, but these bagels are seriously good.  Flavor and texture are right on.  A tad chewy on the outside and soft on the inside.  More often than not, my bagel was still warm out of the oven.  Ask for yours toasted if you like 'em particularly crispy.  Absolute's cream cheese is extra creamy.  Good selection of flavors too.  Beware, the line can be very long on weekend mornings, but moves quickly and is worth the wait.

Simply put, Absolute is absolute bagel decadence.
4 - andy t.: I am a believer. These bagels rule and are very much worth waiting on the line, which goes fast anyway. The mini muffins are also very, very yummy. Damn I love bagels. I never even knew how much until I went to this place.
5 - Victor C.: Amazing bagels.  Yelp lured me here on a trip to NY, and these are absolutely delicious.  The metro ride from 42nd is about 30-40 minutes, but it's well worth it if you're looking to experience melt-in-your-mouth bageliness.  

The line moves very fast, and keep your eyes up because sometimes workers will call for orders far down the line.  The lox and cream cheese is amazing, and could possibly kill you.  The chives and garlic spread will most certainly kill you.  They do not skimp on the amount of spread, so be wary.  

A common order was the "everything bagel," which was good, although you may also want to try the pure-breed bagels as well for comparison purposes.  Drinks available on site, seating is limited, but also moves quickly.  Expect about $3-4 for a bagel with spread.
5 - Nathalie T.: i can't give 6 stars?

i didn't think it's be so DAMN hard to find a great bagel in the city, but apparently, it is. 

bagels: AWESOME. sick of meager poppyseed sprinkles on your bagel? look no further. they cover the top-half of the bagel with toppings, so much that it's crumbling everywhere in all its glory. 

service: quick and sweet. are they thai? i forget, but they make a freakishly great bagel. the cute younger lady had a baby recently

prices: they don't have deals for buying in large quantities, but fair. just go eat there already.

overall, please just try this bagel
5 - Tony M.: Wow!  What a great bagel.  I had a plain with strawberry cream cheese.  The bagel is so airy on the inside it's worth it.

Although I think I was having chest pain reminiscent of an oncoming heart attack by the time I finished it--I blame that on the cream cheese.  Then I went to the gym and rowed 30 minutes and felt better.

I'll be back, and I'm making the trip from Brooklyn to buy a couple dozen for my parents this Christmas.
5 - Josh K.: I don't usually order a bagel and cream cheese at 6:00 PM right before dinner, so I almost skipped trying this place but since it was so highly recommended by my dad and sister, I grabbed an everything bagel and cream cheese before I headed downtown.  The everything bagel had a delicious mix of seeds on top, and the bagel itself was perfectly soft on the inside and slightly chewy on the outside.
 .
4 - Scott R.: This was my go-to bagel spot when I lived up on 100th st.  Guess the word is out on this place. 

The outside of their bagels are thankfully crustier than many of the bagels you find in NYC.  Not as crusty as my favorite (Milk & Honey on 45th b/w 5th and 6th) but admirably close considering this place isn't even owned/operated by Jews (it's Asian).

Wish Absolute Bagels and H&H on 81st and b'way would switch locations....
5 - Haley S.: Best bagels in NYC...bar none.
5 - Cameron B.: My girlfriend and I had just arrived on a red-eye flight from Seattle at 7am on a Saturday morning. The first thing we did was check into the hotel, threw our bags down and hopped on the #1 train to get breakfast at Absolute Bagels. Being from out of town, I luckily did some research on Yelp on where the best bagels in town were, and yelpers, you didn't disappoint. 

I had the plain bagel with butter as well as the cinnamon with walnut and raisin spread. They were chewy on the outside and very nice and fluffy on the inside, the way it should be. Incredible!
5 - Anna W.: These are the best bagels and cream cheese I have ever had.  I love their sundried tomato cream cheese and their lox spread.  They are so friendly and FAST!  I always have a supply of Absolute bagels at home---I go buy a dozen, slice them immediately when I get home, and stick them in the freezer.  I go out of my way in the mornings on the way to work for a warm one.  I bring them home to D.C. for my family whenever I go visit.  Seriously, these bagels are just perfect and would be worth the trip uptown.  Now, if only they delivered!
4 - Joshua B.: I live on the block and have them a couple times a week. I dont know about the best in manhattan, but up there with the best of them.
5 - Sasha d.: So because I'm from California, I never got the whole bagel phenomena. Bagels are circular bread but...doughy-er. No big deal, right?

Well, I've seen the light. Bagels are now more like magic to me than food, and Absolute Bagels is single-handedly responsible for my enlightenment. 

The bagels are just so crusty and fluffy and hot and crust and yummy and--did I mention the crust is delicious? They have a ton of bagel varieties (my favorite is the whole wheat sesame) and an impressive assortment of cream cheese. The dutch apple cream cheese is so rich; it's really like eating pie innards on a bagel. The walnut raisin is also sweet and delicious. I am, however, partial to tofu cream cheese and Absolute has more varieties than any place I've been. Get the herb tofu! 

The people who work there are really nice too. They know the regulars and are friendly to everybody. Plus they make a mean raspberry iced tea. 

There are only two downsides to Absolute: the coffee is pitifully bad--so bad you might ask yourself, is this coffee that they gave me, or brackish water?--and it can be hard to get a seat if you want to eat there. But even these two inconveniences aren't enough to dissuade my love for Absolute!  Every other bagel really is just circular bread next to these pieces of heaven.
5 - Sheila S.: I was first brought here a year ago by a friend who KNOWS EVERYTHING. Let's just say she also knows good bagels.

A year later I ran out of luggage space and couldn't say no to carrying a bunch home with me.
3 - Moniker M.: Every man, woman and child is entitled to his/her own bagel preferences.  That's fine.  There are many different ways to love a bagel...ummm, I'm talking about texture...I'm talking about texture (and flavor, but I think it comes down mostly to texture).

I was raised on H&H.  Small, chewy.  'Nuff said.  There are other great bagels in this city and these bagels in particular are just fine but I'm shocked at how beloved they are.  I mean, sheesh!  Get a room!
5 - Adam P.: Delicious! Friendly! Fast!  Long lines on the weekend, but the Absolute Bagel team keeps the crowd moving, so you can get your hot delicious perfectly crunchy on the outside doughy on the inside bagels.
4 - Natasha L.: They have really great spreads and a ton of variety.  I had the apple cinnamon spread: they put in real chunks of soft, cinnamon-y apples...yum.
5 - Daniel H.: Every good review of this place is true.  Every flaw mentioned is exaggerated.  Amazing bagels, friendly folks.

Savory cream cheeses or chicken salad on an everything, or sweet cheese on a multi-grain.  Mmm.
4 - Tamar F.: Best bagels on the upper west side.  They're made right on the spot and usually you can get a nice hot bagel.  It's also fun to see the giant pot of boiling water with bagels floating on top.  The bagels are perfectly chewy with a bit of crunch on the outside - just as a NY bagel should be.  There are some tables and folding chairs at the front of the store, though usually I'll just get the stuff to go.  The only thing that could be better is the cream cheese.  I find it a bit grainy and dense - I prefer smooth and fluffy.  But for the bagels (which is what you're coming for, right?) this place is a star.
2 - Lisa L.: I feel like something may be wrong with me when a place has 5 stars and I am only giving it 2.  I ordered my standard: whole wheat with strawberry cream cheese.  Granted it was later in the afternoon, but my bagel was not toasted (was that even an option?), and the cream cheese was weird...the chunks of strawberry were too big and there was chunks of plain cream cheese in there...it tasted like regular cream cheese with strawberries haphazardly mixed in.  The bagel itself was ok.  I didn't even finish it.  I'm not a bagel connoisseur but I definitely was not impressed.
5 - Erika C.: On average, the best bagel I have had in NY. 

(Note: Sometimes, Ess-A-Bagel on 1st is better, but Ess-A is also pretty inconsistent, so Absolute comes out on top. A technicality? I don't think so). 

Texture: Perfectly moist + dense. 

Crust: Not QUITE crunchy and light enough, but almost there. 

Favorite: The everything is perfectly flavored. Yum um um. 

Tip: Get the cream cheese on the side (a little thing of it)--it;s enough for 3 bagels.
4 - Abbigail U.: 4 stars for taste, texture, variety, and quantity.

We got the everything bagel with the lox cream cheese.  The bagel had a perfectly seasoned and crunchy crust with a soft and warm middle.  The portion of the oh so yummy cream cheese spread was very generous - about the size of an ice cream scoop I'd say. 

All in all, it was the perfect way to begin a classic "snack across the city" day.
4 - Henry Y.: is it possible to give TOO much schmear?

i had the everything, toasted with schmear and it was damned good, practically decadent.

i ended up stopping at whole foods columbus circle on my way back to buy a pumpernickel bagel to soak up all that excess schmear. can't let good schmear go to waste.
5 - Farrah F.: Somewhat near Central Park. We walked many, many blocks for this place because I read review upon review of goodness about this place (from Yelp--where else?).

I got an 'everything' bagel with garlic and chives cream cheese for $3.35. To me, this is pretty expensive for just one bagel (that's almost half an hour of work!), especially considering the fact that you'd usually have to punch my lights out in order to get me to spend $1.50 in quarters for laundry (I just bring it home), but their 23489702357 different spreads make it all worth it. 

Now that I'm back on the west coast, I'm constantly whining(?) to my friends about how much I want another bagel from New York. I miss them so much.
4 - Kyliie T.: This place is excellent! The best bagels I've ever had! EVER!  Only reason that I'm giving them 4 stars instead of 5 is that I had their coffee and got sick. It could've been the heat, but hey! 

Go here if you are in Manhattan!
5 - Tess J.: My favorite thing to do early on a weekend morning is grab a sesame bagel with plain cream cheese and coffee from Absolute Bagel.  There is nothing that can quite match the chewy goodness - and if you time it right, you might get a warm bagel, perfectly cripsy/crunchy on the outside and steamy/chewy on the inside, with the cream cheese just starting to melt a teeny bit.  
Sadly, their prices have gone up a little in these past few months, but still so worth it!
5 - gyro k.: I've tried all the bagels in NY, and this is my favorite. Just get the plain bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon. The brie and tomato is really good, too.
4 - Anna L.: My boyfriend loves this place more than he loves me. I have to admit that I can't be too jealous though because the bagels are pretty darn good. Toasted to perfection with rich cream cheese.  I haven't tried the tofutti cream cheeses yet and don't plan on it, but how cute that they have them.
5 - Amy D.: best bagels i've ever had, FAST service (i'm not used to the servers having to wait for ME to make up my mind), generous with the shmear, and even the coffee's good!  please open up a shop in San Diego!!!
5 - Tolkien L.: Take a trip to the upper side neat Columbia, where around a bend on broadway lies to me the best bagel place in NYC.  They have lots of fix'ns and are generous to slap a mound of anything you want.  My favorite is a plain bagel with garlic and chive creamcheese with a coffee.
5 - vadit s.: Probably one of the best bagels I've ever had. I've been here twice, and both times I've gotten an everything bagel with jalapeno cream cheese. This combo does not disappoint, at least for me. I've yet to try other flavors but believe me, I will be back to this place many many times. 

First time I went was Saturday morning...pretty big line but moved quickly. These guys are efficient. Someone takes your order and then there's one cashier to rule them all. Second time I went was this morning before work..8-ish. I was in an out in about 5 minutes. Awesome. I asked for toasted but my man informed me that the bagels were fresh and still warm therefore I should pass on the toasted. I agreed and sure enough the bagel was fresh, crispy on the outside as if toasted and soft on the inside just how I like it. 

the pluses:
The everything bagels have salt on them.
The place is run by my peoples (Thai).

the minus:
3+ dollars for a bagel with cream cheese seems kinda steep...but hey, this IS New York. Enough said.
5 - Matt P.: The reviews were fabulous on this place!! I can't wait to try it myself!!!
5 - Ken G.: Fast courteous service with freshly-made delicious bagels. I especially go for the very black pumpernickel.
4 - joanna m.: the unparalleled deliciousness of the bagels here is one of the few reasons i haven't moved back to SF yet. 

the coffee is also pretty good, but have 'em go easy on the sugar. 

ps. you can buy cream cheese or tofutti cream cheese here for WAY less than the grocery stores.
5 - Ji-Soo P.: Yes, the bagels here are pretty much awesome. 

But I am mainly writing to object to a particular reviewer who complained that her bagel was not toasted. One need not go to Absolute if you demand your bagel toasted; you can do that with any old bagel. 

But if you enjoy the sensual chewiness of pure bagel perfection, then take a trip to Absolute and take pleasure in the ancient Thai art of bagel-making.
4 - Liz K.: Two good words: Great Classics
Two Bad Words: Lacks Pizazz

Like most of the reviewers say, this place has great bagels. There is so much variety in the cream cheeses to choose from, and a bagel for every mood imaginable. A reliable find in a large city. However (and this is more a suggestion than a criticism) For some reason, there's not a lot of zazz and spunk to this place. The bagels are cheap, easy, and amazing, and that's reason enough to go again and again, but because there is a wow factor missing in atmosphere, minus one. However, the family and owners of this place are great, friendly people and no-nonsense folk who know how to make you an amazing bagel.
5 - Emily B.: I'm almost hesitant to publish my thoughts on the egg bagels, as they occasionally run out and I would hate for a Yelp reader to, on my own advice, snatch the last one before my very eyes. But I will resist this selfish urge and share with you the magic equation my roommate Jen had the magnanimity to share with me:

   untoasted egg bagel 
+ plain cream cheese 
= heaven. 

And where else does heaven cost you $1.95????

Beware, your weekly bagel intake will sextuple. I think I have gained five pounds of egg bagel alone since moving into the neighborhood, but that's okay because it's been cheaper than buying a fall coat.
4 - jen f.: the egg bagel is a fine bagel

the cream cheese is good but not the best.

some of the interesting tofuttis are suprising delights,
but why pay 4 dollars for a bagel with something when you can pay 2

also since when is bagelry an asian art?
5 - Richard K.: Absolutely the BagelEST
5 - Sydney B.: When I moved to Morningside Heights/UWS, I realized I'd be near Absolute Bagels--I probably salivated.

They are fresh and plentiful at this longtime bagel shop.  I look forward to trying the egg bagel after reading all the praise.  Pumpernickel raisin is another notable selection (hearty with a smattering of sweet raisins).  

The cream cheese varieties are impressive (tofu options too), and the store seems to be open pretty late in the day.  

They have small Tropicana orange juices, which are the perfect size to go with a bagel (for those desperate for fluids, they also have the 16oz OJ cartons among other beverages).  

The store also has a seating area, so you can sit with your perfect bagel sandwich and perfectly-sized orange juice, and look at the seductive bagel photos on the wall and seasonal decorations in the window display.  

If you sit there long enough, you'll probably run into friends and acquaintances stopping by to treat their hangovers with a bagel brunch.
4 - Kate M.: I believe it when people say they have the best bagel in Manhattan. My everything bagel had great texture and flavor, and the lox spread couldn't be more yummy. Egg bagel rocks also. Need to go back soon and try all the other spreads. They have serious variety!
4 - Laura J.: I'm not a bagel expert, and I wish I cold have tried some more of their bagels but my time in the city ran out. Anyways I got a toasted egg bagel with apple cream cheese.  I don't know what makes an egg bagel so special besides the fact that it is yellow...can someone inform me? Anyways the bagel was good i guess...but the cream cheese was really yummy. It had whole pieces of apple!...but they put too much cream cheese in my bagel so I got kind of sick of it and had to scrape some out.  I think if I were to go here again, which I hope I get the chance to one day, I will request less cream cheese. I had a bite of the everything bagel with jalapeno cream cheese, and boy was that a freaking goooooodddd and savory bagel.  I always want to try something "different" and in doing so I usually regret not getting what my friends recommend...
4 - Brendan J.: While I'm quite happy to have experienced a real New York bagel, I'm quite sad now as I eat my 'bagel' from Au Bon Pain that was leftover from a work event yesterday morning.  This thing is not a bagel.  This is a carb heavy dough thing.  :sigh:

Absolute Bagels is just a few blocks from my friend's apartment in New York.  She said they were really good, so I went to go pick up several bagels Saturday morning while everyone else was still sleeping.

There were stacks and stacks of bagels behind the glass case, and bagels were continually being put in and taken out of the oven.  They also had several kinds of cream cheese and healthier? toffuti nondairy spread.

I ordered 6 bagels - one for each person - and a small container of cream cheese.  Those things were devoured in record time.  They were still warm from the oven and crispy enough on the outside to be delicious without toasting, and chewy in the middle.  Almost mochi or ddeok-like.

Well since those were so popular, I picked some more up Sunday morning.  Social experiment curiosity dictated that I pick up a toffuti spread and see if anyone could taste the difference between that and regular cream cheese.  There was a bit of a soy taste and it was veggie toffuti so that probably hides off flavors, but most people could barely tell the difference.
5 - Alexander L.: I love this place. Sometimes I just have to make it down to Absolute Bagel several times in a week. I usually get an everything (toasted, you have to ask for it toasted) with lox spread. Their coffee is also quite good - not overwhelmingly bitter. Be aware, however, that their smalls are quite small, and a medium is the equivalent of what I would call a small (12 oz or something).
5 - Timothy B.: Best bagels in NYC. I would recommend a simple sesame or salt bagel untoasted with veggie cream cheese. The staff here is also excellent.
5 - Deniz G.: Perfect breakfast for reasonable price. Apple cream cheese is highly recommended.
5 - Jon K.: I think Ess-A-Bagel, long my favorite bagel place in the city, has slipped recently making this the winner of my best bagel in New York city. There's not another place in the area worth even thinking about going to. Bagels aren't those ridiculously oversized kind, they have plenty of kinds to choose from, always fresh and warm, lots of cream cheese selection(though really, I only ever go with plain or raisin), and the staff is friendly and will start to memorize your oder after a while.(I've also been there upwards of 100 times, so that might be it too). There is really not a single flaw with this place, and every cold day that I spend in another city makes me miss it more.
4 - Queenie W.: OK. I know there are a lot of absolute bagel fans here. But my problem is that I just don't love bagels.. 

So I still don't love bagels after trying "everything bagel with plain cream cheese." But I love their egg salad with lettuce and tomato after trying "Egg bagel with egg salad"... Yes. Salad.

Maybe I need to try another bagel with lox spread in Ess-a-bagel to revert my impression about bagels...

The environment inside the shop is really good, bright and relaxing. May I say that it is even better than starbucks?
5 - Donald D.: Ess- or Absolute? Which is the temple of bagels? 

In the mid-80s I lived three blocks from Ess-a-Bagel; now I live three blocks from Absolute. I know both. 

Twenty years ago ess-a-bagels were peerless. Light and filling at once. Generously coated with onion, sesame, or poppy seed. I would have given six stars. Alas, no more. Ess-a-bagels suffer from middle age bloat. How did they lose the touch? 

Absolute has inherited the mantle of Ess: Best bagel in New York. 

Hot from the oven, they are tops. Staff is great. Only way to improve is to follow the Ess-a-Bagel of yesteryear and be a bit more generous with seeds. Still, best bagel in the city surely deserves five stars. 

H&H? Murray's? Really, you need to get out more.
5 - Ben S.: I Absolutely love Absolute Bagels. By far the best bagels I've ever had, especially when they are fresh out of the oven. So much better than the overhyped H&H, plus you can get cream cheese.

Now if i could just find a good bagel in near my new place....
4 - Rachel L.: In the words of one of my personal heroes, the bagels were  "pretty pretty good."

I have sampled H&H (meh), Ess-a-bagel (woo!), and Zabar's (rather the rugelach), and I will admit this place is up there on my list of great bagels in New York.  

Awesome factors:
** The bagels' interiors are chewy, but have the ideal slightly hardened crust.
* The place is easy to find - just follow my pathway of drool.  It might be covered by the snow, but it's there. 
* It's super convenient if you are, say, picking up some goodies from Westside Market.  
** It's close to Columbia.

Less awesome factors:
** Why don't they cut you a break for a dozen?  If it's a dollar a bagel, it should be less for the dozen.  Come on. 
* The staff was not particularly friendly.
* I wish they had more non-tofu varieties of cream cheese.  

But, yes, on the rare day where I feel like acting out my inner New York-style Jewishness before class [or maybe after], you will find me at Absolute Bagels.  Absolutely.
5 - Sriram V.: Absolute Bagels is the kind of New York institution that makes this city truly unique. Knowing about Absolute Bagels is a true sign of your New Yorker-ness. I must confess that I knew nothing of Yelp or online reviews the first time I stumbled into Absolute Bagels one morning while walking to Columbia from the 96th Street Subway. 

I found the perfect - PERFECT - bagel that morning. Absolute Bagels must be blessed, because only heaven knows how they get their bagels streets ahead of the opposition. Phenomenal and highly recommended.
5 - Eric M.: When I wanted a real New York Bagel Experience, I asked around and the "others" got mentioned, too, but something about the way people talked about this place made me want to come here.  I was glad I did.  It looks like any other shop, but man do they pump out the bagels!

We were well-prepped, ready to order and made it through the line without anyone giving us one of those "stupid tourist" looks.  We even snagged one of the tables inside and gobbled the warm lightly crusted, chewy wonders down in no time flat.  I wanted to go back for a second round but we were out of time.

Anyway, bagels were great, atmosphere was all I could ask for, I'm thinking of moving above them just to get my fill.
5 - Erin L.: Can't believe I haven't written a review for this place yet.
Definitely awesome bagel, especially when it's toasted. 
There's both sweet and savory cream cheese.
A LOT of cream cheese on your bagel, if you don't want that much ask them to go easy :) 
Definitely digging the LOX (smoked salmon) with everything bagel :)
5 - Dan B.: Absolute Bagels has some of the best bagels I have ever eaten in my life.  I started with a modest onion bagel toasted with brie and tomatoes.  The taste of the bagel exploded in my mouth.  Want some great cream cheese?  Try the herb cream cheese, it is to die for.  I tried it on an everything bagel.  I also tried the marble rye bagel toasted with sun dried tomato spread...mmm mmm.  Service?  Wonderful.  Nice Asian family works there.  One thing that irritated me:  it was FREEZING outside and the door is broken and keeps popping open!  Do you know how irritating it was to enjoy the best bagel of my life and then get an intermittent sub-zero freeze?
5 - Andrew M.: I was a big H&H fan, that is until I tried Absolute Bagels. It's amazingly fresh and never a long line. Put it on your list and give it a try. You wont regret it.
5 - Janet L.: The man behind the counter half-laughed at me as I rattled off my order.  One girl, 3 full sized bagels and 3 mini-bagels to go, and one smoked lox with cream cheese on an everything bagel.  Little did he know i was leaving NY that day and was taking these babies hostage back to sunny CA.

I'd read all about bagels before I landed in NY.  The history of the bagel, bagel unions, the original sizes of bagels, what made a NY bagel a NY bagel, and the use of different sweeteners, of which malt is the most authentic.  After all that research, I had to do a taste test comparison!

Absolute Bagel did not disappoint.  It was crunchy on the outside, denser than H & H or Ess-a-bagel and chewy.  It's a hearty bagel.  The bagel sandwich with smoked lox and cream cheese with tomato was so delicious, I could've eaten another if I didn't have to go to lunch a few hours later.  It was well worth the trek up to the UWS!

The only thing I don't recommend is trying to take a salt bagel anywhere.  Those should be eaten as soon as possible because the salt draws moisture out of the bagel, making it dry and overly dense / chewy.
5 - jimi j.: Absolute Bagels are the best NYC bagels. Period. I am originally from Toronto Canada, and the bagels up there are tremendous. And they've always been better than say H&H (AWFUL service ok bagel) or Ess (good in a pinch) But when I finally made it to Absolute I was enthralled. Great crisp chewy bagel. The staff is great once you get to know them. Cream cheeses are very good...but the bagels...omg...
One Caveat: the coffee is only sub-par at best
5 - Andrew W.: It seems rather fashionable to say that Absolute Bagels has the best in NYC now. It's sort of like when Jordan was dominating the NBA, they often gave someone else the MVP because they took him for granted, just like H&H is today in the sense of NYC bagels. Still, I totally get why everyone seems to love this place. 

H&H Bagels are dense and have a lot of texture, while Absolute Bagels have a crispy crust, but are light doughy and almost sweet on the inside. For a $1 a bagel, the 40% discount from H&H almost makes this place seem like a bargain. Since I buy once a week and freeze, I think H&H hold up a little better in the freezer, but otherwise Absolute takes a back seat to no one.
4 - Pete S.: I usually go here in the middle of the day when the bagels are on the downward side of fresh. They're usually pretty good, though. the outsides are very firm and that insides are a nice combination of soft and chewy. A couple of months ago, I was on a huge tuna salad kick. Everyday I would get a whole wheat bagel with tuna salad, lettuce, and tomato for lunch. Looking back, I can't really figure out why this trend ended. Their tuna is pretty delicious. Very tangy. It might have have pickle in it, but I don't remember. Just thinking about it now makes me wish it was lunch time again.
4 - Ouisey M.: Went to Absolute on Yelpers' suggestions and I have to say thank you. Can we talk about the bacon and cheese cream cheese on a toasted everything bagel? Darn happy morning folks with one of those in your hand.
5 - Jenny B.: I love Absolute Bagels. This place has the best bagels I've had in New York. I was nearby an H&H the other week, and decided to try it, since I've been going to Absolute so much, and to tell you the truth, I wasn't impressed. At all. Absolute has the absolute best bagels, ever. They're not dense, but not to airy, and their cream cheeses are to die for.

I love their lox spread, and also their scallion cream cheese. They also have quite a large variety of Toffutti. I tried the sundried tomato, since I'd heard so much about it. It was good, and I don't even really like sundried tomatoes. 

The service there is fantastic. They're fast and very nice. I recently moved across the street from Absolute, which may become a problem. But at least it's a happy problem! 

Hands down, these are the best bagels in town.
5 - micaela r.: what perfect timing for a first visit to absolute: everything bagels are coming out in a minute...damn right i'll wait.
steaming hot fresh everything bagel = absolute greatness.
so glad my friend whose bed i was crashing in ny lives a few blocks from this place!  within a couple days, i had eaten 4 bagels from here, and was craving them the rest of my trip.  go now!  and send some to oakland too.
5 - Linda L.: I'm from Arizona, where bagels are basically rolls with a hole in the middle (in the West, we don't have time for effete culinary practices like boiling perfectly good bread - not when there are sheep to wrangle and dogies to lasso).

I never understood what all the fuss was about until I moved to New York - my first apartment was a few blocks from Absolute, and when I took the first bite, I knew my entire bagular experience up to that point had been a lie. Perfect skin on the outside, tender dough on the inside, really nothing like normal bread at all. 

I'm not much of a fancy-spread person, but my friend who can't digest anything is a huge fan of Absolute's selection of Tofutti cream cheese. Absolute also has some weird, interesting bagel flavors, like raisin pumpernickel. Just one reason I'm never moving back to AZ.
5 - Guy D.: Every New Yorker has a favorite bagel shop, and every New Yorker believes, to a fault, that their bagel shop is superior to all other bagel shops. Nobody ever converts, but that doesn't stop anyone from trying to make others believe in their version of the Bagel Truth.

So here's my contribution to the holy war: Absolute Bagels is the best bagel shop in the City of New York, and--assuming it's open--stop whatever you're doing and go and buy a bagel there.

Let's get this out the way first: the place is a dump. It's dusty and grimy. The tables wobble, it's cold in the winter. Look behind the counter on the north wall and you'll see the most dangerous fan ever manufactured. To hell with all that, you're not here for linen napkins, you're here for bagels.

And when you're past how the place looks, what bagels they are. I'm partial to poppy-seed myself because--and this is important--they put the seeds on all sides of the bagel. Nobody notices this sort of thing, but most bagel shops just throw a pinch of seeds on the top of the bagel and call it a day. Not so here; they take the time to give them a liberal application.

Inside, the bagels really are as good as the other hyperbole here: crunchy on the outside, chewy and soft inside. All that a bagel should be.

As for toppings, I have a confession: I detest cream cheese. I think it's repugnant, and thinking about it here as given me chills. So I go for the tuna salad, which is, hands down, the best in New York. If you don't like the bagels (and I don't know why you wouldn't), at least stay for the tuna. It's got a little bit of sweet pickle in it so it's tangy, and they give you a generous dollop on a sandwich.

Brilliant. A + + + WILL BAGEL AGAIN.
5 - Tinny S.: Seriously the best bagel.  

My ideal wedding would include a naked cherub made out of their sundried tomato cream cheese and a wall made out of an assortment of their bagels.  Now that's class.

Vegan friendly with a nice selection of tofutti cream "cheeses."
5 - Yvonne W.: Don't trust anyone who gives this place less than 4 or 5 stars -- this place is the BEST!

Apparently I found out that the guy who decided to open up Absolute Bagels used to work at Ess-A-Bagel, and then of course, he perfected his own boiling bagel technique and opened this place. So maybe we should give some credit to Ess-A-Bagel for training him and helping to create a bagel genius that gave birth to Absolute? 

I came here in the afternoon today to try a bagel; I've actually had their bagels and their spreads before when I went to the Tastings NYC event last November, and I was completely blown away by how good everything was and knew I had to come to the actual location. 

As I came in, I couldn't decide which bagel I wanted, so I asked the guy behind the counter (he might've been the founder!) which one was his favorite, and he said with a smile, "whichever bagel is just made." He then took out a piping hot tray of egg bagels, and I knew right away I had to get one. I got it with cream cheese, and it was $1.95 ($1 per bagel and 95 cents extra for plain cream cheese; if you want it toasted, it's 10 cents extra, but this eggie was the freshest of the fresh, so no need for that). 

It was so hot and fresh that I had to wait almost 10 minutes for the bagel to cool off. But once it cooled off enough for me to comfortably take a bite, I was in such shock that I just sat there and chewed slowly -- all thoughts just disappeared from my mind. All I could think about was this egg bagel with this cream cheese in this fabulous shop (the decor is not so fabulous, but like I care when the bagel is this good!). It really is slightly crisp on the outside and chewy chewy chewy on the inside. I had one experience with H&H and will never go back (can someone please say "dense"! not only that but their service is so rude), especially knowing that Absolute is here. 

Another plus is that they're pretty generous here with the cream cheese spreads, which is nice. Friendly service is always a plus. Well... in general, *everything* is a plus here, so just come here ASAP.
4 - Nicole A.: These bagels are pretty amazing.  I'm an everything bagel girl, so those are usually my choice, but the garlic and others are superb as well.  I haven't been able to find too many places with jalepeno cream cheese, so they definitely gain brownie points for having that, though the other flavors are also delicious.  I'd give this place 5 stars but it's always in complete chaos (a small price to pay) and not to sound cheap, but they charge extra for toasting.
5 - Tiffany S.: I am completely in love with their bagels. I don't have just one that I always get, as I love so many different kinds that it depends on what i am in the mood for that day. Although I usually stick with the plain cream cheese, they do offer a great variety of flavored cream cheeses as well. I do have to admit that the herb cream cheese is a good one to try.

I like the way that they have the crusty outside but the inside is so soft. I am just drooling for a bagel right from Absolute right now.

Also, try their sandwhiches which are pretty good too. I like the tuna salad and turkey.
5 - Brian G.: The best "everything" bagels.  Super salty.  Tons of cream cheese. And now they slice the bagel before toasting!
5 - Lauren B.: The egg bagel was gorgeous-looking. And just as good tasting, plus tons of cream cheese. I will totally be coming back to this place.
5 - Fred P.: I almost feel I don't have to write a review, because I would just be adding another perfect 5 stars to a long list of well deserved 5 stars. In short, I've eaten bagels here for years. It is now the only bagel I will eat, everything else leaves a sorry disapoimemt in my mouth.

I sum up by saying bagel perfection. It is so good, I actually drive to this place to pickup bagels.
5 - Stef P.: These bagels are the perfect size and have, as my mom pointed out, just the right amount of pull.  The cream cheese is dense yet creamy.  The staff is friendly and the prices are reasonable. Everything tastes fresh.  I like sitting in the charming garden across the street and then strolling around the cathedral.
5 - david w.: Utter perfection. The ne plus ultra of bagels. All this and the quintessential NYC cultural mash up experience too--this is Jewish soul food outstandingly purveyed by a Thai family that has owned and operated Absolute for close to 20 years. Absolute handily eclipses the pretenders to the throne about a mile south near Zabar's (they shall remain nameless). My favorite is a nicely toasted sesame bagel with garlic and chive tofu spread ("tofutti" they call it). But you just can't go wrong here no matter what you get.
The sandwiches (on a bagel) are thoroughly stuffed and delicious. A half a sandwich is really an adequate lunch at this place. 
These bagels are sublime. Flawless consistency: chewy yet light, a lovely glaze on the outside, flavorful and hearty. Really the best I've tasted and as a native I can tell you I've had some bagels. Some things to know:
*** even when the line is out the door it moves very quickly. They have their system down.
*** there is a startling array of flavored cream cheeses as well as Tofutti faux-cream cheeses. Try them all!
*** no plastic--cash only.
*** they recently started charging a dime to toast your bagel. 
*** try asking for what's hot. Nothing like a piping fresh bagel. 
*** this is the real deal, hands down. Enjoy!
5 - Alaina Z.: I've been a Murray's regular (because a change of location), but NOTHING beats Absolute Bagels.  Just thinking about their herb cream cheese (extra garlicky!) on a plain bagel right out of the oven is getting my mouth watering.  This place is worth the trek to the upper west side.
5 - Ion J.: Greatest bagels in NYC! Great service and a real homey atmosphere! The line went very quickly too!
5 - Gilbert C.: The bagels and spreads here are absolutely (haha, get it?) fantastic!

But seriously, if you've never been here before, try the everything bagel toasted (extra 10 cents) with just plain normal cream cheese.

Or if you're lucky, the bagels will be fresh and wonderful.  

They have quite the assortment of cream cheeses and toffuti cream cheeses with nova lox that actually tastes quite good as well on top of the aforementioned everything bagel with plain cream cheese.  

Regardless, try out as my cream cheeses as you desire and find your winning combination.

I'll stick to the everything with plain cream cheese, please.
5 - Kristin L.: Wow.  I've always liked bagels (well, any bread product really), but I've never had a real bagel experience before.  So, when visiting New York, I had to find the quintessential New York bagel.  After checking yelp and discovering that the highest rated place was a mere block away, it became first on my list.

And what an experience!  I followed the advice and asked what was fresh.  Trying to keep it relatively simple, I got a still hot plain bagel with strawberry cream cheese.  A generous portion of cream cheese (and with actual strawberries!) and an amazing bread product.  Just crispy enough on the outside, ever so slightly doughy and delicious in the middle.  I'm having breakfast there every day until I leave NY.
3 - Kaoru U.: I cannot resist rumors of delicious food. After reading the TimeOutNY article in the brunch edition saying that this place was the BEST BAGEL in NYC, I ventured to a place where usually only free booze and close friends can reel me in: thats rite, all the way above the 100s.

I ordered an everything bagel (10c extra to be toasted) with lox and cream cheese. Add a coffee and the total was $8 exactly.

Honestly, I was not impressed. The everything bagel was way too salty, the cream cheese was too watery and light (altho they did glop a lot on for me), and there were only two thin strips of salmon (gotta give credit for being fresh tho).

I don't get why this was ranked #1. Now I'm craving a nice fluffy just-made H&H bagel that I know won't disappoint. :)
5 - Donna J.: i lost my lox cream cheese virginity to absolute bagels last week. on top of an everything bagel it was scrumptious.  everything i thought it would be. no complaints.  will be back for more when i am in town again.
5 - Narfi Shakira C.: Great bagels.
5 - Rose T.: Went here on my trip to NYC.  I was on a mission to find a great New York bagel shop, and I found it at Absolute Bagels.  Was a pain to find since it was my first time in the city and I was still getting used to taking the subway.  Got off at a stop that I thought was the closest, turned out we had to walk 5 of the longest blocks of my life...damn New York City...  But the bagels were worth it!  My bf loved the bacon cheddar cream cheese, one that he still laments over since it does not exist at the places in the bay area.  If I come back, I will make sure I stop by again :)
4 - Katie V.: Believe the hype: Absolute Bagels has the best bagels in New York City. Soft and chewy on the inside, nice crunch when you bite into them, perfect heft and freshly baked flavor. After eating one, you'll understand why people line up on the street for them.

Two pet peeves:
1. No lowfat cream cheese. Not even plain. Which is weird since light cream cheese is not a new thing or a particularly hard-to-come-by item. I feel like they could easily get some.

2. They don't ask if you want your bagel toasted and once I ordered a bagel with butter and jelly and seriously 10 seconds later specified that I wanted it toasted and they said it was "too late."  ???

Still, it's cheap and the line moves quickly -- they have a perfect system to deal with the big crowds they get so you never wait for more than a few minutes.
5 - Rebecca P.: Hands down the best bagels in NYC.  I've lived here my whole life and only discovered this place a few years ago.  Prior to that I had called H&H number one, but these are even better.  The soft, chewy goodness and crunchy shell combined with their always piping hotness make these bagels impeccable. 

Absolute used to refuse to toast their bagels, as they are morally opposed to changing something that is already perfect.  However, they've recently changed their policy and now toast but charge extra for it, in effect punishing customers for their stupidity.  This only adds to Absolute's NY charm.
4 - A.E. G.: These are good but certainly not the best bagels. Silly comments like "Believe the hype: Absolute Bagels has the best bagels in New York City." come from the Columbia intellectuals who think NYC is defined as the territory between Hungarian Pastries and Mama Mexico (UWS). 

Look, I gave a blind taste test to another bagel connoisseur of a Poppy Absolute Bagel which I got right when it came out of the oven against a cold H&H poppy. He recognized the latter as the better quality, finding the consistency better and noting that it tasted fresher. 

Not to knock absolute - but it is Absolute Bull**** to think this place is anything more than a quality bagel convenient for a Columbia student.
5 - Danielle K.: Seriously probably the best bagel i've ever eaten. This also may have been one of the only establishments i was in that had a nice variety of people from families to singles to couples of all different backgrounds. I think a review solely of adjectives will suffice here: crowded, quick, efficient, warm, airy, garlicy, caffeiney, friendly, small, delicious.
5 - Nicole S.: Great bagels.

Great service - they're always very friendly.

AND they have a ton of tofutti cream cheese flavors for us lactards!
4 - Lisa Q.: "You don't need these bagels toasted, they're really fresh," my friend said incredulously at my request as if everyone in Manhattan knew about the majesty of Absolute Bagels except for me (which was probably true).

I opened up the brown bag and took a deep inhale of all the yeast and warmth. The spices from my pumpernickel bagel with tofu cream cheese made my mouth water. 

The first bite was the best--- that heavenly, chewy dough smothered in tangy tofu. Mmmm, while my mouth was enjoying the toothsomeness my tongue indulged in a bath of creamy, sweet, cream-cheese-like soy product. 

I never understood how whities would consume a whole block of bread like it was a real meal until that day. An absolute bagel is the lobster of breakfasts.

Make sure to get up early for these puppies, they go fast and there's always a line.
5 - Jeff O.: WTF?? Why are Asians taking over the Jews? This keeps on happening. First it was the LES, then Flushing, then finance and accounting, SUNY schools, and now bagels??? What the fuck are they doing making the best bagels in the city? ?!

Stay away from our pastrami!
4 - Ramune R.: Although I am not in NYC as much as I used to be, whenever I come up for a visit to Morningside Heights I make sure to leave with a dozen Everything bagels from Absolute Bagels. Since there are a ridiculous amount of bagel places in the city, I am not sure if I can say they are the absolute best, but I do love them and have never been disappointed.
5 - ml k.: The best and the least expensive.  I second the poster who wishes they'd switch places with the H&H on 80th and Bdway.  I live at 80th & West End, but I still travel up to 107th to buy from Absolute Bagels.  Totally worth it too, cheaper, yummier and way more options than anywhere else.
4 - dan c.: For me, it was tough to imagine a bagel store besides terrace bagel in Brooklyn that I would go out of my way for. Then came absolute bagel. While terrace bagels are big and heavy, absolute bagels are light, fluffy and have plenty of flavors. It's also a lactose intolerant's dream as they have dozens of tofutti spreads in addition to their dozens of cream cheese spreads. If it were a bit further south, I have no doubt that it would give h&h a run for their money.
4 - Jennifer C.: So i had no idea what real bagels were until i tried this place. It's a little like the Seinfeld soup nazi, but with bagels. There is a line, the workers want to get you in and out as fast as possible so when they ask for your order and you can't decide don't be insulted if they move onto the next person. Bagels are super fresh everyday, cream cheese is made daily with fresh ingredients. cream cheese flavors come in everything from chives, lox, sun dried tomatoes, to tofutti walnut raisin. You can ask for them to toast bagels but since they are fresh hot from the oven they are hot and soft making the cream cheese spread and ooze over the sides. Their coffee is also way better than any Starbucks or Oren's I've tried and only $1. Get everything bagel with plain cream cheese if you like salty... or sesame seed with tofutti walnut raisin, or blueberry on blueberry. MMMMMM!!!! Best way to start any day in New York City.
4 - Russ V.: As a native Noo Yawker, I seem to be on an endless quest to discover the best bagels and pizza.  Crispy on the outside and soft and doughy on the inside with a subtle flavor...in a perfect world it seems easy enough, however, most bagel joints have conquered only one of those requirements.  Then after slathering on gobs of spread the bagel guy puts his palm on top of the bagel and pushes down with all his weight flattening the bagel.  No, he wasn't looking out for your TMJ either.  Needless to say Absolute Bagels are almost perfect as are the spreads.
4 - Chris K.: We loved this place when we lived in the area.  The bagels are freshly baked right in front of you.  The variety is huge and it was one of the first places to have mini-bagels, which were a big hit with our then very young children.  Much preferred the bagels to H&H (in my view overrated and overpriced) and Columbia Bagels (OK but not exciting).
5 - Sally B.: This is my favorite bagel place ever!!  It's small, it's fast and I always get what I want.  It's warm, tasty and delicious!!!  If you're in NY, this is one to go to.  Mark my words!
3 - Leslie P.: everything bagel with garlic&chives ceam cheese & salmon. so good! when you walk in you can smell the fresh baked bagels. there are a lot of people here, and the workers process your order relatively quickly. so if you don't know what you want or you're a first timer, stand to the side and let the others pass. anyways, it was aout $6-7 for the bagel. it's expensivev considering the fact taht you can make the exact same thing for less than $3. but hey i was in ny, and i wanted to try a NY bagel!
4 - Alicia T.: after reading about this place on yelp, we went waaaaay out of our way to get to it...which turned out to not be that big of a deal since the guggenheim was just a short ways away.

we both ordered an everything bagel with lox and cream cheese (my fiance got jalapeno flavored cream cheese).  it was really great, but i think it was a bit overpriced for a bagel, even if i was adding smoked fish.  

in general, i thought it was good, but i would not make another 80 block journey to get there.
5 - David L.: I went expecting the best bagels I've ever had, and Absolute delivered. They're warm, fresh, and a bit doughy, and they have a shell with just the right amount of crispness. The secret is out though so expect a line.
4 - Erika G.: Fantastic little joint on the UWS to pop in for a bagel. Nothing much except bagels, but this is one of those joints that does one thing, and does it well. Many varieties of cream cheese including my favorite, hard to find variety, Jalapeno Cream Cheese!

There's something zen about a place that doesn't try to add gyros, hot dogs, chicken, hamburgers and whatnot to a stellar offering.

Bagels ONLY BAGELS. But baked on premises, and done RIGHT.

I only have one question . . . why are the owners Asian? I was surprised by that, but the bagels are DAMN good!!
5 - Tim H.: Great bagel, and the Veggie creamcheese is great too! (Love it with a pumpernickel bagel)... for some the creamcheese may be a little much (in quantity)... but for me it was amazing... 

Yes, it can get tight with seating, but so good!
4 - Benjamin N.: I just inhaled an egg bagel from this place.  I walked twenty blocks to feast on it. Um. It was worth it. Friendly service too.
5 - Anthony G.: I've been going here since I was in junior high [how ever many years ago that was] and I've always ALWAYS ALLWWAAYYSSS loved their bagels. I live like a few blocks away so it's great. They have more then just bagels...but you'll have to go yourself to check. I usually get tofutti cream cheese as well, cause my lady and I love it a bit too much. They have a good array of bagels too, just let them know what you want, pay for it, roll on out [or grab a seat]. I love their fresh, aromas [is that even the right word??], pretty, chewy, drool inducing....bagels. Go...now...buy..eat.
5 - Karina L.: I have dreams about living in this place. 

And why not? Soft and crispy bagels.... fast service.... 10 blocks off campus... delicious sundried-tomato cream cheese (and bacon and cheddar cream cheese. Holy crap.)..the cashier lady could easily pass as my grandmother...all the elements for euphoria are there. I eat these bagels in private because the public isn't ready to see how quickly I eat these babies. 4 slices, 4 bites, 4 minutes.
5 - Julie S.: Best bagels in Manhattan. These are the bagels to which all other bagels are judged. When I lived in Manhattan every Sunday morning was Absolute Bagels with lox from Zabar's. Now I never make a trip back to Boston without a dozen to put in my freezer.  Even with freezer burn,  these are better than any other bagels.
5 - Misha T.: It's pretty good and unlike H&H they actually spread the cream cheese/put the lox on for you. And for that bit of work they get the extra star. It's half that I'm lazy but moreso it's way awk going to starbucks to cut/condiment your bagel that you clearly didn't buy there.
4 - lora c.: Usually, when I have a bagel, it needs to be toasted. I would think it'd be a sin any other way. But at Absolute, things have a funny way of defying the impossible. Order any bagel untoasted and you'll be pleased to see that it already comes warm, seemingly fresh out of the oven with a chewy, doughy inside and a nice crust on the outside. You may never know another bagel so perfect as one at Absolute. For the area, prices are standard. A plain bagel with lox and cream cheese will run you about $7, while any other spread is less than $4. A bagel with butter is $1.25. Service is unbelievably fast, if a little disorderly during the morning rush. There's also not much in the way of ambiance, but the place is big enough that there are a handful of tables for those who want to dine-in.
4 - Dan T.: Like most good bagel spots, the line is long but moves quickly. Service was friendly but a little distant, but I got just what I asked for in a very small amount of time. The multi grain bagel was toasted perfectly with a welcomingly large spread of blueberry cream cheese. The whole wheat sesame initially appeared a bit hard and overcooked, but was in fact awfully crispy and tasty.

6 stars for the bagels, -2 for the upkeep of the place, including a door that didn't close and let in a significant "breeze"
5 - Kunal K.: This bagel place met my expectations. When I first came to NYC everyone was telling me that the best bagels are in New York and this place did not disappoint. I had the wheat bagel with sundried tomato (Tofu) spread on my first trip and a plain with chives (Tofu) on my second trip and I was happy both times. This place is right down the street from my friends and even if they are not living there next time I will definitely make a trip to Absolute Bagels.
5 - Christina F.: EXCELLENT BAGELS. They are really fresh and you just can't stop eating them. It gets crowded in there, so take your bagels, grab some OJ, and go across the street to the little park area and enjoy your meal there!
5 - Julie S.: My favorite bagel shop.

Not only do they have great bagels, but they have roughly 8 different flavors of Tofutti vegan cream cheese! A toasted bagel with scallion tofutti hits the spot every time. 
The line moves very quickly, but good luck getting a table on a weekend morning!
This is the only place I miss from when I used to live in the area, but oh do I miss it...
4 - Ankita I.: This place is yummyy, the bagels are made fresh daily and is definitely a great breakfast, lunch, or even snack. Be careful on weekend mornings, there is generally a line out the door! 
also, they have this spread called tofutti, which is supposed to be a healthy cream cheese substitute. surprisingly, its reallyy good and makes YOU feel good because youre not eating unhealthy.
Definitely worth trying for a quick bite to eat around the neighborhood.
5 - J G.: Simply the best. Enough said.
4 - Kelly R.: UNBELIEVABLE bagels. The first time I had one, it was a revelation. Bring out-of-towners here to BLOW their MINDS. You will never think of a bagel in the same way again.

The one thing that annoys me is that they charge an arm and a leg to get cream cheese on your bagel. This is because they put like an inch of cream cheese inside. It's seriously enough cream cheese for like 5 to 8 bagels. 

Service is curt, but who cares? They have a lot of hungry people who need to get in, get a bagel, and get out!
5 - Lydia N.: My new favorite: mini Everything bagel. Perfectly salted and fully loaded on everything else. The texture is a little more chewy than tender because of the sizing. I always get a couple when I walk in.
5 - Brian R.: Fantastic bagels earns this place five stars. You should eat them if you like bagels. If you do not like the taste of bagels, we are not friends.

Recommended improvements to establishment:

1) FInd a way to block the wind for the people at the tables close to the door. It's cold and the newspapers fly away.

2) You need whole wheat or whole grain everything bagels stat. This is a major shortcoming. I should not have to choose between everything (most delicious) and whole grains (health).

Otherwise just keep doing what yer doing.
3 - Benson Y.: Growing up in Brooklyn, I had a rather extensive exposure to bagels of various levels of quality.  They went from "This thing is like a rock" to "OMG please give me more!".  Absolute Bagels ranks somewhere in the middle of these two extremes.  I know it's been written up extensively, but I tried the mini-sesame bagel today and it as definitely crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside, but its flavor was no more Earth shattering to me than those of the bagels I used to get at the deli near my house in Bensonhurst.

I do have to give props to this place for having an amazing array of toppings.  Tofu based spread, strawberry, lox, herbs - it's all represented herein one form or another.  There is a huge variety of bagels, and as I mentioned before they do "mini Bagels" which are I'd say about 1/3 the size of a normal one, a perfect treat for kids or for a way to try out the place without buying a huge bagel first.

The staff was very nice, though it was super busy so there wasn't much time for them to be conversational or anything.  The place was packed and I definitely got the sense that this is one of "the" neighborhood places.  I somehow suspect that my rating may go up if I have a bagel toasted with one of their specialty cream cheeses, but for now I'm giving them a solid 3 stars.  I would actually like to do 3.5 since it is a cool establishment, perhaps if I update this review in the future it may go up to four!
5 - Jane F.: the best, tastiest, chewiest, freshest bagels in the world. yeah, better than h&h. plus here you can get them to put the lox on your bagel FOR YOU. service!

this is definitely the place to indulge your inner old uws jewish man. (does no one else get whitefish salad anymore? sorry if that's the unhippest sentence ever written.).

don't forget it's CASH ONLY.
3 - Victoria C.: The bagels are really good. I'm just super disappointed that their lox and cream cheese which is $7.50 doesn't come with tomato or onion. and now they charge 10 cents extra if you want the bagel toasted. $8.55 for bagel, 2 slices of lox and cream cheese is a lot esp when there's no tomato. but it is nyc and $7.50 for lox and cream cheese is pretty standard i guess.

 I found out the hard way that they don't accept credit card and almost had to return my coffee because i didn't have enough cash. the chinese woman, who i think is the owner, was super nice and told me that it was ok and that i could just give her whatever change i had-- it seemed I was short like 60 cents but when I dumped out all my pennies and dimes and she just scooped it into the register, i think it was her that got the better end of the deal and she came out ahead by like 6 cents.
5 - Hugh J.: I've only eaten the everything bagel here (because its too good to try any other variety) and have sampled all of the various cream cheeses with no disappointment's. The staff is great and the price ($3.75ish) is totally worth it as you shouldn't need to eat for a few hours after. Also I'm all for the decor. No bullshit here just good bagels!
4 - Seijen T.: I had the standard Lox sandwich (everything bagel, lox, cream cheese, tomato & onion) and it was easily the best I've ever had. Minus 1 star because this sandwich and a coke cost $10 which seems a little steep to me.
5 - Shana B.: BEST. BAGEL. EVER.

absolute's everything bagel is the most intense, fresh, flavored everything bagel possible -- my favorite thing to do is take all the "everything" morsels that crumble off in the bag and sprinkle them back on top of the cream-cheesed halves -- thats how abundantly coated the outsides of these bagels are

IF POSSIBLE: bring it home and toast it yourself...not only do they charge 10cents to toast (i dunno, just on principle i'd rather toast it myself after being told i will be charged for a service i believe a bagel place should be doing for "free") but they also dont toast it to my liking (ie. enough)

no matter..you are undeniably, Absolute-ly Delicious
5 - Steve M.: Early on a Friday morning a long time ago, when the sun was still fast asleep, God walked down Broadway and pushed open the steamy door of Absolute Bagels. He offered to teach the owners how to bake a perfect bagel. The owners politely refused.

The only thing this place doesn't have is egg sandwiches, but honestly, when you make a bagel so perfectly, when you create a bagel so pure, a reheated sausage patty would be a bit of a disgrace.

As a lifelong New Yorker, having lived in Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan, this is my favorite bagel in the city.
5 - Jessica L.: BEST bagel I had in NYC.  I tried to hit them all: Absolute, H&H, Ess-A, Murray's.  Absolute was the ABSOLUTE WINNER.  I went back my last day, all the way from the Wall Street area, to get a dozen to take home with me.  Cheap, too--just $1 per bagel.  Yes, please.
5 - Evan H.: Bagels. Real honest to god bagels. A friend of mine who lives just a bit north of Absolute Bagels explain that this was the best one in the area, and after tasting one, I am a believer.

I am going to be moving to New York City in just a few weeks. I'll be just 5 blocks away from Absolute Bagels and I am already pretty excited. Of course there is the concern that I'll eat far too many of them, but, in moderation, this will be the "go to" bagel shop.

My friend told me that Absolute Bagels, unlike H&H and other places, do not use any sugar. I will have to do a side by side comparison to taste the true difference, but they appear to be a tad less sweet...but still unbelievable.

What makes these bagels, as well as most others you find in NYC, a real bagel is the thick crust on the outside which glistens with a butteryish (yea, a new word) finish, and coated with your favorite topping.  In my case, Everything.  The inside must remain soft and moist, while the outside remains crusty.  They are also not all shaped the same.  As far as I'm concerned, the average place just sell rolls shaped like a bagel.

This place also sells numerous homemade cream cheeses, in some really interesting flavors. They also have sandwiches with all the basics, turkey, egg salad etc. This place has great reviews for a reason and as I said, it appears to already becoming my staple of the upper west side bagel shops.
4 - Marie S.: Absolute Bagel must be good when you see someone drop a piece of their bagel on the floor (which was absolutely filthy by the way) and still eat it!! :) 

Their service is a bit curt, their seating is crowded, the bagels have enough cream cheese to reach your daily caloric intake, but truly the bagels are fresh, delicious and savory. They have tofu cream cheese for vegans out their and I thought that was a really nice change of pace to see at a bagel shop.
4 - Alden W.: I was lucky enough to visit this bagel shop with a former bagel shop employee. He had been asking if there was a good place on the UWS that sells hand rolled bagels. 

We popped in at 8:15, and as soon as he saw the bagels, he knew we had found a good place. There was a hand roller right behind the counter. The bagels were fresh and yummy. And the selection of cream cheeses was overwhelming. I chose walnut and raisin on a whole grain. I ate the whooole thing. My friend got a sesame with butter and another bagel to go for lunch - he liked them that much. 

We were lucky to get there early. By 8:25 there was a line of 10 people, thought it looked like it moved quickly. 

Don't expect a fancy place. The seating consists of cheap plastic chairs. But we came for the food, not the ambiance!
5 - Mark L.: Somebody please tell me how I managed to live only 4 blocks away from the BEST bagels in the city and not try them for a year?!?!  Every time I have passed this inconspicuous, no-frills, nondescript joint, I peek in and see a decent line and crowd, but I was never tempted to give it a try.   Silly me - after searching for a place to find a decent bagel, and knowing this place was nearby, I finally entered into this little piece of carbohydrate heaven.  

My reward for overcoming my tardiness was a warm cream cheese and lox bagel that practically melted in my mouth.  Seriously, the only reason I had to chew anything was because of the crust.  Their bagels strike the perfect consistency of a crispy, crunchy crust surrounding a soft, doughy middle that can easily be enjoyed without any toppings.  However, there are plenty of bagel varieties with even more spreads (like blueberry or cheddar & bacon) that I would highly recommend to add on to the perfect bagel meal.  

Don't be discouraged to see a line - they keep things moving quickly, and you will certainly enjoy the smells and sights of freshly baked bagels while waiting in line.  Also, like most small places, bring cash.  And if the weather is nice, and it's too crowded inside, head down one block to Straus Park to enjoy what will surely be one of your most memorable bagels.
5 - Dan F.: Absolute Bagel, I took you for granted. All those years I'd stay at my friend's place on W 106th, eating from you, like Shel Silverstein's Giving Tree, only with piping-hot bagels ... especially your ridiculously cute mini-bagels ... the little containers of Tropicana Orange-Pineapple ... and then -- I moved far, far away. You keep New York on the bagel map. I miss you. I love you. No one can ever take your place.
5 - Tiff T.: Every time I'm in the city, I have to go to Absolute Bagels.  I've had a lot of their spreads now, including bacon and cheddar, herbs cream cheese, salmon and chive, and garlic cream cheese, and they've all been out-of-this-world good.  Next time I go, I want to try some of their sweet spreads (that have real pieces of fruit inside)!
5 - mary l.: I love this place- it's one totally random but awesome NYC experience.  The bagels are really delicious and traditional and it's run by all Asian people.  While the line is long and the interior seems hectic, your order is always right and it goes by quickly.  My favorite thing on a lazy upper west side morning is to get absolute bagel to start my day.
5 - Sarah T.: These people know how to make a bagel! Chewy on the inside and crustier on the outside. They don't skimp on the cream cheese and their everything bagels are out of this world. These knock H&H, Bagel Boss, and Ess-A-Bagel out of the running.
5 - q m.: Nothing like getting a bagel in NYC. It was soo good and filling. I got the wheat bagel with the lox cream cheese and they were so generous with it. It was practically pouring out. 

We got it to go and walked around and decided that it was impossible to eat that way so I didn't really get to take a bite until I got in the subway which is where it got awkward with the stares from some people. 

Nevertheless, it did not affect my bagel experience. It was toasted to perfection and so fresh. 

It's interesting how I can recall my food experiences so vividly when it's almost been a year haha.
5 - Jennifer B.: the best!
the standard to which i hold all other bagels.
5 - April S.: Had the baked salmon salad on a plain bagel...delicious!  Every bite was full of salmon, and the bagel was very chewy.  It's definitely a great cheap eat!  They have a great selection of spreads, if you like big mounds of cream cheese on your bagels, then this is definitely the place to go!  

I think bagel wise I still slightly prefer H&H, but for a bagel sandwich, it'll be this place hands down!
4 - Julie K.: O my goodness, New York is not a good city to visit if you are watching your diet. When you think about food in NYC there's pizza....hotdogs...bagels...foods that are fattening but so delicious! 

Anyways, my friend and I had to try the bagels in NYC and decided to come to Absolute Bagels since our friend from the city said this place is the best in town.

The biggest difference between this place and any other bagel place I've been to is the amount of cream cheese. Can people really eat that much cream cheese in one serving? I feel like i gained 2000% of my life's overall cholesterol from that 1 bagel. After scraping off a bit of the cream cheese, I ate the bagel and it was delicious. They have a big variety of bagels here and they all looked really good.
5 - Jess L.: Best bagels on the Upper West Side. No doubt. Masssssssive, too. I feel lucky to pass by this shop often! Lovely, scrumptious carbs.
5 - Adam M.: This place doesn't need another five star review, but I can't help it. The everything with salmon salad is a work of art.
5 - John M.: The best bagels I've ever had. Get them fresh in the morning, no need for toasting. I don't know what they do differently with bagels. It seems pretty straight forward how to go about making a bagel, but these guys have a little something extra that takes the cake for me. Can't put my finger on what it is, but the amazing array of cream cheeses doesn't hurt their cause.
5 - Emily B.: Best bagels on the upper west side!! Fresh bagels, great selection of cream cheese too. You've got to go!!!
4 - Tiffany T.: It's been awhile, bagels.  I missed your crisp crust and soft, chewy interior.  Especially when I can top you with scallion cream cheese and a tasty slice of lox.  You seem to have found a good home this time, at Absolute Bagels.

I love that you're so close, that I can pick up cream cheese and lox at the same time.  That I can have you toasted at Absolute Bagels.   Just one thing: could you ask Absolute to make you a little smaller?
5 - Celia S.: Great bagels... expect a line but it goes pretty quick.  Good options of tofu and regular cream cheeses.
5 - Stephanie S.: Bagels are made fresh on the premises and they have an awesome variety of cream cheeses, including tofu spreads. They had tofu lox spread which made an amazing Sunday morning for one lactose-intolerant lox spread lover!  Bagels are so fresh that I can't even go near a packaged or fast-food one again. DEFINITELY give this place a shot if you haven't already!
5 - Sunanda P.: AHHHH! BEST BAGEL EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE!!! I LOVE BAGELS. 

When I decided to go to New York, I knew I had to get bagels! DUH! Well, i'm just a carb lover in general, but carbs and cream cheese. i'm always down! Anyways, this place gets pretty busy in the morning obviously and its really close to a subway stop like a block away which is always a plus.  (I always want to know how far things are from the subway especially when I'm hungry!).

I got the plain bagel with jalapeno cream cheese! mm real jalapenos and just the right heat to spice up my NY morning!  I love savory things! My friend got the salmon cream cheese and everything bagel and it was delicious, I kinda wished I got that too. My other friend got the whole wheat bagel and sun dried tomato cream cheese! so delicious. The bagels are so fresh, hard texture in the outside layer, warm softness on the inside!  Oh and they put an insane amount of cream cheese! they sure know how to pile that sucker on!  They have TONS of cream cheese to choose from and its all made fresh! what a variety! amazing! 

All i have to say is Good luck getting a seat! :)
4 - Devin L.: So NY knows how to make bagels.  This place has the best bagels in NY.  Super plump, crusty outside moist inner dough.  If you go early around 6am the bagels are nice and hot, right out of the oven.  They kettle cook them here (the only way it should be done).

They also have a massive amount of flavoured cream cheeses.  If you don't care about your heart health take a gander at the cheddar/bacon cream cheese.
4 - Lorial C.: So the personnel are sort of obnoxious sometimes- ever wonder if its because of cultural differences or perhaps obnoxious customers?! 

I am digressing ..........

BAGELS 

- BEST IN NYC 

- ABSOLUTE BAGELS ROCK MY SOCKS

My all time  (favorite in Thai) is sesame bagel toasted with scallion cream cheese and fresh nova. My only complaint is that they are a little skimpy on the nova - I prefer massive amounts of nova. 

They have a huge selection of bagels and creative cream cheeses that are made on the premise. Ask for non dairy stuff for those allergy stricken folk. 

PS - Do you really need a paper bag? Bring your own and save a tree.
5 - Alexander M.: Best bagels on the Upper West Side? Maaaaybee... I haven't been anywhere else! My first time here, I came with a friend for a late hangover brunch and we ordered several bagels with cream cheese and lox, coffee, orange juice, and Gatorade, only to arrive at the front of the line to discover that they only take cash! Oh OK...so we scramble through our wallets... "How much you have??!!" barks the crazy Asian cashier. "Uhh.. $6?" "HAH!" she bursts "Go to ATM on corner!" Shamed but thoroughly entertained, we left to get some cash, and returned, sheepishly slinking to the front of the line to pay and claim our breakfasts. My favorite combo is the sundried tomato spread on an everything. The bagels are toasted perfectly and they use the perfect amount of cream cheese, not too much, not too little. There are a few places to sit down and the coffee is delish...but sometimes tastes funny. Oh well. You come here for the BAGELS!!

I attempt to space out my visits so it doesn't lose its specialness.
5 - Markay H.: The kind of bagel shop you move to be closer to. They are amazing! I always eye which ones are coming out of the oven when I get to the front and go for a hot one.  The tofu spreads are also well worth it. 

On the weekends the lines get long, but that just means you work up your appetite.
5 - Doreen L.: Voted best eats by the locals, this place certainly deserves its prize. The bagels are wonderfully done. Made fresh each morning, when toasted, it has a delightful crisp exterior and chewy interior. Their bagel to cream cheese ratio has been a bit much for some of my friends but I find the proportions to be just right for me. I really like eating their egg bagel with strawberry or blueberry cream cheese or their egg bagel with sun dried tomatoes cream cheese. Their sun dried tomatoes taste slightly sweet and it has fresh slices of basil mixed in. 
Come early (before 11:30am) to avoid the lines. Otherwise it is a quick five to ten minute wait during meal times.
5 - Marisa R.: Best bagels on the UWS. I don't live particularly close to Absolute, but they are worth the extra time to get these delicious bagels.
5 - lady g.: the best bagels i have ever had!!!

love the blueberry cream cheese!!
5 - Jonathan J.: Hold the presses!!!!!! Hot diggity damn!!! I just finished my first Absolute Bagel... and.. I .. may .. need another minute to absorb the deliciousness that was that fluffy everything bagel! I just moved to the neighborhood months ago and always saw the line flowing outside of the store but never thought to go in and enjoy... basically I had already enjoyed an Ess-A-Bagel for many years and thought nothing could beat it!

What makes this bagel surpass all others in my humble foodie opinion is that the bagel's inner fluffiness is front and center and the fillings are incredibly fresh. Had myself a lox, cream cheese, onion & tomato sangwich on an everything bagel that flew right off the plate and danced on my palate. The lox is incredibly fresher than what I've tasted at ess-a. I've officialy converted to Absolute Bagel!
4 - Cindy L.: Quite possible the best bagels I've had.  The everything bagels are to die for!

(Just beware of the flavored cream cheese if you're as frugal as I am-- it nearly doubles the price you'd pay for the plain cream cheese!)

Don't worry about the long line-- they always seem to keep it moving along.
2 - Elizabeth D.: I will preface my review by saying that I will give this place a second chance, and if my experience improves, I will amend this review. As of now this stays.

I have been craving a Noah's Bagel (for my west coasters out there) for days. I had heard that there was a mouth watering bagel shop not too far from me, so I did a google search and up popped Absolute bagels with stellar review after stellar review. So I grabbed my coat, stood in the cold with my boyfriend and waited for a bus. 

Him: Is this bagel that serious for us to stand out here?

Me: YES!

The real answer: uhm, not really. 
Perhaps my palette is not as refined as others to tell the difference btwn this bagel and others, but my plain bagel with strawberry cream cheese was nothing that I haven't had before. It was crisp on the outside, chewy in the center...which is what it should be! Unless your bagel is stale or store bought, this tasted the same as any other bagel shop fare. Where I was really disappointed is the fact that my plain bagel wreaked of onion (either from it being placed next to the onion bagels or the woman used the onion cream cheese knife to put on my strawberry cream cheese). Speaking of cream cheese, GOOD LORD ALMIGHTY, there was so much of it oozing out I had to scrape it off onto the brown paper bag. But the killer really was the onion taste. Ick.

Since I try to keep an open mind, I will give this place one more try but this experience left me feeling underwhelmed.
5 - Meg A.: These are the best bagels in town if you like them not crispy on the outside.  They do not keep long, so it's best to eat them right away.

I remember when the price was 50 cents/bagel not too long ago and now it's a $1!   But, they still taste great!
5 - Paul N.: It was my first time to NY, and with some good old fashioned yelping, I wanted to find the best bagel.  I'm from LA, and although there are some Jewish influences in the delis of LA, nothing I have ever tried comes even close to the chewy perfection that is an Absolute Bagel.

With a smorgasbord of different cream cheeses, and all types of bagels freshly baked, you can't really go wrong (unless you pair like smoked salmon cream cheese with a chocolate chip bagel...but that'd be your choice).

It was a little confusing when I first got in cuz I didn't know how to order.  But after a quick observation I was able to figure it out.  Wait in line and at the counter with all the day old bagels displayed, flag down a guy and tell him your order of bagel + cream cheese or whatever.  (Don't order it toasted...trust me, it's better/cheaper that way).  Then go up to the cashier lady (there will be a bunch of people waiting around for their order so make your way through) to pay.  Order any coffee that you might want here, etc.

When the guy with your order gives you a toothy smile, pick up your warm, wrapped up bagel, and don't forget to tip!  It's literally the best bagel I've ever had.  I crave them now.  It will be a must stop (even though it's so far from all the touristy stuff of Mid-Town Manhattan) for every trip to NYC.
4 - Gabe M.: Love this place.  Best bagels I've ever had for sure.
4 - Craig D.: The Bagels get (5) stars!  But service and ease of ordering get 3 stars.  

They really should get some signs identifying the various bagels to help speed the line up.
4 - Mike K.: Absolute makes the best bagels in the city, which means that it makes the best bagels in the world.

Freshly-baked throughout the day, you can't help but savor each bite through the crispy exterior and into the soft, chewy interior. They're good enough to eat on their own, but even better when joined by one of Absolute's toppings. Absolute offers at least a dozen different kinds of cream cheese, ranging from plain to pimiento to walnut and beyond (for the lactards out there, you can also order most of these options in toffuti as well). 

If you're craving something a little more substantial, they also have egg salad, tuna salad, lox and more. They usually pack their bagels pretty full, so these will leave you satisfied.

There are few joys as constant and rewarding as biting into a fresh, warm, doughy bagel from Absolute and watching, helplessly, as the soft cream cheese oozes out the other end. 

The prices are perfectly normal for such a good place - they charge the same for all bagels (60 cents?), regardless of whether you order a poppy seed or salt or everything, and the cream cheese only costs another dollar or two. 

At times the line can get long enough to extend out the door, but it moves fairly quickly, so it's all good, except when I want my instant gratification now!

Why not 5 stars? At the end of the day they're only selling bagels - mind you, very good bagels - and a lot of the excellence comes from their freshness. If you let the bagels sit for a day or so they come down from bagel heaven and reside among the common folk. This isn't a huge problem, since almost everyone who visits will eat his or her bagels immediately, but it's something to be mindful of all the same.

My recommendation: everything bagel with scallion cream cheese. It's so wonderful it's an almost decadent way to start your day.
5 - Charlie P.: Absolute Bagels had the best bagel I ever had, and a very pretty presentation of different schmears. I really enjoyed the bacon and cheddar cream cheese, and not being from New York I will admit that the bagels are better than I've ever had.
5 - Benjamin M.: According to Obi-Wan Kenobi, there's no such thing as luck. I hate to argue with a Jedi, but I did consider myself lucky when I realized that this bagel shop is in the same building as my sister's apartment. I stayed four days at my sister's apartment, and I feasted on these fresh bagels for breakfast three times. (My sister made breakfast one morning.)

Since I've been here three times, I'm practically a professional bagel-eater--sike!  But regardless, I will dispense my bagel tips, advice, and reflections:

1.) When you walk up to the "Order Here" sign, ask the guy one question: "What's hot?" He'll direct you to the freshest bagels. Bonus points: when he points out the bagels, nod your head and exclaim, "That's hot," in your best Paris Hilton voice.

2.) If you have others people with you, do not take turns telling the cashier lady what you ordered and then expect her to put it on one ticket. Democratically elect a spokesperson from among yourselves if necessary. 

3.) The cream cheese selection is amazing, but don't forget you can also get sausage, ham, bacon, egg, cheese, etc for about the same price. I tried the jalapeno cream cheese; it was good--but man!--there was an insane amount on there. No wonder there is an additional $2.50 charge for cream cheese on each $1.00 bagel. I had to scrape off some of the cream cheese.

4.) This place is addicting. Like I said, I had four breakfasts in NYC and this place reeled me in three times. If you want to try lots of breakfast places, don't go here first or else you may find yourself too content to try anything else.
5 - Nicole L.: You haven't experienced bagel nirvana until you've been to Absolute Bagels in Manhattan Valley.  While bagels are available at practically every corner of this city, few can really be described as the quintessential "New York bagel" that so many of us cherish.  They are a staple, an institution of life, a Saturday (and Sunday!) morning ritual that make the weekend that much more worth waking up for.

These bagels are flawless.  They're huge, and the inside is chewy, dense, and carb-laden (which is a good thing - you're eating a bagel!).  The outside possesses a layer of crispiness that perfectly complements the chewier inside.  And the seeded bagels have plenty of toppings; sometimes bagels have empty real estate on the outside, but these have perfectly layered seeds throughout. 

If you're as smitten with everything bagels and scallion cream cheese as I am, you're in luck.  This particular bagel sandwich is perfection at Absolute Bagels.  If you don't like that, though, don't fret; there are about 10 different bagel flavors and loads of toppings (including dozens of cream cheese options (tofu based included), deli meats, salads and more).

Definitely make a trip here, even if you don't live close.  I live 5 blocks away from H&H and still come here for bagels.
5 - Mike S.: I am not a bagel aficionado but these are the best bagels I've ever tasted, hard (sometimes a bit crunchy in a good way) on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. I am not a bagel expert but I've had my share of bagels and this is the best. The everything bagel was out of this world - flavor packed bits of onion, garlic, poppy seed, etc. I ate the bagel and then greedily devoured the remnants that were left on my plate, in the bag, and on my shirt. It was sad to take the last bite.
5 - Lucy W.: Since when do Asians make bagels and cream cheese better than the Jewish? 

The bagels here are magical and they put me on cloud nine regardless of my prior mental/emotional state. They have an assortment of homemade cream cheeses that they very generously apply to your bagel of choice. The copious amounts of cream cheese makes eating a challenge. Cream cheese just oozes out of the bagel with every bite. 

Ordering can be a little confusing but it definitely won't keep you from your bagel. Your average bagel+cream cheese will be $3.55 (cash only).
2 - Chris H.: Incredibly overrated. The egg bagels, in particular, are disgusting -- nice yellow food dye, but no apparent egg flavor whatsoever. Other varieties are just okay. Good scallion cream cheese, however.

People -- the most crusty-chewy, flavorful, authentic bagels in NYC are in Park Slope, Brooklyn -- BAGEL HOLE, on 7th Ave between 11th and 12th Sts. They also sell at Blue Apron on 7th Ave, also in Park Slope.
5 - Stefanie T.: Dayum.
End of story.
These bagels are so friggen' delicious, eating one brings you to another world.
So many flavors of cream cheese (bacon cheddar? yeah, they went there), and, best of all, so many flavors of Tofutti, for the bean curd lovers like myself!
It's small, yes, and upon entering you will probably be wary of the non-yarmulke wearing employees, but fear not.
They always have pipin hot fresh bagels ready for you.  They make it how you like it.  Delivered fast and tasty.  Just make sure you know what you want before stepping up to the counter, because the lines here are a well-oiled machine, and nobody likes "that" dude.
The pumpernickel with walnut raisin tofutti has the power to pull you from your bed before noon on Saturday.
4 - Nora Y.: Best everything bagel I've had in the city, perfect mixture of salt, poppyseed, sesame, etc. I love jalapeno cream cheese, and  I was expecting it to be great here but it was just ok, not spicy enough and tasted more like paprika than jalapeno. There's a cute little park across the street as well if you want to eat outside or if the inside seating is full. I would come again and just get the awesome bagels to eat at home.
5 - John O.: This is THE place to get your morning bagle in the big apple. They are made fresh on premesis and they sell quick. The variety of creamcheese is awesome, Chive Garlic, Jalepeno, Cheddar Bacon, etc... My favorite of course is the Lox and cream cheese. the Lox has a firm texture and lightly smoky flavor. It was outstanding. I know this place isn't much to look at but just give it a try and you will be hooked!
4 - Scott L.: This place doesn't look all that special, but come here before everyone find out that it is....better than H&H bagel!

Crunchier outside, fluffier inside, and they've got like, 20 types of cream cheese. I'm going back for the strawberry :)

Personally, I thought their everything bagel was a revelation. I revelated! 

The roast beef, however, is not good. Skip it.
5 - Bonnie K.: The best bagel in NYC. Period. Too bad I live too far now to enjoy this on any semi-regular basis. Such a shame.
5 - Dave S.: This was my neighborhood bagel place when I lived in the neighborhood.  Now I live in CT, and miss it terribly.  I make sure to stop in every time I'm back in town for a warm Everything with olive-pimento.  

Other must-have spreads are the egg salad (light on the mayo, heavy on the pepper) and the smoked whitefish salad.

On weekends, the line tends to be out the door.  And yet you get your bagels in a couple of minutes.  These guys are amazing!
5 - April C.: I'm lucky enough to live close to this place and am SOOOOOO glad....it's amazing.

I take all my friends and family when they visit and it has been a winner with everyone. 

Homerun!
5 - Brian K.: Best. Bagels. Ever.

H&H, Murray's? Absolute crushes them.

Ess-a-bagel? Close but not quite.

What is their secret? My research indicates the following equation captures the wonder of Absolute's bagels:

Slightly chewy inside+mostly firm outside=fully perfect.

You can further refine this equation with a number of independent variables. This includes toasted/not toasted, plain cream cheese, flavored cream cheese, butter, lox, plain toffuti cream "cheese," flavored tofutti cream cheese, bacon, egg, cheese, sausage, and more. You know those annoying Chipotle cups about the 60,000+ options? Yeah, Absolute Bagels owns them on that front. 

My personal equation you ask?

Salt bagel+toasted+plain tofutti+Thai iced tea+walk in Central Park=yessssss
4 - Lynda O.: Great bagels! What a selection! Once you decide on the bagel then you have to pick a cream cheese I chose olive and pimento and really enjoyed it. Was glad that we went the distance to check this place out while we were in NYC..
5 - Annie C.: The best freaking bagel I ever had. That's it. Just the best.
5 - Katie C.: Best bagel i've ever had. Ever. Crispy outside, super soft inside.
Line was out the door, but the wait wasn't so bad.
5 - Niko B.: One of my favs and the only place in NYC that I always stop to get something whenever I walk by. Can't go wrong with any of the bagels.  The cream cheeses are amazing and they are very generous with the servings. They can get carried away though. I once had my bagel soaked in butter which made it disgusting. I think the lady who did was new or something but if you don't like a lot of butter or cream cheese on your bagel tell them in advance. I can imagine that for most people this will never be a problem.
5 - Mike K.: I've been eating at Absolute Bagels since they opened about 20 years ago. Even though I no longer live near, it's worth the trip. I have not eaten in every bagel place in NYC, so I can't say Absolute is the absolute best, but they are absolutely the best I have ever had. Enough silliness. H&H doesn't even come close. Crispy and a little chewy at the same time, and soft inside...and with excellent flavor along with the texture. If you are lucky, you might get there when your favorite variety is hot out of the oven. And that happens often since they bake relatively small batches from one oven about the size of a small pizza store oven, which may be the secret of their great texture. They have loyal employees, as well...another secret of success. One guy recognizes my daughter, now 22, from when I carried her into the store on one arm after daycare every Friday.
3 - Tracy S.: Hmm..maybe I missed something here. A friend took me here when I came to visit New York. I was soooo excited to eat a NY bagel, but I was pretty disappointed. Maybe I ordered the wrong bagel? I had an egg bagel with Blueberry Cream Cheese.  The bagel was good, but I think Einstein Bros Bagels taste better cause they're more soft and chewy. The blueberry spread was pretty good but nothing out of this world.

I saw some people eating a bagel with tomato and cream cheese. Maybe I was supposed to order that..Don't get me wrong, it was still a good bagel, but it didn't meet my expectations. 

However, I did bring back an Egg Bagel and an Onion Bagel back for a friend and he said they were AMAZING.
5 - Tom H.: When I first moved to NYC I was on a quest to find the best damn bagels in the city. My quest ended at Absolute. The rest of the bagel shops are great too but this place is a for sure winner.

The bagels are served up hot and delicious with many different kinds to choose from and the best part is the selection of cream cheeses they have. They do not skimp of the toppings either!!!

Affordable too!
5 - Alexandria M.: Here's the bottom line: I have never eaten a better bagel than one from Absolute. I get the whole wheat with garlic and chive cream cheese (for garlic lovers that want a spicy kick). My brother gets pumpernickel with lox cream cheese (same ingredients but better value than lox over plain cream cheese).  My boyfriend gets a classic plain with plain. However you like it, these still-warm doughy morsels are guaranteed to satisfy your taste buds. Most of their flavored cream cheese comes with a tofu option- in case you're watching that waistline.
5 - Liz M.: NYC's inhabitants are in constant battle of my thing is better than your thing and let me tell you how to get there. 

In this case, my bagel place is better than yours.  I get the whole wheat (grain?) everything bagels by the dozen and haul them back to Riverdale.  They don't take cards, but they did just start making bacon and eggs!  The onion and chive cream cheese is excellent as is the lox.
4 - Cecilia Z.: Love these bagels! Honestly, who would've thought that Asians knew a thing or two about the art of bagel-making? 

I absolutely love the everything bagels, slightly toasted with a schmear of scallion tofutti cream cheese. It's probably the most satisfying cheap eats I've ever encountered in my life. 

The only downside is that it's so far uptown that I seldom pass by the neighborhood... Too bad I'm never at Columbia anymore, it was always a good excuse to visit this place to pick up a bagel or two.
5 - Lisette S.: I am so lucky because I live so close to this bagel spot! 

These are the best bagels I have ever had! My favorites are the egg bagels and the cinnamon raison ones :)

The amount of cream cheese they put on the bagel is intense so i always end up sharing the cream cheese with someone bc it is too much!

My favorite spreads are the strawberry and blueberry lo l

I have a sweet tooth in case you cant tell!
 
Anyways, now every time I eat another bagel I think it's bad so this one is definitely worth the trip if you're not nearby! :)
5 - Niki A.: Great bagels, lox cream cheese spread rocks! Try sun dried tomato as well and make sure to ask for toasted bagel. makes all the difference.
4 - kathy m.: Delicious bagels!  The first day I went there I ordered a egg and bacon breakfast sandwich on an onion bagel.  The bagel was perfect!  Firm and chewy on the outside and unbelievably soft on the inside.  The egg was overcooked and the sandwich itself needed a little something (I added some of my son's herb cream cheese).  On my second visit I stuck with the basics, a raisin bagel with plain cream cheese.  If I hadn't ever ordered the breakfast sandwich I would have given Absolute Bagels five stars.  

A couple other things I noticed was that the breakfast sanddwich was actually cheaper than a bagel with cream cheese and that a large orange juice ($3.80) was more than either!

But the bagels...absolutely perfect!
5 - Andy S.: Seriously the best bagels I've found in the city. Better than H&H. They do load up on the cream cheese, but too much is always better than too little, since you can take it off. If I'm in a savory mood, I get plain with herb cream cheese (beware of your breath after eating, though). The egg with plain cc is also stellar. I could eat one a day. If I didn't have to walk 17 blocks to get there, I would.
5 - Liz T.: These bagels are without a doubt the best in NYC.

I really believe that what distinguishes Absolute from other bagel shops is that this family-operated shop makes its bagels with love.  You don't get warmth and hearth like this without really loving and believing in what you do.

Bagels are always fresh.  Cream cheeses are flavorful with only the best ingredients.  Even beverage selection is complete with a full panel of Honest Teas, OJs, great coffee, and Thai Iced Tea.

I'm moving out of NYC soon and will definitely be missing Absolute Bagels more than anything.
5 - Karl P.: I'm very very very lucky to live 4 blocks away from here.  I ate here only twice, once with a friend, the second, take out.  Buying a simple poppy bagel with cream cheese seems like a new experience in a tasting environment.  

I can't even describe how perfect these bagels are, and everyone behind the counter SMILES!  I love that.  You can't beat a genuine smile.  

My second experience, today, I was craving for a lox and cream cheese bagel.  I ordered an "everything" bagel, since it seemed like everyone ahead of me was ordering an "everything" bagel.  The real nice man behind the counter asked me if I wanted the spread or the Nova. 

Since I didn't know what was the difference between the two, I asked him which one was better.  He said the Nova is the BEST, and is more expensive but worth it.  I was sold.  Why not?  

$8.50 later, I took a bite out of Smoked Salmon/Bagel Nirvana.  This bagel, cures suffering, Samsara, and bad days.  

I would definitely order a dozen bagels, but since living alone, I would have to eat a lot of them ha ha.  

The lines tend to get long, but isn't that a good thing?  People love good product and support businesses that are friendly. 

I hope this place never dies.
5 - Jessica a.: Great bagels, tons of spreads to choose from (including dairy-free/vegan options), and a good location. Nothing like a quality bagel, right? I'm sorry, other states, but your bagels just don't cut it. These are the good ones.
5 - Rob D.: Straight to the point...the best bagels in the neighborhood.  Among the best in the city, and my personal favorite.  Everything bagel with cream cheese and coffee is my usual and never ever disappoints.
5 - Seth E.: I have eaten a lot of bagels in my life, but the most creamy, delightful bagel in my life was had on the Upper West Side this past weekend.  With an inexpensive price, perfectly made in-house bagels and a wide variety of cream cheeses, this place is the best.  Not a lot of wasted money on a storefront, but the line literally loops around out onto the sidewalk.

You might think that with this much business, you have to wait, but oh no, you have your food in under 7 minutes.  I ate there twice and both times, it was incredible.  Plus, the price is ridiculously inexpensive.  Fresh basil, tomato and garlic & onion on a everything - you are my dream made tasty!
5 - Mooie G.: Line goes out the door but moves fast. Thier bagels are the perfect size (not too big, not too small).  It's so fresh and yummy and completely worth standing in the line going out the door (remember, the line moves pretty fast).
4 - Alvin W.: Location is not the best but the bagels are really good and really cheap for city standards.
5 - Sara S.: I love you, Absolute Bagels. May I never eat a non-Absolute-Bagel bagel ever again.
3 - Martin W.: My girlfriend of 3 years lives on w85th st, so H&H has been my go to place for a loonnng time whenever I visit her. Out of curiosity, I yelped bagel places around and noticed this had a higher rating than H&H. I decided to make the trek this morning, not really sure whether it was going to "blow H&H out of the water," as I have read in multiple reviews, or if this was more typical yelp hivemind. 

Unfortunately, it was the latter. It's true that the bagel is fantastic, as I would have expected, but to suggest that it's quantifiably better than H&H is just complete non-sense. I refuse to believe than in a blind taste test, with both bagels being fresh out of the oven, any Absolute Bagel fangirl/fanboy could differentiate between the two.

The only reason the bagels are cheaper here is because if you want to add a flavored cream cheese, you have to pay an extra $2.80! That's almost the price of a whole little container at Zabar's, which is infinitely superior cream cheese. Then they slathered so much on my bagel I was barely able to taste the bread. People continually leave bad reviews on H&H for the sole reason that they won't schmear your bagel. It's only fair that I dock some points from Absolute because they DO, and I think it's a complete rip-off. One could argue that it's optional, but the colorful display of cream-cheeses is a pretty fail-safe lure, and EVERYONE I saw in the store got the flavored cream-cheeses.

So a 5 star bagel, minus one for the over-priced toppings, and minus another because I feel like I cheated on H&H with another place that seemed a lot sexier before I was actually inside of it.

My honest recommendation, though, is that you go to the one closest to your place of residence. H&H, I am coming back to you with flowers.
5 - Joaquin E.: These are the best bagels I've ever had in my life.  They're affordable with an incredible variety of spreads, most of which come with a tofu-based counterpart.  It's worth the journey from lower Manhattan, without a doubt.
4 - Sean M.: Tasty bagels and some pretty incredible cream cheese.  Be ready to stand in a line at times and be ready to order, pay, and get out of the way quickly once you get up to the front.
5 - Patricia L.: My mother used to bring me and my brother here to have an egg bagel with cream cheese which is so rich it can simply full you up!!
I went there in the morning of independence day and the line was out the door.... but the waiting time was very reasonable. I shared a bagel with my brother that had lox cream cheese(smoked salmon), tomatoes, and onions. It cost 9 dollars but it was worth every penny!! They give generous fillings, you won't find a bite that doesn't have cream cheese. 
I also like to take out a dozen of bagels and get one for free. Put them in the freezer and they still taste great after they're toasted!! (Once I went there at 4pm and and didn't have to wait at all)
5 - Lisa L.: I forgot to mention their chicken salad which is insanely good. Never realized a chicken salad sandwich could be that delicious. The chicken is chunky and simply amazing on a warm bagel. Oh, and the egg salad is fantastic as well!
5 - Neil R.: I eat a bagel 3 or 4 days a week, I'm a traditionalist when it comes to it, give me a toasted bagel with a nice cream cheese and I'm good to go. Absolute Bagels doesn't play around! The exterior has a nice thin crunch to it and the interior is soft, light, and almost slightly undercooked (best way I feel I can describe the lovely interior, NOT ACTUALLY UNDERCOOKED). They have about 15 different cream cheeses from traditional to Chive and Garlic; which I had on a toasted Everything Bagel. Well my breath paid the price the rest of the day for that choice but I don't care, we can never smell our own breath anyway! It's the best bagel I've ever had in my life and they sometimes have a line of about 30-40 people deep and somehow that line never lasts longer than 10 minutes from being at the end to having your breakfast in your hand. Needless to say the service is quick. Be ready though because like at most busy quick NYC places they expect you to know what you want and to order it quickly, if you ask too many questions it's probably not going to be met with a smile and thoughtful answer. It's understood and expected here in NYC so don't get upset if this offends you, just order a bagel toasted with veggie cream cheese and you'll be happy.
5 - Marissa L.: I've been going to the grocery store right next door to this place for 8 weeks and never noticed Absolute Bagels.  I wish I would have found it earlier.  It's great.  I had an everything bagel toasted with fresh mozzarella, basil, tomato, and the balsamic vinegar.  Perfectly toasted, and the mozzarella was definitely fresh as promised.

I also got a cinnamon bagel toasted with plain cream cheese to go and I can't wait to try that one too.  I will definitely be returning soon.
2 - Matt G.: I am struggling to understand all the glowing, 5 star yelp reviews for this place.  I had a very average bagel.  There was nothing superlative about it.  It was just...average.  Painfully average.  People were lined up out the door though, so maybe I just don't get it.  Minus one star for the 'B' rating and the general upkeep.
2 - Kira S.: My visit to Absolute Bagels left me feeling... well, itchy.  There were flies galore.  By galore I mean... probably one fly circling each table - I'd say there were 6 or 7 tables.  Still too many for a place with a closed door and AC!  Their B rating was evident with really filthy floors, fly swarm, and overflowing garbage can.  All of this grossed me out a little too much to fully enjoy my bagel.  

The bagel itself was tasty... I had it with chicken salad (which I scooped the majority of it off the bagel... I also bit into a bone/cartilage/other random non-edible chicken part which was not a happy surprise) and lettuce (kind of wilted), tomato (not even close to ripe - and it's summer!!), and onion.  I'd assume the cream cheese is the way to go after that failure.  The bagel however was good... my only complaint was that it was actually too salty for an everything bagel.

I also got the Thai Iced Tea which also set off my food alarm (I swear, I'm not OCD) when she poured it out of a used milk jug.  That's just wrong.  Milk jugs are not for storing beverages in a commercial establishment. 

I guess I just don't get it... the dirtiness of this establishment outweighs the deliciousness of the bagel.  Sorry Absolute, I'll stick with Murray's.
4 - Michael S.: A solid bagel place that I almost missed because it is currently hidden by scaffolding. I had the onion bagel with cream cheese and Nova, and was really wowed by it. It was a little expensive, and there was a bit of a line to get in, but the service was fast and friendly.
5 - Jim D.: Truly the best I've had.  Very similar to Ess a Bagel.  We had two bagels warm from the oven, one with salmon and cream cheese, another with whitefish salad.  Both were unbelievable....my jaw would have dropped at the perfection of the experience if I hadn't been too busy chewing. 
 
Maybe these lose something if they're not fresh out of the oven?  Not sure.  But eaten warm, on site....they don't come any better
4 - Ari A.: You know you've found a gem when a whole in the wall place has a line around the corner and people begging to get inside.
Bagels are superb.  The prices show that they know their product is all that.
In NYC, land of the bagel, i'm disappointed to pay so much for a bagel and cc.  your basic bagel here is $1, pretty cheap, but throw on any type of fancy cc & you're at $4. I will give them the nova, that one is cheap at $8, but i can't get past $4 when anywhere else in the city it's about $2

Worth the trip.  next time I may buy a dozen and the cc separately to avoid the inordinate mark up for cc.
4 - nick l.: This is absolutely the place you need to go to in the UWS to get a hearty delicious bagel. Heck, I would even argue anywhere in NYC. Absolute B. serves bagels that not only tastes good with all the right textures, but also RETAINS the soft, chewy and flavor even after 2 days of purchasing. 

Tip - Buy the bagels and cream cheese separately. Ask for the cream cheese in the little cup. It's actually cheaper.
5 - Rebecca K.: Maybe the best bagels I've had in NYC? I have only lived in the neighborhood a few days, but have already frequented this place a few times. I feel a little bit bad cheating on Ess-a-bagel and David's Bagels, my go-to bagel spots in my old neighborhood, but this may be as good as it gets. Both times I've had bagels here they've been fresh and warm out of the oven. The cream cheese is excellent, and even better they have a breakfast special in the morning which is egg and bacon on a bagel for $3. It's going to be hard to not put on the pounds with this place nearby.....
3 - Ningxi X.: Been there twice, once in December 2008 and once in February 2010. It's a cute little place that offers a wide variety of bagels and cream cheeses. I got a blueberry bagel with strawberry cream cheese both times. There aren't that many seats, but it's nice if you can sit down and have a warm meal with a bagel and coffee especially in the winter. They spread their cream cheese pretty generously, and the quality of the bagel doesn't disappoint, either. Cleanliness- and servers' attitude-wise, Absolute could do better, but it's a good place to go for a simple breakfast without too much concern for factors other than the food.
5 - Ana F.: SO glad I found this place while in New York. And not only that BUT it was super close to the Hostel. The first time I went, I nearly missed it because the front of the store is so unassuming and it was right by a scaffolding. The decor and set-up of the place are definitely not 5 star but with delicious bagels like theirs who cares? I'd rather they have delicious food than a fancy plate settings.

Anyways, they have at least 10 different types of bagels from plain and onion to chocolate chip and cranberry. And their toppings are so so delicious. The first time I went, I got a toasted onion bagel with cream cheese and lox (I HAD to get the lox while in NYC). Basically...orgasm in my mouth. The flavor of the lox was just right so as not to overpower the onion flavor of the bagel. The second time around, I got the toasted onion bagel again but with the ham&cheese shmear. This was different because I'd never had cream cheese with bits of cheddar and ham in it before. But again...orgasm in my mouth. And they pile that cream cheese on there that every time you bite into the bagel it just spills out. I love me a  bagel with 2 inches of cream cheese on it.

Basically, this place was hands-down the best place for a bagel I've ever been to. I went there 2 of the 4 mornings I spent in New York and am glad I did. Also, don't let the long line out the door discourage you. It goes pretty fast and it is definitely worth the wait.
4 - Jennifer H.: Amazing bagels. I like this place better than Murray's. The tofu cream cheese flavors are so good. Vegan friendly bagel shop. I'm happy. =)  
I'm still new to the city though, so paying $4 something for a bagel with cream cheese still makes me cringe... but I still go. That says enough about the yumminess of this place I think. And cash only is sort of a bummer too.
4 - S. Z.: 4 stars for bagels and cream cheese.
1 less star for decor.
Hole in the wall bagel shop owned by lovely Thai people. Cream cheese scallion is my fave --- but do try and be adventurous to try others. Amazing!!! Yummy!!!!!
5 - Taimur A.: I live down the block from this place and all I can say is that it is the best.
5 - ankur r.: Who cares about the Decor!!! This place is sweeeeeeeeeeet!!! So many options of bagels and cream cheese. I had a raisin bagel w/ strawberry cream cheese and it was damn good. The bagel was not too hard or soft and the strawberry cream cheese was tasty....

My girlfriend had the walnut tofutti(vegan cheese) on cinnamon raisin bagel.She loved it... it had lots of flavor and was not too sweet. For her it is a great breakfast spot for vegans. 

btw... make sure to bring cash! they don't take credit cards.
5 - Eve P.: They have bagels ... that are bagels. Not round pieces of bread. Enough said.
5 - Joe M.: It doesn't get any better than this kids. Off the charts delicious. The kind of food you dream about when you're not close by, or in another country far from NYC. To the previous reviewer who couldn't get past the dirty floors, don't worry. Everything that matters in the food prep area is super clean.
5 - Chad S.: This is where I learned what a NYC bagel was all about. Obviously, the bagels are great. Obviously, the prices are fair. Obviously, you should stop reading reviews and go to Absolute Bagels already!
5 - Taryn C.: OMGGGGGGGGGGGG.  I am forever ruined on bagels because of this place.  Every place that suggests or even implies that they have "NY bagels" is a liar.  This place is the real deal holy feel, and I can't even go back to the piddly places that are within walking distance to me since I came here. 

First things first - their service rocks. They have a big clientele and they know it.  There is usually a long line (when I got there, I was close to the door, but when I left the line was OUT of the door) but it moves very quickly.  

Another thing that struck me was that there was a woman with, shall I say, "bad line etiquette."  She had a stroller blocking the path to the register and the bagel counter. They STILL made it a point to direct us around her and to the register to pay.  What a novel idea!  GOOD AND PROACTIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE.

As far as the bagels what can I say?  My gold standards are usually everything or onion.  The everything bagel is very flavorful and I got scallion cream cheese.  The bagel still warm from the oven, had gobs of cream cheese on it.  Not stingy like other places.  It's pricey (I think $3.80 for the whole thing) but it was so so sooooo worth it.  I can't wait to try their bacon/cheddar cream cheese or blueberry!!  I need to come here every day!
4 - Allan H.: Asians not only make asian food well, but they make bagels good too.
This place, hands down, has the best lox spread I've had in the city. Perfectly sized chunks of salmon in the creamy cream cheese. Whatever bagel you get, it will be toasted to perfection(they have an assortment of bagels to choose form ), and will pile the cream cheese on to your liking. So do yourself a favor, go to Absolute Bagel, and get some lox spread. The Asian ladies are nice too.kinda.  It is a bit pricey... 3.90?!?!?!?! I need to stop going there twice a day.
4 - Matt E.: Absolute Bagels is like no other place in New York for bagels. You can get some tasty bagels here but I wouldn't say they're anything like a true New York bagel. They're very light, fluffy, and quite frankly, addictive. The place is run by Chinese so maybe they've infused some of the fluffy bun type procedures and married it with the classic way of making bagels (which you can see being done right there behind the counter). The bagels are smaller and when you bite into one light airy texture gives into to the pressure. The store is also light and airy but also a bare bones type of set up. There are plenty of tables and the location is near public transportation so it's easy to get to. 

 
Overall Bagel: 7
Taste: 9
Texture: 7
Store: 8
Service & Value: 7
4 - Alex F.: Sometimes when I'm really tired and sleeping in, my girlfriend will walk down to 109th, pick up Absolute Bagels and bring it back without even telling me.

I live for these mornings.

The bacon cream cheese spread on an egg bagel makes for a very very  good morning.
5 - Hilary P.: These are absolutely the best bagels I've had in the neighborhood. My usual (everything bagel, toasted with lox spread) is definitely done justice by these folks. That line out the door on a weekend between 11am-2pm? Worth it. Also, the coffee is drinkable.

Bring cash.
4 - Sarah S.: I tried their wheat bagel with smoked salmon, garlic & chive cream cheese  ($8.50) + lettuce, tomato & union ($.50) + tax = $9.35

I heard that this place was really good, but def. was not expecting that price, but then again, I realized I got the smoked salmon which was ABSOLUTELY amazing! worth every penny!!! If you don't want to go all out, then you can get bagel + flavored cream cheese (a lottttt to choose from!) for about $3.80ish!

They LOADDDD your bagel w/ cream cheese and even though I like to go easy on my bagel most of the times, I know I'm gonna be craving this sucka a lot. 

The workers are super friendly & there's a lot of tables inside!! This is one of the places that actually lives up to its hype! :)
3 - Calvin H.: So while visiting the Upper West Side I decided to try this bagel place.  Certainly has strong reviews on Yelp.  And I can understand why - the bagels are terrific, no doubts there.  Great place to pick up bagels and bring home.  The restaurant itself is absolutely filthy!  Garbage at every table.  I noticed an "A" posted on the window by the health department, but I cannot comprehend how this could be.  Dirt and filth everywhere.  Not a pleasant place to eat.  So to be clear, the bagels are worth the trip - they do it right.  The venue itself - methinks not.
1 - Isa G.: Rude service. Had better bagels at a coffee cart in midtown. Find somewhere else.
5 - D P.: Came for breakfast. $10 for 2 specialty bagels and 2 plain bagels, plus 1/4th pound of cream cheese! Bagels were so tasty. 

Don't worry about the long line out the door... It moves quickly.
4 - Avery L.: Oh New York Bagels, you are not all created equal.  After moving from the E.Vill to the UWS, moving away from Ess-A-Bagel and David's Bagel, I found Absolute Bagel.  The lines out of the door could either mean that it would make a worth replacement...or it's been hyped up and all those there are just mindless drones.

Luckily, when I got my hands on a whole wheat everything, slathered with lox spread...it was the perfect mid day brunch after a long night out.  It was warm and chewy...the lox spread was smooth with little bits of salty lox that tickled the tastebuds.  Normally, I would get a toasted bagel...but these are so fresh and chewy, I wouldn't want to ruin it's pristine fresh baked state.
5 - Lydia H.: So delicious! I know this may sound like an exaggeration, but I really have never eaten bagels this good before. There's just something about the texture that's hard to describe in writing. My current favorite at Absolute is their BLT served on an everything bagel, but I feel like it would be hard to go wrong with anything on the menu. They have seemingly every variety of bagel imaginable (whole wheat everything or pumpkin, anyone?), too. 

Also, the value is excellent. Just remember to bring cash, since they don't accept credit or debit cards.
3 - Adrienne P.: 3.5 perhaps. These are pretty good, but I can't imagine eating anything other than Murray's when I'm in Manhattan.
4 - Laura Y.: I just had a garlic bagel with the lox spread there along with the small chicken salad, and I have to say that I am that impressed. Don't get it wrong, nothing was bad, in particular, but for a place with 4.5 stars, I thought I would like it A LOT. But I didn't. The chicken salad was really small. I got the 1/4 lb (small) one and it was the size of my palm. It wasn't particularly savory, nor was it chunky, how I like it, but I guess this place is a bagel place. My bagel was pretty good, though. I'm actually glad I found out about this place because I never seem to know places with good bagels. 

By the way, the ordering system could be complicated. Well, at least it was for me. I learned it the hard way after waiting past at least 5 customers getting their orders. There's a lady collecting the cash at the register, but prior to that you should give your orders to one of the men behind the baskets of bagels. Essentially, you repeat your order twice, pay, and then get your bagel.

Also, my friends and I noticed how happy everyone here was. Everyone behind the counter was smiling and laughing like a family, and that lifted my moods up. The people lining up for bagels were not as happy, though, probably due to the long line.
5 - Jeff S.: This place is far far away from where we were. Literally I think it was on the edge of Central Park north. When we got here the line was out the door.

We decided since it literally took us 40 minutes to get here what was another 20 in line. Thank God we waited...

We got:

1. Garlic Bagel with Nova/Cream Chease and the works ( lettuce/tomatoe/onion)

2. Garlic bagel toasted with bacon/cheddar cream cheese.

Oh wow wow wow both were amazing. The coolest thing is the cream cheese they have here. Literally their strawberry cream cheese has jam/real strawberries, their bacon/cheddar has chunks of bacon/cheddar etc etc. I only wish we had more time to try different bagels with different spreads.

Pricing is also not too bad and it's most definitely a mom and pop run place. Amazing food for amazing price, gotta love it.
5 - Brian R.: This bagel place is hands down the best in NYC.  I have been looking for a great bagel place on the UWS, and have been unsuccessful....until now.  Everytime you walk in the bagels are hot and fresh - and even though the line may be long, it goes pretty quick.  Additionally - not expensive at all!
5 - justin r.: best bagel in the city.
4 - Uncle K.: Today I witnessed first hand the "Bagel Nazi" behavior described in some other reviews.  While enjoying my bagel (they are still stellar) with a friend, a near brawl erupted when a patron, initially kindly, noted that he had asked for his bagel toasted.  He was still at the counter, so it really shouldn't have been a big deal, but they refused to toast his bagel.  It almost got out of hand!  I am an untoasted guy anyway, but do remember they toasted mine by accident once.  I didn't say anything, and now I'm glad I didn't, because I would have gone over the counter!
5 - Anna C.: Yelp led me to Absolute Bagel during my recent trip to NYC.  Not much else I can say that hasn't already been said by nearly 300 other reviewers.  But seriously, best bagel I've ever had in my life.  Fresh out of the oven everything bagel for $1 = orgasmic.
5 - Tiffany C.: Best bagels I have had in NYC!! I went on a Saturday morning and the line was down the block. My friend and I waited for about 20 mins for a bagel and boy was it worth it. I got an everything bagel with tomato cream cheese and it was great! They do put a lot of cream cheese so you could share the cream cheese with another bagel :) def take the trip to get a delightful bagel
5 - Pathu S.: Absolute Bagels is absolutely amazing! Sorry that was lame but I definitely see why Absolute Bagel is such a hit with my fellow Columbians.

Because of its deliciousness, I am willing to 1) walk all the way there (I rarely go South of 110th unless it's downtown) 2) wait in the long yet speedy line. Yes it is Asian-owned and yes it is amazing! I'd say the lox cream cheese is a MUST with any bagel (your preference). I have not tried their sandwiches but the pictures make them look so yummy. 

Also, they have Thai ice tea and other variations of Thai caffeinated drinks. Bagels and Thai iced tea! How awesome is that!!
4 - Mark R.: Simply put: the best bagels in the city.

Thanks for making those minis...they offer a guilt-light option for getting your bagel fix!
2 - Jessica G.: It is time to speak out.  

I live on 105th St., so I've been going to absolute for quite some time now.  For the past 2 years, I have LOVED their bagels and their flavored cream cheese (mmmm jalapeno...)  But I have to say that lately I have been kind of bothered by the practices they seem to be adopting in order to cut costs.  

First came the price increase a few months ago.  A bagel with flavored cream cheese is $3.80...if you get it with tomato the order comes to over $4.  This is very pricey for a bagel in the area.  And I promise I wouldn't complain had they maintained their awesome quality.  But I feel like with the price increase, they also began decreasing the size of the bagels at a gradual pace.  At first I thought it was my imagination and completely in my head, but a friend of mine commented today about how small her bagel was, so now I suspect that I'm not crazy and this might be another change they are making to increase profit margins.  Recently I've also been given everything bagels with almost zero toppings.  I hate to complain about this stuff but when you are spending $4 for a bagel it's really annoying to take it with you and then unwrap it to find a mediocre quality bagel.  

Has anyone else noticed the change in quality?  I with they would raise prices or make the bagels smaller, but not both.  I have a hard time believing they need to do both since they have a monopoly on bagels in this area.

I am hoping that those who experience the quality difference let them know so that they can make some changes, because I have noticed a definite change in this place over the past 2 years.  Until then, a $2 so-so bagel with flavored cream cheese is a better deal for me than a $4 hit-or-miss bagel from absolute.  Absolute, if you read this, please look into quality control...when your bagels are done right, they are awesome, and worth the ridiculously high prices.
5 - Karl R.: I grew up on the UWS, and have been coming here for about 10 years. My family used to be loyal Lenny's customers, but since their quality decreased IMO, there was no longer any denying the supremacy of Absolute. All of the bagels are phenomenal, including my teenage staples the sesame and poppy bagels, and my new favorite, the whole wheat everything bagel. Absolute achieves the desired crispy on the outside chewy on the inside balance, and delivers a phenomenal flavor, slightly salty but not overly so. The bagels are baked fresh intermittently throughout the day, so if you come around when they open at 6 am, you're guaranteed to get your chosen variety hot out of the oven. If you get there any other time during the day, you can just ask the friendly folks behind the counter what is hot now. If you're going on a weekend morning, I'd get there as early as I could as in no later than 8:45 AM on a because the line gets very long very quickly. I've never had any of the cream cheeses, because IMO these bagels are just too good to corrupt by putting anything on them. At a $1 per, you'd be hard pressed to find a better, cheaper, more filling deal in Manhattan.
2 - Mostly S.: Ripped off!

A reviewer not too far below me wrote about how price changes/quantity have changed, so I'm not the only one. 
I really liked this place when I first went there in September. The bagels were delicious, and yeah, a lox bagel was expensive, but it's an expensive, labor intensive process to make good lox. And Absolute Bagels piled it on. Like a whole half inch of delicious lox. And they also piled on the creamcheese, which I don't mind scraping off. 

I haven't been there in a couple of months. I'm in the middle of this horrific project and decide to take a break and get some lunch and a coffee. I order my usual, a lox bagel with tomato, light on the creamcheese, on a sesame bagel. 

I get home and that glorious thick slab of pink "fish bacon" (as my little brother likes to call it) has been replaced with a measly single slice. ONE SLICE OF LOX. Even a bagel shop that buys their bagels and lox from costco would have the decency to put on a bit more, especially at 8.75 (extra .25 for the tomato). This is obscene.

So yeah, I gave them an extra star for the bagel, which was the same, great quality. But I'm not going back there for anything more than just a bag of bagels. 

If you're reading this owner, I expect you to respond. I'm not the only one who has noticed. Maybe you'll get away with it from the tourists and visiting parents of Columbia students, but not from the rest of us!
5 - Paskesz K.: My kind of bagel store. Not a fancy interior, but it's clean. Bagels are truly excellent; not too big, not too small, sized right. Has a slightly chewy consistency, as it should have. Herb cream cheese was the best I've ever had, lox cream cheese was excellent. Did not care for the blueberry cream cheese. Asian owned, but from the quality of the bagels, you would think this was Jewish / Lower East Side circa 1970.
3 - Erica D.: The line is always hanging out the door on the weekend. This creates the illusion that Absolute Bagels is to-die-for amazing, but I think the length of the line is more of a testament to how slow they are and how much people in this neighborhood love to be gouged.

Absolute is overpriced to being with and then they try to nickel and dime you on everything. If more than 6 people show up around the same time, this place just implodes. I wouldn't wait in the line or go out of my way to come here, but on the rare occasions that grabbing a bagel here isn't such a hassle, they actually are really good and it's nice to find the always elusive pumpernickel raisin.
4 - Josh K.: Good bagels and good shmear. They make them on site and you can see the whole process behind the counter. Make sure you know what you're getting when you get to the front of the line. BTW, you can ask for half and half shmear if you want to try several different kinds (I got lox and chive garlic.)

They are very generous with the shmear and I would almost suggest that instead of getting two topped bagels you should just get one topped and one plain and migrate some shmear over to the plain bagel!

Also, a madhouse on the weekends during the busy brunch hours, and practically idle most other times, so either time your visit wisely or just come on an off day.

Most likely not the best in the five boroughs, and honestly I'm not qualified to make that judgement anyway, but it's close to my house and they are freshly made... that's really all a guy could ask for.
4 - Jin C.: It would cost you an extra dime to toast your bagel - but why would you when it is so perfectly fresh and warm with a soft, fluffy interior and a crusty exterior? In comparison to Ess-A-Bagel, Absolute's bagel is a lot less dense, more airy, fluffier and much easier to tear off. I tried their pumpernickel bagel, which I don't think is spiced as much as Ess-A-Bagel's, but still decent.
4 - Taipan L.: Excellent selection of bagels and spreads.  If you plan to eat 2 bagels, order one with the spread and the other without - there is more than enough spread for both!  Line can be long during breakfast on weekends.  They are even open on Christmas Day!
5 - Chris S.: Consistently the best every time.
5 - Stephen C.: I picked up a 1/2 dozen for breakfast with the kids. 2 everything, 2 plain, 1 raisin & 1 sesame. The bagels were all great, firm and crisp on the outside, soft and chewy inside. The herb cream cheese was great not too over powering.

This place is a gem and a definite go back too. 

Just a quick point, be prepared to order when you finally make it to the front of the line.
3 - The Immature A.: What's the meaning of life?  Wait, forget that--there's a more meaningful question to answer: Who has the best bagel in Manhattan?

Yelpers seem to love 3 bagel boilers in particular: Essa Bagel, Absolute Bagels and Murray's Bagels. To judge them fairly, I ordered the same sesame seed bagel with cream cheese from each, and ate them on the spot. Disappointingly, none of the three was still warm when served, but like the song says, "Every bagel is beautiful in its own way." 

The winner?  Me--for getting to eat all those bagels!  Seriously, my NYC bagel taste test winner is (drumroll please) Murray's!

Don't get me wrong, Essa and Absolute still satisfied my carb cravings, but only Murray's had what I was looking for: a crust with a chew, that makes a noticeable crunch at first bite.

Coming in at #2 was the Absolute Bagel, which had the perfect density and fluffiness but lacked that crunch. 

My 3rd place ribbon goes to Essa Bagel, which was good, but was the most dense and also lacked crunch.

In the consoling words of every P.E. teacher I ever had: "While there could be only one winner, there were no losers."
4 - Anna L.: 4 stars but it should have been 5!!!! 
I waited in a line out the door to try these bagels and it was definitely worth it!
There are three steps to ordering- which you should be ready to do when you get to the counter- name your bagel, your spread and whether or not you desire it toasted.
The bagel texture was great, slightly crisp on the outside and airy with a bit of chew on the inside.
The cream cheese here is also great- I love the scallion spread with the onion bagel and the walnut raisin spread with the cinnamon  raisin bagel. It tastes authentic- soft, creamy and flavorful.
The toasting/prep aspect is where Absolute Bagels looses a star in my eyes. I've seen some pretty lightly toasted bagels in my time and these took the cake! I know the attempt was made because I saw it but by the time the bagel made it my way there wasn't a hint of a toast left. The bagel was so barely touched with heat that i concluded that it can't possibly come down to me saying, "toasted well done," (unless this is relativism at its finest) because toasted still means toasted. 
That being said- great bagel.

Disclaimer: as my profile states, I'm not a New Yorker and therefore no authority on bagels.
5 - Vic F.: Not only are the bagels here fantastic, but they even have whole wheat everything bagels.

Definitely worth a visit!
5 - Ban W.: Okay. I'm a bagel fiend, but an egg and bacon with cheese on plain, and one everything bagel at Absolute Bagel = Best breakfast ever.
3 - Candace Q.: Umm, I'm still waiting for the New York City bagel to live up to it's promise. While their bagel wasn't half bad, it was lacking flavor. This place is definitely buzzing though, it clearly has a following and there has to be a reason for it. Maybe I'll venture out of my comfort zone next time and try something different than my normal, everything bagel, toasted with cream cheese. They do get an A for their cream cheese though.
3 - Alyssa M.: I've been here about 3 times, and when I tired it the first time I thought "wow, this bagel is amazing!"...but I think I just got caught up in the hype. 

To me, the bagels are good, nothing extraordinary.  I've never even bought the cream cheese here because it's just way too overpriced.  Maybe I need to try it though as great cream cheese could boost the rating up.

To be honest, I think the bagels I buy at Associates Market are just as good and cost 1/2 as much.

Maybe I'd take an out of towner here and we could grab some bagels and spreads.  I'm not rushing back here myself though anymore.
5 - NYCYELP R.: Most bagels in supermarkets have the softness and texture of cotton. Not Absolute.
Most bagels have no flavor. Not Absolute.
Most whitefish spread is sweet and filled with mayo and celery. Not Absolute.
Most shops don't give you the option of a mini-bagel Absolute does!

Please don't whine about the cost of a great product.  Most bad sandwiches cost five dollars or more.  Subway Sandwich shop has horrible products and charges more than Absolute.  
 
Pros: They work hard round the clock with never a day off. The quality of their products are stellar.  You get the excellence you pay for.
I sometimes wish the older service staff/owners were more friendly in manner, but I think that's a cultural difference.  The flowers and live plants say it all.  They care about what they do and IT SHOWS.

People who just want cheap  bready starch should probably not come here.  Everything has gone up in price at the supermarket in the past two years...milk, eggs, flour, sugar, oil., coffee.  It's strange to think that won't affect your local, family-owned bagel store.
5 - Bjorn F.: The best bagels in NYC. And I've had a lot. Have the everything bagel with scallion cream cheese.
5 - Grace M.: best bagels on the UWS hands down!!  i always order a cinnamon raisin bagel with strawberry cream cheese (they do give you A LOT of cream cheese though, always end up scraping more then half of it off)

*hint - order one bagel with cream cheese on it and then order a second bagel plain with no spread, then take half the spread from the first bagel and spread it onto the second one

the iced coffee is pretty good too

lines on the weekends are always out the door but worth the wait and the lines move relatively quickly
5 - Stephanie B.: I'm always on the hunt for the perfect bagel. Absolute Bagels does well. Their everything bagels are generously coated with toppings. Their iced coffee is also a favorite. The line gets long but the staff are efficient so it moves pretty quickly. Seating is cramped but adequate.
2 - MEIJU C.: Prefer Starbuck or Flavor more because Absolute Bagels is kind of tough
4 - leslie b.: I can't believe I haven't written a review for this place yet. I'm a Yelp regular and everything!

So, I lived right around the corner from this place for 8 months and only liked 3 things about my apartment.  One of them was Absolute Bagels.

Egg & Cheese on a bagel is $2.50 (or sometimes $2.70, it depends if they are in the mood to charge you tax or not. Seriously, sometimes they do, sometimes they don't). But the egg "patties" are pre-made and have this weird taste to them. Which is probably why they are so cheap.  

Regardless, the bagels are delicious!  Morning weekdays you can usually get in and out. But if you get here after 10a on a Sat/Sun, expect to wait in line out the door.  (Don't worry, it moves fast).

p.s. cash only
3 - Abbey V.: I wanted so badly to love Absolute, much like the other Yelpers, however, I found the bagel I chose - the Everything with chive and onion cream cheese, to be far too salty. 

I was, however, amazed by the variety of cream cheese spreads to choose from. My fiend, visiting from out of town, and the Mr. each also had the everything with different spreads and loved their choices.
5 - Jonah K.: Best bagels I have had probably, if not the best they are up there. I ate two of them I liked them so much! Herb cream cheese was solid as well.
3 - Russell B.: $8.50 for a Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese, Tomato, and Turkey + a baby sized orange juice on the side. 

Overpriced? Depends. How many official L33T bagel shops exist in NYC still? Nada or at least less then 5 I can count. So I understand they have to over ticket the bagels to continue their existence. 

What am I talking about??!

Anyways, the bagel was slamming. They don't take credit cards... I mean come on? It's 2012. TAKE CREDIT CARDS...  Anyways... the bagel was slamming. 

Though I would have had to pay $4.00 at dunkin donuts, or any other deli... The bagel was slamming. 

The inside of Absolute Bagel also smells like an authentic bagel shop, and they have that big machine that produces the bagels. So yea, the experience in 2012 to see this kind of bagel shop up and running is worth it. Take away the experience and place this business in a location among other bagel spots and it's simply overpriced. 

Yea. Yea. The bagel was slamming tho.
4 - Isaac S.: Good bagels, no doubt, but not the best.  Jalapeno cream cheese doesn't carry the same kick as other places in the city.  I kept looking closely at it to make sure they hadn't accidentally gave me plain cream cheese.
3 - victor n.: $8.50 for a bagel+cream cheese+smoked salmon. It was good, but for $8, I expect a bagel to blow me out of the water. It didn't. I feel like I should have saved that $8 and gotten a real meal at another restaurant. If I were to go again, I would just try a bagel with one of their crazy flavored cream cheeses. The number of bagel and cream cheese flavors seemed amazing though. Wish I tried that instead now.
1 - Uygar D.: I'm giving this place 1 stars only because I want this review to stand out. Maybe the business can read it and do something about it. 

The bagels here are great, they are absolutely delicious, there's no doubt about that.Their cream cheese is also of high quality. 

But my problem has been during the ordering phase of the bagels. About 40% of the time, I've received a misunderstood order. Either the bagel or the cream cheese was wrong. The staff doesn't speak much English, and the way they have organized the line is quite inefficient that it becomes very painful to order. For example today, it took me 10 minutes to get a small container of veggie cream cheese because the staff kept telling me to order the cheese "over there". They kept ping ponging me for cream cheese. The service is awful, but the bagels are the best I've tasted in Manhattan.
5 - Danielle T.: My friend woke me up at 9 on a Sunday telling me that we were going to get the best bagels in the world. I thought it was a joke, but he persisted. I rolled out of bed to get the best bagels from a place straight out of an 80s style plastic looking cafe manned by 10+ staff behind a little counter to deliver specialty, warm, perfect bagels to the line of people going out the door. AMAZING.  Not chewy but soft, not dry but not undone. Flavorful but complemented by all of the spreads.

 I ate 2. I never eat 2.
4 - Tailisha G.: Best bagels in town! Pricey with toppings, so you're better off getting a few and fixing them at home. Also, the place is small so I do not recommend dining in.
3 - Chris C.: A bit expensive for a bagel, but the bagels themselves were very good. Light and airy and warm. I tried the lox spread, never having had it before, and I enjoyed it. I don't know how it compares, but I wouldn't hesitate to order it again.

Not a bad option for a quick breakfast on the go.
5 - C Elizabeth S.: If it weren't for the (inconvenient for me) location, this would be perfection. Bagels are always just the right amount of warm, cheap, and their cream cheese is especially good. They also don't overbake their bagels like they do at other places. The place itself isn't anything to write home about and there are never enough tables on the weekends, but it's worth walking and eating. I get the jalapeño cream cheese and it's freaking amazing.
4 - Violeta B.: Amazing bagels with a broad range of cream cheeses to satisfy any craving. Can get very crowded however, and seating is limited.
4 - Sara S.: A story: in sophomore year of college I would eat a bagel practically every day for breakfast with a bit of Philadelphia salmon cream cheese. I was content with this bagel, heck, I was even happy in ignorant bagel bliss. Then, 2 years later, I came to NY and ate an everything bagel from Absolute Bagels. 

LIFE HAS BEEN CHANGED. 

NY bagels are truly a different species of bagel from your standard grocery store bakery bagel. I'm not sure what it is-- apparently it has something to do with the steaming/boiling process according to Gina B. But anyways Absolute Bagels takes the cake. 

The everything bagel is a glorious combo of sesame, poppyseed, onion, garlic. And now the best part is the spreads! Both times I went here in my short visit to NY I got the Lox spread and Sundried Tomato spread. The lox was pretty good but I would definitely recommend the sundried tomato spread. It was slightly sweet but also tangy. LOVEEEE. They also have herbs, chives & garlic, blueberry, strawberry, etc. so many to choose from! In retrospect, I should have tried the Tofutti (tofu cream cheese?) but I decided to play it safe (momentary weakness). 

$3.80 for a bagel with a motherload of spread... it's A LOT, too much spread in my opinion for one bagel. Definitely buy another spreadless bagel for $1.00 and distribute the cream cheese evenly between the two. Or ask for a sauce container thing to take it home to use with your own bagel. You will definitely have enough for two bagels!
4 - Audrey R.: Found this place on yelp and figured I should try it since it got such great reviews. I got the everything bagel with herb cream cheese and loved it! Was a little salty but it was still delicious. They are very generous with the cream cheese so if you don't want too much let them know.

It does get pretty busy especially in the mornings so be prepared for a line. There are tables to sit at, but like i said, it gets a little busy. The price for these bagels are so worth it. Overall, it's a great bagel place :)
3 - Victoria C.: The bagels are fantastic, as is the cream cheese.  No complaints there.  But I am so annoyed with the fact that twice (out of the five times I have been to Absolute Bagels) I have placed my order, the employee (a different one each time) repeated my order back to me incorrectly so I said my order again correctly and clearly.  The first time I ordered a bagel with chicken salad, cream cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomato.  I got home to find that there was no bacon.  It is not the end of the world but I was really looking forward to the bacon and I had to repeated my order twice to be clear about what I wanted on the sandwich, so there is really no excuse to get it wrong.  Just now I ordered a bagel with cream cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomato.  The same thing happened, I ordered, they repeated my order incorrectly, I repeated it back to them correctly.  I got home to find that there was no lettuce or tomato.  Again, not the end of the world but it is so irritating and disappointing when you are looking forward to eating your favorite type of sandwich and you don't get what you ordered. I don't know if lettuce and tomato are include in the price of the sandwich, but the first time they got my order wrong I definitely paid for the bacon I didn't get.
4 - Sasha B.: Very good bagels. Good lox... Average egg sandwiches... and CASH ONLY which is annoying
5 - Patrick S.: There isn't much I can say that hasn't been said already - best bagels on the UWS, great prices and service.  Definitely worth waiting in line.  Plus, they've got a killer Thai iced tea too!
4 - Michael L.: Im by no means a bagel expert, but i was quite satisfied with the bagels and cream cheeses here.  ordered the everything bagel with jalapeno cream cheese toasted.  One caveat is that this place can get quite crowded.  Went on a friday at 1030 am, line was out the door.  I guess they are used to it, because I only really waited for 15 min.  Would return to get my bagel fix.
4 - Angie D.: Good/fresh bagels! The softest ones are the egg bagels! yum!
4 - Eva G.: Always on the search for the best bagel! Absolute Bagel is on a lot of "favorite" lists in magazines and blogs so we had to check this place out. It's a bit off the beaten path up on Broadway but don't expect to find this place empty!  They have your usual selection of bagels, clearly made New York style as you can watch the bagel making in action. In addition to the usual cream cheese varieties they have a tofu version of the same if you are so inclined. We were not. I had my favorite, lox and cream cheese with onion.  No capers but the great bagel made up for it!

The ambience is limited - still prefer that of Murray's - with some tables and chairs crammed in so not my favorite spot to enjoy that delicious bagel!  However just across the street there is the perfect spot for that.  There is a little park with benches and blooming trees just across the street. A nice place to enjoy that bagel!
2 - Ajay R.: maybe i waited in the wrong line for 15 minutes then walked into the wrong store.  my poppy seed bagel was closer to stale than heavenly.  the chicken salad would be enjoyable to those who like a little gristle with their chicken.  i appreciated that the chix salad wasn't loaded up on mayo.  but come on, 6 bucks for a NOT huge bagel and topping?  the rest of the bagel-wich was quite forgetful.  not coming back, despite other reviews.  you want a real bagel? go to queens, hand rolled bagels. yummm
4 - Michael T.: Great bagels on the Upper West side of NYC!
3 - Asta S.: While the reason to go is definitely for the bagels (as the line that stretched to the door will attest) I'd like to give a special shout out to the cranberry thai iced tea, which is a perfect summery treat!  If you see which bagels are fresh out of the oven, then you can avoid the 10 cent  charge for toasting.  Another tip, if the interior is crowded, try the parkette across the street. Enjoy!
5 - Kathy Y.: WOW. Before making a trip out here, my gf highly suggested to try this place out. She only checks out famous places, so I figured this place was gonna be legit. 

YES this place is legit. We went on a rainy morning so the line was out the door. We didn't mind standing outside since a long line indicates good food ahead of us. I ended up getting a toasted Everything bagel with the chives and garlic spread. I'm glad I ordered a separate bagel with no spread because that bagel comes with a METRIC TON of spread! It's wayyyyy too much! 

I will come back knowing this is a great NY bagel shop. Bagels don't taste and feel like this in Cali, that's fosho!
5 - Derrick W.: This place is awesome. Talk about a huge selection of delicious cream cheeses. I highly recommend getting the lox spread. The line moves fairly quick and they give you a very generous amount of cream cheese to say the least. Highly recommended.
5 - Kalei K.: Bagel was nicely toasted and delicious... Traveled from TriBeCa just for a bagel and well worth it....
5 - Cindy A.: OH MY...FOODGASM. I love bagels. I used to get the double pack of bagels from Costco, toast it, and load on some Philadelphia cream cheese and call it a delicious bagel. Man, was I naive! 

When I came to New York there were 3 things I HAD to eat: cheesecake, pizza, and bagels. I LOVE cheesecake and pizza. I only added bagels to my list because they are well known in New York. I kept asking myself "how good could a bagel be?" 

5 STARS GOOD. Absolute Bagels, you have turned me into a bagel snob. The bagels are so fresh. Lightly toasted on the outside but incredible soft in the inside. Oh, and the spreads are so rich. I got both the lox and chive and garlic and both were excellent.
3 - Tommy J.: I like Absolute a lot, don't get me wrong.  Good selection, fresh bagels made on site, good prices.  Yet, I can't help but feel like most other fresh bagel places have them beat.  The bagels never get that overplump look that a fresh bagel made with good ingredients should.  If you're into a really dense bagel, this is your spot. 

Best bagel here is the egg bagel, I think.
5 - Alexis R.: I love Absolute Bagels.  Love.  If my waistline and I could afford to eat there everyday, I would.  There is no better way to start your day than a warm everything bagel with their scallion cream cheese.  It is insanity.  I'm making myself want one now.  And I'm not hungry.

It's worth a trip, but especially if you're up by Columbia, go to Absolute Bagels.  You will not be disappointed.
5 - E M.: Holy crap.  Best bagels ever.  I get the everything bagel with plain cream cheese.  These bagels don't need flavored cream cheeses, but there are a ton to choose from if you want them.  Absolute also has great coffee, especially for a bagel place.  Almost always a line out the door.  But the service is quick and the food is good so it's worth the wait.
5 - Lauren S.: Best NY bagels! Cash only so bring lots.  You will want more than one bagel. Crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside and piled high with good cream cheese/ tofutti cream cheese. You will need a napkin.
3 - Marc H.: Meh. 

Travelled up here from Hell's Kitchen to try this famed spot, and came away disappointed. Maybe expectations were too high, but this place missed on several fronts. 

The bagels didn't have enough of a crust, and the underside seemed slightly undercooked. Nice chew, definitely, but that wasn't enough to save the bagel. The everything seasoning was also a bit underwhelming. The lox spread was over whipped and I personally prefer chunks of lox in my spread. Also, the whitefish salad was just kinda bland. 

If you're in the area go, if not, don't make the hike.
4 - Jessie M.: A solid lox bagel. It doesn't come close to Russ & Daughters but I was very satisfied.
4 - Jessica C.: I love me a good bagel & this place knows how to serve one right!

Upon first coming in, it's a little hard to decipher what is what on the menu -- what I was looking to try was a bagel w/salmon which I later found out was called lox. I've never had lox on a bagel before but if this is what you want to try as well make sure you get lox AND cream cheese, NOT lox spread which has it mixed in already.

I got mine on an everything bagel w/coffee ($1) which was a good blend but a little sweet since they add sugar + milk for you. Overall, one of the best bagels I've ever had but also one of the most expensive ($8~) which is to be expected since I got lox I guess. 

ALSO -- $ CASH ONLY !!
4 - Randy S.: I admit I enjoyed Essa Bagels more but this place is still a sold choice for a good bagel! I got the Lox bagel and as you can see from the reviews below, definitely a solid choice that I would have to agree with! If I just lived closer I would probably be a regular here.
4 - Matthew H.: Thanks to Yelpers everywhere for pointing out this UPWS bagel haven! Took a dozen chewy holes home with me this weekend. Despite wanting to, I didn't take a bite out of each and every one of them. The 2 that I had were delicious. The line outside on a weekend morning was somehow a sign of good things to come. Definitely give it a try for a New Yawk bagel.
5 - S C.: When I lived in Connectict, I often skipped bagels at random places because I knew I would be disappointed. Living near Absolute Bagels has brought me back in a big way. They are chewy, soft, and sometimes make the cream cheese feel irrelevant. I let my brother have a taste of my egg one and he said that it was getting close to donut territory. I was defensive at first. Why not let a stellar egg bagel just be what it is? Then I had to admit, that with that sweetness and softness, it was coming close.
4 - Sarah A.: Pero like, what else can I say about this place that hasn't already been said?

PLENTY.

omgomgomg.

Whole wheat everything, toasted, with scallion cream cheese, please.

Hungover breakfast, hungover lunch, sober breakfast/lunch/dinner, who the eff cares what time it is or what my BAL is at! Gimme some Absolut! Oops, I mean Absolute (see what I did there?)

The counter people - especially the women - definitely need some mood enhancers. So stone-faced! Lighten up! That cash register never stops-a-ringin' - what could you be mad about??? Cashin out! *2 Chainz voice*, but too bad it's 2012 and they're still cash-only, but perhaps that's a good thing since the lines could get outrageous. Wouldn't want to see people start to fight over who's next and stab each other with pens while signing credit card receipts.

But no, really, the best bagel I ever had. Minimal seating, gets super-crowded during peak times and weekends. A little over-the-top with the prices (over $4 for one bagel with flavored cream cheese). Especially when they give you the runt of the batch, which seems to be more often than not lately - a total ripoff - but will not stop me from coming back entirely too often.
5 - Tara L.: This is how I would imagine a visit to Absolute Bagels would play out on The Family Guy...

Peter: Just schmea some cream cheese on it and lox it up.
Stewie: Box it up? I want to eat it now.
Peter: No, lox it up...with fish.
Stewie: Ouuw neuuuw - neuw fish for me. I'm a born again vegan.
Peter: Now Stuey, what did I tell you about that sex talk. You're too young for that.
Stewie: Sex? How sew?
Peter: Come on, you know. With the honker and the doo-wappity thingamajig and the Quagmire hip check and then the lotus flower bomb.

Stewie: Ohhhh, yes, yes that's right, fish. It does nothing for me. 

If I didn't lose you fully or disgust you, then I will just jump right in and agree with Peter Griffin's imaginary order. 

While the bagels are fresh, with just about perfect texture, nothing quite hits the spots like toasted bagel, with cream cheese and lox. The bagels may be able to stand alone, but with the plentiful "schmea" of cream cheese on each side, your lox will be locked. 

Anytime I visit my sister these days, at least one drop off here is necessary.

Just remember - cash only!
5 - Matt O.: Great bagels, great selection.......CASH only but a solid choice, awesome white fish and lox, salty good........great choice
4 - Isabel G.: For a good tasty bagel, fast service and lots of choices on cream cheese, this is the spot. The lines can be long, but they move fast and the bagels are worth it.

Remember to bring cash!
4 - Laura L.: After 5 years of living in New York, I can honestly say this is the best bagel I have ever had. However, the place is reminiscent of the Soup Nazi episode of Seinfeld -- place your order, step to the right, and do not do anything else. You will probably be yelled at anyway.
5 - Ben H.: Do you like bagels? If you answered yes, this place is a winner. Bagels here are large and flavorful with a perfect balance of softness and chewiness. If you buy a dozen bagels, you get an extra bagel for free. Don't have time or simply don't feel like slicing your own bagels? No problem. Just say the word and the staff will slice all your bagels for you- it is well worth the extra dollar, especially if you're buying many bagels. The cream cheese is great as well- they have many different flavors. The chive and garlic cream cheese is heavenly! The flavored cream cheeses can be fairly expensive so if you're looking to save a few bucks, you can rest assured that the plain cream cheese is of the same high quality. The friendly staff, being Thai, also make a delicious Thai iced tea. 

If you come in the morning, be prepared to wait; the line often continues well outside of the door. The quality of the bagels are definitely worth the wait however. Later in the day, lines tend to be shorter, but the trade off is that the bagels may not be as fresh. Be sure to bring cash, as it's the only currency accepted here. Not to be missed for the true bagel aficionado!
5 - Rebecca M.: Wow! I was so pleasantly surprised when I dropped in here for a bagel. I got an egg bagel with cream cheese. The egg bagel was delicious, with a slightly sweet hint to it, which I enjoyed. Plenty of cream cheese - which is fine by me, I'm happy to scrape off the extra. Better than not having enough. Pretty quick service and a large selection of fresh bagels and different flavors of cream cheese. I can't wait to go back!
5 - Kathy G.: You've already heard it 367 reviews before me, no doubt, THE best bagel in NYC. As a resident NY'er, I've tried them all, seen them come and go. Absolute is a bagel landmark in NYC. Just go in and have a bagel, will ya?
5 - Jeff M.: Always worth the wait.  Bagels are amazeballz.

Two things:
1. Can't believe they charge $0.10 for toasting.  Get real.
2. Don't get the "egg" sandwich.  Pretty sure it's "made" from powdered "eggs".
5 - Alexis R.: This is my first review on yelp and wanted to rate absolute bagel because I love this place. Very close to my apartment I go there as often as I can. The bagel are awesome, with a lot of different type of cream cheese. The bagel are very soft and they put a lot of cream inside...you can defenetly buy one bagel with cream and one other one without and split the cream into both of them. 
Also people are very nice there. 

A very good place for bagel, and you can tell that by the line during the week end (the line is long but people are very efficient inside so u wait only 5 min)
4 - Joan X.: Great bagel place! I hardly go anywhere else as I'm lucky enough to live three blocks away.

During the weekends, the lines can get quite long - but the guys (and gals) in the back move with the precision and efficiency of one of the more desperate contestants on Master Chef so the wait time is nominal. 

I'd recommend the cream cheese over the egg/bacon or egg/sausage combos...you can get pre-fabricated frozen egg patties at McDonalds. Cream cheese is delicious and generously applied. Favorite bagel is their egg flavor - fluffy and ever so slightly sweet! Yum.
3 - Marissa Z.: Despite me being tempted to grab a bagel here every single day, I only give three stars. here's why:

1. customer service. zero stars in this department. like another reviewer said, they are so stone-faced and quick moving. we're customers, not parts on an assembly line! I felt like I was in Chinatown by the absolute lack of politeness I was given.

2. related, but quick service means you get a hefty pile of cream cheese slapped in between your sloppily cut bagel. a little neatness and attention to presentation would go a long way, imo. At least they could provide knives so we could spread the cream cheese ourselves.

3. ambiance. the layout of the store is terrible for the frequent crowds, though this they can't help too much. you feel like you're absolutely in everyone's way as you wait for your order, but don't worry, it's because you are. Also, the interior just appears dingy and a little decor and upgrading of the signs would go a long way. you would think with all the business they get they could do a little refurbishing. but what can I say for a place that's still cash only in this day and age.

at the end of the day, you're going for a bagel and don't expect anything else. I think a business today requires more to get the too-frequent five stars this place gets.
5 - Helen P.: I love love love this place and was my go to spot when I was a grad student at TC. Depending on the day you may end up waiting in a line outside to get in, which tells you that they know their bagels and their bagels are fresh because of the quick turn over. More than their bagels, they have a great selection of cream cheeses!

Please keep in mind that this place is a quick grab a go. 

First off, you prob do not need to toast the bagel so don't. And yes they charge you $0.10, alright get over it. Also be specific about the amount of cream cheese if you do not want a lot, just let them know. 

I love their everything bagels with either  veggie or sun-dried tomato cream cheeses! They definitely prove that NYC has the best bagels.
4 - John M.: Great bagels but the menu is hard to understand unless you're a regular. It was a bit tough communicating to the staff. I had their salami which is not good. The bagels are great though and that's what matters the most at a bagels place. If you go here I recommend just getting bagels with cream cheese. Everything else is not that good.
5 - Caleb S.: Delicious bagels and cream cheese flavors. We had the everything bagel: one with the olive pimento cream cheese and the other with sun dried tomato. Both were incredible. The sun dried tomato managed to still retain the natural sweetness of the tomato, something many others often don't do. Also got a sesame bagel with salmon/chive, fantastic. Cute location, great staff, cash only so make sure to have some on you.
1 - Rachel R.: I can't stand places that are busy enough--at least for now--that they decide they can afford to treat your business as disposable. I called on a Sunday morning around 8am to place an order for pickup and was immediately put on hold. After holding for a few minutes, someone came back to take my order and while I was in the middle of listing what kind of bagels I wanted he abruptly said "wait, how many bagels do you want?" When I answered "around 10," he cut me off again and said "No. You can't call ahead for less than two dozen bagels. You have to come in." I attempted to explain that I was trying to plan food for an event and was in a hurry (and would have mentioned that I was planning to buy other items as well), but instead of letting me finish he just said "NO," while I was still speaking and then hung up. Really? If they're not going to let you call ahead for anything less than 2 dozen bagels, they should at least inform you as soon as you mention you're calling to place an order, not let you wait around on hold and then start listing your order before they snap at you that you actually can't place an order after all. Or, barring that, at least not dismiss you rudely and then hang up on you.

Get over yourselves Absolute. There are other great bagel places in town that are more than willing to accommodate reasonable orders, and if you keep up the poor service, you won't have so much business that you can rudely wave customers away for long.

Brooklyn Bagel, my go-to place for large breakfast orders, was out of the way on this particular occasion, but in the future I'm just going to stick with them, even if it means traveling 40 blocks out of the way. It's worth it to avoid the hassle and the lack of customer service.
5 - Jessica S.: Best. Bagels. EVER.  I live in chelsea, and it's totally worth the trip.  HIGHLY recommended.
4 - Kevin C.: oh man, this place is good. Arguably the best bagel shop in UWS and perhaps one of the best in Manhattan. The line can build up, but it moves quickly. I would recommend getting the cream cheese on the side, unless you want a cream cheese bagel burger. They literally put a patty-sized gob of cream cheese between the bagels halves.

The outside of the bagel is crispy, but the inside remains chewy and soft. Bagels, at their finest. If I lived nearby, I would probably drop by every morning. Can't wait to go back!
5 - Christine S.: This place is THE spot if you want a great bagel, not for atmosphere.  I always get an extra container and end up saving half my cream cheese for later since the portions are generous.  Blue berry cream cheese is my favorite.
3 - Carol B.: Long line, quick service, so many spreads that you'll never be able to make up your mind! And they have mini bagels!

So why only 3 stars? In all honesty, I was not wowed by the veggie cream cheese. It was lacking that bit of saltiness and crunch from some bell peppers that I have come to expect from other bagel shoppes. The bagel was so hot out of the oven that it burned me! All of the cream cheese melted right off...This isn't a complaint, it was delicious. Freshest bagel that I have had in a long time.

It was fluffy, light, it was almost like eating a cloud smothered in fatty cream cheesy goodness. How could you say no?!

The bagels with lox looked pretty tasty, but I am always skeptical about ordering lox. I would rather just prepare it myself.

Next time I will be my usual self and get a tofutti spread...and whatever is coming fresh out of the oven. $8 for two bagels with spread? I guess that's not bad...We are in New York people.
2 - Evan M.: Either the fix is in or there is some sort of conspiracy going on here. Over four stars and over 300 reviews means it has to be good, right? Not always the case.  

It's fascinating to see how many different enterprises that Asian Americans will try their hand at. More power to them but bagel making is usually something that's best left up to my friends of the Jewish community. After trying these bagels, the Jews have nothing to worry about. 

There were a lot of good signs when I came in: a line of people waiting. The bagels appeared to be fresh and delicious. Looks were decieving because when I bit into my everything bagel with jalapeño cream cheese it was pretty bland and tasteless. The bread quality left little to be desired. Their version of jalapeño cream cheese seemed nothing more than flecks of celery with red paprika powder sprinkled on plain cream cheese. Yuck! 

I also ordered a salt bagel with butter to compare and it faired no better. Upon opening the bagel it appeared that they had cheapened out on the butter. It was more like a lazy, wipe of butter. The bagel had the same bland consistency of the one prior. 

The UWS and nearby areas are a dead zone for good bagels so I was looking forward to coming here after seeing the glowing reviews. This bagel place did nothing to alter my perception of the area. Brooklyn Bagel Co. needs to help this area out and add a new location here. Please!
5 - Charlie P.: Best bagel I've ever had bar none.
1 - Paul B.: Honestly, I can't see what the fuss is all about. Got an everything bagel w/lox spread. While chewey, the bagel had no flavor. The inside tasted like white bread. I suspect that they are using very cheap flour. Can't recommend them at all.
5 - Kirsten S.: I am embarrassed to say that I just found out about the mini bagels. Same perfect texture and flavor... half the size (and calories). You don't have to wreck your diet to enjoy an Absolute Bagel!

I ran from Midtown to get here today... that's how good these bagels are. Do not miss out, and don't let the line deter you!
5 - Semira M.: Delicious. My only complaint is that their eggs do not appear real (I doubt they are) and they've cut back on the mountains of cream cheese they slathered on every bagel, which was one of the selling points.
1 - Alice L.: Absolute Bagels are the best, but their health inspection results are the WORST.

Go to the below link for the details on their inspection grade of C: 

www.nyc.gov

There's no excuse for these critical violations.  They need to clean up their act!
5 - Ross S.: Visited today after getting a craving for a nice bagel after doing some work up at Columbia. Bagel was nice and soft inside with a perfect NY style crust.


Make sure you ask them what is fresh/warm as they are rolling and cooking bagels all day. When I was there everything bagels had just come out of the oven and were nice and warm with my scallion cream cheese and nova.
3 - Alison W.: Trekking it all the way to the upper west side (from midtown) for just bagels seems like such a hassle but I really wanted to try this place. I've heard it's one of the best bagel places in NYC. This place is run by Asians! I found that interesting. Also it's not a very big shop. But they have like 7-8 small tables. We got a garlic bagel with cream cheese and an everything bagel. You should ask for the bagel sliced if you get it plain and a plan on enjoying it right away. Otherwise it's a whole bagel. They pile on the cream cheese so that's why we only got it on one bagel and then shared the cream cheese. I know, that's so Asian of us but it's a waste of perfectly good cream cheese if we both got it. Really good bagel but there's something about bagels from New York, isn't there. Still not sure what's in an everything bagel but I liked it and the flavor was very subtle, not overwhelmingly herby or salty. They work fast here and it's very no nonsense place.
2 - Lisa S.: I ran many miles to eat this bagel but I am not sure I would do it again! I still firmly believe that NJ bagels are better. The place also has a B rating right now, which concerns me because they dont even handle meat? Its bagels and cream cheese! The bagels are pretty crunchy....but the cream cheese was delicious. I ordered an everything bagel with lox spread. Come to bergen county for a true bagel experience.

Absolutely PC - Claremont, CA (34.0915851, -117.7101954) ()
5 - Devin A.: I'm a student at the Claremont Colleges and had spilled some liquid on my computer, definitely should have taken it in sooner but waited. 

At any rate, I took it in and had Samy look at it, since I said I was a college student and it was around finals, he opened it up and tried a couple of things while I was still there. The computer ended up being a lost cause (The motherboard had to be replaced), but going to Absolutely PC wasn't. Samy was incredibly helpful and friendly, he worked on my computer quickly and kept me up to date. I brought in the computer on a Saturday afternoon and he called me Monday morning. 

I also brought an older replacement laptop in at the same time so that I had something to write on during finals. It was running soooo slow but he fixed it with in a day (I'm even writing on that lap top now!). He was super helpful and super fast and was really nice about the whole 'college student and their symbiotic relationship with their laptop' thing. Altogether, even though I had brought in two laptops, I was only without a computer for a little under a week. 

Samy is very cool and he's just starting out, but he's enthusiastic and knows what he's doing. I'd definitely recommend going to Absolutely PC.
5 - Dena L.: Sammy was great!!!
Fixed my Laptop. No BS just straight up, reasonable prices, and it didn't take long for repairs!
5 - Peter F.: Twas two weeks before Christmas, and all through the house,
Something was burning, and you couldn't move the mouse...

Nobody likes getting emails from their grandmother that contain the words "computer" and "suspicious odor", especially not when it's Family Photo Calendar Season.  With grandma 3000 miles away and a probable dead power supply, I had to contemplate the dreaded prospect of having some stranger touching my Grannie's beloved system.

The term 'computer repair shop' conjures up images of getting ripped off by a balding, overweight guy in a dusty pawn shop slash hardware graveyard.  Luckily, Samy turned out to be competent, fast and friendly.  He placed the hard drive in a spare Dell box, installed all the drivers and even installed the computer in my grandparent's home, all for a very reasonable price.... and in less than 24 hours.  A good PC tech is like an honest mechanic or plumber - rare as hell.  Highly recommended.
5 - Nihaahs E.: Great service! Thanks Sammy!
5 - Jonny w.: like the rest of the great reviews, Samy did his magic on an old f'ed up laptop i had.  Samy fixed the video card/blank screen problem i had in minutes! was very impressed
5 - Bonnie M.: Strongly recommend this place! Sammy is awesome and he definitely knows what he's doing. He fixed my laptop in less than 2 hours and best yet, he did it right in front of you so that I was getting educated too. The price is absolutely great too. I'm so glad that I walked away from BestBuy GeekSquad right before I headed over to Sammy's shop. He saved my laptop, my money AND my time! Thanks to other previous reviews too so that I knew about this place. :-)
5 - Lisa C.: I had an PC that was holding a lot of photos hostage.  I took the tower to Sammy he removed the hard drive and loaded all my important data onto a DVD that I could then load into my Mac.  

Great Service, prices and very knowledgeable.  The original price quoted was even less when I went to pick up the Disc.

I would definitely use Sammy again for any computer issue.  Give him a call you will not be sorry..
1 - Eugene M.: One of the weirdest retail  experiences I have ever had. 

This Sammy character checks my sister's laptop and claims there is something wrong with the video card on the laptop that's causing it not to boot the O.S.  When I try to understand what his recommendation is by asking questions about the problem, he gets this weird condescending attitude with me which immediately set of warning bells that this guy was up to no good.  

He then offered some Gerry-rigged fix that he said he couldn't guarantee but wanted to charge around a hundred dollars for. It was really sketchy and had bad news written all over it. First off, my sister's laptop doesn't have a "video card" the entire setup is integrated into the motherboard. Second, he kept things really vague and didn't guarantee his work. I thanked him for his time and went off my merry way. 

I definitely dodged a bullet with this guy, because my friend and I did the repairs ourselves  and it had nothing to do with a phantom video card. I wouldn't trust this guy at all. If it wasn't for this guy's bad attitude, I might have actually gone through with giving him the laptop. Thank god, I didn't.

Abyssinia - Providence, RI (41.819494, -71.396469) (Fox Point)
4 - Andy F.: Ethiopian food is not exactly easy to find and to my knowledge none was available in Providence until now. That being said, it is delicious and Abyssinia did not fail to impress. I have only had three prior experiences with Ethiopian food but this stacks up well against those and compares well to certain types of food like Indian and Afghan if you are unfamiliar with Ethiopian.

Abyssinia moved in to Angkor's old location and Angkor moved down the road to Traverse Street.

The best thing we had (we had the vegetarian sampler, sambussas, and the beef Key Wot) was the vegetarian sambussa (think fried samosa if you are familiar with the Indian dish) and the Yemsir Wot. They absolutely nailed the spicing on the lentils in the sambussas and yemsir wot. Rich, spicy, and perfectly flavored. I would go back again just for those two, especially the sambussa. The third place goes to the Key Wot, a spicy, meaty, stew which goes perfectly with the injera (flat bread that comes with everything). It has a rich, red, greasy (in the good way) sauce that soaks into the bread, making it mouth wateringly good even if you don't have any stew left.

They are still working out little things but nothing major (after all they did just open on Monday, the day we went). The waiter also said they were planning on expanding the menu once they got settled.

One item to note: seating is pretty limited and I don't know if they are planning on doing take-out.
5 - Pat H.: This was my first time eating Ethiopian food and the staff was extremely knowledgable and helpful. The atmosphere was very inviting.

The food was AMAZING!

I can't wait to go back.
4 - Ellen B.: Fabulous food, equal to the Ethiopian places we've been to in NYC and DC. Very cheap, though less food than is typical-plenty but you're not groaning when you leave as I've experienced in other Ethiopian places We had the vegetarian combination and a sambussa with lentils. Delicious.

 Be warned- it's a tiny place. We went at 6PM on  Friday night-and by 6 15, it was completely full.
5 - curtis e.: YUM!
4 - Sophonisba G.: I was simultaneously thrilled and crushed a few months back when I saw a sign on the restaurant formerly known as Angkor saying "Coming soon- Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant".  Thrilled because Ethiopian is one of my very favorite cuisines, and crushed because I love Angkor.  But good news!  Angkor just moved down the street, and Abyssinia opened up last week and is pretty dang good!  Although they didn't have the largest menu I've seen at similar places, the food was definitely up to par, and they comped half our meal because it took a bit to get the food out-- unnecessary but appreciated! (No, we did not make any sort of stink about the wait, although the huge party next to us got their WHOLE meal comped because they didn't have gluten-free injera.)  My friend and I shared a  meat combo (which is actually a veggie combo plus 2 meat dishes) which ended up being $14 plus tip after they discounted it so much.  Also when I asked for extra injera they gave us the veeery last piece they had left.    So they haven't quite ironed out all their kinks but I was not disappointed.  Will be back!
5 - Marie C.: I just left Adyssinia and it really blew my mind! The flavor profile was just amazing. My boyfriend and I went and we got the Meat combination which included: Doro Wot chicken, Key Wot beef, Atakilt Mixed veggies, Yemsir Wot Lentils, and Mittin Shiro Wot split peas.  The portion size was spot on for the time of day and we only payed $20 for the entire meal which also included Ethiopian coffee that was being served to us in a french press. This was a very authentic place and everyone should stop by. It is 100% comfort food and the people there are just so friendly.

Great Job!!
5 - May R.: My first experience with Ethiopian food in Philadelphia was not of a good experience. I found the food lacking taste and very bland. I was unimpressed. When I learned of  this restaurant opening on Wickenden street, I thought I would give Ethiopian food a second try. 

Was I glad I did!! I tried both the vegetarian and meat combo and it was both so full of flavor my mouth was screaming from foodgasms! The food is authentic and even taste great the next day as left-overs. Very decently priced as well. think I found myself a new place to frequent. Let's keep this restaurant around for a long time.!
5 - Michael Z.: Ethiopian was one of the last great cuisines that Providence didn't have.  Abyssinia is a delicious and welcome addition!  

Very generous portions:  three of us shared an appetizer and the vegetarian combo platter and were very satisfied.  

Great prices, too!  

Most important, the food was delicious.  I grew up eating Ethiopian food and this is as good as it gets outside of an Ethiopian home or, perhaps, some of the best DC places.  

The vegetarian platter is actually vegan.  In general this would be a great place for a group that included vegetarians, vegans, and meat-eaters.
3 - Caitlin B.: I live right around the corner, and I've eagerly been awaiting the opening of Abyssinia for what seems like forever!  It was definitely worth the wait :)
Yum! The food here is delicious.  We ordered the vegetarian sampler, which included five dishes and a lot of the famed spongy Ethoipian bread.  Each dish was different and very well favored.
I wish the portions had been slightly bigger.  While I'm not someone to stuff myself, I still wasnt quite full.  Maybe if we had ordered an appetizer that would have helped.
The service was excellent. Very attentive and friendly staff. When we told out waiter we were in a rush, he made sure our food came out in no time.
I hope in time the menu will be expended to add a couple of new options.
I will definitely be back to this new Providence gem!
5 - Rebecca F.: I have been waiting-- literally-- a decade for ethiopian food in Providence.  My first visit (their first week open) was good-- they were still importing injera from Boston, service was shaky and the portions confusing.  However, I just had a WONDERFUL meal there today.  Lunch is a really good bargain, the injera was fresh, thick and tasty and the portions were perfect.  I also missed out on the beloved hot towels for first visit there, so I was delighted to have them arrive this time around.  Really, I will be a frequent visitor for sure.  THANK YOU to the owners for going out on a limb-- deep bow of appreciation.  YUM!!!!!  Affordable, wonderful.  :-)
5 - Marques C.: My gf and I love Ethiopian food, which is why we were so excited when a place was opening up so close to us. 

The food was excellent! Just enough spice to everything and for some reason the inerja just tasted better than what I've had at other places. 

We got the vegetable sampler for two at $20. Like I said it was very good tasting, however the portions seemed smaller then what we were used to. From here I would have given Abyssinia 4 stars. 

My gf was curious to whether we received the 1 person proportion or the 2 person, and asked a server. The next thing we knew they brought another whole plate of food out. It was great.

After going back for a second time, I agree with my first opinion. It doesn't get much better than this. Glad to have Abyssinia in Providence.
4 - Jill D.: I am no stranger to Ethiopian cuisine, oddly enough. It's my favorite food in the world, and I make a point to find a place pretty much anywhere I live/visit. Abyssinia was certainly a welcome addition to Providence, as there are no Ethiopian places until you get to Boston! I tried Abyssenia over the weekend, and I must say it's really quite tasty! We had the veggie sambussa to start-- very good, and the meat combo for the entree. the yesega alcha was some of the best i've tasted across the country, actually, so i recommend that one highly. the key wot was merely "okay"...bland sauce -- a bit disappointing because I got a few mouthfuls of sharp bones in that one. All of the veggie dishes are also quite good, the cabbage and yellow lentils being outstanding. A lovely meal and a good price. I'm so glad you're here, Abyssinia, I'll be coming back!
5 - A T.: I was back a second time two weeks later and was very happy to see the restaurant now offers moist towels pre-meal and wash-n-drys post meal.  They also now offer salad on the injera bread.

So, now a few new suggestions:  1) I'd include the wash-N-drys with the check at the end of the meal at the table, rather than only at the counter on the way out.  2) Also, I'm not sure if my salad had much -- if any -- salad dressing when it was served on the injera the second time I visited -- so I'd make sure to have the salad properly dressed when served on the injera. 3)   The Doro Wat chicken dish had some small bones in the sauce, so I'd make sure to institute better quality control with this entree.
4 - Erin R.: Coming from DC which is chalked full of Ethiopian i was prepared to be judgey about the food. No need! The wot had a really nice flavor although i personally like it hotter. Id also love to see more options, where is my lamb wot??, but for a pioneer in providence, well done indeed.
5 - Emily F.: Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. The food is authentic and delicious. If you've never had Ethiopian, I highly recommend you try it here.  Better than my experience in D.C. Very cozy atmosphere. Dark deep robust coffee roasted and brewed on site, served in french presses, how cool is that?  The owners are extremely friendly, warm-hearted, generous people!
I brought a bunch of my friends here for their first ethiopian food experience and the owners were so nice! they explained everything :).

eat and enjoy the best ethiopian around!
1 - Tobias H.: I always look for the good in a restaurant, coming from a restaurant family and having experience both in the kitchen and as a server.  

I can say I honestly feel I went to a different restaurant than all the other reviewers.  The vegetarian dish was bland, not delicate, bland and colorless and the appetizer (a fried samosa item) had obviously been fried prior and then re-fried creating a rock hard shell.  My mother, a chef of over 30 years experience, had a chicken ginger dish that tasted like old tabacco.  She did not object to bones as we are both used to authentic Indian food having the same trade mark.  The meal just wasn't good.

I am sincerely hoping that we caught them on a day where their chef called in sick and so the dish-washer was stuck cooking the food.  

Note: I spoke with my father shortly after to compare notes , being that he has been to and eaten in Ethiopia back when Ethiopia was called Abyssinia.  Based on our discussion the food should not have tasted anything like what we described.
4 - Carly B.: Hooray! A new and welcome thread being woven into the fabric of awesome international cuisine in PVD.

Before the food even came I had a great feeling. We were led to the upstairs seating area by a friendly and welcoming face. Nice big red booths and a few deuces lined the perimeter of the converted upstairs apartment (bathtub and all), candles in lanterns on the tables, Ethiopian music playing created a cool atmosphere.

It's a good sign when a new restaurant offers a limited menu - Yes. Please! Start small, learn, be open, adapt, respond to the people - as it seems Abyssinia already has done even since their very recent opening. There were still kinks in the service (3 people helping us out, roles seemingly undefined so we - and they - weren't sure who was in charge of what) but everyone was very nice.

Having ordered a combo plate (all 5 veg dishes + 2 meat) I can't see any other way to go - bold, vibrant colors and textures were a feast for the eyes and smelled incredible. The combo's just a few dollars more than ordering only one of those items as a main dish. The beef and chicken dishes had tasty, intense flavor but the meats were tough and a lot of little bones in the chicken. I'll do just the veg combo next time because everything there was AWESOME - it was like tasting these familiar, modest ingredients (peas, lentils, collards, potatoes, beets) for the first time once married with the Ethiopian blends of spices -- food alchemy! It was so much fun to devour - just when you think you're too full for one more bite you spot another perfect bite to scoop up with the excellent bread. 

Oh, and BYOB, y'all!

Welcome, Abyssinia!
3 - Edwin L.: Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine? what's that!?

I really can't tell you really what it is... but this i can speak on the following....

forget the fork and spoon, use you hands!!! the food is finger licking good! I had food coma via a large lega-tibs; it's beef chunks sauteed in oil seasoned with onions, green peppers, rosemary and black pepper (10.95). the meal was massive!

Service was spot on! my glass was always full and i was trusty that night too; no pun intended. the sever's knowledge was truly remarkable... i think i was taking notes about how they prepared their food... just dont quiz me. 

in all, i was amazed. I really cant compare this Ethiopian joint any other restaurant. this was my first experience....
5 - a h.: Me and my wife just visited Abyssinia and both of us were extremely impressed by the restaurant as a whole. 

I read through some of the other reviews about service and it seems like they have wholeheartedly taken the hint and the service we received (and it appeared the same at all the other tables) was top notch. 

For the food, I had the "meat sampler" (not its real menu name, I forgot what it was called) and my wife had the vegetarian version. Both of our entrees were amazing, and more than enough food. I've eaten Ethiopian food in a couple of places here in the US and even in Ethiopia (funny enough, the meal I had there was kind of salty.. but more on that later), and the food at Abyssinia was up there among the most memorable. 

Frankly, Providence should feel blessed this place is here. It makes the city that much stronger. I am super excited about this place! It was really cheap too!

The restaurant occupies only the first floor of the former (crappy) Angkor, so there will likely be a wait at most times. We were lucky enough to slip right into a table when we got there.  (EDIT: not sure if they have the upstairs or not...)


I feel bad for Tobias (He gave it 1 star down below). I think he really did get the "off" day, because it seems completely out of character from what we experienced tonight.

P.S. Looks like right now its BYOB
3 - Angela d.: Came here with some lovely yelpers last week! I've had Ethiopian food before and was not the biggest fan, but I was willing to give it another chance at abyssinia.  

We started with hot towels, which was a nice way to prep us for eating with our hands =) We started with vegetarian and beef Sambussas.  The beef was definitely better.  They were kinda like empanadas.

For the main dish I opted for veggies (Atakilt), which were delicious! I was afraid the meat dishes would be too strong for my tastes, which is what I remembered from the last time I had Ethiopian.  It's basically like vegetable stew served on injera (which is reminiscent of a giant savory pancake).  It was all delicious and service was great! They were super friendly.  

A-ok in my book!
4 - Hilary H.: I have found a new love, and it's name is Key Wot. Spicy, tender, fragrant and saucy, this stuff is where it's at. Really and truly some of the best darn beef this gal has ever had the pleasure to partake.  

We were seated immediately, and brought waters and menus promptly. We ordered the veggie sambussas (little flaky pockets of spicy lentils - yum!) and two combo plates for one. The combo plates make it SUPER easy to order, as you can select from a mix of protiens and still get all the lovely slad/side dish items as part of the plate. 

Now, the food was wonderful, but I have to take one star off because the service, while friendly, was very disorganized. The sambussas came right quick, and we cracked open the first of our sixer and dove in (Abyssinia is a BYOB joint). Very soon after that, one of the combo plates arrived, and it was HUGE! And it was very unclear what it was... turns out, they made a combo for two rather than two combos for one... and we weren't the only table this seemed to happen at. Eventually they brought the other order, so the two of us had enough food for four people. 

And, oh my goodness, the food! SO good, SO flavorful. We had a ball, and will absolutely be back here again. I can see where it would be a ton of fun to go as a group and share a bunch of the combo plates and apps. 

Who knew I would love Ethiopian food so much? Abyssinia, that's who!
4 - William H.: Wow this was good.  Very low key ambiance.  We didn't have a wait but the place sure wasn't empty.  Be sure to bring some wine or beers as they're BYOB if you're so inclined.

Honestly I had no idea what to order as I had never eaten Ethiopian food.  Luckily, they make it easy with their combination plates.  We both got Meat Combos with slight variations.  Now, they made a mistake when they brought our food, but it was in our favor.  We had both ordered meat combos for one, but they brought us 2 meat combos for 2.  And we had orderd an appetizer.  I was ready for the challenge, and nearly pulled it off but the hearty beef stew could not be slain.  I LOVED the spicy beef (Key Wot I think is the name?) with cottage cheese to cool down the spice.

Try this place!  Dinner for 2 was less than $40 and it was fantastic!
5 - Stephanie M.: Oh, thank god, Ethiopian in Providence!
Not just Ethiopian, either, but GOOD Ethiopian. The injera here was PERFECT, spongy, tangy, and of the exact right consistency to soak up all the flavourful food-juice and still not fall apart. They also did not charge for more of it, which was very nice. 
I ordered a combo plate, and both the meat dishes were perfectly spiced, especially the key wot. Too many places try to make this less spicy and end up with bland - this was full-strength and AMAZING, the good slow, persistent burn I was looking for. The ye'dinich salata was also a standout - I don't normally care for pickled beets, but this was so delicious I devoured mine and was making longing noises at my friend's portion. 
Abysssina compared very well to Ethiopian I have had elsewhere, and I look forward to seeing them stick around for a long while.

A note - BYOB, and you should. Beer + Ethiopian is a good call.
5 - Michael S.: We went to Abyssinia again today, this time for lunch.  As last time, the food was excellent.  Well- and properly-spiced, and in perfectly-sized servings (we had the vegetarian platter for two), Abyssinia's food continues to satisfy and delight.  I'm still disappointed that they're serving water in plastic tumblers (C'mon, guys, we're big boys and girls. Give us real glasses), but glad that they've begun to provide handy wipes at meal's end.  We'll be back.
5 - Katie A.: I am so happy to have access to such a good Ethiopian restaurant!  Although the menu is small, everything tasted great (we got the veggie combo).  The service was friendly, and we were seated and got our food very quickly despite it being a weekend evening. 

Gluten free diners and authentic food seekers -  they can provide wheat-free teff-only injera if you ask ahead of time!  Apparently the wheat added to the teff flour in the US is just to please our Western palates - but the all-teff injera tasted just as good to me.   A little more sour, and it breaks apart more easily (no gluten to hold it together) - but it was nice to feel like I was eating the food more authentically!
4 - Leah G.: Split the veggie combo with your eating partner.
You won't be let down.

Bonuses: Cheap & BYOB.
Minus: Quite busy on the weekends.
5 - Jennifer E.: I really liked this place.  I've only had Ethiopian once before but I thought that Abyssinia was just as good, if not better than the last time I had it.  We had the Meat combination plate for 2 which was 17.50 (off the lunch menu).  We chose the chicken and the veal entrees (and you get a sample of each of the veggie entrees).  The food was delicious and fresh and the price was right.  Our server was friendly and attentive (although when we went it wasn't very busy).  I really enjoyed my experience and will be back again.
2 - Michael E.: I have never had Ethiopian food, but I wanted to try it and I do not like it.

Injera is just way too sour, I was told it was mild...this was a full-on vinegary punch. I just couldn't handle it. The Doro Wot, which was raved about was rather unimpressive -- it could have been the excessive sourness from the injera seeping into the food. 

The salad garnish they provided, however, was delectable and refreshing.

The press-pot coffee was outstanding -- kudos.

It could have very well been an off night, but I'm not certain. Perhaps my ever-widening palette became a little smaller...

Sigh.
5 - R S.: Delicious and fresh food. Injura was excellent. Friendly staff and speedy service.
4 - Emily K.: I love Ethiopian food. It one of the things I really miss about the West Coast. This is the only place near me that serves it. 

The restaurant is new. They are still working out the kinks, but it is worth a visit. They cannot find all the traditional ingredients and cooking tools yet, so there are some interesting moments of fusion happening on the menu.

Go out and support this place. It's good now, and if give it time to mature, it could be great!
2 - Andrew G.: I so much want to like this place as this is one of the big holes in the PVD dining scene, but I came away with thinking that this place was pretty average compared to other ethiopian places.

It was really busy my first visit and only somewhat my 2nd, so I hope it keeps going so that they can improve things.

The first time I went I ordered the doro wat which had a nice moderately spicy flavor although the portion was small for ethiopian.  The injera was decent but had a bit of an off taste that needed improving (they told us that they were not yet making their own).

The 2nd visit, I had the veggie sampler and athough the portion was small, 2 of the items were much worse than the other 3.  I cant remember to be honest which 2 they were...but they were definitely off.  The injera this time while covering the platter was not enough and it would have been nice to get a side of it like most other ethiopian places.

The service was great both times.

Not the best ethiopian around but a solid start for a new cuisine to providence
2 - larry l.: so  we  went excited to try the vegan options  and ordered the sampler
for  two.  We found the presentation excellent , the server was very nice 
and pleasant. At first it has some interesting and tasty flavors , but as
one gets further into the dish , you begin to see , taste and feel the 
amazing amount of oil or ghee , not sure which. 

So , sitting here 3 hours later and fighting my stomachs urge to try and
find something ...anything to do with all that oil  , much to my regret i could never eat there again. Creating tasty vegan food is easy with loads of oil. I'm sure they will do very well and wish them the best , but ...just can't do it. Better to save it for bio fuel.
1 - Lucy G.: For the Record,
     Nothing excites me more than trying new foods so as you can guess i was very excited to try this place. I originally planned to go last week but they were closed for some reason it figures right.... 
  But anyway i was able to go this week and couldnt wait.  It was easy to find right on Wickenden and not very packed on a Monday.   It's small but clean and the server was friendly.
    I wanted to order the beef Sambussas but they informed me the cook was not making them that day..OK??... So i got the Doro Wot i think its called. 
  _I like the serving style of these dishes however, the Inerja was Very Very Sour..like too much vinegar or something but the salad on the side would kind of cancel out the flavor but still i couldnt eat too much of it.  (Side note: This was my first time eating Ethiopian food so was it suppose to taste like this?)
   _The sauce while it looked yummy was SPICY as hell..Clearing my sinuses was the only positive outcome with that sauce.lol.  It came with a salad of lettuce beets and tomatoes the salad seemed to work well but i still couldnt get past the inerja.
                    But sadly it went downhill from there ....
 It was the chicken!  Where do they getting off giving such small portions? It was 13 bucks for my plate...am i being too unreasonable??

    **And I'm telling you guys the chicken was so small,  skinny and thin I had to question if it was even chicken at all. ....It was more like a....a umm......  I dunno what it was, but it was something.  If you were to order a whole chicken there is a nice breast portion btwn the wings..Well this chicken had two what looked like long thin wings/legs? ..but no sizable breast portion in btwn just a think slat in the middle with some meat on it..so umm was it chicken?  you tell me lol
  The other piece of chicken was this hard Inedible piece of what im assuming was dark meat but that was too hard to chew I couldnt even bite into it let alone eat it...I dunno im just not a fan. I was going to bring a big group here to experience this but i ended up just going alone and im kinda glad I did 
    I guess i would be willing to try another Ethiopian place ....but i may go kicking a screaming
4 - B R.: Providence finally has Ethiopian food and it's really good.  Not the best Ethiopian I've ever had, but definitely solid.  Plus plus atmosphere & prices.  The fare is good, in particular the meat dishes and injera bread.  Could've been a bit less bland but they're probably trying to appeal to the rookie.  Plenty of selections for vegan and gluten-free diets alike.
5 - Lia A.: I had never eaten Ethiopian or Eritrean food before, but grew up in the middle east eating Indian and Palestinian/Jordanian cuisine, and this restaurant reminded me of a wonderful combination of the two.  I highly recommend this place to anybody who is not a chicken nuggets and fries only kind of person.

The Injera, slightly sour pancake like sour dough bread on the bottom was delicious.  I found out from the manager that they actually toned down the sourness from the traditional recipe because many Americans did not appreciate it very much.  I thought it complimented the other menu items nicely and made the palatable experience more exciting.  It also helped to balance the spice in some dishes and add flavour to the milder ones.

The heat from the spicier dishes was not too strong, but this is all personal perception and greatly differs based on your spice threshold, and the mixture of spices and seasonings were truly amazing.  I loved the combinations!  

I had a vegetarian mix, which was so satisfying and filling.  My entire group was surprised at how full they felt even though the portions they had did not look large.  This place really does prove that quality will outdo quantity!

I also loved eating with the injara with my friends.  It brings you together, and after a while you get the hang of it and feel so much more connected to the experience.  The experience is part of the tradition of their dining, and I hope more people embrace it and support them.

The staff were friendly and accommodating and I will definitely be going back.  Overall and amazing experience!
3 - Cookie M.: I love Ethiopian food, and was thrilled to see this place open at last. The first few times I went in, I was told that there was a long wait for a table. It was busy the night I finally ate there, and my  food was stone cold by the time it reached me. They definitely need more staff, or better organization, or both. However, I enjoyed the meal and would definitely give the place another chance. The prices were a bit steep but the portions were satisfying.
3 - Scott K.: Finally, really good Ethiopian food in Providence!

My wife and I (especially my wife) enjoy Ethiopian food, but have had to drive into Boston whenever the craving strikes. Our favorite Boston Ethiopian spot is Addis Red Sea. Geography definitely made Ethiopian dining more of a special occasion type outing.

Now that Abyssinia has opened on Wickenden Street, we won't have to make the trek to Bean Town to get our hands dirty with some delicious Ethiopian fare. And it was delicious. Not to mention - we spent less than half of what we would have eating in Boston (I'm not even including gas & parking here people).

But Scott, why did you only give Abyssinia three stars? While the food was quite good (we went at lunch on the hottest day this century and were the only ones in the restaurant), the ambience and service weren't super. It's also BYOB which is kind of a PITA.

--- UPDATE ---

Since writing this I've been back to Abyssinia several times, always for lunch. While the food remains consistently good, service is on very shaky ground. The owner seems to find well intentioned but very inexperienced people to work as servers (and we all know what the road to Hell is paved with). 

Lunch on a weekday should be snappy--most people are probably on a lunch break. At Abyssinia, the pace is always leisurely, teetering on neglectful. My most recent experience involved the waiter being unable to understand our order: a meat combination for two. When he brought two huge plates to the table we said, "no, we ordered the meat combination for two," to which he replied, "right, for two," and set the food on the table. When the bill came it was clear that he misunderstood because we'd been considerably overcharged (the same thing happened to another table while we were there). The waiter protested, but did end up reducing the bill to charge us for what we had ordered.

I don't want to give this place a bad rap because the food is quite good, and I'd hate to see them go under due to some bush league management decisions. Get it together guys, Abyssinia could be great!
4 - Barbara B.: I went for the first time for lunch today.  My friend and I shared a vegetarian sampler for two that was wonderful.  When it arrived it didn't seem like that much food, but hard as we tried we were unable to finish it all.  The variety of spices and textures were really wonderful.  The Injera was just the subtle sour I like.  I will definately be returning, and am looking forward to it.
4 - Cross P.: Hey manybe it;s me? I am a Dog! and will eat almost anything. I found this place the be delightful! I ordered the veal tips, The Injera, I found to be tasty with the veal, loved the fact I could eat with my paws. The veggies were seasoned just right. Super awesome. The waiter and staff were extremely polite. We found it to be very reasonable cost wise. I would definately stop in again!
5 - anne s.: The atmosphere and staff are just wonderful. We went in for coffee, and if you like strong coffee, this is a must-try. No bitterness, and that is because they roast it on site. We had the vegetarian Sambussa, as well as the Gomen Wot (collard greens) and the Yemsir Wot (lentils). The spiciness is a warm spice, not hot -- so there was no shock.
5 - Noni W.: I am an adventurous foodie.  I was so happy to find an Ethiopian restaurant close to campus.  This is my second time eating Ethiopian food, so I was not surprised by the layout and portions of the food.  We ordered the meat sampler for two.  I did not find the injera sour at all.  Everything tasted flavorful.  My favorites were definitely key wot and the split chickpeas.  The potato and carrots were good too. The veal was a bit chewy but it had nice flavor.  

*The portions may look small but you get filled up pretty fast.
3 - Mike D.: Definitely good for a change.  I like the concept and the food, however, I was hoping for just a bit more meat.  I split the meat combo and while there were plenty of dips, I was hoping for some more protein.  Really, it's just the fact that tend not to eat too much doughy bread, which probably would have filled me a bit more.  The choice of outdoor seating is great especially if there is nice weather.  The BYOB option is also really enticing.  It pretty inexpensive and could definitely be a cheaper night with quality food if you're not looking to spend a lot.
5 - Maggie H.: This place is great. Very efficient service, reasonable prices and cozy atmosphere. The food is completely delicious. It's about time that we got an ethiopian restaurant in providence!
5 - Liz M.: Ok, so I've never eaten Ethiopian food before today.

I went in for lunch with a friend who had been there before.  We got the Veg. Combo Platter for 2 and it was awesome.  We also tried the gluten free bread-stuff and that was better than I expected it to be.
I wish I could be more specific but I didn't really know what I was eating half the time, just that it tasted great.

I definitely plan to go back and maybe next time I'll learn the names of some of the stuff they serve.
4 - Randall R.: Recently tried Abyssinia.  I was very pleased.  The place is small, but the food is authentic and service warm and attentive. Tried 2 big combo platters to see what was best.  Standouts were spicy chicken and beef, although  agree with comments about stingy chicken portion.  Lentil dishes are also excellent. BYOB always nice.  Looking forward to returning.
3 - Stephanie C.: the fact that there's ethiopian/eritrean food in providence is exciting enough. im not an expert, but compared to a legit place i went to in san francisco, abyssinia has some good dishes. both times that i came here i ordered the combo platter to share with a friend. it's just the right amount of food and a good mix of everything if you're unsure of what to get. my biggest complaint with this restaurant is none of the food is warm/hot enough...it's always kind of room temperature or even cold, giving me the impression it was sitting out for a while or something. service is also pretty slow.
5 - Pete D.: Amazing food. I was a little worried when I called on the phone and the person who answered wasn't Ethiopian, and even more worried when I saw the owner (and chef) who wasn't Ethiopian. However, the food rivaled (and was better than) Boston authentic Ethiopian restaurants.  Turns out she got trained by an Ethiopian couple and then spent a lot of time perfecting her recipes. A+ cuisine at a reasonable price.
4 - Jon M.: Ethiopian food, yes! I've been looking for good food stuffs around Providence since I've moved and in general I think I've had unfortunate luck.  Thankfully Abyssinia was not one of the places I can chalk up on that list.

The menu isn't large but what they have is solid, there isn't much that you can go wrong with.  In general I might be the sort of person who finds restrictive menus more appealing but for friends who hadn't had Ethiopian before it was more welcoming and less overwhelming to be given a small set to choose from.

The service is friendly and timely and the cool, quiet atmosphere is a perfect compliment.  The converted house to restaurant has a fun feel! 

I know that some people think that the portions are too small.  It might be because I've only shared the combo platters with people or because I don't actually eat as much as I think I do, but I felt overwhelmed by the quantity of food and ended up, regretfully, leaving some.

If you're looking for something good on the East side, cut out some time and have some Ethiopian food.  It is rather tasty stuff.
4 - Tony S.: Well, I finally found a place serving a cuisine that I'd never had before, and I was pleasantly surprised.  The interior is small and cozy, and the waitress was very helpful.  I dined mid-afternoon, and only one other table was occupied.

Based upon a previous Yelp, I tried the Key Wot, a beef stew, and it was delicious.  Not too spicy nor too tame, it was just right for someone new to Ethiopian cuisine.  My companion had the chicken version, Doro Wot.  It was just as tasty, but as it included the chicken bones, I judged mine superior.  Less fuss.

The wots are served on injera, a very large bread/pancake.  I've never seen injera before, and by itself, the flavor wasn't very rewarding.  It was slightly pungent like vinegar, instead of sour as described elsewhere.

The waitress explained how to eat the entree - tear off a chunk of injera and use it to scoop up the other stuff.  Blended, the food was delicious.  Utensils are unnecessary as Ethiopians eat by hand.  It was rather messy, but I suppose that's due to my inexperience.
4 - Abbie G.: The food was great! What an exciting new experience. We had the vegetarian sambussa to start and a yam type of appetizer that was spicy and delicious (I highly recommend both!). My husband got the Doso Wot (a chicken dish) and I got the meat combination dish with Doso Wot and Lamb Berbere, plus several vegetarian combinations. It's customary to eat with your fingers, which is exactly what we did. We scooped up our foot with pieces of injera, a sourdough flat bread that had a slightly citrus tang. My order was originally for one, but was made for two, so I ended up with plenty of leftovers. 

Overall, the food was delicious but the wait was long and service took a while. However, we were there on a busy Friday night so a wait was expected. Also, it's important to note this place is BYOB, which we love! The price was very reasonable ($55 includes tax & tip) for two people, plus we had plenty of food to take home. I highly recommend this place if you're in the Providence area and are looking for a unique dinning experience.
5 - John E.: This place beats anything in Boston. A perfect combination of great food, nice atmosphere, and reasonable prices. The places I've tried in Boston fall short on one or another.

We only had the veggie combo and the doro wat, but both were great. The split peas in the combo were a little bit mushier than my ideal, but that was my only complaint. The doro wat was not quite as flaming hot has some places, but it meant my 3yo would eat it and it was not lacking in other flavors. The combo had 7 dishes which is a better variety then most places I've been.

The restaurant is in the first two floors of a townhouse, so there is not much space. It is decorated nicely and there are there not many tables (only a few in each room), so it feels very intimate even when there is a crowd waiting for the next spot. The service was prompt and eager to help.
4 - Emily E.: As a huge fan of Ethopian food, I showed up with high hopes, all of them met. Delicious food served in a matchbox sized restaurant, with friendly and helpful servers who explain when you need and show up quietly with more water when you don't.

We had the veggie sampler for two, which is every vegetarian dish on injera. It would have been impossible to pick a favorite - each was delicious. The injera was pleasantly light and spongy, though cold, which was new to me. We also kicked off with veggie sambusa, which I wish had had more than 2 for the price of the order. They were very tasty though and I probably could have eaten a dozen.
4 - Rebecca F.: When Abyssinia opened, people completely lost it.  Even your squarest boss was dying to go there.  Providence was severely lacking in African cuisine, and this place satisfied our innate craving for spice, heat, and eating with our hands.

I have dined here on many a delicious occasion, and have never been dissatisfied with the service or the food.  The vegetarian medley is everything I need in a dish - salty greens, cold beets, warm lentils and chick peas, plus that addictive injera.

The only minus is that it's always blowing up, and in such a tiny venue it can occasionally be a bit of a wait.  Good thing you can drink your BYOB in the little booth waiting area to fight the hunger pangs.  Or you can walk across Wickenden to one of various bars and liquor stores in the meantime.
5 - Sarah V. M.: When you're married to a guy who has a personal two drink minimum, we're never getting in and out for less then $75.  Enter solution dah-dunt-dah-dum: Abyssinia.  TASTY Ethiopian food and no liquor license, which means Michael can choose from tea, soda, or coffee (all under $3 a pop), and we can finally have a cheap date.  

Order the meat combination plate for two which includes two meat options  and all of the vegetarian dishes for $29.  They bring more than enough injera to wrap the left overs for lunch the next day.  Done and done.
4 - Kristin B.: We had a great date night out here, knowledge staff & tasty ethnic supper. Next time I may stick to vegetarian options, they were delicious & satisfying. Service was thoughtful, although a bit slow. I'd just leave plenty of time & make sure your relaxed & not totally starving. 
The fried injara appetizer with yogurt dip is addictive! Yumm!
5 - Olivia U.: I can't even pronounce the friggin name of this place. I knew I wanted to go and I told my roommate, "'Abysmal' or 'Abyss' or something dude, I don't know but it's Ethiopian and we have to try it."

Try it we did. Him and his girlfriend split some kind of chicken thingy and I don't know what it was but they enjoyed it, although it was a little spicy for them. I got the vegetarian combo platter and it was amazing. Everything is served on this airy sourdough bread. It's like splotches of different food pastes and vegetables that look like someone hurled it on there. It was really cool presentation. I cannot describe the flavor at all, it's completely unlike any other food I've ever had. It's intense and flavorful. All I know is I love it and I want to bring every single person I know here. We both agreed that while it doesn't look like much food, it's shockingly filling. It was amazing.

It's a cute place too, cozy and you know...nice. It's small and comfortably designed. There only seemed to be one waiter working and the kid was working his ass off and doing a great job. Abyssinia has no flaws and I will be back, because it also happens to be reasonably priced.
4 - A. F.: Came here a few weeks ago for lunch. We had the place to ourselves. There was just one waiter. He was nice and brought us some warm, moist towels and mildly spiced popcorn. We got the combo platter with two meats, chicken and lamb. The platter came on a huge plate, layered with tangy injera bread, with other colorful vegetables and starches. Overall, the food was good and very fresh. But, I didn't care much for the bread. It was a little too sour for my taste, but more palatable when eaten with the other food. The tiny place didn't start filling up till we were leaving, so I recommend going early.
4 - Claudia L.: I'd never had anything African before, so i was tempted to slowly wade my way through the menu - except none of the names sounded remotely familiar to me. Hence, i was forced to jump into that one without any idea what the hell i was getting myself into. 

We got these fried yam cakes for an appetizer. It was spicy, but not hot-spicy, just spice-y. It reminded me of bread crumbs on the outside, but the inside was slightly crumbly with bits of what i think were peppers embedded in mashed yams. Yum!

Then i got a vegetarian platter, which was an assortment sample of their vegetarian dishes, all laid on top a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuge pancake of sorts. it reminded me of sourdough! the intention is to use it as a mini plate or a scoop to hold whatever is on top of the bread, and put into your mouth altogether. think sushi! it was so good, but it was mega filling, so take the bread slowly!
3 - Jonathan B.: Now let's face it: Ethiopia is no bastion of exalted culinary delights. Nor is Eritrea. And call me insensitive, but I can't help but think of distended bellies, Kalashnikovs, abject poverty and vitriolic masjids when that region of the world comes to mind. So I was a bit taken aback by all the flavors my GF and I encountered at Abyssinia. 

The restaurant is located right on Wickenden Street, so there are lots of shops to frequent after your meal. And be advised that Abyssinia allows its patrons to bring their own booze.

Inside, the Ethiopian music is as relaxing as it is appropriate. 

Complimentary popcorn is abundant and believe me, you'll be thankful for it as you languidly await the arrival of your food. With only two other diners in the place, my GF and I still waited over 30 minutes for a pot of Tanzanian tea. The service is at a North African pace. 

So it's fitting.  

Our appetizer - Sikwar Dinich Tibs - tasted like a spicy fried quiche that was made with yams instead of egg. She loved it. I thought it was meh.

Steamed hand cloths preceded our entrées and seemed to encourage us to eat with our hands in the presumably traditional way. As it was subject to availability, they didn't have my first choice of entree. And while I find the words 'Ethiopian feast' coupled together as a bit of an oxymoron, they are totally appropriate in this case.

Injera is the Earthly equivalent of Manna. To eat it with the tenderly marinated chicken or beef, slathered in a fantastically tasting sauce is, simply put, to be made content. 

And don't forget to get into it. Eat with your hands. Sop up all the deliciousness.

Ultimately, the experience here should be measured as a bit more than what impression the food imparts. Owned and operated mainly by refugees from North Africa, there's an element of authenticity at Abyssinia that is difficult to replicate and even harder to outdo. 

And while admittedly, I'd always consigned Ethiopian cuisine to the realm of mysteriously untested and probably distasteful, I've come full circle. 

And I have Abyssinia to thank for it.
2 - Linda S.: Love Ethiopian food over the years in many cities, so was eager to go.  Seriously disappointed. freezing cold. worn out place. food mediocre. ordered appetizers w/ sambussas and got 2 practically thrown on the table on a cold chipped plate, no garnish.  no plates or silverware to share several appetizers among group.  Waitstaff poorly attendant, did not explain dishes. the kale dish was good - the rest really poor  and poorly presented.  meat tough like mystery meat. I can't say enough unfavorable about this experience, except to add that it is poor value for the money.  If you must go, maybe better comfort if eat on 1st floor rather than upstairs
3 - Paul H.: Been here twice now.   It's okay.    Today's lunch was a failure.  No it wasn't ABYSSINIA fault it was mine.

My guests ( golfing buddies) resisted the spicy quaIities of Ethiopean foods.

I think I'll put Ethiopean into the same category as lobster: once a year is okay, but I can live without it.
5 - Steven L.: OK.  This place was a jewel of a find.  We had a great vegetarian dinner where all of our dishes were spiced nicely.  I can't imagine getting a meat dish here as I just feel like the meat would overpower all of the exotic flavors that you find in each dish.  

This place really knows how to spice their foods to bring out the full flavor.  

The Teff they serve to eat your foods with was a nice sourdough.  If you call ahead they can prepare a gluten free option as well (the waitress told us they use wheat to help hold the teff together)...which if you've ever had teff wraps you know they do have a tendency to break apart.
5 - Emily H.: I have not had Ethiopian food before but I hope it's always as good as it is at Absynia.  I've been there twice now and I must say that the food and the staff is awesome.  I'm allergic to beets but wanted the vegetarian platter.  They made sure there were no beets on the salad and replaced the beet dish with what seemed to be was twice the portion.  Everything was very tasty and my favorite I must say is the red lentil dish
4 - S Nicole M.: Did take-out here tonight and enjoyed the veggie combo for one.  A delectable assortment of their seven popular veggie offerings.  

I was a huge fan of their smoky lentils with just the right amount of spicy heat. My heart beats for any preparation of the beautiful beet...roasted, cold or pickled...I found them roasted and slightly pickled on my injera.  Yay.

Comparing only to my experience with Red Sea in Boston, these folks did a great job.  Their injera (a spongy sour dough flat bread) was almost as good.  

BYOB and a cute, clean and cozy atmosphere tempts me to dine in next time.

Delivery free on the East Side according to the menu. $5 elsewhere in Providence. Not bad.

Keep on, keeping on, Abyssina.
3 - Cassie B.: Server was a little skittish it seemed, but good explanations of the dining experience. Had a shared combo plate, and it was HUGE. Definitely got lost on what everything was once he explained the dishes. Very small area, and it seems a little messy, with used linens on one table. Took a while to get the soda we ordered, and it was a little weird getting a Mexican soda in an Ethiopian restaurant. Overall the food was good, nothing amazing. Suprisingly I liked the vegetarian options more so than the meat. Popcorn was a nice start to the meal though, as it took a little while coming out of the kitchen.
5 - Kisha T.: So the visit to Abyssinia happened after I threw a fit with my bf about his lack of adventurousness when it comes to food recently. Needless to say, we chose to go to Abyssinia instead of a randomly mediocre sushi place on Wickenden St. Fact of the matter is that he was afraid that portions at Abyssinia would not be sufficient to satisfy his animal-like appetite. He was mistaken.

The place is small by cozy, just like most places on Wickenden. When you first look at the menu, it may seem really confusing. I took to Yelp right away to see what people suggested. For $24 the two meat plate for two was tough to pass up. We saw another couple order it and saw the portions, and because of that, we passed on apps. 

For our two meats we went with Key Wot and Ye'Sega Alch. I preferred the latter. Well to be honest, there wasn't too much meat on the giant dish. Lots of sides though and I really enjoyed the green beans and beets. The doughy bread is interesting and very tasty to nibble on. It really had a lot of food and even Ryan agreed that it was a lot of food for the price. 

We had tons of leftovers but it's tricky to take the rest home. I had no idea as to even how to warm it all up without making a huge mess. 

The best part about this place is that you get to eat with your hands. If you have a date coming up and want something a little interesting, check this place out. If a girl can eat with her hands and look classy doing it then she is winner. ;)

Great food, great service and definitely something different.
5 - Louise A.: This place is great, the moment I tasted the food I was amazed, the atmosphere is really cozy as well. I love
Ethiopian food and have always had to leave town to satisfy that yen. I was so excited when this place opened. I am glad they lived up to my expectations!!
4 - Ryan D.: Ok, I will admit, I hear Ethiopian cuisine and all I can picture is that Sally Struthers would be welcoming me at the door. Is she still alive by the way?

Anyway, what welcomed me actually was a pretty small restaurant but in a good way. It gives the waitstaff to get to know the customers since we sorta need a guide through the exotic meals of East Africa. 

It is good to go with a group since many of their meals are geared for sharing (large plate of meat, dip and bread). 

The dips and the meat were very tasty along with the airy bread. I really wanted to try the Lega-Tibs (Veal) but they were out.

Word to the wise, be prepared to eat with your hands.

The restaurant will surprise you, food and feeling.
5 - Julie S.: I have been back many times since my first review of this place.  They offer gluten-free injera, which thrills me to no end now that I have to eat gluten-free.  This remains one of my favorite restaurants ever, and I intend to return again and again.
3 - Glaciala A.: I'm always in support for Ethiopian food restaurants, particularly in smaller places like Providence. I thought the food was okay, but I've definitely had better in DC. I sat downstairs, so I'm not sure what the upstairs looks like, but I wish that they had they had the round wicker tables so that the layed out injera could fit better on the plate along with the dishes. The different dishes tend to be closely cramped on the injera, because the plate is a bit smaller and I like it a bit better when the different dishes can stay a bit separated. If you like spicy, make sure to say it, but I don't think the dishes are as powerful in terms of spice as others, particularly the vegetarian ones. Great servers and nice cozy atmosphere.
4 - John R.: Great place.  It's a converted house with a nice charm.

The food is also delicious.  I ate the meat combo plate and couldn't finish it - although I wanted to, but my belly would have exploded.  The lentil dishes are the best.
4 - Kendal G.: The atmosphere is cozy, the food is hearty and delicious, the overall experience was lovely! Highly recommended for a group of 2 or more looking for an unique dining experience. The food is unique, yet authentic. The worst thing? That your hands continue smelling like Ethiopian food in the days to come. The best thing? That popcorn they gave us in the beginning to munch on! (Go, you'll see.)
4 - Ami G.: My husband and I had plans with two of our favorite newly engaged couples to unwind from the week at Abyssinia, a fairly new Ethiopian restaurant in Providence.  I have had Ethiopian food a few times before in Boston, but it has been at least five years since I've had it last, so I was really excited to indulge in this very vegan-friendly cuisine once again!  Better yet, we dined with some of my favorite friends and had a great time catching up over some extremely delicious eats.

Abyssinia is located on Wickenden Street, a fun and funky street dotted with restaurants, bars and antique shops.  What's particularly cool about its location is Abyssinia is housed in a former double (or triple- not sure which one) decker that must have been partitioned into individual apartments before it became one restaurant.  The restaurant's dining spaces are therefore divided into many rooms, and it definitely has the feel you are dining in someone's fancy home.  In fact, we were seated on the second floor, and the bathroom even had a shower in it!

Even though I made sure to take another quick glance at the menu. . .

I definitely already knew what I was going to order since I checked it out ahead of time online!

What I appreciated about this menu was the explicit note that all vegetarian dishes were vegan.  Therefore, I had no questions to ask whatsoever.  The only one slight disappointment was the menu also boasted a specific gluten-free injera bread (which is the spongy bread used to sop up all of the delicious veggies and beans), but when I requested it, they informed me they didn't have any.  I was OK with that, since I was willing to indulge in their regular teff injera bread, whether or not it contained gluten (keeping in mind I am low-gluten but because of situations like this not one hundred percent gluten-free).

Before we ordered our mains though, we began with some apps.  My husband and I split some delicious fried yam cakes, busting with garlic and ginger flavors.

The insides were like perfectly spiced mashed sweet potatoes!

My friends M and E also ordered fried injera chips, which I stole a few of.  They tasted like slightly sour pita chips!  They were really delicious!

For dinner, it was a no-brainer.  I ordered their vegetarian (and also vegan) veggie combo, which consisted of smaller portions of their four veggie-based dishes and three bean-based dishes, all served on top of a huge piece of their spongy injera bread.  You basically get all of their vegan dishes in one meal, so it was a perfect way to get a full sense of what Abyssinia had to offer.

The restaurant was really dark, so once my entree arrived, I begrudgingly turned on my flash so you could get a better idea of how beautiful my meal was!

Starting from the top left going clockwise, my meal included:

Green Salata:  Romaine lettuce, onions and tomatoes with our fresh-squeezed lemon and olive-oil dressing

Koselya:  green beans, potatoes, carrots, onions, and green hot peppers sautéed in olive oil, seasoned with garlic and grains of paradise

Ater Kik:  yellow split peas seasoned with red onions, tomatoes, garlic, and ird, an Ethiopian spice blend

Mesir Wot:  red lentils simmered in a spicy hot berbere sauce; an Abyssinia favorite

Koselya:  green beans, potatoes, carrots, onions, and green hot peppers sautéed in olive oil, seasoned with garlic and grains of paradise

Shiro: Ethiopian-style ground chick peas simmered in a spicy berbere sauce

Gomen:  chopped collard greens, red onions, and tomatoes cooked in herbed oil with onions, green hot peppers and garlic

(and in the middle) Key Sir:  a combination of beets, carrots, potatoes, and hot green peppers sautéed in olive oil, garlic, and finished with a touch of toasted grains of paradise

I loved every single solitary bite of it!  My favorites were definitely the bean dishes and the potato dishes.  My least favorites (though I still enjoyed them) were the collards and the salad.  The dishes were so incredibly tasty, but very light and fresh.  Also, the bread was ideal as a vehicle to get said dishes quickly into my mouth.  They even provided plenty of extra injera!

I had no problem demolishing this enormous portion!

Abyssinia has definitely joined my list of top ten places I would like to eat at everyday in Providence.  The food is extremely vegan-friendly and absolutely delectable to boot.  Injera is now my new favorite bread.  Enough said!

This is an excerpt from my blog - for photos and more, go to www.dashofcurry.com
4 - Alma C.: this place is still relatively new, the staff is very eager to please, and seriously, how many other ethiopian restaurants are you going to find in rhode island? the food here is very representative of other ethiopian restaurants i've been to and it's inexpensive. you've never tried it, stretch yourself. it's good.
4 - Sarah E.: This was my very first experience enjoying Ethiopian food and let me tell you, I will be back for more!
The food was amazingly good! Such an exotic mixture of flavors. The staff was super friendly and helpful, giving us tips on what to try, how to eat and where to buy liquor when we discovered it was BYOB (just around the corner at Campus Liquors).
I can't wait to try the other flavorful dishes. By the way, the portions are HUGE. It was relatively inexpensive too. And the food is paired wisely, so you can try many different combinations without spending a fortune.

Try it!!
4 - Jamie C.: This place is great for a small group if you feel like doing something different.  The food is really delicious and they have combo options that you can order for the table so everyone can try a little of everything.  The restaurant itself is really warm and cozy.   It seemed like everyone in there was having a great time!  We will definitely go back!!
4 - Caitlin J.: I ate here for the first time and REALLY loved the food. I've had Ethiopian food at other restaurants in different cities, and I have to say this might be one of my favorites so far. Everything was extremely flavorful. I ordered a meat combo and the portions were huge. I ordered the Doro Wot and the Ye'Beg Wot, which were both good, but the Ye'Beg Wot was better. The vegetable dishes were also delicious, but I wasn't sure what all of them were. 
The only complaint I would have is that the service was a little slow. Granted, when we got there at 1pm we were the only customers- and the place was full by the time we left. I might recommend the staff leaving a pitcher of water with the table to make things a little easier.
5 - Jecheima A.: AWESOME.
Seriously everything was delicious.... straight up delicious. However, be very aware that each plate FOR SURE can be shared between two. It does not look like a ton of food at alllll. It really is though. We all ordered one plate each and went home with the majority of our food. Its super cheap too!

I got the Legumes Combination which was a sample fo all 3 legumes dishes and it was $10. My friends got a 2 meat combination plate which came with choice of 2 meats and 7 vegetarian dishes! It was about $18.00, keep in mind they got 3 meals as well :)

Seriously, just go there.
4 - Shelly K.: Delicious, great for vegetarians, but the one tip I have is, if you're coming here for dinner, skip lunch, because the food is so great you will definitely overeat!
4 - Aly K.: Anyone that has seen some of my reviews knows that culinary palate is limited to say the least. I like what I like, what can I say? Well, thanks to Abyssinia, I can add Ethiopian to the like list!

Abyssinia is a very cozy spot. Very small, but very nice!

The food was so delicious. They have a ton of options on the menu and everything I tried was amazing! Tons of meat options, and lots of Vegan stuff too! The owner is super nice and you can tell he is passionate about his restaurant.

Give this little gem a try!
5 - Casey J.: LOVE this place. I have been a couple times now and every time I end up wondering if it's worth moving to Ethiopia so I can eat this every day. Right now is just not the right time, but really, this stuff is good.

You can get a plate with several different dishes and every one is as good as the last. I brought my boyfriend (who is by no means and adventurous eater) a while ago and he loved it too. 

The owner is really nice and the restaurant has a great mission so if the food isn't motivation enough to go maybe that will get you there.
5 - Kassie E.: The Food?
AMAZING? The yellow split pea thing was soooooooooo good. The owner, Ben was very friendly and explained the dishes and how to eat Ethiopian food traditionally.

I absolutely love Ethiopian food and this was the closest thing to the real deal, no wait, it probably IS the real deal!!!! Since the Owner helps Eritrea and Ethiopian refugees by hiring them as cooks to cook AUTHENTIC cuisine from their countries. 

The beef tip thing (excuse me for my ignorance) was tender and well seasoned. The injera was tangy and soft. I got so greedy though I had to use a fork. 

Everything is well thought in this restaurant they even provide wet naps. (Who says wet naps are just for chicken wings)

Lets talk about the bad or lets say the not so great.

Space! Very limited. Tight squeezes. But this could be good if you bring your date here it can be an intimate experience. However since this type of food is meant for sharing with a large group of people the issue of space can be tricky.

All in all I  this place and didnt even deduct stars because of space--THE FOOD IS JUST THAT AMAZING
5 - Jean R.: I loved my first experience at Abyssinia and with Ethiopian cuisines. Amazingly flavorful and delicious!  The owner is super helpful and extremely passionate about what he does and teaching others about the specialness of Ethiopia food.  The place is super small but I kinda love the coziness.  I highly recommend this and know you'll love the whole experience...enjoy!
5 - Kyle C.: Celebrated my bday here last night. Our server Gary was outstanding. Very knowledgeable about the cuisine and culture entailed with dining here. Server knowledge is mega-mega-points for me!
They cater to vegans and meat lovers (and everything in between).
Highly, highly recommended.
Food is very reasonably priced and it's a BYOB: Very easy on the pocket.
5 - Sarah A.: My first time eating Ethiopian food, and a memorable experience. The food was excellent, the service was superb, and their mission is admirable. While the atmosphere is fairly casual, the service is on par with many fine dining restaurants. I was so pleased to see an emphasis on local food and their practice of employing refugees is a truly humanitarian endeavor. If you're interested in eye-opening culinary experiences, pay this place a visit.
4 - Elena Y.: Dinner with friends last night and it was delicious as always. The three of us shared the veggie combo for two and a lamb dish and it was more than enough food. They had no air conditioning so it was a little uncomfortable sitting in the heat but they had fans and was okay. They do need to hire another waitperson as we waited a bit longer than typical. The service was fine but with as one person she seemed harried.
4 - Pt N.: Im going to start by saying that I dont even like injera. I dont know why, its just a little too spongy for me... but this place is amazing, a real gem on the East Side.

Its cute inside, small, dimly lit but very comfortable-feeling with a really nice, kind of urban vibe. Great place for dinners with groups of people.
The food is soooo delicious, (even the injera, especially for people who like it to begin with), and really reasonably priced. The meat dishes are great, especially the lamb and steak tips. And the teas are soooo good.
The service is really good, kind courteous wait staff.

And, the cherry on top, the owner is actually leading a nonprofit, Beautiful Day, whose mission is to help train refugees for meaningful employment! Abyssinia gives on the job training to new refugees..... which makes this place not only awesome, but  authentic!
4 - Cabernet S.: When you stare into Abyssinia, Abyssinia stares back at you with a menu of traditional Ethiopian cuisine.

There are the appetizers and such, but its best to jump right in with your choice of gravy and injera. Injera is best described as a thick, spongy crepe with a pleasing acidity that jibes excellently with the spicy meat and gravy. The heat level can be adjusted, but I like to take it into overdrive. There's also some great sampling to be had from the vegetarian menu as well.

Everything tastes great, especially the salad, which always has a lemony zest to it.

My only quibble is that it seems a tad too expensive for whats offered, but you'll never leave unsatisfied.

Oh and did I mention BYOB?
Goes really great with a Cabernet. Just trust me on this one.
5 - Dan C.: Hands down, the best Ethiopian food we had anywhere outside Ethiopia - and no, we haven't travelled to Ethiopia yet :)
Imagine 3 hungry travelers with nothing but fast food opened at 10:30 PM ... luckily for Abyssinia restaurant that welcomes you till 11 PM
We had the doro wot and the vegetarian combination for one - what an explosion of flavors!!! and plenty of food for 3.
Will definitely go back there when in Providence again.
2 - Matt S.: I would recommend Abyssinia to anyone in Providence, or traveling to Providence, that has never eaten Ethiopian food before.   This isn't the best, not by a long shot, but it might be okay for an introduction to this great style of eating.

I visited Abyssinia for lunch on a recent trip to Providence.  I ordered the vegetarian sampler, which had 7 of their main veg dishes.   Of the seven dishes, I have to say that there were really only a couple that seemed 'right' to me in terms of texture and spices.   Most of the other dishes were lacking the amount of spice that typically makes Ethiopian food 'pop' for me.  Chunks of potato were too large.  Injera bread was borderline stale.

I left a lot of food on my plate at the end of the meal, which is very unusual for my visits to Ethiopian restaurants.

My experience wasn't helped by the fact that the (loud and distinctly not-Ethiopian-or-Eritrean) owner was sitting in the dining area carrying on a loud conversation with my server and someone who may have been a manager.   I heard all about the problems with the guy in the kitchen--specifically, that he didn't know that the chicken would be ready in three days, and wasn't rotating the injera bread properly.  (Don't worry, mine was plenty old by the time it got to me.)   Also, a conversation about the supplier of the teff (grain that makes the injera bread) in which the owner seemed dismissive about the importance of the quality of this vital component.

I'd feel bad reporting on this overheard conversation except that, it literally was happening in my face, and my server was inattentive and distracted because of this.  It was hard to believe that the owner of a restaurant would carry on like this in front of customers, never acknowledging that customers were present and, maybe, asking how their experience was.   

Bottom line #1:  I don't have an Ethiopian place in my town, and Abyssinia is exactly what I'm afraid would happen of one opened here.  Not so awful that I'd never return, but mediocre enough to disappoint me every time.

Bottom line #2:  If you have access to Ethiopian in other cities, skip this place.  If this is your first place eating this food, it's an okay beginning.
4 - Leah W.: This was definitely a culinary first for me. I had never had Ethiopian or Eritrean cuisine, and was really excited to try it. Our party of four arrived for our 8:00 reservation and were told to sit tight for our server to show us to our seats. When he got to us and heard we had a reservation, he interrupted, "for 30 minutes ago?" The assumption was harsh, but when he learned we were indeed on time, he loosened up and smiled. 

We were tucked upstairs into an interesting dining space that, although slightly warmer than I would have liked, was definitely intimate and comfortable. We cracked open a few of the beers we brought and ordered. 

I wish I had been told that they were out of the fish before I was left to make my menu decision. I am bad enough at deciding what I want to eat, and when the rug is pulled out from under me I get flustered and end up making hasty decisions so I don't hold the whole party up. I had wanted the Ye'Assa Tibs (a fish dish without guaranteed availability), and ended up with a greasy, spicy beef dish instead. 

It was, however, still pretty delicious. My fiance ordered Ya'Beg Wot, the lamb cubes in spicy sauce, and was in absolute heaven. One of our other dining companions got the Doro Wot, the signature chicken dish on the menu, and though it was a bit too spicy for his tastes he still ate it happily. I cannot for the life of me remember what our fourth party member ordered, but I do know she cleaned her plate. 

All in all this was a different dining experience from most, from the authentic no-utensil approach, to the cuisine itself. The African music was just the right volume to set a really festive mood without being obnoxious. A return visit is guaranteed.
5 - Laura S.: One of the worst things about moving to a new city is having to replace go-to spots that you spend years cultivating. I was seriously mourning the loss of my around-the-corner Ethiopian cafe and my ability to acquire tikil gomen whenever my heart desired. To my great excitement, I have already found a new spot for awesome Ethiopian food. They have everything I was looking for from an Ethiopian menu, along with some delicious new dishes I'm excited to try. The serving sizes are super-generous and I love that the entrees are accompanied by small sides of salad - the ye'dinich salata, with potato and beets, was wonderful and refreshing. Service was attentive and quick, and they even deliver! I am a happy camper.
4 - Jessica H.: My girlfriends and I (4 of us) all got together last month for a little coworker reunion. We haven't seen each other in a while so we decided to do an Ethiopian dinner to reunite us.  We got 2 of the vegetarian platters to split.  SO GOOD.  Some of the dishes were amazing and I haven't had them at Ethiopian restaurants before - like the peanut one and the beet one.  We also got the veggie sambosas to share. They were good but smaller than I'm used to.

It was also cheaper than some of the Ethiopian places up in Boston (think Addis Red Sea, Asmara, etc.).  My only complaint is that they don't have their alcohol license and I really could have used some of that Ethiopian wine. Their sweet white wine is usually so cheap and I look forward to it!  The service was good. They carry other local RI companies like their ginger beer soda which I got and was good.  

Also I think all their vegetarian dishes are vegan and properly labeled if I remember correctly. Parking  can be a pain because it's street parking - so give yourself time to drive around. Some of the residential streets near by are not permit parking and you can park there and walk.
5 - Kristin R.: I love this place -- great place for good Ethiopian food at a decent price.
5 - Jay D.: been back 4 more times... still. in. love.

people who say the portions are small be CRAY. 
are you serious? we can never finish!
5 - Olivia L.: The freshest, most delicious Ethiopian food I've ever eaten. Love the huge veg combo platter!
5 - Raúl I.: Nunca pensé que Etiopía tuviera tan buena cocina y aun mucho menos que me fuera a gustar tanto.
Si buscáis un restaurante fuera de lo tradicional en donde pudieras darle gusto al paladar sin romper el bolsillo, pues no lo dudéis más y atreveos a probar este rinconcito de África en Providencia. 
Y si os apetece aun más la aventura os sugiero que probéis el plato de la carne cruda. ¡Es delicioso!
4 - Rebecca H.: I'm definitely a fan of exotic food and new experiences. I've had Ethiopian cuisine only once before (at Addis Red Sea in Boston), but that was many years ago--and I'd since forgotten how good it was. At the suggestion of a friend last week, I tried Abyssinia, right in my own backyard, for the first time. It won't be the last. 

We ate al fresco at Abyssinia, which is located on Wickenden St., a charming place to eat outside on a summer night. The neighborhood has a half working-class/half College Hill vibe that makes it great for people watching, while still managing to be somewhat peaceful. 

The night we went, it was a real relief to be able to sit outside, as a walk into the restaurant's entryway made it abundantly clear: either the air conditioning was broken, or they simply don't have AC. Either way, uncomfortable heat is a real bummer when it comes to eating a meal of any significance. Authenticity has its limits; I want to eat my Ethiopian food without feeling like I am actually sitting on the African plain.

The two of us split the large vegetarian combination plate, which offers a sampling of seven different delights, all of which can be eaten by hand using injera: the soft, spongy bread that doubles as a utensil. Even more injera acts as a sort of "tablecloth" underneath all those amazing vegetable samples, soaking up the juices of the food and waiting to be enjoyed at the end of the meal.

The different flavors and textures are delicious, and the plate was filling for two people (I said "uncle," long before it was all gone). It was a satisfying, generously portioned, and out of the ordinary meal for a more than reasonable $10 per person. If you've never had the pleasure of having Ethiopian food, I highly recommend that you step out of your comfort zone and try Abyssinia.
5 - Cassandra B.: I think this is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant of all time. I am, by no means, an expert on Ethiopian food, but I have visited quite a few Ethiopian restaurants in NYC, DC, Milwaukee, San Francisco, and elsewhere, and Abyssinia really blew me away. First of all, the food just tasted incredible. I thought I'd had really good Ethiopian elsewhere but most other places may be good but they all taste the same. Abyssinia had a special taste. I had the vegetarian combo platter and particularly loved the yellow split peas. A friend and I also shared the fried yam cake appetizer, which was incredible. Typically, veggie samosas and lentil soup are the only veg appetizers, so I was really impressed with the yam cakes.

In addition to the food being incredible, I saw on the menu that the restaurant sources local produce from nearby farms. Incredible! Finally, the restaurant really recognized the contribution and accomplishments of the cooks and staff, which is very rare in the restaurant industry. Kudos, Abyssinia, I can't wait to return!
4 - Francesca D.: BYOB!

Really good food, cool atmosphere. The legume combination dish was excellent, and I love to no silverware situation. It seems really authentic, but then again, what do I know?
4 - Amber M.: Had to come here twice to really appreciate it. The vegetarian combo is AWESOME. I think their veggie dishes really shine here. Make sure to ask the waiter/waitress what they recommend and they'll tell you what's better as a main dish, side dish, etc. I love also that they use local veggies - the local beets in the side dish salad were phenomenal!
5 - Mr.Bill N.: We loved it. 
Delicious. Authentic. Food. 
Black Tanzanian Tea =D
injera with beef was the best.
the salad on the side was so good. the salad on the side was sooo good! lemony fresh.

Good service. Great atmosphere. Will go there again.
5 - Alexandra S.: TWO types of vegetarian (vegan) plates! my heart be still.

My friend and I split the 2 person combo veg plate. and the sambusas.

OH MY LORD we ate far too much. we got free refills on inerja (typical)

SO good - and eating with out fingers from the same plate brought our friendship much closer.

But our server....he wasn't the fastest and we were starving.
4 - Neil F.: Although my Ethiopian experiences have been limited, my wife and I really enjoyed Abyssinia when we got take out on our trip to Providence.  

We got the vegitarian sambussas and the vegetarian platter for 2 (a sampler featuring all of the vegetarian entree options). The sambussas were really good, if a bit greasy.  We really enjoyed all of the entrees, including the beets (whcih my wife doesn't usually care for).  

While the food didn't seem as authentic as some of the traditional recipes I've found online, the food was great and the prices were even better! I  would recommend it to anyone.
2 - Erin J.: I haven't been in probably a year now because last time, both my husband and I got a bit sick from the food. Nothing hugely horrible, but I was pregnant at the time so it was much worse for me. People are still giving good reviews, so perhaps this is not an issue now?
3 - Tami M.: Wanted to try something other than Italian which I always seem to eat when in Providence.  Had to do a little convincing to get my friend to agree to it. Ethiopian seems better geared towards a group dining experience so you can try a variety of dishes.  Since it was just two of us we shared the combo plate. A good mix of meat and veg dishes.  Highlights were the 3 lentil dishes and the beef.  Service was slow- we were the only people in the restaurant, and we ran out injera and never saw our waiter to get more.  While the dishes were flavorful, there could have been more spice like I've experienced at other Ethiopian restaurants.  Happy to find Ethiopian in Providence, and glad I was able to introduce my friend to something new.
5 - Charlie S.: size is huge but not seen this way.
4 - Lauren A.: This was my first experience with Ethiopian food, so i don't have a base of comparison- but for a first timer this place was great! Three of us split a meat plate and two appetizers- the Sambusas and another dip... can't remember what it was called. The staff is really nice! It's BYOB which we found out when we were there, so we'll be back with a bottle of wine next time!
5 - wendi m.: GREAT food! My husband and I went here today during our first trip to Providence, RI, and we LOVED it! I ordered the vegetarian platter for one and he had the green beans/carrots/onions stew. Everything was fresh and flavorful. Beyond the delicious food, the prices were reasonable, especially considering the huge amount of food you get (AND the insane prices for Ethiopian food in NYC). We would definitely come here again.

Academic Properties Inc - Philadelphia, PA (39.9575859, -75.1879283) (University City)
3 - Gordon D.: Relatively reliable service, but not very friendly.

I had an apartment with them for over a year.  They didn't exactly go out of their way to improve customer service, and their availability and helpfulness is rather low.  If something is broken they did fix it within a reasonable time frame, but I couldn't help but get the feeling that every time the toilet clogged (which was often) it was my fault, and it was a huge inconvenience for them to send a plumber over.  They were similarly unhelpful with the lease termination process, meaning that I ended up paying for an empty apartment for two months.  The price isn't too bad I suppose, although they're rising.

Warning to students: They require notice 90 days before the lease ends!  I thought I was being smart by making my lease just long enough to coincide with me returning to co-op, but the 90-day requirement means that I had to decide whether to resign the lease even before I started the co-op search!

Warning to non-students: Don't bother.  They're only accepting Drexel students now, thanks to rapidly expanding size of the Freshman class.
1 - Don N.: I had a similar experience. API purchased my building from my landlord a couple of months into my lease. The squirrels in the walls and closets were a major issue which took months for API to correct. Initial calls elicited almost zero action from API. Eventually, numerous letters prompted some action, albeit insufficient, from them but the squirrels continued to co-inhabit our residence. The rodents managed to enter my closet and damage my personal property. API eventually paid for the destruction of property and eradicated the squirrels but it took legal action on my part to get API to take the required strides to make the residence tolerable and eliminate the problem. 

Anyway, even for smaller issues such as a door coming off it's hinges API takes quite a while to respond to maintenance requests and does not really seem to care about the problems their tenants encounter in their properties. I would avoid this company at all costs. They try to present themselves as a reputable property management and apartment rental company but they seemed grossly incompetent and ill-equipped in all my dealings with them. 

Good luck if you do happen to end up renting from them. This should be easy to avoid as there are plenty other properties in University City.
3 - Teresa L.: Summary of cons: These are extremely old apartments, and with that, you have many problems. API seemed to make repairs when possible, but the real solution is to raze this place down soon.

Cons (in detail):
- Very old, old smell. I had to plug it in, plug it in. 
- Some fixtures were falling apart (i.e. the kitchen sink was starting to detach from the wall.)
- Water pipes are worn, allowing me to hear jack hammer-like noises when I was using my bathroom sink's faucet. 
- The walls and ceilings are thin. In the kitchen, I can hear my upstairs neighbor clomping around. My roommate could hear people running up and down the stairs from her bedroom, which may have been because we lived next to the stairs. 
- HOLES IN THE WALLS. I have no idea if people had punched holes in my closet and along the stairwell, but the holes were mainly in corners and areas where the woodwork was being connected to the wall. Once every few months, I would witness RODENTS scuttling through these holes.
- Rodents. Bring on the sticky pads. Or avoid living on the first floor.

Pros:
- Management was very responsive, as I would continue to hound them. If I needed something done, I would call twice to make sure my work-order was in. The problem wasn't the repairmen; the problem was the people logging in the issues for you.
- $1200/mo for a spacious 2 bed/1 bath...but I heard the rent has gone up...

For the price and proximity to Drexel/Penn, I was fine with the situation. And after a year, I decided that it was time to move on.

Academy 6 Theaters - Pasadena, CA (34.1459042, -118.1293604) (Pasadena)
4 - Elizabeth T.: Came here to watch Rachel Getting Married.  That particular movie actually came out back in October (08), but that's the beauty of discount movie theaters - they play older films, for cheaper prices here.

At $3 a show, how coudl I say no?

The concession stands here have prices from the 90's!
Hot dogs = $1, popcorn starts @ $3.

It's not the cleanest theater, and the screen is not as large as the new AMC theaters', but if you want to see a movie that you totally missed until you read a magazine review (months later), you should come here. :)

We were in Theater 1 upstairs, which had an odd setup; the door that led into the theater was up a few steps into the center of the Theater, which ruled out wanting to sit mid-and-center, as I'd planned.  Actually, everwhere we tried sitting in theater 1 gave us a weird (non perpendicular-to-the-screen) angle.  

Nonetheless, we sat further up and a bit to the left, which was acceptable.  I'm not sure if all the theaters are set up this way, or maybe just Theater 1.  It didn't bother me too much after the film commenced, though. 

I'll admit it wasn't the best experience I've ever had in a theater before - (mostly becayse of the angle of the screen) but how could I complain at three bucks a pop?
5 - Les L.: $2 matinees, $3 evening, $1 hot dogs.  If that's not worth 5 stars, I don't know what is. 

This place also has a great selection of movies.  A good mix of indie films and blockbusters.  Compare this  to $10 tickets at everywhere else (and the sad decline of student discounts). Ya to cheap movie theaters!
5 - Dan T.: Stopped by there this past wednesday to watch 'I love you man" (which by the way is a great movie). They had this new promotion deal called 'Date Night" which was your 2 movie tickets, 2 small popcorns, and 2 small sodas all for $ 10 dollars. Great deal. They didn't let me switch out one of the popcorn for a hotdog, and the popcorn was a little stale, but nonetheless, what a great deal!!!
5 - Umberto D.: Best deal in town. Scratch that: best deal in the world.

Movies for two clams? A maven's paradise!

Yes, it's a little bit grimy, but IT'S TWO DOLLARS PER FREAKIN' MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5 - Lisa L.: Yes, it is true, $2 movies ($3 if you're there for date night**).   But on top of that - the NICEST old man selling tickets in the booth outside.  I imagine he's the owner and so proud of the gem he runs.  Or maybe he's just a jolly old grandpa who does this part time to see the smiles on customers when they hand over the cost of a bottle of water to see a feature film.  Or maybe he was a big shot studio exec or accountant or insurance claims adjuster who got let go in the downsizing of his company and finally found his true calling in providing smiles for movie goers.  Le sigh... 

**Don't bring a date here.  Seriously.  There's an AMC down the street and you know she deserves it.
1 - AARON S.: Well what can I say about a movie theater that the screen and the picture looks really bad, and the film looks like it is played on a 1950's projector with more scratches on the film then my worst VHS recording on tape?!!! The sound system sounds like a 1940 AM radio out of a Jeep with the harshest midrange sound this side of KMART Kraco radio. 
Ahh but the price, well let me tell you that the hot dogs gave me serious indigestion for only a $1, and the movie is only $3 on nights and weekends, I can fairly say it is just not worth it for me. And the hot dog is still haunting my gut.

I can rent a movie and see it at home on my 20 year old 27" color TV on an my old mono VCR and have a way better sound and picture experience!!!

Like many have said, if you bring your Date here to this theater, you will lose that Date right away, and they may even scream leaving this theater in agony'.........you will regret the experience.
4 - Cat C.: It's not the cleanest theater, but date night for two people, two sodas, two popcorns... all for $10!  :)  Super fun!  Plus, it's nice to go to second-run theaters to see movies on the big screen that aren't worth the full price at regular theaters.  It is what it is and if you take it at that, it's fun.
3 - jenbug l.: who can afford to buy a movie ticket thats $10 these days??

My first visit here was with my bf when we came to watch ironman for $2 and geez audio was fuzzy and I couldnt help but get dizzy from all the static on the screen.  I pretty much never wanted to come here again because quality was awful but tonight i guess was a different night....after a subway run with the bf, we happened to drive by and noticed what was playing...$6 for two for 500 days of summer! i was a little iffy at first because of our first experience but all places deserve a 2nd chance...right?

so our movie was in the theater upstairs...it was totally sppooooky! it smells a little old and musty too...I made a pit stop to the ladies room and there was no one in there. It seriously looked like a scene in a horror movie! And i couldnt help but feel like someone was going to kill me while i was watching the movie..hahahah fortunately we survived.  I bet this place would be fun to watch a scary movie in.. Seats are pretty awkward but i dont think all of the rooms in the theater are like that.

its not the best small independent theater but what beats a $3 movie?  Total upside....The gentleman running the ticket counter is super nice and helpful about parking.  :)
2 - Concha X.: First experience here sucked major felt like i got ripped off 2 dolla ass!
The picture and sound quality was horrendous! Gave it another shot because i have a buddy that said his experiences have been better. So the june and i came here to watch 500 days of Summer. 3 bucks for evening tickets. The picture quality was alot better but the sound quality still lacked. Its a really old theater with no new umm nothing. You get what you pay for. I'd rather pay more $ for big ass screen awesome surround sound goodness.Enjoy..a little.
5 - Kam L.: my friends recently introduced me to this place.  i wish i live closer so i can come more often.  $2 for films before 6pm and $3 afterwards.  how can you beat that.  right next to gourmet cobber factory (dangerous)!  theatre is small and intimate, clean but worn.  restroom is clean and in working order.  free parking in the rear.
5 - Ayesha A.: $2? I'm there!

Whether its clothes, food, or entertainment, I love a good deal. My co-worker took me to the Academy 6 Theater and it felt like I've been introduced to a whole new world (I exaggerate a bit). I've been down Colorado many times, but for some reason I have never noticed this place. Sure, inside the actual theater, its a little sketchy, but what do expect? You're only paying 2 freakin dollars. Its seems like they show movies that have come and gone at other theaters, but I saw Paper Heart here, around the same time it was released.

Its cash only, but what do you expect, its $2. They lobby and video game center could totally use a face lift, but what do you expect, its $2. There is free parking around the corner, but the lot fills up fast, so you might have to look for street parking. But what do you expect? Its $2.

Did I mention that its 2 freakin' dollars?
5 - Kat C.: TWO DOLLAR MATINEE.
THREE DOLLAR EVENINGS.

Grimy seats and some screens are huge while others are dinky, but TWO DOLLARS! Sure sound could be better and the screen quality is lacking a bit compared to the local AMC, but for $2 I, for one, do not care. Their movie selection can be kind of sparse, the new releases are usually not available until a couple weeks after the movie's opening. But they show indie movies and if you're looking for a movie that's been out for a couple of weeks, this place is a good bet.

It looks kind of ghetto but most of the patrons are pretty normal. One time there was a homeless guy sleeping in the larger theaters and I probably would not encourage you to come late at night by yourself, but who can argue with the price point?

Cash only but it'd be pretty sad if you didn't have $2 in your wallet or the equivalent in change clanking around the bottom of your glove compartment.
5 - Michael C.: Two dollar matinees, three dollar evening showings and one dollar hot dogs? The theater isn't the biggest, but is the best deal around. I haven't been able to catch many movies lately because I can't afford to shell out 12 dollars every weekend, but I can certainly part with two bucks. A treasure.
5 - Eva K.: 5 stars = 2$ matinee/3$ evenings + good selection of movies + Eva happy

Sure, it's a bit run down, but I keep coming back because of the above. I can see 6-7 movies here for the price of one at the Arclight. In these hard times, that's a lot of bang for my buck. 

Don't get me wrong, the Arclight's pretty, but a girl's gotta eat. And get her movie fix. Big screen. Oooh la la. 

So, come to these theaters, and keep it open! Because if it ever shuts down, I don't know what I'd do. Probably cry and then just wait and netflix everything. 

I hope that day never comes.
2 - Elaine T.: 2 Stars for a $3 evenings movie

If you're not picky and prefer to watch in a so-called big screen facility with crappy speakers and unfocus/uneven picture qualities then this might be the perfect place for you. 

Hey, you got what you pay for... the film is generally damaged and sound goes in and out  thoughout the movie. The place is old, so of course is not well maintain. Though they manage to keep the woman toilet clean which was a plus. They offer free refills for X-Large Popcorns & Drinks for a $1 more from the medium size. Not bad of a bargain. Just keep your expectation low and you'll enjoy it more.
4 - Andrius A.: My girls thought my ADD was wouldn't flare up since they filled me up with champagne.  Less than one hour into the movie I was asleep. Its a great thing the prices are fantastic. Even the snacks are cheap. This place is still holding down the title of  'Best cheap and beat up theater in Pasadena". I wouldn't change a thing about it.
5 - Carlyn B.: Can't beat the price and the selection is totally decent and varies nicely.  Never had any problems with bugs, a dirty concession area (my hot dog was small but tasted just fine and was only $1!!!  at a movie theatre!!!), or stained screen, so maybe that person just went on a bad day or brought the bugs in with them.  Or maybe they're just posing as a person who likes hole-in-the- wall places, cause i kinda think 1 star is fairly ludicrous.  They even let me bring my coffee in with me.  Super chill staff that is perfectly friendly, especially considering you know they're only getting minimum wage.  Just wish there was one in Hollywood, I'd live there.  Plus the PARKING IS FREE and basically unlimited.  In Los Angeles.
:-)
5 - Christina L.: OMG HOW DID IT TAKE ME 5 YEARS TO FIND THIS PLACE???
among all the different theaters in old town pasadena's area, this theater is AMAZING. 

For four of us, we paid a total of $8. that is less than one ticket at other theaters. 

I loved how people still wanted to see a silly movie like "Letters to Juliet." It was funny because whenever something happened in the film, the theater let out a giant gasp or "WHAT!" altogether. It's fun to go to theaters with that kind of atmosphere! :)

Other comments... the candy is $3 flat. Yes that is more than a movie ticket, but still cheaper than other theaters!

My dad wasn't as happy about the place because the seats kind of sag, the air conditioning wasn't working as well. If you really want the theater experience to be luxurious with nice seats, def don't come here, but go to arclight. However, if you want a CHEAP movie, def come here. I mean you get what you pay for, but for me, I'd endure bad air quality for $2.

I want to try one of their midnight movies sometime where they play old films. Looks so much fun!!
4 - Liyah C.: Where else can you go to see a movie for $2 or $3 after matinee? Nowhere, other than this place. The seats are not as comfortable as Arclight or AMC and the screen is not as big but cmon now... you cant beat their prices. $1 hot dogs and oh, on Wednesdays they have this thing called "Date Night". It consists of 2 popcorns, 2 pops, 2 tickets for... drum roll.............. $10! 

I love this place!

By the way, bring cash.
5 - Bertha C.: I hate to shit where I eat, lest this place be swarming with Johnny come latelies BUT this is the best kept secret in Pasadena. 
$2 Matinee 
$3 Regular Price 
$1 Hot Dogs 
This theatre shows original run movies usually about a month in. If the movie is doing really well in the box office, then you have to wait a little while for it to showcase here. The previews are real, meaning they are not old, defeating the whole point of a preview. (this may not matter to some, but I am a movie geek.) 
The theatre smells bad, has broken arm rests, some seats are facing awkward angles and some screens are damaged. Also the air conditioning does not always work too good on a hot Summer day AND the upstairs bathroom looks like something from the set of "Mary Lou Prom Night 2". 
All that being said, this place is AWESOME. It has been almost 2 years since I have paid full price to watch a movie. I just have to wait a little while and great things come to those who wait. 
WHERE else can you bring your own food and beer!?!?! 

*The parking lot in the back used to be unattended. Recently however some ass-clown has been posted there charging entrance. This TOTALLY cuts into the savings. Plan ahead, come early and park on the street. Oh, and bring cash.
3 - Kyle J.: I feel like people are reviewing the value of the cost of a movie at this theater instead of the theater itself but so be it...

Since we all know it has cheap movies I'll give you the bad stuff:
Sound kinda sucks, sometimes the print is not as crisp as at a normal theater, the hot dog i tried was inedible, and there's a musty smell to the whole place. Also the movies are about 3 weeks to a month behind new releases.
The popcorn is decent and cheap and has a lot of optional powder toppings such as garlic, chocolate, cheddar, butter, etc. As a matter of fact, every concession item is super cheap. It's like you went back to the 80's...in more ways than one judging from the looks of things...

Despite all that, it does feel good to come out of a movie theater knowing you got your money's worth! ;P Of course i'll be back.

PS - i saw Inception: The IMAX Experience here for $3! ..... just kidding ;)
5 - crystal t.: cash only / only $2-$3.

Entertainment for less than a cup of coffee!  If the movie sucks, I don't feel like I wasted any money, If the movie was great,  I feel like I got a bargain!  

The screen may not be as big as a movie theatre that costs you $12 a ticket, but it is plenty big enough for me. 

The seats may not be as comfy as a $12 theatre, but If the most comfortable seats were a priority, I'd stay home and watch a movie from my couch.
1 - Paula L.: I've been to this theater twice.
The first time was when it wasn't a "dollar theater" and the second recently with its new status.
The theater doesn't have giant screens, plush chairs, or great sound system.
The bathrooms were in terrible shape. There wasn't any toilet paper in any of the stalls or even toilet seat covers! This was on a Saturday too!!
Ticket prices are $3.. kind of random to me.
As for the movie quality? Well there was GIANT static marks ALL over the screen. At first I thought it would go away...but a quarter way through the movie it would not go away!
So I left and asked for a refund. Never coming back here!!!!!
5 - Gerry B.: I love the old retro vibe. Did I mention, an extremely inexpensive theater?
5 - Calvin Y.: How can you not give this $2-3 / ticket theater 5 stars? Sure the screens are small and chairs a bit sticky, but its a big bargain! We came here after lunch to watch Scott Pilgrim; there is free parking behind the theater but it is small and fills up fast so we got street parking instead. We opted for the italian soda (Lime flavored) and it was good and refreshing. The $1 hot dogs also sounded good but we were still full after lunch. The screen and sound was alright, not as bad as some reviewers have put it. There are not many seats and they fill up fast so don't idle in the lobby or entrance once you get your tickets. Will definitely come back again. The matinee is $2 before 6pm.
4 - Charlotte H.: Come here often with my husband. No need to bring my big giant bag to smuggle in candy & drinks cos everything is decently priced. Lol. 

Bad stuff first:
There is not that much parking available. There is a lot behind the building but it's $6 (I think)  to park. It's best to park on the street, if you can find a spot. The place isn't super fancy or that clean. This place has a musty smell. The screen is small and there are bars in front of the first row of every section that get in the way of my niece's face (she's 9yo) so she has to stand or sit on the armrests in order to see. How uncomfortable is that? :/ 

Because of the bargain, it attracts all sorts of people. You'll get strange half dressed homeless looking people with no teeth. Or a group of rowdy teenagers who talk through the entire showing of the previews. Or 'ladies' who would be doing my eyes a favor by not baring their midriff's.

The ladies bathrooms are pretty decent. Clean enough just, in need of a remodel. 


Pros:
$2-3 movie! If you didn't like the movie, you still only paid $3 for it. My husband and I like to wait for movies that we know are going to be sub par to come out here. Not good enough to pay $15 for but would still like to see on the 'big' screen. 

ONE DOLLAR HOT DOGS! They're pretty good and filling. I also like the different powder flavors made available for your popcorn.
5 - Raptor O.: This place is as good as it gets for a discount theater. $3 evening and $2 dollar matinee shows. $1 hot dogs, coffee, dibs, fire, brimstone, "Cats and Dogs living together!" Shawn the manager here rocks HARD! All the employees are really nice too.
5 - Teresa H.: I totally thought I already wrote a review for this place, because it is SO AWESOME. Not only is the movie ticket inexpensive, the popcorn is affordable AND HAS 6 FLAVOR TOPPINGS!!! See my photo for specific flavors. I think they rotate flavors too. There's also free street parking if you go at night. =)
4 - Jade C.: I love this movie theatre! I first came here to watch "Nowhere Boy" with my boyfriend, which by the way wasn't playing anywhere else except for maybe the Arclight. But tickets at the Arclight are super expensive! 

I was super excited, but the thing that sucks is that it's hard to find parking. Unless you want to pay $8 for parking.

Movie tickets are $3 if you watch it at night AND $1 hot dogs! I haven't had a $1 hot dog from a movie theatre since I was maybe 5 years old, and I'm almost 21 now.  It's not exactly the cleanest theatre. It has a bit of a musty smell, but the experience I had was still a great one.

Ever since I first came here, I've been telling my friends to go. It's a great theatre to find!
4 - Jason S.: I love old cheap theaters. How can you beat paying 2-3 dollars to see a movie? I grew near a theater just like this and for some reason I find it comforting to have found a substitute. The auditorium is pretty small but intimate and the bathrooms are crappy (no pun intended). I have not been to a midnight movie yet but the selections are great. Maybe I am mellowing out but I would much rather go to a 10:00 p.m. than midnight. 

The only thing that would make this better is if they served beer. This is done alot in Portland, OR. I do not know if state law would allow this but nothing beats a movie and brew night.
4 - Karen Y.: Whether you're a student or a broke as hell from holiday shopping, this is the it place to go to see a movie for as little as $2. And from the price, don't expect stadium seating and super nice chairs. But it's also not a dingy old closet either.

I came here a while back to see New York I Love You. My friends and I were in college so $2 movies are more than enticing. The screen was a little too close for my preference, but I still enjoyed the movie. 

They only play older movies though, no right out of the box office here. But if you forgot to see something before they were throw out by Harry Potter, you can find it here for cheap!
5 - Brett P.: This is it... hands down, my all-time favorite movie theater. While I do like the newer pricing of $2 for movies before 6pm and $3 after 6 pm; I will admit I prefer the great selection they had when it was a Laemmle. 

They get a variety of films here, semi-recently released (usually if they suck), almost out on DVD (the better ones), and almost always a family flick or cartoon on one of the 6 screens.

Friday nights (formerly Saturdays) they show cult classics for $8 at midnight. I gotta tell you, Stanley Kubrick on DVD at home does not compare... his films were meant to be seen on the big screen.

Yeah the seating arrangements and sound system might not hold up to your newer big stadium style mega-plexes, but this theater has something they all lack: character/culture. And I like that the staff remember the regulars and get as excited about the films as those of us paying to see them. It's like any good small news stand, record store, coffee shop, comic book store... the people are passionate about what they're doing.

The seats are old and some in need of serous repair or replacement, but they're not dangerous. It's like school auditorium style flip down padded chairs, the floor is ever so slightly angled so if someone tall wearing a sun hat sits in front of you.... well, you are frelled my friend. The upstairs theaters defy known rules of movie-dom. The higher you go, the worse the view is... and the best seats in either of those two screens is almost for sure front and center.

There's a damp basement feel to the downstairs screens, although there isn't usually any bad odors (unless a hobo is using the film to catch some Zzzzzzs. The downside to it being so cheap I suppose).

Some of the screens have barely visible patch work done to them, some of the arm rests have broken cup holders.. you get the picture.

But this theater really takes me back, it reminds me of  downtown Newport News, VA where I grew up... seeing Harlem Nights on an old patched up screen that had gummy bears stuck all over it. This theater reminds me of Brooklyn, NY on Christmas morning with my then girlfriend and her father watching Gangs of New York in a theater where you felt like everyone was sitting on each other's laps. It reminds me of the first time boarding Star Tours at Disneyland.  It's all those great memories wrapped in to one amazingly homie location....

and that's why I'll be there in a few days on Christmas morning, just like recent Christmases past, carrying on the tradition  introduced to me back in NY several years ago. I LOVE THIS THEATER!

PS - Cash Only!!! (Stop feeding the system and start supporting small business more directly)
5 - Marissa B.: My favorite theatre to go to! Easy, no fuss, no mess, saw Easy A the other day and it was CUUUUUUUTE! I would see it again on a date though. Since I am a starving law student, places like this movie theatre are the only place I can afford for entertainment. And with the $2 day fee and even the $3 evening fee, my date cannot go broke taking me here (LOL). Now the only issue is whether I can wait until Black Swan ever hits Academy 6....Patience is a virtue, so the answer is a definite YES! :)
4 - Hada K.: I wish I'd known about this theater years ago! I've been here about 4 times so far. WHY pay MORE?
5 - Jonelle B.: Best bargain theater in town!  Where else can you find a movie for $2/$3 movies?  Gotta love the $1 hot dogs.
4 - Tanya S.: Obviously the Academy 6 Theaters aren't "as good as it gets" but yes, I am DEFINITELY A FAN! 

I can't believe I had never been to this theater before...I blame such a travesty entirely on Lauren V. who is too selfish to show me the finer things in life... 

All I'm going to say is this... 

2 adult tickets (Saturday night) 
1 Hot Dog 
1 Nacho 
1 Medium Popcorn 
1 Small Soda 

Grand total you ask? 

...................................... 

$20! 

That whole package is cheaper than 1 ticket at most other theaters... 

yup, definitely a fan.
4 - Valerie T.: This is my favorite place to come with Brandon R. to see a movie. Don't be deterred by the whiney little "movie snobs" that complain about the seats and the small screens, and how the decor isn't up to their standards. This place has one major thing the arclight doesn't. It's got CHARACTER. And for $2 a ticket!($3 after 6pm) I mean jeez..it's a great deal. It DOES NOT SMELL MUSTY INSIDE. The seats are fairly comfy and the screens are a bit small, but for 2 bucks a person why do some people expect the IMAX experience? Hah. The hot dogs are only a buck, and you get free refills on large sodas and popcorn! What's not to love. Sure its outdated but why does everything need to be modernized these days..for D-bags that gag at the fact of a small time theatre thriving where they only accept cash and not credit. I'd give this place 5 stars but I can't,because I have a feeling BigMomma's House 3 or 4 or whatever the f**k will be playing there soon!
3 - Leonard B.: Really good place to save a dollar and the food is cheaper than anywhere else. Me and my love always go there on the broke days hahahah. uncomfortable seats are the bad part
5 - Casey S.: Awesome! $2 for movies before 6 pm.

The theater is a little run-down, but I'm happy to live with it for $2. If the price was $12, then yeah, this would totally be one star, or zero stars. But this is $2, and it's definitely 5 stars for what they provide, at that price point. At that price, I don't even mind if the movie sucks. I feel that Academy 6 filters down the movie choices for me ... if it's not going to sell well after showing in regular price theaters, then Academy 6 probably isn't going to show it?

The seats are perfectly fine and comfortable. The floors of the individual theaters are plain concrete and you can see that they ripped away the carpeting. The video quality sometimes has scratches (hardly any. I know they're there, but they've never bothered me), but I've never had a problem with the audio.

They have a feature called Insomniac Cinema (http://www.insomniaccinema.com), which is Friday midnight showings of classic and cult movies.

I've tried to be a cheapskate and walked around the neighborhood for cheap eats to sneak in. And you know what? I ended up not getting anything, and bought the theater's $1 hotdogs instead.
5 - Kenneth S.: I love movies but at $15+ a pop it gets pricey.  This place is a bit old and doesn't show everything.  But look for parking on the street and enjoy a decent movie for $2-3.  It's great and I can't wait to go back.
4 - Kitson K.: Anyone who comes here knows that Academy 6 offers really cheap tickets. In fact it seems like such a sustainable business model that Edward's Atlantic in Alhambra adopted the strategy a year back. While they both play similar movies, I find that Academy 6 offers a few more choices like some independents and not just studio fluffs.  

I might be wrong, but I believe this place is one of the first second-run movie theaters in LA, before the recession sent "resource consolidators" like me back. Especially since I don't want to pay so much for generally mediocre movies. It seems like spending full value on movie theaters and having a Netflix account seems like a waste, unless it's a movie I can't miss which I'll save for Pacific down the street or a good independent flick at Laemmle's. 

My love for the Academy 6 has been almost a decade long, on-off love affair. I frequented this place during my high school years and came back after some years away in college. It's small size, value and central location (I live in SGV) is easy for me to enjoy a movie night. When I treat my family or friends, I walk away feeling like quite the big spender. Most nights I just park across the street and walk in with cash, grab some popcorn (hold the butter, please) and seat myself.

Simple in and out. Complicated steps make me want a cigarette afterward, if you get my gist.
5 - Yuping X.: I love this place. When I first came here about 6 years ago, it was $5 for a ticket, and $3 for a matinee. Then one day it became $3 prime time and only $2 matinee. What kind of already ridiculously good bargain gets CHEAPER as everything else goes up?!

And they don't show just any junk here either. I saw Slumdog Millionaire here, also Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Sin Nombre, Howl's Moving Castle, etc.

For me, when it comes to viewing film, just show me the film - if the film is good, then that should be enough and should be the core of the experience. If you have to have super comfy clean new seats and all that are willing to pay $10 more bucks, then this place might bug you - Arclight down the street is more up your alley. This is my kind of place though.
4 - May C.: this is a going to the movies experience, odd shape theaters, less slick interior, recent run movies, some still playing at regular priced venues-here you see for 2 or 3 dollars.
if only their concessions weren't overpriced
5 - E. V. S.: I was debating whether to give the Academy five stars (because that's how much I appreciate the place) or four (because it simply isn't a state-of-the-art first-run theater).  I decided to go with five, on the philosophy that ratings are relative to the what the establishment is offering.  After all, if the diner on the corner is an awesome diner, it doesn't deserve to be down-graded for not being a fancy restaurant, right?

The bottom line: I rarely see a movie anywhere else.  Indeed, if not for the Academy, I'd rarely see a movie at all.  But for these prices, why not check out something different, or that got a mix of critical reviews but still sounds like it'd be fun, or that is technically a kids' movie?  I've enjoyed a lot of movies there that I otherwise would probably never have gotten around to renting.

My husband and I usually take advantage of the Wednesday Date Night special (two tickets, two small popcorns, and two small drinks for a grand total of $10).  It makes for an easy night out that's fun and inexpensive (even with a box of candy and a hot dog or two).

I've never experienced dirty seats or unpleasant smells.  Every so often, the print will look a little worn, but never so much that it interferes with the content of the film.  I'm not an audio connoisseur, but I can't recall ever having trouble hearing any of the soundtrack.  The employees are friendly and professional, the toppings for the popcorn are a nice touch, and the Junior Mints are always fresh (i.e., the filling is creamy, rather than dried out) -- a big plus in my book.

The place also has an interesting history.  It was one big, 1709-seat theater when it was built in the 1920s; it wasn't until the '80s that it was split into six smaller ones.  (The upstairs theaters are a little oddly shaped because they used to be part of the balcony.)  Here's more about that, in case you're interested: https://sites.google.com/site/losangelesmoviepalaces/academy
5 - EdD H.: Always a great deal. I don't know how anyone can complain about this place. $21 for 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, popcorn, and a large soda. (1 free refill)  this place is an all around great deal.
4 - Cassie L.: i would have given this place 5 stars cuz its awesome prices, wednesday is  $10 date night for 2 tix, 2 popcorn, 2 sodas. parking is free in the rear lot if u show your movie tickets. The reason why I only gave it 4 stars is that I got food poisoning from eating a hot dog. I'll be back but I know better than to get the food here!
4 - Janene D.: This theater is by far the best deal!  Can't wait to attend a Wednesday "date night" movie!  2 tickets, 2 popcorns, 2 sodas - $10 bucks!  Can't beat that!  The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because it can get REALLY crowded.  Get to the movie early for a good seat!
4 - O V.: What do you expect for $3?

You can't beat the price, and if you're patient enough you could save yourself $10. I just went to go watch Thor and instead of paying $12 for a movie I paid $2!!! My only advice, go early.
5 - Paula M.: I love this place.  It is cheap. ... Well actually, Getting a medium drink costs more than the entrance.  But that is okay.  This is not a fancy place, but it is interesting.  The upstairs bathroom seems like it should have Moaning Myrtle in it, or maybe an even creepier ghost.  The whole place feels like the past, in a very good way.  I feel like a kid again.  Not that I am old, but it is very nostalgic here.  I think you can also get 1 dollar hot dogs.

Well one time my friends and I were going in to sit down and watch something and we saw and heard this rat skittering through the aisle.  It was amazing hilarious.  I wonder if I should have mentioned that?  I mean, this is an unalloyed positive review -- I think everything about this place is superb.  Even a few rats add character.  I think places like this should never cease to exist, and I would take this anyday to the cookiecutter weenyness of that new theatre, Arclight or whatever, that they replaced Pacific Paseo with.
4 - Jimmy K.: No, its not clean, or even nice. But you can't beat the price...
2 - Kirt F.: Ticket to a show, 2 bucks.  4 dollar for a large soda.  Popcorn, unknown.  They only take cash (a disturbing trend here in the LA area)  No discernible AC. Some seats, broken.

The movie, projected low and from the left, so the image was skewed.  Also, the walk way to the upper seats has folks walking right THROUGH the projected image.  The projector booth seems located in the theater room for screen 2 (1 and 2 are the better theaters, they say).

As the first of the previews rolled and the lights went black, two guys came in and sat near us.  They were carrying big plastic grocery bags, full.  As they sat down, I heard bottles clanging.  It appears that they brought in6 to 8 forties.  They had to enter the theater, on the second floor, and pass by at least four employees, one who was standing at in the theater we were in.  If d-bags want to drink and watch a movie, do it at home...

It was very disappointing, we won't be back.
4 - Ashley D.: Cheap movies!!!!!!! Sure, you have to wait for the new releases, but I'm a busy enough girl that seeing a movie on premiere weekend isn't a must for me. The quality of the seats and audio/video leave something to be desired, if you want to compare them to the fancy theaters. But if you just like to spend less than $10 for a movie date with your honey, popcorn included, this is the place. 
Go on Sunday--otherwise you have to pay for parking.
4 - Angela A M.: sometimes for whatever reason, you just put off seeing that movie and before you know it, it's not at the theaters anymore!  but this is where Academy 6 comes to the rescue!

you don't want to wait till the dvd comes out, so going to the Academy is the in-between.  not exactly your state of the art, stadium seating etc, but hey, it's on the big screen.  plus, $10 can go a long way here... add hot dogs, soda and popcorn and there you have it, a budget date in charming pasadena for a very relaxed, no frills movie night.  me likey  =)
5 - Alexis W.: Wednesday nights are "Date Nights!!!" $10 for two movie tickets, two small popcorns and two small drinks! Can't beat that!!
4 - Alessandra S.: Affordable 4-week old movies.   Yes the place is rundown, the bathrooms look old, the screens are small, seats uncomfortable and the floors are sticky and covered with popcorn.  Know before you go that this is NOT a state-of-the-art facility the people who go their are loud and obnoxious when the movie is playing and DO NOT know how to use their indoor voice.  The price for tickets are $3; Hot dogs $1.  I take the familg there to watch a movie and it comes out to about $24.  Try going to Americana Pacific Theatres for that price.  There is free parking on the side.  Not a great place for a first date bit excellent for people on a budget that aren't attached to how sticky or ghetto the person next to you is.
5 - L C.: This place takes me back to Jr high days when your parents dropped you and some friends off at the theatre and picked you up around the corner 2 hours later. It's a great value. The screen was big and nice picture. I had no problem with the sound quality and I'm just really glad I can start taking my kids back to the movies again. Unforunately we could not afford to go the movies very often at the new prices of $11+ more than 3 times a year. They have a decent offering of snacks, I did try the $1 hotdog and it was ok, not as good as the ones at the bigger theatres but did the job for my hungry 6 year old. He is the reason we went here as I never got around to taking him to see Dolphin Tale because of the price and so I decided to take just him and not the rest of the family to save money. I happened across this theatre on google and that it was playing Dolphin Tale at $2 a pop- we all were able to go! Great movie by the way, cried a few times...Getting there early is suggested as parking is slow to get and you kind of gotta wait for others to leave if you go at a popular time of day/week. There isn't much street parking around either. My hubby did end up finding parking after about 20 min. circling.We went on a Sunday 4pm showtime. So overall, we spent $10 to get in and $20 on snacks. $30 bucks for 5 people to see a movie, all kids got a large bag of candy and 2 large drinks-we would've spent 50 bucks just to get in the door at AMC and another $30 on snacks so I will definitely be back!
4 - Elias K.: I've been going to this theater since high school.
Its a bit shabby but for you couples that go to theaters to not watch movies
this is your place.

Date Night Wednesday's are the best.
2 tickets, 2 small drinks, and 2 small popcorns for $10.
Not to mention $1 hot dogs all-day.

Watching movies becomes more enjoyable when you don't have to dish out $30~$40 to get the whole experience. Save that occasion for a real date. Other than that go to Academy 6.
5 - Natalie A.: This place is so cool. $2 for matinee shows before 6 pm and $3 for evening shows after 6 pm. These prices cannot be beat. I love it! 
Date night Wednesday deal is 2 tix's, 2 drinks and 2 small popcorns for $10.

The movies they play are the ones that have just left the theaters, so you can catch the ones you missed before it goes on DVD.

 I will warn you that it is a small, old theater but I find this fact very charming about this place. It brings about a nostalgic romanticism that you can only experience by going for yourself. 

 It is definitely not an Arclight Cinema so if you are expecting/prefer that, then this is not the place for you. It's a little dirty, but nothing scary/unbearable. I have heard rumors about rats, but have never actually seen or heard one myself and I've been here quite a few times. The staff do a pretty good job of keeping the place up. 

Parking is the only difficulty, as their lot is usually filled up and parking on the street can be a hassle, so I suggest arriving a little early to avoid rushing. (Parking lot was free since the last time I was there.) 
Overall, I love this place and consider it to be one of the hidden gems of Pasadena. I hope they keep this place open for a long time:)
3 - John S.: $3 for a movie? Um yes...we are in a recession so enjoy it!

I went with my friend who lives in Pasadena and it was a good time for cheap. The place is really old, movie quality not the best, and they only take cash which is not cool but you get what you pay for & for $3 I think you can enjoy a movie especially in this economy & with the prices of movie theaters today this is definitely a bang for your buck! The food wasn't overpriced like I had expected which was a plus. They offered movies that had just left the theater and some that were still in most theaters. So if there's something that you missed, this is a great opportunity to go see it for cheap. 
Not a place for a date, but if you're looking for a good time for cheap this is a bargain for sure.
4 - Amy K.: I loathe paying full price for movies, but $3?  Most definitely!  Ok, the theaters are small, seating can be weird - Marc C. and I had a hard time finding a place to sit that wasn't behind a bar or was somewhere near the middle of the theater.  But we paid $3, so that's what you get.  Other things you can get: it's easy to smuggle in food, we once sneaked in a mini cobbler from around the corner (probably not the best choice for food to eat in the dark).  You can get the shadows of people who walk in front of the projector.  And you can get patrons who repeatedly yell "OH SHIT!" during "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo."  Usually you have to pay full price for that last one.

Bring quarters for the parking lot, or plan ahead to find street parking.
4 - Lizzy B.: First and most important: matinee price: $2 per person. Regular price: $3. And there are six films to choose from. That's pretty awesome.

No, the theater is not updated and not as nice as some others. If the movie you're watching gets very quiet for a moment, you might hear the film playing in the next theater. And the way the projection is set up, if people are going to or leaving their seats, you might see the shadow of heads on the screen. (But this is VERY unlikely to happen during the actual film.) And they only take cash at the box office. But how can I possibly let these things bother me when I'm able to see a film for $2 or $3? 

Really, what an AMAZING deal! :-)
4 - Denny B.: LOVE THIS PLACE.  When I miss the first showings of a movie by about a month or two, I can always catch it here.  Funky place.  $1 hot dogs.  Lots of specials for their concessions.  $3 for a movie and parking on the street?  What are you looking for in life?

There are hundreds of reviews on this place listed as Regency Academy Cinemas http://www.yelp.com/biz/regency-academy-cinemas-pasadena
4 - Janae P.: This was one of the most exciting discoveries I found in this economy. $2 matinee special on one to two month old movies. My friend and I used to come here every weekend and watch three movies in a row and buy a gripload of $1 hot dogs. 

The seating in the theaters can be a little weird. In some of the theaters there is a stairway going down the center of the screen so you can't sit in the middle. You'll be a little off to the side. There has to be something that reminds you that you're watching a movie for $2-3. 

The movies weren't always the best ones but you could learn from bad movies just as well as the good ones. This place is a good one to get your film education on for a more than reasonable price.
4 - Mimi J.: I miss this place! Love their cheap (fairly new) movies and dollar dogs! I mean, where else can you and a friend watch a movie and eat for under 10 bucks!?
5 - Nina C.: Six movies to pick from, tickets under $5, and delicious movie popcorn.  What's not to love? 

Other notes:
$1 hotdogs
Free refill on the large size popcorn
Street parking
5 - Kahlil N.: This is where you'll find me an awful lot. Dirt cheap, (pause, as I think of other plusses---GOT IT!!!) close to cool bar and pleasant staff. THIS is where I go/stagger after I've downed a couple Cadillac margaritas at Amigo's, nearly across the street. This is ENOUGH FOR ME and so that's why look forward to being the 'Duke/Mayor/General King of Checking-In on My Smart Phone' of the Academy 6 Theaters.
5 - Lana L.: I almost don't want to give it a review because I don't want the movies to be all sold out when I go LOL. This theater is amazing $3 movies all the time $1 hot dogs and on date night Wednesdays 2 movies, 2 drinks and 2 popcorn's all for $10! It's an older theater but they keep it very clean and whoever the blondish guy that was working the concession stand about 2 Fridays ago was the nicest most helpful employee I have ever encountered at a theater. I love this place it's awesome :)
5 - Susan Z.: What a great change since the new ownership! The food area is all new, they are planning to redo the carpeting and paint all while showing great films (just saw Mirror Mirror and Hunger Games for $2 each! Go at night and it is $3! They hope to add 3-D for only $5.  Check the listing every Friday for that movie you missed in the first run and see it here at the bargain price!
4 - Rachel T.: This may not be the most posh theater, but the seats are comfy enough, the tickets are only $3 and there are $1 hot dogs.  Most of their movies have just left the bigger theaters in the area and still playing in others.  

I take my kids all the time.

Don't forget cash tho.  This place doesn't take plastic at all.  But there is an ATM in the lobby.  Just try not to rely on it.  I think it runs on a dial up modem and it can take 20 minutes to process.
4 - Kira G.: I didn't even notice this theater until recently. It is a small one. But much better than the highland theater. 3 dollars a ticket, 2 before 6. The seating is not stadium seating, but its not that bad. Seats are pretty comfy. Good popcorn and drinks. Haven't tried any other snacks from the concession stand but im sure everything else it good as well. There's a little arcade too! I'm definitely coming back here.
5 - Susan L.: Man, I love this place.

Went here last night, saw Dark Shadows with a couple friends.  Movie was bleh.  But I just love that on a Wednesday night you can pay $5 and see a movie, get a popcorn, and a soda.  For only ONE DOLLAR more.. you can add a hot dog too!  I can't even begin to tell you how happy this makes me, lol.  For about half the price of a ticket ALONE at a nice theater, you can get the ticket plus a full meal! :)  They even have lots of different seasonings you can add to your popcorn for free!

Only downsides.. its small, you kind of have to slouch in your chair and look up to get the right angle for the movie screen, its always freezing inside the theaters for some reason, I don't get cell phone coverage in this place, parking is a TOTAL nightmare,  and its kinda far from me.

Let me tell you a little more about the parking.  There is a small lot behind the theater that is free when there is no parking attendant on duty.  Like late at night.  But man, people are fucking crazy stupid here.  I was trying to pull in (off the street, so I had right of way).. there is really only room for ONE car to be entering or exiting at a time, and cars were INSISTING on squishing by me while I was trying to come in. What the F?  Some asshole actually gave me the finger.  They were going the WRONG WAY in the parking lot, and they gave me the finger, haha.  Freakin' idiots.  Anyway.  At least I was able to safely park in the lot, so that made me happy.  But seriously.  Be careful.  Pasadena peeps are seriously insane when it comes to parking.
5 - Brian B.: 2 DOLLARS FOR A MOVIE? What isn't to love about that! I love going to this spot since it's such a money saver, (good for dates). The food is more expensive than the damn movie! They play six movies at once, they're usually old ones that have came out in regular theaters about a few weeks earlier or so; which is pretty neat if you haven't had the chance to watch one. Just today I saw the Snow White film which rocked. (Yes, Kristen Stewart did show emotion on this one). The only real complaint I have for this place is hearing sounds from the movie being played next door, that really ruins some moments for me. The workers are all friendly and nice. Oh and they have $1 hotdogs, goodbye over priced AMC cinema.
1 - Ds P.: HORRIBLE experience at the Academy Theater tonight. The guy at the front door was rude and completely embarrassed me in front of other patrons. 

They search purses now.  This seems like a reasonable safety precaution after the Colorado tragedy.  But this was NOT about safety.  I had left some trail mix in my purse, because I'm hypoglycemic and faint if  my blood sugar gets too low, so I have to carry some nuts or something for those moments.   I actually had no intention of eating the trail mix in the theater; I was going to order the popcorn at the concession counter like I always do.  

Long story short- the guy at the door was very rude and made a scene in front of the other people in line, then made me take the trail mix back to the car,  which was parked 10 minutes away.  As a result, I missed the beginning of the movie.  The worst part was that after I returned from my car the guy actually had the nerve to say "I'm going to have to search your bag again."  

1) Searching purses is a serious invasion of privacy.  
2) Searching my purse a SECOND time was insulting.
3) The bad attitude was horrible for me and my husband.  
4). Searching purses (for food) at a movie theater is TACKY.
5 - Miles L.: I have been going here on average every other week for the last 5 years, and I have been spoiled rotten by this place. A $2 second-run movie theater is a rarity in this day and age, and the ones you do actually managed to find are often run-down, disappointing and depressing places to go catch a matinee.

Not the Academy. The seats are comfortable, the screens are good, the snacks are great (it's always satisfying to go somewhere that the popcorn costs more than the ticket, in a good way), and the employees are friendly and helpful.
Even if the movie you're going to see is an awful train wreck that you're checking out with some friends solely to make fun of it, you never feel like you've wasted your money.
The place gets a little crowded on weekends and evenings, but if you make sure to get there early or just go see a show if you have a break in the middle of the week it's a great experience. I try to take all my friends to catch a movie there every so often, I look forward to every visit.
5 - Reyna N.: I'm giving this place such a good review because of the price and an awesome employee my group and I encountered on Tuesday.   We went in to watch The Avengers late night so parking was no problem (right in front of the theater).  Walked in and were encountered with your regular $3 theater. But once we got up to purchase our tickets my impression of the place changed.  Shandra at the front was amazing!  If you look like you're having a blast while you're at work then I am even more excited to come back.  The house was a bit strangely set up but it's okay.  Still had a good experience overall.  And yes we will be back on Tuesdays when that awesome person is there.

Academy 8 Theaters - Greenbelt, MD (38.9972081, -76.907044) ()
3 - Libby F.: I was debating on giving this place two stars because of its location in the grungy Beltway Plaza, but then I thought that would be very snobby of me.

The theatre (they spell it theater) has been completely remodeled according to their blurb in the movie directory.  It isn't that impressive, but it was hard to see since the lights are dimmed so low even ten minutes before the previews start.  All seats are stadium style, so I guess that would be an improvement.  They also boast about having the lowest admission and concession prices in the ENTIRE DC area! (Their exclamation point, not mine.)  All shows before 5pm are $5.50.

From what I could see in the dark, the floors and the seats looked clean.  The seats were comfortable, and stadium seats are always a plus! The movie theatre was almost empty so I can't comment on the typical behavior of the patrons.  

If you want to save a few bucks and are in the College Park area, then this isn't a terrible venue.  OK, I guess I'm a snob.
2 - Sara M.: I've seen a lot of movies in these theaters - this is a sad bit of reality, not something I'm particularly proud of.  This used to be an AMC location, one of two in Beltway Plaza, but now they seem to be independently owned and operated.  This resulted in some renovations... but the Academy 8 is still a depressingly low-rent theater complex.  They remain one of the cheapest places in the area to see first-run movies.  It's the closest major theater to the University of Maryland, with campus buses running nearby, so they have a captive audience there.

Seeing a movie at the Academy 8 is a special experience.  Which will be worse - the quality of the presentation or the behavior of other patrons?  Perhaps the film will break in the middle of the movie, or the sound will be consistently out-of-sync.  Your movie may be projected half on the screen and half on the wall beside the screen.  People brazenly smuggle in all sorts of food and drink, and the row behind you may be passing around some bottles of malt liquor.  This isn't so obnoxious until the bottles begin to roll around at your feet.  And the time someone got up and urinated on the wall of the theater during a movie?  Well, we just don't talk about that.

That makes it sound really awful, I suppose.  And it can be.  I try to avoid the Academy 8 during peak hours - matinees are cheap and fairly empty.  This makes it easier to tolerate the variable quality of the presentation and avoid the public urination entirely.
4 - michelle r.: I just went here to see a movie yesterday. It is way better than it use to be since they have stadium seating now. The only problem is, whenever i go there, people can't stop being loud! What is so hard to understand abut being quiet in a movie theater? lol If you want a better movie expierence, go to arundelmills but this is ok for last minute if you live in the area.
5 - Michael G.: Been going there since 1992 and its a good.
4 - Beneeta D.: Best prices around! I'm always looking for a discount and I found out that this theatre charges $5 for tickets...I haven't paid that much since I was maybe 12,and even then I think it was more! The theatre is big enough, the movie I saw was so empty- second week movie with maybe 12 people in the theatre at the most. There are only two ticket booths, so if you are seeing a first week movie, get there early. There are also only 2 snack counters, they move quickly but again...get there early on a busy night! 

I don't like Beltway Plaza AT ALL and I live about 20 minutes away but for the pricing, I will make this my go to theatre. One star off because their online system is awful, I wanted to see a 3D movie and the times were listed on the website incorrectly, I drove all the way to the theatre only to find out that the 3D show was 5 hours later than the time listed on the website. Really glad I didn't buy tickets online!

Academy Barber Shop - Pasadena, CA (34.1464578, -118.1295171) (Pasadena)
5 - Jeff C.: I rarely walk out of a barber shop or hair salon loving my haircut, but today I'm totally loving my freshly cut hair. Ray knew how to cut and how much to cut off, without me even realizing how I wanted it done. That's what I call experience. And when I tried and tipped him a bit extra he refused and insisted on only taking the appropriate amount. What a honest and gentle man. This is the only place I'll get my haircuts from now on.
5 - Raj M.: I love old school barber shops. Just moved to Pasadena and have been looking for a good barber shop. Just tried Academy this morning (right around the corner from Academy movie theater on Catalina). This place is old school. Ray, the barber, was super-friendly, a very sweet guy. Did a nice job.

Things I really like:

- Open Early
- Has all the equipment to do a nice shave (towels, cream, etc)
- Did a good job

I also like the YMCA barber shop, which is a few dollars cheaper, but they never have any of the stuff ready for a shave (which you need if you want them to give you neat lines around the edges of a regular haircut).
5 - Adam F.: Ray is a gentleman and a true professional.  He is friendly and good at what he does.  He has been cutting hair since 1964!  Plenty of time to hone his skill.

Be wary that his place can get busy - a couple of times I have been, there have been 3 guys waiting with one in the chair.  And, he certainly doesn't rush the haircut.  

20 bucks is a good price for what you get.  He even uses shaving cream and blade to touch up around the neck.
5 - Ryan K.: Ditto everything the other reviewers have said.

I "thought" I was going to the Mentor Barber Shop next door (didn't realize there were two) and walked into Academy instead. It wasn't until I was in the chair that I realized I was in the wrong place.

Bottom line, Steve, the guy next door had given me a great haircut the time before and he is $5 cheaper, but this guy Ray was amazing.

Instead of saying, "how do you want it?" or "what are we doing today?" (or some other barber cliche) he takes one look at me and says, "I see what needs to be done" and he just... does it.

He spent almost 20 minutes on it and wasn't the least bit chatty (I love that)... 

Two other guys walked in while I was in the chair so it can back up.

Great haircut. Great guy. 

I would probably go next door to Steve again if there were a huge wait, but Ray is now my first choice!
3 - Gabriel M.: The barber is a great older man. I love his attention to detail and precision. He won't talk a lot, which is nice if you love those quiet moments. One guy walked in after me and sat down. A few minutes later he gets up to leave a says he needs to find an ATM. The barber says, "don't leave. I don't want you to lose your place in line" (nobody else was there :) "You can always pay me later.", the barber finished. Wow!! Such a great guy. $20 for a haircut, but he does excellent work. The first time I went there I was surprised at the cost. Out of kindness, I offered a tip but he refused. He said this is enough. I regular there now.
5 - James Z.: I've been looking for about the past year or so for that "'perfect" haircut.  When I walked into Academy Barbershop and told Ray what I was thinking for a haircut, he knew exactly what I was talking about!  The shop has feel that its had the same decore since the 50's, which made it very comfortable for me.  Ray is a true professional and gave me the best haircut that I can remember, he ever did my edging with hot shaving cream and a straight razor!  This is now the ONLY shop I go to and Ray is the only barber I'll let touch me
1 - Zod Z.: Reading all the reviews on yelp made me really excited to go see this barber, unfortunately I had the opposite experience. My son has been needing a haircut and so I thought I'll take him to the best reviewed barber in Pasadena..BIG MISTAKE.

When we walked in we asked if he could cut my boy's hair. He asked what I wanted done and I replied, "a trim." He said, "I think you should go next door, they charge 14.99 and it's a standard job. All complete with an annoyed look.

Wow, I was pretty let down. Here I was excited to see this guy to get a straight razor shave myself, but instead I took his advice and went next door. He and I recommend the Mentor Barber Shop.
5 - Ramon R.: After many unsuccessful tries elsewhere, I have finally found the PERFECT hair cut!!! Academy Barber Shop is an old-school barber shop. Ray is a gentleman who knows his business too well. He'll ask you how do you wear your hair, and then you sit down and shut up, and watch a master perform his craft! No thrills, no frills, no chit-chat. just a great hair cut!
PS. I asked him if he takes credit cards, and he replied "no... pay me next time". I told him I'd go get some cash, he said "suit yourself...". That's a guy confident you'll be back.
5 - Alan R.: 25 years ago I moved to Pasadena and after several bad cuts found Academy Barber Shop.  SInce then I have visited Ray regularly and have never been dissatisfied.  Ray is a traditionalist barber who delivers a good haircut in a welcoming environment at a good price.   Definitely the best in Pasadena.
5 - clark i.: In this day and age of frilly, sales driven, pretentious salons, it's a relief to find a place that just cuts hair. It's nice not to be upsold on anything. If you're a guy, you'll probably like this place.

Facilities: There's only one chair, and when you're in it, the focus is on you. Occasionally the phone will ring, but Ray does his best to keep it brief. On warm days, Ray put on the AC and it blows great!. There's street parking; some days its wide-open, other days you may have to park on Union or Green and walk some. The chairs are comfortable. I don't know if there's a restroom, though. 

Staff/Service: Ray is a no-nonsense kind of guy with a great attitude. He's a traditionalist, so if you go in asking for a fade with a number 3 and some highlights, you might get a blank stare. He is friendly, takes pride in what he does, is efficient, and a neat guy to talk to. As others have noted, he does use a single edge razor with shaving cream. Also, he finishes your hair with tonic, although he does have gel. 

Value: At $20 a cut, you really can't beat it unless you prefer Supercuts. 

Warnings: As previously mentioned, you may wait. As he's a one-man shop, and a haircut can take 1/2 hour, you may want to come back if there's a line and you're in a hurry. I've waited up to 90 minutes for a cut, but know that this was the case, I came prepared with magazines that I normally don't have time to read.
5 - Wes B.: I called Ray on a day I didn't know he was closed but he answered the phone. I asked if he was open and he said he was closed, but if it was an emergency he would cut my hair.

It wasn't an emergency but I did need a hair cut for a funeral I was a pallbearer at later in the week. I told him it wasn't totally an emergency but he said he would be there for an hour and if I showed up, he would cut my hair.

The guy opens up his shop for me and gives me the best haircut I have ever had.

Oh yeah and it was also Labor Day!!!
5 - Nathan W.: I was in Pasadena a couple weeks ago and badly needed a haircut before a wedding that I was set to attend.  I went into Academy and caught Ray just as he was about to leave for lunch.  He was glad I was there -- it was obvious that he wanted to tame my overgrown hair.

He works in silence, which I prefer, although the fact that there's no radio, no other customers, and no other barbers in the shop makes for a very quiet cut.

He did what I asked, which was to trim my hair without taking to much off.  Several times, he told me that he could trim off some more and "really have [me] looking sharp".  It was funny, and he wasn't being overbearing at all (it was just clear that my penchant for longer hair was paining him).  

After he finished my cut, we chatted for a bit, and I found him to be a really great guy.  He told me about the old days and made me laugh.  

Haircuts are $20, which is a quite a bit more than I'm used to (I pay $14 in Manhattan), but I know that in the wide world that's considered a decent value.  

My hair has grown out quite nicely, so overall, I'm very happy with the cut.  I'll try to go back and see him again next time I'm in CA.
5 - Ryan H.: This was my first haircut here and I am quite pleased!  It's a touch high above the ears, but more a slight style preference rather than any sort of goof on Ray's part.

Ray is the one and only barber here; there are two chairs but the other just sits empty.  The place is quiet: no music, no talking.  There are plenty of magazines to read while you are waiting your turn, but while you are getting your haircut, you just stare straight ahead.  And that is straight ahead towards the future patrons; he has the chair facing away from the mirror (so the final result was a surprise, albeit a pleasant one).

Ray is quite the older gentleman, and is both friendly and polite.  He is soft-spoken and won't talk at all while cutting your hair, but I prefer it that way.

The haircut was quick and well done; not choppy or cut too short.  My instructions to him were really just nodding at his question of "so you just want a nice haircut?".

Cost of the haircut is $20; I tipped $5 and he seemed genuinely pleased.  He doesn't appear to take credit cards so bring cash.

There are no reservations, but the line was short (there was one person ahead of me as Ray finished up one other person, but the haircuts go quickly).  As I left, there were two people waiting (including the one about to take my seat).

Hours are a bit unclear... the sign says 7am-3pm Tue-Sat, but he told someone on the phone that he is open 6:30am-2:30am, so I would not plan on showing up at 2:55 and getting fit in (sounds like he plans on closing the doors at 3!).

Overall, this was a great basic barber experience, by someone who has obviously been doing it for awhile and enjoys it.  I'll certainly be back.
5 - Brian F.: What clark i. said below is exactly right.  $20 gets you a wonderful cut without fancy hair products, machines, scalp massage, or chatter.  The place is like stepping back in time.  Very happy with my old-school haircut!
4 - Colt E.: Old fashioned barber shop. The barber actually spends 90% of his time with scissors rather than the clippers which is nice. He knows what he's doing with your hair too. Very customer friendly and takes his time with you. He's in no rush. The highlight of the cut is the hot shaving cream on your neck and around your ears followed by the barbers blade. I wouldn't say the haircut is 100% perfect, but overall a good, trustworthy experience you'll be satisfied with for $20+tip.
1 - Joe D.: The Great Barber Search Stop #3

As I've said in previous reviews, I'm willing to make certain sacrifices when it comes to my hair.  I'll travel across town.  I'll use a lunch hour.  I'll get up extra early.

A few of my friends who groomsmen in a wedding went here to get set up.  They, like the many yelp reviewers, mentioned that there was just one barber and that there could be a particularly long wait.  

I figured that in the end it would be worth it.

I work in Pasadena.  I figured, I'd wake up super early and be the first one in for a haircut.  

I got there and Ray was very nice and personable but he kept saying things you don't want to here as a barber's client:

"Oooh your hair is weird.  It just goes all over the place"

"Wow.  That's funny"

"Hmmmmmm"

and finally the last thing you want to hear when a barber finishes your cut:

"Well, I did the best I could"

My hair looked like it had divots in it.  My sideburns were tremendously uneven.  When I made mention of it, he shaved them so that there was a huge bald spot between the top and bottom of the sideburn.  When I got home, I had to shave them off completely.   I had these weird jacked up sideburns for the rest of the workday

As I was sitting there, the shop filled up with 5 people.  I was shocked.

Maybe he had an off day and truthfully, my hair grew back nicely but I am never ever coming back here.
5 - m c.: Ray's awesome.  $20 for a cut, but a good guy and good work.

Academy Floral Co. - New York, NY (40.802203, -73.967209) (Manhattan Valley)
3 - Heather H.: What to say about Academy?  They have nice flowers and nice plants but they are crazy expensive.  Okay, not upper-east florist expensive, but too much for my sensibilities.  I mean, really $35 for that little common flowering plant in a small basket?

To be fair, this is the florist that at the very, very last minute (I was in the back of the church waiting to walk down the aisle) made my wedding bouquet when Plant Shed failed to show up.  The bouquet was beautiful, yes, but was it worth $125?  I don't know.
1 - Mark H.: I have to agree with the other comments about the lack of customer service. I spent several minutes with a salesperson describing the arrangement I wanted - she said she'd have it right out - I sat down and waited... and waited.. and waited.

Finally the owner (?) came over and asked if I was being helped. Turns out the salesperson hadn't even started the arrangement and was working with other customers. The owner, without apology or acknowledgement of the situation, said "done" and reached for some flowers. I said, "I just don't understand why she didn't even start." (She was a few feet away, bent over another arrangement, and didn't look up.) The owner said, "You want this bouquet or not?" I walked out.

A little better attitude here would go a LONG way. For my part, I'll be searching Yelp for other florists in the area.
1 - Shannon O.: She's back, and she yelled at me for picking up a bonsai plant.
1 - George R.: I walk by the front of the store often and they always have the most beautiful plants and flowers in the window.  So I decided to send some get-well flowers from Academy to a friend at the hospital.  I also visited later that day and when she thanked me for the flowers I noticed that they looked like they'd been sitting there for about a week.  Many of the outer petals of the flowers were dry and darkening--it was really embarrassing.  Given the price of the arrangement, I was really ticked off, too.  I'm not going back. Maybe they didn't realize I was from in town and would see the arrangement.
2 - Andrew M.: I recently sent flowers through the Academy Floral website. The prices were high but I found a decent arrangement that was delivered in the promised time frame. 
I was extremely unimpressed with their customer service. After checking my credit card statement, I noticed I was charged $10 more than I was supposed to have been. I called and was told it was a delivery fee that was wrongly added to my bill, which the woman then credited me for. Not once throughout the conversation did the woman apologize...she actually made me feel like this was some issue I was responsible for! I know these things happen and $10 isn't a ton of money but it's the principle of the issue and I didn't like the feeling that I was the one who did something wrong. I will not be returning here for any future flower deliveries.
2 - Mandy H.: I ordered flowers online from here thinking that this place was a local NYC shop - nope, it's FTD.

Can't vouch for the state of the flowers (somebody below said the delivered flowers were dried-out/dying) because I never saw them, but I asked for next day delivery to a business address. They delivered the flowers at 6:30 p.m. By the time the flowers arrived, the business was closed. WTH.

I'm givng it two stars instead of one because customer service was actually helpful. I called three times during the day to inquire about the delivery. Points for trying to track down the delivery driver for me (even though he got there late anyway).
1 - Marta H.: Do NOT under any circumstances use this florist to send a floral arrangement, especially to another City. The florists they work with in other cities, (namely Miami, FL) use inferior flowers in their arrangements in both quantities and quality.  The arrangement I sent did not look like th one pictured in their website. I paid in the neighborhood of $80 dollars to "upgrade" to a large bouquet which onthir website clearly states "Premium orders contain more blooms and are designed with even higher quality flower varieties."  The bouquet was supposed to have red roses and spray roses and instead had 6 roses and the spray roses were substitued for red carnations.  Their customer service was almost worse than the bouquet...Save the embarrassment and your money!
2 - Kate T.: I just received an email order delivery confirmation....for my order that was delivered 6 days ago....
1 - david w.: As if the aforementioned weren't bad enough, some of the flowers in the bunch were dead less than 24 hours later--and they were the priciest ones in the bunch too.
1 - Scott L.: Another 1 star review for an already awfully reviewed place. 

Sent the wrong flowers.
1 - Matthew S.: This place doesn't even deserve a star.

I bought flowers off the website. When the flowers arrived they had already bloomed and were dead the next day. 

The quantity of flowers was much smaller than what is shown on the website. 

The flowers I got were not the same color as the ones shown on the website. 

The card with the love message was printed on regular paper and was the same as the receipt. Ew how romantic. 

I was unimpressed and insulted. I would never order anything from this website again and I would discourage anyone from ordering flowers from this website which is a SCAM.
5 - Tommy M.: This is one time that I'm glad I didn't check Yelp before taking my business here.  I wanted to have flowers delivered to my girlfriend, and since I'm all the way across the country I had very little control over the situation.  The arrangement was simple and inexpensive, but my delivery instructions were very detailed and somewhat unconventional.  Not that the delivery person had to do a song and dance, but my girlfriend's location was hard to pinpoint at the specified address, and I couldn't exactly ensure that she'd be there.  But they found her, and she was very happy with the arrangement.  Thanks!
5 - Danielle P.: Gosh, I'm glad I didn't read Yelp before ordering from here either.  I had the best experience - I ordered on-line but they called and said they didn't have the lillies that i ordered. I explained what I wanted and I was nervous they'd look cheap and I got a text from my friend stating they were "the most beautiful bouquet of flowers she's ever received"  YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!  

I would recommend this florist - they're professional, very friendly customer service, quick delivery and beautiful, beautiful flower bouquet. A very, very happy customer.:)
1 - Sharif M.: The most horrible service EVER! The woman with whom I spoke was very rude and made it seem as if I was inconveniencing her by inquiring about that status and condition of my $80+ order. The flowers arrived brown and dying. The bear was wet and dirty. I will NEVER order from this place and will NEVER encourage anyone to order from them if I am asked about them and their service.

Academy of Pest Control - Claremont, CA (34.0968759, -117.719195) ()
5 - Kat E.: I came home Monday evening to a full house infestation of ants. Completely panicked, I called the Claremont Chamber for a reference and was given Eugene's number. He was able to come first thing the next day, completely sprayed my house inside and out. He was friendly, personable and knowledgeable about all of my bug questions. Eugene did a fantastic job and I would recommend APC to anyone with bug needs! I also live in Fontana, they do service that area also.

Acapulco Mexican Restaurant Y Cantina - Los Angeles, CA (34.0606293, -118.4442872) (Westwood)
2 - Cathleya G.: come for margarita mondays, dont stay for the food.
3 - Nat K.: Margarita Mondays are where it's at... they're pretty weak, so it's a good thing they're so damn cheap 'cause you'll have to get at least three to get a good buzz going.
2 - Pamela M.: Lunch buffet is o.k but it's gone up to $7.99, they redecorated the place and it looks nice, but I don't consider Acapulco to be authentic Mexican food.
3 - Christina W.: AWWWW YEAH!  Margarita Monday's.  $1.75 margaritas all night ... free happy hour buffet and 1/2 off appetizers from 5-7.  The food at the buffet isn't great, but why complain?  It's free!  Street parking is a pain, but the Y Cantina validates if you park in the office building across the street.

In undergrad, I used to come here every other week before speaking in front of a LIVE studio audience.  Mind you, a speaker is often poised and collected.

Now, after chugging a few strawberry margaritas, the shade of my face and drink began to match each other.  I would stumble into the "studio," pull up to the podium and park my inebrieted rump 3 feet away from the front row ... and every time, one of the audience members would always say:

"Ahhh ha, you are drunk."

Me:  How can you tell?  

Her:  Your face looks like a tomato (vine-ripened I suspect) and I can smell your breathe from here.

Moral(s)?  I have none, but mission accomplished.
2 - Hen A.: urgh..8 straight hours of standing and speaking at ucla...and after a long day of work....voice almost gone....i'm brought here to have my dinner....again...urgh~~~

typical mexican restaurant style....lots of tiles...what is up with mexicans and their tiles...urgh..anyways...food is subpar...decent chips and salsa...and okay guacamole....chimichanga was bit over fried hard..and i mean hard.......services is slow....and horrible happy birthday singing for the table on the other side of the room....
4 - Tina S.: Ah, so many good times here.  Not the most authentic of mexican food, but the fajitas are fucking good.  And the happy hour is SUCH a score.  Get a pitcher of beer for $5 and then eat your face off.  So perfect for the college life.  Every time they'd bring out a new tray of food for the happy hour we would be lined up and ready to mack down.  They hated us.  I loved them.  It's kind of like all my romantic relationships.
3 - Kate E.: I have never had the lunch buffet, because things like that frankly scare me.  But their salads are HUGE, the chips are good, and you can get screamingly big margaritas.  You know how I said it's sort fo inappropriate to get drunk at lunch and go back to work?  Well, when I don't care about that, I go to Acapulco and take a swim in a mega margarita.
3 - Matt L.: Among the many bite size pieces of information that you can learn about the town of Acapulco from Wikipedia, perhaps this is the statement that sheds the most light onto the choice of this restaurant's name:

"In recent years, within the younger crowd, Acapulco has made up some ground on Cancun as a popular spring break destination."

If you are a member of this 'younger crowd,' that is, if you don't mind food that's less than stellar if the drinks are cheap, then Acapulco could be right up your alley.  The Margarita Monday special is the only time I have been to this establishment, and the deal is pretty good (although watch out! they charge an extra $0.25 more than advertised for any of the flavored margaritas).  You will probably love this restaurant if you are:

a) A full fledged member of the greek system,
b) An alcoholic in training (see a)),
c) A lover of average Mexican food.

Outside the realm of Margarita Mondays I can't really picture myself coming here.  But if you've got a case of the Mondays, this place might have what it takes to cure what ails you.  And if not, you can always go to Diddy Riese afterwards.
2 - franky d.: As a mexican myself I can honestly say this is a sad representation of mexican food. If someone believes they are coming here for mexican food they are sadly mistaken. 

I like the decor and the restaurant itself but the food is so bland. There is not much flavor. The only way to add flavor is to spice things up but even then its just hot. Not like tastey spicy...more like just spicy.

The only reason it doesn't get a sad 1 star rating is because of Margarita Mondays. Yes, cheap alcohol can lead to good times with friends. I usually went to margarita mondays to have a few magaritas before crossing the street to brew co after the margarita monday was done. 

It saved me money b/c I didn't need to drink much at brew co. As a college student I would have given it a 3 but since I've been out of college I found that there are much better places to eat, drink, and save money. SO it gets a 2. 

College students...check this place out.
everyone else...find a better place.
3 - Regina L.: This place only means two words to me: Margarita Mondays. 

First, the bad: The bar area can be crowded especially at night with UCLA students since, after all, this place is in Westwood. They'll take awhile to get to your group if you're standing around the bar, so I suggest getting a table. Discounted margaritas are until 10 pm only, so come early and you can continue your drunken debauchery at BrewCo across the street after 10 pm. Also, if it matters to you, once it gets closer to closer to 10 pm, they tend to serve the margaritas in those party cups. 

The good: For ~$2 a margarita, I get to appreciate my "I'm such a cheap date" status by spending $8 max with tip for a good buzz. Sharing the appetizer platter makes for a good deal if you share it with a couple other people. If you're super cheap, just munch on some free chips and salsa while you race with your friends how fast you can down a blended frozen margarita before getting a brain freeze. Yes...fun times indeed as a UCLA undergrad.
3 - esther n.: A few years ago I came to Westwood with friends; until last Friday, whenever I thought back to that time, I always thought we had eaten at  Chili's. 

But last Friday I was walking around with another friend and we decided to eat here, and as soon as I walked inside I realized it was my second visit. It was the lovely lime green walls and "fiesta!' decor. It was confusing. Take that as an indication of how 'authentic' this place is.

Fajitas are really good - the meat is sizzling hot, and portions are huge. Avoid the halibut tacos, the fish tastes more like chicken than anything else. Burritos are great, too.

Maybe it's a bit overpriced, but the portions ARE generous, and service is fair.
4 - Megan T.: Math is not my strong point.  In fact, I used to have nightmares about math finals at UCLA (even though I never enrolled in a math class).  But even I can figure out the equation for solid 4-star knock-off Mexican and, when one is in Westwood, Acapulco's is it.

+1 star for that one graduation party.  You know the one I mean.
+1 star for the picture of Best Friend vs. The Giant Margarita.  Strawberry.  Blended.  It won.
+1 star for friendly waitstaff, decent service, decent (fake) Mexican, and 
+1 star for being one of the few places in Westwood that does not *always* card.

- 1 star for not having any parking anywhere.
-1 star for the fact that every other Acapulco's in the chain is complete and utter CRAP.

=
An overall decent place to grab a combo plate & a margarita.  Beats the hell out of Chili's, anyway.  But that's another review.
3 - Joie P.: We went here in between jobs for the beer and their buffet.  Wasn't bad at all.
Above and beyond the cerveza and all you can eat was the fact that they were watching soccer.  Yay!  There is nothing better than getting buzzed and filling up on fajitas, chips & salsa while watching soccer.
I do have to announce that this Acapulco wasn't any different from any other.  Where ever you are, have you noticed that Acapulco experiences are almost hauntingly the same?  Not bad.  Not spectacular.  But...THE SAME.
3 - Nicole C.: Out of all of the "chain" Mexican restaurants Acapulco is my favorite.  They have the best chips!  My boyfriend and I went for Happy Hour on Friday.  Their Happy Hour is 4p-7p the traditional margaritas are $3.50 and the appetizer menu is 1/2 price.  They also have a $1 taco bar.  They used to have FREE appetizers during Happy Hour which was GREAT, but I guess not very practical.

The Happy Hour deals are only available if you sit in the bar.  But you can also order off the regular menu.  My food was good, my boyfriend wasn't as pleased.  He said he likes El Torito better....Opposites attract.
3 - Toni L.: Highlights of Acapulco include killer desserts and alcohol (Margarita Monday... ooooh yes). Downside: price. Most entrees cost around 16 bucks and though portions are large, this definitely does not justify the cost. 

Food: The fajitas, tacos, burritos, and just about anything else on the menu screams deliciousness. However, the desserts really steal the show. For $5 you can get a molten chocolate cake complete with scoop of ice cream. Great for a late night snack or a wrap up for your meal. I also hear the lunch buffet is good. As for the alcohol, it's pretty damn cheap for what you get. The shots are strong and flavorful if you're looking for something in which to dissolve your sorrows (and neurons).

Service: Mario (I think), or whoever owns this restaurant (or manages it?) is SUPER NICE every time I come in. One time he let me and Vivian L. in right before closing at 11 pm. Just today he was telling me about how his balloons kept popping in the wind and jokingly accused me of helping the process with an umbrella. Hilarity. The service is fast and courteous. 

Parking: Good luck finding parking here. Sometimes you can get it on the street, but you might have to fight for it. Better to park in the underground Ralph's lot between Weyburn and Le Conte though it should be done discreetly to avoid a visit from the tow truck. 

Decor: This place attempts to recreate a Mexican abode. Feels kinda homey in a cheesy way I suppose.
2 - Kim O.: Food kinda sucks here. I've only been here once but the service was extremely slow 2+ hours after being seated we were done and they were NOT busy whatsoever. Reminds me of the El Torito restaurants only their food is better. Try it for yourself. Maybe I just was there on an off day...
4 - Kris A.: As far as margarita mondays go, GOOD DEAL! $1 taco (2 pinto bean soft tacos YUM) and the strawberry margarita for only $2.75!!!! great combo!!
4 - Sofia M.: I eat at chain restaurants too! Sometimes even bad Mexican ones. Other times, even stereotypically bad ones just so that I can appease and accompany a group of hungry, thirsty and frustrated/relieved graduate students. 

After our fist quarter finals most of the people in my program walked on over to the Acapulco's near campus and few of *us* crawled out. Food and drinks were damn good and the quality more than sufficed. 

Today, we finished the last final of our second quarter and once again, remained with the Acapulco's tradition. At noon. We had the $8.50 buffet which included a ton of food. Beans, rice, chicken fajitas, tamales (with no lard - we asked), beef, chicken and carnitas (these were the best carnitas I've ever tasted and I've tasted many) tacos, chile verde, red and green salsa, salad and fruit bar and even a bunch of desserts. 

It was good! 

I ate way too much and drank way too little. But I had to drive, so responsibility got the best of me. It was all good. We talked about all the places and things we'd try to do during our one week spring break, defense mechanisms, female genital circumcision, our attachment to our own clitorises (clitori?) and a bunch of other things that made us laugh, cry and want to kill some of our clients. 

That was great. 

And as a special treat, we met and took pictures with Magic Johnson! That's right! He was at the bar right next to the buffet and we all crowded him and each gave him our individual spiel about how great we thought he was. I know nothing about basketball, but I do know a lot about South Central, it's history and his investment in the community. So I shared that with him along with thanking him for his efforts. He high fived me with his huge, huge hand. 

Today was a good day. 

(too bad I'm still up late finishing one more paper)
3 - Mark A.: WARNING - IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE COMATOSE AFTER YOU RETURN FROM LUNCH! :P   Be careful with the lunch buffet, don't overdo it or else you will be sleeping and farting on your coworkers/colleagues! Lol!!! Seriously! ;)

The lunch buffet used to be great, it's only ok now... They seem to have removed an item or two that made it great. Plus the price went up a tad, boo!

If you don't want to walk far for the only goal to get into a Mexican-food-coma, come here!
3 - Sarah G.: I wouldn't normally eat here except for during their special dining hours with special deals like their dollar tacos on Mondays or their buffet lunch!! 

The buffet lunch by far will leave you more full than you could have ever imagined. They have a little bit of everything from tacos and enchiladas to tortilla soup and tamales...You really shouldn't go to this place for lunch and expect to go back to work and be productive at all. We tried, but my coworker and I just decided to go home for the day instead because we were honestly too full to think!! 

The buffet food is decent not as fresh as it should be or could be, but hey it is a cheap price for all you can eat mexican food. Just make sure you go in comfy pants that will let your stomach breathe!!!
4 - John O.: Pretty good service and food. I went here on a Tuesday evening with a party of more then 20 for a birthday party. I ordered the the trio, shrimp skewer, salmon, chicken and vegetables. Remember to remove the vegetables from the pan before they burn too much.

This is a chain restaurant, so I won't really go into reviewing this any further. But I guess I could say that this locations holds up to the reputation.
2 - Denis S.: The food is really bad here.  They have some good happy hour specials, but then they didn't do them on Cinco De Mayo... so that kind of sucked.  In general, this is a place you should avoid.
4 - Allisoto P.: Lunch buffet = $8.49. Food was good. I especially liked the fresh tortillas. 

What really stood out was the service. Everyone working for lunch yesterday was so enthusiastic and just having a good time. I wish my work was a party all the time.
4 - Felicia C.: I've got a case of the Mondays and the only thing that can help me is Acapulco.

Acapulco Margarita Mondays - the best way to start your week.

Go early to grab a table before the UCLA mob hits. Order a margarita, get a huge platter of appetizers for half off (yay for happy hour prices!) - then chill there for the next couple of hours. Watch "the game", mingle with friends, get drunk...

...Honestly, is there any better way to start the week?
1 - Sally P.: I went to an Acapulco's once in a distant city, where chain restaurants reigned supreme, and hummus flowed like wine.  

So when my friend suggested we go here for his birthday lunch, I said ok.  It was a last minute thing, so don't think my friend is this disgusting piece of shit for choosing Acapulco's for his birthday or anything.  I don't think there's really anything good I can say about this restaurant.  Their food was so much worse than the previous Acapulco's I'd been to, I thought I'd been mistaken as to my whereabouts. So that trip sucked, and my friend's birthday was ruined. Also his ex girlfriend was a psycho bitch, so that made the lunch extra bad.

Then I made the mistake of returning once for "happy hour." Since I figured I wouldn't be eating anything, it might be ok.  Kind of hard to fuck up a margarita I'd think.  Well I was proven wrong again, as the margaritas were served in the clear plastic cups you pee in at the doctor's.  Also the margaritas were dispensed from the soda gun, which blew my mind, because I really hate it when I actually get to see the bartender mix the drink in front of me.   I'd much rather have a drink served to me that was made from some shitty Cuervo concentrate syrup, mixed in the same bucket I used as a toilet earlier in the WC. 

 They had "food" sitting out during the happy hour for the patrons to enjoy, but I was wise to Acapulco's game now, and stayed away.
2 - Michael D.: I was disappointed.  Not that I had any expectations - we were wandering around Westwood, needed something to eat, and this was the next place on the block.  I was also confused - the huge mollusk shells that serve as door handles at the entrance made us think that seafood would be a specialty...  (no, I'd never been to an Acapulco's before...)

One room was fully occupied by a large party - so I guess the place is good for groups, but bad for other patrons in that situation.  We were slow to be seated, waited on, served, and even when we wanted to pay -- still slow.  Our waiter tended to communicate in grunts, rather than sentences, and we received no suggestions or assistance with our selection.  It was pretty standard American-Mexican food, with nachos (which I must admit, was a large serving, with a good amount of toppings), tacos and burritos chosen among our party.  Nothing special, but nothing terrible either.

Looking back at the other yelps, I wish I'd had a half-price margarita to help me get through the ordeal.  We won't be going back, as there are plenty of other places where I can receive better food, and better service.
3 - Misha T.: So acapulco's is by no stretch of the imagination mexican food, don't be fooled by the decor, which honestly if you are fooled by it please give me your credit card number i won't use it for anything. promise.

anyways that being said with low expectations going in it wasn't too bad, provided you're there for margarita mondays and are paying reasonable prices for crappy margaritas and "carnitas" quesadillas which actually are filled with bbq (american style) pulled pork which despite their lack of authenticity taste good, you'll have a pretty good time.

despite my 3 stars i wouldn't be surprised to see me there atleast 6 mondays a quarter so feel free to say hi.
3 - J N.: Great for Margarita Mondays.... and not so much for everything else.

Margarita Mondays can be a hit or a miss. Sometimes it's packed and sometimes not. Either way, their fruit margaritas are good for the price blended or on the rocks. Also, I would recommend the giant appetizer platter which you can get for half off during happy hour.

As for their restaurant food, it's a step above Chevy's in quality but tastes are just so-so and a little overpriced for Mexican food. Never really liked the dim, bland, interior of the dining areas. It's fine for the bar but it's just depressing to eat in.
4 - Adrienne D.: On Friday evening I met up with a few friends here for a quick dinner before the movies. The hosts were friendly and greeted me at the door, and the place was not crowded. Our server was friendly and attentive, and the Happy Hour specials were quite awesome. My friends enjoyed the $2.50 margaritas til 7, I liked the $1 tacos-- to my surprise they were normal-sized, so two instead of the three I got would've been enough to fill me up. With a drink, tax, and tip, I had a tasty bite for under $7-- perfect for an economic recessionista meal.
2 - Maria O.: Here's all I know about this place- $3 Margaritas on Monday. Yes yes they have all sorts or fruit whathaveyous, but honestly you can't do better than a Margarita on the rocks here. (SERIOUSLY) their wings go nicely with this or you can get the platter but i'd skip it; too much of it is just chips with beans and guacamole.
2 - Ryan W.: If you are a UCLA student or a Westwood denizen, odds are that you have heard of the fabled Margarita Monday at Acapulco.  Although the $3 margaritas are almost always watered down and served in small plastic cups, on a few occasions, we were able to sit in the dining room (not the cantina), and received the same $3 margaritas in ordinary margarita glasses.  They even tasted stronger.  Maybe it was just the glass cup that tricked me.  In any case, the injection of ethanol into your bloodstream on Margarita Mondays will make the mediocre food taste far better than it would otherwise.  The guacamole is too acidic, and the rest of the entrees range from tolerable to good.  In particular, the carnitas quesadilla had me confused when I took a bite of what tasted like pulled pork BBQ inside a flour tortilla.  Skip that one.  The enchiladas are my standard dish here, and are consistently good. suizas

Aside from Mondays, I only really come here when I need something quasi-Mexican and local.  On Mondays, where else can you get $3 margaritas and a huge appetizer platter that has buffalo wings, nachos, mini taquitos, quesadillas, and a variety of other cheese and meat smothered items?
2 - Amy S.: Acapulco's has decent food, can accommadate large parties but i have one major recurring problem with this venue: they cannot ever get the bill correct! 

Granted, both times i went I went with a party of 20 and 40,  Always had problems with the bill--charges for items we didnt receive (perhaps ordered but didnt receive) and charges for misc drinks.. whats going on!? both times i had to get my bill ammended for 50 dollar over charges. The manager usually brought them down 30 dollars and we paid it.. Annoying. I mean i know its a large party but they should be able to handle it--duh, use seperate bills or something? 

Anyway i think  there food is a bit overpriced for being standard mexican food, but okay for groups.
3 - Jena B.: Cheap margaritas are always a joy; fighting with masses of skanked-out underage girls to get them is not.
2 - T K.: We got a flyer that said Buy one entree and get one for $2.99, plus the picture of the Sea of Cortez looked really good on the flyer.  So me and the bf decided to go to Acapulco for Sat. Night dinner.
It's Acapulco, so I did not expect much.  After about 30 minutes wait, the food finally come.  The steak in my steak and shrimp fajitas was really tender and flavorful, but the onion and bell pepper were really greasy.  The bf had Sea of Cortez and made a comment about the piece of halibut looked bigger in the picture and he tasted nothing like crab in the crab enchilada. But overall, our entree were decent.
We decided we wanted dessert so we ordered Deep-fried ice cream. This is where I only give them 2 stars.  Here's the description of the item: 

"Deep-Fried Ice Cream
French vanilla ice cream rolled in a crispy cinnamon coating with a hint of coconut and deep-fried. Served with cinnamon-sugar dusted tortillas, fresh strawberries, whipped cream, pecans, chipotle-chocolate sauce and honey.  "

Fresh Strawberries.  Yes there were two. But they were not WHOLE strawberry. No, they were not cut in half.  You know how you could cut off part of the fruit when it's sorta rotten. Yes, that's how the strawberries were. So took both out and did not eat them at all.

crispy cinnamon coating : NOT Crispy at all. The coating is like old cereal that were in an open box for three months. 

We were really disappointed with the dessert.
4 - Jeremy E.: MONDAY MARGARITA madness! Every Monday this place gets packed during the happy hour for the 'deals'. The margaritas are pretty good, but they are $2.50 for a reason. Pop back three of these babies and you should at least feel somethin' or their jippin' you. 

Our group usually gets the giant appetizer platter and a ton of margaritas. Which, is not the best food, but if you expect great food from here then your probably drunk anyways. A few reviewers call this place 'decent,' but considering it tastes better than what I can make at home... and I don't have to make it, then its pretty good in that sense. 

Acapulco plays into the cheesy Mexican-American style of decoration. I mean, it could look better, but I guess they wanted to just keep it at a minimum and fun. 

The service is average. Sometimes you will get a good laugh with the waiter, but they are dealing with a ton of drunks, so what do you expect.
1 - Alex C.: This place sucks, if you want to have a good Mexican food go to EL TORITO.
very disappointed with the food and staff.
when leaving I asked for a plastic bag to take my leftovers and the GENERAL MANAGER did not want to give a bag....
I'M NEVER COMING BACK THERE.
3 - Kitkat N.: it's a decent place but I didn't find it AMAZING. I barely remember what I ate there. it was that insignificant. The plates are pretty big though :)
4 - Charlotte T.: Monday margaritas is the perfect way to start a new week... and a new project! We came here for dinner because it was close to the office. Mango margaritas were nicely made. The waiter was very friendly and accomodating. I ordered a chile rellenos and asked if I could have a side of plaintains and chihuahua cheese. Very well made, not overly salty. Definitely be back soon! Probably on a Monday!
3 - Nikhil B.: We came here for a late lunch and so the place was rather empty but even then we waited about 10 minutes before anyone walked over to us to seat us at a table. Even once we were seated, the service was extremely slow and it took several minutes between each phase of service. It even took them 15 minutes to bring us our check and then another 10-15 to run a single credit card. At the time, there were maybe 3 other tables eating in the entire restaurant!

The food was decent. The flavors were more-or-less there but could definitely have been better. Our margaritas were done very well though. Decent amount of alcohol and very well prepared. This could probably be attributed to us not eating there during their happy hour or monday margarita night. 

All in all, a decent place. The wait staff was helpful but again, extremely slow for no apparent reason. I need to come check this place out on a Monday night for some $2 margaritas.
2 - Elle B.: Okay, everyone raves about the cheap margaritas on Monday nights but I am not impressed. I ordered a mango margarita for 2.75 and it was weak sauce and way too sweet. My friend's house margarita was much stronger and refreshing. We nabbed a table in the corner but due to an abundance of hard tiled surfaces it was just so incredibly loud. Too many obnoxious drunk people for my taste. Oh, the constant supply of warm chips earned Acapulco an extra star! I would suggest going down to the street to Napa Grille for better ambiance and a great 4 dollar Sangria.
3 - Tory A.: Acapulco's is best for Margarita Mondays. It's okay Mexican food with better-than-average service. I like the fajitas and quesadillas the best, and their guacamole is a'ight. Other than that, i don't have much else to say.
2 - Jenna C.: Monday Margaritas are awesome, and the molten chocolate cake is good (and I'm not a big cake-y dessert person), but other than that, their food is not too fresh and the service is just okay.  There are always a bunch of coupons available especially for this location to bring in the broke college students, but I'd really just probably come here for a margarita on Mondays, and not for the food.
2 - Kristen H.: The description for the rating is perfect - meh.  The food was edible but nothing stood out as particularly tasty and things they said were spicy were really not at all.  I'll probably be back for Monday Margaritas again at some point, but they weren't really all that great and so not that exciting, but hey, it's cheap margaritas!
1 - John C.: Shitty, shitty, shitty... stay away from this place if it isn't 'Margarita Monday.'
I know there is a huge diversity of different sorts of Mexican food in LA but this is about as bad as it gets, a chain restaurant with horrible service and worse food. 
The final straw for me is definitely the price... a group of four of my buddies went here a couple of days ago for the Mexico vs Costa Rica game. We got a pitcher of margaritas, a few beers and an entree each (i also had an appetizer) and our bill came out to $140!! 

I could have done so many other things with the money I had to drop on that meal, gawwd.... The waiter was basically non-existent... when he actually was around he was inattentive and rude. The only Mexican draft beer they have is 'Dos Equix.' -- Wutta rip. 

Save your money. Try ANY other Mexican restaurant in town and get better service and MUCH fresher/higher-quality food. SERIOUSLY. wtf.
4 - Sally Y.: margarita mondays!!!! 

it's ridiculously busy, full of college students like myself....but it's fun, loud, and you get cheap margaritas. oh and you can get chips and salsa which is fantastic. but service is crap because of the amount of people there. and it's hard to find a place to sit. 

i don't think i'd actually come here for the food, but margaritas served in cheap plastic cups for under $3.....yeah :)
2 - Brooke S.: My husband has been a grad student at UCLA for the past few years and works near Westwood Village, so we have stopped by this Acapulco off and on throughout that time.  I thought it was about time I posted a review.  It had never occurred to me before, which will show you how much of a standout this place is in my mind.

Hasn't changed since the first time there.  The food is only OK, but it's cheap;  the margaritas are weak, but also cheap.  The service is dismally lacking;  they can be extremely slow and inattentive.  Remarkably so.

Yes, the service is reinforced by UCLA students who are, or used to be, waitstaff and insist on giving a 20% tip even if the service is astonishingly lacking.

Why do we still go?  Location and price.  Yep, that's it.
4 - Rachel S.: Talk about a great happy hour!  $3 drafts, $4 Wells, $4.50 fruit margaritas and $3.95 house from 4-7.  Oh, and half price appetizers!  Came here on a Friday and they also had appetizer buffet for free.  This has to be one of the best happy hours on the west side.  Margaritas, chips and salsa were delicious.  Guacamole wasn't amazing but still decent and the steak quesadillas were pretty tasty.

I will totally be back!
2 - Marjorie N.: As far as Mexican food, I simply expect better. 

I sat at the bar, and service was very good; I had a chicken tostado, it was ok (although much more salad-like than I have ever encountered in Mexico), and that chips were ok, as was the salsa. Meh.
1 - DeShawn B.: If you are looking for real Mexican food, go somewhere else.  A friend and I decided on Acapulco randomly on a Saturday night. Bad choice. We walked into the restaurant and waited for about 10 minutes (even though there were several empty tables).  After finally being seated next to one loud party even though there were plenty of other quiet areas to sit, I made my way to the restroom which was past the bar.  At the bar there was yet another party going on-but this one was with disco lights and horrible music blasting (including Spanish techno).  Did I mention the women's restroom is on the opposite side of the restaurant then the mens?  Anyways, back at the table flimsy chips and cheap jarred salsa awaited me.  Waited about another 10 minutes until we got our water and then another 10 until we ordered.  Food came relatively fast, I ordered the chicken enchiladas.  Pretty hard to get wrong, right? Well there were about five pieces of chicken in them, two slices of cheese and TONS of sauce inside and out.  The sauce overpowered the whole meal.  If I wanted sauce for dinner I would've bought a can!  It came with rice and one tablespoon of beans spread out on the plate.  Small portions served on large plates so that it appeared you were getting a lot of food.  Prices are not cheap and the food is horrible.  I didn't even get a water refill and the waiter did not seem to care even after we complained! Acapulco? no..AcaPOOco.
1 - Dainy L.: I ate the Mucho Macho-tizer Platter on a $50 bet and...regurgitated a little.

Let's just say there was little disparity in taste regardless of the direction of the food.
1 - Patrick L.: margarita mondays.  sounds great huh? $2.50 for a margarita.  amazing deal?  yup.  bc all amazing drinks come in plastic cups, made of lower quality plastic than the solo cups from my college days.   oh and i got a headache DURING drinking these cups of joy. 

and service? NONE.  service was abysmal. 

also got the $1 tacos or as i like to call them now--tacos so bad that i was craving taco bell afterward. 

i dont hate when there are no things to hate.
3 - Michelle L.: This review is strictly for margarita mondays at Acapulco, and not for the rest of the week.

I've heard that Acapulco gets really crowded at night for margarita mondays, but my roommates and I go around the afternoon when it's relatively empty. Also, in the afternoon, not only are the house margaritas $2.50 and the blended margaritas $2.75, but they have happy hour deals on food too between 4-7 (but only in the cantina). Also, during happy hour all tacos are only $1 (though not as good as tacos at don antonios).

Overall, if you were to come to Acapulco I would suggest coming on Mondays between 4-7 so you can load up on margaritas and one dollar tacos, and leave buzzed and full for $10!
2 - Davin B.: Acapulco doesn't offer much beyond overpriced sub-par Mexican food. I suppose people rely on happy hour so they can get drunk and don't care what they're eating. 

This place was a complete waste and with so many better choices out there, even when it comes to Mexican food on the west side, it's just not worth it. I have no desire to ever set foot in an Acapulco again. That being said their food is eatable so if you ever find yourself inside one don't panic. Order simple and light and hit up a taqueria or burger place afterward.
1 - Calvin T.: I used to like coming to this place for their cheap happy hour menu food and margarita Monday, but I realize that they serve mediocre food. 

TASTE: 
The food on their happy hour menu is rather at a good price but the quesidillas don't have very much flavor to them and the mucho appotizer leaves you feeling disgusted.  The $1 tacos aren't bad but only on a soft taco. The margaritas are somewhat watered down, although the fruit flavored ones may be worth while trying. Today they somehow got salt into my drink so it was really salty  Their tortilla chips are good when they're brought out fresh.

SERVICE:
We came in rather early today, so we expected to get some service. It took awhile to get our orders in and some chips. They also gave us our bill early when we were still going to order more food. 

AMBIANCE:
The cantina is alright. It doesn't say much that it's more of a place to drink, so who really cares what it looks like. Although it is kinda stupid that the men's and women's restroom are at the opposite ends of the restaurant.
2 - Andy N.: Boo to weak margaritas, especially on margarita Mondays!?  What happened Acapulco?

The restaurant has gone down hill since I first started attending UCLA.  Don't get me wrong- the location still has really good deals for margaritas and appetizers during their happy hours (which is everyday from 4PM - 7PM), which are half off.  A couple of problems though from today's visit:

1. Service was awfully slow.  We didn't even have someone to wait on us when we entered the cantine (the bar area).  We had to wave down a worker who was just passing by.

2. Margaritas were abysmally weak.  I had three and left without feeling a buzz at all.  Luckily we came earlier during the day and received our margaritas in actual glasses.  Those that came later received them in small plastic cups.

3. House margarita for $2.50 is not a bad deal, but there was a lot of margarita salt that just happened to fall into the blended mix.  It became too salty for me to even finish.

Although I like their $1 tacos, my friends weren't asked whether they wanted soft or hard shell, so when they were brought out, they were disappointed.  Needless to say, I think I might skip out on Margarita Mondays and go straight to Taco Tuesdays.
3 - Priscilla Z.: I came here twice. 

The first time was after hiking. I think I must be too hungry and cold. I enjoyed the Margelita, though not at a happy hour price. The food comes in big amount, even an appetizer!! So everybody felt happy about it.

The second time was with my Mexican friend. However she never found any right Mexican food in US. So I tend to doubt the taste of the food. But overall it is still kinda cheap.
1 - Justin E.: (Note: My friend insisted on eating here since it was her birthday. I had already decided to not come here by choice ever again. And yet, here's my update...)

Service this past time was terrible. We waited (during a non-peak time) for 15-20 minutes to get our drinks in, another 5-10 after that to order food. Drinks took about 20-25 minutes to come out, and food was about 40 minutes. Wtf... seriously? How hard is it to blend a fricken margarita? Take some of your shitty Cuervo, toss in the lime, throw on too much salt, add not enough cointreau and too much ice. Hit blend.

This time I'm serious. I'm not coming here again. Even if it is someone's birthday. Sorry, but I'll meet up with you for the afterparty instead. If I update this again, I give you all permission to slap me.
1 - David W.: Margarita monday is a rip off! Don't go! Just go to Brew Co if you want cheap drinks.
3 - sherry w.: I went for margarita monday and I must say, it was definitely a good place to go on a monday night! House margarita was only $2.50, this is as cheap as drinks get! however, that said, don't get your hopes too high. It was kind of low on the alcohol side and it was really sour, however, for $2.50 I still think its pretty good. Their chips and salsa are free and they are actually pretty good. 

Their food is good but I don't think its anything super special. Good place for margarita monday though!
1 - Jaymie Lynn S.: TERRIBLE SERVICE. BLEH FOOD. MEDIOCRE DRINKS. 

For whatever reason, my butt keeps getting dragged in here.  After restaurants started closing down around Westwood, I guess this is the only place people can think of for their birthday dinners and events? Ugh.

I have yet to come here when the service was quick and efficient.  It always feels like forever before I get my meal... or even a soda for that matter! 

It always seems to be poppin' on Mondays because of Margarita Mondays, but really, it's NOT worth it.  $1 tacos? I'd rather go to Taco Bell. $1 off Margaritas? Yeah, it's still overpriced.  So much about this place just angers me.

More recently, I was here for a private event.  We had our own semi-private section in the back of the restaurant and it was a nice atmosphere because it was full of people that I knew, but the service was still terrible.  I had to flag down two or three people before I could get my drink orders in.  My food - although ordered fairly quickly, took about a half hour to come out... and I'm fairly certain we were the only group there.  There MAY have been one or two tables being waited on in the main dining area, but that should not constitute such a SLOW wait time for my food.  I was really hungry, so I was pretty peeved. So what did I do? Order more drinks.  

The event I attended was a semi-fundraiser and it was told that in order to use the private section, we would have to order a  minimum of $600.  With about 50 people, it wasn't exactly easy-peasy, but considering limitations in locations, we didn't have too much of a choice.  It was NOT told that only drinks and fajita orders counted towards that $600 until the start of the event. WTF? REALLY? So what did I do? I DRANK.

But, since we're on the topic of fajitas... I was quite displeased with my fajitas.  I ordered the Fajita Gigante - it had shrimp, steak and chicken along with a side of beans, rice, guacamole and salsa.  NOTHING about it was gigante and for 17.99, I was displeased.  The shrimp was good, but they gave you very little, the steak was dry and the chicken was meh.  It was NOTHING like the photo in the menu. (see the picture I've posted).  To add insult to pain, the plate of beans, rice, etc had virtually NOTHING on it.  I mean really?! If you're going to not put a lot of shit on it, use a SMALLER PLATE so that I at least don't FEEL like I'm being gypped... even if I am. Ugh. So what did I do? DRANK MORE.

Drinks for the night: "new" tequila (took a shot of what was supposed to be blanco... but when you can't tell the difference between that and the anejo... we got a problem), bahama mama (was eh. all the rum was at the bottom, so be sure to continuously stir), strawberry margarita (halfway decent. definitely not worth the price and keep stirring because even the blended version has the tequila sinking to the bottom continuously). 

Overall, no amount of alcohol made anything about Acapulco any better.  I will continue to come here only on a need be basis and I will continue to attempt to drink my disappointment away.  You're better off getting a lot of that food out of a truck. It's cheaper and tastes ten times better.
1 - TJ T.: I don't usually hate places for the people working them, and still love the setting....but Westwood has its surprises.

So the waitress told me I'd get carded a couple times.  Understandable, for my stature and youthful appearance.  I go sit down and wait with a friend for margaritas.  Got carded again.  Whatever. Waited for margaritas, and got them.  Tasted better than La Barca and on par with El Cholo.    El Honcho Securitas guard shows up and cards me the third time.  Casually, I hand him the ID.  He's like, I don't think so. "Well I think so." 

*margarita snatched from table*

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..... so what am I supposed to do now???

LAPD arrives.  "All right, scan that shit."

Without apology, the security guard walks away while I demand comped drinks for the rest of my group that arrived with the police.

So unclassy.
2 - Yiwen S.: i used to come here for margarita mondays. i'll agree that the margaritas are watered down here, but since the tortilla chips are endlessly refilled and free, i don't mind coming occasionally just to drink and eat chips. those are the mondays i stumble out of acapulco and realize i still haven't eaten any real food, just filled up on lots of margarita mix and chips, with a couple shots of tequilla on the side. and that's the way to go to start off your week.

if you're looking for a better margarita monday, try cabo cantina off wilshire. hh 2 for 1 drink specials including margaritas EVERYDAY. so you can have margarita mondays.. and tuesdays-sundays as well!
4 - Harvs K.: This review is only for monday happy hour (aka Margarita Monday!)!

I really had a blast here during happy hour here the other day!  2.50 for regular margaritas, and 2.75 for blended fruit!  Totally worth it! :)  Half off the listed appeteizers and $1 tacos!  The tacos werent dinky tacos either- they were full size tacos with your choice of meat.  I actually really enjoyed the happy hour.  We had quite a bit to drink, and got a bit loud but nobody seemed to mind :)  The wait staff was a bit slow.  I had to ask a few times for napkins.. salsa.. etc... 

I had the mango margarita, as opposed to my standard strawberry.  YUM! I enjoyed mine thoroughly.. three times over! The waitress was nice enough to let us know when there was a short time left for happy hour prices, so we could put our orders in.  

Will make a trip here again for Margarita Monday!
2 - Rebecca P.: Hmmm... First, this is Westwood, so good luck with parking unless you don't mind metering it. Other than that, you enter into Acapulco and find a sign for a great happy hour: $2.50 margaritas!!! Keep in mind, they likely come in 10 oz. glasses. But, hey, they seem to be bragging Cazadores, so that seems worthy... 

As for my time here, I split the Sea of Cortez platter ($17.49), which came with a very thin piece of grilled halibut, a crab enchilada, a skewer of two pieces each of shrimp, green peppers, and tomatoes, and some sauteed veggies and rice. The size was not in proportion to the price, and the flavor was not in line with this meal's amazing 1,200 calories and 42 grams of fat. I said 42, yes, and stopped dreaming quickly about the 39 gram molten lava cake, thinking that all the other pieces in my life could not have been that bad for me, right? Wow. Eating out can be dangerous. 

The halibut was thin but the chef cooked this 2mm thick piece as if it was 1 cm thick: it had potential for good flavor, but came out dry and tough. The shrimp skewer was good, simple, tasty. The enchilada was good, probably a 3.5 in and of itself, although you could have told me I was eating chicken and I wouldn't have known the difference. But, it was an interesting enchilada--not smothered in sauce of a tomato base but rather a slightly tangy green one. The veggies had an interesting citrus burst in the first bite, but then started reminding me of days eating in school cafeterias: stale and boring. The rice was just rice with a bit more grease than usual (I think, or I was biased by the 42 grams of fat!). Definitely not worth the price and especially not the nutrition! Good thing I was splitting the meal, so I only got slightly over 100% of my fat in that one meal. 

The ambiance was nice enough, other than the colorful striped rug. The service was great and fast aka respectful to meter-payers. Go if you have money burning your belt (or order a cheaper meal; yes they exist),  work out like Madonna, or found a good parking spot in Westwood around happy hour. Otherwise, grab some mesclun mix at Trader Joe's and call it a night.
3 - Susan D.: I used to come to this joint when I worked across the street, for specials and the lunch buffet. Great price for all that food, and it was good, too.

Then we came for Margarita Monday's which was cool, with the free appetizers, which they took away. Still, you can get 1/2 price appetizer platters which is plenty for a few people and just like dinner, for me. 

The tortilla chips and salsa are fresh, good and frequently replenished.
1 - Joel T.: Happy Hour made me sad.   After a long day, I needed a drink and a few bites to eat.  I remembered Acapulco's back in college for having these extravagant happy hour buffets with several items to choose from.  Not here, not now -- just some re-baked green chile and onion chimichangas.   But I really went for a margarita.  Ordered the basic blended.  Tasted like seawater, period.   The server was so slow, I ended up paying the bus boy.
2 - Michael F.: Sometimes it is really hard to say exactly why I continue to eat at certain places that don't have the greatest food when there are so many new things to try out there. Acapulco is the perfect example of this. The food is mediocre at best, yet I have been here many times. I usually find myself eating here because of someones birthday, so I guess I have had no choice. In my opinion, Acapulco is one of the worst restaurants in Westwood and I would avoid it if at all possible. 

Every single time I have been here I have gotten the lunch buffet. It is not because the buffet is that good. It is because I'm scared that if the buffet represents what is on the menu, and I am disgusted by what is served to me, then I can at least peruse what else they have to find something a little less scary. The one item that I somewhat like from the buffet is the sweet corn tamales. Although they are always pretty tasty, they are sometimes poorly prepared and drenched in condensation within the buffet container. When I ate at Acapulco today I was pleasantly surprised to see that they replaced the sweet corn tamales with sweet corn cake. It is essentially the same thing, except the corn cake is one big mass of sweetness that you can scoop on to your plate instead of individual tamales. The corn cake is less watery, which makes it much more appealing. Besides that, the self serve chicken tacos are ok, and everything else is pretty much disgusting. 

I know that there are some gluttons for punishment out there that love to torture their stomachs with the atrocity that they call food here. Unfortunately, my friends will continue to choose this place for us to celebrate their birthdays at. So Acapulco, I guess it is so long until we meet again. ~sigh~
3 - Joshua C.: The passing grade for this particular Acapulco is more a comment on the lack of good bars in Westwood. Brew Co smells like a barn. Maloney's? Sorry, bro. Um ... are those the only bars around here? Some college town. 

Oh, in favor of Acapulco ... the fresh guacamole made at your table is very tasty.
4 - Walter Terance F.: Its all about margarita mondays with dollar tacos.  Forget the rest of the week.
1 - Jilli K.: I'm really disappointed with this place, the food tasted like last nights leftovers. I told the manager about it and he took 1 meal off the bill and gave a discount on the other. Waiter was nice but overall this is my last trip to this restaurant chain. If you want superb Mexican food go to Chevy's in Burbank.
3 - Rachael D.: You def do not come here for awesome Mexican food. It is a chain. HELLO?!  For authentic mex food stick to the east side. period.


Anyways. I come here for 1 reason only.... THE MARGARITAS~~~~~~
Cheap happy hour specials on the food and margaritas.

I would never try the buffet!!!! That stuff looks gross. 

The tamale, chile rellano are GRUB. 

I personally would never come here for my bday. But the vibe is right for after school or work.. 

Chill, drink, and have some fun :)
2 - Alvin C.: went to this restaurant a couple of times (mainly cause we had cupons). the service was ok. sometimes great and sometimes its hard to get your waiter. love their salsa and chips though; very good. a major problem on the food is that they dont hold back on the salt. every item me and my girlfriend has ordered so far was too salty. i think this place would be better if you're looking to drink A LOT a lot, more than for just dinner. prices were fair compared to other restaurants like chilies and tgif but quality of food was much worse.
3 - Kristina R.: Acapulco is whatever to me. Food is so-so. Very commercialized, so quality and authenticity is decreased.

I do like their GUACAMOLE (which they prepare right in front of you)..

And of course, their Margarita Mondays!

Those are the only draws for me.

Except at this particular location, so close to a college campus, you can be sure that Mondays will be crowded. Get ready to wait.
1 - Erica E.: No. Just, no.

I could elaborate but let's both save our time and just say NO.

Unbelievably awful service.

Overpriced food.

Underwhelming on the taste buds.

NOOOOO.
4 - Mary L.: First of all, when rating, I would never give any restaurant 5 stars unless I have tried every single item on their menu and liked all of them. It's only fair. On the contrary, I would never give it 1 star unless some bitch or douche got on my nerves and made my tummy rumble rumble because I lost my appetite... has happened, but very rare.

Anyways, I never fell in love with Mexican food or thought that I would, but after dining at this Acapulco Restaurant, I changed... I have dined here a few times (all for lunch), and the food and service haven't disappointed me yet.

The location is hard to find because it's slightly hidden. There's several metered parking outside and plenty of valets nearby. It's Westwood, so don't be a cheapo and expect freepo. Speaking of which, expect to spend over 15 bucks per person... You'll know what I mean if you look at the menu. I usually order their grilled shrimp and grilled steak fajitas and I think you'll love them too! Ok, so I'm not a chef and don't plan to be one either, but don't forget to ask for olive oil if you order the fajitas; they make the perfect dipping sauce. And remember to grab a margarita :) My favorite is the mango one. So back to what I was saying about location... Westwood, in general, is relaxing and very laid back, so it makes the whole dining experience better/ tastier (no matter which restaurant), or at least in my opinion.
2 - Holmes M.: Hit or miss here. Expect a lot of salt in everything they make.
3 - Amanda N.: Come for Margarita Mondays before 7pm.  Don't expect amazing, authentic Mexican cuisine & fabulous drinks - come on, it's Acapulco.

What you should expect:
-$2 margs served in plastic cups - costs a little extra for a fruit flavor.  I like the pineapple coconut margarita. Surprisingly not very watered down.  Depends on the bartender though.
-$1 street tacos - you order from your server, they give you a receipt to bring up to the lady making tacos in the middle of the bar area.  There's no cheese on the tacos... you basically just have cilantro, salsa, green onions, and ranch dressing for your condiment options.  They taste decent, for the price. I recommend starting with 2 tacos, 3 if you're hungry.
-Unlimited free chips and salsa, which you will have to continually ask your server to refill for you
-TVs to watch the game
-Decent rolled tacos (well, everything tastes better when you're hungry)
-Overpriced guac in very small portions
-Spacious seating.  I've never seen this place crowded, even during happy hour.
-Whatever/blah atmosphere. It's not crackin at Acapulco, but the drinks are cheap so who really cares.

I've been to better Taco Tuesdays in San Diego, but for Westwood, Margarita Monday at Acapulco ain't half bad.  I recommend it for poor UCLA students.  Something to try: relocate your study group to Margarita Monday... the tables are pretty big & you have free chips n salsa!
2 - Lany C.: ): As a Mexican food connoisseur, (okay not really, but I like to believe I know my Mexican food) I have been severely disappointed with the Mexican food joints that the UCLA area has to offer.

I was pretty excited when I walked in because the place was reallyyyyy nice. The nachos and chips they serve you were also pretty good, so I was expecting a lot. I was hoping that I finally found a place to satisfy my Mexican food cravings around here. Sadly... no. Q~Q

Looked at the menu, and damn their food was wayyyy overpriced. But still, I thought maybe it'd be worth it.... So I ordered one of the quesadillas, looked pretty good when it came out. But then again, Mexican food always looks good to me. It wasn't bad, but it WASN'T good either. Definitely not authentic. ): I read the previous reviews that it's a chain? I GUESS that explains it... but El Pollo Loco, and Chipotle are chains too, and they aren't authentic but both still taste good (not as good as authentic Mexican food though). Acapulco just... wasn't good.

Not worth the price at all. ):

I was thinking maybe they'd redeem themselves with the desserts, but nooope. The coating on the deep fried ice cream was tooooo chewy. It didn't come out warm either. I think they pre-deepfried it and then just froze it instead of making it on order. ): It was also waaaayyy too sweet. Got sick of it before I could even finish half of it. 

I guess I won't be getting my fix of legit Mexican food around here. ): 

Uh, on the plus side, good customer service. :D
3 - Courtney L.: First of all, I would like to say that there are pretty good margaritas that are reasonably priced.  On Mondays, they are especially cheap, but in my opinion, they aren't quite as good as other nights (probably because they are mass producing them a bit more).

Secondly, their quesadillas are really good, and you get a lot of food for a pretty decent price.  It's not the type of food that I would ever take home in a doggie bag (usually Mexican food doesn't hold up too well), but it is good...probably the best Mexican food in the UCLA area.  

I have never had to wait in line at Acapulco, but that is not because it isn't busy.  There is usually a lot going on, but it does depend on what time you get there.  For Margarita Mondays, I would definitely recommend getting there early.
4 - Adam F.: Margarita Monday's.

I'll keep this short and sweet, I was able to get a round of tequila shots and margaritas for 16 bucks...and there were three of us.

Not too sure about the food, but if your a bruin and looking for a place to start the night, this is it.
2 - Steevens A.: The $8.50 lunch buffet special is the only thing that makes this restaurant worth it at all. I have had eating contests with other people, including OBeast, to see how many tacos we can eat. The carnitas are pretty darned good, so are the enchiladas and plantains in the buffet. I wouldn't go here any other time of the day--it isn't worth the price or the general quality of the food..
4 - Ricardo F.: Of the two times I've been here I have no real complaints. Their food is delicious and their drinks are good as well. Place is clean and service is good.
3 - Jeanette M.: Pretty ok. Good service.
2 - josh x.: don't waste your time here in the universe of brilliant Mexican restaurants in L.A....  in the 80's i once saw a rat crawl across the bar...

mediocre
1 - Jaimie L.: Came here for Margarita Monday once. Was not impressed, better yet, not even content. More like depressing.

I understand that a margarita for $2.50 is a great deal. Well, considering the fact that it came out in a small plastic water cup, I mean, I might as well have made it myself. It wasn't even blended nicely like a margarita should be, it was just a bunch of ice chunks. Very unsatisfying.

Then the food, OH THE FOOD! $1 street tacos. It is $1, but I would rather pay a couple dollars more for an actually enjoyable street taco. The steak taco was bearable, but the chicken taco was something I don't want to try ever again. I felt like I was eating at a school cafeteria for adults. The guacamole and chips were the best part of that meal. The music was also bumping like everyone was deaf and everything about this Margarita Monday was painful. 

I've heard their AYCE combos are great though, maybe I just tried all the wrong things. I want to give this place another chance, but I don't know if I can stomach the idea of another chicken taco.
3 - Lauren O.: Okay, I've yet to make it margarita mondays, but their regular happy hour specials are pretty great also. Got a margarita the size of my head for $8 and half off appetizers. The margs weren't "kick you in the face" full of tequila, but I was feeling pretty good after 2. Unlimited chips and salsa too.

 Also had super friendly service from a guy named Paco.

It's nothing that would qualify as "fine dining" but if you need an after work margarita buzz or a way to kills a few hours before taking the flyaway bus to the airport, this place is easy on the wallet.
2 - Kaye P.: We've ate here twice now - on Margarita Mondays so I guess my review may not be doing the place justice. BUT the best part were the Margaritas. They weren't strong drinks by any means - but they were cheap and therefore WONDERFUL after an awful Monday. 

I ate the bean tacos both times - unimpressed. My wonderful company had the chicken tacos (if I remember correctly) and he was not impressed either (that I remember)

We're thinking of coming to check it out once again, just to mix things up while still not straying too far from my friends place. Although we haven't felt like coming back yet mostly bc the ambiance could be improved to be honest. It's a bit "eh"

If we come back I'll probably try the spinach enchiladas so hopefully those are not too bad and I can update with something nicer!!!
2 - Rina L.: I feel like I only write about the restaurants I like, which is why most of my entries have 5 stars. So I decided to write one for a MEH place.  Don't want to waste too much time on it, so lets just go right into it:

Pros:
- thinking......thinking......

MEH:
- Food. Was OK. 

Cons:
- SERVICE:  10 mins waiting at the door to be seated (it was not busy). 5 mins waiting to be greeted by our server once we sat down.  Asked for water 5 times, which finally came towards the end of our meal.  The only time the server moved fast was to bring us our check and collect $.
- Pina Colada - was not good and too ice-y.  Couldn't even taste the alcohol.
- I got a burrito and a pina colada and my portion was $25. DEFINITELY NOT WORTH THE PRICE.

I won't be back.  Not to this location anyway.
2 - Annie R.: yuck. watery margaritas and flavorless rice and beans. chips and salsa pretty good. loud college clientele (obvs, its next to UCLA) so i say only go if you want to get hammered, then maybe try the food.
3 - priscilla d.: Loved the happy hour margarita which was about the size of my head.
Food is only so-so, but after a couple margaritas I can LITERALLY eat anything....so come here for some guac and drinks,  but not so much if u re looking to experience great mexican cuisine...after all this is a chain...I ve had EXCELLENT service and loved the staff, maybe I was just lucky, but from my own personal experience service was great :)
4 - Tiffany P.: Came for margarita monday. Loved the margaritas and the happy hour tacos for $1! And they were big! Yum! Made my day :)
1 - Stephanie L.: Well. Most UCLA students have a beloved feeling towards this restaurant. The cheap ass margaritas on Monday nights, the huge floor plan to mingle and commiserate with one another. Not me. The ONLY reason I have made myself go here more than once is because it's very popular for social gatherings. I ordered a skinny margarita (which was 4 dollars more than the normal margarita for less sugar) and it tasted like shit. Like pure and total shit. I had to add sugar packets to it to make it touch my esophagus. 

The food is very lackluster and overpriced. Perfect combination for Westwood. I've had the fish tacos here, and it was like fried dough. I was so disappointed in this place, especially after the attention it gets from UCLA students.

If you go to Acapulco-go to get lit and eat the chips instead of buying the food.
5 - Ann B.: I always sit at the cantina for happy hour, and always for margarita Mondays, so I can only direct my review for these times. However, margarita Mondays at Acapulco are BOMB. Two dollar margaritas, always strong and fast coming. The barman is always busy yet always makes time to make me another margarita in whatever flavor I want. Totally worth the price.
3 - Denisse T.: At Acapulco, you can count on the chips and salsa always being fresh.

I'm not sure why it has so many bad reviews. The staff is very friendly, the food is good and the price is reasonable.


Pros: Comfortable seating, nice ambiance, friendly staff, good food, reasonable prices.

Cons: When they get really busy it's hard to get your waiter/waitress to address any needs you may have.
1 - Zach H.: After my first visit to Acapulco I felt obligated to write this review in order to describe the service and atmosphere that embodies this place of business. The first thing I would like to discuss is the food, it wasn't the worst mexican food I have ever eaten, but for what I recieved their prices were a bit high. However the reason why i believe that this resturaunt deserves one star is because of the absolutely terrible service I recieved. I would venture to say that I have never experienced worse service at any other place of business. The waitress was difficult to understand she spoke very softly and mumbled. She also created a very awkward eating environment for me and my firends. When I asked her if she could split the bill she huffed and looked at me with a facial expression that said I will but I don't want to, an eye rolling look if you will. Then when she returned with our checks she made a few mistakes with the math and the manager had to come out to help us. He was equally incompetent and did not understand where the mistake was made. I would never recommend Acapulco as a choice for meal time, however I have heard that Margarita Mondays are quite enjoyable.
1 - Nico L.: *this review only covers visits from Tuesday thru Sunday because their Monday night margaritas are a game changer.

Came here last night after mass and ordered a one entree combo. Based on quality, the food does not validate the price($8)- the rice and beans were cold and the carnitas enchilada remained bland despite the tapatio I rained on my dish. To be fair, I didn't have soaring high expectations, and in the past I've only stopped in for margarita Mondays (3.5).

My girlfriend however, enjoyed her dish. (the enchilada suiza - $11+)

...I was paying for both of us and only had enough to order a one entree combo which, she added, was not very good. 

Lovely
1 - Morgen M.: We went to eat here because kids eat free on Tuesdays. Oh, the price I paid for a free meal.

The waiter was very nice, but the food was TERRIBLE!! First off, my husband found a rubber band in the guacamole. The waiter replaced it, but who wants to eat it after finding something in the first one. Second, we found a hair in the quesadilla. YUCK. I managed to eat my fajitas, which were ok, but then I threw up about 10 minutes ago, so now I think they sucked. I still feel sick....ugh.

AND, I almost forgot...they tried to charge us for the kid's meal.
3 - Vanessa L.: The only good thing about this place is margarita monday and the free chips and salsa.
3 - Greg D.: Probably best to avoid the food but chips&salsa with margaritas is always a good call
3 - Erin H.: OK so I came here last night for Margarita Monday
- house $2.50
- fruit $2.75
The house margaritas are supposedly stronger (served on the rocks), & the fruit margaritas are really fruity slushies. DONT get the midori melon margarita. It's the worst thing ever, and I never could have conceived that any Midori cocktail could taste bad. It was horrific. 

Oh yea, free chips & salsa all night, 

HAPPY HOUR (different from MM) 4-7pm M-F
- must sit in cantina for happy hour specials 
- $1 buck up - upgrade to legit alcohol (i.e. margarita tequila - 1800 tequila, gin & tonic - Tanqueray, cranberry vodka - Smirnoff)
- even thought it says M-F 4-7pm, they still allowed the buckup on the margaritas last night at like 10pm.. I upgraded my margarita, and it was actually somewhat stronger and slightly smoother (but still.. not really a big difference.. but it's only $1. cheap out if you will).

The BAD: only one waiter (and it was super busy in the cantina), didnt bring out water when we asked for it, didn't come back after our whole party had arrived (in this case, you have to go to the bar to order, but then you can just pay up front and leave right after cuz you won't have a tab to pay)
3 - Valentina P.: I came here once for their lunch buffet and it was pretty decent $8.95. 
My waiter let me do a survey on my smartphone and score I got $5 off !! less than $5 tab!

Came here also for the happy hour once while I was waiting for the bf to get off from work. Free enchiladas during happy hour!!

Decent place I'd say in the area.
5 - Catherine H.: Love this place. We went there tonight. The queso is the best I've ever had......excellent cheese, topped with pico de gayo, chili and sour cream......fantastic.  We shared the veggie fajitas, also delicious....very fresh julienned veggies and spinach served still sizzling on a cast iron skillet that is placed upon a stand with a fire underneath so they continue cooking at the table. It comes with the normal tortillas, rice, refried, generous guacamole and pico de gayo.  This was a lot of food for two people! We had water with our meal and our bill was only $17.00.   This is a cute mexican place with a nice staff and great food for a decent price in this recession.  You should go there.
4 - Cody R.: My girl and I loved it. In Westwood ... you have to try it.
3 - Marie G.: Margarita Monday - cheap margaritas!  It gets really crowded, so get there early if you want to get a table.  Free chips and salsa! 

I've eaten in the restaurant area a few times and the food's alright.  It's a good for groups and the servers are friendly.
3 - Andi C.: If you're looking for a good eat, this probably isn't the place but who can complain about Margarita Mondays? Über cheap drinks, free chips and salsa and friendly staff. It's a lot cleaner than most of the other places to get drinks in Westwood too.
2 - Patricia L.: Greasy Mexican food.

Yeah, everyone goes there for Margarita Mondays. I don't like Margaritas in general... so that takes that out.

It's decent. The staff is usually really nice and friendly. Maybe too friendly, they can be kind of creepy. They told me that in order to get my friend a birthday dessert I'd have to dance on the table. They were joking, but they were really insistent........

Free chips and salsa is always good. Nothing special on their menu. Lots of food though. That's pretty much it.
4 - Kevin R.: This restaurant probably would get better reviews in any other college area. They have a nice bar with weekly margarita specials (their margaritas as among the best I've had). The food is very good but not quite great. I've gotten the feeling they have tried to appeal to as many as people; while satisfying most, not quite wowing anyone. Bring a large group of friends and no one will leave unhappy.
3 - Genevieve C.: I recently went with with a party of about 20 people.

The staff managed to sit us all together which was excellent.  Complimentary chips and salsa for all of us which was amazing!
Food took awhile to come out, but I attribute that to the size of our party.

Once all the food was served, mine was still missing.  Turns out the waiter had accidentally crossed out my order for some reason.  He did not seem to think it was his fault.  He left and returned in literally five minutes with my order.  I do not know how it was cooked that quickly.  

Anyways, I got the 3 course platter for 9.99 which included a salad, rice and beans with 3 chicken flautas and a cheese enchilada, and deep fried ice cream for dessert.  For the amount of food, the price was awesome.  The food was ok, a little on the salty side and tasted pretty generic. 

This location is nice and the staff is pretty attentive for the most part.  They did not have a problem splitting the bill onto about 6 credit cards and cash which was very nice.
3 - Brian W.: So-so Mexican food from a typical chain restaurant. They do have several saving graces, though...

1) location. Right in Westwood, so a convenient lunch spot.

2) They handle big groups well. They've got tons of experience with it (although parking sucks, as always, in Westwood).

3) lunch buffet is cheap and the food is actually not bad.

4) Margarita Mondays. Small magaritas, but they're cheap. Who's gonna complain?
2 - Joe P.: Yummy food, but let's be honest - this stuff is compost.  Sat in my stomach all night, expect gas, and to be bloated.  Will not be returning for the sake of my stomach.
4 - Rafid A.: hey, 
this is my first Mexican restaurant in the area. I liked it. I did not try the Margarita but i think the food was pretty good. it deserve another visit. 
I tried the  mixed Fajita :)
4 - Katie C.: We came to Acapulcos to grab a quick lunch while in the area.  My friend works at UCLA and kept mentioning that they offered an $8.95 lunch buffet so we decided to check it out.  Evidently, everyone else in the area knew of the buffet, too.  The place was packed, but in hindsight, I can now see why.  The lunch buffet, coupled with their happy hour drink specials, are probably the only things keeping them in business.

The service was friendly, but it was relatively simple.  Complimentary chips and (homemade) salsa were served upon sitting down and constantly refilled throughout the meal.  We opted for the buffet.

The buffet offered seasoned chicken, carnets, green tomatillo salsa, mild tomato salsa, and cheese for the taco station that boasted fresh corn tortillas.  The tortillas were fresh, but the cheese seemed in the process of coagulating and the chicken tasted a little rubber-y.  Enchiladas looked to be a day-old, but there was fresh seasoned refried beans, a seasoned cornbread casserole (that was actually quite good), and a mixed greens and tomato salad.  Don't forget about dessert.  Cinnamon-sugar tortillas were also served.  

If you're looking for an easy Mexican lunch, this is the spot for you.  The buffet is unlimited and can easily put you into a carbohydrate-induced food coma in no time.    For the two of us, our bill was $20.  Had we gone to somewhere like Chipotle, it would have been nearly the same.
4 - Erika M.: They are now closed. Sucks. Lunch buffet and margarita days were the best.
5 - Bridget P.: An ode to one of the foundations of my young adulthood. In haiku form.

Faux Mexican food
Work hurts less with friends, bad margs
Happiness: two bucks. 

You gave me a home every Monday, you raised me, and made me into the grown-up I am now. I will miss you for the rest of my life.

Access Atlanta - Atlanta, GA (33.772352, -84.404982) ()
4 - Chase C.: Access Atlanta is the print version of the website http://www.accessatlanta.com. It's published by the AJC as competition to Creative Loafing. It, also, is a free weekly mag.

Access Atlanta is smaller than the Loaf, sans editorials & classifieds. It's purely focused on entertaiment & what's going on for the next 11 days. It comes out on Thursdays.

Really, it's not competition to the Loaf except they both review restaurants, movies, & music. I enjoy reading them both. Hitting th 2 of them ensures you don't miss anything coming up.

I do find Access Atlanta to have a better finger on the pulse of African American themed events. I also like that when they review a restaurant, they have an ending summary that specifies what vegetarian options are offered.

The only reason I give it 4 & not 5 stars is a little heaviness on the cheezy, plus it's pretty small in size.
3 - Erin W.: Want to get informed about what's happening in the local are.  Access Atlanta is available online as well in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.  Transplants and native Atlantans can find out about restaurants, events, movies, music, recreational activities, arts and theater.   There is also classified information with jobs listings and homes and cars for sale. Access Atlanta is an excellent source with a wealth of information. The online component is much better than the paper. Get in the know by going to www.accessatlanta.com.
3 - Drew W.: Creative Loafing without the massage parlor ads and the intellectual discussion of politics and local issues...

The print version is small, it's almost like an afterthought compared to the rest of the paper. The online version is much more useful for finding movie show times, concert listings, and events. It's quicker to search online than to peruse the sometimes microscopic font of the CL music section...and yet I still prefer Creative Loafing in general since there's actual news and it's not affiliated with the AJC.
2 - Pickle Z.: Annoying.  I have often gone to check out their online version to find out what's going on over the weekends.  The online search function is clunky (constantly asked for login) and very little information is offered on each listing.  If you are looking for the most heavily promoted events and concerts the listings are decent.

Accountemps - La Jolla, CA (32.8740563, -117.2156444) ()
4 - Leah M.: great employees, screening a plus, great communication...
5 - Borneo G.: This place - as well as the other Office Team branches in San Diego - is fast at finding assignments for people.  I was able to find an assignment within 2 weeks after losing my job.  Definitely try and utilize their webpage to find assignments yourself and you're encouraged to call your recruiter and ask if there are any assignments available.  They work for you.

Accurate Autoworks - Pasadena, CA (34.1464987, -118.1212156) (Pasadena)
5 - Kristen K.: This is a well-run, honest shop that specializes in Japanese imports but does all sorts of repairs. The other day after a horrendous experience at Discount Tire Center (they tried to tell me all sorts of things were wrong with my car), I pulled around to my regular mechanic at Accurate Autoworks to see what they said. They checked everything out for free, told me the other place was full of it, and even re-filled my power steering fluid just for good measure. Tell Sam Torres (works on Saturday) that Kristen sent you. Ken, who works during the weeks, is also great. You can't beat this place.
For auto body work, they send their cars to Zoom Auto Body. I've used them and also was very impressed. Women can often be patronized or taken for a ride at these types of places, but I had the opposite experience.
5 - C K.: These guys are great! I have been going to Accurate since I was a starving graduate student in the mid-1990s. They did the pre-purchase inspection on my car (and caught that the tires were worn and mismatched) and 10 years later, I am still driving that car and still going to them for service - for minor stuff and for a complete rebuild when one of my valves cracked. I just turned over 300,000 miles last week and this little Honda just keeps on ticking thanks to the guys at Accurate Auto.
2 - Gerard I.: When I was driving my old Acura Legend, I had to come in and get the radiator replaced/fixed. 

They're a bit pricey, but I assume it's 'cause of them "specializing" on Honda/Acura cars almost exclusively. 

I had to wait several days, before I could come by to pick the car up. Of course it wasn't just the radiator that needed fixing, it also need new sensors. 

Meh, it was like 500$ worth of shit that need fixing. 


There are better shops out there.
5 - Donald W.: Very impressed with this place. It isnt much to look at (the shop) hidden in behind the Jack in the Box on the corner of Hill and Colorado (the shop is on Hill St) though they do have a surprisingly nice waiting room compared to the rest of the shop.

They were great at calling when they said they would, and were honest in the charges they gave me. The review above says they are expensive, but hell, every garage doing mechanic work is expensive. They charge a lower hourly rate than many, but more importantly, they don't screw you for things that don't need fixing.

I almost hesitate to mention it, because people might expect the same thing, but I had my A/C fixed on my Nissan here recently, and they had to replace one of the hoses. Well, two weeks later the AC went out again and I took it back, and it turns out a different hose subsequently went. One wasnt really connected to the other, sort of a coincidence. Anyway, they fixed it within the time frame they promised, and I paid and went on my way. An hour later, I get a call at the grocery story and its the guy from Accurate. He said he was going over my service record on the two repairs, and wanted to lower what they charged me. I was confused and asked why, and he said that he wasnt comfortable charging me full rate for the second hose replacement and wanted to lower my bill to reflect that. He took about 25% off the bill, told me he would mail me a new statement and credit my card. How about that...I had already paid and was on my way. This is an honest shop. Quite a find these days!!!

I found them because they are recommended by AAA as a good repair shop. Now I know why. Thanks guys.
1 - Deirdre H.: This place charged me for unnecessary repairs! And it wasn't cheap!

I will never go back to this place!
1 - Robin C.: Horrible Place! Though I went for years because i trusted these guys and they got good reviews. And I am willing to pay more for good service, but they took me for a total ride.  They would fix one thing and as soon as I drove it off the lot something else would break (not their fault of course!) I always needed major repairs, my car was always having to be towed back to them, weeks after it had just been into them. My car ALWAYS was needing new pricey brakes every few months. Since I have stopped going there over 2 years ago I just got my first brake change. They rebuilt my transmission in my 2002 honda only to have it go out again 2 years later.   I took it to a new mechanic who said that first transmission was under warranty with Honda, but they "forgot" to tell me that! They probably pocketed that money in addition charging me.  I swear I thought my Honda was a lemon always in need of major repairs, until I went to a new mechanic.  Now my honda is a dream, After fixing their  shoty transmission and other sloppy work my car has NOT needed a major repair in over 2 years.  Coincidence?   Nope. Stay far away from this sketchy place.  Esp. if you are a trusting girl. This is not the place for you.
5 - Angeles W.: The gentlemen at Accurate Autoworks (Jon, Ken, Erik) have all been wonderful to work with over the last few months. I'm a (virtual) Admin Assistant, and my clients all live in different states around the country.

One of my clients lives in Pasadena California, and he asked me to find a place to take his car for some minor repairs. I located Accurate Autoworks, called them and made the appointment for my client. The car was dropped off, the work completed, and my client drove away extremely pleased.

A short time later, my client's car was damaged by another vehicle in the parking lot of his college. I once again called upon Accurate Autoworks, and they handled the bodywork and two additional items my client decided to have repaired. The work Accurate did was wonderful, and my client once again drove away stress-free and happy.

I particularly like that all three of the gentlemen take my calls and answer my (many) questions patiently and knowledgeably. Excellent service, excellent work!!
5 - Connie L.: My husband and I have been taking our cars to Accurate for fifteen years.  
Although they specialize in Japanese cars, we also bring our Dodge Truck to them for regular maintenance.  They are a true neighborhood mechanic, remembering us when we come in and carefully explaining the details of every repair to us.

When the insurance company wanted to total my beloved 20-year old Honda, Ken (behind the counter) and Jon (the owner) figured out how to repair it but stay within the range my insurance wanted to pay.

I know how to do most of my own regular maintenance myself, but it's easier and saves me time to take our cars to Accurate.  I trust them to do the job right and for a fair price.
5 - A. S.: Have been taking both of our cars here for years.  We are the types who drive our cars until they die, so having a good mechanic is really important.  They keep excellent records and are always very professional.  Have mostly worked with  Erik and Ken through the years and both of these guys are great.  They are patient and thorough in answering questions and make helpful recommendations about which are the most urgent repairs needed and which can wait, which is key when money is an issue.    Highly recommended.
1 - Denny z.: Just wanted to share my experience. I couldn't start my car and had it towed there for inspection and repair. They charged $600. I paid and on the way out from the shop the engine light turned on. I returned in less than 5 minutes and the technician said they had to check again. They charged me another $500 for repairing. I paid again, and on the way out, the second time, the engine light turned on. Talked to them right away, and being told it's a different problem, and they need to run test again to figure out. Another $500 paid. One of technician called meanwhile and told me in order to figure out the problem, they needed to actually drive the car. He asked for my permission if his son can drive it to San Diego... I was called to pick up my car eventually, again, on the way out, guess what,  the engine light turned on... I gave up, and sent my car to a different shop specialized in Japanese car, done within a day for $250. By the way, the stereo system locked out while they fixed my car and i had to pay dealer $150 to activate the system.
4 - Darlene R.: Always had great service. Jon, Ken, Erik are great.

Ace Hardware Princeton - Princeton, NJ (40.363321, -74.6507263) ()
5 - C S.: I was really impressed today at this place today. 

We went in to pick up a knob to replace our Crock Pot's broken knob, and it wa s$.95, unlike the $12+shipping for the entire lid replacement.

Why I was impressed?  We noticed that there are carpenter bees living in the attic, and they've been more aggressive each day over the past 3 days (we live on the first floor, and the porch was crazy with the bees).  As we're renters, it's really up to the landlord.  Being against chemicals, I didn't like the idea of using Raid, and the salesperson recommended hitting the bees with a 1-2L bottle, and either storing the bees in the bottle or killing them outright and disposing of them.

As far as non-toxic methods, this was great.  We bought some seltzer, rum, and pineapple juice, and have been batting the bees.  At this point, they seem to be ignoring us--this moring it was awful.

Thank you Smith Hardware! Your staff is great!


They're only onpen 9-3 on Sunday, BTW.

Update 9/13/09:
This place truly is great.  If you need something, or advice regarding whether the bamboo vs traditional rake is worth it, they'll let you know (all tools are guaranteed).  Coming from Brooklyn, where the hardware owners simply grunted at us when we asked for a part (which they never had, instead insisting that we had to buy a new piece with 90% of unneeded pieces), this is incredibly refreshing.  They also have more PVC connector parts than Home Depot; it may be priced a bit more, but having the needed pieces was more than welcomed.
2 - Anita J.: Watch out if you are getting keys made.  We got a duplicate made, and we when we came home, they did not work!

Ace Parking Inc - La Jolla, CA (32.8709206, -117.2256427) (University City)
1 - Ulysses M.: If you're ever headed out to Flemings in La Jolla right across from the Hyatt Regency La Jolla, make sure you find parking on your own or park it some place safe, whether it be a few blocks away.

I recently had to resort to valet service because parking in this area is almost non-existent.  I stupidly left my iPhone in the closed center console of my car and unfortunately had it stolen by Valet parking at this location.  I was told to submit a claim and would be contacted in 48-72hrs. I know...I know...per California Civil Code, Section 1630 (written on the tiny paper they give you), the company is not responsible for items stolen, damage incurred to your vehicle, etc.  What's the point in submitting the claim in the first place?!?  Anyways it's frightening to think you're paying $7 to have someone park your car, only to have items in your car turn up missing.  

So heed my warning, DO NOT PAY for Valet service here.  You're better off parking your car a few blocks away or making a U-turn.  There are some shady employees working here - particularly one that looks like a poor man's Darius Miles.
1 - Paula D.: Axis of evil, thy name is Ace parking at the Aventine.

We came to this area to eat at the Melting pot.   I didn't want to have the valet park my high performance vehicle *cough cough, suburban minivan*  because it is a Toyota and with all the recalls I was afraid to let anyone else drive the car without a full risk analysis and a liability release. 

So instead of valet I dropped off my party and drove to the self parking.   After passing several spots that were reserved for the valet's and the business office I found myself in Siberia.  No,  I must confess I may be exaggerating, I think it was Central America.   
 
After showing my passport to the officials I was able to join my  family for dinner.  I think I am going to start a new list for places whose parking is hoover-esque in its suckatude.
1 - Jamie P.: Dear Ace Parking,
I hate you.  It is ridiculous I have to pay $4 every time i see my doctor for 20 minutes.  The staff at Scripps medical building hate you.  They drive around the entire lot just to avoid having to see your staff, so they can go in through the employee gate because they get so many complaints from their patients.  How have you privatized and charged public property? How do you charge people for having to go to the doctor?? 

.....In short, the doctors at at Scripps pass out validation cards, and will stamp your parking ticket as many times as you want, but Ace Parking will not honor it.  Not anymore. They have since then raised the prices as well--it only used to be $2 after a longer period of time (more reasonable).  Plus, most places give gree parking with validation within a certain time period. Even Horton Plaza does that! The added extras? They don't take card!! Who carries cash nowadays?? Not I, said the cow. Not after having my wallet stolen so many times. They also take personal checks. But then again, who still uses checkbook? So if you don't have either of theses, they will take your license plate and send you a bill in the mail for an additional $25!!! I have since then given up arguing with the Turkish guy's broken English on his price gauging ways.

Aceituna Cafe - Cambridge, MA (42.3642404, -71.0817537) (East Cambridge, Kendall Square/MIT)
4 - J. H.: Aceituna Cafe is a relatively new addition to the Kendall Square neighborhood. It's primary clietele are people from the office buildings and labs in the area. They call themselves a "gourmet fast-food" restaurant. 

Aceituna serves up generous portions of Mediterranean and Lebanese food. My favorites are the beef shawarma roll-up and the veggie combo plate (where you get a choice of 3 of their veggie offerings, such as tabouli, falafel, stuffed grape leaves, roasted eggplant, hummus and more!). 

The seating area is spacious and clean, but has a Panerra Bread or Au Bon Pain feel to it. In warmer weather you can grab a seat at on of the patios on the adjoining plaza.
4 - Sharon S.: Aceituna is a blessing for anyone working in Kendall Sq that needs a change at lunch time! We all get tired of Cafeteria selections that include wilted salads, boring sandwiches and an occasional slice of greasy pizza. Aceituna's Mediterranean selection (the owners are Lebanese) is especially appropriate in warmer weather when you can dine outside. The chicken sharwarma is delicious, the hummus very tasty, and the stuffed grape-leaves are the best I've had in Boston. Now while I'm not an expert on Mediterranean cuisine I think the clientele at Aceituna speaks to it's quality, on any given night you can see diners from all over the World grabbing a bite to eat there. Countless friends and acquaintances from Lebanon, Morocco, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have recommended Aceituna to me after learning I work in Kendall Square. So if you're tired of corporate cafeteria sludge try Aceituna for a change... but watch out, it can become an addiction.
5 - Natasha A.: Sharon is absolutely right. I just tried out aceitunas with my coworkers and we are hooked forever. No more food court by the marriot. The shwarma was just like what I lived off in Spain. The only thing this place is missing is Morroccan carrot salad.
4 - Ben B.: Echoing the other reviewers here, but working at One Main street it's great to have Aceituna nearby. i really love those pickled turnips that are included in the roll-ups/
5 - M D.: So, so delious and so fresh.  Deliciou shwarma for lunch or dinner-I love to have dinner here.  Quiet from the business lunch-goers.  Plus I always need a side of the yummy falafel.  They also have some great catering for work or parties, that I've more than had to use.  Great, great middle-eastern cusine.  And I hear they are expanding...which will be even better. Love, love, love Aceituna!
3 - tomato s.: Maybe the meat is good here - the rotating shwarmas look pretty decent, if one is inclined to that sort of thing.  But I'm vegetarian and I haven't been too thrilled with the vegetarian selections.  There are plenty of vegetarian selections - but everything  sounds (or looks) better than it tastes.  Nothing bad, but overall it seems a bit bland or watery.  and I also find it a little expensive for what it is.  
One exception is the veggie rollup, which is tasty (with those pickled turnips) and decently-priced.
Despite all of this, it's a good option for lunch in the Kendall area.  There's something for everybody, and it gets crowded during lunch but there usually seems to be enough seating.  Also in the summer you can get it to go and eat in the little park outside (not sure what will happen with the new skating rink).
5 - Naomi U.: I am giving them a 5 star rating for their falafel sandwich and tabouli salad.  It is truly the best I've had since Beirut!

They have perfect pickled radishes to put in the inside of the falafel sandwich.
5 - Danielle M.: My husband is Lebanese and I'm Puerto Rican. We recently moved here from Beirut and, to date, this is the best Middle Eastern place in the Boston area. He wont eat anywhere else, and I'm more than happy to eat here at least once a week. The place is always clean, the food is so, so FRESH!, nice decor for a casual place, the people that work there are always so nice and make you feel at home. I am so addicted to this place its not even funny! The shawarma is superb, the tabboule is always fresh, the garlic sauce is just right, the rice is perfectly Lebanese (noodles and all!). It's also the only place we've seen that has both pickled cucumbers as well as turnips, which we both love. Also, the moghrabiye is AMAZING if you miss the one from back home! The hummus isn't the best though. Decent falafel, great spicy potatoes. The place is not necessarily a restaurant. It has a bit of a cafeteria-like ambiance, but only because its in the middle of all the big industrial buildings. You would never expect it to be where it is. During the day, it's PACKED with people on their lunch hour from work. I don't recommend it. In the evening, it's so much more homier and they play Arabic music sometimes. You know the place is good when half the people that go for dinner are Middle Eastern. Keep in mind that they close at 8pm, which is perfect if you want a nice, inexpensive, healthy dinner before a movie at the Kendall Cinema, which is walking distance, or the mall next door. We LOVE Aceituna. Sa7ten everybody ;)
4 - Sam F.: It's good.

Firstly, it's authentic, second it's well prepared, and thirdly it's much needed variety in the otherwise bland Kendal food scene.

The one reason it didn't make five stars is that it's a bit pricey. $9 for a shwarma is just not right. But it sure is tasty. I'd suggest skipping the pickled radishes though. Eww.

A few night ago I had the kabbab plate. Delicious! The meat was so tender and succulent that my mouth is watering as I type this.

Check it out.
4 - Tiffany D.: I LOVE this place, in fact the one thing I miss most about working near there (I used to work two blocks from this place) is eating here pretty much everyday! I LOVE the chicken shwarma!!!  And their rice with little pieces of noodles in it is AMAZING!!!
3 - Sarah G.: 3 stars for falafel only at this point, but other stuff looked good enough to return for.  Weird location but packed at lunch.  

Falafel - excellent array of colorful (hot pink!) crazy (hot pink and pickled!) veggies to add to your sandwich.  Falafel looked light and fluffly and wonderful, but was gritty as hell and the sandwich was way too salty to enjoy.  

However - jeeze louise, the options for the vegetarian combos look awesome and definitely deserve a second visit.
3 - annie k.: Average Middle Eastern food. People are on crack if they think this is as good as European doner kebab joints. The chicken shwarama was very dry and did not have much flavor. I did like the falafel, which had excellent flavor.

Much better choices in the Boston area are Reef Cafe and Boston Shwarama.
3 - Kathleen M.: This place is way too pricey for me to give it more than 3 stars. It has that "cafeteria" feel that implies you won't be paying $10 or more for your lunch, which is why it's so shocking when you get to the register and realize you have to pull out the credit card to pay for your lunch because you didn't have the forethought to hit the ATM that morning because you thought the ten in your pocket would be way more than enough to get you through the day.

Food is decent, and (most of) the staff is nice. Falafel is way too salty (and I love salty foods), but the chicken and beef schwarma sandwiches are tasty. Try them with the hot sauce. They have pickles and turnips (bright pink!) that they put in the sandwiches, which are great, and add a nice crunch to the wraps. 

I also like the Greek  salad with chicken, and I always get it "John" style (after my boss) with added pickles, turnips, and hot sauce. The salad is quite large and comes with pita bread, so it makes a nice meal.

By far the best deal here is the vegetarian combo--3 or 5 choices of any vegetarian item they have, and they have lots, like dolmades, spicy potatoes, eggplant with tomatoes, falafel, rice with lentils, cauliflower, green beans, artichokes, chick peas, Greek salad, and so many others. This is the only way to leave this place without feeling like you've been ripped off because they give you a lot of food--the 3 choice at ~$7 is more than enough for 2 meals; the 5 choice comes in at over $9, but I don't think you really get any more food.

In general, Aceituna has the local biotech workers by the balls by being the only really convenient place for many of the people to go (they largely compete with the equally overpriced Zigo down the street), and they certainly charge for the convenience. If you have the time, I'd head down the street to Desfina for tastier food, better ambiance, and a much better price!
4 - Renee G.: My main issue with Aceituna is the "garlic sauce" that they put on their shawarma sandwiches.  As far as I can tell, it's glorified mayonnaise, and it doesn't really add anything.  Where's the tahini?  I will admit that the pickled turnips are kind of awesome.  Maybe I should branch out and try something different.  But the place is still really overpriced - if I really want Middle Eastern food, most days I'd rather go to the truck in the MIT parking lot a few blocks away for literally half the price.  It's not like you're paying extra for ambiance.

Their catering, however, is really, really, really good (well, everything's good when it's going on the corporate card, right?).  Occasionally we'll have them cater meetings in my office and we're always sure to overorder so there are plenty of leftovers.  The hummus, baba ghannoush, and tabbouleh are all wonderful scooped up in pita bread.  The Greek salad is awesome, with hunks of feta and olives and all the good stuff that is lacking in in so many others.  Their couscous salad and eggplant/tomato/chickpea concoction are also freakishly tasty.  Their kebabs are so tender and delicious.  And their baklava...oh my goodness.  It's extra sweet, which might be a dealbreaker for some people, but I say the more honey the better.  Yum.
4 - Susan M.: I got stuck on this place when I was working in Kendall Square at what could be the worst job ever.  Okay, I overstate but still, I remember the happiness that this place brought to the blight that was my office.

I worked with a bunch of folk from saudi arabia, israel, bahrain, etc. and they were all huge fans of this place (ordering in other languages and whatnot) so I figured it had to be good.  

I agree with some of the other reviewers that it is a tad pricey however, if you know what you're doing it isn't so bad.  You can easily split a schwarma plate with another person and even with sodas and a side of of falafel it still only comes to like $16 total ($8 each).

 I have long since left my crappy job behind but I still come to Kendall Square for Aceituna.  I don't know what it is but I LOVE their chicken schwarma.  Plus, they're pretty easygoing about making it how I like it (half hummus/half garlic sauce; half spicy potatoes/half rice).
5 - Vanilla P.: Best falafel I've found so far in Cambridge. The tabbouleh was awesome and fresh tasting, and if you get your meal to go, try sitting in the little park area across the street -- so relaxing. 

Tip: If you go after 6 PM, you don't have to mess with the suits who hold up the line. Plus, there's no one in the park but you, your falafel wrap, and the stray kitty who's dying for your leftovers.
2 - Dragony F.: My quest for perfect balls...of fried chick peas and fava beans as well as all the previous chickie fava balls I've sampled in the past VS:
The next Falafel contender
Chicken shawarma
The swarming biotech lunch crowd

Who continues as the best East Coast falafel? The Middle Eastern food truck on 77 Mass Ave because it's a whole lot cheaper for a larger portion of equally tasty falafels (this truck is NOT to be confused with the Olive Tree Cafe truck in the MIT parking lot that is VERY mediocre, even by food truck standards)

Echoing some of the previous Yelp sentiments
Aceituna falafel = appetizing outward appearance, however, exterior lacked crunchiness, more like a salt ball in terms of flavor and rough texture, not very flavorful, plus it's so expensive! Let's do some math here; food truck falafel wrap; less than $4, Aceituna falafel wrap; greater than $7, plus the food truck wrap contains ~5-6 tasty falafels versus the 4 in my Aceintuna one.

Chicken shawarma = hmmm, what is being drizzled on the cheap chewy commercial pita bread??? Is it yellowing mayo? No, it's "garlic sauce". What does it taste like? Yellowing mayo. At least it adds some moisture to the dry, flavorless chicken cut from the rotating hunk o' meat. If, for some reason, you still get this wrap after reading this review, get it with the purple/pink pickles, which rescue this otherwise overpriced blahness.

Lunch time atmosphere = cafeteria style, lots of suits and biotech business types; the only reason I was here was for the Farmer's market.

My perfect falafel quest continues...
4 - Julian H.: My first Lebanese cuisine in the States was here in Aceituna. Thanks Randa, my Lebanese friend for introducing me to this place. The food here was really good. Seats were ample and you get your own food at the self-service counter. The atmosphere was lively and patrons were mostly mid-easterns. I managed to try various kinds of appetizers, entrees and desserts here. For a self-service cafe, the price was a little on the higher side but for the clean, friendly and fast service, I can't complaint much.

On the food, the portion was really generous. The ladies didn't finish theirs. I had to struggle with my Beef Shwarma which was served with rice-noodles and tobouleh, which my Lebanese friend said was original. The taste was up to my standard. I would definitely come again here.
4 - stephanie h.: while i'm remembering all the money i blew on takeout at my last job...

once again, another place where i always order the same thing, but i do it because it's so damn good.  if it wasn't i wouldn't be willing to spend freaking $12 on lunch at least once a week.  chicken shawarma wrap and a side of greek salad. [comes with a pita!]

 the greek salad is tomatoes, green bell peppers, feta cheese, cucumbers, and olives.  AND NO LETTUCE.  finally, a non-americanized salad ffs.  i also don't know how they manage to get tomatoes that taste good year round, impressive.  couldn't say for the olives, because i'm weird and pick them out and throw them all away because i hate olives that don't come out of a can.  sue me.

the only downside of this place is the price - while the meal is always incredibly satisfying, it's a bit much for your average person to be dropping on a takeout lunch.  also,  god forbid someone in front of you in line should speak the same language as the staff - you'll be standing there all damn day while they shoot the breeze and totally ignore you, useless uncultured white person.

on the upside, they have a big tray of candy at the register containing what?  what?! ROOTBEER BARRELS!  HELL YES!  actually, you probably wouldn't have found any there because while the cashier has her back turned i take every single one of them out and stuff my pockets.
4 - Eric B.: A lunchtime favorite. The shwarma and Greek Salad are awesome.
2 - Jasmine E.: I have yet to find a really good Middle Eastern restaurant in this city and its making me wonder where are all the Arabs and why can't one of them open a real restaurant?!!! Falafel King, not to burst your bubble but your just not cutting it anymore.

I'm actually surprised anyone can find this place its so hidden. Overall not too shabby of a deli.

I'm not a big fan of cold warag aenab (grape leaves) but its worth a try for those who have never tried it. The hummus is average, the sandwiches are average. Overall everything they serve is not that great but its edible. I still prefer Cedar Market's sandwiches and sides and if it wasn't so far away i'd probably go there more often.
5 - Aaron B.: Aceituna will be the restaurant I will miss the most when I leave the Kendall Square area.  The falafel is always cooked just right -- not too dry, not too fried.  The shwarma (plate and wrap) is tasty, the kibbeh is excellent, and the stuffed grape leaves are packed with flavor.  Get the 3- or 5-way sampler plate -- it's worth it.

There are only two minor knocks: 1) the place gets *crowded* during the height of lunch, making getting a table almost impossible; 2) they love to overuse the glowing-purple pickled turnips in the wraps.
5 - Jeremy K.: This lebanese restaurant is awesome and despite it's business-lunch type of hours, it offers very authentic, healthy food. The chefs must be doing something right because their falafel aren't too greasy and are just right. Their salads are refreshing, their kefta well cooked and their kebabs full of flavor. Their stuffed grape leaves are very tasty as well.

Your best bet at this place is too get a plate or sampler since they are much better means of getting a real flavor experience there since the bread in the sandwiches could take that away a bit and could mask the flavors. The portions are just right as well. Not small but not gigantic either. You will leave happy.

The staff there is great and the prices are decent. Overall it's an awesome which is becoming quite famous in the area.
5 - Annette M.: This place is fantastic. Get the sampler plate--you can mix and match five items out of a vast selection, each one more delicious than the other. I'm glad I live far away from Kendall Square, because if I lived any closer, I would go here every day and get really really fat -- not because the food is unhealthy (it's not) but because I just could not stop eating, eating. Verbum sap -- knafa!
3 - Colin N.: I've been here twice for lunch. Once I got the lunch special, once I got the lamb plate. It's overpriced, and the lunch special had one piece of meat in it. The nerve! 

I guess the food is OK here. For Kendall square, it is an alright option, but they have a little bit of a captive audience since there are such poor lunch options in Kendall.
3 - Neno S.: This is the closest food joint next to my work and I almost never bring lunch with me so I end up there quite often.  They serve middle eastern/mediterranean food which is ok and on the healthy side if you take under consideration that it's fast food.  It's ridiculously overpriced for the effort they put in making the food and just can't compete with other restaurants with a similar menu.  Let's just say they are lucky they are not located at Central square.
3 - Mags L.: not a bad falafel wrap.  i'm not sure i'm a fan of the pickled turnips and cucumbers (which i've read is a Syrian and Lebanese tradition, not having seen that tradition very much in Detroit where most of the falafel joints are owned by Lebanese or Syrian people.  though i seem to see tiny pickles at all the Israeli falafel joints i've been to around here.  me not being any kind of expert)

i think i prefer a crunchier ball.  that's what she said.
4 - Teju P.: I am a falafel lover - I think its more about what comes in the pita with the falafel than the falafel itself! The turnips are excellent. If you are a fan of pickled foods definitely check this place out. It is quite busy during the lunch hour, but there is a lot of seating indoor and outdoors.  It is cafeteria style with casual dress.
4 - april p.: I used to work at Genzyme for years, and this place was always a welcome change from the cafeteria.

I admittedly have only ever had the falafel wrap, but it is hands down the best one i've had in the boston area. Good flavor and texture, plus the veggies they throw in there are yummy. I usually get them to add hot sauce as well- yum!

I am not sure why so many people complain about the price, my wrap is $4.95, add about a dollar if I get a can of soda.
4 - Kat R.: Next door to work, so it's convenient.  Luckily it's also yummy.  A bit pricey, and the portions are a bit over-sized.  A bit less on the plate and out of my wallet would be an improvement.  Highly recommend the garlic sauce.  Always very fresh tasting.  Tip: visit at 11:45. Not noon.  Seems like everyone goes at noon, so the line can go out the door.  However, line usually moves fast and the food is worth it.
4 - Nat O.: Tried the falafel here, and it was very good. Comes seasoned Lebanese style with pickled radish (might be a turn-off if you're not used to it) and pickled cukes. Very tasty overall, one of the best falafels in the area.

I didn't try any of their other sandwiches or meals yet, but the prices seem a bit high.
4 - James K.: Random location that pretty much only caters to the weekday lunch crowd, but if you catch it before closing, it's quiet and the food is great. Had an excellent lamb schwarma. Only negatives are the hours and it's not open on weekends, but then again, neither is Kendall Square.
5 - Thao N.: I just started working around this area and it's always so busy so I thought I'd give it a try one day.  And now I keep coming back.  So far I've only had the chicken shawarma pita roll up but hey why not satisfy the craving. The pita is so good and the ratios of all the ingredients is well calculated.  I've also taken a look at the plate combos other people get = and there's definitely a large amount of food on that plate.  I would think it's a tad bit expensive for lunch but for that amount and quality, it's good when you're really hungry.  Must try that one day. They're very very busy, line usually goes out the door but it moves really fast so definitely not a turn off.  I do recommend going just right before noon especially if you want to grab a seat outside.  In the summer there's live music and on Thursdays, there's a farmer's market too. Will go back again and again as long as I'm still working here!
4 - Shannon S.: In the food desert that is Kendall Square, Aceituna might very well be 4 stars. The food is fresh, hot and the portions are way oversized (though the price is pretty rough at 10 bucks a plate -- but you can easily save the leftovers until the next day.) I'm not a huge fan of the Falafel here, tastes a little like Ramen, but damn -- the kabobs and shwarma really make my belly, deprived of delicious lunch eats (because Kendall Square blows) very very happy.

There is plenty of seating (inside & outside) not far from the Kendall T, but I don't picture you coming here unless you're looking for lunch eats. Though, they do pretty good for themselves (they're not far from Lechemere if you need other options) and they're right across the street from Genzeyme. 

The hummus is quite tasty here, I only wish their pita was a little thicker but their Orzo & Schwarma totally make up for it, as well as their grape leaves. Yum!
4 - Jenny L.: Another good place for lunch in Kendall Square. I only eat the beef and chicken shawarma roll-ups here but that's really all you need to eat at this place if you're not a vegetarian...flavorful, fresh, and filling. I went here with my vegetarian coworker and we had two roll-ups, fries, and one baklava for $15, that's just $7.50 each! Definitely share the fries if you can since it's a huge portion. If you do that, it's a decently priced meal. Also the baklava, while not the best I've ever had, was quite good and enough to satisfy a mid-day sugar craving.
4 - Milee S.: Our office ordered take out here for a meeting. We were given a buffet of options-  veggie falafals, chicken and beef shwarma, hummous, tahini sauce, rice, greek salad, drinks, and baklava and cookies.  Everything was so delicious!  Not too many places offer a selection when they deliver.  I'm sure we'll be ordering from them again.
4 - Andrea S.: dangerously close to my office and they used to cater once-a-week. this quiet little lunch spot explodes at 12:30-1 and the line literally goes out the door. 

everytime i go, i get the 3 choice vegetarian plate with rice and lentils, chickpea salad and whatever i'm feeling for the third choice ffor a cool $8.25. Sometimes they throw in a pita, sometimes they don't. It's a big amount of food for the money. 

The staff is suuupper friendly and the line goes super fast. 

Also, they usually have a special-- they always look good. 

plus, dont judge me, the fries and cookies are deeelishh!!
4 - Joanne R.: They catered our office lunch today and it was as delicious as ever.  One of the best Middle Eastern restaurants by far.  The skewered lamb was so tender and delicious, a knife wasn't needed.  Equally as good were the chicken skewers, salad with the freshest, crunchiest vegetables and a light dressing,  grape leaves, hoummous, falalel, etc...I'm still salivating as I write this....The only downfall is that they are not located close to my office so I could enjoy all they offer on a weekly basis.
3 - Leo L.: Had the falafel yesterday and had to agree with my co-worker - lousy. Maybe it's authentic for them to be cold, but I've never had them cold, and I'm not digging it. Even with the yummy harissa and tahini. I'll stick with the shawarmas and salads.
4 - Coco P.: Love this place!  I love ordering the veggie plate so I can have 3 (or 5) different options.  And there is plenty of food so you can eat the rest for l lunch the next day.  I'm also a huge fan of the schwarma plates and wraps.  Yum!  It gets very busy during typical the typical lunch hours but the line moves quickly.  I don't mind the counter service because the food is so good.
2 - Jesse E.: The food looked and smelled great.  I ordered the falafel wrap and was disappointed.  It was on the cold side and lacked enough flavor/spice for me.  If I go back I will try the chicken.
4 - Sami Z.: Authentic shawarma....most of the time.  Some times it might taste a little off because they recycle old shawarma.  All shawarma joints do this.  At the end of the day, they take the left-over shawarma, grind it, and place in between the layers of new meat.  This is why you see different colored bands of meat when you look at the skewer.  A tip is to always ask them to cut from the top of the Skewer.

To all those complaining about the Falafel here are my two cents. As a Middle Easterner, I can tell you that the only way to eat Falafel is to have them fried in front of you , at the time when you order them.  They are supposed to to be hot, have a crunchy shell, and semi-soft interior.  Anything else tastes awful.  Logistically it is difficult for a restaurant to do that...and this is why they pre-fry them and warm them up on order.  This is why I never ever order falafel around here.
3 - Andrew D.: I've never been a huge fan of Mediterranean food in general, but seeing how one of my co-workers is in love with the chicken shawarma, we tend to go here on a semi-regular basis.  Despite my reservations about hummus (and those hard purple sticks that are apparently vegetables of some kind), the food here is really good.  The chicken/beef shawarma is a huge plate of meat piled high on rice, alongside a salad and pita bread.  I'm a little put off by the high price tag ($10-$12 for a plate of food and a can of soda) on what I would still consider fast-food, but the generous portions make up for it to an extent.  They also have a nice, clean seating area, and service is usually fast.  Be warned that this is a popular office-worker destination, so it is usually packed full from noon to 1 pm on weekdays.
3 - Bashar E.: Lebanese cafe ... a self service where you choose between appetizers and entrees.. I also liked the shawerma sandwich. It only opens till like 4 PM, more of a lunch cafe ...
5 - zou z.: As far as Lebanese fast food goes, this is as good as it gets outside of Lebanon, the shawarma especially, chicken and beef, just the best... The tabbouleh as well is spot on. The service is super quick, the prices hover around 12$ per person and the portions at that price are quite filling.
Bar none, this is the best Lebanese fast food outside of Lebanon I've had so far; it's the one thing I know I will miss about Cambridge for sure...
2 - ack c.: For the second time in a row, I found myself in a line of 20+ people to pay more for a sandwich than I used to pay at a higher price.   Apparently, Genzyme, didn't entice enough vendors to feed their masses and the clever owners have realized they can give less for more! Good for them, bad for me.
3 - Carol O.: There's nothing completely WRONG about Aceituna. It's more that I've been here twice and have been completely underwhelmed. 

The food is fine (I've had the falafel wrap as well as the chicken plate) but it's pretty overpriced for meh food. Nothing ever tastes bad, off or gross so I guess I have to give them credit for that. And I do LOVE their pickled turnip bits (which they happily add a little extra to my wrap when asked). 

Both times I've been the line has been rather nuts, but there didn't seem to be any waits for tables. 

So, in short, a solid bet if you find yourself in the area. But nothing I'd go out of my way to go to.
5 - Hugh R.: Two (former) coworkers of mine are Lebanese and both raved about the quality of the food at Aceituna. What more could I possibly say?
5 - andrew k.: As far as fast food goes, wonderful. 
A huge variety of fresh food, tasty , tangy and quick service.
Try the beef shawarma or spicy chicken shawarma roll ups.
The falafel with tahini sauce plus turnips and pickles. 
The vegetarian combos are a wonderful change to the drab fast food joints around.
The hummus and baba are the best.
Wish they made pepper or extra garlic hummus.
Yummy overall.
5 - Mohsen H.: Great food. I go eat there dinner three or four times a week.
4 - A B.: Nestled between a state-of-the-art Genzyme building and semi-vacant MIT real estate, Acietuna offers up a simple, yet delightful middle eastern menu in a wasteland of dorky pubs, bad pizza, greasy chinese food, and boring burrito joints.

Okay, so its not like sharwarma is the most exciting thing in the world, but their shawarma is really top notch and even easily overlooked items, like the vegetables with couscous, are excellent.

Oddly, delivery trays have much larger portions than if you do take-out or dine in.  Speaking of dining in - Acietuna is completely empty at night, relying more on local, middle eastern families to roll up in their giant Range Rovers or BMW SUVs for take-out.

Also - their desserts are some of the only ones I've ever had in a commercial restaurant that are not too sweet.  Their use judicious use of sugar allows the subtleties of their other ingredients to shine through.
4 - susu c.: I'm gonna have to say that Aceituna has the best chicken shawarma in town. I know its slim pickings around here for that, but the chicken is  deliciously marinated and it's pretty quality. Over the years they have started skimping a little on the fillings and meat, but its still awesome. French fries are great as well.  Only downside is the odd hours, so make sure to check before you go.
4 - Philippa Q.: My favorite falafel in the Boston area. I am very lucky that this close by work since it's one of the best places for lunch. The falafel roll up is my favorite, jam packed with homemade falafel, Lebanese pickles, pink pickled turnip and lots of tahini sauce. Only drawback is that it will kill your breath for the rest of the day so be warned. Another highlight is the array of sides that you can have put into a 'combo plate'. Falafel salad, baba ghanoush, roast cauliflower. It's all good. 

It is a tad on the pricey side for what is really a fancy cafeteria but since this is an occasional treat and the quality is so good it is worth it. Some Lebanese friends claim it is their favorite place in town so it definitely gets authenticity points with that recommendation.
4 - Karan T.: We've had dinner here a number of times and have always found the food to be very good! It's relatively inexpensive, and for Boston, one of the more authentic Lebanese/Mid-eastern restaurants. The spicy potatoes are great, and shawarma plates and sandwiches are excellent!
4 - Catherine A.: Love the chicken shawarma roll-up (with all the toppings)! However, I think the portions have gotten smaller over the past year. The last couple have seemed a little light on the chicken, and the definitely felt lighter and less substantial than they used to. Still tastes wonderful though.
4 - Russ D.: Got the mixed plate with spicy chicken and beef. Good stuff. Will make it a priority to stop back anytime I'm in town. We were the only 'caucasion' folks in the joint - so I guess there has to be some authenticity points there. But tasted great, large amount of food, and the place seems pretty clean. Cheapest meal we had in Boston on our stay. Convenient off the Red Line @ Kendal/MIT
4 - Prithviraj S.: Great lunch spot, delicious food. But it can be a bit expensive; I had a chicken shawarma plate for $11, without a drink. The rollups are a bit more affordable. The plate comes with rice, salad and plenty of chicken.

Head there at noon on Thursday to shop at the farmers market, listen to live music while eating outdoors (plenty of chairs and tables available). Maybe get some ice cream at Christina's cart on the way back ;)
4 - victor E.: from the outside, aceituna isn't very inspiring. decoration is somewhat bland and has an awkward location... sort of in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by biotech companies.

however, their food is delightful and authentic...and portions are humongous. i totally recommend the kebab plates and tabule...also, the kafta is wonderful and grilled to order! aceituna also has one of my all-time favorite desserts, called osmalya....that one will take you straight to heaven....
3 - Cecile B.: Great for a quick lunch! Eat in or take it out to the large seating and shaded area in front of the building. 

Large selection of vegetarian option and good Kabob too! 

The price is right, service was fast and the food good.
5 - Lynn C.: To be honest, the only thing I ever eat there is their chicken shwarma. One time I had the beef and I didnt like the grassy taste which reminded me of lamb more than beef. Went there again tonight and had their chicken shwarma plate...sooo good! you must get it with the onion! I was  full to start and thought I wouldnt eat much, but I ate a lot still, and just thinking about it is making me salivate even though I'm still really full. 

Aceituna, I can eat you everyday.
2 - Kristine Y.: I really didn't think this place was that great. I've had plenty of Mediteranian food before in big cities like Chicago, Seattle, NY, etc. at authentic little joints. So when I had this in comparison, I was kind of disappointed. 

I ordered the Beef Shwarma Combo. My beef was very dry and my pita was cold. The vegetables that came along with it didn't add too much to the meal either. The pickles and the beets in my pita just didn't work for me. However, I did enjoy a few things. The hummus was pretty good though and also they have this garlic mayo which was also really good, especially with fries, it reminded me of getting fries in Amsterdam and Belgium. 

There is a very long line for lunch, so expect to wait about 20 min to order and get your food, about 10 min more if you get the kebab. My two friends ordered the kebabs and it took them a long time, especially after they messed up.

 Also, for the combo, it was a little on the pricey end at $8.99. I'm used to paying around $5-7 at other places. For a plate, expect to pay about $11.99. After a drink and tax, my total was $11 something, which is alright. The environment is pretty nice and the dining area is relatively large, which helps in finding a seat during the lunch rush. 

Overall, it was just ok. Like the rating suggests, "Meh. I've experienced better."
4 - Amar K.: Being a vegetarian, the only thing I've gotten here is the falafel pita roll-up and the cauliflower. Both are extremely good.

The lines move fast and the food is reasonably priced.
3 - Eva K.: I had lunch here on a weekday - the place was packed.

I had high hopes, because the menu looked really good, but my falafel wrap was just OK.  Nothing to write home about.
4 - Christina L.: The spicy chicken schwarma plate...wow....love the garlic sauce....love the purple beet-like things....mmmm.....

Great for lunch...but super crowded from 12-1pm....
4 - Aboud Y.: This place is the real deal Holyfield.

All the food is authentic, well-prepared, and absolutely delicious.  The shawarma is good but its the shish kabob that's the knock out punch.  It's mouth wateringly good...the daily/weekly specials are also great. 

The service is also fast and courteous.  I'll be back for more.
5 - Steven E.: I like the place. It has tables outside and inside. Very spacey. Good food, and the prices are OK. Nothing bad to say about it. I like it a lot.
4 - Chris M.: When coworkers said Mediterranean place, i thought, god i hope i can get chicken. 

Little did I know how much I'd enjoy my chicken shaved off the giant rotisserie thing.  Oh my, the spicy chicken was amazing.  So good.  and I could get it w/ rice, awesome.  Pretty much all i want in a meal.  

The only thing I didn't care for, was the salad / hummus that also came on the plate.  Aceituna just give me meat and rice please!  if you do this I'll never leave your side.

Generous portions.  Really good chicken.  Actual breasts not processed white meat from au bon pan, cosi, etc.    It's definitely a place to be a regular at.
4 - Shaina P.: OK fine.  I'm totally a regular.  A regular on Thursdays for the day's special.  People always ask me what it is, but quite honestly, I have no. idea.  I think it's blended grape leaves, which creates a lovely stew base for some big chunks o' moist (yes, moist) chix breast, and topped with raw white onion, vinegar, and lemon. Nom nom nom.

Update: the greens are jute leaves, a healthy green that grows in Egypt and other places around there... TYum
4 - Kathryn R.: In the absence of any decent food options around Kendall Square, this place is probably the best for takeout and fast food. I've never deviated from the Beef Shawarma, but it's pretty damn good Shawarma - moist, tender, flavorful. Love their tahini sauce and baklava, too. Beware the long line out to the door during the 12-1 lunch rush, but the service is always friendly any time of day.
5 - Jessica L.: Best chicken shawarma wrap in the Cambridge area!!! The chicken is always perfectly cooked and they have a garlic mayo that makes the sandwich. I'm don't make it over to Cambridge very often but when I do, this place is definitely on my agenda. They recently extended their business hours, too!!
4 - danielle l.: Decent wraps. I usually get the chicken schwarma or the falafel wrap. The falafel is alright, and certainly not the best I've ever had. The schwarma is fresh and served carved off the spit, and everything is made to order in front of you. If you're not a fan of pickles or pickled things, the wraps probably aren't for you.

Not a fan of the Greek salad. I thought it'd be the typical Greek salad with lettuce, feta, olives, etc. but it's actually a fuckload of tomatoes with feta. I _hate_ tomatoes, so this is not for me.

It gets _really_ busy here during lunchtime. You might be waiting for quite awhile.

Decent food in Kendall, for takeout or dine-in.
3 - Sam L.: This place is right next to where I work, so it's just convenient. I don't think the food is that great at all; it's not bad, but I've had much better. 

I usually stick to the falafel wraps and chicken schwarmas.  I always feel like the chicken is dry though. 

Atmosphere is good for a casual lunch.  The place is packed between 12-1:30p, so I usually try to head down there at 11:50a if I'm planning on getting some takeout.  Service is pretty quick though.

I still grab lunch from this place when I'm in a rush and sick of the cafeteria food, but I do wish there were better mediterranean restaurants in the area.
5 - M G.: Place simply rocks! Non-greasy Mediterranean food! Fresh, great chicken and vegetarian selection. I eat here few days a week and never get tired of it. Great shwarma and tabouli!
4 - Kristen C.: Good lunch place.  I will say, however, that I've only had the chicken shwarma (spicy of course).  

I like the plate (with rice and the salad - but take my advice, pass on the garlic-mayonnaise stuff, and go with the hummus instead).  I also like the wrap.

French fries are always a little undercooked unless you ask for them to be extra crispy (which I do).

They are very fast - even when the line is wrapped around the building.
1 - Adem A.: REALLY? Love the food, but now they're just getting greedy...it was expensive enough. Now they just raised everything by about a dollar. Used to come here at least twice a week; now it'll probably be more like twice a month.
4 - Jessie Z.: Yum! Just enjoyed a lovely falafel pita with a few grapeleaves stashed for a snack later. Very tasty. The pita comes with pickles (oh yes!) but next time I think i'm gonna ask for hummus as well. 

Falafels were good, very flavorful and not too dry. 

Reason for the 4 stars - just a little pricey for lunch. Maybe a once very two weeks for a visit?
1 - Julie L.: Absolutely disgusting.  I've been there twice, since I attend the Le Cordon Bleu just a few blocks away.  First I tried the lamb pita wrap. The combination of flavors was completely off. 

Next, I tried the falafel, which was even worse.  The spices on it were so gross that I actually threw most of it away.  

Although it's one of the few options close to my school for lunch, I'd rather go hungry than waste money on their food again.
3 - Montana P.: I don't eat much meat so I haven't tried it here.  The veggie plate was pretty satisfying and comes with pita and tahini sauce if you get a couple pieces of falafel.  I love that you can also get a side of fruit.  The falafel is tasty and a bit tangy, not super dry.  Beware of the babaganoush.  It's gelatinous and smoky.  The prices are on par for the area and the large veggie plate lasts me two meals.
5 - Muni M.: Great authentic Arabic food, good value, and the most delicious fresh tabboule I had in the US. LOVE!
5 - Sewoong O.: This is a local gem. Fresh food. Fair price. Best-value Mediterranean in Cambridge. Chicken shawarma rollup is my favorite.
4 - Mathew L.: Really good quick inexpensive food. Ideal for lunch.
4 - Chris T.: Really good middle eastern.  Wraps are delicious, falafel is probably the best around this area.  The bright pink pickled turnips that go in the wraps are a nice touch. They have delicious hot sauce behind the counter in little cups that you can and should put on everything here, but you need to ask for it.  The vegetarian plate with stuffed grape leaves, falafel, hummus, tabbouleh, and greek salad seems to have mysterious restorative powers (hangover-wise) that science has not yet fully investigated.  Outdoor seating when the weather is nice, and sometimes the town has a couple of students playing music out there.  Heavy lunchtime rotation.
2 - Hussam B.: I tried all the items on the menu and the best is their spicy chicken shawerma sandwich. Make sure to add their house special pink sauce, it's delicious! Their Osmaliya (a desert) is one of the best I have had. Other than that, i never liked any of their other dishes including their specials which they always seem to find a way to not get it right.
4 - Katie D.: Aceituna is about as good as it gets in the Kendall Square lunch scene. I tried a falafel pita and a "side" of spicy potatoes my first time. The pita was alright, not thrilling, but the potatoes .... they were great. However, expensive for a side and VERY generously served - I basically could order potatoes for my whole meal. If I really loved them, I guess I would.

I've been at least 25 times since this first time, and ordered the same thing every time - the spicy chicken plate is a solid dish. The chicken's seasoned perfectly and grilled, though sometimes a bit dry. I started getting a side of cous cous instead of rice, and lately swapped out the garlic sauce with hummus, and the dish is even better. The salad and pickled veggies are always fresh, which is nice, and pretty tasty (and veggies are always the last thing I notice, if at all!). Insider tip - get that orange/pinkish spicy sauce for the chicken - Boom. Perfection. 

Overall, wonderful lunch spot, though I'm glad I've got a small stomach and full after only 1/2 the plate usually -- for $12, it's nice to get 2 lunches out of it instead of just 1. Also, lucky I work right next door at the CIC -- going early (11:30) is pretty much the only way you can get a table during the lunch rush, so it's good and quick for take out. Otherwise, it's really nice to sit outside and listen to music out front on Thursdays during the summer.
4 - Sergey A.: Let me start off by thanking Aceituna Cafe for its existence :)

It's hard to find good shawarma in the Boston / Cambridge area... This place definitely tops my list for most delicious / healthy lunch. The staff is extremely friendly and always get my order on the dot. I would recommend that you order a spicy chicken wrap, you won't be disappointed.

My only complaint about this place is that it is a little too pricey... Too bad I am addicted and I come here almost every week hahaha
5 - abdulrahman a.: the best shawarma roll up I have ever had in boston! If you didn't eat shawarma roll up woth Garlic sauce, you still haven't eaten Aceitunq!
2 - Christopher B.: I've never really been happy with anything I've ordered at Aceituna, which is a bit disappointing since it's very close to where I work. Yesterday I got a falafel wrap from Sepal at the Cambridgeside Galleria which was really yummy, so today I tried the same thing at Aceituna and it was actually mildly unpleasant.
5 - Krassi G.: Excellent!
3 - Shauni D.: This place is thoroughly meh and kind of overpriced. I've gotten lunch here a couple times and tried both the falafel wrap and the greek salad with chicken shawarma. I've had tastier falafel wraps from food trucks at half the price. The shawarma was pretty tasty but the salad was watery and flat.

Everyone I was with remarked that their wraps were on the small side.
4 - Hieu P.: The place is clean and neat. People are nice and polite. For some reason I don't like the food much. The meat is too dried and less fat. 
 I ordered number 2, and my friend had number 5. the bill was $27, so the price is relatively cheap with big potion. The best thing is about location where you can easily get parked.
They have an iPhone app. Check it out
4 - Julia N.: Had the chicken sharawama. Holy isht, Batman, it was amazing. AND different flavored fruit Snapples? No wai. 

Seriously. I'm a n00b at Mediterranean food. I literally went in there and was like "so what do people get? OK. I'll get that. OK, yeah sure. Uh huh." Price is great, amount is great.. large enough glass windows so I can creep on people walking down the sidewalks and not feel like a hamster. 

Yeah, so there was a.. mmm.. turnip in the wrap? Might I warn you that it is AWESOME. I'm so bleh towards weird sounding vegetables (SPINACH? Whaaaa..), but wow. Good food. So. If you ever decide to hit up the List Visual Center, this is a perfect place for lunch. Seriously. You like jammin' food down your throat, this is a good joint.
2 - James P.: This place is close to my office so I have eaten there a bunch of times.  I have very mixed feelings about it.  I really like falafel so the first few times I went to this place that is what I ordered.  However I have to say their falefel is the worst I have ever had.  I have eaten it three times just to verify that my findings were not a fluke.  It is mushy and extremely salty.  So offensive that each time I went there I did not even finish my food (which for me is unheard of).

  That being said after I gave up on their falafel I started ordering their chicken sharawama pocket instead of the falefel and it is actually quite good.  I enjoy the pickeled vegetables that are thrown in and the chicken is freshly cooked and juicy.  If it wasn't for the chicken this would be a one star.

  The price at this place is moderate for lunch considering the sandwiches come a-la-carte without fries or other sides, but reasonable for the quality.  Their is a reasonable amount of space to sit but it does get pretty busy at lunchtime during the noon peak hour.

  Not a bad place... just avoid the falafel.
5 - Rashed A.: I taste all the varieties, all delicious, but I expect that Aelchorma the best dish they have is my favorite
2 - Erica K.: I was really hungry when I went to Aceituna... with that being said, you really have to question underwhelming food when your stomach is growling. I ordered a Falafel, and while the size was generous, the sodium levels completely dominated this wrap! Now I've had a lot of salty balls in my mouth before (just kidding... or am I?), but these were nauseating. I also grabbed a Pistachio Baklava, another fav of mine--well, not this one. It was really bland! My husband on the other hand seemed to enjoy his food, I forgot what he ordered (something with beef) but I do remember his plate being massive! One thing I will say, although my experience wasn't too good here, you get a lot of bang for your buck.
5 - Cat M.: I simply agree with the other reviews here and I crave the chicken shawarma here almost every other day in the week ! They remember that I always order shawarma and tabouli, I think I should try some other things on the menu but I'm addicted to saucy pickled veggies and tabouli :( This is my favorite lunch place in Kendall!!

Edit: Shish kabob plate is also amazing! :D
4 - Ketra K.: I admit ahead of time that I am biased towards Mediterranean food and I absolutely love this place. The chicken shwarma is awesome and the portions are pretty good as well.. Their hummus is great which is very important to me and they are not stingy while applying it to your sandwiches.
4 - Brian W.: Usually pretty good, sometimes very good.  They keep the line moving and it seems like decent quality.  No complaints yet with any of the standards that I have tried.
5 - Eunice J.: OMGOMG DROOLLL
The absolute BEST chicken shwarma wrap that I've had. I recommend getting the spicy chicken (mild), a little garlic sauce, and everything. Garlic sauce can make the wrap a little too saucy, and only hummus makes it a bit dry. They add turnip, and pickles which I've never heard of... but... DELICIOUS. I love the wrap so much that I have yet to try the plates here. I eat this around 5pm and I'm full until midnight. It's less than a block from Voltage Coffee so I definitely recommend eating a wrap here, and heading down there to study.
4 - Len G.: Have been coming to Aceituna for several years for lunch.  If you're craving middle eastern food in kendal square then this is the place to go.  The food is fresh and reasonably priced.  Beef shwarma and spicy chicken combo are my favorites.  Sometimes during lunch it becomes very busy right around noon on weekdays.
1 - Jade G.: Today marks my last time to Aceituna. The food here is great however if you have a food allergy don't expect to be taken too seriously. I showed the waiter my allergy to gluten card and was served rice laced with wheat noodles. While they replaced the dish, I had already consumed some and will now be sick for a week. Please educate your servers about the content of your foods Aceituna. There aren't that many items on the menu so it shouldn't be hard to do.
5 - You W.: The Spicy Chicken Shawarma Wrap!!! That is all!
4 - Amy L.: A great inexpensive place to go to for lunch. But it's not a evening place to take a date here. I recommend the Shawarma and forget the stuff grapleaves, I had much better else where. They also a few vegetarian options.
4 - Faith D.: I guess I was imagining more of a menu in lap, sit at table, waiter service when coming here...but it's more casual, menu above, move through line place.

The area doesn't seem as lively on a Saturday afternoon, but then it looks like it's in a newly developing area. The T line isn't too far away, just a brief 5 minute walk. 

The food was really good and plentiful! I really liked the spicy potatoes paired with the couscous salad and grape leaves. I ordered the 3 veggie dish and it was delicious and filling! 

I would check this place out if you don't want a fancy dining experience and don't want to break the bank.
3 - Scott D.: As I work near BU, the only good shawarma place nearby that I have found is Garlic N' Lemons in Allston. Really great food and great saj wraps. However, I live in Somerville and so I wanted to find a place closer to home...and so I eventually found Aceituna Cafe. I ordered the beef shawarma wrap. While the taste was good, the small amount of meat offered for the price ($7.76 including tax) does not represent a good value. In fact, it is not really worth it. For $1 less, you can get an equally tasty wrap with more meat at Garlic N' Lemons. I'm still waiting for a great shawarma place to hit Boston, much like the ones I have found during my trips to London.
4 - Dominic Y.: Aceituna has become my goto place for lunch. Fast service, generous portions, reasonably priced, and very tasty too! What I probably love the most about Aceituna is the little things they do...like not giving you 90 cents in change when you can't find that darn dime.
4 - Diana T.: 4 stars for the spicy chicken shawarma wrap bc it makes my breath oh-so-garlicky. But who cares?? Top it off with some extra spicy sauce and you have yourself a nice little lunch that contains all the protein, sour, and spicy goodness that I enjoy from a quick to-go wrap.

BTW, heard the falafel isn't that great. I've been eying the grilled meats but looks too ambitious for my quick trips to Aceituna.
4 - Qichen Z.: Mixed chicken and lamb shawarma was so delicious, it almost--almost--rivals Falafel Corner's roll-up in Harvard Square. Also had the spicy potatoes. Basically you get a ton of food for $10. The plates didn't look all that appetizing to me, but I heard it was good from people who ordered them.

As for the place, it gets super packed during lunch time with everyone who works around Kendall Square. We only waited about 5-10 minutes because the line is so fast. Go early before noon if you want to grab seats. The food is definitely more appropriate for lunch than dinner.
4 - Ahmed J.: As close as it gets to the real thing back there in the middle east.
Staff are friendly.
Portions are very good for a reasonable price.
Delicious humos, tabbouleh and rice, the shawarma is great but it needs more seasoning.
If you want to try real Arabic food in Boston, as an arab I recommend this place.
4 - Damien S.: Vertically roasted chicken that might have been a little too dry gets doused with sawce at the Kendall Square grab-and-go.

But in the end, the massive line that snakes around a plain Jane interior culminates to a cafeteria selection of Mediterranean fast food: shawarma, kabobs and falafel, oh my!

For $10 and in under 35 seconds from time of order, you can plow through what Blair H calls "a nap in wrap," a box of everyFries and a can of Coke Zero (aka Diet Coke for Men). Said wrap is heartily filled with chicken, pickles and other salad toppers, then smothered in a creamy, spicy squeeze that will get goopy by the last bite.

When all is said and done, you'll be full, tired and looking to get back to the grind, but within three hours, the craving to return may hit you. Can't explain, not gonna fight it. Nice work, Aceituna.
2 - Elena D.: I have no idea why this place received such a high rating! I've tried both the chicken and beef - SOOO DRY and lacking flavor (you have to drench it in sauce)! I've had much better, especially at those price points for lunch!
5 - Althea D.: I cannot say enough great things about this place.  The falafel wraps, shawarma, greek salad, salty french fries - it's all good.  I've worked in Kendall Square for a few too many years and there isn't another lunch option that I like even half as much.  

The special of the day usually looks appetizing, but I've yet to ever try one of them because they're never labeled.  Some day...
4 - Elisa C.: You know it's good when a place is absolutely packed with a line wrapping around the tables. I came here for lunch twice and both times, I was not disappointed.

I had the chicken shawarma the first time and the beef the second time. Both times, I was not disappointed. The meat is literally roasting in front of me as I ordered and it was nice to see them cut my portion. Lots of choices as to what I could get inside of the shawarma. And they came with a side of fries in a little take out box, but I couldn't finish the fries. Not after the large portion of shawarma.

I definitely recommend this to anyone in the neighborhood!

Service: 4/5
Cleanliness: 3/5
Food (appearance, portion, taste): 4/5
Overall: 4/5
5 - Alex W.: There's nothing more delicious for lunch on a week day.
4 - Alex V.: i asked for a falafel and asked for her to shove it in my eye and she ignored me

Ackland Art Museum - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9125471, -79.0552396) ()
5 - Sarah A.: Fantastic free art museum affiliated with UNC-Chapel Hill. Every second Friday of the month, the galleries stay open to the public until 9pm with complimentary refreshments and a live jazz band.
4 - Jake S.: Ackland Art Museum is a wonderful addition to the vibrant arts scene in Chapel Hill. The museum offers a myriad of galleries featuring an impressive and always rotating collection of pieces. 

The decor is very stark and plain. This creates a nice clean feeling, but also serves to reinforce the art pieces as the focus. 

Their galleries are themed and rotate quickly enough to make frequent trips enjoyable with lots of new stuff to see.

Best of all, Ackland is free. This is a great service to the University and surrounding community.
4 - Caroline Z.: The Ackland is an excellent university art museum right off the hubbub of Franklin Street. It's not the largest building, but the pieces are interesting, particularly the Asian collection. 

It seems like they always have exhibitions running - sometimes featuring the work of UNC students and faculty. Also, UNC students will occasionally co-curate exhibits with museum staff. Several public programs also take place here - music in the museum, lunch lectures, and drawing workshops. Apparently, they also have yoga in the galleries now - I hate yoga, but that actually sounds like it could be cool.

I have gotten to work with a few of the staff members here, and they're all very nice, interesting people who are excited about sharing their museum with the community.
5 - Kianna M.: The Ackland is a great escape from the hustle and bustle that sometimes goes on in the downtown area.  If you love art, you'll find something that satisfies your art loving taste buds.  There are ancient pieces and contemporary art shown in the museum.  They often run a series from some great artist, from mixed media to botanical photographs.  The museum is affiliated with UNC-Chapel Hill and you can stop in free of charge.
4 - Henry S.: Ackland Art Museum is just a few steps back from Franklin Street, and its best attribute is that it's FREE! They have a continuously changing array of exhibits, allowing everyone to find something that interests them. In my most recent visit, there was an exhibit on contemporary drawings which I found fascinating. You can call ahead to see what's on exhibit, or just drop by, why not? Like I mentioned, it's free, so it's a great place to take a large group, especially those not from the area.
4 - William J.: Each time I've come here its been because a friend (or a friend of a friend, sometimes) has had work featured in a collection here, or had to evaluate something for a class and wanted company, or something like that.  Point is, it's never been my idea, but I've enjoyed it anyway.

There's some really interesting stuff here, and even if you don't think so, just wait a couple of weeks, you won't be disappointed.  That's the best thing about the place, they keep things rolling.  I can't tell you how many times I've gone to an art museum and walked out disappointed not because the artwork was bad, but because it was all so blasted similar.  That's never a danger here, they love their variety, so exhibits rotate pretty frequently.

There's a lot of local work (I daresay nearly all of it), so you'll get a good feel for the kind of artistic thought that you're brushing by on the sidewalk, always a nice touch.
5 - Eric M.: I've been to the Ackland many times in the past seven years or so and it's always been a great experience.  You can always expect tons of new exhibits, since they house mostly traveling exhibits. I think the best one 
I've ever seen there was on Buddhist Art and mandalas in particular.

The Ackland is a great museum; the only possible fault I can find with it is that it's not big enough! If you haven't been, you need to get yourself some culture and go check it out!
5 - Adrienne E.: I loved visiting the Ackland when I was a student and still enjoy spending an afternoon there occasionally. They do attract some really cool traveling exhibits, and I'll definitely be checking out the upcoming Circa 1958 collection, which features works from Jasper Johns and Andy Warhol. Even if there's not a traveling exhibit in house, it's worth visiting just to check out their pieces from local artists. Admission is free (donations are encouraged), and the staff is incredibly friendly and personable. The Ackland hosts Yoga in the Galleries twice a month, where you can practice yoga with a certified instructor amongst all the lovely artwork. It's $5 for non-members, but museum membership is free for UNC students. And on the third Sunday of every month, they feature live music (the acts vary), which is free for everyone.
4 - Lawrence N.: An active little museum that is, of course, a high art kind of place, except lately, and I don't know why, they've been having a good time with things like the recent Warhol photo exhibit, which was done well, very cool event. We've all seen Warhol this and Warhol that until it's a bit much, for sure, but these photographs were entirely different; black and white photo-verite shots, that made you(me) wish I'd been there back then, hanging out at just the right time.  These weren't the drugged up, decadent(decadent's okay, but if that's all you got going for you...)people you think of associated with him, but just your average amazing actors or writers and wives and husbands and also some people who'd hired him to do their portraits, and it was good, really good.  The Ackland then had a showing later on at the Varsity, of Warhol's Chelsea Girls, never screened before, or in a long long time, and it is something like 8 hours or if it isn't, one hour of sitting through it felt like 8 hours, and that was a major bomb, no wonder it hadn't been screened before. So, I am happy with the Ackland, and hope they keep it up. Bring in the contemporary artists. We're ready to see them without having to go to NY or Chicago, ready even if it's a "ball made out of AIG or Lehman Brothers feckless derivatives" that rolls around the room (we're told) except you can't see it because there's no there there.
4 - Dan P.: Nice little museum. Kinda freaky the dudes buried there. But the story of it is neat. Will go again
5 - Christina G.: UNC is lucky to have this little gem. Incredible collection for a college museum, the Ackland impressed me in my undergraduate years -- and it still impressed me on recent visit. I read this week's Indie piece on the Spectacular of Vernacular exhibit, and was excited to have the opportunity to drop in and check it out today. I found the collection very diverse (video, sculptural pieces, photography, painting) and visually engaging. Ackland has a whole two floors of art that spans a broad period of time and culture -- Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Southeast Asian, and elsewhere.

All this is accessible for free! With such a convenient location off Franklin, there's really no excuse not to drop in next time you're strolling through Chapel Hill.
5 - Max G.: It is great and free! They have a plate created by Pablo Picasso which I was pleasantly surprised to discover. I was also surprised to learn that the gentlemen the museum is named for is buried in the front left of the museum. I enjoyed looking at the paintings and they currently have several pieces of Asian art. I definitely recommend going, plan for at least half an hour to walk around the museum.

Ackland Museum Store - Chapel Hill, NC (35.91313, -79.0557299) ()
4 - Valerie F.: This fun and unique museum shop caught me by surprise on our latest visit to Chapel Hill -- nothing this clean, modern and classy has graced this side of Franklin Street since I can remember.  It's a small and simple museum shop, with a mixture of small, unique and somewhat affordable artsy goodies mixed in with pricey but lovely art pieces.  I scored some adorable, locally made greeting cards for a decent price, and had fun pursuing the shop... made me feel like I was at the MOMA store in NY!  The staff was very friendly and eager to help as well.
4 - Jaimee H.: Cute little museum store on the corner of Franklin Street. Looked so fancy from the outside, I was a little afraid to enter the store.

A variety of artsy merchandise ranging from postcards to art work for people of all ages. Was particularly fond of all the unique items they sold like wallets made out of recycled materials like graphing paper and a plastic kitty shaped lamp shade. Prices were a bit pricey but was reasonable for a museum shop. 

The two ladies that worked there were extremely nice. They even gave me recommendations of places to eat in the area. They gift-wrapped my merchandise very nicely. My daughter is keeping the hand made ribbon curls because they were too pretty to throw away.
4 - Christina G.: A beautiful collection of handmade goods, art, and studio supplies! This is the kind of store where I wanted to touch everything for a closer look... letterpress card series ("thank you," "merci," "grazi," "thanks ya'll"); lomography cameras; architectural stacking bowls and plates (I almost broke down and got these: http://www.neublack.com/modern-home/palace-stacking-porcelain-tableware/ ); painted chopstick rests; and a big kids' section full of things I would want to play with even now! One of my new fave gift stores...

Acme Dry Cleaners - Claremont, CA (34.095101, -117.71761) ()
4 - Liane V.: The people here are so nice. The owner and I have struck up quite a few conversations and she is so sweet. She even commented when I hadn't been in for awhile and asked how things were. As soon as we walk in the staff knows us and gets our record up without asking our name. Note to self: bring in more stuff. :) Acme Dry Cleaners are quick, professional, and have environmentally friendly practices. They also do alterations and fix-ups like hemming and have competitive prices. Great dry cleaners!
5 - Ray L.: I am a big fan of Acme Cleaners. They do a great job, they are flexible and can have it done quickly if need be, the price is reasonable and they are friendly. They have even delivered for me in a pinch. Keep rocking Acme!
5 - Ann-Marie A.: A wonderful, cheerful, family run business. They did a great job with the suits and dress shirts I gave them. Clothes were ready when they said they would be.
1 - Monica M.: 2012 Update: I received a message from someone related to this business, calling me a bitch. After I replied, they deleted their Yelp account. Just saying.

- - - 

LAST UPDATE EVER...!

As it's been for the past million weeks, the worker told me my purse would be ready by yesterday. I knew it wouldn't be, because it was a holiday weekend, but I was SO over it, I didn't even bother saying anything.

I called AGAIN, and of course, the bag wasn't ready, because it was a holiday weekend, and I was going to get 5 free articles of clothing to clean, because they somehow figured I'd want to go back to their store...

I hung up and decided to call the Claremont Police to see what my options were. They told me to go talk to the owner first and if nothing worked out, then to call them again, so I went to the store. The owner wasn't there, so they sent me to the other store on Benson and Arrow. The owner was polite, but he told me leather bags take 3-4 weeks to clean, and he didn't seem to believe me when I told him that his worker told me 2 weeks, which was also reflected on the receipt I got. 

After telling him how unprofessional his workers were, he told me the bag was in Huntington Beach (what?!), and that for sure it'd be ready by today, and if it wasn't, then I could call the police. I understood (my boyfriend did too) that the owner said I'd be getting the purse for free and delivered to my house, but when he called this morning, he wouldn't be able to deliver it until after 1 pm, so I went in myself. 

The bag was a darker color than the original color should have been, but it didn't look as dirty as it did. The under part of the handles are still dirty though, and then he said he would charge me $35! I told him we had understood he said it'd be free, but he gave me attitude when he said no, that the only free thing he had offered were the 5 articles for cleaning, but that I had said no to that...Seriously, why would I want their AWFUL service again?? So he lowered the price to $30, I paid and left. 

If I could give this place -5 stars, I would. They are NOT professional, coordinated, or honest. They don't clean their own pieces, and they don't even keep track of their own 3rd-party cleaning schedules. They don't even have the consideration to call when they know they're doing a bad job. 

STAY AWAY.
5 - Kevin H.: best cleaners in claremont hands down!!!!!!! they can do anything at anytime!!! they are well know for taking out stains. go to them now!!!!
3 - Stephen C.: I dropped off a pair of pants that needed patching, and they had some trouble getting the pants back to me when they said they'd be back. More than anything else, I was disappointed that I didn't receive a phone call letting me know that they would be 3 or 4 days late before I went over on my break to pick them up--especially when it was scheduled to take 5 days in the first place. After finding out that I'd come in and my pants weren't done, the owner called me and let me know that she would have them ready for me the next day, and they did a good job with the patch. I'm willing to use them again because of the personal customer service and the fact that the work was done well, but I won't count on them for anything time-sensitive.

Acme Food & Beverage Co - Carrboro, NC (35.9104441, -79.0709408) ()
5 - Tricia Y.: I would give this restaurant more than a 5 if I could, it's that good.  Yes, it's pricey - but so worth it.  My husband and I have been there three times - twice just us, and once with his mother.  We have never been even slightly disappointed.

I had a seared scallops appetizer the last time we were there that melted in my mouth.  We've had crab, steak, fish, rissoto... all amazing.  However, I can't comment on the deserts, since we're always too full to order anything.

The wine list is extensive; the decor is warm, classy and relaxing; and the wait staff is less stuffy than in most upper-class restaurants, but just as professional.

Wow, I want to eat here again soon...
5 - carson s.: It is a pleasure to submit a write up for Acme restaurant. We have eaten here at least 40 times and I am rarely disappointed. 

I especially appreciate the extensive wine list; if you want to spend some extra money ask Kevin or the bartender if they have any special wines "in the back". You will not be disappointed despite the price.

Another Acme extra to note is the kitchen's extensive use of local produce, meat and cheese. I know  Chez Panisse broke this ground many years ago and many RTP restaurants have "wordy" entree descriptions in their menu. But Kevin and company go out of their way to shop at the Carrboro farmer's market and local farmers as often as possible. The extra effort to obtain quality ingredients for the dishes provided always brings a smile to my face after the meal.

I have to stop gushing now or you will suspect I am an employee - try Acme, you will like it.
4 - GeneR S.: I've only been here for brunch (I've been warned by many that dinner is overpriced and just not good), and I have nothing but nice things to say.  The bloody mary menu is comprehensive (they even have a highland mary with scotch instead of vodka for those of us who like real liquor) and they have a house mimosa (the last I had was pomegranate & champagne) that help keep the OCSC-induced hangovers at bay.

I like the decor, diverse patrons, and spicy home fries.  I've ogled the coffee cake many a time, but have yet to indulge.
5 - Abe C.: Acme just does everything--space and decor, menu, food quality and presentation, drinks and wine, service--right.  And they do it with style.  Plus, they work hard to support local farms and food.  What more do you want?
3 - Owen S.: As regards other stunningly positive reviews here... Really?!
 
I do give them a lot of credit for having an ever-changing, locally-focused menu.  But the result delivered to the table is... eh... 

The food truly is nicely prepared, and seems to be largely locally sourced, which is great.  But, it's not 5-star, it's barely 4-star, truly, and combined with the too-dark dining room, usually flat-affect service, high prices, and surprisingly dirty-looking kitchen, it falls to a 3 for me.
4 - Melodie S.: Hells to the yeah, Acme F&B. 

If for no other reason than their use and promotion of locally grown produce and use of naturally raised chicken. I hope to see much more of this practiced as the Triangle grows, but not surprising to see a place like this thriving in funky little Carrboro. 

An intimate and informal spot, great for catching a casual dinner and not so noisy that you have to elevate your voice to be heard by your dinner companion. The price is reasonable for what you get and the creativity of the menu. I hear the brunch is excellent and it is on the list of future brunch adventures if I can ever get my lazy butt out to Carrboro on a Sunday AM.
5 - Chloe B.: I dunno, 4 or 5 stars? Okay, I'm being nice and giving 5. Why? After years away, I returned to Acme for brunch and their food is still delicious! On that visit, I took my verrry picky boyfriend from California. Just a day earlier, he proclaimed he'd never eat grits. Well he took a surprising risk, ordering a dish with steak and grits. I waited for him to complain, but to my surprise, he loved it. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever seen him enjoy a meal so much. Now that is a sign of tasty cuisine! 

As for me, I remember that years ago I decided Acme had the best coffee cake I'd ever had, and i don't usually like coffee cake. Clearly Acme has consistently exceeded expectations with their food. 

My only complaint were I to strain for one -- well I got a bloody mary that was so so. It tasted just okay. On the bright side, one drink down, I was definitely tipsy!

Price-wise, I think they are okay. Not cheap, not expensive, but definitely worth the money. For brunch I definitely recommend Acme. I cannot speak for other meals.
4 - Christina G.: When I worked in a one-room office with my boss and sole colleague in Carrboro, he -- self-proclaimed foodie -- got emails from downstairs Acme about their weekly culinary specials and read them aloud. I was always interested in what sounded to this non-cook like delicacies  -- cajun creamed veggies? apple cider vinaigrette? yum! But with a poor-paying full-time job here and two night classes in Greensboro, plus a new puppy, and a (dying) bit of a social life, I just did not have the time or the spare change to go check it out. I was beckoned out recently by mention of their brunch menu. I am a die-hard brunch fan, and always looking for new brekkie menus to check out. Well this definitely won me and my friend over. I ordered the blue crab florentine omelet (with cream cheese, spinach and hollandaise); and she had classic eggs benedict. Delectable and with a nice, cozy, understated atmosphere to boot. I'm definitely coming back to sample the dinner menu; and I'll be a repeat brunch customer for sure.
4 - William J.: To all you brunch-lovers: Acme is indeed good for dinner as well.

Why the lackluster dinner reviews?  Granted I've only been here a couple of times, but I was very pleased with the experience.  The lady friend that I go with is a die-hard believer in the place and a gourmand by any standards, so we make sure to sample as much of the menu as possible, which is easy since everything changes so consistently.  Most of it is off-limits to me since I'm a confirmed carnivore (the plentiful veggie options common to Carrboro repulse me), but we do well anyway.  Of particular note is the bread pudding... If it says "pudding" in this place, try it.

The atmosphere is hard to pin down, appearing alternately classy and grungy depending on where you look.  They make it work for them, though... it's a little bit like Nirvana meets Will & Grace.
2 - Oliver C.: A friend and I stopped in here for brunch since the prices were surprisingly good compared to what I've seen of their regular menu. This was the first time I had ever been to Acme and might be the last. 

The menu items sounds really creative and delicious..but the two entrees we got were pretty bland and mediocre. But the worst thing was definitely the service; our waitress was basically non-existent and kind of rude.
5 - Nicole M.: Adventurous menu.  Nice wine list.  Lovely atmosphere.  Impeccable service.  What more could you want?
4 - Ennie D.: YUM.  My bf and I were out in Raleigh/Durham checking out Duke and UNC, and being from San Francisco, we were looking for a tasty place to have dinner.  We found one!

I had the scallops, and I can't quite remember what he had, except that  it was extremely oversalted.  Normally I have food-envy over what he ordered, but I schooled him this time.  The gruyere/califlower puree was top-notch, and my scallops were nicely done.  

Apple pie for dessert was freaking awesome

We'll definitely go back here if we end up moving!
5 - Marlo G.: I was not disappointed by a single item on the menu (besides the cocktails which were too sweet...but the waiter kindly took those off our bill and we enjoyed a reasonably priced bottle of wine instead. 
This might not sound underwhelming, but it's not. Many times I find that the dish sounds great on the menu, but doesn't deliver in reality. We ordered the tomato plate special which was summer time devine, the calamari/slaw salad which I will continue to dream about, and the pork two ways (which was yummy, but I wouldn't order it next time). The bread and butter was also spectacular. 
And the back patio is lovely with a fountain and tropical plants. 
Best meal I've had around here in a while.
5 - Joe D.: Excellent food. Acme is a cut above most other restaurants in the Chapel Hill area. We had the fried green tomatoes, and the Pork Two Ways entree. The latter was tender and delicious, falling off the bone.

Dessert was the key lime pie. It was topped with real, fresh cream. My girlfriend described it as the best key lime pie she's ever had.

Service was good too.
3 - David W.: I came out here on a week night for dinner mostly because I've heard a lot about this place and they have a really interesting menu.  Unfortunately it didn't quite live up to the hype.  The menu was really interesting and sounded very creative.  

I got the fried green tomatoes for an appetizer and the tomatoes were not soft enough.  For an entree I got the pan fried catfish which was okay but when combined with their black eyed peas was a little on the salty side.  A good thing about this spot is that the portions are actually a decent size and you will actually be pretty full from their $15-$20 entrees.  

This place may be worth going to again just because they have so many different dishes that sound good, but again it sounds like it may be hit or miss.
4 - Sarah S.: Totally loved this place.  In NC for work, and went here on the recc of a friend - couldn't have been happier.  Comfortable but nice place, good local beers on tap, and the food was perfect.  As an appetizer I had the fried green tomatos, layered with the perfect amount of cheese, on a plate of sweet corn, tomatoes, and garlic - an excellent start to the meal.  For the main course, I had pulled pork on top of mac and cheese - the dish could have been hotter, but it could not have been more delicious.  The bf had the pecan crusted fried chicken over mashed potatoes - we both exclaimed outloud when we tried it for the first time.  Deeeeelicious.  I had an apple cobbller for dessert, al a mode, and although I couldnt eat much because I had gone overboard for dinner, it was still a tasty end to the meal.  For three entrees, 1 appetizer, and 4 drinks, the cost was 90 bucks.  Not bad, and totally worth it.  May even have to return before we leave.  One star off because I'm not sure there was much else on the menu that I wanted to try, but I'm a picky eater and I don't like seafood so that limits it...
3 - Tom P.: I'm confused about how to rate Acme.  I've had a few great meals there, and at one time, I thought the regular Acme burger was the best in town.  But I've also had some bad meals and think they're one of the least consistent restaurants in town.  The last time I went, my burger came out cold and lifeless.  I know all burgers are lifeless technically, but mine was gray, rubbery, and just seemed depressed.  Nobody wants to eat a depressed burger, but I did just to put it out of its misery.

Maybe I just caught them on a bad day?  I want to give them another chance, but prices are high enough that I would feel like a sucker for paying a lot for another bad meal, especially with all of the other great options in the area.

So I'm giving them three stars, which is kind of a cop-out.  The pluses are that the ambiance is nice, the decor is stylish, and they have a great bar and back patio.  The big minus is the inconsistency.  Sooner or later, I'll go back, and when I do, I'll update my review.
3 - Angela S.: Let me be honest. I just go on Sunday afternoons for the bloody marys. they have one where they put in a little boost of jameson... mmmmmmm.

But mind you, while I was getting drunk on these Sundays, past noon (NC law is you can't serve alcohol before noon on Sunday), I did try a lot of the items on their menu, and they were all fine. 

I mean, considering how much I'm paying for an eggs benedict or a quiche, I expect more of a bang. But it's really just fine food. It's good, it's filling, but I wouldn't really go there again and again if it weren't for the bloody marys.
4 - Linds L.: Oh Acme...you served me the tastiest fried chicken and gravy with rice and butter beans.  I ate with reckless abandon.  I cried a little when I left because they don't make fried chicken like that in Boston...

I should have docked all my reviews 1 star for their bloody mary downfalls.  I drank 3 bloody mary's from 3 different  bars in the RTP and not one of them was good.  I thought Southerners know how to do it right?  I guess you have to go deeper south for that to be true.  However, at least Acme tried with 5-6 different types...that was impressive.  (here's a hint: interest.  Make them more interesting.  Add an Old Bay rim, throw in a pickled asparagus spear...I dunno....just make them better!)

Notation: booze isn't served at brunch until NOON.

I wish I lived in Carrboro so I could eat here all the time :(
5 - Gabe W.: New American Cuisine in the south ROCKS! Had a great time, fabulous service and awesome food. Portions were huge and wine complimented the menu very well (what I ordered at least).

I would not hesitate to eat here again upon my return to the Research Triangle, I just hope I don't disappear in it's deliciousness, never to be seen again.
4 - Brian O.: I had an early dinner here last weekend on their fantastic back patio. Nice menu, I had trouble choosing.  I went with the salmon which was nice (how could you mess up salmon, right!?). The veg that came with was very nice, lots of flavors going on there.  I also had a great cocktail, something with gin and rosemary in it.  Very refreshing.  The dessert didn't work for me, though.  It was a banana pudding with a meringue top.  On paper this sounded fantastic but let me tear it apart.  First, the banana's were old and had turned black-ish with a funny texture.  Second, the pudding itself was cooked (to set and color the meringue top). The net result is the pudding was extremely dry.  Fail.  Other than that I was happy with the meal and will go back.  They currently have a great fixed-price menu that's $20 during the week, I want to give that a try.
4 - Eric K.: We were in Raleigh/Chapel Hill for the weekend for a wedding.  We wanted to check out someplace new and fun for breakfast/brunch on Sunday morning and had stumbled upon Acme Food & Beverage Co. online during our restaurant search.  It sounded good, looked unique, and was in the small downtown area of Chapel Hill/Carrboro that we wanted to check out.  

Being unfamiliar with the downtown area's rules for parking, etc., we ended up parking in the crowded Harris Teeter parking lot, along with many others.  (Sorry, Teeter shoppers!)  We then walked a couple of blocks to the restaurant. 

The restaurant was pretty crowded for a late Sunday morning, but we were promptly seated.  The decor was nice, modern, and everything looked very clean.  

I ordered the Eggs Benedict with Fried Green Tomatoes (in place of a meat) because it's not often Fried Green Tomatoes are on a menu!  The eggs and hollandaise sauce were perfectly cooked, but the fried green tomatoes were so small that the egg on top dwarfed the tomato underneath.  I was expecting a tomato at least as big as the English muffin upon which it sat.  For these small tomatoes, I think they really should have put two on each muffin half.  The accompany potatoes were moist and flavorful.  The spices used really complemented them.  

All in all, Acme was a nice place, and if we lived nearby, we'd probably come back often.  One downside for families: there is no kids' menu, so be prepared to spend $8-$10 to get the kiddies something from the regular breakfast menu.
3 - Sara A.: I went to Acme for the first time last night to finally try them out on their "Recession Buster Tuesdays," and have some mixed feelings. The atmosphere is nice -- had it been a little warmer, I imagine it would have been very pleasant to sit outside on their pretty and atmospheric patio. Inside is pretty pleasant too - cozy, with nice lighting. It was a little loud, but Tuesday evenings are packed (reservations recommended) thanks to the special. The tables may have been a little close together as well, but we were lucky enough to be in a corner booth that didn't feel crowded by others.

The waitress could not have been friendlier, and was very knowledgeable about the food and wine. The wine list was pretty good but not super extensive, and they had a bunch of signature cocktails that looked delicious. The food menu is actually somewhat small, so look on the website before the first time you go to make sure everyone can find something they like.

As far as the food... here's where I think things are a bit hit and miss. There is a heavy emphasis on local and organic food here, which I appreciate, but not when it's at the expense of taste. I ordered the scallops, which I had read were very good, and came with shitake mushrooms over a cauliflower and gruyere puree with truffle oil. Well, the scallops were nicely seared, but the puree was surprisingly bland (I really think it was ONLY gruyere and cauliflower), the mushrooms were kind of rubbery, and it all came in a weird brothy soup mixture that was not described on the menu and I didn't expect. I am still not sure what it was. It made the puree kind of soggy, the mushrooms rubbery. My dining companion ordered the blackened salmon, which was described as spicy...  but wasn't spicy at all. I tried it and actually thought it too, was a little bland, though nicely cooked and not dry at all. We also had the fried green tomatoes, which were pretty good (especially the corn and balsamic reduction), and shared for dessert strawberry-rhubarb pie, which was delectable. Now I have had many a scallop in my day and sadly, this is not going to be my go-to scallop dish for when I'm craving them. The dish would improve immensely if they just took out the "soup." And added some spices to the puree. 

For the actual quality of the food, I thought it was overpriced. With a bottle of wine, and splitting an appetizer and dessert, we spent about $45 per person, but this was on their Tuesday Special day, where all entrees are $12.95. I thought this was a pretty good deal, considering most entrees are $17 - $21, so I recommend going on a Tuesday -- make reservations -- to check them out. I probably will go back, but try something different. I also look forward to trying the brunch. 

I get the impression that this is the kind of restaurant where food is hit and miss, and some things might be a whole lot better on a different day -- perhaps even the dish I ordered. But for a restaurant in this price range, I expect the food quality to be consistently good, and in my limited experience with Acme, that wasn't the case.
5 - Michael P.: In my humble opinion, Acme is Chapel Hill/Carrboro's finest restaurant.  

Dinner's always delicious there.  I've had such great dishes as vegetable curry and catfish.  The menu changes often, so it's always a great place for dinner.  

Dinner's great, but brunch is Acme's specialty. Even their simplest dish, just eggs, bacon, and a biscuit, is great. Their biscuits are huge, and their strawberry butter is really good.  I recently had a Mexican stew dish for brunch, with chicken and avocados.  Keeping consistent with Acme's overall greatness, that dish was light and delicious.  

Acme's always worth it, whether for dinner or, especially, brunch.
4 - Meg T.: OK, so this is 4 stars for Tuesday nights at ACME (when everything is $12.50) and brunch, and because we live less than a five minute walk away.  The food is creative, locally sourced, and well prepared.  Service is very, very friendly if a little slow (well, sometimes a lot slow).  If you find yourself there on a Sunday and they have homemade donuts for God's sake order them.  I am not a brunch person (just give me lunch) but I enjoy the occasional brunch at ACME.

The patio is really nice.  Inside the tables are quite close together, and it can get pretty loud.  Sitting at the bar is always a good choice.  Take advantage of the $12.50 Tuesdays but make a reservation, it will be packed.

I would give 3 stars for dinner there on a normal night, because in my opinion the regular prices are a little high for what you get.
5 - Eve P.: A group of 10 of us went to Acme to celebrate my birthday. I think I had the best dinner I've had in the Triangle!! There were several items on the menu that sounded great - interesting combinations. I didn't have the thought, "I could make that at home" once while looking at the menu.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT: Shortribs with squash casserole and fried leeks...delicious combination with a perfect balance of flavors. Not the hugest portion ever, but I was definitely satisfied, with a little room left for dessert. 

Other favorites at the table: The barbecue pork dish, the berry cobbler (though one person was hoping for more of a sweet crumbly topping), the key lime pie, and the cappuccino

The only slight negative was the soupy-ness of the scallop dish, which made it a little confusing for my friend to eat...it wasn't exactly soup, but there wasn't anything to dip in it. Maybe one little thing for Acme to work on!! 

Our waiter was very friendly and helpful. Service overall was wonderful, and the atmosphere was cute and unique, but still with a comfortable, cozy quality. We ate at a back table with a booth against the wall, which made it easy for our big group to talk to one another. 

I'm moving soon, but will make this a stop when I'm back to visit!!
4 - JJ B.: After dining here a few times and having consistently phenomenal food I was compelled to enlighten others. Excellent customer service. For example, took a date a there and although we were outrageously late for our reservation they kept a table open for me.  Good beer selection, outstanding wine selection.  Food is f'ing delicious often incorporating super fresh local ingredients.  I highly recommend the lobster ravioli for anybody who possesses working taste buds. Nice sophisticated decor and intimate setting perfect for dates or anybody who wants a damn good meal.  If the quality of their dinner dishes are any indication of their breakfast dishes I absolutely cant wait to try their brunch.
4 - Jessica P.: Wow. I am writing this review after my first visit, but I am sure there will be many more...

We just moved to Durham, and decided to go out to dinner in Carrboro one night. Scanning Yelp, I picked Acme. The atmosphere seemed relaxed, laid back. There were all kinds of people there, young and old, not one particular "scene" or "crowd." It was semi-crowded when we got there, and our table was a tiny bit too close to the other tables (This kinda pissed me off later - when the whole place was practically empty - they sat a couple RIGHT next to our table. Really?). Our waitress was AMAZING. Most places I go to, waiters just read the specials and say what's in the dish - she described all the specials as if she MADE them HERSELF. I wasn't very impressed with my drink. I got the "Carrboro Mojo" which consisted of vanilla Stoli and ginger ale. I think the ginger ale they use is probably organic (like Fentiman's or something), because it was wayyy too spicy for me. The drink kinda burned my mouth, and not from the alcohol. Anyways, on to the food...

After hearing the specials, we all agreed we had to try the tomato plate - local tomatoes (red, green, yellow) with mozzerella and pesto, deviled eggs, and pickled peaches. It was amazing! The pickled peaches were a little weird though - they were super sweet. There are plenty of tempting entrees, but I decided to go for the burger deluxe. This burger has pimiento cheese on it. Well, I had no idea what pimiento cheese was  - but the top result from performing a Google search was a Paula Deen recipe (it's a Southern recipe - cheese mixed with mayo and pimentos). The burger was AMAZING... cooked perfectly, the bacon was crisp and tasty, deliciously fresh pickle slices and red onion. I'm not a fan of the shoestring fries... if this burger was paired with thicker sliced fries or thick sweet potato fries, I would easily put this in the top 3 burgers of all time. 

Definitely coming back here (and updating this review). Looking forward to trying more entrees and the local beers on tap!
5 - Matt D.: This is most definitely my favorite restaurant that I've eaten at since I've lived here, and I'm never disappointed. Whenever we go to brunch, I always get the Fried Chicken Cutlets with Rice and Butterbeans in that succulent gravy. If I weren't sane, I would probably get 2 orders of it. I always have a craving for it, and it's so good. I could honestly just eat the rice and beans in the gravy and be satisfied, but the chicken only makes it more excellent.

The Dinners are also amazing no matter what you order. This place caters to any crowd and is affordable for anyone if you're willing to eat great food for an ok price, but then again who isn't?

I have never been disappointed when I've gone to ACME, and hopefully you never have been either.
4 - Ron W.: Oh my, hollandaise sauce...  How much do I love thee, let me count the ways!  

I haven't been out to Carrboro lately but finally had the perfect excuse with our lovely Christina G's birthday.  Inside it hasn't changed much at all and our rowdy little table got stuck in the back (smart idea, Acme!)  They started us off with some yummy apple turnovers which the group quickly devoured.  

I went with my tried and true eggs benedict with scallops and threw in an Acme coffee cake for good measure.  The coffee cake was fantastic and untraditional in a good way.  A light, fluffy slice of cake with peach compote on top and side of whipped strawberry cream!  And my eggs benedict was as wonderful as I remember but do it yourself.  The wonderfully rich sauce came on the side along with some greens and well-roasted red skin potatoes.  That first taste of hollandaise sauce hit me right in the tastebuds: butter, lemon, creamy, fattening and oh yeah,  really good!  

Everything worked out great at Acme although the service could have been a bit more friendly.  Their food was as good as I remembered and maybe even better.  While Acme can be a bit expensive for dinner, brunch is a great deal.  So while I loves me some Elmo's on the weekend, if you want something more upscale, Acme Restaurant does brunch perfectly...
3 - Daryl C.: So this review is based upon two recent visits to Acme, both on $12.95 Tuesday. 

A week ago, my wife and I went there with another couple. The food was delicious. I had the blackened salmon over grits and black beans with salsa verde, which is a menu staple that they always pull off nicely. My wife had the spinach ravioli, which she thoroughly enjoyed (though she only got 4 of them!) For dessert, our table ordered two of the dessert options and a pair of cappuccinos. Though our server brought out the desserts in a timely fashion, he didn't bring out the cappuccinos until well after the other desserts had been finished. Finally, right after we had signed our checks (and while we were drinking our lately-brought coffee), he came up to us and asked if we could leave so that they could use our table. Now, I've been a server; and on busy nights like this one, I can understand the desire to make this request. But it wasn't just that--it was the manner in which he said it. Very little tact, barely disguising the fact that he wanted us out the door. It's basic server etiquette that you don't force a customer out the door like this; sure, as a server you might get frustrated at a table that lingers past the point of decency, but you shouldn't act upon this frustration, and we had *just* signed our checks. We noticed that there were other tables next to us that had been finished and lingering longer than us; but perhaps he figured that because we were younger-looking student-types, that we would not be offended as much? This was a shockingly offensive end to the evening.

My wife and I have been to Acme before this encounter just described, and we do enjoy the food and atmosphere. So we came back tonight with two other couples. We arrived and learned that our reservation for 6 had been written down as a reservation for 2; luckily, we were still able to be seated. After about ten minutes, our server came to take our drink and food orders. We got the heirloom tomato appetizer (red, yellow, and green tomatoes laid over fresh mozzarella with nice touches of homemade basil pesto, plus some pickled peaches on the side) to share, it was very well done. I tried the blackened tuna special (tuna over a panzanella), and it was cooked to perfection. Everyone else had the cajun ribeye. My wife's steak was chock full of fat, though it still tasted good. Overall, the food was great. When I went to ask to put the appetizer on my check, the server looked at me and said "Excuse me?" in an oddly accusatory manner. Kind of weird.

So here's my summary judgment. Acme knows how to make pretty good food, though sometimes you might get less than expected for the money (see the ravioli; also, the scallops) or a bad cut of meat (the fatty steak). I suppose you could say that it's $12.95 Tuesday, we should be happy with what we're getting. But the exciting thing about this deal is that it's supposed to be an entree of $20 quality, for much cheaper. And I'm not sure that this is always the case. 

But the bigger issue is the service. My wife and I like Acme, and we *want* to like Acme. We like their food, and their beer and wine selection is great. Yet bad service can really leave a mark. It makes the difference between being really excited to go back to a place, and being only moderately excited. Will we go back? Sure. When it's not $12.95 Tuesday? Maybe not. If I'm going to pay $20 for an entree, I will go to a place that has consistently better service, to add the final touch to the meal that makes it a complete aesthetic experience. I wish there was a 3.5-star option. The food deserves four stars, but the service drops it down; the expectations have been lowered.
2 - Matt A.: I have dined here four times.  The first three times were pleasant but it was the fourth visit that warrants 2 stars.  I went with a group of people for the $12.95 entree special on Tuesdays, which isn't that great of a deal in the first place.  We had a reservation set for 8:30 PM, but we weren't seated until 9.  Although Acme isn't known for its seafood, I decided to order the crab cakes, which came out burnt and tasteless.  It was a rather forgettable meal, however, in the middle of the night, I woke up with a mild case of food poisoning.  Perhaps since the crab cakes were so burnt, I couldn't taste how rotten they actually were.  Another member of our party got sick as well.

Additionally, beers are well over-priced for the area.  Don't believe any hype.
4 - Jane W.: The brunch may be worth driving to Carrboro from Cary on a more regular basis.  I would like to give a shout out to the best hollandaise ever, perfectly poached eggs, and this crazy maple-strawberry butter that made me want to do naughty things with it......

On the down side our waitress was a snot.... no other way to put it.  She could not have tried to be more un-enthused to be managing our table of 12-13 for a yelp brunch group.  I was also confused as to the fact that it was the Annual Acme Tomato Festival and there was not a single tomato offering for the day aside from the standard menu......  And finally, we sat in the back corner section and were almost sweat out of the place.  Seriously, we took turns walking to the bathroom just to cool off, it was not the best atmosphere for those of us who are usually coffee drinkers.

All in all, I would go back to Acme, and if it was closer to home it would be a regular brunch spot for me and the hubby.  I think the issues we had could easily be fixed with a good waiter and a fan!
5 - Layton J.: Acme has a promotion of all entrees are $12.95 on Tuesday nights.  That's what got us coming in but not what will have us coming back.  The food is awesome and quite frankly I would pay more.  The atmosphere reminds of the restaurants in large cities like San Francisco or New York but it's right here in our back yard of Carrboro. The service is excellent and I would bring special attention to the hostess Denise who is able to control the flow of reservations and walk ins with such grace, she is the best. Great spot and great time!
4 - Michael C.: Consistently innovative and delicious food combined with attentive and expert service.  Its not a five star restaurant, but the prices are reasonable, so its a good value that balances quality with prices one can afford more than once a year.
1 - Will C.: Ate there for 4th time last night as we keep wanting to give it another chance. Hanger steak was chewy at best and pork shoulder was covered in too much sauce to be edible. 

We went because if the wine list but they were out of the 1st two wines we ordered and 3rd had not been stored properly and was way too warm for a red.  

Unfortunately this will be my last time eating here as I don't like paying for food twice - once on the way down, the other on the way up.  Oh well.
3 - Ellen C.: Good brunch spot with plenty of options for everyone. The good: coffee, turnovers, coffeecake, and Hoppin' John with eggs, rice, cheese, and black-eyed peas. The okay: omelettes (greasy), doughnuts (dense and overly sweet), fish po' boy (too much bread, small fish pieces). The bad: the greasiness of the dishes. Side salads are always disappointingly limp and floppy from being doused with too much oil, which really turns me off.
I like the space and the variety of choices here, and I will probably be back to sample other brunch dishes on the menu. 3.5 stars.
4 - Bobbin W.: Although we didn't have a reservation, my BFFE and I scored a sweet window seat at the front of Acme on Sunday. Perhaps our penance for not making reservations was receiving neglectful service--our being almost entirely ignored has knocked my review from A++ to four stars. 

My Hoppin' John entree was admittedly divine. Two fried eggs sat on a bed of seductively mushy rice mixed with black eyed peas and the occasional shred of cheddar cheese, bacon chunks providing a pop now and then. A bacon-chipotle hollandaise sauce slid off the eggs, disappearing as quickly as the attention of our waiter. 

I also found the artwork intriguing--all by the same artist. I almost inquired about the price on one piece with a huge King Kong fist gripping a frightened damsel. However, I decided against hanging such a portrait in my home as I would rather the King Kong fist be crunching a hollering male. 

While my breakfast embodied the acme of brunch food, the service stooped to a nadir.
5 - Matt M.: one word. reDUNKulous. omg. from Viper bloody mary's to strawberry butter. what are these kids doing back there. sunday brunch. packed. sit at the bar and hang out with locals. table for 6? no problem. these folks are on fire. pick what ever you want. my fav. is the plain breakfast. eggs any style. i get them sunny side up so i can pop the blister of succulent egg yolk with good for you cholesterol, a plentiful side of the big kind of bacon, yummy biscuit that in a good way crumbles in your hand, and either the side of spicy grits or yummy breakfast taters with this delectable sauciness to them. 

oh and the bloody mary's and blueberry mimosa's.

my kids chime in too with stuffed faces. it's our sunday tradition. they'll scarf the yummy colossal french toast with real whip cream. 

go there now.
4 - Dan W.: Has hit a groove.  Really really good fried chicken, blackened salmon, apple soup, fried okra and artichokes.  Good wine selection too.  Ponzi Pinot Noir was perfect.  Outdoor seating is best in town (Crooks is a close second).  Bar too is excellent.
4 - amanda h.: Decent bar. Interesting menu. Nice staff. Delicious food. $12.99 entree Tuesday is a great idea! 

Highly recommended.
4 - Paige T.: I've been to Acme a few times now and I've always had a pretty great experience.  I love the dark, cozy and classy ambience, complete with local art on the walls that rotates on a fairly regular basis.  The waitstaff are always friendly and helpful and the food experience has been delightful.  Our most recent visit had us craving burgers, though, nothing fancy at all.  The burger was a 1/3 a lb.  of local, grass-fed meat cooked to medium topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickle-yum.  The fries were unfortunately not so great.  I am a big fry fan and I usually polish them off no problem, but these were just sort of skinny and greasy.  I do get that this is a place that definitely does not specialize in fried-fare, so whatever.  The dessert, on the other hand, was DELICIOUS!  We decided to split the persimmon pudding ( which was not exactly pudding, but more like a light persimmon-y cake sort of thing, with a whipped cream and lemon topping.  I kinda wish that I had had it all to myself.--double yum!
5 - Monica M.: Acme's dinner has never disappointed us!  This place was actually the very first place that Kyle and I went to to celebrate him getting the job here before we moved here from Texas, so it does have a little bit of a special meaning to us.  I digress - from the moment we walked in, we were very pleased with the atmosphere, the service, the cocktails and Oh Em Gee, the food! 

Aside from the food, the two things I love the most about this place are the Art and the Service.  If you get the chance to go in the near future, there is an artist on display who did a series of monsters!  The one with King Kong's hand holding a woman is my personal fave - I seriously would have purchased it, but someone already nabbed it.  A place that would display something like this, and a mummy, vampires, etc... is always good in my book!

The service is always impeccable as well.  We've always had the service come at exactly the right times to refill a drink, serve an appetizer, or recommend a dish to us.  The staff is always friendly, humorous, and ready to share their thoughts on the food or wine pairings.

If you haven't checked them out yet, Recession Tuesdays are quite the steal.  All entrees and bowls are $12.95, which means you can score something like their Yellow Fin Tuna (normally at $21) for... $12.95.  I think we've tried out half the menu by now on Tuesdays.  If you are bringing in a party larger than 2, make sure you make reservations before 5:30pm that day!

I've got to try out that brunch some time soon.. that eggs benedict sounds delish!
4 - Michael M.: Excellent food.. great menu
5 - Rebecca M.: As someone who usually goes to Acme for brunch or dinner at least once a month, I am a huge fan of this restaurant because they always deliver quality and interesting food in a friendly way. They also always have a really good wine list and great cocktails. 

I especially like to take out of town guest to Acme because of their emphasis on southern-cuisine-done-in-a-novel-way. I've had great experiences with Acme whether its been a party of two or whether I've been part of a big group. I've also found them very accommodating of children. My little niece had a wonderful meal and time at the restaurant!  And their Tuesday evening specials of $12.95 for any entree is an incredible food value. 

Acme is the type of place that makes Carrboro/Chapel Hill a great place to live. And I'm happy they're here, consistently delivering really delicious dining experiences.
3 - Andrew D.: Everything about the space - from the layout, to the location in the heart of Carrboro - is pretty great.

The food is not bad, I just don't want to drop $50 a head on it.

ALSO, their desserts are $4.95 each (and pretty good). Take that, Magnolia Grill and your overrated $9 desserts. 

After two encounters, I can say that the Saturday night bartender is a d--- (but a competent bartender. Caucasian on the rocks.)
5 - Jayde B.: Loved this place when we lived around here. New age southern food is the theme and Acme is the places in town that does it best!

Things which are always phenomenal:
1. Service - we have a favorite waiter...
2. Atmosphere - sometimes on the louder side, but a classy place
3. FOOD - specials, appetizers, entree's, are all fabulous
4. Wine parings - just ask your server if you are unsure, they always have the answer

Not my favorite place for desserts - found them to be good, but nothing out of this world. We usually went down the road to sugarland.

Next time we are in town, we're definitely going back! Dress is casual (but not sweatshirts) to business casual, but do not worry about it too much if all you have is a semi-nice pair of sneakers to go with that outfit.  Definitely not a college kid hang out, more of a place your parents would take students when they are in town. 

UNC students, ask your parents to take you here!
4 - Psalm S.: We met up with fellow Yelpers Paige T. and Rob C. for some Sunday brunch. It was such a yucky day and I could not wait to fill my belly with some carbalicious goodies. We did not have reservations and put our name down for 4. My one complaint would be there isn't much of a place to stand and wait while your name is being called. I would've taken the hostess up on her offer to call me when the table was ready had it not been so gross outside.

We ended up being a party of five and the hostess seemed quite put out by this. Our wait went from basically over to another 20-30 minutes. But much to our pleasant surprise, a table opened up sooner than expected.

Our server was really friendly and accommodating, and the brunch menu looked fantastic! Everyone had a hard time choosing. Finally, I just decided on the Acme breakfast. It was the perfect choice - eggs, bacon, mixed greens, diner potatoes, and my favorite, a huge, delicious biscuit. I also had a cappucino which warmed me up nice. Everyone really enjoyed their meals and the atmosphere was nice and cozy. 

Acme will definitely be on our list when we're in Carrboro again, especially since they have a nice outdoor area which I hope to enjoy on a better day.
4 - Reno G.: Best burger I've had in the triangle area for sure!  Also went there for appetizers one evening and thoroughly enjoyed the calamari salad and the curried apple soup!  

I Highly recommend this place!  I walked by it a bunch of times not knowing there was a great restaurant inside.  Glad someone recommended it to me.
3 - Harry P.: We went for dinner. The service was very good, but the food seemed to be consistently missing something.

The empanada appetizer looked good, but the dough was chewy and tough to cut through with a fork. If I'm going to eat some fried dough, let's do it right! The filling was on point.

I had the bbq w/ macaroni & cheese and my wife had the braised short ribs. The barbecue wasn't slow cooked all that well, it was a little tough. Probably needed some more smoking to really get it super tender. At least it wasn't boiled in vinegar. The macaroni and cheese were really good though.

My wife's short ribs were tender and the texture was great. The sauce just lacked some oomph. It was under salted and could use some more volume with the flavors.

We managed to escape the kids for a night and expected a little more than we got. Maybe we just had our hopes set too high. The rest of the menu looked good and the other reviewers seem to rave about brunch, so maybe we'll re-evaluate with a mid-day visit.

We did go there on a Tuesday where all entrees were $12.99. That was a nice surprise.
4 - Sean W.: Acme is the real deal. Although it shares a name often found in cartoons, Carrboro's Acme restaurant really delivered an exceptional meal that will get us back to this neighboring city more often (the Carrboro Beverage Co. will help too).

The overall look/feel is friendly and relaxed and the food is fresh, loaded with flavor, and amazing.

The menu is divided into small plates, bowls, plates and sandwiches. I had the Tuna special, that was a massive tuna steak covered in sesame seeds, over mushrooms, greens, and rice, with truffle oil - TOP NOTCH. My wife got the Salmon which incorporated southwestern flavors with a jalpeno pesto. The fish parings were all paired with creative seasonal veggies. We enjoyed a "quartina" of Portland Pinot Noir, and it paired nicely.

Good for friends; good for romance. Comfortable food that exceeded our expectations.
5 - Mandey B.: Holy buhjeezus, Acme brunch is the best.  I go almost every single Sunday and I still have trouble deciding between the Fried Green Tomato Sandwich (WITH BACON) and the Crab Omelet.  At least, I HAD trouble deciding until yesterday, when a friend and I went and found that one of the specials was The Elvis- banana, honey, and peanut butter sandwiched between two pieces of french toast.  I thought I was going to freak out.  It was so incredible.

Most of the staff, like 99 per cent of it, is consistently stellar.  I don't only go to brunch; Acme is a great place for dinner, also.  I go alone and with groups and I have a great time every time.  Be on the lookout for their soft shell crab dinner special when it's in season.  The spaghetti squash appetizer is awesome.  The tomato plate is beautiful and delicious.

You should make reservations for dinner if you're going between 7:30 and 9ish.

The patio is beautiful.

Also, the bathrooms are beautiful.  You can usually judge a restaurant's overall cleanliness this way.  If they let the bathroom be gross, then what AREN'T you seeing?
5 - Lorea S.: So the boyfriend and I decided to go out for a nice dinner and wanted to venture out to Carrboro.  After reviewing many many menus and Yelp pages, we settled on Acme and we were NOT disappointed.

The menu was phenomenal and we both had a difficult time choosing.  To start, I went with the curried apple soup, which was delicious.  It was sweet and spicy and I loved it.  The bf got a fried green tomato stack, with some delicious type of cheese layered in between.  Even though it was January, the tomatoes were still very good.  My favorite thing about this dish, though, was the generous helping of sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, and whole cloves of roasted garlic on the side.  Even the vinegar drizzled on the plate was good.

I wasn't sure what type of wine to go with the scallops I decided on and our waiter recommended a very good white and I loved it.  My scallops had a wonderful soft texture and were on a bed of mashed cauliflower and gruyère (I want to go back and just buy a gallon of that stuff) They were surrounded by spinach, mushrooms, and onions in shiitake broth.  The portion was huge and I didn't finish it.

The bf ordered the hanger steak.  Our waiter warned him that it is a tougher cut of meat that needed to be sliced a certain way.  He ordered it anyway, and while it had a good flavor, the texture wasn't my favorite.  (full disclosure: I'm a medium-rare filet-or-bust kind of girl).  

Now for the main course.  (dessert, duh)  Our waiter told us that the night before, the restaurant had made rocky road bread pudding for someone's birthday and that they still had a little left over.  After clapping my hands and squealing like a little girl, I asked him to please heat some up for me.  The boyf ordered chocolate bourbon pecan pie.  (he makes regular pecan pie homemade so I was shocked)  Both desserts were to die for.  The texture of the bread pudding was just how I like it and the pecan pie was chocolate overload (my favorite thing).  I ordered a latte to go with and they made it exactly how I asked for.  

The service and the atmosphere were both great.  Our waiter was attentive but didn't rush us.  The pacing of the courses allowed us a little (much needed) time to digest and plates were cleared away quickly when we were finished.  The only bad things about Acme were that I was too full to finish my dessert(s!!) and that my boyfriend told me that I couldn't unbutton my pants until I got to the car.  Boo.
5 - Samantha E.: I had been meaning to come here for ages but only ended up going for desserts and drinks with some people in my department before graduation. We all ordered different desserts and shared and every single one was devine. I had a glance at the real menu as well and it all sounded delicious. The atmosphere is nice and the decorations are interesting. If I do come back I will be sitting in the cute little patio out back.
4 - Lauren P.: NOM!

I went here for brunch and it was soooo mouthwateringly delicious!

First off, get the donuts. Just do it. Worry about the carbs later. Lemon, chocolate, and maple topped on some of the most perfect donut cake batter I've ever had. They even get better when they're cold! (I mean, if you can take that long to eat them)

I had the mushroom, bacon, tomato omelet with a side of grits. The grits were fantastic, I didn't need to add butter or salt (however I did add a little hot sauce cause that's how I roll)! The omelet, well, was an omelet. A little greasy, but it's brunch and I did need something to soak up all that alcohol I had the night before. My friend had the special fish & chips, which were breaded and cooked to perfection. Crispy and crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside. Outside of England, I'm not sure I've had such good fried fish.

The wait staff was alright, and probably my only reason for not giving them 5 stars. He wasn't really attentive, seeing as I think my friend and I were the only two people in his section for awhile. Both groups of people that sat down after us received their food before we even got our appetizers (donuts). He never came back to refill my coffee and really didn't take any initiative to ask us how everything was. I'm sure he had a wild Saturday night too, but still, I want mah food.

Don't let the waitstaff deter you from trying the food. At least once. Show up at least once. Then decide for yourself.
1 - Stacey V.: I have been to Acme twice in the past two weeks for Sunday brunch, both birthday celebrations.  I've been living in Chapel Hill for the past 5  years, and working in the service industry here for about 2.5 years now.  I can honestly say this is one of the WORST dining and customer service experiences I have ever had to date.  I will not be going back to Acme ever again.

The first time we went our party had 6 people, and the second time we had 12 people.  With the first group, we had our waitress curtly inform us that about 3 or 4 things on the menu (which only had about 15 items total) were "out", including grits and biscuits.  Not a big deal, but then she made it sound like she was doing us a favor by letting us get a substitute for the sides they were out of, saying that she'd "let us" get fries or something else as a side but that they "usually never do that."  Although we didn't ask her to split the checks (as we'd already understood the policy of one check for large parties), she told us she could, but again making it sound like she was doing us some huge favor, but not to expect anyone else to do it in the future.  She continued to have a bad attitude and poor customer service throughout the duration of the meal, making us feel unwelcome and as if we were some burden to the restaurant. Her attitude in general was enough to leave a bad taste in my mouth, but we gave it another shot this past weekend because our friend really wanted to go their on her birthday.

The second visit was AWFUL- even worse than the first.  We called ahead more than a week in advance and had made reservations for 2pm.  As we were on our way to the restaurant, we got a call from someone saying that they actually closed the kitchen at 2pm, and they needed us to hurry up and get to the restaurant so they could close, making it seem like this mistake was somehow our fault.  Once we got there and walked in to our table, I could hear our waitress (who was different from the first one) physically counting us off as we walked in.  Some of our party had driven in separate cars, and she immediately grilled us about where they were and how many of us there would be as soon as we sat down.  We told her the rest were parking and walking in any second.  Then, she again brought up the fact that the kitchen was closing and she needed us to hurry up and order- I have NEVER been rushed like this in a restaurant, and as a server would NEVER make one of my customers feel this way, reservation or not.  Our entire group was immediately made to feel uncomfortable and unwanted within two minutes of entering the restaurant- that's gotta be a record. And, surprise surprise- they were out of at least 2 entrees AGAIN.  When we tried to ask for a side of fries instead of grits with one entree, we were told that "maybe" we could get it, even after we told her we'd pay for a side order if they couldn't be substituted.  While another friend ordered, our waitress mocked her and laughed at what she was  saying.  After we'd shot off our orders to our drill sargeant/waitress, she told us "Good Job" for getting our orders in so fast- "Good job"??? How rude and condescending!  One person went to the  bar to get a ginger ale, and after being ignored by the bartender for several minutes while he took the trash out instead of serving his customer, was asked by another rude server, "Did you need something?"  She ordered the ginger ale and was finally told they were "out"-- what bar that stocks bourbon (which is ALL of them) "runs out" of ginger ale?  Our guess is that the bartender was too lazy to go to the back and get more.  When the food was being brought out, one of us asked for a side of cheese for the grits, and we were hastily told by the guy serving the food that it'd probably be an extra $0.95.  So at that point we knew not to ask for anything else, lest we be nickle-and-dimed even more.  The food came out immediately, which I guess was a good thing although it added to the overall experience of feeling like we were being rushed as if we were in a drive-thru lane at McDonald's. Only then did our waitress try to start being nicer to us, but it was a pretty transparent attempt to rectify the situation, as it was probably obvious that our party was so uncomfortable and offended. Luckily, the food was good, but not so good that I'd go back or tolerate being treated the way we were.  

Once our plates had been cleared, our waitress awkwardly leaned over a wall next to the table and just pointed at each of us to ask if we needed anything else.  Even after we'd all said No and had been sitting there for a solid 15 minutes, we had to ask her to bring the check... very strange after being rushed the whole time, only to have some sudden fake attempt at letting us take our time.  I've also been to very few restaurants who add gratuity of more than 18%- the auto-grat at Acme was 20%!!! Not a cent of which that entire restaurant deserved, save maybe the kitchen staff.
2 - Garrett W.: I've been to Acme three times now. The first time I went, I was on a dinner date, and I will make no bones about it; it was a great experience. The food is almost entirely local and largely organic, and the preparation is interesting and thoughtful. And the service on this occasion was perfectly passable.

The second time I went was for a friend's birthday. We went for brunch, which is a weekly service for which Acme is supposed to be renowned. The food was good, to be sure. I didn't feel that it was as impressive as the food on the dinner menu, but it all tasted great. 

The service, however, was atrocious. We all got the distinct feeling immediately upon meeting our server that we were burdensome, and that she didn't want to be there. 

A different group went to brunch again a few weeks later, and the service was even worse. The staff from the hostess stand all the way through the meal service was outright hostile, and clearly would have rather closed up shop than had our business. I work in the food and beverage industry as well, so I can appreciate the desire to get done with a shift, but a 2pm closing time isn't a demanding deadline, and there were at least 5 tables still seated as we were rushed out of the house. 

To close, the food here is certainly of high quality, and if you get the right server, on the right day, I suppose that Acme has the potential to be a great restaurant, but feeling unwelcome in your seat adds a foul taste to even the most expertly prepared entree.
1 - Liz T.: Talk about feeling unwelcome!  I came here with 3 friends for Sunday brunch 10am. We waited for them to unlock the door to come in as they opened at 10:00, and they had a few families who had done the same at the back patio door, but they completely ignored us as they only seated the families at the back door and then the ones who had just walked in.
 
I politely spoke up mentioning we have 10:00 reservations, so they seated us, as if young patrons were a burden. We ordered our meals from a flighty server. 

We were hungry and ate our meals as soon as we got them, although the hash browns are too spicy- like they dumped Cayenne pepper on it.  We were quickly given the bill, with a few mistakes (charged too many OJs instead of Coffees, but with only a few bucks difference, it didn't bother us) and we tipped very well.  

We stayed at our table enjoying catching up and drinking our coffee when THE MANAGER ASKED IF WE WERE PLANNING TO ORDER MORE OR LEAVE SOON!!!!!!!!   My jaw dropped! We are well-behaved, well-dressed 20-somethings women who were enjoying the table we reserved and finishing our drinks.  Even if you are busy on Sunday, are money is good too. 

I've never experienced such a rude establishment, so we just left, never to return.  The funny thing was, some little kids were running around, and none of the staff seemed to mind or mentioned anything to those families.  How bizarre.
1 - Amanda S.: I have never been treated so poorly in a restaurant in my entire life.

Acme, you're not a hot restaurant in Paris.  You're not even located in New York.  You're in Carrboro.  Get over yourself.

DO NOT go there with a group.  DO NOT make reservations.  DO NOT eat there if you're under the age of 55.  All of those things make you an undesirable customer, and treated like crap.

The most disturbing thing is that the WORST, rudest person of all was the manager.  Or who I assumed to be the manager, because he acted like it.  If I were the owner of this restaurant, I would be seriously concerned about the terrible customer service that my employees were providing, which obviously starts with management.

Who cares if the food is good?  What does it matter when you have to eat with a bad taste in your mouth?

AND based on the other reviews, we're not the first ones to have this experience!
3 - Denise D.: Beautiful restaurant, lovely presentation, and $10 entree night is terrific. I ordered the crab cakes because I live in Illinois and don't get near the ocean that often, but sadly, I thought they were just okay. Maybe even imitation!

The restaurant seem understaffed and a little disorganized, but I would go back to try a different menu item.
2 - Michael G.: Acme sucks.  There, I said it.  I've been here twice in the past few months to try and really give it a shot.  This review is based on a Sunday brunch outing...

I can be a bit of a pain.  I enjoy skim OR 2% milk with my coffee, not half and half.  Some places can't accommodate this request.  Acme, unfortunately, is one of them.  Come on Acme...you're trying to be a decent mid to upscale restaurant in Carrboro.  Know your clientele. 

To make it worse, they don't offer many options for brunch and the ones they do almost all have meat.  Again, this is Carrboro.  Figure it out and get some turkey bacon or veggie sausage or SOME option for the non-pork eaters.

Also, Acme's prices are too high for what you get.  Sorry, just can't get into this place.
4 - Miles M.: Great brunch! Not really vegetarian friendly... Do not try to alter the menu items. 

Best Burger in Town! Acme burger Medium-Rare. (Would eat them all the time before I stopped eating red meat.)
2 - Maria M.: We usually go to Acme for Sunday brunch. The food is great but the waitstaff leaves something to be desired. We have never had great service. 

Do not go to Acme if you have a group. It took our waitress more than 30 minutes to split up 5 checks. She acted like it was the worst thing in the world. It soured my opinion of Acme and I will not be inviting my friends to go back with me.
4 - Shannon P.: burgers may be the most expensive in town but they're worth every penny. 

waiter was incredibly attentive and went above and beyond. 

local brews on tap. 

ambiance was flat on a weeknight around 8pm. no one there, super quiet. frigid cold in dining area.
4 - tommie r.: Acme is almost too eclectic.  It's like the staff of an Apple Store chillaxed a little and opened up a up restaurant.  The cocktails list is short but imaginative and while you can't really just, like, get a steak, the dishes they put together are tasty, creative and surprisingly cheap (in comparison to restaurants down Franklin...)  Def get a table in the patio area in the back - perfect lighting and atmosphere.
4 - Kari N.: My husband and I went for brunch on a Sunday after church. The small, quaint dining room was packed, but we were seated right away.
Drinks: I ordered a bloody mary and hubby ordered a mimosa. My bloody mary was great. Although, I wish the garnish was better, it was lemon,  lime, and pickled okra. I love celery, olives, etc. in a bloody mary. This one tasted great, but fell a little short on the garnish.
Meal: I ordered the pan-seared scallop benedict with asparagus on an english muffin and of course, hollandaise sauce. It came with mixed greens and I chose the diner potatoes over the grits. My meal was absolutely delish!! I savored every bite. Hubby ordered the bacon cheeseburger. He enjoyed it, but it was not stellar, just average.
Dessert: We decided to order the malted ricotta doughnuts with maple, chocolate, and lemon glaze. What a terrific way to end our meal. I noticed some people ordering these first, as an app, but I am soo glad we waited till the end of the meal. They were delectable, but so rich and sweet. I may have lost my appetite if I ate these prior to the meal.
Overall, it was a great experience. We will definitely be back!
5 - Erin G.: My mom and I discovered Acme a few years ago, when I was a junior at UNC, and we've been several times over the past three years.  When she visits from Florida, it's always one of the places we try to go to for dinner.

Most recently, we made it for the Tuesday $12.95 entree night.  Acme is worth the money on a regular night, but on Tuesdays, ALL of their entrees are $12.95.  You won't find a better deal in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area!

Unless you have a reservation, you'll probably have to wait for a table (20-30 minutes when it's crowded, as it is on Tuesdays and weekends).  But that's ok because you'll get to order one of their specialty cocktails!  I have the Rosemary Street (gin, lemon, and rosemary infused simple syrup) and my mom has the Blonde Martini.

The menu is small, but with a great variety.  Specials are always innovative and beyond delicious.  Tuesday night I had veal cheek (absolutely melt-in-your-mouth!) over rice and a roasted tomato sauce.  Mom had yellowfin tuna (served rare and perfect) over thin, crispy fries with a jalapeno-cheddar sauce.  Never a combination I would have come up with, but it worked!

I've never had a bad experience at Acme; service is always exceptional and you never feel rushed through your meal, even when they're busy.
3 - Jaclyn T.: Food was good and we are glad we happened to go on a day the prices were $12.95 per plate. It would have been overpriced at it's original price. I must say, I have never had veal cheeks ever in my life. Even though it was good, I but probably wouldn't get it again.
4 - John D.: Sunday Brunch at Acme was spot on. They feature a diverse and engaging menu. The service was prompt and friendly. We will definitly make Acme part of our Sunday brunch rotation.
4 - Eddie H.: Excellent food, way better than I expected. The blackened salmon on top of cheese grits was a flavor combination that I never would have thought of, and completely blew me away.

My only complaint is that the chocolate brownie with ice cream dessert was less than mediocre. The brownie was burnt and overall the dessert was not very good.

Our waitress was super nice and even comp'd our father's meal for father's day. Great job!
5 - John L.: Wonderful brunch! :) 

I should point out that Acme does love its hollandaise sauce. The eggs benedict obviously have it, but so do the omelets, in particular the omelet I had on a fine Sunday midday, the crab omelet.  The combination of blue crab, spinach, and hollandaise sauce was perfect, creating a yummy mix of breakfasty goodness.  

I have not tried dinner or the drinks yet, but I would assume that the food/drinks are just as good then.
4 - Naomi K.: Tough to get a reservation for Sunday brunch but they were excellent in getting us seated quickly even with a busy crowd. It's a bit of a mess going in through the front door and walking nearly to the back where the hostess station blocks all the flow from the kitchen to the bar or back tables. I felt bad for the servers who had to wade through the customers who were just standing around waiting to get seated.
They've got a little gravel parking lot out back and a lovely outdoor seating area- I would have preferred over the hectic and noisy inside, but they might only open those tables at a specific time. 
I have to say, the service was excellent, our server was friendly and easy going. You could tell he enjoyed his job and the customers enjoyed him. It was the guy with the beard, I'm not sure if his name was Tom or not. 
I got the french toast custard special. Very delicious but a little more like dessert. The Texas border breakfast was quite tasty too. Delicious steak with spicy grits and gently poached eggs. Fresh squeezed oj and a fresh cup of joe... need to take a walk after breakfast to settle it all in.
It's a bit far from Durham but a nice way to spend an easy Sunday.
4 - Lindsay G.: A few weeks ago LivingSocial or Groupon or one of those sites ran a deal for Acme, a restaurant in Carrboro.  Acme is a consistently solid establishment: I have never had a mind-blowing meal here but I have also never been disappointed.  On this particular summer Friday Acme once again did not fail: my boyfriend and I had a solid meal with solid service and we left satisfied.

We started with a great, summery appetizer of heirloom tomatoes and house made mozzarella.  This was a perfect dish y'all, I could have eaten it for the main course.  The tomatoes were perfect and juicy and the mozzarella was mild and creamy.  The dish was garnished with deviled eggs and a tasty basil pesto which we sopped up with the bread.  Summer is awesome.  

For the main course the boyfriend got a steak with garlic mashed potatoes, all well done.  I had crab cakes with a succotash of kale, butternut squash, corn and tomatoes.  Really tasty all around.  Since all the food is seasonal and locally sourced the menu changes fairly frequently, but like I said, everything is solid.

We-or rather I since the boyfriend isn't a dessert person, sigh-ended with a brownie sundae.  The brownie was a little bit dry, but slightly dry brownie sundae is better than no brownie sundae. Impossible to mess up, really.

Acme is a great place to go for a reliable good, fairly upscale meal.  A Carrboro institution one might say.  Y'all should check it out if you haven't!
5 - Shelley V.: Whoo hoo! We were recommended to come here by a gal at Wootini and we were thrilled by our meal. 

I had the roasted pig and M had the salmon. My god, both of our entrees were top notch deliciousness!! I kept muttering "yum" and "good" like a distant relative of Frankenstein under my breath!

The place was packed but we luckily made a reservation on Open Table so we waited all of 3 minutes before being seated. The staff was terrific, friendly and goodies themselves. I loved being served by people who love food and appreciate a well-crafted meal. 

I would love to go back to Chapel Hill and would definitely go back here.
5 - Genevieve S.: I've been here for both brunch and dinner and have been really impressed with the food both times. I also like that pairing 2 small plates at dinner is about the same size as a large entree, great for someone like me who likes to sample lots of different things.
4 - Jared W.: I wanted to go with three stars, but my girlfriend successfully argued me up to 4.  Actually, I'd happily give 3 1/2 if you could.   We love the Sunday brunch and the Tues dinner specials are a steal.  Food is very above average, and a good value, but falls shy of frankly special.
4 - Andrew S.: I wandered in here to get some brunch while exploring the back roads of NC.  What a treat.  Between the service, the food quality, and the drink selections, I'd say the brunch here is top notch.  

I ordered a brunch beer from NC, and was pleased with its hoppy-ness.  The savory brunch special was a tostada with egg and a chorizo sauce accompanied by some mixed greens.  There were like 4 eggs (which was a little much for me), but the sauce was amazing.

What I could have ordered multiples of, though, was the doughnuts.  While not traditional doughnuts with holes, the trio of awesomeness on a plate was music in my mouth.  I ate the raspberry, then the chocolate, then the maple.  While maple is usually my favorite, there was something about the chocolate here. I think it was the quality of the ingredients.  While all three were amazing, that chocolate was fantastic.

If you ever find yourself in Carrboro, NC, hit up ACME for brunch.
2 - Elissa H.: Acme's menu always sounds delicious, but every time I've visited I've found the food underwhelming and overpriced. 
The first time I went for dinner I had a veal special that tasted like pot roast--fine, but disappointing, especially for the price. I found their short ribs cloyingly sweet, and the scallop dish lacked flavor and came with a strangely watery puree (these menu items have since changed, hopefully for the better). 
I gave the restaurant another chance and came for brunch with a group of friends. Although I was excited by the bloody mary list and bacon-chipotle hollandaise, everything was just okay and I was left with a hefty bill and a renewed resolve never to return.
Finally, the service has always been terrible. To be fair, the restaurant was busy each time I visited and we had a large brunch group. Still, it was at least 45 minutes before we got our drinks and an hour before we ordered. The whole brunch ended up being a three hour affair and it wasn't because we wanted to linger. When no one liked their bloody marys and we requested hot sauce to adjust to taste, it never came and we ended up going to the bar to retrieve the hot sauce and more drinks for our table. Similarly, when the pre-dinner drink I ordered wasn't available (they were out of Campari), a good 45 minutes passed before the waiter asked me if there was something else he could get for me.
4 - Liwei Y.: Love the food here! love the ambience! Come here Tuesday nights...$13 for all entrees!! Drinks here taste a bit strong for me...
3 - Laura M.: My husband took me to Acme's for my birthday as we had a groupon and while the food was lovely as ever, the service left something to be desired. It wasn't busy, we're old folks and hit the restaurants at 5:30 when they open. What got me what they charged a %20 gratuity on a 2 person check. Seriously? I mean, we tip the amount of the check pre-groupon but even if we didn't, there's no way it's cool to add a %20 gratuity to a check. Unfortunately it was some time before my husband told me about it since he knew I'd go balastic and chew on on somebody and he didn't want to A) be embarrased and B) ruin my birthday.  So no more going to Acme's, I refuse to be robbed. Fortunately I live in Durham and work in Chapel Hill so I am surrounded by stellar eateries!
2 - Katrina M.: First and foremost, I'll start by complimenting the staff on their service. They were quick, kind, and candid about their preferences for our dinner options. And, most importantly, they were accommodating. 

After a long day of traveling and knowing that I had nothing but crap eating ahead of me, I wanted desert that wasn't completely terrible. So, while it wasn't a menu option, they went ahead and brought me a scoop of vanilla ice cream with chocolate, which, I have to say, was my favorite part of the meal. I imagine they make the chocolate they use in-house, because it had a unique flavor to it that I liked very much. 

With that said, unfortunately, I can only rate the rest of the food sub-par, especially considering the price. Quite frankly, unless you're some ridiculously swanky and upscale NY restaurant, a plate of spaghetti and meat balls should never be more than about $11.95. Yes, I'm being that specific. It's pasta, ground beef, and tomato sauce (which is exactly what it tasted like). And I've had far better spaghetti that costed tons less than what this place charged. Everything just tasted too soft - I'm assuming it was over cooked. The meatball just fell completely apart when I cut into it. Again, the flavor of the sauce wasn't bad, but I didn't think any of it was good enough to pay what I did for it (or what the company did - thanks corporate funded meals!). 

Of course, I had a bit of my co-workers plates, as well. The risotto dish was really really rich. Perhaps it's a preference thing, but it tasted more like a thick and creamy soup than anything else to me. The salmon and grits was probably the best of the three dishes, solely due to how well the salmon was made. Perhaps grits should just be left to the deep south. 

You may notice I seem to be going back and forth on flavor. Sometimes it's too rich, sometimes it makes the meal. The provided bread seemed to be no exception to this seesaw. I honestly have never tasted a more flavor-less bread. And if you can believe it, the butter was worse. I didn't even know there was such a thing as flavorless butter. It was like eating air, and considering the carbs and otherwise empty calories, I might as well have been. It would have tasted the same and been healthier. Why bother? Just skip it!

All and all, I would say it's a place that you might consider visiting if you'd like to hang out on a nice patio, with romantic/social lighting, and great service. It could even be a good desert spot. But if you like bang for your buck, try somewhere that lives up to fine dining in taste as well as atmosphere.
4 - Matt K.: We had a LivingSocial coupon that prompted our visit, but we had looked at this place for a while. There were so many interesting menu options it was hard to choose.

I went with the heirloom tomato salad (fantastic, good portion too) and had salmon with the grits (also very good). Their cocktails are great and the wine selections are too, with variable portion options -- half bottle pricing puts you at no disadvantage from a full bottle, so try mixing and matching. There is a cocktail with gin and rosemary syrup that's to die for. I had one in Las Vegas and this one jumped right off the menu. It was just as good.

Service was friendly and the decor is intimate but not pretentious- seems like a nice date place.

There is a parking lot in the back.
4 - Fiona W.: I love Sunday brunch here. It's always tasty and it's worth trying their specials.  French toast bread pudding--yum!!

Dinner is on the pricier end, but if you go on Tuesday it's $12 entrees.
5 - Cami T.: BEST BRUNCH IN CARRBORO, hands down.  The homemade doughnuts are amazing, and the flavors are always changing, based on the season; I usually go with a group and, in an act of epic gluttony, order them as an appetizer.  I'm also a big fan of their eggs benedict, which I get with fried green tomato.

I've only had dinner there once, but it was very good as well.  But brunch....now I'm getting hungry.
4 - Kathryn E.: All I can say is...12.95 Tuesday. Do it. 

Went there for the first time ever tonight- amazing food! Good sized portions-terrific variety, especially of seafood which was a nice change from the routine. My salmon dish with cheese grits was to die for- fabulous flavor. Two other friends got skirt steak with some killer mashed potatoes. Can't wait to go back and try some other dishes or apps. 

Super cute interior- I'm a fan already.
4 - K N.: Good drinks and pretty decent food, though it's a bit dark. We actually had good table service, though we were a party of five and ordering up the drinks. I'd recommend it for dinner.
4 - Raleigh G.: This is a great little place for fantastic food that's just a little different. Most main dishes are between $16-$22 and on Tuesday nights-- all main dishes are $12.95, which is AWESOME. Unfortunately, we weren't able to use our LivingSocial deal because we happened to go on the 12.5 night-- but we plan to go back for their famous brunch before it expires.

For dinner-- the food was fantastic. I had the Blackened Salmon and my boyfriend had the Fried Chicken-- which, they even managed to make it look fancy. Both were full of flavor and delicious. We had the Fried Green Tomatoes as an app-- while a little small-- it was still delicious. Lastly, you MUST get the Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie-- it's the best I've ever had and I'm still dreaming of how good it was.

Service was fantastic and the wine list is also great.
4 - Rebecca T.: Make a reservation - otherwise you'll have to wait. And everyone with a reservation lines up at the back door.I used a Living Social deal for brunch here on Sunday and the food is great! I especially liked the dinner potatoes that came with my biscuit, sausage gravy, and eggs. Their iced sweet tea is the spiced kind, but good. We also had the donuts - chocolate, raspberry and maple glazed, which were good, but not outstanding.
2 - Kristen J.: Horrible customer service - food is fine based on prior experiences, but when I tried to make a reservation to use a LivingSocial voucher that was expiring in 2 days they would not accommodate, wouldn't let me use it on a Tuesday because of Tuesday $12.95 specials. No mention of this anywhere on LivingSocial or Acme website, nothing in the fine print. When I tried to offer alternatives, to pay normal menu prices if they would just let me eat there on Tuesday instead of Wednesday because I was going out town, I was quickly shut down and told they couldn't do anything. I will not go here again after dealing with unaccommodating and rude staff.
2 - Randi K.: They have a very creative menu and the flavors come together nicely BUT:
The portions are ridiculously small for the PRICE!  I ordered a sea scallop dinner which had 2 scallops!  This was not a small plate thus each scallop came to $11.00!!
The meal was more like a soup and I had already ordered soup for my entree. My husband ordered the duck breast which had 4 very small pieces of duck-also for $22.00. The duck was  heavily salted. They are not very flexible- many of the entrees come with fries or a starch. We are on a lo carb diet and they will not sub another vegetable. So my husband got his duck atop mixed greens and he had already had a salad as his app.  The place is very noisy and the waiters can be rather aloof and fail to check back to see that everything is ok with the meal.  We had an early reservation and tried to delay due to a conflict at work. We were told that there were no openings until 9 pm, however when we finished at 7:30 pm there were 5 empty tables and they were taking walk-ins. We have often returned with a Living Social coupon. The first time the waiter tacked on an automatic 18% tip and said that was the policy of the restaurant, yet the second time the waiter did not tack on the automatic tip.
5 - Lindsey M.: Went for 12.95 Tuesday with my fiancé.  The food was unique and quite delicious, and the dessert was spot on.  I would recommend this place for a nice date night or special occasion.
4 - Claire L.: Acme, I like you. I really do.  But you don't make it easy sometimes. 

The dining room is cramped, which makes for excellent people watching but can be an issue if you want to have actual conversations.   Service is more "Carrboro hipster" than "Southern charm."

Food, always delicious.  Donuts, anything with fried green tomatoes, can't go wrong. For brunch, however, their drinks are tiny.   If I'm paying $8 for a mimosa, I'd like more than a shot glass worth of liquid.
5 - Anne W.: Simply amazing!  I've been there for dinner twice now with my boyfriend and it's fantastic!  They have the best okra (if it's in season) and everything else is delicious too!  Highly recommend for a great experience!
4 - Steven R.: Some of the best food in the Triangle!  The folks at Acme change up the menu on a regular basis to match the seasons, fresh produce, etc.  Pork, fried chicken, you name it - amazing!  It's always an enjoyable experience.  The service is great, but just a notch below restaurants typically serving food of this caliber.  I prefer the "no fuss" atmosphere - don't change it a bit.  It's all about the food at Acme and well worth it.  Thanks!
5 - Jessica K.: My sister and I went tonight to enjoy their discounted entrees night and to celebrate my birthday. We enjoyed everything about our experience!!  Bob, our server, was exceptional. The food, as usual, was scrumptious. We shared the crispy calamari salad which I highly recommend doing the same thing if you go!!  She got the crab cakes and I the pan seared scallops for our entrees. She and I both work at a local seafood restaurant so I can say with some knowledge that both entrees were prepared perfectly!  We shared the chocolate terrine dessert and it was heavenly! Another home run for Acme!! Thank you Bob for a wonderful evening! :)
4 - Wilson K.: Our favorite place to eat is at the bar. Not only is the service top notch, but we love the sometimes bartender Tom.  The local free range beef burger is a classic late evening snack. We knew this was a special place when they graced us with a Hendricks martini with the traditional cucumber garnish.  I love a martini, but two at the most...

The best thing about Acme is that it provides a much needed resource for non-hipsters to get a drink and relax. No PBR to be found. Carrboro is difficult terrain if you don't like skinny pants and Wayfarers, and Acme provides a nice contrast. The downsides: too noisy for intimate conversations late in the evening when it invariably fills to capacity. The menu, while solid new American, does not change much, so that regular customers might get a bit bored with the fare. 

Still, it's solid advantages can't be ignored, and the decor offers interesting visuals for the observant patron (be sure to check out the bathrooms - both, if you can get in). Overall, Acme gives you the impression of a bustling midtown urban restaurant from the 1990s. Suggestions: put purse hooks at the bar; hire Tom full time; change two things on the menu every month, and offer more weekly specials.
5 - Romin B.: Went for recession Tuesdays ($12.95 for all entrees) and I gotta hand it to the chef.  That guy really knows what he's doing back there.  When I think about nice restaurants I've given 4 stars, Acme is a cut above, so even though it might be a 4.5 overall, by golly Acme, your food is pretty much as good as it gets to me.

Got 4 entrees between the two of us to take advantage of the deal, and everything was delicious.  Of those, I'd definitely recommend both the pork mac & cheese and the crab cakes.  So f'ing delicious.. I want to try the entire menu, but if I go back, I might have to order those again.  We followed with 2 desserts, chocolate bourbon pecan pie and an almond bread pudding.  Again, both great and both topped with their yummy homemade whipped cream.  Bread pudding was a tad too sweet but otherwise, I was happy.

Service was okay, although I felt left alone almost a little too much.  Then again, they were pretty busy and I didn't have to go too long without a refill.  Still, I didn't feel the special 1 on 1 attention you might get at a more expensive restaurant.  Speaking of which, prices are definitely reasonable with the most expensive dish being $19.95 and desserts either $5 or $6.  Atmosphere isn't super romantic, but then again, it's not really any worse than Magnolia, where your desserts are $9 and $20 will only buy you a chicken entree.  

In summary, go to Acme for super delicious food that will feel like a suitable date night without killing your bank account (especially on Tuesdays).  I'll be back for sure.
5 - Roxanne R.: This restaurant is a perfect blend of quality and unpretentiousness.  From cocktails to dessert, the food here is near transcendent.  It has been several weeks since we were there, and I still salivate thinking about my fresh, bubbly elderflower beverage, the melty pork belly on a biscuit with ginger-cranberry jam, the steak frites with bernaise, and the coconut pound cake with tangerine sauce.  AND it was much more affordable than other Triangle restaurants of this caliber.  We will definitely be back for future cozy, romantic dinners, despite the 40 minute drive.  The only negative thing I have to say is that our table was near the door, and it was a bit drafty.
2 - Fifi Y.: It's too bad for the poor service because I thought the brunch food at Acme was delicious.. But when the most memorable thing about a meal was poor service on every level, it's not acceptable to overlook it.

We arrived for brunch at 10:30 on a Sunday without reservations. My bad, I tried to make reservations early that morning but they weren't accepting any more. We were told the wait would be approximately 30 minutes. There's no good spot to wait inside (unless you don't mind constantly feeling like you're in someone's way!) so we took a walk outside and decided to grab a coffee at Weaver Street Market - it was really, really cold outside. 

Acme called my cell to let me know the table was ready and I told them I was on my way - but in the 5 minutes it took me to get back there they'd given our table away. 

As we continued to wait, the host told me that we would have to finish our coffees or throw them away before we'd be seated. Really?! I can somewhat understand a policy like that, especially if signposted, for a place that specializes in good coffee (which Acme doesn't).  But I really hated the snobby attitude that came along with it. Especially after our table was given away, and after we'd bought coffee only to keep warm because Acme had a long wait time for a table and nowhere to wait indoors. 

We were seated, we ordered, and when the waitress came to refill my friend's coffee (which he'd purchased from Acme, thankyouverymuch), she spilled it all over my coat! At first I didn't realize what had happened because she didn't even apologize! She scurried away to get a rag (!) to dab it from my $400 coat, and offered a half-assed apology. No one offered to comp even the coffee, which I think would have been the least they could do to counter the $20 dry cleaning cost of the coat.

When the waitress brought out the food, she brought my two friends' entrees and didn't bring mine. I tried to convince my friends to start without me, but they wouldn't hear of it. A few minutes turned into five awkward minutes of waiting for my food (five minutes is a LONG time when you're all eyeing food that's getting cold...). Finally I tracked down the waitress to see what the deal was, and she said she'd go check on it. It took another few minutes before I got my food. Really unacceptable.

Overall - lower your expectations for service if you try Acme, and you'll probably love it! I have no complaints about the food.. it's just that I can't remember what I ate because all I can recall is how terrible the service was.
5 - Rob W.: Let me first start off by saying that I was there for the wine dinner with my friend Bruce Patch was there and at first, we were not going to be able to have the wine dinner. But the incredible manager/hostess hooked us up with a table at the end by the window and we were incredibly happy!!  The food was delicious and service was incredible.  We will go back again!

Thanks~
5 - Caroline S.: I've always had great meals from Acme!  Even though they have a pretty general name, their food is anything but.  For brunch, I love their mimosas and eggs benedict.  This bustling restaurant also have a lovely patio outside that's perfect for alfresco dining.
4 - Janet H.: The outdoor seating is really fabulous.  The food is consistently yummy.  I can't seem to stop ordering the fried chicken because the butter beans on the side may as well be crack.  I want to eat them all the time.  And who really says that about butter beans?  The fried chicken and mashed potatoes that come with it are spectacular as well.

The drink menu is very nice.  The wine menu is acceptible.  The service the past 3-4 times I have been has been quite good.  I think I remember some poor service 3 or 4 years ago that put me off this place for awhile, but I am glad I have returned since then because I have not been disappointed.
4 - Allison M.: I had Easter brunch here a few weekends ago and had a very pleasant experience - which seems to be at odds with the some Yelpers here who say that Acme doesn't particularly like college kids. Maybe it was because I was with my parents, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary to me in terms of service.

I had the pimiento cheese sandwich served with an obscene amount of fries (not a bad thing). The sandwich was tasty, although slightly overpowered by the flavor of the pickle inside it. The (chunky!?) basil aioli they served with it was a nice added flavor. I had a bite of my mom's eggs Benedict dish, which I found to be surprisingly good as well.

We all split a single piece of coffee cake, and good thing we did! It was enormous, and more like dessert than anything else. Super-sweet, moist, and a great end to the meal.

I give it four stars because I think it was missing that extra "oomph" for me that would catapult it to a five. But I'd really like to try it for dinner sometime soon!
4 - Scott K.: It would indeed be a wise decision to come to ACME Food & Beverage.  I have been here a few times and have not been disappointed.  Sunday brunch is always busy and very good.  I would recommend to get reservations before attempting to go to ACME.  ACME does occasionally have special themed dinners and they have all been very good.  

Food B
Decor B
Staff C
Location B
Health Inspection Grade 96.0
2 - Solange C.: Acme has become a victim of its own success, too big for its britches in the local vernacular. The food is fine, if a bit heavy handed with the spices--trying a little too hard to be clever with the "southerness" schtick I guess. However, the prices, the snobby attitude of the staff and having to sit almost on top of your neighbor (even the previously very lovely outdoor space is now cheek by jowl with chairs and tables) makes this a has-been good local spot that has lost its authenticity and it's heart. It sad to see. Luckily Crooks just down the road continues on in it's friendly, lovely, warm and truly delicious way. Guess that's the difference between the real thing and a wannabe. This wannabe has sold out. And I am truly sad to say that I can't stomach returning---I have so many fond memories of how fun, welcoming and surprisingly tasty they were when they opened. Now it feels like they think they are doing me a favor by deigning to serve me--as if I should just be lucky they would accept my money. I guess the lure of profit and the shine of popularity is hard to resist--even in counter culture little Carrboro.
4 - Stacy T.: After hearing a co-worker rave about this place, I ventured over to the hot-spot to investigate. The hostess stand was hidden away towards to the back of the restaurant. Unfortunately, we couldn't snag a much coveted back-garden seat, so we settled for a cozy spot in a separate room. I didn't care much for the dim lighting. It felt very gloomy compared to the sunshine that streamed from the windows.  

In any case, I ordered the special of the day - Classic Eggs Benedict with Soft Shell Crab. Really, this was the best eggs benedict that I have had in my life. The poached eggs oozed golden goodness with a poke of the fork and soaked the english muffins with flavor. The hollandaise sauce was creamy, but not overly heavy. That made the meal much more enjoyable. A hidden surprise was the caramelized apples (I believe they are apples). It added a very sweet and nice twist to this classic. This is what made the dish the best I have had in a while. The soft shell crab was put on the side and was lightly fried with a tempura-like batter. The crab was fresh and and pretty size-able. However, it did add $5  to the originally-priced eggs benedict ($10.95). 

Overall, I would get the special again, but it would definitely have to be a treat and not a weekly indulgence.
4 - Colleen P.: Recently moved into the area and I had seen the favorable yelp reviews for Acme so we decided to try it for brunch, which is one of our favorite meals. We were not disappointed! I would give it over 4 stars, like 4 1/2 if I could.

I ordered the biscuits and gravy breakfast which came with 2 eggs (I got mine over medium) and a side of either potatoes or grits (I got the grits). The biscuits were moist and flaky, the gravy was delicious and not over-powering, the eggs were cooked perfectly and the grits were delicious. My boyfriend got the fried green tomato sandwich and said it was amazing. The portion sizes were pretty huge, I was full for the better part of the day! I also LOVE LOVE LOVE how many of their meats and eggs come from local farms and it says where right on the menu. Not only does it support the local economy, but it means they are using good products!

We sat outside which was beautiful and clean. 

My only "disappointment" is how long is took to get our food. We didn't mind because we were enjoying sitting outside, but after a half an hour, the waitress should have said something. At the end of the meal she did apologize for the delay and said it was the last wave of the rush. 

 I thought the price was good for the quality and amount, but I see some people think it's pricey. I did just move from NYC, so perhaps I shouldn't comment on price. :)

We can't wait to go back! They also have oysters on the half shell (must call beforehand to make sure they have them that night) and we can't wait to try them!!
4 - Nathan S.: I've been to Acme 3 times now, and it consistently delivers.  The food is unique, always delicious, and reasonably priced (especially Tuesdays).  The place can get busy in hurry at dinner time, so either make reservations or head over a little early (like 5:30 on a weekday).  

Everything I've had has been great, but would recommend the goat cheese and shrimp pasta and the stuffed pepper appetizers.
5 - Amie K.: A little over a year since my first delicious dinner and still my favorite place in the triangle!  I'm leaving Durham after 3 yummy years and when asked where I wanted to go for a farewell dinner with friends - where else?  Acme always serves wonderful food by a knowledgeable staff.  Justin B has been my waiter many times and I can't applaud him enough for his recommendations.

Love this place!
3 - Marty B.: This was my third trip to acme.   First two times, the food was perfect.   This time I ordered the scallops with bean and potato salad and was very disappointed.  It should be called bean and potato salad with scallops.   Three scallops over lots of beans with not much taste.  This could have passed for a small plate.   Also, the waiter was just going through the motions...the food was served really quickly and I would have loved another glass of wine but didn't hear from the waiter until long after we had finished our meal.

The best thing was the ice cold beer before dinner with a nice bartender.
2 - Taryn L.: Here's the thing. I just wasn't feeling it.

And even though I'm only giving two stars, I fully intend to try Acme for dinner. And dessert. (As a, um, caveat, my husband says it's really worth 4 stars.)

Okay, not a biggie, really, I know, but I called on a Sunday about 20 minutes after they opened to question whether or not there was a wait -- we had no reservations but were on our way out of town, and really didn't want to sit around. The guy on the other  end didn't ask for my name but just said that there was NO wait. Great! We showed up literally two minutes later to find that there was actually wait, unless we wanted to sit in the 98 degree, humid outdoors or squeeze ourselves onto the bar stools. Bar stools it was. Right, like I said, not really a biggie, but not what I had in mind either. It's all about expectations.

I also wasn't totally psyched before I even arrived, which probably isn't fair, but this is because their menu seemed littered with, well, fat. Everything was coated in gravy or hollandaise or mayo or cheese, which really limited my options if I were even remotely interested in something that wasn't going to curdle in my stomach. (Look, I know it's strange, but my hangovers require vegetables, not cream and grease.)

But, knowing that I'm usually jealous of my husband's dish, someone who seems to never consider calories, I decided to talk myself into the crab florentine omelette. This turned out to be a mistake, as the hollandaise sauce was only augmented by the cream cheese, making the dish so rich that I managed to eat no more than 3, maybe 2, bites. I ate all of the salad served on the side, and about 3 bites of the grits, which were fine.

We'd started with the malted ricotta donuts, which were incredibly dense, a little dry, and the insides weren't entirely cooked through. Just a little bit fluffier and I would have been a fan. The sauces were a nice complement: the maple sweet and a little grainy, the raspberry right up my alley, the chocolate a bit too heavy for  breakfast.

The bartender was sweet. Our food took a pretty long while to make it to us.

I'll be back for dinner for sure, and mayyyybe for brunch when I'm looking to indulge.
4 - Amy H.: Although I still love Acme, If I am going to be honest, I'm going to need to knock it down a star. I took my folks to brunch on the last day (even hour) of their visit. I split the scallops eggs benedict with my mom and my dad had the waffle with peach sauce. The service was friendly as always and we actually go seated right away (thanks to our reservation). Unfortunately, the food was a disappointment. Though cooked well, the scallops were tiny. The asparagus was the last they had and was cooked just fine. The hollandaise was very buttery. BUT the "poached" eggs were completely overcooked. The runny egg is the big seller for me with eggs benedict, so I was very disappointed. My dad's waffle had a texture that we could only describe as something like an overly sweet hearty bread (but not in the good way). 

It was probably naive to think a place could be infallible, but consistency is pretty important. For me, it's probably better worth it to find a brunch place closer to Durham.
4 - Annika H.: I work at a local hotel and frequently suggest Acme for Sunday brunch. I feel good about putting my name to this place. I've been twice for brunch, never for dinner, and I've always had a nice time, but it has always been busy so service was a bit slow, but I guess it can't be helped. The first time I went, I wanted to get the rest of my food boxed up--the waiter dropped my food, which was disappointing, but took it off the bill to make up for it.

I brought my mom and she enjoyed it too--nice decor, friendly staff, but definitely a crowded place, so be prepared for that for brunch! I loved the scallops eggs Benedict but if I can criticize one thing, there was a bit too much Hollandaise for my taste and I didn't particularly care for the sauce; as others have mentioned, a bit buttery for my taste.

I'll be back to try more! The menu is dyamnic and exciting and definitely worth a try...or a few tries!
5 - Courtney S.: I went for Sunday brunch with my husband and 2 year old daughter. The service was fast, food was delicious, and they obviously use fresh ingredients. The waitress was super friendy to my daughter, which I really appreciated. All too often people get frustrated when they see children and anticipate the worst. Her great attitude and genuinely friendly presence was really nice and made the experience that much better. 

I would highly recommend this place and plan on going back!
5 - Gabriel W.: One of my favorite restaurants, the food here is delicious, the location is quaint and eccentric, and the setting is comfortable and unassuming.  I've only been once, but have every intention to return soon.

This is a great example of one of the many farm-to-fork establishments that the Triangle is becoming so well known for.  On my first visit, I was treated to heirloom tomatoes with a house made vinaigrette and mozzarella cheese.  The tomatoes, being a seasonal specialty, were juicy and just firm enough to retain the original freshness and flavor.   My main dish, the steak, was local grass fed beef, cooked to medium rare perfection, and nearly melted in my mouth.  

I highly recommend this place, as it is a true Carrboro establishment.  To visit or live in Carrboro and not try Acme is a disservice to yourself and your experience in such a unique town.
4 - Denise B.: Great space and local fresh food.  Came on a tour stayed to eat.  Wonderful blending of american food with a new twist.  The Chef was generous with his time.  Very comfortable space lovely garden with fountain made by an employee. Great Cocktails.  Go Eat there!
4 - Christopher A.: I love Acme!  I am a regular for brunch on the week-ends, and have had plenty of dinners here as well.  The food is always fantastically prepared.  The ingredients are fresh and local.  The menu is interesting and super tasty.  The restaurant is clean and cozy.  The outside patio is fantastic.

Don't change a thing Acme!
3 - Leah G.: Great service in comfortable and cozy atmosphere.  Our waitress was very helpful and knowledgable.  When asked between two dishes, she gave an honest opinion and didn't try to up-sell us to the higher priced item (always impressive).  I chose this restaurant for my first visit to Carrboro (pre-concert) because of their local and organic farm-to-fork emphasis.  We started with appetizers of fried okra and artichoke and the empanada - both were good.  I had the crab cakes for an entree and was a bit disappointed.  They are full blown crab with no breading which is great but they are smallish in diameter and tall - and so a bit mushy.  My friend had the burger, which was the server's recommendation and he said that it was very good.  My friend asked to substitute risotto (on the menu) for the fries that come with the burger and they wouldn't substitute.  Overall my first visit to Acme Food & Beverage was a good experience and I'd definitely go back.

Acme Markets Inc - Princeton, NJ (40.3140562, -74.6203786) ()
2 - Charles Z.: Sometimes they have good seafood deals.

But, their selection are small and offers only generic items. 

I prefer Wegmans and Shoprite for their selection and price.
1 - Manny K.: They closed this location almost 2 years ago. Yelp should get with the program.

Acme Video Inc - Providence, RI (41.8204601, -71.3982904) (Fox Point)
4 - Thomas Z.: I still have a membership to this place randomly. Only because you need one to rent movies, like we used to do before the internet. 
There are times when Hulu is not an acceptable option, when you need to bring a DVD into a seminar and show people how to properly frame & sequence a shot. Acme was like stepping back into the 90's, with a great selection and people who'll talk to you about their favorite films, from HK Kung Fu to early French film noire.
5 - Aaron M.: My favorite place to rent in Providence.  I'd be a lifetime member if I knew how.  Also, I'm amused to see such a tiny establishment remain, while chains like Blockbuster Video and Hollywood Video fall by the wayside.
4 - Cato M.: I still come all the way up the hill to rent from this video store. Great selection of movies that can otherwise be hard to find, and, unlike Netflix, has the benefit of instant gratification if I ever want to watch a specific movie that day or night.

I'm slightly torn about how they organize their movies - the unconventional layout is part of their charm, but it does make things a little more difficult to find.
5 - James O.: A film geek's paradise. Recently, I got this craving for a very specific horror subgenre--early 70s gothic, of the limited variety which were in heavy rotation on late night TV in the mid-late 70s. Like I said, film geek. Anyway, bingo. Not only did Acme Video have both "Let's Scare Jessica To Death" and "The Other", but also the clerk had the same take on these films as I did; they were special. Can hardly wait to have my next oh-so-particular craving fulfilled.

Acosta Antonio - New York, NY (40.8002531, -73.9658484) (Manhattan Valley)
4 - andy t.: OK, I get it now. I used to think Acosta was all about the empanadas. 
But on second thought, it's really about the simple, delicious "comida Dominicana." 

I popped in for dinner recently and grabbed one of the four stools at the counter. The All-Star Game was playing on the flat screen, which is about half the size of this tiny joint. 

Not quite sure what to order, I opted for the chicken with rice and beans, and was presented with a heaping plate with two pieces of pollo guisado, along with arroz y frijoles. The food wasn't spectacular but it did taste like someone cooked it in their home. Just like Momma used to make, ya know what I mean. 

This is also the kind of place where you can practice your Spanish. I struck up a conversation with the Uruguayan dude sitting next to me. I told him I thought the empanadas here were pretty good. 

Mr Uruguay shook his head. "No," he said, speaking as someone born in a country where empanadas are a birthright, like pizza in New York. "You must try the pernil. Here take a bite of mine."

I respectfully declined but damn if that pernil -- which was pulled from a pork butt displayed in a pan right inside the window -- didn't look amazing.  I wanted to take that bite, but I held back. 

(It's worth noting that Mr Uruguay's wife was highly annoying -- Don't grab my book without asking biach -- Who lives in NY and marries a South American and can't speak a word in Spanish? WTF is that all about?)

Best of all? My tab for chicken, rice, beans AND a Presidente was only $8.50. I'll be back for some of that Pernil.
4 - Phil K.: I come here every once in a while for the pernil.  It's pretty good, and a great value.  The pernil with rice and beans ($5.50 with a soda at this time) along with a salad makes for a solid meal for two.  The girls behind the counter are great too.
4 - A.E. G.: Everything is authentic here and most of everything is amazing.  The chicken is perfect - moist, succulent and well but not over seasoned.  The flan is the best I have ever had.

The only drawback is that some items apparently are not homemade (like the fried cod which with sometimes has an ice-cube inside).

Still this is much better than the local El Malecon and arguably better than the Bronx location.
4 - Katy W.: I had a huge craving for chicken, so I was glad I gave this tiny lunch counter restaurant a chance. I'm glad I finally tried Acosta, and can't wait to go back to try other things from the menu.

My order of baked chicken over rice with black beans was good, if just a bit dry. But the rice with a soda was just $6, so I can't complain.
4 - Mister O.: Tiny diner serving working class Dominican food.  By tiny, I mean a five-seat counter and a pair of little tables for two.  By Dominican food, I mean PORK.  Lots and lots of pork.  And rice, and beans.  Portions to stay are generous, and the amount of stuff they shovel into the take-out containers is just jaw-dropping.

The regular clientele here certainly isn't Canadian amateur street photographers on vacation, and I doubt the taxi drivers, stockboys, and cleaning ladies who get their lunches here have a clue that there's a subset of foodiedom that actively hunts down and cherishes the simple, hearty, and completely unaffected truck driver's food that places like this serve.  But it's precisely why I've been in here three or four times.  The chunks of pork with red beans and brown rice will fuel you for a day of walking through Central Park or Morningside Heights, and the Cuban sandwich (the Dominican take on it does not seem to include the dill pickle) makes a damn nice late breakfast, if you're envisioning a long day of holiday visiting in the UWS.  Both are delicious.

Restroom is cramped, but usable.

If you're looking for simple, tasty, and utterly cheap food in a genuine diner on the UWS, and if you think you can handle the heaviness of working-class Dominican cuisine, make a point of finding this place.

Acoustix Jazz Restaurant and Lounge - Atlanta, GA (33.775669, -84.406846) ()
5 - Stephanie M.: Went there this past Saturday night with a girlfriend, we had a great time. They have two stages, on the  main level is the restaturant with a classic jazz band, downnstairs plays more contemporary jazz, you can also eat and drink downstairs as well. The website says business casual but I would say after 5 wear is more appropriate, the dressier the sexier. This place used to be Utopia but they did a great job rennovating. Really great live  jazz music and you can beat a $5 cover and free parking in Atlanta....this will be a regular spot for me.. Will be going after work soon to check out the $2.99 martinis.
4 - Pamela M.: My first visit to Acoustix was Sat April 30th 2011. I had researched a link sent to me by a friend. The website/design is AWESOME, very colorful and does look exactly as the posted photos. The only reason I did not rate 5 star was my guests and myself thought the food to be good but not great, very creative names for the menu however. Outside of the food, I would rate Acoustix a 5 star. The absolute best in traditional/straight -ahead/classic jazz!!! The bands booked are authentic/original and sound great!!! Another huge + is the two level option.

 Level 1 is strictly "jazz" , full service bar, very clean decorative bathrooms, wonderful friendly staff and beautiful decor. A very low and well worth it cover charge for entry. Downstairs is equally as accomodating, with the lounge style appeal, very colorful and nicely decorated. The atmosphere is live neo-soul, r&b, ole skool (no hip-hop/rap) as this is for the grown and sexy folks. So to sum it up, you don't have the leave Acoustix for find some other flava when its all right there for your convenience. Acoustix is a must visit and return venue for sure!!! Hats off to Frank (the owner)...nice vision and direction for Atlanta!
4 - Marilyn D.: I am giving this disclaimer prior to your reading the following review: We were the only patrons in the restaurant at the time. 

Yesterday, 7/6/11 was my first visit to Acoustix; although I'd previously been to the venue under the Utopia moniker. I met two friends after work (around 6PM) for appetizers and drinks.  Since it was Wednesday, there was free parking and no cover charge.

The three of us shared an order of chicken tenders and chicken quesadillas. The tenders were seasoned well and didn't have a ton of breading as commonly found elsewhere. The quesadillas were made with whole wheat tortillas and a generous amount of cheese and chicken. Personally, I think it had too many sautéed onions but my friends thought it was fine.  

The $2.99 martini special was only for apple or watermelon. Apparently they rotate the flavors on the special so it's not the same ones every Tuesday  & Wednesday. I'm not a fan of either flavor so I initially passed. However, after my friends raved about the watermelon I decided to try it. I was shocked at how much I enjoyed it. Each martini was made fresh. There wasn't a vat of pre-mixed concoction like you find at other places when they run drink specials. I also tried a drink called "Smooth Talker" with Hennessy, Grand Marnier and hazelnut liquor. IT WAS AWESOME!  It comes standard with a splash of lime but I asked for the lime to be omitted. The only downside was the cost; $12. 

The service from both our waiter Dagan and the bartender Nina were excellent! They were very warm, personable and engaging. Dagan even gave us little Dove chocolates in lieu of after dinner mints. It was a nice touch.

The Acoustix owners have done a great job remodeling from the old Utopia décor to give it more of a restaurant lounge atmosphere versus a bar. Unfortunately we weren't able to stay long enough to hear the live jazz artists perform, so I can't comment on that. Overall it was a great experience. I'll definitely go back and encourage others to give it a try. 

PROS: Free parking, no cover, food, service, location, $2.99 martinis (Tues. & Wed.)
CONS: Price of dinner entrees ($19-$30), desserts ($10.50 for bread pudding? SHEESH!) and regular drinks ($10-$13), can't make reservations via Open Table
4 - Lerue C.: Last night I ventured down to Acoustic Jazz for a friends birthday.  I have to be honest, I was pleasantly surprised.  

It's a really nice venue.  Its really spacious inside with interesting decor and I realized when I was leaving that you can go downstairs where they have more live music.  The music was awesome!  They had a jazz singer upstairs with a great band.  

Also, I love going out where everyone is dressed appropriately.  No hoochies at this place!

I didnt eat this time as I had dinner elsewhere. I had a decent glass of red wine and the rest of the party seemed to enjoy there entrees. Price point of  about 20.00 for an entree.   The server was excellent and attentive.

You can self park or valet.  It was quite an enjoyable experience and I think I will go back soon.
4 - LaTrese F.: Acoustix: Atlanta's Best kept secret (at least from me and my husband :-)! 
My husband and I were invited to a birthday gathering at Acoustix. The 5.00 cover: Excellent, no lines: Beautiful, no hassle: My type of place. Just great music with a great laid back crowd. There was plenty of seating and we even hit the dance floor to the NeoSoul sounds of the band. The birthday boy got a personalized Birthday song from the vocalist and they even did a rendition of the Wobble just for him. I loved the atmosphere and will definitely return. We didn't eat dinner, but I hear the food is pretty good as well!
4 - Kellie R.: Went to Acoustix tonight with friends and was actually pleasantly surprised! I was skeptical after reading the recent reviews, but luckily our expectations were set by the hostess in regards to the service in the lounge vs. the restaurant when we got there.  So we knew what to expect (little longer wait for food and drinks in the lounge). Overall,  great atmosphere, cool decor, really good the bands, and age of patrons there was right up my alley. I definitely recommend as an after dinner date spot. Very cool venue and I will be going back in the near future.
1 - Rhonda M.: I don't think I've EVER experienced poorer service from an establishment! I was here celebrating a girlfriend's birthday, but felt like I was at a retirement home because it was SO dead. Let's start with the $5 valet, 2 drink minimums, over priced/under seasoned entrees, sub par service, and  lackadaisical Manager..Chalk this up as a ton of wasted $ and terrible Girl's Night Out!  It took an hour and 1/2 to settle our checks! Ridiculous!!!! I could NEVER recommend this place. Get it together people!
3 - Kamara W.: This place has an great environment, especially if you like Jazz. I really enjoyed myself, but our food took waaaaayyyyy to long. The Jazz singer's upstairs and downstairs were terrific. Cool chill spot.
3 - Dee Dee C.: My husband hit one out the park, on his assigned date night, when he found this place. I am glad we found a nice and classy restaurant/lounge that offers live jazz music. 

Pros: 
1.) Free parking (or if you choose to spend some extra bucks, they have valet).
2.) The don't skimp on the alcohol. 
3.) Features live jazz, RnB, and spoken word.
4.) $5 cover charge.
5.) Wait staff are not pushy enforcing the 2-drink minimum. 

Cons:
1.) Although they don't skimp on the alcohol, the bartender could do a much better job of blending the drinks so you DON'T have to taste ALL the alcohol. 
2.) Service in the lounge is scattered. Although the servers were very polite, we couldn't figure out who was serving whom, and we had a hard time getting our check at the end of the night. 

All in all I was impressed with our first visit. I see some room for improvement, but I hope by my next visit I can give Acoustic at least an extra star.

P.S. I would recommend if you are in your late 20's to early 30's, that you get here after 9:30. After 9 the lounge opens, and they mainly play neo-soul/RnB/smooth jazz type music in the lounge ara. A more mature crowd was in the restaurant area listening to traditional jazz,  while a younger crowd was waiting in the restaurant prior to 9:30 for the lounge to open.
3 - Adrianne R.: I like this place, went for a comedy show and the Host Karlous Miller was Hilarious!
3 - Gerald E.: Aside from the $10 cover for the late band and under cooked calamari, I'm still rooting for them to pull out a great evening with food and good music. 
I've heard wonderful reviews. Let's hope it's true.

It turned out to be a wonderful venue. The band was talented and one of the musicians was a Grammy Award Winner! Great atmosphere. Great date spot with a grown and sexy audience.
3 - Sidy D.: Seems like a cool place. There was a comedy show on the friday i was there which was pretty funny. seems like the place has a two drinks or two items minimum but they are not overly pushy when it comes to enforcing it. Overall, I like the vibe of the place would definitely come again.
4 - Michael O.: Very nice place! The ambiance is cool and the wait staff is. My only deal is that I thinks it's a little pricey in there but I guess it's worth i! Those chicken tenders and calamari were off tha chain! I'd come back though....plus, the have a comedy attached to it on certain days!
4 - Tara M.: Wow... this place is NICE! Hubby and I decided we were going to break tradition of going to Fogo de Chao (only cuz we are trying to stay on our diet, it was a sacrifice believe me!) to celebrate our anniversary and made reservations via Yelp for dinner at Acoustix.

We were immediately seated at a table closest to the stage and it was a lot of parties going on in there. The music was great and really made the ambiance something romantic and special. Not a lot of places can do that around town nowadays. They do a really nice thing where the musicians took a break and the singer for the night called everyone celebrating a birthday up to receive a gift of chocolate covered strawberries complimentary of the restaurant. A really nice gesture and everyone loved their little moment in the spotlight.

The food was excellent, little pricey but definitely worth trying. I got the Lena Horne which is two jerked chicken breasts with a side of sauteed spinach. Was really good but don't get it expecting the heat of real jerked seasoning. It was more about the flavor which is smart to appeal to more pallets. I enjoyed it... though I like it hot myself.

I only gave it 4 stars because I did not go to the lounge portion of the venue, though it seemed around 10:00 it was in full swing. Definitely will go check it out soon and write about how it was. Hope this helped guys!

Across the River Salon - Cambridge, MA (42.3686866, -71.0947462) (Inman Square, Kendall Square/MIT)
4 - Jill S.: I had a really awesome pedicure at ATR two weeks ago! The stylist/owner made me comfortable, offered me a drink and brought me magazines, and spent for...............ever giving me a lovely foot treatment and massage, mmmm.  And my polish still looks good, so yay for her! It is a tad pricey compared to other places in Cambridge.
5 - Shaina P.: LOCATION
Perhaps I'm super lucky, but this great salon is literally next door to where I live.  Vanessa, one of the nicest hair dressers I've had, cut both my and my DTP's hair.  We both just walked in.  For people coming by T, it's about a ten minute walk from either Kendall Square or Central Square.  Once you're done your cut, why not step across the street to the local favorite: B-Side Lounge.

PRICE
I thought the prices were reasonable for women.  My wash/cut/style was $42.  It's a very competitive price considering the quality cut I received.  For men, $27, is a bit overboard...  I don't think DTP will go back just for that reason.

THE CUT
I absolutely LOVED my hair cut.  I've been growing it out and wanted to keep the length for once, wanted some layers, and just a fresh style.  Vanessa made me look awesome!  The style is easy to recreate (considering I barely brush my hair, let alone hair dry).    Can't wait to go again!
3 - Joanna A.: Diane is wonderful. She treats me like a princess and i love how she does my eyebrows. I can always go out in public after she does them b/c whatever she does doesn't irritate my skin. And she takes her time and is very conversational.
I had a very bad experience with another sylist here for a manicure. DO NOT get a french manicure here! However, they made good on it by giving me my money back (once I asked firmly). It is expensive here, but i like how close it is to my house. And I really like Diane. Ask for her :)

Acs Security Industries - Los Angeles, CA (34.0811575, -118.4356733) ()
5 - Scott D.: I am President of a very large homeowners association that has used ACS services for patrol and alarm monitoring for the last 5 years.  I can't say enough about how amazing they have been to work with.  None of these alarm service and monitoring companies are perfect but the level of detail they go to in resolving issues quickly and efficiently far surpasses any of their competitors.  

We were with one of the big competitors before and all of our complaints fell on deaf ears.  We now get great resolution, quality officers, and excellent service.  I recommend ACS completely and happy to speak with anyone looking for a reference
5 - Paul G.: The Roscomare Valley Association has been with ACS Security as a company for over seven years. I was the Vice President when the decision was made in 2002-3 after interviewing 7 companies.
                                        Reasons:

LOCAL PRESENCE IN BEL AIR AND good realtionship with LAPD West LA. Honest and reliable owner who is down to earth. The Los Angeles Pioneer in Camera Gating a whole community for security.

ACS is also dedicated to disaster prevention and assistance in partnership with local community associations and will work with customers to upgrade inherited and inadequate security systems.

The people they hire are well vetted and trained and will help you with mail and newspapers when you are on vacation.

They have two basic services;  Monitoring of alarms and armed patrol.
They are licensed for both and can do either. They make no attempt to be the cheapest, just the best at a good value.  That is why I have given them 5 stars. I am stingy with these stars.

Action Mobile Notary & Fingerprinting - Pasadena, CA (34.1458124, -118.1233565) (Pasadena)
5 - Alex M.: Alex is awsome! He has been my notary of choice for in house or traveling for 2 years now. I send him on an assignment in Laguna Niguel and took longer then expected and he still got the docs signed and Fedexed to escrow in time for closing, his prices are fair and he is very knowledgeable about loan docs.
1 - William M.: The address listed on Yelp is not his physical address.  It's actually one of those mail box etc places.

Activities and Recreation Center - ARC - Champaign, IL (40.1014515, -88.2368864) ()
5 - Forrest I.: The ARC was brand new for the 2008-2009 school year.  It features two swimming pools (indoor and outdoor), two entire floors of weightlifting equipment, four gyms, and two floors of cardio equipment.

I work out at the ARC 3-4 days a week, and I rarely, if ever, have to wait to use equipment.  The building is beautiful and always well maintained.  I highly recommend trying out the ARC!
5 - Paige D.: It will always be IMPE to me, in its ARC form, it's gorgeous.  The machines seem to be top of the line, all with iPod docks and TVs.  I definitely plan my workouts around being able to watch the TV programs I want, because I have a short attention span when it comes to working out.   I've only been going consistently this summer, but even in Summer II I've never had to wait to use anything, which is what drove me crazy about IMPE when it was IMPE.  The outdoor pool is great, and almost always has pretty people around it.  I haven't tried out the climbing wall, but barring further damage to my wrist I definitely want to try it out before I move.

Over the summer it does host a lot of summer sport camps, and it was kind of awkward having some 14 year old call me "sweetheart," but if Penn State's facilities measure up to this place at all, I will be a happy camper at grad school.  

My  minor tip-- in my experience, the second floor is always a bit cooler than the main floor, which I like while working out.
5 - Ashley R.: I love this gym! While I don't know what it used to look like, right now I think it's amazing. I've gone at several different times of the day, on pretty much every day except Thursday, and I've never ever had to wait for a machine. (a pet peeve of mine!) I love how there are TVs on every elliptical. Plus the staff is friendly and helpful. My next goal is to check out what else they have and how it looks, like the weight room, the classes, and maybe even the climbing wall!
5 - D A.: The ARC is one of the best things about the University of Illinois--so if you are a student here--take advantage because the fees are added to your tuition.  This gym is incredible, with lots of fun things to do.  Currently I am a grad student (female) at the University of Illinois, and I took advantage last semester (FALL 09) of getting a personal trainer.  I have seen some good trainers, and some OK trainers there, but if you want to get your ass kicked into shape, I would recommend Josh Junge who was prior military. He is not one one these trainers that will just tell you how to use the machines or weights, but rather he is always by your side watching that you are executing the exercise properly, and cares about your feedback.  Man or woman, no matter what your fitness level is, you will be sore the first week or two of training but if your are serious about changing your body to a higher fitness level, he can help you achieve your goal.   I started out strength training twice a week to build muscle (but as an additional bonus I lost body fat).  I later added additional workouts on my own after 6 weeks.  (Warning: Once you see positive results, the gym could be addicting). Yes, personal training does cost money, but you are worth it.    

PS: If working with prior military is intimidating, Liz is a good trainer and so is Leah Okner.
2 - Sam W.: The gym, no question, is big and satisfactory in what regards the number of available machines and such. 

On the other hand, the staff there really sucks, all the way up to the overpaid and waaay too many administrators. The staff section there is embarrassingly overpopulated with unnecessary offices.

The director Robyn Deterding by herself is paid more than $100,000,00 per year, money squeezed out of poor students' fees... WHY exactly is all this university money thrown away? For the "expertise" necessary to buy chlorine for the pool and to plug in the treadmills?

ARC is an example of "perfect waste" which the University of IL affords itself much too easily, on the back of the Illinois taxpayer and of exploited students and parents.
5 - Barack O.: Massive, gorgeous, and pulsating with athletic energy the moment you step inside. It's workout heaven.
5 - Sherwin C.: Just an amazing transformation. Both IMPE and CRCE have transformed themselves from good exercise buildings to state of the art facilities. While I've never actually worked out at either location, I've looked at both and am very impressed with what they have. They both fit in very well with the more trendy, upscale feeling that both the campus and city of Champaign seem to be trying to achieve.
5 - Alain S.: A great facility. I wish more of my friends took advantage of this place when they were here. Lets see, I spent at least two hours a practice, two to three tomes a week for three and a half years. I stayex every summer too. That comes out to about seven hundred hours spent in the arc. I'm in goshin jitsu the muay Thai club and this doesn't count any weight lifting I did outside of practice.

The combat room is really nice. The dance rooms are nice. If you're a student take advantage and go here

Actors Headshots Los Angeles - Los Angeles, CA (34.030769, -118.273641) (South Los Angeles)
5 - Ginger P.: Even if this wasn't the BEST DEAL on headshots in L.A. (which IT IS), I would still say, these are the best headshots I have seen. I have a lot of actor friends who pay $500-$1000 for headshots that don't look half as good as the ones James does! I have used him for three different looks, and I have always been thrilled with the results, as have my agents and managers! Check out his website and see for yourself.
5 - Carl P.: James went above and beyond - big time. He's knowledgeable and a perfectionist in getting THE shot. Now, I'm having trouble deciding between all these gems he gave me. Quick delivery btw with an online gallery and DVD. I'll definitely be a repeat customer.

AcuSpa - Pasadena, CA (34.139923, -118.131741) (Pasadena)
5 - unhip l.: GREAT, great, great spa!  Kevin has magical hands.  The spa is small/narrow but has great decor and ambiance.  There's a shower here but no steam/sauna.  Wonderful spa.  You will not be disappointed.  They sometimes have these crazy promos which are an incredible deal.  Check their website.
5 - Krista B.: Everything in life that seems hurried and stressful gets wiped away when I walk through AcuSpa's doors.  Kevin is a phenomenal acupuncture and massage therapist.  The BEST treatment is the acussage where he does both!  

I'm kind of a spa whore and this place is great.  sure, there's no "locker room" experience, but really, you won't miss it.
5 - Hugo S.: My wife loves Kevin, and I have yet to try him, but can highly recommend Bree, who has strong and remarkably intuitive hands.   If I'm in pain or just a bit stiff, this is where I go.
5 - C T.: Kevin gave an amazing massage, and we were able to find a promotion online for birthdays for a free body scrub with our spa treatment.  The body scrubs were most relaxing.  If I had money, I would suggest getting one with each massage.  He started off slow, then worked into the deeper tissue areas, which I liked.  No initial shock or pain at the get-go.  This place doesn't have a sauna or spa to hang out and chat, but I go for personal quiet time anyway.  When done, we were given an evaluation form to fill out, and $15 discount off our next treatment.
5 - Christy H.: AcuSpa runs a massage school, so if the timing is right you can get a student massage for $35 here.  Yeah it's not as good as the experienced therapists, but it's a $35 massage.

Also, Alex the Esthetician is magical.  She is a superb waxer (my bikini wax was the least painful experience I've ever had) and gives the most meticulous facials.  The extractions hurt but my clear face was well worth it.
4 - Lisa V.: The office was supposed to open at 8am and my appointment was 9am. So, I figured I'd get there at about 8:45ish and did so, but only to find that no one was there!
When they finally all filed in it took about a minute for anyone to even acknowledge me.
Hmmm...not the best start.

Now, the facility itself is nice and intimate. The massage was one of the better massages I've had in awhile (as evidenced by my coming in and out of consciousness during).
The initial greeting wasn't such a turn-off after the amazing massage-- and suddenly everyone was super attentive and friendly.
So, although a good experience, my only gripe is that I paid almost twice what I usually do for a one hour Swedish.  I can almost understand that if you're a full-on spa that can accommodate your hanging out all day pretending to be someone important-- but they don't have that here, hence the 4 stars...
5 - Evelyn L.: Great facials. Being a esthetics student and currently learning about facials, I would recommend this place. Yeah they don't have an extensive 3 page long menu like typical spas do, but why should you be choosing what facial you need when they should be experts. A great spa should be like AcuSpa where they cater to your skin condition and not just try to sell you a service. They use Dermalogica products which is great. The atmosphere of the spa is relaxing. There work area is clean and well kept. Its a small spa, but a great spa. Only gripe was my eyebrows were a bit uneven, but I didn't notice till after. Even though, I would still go back to this place.
4 - richard h.: I was surprise that around the corner from my office is a Spa that is equal to the quality of the resorts that charge $120 for exactly the same thing. I tried the student "route" with Tiffany. $40 for one full hour. You have the option to put a tip in a small brown evelope. This was very classy move from the owner to keep my tip private.As far as the massage, deep tissue..She knew most of the senstive parts & areas that needed more work...  on a scale from 1-10  a "8.5". I have had all kinds of massages & this was in the top ten...and even from a "student"..I have had worst at the Hilton, Great Walliea, Auberge ...she was has good as the Two Bunch Palm resort...often..that is a celeb place in Palm Desert. If you want a very good to excellent massage...this is the place..believe me!! ...I am an old pro..& do not recommend anyone unless worthy. Next time maybe 5 stars, but give them a try!! Call em first.
2 - tammie c.: we got a couples massage last week. i was so excited because i thought it was going to be all romantic and different than other massages. well, no. haha. 

so we started off by getting into our robes and slippers. which was nice, some places don't offer this. the waiting area was small with only four chairs, but it was very comfortable. they had blankets, hand warmers, water, books, and low lighting. they gave us the paraffin wax to make our hands soft. it was a pretty neat experience, although our hands didn't feel any different once we left the joint. also, good luck keeping your robe closed with those mitts on your hands. just pray that the lighting is dark enough so noone gets a peek at the goods :o) the couples room was tiny! the door opened up to hit the massage table that i was on. also, our heads were facing away from each other! how romantic :oT. 

my therapist was so-so. he was super duper nice. he didn't provide a lot of pressure at first. and when he finally asked me how the pressure was, it was kinda too late. my fault though, i really should speak up. it was funny cuz my bf said he barely felt his therapist massaging him. and in the end, she came up to us and said she gave him more pressure because he's a guy. weird. 

we paid and included tip on the credit card. my bf's therapist came out and was talking super awk ward to us waiting for us to tip her. 

i probably wouldn't go back. they give you a $15 credit towards your next massage for filling out a comment card. not sure if i'll do it. 

but i will say that they had great customer service.... everyone was super jolly and had very soothing "masseuse" voices. :o)
5 - Jimmy C.: Acuspa is one of those hidden Pasadena gems.  When you walk in, you already start relaxing with its decor and setting.  

I usually have a foot massage, about once every few months.  I don't necessarily like massages, since I'm ticklish and afraid of pain. . . .But they do a good job in understanding what you like and can take, as well as what is good for you.  There are the cheap Chinese Massages in San Gabriel, but Acuspa provides quality service.  The cheap Chinese Massages feel dirty and are often crowded.. . .

I have sent a few friends to Acuspa, and a few of them are now regulars.  They like the Cosmetic Chinese Facials.  I've had the student massages and they are great, too.  

In addition, Kevin, being a licensed Acupuncture practitioner, has helped me with a couple of ailments as well.
5 - Jill A.: i love massages.  i love giving massages and of course, i LOVE receiving them!  and i've definitely been needing a great massage for quite some time.  

i found this place while researching some massage therapy schools.  it is located in the south lake avenue area, a part of pasadena that i had not ventured out to before.  the little plaza is very cute and filled with other interesting little shops.  the spa is on the second floor.  you can feel the relaxed atmosphere once you walk in.  the girl at the front desk is very friendly.  they offer you a drink and have you sit in the waiting area.

i made an appointment for a student massage.  it's a great deal - $40 for a 60 min deep tissue massage!  i am very hard to please when it comes to massages and my massage therapist, emily, did not disappoint me at all.  the big stress balls in my shoulders actually felt better for the day.  i will definitely be coming back!

parking can be a nightmare depending on the time of day.  pasadena is a busy city!  there is free street parking for 2 hours.
5 - Jennifer h.: AcuSpa is one of the best around, and I've been to plenty. I've tried all the services (massage, facial, waxing) and they are all great!
5 - Lisa N.: Grade: A

I used to drive out to Pasadena to hold trainings for new employees, so I'd always try to squeeze in a trip to Acuspa for brazilian and eyebrow waxes. My favorite aesthetician is Alexandra. She uses soft blue wax and everytime I come away, I am completely happy with the job. She makes it pretty painless too. She also shapes brows very well. I'm sad that I don't live closer to Pasadena, as I can't get out there anymore.

Their prices are very reasonable. It is a smaller, quaint spa, so don't expect Burke Williams or La Costa (not even close to these types of luxurious spas). I haven't used any of their other facilities (showers, restrooms, etc), and I haven't done any other services (massages, facials), so this review is only for waxings and specifically through my aesthetician.

Unfortunately, I never had the time to get facials or massages through Acuspa. When my aesthetician ran late with another client (who came late), they gave me a paraffin wrap while I waited. Nice way to calm the angst.

The downfalls:  sometimes, there isn't anyone at the front to help you. They don't always pick up their calls.

Highly recommended for waxes through Alexandra.
1 - Taylor S.: Acuspa used to be my go-to spot for my monthly waxing.  Despite the popular results, actually going through the act is NOT fun.  But my girl Alexandra somehow made it only moderately painful, she was a doll, and she always made sure not to leave anything behind.  

I say "was" because back in December I called to make an appointment before hubby and I left for our Southern Caribbean cruise.  I was informed that Alexandra had left and, "No, I'm sorry, I don't know where she's gone."  (AKA, "I know where she is but I'm not going to tell you.")  So I took their very kind offer of a discount if I'd care to try one of their other specialists.  Unfortunately, I cannot remember her name.  What I DO remember is that it was awkward, painful, and unsanitary! She used the same dip stick every time (which goes way beyond double-dipping)!  EW!!  Unfortunately, I did not have the cajones to say anything (I won't ever let that happen again though, believe me!)  So I left quietly after paying my tab, silently vowing not to return.
4 - A L.: I went to AcuSpa a few weeks ago and got one of the student massages.  I hafta admit i was a little wary about the whole process since i've never had a massage before and didnt particulary feel very comfortable shedding my clothes in a small enclosed space with a guy.  BUT...i hafta say i was very pleasantly surprised...they were very professional and the massage felt soooo good!  the only reason i took a star off was because when they massage your head, their hands are still super oily from the massage oils and i walked out of their feeling like a million bucks but oily from head to toe, with a strong emphasis on HEAD.  (i felt like i dunked my head & hair in a bucket of oil)  Maybe not their fault, but it did take away a little from my experience. i'd definetly go back but maybe bring a hat or at least a hair tie with me!
2 - Fiona Y.: I finally paid a visit to AcuSpa last week after reading all the good reviews on here.  The place is meh... it's located on the second floor of a somewhat rundown indoor mall/plaza.  The parlor itself is very small with a tight entrance.  The staffs (for the most part) were friendly, their prices are average, and the massage was decent.  

The two things that bothered me were, firstly, my masseuse kept having the sniffles the entire time.  I didn't say anything, and it took her at least half an hour of more sniffles to finally tell me that it was her allergy that kicked in.  Secondly, when I was paying at the front desk, the gentlemen behind the counter (who I think is either the owner or the store manager) had his eyes basically fixed on the credit card printout, staring at how much I was going to tip....... baddd customer service!! 

Aside from the two dislikes above, I don't think I would still return.  The place is not too welcoming nor do I think the massage was all that great.
5 - Grand C.: Come check this place out, located right in Downtown Pasadena on Lake Avenue.  They have all types of massages from there professionals who do a great job.  Also they also have a massage school that teaches a program fit or a massage therapist.  For all you people who want to save money, ask about the student massages they're very affordable about $30 an hour.  You can't beat that price.  Sometimes they have specials so don't miss out.  
I invited 7 of my coworkers and they loved it and will come back again!
4 - Gabriella G.: Well, I have the awful luck of carrying all stress on my neck/shoulders.  I awoke yesterday morning and couldn't even move.  I was in such pain.  I went to work and the pain grew more and more intense.  I called Acuspa in the afternoon to see if they had an opening...4pm...I'll be there!  I was a bit hesitant in spending money on a massage because in the past the magic fingers never relieved any of the pain.  But I was desperate.  All I can say is WOW!  I told Emily to focus more on my neck/shoulders (I didn't want a full body massage).  She did deep tissue and the pressure was perfect.  When the hour was over I couldn't believe how I felt.  I literally felt WAY better.  Not completely healed but definitely not feeling the pain I had an hour earlier.  Today I feel great.  I would say I'm about 90% better.  I'm thankful to Emily and would definitely go back to her in a heartbeat!
4 - Jinny H.: Can't really justify spending over $80 for an hour massage but I'll settle for about a 40 buck massage from AcuSpa's student deal.  After running a half marathon race with some coworkers, I could not walk and my back was in pain like no other the next day so we all decided to book appts the day of for their student offer.  I got a deep tissue and my student masseuse was amazing, a bit talkative but very informative and told me about all my body's problem areas.  The next day my body had completely recovered and I could walk normally again!

So far all the student masseuses have been great and I'd highly recommend this deal; all you gotta do is ask for it when you're making reservations and fill out a form before your treatment and an evaluation right after.
5 - Christiana G.: What a lovely quaint place! Perfect when I need RnR.  I love the front desk girls & the professional manner, but still comfortable & relaxing, STRESS FREE!!! I love hand paraffin treatments but their rest area is just perfect for that.  Massages are of course excellent and strictly professional. I love the Couples' room - I wanna take my boyfriend there sometime!  The aestheticians are knowledgeable about their wonderful Dermalogica products too.  Go to Acuspa rather than those big huge corporate spas where you can't afford or can't get an appt.!!!
2 - Kristy I.: I'm just reviewing the playboy wax services on this one, and I wish I could've gotten 5 star service, but damn, it was not good.

I didn't catch the name of the waxer because she had a thick accent, but if it's Alexandra (who has gotten good reviews on here), then I don't know what you other women are thinking.

First of all, I have TONS of broken hairs that are growing out as we speak (2 days after treatment).  Also, she doesn't pull the skin taut when she's taking off the wax.  It seemed like she was afraid to touch me, to be honest.  After the first PAINFUL pulled fat/skin incident, I started pulling my own skin taut.  I have a very high pain tolerance, especially with waxing, but this was the nearest I've come to wanting to cry.  You gotta get IN there and not be afraid!  I need to go back to my middle-aged Middle Eastern waxers--they don't care if they're grabbing your ass, they will contort your legs and pull your skin taut.

Another thing, she did NOT understand what a playboy wax was.  What seasoned waxer doesn't?  I'm giving her two stars just because she got the job done, albeit messily, and was nice.

Edit:  Just read a review way down at the bottom of the page and saw that Alexandra left a while back.  NO WONDER!!!  Ugh...
4 - Allison G.: Facial with Miriam - After researching several Pasadena area spas for facials, I decided upon AcuSpa based on their facial offerings.  The spa itself is small, but peaceful and cozy.  

This is the best facial I've EVER had.  I left feeling simultaneously relaxed and rejuvenated, and my skin responded very well!  I have been researching and experimenting with various anti-aging products.  Anyone who's done this knows that you often have to spend quite a bit before you find the treatments that work for you.  Fortunately, Miriam was very professional and knowledgeable.  She queried me on my current treatments/regime/lifestyle, and answered my questions about some of my products, too.  

I received a second facial that lived up to the positive experience I had the first time.
4 - Andrea D.: The Short:
I had Miriam for a facial & back facial with the acne treatment.  The first thing she did was mandate that I close my eyes and relax!  Price was okay.

The Long:
So, I called and they were able to get me an appt in an hour.  I got directions & parking info in that call too (I would have probably gotten a ticket if the receptionist didn't tell me).  I walked in to a nice, calming environment.  First thing I got was a hand parrafin (the hot waxy thing).  Once I got in the room, Miriam asked me a series of questions like what medications I'm on (really important!) & how my skin reacts to facials.  I was so comfortable that I think I fell asleep.  Miriam was very thorough scanning my skin during extractions.  She put various things on my face & back & gave me a few tips on how to avoid getting bacteria in my pores.  

Afterward, she told me to take my time getting dressed.  I snuck into the bathroom after I was dressed and Miriam was waiting patiently down the hall with water.  The best part: ABSOLUTELY no pressure to buy anything at the front!  Don't you hate when your therapist comes to "recommend" everything she used?  None of that!  They do sell Dermalogica though, if you need to re-stock.  Overall, great.
4 - Elizabeth O.: This spa is very relaxing. Everyone keeps their voices down so that you don't hear laughter or talking while trying to relax. 

The lights are kept dim throughout most of the spa and there are sound machines everywhere. It was a little chilly inside though. Since I was stripping down to my undies, I wished it was just a tad warmer. 

The room where I had my Swedish Massage was well decorated and dimly lit. It was very relaxing and I really enjoyed my massage.

The reception girl when I arrived was very friendly. The reception girl when I left wasn't as friendly. Was it because I was leaving and no longer needed to be swayed?

They offer water to clients but I wish they offered something a little fancier. Some herbal teas or cucumber water would have been nice. Most spas I have been to offer something other than water. Just sayin'

Even though the spa was in a busy complex and there were several other patrons getting facials and massages, I barely noticed. Inside the spa it is tranquil as can be.

Overall, it was an enjoyable experience. I live a bit far away but I would definitely consider coming back for a massage, facial or some acupuncture. The prices are definitely reasonable.
5 - Karen Y.: I love this place!  I've had massages, facials, and waxing here and I have to say as painful as some of that is, it is well worth it.  The place is a blissful haven during the day.  The waiting room is intimate, low-lit, and very peaceful. Kevin (the owner) is a fantastic person to talk to and is very passionate about his work.  It is fun to talk to him about his business and his ideas about treatments.  Miriam is the person I adore for waxing. She is so professional while also very fun to chat with.  I have no qualms about her ripping my hair out, even in the nether regions- in fact since I've met her, I have always regretted going somewhere else.  The prices are reasonable, and actually more so given the level of professionalism and care Kevin and Miriam have.  Combine that with the warm, cozy tables and waiting room and it really is a good deal.
2 - Asia B.: The service was inconsistent.  

I've been a member for the past year and have had both good therapists and not-so-good, and I gather this is no different from most salons with multiple therapists - especially now that they seem to be running a school out of the location.  

My other complaint is that they do not honor their membership agreement in terms of the extra services they promise to provide.     For example, they offer a free foot scrub when you get a massage - sometimes you get it, sometimes you don't.  I asked about it  a couple of months back and the therapist responded "some therapists, do that, but I don't".   

Now keep in mind, this is not an "optional" service, it's part of their membership agreement! So it seems each therapist can decide what part of the agreement they honor?  Hmmm....

Sometimes I am seen right away, and during that same visit a couple of months ago I reference above, I waited over an hour. 

Additional info:   Miriam gives great facials, very relaxing, and is very thorough in explaining why she performs each step.   The spa is tiny, but nice and very clean.
1 - Lolac C.: Went here for a facial a few weeks back.  The short version:

Acid burned skin and left with two scabs on face and swollen eye.  

It started out okay.  Miriam seem very competent and spoke of skin care in a manner that gave me confidence in what she was about to do.  And perhaps I should have objected to having oils rubbed over my eyes.  It seemed soothing at the time but I realized that this is what probably clogged my eye pore and caused the biggest eye sty/infection I have ever had in my entire life.  It was horrific...I looked like a boxer. 

Extractions were too rough and broke skin, but that did not stop her from applying the mask with acids with burn through my skin given the holes created by the extractions.  

Scabs took 5 days to heal and now I have a discolored spot on my check from the damage.  

Not going back.

Acupuncture Center of La Jolla - La Jolla, CA (32.870735, -117.236132) ()
5 - Theresa L.: Korin Owens, L.Ac. introduced my fiance and I to Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs.  She is very dedicated to her practice and is very welcoming to acupuncture newbies.  

Located in the La Jolla Village Professional Center behind Rock Bottom / El Torito, the center offers a calm and serene space to relax and revitalize.  Korin is very genuine and is really good at listening and analyzing your stressors.  She's very gentle and made our first acupuncture session the first of many.  

After my first session, I definitely felt more energy flow throughout my body- I can't wait to come back!  She's also very knowledgeable on Chinese herbs and medicines and had great recommendations.  She answers all your questions and makes sure you're very comfortable.  

I highly recommend Korin Owens from Acupuncture Center of La Jolla!
5 - Kira L.: I recently experienced the passing of my father, and with that extreme neck and shoulder tension, as well as panic and anxiety attacks. I had vistited my general physican who perscribed me Xanax for the anxiety...but, I've never been one to throw drugs at a problem when it can potentially be healed in another less evasive way. I decided to try acupuncture-never done it before. After my first session with Julie, my neck and shoulders never felt so at ease and relaxed. They felt healthy. I was open to the acupuncture process and found great results just after my first visit. Julie explained what each needle was for, how they worked, etc--it was fascinating. After the acupucture, Julie gave me the most incredible neck and shoulder massage--I felt like a noodle after and it was amazing. I encountered less panic, felt more centered and had an overall sense of peace and relaxation throughout my days. I highly recommend Julie. She put me right at ease, is extremely knowledgeable and made me feel extremely comfortable throughout the whole process. Her care for me and the work she put into me, has made all the difference. I know grieving for a lost loved one is different for everyone and a heavy process, but Julie and her work has helped lighten the load.
5 - Jean A.: I've been going to the Acupuncture Center of La Jolla for about a year and a half for relief from the 12-18 drenching, mind numbing hot flashes I was getting daily that were a side effect of a chemo prevention drug I'm taking for 5 years. My doctor prescribed a medication for the hot flashes, but it came with a warning to  "see your doctor if you experience suicidal thoughts" and I just wasn't comfortable taking it. A neighbor recommended ACLJ, so I started with Korin and noticed an immediate reduction in the severity and occurences of the hot flashes. The calming of the constant hot flash "noise" also helped me identify food triggers that were making things even worse. 

I have settled into a monthly acupuncture "maintenance" treatment for the drug I'm continuing to take, and am down to several hot flashes a week. They are no longer so extreme and the bad ones are usually more stress- or food-related (as in "oops! I ate something I knew I shouldn't!").  The center staff are all wonderful and respond readily to ad hoc needs ("clogged sinuses today? no problem  -- we'll take care of that!"). Korin moved out of the area, and I'm now working with Julie for both acupuncture and massage, which she often combines in the same treatment session and it's heaven!
5 - jennifer D.: In recooping from an auto accident injury it was suggested that I add acupuncture to the massage therapy I was already receiving. I saw a Groupon for a session with Angela Yvonne L.Ac. at the Acupuncture Center of La Jolla a few days later and by chance it turned out the center was in the same building I work in so I decided to give it a try. 

Theresa L.'s comment about the center being "a calm and serene space to relax and revitalize" is right on! You walk in the center door and leave the stress of the world behind. Jessica, the center's front desk person (not sure what her proper title is) greets you with a smile and gives you a real feelng that she's happy to see you before you are wisked away to one of the treatment rooms where soft relaxing music and lighting awaits. 

Angela seems to have a knack for finding the exact spots that need attention and it's rare that I even notice that I'm a human pincushion. I would definitely recommend her to anyone thinking about trying out acupuncture.
5 - Les C.: After I moved here 18 years ago and tried several different acupuncturists I just gave up. So I was quite surprised when I decided to give it one more shot.
       I'm not sure how I ended up with Lisa but it must have been in the stars or something. This young lady really cares about helping someone's life get better.
       I have seen her for many problems in the past two years and she still amazes me. I will say this, if you don't feel better the day after a treatment find a new acupuncturist.
      I went in for a sprained ankle a couple of months ago and the next day I had no swelling and all the pain was gone. I was so blown away I had to put that on here. Sick for two weeks went in last week and the next day I felt like a new person. Now if I would just change my diet.
       I don't care what is wrong with you, Lisa will truly make you a believer in Japanese style acupuncture. You have my word.
5 - Barbara C.: Deb Davies lac. Worked on my bruised rib. I was in severe pain and about to go to the ER but went here first. I felt amazingly better I had been bed ridden due to the stabbing pain but she cleared it up and I can now move without the pain after just two visits am continuing treatment to clear up the bruising. The office staff is quite courteous. It is a lovely office and very welcoming. I highly recommend them.

Acupuncture Fertility Center - La Jolla, CA (32.87045, -117.234292) ()
5 - Lauren V.: Renee is knowledgeable, patient, considerate, and an easy person to talk to. I am seeing Renee for acupuncture therapy that is not related to fertility, but I know this is their specialty and have a friend who recommended the center because of this who no longer has problems with fertility! She has a little girl now :)

I love that the building is very elegant and the waiting room is nice. It feels like going to a nice doctor's office. They have water and tea in the waiting room and share the office space with a plastic surgery clinic. 

Renee has studied accupuncture at a university and has her full credentials for practice unlike some doctors in California who just get the certificate so they can throw accupuncture in with their other services. She does a tiny bit of massage along with the accupuncture which is highly appreciated by me. I always walk out of there totally relaxed.

I have interstitial cystitis and started going to Renee in January 2010. My symptoms have all but disappeared and I am thrilled with the pain relief results.
5 - Robyn C.: I went to Jeneanne years ago after being referred by a friend. I had been going to another acupuncturist for fertility with no positive results (or vibe). Upon my initial consultation with Jeneanne I was "hooked"... I had to be her patient, it was everything that I was looking for. Her positive outlook, calm nature and pure intelligence on fertility was spot on! I had two miscarriages and felt that it was "to be" that I found Jeneanne when I did (as I was approaching 40)! Jeneanne is the most patient, caring and smartest woman I know. Her passion for her profession and dedication to it and her patients is truly amazing. I thank her all the time for the precious gift she helped me with, in my now 4 year old little boy, and even named his middle name with a "J" after her! She is the ONLY one that I would (and did) trust with my body and emotions! She is simply the very best and her peers "ain't got nuthin' on her" she is simply put THE TOP BANANA in her field. Her dedication, compassion and devotion to her patients is beyond words. Make an appointment just to meet her and you will see immediately why she is the best in her field and the most visited fertility acupuncturist in our area! She has not only helped me but many friends (some that I referred, and some that i didn't) with their wish to become a mom! Her office staff is wonderful and they don't leave you for wanting anything else... try the massage therapist too, AWESOME care!
5 - bridget m.: At the risk of sounding redundant Jeneanne is kind, compassionate and a top notch Acupuncturist. I have work in the field of alternative healing as a Massage Therapist for 13 years and i know the real deal when i see it.
Jeneanne and her staff have helped transform my difficult fertility struggle into a journey of returning to health and finding my baby.
5 - Lauren S.: Well, of course she already has a bunch of 5-star reviews! Jeneanne is like the fairy godmother to the women of San Diego who are struggling with infertility. Honestly, she is the only good part of the whole ordeal. Now that I have "graduated" and my baby girl is on the way, I find myself missing Jeneanne and her staff at Acupuncture Fertility Center, not to mention the yummy smell of her offices. Renee is also great, I only had one appointment with her but it was an important one and she did a fantastic job.

Even if you are on a tighter budget like I was, this is worth every penny!
5 - Lindsay R.: Jeneanne and Pam have been SO incredible. I struggle with PCOS, yet I don't struggle with my weight, so I was confused as to how to tackle this insulin resistance. These two have myself AND my husband moving forward on a plan to get us healthy and prepared - when we want to have babies in a year or so, I'll probably be able to JUST through diet and nutrition! They have been such a huge source of encouragement for us, looking at the changes I have to make as a positive thing rather than a restriction. They spend TIME with us and never check the clock. I really feel like our time together is so genuine. What a blessing to be around healthcare professionals who care ... to the core. Looking forward to benefiting from her acupuncture skills down the line.

Acura Bike Tour - Los Angeles, CA (34.0295114, -118.2848199) (South Los Angeles)
5 - Steven L.: Once a year, the streets of LA gets shut down for the Acura Bike Tour, 5K Run and the big kahuna of them all, the LA Marathon.
 
Here's our two cents of the event. Woke up at 3am way before the crack of dawn, WTF!! Yeah, we didn't even know what we got ourselves into. Wifey almost wanted to kill me when she found out the wake up and start time...yikes! So we ran through our check list: We got our bikes tuned up, got our gloves (muy importante), windbreaker, helmet, bibs for our shirt, bike and helmet, water bottle, power bar, cash for parking, directions, all checked. And we're off!

Fireworks and the bike tour start gun goes off at 5:45am. It's way too early and cold (50 degrees) for us to make sense of this all. Thank goodness our adrenaline was in full throttle.
 
What's great about the Acura Bike Tour IS NOT A RACE! I repeat, THE BIKE TOUR IS NOT A RACE! It is purely for enjoyment purpose and a chance for all bikers of all skill levels to unite and ride together on a route through LA. Beginners are totally welcome. The minimum speed you have to maintain is 9 mph and you're set! Easy.

This is our first year at the Acura Bike Tour and man despite the early am traffic, parking congestion and of course the 21 miles bike ride. It was all worth it. Yupe, we are officially hooked. This is one of those event that just can't be missed if you have a wee bit of that bicycling spirit in you. The thrill of riding with an estimated 15,000 fellow bike enthusiast is reason enough for us to be here. The icing on the cake is being able to tour the various part of Los Angeles with no cars on the streets, that is absolutely priceless. The bike tour allowed us to rediscover the city again at a slower pace and it was such a pleasure. Places we've been and would not dare be in at the wee crack of dawn. With the streets closed off to autos, giving us the privileged to ride and appreciate the natural raw urban beauty of this city is just way too cool of an experience to pass off. Too often we tend to drive hurriedly from point A to point B with blinders on and missed all of the nuances in between our journey. This tour really gave us a chance to feel the heart beat of LA in the flesh, uninterrupted, unfiltered, traffic free, smog free and 90% people free! Nothing but you and the spinning sounds of wheels hitting the pavements, that's it. No honking, no road rage shouting matches, no sirens, no machinery or factory sounds. Just us and the city! Wow, what a day! We were also lucky enough to have our family there for support at the finish line.
 
We hope we will be lucky enough to continue this tradition annually and join our fellow Los Angeles bikers from all walks of life, nationalities and ethnicities. From kids to elders, this event is a must if you call yourself Angelinos.

Okay, now you wanna ride, what to do. Well the official website sucks.
The website do not have any specific details or giving you any other options to sign up except through their website which they charge an online registration fee on top of the Bike Tour registration fee. This event is organized by Divine so the website is a bit self serving to help generate addition cashflow for them. My advice is to wait and drive down to the Life Expo which takes place at the LA Convention Center during the two days prior to the Marathon and Bike Tour event day. This way, you can save some money from the online registration service fee hacked by Divine. Even if you sign up online and pay for the convenient service fee, you still have to drive down to the Life Expo to pick up your goodie bag which will have your bib and race's number and instruction, route map, etc. Therefore, save yourself a few bucks and just head down to the Life Expo, wait in line a bit and then just register and pick up all of your goodies all in one stop. Make sure to go and register early if you want to grab your free t-shirt in small sizes. Otherwise, by the last day of the Expo, all they have left is Large sizes.

IMPORTANT
Please note that The Marathon and Bike Tour route might share route but they may not have the same starting and ending location. This changes so make sure to read up ask all of these important questions at the registration desk at the Expo including parking location, very important. For the bike tour, make sure to get there a couple of hours early if you can to avoid traffic  from the freeway exit and into the parking lot.

I've added addition links below since it is so hard to find any info for the Acura Bike Tour due to the overshadowing by the LA Marathon event.

http://corporate.honda.com/america/sponsorships.aspx 

http://www.acuralabiketour.com/


Not Bike Tour related but have some really helpful biking articles

http://www.myra-simon.com/bike/tips.html
4 - Lynette L.: This was a must do for me especially since I'm moving back to NorCal. I was supposed to meet up with friend but had a hard time finding them. There was an estimated 15,000 bicyclists at this ride. It was a great ride especially knowing that it was part of the LA Marathon. We started and ended at the LA Convention Center. This ride is definitely not for someone who wants to ride fast there were a lot of novice bikers that would make sharp turns with out looking. At some point I almost fell because a rider crashed into a little girl which caused a domino effect. I fortunately was able to unclip myself to catch my fall. Also the starting and finish line were jam packed with cyclists that we all had to walk our bikes out of the starting gate and walk it in at the finish. With out all the traffic I encountered I think I could have finished in less than an hour but again this is a leisure ride not a race. I definitely would do it again with a bunch of friends and family. Its a great way to see LA.
3 - Darshan R.: Fantastic way to experience some of the greatest sites of LA without dealing with traffic.

This was my fifth year of participating in the Marathon/Bike Tour. They were all great experiences. The only downfall from this year was that the event was held on Memorial Day. From the time I can remember, it was held on the first Sunday in March. Luckily, I was free that weekend, so I was able to participate. But, I'm hoping they change it back to March, so Memorial Day can be saved for another adventure.
5 - Paul B.: After riding with my son in the past three Acura Bike Tours, (2007-2009), I was crushed to find out that the event was canceled this year, but since Frank McCourt has taken control of the LA Marathon, what do you expect? 

If the Bike Tour starts again and you have never ridden in one before, do yourself a favor and GO! Hands down the best way to see the streets and neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Yes, its early, yes, parking is a bitch, yes, its a white knuckler getting out of the first few blocks where the cyclists are packed together like sardiines in a can, but after that - aaahhh!! Even though its not a race, the hardcore road bikers will be sprinting to the front, and the pace kind of settles itself out. Since there is no traffic to worry about, you can start up a conversation with the person riding next to you. You can appreciate the cool morning air, and you can feel the rhythm as you pedal away the miles. Closer to the finish line, neighborhood folks line the sidewalks and shout out cheers and encouragement - how Tour de France can you get!!

There are numerous aid stations where gatorade and bananas are handed out, and overall the tour is very well organized. It was definitely missed in 2010 and I hope it makes a triumphant return, (without the McCourts), in 2011!!
1 - Amber S.: Boo!!!!!  They are not doing the bike tour in 2011 either.  I talked to someone at the Long Beach marathon expo, and it's the same course as last year, down to the beach.  The guy gave me the reason that they have no way of getting all of us bikers back to L.A. after the bike tour.  Hmm, I thought that this was the LOS ANGELES marathon, not a So Cal tour marathon.  Boo to whoever excluded us again this year.  I rode in 4 L.A. bike tours, they were awesome.
3 - Raymond R.: I really have mixed emotions about this bike ride. lol

The Acura Bike Tour was the first bike marathon that I did. Yeah, it was an accomplishment to finish the ride (I believe the first time I did the ride it was 26 miles and the second time I did the ride it was only 22 miles.) You get a medal at the end of the ride and people congratulating you for finishing.

BUT....

This isn't the safest ride. At the site of a slight incline, people would STOP and get off their bike to walk it up (happened to me, i was following someone and when they saw the base of a little hill they braked right in front of me and decided to get off their bike and walk it). Thats fine if they would designate a walking area so that the people that wanted to bike up the hill don't have to keep dodging people that are walking.  I had to pedal with one foot clipped in and the other one clipped out, just in case I had to put my foot down so I don't eat it for going to slow. And watch out for kids. They tend to drift off into other peoples lanes.

But it was fun rolling through LA. Hearing people cheering for you. Seeing how close you are to finishing.  And go with a group friends. Makes it more fun.

So if you want to try a marathon, I guess give it a shot. Be ready to wake up at the crack of dawn to get to the meeting area. And also in the beginning be ready to walk for awhile because its taking the people in front of you awhile to get going on their bike.

And then when the ride is over go stop by your favorite breakfast joint to grub down on some food.

Note*: oh.. i just read some of the other peoples reviews and it looks like there not doing the ride anymore... whoops

Acura of Pasadena - Pasadena, CA (34.1459511, -118.1238184) (Pasadena)
4 - Stephanie W.: One of the best car shopping experiences I've ever had!  
When I was in the market for a new car and couldn't decide what to get, I drove out to Pasadena.  I figured if I went further outside the L.A. scene, I would have a less stressful time choosing.  Pasadena and in particular Acura of Pasadena was definitely the right choice.

The guys who helped me were all very friendly, informative and best of all NOT PUSHY!!  I was in and out in record time (2 hours) and the entire "paper-signing" process was oddly easy.

I ended up with a leased Acura MDX which my mom now drives and since her lease is up next month, she's actually looking into yet another Acura (unless I can force her to get a Prius..hee hee)!  
These are fantastic, reliable cars - true luxury and at a better price than most other cars in their class!

Acute Style - Ithaca, NY (42.4415865, -76.486044) ()
4 - Tommy W.: For a grad student on a budget, this place gives you a good hair chop at the right price.  It's conveniently located right in Collegetown across from Jack's and seconds from Starbucks.  Best of all, if you go before noon it's $3 bucks off ($12 instead of $15 for a standard chop, no wash).  

I recommend setting up an appointment with Missy.  She's a sweetheart and takes the time to do you right, even the little details.
5 - Marya A.: Definitely cheap (go before 12 on a week day for a discount!).

I'm not usually someone who likes to sit and chat with my stylist while getting my hair done, but the women here are very friendly and know how to keep a conversation going.

Good location, good prices and EXCELLENT hair cuts!
4 - Andrew T.: Acute Style is great! I keep my hair simple, boring, and zero-maintenance and they always keep that going nicely. The atmosphere is friendly; employees are nice if you want to talk, but I also felt comfortable just sitting quietly while I got my cut and they chatted with each other. Definitely recommend going for the early bird or Sunday deals.

My one issue is, being a college town, some of the "extra" employees come and go, so there's always a chance you get someone new with a different "style". Sophomore year the guy convinced me I should use gel...should've stuck to my guns cuz I never put it on it the next two years. Never saw him there again either. No big deal, cut was still fine, just don't feel like you need to veer from your routine just because the new guy tells you to.

(I don't go to college here anymore, but my annoyed search for a new barber in Seattle inspired me to come back and recommend this place to all the freshman Cornellians.)
3 - Kevin Jiseup K.: Deciding whether or not to give a 4 or 3, I'll give it a solid 3.5. Acute is not great a hairshop, but it's cheap and probably the best option you have in Ithaca/C-town. I'm Asian so we put a LOT of emphasis on our hair. 

The girl cutting my hair was so hot... so okay my review is going to be a little bit biased. I brought in a picture of what I wanted, my hair turned out pretty decent. The girl really knew how cut a faux-hawk. $2 discount on Sundays ($10 overall and I gave them a $2 tip). Dang, she was hot. Okay haha enough of that.

Decent hair cut, hot stylist, cheap price, what more can I ask for?
5 - Rafael G.: Great haircut place in Collegetown. Beats the surrounding locations considerably. The interior is spacious and the staff is friendly, unlike the cramped place across the street. After having tried a couple of other places, I was happy to find a shop I could trust.
1 - Joe C.: Owner/Manager (forget name) is pleasant and does a great job cutting hair.

However!.... the other haircutters are terrible..  One experience: I  needed a high and tight.  She asked me how to do it.  I had to explain it to her step by step and she kept on messing it up.  Couldnt even fade it.  
Other experiences:  awkward conversations with an unenthusiastic male haircutter who complained about everything and mumbled under his breath.  I had to keep asking what??
2 - Michael H.: Got a haircut at Acute Style a week ago... it did not turn out great.  I wish I could post photos to show how bad it is; not only did the girl cutting my hair f*** up the clipper work, but she also gave me a very uneven cut with the shears.  I could tell that she did not care about my hair at all.  She was too busy listening to her socially awkward boyfriend (he was sitting in the seat next to me) complain about his mother.  

She never cross-checked the evenness of my haircut (no blending/tapering at all).  After the shears I asked her to trim my sideburns and she f***ed that up, too...  one side ended up being trimmed at a steeper angle.  Obviously, I looked ridiculous afterward.  Thought about going back to get it fixed, but there was no way I was going to let that same "stylist" touch my hair again.

It was $15 (plus $3 tip) to have my hair cut at Acute Style.  Definitely not worth it.  I shouldn't have tipped her at all, but I felt sorry for her because she had to deal with her whiny, little b*tch ass boyfriend.

YMMV.  There may be other, better stylists there, but I wouldn't risk my hair again knowing that they hire incompetent people like the girl I was stuck with.

Adagia Restaurant - Berkeley, CA (37.8691421, -122.2542777) (UC Campus Area)
4 - Jeff W.: Adagia would be worth visiting even if most of the other restaurants on the south side of campus weren't so god-awful bad. They use lots of seasonal and sustainably-raised ingredients, and their entrees are well thought out and reasonably priced.
4 - John P.: Mmm.  I love Adagia.  Their food is divine.  It's fresh, well-prepared, and the ambiance is wonderful.  Having to draw it in painstaking detail for class didn't detract from how good it is, and I would go there every day if I had the money.  They balance their entrees with great sides, and everything is always creative.  I have had the best calamari ever there, so good I went back for it again (the second time NEVER lives up to the first-just a fact).  Doesn't get 4 stars because sometimes the waiters aren't so attentive, and their desserts are hit-or-miss.  Their cakes tend to be dry, but everything else is delicious.  I also hear they have an amazing pear upside-down cake.  I'm dying to try that one.  I love that it's practically a new restaurant every month (new menu each month), yet I still can rely on anything I order being delicious.
4 - Angie C.: Good entrees, mediocre desserts. The coffee is spun from Strada's web, so enjoy a cuppa joe after your meal instead.
4 - Catherine H.: good ingredients, careful preparation, good service. seems like they put in a good effort to make the food creative. sit under vaulted ceiling, makes you feel like you're at a dining hall of some private school and that you've attended a faculty luncheon (to describe the crowd a bit). i had crab cakes & lamb stew. oh, and i was expecting bread but there was none offered. pretty moderate prices for lunch.
3 - eve l.: i'd give this place 3.5 stars. the food was pretty good, but the service was very spotty. a word of caution, don't order a starter AND an entree unless you've got a BIG appetite. the waiter failed to mention to us that they serve "american" portions here (aka, enough to feed a small family). everyone's starter was like a full-sized entree. p.s. a "bowl" of soup translates into a pot of soup that's so big you can dunk your head in.
3 - Irene S.: My significant other took me here the other night, and I found that the food is good and well prepared. Our waiter was very pleasant, and ran to the sommelier for me when I had a question about wine pairing. The building is very nice, and we thought that it was a good place to book a large dinner party -- they also had an outside area with heat lamps, though the lighting back there looked a bit harsh. Inside, the texture of the place was warmed by dark wood and mellow lighting via the overhanging chandelier lamps.
3 - Shanna K.: Really good.  But kind of an odd mix of casual and formal.  

For example...

The space is lovely, with a pretty garden out front and an open, almost medieval feel inside with it's fireplace, vaulted ceilings and enormous wood tables... but then there was some of the strangest mix of music being played.  There would be perfectly nice swing or otherwise mellow music and then all of a sudden some funky song that sounds like it should be in an Austin Powers movie would come on.   Aroo?   

Another example...     The food is really delicious and beautifully presented with the best seasonal ingredients possible but then there are recycled (yes, that's noble but...) paper napkins.  Unfortunatly they really detracted from what seems to want to be a fine dining experience.   Perhaps they ran out of cloth napkins?  I don't know... but it was odd. 

Other little hiccups were having to ask for the proper glasses for our rather expensive bottle of Pinot Noir (which they did happily bring) and forgetting a dish we ordered for the table to share...   but on the upside, or server stayed REALLY late as we finished up and was very, very pleasant and relaxed.

I do agree with Eve, that the starter portions are HUGE.  Be aware, when ordering!

Anyway, I wouldn't hesitate to go back..  I wish that they would expand their wine list a little, it's rather small ... but I do like that they are open late.
4 - esther o.: Eating here made me feel like I was in a Harry Potter movie.  

As for the food, the pork chop I had was great, but the dessert was surprisingly subpar--it tasted like the components had all come out of a can.  I expect this in DC, but not in the sustainable produce capital of planet earth.
3 - Jeff D.: I go to Adagia at least once a week, mostly for dinner.  The food is generally well executed and flavorful, and served in a lovely dining room.  So, you may ask, why only three stars?  Good Question!  It's the service.  It's really hard to imagine more amateurish service.  Sometimes they don't have enough staff.  Sometimes the staff they have indulges in long personal conversation at the expense of other diners.  And it takes FOREVER to get someone to take your order or come by at the other necessary times:  dessert, getting the tab.  I'm so glad to have a decent restaurant close to campus, but I fear that it will fail for lack of professional service. The owners need to get the staff working.
2 - Sara M.: I'm editing my previous review.  Since my original review I've been to Adagia several more times, and have now decided that it's not worth the effort.  I've continually has sub-par service.  The food looks like it would be good but is only mediocre.

Once I was there for lunch with my husband.  He ordered a burger and when it finally came (slow service, especially for lunch) it was raw in the middle.  Not rare and juicy, *raw*.  It was as if it had been put on the grill frozen and removed just when the outside was brown.  I had to physically go find the server because he just would not come anywhere near our table.  They nuked the burger or something, then offered us free dessert.  We explained that we were now late and didn't have time for dessert, and they didn't even comp the burger or anything.  Lame.
_________________________________________

Gorgeous room, as others have said.  I can't wait to go back when the fireplace is going.  I had a delicious lamb shank last time I was there.  The fritto misto was also good.  

The service was a little iffy, however.  It took a *long* time to bring the wine out after we had ordered - maybe 15 minutes?  That was a major drag.  

The location is great for me - very convenient to my house.  It is right across the street from the Berkeley campus on Bancroft, almost right across from the law school.
2 - Brian D.: I have mixed feelings about Adagia.  The food is fairly good, if overpriced.  However the portion sizes are a tad unpredictable- a pork tenderloin was twice the size of an anchovy sandwich that was the same price.  Service is a bit slow.

The decor is nonexistent, and since the dining area used to be a church or a frat house or a hunting lodge or WHATEVER it was, it is large, panelled in wood, and VERY LOUD, filled with echoes.  There are no wall hangings, pictures, nothing.  Our party of six was seated on benches around a long table (as in a cafeteria, for example), and we if we shouted across the table we could barely be heard.  The place feels less like the "nice place to take your parents," and rather more like the "sandwich-serving cafe which got cranked full of growth hormones and overtook a monastery."

Also, this is a pet peeve of mine, but San Pellegrino is not Italian for "sparkling water"; if it says San Pellegrino on the menu and I order a San Pellegrino, I don't think it's unreasonable for me to expect delivery of an actual bottle of San Pellegrino instead of a bottle of some random sparkling water, even if it also happens to have some Italian written on it.  Call me crazy, I dunno.
1 - The Sock S.: This place isn't horrible, but it's just not good. The service was extremely slow on a night when the dining room was less than half full. The food itself was nothing special, in fact probably closer to being sub-par. The fire alarm went off as we were ordering and the staff advised us we should go outside since the fire dept. was the only one that could turn it off. So we did. After the alarm was turned off, we went back inside. No apology, no offer of anything. Ridiculous. 

Sat for a while before the waiter came to take the order. No bread - what is it with places that have bread plates and don't bring bread??? It took close to 15 mins to get our appetizer. Once done with that, it took at least another 15 mins for the entree. I can understand if the fire alarm threw them off, but by that point they should've been back on track. The service is just pathetic for somewhere that envisions itself to be such a great place. 

Oh, the main dining room is pretty nice, kinda like a mini Hogwarts as has been mentioned.
3 - Cara C.: The pros:  I had a fish entree.  Tasty sauce.  Quality ingredients that went well together.  Good presentation.  

The cons: I agree with the complaints about slow service.  I don't mind if it takes a while to get an entree, but it should not take 15 minutes from the time of order to get a beverage...  I thought the service was especially bad because I was at a table of 10, in a private room, and there appeared to be no other customers in the restaurant.
Also, a bit overpriced.
4 - Brandon D.: My friends took me here for my 21st birthday and there were 15 of us.  I didn't really like the fact that the seating for a party our size was bench-style, because it made me feel cramped.  Other than that I liked the place.  However I thought it seemed out of place in Berkeley (especially considering it's located in the more student-oriented Southside); it was a bit too posh given its location.  For a restaurant in a college town, most of the clientele are older, and not just because of price; Adagia is more traditional and conservative in its style, and not as hip or trendy as other places.  This is a place that, more by its mere appearance than explicit rule, demands you dress up a bit.

Make no mistake, this is a first-tier restaurant in Berkeley (although it has a long way to go before earning the credibility of Chez Panisse), so this place is not for the faint of wallet.  First-tier usually means overpriced food in small portions, but I found the portions adequate.  Service was surprisingly fast considering our party was 15 people, but I guess it's not so hard when the menu only features 3 or 4 entrees a night.
5 - Alex M.: What a nice lil' place! I had the best panini here. Good cheese and mushrooms! Yum! The wine was pretty good and everyone else loved their lunch. It is slightly expensive but good.
3 - Burcin T.: A beautiful brunch experience in a great dining hall !!! I got the farmers omlette and absolutely satisfied with it, love the bread, lettuce that comes with it. It didn't take my boyfriend a second to set his mind on a burger when he saw one being carried to somebody else! It was very delicious. Their mimosas do not bite at all and very refreshing. And the coffee, just perfect...People complaining about the slow service: This food just can't be prepared in 10 minutes! It is really high quality. They could improve on their mixed berry jam, this one was way too sweet and a larger amount would be more appropriate for the amount of bread that is served with it. 

I am definitely interested in trying it for a dinner too.

********Edition, April14 2008*********

Good food but really if you wait FOREVER (Now, I am also complaining). I asked one of our servers today if the kitchen was backed up, he said no...Well, then why this wait? Do you have a slow cook? Or do the waiters work slowly?I don't understand why it is SO SLOW...I know that it can not be prepared in 10 minutes as I mentioned earlier, but it shouldn't take half an hour just to get even a dessert...
4 - Noah K.: ate with audrey and tim. loved the special salad and great wine. 2028 syrah, tasty.
4 - Shinny L.: Quality of the food is excellent.  Ambience is kind of weird.  When I was at Cal, I think the place was a church..so it felt kind of strange eating there with the echoes and benches.  The food took a while to get to the table, but when it got there it was worth the wait.  Quality is in par or better than Solano Bar & Grill (a favorite of mine in the east bay).
1 - AlfiHatesFlea S.: Wow, I would give this place half a star if i could. The only reason I'm not looking to give it zero stars is that the service was definitely not professional but wasn't soooo bad; I've had worse, although not by much.

The most salient point though, is that the food was really really really not good = bad bad bad. 

I went with my siblings and they both ordered the steak, and the waiter asked how they would like it done. One said medium well-done, and the other said medium rare. How is it that when the plates come out, they are equally pink?! That's not a good sign. Furthermore, they both thought there was quite a bit of gristle. They didn't have too many complaints about the potatoes, but who wants to pay 20 bucks for potatoes?

I got the lamb shank and it was horrible. It was supposed to be prepared Moroccan-style, but it was really hard to taste anything but the salt. The kale and veggie side was really salty too. I had to request extra bread just so I could make it through a few bites. I left most of it on my plate by the end of dinner. Most normal waiters at that point would ask if there was anything wrong with the dish-- no such thing at Adagia.

And don't believe that the restaurant is kid-friendly either. Having a couple of high chairs does not a a kid-friendly restaurant make. They had nothing on the menu that would remotely interest a child's palette (except the desserts perhaps, but that's not really dinner is it? also, from the other reviews, it sounds like the desserts are pretty bad too).

Really really disappointed, needless to say. Berkeley is known for much better cuisine. If you're going to blow $$, I'd recommend Oliveto's on College Ave. Or La Mediterenee. Or Filippo's. Or Fat Slice. Or maybe just head over to a grocery store and buy a couple of potatoes, cuz that's about all that was ok about Adagia!

I really hate to slam a place so hard, but believe me it's a worse experience dining there... then paying the bill for it....
4 - Joon S.: I am the worst barista ever.

That's not totally true.  I had my good moments, such as when Chef Brian Beach led the crew in making twenty chocolate lava cakes and I had the honor of squirting the "lava" into the cakes.

Probably the best thing about working at a restaurant is getting to know the chefs and servers who make it happen.  Seeing Brian work was magic--seeing someone so high on San Pellegrino Aranciatas turn out the most delicious food was an exercise in the complexity of humanity.

That all being said, the food:

(1) Half-Pound Angus Burger: I heard about the deliberations that went into this burger.  For instance, could a restaurant geared towards California cuisine pull off a $12.00 hamburger?  The answer was yes.  Half a pound of rare, bleeding beef, topped off with grilled onions and melted gruyere, heirloom tomatoes and lettuce, on toasted challah bread was exactly what this converted Presbyterian meeting room needed.  With a side of frites fried in beef fat and washed down with Sierra Nevada is to know how good it is to be omnivorous.

(2) Braised Lamb Shank: or, more properly, "dinosaur bone."  I have never had any kind of meat more flavorful, more juicy, and more rewarding than the lamb shank.  It is literally the size of a two-year-old's head, but more tender.

(3) Spanish Eggs: potatoes fried with chorizo, olives, onions, and peppers, garnished liberally with paprika and parsley, then topped off with two fried eggs--the only thing missing in my life when eating these eggs were afternoon siestas.

(4) Tuna Tartare: this stemmed from Brian's idea of "gourmet nachos."  Why stop at half-pound Angus burgers when the synergy of college and haute cuisine was so awesome?  The "chips" were fried wonton triangles.  The tuna tartare was mixed with a light cream sauce, then spooned onto the wonton trianges and garnished with black sesame and chives.  Dipping these in the Haas avocado guacamole made me never want to go back to Tostito's canned bean dip--until I realized that they were two sides of the same coin.

One of the best things about eating at Adagia is being able to stop over at Caffe Strada and top off the meal with the perfect Americano, shot of espresso, or strada bianca mocha.  College and Bancroft--one of the great intersections of food and coffee.
4 - Mary F.: As an undergrad, you've passed this building countless times while scurrying your robot self to and fro.... the upscale establishment becomes kind of foreboding after a while. We all know it's a restaurant but students almost never go there....

One day I ventured into the no man's land that is Adagia. I had lunch with one of the VC's and family. And to my surprise, there wasn't a dungeon master waiting at the helm, making sure we were the elites of academia to enter... it was just a restaurant, a very architecturally aesthetic restaurant. High vaulted ceilings, huge windows and a fireplace and a kind of cool lodge-feel. Kind of somewhere you'd imagine Beowulf to gather for supper.

I had a Mediterranean salad even though I typically distrust salads (but I was with the VC and didn't want to look like a fat ass. And it was really really good. I think the best one I've had in awhile. Everything else ordered was also on par. 

Just be warned, if you do have dinner here, it will cost you and you will run into your pretentious Lit professor dining with the Dean of such and such.
4 - J C.: I used to live here before the restaurant moved in. They did a nice job restoring the Great Hall and getting the fireplace restarted. The building's architecture is to my liking. They have added a nice garden. The food is good but it is the atmosphere that makes this place worth a visit.
2 - vicky c.: For all the hype, I was disappointed. 
For one, I wasn't feeling the austere wood interior. It felt like it was trying too hard not to be pretentious, when it really was. And like the oher reviewer said, what's up with the paper napkins? 

Regardless, a restaurant's about its food. And again, not that impressive. We started out with a mushroom pizette appetizer. Not bad, and quite large. I almost could've eaten that for dinner itself. Put it was something about the type of cheese they used with the wild mushrooms, mixed with the pesto that seemed off. The mushrooms were too strong, the cheese too soft and aged, and the pesto too bland to make the appetizer good.

But went ahead and tried the fish entree. It's been a while, so I forget exactly what it was. White fish, so maybe bass. Maybe snapper. Regardless, the fish itself was fine. A little bland. But it sat on a bed of wilted cabbage or something. The textures and tastes did not mix well. The fish was completely overpowered. And the flavors didn't blend. And for the $25+ that I was paying for that dish alone was far from worth it. Believe me, I'm not cheap. I'll easily plunk down $30-40 for a good dish, but that wasn't worth $10 in my mind. 

And then dessert. The tiramisu. I'm not a huge tiramisu fan, but it wasn't bad. I appreciated the fact it wasn't too heavy. But yet, it also wasn't too flavorful or too sweet. 

I don't care what the esteemed Cal faculty say. Didn't make it in my book. Go to North Berkeley's gourmet ghetto for a nice dining experience instead.
4 - Nick H.: I took my girlfriend here for Valentines day 2007 and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal/experience.  There was, of course, a multi-course prix fixe menu, so we didn't have a typical experience.

Most of the courses were quite delicious - I'm talking very fine food prepared by a chef with true skill.  Just a few of the items could have been done a bit better, but we were certainly impressed with the food.

The service was good and everyone there was kind even though they obviously would want to be with dates of their own on such an evening!

The only thing preventing a 5-star rating is that the mixture of all the food was somewhat unsettling on our stomachs afterward. I think the utterly rich and delicious assortment of like 15 different things all mixed together in the various courses ended up hurting our stomachs a bit.  Overeating was definitely part of the problem, but at the same time, you expect a masterful chef to be aware of the way everything will mix together. 

I'll have to go back sometime for a more casual meal and see how they do at that.
5 - becky s.: Nice cottage look! Not exactly the place for a young crowd. This is the type of place that old professors and alumni go to have their brunch and sip their chardonnay.

5-stars because I didn't pay! Thanks Jenny C!
4 - Kione E.: Very Nice.
A friend''s graduation dinner.
The gave us a table outside in the court yard. Even though it was cold and windy, we were comfortable because they had heaters surrounding the table. It was really cool.
I had no idea what red and white wines or champagne was ordered. There was a lot. And we drank and got drunk.
I had a salad. Um....I think it was a Caesar salad.I could be wrong. I was already a bit buzzed. I think I liked it.
I may have had an appetizer. But by that time I was well sauced.
Steak! I had steak for dinner. I remember, because I felt like an maddened animal as I ate it. It was rare and hot and delicious. I vaguely remembering growling as I ate.
Desert was something chocolate. And another thing apple. The server had an extra dish and gave it to me. 
She was super cool.
We had a lot of fun.
My friend's dad footed the bill.
3 - Jenny C.: Don't even bother coming here unless you have the 2 for 1 coupon from the "Berkeley Guide to the Good Life" coupon book otherwise it is wayyy overpriced.

For dinner, I had the lamb and it wasn't that hot because it had more than enough fat to keep me warm in the winter and didn't even taste that great.  The polenta was nasty too.  So sad that the only thing I liked there was the fingerling potatoes and the bread.  On top of that service was horrible.  I had a very different outcome from my first visit during brunch  which had decent food and excellent service.  BAH!
2 - Peter J.: This place looks nice and has a great courtyard that is quite cozy. Had the scallops and the food was fine, but what a terrible service. Our waiter did try but either he was too busy and had to many tables or he was just not very attentive to our needs. I think it was a combination. We had to ask 2-3 times for ice water, more red wine, a heating lamp, and everything just took forever. 

Could have been so good, but bad service can ruin an otherwise OK place.
3 - Vonnie L.: been here about 3 times (all three times within a year of their opening).  Every time their food was waaay too greasy.  The food and the quality of the ingredients have a lot of potential but it's all covered and cooked in so much oil that it's hard to notice any flavor but the flavor of oil.  brunch is equally as greasy as dinner but far more flavorful.  dessert is a disappointment.  Adagia, please please please use less oil and maybe i'll dine here more often.
4 - Daniel B.: This is a very good place, but certainly rough around the edges.  They go for some inventive things, and some work, and others do not.  

I for one, happen to love their grilled salad.  "Love" and "Salad" are two words rarely found together, especially for me.  Their grilled olive oil cake, on the other hand, was a little less thrilling.  

One of my old favorite places is Le Bateau Ivre.  And this reminds me a bit of that, but with much higher quality food, and a more inventive menu.  They are both quirky, but comfortable places.  Perfect for those times you feel like eating out, but without dealing with pretense.

Oddly, I have never liked the look of the dining room.  It feels a little "dormy" for a nice restaurant.  But the fireplace is grand.
5 - Adam S.: Sort of surprised by the mixed reviews.  Yes, service can be slow. Yes, the main hall can be really loud.  But, this is *the* place for faculty lunches these days, and the food is really quite good.  I can only speak to the lunches, but I've had nothing but great meals there.  This is especially true since, at its lunch price point, it has no peer in the campus area (Downtown on Shattuck would be its closest peer and Adagia outshines it, Gregoire is also a peer, but you can't exactly have a thesis discussion sitting on the street).

The Rosie chicken salad, the fish sandwich, the lamb with polenta- all excellent.    And the focus on local and seasonal is second to none for the campus area.  

I have to wonder whether some of the negative reviews are Cal undergrads not yet fully acclimated to good Bay Area food.

Update: I had to go for dinner to see whether my POV was spoiled by good lunches.  Not at all!  Had a great meal here last week for dinner.  Love the wine list too.
2 - Eric G.: I've been trying really hard to eat here. I'm up to three attempts and it was closed each time during normal hours.

This review will constrained to the hours of operation of this mystery spot.

- Why won't you let me eat here? Why are the hours a secret?
- How about a sign?
- Should I try one more time?

Someday I hope to complete this review. It won't be in the Summer though because I just found out they're closed from 10:30am to 5pm. If you think that means they are open before 10:30am you're wrong. That time is an arbitrary random time. The ACTUAL summer hours are 5pm-10pm
2 - Rob C.: While the food is decent, the portions are much too small.  The service can be spotty at times.  I've been there twice.  The first time was excellent, but the second time was downright upsetting.  There was a problem with the bill (they had overcharged us by $10), and while the server was helpful, he had to get the manager to clean up the mess.  And the manager fixed the problem only after 5 minutes of argument!  That ruined the evening.  You'll only want to come here if you like paying too much money for ok food and if you like bad service.
3 - Corrie B.: I will ignore the fact that the restaurant tried to jerk me out of my 1000pt reservation from open table, and focus on the food:  there wasn't enough dressing for the pear and hazelnut salad, the pear and goat cheese ravioli was WAY salty, and the Cabernet blackberry sorbet lacked intrigue.  The table was clean, but my sleeves kept getting stuck in this general haze of sticky that felt like what happens to varnish in tropical locations.  Our server was delightful and attentive.  I was hoping for more.
4 - Amber G.: I don't understand why people think this place is so terrible! I have only been here once (with some co-workers--thanks Josephine!) and we had a really great time. I had a wonderful portobello panino sandwich with french fries. It was fantastic and really flavorful, and not too big or too small! Very elegantly presented and everything. 

I have no complaints whatsoever. I can't wait to go back and sample something else on the menu (and a bit of wine!).
4 - Edith S.: What a relief to find Adagia!!  The room is wonderful, the menu is adult , the service friendly and, the one time I've been there, very competent.  It's setting is unique, comfortable and quiet.  We were fortunate to get parking around the corner, but I can imagine if there is an "event" on campus it would be difficult.   I'll be back.
3 - Cliff C.: Went here with some friends on a Saturday night, and we were one of probably three tables there the entire night. The huge church interior only exaggerated the fact that this restaurant was dead. It was probably because Cal was on winter break and the surrounding area was a ghost town, but how many students can actually afford to eat here on a normal basis? I sure as hell never went to places that didn't involve the words "fast" and "food" when I was in college.

Anyway, the food was decent enough, but the prices were too high for what you got. I had the steak and it was literally 4 tiny strips of steak that I finished in about 5 minutes, and I was still hungry after. Not a good thing to be after spending $25 on an entree. The wait staff was really nice though.
3 - Melanie C.: The building itself is impressive - gothic, church-like, transports you to a monk's hangout or something.  That huge communal table (made of reclaimed wood) must way a ton.

The ingredients *are* super fresh, local and organic.  But, only three stars because our brunch dishes just weren't that mm-mm-tasty.  They're more like: hm, fresh.  Could use a little oomph comfort factor.

Fried eggs, with kale and polenta was the favorite.  Saucy and satisfying.  Adagia omelette w/ butternut squash, ricotta and prosciutto was sadly dry and pretty tasteless.  Poached eggs w/ artichoke and wild mushrooms was tasty -- mainly because the produce was so tasty.  The dish as a whole had pretty minimal flavor...

Another factor is that the space itself is so sparse and honestly was empty when we arrived.  It'd be nice to have more plants or coziness or I dunno -- warm cozy music to go with the fireplace vibe?  I dunno.  Something to make it more comfy would be nice...

I'd be curious to see what it's like at dinner, or on a warm day on their patio.
4 - Blaze F.: Yummmm.

Honestly, we checked this restaurant out because it would earn us 1,000 points on www.opentable.com. The yelp reviews were mixed, so I approached cautiously.

The decor is nice. The restaurant was pretty full on a Saturday night . Lots of UC Berkeley-ites. (We are not, so it is fun to watch.) It was not too loud, although the restaurant was fairly full.

Our waiter, despite being a bit snooty or maybe it was sophisticated, (a grad student who was lowering himself to serve, I'll wager), was very well informed about the menu & the wines. It seems like that should be a given, but if you eat out regularly, you know it is not. So, positive points for that!

We ordered a stuffed portobello mushroom, which was stuffed with a quinoa and walnut concoction & served atop a bed of sauteed spinach. It was great! I have eaten many portobello mushrooms in my day & this is on my top 5 list. Every part of this dish was delectable.

We also ordered a half chicken served with roasted potatoes & turnips in a meyer lemon sauce. I cannot even tell you how delicious this was. Just go now while it is on the menu.

The wine list was very nice. I enjoyed the merlot, despite not being a merlot fan. It is a blend, which has a more complex flavor than the average merlot without needing to dominate your palate. (Thanks to the waiter for this recommendation.)

The only thing that I would be critical about is the dessert wine selection, and I am not an expert, so you can always decide for yourself. But we ordered a port & the top end Muscat & both were lackluster. I generally enjoy a Muscat that is fruity & sweet--a liquid dessert. This was either bad or somewhat minerally in flavor. Not dessert-a-licious. The port was rather dry, which isn't what I look for in a port.

So, either previous negative yelp reviews are the result of palates that are newly discovering food beyond the university's cafeteria, or this restaurant has heard the criticisms & responded wholeheartedly. 

I will definitely go back again. Maybe even next week! And if my next meal is as good as this one was, I will up my star rating to 5. 

Bon appetit!
5 - Sherry T.: Great place to eat with your parents or someone who has money, if you're a college student like myself. The food was divine and the service was excellent. Some dishes are small, so you find yourself ordering a lot. I remember the salads being extremely delicious. Also, the dessert was great and I never thought that chocolate bread pudding could taste so good. I really enjoy eating at places that serve gourmet-ish food. This is one of them.
2 - terra d.: pretentious for no apparent reason. 

and i got kicked out for talking on the phone in the lobby while waiting for someone. 

totally bogue.

the french manager recommended a couple of dishes for me. i ended up going with the baked casarecce pasta for 16.50: spanish style chorizo, roasted chicken, braised kale with goat cheese. surprisingly salty and overcooked.
4 - Sarah G.: This place is a great place to take your family or to go with a couple of your friends for something nice and yet still extremely close to campus. It is across the street from campus actually so you can get it any easier than that. I had my graduation brunch here before my ceremony and they were so incredibly accommodating to me and my family (even though they carded me for the champagne we ordered!! ha) My family which is comprised of somewhat picky eaters all found something they loved there. Their salmon fritata was amazing and started off my day right for what continued to be one of the most important days ever.
3 - Allison L.: On the night before my wedding, Adagia took on the impossible: Hosting two families. If you think that's not the impossible, you haven't met Adam's family or mine (particularly mine). 

It's a beautiful place with a great location, though parking can tend to suck balls. We got lucky, though, so bully for us. The bathroom setup is weird. As I recall, they're outside in the courtyard. A bit of a schlep, but whatever. 

I'm going to lead with my biggest negative: We reserved the private dining room a week in advance so if anyone was going to be tossing free-range tomatoes at anyone else's head, it wouldn't interrupt anyone else's organic dinner. A half hour before we slipped on our flak jackets and headed over, we got a phone call: A previous party took its sweet time getting out of the private room and threw the whole schedule off. Would we mind eating in the main dining room?

Normally, no, we wouldn't, and we did so, and it was fine. But here's the deal: You make a reservation a week in advance, you want that room. That alone knocked Adagia down for me. When we came in, the manager comped us two fizzy alcoholic drinks. Nice touch, but he could've done better.

Adam had the vegetable risotto and I had the grilled flat-iron steak. Both were good, but not remarkable.

Service, however, was excellent. Very personable and sweet, and trust me when I say they had a handful that night. 

So would I go back to Adagia? Probably not. But you know what, guys? You fed me on my last night as a single girl. Thanks for the memories.
3 - Katamari D.: I thought I'd write off the so-so reviews of this place as written by college kids who didn't know how to rate an expensive place but nope, they were right. While there's nothing wrong with the food, service, or decor, the restaurant seems to lack a certain something that makes it feel *worth* the money. Maybe its the cavernous room or the soul-less cuisine but I wouldn't come back here unless I had a group of 10 who needed to eat upscale asap. 3 stars for the consistent service and wine list.
2 - Rachel R.: Don't let the outside of the restaurant or the prices fool you it's not so upscale as one might think.  The outside is gorgeous.  A beautifully landscaped fairy tale confection.  The dining room reminded JP of the Hogwarts dining room.  Oh how I wished it was the Hogwarts dining room because the food could have used some magic.

I had the frittata with grilled asparagus, onions, ricotta, crispy potatoes, toast and bacon.  It was less like a frittata and more like scrambled eggs.  The crispy potatoes were served with no accompaniment.  A aioli would have been nice.  Bacon was cooked perfect.  SG was kind enough to share his raspberry preserve which was delicious on toast.  Our main server was 5 stars.  

The prices are to high for what you get.  That might be part of the reason why the dinning room was mostly empty.

The best part of the meal was the company.
4 - Kenzie D.: we've been many times--for brunch, and equally for dinner.  while the wood wood woody dining room can be a bit stifling, and the sometimes strangely empty seats a put off==there is some very good food here, but not on every visit.  overall, it is worth the investment.

like many berkeley joints, the pre-theatre hour can be chaotic, swamped all at once, and the frenzy shows a bit too much.  but, going after that rush can be worthwhile, and this current chef is doing a much better job than other previous captains of the kitchen.

recently we went as a 4-top, on a saturday evening at 9.  service was knowledgeable,  and the food was quite good.  the charcuterie plate was very well done, and a good price, at $12.  they had an excellent mortadella, done perfectly, and a great pate.  there were not enough crostinis, but our request for more was granted  in a timely fashion.

the scallop sausage were adorable, tiny, white as the driven snow and very tasty--albeit small, and not enhanced by the tomato sauce.
the tuna dish with garbanzos was excellent.  the duck confit would have been more delicious as a whole leg--versus the tiny picked pieces that got lost in the overly-saladed plate.

the hamburger was ok, the fries were good--a bit dry.

service was professional and on point.  wines were ok.

desert was a bit lacking.  ice cream from ici was appreciated--since the line there has gotten out of control--but the flavors were very esoteric==and not all good.  pink peppercorn=ok, buttermilk--weird, and the other--not remembered.

brunch is good, albeit limited. 

worth a visit.
2 - Jessica P.: I have to say, I would've never thought I'd step into a place like this. I rarely find myself around the Berkeley area, even less so until the students are gone. I decided to ride my bike there (gee, no one told me that hill goes on forever!) and enjoy brunch with some fellow yelpers.

I immediately felt like I was in Hogwarts, yet Hogwarts for wizards who have thrown in the hat. We were probably the youngest table by about, oh, 20-30 years. The service was nice and attentive (good gig if you ARE a student) and the hostess was knowledgeable about the history of the building, I like that. It was a frat house, a multi-purpose room, student living etc...impressive!

The prices are a bit too high for what you get. I had to laugh at the $5 red wine garlic sausages that looked like two links from Jimmy Dean's home for retired weiners. A fellow bruncher commented on how each bite was about oh, .30...not impressed! 

I enjoyed the asparagus frittata, but it was more of a scramble than frittata, and the asparagus was not IN it, rather under it, but I'm a sucker for a good stalk. I immediately ordered a mimosa to quench my thirst, but for $7, I could have had the entire bottle of champagne they probably used. Le sigh.

It was a lovely area, I just wish the joint was jumpin' a bit more, you got more meat for your money and the air of Shady Pines didn't linger on. 

I think Adagia gave me agita.
4 - Jory R.: This was the first place I ate in Berkeley.  I was in for my interview, and the lab took me here.  I've been here for lunch several times, as this is the go to place for brining seminar speakers or interviewees.   Agadia is close campus (practically on campus), has a nice atmosphere, good food and decently priced.  

The bread with olive oil is great to nibble.  I usually get the burger or some other type of sandwich so I can get fries.  They are pretty stingy on the ketchup, only filling up that little metal cup about halfway.  I asked for more once, and they brought two more cups.  How about you give me more initially?  I've ventured out to several of their pasta dishes, and both have been great.  

The service is always good.  Water is always promptly filled.  There is also outside seating.  There is a giant table in the middle that could  comfortably seat a large party and there are several private rooms.

Sometimes its just nice to eat in Berkeley where you aren't surrounded by students.  Yes, its a little pricier than many of the other dining options nearby, but if you want a more relaxed atmosphere, go to Adagia.
5 - Kerrick l.: I had my graduation dinner here last night with a party of 12, including parents, colleagues/professional mentors, my partner, and my friends (early-late 20s). Because we were a large party we were seated in the private room, which suited us--it wasn't spacious but it was a comfortable fit. 

I found the food to be excellent. I had the stuffed chicken, which was wonderfully flavorful. My parents both had steak. Lucky for me my mom swapped her peas for my grilled zucchini. The peas were very sweet and fresh. The grilled zucchini was grilled, and zucchini. My partner enjoyed the apricot salad very much, and said the risotto was delicious even if a little salty. Other folks enjoyed the falafel-crusted halibut (my friend said that was absolutely delicious and really tender) and various and sundry iterations of the chicken, other salads, and risotto. One friend, vegan, requested the risotto with no dairy and apparently that worked out okay. Vegans be warned that you will probably have to ask for accommodation since there aren't any all-plant selections on the menu. If you're embarrassed to ask for something special, you may want to go someplace else, but none of the staff seemed at all put out by the request. I would say that all the food was very good, but didn't need to be salted as much as it was. I don't mind salt and I'm not watching my blood pressure, but probably the chef should know that could stand to be dialed back a little.

The staff were very courteous and professional. Everything came out at the right time and hot, they frequently checked to make sure everyone had everything we needed, no one's water glass was ever left empty. And they also weren't intrusive. The wine service was good too, and the main server smilingly helped my friend taste the wine she'd ordered without being snooty about the fact that hell we're students and we go to a fancy restaurant what, once every four years or so? How are we supposed to know how to look smart tasting wine? They chilled the bottle of champagne my colleague had brought, and remembered to bring it back out during dessert, and--and I think this is a nice touch now that I think about it--they offered to do that in such a way that they made it seem like it was our idea, which is kind of cool. 

Speaking of dessert, OH YEAH you're getting dessert. Not the Ici's special either. Look, they're my favorite ice cream place too, but they're right down the road; try the buttermilk panna cotta with vanillaed strawberries if you're a strawberry fan. Or the chocolate bread pudding if you're a chocolate fan. (I hate bread pudding, but I tried a bite and it was amazingly delicious.) I heard good things about the crme brule too.

Value for money: This is a $16-25 per plate restaurant, it's not Chez Panisse and it's not Smokehouse. I'd like to see them offer a $30-35 three-course prix fixe as well as their regular menu, but that may be asking too much. The portions are good for my taste--no one went hungry and no one had leftovers. I hate expensive restaurants where they serve a huge plate of food and you feel like you have to eat all that extra stuff because you paid for it, and you can't very well ask for a doggy box from your immaculately-attired waitperson, and then you walk out feeling like an overinflated zeppelin. That's a peculiarly American dining experience, and not my favorite part of our culture. I'd say that while on the expensive side to do regularly, Adagia was a good value for a special occasion.

For my taste this is the right range of special occasion restaurant--a nice restaurant that doesn't take itself so seriously that you can't have fun there. People who are expecting an extremely posh experience based on the very nice grounds and building will probably be disappointed, though--that's not, I think, what they're trying to do here.

All in all we had a wonderful experience, and I totally recommend it. I tried to take the check from my dad but to no avail; I hope he tipped beyond the compris 18%.
4 - Jenn K.: This was one of the first restaurants I went to when we moved to Berkeley, and I really love it.  It's a beautiful space, inside and out, and the food is great.  I had one of the best risottos I've ever had in my life here!
3 - Hilary A.: Appetizers are better than the entrees.  The atmosphere is a bit disappointing - too big and airy - not at all romantic.  Our wait staff have always been attentive and the recommendations during our most recent visit were RIGHT on.  Prices are too high for what you get, but the wine prices are excellent.  Highly recommend the hazlenut salad and artisan cheese plate appetizers.  The affogato dessert was also terrific.
2 - christina a.: I knew that Adagia didn't have the best reviews, but the menu looked incredible online, and their website was so pretty, and advertised that they used sustainable, organic ingredients, so we decided to take the plunge.  

It was a bad idea.

We are in our 20s and decided to take some out of town guests here for a "California dinner" -- read: organic and sustainable ingredients.  We made our reservations at opentable.com (LOVE THEM), but when we showed up at 8 pm, the place was virtually empty...on a Saturday night, across the street from Cal.  The other two occupied tables were two couples - one in their 50s, one in their 60s.  Ok, we can roll with it.

The ambience is very Ivy League dining hall.  The service brinked on being overly attentive, but slow on refills of water and iced tea and such.  The creamy zucchini soup was incredible, as was the chocolate bread pudding.  

I think some people would really enjoy dining here.  Unfortunately, I just don't think that we were the right audience for Adagia.
3 - Chen N.: Okay, I have the misfortune of going there when I was dead broke. I blame it on Yelp. The cost is not 2 $$, it's more like 3$$$.

My friend's sister visited from Pittsburgh so I took them and a couple of other friends there.

We add 1 x lamb shank, 2 x halibut, 2 x burger. The food was decent but the portion is way to small. The waitress was very nice to us. The overall ambiance is very nice, but I wasn't particularly crazy about the bench seating.

This place wasn't like... wow... so I would probably take my money and splurge somewhere else.
3 - Stacey E.: We had dinner here this evening. We were all reasonably happy with our menu choices in our group of four though the only thing that was above expectation was my glass of Pinot Gris which was passed around to be admired. 

I love that they use organic sustainable ingredients. I would like to have seen more effective flavour combinations. Nothing really had a "wow" factor. 

The rice pudding was a little lack-luster even in the rice pudding realm and my delicious wine unfortunately showed up at the end of the meal.

Prices and portions were average for this casual fine dining style of restaurant. They assume you will order an appetizer and a main so don't skip a course if you are ravenous.
1 - Alex S.: Horrible.  I got a tuna dish here a while back and it was stringy and rubbery.  Some pieces were quite tasteless and others were extremely salty/peppery.  

I should note that a friend got a stuffed tomato dish and it was tasty, but my dish was one of the worst.  I've also had a friend get sick from the food.
2 - alex d.: This place is mediocre at best.

Decor is straight out of an tired ivy league dining club... but with bad food and a room full of stuffy academics out for a lunch meeting.  Salads are soggy.  Portions are decent, but lacking in flavor.  Honestly, there is nothing really memorable about the food here.

Why are sit-down Berkeley restaurants near campus just so awful?
3 - Augustine G.: I've come here quite a few times, and every time, i find the food to be pretty delicious. I think their lamb shank is one of the best i've had. they have a pretty large selection of great desserts too.

However, the service is just awful and very inattentive. u spend a lot of time waiting. (we always spend about 3 hours for dinner for a 3-course meal, and it's not because we eat slow)... service is really slow. the servers/waiters very seldom will come over. if u ask for a few more minutes with the menu, that means about 15 minutes. the interior is much like a really fancy cafeteria, rather than a restaurant. 

Though, I went as a large group once who had the room in the back reserved for a special occasion, and the service then was pretty awesome and friendly.
3 - Gwyneth T.: Ambiance is nice, I like it better when we're in the courtyard outside.  The noise level was really high and it was difficult to hear the specials of the day much less the folks we were having lunch with.  Portion size can vary and the poor soul who ordered the ravioli came away hungry.  I was satisfied with my sandwich and salad but it wasn't really that interesting.  Some had the risotto and some had the the trout which seemed to be the best deal. We waited for an hour for our food to be served so it was not a fast meal.  I'm likely to choose another location when we have another visitor.
2 - Mike F.: Very large space and mostly empty.  The food was ok, but I won't be back.  I did enjoy the private room in the back, although it really wasn't necessary as the place, as I said before, was empty.
3 - James D.: The atmosphere of this place is really nice...you walk into a dining room and feel like you're in some fancy finishing school dining room.  

The food is kind of hit or miss, which I've deduced from the three times I've been here.  I had grass fed steak once--the meat was tough and chewy, although the flavor was nice.  Sorry, forgot what I had the other times.  The great part was dessert, which I always get, and is always a hit.  heck, I should just come here for dessert, and skip the expensive everything else.
4 - Ralph P.: This is a very nice location...and a nice looking restaurant whether you dine inside or outside in the courtyard...I went for lunch and ordered the lamb&winter vegetable stew...it was delicious...the waitstaff could not have been nicer...it's a nice restaurant near campus...
5 - Kay T.: We had a great meal here. I had the pork chop on a bed of spinach with roasted potatoes. It was really delicious and certainly an adequate portion. My husband ordered three appetizers: the leek and celery root soup, house-made charcuterie and fried oysters. He's a European chef, has worked all over the world and has owned his own restaurants. He's very hard to please and he was still raving about the meal the next day! We loved our desserts too. The waiter was excellent. Okay, the room is a bit old school but the fireplace was sweet and the attention to detail and the quality of all the organic and locally sourced food was worth every dollar. We will definitely go back again.
2 - Kimi m.: Came here for a last minute Valentine's dinner. I've passed by the building before and thought it looked interesting and the menu looked yummy so we thought we'd give it a try. As soon as we got there,  we stood around not really welcomed by anyone in particular... There seemed to be a bit of chaos in the host area, but it was Valentine's day so I will give them a break on that, but only a tiny break. The building itself does remind me of Hogwarts which is kinda cool. Apparently, it used to be part of an old UC frat house. Our server was excellent and our salad/appetizers were good. They do win some points in offering both their regular menu and a prix fixe. I like options. The entrees were where it was lacking. I got the trout and my husband got the portabello mushroom entree. Both were lacking a certain flavor punch.... and left me less than impressed. I think this place is better suited to people who like their food on the bland side.
4 - Rick C.: I just had dinner here with my best friend to catch up with each other. We had always passed by the restaurant and I have always wanted to go inside and check it out given that the exterior is so beautiful. I suggested the place after she couldn't decide on any other place to eat at; it was most definitely great that we got to eat here though!

The decor was of course beautiful. We had dinner at around half past 8 and so it a bit empty. The ambiance was great; we loved the manager with his accent and the waiter was personable, friendly, and honest. It was not too loud or too quiet. 

The food was fantastic. I had the steak and she had the lamb; we had no complaints at all. It was a bit pricey, yet I found it to be quite reasonable given that I was paying for a pretty good time. I mean, I get the feeling that most of the time with restaurants like these, I really am paying for the experience more so than the food, which was great by the way: table next to the fireplace, a great meal, friendly and honest waitstaff, and a responsive staff otherwise. 

I cannot complain about this restaurant and I would genuinely recommend this restaurant to others, mentioning that 8 and 8:30 seems to be the perfect time to go on a Saturday night for maximum attention and more reasonable ambiance (I get the feeling that it can get awfully loud in there).
3 - Thomson N.: (written May 10, 2007) My partner and I have been to Adagia several times now since it opened, and I'm not exactly sure why we keep coming back. It's a beautiful restaurant, in a nice location directly across from campus, and the outdoor patio is a pleasant place for a weekend brunch. I only wish the service and food matched the decor. Service was prompt, but a bit rushed--it didn't really feel like we were welcome to eat there. The food is hit-or-miss: Their baked Spanish eggs with lamb sausage was delectable in every way possible save for the burnt manchego cheese on top. However, the duck confit was extremely disappointing. The duck was overcooked, making for a rubbery texture, and the potatoes were bland.

I can only recommend this place if you are without shame and decide to use the 2-for-1 coupon provided in the Guide to the Good Life. Only then does it become a great deal. It really is a nice looking restaurant, though.
4 - Stephanie L.: I come here quite often and the food and service have been pretty good everytime.

It's usually empty when I go in to eat (late lunch or early dinner time). I ordered the fried seafood appetizer once and it was nothing special. 

For lunch, I always get the burger. The meat is of excellent quality and the fries are pretty good too! It may look small but it's worth every bite. For dinner, the steak (or was it rib-eye?) is very delicious. And of course, always order the bread pudding for dessert.

The service is usually ok because it's so empty.
3 - Christina L.: I've been meaning to check out Adagia for a while now so when my friend invited me to her graduation lunch to be held here I was very excited to finally give it a try! However, in a nutshell: Adagia fell short.

The interior is nice, very Hogwarts like with long tables and high wooden ceilings and the server was very attentive - it seemed like he was really proud of the place and happy to have us. When we asked what he recommended on the menu he said "Everything is good!" which is generally a good sign and a good way to start off a meal.

When the food came out thought, each dish just somehow just could not make it past "It's ok" to "It's delicious." I ordered the trout which, itself, was well cooked with deliciously fresh snap peas, but the sauce covering it was much too heavy enabling me to only eat about half the dish before giving up.

A couple people in our party ordered the tuna which, we had been warned, was not going to be cooked all the way, more seared. Sounds about right, well cooked tuna usually ends up dry. This piece, however, was barely cooked and cold and fairly unappetizing to look at. After eating about 1/3 my friend pushed it away sadly.

The only thing that was good was the lamb stew over polenta which I would recommend. It was well seasoned and the lamb well cooked, and I can never say no to polenta. This one managed to meet the expectations I had originally but alas, I was not the one to order it so... yeah...

I feel that with just a little push to improve the menu Adagia has the potential to be great. Until then...3 stars.
3 - Terry T.: I was supposed to meet my friend N. for an early dinner. It was cold so I went inside; she waited for me outside so she missed a great dinner by not checking inside. 

Because I was already there, and had been for 40 mins. and had time to kill, I had dinner by myself. 

My waiter, Justin, was very attentive. When I asked if he thought the soup and lamb would be too much to told me he thought it would be and suggested the soup with a salad. I took his advice and was very happy.  The onion soup was one of the best I have had recently. I added a dessert and wine. 

I had a great dinner in a beautiful room, was not stuffed and I caught up with N at the Berkeley Rep


.
4 - jennifer h.: Although my first experience at Adagia was not remarkable, my second experience was very pleasant. I went here for my friend's graduation dinner, and I ordered of curry and cuminy spiced chicken skewers with a bed of spiced cous cous, served with a delicious green herb sauce. This dish was absolutely delectable, especially the green sauce! My other friend ordered the whole trout, which was grilled to perfection and very tasty as well. The chocolate bread pudding that I had here was also delicious, with great flavors and textures. Overall, I liked the main dishes here more than the ones at Chez Panisse. These were more bold and flavorful. Portions can be small, so be prepared to ask for more bread.
4 - Michael P.: Anytime I want to treat my gf out for a nice celebratory dinner, I take her here if our busy schedules don't allow us to stray far away from campus.  Meals are slightly expensive but well worth its quality and dining experience.

**FOOD
Menu changes seasonally so I can't offer insights on any particular dish.  I can however offer general recommendations on what to order.

For appetizers, the bistro bite (or variations of it) seems to always be on the menu.  Definitely a good, light mixed dish to start off your meal.  Fresh olives if you like em.  Put the zucchini, feta and mushroom all on the small toast or eat them individually, it's all good.  All ingredients are fresh and flavorful.

For the entree, I highly recommend ordering a meat-centric dish (e.g. chicken, pork, lamb, etc).  They're always cooked to perfection; tender, juicy, falls right off the bone (if there is one) and melts in your mouth.

For dessert, I recommend their puddings or custards; they never disappoint me.  Ice cream and gelatos are ok here.  They always have the Ici option for dessert; I'd rather just to go Ici myself where I can taste the flavors before purchasing.

**AMBIANCE/SERVICE
Beautiful hardwood decor in the main dining hall.  Candle-like incandescent lighting in the room with a fire pit tfills the room with warmth and elegance.  I suggest you wear something a step up from casual so you don't feel out of place.  Service is very friendly and attentive.  Great dining atmosphere for a nice dinner out!
4 - Adrienne G.: You GOTTA get the Chocolate Bread Pudding! 

Came to Adagia for a pre-Greek dinner before seeing the amazing DAVID BYRNE

Walk into an extremely pleasant & richly assembled wooden room - reminds me of a posh Country Club

Staff is super friendly & while our server was helping a multitude of tables, we felt well-attended

Started out w/ the Bistro Bites & Nectarine Salad for the table 

Bistro Bites - Sheep Cheese drizzled in Honey, fresh olives, marinated Zucchini & Mushroom Pate on crusty bread 

Nectarine Salad was awesome w/ the sweet fruit & crunchy almonds in a light vinaigrette 

Both got the Goat Cheese Crostada. Sis loved it to no end & I thought it was very good.  Goat Cheese & Rice shaped into patties & fried up - paired w/ these amazing roasted tomatoes & olive tampenade 

Dessert for both was the Chocolate Bread Pudding & I haven't been so bowled over by a dessert in a long time - this was the bomb! 

It comes out like a brownie - it's so rich & fudgey & as we sliced into it, the schwooshe of the saturated bread goes plop as it reluctantly pulls apart....it was incredible. Too sweet for Sis but she's more of a savory girl 

So holding true to our designations, she liked the Crostada more & I liked the Bread Pudding more - I'm sugar, she's spice.......we're everything nice! 

Will def come back here before more Greek adventures!
3 - Andrew K.: The menu is promising - grass fed beef for example. 
But, the food is so-so/unremarkable. You eat it on a pretty outdoor patio. But, the portions are small. And, the prices are high. Like $12 for a subpar overcooked small burger.
But there's grass fed beef.
4 - Steve T.: I eat lunch here about once a week on average -- I teach at Cal so it's convenient, but the fact that I keep coming back says it all. It is not the cheapest place around (hard to get out with less than $17 for lunch after all is said and done) but the food is always fresh and tasty. On a nice day it is a real treat to eat in the courtyard!
1 - Sarah A.: I can't remember the last time I had such a bad dining experience.

When my girlfriend and I walked into the restaurant I said to her I thought the large dining hall (which was empty on a Friday night) smelled like the camp mess hall from Michigan.  She corrected me and said it smelled like cat pee.  Eww.

In between our salads and main dishes the fire alarm went off.  The staff's faces dropped as they knew something we were soon to discover: the alarm goes on for 10 minutes before stopping.  While everyone else in the restaurant (all three tables) went outside to drink their wine my friend and I stayed on as we were running late to a play.  We proceeded to eat our meal (which was quite good, I should add) as we listened to the blaring alarm and watched the florescent blue light blink on and off.

The waiter took our entrees off of the bill, to his credit.  Still, I will not go back there.  Major thumbs down for ambiance if nothing else.
1 - Steve K.: Two words: completely underwhelming.

Yes, the fireplace is grand, and the main communal table is anachronistically quaint...but they tout themselves as "California Cuisine."  I wouldn't call it that.  It was just plain mediocre.  The salads we ordered were limp and seemed to use cheese and chicken from the prepared-foods bulk bargain aisle at the grocery store.  I think it's safe to say they were the most unappetizing dinners I've been served in the bay area.  The menu was also very uninspired.  The place gets high marks for decor and service--but they need to fire the kitchen staff and get some real chefs.  

Take grandma and grandpa here when they're senile--they won't care about the food and will love the period architecture.  They'll also love the sanitarium whiff of stale urine and ammonia, which was both the first and the last insult about the place. 

My advice: eat here only if you have to.
4 - Jean L.: this restaurant is pricy for students, but it's got better quality food than say..asian ghetto.
we used coupons from good life to berkeley to get buy 1 get 1 free brunch.  I dont know if they still have this, but the crab omelet is superior! cant complain with the coupon.
the interior is quiet nice, and you can also eat on the patio in a sunny day =)
3 - Nene R.: More like a 2.5 to 3 star place.  I have unresolved feelings about Adagia...some food is fairly good but overpriced, some bad and overpriced.  Portion sizes are  inconsistent-8 mini raviolis for $11 and really nicely done fish with leeks and potatoes for $14-- go figure.  Crab cakes were just so-so but $12 for 4 small ones was really off (does not include a small salad--if it had I might not be so upset--come on, a small salad makes it more of a lunch special right?).  Service is a bit slow and often off kilter.

The decor is nonexistent, basically a large, paneled room that ECHOES VERY LOUDLY.  

Have tried it more then once, will go back if I have a gift certificate (now that I know what to order....).  Won't be back to spend my own hard earned money though.
1 - Joshua M.: Don't waste your time, and don't make a reservation on Open Table because they'll list you as a no-show.

It was my birthday, so we decided to try something new.  I don't have access to Yelp from work anymore thanks to an over-zealous corporate firewall, so all I had at my disposal was Open Table.  It looked alright and they were offering a bonus for the time I was looking to eat, so we decided to try it.

We walked into a space that looked like the dinning hall at my college residence hall and found there were only two other tables seated (that was a bad sign).  The person who seated us walked away, and didn't come back for 15 minutes to see if we had any questions on the menu (we are two of six people in the restaurant)...  we put in our order of three courses and a bottle of wine.  Tolerated a meal that we could have easily prepared ourselves at home and very painfully slow service and were glad to be done and leave.

Then Open Table sends me an e-mail asking me why we didn't show up for our reservation.  I sent them back a response saying, hey, call the restaurant... we checked in with the hostess/waitress, and were one of only three tables seated.  We spent 150 bucks for two for dinner, they should remember us....  no, they want me to send a copy of the receipt which I had no reason to keep.

Too little in this world to waste on dinning at a place like this.
3 - Amiee H.: There is a HUGE disparity between my expectations of this place and the actual dining experience I got. This is what happens when you base your expectations on the price (expensive = good food) and then you get disappointed. 

Food: 
-Tuna with potato salad: Didn't really hit the spot for me. The portions were small for what you pay for. It was really just a few strips of undercooked tuna and a dime size portion of some thinly sliced potatoes in a light vinaigrette. I was honestly starving when I got there and given those conditions, I always assumed that everything you eat when you are hungry should taste super good right? But how this experience has proved me wrong. Even though I was super hungry, this still didn't taste awesome to me...something's wrong with this picture...

-Ici trio ice cream (oatmeal chocolate chip, chocolate caramel, ginger): honestly, the only thing I liked about Ici's ice cream is the waffle cone. And this Ici ice cream came in a bowl, so this dessert lost some brownie points before I even tried it. However, I've got to say that the oatmeal chocolate chip flavor was pretty good. Sounds funny but tastes like they mashed up an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie into some vanilla ice cream! YUMMY! The chocolate caramel was bland. Just tasted like bland chocolate to me. The ginger was interesting; tasted like they mashed in ginger bread into some ginger ice cream. 

-blueberry lime sorbet: pretty good. Not too sweet, not too bland, just right. Really hit the spot. 

Ambiance: The place looked like a camping cabin that was at one point converted into a church and now reconverted into a restaurant. It has a very historic feel to it with a pinch of a rustic twist. Very interesting. We got to sit at a table right next to the fire place. That was very classy and homey feeling. I liked it. 

Service: Our server was AMAZING. I'm super indecisive and I ask so many questions about each dish. He was super patient and took time out to explain each dish and give recommendations. He was very welcoming and attentive to our needs. Best waiter EVER!

Price: For the price, I would have expected better food. But then again, maybe I just didn't order the right thing. I'm willing to come back and it give it one more try just because my other friends have said good things about this place, but it seems like other yelpers have said some bad things about this place. One thing's for sure, you don't get enough quantity for the price you are paying and I'm not even sure if the quality of the food even makes up for the lack of quantity you are getting. Not a place to come to chow down if you are starving!

Overall: Maybe I would come again if I feel like splurging on a meal and giving this place another shot. MAYBE.
2 - Luke P.: With a grand dining room, you would expect something more than bland food and scolding hot soup. Service was EXCELLENT from the water/bread guy but terrible otherwise. The entire time we were dining we weren't checked on once, while we saw and heard the waiters chatting loudly near the bar area.

Id say this is a great place to come if you're on a bland food diet, have no requirements for professional wait staff, and want a night you will soon forget.
3 - Phuoc K.: Finally had a chance to stop by here for dinner for the first time because I had a meeting nearby on campus. 

The Place:
First off, as a student 10 years past, I remember the building as Westminster House, so I was a little strange walking back into the place now converted into a restaurant. Even with all the renovations though, it still retained that old, historical building smell and quality with all the wood paneling and classic hanging lights (metal crafted chandeliers) and the large fireplace which gave it a homey feeling despite the high ceilings.

The Food:
The complimentary breadbasket and butter were ok, nothing to write home about. I got started with the Bistro Bites, which is a mixed plate of Castelvetrano olives, toasted almonds, honey drizzled sheep feta, baby beets and mushroom pâté crostini. For only $10, it's a pretty good deal since it would be great for sharing and you get plenty to munch on. Personally though, if you're going to call something pate, it should be made of liver or you shouldn't call it pate at all. Otherwise, the sheep feta w/ honey was very good, and went great with the toasted almonds. 

For my entree I had the Beef Ragu Pappardelle, A slow cooked sauce made with Grass fed Beef, Root Vegetables, Red Wine and tomatoes. Finished with Parmesan. I like trying Pappardelle wherever I see it on the menu, and this was pretty decent, certainly a generous portion, but slightly under seasoned. I'm not positive, but I didn't think the pasta was fresh made, but it was serviceable. Also, it probably would've been better as a lamb ragu instead. Still, I was satisfied with it. 

The Service:
Now, the service was actually very good the whole meal. The waitress and the floor man took care of me very well, and I never found my glass more than half empty. They made light and pleasant conversation, which is nice since I was dining alone before my meeting, but they weren't intrusive since they saw I was also reading my book. 

Price-wise, it's about what you'd see at this sort of sit-down spot, entrees ranging from $13-26. A little steep for the regular student budget in the area, but worthwhile for a special occasion that doesn't require a lot of traveling. I'm sure the place does most of it's business with the professors on campus. For myself, I'd be willing to stop by again to try something like the burger if I'm in the area, but probably wouldn't go out of my way since parking is pretty limited around there.
4 - Joyce B.: Came here for lunch the other day and thought the price was pretty decent. For lunch menu, they have a variety of burgers/sandwiches, pasta, and plates. 

I ordered the duck confit, which i thought was pretty good. the duck leg was definitely cooked just right and worked well with the seasoned salad and smashed sweet potatoes. i particular enjoyed the service. The restaurant was a bit loud and it was hard to hear others. but overall, i thought the food was pretty decent and reasonably priced.
2 - Debbie Chiou S.: came here for a recruiting lunch earlier today. it's really unfortunate that this is the only "nice" lunch option around haas that we can take our candidates to.

the waitress seemed really shy, and couldn't even insert herself into the conversation to tell us the specials or take orders, so she would stand awkwardly at the corner of the table until someone noticed her and quieted down the table for her. after the orders were taken, the bread was brought out with no plates, so we had to ask for them. she came with plates for half the table, then 5 minutes later, for the other half. a burger was ordered medium rare and came out well done, so it had to be re-made. my seared tuna did not seem fresh. the tapenade was good, but the chili oil vinaigrette just tasted odd.

what a waste of such a great space.
2 - jay s.: No, no, no, no, no. Do not serve vegetables that taste like those precooked things you get at banquets or Marriott Hotel restaurants. For goodness, sake, not when you are in one of the most amazing fresh produce centers in the country!
This place is coasting on its proximity to Cal, which is embarrassing--my clueless colleagues bring job recruits here because it's close and you just want to scream--there is such better food to be had in this town, at places that Adaggia pretends to be but is not. Riva Cucina. Corso. They are not that far and they are so far superior. Adaggia feels like a tourist trap for unsuspecting academics. Avoid, avoid.
4 - Tracy A.: I did not eat at their restaurant, I had their catering at JC Cellars in Oakland for the Passport Wine event last Saturday.  The selections they offered were all phenomenal.

It certainly made me want to try the restaurant next.  When I do, I'll let you know!
4 - Vicki G.: We took our Cal son here for dinner because I'd heard it was good and its close to his apartment.  The decor made me feel a little like I was eating in church, but otherwise was very pleased.  Food was good.  Had the serrano ham croquettes, which were tasty, and the salads were very good.  Special of the day was fried chicken, remarkably, and it was very good, served on spinach sauteed with tomatoes and chorizo.  Sounded a little odd, but was very tasty.  Everything was properly seasoned.  My hubby tends to salt things at the table, but no need here.  Desserts were pleasant also.  Service was friendly and attentive without being too rushed.  I expect to return here since my son has another year of UCB.
2 - Angel S.: To say that I was disappointed by my mother's day dining experience at Adagia would be an understatement.  I wanted to like the place, so much that I spent part of my drive back home trying to convince myself to give a "mild" four stars, or at the very least, a three star rating.  I guess I'm resigned to the thought that I'm just going to have to disagree with Zagat and Michelin on this one (no stars but a Michelin recommended place, supposedly).  I remember reading the glowing Zagat write up as I was leaving and thought, "seriously?  I mean, seriously?"  But to be perfectly honest, the only saving grace was having my family around and seeing all the improvements at the law school across the street.

Adagia boasts high quality sustainable and organic ingredients from local farms, admirable and true, but unfortunately these factors did not necessarily translate to quality California-Mediterranean cuisine.  The overpriced burger was dry and bland, and adding avocado only mutes what little flavor it had.  The fried green tomatoes were crispy but very tough.  The steak lettuce wraps featured soggy wet lettuce, covering (or perhaps causing) a tasteless ranch skirt steak.  I did, however, enjoy the asparagus soup, which was absolutely delicious, probably the only highlight of the meal.  We even ordered each of their dessert options, none came close to being impressive.  The mango sorbet was, at best, above average.

Service was wonderful.  Our host was warm, friendly, and attentive.  I can't really say much about the ambiance, we were seated at the private dining room separate from the main dining hall.  From what I tell, the main hall can be a bit loud (the large room generates echoes) and it has a sleepy dungeon feel. 

It's clear Adagia was established to cater to professors and professionals in the area, not necessarily to college students.  My guess is that they wont satisfy either.  College students wont (for good reason) shell out $16 for a small dish.  Graduates and professionals may opt for more upscale, sophisticated dining.  Given the wealth of options in Berkeley, I suggest holding out for a better place.  I know this is conveniently located across the street, fortunately, you wont have to look very far.
4 - Robert W.: Adagia started strong when they opened and keeps getting better.  Our most recent dinner there was wonderful.  I had the fried green tomatoes with a smoky, spicy romesco sauce and the vegan flatbread with smoked eggplant, smoked tomato sauce, and almond ricotta.  I'm not a vegan and am generally underwhelmed by vegan foods, but this sounded great and it really was.  My wife had the asparagus soup and the roasted chicken with artichoke panzanella.  She shared bites with me and they were delicious.  The list of wines by the glass is short, but my Rosado (a grenache/syrah/mourvedre Rose') was lovely.  And to top it off we shared a generously sized strawberry-rhubarb crisp with vanilla ice cream.  We scraped the plate clean.
1 - Paolo D.: Ok this is the worst place to go. Please don't waste your money... We the people should all just stop going there until they close and leave Berkeley for good! Really such a waste of good space! Here are my experiences: I have tired this place twice just to make sure you know....They 1st time my experience was pretty much like "Debbie's from Berkeley" experience. The waitress was completely out of it or to be nice: shy! They food tasted like it was canned vegetable! Yuk...ok I can go on about the food and the service from my 1st experience but enough said...now to my 2nd visit: I walked in with 2 other guests around 11:45 all tables empty except 1 with like 7 people. So the hostess said hi and walked away. So we thought ok she is looking for a table for us. 5 mins later she is walking sorting the menus?? Hello! People are waiting to sit!!....then 10 mins later this old man came by and just looked at us..... So I asked how long would it be for a table? He said oh...I thought you guys were waiting for somebody...sorry we have no table available today!!! what!!!! R u kidding!!! So I was really mad and said: after 15 mins standing here you could have said this to us when we walked in? he was so rude......so YES Screw you Adajia! You are a racist and prejudice restaurant with your yukeeee food and horrible services. I rather spend my hard earned money somewhere else! Hope you soon go out of business you don't belong in Berkeley!
3 - Jennifer W.: This place is a nice place to come with campus faculty or other officials for a business meeting. It's not somewhere I'd go for a night out though. However, lots of people I know and I did live near this place for a couple years so that warranted a special dinner gathering here. I made reservations and had to change it once, but the host was nice about it. You are unable to make reservations for a large group online, but you can call in and leave a message. They are good about getting back to you within a day. Prices here are a little high, but it is a nice place after all. The great dining hall has a nice feel to it and the patio area is nice to sit in on a sunny day. The servers are nice and our host was friendly and helpful.

The menu changes seasonally and the food is alright. I would agree that it is a hit or miss. I started with the tuna tartare, which came with a large side garnish of pocket rocket. It was incredibly salty. The tuna was in large chopped up pieces and not as finely chopped as I thought. It was also not packed in the traditional tartare shape as I had imagined either. It was still good. I had the vegan flatbread, which was nice. It wasn't spectacular or anything, but it was a nice gourmet personal pizza, but again, it was incredibly salty. Please go easy on that sea salt! I got the saffron rice pudding for dessert. There was a good hint of saffron, but the rice was not as broken down as I had hoped it would be. It was pretty congealed and not as much of a dessert soup as I imagined it to be. It also came with medjool dates. It was a good accompaniment. I also had a glass of wine and when the server set down my glass of pinot noir, she set it on a crack between two tables, but one table was higher than the other. I watched it fall in slow motion and the lightning fast reflexes that I didn't know I had allowed me to make an amazing catch and spared everyone within the vicinity from red wine stains on their nice clothes.
4 - Kenneth R.: I was here for lunch yesterday and thought better of the place than I have in the past.  I may even come back for dinner some time.  The service was smooth and less idiosyncratic than what I described in my original review.  I liked my little gem caesar salad and my burger, which was made from Lucky Dog Ranch (Dixon, CA) beef.

Aside: Our server explained that patrons didn't like the taste of the Marin Sun Farms grassfed beef that used to be on the menu; apparently, it tasted too grassfed (duh!).  Lucky Dog cows are fed grass but then "finished off" with grain -- lucky for them.  Although I actually preferred the old Marin taste because it was so unusual, I was fine with the new taste, which one could describe as comfortable.  The burger was served with sweet potato fries, which were (not surprisingly) a bit sweet.  Sugar and salt is a good combination, and I do recommend it.

We were in a back room, so we could hear ourselves think when the door was closed.  Unfortunately, that was not very often.  The dining room is very loud when it's full, which it usually is.  This current week is commencement week at Cal, so the diners had a special excuse to mouth off.  Go Bears!

On my way out, I was stunned to notice a plaque from Zagat and another from Michelin.   Ils sont fous, les français!
3 - Jessica L.: I came here for a business lunch and was neither extremely disappointed or very impressed.  The menu was fine, not exciting and one of those places you know you'll get full, but won't be blown away.  Our waitress was friendly and helpful and tolerated us being the last ones in the place while we finished our meeting and our lunch and she didn't rush us out at all.
Parking is a pain in the ass and I just don't feel like it's worth the hassle for average food.
2 - JD M.: Hate this place, everything is so out of a canned, the waiters have a bad attitude. You have to wait for like an hour for your food, after they serve you they dont even comeback to make sure everything is okay, Their menu does not have many options, there isnt anything innovating or exciting. Place its nice, but could be nicer if they just clean it.  Food has no flavor at all!!!
2 - Israel S.: Meh, I mean, it's not horrible - and they have a 1,000 point OpenTable deal. I had the cioppino and some sort of lamb stew; my partner just had the burger. The burger was actually the best and cheapest item, so we'd go back if they ever have the 1,000 point deal again. Oh, and their bread pudding was actually very good!
5 - Joe S.: Very nice mansion decor. We got a table right next to the large fireplace, while others enjoyed superb live trio out on the patio. I had the grilled rock fish ($24) and it was excellent. There was a slight delay/error in getting our food so without asking they bought us each a glass of wine. Pleasant setting, tasty food and good value, about as close as you can get to the Greek theater.
4 - Marina N.: I used to eat here when I was a student at the law school across the street and needed some comfort food after a tough day. The fireplace would be lit while I ate gnocchi with mushrooms and/or truffle oil. That was a few years ago.
4 - Kim D.: Friendly business dinner tonight with an extremely picky eater...  As in: he eats meat, salad, hates fruit and the only cooked vegetable he will eat is asparagus.  

I called and made a reservation today for 6:45 and verified that they had the spoon-tender beef cheeks still on le menu, which changes frequently.  Score!  

I was so enthralled with my last dinner there... LAST WEEK that I basically ordered the same items from the menu.

Picky Eater glanced at the menu and scowled when I declared that I was definitely doing the beef cheeks.  "I've never had beef cheeks and I'm worried about the coffee thing," he said, squirming and getting ready to bolt.  

"Chillax, Picky Eater; it's like the most amazing pot roast you've ever had in your entire life, and the coffee is very subtle, so just go with it."  Well, that's the gist of what I said.  Actually, I really had to coax him into considering it and not going with something else. 

He had the Caesar salad, I had the Sexy Arugala.  He proclaimed his delicious.  It was my turn to scowl when he picked off the grana with a neat little "x" of anchovy fillets, but I wasn't about to get all neurotic on him for being... neurotic.  

I wanted the Pork Belly Flat Bread with sweet pea puree again; he devoured it with relish.  Yessss!  Impressing Picky Eater is exceptionally difficult.  He ate the chiles (served on the side) on his, with gusto.  

When our entrees hit the table, he actually turned to me and said, "This is how much I trust you - I would never order this in a million years.  So... okay, here goes..." And with that, he took a tentative bite.  

I managed to keep my yap shut for almost three seconds before I blurted,  "So... does the fact that you're sighing and chewing and marveling at what your taste buds are telling you mean you like it?"

He laughed.  "This is absolutely incredible!"  Picky Eater literally ate his words, and expanded his limited foodage horizon.  I lost track of how many times he said, "WOW!" before he wiped his plate clean.  

I didn't take any snaps last time I was in, so I managed to sneak a few before we disappeared our meal.

Grazie, Adagia!
5 - Jenna C.: From bread to bread pudding - incredible meal!

Had the pleasure of dining at Adagia for the first time (yes, we will be back) this past Sat night.  Absolutely superb experience!!!
The gorgeous great hall houses the dining room which had a Gothic yet cozy feel in its dark wood and concrete detail DECOR.
SERVICE was exemplary - Jason was so cheerful and happy to answer all of our culinary questions.  Antonette was a wonderful hostess - she actually sat with the diner next to us for a several moments plowing through the local paper & making recommendations for musical entertainment for his evening.
And the FOOD? ... to die for!!!  I tasted the most outstanding minestrone - and I don't usually care much for it.  I think much of their culinary success lies in their use of freshest ingredients with minimal salt.  Don't get me wrong, I love my salt (there was none on the table) but nothing needed an extra grain.  My pork belly/pea puree flatbread was awesome.  The thick cut pork chop had the most amazing apricot jus along with wonderful mustard greens.  The chile arbol romesco on my boyfriend's rockfish was incredible in its smokiness.  Boyfriend was full, but I talked him into the peaches & creme bread pudding with vanilla bean gelatto.  I let him have half even tho he had said he only wanted a taste - boy was he happy.
For those who fear Berkeley PARKING, we found a spot pretty easily by just rounding the block once.
Last but not least, the PRICES were incredibly reasonable and portions left me quite satisfied.  I hear they have jazz on Wed evenings too.
The boyfriend surprises me with the restaurant on every date night - what a wonderful treat Adagia was.
5 - Matthew V.: This is a really classy place. The decor is like an old Cambridge college (or Hogwarts), the food is delicious and the service is impeccable.
4 - D.E. N.: Four of us went, two had lamb, one had chicken, and one had pork chops. Also salad, also desserts, and a good Zinfandel. We all left happy with every bite. I can hold 119 people, but there were less than 20 of us. The service was superb. Our waiter, from Wales, knew the dishes intimately and knew the wines like a properly train Sommelier. We sat near the end of the Refrectory where the fire place was. The chairs were comfortable, the downside was finding a parking place. 
We will all be back!
4 - Mallori M.: After reading all of the reviews on Yelp, I decided that the only way to figure out if Adagia was any good would be to try them for myself.  So last night, I did and was very impressed.

The ambiance was great- the restaurant is spacious and well-decorated to keep with it's simple, casual and classy theme.  My boyfriend remarked that it's the kind of place you can go with friends for a good meal and end up staying for hours, voices getting louder and louder with each glass of wine and nobody minds.  

As for the food- we weren't way too hungry, so we noshed on the delicious bread and had a couple of salads and split an entree.  I had the Full Belly Farms Caeser Salad, and Boyfriend has the Caprese.  Both were fairly large and very fresh.  My Caeser had very fresh, crisp lettuce, nice parm cheese, a parm crisp and a couple of delish anchovies on top.  The dressing was very light- not the typical mayo-heavy Caeser but more of a lemon-Caeser vinaigrette.  Boyfriend's Caprese had thick orange and red tomatoes, an awesome sheep ricotta, olive oil croutons, romesco and a basil paste.  Both were really very good.  For our entree, we went with the chicken, which was moist and full of flavor.  The oyster mushroom-charred corn-arugula side was awesome and the balsamic gravy was a very nice addition to the chicken.  For dessert, we had the Ici ice cream, which of course did not disappoint!  

Overall, a lovely experience.  There is nothing particularly amazing about the food at Adagia, but it is all very fresh and prepared well.  I am very happy I tried it for myself !
4 - Caitlin B.: I came here with a professor and a group of students today, and loved it. The ambiance was fabulous--a fireplace in the back, wooden tables, almost a (I can't believe I'm saying this) Harry Potter, or at least a collegiate feel. The dining room is very spacious and the service is friendly. 

I ordered the rockfish sandwich, which I don't particularly recommend (not bad, just not great either). The fish, however, was delicious, so I recommend the rockfish plate with potatoes and green beans, which a couple friends had. The lamb was delicious, but I REALLY did not like the flavoring on the quinoa--I'm not quite sure what it was, but I actually had to take a bite of something else to wash the taste out of my mouth. I tasted the vegan pizza, which was fine (not my taste, but good), and the turkey sandwich, which was classic and great. The sauce they served with the sweet potato fries was addictive! 

I had high expectations which were mostly met. I would definitely come back again.
1 - Rob W.: I went for a birthday lunch. The ambiance was beautiful.   I ordered a pear & feta cheese salad with added chicken.  My salad arrived with such tiny pieces of pears & cheese, it was difficult to find with glasses.  I reminded the waiter when they forgot the added chicken.  I was brought a dish of chicken that looked like scraps one would throw away [not even give to the dog].  When I said I only eat breast meat, my waiter stated "this is breast meat".  What a disappointment !  I did recieve a complementary dessert that was good & appreciated.  Due to the quality of the salad, I have decided not to encourage others to come to the restaurant for the time being.
3 - Andrea A.: The restaurant on Bancroft is quite a find, with marvelous ambiance and  consistently good, reasonably priced food.  I often go there before events at Zellerbach, as it is just a 5 minute walk up the street.  The main restaurant gets 4 stars.

However, be warned about "Adagia at Zellerbach."  They purport to serve dinner at the auditorium, but I suggest you give it a wide berth.  The so-called farmers market dinner salad at $13 was a small mound of undressed greens with a tablespoon of green beans and peppers with about 2 ounces of shredded chicken.  Very spartan.  As I was still famished after the salad, I opted for the $13 cheese plate.  The cheeses were very chilled, and they were out of bread to accompany it, despite the fact that there were almost no diners in the restaurant.  I should have had a nice dinner for what I spent, but instead I was left thinking I should have stopped off for a burger.
4 - Alison S.: I'd never been to Adagia, so when my roommates suggested it for an apartment dinner, I readily agreed.  I have walked past Adagia so many times and always just marveled at how *cute* the building is!

We entered the restaurant (perhaps it is a converted church? looks like it?  or an old house?) and were greeted by a friendly host.  We were quickly seated and water was brought.  We were also readily supplied with bread throughout the meal.

My roommates ordered the hamburger, the vegetarian flatbread, the roasted chicken, and the sweet potato appetizer.  I had the steamed mussels.

Although I didn't really try my friends' dishes, I did try the sweet potatoes, which were really, really delicious. They were drizzled with spices and honey.

My mussels were also very tasty, and no dead ones in the bunch.  They were pairs with crispy potato thins that readily soaked up the tomato-based broth.  Delish!

Our server was very nice and readily agreed to split our bill for us and take a table picture.

I think I would definitely come back to Adagia in the future, it's one of those places that you could actually take your parents for lunch and they'd enjoy it.  It's also a place I wish I knew about sooner before subjecting my boyfriend to multiple visits to Asian Ghetto when he's visited Berkeley over the past 3 years.  Sorry??
4 - Jessica T.: The building itself is what gives this place charm, it's got a fireplace and a small bar. From the outside it looks snooty, but inside it's quite warm and friendly.

The prices are reasonable.

 It's a good place for a business meal if you want to impress, but still keep it relatively casual or to treat yourself, take a break from the Asian ghetto.

Come with a reservation.
5 - Marlene W.: Adagia is a well-kept secret. The food is excellent, the building is wonderful and you can usually get right in. Why wait for a table upstairs at Chez Panisse or be turned down at Rivoli when you can have a wonderful meal here. Kudos to the creative chef!
3 - fred f.: Pretty room, service good.  Nice ambiance. Bacon burger was pretty good, but not sure it was worth $14.  Several entrees include ingredients that make the dishes sweet.  We prefer savory.
4 - Jennifer L.: I have not had a bad meal here.  I have always found their soup of the day delicious.  The Arugula salad is a great meal starter, which is shocking since I typically can't stand Arugula.  The flat bread, chicken and crab stuffed sole are all great.  A nice selection of wine is found on the menu. And dessert, their rotating line of sorbets, gelatos, and Ici ice cream are always a safe bet.  Though if you want to take your meal up a notch, order the bread pudding; but be warned one order can serve two if not three people.
5 - Helen W.: AMAZING! I felt like I was dining at the Ahwahnee. Large indoor fireplace, wood-paneled walls, extremely charming staff and great lighting. Being two vegetarians, the menu had several mouth watering options to choose from. The food was absolutely delicious, well prepared & presented. We look forward to returning when Jason is working since he was the best server we've experienced in years. We will be back!
3 - Nicole M.: I went to Adagia for a pre-Cal performances dinner. It's a nice space. It looks a lot like you would expect a faculty club to look like. Considering it's a former frat house dining room, that's not so far off. With it's big fireplace, animal print chairs and miles of dark wood, it's really inviting. The food and service are good too. On previous visits, I've really enjoyed the soup of the day. Last night's roasted carrot and fennel was no exception. It was rich and soothing and probably quite good for me too. The toasted pumpkin seeds that served as a garnish were a nice touch. I followed my soup with the grilled flatbread. The tiny slices of radish mixed in with the microgreen and goat cheese topping was a delicious addition that added a great texture contrast. Chocolate bread pudding, whih was kind of ho hum, and espresso rounded the meal off. The kitchen tends to be a bit slow, so plan accordingly. Especially since it seemed like everyone else was there for the same thing we were. The dining room went from bustling and lively to a veritable ghost town in the span of about 15 minutes. Adagia is definitely worth a visit if you are doing something at UC Berkeley, but probably not worth a special trip.
5 - E D.: 4 stars for food and the fifth for service.  I made an opentable reservation here and left notes for the maitre'd even though I never know if anyone actually reads them.  Well, Scott, the manager called me!!  I had requested a quiet table for two for our rare date night and he was worried the place would not be quiet enough for us and left me a voicemail asking me to call him back to make sure it would be up to snuff.  Who does that these days when everyone is worried about their bottom line and just getting seats filled?!  When I called back, I had a great conversation with the person who answered and when we arrived at the restaurant Scott knew exactly who we were and greeted us with a smile.  Amazing.

The food was excellent.  Carrot fennel soup with pepitas and chive oil went perfectly with the pinot.  Beet salad was delicious - never thought to add honey to a beet salad but will be doing that from now on.  Flatbread was amazing - I didn't order it b/c I thought "pizza', no - but my husband is a sucker for pizza and adding the bacon put it over the top - really really good.  (I ended up eating half of it.)  Squash ravioli - I should have digested the menu - I always assume a squash ravioli will have sage butter sauce and the mushroom sauce was not my fave but that was my fault for expecting something that was clearly listed as something else.

Desserts - well, good thing it was my birthday and they threw in my dessert for free because it was really hard to decide!  The chocolate bread pudding was gone in about three seconds and the ici ice cream trio took about another five.  SO GOOD!

And last but not least, our server was EXCELLENT!  It really makes a difference when you're going to a pre-theatre place that is used to being such.  Our server knew our time table but we never felt rushed nor did we have to prompt him.  He was efficient and on top of things and just a genuinely nice guy who really knew the menu and had a great personality.  

We will definitely dine here again.
1 - David D.: My wife and I and two friends had to leave before our main courses arrived to make an 8:00 curtain at Zellerbach.

We arrived for our 6:15 dinner reservation on time, told our waitress that we had to make an 8:00 PM show.  She said "no problem," we ordered by 6:20, and waited.  Our salads and wine arrived around 6:45.  At 7:15, our waitress said our main courses would be out in three minutes.  But at 7:30, when our dinners had still not arrived, we felt we had to leave without our main courses.  The manager apologized twice, and during our wait brought more wine and a small sweet potato dish without being asked.  They didn't charge us when we left at 7:35.

They were very slow just after they opened, serving us an hour after ordering diinner before two previous Zellerbach events.  We had reasonable service twice after that and thought they had worked out their kinks.  We were wrong.
4 - Bronwen H.: This is a lunch review:

Had their flat bread pizza and it was tasty albeit a bit salty so after about two slices I was good but not full yet. Which was fine I got the tomato soup too which I felt was a bit bland. 

The rose brut I had was lovely and my mum quite enjoyed her mushroom and onion soup and her salad as well. 

What gets 5 stars is Caitlin our server. Her demeanor was outstanding. She was full of life but not intrusive. Her manner while serving us just impressed me and put me in a good mood. Ask to be seated in her section if she is serving and you will not be disappointed!! 

Though I wasn't blown away by the food I'd keep coming back just so she could serve me. Maybe have some more of that lovely rose and enjoy the impeccable service. 
bliss
5 - J L.: Having met with clients, I wanted to treat them to lunch. One of them recommended Adagia, and so we hoofed it from campus to the restaurant.

The restaurant has an air of sophistication. There was a beautiful fireplace that framed the entire indoor dining area. We were given the option of eating in their courtyard, and decided to soak in the sun.

I had the Seared Petrale Sole, and it was delicious! It was the largest, thickest chunk of sole I have ever witnessed, and the entire fish was delectable. Excellent seasoning, and a very fresh tasting fish.

The service by our waitress was excellent. We were served outdoors, and the entire meal was quite perfect. I couldn't ask for more.

I think $16 was very reasonable for the quality and quantity of the fish.

I would highly recommend to partake in their lunch offerings.
2 - Yushan K.: For the price, I expect better quality food and better service.  The experience was just...meh.  There wasn't any one particular thing that made for a bad meal or anything, but the pieces just didn't come together right.

I had the sole, which was recommended to me by the waitress as a popular item.  I'm lucky I don't have a big appetite, because a big hungry dude would be sorely disappointed by the size of this entree.  The sole was pretty good, but the accompanying mussels, which I usually like, were really chewy (overcooked?) and had a funky aftertaste (not fresh?)  Maybe the usual clientele likes this dish, but I didn't care for it.  Appetizers were just ok - not memorable.  But the chocolate bread pudding was great.

Also, considering the place wasn't bustling and full on the weeknight we went, it took forever to get our food.  The service wasn't very attentive, and I felt like we had to flag down our waitress every time.

Because of location, this place won't have any trouble staying in business because they occupy an otherwise empty upper-scale niche close to campus.  But I probably won't volunteer to come back unless someone else is paying ;)
3 - Karen Z.: I think calling it a Mediterranean restaurant is a bit misleading because this place is super American in my perspective.  The interior decoration is very delicate.
5 - Rochelle F.: Excellent food, atmosphere, very caring service.  We had a large group, and they were excellent at catering to everyone's individual needs.  I highly recommend this restaurant for a wonderful evening (for 2 or many)
4 - Wayne M.: Dined alone about 7pm; very few other patrons, but I'd guess it gets pretty loud if crowded. The service was excellent; I felt very welcome. The food also was excellent, from the tomato puree soup, to the lamb burger perfectly cooked and with some of the best fries I've ever tasted, to the absolutely scrumptious chocolate bread pudding.
4 - Alicia W.: My bosses took me here to celebrate my graduation and I had a wonderful time. 

The host was very accommodating, we stood in the restaurant for a bit deciding to sit inside or outside, we thought about inside, but it was actually a bit cool, so we decided to sit outside since it was a very sunny day. Unfortunately, the sun was in our eyes, but the host was very attentive and went to move the giant umbrella so that we would have shade. 

I ordered the Adagia Chicken Salad and I loved it! The croutons were a bit hard, but I loved the dressing, the chicken, the cranberries, the walnuts, pretty much everything. The bread that they serve before the entree was very good too.

I didn't try anything else, but all the food that everyone ordered looked really good. I am definitely going to come back and try something else next time.
3 - Rich H.: Summary based on 1 dinner:
--food was just ok.  I had a spinach salad with strawberries and cheese, which mostly worked together with farro with veg, which mostly didn't work.  The farro dish was bland and pretty uninteresting.
--service was very good
--setting is quite nice
--cost was ok
--parking wasn't a problem (person driving had a UCB pass)

If you go to a restaurant for the food, this was disappointing.  In the same general area, though more downtown, I'd recommend Corso.
3 - Lainey D.: Came here for a first date and was pleasantly surprised.  I always walked by here on the way to classes in Berkeley and thought it looked cute from the outside. Came inside and the dining room is gorgeous.  We were sat near the cozy fireplace, the staff was just as warm, and the steak was pretty savory.
4 - Jennifer M.: I've eaten at Adagia three times now, so thought it was finally time to write a review! First I came here for lunch with a Professor, a second time with a student group, and a third time with my dad and boyfriend. All three times the food was excellent, and the service was great. I am a huge fan of the lamb burger - it is cooked to perfection and tastes wonderful! 

The atmosphere at Adagia is very nice, as well, although when the restaurant isn't particularly busy it can seem a little large and vacant because of the high ceilings and relatively plain walls. There's a nice fireplace in the back, and very nice large wooden tables, though, and exposed wood beams which give the atmosphere a warmer feel. 

I'm looking forward to going back to Adagia for a 4th time!
3 - Daniel K.: I've been here a few times--ambience is wonderful, location is superb, the food is great, but prices are high and the portions are too small.

That's it in a nutshell--it all depends on what you're looking for.
3 - Betty T.: The chocolate bread pudding is amazing... Soft and warm. Comfort food!!!

Everything else is mediocre. If you are looking for small portions of complex salads, this is the place for you.

Adam's Sandwiches Plus - Skillman, NJ (40.4081199, -74.70286) ()
5 - Andy A.: Great sandwiches, great service. Would eat here again.
4 - Julie B.: Good stuff always comes from family owned and operated businesses, and Adam's is no exception!  Adam's came to the neighborhood some time last year and has been a welcome addition and a favorite of the locals.

I HIGHLY recommend the 3-cheese chicken cheese steak... its spicy, gooey and oh so good.  And make sure you wash it down with a Joe Peach Tea.  Its the best sandwich/drink combo I've found so far!

Adam's mom is usually behind the register... she's one of the most bubbly people you will meet and honestly you never know what's going to come out of her mouth, she's quite a character!  Adam and his cooks will smile from the back as they cook up your meal... everything is made-to-order here!

The have BBQ every Saturday (at least in the summer anyway) and I haven't tried it, but I hear its mad good.

Check out their website for coupons too.

Adam's is a must-stop if you are at the intersection of 601 and 518 during lunch time!
5 - C S.: Ribs brown sugar cider cayenne 
Pickle juice in Carolina sauce
Fruity peach sweet Georgia sauce
Slightly smokey sweet sauce
Maple beans
Tender and juicy
Creamy slaw

Their barbecue is genuine, as are the people working and running the place. You can also pick up pints of halo ice cream.

Tender, fall off the bone ribs and a pulled pork sandwich barely made a dent in our wallet, and we will be back to provide a proper review. Loved it!
5 - Danan R.: Excellent barbecue ribs and hoagies,  plus nothing beats the $5 lunch meal deal. Prices are unbeatable and the food is flavorful.  Service is always expedient and friendly.  I just wish that they had one on campus.  It would certainly make lab more bearable...  Be sure to try the kong hoagie on weekdays and get the barbecue on Saturdays.  Oh and only open from Thurs to Sat.

Adams Family Dentistry - Los Angeles, CA (34.0320025, -118.2843416) (South Los Angeles)
5 - Art O.: After coming here for nearly six months, I've received an excellent  Phi Beta Kappa Dental Service; from Dr. Khalili.  And for being a USC Dental School Graduate, this cultured damsel is not in distress; however; she did her homework and it shows. The equipment she has in her office utilizes the latest modern technology.  In addition, Dr. Khalili is a sweet charming meticulous perfectionist--trust me.  And she has plenty of debonair, while articulating her Profession of Dentistry.  Dentist may come and go; but this one is a keeper.

The dental work Dr. Khalili had performed in my mouth is living proof of her expertise.  And besides, the Best Man for the [job] is a Woman!  And, she's no exception--rain or shine.  Great manual dexterity, Dr. Khalili!  You're one tough cookie!!!  Rebel with a Cause!  Along, with a great sense of humor and pride; most men, like myself; also--love the beauty and a smile on a cutie!  Yes, indeed; it is a sex appeal!  Transmutation at its Best!  What can I say?  I'll put my tooth under the pillow for the tooth fairy any day!

Dr. Khalili is honest and trustworthy; and above all, she has a great personality.   Make an appointment; and go and check her out.  Why be in pain?  She has a convenient location; not too far from USC; complete with free parking, and you don't have to walk much or take an elevator to get to her office.  All in all; in my humble opinion, it was well worth it in getting my teeth refurbish.  Great Dentist--Dr. Khalili; and, a Great All Girl Staff--Sonia, Arianna & Cynthia.  You can't get more female than that.  My hat's off to all of you.  Your services are well appreciated.  This place Rock!  Thumbs up!  A++++
1 - anon y.: after getting fillings here i went to a family dentist back home that i have been going to since childhood. he told me that most of the fillings werent even necessary. not only that, but one of the fillings I did receive started deteriorating only after a couple months. the doctor doesn't seem to care that, once you drill holes in your teeth, there's no going back. she's like a car mechanic that will ruin your car so you have to pay and fix it. i do not recommend this place to anyone with teeth. honest? ha, right....
1 - Merry L.: Although the staff was friendly, I found this place to horrible. I feel bad to write such a review, but at the same time, I want to make sure that people who are searching for a dentist get real feedback. Dr. Khalili seems like she knows what she is doing, but i feel like she was trying to push products on me that I didn't really need like teeth whitening--and told me that I needed to have a lot of uneccessary work done on my teeth. maybe because she knew I was an SC student she figured I had money to burn.  She told me that I needed to get approximately $5,000 worth of dentist work done on my teeth! I went to go get a second opinion with another dentist, and they told me there were only two things I needed to get fixed (which would only cost 500 bucks)

I would never suggest anyone to come here. I've given this place many chances, but it is poorly run and I found unprofessional.

The first time I went, I had set up an appointment just for a regular cleaning and check up. The assistant that came to get me opened the door with gloves on. When she asked me to sit down and began to get all the equipment--she didn't change her gloves. She began to reach into my mouth. I was disgusted! That door handle must have been touched by many patients....When I got home I rinsed my mouth with listerine  5times.

The second time I went, I set up an appointment to be the first patient in the morning. I arrived 5 min early, and ended up wating 40 min before anyone showed up at the office to open the door! I'm sorry, if someone has an appointment at 9 am in the morning, you better be there before the patient. Then when they finally opened up the door, I waited another 15 min before they saw me. I was pissed...

The third time (yes I know, i shouldn't have gone back, but I'm a big believer in giving second chances, I mean maybe something happended to make the dr late), I waited 3 hours....yes 3 hours just to see the dentist for 15 min to review my x-rays---This was even after I repeatedly asked the receptionist if I could just come back at another time. Everytime they just said it would only take another 10-20 min and promised I would be next.....

I'm nost sure who this Art O fellow is, but I would not recommend anyone to come here unless they have to
1 - Janee M.: I went here once and will never go back. I moved to the area in May and was due for my 6 month cleaning. When I came in, I waited about an hour to go back. First I had X-Rays done, which took a while, before the actual dentist saw me. She proceeded to tell me that my bottom teeth had shifted since I had braces and that I should get them straightened out. I told her I wear my retainers every night and she said they can still move during the day (which does make sense). She said I need to fix the bottom and top (which my top teeth are perfectly straight) with Invisalign which would cost me about $2,600 with my insurance. And this is only to fix a few teeth on my bottom row. Then she wanted me to have her put a fixed retainer in so my teeth wouldn't move anymore........ 

After all this she then tells me she doesn't have time to do my cleaning which was the whole point of me coming in, but she does an exam of my mouth and says that I have a cavity and I will come back later to get that filled as well as the cleaning. When I go out from to make that appointment, the lady at the front desk tells me that I owe $50 to secure my next appointment - $30 for the cleaning and $20 for the cavity. I thought this was strange because my previous dentist NEVER made me pay for those things, let alone PAY for them before even getting them done. Whatever, I paid the money and left. 

When I got home, I called my other dentist, and they confirmed that my insurance completely pays for all cleanings and cavities and there should be nothing for me to pay for. So I decided I no longer want to go here,  I go back to the dentist to cancel my appointment and get my money back. They told me I can keep the money there and use it towards my next appointment. Which was fishy because how do you know what I will need next time I come (even though I am never coming back)?! 

Next time I went back to my home town, I asked my dentist for a second opinion, and I never even had a cavity where the other doctor told me I did. Keep in mind.. I had been going to this dentist for 9 years before I moved and I completely trust their PROFESSIONAL opinion. So pretty much.. they were trying to charge me money for work I didn't need!

Adams Vernon J Jr DMD-Samudio Sam DDS & Associates - Palo Alto, CA (37.4380089, -122.1752674) ()
1 - Brian M.: I used to like Dr. Adams for the first few years.  However, as my knowledge about kid dental work grows, I start to realize their practices are not so ethical -- they were trying all opportunities to ripoff for more money for unnecessary treatments (braces, sealant, fillings on teeth that soon fall off...etc.)  in a smart way.   This made my kids went through unnecessary pain and suffering.    Talking about the payment, they also had uncommon practice dealing with insurance companies - that makes the whole reimbursement process messy.   I always had to pay after each visit and they would submit for reimbursement for me and the insurance company would send me the checks with whatever the amount they thought reasonable for the treatment.  Dr. Adams's and Dr. Liu's charges were so also outrageous that got only reimbursed about half what I paid.  A few times, the reimbursements were even less than half.  I think this is a good indication either they were expensive or they were giving my kids unnecessary treatments.    One of the front desk staffs was so unfriendly that always gave me an impression I was not welcome to this "rich man club"  (for their outrageous charges).  One last important comment, Dr. Adam used to be very good but after the last 2 treatments, I decided to switch to other dentist for my kid.  The problems:  1) I observed  his hands were shaking during the injections in the last 2 treatments, which hurt my kid so much that he refused to go there anymore.  2)  the filling was not well done and floss couldn't go through and for whatever reasons, my kid ended up having to undergo antibiotics for infection. The filling also fell off  two weeks later and my kid needed to return to re-do.   

They used to be very good but now I am searching for a better one.
5 - Karen G.: I can't believe I'm the first to review Dr. Adams and his team. Dr. Adams has been in business for over two decades and has treated our son's teachers' children here in Palo Alto. As a coincidence I was talking to one today who  had her daughter go to Dr. Adams over 20 years ago and still swears by him.  His office is completely set up to be for pediatric dentistry like no other.

When our son was 2 he hadn't been to the dentist yet and his pediatrician recommended Dr. Adams and his associates. They are so patient, gentle, and understanding. The office is set up with children in mind: sinks are at their level, they have TV's embedded in the ceiling and your kid has a choice of videos to watch during treatment. Each room has a large fish tank with colorful tropical fish.

For the first exam, they take their time and don't force anything with your child. Exams and cleanings are done with a toothbrush and fingers; not the scary equipment you might expect. They spent a good deal of time making it a positive experience for your child and developing a relationship with your child as the patient.

I only wish that other pediatric health care specialists were as good as Dr. Adams and his team. Even my husband doesn't want to miss my son's dentist appointments because it is a fun adventure for parents and child.

Oh, and getting an appointment is easy too. We were able to get it within 2 days of calling, which is great.
1 - Diana B.: I am very sad to say that because of rude staff behavior, I am now considering moving to another dentist. I had to re-arrange a morning to get to a first of day appointment last week. We were running 10 minutes late but we got a call saying Dr. Adams could not see us. I tried to beg them to  reconsider since I took the morning off at work and explained that we're literally almost at their doorstep but without any consideration, they told us that we had to re-schedule. There were plenty of times when the office called us to cancel or re-schedule on the same day because of an emergency on  their part but when you're having one of your own, they will not accomdate you. What's worse is the other person on the other line sounded like she didnt give a damn about what we're going through.  She asked if I wanted to re-schedule and I told her that I have to call back and look at our schedule and all she said was "ok?" and then click. I called back and left a message saying how disappointed I was and if we could get a call back but no one did. Looks to me like this is not only happening to me but to many others as well (see link below). I hope that they can fix their customer service staff or they might end up losing their clients. Ashame because my son was looking forward to seeing Dr. Adams that day :(
http://www.insiderpages.com/b/15238473128
1 - Reviewer O.: We are thankfully not with this practice anymore.  The only positive thing we remember are the video games they have on the ceiling to distract the kids ...
 
We had a child who Dr. Samudio did several crowns on.  They were too big (a different Peds dentist noted), and one of them got infected, and my child had to go to the ER.
We are pretty forgiving, so we kept going. We tried Dr. Adams himself, and he was better but we went only for check-ups, and Dr. Liu was the best out of them all b/c he was actually the one to tell us of the infection.  But overall, we lost confidence b/c they kept trying to stick us w/ Samudio...

We left for a better practice, even though it was farther and less convenient.
5 - Megan T.: This is a very friendly office that's all about the kids!!  My two boys have been going to Dr. Adams for about 6 years now and love it!  From the fun bean bags in the waiting room to picking a game or movie to watch during their appt!  There are beautiful fish tanks everywhere that my boys love.
Dr. Adams and the hygienists are very thorough.  They answer all of my questions and explain everything, step by step, to my kids as they do their exam.  Dr. Adams talks to my kids one on one about their care and explains everything on their level.  He is a wonderful pediatric dentist!
5 - Mark B.: My three kids have seen Dr. Adams for quite some time.  I have never had a problem with the staff as mentioned in another review.  In fact, they were very patient and helpful when I showed up unannounced to get some specific info from their records.   As well, making appointments for all the kids together has been very easy - I bring them all in and they blast em out.  Priceless.

They have movies and games with the screen in the ceiling to occupy the kids and there is plenty of room to 'hover' around your kid if that is what you are compelled to do.   The environment is very open and relaxed.

I would put my 7 year old boy up against any in the league of, well, active boys.   Dr. Adams did an amazing job getting him to sign on to a treatment plan that included a molar extraction.   I am a healthcare provider and occasionally work with kids.   Dr. Adams did an amazing job anesthetizing my little rascal with just local anesthesia.   Kudos.
1 - Sharon L.: We went to this practice for 14 years, first with my older daughter (who switched to an adult dentist two years ago) and then with our youngest.  We had been pleased with Dr. Samudio, whom we had seen for years, although I do have to admit that it was irritating after all that time to still be called "Mom" by him (and other staffers), since I don't think anyone there bothered to actually learn the parents' names (although, we did have two hygienists, Jesse and another guy, who did learn my name and were always very nice - they're long gone though.).  Samudio has retired and we went recently to Dr. Adams  Here is what transpired:

My daughter recently got her braces off.  She had a dead tooth in the front and was hoping to have it whitened.  I called from the orthodontist's office when her braces came off and we were able to clearly see the extent of the discoloration.  I made an appointment for a cavity (that had been noted at her appt. 3 months previously, but the decision had been made to wait until her braces came off, since we knew that was coming up) and a tooth whitening  

Anyway, when we got to the office, the hygienist walked us back and started talking about a cleaning.  Long story short, I told her that wasn't why we were there (it did surprise me that the computer didn't note that my daughter had had her teeth cleaned three months previously).  They were able to fill her cavity, but there was no time for the whitening.

The issue came about when I asked when she could get her tooth whitened.  Dr. Adams said that he was working on weekends but when I asked for a weekend appointment he said, "Oh, those are all filled."  I said (very pleasantly but matter of factly)  that the mix up with the appointment was not our fault and that it would be good to get my daugher in as soon as possible.  This is when Dr. Adams lifted his hand and said, "Talk to the hand."   I was absolutely flabbergasted and had no idea  how to react.

Later, in the same appointment, Dr. Adams talked at great length about his time in the Stanford Band.  He talked about how they got drunk and essentially held a beauty contest to pick the Stanford Dollies.  I really didn't think that this kind of frat boy talk and obvious sexism was really appropriate from a professional in front of my 14 year old daughter.  

By the time we checked out, I asked my daughter "Are you done here?" and she said, "Oh yeah."

This was not a mere misunderstanding.  This was unprofessional and unacceptable behavior.  It is a sad end to 14 years of going to what used to be a practice that we recommended to everyone.
1 - Rob H.: I cannot recommend Dr. Adams. My children loved seeing Dr. Liu, which is why I continued seeing him in spite of several problems with his back office. I am so glad that Dr. Liu has opened his own practice not far away on Yale Street. 

Now my children can continue seeing Dr. Liu, but without all the problems that Dr. Adam's office had.
5 - elizabeth a.: Dr Adams is the best dentist! He actually listens to the child and the parent.  The staff is amazing in how particular they are in cleaning teeth but tuned in to the child's age and demeanor to give patient-centered exemplary care. Convenient, expert, and COMPETENT!!! These professionals are one of the few that takes time and talent to attend to children with physical or mental conditions that require anesthesia assistance from the Packard team. Dr Adams holds both a dental AND medical degree (DMD), take it from a certified registered nurse, this is the team you should choose to care for your child's teeth. PS Those with braces can have teeth cleaned every three months-WOW!!! What service!!!

Adams-Hemphill Park - Austin, TX (30.294813, -97.73916) (University of Texas)
4 - matt m.: Adams-Hemphill Park is somewhat hidden behind 30th st - walking distance from neighboring Trudy's, Spiderhouse, and UT.  They have a softball field, full basketball court, 1 adult and 1 child set of swings.  

If you're looking for a game of basketball, you're likely be able to jump into a game here at almost any hour.

It's also popular for dog walking, frisbee, kite flying, and even a little sunbathing.  Parking shouldn't be a problem anywhere along 30th st - but during school hours it can be a problem.
3 - Sarah G.: This park is random

Randomly located behind some fraternity like houses and this weird and random looking school type thing

It is randomly only a block or two big

Randomly made up of a pseudo softball field, some random picnic tables, and a random swing set.

But it is a nice little spot for a break before you walk on over to Trudy's or something else like that nearby. I love parks, and this one I could just see myself napping in, especially since there were so few people in it!
4 - Megan M.: What a super cute little park!

You know, I've parked around this park so many times without realizing that it was, well, actually a park.  I met up with some friends who got engaged a few years back on the foot bridge over the creek on the Adams side.  The grounds were very nice for a picnic.

They only have a swing set and a basketball court in the area where we were.  There was a heck of a lot of grass space, though.  While there is a ton of open space, there is also a great deal of shade and good climbing trees.  This makes up for the lack of playground area as my friend brought her 2 year old with her.

Definitely a park for students or young adults wanting to enjoy a little outdoors.  Saw a dog walker or two.  I'd recommend a different park if you're looking for an actual playground for your kids like Pease or Zilker- but otherwise it is a good park - especially when you use your information and find those good climbing trees.  I'd like to be back for a picnic.
4 - Ramon M.: Why has every review here missed the best part of Adams Park? PICK UP BASKETBALL!

Adams Park has, hands down, the best outdoor pick up basketball in all of Austin. I've heard the games at UT's Gregory are good, but it also costs $50/month to get in the door. The price at Adams park? Free, if you can stomach the 100 degree weather, the even hotter water at the drinking fountain, and the occasional panicky sprint to save a basketball from the Waller Creek ravine. And if you can't then you're probably not gonna last long on any court anyhow.

The Adams court is huge, bigger than the Pease Park mini-court, and has bright fluorescent lights that come on around 8 in the summer, though ironically when most games wrap up. The talent is consistently competitive, mainly early to mid 20's white boys, which means friendly, fundamental games without many wow moments but also lacking the shit talking, cheap shit attitudes that can make most pickup courts worthless (don't even get me started on the scum playing ball at Silver Lake Park back home in LA). Oh and stick around long enough and you might get to play a game with the boys from Austin Fire Dept's Station #3.

Right around the corner from Spider House, Adams Park is a great relief from the schizophrenically small business oriented yet nontheless all out pedestrian abuse that is Guadalupe north of 24th street. Once at Adams Park, continue north across 30th street up the linear park on either side of Waller Creek for a nice stroll into the south edge of Hyde Park. You can also take the park all the way east where two footbridges cross Waller Creek and the trail winds behind a seminary towards Crown and Anchor Pub at the intersection of San Jacinto and Speedway. 

The west edges of the park attract a classic Steinbeckian sample of Austin's houseless vagabonds and many an early morning I've seen folks of all types rolling up sleeping bags after what I can only assume was a great night of urban camping in a quintessentially Austin spot.

Addison Antique - Palo Alto, CA (37.4396209, -122.1573546) ()
5 - elizabeth f.: Great Antique Collective with many different periods and styles of stuff. Good jewelry in the cases, including vintage costume jewelry and finer pieces. Pottery, Glass, Silver, Furniture and Antique Toys. Right across the street from Anthropologie, I sometimes scope out vintage Anthropologie look-a-likes at a fraction of the price. Plus, it's not mass produced in China or at least not in this decade!
5 - Stephanie A.: A treasure trove, literally, and a lovely antidote to the manufactured "antique" shlock of Anthropologie, which is across the street.  Anyone looking for a Christmas present, wedding gift or something special for the home would do well to check out the ever-changing stock at Addison Antique.  This is a collective, so each dealer's little 'store' has a different feel.
3 - Shannon H.: Addison Antiques has a good selection of high priced antiques.  You won't find the 50's kitsch or other quirky antiques, but things like: rugs, furniture, shells, jewelry, postcards, etc.  The staff is very nice and accommodating.
1 - Patricia B.: Terrible experience.  The fellow working there was crabby and seemed to resent it that I asked to see some things in the case.  I've spent about $1000 there over the past year and won't be back.
5 - J T.: Bought a beautiful maple cabinet here for a great price.  Prices vary according to the dealer, but there are some very good quality pieces here, and the displays are set up nicely, so it's easy to look through and not cluttered.
1 - Nine N.: WHAT A RIPOFF.  french celluloid doll for $35.00 (broken, dusty and gross condition) - when it goes for $5-$15.00 at other antique shops around downtown willow glen, downtown campbell, downtown los gatos and pacific grove??

GET REAL ADDISON ANTIQUE.  also, i think i would have been a bit more excited about the item had the staff that worked there paid attention to our party of five!!  we were quiet when we walked in. we're not rowdy.  we were browsing, and i was looking for antiques!

the most unfriendly non-welcoming to date.  it was grossly embarassing to say the very least.  this straight haired short haired reddish tinted brunette behind the jewelry counter (who passed my friend and me up several times) did NOT acknowledge us what-so-ever; no eye contact; no greeting of any kind.  for a little while i shrugged it off and thought maybe she doesn't see it.  she saw us 3x.  then i thought maybe she's a customer or a friend of the owner's?  nope, she worked there.

anyway.  one of the store owners, deborah, was told of the situation and apologized profusely and welcomed us back.  i just hope when we decide to go back to see their furniture that the straight short haired reddish tinted brunette lady isn't there again for her customer service is very poor - or she's very discriminatory.  that is all we could think her problem was, for if she were having a bad day, her attitude of gloom and doom would have been more consistent the entire time, but the half hour we were there she had a split personality:  dr. jekyll and mr. hyde style.

my friend described it best when she said this is really a hoarders store disguised as an antique shop.
our whole theory is they sell things at over the top prices just so that they really don't get rid of it.  case in point:  a bowl of individually broken off ceramic doll heads at $5.00 USD a piece.  FIVE DOLLARS?!  woah.
insane.
oh, another example:  empty mini whiskey bottles for $10.00.  they are old and there still is whiskey inside - at the very bottom of tiny bottle.  again, they're trying really hard NOT to sell things.
5 - Ken A.: I don't know who wrote that bad review but I agree with the positive ones. I am a local and find the people helpful and the antiques, at least most of them, priced fairly - and, if asked the owners are often willing to discuss small discount.
5 - Matthew K.: Let me start by saying I really don't understand the negative comment below, I've had nothing but great experiences at Addison Antique especially with ALL of the staff who are always so helpful and knowledgeable of there Antiques. I guess some people are just way too high maintenance.

I started coming to Addison Antique about 2 years ago because my girlfriend loves Antique shops and Addison is the best one we have been too by far. I love the look of the store when you walk in with all these different interesting chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. We have bought a few things from here and I even found a beautiful ring for my girlfriend last christmas, and recently Debbie helped us pick out a table, she was very friendly and accommodating as it took us a while to make a decision. There are so many charming items to look at in this store.

So if your looking for Antiques/jewelry, or a gift for your girlfriend/wife I would highly recommend Addison Antique.
4 - Catherine L.: Who loves shopping? Me!!! Who loves history and old trinkets? Me!!!! Thats why I love antiquing and Addison Antique's has everything.. as well as an Anthropologie across the street for some shopping for my closet. 

Addison Antique's has just about everything. Tons of jewelry is displayed in the glass cases. A little overwhelming by the amount to look at but all classics. Tons of chandeliers, paintings, vases, cutlery, bowls, plates, a vintage American flag, old tennis rackets and etc. You name it, they probably have at least two.

A little pricey but pieces from decades ago cost a pretty penny nowadays... haha.
4 - regan d.: Nice clean organized store with lots of beautiful high end items. They seem very selective and only have the best antiques, no junk.  A good place if you have a lot of money to spend.
1 - Emily C.: Thought this place was nice, had nice things.
But had a HORRIBLE experience with customer service.
Purchased a taxidermy elk head, went home...didnt fit in my house, called immediatly, they wouldnt take it back!! $700 item i JUST bought and they said no.
They DO however have a program where you can "rent" the item for a day to make sure it works for you.............since i didnt do this i got screwed.
Cant even make one exception? They said it was too hard to adjust the books/payments.
I sold it on Craigslist for $300.
Oh, and the old man who helped me load this in my car gouged out my bumper/rear end with the antlers!! i called to tell them about the damage and they never called back to take any responsibility!!
2 - Jeremy G.: I'm gonna pull the Snob Card.

I think most people who come here have *obviously* never been to multiple antique malls before. This place is barely mediocre, compared to the *hundreds* of secondhand stores I've patronized over twenty years. It's not "bad," mind you, and some of the stuff here appeals to me. But come on, get real.

(Sticks his nose in the air, as he walks out of the store.)
3 - Brian K.: A good sized antique store with a great variety of furniture, jewelry, books, lighting, and odds & ins.  Due to the location (I am assuming), the pricing is... steep.  The selection is a 4 but the value is a 2, so 3 seems fair.  Given the massive amounts of much better price competition in the area, pass!
4 - flo c.: I'm not really much of an antique aficionado. Honestly, I detest the weird smell that emanates from many antique stores and while I like the Anthropologie-esque look, I'm fine with it being a fake found object rather than a real name-your-century piece. That being said, I really enjoyed browsing inside Addison Antiques and not just because it was well ventilated the day we came or its convenient location across from one of my most beloved Anthropologie stores. 

The ladies that worked here were quite nice, although I should mention that they didn't necessarily know a lot about the many of the pieces there. Granted, there was a lot so I guess they can't be expected to remember more than what is written on the tags. The day we came, there was someone who wanted to buy dozens of pieces but was trying to bargain them down and put them aside on layaway and these ladies were still polite and professional. I was just another shopper and I was getting annoyed by this person. 

If we lived in the area, we totally would have made off with a few fun pieces that are similar to the ones at Anthropologie stores but for a fraction of the price, including a rusted metal egg basket, a little white French end table and a 1950's (I think) typewriter. However, since we couldn't shove all this into our suitcase this time around, I left with just a small candelabrum with chipped yellow paint. It was a surprising $16 (regular price) and I'm sure had we found it across the street at Anthropologie, it would've been at least $50. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a super old piece, but it was definitely used and looked old enough. 
Overall, we are definitely adding this to our list of places that we must visit every time I'm back in the bay area. Compared to some of the antique stores I've been to here in Orange County as well as some we checked out in San Carlos, this had a lot of fun, useful pieces in decent and good condition, though some were definitely not "real" vintage.
1 - Hannah H.: I've bought quite a few items here over the years because I was desperate for a few "antiques" and there are few options in this area.  However, much of the merchandise is overpriced, and some is overpriced junk.  In addition, the customer service is horrible, except for a couple reasonably nice persons who have been helpful... Middle aged guy with dark hair has a horrible attitude towards customers... multiple negative experiences with him coupled with the inflated prices is why I will not return here to shop - ever.  Would rather drive 45 minutes to another shop with better product and customer service...

Adelante Boutique - Austin, TX (30.293042, -97.737245) (University of Texas)
4 - Jo M.: This is the cutest little store, something you would see on Melrose. I loved this place from the moment I walked in! The shoes are great and at good prices. There are some very pricey items and then a great sale rack. Super cool jewelry, too. 
Now for my realistic analysis: this store has regulars and they are catered to, and I mean really catered to by the staff. And from the looks of it, they are not looking to get any new regulars anytime soon. I heard one of the girls tell another customer trying on a really cute dress, "When was the last time you were a 0?" Huh? 
One girl was nice, didn't offer to get me room, despite it was obvious that I wanted to try on a great deal of things. (Maybe her previous job was at Anthropologie?) So I helped myself to a room and got going. Couldn't resist buying a few things. They had these nice stretchy tanks in almost every color. Next day I called asking if they could hold one for me that I should've bought. Ditzy girl on phone tells me, "We don't have that color". Hello??? I tried it on less that 24 hours ago! I make a special trip and there it is, big as life, waiting for me. When I asked if they were getting more of these, which are basics and everyone who buys one will want ten more, Ditzy girl tells me that they NEVER restock an item once they sell out. Ok, maybe this place doesn't, but are they foolish. They would never have to sell anything else if they kept these in stock.
I'll never have regular status here, but I'll be back. They have nice things and for the regulars, I'm sure they enjoy their shopping experience here a little more than the outsiders!
5 - laurie c.: Well, it's official. Adelante has taken over as my Fav Boutique in Austin title, for now at least! 

I must be losing it or am in hoarding-mode for all-things-summery. Hence my post on Adelante. I have been in and out of here over the years and always finding some really cute stuff, whether it's shoes, candles or obviously cute clothes. The staff is friendly and helpful and the place has tripled in size over the last 5 years. They did a great job on decorating the place, BTW. I didn't experience what the other reviewer stated about the "regulars" but then again, perhaps I'm one of those people! eeks.

Either way, rush on in! The compliments will come flying when you wear your adorable duds or jewels or shoes. If you don't find something you like, just donate what you would have spent to my account, which you can find at the counter under "regulars!"
3 - Leigh M.: This is a cute boutique with a girly/Anthropologie aesthetic. There were lots of cute things, but also plenty that seemed a touch overpriced for what they are. I didn't find anything I loved, but I'll be back to check it out again.
3 - Rae P.: Great cute jewelry, great cute clothes.

A bit pricey, but you get what you pay for.  I dont always find something I need or have to have, but I sometimes find great things in here.  And I have gotten a number of things on their sale rack, they do have a great sale rack from time to time.  

I mainly like their jewelry.
2 - Lauren M.: The store has a great location because you can go to Teo and get your pumpkin spice latte and then walk over, but I can do without the snotty salespeople.  I have been here numerous times and have never been welcomed or offered help.  I have purchased a really adorable dress here that was on deep discount and they do have some cute inexpensive shoes, but I can't get past the staff.  I was there this past weekend and even though I was the one trying on the clothes, the staff sure chatted up my husband who was in the "man section" on his iphone. Thanks I know he's adorable and all, but c'mon.
1 - K P.: I am not sure how this place is still in business.   They have some cute clothes but that's about it.    I went in yesterday at 5:20 unaware that they closed at 5:30 on weekdays.   I was in the dressing room trying on clothes and trying to make a decision.  The sales girl came and told me they were trying to wrap things up.  It was 5:40 at this point.  So I asked what time they closed and she said 5:30.   So I got dressed and while leaving she asked "Did you not find anything you liked?".  I could tell she was real concerned so I told her I did but since they were closing I was leaving.  Her reply while unlocking the door to let me out and wiping crumbs from the corner of her mouth- I guess she'd been snacking  while waiting for me to leave was "Sorry but we've got places to be".    

I also think it's pretty awful they don't honor gift cards over a year old.   It seems like whoever owns this store just owns it as a hobby and doesn't really care about making sales.     

"Adelante- we've got places to be" -maybe that should be their new slogan.
4 - Alison S.: Lot's of cute things in here, and a wide range of styles.
1 - Melissa W.: I used to absolutely love Adelante and had shopped there for many years.  Not so, anymore.  When I was in grad school, my sister gave me a $75 Adelante gift certificate for my birthday.  I did nothing but work full-time and go to school during those two years, so, needless to say, I didn't use the gift certificate.  Then I moved, and the gift certificate was MIA for a time.  When I finally found it, I called the store to see if I could still use it, and, after checking, the sales rep said "yes."  

I went to the store and found two pairs of earrings.  To make a long story short, the owner, Tricia Mason Roberts, told me she would not honor the gift certificate.  It was two plus years old, and that was too old for her.  Further, she insinuated that I lied about being told that they would honor it.  I received many other gift certificates while I was in grad school, and didn't use them until after I graduated, and not one other merchant refused to honor their certificate.  Only Adelante.  I will never return to that store.
1 - Annie S.: I was in desperate need of a new dress for an upcoming wedding so I decided to give this place a try.  I walked in and immediately felt overwhelmed by the super snobby attitude.  No one greeted me as I walked in and I was not offered help or even acknowledged during my entire experience.  The salespeople just continued to chat with each other the whole time.  

An employee must have had their kids there because while I was in the dressing room two kids were playing a game in the rest of the stalls and seemed familiar with the store.  Normally I wouldn't have minded this, but they kept peeking into the dressing room where I was (there was just a curtain so there's a gap you can't completely close), and no one stopped them!  I felt very uncomfortable.  

I was thinking about buying one item but I was so unhappy with the experience and so uncomfortable feeling like no one wanted me in the store that I walked out of the dressing room and out of the store.  I definitely will not return.  

The dress search continues.  

Also, the return policy is within 14 days for store credit only (which expires after 1 year).  Outrageous.
4 - LeighAnn H.: Went to 26 doors for some makeup and impulsively rushed into Adelante. I was looking for some specific dresses, knit, short, easy to pack etc.  quickly picked out 3 and headed for the dressing room. (the sales people were pretty nice and started one for me) Tried the first dress on and the sales lady told me I needed to try the knit dress on with a slip.  I said "I don't wear slips. If I need spanx briefs I will just wear those."  she insisted...I said.."No." I tried it on..and she said "oh, your so thin..you dont need a slip. "  so...yeah I know.  I thought the dresses were  very reasonable..similar prices to ruche.com (my fav online boutique)with better quality  than ruche and cheaper prices than Shabbyapple.com.    Good location and cute stuff.  Some of it is very pricey..but the stuff I liked was not.  Inside is decorated shabby chic and vintage-but looks like most of the eclectic boutiques looked 6-8 years ago in L.A, so maybe a bit boring for Austin.  I liked the clothes, they looked young and cute without looking cheap.  Overall a nice find.  One star off for the slip thing.  My mom doesn't even wear slips, and she is 73.
4 - Bonnie B.: Super cute clothes and jewlery.  I almost always find something that I like in Adelante.  Some of the items are kind of pricey but I feel like they have a good range of options and different price points.  When I need to pick up a cute top or dress this has become my go-to place so that I can avoid the mall.
5 - Samantha R.: In love with Adelante Boutique!  I live out of town and every time I come to Austin I make it a point to stop in.  The staff is always super friendly and helpful and even when I stop in just to browse I always walk out with a cute dress or a new pair of earrings.

On this trip I was on a mission to find some cute dresses for my upcoming wedding.  With so many different lunches, dinners, etc. I thought I could at least find one or two dresses here.  I was thrilled when I walked out with 4 dresses, earrings, a bracelet and a cute hat to wear on my honeymoon. 

 With all the stress of planning a wedding it was a breath of fresh air to walk into Adelante and find a staff so willing to help and coordinate all my outfits with accessories.  In addition, I was able to find a cute and inexpensive ($40) dress for my honeymoon and in the same shop a more sophisticated dress that I could wear to my bridesmaids luncheon.

If only I could convince the owner to open an Adelante in my hometown I would be set for life.  I will continue to visit every chance I get and would recommend to anyone looking for cute clothing, shoes and accessories.  Love that the variety in the store caters to women looking for something in all price ranges and styles. 

 HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!!!!!!!
1 - JJ S.: They had such cute stuff but I never got to come inside. I knew that this boutique was for me as I saw a lot of clothes that I has seen at Nordstrom. So walked up and it was a few minutes after closing. There were still some customers inside that were browsing so I thought that maybe they were open later than stated on the door. As a customer was leaving, I made my way for the door and it was shut and locked in my face by a sales associate. As she walked to the sales counter she laughed and she told the cashier and they both looked at the door and me standing at it and laughed. I was shocked! When I spoke to the owner about the situation, she gave me the most insincere apology I've ever heard.  The sales girl denied to the owner ever having shut and locked the door in my face. As I said, the clothes were cute but that's all I know because they wouldn't let me in.

Adele's - College Park, MD (38.9875262939389, -76.9447982311249) ()
3 - Jeff T.: I used to work here. Food was better back then. But it's still ok, I guess. I like to imagine everybody in the kitchen running around panicked without my fearless leadership.

There are some serious problems with wait times during "cut weeks" when freshmen's dining points expire. That's when every idiot on campus descends on us like ravenous wolves to order well done steaks and brownie bowls. The kitchen is not nearly large enough to accommodate the huge dining room and sudden influx so tickets accumulate really fast and it's a hot mess. I don't recommend coming then.

All other times, try the crab cakes or chesapeake alfredo.

The flat iron steak is pretty annoying to make. So don't order that.
3 - Christine L.: Would I EVER spend real money here? No.
Would I spend my extra dining bucks here? Yes.

Adele's is the place to go when you are tired of the oh so divine food from the wonderful dining halls of UMD.

This year they changed up the menu and got rid of many of my favorite desserts like the lava cake and cookie pizza. 

Most of the food here is a hit or miss. To be safe stick with the pasta and steak dishes, they are all pretty decent. The fried mozzarella appetizer is a good pick. 

Don't forget to purchase the $25 brownie bowl, it's big enough to share for 4+ people. You get to keep the giant pimp cup when you are done.

If you do go to adele's go before 5pm, or else there will be a LONG wait.

The service of this restaurant needs to improve. It takes them forever to get food out.
2 - r. h.: Adele's is the one "nice" restaurant on the campus of UMD at College Park. Due to College Park's lack of any viable option for a business-casual meal that wouldn't embarrass the host, Adele's is the go-to place for interview lunches and parental visits. 

Renovated around 2002, its menu reflects a turn of the millennium sensibility that already feels tired and out-dated (remember the lobster ravioli fad?). Since I've actually experienced the pre-2002 Adele, I have a strong suspicion that the current menu may well last until the second coming. 

The food consists of mostly uninspired American fare with pseudo ethnic fusion aspirations. As another reviewer advised: stick with simple dishes like pasta and steak.
4 - Viv J.: While visiting my daughter on campus, we had dinner at Adele's. I am giving this place 4 stars because it is located on University of Maryland's campus and the food is great. The atmosphere and food is that of a 4 star restaurant. There were plenty of students dining there. When I went to college we only had cafeteria food, so I was surprised. I had the crab dip (appetizer) flank steak, mash potato, garden salad, and apple cobbler with ice cream (made in the dairy on campus). Our waiter was just okay and her service was not up to the standards of that type of restaurant.  I will give her 2 stars. she needed some fine tuning in the" Art of Serving".
2 - Jerry A.: Why would you ever eat here when you could eat at 251 North?
3 - Dahna S.: It breaks my heart to give Adeles 3 stars, but truth is I'd never spend real money here... good thing that's not what it's meant for though!

This is the only place you'll find college students, wearing sweatpants and flipflops, eating a steak and lobster dish-- pretty funny if you take a minute to look around.

Their appetizers are definitely the best bet in terms of menu items. They've got great crab dip, spring rolls, and portobello quesadillas... not what you'd expect from an on-campus restaurant! 

Service can be slow and the staff isn't always too friendly, especially around the end of a semester when students are trying to use up their dining points. But hey! We're all students here so no hard feelings, right?
2 - Angela F.: I don't know where people are getting 3 and 4 stars for this place - they must eat at some real dumps where they live. I'd be embarrassed to take visitors and faculty candidates to this place. The service was okay, and pretty much the only reason I'm giving it 2 stars, but  nothing would make it a 4 star restaurant. The burger I got could probably be used as a hockey puck. It was also cold because it was sitting out for a while before it was served to me. It also took about an hour for our food to get served to us.
1 - W B.: I've never been especially impressed with this place. Overpriced and food is only so-so. Nothing's going to change though, so... I would rather just go the student way and eat in the food court.
4 - Laura P.: "I wanna go somewhere nicer with him for dinner. We've been seeing each other for like, three weeks, mostly at frat parties or like, in passing on our way to class, but still. I think it's like, getting serious."

"Where you gonna go?"

"I-D-K. Like, somewhere nice, ya know? Classy."

"Adele's."

"Ohmigah, you're so right!" 

This is the conversation I imagine many Terps having when deciding when to go to Adele's. Adele's is the "fancy" restaurant on campus that students go to during the end of the semester to use up their dining plan points, or to treat themselves to a nice meal mid-semester, or to take their parents to lunch when they visit, or to take someone out on a date. 

There are a lot of junk reviews here on Yelp for Adele's, namely 2- and 3-star reviews, but it's not that bad. For a college kid used to spending near-to-nothing on food and eats college cafeteria food most of the time, Adele's is really great. 

At night, it packs with hungry students. Service is kind of slow, so you're making a commitment when going to Adele's to eat. I go with bigger groups of people, usually with five others, and it takes quite some time for the food to come out. However, when with just one other person, it's much faster. I guess that's a given at all restaurants, though. 

The food, as I said, is good. The crab dip is INCREDIBLE. I repeat, INCREDIBLE. I love it. It is so warm and smooth and creamy and buttery and crabby OMGI Seriously so great. The garlic mashed potatoes are amazing also, definitely substitute them in instead of fries! Most of the stuff is really great, definitely a good place for food. 

WOW, talk about dessert. The Maryland Trough is the way to go. You get a HUGE trough of ice cream, brownies, whipped cream, toppings, etc. It's $21.99 with the souvenir glass trough, but you can request no trough and they actually give you more and it's in a big bowl and it only costs $7.99. Really delicious way to end the meal. Also filling. 

Adele's supports Terps. Adele's, you have a special place in my heart.

Adelino's Old World Kitchen - Lafayette, IN (40.4183383, -86.8942645) ()
4 - Foodie M.: Adelino's is a welcome addition to the Lafayette dining scene.  The décor is a bit more adventurous than Maize, the previous inhabitant of the space, and our dining adventure began with savory herb flat bread accompanied by some olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and herbs.  Our waiter recommended that we start with the Baked Goat Cheese, so we did.  It was good, I would order it again, but it was perhaps a little heavy on the marinara sauce and the portion size was a bit much for two people.

The Crab & Tuna Cakes were very tasty and flavorful.  The mushy texture of the inside was sub-par, but the outer layer was perfectly crispy and the overall flavor really made it a tasty dish.  It was topped with a Red Pepper Aioli that was good, but could have had slightly more punch to it.

The Chili Scallops was the best item we ordered.  The Corn and Black Bean Salsa and associated sauce made the dish, but it is worth noting that the scallops were also cooked perfectly.  The only thing that kept it from being 100% perfect is that for $12, one might expect the four scallops to be a little bigger in size; a couple of them were fairly small.

The Tortilla Espanola was underwhelming.  Admittedly, there are various versions of this dish throughout Spain, but the bacon in this particular rendition was detrimental because it dominated any other flavors that may have been present.  

We ended the night with churros, they were outstanding.  The strawberry filled churros dunked in a strawberry cream are definitely a NOT-TO-MISS dish.

The wine list had several reasonably priced offerings, although the selection of Spanish reds was almost embarrassing for a tapas restaurant.  Don't get me wrong, the Vega wines are good, at least one, if not two, rightfully deserve a place on the menu.  However, a tapas restaurant cannot allow their entire offering of Spanish reds to come from a single winery.  Given the number of great Spanish wines at reasonable prices, a tapas restaurant should at least have one red from each Rioja, Ribera del Duero and perhaps one or two other lesser known regions like Toro or Jumilla.  Also, it would helpful to have the wine list reflect these appellations, rather than just 'Spain.'

The other general criticism is that they still need to work out a few kinks on the prices of certain items; some of the prices were perfectly reasonable, others were definitely high.  For example, $6 for olives is crazy.  Most tapas restaurants, even in much pricier locations, price this dish around $3.  My personal opinion is that most tapas should be sized to come in between $6 and $9 but several go in to the double digits here.

The service was great, the waiter we had was more than welcoming.  He discussed the dishes with us thoroughly and asked our thoughts about the flavors.  The general ambiance was casual and lively, which reminded me of places I've visited in Madrid.  It's nice when a place captures the idea that great food can be served without the pretentions and I think they struck that tone perfectly.  I am definitely excited to have this place in town.  It is a great place to get together with friends or to bring family when they visit.
5 - Jess H.: Had a lovely 2 hour dinner with 5 other people on a weeknight, and our waitress and the rest of the wait staff was impressive - absolutely impeccable service, best I've had at any restaurant in Lafayette. As the previous reviewer states, this is a very welcome addition to Lafayette's dining scene. We sampled many of the dishes, including olives, stuffed red pepper, duckling, steak, a shrimp/pasta dish, asparagus, meatballs and dessert. Everything we tried was outstanding, including the desserts (Churros, Charlemagne, Pistachio Mousse). The portions were sized well, and for 6 people we usually did OK with the smaller portions (we were sampling a lot of dishes!). The large portion of the shrimp dish that we ordered was HUGE, almost too large for 6 of us. Pricing was fair, but some of the prices seemed a bit expensive, just as the previous reviewer states. They also have a nice selection of speciality cane-sugar soda, which made me very happy! I can't wait to take more people to Adelino's, I'm officialy a fan. It's a great place for a special night out. They also cater to larger family-style parties very well, lots of seating for that.
3 - Jesse C.: Adelino's is the newest resident of the downtown location formerly home to Maize. I had initially heard that it was a tapas restaurant, and then later that it was Italian, which I guess were both right as it was Mediterranean tapas. The restauant's decor was nice - slightly dim with kind of an Italian vinyard feel. The only downside I noticed was that it was really hot in the dining area. 

For those unfamiliar with tapas, the idea is that you get several small dishes and everyone shares. Adelino's offers most of their entrees in small, tapas size which ranged in price from around $8 to around $13, as well as a larger family size for $30-$45 that would serve several. 

Probably the most positive part of this place for me was the size and variety of the menu. There were many simple vegetable dishes, pastas, and some less ordinary seafood and meat items like swordfish and duckling. Additionally there are weekly specials, such as "Pizza and a pitcher monday", which we got. 
On the downside, while the food looked pretty, it wasn't as tasty as the prices might have suggested. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad by any means, but I think $25 toward a pizza and pitcher would have been better spent at Puccini's or Bruno's. Adelino's pizza was large, in a deep dish configuration with 8 slices, but was mostly dough with a thin sauce and very little toppings. The other dishes we got were similarly good, but not great. The Mahi-mahi came with two small skewers of grilled fish with a sweet, red sauce served over diced cucumbers, tomatoes and onions. The shrimp pasta was a larger portion, and again, good, but not excellent. 

Overall, Adelino's is a cool restaurant. It's got a good vibe and friendly staff. A place like this would be ideal for a first date, a special occasion or a starting point for a payday celebration evening with some friends. I wouldn't eat here regularly, and personally if I was dropping this much money I would go somewhere with food I enjoyed more, but Adelino's offers enough options to please someone in every group and could add some variety in your downtown dining routine.
5 - Tiffany P.: Just went to Adelino's tonight, and we really enjoyed our experience.  The waiter was very helpful and friendly, as were all the employees it seemed.

We tried the zucchini chips, crab and tuna cakes, and an order of sausage linguine.  Everything was really tasty, and the sangria we had with our meal made it even better.  The portions were pretty good since we did not have room for desert.  We look forward to trying more things in the future.  

I give them 5 stars because there isn't a restaurant like it in the area (i.e. it's a tapas restaurant), and they do a really nice job with their service, ambiance, and menu.
4 - Ryan Z.: Visiting here on business again and glad to discover my new favorite local eatery - this one supplants Bistro 501 down the street.

Friendly staff, delicious drinks ($5 St. Germain and soda on Monday nights - if you haven't tried it before, give this one a shot), and excellent food (albeit on the pricey side for this town) combine for a thoroughly satisfying experience.  The place was mostly empty on a Monday night so I ended up eating at the bar next to the owner and some other employees.  They were all good guys, excellent customer service and well prepared food.  I'll be back again.
4 - John T.: I stopped by today for lunch on a whim...  I gotta say, they have a pretty solid lunch buffet.  They have salads, antipasti, pizza, garlic bread, marinara sauce, meatballs, mini gyros, paella, and about 8 other items to choose from.  It was a good lunch, to be sure.
5 - Brett P.: We actually went to this restaurant on a whim because another one was closed. It was one of THE MOST AMAZING MEALS that I have EVER had. The plating was awesome. Our main dish had a small fire pot in the middle! The meat skewers were extremely tender and the sauces on top made it even better. I still cannot believe how good this place was. The passionate waitstaff was also extremely cool. They were telling us stories about the places history and described the menu items in a way that I can only describe to you as culinary pornography. The real kicker is that you get all of this food which is far better than anything I've had in Chicago for far less than Chicago prices. My family of four got a salad, a vegetable dish, a main tray of meat, (which was huge), a desert and beverages for a little more than $60!!!! Please I implore you, go to Adelino's. P.S. Try the pork brochette and the gelatto for desert.
3 - Andrew B.: I've eaten here three times, and I've enjoyed some good food each time, but also there has been some missed opportunities with the food each time, as well. I can't even remember all the things I've eaten here, but I do remember a few things. The pizzas are huge, but that's mainly because its about an inch thick of bread/crust and some toppings on top. I wouldn't say it's bad, but it's not really good either. We had calamari one time, as well, which were pretty good, but you should be aware that they are not fried, and I think they were braised. This didn't catch the eye of my friend who ordered it, so I was the only one who ate any of it. We had roasted potatoes which were delicious, but I think that's due to the killer amount of seasoning salt on them. I've had the fruit and nut plate, which purports fig bread, quince bread, grapes, spicy almonds, and something else. It was good, but I guarantee it was all from a package and none of it was prepared in house. I've had the cheese plate which was surprisingly plentiful for $10 or $11, so that was good. I've had many of the roasted vegetable plates which were also really good, but I must still say, they were nothing exceptional.
1 - Charles F.: I've been aware of this place after Maize closed.  I went for lunch one day and they pretty much had a sandwich menu.  Nothing impressive.  My manager at work mentioned that he tried it one evening and commented about their lunch buffet being advertised.   I decided it would be a good opportunity to sample their menu.  As I progressed into the different food items, NOTHING stood out as being good.  At best, some of the items were fair while others were barely palatable....to the point where I gulped down massive water just to remove the taste from my mouth.  

Normally, I favor independent restaurants. If this place closed down, I certainly wouldn't miss it and would look forward to some other eatery taking its place.
5 - Lindsey D.: This is by far my favorite restaurant in the Lafayette area.  This happened to be the first place I ever ate when I moved here and I have been taking my friends to it ever since!  We have tried the goat cheese crustini, meatball marinara and asparagus just to name a few and they were delicious.  The chef combines sweet and savory flavors very well.  While some dishes are more adventurous than others, they were all enjoyable.  The tapas style of this restaurant is great to try many of their different food choices and is wonderful for a great social dinner with friends or family as the natural style of sharing dishes lengthens the time at dinner and adds great conversation.  Can't wait to go back again!
2 - Stephanie C.: I would love nothing more than to LIKE Adelino's. 

It's original for a restaurant in Lafayette. The atmosphere is fun, with a big open kitchen,and kitchy "old world" decor. The wait staff is always pleasant, though a bit on the slow side. And, even though they give you more ice than sangria, the sangria is amazing. However, every time I go, I am severely disappointed.

I find myself coming back to Adelino's from time to time, because of how much I want them to prove me wrong and get it right.At this point I've tried every vegetarian option on their menu. 

The cheese plate and roasted goat cheese are by far the best dishes i have had. However, the following are dishes I would definitely stay away from:

Gazpacho: typically one of my favorite dishes to eat in the summer. STAY AWAY from the dish at Adelino's. The amount of garlic used is enough to make you sick. And well, since you can't taste anything else, it's safe to say this dish is equivalent to a bowl of pureed Garlic.

Rice Pudding: Another dish that I could eat a million different ways and be happy, Adelino's version just gets it all wrong. The main components are Frangelico and lemon. LOTS of lemon. While both flavors would have been good on their own, or with something more complimentary to the flavor profile, together they're at once boring and nonsensical.

I could go on about dishes that miss their mark at Adelino's, but I understand that the restaurant is still sort of new. My recommendation to them would be to sit down and take a good hard look at the recipes. Because with a little bit of work, this restaurant could be amazing.
2 - Trinity O.: I really wanted to like this restaurant. 

It has a charming bar and dining area with views of the kitchen. Sadly, when we walked in, they sat us in the back corner next to the waiter's station, though there were only 4 tables filled. 

The "bread" which was freezer burnt and stale came in a paper tray like the ones you get at a carnival. The waitress was rude and didn't know anything about the menu or the wines. The food, mediocre. 

I would go back on a Thursday for music and a drink, but I wouldn't eat here again.
3 - Charles F.: My son loves this place and we visited on a Saturday night at about 8. The place was moderately busy and we ended up with a table near the back, where the kitchen is visible. The wait staff was a little slow and not quite as well informed as I would have expected. We elected to try a range of tapas and small plates. 

Drinks from the bar were good, and the flight of wine was interesting. If you want to review the wines in detail (I don't know anything about Spanish and European wines), then you will probably need to ask for someone that is familiar with the wine list. Our server was unprepared to go much further than "white versus red."

The spiced almonds were good but roasted a little too long. The spice was really nice, but there was a slight burnt flavor to them too. Too bad. The marinated olives were good as were the mushrooms. 

Sample the menu and enjoy your time here. We will go back - it is a nice place to spend the evening. For three of us, including cocktails and a flight of wine for the table, we spent about 100 bucks.
4 - Kristen H.: The Adelino's lunchtime buffet is awesome. I refuse to go there any other time, which I think defeats their intended purpose of the buffet--you're supposed to sample all their entrees, and then want to come back for more at dinnertime, right? Instead, I love having little tastes of everything for lunch. Especially the churros--make sure you don't skip the churros at the end!

There's never a wait for a table at lunch and it seems empty pretty much every time I go. It's a quick-lunch because the servers bring you drinks but it's a self-serve buffet, so you set your own pace for lunch.
4 - Christopher D.: The in-laws were in town last weekend for a visit and took our family out to Adelino's for dinner.  This was our first time inside and we were impressed with the taverna-style decor.  It would have been nice to sit by a window, but unfortunately that's the bar area, and we had a couple of toddlers in tow that night.  So off to the banquettes in back, which turned out to be pleasantly comfortable anyway.

Our waitress had an affable attitude, knowledgeable yet casual.  We opted to do things tapas-style in order to sample as much as we could from the menu.  We also ordered one serving of seafood paella for the table to share.  So the tapas: tangy green beans, breaded eggplant, spicy sausage, couscous, and crostini.  Everything was tasty, competently made, but nothing stood out as amazing.  

My 5-year-old has apparently developed quite a taste for seafood (like her old man) and she simply inhaled the mussels, clams, and squid tentacles (her favorite) from the paella.  And with good reason - the mollusks were fresh and perfectly cooked, as were the large crustaceans (aka shrimp).  More of those would have been nice - while there were a good half-dozen mussels & clams each, I only counted three shrimp.  The rice was cooked in a soothing broth that was just a wee bit on the salty side.

Then on to dessert: tres leches cake, charlemagne torte and bread pudding.  Though pedestrian in name, all of us agreed that the bread pudding was the best we'd ever had.  A perfectly caramelized top, warm, dense yet also smoothly fluffy.  Not the soggy mess that sometimes appears bearing that moniker.

Prices are reasonable for a downtown location and convivial ambiance.  We'll probably be back to sample some of their dinner offerings this summer.
4 - Heather F.: Widely varied choices and plenty of vegetarian options. Although beware...if you're a vegetarian there are a few items that don't list the fact that they have bacon crumbles, so you might want to ask. 

Get the Zucchini Chips and ask for extra lemon aioli. Two thumbs up on the Sautéed Veggie Medley. And the Sangria was perfect and flavorful. 

We'll definitely be back next time we visit our son at Purdue.
4 - Tim K.: We had an excellent meal with fantastic service last week at Adelino's.  They have a good selection of vegetarian options and everything we ordered was fresh and tasty.  The house merlot was also a hit.  We will be back here for sure!
4 - Lizz C.: Jon C. and I had tried Adelino's a couple years back and enjoyed it - we found ourselves wanting to go back for a little nibble and a little vino so we could check out their menu and review them 'properly' =)

The bar and the inside is lush with gorgeous woodwork - I think the bar is one of the prettiest that I've ever had the honor to sit at.  The wood is warm and inviting and begs you to stay for another beer, a little more nosh... a little more conversation.. 

Adelino's has a large menu with tapas, appetizers, entrees, desserts and 'family dining' meals.   The country of origin of each dish is noted on the menu and most regions around the Mediterranean are very nicely represented. =)  There are quite a few options that vegetarians, those cutting down on fats and those who prefer to eat lower starch can choose from.  We were told they had a gluten-free menu, which I am VERY interested in exploring!

The family dining meals are the most interesting thing about Adelino's, in my opinion. They have a variety of meats, or vegetables, or both, served on one plate so each person can grab what they like.

One family dining plate is simply called "Meats on a Stick" and has a VERY large amount of various meats on.. you guessed it!.. sticks!  Well wooden skewers, but 'sticks' is funnier! =)  All over a nice bed of couscous.    We had this dish a few years back, and will be revisiting it soon, I think.  It's not an inexpensive selection, but their meats are very high quality and their food is nicely done.

What we sampled on this visit was the Serrano Ham plate (which is shaved serrano ham, 3 other chorizos, along with Quince and various crackers/breads) and wine.  The wine menu is fairly substantial - at any time they have 6 red wines and 6 white wines available by the glass.  We love reds, especially in the winter and with charcuterie, so we asked for a suggestion and got a perfect one for us.  A very nice complex tannin-y red.  Yes. =)  The price for each glass was $7.50 and that's around average for a wine of that quality in our area.  

Since I declined the wheat items on the serrano ham plate, I didn't photograph it to add to Yelp. That wouldn't be fair, as the presentation looked less luxurious without them.  They were definitely still high in what Jon C. and I call "Vitamin Y" ('Yum!').   I would have liked to see more meats, or slightly more substantial servings of one of the 'less pricey' meats for the $14.95 that it cost.  I'm certain that if I was a wheat eater, the full spread would have seemed like a better price.  No complaints about the meats, I'm still slightly drooling over that serrano ham and one of the very complex smoked Spanish chorizo selections.

The next not-post-dinner visit will probably be to splurge on their "Meat on a Stick" plate.  There's something *wonderfully* primal about ripping meat off a skewer and eating it.  While I haven't had a fully representative selection from their menu, this is my favorite dish by far.

The next post-dinner visit may find us splurging on their fruit and cheese plate.  Nothing that makes me happier post-dinner than a good wine, gorgeous decor and fruit/cheese!
4 - Edie F.: What a nice surprise for out-of-towners from California. Try the cane sugar sodas, covadonga filet, and the pork saltimbocca. Gotta have the wild rice too.
5 - Dana A.: This is by far, my favorite restaurant in town! Love the atmosphere and the option for entrees or small plates. We have never had bad service, everyone is knowledgable. I do recommend going earlier as they have a tendency to run out of their best sellers by the end of the night. It is pricier but well worth it. I recommend the sangria, boar ribs, moussaka, and lamb kabobs to name just a few. And every desert is delish! Every time my husband asks me where I want to go for one of our "nicer" dinners, Adelino's is my first choice. Yum!
5 - Bill S.: Great food, fast service, nice bar seating.  No complaints.
2 - Arick S.: For a place claiming to be "Old World" I was not impressed. The sausage and chicken were both dry (I had to load up on sauce). Just overall not impressive. The food looked and felt like something I could make at home for a quarter of the price! Now the restaurant decor and atmosphere was fantastic. But as far as Italian cooking goes, I've experienced better.
3 - Lauren M.: I really like the menu and the atmosphere. My boyfriend and I enjoyed a romantic night with a bottle of wine and several tapas dishes. The server did not open the wine at the table which he said was something traditional and was a way that they showed trust and friendship or something? sounded kind of weird to us. Also, the shrimp were REALLY spicy like almost unable to eat them, and the croquettes were a little burnt. The second time we went, the experience was similar. Nice variety and wine but not the best service or quality of food.

Adesso California Cafe - Providence, RI (41.8300901, -71.3998136) (College Hill)
3 - Suzanne M.: Every week, the fam and I would eat here on Saturdays. It's in a great location, right off urban-trendy Thayer St, and with it's great big windows and spacious atmosphere provides a comfortable place to eat dinner. I don't think this would be a great date place, but I may be biased since I only went here with family. The pizza is very tasty and the other dishes are eclectic and very good. I favored frittatas here and salads.
5 - Jonny C.: This place has been closed for several years (I think right before I moved to CA, so early 05) It closed because IT'S FUNDING WAS ALL MOB, and when a rico indictment swept through fair P'dence, all the financial backers were jailed. The place closed the next week. How Providence is that?! So cool.

What a loss, this place was amazing, and a different spin on comida Italiano than the rest of the city's offerings. California Italian, super fresh and light. I loved it.

Adidas Originals - Cambridge, MA (42.3727538, -71.1165873) (Harvard Square)
3 - JOHN r.: The staff don't know that much, but they don't really pretend to, so that's ok.  They play boring shoe-store house and hip hop on their soundsystem, that's ok too.

They've got far and away the best selection of limited edition Adidas and Adidas original kicks in all of Boston but nobody really cares because people who like limited edition kicks don't really buy Adidas because their limiteds tend to kind of suck.

But, they are across the street from Harvard and they have student discounts, so like if you're a Harvard student and you want to get some kicks and you don't mind buying Adidas and you're kind of cheap and you're too busy studying for your really important statistics exam and thinking about how many awesome chicks you're going to score when you're a totally sweet management consultant to spend time going much farther than 10 seconds from your campus to buy something then this actually might be your spot.
5 - Sandra K.: I walked in with a request for a specific Adidas jacked and the staff hopped to it.  They found me the right size, gift wrapped it, gave me extra "goodies" (a few note cards, etc) and asked me for my student ID for a 10% discount.  Best Holiday Shopping Experience:  Easy and Breezy.  FIVE STARS FOR FABULOUS FASHION!
4 - Kiwi H.: Cool store - it's bright and funky, and the atmosphere seems well suited to the stuff they cary. Things are laid out so that it's easy to navigate, and while I personally didn't find that much stuff I wanted, my bf did quite enjoy browsing around here. If you like Adidas, you'll probably lke this store.

They had this pair of limited edition Celtics shoes, and my bf loved them since they were a cool design and didn't actually state the word 'Celtics' on them - perfect, since the logo was exactly like that of his favourite intl football (soccer) team. He decided against getting them then in the end, and I tried getting them later on for a present but sadly as it was some time ago, I've had no luck finding the same pair ever since. I've searched every website I could think of, and nada. I suppose I'll go into their store and ask if they have tips one day, since they could be quite helpful if they know which ones I'm talking about.

I do have to note that the customer service was great though. We were there on a really busy day, but once we managed to grab someone, they gave us plenty of attention til we were done which was much appreciated. I liked that they let us browse without nagging us, it was a good balance and that's what I like - no in-your-face following, but there when you need them.
3 - Jeremy K.: I have no idea how this store stays in business. Sure it's all nice, very well decorated, original and features some really trendy Adidas gear, but it also have a very limited selection of things and is really expensive.

Regardless I'll take that there instead of a freakin' Starbucks!

The staff is helpfull but their stuff is out of my budget. Oh well...
4 - Chris W.: This spot is on the outskirts of Harvard Sq. and is easily missed by the untrained eye. However, every time I've stopped in I have had a pleasant experience. The sales team has been friendly and approachable and very knowledgeable when it comes to the product. Their product selection is decent, although some of their collections can be a bit over the top. Regular sales keep their product easily available to the public.
And recently I picked up a pair of adidas kicks that were almost entirely made from 100% recycled material. Extra points for stepping up their green game!
1 - Colleen Y.: Thank you Adidas store for being one of the places I can needlessly waste time on my way home.  I love being pulled in by your clever yet touristy window dressings just to walk a figure 8 and leave bored by your lack of quality goods.  I know you love the China, but try to make something that at least looks well made enough to be made in the US.  

ps - maybe you should make a 'note to self' -- women don't fit into clothes made for 12yr old boys.  try again please.
3 - Andrew H.: This is the only place to buy the Adidas Originals line in Boston, aside from limited selection at department stores like Lord & Taylor, or the hike out to the Adidas outlet in Wrentham. Still, it's a small store, not a wide selection. Don't wait if you see something you like, chances are the next time you visit, they'll be out of your size. The staff members will then direct you to the website.....which begs the question, why even have a store if you direct me online. Also, some of the staff members seriously need to pull up their pants.
4 - Courtney H.: Walking by this place the other night, I stopped in once I spotted all the Celtics gear.  My sister has been looking for a pair of Celtics kicks for my brother for Christmas and hasn't been able to find them anywhere. She does live in NC, so that can be a bit tougher, but still she could only find a limited selection on ebay.  This store had the perfect pair and I was able to pick them up for her.  They definitely have a unique selection!
1 - michael n.: as of january 2010, this store is closed.

appearently 1 of 4 in the u.s. closed by the adidas group.
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/01/adidas_shuttering_pearl_distri.html

guess the people of boston are all about the swoosh.
too bad.

Adidas Originals Concept Store - Berkeley, CA (37.8682753, -122.259037) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
5 - Niki M.: To state this clearly. I work for adidas America. And now have three adidas related reviews. However...

This is the adidas owned headquarters for originals in the bay area. Right now carrying not just originals but a lot of the designer concept lines for adidas, this place is nuts. I went in to use an employee coupon I had offering to get mom, dad & sis one item each, and ended up getting dad some rad Stan Smiths in an orange snake skin style leather, mom just a plain old track jacket and sis a pair of Carlo Gruber snow boot inspired sneakers. Not necessarily how I planned on spending said coupon, but I did walk home with my own pair of Missy Elliot Stan Smiths, so awesomely different. 

I could have easily spent twice as much money as I did, but couldn't and don't need an entire adidas wardrobe so I backed off of some luxurious jackets, hats and even a dress I wanted. Worth checking out if you're looking for anything different or hard to come by (they got NBA throw back jerseys, crazy old school kicks and some unique adidas inspired pieces).

I envy this store and wish I worked here instead of SF. They have a LIVE DJ who was better than a lot of the party DJs I've run into lately. (I heard their 1 year anniversary party last week was OFF the hook). I have to say I think my trip made me love adidas just a little bit more than I already did. Bad news since I don't want to spend my entire pay check at the company I get paid by.
5 - helen t.: i love this store!  this is a great place to find ltd edition adidas originals gear.  don't expect to find anything you can actually use to work out or play sports in but rather street wear.  everything is totally cute but a bit pricey.  this is the only store of its kind in northern ca, so go check it out!
4 - Orz O.: Neat-o place if you have an Adidas fetish. Mo' bettah than the SF Adidas store if you want to find phresh stuff.

Their store display changes periodically, so you never really know what to expect every time you visit. A DJ can usually be found rocking the turntable with a mix of old-new school beats.

If you see something you like, you're probably better off snagging it right then and there or you might not find it couple of weeks later.

Boggles my mind why they located this joint on scummy, run down Telegraph Ave. Dunno, are Adidas trying to earn their urban semi-ghetto street cred with well heeled college kiddies? Is this a secret outpost to spy on local b-boy Hyphy fashion trendz?

In any event, I wish Adidas best of luck surviving on Telegraph Ave., and hopefully they'll help bring back more funky shops back to the neighborhood.
3 - Pat M.: Neat store, never actually bought anything here because my ass is too poor to buy anything from Adidas Originals, but the staff is friendly and the gear is hot. Don't really know how they make money, because almost nothing on Telegraph Ave. does, least of all something so pricey. Those of you with cost concerns might be more inclined to stop by Buffalo Exchange, further down the street (by Dwight and Telegraph) - I managed to cop the Adidas Originals Brazil track jacket (retailed $80) for only $25. hot.
5 - vivien c.: On the hunt for a rare pair of shoes my husband is obsessed with, they had them...but not in the right size. The sales girl called all the other stores and found a pair which will be shipped directly to our house. That is what retail should be, helpful!
3 - Captain P.: This store is too fancy for the neighborhood it's in.
The last time I passed by it was 100% empty as hell, on a perfect-for-shopping Sunday afternoon. The music is too loud, and the store doesn't cater to the locals at all.

Long story short, this kind of expensive pomp and tomfoolery belongs in  Union Square, not downtown Berkeley.
4 - The Sock S.: This is a pretty good concept store, though it seems like they sometimes are light on inventory. Both on the floor and in the back. The first time I came, I was expecting a lot bigger shoe selection. It's not bad, but they don't carry the whole originals line. I think, it didn't look like it anyway. 

The staff is really helpful and friendly. As I've gotten older, I realize that hiring inexperienced labor to work retail may be cost effective, but not a good idea in terms of customer service. Even usually friendly staff will not be as helpful to someone that doesn't look like they'll buy because they don't fit in. I walk in to this store in a corporate monkey suit, and they'll help me just as quickly and friendly as if I had on some respectable kicks.
5 - nadines d.: I was pleasantly surprised to find such a hip Adidas store in Berkeley. It's beautiful and the people that work here are gorgeous and very helpful without being nosy. They know everything about the various lines (I'm an Adidas addict).

Another nice touch is that they have a great selection of women's originals sneakers... usually most stores only have good sneakers for men. 

While the price is high, Adidas originals and the high fashion lines are great quality. You can tell the difference. There's a wonderful appreciation of sophisticated style, and what you do buy, you'll end up wearing every day.
4 - dorena b.: this store has cool sutff but i don't like the markup on the shoes. you can get things cheaper off of the adidas website without having to drive to berkeley.
4 - David C.: The staff are nice and helpful.  Love the hip hop cuts the DJ is spinning.  I would like to see a larger variety of superstars.  Not much of a selection of shoes and more color choices on the phat laces.

I used my gift card from Xmas and bought all my hardwood classics warriors gear here (B-dizzle jersey and Monta jersey and banner track jacket, The City cap).  FYI, if you do buy any performance gear at the SF location, they do not accept returns here.  They only accept returns on Originals.  

Warriors fans go cop that Mullin or Barry jersey, they just got'em!!!
1 - angel a.: Being a die-hard Adidas connoisseur...I thought it was great to come across this store.

I locked my bike up next to the place and tried to go on.  Some guy was talking on his cellphone...and he had locked the place up.  WTF???  The store was open for another 45 minutes according to what was posted. 

I knocked to get his attention and he did this brushing movement with his hand motioning me to go away...Look.  You ain't wearing that much shit for me to be impressed.  You aren't a rap star obviously, cuz you are working RETAIL.  Don't be a DIVA. If you ARE going to be a DIVA, at least look like one.

And if you looked a little more closely at what I was wearing, you'd know I drop serious bills for what I wear.  At least one of your paychecks.  I know I'm not all that special, but heck, if I like it, I BUY IT.

Next day, I came in.  Thankfully, that dude is nowhere around.  

Some guy who worked there looked at my legs or something and walked by me.  I was already 3/4ths into the store before someone even said HI to me.  

Seriously.  Be friendly.  It gets you customers to buy and it gives people a chance to be nice to you right back.  Retail is NOT where you act all "hard" and "gangsta" or have to prove that you are a man.  Retail is not a place where you ignore someone's money.

And there were a number of people working there.    I've had my moments with diva-hood...but please.  Seriously, customer service will ya???  Hands down, I am a nice guy.  Good natured and understanding.  I also smile a lot. 

But how long are you going to let someone stand and look around and pick up items in YOUR STORE before you acknowledge them???

To her credit, the girl who worked there was nice to me and asked me if there was anything she could help me find.  Good on her. That's where the star comes in.

To be honest, there was nothing in the store that appealed to me.  All boring xx-large stuff, and hiked higher than other places in the city.  Nothing new?  Come on.

I think their saving grace is that they are located in a college town and students don't have time for this.  They don't care if there is no customer service, and it is right across from campus and that's convenient for them.  

Hell, this place was a vending machine for all they care.  I'm down with getting clothes from a vending machine, but when there are people there that's different.  What are they there for?...and that's how it is.

Oh yeah, one more thing.  This is the CONCEPT store for Adidas.  WTF???  I have so much rare and limited edition stuff from Adidas, more than a bursting closet worth of shoes,accessories and apparel, and none of it can be found here!!!????  Get real!  Seriously?  The "Concept" store???
5 - Tony B.: I really like the Adidas Concept stores a lot.  There are very few which means the products are rare and hard to come by.  And the people are really nice.  So, here is a story...

One day, I came in and told myself not to buy any shoes.  In fact, I told myself not to buy anything at all.  As I walked in, the first thing I saw was a red, shiny watch with a gold frame.  As I walked by the watch display case, my jaw hit the floor, my mouth started to water, my eyes were transfixed, and I think I sharted a little bit.  I was that amazed by the simple watch.

Then I saw a green watch next to it and I wanted that one as well.  (Note: I am attracted to the ugliest, brightest colors.  I tend to buy crap that no one would because I like atrocious colors.)  So, there I was, debating if I should buy a watch.  And if I were to buy that watch, would it be the red watch or the green watch.

Three minutes passed by and I am standing at the display case in bewilderment, confusion, and joy.  A nice, female worker comes by, tells me she has that watch model, possibly flirted with me, smiles...and I end up buying a watch.

So, to end this story.  If you ever see me contemplating on buying something, it just takes a smile from a cute chick and I end up buying crap because I have no self-control. 

Did that story make sense?  No.  
Am I the proud owner of a red watch?  Yes.  
Do I have that girl's number?  Hell no.
Is this poorly written?  Hell yes.
4 - vero s.: I've been a real stickler for customer service since I started working in retail. Every time I walk in there I am greeted and taken care of by the staff. They have all been really nice and awesome, I always make conversation with someone there. Apart from the great customer service they have some nice apparel selections as well as the shoes.
3 - K P.: I love the collections they have here...My only problem is that they never have anything I want in my size (s-m) and I'm not just going for the sale stuff!  The staff are always really friendly, and they have some great artwork too.
4 - Angus H.: My last two pairs of sneakers came from this store. I wish I could show you pictures because I consider them works of art!

Decent variety of sneakers to choose from. A DJ turns the tables at the front. The decor is jawdropping. The ambience feels very chic and hip. When I lived in Berkeley, I would window shop here all the time. They always have my shoe size.
4 - Sean D.: Overpriced since you are buying from the name-brand store itself, but great service and decent selection.
3 - Ethan H.: Let me start by saying I am a sneaker head and I LOVE vintage adidas and repros.  I have not purchased anything at this store but been in about 5 times.  When I stopped by I was looking for a specific sneaker and they never had it.  These are sneakers that they are selling on line or ones I have seen in a magazine.  My point is that they have nothing cool, just the bare bones basics: Lavers, new Stans, Sambas, etc.  The originals store in NYC is by far the best one but Miami is pretty good and I have found some sweet gems at the Cambridge, MA store.  So if you are like me and dont like to wear what everybody else is wearing, like the cream colored soles of the 80s, and the REAL original designs, this is not your store.  You can pick up a basic this and that here, and thats about it.
4 - rhonda s.: I always pop by when I'm in the hood, just to see what's new and cool.  Right now, they have tons of World Cup merch, including country jackets, tees, and other gear.

Pricey, but spacious and low key--staff is happy to help out or leave you to browse @ your leisure.
4 - Romy I.: Every time I get snarky and rebellious about the value of marketing,fashion and PR as a former punk rocker ("It's all BS!") I run into things like the Adidas Originals Concept store which are pretty much on target 100% on stuff like this. They do it so it doesn't appear slimy and it does have some cool history woven in. 

Who would've thought that a German sneaker company could chronicle hip hop so well?  That Missy Elliott line was incredible. Youch! And I could still play basketball in these clothes, well if I did play basketball, unlike some women's "sports" clothes. 

The salesgirls and guys here are also looking incredibly gorgeous and stylely in a tasteful way which is a nice shock to the system after walking around Berkeley. It's like being transported to Fort Greene or the streets of London. You can only take being flashed with totally unsexy pink velour bottoms  imprinted with the word "SEXY" or "TASTY" (always withholding the urge to yelp, "totally NOT!") 

Dang. I just wish all the men's sneakers came in women's sizes, but that's not a complaint against Adidas, it's an industrywide thing. Industry, stop making lame versions of sneakers for women, give us the real thing!
5 - David N.: I so dislike "back to school" shopping. I've walked up and down the aisles of Staples Office Supplies trying to find the right graph paper, five tab dividers, colored pencils, and 2" binders. This year, it's a paycheck breaker, The Apple Store.

And then there is clothes shopping.

My son is starting school this week. 7th grade. Forget the sales at Target, Old Navy, and Costco. Jonny yearns for couture from "concept stores" like The Gap and Adidas.

We're entering the Adidas Originals Concept Store.The window sign on the door said, "30% Off" and "Shoes Under $65." Sure. Experience has shown me the sale items are like size 14 velcro beige gum soled shoes. Not the the "dope" kicks we were looking for as seen in "SneakerFreaker.com." 

But I do pony up and tell my kid, "You can buy any shoe you'd like as long as it fits you." The sales guy looks at me with disbelief. Most shoes are $100 (rack).

He picks the Forum Mid in purple, blue patent leather straps, and white trim. I know this is going to hurt my even my Visa Black, but the sh*ting eating grin on his face will be worth the price. He wants to wear them home. Logo low crew socks? Sure, let's ring it up.

As I search for my credit card, my UC Faculty id card falls out on the counter.  The sales fella says, "Oh you work at Cal? You get an additional 30% off." A scan and bam, the register totaled $60 and change.

Speechless, I sign on the dotted line, tell my kid to grab the bag with his old flip flops, adidas socks, and we roll out very as very satisfied customers. On the way out, I noticed a "yelp" sticker on the door.

Of course. I should have known.
5 - lana h.: i walked in and they were playing the latest Freestyle Session dvd.  wtf.  AWESOME.  then i saw the turntables.  done deal.  this place is great.  the prices are what you expect for a concept store and they have pretty good stuff.  the staff is super helpful and stylish (but not the the totally annoying hypebeast way or "ALL I WEAR IS ADIDAS HAR HAR").  they have pretty good deals and cute baby clothes!!! i love baby clothes.

btw, does anyone notice one of the workers was from ABDC?  hayyyy.
4 - Natacha M.: Really like the kicks in this place. I drive to Berkeley specifically to come here.    I get my kicks here & my daughters.  Staff is always super friendly.   They always have a HOT selection of shoes & clothing.
5 - Connie C.: 1. I'm biased because I'm an Adidas fan.
2. This store has a lot of choices for shoes. 
3. Clothes are up to date with the new releases posted on their Facebook page.
4. Children/toddler's clothing and shoes are offered.
5. Friendly staff.

You can wait for their sales, but their better looking clothes usually sell very quickly. Once you missed it, it's hard to find them elsewhere.
3 - Gypsy J.: I live near this store, and I appreciate it because the storefront is always so colorful and slick.  However, I've never desired to buy anything inside.  They have some nice high-tops in stock, but I've never found any of my favorite Adidas styles here -- as far as I can tell, the shoes and watches are the normal Adidas-fare to be found from Footlockers to Macy's across the country.  So why is this a "concept" store?  I'm better off shopping online and finding some sale items.  Most of the clothes here seem appropriate for kids or young adults who want to impress their classmates with some bling, but being stationed right next to UC Berkeley, they ought to get some more mature clothing, too.  Anyhow, it's still nice to have such a pretty, happy looking store on Telegraph.
4 - Diana M.: If I'm ever in Berkeley, I ALWAYS make a pit stop here, ALWAYS.  There's just something about the vibe of this particular store that I love...

1. maybe it's the music that they play
2. maybe it's their super friendly and helpful staff
3. maybe it's the original items that they carry - I love their hi-tops and  casual wear for women
4. maybe it's because they have a good sales rack

or maybe it's because I believe that Adidas is truly an urban brand and I just appreciate their entire concept - the look, the feel...everything. 

ADIDAS...is soooo street. ;)
5 - Salonje R.: Love this place...staff were super sexy.  My wish list #4's do not come in a size 4...sad face...Still hot store...love it!
1 - Marie G.: This store is nice and I've been here more thana couple of times and bought shoes, shirts and jackets BUT my recent visit I was DISAPPOINTED! This blonde chick who rang me up apparently had attitude cause when she was ringing me up she was tossing my stuff on the counter like she didn't want to ring me up!!! She didn't ask if i found everything ok she was rude is the impression i got! Also since when this store hired rude staff? Blonde chick needs to go! I remember this store having a much prettier and friendly and helpful staff.....1 star for me
2 - Tiffany M.: There was a time that I only wore ADIDAS stuff, that is until i traded those in for a pair of Air Max 95s. I went in here a couple of times and it is always the same... It smells like the inside of a hamster cage and there are limited sizes.  The staff are either aloof or wait until you are about to leave to ask if you need any help. I do love ADIDAS though, i just wish this store had something that would get me to spend money there.
3 - Missy L.: The selection is quite nice, but, as some reviewers have written before, the staff is very aloof and has an attitude. Even though I was buying for over 300 USD, they were not a bit friendly nor helpful. Especially the female staff. Too busy being too sexy for their shoes. 

Oh, and the 30% discount with a Cal ID? They had never heard of it. So not sure what the deal is here. There is much more potential to this store if they'd hire a more professional staff: friendly, knowledgable, to the ground and no attitude.

Adler Weiner Research - Los Angeles, CA (34.062979, -118.436315) (Westwood)
5 - Alexis B.: Clean and organized office for focus groups.

The only thing that sucks is the parking. But, hey I'm getting paid for my opinion so I can't complain about shelling out a couple of bucks for parking.
5 - Steve W.: I've had two experiences here attending focus groups.  The first time I went they overbooked and I got sent home right at the start.  Oh, and I still got my two $100 Amex gift cards!  That was so freakin' sweet.  The second time I took part in a two hour focus group (totally unrelated topic to the first time) and got a $100 bill at the end.  It was pretty fun.  No need to be nervous.  Lucky for me I work nearby so parking isn't an issue, but I believe they do reimburse you $5 for parking downstairs or something.  They also have some sandwiches, cookies, and water you can help yourself to while you wait for it to start.
3 - Greg W.: I have been to a bunch of focus testing places and this so far as been one of the better ones.  Of course what they pay is based off the client but the staff is friendly and helpful.  They do not treat you like cattle and its a nice office.  Parking is validated down to $5 which is ok.  I would go back again without a second hesitation.  Note its worth showing up early since there is a raffle each group and most people do not come earlier enough so your chances to win extra cash are really good.

Adler's Hardware & Design Store - Providence, RI (41.8191581, -71.3998327) (Fox Point)
5 - GARY-SOUSA G.: Best hardware store in Rhode Island....the same family has been runnng the store for decades-- get your tools, make your keys, or get your paint ...etc.  There's a Portuguese/Italian lady thats always nice....... Highly Recommend....
4 - Rebecca F.: I've been here 3 times in the past week.  Though you have to wait a bit at the service counter, the staff are very helpful and clearly know what they're talking about as they've been in business forever.  I'm willing to pay a little more for their advice.  Anything you need for home chores.

Great location on the corner of Wickenden so you don't have to get on any of the highways for the mega-stores.  Honestly, they only lose a point because it's a labyrinth in there, but I'm sure I'll grow to know it well.
5 - Beverly S.: I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Adlers!  It is the coolest hardware store I have been to in RI (we had pretty great ones in Washington DC and environs, though).  Adlers has HUGE paint sample boards as opposed to 2"x 2" sample sheets.  Had it not been for that, my bedroom would still remain unpainted with multi-shaded patches covering the surface.  Their C2 paint is fabulous, covers very well, and comes in every nuance of every color in the rainbow - and then some more!) Their hardware is beyond good.    Adler's has hardware extraordinaire - forget Home Depot and Lowes if you want drawer and door hardware that is above and beyond what you will find in the big box stores --  and viva la difference!  I had been eyeballing a beautiful door handle created by a San Francisco artist whose company is called Soko.   The handle is part of the artist's "Manhandles Collection."   Marc Adler, the owner, allowed me to buy one handle (for my foyer closet) from the sample display board (and not at a discount, but at the retail rate).  To this day I have not told  my husband (nor will I tell you) the price of that handle.  :-)  But I loved it and I still love it and it was worth every dime.  The help is friendly, there is free parking, it's fun to go to the East Side anyway, so I'm always willing to take the trip "all the way to Providence" from Warwick, and I give this place five stars.  Woohoo!  Adler's is as good as it gets!  You won't find better in Rhode Island.  PS - Adler's also has designers who will help you choose paint colors AND wonderful designer wallpaper and other decorative items.  Highly recommended!!
1 - Hilary H.: This store is what I imagine the seven circles of hell to be. 

Perhaps it's because I've only been there during the week and this was my first weekend stop. Perhaps it's because I'm all too familiar with the convenience, glorious organization and multiple options at Home Depot. Perhaps it's because I prefer to be treated with dignity, but never in my life have I been so completely appalled by a store as I just was at Adler's. 

The staff - rude and aloof - are completely useless. When I asked for assistance, I was glared at, snarfed at, and then turned on so the old lady could scream into their phone system and ask for help. When the strange and unfriendly man behind the key counter "assisted" me, I was shuffled around, snapped at, and made to feel completely unappreciated, even though he messed up my order. It was gross. 

I won't ever, ever be back - and that makes me sad, because I love supporting the local businesses in my community. There aren't many small, family-owned hardware stores in Providence anymore, and I would like to do my part to contribute. By why should I spend 50% more on an item here and leave feeling humiliated or furious when I can go elsewhere and leave feeling satisfied and happy? I ain't no masochist, kids. 

Also, that mean old lady should retire. Just because you're wicked old and have an authentic New England accent doesn't give you license to be a complete shrew. Just sayin'.
1 - William H.: I despise this store.

For some reason I've been back a few times because everyone always raves about.  In my handful of visits though I've found the store confusing and claustrophobic.  Worse, the staff is rude, aloof, unhelpful, and seemingly annoyed when there are customers around.

I want to support a local, non-chain hardware store but Home Depot, you are my next stop for hardware needs, NEVER again Adler's.
2 - Valerie Z.: I  wanted to like Adler's.  I mean- great location, metric hardware, fun inventory.

But something is...off.

The staff is unhelpful, the clientele is snobby, and the selection is over-priced.

It took me well over ten minutes to be helped.  Yuck.  I really hope the owners read some of these yelp reiews and do a customer service overhaul.
1 - Tyler M.: Talk about rude, the staff is far from welcoming or helpful. I hate to write bad reviews but I also hate people who judge a book by it's cover. Yes I am younger but I am in the middle of a home renovation and have a 10k budget for interior design. I walked in looking for wallpaper and left with a frown. 

When I walked in the store it was empty, despite that I didn't get a "hello how are you" or "something I can help you find?". Just a cold blank stare then a women ignoring me. The best part of it was when a older women with sun-glasses and bleach blonde hair walked in with a Gucci bag everybody who worked their surrounded her. I do not like snotty snooty people, you work their you don't own the store so please don't pass judgement as a staff-member. 

Never again!
5 - seth p.: Adler's is a unique hardware store that carries an amazing assortment of items.  Check out the C2 paint - it's a bit more than most other paints but far superior.  Just ask about the little things that make the paint special.  The extra cost is nothing compared to the time most people take to prep, paint, and finish a job.

Adlong Groceries & Produce - Los Angeles, CA (34.032373, -118.296219) (South Los Angeles)
4 - Azita M.: I wandered into this local market the other day to see if they sell beer. Unfortunately, I don't think they do, and even more unfortunately, the entire place smells pretty horribly of "carneceria." BUT, much to my joy, I did discover that they carry Mexican 7-Up in tall, green, half-liter glass bottles! Made with real sugar! None of that high-fructose-corn-syrup crap we've all gotten used to. What a pleasant surprise (and an excellent after-taste)!
2 - Art O.: This is another neighborhood market located in the hood.  I've been coming here since I was a kid (1960).  And I have to say, this place is a rip off!  It wasn't like this before.  I only come here if it's my last resort.
1 - Iris N.: Don't waste ur time, the management team has no customer service experience and the employees are just as bad, i feel bad for the owner mr Ted Sasaski for losing bussiness but if u want a better market/carniceria go to Ranch Market on martin luther king blvd. And vermont ave. Next to mcdonalds better quality and better prices and service.
3 - Brad F.: I really like this place. (It helps that it's walking distance for me.) The produce isn't great, but what they have is still better than Ralph's.  The meat is always fresh, and the guys behind the counter are super-helpful.  When I need beef fat for baking, they give me pounds of it for free.

Helpful tip: the quinoa is about a third the price you pay at Whole Foods.

Adobe El Restaurante - La Jolla, CA (32.883975, -117.24516) (La Jolla Shores)
1 - Jeannie L.: Ever wonder how a seemingly innocent assumption to trust the resort's website's marketing that their restaurant is the "best new restaurant", "best lunch", blah blah blah, can backfire on you?   Well, after spending $95 five minutes ago, I can say, I am sooooooo dissatisfied with this place and right now, not so impressed by this so highly rated resort.

El Adobe's menu sounded impressive - both pricing and the description of fancyy food. So, after finally checking into our hotel, we decided to celebrate my hubby's bday dinner at El Adobe, the hotel's fine dining restaurant.  What a mistake!

For a western restaurant, I can usually gauge how good the food will be by their bread and dip.  And sure enough, I had my doubts after we were served the bread but hey, I try to be an optimist, which I am usually not.  The half dozen oysters we ordered were served with some tasteless, sweet concoction that forced us to ask for just some home comfort cocktail sauce with some lemon.  

I specifically asked what they are known for and the waitress recommended this fancy sea bass cooked in Talliberry crust and served with gnocchi and lotus roots over soy glaze. Sounds promising, right?  ya, I wish!  I could break down everything that was wrong with the dish
   - the gnocchi was so hard and dense, perhaps they just reheated it
   - the sea bass was tasteless without the scarce ginger sauce and so dry.  
   - the deep fried lotus root was more for presentation than taste
   - the shitake mushroom was a bit over sauted

Moving on to my hubby's steak... The first suspicious hint was that they don't even have steak knives.  What a joke! It was a pain seeing my hubby struggle with his butter knife.  Second thing, he asked for medium rare and of course, it comes out overcooked. 

I can honestly say the best thing we had from El Adobe was the fountain coke and sweet potatoes puree.  I didn't have the nerves to try their dessert.

I could have gone to MacDonalds and had better food! And.... Save myself $90!
4 - Ruben L.: This review is based strictly on their brunch (Easter Brunch at that):

Our first Easter in San Diego, my wife, sisters and I decided to go to Estancia (mainly because they had openings).  At a first glance, the menu seemed relatively small, but then we went there, and the meal was well worth it.  They had a nice mix of both breakfast and lunch meals.  For me, the highlights had to be the prime rib and the seafood.  That prime rib almost made me cry, it was that good.  The lady carving it up got to know me after a little while.

The seafood selection was pretty surprising.  They had grilled salmon at one station (though the wild grains were dry), shrimp cocktail, crab legs, tuna sashimi, and an assortment of other sushi rolls.  

I didn't want to fill up on breakfast, but they had made to order omlettes, all the breakfast meats, salmon eggs benedict, hash browns, etc...  along with some traditional Mexican favorites like chorizo and chilaquiles.

To cap it off, they had a beautiful dessert bar.  The carrot cake and chocolate fountain were nice, but they're bourbon apple crisp paired with their fresh vanilla bean ice cream is what did it for me.

And for about $60 (after tip), I was pretty happy satisfied with our choice, considering some places were charging 65-80 per person.  They also had complimentary valet parking which was a pleasant surprise.

I don't know how this place is as a restaurant, but if they're ever doing brunch, it's definitely worth checking out.
4 - Elizabeth H.: Earlier today, I went with my family to Mother's Day Brunch at El Adobe.  Based on some of the reviews of La Estancia from other sites and the 1 star on here, I was worried.  After I walked in, all my worries disappeared.  The buffet was incredible!  They had several different stations set up and food was constantly being replaced (no food sitting around for hours).  They had a lobster tail station, a ham station, an omelette station and a row of warm food which included petite fillets, twice baked potatoes, halibut with spicy rice, ratatouille, and more.  Did I mention the seafood section with fresh shrimp, oysters, and sushi?  To top it all off they had a wonderful dessert section with French pastries, ice cream bar, apple crumb cobbler, carrot cake, chocolate cake and fruit tart.

We were all in a food coma after we were done.  The service was ok, but they could have been a bit quicker to pick up the plates.  I'll give them a pass on that one since they were so crowded.  


YUM!  I'll have to go back.
1 - Beth F.: This place isn't worth the money.  I'm staying at the Estancia and since it's not conveniently located near any other restaurants (or anything for that matter) I figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to sit at Bodega Wine Bar, have a light dinner and finish up work for the day (I'm staying here for business).  The bartender is here alone, there are about 4 other people in the bar and he seems overwhelmed.  He's a sweet guy, but not really on the ball.  From the bar menu, I ordered the  heirloom tomato stack with organic greens and some honey dressing kind of thing.  What a joke.  If the tomatoes were heirloom, then I'm purple - and there was nothing green on the plate.   It was kind of a caprese salad and had about 3 oz. or food (if that) - even the guys sitting next to me were poo pooing about this dish..  At least it was only $7.  I had some bread, a second glass on wine and am now pondering my next move.  If the tomato thing was remotely good, then I'd stay and give one of the menu items a try, but nuh, uh.  It's not even my money 'cause i'm on an expense account.  I'm still hungry, but might be shit out of luck.
4 - Rob C.: Great place for a business lunch--the wait staff is friendly and attentive, the grounds of the hotel are beautiful, the food is pretty good, and you'll probably have the whole place to yourself (there were more wait staff than there were customers last time I was there).  It's tucked away behind the Estancia Hotel and it's got a balcony with gorgeous views of the hotel gardens below.

I wouldn't go here otherwise, though.  Too pricey for anything other than business lunches and special occasions.
5 - Holly Ann J.: I went for breakfast with my 3-year old daughter at Adobe El Restaurante.  Hard name to remember!

Well, my daughter's brunch buffet was free.  Niiiice.  How often does that happen at such a lovely upscale resort?  Try never!  

The buffet was plentiful.  Hot items.  Cold items.  Way more than I expected.

You have a choice to sit inside or outside on the patio.

I went again for lunch and sat on the patio overlooking the plush landscaping.  My friends and I loved our lunch.

Must put another plug in for the impeccable staff.  

Bon Appetit!
2 - Jen S.: I recently stayed at Estancia for my bachelorette weekend, and we ended up at Adobe El Restaurante for brunch.  First impressions - the menu looks wonderful, and we were seated at a nice table on the terrace overlooking the lawns.  

I would have given this one star, but two of my friends had a good breakfast, hence the 2 star rating.

As for me... I ordered the steak and eggs.  The menu description was "Adobe filet," and I ordered my steak medium.  The plate was brought out and the steak was very tough and well done.  It was a struggle to cut into.  The plate was overall not appetizing, as they had slopped all of the ingredients on the plate without much care for presentation.  When I sent the steak back, again asking for it to be medium, a different waiter arrived about 10 minutes later with the SAME plate, including my steak that had been sawed in half!  I sent that back.  When my next order of steak arrived, it was somehow even more well done.  I hacked a few pieces off and was done. 

The manager was very apologetic and even offerred to bring me yet another steak (but since my guests had completely finished their meals I was ready to go).  

My advice - if you must go - don't get the steak.
4 - Fontane L.: BREAKFAST REVIEW

I went to Adobe El Restaurante for breakfast while staying at the Estancia.  My husband had a morning meeting before we could kick off our vacation, so I was left without a car.

The service (though initially slow) was excellent.  The staff was all very nice.  I had an omelette with cheese, mushrooms (assortment included shitake, tiny button, and others), and spinach accompanied with a side of home fries.  It was all delicious and they let me sit however long I wanted - I was getting some work done and they welcomed me to stay.  The waitress even came by to replace my cup of coffee since it was getting cold!

It ended up being a $20 breakfast ($13 omelette and $3.25 coffee), which is a bit pricey but not terrible.  The food was good, service was good, and I didn't feel horribly gouged at the end of the day...
4 - Megan S.: Wonderful little restaurant located inside the fancy pants Estancia hotel.  If you haven't spent all your nickels on the hotel room, then you should venture into this restaurant for a meal.  

I came here for a late Sunday lunch after staying at this hotel for my sister's wedding.  Our party was very large (9 people), but they had no problem accommodating us.  Our server was extremely friendly and courteous, and we started our meal with a tasty selection of bread and spreads (tapenade, butter with blue cheese, and some kind of tomato sauce) as we looked over the menu. 

I ordered the grilled chicken salad and was very impressed.  The dressing was a delicious and light peppery vinegarette, and the dish was heaped with very ripe papaya, a large piece of chicken, cashews, and flower petals.  The dish was bright and pretty, and even though I actually dislike papaya, I loved this salad.  I also had a taste of my sister's lobster Cobb salad, which was also very good (and had a hefty portion of lobster.. probably to match the hefty pricetag!).   One surprising hit was a bottle of sparkling water my boyfriend ordered--it was the New Zealand brand Waiwera, and as ridiculous as this sounds, was the best sparkling water I've ever had.

Overall, this is a very good hotel restaurant, and definitely worth checking out whether or not you're staying at the hotel.  If you don't want to deal with the expensive valet-only parking at the front, I believe you can find street parking across the street (around UCSD).
2 - Arnold R.: I just had lunch at Adobe El.  I had a beef sandwich and it was cold, as were the fries that came with it.  The beef was full of stringy gristle.  Most at the table had the shrimp sandwich special of the day, and few finished their lunches.  For the prices, I was very disappointed.  The ambiance was nice and the service attentive, but the food was very, very ordinary at best.
2 - Kristin H.: We are staying at La Estancia. Gorgeous grounds, wonderful staff and love the succulents and walking trails. All that said, this is the worst restaurant meal we have had in ages. Bad service, horrible sandwiches, the kids "slider" was that alright. Like a little charred inedible hockey puck. Cold sweet potato fries, and the chef's sandwich with pork loin and Brie sounded like a treat but was so poorly executed we could barely eat it. I am so tired of complaining at restaurants and sending food back- it is really wasteful and there are starving kids all over the world- but this really made me contemplate.
4 - Lea S.: Great Lobster Cobb Salad!  Nice ambiance and fantastic service.
5 - Christina S.: From the moment I walked in to Adobe (the breakfast/lunch restaurant at Estancia La Jolla) I loved it! The music was mellow Spanish guitar, which I love and the old Spanish decor was warm and elegant, like a living room. The hostess was very friendly and greeted us with a smile. She sat us outside on the deck where we had a gorgeous view of a colorful green lawn and all these beautiful plants. So far, so good. Even the menus were beautiful in this rustic copper gold and turquoise. The waitress was also very nice and helpful, and fast! She described each dish so well we were almost drooling... Made it very hard to choose! It all sounded delicious. I ordered the lobster cobb salad and my colleague ordered the organic chicken, and we split the baja fish tacos as an appetizer. All of the dishes were so tasty and fresh and really hit the spot. It was the perfect way to spend the afternoon... A glass of wine, a delicious dine, scenery divine and a good friend of mine ;) I will be back!
3 - Karen Y.: Had their all you can eat brunch. Large selection of food from ham and cheese croissants to fruit smoothies. I especially liked the quiche. But all the food was lukewarm. I hate when food is lukewarm.

I think brunch on Saturday was $22. Nice view of the courtyard but hot food would make all the difference.
4 - Sam G.: Food is fresh and delicious.  Orange juice is fresh squeezed - yay!!  Must haves -- blue corn pancakes and egg white frittatas.  We looked at the breakfast buffet too but did not seem worth the $$.  Glad we ordered a la carte.

TIP:  Try to eat out in the balcony.  It is gorgeous in the morning.
1 - Kristen E.: This review is for lunch.  I have been to this restaurant at Estancia at least 10 times over the past 6 years and it has changed drastically from 6 years ago.....at least the menu has changed, for the worse.  What hasn't changed is the EXTREMELY SLOW SERVICE.  The only reason I have been here so many times is that it is next door to where I work and this is where we take new candidates for lunch, although I don't think we will ever go here again.

Their menu now is VERY limited.  4 salads, 4 entrees and 4 sandwiches (there is a pic of the menu on Yelp).  This time, I ordered the chicken panini with regular fries..... so boring and not gourmet.  I could've made this myself, and in fact the paninis at the corner bakery cafe are SOO much better.  The fries were NOT good either, tasted like the old burger king fries.  They USED to have these amazing garlic criss-cut fries, but no more....  One of my co-workers ordered Mary's Chicken entree which he said was just ok, and my other co-worker got the short ribs which were way over cooked and too small a portion for him to get full.  The co-worker next to me ordered the Tilapia which came out smelling extremely fishy (yuck).  Overall the food is just unappetizing and not at all gourmet.  They DESPERATELY NEED a NEW CHEF (I hope someone at Adobe is reading this).

The one thing they have going for them is the decor and the bread basket with flavored butter to start with, but that does NOT earn them an extra star because overall the entire experience is highly lacking.  In this lunch experience today, we knew that the service was slow, so we asked for the dessert menus at the beginning of when our entrees were ready.  We ordered dessert - 2 pumpkin cheesecake slices to share.  Of course they took FOREVER to come out and guess what, they were LEMON!!  It took us another 15 minutes to inform the waitress because she was nowhere to be found, and then she went back to the kitchen and found out that they were out of Pumpkin cheesecake, and the kitchen just replaced it with lemon without telling her.  Thanks a lot!  We had already paid our bill since we wanted to get out of there although she did offer to take the cheesecake off of our bill and re-run the card, but we said no.

I really hope they change their menu and get a more competent staff because this restaurant used to be soooo delicious, we used to be excited to come and eat here, but now we dread it.
3 - Caitlin H.: During a recent weekend stay at Estancia, we ate breakfast here on both mornings. We sat on the balcony Saturday morning and inside Sunday morning. We ordered from the menu on Saturday morning (crab cake benedit and steak & eggs) and opted for the continental buffet Sunday morning. The food wasn't spectacular. My crab cake benedit wasn't made with fresh crab meat, you can taste it was from a can. Service was okay and the price was normal. It was either this place or room service.

Adolf Biecker Studio - Philadelphia, PA (39.953352, -75.191672) (University City)
5 - Jessica R.: University City has been in dire need of a salon like this!  Upon first glance, I assumed it would be way over-priced, but it's actually extremely reasonable (35.00 for a women's haircut)!  I rushed in after getting a terrible haircut, in desperate need of someone to fix it.  Despite it being a Friday, I only had to wait ten minutes for a free stylist.  Gretchen cut my hair and was absolutely amazing.  I was literally in tears over my first haircut and instead of looking at me like I was crazy, Gretchen was incredibly understanding and helped me figure out a plan to fix it.  With it's Supercuts-esque price, one would expect this salon to be all about the basics, but clients are completely pampered!  While the conditioner set, I got a hand massage and once I got back to the salon chair, I was given tea. 

I cannot recommend this salon enough - everyone is really nice and are great stylists (everyone I saw walked out of there with gorgeous hair), the price cannot be beat and it's really convenient for anyone in the University City area.
4 - kathy l.: This is biecker's studio, not salon, which seems to mean that it is more affordable than the rittenhouse location. Smart concept for a salon right inbetween penn and drexel. At only 35 bux I think it's a great value. They are cobranded Aveda so all products are aveda, you get an oil scalp massage for about a minute, hand lotion rub during hair wash for about a minute. They also do mani peids waxing and bronzing upstairs. I thought my haircut with candice is great and about the same level of skill as more expensive haircuts ive received in the past. The studio just opened up in september, so it still seems quite easy to get in to.
1 - leanne f.: I never cried after a haircut until I went here. I was excited to find a place in W Philly after moving from Fishtown (Oh Plume, I miss thee!) and was so horribly disappointed. I came home and wouldn't even let my husband see me until I hacked off the disgusting mullet I paid $40 for and didn't ask for. 

I don't get cuts often, don't wear makeup, and rarely do anything to my hair. I've had crazy, short punkish cuts and hair down to my butt. I've had cuts I didn't like but went on with life knowing my hair would grow out. This was just embarrassing. I looked like a soccer mom from suburban Atlanta. I will never ever go here again.
5 - Ei N.: I was really nervous about getting my hair colored for the first time in Philadelphia, especially at a salon on campus however I am ecstatic with how my hair turned out at Adolf Biecker Studio.  Brooke suggested a new technique for my highlights which sounded great because it took much less time than foils. Candice cut my after and I just asked her to do whatever and she was very comfortable making my hair cut look good on my face. When she finished blow drying my hair, the color looked better than I even thought it could and the cut was something I would never have suggested but I love. I was so happy walking out of there (for a cheaper price than places in Center City at that!) with great new hair. My boyfriend, family, and friends can't stop saying how much they like it!
4 - Jane D.: Recently got my haircut at AB Studio.  They had an immediate opening when I called.  This place is very convenient for me since I work in University City. Another plus is that my scalp massage, wash (Aveda products), haircut and style cost only $35.00.  Also another plus is that they have Sunday hours.  The staff was very friendly and the place is clean.  I would go back there in a couple of months for my next cut!
4 - Julia S.: This place was great. I was somewhat nervous because other places in University City are iffy, but it's a great experience from start to finish. I'm not super nitpicky but I know what does and doesn't work on my hair, which is thick coarse and wavy (2c). Got greeted right away, Kelly talked about what I wanted, gave about a 10 second scalp massage (short, but fine) then shampoo/condition. The hand massage during that part is a great touch. I had to stand for the first part of the cut, which seemed strange to me, but I was so pleased with how it came out and the blowout was great. Then I got a followup call the next day asking how the cut was, and I got a new client gift bag (apparently I was supposed to get one when I left, but I'm only 7-8 blocks away so going in wasn't a hassle). A+ customer service, the cut looks great, and the price can't be beat.
5 - Cara P.: I can't say enough good things about my first experience gong here! Kelly was my stylist and I was so thankful that she really took the time to do a full consultation with me as I was cutting my hair shorter then I have in a while. She had many tips and I appreciated her opinion on everything. The other staff members were sweet and the complimentary scalp massage was wonderful! I've gotten so many compliments on my haircut. I'd go back there in a flash.
3 - Maria T.: If you want a step up from the SuperCuts-eqsue feeling of Saturn Club, this is your place. Remember, this place is referred to as the "studio," so you're not going to get the top-notch talent located at the AB Salon proper, but rather the next wave.  The cuts are well-done, clean and can remain on-trend, but that's about it. This place caters to a suburban crowd with a few extra dollars to spare, so look elsewhere if you seek a stylist with an edge or not afraid to give you something innovative.
3 - Ashley M.: It was alright.  I really do not want to go back here again unless I cannot find anywhere else.  

I do have long thick hair, and I am kindof tall.  The woman cutting my hair was quite short and had to keep positioning me in uncomfortable positions just so she could cut my hair.  

I really wanted layers and she would not put them in.  She said people with long hair don't have layers.  I disagree.

The overall haircut was alright.  Not great.  I've definitely gotten a better haircut at Paul Mitchell School.
5 - Alexis J.: I haven't gotten my hair cut in almost a year because I'm afraid to let anyone near my hair. They did a great job and I will definitely come back. Kelly listened to me, did exactly what I asked, and made it look great. She was very professional and nice. I left the salon feeling like a movie star and it took under an hour. Plus, they give you a hand massage while you're getting your hair washed. I felt like I was getting a great deal for $35. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone in University City!
5 - Meghan J.: I've been trying to find a salon I really liked since moving to Philly 2 years ago, and decided to give Adolf Biecker Studio a try after a recommendation from a friend.  As she suggested, I made an appointment with Gretchen and could not have been more pleased!  

I've been growing my hair out a bit, so I don't have the world's most difficult cut, but she did a great job layering it up and cutting my bangs back in.  I was most impressed with the way she styled by hair though.  I have thick curly hair so many lower tier stylists have difficulties with it.  Gretchen blew it out so nicely,  that I wished I didn't have to was it for days!  My hair hasn't looked so good in years!
 
Everyone was extremely friendly, and the head massage while getting washed was a nice bonus.  I couldn't believe how reasonable the prices were either.  $35 for a women's cut is a steal!  I have no doubt that I will continue coming back here, for as long as I'm living in the city!
5 - Alex E.: I have looked everywhere for a place to get my haircut in Philly and finally stumbled upon the Adolf Biecker Studio on Penn campus. THANK GOD I stumbled there because I have never gotten a better haircut. The first time I was there Candice cut my hair and she did an amazing job. Every time since she has cut my hair and done even better (if thats possible). She is friendly, talkative and remembers our prior conversations (all very important when picking a stylist). I cannot recommend the Adolf Biecker Studio enough.
3 - Melissa M.: For waxing - this place is great!! I've seen three different aestheticians when I've popped in at various times, and each was terrific. So my poor review doesn't apply to the waxing services at all. I highly recommend this place for waxing, go regularly and would give five stars for that alone if I could write two separate reviews.

But for haircuts, meh. My first cut was pretty good, so I recommended the studio to a number of my colleagues and about a half-dozen of them gave the place a try. By my third cut I had to agree with their negative opinions. Although we saw a number of different stylists, we had similar complaints - our cuts were by-the-book (as described by the stylists), but not really what we wanted or described. I don't care what "most people" with my type of hair are doing... I know what I like! It takes a few cuts with any new stylist to walk it in and get to perfection, but each cut got worse, not better. I saw other reviewers mentioned not getting enough layers - that was one of my issues as well. It seemed as though my stylist wanted to give me a cut that she learned in school, rather than listening to my words and giving me what I was asking for.
4 - Reina K.: I had a haircut here last year which left quite a bit to be desired so I was apprehensive to go back... finally a year later I was so desperate and short on time that I did.

This time was great.  ASHLEY gave me a great cut and was so sweet and friendly and helpful.  I asked her about color & highlights, she explained to me what she could and then made sure a colorist came out to talk to me.  Thanks Ashley!

Long story short: Ashley gives a great cut and she is super pleasant.   $35, can't beat it!
3 - Dana L.: It was an ok experience.

The service was excellent and Matthew was nice. I don't know if it's just me and my asian-ness but I find that when I get my hair cut in America, it's always the same generic layers with long hair deal. I kind of expect every strand of hair to fit in its place so IDK!! I can see the layers...I don't want to see them so blunt. It looks decent though. I needed a trim!

Also, I asked for just a haircut, but i guess they charged me for a haircut and style. Which I did not need...I'll just tell myself I paid extra for those samples...

I might go back? I might not? But there are so many salons in Philly so I'll be trying others before I go back.
1 - Britney V.: This review is strictly for the manicurist hired by Adolf Biecker.  I love their haircuts, but when I got a manicure and pedicure I was appalled.  I am a highly forgiving person when it comes to mani pedi's, but this one was insulting.  The quality of the nail polish was very weak (streaky, uneven, thin despite 3 coats) and I had to ask to get the dirt taken out from under my nails.  Even still, I asked if I could give it a go myself since none of the dirt was removed and it was still visible through the polish (and I don't have especially dirty nails, I promise).  

I am writing this review to advise people not to make the same mistake I did.  I felt so ripped off and shocked that Adolf Biecker would hire someone whose commitment to quality was nonexistent.
5 - Phiip B.: Gretchen is great.  I am picky especially on my first visit to a salon.  She listened to what I want and did it perfectly.  Her cutting is precise.  She did what I wanted, rather than give me a cookie cutter haircut.

Fantastic.
3 - Tabitha J.: I think Adolf Biecker Studio is a fair option for people who are in dire need of a haircut and don't have the time (or money) to make an appointment somewhere else.

The haircuts are serviceable, but not outstanding.  It's probably better if you don't want anything too drastic done, but instead if you just need your cut cleaned up or trimmed. 

I was satisfied with my haircut for what it was--a bang trim and a snipping of the dead ends. But I'll leave the more complicated stuff to more experienced stylists.
4 - Rebecca F.: I've had both waxing services and two haircuts at this salon, and I've never had a bad experience. However, it really depends on who is performing the service. 

Of the times I've gotten my eyebrows done, I've never requested anyone specifically and have had different women do it each time. While my brows always end up looking fine, the last time I went I had almost no redness and my brows were especially well-styled. I only wish I remembered the name of the technician. 

Twice I've had my hair cut and styled at the salon. The first time I got Nicole, who cut my hair, but was a little abrasive. While I didn't give her much to work with, I didn't feel that I got my $35's worth of haircut. 

However, the last time I went I had an appointment with Gretchen, and she is the reason I'm giving AB 4 stars. Once again I came in without any specific requests, but she figured out what would look best for my face and how to layer my hair for its texture. Maybe this is standard, but I've never been so happy with a haircut before. Definitely ask for Gretchen if you're making an appointment.

Adore Salon - Montclair, CA (34.093244, -117.703681) ()
5 - Kevin K.: I have been going to Adore since they opened.  In fact I was using Monica well before the salon opened and followed her over there.  I became a customers of Monica while she was randomly placed to cut my hair at a different salon.  Monica took her time (even though that salon was not one that is known for "high quality" cuts), made sure I liked my cut at the end, kept up casual conversation to make me feel comfortable and charge me a reasonable price at the end of the cut.  I feel like these four bullet points could be the motto of the salon.  I have since convinced my fiance to start using the salon and she recently went in for a "brazilian blow out".  Not sure exactly what it is but the lady that did it did a WONDERFUL job and her hair has never looked so good.

If you are looking for a great cut (I should know seeing as how I am the son of a barber), friendly atmosphere (where you dont have to listen to some stylist's baby mama drama) and a good price this is the place to be!
5 - Matilde M.: Angie has been fixing my hair mishaps for many many years, everyone at the salon is very professional, and friendly. I'd highly recommend the salon to anyone who expects the best results.
1 - Candice C.: HORRIBLE! Just got my hair done today and was thoroughly disappointed. I was asking to get my hair cut a certain way with layers and the lady would not do it and would just say "It won't look good."  I believe the lady was in a rush and didn't want to fix it.  She cut my bangs straight across which made me look like I was a little girl. I would not recommend this place at all.

Adorn Me - Ann Arbor, MI (42.279472, -83.745502) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - Michelle C.: Adorn Me has the cutest accessories. There is a decent selection of jewelry, lots of handbags and purses, and all the shoes there are adorable. There is a bit of apparel there too, though the focus is really more on accessories rather than clothing here. Everything is really unique, and I'd expect that you'll get plenty of compliments on the items you buy here! I walked away with a pair of wedges with embroidery on the heel and a buckle embellishment on the side. Too cute!

The staff is really friendly and eager to help, though I had to go in the back and grab someone's attention in order to try on some shoes.
4 - Lisa W.: I was recently in an ultra-stylish wedding where the bridesmaids could *gasp* choose their own shoes!  Imagine my simultaneous delight and dismay at trying to find the perfect pair of shoes.  I was on a budget, so when my picky self could only find shoes I loved for over $100, I was on the verge of just wearing my well-worn white Aerosole flats to be done with it.

On a whim, I went into Adorn Me about five minutes before they were about to close.  (Yes, I was "that annoying customer" unfortunately.)  Doing a quick survey of the boutique, I figured I would be spending over $100 anyway.  I was so shocked when I found their shoes to be stylish and still reasonably priced!  None of the leather dress heels I tried on were over $80.  These are not run-of-the-mill prom shoes, either, they were very unique and in interesting colors -- but still with the peep toe and skinny heel.  They have a beautiful assortment of affordable leather goods.  I will definitely return there when I need to shop for a handbag on a budget.

Also, kudos to their customer service.  I tried on multiple sizes in multiple pairs of shoes until ten minutes after they closed, which is an extremely rude thing to do to a sales person.  (To my slight credit, the wedding was the next afternoon and it was already night time.)  She did not rush me and insisted on helping me get the right pair for my feet.

If you want to find something fun, slightly quirky, and very cute to wear try this boutique.  It's an excellent place to try if you want a new, large leather handbag in a bright color -- something nobody else is really wearing -- for a great price.
3 - Sarah R.: I was visiting the Bead Gallery, which is in the same building, and decided to take a peek upstairs recently at Adorn me. It's a really adorable little locally-owned women's apparel store. It's got a very hip botique feel to it, with shoes, tank tops, handbags and more.

Unfortunately, they didn't seem to have much (anything?) in plus sizes, so I was limited to accessories for my shopping trip. It's a funky shop with a fun atmosphere, an interesting selection of clothes and friendly staff. It's worth a visit if you're shopping Liberty Street.
4 - Heather C.: I really like this store!  Adorn me has a TON of bags and other accessories, but like the other posters have mentioned, the shoe collection is the best is town.  I bought a pair of t-strap pumps here that I get compliments on every time I wear them... and I've yet to see them at any other store.  They also have some really unique apparel here.  At first glance it seems really pricey, but I went to the mall on the same day and realized that the prices are comparable to stores at the mall, with better quality and more style. Very nice staff, cute shop... check it out if you haven't yet.
4 - Kate B.: Oh my, I do love Adorn Me...they always have something I want, so it's thee place my husband makes a beeline for during the holidays (i.e., gift certificates...I'd be worried if he knew my shoe-size or how to pick out a purse...but I digress)

They have something for all price-points - this is not a "big wallets only" store, and their shoes are super cute and always have something unusual.
The staff are very nice as well. I've bought 5 purses and a wallet from them since they opened, and always get compliments whenever I use them. :O)
5 - Theresa F.: My FAVORITE clothing store in Ann Arbor (really, in Michigan).  Located above the Bead Gallery on Liberty, Adorn Me features really great bags, shoes, clothing and of course, jewelry from the jewelers who work downstairs.  They have a great selection of Tano bags (my favorite bag EVER I purchased here on sale a couple of months back) and they always have some kind of sale going, even if it's a small sale rack, which is definitely a plus.  All of the items they carry are unique and really range in price.  It seems I am always getting complimented on things that I have bought at Adorn Me.

They always have a phenomenal sale around Art Fair time (they use the week to move product) so be sure to check it out then if you can navigate the downtown crowds.

Adornments Flowers & finery - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2841257, -120.6647187) ()
5 - Robin L.: Love, love, love Adornments!  I had Adornments do the floral arangements for my wedding in November 2011 and everything turned out better than I could have imagined.  Laurel and her team are creative, fun and easy to work with.  I had a pretty large wedding with a specific budget, she provides me with amazing arrangements that fit within the budget, exceeded my expectations, fit the wedding style and my personality.  I would definately recommend Adornments and would gladly use them again!
5 - Athena M.: In one word: perfection. I couldn't have asked for anyone better for my wedding than Laurel from Adornments. She proved to be so much more than a floral expert.  Her taste is impeccable.  I came to fully trust her judgement, so when she said not to worry, she would take care of it and it would look amazing, I had zero doubts and could shift my focus elsewhere (and it always did look amazing). She was always eager to spitball ideas with me, even if they didn't involve flowers, helping me weed out the good from the bad. And when they did involve floral decorations, her experience and execution always exceeded my expectation, every bouquet, every arrangement, even the tiniest little detail was impeccable. And when what I desired ballooned over budget, Laurel was happy to work with me on the cost, helping me decide what was essential and what could be cut.  Very few people are lucky to have the wedding of their dreams, so I don't what percentage I fall under because my wedding actually exceeded my dreams in every way. One thing I do know though is that Laurel of Adornments was a big reason why my wedding was as special as it was, and I couldn't be more grateful.
5 - Talia R.: I wish my five stars could adequately express how truly amazing Adornments is! Laurel is extremely professional, responsive, welcoming, and of course, excellent at what she does. From the first time I met with Laurel through the day of my wedding, she intently listened to my vision for what I wanted, made revisions based on my feedback, and suggested creative ideas that only she could think of. Laurel took my vague description of how I pictured my wedding, and created an impeccably cohesive, breathtaking scene--from the bouquets, to the chuppah, to the arrangements in mason jars down the aisle, to the extravagant wreaths hung on the barn doors (where the reception was), and more. Laurel is also a joy to work with--she is kind, encouraging, and puts you at ease in the midst of the stressful planning process. She is absolutely the best in the business. You can trust that she will listen to your vision, and create something that is even more astounding than you thought it could be.
5 - Scott A.: I'm not really sure where to even begin with this review.  First and foremost, Laurel made our destination wedding planning a breeze (From Chicago, married in Paso Robles)!  She listened to everything word we said and worked to tweak, add, subtract the great, the good and even the bad.  The flowers were amazing and her creativity is truly remarkable.  It's rare that you find a perfect stranger (when you first start the planning) who get's just as excited as you do about your wedding day.  By the time our planning was over, Laurel became family and we were so happy when she joined in on the fun at our reception. If you are looking for a florist and/or day of wedding planner you cannot go wrong with Laurel and her team.  I would bet the world that you will be as happy with her as my wife and I were.  My only regret is that I wrote this review a year after our wedding....sorry Laurel!  Thank you again Laurel for putting your heart and soul into our wedding day, much like we did.  See you this October!

Adult Book and Video-Mustang - Upland, CA (34.106013, -117.690022) ()
2 - Tina L.: DVDs here cost 40-60 dollars. Nooo thanks.

It also smells a bit funky.

Customer service is something that obviously has not been heard.. but then again, it's probably a practice not to talk to customers in an adult store unless they try to talk to you first.
1 - Anthony S.: Anonymous penis is on the menu at Mustang. I'll never partake, because I am in the league of boys who likes to have a face to a crotch. All that aside, if you are inclined, the arcade shows are home to some of the raunchiest cream-filled good times in the area. If you read the review below you'll get a hint at what that gross smell actually is.

The reason I peruse the establishment is their variety of poppers and occasional sale on porn. They also have a grand selection of toys, but it is second to its sister store, The Toy Box.

Advance Dry Cleaners - Los Angeles, CA (34.0283825, -118.2912751) (South Los Angeles)
2 - Scott C.: I've been to this place about half dozen times over the past two years.  The lady who use to run the show was always friendly and joked with me.  I'd usually go on a Saturday and her departing words would usually be something along the lines of "Go Trojans."  I just politely nodded and waved.  It was the best I could muster being a UCLA Alumni staying with my fiancee near USC.

There's a place closer to my fiancee's, but I chose Advance because the lady was nice and the service was decent.

However, within the last few weeks, I've been disappointed.  The lady isn't there anymore.  I don't know where she went.  Some younger guy runs the place now.  It seems as if he runs it for her.  In any case, it's just isn't as good.   Yesterday I went in to get my shirts and one wasn't ready.  It didn't come back with the rest.  The guy tried to give me some excuse about it taking longer when there are stains on it.  It didn't' have any stains on it when I dropped it off.  I take my shirts and leave.  My fiancee goes back the next day.  It's not there.  They can't find it.  Eventually they figure out it's at the other store (wherever that is).  Great, so now we have to make a third trip just to pick up one set of cleaning.  That's no good at all.

This triple inconvenience isn't worth the service that's no longer there.  I'm going elsewhere.

I'm giving two stars because it could've been worse.  They're not charging me for the last shirt and the guy wasn't a complete jerk - only semi-incompetent.
2 - Catherin M.: The nice lady may have been around in 6/07, but she doesn't seem to be there now.  In fact nobody seems to be running the place, at least when I'm there at 6 or 7 AM, by which time it is already quite crowded.

The only things I like about this place are the midweek prices and the large number of machines.  Considering the large number of machines, it seems ludicrous that there are only about four chairs, and an inadequate amount of folding space.  

I've been there a few times because it's close to my house, but I'm trying to find somewhere better.
4 - Andrew O.: I go cause Aunty Ruby always makes my day. 

The service is great and you'll feel like a valued customer. Don't forget your coupon if you are a USC Student (It's in your SCampus). She also lets you keep it for next time. They are always inundated with USC orders, but they always get it back to you in a timely manner. I've never seen anyone else in this place other then Aunty Ruby and her dog. 

There was one mis-hap though where I believe one of my shirts got mixed with another order. For I was left with a shirt that I have no recollection of buying and a missing dress shirt. The price also seems a bit high, however I think it more then makes up the friendly service and Aunty Rube remembering you.
1 - Max F.: I have taken about 30 shirts and a suit here.  Afterwards I would be at work and wonder why my collars kept flipping up.  I thought that maybe my shirts were getting old but then realized no, it's just that my cleaners presses them completely wrong.  Took my shirts to a different cleaners, problem solved.  And these aren't exotic, made out of spider silk and highly flammable materials type shirts - we are talking about plain old Nordstrom/BR dress shirts.

Also, they managed to stain/burn one of my shirts.  However, they were kind enough to put a little tag on it saying  the stain would not come out.

Finally, the prices are not very good.  They charged me $3 per shirt which is a complete rip-off considering the quality of cleaning being provided and the fact that you will be buying new shirts to replace the ones they ruin.

Highs: they have pictures of pretty people on the walls

Lows: drycleaning, prices, pictures on the walls may keep you from noticing the condition of your garments.

Overall:  Don't do it.
4 - Annie Y.: This is definitely my new go-to dry cleaner. I brought in my pea coat, which was pretty disgusting after not having been cleaned for over a year, and they returned it to me looking better than it did when I bought it. They told me it'd be ready in three days, but I didn't have time to pick it up until a week later, and they never bothered me with phone calls as other places have done before.

The service was great. I couldn't find the USC students coupon because I don't have the latest version of the SCampus (it's in the back of the 2009 SCampus, for those who are curious), but the guy at the counter printed it out for me so I could make copies for the next time I come back. It came out to only $9 with the discount, which was less than I was expecting.
3 - Tim A.: This dry cleaner is located very close to campus and is the only place I will take my clothes.  Every time I go in the man working the counter is very friendly, they do a good job fast, there is never a wait so I am in and out in a matter of minutes, and they love USC students!
1 - Kellen C.: alterations suck here.
the prices are high and their work is half a##

1. Tapered a pair of slacks and they didn't even bother taking apart the pants and measuring it out correctly. left huge creases half way up the pant leg

2. hemmed the same pair of slacks and didnt even trim the excess pant leg and relock them.. instead, just folded and sewn.

3. refused to alter a jacket citing "they don't do that" but in reality they don't do anything that requires hard work.

4. left an odd stain on my jacket

thanks for nothing

Advance Muffler & Brake Company - Cambridge, MA (42.3658431, -71.0918554) (Kendall Square/MIT)
2 - emily b.: I took my car here for an inspection.  I waited about 10 minutes for them to finish up with a car before me, no biggie.  Then they looked at my car and asked if there was any reason why my brand new registration wouldn't go through, which there wasn't. They tried running it a few times and told me that I would have to call my insurance agent to get it straightened out.  My SRS/airbag light was on and they told me my car would fail inspection because of that and that I should take it to a dealer to get it fixed. 

My roommate took her car here earlier in the year to get it inspected and they couldn't get her registration to go through either.  What is going on with this place??

Annoyed at this, I took my car to a Honda shop down the street to see if I could avoid having to spend hundreds at a dealer to fix the light.  They fixed it, no problem, and told me that my car should have passed even with the light on!  They drove my car to a different place to have it inspected and the registration was perfectly good!

I don't know what they have going on with how they run registrations, but it is probably something they should straighten out.
1 - itak v.: I went to advance muffler and brake based on its amazing reviews.  I was a return customer who had done previous muffler work with them and in general was pretty happy. Then, I went to them with serious situation. I desperately needed new brake pads and routers. I had a lot of grinding going on.  I got quoted around 800$ for the work and the parts, which is definitely on the high side.  The jeep I was plugging the stuff into was only worth about 1200 blue book so I told them flat out that I didnt think it was worth it for the 800 in parts and service and was considering boxing the car.  I then got a huge lecture about how we were putting way less into an old car as most of their other customers and this jeep would have several years left if we kept up with 600$ average of yearly maintenance for a 10yr.+ old car.  I asked them to evaluate whether this car was reasonably fit to live for another year at least and I was told, "yes".  Got the job done, and when I went to pick it up I was a little freaked out at just how thankful they were.

Less than a month later, the car was completely dead.  Crank shaft had been making a ton of noise for months which I had just chalked up as "jeep sound". But no, it was the rods banging up against the block signaling that they needed to be worked on.  They shattered on the highway and the car is dead.  I'm an idiot for not knowing what this obvious sound was telling me, but when I ask advance muffler to evaluate what this car will need in a year and whether it will live, and they tell me "well we did that but we only looked at the brakes and muffler," thanks for nothing.  The car was rattling around on start, it was significant, it was diagnostic of a motor problem, but it was ignored and communicated to me in false confidence.
1 - Will c.: This guy never passes your car inspection. Don't ever go here! Horrible service. My freaking left washer, which works off and on, wasn't working and he didn't pass it, even though I'd just had it repaired. I've now gotten 2 tickets for inspection violation, no thanks to moustache boy. Thanks a lot!
1 - Andrea B.: I went here back when they had coupons for an oil change and I made an appointment.  When I showed up, they obviously had forgotten that I made an appointment.   When I showed the coupon I had printed out from the website THAT DAY the guy said they would not honor it because it has the previous year on it--it had the previous year because their stupid website only automatically updated the day and month of expiration. 
The guy said he would be "nice" and give me the regular price for an oil change before they raised their prices.  This place is too expensive and shady for me.
5 - Jane E.: I have had nothing but good experiences with Advance, and after seeing some of these poor reviews I feel obligated to share just how happy I am with their service. 

Some background: I have a 2002 Subaru with 110k miles. It still works great but like all older cars occasionally has issues. 

A few months back, the brakes were clearly shot and needing replacing, and something was wonky with the power steering (weird screeching noise on tight turns). Anyway, I took it in and reported my issues to Steve, who took a long look at the car and gave me the following report:
The brakes and rotors need to be replaced (as I expected) but the calipers do not. There isn't a problem with the steering - the sound is typically from belt slippage, but since those had been replaced recently and there was no sign of "glazing", it shouldn't be a problem. If it gets worse, just bring the car back in. 

Basically, Advance fixed the main problem quickly AND they didn't totally fleece me by telling me all sorts of stuff needed to be replaced/repaired AND they actually explained what they were doing in layman's terms without treating me like some ignorant idiot customer.

I also replaced my tires recently, and Rick was exceptionally helpful. No complaints there!

Bottom Line: My criteria for a good auto mechanic shop is simple - fix what needs to be fixed, don't try to shake me down for more money, and tell me the truth. I will gladly return for repeat business and I am willing to pay more $ to a family operation, rather than some big chain that might be cheaper but does shoddy work.
5 - kristine j.: It's weird how different people's experiences with the same place can be. My husband and I  have been taking our cars to Advanced Muffler for more than 10 years. Steve has always taken good care of us and saved us money where ever possible. I am always surprised when I take the car in and ask him to look at a few things and he says, "No, it's just this one thing, the other things are fine." You don't expect to hear that from a mechanic. I highly recommend Steve and Advanced Muffler and Brake.
5 - Alicia P.: Steve is such an amazing guy.  The receptionist (Eleene??) is also super sweet.  I've been going to Advanced Muffler for 4+ years and would never stop.  Their prices are really reasonable and whenever my car needs anything done to it that we didn't dicuss when I dropped it off, Steve is always the one to call me and explain what he suggests and why he suggests it.  The mechanics even stayed late a few years ago when I had something huge wrong with my engine and they had to take part of it apart to fix it (after which Steve drew a picture and explained in detail what was wrong so that I could appreciate why it took so long to fix).  Steve has also been known to comp me some services (tire rotation) just to thank me for my loyalty.  I so value having a shop like this near me that I know is not trying to get more money out of me and just doing honest work!

Advance Tire - Cambridge, MA (42.3658431, -71.0918554) (Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - JJ G.: I needed to have my '91 Volvo inspected, and my usual place was jammed, so I drove over to direct tire who took really good care of me, and entertained my kid while we waited.  I don't know anything about whether they are good at tires, but they sure are great when it comes to inspections!
1 - J T.: I went to advanced tire and auto for years, buying tires and rims there several times.

The last time I went left a foul taste in my mouth, and I don't feel like going back again.  The Advanced Tire & Auto guys told me that two of the nuts holding on one of my tires had rusted and siezed up, and that I needed two of the studs (i.e. the bolts holding on the tires) replaced immediately because I couldn't drive it that way.

I was charged $30 for the parts and $85 for the labor for fixing the bolts.

I wasn't aware that the bolts holding on tires typically rusted like this. Certainly bolts can be damaged by those power screw drivers if you put them on sideways and strip the thread. 

Regardless of how this problem was caused and by whom, the $115 price they charged replace the two bolts was ridiculous.  I took my car in to my volvo repair shop (which is not a tire place and not a competitor of advanced tire), and they told me to NEVER go in to advanced tire again because replacing two studs and nuts on the same wheel is NOT a $115 job.  Certainly it wasn't at my regular repair shop.

Furthermore, they put leaky winter tires on my car and temporarily reinflated them so that I had two flats a few days later.  It was completely obvious from throwing soapy water on the tires where they were leaking, and they had "fixed" the problem before.  (Volvo steel wheels rust around the rims.  A good tire place will put bead sealer there and stop this from reoccuring.  Not Advanced Tire.)

I mentioned the bolt replacement fiasco to a few of my collegues and one of them had also had a bad experience with Advanced Tire. He took his girlfriend's car in to be diagnosed.  They charged him $145 when all they did was hook a diagnostic computer up to the car and read the indicator lights.  He took the car somewhere else and the other place hooked up the computer for free before estimating how much actual repairs would cost.

That being said, they were nice enough to point out that one of my rear brakes needed some work. 

But both my volvo repair guy and my new tire guy were outraged that Advanced Tire charged me $115 for replacing two bolts, and told me NEVER to go there again.
5 - Megan C.: The guys (and lady) at Advanced (both Brake/Muffler & Tire) are always really friendly, accomodating, and courteous.  I was a loyal customer of theirs for ~2 years, until I moved last November, when laziness banned me from taking my car into a shop so far away.  

They always did a good job at fixing my vehicle, and I never had any issues with their work.  I really can't talk car, so that's the long & short of it.  They DO have some gigantic fish, though!

I will admit that I have had occasional sneaking suspicions that I was being overcharged, but have no proof to back that up.  I DO know, however, that nearly every time I've brought my car in with a seemingly benign problem, I've been told (& ultimately pay for) what turns out to be a much more malignant problem.  

Don't car issues remind you of tumors, as well?
4 - Andrea D.: Not a bad place at all.  I got a flat tire and called them up.  Hank was really friendly on the phone and he made sure the tire I needed was in stock.  He called me when the tire was ready (they had to pull it from the warehouse) and a bay was open, which was only about 15 minutes later.  I showed up, pulled in and was out of there in like 15 minutes.  It's a little on the pricey side, but for the convenience it was worth it.  Would go there again.
4 - Stephanie ..: In the past month, my car has had a string of bad luck: cracked windshield, bumper repair after being rear-ended, and then, a flat tire.

Advance Tire was super close, and their price on the tire was reasonable.  They took good care of me, and I'd go back.
1 - J J.: Several months ago, I became aware of an issue with my brakes. Assuming that I needed new brake pads, I took my car to Advanced Tire. I dropped my car off to them, told them what I thought was wrong, and went to work. Several hours later I received a phone call from them informing me that I needed not only new brake pads, but also new rotors and calipers. They had called to ask if it was OK to proceed on the nearly $800 job. It was not. 

I called another mechanic and was given an estimate for pads, rotors and calipers for my make and model that was over $200 less than the price quoted by Advanced Tire. That alone would have been enough for a 1 star rating, but to make matters even worse, when I picked my car up from the other mechanic, he hadn't needed to replace the calipers which saved me another couple hundred dollars. 

Advanced Tire is the reason I joined Yelp, so that was positive, but I will never visit them again. 

I will also never visit a mechanic in business attire again. Lesson learned.
1 - Amy S.: Be forewarned ladies (and gents): Advance Tires is a rip-off operation.  I'm a young small woman and I hate seeing mechanics for this reason.  I had a plugged tire that was slowly leaking, so I went into Advance Tires to get the tire replaced.

My car is a 94 Geo Prizm.  It's old and ugly, and I dont invest in fancy parts for it.  I guess the Advance Tire counter guy knew he wouldn't be able to talk me into an expensive tire (s), so he decided to fool me into believing that my rim was bad.  Showed me where it was rusty and gunked up and claimed the air leak was due to the build-up - said my tire wouldn't seal against it.

Now in my heart I knew this was BS but I figured WTF if it ensures success, why not.  I bought the line and a used $75 rim to boot.  When I get home and tell my bf, he's pissed that I didn't call him before buying, but whatever it's too late - 75 bucks down the drain.

Fast Fwd:  Four months later.  My brakes are grinding.  My bf takes the car to his auto mechanic cousin.  Find out that my brake caliper seized up because the BS used rim didn't even fit my car.   Now, I'm shelling out big dollars for brakes, rotors, and a new caliper thanks to Advance Tire and their used rim.

So... a $50 tire replacement ended up costing me about $400.  I'm not happy, but I guess it's my own fault for going against my better sense.  Do not be fooled by these jovial acting dudes.  They are swindlers.  If you are a woman, avoid this place like the plague.
3 - Joel R.: I needed to have my car inspected so I took it to Advance Tire since they are close to where I work. They did a good enough job but the place was definitely shady. The place refused to take reservations which is very annoying for standard quick things like inspections. Also, they only accept cash, which is never a good sign. Not only are they likely cheating the government (taxes), one has no recourse if they do faulty work or grossly overcharge. I will only pay by credit card to have extensive and pricey work done on my car.

The inspection was a fair price at $29 and it was done quickly but I would never go to this place for anything other than that. I just don't trust this place.
4 - Julia F.: I pretty much love these guys... Yup, they rock. 

They helped me out of a potentially scary situation. My tires were practically bald last winter, only noticed really when my friend and I fishtailed our way towards a church in Cambridge, and all I could do was apologize to my friend if I got him hurt. I'm a good/experienced driver, but man... My tires sucked.

After our near crash into a place of worship, I picked up the phone and called advance tire. My dad recommended them to me, and they were really convenient to my home and work.

I called and asked about a million questions about tires and what was expensive, what was good for snow, wrote down all the tires they had for my car (including the ones that it came with) and did some poking around on consumer reports. I ended up spending a great deal of money on a set of 4 Nokian tires. They seemed to have the most bang for their buck, in a manner of speaking.

Less than a month after I bought the tires I hit one of those potholes almost car sized, on Beacon Street in Somerville. Shortly after I read the riot act to the poor bastard who picked up the line at Somerville DPW, I called and left a message for Advance Tire - 'get me one more of those tires!' 

I got it for free-zees! You get one free if you buy four...  basically. I went back a few days later (cause the pothole also damaged my cooling lines - expensive night, lemme tell you!) and maybe paid $20 to have the new one put on.

They have also rotated my tires since there a few times. They have always been in a good mood and helped me out as quickly as possible. They even gave me a card for the guy who does the autobody work for their personal cars, when they saw the damage that was done to the rear of my car. Nice guys. I like them. I like what they do.
4 - SM H.: Got alignment work done - they were fast, nice, and inexpensive.  I see there've been some negative reviews, but I've got to say that my experience with them was really good!
1 - sage f.: I had a gift certificate to Advance Tire and I needed new tires so I figured I'd try it out.  Not a great experience.  First, they gave me the quote and told me the work would be done in an hour.  Two and a half hours later, they called to say it was completed.  The total price was about $150 more than the original estimate.

Then they told me they had a hard time getting the nuts back onto the tires, but that it was nothing to worry about safety wise.  They said they could fix them, but I should talk to my husband and have him call with any questions first.  Grrr!

They also did the state inspection for the car, which they asked me specifically to pay for in cash.  Later that night, I got a phone call saying I didn't pay for the inspection sticker.  When I said that I did, the woman said, "well you say you did and he says you didn't."  I tried to describe the person who I was talking to and she said no one by that description worked there.  What else can I tell you??

Now, a few weeks later, I took the car for some routine care at the dealership and they said that the tire work was not done properly.  The wheels weren't fully aligned and the nuts on the tires were so stripped that one literally fell off in the mechanic's hand.  Sigh.

So much for trying to save a little money.
1 - R K.: DO NOT trust anything these guys say!  I brought my car in on Monday morning at 9:00 to diagnose a "check engine" light.  They said it would take "a couple hours" to diagnose.  When I called back at 11:00 to check, they said they were "working on it right now."  But when I called back at 12:30, they hadn't started working on it yet!  What the hell?

When they finally called around 2:00, they said I needed a $500 part replacement.  My wife said she needed the car on Tuesday, and they said they'd try to have it done by the end of the day, or at least by noon on Tuesday.  But when I called on Tuesday morning, they said they wouldn't have it done by noon, and I'd have to come pick it up and reschedule.  They said, "the part didn't come in until late yesterday."  Um, what?  They never mentioned to us that they needed to order a part!

When I went to pick up the car, I tried to talk with the manager about what happened.  He was very rude, interrupting me and acting like I couldn't possibly have anything useful to tell him.  Obviously he doesn't care what customers think of the service his business provides -- even if that service includes lying and misleading customers.

Needless to say, these people will never see another dime of my money.
5 - Jesse H.: I went here for a big staple that was stuck in my tire. Goodyear Auto in Somerville said it couldn't be patched by them. 

Advance took my car in within 25 minutes and had it fixed within 45 minutes of me dropping it off. 

The patch cost me $35 which is much better than buying a new tire. 

The customer service was exemplary. Thank you Advance!
1 - b s.: AVOID AT ALL COSTS! YOU WILL BE RIPPED OFF!

Absolutely, positively DO NOT go to this shop. You will be completely and totally ripped off. Somehow they inflate a $200 fix into a $1100 job. Unreal. 

AVOID!
4 - Joel P.: These guys did a bunch of work on my '91 volvo and my 2008 prius.  Everything's always been prompt and quality work and i never felt ripped off.  They had multiple chances to charge me an arm and a leg on the volvo and never did it.  They are as honest as any mechanic i've ever seen. I love these guys and highly recommend them.

As a business owner, I resent the people who will post stuff like b.s. did on 3/12/2011.  Without specifics he shouldn't be allowed to impact a quality shop's reputation like that.  Anyone who takes those reviews seriously is a fool.
5 - Sheila C.: I have been to these guys several times over the years for tires, car inspection, and car detailing. They couldn't be nicer. There have been instances where I was sure something was wrong with a tire/wheel and they did a thorough check and found nothing and wouldn't charge me (they were right; it was fine). I have sent friends who have also had positive experiences. They were accomodating to my time crunch, friendly, and professional. The car detailing is better than any I have had other places. They are good guys.
5 - Mark M.: I'm likely a typical consumer who doesn't know the first thing about cars, and I had a wonderful experience with Advance Tire on Broadway in Cambridge. After going to another mechanic in Cambridge and getting a quote of minimum $250 for brake work, I went here and they checked out my brakes and told me they were fine. No charge at all. They could have very easily charged me a ton for the work and done it even though my vehicle didn't need it. What could make me trust them more? 

Also, Hank was very nice - much nicer in fact than the people at the other shops.
4 - Marty W.: I researched my tires in advance so I don't know about their selling/upselling procedures but I can say that Rick, the manager, was very friendly and helpful on the phone.  I ordered tires and made an appointment for installation.  The job was done within an hour.  They were prompt, appreciative of my business, helpful, and professional.  I'll return to Advance Tire in the future for my tire needs.
1 - Henry Aime A.: My mechanics sent my car at advance tire for an alignment which usually takes an hour and cost roughly $85.they refused it yesterday but I booked for this morning 8-30 am. This morning they said they DID NOT know when they could do it  - may be tonight-and 
Gave me an appointment for  8-30 am  in ...2 days.
I politely refused,took my keys back and drove down the street to Cambridge street
To Cambridge Auto Center where they asked me to wait for  an hour,a maximum of 2 hours  To do it for $85.00 !
Moral of the my experience:
 please zap Advance Tire in Kendal square as they do NOT more business and refuse customers!
5 - Nick D.: I bought a brand new Toyota truck last year and was having problems with vibration and balancing that the dealerships could not resolve. I decided to get the truck road force balanced at Advance Tire and they were able to fix in a couple hours what Toyota could not fix in 20 days.

Advance Tire Company - Cambridge, MA (42.3658431, -71.0918554) (Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - Allan W.: I've needed to drop by this shop three times in the past six months and they provide excellent customer service. One time I came in to have my clunker's clunks looked at. Hank gave me all the information I needed and I saved a ton of money. Just today, Rick got me a really good deal on used tires.

As with any garage, I recommend you do your homework before you have any expensive work done, but choose good mechanics like the guys at Advance Tire Company to do it. They're as trustworthy as they come.
5 - B. O. B.: Nice and easy to work with -- they are friendly and attentive. No pressure tactics, just straight-talk, and I can trust their opinions and suggestions.

Advanced Cadillac Service - Montclair, CA (34.0924357, -117.6982354) ()
5 - Ramon C.: I have a 92 Chevy Silverado that has been a paper weight for the last 2 years. I finally got sick of looking at it just taking up space in the driveway and decided it's time to bring it back from the dead. It wouldn't start and got a few different opinions as towards what could be wrong. I received quotes ranging from $600-$2000! Holy smokes! I was downtrodden and defeated. I wouldn't be zombie hunting in THIS ride! That is until my mother(God bless her!)suggested I check out her mechanic. I went to Advanced Cadillac Service and was quite impressed with the service I received. Don't let the name fool ya!! Joe (Owner/Operator) is a walking car encyclopedia! He looked at it and with a certain air of confidence said "no problem." A couple of days later, He said "OK, all done!" I was bracing for the inevitable double-barreled bill and was beyond pleased to hear that it was only $500! $100 less than the cheapest quote from what I'm pretty sure was a Walmart employee. If you fear crooked mechanics, go see Joe! This dude is on the level!!
5 - John R.: I absolutely love the guys at Advanced Cadillac. They are honest ,and don't sell you anything you don't need. They have worked and maintained all my vehicles and will continue to do so. It's hard to find good ,honest mechanics ,they are the real deal.

Advanced Computers - West Lafayette, IN (40.4239478, -86.9078903) ()
4 - Bodie S.: This locally owned electronics repair store is not only convenient for students on Purdue's campus, but it comes at a decent price, too. For students who don't have cars or other means of transportation, Advanced Computer, located in the Chauncey Village, gives a professional repair store for those in need. For the store being so close to campus, repairs and price tags are reasonable. $35 for initial diagnosis of the problem, and then depending on your problem and how you want to advance from there, you can leave it with Amir and in a few days, your computer will be good as new. They are very careful with your machines and treat them with utmost respect. Advanced Computer is also an authorized Comcast cable/Internet distribution site, which is convenient if you are looking for cable/Internet for your apartment. I signed up for my cable/Internet through Advanced Computer and am very happy with it. Advanced Computer also sells modems, routers, cables of all varieties, laptops, monitors, headphones, et cetera. Everything you would need at such a prime location. One downfall is that Advanced Computer is picky on what credit cards they use, so I recommend bringing cash for your repairs.
1 - Alex M.: I'd give this guy no stars if I could. I did not give this person any business; so I am rating this place on their customer service and not their ability to do work. From the last review it seems it is a good place to go but I did not have the same experience. When something so essential as a laptop breaks, you want to get it fixed pronto. I'd advise in not going to this place. Individual is RUDE; perhaps not to everyone but I have heard similar stories. The guy is CONDESCENDING, he told me I didn't know what was going on when I was merely explaining what I was experiencing. Well I'm not an idiot but even if I was I'm the customer. You want my business, act like it. I felt pressured to pay the $35 to diagnose the problem. If I was younger the whole condescending pressuring atmosphere would have made me buckle to pay but I've learned to steer clear of people like this unprofessional slick-haired-ass hat. To put the cherry on top, after I read over the form and said I didn't want to do it. He said that, "good I didn't want to do it anyway because you probably screwed it up badly by opening it and no one will work on your computer like i have promised". Yeah, thanks, I wasn't born yesterday.

Advanced Laser & Anti-Aging Medical Center - Pasadena, CA (34.1444835, -118.1300566) (Pasadena)
1 - Alice c.: Can I give no stars to an establishment?

Recommended by a friend of a friend, I decided to check out this "dermatologist" after a nasty wound from a snorkeling accident.
(Note: not all corals are soft and delicate like the tree huggers say.)

 I was really afraid of scarring (the boo boo was on my boob).  I had gone to the nurses at work for daily checkups, but I wanted to make sure that my future as an exotic dancer would not be jeopardized. 

Even though I made the earliest appt. possible, I still had to wait for an hour in the waiting room along with about 25 other people.

When I finally got into the examination room, I spent another 20 minutes perusing brochures detailing the wide variety of plastic surgery options that the office offered.

I finally was seen by a nurse who began to further emphasize the myriad of laser skin resurfacing techniques that the doctor offered. I began to feel like the dermatologist was more interested making me into a Barbie doll than helping me with an actual medical problem.

When the doctor finally did arrive, he spent only about 2 minutes looking at my wound before telling me that I had rosacea and that I needed laser treatments and realy expensive facial creams. I have never in my life been diagnosed with roseacea. (Will post cute pic to substantiate this claim soon!)

I felt like this was just a scam to bilk my insurance company for treatments that I did not need. I canceled all future appointments.  

Yesterday I got a call from the clinic telling me that I was not covered at all through insurance even though they were supposed to have checked before i got treatment. Luckily my company has a great HR dept. and they are dealing with the situation. 

Check around the web about these folks, there are tons of bad reviews. I wished that I has listened to them and not gone there at all.
 Major pass on this place!!!!!
1 - cuu c.: i com to this derm office on agu 29. my appointment is at 10'30. i come in at 10'15. i have exactly the ame experience like alice. wait about 15' min. no problem cause i am a patient person. i was greet by a nurse ( i guess), then she go over the brochure with me. then 5 minute later the doctor come in. i have hypertrophic scar , acne scar and acne. he take 5 sec look and then tell the nurse to write down cool beam, v beam and injection with cortisone for my hypertrophic scar. i told him i have 20 shots of cortisone already,and for some reason he thought that i have  20cc shot, so he quickly cut me off and tell me that he will double it to 40 cc which is impossible cuz a maximum shot of cortisone is 5 cc. the whole consulation is last only 2 minute. he wrote down the cost arounf 4000. 5 trament of cool touch and vbeam at 600 and 1000 for acne medical visit.  i find it rweally stupid because  why would i am chraged for acne medical visit when he used cool beam for the acne and it already in the $600 per treament. so any way, at this point i don't want to talk with him any more because if he did the treatment like the consultation then i just damn stupid to get into this. i have has consultation with about 10 derm from LA to OC to riverside in several day. i got to tell you this, this is the worst derm that i come acroos. other derm took at least 15 to 20 minutes for my consultation , even an hour. this derm doesn't take a look at my condition. so bottom line : go some where else where they actually acre about u.
5 - Lauren W.: Best aesthiticians I have ever been to!  All the women that work in this office are very experienced and educated in all aspects of skincare.  I would highly recommend that if you want quality skincare treatments to come to this place.  I had Renee, she was sweet, answered all of my questions and she was extremely gentle, I would definitely go back.  It may be a tad pricey, but you get what you pay for!  If there were six stars I'd give them all six.

Advanced Ophthalmology Institute - San Diego, CA (32.86769, -117.227913) (University City)
1 - Daniel J.: If you ever need to go to a place for an eye check-up. Do not come here. The staff will admit that they do not specialize in optometry, they market toward lasik surgery.

Although the staff is initially nice, they are not responsive to your calls, and also forget to tell you about hidden costs. They also do not take all insurances, so make sure you understand what you pay for, and what your carrier pays for. 

I would say go next door for an optometry exam. It took my co-worker less than a week to have her contacts, where it took 2 weeks for me. And I don't have a special perscription.
5 - Cory F.: Having vision correction changed how I see the world. Like most everyone else out there, I was extremely nervous and overly cautious. I did my homework on the procedures available and personally interviewed 5 doctors. I felt very nervous spending that much money on something that, if done incorrectly, could ruin my baby browns. 

Dr. Parikh and gang are extremely professional and just amazing to deal with. Any doubts I had seemed to fly out the window within a few minutes of being there. 

The procedure for the most part is extremely low risk, but each person considering it needs to find a doctor and staff with whom they relate to and feel the most comfortable with. As with any surgical procedure, you don't want to trust your body to just anyone. Don't just go to the doctor who has the most credentials or who is the cheapest. You need to trust your instincts and be able to feel comfortable with your decision. 

I had my All Laser LASIK done in February of 2009. I wanted to allow myself enough healing time before I left to go on a 3+week vacation to Brazil. The procedure was done on a Thursday, and by Friday morning I was driving myself up to LA to pick up my VISA and Passport. Ten months later and I am still seeing clearer than I ever did wearing glasses. 

That being said, I do have a couple minor side effects. About once ever 2 or 3 months I notice my eyes getting dry, but after a couple of drops of tears, I am good as new. Also, I notice that while driving at night, car and traffic lights have halos around them. Again, very minor in my case and I don't even notice them unless I really focus on them. 

Overall, I don't think I could have picked a better team to get me through this. It is without a doubt some of the best choices I have ever made.
5 - Dan P.: Dr. Max Parikh, Dr. Lee & Deanna are AWESOME!

Well I was legally blind in both eyes. Stigmatism & Myopia in both. 20/400 Left & 20/600 Right. I was lost looking for someone to do my laser surgery since there are sooooo many options out there. I was refereed by my Dr. and called to make an appointment. Deanna is the person you most likely will be speaking to. She set me up with a FREE consultation with the Ophthalmologist Dr. Lee. She was wonderful and told me that I qualified for the surgery. She had me meet Dr. Max Parikh (Spelling might be off). He is extremely enthusiastic and well mannered. Wow, he made me feel very comfortable and explained the difference between him and his competitors. Dr. Max uses WaveFront that is custom to everyone.
I ended up having my surgery in January 2010 and came out with 20/20. As of April I now have 20/15 in both eyes!!!! They set up 2 years of check up and any alterations that you need to have done on your eyes is included. 
The staff is WONDERFUL and made me feel calm and collective during the whole process. 
SIDE Effects:
They warn you of all side effect that might occur. I had Light sensitivity for a few days. Nothing a good pair of Polarized lens couldn't fix (which they give you a 20% what they carry at a local sun glass place). 
I had Halos for a month or so mostly during night time driving. I could drive the next day but had trouble driving during night time for the first 2 nights. Besides that, dryness more so than before. A few drops a couple times a day fix that. 
I am truly PLEASED with this outcome and would recommend Dr. Parikh to anyone looking to have Lasik done. Don't go some place because you might save a little. These are your eyes you are gambling with. Make the right choice like I did. 
Did I mention he is the Ophthalmologist for the San Diego Chargers?!!
He has testimonials from the players and patients. 
My next follow up is in May and am looking forward to it. 

I CAN SEE!!!! YAY!!
www.Neweyes.com
4 - Eric H.: I can't say enough good things about most of the staff at this office.  From the moment I walked in to the moment where I could see like a freaking hawk I had full confidence in my doctor and the staff.  

After being referred here from my boss whose wife grew up with him in India and my Co-worker who is his next door neighbor I though I might consider him.  I am a google fiend and did months of research on choosing the right doctor and asking for referrals.  I had concluded correctly that Dr. Parikh is the man I wanted to shoot some lasers into my eyes.  

I had -1.75 corrective lenses before, but now I can see 20/15 and it has been over a year since I had the surgery done.  

The ONLY reason I gave him 4 instead of 5 was because I had some painful issues with the billing department, but in their defense I did wait a full year to correct the issue and everything was resolved in the end.  

LASIK has transformed my life in small ways everyday and increased my artistic ability (Outdoor scenery has never been so beautiful).  I can say LASIK surgery has been one of the best uses of money I have ever spent.
3 - April J.: Got my LASIK done in oct of last year and very very happy with the results. 

I have an eye thing where someone messin with my eyeballs creeps me out, let alone a laser to slice through! 

The Parikh is one of the doctors that you can tell loves his job.  The staff helped me get comfortable with going through an unknown surgery that only took 15 min.

I've recommended many friends, co workers to him. Also if you need a follow up optometrist see my review on Arena Eyewear in Sports Arena.

One thing I didn't like was more the business he worked with, I can't think of the name right now but I wish they didn't finance with Care credit- if you google them you'll understand my anxiety. I just hope I'm in and out with that credit before my introductory APR expires.

This review is more on the business since you'll see my review on Dr Parikh is 5 stars. The business itself was a little weird that I couldn't put my finger on it. There was a guy in a suit that came back and forth from the waiting room to be bak but gave off this used car salesman feeling. 

The Oreos and cookies are always wonderful, but I have to give a lot to dr Parikh. If I didn't know he was doing  my surgery I may have walked out the door.  Not quite sure what that vibe was, and it definitely could have been solely my fear. If u go here go to dr Parikh, I can't speak for anything else

Also if the business reads this, for the sake of future patients, I highy advise to do more research on Care Credit. 

By the way- their biggest marketing is that they are the LASIK center for all the Chargers.

Advanced Reproductive Sciences Center - La Jolla, CA (32.8732257, -117.2176194) ()
3 - Louise G.: So far the staff is nice.

But at my first appointment I had to wait 45min.  I hate that when I arrive on-time for my appointment.  Luckily I know that you always have to wait at doc's office so I parked a block away on the street which is free. Otherwise, I'd have to pay for the parking lot since the validation would not cover the full time I was there.
2 - Sarah D.: Staff is a little disorganized. No real communication between them. Some appointments I'd show up for and they weren't even sure why I was there. My last appointment was for a simple blood test. Should've been in and out of there within 10 minutes and I ended up waiting a whole hour due to ill communication. It was pretty frustrating to say the least. 

Dr. Wood, who was my doctor at the office, was nice enough but the staff just doesn't have it together enough for me to continue going there.

Advantage Auto Glass and Trim, Inc. - Lafayette, IN (40.3997346, -86.8562036) ()
1 - Bryan W.: I had a windshield replaced here a few months ago and the service wasn't too bad.  I was going to go back to have my windows tinted...until today.  Today I was behind one of their vans at an intersection.  The driver had ample opportunity to make his turn but wasn't going, so I peeped my horn.  It was just that, a peep, not an obnoxious blast or anything like that.  The driver responded by flipping me off!  I called the number prominently displayed on the back of the van and spoke to a manager.  The manager made no attempt to apologize for his drivers actions and said I shouldn't have been honking.  Its not like I was looking to get the guy fired, I just wanted them to tell the guy that flipping people off is not a good way to represent your business.  Since this is apparently the way the manager wants his employees to treat potential customers, I will NOT be going back!!!
5 - Steve S.: I've  had two cars worked on at Advantage and both were completed on time, for the price quoted, and done very professionally. If you need work done on your car for upholstery, glass, or custom work, you will be hard pressed to find a better, more professional business, where you are welcomed, and most importantly, where your business is valued. What struck me more than anything, was that I was thanked for my business - several times. You don't hear this everywhere, but when you do, it makes you think.

The first was a Lexus SUV with a well worn tear on the drivers seat. Tavis and Andrea both inspected the tear, worked hard to perfect the color and material match, and had it done BEFORE originally promised. In fact the match was so good, my wife couldn't see where the tear had been. Looks like it had never been torn!

The second car had its windows tinted. Again, Tavis and Andrea were outstanding, taking the time to explain what the window tint limits are for Indiana, and what level of tint made sense and was the best value. Again, the job was completed BEFORE it was promised.

Adventure In Food Trading - Menands, NY (42.6962208, -73.7199391) ()
5 - Daniel B.: It's hard to imagine a more dangerous place for a food lover.

Adventure in Food Trading supplies gourmet provisions to some of the best restaurants in the region... and they are open to the public... selling amazing food at wholesale prices!

Seriously, once you go wholesale, it's impossible to return to the world of retail shopping. Granted, some items come in wholesale quantities. For example if you want some pork belly, you have to buy an entire eight pound pork belly. But theirs isn't any pork belly, it's Berkshire pork, which is a prized heritage breed. 

I went in for a pack of fresh grass-fed skirt steak, which at the time was less than $6 a pound, and came in convenient two pound packages. However they were out of stock so I left with a pork belly (and a bunch of other delicious stuff).

If you go, bring a jacket. You'll want to spend some time in their walk in refrigerator, and you may want to spend time in their walk in freezer (that's were all the farm-raised game lives). Also bring a sense of adventure. None of the prices are marked, but the staff is incredibly friendly and loves talking about food. They are incredibly knowledgeable, and will gladly look up prices for you.

Since my initial discovery of the place, I've now started an account. So I can show up without any money and they'll just bill my card. 

And that's pretty dangerous. Because it's really inexpensive for what it is. But when you are confronted with duck and foie gras sausages, tubs of duck fat, cured Ibierco loin, Old Chatham Sheepherding Company cheeses, bottles of extra virgin olive oil, caviar, and cured salami made from happy pigs, it requires a lot of willpower to leave the caviar behind.

Oh, it's also hard to find the place, the below link has the right address and directions. It also is another love letter I wrote about my favorite store in the area.
http://alloveralbany.com/archive/2011/03/22/adventures-in-food-trading
4 - Katie V.: I consider myself an amateur foodie - I like to eat locally and I like to experiment in the kitchen. I went in hoping to find chocolate feves, which are similar to chocolate chips but bigger and fancier, I guess.

It's a little awkward when you first walk in. I was the only customer there at that time, and there was a handful of staff walking around or sitting at computers. Someone immediately came up and asked me what I was looking for. He pointed me to the chocolate feves - unfortunately for me they only sell them in 10# bags. I don't ever expect to make that many cookies and can't imagine using that much, so I declined. The employee asked around the other staff to find out if there's a place locally where I could buy a smaller quantity and was successful. Great service!

I was time pressured and couldn't linger, but they had a remarkable amount of interesting meats and gourmet products. Perhaps not the best place to shop if you're looking for small amounts of things, but if you're cooking for many or want to try out some exotic stuff, head down. 

N.B.: Google Maps will get you to the big parking lot but after that it's a little tricky: When you pull in to the gigantic parking lot, the first thing you'll see is some kind of generic Farmer's Market office building right in front of you. Turn right and follow the edges of the parking lot. It's in the far right corner.
5 - Otis M.: Giant capers on the stem. Wild boar meat. Python. Antelope. A 1-oz tin of saffron for $103. Are you in your car yet? Then there's Korean citron juice. 3 liter bottles of white balsamic vinegar. Green peppercorns. Lavender buds. Truffle salt. More cheese than you can shake a stick at. And did I mention the Kobe and Waygu beef and the pigs' tongues and trotters? And the pheasant and squab? 

Adventures in Food Trading sells mainly to the restaurant trade, but Jordan in the warehouse is super friendly, will show you around, and is happy to sell to you in small quantities. Prices are fair, not inflated, and you don't pay shipping as from some web gourmet shop.

This place is REALLY hard to find, in an industrial park just before the bridge over the Hudson to Troy. Look for the Midlands dairy facility, enter at the public road south of the facility, then proceed past Ace Hardware and Midlands and turn right on a private road. From there, wander around until you find it. If it's a hot day, be sure to bring a cooler, but Jordan will be happy to throw in a cold pack.

Open Monday-Friday only, from 8 am till 4 or a bit later.

Adventure Outfitters - Amherst, MA (42.3639162, -72.5384496) ()
4 - Stephanie S.: This place can be a hit (or sometimes a miss)

A total hit if you get an enthusiastic, knowledgable "salesclerk". They'll give you some great hands on advice for your outdoor gear needs. They'll search through the maze of stock and find you exactly what you need. You'll probably get into a long conversation about your latest adventure. You can set up a tent in the back, roll around in a sleeping bag, talk to avid climbers and kayakers about local spots. 

They have such a variety of stock, ranging from the newest of the new to some that has been kicking around for a while. "Kicking around for a while" isn't always bad if you're looking for a discontinued jacket that you wish you bought two of a few seasons ago - but adds to the selection maze - that's where you'll need a helpful guide. 

But your experience might depend on the people staffed at the store. Everyone has their interests and if they jive with yours then you're in luck. If you're focused enough you can pick through the selection on your own and probably find some great stuff.

If perhaps you're looking for an entry level EMS type store then you'd probably be more comfortable there. It's more like your familiar chain store with a mix of employees that genuinely care to those that just get paid an hourly wage to fold shirts and work the cash register. 

I definitely encourage you to check it out. It's a shop with a quirky personality and if you like it and appreciate it you'll be a regular for sure.
4 - Sam M.: Solid store with wicked helpful salespeople. Helped set me and my family up with XC skis, boots etc.
1 - annie s.: I had an absolutely terrible dealing with them. I wouldn't shop there ever again. They refunded money for something I returned, then later re-charged me and wouldn't refund my money. They refused to deal with me, and really upset me. I advise people to go anywhere else but there. The owner is just terrible. The people who work there are sweet but they're lead by an unreasonable person. Please go to EMS. LL Bean or anywhere else. We shouldn't encourage this kind of behavior or allow such businesses to prosper.
1 - J K.: Let the buyer beware. I purchased a pair of hiking boots for my wife as a gift. She tried them on, walked around a bit and found them not to her liking, so I decided to return them. The back of the receipt said I could return within 5 days of purchasing. The boots were returned clean, but the manager claimed they weren't, and the return policy didn't apply to boots anyway. I left the boots there and told them I would stop payment on the credit card purchase. I wrote a complaint letter to the store owner but never received a response.
5 - David D.: Personally, I think this is a really excellent store for canoe and kayak sports... great selection of boats and one of the most complete arrays of accessories and safety equipment in the Valley.  Complete selection of Thule and Yakima racks.  Also, great selection of outdoor/mountain clothing, footwear, books, and hardware for cooking and climbing.  No bicycle stuff, but that's pretty well covered by other stores in the Amherst/Northampton/Hadley area. Prices are normal, not super discount and not like a boutique shop either.  We bought two mid-level kayaks there and they were good with the price.  Been back many times. I prefer them over EMS because the have a much bigger selection, and because when you buy there you're supporting a local business instead of a national chain.

Affection Boutique - Houston, TX (29.717709, -95.415172) (West University)
2 - MIchelle P.: Affection Boutique is a cute and colorful store, and you CAN find some cute accessories, if you are willing to pay that much for them- but their quality is no better than those at Forever 21, and you are paying a premium for the boutique location and better service.

I think I might like this store a lot more if I was still in my late teens or very, very early twenties . . . I don't go clubbing anymore, and if I do, I try to dress a little less flashy . . . so a lot of their clothes are just not for me.

If you are anything like me and looking for a Boutique in the village, I suggest Langford Market, Hemline, Lot 8, Raspberry Rose, or even Mint.    

Okay, I know this boutique has been blasting commercials on different Comcast channels, trying to convince you that its clothes are "sexy, but classy."

All I have to say is . . . I don't find overpriced, poly blends to be either sexy or classy . . .
2 - Lauren W.: Overall I felt that some of the items at Affection looked a little cheap and definately did not compare to other boutiques in the village. They do have some really nice jewelry pieces and unique rings.
1 - c o.: The clothes are cheap and double or triple the amount you would pay at Harwin or Forever 21 which they are the same quality. I don't think I could find anything here even if I had a gift certificate. Bleck!

Affordable Piano Movers & Storage - Southern California, CA (34.0184451, -118.2887612) (South Los Angeles)
5 - Susie H.: More than I could have hoped for, for such a decent price. Not only did it meet my expectations of being friendly and professional as advertised, but exceeded them; They were right on time, especially polite, and quick. And to top it off, I handed them the wrong envelope of cash I had set aside- the amount I gave them was more than 3 times what I actually owed. Before they made it down my block, they were back to tell me I paid them too much, and exchanged the cash for the correct amount. THIS is how businesses should be run! They have my loyalty as a customer and I will recommend them without hesitation.
5 - Sue W.: I have never been so impressed with a company in my life. My father finally allowed me to move my mothers piano to my home after her passing 2 years ago.  It was a very emotional decision and much harder once the movers were there to get the piano.  However the professionalism and sincerity of the movers counseling my father while removing the staple of my mother in that house was amazing.  They handled the piano with such care.  I would highly recommend Affordable Piano Movers to anyone that needs a piano moved.  Thank you for making this such a wonderful experience.
5 - Corinne R.: Wow.  You will not be disappointed.  We were referred to Affordable Piano Movers and Storage by a friend that was satisfied with their service.  They did not disappoint.  The price was right, and they were timely and efficient.  They picked up our piano in Brea and brought it to my home on Redondo Beach.  They arrived in the time frame that they gave us (two hour window).  They took great care in moving our piano.  The delivery men were very polite and considerate.  Nothing fancy with this company - I think they just succeed with good old fashioned integrity.
5 - Maggie G.: I used Affordable Piano Movers & Storage to move my piano into storage with them, and stored the piano there for 2 years.  They are true professionals in every sense of the word.  We had no issues & Frank really came through last week when another company dropped the ball on arranging pick up of the piano. All's well that ends well, but it could've ended very badly indeed if not for the professionalism of Piano Movers & Storage - I wouldn't hesitate to do business with them again, or suggest them to anyone in SoCal.  My piano is home with me now & looks as good as the day we put it in.
5 - Lindsey N.: These piano movers were great.  Such a great price and the guy who coordinates it all is super friendly and helpful and has great communication skills- very professional while still making it feel like you are dealing with a trustworthy friend.  They guys who delivered the piano were very nice as well.  Clean, quick, and efficient, and were very thankful for a tip.  I am so happy that I went with these guys and I would definitely use their services again!  I will recommend them to anyone who asks.  I am thrilled :)  You can either pay ahead of time over the phone with credit card for a small fee, or you can pay by check/money order upon arrival.
5 - Clayton S.: I've used these guys twice now, and they are fantastic.  Last week we moved 2 miles from our old house, and the movers had the entire job done in 30 minutes.  Totally professional, quick, yet CAREFUL.  I wouldn't trust my 1904 piano with anyone else!

Africa Kine Restaurant - New York, NY (40.8041866, -73.9551575) (Harlem)
4 - Genevieve C.: Was there with my friends on Saturday and we all surely enjoyed the great tasting food at Africa Kine Restaurant in West Harlem. It is a nice place to hang out, the decor is simple with lots of African paintings, it is also quite spacious. The service is slow but what I heard that is normal ... ha! The service staff are very very friendly. Now over to the food, it was my first time eating African cuisine, definitely a nice change. I had the Thiebu djeun which is fish stewed in tomato sauce with eggplant, carrots, cassava & white cabbage, served over exotic rice, this is their traditional dish and it was simply delicious. My friends had the Grilled chicken with seasoned vegetable rice and Savory lamb with seasoned vegetable rice. The lamb looked really good but since I don't eat lamb/mutton/goat dishes, I will never find out how tasty the dish is .... heh heh. I had the Ginger Beer, a non-alcoholic drink which seems to have a mixture of ginger, water, sugar, water and have a tinge of citrus taste. The pricing is very reasonable and the portions are big. Everyone definitely had a good enjoyable time.
5 - Catie L.: Prices are nice for any budget.  Large savory portions.  Best time to go where there is not a crowd is between 2 pm and 4 pm.

If you like something different and spicy.  Waitresses are very nice, but in that culture they do not rush, so sit drink some Bissup juice, and chat with friends, the food is worth the wait.
2 - Celeste M.: I called my order for pick up and they told me it was going to be ready in 15 minutes. I was staying at a friends pad in West Harlem during my visit in NYC so the restaurant was only a block and a half away. It was 11pm, I dragged my friend out in his pjs to pick up the food with me.

We get there.  The vibe of the place is weird.  There's a random guy with a table set up selling what seemed like pirated DVDs.  Weird.  The pick up window reminds me of the 24-hour Jack In The Box on Geary Street in San Francisco.  I told the guy I was there to pick up my order.  He looked puzzled.  I guess they never made it.  We wait for another 10 minutes and finally he calls me to the window and hands me a black plastic bag.  I pay him, then we walk out.  

OK food (the beef was a bit chewy and rice was sticky), not the best service, but big portions (had enough leftover for breakfast the next morning).
3 - andy t.: Dakar, Senegal, is a place I would like to visit. I had a layover there once, and it seemed like a cool place. 

Africa is a world of wonder. If I could, I'd spend all my days traveling there. But since that's impossible, I have to settle for eating at one of NY's African restaurants, in this case Africa Kine, a Senegalese joint on 116th Street in west Harlem. 

The dining area is located on the second floor. It's nothing fancy but the wood-and-brick interior, with art on the walls and big curtains on the windows, is soothing. African tunes play softly in the background. 

I grabbed a seat in a booth by the window and settled into a good read, one that takes place in Congo. For a starter I could not resist Nem ($7). These Vietnamese spring rolls -- which reflect how other french-colonial cultures emigrated to Senegal -- were served with a spicy fish sauce, along with lettuce and sliced carrots for wrapping. They were excellent! 

Meanwhile, I noticed the TV was turned to the Olympics and when a runner from troubled Zimbabwe won a semifinal heat in Track & Field, a few customers cheered quietly. 

On to the entrees, where I had a tough time choosing. There was the Pintade, grilled guinea fowl served with eggs and seasoned onions....hmmm, perhaps not...I've seen how cute guinea fowl are, running like crazy men along the sides of the dusty African roads, and I could not in good conscience eat one. Too bad it wasn't Friday when Soup -- a cow foot with vegies -- is served.

I settled on dibi, a dish of grilled lamb served with a salad, a side order (fries!!) and seasoned onions. The lamb had a charcoal-taste, smoky, but it was a little tough for my taste. Still it was pretty good, plentiful and quite the deal at $11. I washed it all down with homemade ginger beer. 

Africa Kine was an interesting night out. I wouldn't necessarily take a first date here but it's a worthwhile stop on your culinary tour of Manhattan. The service is a bit slow but, hey, that's the way things work sometimes in Africa. 

Someday I'll definitely make it to Dakar. Meantime I'll get my fill of Africa along 116th Street.
1 - Adinah J.: My boyfriend went this afternoon for the first time. I am Caribbean American and he is African American. From the moment we stepped into the dining room, we felt unwelcomed. No one greeted us, and the waitress was SLOW to arrive (because she was too busy talking and rolling silverware).  When she did arrive, she says "order- what do you want to order." No smile or anything. We knew to expect slow service, but she was rude and cold as well.  Although there were only 12 people there, service was absolutely terrible. We came in before the Hispanic family, (european) French family, and interracial family. We ordered before 2 of the three families, but were served last. Served 15 minutes after the last family to arrive, which was almost an hour after we sat down. While my boyfriend and I were wondering where our food was,our waitress sat down with her back facing up and proceeded to eat her own meal.  After watching her eat for about 10 minutes, we got up to leave and another waitress assured us our food was on its way.  We did NOT order complicated meals: shrimp and chicken skewers. So why were we ignored until the food arrived and served last? There were only 2 of us, compared to the non-black families of three and four that were served with kindness before us.
4 - Jared C.: A walk down the mountain of stairs in Morningside Park in Harlem is perhaps one of the most distinct changes in atmosphere possible in Manhattan. At the top of the stairs, the Ivy League university of Columbia, with its proud old buildings and campus courtyards. Young people scurrying this way and that or tanning in the lawn. Three minutes later, at the bottom of the stairs, one is thrust into the very different atmosphere of 116th Street, a distinctly West African part of New York City.

The noises are different, louder. The accents are French, and Wolof, and Bambara. The colors are brighter, the clothes flashier, and the people more sensual. The smells are sweet and spicy, and very alluring.

As the sun was setting to the west over Morningside Park and Columbia University, we decided to settle into a popular, yet cozy restaurant. My apologies for the photos, the interiors had almost no light. It was not the eyes that were necessary for this wonderful eating experience though. And how can you go wrong with an eatery that boasts such amenities like a coat check, a carryout window!, and even a "grand" ballroom downstairs!

At Africa Kine Restaurant the focus is on the cuisine of Senegal and is not so aspiring as the name might allude to, but that always equates to better food, as pan-anything restaurants are thoroughly mediocre in everything. And let's be honest, a menu with all the food of Earth's most diverse continent would be nothing short of insane.

The women serving us are beautiful, and beautifully wardrobed, in very bright dresses native to Dakar. We have many questions about the food, and all are answered with depth and friendliness. We are disappointed that the national dish of Thiebu Djen ($10) is only available at lunchtime, but are more than satisfied with our eventual selections, starting with the Poisson grillé ($11), which was served with an excellent onion relish/sauce, part mustard and part pepper spices. The fish was obviously cared for, as every morsel inside was tender and marinated to perfection.

Our other dish was Dibi ($11), grilled lamb also served with the same sauce. Unfortunately it turned out too tough and required a lot of jaw work. I will look forward to going across the street another day to the Dibiterie Cheikh, which sounds more promising in the world of Dibi.

The dessert menu was less than exciting, so we decided to take our search for sweets to the nearby candy stores catering to West African sweet toothes.
1 - Melissa M.: A nice atmosphere is certainly not what Africa Kine is going for. When you arrive at the restaurant you enter a strange run-down vestibule area and then walk upstairs to a restaurant that is in serious need of a renovation (bad economy or not they should really consider doing something). I would definitely recommend avoiding the bathrooms as they are in even more need of a makeover. On the plus side avoiding the bathrooms should be fairly easy as you will not get refills of water, which I actually don't think you'd want because if I had to describe the water in one word it would be 'thick'. I don't know what this means and I don't want to give it too much thought but seriously that water was thick yo. 

I've read reviews that the service at Africa Kine is incredibly slow, but surprisingly it was quite speedy when I went with my friends. We ordered a plate of plantains for the table which were pretty good - not too greasy, but a bit unevenly cooked. I had the chicken kabobs with salad, onions and cream sauce. The chicken kabobs were quite good - nicely flavored and all white meat. I was not a fan of the onion salad nor the cream sauce but I believe that was more of a personal preference. The salad was....a salad....nothing exciting to report at all. It was fine. 

Though we got our food very quickly, we were not so lucky with the check. It took over 10 minutes for us to get our waitress's attention and when we finally received the check, the prices were different than on my friend's menu. 

I suppose I should have tried a more typically Senegalese dish, but based on what I had I do not plan on going back uptown to Africa Kine anytime soon. The atmosphere, or more accurately the total lack of atmosphere (and generally feeling of uncleanliness) will most definitely prevent me from going back.
2 - Rachel L.: This is a critic's pick in New York Magazine.

Be forewarned:  This is not the restaurant for those afflicted with TMJ!
I don't know what was harder to swallow:  the tough meat or the god-awful service.

The place serves no alcohol, but allows you to BYOB.  If you choose to do so, arrive bearing the necessary tool to pry open your beverage. We practically used our teeth.

So, why is this a "critic's pick" in New York Magazine?

First off, the restaurant was out of most of its dishes.  Perhaps this was due to the lateness of my party's arrival.  However, judging from the other reviews, I sense that time had little to do with the limited menu.  Ultimately three of us ordered the Dibi, and the fourth ordered the fried fish [as those were the only two dishes available].  Having ordered the rock hard lamb, I preferred the fried fish because at least it was edible.  My tilapia-ordering companion preferred the lamb because at least it had flavor.  Eh, it's a matter of taste [or lack there of] I suppose...

Seriously, why is this a "critic's pick" in New York Magazine?

The meal was proceeded by pleasant conversation amongst a sated bunch waiting for the check.  While I love a rousing chat with my friends, after 15 minutes of watching the waitress sit in a chair, I was relieved when she finally brought the check.

Which was wrong.  The check was wrong.  She had erred by a good amount, and the gratuity was included.  I asked the waitress to fix her tremendous error, which she did - by hand.  [albeit no change to the inflated gratuity]  Also, as another reviewer commented, do bring cash.  If you don't, they unapologetically add a 5% service charge on to your bill.  

I think I will try a different restaurant in Little Senegal in the future...
Probably not one out of NYM...
3 - Maria F.: You know its really sad...because this place for African food is great-unfortunately the service TERRIBLE!  Make sure you go with Men! Otherwise its going to take you about an 1/2 an hour just to get water! The food is amazing, for the price and the portions are great! I usually get the full fried fish with salad and fries...The waitresses are really lost and barely want to talk to you (unless you are with MEN!!!)seriously!
I am so torn with my review on this place, because I would love to recommend the food, but the service really makes it a terrible experience!
1 - Lily W.: I've frequented this restaurant from its days on W. 53rd Street, when the grilled fish was fresh and tasted of Senegal. Several years ago, 53rd closed, so I shifted uptown to the W. 116th St location. 

Over the years I've experienced a serious decline in service and taste. The fish is bland; request to have it prepared "Senegalese Style" or "well-seasoned" are ignored. One day I wanted a side of joloff rice, for which I was willing to pay. The wait staff refused to bring it, telling me it was finished. I ordered it from take out as I left the restaurant. 

I always request grilled fish and often receive it fried or steamed...only to be told it is grilled. I stopped going ...only returning when my taste for grilled fish and salad was overwhelming. Well. My most recent experience was so insulting and awful that I promised them I'd never return...
4 - Silvia K.: This place is in the middle of the Little Senegal neighborhood, and when my friend and I walked in we felt like we were transported right out of cold, concrete NYC into West Africa.  I would say one would have to be comfortable with going to Harlem and being in a very foreign-seeming setting to enjoy this place.  There were tables of Senegalese hanging out, socializing over food and drinks, really a fun experience to sit in the midst of this.  A casual atmosphere.  The waitress was very quick, attentive, and nice (and we were two women - I see some reviewers recommend going with men to get good service), and the food was great.  I had lamb with rice, with stewed onions on the side (and an extremely hot little green pepper on top, be very careful!), and my friend had the grilled whole talapia fish.  The food was very tasty and fresh.  I love the mix of spices used in West African food - very flavorful without being spicy.  The check came quickly.  Everything is very affordable, for New York City as well as for the size of the portions: $11 for my dish and $13 for my friend's fish, if I remember correctly.  I will definitely go back and recommend it to friends.
3 - Angie B.: The food is perfect to me. If you want to try African food or if you're an amateur, you'll love the food there. The only thing is that the service is non existent. Three stars are only for the food. It's low price, tasty, fresh and they serve you large amount of food. They should hire real waitress that knows about customer service...
1 - JR E.: DISGUSTING!!!

I ate here once and that was enough.  First it is in a semi abandoned building.  But a friend of mine insisted that we try it.  First the place can do for a remodel, but as an ethnic restaurant I tried not to let my western thinking effect things...but clean would have been nice.  I should have left when I WENT TO  THE BATHROOM AND THE WATER WAS NOT WORKING...  Plus it was nasty in there.  As someone mentioned the menu is sugesstive as many items aren't available so you need to talk to a waiter for a true idea of what you can order.  It took too long to get the food, and I noticed that they were microwaving the plates on the side.  I really hope I didn't eat yesterdays food in that rat trap!  DON'T GO!
3 - Nat F.: The food is yummy, I normally don't eat lamb but when I go there from now on, I will choose the lamb.  Its seasoned well, cooked well, and the side dishes are also pretty good. 

Its open late ~~

the service,well let me just say that they wont go down in history for the best service awards.... so if you don't care about that and just want to come out with a satisifed stomach you'll be satisified. If you care about the people to overly greet you and cater to you... its not the place for you...

As far as price, they are NOT down town prices and not down town serving sizes so it works out pretty good
4 - Profession P.: The food is filling, tasty, and spiced well.
Waitress attention is hard sometimes especially at night.  It's a good place to take a date as well as a nice place to order out from.

More on the waiters.  They do not try and kiss your ass for a tip 10 times a meal like in some downtown restaurants and I appreciate that.  If you do not this not the place for you.  When I go out to dine I primarily care about the quality of the food.  The close at around midnight or 1 AM.

There isn't any real need for a menu after going here a few time, because they normally carry 5 basic dishes.  Grilled Fish, Chicken Kebab, Lamb, and 2 variations of the previous.  

Drinks: I recommend the Sorrel or the Ginger Drink (spicy)
4 - Ann T.: Being that my hubby is from Senegal, I trust his judgement.  I read other's comments and was confused because we have eaten here on several occassions and the meat has never been tough.  Overall, I find the food to full of flavor and extremely filling, since the portions are large. My favorites are the Thu Okra and Thiebou Djeun.  The take out service does take some time, so be sure to call and order before arriving.
1 - T. W.: Save yourself the "Russian roulette" based on these reviews and go around the corner to Ambassador on 8th Ave btwn 118/119st.
Food is always high quality!

I've been eating there for 4 years and lately two or three times a week. Also it looks clean outside and inside.
Service can be slow occasionaly but has been getting better.
Just be firm and tell them if you've been waiting too long.
People are too scared to demand good service. Particularly in Harlem.
Same food as below
3 - Josephine L.: Food didn't seem pre-cooked or reheated to me. I got the Lamb Mafe and it was tasty, tomato-y, stew-y heaven with fall-off-the-bone tender lamb. Simple, hearty, good for what ails ya.

Service was crappy: There was only one guy and we were the only customers, and he was definitely more glued to his iPhone than us. Performed the most basic perfunctory services with nary a smile. Hence my docked star. Also, the place could be more cheerful and cleaner-looking. Hence, the other docked star.

But one taste of that hot, greasy stew and I could probably forgive anything.
1 - Amy B.: I was with friends that I haven't seen in a long time so we decided to celebrate and enjoy a good African meal, we made the mistake to go to Africa restaurant...
We were with hungry kids and waited over an hour for our food. Asked for water over and over again which was given to us at the end of our meal in a very nasty pitcher full of sauce.
One of the kids received her order and started eating when a very upset waitress came by to yell at us that they made a mistake and the  meal was for someone else.
The food seemed/tasted old so we barely ate. The restroom are really gross, and at the end we waited another 45 minutes to get our check....
They had included the gratuity which we refused to pay by principle.
I am from West Africa and felt awfully embarrassed to have my friends go through this experience. I walked in proud to share part of our culture, a good, tasty meal as we know so well how to make them. I came knowing that for the Senegale culture the word "Teranga" which means "hospitality" is one of their values. Although run by Senegalese, this place has nothing warm and hospitality has obviously no meaning in their vocabulary.
I walked in proud to share what Africa is all about and walked out a bit ashamed by the whole thing. I will never go back and will never recommend this restaurant.
4 - Jocelyn B.: Okay, I'm sad by a lot of the reviews.  I've been to Africa Kine several times and never had a bad experience.  I always order the fish and it always tastes fresh and comes deliciously spiced.  Once the staff threw in peanut sauce on the side, for free, just because I asked for it.  I mean, you're not eating in a fancy, five-star restaurant --  the decor is somewhat cafeteria style.  And, sure, the service is slow, but the food is good and just accept you're not going to be waited on hand and foot.  The second time I went, a friend asked for something on the left side of the menu.  The waitress apologized and said that nothing on that side of the menu was available.  She didn't lie, she didn't try to push another dish, she just honestly explained the situation as it was.  We could have left, but instead found things that were available and ended up with a lovely, delicious meal.  If you want spicy, delicious food, this is a great place to go.  If you want a five-star dining experience, don't bother.
2 - Tiffany A.: I love the food at this place.  The service here is a joke.  I honestly thought I was being punk'd.  The guy waiter is always nice and effecient, but the female waitresses are HORRIBLE.  They're slow and have really bad attitudes.  Last time we walked in the place was almost empty and the two of them just sat there watching TV looking at is like they didn't work there.  Then when we went to seat ourselves they still didn't get up, but instead said that the table we picked was dirty so we should sit somewhere else.  We've had bad service here a few times and each time we've sworn to NEVER return, but we really like the food.  Next time we'll just order and pick it up. 

The chicken brocette with couscous and plantains is great.  The piosson grill is also great.
4 - Beverly N.: Africa Kine has authentic, delicious Senegalese food!!!

I've gone there several times and have had the thiebou djeun (national fish and rice dish), thiebou yapp (lamb and rice), chicken and shrimp brochettes, suppa kanja (super yummy okra sauce with fish/lamb and lovely distinctive red palm oil w/ rice); chicken/fish yassa (lemon and onion marinated, with rice), basic, well flavored grilled/fried fish with fries/salad and tasty grilled onions..

I can honestly say I have never been disappointed with their food. The food taste and quality is consistently delicious. Maybe 3 times I have asked for a dish that wasn't ready yet (would have to wait) or that wasn't available, but I was steered to what was ready and have never been disappointed with food. And even this is not an inconvenience as I'm happy to know that the server is honest upfront, that someone is in the kitchen developing the taste of the home-style meal and that any option here is still a good option!!

Service can be perceived as a bit lacking if you have expectations of being asked constantly if things are ok and require constant checking...however, personally i go there strictly for the food...the servers are not overly attentive this is true...when i go alone it does take some time to get attention of a server, maybe around or a bit less than 5 minutes, menus are usually on the table already so I just peruse or watch whatever is on the wall-mounted TV...i have witnessed that a group of men will receive attention right away (receiving attention, drinks and food before I receive my food despite my having arrived earlier) and when I dine with a male companion the servers are more immediately attentive, but I chalk it up to the culture of the beautiful Senegalese people and am not bothered in the least...just letting you know what to expect

Decor: not totally unattractive, but dated. It looks standard for what is considered nice when Ive visited countries in Africa...Things are clean. Bathroom clean but not attractive.

Bottom line:This place lets you relax!!! I love that I do not feel rushed here, that sometimes I can watch an African soap on the TV, read a magazine or newspaper if I like while waiting, that the food is DELICIOUS, the portion sizes generous and the prices are excellent!! They are real people, polite, beautiful with gorgeous smiles creating incredible food at a very fair price!!

Tip: if you are done and want to go and don't see your sever just go to the counter, simple enough and better than just sitting there. Likewise, if you want or need something and don't see you particular server: just ask the nearest server to find your server or just ask for what you need, they are always accommodating and whoever is at hand will usually take care of you. Not standard, I know but, so what...things are what they are!
3 - Aaliyah K.: A+ for actual Africans eating there...

Service, Slow as molasses 

Portions, huge

Food, nothing to rave about.
3 - Monique M.: The dishes are great, very traditional food from Africa. Service needs to improve! The wait time is like forever, and the professionalism is just not there. The 3 stars are for the food only.
5 - Hubert H.: Amazing! I had the lamb in tomato stew, huge portion, with a nice blend of spices in the stew sauce. Friends had a chicken dish, as well as a grilled fish with a very strong flavor, reminiscent of blackened catfish flavor. Nice!
1 - Millie C.: I went there with a friend last night.  The service was beyond horrible.  The waitress would not even speak to us.  After about 30 minutes, my friend decided to call her over and ask for soda, the waitress seemed upset and walked away sayings SPICS.  We could not believe what we just heard, We continued to stay and realized that everyone else around us who had just walked in, were being served within minutes.  We got up and walked out.  It was obvious that they are predudice there.  I am still in shock.  When we walked out, 2 ladies by the steps said that they saw how we were treated and that we should notify the owner because they always do that.
5 - Dior L.: Africa Kine is the best Senegalese food restaurant i have been to in the US. The food is fresh and delicious , the staff is pleasant and the atmosphere and restaurant is clean and cozy. The food is authentic ( i am from Senegal born and raised). I never Fail to take a taxi to Harlem every time i go to New York to have food from there.
I took several friends there from all different backgrounds and they loved it and go there religiously.
5 - Yanoh J.: I have to change my review. After squirming around last minute to find a place that would accommodate 20 people for my graduation dinner, Africa Kine was the only one who would do it for an affordable price. 

it was great, not to mention that they let us order from the dinner menu at 1pm when it generally isnt served until 5pm. The trick was I called Alhasan, the catering manager...who organized everything for me. Everyone loved the food and the service was pretty swift. It was nice cause we were virtually the only one's in here. I hope Africa Kine can have all its service be on this same par.
3 - Beverly T.: The food was good, A LOT OF FOOD! But the service is slow and inattentive.. but I think i kind of expected that..
3 - Alex B.: Came here on a Thursday at around 12:30 for lunch for my first and certainly not last dance with African food. Upon trying to enter the establishment I soon  found out the door was locked, I knocked a few times and some guy opened it (I think he is the manager/host/owner/waiter/chef/busboy). The genteleman's english wasn't the best but I was able to communicate with him thanks to HS french. I order some tap water and of course he brought out a bottle of Poland Spring, I was a little ticked off about this but let it slide. 

My friend and I both order the Lamb Mafe, it's a peanut based lamb stew over rice. Unlike many of the other people who reviewed this place our food came out very promptly (we were the only 2 patrons in the establishment which might have something to do with it). Anyway the Mafe was quite delish, unlike anything I've every tasted before. It reminded me of a mix between an Indian Curry dish and those cold Peanut Noodles that chinese restaurants serve. The lamb was tender and well cooked. 

On a 97 degree day eating this food and walking around the city for 5 hours may not have been the best combination, but I enjoyed my experience at Kine.
3 - Le Anne A.: Once you get pass the lack of service from the waitresses who take forever to serve you, you get your food and are finally happy that you made the trek to Harlem. It's great to enjoy some traditional bites, and the appitizers are very tasty. Be warned however, you will be very exasperated by the lack of service.
4 - Yasmin E.: The food here IS OUTSTANDING!!! Amazing Senegalese food for incredibly affordable prices.  Literally everything on this menu, from the appetizer to the drinks to the entree tasted DIVINE!  There's enough seating for large groups, however this place is by no means the most aesthetically pleasing place you've seen....you get lost in the food that you wont really notice tho :)  The real reason this place gets a 4star from me is because the service take a WHILE.  My recommendation, order to go...they're much faster.  If you like chicken, order the Brochette Chicken (chicken skewers + moroccan couscous) or Dibi Allocco.

Bon APETITE!!
4 - Mariam A.: Closer to 3.5 stars. The food is very tasty, portions are generous, and prices are fair. The decor and service is straight-forward and no frills. Last time I was there it was cash only. Only downside was that several items on the menu were unavailable and the waitress failed to mention so at beginning, instead waiting until we've perused the menu and decided what we wanted, only to find our 1st choice wasn't available :-/. Nonetheless, I'll be going back.
5 - Tarek E.: The food here is amazing! All of it!!
2 - Drveronica E.: Had food from here several times. Its rather inconsistent in quality. The service is can also be slow and border on unpleasant. Now maybe this has to do with that we live in the neighborhood and have brown skin so we do not get treated with respect like others who venture uptown, but that makes it so that I wouldn't really recommend this place as I am not sure what attitude or food quality you will get.

African Paradise - New York, NY (40.8138912, -73.9624327) (Harlem)
2 - Steph Q.: I'm all about supporting my own, but I'm not above downgrading someone because they don't rotate their stock.
Sold me shea butter, came home to find that it was old. I already nicked a bit so I can't return it, so I'm out 7 bucks.
Owner was nice enough, but I'm bummed that I have to toss this out. Learn from my mistake, ask them to open the jar before you buy it.
5 - Angie B.: The lady in there is very helpful. She has a great selection of herbs and imported products hard to find in Nyc. Her prices are better than botanicas in Harlem and like i said, she has products that you mau not easily in Nyc

Afro's Cut - Hyattsville, MD (38.96668, -76.959315) ()
2 - Jus A.: Iggghtt... so apparently we're spoiled in NY.  Along with bodegas that sell individual dutches & brews 24 hours a day, a haircut within the 5 boroughs costs AT MOST $15 (tip included)... at least for me, been rocking the dark caesar since the Enyce/Girbaud era.  

Residents of Prince George's County, cost is significantly steeper.  If you want a haircut you'll have to break out a Jackson, yessSShhhh.  I feel like my Grandmother, when she would periodically venture out of the house to the supermarket just to complain about the cost of items, "Shiieeeeeet, back when Eisenhower was president, you could get a pound of hot links for less than a quarter."  

20 dollars!?!? That's WITHOUT tip... which puts me in an unwanted situation.  Tipping is a must for good service, consistent tipping also gives you priority when the shop is flooded on a Friday, but damn... I have a date after this, how am I going to cover the price of all those appletinis... and brew for me, ofcourse.   Just for the sake of perspective, the puerto rican shop I use to mess with back home charged a reasonable $10,  and $2 as tip would be given.  The price inflation of my current neighborhood  has me down to a hair cut per month, i.e. I'm looking a little scruffy on the edges at times. Far from Tom Hanks on Cast Away, but not as sharp as I normally am.    

I have my own theory which explains how a barbershop can cost so much money.  I'm no Paul Krugman, I pulled a C+ in micro and macro economics, but I remember supply and demand.  Since being out here, I've noticed the popular hair style is the dread look, even though people ain't Rastas, which I can't really understand but to each their own.  Not as many people demanding hair cuts, therefore barbershops need to raise prices in order to meet expenses.  I've expressed my theory to my now barber, Jay at Afros Cut, he concurred.  His resolution to the problem:  Lil Wayne needs to get a haircut.
1 - Adulis L.: To be fair, I'm only reviewing an older female stylist whose clients are women at Afros Cut. I have natural/unpermed shoulder-length hair and made an appointment for a blowdry and flat iron. When I made the appointment, I asked for a stylist who was specifically experienced in handling natural hair. The manager assured me that the lady was very experienced and quoted me a price of $40 for the service. When I showed at the salon, the stylist was perplexed at the service requested and the price and told me that I was quoted the wrong price. She informed me that the service would cost $65 because my hair was natural. (She also made some less than flattering remarks about the texture of my hair. Seriously. I was desperate  to get my hair done, or I would have walked out). When I told her that the very manager of the salon had quoted me the price, she became argumentative but finally agreed to do the service for $40. It was immediately clear to me that this stylist had no professional training. Instead of systematically working through the hair with a brush and blow dryer in small sections, she just yanked on the hair with no rhyme or reason. It was painful and most importantly it didn't completely dry or straighten the hair. Then she went over the hair with a flat iron by taking big chunks in a very disorganized manner, going over parts repeatedly (risking heat damage). It's quite clear that this woman is untrained and has no business working in a barbershop/salon. 

Please avoid the stylist at all cost.
1 - Marcus J.: I went to AfroCutz last Friday and I have to say this has to be the worst cut I have gotten in my adult life(I'm 28 so that's saying a lot). I got a cut from a dude named Ryan at the shop and to be honest this dude should be thrown in jail for what he did to my head.
There were a few things really wrong about this haircut:
1.  He pushed my edge wayyyyyyyy back and I'm not joking. I have never seen so much of my forehead and I am debating if I should go bald to let my hair grow back.
2.  I asked for a temp fade but one side was faded way higher than the other side. He was about to let me out of the chair but I caught it in mirror and brought it to his attention. His exact words were "I really don't know what I can do to fix that" O_o
3.  Its was $25 for the haircut. $5 for touching my mustache O_o and he still managed to F%*k that up. I coulda done my own mustache.
I will never set foot in this barber shop. If you see this Ryan dude at this shop run the other way.
4 - Sylvester L.: I Ann a regular at afro cuts.  My barber its always good.  He takes his time and ensures my cut is right.  I never have to explain what I want because his question is "what are we doing today?" Big Ed is the man to see if you want good service and a barber who listens as well as provides suggestions.

After Words - Ann Arbor, MI (42.279785, -83.748372) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
1 - Mae S.: Alas, it's gone. Maybe a victim of online book sellers? Some other market forces? Too bad, the character of downtown is diminished.
4 - Lenadams D.: Not out of business, just changed. They gave up their ground floor retail space and now operate out of the second floor as a web-based rare and unusual book business. You can see their entire inventory online through the ABE.com website, and A2 locals can pick up their purchases by arrangement Mon-Thu afternoons (according to a recent email exchange between me and them).

Afternoon Delight - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2795959, -83.7462748) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - Nupur L.: I had been eyeing this place for years before I actually ventured in a couple of months ago. First of all, the prices are quite reasonable by Ann Arbor standards. The food is consistenly delicious and varied and thankfully, I've never had food poisoning after visiting. I recommend their biscuits and gravy (better than most of what I remember growing up down south!), their whole wheat raisin french toast and their light and fluffy pancakes. The waitstaff is very friendly as well and your coffee mug is bound to be refilled quickly. All in all, this is my favorite breakfast  place in Ann Arbor (including Angelo's).
4 - Theresa F.: A frequent on my list of of lunch places during the week, the best part about Afternoon Delight is the owner and his great staff.  After visiting less than a handful of times, they knew me by name, and quickly remember the "regulars" and their "favorites."  They have great home-made muffins, different each day, and they have a chicken salad with fruit lunch dish that has become an absolute favorite of mine (but at almost $9 it's a once-a-week treat). They have fantastic soups too.  Get a frequent diner's card and after 10 lunches, you get a free one. Table service for breakfast and seat-yourself for lunch. $5 minimum cc charge.
1 - Haroun K.: Simply put: Filthy.
3 - Tony C.: I haven't eaten at Afternoon Delight for years until today for brunch.  I remember going there for the salad bar, being woefully disappointed with the options, and leaving hungry and a few dollars poorer.  However, I have to say some good things (and one small bad thing) about my brunch experience.

What I had was only so-so which happened to be the eggs benedict.  I'm not sure if they were just off their game today or they're usually like this, but the English muffin was not crunchy and the poached eggs were overcooked.  The overall flavor was still acceptable, however.

What my wife had was wonderful.  The menu said Ann Arbor's best pancakces, so she decided to test this out.  Sure enough, the pancake (read: one because it's absolutely huge) was tasty, crisp on the edges and soft on the inside.  The strawberries were fresh and sweet.

I'm not a big sweet breakfast eater, but if I was, I'd go there for the pancakes.

Mae S's review quoting the Ann Arbor News regarding food poisoning there though makes me wary about going back.
3 - Sarah W.: I like to come here in the morning when they still have servers. Service stops at 11am when it becomes more cafeteria style.

The best thing here is the Farmer's Omelette. You can get it with muffin or toast but I prefer the cornbread. You have to ask for the cornbread instead because its not listed on the menu. The cornbread is so good here! Their muffins are also one of their specialties also.

It's a very basic breakfast but its always consistent. Have some coffee and its time to talk about the night before...
4 - Clarence C.: Afternoon Delight has lots of vegeterian choices, but is not without meat. 

Service is cafeteria style, so it's good for a fast bite when you are on your lunch hour. 

They also do catering.

Rumor has it that you get something free, if you remember all the lyrics to the 1976 pop single "Afternoon Delight" by the Starland Vocal Band. I'm not exactly sure how the deal works.
4 - Ashley M.: I just recently went to Afternoon Delight for the first time. I love the big menu, but it makes it hard to choose! There really is a variety at this restaurant--just about any craving you have, you can probably fill it, all the while eating fairly healthy.

I had the Summer Delight, I think? I ordered it on pita bread, and although my sandwich fell apart while I was eating it, it was delicious! And not too expensive...generous "1/2 portion" sandwich sizes are around the $5-6 range.

I was there on a Sunday, so the wait was quite long, but other than that, it was... a delight! haha
5 - Dean S.: Fantastic! Service was great, food was great, portions were great...everything was great! Some of the best breakfast food I've had in quite some time. It's in a great downtown location, and they have an extensive menu as well as specials to get you exactly what's on your taste buds. A must try pre-11 am before it goes cafeteria style.
5 - Anne R.: Recommended by a local friend, we went together on a Sunday afternoon around 12:30 pm and while there was a line to the door, it moved quickly, so we didn't wait much more than 5 minutes for a table.  

The menu has plenty of options- which made it hard to decide!  Next time I might look at their menu online first so that I can be more decisive when I sit down to eat!  

I love that they give you an extended selection of carbs to choose from when you order an omelette- including their muffins and bagels.  When they say giant omelette, they aren't kidding- if you could agree on the same omelette with your dining partner, you might want to just split it.  The veggie boule looked amazing from across the room, and if I get a chance to go back, I'll definitely try it.  The cinnamon french toast is thick and rich, and the small fresh fruit bowl was plenty for two to share as a fresh side dish.

The service was very attentive, even though the cafe was packed- which is always a bonus.  This is the kind of place that I would want to visit over and over again just so I could try everything on the menu!
5 - Eric M.: AD has long been on of my favorite breakfast places in Ann Arbor... good food, selection.  Great cornbread.  There might be a line sometimes, but go figure - it's popular...   (do I really want the breakfast place that NEVER has a line?)   I think AD is great for breakfast.

The menu is fantastic, service is fast (servers can be a bit eccentric, which always throws a twist in), and the food is good.  The only challenge is parking, but that one is solveable.  Just drop somebody to get a spot in line, and start hunting.
4 - Leanna G.: I went back to Afternoon Delight a few times after writing the last review, and my opinion has improved. Their food is a lot better than I gave them credit for, and the service was always better than it was the first two times I went. I'm crazy about the blintzes and I appreciate that they're not cheap with the fruit. My companion says they have almost the best sausage and biscuits ever. 

My only remaining beef is that you will still wait in a very long line by the door to be seated for brunch, and between waiting for my food in a cozy seat with unlimited coffee refills and waiting by an icy draft, I'll pick the former.
3 - angela p.: I go in the mornings usually to meet my fellow grad student survivors to spill re: our personal lives.  Weekends are insane, don't bother.  But weekdays it's super fast to get a table.  I've been seriously disappointed by their quiche (I think it's stretching it a LOT to call it quiche), but friends have had other egg-y things and liked them.  MY personal favorite is the fruit bowl with frozen yogurt.  Yes, you might be saying, frozen yogurt for breakfast??!!  Frozen YOGURT in general??!!  This isn't frozen yogurt, it's a little bit of frozen heaven.  Add that to fresh ripe fruit, a piping hot muffin, and some coffee on a cold winter morning in Ann Arbor, and this place makes the rest of my day full of secret, smug smiles.
4 - Megan B.: 1. Eggs Benedict on potato pancakes (weekend special only)
2. Fresh fruit with frozen yogurt

This is pretty much all I have ever gotten here, mostly because I like them both so much and can't force myself to order anything else. I have pretty much always waited in a line here, but always with friends so the time passed quickly!
4 - mariah c.: It wasn't until someone suggested meeting up here that I realized just how darn long it had been since I had visited here.  My fella used to work just across the street, so AD was a common stop for him.  For me, though, it's been a good few years!

The folks there were friendly and helpful, even though we were smack in the middle of lunch rush. I ordered a special spinach, feta and olive quiche, which was pretty darn amazing. It did seem a bit heavy for a quiche, but I'm not complaining at all -- it was just that it was a little richer than I was expecting. 

The feta and olives added a nice saltiness (I'm a sucker for salty flavors... I have been known to eat straight sea-salt), and the eggs, while tasting good, also gave me a good protein/energy boost throughout the afternoon. 

The soup that I got (vegetarian vegetable) was frankly disappointing.  I've had good soups at AD before, but this is not one I'd recommend.  It wasn't bad... it's just it wasn't that good, either. It didn't have much flavor at all.  It's "vegetarian" options like this (that don't have a very robust flavor) that I sometimes feel give vegetarian eating a bad name. 

Still, that quiche?  It was rich enough to make up for the soup's shortcomings, and between that and the great conversation I had, I left feeling invigorated (and I've been finding it hard to feel quite so invigorated as normal with an injured leg!).

I'm positive I'll be back soon!  Just no veggie-veggie soup for me!
5 - Anna D.: Oh, muffins a la Afternoon Delight, how I love you!  For about 2 bucks, you get 4 muffins worth in one, and the blueberry is scrumptious!  The Veggie Morning Delight is a great buy for those on a budget; $3.95 for a fat whole wheat English muffin full of cheesy, eggy, veggie goodness.  The owner Tom is quite a character; he always brings a smile to my face.  This place is the closest thing to a New Jersey diner that Washtenaw County has.
5 - Robert H.: I love this restaurant. It is one of my favorite places to get breakfast and to have lunch. I also think they make the best brownies in Ann Arbor, even better than Zingermans.
4 - KJ H.: it took me three years to check out this place because i just could not buy the hype.  BUT it was actually great!  ann arbor has a nice, shiny list of really good brunch places, and this one tops it.  

overall: super nice waitstaff, hefty portion sizes, widely varied menu, and everything tastes fresh.  to try: yogurt bowl topped w/fruit, crab melt, seafood omelet, waffles (with froyo!).  definitely go for weekend brunches.  weekday lunches are ok, but brunch is unbeatable.
4 - Emily G.: I LOVED this place because 
a) the portions are huge and I'm not hungry until dinner,
b)everything is made super fresh and crazy delicious, 
c) the staff is super nice and refills my coffee cup within seconds of me taking the first sip.

I got the veggie eggs benedict which consisted on 1 toasted english muffin cut in half with sauteed veggies (brocoli, cauliflower, asparagus, etc etc) on top of each one, with 2 eggs (perfectly cooked, runny on the inside, ooey-gooey) and everything drowning en bernaise sauce. It was a real challenge to finish it, and I was stuffed for the next 5 hours but oh so happy.

My friend got the muffin delight which was GIANT blueberry bran muffin with a tower of white chocolate frozen yogurt. You can get away with it being breakfast because its technically "bran muffin" and "yogurt" lol, but it was as good as cake and ice cream for me.

If you go, I suggest super early and on weekdays as the place is cute but small and its always absolutely packed.

If you live in AA, you should absolutely try this place. Its been around for over 30-40 years, and its still a good hot spot.
4 - Jenna S.: Pretty good breakfast spot in Ann Arbor.  We visit often and I think we've found a place we could go whenever we come in.

Pros:
- Huge portions
- Variety of options (i.e. three kinds of eggs bene)
- Vegetarian options (very important for our family)
- Skillet cornbread
- Friendly service
- Quick seating
- Takeout counter with lots 'o goodies

Cons:
- Weird layout
- Small
- Few tables

Obviously, the pros outweigh the cons, so get yourself here for some yummy breakfast.  My dining mates said the eggs bene was good, the breakfast burrito was superb and my eggs and pancakes were very yummy.  I usually stick with the standard breakfast fare, but everything was delicious.  Get yourself in for some good pastries and yummy breakfast.
5 - Missy C.: Best muffins in town, always hot and fresh. 

I like that they are on Facebook and offer specials on their page.
3 - Mae S.: The owner wrote me a nice note saying that the episode I updated about (prior to formal updates on Yelp) was the only time that had happened, which was 3 years ago. And he says his portions are meant for healthy young appetites -- I can't quarrel with that choice.

So I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and restore my former rating from early in 2006, when I used to eat there fairly often.
5 - Molly I.: Afternoon Delight is my favorite breakfast place in Ann Arbor.  The food is always great and fresh.  My personal favorites are the veggie omelette, mexican omelette or the Italian omelette.  The coffee is supurb.  I always get the fruit cup instead of toast for a little extra.  Oh, and really incredible carrot cake, even though it is not on the menu.  
The service is casual and friendly.  A great place to go with a friend but also very comfortable to go on your own.
5 - Rabiya K.: I won't lie, with restaurants, I sometimes make snap judgments based on minimal information. I walked into this place, and saw the multicolored neon signs, the tray conveyor belt, and the salad bar, i figured this place belonged in a mall food court and happened to serve breakfast. I'm happy to say I was totally wrong! 

All the items we ordered were delicious, but my dish was the best- i ordered a salmon eggs benedict served on a potato pancake. there were so many good things about this dish: smoked salmon (NOT dry, flavorless, baked actual salmon that some brunch places use), a potato pancake in place of the crumpet, and (my favorite part) they had incorporated some of the ingredients of a lox bagel (cream cheese and capers) into the dish. it was wonderful but heavy. i ate half and had to save the other for later (i didn't even pre-eat before coming). 

the service is fast and friendly. the line was out the door when we came in and they had us seated in maybe 20 min. our menus/orders/ food/ drinks were equally efficient. when one person at our table was ordering a chocolate chip pancake (as a side to her full meal), the waitress kindly recommended she order the kid's pancake (good thing. it ended up being the size of a large plate). 

prices: 4 dishes, 3 drinks, tax, and tip= around $30. fabulous! 

eat brunch here! 
.
5 - Jim P.: What a find!  I walked by it many times.  Looks like a buffet line.  BUT - thats lunch - BREAKFAST is the best in Ann Arbor.  The waitstaff knows regulars.  The Farmers Omlet is outstanding.  The yogurt - the best I have ever had.  $1 extra for cinnamon raisin toast.  Its worth $10  Have a dog - sit outside with the pooch.  They will bring water for all (including fido).  5star + Its what Ann Arbor is all about!
5 - Jenni H.: I have been here many times now. 2 of my girlfriends and I go out for breakfast once a week and this is where we go 90% of the time. I am in love with the chocolate chip pancake (there is just one giant pancake on the plate). It is a little crispy on the edges, just how I like it, and is super sweet with the melting chocolate chips inside. I get it with whipped cream on top, too. Sugar overload! Yes! Their frozen yogurt is quite delicious as well. I look forward to seeing what flavors they will be serving up that day (they usually have two to choose from, one being vanilla). You can also order frozen yogurt shakes in many flavors. I have had the pineapple shake and it was so yummy. Last time I was there, I ordered the "morning delight" which was egg, ham, and cheese on an english muffin (it also had some ranch sauce to dip it in). It was so good and under 5 dollars! The servers here are all very nice and attentive... wonderful service. I have only been here on weekday mornings and it is never very busy. We always get seated right away. I love this place so much!
3 - Christine G.: We went here for lunch, and the food was fresh and tasty.  I had the gazpacho, which was ok...I like mine smooth and theirs was really chunky...like a salsa, but the flavor was good.  Their quiche Lorraine was wonderful however.  My aunt had one of their hot fudge sundaes, which looked like heaven in a bowl, and my grandmother had their clam chowder, which was creamy and tasty.
3 - Wealtz Z.: Came to town for just a visit, and thought of trying a brunch place out.

Food is tasty.  Although I read the reviews prior to going in and know that portions are for "healthy young appetites", still got a bit disappointed with my friend's order of cheese blintzes on its portion.   My order of smoked salmon benedict was much better - very yummy and just right (portion-wise).  

Definitely worth a visit again.
4 - Sara W.: This place was great. The food was perfect. My bf got this awesome eggs benedict with salmon, cream cheese, hollandaise et al. I got the pancake because I am loyal to pancakes for breakfast and it was great as well!
2 - fryle w.: i had heard so many positive things about afternoon delight so i was kind of upset when reality didn't meet expectation. my omelette arrived cold and with tomato after i asked for none. our waitress was slow and disinterested. i don't think i'll go again.
5 - Mary K.: I had previously only been to Afternoon Delight for lunch, when it's counter service. That lunch was great -- I got a veggie sandwich, which came with a salad (i.e. potato or pasta salad -- I got a delicious Asian-style pasta salad). But the awesome thing was that they posted the calories right on the menu, and I got a really satisfying meal even at the time when I was in "watching my calories mode." They have so many sandwich choices and an awesome salad bar. That was about a year ago (the lunch visit). 

Then after reading Yelp reviews and discovering BRUNCH (which of course I knew about before, but have only recently truly come to appreciate)... I had to visit for breakfast. We got there around 11 or so on a Sunday morning... I would suggest going earlier because there was a long line (and this is summer -- no students invading Ann Arbor). We waited about 20 minutes in line. The servers (there is table service for breakfast/brunch) were working realllllly hard, which makes me less annoyed to wait in line -- they were really doing their best to get us sat quickly. Service was great once we sat down. I had to get potato pancakes because, well, they were on the specials board and I'm Polish by ethnicity. But I took it about 3 steps too far by actually ordering the Salmon Potato Pancake Eggs Benedict. I love Eggs Benedict... I don't think I would get this again. The Bearnaise sauce was not of the homemade super gourmet type (which I know is very difficult to execute -- the only place I've found satisfactory hollandaise is Zingerman's) and the salmon made the whole dish very salty... probably the classic dish with English muffin would be better. 

But I will give them five stars because the fruit cup and omelet that my boyfriend got were delicious! Huge, satisfying... and the omelet came with AN AMAZING MUFFIN THAT EARNED TWO OF THE FIVE STARS THAT I HAVE BESTOWED UPON THIS RESTAURANT JUST BY EXISTING. The remaining three stars (maybe 4) would have been bestowed even if I hadn't experienced the muffin. 

We were very full when we left. I have to go back and try the pancakes, other sandwiches, etc. The prices are very reasonable for downtown Ann Arbor... don't worry about what the place looks like (it looks like an 80s style high school cafeteria pretty much)... the food speaks for itself. 

This is not something I can blame on the establishment, really, but I had visions of Steve Carell and Paul Rudd singing that dang song the whole time I was in there... Anchorman has forever changed the way I see that song...
5 - Minh N.: I really want to give this place 4.5 stars, but yelp doesn't believe in half of a star.  I love their corned beef hash.  It's actually not from a can (weird huh?).  The grilled cornbread is also very delicious too.  I've tried a few of their bran muffins,  I really like the banana peach and the blueberry; the strawberry apple was kind of boring/bland, but i felt healthy while eating it.
4 - Matt Z.: This place is part of my mandatory Sunday morning in Ann Arbor. The food is great brunch food, and it's a great Sunday-morning atmosphere to chat with friends. I have gone here countless times, but I am sure I will double or triple this number as I return to visit friends in Ann Arbor!
4 - L. E. H.: So. Delicious. I've been twice. The first time I got french toast, which was very well balanced. The eggs and the sweetness were pretty great together, and the bread itself was thick and a good way to convey the batter into my body. The second time, I got a slightly customized seafood omelette. I'm from California, so I can be picky about seafood, but their smoked salmon is awesome. The harvest muffin is also not to be missed. Drawbacks: a bit pricey, and service can be a bit slow if it's busy, which it usually is. The first time I went there, the chef punched a hole in the microwave with his fist and we had to wait for them to clean the kitchen and throw out all the produce. However, the food was still so good that I went back, which I think should say a lot.
3 - Michael P.: Seeing the previous Yelp reviews made us stop by for breakfast on a football Saturday and we were surprised to find that the line did not, in fact, perpetually stretch out the door though we did have to wait about 10 minutes before being seated. 

Selina had the Eggs Benedict, which were over-poached by my standards since she didn't get the ooze, and I had the potato pancakes that were pretty small and covered with something I can't seem to remember. And, I suppose that kind of sums up my experience...kiiiiiinda forgettable. 

The service is friendly enough and the food is served quickly but I wasn't exactly blown away with the breakfast fare. I'll definitely come back to check out the lunch offerings.

3 stars.
4 - Chaely C.: Afternoon Delight is know for serving nothing but really light, simple, wholesome lunches. I wish they were open after 3pm!

The atmosphere is a little Palm Springs in the late 80's but the staff is always friendly & it's always pretty clean. Plan on coming at least 30 minutes before they close & standing in a long line (you order at the counter cafeteria style, then move along to find a seat), especially in the summer, but keep in mind that the line moves fast since the food isn't overly complicated.

It's a great option for people who are spending the day sightseeing around town because really nothing on the menu will make you feel too overly bloated & sleepy to walk around.
5 - Erin H.: It took me a few years of working downtown to figure it out but I am now a member of the afternoon delight cult.  Their food is so good and so fresh, and their staff is amazing.  Top notch service no matter how busy it is.  I love the variety and that there is not a french fry in sight on the menu.  I get the BLT, tuna melt, grilled cheese, clam chowder, cream of mushroom soup and more.  No need to elaborate on the salad bar.   It's a never disappointing experience with good prices and good food.
4 - Jonny P.: Getting to the table here this past Sunday was a challenge. Low blood sugar was making me CRANKY! I was kinda buggin' while waiting in line and starting to realize that the weather is turning (I guess it's November). To top it all off my brunch buddy was late, so I had to count to 10 backwards a bunch of times and was finally talked into staying. I am very glad that I did. The food was second to none a lil' bit pricier (not pricey) but everything was made with love and it showed. We split an order of bacon (its a food group you know), chocolate chip pancakes & an awe inspiring seafood omelette. Two large glasses of fresh squeezed o.j. topped it all off. I would definitely come back, just maybe a little bit earlier so I wouldn't have to wait as long. And to the kid with the jar of goup & the smart mouth you got away reeeaaallllyyy lucky lil' buddy, patience is a virtue & it was a Sunday morning... (peace, love, and all of the above)
2 - Gjon C.: Afternoon Delight has been since before the horse-less carriage or so it seems.  I've been here before a few times perhaps even 20 years ago.  In this case, seems like some things never change.  I could be mistaken but the same guy was behind the register and Walt was still saying Hi and Excuse me to every person in the place.

When I walked in for lunch, there was no one in front of me, but I did have the feeling I better give my order, grab a tray and move down the assembly line.  The first word I saw on the chalkboard menu was Ginger, so I ordered the Orange Ginger Chicken sandwich.  With it came a small place for my one trip to the salad bar.  I'm not sure how people get a salad bar wrong, but luckily this wasn't one of those cases.

There were lots of regulars.  In fact the feeling I got was I accidentally walked into some cafeteria of a private company.  

The salad bar was good, the chicken was dry, the sauce was a bit generic and the croissant bun was a bit generic.  Easy in, easy out.  I'll probably stay out, although I may be well served to visit just the salad bar on occasion.

Atmosphere ***
Food **
Service ***
Overall ** 1/2

Please note: I try and rate places based on context, meaning a restaurant in Ann Arbor will have a tougher rating because of the stiff competition in this town.  However a good Balkan place might get a better rating because it may be the only one attempting this in the area.
4 - Ching-Fan L.: Just was at Afternoon Delight for brunch with a few friends, it was a good experience!

The decor is nothing fancy, and I find the layout of the restaurant to be strange, but it's probably to accommodate counter-service for the lunch crowd.

The beverages were average, I had a Cappuccino Delight and expected something rich and foamy, but it was very diluted milky Americano with slightly sweetened whipped cream on top - not my idea of a cappuccino! I do wish I'd tried one of their fruit shakes but it was 13 degrees out this morning and I couldn't handle a cold beverage on top of that. My friends all ordered regular coffee, nothing spectacular.

The brunch meals themselves were a plus though, I had the seafood omelette that's available only on weekends, it's very light on sauce and cheese and there were chunks of fresh tomato to lighten up the flavor, all in all quite enjoyable, although the eggs could've done with a little less cooking time. My boyfriend's smoked salmon omelette had olives, onions etc inside it, a nice balance of flavors, although I enjoy smoked salmon more as a cold appetizer in general, even on eggs Benedict. A  couple of friends said the eggs Benedict at AD is not comparable to Angelo's, another popular brunch place in the area; I liked the ones I had at Angelo's but wasn't extremely impressed either, and so passed on the ones at AD, although eggs Benedict are generally my go-to brunch choice.

I do need to rave a little about the cinnamon raisin toast though, it's like the dough of a cinnamon roll baked in a loaf tin, all the richness, syrup and flavor is captured, not to mention a slight buttery crunch (sliced then baked?), I would love to try make this at home..I could have this for breakfast for a week!

The portions are very generous, some at the table are avid eaters and even they asked for a box to bring away their second piece of toast, including myself, so go hungry (and who isn't at 10:30am on a Sunday morning?), you'll be sure to get filled right up! The price is also a definite plus, even with beverages and tip, the total amount was 25 per couple or 75 total, much more affordable than Cafe Zola down the street (Zola is more trendy though and AD is more like a diner).


Street parking is available, but spaces are rare, go to either the Public parking structure on Thompson (free on Sundays), or the one on West Washington past Main St. Afternoon Delight is situated right between these two.
4 - Sam L.: The Salmon Benedict and Farmers Omelet are great. Fresh and the whole wheat english muffin was very delicious. This is one of the top three breakfast places in Ann Arbor (Angelos, Broken Egg).  Fast service
4 - Ryan B.: Just went for my Birthday to get the free dessert deal. 

A.D. would like it to be known that the Bday deal has CHANGED.

Now, it is a free dessert with another purchase. NOT a free dessert on your bday.

Despite this confusion, my server was overly nice giving me a free brownie, which was delicious! 

I am excited to go back and try their muffin delight! I can see why there is always a line out the door on weekends.
3 - Mei O.: I feel like this is the case of a place being super hyped up, thus leaving me a little let down. My coworkers almost went in to frenzy when I told them I had yet to eat here. First it was shock, then it was different people telling me what I should eat and what was the best, and "Oh my gosh, you MUST eat this." So, Andrew and I met a friend for brunch to see what all the hubub was about. I'm still not quite sure. I ordered the veggie boule, which was good, but was something that I could make at home, and I feel I could make it more flavorful. Andrew got their ginormous blueberry pancake, which was good, but didn't wow us. 

The prices were good and the food was decent, I wouldn't mind going back, I just don't see what all the fuss is about. Maybe I'll change my mind if we go back and I try something else.
5 - Tina H.: Amazing.  I could live on their **bran muffins** alone.  Their bran muffins are completely different from anything I've ever had.  They're not the super sweet light and fluffy kind (those are good too), they're the soft, moist, and slightly heavy kind.  Restaurants all around the world should serve this instead of their complimentary bread. 

Their *eggs benedict** is to die for.  Unlike the popular Angelos, their bread base is softer and doesn't cut the roof of my mouth.  So that's a good start.  Their bearnaise sauce is indescribable.  I would be tempted to take a taste of my arm if it was served in their bearnaise sauce.  Maybe?  And of course ham which is always my friend.  I highly recommend the dish.   I also like their **corned beef hash** which they sometimes serve as their special.  It's okay, you can play hard to get.  I'll get you.  Especially since you're awesome.

My experience with their **omelettes* have been hit or miss.  Sometimes my omelette is perfect.  And sometimes it feel like a watery mess... as if it was made with frozen veggies.  So I recommend sticking with their consistently delicious eggs benedict.
3 - Knits K.: This place is kind of Collegy, and I didnt feel so welcome being that I'm a thirty year old great granddad...lol_  But, overall, I must say that these quaint towns make carbs taste like heaven.  The pancakes are amazing.  BUT, the eggs, and turkey sausage that I had tasted like something that I would if I was slightly hung over after a night of drunkenness, perfect for college kids..  Just not for me-  LUCKILY, the cakes were so darn good that I didnt need the sides.  YES YES YES, THOSE CAKES!!!  -Since the joint is kind of pricey, know what you want before you order, if you order out of the specials, the wait staff may price you for everything a la carte..   Peace!
3 - Amy B.: If restaurant quality were judged on appearances alone, Afternoon Delight would be lucky to reach a two star review. Fortunately, the food here is pretty dang good, so I can overlook the run-down cafeteria feel and uglifying fluorescent lights (pro tip: Don't go here on a first date).

Breakfast: Excellent. Everything I've had has been solid. I usually go for an omelet, but I have one friend who's in the Breakfast Pocket cult and another who wouldn't consider anything but the Meat Boule. (Side note: I personally feel a bit ill watching someone demolish a Meat Boule. It's one of those big bread bowls like for soup, only filled with eggs and meat and cheese.) 

Lunch: This is a relatively recent discovery for me. Afternoon Delight is a great place to get a quick take-out lunch. You provide your order at the entrance and they boom it out over a microphone system. You pay at the end of the line and receive a cup to get your free choice of side from the salad bar. Then your sandwich magically appears in a reusable plastic container to go. My favorite sandwich is whatever chicken breast sandwich happens to be on special--they switch up some of the specifics, but it's often got a fabulous dijon sauce. I also like the tuna melt on English muffins, though I confess to picking the broccoli off and eating it separately as it's a bit weird on a sandwich.

I notice many of the other reviewers gush about the service at Afternoon Delight and feeling like "family." I guess I'm the unpopular cousin, because I most definitely do not feel like family here. In fact, I think the service is very hit-or-miss, even for the take out lunch. I've had at least one experience where I stood waiting to pay for several minutes while the cashier chatted with a regular patron. I appreciate that Afternoon Delight is an Ann Arbor institution and values its longtime customers, but that experience did nothing to convert ME to becoming a longtime customer.
3 - Amanda L.: This is a good place to go for a solid breakfast.   Nothing fancy, but it'll satisfy your breakfast craving.

Definitely try the fresh bran muffins with frozen yogurt in between - oh-my-god!!  I had this once and I still dream of it.  I'd recommend asking to put 1/2 of the muffin on the side to take home, since it's unlikely you'll be able to eat the whole thing with the froyo, because let's face it - you'll be ordering a breakfast dish too!
4 - Portia A.: Ok, so my best friend treated me to brunch here on Sunday. Before we even got here, I offered to chip in for the bill 'cause I was marathon, tapeworm hungry. 

Well, since I knocked off a star, let me get the salty details out of the way: pretty long wait.... Well maybe 30 mins. But I was hungry and ready to Hulk smash. Another 30 minute wait for the food to come out. No mimosas ( I'm a little Chi town spoiled when it comes to this one). The butter was frozen (fail... Room temp, dagnabbit!). Cappuccino machine was down. I think that's it. 

Oooooooohhhhhmyyyyyyy the food.... Bestie said those were the best restaurant eggs she's ever had and she's PICKY (scrambled hard and dry, no burns, cheddar please) about her eggs. Bran muffin was warm, soft, pop full of berries, and my digestive tract is currently as good as new. Half order of French toast was still huuuuuuge and reminded me of sticky buns! Potato pancakes were seasoned sooooooo well. Came with FULL FAT, REAL sour cream. Bestie got this bomb egg on toasted muffin sandwich that came with what I think was house made dill ranch dressing that was so good and went just right. Hot chocolate was so good, i had to order two. I meant to order bacon, but I didn't miss it. 

Best part: we played guess the bill. I estimated $44 because we pretty much had a small feast. Sike! Closer to $22... I immediately receded on my statement about chipping in lol...
4 - Julia D.: My sister went to Michigan and I loved visiting her there because of this restaurant.  They have huge, filling salads and excellent muffins.  The decor reminds me of the early 90s, which to me is a total plus.  Whenever I went there, I sort of felt like I was hanging out with my friends from 90210 or Melrose Place, just in Michigan.  If you're in Ann Arbor, definitely check it out!
5 - Kathy D.: Great service, delicious food, what more could you ask for? It's amazing to me how many people have never thought to go here for breakfast or brunch, yet the line is always spilling out into the street. This is my absolute favorite breakfast place in Ann Arbor -- I place it above Zingerman's, Broken Egg, Angelo's, and all the others.

I usually get their Belgian waffles with fresh fruit and homemade whipping cream, although I know that they're omelettes and boules are equally amazing. Also, they're fresh-squeezed orange juice is a must-have.

Also note: even if there's a long line out the door to get tables, it moves pretty fast. This is because the staff is super quick at turning tables (but never makes you feel rushed), and the restaurant is actually much larger on the inside than you'd assume. So don't let the line deter you -- it's well worth the wait!
4 - Peter B.: Must be best salad bar in town. Always fresh and bountiful. Always busy giving you assurance that you are at the right place.
2 - B B.: Just okay.  

service = ***
food = * 1/2
ambiance = **

specifically:  the biscuits are lame and gravy mundane.  bacon is poor, thin and fatty.  they need to purvey the real deal, thick slice and more flavor.  CB hash sucked, put some terragon or some strange herbs in it
5 - Cat S.: Perfect Saturday morning breakfast! My waitress was really helpful and accomodating: my preferred style of eggs benedict wasn't on the menu, but she made it happen. I ordered the special potato pancake eggs benedict, vegetarian style (ie, eggs florentine with potato pancakes). The spinach was fresh and the dish included a generous serving of tomatoes.

Because I was feeling particularly gluttonous, I also ordered a chocolate chip pancake. I wasn't sure I could eat an entire pancake, so she suggested ordering the child's size. It was absolutely delicious, covered in butter and filled with melted chocolate.

During my visit to Ann Arbor, I wanted to find a cozy diner with a hot, fresh meal for breakfast. I'm glad I wandered around and found this place. The food was delicious and the service was very attentive and friendly. Excellent all around!
4 - Aubrey T.: A breakfast favorite.  I use to be a devout Angelo's fan, but my recent summer trips home have to Ann Arbor have been in July, the month Angelo's closes.  I have thus made frequented Afternoon Delight over the past few years and have to admit I like it a little bit better than Angelo's.

During my two weeks home in Ann Arbor this summer, I made two breakfast visits.  The food and service were great both times.  A few days ago I went there with my dad and a friend.   Between the three of us, we had a fruit bowl, bagel with lox, everything bagel + cream cheese, and oatmeal.  All were tasty, and I was especially impressed with how fresh the fruit was.

Today, I went with one of my best friends for a leisurely weekday breakfast.  I had the Veggie Morning Delight.  This doesn't come with sides but is a hearty breakfast sandwich.  It is eggs, spinach, tomato, mushroom, cheddar cheese, and sunflower seeds on an english muffin.  It's served with a runny dill-yogurt sauce, which was quite good mixed with a little ketchup.  My friend's Bonanza Bagel (open faced cinammon raisin bagel with PB, honey, blueberries, strawberries, and banana on top) looked great, although it looked like they might have overdone the honey a little.  Each of ours were only $4.95, and a bottomless cup of coffee is only $1.50. 

Both the indoor booths and the outdoor tables are nice for breakfast.  The waiters are always great here - friendly, quick to refill a coffee, and make sure to check in just often enough.

I haven't been for lunch in a long time (no waiter service for lunch), but the menu looks great!
3 - Ankit M.: Service was quick and ambiance was welcoming. Waitstaff was very friendly. The overhead lights for each table were decorated with a thicker colored paper - very original.

I had an omelette and they loaded it with lots of veggies, which I like. They don't mix the veggies in the batter (but rather fold the omelette over the veggies), in case you were wondering. The hollandaise was light and tasty. Ham was good. 

I would come here again.
5 - Elizabeth B.: It took us almost two years, but my husband and I have finally found a regular breakfast spot - as far as we're concerned, Afternoon Delight has the best breakfast in town.  It's not the fanciest.  The food isn't going to win any awards.  But it is tasty, consistent, and reasonably priced.

The real steals are the two Morning Delight sandwiches - one with meat, one with a pile of veggies.  For around $5, you get a generous amount of eggs, cheese, veggies or meat served on a whole wheat English muffin - or other bread if you ask for it - with ranch dressing.  Trust me: it's good.  I always feel like I should get something else, but I (almost) always end up with the Veggie Delight.

The pancakes are pricey but the size of a dinner plate.  You don't need more than one.  The chocolate chip are the best, and they're even better if you ask for them a little crispy.

There are several breakfast options involving frozen yogurt: atop a warm bran muffin, alongside a Belgian waffle, surrounded by fresh fruit.  We covet these whenever we see them.  There are usually two flavors of frozen yogurt available - two weeks ago they had pistachio! but had just changed to Orange when my dad ordered it.  Very sad.

Order a frozen yogurt milkshake and pick as many flavors from the menu as you can stomach.  This morning my husband had chocolate peanut butter banana Oreo.  It was amazing.  The large - for around $4 - is big enough for two.

I hear their bran muffins and brownies are legendary, though I have yet to try either.  Maybe next weekend.
4 - Jennifer V.: It took me forever to finally get over to Afternoon Delight for BREAKFAST. I've had their lunch food before, and even their dessert, but never their breakfast. I felt like I hadn't actually lived the Ann Arbor experience before then!

Their food was pretty good - consistent, what-you-would-expect, breakfast food. I liked that my omelette was full to the brim with goodies and not overly eggy. 

Nothing overly special, but it's definitely tasty and I'll definitely be back! You can't beat the prices, either. Better than Angelo's, although it's just as busy, if not busier at times. One of my favorite things about them? They have desserts. I'm a sucker for sweets!
5 - Rose F.: I absolutely loved everything about the breakfast here. The muffins looked amazing, going to get one next time. Pancakes, bacon and biscuits with gravy were amazing!!! Fresh squeezed orange juice and good coffee. Get there early, the line gets pretty long!
4 - Tim N.: Enjoyed the setup, and sandwich size and quality was excellent. Prices were a little high for club sandwich, but once I got the food I was impressed the size and taste.
4 - Elliot S.: My friend introduced me to the meat boule and I haven't turned back. I've had this about 10 times and I'm never disappointed. This is my go to brunch spot in AA and I'd recommend it to anyone visiting. 

Prices are reasonable, portions are huge and quality is top notch. Only reason it's a 4 star is because of their hours.
5 - Omid F.: Haven't had a bad experience here yet. Price, food, staff all top notch. Brunch spot of choice!
4 - Martha V.: Really, really good breakfast.  Huge and tasty muffins,  great omelets, and, a variety of satisfying and yummy breakfast sandwiches. We frequently go in Saturday mornings after going to  the Farmers Market.  On football Saturdays, the line starts to build up between 8:30 and 9, so get there early.
2 - Scott B.: Highly overrated. Tried this place with a friend before a UM football game, based on its reputation and Yelp praise.  I never thought I'd live to see the day when a place can charge $6 for a single pancake. I'm not that old, yet that day has arrived. Underwhelmed, to say the least. Stay hungry, my friends.
4 - Be B.: The whole wheat English Muffin was amazing!!! They were very receptive to alterations with the menu items.  Which is really nice, because sometimes small places don't like to make adjustments.  I had a breakfast burrito and really wanted to add potatoes. 

The only thing that would have made the brunch jump from great to Amazing would have been mimosas! I love mimosas with brunch!  Unfortunately, for all of you "mimosas with brunch" lovers out there, they do not sell alcohol.

I hate to end on a bad note, but I did not like their mocha shake.
5 - Jenny T.: Came here one morning a long long time ago before I became an avid Yelper when I was visiting a friend... and *every time* I eat eggs benedict, I drool about the eggs benedict here. I can't tell you too much more because this was years ago, but it would be a shame if you came here and didnt have it. That is all.

One day, I will make my way back.
4 - Kelly A.: Soooo delicious!!!  Came here on Saturday around 1 with my mom, sister, and niece.  We waited about 15 minutes for a table and then were promptly greeted by the waitress.  Everything on the menu looks AMAZING and the fact that they have all those muffins displayed when you walk in did not help me make my decision!  In the end, I decided on a spinach, feta, and onion omelette with a side of raisin toast.  Once she took our order, I started to worry that I should have gotten the redskins too (I saw them on another table and they looked SO good), but since their menu is a wee bit pricey (my omelette was $8.50 + $1.50 for the raisin toast and the potatoes would have been another $2.75 or something).  So anyways, I was worries that there wouldn't be enough to eat....well, imagine my surprise when they bring out my food and the toast is the size of my HEAD and 1" thick!!  IT WAS SOO GOOD.  Wow.  There was a bit of frosting on the top crust, and there was a ton of melty-cinnamonny deliciousness all over the toast, along with the raisins.  My omelette was very good too, although I think they should ease up on the onion.  It literally had an entire medium-sized purple onion in there.  I ended up picking out all but a few pieces since I just like a bit of onion taste.  **Note to self, order "light onion" next time!!**  But the spinach was clearly fresh and the feta had just the right saltiness to make it a perfect combination.  

Overall, a great place to go if you're in the Ann Arbor area - I only wish I lived closer so I could go back more often!!
5 - Suzanne S.: OH MY GOODNESS!!! This place has got to be theeee best place in town for our "April is grilled cheese month" campaign!!! Afternoon Delight and it's owner/Mgr, Tom and Michelle and her mother...are all great people and really "listen" to what the people want!  The menu here is fantabulous! But since we are talking "grilled cheese" this month, I want to head up with this luscious sandwich first and foremost!  First you get this great, thick and grilled to perfection "sour-dough bread"...they put a couple of cheeses on the grilled sour-dough, along with some fresh and yummy tomatoes (never have I seen a bad one here!!) and you have the most succulent, yummy-liscious, best tasting "special" grilled cheese sammich you've ever had in your entire tummy!!! I'm not kidding! The food here is excellent anyways...they have everything on the menu from breakfast starters, omlets, the favorite "seafood Tom-lette" (which is an omlette with Salmon and veggies and cheese and its sooo delicious!), thick and rich cinnamon-raison french toast and their famous pecan, blueberry or peach pancakes that are grilled to perfection on the outside but soft and yummy on the inside and filled with whatever "goodies" you want!!
    But honestly, back to the grilled cheese, since this is almost APRIL..."grilled cheese month"...this is one of the best places for your taste buds to get a great sammich of grilled cheese and sour dough bread as I mentioned above!! But if you're one of those who prefers a BIG, THICK, delicious PATTY MELT...you haven't tried a patty melt until you've had one of Tom's Patty Melts here at "Afternoon Delight"!! It starts with the great breads again, that they always have here in stock! They grill the bread to perfection and now you'll be surprised...are you ready??? TA DA.....they don't use the usual ground beef and slap it on a toasted skinny bread and slap some cheese on it and call it a "patty melt"???!!! NO WAY.... Tom puts some first class roast beef on the grilled sour-dough bread and adds the cheeses and the onions and voila!!!!!!!!!!! The best Patty melt in town!  By the way, did you notice that it also has "CHEESE" on it??? LOL...have fun..because this menu is waaay big and waaay full of great choices...you'll just have to go back every Sunday like we do!  "We", my family and I...are "hooked" and we do go every Sunday for brunch!! Sometimes we get their amazing breakfast's and other times we show up a bit later and get their delectable lunches!! Have a ball and try them all!!!  love to you all who love to get out as much as I do!!
5 - Carolina S.: Best breakfast in Ann Arbor. The waiting staff was right on target and politely asked us what we wanted to drink. The coffee was by far one of the best for a breakfast/lunch place. My husband ordered the veggie delight in the english muffin, while i ordered something that would look like a mixed egg omelet with veggies inside of a warm and light bread bowl with a light sauce on the side. This was by far, on of my favorite breakfasts outside of San Francisco ever. The veggies were all lightly cooked and the bread bowl was phenomenal- not overly mushy, nor too crunchy and it was a large enough portion for me to share a little with the hubby. I would love to go back and try more items in their menu for both breakfast and lunch.
4 - Beth H.: I have never been drawn to Afternoon Delight.  I think they are a bit over priced for the cafeteria style eatery, but I have to give it to AF for being efficient, and for good food.  Fresh fruit, good selection, enough space to accomodate the constant crowd and the soups are great.  

If you are intimidated by the fast pace and not very understanding of how things work there, just ask. It's ok, they don't bite, but if you are shy and don't like the fast pace and are easily confused, so somewhere else.
2 - Hymae W.: Man this place is soo hyped it hurts. I have been here at least 10 times and every time i go I wish i went somewhere else. There is always a 10 min line at the very least. Last time i went the servers where even rude to the people in line yelling out "move out of my way hot food blah blah blah." Listen lady i didn't design your layout its not my fault the line is right in you way. To top it off  there menu doesn't cater to my greasy hangover needs. And honestly the last thing i want to see in the morning is a bunch of college kids wearing pajamas.
3 - Jason C.: My standard order is western omelette with wheat toast.  The ham they use in there is salty and blends very well with the rest of the vegetables and the eggs.  Now, from my experience with omelette, there are two kinds.  

Don't expect the vegetables and proteins to be mixed in with the egg... rather, they cook the egg first and then put the vegetables, protein and cheese in the middle and cold in the egg... typically, the vegetables are cooked in the frying pan with the protein and then the eggs are added, then folded with cheese in the middle.

Their waffel is really good as well... you can order it with soft frozen yogurt... their sausage biscuit is delicious as well... I could just eat that all day long :)

Now, I've only gone here for breakfast and if you've been there on the weekends, you all know that it's busy and lines can get long... I have waited in line before and the most I waited was around 45 minutes for a table... of course, it might be longer depending on the size of your party.

So far, the wait staff that took my orders were all friendly and very helpful... but do note, if it's busy expect the foods to come out little slower and wait staff checking in on your slow as well....

For now, three stars for breakfast items that I've had... with the constructions around the corner, there's lot of traffic and traffic jam.... but the construction should be done soon....  swing by and try their omelettes.
4 - Liz W.: Yes it's a bit overpriced for things, yes the setup is a bit confusing as a newb. That being said it is huge portions of tasty, fresh and real food. They make it to order and it comes out hot when it needs to be. I am willing to pay more for that myself.

I have had breakfast and lunch here now. I brought my dad for the breakfast trip. We debated the menu and finally settled on splitting a farmer's omelette with ham, potatoes, onions, green pep, swiss and cheddar. We also went halfsies on the cheese blintzes with strawberries and pineapple. Everything we ate was happy. It was more than enough for us and we enjoyed every bite. 

For lunch I brought my mom. I sampled a lemon chicken salad with a muffin. Mmmm a happy salad indeed. Marinated chicken breast served hot over mixed greens with red onions and alfalfa sprouts. It's served with with tomato wedges, strawberries and oranges and topped with pecans. I ate every bit. My mom had a chicken salad and fruit plate with strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, fresh pineapple, bananas, apple wedges and orange wedges. It was garnished with frozen yogurt. Impressive and it made her extremely happy.Everything was ripe and tasty.

I will bring James here sometime when he can wait. I hear weekends can be a zoo.
3 - R S.: A fine, pretty reasonable breakfast place--always packed and mostly for good reason.  Had an odd experience with my waitress, though: I asked for the two-egg breakfast, which comes with a bread order and a meat side for a bit extra. As a vegetarian, I didn't want meat, so I asked if I could have the potatoes instead...And the waitress acted like it was an unreasonable, bizarre, utterly impossible request...I don't get it: potatoes are so much cheaper than any meat could possibly be, I really don't understand why my request couldn't have been accommodated, and I certainly don't understand why she was so rude about it. And after all that, my plate came out with *3* eggs...I question the savvy of the wait staff, but it's still a convenient place with delicious raisin bread...
4 - Go B.: Just returned to Ann Arbor and had to visit Afternoon Delight for the delicious bran muffins and corned beef hash.  Was so happy with the food.  What surprised me was when I poured the creamer into my coffee, I discovered the milk was curdled.  I asked the waitress for a new cup of coffee and she came back to tell me to shake the little creamers a little more (with a tad bit of an attitude).  Sorry, gal, curdled milk is curdled milk!  Sorry to inconvenience you for a new cup of coffee.  Next time, I'll get up and get it myself.  Service disappointed me, but that will not discourage me from going back again.
3 - Adam D.: breakfast is great, lunch is meh.  the pancakes here are especially good.  prices are moderate, but the service is a bit slow, and there is usually a line to dine.  atmosphere is a throwback to the late 80's/early 90's.  a good alternative to Cafe Zola when you want to brunch on main street, but don't want to pay cafe zola prices.
4 - Mansi S.: Gud breakfast everytime!!! On My first time here I tried their farmers omelette and blueberry muffin...Awesome!! The omelette was with ham but they agreed to accommodate only veggies option for me. The server was very cheerful and didn't push us to order a lot of food when asked for recommendation. The farmers omelette includes their yummy red roasted potatoes so u don't have to order a side of it. 
Overall, quick service n great food. They also have a big salad bar  with fresh veggies n fruits. They have servers everyday until 11am M-F i believe for breakfast seating and after that it's all self service and order at the register. 
Gud place , I'll be here again for those yum yum roasted potatoes!!!!!
1 - Trevor M.: I usually love this place and they have excellent eggs benedict and their muffins will blow your mind. But in 3 days of going to the art fair we ate here twice. We arrived early enough both days that waiting for a table was not an issue it was a few different things that really made me wonder when I will bother to return here. The first occasion we had an excellent waitress named Gus or something like that. She was excellent and checked on us throughout our meal, the service she gave us was top notch. My fried pancake however was really undercooked and it was still gooey with batter as you cut into it. Unfortunately she didn't notice and I never said anything as we were in a hurry to go to the fair. I just chalked this up to a mistake in the kitchen that was no big deal.

 The next time we went we had a waitress that I wish I remember her name because she was terrible. She was not very warm and didn't seem to give us her full attention at any given point. When she brought our orange juice she spilled some of it on the table and I watched her look at it, then look at me and just shrug and walk away. I thought she was going to get a rag but instead I realized she was checking on other tables and arguing with the hostess about not having enough "good tables". I used my napkin in my utensil kit to clean it up and left it on the edge of the table for her to pick up and hopefully give me a new one. When she returned with our food she did nothing with the napkin and actually seemed annoyed when I asked for a clean one. At the end of the meal I was waiting in line to pay and she came over like she was my best friend and was like are you paying by credit card? I can run it for you to help you out and skip you ahead of this line; like she was doing me this huge favor. Only when she went to the counter everyone was using a card so she had to wait while the cashiers rang up everyone else ahead of me (so she saved me no time). Only when she handed me the card back she made it seem like she was so great for skipping me ahead of everyone and how she knows how to take care of her people because she knows they'll take care of her. I left her 15% which for me is as low of a tip as I will ever give, working in the hospitality industry.
5 - Anne S.: I love brunch. There aren't too many good places in Ann Arbor for brunch like Chicago.  Chicago is hands-down the best city for brunch.  Since we are not in Chicago, a lot of my friends agree that this is the best brunch place in Ann Arbor.  Everything from the eggs benedict to the pancakes are delicious.  It's a cute place and the service is pretty good. It's always packed.  

Tip: try the raisin toast.  my friend just introduced this savory yummy treat to me today... it was very memorable! It's an extra $2 to substitue your plain toast or muffin with it, but it's worth it.
3 - MaryLiz S.: Good old A.D. ... it hasn't changed much over the years. For breakfast, it's sit-down, for lunch it is a cafeteria. You get your tray and tableware, order your sandwich, see the day's soups -- always vegetarian veggie and one other that changes -- and get your own drink. Then you get to the cash register, pay, pass the salad bar and find your own seat. Good system.

I used to get lunch from there all the time when I was working downtown. Muffins and soup and the salad bar. All good, and I did not tire of it, even though I got food from there about once a week.

I even earned an Afternoon Delight T-shirt by getting my card punched enough times to win the prize. They stopped doing that after a while, and it became a free lunch instead.

Well it's been several years since I have been to A.D.

Recently I went downtown for lunch with the Mom. As we walked by Shalimar and I smelled something delicious she said, "That's Arabic food. I could only get a salad there." Mom does not like anything exotic. Darn! I did not try to explain that it's really an Indian restaurant.

So she was willing to walk all the way to A.D. (she's not a fan of walking very far) and the place was pretty much as I remembered it. Tom was even at the cash register.

I got a Malibu Club. Turkey and "krab" meat on a croissant with lettuce and tomato, with guacamole and Hollandaise sauce on the side. I forgot how big those are. I should have ordered only a half sandwich.

So it was OK, but just OK for me. Dependable, but nothing exotic like spicy Shalimar. I finally realized that if I ever want to come downtown and try anything other than "American," I'm going to have to do it without Mom around.

:-)

The place gets quite loud at lunch time, because of all the hard surfaces, clatter of food prep and talking customers. You might have to shout to hear yourself talk to the person across from you. But you can always get your order "to go."
4 - diana n.: A solid brunch spot. We came at 11:00 on a Sunday, and there was a short line out of the door. We got really lucky as a 2 top opened, and we were seated on 15 min. Woot!

The food:
I ordered the corned beef hash with eggs over easy. The hash was crisp, well seasoned, and you could tell it wasn't from the can. I opted for cornbread instead of toast which was an excellent choice. I think they grilled the cornbread after baking it as there was a very crispy crust yet the inside was fluffy. There was a subtle sweetness as I like it.

Fiancé ordered the potato pancakes eggs Benedict with smoke salmon. The potato pancakes were yummy! 

Im glad we came when we dis because the lone grew substantially by the tome we left at noon. The food was good and the price was right. I'll be back

Agava Restaurant - Ithaca, NY (42.4382949, -76.465118) ()
5 - Ramsey B.: Great new Ithaca restaurant! Really creative fresh food. The gulf shrimp on the El Camino flatbread was so tasty. Margaritas rocked. Wild salmon with cauliflower was perfectly cooked. Service was super friendly. Look forward to coming back!
4 - Roberto C.: Great new place in the (poor) Ithaca culinary landscape. While the dinner menu is relatively uninspiring, the brunch menu is creative and full of southwestern flavors. I personally tried the "Del Mar" fish tacos, and the huevos rancheros - both above average. The grits was delicious as well.
Desserts are tasty and well-made (I suggest the pineapple upside-down cake). Good wine and drinks list.

The restaurant interiors are nice, with a modern yet traditional feeling (it seems to be in Colorado rather than in Ithaca!). I give the place 4 and not 5 stars because the service is somewhat slow and sloppy - I am sure this will improve with time and with more training.

A happy new discovery!
4 - Keyser S.: Finally a legit Mexican restaurant in Ithaca!
 The Decor was modern and trendy. Their draft bottle and cocktail selection was awesome. I personally suggest the Kentucky Mule. 
 When we sat at the table they gave us a jar of water but the water glasses were the size of rocks glasses. Kind of weird. 
 The service was not that good but I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt that it's a brand-new restaurant and they were very busy. I feel that overtime the service will get better with training.
 The wages explained that they were "kind of Tapas" which all that really meant was they bring everyone's food out when it's ready at different times.
 The food itself was really good. It's not your traditional Mexican menu. Not burritos tacos etc.... They do offer tacos  but they also offer chicken entrées and amazing brick oven woodfired Pizza. TheRita was the best! Smokey and full of flavor. We all shared and had a great time. I highly recommend this place. I wouldn't exactly say it is high-end but it's definitely not you're boring middle-of-the-road Mexican restaurant!
4 - Amity W.: This is a great addition to Ithaca's restaurant scene. The appetizers are creative and delicious. The service is very friendly, if slightly green at times. The decor is lovely, contributing to a cheerfully classy ambiance. The Chicken and taco dishes are excellent (THE chicken in particular is delicious). The sandwiches are less good, especially compared to the regular mains. Haven't had the pizza yet but it looks good. Also a wide range of drinks, including local and international brews. Looking forward to going back.
5 - Candy K.: Was visiting some friends and decided to try this new restaurant that wasn't there last time I was in town. I actually didn't want to go, because I live in California and couldn't imagine the food could be as good as the Southwest cuisine out here. But after one dinner (and brunch the next day) this is probably my favorite Ithaca restaurant. Del mar taco and And wild salman were both fantastic, and the eggs benidicto the next day as perfect. Great beer list, too. BONUS: the Ithaca mayor was dining there, so quasi-celebrity siting.
5 - Michelle H.: Went here on Saturday and loved it! I had the Lone Ranger (steak) taco and the beau had the Agava Burger.  We absolutely loved the food.  The server comes over with a serving of chips and salsa and your menus so that you can munch while you decide what to have for dinner.  Prior to eating, the server warned us that the salsa had just been made that day so it was spicy.  I spoke up and pointed out that it would definitely be way too hot for me so he brought out a second salsa that I could enjoy.  The chips could have used a tiny bit more salt but the salsa was delicious.  The beau who loves spicy had a couple bites of the spicy salsa then steared clear of it.  Too much kick for him but he was very happy to munch away on the less spicy salsa while waiting for our food.  Sidenote: The serving size we got was just enough for two people.  Be forwarned though: its not an endless bowl.  While the second set of salsa was gratis because I wouldn't have touched the super spicy one (hence the servers initial warning), had we wanted any more than our first serving there would have been an additional (but fair) charge.  

Onto the main courses!  For the steak taco, the ratio of meat to toppings was perfect and the proportions were perfectly meal sized-not so much that you need a doggie bag but not so little that you were left hungry.  For the burger, well, I think I'll be getting the side of fries every time I come in.  They are more like the 'frites' you get at the fancy French restaurants and were served with a homemade ketchup.  OMG am I in love with those fries.  And I'm hoping that they eventually sell the ketchup.  Or I will need to learn how to make it like they do because it was amazing.  The beau made sure to eat them up quickly because I was starting to make a pretty decent dent in them...  And then there was the burger.  Mmm mmm good.  The beau rates it as the best burger in town at the moment (that used to be Jack's but then they changed the recipe-or at least that is what it seems like.  Something changed there and he did not appreciate it).

Needless to say, we'll be back to try more of the menu.  I'm defintely looking forward to my next trip up to Ithaca!

ps. Service was just attentive enough.  Our waiter was extremely friendly but just didn't stop by as often as it might happen at another restaurant.  He was there at all the right times so that is what counts, right?
2 - Jason C.: Went here for a lunch, the place was empty at 11:30 and packed by noon.

First the place was beautiful.  Really clean and nicely decorated.  I had not been in here since coyote loco, but they did a great job with it.

I sat with 7 others at a comfortable table with good service.

The first thing I wanted was a nice glass was water after getting in from the heat.  However, they serve water in shot glasses.  It was comical how all of us discussed the pathetic water glasses they gave us.  If this was supposed to be arty or something then it was a complete miss.  If it was to get people to buy drinks then I don't care for that approach.  I assured the waitress that I was a big boy and could handle a big boy glass and she promptly brought one out.  

Please fellow yelpers when you go to the restaurant ask for a BIG BOY/GIRL GLASS eventually it will get their attention and let them know yelp reviews matter good or bad.

The food seemed reasonable priced, I split two taco orders with a buddy, he got the pork I got the steak.

5 of the 7 dishes arrived promptly, then we had this awkward 4 minutes before the final 2 arrived of sitting and looking at our food.
 
It was not much to look at.  Both the pork and steak tacos looked like a mushy mass of meat and spices that was ice cream scooped cafeteria style out of a big bucket and plopped onto a plate.

Both of them were server on a wet small soft tortilla that was horrible.  The meat looked like it would have lots of spices and taste good.  But it was completely tasteless.  You could have blind folded me and I could not tell the difference between the pork and steak, they were both just blah. The food was a complete disappointment for such a nice looking place.

However others at the table got the old school tacos which looked good, and someone got a burger (which I almost got, but figured this is a Mexican place) which looked wonderful.

It was a total fail, but I actually think I will go back and try that burger.  

The place was nice and service was nice, but the food I had was not up to par.
4 - Johnathon S.: Went here on Fathers Day for dinner. Was seated promptly and the waitress came by quickly. Ordered the albóndigas (wood oven roasted local lamb meatballs, tomato sauce, aged parmesan) and the hot buzz flatbread (grilled chicken, local honey, chipotle, tomato, blue cheese). The meatballs were good but the flat bread was disgustingly delicious. The honey was a great addition to the food and made it great. The tres leche dessert was good but probably the most unexciting thing we ate.

The only complaint is that the wait staff is clearly inexperienced. We were given someone else's food not once, but twice. 

All in all I would definitely recommend giving Agava a shot.
4 - Austin A.: This was my first dining experience in Ithaca, and man was it a good one. Similarly, I was the first customer at this place's grand opening, so combine my hunger with their eagerness to impress and I had a great experience here. I went with the pork carnitas and the crispy pork belly that wore a fried egg for a hat. The tortillas for the carnitas were actually a bit bland, but the pork was phenomenal. The crispy pork belly was an unctuous pleasure, and the crispy aspect to it worked perfectly. The egg and ramps really added to the dish, and I was impressed that everything was sourced locally--eating with a conscience is something we've gotten away from. Speaking of...

A couple people have complained about the "shot glasses" for water. That's an unkind exaggeration, and misinformed--my waiter explained that the water is plain old tap water, but they run it through their own charcoal filter to remove impurities. The result is clean mineral water, and is served in cold glass bottles--the 8 oz. glasses are there because water is often wasted when it's served in those big-gulp monstro-cups at restaurants. That I could agree with, as it made me think of all the water I myself wasted over the years at places. Also, it didn't exactly kill me to reach over and pour my own water...

Service was among the best I've ever had, the food was creative, intelligent, and honest, and the restaurant was spotless. Very impressive decor, and I wish this place the very best.
4 - Alicia L.: We tried Agava for the first time last Thursday.  There was a 15 minute wait for a table, so we sat in the bar and had a glass of wine.  The decor is nice and the staff is friendly.

The host took us to a table outside even though we hadn't asked to sit outside.  It was one of the few muggy nights this summer, but we decided it would be fine to eat outside on their back deck because we didn't want to wait for an indoor table.  The deck is sort of bouncy so you feel the movement when people walk around.  
 
The food was really great.  We were really impressed with the food quality.  We'll be back, for sure.
4 - Stacey S.: My new favorite local restaurant! I was so pleasantly surprised after my first visit. The atmosphere was cool and fun and we felt transported somewhere much more urban and exciting than Ithaca. It was a little loud and busy, but also buzzing, and the food was great! Prices were surprisingly reasonable too. Many of the tapas selections are pretty cheap, and the bill for four of us (three tapas dishes, an entree each, and three alcoholic bevvies) was around $80. 

The highlight for me was the bean burger. Absolutely amazing. It is some sort of mash of beans and cheese and veggies, re-formed into burger shape, topped with roasted peppers, with the most wonderful, rich flavor. Hands down the best veggie burger I have ever tasted. I had it without the bun, and enjoyed it on its own. YUM! The fries are pretty damn delicious too. 

I sampled some of my companion's "Boomer" portobello tacos, which were also great. 

The "Mary Jane - wood oven puffed flatbread" is a huge dome of doughy goodness. When it was brought to our table, everyone around us turned to look and asked what it was. 

I'll admit to being a total wimp when it comes to hot and spicy, and the salsa that came with the complimentary chips was a no-go for me, but everyone else at my table was addicted. 

Only disappointment is that the bean burger isn't offered on the brunch menu. I returned for lunch one weekend with my heart set on it, only to be told it couldn't be done. WAH!
4 - Alexandra C.: I had a good experience here recently and am looking forward to coming back. I really like what they have done with the space - high, open ceilings, and wood accents everywhere. They have a lovely patio in the back, which is where I sat with some friends for dinner.

Our server was very friendly and accommodating. The one disappointment was the salsa. The one that came with our chips was rather bland, so we asked for something spicier. The server came back with something he said contained habanero, so we were expecting something hot. Instead, it had no heat whatsoever. We all tried it and agreed. Not sure what went wrong there.

Otherwise, the food was very tasty. 

One thing I do want to point out that strikes me as disingenuous and just plain cheesy, is that the first reviewer of this restaurant (R. Brous) is related to the owner, which is fine - but it's hardly an unbiased opinion, and he doesn't reveal his relationship to the owner in his review. This gave me an initial bad impression of the restaurant, which isn't merited by its food and service.
2 - Hambonious M.: Have gone twice now. Positives: place looks great, nice job! Drinks are tasty as well. Service is very friendly.

Negatives: I know every one is raving about the food, but I honestly think the newness and excitement of the place has the better of them. This is supposed to be SOUTHWEST inspired food. I'm not sure if people have eaten in the southwest, but the food there is bursting with spices and flavor. Both times I have eaten here, the flavors in the food seem to be playing it very safe to down right bland. I love fish tacos, and these are really really bland. A fish taco from any truck in San Diego destroys these. Same for the chili relleno: really nice ingredients and vegan as well, but really pretty flavorless. We are talking about a chili relleno for crying out loud, flavor please! Also, the corn tortillas are pretty bland as well, and I noticed they ship them up from NYC. Why? This was the general from all who accompanied me. 1st a table of 8, then just 2 of us.

I have heard these general thoughts from others as well, and am a bit surprised at not seeing this in more reviews. They are new, and obviously pleasing customers, so what do I know, but my opinion, if your Southwest, then go for it! Don't play it safe with flavors!!!
5 - Olivia F.: AGAVA may actually have taken the #1 spot on my Ithaca restaurant list. I came here on graduation weekend and had an amazing meal with my boyfriend (the graduate!), including drinks and dessert. He had a beer, I had a great classic margarita. They bring out fresh tortilla chips and salsa before your meal, which we of course loved.

For dinner, we sampled a bunch of small plates and an entree. The pan-seared scallops in brown butter with capers (soooo delicious), the "farrotto" (good, but not great), the chupacabra flatbread (with bacon, mushrooms, etc. -- easily the best part of the meal), and "L'il Shorty" which was Vietnamese short rib (also good). Tres leches and flourless chili-chocolate torte for dessert were both so, so delicious.

Coupled with excellent service and really interesting, creative decor, this place is a winner. It's definitely a little expensive for me, and the portions for many of the small plates are miniscule, but if you're not eating the entire restaurant like we were, it's doable. If you want big portions, try the flatbreads -- they're huge. Overall, very impressed by AGAVA.
4 - Yon L.: In an act of desperation, my boyfriend used Foursquare to find a restaurant for us while we were staying in Ithaca for the weekend. We found this gem on Saturday night (Establishments seem to close early outside of NYC). AND because we checked in on Foursquare, we got free sangrias (red or white: Red was better). 
The food was pretty delicious too! Our favorites were the lamb meatball appetizers (with pine nuts!) and the Lone Ranger tacos (steak). The catfish one was eh. It needed more seasonings or something to give it oomph. 
The kitchen ran out of ceviche after we ordered so they comped our Strawberry shortcake dessert (it has another name that escapes me at the moment). It was perfectly light and just sweet enough. 
Great service too. Very cool spot overall. The outdoor patio was really casual but still romantic. Definitely a great date spot.
4 - kay t.: Surprisingly good.
4 - Lesli S.: I've been twice, both times for dinner. The food was good, and the service was good. We ordered a large variety of dishes, from appetizers to dessert. 

But there was one oddity: the guacamole was nondescript, under-seasoned and flavorless. It surprised me that a place advertised as Southwestern would have mediocre guac. 

Other than that, though, I liked the food, and we'll go back.
4 - Bill H.: Lesli S hits the nail on the head. Solid food, great service, nice place (nice inside; the outside of the building is meh, though we didn't see the patio). But the guacamole is disappointing. Sometimes at home we make it with just lime/lemon juice and salt... and the Agava guac isn't even that bold. Try some spice, folks--or at least some salt and citrus! We were with a group, but if it had been just my wife and me, I'd have dumped all the salsa in.

The stuffed chile (their version of a relleno, but WAY healthier) is darned good, as are their wings, quinoa fritters, and ceviche apps. Oh, and the chicken entree was super. Overall, glad we ate there.
5 - Brendan K.: Fantastic food! I had the blackened shrimp Fettuccini Alfredo. A glass of the Zynthesis (not my best pairing, but fabulously delicious!) went well with the mussels, Mary Jane appetizer, and salsa that the table split. Well worth a second trip- bring friends, it's that kind of atmosphere.
5 - Michelle B.: Agava really blew me away. Great food for a great price.

My boyfriend and I split the scallops and mary jane to start. They were both excellent, especially for the price. This was after we finished our chips and salsa, which we both also really enjoyed.

For our entrees, I got the black bean burger and my boyfriend got the beef burger. He said it was some of the most tender beef he had ever tasted, and I could tell it was cooked perfectly. Although he wasn't a huge fan of the specialty ketchup, I thought it was interesting. I LOVED the black bean burger. I was able to substitute a salad for the fries, but I also sampled some of my boyfriend's fries. I really enjoyed both.

The only "good" rather than "great" part of the meal was the flourless chili chocolate cake for me. Maybe this is because it had a pecan crust, and I am not a fan of pecans. Either way, it was good, but just not my favorite.

The bill came out to around $45 for all of that! We couldn't believe we got so much great food for such a reasonable price. While the staff was slightly overwhelmed, this was really due to the fact the place was packed. I wouldn't hold it against them, and I think they'll get more used to it with time.

I'd DEFINITELY recommend trying this out when in Ithaca.
5 - Helene B.: One of the top casual restaurants in Ithaca.  Excellent food, great beer selection, generous portions.  Terrific burger, good fish, tasty sugar snaps.  Our server was a little space-y, but decent.
5 - Alyssa B.: We chose to spend our very last night in Ithaca having dinner at Agava after hearing both word-of-mouth suggestions and on Yelp....and it was a great decision!

The atmosphere:  Inviting, contemporary space (think reclaimed wood walls, cozy furniture).  Two rooms for dining, and the patio looked nice too (but we dined inside).  Bar is expanse with many choices and inviting to sit at if you choose.

Service:  Wonderful all night! Everyone we encountered was gracious and polite.  The best part is that the waiter could answer all the questions we had about the menu and the terminology.

Food: Great!  My boyfriend had the Agava burger, which was huge and too much to finish (and of course was delicious).  I had the fish tacos...they were a little watery (I think because of the salsa, but that's okay) but the fish was fresh and tasty. Could have use a little bit more seasoning.  We split the spinach flatbread for an appetizer and it was awesome!  Perfectly done and tasted wonderful.


Sad to say I don't know the next time I'll be in the Ithaca area, but if you are... go!  It's also a refreshing drive out to East Ithaca, rather than the crowded bustle of the commons.
5 - Sabin C.: What a fantastic place! This rivals some of the best, if not better, places in NYC. A great selection of Tequila and a well thought out menu with fresh flavors - a rarity among Mexican restaurants. 

I was new to the area and happened to look for a nice Mexican place and this one came up as the best! Thanks to Yelpers with truthful reviews it really lived up to my expectations. 

For those who remotely like Tex Mex, this is a must do. I would surely travel at least an hour to make it here.
4 - Rachel B.: Thought it was awesome, but I'm still a fan of Viva.  Agava is not just Mexican though. Great atmosphere and cool seating arrangements.  And I really liked that they offered a variety of dishes, like hamburgers, pizzas, and salads.
4 - Colin H.: I've been to Agava a few times now since they've opened, and I've enjoyed it every time. We usually split some of their tacos, an appetizer, and we each get a margarita. I am partial to their char version, which is salty and smokey with a delicious smoked salt rim and some awesome mescal. This is not some frozen watered down Chevy's margarita, but rather a delicious drink for adults. 

They do a wonderful job with their braised greens tacos, though the braised green side can be really over salted. This summer they had a really great heirloom tomato side that was simple but awesome. For appetizers, they do a fantastic seared scallop which has been cooked perfectly both times I've had it. My absolute favorite thing so far has been the pork carnitas tacos, which were perfectly seasoned (a rarity in Ithaca's southwest options). 

One thing that could really set them over the top would be a house hot sauce or something like that. If not, then I would have like more hot sauce options. I was disappointed that they didn't have either Tapatio or Cholula, but rather something that I hadn't heard of before for a hot sauce option. Their option was ok, but it wasn't nearly as flavorful as either of those and was more of a pure heat hot sauce. 

Their ambiance is great for going out with a group of friends for a few drinks, dinner, or even just snacks. It is probably a little loud for a good date spot, and I probably wouldn't want to take children there. The service is unremarkable, which in my mind is a good thing. 

Overall, this is a great place with good, solid food, some absolute gems on the menu, good drinks, nice atmosphere, and it fits a missing niche in the Ithaca restaurant scene.

Agile Physical Therapy - Palo Alto, CA (37.42, -122.17) ()
4 - Zaz H.: I've been to three physical therapy centers in the last two years and Agile is far and away the best of the three.  

During my appointments, I got the undivided attention of my therapists (I had several over the course of six months), who pushed me as hard as a personal trainer but were responsive and attentive when I described my symptoms and experience.  The therapists here did great deep tissue and stretching work and I found their evaluations and diagnoses to be thorough. The facilities are conveniently located and well-kept.  They also provide group classes for later stages of rehabilitation.

The only reason this isn't a five star review is that there were a few times that I felt the "push-through-the-pain" mentality was taken a little too far for my personal situation.  I have a chronic pain condition and I've since discovered it's very important for me to not induce pain (in joints, sore muscles are fine) while exercising.

In my long haul to get my knee to work again, this stop helped me improve more so than any other so far.
5 - Mariko F.: I am so incredibly impressed with this place that I am sad to leave them. After years of pounding on my body, it was high time to take a trip to the physio office. My doctor gave me a prescription and off I went. I have never had this hard of a time finding a place that takes a Blue Cross PPO. (Agile does not either, which is why, sadly, I had to leave them). 

Just to clarify, out of network, I would be paying $120 per visit, 2 times a week for god knows how many weeks. They were nice enough to offer me $75 a visit, but that's still a bit more than I can afford. This is why, with great sadness, I am no longer visiting Agile. 

My therapist was Gina, who was very straight forward and to the point. I have to say I was a little scared of her at first, but then I really liked her. I also realized that she genuinely cared. That became even more obvious after she called me a couple days after I cancelled all my further appointments to see how I was doing and to give me a list of good physio's that would work with my insurance. 

Oh the pain. The amount of pain that I went through on the table reminded me a bit of the acupressure that I was subjected to when I was 12 years old and twisted my ankle to the point that I couldn't put it down on the ground. Ok, it wasn't that bad, but there were tears in my eyes. But, shockingly, the pain was relieved by the time my hour was up. 

I wish I could stay with them, but the price is a bit high
5 - Lex L.: 7/27/2010
My first ever visit yesterday was blessed with such pleasant experience, I had to rave about it somewhere - so I found Yelp and opened an account.
I'll try to keep this is brief as possible - but will be hard based on - 
So much good things to say, too little space...

 The initial call for an appointment was a breeze!  I called at 9AM, and was able get a spot for 1PM the same day.   Upon arriving, initial check-in was as much of a breeze as the initial call.  Thanks to the front staff...
 After completing the paperwork in less than a minute, Gina came out and immediately introduced herself as my therapist.  I was nervous due to being my first time for P.T., but Gina was friendly, professional, and had a good upbeat energy; she assured that I was comfortable at all times.
 Although I was a referral with a prescription from a musculoskeletal doctor, Gina took the time to conduct her own professional assessment and extensive evaluations; and during so, it was very educational for she had actually taken the time to completely explain everything to help me understand better.  
 After the evaluation, she proceeded with her recommended strengthening program, and again delivered the content with such professionalism, comfort and great energy; while the educational part gives it kudos!

Overall experience was top notch, and Gina was very impressive and awesome! 

"I've already started the program on my own today, and so far so good!  
Turns out Gina's got special emphasis on spine, shoulder and knee dysfunctions, so I trust that my shoulder will be back to good under her care and I'm certain that future visits and outcome will be as awesome; therefore I will update this review further with future results and what not...
4 - Auria M.: So after a partial hamstring avulsion and broken ankle, I made my way to physical therapy.  Highly recommended, Agile has proven to be a great place for physical therapy because the qualified personnel spend an hour working with patients, equipment, and atmosphere.  From physical training and fitness exercises to hands on message and treatment, they do it all.  I went to Los Altos branch because of its location being closer to work, and have been satisfied with their service thus far.  Tony is my physical therapist and I highly recommend him to anyone that has suffered a sports related injury.  Although I have only been going now once a week for a month, I can see noticeable improvements.  The only thing stopping me from a 5star is its price.  But if you believe in you pay for what you get.  You'll really get here.
5 - Sierra V.: I have been seeing Jamie for about three months, for an ACL repair. She's great -- does a lot of manual work on my leg, since I have knots and adhesion. She tries various techniques to get the results, and I'm very pleased with the work she does -- I've come a long way from limping around!!

The practice itself is great too -- hour long appointments, large clean open space, and plenty of room and equipment! Everyone who works here is friendly as well.
5 - Richard G.: I went to the satalite office of Agile PT, FIT.  Fit is located in Los Altos, at 600 Rancho Shopping Center, Los Altos, Ca. 94024.  I worked with Tony, who evaluated my injury, my left knee hurts after about a mile or so on a run, and came up with a plan to resolve the issue.  His approach was very professional, best experience ever.

Agora Restaurant & Bar - Providence, RI (41.824969, -71.4159063) (DownCity)
4 - Julie R.: I was staying at the Westin with my boyfriend. We had been walking around all day and thought it would be nice to stay in and check out the hotel's house restaurant for dinner. It was almost empty of a Friday night around 8:30 but we went anyways. We were seated by the window and felt like we had the whole restaurant to ourselves. 

Moving on to the service and food!

We got the tomato/mozzarella salad as an appetizer. This salad was soo good! I'm still craving it..It's not hard to mess up a salad like this but the taste and ripeness of the tomatoes is what makes it for me. It was drizzled with balsamic and has generous chunks of mozzarella. The portion was large and just perfect. 

For my entree I got the 10oz filet with portobella mushroom jus, asparagus with mashed potatoes.  I ordered it med-rare. It came out more on the medium, but it was still tender and  juicy , it made up for it. Sections of the middle were just perfect. The mushroom jus was fantastic. It was drizzled on the potatoes and asparagus. I loved it!

My boyfriend tried the lobster roll. I tried a bite. It was great. Loaded with lobster but not heavy on the mayo. 

The server we had was excellent (Martin) He came over to check on us very frequently and had a pleasant polished demeanor. Perfect waiter!

The atmosphere of the restaurant was nice. It had a mediterranean vibe to it. Big windows along the wall and high ceilings opened up the space nicely.
4 - B T.: I stayed at the Westin here for 8 months a few years ago and have eaten here many times. 

They always had some rare game like zebra or antelope. I don't think they are quite the same  Regardless most of the meals I have eaten have been good and I would wash it down with a nice Penfolds Red blend. There have been a couple things that were a bit gamey but thats not the fault of the chef . I will say that when I have gone back it wasn't as good as when I had originally been there.
1 - Carolyn D.: This place was awful. Food, service, just blech.

And it was empty. There were two conventions going on in the hotel, and we were the only table that had people at it for over an hour. And then only three other tables became occupied.

Friends were in from LA helping their daughter decamp from RISDI, the grandparents of said student up from NYC, and us down from Boston, all for dinner.

Nice entry way, I'll give you that. Since there were 7 of us, we got seated at a very very large round table. Too big. And it was right in front of the empty breakfast buffet stations. There is nothing like staring at huge domed warming trays full of nothing to make you think you've come to a swank place for dinner.

Waitress had blue chipped nail polish, cheap white shirt and cheap black pants. To be fair to her, the uniform was what all the wait staff had on, but it looked, well, cheap.

Too long between ordering and being served, on overly large plates (those ones with the excessive lips) so that even with the too big table we were clanging into one another.

I ordered the one vegetarian offering on the menu. It was a stack of things, zucchnini, portabellas, cheese. And it was tepid in some places and COLD in others, like they just wung it together then bunged it in the microwave for not long enough.

Two people had the Bouillabaisse, and both were of the opinion that it was nowhere worth the $28 price tag.

Nothing was nice about our experience at the Agora.

Odd, don't you think that there is no website for this restaurant, nor does the Westin Providence website give any indication of what's on offer?
4 - Jennifer F.: We stayed at the Westin and had a coupon for 50% either room service or dining at Agora.  We chose the restaurant before we checked out.

There were only a few people eating here right after lunchtime on a Monday afternoon.  Our waitress, Joann, was great.  The restaurant serves Pepsi, which my husband doesn't like, and they didn't carry root beer either, which was his 2nd choice.  Joann actually hunted down a bottle of Coke for my hubby.  She said that sometimes when there are conventions, the businesses order Coke specifically, so she managed to snag one from them and served it to my hubby.  How awesome was that?  He was a happy camper after that.

I ordered the club sandwich, which was a pretty good size (I couldn't finish it because it was stacked pretty high).  My hubby ordered a burger and my cousin ordered a lobster roll.  Everything was delish!

Joann confessed to us that my hubby's burger wasn't as big as they usually are.  There was a dance competition while we were there, so the kitchen was used to preparing the burgers smaller than normal.  She proceeded to tell us that she would not charge us full price because we weren't getting a full burger.  Again, how awesome of her to confess that to us when she didn't even have to!  

We left happy with our bellies full of good food.  And with the 50% coupon, that made it even sweeter!

Agway-Ithaca Agway Farm and Home Center - Ithaca, NY (42.4374894, -76.5091941) ()
4 - Kat H.: Great place for all your last minute project needs! 
In case anyone needs to know, they have super-cheap pots, soil and a ton of paint. The employees were also more than long-suffering with us as we debated the merits of large-flower-pots or small flower-pots for a fund raiser. Everything one would expect from an Agway!
4 - Greg S.: Sometimes hard to remember that the Ithaca Agway often has better prices and as good of a selection as the big box home improvement guys.  One thing that is invaluable about the Ithaca Agway is the friendly advice from people that really know their stuff.  I mean, if you're buying a rake, you don't need too much help, but when you're trying to kill those little moths in your kitchen, of that bug living at the base of your pumpkins plant, this is the place to go!  You'll never find a kid at the big box joint that knows about the rake, let alone the bugs.  Power shop and feed store across the street do a good job with bulk fertilizer, chains and chainsaws, etc.
5 - Marguay P.: Agway-Ithaca has been my go-to place for all house project and lawn supplies for at least 10 years. There's always someone knowledgeable to help me out if needed, and usually it's someone who has worked there for many years. On more than one occasion, I've left the store empty-handed when an employee told me how I could make a repair without the product I thought I needed.

Agzarian Anita, MD - Los Angeles, CA (34.0656364999701, -118.445706367493) (Westwood)
5 - Teresa F.: Has been my doctor for years.  Before that I knew her dad and went to see him.  He was a great doctor and sadly passed away.  But he left 2 very bright, kind and caring doctors...his twin daughters Alice and Anita Agzarian.  I recommend both.  They work in the same office.  You will be in great hands.
2 - Julie F.: Shoot, I'm not sure if I saw her or her sister...but...here goes:

I recently moved out to LA, and needed to find a good primary care physician.  The doc I came from was great - could get an appointment same day, took his time with you, helpful, patient, good sense of humor, and optimistic.  I've got my fair share of squeaks and rattles, who doesn't, so I came to get checked in and established with a doc -- I found (their?) ratings online as pretty damn good, so I thought I was in good hands.

I came in with my charts, typed out my history and current meds all nice-like, and was ready to (1) state my concerns and (2) request what I needed.  

The doc came across as pretty cold and sorta treated me like I was nuts.  I'm not.  I have a...hm...rich medical history, but everything's under control, and I know that my course of action is working for me.  

The first thing she said to me was, "You're on a lot of meds. If you want to be on lots of meds, then I'm not the right doctor for you."  Uh, excuse me?  First, I'm *not* on a "lot" of meds. I have a few, and after a lot of tests and treatments (here's my history, lady), this is what's working for me.  

She wrote me a ton of referrals to specialists, which I don't really need.  I've seen the specialists, had the tests, got the treatments, now I just follow up with my primary care physician. She wasn't even familiar with one of my meds, and sat and looked it up, hemming and hawing about it, even though I know exactly what it's for, told her about it -- and it's not unconventional. 

I also provided her with a few photos of this skin/auto-immune problem that crops up every now and then.  She didn't understand why I was showing her these pictures (Uh, this is what I look like *before* a shot of steroids in the ass, lady).  She acted like it was really weird that I was showing her that.  

In the end, she really wanted to get a few things done: (1) a breast exam (???huh???), (2) write me off to five different specialists, (3) cut off this and that treatment, and (4) come back in a month.

So I took all the referrals, let her feel my boobs, and left feeling like an idiot.  I want a vote in my course of action. She wanted to just dictate what she wanted, and I felt like she didn't value my own history, experience, and knowledge. After all this AND paying $11 for 1 hr parking, well, nah, I won't be back. I am looking for a doctor that isn't condescending, and approaches my well-being and health as a team with ME.
5 - Fredricka R.: Dr. Anita was my doctor a long time ago, then she moved to Westwood and I eventually stopped seeing her because of the distance.  She is the BEST doctor I have ever had. She always remembers me when I visit and she is very thorough. I feel as if she takes her time with me and truly listens.
After seeing other Doctors over the past couple of years I've decided to go back to Dr. Anita, even though it is a drive for me. Having a Doctor you connect with and can talk to is the most important thing to me.
5 - Lana G.: Have been seeing Dr. Agzarian for over 6 years now and she is great! Very thorough, makes recommendations, always takes the times to listen to your concerns.  
Also, the other drs at the office are also good and if you're sick they are good about scheduling an appt that day.

Ah Z - West Lafayette, IN (40.4223694, -86.9073644) ()
1 - Amy D.: The only reason I stepped foot in this place is because Basil Thai next door was closed for Thanksgiving. I agree that the rolls are totally boring and way too overpriced. My daughter tried the spicy chicken, and it tasted like they had simply dumped some hot sauce on it. How boring. I'm not exactly sure where the "fusion" was supposed to be in their menu, but I certainly didn't see it anywhere. If you are going to spend money on sushi, go to heisei and get some good sushi.
2 - Nick N.: This place is decent at best.  The rolls are huge but not large enought to fill you up with one and two is too much and WAY too expensive. 

There are much better sushi places in town. Maru Sushi and Heisei to name a few!
2 - Kevin O.: They are a decent spot for a quick lunch in a moderate price range.  The food quality is mediocre, but not horrible.  The rice was incredibly dry when I stopped in, and the wasabi looked like it had been sitting out for a while.  I tried both the Philadelphi roll, and the Michigan roll.  Truth be told, there was little or no flavor outside of individual ingredients (cream cheese, sesame seed, etc..)  No real flavor cohesion or fusion.

The service was speedy, and helpful.  However, the size of the establishment is a bit small, and may hold back larger groups of people (college students, staff, etc...) from stopping in.

For *alright* sushi, if you have no other options, stop by and grab a quick roll.
2 - Roy H.: this place is SUPER small.... but the sushi was pretty good (not the best in the area) but fairly espensive.
1 - Anant H.: Worst sushi in town. 

Dorm sushi is better than this place. They are well overpriced have terrible presentation and general taste in their sushi. Their rolls lack creativity, their ingredients dry and not fresh tasting, and arguably the most important part of sushi, the rice, is dry and old tasting. 

I do not recommend this restaurant to anyone, unless you like overpaying for California rolls.
2 - Jesse C.: The first time I tried AH-Z it was really bad. Dry rice, tiny roll for the price, etc. After a few months, I went back, and found it to be much more amenable. The rice is better, and the rolls are bigger. (even though it seems like they just added more rice) On the upside, it's quick and close to my office, so I've been eating there a lot. It ranks about the same as grocery store sushi for me. They have a chicken-katsu bento that's not too bad as well. 

The place is _tiny_, so I wouldn't recommend going there with a group.
1 - Tiffany P.: So, I gave this place another try to see if they've improved anything - specifically the things mentioned in all their poor reviews on here.  Unfortunately, it's the same.

1. Messy rolls
2. Rolls are too large to comfortably eat
3. Flavor is lacking 
4. Eel was a bit rubbery
5. All the rolls are still California rolls with some embellishment 

They do make an effort to make their rolls pretty, but for those who are looking for real sushi, you're not going to find it here.  Ah-Z is truly the fast-food version of sushi, and for those who are looking for more variety should visit Maru, which is a stone's throw away from this place.  Ah-Z is more for those who are looking for a quick lunch, as you can opt for a combo including a roll, drink, and side, which is a pretty good deal.  

Bottom line is still the same - it's not terrible, but it's not for sushi lovers.
4 - Gabrael A.: This is one of my favorite sushi places.  They use a lot of spicy mayo and tempura in a lot of their rolls which is really good.  I havent tried any of their nigiri there so I cant really tell exactly how fresh all the meat is, but I have had no problems with their freshness.  About as cheap as a chipotle burrito, delicious, and generous portions.  Out of the many, many times I've been there, I have had ONE bad experience though.  That day, I got a very dry roll.  I think it was a fluke though, maybe their regular chef is out.  (reason for not getting 5 stars!)  The place is pretty trendy looking but there is absolutely NO room.  I avoid going here during high traffic times.

Try their signature rolls.  I recommend the Purdue roll to begin with, also try the deal with the udon (and get the tempura as extra because the 'deal' udon doesnt have tempura shrimp in there).  The Ohio State roll is also delish.
2 - Michele W.: If you're looking for cheap sushi, this is your place. The rolls are large, mainly because it's all rice. Rolls are supposed to be eaten in one bite, however I find that almost impossible sometimes. There is a relatively small selection and not too much variation or anything special. I would pick the other sushi options on campus over this one any day.
3 - Kristen H.: I've been to the Ah Z inside the Union before, but this was my first time trying the actual restaurant in Chauncey. I wasn't overly impressed.

The restaurant itself is really small, and doesn't have seating for very many people. Our orders were taken quickly, and after a few minutes, miso soup was brought out to our table. It was mediocre; I prefer miso soup with tofu in it, rather than just seaweed and broth. It took a while longer for our rolls to be brought out, and my friend's meal was brought out way before mine. They seemed to be behind on the other orders that were waiting, too, and there were a total of four customers in the restaurant.

You get a decent amount of sushi, but it just seemed too expensive for what you get.
2 - Cindy L.: This place is not very good. Really bad sushi...

Ahdorno Hair Studio - Berkeley, CA (37.8752689, -122.2595253) (UC Campus Area)
4 - Tim C.: Maria and her husband Ricardo run this little salon directly across from Cal's north side on Hearst near Top Dog.  First you get a scalp massage, then a shoulder massage, then your hair washed.  Maria has been cutting my hair for several years and always makes me look younger looking than when I walked in...amazing...
Funny how certain conversations happen in a hair salon that usually don't occur elsewhere...ya gotta be careful what you say, in case it's overheard!   But that's part of the fun I guess.  Ricardo's art is on the walls...good stuff!
5 - Katie U.: I've been going to Maria and Ricardo for 8 years now, and for good reason!  The haircut and client-focused satisfaction is phenomenal, and I never leave without intriguing food for thought from the conversations.  Maria and Ricardo strive to create an atmosphere of ideas while being wholly focused on making you look great.  Before I found this little gem of Berkeley, I found it nearly impossible to get a good short haircut.  But since I've been a client there, I've gotten compliment after compliment on my cut.  Best of all, I always walk out looking and feeling great!
5 - Julie W.: This is a small salon with two very personable owners that I've been visiting for years. They do great haircuts and color at reasonable prices.
5 - Carlet A.: Loved this place, great price, great massage and great service. Miranda took the time to consult with me to talk about what style I was looking for.
5 - E el F.: Ahdorno is about a block away from my house, so I rushed over here to see if they could fix an AWFUL cut for which I paid $75 at Keter on 4th street. Miranda was SUPER nice and listened to me complain about the terribleway I was treated at Keter. We worked together to find the best way to solve the tragedy that was my head. Though I ended up with much shorter hair than I wanted at the beginning of the day, the cut Miranda gave me to fix the botched one is one of the best I've gotten in a long time. I'll definitely be back.
5 - Katie M.: Miranda and Maria are absolutely wonderful. They took the time to consult with me and give me a great haircut. They even give a gentle neck massage before! They are also really flexible with making appointment times.  I've had three great haircuts and I'm looking forward to more.
5 - K K.: Miranda is excellent. She's so skilled, and her personality makes her wonderful to be around. Part hair, part therapy. I also love that I can text message her for an appointment. She's so personable. :)

Ahimsa Yoga - Ithaca, NY (42.441115, -76.498296) ()
5 - Amy K.: I came into town two weeks ago and searched for yoga studios in the downtown Ithaca area.  I came across AHIMSA yoga, right behind the MooseWood restaurant in the Dewitt Mall.  My first class was with Jaime during the 1pm-2pm lunch hour session.  She immediately gave me the option to wait until after class to pay either a $15 drop-in fee or a cheaper package deal of $60/6 classes.  I loved the first class right away and opted for the package deal.  The lunch classes are very relaxing but pretty challenging.  Jaime holds the positions long enough to really feel a burn, but also talks and physically guides you through the pain.  Her Wednesday night classes are a bit more challenging as it is at a quicker pace and lasts an hour and a half.  I've gone to almost every class this week and plan to end my trip to Ithaca with a few classes next week.  I highly reccommmend checking out the studio whether you're a seasoned yoga enthusiast or a interested beginner.
2 - Wilson K.: I was looking around for a place to practice in Ithaca, and saw that Ahimsa has great drop-in student rates and a competitively priced welcome package.  Unfortunately, I never made it to a class.  The über-blasé young woman behind the desk told me she didn't know how to enroll a new student, and she needed to get a ride home early that day, anyway, and didn't really want to teach a class.  Not so professional.  Too bad, though, because the studio is in a great location with lovely natural sunlight. My advice: find teachers who are excited about teaching yoga. In my yoga world, there is dedication and fascination.  The rest is just bonus.

Ahmo's Gyros & Deli - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2814593, -83.7440182) (Kerrytown Ann Arbor)
4 - Karen Z.: Formerly Big Market.  Now has two locations (the other being down at Stone School & Ellsworth).  Ambience isn't great at the Stone School location, but it's great for carryout.  Baklava is excellent!
4 - Eric M.: I'm actually writing this for the Ahmo's Express out by Maple & Dexter road...

Although the parking is a bit tough, this is a great carry-out place.  Fatoosh (sp?) is always pretty good, and having worked in Dearborn for awhile I'm pretty picky.

Chicken is of the quality you're used to from a good Middle Eastern place, gyros are always good as well.

Overall, tasty food, pretty reasonably priced, prepped quickly.  This is a win-win when compared with any other quick food -- any day.
3 - Sarah R.: I work in an office near here, so my co-workers and I hit it pretty regularly. They are always doing a TON of takeout/delivery business whenever I'm in there, so it's obvious that people working in downtown Ann Arbor love it. Big positive: the service is usually friendly and quick. 

I find the food and the prices to be fair-to-middlin', though. I've had the tuna pita wrap here, which was OK, but nothing special. The fries are good, but you do pay for them- quite a bit more than fast food fries will cost you. I've also had the egg and bagel breakfast sandwich, and you could tell they fry the egg as you order, unlike fast-food places which have scrambled egg patties that they freeze and then nuke before serving.
4 - Tony C.: I have been driving past this place for many years and never stopped in.  Well, my hunger pangs hit me at JUST the right moment as I was driving by so I finally decided to give this place a shot.

I walked in, told them I needed to eat their most delicious food item and the guy said, "get the Ahmo's Gyro".  So, I did.

They put lamb, beef, and chicken into this thing.  Next time, I'm going to ask if they can use all lamb because it was easily the most tender and flavorful meat.  Oh yum.  He was right.  This is a damn good gyro.  The chicken and beef weren't bad, but not as tender or flavorful.

The standout part about the gyro was that it wasn't doused with garlic sauce.  Most other places that make gyros drench the pita in garlic sauce, almost making the entire sandwich taste like a mayo/garlic sandwich.  Ahmo's didn't need to pull that trick given the fact that their ingredients stand on their own without the overpowering of garlic.

Another side point:  All along one of the side walls is a fridge filled with various beverages.  I almost felt like I was walking into a convenience store.  That surprised me, but then I saw that they had Diet Coke Lime in a 20 oz bottle.  Oh snap!  I've walked into a dozen convenience stores in Ann Arbor and no Diet Coke Lime for moi.

So, I'm going to stop in to Ahmo's...for both the gyro and my Diet Coke Lime.
1 - Stacy W.: Wow, talk about terrible service!

Today I ordered Ahmo's to be delivered to me at work. The delivery driver called before he got here and asked me to meet him on the street, instead of the usual coming into where I am. When I did meet him, he didn't have my credit card slip to sign, and insisted that I pay in cash, even though I gave  the credit card number over the phone. He put me on speaker phone, still refusing to come into the business, and had me talk to someone at Ahmo's to put my credit card through. Embarrassing, standing on the sidewalk, giving my credit card number again!
I called back later, to explain the situation and describe the bad service. The manager was not accommodating, instead telling me that he would "speak to the driver"
Twenty minutes later, the driver called me back to basically yell at me and demand to know why I hadn't left a tip and why I had called his manager. 

I think I won't be ordering Ahmo's again, which is a shame because their food is really good :-(
5 - M M.: There's almost nothing bad about Ahmo's!  From their little smart car delivery vehicle (appealing to my love of all things miniature) to the ridiculously nice people who work there, Ahmo's is awesome.  It was our go-to place as we stumbled back home from football games this year, and the portions are pretty big.  The falafel sandwich and the greek salad are great, as is the giant wall of beverages.  The only downside to this place is that they close pretty early, around 10pm.  If they stayed open later, I would definitely hit them up for late night food.  I also have to say, the people who work here are SO great.  I wandered in once for ice cream, and the counter guy refused to let me pay for it because they didn't have the toppings I wanted.  So overall, great service and great food!
5 - Ellen L.: I think I stole my friend's gyro. And it was awesome. The best gyro I've had , not too much meat, fat, and sauce and with more veggies.  The smoothies were too sweet with syrup, but they have this awesome tea dispenser so you can choose 4 different types of teas. They get 5 stars just for the tea.
4 - Chaely C.: The food isn't exactly anything to write home about, but it's consistent & never disappoints. However, they definitely make the best basic gyro & I haven't found a philly cheesesteak as good as theirs in this city yet. Their fries are stellar, too & the orders always come out fast. I order through CampusFood.com occasionally & that's been a positive experience as well. They have a drink cooler the size of most gas stations so I've been known to pop in just to pick up a 20oz of something now & then.

The guys who run this place are always polite & jovial. I'm pretty sure it' a family business which doesn't help or hurt anything but I feel good supporting them. The dining room is pretty lacking on atmosphere but for a meal under $10 I don't expect much atmosphere anyway.

My ONLY complaint is that their take out boxes & fountain drink cups are all styrofoam but that's still so common you can hardly fault them for it.
1 - Brian J.: I went to pick up a couple to-go orders for friends and when I got back I found out they'd charged me for (and sent with me) food that none of us had ordered.

When I asked for my money back, they suggested they give me a store credit instead.  I insisted that I wanted my money back and they refused to send a delivery driver to get the food/bring my cash.  I had to travel all the way back to the store (with the extra/unwanted food) and that was my last experience with Ahmo's.  No friendly apology when i got there either.

I know they're cheap, but you can spend your dollars elsewhere and get the same caliber of food.

I just started my yelp account or else I would've posted this long ago.
2 - Chad C.: A decent take-out place when you're not looking for anything superb, but just something to fill you up, which is what their gyros do for me.
1 - O'Shea J.: total baby poop. I once got a Gyro with rock salt in it, like the shit you throw on the sidewalk, no shit.  They mixed up their buckets of salt or something that day.  Retards.
2 - sean s.: look i know my shawerma/gyro sandwiches.  and i know falafel.  and i know pretty much all of that.  cuz well, that's my ppl, and i am pretty damn fat, mind AND body.  so i would have to say i would recommend some other places in the area for this kind of food, ie, middle eastern/levantine "fast food."  i know other ppl that loved this place, so u should definitely try it and see for yourself because it's not like the food tastes bad or nething awful like that, it's definitely palatable and satisfying.  but imo the other places serving similar food in AA and ypsi made it all in a more delicious fashion, and i preferred them over ahmo's.  i think some of that has to do with my specific tastes stemming from my own background, so i opine recognizing that my tastes differ from others who have reasonable levels of refinement of palate.  service wise the guys here were all quite nice though, so some part of me hates to hate, but u gotta hate sometimes, and i'm trying to hate fairly here ppl.  compare this to the other local levantine establishments and find your own favorite(s) would be my rec.
4 - Clayton H.: More like a 8.5/10. Very nice! The best gyro in Ann Arbor for sure!
4 - Trevor M.: I have heard good and bad things from my friends while growing up here, but I have never had any issue with their gyro. I think it is really good and the combo deal is not too bad. Haven't had anything else but you can't go wrong with their gyro
3 - Katherine P.: I love chicken shawarmas and am always excited for the opportunity to find my next favorite. Unfortunately, that title will not be going to Ahmo's. I'm not sure what was so weird about it but it left a VERY strong taste in my mouth. I think perhaps there's too much onion, parsley and garlic. Whatever it is, the flavors didn't meld like they should. I think the chicken pieces could have been cut smaller as well. I also tried the onion rings and those were a fail - no real taste whatsoever. The chili is pretty good though. All in all - eh.

Ahshe Day Spa & Salon - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2792064, -120.6632936) ()
4 - Stacko M.: I get my hair cut here regularly.  They are an Aveda salon, love the smell of that stuff.  I've had a massage here too by  Destry, he was really good. Needs to get me another one of those!
5 - Heather S.: Before I graduated from Cal Poly, I would get my hair cut here from Danielle. She always knew how I wanted my hair cut. She did a thorough job of styling my hair after it was cut. They use Aveda products that smell really good. A normal cut from them was around $45. I usually gave her a big tip since she always did a good job.
3 - Jamie N.: I had my hair done by Stevie and she was very sweet, and the massage felt GOOD. But she did a mediocre job on my hair. I have a big head of hair so I take awhile, and her next appointment was about to start so she just stopped cutting my hair. Uh, HELLO! I understand you have another appointment, but that does NOT mean you can skimp on my hair. I would not go back there. They aren't as pricey as high end salons like Bladerunner (my fav) but I would pay more for a better cut. You just can't go cheap when it comes to hair.
5 - Joy B.: Leah!!!
                 I ABSOULITY LOVE LEAH!!!  She knows the difference between a cut and a trim!!! She listens to you and I have gots lots of complements on my hair especially the color!!!! THANK YOU LEAH!!!


Joy
4 - Danielle T.: Jenn did a great job with my hair.  I'm trying to grow it out and she was sensitive to the fact that I wanted a fresh look without taking too much off.  They do a quick oil massage for your head and neck before they wash your hair and it is so relaxing!  I'm getting sleepy just thinking about it.

Then hop over next door to Linneas for your caffeine fix and you're good!
1 - trogdor b.: had a massage here once by a man...i don't remember the man's name, but he had a unique name. i came cuz i had a coupon or something. they take you to the little hut in the back that's shared with linnaea's. 

this was my first massage from a man and it was not so nice. i felt like i was being manhandled, but you know, it just might've been the fact that another man was oiling me up. no, it's not that. for some reason, i remember a lot of slapping and pulling and such....tho, i'm sure there was no slapping... in any case, i just remember it not being very pleasant or relaxing. i usually fall asleep during a massage, i was wide awake for this one.
3 - Jennifer S.: I wish that I could give 5 stars to Candace because she always does a great job on my brows.  They are always perfect and that is a lot coming from me because i am so picky about eveything.

As for haircuts that i have had they were not that great.  There was a time that they made a mistake on the color and instead of fixing it they charged me to fix it.

I think that i will just stick to the waxing here
3 - Holly T.: Agreeing with a recent reviewer, I also wish I could give Candace 5-stars. I have been to Candace 3 times in the last year for facials and brows and have had good experiences each time, hence my return visits.

With that being said, the rest of the place needs some help. My friend and I had massages there in December. They were horrific. The girl had no skills and did NOT listen when given feedback during the massage. Also, each time I visit and wait in the front to be taken back to the treatment room, I see firsthand the lack of customer service and professionalism. I have also experienced this when trying to make appointments.

So...I'll keep seeing Candace until I move back to the Bay Area after graduation, but that is the only person I'll go to.

Even if a business is trying to go for the "casual" or "friendly" or "approachable" vibe, it doesn't mean that the staff can't be professional as well.
5 - Brenna L.: I get my hair done by Leah.  She is awesome, fast, professional and fun.  I would recommend her to anyone and I do!  I have a few friends who have gone to her and love their hair as much as me.  Thanks, Leah! You rock!  p.s. the staff is very sweet and helpful, never had a problem :)
5 - Amy K.: My review is based on my waxing experience with Candace. 

A friend recommended Candace for eyebrow waxing when I was a student at Cal Poly.  I no longer live in San Luis but, whenever I plan a trip to SLO, I also book an appointment to get my eyebrows done.  The waxing room is very private with good decor and pleasant music.  

Candace does an awesome job at shaping brows without taking off too much or too little.  The whole experience is painless and actually quite relaxing; the waxing table is super comfortable!  Candace is also an interesting and easy person to chat with.

I can't speak for the hair services at this salon but, I highly recommend Candace for waxing.
4 - Sara B.: I've had some fantastic hair cuts here, currently from Rudianne, who is personable and so popular that she books up way in advance. The stylist Stevie that another reviewer mentioned has moved on, thank goodness -- got a terrible cut and color from her that took weeks to fix, and I'm not a picky person with high-maintenance hair, just a bob and quick spot color. The place is so laid-back that sometimes you have to wait a while on the phone, but it's the most down-to-earth of all the Aveda salons in SLO County, and the only one I've returned to after trying them all. Count me a satisfied customer, especially with free wi-fi from Linnaea's coffee shop right next door.
5 - Michael R.: I went to this salon most of my college career and this is where I met the fabulous Jenn Sarchet!  This girl KNOWS hair.  While most other stylists leave me looking like a lesbian who got in fight with some garden shears, Jenn is patient and good at what she does, really listens to your needs, and this is why I always went back.  Being a boy with longer hair, Jenn knows how to layer and style and give you a look that's fabulous and on-trend.  Besides this fabulous stylist, the salon also offers almost all of the Aveda line of products and multiple other day spa treatments (which sadly I never had the chance to check out.)  I highly recommend this salon and give 5 stars to Jenn- but remember, call ahead for her, she's popular :)
5 - Nikki C.: I get my hair done by Jen who is phenomenal and all my waxing done my Candace who is exceptional.  Everyone is friendly and it is always an excellent experience.  I love the owner, Julie...she is so real and creates an environment that is comfortable, attractive, welcoming and NEVER pretentious (which I find a lot of salons to be).  I love the Aveda Concept, too...so its a huge plus that its an Aveda Salon.  I would recommend Ahshe to everyone without hesitation :)
5 - Eric G.: I got connected with an amazing stylist named Danae! She did a great job figuring out what to do with the curly mop of hair I came in with, and came up with genuinely one of my favorite cuts I've ever had! It was one of those times that you receive nothing but compliments ever since you walk out... And did I mention the euphoric scalp massage before??!

Guys. Go here.. Ask for Danae! She was great, and so was the Salon!
5 - Heather E.: Another great brow wax fro m Candace and Jenn took off 10 inches of hair for a chic bob....love it! Amazing....they are the best.
1 - m m.: would not return. was really taken aback at lack of skill, experience of my stylist. when i requested a do-over of my color....i was told that my hair was at fault not the stylist. urgh. really now....you can't live a bubble here (slo) . get some better people in your salon and a much nicer and diplomatic front desk person please! also, when getting my hair rinsed, my stylist had to stop mid stream because the other stylist in the other bowl has to use the water. WTF??? the water pressure is too weak because its an "older building' ?????. felt like a bad movie. urgh. 70 dollars down the slow drain.

Air & Space Gallery - Los Angeles, CA (34.016526, -118.28604) (South Los Angeles)
4 - Fern X.: Most people who visit Expo Park don't even recognize this place subsist and that makes me sick to the core because this is an astounding establishment to observe the end or even start your day during your brief visit at Expo Park. It has four adequate floors full of air and space wonder and you must definitely take your picture inside an ol' timey Los Angeles helicopter. It's quite the tourist attraction.

The A&S Gallery is located north of the Science Center with free admission so the next time you visit Expo Park; remember that this lovely little shindig exists.

Air Salon & Spa - Providence, RI (41.8207219, -71.4035857) (Fox Point)
4 - Hope K.: Air Salon & Spa just opened up on S. Main and I've just had my second great haircut there.  The space is beautiful, open and airy - they're still getting some things together with the decor but it's a very relaxing experience.  Leah is my stylist (I followed her from another salon) and she did another great job giving me a modern cut on my fine, thin hair.  They have plans to eventually add a juice bar and it looks like they'll offer lots of spa services.  Friendly staff, reasonable prices and a great location.
5 - Joanna r.: When you find a great stylist you stick with her (or him). In this case, I followed Leah to Air and like previous appointments with her, I was not disappointed. I received a thorough consultation , which included going over the types of products I use, routine etc. She gave me some tips to improve my hair's health and suggested products that would help reduce the dryness. Since my hair does some funky things (flips out on the left, fine texture) I pretty much give Leah free reign to do what is best to give me a style I can  replicate on a daily basis. The result, a great cut that makes my hair feel soft and full. 

The new salon is lovely- plenty of natural of light from the front windows, earth-tone color scheme with vintage touches, and most noticeable was the lack of chemical smell that usually overpowers hair salons. Overall, can't wait to come back to the salon and maybe try out a spa treatment too.
5 - Elise J.: Great new salon!  Eco-friendly decor and they use natural products.  Can't remember the last time I was in a salon and could breathe after I left. I felt really pampered, and loved the massage chair while I waited after my color went on. THAT was wonderful.  Ask for Angie, she is the owner.
5 - Amy S.: I love Angie, and I love this salon. The space is lovely... tons of natural light, high ceilings, and an eclectic decor.  Plus, as others have said - the experience is light on toxicity (not counting the glass of wine I eagerly downed upon arrival).
 
I got a semi-perm color plus cut a few weeks ago. As per usual, Angie delivered the goods. Been seeing her for years now. Lady has skills. My Korean friends are impressed that she can cut my Asian hair with such panache. 

I drive all the way from Somerville, MA for her services. Boston stylists got nothing on her. More than once, she's had to fix the mess that others made.

I also had my wedding hair done here. Angie was out of town, but Leah and the girls did a fab job that day. The champagne was nice too!
4 - Kim G.: I had been going to my hair stylist, Normand, at Hairspray on Wickenden for some time. Normally, I'm not the type of customer that likes a lot of chit-chat while I'm getting my hair cut, but Normand and I always have great conversations. Why do I bring this up? Because, genius that he is, Normand can go on and on about "jump the shark" episodes of our favorites old television shows, silly cartoons and "where are they now" 1980's one hit wonders all while giving me a FABULOUS hair cut EVERY SINGLE TIME. I get many compliments on his work and he makes the whole thing effortless and super fun. I adore his work so much, I followed him to his new salon and I am so glad I did. Great decor, awesome vibe and a dedication to green practices.

Go to Air Salon. You won't be disappointed.
1 - Tina M.: It's great to read all the wonderful reviews and that is why I purchased a Groupon. Unfortunately, my experience was not as positive. I made an appointment on Tuesday for today. I called today before my appointment, I told them who I was, my appointment time and who my stylist was and asked if they could fit in an eyebrow wax before or after my haircut/color appointment. The girl answering the phone said "sure" after would be better. 

I'm thinking, "Great, I don't have to make an extra stop". Not so great, because when I get there the girl at the front desk tells me my appointment is next Friday. There's no way I would have scheduled an appointment for next Friday because I am in a conference all day. 

The girl was smiling at me as if I had made the mistake. How could that be when I called today asking to add on to my appointment?  Wouldn't that have been a great time to tell me my appointment is next Friday?

Extremely disappointed at the customer service, or lack there of. I'm not going back for a cut and hoping to get reimbursed by Groupon.
2 - B M.: Had a Groupon for cut and partial foil. Pretty nice deal, so I figured this place was worth a shot as it wouldn't cost me an arm and a leg. My stylist was Ana. She and everyone in the salon were VERY friendly and welcoming. The place was nice without feeling pretentious. The shampoo experience was great, I did get scalded with the hair dryer a couple of times but no biggy. All a-ok EXCEPT the results of my hair. Now my hair isn't the easiest because it's wavy and layered, but come on! When asked how much I wanted off with the cut, I said clearly that I wanted it to hit at the shoulders. She confirmed an inch off, then proceeded to take off WAY more than that. I'm now looking at a butt-ugly midwest soccer mom circa 1995 hairdo that's a solid 2 inches off my shoulders.  Color job is decent. My hair will be in a pony tail for the next few months... if I can even pull it back. Won't be going back.
1 - Teeya J.: I have a Groupon for a cut and partial foil... I still "have" it because I was late for my 12 o'clock appointment today and the salon was not very accommodating about it.
I am royally miffed. And Yes! Lessons learnt, I should be mindful of weekend traffic on a nice sunny day..

Zero services rendered today. So, 1 star for now. I will update my review based on my next appointment. This better be worth all the driving.

Aiyara Thai Cuisine - Cambridge, MA (42.3722813, -71.1218011) (Harvard Square)
1 - Pinky T.: Aiyara bad place to eat.

Aiyara horrendous restaurant.

I are a very disappointed patron.

Showed up Saturday night with a group of 10. Hole in the wall Thai place; you figure it's going to be good, right? Negative. We were the only people there, and I can more or less guarantee we were the only people there the entire night. Probably the entire week.

I feel a little bit bad giving it one star because the service was excellent, but that can't possibly make up for the awful food.

Aiyara does not serve alcohol, but they let us bring in our own bottles of wine/liquor. That was a plus, but it did not make up for the awful food.

I don't know if anything could have made up for the... awful... food.

I started off with dumplings that seemed like they were reheated in a microwave. Sub par. I consider myself a dumpling connoisseur, and I was not impressed at all. For an entree, my friend and I decided to split two dishes; one called "Larb" and one called "Crying Tiger."

The Larb was ground chicken with cilantro and peanut, served with rice. It sounded great, it tasted horrendous. The crying tiger was strips of beef served with a sauce that I can best describe as tiger diarrhea, rice on the side.

I choked down dinner because I was drinking, but this was one of the worst meals (quality wise) that I've had in a long time. I love Thai food and this place almost ruined it for me. I might be exaggerating a little bit, or maybe I just got the two worst dishes in the history of this restaurant, but I did not have an enjoyable culinary experience.

On the plus side, it was $135 for 10 people. Total. But that did not make up for the awful food!
1 - Shari J.: H'ok.  So I do not have a stomach of steel.  In fact, it's more like a delicate flower.  So finding out that we were doing dinner at a Thai place did not make me do flips.  But I put my game face on and headed over to Aiyara...where we were the ONLY ones in the restaurant.  Yes, on a Sat night, prime time.  While there were some very "interesting" things on the menu (Crying Tiger, Larb, Choo-Chee Fisherman), I ordered what I thought to be the most boring, bland thing on the menu--essentially noodles, chicken and some veggies, can't go wrong!  Well, 20 minutes later, I can't feel the back of my mouth.  Fortunately, the place was BYOB, and so glad we did, and it was glorious!  The high point of the meal (if you could call it that) was the tasty lemonade.  Then we were presented with a complimentary dessert that looked like liquid poo (seriously).  The waiter said it was "bean soup".  My buddy Seth (who has his own equally glorious review) described it as chocolatey and nutty...sounds good, like Nutella maybe.  Oh lord, no one should ever eat this "thinngg".  There was corn chunks in it.  And I'll stop there because I don't feel well.  

So sure, the price was pretty damn good, but my stomach is still queasy from the meal.  There are plenty of other great restaurants in the area...
5 - P L.: I went to Aiyara with some of my friends last week. Great food! There were variety of food to choose from; I ordered Padthai and my friends ordered something else. We really liked the food there, the Padthai is not too greasy but not too dry. My friends also enjoyed their food too. The atmosphere was quiet and welcoming, not too noisy and we got to use kind of like a "private section" of the restaurant, it's like a round table, it gives you privacy. I don't know about the previous reviews (which came from the SAME group of people), but I guess Aiyara is a really good place to dine!
4 - Jessica L.: I was hesistant to try this place since the ownership had changed. But I was pleasantly surprised. I came on a Saturday night and there were maybe three guests in the restaurant, about the same as when it was Smile Thai. The lady who took my order was very attentive and when I said I was vegetarian made sure to ask me about fish sauce. The food was ready in 10 mins and the pricing was $2 cheaper than a similar dish at 9 tastes or spice (where noodle dishes are $9.99 for dinner, this place was 7.95 for dinner). The Pad See Ew was delicious, if a little dry. It also had carrots and broccoli, whereas other places give you only broccoli generally. The scallion pancake for $4.95 was a much smaller portion than what you get at Hong Kong for the same price (two huge pancakes stuffed into a takeout box), but who needs to eat all that grease anyway...

I'll be back. (For takeout- these 4 stars don't include waitress service. Dudes, if you want attentive wait service in the North, you're going to have to go to either a $$$$ restaurant, or you could suck it up and come to the SOUTH baby! Or maybe Friendly's.)
3 - Brian M.: I used to go to this place when it was Smile and liked a lot so had some trepidation about trying the successor.

Overall the experience was good; the food was excellent.  I had the Kua Gai and the gf had Pad Thai, our default choices when we hit a Thai restaurant in a starved state.  Both were superb, although I thought the Pad Thai a little sweet.  Appetisers were excellent also - golden triangles and steamed dumplings.

The service was hit-and-miss.  When we first arrived in, it took a minute for the host to show up - it later appeared she was busy doing something on a laptop.  So, ok, maybe she's doing accounts.  Menus would have been nice - she left this to the server.  Hmm.
The two waiters who served us were pleasant and 80% efficient, but had a tendency to get distracted, like they didn't know who should be covering our table.  The whole ambience was a bit like we'd arrived in 10 mins before closing time rather than 2 hours.  

That said, the food truly was yum, so would definitely go back
3 - Jen S.: I LOVED Smile Thai.  The owner, Patty, and her husband were overwhelmingly lovable, adorable, and...  the basil pad thai, well, I'm addicted to it.

So, I was very surprised when she sold the restaurant.  I needed my fix, so I still ordered from the restaurant, during the transition and since. (I did visit Patty's new location in Allston, too.)  They've definitely been trying to find what works.  Running a restaurant is a very hard endeavor.  I have no idea how people do it (except that many people who run restaurants are horrible humans, ???, in my experience, so who knows).  They've had bad times, good times.  The service is up & down. The staff has changed.  The decor has changed.  They appear to have spent a fortune on new menus -- that are really funny.

Well, currently, they finally put basil pad thai back on the menu (it is taped to the bottom of one of the pages).  Yay!  It's a bit different than the old version, but it's good.

The regular pad thai is super sweet.  I prefer pad thai to be fresh tasting, with fresh bean sprouts (not cooked) and wedges of lime to squeeze on top.

The pad kee maw is spectacular.

There are a bunch of other dishes that look really good, but... I'm embarrassed to admit that I only order the one thing every time.  They're really trying, and I appreciate that.  I hope that they figure out what works and how to survive the scary slow times (summers in Harvard Square are really tough for the local businesses that aren't tourist regulars).  

Oh, they have a weekly lunch buffet that I haven't tried yet.  Maybe soon.
2 - J P.: Smile Thai was my favorite Thai restaurant in Harvard Square. Unfortunately, the new replacement, Aiyara, is not nearly as good. I have given the new place a few chances and I'm ready to give it a thumbs down.  

I was uninspired on my first couple of visits, but my last visit  took the cake. I ordered a salmon veggie dish. The amount of  food was fairly minimal (however, this was lunchtime, dinner portions are larger), but the salmon was really poorly cooked - rock hard around the edges of the fish. I almost cracked a tooth when I bit down. I'm not sure what the deal was, whether it was still partly frozen or if it was overcooked or what, but there was nothing good about my meal. Also, the wait staff is friendly but my water glass was empty for about 10 minutes before I got a refill.
4 - Shivani G.: On a cold and cloudy day, there is nothing better that sitting on the second floor of this establishment eating warm soup while you look out the window. 

I give it four stars because though the food is typical of Thai restaurant cuisine, the lunch offers a lovely array of small-portioned dishes for those not on a student budget.
3 - Jamie K.: i'd give aiyara 4 stars for food and 2 stars for atmosphere. i suppose in some ways it's not their fault that the place was empty on a sunday night, but judging from other yelpers' reviews, it's usually empty. inside it looks like your generic asian restaurant, except for the giant flatscreen tv. the place is huge - when i went to go find the bathroom, i was amazed to find yet another big empty room - and for their sake, i hope that they every once in awhile fill up all those tables! and although the quality of the food is one hundred times more important than atmosphere, but sometimes i'm just not sold.

the food, though, was delicious! my friend and i split a pad thai and a roast duck fried rice. yes. roast. duck. fried. rice. and i'm not talking tiny little square pieces of meat, like in roast pork friend rice. i'm talking big, 3-inch circumference pieces of roast duck, mixed in with peas and carrots and fresh ginger. the ginger really made the dish! so good...... and the pad thai was nice and thick, leaving the noodles kinda chewy, just the way i like it. the chicken in the pad thai was a little dry, though, but no worries. it was a good quantity of food, and came to about $20. 

my friend is allergic to, well, everything, and they were easily able to accommodate her and make the food without egg. 

so maybe i'd get take-out, or maybe they deliver, or maybe it's good for a night when you don't want to do the pomp and circumstance of fancy harvard square dining, or maybe it's perfect when you don't want a single person to watch you stuff your face.....
5 - Marcos W.: I could eat here every day for the rest of my life. I've had lots of Thai food in my life at a few different restaurants around the US but the veggie tom kha and the sweet and sour tofu here were far and above the best I have ever had. I've been back a few times and it's always great.
3 - Stephanie L.: The boyfriend and I went for the first time last night. We thought the decor was a pretty decent improvement compared to the predecessor, Smile Thai. 

The food was decent - no complaints, but nothing stunning (we ordered pretty standard dishes, after all). The atmosphere bothered me a little, in that the TV was on and quite loud (I think the workers were enjoying it), and it really took away from the ability to have a quiet conversation in peace. The waitresses were really sweet, although I wish they didn't feel the need to say "Excuse me!" every time they refilled my water (which was about 15 times, because I drink a lot). I love good service, I really do, but it was a borderline interruption with the way it was carried out. 

This all said, the price was decent - probably a couple dollars cheaper than the other Thai places around the square - and the food was enjoyable. Food was acceptable, though not stellar. Not the best atmosphere, but for the price, what should one expect?
1 - Jihye S.: I used to love this place, but I doubt I'd ever go back again.

I have had Seafood Madness and Silver Soup dishes from this place hundreds times past several years. (Since the time it was called Smile)

It has a nice decor and atmosphere. It is quiet and spacious enough for big groups and romantic dates. The price is reasonable, and slightly cheaper than Spice and 9 Tastes of Harvard Square. Has a lot of varieties in the menu.

The brown rice they cook daily every morning, it smelled bad already at 5pm. 

In my seafood dish, I found a small piece of meat, either duck or chicken.

I am going to 9 tastes instead. I will replace Aiyara's Seafood madness with 9 Tastes' Phuket seafood.

I am dissappointed with Aiyara. When it was called "Smile" it wasn't this bad.... when my friends didn't like this place, I used to defend this place and speak highly of their foods, but now I doubt their hygienic, and I am not going back.
2 - San Francisco Foodies M.: Two stars for location.

It's nice to be perched up on the second story, looking down at the world on a blustery day, but at Aiyara, there are too many distractions.

Decor: Oversized faded drapes cover half the windows and close up the space. Old fashioned furniture. Not attractive, not appealing, just a distraction.

Food: 
Two Spring Rolls- mediocre. Took more than half an hour to prepare. I didn't think that was possible. 
Seaweed Salad- my friend had gone there before and thought the salad was too oily, so she requested a lighter version. Unfortunately, it turns out the seaweed comes packed in oil and the cooks said there was nothing to be done about it. So we decided to order their Thai salad.
Thai salad- huge chunks of cucumber, iceberg lettuce, and bland beefsteak tomatoes. Nothing special. The sauce was decent, but even the best sauce can't make cardboard palatable. 

Service: Terrible
Waiter- Could not speak English. Very shy. Very insecure. Very afraid of customers.
Owner's Son- Watched TV, stared at customers, didn't work, just pretended he was the boss
Owner- Tried her best to make customers happy, but could do little with the slow back of house and incompetent servers
3 - Lauren G.: Aiyara is fine- the location is nice (2nd floor) and the food is fine however there are a couple other Thai places in the square that are better for the same price!

  Aiyara has solid food.  The usual standard Thai fare- the Pad Thai is ok (but nothing to get overly excited about).  The decor is a little "tired" but serviceable.  The service is good and they can accommodate a large party (which is an issue for other Thai places in the square which are a bit smaller).  The issue is that the price is equivalent to both 9 Tastes and Spice... which are both within a couple of blocks and the other two just outshine Aiyara.  It is fine- just not my first choice.
1 - Kiki H.: Awful service. Server didn't know what their own menu was and came back to ask us "what is crispy duck?" They took my plate away before I was finished-didn't even ask!!! They advertise they have alcohol, but once seated, we asked and they said they do not have alcohol. All in all, the service sucked, but the food was good. They got their Pad Paradise wrong & didn't put shrimp in it, which it should have by default based on the menu. Bad service, good food. I would not recommend.
1 - Hope P.: Giving this restaurant one star is being nice!  When we got there, not only I had something floating in my water after asking for some twice, the food was gross!  

We got the appetizer combo, and the crab ragoons were very greasy, along with the spring rolls.  I will say the steamed shumai were okay.

The steamed shrimp wonton soup was okay, no flavor.  It was when I got the Thai Grilled Chicken Salad that was all fatty stuff, skin, and mystery meat.  The waitress also forgot  to put in my husband meal.  

I told the waitress that I am not paying this and the fact she forgot a meal...she hardly understood me, so I told her to tell the manager who was on the internet sitting in the booth while the waitresses were seating and greeting people.  The waitress comes over to tell me that the manager refused and told me I had to pay.  I told her to go back and tell her I am not paying.  The manager seemed very annoyed that I had to interrupt her. She came over to ask what happened, I explained and she kept stating that I had to pay.  Then she stated American chicken has thicker skin.  I laughed, and stated it does not.  She kept refusing; I then told her she can call the cops!  She decided to finally take the meal off.
4 - Stacy P.: This is a really great place for lunch. I had a great view from the 2nd story window. There was lots of light in the place.
The staff was SUPER quick, which is always a plus for Harvard Square lunch. The lunch special was fantastic and it was the perfect amount of food. You get an app, soup, salad, and entree. But I ate it all, which is good because I don't like feeling like I wasted food that I'm not going to take home at a lunch meal. Anyway, price was also really really good based on the amount of food. It was about $8!
GO! GO! 
Go to this little gem of a spot before it becomes so popular that you will have to wait at lunch time!
It's that good!
3 - Vince T.: Eh, the last couple of times I've been have left me a bit less enthused about this place.  It's slightly dirty & the food just doesn't have a lot of pizzazz.
4 - Josephine P.: I came here once with a few friends and we were pre-warned about the "terrible service" so we get there and yeah we are all ready to get annoyed because nobody is seating us and we were waiting, conspicuously for 15-20 minutes.
Finally someone comes. 
...she doesn't really speak English.
So we get seated and we order. Things aren't super cheap but I ordered my favorite Thai dish which is Tom Yom.
It is huge. What a plus.
All my friends really loved their food and they have very generous portions.
I have been to Thailand and honestly, that brought me back.
Anyhow, long story short, I realized that all this crap about bad service is just because the waitresses didn't really speak English.
It doesn't mean they were rude, or inattentive or bad at all.
They genuinely tried and were really sweet about it.
I personally can't be too harsh on the service if it's based on a language barrier. We wanted authentic and we got authentic.
Our food was awesome.... and there you have it.
If you want authentic, be prepared to endure some miscommunication and be tolerant. 
In a situation where you are seeking a cultural experience, it's not that THEY dont' speak English, it's that YOU don't speak Thai. Stop the crying.
So yeah if you just want random Americanized, no hassle Thai food. Go somewhere else.
3 - Jeff D.: Attempted to eat here tonight (Saturday) and the door was locked at 6:40pm.   

I'm guessing that means they are closed for good or the owner's son got too drunk to be bothered with opening?

Ajanta - New York, NY (40.8098709, -73.9588511) (Morningside Heights)
3 - Heather H.: This is one of my favorite good, cheap, filling meal places.  It's standard Indian fare right near Columbia.  The wait staff is always polite and helpful.

I'm a big fan of their paratha (the ghee-est) and lamb dishes.  Also, the appetizer sampler is very good.
4 - BB T.: I love this place.

So much.

So.  So.  Very Much.

BONUS FUN GAME:  While eating your food, try not to fall in love too fast.  Seriously.  Take your time.  You just got out of a bad relationship.  Don't fall for the first indian food you see, for Chrissake.
3 - Gabby D.: Like Heather H. says, this is your standard Indian fare.  You can pretty much find all the things you're craving at the moment.  The food however is mmm so-so (I'm sorry, I live 4 blocks from Little India in the East Village).  Regardless of the questionable texture of my shag poneer I still scarfed it down.  For the most part, everything is definitely affordable which is always a thumbs up in my book!  The staff is also nice enough....a little leisurely, but hey! we need more of that these days!
3 - Tanya L.: Hm, I have mixed feelings about Ajanta. Their shrimp curry is hit or miss. Sometimes it is nice with a good, hearty, robust consistency. Other times it is really watery. Their parantha is decent. 

If I ever get carry out, they always let me sit down at a table, filling my glass with ice water before they give me my bag. Even though I'm not dining in, they treat me as if I was. Points for thoughtfulness!
1 - liz g.: I just moved to the neighborhood and love indian food so I thought I would try delivery from ajanta. the only good think I have to say about them is that the delivery was prompt and hassle free. but the food was absolutely awful. seriously the worst takeout of any kind I have ever had. I got samosas which were so undercoooked the potatoes were crunchy and chicken saag that - despite the fast that I ordered it spicy - tasted like not much more than a defrosted bag of frozen spinach with some bland and fatty bits of chicken. And the entire meal was lukewarm at best. I should have spent 1/3 of the money and gotten jimbos.
4 - Sarah E.: I like the food, even though I haven't ordered anything spicy, I've enjoyed all of it. 

$20 for two veggie entrees and veggie samosas. They come with enormous servings of rice. The delivery guy is one of the waiters or busboys, so he comes all dressed up, which is AWESOME. 

They also have a great special if you dine-in.
1 - Sriram V.: Yikes. Terrible. Stay Away. 

If you think Ajanta is the best Indian food you've ever had, you've got another thing coming. A couple of pet peeves I have with Indian food is when restaurants start throwing in broccoli and zucchini into some of their mixed-vegetable dishes, and Ajanta unfortunately does that at every available opportunity. It's a little unfortunate that Ajanta is so poor, because they've got such a great location right next to Columbia. Oh, well.
1 - Neha M.: please don't eat here. I've had my fair share of indian food, and ajanta is in my bottom two. Bland spiceless food, lacking salt, half frozen peas, disgusting and flavorless. Worst $20 I've ever spent. Go to Murray hill for awesome Indian food :) Not to mention the ambiance is tacky and horrendous.
1 - adam w.: I live around the corner from this place and I love Indian food, so when I first moved in I was excited.

It looked like a real Indian restaurant like the kinds that are all over San Francisco.  You know, like Shalimar, Pakwan, Naan n' Curry and friends.  Old decor, cheap prices, great food.

Except, scratch the great food part.  In fact it's not just not great, it's absolutely terrible.  No joke, worst food I've ever been served in a restaurant, ever.

I tried, oh I tried.  It's so convenient, and the prices are so right.  I went back three times.  Meats, no go.  Veggies, worse.

I really wish this place would close so that a real restaurant could move in.  I really don't understand how it stays in business in the first place.

If you like undercooked pancake batter naan, rubbery meat and watery curries with little to no spice, this is your place.  Otherwise, run!
1 - Jordan B.: No, Bad! Bad!

Sorry, I'm not one to vote Nay on an establishment where friendly, pleasant nonresident aliens are trying to make a decent living just to be mean about it. 

Worst food in New York City? Maybe! Monumental Fail!!!
1 - Rachel G.: I lived above Ajanta for 9 months, and only visited once.  At first I was intrigued by the scents floating through my window, but after I ate there, they only made me nauseated.

This place has the worst Indian food I've ever had.  I ordered muttar paneer and it was very bland and tasteless.  My dining companion's food was the same.  The service is fine, but who cares when the food is so terrible?  For good Indian food in the neighborhood, try Calcutta Cafe on 104th and Broadway.
3 - Danny H.: The staff is not very friendly, but I do take-out most of the time so they don't give me grief. 

I've eaten in a couple of times, and the waiters have not been very attentive. They walk around without a smile on their face and don't make you feel very at home.

The food is okay, especially for the price. The portions are fair for the price.
1 - Margaret T.: Everything about this place sucks.  I live directly across the street and always smell the curry so I was excited when my roommate suggested we try it.  We ordered several dishes and none of them were that good.  The nan and veggie samosas were okaaay...The deep fried eggplant appetizer tasted like a big ball of dough and didn't come with a sauce.  The okra entree was terrible and tasted like absolutely nothing when I requested it extra spicy.  The service was awful with the manager giving attitude and slamming plates around.  The waiter was totally mute and hit my fork with the water pitcher twice and only apologized when I stared at him.  

The bad food was almost forgivable but on top of that awful service, this place is totally unacceptable.  I'm never going back which is unfortunate because now I have to walk a couple blocks for Indian food.
1 - Kristin H.: This restaurant has the dubious distinction of being the only bad Indian restaurant I have ever eaten at. Don't waste your money. Steer clear of this place. It was so bad I didn't even bring home the leftovers. The sauces are bland imitations of what they are supposed to be, the veggies seem to have been frozen... yuck.
4 - Melissa R.: I am a fan of their lunch special, where $7 keeps me full for the rest of the day; I am a voracious eater.  The chicken curry dish is actually quite toothsome served with a generous side of basmati rice and a steamy, savoury cup of dahl.  

The service is prompt and courteous.  Once, the waiter noticed from my coughing and nose-blowing that I had a slight cold.  He offered me extra tea at no charge, extra chutneys and sauces to help clear my sinuses (they worked), and even more napkins for my nose.  He even gave me one more cup of tea to go on my way out.  And the food was way more filling and nourishing than any $8 iron-pressed sandwich.
1 - Kim D.: They advertise a lunch special of $6.95.  I ordered the shrimp curry off of the board for take-out.  People who came in after me got their food first as I waited and waited.  When I finally got my order, it was $8.95.  I never saw a sign that indicated the price was higher for seafood.  At least I'm assuming that's why my meal cost more.

Anyways, I went to eat my food and it was so greasy, I couldn't finish it.  Yucky food.  I don't think I'll ever go there again.
2 - April C.: Completely underwhelming Indian food. The vindaloo was very spicy, just how I like it but it was a pretty small portion with only 1 tiny potato.  Sadly, Ajanta had low quality chicken and small portions and that's not great for me because I like to eat a lot (and by a lot I mean I love food and I like to eat a lot of it!!). The biryani was greasy and made us want to blot it off with a napkin. The service was interesting.  They were very attentive but several times they unexpectantly reached right in front of my face forcing me to stop eating. Most likely, we won't be back and are still in the hunt for an affordable, yummy Indian restaurant in the 'hood.
2 - Sheena J.: Not really great.  The mint chutney had no spunk to it and the palak paneer had some weird, yogurt thing going on.  However the redeeming qualities were the reasonable prices and the rice and daal which came free with our two orders.  I probably won't be coming back here unless I'm really desperate for Indian food near home.
3 - Chris C.: We wandered in here, drawn by the lunch special advertised on the sandwich board outside. $7 is pretty good for the area around Columbia. By the way, the special is eat-in only, and the menu does indicate that seafood costs more.

I was here with an Indian friend, and we didn't think the food was horrible. Certainly not the worst Indian food I've ever had. I can't imagine that being actually true for anyone, unless they've lead a sheltered food life. The food is a bit greasy (I was a little appalled by how the lamb saag seemed to be swimming in oil), but I didn't find that detrimental to the meal.

Really, the most noteworthy part of the meal was having to ask for rice and dal. Each lunch special comes with rice, dal, and tea, and when the waiter brought out our entrees, we had a suspiciously small amount of rice. When asked, the waiter claimed it was a double order, but later backtracked and brought out more rice and dal. Nice of them to accommodate their customers, but did we really have to ask? Other than that, the service was attentive.

You could do a lot worse for lunch for that price around Columbia. At least we were full after eating.
4 - erika s.: Really cheap and delish lunch special (around 8 bucks w/ tax).  

The naan is always hot and fresh.  

No matter what dish we order,  the two sauces and onions that are always put at the table during a meal adds spicy extra yum to any meal.

I am always full when I leave, portions are perfect size.  Chicken dishes are always done well.
3 - Melissa G.: Fairly good Indian food.  Went for lunch and they do have quite a few choices for $6.95 so price was very good.  We had the app sampler which was ok (nothing stands out).  The breads were pretty good and the entrees were flavorful.  They were good size (not huge) and the rice was tasty.  Overall, I give it a shoulder shrug and an "ehhh, it's ok".
2 - Dimitrios D.: This is pretty darn bad Indian food.

The service is awkward, as the men who wait on your never smile or even feign niceness.  They just exude an aura of unpleasantness, and kind of make it seem like you are disturbing them.

The papadum was terrible, as were the three chutneys given with it.  The chutneys were literally watered down (I'm assuming in an attempt to save money, but come on...).  Very little flavor, and atrocious consistency (unless you count water as a nice consistency for a chutney).

My crab curry was half decent, surprisingly, but admittedly smelled NASTY.

My friend asked for extra naan, and hilariously enough, the waiter brought the two of us ONE piece of naan.  Yes.  ONE PIECE OF NAAN= "EXTRA" NAAN HERE.
4 - Jackie G.: I ordered the chicken tandoori to go, while my friends got some American fare at a sandwich shop next door. The chicken was so tender and plentiful atop a container full of rice. The soup in a cup was a nice compliment to the meal. I had so much I was fed for lunch and later night dining. The service was quick, and the waiter brought me water while I waited. If I went to Columbia, I think I'd stop by here for some Indian food at a good value.
2 - Frances O.: I ordered chicken tikka masala and curried potatoes, cauliflower and peas. The entrees were sized pretty modestly and each small entree was sent with a container of rice twice the size. eek. the delivery was pretty fast and the price point decent for the amount of food (rice) that I was sent. The naan was definitely microwaved, so I tossed it in my broiler for a few seconds to fix it. All in all, delicious Indian delivery can be ordered from other places to get more impressive results for your take out money.
4 - Kimberly W.: I'm also surprised by all the negativity here. I've been here twice, and both times I have left satisfied. 

I highly, highly recommend the lamb biryani which was absolutely delicious, the rice was perfectly cooked, and I loved the nuttiness and the hint of sweetness added to the dish with the pistachio and raisins. 

More than anything, I liked the personal service. I don't know the name of our server, but he was a kindly, older man who upon collecting our dishes after the meal, and seeing that I hadn't finished the yellow lentil soup, insisted that I throw in some of my boyfriend's leftover basmati rice, add a garnish of onions that they provided at each table, and try it again. 

I did, and it was delicious. 

I thought it was very sweet and I could tell he was pleased when we finished the bowl clean when he returned. 

I've been there twice now, and I know I'll be back.
2 - Steven P.: I haven't actually eaten here; I ordered delivery from Ajanta once. 

Tried samosas, chicken tikka masala, some sort of fish curry, and naan on the side. I don't remember details, but I remember every dish either being bland or being generally unpleasant to eat. My girlfriend liked the naan, but I found to be big and thick. I suppose I prefer my naan thinner and more delicate. 

It's convenient that they deliver, but I have no plans on ordering from them in the near future.
1 - mitra g.: The most disgusting restaraunt in the Columbia area. DON'T DO IT. I asked the waiter if he had vegetarian tiki masala and he said "yes but it's not on the menu." I ordered that and naan. What came out was a yellow sauce that smelled like vomit. I told him this is not tiki masala and he kept calling it some name and I said but that's not tiki masala . He understood but they are so cheap and short-sighted he didn't want to even try to take the vomit back.  So I decided to try it because I was quite hungry and boy was that a mistake , it was horrendous. I had to sanitize my mouth since. So I decided to eat the naan. This is not naan, guarantee they do not have a naan oven there. It was old bread that they put tons of butter on and microwaved. I mean really. And it smelled like hell too. I have never left my entire order at a restaraunt, EVER. He not only didn't give a damn , he charged me for the whole order then blocked my path while he scrutinized my signature on the receipt! I had to say excuse me for him to move so I could leave! He has no shame. If you want Indian there is a place at about 108th and broadway that is pretty good, def above average. Do not go to this dump, it's pure trash .
2 - J C.: Not the best Indian food, but I admit that I still eat here b/c I live close, the prices are good, and bad Indian food is still tasty.
2 - Ryan D.: I feel like I'm being generous with 2 stars. I thought Saag Aloo would be pretty tough to make unappetizing, but I thought wrong.

Next time, I'll gladly walk 10 blocks or so for better Indian or Pakistani food.
4 - Michelle C.: While there are four stars up there, I can't say this is the best review ever.  Ajanta and I have a tumultous history.  There was a night where the was something wrong with the flavor of the samosas... I still can't talk about it.  I have seen chicken tikka masala of a color that I had never seen before (a strange, almost neon pink/red, with a yellow to it).  I have been delivered paratha that was like rubber.

At this point (if you're still reading), you're probably wondering why I went back after any one of those experiences, since we're talking food and not a chemistry lab.  Ajanta is the ONLY Indian restaurant that delivers to me and Indian is my favorite cuisine.  While I don't order from them often, I have, on occasion, suffered mediocrity (or downright bad food) to "enjoy" some almost passable vegetable samosas and aloo matar gobi.  More often, though, I have found frozen Indian cuisine is better.  

However (and here's where I explain the stars above), my friend and I had a craving for Indian tonight and not having anything in my apartment, I ordered their food.  We braced ourselves for subpar "Indian" yet a memorable delivery experience, but we were pleasantly surprised.  It was clearly still Ajanta's food (it's pretty far from authentic, no matter how good), but there was something different...  

First, the containers for the entrees was plastic, which I liked because I can wash and reuse it.  Also, it allowed us to see the color of the food.  Instead of the chicken makhani having a strange hot pink hue, it was a nice, normal burnt orange color with a rich, creamy sauce.  I wasn't hesitant about eating it.  The meat was flavorful and well cooked, not chewy.  

The aloo matar gobi had large pieces of cauliflower and potatoes.  It wasn't all sauce and the vegetables were tender, but not too soft.  

Our vegetable samosas were crisp on the outside and the perfect consistency on the inside: the carrots were soft (not hard/crunchy), as they should be, and the potatoes tasted like potatoes.  The flavors worked (this is not always the case; about 25% of the time the flavor is off).

I had to come on and write a review.  I don't know what's changed or if I just hit it on an especially good (read: excellent) night, but we're very happy.  It was almost as if I had ordered from Indus Valley (almost, but not at all).  The only thing that was a miss was the rice.  It used to be delicious basmati rice (sometimes the best part of the meal!), but tonight it was just plain white rice.  Hopefully, these standards stay (and the white rice was just a fluke)! 

Let's be honest, I'll keep ordering anyway... at least until there's an  Indian restaurant in W. Harlem.
5 - Paulo A.: Very nice place. Good decor. It is a great low-budget option for dates.
Had an amazing lentil soup.
3 - Snook C.: I thought that the food was good, but I was starving after a long day in the city. I am surprised that this place got such a bad review. I thought that the food was good. I was not particularly impressed or blown away, but I thought that it did worth the try. 

The service was really fantastic and personalized. There were not a lot of people, so we pretty much got the attention. It was really well decor. 

We order a few different kinds of curries. We were really satisfied by the quantity of the food. The naan was good too.

However, there are better indian food out there, so yelp some. But this is definitely not a bad option in the area.
2 - Sonwabile A.: Well, well, we'll I have visited this place many times and for some reason the service is not what it supposed to be. There was a table of six and I but afterwards the customers started pouring in. For the price it was not too bad, but you can get better indian food on B'way and 109
3 - Tiffany C.: I went with a friend who was Indian and she said it was pretty good, not the best but good enough. The prices are ok, not to expensive. The portions are kinda of small so we needed to get three dishes for the 2 of us. You def can not share a meal at this restaurant if you have a normal appetite.We got the lamb vindaloo and it was the spiciest food i think i have ever had and my Indian friend said the same thing. I think my taste buds were dead after that. All I could taste was spicy, i think i drank about 10 glasses of water and was still dying and i like spicy. Overall it was a good restaurant, but wouldn't go out of my way to go back.
5 - Samson W.: Great food. Best paratha I've ever had. Sauces were the bomb. Makes me think I could be vegetarian.
1 - Scott L.: Nothing was very good, and the delivery took a long time, too. 

The online menu was confusing to figure out. There were pampadam flavors, but no pampadams. The paratha was dry. The lamb was very fatty and tough. The sauce itself was thick with grease.
4 - Rui T.: I like this restaurant. This restaurant has good price and serve dishes quickly. I don't understand why this restaurant is such a low star average. Chicken masara can adjust spicy level and rice is unlimited. When I want to get energy, I go to this restaurant and try spicy curry. This is one of my energy booster restaurant.
3 - Prashanth K.: Ajanta is an acquired taste. It's the best Bangladeshi style Indian food you can get in Morningside Heights! Bangladeshi Indian restaurants usually give you complimentary papaddam (at dinner only), dahl (lentils) and rice (in NYC restaurants at least). While many don't like this place, I think people should still give it a chance - it is important you find your favorite dish or two and stick to it. I found mine and it wasn't even on the menu. A few years ago, I was feeling like paneer makhni, and simply asked the waiter if they could make it. He politely obliged - I have eaten here for 3 years now, and it is officially on the menu. They have a lunch special.
1 - Herbert M.: I just moved into its nabe and was hopeful. But my hopes were dashed. I do not recommend this restaurant at all.

I should add I am a big fan of Indian style food.

Red Chef
2 - Kurt Q.: I went to Ajanta solo and in a relatively calm state of mind: a perfect Yelp tabula rasa. I anticipate in 200 days, I will have cometely forgotten I went to this place. Gone, Men In Black style.

First of all, when I went in, the place was empty. I literally almost walked into their kitchen to find an employee to seat me. Now look: as is common in NYC, the waitstaff did not speak English--and I never hold that against a restaurant--but there was still no effort to be sanguine and appreciative of my patronage. "Thank you's went unacknowledged, plates were put down clunkily, and when it got to the point at the end of the meal where I had to dish out a tip, it was only then that the waiter asked me, either with no sleep or under some kind of sedative, if I went to Columbia.

The aura of the place is strange. While it is cloth napkin, the place resembles a cross between a gay bathhouse from the 70s and Grandma's den. The fuchsia walls are flat out gaudy and the withering plants are obnoxiously shoved in the window-front, side by side. They need to do some kind of thoughtful renovation going forward.

Then came the food. Prices were the main attractant here: an entree is between $9 and $13. Unfortunately, you get a bit less in quality for what you pay for. The glass of water had a paint chip floating in it, the chicken tikka masala was like the food that salesmen who demonstrate kitchenware at corporate expos make at the end of their showing, and I didn't even know what something on the table was. It was this little cup of like soup or something. When I asked my lethargic waiter what it was he said, "Whatever you want it to be," which, I'll be honest, him saying that against the hot pink wall got me a bit eeked. The food was just characterless, no tones or textures... Maybe one rung outside the "bad" category.

This place has potential. They're in a great location, they have a nice menu, and Indian is in. They just need to grab some coffees and sit down in their backroom and determine how they can take their business to the next level (and how to fix the broken ceiling tile).
1 - Brittany A.: If I could give this place 0 stars I would.  Ajanta is probably the worst restaurant I have ever been to in NYC.  In a city with such delicious cuisine where I am rarely disappointed, I was completed disgusted by the quality and taste of the food at Ajanta.  After looking on yelp at the horrible reviews for this restaurant, I was really hesitant on even stepping foot in here.  However, my friend was persistent on eating here since it was close to his apartment.  I don't care about proximity. This place does not deserve my money.  

We ordered a veggie dish with cauliflower and chicken korma.  Both were almost un-edible.  The chicken looked funny.  It is as if they chose any part of the chicken and through it in the dish.  My friend cut it open and their was blood inside of it.  Completely disgusted it was hard for me to even touch the veggie dish which lacked flavor and was completely dry. I don't know how this restaurant even stays open.  

When we showed the waiter the chicken he shrugged it off.  I am so beyond grossed out by this place even thinking about it.

Aji Picante - Pittsburgh, PA (40.437593, -79.9228378) (Squirrel Hill)
5 - Jill R.: This restaurant has terrific food.  The pricing is very fair and the atmosphere is really special but what will keep you coming back is the amazing food. We had 2 appetizers - the ceviche and the shrimp and mashed potato appetizer-- both were wonderful even if almost too pretty to eat! And that house salad with heirloom tomatoes was phenomenal! I can't stop thinking about The crispy pork shank. The crispy outside was amazing and the meat inside tender and falling off the bone.  Served with side dishes of beans and rice and a to-die for savory sauce with veggies and beer and cilantro.  I almost NEVER like leftovers, but I could not wait to get home from work today to have the leftovers ( no one could finish it in1 sitting). And it was great reheated.  My husband tried the Paella and It too was memorable and our daughter tried the fried chicken breast that was flattened and fried with a super crispy coating. This was served with a fried bean cake, fabulous Fried potatoes reminiscent of the frite we loved in Belgium and the dish came with a fantastic banana side and this pickled red onions salsa that was wonderful.  Lucky for us, the portion was huge and this too wasexcellent reheated.As a sweet lover, I found the 2 desserts we ordered to both be extraordinary.the first was a caramel pudding ( dulche de leche) with a light meringue topping.  As good as anything we ate when we were in South America.The coconut rice pudding with fresh mano featured freshly grated coconut and was very thick and heavy and different fromAmerican rice pudding and highly addicting. Loved the tamarind drink but the fruit punch was every bit as good.
Can't wait to go so we can try the other equally tempting things on the menu.  Only problem is that everything we had on our first visit was so good, I'm wondering if we will want to risk venturing out to try different things or just repeat what we already know and reorder the same delicious things we had this time...I'll keep you posted but it looks like the Pamela's group has another hit on their hands!  I predict huge success!  PS BYOB. They don 't have a liquor license.
5 - Roxana O.: I went to Aki Picante last night and it was AMAZING... The BEST food I've had in a very long time. The 'Causa de Langostinos', 'Seco de Cerdo' and 'Suspiro a la Limeña' for dessert were to die for... and the waitresses were super attentive and sweet, definitely one of the gems of Squirrel Hill. The prices were reasonable and, personally, I love places that are BYOB (and that don't charge a cork fee) LIKE THIS ONE!!! This is surely a great restaurant and I foresee and amazing success for it. Thank you for an unforgettable night!
3 - S K.: We were very eager to try out this place since we love La Feria and Peruvian food in general. We checked the menu and ordered 3 appetizers- the entrees were pricey and we wanted to try more items. The ceviche was good and my partner wiped the plate clean. we both thought the fish was more cooked that it usually is in ceviches (in Peru and other places here). The corn fitters were next- the sauces were good but the fritters were fried dark brown and were immensely salty. The waitress did say the chef would work on it in the future (!). We had a chicken-on-a-stick appetizer which was not yet on the menu. This was also had a liberal dosage of salt but was not bad. The sauces are the same for 2 of these three.
We had the tamarind mojito which was good. For dessert we tried the suspiro- port wine whipped cream over peruvian dulce de leche. This one was great but really really sweet. I would try the arroz con leche the next time.

The service is great but I'm not sure how soon I'll be back.
3 - Jeff G.: My wife and I went here and our overall feeling was, meh.

We had the corn fritters and some kind of salad to start. The former was bland and the latter consisted of "spring mix" from Giant Eagle with some added veggies. For an entree, we shared the tilapia, which was beautifully prepared, but not very tasty. And it cost $20+...for tilapia? I can get 5lbs of the stuff for $20 at Whole Foods. 

Anyway, the atmosphere is nice and the staff were very friendly, but for the price, it's not worth it at all. I can spend the same at, say Dinette, and get a MUCH better meal. 

The truth is, that we're really sad about this. We love La Ferria in Shadyside and since we live i Squirrel Hill we were very excited to have something like it within walking distance. Unfortunately, it did not deliver. I think we'll give them a few months to work things out and try it again. If it's as bland then as it was now, we'll be skipping this eatery.
4 - Alyssa M.: I went to Aji Picante for dinner tonight, and I have to say that everything I tried was delicious, so I would say my rating is more of a 4.5 than a 4.  For an appetizer, my friends and I split the corn fritters and the ceviche.  The sauces for the corn fritters were absolutely delicious--especially the Andean mint sauce! The ceviche was also very fresh and had a nice bright flavor.  As an entree, I had the Quinotto which was a simple dish, and was a cross between a risotto and a quinoa salad--it had great flavors and lots of bright, fresh veggies, though it was a little on the salty side.  To finish, we shared the Suspiro de Limena which had a dulce de leche base with a port wine whipped cream on top--it was very sweet but also very tasty, especially the whipped cream on top.  The service was excellent and incredibly friendly and all of our group left incredibly satisfied with our dinner.
5 - Daniel T.: I went to Aji Picante a few nights ago with a couple of other people, and the overall experience was superb. The service was extremely friendly from the minute we walked in the door. As it was my first time eating Peruvian food, I asked a lot of questions and our server was very knowledgeable of the menu-- I ended up learning quite a lot and was able to choose some tasty dishes. The ceviche appetizer was fantastic-- well-prepared and full of flavor. As an entree, I got the scallops, which were baked in white wine and parmesan on egg fettuccine with a spicy cream sauce. The scallops were perfectly tender and the fettuccine was a great accompaniment, adding just the right amount of spice to the dish. We finished up with a dulce de liche with a port whipped cream, which concluded the meal nicely. The whole meal was fantastic; I felt like I had just eaten like a king. Bravo, Aji Picante!
4 - Meredith B.: After a failed attempt to use a Groupon at Pho Van on Friday night (they were closed for renovations for a few days), we were hungry and lugging around some bottles of beer.  We needed dinner, and it needed to be BYOB.  And preferably delicious.  So we came all the way back home to Squirrel Hill, parked in front of our own apartment, and walked half a block to the new BYOB Peruvian joint - Aji Picante.

The tables on the patio were all full with happy, chatty people enjoying bottles of wine.  We went inside and were impressed by the minimalist but sleek decor.  Several very friendly servers agreed that it would only be a short wait for an outside table, so they seated us at an indoor table and brought over water and menus.  We placed our order, and waited about 10 minutes for an outside table, at which point we were graciously transplanted to the prime people-watching location on Murray Ave.

First to arrive was our appetizer of corn fritters (Torrejas de Choclo).  They were crispy, hot, and flavorful - served with wonderful sauces like guacamole, creamy mint sauce, and hot pepper sauce.  It was a great size too - four fritters - so we both got plenty of food.

Then we waited for our entrees.  And waited.  And waited.  We really don't mind waiting, especially when our server was so cheery and apologetic, but it was like....maybe 30 minutes between courses.  Our server actually offered us complementary glasses of red wine to make the time more bearable.  They don't SELL wine, so don't ask for it, but it was a nice way to make up for the slow kitchen.  Not sure if the kitchen just got backed up with large parties - they were pretty busy - or if they are just working the new-restaurant kinks out.

But, when the food did come out, it was worth the wait.  My boyfriend's Seco de Cerdo (crispy pork shank) was HUGE - "caveman" size, if you will.  The meat was juicy and flavorful, and I loved the crispy coating.  I enjoyed the Chupe (Peruvian fish stew) which was brimming with shellfish - and a poached egg! - floating in a savory, rich broth.  The portions were large; it's true, the prices are between $17-25 or so for an entree, but you really will get full here.  And the food was clearly fresh and well-prepared.  Somebody in the kitchen absolutely knows what they're doing!  If only they could do it faster...

We are thrilled to have this place in our neighborhood, and we will certainly be back.  Go on a leisurely night, bring a bottle of wine, bask in the friendly service, and order with confidence.  Welcome to Squirrel Hill!
5 - Andrea P.: Overall, dinner at Aji Picante was an exceptional experience. The food, service, and atmosphere were amazing. I thought the corn fitters were delicious, crispy on the outside and soft and smooth on the inside. It came with 3 different dipping sauces that will surely satisfy all personal tastes at your table. My entree was an oversized pork shank. It was full of flavor  but a little dry. Based on what the rest of my table ordered, I would say that you can't go wrong with a seafood option. For dessert, we shared a dulce de leche mousse that went above and beyond my expectations. I will definitely be going back!
1 - Alvaro D.: Was expecting a more Peruvian experience.... Portion adequately sized, quinoa risoto was good.  We could tell use of sugar on most of the dishes since some of the dinner party goers are susceptible to sugar.  Will not be going there any time soon.
4 - October R.: We have finally made it to Aji! I have been looking forward to eating here for quite some time now. JB and arrived for dinner, the restaurant had a few tables seated both inside and out, it was not crowded by any sense of the word. The decor is warm and inviting and the wait staff is both courteous and helpful.

For starters, we were offered some wine on the house...since wine makes me loopy I declined,  for starters we ordered the corn fritters which were good and served with delightfully delicious sauces, unfortunately as stated in a previous review they spent maybe a little too much time in the frying pan but the condiments managed to mask the charred taste.

For dinner I had the purple potato and wild mushroom ravioli with cream sauce. When my plate came out I must admit, I was a little disappointed, I only had 4 ravioli! But, to my pleasant surprise, these tiny pillows actually had a lot of filling inside and the sauce was so delicious I had to refrain from licking my plate (good thing I passed on the wine). JB chose the Lomo Saltado, a Chinese inspired dish. The garlic rice was a nice touch, but I found the fries were a bit too crispy for my liking. 

Alas, time for dessert which we usually pass on, but not this time. We ordered the Dulce de leche to share which was a very tasty way to end our meal. I thought it was a little too sweet but I don't really have much of a sweet tooth to begin with. I could only take a few bites but JB was more than happy to finish it off.

Long story short, great service, fantastic meal from start to finish, reasonable prices, and warm, comfortable decor. We would recommend it too friends and return without hesitation.
4 - Mangala M.: DH literally dragged me here, ALMOST kicking & screaming.  I had read over their menu several times, and then read it over once again :P.  Nothing jumped out at me or grabbed my attention, not like Alma Pan.  I kept insisting that if he wanted to have Peruvian food that we go there instead, but he insisted.  So off we went on a late Friday evening with a bottle of Spanish wine in tow.  They are BYOB with NO corkage fee to my delight, I thought if the food was bad at least I could drown out the taste in my mouth.  I was delightfully surprised.  We ordered two appetizers, the "Torrejas de Choclo" & "Causa de Langostinos".  Both were bursting with flavor, and beautifully presented.  We were thrilled with the appetizers.  DH & I however shared an entree, which we did not like.  We got the "Paella Latina" which was bland bland bland, and oily!  Why the four stars?  Their appetizers were exquisite and I'm sure their other entrees are good, and I'll definitely be back to try them.  We finished off the meal with an amazing dessert "Port Wine Whipped Cream" on top of dulche de leche.  I could have inhaled it, and well I sort of did :).

I also have to say the service is a huge plus here.  Our waitress was extremely friendly and talkative.  She explained the menu well and gave us suggestions.  We even got a free glass of chico morade on the house, which was refreshingly good.  It did not taste like it came from a mix at all.  I would highly recommend it!
4 - r. h.: Squirrel Hill really could use more charming neighborhood eateries like this. Aji Picante took over half of what used to be a Panera and remade the space into an inviting dining room.

The menu is not long, but they prepare their dishes well and with care. From the appetizer section, I highly recommend the fritter -- the dipping sauces are all great. I've tried their ceviche as well; it's an interesting dish with some very strong flavors and textures, but it didn't speak to me as much as the fritters. I've tried two main dishes so far, and both have been very satisfying.The first time, I ordered the tilapia, which was tender and moist. It was accompanied by some potatoes and a light broth. The balance was just right. The second time I ate at Aji, I got the pork shank. It was almost like a cassoulet -- except that you have a big hunk of pork shank (crispy on the outside, tender on the inside) instead of bits of duck. The dish was hearty and comforting, great for a wintry evening. Finally, the desserts are pretty good too. 

Extremely friendly service.

The average price is perhaps a tad on the high side, but I think it's worth it.
4 - John H.: Dishes I have had at Aji Picante and loved:
- Causa de Lagostinos
-Seco de Cerdo
-Pollo ala Plancha
-Purple Potato Ravioli
-Squash Stew
-Suspiro de Limena

Dishes I have had at Aji Picante and hated or been disappointed with:
........


Aji is a wonderful place that deserves your business.  You will thoroughly enjoy the food and experience.  Try the cerdo over all else though!!
5 - Danielle H.: This review represents many "firsts"...a) my first post as Yelp Elite (in San Francisco such a status requires much relationship building, review writing, and general hobnobbing whereas in Cleveland you're invited to be Yelp Elite just by friending the right Yelper...oh, Cleveland), and b) my first post back home on the East Coast.  Living in Cleveland, I get to spend one or two days a week with my mom back home in Pittsburgh, where I'm discovering the foodie scene is pretty. damn. awesome.

Take Aji Picante, for example.  We walked in post Bikram Yoga Squirrel Hill class around 8pm on a Friday night, no reservation, clutching a bottle of Trader Joes wine I'd brought with me, and they were able to squeeze us in.  And the experience was PERFECT from start to finish.  Our half-Peruvian waitress was just the right amount of attentive, genuine, and friendly...she provided the sort of service where you wonder if a 22% tip is enough.  The ambiance was warm and inviting and only a little loud.

And the food...oh, the food.  The Causa de Langostinos was strange and spicy and delicious, a mushy blend of mashed potatoes, avocados and shrimp that somehow works perfectly.  We devoured our Torrejas de Choclo and scooped out every last bit of that minty sauce.  But the highlight was the special of the evening, a squash and vegetable stew that came served in a little pumpkin.  The perfect dish to warm up your insides on a cold night.

And because it's BYO, with two appetizers, an entree and a dessert (the rustic creme brulee, not too sweet and very, very rich) the total cost was not bad at all.  I'm starting to think that the food snobbery I've built up after years in the fine dining industry in Philadelphia, and years eating my way through San Francisco, will be well satiated in Pittsburgh.  Cleveland better step it up!
4 - Teresa T.: Cute little restaurant tucked in on Murray Ave. Easy to grab a table on a Thursday night and the decor is simple and nice. Waitress was extremely cute and enthusiastic about dishes which made me want to order everything. We started off with Torrejas de Choclo (fritters) which were delicious including the sauces and pickled onions. Then I had the Seco de Cerdo for my main entree and wow. The waitress was not joking when a humungo piece of crispy pork arrived on the plate. I felt I could pick it up and eat it renfair style. The bean puree w/ squash, tomatoes, corn, beans and peppers were great but needed that crispy pork because it was so soft and mushy. Delicious flavors and the portions were on the large side. I ate about  3/4 and packaged the rest to go. My bf ate the rest and was stuffed from what remained that he asked how much pork was there originally. Needless to say I was still full too well into the next day. Really chill place and a nice find.
3 - Eileen G.: I made my first trip to Aji Picante just this week!  While my entree (Purple Potato Ravioli) was really good, the appetizer is all I can think about.  The sad part is - I don't actually remember what it was called!  I just remember the puffy, pillowy potato covering and the spicy, saucy meat hiding inside.  And then they deep fried it and served with minty yogurt sauce, roasted red pepper sauce and something pickled.  I'm sure if you give them that description, you'll be able to order it, too.  I would have taken a picture of that for you, but we devoured it too quickly.

Onto the entrees - mine was good, and I think I liked it because it was so unique.  A dense pasta with spicy purple potato filling covered with creamy mushroom sauce.  The flavors worked perfectly together, and the combo of pasta and potatoes was perfect for a carb-lover like me.  But, I wouldn't call it the best meal that I've ever eaten, and I also don't quite think it was worth $17.

My pal had a roasted half-chicken dish served with brussel sprouts (these were ahhhmazing) and a fancied-up baked potato.  Here's where the not as awesome part comes in - she cut into the chicken, and it was undercooked.  Alot.  So, she got some new chicken, and while we didn't ask for them to remove the chicken from the bill, they did.  Aji Picante gets an A++ for customer service.  Plus, our server was SO nice and super knowledgeable about the food. 

Another plus - they're BYOB, which is always more budget-friendly than buying drinks at a restaurant, in my opinion!  And there didn't appear to be any sort of corkage fee on our bill, so I'm not sure if they typically have one or not.  But, we didn't get charged one.

Moral of the story: I'd go back, but I'd probably get a bunch of appetizers and one entree to share between two people.
1 - Bruce F.: Just got home from our third visit to Aji Picante.  The firat two visits were really very good.  We especially like(d) the BYOB with NO Corkage.  The food was fresh, interesting and well, maybe just seemed better because we just wanted it to be.

This evening's experience left us with a salty and disappointing taste.
It all started well.  We were very well attanded to by our server who came over and described the specials and explained the menu.  While she described the specials, she exclaimed that the "scallop entree was amazing".  We ordered appetizers and she opened and poured our wine.

As she was getting ready to take our entree order, one of the other servers came over to our table and told her that they were out of the scallops and parmesan over pasta special.

Three of us were truly disappointed as they were going to order this as their entree.  I amused that I'd be glad to go down to Giant Eagle to pick up the scallops if they still had the pasta, cream and cheese.  She retorted that "sorry, we're really out.  It's been a popular selection tonight."  Having been so gloriously described as "amazing", my wife and our friends (who were there on our recommendation and was their first visit to Aji) had to go back to the drawing board, adjust their taste bud profile, and choose something else which would, of course, never measure up.  

The appetizers came and we gladly devoured them in short order.  My wife and I had ordered the pork shank, and our friends had the chicken and the paella.  At about the time that our entrees came, we noticed that three young and attractive women were being seated a few tables away.  We noticed them because they were indeed attractive and they proceeded to take a number of pictures of one another and as a group.

We picked at our entrees for a while and none were particularily outstanding.  In fact, we all took over half our meals home.  When our server came over to take away the leftover food, my eyes looked at her and then were diverted beyond her to the table containing these three women.  Lo and Behold, two of the three were digging into, yes, the scallop and pasta special that must have 'amazingly' re-appeared on the menu.

Being the curious type, I queried our server " Is that indeed the scallop special that was sold out 45 minutes earlier?"  She looked around and exclaimed, " They must have taken them off for a while while they prepared a new batch!"  To I replied, 
"But they were really sold out.  I offered to go to the store for you".  

She took our a small dessert/coffee order and sheepishly walked away.

When she came back to the table, she told us that the dessert (one item) and the coffee (only coffeee for our friends) were on the house for the inconvenience, and that:
 
"Pam will be coming over to talk to you."  

The four of us shared the single dessert and our friends drank their coffee.  We waited around talking for 30 minutes and, needless to say, Pam never showed up to smooth over the gaffe.  She didn't think it important enough to fess up to the screw up or to at least have the fortitude to apologize in person.  Truly disappointing and, for me, a restaurant death sentence.

The whole experience could have been handled so easily, but it wasn't.  Too bad. 
Obviously, the four of us won't be back.

As an aside, I also can't stop drinking enough water for the last 2 hours.  It started after the entrees.
4 - Maria C.: The food was really good and the staff so nice! I had lomo saltado wich was absolutely delicious, the only thing was the meet wasn't the best. All specials looked amazing and everyone at our table was really pleased with their food. The desert was a little too sweet for most people but I was actually really happy with that. Even liking the experience in general I thought it was a little over priced, the plating is nothing special and the quality of the ingredients didn't impress me. But they got me with the flavors!
3 - Rosalind C.: My husband and I have been here twice now, and even though we wished that we could give this place higher marks, the reality is that our initial impression still stands: reasonable food that is too expensive, given other options available right now in the Burgh. The service is very nice though.

We tried the corn fritters both times, and liked them better the second time. My husband had a squash casserole of some sort (it was served in the squash itself, a nice touch) and I had a ravioli dish. The sheer fact that I can't remember what I had makes this an OK place, rather than a good or great place.

If their prices came down about $5 in the entree range, I think we'd come here more often. But, at this price range, we'll take our business to Verde or Salt.
2 - Nancy H.: A cute looking place in a nice neighborhood with outdoor seating too.  From the reviews we weren't expecting much to begin with.  We had some PASSION FRUIT JUICE which was almost indistinguishable from the orange juice in my fridge.  Our main courses:

CHUPE, a large seafood peruvian stew which I thought was tasty though I could taste the seafood was not that fresh

SECO DE CERDO, dry meat on dry potatoes 

Overall, pleasant service and okay decor BUT not fabulous food for what it costs and the fact that my date said "well we're not going to peru if the food is like this!"--we likely won't be returning
4 - Stacey L.: Was obsessed with this place when it first opened in Squirrel Hill, and was happy that there was finally something new to try around Murray. 

The food is consistently good, but the service is dodgy at times. First time we went, we got the best service from a really personable waitress, who was Peruvian herself. Another time, we waited forever to get a table, while being put on three different lists by three different waitresses/hostesses. 

Love the fact that they're BYOB. 

Our favorites are the: Ceviche, Causa de Langostinos, Sudado, Paella, and Seco de Cerdo.

One gripe is that since the menu is so limited, and unchanging, after a few times, there isn't a reason to go back anymore, since there's nothing new to try.
4 - M D.: Great service and food, and the biggest plus is no cork fee byob. The decor is cozy and outdoor seating is available weather permitting.  

Food overall experience was good. My bf had the purple potato ravioli topped with a creamy pesto. The filling was just a bit bland, and the creamy nature of the pesto overwhelmed the dish.  

Our appetizer was awesome, fried quinoa fritters. My main course consisted of baked scallops which were cooked really well, served with a side of creamy pea fettuccine. 

The dishes are big so share an appetizer.  Despite the one ok dish, we will definitely go back and try different entrees.  Lots of vegetarian choices.
4 - C C.: Really good food, great atmosphere, BYOB which is a plus.  Had a pork dish that was amazeballs, looking forward to hitting this up again
4 - Rebecca M.: Last time I was here I had an absolutely AMAZING dish ( - some kind of pumpkin bake), but unfortunately it was a special and was not available on my most recent visit. However, I was still very happy with my order.

To start, we had the Torrejas de Choclo. These are corn fritters, and I highly recommend them. They are served with 4 toppings, all of which are tasty (especially the guacamole), but the fritters themselves are so good you can eat them plain. For my entrée, I had the Quinotto. I enjoyed it, but would have liked a little more flavor. On the other hand, the Sudado, a fish entrée which my boyfriend ordered, was full of flavor. The leeks added a nice touch.

Service was good, and it is BYOB!! I don't think the menu has changed much since they opened though, but hopefully they will have some new options soon!
4 - Laura R.: We have eaten at Aji Picante three times now. Each time, the food has been really fantastic....very fresh and well prepared. I especially love the no corkage fee.
I had some fabulous stuffed pumpkin last fall and the poblano peppers stuffed with veggies. Both were really excellent.

Ajia Restaurant & Sushi Bar - Philadelphia, PA (39.9523072, -75.1873948) (University City)
4 - lee c.: after seeing all the rave reviews of other sushi joints that i haven't been to, i'm hesitant to give out this four star rating. but i will briefly attempt to defend this position. first, i have to say i like this place for the all-you-can eat deal. just follow the simple rules like "you pay for what you don't eat" and if you've got the stomach you will have the opportunity to eat any roll or sashimi that you've never had before. the deal is 22 bucks and include miso soup and salad, but you may want to skip it to save room. second, its acceptible sushi. i love wasabi so much that i usually eat sushi more for texture than taste, so if the ingredients aren't fresh, it makes me very unhappy. they have a few nice big booths for groups of six, so its easy to go here with a group.

on the downside, the service can be a bit unattentive. but all in all, my friends and i have enjoyed going here several times and never been disappointed.
3 - A L.: This sushi restaurant is conveniently located near the University of Pennsylvania.  It is unassuming, but man, the lunch deal is great!  3 rolls, very decently sized, and a soup or salad, for $8.95.  You really just can't beat that.  Otherwise, nothing super special.  The sizzling plates smelled yummy.

My beef with this place?  The service is slow, but she was only 1 server for the whole place, so ok, I won't harp...  too much.  But they accept Mastercard and Visa, but with a $20 minimum charge.  Arghhh.
3 - Randi M.: I'd have given this place another star for the good ...  but the service sucked.  Literally.  There is one waitress for the entire restaurant and she's pretty much not really interested in hearing your requests or coming to your table at any point other than to take your initial order.  You kinda have to flag her down to let her know that you want your miso soup and salad (she ran away before we could even tell her).  In a place full of loud groups of Penn kids, it can be a bit frustrating to not have good service...  but it's ok.  
Why is it ok, you ask?? Because the food was really good.  The all-you-can-eat option is a good deal, as you can pretty much get whatever you want, other than the fancier "special rolls" on the regular menu.  The fish was fresh, the rolls were really yummy and they didn't all have avocado in them (which is exciting for me cause I don't like avocado...  don't hate me), and the shrimp tempura was really tasty.  
The only odd part...  they include a tip in your bill.  My guess is because the service is so crappy that you wouldn't tip her otherwise...  she adds it in for you.  Lame of her to give herself only 15%...  but she doesn't even deserve that much.
3 - Dave H.: This Japanese restaurant isn't humongous, but at least is conveniently close to UPenn and Drexel if you want sushi. I don't recall any amazing sushi rolls but we did order several (!) boats with sushi and sashimi that our party of 20 ripped into pretty quickly. If you look on the walls, you might see our group photo there (the owner snaps shots of the diners and posts them there, at least when we were there). There are better places than Ajia, but your mileage may vary.
5 - Greg T.: What's better than All You Can Eat Sushi for under 25 bucks? 
AYCES + BYOB. 
Yes, you can bring any bottle of booze you want and have a great time with your friends.
Get sushi and alcohol on the cheap.
1 - elizabeth e.: This place sucks so much. I'm at this restaurant right now, yelping from my phone. It is that bad.

I waited an hour for my food and it's not that busy. Oh and when I finally got my food it was terrible. The worst sushi and udon ever in the history of the world. Don't go here. 

Don't ever ever ever ever go here!!!!!!!!!!!
4 - Joe E.: If you like sushi, and you like to eat a lot of it...Ajia is the place to go! I started going here during my school years at Drexel University and just recently went back. I remember not eating for a day or two at a time so that I could spend $20 for an all you can eat sushi dinner with a good friend. The selection is good, the service has always been good, and it's just far enough out of center city that it's never over crowded.
2 - Jon S.: Hit or miss.  Sometimes the sushi is great and other times it is terrible.

More importantly, I would never sit down at this restaurant again - the service is terrible.

But, there is a $9 lunch special that includes three rolls and a salad.  That's a deal and it only takes 10-15 minutes.
3 - Alex C.: Ajia, located on the west side of the Schuylkill in the Left Bank apartment building and by the Penn Ice Rink, is an all-you-can eat sushi restaurant combined with a BYOB policy. This concept always sounds like a good idea--eat a boatload of sushi, literally, and drink your ass off, unfortunately, only figuratively--but it always remains a tough play to call up because of the multiple possibilities.

Perhaps a bit of simple game theory, the prisoner's dilemma, can help clarify the conundrum that one should face with one's judgment, a worthy opponent, before coming here. The options are all you can eat (AYCE) and all you can drink (AYCD, BYOB style). Yes, in order for this to work, you must be slightly irresponsible and interpret BYOB as a drink all you can bring. So the 4 potential scenarios are:

1) no AYCE, no AYCD
2) no AYCE, AYCD
3) AYCE, no AYCD
4) AYCE, AYCD

Analysis:

Scenario 1: no AYCE, no AYCD
I'm not sure if their sushi quality / decor / service justifies their non AYCE prices. If they're assuming that most restaurant goers will get the AYCE is there a premium built into the food prices for the lack of margin to be made in alcohol? Plus, I probably wouldn't be able to stand the sight of others ordering huge yachts full of sushi and drinking copious amounts of alcohol. This is a lose-lose scenario based on prices and fun. Why not just go elsewhere to placate my sushi and dinner drink cravings?

Scenario 2: no AYCE, AYCD
Again issues remain with price justification for the food, but at the same time, I may not be able to remember how much I paid, how the food tasted, or how I got home. I have cheated judgment and hopefully, my wallet and credit card statements will prove that I came out ahead in the end. win-lose.

Scenario 3: AYCE, no AYCD
Deciding to not overdo it on the alcohol, I choose to gorge on a huge amount of sushi and imbibe a bit. Now I just feel very full, but as I exit the restaurant, my better judgment has beaten my conscience. I can't believe I have eaten such a ridiculous amount of food and probably have to loosen the belt two notches and undo the top button of my jeans. The next week at the gym will be rough. lose-win.

Scenario 4: AYCE, AYCD
Going all out on both the eating and drinking fronts. Now I know that my max damage should be capped at the AYCE price of $25 (?) plus tax and tip. I'm getting top value at the restaurant on food, settling any price-quality objections my conscience may have had. Additionally, the AYCD should take care of any judgment issues. I'm extremely full, happy, and may not remember the last quarter of the meal. True, there may be a bit of guilt afterwards, but because you can't exactly recall all that you ate...it's a win-win!

AYCE and AYCD at Ajia is a lot of fun especially with a good group of friends because you can take up a whole booth sitting about 6 people and add more tables to accommodate larger groups, although the table may get quite long. The sushi is good enough for AYCE and they have a good offering of rolls on their menu. For AYCE, you mark the number of items that you want next to the item on their AYCE menu and wait for the massive boat to arrive loaded with treasure.

The lunch special is also pretty good value if you're in the area.

Good luck navigating your conscience, judgment, and stomach, if you go for the AYCE and BYOB (AYCD).
1 - Melissa M.: This is the clear choice for my first review on Yelp, since I've had so many bad experiences with this place (I've tried boycotting, but as I live in the same building as this restaurant, and the alternatives in this area are limited, sometimes going becomes a necessity). 

The good (what the 1 star is for):  the lunch specials are a pretty good deal, and their rolls and sizzling plates are generally good (nothing amazing, but nothing to complain about either).  Still, the quality has been  following a steady downward slope (i.e. less fish more rice, smaller sushi), which brings me to ...

The bad and the ugly:  the service is beyond inappropriate at this place.  the main waitress is rude and practically throws the food down on the table.  One time I ordered a spicy tuna and got crunchy spicy tuna (a major issue as *FYI* their CRUNCHY SUSHI SUCK AND ARE NEAR INEDIBLE - not sure if this is still true though as I never order their sushi with crunch anymore).  When I brought this to her attention, she just walked away w/o saying a word!  They've just hired another server, who seems to be equally inept and shares all the same flaws, except rudeness but that may be b/c she does not know English.  

During my most recent visit there (after not going for 5 months; and only because my friends wanted sushi but didn't want to go far), the server had her finger dipped into my miso soup as she carried it to the table (no apologies) and dropped a sizzling tofu steak platter in front of my friend, causing oil to splatter all over the table.  They also added a 15% tip for the 4 of us.

Basically, the only reason this place is still open and getting lots of business (sadly) is because of its convenient location and lack of competition.  Just be warned that if you go, you must put up with the sub par service with no option to cut back on the tip (they really do make a scene, as others have said).
4 - Erin M.: I'm not sure why this place has such a low rating, I think it's one of the best places to get sushi in the city.  

They have an excellent lunch deal: 3 rolls for around $9 which includes soup or salad. My favorites here are the dragon roll and the crunchy sweet potato roll, which I've never seen at any other establishment. They are also pretty quick to serve at the lunch hour: I've never waited more than 10 minutes for my rolls and they are always quick to take your order immediately.
4 - Dana B.: I recently ate at Ajia before a concert I attended at World Cafe Live, and my experience there was much better than it was the first time I had eaten there 3 years ago.  The sushi was yummy and the place wasn't crowded either so I was in and out of there in about a half an hour (or less!).  Good service too :)
3 - Mike M.: I have trouble distinguishing between mid-level sushi places; it's all basically the same thing. Ajia distinguishes itself with its all you can eat option which I believe is around $32. I've only taken that road once, and while fun, it's a lot of pressure since (like most sushi places) you have to finish every piece you ask for. They should really call it 'all you must eat.'  

Most of the time I just split several rolls and perhaps some edamame with whoever is along for the ride. The rolls are pretty big and I've never left still feeling hungry. The quality is above average, I've never gotten anything that I'd put under the heading of bad. I wouldn't recommend the kitchen entrees, they're certainly nothing special-- sushi is the strong point here. The lunch special is a great deal at less than $10 for sushi, soup, and salad. 

Service is pretty quick. The woman running the joint is abrasive but recently a young girl (who I would guess is her daughter) seems to be doing most of the waitressing so the experience has been a little friendlier. They do accept credit cards if you spend more than $20 I think.
4 - Siv L.: This is one of my favorite places to have sushi in Philadelphia. I discovered it during the summer of 2007 and have been addicted ever since. My boyfriend and I love the all-you-can-eat and BYOW aspects. 

The service is quick, sushi is fresh, and fried ice-cream is perfect.
2 - Lisa M.: I used to go here fairly often but have stopped after the last time I was there...  The main waitress is fairly rude.  The sushi used to be pretty good, but if you get the all-you-can-eat, expect to get a HUGE amount of rice in each roll... not impressive.
4 - Daria M.: Despite the couple fruit flies that joined us for dinner, the ambiance was pleasant (if not a bit quiet). The veggie sushi options were many-fold (though if you are vegan like me, don't go for the creamy asparagus, avocado or cucumber roll because they really do mean creamy as in cream. As in cows. I asked). I enjoyed the sweet potato tempura roll and some other veggie ones too. I would go back, and I hear that they have a cool all-you-can-eat deal as well. :)
1 - Ashley H.: I've eaten here too many times, and i never liked it, except for once when they pulled out that gigantic boat when my friends and I went for all you can eat sushi. The trick is though, you have to finish every single bit of rice on your dish or else you will have to pay a penalty for not finishing your food. (Quite ridiculous, considering they put too much rice in the sushi as it is)

The only other reason why i came here is because my boyfriend used to live in the Left Bank, and when we craved Japanese food and did not want to wait for more then 15 minutes, this was the place to get it. Despite the rude service and less than mediocre Japanese food.
4 - Rebecca S.: I can put it simply: Great sushi, terrible service. They have some great rolls and dinners, but be prepared to be ignored for a lot of the time. I don't mind coming back because it is BYO and the food is delicious, I just always know they won't take care of me well. If you don't mind some bad service, the prices are worth it, especially the $22 all you can eat dinner (if you can eat all of that, of course).
1 - Brad H.: I'm done with this place. They are the rudest people I've ever met, the fact that they are allowed to run a food establishment is more than criminal. And what the f**k is with the sushi chef who watches YouTube videos on his laptop at the same table, every day? He must be bored. Maybe he's bored because service is slow. Maybe service is slow BECAUSE YOU'RE A BUNCH OF F***ING A**HOLES!!

You reap what you sow.

And how people still manage to give this place more than 1 star is BEYOND ME.
2 - Steve W.: Seriously, the main fujian chinese waitress, who is not japanese obviously, is a totally bitch.  What's up with that attitude honey?  I was just there today for sushi lunch that costed $11 bucks including 15% tip that was added on and tax, which is cheap for sushi.  Be prepared for okay service to "I don't give a s***!" service.  All-You-Can-Eat at Ajia costs around $20 bucks which is not bad but the sushi wasn't fresh at all the last time I attended.  I only went there because it is the only closest sushi restaurant near Drexel University.  I do not recommend it here, but if you can handle beyond crappy service and willing to eat medicore, cheap sushi then by all means do it.  BYOB.
1 - Megan S.: I wanted to like this place, because it is cheap and close to school for me.  However, only once in my life have I had tuna that I thought was bad, and it came from Ajia.  The tuna was almost black and smelled funky.  I ate one piece of the roll and it tasted off as well.  I ate the other two rolls in my combo and they were fine (about what you would expect for the price point).  Now, to be clear, I did not get sick.  But I still can't believe they served that to me.  It was clearly passed its prime.  Also, to be fair, this was during the summer, so turnover may have been extremely low.  Regardless, I won't go back unless forced, and if I am forced, I won't be ordering sushi.
2 - ari y.: Good location.
Ok sushi.
BAD SERVICE.
2 - Andrew D.: Oh Ajia. Why, why, why?

So much potential here. 

The good:

- Lunch specials for under $10.
- Cheap, good portions, good selection.
- Only Asian style place in the area.

The bad:

- The service. Holy cow. A couple friends and I go in fairly often for the above lunch specials and were talking about how poor the service is. Expect to sit down and basically have the chopsticks thrown at you followed by a "what you want?!".
- All you can eat sushi comes with Soup-Nazi-esc rules. 
- So/so sushi.

Fix the service (this is a service industry, no?) and they could have a nice thing going there but after 3 or 4 years of the same I'm not expecting it. Some places can get away with that gruff style service and pass it off as charming but Ajia doesn't have the goods to back it up.
1 - Alexandra W.: Out of nowhere they changed the credit card minimum from $10 to $20. The waitress is still a bitch.

Also, CHANGE THE MUSIC.
Guess I won't be back then.
3 - Grace L.: I went to Ajia a few times in college, always for the all you can eat. It's a great deal and you can really walk away satisfied. The all you can eat menu is a little sparse, though. I've been to other all you can eat sushi places and have seen more variety. As mentioned by other reviewers, the wait can be a little long between rounds - I guess they're just waiting for that rice to expand and you can't eat any more!

To their credit though, the last time I went was with some friends to see who could eat the most sushi. Suffice it to say, almost 200 pieces were eaten between 3 people. It was awesome.
2 - Allen A.: I love this place as much as I hate it.

Food is mediocre at best. Service is worse. It's the same waitress every day, and she always looks so pissed off. 

The only reason I keep going here is because it's the closest sushi bar for us here at Drexel. So it's the only choice we have. 

This place is like a bad habit. It's a good idea at first, but in the end, I always ask myself why I went. But I'll probably be back. And then regret it again. It's a vicious cycle.
2 - Christopher R.: Endless sushi deal--
twenty five, not bad, not great.
God, this song AGAIN.
2 - Claire O.: So the main complaint about this place is the lone, surly waitress. She is definitely not the most pleasant of people, but being the only server in a restaurant can't be easy. 

The food here is not anything spectacular, but it's not like it's disgusting either. The $9 lunch deals from 11-3 can't be beat - good-sized food portions, fairly tasty. The key is to come a little later, maybe between 1:30 and 3PM, when it slows down a little, so Ms. Crankypants is a little less cranky.

15% gratuity is included on all checks, regardless of the size of your party. A little whack.

If you're jonesing for Japanese food in Univ. City and you're on a budget, you can give this place a try.
3 - Kat S.: Oh Ajia, how I adore thee. Such a creature of habit, aren't you?!

Same moody waitress every time. 
Same Westlife CD (on repeat) every time. 
Same affordable and tasty lunch special every time.

So yeah, the waitress will throw your plates on the table with the perfect grace of an angry tigress, but seriously, you can't beat the lunch special which lasts from open 'till 3. Three rolls and a soup or salad for under $10?! It's a steal, folks. The sushi isn't Iron Chef quality, but it will definitely fill your tummy with Japanese delight. 

I've considered making a mix CD for my beloved Ajia, but realized doing so would take away from the ambience. I've been there enough that I get a faint grin from the intimidating waitress when I walk in the door. My friends say it's because I'm half Japanese, but I'm pretty sure it's because I tip her well. 

3 stars for the 3 affordable rolls you provide me, Ajia.
4 - Abby I.: Pros: the $8.99 lunch special!!, parking
Cons: the we-don't have-the-$8.99-lunch-special-on-sundays, University City prices
The I don't know if it's a pro/con: the same pop mix, the moody waitress (i've come to adore her)

I normally just get take-out so I don't have to deal with the waitress who really does throw plates/menus/drinks/whatever she has in her hands. (She can be sweet too sometimes, just FYI!) The lunch special is pretty extensive with hot entrees, 3 rolls + soup/salad, or 4pcs nigiri + 1 roll + soup/salad. Pretty good deal. And it's definitely easier to find parking around this area than down by 40th Street/Fresh Grocer area. The sushi is okay, better than Mizu but nothing spectacular. If you're craving Japanese food and not expecting the best, give it a try.
1 - Peter L.: Went there twice and hated it twice. 

The first time I went there was with my gf and they would give us sushi that we did not order and wanted us to finish it or else they would charge us for un-eatened sushi...WTH! The second time I went there was with a bunch of friends for his bday. Same thing happened, but this time after every1 else left to go to a club, 3 friends including myself stayed back to eat some more. The waitress didn't seem to happy and wanted us out of the restaurant.
3 - Eric J.: Wanting to hang out with my brother and craving Japanese food, he suggested Ajia.  Much to my chagrin, I agree and meet him there.  While my expertise is not in Japanese cuisine, as long as the place is sanitary, the fish is fresh and no-one has experienced food poisoning from this place, Ill go.  The $24 all-you-can-eat sushi is certainly a steal.  

My only qualm against the place really comes down to the waitress.  I actually caught myself saying to my brother before we entered, "I hope the mean waitress isnt here..." and TA-DAH, the one who sat us down in our booth was another waitress, who was younger and much more amiable than her notorious colleague.  My brother and I handed her our all-you-can-eat sushi order.  We were lost in conversation until -- out of no-where -- the mean waitress appears like the Wicked Witch and slams down our plate on the table!  Later, I did see the mean waitress yelling orders at the Cinderella waitress.  

Upon reading the other reviews here on Yelp, I was relieved to see that others have also noticed her affect and that she comes across as what can be described kindly as "moody".  Though, to her credit, she is certainly not the intrusive, effusive kind of waitress whose demeanor can only be interpreted as saccharine and un-genuine.   But then again, this is the only establishment Ive been to where a 15% gratuity is automatically included in the bill, regardless of the number of the party.
3 - Mary S.: Let me preface this review with the following statement: The last time I ate here there was a fraternity who had taken BYO to mean BYOK- that's bring your own keg. The male members of the frat were all doing keg stands and the girls were all giggling.  

The food here is fine, it's a BYOB which is always a pleasure and since this part of the city right by Drexel has so few, it is a welcome change of pace. The food is not life changing, but they have some good standards. I would definitely eat here again, I just hope those frat kids aren't there again, that really was something.
3 - Alexander M.: In retrospect, as a starving art student in University City, it probably wasn't a great idea to indulge in Ajia as much as I did. You get a lot for your dollar during the lunch specials, but otherwise it can be pricey, especially with the credit minimum. (Note: their ATM has a high surcharge, so it's best to take cash out beforehand).

That said, the food is quite good. I'm especially a fan of their teriyaki dishes. The service can be iffy if you plan to sit down, but they tend to be quicker if you order take out.
2 - Yiwen S.: the rolls are decent, the nigiri is not. i judge a sushi restaurant based on the quality and freshness of their raw fish, so i won't be coming back here again. everything about my experience here was completely forgettable. the place is small, so if you don't pay attention, you might end up passing it and walking over the bridge. but that might be to your advantage if you stumble across a better sushi restaurant on the other side of the schuylkill.
2 - Joe P.: The all you can eat sushi idea in theory is a great way to get the most value for your dollar.  That being said, this place kinda is lacking in a few areas.  First, the sushi is decent, however the fish is placed upon a giant wad of rice. Instead of complimenting the fish, the rice dominates almost to the point that you think they are giving you all this rice to fill you up.  The service is mediocre as some of the waitress staff seem to be rather grumpy and angry.  The BYOB aspect of this restaurant attracts a lot of underage kids in large parties.  If you want a nice relaxing enjoyable sushi meal, I would not recommend this place.  If you have the money and are looking for a more wholesome dining experience, skip Ajia and head towards center city.  If you are an underage college student looking to get your drank on, this is the place for you.
2 - Tom D.: I have eaten here or carried out about a half dozen times. From my experiences, I wonder how it was possible that I would keep coming back. Actually, the reason is that the food is really good and it is tough to find good Japanese food in University City. That's where the goodness stops.

I want to explain: I don't eat sushi here, I don't come in small groups, I only come for the lunch special. Don't come with a group, they will screw up your order. For some reason, I only come here with between 5 and 7 people. This is a mistake, but we are masochists and we like punishment. 

Today they screwed it up twice, one of us wanted soup, and got salad; easily fixed. Then they didn't bring out my harumaki until after I got my katsu, so while everyone was waiting for my appetizer to arrive, theirs got cold. 

A couple of months back they screwed it up big time (I ordered katsu don and I got a piece of fried chicken on some lettuce). That's what I got for getting take-out and not checking the bag. And that was the last time I did that.

Also, expect bad service. This place is notorious for poor, and often rude, service that makes for a less than enjoyable meal. Especially if you have a group.
2 - Kyle H.: I didn't have a good experience. The rice used for the sushi might have been old--kind of like how you have rice in the fridge from leftovers? As a result, the sushi didn't taste fresh at all. The waiter was attentive, but that's about it for positives. The set up is nice, though it can get a bit chilly inside in the winter time so pack a sweater if you're taking your honey out for Japanese cuisine night. Though honestly, unless you're a Penn student afraid to venture too far away from the Schuylkill, I don't know why you would choose this place over other Japanese restaurants. 

Ugh. Please, ethnic restaurant, play ethnic music, NOT AMERICAN TOP 40!!!
3 - Lindsay D.: I will keep going back to Ajia because they make great sushi.  Autumn roll, Rock n Roll, and Sweet Potato roll are my standbys.  The price is also pretty reasonable for good sushi, especially the lunch special.  

I tend to like getting take-out because it allows me to dodge my list of cons.  The cons are what prevented me from rating Ajia higher.  The service has never been spectacular.  When it isn't busy, the food comes out pretty quickly, but the servers are generally not super friendly.  There are also frequently large, loud, obnoxious groups of college kids eating there during busy times (late evenings and weekends), which makes it a pretty poor spot if you want to have good conversation over sushi (which is one thing I really enjoy about going out for sushi).    

So overall, the food is excellent, but the atmosphere is poor, leading to a pretty mediocre rating for a place that really has a lot of potential.
3 - Lily Z.: Came here for all you can eat sushi, and it was worth it considering how much I ate. The sushi itself was alright though. I've had better, but what else do you really expect if you're getting all you can eat, right? It was pretty empty when I was there but it could also be because it was still early for dinner time.
4 - Sandra L.: I've been going to this place for two years when I feel the intense need to satisfy my sushi cravings.  All-you-can-eat for $22?  It's a definite steal/bargain for me.  The amount of pieces of sushi and maki I can consume can be unsightly at times.....

The only thing that prevents me from giving this place the full 5 stars is the service, as the prior reviews have discussed so thoroughly.  The waitress is quite rude: never smiles or greets you nicely, and yes, she really does throw down anything she's about to serve you right on the table without any hesitancy.  There are times I empathize with her, as I come from a family-run restaurant too and understand the stress and energy-depletion that comes with the job, but then I realize that you're in this job to support your family, so the least you could do is to keep your customers happy so that they come back and your business is prolonged.

If you're a big consumer of sushi and aren't too particular about service like me, then by all means, come here.  Another bonus?  BYOB.
4 - Pinkjadez Z.: The service isn't the best ... But I like the sushi...I'm a vegetarian so I judge sushi based on quality of rice n freshness of their avocados....A friend of mines got the tofu steak for lunch....I have to say it looked quite tasty...will defiantly have to try it out next time...great place to grab lunch ...the only thing is service is a lil slow...
4 - Aaron H.: i dont know why people  are hating on the service....but it wasn't bad when i went. the sushi was awesome
4 - Autumn E.: I don't believe that I've never reviewed AJIA.

OKAY THE FIRST TIME I WOULD HAVE GIVEN IT A 3 AND SAID THE WAITRESS WAS LAME, THE MUSIC WAS HILARIOUSLY BAD, AND THE ALL YOU CAN EAT WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO AFFORD.

The second time I would have given 3 stars and said that each time I've been here, there's been a sweet and incredibly charming young waitress who is really quite delightful, fyi. But it's still hard for me to get my money's worth, though nice to share the all you can eat with a friend, so you can teamwork into finishing.

OKAY, FLASH FORWARD TO THE PRESENT. IT'S 2010, AND I'M GIVING THEM 4 STARS.
The young waitress has been here all three times, and this time, I paid close attention to the staff after giving my boyfriend the heads up that the one waitress is infamous. But she seems to have been distributed less interactive tasks, like seating and delivering some dishes, while the friendlier waitress takes orders, etc. I strongly believe the era of the bad waitress has ended, because even on a PACKED friday night, she didn't act rushed, and I caught her laughing with the other staff numerous times, as opposed to scowling and ignoring customers.

It says the all you can eat will charge you for condiments requested, but don't worry; soy sauce, low sodium soy sauce, wasabi, and ginger come in abundance, free of charge. Also, there is unlimited miso soup or salad.

They didn't charge me for not finishing two pieces, but I was really afraid they would, so when I had 8 pieces left, I scarfed down 6. This later lead to sickness, but don't worry, all I lost was my green tea.

THE GREEN TEA- 1.00, a little eggy, but authentically amazing.
THE GYOZA SOUP- A delicious dumpling soup that is a value over the equally priced dumplings themselves, with fantastic broth.

I was a little irritated with my orders in all-you-can eat, because, though it's hard to know what everything is, I purposely order different sushis every plate... but at least 4 pieces were exact repeats, as if they ran out/ didn't want to make what I ordered and figured I wouldn't know the difference. Frustrating, because there was a tuna that I really couldn't handle. The crunchy rolls are intensely crunchy, and there's too much cucumber in the california roll, making it a little bland.

STILL, I see great hope for AJIA. While I stuffed 28 pieces in me, I could have been done at 18... and 18 pieces come with the 9 dollar lunch special. I have decided to retire from my attempts at all-you-can-eat 24 dollar sushi, and will find piece-full sushi dining with the affordable lunch special. A new door has opened... let's hope the nice young waitress works the lunch shift, too.

Oh right, and they're BYOB.

I don't recommend large groups, because they can only take so many orders at one time, and large groups slow down service for the entire restaurant, not to mention your own table. And sometimes, the rest of us find your overwhelming presence obnoxious.
2 - Devin D.: I used to come into Ajia regularly four or five years ago, and at that time it would have gotten at least three stars.  The all you can eat sushi special being my soft spot.  But my recent Tuesday night meal had suggested otherwise.  Ajia exhibits signs of a dying restaurant and here are my reasons why:

1.  We brought a bottle of Riesling to be enjoyed with our food..  A corkscrew was slammed on the table for us.  Seriously?  I've never ever been to a BYO where I have to cork my own wine.

2.  The wine glasses were VISIBLY dirty, gross.

3.  The prices have gone up a lot in recent years.  I understand what inflation is, but the fact is you're paying more money for less food.  Rolls used to be larger and not so hurriedly constructed.  And the pork katsudon bowl was very small for $10.  You get almost 25% more at Yakitori Boys--same price, and a lot tastier.

4.  Everyone complains about the service of the one waitress.  I think she is the owner or part owner.  In addition to the wine corking incident, we also weren't asked if we wanted soup or salad with our food.  We were just given soup as a default I guess?

All in all this place has an atmosphere like it just doesn't care anymore.  The all you can eat special isn't even advertised on the menu anymore, but from what I hear, it's now $24.  If you're really in the mood for sushi or Japanese food, I would advise you to broaden your search radius outside of University City.  Definitely think twice about coming here for dinner though.


P.S. - the music playlist here is archaic.  I don't think I've heard an Evanescence song since high school.
2 - Kevin C.: This review is based on my three visits here from 2008-09, so my feedback may not be entirely relevant at this time. In any event, here is my overall impression of Ajia:

Each of the three times I ate here, I opted for the $22.95 all-you-can-eat sushi offer. It's not a bad deal, especially if you are like me and can easily put away 40+ pieces of sushi. I tend to stick to the nigiri, as the fish-to-rice ratio in maki rolls tends to be worse. The fish here was okay, as would be expected of a restaurant offering AYCE sushi; nothing spectacular, but nothing poor. I noticed that there was a bit too much rice on most of the sushi, which is also to be expected of any AYCE sushi joint but is still a turn-off nonetheless. 

In terms of service, I was put-off by the surly waitress mentioned by other Yelpers. She was very unfriendly and seemed at best disinterested and at worst hostile. It's a good thing (for her) that there is an automatic "service charge" applied to every bill, as that kind of service is not receptive of an 18-20% tip. But again, my experiences at Ajia were from 2008-09, so maybe she has become friendlier...or maybe not. Also, the sushi took quite a while to be made, even when the restaurant was nearly completely empty. I don't know if it's a stall tactic to try getting the AYCE patron to get bored or feel sated quicker, or if it is due to a really slow sushi chef, but the wait time for the sushi to be brought out was excessive.

Overall, Ajia is an okay option for fulfilling a sushi craving, and the fact that it offers made-to-order AYCE sushi is a positive attribute, but the subpar service here is a bit of a turnoff. But what basically made me stop eating here was the fact that the restaurant ALWAYS seemed to be empty. The couple of times that I came here happened to be Friday or Saturday nights, and the place was pretty much empty. That definitely made me think twice about coming back here for sushi, as I'm not going to eat raw fish from a place with such a low turnover rate. Also, I've heard that they have raised their price for the AYCE sushi deal, which is incomprehensible given their already-low customer base to begin with. Ultimately, Ajia benefits from the scarcity of Japanese restaurants in University City, as I'm guessing that, given more options, patrons would choose to eat elsewhere.
3 - Yelena Y.: I should have expected to be disappointed because I looked this place up on yelp before going, but stupidly decided to go anyway.  Since the food is usually the most important thing, I will start with that.  The actual food was fine.  Everything else, though, sucked.  The music was awful and too loud to ignore, the prices could be cheaper, and the waitress did not exude friendly vibes.  No paper towels in the restroom, no straws with drinks.  You can really tell when places start cutting corners.  It was sad in there.
5 - Alisson S.: Get over yourself/ shut up and enjoy the sushi.

I moved to West Philly from Seattle in the summer of 2005 and found Ajia my first week there. I proceeded to eat lunch and dinner at Ajia every day for the first month I lived in Philly- then law school started and I ran out of money. For the next 4 years I ate at Ajia about once a week, more if I could afford it.

But what a month that first month was! Their lunch special $8.95 for soup, salad, 3 sushi rolls (Spicy Crunchy Tuna x 3 please)- it couldn't be beat. Many days I walked from UPenn campus past what felt like hundreds of food carts because Ajia was all I wanted. When I started having gluten reaction to the crunchy tempura in the Spicy Crunchy Tuna roll I often would order the sashimi appetizer for lunch- what a treat and what a great price.

The real secret is the $23.95 all you can eat made to order sushi dinner. Ajia is a BYO- so bring a bunch of wine and a bunch of friends and stay all night. Every order is made fresh and you can tell. I have never had a "fishy" meal at Ajia- never once. 

My first real date with a guy a trillion years ago, we ended up at Ajia and ordered a ton of sushi. That was the one and only time I ever saw this happen there- but they brought our millions of rolls out on a huge wooden ship that was almost too big for the table. So sweet- they must have really wanted us to have a special night.

As the years went by, I brought so many dates to Ajia, the waitress would stop by the table while the boy was in the loo and say "He more handsome, he most handsome, he good one." Apparently she had a Yelp review system just for me and my dates. 

I became well known by the small staff and they would save 2 dozen surf clam for my birthday- they knew me that well. We celebrated over 40 birthdays, a couple law school graduations, and a bar exam completions at Ajia over the 5 years I was in Philly. They have my own personal wine bottle opener, as theirs kept getting stolen, I brought one in and they would only use it for me, to make sure I was happy- I didn't care if they used it for everyone- I wanted everyone to enjoy Ajia.

One hot summer day a monsoon came through- they were happy to hand me an umbrella for my walk home, knowing I would be back the next day. If the restaurant was quiet when I arrived the waitress would start up the boyband cd of Blue in short order and the Pavlovian response would begin. Thank god you don't hear Blue playing on a regular basis- otherwise I would lose my mind thinking about sushi.

The walk home from a long night of binge eating sushi and binge drinking wine to wash it down is one of my most dearly missed past times from Philadelphia. My heart breaks when I think about not being able to run out and just get a decent meal at Ajia now that I'm in Santa Fe.
3 - Catherine D.: Seriously good sushi at a seriously good price. I'd give it 3 1/2 stars really.

I mostly get the lunch special, which beats almost any other sushi place in the city. However, as has been said here already: the service is pretty dismal. 

Basically, it comes down to this: if you are someone who doesn't care about service, this is a five-star spot. Almost anyone would give it 5-stars for takeout, I believe. If you are someone who *only* cares about service, and is not interested in food, it is a one-star place. For everyone else, it falls somewhere in between.
1 - Lorna D.: I went there today for lunch and the waitress was so rude.  Soup or salad is supposed to be included with the lunch special, so when I asked her about it she gave me this attitude.  Then was sloppy pouring the water that it got all over the floor and didn't bother to clean it up, and she took forever bringing the water in the first place.  I never see people there, and I think I know why.  The food is good, but I won't ever give my business to them again.
2 - Chris M.: My last experience at Ajia caused me to downgrade them by a star. As previously noted, this isn't the place you go for a loquacious, friendly waitress--you come here for cheap-yet-palatable sushi for lunch. Their lunch offering continues to be a soup or salad with 3 maki rolls for $9--pretty good. But herein lies the problem. I understand that inflation kicks in and sometimes you need to charge higher prices or cut back on what's included to maintain a profit margin, but I would highly prefer that they add a dollar or so to the price of the meal than to skimp on the quality of the food as they did the last time I was here. The salmon in my Philadelphia roll literally was cut into a julienne. It was juxtaposed with a mini boulder of cream cheese that made me feel like I had purchased the salmon-flavored cream cheese they sell at the store (not that I would ever do that).

My friend ordered the nigiri special, which looked way better than my maki. So perhaps that's the way to go. 

Anyway, I'll consider myself lucky that I can opt to walk over to Mizu on 40th instead when I want reasonably priced sushi.
2 - Chris T.: you come here for the cheap sushi rolls combo for lunch, you get 18 pieces of sushi roll for 9 dollars. it's no where near top quality, but its worth the money for the amount they give you. I also come here because i live right next to this restaurant at left bank, so when im lazy to walk too far for meals I come here. these are the 2 positives for me.

the negative: 1. waitress is the worst you will see in philly, maybe top 10 worst in the U.S., extremely bad attitude, I dont get how you can be in that bad of a mood everyday. how can she expects to get tips with that attitude. that leads to 2. there is an mandatory 15% tip already included. they also dont specified what that 15% is, so if you dont look at your bill carefully you wont know. What's worse, when the bill comes again for you to sign, theres another column empty for tip. It's a trap for people to pay extra if you didnt notice the 15% tip already included. So if you pay another 15%, you would end up paying a 32% tip for a horrific service. DONT BE FOOLED.
1 - Toby Y.: THIS IS TRULY THE WORST RESTAURANT I HAVE BEEN TO IN MY LIFE.
If I can, I would give this restaurant a -5 star. Want to know why? Hear me out, please. 
Last Friday I went to the restaurant with friends. I ordered a yakisoba stirred fried noodle. Just when I was finishing my last mouthful of noodle, I bit on something very sharp; later it turned out that the sharp object was a piece of red-colored glass. Thank goodness that I didn't not bite really hard--I have no doubt that, given its sharpness, it could have pierced into my mouth. 
Feeling exasperated, I called the waitress. She took the plate off together with the piece of glass (the only thing I failed to do was to hold on to the evidence) without offering any apology. A couple of minutes later, she came back with the check, told me that she took two dollars off my 12 dollar noodle, as a compensation, on the grounds that I had finished all my food and I could have taken the piece of glass from anywhere and put it into the plate. What's even more ridiculous was that the two dollars off was taken from the tips, as she has handed me a check with the tips counted in. Without the evidence or even of a photo of it, I didn't fight on about and just left without tips. But I will NEVER GO BACK AGAIN. 
The bad-tempered and rude waitress has been an eyesore to many of us for years and sometimes we just put up with her because Ajia was the only sushi restaurant near Penn. But darn it, I'll never go back and I would only recommend this place to you if you want to punish someone.
1 - holly h.: The worst restaurant I've ever experienced in University City... the food wasn't good at all and didn't taste like Japanese food.  In fact, it reminded me Chinese food.  There's worse thing - the waitress.  She didn't even say a word...no hello, no welcome, no please, no thank you, no nothing... horrible!  Oh and then they gave you no chance but pay them the solid 15% of tips.
3 - Mich L.: At first I empathized with the other Yelpers who got the infamous grumpy waitress. But after talking it over with my friend, he pointed out that she doesn't necessarily have a bad attitude; it's more like she's stoic-faced and silent. 

There could be many reasons for her disposition:

Maybe she eats ice-cubes.
Maybe she has painful cavities.
Maybe her English isn't good. 
Maybe her name is Ajia, 
you killed her father so prepare to die!

As long as she didn't spit in my food, I guess I don't really care. 

The main reason you would come here is for the affordable sushi. Lunch menu specials are a steal. $9.95 for two rolls and two pieces of sashimi + soup/salad? I'll take it. 

The quality and freshness of the sushi is fine. It's higher quality than a lot of cheap sushi buffets and far superior to takeout places. I asked for pretty standard sushi pieces: Salmon + tuna. The idea is that if the salmon + Tuna sucks, everything else is guaranteed to be inferior as well. I was satisfied with my lunch special.

Also got the yellowtail and the fish was fatty (in the right way) and enjoyable.

What really throws me off is that I didn't know the 15% tip was already included. Damn we double-tipped the ice-cube eating girl. Oh well. We live and move on.
3 - Abhishek Y.: Tucked away into a far corner of the UC district in Philadelphia, Ajia definitely delivers some great food, although the experience is tempered by the disappointing service, as remarked by other Yelpers.

Showed up on a Saturday evening, and it was about three quarters full, with a decent atmosphere around the place.  The infamous grumpy waitress was our server, although I have to say that I genuinely did try to give her a chance before coming to my conclusion.

Either way, ignoring the service, the food was great and the prices were really good for the quality.  A nice (ethnic) joint in Philly that serves good, authentic food.
2 - Rachel T.: The fish was frozen before is was sushi-fied.

The miso soup tasted like it was from a dried mix, ok for me at home when I'm having a bad day but that's not what I expect out.

The rice was extra vinegar-y.  Not a huge problem, but I like my rice a bit more neutral.  

One of our rolls had smoked salmon.  There are parts of lox (the not to be mentioned parts) that cannot be chewed, and these parts should NEVER make it into a sushi roll.  They did here.

The bathroom smelled moldy.

The sushi bar was piled high with plates and napkins providing no dining surface at the bar, typically our favorite place to sit and watch people play with knives.
2 - Meg S.: Came here with a group (I didn't choose the restaurant) and was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't terrible! Food took a bit long to come out, but we weren't in a hurry, and they didn't rush us. That said, it is so close to the Walnut Street Bridge and the prices are expensive for how good the food is.
2 - Danielle P.: This place is OK. The prices are pretty cheap.. 8.99/3 rolls for lunch + salad and 9.99/3 rolls for dinner. Not too bad. However, my spicy tuna roll was rancid. I couldn't eat it. I got my order to go or else I would have sent it back. My salmon/avocado and veggie rolls were great, though. The ginger dressing on the salad isn't the normal one you get at most Japanese restaurants, but it was very good. I will probably go here again because it's so cheap and close to where I live, but do not go out of your way to eat here. I don't think I'll ever be able to order that spicy tuna roll again...

Ajihei - Princeton, NJ (40.3495539, -74.6626081) ()
3 - Robin d.: Has anyone noticed a downturn at Ajihei? I feel like the rolls aren't as good as they used to be and that they are more filled with rice than before.  I still like the spicy tuna rolls, and most of the smaller rolls, but I think the bigger, special rolls aren't as good as before. Lately I've actually decided to drive to Ota-ya in Lambertville instead of Ajihei.  

However, Ajihei was one of my favorite sushi places for a good run.  Maybe it's just in my head that they've faltered a bit!
4 - Meg L.: I have yet to find a sushi place in the area where I appreciate the freshness of the fish and the overall quality of the food as much as Ajihei.  Admittedly, it is very bare bones - it is situated in below-street-level hole, and if you have to wait for a table (chances are you will) there really isn't too many places to stand and it can get pretty toasty in the summer.  But, the servers are very attentive and polite, and the food is just fantastic.  Their white tuna roll, in particular, knocked my socks off.  Although it can be a little pricier per-roll than more run of the mill sushi places, I think its worth it - plus you can byob which always helps to save a buck.
4 - Rebekah S.: In a town where there's a dearth of really good ethnic eats, it's nice to have a decent sushi place around.  NJ is great b/c of the BYOB... and this place is no exception.  Note, however, that you can ONLY bring 1 bottle per couple (was it me that caused them to institute this policy?  I hope not!) 

If you have some good sake, offer it to Mr Ajeihi... even better, he is a sochu fan, so let him partake should you have a bottle.  Since I live in NYC, it's no problem getting artisinal sake... so I bring some down when visiting friends in town and we head out to Ajeihi and eat/drink up.  I think Mr Ajeihi (dunno if its his real name) appreciates the token gesture on my part (and the good quality sake/sochu, which you can't get anywhere in Jersey... how sad!)

Note-- this is Princeton, not Manhattan, so don't expect Yasuda quality-- It's more like Yama quality, which is A+++ for NJ!
4 - Jen C.: Have eaten in and taken out. Both times loved the sushi and sashimi ordered. Fish was fresh - restaurant was full. Don't expect 5-star service, but they were nice enough. Prices are a bit high, but that won't stop me from going back.
4 - Chad W.: **Quick update...I've had sushi at probably 50 places since I wrote this review a few years ago..it's now 2012, and I think this is still one of best sushi joints that I've been to.  It is by far the best Chirashi bowl I've had anywhere, as well as the best uni & mackerel.  I haven't been to Japan yet, but if Japan is anywhere near as good as this place, I might move there permanently.**

The place is a small basement-esque place on a side street.  The decor inside is uninspired, but the sushi is excellent.  They serve complementary green tea as well, if that's your thing.
I ordered Chirashi Deluxe for $27; it came with miso soup and a multitude of sushi.  4x tuna, 4x salmon, 1x shrimp, 2x yellowtail, 3x mackerel, 2x yellowtail, 2x snapper, 2 scallop slices, ikura, & uni.  

The sushi was some of the freshest I've had, actually.  I have had uni, ikura, & mackerel several times, and I've never enjoyed it much.  Ikura has always been hit or miss, sometimes okay, a lot of times overly powerful.  Not here!  It was sweet, fresh, and creamy.  I've tried uni 3x, because I've always read that some people truly enjoy it, and until tonight, I've always assumed said people are crazy...but now I understand.  The uni here was really good!  High iodine content, but very sweet & creamy, the way it apparently should taste.  

I've been to ~30 different sushi restaurants, and this place is top 5 for quality of fish.  Try it next time you're in Princeton!
4 - Carol C.: This place is small and cozy and serves some of the best sushi Princeton has to offer.  Seating is hard to get sometimes, and service can be slow at peak hours since they only have one sushi chef but it's definitely worth the wait.  Their prices are a little steep but they have a lunch menu with items that around 10-15 dollars, so I would definitely recommend to go for that instead.  Apparently, they also don't allow parties of more than 6 so keep that in mind.

We ordered a the Sushi Lunch, Unagi Don, Rainbow Roll, and Shrimp Tempera DX roll.  The sushi lunch included a variety of nigiri sushi including salmon, tuna, yellowtail, and shrimp as well as a spicy tuna roll.  Their salmon sashimi here is DELICIOUS!!! So smooth, fresh, and creamy, no tendons or anything.  The unagi don had four sizeable pieces of eel on a large bowl of rice.  The eel here is absolutely stellar - thick and plump with great flavor.  They probably have some of the best eel I've ever had in my life (and I've had a lot of eel!).  Ah, the rainbow roll - at $18 a roll, we were a little skeptical but I really wanted to try it so we got it.  I am so glad we did.  The roll, first of all, is gigantic, cut into 10 huge pieces and stuffed with salmon, tuna, lobster, cucumbers, and more.  Sooooooo good. Last but not least, the shrimp tempura roll was also delectable.  I'm not a huge fan of tempura rolls but I found the texture with the eel in the roll to be very nice.  Overall, all the fish was so fresh and well prepared.  I had an excellent meal.
1 - Sasha K.: Sushi itself is acceptable yet highly overpriced, but service and ambiance are truly dreadful. Located in the basement with a limited seating, waiting crowd stands right behind the people who eat. An attitude of waiters points at their total lack of experience of work in the service sector.
1 - Therhyme R.: Rude, Rude, Rude. The staff here need to learn some manners.  It is unpleasant standing in front of people who are eating for about 20 minutes to try to get a seat to have some lunch. When you finally get a seat, you are ignored for another 20 minutes.  The sushi is not that great, and the attitude makes you never want to visit this place again.
4 - David S.: I'm a fan. Their sushi is great. But they just instituted a policy of $20/person minimum for parties of 4 or more. I understand why they have a policy like that in a college town where students tend to hang out without realizing the impact on a small restaurant. But, last night when none of us were that hungry, we went elsewhere.

I'd still recommend it.
4 - Scottie B.: I really liked this place.  We went for lunch and ordered off the lunch menu.  It was very reasonably priced considering the miso soup and green tea.  I had the Sushi lunch which on that day was a delicious flotilla.   I'm used to sushi rolls, but my lunch was fish on top of tender rice (I know this is standard at some places, but hey I'm not super-cosmopolitan).  My girlfriend is vegetarian and went with some avocado and cucumber rolls which weren't fantastic but weren't bad either.

Two things I noticed in other reviews that I'd like to comment on:
1) The atmosphere.  I liked the tucked away feel, as if I'd found a neighborhood secret.  The place was well-lit and subtly decorated so as not to be obnoxious.  There are a small number of tables so come early, waiting space was limited too.

2) The service.  I guess they have gotten better since previous posters, our waitress was quick to bring us water and take our order.  Food came out promptly and our waters and green tea cups never got empty.  Though there were people waiting, we never felt pressured to eat and get out.
4 - Madeline B.: I absolutely love this place. The sushi is incredibly fresh and it's nice to find a restaurant with more traditional sushi and not just the fancy fusion menus. The staff is really nice and accommodate you to the best of their abilities. 

Great atmosphere for an intimate dinner with friends or a date. My boyfriend and I have been coming here for over two years now and will definitely continue to!
4 - Lissie P.: I was taken to this cute little restaurant by a girlfriend who is Japanese. She tried out all the Japanese restaurants in Princeton and this is the most authentic one that she has found.

I traveled a lot, one thing I miss the most from Ajihei is the Hajiki Salad, which is a salad with seaweed (note, this is not the artificial  green almost transparent looking seaweed salad you see in most places. Another favoriate of my favoriate is the Salmon Skin Roll.

Ajihei is not ideal for group dinners. The whole restaurant sits about 20 people and most tables are for 2 people with 2 to 3 table for 3-4 people.

It's BYO, Princeton Corkscrew down the street offer a good selection of Sakes and the staff there gave really recommendation.
5 - Jeff E.: This is the best restaurant in princeton.  Well, definitely the best value.  It is a cute quiet place.  Pick up your sake beforehand, because it is BYOB. The softshell crab roll and the futomaki roll are my favorite.  And the seaweed salad is great too.
4 - Ken K.: Review has been  overdue for sure. I visited this small place back in September. I was very glad to make myself there!!!
Sushi/Sashimi - despite my very first visit, Chef made it through really nicely for me and my wife. Typically, I ask sushi chef to do "Omakase" style with budget...not many places nowadays willing to do this way. But, the chef was really accommodating...great!! All items of favorite, Chu-Toro, Hirame, Akami, Tai, Hamachi, Sake (belly part!!)...shell was only Hokki and Mirugai...Kanpyo maki with Wasabi was really good!! Not may places serve this traditional item anymore. CP was actually fair - maybe because of first-timer?...otherwise, I would have given 5 stars!!
I strongly recommend this place - wish I live closer!!
5 - L K.: Best sushi in the Princeton area, and for good reason considering the chef once worked under Iron Chef Morimoto.  Not comparable to the very best sushi places in Toronto, New York, or Philly, but by far the kind of sushi place that makes me feel like it is out of place in Princeton... it's fantastic and has sushi quality that is characteristic of most good-quality swanky sushi places in large cities.
The waitress was very pleasant.  She forgot our miso soup at first but considering she was the only one working all of the tables in the restaurant, it's understandable!
The soft-shell crab roll is especially recommended.
4 - Alvin A.: We visited this little place yesterday -- first impressions: reminded me a lot of a battered-down izakaya in Japan. Charming, and it felt like the place cared more about the food than the decor. The fact that we saw Japanese immigrants eating there was also very encouraging.

Place is quite small, probably won't seat more than 20 people. We came around 8pm on a Sunday, and was promptly seated. Service is very efficient and polite. I ordered the chirashi deluxe, which provides good test for freshness and variety of fish that the shop has to offer.

I was quite impressed. It was late night on a weekend, and the fish was generally still quite fresh. Highlights were the uni and scallops; I'd say that the yellowtail and mackerel were good too.

Did not try the cooked dishes, but I saw several Japanese eating curry and more innovative rolls, so it should be on par with my experience.

Would definitely come back, and I won't be surprised if next time I have to wait before being seated.
5 - Julz K.: Simply the best sushi around NJ. There is really nothing else you can say. Service is great but the two ladies that are always there. Each piece of rice is just a perfect pearl.
1 - Sarah J.: Very unfriendly restaurant, went in and refused to seat us because I had a baby with me.  WTF??? When asked why they said because they served hot tea.  Whatever....Sakura Express has  way better sushi than your little sewer hole.
5 - Atilla B.: Perfection in Princeton.... but you should not expect to get good sushi without paying the proper price for it.

Though expensive in comparison to what's around, it is not without merit... Ajihei easily puts 95% of similarly priced sushi restaurants all around USA to shame.

This is the ultimate sushi experience hidden away beneath street level in a small university town...  No Sushi place around the area even comes close to delivering the quality I've had in Ajihei so far.  The quality here varies from amazing to perfect, and I'm convinced that this master chef will refuse to serve you if the remaining fish lacks the usual quality.  

Have a cup of hot tea with your meal and enjoy a delicious chirashi-zushi, tekka-don, sushi platter or the perfect maki... flawlessly cut and served with perfectly seasoned sushi rice.
4 - Isabella O.: Ajihei is probably one of the only authentic Japanese restaurants in Central Jersey. 

It's what you can expect from a real Japanese dining experience, small space, authentic food, and real Japanese green tea.

The food is beyond doubt the best of its kind in Princeton. Other places such as Tomo, Ichiban (Zen), MoC MoC don't even compare. Sakura Express is a whole other beast, and I assume that people going there know what they're getting into for ridiculously cheap sushi.

Always served to perfection, Ajihei does not take any shortcuts. Their ingredients are mostly straight from Japan. Ajihei is slightly pricier than other comparable restaurants in Princeton, but the quality is beyond comparison. For similar sushi anywhere else, the price tag would have been much higher. 

I must admit what I am most obsessed about is their tea - authentic powered green tea that you can taste the difference of. Tea like this is pretty expensive and you won't get it anywhere else.

The only discount factor for Ajihei is their small space and its associated complications. Staff are sometimes so overwhelmed that it's hard to get your tea/water refilled or you order processed fast enough during peak hours. Long wait times for a table, and inability to accommodate large groups are also annoying.

Bottom Line: best quality sushi in Princeton. Small space, hence long lines during peak hours, no reservations accepted.
4 - Valissa W.: It has been brought to my attention over the years that I have a rather large mouth. I'm a talker, SORRY! What's the best remedy for a mouth overflowing with words? Fill it with food. 

My dinner date and I started off with green tea and miso soup, both of which were obviously homemade and really, really good. We were also served a mixed plate of pickled I'm-not-sure-whats that were incredibly tasty. I'm no expert in Japanese dining, but my companion lived in Kyoto for a while and proclaimed Ajihei to be the most authentic Japanese restaurant he's seen in North America. His bold statement was also backed by a line out the door of local Japanese people waiting to get in on a Wednesday night.

Being that my friend's expense account was going to be footing our bill that night, we indulged in a lot more sushi sampling than we would have otherwise. I don't know how it's possible to get seafood that fresh in Central Jersey, but the umi alone was good enough to make me sing. Fortunately for those within earshot, there were several other courses of sushi and sashimi so that big mouth of mine never chirped even a note. Between the two of us we had four sushi rolls (two deluxe), countless sashimi, and the aforementioned appetizers and our bill was right at $60. Not bad! 

Service was kinda slow and at times there were some highly awkward exchanges with one of the servers. I didn't mind this at all until we'd finished our meal and were told we needed to hurry up and leave since there were others waiting. 

Oh well, a full mouth is a happy (and quiet) mouth. :)
5 - Susan s.: Saving the best review for last! My friend Brandon wanted to take me to this place for a while now. Since my birthday just passed last weekend, we celebrated with sushi for dinner! Arriving fairly early, around 6pm, the restaurant was already filling up. A small quaint little sushi restaurant with one sushi chef behind a small kitchen bar and a couple of waitresses tended to each section. 

We started off with a hijiki and watercress salad, then miso soup, and moved on to a sashimi platter deluxe. The fish was cut perfectly and came with a few extra pieces then the 2 pieces per fish listed on the menu. I was happy with that. The tuna was Blue Fin, and the salmon was more like salmon belly? All of it was fresh. I'm not a big Uni fan, but I still managed to take a piece and enjoy it. We also shared one giant roll. The Rainbow Roll. It consists of tuna, salmon, lobster salad and avocado? It was so big and if I ordered it for myself, I probably would not even be able to finish half of it. 10 HUGE pieces. It should be called a Monster Roll eh?

The staff was really friendly. Had to ask for the green tea to be refilled, but thats ok. If this is the best place for sushi in Princeton, I believe it!

NO RESERVATIONS! Come early, long wait on weekends during peak hours.
5 - Lauren T.: This place has the best sushi that I have had outside of Japan.  Consistently fresh and delicious- you will not be disappointed.   Get there early during the week if you do not want to wait for a seat for lunch. Closed Monday's.
5 - Myrtle T.: Amazing fish. Terrible location but warm service (compared to other cold Japanese women, they're fine). Great miso soup. They're very attentive to detail. It's pricey, but worth it.
4 - lmno p.: Nice, unpretentious, barebones good sushi. We have no beef about the service which so many people complain about. Servers are always nice. Chef-owner just goes about his business. Our favorite sushi place in Princeton. We always know we will get good food.
4 - Stephanie B.: My husband and I ate here almost every Friday night this past Summer. There was no wait then, but we've been afraid to try it now that the students are back in session. The sushi quality is superb. The kitchen can get backed up, but the wait-staff is lovely.  I'm giving it 4 stars, instead of 5, because the decor is lacking and the menu has no variety. Given the setting, it's a bit expensive.
3 - Mad S.: Going back this weekend again and will update again then. But I was just puzzled as people write it is not suited for kids. I don't understand that. We go there all the time with our children and they love it. Have never had issues. 
I
3 - Lily P.: Good sushi and quality. On the pricey side for sushi in general and the portions are small. The people there are super nice and when it opens at 12 for lunch they get busy pretty fast. 
The bathroom is pretty small and you need to go into the kitchen to get there. I like the atmosphere though and its great for a small group. They def focus on quality over just large amounts of sushi. The soy sauce was a bit diluted, the wasabi had a massive kick, and the ginger was okay. For the teriyaki they had ginger on the side that you assume would be pickled radish. All in all id go back there while im in the area.
The friends dumplings (gyoza) were standards but the other ones with crab/chicken etc in the think skin weren't as good or flavorful so I had no idea what i was eating there.
4 - Todd O.: been here twice now, and for the princeton area, hands down the best sushi/sashimi restaurant (note: princeton is quite limited in quality asian food).  when you talk about good hole-in-the-wall restraurants, ajihei ranks up there, as you can almost miss this underground location if you don't look carefully.  the small interior seats ~20-30, but the wait at 8pm on a thursday night was relatively short despite the two groups ahead of us and lone sushi chef.

got the chirashi ($22), which i'll admit was better than my nobu's experience.  their sashimi pieces are fresh, and the sashimi deluxe ($28) will satisfy you, yet leave enough room for ice cream at any of princeton's nearby shops.
5 - Allyson P.: Awesome.  It was my first sushi experience and it was great.  We stopped and got Saki across the street and brought it in.  I keep asking to go back!
5 - Joshua C.: For My very first review, I'll review a place that i have been visiting for years. Before i trick you into thinking this place is perfect for everybody...
...BE WARNED: It takes a while to get your food, the decore is simple, the place is cramped, you cant have groups over four. 

THAT SAID: this restaurant is for those who love truly high quality sushi/sashimi. 
The rice here is done to perfection.
The fish is always fresh and very high quality
The waiters are very friendly and remember frequent customers, especially if you come the same time each week.
The unagi (as said in some other reviews) is wonderfully rich and plentiful, you get a pretty large serving of eel and a big helping of rice.

So, is it for everybody? no. Is it posh? no. But, it IS my favorite sushi restaurant in NJ, and challenges many places in nyc/philly as well.
4 - Derrick C.: I've been here over 10 times. One of the only legit sushi places in Princeton. Very small place in a basement, lineups can get quite long during weekends. BYOB place...

Food:
Small dishes
The gyoza is excellent, wasabi shumai is very strong

Real dishes
the different kinds of chirashis are always dependable. So are the sushi/sashimi plates. Omakase at lunch time is also very good.
1 - Vanessa K.: Usually I would not rate a restaurant based on service only - just because I believe the quality of food is always more important, imo. However, my experience with Ajihei def. made me rethink my way of thinking. My first time there was pretty good, good enough for me to drive another 40 mins back. This second time though, we had a party of five, the waitress refused to seat us. I can completely agree and even comply to their rules of no big parties thats plastered on their wall outside. But when our party agreed to seperate to different tables of 3 and 2, she just kept telling us "no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no" (omfg a gadzillion freaking times) with NO understandable reason. We tried to reason with her and understand why she wasn't compromising. Overall, it was the most frustrating dining experience I've ever had and I def. don't recommend this place to anyone else.
1 - Jason C.: It's a shame that my first yelp review will be so dreadful, but such was our experience attempting to have dinner at Ajihei, which had come highly recommended, on Tuesday, April 26.  Our party of four sat down at the moment the restaurant opened, 530p, the only patrons there.  Our colleague joined us a few minutes later and was told he couldn't sit with us (I had not seen the tablets of 10 commandments nailed to the door).  The waitress wouldn't help, wouldn't let us split our group, and wouldn't talk to us otherwise.  When I asked if she would rather prefer, despite the restaurant's being empty, that we leave as opposed to finding a way to accommodate our business, she told us we should leave immediately.  When I asked to speak to the manager, she insisted he had spoken and would not come to talk to us.  When I approached the counter of the manager/sushi chef/feudal lord, this disrespectful restaurateur couldn't be bothered even to look up at me or dignify my displeasure with a response, aside from his eventual Mifune-like grunt insisting we leave, which we then did.  

I'm disappointed that, given the numerous glowing reviews of the food at Ajihei, we weren't able to enjoy it, but I must confess that in 20 years of dining all over this country and the world, I've never experienced service like this.  I'm actually considering informing the BBB as well.  

May this proprietor reap what he sows in his treatment of customers!
5 - Patrick W.: I've been to this place several times and they have excellent sushi and a slightly cramped, but mostly just cozy dining room. By far the best thing about Ajihei is the quality of the ingredients. Yes, the sushi is slightly more expensive than other places in Princeton but the value is unsurpassed since the quality is so much better. The service is generally quite good, but a little slow during peak times.

Given that they have such a small space, they have very little patience for parties which are large or generally disruptive in any way. If you have a loud child with you, for instance, they will ask you to leave. They have a large sign that says "no parties of five or more"... can't believe how many reviewers were shocked that they were not seated with a party of five... I mean, seriously?

I sort of dig the "soup nazi"-esque attitude from this place. Above all else, they focus on delivering top notch sushi and a quite environment, and that, I deeply appreciate.
1 - Fitz T.: Some weird, insane compulsions at this restaurant.  

I attempted to join 4 friends sitting at a table here, for an early dinner.  The place was empty.

The waitress got offended, upset, and only said no, no, no, with these huge, wide, upset eyes.  I mean, just at the *QUESTION* she became visibly upset.  They could have said no without being jerks about it, right?

None of us were from Princeton, so I guess we didn't know the "rules" of the sushi place.  (Do you go looking for "rules" every time you walk into a restaurant???)

I feel bad that people in Princeton have to deal with some crazy people because there's just no other sushi place??

PS, I have many asian (including Japanese) colleages and friends.  I've been to Tokyo.  I've eaten at a millions of sushi joints.  I'm part asian.  I know how to conduct myself respectfully in public:

These guys are just self-indulgently quirky and rude.
4 - Ed U.: Subterranean sushi? Yes, I love the concept. You have to walk down to the basement of a century-old building and enter a rather compact Japanese eatery with the familiar blond wood and quietly efficient staff. I think they should paint the walls a deep ocean blue and try a Finding Nemo motif. The animated fish can have provocative thought balloons that say "I hope you realize you're eating my cousin Shirley." Too much? Maybe that's why I didn't get that decorating job at HGTV. 

This is a lot better than the trendier-looking Mo C Mo C Sushi down the street. Ajihei bills itself as a Japanese deli, so I assume they must do bento boxes. Me? I was kinda hungry after a hard day at my company's Plainsboro office with a bag of chips for lunch, so I went to town. I first ordered the $6 Tatsuta Age (Japanese Fried Chicken) which were basically dark-meat McNuggets with a wedge of lemon instead of my beloved honey mustard sauce (see photo). They were still satisfying. Then I went for the $6 Tofu Salad, which was half-iceberg lettuce with shredded peppers and half-tofu sliced and splooged with a peanut and ginger dressing (see photo). 

It was more odd than good, but the tofu tasted quite fresh. The centerpiece, of course, was my main order, the $27 Sushi Deluxe selection which encompassed nine different kinds - tuna, mackerel, yellowtail, eel, salmon roe - and a tuna takkamaki roll (see photo). It was what I wanted, it was what I needed. Good and fresh. Service was unobtrusive as the server slipped in and out with the dishes like a phantom. I'm glad I found a sushi alternative in Princeton since pickin's are rather slim in these parts for fresh fish even if it is cousin Shirley. 

FOOD - 4 stars...finally found a good Japanese place in Princeton 
AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...a bit tight but clean and bright 
SERVICE - 3.5 stars...shhhh... 
TOTAL - 4 stars...oh I'd come back for some sushi when I'm in town
4 - Alyce T.: As long as you don't get banned by committing half a dozen mistakes deemed to be crimes by this eccentric little sushi spot, you will love it for the excellent quality of their sashimi and rice.

It's the sort of place where I have gone alone for lunch -- just to treat myself during a difficult work week -- and have savored each bite of flavorful, perfectly textured salmon, uni, unagi, and yellowtail with closed eyes... and then opened them to invariably catch people staring. Oh who cares, I'd think, rolling my eyes. They just want the beautiful confection I'm having.

FOUR STARS (The Good):

1. If you want a satisfying tasting of their famously fresh fish, order the chirashi with hand-picked pieces of sashimi laid on a bed of divinely seasoned rice. Be pleasantly surprised by the chewy pieces of ginger you stumble on in each bite of rice. And know with each chew that you can't get fresher fish anywhere else in Princeton, NJ. Breathe through your nose, and enjoy.

2. If you love eel, please order the unagi don. Such plump eel, such delicious sauce (that's not overly sweet for once!), and fluffy white rice. You'd think that you'd be yearning for variety after this dish, but that is NOT the case! I often order just this and am superbly satisfied.

2. The chef used to work at Nobu in New York (check out that little New York Times review proudly framed and hung next to their entrance), so execution is worth noting. They roll their sushi well; they're compact, neat, and contain the right proportions of fish to rice. The cuts of the sashimi are sliced with an experienced hand, and presentation is clean if not creative.

MINUS ONE STAR (The Not-So-Good):

1. I have to say, they do not handle innocent transgressors of their "commandments" very well (READ their list of rules next to the entrance or despair!!!) My friend has gotten in a huge row with the staff and owner when she unwittingly brought a group larger than four. The group was asked to order take-out instead of seating themselves down, so they ordered but conflict arose somehow when it came to pay. When my friend raised her voice slightly in exasperation, the waitress/manager shoved the bags of food into her hands and said, "Just leave! We don't want your money. Just leave and do not come back!" WHAT? This type of confrontation phobia does not excuse the owners' total lack of professionalism when problems arise... 

2. The same waitress is not very good at communicating with customers, most likely because of a language barrier. That's all well and good when she's serving you efficiently and politely, but it's a huge problem when communication is needed. Even something like splitting payments and other small requests seem lost on her and then we're stuck in an exchange of silly gestures and half-words. Trust me, I'm not discriminating; rather I'm thinking that solid language skills are necessary for anyone working in customer service.

---

I tend to suspect that Ajihei rules their diners with an iron fist because they can afford to. After all, the space is small, reservations are not allowed, and if some people are turned away or even banned, other people invariably show up. To the college kids that try to dine there as a social experience, Ajihei very clearly turns its nose up at them. But if you are hyper aware of all of this and can appreciate food separate from the restaurant's odd eccentricities, then come! Better yet, come alone like I do, and you'll be guaranteed a love connection: you'll love Ajihei, and Ajihei will love you.
4 - Caleb N.: Ajihei is located in a cozy little downstairs space on Chambers, where a number of the hidden gems of Princeton are nestled. Note that "cozy" means it's not really suitable for big groups (parties larger than 4). It is the clear top dog in terms of Japanese food in Princeton.

The fish used for sushi is fresh and high-quality, and the cooked dishes like the unagi-don are top notch as well. However, there is no bar, no interaction with the chef, and certainly no omakase. Also, the service came off as a bit aloof during our visit. Also, be sure to take note of their hours.

All in all a solid, quality Japanese restaurant.
5 - Afonso B.: Best Sushi I have ever had (I haven't had that many though)
3 - Jane D.: I ate here ages ago with a bf i started dating. went about 3 times until I got violently sick. My dad being the protective father he was and being cautious about sushi in general called up Ajihei and exchanged words about what i ate there. For some reason they asked my father for my phone number and between expeling the tasty sushi meal, they harassed me demanding to know why i was sick, and trying to suggest maybe i was sick with something else! I did not accuse them of making me sick, and to be harassed like that in the middle of one of my worst nights ever made me so upset. There may have been an "are you ok" in there somewhere but I was too sick to care.

I loved their sushi when i had it. I honestly believe it is the best that is in Princeton. I'm terrified that I will be remembered and with their strict policies and rules I'm almost certain I am banned for getting sick that night.
I shouldn't have to be scared to eat here, and the strict expectations they have set are absolutely ridiculous! 

Why not just require a club membership or make it private if they are going to go through such lengths to set these rules and ban people who break em?
5 - Mark D.: It seems like they changed their menu and took off a lot of the cheaper items. Pretty much entirely focused on sushi now.
4 - Eponine J.: i always feel urged to bring a box of sushi from ajihei in dried ice to my friends at yale when i go visit them because they loved this place so much when they came to visit me. but i have to say the eating policies here are so weird and sometimes intolerable.
2 - Leslie G.: Yuck. Besides being a basement sushi spot, which is kinda gross, the quality of fish is not great. Their tempura is awesome though, hence the 2 stars. :)
5 - Danan R.: Okay, so I finally struck up the courage to deviate from my beloved eel and sushi rolls to try the cooked items.  They were fantastic!  The salmon cutlet is a beautiful slab of salmon dipped in egg, covered in panko and black pepper and then and fried. It was the perfect crunchy texture.  The pork katsu cutlet was very tender on the inside and deliciously crunchy on the outside. But wait, the winner of the day was the chicken kuwayaki, which was deep-fried, and the covered with a soy-based sauce; the sauce was soooo good.  And the chicken was tender and juicy, with a crunchy shell.   I am almost glad that this is more an a short drive from work because otherwise, I would be very very poor indeed since I would probably eat here everyday.  The portions are filling though.  These 3 dishes were more than enough to satiate the 3 of us.  And Koji is great (although I would advise calling him by his first name); the way that he glares at the patrons over the top rim of his expertly perched spectacles is just classic.
1 - J k.: we were 5 at lunch: 2 of us arrived 6 minutes before noon opening, and were subjected to angry protestation from the 3 very annoyed staff before being allowed to sit on foyer bench. when 4 of us sat in enclosed area with tables set for three and for two diners, we were told the 5th diner would not be allowed to join us because more than 4 at lunch would be too noisy. insane. while we were waiting a couple with two children were turned away. who cares about the food...this place  borders on the illegal when it comes to serving the public...i'd never go back.
1 - Kate G.: Sea food wasn't fresh. Will Not go there again.
4 - Michael W.: Delicious
4 - Tony D.: Some of the best sushi I've been able to find in the Princeton area... Small place with simple decor, but excellent cuts of sushi. Some of the best eel I've ever had, so if ur an Unagi fan don't let the "Market Price" scare u off... It's worth whatever the market is dictating!
Loved the tuna handroll, & always like when u can actually see the fish in a spicy tuna roll. I highly recommend this place if ur like me & are all about good sushi.
I had to open my own wine bottle (BYO), & couldn't get take out on valentine's day but I'm over it! Service was friendly enough for me, but place is small... RSVP recommended.
4 - Jay I.: My wife and I loved this place and went there for lunch or dinner when we had some extra bucks (or even when we didn't).  This place has high quality sushi, and the sushi man is Japanese, too.  I don't know anything about their non-sushi entrees, but their sushi dishes are worth trying.  I saw a good number of reviews about getting kicked out of the restaurants, but that never happened to me nor did I witness such incidents, so I got nothing to say.
5 - Palyn D.: I grew up eating Japanese food and this place is the real deal. I wouldn't even be embarassed to bring my friend's super-traditional, picky Japanese grandma here.

This place is all about the food: every cut of raw fish I've ever eaten in the past 8 years has been wonderfully fresh, delicious, not to mention well-presented.  The rice and nori accompanying the sushi is also amazingly good, and everything's perfectly proportioned. A lot of places mar otherwise good fish with mediocre/bad sushi rice or nori, or a too-large mass of rice with the slab of fish, but not here.  

You can tell they care about the food when even the "throwaway" items (in other places) get as much attention as the fish does here: their miso soup is one of my favorites (inclusive of NYC restaurants) and even though I never order the sweet egg omelet pieces and always thought I hated it (because many people/places make it badly) I love it here...where it's light-fluffy and just the right blend of sweet-savory.  

The decor is basic. They had a makeover last year and each table feels more private/comfy now. Lots of medium-tone wood. (Though they sadly also redid the menu and got rid of my favorite don, with sea urchin/scallops/roe).  The waitresses serve you quietly and efficiently.  I know the chef has a reputation for being fierce, enforcing his many rules, but who cares??  You go here to eat good sushi and have a good sushi-eating *experience* (not sit amidst families of 6 with screamy toddlers and strollers blocking the aisle) -- it's a price worth paying in the culinary wastelands of Princeton.
5 - Chrissy C.: i have the unfortunate duty of visiting my bf who attends school around ajihei.  you might know it...  i think its called princeton or something.  

anywhooooo, out of the all the places hes taken me to... its a toss up btwn ajihei and halo pub (lol, i love ice cream).  the sushi is fresh and the place is clean.  i like how quiet the restaurant is and how simple the menu is.  more of a place where sushi purists would enjoy...  this place doesnt dabble around in the fusion craze that so many other sushi restaurants are hopping on.  

from what i've tried so far:
wasabi shumai is great!  but, only get it if you can handle the wasabi kick~ b/c there really is one.  like a sinus clearing one.

chirashi was delicious.  they are so accommodating about swapping out as well.  i can't stand mackerel and i always feel like the egg is a waste of space on my plate.  pieces are large and cut nicely.  boyfriend loves chirashi rice...  i cant seem to finish even half of it... so, lucky him.  

you may not like their rules... but, thats how they control the quality of the ambiance of the restaurant.  i dunno about you, but if ur dishing out money for a night out... you dont want crying children or obnoxious college students getting drunk via overexcitement of their byob policy.  restaurants rarely extend byob...  the fact that they even extend this to one bottle is something to be appreciated.  they make no $ off your bottle of wine (they dont charge a corkage fee either) and if anything, they lose out... b/c drinking tends to keep you seated longer.  its a very small restaurant and they need to keep the tables turning...  thats just the reality of the situation.  i dont understand why people get so upset... how about... go eat somewhere else then?   nobody is forcing you to dine here lol
5 - Adam R.: This is some of the best sushi I've ever had. The one downside is that the place fills up quickly, so get there early or expect a pretty long wait!
2 - Ari S.: The sushi was good but overpriced, plus we felt like they were rushing us out of there. Tomo is a way better deal for similar quality, plus they are friendlier.
3 - Dan C.: Very decently sized chirasi bowl, with fresh pieces of fish for just around $20 is really not bad in Princeton! I stopped in with a book while traveling for work, but I'd recommend bringing a friend instead. You don't get signal on your phone, nor is the lightning very bright, so not a solo traveler-friendly place. I'm assuming there's a tiny kitchen, since service took longer than expected, but that could also have been a function of being alone with not much to do.

Friendly server staff, though the clientele can get a little rowdy. Tiny seating, so note that carefully!
5 - Matthieu D.: This is my favorite restaurant in Princeton. The food, the drinks and the service are delicate and subtle. Too bad it's somewhat expensive ($25 including tip for the Sashimi), cause I'd really like to go there everyday (really).
2 - Steve F.: A bit pricy in my taste. Was there to visit the university.  $20 minimum a person for a sushi only dinner.  The food was not bad but the wait time for food is quite long.
5 - ben h.: I should preface this by saying I'm not a sushi expert, but: this was probably the best sushi experience I've had.

For starters, the ambience: good jazz played quietly in a small space that doesn't feel cramped.  Complimentary green tea - good, strong green tea, too, not the watery stuff you get at most places.  No corkage for BYO.  After sitting next to an intoxicated, arguing couple who were two bottles in at a different place last week, I appreciated the "one bottle per two people" limit.

Veggie croquets were tasty - I think they were mostly mashed potatoes with occasional niblets of corn, peas, and carrots, breaded in panko and perfectly fried, without any greasy residue.  They came with an addictive sweet sauce.

Shrimp dumplings might have been my favorite part of the meal - soft and stuffed with perfectly cooked shrimp, little pillows of heaven.

Between the 4 of us at our table, there was a fair portion of the menu represented.  The sashimi was portioned generously, as were the rolls.  As others have mentioned, all tasted extremely fresh, and the rolls were very well balanced.  The highlight at this place seems to be eel, as our dragon roll (eel, avocado, sauce) was the most delicious thing on the table during the main course.

Somebody mentioned that the miso soup was powdered - I'd be surprised if that was the case.  The soup had the swirly quality I get when I make miso soup at home.  I don't think that happens when you use powder.  I think it blends with the water a bit better.  Maybe not, though.  Either way, the miso soup was okay.

I was afraid this place could be an overpriced let down, but considering the quality and the portion size, $20-25 should plenty to fill one's belly.  Factor in the BYO savings, and this is a perfect spot for a date or a group outing.
4 - S E.: Best sushi in the area, which does not say that much in and of itself given the lack of competition.  That said, the salmon tends to be quite good and the salmon skin rolls are the best I've ever had.  The service tends to be a little slow and friendly but . . . grudging(?).
3 - Hanne V.: A-OK for this basement sushi place. 
We came on a Sunday evening and didn't have to wait for a table. We ordered the chef's choice and an eel-avocado roll. The only fish on the chef's platter that was really moist and somewhat flavorful was the salmon. I didn't really care for the other fish, which were a  all bit dry and bland. No complaints about the roll. 

Overall the sushi here was kind of average. Not too bad, but nothing that I will remember neither. I kind of liked the location, in the basement. It looks authentic.
4 - Stuart F.: For as long as I could remember, i thought this place wasn't any good, and I know that some smart friends loved it, so I went and THEY HAVE THE BEST SUSHI IN TOWN.
but, you can wait for a while b/c it seems like there is only one sushi guy. I highly recommend it.
4 - Daniel L.: You Princeton people make me laugh by being scared off by the $20 minimum. 
Don't tell me you don't have money. Don't tell me you don't like the place because they sounds pretentious (while it's COMPLETELY acceptable for you to act that way [keep the golden rule in your damn "entitled" heads while you pass judgment unto others!]). Besides, if you are expecting to pay less than $20 per person for sushi, you don't know sushi, and don't deserve to eat here. 

Ok, enough with my rant.

Ajihei is a great place that is BYOB. For you "poor ass" Princeton kids (a load of bull), go eat at Sakura Express or Mo Ci. If you want a nice quiet atmosphere with none of that asian fusion bogus that saturates your fishes with spicy mayo, this is a great place. Plain, simple but GOOD sushi.

What to get here:
Seaweed Salad
Wasabi Shumai (nice kick to your face!)
Uni Sushi
Eel Sushi
Yellowtail Roll
Chirashi

HOWEVER, I must admit that food quality has dropped in recent time. It's sad to see. The thickness of the rolls have gotten thinner and rice is a bit more overpowering. But all in all, this place is still the best sushi place in town.

Note: CLOSED on Mondays.
3 - Juli G.: My sushi was awesome.  Still, I wasn't that impressed. First, lunch was really expensive.  Second, my friend had a bug in her food (NOT a "bad fish" bug, it was more like a mashed up fly)  Third, they got my order wrong - I think a language barrier issue.  This is a very traditional sushi place.  Not much in the way of "creative" rolls or offerings.  If you are looking for straight up missionary sushi, and you don't mind paying more than you would at other local places, give Ajihei a shot.

Ajs Burgers and Beef - West Lafayette, IN (40.423194, -86.906388) ()
4 - Michele W.: The Chicago dogs are my favorite from here. Nothing like Portillos but it's one of the best you're going to find in West Lafayette. Their fries are also my favorite. They're gold and crispy. They also have a variety of other options like the garlic burger or funnel cake fries. I recently had the loaded waffle fries which was the only thing that was a little disappointing. There wasn't nearly enough chili and cheese as I would have liked. 

They're open late and deliver too in case you can't make the drive off campus. Depending on what you get the prices are pretty affordable too.
5 - Chris S.: Everything I've had here has been good.  The Italian beef is tasty, the waffle fries are amazing, and the hog dogs are great. The Pizza puff is also good, and pretty cheap.  If I only had one side dish to eat for the rest of my life, I think it might be the waffle fries from here.  The Italian beef is good, not as good as beef in Chicago, but good.  

The guys behind the counter are always nice, and professional.  I think their prices are pretty reasonable, too.  

I've heard good things about their burgers, but I've never had them, so I can't comment.  

Overall, they are great.  If you follow them on Twitter, they also give you free food sometimes.
4 - Bodie S.: This place is absolutely delicious. I haven't eaten one bad meal at this restaurant. The only downside to this eatery is how expensive it is. When you see the prices on the menu, that is what you pay (they already add the tax into the meal), which is nice, but that convenience still doesn't take away from how pricey it is. They deliver really late into the night; I believe it's until 4am. If you get it delivered, you are probably looking at a $15 meal, if not more. There hotdogs are the reason to go to this place. Mind you, I've only ever eaten here after I've been drinking as it is the perfect stop on the way home from the Cactus, but I'd stick by it even if I was sober. The Chicago dog is out of this world. I could eat about five of them, and that's not even exaggerating. They are so good. Their fries are very good too. If you are looking for fast food, this probably isn't the place for you because they cook your meal after you order. The food is fresh, but for hungry, drunk college kids, that might not matter in the long run.
2 - Charles S.: Well, I hate to be the downer on this love-fest, but this place just isn't much beyond a date-ending garlic cheeseburger gimmick. I really wanted to like this place because of its good location but three strikes and you're out.

Three visits with four of us sampled most of the menu over the last two months. Gyros was bland, even with BBQ sauce added. Can't screw up a hot dog too badly. Burgers were good generally, but folks, there's a lot of good burgers in Indiana, and there are better within a slingshot distance of AJ's for less.

Pricey and mediocre doesn't add up to much of a business plan, guys. You can do better. A lot better.
3 - Mithun J.: I'm a regular here and love the place due to how close it is to campus. I believe the burgers are grilled like a Chicago-style steak ; cooked to order (medium by default) and charred on the outside. Their Italian beef is tender and juicy, and the sides are good (great fries, wings and onion rings). 

The burgers are reasonably priced (~$4.5) and the staff are friendly, service, prompt. My only beef with the place is that the burgers are often well done and borderline dry even though I've asked for medium. Also, if you're looking for fancy burgers with exotic toppings, AJs isn't the place for you.

To summarize: good burgers (most of the time), great sides, and great service.

Akai Hana Japanese Restaurant - Carrboro, NC (35.9106509, -79.0759936) ()
4 - Sarah A.: One of the best sushi restaurants in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area. Ambience features the occasional jazz pianist. Wonderful sushi, sashimi and udon bowls. The location is somewhat small (space is divided with tables and sushi bar), though and it can get quite busy on Friday nights and weekends. Parking is also quite limited. Overall, though, worth any hassle you might encounter.
4 - Surf R.: If you find yourself far away from real Japanese food, Akai Hana is a good call for the Triangle.  It's average Japanese food made better than average by virtue of location.  I won't complain too much since it was in walking distance of my old house.
4 - Erin K.: I think this is the best sushi place in the Chapel Hill area.  The pojo roll is awesome!!  It can be a little expensive, but they have an awesome early bird special.  Also they have decent food for people who aren't into sushi.
4 - Jason C.: A little more expensive than it should be, but the service, ambiance and food are all supportive of the reputation this place has.  If you are in the mood for sushi, this should be your first stop in the area.
4 - Dov C.: Akai Hana delivers consistent meals - not mind blowing or exceptional, but never any disappointments.  it is very standard sushi & Japanese fair.  If you have a hankering for Nori or Nigiri, they can satisfy.
5 - Leah P.: This is for sure the best Japanese restaurant we have found so far.  I cried for several months when we first moved here, nostalgic for the abundant choices of sushi, udon, and chicken katsu that we took advantage of in San Francisco (we love you Hotei and Ebisu and always will!)  But when we stumbled upon Akai Hana, a little thrown off by the neon red sign, we instantly fell in love.  Spicy tuna roll was perfect, as were the yellowtail, salmon and tuna nigiri we tried.  All I can say is I hope they do take-out.  Big ups to Akai, thank you for saving me.
5 - Emile P.: What can I say, great sushi! Definitely best sushi around Chapel Hill. It is a little more pricey, but along with the sushi, the edamame, miso soup is excellent.
4 - Sierra G.: This sushi is excellent for the area, but not compared to larger cities where there is more options. Akai Hana has limited options for sushi....but what they have is delicious. 

I've heard they have early bird dinner specials that are a great deal, but I have yet to eat that early. The boxed dinners they serve are generous, including salad, miso, steamed veggies, rice, meat and a six piece roll. 

Some of the servers are not very friendly, I perfer to eat at the bar and watch the chefs roll the sushi. The sushi chefs are very professional and friendly and always offer suggestions. 

Overall, a good place for sushi, but don't expect the the variety and options of a more traditional sushi bar
4 - Sharon L.: This is the closest thing to decent Japanese food I've been able to find locally. However, the prices are much higher than I expected. But if budget is not an option, definitely try this place out. Teriyaki is good, sushi is fresh and good. Home style Japanese food at its best. As mentioned by other reviewers it is better than average, but not stellar.  The 4 stars is because I've never been able to find anything else close in authenticity or consistency near by.
4 - Owen S.: This is a solid, consistent restaurant with great sushi, an amazing miso-based salad that just has to be really unhealthy 'cuz it's so good, and an always present front house manager/GM/host who always directs more than adequate service to your table.  Partially open kitchen that looks very clean, and a solid and long-term stance in the local community.

Major downside is the parking; be prepared for potentially scary "dive in" attempts at parking as they only have store-front parking spots that from afar appear as if they actually are just part of the curve of the road.  

Overall, for Carrboro/Chapel Hill great sushi (though I think other places, Sushi Yoshi in particular, provide equally good sushi with a less, um, eccentric vibe) and attentive but vaguely drone-like staff, and as it is now a bit of a community institution, particularly as it is owned by a local "famous" writer, perhaps that alone warrants a visit.  It's definitely a local haunt.
5 - Henry S.: If you're looking for great sushi in the Triangle area, look no further than Akai Hana. They have a good selection of rolls (I recommend the Hurricane) and great Sashimi for those who prefer something more basic. The service is typically prompt and the servers are great with recommendations  and Saki pairings. Also, due to the cashier system, it makes it easy for groups to split the check at the front. 

No, Akai Hana is not the cheapest restaurant, but good sushi is never cheap. I'd rather pay a few extra dollars and get fresher sushi then default to the stale $5 tray at Harris Teeter. 

Just a tip, you can always park at the auto shop across the street when parking isn't directly available in front of Akai Hana.
4 - Rachit S.: Decent food. Although I made the mistake of getting the bento box. Stick with the Sushi!
4 - Sweet T.: Akai Hana is a super solid house of Sushi.  We've been going there for years and it is one of the most consistent places around.  We almost always get the miso soup, green salad with ginger dressing, vegetable tempura and a mixture of nigiri, maki and the occasional sashimi.  Also, my lady LOVES the Kitsune Udon soup.  I can recommend everything above but some of the other plates I've had (teriyaki salmon, etc....) were mediocre.

The service is almost always very good, especially at the bar where sometimes the sushi chef, Pujo, will hook you up with something special.
5 - Christina G.: Akai Hana, thank you for showing me the true sushi light. Before you, I paid homage only to tempura; but now I've seen the error of my ways and am spreading the sushi word.

When I was lost and drifting toward Jade Palace, you saved me from misplaced faith in their Chinese food with a savory and inexpensive lunch special: rolls, nigiri, and miso. I tasted the goodness of your sushi, and hungered for more!

Again and again I was called humbly to your doors. With friends or with dates, you always strike the perfect note. Your delicious and smooth nigiri never fails to disappoint, nor your rolls to gratify.

Dearly devoted,
Christina
4 - Adam L.: Very cool place, much more flair for detail and quality than I am used to in a typical Japanese dinner restaurant. NOTE: I can't comment on the sushi because I've never tried that portion of the menu.

Akai Hana is a small sushi bar and restaurant just off the Weaver Street/Main Street drag of Carrboro. Their food is savory and more artfully prepared than most ubiquitous Japanese places. The terriyaki sauce is amazing and the meats are grilled perfectly. However, I do not like their miso soup at all and I'm not the biggest fan of the salad, but mainly because I hate miso with a passion.

Definitely a cool place to hang out with friends or a quiet date place with plenty of seating for just two.
4 - Dennis S.: There may be a better sushi bar in the triangle area, but this one is easily the best in the Chapel Hill - Carrboro area.  Infact, this is easily our favorite restaurant in town. 

The tempura shrimp is amazing, is is the pork cutlet. Where Akai Hana excels, however, is in their sushi: fresh, well seasoned and expertly presented. 

I've read other reviews that are less impressed with their miso soup and salad dressing. The salad and dressing are one of the favorites of my group.  I personally like the soup very much as well although the pieces of tofu could be bigger to get a little more of the texture sensation they provide.

If there is a down side, it is with a single one in the wait staff who can't seem to be bothered to refill a drink, but will badger you for that plate in front of you. The rest of the wait staff, as far as we can tell, is absolutely superb- know when to approach you,  are sure to bring your food out just as soon as it is ready, and otherwise be as pleasant as possible.
4 - Cristina K.: I first ate at Akai Hana back in 1998 or 1999. There weren't many sushi restaurants in the Triangle at that time, but even then, Akai Hana had it going on. I've taken scads of people to Akai Hana over the years. No one has ever left disappointed. We've ordered plates and plates of sushi. I've dined outside. I've dined at the bar. I've dined in both small dining rooms. I've waited on the benches outside for hours. I just love this place. 
The sushi is very fresh. It is well-prepared. I used to drive from Cary to Akai Hana, before discovering Waraji and now Hayashi. I love both the Nigiri and Maki sushi here and have tons of faves under both headers. I consistently enjoy the Toro Sashimi, Unagi, the Tamago, and the Spider Roll. 
They have a pianist on weekends to crank up the atmosphere a notch. Careful on how you time this place there is ALWAYS a wait.
4 - Ben M.: Akai Hana may not get a totally unbiased review from me.  For it is here that I discovered that I didn't have to be scared of sushi.  I was with a group of friends that all had more world experience, more class, and far more refined tastes that I did (or probably still do, let's be fair).  So when they suggested we have dinner at Akai Hana, I pretended to be enthusiastic.

When the time came to order, rather than trying to dazzle anyone with my knowledge of which rolls tasted like what, I fed them some line about the guy making the sushi knowing what was best and ordered the plate where they pick your sushi and roll for you.  I was a fan by the time we were done.

Since then, I've gone out and about the Triangle looking for good sushi.  I've found plenty.  Some of it okay, some of it very good, but no one or two places that I would put ahead of Akai Hana, which I eventually drift back to when I'm in the greater Carrboro metro area and feeling like sushi.  A feeling that, thanks to my snooty friends and Akai Hana, I get quite frequently.
4 - Stephen G.: akai hana is our "go-to" date spot.   it's convenient to downtown carrboro, the sushi is always good, (try the pojo roll), and they are hyper-vigilant about keeping my glass of diet pepsi full at all times.  that being said, i'm not the absolute best sushi around (for that, try the lantern), and the drink list could use some sprucing-up.
5 - Nicole M.: Seriously good sushi and udon.  Excellent service.  Beautiful space.  My absolute favorite restaurant in Carrboro.
4 - Evan H.: After a positive experience at Oishii, we decided to take a shot at another well-reviewed sushi place in the area.  We went to Akai Hana after 8 on a Friday, were promptly seated, and ordered miso, fried oysters, two rolls of sushi (spicy California rolls and one of the specialty rolls with salmon), and a small carafe of sake.

The miso was good (although I should note that Oishii bolsters theirs with vegetables, which may not be traditional but makes it exceptional), as it is practically everywhere, and the three little oysters were quite fresh.  This was not so great for S., who was unenthusiastic about their briny notes, and thus the oysters became a vehicle for the interesting dipping sauce that they came with--something with Worcestershire sauce that did a great job of masking the taste of the sea.

The two rolls were unspectacular.  The spiciness (we impulsively asked for it as an add-in--the same seasoning as is used in the spicy tuna roll--and the server/kitchen graciously accommodated us) of the California roll was nice.  The roll was certainly not bad, it just didn't knock our socks off.  The roll with salmon was disappointing, because the fish was somewhat tough and flavorless.  As natives of the Pacific Northwest, this made us miss home.  Since we were hungry, we ate it, though, and it wasn't bad--the sushi was definitely still in A-OK territory.

Yet after the light appetizers and two rolls of sushi, we were still hungry.  So our server, who was cheerful and generally excellent, finally mentioned the two special rolls on the board.  Both sounded wonderful, and we chose the one with Yellowtail (I forget what else was in it).  

We were glad we ordered this last roll.  The fish was fresh and the flavors wove intricately together--the best sushi roll I've had on the East Coast, hands down.

Ambience-wise, there is a nice-looking small area to sit outside.  The inside is bright and feels good for dates, families...practically any occasion.  The prices are slightly higher than Oishii's, and the food slightly less outstanding, but overall we though it was good.  And that last roll...  The 'Green River Roll'(?) or something...  Wow.
3 - Hoa N.: hum..I've come back many times... the service here is just not up to par anymore.  It's so spotty.  One time I came with a friend and later joined another group of friends, the waitress/waiter was so impatient.  Obviously, wasn't happy when I jumped from one table to the other.  The other time, we asked for more water... the waitress just brought us some and said... this is not my table, I'm just helping... I have no idea what kind of service is this.  It made the night less pleasant.
So.. I would recommend only if you get a good server... otherwise, you might to try elsewhere.
4 - Michael O.: The best sushi restaurant in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area. The location is extremely convenient and they really go out of their way to provide excellent service. Try the sushi bar -- the chefs are extremely friendly and prepare some truly exceptional sushi creations. The sides were great too, be sure to try the miso soup and side salad.
2 - Karla M.: I'm not sure why the sushi here received rave reviews.  The veggie tempura was good, but the rest was lacking.  The teriaki was drowned in sauce (to the point of being nearly soup), which makes me curious as to what they were trying to cover up.

The sushi was mainly rice.  The fish was okay, but for what they charge, I expect more than paper-thin slices on huge balls of sushi rice.  All the fish was seriously bland.  I'm not sure where they buy their fish, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is farm-raised and frozen for longer than sushi regulation requires.  The rolls were basic which, when done right, can be very good and refreshing.  However, these were small, mostly rice, and lacking any sort of flavor or uniqueness.  


All that said, I would have considered going back, but the miso is the straw that broke the camel's back.  We were there earlier than the dinner crowd, so I expected good, fresh miso.  After all, it is hard to screw up miso.  It was clearly old, reused soup - I don't even want to know how old.  The seaweed was slimy and inedible, and kept breaking down.  The soup was an odd olive green color.
2 - MustangQT M.: Both my boyfriend and I have lived in New York for several years combined, so we're fans of good sushi and were looking for a place to try out. Akai Hana was right down the street so we decided to try it out.

The decor and layout is nice and spacious.  The food is actually pretty good too.  But my major issues are with service and price.  We ended up having two different waitresses and it was pretty spotty service as someone else commented.  I admit I drink water pretty quickly but it took a while for anyone to fill it up again. They weren't exactly the friendliest waitresses either.

Then there's the price.  Why is sushi so expensive down here?! The sushi was ok but for the price it was unbelievable. We ended up spending more than we would have liked to and we didn't even get an appetizer or dessert.  

So overall I think it's ok, but I won't be going there again.
4 - Shankar N.: I'm not that into esoteric sushi, but like Japanese food. Akai Hana was clean and comfortable. The service was friendly and prompt. Everything tasted great  - from the tempura shittake mushroom appetizers and the miso soup through the sushi platter, to the saba noodles (w/ shrimp). Prices are reasonable and I can easily recommend this place to others.
4 - Luke C.: Akai Hana is pretty good. The sushi and sashimi are fresh and better than most in the triangle. The service, although quick, can feel pretty rushed during dinner time. The decor is clean and they have a few booths as well as small tables. We had a table and wondered if it would be more fun at the sushi bar.
4 - Will C.: Good fresh sushi. Sit outside if you can
3 - Wilson K.: Aki hana means red flower. This was our good-old sushi stand-by in a tough neighborhood. What more can I say than this was as good as it got.
But, and I'm not making this up, if you go on Saturday night you can hear a guy (who seems to be paid by the establishment) do Beetles covers on piano and harmonica!
Careful of the mosquitos if you sit outside in summer.
2 - Joseph G.: Meh.  I've experienced better.  Thanks Yelp, I could not have put it better myself.

Overpriced mediocre sushi.  There are better options in the area (though all are a drive away from downtown Chapel HIll/Carrboro).  I want Akai Hana to be good, I really do, since it's steps away from my door.  I do take-out from there when I get a sushi craving, but as a dining experience it leaves a lot to be desired.
2 - Samantha E.: Overpriced and not very good. I would much rather go to Shiki or Kanki for good Japanese and sushi.
3 - Andrew D.: If you can accept that most (or all) Triangle sushi is mediocre ... then you are choosing between a place like Shiki or Tasu, that serves Wacky Rolls!, or a place like this, with stuff like "Sushi Regular". 

It's usually half or 2/3 full, and it's in downtown Carrboro.  And the bill is always $10-20 higher than you want it to be.
1 - Oak R.: I am presently eating a take-out order from the Carrboro location, and am horrified to have gotten some grilled chicken with some steamed veggies on the side with a little teriyaki sauce on the side that was called "Hibachi" on their menu. The sushi tasted fine, but not worth the price and the portion size makes certain that I will need to eat something else really soon!
5 - Minnie P.: I freakin' LOVE this local gem! If I wasn't in San Francisco, I'd be at Akai Hana right now, sippin on Sapporo on the outdoor patio! Seriously, the best sushi in the area - though it depends on your perspective. Allow me to illustrate: if you're looking for mayo-laden, franken-"sushi" with price-tags to match the cocktails, you're going to be disappointed (and to be frank, I'm disappointed in you). If you're looking for FRESH food that hasn't deviated from its simple and authentic course, then look no further. I've been to most of the sushi restaurants in the Triangle and I can definitively say Akai Hana has the best spicy tuna roll in the area. I also love that its locally owned and run - it's a nice vibe that I'm happy to support. For the critics, you can keep the trendy, overpriced, clusterf*** sushi rolls in Durham - thanks!
4 - Miles M.: I love treating myself to Akai Hana. It is a little on the expensive side but very worth it. Great sushi, great sake. It could bare to lose the 'best of 80s pop rock" background music but I suppose that doesn't affect the flavor of the food. And with good company, who cares. *hearts*
3 - Biv R.: I wanted to like this place because its the only sushi place I could find with an outdoor patio. We had the spider roll and something with eel. Both had too much rice and the seaweed was too chewy. It tasted like pre-made sushi. It wasn't bad but wasn't good either.
4 - Leela S.: After driving past Akai Hana numerous times and continually remarking, "We must try it sometime", we finally did. I was in a non-sushi mood, which is rare (unprecedented even) for me, but we ordered a rainbow roll to kick things off. The fish tasted clean and fresh. It was a little cream cheesy, but nonetheless a good opener to our meal. 

We then enjoyed variations on a teryaki theme. I had the salmon teryaki dinner while Joel went for the steak teryaki combo. Both were really very good - well cooked proteins, great sauce, simple sides, ample portions. Joel's combo included mixed tempura which was quite delicious, and a California roll which I did not sample. Dinners come with miso soup (always good, especially on a cold rainy night like tonight) and salad (a bit overdressed).

Service was lightning fast and courteous. We were out of there in just over an hour for $32/head after tax/tip. Next time I'll do the sushi bar justice.
3 - Laura M.: Well, I don't have any big complaints about Akai Hana, but I don't feel the need to run around naked in the streets yelling about how awesome it is, either. It's really hard to get good sushi in this area without killing your budget, and Akai Hana is an ok place to grab a sushi lunch for around 10-15 bucks.

My metric for judging sushi is how hard I have to fight with my nigiri to bite it in half. I do not want to look like a fool gnawing at my fish to avoid stuffing the whole thing in my mouth. For the most part, Akai Hana lets me avoid this scenario. The fish isn't melt-in-your-mouth consistency, but it's decent. 

They have good specialty rolls for around 10 bucks each, so it's fun to go for dinner and get sushi to share. For people like me who think that cream cheese + sushi = horrible abomination, they are accommodating about leaving it out. The servers are really wonderful and friendly. 

Parking can be a pain, but overall it's a solid place to go for your sushi.
5 - Steve P.: Best sushi I've found in all of the triangle and beyond.
They do an excellent job with the rice, and their presentation is amazing.  This place is for sushi purists and there aren't alot choices that are deep fried and covered in sauce for american tastes.  Good quality ingredients, prepared well are all you need.
There's a limited drink menu, and i'd like to see more varieties of sake.  Overall one of my families top places to eat in Chapel Hill/Carrboro!
4 - Jon M.: Akai Hana is the best sushi I've found in the Durham-Chapel Hill area. As Raleigh is the land of leprechauns and unicorns as far as I'm concerned I never really venture over there to eat, so I know nothing about the sushi places there.

My girlfriend and I have been to numerous sushi places in the area looking for a place we can call home and we finally found it at akai hana. the sushi menu is not the most extensive you'll find, but the rolls are tasty, the fish is fresh and the rice is good. And on top of it all, its pretty reasonably priced. 

We eat at Akai Hana 3-4 times a month and are happy and satisfied each and every time. Its not the best sushi you'll ever have, nor is it the most adventurous or elaborate, but it is very good, consistent and reasonably priced. A perfect little gem in Carrboro. I can honestly recommend akai hana without reservations.

enjoy.
2 - K. T. W.: Food was pretty good, but you would have thought there was a line to Chapel Hill waiting for a table.  Rush!  Rush!  Rush!  Forget finishing your miso soup before your tempura is pushing it aside.  Hurry!  Hurry!  Clear each plate or glass as finished (creating the ever-unpleasant experience for the slowest eater.)  What?  No dessert?  OK, here's your check and the door.  Probably won't be going there again soon... if ever.

Akasha Yoga - La Jolla, CA (32.869968, -117.233108) ()
4 - K K.: Well, I have been attending Akasha Yoga regularly for more than 5 years now, including through the business change (which happened Jul 1, 2008).  They are honoring class packages that were purchased before the ownership change, even giving extensions.  I have attended classed by multiple teachers for the Yoga 101, Vinyasa 1/2 classes, and I like how they offer multiple levels of challenge to suit the individual students' needs.  It is a small space in which at most you could put in 20 people, but that is good to me -- you get more opportunity for personal attention than in the huge yoga factories.  I highly recommend the yoga 101 for beginners.  I have attended multiple yoga studios and the teachers here make an effort to learn peoples' names, offer specific suggestions to assist with proper alignment (would not mind more literally hands-on adjustments, but maybe there's a liability thing?), and always make it clear that you should listen to your own body.

I wonder exactly what the low rater means by "not respecting her clientele".  I have never seen a teacher put a student at risk physically (I've never had a bad yoga class), and I have not had a bad financial experience.  Specifics would be interesting.

The only reason I am giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is because I want them to have the opportunity to get even better!
5 - Bronwen S.: This is a really nice studio. I think most yoga studios are similar and of course what's really important is finding an instructor who has a style that you like. My favorite and regular class is led by Melissa. I have been taking her class weekly for the last year and a half and it is consistently different and always includes new challenges. 
Other teachers have filled in from time to time and though they had different styles they were equally good and helpful.
5 - Shawna M.: I actually heard about Akasha Yoga through an ad in Vision Magazine.   I came here and saw one review and I figured I would check it out.  I went to my first class tonight with Monique that was hatha yoga.  The yoga studio has a really good ambiance and nice decorations.  It's quiet and warm but not hot and the class I went to was not heated which was a relief for me because those were the only classes I was able to find in PB when I was looking for a yoga studio.  The class had about 8 people so it was full but not overcrowded.  The teacher seemed to have a pretty firm knowledge of poses and led an interesting class with some good variety.  Also on the plus side, they offer 5 classes for $30 to new students.  I will definitely be returning again and will probably make it my new yoga studio.
5 - Shannon W.: When I was living in San Diego (2003-2009), I tried many different yoga studios, but found my home at Akasha - and I already miss it A LOT (now that I live in Berkeley).

The yoga teachers at Akasha are absolutely amazing.  I primarily took classes from Michelle (Monday nights), Melissa (Wednesday and Fridays) and Manel (Thursday and Saturdays).  All three teachers had a unique style, but definitely had the most important thing in common: they are all deeply invested in helping students strengthen their practice.  In each class, many posture variations are made available.  I also found that every class was unique and FUN - I never found that the classes were repetitive, or solely focused on one set of postures.

The best part - which I find missing in other studios - is the chance to LEARN and PRACTICE more difficult postures.  In more advanced classes, it is assumed that you already know certain postures, but this is definitely not the case, especially when you are in the "intermediate stage" (i.e. you don't belong in the beginner class anymore, but you aren't certain how to "pretzel yourself" into some of the more difficult postures).  Michelle, Melissa and Manel always integrated more difficult postures into their classes, and actually took the time to explain how to flow into them, most notably with PROPER ALIGNMENT.  No muscling into these hard postures at the risk of injury!

Akasha also offered special workshops for various asanas (arm balances, inversions, partner yoga, etc) earlier in 2009.  Those workshops were amazing!  It was really fun to go to the workshops (that cost the same as a class!) and I found my practice was much more strong for it.

You can't really beat the price of class packages, either.  They have an introductory 5 classes for $30, and their monthly unlimited rate is also really competitive and reasonable - and definitely worth every cent!

The best part?  I find that the teachers at Akasha are extremely accessible and NICE.  No "I'm holier than thou because I can do ______ or ______" (Insert a challenging posture here).  I've had teachers in the past that actually laugh at you if you can't do something.  Not cool!  You will NOT find that sort of environment at Akasha.

I can't say enough good things about this studio - I wish I could have transplanted it up to Berkeley with me, which is saying a lot because there is a studio up here on practically every block.
2 - Paul B.: I went to Akasha five times, and didn't care for the studio - mostly personal preference, but there were a few incidents with other students' behavior that I found unsettling and rude, so I haven't gone back.

Clearly a lot of folks like the studio, so go check them out.
5 - selina l.: Small intimate studio.  $30 for 5 intro price is an awesome deal to check them out.

I found a yoga studio to advance into more difficult poses, which I definitely found at Akasha.  There are also L1 classes, but I can't speak for them.  Melissa is very supportive and encouraging.  I think you'll like it if you like yoga.  Just hope it doesn't get too overcrowded!
5 - Kris A.: I was visiting the La Jolla/Del Mar area for the month of July, and joined Akasha because of the great Yelp reviews.  It also happened to be incredibly convenient.  I just loved my experience here.  I had five or six different teachers over the month, and every one was helpful, encouraging, and taught me something new about my practice.  (Michelle has got to be one of the most positive people I've ever met, and a great teacher!)  The vibe is relaxed, non-competitive, yet focused.  The studio is small and clean, and there is an abundance of props.  I have to say that its size is one of the appealing features.  You feel like you've found a hidden gem.  Thanks to Natalie and the Akasha staff for a great month of yoga!
5 - Sonya S.: I have been to a few yoga places in San Diego and this is my favorite. A few of the good features include:

~A very relaxing environment from the moment you walk in. The place is comfortable, intimate and nicely decorated. The people at the desk are really wonderful and friendly.
~The yoga studio itself is also very nice: good temperature and lighting control, nice music, blocks, blankets, and scented eye covers for you to use. It also has a large window so you can look outside.
~All classes had a good mix of relaxation, breathing, flexibility, strength and balance. There was no intimidation or snobbery from the teachers or students and every class offered challenges for a spectrum of levels.
~The teachers are pretty different by all were great. Amanda gave me a light, relaxing solo class because no one else came at that time. Marisa had a great class for opening up hip and shoulder joints by exploring the depths of different poses. Laura's class was the most crowded one I went to and she offered more advanced variations of almost all the poses. 
~I think the new beginner deal is $20 for 3 classes which is a pretty good way to try different teachers out. They also occasionally have discounted classes on certain days.

I definitely recommend trying Akasha out if you need a little haven to de-stress and improve your yoga skills.
5 - Sasha Z.: Just recently relocated to the San Diego area and had a chance to take a meditation class with Natalie. Having taken yoga in other studios the thing that stood out for me the most was the sheer intimacy of the place. You come away feeling like you've just taken a one-on-one class. Natalie did a remarkable job instructing and helping us get into a meditative state. The studio and bucolic surroundings just added to the overall experience. My fiance has taken yoga classes there as well and had only the best things to say about the instructors and studio in general. lastly, we've both taken yoga back in Manhattan and they really don't come close to the experience at Akasha.
5 - Lanya B.: Akasha yoga has a GREAT vibe! I've been so stressed working a ton and driving all over CA (I'm in sales). Because of this I was having back pains and a general drain of energy. 

3 visits to Akasha had me feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and happy! 

I took 2 classes with Allison, she is amazing. Her genuinely happy and positive energy seeps into the pores of the students in class- you cant help but smile when you're in the studio with her! 

I also took a candlelight flow class with Amanda- they have a live harp player which takes this experience to another level. Bliss :)
5 - sara n.: Despite the small studio, they have a good variety of types of classes. 

I've had two great teachers there, I cannot remember one, but Allison was great. Relaxing ambiance, friendly people behind the counter, variety in times make it easy to find a class to squeeze in.
5 - R P.: When I wanted to commit to self-care and begin yoga, I picked this place and am so grateful. The studio, unlike others, is smaller and has this peaceful, therapeutic sense to it. Everytime I go, I feel better afterwards. I am comfortable there, and the teachers modify the poses/class to his/her students. There are props available and personal massage touches during the class and near the end. The staff is also friendly. In general, love the place and I never feel judged by my level or appearance when I go. What more can one ask for when participating in needed self-care!
5 - Dani B.: I love Akasha! I've been going here for almost 2 years now and I can definitely say I love going here! This place has gone through some major changes over the past 6 months--in an awesome way! The studio is a perfect space; small and intimate but open & fresh. All the instructors are very knowledgeable, friendly and supportive. They are all unique and offer a variety of different classes and methods of teaching--so you won't get bored! The owner, Stephanie rocks--she will make you feel at home and welcome at Akasha. 

With the help of all the great instructors I have definitely grown in my practice and ability. Starting with little yoga experience and low flexibility, I am now taking the advance classes and doing what I never thought I could!
If you are looking for a great yoga community, this is the place to be. It's a great place to come if you are just starting out and want to know what yoga is about or if you are an advanced yoga and want a challenge and new insight in your practice. 

I love Akasha!
5 - Cara K.: I love yoga and I love Akasha.  I have been practicing at Akasha for just about a year, and Akasha is the perfect yoga studio to learn from teachers who are engaged, enthusiastic, warm and welcoming.  I walk into the studio and am always greeted with a smile, whether it's from Stephanie, the awesome owner or one of the teachers at the front desk.

I love the space, small enough to feel intimate, but with natural lighting! High windows/sky lights and large windows looking out with a view of trees and sky.  Practicing yoga at Akasha during the rain is THE BEST -- and be sure try a class that will fall during sunset because the colors in the sky are usually amazing!
5 - Anne P.: Magical place to practice and learn yoga.  Every instructor is incredibly knowledgeable and friendly.  I know because I have been going here since it has opened (8-9 years ago, can't remember).  Stephanie, the dynamic owner and also instructor, is so enthusiastic about the power and wonder of yoga.  She is always looking at ways to improve the center.  It is a community where people try to get to know you and friendships are formed.  The yogis range from all ages.  Can't say enough great things about this special and charming studio.  There are classes for everyone, from gentle, restorative yoga to the more arduous styles.  Give it a try!  Can't beat for the first 3 classes for $20 for newbies and special rates for students.
5 - Liz F.: I'm a huge fan of Akasha yoga!  Yoga was something I always wanted to try, but for some reason I was intimidated...........  that didn't last even five minutes after I walked in the door.  The owner Stephanie is warm and welcoming, and the instructors are all enthusiastic and knowledgeable.  The Studio itself is beautiful with an amazing view, and you must see it at night lit by candles for a relaxing Candlelight yoga class!  I love this studio, it's become the place for me to destress, body and mind!
5 - Sunny S.: I love Akasha! After searching for the best and most affordable, I am extremely happy to have found Akasha. Everyone at the studio is so nice and every instructor I've had really makes each class super fun and worthwhile. - The best part is the college pricing. There's no better deal out there :)
5 - Johnny G.: A good place.. 2 weeks in and chronic back pains that I've been dealing with for a few years are beginning to lessen considerably. Not sure if it is the stretching/strengthening or the calm derived from learning how to breathe properly. However, all I can say is that it is working. Super friendly staff. Good prices. Definitely a place to heal wounds and find that balance that often eludes us. Will update when I know how it affects my golf game and time in the water.  Am optimistic.
5 - Laura K.: I started going to Akasha after years away from regular practice of yoga (my favorite teacher retired and I couldn't find another I liked as much) because it is the only non-heated studio in the UTC area. I got so much more than a place to practice yoga. Akasha is a peaceful space with amazing natural light. There is a wide variety of classes to choose from. The teachers are all wonderful, patient, and kind. The classes are not only fun, but the teachers provide wonderful guidance on the safest way to do a pose. The workshops are icing on the cake.
5 - Meghan G.: What is so great about Akasha Yoga? EVERYTHING!!!

Instructors:

The instructors are very knowledgeable and attentive, offering each student individualized assistance. I cannot believe how much my practice has blossomed under their guidance.

Studio:

The second-story studio with two walls of windows offers an amazing close-to-nature feel. I especially love practicing in the studio during sunset! Beautiful!!!

Classes:

Akasha offers a wide variety of classes for every level of practice, and I can always find a class to match my energy and mood. My favorite class is Vinyasa 2-3 with Helen on Tuesdays at 5:15.

I also like that I can sign up and pay for classes online if desired.

Finally, the owner, Stephanie, and even the other students are so friendly and welcoming! Great yoga community!
5 - Katie G.: I joined Akasha a few months ago after relocating to La Jolla. I am so happy I found such a wonderful home studio. The owner, the instructors, and the fellow yogis are all super friendly. The classes range from challenging vinyasa flow to restorative and yoga for backs, which I really appreciate. Instructors are incredibly knowledgeable and take time to give you adjustments and assists. This is a great studio for anybody looking for a friendly, fun, inspiring, and accepting yoga community. Also  - their student special $30/month for unlimited M-F classes before 4 PM is the best deal in San Diego.
5 - Matt K.: I consider Akasha Yoga my personal wellness center.  There is a genuine interest in my well-being from all the staff instructors!  I have been practicing and learning yoga from this extremely talented pool of mentors for well over a year now.  Each and every time I am in the studio whether it is for restorative or Vinyasa yoga I learn something new and I leave feeling amazing.

I was very sheepish early in my practice, being new to yoga and was welcomed with personal instruction in every class!  This made my experience very warm, welcoming and eager to return.  The studio is completely unique to San Diego; situated on the second floor with a 180-degree view of open windows amongst the trees, giving it a very "outdoor open-air" feeling!  Extremely clean, open and fresh studio.

Great variety and times for all levels of practice!
5 - Lisa M.: I love this studio! It is one of the most warm, open, & inviting studios that I have been to in San Diego. The staff and instructors make you feel incredibly welcome, and every time I come here it's like reuniting with family.  Akasha feels like a real community--not just a place to practice yoga, but also a place make real connections! Also I love the big windows, it's so nice to practice with sunlight during the day and candlelight at night. All the teachers are knowledgeable, caring, and really good at teaching! I love it here :)
5 - Brett M.: I was on vacation at the Sheraton next to Akasha Yoga.   I bought a three day pass and every class I attended was super good.  Stephane's Vinyasa sessions were especially excellent.  If you're in La Jolla and feeling the need for yoga, check it out.

Aki Japanese Restaurant - Berkeley, CA (37.8751965, -122.2598181) (UC Campus Area)
4 - Jim L.: Still there? Located within a little open-air cove with tables surrounded by a number of small food shops off of Hearst, back in the college dizzay, I used to love going to this quaint little Northside japanese joint for a bento box.  Food is quite good and reasonably priced for the students.  That was then, though, and it may very well have gone downhill since or folded up completely.
4 - Kat C.: Yes, as far as I know it's still there. It's still good, still reasonably priced and still worth the walk up the hill.
5 - Jessica C.: Back in college I loved this place. I think I'd go twice a week after cs lecture. This is like the one place where I would not order sushi. And at Japanese places I always order sushi. 

Simply because their tempura chicken was to die for. It wasn't like classical tempura batter, but this bread crumb mixture. When it came out it was this brown orange hue, never super greasy, but piping hot dark meat chicken. This was such a tiny restaurant. My cs group would have meetings here all the time. Those were the good old days.
2 - Jeffrey R.: The cooked Japanese dishes here are not that good, but the sushi is actually quite bad.
2 - V T.: Run by Chinese people, not truly Japanese food... been there a few times to give it a chance... the chicken tempura is awesome.... not really Japanese, but damn good.

the BAD -- sukiyaki beef was TERRIBLE...

Oh -- no credit cards unless you charge $10. (It's illegal to have a minimum charge, by the way)

Very cramped, small space. Seats are hard wood, 90 degree upright
3 - shane c.: It is definetely the best Japanese-style Chinese food ive had.  It is certainly not authentic but it still tastes good.   I usually stick to the katsu-don or other rice bowls but my friends love the tempura.  It is cheap and looks clean, but I am still a little scared to try the sushi.
3 - Jay M.: I haven't tried their sushi, because for some reason, I just don't trust for it to come from here. I had a couple of their cooked rice plates, and they were just okay.  The tonkatsu wasn't as crispy as I prefer, and the sauce just wasn't as tasty as others in the area.  =(
4 - Fred T.: Is it good _Japanese_ food? Hardly
Nonetheless, it's one of the places I like more in the Hearst food court. You get your food fairly quickly (unlike the vietnamese place). They have perhaps the best variety with udon, katsu, sukiyaki, donburi, tempura, etc. And most importantly, it's sufficiently good that I can enjoy the taste. 

Only in the Heart food court does this get 4 stars, but it makes me less depressed at the lack of decent lunchtime food options.
2 - Toni L.: Oh lord. It looked bad and it was. Much worse than I thought it would be. 

Food: I tried the sukiyaki bento (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/a4QUSAFVvTu7Gv0oegzbXQ?select=IaFpY8fM9dSYMYgEIFHB5w) and was disappointed in all categories. The contents of the bento were pretty sparse compared to what I've seen elsewhere. Couldn't they have put one more item in here, even if just a token addition, to make the box look fuller? I mean, when they say sukiyaki bento, they really mean just sukiyaki, some chicken, and the regular tempura rice combo. The rice occupied one of the squares rather than coming in a bowl so there went another opportunity for more variety. The chicken and tempura were okay to be honest, but the actual "sukiyaki" was just some bland stir fried beef with onions. The meal also came with some miso soup. I didn't feel like what I got was worth what I paid at all. 

Service: Mind-numbingly fast.

Atmosphere: I think the atmosphere of this food court severly damaged my appetite. It looks really dirty in the area with all the sun-faded pictures of food hanging from the windows and flies buzzing around. I probably would've felt much better about eating here if not for that. 

Synopsis: Not my cup of tea at all.
4 - Wilson C.: I came here once with some friends after a basketball game so we were all hungry and I'm sure that made the food taste better.  I don't even know what I had because my friend knew the people who worked there so they ordered for us and gave us some sort of discount on the food.  We ended up having something I would think is like chicken katsu.  

The reason I gave it four stars is the chicken was pretty good.  It had to do mostly with the breading.  It had this odd sweetness to it that most other chicken katsu or imitations of it I've had doesn't have.  The breading was light, yet you tasted it.   For that alone, I give it an extra star to four.  I would go back and order that if I knew what it's called!
3 - Jay E.: nice little tucked away restaraunt. on the northside of campus in restaraunt/cafe row. The tempura, rice, salad good. I loved the tea.  great for lunch.
4 - Maria K.: Ahhh... the memories that come back with a hot chicken tempura donburi at Aki's.  I had forgotten about this dish, but used to eat it a lot while in Berkeley.  It was good years ago, and nothing has changed, which is both good and rare these days.  We also ordered the donkatsu donburi today too, and it was good.

It seems a little a bit generous to give a small hole-in-the-wall college eatery four stars, and mainly based on one dish, but I thought this one dish deserved the four stars.
5 - Minji K.: Been here so many times ! The food is really good and the service is always great. I love their chicken tempura....it's mouth watering! It's my favorite...along with the tempura udon with the egg and veggies!
2 - Michael P.: My gf and came here one weekend because, unfortunately, all the asian stores in the northside asian ghetto were closed except this one. (I don't why that was..)

I know my fish and I know when and where to get the best of fish;  My instincts told me not to order nigiris here but ......=(.... I did, and I regretted it.  Salmon was blah!!! It was gummy, smelled realllly fishy (fresh sashimi should have very little to no stinky fish odor).  STAY AWAY FROM THE RAW FISH HERE!

As for cooked entrees, we had the tonkatsu and salmon teriyaki.  Tonkatsu was great!  Served hot and crispy; not too oily at all.  However, slightly pricy for just fried pork over rice.  Salmon Teriyaki was pretty standard.  I had it as part of the bento box if I remember correctly so I'm not quite sure if it was worth the money.

So leeson learned, cooked entrees here are good, but stay away from the sashimi! Therefore 2 stars.
1 - Linda M.: So I had the fresh eel roll, and my friends had the chicken udon. The food was great, no complaints there... But, the service wasn't, so minus a star there, she forced us to sit outside, then just kind of slammed our check down before we even got like two bites of our meals, now THAT was kind of rude. Then later on, when we were halfway done, she GLARED at us... wth? So we paid and hightailed it out of there.

Also, I know, I know most food places aren't very sanitary... but we saw them drying their leeks out in the eating area, the outside eating area, so there were a bunch of flies humming all over it, and over the course of our meal, I saw them coming to take some leeks to use in dishes. So minus another star for that.
4 - troy m.: To do it right: $11

I've been wanted to write this review for days, but have been conflicted.  3 stars or 4?  I went again today to make up my mind: 4 stars, definitely.

The food here is OK.  The location is OK.  The seating is OK. The prices are OK.  The sushi here is--palatable, I guess.  Why four stars then?  Service!  I stopped by for an early dinner today with my friend, was promptly seated and looked at my menu.  I didn't feel like deciding, so I resolved to get whatever my friend got.  We ended up with a couple of orders of Yaki Udon.  It was surprisingly good, and I would recommend it (if your'e very hungry) after having had several things from the menu.  The Bentou is also pretty decent.

Anyway, like I said, the service is what did it here.  Our waitress was exceedingly patient and on point both bringing and taking dishes away.  The fourth star was secured, however, with the tea.  It just so happened that we emptied our teapot at the exact moment she brought the bill.  I raised the teapot lid as she came to pick up the bill with the money+tip already on it.  To my immense surprise, she came back with a fresh pot of tea, after we had already paid/tipped.  This was not only demonstrative of her awareness, but also her general attitude, seeing as how bringing us more tea wouldn't get us out of the restaurant faster or make the tip any bigger.  This may seem like a small gesture, but an excellent dining experience is at least 50% excellent service, and excellent service is demarcated from OK service by such seemingly small gestures.

Final say: Well played.  They earned that fourth star.
4 - Charles L.: I went here the first time here during their off-hours (around 5 PM for dinner) because I was finished with class early.

Even though I was sitting outside and there were flies trying to swarm my food, the service here is great and the food, soup, and tea were hot (and not lukewarm).
5 - Trinh M.: I always get their teriyaki rice bowls here, and for ~$6 they are as good as it gets.  The meat and other ingredients always seems fresh and quality.  If you get a fish or salmon rice bowl, they use a fish batter that they make themselves.  They also make their own teriyaki sauce.
3 - Brian P.: Place is cute, food is meh.  

Free green tea to start the meal, which is great on cold winter days. The rice bowls are probably the best deals, as they come with free Miso soup, and anything with teriyaki sauce on it is pretty decent.  The cooked fish can also be pretty good.  The sushi is HORRIBLE, and tastes like it was previously frozen.  The gyoza also tastes like it came out of a freezer bag, and I advise against ordering it.

I like Japanese food and really want this place to be better, but am usually left disappointed and a little hungry.  However, the food at least feels a little healthier than other Asian options on North Campus, and the little booths are cozy, so I will no doubt occasionally be drawn back in.
4 - Jennifer L.: I would propose that this is the coziest restaurant on the northside of campus.  They have great miso soup, pot-stickers, and bento boxes for lunch.  If there is room, definitely sit inside - the atmosphere is too nice to pass up.
2 - Will T.: The free tea was a great way to start the meal. The free miso soup was cool too! The food was okay. The prices were okay.

The owner / worker reading the newspaper at the entrance farting while I was eating was not okay.

Hearing a *BRRRRAAPPPPPP* a few bites into your lunch is a really unappetizing way to start a meal. It would have been one thing if the flatulent emission had been short and sweet. No, it was long and drawn out. The guard at the door clearly knew what she was doing when she let out a second *tooooooooooot* a few minutes later. She was telling me to quickly finish my meal and get out. This was reinforced by the bill that quickly came to my table a few minutes later with a tootsie roll on it. A brown tootsie roll? REALLY?
2 - Paul C.: Add a really bland shrimp udon the other day, with at most 5 shrimps hiding under the noodle. Nothing to be really excited about. Even in this creepy northside "asian ghetto", there are better places to go.
3 - Jay P.: Update:
I lowered it one star due to inconsistency in food preparation.  Sometimes the chicken tempura is really good and other times its burnt.
Cozy environment... the decor immitates a Japanese style home.

The food is quite good. The waiter who dresses G is the nicest guy ever and a really good waiter. I think the restaurant is family run.

And as I read in Jessica C.'s review "tempura chicken is to die for"
4 - Tony R.: This place is tiny, warm, and cozy. I don't care what people say, maybe the food isn't the best in the world, but its still -good-. You're getting a bento box with loads of japanese food for 8 bucks, what do you really expect? I think that for the price, this place goes above the bar. If you want to spend $30 for something mind-blowing, go to Yusan. But if you're in berkeley, have 8 bucks and want a warm japanese meal, go to Aki's.
4 - Johnny H.: Don't think of this as an authentic Japanese restaurant, because you're going to be disappointed. The tempura isn't done in the Japanese style, the sushi is crappy, the tea isn't barley tea, and the bento is overrated and too expensive for my taste. 

So why am I giving this place 4 stars? Because this place is run by a Taiwanese family, and their tempura is done in a delicious Taiwanese style that reminds me of Taipei, not Tokyo. Also, on Wednesday nights, they prepare Taiwanese comfort food, such as stir-fried vermicelli, ground pork rice, beef noodles, dumplings and buns, Taiwanese-style soups, and so much other Taiwanese authentic goodness that it blows all the other Taiwanese places in Berkeley out of the water. If you're a Berkeley student looking for good Taiwanese food, you cannot afford to miss this place on Wednesdays. Be sure to ask for their specials, because it changes every week. 

Also, the service here is easily the nicest on campus. The waitress will care for you and make sure you're doing okay, and sometimes offers extra soup if it looks like you're freezing on a cold winter night. 

So unless you're here for the chicken tempura donburi for lunch or the fish teriyaki rice for dinner, skip this place and come back on Wednesday nights. You won't regret it.
1 - Jean L.: EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

I can't just say "ew", I have to stress the "W". Think of W as an upside-down "M". So if something is "mMm good", then what is "wWw?" WoWoW bad. 

This place sucks. It is not cheap for what you order and to think they would have fresh fish in a perpetually empty restaurant on the far end of "Gourmet Ghetto" on top of a hill where only college students venture into is a ridiculous idea. I do not know why I didn't think of that before my roommate and I walked in one day to eat here. 

Place is old and reeks of it; menus are battered and stained with old food sauce/juice/WTFs?; waiter takes forever to place your order or deliver it or both; food is cold by the time it gets out.

I ordered the bento box and WOW what a terrible idea, there is literally 2 tiny pieces of chicken terriyaki, some limp iceberg lettuce, and a scoop of day-old rice.  

I won't come back.
5 - Y D.: I've gotten a bento box here once, some time ago, I think, so I can't vouch for the sushi or tempura (I generally don't like tempura), but I don't remember the bento being super awful or super delicious. For the prices, really, I've no complaints. As far as I'm concerned, Japanese restaurants are like steak houses. You really need quality ingredients to get quality sushi, and quality ingredients are going to be expensive. If you go to a cheap Japanese restaurant you can't have the same expectations. For high quality sushi, Kirala is the only place I've been to that is close to campus that serves really good sushi (and I'm almost certain I've been to them all), but be prepared to pay 2-5 times as much. You get what you pay for, and for the prices at Aki the food is totally reasonable. 

The reason I insist on 5 stars for this place is because on Wednesday nights this place serves authentic Taiwanese food that is absolutely delicious and super cheap. We ordered a WHOLE FISH and two ginormous taiwanese empanada things. They meal also came with a soup and rice, gratis. Everything they served us was delicious, and service was super speedy. The whole meal cost the two of us $13 total ($6.50 each!). I would have been content to pay twice as much. If you're in the area on a wednesday night, I cannot emphasize how highly I recommend this place. Ask for the Taiwanese menu and forego the sushi.
3 - Phan H.: Inside of a little chinatown, the place wasnt bad. Came here for lunch, and you would expect the speed of service to be faster, but it wasn't. The food wasnt bad though. Make sure you bring cash. Actually, just always have cash on you when you are in berkeley since many places only take cash
5 - Daniel C.: I've gotten quality Japanese entrees at this place on a regular basis. As one of the plaza employees, I sample all of the other places' dishes and Aki has it down. People have mentioned that this place is a kind of a hole in the wall kind of restaurant but the entire plaza is built that way so ambience and setting shouldn't really be taken into consideration. All those yelpers that think this place is below par haven't taken into consideration the low price and location of this restaurant. Like some reviews have said, owning a sushi place is like owning a steak house. Ultimately, the quality of the entree is in the quality of the meat served. Aki offers decent prices for above average quality fish and entrees. Granted, compared to Kirala or other gourmet sushi houses, Aki pales in comparison. But if you're in the area and in the mood for Japanese, Aki's is the place to go. Noone on southside offers the same genre of food, and Mitch, the owner, himself is a kind and reasonable guy so if there's something wrong with your dish or you would like something more with your meal, he is more than willing to work with you. I highly recommend the service and food at this place, take it from a current plaza employee.
3 - Connie C.: The North Side Ghetto's Japanese restaurant monopoly. When you're uphill on this quiet side and craving for Japanese food, this is the place to go.

I usually order their udon here since they fill me up for a decent price. I've tried their dumpling udon and chicken udon. They give you quite a lot of veggies. The soup is sweet and light. To me it's just right, it might be lacking taste for most. Their noodles were slightly flatter than the udon I would get from the store. Nonetheless, it tastes great. I ordered their Katsu Don today. It was alright, had better ones before. I liked Tako Sushi's donburi more. Tried their salmon sushi roll before. Too little fish and the sushi pieces didn't look too pro (rice was kinda falling apart).

The restaurant is small, so sit tight with your friends. Definitely not a place to go to when you're in a big group. Quick service but the lady never seems to smile at you.
3 - Dongwan K.: Reasonable price
You get what you pay for
Pretty crowded with Berkeley students during the lunch hours

don't get noodles they suck
but their rice bowls are ok
3 - Sarah W.: Okay, so this place isn't amazing.  But it's Japanese food, I'm Japanese, it makes me happy.  I've only gotten the tonkatsu don here (breaded and fried pork with eggs and onions over rice) which I can safely say is somewhat of a comfort food to me.  

Tip #1:  they only take credit/debit over $10.  I think last time they gave me this tiny little voucher--literally the size of a stamp--for the difference between my dish and $10.  Of course, I lost it before I even stepped out of the restaurant.  

Overall:  Decent, nothing amazing and not the best Japanese restaurant around, pretty cheap for a good amount.
4 - Jerry A.: You gotta come here for lunch, yo!
We ordered the sushi bento box. I got the eel sushi. Pretty much everything was good--only thing I had an issue with was that they were pretty chincy with the ginger and wasabe, and they didn't give us our water until the end of the meal (?!?).
The bento box was about $9.00 for lunch.
5 - Aash C.: I don't normally yelp-- unless it's to defend small hole-in-the-walls like Aki. 

First of all, a lot of yelpers wrote bad reviews because they ordered raw fish. And I'm sure these yelp elites have "excellent palates" because they have tried $100 sashimi before. Come on--why would you even consider ordering raw fish at a place like this? No offense to Aki but clearly this place isn't for sushi. These yelpers are idiots-- once you step into Aki, you just know this place is known for dishes other than raw fish. Also, yeah this place isn't as clean as Chez Panisse, but come on-- this restaurant is so much cleaner than any restaurant in south/north ghetto. These yelp elite comments are ridiculous and so high maintenance. 

Please come here at least to try the CHICKEN TEMPURA DON ($6). I've attached a picture for your convenience: http://imgur.com/31wLz. This lightly breaded chicken is so moist and it is perfectly crispy. It comes on top of rice with a side of pickled/sour vegetables and miso soup. The only thing that can make this meal more satisfying is adding a Sapporo. 

And yes, this restaurant is owned by a Taiwanese couple. Omg how horrifying-- this place isn't owned by real japanese people?! Uhhhh every other Japanese restaurant in Berkeley is Korean-owned so don't get so don't get so dramatic.

Aki Samurai Japanese Restaurant - Ithaca, NY (42.439546, -76.4985195) ()
4 - Lola B.: I went to Samurai recently because I've tried every other Japanese restaurant in Ithaca and have yet to find good noodles.  I had never been in there - I suppose it seemed sketchy to me, mostly because of the very weird diner that was in that space before (before the other Japanese restaurant was there - but after Conkies).  Don't get me wrong - that diner had great pancakes. but it was pretty strange.  but anyway.

I loved everything I ate at Samurai.  I had a spicy crunchy scallop roll, a sweet potato roll, and a plate of yaki soba.  The noodles were just what I was looking for - I scarfed them down so fast my husband was looking at me like I was nuts.  Now I'm looking forward to trying their noodle soups - that will be the real test.  Oh, and everything was so yummy I even got dessert - your usual tempura banana.   Yum!

The people there were also super nice.  They were very friendly and welcoming - and service was quick and attentive.  

Everything about my meal here made me want to return.  So don't be turned off by their funny signs out front or their sake bomb promotions, and give this little place a try.  Oh, and they deliver, and on Fridays and Saturdays they're open until 1am!  I can't imagine wanting sushi after midnight, but at least I know that it's still a possibility - just in case.
1 - corona j.: I don't know how this place is still around.  The place is infested with rats.. how did the dept. of health not close it down yet?  The food & service are not good at all.  The people are nasty too.  If your job falls under the category of customer service, don't be rude to your customers!
4 - Marya A.: I really like this place. I used to take friends here often and I've ordered delivery several times.

The service is good and the sushi is fresh. This is probably my favorite sushi place in town, though Sushi O Sake is a very close second.
4 - Hal M.: We ate there last night.  They were a little in the weeds with take-out orders, but I didn't feel like things took too long.  We only got sushi, and were very pleased.  Their tuna was  great in every form, as were the other items, like surf clam.  Our only complaint, and this is a purely personal one, is that their tempura is more of a beer batter, and we did not like the thickness.  But we don't like beer batter things, so if you do, you'll probably really like their softshell crab roll, etc.

We will be back for sure.  Prices were realistic, on par for most places in upstate ny.   4.50 for 2 pc al la carte sushi, $6-$8 for rolls, and then $8-$15 for the wild specialty rolls.
3 - M. P.: Ordered the shaumai appetizer (shrimp dumplings). Included were six bite-size pieces and a generous container of soy sauce. Flavor was delicious and the dumplings tasted fresh.

Ordered the Out of Control sushi roll, and well...it was very under control. Yellowtail, spicy tuna, avocado, and scallions were in this roll. The flavor was average--not amazing, but certainly not bad at all.

I'll take my NYC sushi any day.
2 - Misty M.: I would give this place 4-5 stars for its lunch bento boxes, and 1 star for its mediocre to terrible everything else, hence the 2-star rating. All of their battered chicken is 95% batter, and 5% fat. Literally, none of it is actual good chicken, just fat from chicken. They use way too much sauce, and it gave me a headache. Service in the restaurant is not good at all. The waitress only came by to take our order (after ignoring us for 10 minutes), and we had to call out for her to give us the check after she ignored us through the whole meal. And when she did throw the check down on our table and run off without a word, the items hadn't even been totaled up. We had to total everything ourselves. AND WE WERE THE ONLY ONES IN THE RESTAURANT. She had absolutely no excuse to ignore us. We're not even grubby-looking college students. When she did serve us, she was friendly, but it can't be very emotionally taxing to be friendly for the 10 seconds you serve people. I can't think of many times I've been more displeased with a restaurant experience. This is also one of the pricier Asian cuisines in Ithaca. Not at all worth it, unless you're getting lunch bento boxes.
1 - matt h.: I really have disliked almost all the sushi I have tried at this place. Their monster roll actually tasted like some sort of cleaning solvent. All the other rolls were either not very fresh, or came in so much sauce it was hard to tell what it even was. Some of the too saucy rolls were OK such as the Godzilla roll, which was deep fried and then topped in a wisabi honey sauce. It was way too sweet but being deep fried cooked the fish and made it harder to notice the lack of freshness.

While I have yet to enjoy any sushi from this place. Their pad Thai surprisingly is quite edible (worse than the Thai places in town but at least better than their sushi), If dragged here (probably for their cool karaoke machine) go for cooked items. 

For Karaoke, this place has a sketchy policy. You must order at least $20 worth of food per person (before tax and tip) to use the machine. This includes people who just show up at your table for a few minutes to sing have a beer and leave. They will tack anyone who visits your table to your party. So if 8 people reserve the machine, sit down and eat, but through out the night 12 additional people stopped by to say hi, sing a song, and then leave, you must pay $400 dollars plus tax and tip (which will be forced at 18%). This would work out to about $65 a person for those who reserved the machine and ate. A flat fee for the machine that could be waved for those who order a lot of food, would be more fair in my opinion
1 - Caitlin s.: This was the most disgusting sushi I have ever eaten

Akropolis - Lafayette, IN (40.417293, -86.85967) ()
4 - Amy J.: Greek food. My bf thinks these are the best GYROS ever. I had a good lunch. I had a gyro which was with beef and lamb. Don't ask for chicken sharwma, or chicken in the gyro- that's a no-no. The hummus was good but expensive for the little portion they gave us. It was $3.55 plus 55 cents for pitas and they only put a little dab on a paper plate. 
Oh yea, so this a counter service place. Authentic Greek food, owned and operated by a Greek family. But, nothing fancy.
2 - Jamal A.: lousy service, food is ordinary, nothing great about this place
5 - James B.: I'm with Amy, please disregard any reviews that make criticisms without specific evidence. This is a 5 star Greek restaurant. It's not the kind of place you go for a fancy evening out (Lafayette doesn't have many places like that to begin with) but if you're looking for great Greek food, a good selection of Greek beer and wine and a friendly, family owned restaurant then look no further. My favorites are the mbriame dinner, gyros dinner, vegetable plate, and of course the Saganaki (flaming cheese) Opa! Don't forget to visit the counter again after dinner for an order of baklava.
2 - John T.: The gyro sandwich was pretty ordinary indeed.  Not to mention greasy.  (Even for a gyro.)  This is only one data point... your yield may vary.
5 - Megan C.: I don't know what these bad reviews are about.  I think the gyros are great, but I usually get the chicken kabob dinner or a big Athenian salad.  The feta cheese here is fantastic and you can buy big containers of it to take home.  I think the service here is perfectly fine...it's ordering from a counter.  I like the atmosphere...it's nice and homey and local.
5 - Thighmaster M.: This family has been feeding me since I was a Purdue student in 1982. When the brother's parents retired and they opened the Akropolis, I followed the brother who went east to Lafayette. The Parthenon is okay, but the Akropolis is a pinch better for some reason. They mix their own gyros on site and it surpasses what you will find in Chicago and New York City. The souvlaki is very fresh, and the homemade tzaziki is addictive. Needless to say the other standards, dolmades, spanakotiropita, and baclava are above average.
5 - Dave A.: This is one of my favorite restaurants in the Lafayette area. The food is wonderful. There is not anything on the menu that isn't tasty. I have never had crisper, fresher lettuce on any salad, Greek or othewise -- I don't know how they do it. My favorites include the char-broiled chicken (may take about 15 or 20 minutes, but is definitely worth it), the broiled vegetable plate with gyros meat, the slouvaki dinner, and the gyros dinner. 

Dinners come with choice of either salad or soup. The hearty soups are lentil and lemon rice. When we go there for evening meal we always get the saganaki. The hommos is very nice and the french fries are amazing. I know that may sound strange to say, but they are REALLY GOOD! How refreshing to have french fries made from a real potato, not some frozen reconstituted gorp. 

They have red wine, assorted Greek and domestic beers, and fountain sodas. After dinner I like to get a Greek coffee, medium (sugar) and baklava. The Akropolis is a family run business. I have been going there for years and the feeling there is always like family, warm and welcoming. I have never been to Greece, but if I make it there some day I hope the food and feeling is this good!

Regarding wheelchair accessibility, no ramps, but both entrances have easily negotiated low steps. We have taken two family members in their chairs numerous times over the years.
4 - John T.: Good Greek food in WL!! I went to Wabash and would frequently come to this place to get some dolmades and gyros.  I loved the friendly service and good quality food.  Even if it is cafeteria style, they still make everything taste fresh.  Great job people!
4 - Betsy H.: Best gyros & Greek salad I've had. Baklava was just OK. Wonderful service!
5 - Helen C.: We eat at this restaurant every time we're in Lafayette. This is the best Greek food I have eaten anywhere in the US...I would give them ten stars if I could. How I wish they would migrate south and open Akropolis II in East Tennessee.
2 - Stefanie S.: There are about 3 Greek restaurants that I know of in Lafayette and to me, this has to be the worst one. It's small and cramped and not an inviting atmosphere to say the least.

Maybe it was a bad day, but the quality of the gyro meat tasted horrible to me and I was not impressed. The french fries were generic and nothing special. There is better Gyros in Lafayette and I would highly recommend Captain Gyro over this.
1 - Sofia S.: Shocked to see this so highly rated. The food is awful. I literally took one bite of my meal and gagged. My boyfriend was with me, and he got sick after eating here. He got the kabob, and threw up twice once we got home. Also, this place is way too expensive for it's crappy location, bad decorating and terrible food.
1 - Amy D.: I'm with Sofia here. This place is bad all the way around. Ugly decorating, poor location, expensive, and bad food. I was lucky enough to avoid food poisoning, unlike some. Still will never be back here. Yuck.
2 - Nadeem P.: Stopped here on the way to Chicago as a result of the reviews. We had a gyro and the Athenian salad with a side of gyro meat. 

I liked the coziness an atmosphere of the joint, and the folks behind the counter were very friendly. When it comes down to the food however, I just wasn't impressed. The gyro meat was good, but the pita bread tasted like store bought bread, and the tzaky sauce wa a little weak, my mouth was calling for something more creamy and garlicky. As for the salad, it was good but I was disappointed here as well. For $8 it was a little on the small side and lacked flavor. As for the additional side of gyro meat, for $3.50 we barely got any. 
I think we may have ordered the wrong things, or we've developed a taste for the finer things in life. Whatever the reason, I probably won't be stopping back by here...
4 - Adam W.: For a casual dinner this is a very unique option around town. The prices are pretty fair and the menu has some cool things on it. I haven't tried many, but what I've had have been great. 

The gyro, which I swear is ordered by 80% of people, is good. The meat is the best I've ever had, but the sauce leaves something to be desired. Too watery. I went to Greece and visited Athens, Crete & Santorini and I'm from Detroit which boasts many, many 'Greek' coney island restauarants serving tzatziki and I've never seen tzatziki that was like that. Then again, they dont call it tzatziki at Akropolis, so maybe that's the problem. 

Portions on the gyro are rather large too. If you order fries, they are high quality, but portions are small for the price. 

Last night I tried their combination dinner. It was gyro meat, moussaka, pastitsio, dolmades and cheese pie. Very fun dinner to eat with the variety. Everything was great. I especially was surprised with the pastitsio and how delicious it was. Thought it was just pasta with some things thrown in...but the sum was greater than the parts. Grape leaves weren't as strong as the Syrian ones I'm used to and I liked that.

The people at Akropolis are friendly, the atmosphere is relaxing...I like it.

Oh, if you're coming from the east on rte 26 you cant turn into the parking lot (due to a concrete median so if you want to go home to the west you can't turn out.) The parking lot is tiny.
4 - Peter B.: I just wish they were open for breakfast!    Love the gyros sandwich or platter...great food for my money.  Wife won't eat there cause all she can think of is " Poor Lamby!"
4 - Tom M.: I have been eating here for years and you should ignore these bad reviews. Authentic Greek food cooked by Greeks. The gyros are great and the sauce is delicious. A nice casual atmosphere and at a reasonable price.
4 - Rae Ann P.: Have never been to Greece, but did enjoy the combination plate immensely! Pastitsio was wonderful, and the skanikopita (spinach-feta pie) was excellent. I thought the gyro meat (lamb) was moist and tender. Baklava was very sweet so you could get a sugar high from just smelling it! Prices were moderate and portions were large. The people were very friendly and spoke Greek to one of our companions (who once lived in Athens) which was amusing to the rest of us!! Very friendly to children.

Al & Lee's Auto Care Center - Upland, CA (34.1030077, -117.6859168) ()
5 - Ryan M.: I hardly ever take the time to post reviews, but in this case I felt compelled to give kudos to Lee and his auto shop.  I was referred to them from a a friend when I had to get a smog check.  After having just moved here and not knowing anything about smog checks, I was more than satisfied when Lee (owner) was working to get my car tested despite having just had some engine work done.  Honesty and integrity are rare in this industry and I can't recommend Lee and his staff enough.
5 - Sarah S.: I have been using Al & Lee's Auto Care Center for several years and several cars.  One of the best things I can say about them is that if they can save you money, they will definitely try.  Christian owned and operated, their mechanics really take pride in their work and are very knowledgeable.  Irene in the front is very friendly and always makes you feel welcome.  The mechanics always say hello when they come into the lobby for anything.  Most of all they explain what they're doing and why so that you feel comfortable with what's happening to your car, without feeling pressured to add a bunch of things on that you don't need.  Take you car to Al & Lee's  and Lee will set you up right.  You won't be disappointed.  Finally, a reputable mechanic.
5 - Becker '.: Lee is THE man to talk to about your auto repair. Honest, equity, and a man who knows that WE, the customer, are the reason they are in business. True to his word!! You'll get no baloney here! The truth is the rule!
"The Best!":
5 - Candace V.: Honest mechanics are hard to come by. Believe me, I've found my share of dishonest ones that will break your car just ensure you'll come back. I received a recommendation for this place through friends I go to church with, and I have not regretted taking my car to them for the past 3 or 4 years. On top of the quality work, this place just has an atmosphere of comfort by virtue of the nice people working there.
1 - BreeAnna K.: I had a horrible experience here. I went in for a routine oil change. They would not quote a price estimate to me upfront and then they proceeded to do additional work on my car without asking my permission (which is illegal). They came out to tell me about the additional work after they had already done it and they acted like they had done me a favor. I was also overcharged on labor. I didn't have extra money at the time. I went in expecting to pay about $20 for an oil change and walked out having paid $100. After such a negative experience, I was also annoyed to later discover that they put their company sticker in my engine. I will never go back to Al and Lee's and am considering reporting them to the BBB.
5 - Douglas L.: Lee and his crew of experts KNOW cars through and through. In fact when my 2000 Toyota Solara (now deceased, no fault of Al & Lee's!) was having serious electrical problems, DAVE even had a dream about how to repair it!

They do great work, with fair prices. It's the only mechanic I'll trust my wife's Lexus, daugher's Camry and my Suburban to!

HONEST, no "upselling" and very friendly! I recommend them ALL of the time!
5 - Amanda N.: Keep an honest mechanic when you find one.  I found one with Lee and his crew, and I am keeping them!  I already loved them when they helped me with my car's smog issues, loved them more when they helped us out when it was crashed, and now I LOVE LOVE LOVE them because they just saved me from making a very bad purchase in a replacement car.  I took a car I was interested in to him to do a quick look to see if it was a car worth buying.  After about 5-10 minutes looking under the hood, Lee and one of his crew members said that something just didn't seem right.  The car had only 45000 miles, but they noticed that a lot of work had been done under the hood.  (My untrained eyes hadn't noticed anything.)  I didn't buy the car because of their advice, but wanted to find out more about the car.  A simple Google search led me to find out the car was a Salvage Title, and the the dealer was lying about its "clean title."  Lee saved us a lot of money and a lot of trouble.  He is so honest, that it's a wonder he is still in business!  Thanks, Lee & crew!
5 - Mario H.: Correctly diagnosed and repaired our mini-van which had a very complex engine issue, our van now runs like new! Al & Lee are the reasonable, HONEST auto experts !

Al Forno Restaurant - Providence, RI (41.8173184, -71.4005886) (Fox Point)
5 - Natalie G.: Al Forno is my all-time favorite in the world.  They make the best grilled pizza, the mashed potatoes are what dreams are made of, and the vegetable plate is the most fun you'll have eating vegetables.  Beware, they don't take reservations, but if you get there early you're guaranteed a seat and one of the best meals of your life.
5 - Christina S.: Incredible food and an extensive, but reasonable, wine list.  The service was spotty - Mark, the host, had a major attitude, but everyone else was great.  Downstairs is casual, upstairs is more formal.  No reservations.  Overall, very reasonable.  The desserts are incredible but have to be ordered with dinner since everything is made to order and extremely fresh.
5 - Mariangela S.: My pizza list is not complete without Al Forno in Providence, RI!! This was our dining mecca while we lived in Boston. The grilled margherita pizza piping hot from the wood-fired oven was spectacular! The rest of the menu is equally impressive, but the memory of the pizza just gets me dreaming...
5 - RonAnderson ..: It's all about the Dirty Steak here.   This is boneless ribeye steak cooked on wood coals, which makes for meat that is charred on the outside, red and tender on the inside.  The flavor is smoky and the meat is juicy.  I have never eaten a better steak anywhere, and I lived in Texas for three years.  It's worth a trip to Providence just to dine here and enjoy the Dirty Steak.  I'm booking my flight right now!
4 - aaron t.: I was told sooo much about this place!
The environment is high end comfy.
Service is great.
Menu great
I wasnt blown away by the dishes, but the peach pie dessert sure had me dreaming it again.
Dish i had was a bit too spicy in my taste.
Otherwise, a must eat at place for seafood and great desserts!
5 - Kevin B.: Best restaurant in Providence.  Great food, great ambience.

No reservations possible, so the wait on holiday weekends is something awful.  Don't go there then, unless you go at 5pm.
5 - Suzanne M.: I grew up in RI, and I remember my dad taking me here for the first when I was 13 or 14. I had their 5 cheese penne and he ordered a grilled pizza. We shared, and I remember feeling like I never tasted anything like this before. The pizza was thin, crunchy, and amazing. The pasta blew me away. Years (and years and years) later, it's still amazing any still my favorite restaurant in Providence. Thanks daddy!!!!!!!
5 - Eric G.: Right under my nose for 20 years. I never knew it existed.

To think of all the grilled pizza I've missed. It's a tragedy.

Al Forno has a place of honor in the definitive book on American pizza. That was what brought me here. They grill the pizza and it is very, very, good, but I would have liked a little more toasty smoke infused in the crust. I experimented with grilling pizza at home and the grilled flavor is a great contrast to the cheese. Mmm.

I wanted to try the Dirty Steak, but when I found out how much it was ($42) I had dirty shorts instead. 

Reservations are ONLY for parties of 6 or more.
Expect a 45 to 1 hour wait during peak times.
The crowd thins out after 8. 
The seating is a little tight. It gets loud and can get very stuffy hot in there. 
Bar A-
Service B+
Food A
5 - Michelle S.: One of the best restaurants in Rhode Island, if not New England. Excellent food, especially the grilled pizza, which is savory and fresh tasting. The service is impeccable and the ambience is comfortable -- feels more like you're eating in Berkeley or Northern California city than Providence.
5 - Tricia N.: I bought the "On Top of Spaghetti" cookbook after seeing the owners on Emeril. I really liked their attitude of using simple fresh ingredients.  It seems to be more a more California attitude than Rhode Island. The recipes from the cookbook are amazing, so being the dork I am, I was overly excited to visit the restaurant.

The food was incredible, it definitely lives up to all the hype. The bread & olive oil were excellent. That is important to me.....if the chef doesn't take the time to select a quality olive oil & bread than what kind of attention to detail do they have when preparing the entrees?

We ordered the spicy clams for an appetizer, and the rabbit linguine and homemade gnocchi  for entrees. The gnocchi melt in your mouth.......mmmmmm. We lucked out on choosing a Burgundy that tied the whole meal together.

They don't take reservations & the wait was 1.5hrs at 8:30PM when we arrived. In reality we only waited 45min. 

It is definitely worth the 1hr drive to Providence. This is by far my favorite restaurant on the east coast. I can't wait to go back.....I want to try everything on the menu....
2 - j c.: Despite its well known status, I was quite disappointed by the food at Al Forno. Actually to be completely honest, I was sick a couple hours after eating it... Okay, to be really honest, we tried it again. And well, no this time I didn't get sick... but the wait staff was rather rude and the food was mediocre.... so no I wouldn't recommend it to anyone... sorry.. P.S. Try the Cav instead
4 - Ashley S.: I like this place.  It is well known, so it gets a lot of negative attention from people who expect it to be amazing.  I think the food is very quite good and the atmosphere is nice as well.  I love their appetizer pizzas.  It's a good place to have your parents take you if they're visiting you at college too :)
4 - Cindy W.: Every time we pass through Providence we want to eat at Al Forno.  Yes, to beat the crowds, we eat dinner earlier than we prefer, but it's worth it.  Great quality ingredents produce outstanding pasta dishes and the pizza is unbeatable.  The only item we've ordered that didn't rate highly with the group are the clams al forno (the breadcrumbs were too grainy, almost sand-like and the oysters were barely warm - weird!)  The rhubarb baby cake was delicious, and the server was friendly and fun.  I agree, the prices are steep, but it keeps diners from turning it into a pizza parlor.
4 - Heather B.: Al Forno is a well known "casual gourmet" Italian restaurant where the emphasis is on fresh, in season and local! The food is amazing. We shared each and every dish. 

Our meal started off with Squash Blossoms. These were stuffed with ricotta and mint, lightly battered and fried tempura style and placed on a bed of heirloom tomato sauce. DELICIOUS!!! We also had Gorgonzola stuffed roasted mission figs on a lovely herb and green salad. Also delish!

Next the entrees: "lunettes" stuffed with ricotta and chanterelles served in a brown butter and sage sauce and topped with the freshest sweetest corn I have ever tasted, and more chanterelles. Dish 2: homemade cavatelli in an asiago cream sauce with zucchini and prosciutto. Both were fantastic but the lunettes were the standout.

Dessert was espresso granita for V and a double chocolate cake thing for me. Desserts were good but not great... in my humble opinion.

Al Forno makes you order dessert when you order your entree. This probably sells a lot of profitable desserts but I also realized upon further thought that it is a brilliant strategy for a well-run kitchen. The dessert guy or gal knows what you will be having and the timing can be executed perfectly, no surprises in the kitchen.
5 - Eric K.: The best Italian I have ever had. The gorgonzola pasta was amazing and the duck was perfect.
5 - Eric F.: I grew up in Providence but left RI in 1973. I ate at  Al Forno's (actually Lucky's upstairs before 1991) as I remember. All I can remember was a very hot orange harrisa sauce with some dish.  Very good but I know I did not eat pasta (maybe side?) , lasagna or something of the kind. I have always kept tab of the star chef couple, this restaurant and will have to make it back and eat there. 

While I have some Pizza and some other Italian type fare cookbooks, in all these years, I have never bought an Italian cookbook. I have tried recipes from food channel, Mario Batali etc. But I was looking for a special Italian book. I have dozens of cookbooks. 

I was looking for special Italian dishes. I have not been to Lidia's in Kansas City (can't afford it) but I watch her TV show. My mother likes to try some of her recipes from the book I sent her. However, my mind stil drifted back to the very highly regarding Italian restaurnts in Rhode Island. While there are many, the one that stands out is Al Forno's .

While looking up what people thought about Al Forno's on these board in  Yelp and other sites for my blog (most said nothing but the best) ,  someone mentioned the latest new cookbook "On Top of Spaghetti" which was published in 2006. While I considered their first one Cucino Simpatica (which has become a classic) this new one sounded so good . Why?

What I liked about this book was the impressive different entrees that the couple placed in this book based on their travels, cooking experiences and trying out real different recipes and ingredients. On Amazon, I got the book for almost half.

It arrived. You know when Billy Joel and Danny DeVita and Rera Pearlman rave about the chefs and the recipes then there is something great going on inside.

When I review a book, I start looking for many things. In this case, besides the interesting recipes, each one had a background, where and how they came to know this recipe. Special ideas about the ingredients, tips of all sorts abounded throughout the book. I immediately look through all the recipes to see which ones I want to try. I wan't try at least half of them but where should I start?

I has a bunch of cherry tomatoes so I started with Spicy Roasted Cherry Tomatoes. Roast the vegetables and peppers, I decided to puree them and toss with spaghetti. Very tasty. 9.4/10. So what is the next way to kick it up a level.

I wanted to make something that was different then what I have made before but has a different spin in their book. I chose Sgaghetti and Summer Chicken Cacciatori. Not to difficult to make it did not use tomato sauce but just tomatoes. I was skeptical. I did not use panecetta but included everything else, I let it go for 40 minutes. It came out awesome.

The chicken was juicy and the tomato and the ingredients permeated the chicken. I would rate it 9.8/10. While I did not include spaghetti this time, I will use the sauce and left over vegetables for tomorrow. This makes a fine spaghetti sauce. I might not want to buy canned spaghetti sauce again but still canned turned out OK. 

Thanks for posting the information about the book. I might never have found it. The recipes are wonderful and the Chef couple really makes Italian cooking engaging through the book. I made these ( there quite a few more from the book I want to try). When I get to Al Forno in the future,  I will post . Meanwhile I will keep on cooking from this  book!
5 - robert o.: My favorite place in Providence. I love their grilled pizza, baked pasta and made to order desserts. The staff is very attentive and extremely helpful in recommending a wine. The place has been there for ever and the wait can annoy some but a must if stopping in Providence.
5 - Liz R.: A trip to Providence isn't complete without a meal at Al Forno.

The only problem with the place is that they don't take reservations and it's a popular spot, so you might find yourself waiting for a while on a Friday or Saturday night, so go on a weeknight if you can.

Make sure you order a pizza. You'll be sitting there thinking, I'm at a nice restaurant and I want to order pizza?  Yes, yes you do. At lest  get it once, it'll be some of the best pizza you've ever had.
5 - Dennis L.: Coming here as a kid, years ago, this place changed the way I felt about food. The husband and wife owners bring their original backgrounds (architect and photographer) to their craft without it taking away the simple wonderfulness of the food there. It is that simplicity that surprised me the most, where it is honest to the customer with the food, not disguising anything, where the quality of the ingredients comes to the forefront. The food is hot is key to this restaurant, in particular, the desserts that you have to order with your meal so that they are at the peak of perfection. This is my favorite restaurant, making me feel comfortable in every way, though the drive is a bit long and it is closed Sundays (and Mondays).

Their grilled pizza is a trademark and it was the first place that I... *enjoyed* scallions. Before then as a little shinkicker, I saw them only as brushes for hoisin sauce on Peking duck and little circles of sharp flavor to avoid in my beef esophagus noodle soups. In this presentation, they are wonderful. The crust is always crisp, and the little bits of intentional entropy in creating the dish lead to a different balance of flavors with every bite, almost like a different dish every time, but the same few ingredients.

My favorite entree there is the 'spicy clam roast' or 'clams diavolo'  where the sauce has just enough kick to complement the other elements of the dish instead of dominating like one may think when you first smell it. The wonderful thing about this place is that when you look at the dish, you know exactly what everything is. You are not asking questions like "what's in that?" Everything is brutally honest with what they are, and yet, it is so good. The 'dirty steak' is so simple, no 'secret spice rub', just a good cut of steak with salt and pepper, thrown on coals.

If you see the limoncello babycake on the menu, it is absolutely divine. The little citrus jellies that come with it are lightly sweet and sour and the cake is fluffy enough to cut with a spoon. I remember my first time there, we had their cookie finale and it was wonderful... except that I burned my tongue on the painfully delicious molten chocolate inside the hot chocolate donut holes, but when we went last time and ordered it, it was simple dough all the way through. Perhaps it's safer, but I wish there was still molten chocolate... (silly McD's hot coffee lawsuits!)

The service is good, though varied in approach.

The kitchens are so clean, my *very* restaurant-experienced father has said "you can eat off the floor of it" and the dining rooms are moreso.

If you want to celebrate something special (or impress someone special), this is a place to go. Couple it with a daytrip to Newport and you have a fun-filled Saturday. Just remember to get to the door like 15 minutes before 5 and reserve if you have a larger group (except Friday and Saturday)! It is an experience and one that you would want to have again and again.

Dishes to try: Pizza Margherita, Clams Al Forno, Corn Fritters, Duck Duet, Dirty Steak, Limoncello Babycake, Grand Cookie Finale
4 - Ed G.: Of the 10+ years that I've lived in Providence, its incredulous that I had until this night never dined at Al Forno.  Why?  Possibly a stigma (perhaps in my own mind)  that it was too upscale or that due to its reputation would be very expensive.  Well due to the fact that a seat in an unnamed Federal Hill establishment could not be had until 10 pm on this night (12/12/08, a Friday night), we decided to check out Al Forno.  To my delight as mentioned in another review, the atmosphere was "casual gourmet", and though the first floor was full, we did not have any problems being seated upstairs, with a window seat and a brilliant view of the Manchester St. power station.  Very cool.

We had spied another group dining on the wood grilled Margarita pizza while being whisked upstairs, so that was quickly ordered up as well as a salad of grilled octopus with cilantro, fennel, and lime juice.  I'd like to say that both of these offerings were PERFECT, washed down with some nice California Zin.  For dinner, my fiancee' chose a split/wood grilled lobster served with frites and cole slaw, my buddy (back home for a visit from the UK) chose the eggplant Parmesan, and I went for the Dirty Steak.  The verdicts on dinner - while my fiancee' did not expect the lobster to be served "fish and chip" style, it was delicious, and my buddy's eggplant parm was excellent.  The Dirty Steak, however, while very good, would have been better I think if they had not sliced/fanned prior to serving it.  Maybe I'm a purist when it comes to steak, I don't know, but I'd like to add that it did not last too long on my plate.

We finished off the night with some English tea (what a Brit!), and we shared a banana-Marscapone tart, made to order (all their desserts are made to order), which was huge - the 3 of us looked at it in amazement (read: how are we going to finish that?!).  The tart was perfectly crisped, the bananas were sweet and tender, and the big scoop of Marscapone?  We struggled to finish it, but a man-bet was made and that was the final push.

All-in-all, it was a great dining experience, except for an instance in which my fiancee' felt uncomfortable because our second server seemed to keep staring at her (we arrived late, so I think our original server had departed).  I chalked it up to "he's checking on us to time the clearing of plates, refill our wine glasses, or water", to no avail.  One more note - I found the menu to be fairly reasonably priced, for the quality of the meals.  The pizza, in particular, was a steal!   Dinner with just a selection of the appetizers would not be far-fetched, since they looked so good.  In hindsight, we probably should not have ordered so much food, but everything looked and smelled so good!  We will definitely be back to this fine establishment again.

Post dinner note: On the following Monday, my fiancee' and I had a craving for the Margarita pizza.  Unfortunately, they were closed (closed on Mondays, winter 2008 I guess).  Better luck next time!
5 - Bill H.: Al Forno is my favorite restaurant in Providence.

I've eaten here four or five times over the last few years;  each visit was a treat.

Getting to the restaurant is really tricky for pedestrians.  I'm usually walking down from College Hill, and figuring out how to walk under the overpass is a bit of a logic puzzle when everything's covered in snow.  Once you're there it's a simple matter to get on the list to get seated.

If you're like me and you hate waits, show up between 5-6pm.  I went here once with a group of 11, and we were seated shortly after showing up at 5pm.

Al Forno's got a lengthy menu.  Maybe ten appetizers, a dozen pasta dishes, and a dozen more entrees.  You've got a lot of choices to sift through -- but no matter what you do, order the damned pizza.

Al Forno serves the best pizza in Providence.  Super-thin dough, crispy on the crust side and soft on the topping side.  Everything's doused in olive oil and served as white pizza with really finely ground ingredients.  It's Naples-style pizza done really, really well.

You really can't go wrong with their other dishes.  In my most recent trip, favorites were lamb sausage and loin, prune-stuffed dumplings, and duck with kumquat.  All were served quickly and deliciously.

Al Forno makes a big deal out of their made-to-order desserts.  The chocolate cake is the king, but the other dishes are also tasty (if you've still got room).

Prices are reasonable.  Low teens for the appetizers, twenties for the entrees.
2 - Matt L.: Was taken out here by the President of our company along with the rest of our office as a reward for hard work. This place sits near the waterfront in the midst of bars and clubs. The place is quite large with a upstairs for big groups such as ours. The staff seemed a bit snobby thinking they were at another type of restaurant, but I must have missed something because this place despite the recommendations of locals, was not that great! The menu has assorted seafood and Italian selections, I chose to order the Veal which was one of the highest priced things on the menu. The wine list was okay not the best and the wait staff was no help at all. The portions were medium sized and the food was not at all creative or tasty. I have eaten a lot better. I was glad I wasn't paying the tab here because it was not worth it. There are tons of Italian restaurants in Providence, stick to Federal Hill and don't bother venturing to the east side of town to find good Italian. We would have been better off at the pizza place down the street for what we spent here!
5 - Princess M.: Truly delicious and worth going out of the way to try.  The food is simple and delicious.  The atmosphere is efficient but elegant and cozy.

The wait for a table by 6pm on a Saturday evening is 1.5 hours for a party of two.  I would recommend coming earlier (they open at 4pm on Saturdays) or to dine at the bar.

The free bread was SO delicious, chewy and dense and moist.

We tried the baked pasta shells with tomato sauce and five cheeses and the deconstructed lasagne with rib eye meat balls.  Both were absolutely amazing in their simplicity and depth of flavor.  The baked shells had delectably crispy edges but still retained a lot of creaminess in the plain tomato sauce.  The lasagne was less creamy but also packed in a lot of flavor, especially with the super creamy, juicy meatballs.

Other recommendations by the waiter are their pizzas and their made-to-order desserts.  We didn't try those as we knew we were going to be very full from just the entrees alone.  The desserts looked very homey, they all looked very moist and warm.
2 - Christopher M.: Decent place but definitely not worth the money.  There are several nicer Italian restaurants in Providence that provide a fine dining experience for less.  I have eaten here on three different occasions because people always rave about it and I thought I just had bad luck by I have decided not to return.  Service is also nothing special on the ambiance is pretty poor.  It is tough to get to, the seating is cramped and chairs are borderline uncomfortable.  Food is good but nothing that really knocks your socks off and at these prices it really should be better.
4 - Matt R.: Interesting location. Went at 5:30 on a Thursday and was seated right away. Sat on first floor in greenhouse type room. Glare was strong coming through glass wall. Chairs extremely uncomfortable and cramped. Wait staff was very knowledgable, courtious and helpful, almost all are college students.

Started with Fried calamari and Casaer salad. Calamari was the most suspect part of the meal, surprising for a place that seems to pride itself on quality of ingredients. Casear salad was fresh, loads of parmesan cheese on it, almost too much. Bread was fresh and chewy. 

Main course: I got the messy lasagna with ribeye meatballs, wife got the homemade caveltini. Both truely delicious. Some of the best pasta I have ever had. Nicely sized portions.

For desert we got the double chocolate cake which was also excellent.

Mixed drinks were stong, served in collins glasses.

Bathroom door was also completly glass (not one way) with urinal right next to door which i found very odd.
4 - Nicholette P.: 4.5 Stars, totally would have been 5 if the bartender decided not to ignore me, then not give me some water. Yes I'm 21, thanks for not even asking if I wanted a drink. 

Well, the food.... DELISH! EXCELLENT!

We started off with the margarita pizza, because everyone was raving about it before we came. So worth it! Everyone loved it, and it truly hit the spot. 
The other appetizers we got were the spinach salad and the fresh mozzarella with salami. Both exceeded our expectations.

On to dinner....

I ordered the "cheaters lasagna" with rib eye meat balls. OMG. WOW. SO GOOD! everyone at the table loved the meatballs, and the "lasagna" was also unbelievable! 
Two of our party ordered chicken dishes which looked extremely good also, and the pasta with the meat sauce was very very good!

YOU MUST ORDER DESSERT! Order it with dinner, because they are freshly made, and the ice cream is being churned while you eat dinner. Need I say more.

We had the apple tart (which could easily be enough for 4) and the cinnamon ice cream. WOW I would go back just to eat that!

If your in prov check this place out, its sure a winner!
5 - David M.: Wow, homemade goodness.  My first time here for a special event in Providence (visiting from CA) and the dishes here are carefully prepared with delicate sauces and fresh ingredients.  Everything tasted like right out of mom's kitchen including the desserts (which must be preordered with dinner in order to make them fresh).  Fantastic.
3 - Rachel W.: We stopped in for a late dinner on Friday night, and were seated immediately. I was told the pizzas were the way to go, but feeling adventurous, we opted to split a couple appetizers and a pasta dish. Waiter let us know if we wanted to order desert to do it now, as it would take about 30-40 minutes. So we did. Highlight of the meal was the buffalo mozzarella starter. Moved on to a ravioli main dish, which was average at best. (Flashback to when we ordered out desert, with our meal.) Now waiter tells us it will be another 30 minutes for the desert. Excuse me? I'm confused. Isn't that why you asked us early on in the first place? But wait! They can make up a double chocolate cake in 10 minutes! Problem solved! 

Wine was good, the company was better.
5 - Barry E.: We went to Providence this past weekend, and after seeing all the great reviews for this restaurant, we decided to give it a try on Friday Night, 6-19-2009.  Having read the menu, and looked over the reviews, I already knew what I wanted.  We decided to get there around 6:15 after hearing about how difficult it is to get in.  The area around the restaurant has very little, if nothing at all, as far as shops, or places to browse.  We were hoping there would be something around if we had to wait, but there was not, however we also were seated immediately.

We parked in the lot behind the restaurant, walked in, and were seated upstairs in very quick time.

As far as the service, I thought the waiter was exceptional.  He knew his stuff, and his attitude was really good.  I did not feel like he was snooty at all.  So, we decided to start off by sharing the Margherita Pizza (Spicy).  Wow is all I can say.  Understand I am New York born...I have access to the best pizza places in the country, and while I do not make it my regular habit to indulge in pizzas very often, I have an idea of what good pizza is.  I was very surprised by how good this was.  It is a thin, almost cracker like, crust.  There is a decent amount of oil on it, and while some complained about that, I did not mind it.  The amount of cheese and sauce on top was also perfect, and the size was pretty good, but it was thin, so we were able to finish it.  

They then brought some complimentary bread over, and some olive oil, and these were also very good.  The bread tasted fresh, and the Olive Oil seemed like a very high quality Olive Oil.  I noted that they brought just enough over to enjoy the bread with, so I imagine it must have been expensive.

For my main course I had the Baked Pasta with Tomato, Cream, and Five Cheeses.  They bring it in a plate that feels like it is right out of an oven, and it was to die for.  Some of the tops of the pasta shells were slightly burned (a good thing), and so not only was the creamy cheese sauce good, but there were varying textures within the pasta - Some of them were soft, some were crisp, and I did not want to stop eating.  And I did not.  I used some bread to soak up the sauce, and I was happy as happy could be.  This is one of the best dishes I have ever had in any restaurant.  The balance of sauce and cheese was just unreal, and even with a full stomach, I did all I could to enjoy every last bite.  

My wife had the Ravioli with Ricotta and Mushroom.  She also enjoyed her meal as much as I enjoyed mine.  

We did not order desert due to feeling very full, and also because we wanted to indluge in that later on in the night, so we needed to first make room in our bellies.

By the time we left the place was packed, the parking lot was full, and it was buzzing.  Through out nearly 90 minute experience we did not feel rushed, and we were so happy to be able to enjoy this place.  Had I not looked up restaurants in Yelp, I would not have come across this place.  We stayed in the Federal Hill Area which seemingly has all the Italian Restaurants, so we would have eaten someplace over there.  Well, we did for Desert, but that is another review for another time.

So, we shared an appetizer, and each had a main course.  We got no alcohol.  I had two bottles of Diet Soda.  All of this came to about $75.  I thought $3 for each bottle of soda was a lot, but hey, it is part of eating at the restaurant.  In looking at the menu, but not ordering the sides, I would say they were rather expensive.  For me, eating the quality and quantity of food, for that price, made sense to me.
5 - Jennifer G.: There is definitely something very unique about this establishment.  I have never had a bad or even "so-so" meal.  I could close my eyes and point to something on the menu and I would be just as happy!  You can tell everything is homemade, with the finest ingredients.  Just to add to that, one of the times I was there sitting in the outside dining area, the chef came out and snipped some herbs from the lil garden area.  How often do you see that at a restaurant??  And in the city??  Which I'd also like to add, it doesnt feel like you're in the city when your dining here.

WORTH NOTING:  I am such a big fan of this place that I ordered there cookbook "On Top of Spaghetti".  Of course, you buy a restaurant cookbook and you're thinking you'll be lucky if you replicate maybe one of the dishes out of the book.  I was so happy to read how simple the owners/authors put together their delicious dishes and I have successully made half dozen so far!  Also, the beginning of the book has a Tips section and it was very helpful learning more about Italian cooking in general (I'll never overcook my pasta again!)  Thanks to Johanne and George for not being afraid to share your wealth of knowledge!!
5 - Matt W.: Landed in PVD airport for our anniversary trip (Boston & New York)and went straight to restaurant before hitting Pawtucket game. Got there around 5:30 on a weekday so service was quick, but it filled up fast.  Service was excellent and pasta dishes were fantastic.  Well seasoned and much lighter than your traditional Italian fare.  First/only time in Providence, but this was a great pick.
5 - Jonathan S.: Al Forno is as good as it gets for high quality Italian and southern French cuisine.  I have eaten at Al Forno at least once per year for the past 15 years and it has never disappointed.  By far my favorite part of the Al Forno experience is their pizza.  They tend to feature two pizzas per evening so there's not much variety but the pizzas they make, which are brick over thin crust, are my favorite!  Some people base great pizza on thin-crust and that's certainly part of it but Al Forno's pizza rates highly in other ways.  Their toppings are excellent, their tomato sauce is clearly made using either fresh tomatoes or san marzano tomatoes and they don't drown their pizza in cheese.  
    Normally I split both a pizza and an entree (this could range from a tasty italian meat dish to a rustic italian pasta) and order my own dessert.  The desserts are excellent and need to be ordered with the meal but they're clearly heavy with the butter.  While you could argue that their desserts are top-notch, I go for the pizza and entrees!  Al Forno's appetizers are quite tasty, I'm partial to their Clams Al Forno, which is a modified Clams Casino.  
    The only negatives at Al Forno are long waits and sometimes snobby service.  Neither are enough to detract from what I consider to be my favorite American restaurant...when I have the money!  For two people who want to have a glass of wine, split a pizza, entree, and dessert, the meal will run 120-140, tip included.
4 - denis s.: Scale 1 = poor, 5 = outstanding

CUSTOMER SERVICE:  3.  No reservations for under 6 folks, but host was nice and they'll fetch you in the bar.  Waitress was super young and had minimal knowledge of food and wine - she could bring you samples, that's about it.

FOOD:  4.  I thought it was a 3, my wife thought it was a 5.  Definitely tasty. I had the corn fritters app w/ spicy mayo - not sure what i was expecting, but they were just OK. My wife had the roasted beet salad and said it was "lovely".  For an app i had the bread gnocchi with spicy sausage red sauce which was tasty but not "good lord i have to have this again".  My wife had the pappardelle with a tomato, basil, and corn chowder and is "still craving it".

AMBIANCE: 4.  It's in sort of an industrial wasteland portion of Providence - near but not on the water.  But they have their own parking lot (free).  Inside the place is definitely cute - outdoor patio was great, and inside is nice too.   

VALUE: 3.  About what you'd expect -- pricey, but great food.  This is probably in reality a 3.5 which is why overall they get the 4 stars.
5 - Justin C.: I certainly wasn't going to let my previous failure to dine at Al Forno, due to it being closed, deter me from making it a priority stop at some point during my trip. This restaurant essentially defined fine dining in Providence several decades ago, and the owners have since released several cookbooks to cash in on their notoriety in the area. Along with Bob and Timmys (http://www.yelp.com/biz/bob-and-timmys-grilled-pizzas-providence-2#hrid:YZuSctX-rTadGx0uwSuctw) they made the GQ top pizzas list for their grilled creations, most notably the eggplant version.

Given the amazing experience with the recommended pie at B and T, it was relatively easy to go with the one that was suggested here. A slight difference that readers should be aware of, especially if you've read the article as it can be a bit misleading, is that at Al Forno the pizzas are merely served as an appetizer style and not the main offering like Bob and Timmys. Granted, their appetizer size portion is pretty damn big as you can see from the picture (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wedoitforlove/4145446610/in/set-72157622901501162/), but it does limit your choices if you want to get one. Having said that, there isn't much need for a large selection, because they have crafted a masterful combination of ingredients and executed them perfectly with their specialty eggplant pizza. It comes in the famous Providence grilled style, and is topped with pomodoro, eggplant, fresh herbs, 2 types of cheeses and extra virgin olive oil. The flavor is so distinct you will be comparing pizzas to this for quite some time, and it has to be one of the best "appetizers" I have ever had in any restaurant.

Already feeling pretty content, it was time for the main course. I decided to buy into the hype from the reviews here and try the infamous "Dirty Steak." It's worth mentioning to anyone doing restaurant research who may be wondering why everyone keeps referencing it yet they can't find it, it's because they don't list it on the website, or even the menu, but the server will tell you about it at your table. The price also isn't given, but it was $43 for me, about $10 more than any other entree on the menu. The steak itself is cooked medium-rare by design, and then carved for you into small bites (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wedoitforlove/4145447084/in/set-72157622901501162/), and drizzled with a supposed sour and spicy sauce, although I definitely got no heat in mine. It's a good steak, sure, but I don't think there's anything too special about it, and I doubt it's that much better than many of the other offerings here. In hindsight I definitely would have gone another route. I couldn't resist pairing the steak with the vegetable special of the day, the tempura style fried zucchini blossoms (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wedoitforlove/4144688285/in/set-72157622901501162/), stuffed with ricotta cheese (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wedoitforlove/4145447144/in/set-72157622901501162/) and more zucchini. These were pretty damn tasty, but I think some of the unique blossom flavor was lost in the frying.

The finishing touch was put on in the form of a mammoth dessert, the likes of which I rarely see in such nice establishments. Most places nowadays trend towards smaller, intensely flavored morsels, but I guess that good hearty Italian spirit shines here with the desire to please the guest to the utmost. You are encouraged to order your dessert at the same time as the rest of your meal, as they are all homemade, and to be fair the majority of them are suggested to be eaten by 2 people. Mine didn't have that warning but it easily could have. I couldn't resist the sound of the cinnamon ice cream sandwich (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wedoitforlove/4144688211/in/set-72157622901501162/), and I was not disappointed in the slightest bit. It comes out as 4 to 5 scoops of delicious ice cream, on top of and beside 2 very moist brownies. This dessert kicks ass. I wish I had someone to share it, because I know my heart wasn't happy with my after, but I couldn't resist eating almost the entire damn thing it was just that good.

As for the restaurant itself, it's in a great spot overlooking the water, and if you're lucky you can get a table facing that way. The layout is kind of odd, and if it seems backed up downstairs because so many people want to eat outdoors, I suggest heading up to "the bar" where there are actually quite a lot of tables on the second floor. We walked in on a really busy Thursday night and sat down almost immediately. There is also a parking lot designated just for Al Forno customers, which is free as long as you're eating here, and really useful as parking in this area seemed pretty clustered.
4 - Lori G.: Al Forno was very good, but I can't say it is in the same league as Chez Panisse, French Laundry, and Gary Danko as another reviewer suggests.  Here was our line-up based on recommendations from a couple of regulars sitting next to us:

*Pizza Margherita - Excellent!  Paper thin, crispy crust with diced fresh tomatoes and green onions (onions seem to be an ingredient theme at Al Forno)...hmm, I don't recall basil.
*Spicy Clams - Delicious!  Meaty clams (8-9) in a spicy broth with a mound of (you guessed it!) green onions in the center and red onions in the broth.
*Fig Salad - Good rendition of this favorite.
*Short Rib Agnolotti - Didn't deliver the richness inherent in short ribs and the brown butter sauce was a bit lackluster.
*Hanger Steak w/Olive Aioli - Perfectly cooked, chock-full of flavor, and again onions, this time cipollini, plus fingerling potatoes.

Both the space and the service were fine, although it was a bit squashy waiting in their very narrow bar area.

All in all, I would go back - although I am curious about all of the onions?!  Another thing to note is that most desserts need to be ordered with your dinner order, so pace yourself!
5 - shana b.: Ok, so...being a JWU Alum, we totally went to Alfornos to celebrate the birthdays of me and my awesome roomie. THE BEST DAMN GNOCCHI I'VE EVER HAD! Seriously good lovin going on in that kitchen! All 4 of us were Culinary students and SUPER SNOBBY Foodies. Alforno fit the bill! Oh yea, the margherita pizza was awesome as well, but damn that gnocchi was piss yur pantz tasty. Or as Rhode Islanders say...WICKED AWESOME
5 - Marc F.: Last "big night" for my honeymoon, the wife and I decided to try this place... as we'd seen it highlighted on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" on Food Network. Well, the food did not disappoint. This was one of the single greatest meals we'd ever been a part of.

Let's start at the beginning though. Providence, much like Boston, is built on a never ending loop of winding streets. It's impossible to navigate without a GPS system, and even if you have one, good luck getting around! We drove past Al Forno's twice before calling them up to get better directions. I can understand being an "understated little bistro" but without signage, finding this place is next to impossible. It was only 5:30 PM, and honestly I wasn't sure if we were parking at an abandoned factory, or beautifully hidden restaurant! 

Once parked, we walked into the restaurant, which (again) had NO signage. We ambled halfway into the bar before being offered a table. I guess we gave the impression of not being their "normal" customer, so we were casually seated in the last table, right next to the waitress stand. We felt a little... sequestered... from the rest of the place, and we're not sure why. But, that little "snobbery" aside... on to the food:

First off, it's a full bar, but we both opted for some water. Got to love these 5 star establishments with their "bottled water" options. Like thier tap is pedestrian. Oh well, I'm not there to drop 10 bucks on 2 bottles of water! Based on the recommendation of yelpers... we opted for the piza margherita to start. It delived as everyone yelped: Cracker thin cripy grilled crust, topped with VERY fresh cheese and a light sauce. The portion was surprisingly large. So much so, my wife and I actually took a bit of it home with us, as we wanted to save room for the rest of the meal!

For entrees: I opted for the hand-made "clunky lasagna" which had homemade tomato sauce, a sprinkling of cheese, and a heaping handful of homemade ribeye meatballs. Simply put: the portion was large, the taste was on point. While the sauce and meatballs both had a "thin" quality in my opinion (not what I'd call a "stick-to-the-pasta" ragu if you will.), but it was well flavored. Cause have used more parm/reggiano in my opinion, but I didn't speak up. My loss.

My wife had the wood-grilled honey glazed duck leg and sausage with pomme frittes/ spicy catsup, and roasted broccoli. She was in awe of the entire plate. A heaping helping of perfectly cooked food! Duck so tender it fell off the bone. A savory and tender sausage that was well seasoned... The only minor complaint might be the pomme frittes were not "rocket hot" as one might expect. Still... well seasoned. The spicy catsup complimented the duck and sausage as well. A very well thought out entree. I must say, buy the few bites my wife gaveme of hers, I felt like maybe I should have opted for another entree! 

Lastly... the dessert. As good yelpers will note: you must order the dessert along with your entree, since each is made to order. Due largely in part to the recommendation of the food network's Alex Guarnaschelli we ordered the apple tart. Simply put: the single greatest dessert we've ever had. In our lives. Ever. Flaky, delicate crust with the perfect mix of butter, a pinch of salt, and nutmeg held together a filling of perfectly sweet/tart apples cut so thin they literally melted in our mouths. A gigantic portion... sitting in a pool of a vanilla sauce that just added that extra level of "oh god I don't want this to end" that made the total meal a 5 star experience.

The prices are high. Very high. But, I'll admit that the portions given make one less hurt in the hip than you'd expect. The wait-staff was attentive, albeit our waitress didn't do much to assist me when I'd asked for a recommendation for the pasta choice (I'd asked which she'd choose between my selected lasagna and a squash farfalle in cream sauce... and she provided word for word descriptions available in the menu, instead of a human opinion). In the end: We recommend Al Forno's for it's amazing food. It's so amazing you'll look past the snooty staff, impossible to find location, and prices that hurt like a heavyweight fighter's right hook. Try the apple tart... and watch the world melt away.
5 - Sara G.: One of my favorite restaurants of all time!!! Who would have thought to put corn on gourmet grilled pizza? All ingredients are insanely fresh, the service is exceptional, and everything is delicious. Plus, the restaurant looks like a villa! Everyone in the Boston/Providence area should eat here at least once in a lifetime. It is THE BEST.
1 - Carlos V.: First, they don't take reservations. So we get there at 5:45pm, and there is a 2 hr wait, and the 2 very small bars that they  do have are full. But it is first come first serve so we take our chance at the bar 

We order a drink and strategically stand behind a couple that were finishing their dinner at the bar.

While they were finishing another couple had just walked into the bar area and were obviously 'big money' and went straight to the bartenders to talk to them.

The couple standing in front of us were about to leave and looked right at us and offered us their seats.

We sit down, and the bartender walks over to us and tells us sorry, but these seats have been "promised" to this couple ( the one that had just walked in)... 

SO.... you don't take reservations, but you PROMISE bar seats to people? 

We could not believe it and decided to walk right out! Thank goodness Hemenways  is right down the street because it had a much better bar area and was not filled with stuck up people as in Al Forno's!
2 - Girldrinkdrunk S.: I find it comical that virtually no one giving this place a good review actually lives in RI.  Most locals stay out of Al Forno and leave it to the tourists.

Perhaps I'm just spoiled, but Al Forno is so overhyped it's mind-boggling.  The reviewer that not only compared it to Per Se, Gary Danko and The French Laundry, but said it was better, has got to be kidding.  They're in a completely separate league than Al Forno.

Al Forno has a quaint patio and damned good pizza.  For twenty bucks, dough with tomato, cheese and basil should be amazing.  The teeny plate of burned shells I received was not.  The apple tart everyone raves about it good, but basic.  The service has always been inept.

Fifteen years ago, this was THE spot.  It's just a dinosaur now.
5 - Jeff G.: I've once again returned to Al Forno, and now - coming from Paris, where I moved to a few months ago, Al Forno not only favorably compares to America's best restaurants, it also favorably compares to many of France and Italy's that' I've tried so far!.

You are going to Al Forno for a dining experience, not a quick in-and-out meal.  Your service will be impeccable, and if it's not - speak to Marie (on the 2nd floor) or Mark (on the first floor).  Your food will be the freshest & finest, and your experience will be a positive one, if you're open to it!

I see complaints about waiting, and reservations, snobbery and this and that - these people are missing the big picture.   

First - go early, so you don't get stuck waiting for 2 hours.  If you happen to show up there on an event night of some sort, and there is a 2 hour wait, come back another time when you can walk right in!  

Second - eat upstairs if you can, it's a bit more formal, and a tad less noisy, but again, there could be a crowd of people because it is a great restaurant.

Admittedly - if it appears someone walked in 'after you' and the bartender tells you the bar seats are reserved for someone else, please be sure that the 'someone-else' wasn't someone who was waiting long before you walked in, but was simply waiting upstairs, or downstairs, where you didn't see them.

Al Forno provides amazing value for the price you pay.  Two friends and myself paid $1,190 (gratuity included) for a nine course 'tasting' at The French Laundry in Yountville, CA (one of the most highly celebrated restaurants in the country) and ALL 3 OF US literally left the place hungry - I'm not joking!  

No one leaves Al Forno hungry - and the food really IS excellent!
5 - Vivian A.: 2/20/10
Al Forno
I read several reviews and got tidbits from each. It's all here In a nut shell.
For details read further.
New wait staff no more snooty wait staff
Hard to fine Gps had  a problem finding it.
Finding th ENTERANCE was like a treasure hunt
No Signage
Go early to avoid 2hr waits
Pizza appetizer a must
 MUST HAVE THE DESSERT.
I was ready for the snooty wait staff and was  pleasantly surprised when that didn't happen. I talked to our waitress about what I saw on Yelp. She informed me they made some changes for the better and it showed.
I suggest setting your GPS on 'shortest distance" other wise you'll be on the highway above the place as the GPS tells you "you have reached your destination". The Restaurant is  in a very INDUSTRIAL area. The gps got us to the kitchen entrance of Al Forno there was a very small sing stating so. From this location you can figure how to get around to the front of the building.
Remember I said there was no sigh well finding the front door was an adventure. you walk through a gated patio with a ramp leading to a door in front of you (that's not  it) to the left and set back a little is another door ( in you go.) Satff  greets you and directs you upstairs or down.  Reviews suggested eating upstairs it's less  noisy. I can't comment on that we had a party of 20 that was verrry loud which made everyone else speak up to be heard I'm sure this is not the norm.
Every review said have the appetizer pizza I agree it's a must. I don't usually have desert but we ordered the apple crisp for two you can tell it's made fresh just for you not sorry as all calories be damn.
5 - Jessica H.: I had nearly given up on finding a 5-star dining experience, when last Saturday night my boyfriend and I made an impromptu first-time visit (despite being from RI) to Al Forno, where we were treated to the best dining experience of our recent memories. Ahhhh, at last! Just when you've given up on Mr. Right [Restaurant], he walks into your life when you're not looking. 

Don't worry, the dating analogy ends there. But truly, Al Forno renewed my belief that perfect dining experiences exist. I'm almost afraid to go back, lest the bloom fall off the rose. But on the other hand, I can't frigging wait. 

So we walk up to a beautifully lit converted warehouse structure with huge windows that, from the street, glow with the promise of pleasure. Al Forno doesnt take reservations for parties fewer than 6, but at 9 p.m. on a Saturday night, we were seated immediately at a simple, elegant table setting for two that spoke to the wisdom of clean, classic accents. The interior design also reinforced the elegance of simplicity, and how much I like anything with green and white stripes (particularly event tents, but that's beside the point) -- the ceiling is a slightly weathered green and white stripe between open beams flanked with garlands of corn husks. It works. And it doesn't try too hard. No Homegoods prints of "pane e vino" or Tuscan landscapes. Thank you. 

Okay the food -- We  had heard about Al Forno's (translate "from the oven") reputation for wood grilled pizzas (in fact, that it was a trailblazer for the technique), so we started with the eggplant grilled pizza. The best grilled pizza I've ever had? Very possibly. A perfect flakiness provides a seductive crackle in each sumptuous bite. Ugh, I'm getting the chills at this moment.

Next, we both had the bread gnocchi with spicy sausage red sauce, and were offered a fresh basket of table bread and oil to accompany the entrees. Was it the best gnocchi we've ever had? Very possibly. Perfectly warm, obscenely tender, melt-in-your-mouth pillows nestled in a helping of beautifully seasoned ground sausage in a red sauce (the boyfriend noted that the sausage was actually even ground to the perfect size). Dunk some of that fresh table bread in there and... magnificent. 

We knew we had to have dessert, because that's what put Al Forno in our heads in the first place. We saw it featured on the Food Network's "Best Thing I Ever Ate" for its apple tart. So we paused in our gnocchi heaven, agreed to take our remaining portions home with us (the next day we dove in, and realized that our attentive waiter had written "his" and "hers" on the containers -- 'preciate that), and took some deep breaths as we anticipated the tart-for-two (all desserts are made to order and need to be ordered with the entrees). 

I also had to order the hot chocolate with house-made marshmallows, and he ordered a cappucino, which appeared with a tantalizing, trembling two-inch-high head of gorgeous froth. AND... The. Hot Chocolate. Is. Divine. So decadent, smooth... and perfectly complimented by a cool dollop of unsweetened, fresh whipped cream. And let's not forget those two adorable house-made marshmallows, rolled in powdered sugar. Perfection. 

And ultimately, the apple tart that drew us to Al Forno was everything that we had hoped it would be. Thinly sliced, fresh, delicious apple slices in a gooey syrup, surrounded by a flaky, but firm, pastry shell, placed on a  puddle of subtly sweet cream drizzle that adds just the right creamy accent to a spoonful of apple tart happiness. 

We left Al Forno fantasizing about our next visit, and brainstorming about who we should invite, and occasions to justify it... but at $120 for a 3-course dinner for two (plus one excellent cocktail and a couple of bottles of sparkling water) it won't take a right of passage to celebrate at Al Forno again, just an exercising of our right to a perfect dining experience. Then again, that's coming from the person who was treated to it! Next time, it would be my pleasure to treat. Saturday night?
4 - Andy S.: The food and service was great, but the seating left much to be desired. We drove almost 2 hours and I was a bit disappointed by the layout of the restaurant. Perhaps we need to eat upstairs. I felt that the 2 of us were shoehorned into a narrow space.

If you're going to spend over $140 for dinner, you shouldn't feel hemmed in by a tiny table and with you back up a against another patron. The meal and service offset this which is why I gave Al Forno 4 instead of 5 stars.
5 - Adam B.: Al Forno is amazing! Easily my favorite fine dining restaurant of all time. I grew up in Providence and I come to Al Forno every time I go back home.

My family has our order down to a science. Don't deviate from this menu and I promise you will be happy:

- Pizza Margherita - Al Forno's crown jewel. I don't know why I can't find this style of pizza anywhere else, it's simply in its own league.

- Spicy Pizza - Yes, we order two pizzas. The "spicy" pizza isn't that spicy, and honestly it's almost indistinguishable from the Pizza Margherita, but that's a good thing!

- Baked 5 Cheese Pasta - I know the carb / tomato / cheese thing sounds repetitive, but it's worth it.

- A side of mashed potatoes - we are pretty sure they added this to the menu as a separate side dish for us, because we ordered it every time we went even though we never wanted the accompanying entree. 

- Some dessert. I'm not as fanatical about the desserts so I'll let you pick this one. They are most famous for their Grand Cookie Finale, which is fantastic, but it's not the dish I travel 3000 miles for.

This is enough for 4 people, especially if you get the Grand Cookie Finale as your dessert. If we're feeling particularly hungry we may add an appetizer (or add an entree to our side of mashed potatoes).

One fine point: they will ask you how you would like to arrange your courses. If you're following my advice to the letter, order the two pizzas in separate courses. They have thin crusts and cool down rather quickly.

Caveat - we have two vegetarians among us so we are not as well versed in the meat dishes. I am not one of them, and I am perfectly satiated by the vegetarian meal I outlined.
5 - Daniel G.: I went back last week with my wife and it continues to be a great experience.
3 - Dan T.: I cannot emphasize how fantastic the pizza is at Al Forno, and what a tragedy it will be if you leave this place without having tried it.  On one occasion, one of my friends liked the pizza so much that we went through THREE pizzas (in addition to the rest of our mains and desserts) for the four of us.

The cookie platter dessert is also a favourite, as they give you two of the most enjoyable things about cookies: plenty of variety, and having them served warm and fresh out of the oven!

I have nothing much to say about the other dishes.  The various pastas have been unfortunately underwhelming, considering all the hype this place has received.  But the pizza?  Awesome.

If you do get stuck on the painfully-long waiting list, head across the street to Hot Club to wait it out with stiff drinks (shy with the liquor they're not), free popcorn and a seat by the water.  Your table at Al Forno will seem like it's ready in no time.
5 - Emily W.: This may be my favorite restaurant ever. Period. I still dream about the food and am already looking for excuses to go back and visit Providence so I can go back to Al Forno. 

Let me set up the scene. I went here last month with my boyfriend, my cousin and her friend. We were staying about 1/2 hour outside Providence, but my cousin's friend was taking the train into Providence and we were picking her up. My cousin, who has been going to Al Forno for years, suggested that we go for dinner. She said it was the best restaurant with the best food and she did not disappoint. 

First off, the staff is so friendly. The restaurant does not take reservations. We went on a Friday night and waited for about an hour and a half for a table. . but the staff and bar tender was so friendly, we didn't mind the wait. We ordered some wine and waited by the bar, the hour went by so quickly. It also helped to whet our appetite! 

We were starving by the time we got seated and wanted to order everything on the menu. Thankfully, we were 4 people and we basically ordered everything. I can not articulate how good the food was. We started by sharing a Caesar salad, and the grilled pizza with fresh corn. 

The Caesar salad was to die for. The dressing was perfect, tangy and rich. The pizza was even better. It was in a league of its own. The crust was thin, grilled and the sauce and cheese were so fresh. I wasn't sure about the corn on the pizza, but it gave it this unbelievable flavor. I can't even describe how amazing it was. I have never tasted pizza like this in my life. Better than any slice of New York pizza I have ever had. 

For our entrees, we all shared different items: Baked Pasta with Tomato Cream and 5 Cheeses, Spicy Clam Roast, a Veal dish (stuffed with blue cheese and wrapped in bacon) and a cowboy steak. All the dishes were superb and flavorful. I don't even have enough adjectives in my vocabulary to describe how wonderful and tasty the food is here. I hope you just trust my review and go to Al Forno. If you can try the entire menu, I would do it. I don't think you would be disappointed. 

The cowboy steak was very thin and had a spicy sauce. It is flash grilled and only served rare or medium rare. The meat was moist and tender -- like butter. You didn't even need a knife. I usually like my meat medium, but I didn't mind the medium-rare temperature. It was just so delicious and fresh. 

The pasta was a creamy delight. All the flavors melded together. Nothing was overpowering and you just wanted to eat more and more and more. 

The veal dish was my boyfriend's favorite. he likes to say it was all his favorite foods in one. The veal was tender, the blue cheese was not to overpowering and it all melded together underneath this crisp bacon. It was unbelievable! 

The clams were spicy and hot. They use this homemade spicy sausage, and it was just delicious. I kept sopping up the sauce and couldn't get enough. 

For dessert we had one of the famous homemade fruit crostatas. It was delicious. Fresh, light and the perfect way to end the meal. 

I went out and bought both cookbooks from the restaurant. All of our favorite recipes were there and although I am certainly not as great a chef as the Al Forno team, at least I can savor some of the flavors and memories at home until my next visit. 

We are already planning our next trip to Providence for this summer. We are planning on fasting until we get there so we can eat our way through the entire menu!
2 - Joshua N.: Al Forno would have a much lower reputation if it were in Federal Hill. Thought he cuisine is not directly comparable, CAV and Rue De L'espoir but show much more creativity in their menu. Al Forno has simple dishes that are sometimes good, but usually lack any distinctive spark.
3 - David B.: If you are looking for a good pizza then check out Al Forno's. The place was clean and easy to find. Parking in the area can get dicey so your better off using the parking lot and just walk to  the door. The staff were friendly and professional and the patrons all seemed to be having a good time. It's worth stopping by for a bite to eat.
5 - Jessica S.: This is my favorite restaurant. Grilled Margherita pizza and the tomato cheese pasta are the best. Expensive but worth it
4 - Peter A.: fantastic pizza but high prices. great atmosphere
5 - Jacqueline S.: Delicious. We went here after my sister's Brown graduation and gave a splendid time. 

A few highlights:

Rhubarb tart: Not too sweet. My mom doesn't eat crust and she ate this crust.

Baked Pasta: Savory and not so creamy that you feel like a whale after. Mmm

Grass salad: great blue cheese and the dressing isn't so overpowering that the fresh produce cannot shine. Although it could be a bit more special. 

Fava bean salad: over dressed

Scallops: best I've ever tasted. Fresh and not chewy. 

Chocolate bread pudding: super rich dark chocolate. Served with creme fresh. 

Cheaters Lasagna: giant meatballs in a loose lasanga. Lots of large skinned tomatoes. Not a ton of cheese or pasta-just the way I like it.

Bruschetta: served the "traditional" Italian way, without tomatoes. We were surprised when it arrived as oiled bread but still enjoyed it. Come tomato season they better add them back!

They don't usually take reservations except for large parties, memorial say wknd (brown grad), valentine's day and labor day. Cannot wait to return!
3 - Michele C.: Loved loved loved the pizza. If I go back again, I'll only order just that. The baked pasta with 5 cheeses was alright, but I've definitely had better. And I was hoping for maybe fresh pasta? Considering all the hype this place gets. The strawberry rhubarb tart was yummy, as was the apple tart. There's something special about their pastry crust, it's just awesome. But the host had way too much of an attitude problem. We showed up on a Wednesday night early with 10 people and he acted like we were the biggest inconvenience of his life. The place was friggen empty. If I wasn't entertaining so many people I would have left.
3 - Jen L.: Amazing food. Incredible wine list. Beautiful setting.  I have to take a star away for the spotty service, though (we dined last night 7/2/2010).

Not Kyle the bartender, upstairs.  He was awesome!  He served us up some nice drinkies and a fire-grilled pizza during our long-ass wait for a table.  WITH A GROUCHY SIX YEAR OLD, OH THAT WAS A LONG-ASS WAIT.

Sadly, our waitress was a litlte spacey and forgot to replace our silverware after the appetizer course (some sort of baby squash blossom stuffed with ricotta and done up in a light tempura batter - amazing) so the main courses were served up and we waited and waited and waited and finally we were able to catch someone's attention for the forks we needed to eat.  The food was all really fabulous.  Then, we paid and were ready to leave but she never brought out my leftovers.. We waited, we waited, we waited.  She never came back.  So we left. Too bad, I could use a little cold pasta right about now.
4 - Alex R.: Went here on a date once.  Free parking was the first perk of the location, along with the view of the bay.  Their dessert menu was overwhelming but the "cookie sampler" was a tasty treat.  They are also known for their tarts, seen multiple times on Food Network.  I had the penne, it tasted like a real homemade Italian meal,  definitely one of the best Italian restaurants in the area that isn't on Federal Hill.
5 - Dennis J.: A friend and I attempted to come to this restaurant without a reservation during a busy weekend, and we were surprisingly seated fairly quickly after struggling to find someone to speak with who could seat us. If there's any qualm I have with the establishment, it's that the entrance could be more plainly labeled.

I ordered the Linguine with Creamy Egg, Duck Bacon, which tasted great and not too heavy. My friend ordered Bread Gnocchi with Spicy Sausage Red Sauce, which was fairly good as well, although we both preferred the linguine. For dessert, we ordered toasted coconut ice cream, which had nice taste but was nothing to write home about. The service throughout the night was outstanding and extremely helpful as well.
4 - Peter B.: My girl friend in Providence took me to Al Forno for a light dinner this week.  It was raining and the outside seating and bar areas were closed.  Walking in we were a little confused as there is no obvious hostess area and the entrance basically walks into the prep area outside the open kitchen.  After being ignored for five minutes by a dizzying number of servers and bussers, we were finally seated by a man who may or may not have been a host.

Our initial table was very small, jammed against a side wall, and on the corner that servers come flying around with hot plates.  We didn't like the table so asked for another.  After a five minute wait we were reseated at a four top with one side being a hard bench against the wall.  The room was long and narrow, but the white brick and wooden ceilings were warm and inviting.  After being reseated, our experience improved markedly.

We opened the menu and were surprised to see sloppily folded old photocopied menus inside cheap plastic menu holders placed on the white table cloth.  The wait staff was very friendly and answered all our questions in a casual manner that matched their attire.

We weren't hungry enough to eat full entrees so we ordered pizza and three appetizers.  The pepperoni pizza had perfect thin crust and was absolutely delicious- a meal for two unto itself.  We also ordered the cod cakes with avocado and greens which were perfect.  There were three good sized cod cakes with a light crust.  They were fried to a golden brown, not over done.  The avocado and greens were a nice contrast to the fried cakes.

We also ordered the fava been and house made salami salad.  The salami was sparse but tasty, the greens and dressing were great.  the fava beans were plantiful, but frankly we decided we don't really like raw fava beans enough to order this again.

Finally, we had the roasted beets and avocado salad.  It was simple and delicious.  The crimsonberry iced tea was also fantastic.

Bottom line: Al Forno is a good mix of casual and upscale.  The food is simple and delicious if you order dishes with ingredients you enjoy.  The space is inviting and a little funky.  The prices are reasonable in relation to the food.
3 - Kyle S.: We've been to Al Forno Restaurant a few times, mostly for special occasions and have loved each visit.   This last visit did not disappoint in terms of food quality - top notch delicious food - but the service dragged down the rating to 3-stars.   Again, the food was amazing as usual but the service really put a damper on an otherwise perfect meal.   It started with the hostess.  She quoted us a 90 minute wait and took my cell phone number.  She then showed me the number she wrote down to confirm.  We took a walk across the street to get a drink by the water (a gorgeous night) and when we returned 90 minutes later she was flustered and claimed that she tried to call.. I checked my phone and not one notification of a call.  We were asked to wait another 10 minutes as they found a seat upstairs.  No big deal so far.  We were waited on quickly by a knowledgeable waitress.  She unfortunately forgot to ask, then bring wine with my meal (a delicious eggplant) - then forgot to bring my sister-in-law coffee while my wife and I had expressos delivered.    The meal was expensive and we will tipped 15%, we just wish that the service was better.
2 - Chief H.: One of the places that seems to have left a huge imprint on the local cuisine is Al Forno-- famous for fresh, seasonal Italian food and grilled pizza. I read mixed reviews and heard about excessive waits and poor service, so I figured we could do better and/or less overwhelmingly popular. Unfortunately, that morning, USA Today ran some fluff piece on the best places to eat in the country, with Al Forno being mentioned. That was all the prodding my mother needed and we were soon locked in.

We arrived at Al Forno for an early dinner-- meeting up with a friend of my mom's from college and his wife. The hostess seemed confused about what to do with us, but we were eventually led upstairs to our table. To my surprise, Al Forno was as big, if not bigger than Madeira-- and much more crowded.

A glance at the menu revealed that "native corn" is apparently a huge deal at Al Forno (although we passed on all the dishes utilizing it). We started off with a grilled margherita pizza, which was interesting, but not life-changing. The crust tasted strongly of olive oil, but could have used a little more seasoning, while thhe pizza was topped with shredded green onions. This confused me. 

As my mom and her college buddy caught up, I noticed he used the word "literally" a lot. This word has become so overused that it is now virtually meaningless, and I had already joked with brother about it earlier that weekend (I won't get into it any more, because I'll sound like more of a jerk than I already do). I whispered to my brother that we should drink every time he said literally-- and we literally needed a second round of drinks after two minutes.

Our waitress seemed well-meaning, but was scatterbrained and ultimately completely worthless. For every round of drinks we ordered, we watched them sit at the bar, waiting to be picked up for 15 minutes at a time (despite the fact that they apparently have a policy of turning tables after two hours). Our mains were fine, but nothing life-changing. Agnollotti and ravioli, though labelled differently, were the exact same. I couldn't detect the rabbit advertised in my agnolotti, and the cheese filled ravioli was much better. Dirty steak, which apparently meant it was cooked on the grill, directly over the coals, was served over garlic mashed potatoes and probably the best dish of the night. The linguine left no impression whatsoever, but the cod cakes were nicely flavored and perfectly fried.

We were commanded to order our desserts with our mains, since they apparently take an extremely long time to make fresh. Whatever. My dad and I decided to share a blueberry tart, but after all the other desserts arrived (including a weak ice cream and brownie sandwich and chocolate cake), our tart was nowhere to be found. The waitress gave a weak apology and removed it from the bill, but it's extremely stupid that they make a big deal about ordering desserts then forget them completely.
5 - Heather C.: Amazing !!! I had the 5 cheese baked pasta with corn (great combo).  You have the option to have it without the corn but I'm glad I followed the recommendation of our server.  My bf had a chicken dish with polenta (sprinkled with powdered sugar). Let's just say I will be trying to recreate both dishes at home. 

In regards to the service, no complaints.  We called ahead of time for directions and was told there was a two hour wait @ 7:30. Mind you they close @ 10pm. They don't take reservations, however, they put my name on the list over the phone although that isn't a common practice.  The maitre'd offered to give me a buzz 15 min before the table was ready. He didn't have to do that but he did. I'm so glad he did.

The trip to Providence was worth it!  I have been longing to try Al Forno, I will return one day.  

I vowed to find the 5 cheese pasta recipe online. Mission accomplished:
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/baked-pasta-with-tomato-cream-and-five-cheeses
4 - Scott K.: I'm a little pissed that I've lived in the area for 6 years and haven't tried Al Forno yet. My wife and I enjoyed the romantic ambiance, attentive service and exceptional food (they pour a mean dirty gin martini too--although a bit skimpy on the olives) will ensure many repeat visits. Speaking of dirty, I had the house specialty, dirty steak which was delicious.
5 - Maura C.: So worth the wait! Luckily we really didn't have to. When you have 6 people or more you can make a reservation anytime which made it a very easy decision for me to bring my out of town guests to this dining destination. As my first trip to Al Forno my expectations were very high! It took a few minutes to check in with the restaurant host while countless patrons came up to check on the wait time... 2 hours, 2 and 1/2, 1 more hour on top of the 2 they had already been waiting.. yikes! My family said this better be one damn good meal for that kind of wait! Luckily it was! We spent quite a bit of time trying to narrow down our menu choices and the addition of at least 4 specials made it more of a challenge. You also have to order dessert with you meal so we went with 4 items for the 6 of us..knowing there was no way we were going to have room for them. 
For appetizers, we had the squash blossoms, calamari, corn chowder, and corn fritters..all of which were good, but the corn fritters and squash blossoms were the best I've ever eaten. Then we had the cheater's lasagna, Rigatoni bolognese, Gorgonzola stuffed veal cutlets wrapped in bacon over creamed corn, mushrooms and beautiful heirloom cherry tomatoes, Pork duet of amazing homemade sausage, and bacon served with pickled cabbage, peppers agro dolce, and Al Forno mashed potatoes, and a spin on Linguine carbonara. My dad ordered the lasagna... which I would NEVER order at a fancy restaurant when its so easy to make... and seriously it was soo good I could have licked the plate for him! The sauce was amazing and so were the melt in your mouth rib-eye meatballs! So then to top it off... with an appropriate amount of resting time between courses, out came the desserts all placed perfectly down the middle of the table with dishes for sharing. What a spread! Our excitement overrode our feeling of fullness. I had seen the apple tart featured on the Food Network's series the best thing I ever ate and I couldn't get it out of my mind. It had the perfect crust to filling ratio... was tender and flaky and the apples were shredded inside which made them a little softer than in a traditional apple pie. The chocolate cake was decadent and amazingly came with unsweetened whipped cream. I appreciated this dessert because clearly it was well thought out! But the biggest shocker was the cinnamon ice cream sandwich... again I would never order this, but thanks to my dad I've been enlightened! It was a heaping pile of cinnamon ice cream on top of a dense brownie and another leaning on the side of the pile... another plate licking dish! Seriously... all the hype was worth it. The amazing food and wine (French Cabernet sauvignon) were definitely fit for my family!
5 - Jacqueline D.: Lo Amo!! This place is so good they have me speaking in Italian. The atmosphere is cozy and romantic. Very classy and laid back. I had a salad to begin. My boyfriend had an oyster appetizer. I have never seen him eat these things,but he devoured them. Then I had a baked dish with meatballs, I forgot the name,but the waitress recommended it. I never had meatballs before,but I am glad I had them here. AMAZING DISH. Thanx waitress! My boyfriend had the dirty steak. I thought I had to leave him and the steak alone for a moment. He was about to melt. I don't really eat steak,but it looked really good. We finished off with an apple tart. He doesn't care for dessert much. Oh well better for me! I loved it! I will return here again.
4 - Mary K.: Yelpers are right. Incredible doesn't even begin to describe their pizzas. I'm sure I would say the same exact thing even without the 4 glasses of wine I had right before stuffing my face with pizza. Bruschetta though? PASS! I don't know what the authentic bruschettas are supposed to be like, but when I say bruschetta, I expect to see some tomatoes either on the bread or on the side. Instead I got some bread with garlic spread on it. Fantastic. And I ended up paying what? $10 for it? You can get that for free at Olive Garden. FML. And the dessert cookie platter? Pass on that too. Such a waste. And I paid....$20! FML harder. 

Regardless of all the FMLs, the pizza was soooo unbelievably delicious, that I will STILL give them a 4 star. 

Service was excellent by the way, when they finally get around to seating you. Had to wait 1.5 hours.
4 - Huey N.: I got a couple drinks from the bar while waiting for our table to clear up. The bartender poured really heavy with the bourbon but gave me a lime with my Hendricks and tonic instead of cucumber. Small detail, but thats what separates Hendricks from other gins.

The servers were great at explaining the dishes, considering I was on the fence about several of them. I jumped on the spicy clam roast when I was told it was served with habenero sausage. A dozen or so clams bordered a mound of mashed potatoes in a pool of a tomato based sauce. Tucked into each shell was a slice of the sausage so you can have clam and porky goodness all in one bite. There was a perfect amount of haberno flavor that provided a kick without any lingering tongue numbing heat. When you think of habenero you image a blazing fire in your mouth but this was very well executed. The mash potatoes were very good, but I'm not used it having that as a side with shellfish. The flavors and textures got a muddled when eating everything together. Despite any possible minor issues, I still really enjoyed this dish.

This is my third trip to NE, and this is amongst one of the best meals I have had here.
3 - G N.: I read about this restaurant over a decade ago from an issue of Saveur, and have been planning to visit ever since. We finally got our chance when my wife's angel of an aunt took over our kids for the weekend. We arrived at 6 pm Saturday night, after checking into our hotel. The maitre d' gave us an hour and a half wait time, so we went to the bar to wait. Luckily there were plenty of seats. The bartenders were very friendly and chatty. We ordered fried sweet corn fritters and fried Duxbury oysters. Both were delicious, but very heavy so we shared the appetizers with our bar neighbors, who were happy to share their advice on their favorite dishes at this restaurant. We were seated after 40 minutes of waiting, which passed quickly. 

Now that we were seated, the wait began for our waiter. When he arrived he seemed disinterested and the lack of enthusiasm was a bit of a downer. We ordered two pasta dishes: the bread-crumb gnocchi with a tomato-based meat sauce made from their home-made sausage and a mushroom ravioli. The server had us order dessert at the same time since they can take a while to prepare. We ordered a custard-marscapone infused brioche with a chocolate cream sauce. The food was very good, but not quite up to the expectations set for us by the media. The gnocchi was like a plain tasting thick wheat pasta, and was saved by the delicious spicy meaty sauce it was served with. Very unlike my standard for gnocchi, the soft pillowy potato morsels that I've had at Babbo (NYC). The ravioli was very good, but the filling appeared to be primarily ricotta, with the mushrooms lying outside the ravioli in the sauce. The presentation was ordinary. Dessert sounded scrumptious on the menu, but it tasted and looked like french toast with chocolate sauce. It wasn't very special.

I didn't have enough stomach left to try their famed pizza. There are many good restaurants in Providence that I would like to try. Given the incredible wait times and lack of reservations (except for large parties), I am afraid to be disappointed by a return trip.
5 - John M.: Have you ever been to a restaurant that just," Gets It." If your answer is no, then you need to find your way to Al Forno. The staff at this establishment understands, in my opinion, the essential principles that make a restaurant great; freshness, simplicity, diversity and balance. From the Grilled Pizza Margarita that screams fresh or the simple Sliced Assorted Salamis with Spiced Olives (some being homemade) to the intoxicating Spicy Clam Roast with Al Forno Mashed Potatoes or the Roasted Gorgonzola Stuffed and Bacon Wrapped Veal Cutlet, all show balance and deliciousness that would rival any celebrity bistro. 

We ate at Al Forno on October 16, 2010 with a party of nine. I myself had an emotional experience with the Wood -Grilled Berkshire Pork Trio served with roasted native butternut squash, pickled cabbage and, wilted greens that I believe were beet tops. Imagine if you will taking a single bite of perfectly cooked pork loin with a slice of homemade sausage and a sliver of grilled bacon. This was a meal that really helped me get in touch with my inner Scrofa. 

Finishing off the meal my girlfriend was having her own encounter with the homemade cinnamon ice cream sandwich served with a dark chocolate cookie. While I absolutely fell in love with the Lavender Panna Cotta the rest of my family fawned over their final selections. 

Wine selection was excellent and more than fair priced especially for the Renato Ratti Ochetti Nebbiolo. I'm not saying we can afford to eat at Al Forno every week but it is well worth forgoing the run of the mill chain restaurants in order to save enough money to eat there again.
5 - Adrienne M.: Went there for my birthday,(which I do every year) and sadly found out they open at 4 on Saturday. They already had a hour and a half wait for a party of four when I showed up at 5:10; I thought they opened at 5.  Sadly no Alforno for me that birthday. So, I really stress that anyone wanting to eat there, GO EARLY. They do not except reservations. 
Even though I practically have to wait at the door until opening sometimes to get a table, it will always be five stars for me. I guess it also is for half of New England.
5 - SUSAN R.: Update 10/10: 
Okay, we now have had the DEFINITIVE CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING TO-DIE -FOR-EXPERIENCE. Worth every bit of $12.00 and only sorry we did not each have our own!! Fork Duel. The flavor of the chocolate took me way, way back to Europe, and the crisp of the bread at the top-  melding with the creaminess of the pudding - oh I can hardly stand to think of it without drooling.
Backtracking- the rest of the meal was also stellar. The clams 
Al Forno are perfection- fresh, hot, spicy but not too....warming & comforting roasted tomato flavor in the broth - must soak up every bit with their good bread. AND NOT ONE GRAIN OF SAND ! WOW.  Special of the day... ravioli stuffed with quince topped with shaved manchego and I forget what else because I was deliriously happy in food la la land. 
Seriously, this is one heck of a chef... with a real gift for preparing food, and exciting combinations of the freshest ingredients. Definitely worth the splurge. GO!!
3 - Mike B.: It gets rave reviews, not sure if it's hype or not.

the food is wonderful for the most part, but you eat it the way the chef wants to cook it, no such thing as well done or medium.

But the part that bugs me is the no reservation fisaco.

Why can't they be honest and admit that they do take reservations but not from everybody, I know from experience.

Honesty is still the best policy,, even at overpriced restaurants like Al Forno.
5 - A T.: Al Forno's grilled pizza margarita gets 10 stars.  Yes. 10 stars.  It is absolutely the best pizza I have ever had.  I know of no other restaurant with pizza that looks or tastes like Al Forno's.  It may simply be the best pizza in the U.S.

The pizza is a perfect combination of a thin grilled pizza bread base, melted cheese, olive oil, tomato sauce, and some scallions.

Each ingredient is also individually excellent.  The bread isn't heavy or overcooked.  The cheese isn't rubbery or overly chewy.  The tomato sauce isn't tart or too sweet. The olive oil drizzled on top adds to the pizza's overall flavor and isn't superfluous or simply decorative.  The scallion curls are added in just the right proportion to be very constructive to the tasty creation.

 Al Forno offers a unique tasty pizza that is a delight with every bite!
5 - Christine Z.: I am only giving three things on the menu five stars; the pizza, the cookie platter, and the beets and frites salad. The rest of the items are three to four stars.  

Few tips:  

Eat at the bar -- the typical wait for table is over an hour.

Go super early or at around 10pm. 

Watch for celebs.
3 - John J.: When I travel for work I usually end up eating here. I hate the hotel where my company puts me up and refuse to eat the slop they serve. I have had the Italian fillet and the chicken piccata and both were EXCELLENT and cooked to perfection. Over the years the service has improved. My first time there, several years ago I waited 10 minutes just to be acknowledged. Much better now and the food is good.  My best experience was eating at the bar.  The bar staff is outstanding.  Table service can be a little lacking since it seems too few waitstaff to too many tables ratio.
4 - Elio K.: Very nice place..was packed even on Tuesday night..many couples couldn't get a table..the pizza was awesome and the baked pasta was fantastico!!perfect for a date.
4 - Meghan A.: I am going to hold off on giving five stars until I've tried the Providence-famous pizza from Al Forno. Once I've done that, I'll reconsider my rating.

My boyfriend took me here for a birthday dinner on Friday. We didn't have to wait long for a table, which is apparently a miracle judging from what frequent customers told us. We sat near the working fire place sipping on glasses of wine and eating some of the most delicious bruschetta I've ever had. My boyfriend also ordered the grass salad, which was really light and full of flavor (I took a bite). We had time in between our appetizers and dinner to really enjoy the ambiance of the restaurant, which has a beautiful view of the water from the large windows. It's a very intimate place, and it was cozy while still maintaining a bit of fanciness. Though distracted (and admittedly annoyed) by the screaming children running amok, the overall feel of the place was really relaxing and nice. I also give major props to the wait staff for being able to maintain a friendly disposition despite the children of the corn being present.

When our dinner came, I was immediately overwhelmed with how delicious it smelled. I kept it simple, having never been here before, with spaghetti and the Al Forno tomato sauce. Mind you, I really don't like spaghetti so I was on thin ice with this order. But it was delicious. Hands down the best spaghetti I have ever had. So good that I had to force myself to stop eating it so I could have more for lunch the next day (which I did - reheats beautifully). There was a slight spice in the sauce that really made for an intriguing flavor, and it was filling without being heavy. I also ordered dessert with my entrée and knew I would have to stop in order to eat the double chocolate cake heading to our table.

The double chocolate cake was more like a huge chocolate ball. It's not actually a cake, and it would be better and less rich with ice cream instead of whipped cream. I could only eat a few bites before the richness of the chocolate became overwhelming. I knew I should have gotten the lavender ice cream instead, but alas, I cannot turn down anything with the word "cake" in it.

A really wonderful dining experience (especially when the beastly children left). I'm very excited to return for another special occasion where I will have pizza and lavender ice cream.
5 - Katie W.: One word: AMAZING! 

I have been coming here for years either crashing my parents anniversary dinners or meeting them half way between Boston and CT for a good meal. 

I have never had a bad meal here, ever! And I have tried close to everything on the menu. 

Here are a few favorites, lets start with appetizers. 

Clams Alforno -- just spicy enough and the clams are tender and flavorful. Make sure to ask for extra bread for the broth (my favorite part!) 

Caesar Salad -- creamy, garlicky, that slight kick of anchovy really hits home. The crouton are soft with just a little crisp which I love. 

Pizza -- crispy, tasty, love the shaved scallions on top, all in all amazing. 

Now onto the main courses --

Any duck dish can be summarized by one work: Crack. I can't stop eating it no matter how full I am. 

Linquini with cream sauce, pea tendrals, and smoked duck bacon -- a sophisticated version of carbonara and delicious 

Cheater's Lasagna -- tastes like your grandmothers, the ultimate comfort meal for me

Dirty Steak Special -- So tender and has the spicy kick in the sauce that gives it that special taste. 

And the grand finale of course is their tart's for dessert. My all time favorite is the pear walnut with cream anglaise....doesn't get much better than this folks. 

To top all of this off, I love to come here to see my 4th grade teacher who is a long standing bartender and it is always a treat to see her! 

PS-- Get here at 5 on the dot since they don't take reservations or expect to wait at least and hour to get a table!
3 - Steve s.: About 18 years ago, I lived part time in Providence.  One of my favorite meals of all time was at Al Forno.  I remember remarking to my then girlfriend that the mashed potatos were like silk in texture.  The guy next to us sold textiles and remarked that it was better than silk

Flash forward almost twenty years ago(where does the time go?) and AlForno seems almost pedestrian and average.  Maybe its me, but the salad seemed gritty, and my wood grilled chicken seemed just ok

The dessert had a absolutely fabulous crust, yet kind of tastless filling.  Perhaps my expectations were too high.  Chicken is after all chicken, and it isnt their famous pasta, pizza or fish....but still when you are the standard of Providence, you should be more memorable
4 - DOLLY A.: If the prices were lower I'd give if 5 stars. Then again if I were six inches taller I might be a model! This was simply the best food I have ever had in a Restaurant.I didn't order anything fancy, Lamb Chops(the special) with potato and salad & veggie. It just was the best lamb, the best asparagus, the best salad I have ever had. I can't get over the fact that the tomato in the salad was the best tomato I have ever eaten and I have grown them for 40 years! I saved the seeds it was so good! I'll be growing these next year. Whoever is buying the food and cooking the food knows what they are doing! It was about 200 dollars for two of us and we both had a few glasses of wine...not cheap but the best food anywhere in RI!
3 - Andy F.: This is just NOT a five star establishment. This and Hemmenway's have to be the most overrated joints in PVD.

That is not to say that the food is bad or the place is terrible. It's fine I just have no desire to return. It was a "once is enough" place. My only complaint was that the pizza was only so so and my steak was a little salty (and I usually don't mind salt). The wine reduction on the steak though was amazing and the seafood pasta my wife got was wonderful.

The service was not so great. We showed up dressed nicely (I had a sports jacket and my wife and mother were in dresses). We were going a touch early to try and get a table (they are notorious for long waits). We were greeted with what seemed like thinly veiled hostility from the maitre d' who told us it would be a two hour wait. We said "fine" put down our names and gave him my cell number which he said he would call. We went back to my place made some appetizers had some wine chatted etc. About two hours rolls by with no call so we just decide to go back (my mom really wanted to go here and was leaving town) and see what the wait was. The maitre d' had crossed our name off the list because "I hadn't answered the phone." I checked the number he wrote down and it was correct. I checked to see if I had a missed call... none. Anyway so we had to wait around another 20-30 minutes for a table (I know... I know... but my mom really did want to go there, I think she read about it in some magazine). The worst part was absolutely no apology or even recognition that we might be put off by waiting two hours only to find out we would have to wait more.

So all in all. Food's fine, price is pretty damn high (I would say tied with Mill's Tavern for highest in PVD), and service was fine once we actually got seated. 3 stars. Not 2. Not 4.
4 - Bill O.: How great is it to go somewhere highly regarded an have your expectations met?  Its great.  Trust me.

Having moved to RI several years ago - we'd always heard of Al Forno - but never managed to get there.  My wife's birthday turned out to be the perfect time and we weren't disappointed.  Private parking lot, excellent service and outstanding food made the night a plus.

The menu is very accessible - and its not about crazy combinations or "out there" ideas, its just fresh ingredients, excellent cooking and spot on flavors.

We shared a wood grilled pizza appetizer.  Sweet pumpkin & spicy olive oil just popped.  I had the "Dirty" Steak special - perfectly cooked Delmonico steak, spicy/sweet sauce.  Very good.  The wife had the "lasagna" - which was more a individually prepared casserole than a slab cut from a large whole.  Very good.

Dessert was a highlight.  Had to order the banana marscapone tart w/  dinner - and it was worth the time.

All in all - a great meal.
4 - Lauren C.: I've had "Al Forno Guilt" for quite a while now. Seeing that it's supposedly an RI institution, I was always a bit ashamed that I'd never been. We remedied that a few weeks ago by making the leap and going.

One of the reasons we had never been is that I had heard nightmare stories about the long wait. So we headed over, arriving at 5:15 on a cold Saturday night, hoping the crowd stayed home. We were wrong. There was already an hour and a half wait. This is one of the reasons I just cannot give Al Forno 5 stars. The wait was incredibly long, they don't take reservations, and the waiting area isn't all that comfortable. We found a little nook in the upstairs bar and had a drink while waiting. The bar got incredibly crowded and it was pretty uncomfortable after an hour of standing around moving out of the way of people heading to the bathroom.

However, once we were finally seated all was right with the world. We got the pumpkin pizza - really, really delicious. Nice thin crust and the sweetness of the pumpkin went unbelievably well with the salty marinara.
I had the duck which was delicious. Just be sure you are a fan of sweet food if you are going to order it (I am!), as it has a really sweet sauce and sweet gnocchi with figs inside. The hubby had the special, I believe it was pork shoulder and that was incredible. Even better than mine. I really don't have any complaints about the food whatsoever.
We finished with the cookie finale. Interesting selection of cookies and a nice way to end the night.

Service was great...our waiter was very busy but we never felt neglected. I'd go back again but really try and get there at 4 to avoid the wait.
5 - Lynn M.: Fabulous menu for all taste-buds!  Luscious appetizers. Crisp, fresh salads. Fantastic pastas, side dishes, and main courses.  All with hearty, down-to-earth flavors prepared with the utmost of skill and care.  The staff is wonderful.  Martha makes a very fine martini and Mark is the host with the absolute most!  Simple, yet charming, very 'happening' setting.  A "must go" for special occasions, dates and dinner with friends.
5 - Hillary R.: As always....A-mazing! We went on a Wednesday, didn't have a wait, were seated immediately. This place NEVER dissapoints....we had a grlled pizzed with pumpkin for an appetizer, ordered dessert (needs to be ordered ahead of time, it's made to order), then our entree's came out. My hubs had roasted veggies with mashed potatoes, and they were so good! I had shells and cheese with pumpkins and it was like dessert! So yummy! Couldn't stop eating it, but remebered I had dessert coming....then for dessert we shared dulce de leche ice cream (YUM) and the cookie finale (hot out of the oven cookie assortment)...the waiter noticed it was my birthday and stuck a candle in my ice cream, so nice. All in all, another great dining experience from Al Forno. I highly reccomend this place for anyone looking for a special night out. Amazing!!
5 - hopkinton g.: Went there for dinner last night, the food was great.  The grilled pizza could have been crisper.  Pork tenderloin and baked pasta were great.

I had read a few reviews complaining about having to order desserts ahead of time, and then not getting them or having to still wait a long time for them.  Funny enough we had the same experience last night.   We ordered the upside down cranberry cake ahead of time with our dinner.   After dinner they asked if we wanted coffee.  After drinking our coffee for about 20 minutes and not receiving our dessert, my wife stopped the waiter and asked if he could bring the check with the dessert.  We get a deer in the headlight stare, but are told sure.   I watch him frantically head to the cash register in the bar area typing stuff in and talking to other staff.  About 3 minutes later we get the dessert and it was awesome.   I'm still curious what happened.   I agree with others.  If they are going to make a big deal about ordering desserts ahead of time, they should try not to forget to make them and bring them to you promptly.

Wait for a table was about 45 minutes, arriving at 8 pm on a friday.
4 - A. M.: I'd choose several other fine dining restaurants in the Providence area before coming here again, but we did have a decent meal.

I didn't get the great ambiance feel like everyone else did. Maybe it's because we were on the first floor, but looking out into the parking lot didn't do it for me. Neither did the flimsy uncomfortable zebra print chairs or super hard benches. We also got pretty average service.

We came for my birthday dinner, because this is one of the few high-end restaurants in Providence we haven't made it out to yet.

Started with the Margherita Pizza as an app, which everyone recommends and was not disappointed. It's a tad messy because the sauce is thin and they throw oil on top of it, but it was tasty as hell.

Boyfriend got the "Dirty Steak" which was not on the menu, but was still order-able. Delmonico steak, only served medium rare. I thought it was a little chewy and probably would be better served medium if I'm being honest. The mashed potatoes that came with it were amazing though.

The waiter rushed me a little into ordering so, I quickly decided on the baked pasta on the spot. With more time, I probably would have chosen something different, but I thought it was decent. Medium-sized shells in a tomato and cream/cheese sauce that I've tasted a dozen times before.

Dessert was pretty delicious. The apple tart was made of thinly sliced apples that just melted in your mouth, and crust on the tart itself was flaky and buttery even on the overcooked rims.

Prices for entrees were pretty standard, but our $20 app and $20 dessert was a little strange for me. That's probably where they make their money.

Nothing about the ambiance or "experience" would bring me back here, but I'd probably come back for a pizza in the bar some time. I'd go down the street to Bacaro if I'm looking for a romantic meal.
5 - joanne g.: You can smell the wood fire ovens/grill as soon as you walk in.  Every dish is unique and fantastic.  Even though they don't take reservations, I still go here often.  I get here 10-15 minutes before they open and always get a table.  Love this place!
5 - J R.: This review is getting 5 stars because I can't give it 4.5.... 

One thing about this restaurant is the prices.  I'm not saying that it is a ripoff, because it isn't... however with $20 pizza's this isn't somewhere you can come on a weekly basis for a "quick bite"

Given how awesome the food was... I really don't care about the prices... yes, some items on the menu are expensive.. but you are paying for the technique, which is FLAWLESS.  It is well worth it.  

Pasta dishes, all reasonable and they look amazing.  Had some of the bolognese... subtle but very nice heat... addicting!  Also had the skirt steak entree... once again, very very very good.  Cooked perfect, mashed potatoes were amazing too.

Ended the night with pear and walnut cobbler... I actually have nothing to say about it because i am still utterly speechless at how amazing it was.  Just.... I ... I ??  Yep... it was that delightful.


Oh yea... the bartender Peter... Go see him, he works Tuesdays and is the best bartender I've experienced in a very very long time.  Awesome guy.  We sat at the bar while we waited for a table... it took me 5 minutes to say "i want to stay at the bar and shoot the shit with the bartender"... awesome guy.
4 - Mike R.: Unbelievable the line to get in at 5.30 pm on a Saturday.  What a place.  Luckily we just got in with no wait ... great table by the window looking out onto the Providence River. Thin crust pumpkin pizza was a fab starter. Pepper grilled chicken with balsamic onions and grilled peppers was OK ... little dry and honestly a little too much. But the company was wonderful and we both sucked down the homemade pear tart leaving a very empty serving plate.
1 - Bill H.: Terrible experience today. Al Forno 
needs a new 'seating host'.
Arrived from out of town - party of three to visit this fabled restaurant (guests from California and Arizona).

Upon arrival at 4:50, the host announced a one hour wait time.  We merrily went to the bar.  After one hour, we returned and inquired about the table.  Host was very rude, said "didn't I tell you it was an hour", and we went back to waiting.  After another 20 minutes we inquired again, but noticed our name was already crossed out on the waiting list.  He said we would be next.  After another fifteen minutes, we noticed that he had "uncrossed out" our name, and had called in the manager, who ordered us a thin crust pizza (which we shared with a very hungry guest waiting for her 70th birthday dinner).  After another ten minutes the sat us at the BAR!!!  At that point we were late for our next event, and had a salad, 6 raw oysters and some garlic bruschetta.  Two hours 30 min later and a pathetic meal.

The topper of the event was that the seating host told us "oh my co host accidentally cross you off the list".  Rather than apologize for us inquiring about his mistake and being rude once, ignorant once and incompetent once, he threw his fellow worker under the bus.

I suspect the food is really good here.  But we didn't have luck getting past the troll under the bridge.
5 - Yunji L.: OMG!!!!!!
If I die tomorrow, I will eat Al Forno tonight!!
We went to this place when I was at Providence visiting my sister. The desire to eat good food runs in our family so we were on a quest to find the best dinner for the night. We've been reading good reviews for this place for some time so we headed there. 
If you are a New Yorker visiting Providence, don't try to walk here. I tried it and had to cross a highway, tread through mud, and felt very unsafe. All the cabbies in Providence know Al Forno. 

They have a nice seating area with huge skylights cozy setting with candle lights. They also have seating on the side with a bar and larger tables upstairs. Now.. on to the food~
Grilled Pizza!!! So good! Very thin yet crusty. Did not get soggy at all even after a while. I like the scallion they put on top of the margarita pizza. 
Roasted duckbreast!!! So tender and juicy!! The hoisin sauce glaze and kumquat marmalade was perfect!! 
Banana mascarpone tarte!!! This is a dessert made from heaven!! Perfect sweetness and creaminess and the tart was oh so buttery~ You have to order all your desserts when you order the entree so they have enough time to make you dessert from scratch. 

This restaurant makes you long for more even as you are eating it!! After I was done with the whole meal, I was wishing to rewind time so that I can relive the entire meal!! YUM!!!
4 - William H.: The meal was delicious and the service excellent.  I've been a few times now and each time I really loved my meal.  I've had  some of their salads as well as some of the pastas.  I loved the gnocchi and the lasagna.  I'd go back for either one!

I've only tried some of the wines by the glass but looking forward to going back and sampling some unusual italian varietals.

Note: its a bit of a hard place to find.  But, if you can find the Hot Club, you're good to go!
1 - Sylvia S.: Would love to review but after an hour and a half wait and our table going to imposters we are still waiting ... miss m we will be there soon!
5 - kathy l.: My favorite restaurant!!!  It's a drive from from where I'm from but well worth it for the pizzas and pastas.  Very reasonably priced for what you get:great flavor and good sized portions served in a warm and comfortable atmosphere.  The real grapevines that outline the outside door just adds to the authentic atmosphere.  Best restaurant ever!  Go early.  They are not open on Sunday and Mondays.
5 - millie k.: Dear al forno. We had to move to Alpharetta, GA for a job relo and we miss you. The restaurants are terrible here and we recommend that you open a restaurant here as there is a demand. Or encourage chefs from RI area to consider alpharetta. Lots of northerners here for jobs and wish the good food would follow us.
5 - Mitch K.: Ate at Al Forno for the first time (even though I have lived in the RI-area for over 30 years!) and I plan to make this a regular special-event place to go. It was wonderful all around, the calamari pizza appetizer was to die for, my delmonico steak house special was delicious (only served medium rare, the way it should be), and my rhubarb upside-down dessert was top notch. The waitress received a little more than 20% as she was so knowledgeable about the menu...her personality was understated but she was excellent.

For those complaining about the wait, get a group of six and you can make a reservation. Ours was at 5pm and I was told that we needed to be out by 7pm as they had a time-limit in effect this weekend, but we never felt rushed and left our table around 7:15pm (sure enough, we saw the next group of six patiently waiting for our table).

Bravo!
3 - Tony Y.: I had a friend visiting from out of town: the perfect opportunity to try Al Forno. It turned out to be ... meh. Not bad, but not particularly special.

Ambiance/Service:
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When we arrived, there was a bit of a wait (5--10 mins), and the bar area was pretty busy. We ended up standing where the entrance, bar, kitchen, and main dining area intersect; it was pretty awkward since it seemed like we were in the way of all the servers. Plus, the host didn't really acknowledge us. Anyway, I ended up getting the attention of a server, and he found us a table. The waiter for our table was really nice. Aside from him, everything about the place made me feel out of place---kind of fancy, in an old-money kind of way.

Food:
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We went with a safe appetizer: Fried Calamari, which was pretty delicious. It had a really good Arrabbiata sauce (think: spicy tomato sauce) to go with it. I had the "Linguine with Creamy Egg, Duck Bacon, and Pea Tendrils"---basically, Spaghetti Carbonara with duck bacon. I have a sweet spot for duck, so I was really excited to order this dish. Unfortunately, I didn't think the duck bacon tasted any different than regular bacon (don't get me wrong: I love regular bacon, but I was hoping for something a little different). More importantly, the dish was over-salted. Not terribly over-salted, but noticeable. My friend had the "Braised Pork Shank Filled Ravioli", which was pretty good, but not spectacular.

Summary:
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The food was pretty good, but not that exciting. And the ambiance just wasn't my kind of thing. I'd try it again if someone wanted to go, but I won't be the one suggesting it.


Other:
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Also, if you're going there on foot, note that the front entrance is actually on South Water St., not South Main. I took my friend down South Main, which is just the back of Al Forno and a few abandoned-warehouse-looking places.
2 - Cole J.: Sad, this is what passes for high dining in Providence. 

Overall, the portions are excessive, the dishes tend to be crudely drawn together, lacking in technique, and the service is mostly amateurish. It would be nice to see a little more finesse come out of the kitchen, and a wait staff that is more experienced (and trained). 

On the good side, pasta can be delicious and - as long as you order lightly - a nice place to grab a glass of wine and an entree on the way home as the sun sets.
5 - Hchooch C.: Okay, can't stand by and not have my say... 25 yrs. entertaining clients in all kinds of venues-Al Fornos is by far the best. Pasta to die over, margarita pizza that can't be missed (spivey or corn comes second)' ,dirty steak had to be the choice along w tarts but not before banana mascarpone tart. 
I love this restaurant. Can dress casual. Best dirty martinis and comos EVER. Incredibly efficient staff.
Down side... Excellence costs so be prepared $100.00per person
5 - Stephanie P.: Yes, yes, yes! This is the place if you want a nice meal with a quiet, charming atmosphere. Let me say, when you go- be ready to spend some time and cash! Not because the service is slow or the food is expensive, but because you will want to savor everything that is brought to your table- AND you should try to order as many menu items as you can afford to eat! Everything here is amazing!

When my husband and I go, we plan to spend a nice evening and a pretty penny. If they have the zucchini flowers- you MUST get them! They are stuffed with a lemon-mint ricotta that is out of this world. The clams alforno are the next thing to order- simply delicious! We always order a pizza too! Don't worry about it, you WILL eat it all! It is the lightest, most decadent pizza I've ever had.

Typically we will order the dirty steak and a pasta as our entree- every pasta is good, but the dirty steak is great! To finish off our gluttony, we order whatever specialty tarte they are making in house that night. You should order your desert early because they make them to order. One night (in the summer) we had the specialty tarte that was an heirloom tomato tarte and tasted like pineapple. To this day, it is the best desert I have EVER eaten!
3 - Michelle B.: The food was very good.  Grilled pizza-- amazing .  The bar staff sucked!  Waited 10 mins at the bar before they ask me if I wanted a drink- another 5 mins for my wine.-- they used a hot watery glass directly from the dishwasher. --ruined my drink!! Then I noticed the bartender removing a fruit-fly with a straw and then serving the glass of white wine ( the wine that had the fruit fly)
Don't sit at the bar!!!!!
1 - Jessica P.: I was in Providence for a triathlon so we were looking for a high carb dinner.  The waiter told us there was a 3 hr wait, when there were clearly several empty tables.  They  also do not take any phone reservations for parties under 6.  I was very disappointed as it was 6pm and we wanted to get to bed early and could not wait until 9pm to eat.   They took our name and number down.  We were already sitting at another restaurant eating appetizers that were delicious when they called our cell phones.  Why tell me its a 3 hr wait (which is ridiculous) when you're going to call me in an hour anyway?  I think they're just looking to keep an air of prestige and snooty-ness.
5 - M T.: I finally tried Al Forno. Mostly I've waited due to the rumors of notorious crowds and waits, and waits and waits. Well folks, it's all true! But wait, I got crafty too, I edged a couple out of the bar early from lounging too long and me and my friend copted two seats there for dinner...to heck with our reservations as the door. OH don't forget, they DON"T take reservations until you're at the door then they tell you stock answers like, about an hour, maybe more. Meanwhile, you feel like youre a bystander to cuisine heaven and you just want to be involved in the fun, energy and languishing over good food and wine like everyone else! I had long languishing meal myself, complete with cocktails, whiskey, a bottle of excellent wine, fresh oysters, fresh squid, duck, steak, etc., etc....we made used our space at the bar for all it was worth and the hefty several hundred dollar check was well worth it! Know of course, this is not a cheap place but not overly expensive considering the atmosphere, food quality and all, including the wonderful part for me; they park my car when I drive up...please, I am soooo lazy when it comes to Providence parking and God awful traffic. I have nothing bad to say about this place. It's what you've heard, we went on a Saturday night, high traffic time, packed and had great prompt service, and incredibly good food. All in all, full speed ahead for anyone who hasn't tried it. Even saying you've tried Al Forno is worth the experience and now I know why!
4 - Kay R.: Al Forno's is a Providence institution.  This is a phenomenal restaurant that marches to the beat of its own drummer: so come with an open mind.

One: no reservations.  Walk in, maybe you'll wait, maybe you won't (yeah, you probably will).  Be prepared to saunter up to one of their bars (indoor and outdoor) and spend some time relaxing with your companions over a cocktail or two.  This is an all-evening meal, not a 'before the 8pm performance' dinner.

Two: the staff is really young.  "Don't you have your PSATs to study for?" young.  Not the entire staff, but a large enough proportion to make me question if Al Forno's offers a boarding school for those wanting to to get into the culinary biz.  Don't get me wrong - these guys are still great, but they are somewhat lacking in experience which can cause a few wrinkles now and again in the flow of your meal.

Three: get dessert.  It must be ordered with your meal- but pace yourself through the mandatory grilled pizza and whatever else your little heart desires; portion off your entree for left overs if you must, but get dessert!

Four:  go more than once and always try something different.  On this week's visit I ordered the pappardelle with rabbit.  Definitely fresh, homemade ribbons with eye-rolling sauce and flavor.  We split two desserts between 5, and it was the perfect end.

Five: in the summer, sit outside if you can.  Gem of al fresco Providence at Al Forno!
4 - nate C.: In a city that it is almost impossible to get a good meal Al Forno is the one and only place where you can get consistently good food. 

Pizza and pasta both very good. 

The food is quite simple. The way food is often best. 

Real deal Italian.
4 - Linda F.: Drinks - great. Food - pretty wonderful.  Service - also good. The only thing that would make this place perfect would be less crowds. But something this good would be hard to keep quiet.
4 - Francesca H.: Many high expectations from several people telling me all about how Al Forno is their favorite.   Finally I had an excuse to go with some work friends.   We all love food but overall the experience was somewhat ho-hum.

Atmosphere was minimal but cozy... added with the tables are pretty close to each other.   Definitely not kid friendly.   Host was friendly.   Waitress and asst waitress (??) were attentive but not annoying.  The service was pretty perfect on that front.

We started with wine and we had a picky "I get headaches with red wine" person so we went with a bottle of Pinot Grigio.  Frankly, the wine list was short on the white wines... not really their thing.  One person did get a wine by the Cabernet glass for $10 and they loved it.  Surprised the waitress didn't recommend a Chianti at an Italian restaurant, but okay....

The menu is definitely creative.

We tried the Squash Blossom as an appetizer and we didn't finish it.  It has a ricotta filling, flash fried, and in a red sauce.  Not really much of a taste.

Then for the entrees... we had the Special Cod, Special Dirty Steak and the Corn Pizza.    Corn Pizza was the biggest hit with layers of taste and a bit of spice in it.    Dirty Steak was flavorful but not as amazing as I expected.   The cod dish was good but not real unusual.

Lastly, the prices... just a little too over the top.   Come on, $20 desserts for 2?     That is just too much.    Out of principal, no dessert for us.

Would I go back?   Sure... but I'm not seeking it out.
4 - Rob L.: Just grab a pizza, or a "Dirty Steak"!
5 - Penny M.: O.K. - we just HAD to go back ....we actually spent the afternoon at the Culinary Arts Museum (at Johnson and Wales - a WONDERFUL way to spend an afternoon!) and headed to Al Forno after.  Thankfully, we arrived about 5 minutes before 5:00 (opening time) - by 5:45 the parking lot was packed and people were waiting for tables and this was on a Tuesday evening..... (get the hint?)  

You MUST, MUST try the ricotta stuffed, fried zucchini blossoms - I  must say that I have been very privileged to dine in many spectacular establishments over my lifetime - but I have NEVER tasted anything as delicate, flavorful and satisfying as this dish..... My husband, who was "poo-pooing" my choice of appetizer recanted his criticism the moment he tasted my dish (tee-hee!)  

As before, service was impeccable, food was perfection in taste and presentation......I only wish we didn't have to drive 2 hours to get here....but we'll be back and very, very soon! :-)
5 - Jeffrey H.: It's amazing how a little bit of luck and a whole lot of Yelp can take you to some amazing restaurants.  I was making my way to Providence as I had an early flight out the next morning I decided to look up a nice place to grab a bite to eat.  I rely on my yelp app on my iphone to lead me to some grub.  Well let me just tell you this place is amazing the Margharita Pizza is off the hook.  It was recently named one of the top 10 pizza joints in the US.  This thing is amazing the freshest ingredients and crispy crust grilled to perfection.  But the meal did not stop there.  I ordered the mint chocolate chip ice cream.  Homemade fresh mint from the garden with ribbons of decadent chocolate.  This ain't no 31 flavors ice cream this is the stuff that dreams are made of.  I will make my pilgrimage here every time that I make my way through Providence.
4 - Diana F.: So Al Forno apparently is one of the best places to get pizza in the country according to a Yahoo! article I just read...just so happens that we took a mini-vacation to Providence and decided to go to Al Forno for dinner! We walked from the Westin, which is a whole adventure in itself but wow, that dinner made it so worthwhile!! I was a little pissed off at the service when we got to the restaurant, since the person taking down names was nowhere to be found. We tried getting seating inside and it was just so confusing with the ramp and the entrance sign being a little hidden underneath a branch. No one directed us anywhere, despite the fact that we made eye contact with many servers while aimlessly walking around like morons inside the restaurant. We waited about 20-25 minutes before we got a table outside, which was really nice since it was a nice evening. We ordered the grilled spicy pizza with corn first - NOMNOMNOM! Wow, I was blown away. Despite the size, the boy and I ate that quick. He got the rigatoni with veal bolognese and I got the creamy egg with duck bacon - almost like a carbonara. So delicious. I brought it for lunch today - immediately wanted more. Too bad I was 3.5 hours from this place. For dessert, we got the peach and blueberry tart - mmm. I had to refrain the boyfriend from eating the whole damn thing. 

This place IS expensive - it was about 50/pp including tip so not a place to come every day, unless you're Steve Jobs...then you might as well buy the entire place. Definitely on my return list when I come back to Providence! :)
5 - Karl D.: I saw the Dumb and Dumber Shaggin' Wagon there once. Such great food. Make sure to check out their cookbooks. Everything about Al Forno is amazing
4 - Monika S.: Delicious all around - and nice wines by the glass. Relaxing warm atmosphere with attentive service.
5 - Ross S.: One of the top restaurants in the up and coming Providence area. My favorite summer appetizer has to be the fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with ricotta cheese. Light, airy and slightly crispy on the outside but soft, subtle creaminess on the inside. Delicious and a palate pleaser. All of the grilled pizzas are fantastic, but to me nothing tops that summertime corn pizza. All of their pasta dishes are a revelation, and the creativity always astounds me. This place is near perfect.
5 - Ettya F.: You know what I love about Al Forno? 

The Grilled Pizza Margarita.

And the only way to describe it is from the top down:

The top drizzling of olive oil lends a nice, richness to the pizza in both flavor and color. 

The duo of cheeses is just enough to barely coat the pomodoro. The slightly, sharp, saltiness of one cheese melts into the creamy, succulent, softness of the other. These cheeses coat a subtly acidic, slightly sweet pomodoro, with hints of basil, thyme and rosemary.

And the crust is perfectly grilled with a subtle woodsy flavor and a slight crunch in all the right places. Golden in color and smooth in texture, this crust is the best you will ever experience. The edges are crisp, and though it is thin, there is enough crust to hold the toppings without letting them slop over the sides, somehow maintaining its texture even in the middle of the pizza.
1 - Sandy D.: While my husband and I were in the Providence area, we thought we would check out the restaurant Al Forno. We had seen their menu online, but didn't see any prices, so we thought we'd check it out. 

We arrived around 6 pm on a Saturday and walked in the garden area. There didn't seem to be anyone greeting people so we kind of wandered around, feeling like idiots  and finally found a gentleman standing in a hallway behind a closed door. I asked if the way we came in was the wrong way, and he said no. I felt like I went through a corn maze to find someone to ask for a lousy menu. He gave us the menu, and at the same time said "you know the wait is 2 hours". Wow, was that a snooty response!  Well, that was good to know, but we had already eaten an excellent meal, and just wanted to check the menu and facilities out. 

While we were looking at the menu, I looked through and adjoining window to what appeared to be one of their dining rooms, which looked like a long narrow room with long tables, like something in a cafeteria.  

I can't review this place for food because we would never wait for 2 hours to eat, and then according to the posts I've been reading, be given a time limit to eat, especially after waiting 2 hours to get in. Who would ever order dessert at the same time they're ordering their appetizers and entrees?   

We go out to relax and enjoy really good food. Based on my first impression, the only thing this place would give me is a headache. Anyone got any Excedrin?
5 - Liz A.: Sean, our server, was amazing...helpful and so chill.  Even Steve (our busman) did everything he could to make our service A++.  BTW-I happen to love the fact that steve had white ear-spacers that matched his shirt.....it made me love the mgmt even more (they obviously encourage individuality)! The food?  Well, you have to get everything!  If I had to choose, , I'd say to get the Margharita pizza(a total MUST) and and any salad as apps. For a second course, don't miss the linguine w/ duck bacon and egg...Holy-Moly....the best pasta dish I have ever had!...share it and be prepared for a wild sensory love-fest.  After that, ask your server what to order for main dishes....Sean was great (but, I bet they're all pretty good at recs!).  I was blown away by both the service and the food-you don't usually get both in a restaurant.   Sean was, by far, one of the best servers I've ever had the pleasure to dine with.  I mean it.  He gave us great wine choices, timed everything just so and was SO personable. You can't get better service and food anywhere in the states.  Believe me! I tell it true and encourage you to have a drink with Kyle at the bar before of after your meal. He is so nice, handsome and accomodating!  What an engaging and more than competamt crew  of pros!!!!  Honestly, I just can't wait to go back.  WOW!!!!
5 - Kara S.: Great service, great food. The atmosphere at al forno made my summer night memorable and I truly enjoyed the pleasant hostess and waiter. Great grilled pizza. Must try the zucchini fries :)
3 - Brannon I.: OK, here's the deal: go to Al Forno, get a pizza and a glass of wine. That's it. The pizzas are the best thing this place has going for it, and you'll spend around 30 bucks plus tip. We got the grilled pizza with native corn - explosive flavor, perfect crust, slightly spicy. 

Don't bother with the ridiculously overpriced pastas, salads and desserts. We got one of the baked pastas with pumpkin: good, not great. They say the pasta is homemade but the shells had the consistency of store-bought pasta. The caesar salad was uninspired. And the dessert - basically a brownie topped with homemade coconut ice cream - was delicious, but obscene at $14. 

The bill, with tip: about $110. We left thinking about all the outstanding restaurants in Providence where we could've eaten three times for that amount.

But we'll still be back for the pizza!
5 - Ellen F.: I want to begin by saying that I don't know why anyone would review a restaurant where they had not eaten.   We have wanted to go to Al Forno for years but haven't because we knew that it was difficult to get in.   

A few weeks ago we were in Rhode Island for another errand and since we had some time decided it was a great opportunity to try Al Forno.  We did not regret it.  It was a Tuesday, a few minutes before 5:00 and we were the second ones in line.  The place opened just after 5:00 and we were led to a lovely table in the garden.  We wanted everything on the menu of course but there were just two of us.  Because we expected the portions to be smaller, we both ordered salads to start.  We could have easily shared just one salad since the portions were even too big for two people to share. For entrees, I had the Eggplant Al Forno, which was simply the best eggplant dish I'd ever tasted.  It did not have the dreadful breading that most eggplant dishes have.  My friend had a wonderful summer pasta with pea tendrils.  We also had the same dinner the next night, because there was so much food that we took at least half home. These dishes were some of the best we'd ever had in any restaurant.  Although the prices are high, since the portions are so large you can do some serious sharing.

We are going back this week with two more friends and definitely plan to share more of this superb food.  Al Forno has been in business for more than 30 years and people still start lining up before 5:00 pm on a Tuesday night. That should tell you something.   It's not a tourist attraction--it's about the food.
5 - Ellen B.: I really love Al Forno. They do some things better than anyone else does. The thing to do is get what looks most appealing and share. The pizzas are amazing as are the crostados with whatever fruit is in season served with house-made gelato or creme anglaise. The grand cookie finale with warm cookies, homemade truffles and candied citrus rind is also wonderful. We generally focus on appetizers and desserts and always have food to take home. It's especially nice to sit in the plant filled patio on a warm summer's night.
5 - Robin K.: Have lived in the area for the past 5 years and sampled essentially all fine italian restaurants in the area, al forno is the best in terms of quality of food and service, hands down.  Yes, the wait is long at times, but it's worth it.  Would recommend the chocolate bread pudding if it's on the menu, as well as any of their pizzas.
5 - Simon O.: My wife (being the best wife that there is) took me to Al Forno for my birthday this week. I've been excited to go since we have lived in Providence, but intensely long waits or large groups have always sent us elsewhere. This visit, however, the stars aligned and we were seated immediately (!).

The setting was excellent: clean and interesting without being distracting. If you wanted to look at the walls there were neat details to look at, but it was put together in such a way that your attention wasn't called away from your fellow guests or your plate. 

We split a pair of small plates (cod fritters and the cured meats plate) and, as recommended by my fellow Yelpsters, one of their grilled pizzas. The cod fritters with smashed avocado were really outstanding (plus a bonus sauce: aioli?) - fresh, interesting textures, a nice play on the classic New England 'fry something from the ocean' tradition. The salami plate was a little strange in its presentation - layers of cured meats flat on a plate, with some olive oil across the top - but it was delicious, so you can forgive a strange plating. 

Much has been said of the grilled pizzas: ours was as good as everyone else's, they really shine with this dish, and I wouldn't hesitate to order it again. 

We also dove into a pear and walnut tart for dessert: it was huge, we still have some in the fridge. It is still delicious, three days later. You have to be decisive, ordering dessert at the beginning, but go for it. 

The service is the kind of service you have to think about before you can comment on it - that is, present and helpful but not obtrusive and thus not memorable. Exactly what good service looks like.

We'll be back!
5 - Shauna M.: OMG. That's definitely how I have to start this review. This was one of the best meals I've had while in Rhode Island. The intense flavors in the more nuanced dishes (spicy clam roast with homemade sausage) and the simple, clean ones in the straightforward dishes (squash blossoms and the zucchini and parmesan salad) were exquisite. And I can't even discuss the shear sublime-ness of the beets and frites and fresh pasta dishes -- it's like how you must refer to Voldemort as he-who-must-not-be-named. Too glorious for words. Hmmm maybe that simile doesn't work quite right? But you must go for the pizza, pasta, antipasto and terrific cocktails at the bar. It's just sensational and sensual. I'm grateful for this sexy little place.
5 - Diane S.: I haven't been to every restaurant in Rhode Island, but this must be one of the best in the entire state (certainly top 2 of any restaurant I've been to in RI). 

We ordered a Margherita pizza to start, and it was so delicious. I was reluctant to order the baked pasta with tomato sauce because I feared it would be too simple, but it was phenomenal. It was served very hot and had a gooey/crispy factor that only improved upon cooling down. My companions had bacon wrapped rabbit stuffed with dates, gnocchi with sausage, and spaghetti arrabiata with clams, and they were all delicious, especially the rabbit. 

We had the chocolate bread pudding for dessert and it was out of this world. 

It is really hard to describe how great the food here really is. The majority of the ingredients are locally sourced. The drinks are expensive but VERY strong. 

When we arrived, the wait for 4 was 2 hours (we were seated within 1 hour, however). The only negative was a bit of an attitude problem from the upstairs bartender (they inexplicably do not have Johnnie Walker blue label, which is surprising for such a high end place), but the waiter was excellent and very attentive. 

This place is worth the expense and worth the wait.
5 - Kelly L.: DInner last night at Al Forno was delicious as usual. We shared Baked Pasta with Three Cheeses,  Fettuccine with Duck Bacon and a side order of Meatballs.  The staff was attentive and as always it was a great experience!
5 - Brad P.: Al Forno gave me a seasonal pumpkin pizza and it ruled. They didn't slice it for me, which is fine because I like to cut my pizza slices into rhomboids and silhouettes of celebrities.

This is serious pizza. There are other things on the menu but they are all outshined by this pizza.
5 - Jay E.: Al Forno's is a Rhode Island icon, just like Del's Lemonade and Newport Creamery!  We visited with a group of 12 and the staff was very accommodating.  We sampled various appetizers and pizza and couldn't be more impressed.  An awesome place for groups or a dinner for two.  Highly Recommend!
4 - Abdulmohsen A.: Amazing food but the service was bad
5 - Donisha L.: A friend invited me to come along and I am glad I did. She made a reservation for 6 because if you try to walk in with a party of 5 and under you are looking at a 2 hr wait. There isn't really a hostess so don't be surprised if you walk in and there is a full lobby of clueless people (BTW the lobby is REALLY small). Just wait until one of servers/hostesses comes by to confirm you or your party are present. *ADVICE* TRY TO GO WITH A PARTY OF 6 OR MORE, IT'S LESS OF A WAIT AND PORTIONS ARE HUGE SO YOU CAN SHARE.

The vibe in the restaurant was mixed. It was upscale but I saw a lot of families. I wore a mini dress but I saw people in jeans. To be safe you can never go wrong with business casual.

After our party of 6 was seated 30 minutes late, the host gave us a free appetizer pizza for the inconvenience. I am not sure what kind of pizza it was but is was delicious! We all decided to order different meals and share and I am so glad we did. The portions were huge and all 6 of us were able to try something new. One friend ordered the rabbit with dates, it's a little on the sweet side but delicious. It's decedent, so although you only get four, it's more than enough. Another friend ordered the scallops. They were fresh, flavorful, and huge. They also have a special called the "dirty steak" and I don't think I have had a steak so delish it melts in your mouth. I ordered the pasta with tomato, cream and five cheeses. It's such a simple pasta dish, creamy, cheesy, and not in the mac and cheese kind of way. It's a little heavy but worth it. I am eating leftovers as I type this (it's even better the second day). 

It is advised to order dessert when you order dinner because everything is made fresh. Whatever you do, ORDER DESSERT!  We ordered the cookie platter, chocolate bread pudding, and coconut cookie sandwich although the "cookie" was actually a brownie. I don't know how they made cookies so high end but it is. The assortment of cookie were warm, soft and flavorful. The platter also came with candied citrus and I was in love at first bite. The bread pudding is dark chocolatey goodness, warm, soft and huge. I only had a bite of the ice cream and it was different, i love coconut but i really couldn't taste too much of it.

I don't consider Rhode Island a big player on the food scene but after dining at Al Forno it makes me excited to see what else Providence has to offer.
5 - Kel S.: Where have you been all my life Al Forno? Well, I had heard the reviews, but did not expect the experience we had! We  had the pear and endive salad, margherita pizza, and a cosmo and french martini which were made by our amazing bartender, Leigh! The atmosphere was lovely - marble bar, chabby chic chandeliers... just a perfect little spot. I will look forward to going back!
5 - Steven A.: I've resisted writing a review on Al Forno because, as of this moment they have 144 reviews up on Yelp and most are 4 and 5 stars.  So, it seems to me that the last thing the world needs in another rave about this long standing Providence superstar.

Yet, I am compelled.  You see, I've just returned from the road.  I have been cursed with a professional life style which requires me to attend several trade shows in the January/February time frame.  As I write this, I am home from two weeks in New York, Atlanta and Dallas only long enough to do my laundry and hit the road again.  

I have learned the insiders' track for most of the towns I land in and feel qualified to critique.  Whether you are entertaining clients or just trying to let loose, you find the right spots, even in cultural wastelands such as Atlanta.  Mind you, these are fine cities. Each has their culinary traditions and claims to fame. Who among us, with sanity, would knock the restaurant scene in NYC or argue the merits of a great cut of beef in Big D? 

So, when I visited AF earlier this week it was with perspective.. and I can say that it remains not only my favorite spot in Providence but my perennial "topper" when arguing the merits of our fair city with the unenlightened in far away places.  

There is a consistency of excellence which underscores the entire experience at AF.  What makes it most remarkable is how they continue to deliver at the same high level they have since day one.  There is a comfortable elegance without pretense in the air.  An attentive, intelligent staff makes me feel appreciated.  I can pronounce everything on the menu.  And when my meal arrives, I know the kitchen staff was smiling when they plated it.  My considerably high expectations are always met or exceeded by the mood, the brood and the food.  

Family take note.  While on my death bed, you may ease my suffering by delivering my last meal from Al Forno.  Whether by solid or intravenous means, I can't imagine a better base with which to enter the light.  And if there is a God, I hope he'll be standing by a big, hardwood grill upon which sits a Dirty Steak just for me.
5 - KEVIN D.: As someone who grew up in Philadelphia, lived for 20 years in New York and has traveled extensively in Italy, I know good Italian.  The food is outstanding here, from appetizers to sublime pastas to exquisite desserts ( the pear walnut tart and the apple tart are world class!) I've only eaten here twice, but both times every dish was excellent.  The service is highly capable, knowledgeable and friendly.  And the room is modern, yet warm.  This will be a must go whenever I'm back in Providence!
5 - Jim P.: We ate at Al Forno on Saturday evening. Got there very early (4:30) and it was already very busy. To restate the obvious, this is an awesome restaurant. The service this evening was top notch - as has always been our experience. Never snobby as you will find in many lesser restaurants that think they are chic. The calamari pizza was fantastic. Rigatoni veal bolognese was the best we ever tasted. The wine list has a lot of lower priced options that are very good ($30-$40) which is a big help. The cake made with chestnut flour and olive oil is a must. Delicious. Go.
3 - Justin S.: Al Forno was already venerated in my dining universe before I even came near it. Disciples preached the wonder that is Al Forno to me whenever I was in earshot (or almost that frequently). I repeatedly heard about the fantastic flatbread pizzas, the creative entrees and the elegant atmosphere. Seriously, people who I heard I am a (somewhat) frequent visitor to Providence couldn't control themselves and virtually instructed me to run there as soon as possible. With that, I came to Al Forno expecting the best. That isn't what I experienced, but it was still a good experience overall. 

First, expect a (long) wait. We came in around 7pm on a recent Saturday night and put our names in for a table of four. We were told the wait would be about two hours and were ushered upstairs to the bar area to wait for our table, and wait (and wait, and wait) we did. During our wait, we ordered a round of martinis from the bar which was a veritable Waterloo. The bartender was, to put it lightly, inept. He severely botched our simple cocktail order on the first round, but got it right on the second. The attitude I received from the bartender would be cute if this were Moe's Tavern, but it isn't, and at that rate I could stand in Kennedy Plaza with a $3 forty from 7-Eleven and be treated more civilly by vagrants. Stop acting like I'm asking you to walk to Spain to get olives when I request proper garnish in my cocktail. In any case, our martinis kept us occupied to pass the time while we waited... For two-and-a-half hours. 

We were finally seated in the downstairs dining room around 9:30pm, and by that time we were all starving. Barring our unfortunate encounter with the bartender, I found service at Al Forno to be exceptional. Our server came over to take our orders and to introduce the specials. We ordered a flatbread pizza to start, and I had the spicy Italian sausage with mashed potato entrée. My sister had orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe in tomato cream sauce, and our friends had the dirty steak (special), and the Italian sausage and pork chop entrée. All of our food was good, though someone in the kitchen has a heavy hand with sauce, and my sausage/potato entrée was literally drowning in whatever brown gravy they top the dish with. Other than that, the presentation is beautiful, and the portions are surprisingly generous (I noted many other diners taking doggie bags home). For dessert, we ordered the chocolate bread pudding and a pear-almond tart special, with ice cream, all of which was great (and again, large portions). Overall, the cooking is enjoyable, though not ground breaking - And I'm still sold on Bob & Timmy's for flatbread pizza (Oops, did I say that out loud?).

The dining room is beautifully decorated, well-lit and not too noisy or crowded, which lends itself to conversation well. To conclude, the reason I don't consider Al Forno to be a superlative restaurant (in contrast with that of so many people who recommended this place to me) are the detractors that marred my experience here. The aforementioned tribulations, the above-average-but-not-mind-blowing-food, and what I would consider to be a very high price point don't necessarily add up to a place I'd gladly wait two-and-a-half hours for again. I have dined in many other Providence restaurants and can say that this is high among the best in town. With that, Al Forno is worth recommending for what ended up still being a good experience, but beware the caveats which befall the experience here.
4 - Mary P.: i ate here on a rainy fall evening and was initially welcomed by a valet gent who rushed out with an umbrella as i dashed in from the rain... thoughtful (and attentive) indeed..! 

we did not have a reservation, but were able to fit right into a charming upstairs table with a sweet view of the river.. my dining companion and i opted to share a smorgasbord of items over having individual meals... a delightful way to experience some choice dishes.. 

i was most intrigued by the proposal that the kitchen would individually hand craft my dessert... which must be ordered in advance of the meal... not one to frequently order dessert, the personal touch definitely inspired me to do so.! AND they offered one of my favorites, a simple pear tart... 

our waiter encouraged us to consider sharing pizza, 'a popular diner's choice'...  ever eschewing the 'popular' route, this of course lead me away from such an item... (i grin)... instead we opted for the bruschetta, a refreshing arugula & avocado salad, a scallop entree, and a side dish of brussels sprouts... the perfect blend of items... 

each item was well prepared & perfectly served... an avid fan of arugula, i was hoping for a bit more flavor in the salad... although the horseradish did offer a nice punch... the scallop dish is not currently on the menu, so i've forgotten the specific preparation (writing this several months later)... i DEFINITELY remember that they were plump and delicious... and well complimented by the brussels sprouts...

our server was friendly & attentive... and not too concerned that we lingered a long while over each dish... remaining in our seats as clean up had begun..(!!) this was primarily due to the delightful elegance of our shared pear tart... with fresh cream... flaky crust and all... worth the wait... 

i shall definitely make a return trip... especially if they ever offer a flourless chocolate torte... (wink)
5 - Mike E.: We just ate here last weekend, and were utterly impressed by this restaurant. From start to finish, everything was pitch-perfect. Granted, it was one of a handful of meals my wife and I have had without our kids in tow, but then again, we wouldn't have come here with them.

We ate there on a Saturday night, and got there pretty close to five after a long day exploring Providence (it was our first visit to the city). We were seated quickly on the second floor, as the restaurant was maybe 1/2 full at this point. It was full soon after we arrived. The beer list is modest at best, but then who really wants to drink beer with italian food? We ordered some reasonably priced glasses of wine (chianti and pinot noir off the list).

We started with a daily special, a pizza topped with mushrooms, capers, green onions and other yummy items (cant recall the specifics other than delicious!). My wife had some farfalle pasta with squash and proscuitto and I had the spicy clam roast. Both were fantastic -- the farfalle sauce was delicate yet incredibly flavorful, and the clam roast, my god, that was good. Pairing the mashed potatoes with the spicy sausage, clams and onions makes an amazing meal. Desert was one of the pre-ordered dishes for two, apple crisp. Our server said it was Ina Garten's favorite, and since she was my mom's favorite foodie, we had to try it. Again, another fabulous dish.

Each course was as good if not better than the previous, something that doesn't happen enough in restaurants these days. Nothing felt indifferently prepared, and everything was well seasoned, but not in such a way as to knock you over with spice or salt. This restaurant is reason enough to schedule a trip to Providence!!!
5 - Cody B.: My wife and I went to Al Forno for dinner before a show after a long hiatus. It was better than we remembered! Excellent food and service. Spicy Pizza, Short Rib Ravioli and Wood Grilled Scallops were all very very good. You will not regret visiting this restaurant.
5 - David C.: I came to Rhode Island this past week for a difficult family situation. I was accompanied by two of my aunts to help with my task. At the end of a trying day, nerves frazzled, I made an executive decision. There would be no dinner of bellybusters and coffee milk. To Al Forno we did drive. It was still early, so we were seated promptly. For appetizers we ordered local oysters on 1/2 shell,and  mussels with frites, along with some good Belgium beer. For our entrees, we had braised beef rib ravioli,and a side dish of  roasted Brussels sprouts.The outstanding food is accompanied by outstanding service, which I would categorize as formal with a casual backbeat. The waitstaff make it a point of pride to know the menu, the origin of the ingredients, but they're not in your face about it. A nice end to a difficult day.
3 - Joseph X.: A la carte a la expensive I got the pork it was so raw it looked like pork tartare but it is a nice place
4 - Rob M.: Al Forno is not a pizza place. But the best advice I can give is to order off the pizza menu here. Since Al Forno is such a nice restaurant, people naturally feel uncomfortable doing so. My suggestion is to get over it.

Whenever I have dinner here, I order one of the grilled pizzas and whoever I am with does not. Inevitably, my dining companion and I trade bites. Without fail, we always conclude that the pizza is better than anything else on the menu. Resembling an artist's palette, the pizzas even look better than anything else on the menu, too.

It never would have occurred to me to order pizza at such a nice restaurant, but for critic Alan Richman's glowing review. He ranked Al Forno number 18 on his list of the best pizza in the United States. 

Order the grilled pizza with roasted eggplant. I have also enjoyed the calamari pizza.
5 - Jason S.: I love you Al Forno! Thank you. 

My wife and I come to this restaurant every three months or so. It is on the expensive side if you add in desert and drinks, but worth it!

I have tried the dirty steak which you will find a lot of reviews on. It is not my favorite, but it was pretty good. 

We absolutely love to start with the margarita pizza. Then move onto the five cheese pasta dish. They've made it with squash, asparagus, but the best is with the corn during the summer months!

We've been told on previous visits they get all their veggies from a local farm. It is a great experience. Just make sure you get their early because their is a line for a reason. It is yummy!

Enjoy!!!

ps. get the blueberry tart when in season!  YAY
3 - Sohini R.: We had a friend in town and were very excited to take her to Al Forno.  We arrived on a Tuesday evening to a lovely bustling crowd.  The food was delicious, but we left frustrated.

I tend to lean toward veggie options, but am omnivorous; one of my dining companions does not eat meat.  What left us frustrated is how many "signature dishes" Al Forno has that can't be altered.  One salad has a vinaigrette that involves bacon and we asked for the dressing on the side and were told the dressing could only be put on the side for one salad on the menu.  What?!  Although our waitress assured us everything was made to order, the lack of accommodation annoyed me and made me equate Al Forno's salad with pre-mixed salads I might find at a cafeteria.

After experiencing the same explanation for a couple more dishes, we were then reminded we had to place our dessert orders with the entree because they are made to order as well.  Our friend almost lost it.  Granted, she was jet-lagged from a flight from Britain, but I felt embarrassed for Al Forno as well.

The food was very good - I enjoyed the lightness of the rib-eye meatballs, and the lavender panna cotta was perfectly executed.

I never thought having things made to order would feel so tyrannical.  I didn't anticipate downgrading my previous review, but my conclusion about Al Forno is that the food is lovely, but something about the service/philosophy makes me annoyed.  To put it bluntly, I left feeling like Al Forno deigned to let me eat there.  Not ideal.
2 - Alma C.: The margarita grilled pizza is fantastic, so get an appetizer pizza and a cocktail or two for a short meal, otherwise you may risk 2-3 hours of your life w/ slow, disinterested service (or sometimes even rude, if you don't order drinks). Nice view though.
5 - Andrew A.: Went there based on recommendation of a friend, the Pizza was truly amazing and the Ice Cream Sandwich was to die for.  The bartender also made a bloody good Manhattan.  It's a bit on the pricey side but for food like this it was well worth the price.  You get what you pay for.  Some of the other dishes looked fantastic and I look forward to going back.  Make sure you look at the dessert menu as you have to order the dessert when you order your main food, it's made to order for each individual customer!
4 - J B.: 4 stars for the food! 1 star for the service and pompous attitudes of the staff. My girlfriend and I thought it would be an ideal place to celebrate and instead it turns out that this pretentious place is full of Providences elite and snobby and I am not talking about the guests. Too bad this review is about the staff instead of the food - which was terrific but expensive.
5 - Denise T.: Perfection!
4 - Laura B.: I'm still mad at myself for being unaware that Al Forno existed until just two months ago. My husband and I have dined here twice since having it recommended to us and each time it's been fantastic. Taking the advice of Yelpers who've dined here before, both times we ate here we ordered a pizza (margarita and spicy) and a dessert (pear tartlet and the cranberry shortcake). The pizza is super thin, slightly charred and covered in a layer of oil but in no way is it burnt or greasy. While I'm not sure it belongs on the "best in the country" lists that critics have placed it on, their pizza is like nothing else I've eaten in Rhode Island before- even the pizzerias on Federal Hill don't make pies as delicious as Al Forno does. 

It's also worth noting, contrary to the experiences of other diners on Yelp, my husband and I have dined twice on Saturday nights and been seated immediately. When we came in last night there were a few large parties waited to be seated who had made reservations but since there were only two of us we got a nice little table with a window into the kitchen right away. I will happily eat at Al Forno again, and the only reason I haven't given it a full five stars is because of the pricing of the wine and appetizers/salads- both have a tremendous mark-up compared to local restaurants offering the same for less.
4 - Robert D.: I made it over to Al Forno the other night. Though I grew up in Rhode Island and visit there from time to time, I had never dined at what is arguably one of the state's premier locations. 

I had a half dozen briny Wellfleet oysters, a lovely spinach salad of mature but tender leaves, a spicy grilled pizza, and a sublime panda cotta with lavender. 

The spinach salad was served with a few strips of bacon, a boiled egg (sliced in half) and some red onion. It was strewn with small but excellent croutons that tasted of the grill and good-quality olive oil. Unlike spinach salads that have become common lately, this one wasn't simply a pile of bagged "baby" spinach leaves, but the flavorful, mature leaves of the plant that have a hearty mouthfeel that baby spinach can't duplicate. 

Al Forno is known, of course, for their grilled pizza and it was, in fact, excellent. But while I don't consider myself especially keen on desserts, I want to rave about the panna cotta which had a perfect consistency and was beautifully presented. The sauce surrounding it was infused with and had actual bits of lavender from the restaurant's gardens. This was a well-executed dish where one could choose the strength of the taste by ladling more or less of the sauce over the rich cooked cream. 

A few notes: The atmosphere in the restaurant is casual. The food I ordered was served in generous propositions. Though I chose to sit at a tale, there is a bar and the full menu is served there as well. Beyond pizzas, there's a very complete menu and a good wine list. In the summertime there's al fresco dining at Al Forno.

Just a final thought about the service I received as I had read reviews that the staff at Al Forno was snooty or ungracious. My experience was just the opposite. Everyone, from the parking lot attendant to the busboy, was friendly, pleasant, and attentive.

No question that I will return to Al Forno.
5 - Edward B.: Al Forno is my favorite restaurant in Providence.After living in LA when I attend this restaurant in the summer I feel like I am not in Rhode Island. The patio is beautiful and this is an amazing place to bring a date or to go on a special occasion. I recommend the five cheese pasta dish and the margaritta pizza in addition to fresh oysters and the dirty steak.
5 - Jeff M.: I never go to Al Forno, the no reservations thing kills me, can't stand waiting in line.  

This past weekend, with the rainy weather and all, figured to be safe enough to give it a go. It wasn't too terribly bad, 45 minutes in an overcrowded bar. It does drive me crazy that places like this serve dinner at the bar when they are swamped.  It compounds the problem, now the bar seats don't turn over either. 

What's worse, is that the bar scene here is dreadful; I want to talk about dieting with middle aged white women and dudes in boat shoes about as much as putting a hole in my head!

Once we were seated however, my dinner was outstanding.  I had simply the best pasta dish in my whole life, Short Rib Ravioli with Mushrooms and Peas.  The ravioli were hand formed dumplings, filled with braised short rib. Served in a pan sauce with softly sautéd mushrooms (could have been Oyster or Shiitake, not really sure which), and fresh, lightly cooked, al dente peas. The woodsy, hearty flavors came through with a delicate touch, the opposite of a stew or gravy. Really indescribable, I'd wait another hour for food this good. 

And those weren't the only highlights. I started with the Spicy version of the world famous Wood Grilled Pizza.  Quite good, but a step less than fantastic. I think mine may have been a bit rushed, the bottom had hints of char, but not yet a crispy crust.

I had seen a Caesar salad go by just as we started on the pizza, and it looked so perfect that I had to call our server over and order one.  The quartered Romaine was stuffed, rather than dressed, with a super sharp and salty Pecorino Romano and garlic spread with warm toast cubes on top, still soft inside.  Great, just great.

Our waitress was perfect as well, cheerful and attentive, never in the way. I couldn't have asked for any better, and the place was packed.  Really well done.

I do have a complaint about the winelist, if your going to have a reprint of a famous wine label on the front of the list, it really should be a wine that's on the pages inside. Really had my heart set on a de Castellane when I saw it, turned out not to be.
5 - Krishna K.: This place was simply amazing. The waiters and waitresses were polite, organized, and very helpful. The food was by far some of the best Italian food I've eaten, with several choices on the menu that you won't find anywhere else. All the ingredients were fresh, and the presentation was very nice. Overall I highly recommend this restaurant as a huge highlight in Providence's eating options, if you're willing to spend the money to eat here.
1 - Rose H.: I recently relocated to Providence from Miami. As my friends know I am a foodie, recos poured in. A friend in Germany told me that he had heard Al Forno was great, so I was looking for the first occasion to try it and recently invited colleagues from Europe who were here on business.  

Well, we did not get to eat there.  The woman at the front desk was so rude, patronizing and condescending, that I was totally embarrassed in front of my colleagues and we chose to depart. We are all world travelers and have NEVER been treated with such disdain. 

I hope you take this seriously, one cannot rely on food alone, customer service is just as important an experience. 

Subsequently I heard that the staff is terrorized by this woman, too. Wow!  How valuable is she? How much loss is her behavior affecting?
2 - Johny C.: Really? That's it? Gotta admit, after all the hype I was expecting much more, much better. I try not to get too excited about the prospect of trying someplace for the first time- if you don't set the bar too high, you seldom get let down. But, A) it was our 4 year anniversary and I really was hoping for something special, and B) this place comes so highly recommended. So sure, my expectations were high. Okay, plenty of parking in an otherwise impossible part of town to find a space, that was nice. The decor is nice...just "nice", nothing I haven't seen before. We were greeted very enthusiastically and warmly by the the hostess and a fellow I assume was the front of house manager. So far so good. Our table was in the easy bake oven they call an atrium. Could have done without that placement on a 106 degree sunny day- but I didn't want to make a fuss or wait for another table. "Skippy", our waiter, was a little green and unsure of himself. But he was trying. He brought the bread pretty quick, but there was no hurry on that stale bread-stale bread with a thimble of plain olive oil, well I guess it's not plain exactly, they put it on a saucer with a salt shaker; I shit you not. As soon as the 3 tiny triangles of day-old bread and the bottle cap of olive oil came to the table I knew right away that I would not risk getting one of the intriguing sounding specials; neither the "dirty steak" or the roasted rabbit dish- there are so many ways to screw up a Delmonico steak, that I just couldn't trust a place that can't even do bread & oil right. And rabbit? There are maybe 2 places in the state that can cook a rabbit and I had no reason to bet on this place- not at a $35 price point, that's too rich a bet for my blood. So we ordered from the menu: Cod fish cakes, Linguine with Creamy Egg, Duck Bacon and Pea Tendrils, and "spicy" pizza. The fish cakes were decent, all 3 of them. Of course I could also get some great fried cod fish cakes at the local Cape Verdean market near my house, and I could pay about 5 bucks for 5 of em, instead of $13.95 for 3!!!! The Pizza: it was okay, not really spicy, and not really something that I couldn't get down the street at Fellini's, across town at Bob & Timmy's, or better yet, in my own kitchen. I mean it was good- -just not sure it was 20 dollars good, ya know? The pasta: come on, don't tell me I'm the only one to have issues with a place in PROVIDENCE passing off mediocre pasta dishes at 4 star prices? Not when there's SO many other choices right in the neighborhood. Here's my free advice to the good folks in the back of the house; parmigiano-reggiano is plenty salty on its own, you don't need to pour on the salt- leave that salt cellar in your bread basket, if that's your thing. And if you're going to entice people with terms like "duck bacon" then maybe have something on the plate that looks and taste at least a little unlike Bac~Os® brand bacon bits!!! So glad I didn't order desert. At least I got out of there for a LITTLE under a hundred bucks. 
Almost entertained the idea of trying it again sometime before I wrote a review (I'm a pretty fair guy) but no, if you can't put a basket of bread on the table, I just don't trust you. [and I'm not saying that I want bread, I don't- leave it the hell off the table like most of your better establishments do now-a-days. ] Just don't decide to do something, and then screw it up. It's not rocket science, its basic table service/first impression stuff; restaurant 101
4 - Tam H.: One of the top 5 restaurants I have ever been to, only Babo's in NYC tops it. If you are in Providence it's a must. Call ahead to get a sense of the waiting time, as you can't make reservations.
The only reason I can't give it a five is because many of the staff are completely pretentious, at least it seems to belimited to primarily the hosts and hostesses.
4 - Tina M.: Great eggplant parmigiana!  Not fried and greasy, oven baked and delicious.
4 - Rahul M.: Even though I've lived in Providence for over a decade, I'd never been to Al Forno until last week. Normally, chi-chi, overhyped, overpriced restaurants are a huge disappointment, but Al Forno lived up to the hype. I'm giving it four stars only because I didn't eat a full meal, just pizza, dessert, and coffee, but everything was excellent, the service was prompt and friendly, and the al fresco seating was fantastic.

Definitely planning a second visit soon to see if it merits a fifth star!
5 - Dina F.: The food is unbelievable. We ordered the cod cakes appetizer and along with the dipping sauce they were heavenly! The pastas here are fantastic as well, and everyone at the table couldn't say enough about their dishes! The service has always been lovely, too. Friendly conversation and very professional demeanor.
4 - Margie H.: I was with a group heading to Newport for the weekend and we decided to stop at Al Forno on the way. Very good decision on our part.

We didn't have to deal with the wait as we were a group of six, the minimum for reservations. We arrived about 20 minutes early and were pleasantly surprised to be seated right away. It was a cozy and romantic spot with dim lighting and a great view of the water. 

We started with some appetizers - the melon and prosciutto (delicious), an avocado beet salad (fresh and tasty), and this amazing fried ricotta in tomato sauce appetizer that I think must have been a special for the night. 

We then moved on to main courses, which included the lobster ravioli, scallops, baked pasta with corn, short rib ravioli, and linguine. The table consensus was that the baked pasta and corn dish was the least favorite, while the lobster ravioli was amazing. However, all the dishes were outstanding, so there were no losers at the table! (We also ordered a bolognese, but we'll get to that in a minute.)

We closed out with the panna cotta, croque mademoiselle, crepes, and peach tart. All were delicious, but the tart and the panna cotta had people fighting over the last bites.

The only knock we had was the service. When our entrees came out, four people were served while the other two had nothing. After several minutes, the waitress came out and asked why one of our party had returned their dish, when in fact it had never come out. It eventually made its way to the table. We asked about our final entree (the bolognese), and were told it takes more time than the others. Several more minutes passed, and still no bolognese. Finally they told us that it had been given to another table, so we'd still have to wait. We assumed that if another table had ordered it, it would just be a few minutes before we received their dish, but quickly realized that they had never rung it in, as they were starting the dish from scratch. Another (complimentary) appetizer was brought out after the rest of us were nearly finished with our meals, but eventually we just asked for it to be boxed to go. The waitress did handle it as best she could and was very friendly and helpful. Fortunately we had ordered tons of food and the person who ordered the bolognese was able to make do with sharing and the extra appetizer, and they did comp us the entree as well as an additional dessert and appetizer, but it was still disappointing and would keep me from rating the experience a full five stars.

All in all, everything that graced our table was delicious and I would definitely return if I find myself in Providence again!
5 - Hilary H.: If there is one thing I can tell you about Al Forno, it is this: Get the effing Dirty Steak, man. Even at a whopping $42, it's worth every last penny. 

We went here for a celebratory meal. My husband asked me to choose any place in the city for dinner, and my choice was Al Forno. I started with the fresh figs and prosciutto - and I can say with absolute certainty that this is a match made in heaven. Sweet, fresh figs over a thinly-sliced cloud of subtly salty, porky perfection with the softest drizzle of onion-infused olive oil. I never wanted this course to end... But then came the pumpkin ravioli. Drenched in a sage brown butter sauce, these morsels of perfection melted on my tongue and paired beautifully with a glass of the house Gavi. Across the table, my husband devoured the Caesar salad, which is no ordinary Caesar, my friends. This crispy, fresh and flavorful Romain is absolutely smothered in parmesan, peppered with anchovy and paired with hands down the most delcious grilled bread that has ever touched my lips. Seriously, the croutons make the salad -it's not to be missed. 

But ahhhhhh.... The Dirty Steak. I picked up on balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, red pepper flake and perhaps some garlic in this velvety, rich and incomparable sauce. The steak itself was a masterful preparation - tender, juicy, flavorful and tinged slightly with the flavor of burning coals. Paired with garlic mashed new potatoes and a glass of Barolo, it just can't be beat. Like, ever.  

And then, we have the service: Amy is a gem. A sweet pea. A Botticelli dream sent to sweetly answer the beckoning of those in search of culinary excellence. Not a step was missed, not a recommendation was off - this girl knows her menu, for sure. Her service made our perfect evening even more perfect.

So, after all of that, I will say this: If you are looking for a perfect evening, a perfect meal and a completely care-free and enjoyable experience, look no further than Al Forno. After four years in this city, I'm certainly glad to know this much.
5 - T J.: I have been very fortunate to dine here many, many, many times and never had to pay for the meal--nice to have one ridiculously generous friend :) I'm pretty sure I've tried every single main course they have to offer (not the pastas, which I hear are fantastic too)--and they are all very good--not the healthiest obviously, but def up there among the tastiest....

One of the veal entrees had cheese in it if I recall--so I'd never try that again--it didn't taste/feel too good. The fish entrees are always EXCELLENT when offered :) I'd also recommend a side order of brussel sprouts (yes, I know--but they were awesome every time).

It's a very busy place and they only take reservations for large groups. It is also very expensive--but I'd try it at least once, and order after reading as many yelp reviews as you can :) I'd def go for a a duck liver appetizer, a fish entree,  and the panna cotta for dessert :)
4 - Edwin L.: just a yelp quicky-- 

i just had my one year anniversary dinner here... the staff was able to work with me on setting up a flower arrangement, so it would be sitting at our table waiting for us...

dinner was slamming!

we had the Grilled Pizza Margarita, Wood-Grilled Lamb Rib Chops with Salsa Verde, Roasted Hot Italian Sausage and Grapes. for dessert we had the Native Caramelized Pumpkin Tart (for 2).

I also had a glass of barolo, ideal paring with my Lamb.

surprisingly this dinner wasn't too expensive... the flowers cost more... LOL

Flowers ($128.00)
Dinner for Two ($121.00)
5 - Natasha S.: I'm not a dessert person.  Savory is my treat.  

My dinner here was excellent.  We came with my parents and their friends to celebrate my birthday, so we all ordered appetizers and shared.  They were all great, with some highlights being the calamari pizza and the clams al forno.  Delicious salads as well.  I ordered a margherita pizza for dinner, and others ordered meatier dishes (my father's rigatoni with red sauce and sausage was really to die for, as was my partner's steak).

It had already been an excellent meal, but then we ordered dessert.  I ordered a husk tomato tart.  If I had known that tart pastry could taste the way this pastry did, I would have never eaten any of the other tarts I've eaten in my life.  It was tender, but flaky, with a perfect ratio of lightness:crunch:chewiness.  This pastry chef knows what he's doing.  Everyone agreed that it was the best dessert they'd ever tasted.

I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone in or near Providence, RI.  Absolutely excellent.

Al Meida - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2834178, -83.7465855) (Kerrytown Ann Arbor)
5 - Maria B.: Based on uniqueness, taste, and presentation Al Meida is def 5-star worthy!

Lemme back it up for a sec...I am completely mystified by North African cuisine. To me it's this rich ancient culture with a territory of flavors i have yet to fully explore. I have only gotten a glimpse, and from what i've tasted - hand rolled sundried couscous, harissa,  jasmine, preserved lemon, brik, orange blossom, etc - i'm hooked! 

So you can imagine my reaction when i heard Al Meida (a mobile food stand selling handmade Algerian pastries) was stopping by Detroit - my prayers had finally been answered! 

Have a look at the pics.

The pastries were delicious and definitely unique. Unique in the sense that these are fruit (mostly date) based desserts (no chocolate or sugar rush here) and the hints of orange blossom and rose water are otherworldly. Strangely nostalgic, yet unknown. Aromatic and flavorful. It's all so foreign and new, yet i want more!
5 - Heather J.: Oh. My. God. 

I found Al Meida's delectable Algerian pastries while at the Detroit Second Annual Holiday Food Bazaar held at Eastern Market. The name on the advertisement for the event attracted my attention, but I was not prepared for such a sweet, elegant woman selling sophisticated pastries beyond my experience. She laid out half-moon pastries on beautiful, inscribed plates and had mysterious, spice-infused cookies spread over her table. The sweet, exotic scents unlocked the doors to the southern Mediterranean and the culinary crossroads of Africa, French and Italian influences, and Arabic elements. 

At once I was hooked, and divested of all the cash I brought in one go. 

I had to try a little of everything as I bought a little of this sticky cookie and a bit of that lemon-brushed pastry. Names were unfamiliar, but the tastes immediately opened up a sun-baked world on my tongue. The surreal touches of citrus and dates blended together on my palate. My beau, a lifelong Detroiter, had significantly more experience with the Chaldean, Iraqi, and Arabic bakeries in Dearborn. We rationed out our purchases in small bites while sitting elbow to elbow at a rough bench which faced the glorious skyline of Detroit. This, in a nutshell, embodied the spirit of the city.

Al Meida's crowning confection is the kaab el ghazal -- "gazelle horns" -- which are an almond paste-filled crescent moon "cookie" (but rightly they're a pastry) wrapped in orange blossom and rosewater infused pastry. The first bite taken a few steps away was an explosion of flavours and sensate impressions. My beau and I shared the kaab el ghazal in the mute silence brought by contentment, appreciation, and trying to experience how good something is. We only bought three and should have gone back for the rest. 

The baked products, their appearance, and the savoury flavours are good enough to wax poetic upon. I sailed off to a distant shore and discovered an unknown craving for orange blossom and other newly found subtle tastes. Al Meida has made her way out to Ferndale's Rust Belt Market on Sundays, thankfully sparing me trying to wend my way out to Ann Arbor's farmer's markets. An hour on the freeway on Saturday morning I could do without.

This is another of Detroit's many gems, and I cannot laud the exotic delights waiting to be sampled care of enchanting Algerian recipes and considerable care for quality.

Al's Garage - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9096134, -79.0650545) ()
5 - Shannon W.: http://www.cartalk.com/ct/mechx/shop.jsp?id=23499

The only one from Chapel Hill on Cartalk, an NPR show that is designed for the education of car owners, and helping them find the rare honest mechanic in their area. 

One review site online five stars. And Better Business Bureau's A+ on all acounts

http://www.bbb.org/raleigh-durham/business-reviews/repair-shops/als-garage-in-chapel-hill-nc-1006


http://durham.citysearch.com/profile/6158537/chapel_hill_nc/al_s_garage.html

THESE sites speak louder than my words could. I would not go anywhere else.
5 - Eric M.: Al, Don, and crew are the only people in this area I would trust with my car.  We've used them for going on 13 years and they've never given us a word of bad advice.  They are punctual and honest.  They also give helpful advice about other auto-related vendors and services in the area.  They're the best.
5 - Chaz L.: The best auto repair experience I've ever had, hands down. The service was prompt and honest, and Al and the crew are as professional and knowledgeable as they come. More than anything, you can tell they take great pride in their work and love making cars work again. In the words of Steve Jobs, it was a magical experience.
1 - Gary M.: Even though it is been over a decade, I still get angry every time I pass this garage. About 14 years ago I was in Carrboro in my Mercury Villager minivan with a toddler and a baby. It was of those incredibly hot summer days and my battery died. My kids were sweltering in the heat. I can't remember the exact details but I know I was not using the AC to preserve some power. I think I got a jump and was able to get it into this joint. All I wanted was a battery. Little Al came out and sneared at my van and said that they would lower themslves to work on some things but they would nevr go low enough to allow an American minivan in to their little garage.I was standing there with a dying battery and two overheated and miserable kids. He sneared as I drove off. I got a block down the street before it died and called AAA and got a battery after more time in the heat. I called off the visit to grandmothers and took my dangerously overheated kids back to Raleigh.

 He may be saintly to other reviewers but to me he was mean, arrogant, rude and totally uncaring.

 By the way Alvin, all these years later, my minivan is still going strong at 305,000 miles. May not be good enough for you to put a battery in but it has been good to me.

Al's Harvard Square Cafe - Cambridge, MA (42.373049, -71.118499) (Harvard Square)
4 - Dave F.: Months ago I got an insider tip that Al's was expanding into Harvard Square, which I can get to on my lunch break. I was ecstatic. Al's State Street Cafe has been one of my favorite local lunch venues for a very long time, and not having one nearby has been one of the few frustrating things about working in Cambridge. After checking time and again, I finally saw it today. Al's Harvard Square Cafe has opened. 

If you've ever been to Al's State Street, you already know what to expect, but for those of you who haven't, here you go: 

Expect some chaos. Al's is loud. There is a constant din of customers and employees loudly calling orders back and forth. When it is busy, it's hard to tell which customers are waiting to order, which have ordered and are waiting to pay, and which have paid and are waiting for their sandwiches. There aren't lines so much as there are nebulae of people slowly weaving their way through each other. The chaotic nature is the only thing that takes a star off for me, and even then just barely. 

The sandwich menu is simultaneous elaborate and simple. While there is a large selection of cold and hot subs, with many options for mixing and matching ingredients, you don't have to worry at all about price. Larges (which live up to their name) cost $7.50, and smalls $5.50, made with fresh ingredients and bread baked in-house. The prices are the same no matter what you order or how many (or few) ingredients you ask them to stuff into that delicious pocket of crusty bread. 

As for the sandwiches, there isn't anything I've ever tried at an Al's that I didn't like. The eggplant parm, the chicken pesto, the cafe special (prosciutto, mozzarella, tomatoes and basil) and the lady cafe special (the cafe special without the prosciutto) have always been standouts for me. The lady I got for lunch today was as good, if not better, than ones I've had on State Street, and the scent wafting from eggplant parm I got for dinner had my mouth watering, too. 

One thing that may be confusing and add to the chaos early on is the layout. They take orders for cold subs and assemble them on the left side, while taking orders for the hot subs on the left. However, the giant overhead menu has the hot subs on the left and the cold on the right. In the short time I was inside, I saw several customers confused by that, and I hope they switch them around. 

The new location is in the Holyoke Center in Harvard Square. If you aren't looking for it, you may not find it, as it isn't visible from the street. I'm hoping this doesn't hurt the Cafe's ability to survive in Cambridge, because I plan to go here all the time. Thank you Al, for bringing your delicious subs up closer to my neck of the woods!
4 - Lauren C.: I was excited to find a new lunch place when strolling through the Holyoke Center in Harvard Square. Al's didn't disappoint. The eggplant parm sub I ordered was delicious and my husband said that his meatball sub was also yummy. The price is right too -- $5.50 for a sub and $6.75ish for a sub, chips, and drink. The only downside is that there isn't a place to sit, so it's a lunch on the go kinda place. This will definitely become one of our regular spots!
4 - E V.: Great Place!  Sandwiches are good, value is amazing, service is fast!  Harvard Square was missing a good sub shop and so glad Al's is here.  Good luck Subway.
5 - Jake M.: Happy to report that Al's makes the transition across the river with its prices, efficiency and flavor intact. While not exactly off the beaten path in Harvard Square, it is tucked away a bit in the weird little arcade/bazaar Holyoke Center, right next to Au Bon Pain. This works fine for me - maybe it will keep the hordes away, or at least down to a reasonable amount, but I imagine not once word spreads among the students. 

Still the best lunch deal you can find anywhere, the best and quickest service, and transcendent chicken salad you'll ever had (I really wish I could try something else, but I've been to the other Al's outposts well over 200 times, and have gotten the chicken salad every time). 

Unlike the other Al's locations (both in the financial district), they stay open later (9 or 10), and are open on weekends. Perfect.
2 - Juli W.: Not a huge fan. They're new to Harvard Square and there was a lot of hype with their 1/2 off grand opening.  I got the large Chicken Parm sub meal . It was huge, but nothing special. The chicken wasn't breaded like a chicken parm should be - and the sauce was mediocre at best.  I wish them well, but won't be returning as their are far better options in the area.
3 - Jen S.: Only rating this 3 stars, as this is a first impression review. Came here for lunch today. Didn't set out to come here. I actually set out to go to Au Bon Pain. Then I thought I'd try Oggi. Then I changed my mind and tried Al's. I am extremely indecisive. I know you care. 

Anyway, I got the (small) Lady Cafe Special. Can't beat the $5.50 price for the size it was. Seemed like a large to me. Can't imagine what size the large actually is!

While the APPEARANCE of the sub is mediocre (not moutwateringly DAZZLING at ALL), I enjoyed my sub (took it home to Allston from Harvard, and it survived the 66 bus ride). The bread was very good, but I wish they had more bread options. Like I said, the small seemed like a large to me, so I have 1/2 a sub for lunch tomorrow. I hope it's still as good leftover. 

Service was friendly, but if you're short like me and want a cold sub (you order hot subs in one direction, cold in another), you pretty much have to stand on your tippy toes and raise your head so the damn sandwich preparer can see you. Ha. 

Won't go out of my way to come back, but will definitely return. Prices are VERY reasonable. A  bag lunch (10 in sub, 20 oz soda and bag of chips) = $6.75. I'm glad I stepped into the Holyoke Center today! :) And I'm glad I didn't go to Au Bon Pain. Would have paid much more for much less!
3 - Julie F.: Hands down the cheapest lunch in Harvard Square.  A SMALL sub for $5.50 is nearly a foot long!  

My sub was good but not great.  The flavor wasn't all there, though I appreciate that the sub came with cheese but wasn't so greasy.

The layout with 2 lines for ordering is confusing and could use better signage.  It would be nice to see more veggie options too.
5 - Michael C.: I stumbled upon Al's one day while wandering around on my lunch break. As a huge fan of sandwiches and subs I thought I'd try Al's on for size and the fit was absolutely perfect.  It had everything I want in a sub shop: quality, freshness, selection, taste and colossal portion.  Al himself was there behind the counter being boisterous and upbeat and winning customers over left and right.  Listen, even if the food was of mediocre quality Al's Harvard Square would still get business galore based on this guy's personality and rough around the edges charm.  

I happened to run into Al a few days later and he remembered me. It was like seeing an old pal.  Since then, I've been back to Al's 5 times and only been fortunate enough to run into Al once.  Bummer.  

Wait.  Is this review for Al's subs or Al himself?  Either way, they both are winners in my book.
2 - Patrick B.: When I go on vegetarian interludes, my favorite return to carnivorousness is the steak and cheese.  It's also my way of gauging whether or not a so-called sub place is worth my money.  Recently, Harvard Square's new Italian place, Lamole, delivered an overly cheesy, nothing-special version to my office desk.

Today I ventured to Al's in the Holyoke Center based on the recommendation of office-mate Betty who cited value as the main reason she keeps going back.  At 12:15, the hot sub line was hopping.  My order was taken quickly and called shortly after, so I only briefly noticed the assembly line that is the kitchen--grills were full, subs were stuffed, then plunked into a holder near the cash register where they are bagged up.

According to the menu, what I actually ordered was the Steak Bellino ($5.50 for a small), which is "Seasoned steak with grilled peppers and onions."  Deciding to stray from American cheese, I went with provolone.  My first thought upon unwrapping the sandwich was in the tradition of Ween, "Where'd the cheese go?"  Thoughts upon first bite: "Seasoned steak?  Seasoned with air?"  Unfortunately, there were only about two bites that hinted that, somewhere under all the tasteless steak, there might be a slice or two of provolone.  Peppers and onions also lacked flavor, making this a disappointing sub overall.  The key to a cheesesteak for me is to interlace the cheese with the meat, so that every bite delivers flavor.

As for Betty, while she was disappointed that I hadn't enjoyed my sub, she admitted that her Chicken Barbecue sub from Al's was, and I quote, "lame."
4 - C K.: This was my first visit to Al's Harvard Square Cafe. The best way to describe it is by calling it "organized, tasty chaos". A colleague took me and upon entering, a staff member greeted us and offered us a menu. I purchased a large pastrami with American cheese sub and a bottled Lipton tea for a total of $9.00. There was a long line, but it moved quickly. They have a sign hanging from the ceiling indicating where to order hot subs and another for ordering cold subs. My sub was prepared and handed to me within 6 minutes. When I unwrapped it and took my first bite, it was so delicious, fresh & hot! Yum! There was plenty of cheese and the large is very long. I'm definitely going to come to Al's again in the future.
5 - Michael G.: Went back today and got the steak bellino.  Today the bread was fresher, the ingredients were tastier and overall it was one of the best steak subs I've had in a while.  I would've preferred a touch more onions/peppers but the bread alone was keeping me satisfied.  20" for $7.50, can.not.be.beat
4 - Jessica M.: Cheapest lunch in Harvard Square, and the sizes are GIANT.  

I didn't like the meat I had here (the chicken is chunky...), but the eggplant parm sub is fantastic, so I get it whenever I go.  Free chips and drink included in the lunch deal.

Also, the guy who stands out in front of the Holyoke Center ("Al") to advertise is just awesome.
4 - Kelly M.: Massive massive sandwiches. The Lady Cafe is a personal favorite [a caprese salad on fresh bread; what's not to like]. Prices are absurdly low for something that will absolutely provide at least two meals.
2 - Rebecca L.: I was very excited to try Al's Harvard Square Cafe, particularly when I saw "Boston's Best Chicken Salad" on the menu (I really love chicken salad). 

For the first time since I've started eating chicken salad (somewhere around the same time tuna stopped repulsing me), I couldn't finish the sandwich. It was terrible! The menu said something about "the perfect amount of chicken, mayo, and seasonings" on the sandwich. By seasonings, they meant that they poured an entire box of Morton's salt into the chicken salad mix. Otherwise, I couldn't taste much seasoning. Between the bottle of soda I bought and my water bottle, I still couldn't power through that much salt to finish the sandwich.

I'd like to think that the other sandwiches might be better, but I just can't bring myself to try them. After all, the lunch box deal is a good one (a little over $6 for a small sub, bag of chips and a soda), except the selection of chips is pitiful and my soda wasn't even close to cold. 

I suppose you get what you pay for, but from now on I'll pay a bit more for food that is actually edible rather than spend less to just throw my food away.
5 - Alyssa B.: I love this place.  Finally, the right kind of delicious Italian sub and the price is terrific!  My mouth waters when I think of the Italian's Italian.  The right onions cut up just right, the hots, the dressing, the tasty plum tomatoes...makes me want to run back through the rain and get another 1/2 sub (which are quite generously sized).

As I stood there in front of the menu today, pondering if I should consider trying something new, I may have even had the pleasure of meeting Al himself--if he's a big guy with a mustache.  He was very friendly in greeting me and sending me to the front.

I've gotten the Italian's Italian at least 4 times and my husband and I like.  And they carry Utz chips.  As a native Pennsylvania from Utz country, I salute you!
4 - Kathleen F.: Whoohooo, Al's has come to Cambridge!  As a frequent customer of the financial district locations I was really excited to stumble upon the new Harvard Square Al's location yesterday while searching for lunch in Harvard Square.  I like that they stuck w' tne normal Al's layout and service set up, definitely the best way to handle crowds.  

I had the Harvard Square special which is my usual fave, it is proscuitto, basil, tomato, and mozzerella w' olive oil and vinegar.  My boyfriend tried the pastrami special which was amazing.  As a first time Al's visitor he was also excited at the prospect of trying their 4 variations of a steak sub!  Another really important factor here is cost, Al's is a great value (small sub (which BTW is really like an extra large sub) chips, and a drink are only $7.50.)  Can't beat that!  I also recommend the antipasto, it is delicious and comes w' a side of their yummy bread.

I'm thinking this is definitely going to be the new Harvard student hangout come the start of Fall semester, but luckily the Al's super-speedy method for making subs and handling lines should tackle the crowds nicely.
5 - Heather B.: I was a patron of Al's State Street location for 4 years, then stopped working around there.  Dreams and cravings for Al's bothered my subconscious ;D.....

On an off chance I could snag a parking spot in the financial district with my baby/young son, I was there!  Yes, specific trips in-town for "the sub".

The tot and I were recently near home and in Harvard Sq.  On a lucky streak: I spotted the new Al's!!!  According to the worker they've been there for around 5-6 months already.  Not oven very hungry, but craved "The Sub" as it was once known at work.  They have THE BEST TUNA!!  

Also try the Harvard Sq. special- (State Street special at their 1st locale.)

Love the chaos of Al's- we were there after lunch so didn't experience the rush.  
Like any good sub shop, you list off the ingredients and they assemble.  You can order off the menu but this is how I like it:

Small tuna with American cheese, pickles, hots and basil.  Bag lunch with salt & vinegar chips and water.  Perfect. 

If you're hungry you will eat it all.  Restrained?  Save the other half for tomorrow, reheated in the toaster oven.  
They have the best warm, crispy-on-the-outside soft-on-the-inside rolls!  

Lastly, you just need a good spot to eat it.  Used to go to the waterfront but in Cambridge there is plenty of people watching- or head to the Charles and relax... Don't forget to grab some napkins!   
I want to "like" them on fb but they don't have a page yet.  C'mon, Al's!  Too busy making subs.
5 - Chuck L.: Welcome to Harvard Square!

Excellent subs. The smalls are plenty of food. Reasonable prices with extremely fast friendly service.
4 - Bernard F.: Went at lunch on a weekday and was absolutely shocked that there was no line to order, which was completely different from my first time here over the summer when it was packed.

The lunch combo (small sandwich, chips, soda for $7.50) is not a bad deal, but this time I went with the large meatball parm and it was huge. (maybe 30% larger than a large sandwich from Subway). Bread tasted pretty fresh, but it's just untoasted french bread.
4 - nora c.: Quick and great value!  For $6.00 the small sub is huge. The large is actually kind of frightening. Had the Harvard Cafe sub. Good prosciutto. No wait either .
3 - Lisa C.: When I lived in Boston, I used to go to Al's state street cafe whenever I could because it was such a great value. During my last visit, I saw that they opened a restaurant in Harvard and decided I had to try it.

We came here for lunch and they were friendly and fast. We got a steak pizzaiola and a harvard sq special chicken sub. The steak was delicious but could use more sauce and the chicken was disappointing. Still a good value, but I guess not as good as I remember.
4 - Katie K.: When I used to waitress at a very busy restaurant in Harvard Square this is where I would be on my lunch break.

Al's deli-style ordering is casual, quick, and easy.  The price for a small sub, bag of chips, AND a drink is only $6!  Not to mention the small is actually more like a large and not once have I finished the whole thing (and I can eat a lot...for a girl.)  I only ever order turkey subs from deli's (because I'm a creature of habit) and this one was of the most delicious I have had.  

Al's doesn't have seating in the actual cafe but it is located in the Holyoke Center and there is seating available right outside Al's doors.  In the warmer weather this is a great place to pick up subs for a bike ride, or to eat outside and people watch in the square.
3 - Sarah G.: Very quick service and good value for the size of the sandwich.  The flavors in the eggplant parm are great, but the texture of the sandwich could use some work.  The eggplant is often thickly sliced and one sandwich I ordered had a few slightly undercooked slices - ugh.  The bread is also super soggy and could be improved a great deal by toasting or tossing in the broiler.  The service is so quick that adding a minute to toast the bread wouldn't have too big an impact on wait times.
4 - Tim F.: Price is great, very rare to find affordable lunch in the Square.  Salads are great, bread is amazing, bag lunch is a great deal.  The ordering process is confusing and hectic at best--it consists of a giant mass of people milling about...only reason it got 4 instead of 5 stars.
2 - Trisha A.: I should have gone to Subway.

Went to Al's because I was at the Holyoke Center running other errands and didn't feel like making another stop for dinner.  There was no one in the place and it took 2 minutes for someone to even ask if I wanted to order.  They were all standing around and chatting.  I told a worker what I wanted and he still proceeded to clean up a bit, then went to put on gloves.  I thought he was going to make my sandwich, but instead he walked to the back and was BSing with his coworkers.  Finally, about 5 minutes after I walked in, someone came to make my sandwich (and it wasn't the first person who took my order).  She was nice enough, but here's a sample of our conversation:

Me: I'd like a roast beef sandwich.
Her: With American cheese?
Me: No, provolone.
Her: [puts mayo on sandwich] No cheese, right?

That happened two other times with other toppings.

Now that I'm home and eating it, the sandwich is dry (despite the mayo) and flavorless, despite the toppings and salt and pepper.  I've had better from Subway and I could get a footlong sandwich for $5, not the $6 they charge.  This is also the one place on earth that uses less meat per inch of sandwich than Subway.  One highlight is the bread, which is delightfully crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.  Wouldn't return.
4 - Danitra W.: Al's is so much better than Subway.  Great bang for your buck and sandwiches that are actually delicious!  The rolls are very thick, the ingredients are fresh, and the wait is never too long.

Minus one star because they raised their prices slightly since they came to Harvard Square, but it's still a great value.
3 - Brian D.: Enter Al's in the Holyoke Center with a bit of patience if you roll up at lunchtime. If your blood sugar is crashing and you are getting cranky pants, you might want to get there before the lunch crowds M-F. Seriously. Happens to me. I get it. 

That being said. Al's is a sandwich shop. A to-go sandwich shop. Hit up Al's for your standard lunch time turkey sando or maybe something fancy pants like a bbq chicken sub. Go bananas. Get spicy stuff on there. Let your hair down. Throw caution to the wind. Leave your man. Get mayo on that ham and cheese. Live a little. 

Get the lunch special. Bag lunch. Small sando. Chips. Soda. Be American. Embrace it.
5 - Ruth W.: I'm totally addicted to their chicken salad sandwiches.  The bread is really fresh and crisp and I don't know what they put into the chicken salad but it's amazing.  I'm usually in and out in less than 5 minutes.  Al is so sweet too - he always makes me smile.
4 - Erica D.: 3 1/2 stars, really, but I'll round up.
I'm really glad they added a 6 inch sub to the menu, because the small was still huge. And at 6 bucks, a sandwich, bag of chips and a soda is a great deal for the Square.  The sandwiches are solid, the bread is delicious. The staff are really quick, too, even when there's a line.
However, I wish they'd turn down the radio in there. I hate yelling my order, then re-yelling my order, and then having to tell them that I said pickles not tomatoes. I realize that makes me sound like an old fart, but man, it's annoying.
5 - Suze C.: Al's is my new favorite place to eat in Harvard Square. The food is a great deal--a small sandwich is still 10 inches long!--and even though the sandwiches aren't overstuffed or anything the bread is so good it makes the sandwiches taste great. All the ingredients seem pretty fresh. Seriously, I know Subway is a little cheaper, but the quality of the ingredients just does not compare. I especially like the tomatoes they use. The staff is very efficient and I have always gotten my sandwich quickly and they have always gotten my order exactly right. I do wish they stayed open just a little later.
4 - Jason P.: I weep for all the little childrens of the Earth that will never taste one of Al's Chicken Parm subs ... because all their subs are belong to me ...

I never knew chicken tenders could be made so very tasty ... [sniff ... I'm getting a little verklempt ... ] ...
4 - Eunice E.: Oh em gee. $6 for a "small" sub (which is more like a super large, since it could easily feed two hungry men, or one hungry lady like myself for two meals)... you can't beat that! I've had the chicken / eggplant parm each time, and it's never let me down. No frills, no fuss... just really good sandwiches at very reasonable prices. Yum. Makes you leave thinking, "Five-dollar foot-who???"
4 - Paul S.: I love this place. Great meal sizes. Great price. Their Steak sandwich is to die for. Decent price as well.
5 - David W.: Awesome, I love this place. I usually order a large chicken salad sub or a large pepper steak & cheese and each of them are my favorite sandwiches. A large sub, chips, and soda are only $9.50. Not bad at all. I used to go to the one in Boston during lunch but now I can go here because of their hours. They are open until 10pm every night and 8pm on Sunday. What a great deal. The one qualifier that I have for this location is that the radio is too loud. Another review also mentioned this too. The times I have been here, I feel like I needed to shout my order so they hear me to get it right. Other than that the food is excellent, fresh bread, large portions, and great prices. Can't go wrong, highly recommended.
5 - Myrna C.: On my latest trip to Harvard, my sister and dad told me I had to try Al's. So, we got a Chicken Parmesan Small Sub to share. Trust me, a SMALL is big enough to share, which is such a great deal cause it's only $6. The chicken was cooked to perfection and the marinara sauce and melted cheese on top made it heavenly. Originally, we were going to get the chicken pesto but it was sold out. That is definitely on my list to try!  I definitely want to go back and get one of their other sandwiches sometime. Just looking at the menu online is making me so hungry!

Al's Music Video & Games - Seattle, WA (47.6626537, -122.3131058) (University District)
1 - Jeff G.: It seems like this place would be the great for finding that game, CD or video you want. But it's cluttered, dusty and the employees stand behind the counter with a gaze of open hatred and boredom. And there's a horrible, terrible stench in there. It's probably mostly B.O and old cigarettes but it smells like the broken l souls of lonely old video gamers. I've yet to be able to spend more than 10 minutes here at a stretch.
5 - Michelle G.: Yeah, Al's is a little dingy, a little musty, and the sources of their used products are a bit sketchy.

But I have found some of the sweetest shit at Al's over the years!  I almost don't want to write this review because my evil selfish side wants to keep this gem hidden just for me.

Of course I'm talking old records here.  And 8-tracks.  Hell, I think this is the only place in town that still has 8-tracks for sale, so of course the store is gonna smell funny!

Every time I go to a record store, there are certain artists that I always check by default, just in case something good or kind of rare is there.  Usually I turn up empty-handed, but at Al's I find something cool almost every time.  Brian Eno's Another Green World SEALED for $10?  Yep!  Bowie's Hunky Dory in good shape for $12.99?  Indeed.

Aside from Golden Oldies, there is really no other place in town with such cool old records ... It makes my heart happy!
4 - Tiffany N.: Great used video game, movie, and music store!  The selection of old games was great and prices are reasonable.
1 - Rebecca S.: I don't know why Al's always tricks me - it really feels like a place where you can find some gems. They blast loud music, don't give a fuck, and you feel filthy coming out of there, but in the end, it's all for nothing.

Now, I'm not asking that they have Jens Lekman CDs for me, but it'd be nice if they had something more obscure than Celine Dion or Gwen Stefani. It seems like the only music they get here is music that people have left in their dorms, or stole from frat parties for some quick cash.

That's not the worst of it though - not only do they only sell crap, but they sell it at higher prices than any other record store in the area. Who in their right mind would pay $7 for a used Whitney Houston CD?
4 - Nat O.: This place is a lot of fun, they have good prices and a good selection of music, plus lots of random items for sale.
4 - Nacirfa R.: Dark.....Musty.....Grimy......all could be used to describe Al's Music, Video & Games....but the fact is, Al's has a ton of hard to come by stuff (especially older video games, which they display in a special case near the entrance) and you're likely to find something that catches your eye. 

This was one of my favorite places to scavenge through when I lived nearby - they have a ton of used DVD's (including a lot of box sets), records, CD's, video games....even porn (hopefully not used)...you name it. Sure, most of it was probably stolen and then sold to them for crack money by some bum, but who cares how it got there.

The prices are pretty good for the most part, but some of the more hard to find movies and games can get expensive (they know what's rare and mark it as so). You can also trade in stuff for store credit or straight cash, but I don't recommend it unless you're really hard up for money because you will get burned.

I recommend the 3 for $10 DVD section if you're trying to build a collection - a lot of the movies are crap but you'll find some good ones from time to time. If you're into old records and CD's you'll spend quite a bit of time going through their collection. Gamers will enjoy the selection of NES and SNES games - even a nice selection of Game Boy games and devices, from old to new. They also have a lot of music accessories and equipment, including speakers, amps, etc....pretty much anything that you could think of that would be stolen from a house or apartment.
1 - Matthew R.: I concur with Doctor J - this place is just a dumping ground for robbery loot.  The front displays of old nintendo and SNES games is impressive, but it's the only eye candy in the store. The rest of the place is a garbage dump. Most of the records are in bad shape, and the people who work here don't give a shit about anything.

I traded my Wii for a record player, speakers, and a stereo receiver that they claimed were 'tested and working', plus 25 bucks in records. When I got home, the receiver channels were broken. They let me exchange for another and we tested it in the store. It worked passably for a month and then the speaker channel connectors fell off. Speakers were trash. Records were scratched. I should have just used craigslist or bought new.
4 - Mark A.: When I first came here during my first year at UW, I didn't care about the loud music blaring into my ear canal.  I didn't care about how unkempt and dirty the place felt.  All that mattered was that I was here either for one of three things; the music, the movies or the video games.

Remember this when you walk in: check in your bag.  Not only is it an anti-theft measure, but it also makes you less of an idiot knowing it now, before you're asked.  Just sayin'.

Depending on what you ask, and how you go about looking for something in the story, either intentionally or unintentionally, you're bound to find something that will attract your interest.  Right near the entrance, if you're a video game aficionado and collector extraordinaire, is a glass display of old games, dated and rare with some hefty bounties on them.  They even had an old Game & Watch and Donkey Kong among other rarities!  Unlike Gamestop, this place still caters to the crowd that admire and still seek older titles.  "Classic Plastics," as the old Nintendo cartridges are admirably named, can still be found here.  Dreamcast, Gamecube, Playstation--the works.

There seems to be quite an overstock of used DVDs on sale, much so that the prices are intentionally marked down in an attempt to clear it away.  You can find some new movies with prices lower than what you'd find at a retail store, and in the same condition, albeit minus the shrink wrap.  And yes, the funny thing about this place is more often than not I've seen people make a bee-line run towards the adult DVD section without any kind of shame.

The people working there are pretty chill, some of them more so than others that it's easy to talk about a particular subject so enthusiastically while you're there, started by the music blaring in the store, or the audio of a well-known movie playing to recall some old memories.  Don't let the shady and dusty appearance of the shop fool you, this place is too awesome to not visit.  My only gripe, however--is how small the aisles are; more often than not I found myself browsing through the place, only to turn into a victim of liposuction to allow other customers to move past me whilst they were going about their own business within the store.

If you're not feeling the prices or the atmosphere here, remember that you can always hop over to the Pink Gorilla and try your hand there.  But at least before you do that, exhaust all your efforts here.  You won't be overwhelmed, nor disappointed.
4 - The-Hoa H.: A bunch of refurbished videos, games, music and technological devices.....some for real cheap...some on the more expensive end. The ipods and stuff are marked up kind of high so idk who in their right minds would ever by an ipod from them. The games however are a great deal, videos and music collections are vast and plenty. You can find almost anything you need in here if you're a game collector....including those antique consoles.
5 - Derek T.: it was the best of DIMES it was the worst of DIMES

when you need a dime sack of weed there is only one place that will hook you up and its the drug dealers outside of al's.

there always wonderful druggos outside of al's and they have absolut fire. bye their weed its delicious. AND here's the best part: it comes in special bags! lil printed patterbags. a must own trip toy for hte next time yr tripping on ACID MUSHROOMS or MARY JANE. peyote trip dude. get those baggiez

Thts the word + thanks for reading 
,,,,,,,,Derek,,,,,,,,,

PUT YR HANDS UP! PUT YR HANDS UP! EVERYDAY IM HUSTILING.

Al-Baraki - Cohoes, NY (42.773226, -73.700726) ()
3 - Audrey L.: This restaurant is actually called Beirut now.  I always want to give these guys a great review because they are so nice but anything i've ever gotten with chicken in it has been so dry i could barely finish.  My friend always gets the falfel or a falafel platter and never has any complaints so I'll just have to get that next time! Also a trip to Beirut wouldn't be complete without their garlic paste (not for the faint of heart). Take some home and try grilling chicken or roasting vegetables with it.
5 - Deborah P.: These reviews are out of date.   As of  the summer of 2010 Albaraki has moved to Cohoes...133 Remsen St.   Still the original owners, Paul and Simone.  The first in the Capital District to bring Lebanese food to American pallets.
5 - Ryan H.: What is left to say about Al Baraki?  Ever since they appeared on the local food scene, it's been my go-to place for Friday night takeout.  I have never had anything here that was less than awesome. 

Should I start by praising the garlic paste?  If you frequent either the Troy or Albany food co-op, you might be familiar with this super-strong garlic dip which manages to overpower anything it touches.  Many dishes at Al Baraki are lightly touched with their garlic paste.  Anything more would be too much.

The baba ghanouj is the best baba ghanouj I've had.  Smooth, but not overly pureed.  Fully spiced, but still eggplanty.  They give you a nice warm pita to dip into it.  The chicken shwarma wrap is amazing.  I feel like its addictive qualities must have been worked out in a laboratory somewhere.  How else can you explain something that causes you to stuff it in your face so quickly?  

I am delighted to now have Al Baraki in my own neighborhood
5 - joan n.: this is my first review and i want to do this coz i just love this place so much but i kinda feel that a lot of people havent heard about this place. i live around the corner and just found this place last sunday while browsing yelp app on my phond. everything  here is amazing the combo is a must try, its a combination of chicken shawarma and kofta kabob with salad and rice or garlic fries.. we  tried the sampler appetizer w/c has the hummus,grapeleaves with rice, salad and some eggplant dish( babba ghanoush?!)for our entrees,i had their moudjadara,which is a lentils with rice, and my bf had the combo, food is just awesome and worth ur money. . dont forget about the desserts! homemade baklawa! the staff and the owner were very nice too. we're def. coming back for more!
4 - Rowan S.: This is the best Lebanese food you'll find in the area. Their chicken shwarma is to die and its only $5 for a small and $8 for a large. I like their various salads too, a very unique dressing. My gf is crazy about this place.

The only thing I don't like is when you place an order, if they run out of a dish, they will substitute some other dish (could be completely different ingredients you don't like). I THINK THEY SHOULD GET YOUR PHONE NUMBER AND CALL YOU BACK AND ASK! THEY'VE DONE THIS A FEW TIMES NOW.
3 - John N.: Went for lunch today and enjoyed some of the food here.  
My wife had the falafel platter - which is really the ingredients to make a falafel sandwich just you put it together.  The ingredients were fresh, but the tahini didn't really have any flavor.

I had the moujadara which is lentils and rice topped with caramelized onions.  Very flavorful, very filling, and very hot.

We also tried a zaatar pie because it is listed as the most favored Lebanese pie - tasted like burnt seasonings atop a small pita.  Not so much good.

Overall nice, but there is better in the Capital District.  I don't think we'll be back.
2 - Mike L.: This was really my first time trying Lebanese food and it wasn't really my favorite. My friend suggested it and goes there often. They just started a new lunch buffet apparently so I figured that would be a good place to start. I didn't ask the price beforehand, which i later regretted. It was about $16 and there was not very much selection. The owner/chef was very friendly and came out asking everyone personally if they wanted Falafel as it wasn't on the buffet. This was excellent and would have made the buffet a little more worthwhile. The hummus was excellent also, as well as this garlic paste they make and some sort goat cheese pita like pizza. I didn't really catch the name because of the buffet. Overall I hate to leave a bad review because it seems like a nice place with some good dishes but the buffet was a fail. I would like to come back again and order off the menu.
4 - JB A.: Excellent food, friendly service.
4 - Susan F.: The hours that are listed here on yelp may not be correct. I was at Al-Baraki for lunch today during hours that yelp said it was closed. Call ahead or check their website to be sure.
5 - Rachel Q.: The food is incredible and the owners make you feel right at home.  A great family owned restaurant.
2 - Josh A.: Hours are wrong, I put in correction to Yelp.

Picked up food this time, was more than underwhelmed.

Food- 2 Stars.
All the fresh items were pretty awesome. The salads are great as are the grape leaves.

I got a Kibbeh dinner. It was so dry it was like cardboard. I am guess they just don't have enough business to keep something like kibbeh fresh. It was not good.

Service- 3 Stars
Nice enough but they pretty much hung up on me when I called my order. They need to learn basics of running a restaurant as noted from last experience sitting down.

Atmosphere- 2 Stars
Very basic, very white, but clean. Nobody in there.
4 - Brian L.: I've had takeout from here a few times, and the food is great.  I particularly enjoy the "condiments" -- the baba ghannouj, hummus and garlic paste are great and I use them liberally with the pita and fries that come with most meals, and indeed with the meals themselves.  The fried cauliflower is delicious, and in general the appetizers here really shine.  I've also been pleased with their entrees, although a few of them have been less than stellar.  In particular, I've found the meat on their kabobs a bit dry and unseasoned, although this is easily remedies by adding a touch of garlic paste.  Also, the baklawa had too much phyllo dough and not enough nuts for my taste.  In general, though, the food is fresh and delicious and is a great alternative to pizza and wings (note: they do have great wings, though).

The atmosphere is quiet, which is unfortunate but outside of their control.  I've never had a problem with the service, although this is a "family-owned and operated" restaurant so patience is sometimes required.  Last time I went they indicated that delivery service will begin soon, which will be nice as the winter months come around.  Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant.  I plan to frequent it as much as possible.
5 - Diana H.: WOW! 

This place is a mind warp.. you go in and its very simple, a few tables little decor or ambiance and you think "this won't be impressive."  You sit down, it takes a while for the server to get to you because it looks like the server is also the cook and the one busing tables.

You look at the menu, it all sounds really good and the prices are very reasonable.  Your order and then magic happens, the kitchen door opens and the whiff of the Lebanese food is enough to make you swoon. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G . Wow!

My grandmother was Lebanese so I thought there was no way anyone could even come close to her cooking but this was right on. Fantastic, fresh and full of flavor. 

I will def. be coming back here again when I am in the area !

FYI:

I had the 
-Sample appetizer (plenty for 3 people)
& the majadra (YUM)
5 - Neil V.: No bad, not bad at all. 

I know nothing about Lebanese food but my wife does....we both left saying "damn that was good". The toum (garlicky goodness) was one of the best things I have ever eaten. 

The place has  a lot of seating but my impression was this is a two person operation; husband and wife. Don't go here expecting fine dining. Do go expecting very friendly service and amazing food.
2 - Olga P.: After all the great reviews and my family's love for middle eastern cuisine, I chose Al Baraki for an informal birthday dinner last Friday. We were very disappointed by poor service - albeit with the best intentions on the part of the owner/server. My dad ordered coffee which was brought cold (and replaced on our request). We were missing silverware, had to ask for that too. Orders were delivered slowly, kitchen and server were clearly overwhelmed although the restaurant was not even full. Front door opening and closing made for a strong draft, and we felt cold most of the time. Some customers wore their outerwear indoors. Food was passable, not spectacular (much less interesting or flavorful than at the Ali Baba in Troy or at Beirut in Albany. We were disappointed that there was no traditional lamb shish kebob, only ground lamb dishes. The beef and chicken kebobs were not marinated enough, not much flavor, beef was just tough to chew. Desserts as well as the house special lemonade drink had roe water flavor in them, which is not for everyone. So as much as we want to support hard working emigrant families, this establishment will not be on our list. Next time - back to Ali Baba.
5 - Bill B.: Excellent food. Best Lebonese food you can get. Lots of variety and good prices.  The owner runs the place and does a good job of it. I highly recommend.
4 - Bill K.: Quality Food (5 star) - we had the baba ghannouj, chicken shawarma, and combo kabob.  Everything was beyond fresh and flavorful.  Can't get any better!

Quantity Food (4 star) - the entrees were good sized, while the baba ghannouj was on the small side.

Service - (4 star) - the waiter Paul, who I believe was the owner, was very courteous, but seemed a bit busy.  I think he should have one more employee helping.

Price (3 star) - not cheap, but at least you get what you pay for with the delicious food.

Ambiance - (3 star)  - clean and cute, but nothing spectacular.

Overall, this place is definitely worth trying as the food is absolutely amazing.  Very solid!
5 - Hannah N.: This place was great.
5 - Zachary H.: This place is absolutely fantastic.  I wanted a broad sample of their dishes, so I opted for the $22 "Royal Feast" that is essentially a gigantic sampler platter that includes a side salad and baklava for dessert.  I loved every single bite, and the garlic paste was positively to-die-for.

The service was a little on the slow side, so I wouldn't suggest this place for someone on a tight schedule, but the quality is positively phenomenal.  The price is a bit on the high side, but not unreasonable considering the amount of quality food you get for your money.
2 - Ashleigh E.: I really, really, really wanted to like this place. I genuinely, honestly did, but I just can't go the extra mile and give it 3 stars. "Why?" is what I'm sure you're asking me in your head right now. Well, there are three reasons: food, price and speediness.

I'm a sucker for Mediterranean food, so when my tummy started growling one night while attending a show at The Foundry for Art Design + Culture, I knew I needed food fast and I knew it wasn't going to be pizza. Al-Baraki was only a couple doors down the street, so there I went. It was a Friday night during peak restaurant hours, so I figured it was going to be busy, but when my friend and I walked in, it felt like we walked into chaos. Only one poor waitress was on duty, attending what seemed like about 10 tables at once. She was doing her best, but I could tell she was beyond frazzled. I almost felt bad for being there and making her do more work. After standing at the counter for 20 minutes waiting for someone to take our order, the waitress finally got a minute to take it. I ordered a small sampler platter for $9.50 and sambouski for $6.50. It was so busy that the cook even came out to take table orders, and apologized to my friend and I for taking so long. All in all we waited 40-45 minutes for two appetizers that cost almost $18. 

When I finally got the chance to eat my food, I was sorely disappointed. I had asked for cheese sambouski but was given beef. Thankfully I am no longer a vegetarian and ate them anyway. The sampler platter was the biggest disappointment. For about ten bucks I was given one nugget of falafel (which was rather bland), one stuffed grape leaf (again, not the best i've ever had), a dollop of hummus, and a dollop of babaganouj (which, at first, I thought was mashed potatoes - also not very tasty). It was laid on a bed of soggy lettuce and coupled with a mostly-cold pita that wasn't even as tasty as most pitas I get in a plastic bag at a grocery store. For $18, which is a lot of money to someone in my age/job bracket, the food was lacking in more ways than one.

Needless to say, I was unimpressed and saddened. Like I said, I really wanted to like Al-Baraki. The waitstaff was nice and did the best they could, but I'm not sure if I'm going to give it a second chance. If I do, I'm going to give that waitress the biggest tip in the world. I felt so bad for her and she was so nice, and I hope she made bank in tips that night!
4 - Alina H.: Alright, so I've been here twice now, and I HAVE to be kind because the food (when fresh) is so delicious that it will seriously send you into fits. Both times I've had the "Royal Feast" which is a sampler of different dishes, and enough to share with friends, so that's usually what we do. 

Even my daughter loves the food, and she's five. But she'll eat up the salad, the pita and hummus with lettuce and cucumber and tomato, and the chicken. She's a big fan of the rosewater lemonade, as well.

I'm docking Al Baraki a star for a few reasons- 

1) It's always cold in there. I mean, really uncomfortably chilly. I hate that I can't relax when I'm in there, I'm always stiff and shivery.

2) They're stretched remarkably thin, typically with only one server, so expect the service to be slow and very forgetful. On this vein, know your cuisine when you get in there so that you know if something's missing. I know what tabbouleh is, so when there was no tabbouleh on the plate like there was supposed to be, I knew to ask them to bring it. Can't live without that tabbouleh, it's like crack.

Also like crack, their french fries with toum. HOLY COW. Oh my.

3) My friend and I today- we ordered hot tea. We were not asked what kind of tea we wanted even though I noticed coming out of the bathroom that they have a small selection of various herbal teas. We got black. Regular Shop Rite brand black tea. Yes, you read that right. The real hilarity was that it was salty.

... I was thinking maybe it was supposed to be? Like maybe somewhere in my American naivete I had missed that the Lebanese take their black tea with salt, sort of like how you can get a salty lassi with your Indian food? But no- it was not supposed to be made with salt. The owner marched out, tasted it to be sure we weren't messing with him, and then marched the COOK out to question him about why there would be salt in our tea. And then tasted the sugar from the Domino packet to make sure that wasn't salt. "Sometimes the factories can make a mistake," he said, and I was too busy laughing to tell him that the tea was salty prior to my putting anything in it. 

Anyway, the gentleman replaced the teas, they were fine the second time, and we were comped for them, so that was great. My friend and I joked about it the whole way home. "Hey, remember that one time we ordered tea and it tasted like the tears of our ancestors?"

4) Consistency. Portions were smaller this time around. Also what was on the plate last time I was there was not what was on the plate this time. Last time the baba ganouj was darker and had pieces of eggplant skin and char in it, really good. This time it was just whitish, it was weird. Last time the Royal Feast came with deep fried kibbeh (the crispy football shaped ones,) this time it came with baked kibbeh (the squares with the diamonds cut in the top.) I prefer the fried, so it was a disappointment.

5) Price. My word, it's a bit expensive, isn't it.

Anyway, so when they're not forgetting about the tabbouleh or accidentally salting their tea, and my god if they'd just turn up the heat and drop their prices a little, I would give them TEN STARS. Buuuut. I can't. Not this time.
5 - Deane K.: This place is a gem.  If you live in the Albany area and enjoy ethnic cuisine you should really try this restaurant.  Everything my wife and I ordered was fabulous. The waitress was very helpful.  She even steered me away from an entree' (KIBBE SINIYE) which when I had a little bit on the sampler I ordered was very interesting, but I don't recommend it for an entire meal. 
 
To sum things up, Al-Baraki is a step up from your average little Middle Eastern restaurant. The food is great, the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, the dining room is nice and it is easy to find a place to park.  

I believe you should support your locally owned businesses when they deserve it and this one does.
4 - Fred A.: Best darn mousaka (not the Greek Moussaka, but the Lebanese) we have ever had, bar none. Lamb Kofta was excellent, and the salads were earthy and delightful. They were busy and expecting some reservations that someone hadn't written down but we, without, still got seated and served and we weren't disappointed. The atmosphere is, well, utilitarian; the place was clean, the lone server was helpful and friendly and parking was a breeze. Pricey? Well, not for the quality. We would definitely go back there when we're in the Albany area.
2 - Marc G.: I tried hard to enjoy my dinner, as my spouse my
friends, and I, all enjoy middle-eastern cuisine.

We had consensus - the food was mediocre.  A Grade of C to C+

Portions were too small.

Prices were too high by 50-100%

Service was satisfactory to good.

They no longer serve lunches.

Avoid the dish consisting of Eggplant with Rice and Lentils.

A few pieces of eggplant with mushy white rice and a few lentils mixed in,
with way too much cassia (not even real cinnamon)  Needed mint.

Only a bare dollop of their excellent garlic sauce on the Royal Sampler.

Extremely disappointing was the baba ganoush - a dish WITHOUT
discernible eggplant, that tasted like the hummus. Both were bland
and runny without any garlic / parsley / mint.

Al-Farooq Masjid of Atlanta - Atlanta, GA (33.7861929, -84.4012903) (Westside / Home Park)
5 - Steve C.: If you want to experience tranquility, this is the place. Awesome ! Beautiful addition to the midtown/atlantic station skyline, the mosque recently completed it's 9 year, $3.8 million expansion project. The new area includes a prayer area that easily holds 250-300 people, a new library, and facilities for youth activities such as soccer.

The Masjid can frequently be seen on CNN and local news stations when reporters are looking for local Muslim reactions to national and international events. It has one of the largest education programs in the United States in Qur'an and Hadith, and beginning levels of Islamic instruction, especially law.

To the east of the Masjid, behind a wooden fence, is a Halal market and Islamic bookstore. The selection of the bookstore is quite good and has become a place of discussion for Muslims interested in various aspects of piety and life.

The grade school is situated behind the Masjid and is quite large. The school building is one story (and a basement) and is divided into classrooms situated on either side of a lone hallway. The classrooms are spacious and there is a prayer area in each room which is usually situated toward the front of the class.

The Dar ul-Uloom school is situated on Masjid property well away from the main complex of buildings. It is housed in an old two-story red brick church.

From their center profile: "Attendees are about 30% South Asian, 24-30% Arab, 10-20% African American (sometimes as high as 30%), and the remaining are made up of Whites, Hispanics, Africans (sometimes as high as 10%), Indonesians and Malays, a growing number of Bosnians and Kosovars, Central Asians, and a very few Iranians."
1 - DeafEmily D.: Indeed it's a beautiful masjid.  However, I find the walls very segregating.  The imams and the office administrators are very difficult to work with.  They are not receptive of females wanting to make announcements and all.  The elevators do not work half the time. The women are usually stonewalled and receiving responses or answers is next to impossible. 

I have moved my salaah and jummah to Atlanta Masjid.
2 - Daylan E.: When I moved a block away from this masjid, I was so excited to attend Jummah and have such a large Islamic center close by.... However, it's turned out to be a disappointment. Most of the sheikhs delivering the khutbah talk about mundane topics and sometimes even have such a heavy accent that it is a struggle to comprehend what they are saying. In addition, the imam talks at about 100 mph and offers no translation. There's a video translation in sign language available, but no English? The worst thing in my opinion, however, is that they continue to sell food right outside DURING Jummah prayer! Has none of the management (or vendors) ever read surah Al-Jummah?? Aside from the architectural beauty, I feel this masjid has little to offer for spiritual growth. My advice: this can be a great place for solitary prayer, reflection, and reading, but for Jummah, I've gotten more from the tiny masjids in Alpharetta.

Ala Shanghai Chinese Cuisine - Latham, NY (42.746394, -73.758702) ()
4 - Mindy L.: It's impossible to find a soup dumpling (aka XLB -- xiao long bao) in the Capital Region.   When I heard this new place opened up this spring and made XLB, well, I had to try them out.   Finally, I got a chance to make my way to Latham this week.

We ordered from the dim sum menu despite it being late afternoon.  The XLB are listed as "steamed pork soup dumpling" under dim sum and come 6 buns to an order.  At $4 for an order, their prices are comparable to what you find in NYC or Boston.  The XLB were authentic, with a thin but firm skin, and nicely flavored pork filling inside.  My first order of XLB had a good amount of soup inside the buns.  Sadly, in my second order, there was almost no soup to be found!

Our other dim sum dishes were Pan Fried Pork Dumpling, Scallion Pancake and Wonton in Spicy Flavor.  The wontons were good and spicy as promised.  They were also drizzled with a little peanut-sesame sauce that strangely lingered on my tastebuds long after we had left.  The scallion pancakes were slightly on the doughier side, but had good scallion flavor.

Both of us really enjoyed our afternoon dim sum and it came out to a very reasonable $19 pre-tax.  Also, the service is good and the management seems helpful and open to suggestions.  I'm curious to see what Shanghai dishes they have to offer.  For now, though, I'm perfectly content at having satisfied my XLB craving.
3 - Esther E.: I'm not impressed! Reading the yelp reviews, this place sounded promising and upon entering and observing the service and decor, I was expecting authentic Chinese food. When you enter, the place looks beautiful with nice lighting and clean tables and whatnot. It could have been located in Chinatown and I wouldn't have noticed. The service was great but I wish the food matched it. We ordered some dim sum-crispy wontons, turnip pasteries, scallion pancakes and the xiao long bao (soup dumplings). Everything was dull and fried. Scallion pancakes lacked flavor, turnip pastries tasted doughy. The soup dumplings were the best part, but I've had Joe Shanghai's so this did not compare...but not bad at all. We had for dinner Shrimp Lo mein and Vermicelli soup noddles with mock chicken. So hmm the shrimp lo mein looked and tasted like it could have been a standard americanized take out and the soup noodles was just noodles and the mock chicken was on the side...no garnishes or anything but it was 5 bucks so I guess it was worth the price? Overall, it was an okay food experience. Don't think I'll be going back unless I am craving the soup dumplings.
4 - Olga P.: This location had a series of eateries that have not been able to survive. I certainly hope that Ala Shanghai does! They have somehow made the interior nicer despite keeping the floor and ceiling tiles (they may make it noisy if it get very busy). Pleasant but uneven service (waiter forgot a part of our order, was unable to explain in English what a dish included) but was invariably smiley and polite. Dim Sum selection was lovely. A nice touch that they had 4th of July specials! I have not tried the big plates yet but am looking forward to try them, The chef's specials look awesome. Do check it out.
5 - Emma S.: This place is simply amazing. As close to authentic as you can get in this area. Soup dumplings, Yes Yes Yes! As well as the pan fried pork dumplings and the steamed veggie dumplings.  I LOVE dumplings! Hot and sour soup...the best I've ever had. The spicy cabbage appetizer was tasty. Their spicy pork and seafood dishes are amazing. And they have items such as jelly fish and sea cucumber which I'm building up the nerve to try! Their prices are amazingly inexpensive for the quality and quantity of food you get. Depending on what you order, you can have dinner for 2 people for under $20 with tons of food and leftovers. And their lunch specials are also very inexpensive, under $8. Just go! This is one of those little known gems just waiting to be discovered.
3 - Tianjiao G.: the taste is ok.
But the price is too high compared to other chinese restraunt. And the dish become smaller and smaller. 
will seldom be there in the after.
not worth the price i feel.
4 - Kim B.: I went here with a group of friends last night and ordered a mish mash of family style foods.

They were really attentive with regards to service and their food was amazing. We had so much food but two stand outs was the soup dumplings and the deep fried seaweed flounder. WOW! Amazing! Great food and I will definitely go back here!
4 - Paniolo L.: Up front, the wife (Gille) and I are big xaio long bao (XLB) hounds; her mama (Valerie) lives in Pittsfield, MA so we made a special trip (44 mi) out to Ala Shanghai based upon the reviews here (there was also a trip to Costco, but I digress).

We arrived at about 2:30 on a Thursday afternoon so our party had the place to ourselves. The decor is charming and the wait staff terrifically attentive.

Gille and I dove straight in, ordering two trays of XLB, Val's partner Leon deviated and ordered the Aunt Sung's Fish Soup. The soup was good  but to me tasted just like very good hot and sour soup (this opinion was disputed by all others in the party but bottom line it was darn tasty).

The dumplings themselves are fairly strong. The skin is considerably thicker (maybe 2-3x) than we may otherwise prefer (Gille's position) and they could be a bit soupier (we all agreed), but the broth flavor was robust and quite savory. I also appreciated the fact that they are served on cabbage leaves rather than wax paper.

The proprietor, Mr. Lau (a great gentleman) has served his time in NYC's Chinatown; it's clear he knows his stuff as his restaurant is obviously well run and clean as a whistle. The wait staff immediately offered help on eating technique upon our ordering - key to any establishment offering Shanghai cuisine. Lastly, the best thing about the crew is they didn't openly scoff at us as we plowed our way through five trays of XLB (I must admit I contemplated ordering a sixth but my wife's cooler head prevailed).

Overall, I have no reservations about recommending this restaurant.  Mr. Lau should be proud of his team's efforts and I wish them a long and prosperous future. Oh, BTW, there is a pretty darn cool Asian market next door to the place, this is yet another upside.
5 - a l.: Was just here today with my sisters and cousin and what a winner of  place for chinese! Every year New Year's weekend I bring in the New Year with good Chinese food and if this place is any indicator of the year to come, then it's going to be a good year!

Decor: Don't let the outside of this place fool you, the outside doesn't do it justice. Inside is very cozy, elegant, clean,and well lit. Very warm colors and warm lighting fixtures as well. 

Staff: Awesome, awesome, awesome. So friendly, so attentive and yet not lingering over your shoulder.  I actually felt welcomed there and like my patronage was so important to them. 

Food: About as good as it gets in this area for chinese cuisine. Overall the likes, chicken pieces were real pieces of chicken and good sized and not clumps of flour w/ small pieces of processed chicken inside. Vegetables fresh and crispy and sauces were not overwhelming. So now on to the highlights of the meal.....there were 4 of us so we made it a point to all order something different so we could all try a little of each other's dinners. 

To start we had the crab and pork stuffed dumpling soup and it was just AMAZING! The broth was very flavorful and light and the dumplings were great consistency. It was like heaven in my mouth and the absolute highlight of the meal. We also had the spring rolls which were standard spring rolls, but held their own. Fried wanton had a nice spin with some veggies in it. Also had the squid with salt and pepper and it was very tasty with just a little kick to it. 

For meals, we had the chicken and broccoli, orange chicken, general tsao's chicken, and sweet & sour chicken and they were all delicious. Chicken and broccoli was standard made, but the sauce was light and everything well seasoned. The other chickens what was impressive was that all were thick chunks of meat and not overtaken by the breading. Sweet and sour chicken had a sauce already over it and was very flavorful. Also, the orange chicken had a nice little spice to it.

Dessert: We shared ice cream which was standard vanilla, the rice balls in sweet broth soup and the eight jewel rice and for me the standout dish was the rice balls in sweet broth. Very different from anything I've ever had and yet very tasty. And the from the heat of the broth with a side of cold vanilla ice cream just ended the meal on a great note.

Beverages, we just had the tea that was given to us and it was light and so tasty so no sweeteners were needed.

Overall awesome experience here and can't wait to return here more often. So many other plates to try and more crab and pork dumpling soup to be had!!!
5 - Hannah V.: I love this place. I've driven an hour and a half to eat here more than once, and will happily do so again, as it's the only good Chinese food option I've found outside of Manhattan in the area.

Pork soup dumplings: YUM. They're a little too big and thick-skinned for my taste, but only a little, and who cares when they're that delicious. Also yum: the pan-fried tiny pork buns (not actually tiny! aww), and the Shanghai rice cakes, which pretty much made me weak at the knees. Sometimes I find rice cake dishes a little bland, but this was definitely not so. And while I've never met a shallot pancake I didn't like, theirs are extra-especially great. Mmmm.

Great service, too; in my experience the staff are universally really friendly and helpful.
5 - Casey P.: I've been to Ala a few times since it opened, and it never disappoints.  I haven't tried the fancier dishes, but their dim sum menu is fantastic. Their dumplings, cold sesame noodles, and pan-fried tiny pork buns are delicious and the red bean pancake is awesome. Each of those items are 4-6 dollars and a pretty decent meal in themselves, so you can have a serious feast for 10-15 bucks. 

Chinese-American staples, like General Tso's chicken, lo mein, and fried rice, are way above average, but I only make the trip up from Albany when I'm looking for some dim sum.
5 - Ticia G.: we came here during the chinese new year celebratory weekend and it was thus full up. our reservations were not found but they still accomodated us quite quickly at a large table. the service was impeccable. 

i won't mention all of the items we ordered as they have been mentioned and raved over in previous reviews (but i have to say that the scallion pancakes astonished me, they disappeared before you could blink and we had to order more.) robert and rob shared the eel dish that i sampled a bit of and the flavor was fantastic if a bit oily - which is to be expected as they poured hot oil on it as it arrived.

they had a ton of vegan items to please kenz and my fake pork chop w/ salt and pepper (lightly fried tofu) was amazingly light, flavorful and addicting. the cucumber salad was also wonderful.

we will most certainly be back to try out some of the other appealing items on the menu.
4 - Daiji K.: My experience was a 4, but be forewarned, my friends looked like it was a 3 or a meh.  It really depends on what you get, but ordering a sweet sour chicken, fried rice, and the soup dumplings, you can't go wrong (except it's a little pricey)!

The sweet sour chicken was a five for me, in regular American-Chinese food standards.  It's prepared the right way.  The sauce is sauteed with the sweet sour sauce and the sauce is delicious (not too starchy like most places).  I give this a five because most "Chinese" places, they have the chicken deep fried and you dip into the sauce!  That's horriawful.  If I wanted mysterious rounded chicken pieces, I'd go to McDees.  The price of this is $12, which is a little expensive for its portion.  They do make an effort to make it pretty with carrot/radish flowers, but I'd rather fill that space with more meat.  The fried rice is $8 and it's a little above average.  They give you enough to fill up probably around 5 Chinese rice bowls.

So the only major difference I found with the soup dumpling with NYC is that the dumpling skin is a lot thicker at Ala.  There's also less meat and soup in comparison but doesn't really take a way from the taste.  All in all, it's really good, but it doesn't have that delicate taste that it should.  And since it seems like people are destroying their tongues eating this, here are my instructions on how to eat soup dumplings:

1. Grab your Chinese spoon (the white porcelain-ish one), add some brown sauce soy sauce thing and put that baby on there, trying not to poke a hole. 
2. Wait and let it cool
3. You realize that step 2 is not possible so you improvise.  Bite the side of it to make a little opening (make sure to keep the juices in the spoon).
4. Blow gently or vigorously (depending on your patience level)
5. Start biting into it slowly.  Once you realize it's cool enough, show that thing you're not afraid of it anymore and eat it, like a boss.

So all in all, I'll definitely be going back here for sweet and sour chicken!  Avoid the pan fried noodle (my friend said it's too crispy and tastes like a snack), the lo mein (it's not that good, says my friend), and the other dumplings on the menu if you want to avoid having a so-so experience.

p.s.  they were playing Kenny-G all night long, so that was a plus for me.  I hadn't heard him in a while.  I actually like Kenny-G.  Grew up listening to him as a child.  All you haters, he used to be cool in the 90s okay!  Yes he's a little cheesy (impressive thing to do when he's not even singing lyrics) but so's pizza and we don't complain about that do we!
5 - Karly O.: Ala Shanghai is in one word : AMAZING! (with multiple exclamation points)!!!
The food is out of this world (albeit a taaaad greasier than I'd like).
My boyfriend and I went there on the recomendation of a coworker of mine who said, and I quote "It tastes as if a kind chinese grandma is in the back cooking up the food from scratch". Pretty spot on.

The restaraunt was clean and bright. The bathroom was also clean and smelled nice.

The food was probably some of the best chinese food I've ever had! We got the Pork fried dumplings, Beef lo mein, Chicken and broccoli, and Sesame Chicken. All were spectacular. 
The beef lo mein was the only one that seemed a tad greasy. But nothing that would be "off putting". 

The wait staff was very attentive and very nice. Greeted us upon sitting with complimentary hot tea.

The presentation of the dishes when they came out was SO CUTE! They put little turnip flowers on all the plates. I loved that! 

Love this place and have been dying to go back but we haven't had a chance. 

Oh, also. In the Albany Entertainment book there is a Buy one entree get the 2nd entree free coupon (for all of us on a budget).
5 - Joanne H.: Peking duck, soup dumplings, and shrimp in brown sauce.....it just keeps getting better and better. Every time I go I just find more to love. The food is fabulous and the service is wonderful. I started eating here soon after they had opened and I was wonderfully surprised. Soup dumplings in Albany??? Love it. 
Their noodles are hand-made and both the owner and chef take a lot of pride in the quality of their food. It really shows.
5 - Victor K.: It's been a while since I updated my previous post, but I have to say that I visited this place many times since my first post with my girlfriend.  Getting to know the owner, Lanny he definitely knows that customers come first and delivers a great experience each and every time along with his wait staff.  Dare I say this is as close to upscale (Five-Star) for a Chinese restaurant in upstate NY.  Glasses are always filled and if the waiters aren't too tied up they will promptly replace your silverware and plates between appetizers and the entrees.

Again, one of the only places I know in upstate NY that serves soup dumplings that are piping hot and delicious.  If you never tried any of the Reserved Orders, I would suggest you make plans to.  The Eight Jewel Duck was delicious and was perfectly presented as the waiter brought the cooked Duck stuffed with the eight jewel rice and carefully cut and preped the dish table side.  If you are looking for something more saucy, the Duck w. Scallion is another alternative.  

Honestly, just about every dish has their own flare and presentation.  I haven't been disappointed yet in trying any of their dishes.  And of course, if there's an issue I'm sure if you kindly point it out, the owner will definitely make plans to correct it.  

I mean the only fault I can see for this place is that it can get really busy during dinner time, but when you're pulling in that much business for a small place, it's tough to see it as a bad thing.  Personally I've only gone during lunch time leading into dinner which is right before the rush.  If you come after 8, it does free up and you can be sure you won't have to wait too long for the delicious food.

Out of all the places I've been to, this is a first for me where a restaurant embraces technology and utilizes social networks like Facebook and Yelp to reach out to customers.  Definitely A+ rating for this place which is shown by all the glowering reviews from the local newspaper clippings that are posted on the walls.
5 - Wendy M.: I have eaten tons of chinese food since I took chinese in college, but this ranks among the all time best. The food is tremendous, with appetizers that are unique, fantastic dim sum, and entrees that fill a real need for Shanghai cooking in this area.

The service, as others have noted is great. I have eaten in three star Michelin restaurants that have service that isn't as good as this restaurant.

How good is it? My Chinese doctor says it is the only place north of Queens worth eating in.

Usually, my daughter and I are the only non asians in the room. It is that good.
2 - Yoon C.: I was not impressed on my first visit.

The Xiao Long Bao a.k.a. "soup dumplings", were not very good.  The skin is very thick (about 20 times thicker than it ought to be), the soup inside barely has any flavor, and the meat filling was unremarkable. However, the upside is that now I know one place I can go to satiate my craving for these dumplings.  

If you do go for XLB, don't bother with the "crab and pork" soup dumplings.  Save the extra $2 and get the pork ones instead.  It is the same pork dumpling with a bit of crab flavored topping on top, rather than the crab flavor infused into the soup and filling as other places usually do.  This results in little to no crab flavor in the dumpling.

As for other dishes we've had on this visit, the cripsy whole flounder was terrible.  I could tell that the fish kept frozen for a very long time, as some of the flesh was dry and translucent.  The deep frying with a heavy batter made things worse, as this did not make it "crispy", but instead crusty.  For $22, this dish should be avoided.  Adding more insult to my palate was the rice, the most basic food, was cooked way too dry, like day old rice.  

On the other hand, the "salted veggies with soybeans and flat tofu sheets" was very good!  The salty taste of chopped mustard greens with the strips of chewy tofu makes for a very good accompaniment to more greasy dishes.

I also saw "Lion's Head" on the menu.  I will be trying this next time, as it is one of my favorites at other restaurants.  (If you read this and go, give this is shot and report back!)

The service was outstanding, with very attentive waiters who pay attention to every detail, promptly and quietly.

Still, I am glad to have found this place (thanks Roger K), as it dares to serve authentic shanghai cuisine in this area.  My wife and I hope our next visit will be better, as other reviewers seem to suggest.
5 - Lai-Yee B.: Yummy, yum, yummers! I like their minimal but well chosen dim sum. Plus their dinner dishes are awesome too. Really clean tasting for the lighter dishes. Not a lot of oil in those dishes. But spicier dishes usually come with a hearty pour of chili oil.

Love it here - well priced, great service, and awesome flavors and inventive dishes. Not your typical Chinese resto! This has pretty much become the only (real) Chinese restaurant I go to in the area.
4 - Katie V.: The food is fresh, flavorful and delicious. The service was great, and the price was very reasonable. We'll be back.
5 - Matt K.: This is not your average Chinese restaurant. I am visiting town on business and found this through the wonderful Yelp reviews. I had the beef szechuan style, which was made with a tender beef shank. The sauce was plenty spicy and the baby bok choy were beautifully green with a nice sweetness. 

Tea was complimentary and service was just as good as others have said. I hope some day I have an opportunity to try some of the featured items that require advance notice for preparation. They really look special.
4 - Dario S.: Thanks Yelp for a excellent find!

When I first turned into the parking lot the restaurant was tucked away in the dark back lot which gave me mixed feelings of what to expect. Once inside though I felt at ease, it was very clean and quite busy for being late in the evening. The service was quick and great right away we were served tea and water. After looking over the extensive menu we decided upon the steamed pork soup dumpings which had a nice texture but the flavor of the filling was lacking.  The Chicken with corn soup was very light  and nice,  it could of been a little warmer with more corn but were splitting hairs now. Shared entree's were whole shrimp with salt and pepper which were cooked perfectly (I love me some shrimp heads) and double cooked pork which I could not get enough of. It was pork belly with peppers and cabbage and dried tofu in a spicy brown sauce mmmmm mmmm good. I will for sure be back soon to try more of their menu. I think this is my new go to place for great asian fare instead of going all the way to Albany for CCK or Shining rainbow.
4 - Matt G.: Wow, what a great out of town find.  This place is kind of stuck back away from everything and is not a very large restaurant, but for what they lack in flash, they make up for in food and selection.  Had the fried pork buns appetizer and the spicy beef entree.  Wow, 6 HUGE pork buns and then a GINORMOUS bowl of beef and plenty of brown rice.  More than I could eat and the price was very reasonable.  Only downside was that the spicy was maybe a little more than I needed.
There's a big enough menu so that there's something for every palate and interest from the normal fried rice fan to the fried pork belly fan.
4 - Jeff S.: Came here a second time (one week and one day after our first visit).

Peking Duck:  Awesome, and unlike most Chinese restaurants, this is not an "order in advance" item.  Much better than the crispy duck (which was also good).

Lion's Head:  This is a meatball, cooked in a sauce; it is the Chinese equivalent of Swedish meatballs.  Another culinary adventure you won't find at most Chinese restaurants.
5 - Stephanie S.: Hands down my favorite and also the best Chinese food in the area.  This is not your typical takeout Chinese restaurant.  This is authentic and delicious.  So many options that you would never find at your typical takeout restaurant.

The restaurant is a little hidden on Troy Schenectady road, and totally unassuming.  When you walk in you know you're in a legit restaurant.  I have been here a handful of times, and it is usually pretty packed.  You might even want reservations on the weekend as I have come and have waited.  

The dim sum dishes are really good, I suggest the pork soup dumplings.  They are a must, even though I still cannot figure a good way to eat them.  I have had many different entree dishes, all which have been good.  The only dish I would skip on was a beef dish my dining companion got which was a little too fatty for our tastes.  They do have the typical choices such as sesame chicken and kung pow and such, and also tons of dishes that I never even heard of.  

They give you tea free of charge which I think is a nice touch.

The service is attentive and friendly.  Food comes out fairly quickly.  

For the price I think it is fair, as the food is good quality.  The portions are not huge, but also not tiny.  I think I've noticed that you get more for takeout.  

I highly suggest this place for authentic, delicious Chinese food in the Albany area!
4 - Anton H.: Just got takeout from these folks for the first time, and I'm elated. I've had the hardest time finding Chinese Cuisine worth eating in the Albany area. My search is finally over!

I ordered the Crispy Spicy Beef, Shanghai Lo Mein, and Fried Pork Dumplings. I know, super 'safe' choices, but I wanted a frame of reference for their cooking style.

Crispy Spicy Beef: Excellent texture, hearty but a touch shallow bbq-ee sauce. Came over of a bed of steamed broccoli. I wonder if this is one of those dishes that is not the best after being in a sealed togo container for 15 minutes. Will get this again eat-in to find out!

Shanghai Lo Mein: Hands down the best Lo Mein noodles I've had in ages. They're the somewhat flat kind (but not rice noodles). The meat in the dish was plentiful and the whole dish was cooked just the perfect amount. I easily eat this every day.

Fried Pork Dumplings: Surprisingly flavorful and juicy inside! Wrapper was a nice thickness and cooked properly. Only negative was that the tiny container of dumpling sauce was left outside the dumpling box, so it got crushed in transit, making a bit of a mess inside the bag. If you get these to go make sure to take this little container out before you walk out the door!

Would I eat here again? Most certainly! Ala is about a 10 minute drive from me, and I could easily see turning this into a once-a-week meal/addiction.
2 - H.V. P.: I found Ala Shanghai while looking for a place around Albany that serves pork soup dumplings. Therefore, this review is STRICTLY based on their steamed pork dumpling. 

The price was $4 for 6 dumplings; this is a very cheap price considering Asian Pearl in Fremont, CA sells 4 for $3.95, Din Tai Fung in Seattle, WA sells 10 for $9.95 and 10 for $7.95 for 10 in Los Angeles.  So $8 for 12 is great. 

The dumplings came in the classic bamboo steam tray with an already prepared vinegar, soy sauce, and ginger sauce on the side.

Right when I bit into it I noticed the thickness of the wonton skin. even though some of the juicy runs out, there wasn't much juice in it. The flavor was a bit lighter than most dumplings I've had. 

By the end of the meal, which lasted about 45 minutes, although the dumplings were still slightly warm, the skin had gotten hard and a bit stale.

Service-wise: after finishing our first pot of tea, I opened the cap and pushed it to the edge of the table hoping to get a refill. Three people walked by multiple times without even noticing the empty pot or asked if we needed anything. It wasn't until I called for more tea that we got a new pot. We also sat there with empty water cups for a while.

Side note: my friend wanted Seafood chow fun. surprisingly, they don't serve chow fun. so she opted for Salt and pepper squid instead.  The shrimp fried rice was plain--I do not recommend.
5 - Douglas F.: Service was great, food is authentic, BYOB encouraged, no corkage fee, other groups brought their own beer.  
The soup dumplings and fish soup were fantastic and prices are reasonable..
4 - Ken W.: Went to Ala Shanghai for an early dinner during the summer.  The food was pretty good overall (arrived in a timely manner, yummy for the most part, and reasonably priced).

This brief section is dedicated to XLB (aka soup dumplings) since they have a cult-like following.  They're decent, not great but certainly good enough for a fix.  They XLBs are a bit smaller with less soup than "the best place for soup dumplings in _____" but they're one of the better (if not few) places in the area serving authentic Chinese food.

On a personal note- the pork belly was delicious, flavorful and tender as you'd expect.

Between the 4 of us we sampled almost the entire dessert menu and enjoyed it all.  The red bean curd is pretty good (admittedly it takes some work to mess it up.. that said, I've done it).

Service was pretty good and attentive, prices are very reasonable for what you get.  Definitely recommend Ala Shanghai if you're looking for more authentic Chinese food in the Albany area.  For those less adventurous, there's always the standard beef and broccoli on the menu and I'm sure that's tasty as well!
5 - Jamie P.: Stop the presses. I ordered from here shortly after arriving in the capital region and I was pleasantly surprised. But wasn't blown away. However the other day I ordered food for our movie crew, not sure of what the response would be, well the response was AMAZING. The food went so quick, i barely even got a bite. Today I went for lunch to eat in to really see how the food was. FANTASTIC. Everything was top of the line. I was really scratching my head, I always say there is no reason that the best chinese chef in the world couldn't be in Wichita, or Latham for that matter. Well turns out my story isn't so far off. The owner of this restaurant was one of the owners of Yeah Shanghai, my favorite Shanghainese restaurant in NYC. He brought the chef from there and staff and it shows. The only depressing part is I'm only here for one more week, that being said I will be back often in the next 10 days. The capital region should be sending Lanny Lau the owner flowers and gifts for bringing 5 star chinese food to this area.
4 - Mark K.: Living nearby, I've driven by many times. Finally made it in and was not disappointed. Crispy beef, mooshu, General Tso's, and veg lomein all great. Will go back again soon. Lost 1 star because waiter clipping fingernails at front desk (not near food but could see and hear - yuck).
5 - Otis M.: I'm kind of sorry I rated five stars last time, because it's even better now! We are lucky to have and undeserving of this glorious restaurant in our midst.

Stopped in today for a light lunch of Eight Jewels Noodle Soup, crab and pork soup dumplings and a couple of vegetarian steamed dumplings requested by my 9 year old. Everything was delicious and service was fabulous with multiple changes of plates and utensils during our modest meal.

Ala Shanghai has really caught on with the local Chinese community... the place was packed at 1 pm on a Saturday with mostly families or groups of friends sharing large tables. This is a very good thing because it supports a large kitchen of skilled chefs and assistants. I feel good knowing they're going to be around for awhile.

One thing i enjoy, others may not, is the somewhat schoolmarmish attitude of some of the waiters who think non-Asians may not understand the food. I was advised to keep my soup spoon because I would need it for the dumpling. And I was politely but emphatically corrected for thinking the next table had Char Siao Bao; not possible because "this is not a Cantonese restaurant, this is a Shanghainese restaurant." I'm happy to be bitch-slapped if it leads to a better eating experience, as it did in this case when we established that the thing that looked like a bao was a delicious steamed  dumpling with chopped greens and mushroom inside.
4 - Josh K.: Ala Shanghai's online menu with its accompanying pictures had me salivating for some of the typical staples: greasy noodles, fried rice, and some sort of Chinese casserole. 

But then there's the real deal:

Spicy Fish Head soup with bamboo shoots and bean noodles - most definitely!
Lions head: Chinese Pork Meatballs - yup!
Eight Jewel Noodle Soup: Give me some!
Whole Flounder dressed with ginger and scallions and wrapped with seaweed- no doubt!
Crispy Peking Duck- But of course!
Spicy Szechuan Beef and broccoli- don't have to ask me twice!

Lots of justified hype has been given to Ala Shanghai, an authentic Chinese restaurant in Latham. It's reputation being the best Chinese food you can find outside of the gastronomical delights of the Chinatowns in San Francisco and New York.  Frankly, I am embarrassed actually that I haven't made the trip up Rt. 9 from Albany until tonight. 

I have been missing out.

I can't think of a better two word combination in the English language than "Soup Dumplings"; perhaps "Fried Chicken"...but you get my point.

I kept hearing that Ala Shanghai is the only restaurant in the area that does this Shanghai Dim Sum specialty (Xiao Long Bao) properly.

The restaurant is somewhat hidden on Rte. 2E with only a nondescript bright red sign announcing your arrival.  Drive past the awesome Korean market, than you have gone a few feet too far.  

Walking in, the tables were set up Chinese family style.  That is big, round tables with a rotating center for each item to be passed around and shared.  We haven't eaten the food yet but the atmosphere was definitely authentic.  We got our menu, and now the difficult part began.

Decisions, decisions, decisions. . . We knew we wanted the Pork Soup Dumplings but we also wanted everything else.

For Dim Sum (starters) we of course got an order of the Pork Soup Dumplings and opted for the Scallion Pancakes.   A patron and then our waiter recommended the "Home style Casserole" so after we heard the terrible news that they did not have Fish head soup tonight, we ultimately went with that suggestion and also an order of "Shanghai Lo Mein" as our entrees.

Our expectations were now very high, and diving into our Dim Sum, we were unfortunately disappointed. 

No scallion in the scallion pancakes!
Little to no soup in the Soup Dumplings!

It was a busy Friday night, and the food came out very fast.  So I am sure that under less hectic circumstances, these items would be fantastic.  Tonight the pancakes were lackluster.  I found myself eating them all up just to taste the awesome soy dipping sauce.

The soup dumplings were delicious as dumplings but they would have been so much better with SOUP inside!

Our moment of disappointment was short lived because as soon as we were finished with the Dim Sum, our main entrees were set before us.  First a gigantic, steaming bowl of soup loaded with shrimp, pork belly, ham, and cabbage with vermicelli noodles.  Our server delicately filled our individual soup bowls with the perfect amount of broth and ingredients, balancing everything out equally.

Then, a long ovular plate of thick, greasy noodles loaded with shrimp, ground meat, scallions, ginger, and mushrooms was placed before us.

We heard it was BYOB, so we brought along a bottle of a delicious and sweet White wine from Sakonnett Vineyard from our Rhode Island trip.  The staff uncorked it, placed it in a ice bucket, and served  us- sans corking fee. Now that is service!

Yeah, life is good.

We will be back soon and  I really hope to bump this one up to 5 stars.
3 - Joseph C.: A lot's been said about this place, so I'll keep this short- to the point.  Pass on the scallion pancakes.  Don't ask for hot oil- it was bland and very salty.  The crab/pork soup dumplings were ok, but I've had better (in NYC, of course).  The rainbow shredded chicken was decent, but not great- needed a touch of soy sauce, and I was too lazy to ask (should already be on the table, no?)  The moo shoo pork was as good as I've had elsewhere.

Overall, I'm sure this place is a standout for the area.  

The staff was great.  The waiter prepped our moo shoo (normally I do my own) and did a nice job.  I may go back and try more on my next trip to the Albany area.
5 - Daniel B.: How can it be I haven't written a review of Ala Shanghai? Man, I've been delinquent in my Yelping. 

China is a big freaking place. And much like America, the different regions of China all have specialized cuisines. If I think of the wide range of food styles domestically, it would be madness to get New Mexican blue-corn green-chili chicken enchiladas at the same place as a New England lobster roll.

But this is the state of affairs of most Chinese restaurants in America. Forget about the dumbing down of the food for U.S. tastes. In general there is a lack of focus on the regional cuisines of China.

Never would I have expected to have a regional Chinese restaurant in the Albany area. Most of our Chinese restaurants offer either sushi or chicken teriyaki. And Ala Shanghai goes one step further, they change their menu seasonally.

In the spring and summer, they had luffa (the plant that makes the sponge is actually not only edible, but delicious). Their fall and winter menu has just been published, and I'm looking forward to getting in there to try it.

Yes, they have other things on the menu. And perhaps not every single thing is a winner. Sure, the skins on the soup dumplings could be thinner. But hands down, this is my favorite Chinese restaurant in Albany. It's a place where I'll take people who come in from out of town, to show them we actually have decent food out here.

Oh, and did I mention it's incredibly reasonable, especially if you go with a group. Don't forget to take a look at their menu online before you go, because there are a few special items that need to be ordered in advance. 

Service has always been impeccable, and if you have any questions about how to assemble an authentic Shanghaiese meal, don't be afraid to ask. Lanny, who runs the place, has always been eager to share insights into the regional cooking style - but at the same time he's very respectful and will let you do your own thing, if you like.

This place is a gem in the Albany culinary landscape, and we're very lucky to have it.
4 - Ian P.: Went to this place with a couple for friends to satisfy our dim sum craving.  We ordered a couple of different things to share.

- Steamed Pork Soup Dumplings
- Pan Fried Pork Dumplings
- Steamed Sticky Rice Shu Mai
- Crispy Fried Wontons

After we had finished our small dishes we were still hungry, so we ordered the peking duck.  Everything was prepared for us on sweet steamed bread.  Our waiter cut the duck for us and created a platter of duck sandwiches with hoisin sauce.

Everything was great, but a few comments.  The skin on the fried pork dumplings was a bit thick, and it seemed like there was soup in them.  
Even though we only ordered half a duck, I would have liked it if they left the rest of the duck with us after making our sandwiches for any meat our waiter might have missed.

Overall great food, definitely want to go again when I'm craving some XLB.
5 - Brett B.: Food and Service was amazing!
4 - Roger K.: How you going to keep them down on the farm after they've seen Paris?

Now that I've experienced soup dumplings at Joe's Shanghai in NYC, I have something to compare Ala Shanghai's with.  I still enjoy them here, (Crab & Pork $7) but I'm not about to travel 160 miles just to have a larger and slightly more flavorful dumpling.  But I feel obligated to remove a half star now.

Tonight we also ordered Sea Scallops w/ Baby Bok-choy ($20) - sautéed in ginger sauce; and Crispy Fish Filet ($14) - fried flounder filet with spicy & sweet sauce. 

The coating on the scallops was a little salty and the several that I had still had a grain of sand/grit. The Baby Bok-choy was delicious if not difficult to pick up with chopsticks.

The flounder was plentiful but mostly coating.  There was no opportunity to actually taste fish.  The sauce was not overly sweet and only the mildest amount of spice could be detected.

Based upon the two entrees I think I'll remove another half star.

Service was polite as usual and efficient, except for the delay in bringing out the flounder.  However, the delay was recognized by management and an apology and explanation was offered without our having to comment.
5 - Margy Y.: My new favorite Chinese restaurant! We had baby bok choy with crab sauce, which looked unappetizing but was crispy green with a lovely mild sauce. The sesame chicken, our son's standard dinner, was the best he'd ever had. And the whole shrimp in spicy sauce was just the right level of heat, although awkward to eat with chopsticks. (Next time we'll ask the friendly waitstaff for advice.) We will be back!
5 - r c.: This place is THE BEST CHINESE I have ever had! 

I have always told myself, "man I wish i could try what real Chinese food is, and not this sesame chicken crap..", well this MUST to be it. 

I was just there with 6 people and every. single. thing. was amazing!!!

The crab and pork soup dumplings were incredible, the fish hot and sour soup..mmm, spicy wontons WOW, spicy prawns, crispy fish, pork belly, orange beef, scallops and baby bok choy.. OMG and that wasn't even everything...

And the bill came I swear they must have left something off, I am so sick of paying 90 dollars for 2 plates of food I could make at home myself and a glass of 9 dollar wine. When you leave this place, if you didn't get your money's worth then I really don't know what you else you could possibly need.
1 - John N.: We went Sunday after church and were just disappointed by the experience - just two of us.
We were quickly seated and our server answered our questions. We ordered and then began the wait.
And wait.

We got the first part of our order, spring rolls - they were fantastic. So hot that we couldn't eat them right away.
Then we continued to wait.
And wait.

The table next to us came and went in the time we ordered and before we received our entrees.
The table across from us ordered a multitude of dishes in the time we ordered and left just as we were receiving our entrees.

There were a couple of large groups but I don't understand why our food took longer than others. We certainly did not order anything complicated - a soup and a rainbow chicken. 

The soup was good - had the smallest shrimp in it that I have ever seen.
The rainbow chicken was a pretty dish, but had no taste at all.

I am confused - on the one hand the food gets rave reviews, service is good, but why didn't we receive the same prompt service as other diners?

Not sure if we will return - I guess that sums it up.
4 - christopher n.: Recently I noted a few of my Yelp peoples have been reviewing this place like crazy and I had never been. This week I had my "staycation" and the wife and I decided to check it out.

First thing I noticed is that (on a Thursday) this place was packed. Next thing I noticed is that there were a good deal of Asian-Americans eating here. Both good signs. 

The inside is simple enough with typical Chinese decorations, lanterns etc. The larger round tables have lazy susan's which I have come to know is traditional Chinese style from watching that Andrew Zimmern guy who eats anything and also sometimes travels to China. 

Most of the reviews I've read stated that this is one of the only places in the area that offer real Dim Sum and I was excited and then slightly irritated that it was only my wife and I as I really wanted to try just about everything on this section of the menu. In the end we ordered pork fried dumplings and scallion pancakes. The dumplings were pretty good, but after watching some other orders come out I wish we had gotten some of the steamed ones instead. The pancakes were tremendous for $3 - nice and crispy outside and warm gooey center.

The entree menu is equally as daunting. There were so many dishes on here I either hadn't heard of and wanted to try, or were classic "take-out" sounding dishes done correctly. 

For entrees we got the General Tso's prawns and Wuzi-style spare-ribs. Both of these came with our choice of brown or white rice. The spare-ribs while tender were not super-flavorful. I think the issue here was they stacked them "lincoln log" style on the plate, which while having aesthetic appeal, caused all of the great sauce to fall to the plate. The prawns were amazing. Crispy outside with a wonderful sauce.

The wait staff here is not what I'd call "attentive" and throughout our meal I saw several tables motioning to the waiters to come over - though it seemed like that's just how it works here. Again - this may be some kind of Chinese custom? I'm just a stupid American so I don't know. Though I have no huge complaints about the service - our food came out relatively promptly and we received the check fast also.

All-in-all I really enjoyed our meal here and will definitely be going back soon to try out some new things.

A few of the reviews on here mention that when you're trying to find this place it sneaks up on you - this is very, very true. Once you cross the traffic light heading east, it's the very very first parking lot on the right.
5 - Christine W.: This place is a treasure. The food is fresh and very good. Service is efficient. Linen tablecloths and napkins give a classy touch and are sort of cool with the Chinese decor. The place is great value. Tip: portions are big for me so consider sharing entrees.
5 - Saikat R.: Ala Sanghai finally led me to my first yelp review. We recently moved from the Chicago area to the NY capital region and was frankly a little "worried" with the range of restaurant choices. However turned to Yelp for rescue and following the suggestions ended up at Ala Sanghai one day.  Boy were we pleasantly surprised!! The food, service and price are all great. We liked the food so much - we told them that they will likely see us pretty often and by now ( we moved here in Nov 2011) they know us quite well. I sincerely hope they do well and be here foe a looong time. One quick note - if you like shrimp, try c9 - that will be one good use of your $20.
4 - Miércoles F.: Best Chinese food in the capital region by a good margin. I've been to Plum Blossom,  Emperor's--all of them, and this is leaps and bounds better. The spicy jumbo shrimp dish is one of the best dishes I've had around here, and the fried pork dumplings are awesome. Definitely worth a look, but don't go on a Friday night, it'll be a fucking service disaster.
5 - Abhishek S.: Been here three times now and the place is absolutely amazing. Went  there with my wife and the service was prompt and really good. Serving portions are huge so order accordingly. Each serving is good for 3-4 people.

Will come over and over again.
5 - E. J.: Without a doubt, this is the best Asian restaurant in the Albany area.  I have eaten here over 15 times and the service has been amazing each visit.  All the staff is very friendly and extremely attentive, but not annoying.  

Yes, the menu is a little daunting and often a large menu makes me wary, but this is definitely not the case at Shangai.  The Peking duck is amazing, but be sure to ask them to leave the duck remnants at the table, after the staff artfully carves the bird table-side (because they will take away all of the great legs and rib meat).  I always order the pork soup dumplings.  Don't forget to try the dishes that need to be pre-ordered.  I  ate the duck and sea cucumber and  of course both were phenomenal.   And everything else that I have ever ordered has been great.  

Normally, I would have no problem paying high prices for food and service like this, but this place is ridiculously cheap for what you get. You have to go.
5 - Addie P.: Amazing Chinese food. The service was fast and pleasant. The food is better than most Chinese places in NYC. This is no classic oily Chinese restaurant. The portions are quite large though.
5 - Don A.: What a great authentic Chinese restaraunt!  You must try the soup dumplings and use the vinegar soy ginger sauce they give you.  These things are amazing and thats probably all I'll eat next time.  I had orange chicken and it was very good and dinner portions are huge.  My friend had the the smoked pork with hot pepper and it was crazy good.  The pork was very bacon like so it did have a lot of fat but the flavor was amazing.  The menu is very extensive and I look forward to coming back to this place to try more of the menu.  Service was excellent and it seems the owner runs a tight kitchen.  Don't forget your soup dumplings!
5 - Kathleen L.: Solid, quality Chinese food in a pleasant atmosphere. My fiance and I dine here at least twice a month. Highlights include the hot and sour soup, inventive vegetarian entrees. The menu includes information on their unique ingredients, including the Aster in their delicious Aster salad appetizer.
4 - Crystal G.: Very tasty! I don't usually like sesame chicken, but when my table ordered it, I couldn't get enough. The food was piping hot when it came out, and the servers were very attentive, but almost too much so; too few people to serve, and too many waiters? The appetizers were great, and overall, I say go...your mouth will thank you
5 - Pete W.: Frankly, this is our go-to spot in the Capital Region.  I honestly don't think there's a better Chinese restaurant (in my experience) in the area.  Why?  Easy: excellent food, variety, authenticity, service, and atmosphere.  Every time we try something new, we're not disappointed.  They even make their own noodles!

As a bonus, while we are not vegetarians, we have several friends who are.  This is the perfect place to take them, as there is a wide range of options available, and they can do magic with tofu. The dishes are very authentic, so don't go here expecting moo goo gai pan or nasty, greasy egg rolls.  Did I mention they make their own noodles?  (Hey, I like noodles.  They are one of China's greatest contributions to the world.)

Finally, it's unbelievably reasonable.  We regularly get away -stuffed- for around $20.  They also have lunch specials that are almost as big as the dinners and include rice and soup.  You really can't go wrong.

If I have one complaint, it would be that it's ruined me for other Chinese dining in the area.  There are good places around, but Ala Shanghai has them beat.
5 - Matt S.: Having grown up in this area, it is very hard for me to believe that Latham could be a culinary destination in the Capital Region.  Ala Shanghai proves it--you'd be hard pressed to find a better meal within a significant radius of Albany.

The offerings at Ala Shanghai are authentically in the 'Shanghai' style, which make them different than any other Chinese food I've ever eaten.  (Most 'American' Chinese is 'Szechuan', I believe.)  Every town should have a restaurant like this.

As a vegetarian, I appreciated the variety of options.  Veggie dumplings were excellent.   The 'fake chicken with fungus' (which sounds like something terrible, I know) turned out to be an all-time favorite dish for me--when I head back to Latham, I have to get it.   I also had a 'tofu with brown sauce' where the tofu was, honestly, not spectacular, but the sauce was amazing.

I ate with a group of meat-eaters and they all enjoyed everything in their orders, as well.   This is important to note, I think:  the least adventurous eater I've ever known enjoyed several things from Ala Shanghai and wound up suggesting we get food from there again during my visit.
5 - William P.: We had lunch there today. Great as ever, and THEY NOW HAVE THEIR BEER/WINE LICENSE! Yelp's description should be changed accordingly.
5 - Mercedes R.: We are new to NY, and we weren't sure if we would be able to find "favorite" restaurants like we'd had near our previous home. Ala Shanghai is our new favorite Chinese restaurant! Hands down! The wait staff was so courteous, the food was AMAZING!!! The prices were on the higher end of "moderate", but totally worth it!

We ordered pork dumplings (D4), General Tsao's Shrimp (S13), and Crispy Beef (M1), and we were stuffed and satisfied. Total bill was $35.00, but we were do pleased with the food, it didn't matter. 

The parking lot is small, so get there early, and the food takes longer than at other restaurants, probably because it's made so fresh! 

This place is a must-try!
5 - Sparky T.: Ala Shanghai maintains at 5 stars from me based on my recent visit with a group of 6. Everything weent smooth - resserved table was ready and waiting for us, food and service was excellent and prices reasonable.

Note that since they now have a beer/wine licence the BYOB rules may have changed. I say 'may' because I called the day before to ask if BYOB was OK and they informed me that there was a $10 corkage fee. That was OK - good to know ahead of time. They were very happy to provide glasses, ice bucket and serve our bottle during our meal. However the $10 charge never appeared on my bill. Nice surprise. (Better than the other way around. )It my be a YMMV thing depending on the size of the group, etc. but be aware there may be a charge.
5 - lindsay t.: Seriously, amazing. We found out about this place on Yelp and the reviews did not lead us astray!! The pork soup dumplings are the BEST... do not miss out!! The service is incredibly attentive and the place is run like a well oiled machine. Enjoy!!
3 - Kate H.: More of a 3 1/2 star meal at lunch.

I had to be in Latham for an appointment and tried to think of somewhere for lunch, the selection of restaurants in the area is lacking. I took a look at yelp on my phone and realized I was less than a quarter mile from Ala Shanghai so that's where we headed. 

The menu looked amazing for regular meals but the lunch menu was pretty standard fare. My daughter had chicken and broccoli but I decided to make a lunch out of dim sum - pan fried pork dumplings and scallion pancakes. Her chicken was perfectly cooked but incredibly boring. Both of my choices were delicious, the dumplings were even good cold 2 hours later. 

While I hate to only give them 3 stars, I'm sure that their rating would go up for dinner.
5 - Anna E.: Stopped in on a whim by myself on the way home from shopping one evening. I'd heard they had great hot & sour soup (my favorite). I asked if I could get a cup without fungus and at first he said it was already made but then looked around at the quiet restaurant and offered to make me a special cup. I thought to myself, 'oh great, it's either going to be terrible or take forever." But, i was wrong on both - it was one of the best i'd tasted and only took a few minutes. I then had a spicy beef dish with dried tofu and jalapenos. Oh yea, soo good. I could only eat about 1/3 since the portion was huge. 

I was especially happy when the check arrived - 2 glasses of wine, soup and entree (which made 2 more meals) - only $23. Next time I'm going to be more adventurous and try one of the more traditional Shanghaiese meals.

Great service, great food.
5 - Josh A.: Summary- Excellent Chinese food with very good service. This ain't your greasy take out crap place, this is quality stuff with careful preparation. The atmosphere leaves MUCH to be desired though, so don't mistake this for a romantic date night out.

Food- 5 Stars
Hot and Sour soup the best I have had in a long time.
Wonton Soup was also awesome, maybe better than hot and sour.

Pork Soup Dumplings, Shrimp Dumplings, and Pork and Leek Dumplings- To die for, we shoulda just ordered every dumpling on the farking menu. Nom nom nom. Have I had better? Yes, but not outside of a major metropolitan area.

We ordered Beef and Broccoli (M6), Eggplant (V18), Peking Duck (P14), and Moo Shu Pork (M18). Everything was excellent. The Eggplant in particular was awesome and different. Love how they make your mooshu pancakes for you table side. 

Service- 4 Stars
Usually Asian restaurants fail at some aspect of service, either never asking if you need anything, not asking how it is, not getting you drink refills, whatever. Ala Shanghai was essentially flawless when we went, although it was very quiet so I can't speak for a busy night. 

Atmosphere- 2 Stars
Ugh.... it's got a style of it's own, that's for sure. NOTE: The red chairs side (towards the bathrooms) are AWFUL chairs. They need to be replaced along with at least one of the tables on that side. Just terribad, my ass was numb. 

Also, turn the 50,000 damn lamps/fixtures down from "tanning bed" to something more pleasant.

Value- 5 Stars
It was like $85 for more food than 4 people needed by a long shot.

Drinks- 4 Stars
Hot tea and they kept the water coming.
5 - Ed J.: The best Chinese in the area.  The price is excellent for the quality of food.  

I'll try not to ramble on about how much I love this place.  

The soup dumplings are great even if the dough is a little thick. 

The lunch special is a fantastic deal- $7 for roughly 40 items.  The diced chicken with cashew is unassuming but the sauce and nuts create this carmelized nutty marriage that is absolutely delicious.  

The chef's specials are fantastic- the pork shoulder is just that- a whole pork shoulder- and it's delicious.  The sauteed eel is delicious.  

The appetizers are also delicious- I love the aster salad and the jelly fish.   The Tong-Po Pork (pork belly) is fatty and yummy and everything belly should be.  

On a menu where meat is so prevalent, it's surprising but my favorite dish is probably the luffa with soy bean.  Toothsome luffa- okra without the slime- small bites of edamame, in a light sauce, this dish with the brown rice is perfect- nutty, light, fresh, delicious.
1 - John A.: Nasty... 

I ordered Wonton soup, General Tso Shrimp, Beef lo mein, soup dumplings and scallion pancakes.  My WonTon soup the wontons tasted like they were filled with rabbit food no meat. The general tso shrimp had great flavor but  was soooo soggy. And I mean this was EXTREMELY soggy not crispy at all and I was eating it within 15min. The beef lo mein was so fking disgusting I couldn't believe it. I dont give a shit if you make your own noodles when theres no flavor at all. No garlic no oil fking disgusting. The meat was of better quality than othe rplaces though. The soup dumplings were good but not great and the best thing was the scallion pancakes which were also the cheapest. 

I don't eat no fkn fish head bs soup or jelly fish or fkn fungus whatever the sht they speacialize in so idk if i ordered the wrong sht but the food i got tonight for my gf and i was HORRIBLE.

Aladdin Falafel Corner - Seattle, WA (47.6624847, -122.3132657) (University District)
5 - Geoff N.: Last week, a friend of mine took me to this dinky hole in the wall for lunch and I had, by far, the best gyro I have ever tasted. I find that much of the Mediterranean cuisine in the area tastes as though it is produced by the same cookie-cutter franchise. Aladdin, on the other hand, must have a magic lamp of flavorful goodness stashed away somewhere. The spices they use on their meat produces a uniquely delicious and highly superior gyro.

The restaurant (Not to be confused with Aladdin Gyro-cery down on 42nd) is located along the West side of the Ave between 45th and 47th. It is cozy like a shoe box, containing perhaps three small tables and an equally tiny counter top. The nondescript atmosphere really contributes to the sense of discovery on the first visit.
4 - Alex S.: The best.

I always go for the chicken shawarma, a gyro made with love by one of the guys who have consistently made me the best sandwiches time after time year after year.  

First they warm/grill the bread so it's perfectly crunched.  Then they take chicken from the totally sanitary-appearing food bin and grill it along with tomatoes and onions.  That all goes on the pita (the thick kind, not pita pocket kind) with their secret sauce and a few shakes of magic red spices.  

Then it's wrapped and presented for you to enjoy.  

Now, I'm sure there might be other gyro huts around that serve food that's just as good, but this place consistently, over many years, has never failed to deliver the best chicken shawarma ever.  Second, the guys seem really nice in a reserved sort of way and seem to appreciate what they're serving.

This is a hole-in-the-wall sort of place so don't expect squeaky clean.  But that's ok as the kitchen looks clean and if you watch the guys cook you can tell they're really focused on adhering to food department rules.  

The next time you're in the U District stop by here.
5 - Monica S.: I've been eating at this place for years and I never wanna stop.  I am loathe to move away from Seattle in part because of the food.  Aladdin Falafel Corner is one of those restaurants I could not bear to be without.  I've been bugging the owner for years to open a location in West Seattle.  

You see, I drive all the way from my home in West Seattle *just* to get a gyro.  Nobody makes 'em quite like Ali does.  Imagine a tasty combination of beef and lamb (cut off one of those awesome rotating grill spits) lovingly grilled, then sprinkled with an exotically spiced seasoning powder of mysterious content.  Place said meat upon a fresh, warm pit.  Add the best tzatziki sauce known to mankind (don't forget extra for dipping fries) and fresh onions, lettuce & tomato.  MMM-MM good!

If you are vegitarian (or a falafel lover in search of these deep-fried delights) be sure to try the falafel sandwich.  Fresh falafel balls made to order sit atop a bed of veggies drizzled with mild tahini on a nice fresh pita.  

My friend's picky 4-yr-old son loves the falafel without the pita.  Though this isn't the best place for kids (it can get incredibly cramped when it's busy), your kids will eat here happily.

I also need to mention the babaganoush - it's the best I've ever had.  It's less smokey tasting than most, very creamy, too.  The hummus is mild and tasty.  I'm not too keen on the fried veggies.  They're just not my thing I guess.  The soup is delicious - especially when they remember to finish it with lemon and olive oil.

Grab a Vimto or an Arabic coffee if you like trying beverages from other countries.

This tiny place gets very crowded at peak meal times.  SIt at the counter so you don't get a faceful of buttocks while you eat.  ;)  Prices are great - definitely excellent value for your hard-earned cash.  Where else can you get such a satifying meal with a drink for about $5-6?  The staff are typically cheerful and friendly, though the language barrier can be a bummer sometimes.
5 - Becka L.: Aladdin is definitely one of my favorite places to lunch.  Super-casual, friendly service, insanely cheap prices, and AMAZING food.  I started going because of the gyro sandwiches.  Better than any gyro sandwich I have had, including the Latin Quarter in Paris and the two Greek restaurants down the street from Aladdin.  The meat is wonderfully spiced, moist, and accompanied by fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, and the pitas are perfectly crisped and warmed through.

After many frequent visits, I decided to try the falafel.  "Best falafel in town!" the sign trumpeted.  And who could beat a $4 lunch?  Wow.  WOW!  I had never had falafel before, but you can definitely tell that this is quality falafel.  They shape and deep fry the falafel balls right before your eyes, and then smash them into the pita, top them with the fresh veggies (I get it without onions), and top it with what I think is a creamy tahini (sesame and olive oil) sauce.

The seating is very limited, so try to hit this place right before the lunch rush.  When I went last week, the restroom door didn't lock, and it was not well-maintained, but don't let that dissuade you from the dining.  Oh, and if you use a credit card, they charge you an extra $0.50 for it, but at such prices, who can complain?
5 - Tim O.: Awwwwwwwwwwww YEAH! That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

After biking around Seattle and building up a crazy appetite, I headed over to Cedar's only to find out that my usual falafel dealer was closed on Sunday (http://www.yelp.com/biz/yqQ6Umb2Rc9mJcsgxswt-A). I remember reading about Aladdin on Yelp, so I headed up the Ave and found it, right next to Thai Tom.

Ordered a jumbo falafel & hummus pita and waited.  Seeing as this place is about the size of a Claim Jumper entree, I actually had to step outside b/c 2 other people came in to order.

The 2 guys working there are super friendly and efficient - making each sandwich to order. It was completely worth the few minutes wait b/c I think they might have stolen my heart (and stomach) away from Cedar's.
5 - Kiran C.: Great late night greasy food.  The best thing here are the falafel - plate of 4 for just $2.50 and the lentil soup which is really tasty despite the styrofoam bowl.  The chicken shwarma plate or gyro plate to go are really huge amounts of food.  If you are looking for late night drunken eats then this place is one to go for.  The owner is really nice.  His cousin owns the other Aladdin farter south on the University Ave but the one next to Thai Tom is much nicer despite the lack of space.
4 - Geoffrey R.: Great food. The best gyros...yes I'm going to say it, with fear of hyperbole, on the face of planet earth. The fries are also wonderful, that would make you commit the most horrendous crime you come up with, or even one that was hidden away in the dark corner of your subconscious, live on national television, with the entire populous watching your every evil move, just for the momentary taste of one single fry on your lips. 

Oh... and free refills on pop for only 0.25!!
5 - Damon C.: Tzatziki on my gyro.
Tzatziki on the bench I was sitting on.
Tzatziki on the book I was reading.
Tzatziki on the ground.
Tzatziki all over my face.

But no tzatziki on my 'business casual' garb, yay!

I'm no gyro expert, but I've had a few in my day and if I didn't know any better, I'd say this was one of the best gyros I've had. 

I can only give thanks to my fellow Yelpers as I'm working in the U-District this week and was looking for some good grub and found the great reviews for Aladdin's.  They're all right!

Loaded with lamb, lettuce, other goodness and of course, tzatziki, my gyro was fantastic.  A forewarning, however!  Take the gyro out of it's pale yellow wrapping at your own risk, as you may very well lose half your gyro to the tzatziki gnomes!

I also appreciated how most of the prices come out to even dollar amounts - gyro, $5; gyro + fries, $6.
5 - John B.: I'll make this short because the other reviewers have pretty much covered all the bases.  Yep it's tiny inside.  Yes the owners are friendly - they let me order a plate of falafel w/ salad, rice, tahini and hummus even though that's not a menu item, and yes the falafel really IS that good.  Crispy on the outside and they use some kind of magical seasoning that makes me think that if I was marooned on a desert island and a genie told me he would grant me one wish, that wish would be for a plant that grew Aladdin falafel balls.
5 - marki v.: Newbie to Aladdin and noticed two things that are unique to their
  Gyros:
    1. Hint of turmeric that gives a nice aroma without leaving a 
        yellow stain on your teeth, unless your teeth are already stained 
        to begin with!
    2. Hint of paprika that gives a very mild spicy kick.

  Pretty sure Aladdin and I are going to be friends for a long time as I
  work my way through his below menu.

   = =================================================
   ((         Veg                                                     Meat                                    ))
   ((       ---------                                                ----------                                 ))
   ((       Falafel                                            Gyro (Lamb&Beef)                ))
   ((       Folue                                              Gyro (Chicken&Turkey)        ))
   ((       Homus                                           Kofta                                        ))
   ((       Baba Ganouj                                 Chicken shawarma             ))
   ((       Feta                                                                                                  ))
   ((       Fried eggplant dip                                                                         ))
   ((       Spanakopita                                                                                   ))
   ((       Zatar                                                                                                 ))
   ===================================================

  All the above comes in 3 sizes:
    1. Regular: $3.66 for Veg, $3.89 for Meat
    2. Jumbo:   $4.35 for Veg, $4.58 for Meat
    3. Platter:    $5.26 for Veg, $5.49 for Meat

  They do have some lunch and dinner plate options and some sides,
   the one that caught my eye:

   Plate of Falafel: $2.29 for 5, $3.20 for 8

   I can only wonder how much these were two or three years back!!
3 - Ian S.: The Aladdin empire sprawls from one end of the ave to the other.

This is the other location.  It's smaller and is really just a take-away food place.

Dodge the pseudo-homeless and the drug slingers and stop in here for some gyro action.
4 - Jesse R.: The back room seating area is so bad it's good.
3 - Karen R.: This is more like a three and a half star review.  I wish they would let us do the half stars.  I promise not to show off more fractions I know :)

We continue our search for a good falafel sandwich.  This might be as close as it gets.  I was happy with my sandwich, happy they warmed up the pita and happy (unlike my weekend's experience) they, like any other falafel I've had, added onions.  I shall ask for extra onions next time :)   They even have what-looks-like sambal olek at the table for hot sauce!  Can't beat that.

The husband ordered the chicken shewerma and my oh my, that is absolutely YUMMY!!  I think I will have that the next time if i'm not craving for a falafel fix :)
5 - John H.: Best gyro in Seattle.  Period.  Their falafel is also good, but the lamb gyro (with feta) is what I get every time.
3 - Vida A.: I really wish my gyro meat spent a little more time on the spit, maybe because at lunch time the place in run over by students, but I always miss out on the crispy bits that I love the most.  

Tips: Have cash, order before the rush, skip the salad, opt for the soup or fries.
5 - Kristina D.: My favourite falafel place by far.  The falafel is always fresh, crispy, and the perfect temperature.  The lettuce is fresh, the tomatoes are fresh, and the seasoning they toss on top is great too.  

Try it without the yogurt sauce if you can stand it.  I like it better that way since the falafel stays crispier, the pita stays dry, and the sauce doesn't accumulated at the bottom of the wrap for a big mushy mess at the end of your meal.

They also have delicious fries that they make fresh sprinkled with seasoning.  

I would not recommend this for a first date, because it's not very attractive to bite into a wrap the size of your entire head.  It's also very messy (perhaps this is why they serve it on a cafeteria tray).  

It's cheap too!
4 - Nic B.: After catching a movie at the Varsity about dervishes wandering through the desert I was in the mood for some Arabic food.  My buddy recommended Aladdin and it didn't disappoint.  The Gyro was great, the fries were awesome, the soup was a tad cold but had great potential, and the baklava was a perfect way to polish it all off.  What is it about Hole-in-the-Wall status that makes the food stashed within so good?  I dunno but this place certainly benefits from that quality.
5 - Hogie H.: I don't know about the falafels, but the lamb and beef gyros are the best I've had in Seattle, and I've probably been to 20 or more gyro places.  The mean is always tender, they put some great spices on it, lots of tsatsiki, and the pita is fresh.  Go for the jumbo!  And their baba ganoush is always delicious!  Ali makes it himself!
5 - Stephani K.: My absolute favorite place to eat...to get gyros, falafel, baklava, baba ganoush, for dinner, for lunch, for late nights, even for a late breakfast!

It's about as big as a closet, but don't let that fool you. The owners are super-friendly, as everyone has already mentioned.

I only wish that I had found Aladdin Falafel sooner. I would eat there every single day if I could...
and definitely pay with cash. They charge a small fee for credit cards, but it's worth it if that's all you've got.
5 - jav w.: BEST middle east place in town, I have tried others, they are NOT the same!!!
4 - Chris H.: Yet another favorite place I have been coming to for years.  Introduced by some buddies from college it was always our first stop when rolling back into Seattle from the depths of Pullman.  I have never been disappointed by the food or the service here.

Ali or anybody else working are always very friendly and greet you as you enter this little hole in the wall.  I could and probably would kill for one of their gyros and atleast maime somebody for one of their falaffels.  Drunk, sober or stoned, whatever your state of mind Aladdin is where its at!
5 - Eugene M.: Aladdin has become my staple place when I try to get my friends with the most zenophobic eating habits to change their ways and embrace foods from beyond Jack in the Box and Red Robin.  And Aladdin has never failed.  Great food for good prices and very friendly staff.  Be prepared for having to take your food to-go, as there's as much seating as a Smart Car.
5 - Alex B.: Earlier this week, I was helping my company organize food for a department-wide Greek-Middleastern themed potluck lunch/fundraiser for a community in Malawi that's been devestated by AIDS. At that time, because only a few people had signed up to make food, we were worried that there wasn't going to be enough food. So, I called Aladdin and placed an order for $100 of different kinds of gyro meat (chicken, lamb/beef). Not only was the food gone in a few minutes, but they helped us raise $100s of dollars for a greatly underserved community. Thanks so much for coming through for us, Aladdin! We'll definitely be back!
5 - randi s.: This place is one of my favorites and I definitely don't go here enough.  On top of having awesome gyro and falafil sandwiches, the prices are great, and I love how its set up with a bar and bar stools to eat at while you can watch the guy who works there make the food.  They always have some nice tunes playing as well.

This place also won my heart over when my friend and I, several years ago as drunken 21 year olds, had to outrun some scary guys who were chasing us late at night after the bars closed.  We were rescued and let inside Aladdin falafel corner, told to hide in the bathroom, and the dude who worked there threatened to call the cops on the guys who were following us. We were allowed to hang out there until it was safe.  It was extremely nice of them when they could've just turned the other cheek and not become involved, which is what most other people in seattle probably would've done!!
5 - Michael L.: BACHANG! This place is the bizomb. I became enamored with falafel, oh, but a short time ago, maybe two years. I was just a young know-it-all punk with a bad attitude on a road to nowhere. And then I discovered Aladdin's. 
I was immediatley inspired to enroll in the local community college, where I excelled in biochemical engineering. While there, I developed a type of air freshener that emitted an intense bubblegum, candy-like scent. Unfortunately, my formula was hijacked by my lab partner, Sakiko, and he went on to make millions on the Japanese market. 
But that's besides the point. I don't need the money because Aladdin's is cheap! I fed my girly and myself for $13 plus tip. We drank water, discussed the current condition of the Avenue (grimy, as always) and delighted in the Eastern flavors so perfectly honed in this tiny, tucked away gem of a restaurant. 
The service was t-riff, as usual, and it's a joy to watch them cook your food. Side note: last time I was there one of the cooks sneezed, then immediately walked to the visible sink where he washed his hands thoroughly before returning to the stove. Very very good.
This is easily the best falafel joint in town (I've eaten at many) and their gyros are no joke either. In fact, I love their gyros. Have their delicious basmati rice as a side or the fries, which are seasoned perfectly. 
This is the kind of place tourists wish they could find. 
In short, that guy Sakiko is a total jerk.
5 - Gene H.: Sometimes dreams do come true, and sometimes, just sometimes, you discover a whole new world of tasty food closer than you previously imagined possible.

Just as our friend Aladdin from The Book of One Thousand and One (Arabian) Nights rises from his impoverished surroundings to become a hero, so does Aladdin Falafel Corner rise above the sea of mediocre and cheap food in the U-District to become singular in it's ability to stimulate my taste buds. 

It's TRUE.  Nothing compares, yes, nothing compares to you (the tasty goodness that is Aladdin's). For $5 bucks even (no credit cards and gold negotiable) I often find myself making the trip from Beacon Hill to the U-District to satisfy my craving.

It is said that to deny ones desires is to deny ones humanity... In that case I'll have one jumbo Gyro to go please.
4 - Alice C.: HUGE, HUGE, HUGE gyros. Like, Andre the Giant versus Wesley (you know, the rock fighting scene, "were you scarred by poison?" "no, I just think that theyre terribly comfortable..."). And YOU are Wesley. These are cheap, like, 5 or 6 bucks for the lamb and beef. I wasnt able to finish mine, but that just meant i got to stick in my fridge, and enjoy melon that smelled like gyro and leftover gyro content omlette the next morning. 

The only downside is that the last time I went in there, one of the guys behind the counter checked me out. Thrice.  Eh.
4 - Pete C.: Best gyros that I've tried in Seattle.  You get a ton for what you pay for, and as long as you're not a piggy, there is enough to save for later.  Their tzatziki goes perfectly with the lamb/beef gyro meat, too.  Aladdin's is well worth waiting in line, so be patient
5 - Jeff R.: Wow, pretty dang good if you ask me! The place is pretty small but they have very good meat.  A friend of mine suggested we meet there for lunch one day and oh man, was it good.  I would suggest you try this place, very flavorful.  Their Tzatziki sauce is very good too.
4 - Benjamin J.: I don't totally understand the difference between Aladdin Falafel Corner and the Gyro-cery.  They both serve falafel and gyros.  But, just for the sake of superstition, I decided to have falafel here.  Good choice.  Their gyros are darn solid, but their falafel is even tastier.

Now, I don't want to be Mr. Falafel Elitist here, but I gotta.  This is fast-food falafel.  Real falafel has the taste baked in.  A lot of the flavor at Aladdin comes from the semi-greasy heaviness.  I'm totally cool with that, especially since this is college food, but it's worth mentioning.  On the other hand, there's a lot of food here, and for the price, I can stand a little less than elegantly-baked pieces of delicate fava bean fanciness.

Aladdin's is tasty, cheap, lots of food and quick.  Plus, the people are friendly and fun.  One of the most solid bets in the U-District.
3 - Wesley B.: I went here with my friend cause he said its the best gyro in the area.  But I'm sorry i didn't think it was.  Don't get me wrong it was a very solid good gyro but way to much tzatziki it just took over the gyro.
2 - Nuri K.: The owner and employees at Aladdin are friendly and gracious; the falafel is fried to order; and the pita is homemade, but the end product still falls short of delicious. The falafel balls were acceptable but Aladdin needs a nice acidic contrast in the way of fillings; all we got was shredded lettuce and thick tehina (I think it was tehina; didn't taste like hummus). Had there been some lemon to brighten the tehina, or maybe a little tabouleh, the sandwich would have been infinitely better. But there's an overall heavy, uninteresting, boring mash of flavors inside the falafel sandwich, all cradled in an overthick pita.

Until I see some tomato or lemon inside the falafel sandwiches, I don't expect to come here ever again. Additionally, whatever the red spice is that they sprinkle over the sandwich (is it really just paprika?) tastes pretty stale.
5 - Jeff M.: Absolutely the best falafel I've tried in Seattle! We did a "falafelpalloza" a few months ago and got a falafel sandwich from a bunch of places in the u-district to compare. Aladdin Falafel Corner was clearly the winner, and we've been back many times since. The lamb/beef gyro is pretty awesome as well.
4 - Nath, A.: (This review applies to both Aladdins.)

I'm not the sort of person who often customizes a food order, especially at a small place like this. And yet, my opinion of the Aladdins has gone way up since I started ordering things without lettuce. Iceberg lettuce tastes like water, and makes everything it comes into contact with taste like water.

Aladdin is not a place you come to for authentic Middle Eastern or Mediterranean food. The chicken shawarma is called 'shish taouk' in the other branch, but isn't really recognizable as either dish. The yoghurt-based sauce in the gyro contained no detectable trace of cucumber, so I can't in good conscience refer to it as tzatziki. Still, the important thing is that everything I've tried here was consistently at least good, and sometimes excellent. Their recipes may be unconventional, but they work well.
5 - Randji A.: Best falafel in Seattle! Clean environment and friendly staff. Required eating pre or post film (Varsity, Neptune, Grand Illusion).
5 - Eugene O.: As a gordo (means "fat" in Spanish) Aladdin customer for over seven years, it brings me great pleasure to say that this place is the best establishment for gyros and making people fat!  But of course, the latter accomplishment is not anyone else's fault but my own.

The two best gyros by far are the falafel (for veggie lovers) and the lamb and beef combo. Fries are a must and if you're willing to be a little risky, add some feta cheese to make them that much more heavenly. Prices are dirt cheap, service is prompt and no fuss. The decor has plenty of character, and the dirty, dive-y bathroom is definitely intact.

For anyone who calls themselves a UW student, this place is a right of passage. For those who are alumni, they owe it to Aladdin to visit at least a few times a year.
4 - Sophia M.: Funny how my husband bought me a lamb gyro and it has a wrapping a round it.. Everytime I would endeavor into it I would push up from the bottom as if it were a push pop...

It seemed like the gyro was bottom less.. There was more and more. i couldn't even eat it all and the sauce is powerful and zesty in your mouth.
I would have to say.. they have one of the best gyros I have ever tasted.. 
Very filling; affordable; open really late -- let's note other than burger hut across the street.. they're the few still open even at 2 am..

Yummy for my tummy..
5 - Andrew S.: Really good place if you are simply looking for good authentic Greek food at great prices.  

The place isn't at all fancy but the food tastes great!  Beware that they run a "cash only" business as they DO NOT accept any credit cards.  

Another thing that's kind of cool is that they have tables in the back and they will bring you your food so that you can order, pay, and just go sit back and relax.  

Parking can be difficult as they're located right on University Way and the area is quite crowded while U-Dub classes are in session.

Overall, I would recommend eating here!
5 - Alan F.: Nevermind my mediocre, detail-less review. I had a great experience the last time I was at Aladdin. I was pulling an all-nighter to catch an early flight and felt hunger grow as the night wore on with nary a bite to eat in the cupboard.

I trekked down in the snowy U-District and found that Aladdin's and the rest of the ave was deserted. He said it was the slowest night of his life and got my delectable falafel sandwich at a heavily discounted blizzard rate right when I needed it most. I couldn't have been happier.
4 - J K.: Good stuff. Open late. Hole-in-the-wall. Good people.
5 - Inna B.: Got off work about 10:15pm.
Hungry.
Friend recommended Aladdin's.
Went in. 
Friendly service. Tasty falafel. Less than $5 spent.
Hunger perfectly satisfied. I am happy.
Good night.
4 - Natalie W.: Aladdins's was crazy busy on a sunny Saturday a few week ago, but I braved the wait standing awkwardly in the entry. The space has been expanded since I last went in a couple years ago- there is actually seating! 

The two guys working had a rhythm. They asked for orders as people rolled in and they noticed- there was no line. I ordered a chicken shwarma. My meal was tasty and FULL of seasoned chicken. The bread wrap was tender and earned a huge Holy Yum. The veggie topping was heaped on making me happy, and the sauces flavorful. I chowed down on my shwarma during my walk back down to work- picking chicken out as I walked- making the task more manageable. 

I liked my lunch. It was $6 even- though I later realized that the board in Aladdin's quoted a different price and even with tax that didn't add up to $6- hmmm... Also, a couple hours later I was a little uneasy in my stomach- I am going to connect that to my body not being use to the oils and seasonings not the food being bad- I don't want the later to be true. Plus- the gentlemen were easy to look at and I got a smile with my meal to go- I am a little bit of a Aladdin's fan now... though next time I would order something different.
5 - Nicholas B.: There are two Aladdins, one at 41st and University (yuck) and this one, at 44th and University.  Same owner, different chefs and recipes.  This one has a special sauce to die for.  It comes on the gyros.  Also the hummus, baba ghannouj, and tabouleh are unique and never boring.  Unusual picks are fuul (chickpeas in broth with feta and hot peppers) and chicken shawarma.  There is barely anywhere to sit, so stop by for lunch and don't bring your date or your kids.  It's not the cleanest place ever built, and there's nothing beautiful about the decor.  Come for the food and let your taste buds party.
4 - Honesta Y.: why not a five, why not a five, why not a five? 

They shake that special spice on one too many shakes.

Otherwise, a five. 

Why don't I ask them to take it easy on the spice? I guess I'm just shy like that.
4 - Brooke T.: The best thing about this place?  They are open until VERY late!  When the bars close... this is the spot.  You gotta get the jumbo- if you don't you will be very sad while your buddy is still working on his.  At $5 you can't really go wrong here. :)
4 - Lisa D.: Delicious and cheap. The spinach and feta sandwich is great and their falafel is tasty and full of parsley. Everything is served with a lot of lettuce, which is a little annoying and they do go heavy on the spice shaker.  I'd suggest not eating in, the atmosphere is nothing special. 3.5 stars
5 - John J.: So, I know what you're thinking. 

It would be pretty awesome to wake up miraculously fit/toned/tan with a check for 3 million dollars lying next to your coffee machine, which by the way happens to be dispensing liquid charisma, talent, and wit.

The doorbell rings and the mailman arrives, handing you a small package containing the keys to a brand new ferrari. Within said ferrari is your celebrity of choice, naked, except for the pile of diamonds in their lap.

Yeah, that would be nice. Aladdin's Falafel Corner is by far the second best thing. Im not shitting you. Go in there and order up a number 9. Receive it, made fresh, in a matter of minutes. Consume. Experience bliss.

No joke, this place is a food group for most UW students and District residents who aren't afraid to traverse the ave'. Additionally, they're open late. When bars close late. Added bonus.

In fact, I think I'm ready for a number 9 right about now...
5 - Jen C.: This was the first place I ate at when I moved to Seattle last month and I knew instantly I'd never go hungry while living here! Super yummy falafel, and according to my lunchmates, gyro. The guy at the counter was very friendly, and the food came quickly especially considering how busy the place was and the fact that everything is cooked to order. They go a little overboard with the lettuce and spices on the fries, but those things can be easily overlooked with the deliciousness of the overall dish. The seating is adequate and clean, totally acceptable for a grab and go type of establishment.
5 - Andrew S.: Per my new $5 or less list, i must mention that a Jumbo Lamb Gyro comes to $5 even.... and there is plenty of self-serve water which is easy to access if you're sitting at the bar.
3 - Adam A.: Aladdin's isn't bad.  Their falafel and sandwiches are fine, they are open late, and they are certainly cheap.  But that said, there really isn't anything impressive about it either.  The sandwich I had was pretty basic, just having some iceberg lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and a little tahini.  There were no interesting spices or flavors or vegetables in sight.  While it was fine, they ought to be a little more creative to warrent a higher rating: maybe throw in a little Jerusalem salad with hummus, some lemon, and parsley, for example.

That said, they're probably the best Mediterranean food on the Ave.  The falafel is a bit better than Samir's, and the prices might be a tad lower.
3 - David C.: Another place I went to during my first trip to Seattle. This place was ok. I enjoyed my Gyro and fries. Had not eaten one in about a year. This was not the best Gyro I ever had but it was among the cheapest.
5 - Arnaldo D.: One of my few favorite restaurants in Seattle
4 - Lars H.: What an awesome hole in the wall gyro shop.  This place hasn't changed in years and I sure am glad they have kept it that way.  It always seems the dingier and harder a place is to find the better the food.  You really get that old world feeling that you would have eating a gyro in the Mediterranean.   Aladdin really knows how to pile the meat into warm pita and smother it with just the right amount of onion, lettuce, tomato and tzatziki.  Is there anything better than a fresh gyro on a warm summer day or a cold winter afternoon, well maybe a nice cold beer, but thats a different review altogether.
5 - Josh H.: Excellent middle eastern food at very reasonable prices. Its on University Ave, and looks like a hole from the outside, but there is a small dinning room inside, and the place is clean. 

Not sure what to say other than YUM. I have tried the falafel sandwich, the gyros, their chicken shwarma, their french fries, and all were delicious. The falafel bread is fresh, their veggies are all crisp, and all the spices are right on target. 

Did I say reasonable prices? Forget that, this place is CHEAP. A huge gyros sandwich was less than $6. 

Another benefit to this place is that they are open until 1:30am. I'm sure this is primarily to serve the drunken UW kids, but still nice to know if you get the late night stomach grumbles.....or you happen to be a drunken UW kid. 

Try some carry out from this place, you won't regret it.
5 - Cathy G.: The only problem with this place is that you have to stand in line! It's popular! Sometimes you get behind someone who has to ask questions, " what is a gyro? Why is there air?" Breathe.. exhale.. you are on the Ave.. it'll be over soon. Then your turn.. mmmmm salivation begins. 

Gyros, falafels, fries! They have fries! All excellent.
I didn't realize it remained open so late.. I am nto a night owl, butt here you go!
1 - Ben S.: I really wanted to give this place a good rating...based on first impressions, I liked it a lot more than the other falafel/gyro spot down the block.  It was much brighter, much cleaner (I liked the stainless steel appliances) and the lay-out of the place was a lot more attractive.

I ordered the "jumbo" falafel and once again I was told it was 5 dollars...yet, the price on the board ($4.57) and tax would only equal $4.98 maximum...not that I really care about the 2 pennies but can I please have some accurate prices on the menus if they are actually going to take extra money?  I'm getting a little tired of this...and to make matters worse - the place claims to accepts debt/credit cards but they actually charge a 50 cent service fee.  I understand the credit card companies charge these places a service fee but that service fee is 2.5 or 3.5 percent and 50 cents on a 5 dollar order is 10 percent, so Aladdin's just pocketed an extra 7 percent of my money.  I came here for a cheap meal, not to be nickled and dimed to death.

Anyway...I liked the way the guy behind the counter prepared the sandwich and I walked home pretty confident that I would be very satisfied.  Unfortunately, the pita itself was nowhere near "jumbo" sized and that really disappointed me.  The lettuce, tomatoes and onions were cheap and flavorless - which is to be expected from an inexpensive spot like this.  The sauce was thick and tasty.  The falafel balls were wonderfully prepared (but there were only 3 of them, whereas the place down the block gave me 4).  Then I bit into a piece of falafel and my tooth crunched down onto something hard...it felt like I was biting a small pebble.  At this point, you can imagine how unhappy I was and it's pretty obvious that a 1 star rating was inevitable.

Overall, I was very unhappy with Aladdin's Falafel Corner.  The place isn't on a corner and my $4.98 "jumbo" falafel was was $5.50 and certainly not "jumbo."  I won't be going back.
5 - Jeremy C.: I love this place. 

Though they use standard Gyro meat for their Shawarma sandwiches, they still taste very good, and I love their tahini sauce--which is, in my opinion, way better than their tzatziki sauce.

Their falafel is unrivaled in the area. It's deep fried to that perfect crunchy texture, and drizzled in that amazing tahini sauce. 

 When I spend time in the U-District, this is a place I find myself returning to again and again.
2 - Jon G.: Pretty run of the mill gyros.  Nothing special.  

Fries are decent, but won't be back.
4 - Laura B.: This Aladdin is really similar to their confederate brethren but with an awesome sauce that adds a tangy flavor to their gyros.  The lamb and beef gyros were good but I have yet to try their falafel.  The decor was odd--rugs on the wall--but overall it was decent spot for a quick lunch, dinner or late night snack.
4 - Jim c.: This is the spot.. The food is good, cheap, and the guys who work there are cool.. Only reason i give it four is beacuse of the location.. Late at night theres a lot of drug addicts on that part of the ave.. It dosent scare me so much but i woulndt want my girl to stop there on the late night.. Open till 3am
5 - chris t.: My go to spot on the Ave. Open late, eats on the cheap and the falafel is great. The gyros are also very good, and they serve them with a tumeric-y sauce instead of the standard tzatziki, which a nice variation and quite tasty. 

But, this is not why you go. The BEST thing on the menu is the baba ganoush, without question. Every time I go I get this. Its smokey, smooth and not bitter in the slightest, like some eggplant can get. Usually one pita isn't enough to soak up all the goodness, so I take the rest home and have a pleasant lunch time treat. 

Besides the eats, the guys behind the counter are all friendly easy to strike up a conversation with at the counter. 

And oh yea, BACKLAVA. Nuff said.
5 - Sophia C.: Oh gyros of Aladdin Falafel Corner, how I love thee! Seriously, this is as good as gyros can get at a very good price. Their gyros is at the right temperature, the meat is juicy and flavorful... It just all works. It's one of those places that you walk by and lures you inside with its yummy-gyros aromas. I find this place irresistible, and you will too!
5 - Jesse O.: Love it! 20A 

The north location is the better of the two....
5 - Wendi F.: They have the best gyros I've EVER had!!!!! I am not kidding! they are huge, full of delicious lamb and beef spiced and mildly spicy, the tzatziki is delicious,  the falafel are scrumptious, and I love the fries. Dining in in the expanded dining are is nice and fun during the day, and taking gyros home to eat in private is also just as awesome.

The music is fun and upbeat, and I have been here at different times of the day for food.  Around lunch time, it's not too crowded but the service is awesome,  early evening, still not crowded but definitely still awesome. The hour of the drunks:  okay be prepared to wait, and I am talking about 45 minutes, perhaps longer.  This is the one time I do not like to be there, people  jam into the doorway  waiting for food, and it's only two men running the place. I always feel sorry for them cause they get hit hard at night  when people are done drinking. 

This is by far one of my all time favorite places for food in the U-Dist, and it's m,ega cheap on my wallet too
5 - Joolie T.: a whole new world.... a new fantastic point of view!!!

*ahem* sorry. i was channelling Disney's Aladdin for a moment. 

during college... when i was broke and depressed from being broke- my wiser and much happier roommate suggested i grab a gyro with her on the Ave. huh? what? i didn't know what the hell a falafel or gyro was... i grew up on Korean/Japanese food or McDonald's. i was in for the best discovery of my life! 

i explored the menu and asked my then roommate what i should try. she suggested i get a chicken gyro (since i don't eat lamb) and get some fries on the side. she ordered a falafel in a kronos flat bread for herself. the service is great! the staff are hilarious and really sweet. this is how i was introduced to a whole new world of middle eastern cuisine! i eat this stuff like it's going out of style, now. 

since then, i had been eating from there every weeknight. i would ask my beau at the time, friends or roommates to bring me a gyro whenever they would be on the Ave. going back now... years after college, this place is still the same. delicious. everything on their menu is top notch. i miss you, Aladdin!!!
5 - ACG C.: These guys are the best! I haven't been there in a year, saw them just buy the tobacco shop next door and were just starting the remodeling. I've eaten at the old location for years, got off the freeway after 5'oclock heading to Everett (you KNOW how bad traffic is at that time!), on the way to work and being late for stopping there, drove from DT or Northgate just for lunch, caught the bus from 45th and Stone just to go there on a Saturday afternoon, these guys are worth it every time. Hmm,,I think I'm gonna go by there tonight! 

The food it always fresh, always hot, always good. 

I admit that I have not been as adventurous as I should be, but I know they always give me the "nod" hello, never mind waiting, they are all good guys that they've got working there. They are open till 3:00am, gawd I have NO IDEA why I haven't been by there after getting off work at the bar!?! 

There is never any bullshitting around here. I've been there all hours, seen all kinds of crowds there. You place your order, and unless there are 20 people ahead of you, your pita bread gets slapped on the grill in the next 15-30 seconds. You can see what's cooking, shout at him, "no onions, extra onions", he'll look back, "this one here?" give you a nod and go back at it. Always nice guys, you feel appreciated as a customer, the owner has never known my name, but I feel like I've known him for years.
5 - gabriel e.: What all those other 5 star-ers said:)
5 - Rossana Y.: Every time I walk on the Ave I always get a whiff of an alluring aroma, but for some reason I never get the chance to step inside and discover what awaits me....until now! Their lamb/beef gyros are simply the best. The meat is juicy, flavorful, and mildly spiced to perfection. The tzatziki they put in it is delicious. And the best part is that it's cheap! I don't normally have Middle Eastern cuisine but so far this is my new favorite place to get some of the best gyros on the Ave!
5 - Mathan R.: Boy do I love this place.  Arabic food is definitely my fav when it comes to cuisine, unfortunately I'm cursed to live in a city that has an almost negligible Arab population, and I've been here a long time waiting for a good place to satisfy my cumin crave. I'd been going to Aladdin's Gyrocery for a while before I discovered this place, and I'm pretty sure my tastebuds couln't be happier.

First of all, this is the best late night joint on the ave, bar none. Memo's... is nasty. Pita Pit is pretty good but when it's 2am and I'm losing my buzz I don't really want to select every ingredient that goes in my sandwich. Ragazzi is great late night food but inconsistent and has nowhere to sit. Aladdin's offers some seriously delicious gyros for a damn good price... I mean they have good other stuff but this is pretty much the pinnacle. Let me get more specific.

Lamb and Beef "Gyro": ground lamb and beef bits sliced when you  order from a rotating tornado of spiced meat goodness and chopped and fried some more on a griddle. Like a proper shawarma, they include little slivers of onion and tomato that have been inserted between the meat on the spit... delicious. They serve it in a soft pita with some bland lettuce and tomato and some bomb yoghurt sauce. As good as it gets around here. 

Rice: Their fries are good but everyone I know has switched their combo side to the turmeric rice that they microwave and top with herbed yoghurt sprinkled with sumac. Mix it all together... it's really good just trust me on this.

Other stuff: Their falafel is usually pretty good though sometimes a bit too salty. They also have foule mudamas (stewed fava beans) and fried cauliflower pitas, great vegitarian options, both which I've tried at the other Aladdin and they were good (and food at this one is consistently better). Their lentil soup is tangy and good, but I almost always just go for the rice. The hot sauce they have is ok, a little bit too vinegary and runny. They have Vimto soda, which is a super sweet soda with a taste somewhere along the lines of juicy fruit. I personally love it but it's not always worth the extra cost.

Basically a combo of a jumbo pita sandwich with rice or fries or soup is six or seven bucks I believe, which is a really great deal. After trying out a few different things I almost always just get the lamb and beef combo with rice.

I would highly recommend this location over the gyrocery down the ave for the following reasons:

-Better lamb and beef gyros
-More generous portions
-They take credit card
-Amiable staff
-More pleasant interior and layout (albeit less "themed") since they expanded
-More restraint with the pro-Palestinian stuff (Gyrocery has pictures of injured children right next to the menu when you're waiting to order... even if you support that cause it's a bit much for a restaurant)
-Open later (I think)
-If they screw up your order or forget something they tend to actually make up for it

Their other items are often unavailable or not that great, but the bottom line is that any place that does one or two things really well, consistently, at great value, with a good vibe, and into the wee hours of the morning deserves five stars in my book.
5 - Linda C.: Listen, if you want a quick bite to eat during lunch or a cheap eat for dinner this place is it!  The best thing they got here is their Beef & Lamb Gyro.  The meat is generously portioned inside a warm pita with lettuce, tomatoes, tzatziki sauce, and their special cumin spices.  The service is quick and always consistent.  $5 will get you a gyro including tax.  So sit and enjoy this delicious treat or take it with you while you stroll the AVE.
5 - Rose E.: Discovered this place on accident one fateful night in early 2006 with my new boyfriend. At the time I lived in Everett and visited the U district often to go to The Varsity to watch the latest foreign/independent film.

 At the time, it was the size of a hallway, two or three tables against the wall, and a bar with 6 stools. They have since taken on more space and classed it up a bit. He ordered the chicken gyro, I ordered the spanopita (spinach feta pita) and we shared a side of falafel balls. This was four years ago and I still remember how I felt when I ate my meal. Amazed that such wonderful, flavorful, savory food could come from such a hole in the wall in Seattle. The turmeric rice is the perfect complement to the wraps. The falafel s are perfectly fried.

We started to go to Aladdin's every time we went to Seattle. I stuck with the Spanopita, he went to the Kofta gyro. We moved to Bellingham. Now, I long for Aladdins. Any excursion to Seattle is an opportunity for us to order our usuals. I even got my picky little brother, who eats hungry man frozen dinners almost every night, to love the food here. 

For the life of me. I can not comprehend why anyone would go to the likes of pita pit, when you can have authentic, delicious pitas down the road for a fraction of the cost and a taste that is exponentially superior. However, this does not mean I want them to be in the line when I come down from Bellingham. To each their own I suppose. More spanopitas for me.
5 - Chas P.: Rockin falafel. Not too hard/not too dry. Good fries. Nice dudes running the place. Nice place to sit and chill. Good veggie/vegan options. Check it out.

Pretty cheap too for all the food you get.
4 - Mary S.: I adore this place! Open late and the food is GREAT! Love love love their falafels. I've tried their other stuff like grape leaf wraps, hummus, etc... not the best, but not bad either. Just go with a sandwich and fries! :)
4 - Dave L.: Tasty! Oh so tasty. Priced well and friendly staff. 

What would I change? They could use a better eating area, and it would be nice if there were Americanized descriptions of the food so I don't feel stupid asking "what's in this one?"
5 - Trevor O.: I am a bit of a falafel fanatic, and I am proud to report that Aladdin Falafel Corner
does not disappoint. I had had the falafel sandwich, a side order of hummus and I was excited that they had Vimto (it's a British black current soda very popular in the Middle East).

The food was fantastic. The falafel sandwich was great, the lettuce and tomato on the sandwich had a nice dressing on them, it was like the kind of dressing you generally get on a fatoush salad. 

The hummus was exceptional, it had top shelf olive oil on it, a few chickpeas, some chopped parsley, and some great middle eastern spices.

All around great place to get some slightly greasy middle eastern food.
4 - Sarah M.: I have been to Greece and miss the gyros so much.  Usually I never get gyros because they are always a disappointment, but yesterday I went to Aladdin.  I got a Lamb Gyro and it was very tasty.  It was different then the ones in Greece, but it had the same flavor and delicious sauce.  I will definintely be returning when I'm craving a gyro.
5 - Connor J.: Whenever a group of my friends and I have a hard time deciding where to go to eat, we always choose Aladdin Falafel Corner. This hole in the wall restaurant is always a safe and satisfying choice to myself, my friends, and many other college kids. Aladdin's is a great restaurant to eat tasty food for a cheap price. 
 Aladdin's food is not the normal run of the day meal. They have a wide variety of authentic Indian food. But their signature dish is the jumbo lamb and beef gyro. They serve this order with grilled tender beef and lamb, with slices of onions and tomatoes, and their delicious tzatziki sauce. All these ingredients are put in soft pita bread, which causes your taste buds to fire with euphoria. If one adds their crispy fries to their meal, it becomes the ambrosia of the avenue, and along with an affordable price of seven dollars.   
 Also, the service is exceptional for the kind of restaurant Aladdin's is. The people who work there give off a friendly and comfortable feeling. They can work at an efficient rate, handing your order to you in five to ten minutes. Upon leaving, they will always give one a kind gesture, such as telling you to have a good day. I often see a good amount of people tipping them on the way out.  
Aladdin's is not the most luxurious place to eat at, but it's not that kind of restaurant. Aladdin's give one the experience of having a delicious meal at a cheap price.
4 - Kristin C.: I don't like falafels. But don't let the name deceive you, this place is very good. I tried the beef and lamb gyro. I loved it so much that I got the sauce all over me... and I didn't even care! It was very good, my boyfriend loved his too. I am not a huge gyro fan, but whenever I am craving one again, I will definitely try this place again.
5 - Yuliana A.: Mohammed was a nice guy... He said he will make the special gyro (read year-o, NOT jay-ro) fried rice that is the favorite of his customers. As it turned out, it was a special fried rice... pretty darn good! The gyro was awesome too. You guys should come here if you've never been. Seriously.
4 - jupiter s.: Had my first taste of aladdin during the Udistrict street fair... ordered the rice with meat. We didn't expect anything special, so we decided to split the dish amongs the 4 of us. Waited a while for the plate to come out... but when it came out.... we devoured the thing like a real carnivore!

It was really good... that the next few days we had to come back and get the gyros!
Yummy-licious
5 - Kelly C.: I love this place!  I was thinking about it recently, and I don't go out too often on the ave, but when I do it's almost always to here.  I couldn't even remember the name of the place--just that it involved falafel.

Amazingly tasty fries, awesome veggie options, and open super late.  I love it.
4 - Doug C.: Aladdin Falafel is a pretty decent place to pick up some cheap Mediterranean food. It's a pretty small space: there's the counter next to the door and an adjoining side room with a few tables and chairs. 

It's another one of those cool places where you can be sitting at the table observing them make your food while also catching a little people watching on the Ave. They are pretty quick and moved a long line of people through efficiently.

I had a falafel (since it's the name of the place, I figured it had to be tried) which was rather good. Just the right amount of sauce and the bread was soft and chewy. The prices are also hard to beat; for two of us with drinks it was $11.
4 - mandar j.: Great chiken gyros .

Falafal is also one of the best . 

Perfect place to eat a lot with and still spend less :)
5 - Tara G.: This is the first place I ate in when I first came to UW and is one of the few restaurants I've continued to go to in the last few years. It's cheap, tastes great, and is open late. The best part is that It's a full meal with meat, veggies, and a pita. Definitely not the same type of pita as the Pita Pit (errr). However, the worst part about it is that they charge you $.50 for using your credit card, so pay cash. Also, I usually take out, but it wouldn't be too bad to dine in.
5 - Curtis G.: Double meat, no onion Gyros from here got me through my undergrad at University of Washington.

There were plenty of places near campus to get a gyro but none were as good as this.  It was the seasoned meat, the generous portions and the great sauce that makes them stand out.

I love that they always remembered me and what my order was.  I do not think they knew my name, I certainly never knew theirs.  Whenever I am in Seattle this is one of the places I love to eat.
4 - Tyler H.: Number 1, best Aladdin on the Ave. Good value and quality menu. While not as spacious, the food is better quality. I first came here after seeing the line for Thai Tom and decided on immediate gratification. I'm usually split between the gyro and the falafel, both are excellent. If I'm up for the walk, I'll almost always come here over any other gyro joint.
5 - Eric O.: Brilliant - huge tasty gyro packed with fresh veggies, lamb, beef and a curry-esque tzatsiki.  The Greek fries were perfect with feta and seasoning.  What a slice of heaven - I'll be back soon.
5 - Joel C.: Holy crap this was the best lunch I have ever had.....best gyro ever....will drive from portland again just for this place!!! Booya!! Boner jams 2010
5 - Travis H.: This is one of the greatest restaurants i have ever been to. 11 years of eating here and i am still not sick of it. $5 for a huge amount of food, great people and fairly quick service. Jumbo gyros no tomatoes has been my comfort food and this place is the only place that makes it right. Everyone who i have brought here has fallen i love instantly with the wonderful food

if you are in seattle, this is somewhere you MUST eat at.
5 - Benjamin C.: This was my go to place to eat out quickly when I lived in the U-District. Their beef-lamb gyros are the best in Seattle. This place is probably the best eats in the U. Although Thai Tom is right next door which is good and all but I'd rather go here. The shop used to be really small and they have recently expanded. When they were small the service was fairly fast but now that it has upgraded it's spaced the speed of service has slowed a little. No biggy I'll wait for good food.
4 - Matt G.: The dingy yellow awning, cliché name (and fact that it's not actually on a corner) shouldn't dissuade you from trying Aladdin. 

I experienced it late night as drunken hordes of frat monkeys swarmed around a steaming gyro griddle greedily soaking up fumes of freshly cooked lamb chunks. After shoving my way to the front, I scored a countertop position, affording me an intimate glimpse into the madness as the proprietor, a witty gent with a gigantic schnoz took food orders from the swaying mass, adroitly mixing underhanded condescension with genuine repoire. 

The next morning I experienced a torrent of noxious flatulence that rudely awakened me from my fitful slumber, however it was a small price to pay for the significant hangover reduction quotient (I'd say at least 35%) experienced as a result of those freshly cooked lamb chunks, which thankfully got busy in the wee hours of the morning soaking up the toxins swimming in my stomach.
5 - Melissa F.: Oddly this place serves some of the best gyros I've ever had. Definitely a great stop when you want something quick and don't want to spend a ton of money.
4 - Kim S.: I go here a lot... Probably too much. I've tried a couple of things off of the menu, but there is only one thing that really makes me come back over and over. The lamb and beef gyro is the best. They fry up the meat with some delicious curry that just makes it absolute perfect. Service can be a little slow at times, but it is because you hit a busy period. A huge positive is that they are open late.
3 - The-Hoa H.: Gyros are delicious! They are a bit smaller than what I'd expect but they are great nonetheless! The guys here are so nice and their side of fries (if you do order it) is huge! Quality of food is good and the decor of the restaurant really sets a fitting mood to the food.
4 - Mike T.: This place makes really good gyros and  homus.  The place is open till 1am so it's a good place to come to if your feeling hungry and are nearby. I've only tried the lamb gyros and homus but im sure that everything else this place has to offer is tasty as well.
5 - Arnold W.: Falalfel and lamb sandwiches....so juicy! Also freshly fried and piping hot, perfect on a chilly day. One of best and flavorful ones I've had! One man running the show too! I wish I came here for lunch, I'd order 2!!
5 - Angela C.: This was an unexpected food stop that turned into my favorite meal in Seattle!!!  I heard that Seattle had good Mediterranean food, but this hole in the wall really blew my mind.  My friend got the lamb and beef gyro and I got the falafel.  Both were decadent and full of flavor.  The meat was tender, and the falafels were fried perfectly.  They were very generous with the fillings too.  The pita breads they came in were soft and chewy and warm... and the white sauce brought all the other delicious elements together.  To top it off, the one man working behind the counter was very friendly and patient with us.  Love this place!!
4 - Angela S.: I'm definitely a fan. They're super friendly and the food is super tasty. Their falafel is moist and flavorful, their pitas are deliciously chewy, their baba ganoush is wonderful, and their veggie dinner plates are amaaazing. The eggplant melts in your mouth! Sooo goooood.

They're pretty fast and rarely busy (in my experience). 

Finally, my boyfriend spent a number of his formative years in Saudi Arabia, and this is his favorite place for Middle Eastern food, if that helps at all. :)
5 - Reesa T.: Okay, the Falafel is good.  I mean, this is not the best falafel I have ever had or something to die for- but they are open late for my midnight falafel cravings and the menu is not overpriced.  And they are some damn good falafel.  (side note: i seriously love falafel and take them a little seriously...  just a little.)

Clean enough for the Ave and even open later than the bars- what could be more perfect.  Plus I do like the music they play its a good mix of anything non-english.  Gyros, Falafel, Foule... Hummus- you really cannot go wrong.  All well cooked and delicious, all priced to afford.  They do to go orders in a snap so if you are on you're way home and just wanted to pop in, easy.  

They're friendly enough and honestly watching them work I just really get the impression that they genuinely care about the details.  All around win.
4 - Rick V.: Being from Chicago, I am slightly suspicious (naturally) of curry-flavored gyro meat, but wow, it was quite tasty and a welcome change. As soon as I saw the Kronos Gyros sign in the window all my fears were laid to rest. The fries were slightly undercooked and unsalted, but I had lots of curry tsaziki sauce left over for dipping them, and in the end, left full and satisfied.
5 - Sean C.: What hasn't been said already about Aladdin's?  

Seriously delicious gyros (and fries, for that matter).  Open late.  Cheap.  

I find that the guys running this place seem to be friendlier than the guys running the Aladdin's Gyrocery further down the ave.  Gyros taste the the same between both restaurants (+1 star for consistency!).  If the relatively cold demeanor of the guys at the Gyrocery scares you away from the food, its not a far walk up the ave to get to the Falafel Corner.  Or grow some skin, whatever.
5 - Andy C.: THE BEST!!! I have come here for 10 plus years!
5 - Kai S.: Delicious and cheap. 
I've been coming here for 6+ years since my first introduction to this establishment through a friend. 
Hell, I used to top my day off with a gyro or falafel from this place after skipping a class or two.
I swear by it and I've not been tempted away by any other place despite my travels into other states/cities.
Friendly staff, good food, and open late. 
What more can you ask for?
3 - Russ B.: I don't really get it. I think it was average. Some salt on my food would have been tasty. The chicken slices in the chicken Gyro are these long thin slices. It just makes me think it's processed chicken instead of plain old chicken meat, and  I hate processed chicken.
5 - Kevin K.: The atmosphere in this place is fantastic.  The food is amazing, and the price is low.  I was pleased with my chicken gyro which filled me up and was chock-full of delicious spices.  The food is cooked right in front of you.  None of that permade crap some other gyro places have.  The people behind the counter are nice and friendly.
5 - Jackie K.: So freaking good.  I always get extra sauce on my gyro.  It's crazy that you get a massive heap of fries with your sandwich for such a cheap price.

The combos are the deal of the century.
4 - Jim G.: Not the best falafel I've had (I've had some darn good ones) but a solid 3rd place.  Can't be beat for the price.  Hot sauce and sumac seasoning are a must.  The wrap has a great consistency - thickness and chewiness are just right.
4 - Kyle M.: Delicious food and open late which a lot of places in the area are not.  No complaints!
4 - Simon T.: Really good food, very cheap, and open at nearly any hour you can think of.  Only gripe is that they are cash only, which is sort of annoying.  Service is fine but not anything to rave about.
2 - Shawndelle J.: I went to Aladdin's last night. We ordered a falafel and a chicken shawarma. They took 25 minutes to bring us our to-go order on trays for eating in; and another 10 minutes just to put them in a bag. We got home and ate and it was good. Then I spent the entire night getting up to be sick. I will never go back. Ever. Remember, you get what you pay for. You pay for hole in the wall cheap food and you will get sick.
5 - Henry S.: What's not to love about this place? It opens till 3AM on weekends, nice and friendly staffs, fast service, food is reasonably priced.

But most importantly, the quality of the food. I find every single item on their menu to be delicious, especially the hummus plate! If you haven't tried it, then you're definitely missing out!

Seriously, get the hummus plate! You'll leave the place with a happy face and a firm belly.
5 - Anne P.: Delicious. Fast. Delicious. 

Best testimony: I had a friend visiting from out of town and made sure to take her to all of Seattle's best restaurants. We ended up at Aladdin's on a low key evening and both enjoyed our meals immensely. It wasn't until months later talking to her on the phone did I realize how highly she regarded the meal. Apparently she still raves about this Seattle falafel to all of her friends and said it was the best thing she ate on her trip, despite the fancy foodie places I was dragging her around to! It really is that good.
4 - Jeff S.: One of the better falafel sandwiches I've had in Seattle. Good prices, expansive menu and super friendly service. A very well run business.
5 - Kenny V.: One of the greats among true Ave goers. I love coming here late at night when nowhere else is open. The guys working behind the counter are chill and pretty entertaining as well. 

Modestly priced, their beef/lamb gyros are amazing. Of the numerous times I've been here, I haven't tried anything else on their menu but I'm sure its all good. 

The last time I visited was for a quick dinner. Things were a bit slow 'round the shop and I had noticed they had pre-made a couple gyros and threw them in the bag. The gyro didn't taste noticeably different or worse, just a bit 'shady' to me. The fries were meh, probably were sitting out for a while. 

Quick note, they charge 50 cents for credit/debit transaction
4 - grace y.: I came here at 2 AM last night so this is a very biased review. Biased in the way that I was drunk and I had beer munchies. 

Nevertheless, this place was delightful.

I had the following:

Beef/lamb gyro - The meat was perfectly cooked and seasoned. I love the yogurt sauce that they throw in this.

Fries - Yum! Perfectly crispy and seasoned with a little cayenne (I think).

Most of all, I loved the hot sauce that they have. I'm a hot sauce addict and seriously I could eat cardboard with the hot sauce that they had but glad it accompanied delicious food :)
5 - Susan N.: This was the first place I ever ate in Seattle. They were really nice to me (maybe bc they knew I was some type of middle eastern) and the food was delicious. It was so cheap too!
4 - ME M.: One of the best Gyros on the Ave for sure.

Reasons why I like this place:
1. Service is pretty good.
2. Delicious food.
3. Your total always comes out to an even dollar.
4. Open as late as possible.
5. Close to school.

I highly suggest Aladdin's if you're hungry at 2 am.
4 - Jonas C.: Was in the area and my friend decided that falafel was a good call.  I've always been a little confused between this place and Aladdin's Gyrocery down the street, and I've little to no experience with falafel or this kind of food.  Overall, I liked it, it's a good deal for what you're getting, and the service is quick, and the food is filling (and tasted good, I'm pretty sure that's important too).  Not being a college student anymore, I don't have much reason to go there (regularly), but if you're in the area, sure, it's a good place to grab a bite.
5 - Jordan Y.: This is the best place, great food and great service.  The food is  so good , the place is clean and busy too.  I can't wait to go baack again.
5 - D L.: The gyros are the best I have ever had. They spice the meat alittle and cook them with onions. ( Other paces just cut up some meat and put on a pita.)  The guys at Aladdin really prepare a good meal for you.  You can taste the love.
5 - Mark L.: You see all these five stars??  I'd give this sh*t 6 if I could.
5 - Tan Lo S.: I love this place! Their gyros are cheap, authentic and delicious!

I don't know what to say except that they're so good... there are long lines at times. but it's sooo worth it! 

you always get your fast good and you know it's authentic!
I hear they're open late too :)
4 - Selena P.: Mmmm...gyros!

The family and I were in the U-District and needed some good grub for dinner.  I had a really big craving for gyros, so I suggested this place and since I was buying, no one could say no. ;)

I ordered a mass of lamb/beef gyros, an order of dolmaths and a plate dinner with gyro meat.  All of it, every single morsel was eaten.  Down to the very last drop of sauce that came with the dolmaths.  Everything was delicious, freshly prepared and great flavor profiles.  When the food was gone, I wanted more!  Now, I have dreams about gyros from this place and want to try their falafels next!  I had some pretty amazing falafel in Paris, so they have some stiff competition!

If you haven't gone, there is no reason not to.  Good food, cool people and they take cards.  Win, win, win!
4 - Jeff E.: They have the BEST gyros! I've only had gyros and baklava when I've been there, but I specifically go to Aladdin for the gyros - they are cheap and very flavorfully spiced - definitely worth checking out!

The wait can't be 5-10 minutes depending on how busy they are, but the staff is also very friendly and the U-District crowd can be entertaining.
5 - Daljit S.: Cheap, AUTHENTIC, delicious gyros with good service and great hours.... enough said :)
5 - Taylor C.: Sometimes, you just gotta have a gyro. And when you're on the Ave in Seattle late night, the place should be Aladdin. Keep in mind I take my own review with a grain of salt because all three times I have visited have been post drinking, which means at the time I was craving either a bean and cheese burrito, a greasy bacon cheeseburger, a hot dog with grilled onions and cream cheese.... or a lamb and beef gyro. 

That last drunk munchie only got added to my list after I studied abroad and got hooked on the taste of doner kebabs (it will never leave me, I'm certain). Now that shaved meat calls to me every time I exit a bar (not a bad thing in my opinion). Aladdin caters to this crowd late at night. The guys behind the counter are awesome and very patient with their inebriated patrons. You also have quite an entertaining crowd with people from around the Ave coming in.

The gyros are the only things I've gotten, but they are cheap (a jumbo for around 5 bucks) and tasty (again, don't how much of that I can attribute to my friends Jack, Jim and Don). Make a mental note for yourself before you go out and hopefully you'll be reminded sometime around last call. You won't be disappointed.
5 - Patrick H.: Great food and great deal. Sit at the counter.
4 - Eric A.: I wouldn't say this place is super amazing or a one-of-a-kind spot, but sometimes a delicious gyro sounds irresistible and when it does, this is the place I go.

The lamb/beef/chicken/ gyros are all a square $5 after tax.  They don't skimp on the seasoning or toppings, it's always hot, and the flavors are great.  The guys running the place are always pretty nice, too.
4 - Alexandra G.: This is a great late night eatery, it just depends on the cook. 95% of the time it's amazing, I've just had one/two not-so delicious sandwiches. 

The greek fries with feta on top is a great deal. I ordered a small to go and in fact it was a whole bag filled to the brim. :D

If I am cheap I would go Memo's but if I have the extra couple of dollars I would most definitely go here @ 2 am.
4 - J T.: The BEST place for a gyro on The Ave. 

The service is friendly, and when you order their combo, they don't look at you like you are college mooch. 

The pita is soft has a stoopid solid texture to it (for those of you not fluent in Marshawn Lynch that means really good). Well spiced and there is plenty inside the gyro! It's packed full and each bite is delicious. Just do it.

They might shoot you a weird look if you get a salad though. ;)
5 - Elizabeth C.: Yummy! Zahra (Fried Califlower). They are good, fast and inexpensive. Great for lunch!
5 - Morgan L.: I've come to find out my largest regret in life is not applying to UW.

If only i had known this magnificent place would be within walking distance, open till 2am, and serve the best damn falafel, gyro, and chicken shawarma ever!
5 - Yasmeen H.: The falafel sandwich was delicious and inexpensive. Spices were perfect, and not overspiced/overgarliced at all. Probably the least expensive and most delicious dinner I've had in Seattle so far!
4 - Kevin T.: Good gyros and it's pretty cheap for college students. It's quick and convenient. A gyro combo which also includes a canned soda and fries comes up to $7.50 (including tax). So, it's a good deal and the gyro is pretty big! The fries were big steak fries with some seasoning on them. I would recommend just getting the gyro though.

Beware: CASH ONLY!
5 - Sam B.: The bread they use for the gyros is what makes this place! and the great sauce and great meats. All around my favorite gyro place on the Ave.
3 - Elizabeth W.: Quick place to grab a bite. I tried the falafel sandwhich, cost me around ~$4. Don't get it mixed up with another chain also referring to Aladdin (Aladdin Gyro-cery), I don't know if they did that purposely to get at us, in secret service, maybe they're actually related or they just have a huge gay crush on Aladdin. Can't be not swooned by "A Whole New World" on a magic carpet ride, right? They're all "I'll be your Jasmine, Aladdin. Pick me, I even have a restaurant named after you!" Let Aladdin pick who he want to pick, okay? For now, I'm his personal taste tester and assistant.

The place resembled any other cheap ass joint, a few tables lined up the tore with a booth directly overlooking the "kitchen" where they cook up everything on a huge pan. Kind of like the Middle Eastern Benihana. When they prepared my sandwhich, I specified for EXTRA sauce. EXTRA, means plus, more than the usual. I thought you didn't get me correctly for you skimped on the sauce that left my met all dry. Maybe you thought I said extra dry. 

Took a couple minutes for it to be wrapped and placed into a brown paper bag, motherfucking to-go! These places are specifically made for on the go food, it's not a place that's nice to hang out at, just serving up fast food for your hungry appetite. Unless you're really having the munchies, then I suggest you directly devour that sucker!

The falafel was quite crispy, not as much as I want it to be. It doesn't really have the perfect amount of crunch to it, you know? It also tastes monotone, like one single thing the whole time I'm eating it. Greek spices, you know it when you try it. Not saying it's bad, just something to fill the spaces in your tummy, satiate hunger, not to please my taste buds and make me marvel at your throne. The flat bread was reheated on the pan, pre-packaged in a bag before. The little sauce that you managed to give me wasn't thick enough to be the right tzatziki, I've tried falafel in a food court better than this. 

Not bad, not great. Good value for money, if you're broke as hell- I suggest go for it! An okay amount of quantity that will at least exterminate hunger.
5 - Kenny P.: 130? Little drunk? Hankering for a nom nom? Gyro's is just about as good as it gets. Lamb and beef combo all day, everyday. They take card here (but charge 50 cents) while the other one doesn't and I think this one tastes way better. When I'm starving, Gyros is literally my default.
5 - Matt S.: Ah Aladdin...always good for a cheap, quick and good lunch.   I've heard some iffy things about the one farther down the Ave, so I always go to the one closer to 47th, which is the one I'm reviewing here.

I'm a big fan of their falafel.  I recommend the regular (jumbo) size and a drink to go along with it.  The falafel itself is really good; not dry and full of flavor.  Expect a little bit of sauce to drip all over your tray; that's just the nature of the beast :-)

They have a wide variety of cans/bottles of Coke products for beverages.  Oh, and if you feel like some fries, grab the combo, they're pretty good! (Just don't grab the hot sauce instead of ketchup from the counter, whoops my bad)  Whatever you decide to choose from their good-size menu, you'll probably only end up spending $5-10.

The guys behind the counter are always really cool and I love that they don't mind that you pay once you leave.  Sweet!

The place is fairly small, but there's a counter and a fair number of tables, big and small.  It looks like they also have WiFi and there's a few outlets along the walls.

There's a bathroom...yea, nothing special there.

When you're done, just leave your tray, pay the dude, and head out.  All done!

Always a pleasure guys, I'll be back for sure!
5 - rosette t.: This place is YUMMm! 

Whenever I'm around the ave I love stopping by Aladdin for a quick meal. The outside may look a bit sketchy and run down but the food here is amazing and cheap!

For about $5 you can get a decent size gyro and for $7.50 you can get a combo which includes the gyro, fries, and a drink. Really great deal. 

The pita bread is great, the meat is cooked just right and the sauce is delicious! This place is not like most greek gyros. The sauce is tzatziki but there is also a curry flavor taste to the gyro . So if you're more into the traditional gyro this place may not be for you. 

The people here are very friendly, service is pretty good, and they are open til 2am.

The only downside is that they take CASH ONLY. Not too worry though since there's an ATM in the restaurant
5 - Jenna D.: I've never been disappointed. This is my favorite place to get gyros. The guys that work here are cool too.
4 - Siruo Z.: Tried the #9 and #22. Both pretty good.
5 - Lauren B.: They have bomb falafel and it's really cheap. Made fresh and fast right in front of you, and comes on a thick, tasty, chewy pita with some veggies (I think tomato and lettuce) and delightful tsatsiki. Love this place!
4 - Sione P.: This place is another that's perfect to be located next to UW. Cheap good food was kind of a staple while I was going to UW and there are still a lot of great options right in the area!  This place offers a very small location, very friendly staff, and seriously tasty food!  I am a fan of the lamb and beef gyros here and sometimes I don't know if I should head here or the other Aladdin's (Aladdin's Gyro-cery, which I love).  Food's great and served up quick, with the small size facilitating in the decision to take away, often. If there's a big line out of Thai Tom, it's a good bet to just head next door to here and grab some falafel or a tasty gyro!
5 - Agnus R.: This place is delicious!

It's kinda divey inside, but it reminds me of the Coney Islands and greasy spoons I grew up loving in the Midwest, so I am more assured than alarmed by the greasy walls and chipped tabletops.  Besides, while I was there--I was the only white girl in a room full of families, which means that I made a good food decision. 

Food was cheap and delicious and the guys at the counter were super nice. I had asked for no tomatoes when I ordered and that request got overlooked until the cook set my sandwhich in front of me and immediately remembered, and then quickly fixed it after apologizing.

I'm rarely in this part of the city, but I stop in when I am.
4 - Danielle C.: What a great place for some gyros!  My boyfriend got the gyro and I got the gyro platter with hummus.  The lamb meat was seasoned very well and it went perfectly with the hummus and the tahini oil.  Bliss!  The pita was fresh as well.

The place is cash only.  Be expected to wait around 10-20 minutes for your food, depending on how many people ordered in front of you, since it looks like it's just one guy taking orders and cooking the food.  Also, the interior is kinda grungy, so I wouldn't take anyone here for a romantic date, but some quick eats, definitely.
5 - Michael B.: Lord... I wish we had Aladdin's Falafel Corner in Tacoma. After my brother brought me here after a Seahawks game a few months back, I found out for the first time what an actual gyro is supposed to taste/look/smell like. And wow... everywhere in Tacoma is selling dumps in pita bread with some odd sort of white sauce and calling it a gyro and charging 10.00. but it's cool, because these locations all give you a .35 cent can of safeway select (which I don't even think Safeway has sold for 6 years). 

   Aladdin's runs circles around every single other gyro I have had in my lifetime. So much so, I have boycotted all "gyro" locations other than Aladdin's. Alot of people I know have not experienced Aladdin's so they found it hard to believe how adamant I was regarding this issue, but after I drove from Tacoma to Seattle JUST to prove to them what a real gyro is, they agreed...  and luckily, I didn't look so crazy anymore. 

    Sincerely,
     Boycotting all others
5 - Arry Y.: I am drooling thinking about this place.
I always get the #9 - beef and lamb gyro.
It's amazing.
You can get it spicy if you want.
A can of Coke goes so well with it.
Their french fries are good if you want more food.
Awesomest gyros ever.
5 - Crystal B.: 22A is the best! Fun place to go late at night in the U district!
4 - Jill B.: A co-worker hopped on his motorcycle to go get falafel for everyone...I haven't been in the shop, but promise me, I will....the flavor explosion in my mouth was exquisite...tizi sauce with the garlic and onion and, oh anyone got a mint? just opened up on my tongue....price was right and you completed me for the day.....
5 - Anne F.: Best. Gyro. Ever. 

Also, the Greek fries are awesome. They're smothered in tzatziki and some sort of cheese.
5 - Akshaya M.: This is my most favorite place in the world to grab a quick tasty affordable bite. The chicken shawrma is mind numbingly brilliant and so are the falafels. No matter, which gourmet looking place you get your falafel/shawarma fix from, this place will beat it! The owners are so amazingly nice too :) 

As an added advantage, these guys are open really late!
5 - Dave S.: very good
4 - Pratyush P.: The food is great and filling, and the best thing about it is that is open till late night. The owner too is very friendly and funny.

But they have stopped accepting credit cards lately, which is very annoying as I'm so not used to carrying cash around with me.

Overall, its a good place to get some delicious food.
5 - Cami G.: Oh AFC - you have stolen my heart and my stomach! I shall order each item on your menu and then continue the cycle. It all looks so daringly delicious! Thanks for making my gyro fresh to order, for the smiles, and for no lunch hour small talk.
4 - Martin G.: The "Middle Eastern Dicks Drive-In." Cheap, fresh, delicious, cash-only, and open till 2:00am. Filled with U Dub students. Only complaint is that they could use a little more T'hina sauce on their falafel. Nice little hole in the wall.
3 - Derek T.: This place has its pros and it HAS its cons. if u are hungry ~stay away~. becuz ur food is not makin an appearance for oh about an hour. it actually takes an hour to get food here. not exagg. (exaggerating). i think its cool to eat a gyro. im not stupid after all. but honestly sign me UP fo dat eggplant sandwich thats the bomb. if you want a good sandwich made fast dont come here but if you want a pretty good eggplant sadnwich in an hour come here. the people are ok i guess. lots of frats like it (good enough for me!). but i gotta say the service is a lil wonky.

BUT you can steal soda from the fridge whenever and sometimes they forget to charge u. which can b cool.

THTAS THE WORD AND THANKS FOR READING!
-Derek
3 - Brittany P.: I was excited to try this based on the 4 1/2 star review...I am writing this based on the falafel sandwich and fries. The fries were average, maybe a little below...wouldn't recommend them as a side dish. In all complete honesty this place is just average. Average food, average price..There are MUCH better places around to get a falafel sandwich downtown near pikes place, and I have had better falafel sandwiches in mall food courts. It was good, just not great. Not a place I would go out of my way to eat. One bonus is that they are open very late.
5 - Steven T.: Pulling out the 5 stars for this place.

In some ways I am glad I don't live here because I might get addicted to their food. This was the absolute best Gyro I have ever had in my life and I have had quite a few - wow, just wow.  The salad that came with it was tasty the meat was awesome their sauce and vegetables were just the right proportion. 

However I do have one complaint, after eating your Gyro's all others have really paled in comparison, my local joint back home tastes insipid and I am fearful to try new places since I feel I will be disappointed. Your gastronomical magic has ruined me for life.
1 - Sam M.: Food is okay, Service is Sloppy.

Price is cheap, you will get what you pay for.

Will not recommend.
5 - Curtis L.: We stopped by mid afternoon to grab a gyro during a break between my friends wedding ceremony and reception.  Saw the great reviews so I had to see how it compared to the gyrocery down the street.  This place used meat from the fridge but you get a good amount for the money.  What sets them apart is the sauce.  Slightly sweet and tangy while still creamy.  I'll definitely be back.
3 - Rachel H.: Fried eggplant sandwich for $4.90, is one of the tastier super-cheap bites on the Ave.

We've also the sampled the falafel sandwich, the chicken gyros, and the lamb gyro.  Sandwiches are about $5 a pop and we always find the small here is plenty big.  There is a little too much lettuce piled on for my tastes, and I wish there were some more creative, tasty greens, but otherwise, its certainly a solid, low priced bite.

I have to say though, importantly, this place features quantity over quality.  Perhaps that  accounts for such positive Yelps.  It's disappointing to find a gyros place that doesn't slice their meat off a spit, and in this case, the meat is just not that moist, great meat that you might hope to find at a classic gyros place.  

I'm going to have to keep trying to find my go-to falafel spot in Seattle.  This isn't the one.   It is, however, a fine budget bite.
4 - T N.: I would come back because of the convenience, but I've definitely had better gyros. The "greek fries" was just french fries plus some cheese on top for a higher price. I can't complain about their portions though. I noticed that my lamb was frozen then cooked, unlike other places where they cut the lamb off from a large chunk that sits on a skewer. They had tables for you to sit and enjoy your food and the place is not too cramped. Good place to go if you want cheap, good, and quick service.
4 - Hallie D.: the stuff here is pretty good, except the BEEF AND LAMB GYRO, which it the most delicious thing you will ever put in your mouth!!!!!!!!!!!
4 - Melody P.: A Friday night, my companion and I were on the way to a movie. However, I didn't have  dinner yet so Aladdin was recommended. As soon as I heard U-District, I was like dang, the parking is going to be a nightmare. Luckily, we got a spot just outside of the restaurant. I was very happy.

Obviously, it's not a fancy restaurant. But, it has it charm. This is definitely economical and authentic. The back corner, according to my companion, used to be a Hookah lounge. I personally didn't think it's the best seating area (it was awfully uncomfortable). But, the decoration on that corner was unique and colorful. 

We both had the combo gyro meal with beef and lamb. It was very good. The meat in the gyro was very tender and the curry flavor we really nice. We also had fries with feta cheese on top. However, the gyro was already large meal to me and I was not able to finish my fries. If you order fries, eat them first. Otherwise, it will not be tasty! Both of us probably paid $20 with tips.
5 - Blakerz K.: Best place on the ave hands down. Mohammed and his buddies who run the place are always friendly and take great care of us!

Keep it up guys!

Aladdin Gyro-Cery - Seattle, WA (47.6574347, -122.3132062) (University District)
5 - Zarah M.: Excellent food, excellent prices, excellent hours!  Open 11am - 2am DAILY!  This is a great place to go anytime they are open and I especially appreciated then when all other businesses close.  I'm a late diner.  
     They have a great combo deals.  My favorite thing to order is #21 combo with lamb and beef gyro, rice and a soft drink.  Great place to eat!  The food and service is good at both locations but I recommened dining at 4130 only because of the couches and indoor awning in the back area of the restaurant.  There are interesting things to look at everywhere.

I'll have photos of this place soon!
5 - India B.: I'm a vegetarian, so often my friends don't think to take me to the gyrocery, but let me tell you, this place rocks!! The feta gyro with a side of fries and a soda is to die for, and it won't cost an arm and a leg either! The best part though, is the lounging area which reminds me of a trip to Egypt I took my Sophomore year. Nostalgia, nice people and awesome food. FABULOUS!
4 - Annalisa S.: I love this place for it's great prices and great tasting food, as well as it's casual Middle Eastern Atmosphere.  The gyros are flavorful, the falafel as well, and you get a good meal for under $6, with rice, salad, and a drink.  The walls are covered with rugs and tapestries, there's a pillowed seating area in the back, and if you don't want to go in you can order right from the sidewalk through the front window.  No checks accepted, and if you want to use your debit/credit card there's a $5 minimum (but if you're close they'll usually let you slide).
4 - Silvia A.: Yum. This is the tastiest, cheapest lunch/dinner/late night snack you can find in Seattle. The sitting area in back is ridiculously comfortable to boot.
3 - Katie O.: This place is great for a casual lunch/dinner with friends, or for a late night snack (they are open until 2am).  You can get a small Falafel sandwich for around $3.75.  The last time I was there, they only took cash, but according to Annalisa S. review, they new accept debit/credit if greater than $5 (woohoo!)

Don't expect anything fancy, but do expect ok food for cheap.  I continue to go here because of the deal!
5 - Brenna F.: Yummy gyros and open late!
3 - megan d.: If your in the u-district and u have the time I would suggest cedars over this place any day. However Aladdin is open often till 2:30 or even 3' am and the coaches in back make for a great place to relax. Its just not the best falafel in the world and their hummus is super dry.
5 - Steve S.: ahh.  they gyrocery.  great falafel, great baba.  hell, everything here isgreat.

sometimes they'll be playing crazy arabic music videos in here as well.  excellent.
4 - Laural B.: They never cook the fries enough, but otherwise this place is great. Although I'm afraid to check the health code.
4 - Joolie T.: yum yum yum!!!!!!!
my favorite Gyro place in the city!
5 - Krissi P.: You've got to love a 2-part chain restaurant where both restaurants are on the same street within 8 blocks of each other. Really good food at amazingly low prices, almost anytime of day from a great hole in the wall place. Yummy!!!
2 - Eli G.: I've been here twice. The first time, the service was friendly and the food was tasty. I felt very comfortable. Since I eat Mediterranian food almost daily on the Ave, I expected to be a regular.

The second time, I started looking more closely. Saw the obligatory flyers inviting people to learn more about how evil Israelis are responsible for the Palestinian failure to build a viable nation.  Yawn. Whatever.

Then I looked towards the kitchen, and lost my appetite entirely. Next to the "Free Palestine" flag was a map of what we know as Israel with all the cities in Arabic (and, as I recall, the Israeli ones wiped off the map).

I guess everyone has a right to make political statements, including advocating the destruction of someone else's homeland. Of course, as we've seen in Seattle, that rhetoric carries consequences, such as the Muslim American gunman who shot up the downtown Jewish Community Center.

As a Jewish UW student, I definitely don't feel comfortable coming to their restaurant -- and I won't be returning.
4 - Nicholas B.: Two years ago I lived in Berlin, where about 30 years ago the Turkish population brought their own version of meat on a stick served with bread, sauce and veggies: the dner kebab. Since the 70s over 1200 kebab stands have sprung up across the city and with an average price of 2 Euros dner has become one of the most important and fought about meals in Berlin. People compare qualities of meat, freshness of veggies, zip of the spicy sauce: its all part of a big equation to find the perfect kebab.

Lets zip back to here. I can think of about 5 kebab places in the city that I know of; needless to say Seattle doesn't have the kebab culture like Berlin, London, New York or Istanbul. After moving back to Seattle I needed my kebab fix and didn't hesitate to head to the Gyro-Cery between classes to grab lunch. The gyro is not a dner but who cares! The jumbo beef/lamb gyro is a sandwich worth its weight in gold. The meat has a great flavor and is amazingly seasoned and the fresh onions, sauce and bread all compliment it very well. The only complaint I have is the tomatoes, they always seem to me like they are too cold as if they have been sitting in a freezer or something, so munch on your fries or the good lentil soup before eating your gyro and let them warm up...

A jumbo gyro/fries combo runs about $5.50 and they also have chicken and vegetarian options as well. Should you eat inside the interior is, well, very Ave. The whole ambiance could offer a little more but it has charm in his shoddiness.

For people who love kebab like me, the Gyro-Cery is your best bet in Seattle.
5 - Jodi M.: Aladdin's has two locations on the "Ave." The south location is the one i go to most because it's convenient to where i work, but also because of the stoney little lounge in the back. There aren't many places that i am willing to give a five-star rating, but Aladdin's deserves it in spite of a few minor shortcomings, listed below. When i develop a personal fondness for a place, it becomes like a close friend or partner to me, and in that regard the occasional harmless oversights and mistakes are taken in stride, unable to dent my eternal love for them.

Here is what i love about Aladdin's:

1) The menu. There is something here for you if you just want a light snack, a lunch,  a light meal or a complete dinner. They give you the option of a regular or large pita sandwich, with or without the sides (fries, soup or salad). A good place to start when arriving here is to determine how hungry you are, and then move on to decide whether you want meat or something vegetarian. They have homus, baba ganouj and foule, all vegan. They serve a perfectly spiced, delicate lentil soup which should not be overlooked. I have not tried any of the meat dishes here, for even through my relatively brief departure from vegetarianism i could not bring myself to eat a dead baby lamb...but for those who enjoy that sort of thing, i am certain it's top-notch. Aladdin's is as authentic as it gets. One of my favorite things to order is the Vegi dinner special ($8.65). It comes with rice, salad, homus or baba ganouj, fried eggplant and cauliflower, pita, one stuffed grape leaf, lentil soup, and it comes with a soda (add 50 cents if you want juice instead). This is a LOT of food and i rarely can finish it. This meal would be vegan if you asked them to leave the feta off of the salad. There is a non-vegi version of this meal as well.  The most popular orders are the gyros and falafel sandwiches, and most people seem to want their food to go. They are very fast--the only time i have waited more than a few minutes for a to-go sandwich was late on a Saturday night when they were slammed with partying students.

2) Their hours. Aladdin's has come to my rescue on more than one occasion, hooking me up with falafel at 2 in the morning. As posted on CitySearch, their hours are Sun-Thu 11am-1:30am, Fri-Sat 11am-2:30am. I am not sure this is accurate, because i swear i remember eating there later than 2:30 at least once.

3) The people. The owners and employees of both locations are some of the nicest people you'll ever meet behind the counter of a restaurant. They are dedicated, hard-working, fast, efficient, yet mellow and genuinely friendly. They speak english well, and i've never encountered them being rude or short with people--not even the drunken droves of college students who stream in from the neighboring bars late at night. They keep up with cleaning up the tables even though there is a sign requesting that people bus their own. Having spent years slaving away in busy restaurants, i know how hard it is to keep your spirits up and be courteous (the main reason why i preferred the back of the house).

4) The decor. They have created an adorable little tented area in the back with Arabic tapestries, decorated with traditional instruments and brassware. There is enough room for about 50 people to dine in the south Ave. location. The north Ave. location has only a few tables and is more of a take-out place. This is a delightful place to meet friends or have a casual date.

Here are a few things that kind of bug me:

I really hate eating good food off of styrofoam plates with plastic utensils. This is unavoidable here, as they don't have room for a dishwasher in their modest kitchen. So this is more of a personal pet peeve than a complaint. Something they could improve upon would be the lighting in the dining area. It is primarily lit by overhead fluorescent fixtures in a drop ceiling. This casts an unsavory din on an otherwise cozy dining room, and highlights the ugly tile floor. The lack of music also gets to me. I am a whole-environment person, considering every sense when i enter or create a space. I am actually going to talk with the owner about setting up a wireless hub here because they also have no internet access, and then i will turn them onto a few of the Persian radio streams i listen to. Adding that, and making the lighting warmer, would improve the experience considerably. Now that i think about it, the temperature also could have been turned up a few degrees.

Anyway, none of these things warrant lobbing off that fifth star in my rating. I will come to Aladdin's as long as i live in Seattle.
4 - Eric L.: MMMmmmm Gyro...  This place is my fav Gyro place in the city.  Huge and cheap.  Just thinking about the jumbo gyro makes me feel like going right now, but my girlfriend would kill me if I went without her.  Once in a while the cooks will have an off day thats the only reason its not a 5.  The staff seems to always be polite but never friendly.  Who cares, their jumbo Gyro is my friend... and the baklava... mmmm.  Screw that bitch im going without her.
3 - Ian S.: Aladdin's has gyros.  They sure do.

It's cheap and they have late hours.

I guess if I was on campus much, I would likely eat here occasionally.

I felt a bit out of place in the Persian decor and the "do you know what you're ordering, white boy" demeanor.  

Not sure where that was coming from.  Anyone who doesn't know what a kabob or gyro is must have come from out from under a really large rock pretty recently.
4 - Hanafi L.: What to do at midnight when you're hungry?

OK.. So there are plenty of solutions, but how cool that Alladin is one of them. I think of fast food in 2 categories: Poisonous & Non-poisonous. Not that I'm particularly opposed to poisonous food, but I like to think I know the difference. Alladin is definitely NP. The falafel platter at +/-$6 including tax, soup or salad & soda is a great deal. I like to have the lentil soup and they really pack the pita.. I like that: Nice alliteration. Pack the Pita. 

The dining area is a trip. I suspect it once housed a hookah lounge. I like the couches and the decor is just out there enough to keep my eyes occupied.

A nice touch happened as I made my way out. As I took a dollar out of my pocket and stuck it into the tip jar, one of the staff looked over at me with a really big smile and said "Thank you". That'll keep me coming back as much as the good food.
1 - Joel H.: God. Awful. 

I have not had anything as disgusting as the gyro we bought from Aladdin. Greasy, bland, poor quality meat...they did nothing right. I love Middle Eastern food, and we used to eat gyros and falafel all the time, but I'd never go back to this place. It also seems...dirty...to me, which should have tipped me off. 

Blech.
5 - Sonya L.: I absolutely love Aladdin's.  I just recently learned that there are two Aladdin's locations on the Ave, but this is the one that I always go to.  It is fantastic!

Everytime I go there, I have to get a gyro.  I started with the turkey gyro, but once I tried the lamb and beef, I knew I would never ever go back.  It is amazing!  I have never had such a good gyro.  The meat is cooked perfectly and the sauce is to die for.  

The location is great and the interior is adorable.  The little tented corner area is cozy and intimate.  The service is always quick and the food is always cooked perfectly.  And the people that work there are super nice!

Man, my mouth is watering just thinking about my jumbo lamb and beef gyro...too bad I go to school in Bellingham and only hit up Aladdin's on weekends!  

I definitely recommend this place!  If you haven't been, you've got to go!
4 - Adam C.: Great gyros, and I always find myself coming back for more. Open until the wee hours, it's great for a stopoff on the way home from a night of drinking. 
I am partial to the gyros. I'm not a huge eater, but unless I get fries, a jumbo is in order (it ain't that jumbo). They gyros are served with lettuce (something you'd never find in the Middle East) but they are delicious despite their inauthenticity. 
In the summer time, the big windows are open, bringing in some much-needed natural light. The restaurant is pretty dingy and uncomfortable. I generally prefer dinginess when I eat foreign foods because it feels more authentic that way, but there's nothing authentic about shivering when eating gyros. The proprietors need to shell out a few more bucks and turn on the heat in the winter.
My only other complaint (aside from cash-only) is that they have a few very anti-Israeli articles on the wall at any given time. Not that I am picking one side or the other, but I come here for some tasty food, not to stoke the fire of an obnoxious conflict.
5 - Reed A.: I grew up in Seattle not far from the Ave, and have enjoyed countless meals of falafel at both the Gyro-cery and the falafel corner.  I haven't found any better place to get falafel either in Seattle or in the Bay Area, where I currently reside.  The food has always been very reasonably priced, and the increases over the many years I've been coming have been small, especially compared with things like the cost of housing in King Country.  I'm glad Aladdin is still holding it down on my home turf.  The music and decor have always been a positive addition to the experience, and I've found the staff, especially at the falafel corner, to be friendly and engaging.  This is a great business to support, I make it a point to get falafel any time I"m in Seattle.
2 - gary p.: Just so so for this place.  It's all relative for Seattle though.  Service is good and friendly, but the falafel was barely mediocre and for 4-5 bones?!  Maybe I'll try the Gyro next time.   Not a late night person so late hours not significant.
2 - Juliann B.: I agree with Gary.  I got the falafel and it was very disappointing.  No flavor (needed salt) and overcooked.  Maybe if I had gone for the gyro I would have felt differently.  On the plus side- the pita bread was really good.
2 - Michelle G.: How is the falafel at this location awful, but the falafel 4 blocks north at their other location the best in town?  This might just be the 8th wonder of the ancient world.
3 - Benjamin J.: The discerning college student who wants never to see pho again could do worse than Aladdin.  The gyros here (it now advertises as a "Gyro-cery" instead of a "Falafel Corner") are good - certainly better than the prepackaged Kronos stuff found at most stores.  Atmosphere is very collegiate - a narrow hallway/ordering area leads to a back, windowless eating area.  Falafel is also solid, although the Falafel-centric location nearby is a better bet for that.  This isn't destination stuff, but the price is right and the food is filling.
5 - dean c.: This is probably the best restaurant in the immediate area; most things on the menu are delicious and very cheap. I practically live on the other side of town now but I still come back frequently. You used to be able to smoke inside, and I'm not sure if it's still open until 3 am, but that's how I remember it. Jumbo lamb and beef gyro, five dollars flat, probably the best sandwich in town.
4 - Bryan M.: I like dive restaurants. This venue is a little bit of a dive, but that makes it like home away from home. The Gyro's here have always been good, will need to make a point to get up here and try the falafel. Mediterranean joints are always a welcome vegetarian escape anyways but this place feels like it awesome carries to a younger less assuming crowd.

You need cash, be well aware of that. I think there's an ATM a few blocks up the street, there MAY have been one in the back. I don't know how people complain about this cost of this place. Anytime you get a meal and a soda for under $10 I'm impressed in Seattle.

I'm uncomfortable drinking in the UD because I feel like it lacks a certain friendly quality, but if I do, I try to eat here first.
2 - Lagwana E.: I like gyro's as much as the next person, but this place is meh.  The only time I really liked it was when I was intoxicated.  I guess it is good for that since it is open very late, the portions are large, and it is cheap. But, I've had better.
5 - Yoeun P.: Like places such as Thai Tom, Than Brothers and Solstice, Aladdin is a U District institution! Every year a new batch of green UW freshmen is initiated into the wonderful world of gyros. Aladdin is where my addiction began. Euros? Yee-roes? Gee-roes?  Jai-roes? More like mmmm... good! 

Aladdin is a quintessential hole in the wall. Small, crowded, dirty, smelly, furniture that looks like it's going to fall apart, long lines out the door, etc. It's street food. But that's also part of the charm. You can't help but feel you're transported to some anonymous back alley in some far off Middle Eastern country. 

Their lamb+beef gyros are great. I love their crinkly fries! When I graduated from UW, I used to routinely drive to the U District to satisfy my gyro fix. They're open till 2 AM! 

Warning: Aladdin is CASH ONLY. I've been burned by this many times.
5 - Zander L.: Been here a few times, though it's the only place I've had a gyro, so I probably just don't know any better.  All I gotta say is that their gyros are so bomb!  Extremely tender slices of lamb/beef, the perfect mix of lettuce and  tzatziki sauce, with some of the freshest and juiciest cuts of tomato on top.  Oooh I'm making myself hungry and I haven't even got to their crispy fries yet.  Fries are good, not thin, but not steak fry thick either.  I think the reason I enjoy them so much is that I get to mix ketchup with cock sauce aka fresh chili sauce, and that I've got to say, is the most pleasant of condiments.  

So this place is open pretty late.  For $7 bucks + tip ( I really can't go to any food establishment and not tip), you a get a meal that totally fills you up and a soda, not to mention that the heat from the cock sauce vs the coolness of the tzatziki provides a wonderful sensation for your senses.
4 - David N.: A UW Staple. I luv it. The beef/ lamb gyro is the hit. When you come here, get seats in the Magic Capret Room in the back. Under the right conditions, it will feel like a Magic Capret. 

The best part is that it is open after you had a long night drinkin'. Holla! Not saying I promote drinking and driving.
5 - Isha Z.: YUM for gyros. Double YUM for Aladdin gyros!

You can get a JUMBO gyro for the low low price of just 5$. It is delicious, full of fresh veggies, excellent tasting meat, and full of sauce that usually gets skimped on at other places.

The sit-in area isn't too comfy, but it works and you can either push tables together or apart depending on how many people your with. 

The hummus...mmmmm...

Service is usually pretty quick. Food is good. Go eat there now!
5 - Barry P.: Aladdin's has the best gyros in the UDistrict as far as I'm concerned. I love the nice thick chunks of lamb and beef, and not the thin strips of tasteless pre-processed pabulum you get at other pretenders. The restaurant has a lot of character, but my big complaint as a non-regular cash carrier is that it only takes cash--no cards (gold, apparently, is negotiable). So that's why I don't eat there more often. It's a great place for a quick bite, and it's open late so you've got options for late-night studying.
2 - John K.: For sure, a staple for UW students, especially at midnight. Everybody has to go once. However, there's only so much dive and lack of menu variety a student can take over the years.

They *still* don't take plastic, sometimes there are high wait times on a to-go order, and, if you're there to stay, it's an appreciable dive atmosphere but it is very dirty. Sometimes that's what you want and sometimes not.

I highly recommend the jumbo beef+lamb gyro and french fries. This gyro is thick and the perfect combo of seasoning and high caloric and vegetable ingredients. The rest of the menu is standard Mediterranean fare and underwhelming.

I've discovered some more pleasurable Mediterranean joints near and far. But you'll still catch me at Aladdin's at 2am when I hop out of a night at Finn's up the street.
4 - Grant P.: I was in a desperate need of a good falafel and once again Yelp didn't let me down.

Once in the small deliciously smelling restaurant, I decided to go with the lamb gyro. I read many good things and decided to try it out, and was praying it wouldn't turn my entire mouth yellow(as stated by a few yelpers). 

I am happy to report that the gyro was deliciously seasoned and had huge pieces of lamb wrapped up inside. I couldn't tell you if my mouth turned yellow because I made it a point to not look at myself after I was done eating. I figured that if in fact my mouth changed colors, it would also change my overall enjoyable experience at Aladdin's
4 - Ryan S.: I love the gyro-cery!  For a UW student who drinks, this is the place to *be* after the bar closes!!

The meat is seasoned perfectly and the pita is toasted, warm and delicious.  And you can get a jumbo for a measly 5 buck!  How can you go wrong?  

To other posters--what's up with your mouth turning yellow? I have never seen that happen!
1 - Josh F.: I have not been here for several years and here is the story of why:

I was hanging out here one night and the cooks were talking about this girl who was coming over.  Lady comes in and the guy goes outside get's into a van with her, come's back in a while later and starts serving food without washing his hands.  I don't know what happened but I think this was enough to put me off this place forever.
2 - Danika M.: This place was the spot when I was a teen.  They had hookahs and cool couches (when indoor smoking was legal...)  I first went here Freshman year.  The gyros were good, and they came with a heaping pile of delicious golden fries.  Lately, I've been disappointed by the quality.  Sorry, boys, but I find the pita-bread sandwiches to be consistantly EXTRA-SOGGY.  The veggies are limp and overcooked.  Build me a time machine!
4 - Safa S.: Best Shawarma in the area!  Place is dirty... but is decent.  Prices are really cheap.  When I order my shawarma I ask for it to be extra spicy with the sauce cooked on the meat.... oooo it is the best that way.  The lentil soup is also pretty good... the dolmades are nothing special.  They also have halal meat, but you have to ask for it.  I don't know if the Halal meat tastes better... but all my friends (Muslims, Buddhist, Christian, Atheist, etc) ask for the Halal meat.
3 - Roxanne B.: Everyone once in a while, even if you're not a gyro person, you want a gyro. When I want a gyro, this is where I go. 

My tip: Stop by the Continental just up the street and get a side of Greek fries to go along with your gyro. A perfect combination.
3 - Shari d.: I was told by a good friend of mines that the best place for gyros and falafels was the Gryocery.   I rarely eat gyros or falafels so I didn't know if I could accurately say if this place was good or not.  

Rather than eating a gyro or falafel I ordered the dinner plate which had rice with gyro meat on top...served with a salad and their tzatziki (sp?) sauce.  The gyro meat was tasty however the person cooking had a heavy hand with the spices.   My mouth on fire by the end of the meal!  The salad was nothing special and the rice was OK.  

I think that it was good and would have rated it 4 stars had they accepted debit cards.  Nothing pushes my buttons more than when I am hungry, found a place that I want to eat at, order my food, and am then told I need to find an ATM as they won't take my card.
4 - Jace K.: Hell yeah. I had walked all the way from Fremont with no plans, other than to eat somewhere on The Ave. 

Walked by this place and though "I guess some lamb would be good right now," and ordered a gyro plate. 

It was only then that I noticed the awesome pun "Gyro-cery." I was slightly more excited to get my food at that point. It took about 15 min for a take-out order and I gobbled it up on a street corner. The meat was so tasty, and the rice complimented it perfectly. My only complaint was that the tzatziki could have been more flavorful.

I'll be going back next time I find myself hungry in the UD.
3 - katie s.: MMM good.  I stopped by today for lunch with a friends who had been here before. We both order the lunch combo with fries and I got the greek fries.  The gyro came to the table fast and full! The fries were covered in a yogurt sauce and feta which looked weird but the taste was really good!  It was a totally filling lunch and for $7 with a soda.
I gotta venture out to the ave more often.
3 - Tony G.: Their gyros here are good enough, but I wasn't wowed by them. I had the chicken gyro. The fries were very crispy and delicious. And the Mt. Dew tasted like Mt. Dew because it came in a can. I don't know why I commented on Mt. Dew at a gyro place. That is really weird.

I did like the Persian decor and also liked the fact that they had the Seahawks game on.

Overall, good meal for only $7.

Zipzap Zubidy Bop!
4 - Julian H.: Gyreka!  I am a huge fan of the food here: it is cheap and it is good.  

The only thing that prevents 5-stars is the attitude/atmosphere.  The cooks completely ignore customers, and at times I have felt that some employees and even sometimes customers give off a hostile vibe, especially if you go in during off-hours and there are just a couple people in there, like you are in their private space.  Weird, but easy to overlook. The gyro are totally wonderful.

FYI The yelp map places this place on the wrong side of the Ave.
5 - Sophia P.: I don't understand why people are so reluctant to leave a five-star review. I'm leaving one for Aladdin. 
The gyro-cery is great, for what it is. It's open at all possible hours that you could be hungry for a gyro or hummus sandwich and it's tasty as hell. It's also super cheap. Kind of sketchy atmosphere sometimes, but that's what the takeout window is for!
4 - Jody Y.: I'll admit that I laughed at the name. It's pretty clever! 

Anyway, the premise of this place is simple - walk in, order and eat. To save time, you have to bus your own tray, but it's not a big deal. 

My group had this rule - no one is allowed to order the same thing as someone else. And of course I'm last to order, I got shafted. 

My turkey gyro wasn't bad actually. In fact it was pretty great! Meat wasn't too salty, the tzatziki sauce wasn't too strong and the pita flatbread was perfect. 

OH! This place bakes its down baklava. HOMEMADE!! We shared a triangle and it was delicious, not at all gooey like the store brands. 

Funny - at the back of the restaurant, there's a canopy set up for a little kitsch. :) 

Even though it's a "gyro-cery," I didn't see any items for 'sale' other than ordering food. Perhaps it's a secret code to order stuff? Also, don't forget, this place only takes cash. 

If I'm ever in the U-Dub area, I'm going back to this place and ordering first.
5 - Miranda L.: This is such a gem amongst all the craziness in the U-District. Are you really hungry? Don't have much money? Want something delicious still? Go here!!! The food is sooooo delicious! It is super cheap. The service is fast. I always get the Chicken Gyro, and I am so happy every single time. Don't be afraid of the grease, that's what makes it sooooo good! I have never paid more than 10 dollars to eat here.
5 - JP S.: Awesome gyros, great prices, and plenty of space to sit down. This is my current favorite place to get gyros in Seattle. It helps that it's in such an easily-reachable location.

Cute name, too.
5 - patricia r.: Man I love their chicken pitas and their fries, they have this very distinct spices they put on the gyros that when I walk by I start to drool over.  They have great prices and they stay open till 3am.   I always get take out, I would dine there but they don't have beer.
5 - Kevin Y.: Jumbo lamb and beef gyro for $5. Really, this is all that matters. I've been here for lunch, dinner, and (most frequently) at 1 am after leaving Big Time or Finn McCools. No matter what time of day, the service is always fast and the gyros are always delicious and filling. Cash only shouldn't be a problem, as there are both Wells Fargo and BoA ATMs within a block and a half of this place.
5 - Rebecca K.: Life would suck without Aladdin's. I often fantasize about taking a giant bite out of the rotating wad of gyro meat behind their counter. Their gyros are so huge and delicious that I could quite possibly eat myself to death from a platter of them. I really like their rice side too--it's a cup of rice with a blob of their magical gyro sauce on top (I wouldn't quite call it tzatziki since it tastes a bit different, but it's pretty close to tzatziki). 

In a nutshell, Aladdin's is cheap, ridiculously delicious, and an Ave essential. Go there and get your gyro on!
4 - Leonardo H.: I don't know if I've actually been here before midnight. It's always when I'm working late at night at school, getting really hungry, and the only other options I have are Jack in the Box, Safeway, or Memo's Mexican..and I guess the 'other' Aladdin.

They serve good food here consistently. Their baklavas are usually way too sweet, but I think that's just how baklavas are. I've never had a baklava that wasn't. It's perfect with strong bitter coffee.
I like the atmosphere here, too. Comfy couch Middle eastern style in the back corner..I just wish they would dim the lights a bit. It's like.. wal-mart bright in there. 

The people are always nice...they dont talk much usually, but still at least they're not mean. And no meal at Aladdin is complete without a Vimto...give it a try
4 - Dan A.: I don't make it to the U-Dist much anymore, but I remember my first gyro here almost 15 years ago!  I believe the ownership has changed since then (10+ years ago?), and the place is much more on the '-cery' side now than it used to be.  I also imagine the hookas are no longer stoked up in the back?  Anyways, food is great, even better at 2 AM with a healthy buzz on.  Cheap, er......inexpensive I should say, and rather tasty.  You can't  beat this place for the price, may not be the best in town but pretty dang good.
4 - Alea S.: A Great Gyro for a great price!  And Ali and his staff are very friendly and remember you which is always nice.  My husband and I love to come here and then go to WOW Bubble Tea for dessert right down the street!  I definitely recommend this place to anyone!
5 - Betty W.: Cheap, delicious, and portable. All that you need to remember is the lamb and beef gyro. Tender and juicy - the warm slices of tasty lamb and beef are married together with the delicious meat juices, and also there's a slight curry taste that goes perfectly with the cool tzatziki sauce and fresh chopped lettuce and tomatoes. All enveloped beautifully in a warm fluffy pita. The perfect size for a filling meal and/or drunk craving.

But, that doesn't matter - drunk, sober, wasted, tired, high - whatever you are, just order one if you're in the area. It's been four months since I was in Seattle and I still crave it. That's how you know, homies.

Yum.
4 - Justin K.: Nuthin' much to say about this place. Open late, eats great, and you even get rough-and-tumble service from the workers. It's a Halal trifecta. Fries are a can't-miss. Only minus is the possibility of someone losing their post-binge-drinking or post-binge-smoking snack outside (or inside!!!). Ah, the lure of the Gyrocery at 2 in the morning.
4 - Ane P.: Oh yahhhh.  Open late night--that time of night where you need to make a decision as to whether you'll be eating honey walnut prawns in Chinatown, or a gyro on the Ave.  The eggplant gyros are just as good as the ones with meat, but I recently discovered their Greek fries, and boy oh boy is that feta and special sauce just sooo good!  I know that back, say, 9 yrs ago or so, this was a good spot for flavored bidis...butta...yah, it's no longer something that anyone I know of searches for, so I suppose that's besides the point.  But you know, if that IS what you're looking for...this is probably a good place to find them.

If the people who work here seem angry with you, it's not true.  They're just tired of all the late night annoying crowds.  But really, they're nice.
4 - Sione P.: The first two years I was frequenting this place, it was solely because they had packs of North Star Cigarettes for $2.50.  I was a freshman at UW and I would get them here occassionally, but I never wanted to cut too much business from Tom's pockets across the street at Tom's Smoke Shop.  It was a fine line, but the Gyro-cery was open later, so they often won out.  Then, North Star Cigs were discontinued, I quit smoking, the world changed, but I noticed that Aladdin had great gyros!  They also had great fries!  They were still open late and served good food, whether I wanted to smoke or not!  Aladdin's Gyro-cery is fantastic, it's been sitting across from Tom's for seemingly forever, and delivers solid delish gyros and fries, as well as (possibly still cheap) cigs and other beverages!  It's great!
5 - Geoff B.: As a kid, you hear about Aladdin's gyros like they are some kind of mythical food of the gods, then when you actually make the trek to get one (or 4), you understand all the hype.

Fast, Fresh and reasonably priced. I have made Aladdin's my after concert meal for a loooong time now because they're open really late and the Ave at 1am is an interesting place.

The lamb and beef gyros are amazing, just make sure you have cash!
3 - Sam C.: Great falafel, good gyros, although the tzatziki is too salty. The combo lunch deal is a great value - falafel or gyros, fries and a pop for $7.00. The dining room is funky fun. A great choice for cheap eats on the ave. Cash only!!
4 - Aaron M.: Gearing up for a trip back to the place I called home (for a year), one of the few places I want to get some food at is Aladdin. 

Coming from SF, which is filled with a variety of great food places, Seattle was kind of a bust in this area. Try finding good mexican food in Seattle... it's too far north. The indian food is decent depending where you go. But what they do have over SF is good vietnamese and mediterranean food.

I was introduced to this place by an old co-worker and thought it was hands down the best gyros I'd ever had. Super cheap and tasty, especially if you get the hot sauce. I've only had their beef and lamb gyros but I bet their falafel looks pretty damn good when they're dumping it in a grease pit. Also great after drinking in the U-district and eating it on the bus back to Capitol Hill.
4 - R J.: One of my favorite late night spots to get a bite to eat. I love their dinner plate on which they give you a ton of meat, rice, hummus, salad, and bread. Excellent! Gotta love the hole in the wall joints!

Only downside they only accept cash, but worth the trip to the atm. Staff can a bit hostile when you make a mistake ordering, similar to the soup nazi on Seinfeld. But doesn't really matter because it adds to the place's uniqueness. Food makes up for the hostility :)
2 - RT P.: Went there for the first time last night - before the crazy Saturday night rush of college kids got there. We had a falafel plate, lamb gyro and chicken gyro and to be honest, I wasn't impressed. The falafels were blackish on the outside and obviously fried in old oil, which left us feeling ill. Also the falafel mixture had too much cumin - which I discovered later was a recurring theme here. The chicken gyro had so much turmeric it was actually yellow in color. The only saving grace was the lamb gyro which was tender, well seasoned and actually yummy. 

Here's my problem though, when I call up and ask a supposedly Middle Eastern restaurant whether they serve shawarmas and the nice Arab lady on the other end says yes yes, yalla come, I think I've hit the jackpot. Shawarmas from back home! (I grew up in the Middle East) However, GYROS are NOT Shawarmas - the thick doughy bread, held like a taco, too many vegetables, the wrong sauce for a shawarma and insult to injury all the damn cumin and turmeric - if I wanted my 'shawarma' to taste like chicken curry I could have just stayed at home and opened a bottle of Patak's.

The service was friendly though.
5 - mark k.: Super good and crazy cheap. $5 for just the pita, $2 more for fries and a drink. They are also open late night which is key.
4 - Erin B.: A run up to University District had us going past this old college haunt. Dinner plans were different, but this place called us in. Missing Berlin's numerous Doener stand, this is no substitute, but something that is also delicious. 

$5 gets you a mouthwatering gyro complete with lamb/beef mix, lettuce, sauce, and tomato wrapped up in its cosy individual wrapper. There are plethora of other options, including vegetarian options, but this is one place I rarely venture off the favorite. 

The place itself is perfectly bizarre. Cash only, languages flying, "Free Palestine" signs prominent. In a word- awesome. As it was Mother's Day weekend, we sought to excite & amaze my future MIL and her trepidation turned to amazement once the gyro entered her mouth. Success!
4 - Cleo J.: I am so grateful that this place is so close to my house, in the UW student wasteland that is the U district. They're open mad late, the guys that work there are chill and very accommodating, they play great music, and have the best setup in the back corner of the restaurant-in the back area with the benches, there's an inexplicable sculpture of sorts which, if memory serves me, combines a hookah, a small, ancient tv, and various and sundry items. it makes very little sense and i love it.
everyone i've taken here loves it.
they've been totally chill about my gluten-intolerance and even said they would make me falafel sans wheat flour...which i can't really take them up on because it would still be deep-fried in the same oil that had been used to fry items containing wheat. but still...it's hard enough having to pepper every restaurant i go with questions about what's in their food and how its prepared, and these guys gave me the opposite of 'tude when questioned.
did i mention the food is fresh, delicious and inexpensive, and consistent!
love you guys. thanks for makin' my stay in the U-district a littl ebit brighter.
3 - Natalie W.: Ordered a lamb gyro combo (pop and fries) and baklava to go at about 10pm on a weekday. The order was about 9 dollars. I was given no number or directions when I paid so I just stood around waiting by the grill like all the others. 

My gyro was tasty. The meat was tender and flavorful. I appreciated that it was not fat ridden. The gyro was full of lettuce, tomatoes, sauce, and lamb. There was so much meat that I ended up taking some out. The bread was hard on the edges. The baklava was petite and a honey treat. 

The staff was nice, but not super into communication at Aladdin Gyro-cery. There is seating it the back and they will bring you your meal if you are staying. 

FYI's~
* Cash only
* They are open late- good for cravings
* Combos are $6+ 
* The menu on the wall is large and detailed- Breath and try and not feel rushed in the crowd of customers- it will help you make a better choice
* The fries are basic restaurant fries- not good- not bad
4 - S L.: I had a sudden craving for Aladdin Gyro-Cery, but unfortunately, I'm across the country.

This place is fantastic and it's really a staple of the Ave. Sometimes, you just don't want to choose from the 50 million pho and thai restaurants!
3 - steve c.: Not bad, but not great, either. Tracy Jane is correct; my gyro was also a bit dry. The prices are great, but the taste just doesn't make you say "wow."

I thought it was going to be the best damn gyro I had ever eaten, since it took them forever. Alas, Aladdin, it was not to be, though. Mr. D's kicks your butt everyday and twice on Sunday!

Oh, the thing I liked the best was all the "stop the invasion of Palestine" signs inside..........yes, all the settlements and checkpoints inside the Palestinian areas are ridiculous.
3 - Ben S.: Just as Steve C. said...not bad but not great, either.  I ordered the jumbo falafel and it was 5 dollars (the reason for the 3rd star - otherwise, this place gets 2 stars)...but here's what burns me a little.  They have a price of 4.57 and when you include tax the total should be 4.97 or 4.98 (do the math).  I know this is nit-picky but why not just list the price as 5 dollars (including tax)?  It just seemed strange to me.

Anyway...very typical falafel sandwich from a low-budget place.  Iceburg lettuce, cheap tomatoes and onions.  The sauce was decent, although there wasn't very much of it.  The falafel balls themselves were decent yet a little mushy inside.

I'll probably go back - but only after checking out all the other spots.  Just keep in mind, this place only accepts cash.
4 - Quynh-An P.: Ok, it really should be 3 1/2 but yelp doesn't allow me to do that.  I wouldn't say I'm a "fan" but it's not "just ok" either.  Either way, thank you Aladdin for fulfilling my gyro craving at 11 pm last night.

I had just finished watching Top Chef, and on the show someone had made a gyro.  I looked at the boyfriend and said "I want a gyro." He reminded me that Aladdin was open, so we headed out there and got the lamb & beef gyro.  It's messy, so be prepared, but it totally hit the spot for me.
4 - Jarrod L.: The gyro is the best I've had in the UDist, but it's not quite as good as Lake City Gyros. The meat is very flavorful and has moderately crispy edges. The combination of meat to vegetables to sauce is excellent.

The falafel are ok, but not spectacular. The mixture is good, but they're a little burnt on the outside.

The lentil soup is reasonably tasty, but could be a little more pungent than it was. My friend said that he's had the soup when it was older (had simmered longer) and it was better. We know the soup we had was fresh because the cashier/cook said he had just started serving from the new pot.
2 - reese h.: What the heck happened to this place!?!

Ehh, my Greek fries were undercooked (cold) and sogged out.

Ehh(x2) my lamb/beef gyro was also coldish and bad veg (not enough) to meat proportion (too much)....not so good when it's cold though.

Bonus:  the ladies bathroom has been painted to cover the decade(s) of grime and graffiti.

Ehhh(x3)....glad that meal is now down the toilet pipe.
5 - Laura G.: We had them cater some food for our wedding and it was awesome, everything was delicious and it cost half as much as going through, say Whole Foods.  Thanks!
4 - Shyam H.: Great gyros and the most polite phone order taking personel! If you have time, go sit inside and enjoy the relaxing tent-like atmosphere...
4 - Tye R.: Good bang for the buck.  Good portions, taste great during the late nights.  Lamb and beef gyro is all you need
5 - Alan N.: Prices: cheap
Food: good
Service: not best but good
Atmosphere: college/good
Overall: great for the price you're getting it all at

*I love everything there so I couldn't single out anything particular but obviously Lamb Gyro's are gonna be their bread & butter
4 - Michael K.: Aladdin Gyro-Cery makes a solid gyro that'll send you on a magic carpet ride.

I had the Lamb and Beef Gyro, Stuffed Grape Leaves, House Iced Tea, and Baklava.  The gyro was awesome.  I don't know where they get their bread, or if they make it themselves, but it's amazing.  It's nice and warm and has the perfect amount of fluff for a gyro.  The bread isn't too chewy, and is thick enough to prevent any soggy mishaps.  Whenever I go to get a gyro anywhere, I always struggle with the question of whether I want lamb or beef.  Now, I don't have to make that decision.  I don't know why more gyro places don't just combine the two together.  The additional ingredients keep it simple and make it easy to enjoy the meat.

The Stuffed Grape Leaves were a disappointment.  They were overly seasoned and taste like they had been sitting in the fridge for too long.  I think I've had better stuffed grape leaves from the supermarket.  The House Iced Tea tastes like a random mix of herbs and spices.  Unfortunately, they don't come together in the drink and left my tongue confused and disturbed.  The Baklava was another disappointment.  Though it was nice that it wasn't drenched in sugar, eating their Baklava kind of made me miss that about baklava.  The baklava doesn't taste fresh and comes off as bland, and tastes like any baklava you can get at the local supermarket.  There was also baklava sugar syrup all over the dollar bills I got back for change.

The interior is also awesome.  With a ridiculous hodgepodge of furniture and seating arrangements, eating here can be really entertaining.

The prices here, aside from the Bakalva, are great.  You can't get a better deal for a jumbo gyro.  And I always appreciate a place that offers a late night snack.

Regardless of the disappointments, the gyro was so awesome that I'd love to ask Aladdin Gyro-Cery to make me its Jasmine.

GET:  Lamb and Beef Gyro
5 - Michele L.: Cheap. Filling. Delicious! 

I wouldnt recommend this place for a romantic date, but for a quick lunch bite... you just can't beat it. The food was seasoned well, with a perfect sauce:meat:lettuce:tomato ratio.

The decor is quite something too.. A weird mix of Mediteranean, Arabian, Palestinian. In any case, you'll have something to look at if there is a lull in conversation. The seating area is surprisingly large for how small the store front is. The couches along the wall really help promote a chill, sit back and relax while you enjoy your gyro sort of atmosphere.
3 - Jennifer Y.: Cheap, delicious, and convenient.  This is a good late-night spot for a quick meal.  3.5 stars~

The gyros are good (lamb in particular, chicken is o.k. too, and the lamb and beef combo isn't half bad).  The curried (?) rice is also quite good and they put some sort of yogurt white sauce over the top --I could eat this as a meal all by itself for under $2.  The fries are average but they are thick and good for dipping in either the yogurt sauce or ketchup.  

Minus stars for the fact that it's cash only and people smoke in the dining area at night which is kind of a bummer, so more often than not I'd wind up carrying the gyro home which makes it not quite a wonderful experience.  Other than that, not many complaints.  This is an OK place to grab a bite!
5 - jeremiah j.: This place is the best. I've tried other gyro shops in the area, all fall short of the Gryocery in the u district.
5 - Sam D.: Great food.  Cheap, quick, ready to go.  It's a classic hole-in-the-wall, which I love.  The lamb/beef combo is great, the sauce is plentiful, messy food but oh so good.

Location on the Ave can be a bit sketchy at times.
5 - Elaine W.: Hole-in-the-wall goodness! 

My boyfriend and I CRAVE these gyros if we don't have them in awhile. So the place feels dive-y. So WHAT, you don't have to live there. Just get the hell out of the some DELICIOUS gyro + basmati rice w/ tatziki (which is REALLY good and tangy and get the hell out of there. 

You can see the meat roasting on the spit. YUM.
5 - Katy H.: Ok - less than two weeks later I'm back to try the gyro. In my last review I gave Aladdin 4 stars because I had a great veggie plate, great service, and enjoyed myself thoroughly. Five stars is reserved for places that blow me away.

This time, they did just that! I had mentioned in a previous review that I wasn't a fan of lamb. I almost never eat it because I don't like the gamey flavor. After being convinced to try a bite of a gyro from Aladdin I decided I needed to head back there and eat a whole one for myself.  

They have two sizes. Regular and giant. I devoured it within less than 5 minutes too! It was quite literally one of the very best things I've ever eaten. I was almost tempted to order another actually.

If you have a hankering for a gyro this place is not to be missed! I think I might make trips to the U District just for the food here.
4 - Stacy J.: A really cool vibe
great gyros and falafel
best place on the Ave
4 - Joshua J.: I'm torn on Aladdin's, but based on the fact that I've had so many good times here with friends, I must review it highly. This was definitely a hang out spot during my college years with friends who lived in the dorms with me. So close, and walking around in that area used to be safe! Ha! But really, Aladdin's served some tasty gyros, and better falafel in my opinion. Sometimes, however, I've had some seriously overcooked and dry falafel and extremely sloppy gyros, but it's much less common than enjoy a satisfying, if somewhat greasy, meal. The baklava can be pretty delicious as well, but again, it seems to be hit or miss for me depending on how fresh it is, because I've also order it and had it barely-edible stale status. The decor is.... nice. I mean, I've been sitting on the cushions for years, and I wonder if the place will ever change, hopefully not. Definitely a UW institution. Make sure you have cash in hand, no credit cards accepted, though as the sign states, No Gold, but this is negotiable. The Aladdin's up the street north of 45th accepts credit cards, but a further walk for the students charging them! The staff is always attentive enough, as all that happens is take a number, which I appreciate. never overly welcoming but never rude. A jumbo gyro runs just about $6. Enjoy Aladdin's, just don't expect anything out of the ordinary.
4 - Keoni W.: One of the best places for the buck at 3 am in the morning.

This place is open late every day. And is real popular after the bars close on the weekends.  cheap and healthy eats.

The Jumbo Lamb and Beef Gyro for $5.00. Add fries and drink for $1.50 more. My favorite is the dinner plate #22. Lamb , Beef onions and tomatoes on basmati rice. Hummus, feta salad, pita bread, and drink for $10.  This is a savory mouth watering meal for 2. Or for one hungry drunk person.

So if you have the craving for mind blowing gyros, lamb and beef basmati plates, or just stuffed grape leaves.  Remember Aladdin can take you away to that special place.
5 - May y.: The best gyros I've had by far! The portions are huge for a jumbo gyro. I always have to end up removing some meat out of my sandwich because it's too much. They have a good meat-to-lettuce ratio. It's farkin awesome dudes. And ask for them to make it spicy, makes it even better.

You couldn't ask for a better tasting gyro and the low prices just adds the icing to the top =)
5 - zane b.: best gyros in town hands down. also open till 3am which means its some of the best late night food around
5 - Aidana L.: My husband and I are CRAZY about  their gyros ! Every bite gets better and better. Gyros are juicy and very flavorful. I always leave wanting more. So go a head and order Gyro, you will be very satisfied!
3 - joshua j.: This place used to be 5 star but the last two times I have gone in my falafel has been burnt, sad....
4 - amelia A.: As solid falafel as you will find on the Ave, and def the best in terms of ambiance (check the Bethlehem diorama!). For some reason I'm obsessed with their fried cauliflower sandwiches right now.The pistachio havlah, when they have it, is very decent. I'm also a fan of pro-palestinan clippings board. Cash only.
5 - Albert R.: oh I miss my UW days...the lamb gyro is the best. Very good portions.
4 - Samantha E.: Decided I wanted lunch on the Ave today, and wasn't in the mood for Thai, teriyaki, or pho, so stopped by at this place.  For $7, I got a lamb and beef gyro, fries, and a drink.  The meat on the gyro was teriffic and the tzatziki had a really great flavor-- I prefer chopped tomatoes and onions to slices so that there's more per bite, but that's just nitpicking.  The fries were pretty good, too.  The inside has some nice Middle Eastern decorations, so it's not just another fast food place.  Overall this was a good meal for not very much money.  I would go back again.
4 - Johnny N.: Yeah, it's pretty darn good.  The hole-in-the-wall aspect of it lends to the flavor, I'm sure of it.  But we got a couple of gyros, and they hit the spot, and we weren't drunk or anything.  Cheap too.
5 - Tonya N.: I wish i were a student again so i can get to eat here on a daily basis!  This is the Gyro i compare all others too.  :)  Love the corner seating feels just like we're away in some far away land!  Fun, super cheap eat and nummmmy.  5 stars baby!
4 - Nhu-An N.: Cheap and delicious. $5 will get you a jumbo beef/lamb gyro and $7 will get you the gyro and fries (or salad). I usually don't review restaurants on the Ave, but this one is definitely worth mentioning. 

The meat is spiced with all the essentials. Garlic, cumin, marjoram (similar to oregano)...delicious delicious stuff! The pita bread is soft/pillow-y and the tzatziki sauce...perfectly tarty. 

And did I mention they're open until 1am? (Even on Sundays!)
5 - Darvish B.: This gyro place is the truth! 

Last night was a blur but one thing was clear to me, the delicious lamb gyro I had. All the boozing made for a good start with a great ending @ Gyro-Cery. Packed loosely with tons of juicy meat straight from the spit to the grill for some heat, then onto the pita. Add the lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, with creamy tangy tzatziki. YUMMY IN MY TUMMY.  

What sets their gyros from other gyros is the spices added to make the meat full of flavor. Not overly flavorful but just the right amount of the perfect combination of garlic, cumin, marjoram and rosemary.  

I would have killed for a place like this when I was in college. Cheap and delicious. You can't beat those two things. 
U Dub students are lucky they have places like these to pickup food instead of that crappy dorm shit they serve on campus.  Blessing in disguise I guess,  I would have gained more than the freshman fifteen if I was a student around there.

CASH ONLY, there is an ATM inside the place though.
3 - Nadine W.: Uniquely flavored Gyros on University Avenue. From the outside, this restaurant looks like an actual "hole in the wall" - as in there is an open hole - in the wall - through which you place your order. If you head inside, however, you will see a large dining area with colorful carpets and middle eastern decor. The glass case in the front shows an assortment of goods from baklava to halva to stuffed grape leaves. The gyros, themselves, have a unique flavor due to the curry oil that they add to the tzatziki sauce. The meat is reasonably moist and the portions are huge. A very large gyro and a coke are $6. They only have 1 highchair but you will definitely feel comfortable here with a child as it is very casual. The are also very kid friendly and, in our case, warmed up a gyro wrap for our toddler for only $1.
4 - Youngseok J.: The beef n lamb gyro is filling an surprisingly cheap (7 dollars with fries and a can of soda). Can't say that about a lot of places on university district. It does take a while but there are comfortable couches to chill and wait. Overall a great place to rest and eat.

I'm afraid to try the other menu items, but I'm sure it's great.

Only knock on them is that they can get busy and take a long time for my food to get ready, and cash-only policy.
5 - ChrisandCrystal C.: Absolutely the best gyros ever . . . ever . . . ever! I've consumed many a gyros in my day, and this place had the best by far. The lamb and beef mix is the best in my opinion. They skewer it too, so it really tastes juicy. Lots of fat and grease dripping down your chin as you try and stuff this Middle Eastern taco into your mouth. 

My buddy and I used to eat here all the time when we were in school at the UW. We would come here to eat and study. But the downside to the place is that they play some really loud and obnoxious Middle Eastern music. So its kinda hard to talk and read. 

They are pretty hardcore Muslims, too. Lots of Islamic Jihad stuff pinned to the advertisement board as you walk in. Some antisemitic stuff too. These sons of Muhammad aren't too friendly towards their Abrahamic kin. But this also makes for good (and heated) debate when you strike up a conversation with them about why they think the Jews should exit their territory. 

Good food and good debate. These go together like a good bullet in an empty chamber.
1 - Mystique L.: Oily,greasy,salty tiny portioned food! They took an hour for take out on top of messing it up twice!! I used to be a fan but really? I won't be returning here even if you pay me.
5 - Gabriel G.: Aladdin's felafel is always satisfying. Perfectly crispy deep-fried felafel mingles with tahini sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and paprika. Enjoy a combo with fries and a soda for a reasonable price. The comfortable, cavernous back is very inviting, and the service is fast, friendly, and professional.
4 - Jon D.: Four stars for a delicious $5 gyro.

I mean, seriously, folks, a $5 gyro that tastes awesome. Yeah, cash only, yeah, they don't really talk buddy buddy with you (you order your food, and they bring it to you, must it be more complicated than that?).

And if it's busy, that's probably even better, 'cause then you get even more of the tasty deliciousness from the griddle. Flavor explosion.

They pile on the meat compared to your average gyro spot. I've had a few other things on the menu as well, but when it comes down to it, $5 gyro is where it's at. Deliciousness.
3 - Amanda h.: Yuuuuummmmmm...... Not the best gyros I've ever had, but still delicious and open super late. I work late hours (which they are open for) and sometimes for the last hour of my shift all I can thing about is a souvlaki from Aladdin.  These guys are bad-asses.
3 - Jessica L.: $5 for a one-hander gyro, not bad compared to the alternatives on the Ave.  Guys are nice, lamb gyro was ok, like what you'd get at a street festival--a little over seasoned, vegetables and other ingredients weren't high quality, but still fully edible and good for on the go.  I haven't had anything else, I might try the other location next time.  

This location had a narrow entrance, huge menu boards, and a large seating area.  I was in and out in 3 minutes and there was one guy before me.  This is a good option for quick, cheap food, and it's open late like Burger Hut across the street.
4 - Davis H.: First Gyro I ever had. Little did I know that night my taste buds would become addicted something new. I had the Chicken Gyro, and would love to go back and try the Lamb Gyro.
4 - TM K.: Decent gyro and cheap. pretty quick for the most part.
3 - Tyler H.: 2nd best Aladdin on the Ave. Good value and quality menu. I like the hang out area in the back and the occasional Bob Ross viewing. I'm usually split between the gyro and the falafel, both are pretty good. I come here when I don't feel like walking far from campus.
5 - Robby C.: There is no question when deciding to go to the Aladdin Gyro-Cery about what to order off the menu: jumbo beef and lamb gyro combo. Nothing quite beats the feeling of a huge hearty meal of the saltiness of the beef and lamb complemented by fresh lettuce and tomatoes especially after a long night on University Avenue. Although the shop takes cash only, there is a sketchy automated teller machine located in the shop, but though we suggest walking up a block or so to a Bank of America teller machine. Honestly, there is no reason to get regular size of anything at this shop as, once you bite into any of the dishes you order, you will likely find yourself back at the counter ordering another helping. Service is friendly and quick even when there is a line and there is ample seating towards the back where we were able to fit our group of about ten rather comfortably in a corner. So, if you ever plan on having a late night in the University District, make sure the Aladdin Gyro-Cery is a pit stop as you make your way home.
4 - Joseph M.: I must honestly say that I can't say I have ever been here sober to eat.  It is open late night and is a great late night drunk food.  The gyros and fries are great though.  I love the tziki sauce or however you spell that.  If you are looking for a late night meal check this place out.  And if you decide to try it during the day when you are sober make sure to let me know how it really tastes.. lol
4 - Theo S.: So, I was in Seattle for 8 days this winter and I don't know where I would be without Aladdin's. I think I ate here 6 times during those visits - I mean what sounds better than a Lamb and Beef Gyro at 2 AM after a night out? Nothing. And for lunch the next morning? Nothing. And for breakfast? Well maybe not for breakfast. But I'm a huge fan of this place. 

The food is great, the price is low and the hours can't be beat.  I'm currently living around the corner from it and every two or three days me and my roommate are eating here.
4 - Kimberly W.: Landed in Seattle at 10pm. Settled in a bit and then walked to Aladdin's. I admit, I wasn't too excited to try it. It was about 1:30am, and I felt like a gyro just didn't sound like a good idea. I ordered the large chicken shish kabob gyro and my boyfriend ordered the other chicken (schwarma?) gyro meal... He got a soda and rice topped with yogurt. The rice part is great--the yogurt I could do without. But the gyro.... SO GOOD! Really good flavor, a lot of food, moist and tender chicken, perfect pita, a lot of lettuce so it tastes fresh and healthy-ish. I also think the flavor in the shish kabob chicken was better than the other chicken. I think it came out to $13 for the two of us. Great late-night snack.. great meal in general I think! I wanted to go back before I left but I was running late for the airport but i'll be back. See you next time, Aladdin's.
4 - Lucy L.: I definitely feel better after eating this than I do after chipotle, and its about a buck fifty cheaper!

Like a previous reviewer mentioned, they really do pile on the meat here compared to other gyro places. I would never even have noticed if I didn't start trying said other gyro places. 

This place is really close to my dorm, doesn't require utensils to eat, and charges $5 even for a regular size gyro, so I neither have to give nor receive change. 

There's been a couple times when I've noticed them adding different ingredients in the gyros, like bell peppers, and while I don't mind bell peppers, they gave a slightly different texture. I would also prefer that they use meat strips because the meat chunks they have tend to fall out of the gyro.

But still, sometimes I suspect that the only reason this place isn't as crowded as Chipotle is because of the narrow entryway.
5 - Jonathan B.: I love the Aladdin, and I don't even live in the neighborhood. I drive to the Ave, deal with the parking hassle and usually end up walking 4 or 5 blocks just to get to the place. Totally worth it, though.

Where else can you get a kick-ass gyro and a fantastic piece of baklava in the middle of the night and still get change from your $10? If you want to have a seat, you can enjoy the cheesy decor and watch the grill masters at work. They don't say much, but they're good at cranking out the food. Sometimes the wait can be longer than 5 minutes, especially if they're busy, but the service always seems relatively quick. I usually grab my gyro and go, enjoying the walk back to my car (and the colorful people on the Ave) while I inhale the delicious, tender, spiced meaty goodness.

For an excellent gyro on the cheap, this place wins hands down. One little nitpick - it's cash only. Be prepared.
5 - Aidan L.: Love this place.  People are always friendly, food is tasty, and as other reviewers say, $5 for a gyro loaded with meat is a great value. (plus having the cost be exactly $5 is super convient)

Decor is a bit cheesy, but it's still fun to sit in the back on a couch around a low table with your buddies.
4 - Michelle S.: Loved going to this place after the hookah bar with some friends. They're inexpensive and their gyros are delicious! Plus, the proportions are just the right size.

Definitely a spot to try when you're in the U-District! :)
5 - Kai Y.: MMMMMMmmmmmmm! Just had the jumbo lamb and beef gyro and it was delicious. I have been coming here for the past 3 years and everything on the menu is good. This place might not look that great on the outside, but they make great food. If you go to UW or if your visiting "the Ave" you must stop here try it. Just remember to bring cash. Also, don't expect great customer service.
4 - Hunter O.: came here with a buddy the other week.. pretty darn good i was uber happy to here that i could get one with no cucumber sauce. i happen to think that stuff is gross.. they put some cucumber free sauce on it and i was filling my face with gyro..thanks aladdin gyro.. i now can eat them again....
5 - Tony R.: I would like to say that this is my favorite place to get a Gyro in Seattle and could possibly be named the best in the city if they took debit or credit cards :) If you have cash, Aladdin's will not disappoint. The lamb-beef jumbo gyro is the way to go. If you don't eat beef or lamb, they have chicken as well. They have a great lounge in the back with a hookah lounge feel to it (minus the hookahs that is :) and they are open late so it's perfect for late night eats as well as a lunch time grub on the run. The cool thing about this place is they price it so that you usually are paying even amounts. I think the jumbo gyro is $5 even and that's CHEAP for such quality. Aladdin's should be a Seattle food landmark! And scene...
5 - Matt M.: Holy crap, the chicken shawarma is off the hook. I just got back to my office with a lamb/beef and a chicken gyros togo and devoured both. The lamb/beef was good, but nothing too special. The chicken was 5-star fo sho though. The chicken was flavorful, moist, and the pita came with a slammin' special sauce all over it. 

Two gyros and a coke for $12. Hell yea! For a quick spot close to campus (or late night), this can't be beat. I'll be back!
4 - Roy E.: Very cheap and very fresh ingredients. Try them.
5 - A. B.: If you don't know of this place, then let me help you to learn something! First of all this place stays open till 3am. 2nd of all I think they use unicorn meat, because it's magical the way that meat cures a good hangover. Yeah the guys makin your sandwich are not friendly, but I wasn't trying to find a new BFF anyway, I kinda enjoy bad attitudes and good food versus the bubbly waitress who serves you shit on a shingle and guilts you into tipping her.
3 - Ben D.: The food's pretty good, so why only three stars? I consider this place to be a "quick lunch" setting. The kind of place I go for a falafel sandwich in the middle of the workday, hoping to return to my desk to eat it. However, their sandwiches are  nearly impossible to eat without a knife and fork! They explode in a not-so-hot mess if you try to eat them like a wrap. Perhaps I just don't have the skills for eating with my hands, what with being such a refined, proper, two-handed knife and fork-user, but others I was with also seemed to end up with tahini all over their faces and pants. 

It's a bit pricier than Cedar's on 42nd and much less conveniently prepared, so my vote goes to Cedar's.

I do like the fries and hot sauce at Gyro-Cery, however, and if I have more time to eat and actually want to sit down with friends, I'll likely come here for a combo meal.

Also, cash-only! Boooooo!!!!
5 - Sung K.: I did not know about this place until my manager took us here for a team lunch a few months back. I am glad he did, because, in my opinion, they have the best gyros in the entire Seattle area. Anyway, I really like their lamb-beef gyro combo deal with Grape Fanta (I know I am weird that way).
5 - Kanchana S.: Best falafel in town! Open late.  Bring cash. Go now!
4 - Singto K.: Allah Akbar!!!  This "Halal" friendly establishment is sure to satisfy even the hungriest of all "Fasters".  Aladdin Gyro-Cery "Gyros" can hold down against any other places.  The food always hits the spot and is a sure winner, best Arab fast food joint, everything just works.  Cash Only, so Boss up and bring some paper to this U-Dubb staple!!!
5 - Gaya And Kumiko R.: I LOVE THIS PLACE. I go here on class breaks and wouldn't mind going by myself anytime. Why? Because the food is bomb, cheap, quick, and filling. Tastes like authentic Middle-Eastern Gyros. I can never order gyros from other places (especially from large chain Greek restaurants) without comparing them to Aladdin's. Although the restaurant itself is in the cramped confines of the Ave behind the University of Washington and doesn't exactly scream "5 star", with the money you pay and the fast service and delicious meal you get, I give it 5 stars. I would recommend to anyone. Great for groups or going solo. My only dislike about it is that they don't take cards, only cash.
5 - Jon E.: This is my favorite middle eastern place in Seattle.  I love the gyros.  They're cooked to order, with a generous portion of meat, a great yogurt sauce, lettuce and tomato, and a dash of middle eastern seasoning.  The toasted pita bread is delicious.  It's the perfect way to end a night of drinking, but it's pretty good when you're sober too.  The falafel is also great.
5 - Amar C.: Great food ... Love it ...
5 - Sean C.: Aladdin's Gyrocery has nearly become synonymous with the ave.  I hope places like these (think Hawaii BBQ!) never close down!

Seriously delicious gyros (and fries, for that matter).  Open late.  Cheap.  

I find that the guys running the Aladdin's Falafel Corner up the ave seem to be friendlier than the guys running the Gyrocery here.  Gyros taste the the same between both restaurants (+1 star for consistency!).  If the relatively cold demeanor of the guys at the Gyrocery scares you away from the food, its not a far walk up the ave to get to the Falafel Corner.  Or grow some skin, whatever.
4 - katya l.: It's a sketchy, grimy hole in the wall - but it's a delicious sketchy, grimy hole in the wall! Situated on the Ave between all the ubiquitous bars, open late, Aladdin's gyros and falafel are as delicious sober as drunk. I'm not normally a fan of lamb, as the flavor is usually too strong and gamey for me, but Aladdin's lamb gyro blows me away every time. It's perfectly tender and perfectly spiced, the tzatziki sauce is light and tangy and everything comes together to make one delightful gyro. 

The falafel, the fries and the eggplant sandwich are also stand-out choices. The service ranges from perfunctory to friendly, and the decor is nothing to write home about - but the gyros, the gyros! (I'm so hungry right now that my hands are shaking.)
5 - Derrin T.: Best gyros on the Ave (I've tried them all). If you don't like as intense cucumber sauce, try Samir's Mediterranean grill. Pretty well-priced, too. Decent seating in the back. Cash only
4 - Cindy T.: Haven't been here in awhile! Decide on here, after I realized Pita Pit was closed. Oh my...I almost forgot how much I adore Aladdin's Gyros. I got my usual combo--lamb gyro with a mountain dew, and rice (or sometimes fries). The perfect meal combo for $7.00. They only take cash here, so I was glad I had enough. Although I believe the Aladdin further up on the Ave takes card. 

It was wonderfully made, and I could taste everything that was jam packed into that wrap! The rice however, wasn't how I remember it tasting. It was a bit dry unfortunately...and for the first time I was unable to finish it fully! Nonetheless, it was still good-if you are a fan of Middle Eastern food. 

The only thing was that I wish it was a little cleaner? Perhaps a wipe on the table and chairs here and there would be nice. I understand that we have to bus our garbage ourselves, but does that include the tables too? Also, its a little chilly in there! brrrr
4 - Bonnie C.: Always a good choice for a cheap lunch near the University. Don't know about the meat, but the falafel is tasty and then there's the fried cauliflower.... mmmmm... fried cauliflower.... 

cash only!
5 - Austin N.: I think they were misleading when they labeled their gyro as "small." I found a small lamb and beef gyro to be very filling. Not only that but it was delicious. It was perfectly seasoned and all the flavors seemed to compliment each other. I'm definitely coming back here for a quick bite.
5 - Joe E.: I'm from San Diego originally, and I really miss a burrito from back home.  When I went back home *for a week* this year, Aladdin's Gyro-cery is what I missed.

The jumbo #9 (lamb & beef) is incredible, but order it spicy and get some chili sauce on that action.  Unbelievable.  And then order some greek fries to put the fire out -- sure, they're a little more, but tzatziki sauce and feta go all over them.

I eat this way too often.
5 - Leslie B.: I love their food, the falafil and the gyros are the best! I love the way their food is spiced, not a big fan of the fries though. I don't think they even have ketchup you can put on it.
4 - Tri H.: Ok, this place is a "college" dive.  Nothing fancy but for the price you pay and quality of the food, it's pretty damn good value.
1 - Shanna W.: What happened, Aladdin? What the effing eff happened? You were fabulous. You served some of the best Gyros I'd ever had. 

Today though, there are signs that say something about increasing ingredient costs and raising prices. And hey, your ingredients are pretty good so that's okay. But when I opened my order at home I found something shocking.

A sandwich full of spongy and dry "meat-like product" instead of the usual juicy rotisseried-then-grilled meat, a bag filled with fat, limp, flavorless fries, and a container of your hot sauce that is suspiciously twice as watery and half as spicy as your previous spicy sauce, but otherwise made of the exact same stuff.

Sorry, Aladdin, but if your food suppliers are charging you more for this stuff you're getting utterly ripped off. And guess what? So are your customers.
5 - Patrick H.: Honestly the best Gyro in Seattle and their hummus is like no other. I literally would eat here everyday and almost do.
5 - Joseph J.: My favourite place to eat on the Ave. The only drawback is that they're cash only, but that isn't enough of an inconvenience to drop the rating down at all.
3 - J J.: I recently rated Samir"s in the U District. I bumped that rating up to four stars because Samir is so friendly. For Aladdin, I am dropping the rating down to a three from a four for a similar reason. 

Aladdin makes great pitas. Their hummus and falafel both deserve four stars.Their food is GOOD. However, when I eat at a restaurant all I want is good food and friendly service, not political activism. Obviously these guys have strong political views, but I don't need to see Pro-Palestinian flyers throughout the store. I ESPECIALLY do not need to see anti-Israel (stop war crimes, stop genocide, and other inflammatory statements) throughout the restaurant.  

Just stick to the good food, please, and I will be sure to visit even more.
5 - Mike C.: I've never ate the best gyro's in the world, so in my opinion these are the best gyro's I have ate in my lifetime.  

I took a friend who eats a lot of gryos and he ended up getting 2 because he liked them so much.  He came from Iran and ate gyros all the time.

Personally I don't order their french fries because I don't care for them.  However their dinner plates and salads are quite good too.
1 - Megan A.: I have never actually eaten the food here, so my review may not be 100% fair, but I do have a reason for the poor rating. 

Everyone raves about Aladdin's, and I am sure the food tastes just fine, but the only time I went in here was just so gross that I lost my appetite. I came in with a couple of friends and went to reserve a table while they ordered. There was a man sitting nearby who was pretty grubby looking, which was completely fine with me until he lifted his pants leg and started picking scabs off his legs at the table. He then proceeded to take out a comb and comb his leg hair. Call me crazy, but those things seem unsanitary and not things that I want around my food. I guess I cannot blame the actions of a patron on the owners, but this is the only thing I associate with Aladdin's Gyrocery. 

If I can ever conquer my gag reflex that is associated with this place, I will actually leave a review on the food.
4 - Colin D.: I love this place. You can get lunch for less than $5 here and it's tasty if not healthy for you. I always get the jumbo (50% more meat) chicken gyro with spicy sauce (sriracha) inside and no onions. It never disappoints me. The chicken gyro is better than the Aladdin's up the street where they use strips rather than small chunks of chicken.

The place is a total dive and looks like it could double as a hookah bar, but that has it's own charm. They're open until 3am so you can get your drunk food fix here too and damn is it amazing greasy drunk food.

The old disadvantage is that they only take cash.
5 - Alex T.: I always get one thing, and one thing only.

#9: jumbo lamb & beef gyro.
$5 dollars.

DE-FREAKING-LICIOUS.

Kind of dirty inside, but I always get my stuff to go. Cash only!
This is the only place you should ever go on the ave to get your gyros.
3 - Tanya J.: This is the go to place after a night of debauchery. I speak for friends of course. 

The falafel sandwich with spicy sauce is a must if HOT food is your thing. I like the seasoned fries and baklava. I prefer Garlic Crush's falafel personally over Aladdins but I know a few people who would fight me heart and soul on that one. 

Regardless, I will not be complaining at a place where you can get some good grub till 3AM. Just watch all the nightclub aftermath come wobbling in, eyes half closed, loud slurring expletives, rowdy patrons and your night just became a little bit more entertaining.

Cleanliness is not it's forte but at 230AM who really cares.
5 - Stephanie C.: Sometimes I miss being a college student... lamb & beef gyro from this place is awsome!!! Atleast I still have my late night outings where I end up with tzazikikiki sauce on my pants! It's pretty affordable.. it's sort of cramped inside if there is a rush with a bunch of college students. Cash only and the combo is pretty good as well (fries & drink).
2 - Manos S.: They give you a lot of food.  I would take a smaller portion if it was better.  The pita is excellent, but the meat and the sauce are OK.
5 - Riyal V.: Can't beat this deal! Delicious every time. Go for the jumbo lamb gyro, so very worth it for 5 dollars.

They sell sweets and side dishes like hummus too, but I've always gone for a gyro.
5 - Jeff S.: Great food, fast and friendly service and good prices. I had the staple falafel sandwich (jumbo) with all da fixins. It was huge and the falafel was cooked just right. Nice and crispy outside, moist on the inside. Cucumber, onion, yogurt sauce. I'll be stopping here again soon. The homemade halva with pistachios was amazing.
5 - kehlee t.: My favorite place to get gryo. It always hits the spot and is delicious every time I stop by! Nothing to complain at all.
5 - Kyle K.: The lamb and beef shwarma is a great "go-to" for this place. Always open every time I go here, and I haven't had a bad dish yet.

Get the #22 meat special, and ask them to make it "extra spicy". So worth it.
5 - Jordan Y.: This is another great Gyro place. Good food and good prices,  The people that work there are so nice too.
4 - Vivian T.: Love the fact that the gyros are 5 bucks flat and taste delicious!  It's pretty hard to find anything on the ave for less than 8-9 bucks now.  xD

Enjoy!
4 - Nio S.: The super heroes of late night hunger pains after parties or the clubs! This place hits the spot and the quality of fresh gyros is amazing....for first timers try the beef and lamb gyro, you can never go wrong with this! the only downfall to this place which I don't consider a major downfall is that its on a popular street that parking is kinda hard to find but its worth the walk if you parked far...trust me you will be glad you made the effort to find parking for this place....its that good!!! Happy Eats!!
2 - Charlie W.: I thought I'd given up writing reviews, but I feel compelled to say something about my recent experience here.

Really, there was nothing wrong with the food, but, gads! couldn't someone mop the floors, clean the men's restroom, or wipe the tables? The restaurant has a section where everything is enclosed by middle-eastern carpets--DUSTY carpets. You can see the motes rising up whenever someone sits in there.

I showed up at lunch hour on a Sunday, and the place was busy, with people ordering at the street-side window and at the inside counter. After 15 minutes of watching everyone else get their orders, I went up to the counter and asked about my order. Another five minutes later an order did come to my table, with a complimentary baklava, but it was the WRONG order.

I'm not sure that I want to trade cleanliness and competent service for cheap food when so many other places can deliver all three in Spades.

Just something to think about. . . .
5 - Evan J.: This is by far my favorite gyro place on the ave. Sure, there's more authentic or better quality Mediterranean/Middle Eastern around, but nothing beats the Gyro-Cery for a combination of value, selection and hours, my god the hours! 'til 2 or 3, every day! Great for lunch, dinner, supper and that late-night meal nobody sober wants to admit.

Tip them well, they deserve it. And every so often, order something beyond a sandwich just to see the smiles on their faces for something out of the ordinary, perhaps even a touch more authentic.

Just remember, cash only, and the ATM inside is only functional close to half the time.
4 - Rahul J.: Awesome falafels..got them on whole wheat breads. Got the lentil soup too..very well seasoned and highly recommended. Baklava (plain / honey) was decent. Slow service..but I'd come back here for sure. GREAT VALUE.
4 - John M.: I like this place and have come here on and off for the last decade. The place is just funky, but in a decent way. Their Gyros are well stacked and they have good hot sauce.  These guys are my number two Gryo place around.  If you take the price in to consideration these guys are probably 5 stars.  I don't so just a 4.  Still very good.
4 - Aaron S.: Excellent gyros and falafel for an amazing price right off of I-5. A must have for anyone passing through, they are open until 3am and right next to the Big Time brewpub.
5 - John T.: This place saved my butt during the hungry long nights at UW. I ordered a gyro here at 3 in the morning when everything else was closed; did NOT expect that type of quality that late. Pardon me if I rave, but I could feel the meat and feta melt on my tongue, the onions and lettuce crunch between my teeth, and the sliced tomato squirt sweet juices down my throat. The pricing was cheap, which made the food seem all the more delicious.

The other time I went here was for lunch (which I am going to describe in much less detail: I got a combo with rice; it was also delicious).

If I ever visit Seattle again, I'm definitely going to stop by just for lunch. Honestly, it's that good.
3 - Anuj S.: Decent place for Mediterranean food. Liked the Gyro dinner plate. 
They accept cash only though.
4 - Maria N.: Do not confuse this place with the other Aladdin gryo/falafel joint that sits on 45th and Ave.  This is the one to go to!  The gyro meat has amazing flavor and they don't skimp on the veggies.  Also, it's open late, so it's great for quality drunk eating.  

I'd recommend you get your food to go, the seating area can be crowded during lunch hour and it's definitely not the cleanest place to eat.       

This is a cash only restaurant, but they do have an ATM.
3 - Stephanie G.: Good gyro - I like to order at the counter outside because I'm usually in a hurry for a meeting or class. Cash only, $6 for a good gyro and a soda - it'll quench a craving, tasty sauce and fresh veggies.
3 - J T.: If your taste buds have already been burned to oblivion by shot after shot and you are reaching for a place to go for some food to cram down, latenight right quick, then look no further.

Huge ups for being open so late, but really though. I'm not saying, but I'm just saying that the customer service could use some changes. 

Don't sass me cause I'm ordering the samething that everybody else does and you are bored. Don't make me wait forever for my food because I asked you some stupid questions. And actually thrown some sauce on my gosh darn gyro. Please.

But then again, if you are just looking to stuff your face and then pass out, who cares what the taste is like?

If the other Aladdin's is open I'll go there. If not, I'm probably to far gone to care anyway
5 - Joe K.: For me, they have he best kabob and falafel house on the three continents I've been lucky enough to visit.  I've been going here, on and off for over 10 years, and no matter how long it's been, the great staff here smile and welcome me like family, and like they just saw me yesterday.  The price is right at $5 for a jumbo gyro, and it's always fast, and delicious.  I love these guys, and i hope you will too.
4 - Jennifer B.: "Yeer-oh" please don't call it a "Giro." 

Some of my favorite gyros in town. It is not a grocery like the name might have you believe. 

I usually get the lamb/beef gyro combo with fries and a drink. Good deal and yummy food. Having grown up in Michigan where gyros are a plenty this is my go to place in Seattle. Don't go here if you are in a hurry b/c no matter the time of day you have to wait a while.
4 - Christine C.: i actually only had one gyro while i was a student at uw and it had been a bad experience-- so i never ate here during my college life... and it's a good thing cuz if i had known that they were so good i probably woulda got fluffy(er) eating here left and right after my late nite study sessions

good/cheap combos, super generous and filling servings, open late, and tastes good when drunk AND sober (i personally think that speaks volumes)

not as friendly as mr. gyros but if i'm here at 2 am after god knows what i could really care less if you ask how my day was and i can understand the lack of enthusiasm since i wouldn't wanna work at 2 am either. the place isn't fancy/can look divey to some, but it's not the worst on the ave-- take it home to eat if it bothers you
5 - Rendy L.: Been in seatle, eat here everynight. Lamb with rice. I think it is #21. Its tha bomb!!!
5 - Steven W.: fattening.. but best gyro's in the city! ask for hot sauce in the gyro too.. its great!
5 - Malika G.: I ate here for the first time yesterday and it was AMAZING. I'm middle eastern, and I've never had lamb this good in my life. The meat was so tender and the spices complimented the dish miraculously. I'll be a UW freshman this year and I'm sure that I'll be eating here at least once a week. The atmosphere was great, and the service was quick. For five bucks, a jumbo Gyro is so filling. My best friend raved about Aladdin's for years, and thanks to him i have finally experienced this mouth watering goodness for myself.  I can't wait to try the falafel and other menu items.
4 - K. L.: Husband and I stopped by spontaneously late at night after a concert for a quick bite to eat. I wasn't expecting much but...

This place has GOOD gyros. They don't skimp on the toppings, and the food reminds me of a (relatively) authentic middle eastern gyro place Husband and I frequented in university. 

Sure, it's a hole--in-the-wall, and dusty and there was a longer wait than I expected (maybe it seemed longer because of the obnoxious drunkard frat-boys--how stereotypical--harassing the man trying to take orders?). Regardless, good deal on tasty food, and I wouldn't be adverse to going there again.


Cash only.
3 - Elizabeth W.: A cool little jointed painted red with a serving window for people ordering to-go, a big menu hung by the walls. A clear depiction of a hole-in-the-wall. I wanted something quick to satisfy my hunger, so this is the place to go. (See what I did there? To go, to-go). Maybe I need a magical pill that can instantaneously morph me into the funniest person on the planet. Like Spongebob, or every word that comes out of my mouth become a magical golden stand-up comedy show. I wish, I wish.

Anyway, straying out of topic a whole lot. I dropped into this Mediterranean fast food restaurant, expecting a quick meal. I ordered the lamb & beef gyro (yee-ro), total of $5. A real good worth for your money, the gyro is surely filling! Took only a couple of minutes and I'm on my way.

On the way home, I munched a few bites. The first bite was glorious, I tell you, because there was an overload of yogurt tzatziki (I think?) which made the hardy meat easier to go through. The lettuce was a good crunch and tomato was not the juicy kind, goes well enough (coming from someone who hates tomatoes, this is one exception). After half of the gyro, the tzatziki started to disappear, like magic. I wasn't so happy, because to tell you the truth, that was the best part of this experience. I've tasted more authentic and delicious gyros (Mr. Gyros), but I guess this place is open till' late hours which is good for fucked-up-drunk-can't-walk-straight people who just want to fill their appetite. Or drugged up kids who got the munchies. The gyro used a thick flatbread or atleast thicker (good when warm, disastrous when cold) than I've tasted in other joints, and I thought it was to hoist mountainous pile of sauce, I was disappointed in some ways when there was a meager amount in my wrap. Make me feel like Oliver Twist, go on, do it! Some more, please, sir?

But, another downside I shall introduce: CASH ONLY, they only want the greens in physical form, and I'm not talking bout' lettuce, in this case.

At home, I drenched it with Kewpie (Japanese Mayonnaise), making it the best thought that has ever came upon me. Also a dose of sriracha, and I'm good to go. The meat has a subtle flavor, typical greek spices, but it's better with sauce. Says the SAUCE BOSS. Listen to me, minions and you shall perhaps taste small atoms from my leftovers of this amazing masterpiece I've invented. I feel like putting sauce makes it my own work. So, hence, I claim the throne for making gyros a lot better since '94. Ever since my mother carried me in a bundle of her stomach, and to the day I was born, I was holding one kewpie bottle in my hand and a sriracha in another. I was destined to steal the sauce boss title from that scruffy male shouting deviant from Epic Meal Time.

Deuces.
5 - Rob M.: This is the other place that kept me alive in college. I haven't been here in years, but I have fond memories. Judging from the other reviews, I doubt this place has changed much. 
Don't expect fine dining. This place is a really dumpy kasba. Truth be told, in college, my friends and I started going here only because it was close to Lander Hall and we could smoke inside. But we kept going back because it was dirt cheap, and the gyros were amazing. Generous toppings will fill you up with just one gyro. But don't neglect the falafel!
4 - Adi H.: CASH ONLY! but worth it...I'm Israeli and used to homemade falfalel but I'm too lazy to make it so I figured I'd try it out here. I was waiting at the bus stop but was too hungry so I came in. The falafel was delicious I just wish they could actually put it in the pita and not like a gyro

would definitly come back and try their gyros. They also sell tahini and fava beans there too if you're looking for some
5 - Randy N.: I'm hooked with this place! One of the best gyro I have had. Cash only and they open late. I always get the #9 jumbo. Highly recommended!!
3 - Samantha O.: I went here for the first time the other day after my boyfriend kept badgering me about it. He absolutely loves this place and he definitely would give it a five star, he orders the jumbo #9. However, I'm a vegetarian so I ordered a jumbo #1. I was sort of disappointed. My falafel was dry, there wasn't much sauce at all, the gyro was hard and the cucumbers were sliced much too thick. I'm not an incredibly picky person usually and I hate to sound like a snob. The fries were good, actually. They don't really have salt on them, which is good in my opinion. The atmosphere is fun. I like places that seem dive-y. The food is cheap. I think I may have just ordered the wrong thing. I would go back because they might've just been having an off night.
4 - Munya S.: Aladdin has great gyro plates for when you're too lazy to cook.  10 bucks will get you a complete dinner plate including a drink.  The rice is flavorful and the sauce is yummy- I actually prefer the vegetarian plate (with cauliflower and eggplant) to the meat one.  The portion sizes are generous enough that you can squeeze leftovers out of them.  If you are in a rush, however, you might want to look somewhere else as the wait is quite long.
5 - Laura B.: This place is so good.  SO GOOD. so good.  SO GOOD. 

yum. yum. yum.

I love the people that work here, they always put me in a good mood, even if I have to wait in line and then wait for the food to be brought to me when I'm starving.  Somehow I always end up here when it's 2 pm and I realize I need to eat something!

I always ask for no onions and they ALWAYS remember not to give me onions... I can't think of anywhere else that it is ALWAYS!

I get the small falafel sandwich every time.  Sometimes I get a hummus to-go for the weekend.  

Here's a review from 1999!!!!  http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=2003
5 - Deborah R.: Cheap and delicious. However, you don't feel like you're eating cheap food. When I go to McDonalds' I know it's cheap. 

Another great aspect is that they are open late. I swear, everytime my boyfriend and I get late night cravings...this is the place we end up.

The only problem with this place is that they don't accept credit cards. 

Love their #22 plate. It has lamb/beef chunks with rice, a salad, and some hummus with a pita on the side. Very salty and very delicious.
5 - Sakina I.: The price is just so fit ($5 total, no tax on gyro/falafel) and the workers are so friendly! There is a lady who works there that reminds me of the motherly type which definitely reinforces the welcoming environment. One major thing that I love about Aladdin's is that they don't skimp out on their food; they're really generous with the vegetables, sauce, and meat for your gyros and/or falafels. Plus they give you a lot of cheese with your Greek fries :)

Oh, and they're Halal (woohoo!)
5 - Buzz J.: Its great for quality.  I have been to a few other gyro places.  I love this one.  The only thing that i didn't like was they don't accept debit cards.
4 - Vega S.: If you want a robust, no frills, well priced gyro, Aladdin is the right place to go. They churn out gyros with delicious slow cooked meat (or falafels) into the wee hours of the night. So if you are cruising the bars around U-District, this is a good place to get a midnight snack. 

Also, if you go in the back they have an authentic middle eastern tent set up and I could swear the gyros taste better when you are in it. 

My only gripe with this place is that they are cash only. And the only ATM in their establishment is connected to the internet via dial-up. So if the old lady behind the counter is chatting on the phone, the ATM is not going to work. And this is frustrating at 1:00 AM.
5 - Tony S.: This place is the bomb, and let me tell you, I know a lot about bombs.

I have always enjoyed this place. You may have heard my origin story of being trapped in a cave in the Middle East and breaking out with a suit of armor that I made with a bunch of scraps... You may have also heard that I, Tony Stark, requested that I have a burger from Burger King as soon as I landed back in the states. Well, truth be told, I was paid an INSANE amount of money to do that. Marketing, baby.

What I really wanted was a fresh gyro from Aladdin. So badly, that I may or may not have killed numerous people on my way out of that cave... but if you had the crappy kind of gyro's they were serving me, you'd probably murder a few people. Did I say murder? I meant become friends with... I befriended a lot of people that day.

And now, the gyro. A delicious lamb and beef combo... enough to make your mouth water like you were sitting in the front row of a Victoria's Secret fashion show. Everything was fresh. I could've sworn I was in Istanbul, it was so fresh.

The fries were also great. They reminded me of that first guy that came at me when I ignited my flamethrowers in the Mk I suit for the first time. Crispy and with a little desert spice on it.

I plan on taking Pepper Potts here one day, I'm sure she'd love it.

5/5 Starks.
5 - Mikhaela L.: this is the best middle east restaurant in seattle so far.
5 - Carly C.: I came here a lot when I was in college... mostly stumbled in after a night of drinking and at that point Aladdin is your BFF. 

Flash forward to present day: I am no longer a college student and I am sure that there are gryo places closer to where I live.

But did that stop me from requesting a special trip on a my birthday fun day? NOPE. Better believe I made my boyfriend drive me there on his (day off) Friday afternoon, pay for parking and then buy me the #9 Beef & Lamb Gyro with a side of fries. Cheap date, but I was happy as a clam. It is always so tasty, fresh, filling and CHEAP (Two #9's, two fries and two sodas came to about $15). Honestly, I have only ever ordered the #9, but I would bet top dollar that the other food is great. 

Good thing to note: CASH ONLY (but they do have an ATM inside)
5 - Yousif A.: Excellent gyros and dolma, the best Middle Eastern food I've had in Seattle. 

Also, they provide substantial serving sizes, and the prices are very reasonable.
4 - Alissa S.: I went here for the first time last week and it was awesome. I had walked by it before and always thought about going there, but finally went. I'm sure glad I did.

The Gyro was huge and delicious. One thing I did notice is that they use some type of curry or yellow sauce instead of Taziki sauce. I'm not sure if that's something that can be added to it, since that was my first time, but I plan to ask next time because I really like that on my gyro. Although, even with their sauce it was still delicious.

The baklava was pretty good as well. I've had really amazing baklava and it was a close runner up, but some places have terrible baklava and this was by no means terrible. I would eat it every time.

The fries were mediocre. Bland and not quite as tasty, but still edible. By the time I ate my gyro I didn't finish all the fries anyways, but they could improve their fries.

The great part about this place is the decoration and seating. There is a great covered couch area in the back of the place that is really fun to eat under. It's very authentic.

The bathrooms are very clean. I saw both men and womens and they were both great, especially considering most bathrooms around the ave are not very clean feeling. 

These guys run a great business and I plan to return soon.
5 - J G.: They are just bomb! Best gryo's I've ever had and definitely top 3 falafel. On par with those legit, hole-in-the-wall Manhattan places (Mamoun's anyone?).

OK, so they are cash only and usually I would fuss but I grant this place exemption from my auto-hate rule. Why? 1) It is bomb dank and 2) they have set all their prices so that after tax it is always an even dollar or at worst 50 cents. This leads me to my next point:

Awesome deal! $5 for a huge, perfectly made gyro with delicious meat and a thick, slightly grilled pita. $7.50 for combo with fries and a drink.

Another wonderful aspect is the atmosphere. In addition to a bunch of salvaged square tables, they have set up a corner of low-level cushions and tables with overhanging middle-eastern fabrics. For some reason most people do not sit here but it's very pleasant and you have to respect the pride of this family owned place. Easy 5 stars here. They are open late night so try it any time!
3 - Vivian H.: 3.5

It's a great place to go to for late night food, but I would avoid this place on weekend nights as it is probably filled with college students.

The jumbo chicken gyro was big enough for two, and the thick cut fries were a good addition to the meal.  Prices are excellent, and you bus your own table.  The wait for your food to come out is also very quick.

I don't usually crave gyros, so I'm not sure if I would ever come back.
5 - Andy S.: I first went to Aladdin in 1997 and I have continued to go there over the years. Now that I think about it, it has always been very good and the customer service is always perfect. Never messed up my order once and it's always delicious. Not to mention the decor of the place is great, very ambient semi middle eastern vibes going on. I've had several types of  Falafel and their version is the best, and the Tahini is dank. Not to mention the history of the Ave. and it's location. Great place and a Seattle favorite. Many memories of this place!
4 - Allyson M.: Best gyros in Seattle every time I'm craving I always go to this place. Parking sucks and you have to pay cash but it's worth it
5 - Sarah A.: If you are looking for the best lamb gyros in the greater Seattle area, this really is as good as it gets. We met a native Palestinian man when we were there a couple of months ago and he drives 45 minutes each way to come to Aladdin's and buy falafel and gyros for his family. He swore these are the best he has had in the States. 

Aladdin also has amazing greek fries (feta and seasoning on fries). I love them. 

Note: This place only takes cash. They have an ATM machine, but they don't take cards. Good news: their prices are all set so that when tax is added its on the dollar so you don't get a pocket-load of change. 

Conclusion: Excellent food for a great price.
4 - A T.: Best gyros on the ave. I come here all the time. They give you high quality meat in their gyros at a good price. Large menu with several choices gives people a lot of variety. Highly recommend if you are looking for a quick, cheap, yet delicious bite to eat.
5 - Chris C.: Good gyro. The hummus is good plus #9 with that lamb mmm. Too bad its cash only.
4 - Kevin W.: Definitely one of the best restaurants on the Ave, and it's really close to campus too! Aladdin Gyro-Cery also has the benefit of opening very late into the night (around 2 AM on weekdays), and their prices are very low (I don't think I saw a single thing on the menu over ten dollars). It's like the winning formula for restaurants on the Ave. I feel that this is one of those restaurants where you can't go wrong with anything you order.

Well, I got the dinner gyro plate and it was superb. It took only about seven minutes to be delivered, and I was quite surprised when it arrived. It comes with one pita and so much stuff to put on it! Seriously, how is it all supposed to fit? My guess is that it isn't, so I had to eat most of it with one of their white plastic forks. Pita or not, it's still a fantastic array of food. It's the same usual stuff you find in gyros, but this store is particularly impressive.

Let's see, there's mainly lamb, rice, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, lettuce, hummus, and goat cheese. The lamb meat is kind of hard and dry, and the rice doesn't taste very fresh, but the rest is fine. There's a lot of it, and it's an excellent deal for ten dollars. There aren't many places on the Ave where your money could be better spent. They even have some desserts that you won't find a lot of around, like baklava for two dollars.

There are only a couple of minor problems. The place seems to lack authenticity, although it may just be the radio there that biases me into saying that. It's also kind of dirty, as if the people are too busy working behind the counter to clean the place up a bit every once in a while. And I get too much of a fast food vibe from here. You order at the counter, pay up front beforehand, bus your own table, and eat from paper plates using plastic utensils. It's a very small concern considering how reasonable the prices are and how good the food is. Just remember to bring cash as they don't take cards.
3 - Niko B.: As a former New Yorker, I had to give this place a try the moment I saw it. The gyros are decent but not life changing. Are gyros ever life changing? Anyways, they are about as good as the gyro food carts in Manhattan but still a long way from the gryos you get in a top-notch Greek/mediterranean restaurant. My main qualm with Aladdin is that their meat is never hot. I have had a couple gyros where the meat was close to room temperature. Gyros need to be hot and sizzling. Otherwise, they just taste weird.
5 - John H.: DaDaDaDANK pita yo. Best on da Aaaavvvvee
4 - Tristan P.: Four stars, as yelp conveniently tells you when you begin to write a review, means "Yay! I'm a fan." It does not mean "Yay, the bathrooms were clean" or "Yay, they would pass the health inspection" or "Yay, this place is classy." I think a lot of people who review on yelp need to remember this. You don't go in to a gyro joint on the Ave and expect glass table-tops and a waiter. You expect an amazing 7 dollar gyro, and that's what you get. Great deal for the food and flavor - I will be coming back here often, they know what they are doing. And the anti-Israeli propaganda on the walls just completes the experience!

But yes, as many have stated, don't forget cash!
4 - Mimi H.: Stopped by here for a quick lunch and was pleasantly surprised! What I liked about this place was that they cook everything right there so you know everything that goes into it. I had the lamb and beef gyro and it was pretty good. The vegetables were grilled so the flavors mixed in everywhere. The fries were crispy with a bit of seasoning. I enjoyed the feel of the restaurant and the price of the food.
5 - Debbie T.: One of my favorite cheap dinners in Seattle! Get the lamb and beef jumbo gyro and you will not be disappointed. I wouldn't recommend the whole wheat pita since it's stiffer and doesn't mesh with the rest of the flavors and textures well. Just accept that this won't be a healthy meal and make up for it later.
4 - Steven W.: Visiting UW for a conference and popped by here because of Yelp reviews. I'm glad I did.

The join is a bit small. Definitely a place to pop in, grab your order and walk around the streets eating. Reinder: Cash only! There's an ATM inside, but skip the time & fees - come here prepared!

Their lamb gyros is delicious! Moist, flavorful, peppery, exquisite. They make everything right in front of you quickly to fulfill that beastly appetite.

The fries are killer. Wow. I was a bit surprised - they were crispy and flavorful. That seasoning must be magic.
4 - Bill S.: Has been and will always  be one of the best Falafel joints in Seattle. I've been eating eating there for 20 years always consistent always delicious.
4 - Michael A.: Good for the price--but it's still just a gyro. They can go a little overboard on the sauce, but overall pretty tasty for a low cost.
5 - Bradley H.: Best Mediterranean food in town.  Cash only, but if you have 20 bucks, you have enough for a dinner for two.  All of their dishes are good, from the standard gyro to the combination plates are awesome.  Open late every day too.  Great place.
3 - Doug T.: Cheap Quick.. hella cheap and good.. Did I mention cheap?
5 - Beni R.: Fantastic food, fantastic value. This place and Mr. Gyro's put pretty much every other gyro place to shame.

Aladdins Natural Eatery - Ithaca, NY (42.4421482, -76.4874828) ()
4 - Ryan H.: Aladdins seems to cater to the organic crowd at Cornell. They serve up your usual assortment of falafels, wraps, pitas, greek olives, alfalfa, and yogurt sauces. They definitely do their thing well, though. For $5, I got a behemoth of a pita stuffed with all natural, and very tasty ingredients. Why can't I get food this fresh at restaurants in Albany? Probably because Cornell is totally surrounded by farmland. My companion ordered a baba ghannouj wrap, but was informed by the waiter that "they had no baba." Baba? No baba. It didn't matter. The lack of baba was made up for by the introduction of the "no baba" phrase. I could see this place becoming a weekly takeout order for me if I was a Cornell student.
5 - Jess M.: In days long past, I used to eat here at Aladdin's everytime I went out to eat.  This was the go-to place for my friends and me when we wanted something non-dining hall, or to celebrate something, or whatever.  This is where we went.  I can still remember my very first visit, ever.  It was an 8pm dinner #2.  I wanted something light, so I ordered the fruit and nut salad, which is fantastic.  It's yogurt, fruit, nuts, and honey.  MMMMMM, so refreshing, yet filling.  But over the course of my visits, I was more adventurous and have tried everything from their veggie appetizers, to wraps, to pitas, to salads, to soups, to pastas.  And let me tell you, it's alllllllllllllllllllllllllllll good.

And now, let me share with you my most favourite items.  I absolutely ADOOOOOOOORE their mediterranean salad.  A bed of mixed greens topped with warm (sauteed and marinated) eggplant over subsequently melted goat cheese (oh drool!), all drizzled with a lovely vinaigrette.  Mmmm.  

Ok, and my second favourite thing (because robust as it may have been, I could never live with myself if I routinely ordered a salad as a meal) is the basil pesto pasta, usually with the portabello ravioli.  I used to cut the raviolis diagonally twice, and eat them in triangular quarters, to maximize the length of my eating experience, and to make sure I savoured, not scarfed.

They also have excellent veggie chili (HOT and HEARTY!) and lemonade.  And they have the best, richest desserts.  I don't think they make them, I think they bring them in from somewhere (next door?), but who cares where they got them.  They are always visually enticing, and gustatorially tantalizing.  MMMMMMM.  As I recall, the midnight cake was my favourite.

AND!!  I remember coming after slope day!  That was the best.  The very thoughtful waiter exercised some executive decision-making and withheld the yogurt from my drunky mcdrunkdrunk friend's fruit and yogurt salad.  Thanks (I think his name is Jonathan)!

Oh, Aladdin's, I love you like a dear old friend - I never get to see you, but when I do, we just pick up right where we left off.  It's beautiful, simply beautiful.
5 - Mackenzie R.: 
5 - Aris E.: Maybe it was what I ordered whenever I came (usually a wrap or pita, occasionally a pasta dish), or maybe it was the ingredients, but two things are certain - the food was delicious, and I never felt over-full or suffered a food coma after eating here. That's gotta say something.
4 - Rob J.: Great (and cheap) Mediterranean cuisine. The "natural eatery" part means it kinda sorta caters to the vegan/vegetarian/half-hippie/otherwise superhealthy Ithaca crowd. I always get the build-your-own pasta when I come here: I suggest the ravioli with pesto, olives and chicken. You can get as much or as little chicken as you'd like; each piece is an individual extra charge. They have a little outdoor patio, homemade desserts, and a mezzanine level that's usually quieter. It's a great place to come for a celebratory dinner if you don't want to leave collegetown, or simply as a nicer alternative to someplace like, uh, Mama T's.
4 - kiki d.: A staple during my Cornell years.  Relatively inexpensive, yet nice enough to be considered 'going out' (versus 'i'm too lazy to cook, where should we grab food?').  

I like the organic, natural, healthy vibe.

My favorites are the salads (especially the yogurt salad) and pastas.
5 - Carol L.: At the time, this place I considered somewhat on the expensive side - plates were maybe $12...I returned after graduation, and wow, do I appreciate the prices so much more now! Its cheap!! =)

The food here is delicious, and very fresh. The souvlaki plate is large and tasty, meat grilled to perfection. Hummus is good, and what is surprising - the fruit and nut salad with yogurt and honey. omg soo fresh and delicious. I love this place. I hope this restaurant never changes...
5 - Angela N.: Best Mediterranean in Ithaca. The waiters are friendly, the food relatively inexpensive and delightfully fresh. The vegetables crunch, the rice fills your mouth with a warm welcome cloud of steam, and even the gyro meat is to be savoured. 

Best of all, nothing is slathered in sauce. It's cuisine with nothing to hide.
5 - Angie B.: So far my favorite place to eat in Ithaca.  The food here is incredibly fresh and delicious; I really enjoyed the moussaka, and the dressing on the Greek salad is out of this world.  Don't forget to save room for dessert, their offerings are always incredible!
3 - Robert L.: Your napkin is paper, your water glass plastic, your fork tin. Your table may even possess a small wobble, inspired no doubt by the uneven (though friendly) service. Nevertheless I recommend Aladdin's for a feel-good-about-yourself dinner. Your options include pastas (reasonable though not gluttonous portions), entree-salads (fresh ingredients and grilled meat if you want it - prosaic but fine), or Greek specialties like moussaka or pastitsio (when describing these dishes the menu presents bechamel in quotation marks, which I took to mean "do not order").

The food, as I've meant to suggest, is pretty good. Plus there's an adequate wine list. Of course be prepared for the wrong glass and filled to the brim.  But who am I to complain about a glass too full. The point, however, of going to Aladdin's is to eat a healthy meal then survey the dessert case; this is not the place to share. At least 6 choices await, all good enough to inspire thoughts of muted lights, linen napkins, and a waiter who is not working his was through college. Which is to say they are 5-star. The coffee, unfortunately, is as thin as the napkins.

With a background of college voices to conjure a carefree past.
4 - Rachel D.: Aladdins has the best lemonade I've ever had.

I return to ithaca maybe 2-3 times a year if I'm lucky, each with a visit to Aladdins, each time for the lemonade.

true story.
4 - Madeleine H.: Aladdins may not be the best Mediterranean restaurant, but it sure is the best in Ithaca.  Everything is fresh and tasty and most of the menu works with a college kid's wallet.  The service is generally good and quick, as is the wait--I've only had to wait for a table once and it was no more than 10 minutes (even during graduation week).  The pita sandwiches are seriously the size of a human head, the hummus is divine, the gyros are filling, the falafel is fantastic and the fruit & nut salad is a great treat for anytime of the day.

Why four stars? My roommate saw the waitresses picking at a giant bowl of fruit (for the fruit/nut salads) with their fingers.  But that didn't stop me from eating there again.
4 - k w.: Aladdins is one of my favorite places to eat or grab takeout in Collegetown. My favorites are the souvlaki plate (delicious beef kebab chunks on a large salad with pita wedges, olives, feta cheese, mmm), the tahini yogurt dressing, and the fruit and nut salad (it's HUGE! and soo delicious. great for sharing). If you're really on a budget, the pitas are the way to go. Tasty and cheap. I also love events with Aladdins catering.

The only reason I'm not giving five stars is because the service there is usually mediocre. That doesn't stop me from coming, though.
4 - John C.: Recently went back to this place for a second visit and was even more pleased than the first time.  I had the vegetarian lasagna--made with eggplant and a good marinara sauce--which came with a Greek salad, washed down with a pale ale from the local Ithaca Beer Co.  The portions were satisfying without overdoing it, and all for a very fair price, not necessarily a given in Collegetown.  The staff is professional and attentive without crowding you.

Their outdoor seating area is the way to go in good weather--even though it's on one of the main drags in Collegetown, it has a secluded feel to it and is a pleasant place to linger.
5 - Miles S.: The souvlaki plate is absolutely delicious.  It's not too heavy, has very fresh greens, the Greek dressing is perfect, and the portions are generous.  If you are visiting Ithaca, I think you'd do yourself a disservice not to try Aladdins at least once.

Like others have said, the service may not have been the most attentive but they were there when needed and they also certainly didn't try to rush us out.
4 - Cat J.: I'm still a fan of Aladdin's, but if I were to NOT recommend something, it would be anything that they slather with mayo. I'm personally not a big mayo fan in the first place, but even my friend, who loves mayo, found my chicken salad too much. 

Their entree plates (souvlaki, gyro, etc), pita sandwiches, and pasta entrees are still your best bets in terms of both quality and price. Aladdin's is still a great place to eat, and there's something for everyone.
2 - Spyros S.: This was one of the places in Ithaca that I would only visit, if I absolutely had to. 
The reasons?
1. Their cuisine is not Greek at all, although it claims so. Falafel and humus have nothing to do with Greece. And for the rest of the menu, the only greek thing is the name,.
2. Their plates are typically 90% lettuce and 10% actual food.
3. Their pasta that is always oily.
4. The awful spanakopita they are serving when they are catering events. Or maybe those falafels?
5. The meat that always tasted like if it has been frozen for a decade before being served.
3 - Jing L.: Let's keep it (relatively) short and sweet for Aladdin's: I'd make this a 3.5, but it's closer to 3 than 4 so which is why I gave it a 3. 

Some big pluses: Aladdin's offers tasty food (notables: the moussaka, gyros, vegetarian combo, lentil soup, and the ravioli) that is pretty fresh, healthy options (especially for Collegetown, which is sadly devoid of such food) with lots of veggies, very nice service (especially an older gentleman who works there, maybe the owner? who is super attentive with refilling our water, fast with our orders, and flexible about splitting the check). I like that you can order a nice brew (I am a fan of Hoegaarden, which I'm glad they have) which goes nicely with their dishes. Quite good for Ithaca overall.

Some things to consider: sometimes it is harder to seat big groups, and the seating arrangement itself is not conducive for inclusive conversation for the members of those big groups (ie: big groups are seated at long tables where the person on the far left can't see the person on the far right, or even conveniently talk to someone a seat or two away). Also, once my friend got a pasta dish, which is supposed to be hot. Instead, it came out luke-warm. 

Overall, this is a nice place for a casual meal in Ithaca.
3 - Marya A.: Not crazy about their dinner menu, but it is the best place for Mediterranean food in Ithaca.

Their desserts however are OUTSTANDING!
3 - Taylor D.: Great place for Greek food.  I'm a big fan of the moussaka.  Their falafel is a little dry and their gyros are fine.  When the weather is nice, chose to sit out on the patio.  Overall, this place is pretty good and it is also a nice break from the other choices in Collegetown.
3 - Rach K.: Sort of yum...

Everyone raves about the fruit and nut salad here but I think it's overpriced and you can definitely make the same dish at home (unless you're COMPLETELY culinarily impaired).

The greek food is pretty good (gyro, shawarma, falafel, anything that comes in a pita) but overpriced, in my opinion. The pasta dishes are good, and when you read the menu descriptions, they all sound really delicious, but I've found that they usually come out drowning in oil and it makes me feel gross and greasy and unhealthy.

They do make some delicious salads and it's a cute place to maybe go on a date or something, but it's nothing too special, in my opinion.
1 - Kevin Jiseup K.: Honestly, it's not great. Because it's one of the "healthy" options in collegetown, it gets decent amounts of customers. None of the dishes are too great. I could have made those pastas, the souvlaki plate, the pitas, all at home. My friend got the babaganoosh (pardon my spelling) pita and it tasted like UQ#(*U(!#J. Like dayum, it was freaking disgusting. 

My souvlaki plate was SO SMALL for a 12 dollar meal (basically a salad with small chunks of beef). The beef tasted alright, but not worth the $15 including tip/tax.

Overall, decent atmosphere, but ridiculously overpriced food you can make yourself, and probably tastes better if you make it at home. 

Poor Cornell kids... because we don't have many other options...
4 - Gina K.: I am a HUGE gyro pita fan and this was one of the only places that served this (except Pita Pit across the street) in Collegetown.  Whenever I came here, I would get it without fail or even get it for take-out when the craving kicked in (they wrap in foil and it stays nice and warm and the pita is so soft and chewy).  The gyro meat is so good.

Faithful as I am to my gyro pita, I've also tried other dishes here.  I've had the fruit and nut salad, which is also really good. I've had the basilica and pistacho pasta.  I really liked the pastas, but I could only have the pistachio sauce in moderation, as it does get a bit overpowering and is pretty oily.

The place itself is pretty spacious and can seat pretty big parties (~20 once for a birthday party).  The ambiance really works well if you're looking for something intimate, like a one-on-one date.  The service is okay.  The wait might be a little bit on the longer side, but the food is worth the somewhat of a wait.
2 - Kaixi T.: Pricey (like virtually everything in Collegetown) and just not very good. Food is either bland (hummus pita) or overly salty (meat platter)/greasy (chicken tortilla soup). 

Why do people still come here? Oh, yeah. Dessert.
2 - I.E. C.: Went here as my first dining out experience in Ithaca.  We chose it primarily b/c of the cold weather we didn't feel like walking far from the parking garage.  Also, we had heard that it was decent.  So my friend and I were thinking about pastas, but I saw a pasta dish that came out that didn't look very appetizing at all, so we decided against it.  My friend got the gyro and I got the falafel pita.  Her pita the gyro was wrapped in, seemed microwaved as it was sort of elastic and parts were inedible because of how hard they were.  My falafel pita was a joke.  There were only 3 falafel pieces in the pita, with about 80% lettuce.  I almost felt a little ripped off.  The falafels themselves though were good, but that was about it.  The service was mediocre, as the waitress seemed too busy to make eye contact with us while we were ordering.  What topped off our experience there was hearing an undergrad sitting at the table next to us say to one of her friends who (was deciding what to order), "Oh my God, everything in this place amazing!"  My friend and I kind of looked each other and couldn't help but laugh.  Overall, definitely would suggest to any other visitors to Cornell not to waste their time at this place.
5 - Diane K.: Great food - had delicious lentil soup and terrific Greek salad; my sons had pasta, falafel and spanakopita. Everything was excellent. Friendly, quick service, very reasonable prices.
4 - Cornell U.: Aladdin's is definitely one of the best Collegetown options for dinner, etc. It's on the pricier end of the college budget, but they use good ingredients and it's really healthy. The best item on their menu, in my opinion, is their fruit and yogurt salad. Absolutely delicious. Their soups are pretty good too. The desserts and pasta, eh. 

Part of the healthy thing, though, is that like 75% of their main dishes are functionally salads, including their non-salad "main course" options. So if you want a super-hearty Mediterranean meal, you're not in luck. 

Atmosphere is generally quiet enough that you can have a conversation, and it's normally not too busy. If it's nice enough, you can sit outside, etc.
4 - Joel N.: Aladdins is one of the few sit down restaurants in College Town that actually feels somewhat 'grown-up'.  I really like the Fruit and Nut salad (best to share it).  The chicken thighs, whether on a salad, or in the wraps are also a winner.  The pasta and the entrees are somewhat overpriced.
5 - Jesse W.: Favorite place to eat in collegetown. The pasta is great, they have a pretty good drink selection, the appetizers are great and the menu is very affordable. They offer some unique items on their menu and the desserts are good as well; the cheesecakes are the best.
2 - P G.: Decent food... Very rude hostess, and extremely slow service!! Enter with very low expectations.
5 - Misty M.: The ingredients are so yummy and fresh, and this restaurant is very vegetarian friendly but can satisfy meat eaters as well. The falafel is crisp is delicious, and the mushroom ravioli is perfectly cooked. They also have a large selection of rich desserts for only $3-5.
4 - Erica L.: I returned to Ithaca for Slope Day as an alum, and one of the first places I wanted to go back to was Aladdin's. It was just as I remembered, and the excellent rating still stands. :)

I had the pastisio and realized that my favorite is actually the moussaka. The pastisio was still very good though. It reminded me of Mediterranean baked ziti?

I came here with two friends, and I was impressed by the customer service. Normally, we would receive the check and have to take the time to figure out how to split the check since everyone's add different things and would therefore owe different amounts. The waitress nicely asked if we would like three separate checks, which made it so convenient so that we wouldn't have to figure out who owed what, and we could all pay with whatever payment method we wanted.

Normally, restaurants give customers a hard time when the customers ask to have separate checks, have multiple forms of payment, or require specific amounts to be put on each card. Aladdin's definitely anticipates the customer's needs and provided great customer service!

Alamo Mexican Restaurant - Riverdale, MD (38.9574559, -76.9216092) ()
4 - J D.: Anchoring a small strip mall in Riverdale bearing its name, The Alamo Restaurant looks like just another place to grab a meal from the road. I had seen it written up here and there and never really thought about until we moved a bit closer.

Walking in, it looked much more like the Mexican restaurants I am familiar with from the Dallas---Fort Worth area than any I've seen in DC. Cast-iron decor, low lighting, dark paneling, red booths, etc. Think San Antonio, just off the Riverwalk, South Austin, or other Little Mexicos. It reminded me of home and the Mexican restaurants I grew up exploring with my uncle (who managed a downtown Dallas Tex-Mex place), my family, and friends. 

We were promptly seated and gave the menu a quick glance as the chips and salsa arrived. A quick taste and I soon knew that we were in for a good meal. Out come these perfectly crisp, thick chips with a deep corn flavor, you know the type: fresh, opaque, deep golden yellow. We were served individual mini-bowls of incredibly well balanced salsa. This was fabulous -- a touch of cumin, minuscule red peppers, a medium heat that built and just sat there for the rest of the meal, tiny pieces of cilantro. I care deeply about salsa and want it to taste spicy, not too sweet, with touches of garlic and fresh tomatoes. This was a solid 8.5 on a ten-point scale.

Alamo Restaurant has an extensive menu, but it was easy to narrow it down to a few options we wanted to try. T and I decided to split one of the bountiful combination plates and add a seafood enchilada on the side because we were both curious about it.

T ordered an iced tea and I indulged and ordered a horchata, a sweet cinnamon rice milk. It was a cool, refreshing treat on a hot day. Now I was a very happy diner enjoying my seven hundred and fifty-third scoop of salsa and chasing it with my cool mega-sized horchata, but little did I know what pleasure was to come from the meal being prepared for us.

Here's a walk through of the combination plate:

CHALUPAS COMPUESTAS: medium sized tostadas topped with beans, cheese, lettuce, and tomato. T, not a major fan of refried beans (gasp!), thought the beans were the best he has tasted. Refried beans often end up falling into one of the following categories: pasty with lumps, runny with bits, and, well, somewhere in between. The best refried beans in my estimation are neither wet nor gritty. They taste more of beans and less of the overpowering chili powder, garlic, etc. that many places load them down with. These were notable in a meal of notables.

FLAUTAS --- The flauta was a delicious, wet, but not dripping, generous portion of meat packed firmly into a deep fried tortilla. After biting into the flauta, much became clear about the kitchen at the Alamo. 1. These folks know meat and understand texture. 2. The kitchen uses broths to flavor their meats and the flavors are both deep and enjoyable. 

TACO --- The taco was your basic hard taco. Ground beef topped with shredded cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce. Again, the meat had a wonderful, moist, flavor. Hints of chili powder and the juices of the meat made this an A+ taco. It got a bit wet, so I cradled it with one of the freshly grilled corn tortillas that came with the meal. Yum!

RICE --- T was especially impressed by the rice. A generous pile of fluffy (no crusty pieces) rice with a tinge of tomato flavor. 

NACHOS --- The combo came with two nachos, each with generous portions of the soft yellow cheese so popular in Tex-Mex cooking. On top of the cheese were two slices of pickled jalapenos, and beneath the cheese, a spoonful of the delicious refried beans.

SEAFOOD ENCHILADA - The seafood enchilada was a find. Flavorful shredded crab filled a soft, wet tortilla, covered in cheese, and served steaming hot. I'll get a plate of these next time.

SHREDDED TURKEY MOLE - The shredded turkey was the only item that was a bit newer for us. We've both had our share of mole by this point in life, but I did not grow up with it and T had it later in life as well. This mole was worthy of creating some future nostalgia though. A deep intense mole sauce soaked the shredded turkey. This was best eaten with a tortilla so we could sop up the savory and sweet juices.

The combo platter also came with a cheese enchilada, but we were less interested with all that was on the plate. It passed the test, but was not much to blog about.

I am still finding it hard to believe we found such a place. It felt so incredibly like home to me and I can't wait to find others who have left Texas and are looking for the real deal.
5 - vena v.: I am impressed. Alamo is WONDERFUL. I ate an enormous meal, the El Charro, for $16! It consisted of: 1 taquito with guacamole, 2 nachos covered in delicious, velvety refried beans and cheese, one amazing cheese enchilada, one excellent tamale, one ground beef taco, a huge portion of shredded turkey in a dark mole sauce - and a mug of hot chicken broth, in case I hadn't eaten enough protein. What a great place. Seems more authentically Mexican than Tex-Mex (i.e. I didn't think that I would have a heart attack from the Tex-Mex required lard that I love). 

The portions are so huge that I wished I were a teenager again. Anyplace with quality this high and prices this reasonable should be in business for a long time. Gets 5 stars for the excellent value.
4 - Will B.: First, I believe it is impossible to find queso blanco in the metro D.C. area. Everyone, and I do mean, everyone, is all about the chili con queso. That being said, queso blanco is not available here. Our quest shoulders on.

Alamo is a white table cloth eatery with well above average Tex-Mex. I usually like to judge a "Mexican" restaurant on the 3 S's: Service, Salsa, and Steak (I'm a big mark for a good fajita).

Alamo passed all three with flying colors.

First, the service was outstanding. It helps when you're generally the only people in the house. But, that being said, the service did not slack.

The food, for the money, was spot on. Granted, you could tell everything wasn't pulled right off the vine (I appreciate a fresh salsa) but it was well prepared and the portions were very large (my fajitas for one could have well been fajitas for two). I also appreciated that they threw in some roasted tomatoes along with some pan drippings into the standard mix of peppers and onions (probably not for everyone) and didn't include celery (quite a few downtown joints do this).

I would definitely consider coming back again.
2 - Ken K.: Ups: OK salsa
Downs: just about everything else 

After reading some of the reviews I was anticipating a decent Mexican meal.  What i got was a glorified taco bell. The chili con queso had a skin on it. The chimichanga was akin to a hot pocket full of ground beef flavored by the tears of children who will have to pass this food through their digestive system. As for service? I wrote this review without seeing my waitress once. I should mention I'm part blind and have hooks for hands.
3 - JR S.: Looking for change of pace from Chevy's, my coworker and I struck out for lunch at the Alamo. We arrived around 11:30 am and were the first customers. Uh-oh! Maybe this wasn't a good choice even with Yelp's recommendations. But we pushed on to our well-worn booth. Typical East coast Tex-Mex decorations but the stained glass (acrylics) windows are a nice touch.

We got our chips and salsa promptly when asked for our drinks. (We each got our own salsa bowl btw!) The chips were not warm, but the salsa was just right for me: (spicy +)  and (chunky-), not too watery.

I went for the toquitas with rice and my friend got tamales.  Lunch was delivered promptly as the place started to fill up. I also asked for refried beans with my order. Unfortunately, it arrive with beans and cheese too so I had too many beans! Well, that was corrected quickly. The rice was favorable and light. The toquitas were slight dry as were my friend's  tamales. Leftovers from yesterday? The jalapenos weren't too spicy and left just the right flavor and burn after eating them. 

All in all, it wasn't bad, but I couldn't write home to Texas about it. Definitely a return trip is in order!
5 - michelle r.: This place is wonderful! Everything about is is nice. it is a good break from the chevys and taco bells of the world. The food definately tastes authentic and the atmosphere makes you feel like your in mexico.
4 - Kim C.: We really liked this place!  Cool atmosphere, live music, tons of families with kids.  When they bring you chips & salsa, they bring a salsa bowl for each person!  I love that!  And when they came out with ours and saw how little my son was, they took his salsa bowl back and came back out with a different, less spicy, sauce.  Too cute.

Bring your spanish-speaking friends, or use Google translator or something. Most of the menu is really difficult to understand.  But the food was really great.

We didn't order a kids meal because we shared with him.  However, they still brought him an ice cream sundae at the end :)
2 - Carol H.: It was ok but not great. Enjoyed the serenading guitar duo.
4 - Greg M.: Some of the best nachos I've tasted from any resturant yet!. A plate is served with 6 handmade nachos per order. Each nacho starts with a   brownish colored tortilla chip.  Then a spoonfull of fresh made refried beans are placed on top. The beans are not runny but more of the solidified type of refried beans. Then comes the deep yellow longhorn cheddar cheese on top of that. Finished up with a slice or two of fresh jalapeno. After being hand assembled upon a plate, the plate is put into a broiler just long enough to melt the cheese and brown the edges of the tortilla chips. Ummm good!
4 - Jeff R.: When we first moved to the area, we asked if there was anywhere we could get some good Mexican food.  The Alamo was recommended by my wife's sister so we decided to give it a try, and let me say we were not disappointed!  The food was fast, delicious and fresh.  All in all, it was a pretty authentic experience in my opinion.  I mean, we had to have our menu translated by the only English speaking waitress in the whole place!  If I remember correctly, a lot of the menu actually was in English, we just wanted to order from the parts that were in Spanish in hopes of getting something more authentic.  Our struggle to translate certain words eventually paid off when our huge dinner began showing up.  We got some dinner for two deal that included tamales, taquitos, enchiladas, rice, beans, some hot broth thing, and more...pretty much the whole shebang.  It was all very delicious, and waaaay too much food for two normal people*.  Throw in a couple of Spanish guitars performing in the background all night, and you've got a great Mexican food experience.  Even if you want to argue the quality or authenticity of the food, the ambiance and experience as a whole was awesome.  Well worth the trip, and the price.  

Definitely go if you live in the area.  It may not be worth a drive across DC, but for sure a place to put on your "to try" list if you're local.  We'll definitely be heading back there real soon.


*We ate it all anyway, and then wiped the plates clean.
3 - Monique M.: Potomac camarones were too salty, but the platanos were divine! 

What I like most about Alamo is the quaint authentic decor, and muy muy friendly service.  

There is a cantina attached, and a generally good vibe in the air.  The patrons seem to be a mix of unacculturated Mexicans, and aged artists from the nearby arts district.

Menu is standard tacos, fajitas, carne asadas and seafood.  Nothing spectacular, especially for the price, but for that area, a comfortable safe bet for a square meal.
5 - Brent F.: We often don't get what we order, but we keep going back, because EVERYTHING they bring out is GREAT!  We're tempted to just walk in and tell them to surprise us, instead of ordering.  Lots of awesome food, wait staff that acts like family, very easy on the wallet.

The best Mexican food we've ever eaten...consistently.
4 - Vince V.: The Yelp reviews below are generally spot on ... Tex-Mex-like but leans heavily to the Mex side ... enough to have made my Mexican suegra and her daughter plenty nostalgic for home.  The live music was a welcome  plus, adding a lot to the homey feel.  Good, solid quality cooking, very large portions, and generally attentive, good-humored service for our chatty and large group. 

For those looking for a great alternative to those old takoma-silver-spring favorites (Samantha's and El Golfo), Alamo is a wonderful change of pace, easily justifying the extra drive.  We'll definitely be back.
5 - HighStandard S.: This review is in comparison to other Mexican places in the area, not to upscale places that one usually thinks of as 5 star.

service: 5 stars
civilized atmosphere: 5 stars
willingness to accommodate special diets: 5 stars

chili rellenos: BEST EVER! They stuff it with white cheese and put a layer of egg, then yellow cheese on top, broil it till the cheese is crisp and the eggs fluffy---just an amazing dish. One order = 1 large relleno served with shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes. At $4.95, it's enough for a meal, especially with the free chips and salsa.

horchata: not too sweet, $2 for a tall glass.

chicken mole: a little on the sweet side for my taste, but generous portion served with pinto beans (whole beans, not refrieds), a large chunk of mild white cheese, and rice. I asked to substitute salad for rice, and got a nice little side salad with cucumber, carrot, and radish. came with corn tortillas. a big meal for $8.95.

the free salsa is very good, not watery like so many places.

I passed by tables that had ordered fajitas, and they looked amazing. 

A good place to come with a group as they have round tables with lazy susans.

Forget Chevy's, come here! It's worth the drive!
1 - Cheryl D.: The restaurant was nearly empty and we anticipated a great meal in a former favorite spot. Instead, the server sat and played with her cell phone while our meal dried out and died.
5 - Margie G.: I have been eating at this restaurant since 1972, and wherever we have moved to in the Washington, DC area, we always keep coming back. I currently live in Pennsylvania and I still make my husband take me back almost monthly so I can order an El Cazador (it used to be the #30 on the last menu). The decor and the menu selections have not changed in over 30 years, it is the only place left where I feel like I have stepped back in time to when I was in college. It is exactly the same as back then! We found out when we were in San Diego, CA visiting the top ranked #1 Zagat rated restaurant there, that the style of food they serve at the Alamo is Guadalahara Mexican Style. It is the only other restaurant in America we have eaten in that serves similar recipes to the Alamo style cuisine. Even something as basic as their refried beans have not been duplicated or even come close at any other Mexican restaurant I have ever visited, and believe me I have eaten in hundreds of them over the years and all over this country. Their appetizer guacamole salad that comes with the El Cazador selection is to die for, the cheese enchiladas are amazing, and the puerco asada is fabulous. Every time I mention mexican food to anyone, or pull up a recipe to try at home, it just makes me want to go back, so I end up making my husband jump in the car.  We are Alamo addicts!
5 - Talibah T.: I go to the Alamo at least once a month usually more.  When I first started 4 years ago I would try different things: Fajitas- tomato based sauce- were very good and was enough to share.  The quesadillas  (shrimp and crab) are very good, although sometime the crab is a little strong like it was the last day to be cooked ( I have never gotten sick or had tummy issues later). The seafood soup is SOOOOOO GOOD.  The broth is great with fish, muscles, lobster, crab, shrimp, and onions.  This is a mean itself so do not order as appetizer.  My favorite dish which I consistently get now that I have found it, is the 3 enchiladas with rice and beans.....WOW!!! sooo good is all I can say.  Lots of cheese on top of  full shredded chicken.  I always get it with a side of pico.  The service is great.  They are quick to seat you, take your order, and come around frequently to check in.  The food is always hot when it comes out, which usually takes about 10-15 mins MAX.  The margaritas are strong, the food is fantastic, the service is great, and they have free parking....what more can you ask for? OLE'
5 - Corinne L.: My family has been dining at the Alamo for over 40 years. I attribute my passion for Mexican food to their chips & salsa - this salsa is some of the best I have ever had, and I lived in Southern CA for 10 years. 

Their secret? They've had consistency in cooking, even when new owners came and left. Their wait staff are well trained and on the ball. I have fond memories of Irma (who went to El Torito in Greenbelt [now gone] then a Mexican restaurant in Gaithersburg), Melissa (we gave her a jump start once when her car wouldn't start), and Katie (sweet as pie). This is old school dining, folks, where you are treated kindly and you get great food for the price.

Some family favorites: San Antonio Dinner; chicken or steak fajitas; rice; tacos; chile relleno.

Don't let the neighborhood scare you away. The Alamo is worth the trip.
2 - Chrissiiee J.: We only went for drinks cause my girls couldn't read the menu it was all in Spanish. But they did advertise that it was all authentic food so In all fairness u are warned. We only had one drink each of tequila and coke and the shit was 33 bucks totally overpriced for a drink in a plastic cup!! Ps this place is cash only nearest ATM is 711 across the street. I dont recommend it unless u wanna buy a bucket of beer. be prepared if your going to this restaurant because seriously you will walk in the cold for cash to pay them.
4 - Danielle V.: Very good, authentic Mexican food. Good prices, too. They had live mariachi music, which was a nice treat. The chips and salsa are as great as everyone says. they also gave us this other dipping sauce that I forgot to ask what it was. It was like a soupy queso but orange. That sauce was exceptionally good!

I had the fajitas, which were good, not outstanding. I'll definitely try something new next time. Ordered the flan, which was disappointing.liked isn't taste like it was made in-house. The texture was a bit off-putting because it was not creamy, as I had expected. 

Service was great. Maritza was attentive. 

Will definitely go back.
5 - John A.: I recommend eating at the Alamo.  My wife and I love the food and it is very affordable.  Their chips and salsa are excellent as well.  We ironically found (actually rediscovered it) when we were going to another business on Kennilworth Ave.  My wife noticed the Alamo and said that her family use to go there all of the time when she was a kid (30 years back)--there we not as many Mexican restaurants in the area back then, so we stopped to eat.  Since then we have been back several times, bringing family members and friends and the food and service are consistently good.

Alan G Cheng, ENT - Palo Alto, CA (37.436761, -122.176651) ()
5 - Aim M.: My daughter has been seeing Dr. Cheng for 2  1/2 years, first for frequent ear infections and hearing loss, and then for sleep apnea.

He has very good bedside manner, and has a calming effect on kids.  He listens well, and gives practical advice.

To combat frequent ear infections, we wound up putting tubes in her ears.  We did not want to go with a doctor who is "too eager to cut" (perform surgery).  Dr. Cheng was not like that at all.  He did not push it, and even stated that he generally discourages the use of tubes.  He gave us pros and cons, and put the decision in our hands.  Given her hearing loss, we opted for the tubes.  The surgery went well, and her hearing returned to almost 100% of normal.  It was like a miracle.  And, her frequent ear infections were basically eliminated (from 6+ per year it has been about 1 per year since).

A year later, we returned to see him, because she was having sleep problems - frequently waking up due to breathing problems.  Dr. Cheng diagnosed tonsil problems, and noted that the problem would persist.  We decided to have her tonsils and adenoids removed.  Again, Dr. Cheng did not push this at all, but agreed to do the surgery.  The procedure went fine, and here sleep apnea disappeared immediately.

This week, we saw Dr. Cheng.  We had another great follow-up appointment with him.  He even pulled some strings in arranging a spot hearing exam (due to my daughter leaving California at the end of this week)!  As always, he was patient and kind, and was very happy to answer all of our question.

Overall, he is an excellent ENT, is great with kids, and is very practical and conservative in his approach.  He is outstanding!
1 - S K.: My daugher was referred to see Dr. Cheng and the appointment was made through Los Gatos Clinic.  They sent a conformation letter for the appointment with Dr. Cheng and we also received a phone message as a reminder for the appointment. Then somehow Dr. wasn't available when we got there and we had to see a nurse practitionerr which they never mentioned that we were going.  It was all surprise for us and it should never happened like this.  Of course, they charged us a big money as if we have seen Dr. Cheng and never mentioned about the nurse practioner.

Alan R Latta, DDS - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2864752, -120.6599841) ()
5 - Ci J.: Dr. Latta is a very honest dentist. He is going to look at your teeth and tell you what really needs to be done. He will lay out your options for you, and help you figure out a plan that best fits your budget. 

After visiting a dentist that recommended most of my teeth be drilled, I was relieved to hear that the work suggested was not necessary. 

I have heard countless recommendations to see Dr. Latta, and I am so thankful that I saw him for a second opinion! Great experience my first time in the office.
1 - Patrick I.: I have never been treated by any business the way I was treated today by this doctors employees. Don't they realize this is a small town and everybody knows everybody??

They should be ashamed.

I'll be sure to tell my friends and family to stay away!
5 - Violet T.: Dr. Latta is THE BEST!  My entire family and I have been trusting him with our teeth for 13+ years and I wouldn't dream of going anywhere else.  Kind, compassionate, gentle, knowledgeable and witty, Dr. Latta is the king of Central Coast dentistry!

Alante - Austin, TX (30.2840281, -97.7420944) (The Drag, University of Texas, West Campus)
5 - Cyrus M.: I'm pretty picky about getting my hair cut... its taken me 6 months/haircuts to finally find a place/person that I like... and this is it. Summer is my hairstylist.. she's friendly and pays close attention to detail, and ACTUALLY shampoos my hair.. none of this 2 second hair-washing going on here. She actually massages your scalp and does the hair justice.. and will wash your hair out before you leave too. Been to her 3 times now.. and she knows how I like it.. so I don't even need to explain myself.

One problem I have is... its on the Drag so the parking sucks.

Also.. slightly pricey.. 30 bucks a pop for haircut and wash.
4 - Alex A.: A few months back I needed to get a haircut on my lunch break. Should have figured - the wait at the Wooten was 45 minutes long, and they don't let you take a number. FLUMMOXED, I wandered next door into a friendly waiting Alante.

This place is clearly chick-oriented, but guys, don't let that stop you from getting a good cut. Worth the money. The other reviewer, Cyrus, paid $30 for a cut and wash...they changed ownership recently and his review is from 2007. It was less than 20 for a cut only, including tip.
2 - Lou G.: cut was OK, but too pricey. Place is dark and unattractive. A Month later I drifted into Dobie and found a really nice gem! Way cheaper and way better with Jenny!
5 - Katie P.: I wandered in here my first month living in Austin-- it was a great choice. The owner (I cannot remember her name) is absolutely adorable. She gave me a fabulous haircut and an amazing brow wax, all for $20! When I came back a few months later she remembered my name and practically everything we had talked about before. This is a great place to go for a great cut without any pretentious vibes.
2 - Andrea W.: Young does a great haircut on guys, I witnessed this while waiting. However, when she was done with my hair, it was unevenly chopped and not at all what I wanted, though I showed her pictures. I tried to keep asking if she was sure it was supposed to look the way it did, and she insisted she knew what she was doing, but now I am waiting for my hair to grow out a little bit more before i find someone to fix the chopped parts.

Also I paid 30$ and that didn't even include a wash, plus my haircut was really simple and more like a trim. It wasn't really worth it :(
2 - Isaac C.: The place says 'bald fades' on the window, and in my desperation to find a good fade in the area, I decided to try it out. Yeah, not a bright idea. Back home, you can generally walk into a salon and get a fade, without there being a sign indicating they can fade people up. This salon advertised there ability to fade, and simply didn't deliver. For one, the 'fade' wasn't even faded, two it wasn't straight, and three the back of my head head (which was supposed to be a mid tempo 0 fade into a 1, hence, a bald fade). Had two different hair lenghts on it; I had to go to another barber shop just to get it salvaged, and needless to say, I'll be wearing a hat for a couple of weeks. The staff is super polite though, which is the only reason they're getting two stars as opposed to one. The place seemed good enough for anyone not looking for a fade, but again one has to question; why advertise the bald fade? I was duped by false advertisement and hope my story is enough to dissuade anyonne else looking for a fade from this spot.

Alario's Pizzeria - College Park, MD (39.006131, -76.930426) ()
5 - Kyle U.: Easily the best Pizza in College Park. It's a lot similar to Ratsie's but you can't taste chlorine in the dough (I think Ratsie's uses unfiltered tap water to make the dough and it shows). At Alario's you can tell they use better and fresher ingredients. 

The Sicilian is excellent and filling. I haven't had anything except for the subs and pizzas but I hear the Eggplant Parm is good and all the other Italian staples e.g. lasagna, ziti, spaghetti are delicious. 

It's got a medium sized dining room with a TV that usually has a soccer game on it, but I usually get my food to go or delivered.
4 - Jen C.: I agree in saying that this is the best pizza in college park! its fresh, it's fast (delivery), and it's inexpensive. I use coupons that come out in the diamondback.

I love ordering the pineapple+ham; the ham tastes really fresh, and it's ripped over the pizza rather than cut in perfect squares, which is a pointless little detail that I like. Makes the pizza "feel" that much more authentic. 

Eh on the crust--I toss those out. I'm a real foodie when it comes to the "perfect" crust. The medium is not too big though, we had a few people sharing 2 pizzas but 2-3 of us could have easily finished one pizza if we were really hungry.
1 - Dan N.: I have had food from Alario's several times.  I have always been disappointed.

I got low quality ingredients prepared in an extremely generic manner.
3 - Heather R.: Good customer service. Reliable. Not the best tasting. But they're good for catering for lunches and dinner if you need to feed a lot of people for a meeting or something. Pizza, subs, salads, cold cans of soda. Prices are good. their delivery has never dissappointed.
3 - Thomas B.: ya know, it is a college town (duh, College Park...) the pizza there is cheap and it will do the trick...you can get a pizza and a pitcher of beer and that hits the spot...For me, Mama Lucia's is the place for pizza, but this one is fine.  The crust is puffy, but the pizza is thin.  Yeah, it is fine.
3 - Brock R.: I found their website by searching for New York style pizza in College Park. I found what looked like a good deal on their website for a large cheese pizza and two large subs. I called in the order and was disappointed that they wouldn't deliver to my house (I'm one street past their delivery zone, blurg). Also, when ordering the deal, I mentioned the coupon I found online, and was told that it was old (on their own website!?) and that the price was higher. I still ordered, as the price was still reasonable, and then when I went to pick it up, they tried to charge me $5 more! I protested and a manager changed the price to what it was supposed to be. Not a great first impression.

The subs were fairly good, and the pizza was decent. Good sweet sauce, but a bummer of a crust and the kind of yeasty flavored cheese like you might have on mac and cheese.

Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion - Seattle, WA (47.6529822, -122.3029645) (University District)
4 - Mel R.: Saw the Arcade Fire/LCD Soundsytem show here, and boy did I feel old. Thankfully some parents escorted their children here, so I wasn't the oldest fossil in the bunch

Good place to see a band. It's small enough that really no seat is a bad one. Thought the sound here was decent, a bit of feed back for the bands we witnessed. Pretty much all tickets for this show were General Admission, unless you showed up late, and then you were like a gerbil to a famous actors butt=screwed.

Here are some of my gripes. 

Unfortunately I was under the impression that only students could buy tickets at the venue, whether or not true, I bought them from money grubby whores who shall be named Ms. T, thus resulting in fees of over $20 for two tickets, thus resulting in Ms. T being the actor's butt, me the gerbil=screwed.

Second, we were seated behind the sound booth on the floor (yes, I know I was on the floor, yet still sat in a seat instead of standing with the general masses next to the stage letting them splash their youthful sweat juices on me, hey they were good seats!) and one of the sound dudes, insisted on standing for a good majority of Arcade's set taking several pictures, resulting in myself, Timmy and his very tiny lady's view being obstructed.

That's it really. I enjoyed myself and heard great music. For my opinion on the bands, go here:
http://redheadedevil.blogspot.com/
3 - Clint W.: Okay, so I realize this is now called the Bank of America Arena, but I still call it Hec Ed.   Habit.

In the olden days, they had all these obstructed view seats where you had to peer around these large supports in the seating area.  After the remodel, these were removed and it created a much nicer seating area and views of the court.  The only thing that stinks now is they put these lame scoreboard readers up at the top that block your view if you are sitting way up at the top.  Who was the brilliant person that architected that change?

It's a nice little place to watch Husky hoops now though.  It's small enough that it can get pretty noisy still.  

Go Dawgs!
2 - Brad A.: THE NOSE-BLEED SEATS ARE SO HARD TO SIT ON!  If you have a skinny butt, and have to sit up in the top row in the back, BRING A CUSHION!  

Having gone to see Patty Murray and President Obama, I was lucky enough to get a seat inside.  

For any event at the UW, it's usual to have a challenge to find parking.  If you like walking and waiting in long lines, this is the place for you! 

However, I had to sit up in the rafter seats...top row...in the back.  

I'm not one to complain...but...YES WE CAN!  

I have a skinny ass and I'm not unusually large, but the seating is so crowded.  The fat girls (no offense to you large girls) sitting in front of me, kept leaning back into my knees and legs.   

BRING THAT CUSHION!!!!
4 - Katie J.: No beer.  Good hoops.  Crappy parking options.  What?  No beer?  Go Dawgs.
5 - Tom B.: A longstanding institution of basketball that's been dear to my heart since I can remember. It's only gotten better through the years.

The outer structure is the original Hed Ed building, with brick walls and pretty arches, giving you a sense of what a campus fieldhouse looked like back before WW2. There are lots of original touches inside if you know where to look--the Exit signs are ancient brass plates over modern electricals.

But most of what's inside now is modern, and that's a long overdue improvement. Even when I went to the U, this was a moldy old gym with tons of wasted space at one end, seating only 6,500. And we wondered why our men's hoop teams never got off the ground. Chris Gobrecht ran a tough, tough women's program here, building a great rivalry with Stanford, but the men just bumped along with maybe a competitive squad once a generation or something.

But the remodel brings capacity into 5 figures (barely), and makes this a place where you'd want to come play ball--it's clean, bright, and modern. When I played rugby for the U, we'd come in here and run stairs. Now it almost seems too nice to sneak into for a workout. That's to its great credit. There are practice facilities still connected, and the old underground network of tunnels to locker rooms and down to the football stadium and so on, those are still there. But the auditorium, seats, and court, those are all glittering newness.

We've started to pick up conference championships more regularly since the remodel, so you can say the new building has wins in it. The big playoff wins in men's hoop, those will always be on the road, since that's how college hoop works. But we've built an intimidating battleground that opponents hate to visit, and that's part of building a successful program. 

The first game I saw in the "new" Hec Ed was Stanford in 05. They came in undefeated, and happily told anyone who would listen that they intended to finish the season that way. They were 26-0 when they hit our court. Best sign in the student section? Just said "26-1," with the 26 in cardinal and the 1 in royal purple.

I remember one of their guards sticking Nate Robinson on the perimeter, sagging five feet off him, so scared of his quick first step that he just dared him to shoot the three. Nate cocked his head for a second, like he was saying "really, dude? You don't think I can hit from here?" He shook his head like a disappointed father, and with a flick of the wrist hit the bottom of the net. Near the end of the game, down by 10 with less than a minute to go, Stanford was still fouling relentlessly, their thuggish post players looking confused as to how they were still going to get that 27th win, even though the outcome was decided by then. 

No opponent is more of a pleasure to beat than a team that has deluded itself into thinking it is somehow *literally* unbeatable. 

Go Dawgs.
4 - Jeff H.: What an amazing place to watch a game! I was fortunate enough to catch a game from behind the bench and it was awesome! Spent time talking with my some of my favorite players during time outs and the like. The best part is we notched a victory! Can't wait for the next game!
4 - Richard T.: This is a great size arena to watch the Huskies play basketball. It has a small size feel to it, but good enough to enjoy all the action on the court. Even the bench seats all have seat cushions so your butt wouldn't feel like you were sitting on a rock for a couple hours. The seats we had were good even though we were sitting on the top section, but we didn't have any problems of viewing from where we were at. I didn't see much in terms of of concession stands, but they must of been around somewhere.
3 - Beau S.: Overall for a College basketball arena it is good and loud. I am not a big fan of the upper level here because they are bench seats with extremely narrow feet areas. I highly advise not sitting up there unless you like a strangers knees in your back or you like people rubbing up very closely too you when they go to the bathroom. Also the concession area is horribly slow and has a selection worse than a high school basketball game. The bathrooms are decent here and during football games I used to go here to poo instead of in Husky Stadium.
4 - John M.: I love this venue.  Long time season ticket holder, I have seen this place undergo alot of great transformations over the years.  Great venue for basketball
5 - Cherrie L.: Love this venue, have not been back since my commencement in 94! Visited today for my niece's commencement. Seats are nicely placed and situated, which makes them easy to view every angle.

Albany General Services Department - Albany, NY (42.672144, -73.731684) ()
2 - Ticia G.: specifically - Waste Removal.

ok. i am not knocking it, i am very pleased that the city carts away my junk (not that my taxes don't pay for this service or anything) and i am even more pleased that they accept my recycling in a grocery bag instead of a blue bin (my house didn't come with one when i bought it and i never remember to go locate the place to get a replacement).

but. i live on a one block long, curvy, dead-end road. do you know what this means? it means that at 5 am, every tuesday, i am awoken by the BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP of that freaking garbage truck backing it's way, Sloooowwwwwly, down our road. putting a pillow over one's head won't help. it is simply too loud. and then an hour later, when i have just begun to drift back off (even tho my alarm is about to sound) the recycling truck does the exact same thing. 

and to make things even worse, right now we have large machinery parked at the end of our road - backhoes and such. they are ripping it up to do some work on the gas/water (or something) lines. i hope they finish this up before the snow arrives or we will be  hoofin' it to our house. i had secretly hoped that at least the garbage trucks couldn't fit with them parked there. alas, not so last tuesday. but we can always hope for this coming one.

great. i just realized that due to karma, they will probably read this and decide to just leave my garbage there. i will have to resort to subterfuge to dispose of my garbage now.
5 - Val M.: As an Albany homeowner since 1999, I couldn't be more pleased with the services provided by the Albany DGS. In many nearby towns garbage service is privately contracted and recycling has to be carted to the center. I only have to lug my garbage and recycling to the curb each week and the City takes care of it for me. I can't say that I like the smell of the dump wafting over to Central Ave on a hot day, but that's not really DGS' fault. Large item pickup has been a breeze. The hazardous waste drop off is really helpful. The newly offered all-in-one-bin recycling has cut down on my sorting time each week too. 

Even though it's a pain, I try to always bundle my cardboard and yard waste as per the city's instructions, although when I walk my dog on garbage night I see that not many people follow the guidelines. It really irritates me to see that. The folks who are out picking up trash before dawn have to put up with so much crap. The rental properties downtown seem particularly notorious for piling huge mounds of crap on the city's curb (especially at the end of the school year). The City still carts away all of these items. One night I saw someone had large pieces of wood sticking out of their garbage can with nails poking out on all sides. Imagine being a garbage collector in the dark hours of the morning having to deal with those unseen dangerous objects. I really appreciate what the garbage collectors, in particular, face on a regular basis.

I'm not a huge fan of two lanes of snow being plowed into the end of my driveway on snowy days in the winter (or the one time right after I'd cleared it, a snow truck went by and I could see the driver laughing at me as plowed a fresh pile of snow in the my drive). That snow pushes over the curbs and onto the sidewalks, making them nearly as impossible to clear as the end of my drive. That being said, Albany is a big city and we get a lot of snow and the plows out there do a fine job of quickly and efficiently clearing the main roadways - especially when compared to some of the surrounding communities. It would be nice if the City could offer plowing/blowing assistance for sidewalks and driveways of the elderly - or coordinate trusted providers for paying homeowners. Right now plowing service prices are all over the map and it's hard to find a steady service from one snow storm to the next.

Albany Rural Cemetery Chapel & Mausoleum - Albany, NY (42.7036214, -73.7225665) ()
5 - Ryan H.: This is the third oldest cemetary in operation in the United States and it's right in my backyard. Who knew?? It's huge, and just because it's called rural doesn't mean it's a potter's field. There's some great tombstones, lots of big Washington Monument type ones. Some made to look like trees with the names carved into them. There's a lot to see and I haven't seen much of it yet. But Chester A. Arthur is buried here! He was the 21st President of the United States, and I have no idea what he did, but there he is with an angel to watch over him for all eternity. There's a lot of open area and it's a good place for a picnic or to do some jogging, if you don't mind being surrounded by dead people. Oh, right, and across the path from Chester Arthur, look for the grave of Minnie Cooper! Sadly, she died too early to get that joke.
5 - Kevin J.: I don't know what it is I'm on but i have this thing for cemeteries and old churches, taking pictures of them that is. I happen to be in this cemetery for other reasons, but this time i was there for pictures and just taking in the beauty of it all. Yes its been said one of the third oldest in the country, Our 21st president is buried there and if you go to his grave bring 13 pennies for leave. I have tried to google the reason why 13 pennies and i found it was the amount  he had to borrow to take a train/coach.  If you can try to take the walking tours of the cemetery, also don't forget that St. Agnes cemetery is attached to it also.

Albert Jodi & Associates - Champaign, IL (40.1111456, -88.2441689) ()
5 - Amanda D.: I have been going to Dr. Albert for almost ten years now, and even though I've moved to Chicago I still continue to travel back to C-U just to visit her.  I have sensitive eyes and she's always been really patient and understanding - even when I've probably tried every contact every made.  

I've also been really happy with their staff that helps me pick out my frames.  I've noticed since moving to Chicago that they don't have the largest or most of-the-moment collection, but they're always great about finding the right frame for your face.

Overall, I'm extremely happy!
5 - Victoria J.: I've been going to Dr. Albert's office for the last few years.  I am always extremely impressed by the thoroughness and efficiency of her exams.  She is very friendly, helpful, and open to any questions.  Her office really has a good system down pat - I've always been seen on time and have never been left waiting in the exam room for more than a couple of minutes. All of my appointments have lasted around 30-40 minutes.  I really appreciate doctors who respect my time!
4 - Anh N.: I saw Dr Quivey, and like the other people commented for Dr Albert, she is very thorough with the exam. She discovered that I had prism, which was the cause of my headache. I went to Illini Eye Care before but they did not test for that. The only issue is that I have to wait for ~ a week to get my new glass. So the best thing to do in my opinion is to get the exam here, and get the glass at some other place if you need it soon.
5 - Angela K.: Both the exam and glasses or contact fittings are quite thorough, and they have a terrific selection of glasses and contacts. They are great at helping to find a flattering and fashionable pair of glasses. You will have to wait for glasses (~1 week or more), but they take much better care of you than the 1-hour places!
5 - R S.: I love this place!  They have a good selection of frames incl. some very unique ones.  I especially like "Linda" who has fitted me several times and has an INCREDIBLE eye for what looks good on you, your face shape, your personality-type.  Dr. Albert is great too and provides very thorough exams.  Highly recommend.  BTW, they are also very accommodating and will fix or redo any prescription or frame if it doesn't work out.

AlbertMing - Berkeley, CA (37.867417, -122.259661) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
5 - Jon p.: Style. Affordability. Class. 

You could try to get something like this, but you'd probably be searching until you were dead. 

Look no further. You need to go to your one-stop place for all things fashionable and incredible: AlbertMing. 

They are the smartest & kindest people you'll meet- accomodate your needs in any direction, and go out of their way to please. You'll look sharp as a butcher knife, and you'll feel like 2 million bucks. 

Take my word for it, take your money and spend it at AlbertMing, where the quality of their products and service will last you for YEARS. 

Best suit I've ever owned by FAR.
5 - Mary M.: A man's suit is not a purchase, it's an investment. I learned this lesson early on when my brother bought a bunch of cheap suits. Six months down the line the fabric was falling apart, and everything just looked really bad. So don't even think about skimping on a suit. A great suit lasts you years and years (or decades, if you're my dad!)

You could go the regular route and go to a department store to try on endless suits that may or may not look good on you. And then you would have to get it tailored to fit. All that time and effort. Why not just get a custom suit?

Forget suits being expensive. Considering all costs involved, AlbertMing suits are reasonably priced and give you great quality.

We needed a suit for our upcoming wedding. My fiance hates suits of any kind. I will not let him get married in a blazer and jeans, his personal preference. Then I found AlbertMing and they were the answer to my prayers.

Step 1: 
Me: "Honey, look! It's a nano-coated suit. It's water resistant!"
Him: "Oh cool! I can be like Batman!"
(Takeaway - appeal to the inner gadget geek)

Step 2:
Me: "Honey, you can design your OWN suit! And shirt! Custom everything!"
Him: "You mean I can get whatever I want?"
Me: "Of course!"
(Takeaway - appeal to the customization-happy, control freak)

Step 3:
Me: "Babe, it's a STARTUP!"
Him: "Oh, I'm sold. Let's go!"
(Takeaway - startups are cool.)

That's how I got my fiance fitted for his wedding suit. Our wedding is in a few weeks, and my problem now is that I can't get him to stop wearing the suit. Or pour water over the sleeves and watch our friends' jaws drop when they see the water bead on the fabric and roll off. He wore it this past weekend to my sister's beach wedding in LA (=super hot and humid) and was the only person not sweating.

The fit is exquisite. It makes him look sooooo good. And the fabric is amazing - keeps you warm in breezy SF weather and cool in hot LA weather.

Ming and Albert have been there every step of the way, from suggesting fabrics and colors to design guidance, how to wear the suit, what other shirts would coordinate with the suit, etc. 

Thank you guys for making this experience so painless. :)
5 - Andrew C.: Albert and Ming are a cool pair of dudes. They focus on quality and make sure that everything is up to their own standards which is very high. They spend a lot of time making sure that their customers are satisfied, and you can't forget the unique twist on their product: super cool special coating that makes it stain and weather-proof.

I've demonstrated their suit to many people and not a single one was not left impressed by the quality materials, great fit, and "woah check that out!" aspect of watching wine just drip off.

Check them out, get decked out, be awesome.

Alberto's Mexican Food - Pasadena, CA (34.146274, -118.118542) (Pasadena)
5 - Karen K.: Great carne asada fries!
5 - Mmmritz B.: So I was out and about running errands and I noticed that an Alberto's opened up. I decided to go in and give it a try. I ordered my favorite, a California burrito. It came out just the way I was hoping for it to be, the fries were still crispy...YAY!, very meaty and fresh something that is hard to get at other Alberto's. The place is kept clean, and their staff are really friendly. I will return. Thanks guys.
3 - A. S.: Good Mexican food, fresh, reminded me of Rosarito's.  Huge nachos.  No high-chairs for kids (cashier said it's because they're "still new").  Friendly staff.  Will be back to try the carne asada fries.
5 - Bob l.: I would recommend this to everyone! The food was delicious, especially the carne asada burrito. I would come back and try other things. The staff were friendly and easy to get a long with.
5 - viet p.: They have the best carne asada fries ever!

I recommend everyone come here and try it at least just once and you'll know what I'm talking about.

The staff here are friendly and the place is clean.  Also only few places like this around in Pasadena where you can get delicious good cheap food.
5 - ted y.: Stopped by here today for lunch.  Same great Alberto's closer to home.  If you order a carne asada burrito, it's pretty much just all meat.  Yum...still thinking about it.  

Parking sucks though...  I don't think they have a parking lot.  The one right next to it says bookstore only.
5 - Linda H.: Almost lost my shit when I heard they opened an Alberto's in Pasadena! Gone are the days where I have to drive a hour round trip for some decent carne asada fries in the LA area! It's new so it seems like they're still trying to get everything together up front, but in the kitchen it seems like they've got stuff down. The fries were amazing and I'm already dreaming of my next trip!
4 - Erik Q.: Great nachos, huge portions, cheap prices and good location!
3 - Not A.: I can't say for sure what was in my veggie burrito, but it definitely had lettuce, beans, cheese, and rice. A little of guacamole and I THINK sour cream.... (little, if any). = $3.49
I prefer to know what is in my burrito. I wasn't exactly sure in this one.

The rice made my burrito saltier than I could handle, and I avoided eating that portion altogether. And I'm the type of person who usually doesn't waste food. I have heard that their carne asada burritos are salty, too.

The prices are pretty awesome, but you really do get what you pay for, at least in the case of a veggie burrito. I prefer La Salsa's veggie burrito, even if it is about a dollar more (it comes with a side of chips though). La Salsa is another two blocks away (next to Johnny Rockets and Panda Express).

I don't recommend coming during lunchtime during weekdays because this branch is right across the street from PCC. The wait is not too bad, but if you're in a hurry, you may want to try somewhere else.

Overall, I will not be purchasing this burrito again in the near future. It is good to note that the burrito here was better than the Alberto's on Lower Azusa Blvd. in El Monte, however. It was plain and it did not have guac at all.
5 - Gabby O.: Went to Albertos on Friday for a late lunch with the new baby and my wife.  The place is new so everything looked clean.  The older lady behind the counter was attentive and welcomed us as we entered. The restaurant was bright, and had about a dozen tables; a great upgrade from other Albertos I have been to. 

I Had my usual taquitos and the wife had the Carne asada plate. It was great. Just like when I grew up in Diego.  The taquitos are just the way they should be; with guc, lettuce and crunchy. The Carne was chopped up into tiny bits and were very tasty. 

They give you a red or green salsa, both are superb, with the green a little spicier than the red. 

I will be going back for some extreme tasty, admittedly a little fattening, Mexican food. I can not wait to see if all the dishes are this good.
4 - James M.: One of my favorite cheap mexican joints finally rolled into Pasadena, and right across from school no less!

Couldn't believe I didn't notice them open up, but glad they did. Mako Bowl has been slain by the mighty Alberto, thank god. Hopefully they can powerwash the funky curry smell out of the walls.

On to my first visit.

I rolled in here about 9pm on a thursday night, I knew I was going to get nachos for my girlfriend but wasnt sure what I was gonna get myself. My normal meal at the Covina location is the Pollo Asado plate, but they didn't have this here.

I ordered the Carnitas Plate, roughly $7 bucks, and I special order some nachos for my girlfriend (she likes the super nachos sans meat, it's best to order this by ordering chips with guacamole, and then adding beans, sour cream, and extra cheese). 

My carnitas plate was AWESOME. Huge portion of meat, cooked perfectly, and they gave me plenty of guacamole and pico de gallo. I have no complaints, and think it's actually the best carnitas I've ever gotten at an Albertos.

My girlfriends nachos however were a little less awesome. At every other location, they give us both plates in the same size container, but for some reason they gave her a smaller container this time. On top of that, I ordered extra cheese and paid a dollar more, and there was actually less than the normal order of nachos at other Albertos.

I'll chalk up these problems to the recent opening, but I hope they clean their act up. 

Other than that, the place looked great, friendly and fast service, and they're open till 10.
5 - Sharon H.: I'm a Mexican food junkie and Alberto's always hits the spot. I was so excited when I heard one opened up in Pasadena. Now I can stop by after a day of holiday shopping and re-energize with some crunchy rolled tacos, a California burrito and a side of carne asada fries.. to share, of course!  The carne asada fries is a huge pile of mouth-watering, tummy tinkling goodness... and shareable too!  Woot!  

Shopping + Good Mexican Food = Utter Bliss
5 - Ron C.: continuning bringing the great food and bringing it closer to pasadena. Just have to work on the 24hour  service. albertos never dissappoints.
5 - Sarah R.: Has to be the Midwest Alberto's around. Friendly staff! Food is great like all Alberto's.
5 - James D.: I'm not sure what everyone's talking about, carne asada nachos are way better than fries! That's what Pasadena needed back when i was going to PCC. Also, try the cream filled churros, it was weird cause this Albertos is the only one that has cream filled churros!!! Awesome addition.
4 - Abigail A.: Alberto's in Pasadena?! yes please!! yummy carne asada anything!! I used to live off their carne asada burritos and rice and beans when I lived on my own for college, they most definitely sufficed!! at this location the workers are friendly and welcoming!! i will definitely be back!!
5 - Silver D.: Had some of the best nachos I ever had! The meat was excellent and the other ingredients were top notch. This place easily pwns la salsa from down the street. Easily more bang for the buck!!
3 - Amy G.: The carne asada fries could have been better if it weren't for the freezer burn taste of the fries. Also, the texture was chewy rather than crispy. Maybe I caught an off batch. However, the toppings were yum--beans, guacamole, sour cream, cheeses, and tender and flavorful carne asada (no gristle!). I likely wouldn't make the drive from Burbank to Pasadena for these fries. Definitely not a substitute for Lolita's.

Notables: I was able to find street parking. The cashier was very friendly. The salsa bar included red salsa, which was bitter and not that spicy. There were also grilled/oven prepared jalapenos that were served cold.
5 - Amy L.: Was in the area doing some shopping in old town Pasadena. Wanted something kinda fast. Alberto's popped up and first thought was "mmmmmm Carne Asada Fries!!" so we went there! 
We found street parking, the place is across the street from PCC. Very easy to find. 
My 2 girlfriends and I ordered the Carne Asada Fries and Fish Tacos. (we shared)
The staff were really nice! The food came out fast and service with a smile is always a plus! :)
The 3 of us shared the fries and taco and still had extra fries left! Large portions and delicious! Also, I really enjoyed their pickled carrot/onion/jalapenos that they provide by their registers. yum!
This place has the best Carne Asada Fries compared to all the Alberto's locations I've been to. I'll come again when I'm in the area!!
3 - Ellerton W.: I am disappoint.  Having lived in San Diego, I loooove Cali burritos.  I even loved them at Alberto's.  But, this location let me down, with a burned tortilla and not enough flavor.  Perhaps my hopes were up too high.
5 - Bat M.: So effin happy they opened an albertos here. They are so hard to come by. Went here 2 times within 3days. 1st day I had to satisfy my Carne asada fries craving and day 2 was the California burrito. Each were sooo good and so filling. Friendly fast service. I plan on coming back for the chimichanga and fish tacos.
4 - G W.: Unfortunately by the time I got home my burrito was a tad cold but the carne asada was still tasty and reminded me of home. Next visit: carne asada nachos.
2 - Diego B.: Alberto's is probably the best non-authentic mexican food chain in so cal, especially their rendering of the chicken taco.  However, this location seems to have it wrong.  During the first week, everything was very Albertos-y, but recently, after a few weeks of being open, the quality has gone terribly downhill.  Hope it goes back to what the other Alberto's do.
3 - Tida C.: When I drove by PCC the other day and saw that Albertos just opened, I honestly thought I was dreaming. I was so excited! I rushed home to tell my husband that there was an Albertos in Pasadena! He says, Why am I cooking dinner then? Lets GO! 
YES! So we go down to albertos and order our usuals. The lady was very nice and I they even accept card. They had the bar for the salsa so I grabbed a TON of green sauce and waited patiently for our orders. We bought a Carne Asada Burrito, Cheese Quesadilla and taquitos. We rushed home and started eating. Yes. the Quesadilla was amazing and I could feel the pounds packing on. Then I started on my burrito. Wait. something was wrong..... It wasnt that good. Wait why?!  I have no idea but it really jsut wasnt that good. Also, we love the green sauce but i love the red sauce too, and for some reason, it was really burnt. Like Roasted red peppers or something. I dont know but it wasnt good. I love albertos so ill give it another chance and really hope they dont disappoint me next time.
4 - Diana H.: This place is bomb!!! Carne asada burritos are always a no-fail and the 3 rolled tacos are legit too. The carne asada fries are killer and will knock you out. I suggest splitting an order of the fries and one burrito between 2 people. It'll give you a heart attack if you eat the whole thing by yourself. Yummy-licious!!
1 - Sofia P.: NO alberto's NO.
My friend hyped this place up saying how great the food was and raving about the Carne Asada Fries.
While on a break between lab and lecture, me and a couple of my friends came over opening week to grab some tacos.
I ordered: 2 chicken tacos, and horchata.
OMGSH, two words: GREASY AND GROSS.
The tacos: were huge, i was expecting taqueria size and they were fried taco shells which i was not expecting which made them super greasy. The chicken was gross, it was slimy and greasy. All of that grease ball was topped off with lettuce and cheese. I stupidly bought two....I tried to finish them, I really did...but I felt like I was going to throw up they tasted GOD AWFUL.
Horchata was okay...probably the best part of this place and the only thing I'd eat again.
I was so disgusted by my tacos that my friend Julie let me mooch off her Enchiladas...which were flavorless....and the rice and beans on the side were also very plain and nasty. 
I mean I don't know you can get these things so wrong, TACO BELL MAKES BETTER MEXICAN FOOD. That's when you KNOW you've hit a crap hole of a place.
Yeah it's no authentic mexican restaurant, it's fast food. I know how to properly judge a place despite the high pedestal I put authentic mexican food on. But that first impression was enough to keep me far far away from this place.

I know they're well known for their "awesomely great" Carne Asada Fries but unfortunately for Alberto's, this mexicana only eats chicken.
3 - Jason L.: I used to eat at the Mission Viejo location every night after school and thought it was the perfect late night snack. Well, fast forward 15 years later and let's just say I don't exactly have that iron stomach that I used to. It's still the same food you hate to love. 

For some reason the salsa bar was different at this location, which may have made me look visibly upset to onlookers. I apologize. I wanted my acidic red salsa damn it.
1 - David M.: This was probably one of the worst Mexican meals I have had in a long time. Only go here if you are desperate or low on cash. Unfortunately the pleasant service can not make up for the poor quality, badly prepared food.
4 - Diana L.: I had my Carne Asada Fries fix a few days ago.  It satiated my taste buds.  I will probably stick with Carne Asada Nachos only because I like crunch and the tortilla chips satisfy my crunching desire.  AND by the way! Must try the Pollo Asada on your nachos/fries.  Its super marinated and has really good flavor.  You also can't leave without having dessert!  Try the creme filled churros.
1 - Eddie V.: I'm a huge fan of good carne asada fries and thought this could be the same Alberto's as a San Diego joint I went to a few weeks back. BUT ITS NOT. The meat was really dry and all the ingredients were sub-par. Maybe it was too late during the day whatever the case maybe I was an unhappy camper.. I could name 3 other Mexican Food spots in the immediate area that can give this place a run for their money.. BOOO.
5 - Rob G.: FINALLY!!!! San Diego's finest carne asada burrito has made it to the Pasadena area!!!  It's about time!!!  Great location and super friendly service. Parking can be scarce, but the burritos and rolled tacos more than make up for it!
3 - jack m.: food was fresh... good quality ... no real flavor... we ordered the nachos with carne asada... it was a good size... lots of meat and chips ... not enough cheese on it... the meat really didn't have any flavor... they just cooked the meat and put it on top of it.. also had the breakfast burrito with bacon and sasuage .. that was ok ... preety good size.. that to had no flavor .. the bacon had no taste and the sasuage didn't have any spice in in it...lucky boys your still the best breakfast burrito in town... staff was nice... the price was a bit high ...
1 - Cameron M.: NOT OPEN AT THEIR OPENING TIME. FORCED TO EAT CARLS JR.
I've had Alberto's elsewhere and it's not nearly as good as other localized places. I was going to try this one out, but they don't even open on time, I must reiterate, so they lost a few potential customers.
4 - Rox G.: So my cashless cycle continues, meaning I don't have $2 to park in the school's lot.  A run to the ATM machine takes like 15 minutes in that school, and I usually get a ticket by the time I'm back at my car.  
To avoid this, I decided to park on the street and walk... for several reasons (don't want to pay for parking, don't want a ticket, was actually early for the first time and thought I would walk).  As I'm parallel bumper-carring/parking I notice that the old garbage-dump-of-a-teriyaki-bowl-joint has been switched to Alberto's Mexican food.  I was pretty hungry and thought I'd step in for a quick bite.
I approached the counter and asked if there was a combo for the quesadilla. He responded "sure, I'll make one".  That was fun.  (though I'm sure by "I'll make one" he meant, you can also buy a soda on the side, why not").  I asked how fast the food is ready so I'd know if I'll make it to my next class.  He responded, "well it's fast, but not like super fast u know?"  I didn't know, but I took the young lad's word for it.  
I ordered the steak quesadilla, which came with a side of beans, rice, and lettuce topped with salsa (refuse to call it a salad and you can't make me), with a soda for about $8.  By the time I filled up my soda, picked up some jalapenos and salsa, and picked a chair, my food was ready.  I'd count that as "super fast" but this guy clearly has much higher standards for speed.
The quesadilla was good, the meat was flavorful and tender, the cheese was gooey and great.... I think I would have liked to see more stuff inside it like cilantro, onion, salsa or something.  I guess I could have asked for it myself... but yeah.  Anyway I enjoyed the meal, could only eat half of it, but really enjoyed it.  I think it's a mother/son team, they're really cute how they work together.  "nino, I need that burrito".  
Everyone's raving about their carne asada french fries.  I'm not emotionally or physically ready to try that yet... I feel like I'd gain 5 pounds after lunch, and I'm not a fan of putting anything on fries that would make them soggy.
4 - Marcus L.: Summary:  I've been to a few other Alberto's and I think that this one is the best quality wise.  The bad thing about this location is their limited hours of operation.

Food Tried:  Carne Asada Burrito.  Same great tortilla you would expect but it seems like they use better quality steak than the other Alberto's I've been to.  

Service:  Good/Friendly

Restaurant:  This is a new location so it's no surprise this one is cleaner and newer than all of the other ones.  This is also the least ghetto location I have seen an Albertos.

Parking:  I'm not so sure about this.  I've only been here once and it happened to be on a Sunday.  I managed to find street parking but it appeared to be the only spot available and I think the street signs said you can only park there on Sundays or something.
4 - Matthew S.: Good, fast & cheap are the words I use to describe Alberto's. Have been going to an Alberto's for many years and it is great to have one here in Pasadena.
5 - Eric T.: i dont know why there are people talking crap about this albertos. they literally fill everything up and dont cheap out. ive tried their cali burrito, chicken burrito, mixed burrito, carne asada torta, carne asada fries and nachos, chorizo plate, and many more. the reason ive tried so many items was because this alberto never seems to let me down like some of the other ones where i live. service is good, food is great, and the area is clean, thats why this albertos gets a 5 start from me! also, they have these cream filled churros. the churros here are probably one of the best ones ive ever had. they are made to order! talk about freshness! ive recommended this albertos to a couple of my friends and we all think its great!
1 - Abe R.: I came back and tried this food again to prove to some butt face that my opinion rings true; i came back in undistraught about the past and wanted to try this food with a fresh start and new point of view but it didn't really work out. this restaurant may have a so-so reputation of being popular with some people but i am one of the customers who will never eat here again...unfortunately i came here to get a quick burrito and what happened was that they messed my order up, i got a regular chicken burrito nothing too bad yet when i got my order they gave me beef. i can't eat beef and told them if they could fix it since on my receipt it says chicken. mix-ups happen i didn't get mad, but yet my food was so salty i couldn't eat it all... i gave this place another shot, yet it was still a disappointment
4 - John M.: Service is good, just like any other fast food place. 
The food is good, i usually get the asada burrito or the ham and egg breakfast burrito. Both are really good. The only thing about the breakfast burrito is that they put way too much potato so i just ask for no potato. The asada burrito is really good, and big. Plenty of meet. 

I also tried their chicken burrito. It was okay... i would not get it again. it was pretty plain and not as good as other places i've tried. 

I love coming here because its the only good food around pasadena city college. Great for students that want some quick good food that is burgers like McDonald, Carls, or Jack.
4 - Fellow Y.: All I've had so far was their carne asada fries. It isn't quite the same as what you get in San Diego or other places, but I'd say its the best in this area. The serving size filled me up most definitely. Quick service too. I'll come back again!
3 - V E.: Thank heavens they tore out the old Mako Bowl, slapped some paint on the walls, and opened an Albertos! Pasadenites, do you hear me?

Maaaan, that Mako Bowl was dingy and smelled of hideous things (although the food was good). Hints of the Mako still live on in the stinky bathrooms and the retro-colored, mis-matched tile floors, but I welcome Alberto's with open arms.

I have been here thrice and their main attraction is the beef in their typical pseudo-mexican menu (I say "pseudo" because you would be hard-pressed to find anything with cheese in Mexico...). Their carne deshebrada (shredded beef) is delicious and has a beautiful texture. I think ground beef should be banned and carne deshebrada be the standard beef in every taco/burrito/tostada/sopa made anywhere in United States. Of course, the food is greasy and will lead to cancer and heart disease, but once in a while, it's OK.

My major gripe with this place is that it is a magnet for large families with lots of loud children at any hour of the day. It's really hard to eat a peaceful meal here, and that pretty much ruins the experience and knocks a few stars off an otherwise fine fast-food dining experience. In addition, they have no parking and are located across a city college with 30,000 enrolled students.
4 - Nicole M.: I admit, I'm a King Taco fan, and real real mexican food scares me.

But I've heard so much about this place I had to come by. I didn't know what to order, so I got a beef burrito and enchilada. The shredded beef was a lot to get through. But it was good. I don't really have a lot to say other than it was good and I had to take 2/3 of it home for left overs.
3 - JR C.: Alberto's is super-franchise-y with a hole in the wall feel. The first thing you notice at this location is the abundance of students due to PCC being right across the street.

-=-Parking-=- NONE! All street parking. Beware, read signs. Do not park for more than 1 hour for the street parking here. Since this is a college area, the Parking Enforcement is super strict, which resulted in a $46 ticket for being 5 minutes over the hour.

-=-Carne Asada Fries-=- It was better than the lot here, but I still must rate it in the 3 star range. Thin fries were good. They weren't as crisp as they could be though. Guacamole is in the lack-of-taste department, but maybe it's just expected at a franchise Mexican food. While the guac was the worst of the worst here, the meat was not far behind. It was rough and was overcooked or something. I probably would still come here for a CAF fix, but just know that it's out of CAF necessity, and not really for the CAF themselves.
4 - Leslie C.: Love the chicken tacos
4 - Kenai A.: Love their bean and cheese burrito!
3 - James S.: Carne Asada Fries (CAF) Adventure continues and the last time I was here I spent it with JR and two big Marines that I used to friend zone him. 

This place hits the spot if I need a fix and I am in the Pasadena area, well in the eastern part of Colorado Blvd. I nearly came in after the Pasadena Marathon but the club instead decided to celebrate at Lucky Baldwin's Pub.

I found out from one of my teammates that her post marathon tradition that she shares with her fiance is to hit the closest Tommy's and for me it's just get some fries and I am a happy camper. 

Seriously, man's only weakness is women, fries, pies, and bullets. Well being young and dumb I still have to get through my vices of fries and pies. I know it will eventually catch up to me no matter how hard I train but right now fries and pies all day every day!

Anyways the fries here are not bad. I am not a fan of thin cut fries like my friend JR but when you throw some carne asada on top of them you won't hear a peep from me. The biggest knock is the pico de gallo. I ask for it on the side or none at all and I still get it on my fries. Oh well, the fries and meat will just have to do. 

Parking is not their fault but there isn't any
Go around several times around the block and best of luck. 

Would I be back?
Most likely, that's only if I am in the area and craving CAF
3 - Christine H.: I have mixed feelings. The size of the taco was big. The flavor and toppings for a carne asada was pretty generic. The meat was a bit chewy. The salsas were hot. Overall a 3 because I've had better street tacos than this $3 taco.
4 - Justine G.: Great prices!

TJ style tacos are awesome for $1 each, gotta try the carnitas!

Carne asada fries and breakfast burritos are good.

Plenty of seating, there's a salsa bar and drink fountain for your refills.

Downside: Restrooms are kind of dirty.
3 - Sherry H.: 1 dollar taco!! what else can you ask for!! 

The tacos here are pretty authentic except the fish taco. I've only had few items from this place and my fav is still the carne asada tacos. 
The fish taco was topped with lettuce and thousand island dressing which is totally "UN-authentic". 

Small sauce bar: raddish, red and green sauce (not the same as king taco), grilled jalapeno pepper with inion. 

If you are craving for some mexican taco across from PCC, you should def stop by and grab some 1 dollar taco. If you live else where .. i am sure there are better authentic mexican food out there.
5 - Sherry Y.: AWESOME Carne Asada Fries and Enchiladas! 

I've been eating carne asada fries for the past 9 years and didn't think there was anywhere else outside of San Diego that could have amazing carne asada fries until I came to Alberto's. They had everything piled on top of those delicious fries. I loved every bite of it! 

The only thing I didn't like was that the box they used had like those dividers in it for when you want to put 3 different food items in 1 box, so that means you aren't really getting a full box amount of fries. But anyway, that didn't really matter too much since I the amount I ate was more than enough! 

The beef Enchiladas were also super tasty and not dry or chewy. I'm going back tonight! whoo hoo.

Parking was super easy too. I just parked for free at the side street next to the place.
4 - Hanson T.: Ever since my cousin first introduced Carne Asada Fries from the Alberto's in El Monte, I've been hooked. I was so excited to find out that there was another Alberto's right across campus.

The lady at the cashier is always so nice! She always greets me when I come in, and smiles whenever she deals with a customer. I've never requested anything, but I'm sure she'd accommodate any of your needs. 

Tacos are only a dollar! None of that fake beef stuff from Taco Bell. Check out what Taco Bell has been using up until now: http://www.catholic.org/hf/home/story.php?id=47617 (no I'm not Catholic). I've only had their carne asada tacos, which are almost as heart-stoppingly delicious as their fries. 

What are Carne Asada Fries, you may ask? They're only the best thing ever! I get cravings for these when I feel like screwing over my diet, which is pretty much every week. Crisp fries, topped with cheese guacamole, carne asada beef and sour cream. Yum, I know!

My only gripe about this particular location's fries is that the sour cream isn't evenly distributed throughout the fries. And there's not that much sour cream either, which is my favorite condiment on their fries. 

Eat your fries quickly! I learned that the hard way when I saved them to eat after class, not wanting to distract anyone, considering just how enticing their fries are. The fries get soggy pretty quickly and it loses a lot of that freshly-made taste. They give you a lot of fries, so consider sharing if your body can't handle a boatload of grease!
1 - Lora M.: If I was asked to describe  this place with one word, the word would be AWFUL!  I was really looking forward to a big plate of carne asada fries, and it was a big plate with a big hair in it, cold and the meat lacked flavor. I also tried the dollar TJ tacos, and again I was disappointed the meat was dry with no flavor what so ever , the tortillas were also hard and dry and no they were no hard shell tacos . No bueno!!!

Albertsons Supermarkets - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.294108, -120.6717004) ()
4 - Raquel R.: store is small and always packed. Service is wonderful and full of hottie checkers!!
3 - eric k.: Stopped by here the other day to pick up supplies...  crackers, drinks etc.

Not a bad place...  a confusing little strip mall.  A bit on the smallish side considering the modern day Whole Foods and posh Safeway's that I'm used to, but this got the job done.
1 - Helena W.: Absolutely despise this place. 9 out of 10 times this place is more expensive than the competitors I often frequent (Ralphs, Food 4 Less). My roommates and I all avoid this place. They don't care if they are the most expensive because they know all the college students who live near Foothill are going to come to them, they have no incentive to have better prices. 

This place is also a joke because their bakery section is non-existent.
1 - kelly w.: I HATE this place. I only go here because it is the grocery store in my neighborhood.  The aisles are tiny, the lines long, parking lot overcrowded, and there is one really bitchy checker.  I do have to say all the other checkers are great except for this one older women.  Unless you are like me and it is the closet store to where you live please trust me and AVOID!
1 - Issa A.: I cannot STAND this place

1.) The store is TINY! Therefore, their variety really sucks on most items, and the good items never go on sale.

2.) Their produce is never fresh.

3.) Since they are at an extremely convenient location, they can charge ridiculous prices for their groceries.

4.) They don't let you buy any alcohol if someone under 21 is with you. What kind of idiotic policy is this? Obviously it is very easy to work around this rule: just act like you don't know the person! So you want to lose sales for some stupid bs rule that you can easily cheat out of? Cool!

5.) Looooooonnnnngg lines

6.) They think they are saving the world by trying to take every fake ID that they can. I understand they probably get heat from cops, but its almost as they take pride in rejecting people or collecting IDs.

Once they tried to tell me that my real ID was fake. Are you joking me? It's like they just try to see if they can take it from you if they can.. When I got my phone out and was about to call the police that's when she finally gave it back.

7.) Oh and all their bakery items are stale and taste like shit.

So what do I like about this place?
1.) Fried Chicken
2.) Oh wait thats it 

Up yours Albertsons!  I'm glad you went out of business in Northern California!!
1 - Steven P.: ALWAYYYSSSS OVERPRICED

I cannot emphasize enough how bad of a grocery store this is...it does not take a genius to know that $2 for a 2-liter soda is not a good deal; $3 for a Banquet microwave dinner is not a good deal.

The only reason this place gets so much business is the location.  There are student apartments located everywhere along Foothill Drive and around Foothill Drive, PLUS this is the closest grocery store to the Cal Poly dorms.

Do yourself a favor and go to Ralphs - the best deals in town.
5 - Jessica O.: Friendliest Albertsons ever? I think so. This place is on the smaller side, yet I still had 2 separate staffers try to engage me in conversation (beyond "finding everything alright?) during a short visit.

Plus, they were one of the only brick & mortar businesses that still had graduation leis an hour after SLO's ceremony started. AND the leis were the double stranded kind, not the cheaper looking single strands. Yeayuhh
2 - Logan S.: Good for: students who live near campus and have no car
You forgot something on your grocery list at a good grocery store
You need booze 

Bad for: overpriced and small

As far as grocery stores go, this one is small and usually overpriced. Albertsons still has a rewards card you need to have to get any discounts they offer, which I find unnecessary. However, if you live in the area it's the closest place to get groceries, especially if you are a first year on campus with no car, or live in mustang village or similar places. The staff is nice enough, and I've never had a problem with them. They usually have what I need, but I usually only go here if I forgot an ingredient or have a hankering for something. They also have alcohol, so that seems to draw a lot of people in. Their alcohol prices are somewhat fair and they have good sales on booze every once and awhile. Besides that, I would go to new frontiers or ralphs
4 - Perry N.: Its a decent supermarket, with a good and friendly staff. Its my go to place for groceries.
3 - Kris A.: Great place to pick up ingredients for lunch or dinner if you're a college student and you live around the area.

Downside is that their stuff is pretty overpriced. They can do that though because it's really the only grocery store near Poly.

Make sure you sign up for an Albertson's card for extra savings! I'm dead serious!

They also have a Starbucks in the store, which is pretty much becoming a staple in every grocery store.
2 - Nicole J.: I shop here frequently and have experienced some great and some awful employees.  There are only two worth mentioning though. 

The girl butcher with the tats and and shaved head is the most unhelpful, rude employee I have EVER come in contact with.  She looks annoyed ALL the time and just stands and stares until you tell her what you want, she doesn't crack a smile once. Its very uncomfortable. If I ask her to do anything special to my order she does it horribly and sloppy. I do not know how she still has this job. 

Kudos to the tall male butcher that works in the beginning of the week.  He is very nice and helpful.
4 - Emily S.: Just a local supermarket... less options than I'm used to, but the food is usually fresh, probably because all the college students come here all the time.  Sometimes I can't find stuff I'm looking for, so that's why 4 stars.  Oh and I've bought tomatoes here before that were questionable.  Everything else has been fresh though, and the tomatoes at other grocery stores in SLO were questionable too, so it's not the worst place to get your food.
1 - Ary A.: Poor. Came here to get a visa travel money card and the knowledge that both the employee and manager have is, limited at best. 
At a Stater Brothers market, I was able to purchase a visa travel card with my credit card. Not only did the cashier make me feel very uncomfortable that it was not working, but the manager patronized me. This young manager was telling me matter of factly that the card could not be loaded with money charged on a credit/debit card. I suggest they look at the full capabilities of their registers and play around with it one night after closing. Will never purchase ANYTHING from here as a result.
In short, avoid this place like the plague if you are seeking gift card purchases. The employees working here have had little experience with such products that are on their shelves. Try the Rite Aid next door.
4 - Nathan D.: This is a funny little store and is always crazy busy except when Cal Poly leaves for breaks.  The trick to shopping here is to avoid late nights when Cal Poly is in since it gets way too packed.  They are competitively priced compared to the other large chains, so I don't know why everyone complains.  The produce here is often among the best I can find at the stores.
2 - David E.: I'm not a big fan of the Albertson's chain of supermarkets to begin with, regardless of the location. Prices across the board are generally higher than the other mainstream chains such as Ralphs and Vons. I dare anyone to look through their weekly circular for items that are "on sale." Too many times I've found sale items advertised during the same week for less at the other stores. Some markets (eg. LA's Gelsons or Bay Area's Andronico's) charge more for well-appointed stores, higher quality items, or better customer service. Well...Gelson's or Andronico's this isn't. 

This Albertson's location has got to be my least favorite and it's probably due to its relatively small size. The selection of fresh produce and meat is laughable for a store in this retail category, and the quality of these items is okay at best. The store tries its best to offer a range of groceries in the limited amount of floor space it has but it really struggles with stocking more specialty foods. Let's say you're looking for smoked salmon, prosciutto, or brie. Albertson's may have one option to choose from, while surprisingly, you'll find many more at even smaller stores such as Fresh & Easy and Trader Joe's. 

Service at this location is unremarkable. A select few cashiers are friendly and competent, but don't expect staffers on the floor to greet you or ask if you need help with anything--at least I've never encountered it. Shopping here late in the evening, especially Thursday through Saturday, can be a pain as the supermarket becomes a glorified liquor store with large groups of Cal Poly undergrads queuing up with their cases of Keystone and what not. 

This Albertson's is a stop for the only the basics. If you're looking for better prices, quality, service, selection, and shopping experience, San Luis Obispo is full of much better options.

Alborz - Berkeley, CA (37.8701999, -122.266645) (Downtown Berkeley, UC Campus Area)
4 - Irene S.: I had a good experience at this Alborz as well as the one in San Francisco. I enjoyed my joujeh with bone with a persian (saffron) ice cream. Parking is easy nearby as there is a Bank of America parking lot right across the street that charges a $5 flat fee when not during bank hours. It is a good place to eat, then take a short walk to the movie theaters nearby.
4 - Laura B.: I'd never had Persian food before but I was anxious to try it.  The "appetizers" (hot flatbread, onion, yogurt sauce, butter, and some sort of dark brown spice) should have come with instructions, or at least the server should have suggested what we were to do with them.  Apparently the bread and yogurt sauce is for whatever, the butter is for the rice that comes with your entree, and I still have no idea what the spice is for.  For the entree, I got the Shirin Polo with Chicken Kabob and the platters came out with massive portions.  One big skewer of chicken marinated with lemon (yum!) and a heap of saffron rice with almonds, pistachios, raisins, and orange peel.  It was like candy.  So sweet!  The candied orange peel was a little unnerving to some people in my party, but I really liked it.  

We had a HUGE party, so it's understandable that service was shaky because it appeared that our waiter was serving the whole restaurant as well as us.  But, we got to taste everyone else's food!  The various types of "Barg" were not only fun to say, but also delicious.  Someone had a roasted walnutty stew that tasted like raspberry-infused chocolate.  I don't know how that happened, but it was good.  Like I said, portions were huge so we all left very satisfied.  Totals came out to about $20 per person, decent for the food and dealing with our large party.

Just help me out with the appetizers!
4 - Garen T.: Despite being Armenian, I don't think I've ever had Persian food before. My one complaint is that I felt the kebobs I got were a little "soggy" -- that is, they must have been cooked with a lot of water that didn't get fully grilled. Armenian kebabs are usually MUCH more charbroiled.

But they had freaking sumac, right on the table! And jajough (yogurt with mint)! And lavash bread! The price was good, the service was fast, the ambiance is great, and the staff is nice.
4 - g g.: I took my co-workers to Alborz for their first Persian meal.  Our server was very nice and helpful and everyone enjoyed their meal.  This is a great place to try new flavors and the prices are very reasonable.  Definitely recommended if you are in the mood for something a little different.
2 - Ella c.: This is my first foray into the world of Persian cuisine, and, as usual, beware my vegetarian perspective.

First off, service was lackluster. They left us with menus for days while my boyfriend ate the raw onion slices with the yogurt sauce (Laura B's comment is right on, all this random stuff appeared on our table and we didn't know what the hell to do with it).

So our vegetarian options were: hummus, salad and veggie kabob so we got all three. The hummus came w/o bread (we'd eaten all the bread with our onions earlier waiting for homeboy to take our order), the salad was blaaah and the kabob was a pile of white rice surrounded by green peppers, onions, tomato and 'shroom. I hate shroom and tomato (I know, I'm a crappy vegetarian) so satisfaction was not mine.
4 - Patty N.: Tried this place out early on a Friday evening, about 5:30.  The server was very nice, and answered all of our questions about the flavors of the various entrees.  

For appetizers, we had hummus (needs bread), sabzi (very good, weird, a big portion), and lamb tongue.  As a mostly-vegetarian, I'm pretty grossed out by the tongue of anything, but my boyfriend, the food curmudgeon, absolutely loved it.  He mentioned several times how much he wanted the recipe for the yellow broth it was served in.

For entrees, two of us had the fesenjoon, a walnut and pomegranate stew, which was amazing - sweet, slightly sour, SO satisfying.  Laura B. mentions it below as well.  I'm forgetting the name of the other entree, but it had beef, eggplant and lima beans, and was apparently delicious.

We had baklava for dessert, which is homemade.  It was warm, and the flavor was perfect, but I'm used to baklava being more crispy.  

Note:  Beer is served in these tall narrow glasses - we knocked ours over really easily, broke glasses, spilled beer...sad.  They need some better glasses....=)
3 - Jason R.: I'm gonna let you in on a little secret because I like you.

I know it may seem like Persians are really nice, hospitable and good natured people, but they're sketchy as hell.

Hold on, relax, settle down. Don't think I don't see your cultural sensitiveitometer jumping off the charts. It's ok, I'm one of them.

 I know, our media is painting Iran out as evil hatemongers. And I know, this is a new kind of war with an enemy who's face we can't see. I've heard it all just like you.

But I'm here to tell you that Persians will take your money and leave you unsatisfied. They will fool you with copious amounts of rice and sprinkle it with more saffron than your white ass ever knew existed, all used to mask the fact the meat they use in their kebab is of dubious quality. 

And finally they will present you with a bill that seems pricier than you expected. Do the math. Make sure it's correct. I'm just saying..
4 - Kate S.: I went here last night as Plan B as Plan A was Cheese Board and it was closed on Monday - stupid Mondays. So I have to admit, I was expecting virtually nothing from Alborz, but was pleasantly surprised. We ate fairly early (around 6pm) so service wasn't an issue for us at all because we were practically the only ones in there. It was about 8,000 freaking degrees outside last night (which I absolutely love) so we sat outside, drank a few glasses of wine and had some pretty decent food. 

I'm not overly familiar with Persian cuisine so I'm probably not the best judge, but I liked my meal and would go back again. Fairly standard dish - chicken kebab with saffron rice with pistachios, almonds, raisins, and orange peel. The yogurt dip and lavash bread that they bring you at the beginning is tasty too, although we couldn't figure out what to do with the raw yellow onions they serve with it. I mean, I KNOW what to do...you EAT them...but WHY? They're raw onions. 

Anyway, like I said, I'm no persian cuisine expert, but I like Alborz...good food, good service, clean restaurant, close to BART...
4 - Sara M.: On a recent visit to Alborz we had hummus, dolmas and various kebabs.  My kebab was lamb tenderloin which was good, but was a lot of food, and was served with a ridiculously large amount of rice.  Our server brought the sumac (spice) to the table and gave us instructions on how to use it - maybe he's been reading Yelp!  My husband had the filet mignon/ground beef combo which I tasted and was also pretty good.  Alborz definiteley seemed like a place for carnivores, so vegetarians beware.
2 - Shirin S.: I know that there are no other Iranian options near by (particularly since Papa's closed), but I refuse to settle for the mediocre, over-priced food at Alborz.  

The kabobs are okay (I introduced my friend to joojeh kabob here and she still goes with regularity despite the fact that I don't), but I truly think the markups are outrageous (and this is probably because of the lack of competition more than anything).  $15 for Joojeh Kabob? $22 for Soltani?  Almost $5 for Torshi?  Really?  None of the khoreshts can hold a candle to my moms cooking -- though I will say I enjoy how you can get tah dig smothered in your choice of them.  I was really excited when I saw that Berkeley was getting some Iranian flavor, but I can't say that Alborz has lived up to my expectations.

Not suitable for vegetarians, but that's more the cuisine than this particular restaurant.  In case someone is still not hip to the raw onion, all you need to do is take a piece of lavash, spread some butter on it, and roll a small piece of onion in the middle.  It has a nice crunch and a surprising sweetness -- give it a shot.  Adding some sabzi to the middle or dunking the whole thing in yogurt are optional variations : )
2 - Burcin T.: Not the correct proportions!!! Ok, I might be a more carnivore than an omnivore and would like to have enough good meat on my plate at the same time with veggies and rice. We were there for a lunch and got the special of the day "Lamb stew". It tasted good but the lamb amount was 1/3 of what it should have had been and also half of that was fat. I get excited to go to kebab/middle eastern/mediterranean places but get really disappointed when I see the unfairness done in these places for some great dishes. It is way overpriced for the huge pile of rice you have to eat to fill yourself. Not going back there...
3 - Ahu S.: Very mediocre. Rounding up from 2.5 stars to 3 because the location is nice.

Food is mediocre:
-joojeh kabob was eh
-rice was good, not great
-perhaps the most disappointing was the somac had no flavor, and was practically pink! what the hell is that?

Service, also mediocre. We were waited on by about 3 different people, and had to wave people down any time we needed something.

But, the meal ended on a good note, as the zoolbia was delicious. I wouldn't go back - especially not when Bongo Burger is right next door.
2 - Kaveh T.: I've eaten a lot of Kabob in my time, and a lot of forgetable Kabob at that. But let me tell you; Alborz is no exception. It's not bad, but certanly not good either. The oddest thing about this place is that they ask you how you want your Barg cooked, which is as everybody knows, a stupid question. There's only one way to cook it, and if you are getting it bloody then you've missed the point. The biggest draw to this place is that's the only formal style Kabob Resteraunt in the East Bay this side of the Caldecott.
4 - Rob M.: Decent Persian place.  Nice wine list, good atmosphere.  If the weather cooperates you might consider sitting outside although this is highly dependent on the amount of street people and teenagers running around.  Inside is a nice option too.  Service was attentive that night without being clingy.  I will echo the sentiment raised by another though that they suddenly appeared with a bunch of stuff that I wasn't sure where to put it.  Did the cucumber dip go with the onions, the flatbread, or where?  On the other hand, I say screw convention and had fun figuring out where I wanted to put these things.

Ok the food.  Rice, and tons of it.  Fortunately I love it and it was prepared well.  Mine had onions and orange slices and nuts in it along with chicken on the side in oil (although too much oil for my taste) that fell off the bone.  I don't remember the name but it was one of the new non-kabobs on the menu in the specials.  My friend had the joojeh kabob and her chicken was marvelous.  I'll get that next time.  Oh, and you must stay for Baklava, not overpoweringly sweet but just right in it's flaky texture.  Mmmmmmm ....
2 - Brent R.: al boring. Maybe that is just how persion food is in general but I really thought there could have been alot more done here. I ordered the lamb skewers. The meat was chewy, and just not all that good, and the only other thing it came with was rice and a plain whole grilled tomato. Maybe it is better at dinner but I will never know.
4 - Helen C.: My first experience with Persian was not so great (it was bland city) but I really liked this place.  It was a bit pricey (just missed the lunch specials) but they give you HUGE portions.  I had the cornish hen which was grilled to a crispy perfection and my boyfriend had the lamb kabobs - both were quite flavorful. The dolmas are also quite good.  Not a high recommend, but worth checking out if you happen to be in the area.
4 - Jay M.: Because of this place, I love Koubideh and Tah Dig. The saffron rice is pretty good too. It just seems pricier than what I would expect.  For the rest of the night, I kept burping Koubideh.
4 - Laleh E.: I think that you should trust my reviews of Persian restaurants for the simple fact that I am half Persian.  The half of me that's Persian will understand how to fully appreciate the food and menu, because we cook it at home, and I've had many a meal Iranian-style, including several locations in Iran.  The American half of me will be able to explain it to you as someone who has also grown up eating Spaghettio's and Cup 'O' Noodles.

Anyways, back to the review . . . 

I stumbled upon Alborz Restaurant this summer, and I've eaten here a few times since, because it was the only Persian place I've come across in Berkeley so far.  I think this is definitely a typical Iranian establishment in America, with most people coming here to order the koobideh (beef kabob) they've heard about.  I think the menu has a nice selection of varying kabobs and stews, which most people look over too quickly.  If I had to give some advice to someone not familiar with the menu, I would recommend ordering one kabob plate, and one stew to try, which all go great poured over rice.  

The times I've come here, I've been pleased with the service, the food and the tea, which are really the crucial parts of any dining experience as far as I'm concerned.  It's all pretty good, but it didn't blow me away.  My friends were all very happy, and so I considered it a success coming here . . . but I've had better joojeh kabob in a restaurant.  Also, I wanted more rice.  But maybe that's just me.  

However, you will see me frequenting this place, because I'm a slave to the food I've grown up with.  And they do a pretty good job.
4 - Andrew L.: Really, really, really good.

Got the combo shishkabob of chicken and beef. A TON of food. 

The rice is just perfect. If you like Persian, you'll like this place a lot.
4 - Jenn G.: I learned during this dinner that Fesenjan is like crack cocaine to the BF, who enjoys food, but is not one to rave about a dish.  Well, he wouldn't shut up during our pre-movie dinner here.  We had sort of stumbled upon it, and as we wanted to have something ethnic that's not available in Tahoe, Alborz fit the bill.  While service was a bit stilted - the young Persian waitress would not talk to me, only to the MAN - the food came quickly and was filling.   I ordered a few different dishes that I wasn't able to pronounce, and really enjoyed the Reshtah soup (with whey), though am not a fan of herb salads that include large chunks of raw onion.  Color me unadventurous there.

Not being from Berkeley, I'm not sure how it compares to other restaurants, or other Persian restaurants in the Bay Area, but this mountain bumpkin found it more than satisfactory.
1 - judy w.: It gets a star because the service was pretty good.  

\I went with work folks for lunch and all of the kebab plates were between $10-$15.  All you get is a big plate of rice -- big whoop it's basmati -- and one teeny tiny skewer of whatever meat you pick.  So let's see, $1 dollar worth of meat and 50 cents worth of rice...  Oh and don't forget the grilled tomato they toss onto the plate.  

Never going back again, it's a total rip off.
4 - Anthony C.: This restaurant is amazing.  Everything is good as well as unique.  It seems that Berkeley doesn't have any food that isn't out of the norm and this is no exception.  I'm not sure about the other dishes but the kabobs are simple and delicious and that's a definite plus.  The rice is great and the food is very filling.  I'm not a cultural cuisine aficionado by any means but I highly recommend this place!
5 - kaveh a.: I am persian and unlike my real life friend Darin E. i think Alborz is a great Persian Restaraunt.. in fact, i think its the best one i have been to and my family and i go there at least twice a month... everyone we bring to it enjoys their food as well.  

I do agree that the service will probably not be the greatest if you have no one that speaks Farsi, but it wont be rude either.. just not great.

but the food....ahh the food is marvelous as well as is the Basmati Rice.

I recommend getting 

Koobideh which is two skewers of ground beef and rice and is usually the cheapest thing on the menu, but i always get it cause its just the best.
Soltanni (one filet mignon, one beef); Barg (steak), Juje (chicken) are also very good.

The appetizer platter is awesome and a great intro into a lot of little things us persians eat, but definitely split it with several people, because when your food comes.. it WILL be a lot of meat and rice.. and a wonderfully bbqed tomato to boot.

I highly recommend checking this place out if you have never had persian food and want something "authentic".... walk in and i guarantee you will see a persian at nearly every table.. which is always a good sign.
5 - Mike S.: I Love this place. I've never had Persian food before and I am now a major fan!! They make a walnut pomegranate chicken that is to die for. The safron rice is incredible! The lady that served us was very kind and attentive. I'll definately go back with another date. =D
5 - Twist' D.: I've been looking for a good Persian place in the Bay Area that wasn't a rip-off, and this is the place.  The price is very reasonable and lots of food.  The service was great, we weren't constantly interupted to see how we're doing, instead, the staff you  quietly fill our water glasses, or take plates away.  

We shared a combo appertizer, a small of all their goodies.  I had the ground beef kaboos, it was seasoned just right.  My friend had the chicken which was also very good.  

This is a good place to go for a small or large group.  I can't wait to go back.
5 - Daniel A.: I grew up on this food so I'd say I have a good palate for it.

Alborz being where it is (i.e. the very Persian-deprived upper bay area), there's a lot of pressure on them to represent their cuisine well.  And they do.  There is certainly better Persian food in SoCal and even in San Jose, but up here Alborz is the only place of its kind - i.e. legitimately Persian in a nice sit-down environment.  And I'm just really happy that my sole option happens to be a totally viable one.

They do everything right - at least everything that one should expect a Persian restaurant to do right.  I noticed one of the negative reviews citing a shrimp cocktail and a hummus plate.  These are NOT things to order here.  I think it's safe to say as a blanket statement that Persian hummus is crap; it's not really a staple of their culture as it is in Arab countries and generally it just marks a Persian restaurant's attempt to reach a bigger audience.  And do I even have to explain about the shrimp cocktail?  Perhaps this person understood they weren't ordering something Persian, but let me just drop in one of my insights about the cuisine in general.  

Persian food's beauty is in its earthiness... not oceaniness.  The paragon of Persian dishes would be something like a gamey, fatty lamb shank stewed in parsley and cilantro and onion.  You dig?  The seafood values of subtlety, freshness, and sterility just don't fit in with that aesthetic. 

Onto what is good.  They do all the stews right, and the stews are the real representatives of Persian food.  If you're new to it and want to get a quick picture of the uniqueness of the cuisine, try the ghorme sabzi - a stew in which various herbs comprise most of the volume.  These stews are all very complex and very precise in their recipes, so generally the only degrees of quality are right and wrong.  You either achieve the target taste or you don't - and Alborz does.

And finally the kebabs.  While these aren't the best I've had, I consider them very important to Berkeley's and the bay's kabob education.  In other reviews of local middle eastern places, I've complained about the meat being inferior to restaurants in other cities.  Well in case you are one of my three or four avid readers and have been anxious to know what good ground meat tastes like, I can direct you to Alborz.  Order a kubideh plate (either chicken or beef; both have their strengths) and behold.  There are no words more appropriate than juicy and flavorful.  Like the animal drank sauce all its life instead of water.

Alborz fully deserves five stars insofar as it stays in here the bay area.  But if you're from somewhere else and already know your stuff, don't weigh it against what you've had before.
4 - David A.: Stumbled unto this place when we realized it's neighbor restaurant, Raphael, was closed.  We loved the feel of the place -- classy but not overly -- well lit, clean.  We weren't disappointed.  This was our first time trying Persian cuisine and it is excellent!  The chicken and filet kabobs were TENDER and tasty.  Rice was plentiful and tasty.  Staff helpful and professional.  We'll definitely go back to try the many other menu items that we couldn't try our first time!
4 - mia s.: I have the privilege of knowing some wonderful Iranians and have had the opportunity to sample some authentic Persian food.  I am a huge fan of both.  

Our dining experience at Alborz was nice.  The ambiance is elegant yet casual (enough to dine with our kids) and the service we received was good.  To be fair, I will not compare the food to that which was cooked by our friend's mother visiting from Iran.  

Overall, I found the food enjoyable.  We ordered the Tah dig (crispy rice from the bottom of the pot) with the fesanjoon (chicken with pomegranate sauce) gravy to start and that was scrumptious.  My daughter couldn't get enough of it.  The torshee (pickled vegetables) was also delicious.  While we enjoyed most of what was on the Alborz special (grilled beef tenderloin, chicken and koubideh), they were not the best kabobs I've had.  The chicken and koubideh were good but I thought the beef tasted rather livery.  My biggest disappointment was with the ghorme sabsi (beef stewed with various greens and herbs).  This is by far my favorite Persian dish and I found theirs to be rather flat.  The rice (a big deal in Persian cuisine) was very well done.

Overall, we enjoyed our dinner and are glad to have found a Persian restaurant in the area.  We'll certainly be back to give the other menu items a try.
3 - Dyuti S.: Pros:
Close to Berkeley theatres and hot spots
Good for early dinner
Nice fresh tasting ingredients
Good service
Very clean and pleasant ambiance 
A nice night out for those of moderate means

Cons:
A little pricey for what ya get
Along those lines - they might consider lowering the enormous quantity of rice and putting in a nice salad, which would make the meal a little more budget friendly and nutritionally balanced.

So overall I like it. I just think it's a little on the expensive side.
5 - Cyrus A.: I have to agree with my brother Kaveh that this place is fantastic authentic Persian food. Both of my parents were born and raised in Iran and claim this is the best Persian food they have had outside of the homeland (and outside of mom's kitchen!). 

Reasonable prices, generous portions, excellent flavors, warm atmosphere, and good service make this a good place for dates, family outings, or just a change of pace. 

I took a pair of American friends here two months ago and since then they have been back at least 5 times, and brought their parents too. 

This place is the real deal when it comes to Persian food. For the more plain eater, stick to the Koobideh (ground beef) or Joojeh (chicken) Kabobs. For the more adventurous, try one of the Khoresh (meaty sauce) items. 

And for those with TRUE Persian roots, get yourself a raw egg yolk in your rice and a Dough (Yoghurt Soda) on the side.
2 - Kathleen M.: The husband suggested to a friend of ours to eat dinner with us here. When the food arrived I was seriously embarassed, especially given the steep prices. Alborz commands the highest prices I've seen in the Bay Area for Persian food ($18-$20 entrees). And the entrees weren't nearly as good as Pomegranate and Shalizaar which charge $5 less per entree.

My Persian Rankings

1. Khayyam's - Albany (the master - now closed - against which all Persian restaurants will forever be judged)
2. Pomegranate - Berkeley, Walnut Creek, Concord (great barg and joojeh kabob with zereshk polo; pomegranate chicken is good but sweet taste can be cloying)
3. Shalizaar - Belmont (I've only been to the old San Mateo location)
4. House of Kabobs - Sunnyvale
5. Chelokababi - Sunnyvale
6. Yas - San Jose (really impressive selection of polos - but other food is just OK)
7. Afghan Persian Kabob - Sunnyvale
8. Leila - San Francisco
9. Kabob House Halal - Santa Clara
10. Rose Market - Mountain View
11. ALBORZ - Berkeley
12. Bijan - Fremont (food too oily, and stews either too sweet or too ketchup-y)
4 - Shawna R.: At first it's hard to eat here because it seems like a kabob place i went to in DC, except with tablecloths, and I couldn't stomach the prices.

BF and I had just spent 4 hours in the library and our eyes were dry and tired and we were HUNGRY. 

Then we ordered and food came out. This was WAY ahead of any kabob place. I highly recommend the roasted eggplant (Kashk Bedemjah) the flavor was AMAZING and unique and trust me, I eat a lot of eggplant. I had a perfect Koobideh (ground beef kabob) which was perfectly cooked, still juicy, well spiced. The BF had Fesenjoon with Chicken. It's ilke a stewed chicken in this tart-sweet-nutty sauce. You can taste the walnuts and the astringency from the pomegranate. He loved it, I agreed it was really good but a little too sweet for me to eat the whole thing. Finished the meal with some perfect Persian tea.
4 - Martha D.: I like this place. It looks classy and more expensive than it actually is. My favorite thing when I go there is the Shishlik? (Did I spell it right?)  Tasty beyond belief. Another one is the salmon, OMG always cooked right.  I like to get my entrees with half rice half salad.  It's too much rice otherwise. They have good pomegranate martinis. The Persian ice cream is obligatory for me.  I guess my only complaint is the Doukh?  the yogurt drink disappoints me. I like it with sparking soda, and often the drink is flat and the pieces of mint are humongous.
4 - Angie C.: I've never had Persian food so I was pleasantly surprised by the experience. Had to ask for help with the bread, onions, and yogurt that came to our table as a starter. Got a lovely thin sliced filet mignon with buttery rice, and a black charred object that turned out to be a delicious, roasted tomato. The Turkish coffee was strong and sweet, with a powdery finish. I'd love to come back for lunch specials, as the dinner menu is slightly more expensive than I'd like.
4 - Rebekah K.: If you've never had Persian food, you should mos def try it. 

I grew up eating Persian food & the only place that truly gets 5 stars is my Mom's cooking--wha? don't YOU think your mom makes the best food?

This place is good. Their Cheloh Kabob [ground beef fire roasted] is pretty good. I think they have the spices in a nice combination. Their Fesenjoon [ground walnuts with pomegranate] leaves much to be desired. It was a little on the watery side. And their Ghormeh Sabzi [lots of greens over rice] was pretty good too. 

I ordered a Zulubiyah [sweet sugary yumminess] for dessert, but it tasted a little stale. 

I think this place really deserves a 3.5, but I'll round it up to 4 for ambiance & the fact that they *are* authentic & don't make fun of me when I speak in Farsi.
3 - Royce L.: This was the first time my BF and I ever tried Persian cuisine. We wanted to try something different; we often eat a variety of Asian cuisines, Mexican, Spanish, French, Californian, Greek, etc. Recently, we've been exploring Middle Eastern cuisines and have discovered a world of spices, herbs, and sauces that are entirely foreign to our tongues, in a good way. 
Alborz was our first attempt at Persian food. I suppose it would have been more helpful if we had a friend or someone who could have advised us on the popular and common dishes. Our server, upon our request, did recommend some items and showed us the way to eat what was brought to our table. His recommendation was a kebobs plate, which I thought was the safest and least effort recommendation. Before I could object, my BF said okay we'll have that. Err. There were 3 types of meat for about $33: chicken, beef, and a ground lamb patty. I thought it was expensive for the plate. I also only really appreciated the chicken. The beef wasn't good and I'm just not a lamb patty person. As for appetizer, we were recommended the combination plate with herbs, cheese, yogurt, nuts, and several other items that I can't name. The rice wrapped leaves and the dark green spongy slice that somewhat resembled a quiche was yummy. Overall, I thought we had a good meal but I've discovered I don't like the yogurt, which appears to be an integral part of persian cuisine. However, I do think there are many dishes that I would enjoy, only if someone would explain it all to me. Hehehe...
As for the rest. the server was nice but did not appear enthusiastic about helping us out. The prices seemed high but the rest. did have a nice atmosphere.
4 - Julianne Marie B.: yay for khoobideh! such amazing food, i highly recommend the khoodbideh...the soltani is good but the khoobideh is better. plates of shirazi and mast a little small...
4 - Elisabeth H.: why? why must my children act like such little snot-nosed heathens at Alborz? It bums me out to no end because I love gettin' my kebab on here. 

This is one of the few places where I eat white rice with relish. Actually I eat it with a big piece of onion and roasted tomato.  It's always perfectly cooked with the little scattering of saffron rice over the top. 

Which do I love more - the filet mignon or the lamb? I don't know, just get the hell away from my plate. 

The food is actually great for kids and adults, but according to my daughter, she acts badly here because it seems "too much like a grown up place." 

Get it? Leave the kids at home.  Order your kebab bloody enough for sacrifice. Bring them a doggy bag if you feel like it.  Enjoy.
4 - Jennifer Y.: There aren't many nice, white table-clothed, good Persian restaurants like this around Downtown Berkeley/ UC Campus area so I'm not surprised that Alborz gets busy at night. 

Before your meal they bring you flat bread that you can eat with yogurt and raw onions or just butter if you prefer. Persian food can be a bit on the dry side compared to Indian food and I wanted something a little saucy to go with my rice so I ordered the Fesenjoon with Chicken (roasted ground walnut cooked in pomegranate sauce). Our cool, super nice waiter said it was a good choice. He was definitely right. Mmm..rich, a bit tart, sweet, moist tender chicken... I was diggin this dish, but be careful not to overload the rice with the pomegranate sauce or it might be a little on the strong side.

My bf orderd the Chicken Koobideh (two skewers of ground chicken breast seasoned with saffron, and onion). It's a massive platter and he ate the whole thing. I don't blame him because the chicken skewers were damn good. So juicy and cooked jsut right. Everything's better with butter. I think I'll order that next time.

We're not drinkers so the total bill was $38 (including tip) which isn't bad at all. Good food, friendly service, and great company make for a happy belly and an awesome night.
2 - NAEL K.: i excpected more for an ( upscale ) persian place like this too bad i m from the middle east and i know whats the difference between good and ok wantta be good food , it was just plain under seasoned i would consider giving it another chance maybe for lunch not dinner but i ve had  much better persian food
4 - Matt D.: I've eaten at the Alborz location in the city quite a few times; though this location is owned by the same people, it just seems to be lacking a certain something that the San Fran location has. However, it delivers with quality food and good service--prices, of course, are a bit steep, but show me a nice Persian restaurant without high prices.
4 - mama y su nina n.: Was introduced to this restaurant by my ex., and was pleasantly surprised  to find a decent Persian restaurant in my own back yard. 

Lunch prices are decent. So far I have only tried their kabobs, and they are excellent. 

I am not Persian, and I would have to recommend to all those who are not to definitely give this exquisite cuisine a try. Once you have it though, I think you will  become a regular!
4 - Kelly B.: Food was delish, but service was mediocre.

My Persian husband and I ate lunch here on the fourth of July!  The food was very good, but service was slow, slow, slow.

We started with lamb tongue appetizer which was so good, we ate every morsel and sopped up the juice with our bread!  The tongue was tender and juicy.

Our main dishes took another half hour to make it from the kitchen and we were one of three tables.  The food was very good.  My husband had the chicken Koobeedeh and I had the bahareh pollo with a lamb shank.  Both were very nicely made and tasted wonderful.  

For desert, we shared a vanilla ice cream topped with the rose water and vermicelli granita, accompnied by a shaker of lemon juice.  

I recommend this restaurant for it's elegant surroundings and wonderfully prepared food.  Prices are reasonable, considering how pricey Persian food is!
4 - Christina N.: I took my mom out here this past weekend because she had the random hankering for Persian food, and I was pleasantly surprised with Alborz. The restaurant was nicely decorated with mellow, dark, candlelit undertones and the waitstaff were quick and friendly. We ordered a delicious eggplant appetizer dip that was even better when eaten with the yogurt sauce and paprika spice mixture at the table. The kebabs were all you could hope for when it comes to meat on a stick; tender, juicy, savory morsels that satisfied the hunger. I ordered the fesenjoon which is a pomegranate walnut stew. I was quite pleased with the rich, tangy flavor and even more pleased when I ate it with the fluffy basmati rice. Alborz is definitely a nice trip to the Middle East all in the comforts of the East Bay. I'll be back again.
4 - Alan L.: Had dinner with a friend after a movie.   As others have noted, the   eggplant appetizer is wonderful.  Shared a combination plate with chicken, ground beef and filet kabobs and per the waiter's instructions added the sumac spice to the meat which made it even better.  Asked for the meat medium rare, got medium well, but still v. tasty.  We were served plates with about 2 tons of basmati rice to go with the kabobs .   As appears to be common, only vegetable was a whole grilled tomato for each of us.  Service was good.  This is a place that I have to introduce Toni to as she will enjoy it.
4 - Toni M.: Mary and I had lunch here today after hearing good things about it from Alan as well as El H. and Kelly B.  It's a large, bright, attractive space w/ an oversize front door.  We had a table for two by the window.  The sidewalk outside is broad enough to hold several tables w/ chairs near the restaurant and several large planters in a line near the street while still accommodating pedestrians w/o making them feel at all crowded.  It was an attractive view.  Warm Persian flatbread was served w/ pats of butter to tide us over until lunch arrived.   I ordered baked chicken served w/ rice flavored w/ saffron and dried barberries.  The chicken was meltingly tender, easily pulled off the bone to mix w/ the rice.  Mary had a stew w/ eggplant.  We both had good strong Persian tea.  Service was friendly and attentive.  It was a comfortable place to linger and talk.
4 - Jen Z.: It was my first time getting Middle Eastern food and it was delish! The service was prompt but a bit serious for my taste. However, it was super classy.. which is NOT the case in the general Berkeley campus area so it was a nice change of pace.
4 - Laurence H.: I've had Persian food while in college in SoCal and have always enjoyed it...After having eaten at Alborz, I am now a true fan.

Alborz has a nice ambiance and is located in my friends building in Berkeley.  The yogurt, grilled meats and other dishes are made with high quality meats and produce.  This is an authentic place and a fun place for those seeking middle eastern food that is not falafel or gyros...
5 - Jon T.: Food was excellent!  Grilled chicken and ground chicken kabobs were very tasty!  The salad and rice were plentiful.  They make sure you leave stuffed!

Try the ice cream!  It is a must have.  The ice cream is curned in rose water and has a distinctive taste to it.  Once you take a few spoon fulls you will be in love!
3 - Kenneth F.: Really empty during lunch on a weekday..but heard it gets quite packed at night or on the weekends.

Ordered the chicken (jougeh?) kebob The food was decent, but was mainly filling because of a small pile of rice that came with the dish.  It seemed plain with just the rice, the kebob, and a lonely looking tomato on the side of the dish.  The chicken was very tender though and decently flavorful, which saved the dish. 

The lunch items seemed around $11-$13, which may have been the reason it was empty (ppl were running around spending under $10 for lunch).
4 - Kimhouy T.: I really must commend this place for their amazing service. 

 I was disappointed to see that they did not have albaloo polo on the menu.  I resigned myself to ordering something else when, as the waiter was walking away to place our order, I blurted out "Do you know if you'll have albaloo polo on your menu anytime soon?"  I was shocked at my rudeness, but he was seemed surprised that this little asian girl knew what that was (Dude, I spent five years at UCLA- walk five minutes down Westwood Blvd and you're in Little Persia).    He cocked his head to the side and, in a thoughtful voice, said "I think we can do that, yes."  Ten minutes later, I had an awesome plate of cherried rice in front of me.  YES!  I know where I'm going next time I crave polo.
2 - Cindy A.: Let me start by saying that I used to love to go to this restaurant, the food was mostly great, a few misses over the years, but everyone has a bad day or two.  

HOWEVER- I had the most unfortunate dining experience here at lunch a few months ago.  It keeps eating at me and I need to vent.....my husband has been seriously ill over the last 9 months and the first place he wanted to go when he had regained his strength was Alborz...we took my mother in law who has been our angel!  I ordered Shirin Polo, which is my fav dish there....when the busser delivered my food he handed me an unlined shallow soup bowl with scorching hot broth (and chicken) in it that was almost overflowing.  He had it an an angle so when i touched the bowl it scorched my hand which by reflex i pulled away, he then proceeded to dump about half of the SCORCHING HOT broth on my LAP! It was so hot i yelped and jumped out of my seat.  The busser brought me a bag of ice for my lap and said i'm sorry.  NO ONE ELSE CAME OVER.  My waiter just stood there and looked at me talking to the other waiter.  The woman chef stared at me from across the room but no one said a word.  When I finally flagged the waiter over to ask him for more broth, he rolled his eyes (serious attitude) and took my bowl with out saying a word.  When it was time for our check he just plopped it down on the table...we mentioned that it might be a nice gesture on their part to comp my meal since they seriously burned me.....you know what the waiter said ....."well, she spilled it on herself!!!!!!"  He grabbed the check out of my husbands hands -comped the item and again said nothing.

Even if I had dumped the whole thing on myself (which i SO did not) human nature says to go and ask if you can help someone in pain...I was a food server on and off for 15 years, and you NEVER serve a shallow bowl of soup or any hot liquid without a plate liner.

It took 3 days for my legs and hand to feel better.

I guess things might have been different if the owner was there, but perception is reality! So Sad.
3 - Ligaya T.: Meat on a stick. 
Anything on a stick, for that matter. 
It's hard to go wrong. 

Ground up, well... that's another story. Take hot dogs for example. I have close friends that no thanks to Pee Wee Herman and his hot dog tree to this day still have phobias. How I would get them to try the deliciously juicy beef and chicken kobiddehs here, I do not know. But I can confidently say that if you're a believer in meat consumption, this is the supreme form of its ground up existence. Imagine a burger flattened, flame-licked and thrown over a spit. Pair it with a splash of fresh lemon, grilled whole tomato, and fragrant rice and you'll begin to understand the most basic yet gastronomically delightful staple of Persian cuisine.

"Why three stars, Ligaya?", you may ask. And to this I scratch my chin and pull on its hairs and say in a feeble voice that I've had better. That the eggplant dip though bathed in green olive oil tasted like it was made days ago, and that the dolmas though warm lacked a zest of herbs. And that in ordering the paneer sabzi what I got was literally a plate of fresh basil, cilantro and mint, slices of cucumber and tomato, yogurt sauce and a chunk of feta. A little creativity, please. 

A little wine to soothe the disappointment never hurts, right? Alas. Our cab as suggested by the waiter was as one-dimensional as the man himself. thought I'm not holding that against them. White tableclothes and all, I expect a level of reservedness though the fork and the knife had erroneously switched places with the spoon. Is that a Persian custom?

In conclusion: a fair option for a tasty meal but for the pennies and ambiance there are finer plates a-calling.
3 - Tiffany H.: Pretty good food.  The prices are very reasonable, and nice ambiance.  Great place for lunch!  I had one of the stew, and it was decent.  My friend had the sweeter one, and it was a little too sweet for me, but it's more of a personal preference, since everyone else loved it.  We had the combo appetizer and everything on it was yummy! The meat dishes were good as well, not too dry.
5 - Reza K.: Yet another Persian food review from an Iranian dude. This place was freakin awesome. I judge Persian food based on family cooking that I have had. This place is very good. We went with 5 people so I tried everyones stuff so I could make a fair review. Everything I had was very good. We got bread with free Must-o-Khiar (yogurt with cucumber) with onions on the side (amazing). We ordered some eggplant (I can't remember the name now) and it was amazing also. My fiance who doesn't like eggplant at all loved it.

I had Gormeh Zabzi and it was wonderful. I tried Joojeh Kabob (chicken), and Soltani ( mix of barg  and chelo kabab). This place did everything very well  and even the tea was good. The only thing is I like to try the Persian Ice cream (rose flavored with pistacio) but I was way too full to try it. 

All in all the place is a little pricey but worth every damn penny of it. Amazing place.
3 - mike s.: This is a nice, clean and comfortable place. I went there for dinner last night and I got  a chicken kebab (actually the plate was served with 2 kebabs) with rice and I also got the free bread with must-o-khiar  which its similar to tzatziki. My chicken was so tasty...and tender...and juicy...and I just loved it!!! The rice was OK but I've tried better oh and I also asked for the yogurt soda so good  .The service was good and the prices are reasonable.
I'm sure I'm gonna go back and give a try to some other items in the menu so this is just a temporary rating...We'll see!!
5 - Debbie D.: Thank you for finally having a good Persian restaurant in the area that is worth every bite. I come up here every year to visit with friends, shopping and good food. And never have we been able to find good Persian restaurant, comparable to the ones I love here in L.A. 

I have to say that I was little skeptical but it was worth every dollar. I absolutely had to try their pomegranate drink which is made from barley ( i can't remember the name) It was FANTASTIC!! I got wasted on one drink alone and it was the perfect balance of sweetness and alcohol. I ordered the ground chicken kabob and my friend ordered the koobideh kabob. Both were delicious, moist and not overcooked. The rice was nice and fluffy and the tomato was roasted to perfection. We also order the Shiraz salad which is cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and parsley in lemon/oil dressing which - hello I loved. 

Every bite was delicious and I wish I could have eaten it all, because it is large portion. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone seeking great Persian food because it is hard to find restaurant like this in this area. 

Thanks to fellow yelper Reza K. for recommending this spot. This is a gem in Berkeley.
2 - jamie c.: we broke up.

here's what i really think.
4 - Katy W.: Ok, it's a little pricey. The thing is that I continually forget exactly how expensive it is between visits and I think that is a very good sign (because I'm fairly cheap). 

Their fesenjoon with chicken is AMAZING. I also think that despite how noisy it can be, it has a great atmosphere. Everyone seems to be having a good time probably because the food is so good. I also think the service is above average. 

I honestly can't comment too much about the remainder of the menu because I always order the fesenjoon, but friends have said that their lamb is "quite nice" (a true Aussie compliment). 

Well worth any difficulties getting/parking here.
5 - Dave D.: I was talking smack this past Saturday how Cal was going to put the hurt on UCLA.......oh well!  ON our way back to BART I got hungry and I spied ALborz and I remembered that name from my Fremont days!  Ahhhh good persian food, I got my lamb fix and don't remember what the UCLA fan had. A little wine helped ease my pain.
5 - Andrew G.: Alborz is the place I come to when I want excellent Persian food (outside of my dad's side of the family).

This place has excellent kabobs and the portions are huge.  I always end up taking some back home for lunch the next day.  Food prices are around the 10-15 dollar range but with that price you get excellent dishes, good waiters, a nice and clean restaurant plus endless yogurt with lavash (Persian bread).

If you are ever in the University area of Berkley I would recommend trying Alborz if you want to eat some authentic Persian food.
2 - Kenneth R.: Nine of us came here for dinner, and nine of us left, more or less intact.  The location is a plus.  Prices are reasonable and quantities are large.  The food was a real "meh" for me despite my good attitude.  (Our group included a Persian woman who claimed that the place was really excellent.)  You get a large number of chunks of grilled meat, a huge mound of rice with some spices in it and a small green salad if you agree to have your mound of rice made somewhat smaller.  You'd be better off elsewhere.

We ordered two red wines: the Ravenswood Lodi zinfandel ($28) and somebody's Lodi Sierra Foothills "shriaz" ($32).  The zin was marginally better than the shiraz, but I don't plan on drinking either again.  The menu price of the Ravenswood was about double the standard retail price.
4 - Mina A.: I am persian, and I always crave persian food, and i'm sooo happy I found alborz. 
Alborz is a nice, sit-down restaurant, that has a new, fresh, and clean interior, and nice patio seating, and serves up very good persian food.

The service is really good, and the servers are very accomodating. They are constantly refilling drinks (for free ofcourse) and they are very attentive, but not overly attentive. They are also very accomodating in terms of special requests, and they don't seem to get angry or even annoyed when you do substitutions or special requests for your meal. I am a vegetarian, and both times i've been, my servers have been really good about making the khoreshts (stews) for me without meat, and one time the server gave me extra stew since i didn't get any meat in it.

the food is delicious, authentic, and healthy. They don't use too much salt, which I am very picky about. Their mahst oh khiar (cucumber yogurt) is delicious, as is the lavash bread (which they serve for free). 

I got a the salmon with the boghali poloh (lima bean and dill rice), and it was delicious. The salmon was perfectly cooked and marinated, and the grilled veggies served with the salmon were perfect. the rice was also delicious, and the serving size was perfect. 

the second time i went i got the salad shirazi (cucumber and tomato salad) as an apperizer. It was delicious, and fresh, and crisp; although the serving size was a little too small for 5 dollars (and for my hungry stomach). then for an entree i got tadig (crispy, breaded rice) with gormeh sabzi (kidney bean and spinach stew) on top. The gormeh sabzi was delicious, it is one of my favorite persian dishes, and i was soooo happy when they told me they could do it without meat. Their gormeh sabzi was delicious, and very authentic, and the tadig was crispy and fresh, and the serving size was good. 

my friend got the luleh khabob (ground beef kabob) which has some spice and onions mixed into it, with the saffron rice. She loved it, and said the kabob was delicious. She also got the faloudeh icecream for dessert, which was really good.

overall, alborz is quite good! it is a good place to go for a nice dinner, if you are willing to pay a little more than what most restaurants in the berkeley area tend to charge. it is by no means expensive, but it is more expensive than most restaurants in berkeley (which tend to be cheaper). Alborz has a very pleasant, calm atmosphere, and great, authentic persian food. the service is excellent, and the area is really cute too. they also have a really cute patio, but everytime i've gone it was too cold to sit outside unfortunatey. 

I highly recommend it for anyone looking food good persian food or just looking for a nice, sit-down dinner.

** a word of advice/knowledge; i know persian food isn't the most common type of food, and some people might be hesitant about trying it, but they do have a lot of basic foods if you want to maybe ease yourself into the world of persian food. a good amount of their menu consists of kabobs (which are just different kinds of barbecued/grilled meats) and rices. I do highly recommend the stews and the tadig, but they do have more basic/common foods if you are worried that there won't be something on the menu that you would want to try.
4 - Azar H.: This place is absolutely delicious!!
2 - stan h.: Food was tasty although all with big helpings of rice; only later we learned that we could have half rice and half salad. The service (starting with the reservation) was indifferent, not unpleasant and efficient but "I could not care less" attitude.  Ambiance/decor is very pleasant and prices are quite reasonable.
4 - Darius A.: The food here was pretty good came here once. Parking is kind of a pain but its not that bad. The only thing I did not like is that I had to wait about 10 minutes just to get somebody to get me a water and a menu.
5 - Sarah K.: I am a really big fan of this place - it is a nice, clean sit down place that is good between friends, good for the family, good for work buddies. I first went here for a staff appreciation dinner with my co-workers a few years back, and just kept going. I even took my parents. The kabbobeh is delicious, but my personal favorite is the  fesenjoon. They actually have a really great selection of vegetarian food. Overall, all of the food is delicious, and it's not like it's that easy to find a Persian place to begin with, right? Price is moderate - hey, you get what you pay for!
3 - Daniel L.: After seeing so many glowing reviews on yelp, I came here for dinner eager to get reacquainted with Persian cuisine. The ambiance was quite elaborate with white table cloths, beautiful large windows, and the sparkly clean layout was nothing short of extravagance. I was there as their first dinner customer and conveniently asked the lone server about their lamb kabob.  After I was told that the lunch item would come at the cost of dinner ($20+), I decided on their chicken kebob with basmati rice mixed with raisins, almond, orange peels, saffron, and pistachio. 

The basket of warm lavosh was a welcoming sight but the side dish of half cut onion was not enough to intrigue.  Portions were large with the chicken flavorful but slightly dry.  I thought the basmati was rich and delicious, but the hint of white raisin was not enough to counterbalance the dominance of orange peels. Despite this, I enjoyed the use of saffron as the permeating flagrance was a delightful anchor.

Service was very attentive and friendly considering the crowd was slow to trickle in. The meal was not worth the value at $21.35 since I'm able to get it in Westwood for better and cheaper. 3 stars for the decent experience.
3 - Jennifer W.: This is a fancy restaurant that serves Persian cuisine and be prepared to pay for the ambiance! It is nice that they have cloth napkins, tall wine glasses, wood paneling, and other many embellishments, but the food is no much better than what you can get at any other hole in the wall. Dinner was not very busy at all and I never see many people here for lunch when I pass by.

The rice is buttery, but the shwarmas were salty, especially the lamb. However, the muskiness of the lamb was masked by lots of savory herbs.
4 - Samantha S.: what a surprise!! FEMALE CHEF********** :))))))))))
kashk was bomb. aash was dead on. and the bademjoon was so so so delicious, very unique tasting, unlike home--which was a nice change. good service and moderately priced. check it out!
4 - Rachel N.: Madre and I wanted a Mediterranean-y din, so I Yelped and found Alborz, which is close to my apt and seemed to fit the bill.  The restaurant is nicer than its surroundings prepared me for --not the deli style med fare that most of the places in Berk seem to be.  

We were seated immediately--the place was only 3/4 full on a Friday night at 7:45, and although it took our waiter a while to come greet us (well, maybe only 5-7 min, but when you think about it, that's actually a long time for the "hi, how are you" part of the meal to get going), once he acknowledged us he was quite friendly, verging on adorable.  

We started w/ the shirazi salad (really more like a cup of chopping cukes and tomatoes in a lemon/spice/olive oil dressing) and a Greek salad.  Both could have been a smigden bigger, but were yummy.  We then went for the hummus (excellent--thick, plentiful, lemony) and the roasted eggplant dip--not anything like babaganoush (sp?)--but lovely.  A bit sweeter, drizzled w/ "whey" and sprinkled w/ walnuts.  We split a salmon kebab which came w/ green bells, onions, and enough rice to feed all of a small country.  Fish was a smidge dry but warm and filling--rice was spiced w/ dill and limas.  Glad they added some interest to it.

Oh, and they give you wonderful lavash and yogurt dip to start.  Yum. 

It was a bit spendy for what it was (I think 60 for the 2 of us before t and t, and w/ no drinks), but it was calm, and Sar Sar was footing the bill, so it didn't really fuss me. 

Overall, the food was certainly solid, perhaps a B+, and while I'm probably no expert on Persian specifically, I know some good hummy when I taste it. 

Oh, important--if you're going w/ vegetarians, they have a few dishes but not nearly as many as one might expect from a med place--probably 5-6 total.
4 - Paul L.: Upfront:  Great service, wonderful food, and ambiance to match - Alborz does more right than most, and comes up with a big win in the Kabob game.  4.9 stars...

Standouts:  Service was great - and from the moment we sat down, water and lavash was instantaneous.  Our apps (a thick n delicious Persian noodle stew and a salad) were delivered so quickly that we barely had time to blink.  We also ordered hot tea in response to the early autumn night chill, and it was soothing and elegant - with a hint of rose water.

Meat:

Yes.

Freakin' awesome kabobs that were succulent, hefty and satisfying.  My wife and I ordered the "for two" kabob plate of filet mignon, chicken, and spiced ground beef - and it was all expertly prepared.  Yay meat!

In The End:  Go for lunch or dinner - well worth it, convenient, and bound to produce smiles.  We'll be going back for sure.
5 - D H.: Alborz is the best Persian food in the bay area.  As a Persian, you should trust me.  

My mom's Persian food is a 6, Persian food in Los Angeles is a 5.5, but for the Bay...this is as good as it gets.

Get some kabob...you'll like it.
4 - Amiee H.: Food is good! I'm not a big meat lover, but the chicken, ground beef, and fillet mignon that we got was SOOOO GOOD!!! If it wasn't so expensive, I would have ordered more food! 

The waiter was super nice, that's always a plus! But don't be fooled! This is NOT a TWO DOLLAR SIGN RESTAURANT!!! Try more like THREE DOLLAR SIGNS!!!
4 - Sean N.: I love me some Persian food. There is clearly a lack of Persian cuisine options in the east bay, but Alborz delivers quality and value in their authentic dishes. Their kebabs are pretty tasty, but if you're feeling a little more adventurous, I'd recommend any one of the rice (i.e. "pollo") dishes and/or the Gourme Sabzi. Mmmmm.
1 - mike E.: Whole family got a food poisoning after dining there.  It was not the first time I have been there and I love Persian food. Yet the last dining experience really put a black eye on their reputation.  Their stews were tasty but deadly. Everybody was sick and in and out of bathroom for a couple of days.  I read other reviews and am glad for people who had good time there. On my end, it was the last time I was anywhere near the place.
4 - dreamer k.: Delicious food..  ghormeh sabzi i would happily bring the persian side of my family to..mmmmm keep up the good work!  ps: i asked for the ghormeh sabzi on tah dig (which is pretty much crispy, almost burned rice, purposely burned, that is..) and they happily obliged..but they did the kind that incorporates bread. that was fine.
3 - troy m.: To get fed: $17

Looking for a place close to UCB where the entire waitstaff looks like they have a hint of organized crime about them? Well my friend, you've just arrived! Seriously though, while slightly shady, they were all very nice and pretty helpful.

Alborz does Persian food, but that's a generalization of the point: they make fesenjoon.  And I love me some good fesenjoon.  The dish is conceptually perfect, as it contains chicken, pomegranate, and walnuts, a trinity of deliciousness.  The one I ate here was not particularly fantastic tasting, but oddly satisfying.  I can't describe it any better than that.

The decor inside is pretty run of the mill as far as Persian restaurants go, but the seating is endearingly worn down.  I was here with a fairly large group (12+), and the service handled our several tables efficiently.

My big complaint here is the price point.  I understand charging 20+ for kebabs and the like, that makes sense.  However, $14 for fesenjoon is kinda like charging $12 for a bowl of chicken soup.  Basmati was included and pretty good though.

Summary: Comfortable (s)eating.  25% price reduction = 4 stars.
2 - Paolo D.: To start with they don't have any vegetarian options, except stew of veggie which is not good at all. I have eaten Persian food a lot and I know they have so many vegetarian dishes. The service is good though (that's why I am giving it 2 stars). The food you get for your money is not worth and not enough either. I'll accept small portion for a quality but Alborz doesn't have either.
1 - Susan S.: The food was not the best persian food i have had. The rice seemed old and dry, but not too bad, just a little pricey.
4 - Song-My T.: I ate my first Persian meal at this restaurant, and I really enjoyed it. It has a fancy ambiance, but a meal is affordable. I ordered the chicken and beef kebab plate, which has one chicken kebab and one beef kebab. It was served with rice and a deliciously roasted tomato. It tastes best with some yogurt sauce and lemon squeezed over the top. So good!

Also, a must is their ice cream. It tastes like it is rose-flavored, and has small sugar crystals mixed in. It's a great end to the meal.
5 - Kristen H.: I really REALLY like this place. The food is awesome and since I only come here with a certain family I ALWAYS have a good time. I can't pronounce anything on the menu but I've loved everything I've had. So far Joojeh Soltani is my favorite. The koobideh was really flavorful and perfectly cooked, moist and delicious. But the standout star in Joojeh Soltani is the chicken. It is some of the best chicken I have ever had in a restaurant.   I do sometimes feel a little self conscious since I'm probably the whitest person in the entire restaurant and I tend to butcher the language while trying to order but It's more my own issue. The staff is pleasant and accommodating and the restaurant is clean and has a great atmosphere. 

Oh but FYI... Don't try and cheat on the parking in the across the street lot. They'll get ya.
4 - Melisa T.: Big portions. Attentive Staff. Nice ambiance. It's a gem. Not many Persian restaurants in the East Bay. 
I've eaten here twice in the past two weeks!
4 - Tramy V.: 3.5 stars! We were promptly seated and got complimentary lavash bread with an all onion spiced salad and butter.  I wasn't really into the onion side, as raw onions have a very strong flavor and are difficult to eat, even with the lavash.  We ordered the Soltani (ground beef and filet mignon skewer) and the Chicken Kebob in the house specials section (with byrani rice specially mixed with orange rinds, pistachios, almonds, and raisins) - waiter recommended.  The chicken was delicious and tender! I usually really dislike chicken, but this one was nicely marinated and tasty!  Even better with the lemon! The rice contained wayyy too many citrus rinds though, and they were thickly cut -- not my preference at all.  The ground beef was also tender, a little on the salty side though.  The filet mignon was good too! Overall, my chicken was the favorite though which was ironic given I usually am not a fan of chicken since it is usually too dry.  The waiter recommended us to get half rice/half salad, instead the full portion of rice they offer you, and it was a really good idea! They do give you a whole lot of rice!  The salad was mixed greens, with a oil and vinegar like dressing.  Not bad!

Our waiter dissapeared on us, and some one new came out to help us.  Overall, service was a little slow for us.  The meal was pretty good though and the dining atmosphere is nice, simple, and classy!
5 - Amy P.: I can't testify to the authenticity of the food vis a vis being Persian. All I know is that this is my new favorite Berkeley restaurant. The service was very very good (a little leisurely for our theatre going needs, but it was fine). We were given the option of replacing half or all of the rice in our entrees with salad. The salad alone was fantastic - fresh and beautiful, not overdressed. Four of us shared the combo appetizer platter, I had a cup of the Asah Reshteh (soup - VERY filling) and the Cornish Hen kabob. Tender and large portions. One friend had the salmon kabob, another the Baked chicken with fantastic saffron rice mixed with nuts, orange peel, and more. We had to try the Faloodeh (frozen sweet rose water with rice noodles) - light and refreshing. One reviewer said they thought it was fancy - wow, must be a student. It's a very nice atmosphere, but I wouldn't say fancy. And the prices are great for what you get.  I can't wait to go back!
3 - J S.: 4.8.2009

I was confused when I received my very heavy bag of take out because I had only ordered one entrée. When I started to unpack the tower of containers I was absolutely lost. I got slightly toasted pieces of lavash wrapped in plastic, what seemed to be tomato/vegetable soup, and half a raw onion. I, then, was hoping there was an instruction sheet, but no such luck. Was that tomato liquid a soup or a dip for the lavash? What was I suppose to do with half a raw onion? Put it in the tomato liquid, entrée, lavash? Was it placed in my bag by mistake? Help please.

When I saw the Shirin Polo, I thought it looked absolutely gorgeous. It was a striking yellow from the saffron, orange from the orange zest, gold from the golden raisins, green from the pistachios, white from slivered almonds. It looked like a breathtaking sunrise to what will be a warm sunny day with a slight breeze. 

The flavors of the dish could be balanced better. The rice mixture had a very fragrant flavor from the saffron and orange zest, which was almost like eating perfume. Both the pistachio and almond were overshadowed by the fragrances, so all it did to the dish was add another layer of texture in addition to the softness from the basmati itself and the chewiness from the golden raisins and the zest. As for the chicken, it was seasoned well and both the breast and leg weren't dry.
4 - eric a.: The Ground Beef Kabob with rice and a side of Torshi Leetah (yogurt with shallot dip) was Excellent. The free pita bread they give you before the meal wasn't too good, but who cares.

Highly recommend this place. Best Persian food in the East Bay (significantly better than I Squared in Rockridge)
3 - Renee M.: I was SO not crazy about this place.  I think it's because I have been spoiled by authentic Persian and Middle Eastern food straight from the home kitchen.  But as ethnic food restaurants go, this one will do just fine if you don't know any better.  We went about a month ago, so the memory is slightly faded, but I'll share what I can.  Starting with the hummus, unfortunately it was salty, too salty - and our waiter agreed and removed it from the bill.  Thank you, waiter.  I remember having some sort of tadeek dish, which arrived at our table barely at room temp, and inclued beef, of which I specifically requested none.  The dish was taken away, beef removed, then returned to us.  The waiter explained that the remainder of the dish would be replaced.  So they brought out more of the same OK dish.  My cousin and I both ordered the salmon kabobs for our entree.  I was satisfied enough with that, but I don't think she was.  The waiter, who was incredibly friendly btw, talked us into ordering a special dessert that he thought was the best thing since packaged lavash.  Neither of us agreed with his taste buds on that, and I think it too was removed from the bill.  The best thing about this place for us was the service, very, very, very friendly.  Would I go back... probably not.  But that's because I have access to the real thing.  If u don't, u might really enjoy this place.
3 - Abby C.: Just okay. Kabul had set my standards high for middle eastern food. 

The rice was bland. I had to salt it several times! The food was over priced for the quality. The chicken was moist, but also lacked flavor.  

The server wasn't very friendly.
1 - Hunt A.: I found this Restaurant on Yelp! and thought, cool something diff for V-day. Looked good, most reviews fell in the three to five star block, leaning more toward the four star. So, Crazy Heart (GREAT but alot like Tender Mercies) for the movie, and Alborz afterward...a five minute walk. My wife and I, low-key romantic Valentines. Made rezo's for two @ 4pm, just in case of Valentinian frenzy, but they were only two tables full when we arrived. And mind you, these are only my retired professional opinions and guesswork, based on over 30 years of cooking and deductive food tasting and reasoning.

The waiter/host looked awfully confused when I said we made reservations, and started flipping pages in his little book, then looked somewhere else, and couldn't find them. He asked for my name again and I just pointed at a table and said "How about that one? Do you mind if we sit there?" He agreed and sat us.
That was red flag #1-When you're almost empty, and it's 4pm, you smile and show the customers to a table immediately and look for the rez later.

The general ambiance was very nice and it smelled wonderful. The chairs and banquettes are comfortable and not cheapies. However upon first sitting down we noticed the flatware was very spotty, and didn't look clean. There was a huge burn mark on the cover of one menu and both menu's plastic inside sleeves were dotted with specks of dried food. Red flag two and three. The water glasses were immaculate and the water did taste good. 

The waiter/host (who seemed in a hurry already) brought over a basket of soft Lavash style flatbread and raw white onions sprinkled with Za'atar. the onions were hot, as in old hot, not as in Za'atar's hot. Flatbread and raw onions are not a good pairing, unless perhaps the onions were minced with XV olive oil and the Za'atar...then even maybe. At this point my wife and I decided to order an appetizer to gauge whether we wanted to go any further. The roasted eggplant appetizer with chopped walnuts, yogurt and what looked and tasted like a parsley olive oil puree was pretty good on the flatbread with the raw onions, but then when I added (what we call in the biz 'magic flavor crystals') some salt and pepper it really came alive and was bursting with eggplant deliciousness, and that hint of walnut and parsley perfectly smoothed what little bitterness might have been in the eggplant. Quite delicious so we stayed and ordered. 

At this point I ventured to the WC and found it a shambles. I usually go the restroom first because that's my immediate flag of attention to detail. Paper towels everywhere, no TP or PT in the dispensers. Just a lonely roll of TP over on the sink. Sad. I decided to tell the waiter/host and in a low aside at the host stand I did, and he thanked me.

We decided on lamb skewers with onions and tomatoes, and chicken Shirin Polo with what the menu said was sweet rice with slivered almonds, pistachio, and orange marmalade. Sounds good huh? Without getting into a wordy Chef based dissection of both these dishes, suffice it to say that the lamb was gamy, the white meat chicken WAY dry, and there are big differences between a bar zester (which is what they used to give the appearance of marmalade), a proper rasping of zest, and orange marmalade (of which was nonexistent and the rice not at all sweet). And again salt and pepper were severely lacking. Both these dishes could have been magnificent in the right hands.

During our dinner my wife and I noticed that most times the host/waiter answered the phone, he did so from the wrong side of his station, with his back to the front door, ( a huge no-no) which affected two parties. One left and the other ( a single diner) waited. shrugged his shoulders and seated himself. It was at least five minutes before anyone noticed him (the bartender) and brought over a menu. Mind you during our entire time at Alborz it was never even a third full.

I ordered some hot tea, and I must say, the tea and that eggplant appetizer were the highlights of our experience. We both left over more than half our dinners, tipped 15%, and were almost outta there when I thought about MY Yelp! review. So I checked the bathroom, and after 30 to 40 minutes of telling the host/waiter about the conditions of his restroom, it was exactly as I had left it previously! 

I truly wonder about the all the great reviews Alborz has received, but I can tell you we won't go back. The bay area has too many GREAT restaurants to give any one a second chance. Harsh but true. Don't waste your $$ and time. Our bill was almost 50$!! But I don't think I'd have been any happier if it was 20 bucks.
3 - David L.: Taste: 3
Value: 2
Service: 4

I came here once with a group of friends for someone's birthday, most of whom I didn't know, about 1-2 years ago. From what I remember, the food was definitely unique and an experience, but I didn't think it was that good. The food was unique, but none of it really stood out. Also, it is quite expensive, so keep that in mind. Definitely not worth the price.
3 - Glo F.: We were here for a late lunch on Wednesday. House flat bread served with butter...kinda weird...should be served with hummus.  We ordered the special kabob plate for two ($32.95); lamb and filet mignon kabob. We asked to be served family style. Large platter of meat, four roasted roma tomatoes (no salad) and we each had a full plate of fluffy basmati rice.  Meat was tendered and cooked perfectly. Not overly spiced, you can really taste the meat....nice and clean tasting. Lamb was our favorite, didn't care for the filet mignon.  Should had ordered a salad and maybe the yogurt dip to go with the meat.

Friend ordered the yogurt soda.....expected it to be sweet, like a soda....we were in for a surprise as it was not sweet.....more sour to me.  Turkish coffee was muddy halfway through the tiny little cup.

Service was good, not excellent. Decor was nice enough for a birthday celebration.  No parking lot, city parking near the restaurant (meter machine does not take bills, bring coins or use credit card).  Across the street from the UC Berkeley campus.
1 - Quantum L.: Wow! I've known about this restaurant in Berkeley for a while and finally decided to give it a try. But before I dropped in I just wanted to make sure they had one or two of my favorite Persian dishes so I called and asked about the menu. The guy answered something like this: Kibeetigeu thabatiki thsbee elp u? Now he was speaking in english, okay? Do you understand what he said? NO! I didn't think so. I didn't understand him either- he's just a cocky twirp! The guy, sounded like between 25-45 yrs old, and had a Persian accent. He was cocky & rude- he was a very polite asshole if you know what I mean. He obviously never had anyone teach him how to answer the phone professionally- nice, clear, business name, your name,etc. No! For him it's all just a blur- blablablablabalbla- bla- elp-U? Very rude!  I'll never even end up trying this place out!!! My questions were very simple for anyone who knows Persian dishes. I just wanted to know a couple things about the food before I order but this guy was making it very difficult. His answers were not answers. He was short and really gave me misinfo, so I asked if there was anyone there who knows the menu well enough to answer my questions & he just said no. What a prick!! He was just lying. His whole demeanor was cocky, and short the whole conversation! Trust me, don't eat here! If they're like that on the phone there's a lot behind the scene you don't know about!! The food is probably just as crappy as their attitude!
5 - Daryoush E.: Alborz is the place I come to when I want excellent Persian food .

This place has excellent kabobs and the portions are huge.  I always end up taking some back home for lunch the next day.  Food prices are around the 10-15 dollar range but with that price you get excellent dishes, good waiters, a nice and clean restaurant plus endless yogurt with lavash (Persian bread).

If you are ever in the University area of Berkley I would recommend trying Alborz if you want to eat some authentic Persian food
5 - Layla L.: I agree that its weird that they served lavash with butter instead of hummus, but nevertheless it was fresh and tasty. 

The pomegranate chicken was amazing!! SO flavorful and tender. And the fahoodeh was delicious- i still can't stop thinking about it (it's shaved rose water ice with frozen thin tiny noodles that give a slight crunch)
4 - GG H.: pricey, but good, hot, persian food. now only if my man's would come like this
4 - Natasha S.: I stumbled across this place with my Persian father who has extremely high standards for kabobs and my girlfriend. I had dined at the Alborz in San Francisco, and didn't care for their food too much. I hoped that this would be better and voila! It was for the most part. It's hard to find a Persian restaurant that serves fresh made bread. With that being said, this bread was cold and almost stale. Yuck.

My father ordered the lamb chops, which I found were incredibly tender and DELICIOUS. I ordered the classic Koobideh which was fairly good. Unfortunately, my dad disagreed. He insisted that it was dry and overcooked. My girlfriend ordered the prawn kabob which was decent. The actual prawns were a good size just a bit overcooked.

Although, my kabob was a tad dry I would come back. I know they all have their days and overall I enjoyed the experience. This one is MUCH better than the one in San Francisco, that's for absolute sure!
5 - Cath M.: Finally had a chance to go back here sans... Anyway, since my uncle hasn't tried Persian food--this was the perfect opportunity to do so since bro and I were craving it for awhile now.

We got here and there weren't that many people dining on a Saturday night. Recession. We got seated right away by our usual server. 

Menu design changed (yes I noticed stuff like that...) and believe me ... I actually complemented the typography used - it was very clean and elegant.

Anyway... all 3 of us ordered koobideh, wine glasses for bro and I and beer for my uncle.

Food came out pretty quick... the grubbed came faster =)

Overall, food still consistent as well as service. Uncle was happy and so are we...
4 - Ian P.: Do you ever have a place that you walk by all the time, literally hundreds of times, but never go in?  Well, that was this restaurant situated conveniently between BART and Berkeley campus.  Finally, my friend Jonathan and I popped in for an early dinner and actually had a really tasty meal.

I had a great chicken koobideh kabob (saffron chicken) with saffron rice...do you sense a theme?  Of course, one can never get too much saffron.  The chicken was moist, delicious, tender (this sounds like chicken porn).  Jonathan's lamb was maybe even better.  I wouldn't have minded some veggies thrown in the mix though.  

One big plus was the wine by the glass.  It was actually a generous pour.  I hate the restaurants that think a bottle of wine equates to 15 glasses.  A little odd is the flat bread and butter they serve as a starter.  Maybe with some hummus instead.  All in all it was pleasant, although I can't really give them any points for value.

What is an "Alborz" anyway?  Well, if you google, it looks like the name of lots and lots of Persian restaurants.  Now if you google even more you discover it's a mountain range in northern Iran.  And now you can try to impress your server when you come.
4 - Eazflo O.: we enjoy good lamb very much and it is hard to find but alborz fits the bill!
1 - Carson S.: Are you kidding me? This place is a joke.

Four friends and I just went to Alborz because we craved Persian food. After sitting down, it took 30 minutes for someone to come check on us. 30 minutes later, the burnt food came... Being hungry, we shoved what we could down and tried to leave. Of course, we had to wait another 30 minutes for someone to come with the check. 

When we saw the check, our meal for FIVE people cost almost $20 more than it should have.. Why? They charged us a 17% gratuity. We checked the menu and it explicitly said "17% for party of SIX and over." Being poor college students, we asked why we were charged the mandatory gratuity, even though the menu EXPLICITLY said otherwise. Apparently, a restaurant can charge whatever they want to whoever they want... Sounds like a bunch of BS to me.

Service was horrible. Meal was expensive and burnt... Not recommended.
2 - Garoon G.: Meanies! The food was OK but the service was absolutely atrocious. The waiters did not offer to refill our cups of water once and charged gratuity for a group of 5 when the menu clearly stated that gratuity is charged to groups of 6 or more. His excuse was "We had to use another [small, 2-person] table." Not cool. I would not recommend this place for potential costumers.
2 - Christine L.: Overpriced for the quality of food.  I shared the combo appetizer, a couple kebabs, and a couple lamb dishes.  Don't bother ordering the lamb with white beans, but the lamb with eggplant was probably the best thing we had.  The flavor was good, but I've had much better lamb.  The chicken kebab was dry, the kofta kebab was tastier but nothing great.  I can't say i really liked anything from the appetizer plate.
2 - Nazmul C.: The service is impersonal and cold for a restaurant that seems to have a warm atmosphere. In retrospect, the Chicken Koobideh tastes like any other that I've had at other restaurants.

Also, our waiter charged an extra 2% gratuity charge (17% total) for a party of 5 when the menu explicitly stated that the extra added gratuity applied to parties of 6 or more. Even after confronting him about this discrepancy, the waiter said our using an extra table warranted this. ...seriously? We should've asked to see the restaurant manager.
4 - Anna M.: Alborz is where I go when I want yummy Persian food. The koobideh and chicken kabobs are so savory  and tendor and the portions are generous.  It's a little pricey, so I do a lot of take-out orders so that I don't get carried away with ordering appetizers.  I can bring an order home and have it for dinner and save the extra to enjoy again for lunch the next day!
3 - Anna V.: At the time being, this one of the better Persian restaurants in Berkeley that I've tried.  Still does not compare to some of the places that I go to in the South Bay, but it does satisfy my kabob cravings.

The dish I normally get would be the chicken kabob (i.e. joojeh) plate.  The kabob is properly spiced and is quite tender, the rice there has always been fluffy and the meal is accompanied by lavish bread.  I've also tried the salmon here before and while it was good, it did have a slight fishy taste to it that I was able to get over by squirting some lemon in it.  

The meal could be considered a bit pricy, but for standard Persian fare, it's the right price.  The service is a bit slow and the servers are a bit reserved, but not awful.
3 - Dean A.: Very good  Persian cuisine.  Having said that I must admit I do not venture out too far and typically stick with the saffron rice, beef kabobs.  Very nice service, friendly wait staff I will return once again for sure
5 - s D.: The food was fantastic!!! The rices were amazing! My mother and I  ordered the Alborz kebab sampler, and the meats were delicious!!!  the fillet mignon kebab was sooo good!! The saffron ice cream was also really good. I will mos def come back because the food was totally worth the long ride and the traffic jams we get stuck in coming from SF to Berkley!
3 - Faith A.: Ended up here after wandering around in the rain on Saturday night without reservations, following the Arab Film Fest (yes, I'm aware of the irony). The large, warm room and immediate seating fit the bill. My Arab dinner companions were delighted with the Persian noodle soup (dill?), combination platter (huge - it's a meal, not an appetizer!) and Mediterranean salad (greens, kalamata olives, feta, red onion, beets, pomegranate vinaigrette). Given all the lamb and saffron options, I had a hard time deciding and finally settled on the kabob of Cornish hen brushed with lime & saffron and a side of saffron rice with orange peel, pistachios and golden raisins. My plate arrived, as huge and golden as the sun. Who knew a little game hen had so many pieces on her? The meat was tender and well-grilled, the rice aromatic and light as air. The only minuses: the dirty sheepskin on the chair in the Ladies Room, a tiny cockroach on our table, the weak Turkish coffee.
4 - Jenny P.: Very delicious Persian food! The lamb skewers are awesome - very flavorful! We ordered grilled chicken and lamb skewers and our dishes came with plenty of rice and grilled tomato on the side. Great service. I ordered the yogurt drink but it was kind of salty for my taste.. Otherwise, this is a good place to try good quality Persian food, especially if you like kabobs and grilled meat!
5 - Mike G.: Some of the best Persian food in the Bay Area. 5 stars!

One tip: I usually order "Soltani" kabob at Persian restaurants, which is a combination one skewer each of Koobideh (ground beef kabob) and Barg ("filet mignon" kabob).  The Barg here is not very impressive, although usually at other places it is the better.  Save yourself 50% and just order Koobideh--they will give you two full skewers for half the price of Soltani.
3 - Kevin L.: Lackluster taste for overly priced dishes! Definitely authentic Persian food though, but the portions were pretty small and it really lacked any memorable tastes. It tastes just like D'yars actually, maybe even a little less tastey. I ordered the Shish Kabob and it was one large kabob over rice with a roasted tomato on the side. The tomato was pretty gross and the kebob was good, but I was still hungry afterwards, enough so that I picked up a topdog (three doors down) on my way back home.

Pros:
- Fancy atmosphere
- Authentic
- Variety of Persian Dishes

Cons:
- Slow Service
- Over priced
- Not Very Tastey Food
2 - Constance C.: Decided to eat in Berkeley with my friend over the weekend when it was raining like crazy so we decided to take refuge at a restaurant.

Gheymeh Bodemjan. Chickpeas, Eggplants and Beef with a Saffron Rice. It was alright, but even better as leftovers the next day when all the spices soaked into everything. It kind of reminded me of this Chinese dish with soybeans and pork that my grandma used to make, so that might be why it was tolerable for me, it wasn't too impressive though.

Okay food, but I do think the one in Walnut Creek might be better. 

See photos of food, http://potbellypanda.tumblr.com
3 - Sati K.: Alborz is good, but definitely not great. I ended up getting the Koobideh which is a ground beef skewer. The meat was cooked really well and the portions were also large. My first couple of bites tasted amazing, however, by the end of my meal, I was sick of tasting the same exact thing. My meal came with basmati rice and a pretty gross grilled tomato. I feel as though if the tomato would have been better grilled, the meal would have tasted much better because I could have accompanied it when needed.

One of my friends ordered the Chicken Koobideh and the meat was also well cooked. It was very juicy and not chewy at all. My other friend ordered the Mahi Kabob, but did not like it because it tasted like unseasoned fish. 

Additionally, I give customer service a 1.5. We had to wait an absurdly long time to order our food and the only time our waiter checked in with us after was to refill out water cups.
4 - Mel B.: A friend of mine has been dying to take us to a Middle Eastern restaurant and try some Persian food, so on one of our guys night out he was going to take us to Alborz. I was really excited to try it out since I've never had Persian food before. Disclaimer: this is a ROOKIE REVIEW ALERT.

As we went to Alborz this last Friday for dinner the food definitely did not disappoint. We ordered the Koobideh, it came with two skewers, so we asked if we can have one of each, the ground beef and the chicken. It was absolutely DELICIOUS!!! Getting one of each was a great idea because switching up the flavors between each bite made the meal much more interesting. Also try the Somagh (the spice that comes with your meal) on your skewer and the rice to add more flavor. The plate also came with Saffron Rice and salad. To round it off, a bottle of Shiraz completes a great meal.

It was a very interesting first experience. I'll definitely be coming back to try out more from their menu. (Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.)

The location is also very nice. It's directly across from a parking lot, so the parking was very easy. The whole setting has that elegant Berkeley feel to it. It a great place to take a date. So why the heck am I here with a bunch of guys!!!

Oh well. NU-SHEH-JON!!!
3 - Colleen C.: we just happened in, for lunch, and had a delicious meal.

they serve flatbread with onions spiced with sumac in lieu of bread--it was fantastic!  we ordered the yogurt with garlic and the roasted eggplant as appetizers--and would highly recommend both.

the mediterrean salad was substantial and delicious.  the lentil soup only slighlty dissappointing--not quite flavorful enough (but perhaps all the yogurt and garlic had dulled my ability to discern flavors).

Attentive service and very nice atmosphere.

Looking forward to going back.
5 - sara p.: Delish Persian Food, a bit pricey, but totally worth it!  I love the Ghormeh Sabzi, Koobideh and chicken skewers. 
My sister-in law and my niece eat here when they are in town, joining them is always a pleasure.  

I've taken a coworker for lunch and he enjoyed the lamb dish. 

I'd bring others with me in a heartbeat.
2 - Jean L.: It seems like you win some, and you lose some here. It depends on when you go. 

According to the City of Berkeley's Environmental Health Food Facilities Violation Alborz is definitely still violating some major codes, including "Contaminated Equipment" (see: http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/environmentalhealth/inspections.asp and search: Alborz), so I can definitely understand why some would get food poisoning there.

Having said that, luckily I was one of the people who didn't. Although we came when they were relatively slow no one approached us or even handed us menus/water for a good 30 minutes, until we got up to get the menus ourselves. 

They serve you sangak with sumac and raw onions as a free appetizer, which is nice, and we ordered lamb kabobs, shish kabobs, and chicken koobideh. Pretty pricey towards the end of the meal, as the portions were on the small side.

The food is good, but now I'm scared of getting sick so I probably won't be heading back...
4 - Eli Y.: If you haven't had Persian food then you don't know what you're missing, and this is a great place to get your feet wet or continue your Persian exploration. 

The food here is very good. The koobideh (my go to, 2 skewers of minced meet made with some delicious spices, and a side of saffron rice) is always delicious. It's usually perfectly cooked and very juicy. At times it's a bit overcooked on the ends but it's still great. The joojeh (chicken skewers marinated in great spices with a side of saffron rice) is also delicious and a great choice. You can't really go wrong no matter what you order but these are my two favorite. 

The dessert is also great. My favorite is the bastani (rose water ice cream, it tastes like eating what a rose smells like). This is great choice. If you're on a date I suggest getting this. It's a perfect size to share especially after the vast quantity of food that you probably just ate. 

The service is great and pretty quick. It's also priced pretty similarly to most persian places. 

The parking here isn't great though. There is a lot across the street but it costs $5 as a flat rate. And the street parking is nearly impossible to find. 

This is definitely a great spot to try out.
5 - TJ K.: A friend took me here last week as a birthday celebration.  It was unplanned and we stumbled onto it before a show.  I'm glad we stumbled!  The food was delicious with a capital D.  The Dolmeh was the best I've every had and half chicken was incredible.  It came out in a savory thick soupy sauce that was so flavorful with the tender chicken and Persian rice.  I will take my parents here when they visit this spring and surely many other times, too.
4 - J J.: Food was tasty--the eggplant dip and the minced chicken kabobs.  Rice was lovely and fluffy (but charging extra for the barberries seems a tad mercenary).

Probably won't go back though because of the reviews about people getting sick and then looking on the public health site for Berkeley restaurants and seeing some major hygienic infractions at Alborz

Even when restaurant is slow and empty, waitstaff is not inclined to come over, fill water glasses and the like..

Alborz, clean up your act so that I can come back, okay?

Schmanks!
5 - Saad A.: Went in for a quick lunch before a movie.  The service was super fast and the food was amazing.  

I had beef meatballs in a pomegranate sauce over safron rice, and it was absolutely amazing!  My friends had the chicken and beef koobideh, which went great when dipped in the pomegranate sauce.  For appetizers, we had this thick, creamy hummus and a minty onion dipping sauce.  

I'll definitely be going again!
4 - angel a.: Delicious.

I understand what one of the yelpers said about the service not quite matching the warm decor.

I asked for two entrees. 

Fezenjoon -waiter asked if I wanted chicken or meatballs.  I asked for meatballs.  Waiter confirmed I did not want the chicken, but the meatballs instead.  However, I got chicken.  And it was dry...

I also got the lamb.  Yes, it WAS delicious.  Somehow, I am a fan of raisins and sultanas with meat.  :)  I'm also a fan of when touching the meat, that it practically falls off the bone.

Lots of rice.  Did I say lots of rice?  I sure got lots of rice.  lol.

The faloudeh, that was awesome.  They serviced it with a slice of Meyer lemon.  

I'll be back for the koubideh, if I can round up another person to go with me.
5 - sharon b.: a review for alborz is long overdue.  

i've come to this place many, many times.  lunchtime during the summers, dinners before class, and nighttime chomp and gabs with my BF and my BFFs.  

i started off with the only thing i knew on the menu - the koobideh.  uhhh...delicious!!!  then i became more adventurous under the guidance of my close persian friend.  i dabbled in fesenjoon over tah dig.  on another occassion we did the lambshank.  DELICIOUS.  the falloodeh is off the hook for dessert.  rosewater sorbet-like with rice noodles soaked in fresh lemon juice.  CRAZY DELICIOUS.

the service is always fast and i'm never left waiting for anything for too long.  the ambiance here is way better than the alborz in the city.  and, parking is never a hassle.

i haven't been here since february.  i think it's high time i paid them another visit...
5 - Erin W.: First time having Persian food at a restaurant and WOW.  The pomegranate chicken with saffron rice is something special.  
It's a nice restaurant, and thus pricey for everyday dining, but I would definitely come back.
4 - Mike S.: IMHO, this place has some dishes which are amazing, but also a couple popular one's that miss the spot. Stick to the recommended dishes and you can't go wrong. If the prices were better I'd have given them 5 stars, because you can't expect every dish to be great.

My Recommendations:


APPETIZERS

-Tahdig (with choice of stew Ghormeh Sabzi or Fesenjan)
-Mast o Khiyar OR Mast Musir (Two delicious yogurt dishes)


MEAT SKEWERS (w/Rice or Salad)

-Shishlik (lambchops, this is delicious. but I don't think many people try it)

-Kubideh (ground beef kabob)

-Joojej Kaboab on the bone (Chicken Kabob, the one on bone is really good, the chicken breast one is a bit dry)


STEWS

-Fesenjan (pomegranate stew with chicken and rice)

-Ghormeh Sabzi (stew of greens with lima beens and lamb/beef)


To Avoid:

- Gheymeh 
- Joojeh Kabob without bone (a bit dry)
- Barg (Filet beef, is also bit dry)
5 - Saba S.: This is a traditional Persian restaurant with delicious traditional food. It has all the basics and a great restaurant for the daring person whom wishes to expand their horizons. I am an Iranian and truly enjoyed the food which we had. 

Apps: salad shirazi= diced salad (below average)
Bademjoon=eggplant(amazing)
Tadeek and ghormesabzi=crunchy rice and herb/bean stew(good)

Main course: I had the Soltani (amazing). This is a steak skewer(barg) with a ground beef skewer(kubideh). The barg was smokey and tender while the kubideh was moist and juicy. 

The wife had the joogeh kabob (chicken kabob) which also was excellent. 

The nuance was great with sliding doors and Berkeley right outside. 

The only gripe I have are the bugs right outside. Some of these get into the restaurant. Store owner needs to buy a Blower which attaches to the top of the door and blows air every time you open the door in order to prevent  the bugs from coming in.

Highly recommended
4 - M T.: Great Persian food and great service. I love the lamb koobideh and the saffron rice is very unique and a new treat for most people that I know.

The prices are on par with fine sit-down dining.

I know Persian cooking and I love this place.
3 - Eva Leona Lerriqs S.: I love coming here, but had forgotten how huge the portions were. I ordered a chicken kabob dish that came with two skewers and a huge amount of rice. I had enough to take home; incidentally, I didn't finish dinner so that I could leave room for dessert--the iced noodle rose water dish. The only thing that bothered me about the meal is that in the not so recent past the restaurant used to include a small dish of yogurt with the lavash. This time around it was lavash and raw onions only. The yogurt helps to take the edge off the onions.
5 - Micah P.: Only 3.5 stars!? Are you kidding? Apparently Non- Persians are wasting their time rating this place. This place is AWESOME! Nuf said! Don't skip the deserts!
4 - essie h.: If its JuJu Kabob or Ghormeh Sabzi...its almost as good as a home cooked meal...and with out the over protective Persian parents.
4 - JC A.: A little pricey, but Persian food is my absolute favorite . Maybe I have some hidden heritage here, because this food is just so homey to me. I know how to make a few of the stews and the fabulous rice, so I feel I'm a good judge of the quality and flavor. 

They are pretty good at our take out orders, mixing it up familiy style when the order is large. Which, I'll be honest, is whenever I order there. They have only shorted a small item us once out of may 20 times we have ordered. They are pretty far from us and yet I will shlep it there because the food is awesome! 

Love the Gormeh Sabzi (green aromatic veggies, kidney beans, and meat stew over rice), chicken Barg (pounded, skewered, grilled, saffron chicken breast), saffron rice, any of the rices really (particularly with currants, cause I'm just like that) any mast, but particularly mast o'moussir (yogurt with shallots). Hubby loves their cinnaminy Ghemeh Bademjoon (tomato and yellow split pea stew with meat and eggplant, which you can get without the eggplant) which I add lemon juice to at home to give it a little kick. The Kashk Bademjoon appetizer (eggplant, yogurt, mint, garlic, heaven - I'm pretty sure its all in there). 

Service is always lovely, even when they are crowded. I might go tomorrow for my birthday. . .
4 - Suzana S.: Pricey but really good food. It's very quiet inside but very nice and elegant.
1 - Ali M.: I've been raised with Persian food all my life and have given a try to many restaurants in southern and northern CA. 

One that sticks out for being probably one of the worse is Alborz in Berkeley. Typical Persian restaurants should be packed on a Saturday at about 1pm. When I drove from Marin to meet my parents halfway (they came from Walnut Creek) I asked them to meet at Alborz since its convenient. Well we met there and my folks ordered the Alborz for two and I ordered the soltani. The rice looked and tasted like as if it was made 5 days before and they just reheated the dish in the microwave. The barg was hard as a car tire and the koobideh was terrible as well. Long story short, the food gave the three of us the runs for 1.5 days and I can truly say that the experience was awful. Now I like giving the restaurants the benefit of the doubt, so I was brave enough to go back and get a stew dish, khoreshteh ghaimeh and it was very mooshy and water down. 

By the way, the Walnut Creek Alborz is no better and I think one or both of them will be closing soon. 

Its too bad, cause we need more good Persian restaurants like Sahalizaar in Belmont out in the bay area.
5 - Lia P.: [pronounced] Alburz; is a mountain range in Northern Iran.

I am not Persian, but I love me some Persian food!

I have been to this fancy classy Persian restaurant a dozen times with my close co-worker. We usually go here when we want to be super indulgent. On my first experience I was quite impressed since I have been able to have authentic Persian food from actual friends and family members. I could tell the place would be good when I noticed a lot of Iranians there.

The food is prepared right and so delicious. It was such a royal treat! And when I'm really in the mood for it, this is the only place I will go to

The space is quite small however to use of mirrors throughout give it a larger appearance. The décor, lighting and genuine hospitality of the wait staff make a quite comfortable fine-dining experience

Start your lunch off right with their Hummus and Yogurt Salad- a mix of home-made hummus, yogurt, cucumber, tomatoes and spices topped with feta cheese, served together with their version of complimentary warm pita bread.It sounds simple- but it will blow you away.

Moving on to the main course the kabob is a must, a Soltani combination will allow you to experience both the koobideh (ground beef) kabob as well as the barg (sliced beef fillet). We usually split dishes..she will order a skewer of chicken, I will order koobideh and we share since they give such generous portions. The jasmine rice is perfect!  Very fluffy, airy and seasoned with such exotic flavors. It is presented very elegantly too because some of the rice on the bottom is white and on the top it is yellow because the use saffron seeds.  {side note} Saffron flower seeds are very expensive, not the herb the actual saffron flower seeds. 
There is a also a small bowl on each table with a baby spoon to add additional salt-like seasonings to your liking.

Wash everything down with a glass of aromatic Persian tea and you'll be raving for weeks about one of the greatest dining experiences in Downtown Berkeley.
5 - diana l.: OUTSTANDING

We've been here more times than I can count and have always had a completely wonderful experience. The ambiance is understated low key elegance in a causal sort of way and the food matches. High quality, authentic Persian dishes at a reasonable price. Another plus are the staff - very attentive and gracious. I've brought many a friend here - they thank me for introducing them to this terrific find and keep returning themselves.
3 - Eji O.: I recently visited Alborz on Halloween.  In truth, as a passerby, I was drawn to the large portioned, colorful, tasty-looking food that current patrons were eating outside.  After continuing to walk around the neighborhood, my guest and I eventually made our way back to Alborz.

Alright, so the decor was very dark, but in a romantic type of way. There was a beautiful large window as the store front, which brought in great light and allowed for people watching!  The greeter, whom I think might have been the owner was very pleasant and accommodating.  I ordered the chicken kabob thing with rice, while my guest ordered the filet mignon equivalent. My food was good, the chicken was a bit on the burnt side, but that could have just been a mistake. The dish also came with a fire-roasted tomato, which sounds much better than it tastes. What I received was a burnt, seriously burnt, mushy Roma tomato. Suffice to say, I left that lovely little feature on my plate.   I tasted the filet mignon, which was juicy but a bit tasteless. My friend ate it all though, so I guess it was good enough. Overall, it was a nice restaurant and a pleasant experience. I didn't give the whole five stars because 1. There was dirt on the plates and I had dirty cutlery (a HUGE pet-peeve of mine)  2. My dish was rather burnt. But I'd be willing to give it another shot- maybe.
4 - laurie g.: This is my second favorite persian restaurant,.
It is very hard to find a really good authentic Kabob experience in the Bay Area that does all the other Main dishes and side dishes on the same level, too.
I have had the both Chicken and Lamb Kabobs, they were prepared very well, succulent and flavorful- not overcooked and bland, like so many I have tried at other restaurants.
The saffron rice is perfect in its consistency and flavoring, as well.
For me,the most important part of the persian experience is a seemingly strange mixture of ingredients that I learned years ago from my Iranian friends, but makes all the difference in eating traditionally.
When ordering your main dish, make sure you also get "mustomosir", a yogurt based preparation, and plenty of raw onions and roasted tomatoes.
When your entree arrives,( for me, i always order the Chicken Kabob)
mix the yogurt, roasted tomatoes and raw onions all together with the saffron rice, and take alternating bites of the grilled meat. OMG!!
Unbelievable flavors !! I hate roasted tomatoes and raw onions on their own, but this mixture of flavors is synergistic, and ungodly in its sinfulness.
This mixture alone is what makes me crave good persian food.
Ambience is very nice here, but not too stuffy, you can dress casual.
Parking is a difficult pain !!  especially at peak times.Be prepared to shell out some extra cash  at one of the lots.
Service was excellent, and food arrived fast, even on a Saturday night.
Recommended. Portions are HUGE, always have to take half home, don't understand other reviews saying opposite, maybe they have bigger appetites ?? It is expensive though, bring your plastic if your'e not carrying that much cash.
5 - Ben Z.: As a Persian/Iranian-American myself, I have to say their food was pretty tasty. Took a girl on a date there; we shared an appetizer and an entree, which was more than enough, but for the price they charge, I deem it to be fair.

But, I was not too big of a fan of their tadigh (crunchy rice). It wasn't as crunchy as I would hope for it to be, or maybe my mom does a better job.

When I walked in, the Persian lady at the front immediately recognized I was a fellow Persian (and on a date), so she did everything to tend to us and make it as great of an experience as possible. For this, I truly applaud Alborz for great service; I was truly satisfied.
4 - Jon D.: Hi;

I grew up on Persian food in LA. OK not only that, but I think I have a good taste for it and quality. I am giving 4 stars as they are the best in the East Bay Area I found. There is a great place in Marin, but nothing like LA!

I think the portion sizes are simply too big. Save some of the value and out that in garnish and extras is my only feedback to them....
4 - Schuyler C.: I've gone to Alborz for at least a decade. It used to be my second favorite Persian restaurant in Berkeley, but then Papa's cuisine closed its doors and we started going to the more westernized Alborz. The food is good, and decidedly less greasy and aggressively-seasoned than most Persian restaurants (which is a good thing in my book). And Alborz has a nice, if somewhat dated, look. Service can be a little slow and difficult, as this isn't a family-run-and-super-attentive kind of restaurant, like so many other Persian restaurants, but just a typical California restaurant that happens to serve Persian food. So if you are expecting the owner to chat with you in Farsi and recommend whatever dish has been the most splendidly-prepared that day by his brother-in-law, this probably isn't the restaurant for you. But if you are looking o get some kebab or Khoresht without the chit-chat, Alborz will suit you well.
4 - DH L.: Yummy!!!!!!!!!!!! Server has a lot of smile and friendly :) 
I love the Lamb dishes and portion is perfect! We had 7 people, 3 of us ordered lamb dishes and it taste so good. We did not like the beef kabob that much. 
Just don't ever order the Yogurt drink in this place..its like sour cream/ ranch mix with club soda... LOL~
3 - Sargeant T.: Good food, with a wide variety of authentic Persian dishes. The service is friendly and the restaurant looks nice.
5 - Anna K.: Came here for a get together with old friends at around 7:30. Waddled out of the restaurant at 11 PM, well past their listed closing time...So nice that they waited on turning the light off on us until then. :) I had been passing this restaurant daily ignorant of the decadent foods that resided inside. C for Classy. Dimmed lighting and all that jazz. Apparently the kitchen is run mostly by a Persian grandmother, so big shoutout to her. 

Part of my awesome experience here was that I had the luck of being with a group who were very familiar with Persian food, The person who took the lead on ordering even spoke Farsi. Such a beautiful language! The server was super nice and accommodating. He brought out samples of red wine. Decided on a bottle of Cabernet. Went nicely with the meal. 

THE FEAST! Did this family style. HELL YEH

I love complimentary food! Twist on bread&butter. There was a Paired with onions and butter! They also brought out delicious yogurt and tomato/cucumber dishes. We went through 3 baskets full of bread. :)

2 orders of beef and lamb kabobs, which came out with a grilled tomato. Both were good but I preferred lamb because it was just SO tender. It came out on the bone and it was just perfectly cooked! 

Lamb and eggplant stew. SO GOOD. Probably my favorite dish because the flavors of the stew which had mini grapes in them just infused into the whole lamb shank. The meat literally fell off the bone. LAMB GALORE! My favorite meat.

For the rice, we got saffron rice apparently because this type of rice pairs really nicely with lamb. This was a HUGE heap of rice. I must have gotten 3-4 servings. Addicting and went well with the entrees.

Dessert: Baklava. My Persian and Afghan friends, the best baklava they have ever tasted. A lot of baklava apparently gets really dry because some places use walnuts. This restaurant uses pistachios and hits the perfect balance of soft and flaky. It's a pretty decent size, too! We also tried a dessert with what I can best be described as balls of donut. I think they said something about spun sugar? I wish I remembered the name of these dishes but we just had way too many dishes. This paired perfectly with our mint soaked teas. With actual mint leaves inside the tea, it reminded me of a tea version of mojitos. We got free refills, too! :) You can hold a piece of sugar in your mouth and drink the tea and feel the sugar disentegrate and fuse deliciously with the tea. YUM. Perfect end to the meal. 

Dishes were on the pricey side, but it was worth it because of the quantity. We had the honor of having former runner-up for Mr. Lebanon help out a little with the tab even though he only got a glass of white wine, so the price wasn't to harsh on our wallet. $31 for all that food is a steallll. I think this place would be cool to come to with a big group again or a date. Maybe split a plate. Nonetheless, I shall be back for some more Baklava and lamb!
3 - Artimmis G.: Came here for Persian new year with the family and to my dismay they were out of ghormeh-sabzi and chocolate cake  - two vital items on their menu, which is rather disappointing. As a persian I recommend this place, but not for other persians since the taste of their kebobs is not as authentic as any other persian restaurant in the bay area. Also, their service was rather disappointing since they took their time to arrive with the appetizers and dinners - despite seeing the plates of our food being ready in the kitchen. It is too white-washed and fits perfectly with the UC Berkeley environment. This is NOT the place to go if you want to impress your Persian relatives!
2 - Luiza D.: The place looks good and I have always wanted to try Persian food. I asked for the lamb that costs $19.95, so I thought it would be amazing.  As a matter of fact, it was. The lamb was perfectly done and tasted amazing. But the portion was so small I could finish it with 3 bites!!! And then they serve a lot of rice that tastes like nothing. So...completely unworthy. I am not coming back.
4 - J E.: Yum. How do they make that rice? Seriously? A classy restaurant, not to fancy, but don't walk in with sweatpants on. Great service and really great food - fresh - that is filling. Nice.
4 - akimbo j.: Merci, Alborz, for a wonderful celebratory dinner with my family. We brought my dad here for his birthday, and we were all treated so well. Alborz seems to be getter better and better, and what better way to show your Baba some love other than to take him to a beautiful restaurant with open windows and the subtle aroma of saffron?

Alborz has a very nice wine list so those of us who were drinking ordered some glasses, and then we went on to our meal:

Sumac onions - delicious with butter on lavash, or included in a mini lavash wrap as below.

Sabzi paneer - a platter of fresh herbs, soaked walnuts, and a little bit of feta cheese. Wrap all these in your lavash bread and enjoy. 

Mast-o-musir - yogurt with shallots, a very thick and savory dip. I recommend this.

Mirza ghassemi - a tasty egg, tomato, and eggplant dish, which is another good filling for your mini lavash wrap. I usually prefer Kashke Bademjahn, my personal favorite, but mirza ghassemi is good, too.

Koobideh kabob - mouthwatering beef kabobs done just right.  I really enjoyed these, but just so you know, my dad told me the secret to ordering at a Persian restaurant "is to order the barg...that's Persian steak."  ;)  Perhaps next time. 

Jujeh kabob - we ordered these "ba ostokhan," with the bones in, because I think that keeps them juicier. These were delicious and the lemon marinade came right through. 

The rice and grilled tomato that came with the kabobs were done to perfection. For dessert, they brought out a pie slice of baklava, which I hadn't seen before, with a little birthday candle for Baba. All at the table agreed that this was the best baklava we had ever tasted.

Alborz provides good food and Persian hospitality, just the way it should be. We had a fantastic time, and can't wait to go back!

Note: parking is difficult in this area, but there is a lot across the street (I think for $1 for 25 minutes). If you don't mind a very short walk, you could take BART, too.
1 - Ashley Y.: Waitress said only reservations were allowed inside but I witnessed multiple parties walk in without reservations (only if there was someone in the party that was non-Asian). Then when I went to go to the restroom one of the cooks stopped me and wouldn't let me go. When another party that was all Asian came, they were not allowed to sit inside either. I thought the civil rights movement already happened. I suppose we're still fighting on. 

Food wasn't great either. I feel insulted and will never come back.
5 - Pandora C.: I took my best friend here for her birthday. I tried the a lamb shank & eggplant sauce with some basmati rice. It was very delicious. The lamb was cooked beautifully, and the meat practically fell off when I touched it with my fork. The eggplant and sauce was also with not too much tomato but a perfect blend of spices. 

I paid about $15 for the dish, which I find is pretty darn reasonable considering the ambiance of this place is pretty high class, and least to say my friend and I really enjoyed the food. Parking is hard though, which is normal around Berkeley but probably the only reason I would probably not drive all the way back here to eat again. 

I loved the food, just hated the parking problem and it's not a place to go if you are in a hurry since the service isn't super fast.
4 - Jared L.: Came here for a friend's birthday. Other than the fact that they managed to omit my friend's reservation (which was quite large), I felt that the food was pretty good. They even threw in a couple of appetizers & drinks because of the mistake - which was a nice way of reconciling the unnecessary wait. 

Aside from the appetizers, the lamb shank & eggplant stew was really good, and portions were more than generous. For a college student, the food might be out of the price range ordinarily, but Alborz is a great place to have a nice dinner with good company (a date, family, close friends, on business, etc), and the portions certainly don't disappoint. 

Ambiance was nice, too. Overall, aside from the mix up, the food was pretty good. I'll be returning with family or for special occasions when I'm feeling too lazy to go into SF to have a nicer dinner.
4 - Leah C.: So I came here with my muffin Sarvi! It was a random outing to the city of many eats and just walking! Fun stuff right? LOL So I got the beef and chicken kabobs, rice and veggies and lemme tell you!! THAT is smacking.... yogurt with the red powder stuff!!! O- YAAAA!!! GET IT IN THERE.. ALL NICE AND DEEP LIKE!! hahahah (movie quote) The atmosphere is lovely and pleasant! The servers are very kind and motherly! LOVE IT!

Sarvi got the lamb and rice and cucumber salad. I tasted it too!! That was good!!! SOOO when I come back to Berkeley! This will be another one of my many eats!! ME LIKES!!
5 - Mutant O.: We returned for the lamb shank:  incredibly luscious, and the accompanying dill and fava or lima basmati was smashing.  The cornish hen kabob was our second entree.

WINNER !!  The hen had been marinated in lime, roasted to juicy/light char perfection, and presented in small munchable pieces along side their marvellous saffron basmati.  

So as to not repeat-waddle out the door, we took a couple of pieces of the hen, and the rice, home.  

That said, we'll definitely be back again soon, as the menu warrants so much more in-depth research.  (Good heavens!  We've not yet made it to the dessert section.)
3 - Adele F.: All 3 stars are for the Khoresht Bodemjan, or lamb with eggplant. And maybe a fraction of a star for their super decked-out bathroom. But 0 stars for service.

Two of my friends and I decide to come here for dinner. I had come from proctoring a midterm, so all of us still had our backpacks (my friends graciously waited for me so we could catch a 9 PM dinner :3). We got to Alborz at around 9:30, which I admit is late but is still before their closing hours.

However. The entire time we were looking at the menu, the female owner kept giving us glances and telling our server that the kitchen was closing soon. As a dutiful Yelper, I already had an idea of what to order, but I didn't appreciate her 'tude.

I think our server was deaf, except for taking orders. After he brought us our appetizer, sangak with raw onions (aka pita with cilantro-sumac-onions and butter pats) and filled our water, he completely ignored additional requests for water refills. Or our check, which totaled to $38 (not bad for 2 entrees feeding 3 hungry college students). We had to ask the irritated owner for that.

Now. On to the food.

We ordered the CHICKEN KOOBIDEH, $14.95, which came with two long strips of very yellow chicken kebab, a serving of saffron rice, and a stewed whole tomato. The chicken kebab had the texture of a fish ball used for hot pot. The portion was decent, but the taste was meh.

The glorious KHORESHT BODEMHAN, $15.95, was stewed lamb with a sliver of eggplant and a stewed whole tomato. omgoodness the lamb was so tender and succulent!!! PURE BLISS. The eggplant was really good too! I really wish they gave us more than one slice of eggplant. And the sauce was great drizzled on top of the rice from the chicken koobideh dish. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Super fancy bathroom. Discriminating staff (just like my beef with Kingston 11--you operate one block from a college campus, so expect to get some casually dressed college kids as your customers...OR NOT).
4 - Holly I.: The food here is always great. It tastes amazing and the food is clean, as in not old/greasy. I've never had issues with the service. I don't eat rice so the always substitute the rice with a salad free of charge.
3 - Mari V.: A mixed experience: good wine, bad salad (too much dressing & had to ask for the Kalamata olives which were missing), good lamb shank (very tender) & rice, terrible ice cream (bits of ice inside), lackadaisical service, rather grubby interior. Persian food can be terrific, but this wasn't worth it--won't be back.
5 - Shahrooz H.: Alborz is the best choice for Kabob's in the East Bay. I've been to them all and trust me I know. They don't call me the Kabob King of Cali for nothing! LOL

Their rice is always consistent, consistently great! All of their meats are fresh and I have NEVER had a bad meal here before. The food also comes out really quickly.

I would highly recommend Alborz to anyone who is looking for a great meal.

I will mention that parking can be a bit of a pain and watch out for those Meter Maid's they don't play around. Make sure you but extra money in the meter because an expensive parking ticket can easily be avoided by putting an extra $0.25 in the machine.
4 - Nerma L.: The food here tastes really delicious, but it's overpriced. 

The atmosphere is kind of fancy. 

But any of the kabobs are really good.

Service is friendly.

Basically just minus one star for the price.
4 - Isabella L.: Made a reservation for 15 about 2 days in advance. The manager guaranteed they would have one big table for us. We arrive about 5 minutes late, and when we get there, there is literally not even one table open. I talk to the manager, and she said that we came late so she gave our tables away. But there was no way because all the tables were filled and they were eating so it didnt look as though they had just been seated. The manager finally apologizes and says she lost my phone number and ended up giving away my tables. okay.....she promised to give us free champagne and appetizers so we decided to wait. 30 minutes later, we get seated at the most cramped table right beside the door where nobody could get by. She gave us two appetizer platters, and a free bottle of champagne. The whole time she apologized.

I ordered the lamb koobideh plate -- this gives the place 4 stars. For only about $14, it had two long skewers of meat and a pretty big portion of rice. 

All my friends enjoyed their food as well which is why im giving this place 4 stars. Their service was honestly horrible (other than the manager) but their food is good. And the fact they blamed the mess up with the reservation on me, and then later admitted it was their fault...it was kind of annoying. But she did make it up with the free stuff. I also got a free slice of baklava for my birthday dessert.

I'd come here again..but definitely not with a big party.
5 - Hamed F.: You got to try Abgoosht there, the best meal ever
4 - Miss E.: Good Kabobs! Great Persian cuisine. Service is kind, attentive, and fast. Try the Koobedieh or Jooghe Chicken with a side of the garlic yogurt. After your meal you MUST get a Persian tea, not only is it good, but it helps with the digestion of your meal.
4 - David W.: My parents and I had the Joogeh Kabob, Lamb Kabob, and Shish Kabob with Basmati rice, hummus, and Lavash bread. It was delicious. I love scooping the hummus with a piece of bread grilled tomato, onion, and chicken, beef or lamb. The staff was friendly enough and the atmosphere in the restaurant was pleasant and clean. Definitely a spot I would consider for a date night ( :
3 - L T.: Tasty but pricey for the portion and decent quality.

Albrecht Immigration Strategies - Cambridge, MA (42.3733759, -71.1225028) (Harvard Square)
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I like his analytical attitude. Just check out these charts: http://immigrationado.com/work/

If you happen to be an entrepreneur, I doubly recommend him, since he deals with them often, from what I gather.

He does not do free consultations, but it's worth every penny. I'm glad to see that at least *someone* is passionate about the obscure and tedious subject of immigration. And you can hire him, so just go for it.
5 - Amelia E.: Jan Albrecht is excellent. As a lawyer myself, I could not appreciate more his frankness, depth of knowledge, professionalism... and the mad value he gives for his fees.

He's breaking the mould of lawyering in the best way possible, is easy to talk with (no jargon) and has a fantastic sense of humour. Although it's still early days for me in my visa process (watch this space), I feel significantly more confident and sure of the path I am taking after talking with him. Highly, highly recommended.

Alchemist & Barrister - Princeton, NJ (40.3506925, -74.660188) ()
2 - eliza b.: when i order a mango chicken salad, i'm sorta like expecting, um, mango. not canned peaches. which is what i was given. apart from the huge disappointment about the lack of mango, the salad was also said to have avocado. i got two SLIVERS of avocado on top. not good enough.
we seemed to have 3 different waiters. not sure why.
the food was sort of okay, the service was terrible, and nothing was served as described.
1 - Kim M.: The fennel dusted seared tuna is one of the worst things I've ever eaten.  The tomato-caper-calamata relish that it came with?  Ill. It was salsa sprinkled with capers.  One of the worst meals I've eaten.  BLERGH.
2 - Janelle M.: I usually sit outside on the patio, which during colder months is enclosed and heated. The menu is pricey considering the quality of the food, but I guess your paying Princeton prices.  The appetizers - namely, the nachos - are a good sized portion of yum. They offer some decent beers on tap including Bass, Smithwicks, Sam, Stella, and Pilsner Urquell; however, the red wine selection (by the glass) is pretty awful. They offer a vegetarian option or two, but it's usually a wrap or your typical frozen veggie burger.  Don't be surprised to find lackluster service.
3 - Liz S.: I had Sunday brunch here with my family.  The atmosphere is charming, especially around the holidays - if you like that ye old pub kind of stuff, which I do.  It's tastefully decorated and cozy, and the staff is very nice.

The food here is OK, and my impression is that they are going for the "gastro-pub" trend, but it's more American B & B/hotel fare than English foodie-style food.  The bread basket had too many overly-sweet things and not enough savories, and my Paris-Brest Salmon with eggs was just ok.

What I would definitely recommend?  The eggnog.  New to the menu, it is rich, frothy and strong.  They make it with peanut butter, which I found very interesting - you can't taste it, but the richness is there.  

I think this place has a lot of potential, but they need to decide which direction to go on the food.  Either keep it pricey (as it is now) and turn it up a few notches, or make it cheap and cheerful. I'm not sure that I'd go back for a full meal, but I would definitely stop by in the evening for a pint and an appetizer.
3 - Amy J.: The food is ok and the atmosphere is perfect for catching up with friends and/or winding down a rough day at the office or the track. The eggnog- seasonal, for sure, was spectacular and boozy for $6.50.
4 - Nicole E.: I've eaten here twice, both times for lunch.  I've had different sandwiches both times and was very pleased.  I love the fries and the sandwiches were both unique enough to make an impression.  This is a great place to go for a quick work lunch in Princeton.
3 - Jenn L.: Great for a burger & beer after work. Unpretentious atmosphere, despite the abundance of tweed-jacketed / elbow-patched clientle.
3 - Nathan L.: Good place for lunch.  Can't say it was anywhere near my favorite but it was a good reliable lunch.  I had a few things on the menu and nothing really stands, but it was all pretty good.  

The staff is pretty good, but again nothing to brag about so lo-and-behold a run of the mill 3 stars...
4 - Victor C.: Dinner/Bar Review.

After hungrily walking the streets of Princeton trying to figure out which place to eat. I finally settled on Alchemist & Barrister (A&B). It seemed to have a nice balance of casual and "not so casual"... 

Rolling Han Solo, of course I sat at the bar.

What I ordered:
Irish Pub Lamb Stew: lamb, carrots, potatoes, and irish soda bread
Chicken Salad: (not on current menu online) but salad included romaine lettuce, strawberries, apple (or pear), in some sort of vinaigrette dressing.

Man. I was stuffed. The stew was a nice hearty stew... it was what it was supposed to be. Nothing out of this world, but a solid stew nonetheless. The salad was quite tasty... it's actually quite similar to the summer/strawberry salad I had at Panera... definitely not very "pub-like" -- definitely more of a salad you'd feel comfortable eating in the "restaurant" part of the restaurant. 

I guess because school might not be in session, I went on the atypical night, or I'm just one myself... but I didn't really sense the pretentiousness that other reviewers noticed. Maybe if you went to the sit-down "dinner napkin" side, but I wouldn't know. The bar seemed nice and cozy to me, where the bartenders seem to know all the "regulars'" names.
2 - jimmy d.: i've been holding off on this one for quite some time but the time has come...

i spent WAY too much time on a barstool there. why? because this place is about the ONLY place in town where the bartenders know how to make a drink. cocktails at the a&b are the tastiest in town. unfortunately that aint saying much.

the food is way sub par for the price.

a $10 pub hamburger. c'mon! it'sa friggin ball of ground beef, fer cryin' out loud! and it comes with chips! ain't that classy?

and stop with the bands in the pub already/1 it's WAY TOO LOUD! you're driving business away. mine anyway you're a singer/songwriter kind of venue. NOT a band venue.

fix up the food. you could be MUCH MUCH better. you SHOULD be much much better.

drinks=good
staff=good
food= :-(
food prices=overpriced
drink prices=overpriced  like $8+ for a single bottle of weiss beer

a&b=Absolutely Blase
5 - eddie m.: Great place in a classic small town. Great beets and pub food. Staff was friendly and helpful.
1 - Andrew E.: I tried to eat here. I can't say I actually did. We were a party of six. I ordered Shepherd's Pie. When the food came it became apparent that my food was not in the mix. The waiter told me that another server had snagged my order when it came out and that a new one would be up in three minutes.

Ok, stuff happens.

Three minutes passed. Then 6 minutes. At the 10 minute mark the manager came to our table and asked how everything was. Our server had forgotten entirely about my meal. At this point everyone else at  our table was nearly done with their meal. I told them to just cancel my food.

Their compensation for not serving my lunch? You would think they would work to make it right? A free appetizer card delivered with the check.

Sitting at the table while everyone ate was uncomfortable not only for me but for our whole group. More was required. 

I spoke to the manager on the way out. She reiterated her apology. Disappointing. 

I won't be going back. Ever.
3 - Jen C.: Food is decent & they serve good portions. There are a variety of rooms to sit in depending on the atmosphere that you like.
4 - Whitney P.: Went with a group after being across the street at a BYOB restaurant and we didn't want to have to shop for our beverages . . .so this place became our default choice. I guess this is Princeton, but when you think of a traditional pub (which the bar on one side is) but their restaurant has white table linens. Some of us had beer, some had wine . . .their wine list is very shallow, one bottle and you have to switch. Everyone's food was good along with the Kobe slider apps. We had great service, but the place was empty so I don't know if that's normal. Good specials and they were pushing a beer called "intercourse" . . .and you can imagine where it went from there.
1 - Ed D.: Probably one of the worst meals in my life.  My date and I arrived and as we are being shown to our table, passed by the kitchen and notice a horrid smell coming out, like piled-up garbage. We didn't think much of it, since it was confined to the kitchen. 

I don't remember what my date had, but I ordered the chicken pot pie. It tasted like sour milk. Was going to send it back, but then noticed a roach crawling on the wall, and another one on the table next to me. No thanks, don't even want a perfect one now.
2 - Christine R.: Every month or so me and my girlfriends meet up for drinks and quick dinner on a weeknight in Princeton since it's central to where we are (2 of us are north, the other 2 are south of pton) And for whatever reason the past 3 x's we've decided to meet at a&b. Princeton is lacking of bars, so at least here there is that scene. The bar is fine, and actually the later the evening, it fills up with more interesting people. The 'outdoor' seating is great when it's warmer and the little alley that a&b sits in is perfect for getting your smokes and drinks in. 

BUT, if you're just going to go get a quick dinner wiht drinks with friends, either try sitting in the restuarant area (which is pretty much empty after 7) or go somewhere else if you can't get a table in their 'outdoor' area (outdoor is in quotes because it is covered but outside of the actual restarant/bar area). The bar just gets so ridiculously packed that if you're one of the poor parties sitting in any of the 4tops in between the bar and the booths you are constantly getting an elbow to the back of your head, your purse gets sit on, jackets/coats get knocked over on the floor, and there is a constant fear that a server will drop something on your head. Or at least i've had that fear! But yeah. If you end up in one of the booths , you do have some space, but the other tables are literally on top of you that you have to do a lot of squeezing and shifting to get out if you want to use the bathroom. 

The food is nothing to write home about. The bar food- apps and what not are good. They do a decent burger (which is the same thing I have every time). The service is also flaky, as one time we had really good service, and the other two times really slow, lousy service. So 2 out of three, i'll say that the service isn't great. 

But yeah, we'll be looking to go somewhere else for future 'dates'.
3 - C S.: The service has been getting spottier, including the servers forgetting to let us know what the specials are and having to be seriously flagged down even when the dining room is sparsely populated; this is in addition to the wines on the list being out of stock.

I don't know what is going on with a lot of the places that were better last autumn, as it appears the trend of service in Princeton becoming downright bad since the springtime has continued (except at Triumph, oddly enough, where it actually improved).
3 - Laura S.: We've gone here several times since moving to the area.  I'd say about half the time we've had good food/decent service, and the other half the food is ok, but the service is terrible.  Once or twice we've had to really work to flag down waitresses who seem either overwhelmed, or just indifferent (hard to tell - but at least it wasn't flat out rude).  It seems to be getting worse though -- it was better when we went last year, and recently hasn't seemed as good.
4 - John L.: I've gone here several times with various Princetonians. The food is good, although commonly Princeton high priced. The beer selection recently improved greatly -- Dogfish Head 60 minute on tap, Sly Fox Pikeland Pilsner, and some others worth having. In bottle, you get some real winners, like McChouffe, and others. I've never been disappointed by the food, and today's lunchtime service was exemplary, though other times it's been only so so. Based on today's visit, I'd go back again. I had a Filet Mignon sandwich with Pepper Jack Cheese and salsa that was phenomenal.
4 - Andrew L.: My girlfriend had the ménage à trois vegetable entree.  The fried tofu and stuffed pepper were good.  I had the grilled shrimp salad.  Good flavor, but for a entree salad it was a bit small.  Plenty of shrimp and other items - could have used some more lettuce.
We sat outside in the patio-ish area, but the plastic sides were closed because of wet weather.  A bit humid and warm, but understandable since it was not a "real" room.  Barely waited two minutes for a table on a late August Friday night at about 7pm.
Nice wait staff, albeit a bit spread thin.  Nice touch having Hershey's Kisses instead of mints on the way out.
Would have been 3.5 stars if Yelp let me, but I'll round up for this one.
1 - Rebecca L.: This was one of the most disastrous meals I've ever had in my life.  That's quite a shame, because the evening was off to such a promising start.  I was hosting a birthday party for 16 and had called around many area restaurants to make our reservation, most of which were not willing to accommodate a party of our size. on a Saturday night.  However, the Alchemist and Barrister management were friendly and efficient, and they seemed happy to have our business.   But that's where the good stuff ends.
  
During our meal, the service was passable--a bit on the slow side, which I chalked up to the busy Saturday night and our large group size.  But then I had to ask for the check FOUR times, and it took them about 20 minutes to deliver it.  When it arrived, I was surprised by how little the tab was, but I didn't give it much thought, since I was busy coordinating the payments of everyone contributing to the check, and I was, you know, trying to enjoy my evening.  This was the first sign that things were about to go terribly wrong.

When I gave the check to the servers and thanked them for their service, I got no response, not even a smile of acknowledgment. They were all busy staring at the computer screen.  When I was about 5 steps out the door, a server ran out, flustered, and said, "I'm so sorry, I don't think I added the cake cutting fee to your tab." I was told there would be a $16 fee ($1 for each person) added to my tab, which I had already approved.  Mystified, I pulled out the bill and pointed to the $16 on the tab, emblazoned on the bottom, clear as day.  She then apologized profusely and sent me on my way.  

I then attempted to leave the premises yet again when another server ran out for a second time and said that they had given me the wrong check.  I rolled my eyes and tried to go with the flow, until I realized that the correct bill was close to $200 more and most of my party had left already.  Seeing that it was difficult for any of the remaining six of us to foot the bill ourselves or to split it evenly in a fair way, we asked to see the manager to see if we could work out a fair solution to a problem that was very clearly their fault.  The manager not only gave me attitude (I can't do anything about that, doesn't any one of you have a credit card on you??) but had the gall to suggest it was our fault (That's why we discourage having multiple people contribute to the tab).  When we explained the situation one more time and suggested that perhaps they deduct something from the mandatory 20% gratuity ($80) for service that clearly did not warrant a 20% tip, he glibly agreed, and told us, "Forget about the tip! Don't pay it!" with no thought about sacrificing his waitstaff's payment in favor of saving his own butt and preserving his bottom line.  

Finally, we coughed up the remainder of the tab, minus tip, and hurried out there as fast as we could, planning on never returning again.  Little did we know that the ordeal wasn't over yet--the manager came chasing us down Witherspoon Street and very belligerently accused, "Guys, you're $100 short!" We looked at him incredulously and pointed out that he had told us to forget the tip.  

Speechless, angry, and flabbergasted, we left.  I realize that for a large party, a certain amount of  patience is required at a restaurant, and having grown up in the restaurant business myself, I definitely can empathize with the stress that staff feel when they are trying to manage a large table.  But what happened during our meal was inexcusable.  We had called a week in advance. They had two hours during the meal to figure out what they were doing, and it's kind of hard to miss the fact that you're completely undercharging the very large party that were ordering drinks, appetizers, and entrees with generous zeal.  But since such a dumb mistake was made, they could have given us something other than attitude.  Ridiculous.
4 - Meg L.: I really like this place.  I like it most when the weather is good enough to sit outside where they have a nice covered side porch with ceiling fans.  Its a little stuffy inside, and super loud if placed by the bar (which is every table basically).  I like it because they have a good solid few vegetarian/pescatarian dishes.  Especially one salad with spinach ravioli as the base, hearts of romaine, seared shrimp and a light citrus cream dressing.  The other half of mine got a veggie sub, which included zucchini and squash, fontina cheese and sides of fresh made veggie chips, which although salty were still tasty. 

Overall, its one of the few places in Princeton that doesn't take itself all that seriously, and you can make it out of there without spending a crazy amount of money if you so wish (above mentioned dishes were $10-12).  THey also have a full bar, which is helpful.
3 - Shannon T.: I've only been here to see a friend play bluegrass and have a few beers, and it was ok.  

The problem is the limited seating in the back where the bands are, so it's a bit difficult to position yourself comfortably to listen to the music.

The prices are about what you'd expect for a bar in Princeton.
4 - April M.: I see many people have given A & B some shabby reviews so I'm here to say... it's actually rather good! I spent V-Day lunch here with my... significant other... and I'd most likely return. 

We chose to sit on the porch, which was warmed by a fantastic mock fireplace, and was sprinkled with cute attributes. To start things off we ordered a soup and salad, which came out quickly, no big surprise here considering the lack of expertise to produce such dishes. Fortunately though, the quick delivery was also teamed with tastiness! From there we ordered wraps that were reasonably priced and packed a wide spectrum of great flavors. They were served with homemade veggie chips that I still dream about to this day (big sweet potato fan!). So overall, my experience here was definitely a positive one. 

Oh and definitely order the hot apple cider if you find yourself here on a cold day! You won't regret it =)
4 - Lydia H.: I really liked this place!  Now it could have been due to the fact that they sat us right away (5 adults, 1 baby, many belongings) and didn't act a fool (see Triumph review below!), but we really enjoyed our experience here.

We shared several appetizers:  the calamari, the nachos and the wings.  All were tasty, hot and fresh.  We each had a burger for dinner, although different varieties.  Veggie burger, "Tiger" burger, bacon and bleu burger, and regular.  All were delicious and served with tasty french fries.   Our drinks were always refilled quickly, and service was great.  Alchemist & Barrister is a great choice in Princeton for a quick and delicious bite to eat.
1 - Priti K.: Alchemist & Barrister was entirely disappointing. When we walked in it took more than five minutes for a host to approach us and another 5 to 8 minutes for a table, even though some were clearly available. After settling in, the server took several minutes to arrive, even though she was taking care of tables nearby. I couldn't catch her attention if I had three heads! 

We had Ana Luisa's Empanadas to start off our meal. The three stuffed pastries were dry on the inside and outside with very little flavor to save it. Even drowning it in the accompaniment of salsa verde did not help.

I've been more in the mood for vegetarian options lately and decided on the Vegetable Paella. It had eggplant, portabello mushroom, chickpeas, peppers, fennel, shallots, saffron and was served over brown Basmati rice - topped with tofu. How good does that sound?! It seems the restaurant makes up the lack of food quality by putting it in nice looking dishes. Although the bowl looked great, the food did not. It was bland in color and flavor. The rice and vegetables were just submerged in, what seemed to me like buttery water?

My friend ordered the Irish Pub Lamb Stew and again very little flavor. It was supposed to come with carrots and red bliss potatoes, but the whole dish had only one or two pieces of each. My other friend ordered Shepherd's Pie with lamb. It was actually the best dish out of the three. Although, that's still not saying much. If you're stuck between the pie and the lamb stew, definitely go for the pie.

Alchemist & Barrister looks appealing on the outside. The entrance is on the side of the building with a charming stone pathway and the outdoor patio must be nice in the warm weather. I can't say the same, though, about the service and the food.
3 - Michelle R.: Seated right away - service was very attentive and friendly.
Shepherd's Pie and Turkey Burger were delicious and in nice portions.
Would definitely return another time to try the other items on the menu.
3 - Emily S.: I recommend A&B, as long as you know what you're getting into: A casual atmosphere with greasy-but-tasty pub food. It's a fun spot for 20-somethings and anyone looking to have a couple beers in a boisterous crowd. The environment is colonial-cool, with a quirky little patio and a "cozy" inside. The service is friendly and decent, and there are chocolate kisses at the door. Who doesn't love that?

The A&B doesn't try to be something it's not, so don't go in with expectations it can't (or won't) meet.
2 - Ben C.: Another example of a Princeton restaurant that could not exist in any other town (like the Yankee Doodle Tap Room at the Nassau Inn). 

It's charming in its own way and the little alley it's on is very picturesque, but the food is really not that good. It seems to be mostly pre-packaged/pre-cooked plastic pouch food - tasteless. If you like Applebee's you'll probably be just fine. But if you actually know the difference,  you won't like it here. 

The service ranges from cheerful to indifferent.  

You'll get much better food next door at Teresa's.
2 - Melissa H.: Got the waldorf salad and lamb stew.  Everything was kind of bad.  The salad lettuce was limp and the lamb was dry.  Too bad!  I won't be coming again. :(
5 - Kristina O.: I came here for lunch with some family that lives around the Princeton area. I don't think of great food when I think of Princeton, but that's what I got when I ate at the Alchemist & Barrister. I had the chile marinated chicken sandwich (or something of a similar name). It was delicious! One of the best chicken sandwiches I've ever had. The chicken was moist and the avocado/guacamole stuff on it was super good. The fries were darn tasty too! My brother got the tiger burger, and he thought it was so good, he actually said that it might be the best burger he'd ever had. He really liked the tiger sauce. My brother, as well as most other guys I know, loves burgers, so he wasn't joking around when he said it tops his list of best burgers. I also got the raspberry sangria and my mom and aunt got the white peach sangria, and they both loved theirs! Mine was pretty good, better than most others I've tried, but I definitely think the white peach is the way to go here.

I don't understand the less than stellar reviews, but I came for lunch, so maybe it's different during the evening/drinking hours. Anyway, I thought the food was really good and it got the thumbs up from my brother too, so check it out (at least for lunch).
1 - Lauren B.: This will be short & sweet: I never really liked this place, but Saturday night sealed the deal for me.  A huge roach crawled down my dress!  And I saw two other giant roaches while I was there - at least 2" long.

Even if it weren't for that, the service is mediocre and the drinks are more expensive than anywhere else around.

I will NEVER go there again.
4 - Danan R.: Love the tiger burger with cheddar, mustard, mayo, and ketchup.  It's very nicely sized and perfectly juicy.  Fries are served with it and are nicely crispy.  They also have a pretty good organic turkey burger with Brie, if you want something a little healthier.  Pair either one with a Sam Adams Lager and you have a very delicious and fast meal.  Service is very friendly and prompt.
1 - Myrtle T.: The rolls weren't even good. The entrees were bland and watery. We even found packaging paper in one of our dishes. The water said, "Oh. Sorry," and then gave us the check and we left. So overrated.
2 - Robbie B.: this place used to be the best restaurant in princeton about 10-12 yrs ago....now it is a rundown old dump with ok food and poor service. dont bother with the place.
3 - Lucinda d.: Mouthwatering veggie burger! It had feta, tomato, cucumber and the tzatziki sauce was oozing out- still thinking about it  2 days later :).  My husband had the fish tacos- not as good as the veggie burger but still  tasty.
1 - jay w.: Okay, I love the ambiance and the beer is good.  However, they have a massive mouse infestation (as of 10/2010).  They come out at closing and I saw 5 at one time.  The staff weren't particularly shocked. 

May be go for a beer, but I wouldn't trust any food there.  I hope they can get their act together before they get shut down.
3 - Dan C.: My service was top-notch. The salami sandwich and salad I had were a straight 3/5, but the cider rum was delicious. I probably wouldn't go again, but it was a nice place to have a quiet lunch and catch up with a friend.
3 - Keith H.: The chicken wings and service were pretty good, but my brother in law hated his pork loin entree which was recommended by the server.  It was a disappointment that not everyone enjoyed their meal.  My steak was really good though and my sister's filet was good too.  Kind of a shame that they couldn't be consistent in the entrees.  Probably wouldn't eat here again.
3 - Simon C.: Came for a Friday lunch with colleagues. Ordered onion soup and Shepherds pie and shared chicken wings as an appetizer. Food  was decent in taste and portion. Haven't had many Shepherds pie in the US and would say A&B's is comparable to the ones I remembered from England - which is a big compliment. The service was also prompt and pleasant. Overall a warm experience on a windy and chilly November day.
4 - The S.: Generally well attended by the college crowd and locals, with ages ranging from maybe-not-old-enough to regular octogenarians, the Alchemist & Barrister is an "interesting" place, a true public house and gathering spot, filling your belly and warming your heart.

The menu features a healthy selection of wine and decent food options.  The nightly specials keep the menu invigorated, allowing one to eat here often without facing boredom.

I have enjoyed several dinners here, from fresh fish to burgers to shepherd's pie.  All were solidly good, some were delicious, although I would avoid the filet (overpriced for its quality). My colleague raved over the chili-spiced chicken sandwich on a recent visit while I loved the salmon in the herbal beurre blanc.

For wine, they do have featured "cellar selections" as well, but those are "uneven" to put it nicely, so I advise you to stick with an appellation you know.  Also, try tasting wines sold here by the glass before ordering, because many are oxidized.

The Guinness is fresh and mellow, so it is by far my favorite here.  However, there is a good draft selection, with frequent changes.  Original Sin cider is one of the new ones coming in for fall, complementing such beers as Ten Fidy, Rogue Mocha Porter, Lagunitas Brown Shugga', and several IPA's, including quadruples.

There are three seating areas.  The "backroom" is more family style, and sports a new floor that freshens its look.  The enclosed patio area is slightly more business- and couple-oriented, but a bit drafty and echo-y.  My favorite area is, of course, the bar.  It can get quite loud and raucous, but that will not deter grandmother from reading her book quietly amidst the chaos.

Service is inconsistent.  I have been here on occasions where I was almost ignored, but have at other times enjoyed the absolute best.  Most patron's are quite laid back and convivial, however I have also encountered a few of the more aggressive types that highlighted the "townie versus student" attitude.

3.6 stars
2 - Brian L.: Came her for a company lunch.  Ordered the red snapper.  Had parsnip soup.


Overall, A-OK.  I can't get excited to write this review, as it was just so meh.  2.5 stars?  The soup was good, but the entree was flavorless.  Maybe if they mixed them, it would've been 3 stars?
2 - Aristos E.: Definitely not impressed - dirty water glasses, slow service, bland food, greasy pastries, and an up-charge to substitute salad for fries.  The salad ended up being one of those pre-washed bags of romaine and was dumped in my plate sans dressing. With salad, my crappy, tasteless chicken sandwich ended up costing $18. I would definitely avoid this place.
3 - Kimberlin Z.: Stopped in before a lecture (after running in to the lecturer, icon Patti Smith, by accident in a hallway) to grab a bite.  

The cheapie $4 Merlot, 14 Hands, was fabulous.  I figure many will order Merlot, and so it won't be oxidized as many wines by the glass are, so that is why is is usually a safe pick though other choices may look more interesting, but this is a bottle I will be seeking out.  The $4 Chardonnay was boring though and overoaked.  

Cool pub atmosphere with people of all ages.  Great crispy fries and minestrone soup.  Wish we could have stayed longer, but we had to run back across the frozen campus to get a good seat in McCosh Hall to hear the fabulous, warm, and sweet Patti read from her book.
2 - Brita F.: I went here after hearing it's a Princeton institution-- don't bother. I ordered the Shepard's Pie and it was awful, tasted like a Stouffers frozen meal. I was going to say something to the waitress, but she just came and cleared the nearly full plate of it away, without asking why I had barely touched it. To make matters worse, the bathroom was just DISGUSTING! It reeked of urine, probably because it was a uni-sex bathroom, so maybe I'm just not used to how men treat restrooms. The only reason they got the second star was because of their apple cider--- that, I must admit, was delicious.
2 - Nishanth C.: Had the most bizarre, surreal experience here the other week. Came in with a few coworkers and it was kinda like that scene in Inception where everyone in your dream turns and looks at you. Or kind of like children of the corn. Or the pod people. Seriously, does everyone in this bar here know each other or did they not get the memo that it's totally rude and creepy to stare at people when they walk in? Compounding the weirdness is the fact that, as a joke, we tried staring at another table when we sat down and a girl at the table got really pissed and yelled, "I can stare back!"

The only thing that salvaged this experience was their 9% abv Victory Beer. Victory indeed, if only they served it in a 16 oz instead of a 12 oz. I hereby award one star per delicious beer.
4 - Georgianne V.: Went last night with friends. I had one of the specials which was a ham and cheese sandwich. Sounds boring but it had pesto and roasted red peppers and the rye bread was toasted perfectly. It was so yummy that I ended up having to give some to my table mates to try and they also love it. 

Our waitress was super nice and very accommodating to our needs and even let me swap out the fries for their fried string beans (also yummy). The place started getting crowded at about 8:30 pm, just as were getting ready to leave. We've been there in the past when they have music and that is always fun. We usually in the patio/pub part of the restaurant, which more matches our casual style.
4 - carrie w.: We love A&B! Great pub scene. Best to get bar food, ESP. Wings (we order the extra crispy), amazing fries and O-rings. My favorites are the spicy chicken sandwich, portobello stack, cheesesteak salad. Never a problem w service. Love Wendy the hostess.
3 - Huazzy K.: I review this establishment in honor of a Valentines Day Dinner I had a few years ago at this fine restaurant.

The service was fantastic, the food tasted good, the desserts were scrumptious. A few hours later my then girlfriend contacts me and tells me she's extremely sick (probably food poisoning). I tell her I think I'm ok... only to find myself running towards the bathroom shortly after that conversation. Yup. Food Poisoning.

So why the A-ok/decent rating? 

Well in a weird way I guess I thank/blame/but mostly thank A&B for making me realize that this relationship wasn't working out. How so? 

Love should overcome all. Even food poisoning.
2 - Renee C.: I was rather disappointed in this restaurant quite a bit. I ordered the classic burger and found it to be flavorless, in addition, i was shocked that the patties were not hand formed. The fries were a total bummer. they were flavorless and served cold. Even the pepsi was flavorless. The worst part was the pickles, they were very terrible. The atmosphere was just as bland as the food! The one redeeming quality was that my date really liked the nachos.
2 - Heather C.: quite generic pub food...
3 - Lauren T.: Small bar area, drafty patio and decent food.
4 - Hartej S.: Be sure to get some Nachos here! Great atmosphere and really nice staff.
3 - Ryan L.: Great place in Princeton for some bar food and a pint of beer. The space is small and dim and great for a college hang. It can get loud but that shouldn't matter if you're half in the bag.
3 - Monish M.: Good fries, great fried calamari, and great place to kick it! 

What I like about the service here is that the waiters aren't pushy or intrusive, even on a busy night.
3 - Warren S.: Cool place and above average beer selection (minus triumph), but the bartender didn't know her beer very well and was rather rude about it...when I told her there was a difference between an english brawler (an amber/ruby ale) and an American amber ale she looked at me like I had two  heads and told me I had drank too much....very ignorant and annoying. If you don't know what your talking about, just say so. So bottomline, if you want good beer and people who know the difference between an ale and lager go to Triumph. If you don't know what the difference go to A&B.
4 - W L.: I have been frequenting the A&B for over 22+ years.  The beer selection on draught is always excellent, the food is great and I love the outdoor dining patio in the spring and fall.  Nothing in Princeton can beat it in my book!
4 - Radhika B.: I've been coming here for a while now and the food has never disappointed me. The beer is decent and the outdoor seating area is really nice on a summer evening. I've tried a bunch of things across their menu: 
-The Captain's Drunken Shrimp - pretty good. Nice flavors but a little pricey for a small app. 
-Combo basket with onion rings (really really good!) particularly with an ice cold beer and the battered green beans (yum!) who knew that green beans could be a close second to french fries? 
-Tiger Burger - in accordance with the whole Princeton theme. This burger was quite decent and cooked exactly how I wanted it (medium rare)
-Kobe Wagyu - I think my stomach nearly exploded trying to finish this burger but it was so good that I couldn't stop eating it! The meat was tender and fresh and the pepper jack cheese complimented the burger really well.

and how oh how could I forget 
-The Shepherd's Pie - hands down the BEST dish on their menu. I have to push myself to try something new every time because I LOVE this dish! The portion is hefty, there's a nice balance between the meat and vegetables and it isn't overly salty. 

Bottomline: this place is nice for a casual but more upscale dinner
3 - Perri V.: Just okay. My pan roasted chicken was very moist and yummy, yet the veggies were very bland and the pan sauce they drizzled on the plate tasted like it came from a meat loaf. It just didn't work with the chicken. 
Our party ordered several apps....
Calamari was rubbery, coconut shrimp was good, drunken shrimp were delicious yet there were only 3, and the nachos were great,  the best app out of the 4 we received. 
Overall most in our party were satisfied with their meals. Most of the complaints were that their food was bland. 
For a Saturday night, the restaurant was dead. Makes you wonder if Yelp is making an impact in the restaurant business.
4 - Halil C.: nice atmosphere, one of the best bars you can go in Princeton. In fact you don't have much choices at all.
4 - Kayla M.: we had our huge group dinner here the other night and despite our large number, A&B's staff, drink, and food were great.  65+ people was a lot but they handled it really well considering. 
as soon as we walked in we were asked for our drink orders.  drinks to apps took a little while, but with such a big group I can't really fault them for that. salads were generic, but the calamari was delicious! 
had the chicken marsala for dinner which was okay, and the apple pie for dessert, yummy! 
my group had a great time and i hope to go back there with a much smaller number and experience their full menu.
4 - Bill A.: Possibly the best french fries I've ever had. That is not an exaggeration. The restaurant is split into two parts: a pub-like interior and a sunroom where you can sit down for a meal. When we were here, we got a meal in the sunroom part, which was completely open to the air. The entrance is in a side alley, across from a psychic shop, and the sunroom area looks out over that alley. The pub part is dark and cozy. Haven't been inside at night but the times i passed it after dark it looked pretty packed.
2 - Christina P.: I stopped here for lunch on a trip to Princeton with a friend. There aren't that many restaurants around the square, and this one looked charming since it's tucked away in a little alley. When we arrived we were presented with the option to sit in the closed in patio, pub, or dining room. We chose the patio since we were already in it and it was a sunny, quiet setting. 

Everything on the menu was pretty overpriced, burgers and sandwiches were mostly $15-$16. I got the chipotle black bean burger in a pita ($13) with fries. The burger itself was super mushy and not that flavorful. It also came with tzatziki sauce which I'm pretty sure was the wrong one. My friend's medium rare burger came out well done. The only saving grace was the fries. 

As far as service goes, the waitresses were nice enough but we had four different ones. They didn't seem to communicate with each other which was a little strange...

I don't think I'll be back.
2 - George L.: i ordered a CHICKEN CLUB. I was served a CHICKEN SUB. Basically a Wawa sub.

For $11.

Seriously.  Not cool. 2 stars.
3 - M. M.: Picked this place to eat because the location was convenient, the name was kind of cool and we were in the mood for Guinness and burgers as opposed to anything swishier. (One thing i noticed before we even got inside was that a number of dishes mentioned in previous reviews, such as empanadas and Captains Drunken Shrimp, didn't appear to be on the menu anymore-  instead it was pretty much burgers, fries, nachos, stew and shepherd's pie.)  I was also secretly hoping it would be sort of like the Tombs at Georgetown where I drank a year or so of my bright college days away.  I wasn't disappointed in that regard.

Got there at 6:30 on a Saturday in February, found there was a half-hour wait for a table for 2.  Decided to hang around, drink a beer in the overcrowded bar  - every seat taken, no place to sit, and people were literally standing in the entryways, the halls, anyplace they could find a spot.  This turned out to be the right move since by the time we got seated (which was indeed 30-40 minutes later) the wait was apparently up to an hour.  This place is nice and all, but the level of business was astounding.  We were happy to get a table in the bar, which is cozy (and noisy, as you'd expect) and looks basically like an old college/ Irish pub type bar, as opposed to the "patio" area which is sheathed in plastic, looked drafty and definitely lacking in charm and character.  They had so many tables jammed into the bar area we were practically sitting in the lap of the people next to us, but every table was full full full.  No recession here, folks!

Extensive beer list and they were only out of one beer we ordered, so that was OK.  Husband asked for his burger "medium" and it actually came more like medium rare (pink inside) but he was a good sport and ate it anyway.  The crispy fries were excellent.  The nachos were good although very untraditional; they use some kind of tortilla chip dusted with spicy stuff rather than plain chips, then put black beans, red beans, garbanzo beans, a couple kinds of cheese, olives, hot (very hot) peppers, chicken, and andouille sausage on them...and then put not only the sour cream on the side (I'd expect that) but also a tiny cup of salsa, which I'd normally expect to just see on the nachos.  They were good though.  I did not like the dusted chips but I liked everything else about the dish.  

Our waitress was terribly young and terribly overworked and still did pretty OK by us.  We noticed her spilling water in the lap of the lady next to us, but I thought she deserved forgiveness because the tables were so close together the poor girl had about 8 inches to manuever her tray between our table and the other folks.  It would be a difficult situation for even an experienced wait staff.  

This place lived up to my expectations (which admittedly weren't that high).  Given the land office business it is doing, I think some entrepreneur should open up another similar joint in the neighborhood, which seems to be heavy on fancier and pricier restaurants.
3 - Aruna A.: I have a few friends who live near Princeton, so from time to time, I end up hanging out with them....which is a tad dangerous, b/c if we have too much fun, the ride back to Philly is tough. I had this problem recently after too much fun at Alchemist and Barrister. The bar is interesting and a little confusing. It's almost two bars in one.  The bar in the back of the restaurant is so cozy.  Low ceilings, dark colors, dim lighting, feels like a throw back to an older time.  It seems like a great place to watch a game or catch up with friends, or just have one by yourself and brood.  After a few drinks, we moved up to the front for our meal.  The drinks were good, and the bar was great.  The menu....left something to be desired.  The nachos were good, the hummus was OKAY, nothing amazing. And a tad overpriced.  

I don't know that I'd go back for food, but DEFINITELY for drinks!!
4 - Linda H.: Stopped in here for drinks and a bite after a Princeton vs. Cornell basketball game. We sat at the bar and ordered wings,fries and fried green beans. The green beans were the best fried green beans I have ever had and the wings were quite good as well. Service wasn't great but it was a busy Saturday night in a Princeton bar. I would go back just for the green beans.
1 - Ben E.: Mediocre food.  High Prices.  Terrible Service.

I went here today for lunch.  The service was HORRENDOUSLY SLOW.We placed our orders at 1:00pm and weren't served until 1:25 after flagging down some wait staff..  For an order of two ham sandwiches and a black bean burger at lunch, this is inexcusable.

I can't speak for my compatriots, but my black bean burger was just ok, nothing special.  It was mushy and lacking flavor.  I have had better burgers at both TJ Winberries and Triumph Brewery in Princeton.  The fries that cam with my burger were just decent steak fries, nothing special at all.  

I would definitely NOT go back here. The food was insipid and slightly overpriced.  The service was bad.  

Finally, when they brought out the check, they mistakenly charged us for an extra order of fries!
4 - Sarang K.: ONION RINGS ARE THE BOMB HERE!
And so are the cheap drinks.
3 - Meredith C.: I think this restaurant had its glory days a long time ago. 

I had lunch in the bar at the back of the restaurant, which sort-of reminded me of the bar from Cheers. It was cozy and seemed like a good place to hang out over drinks.

At the recommendation of the waitress, I got the grilled chicken sandwich with pepper jack cheese, guacamole, cillantro and chipotle aioli. It was really good--but too big. And at $14, more than I would typically spend on a sandwich at lunch. The waitress was nice, and it was the sort of place where you can sit alone without feeling awkward, but I think it is a bit pricey for what it is.
2 - Luis D.: The food wasn't bad, and even though we had to make reservations the place was half empty. We had burgers, fish and fries. The guinness beer was not very fresh. The service was very slow even thought there was only 3 tables with customers. Food wasn't bad but very overpriced for the quantity served. We have had better. We will not go back.
4 - Izzy M.: Good place to hang out in Princeton. We had Sliders, Kobe & Chilli Chicken while listening to a nice band. Make sure to ask for Alex to serve you!
1 - Sing Sing M.: I'm not sure what happened -- but this was definitely the worst service I've had in this area.  About 4-5 months ago (I didn't have a yelp account yet and I just remembered I should review this place) my boyfriend and I came in for a late lunch on Saturday (1-2pm)so it wasn't very crowded.  Most of the patrons were middle-aged to later.  I think other than someone's kid, we were easily the youngest people in the restaurant.  

It took about 20-30 minutes before someone came to take our order.  And afterwards, it took 45-55 minutes BEFORE WE GOT OUR FOOD.  It was incredibly upsetting.  But rather than apologizing the waitress simply said the kitchen was backed up and left it at that.  Fastest thing they did was get us the bill when we were done.

The food wasn't bad but it wasn't very memorable.  We agreed that the best thing we were given were the fries.  Price wasn't too rough for the Princeton area -- but I have definitely had better lunch food and better service for a better price elsewhere.  

We're likely never coming back.
1 - Anita J.: This place could have received another star...but the totally screwed up the dessert.  We ordered tiramisu, which the menu described as being pretty classic - lady fingers, espresso, mascarpone.  What came out was a dry cake soaked in some kind of orange juice, topped with a heavy cream mixture.  The plate was covered with an orange and red syrup - it was awful.  When I asked the waitress if this was the right dessert, she was a little rude and uninterested.
4 - Lauren R.: A great bar for a drink with friends, as long as you go on a weeknight, as the weekends tend to get very busy and tables are hard to come by.  Their handmade, fresh fruit mojitos are AMAZING and well worth the steep price.  The late night bar menu also hits the spot - their nachos are the best I've ever had at a restaurant.
4 - Danielle C.: Overall the food is good not great. I had the chipotle black bean burger on flatbread. The patty was mushy but had a decent flavor. They forgot the avocado so I had to ask for it. 
To its credit, the overall ambiance is pleasant. In fact, diners have three to choose from; the patio, the pub or the dining room.
It's a great place to meet friends for an evening/late night drink. There's usually an open table and occasionally a live band.
2 - Polar B.: Pros:
Peaceful atmosphere and clean restaurant. Sitting in the back gives you window seating which is quite nice. Service was friendly and helpful. They also have Turkey Burgers as a substitute which is a plus if you don't eat beef.

Cons:
Food was quite expensive for the quality (burgers and fries) and the drinks were just as pricey. Any non-standard beer was easily over 5$ but most hanging around 7-10$. The food was only average in taste, just met the basic expectations of a burger and fries.

What we ordered:
2 Tigers Burgers (One beef, one turkey) with fries
1 Budlight 
1 Red Wine

Overall:
This is the type of place that you want to walk on past. I would not recommend going out and eating here on purpose. However, if you are forced to eat here, the food is average and the service is good so you will have a pleasant time.
3 - Chris M.: Overall, I really do like this place.  But I have to be honest and give it the rating it deserves.  The food is not that good and the drinks are pretty expensive.  The bartenders and wait staff really redeem the place and for happy hour or beer selection there's few better places in town.  Stop in for a quick drink and appetizer, but not for a solid dinner or multiple drinks.
4 - Russell K.: Do yourself a favor - get the bar nachos, a nice brew, sit down, relax and just unwind. This place can get a little loud during lunch and later hours, but if you get in the zone with the food, you'll be good to go.
1 - Steven S.: One of my worst experiences, ever!  and I mean Ever!  Started by asking the hostess if they have a happy hour.  She said it ended at 6.  It was 5:30.  Asked the server if they had a happy hour, she said, "I have no idea".  We decided to order some drinks and food anyway.  My drinks were in dirty glasses.  Wife's diet soda was flat, but bartender said CO2 was fine so they wouldn't take off check.  Wife got a big salad, I got crab cakes.  Asked twice for bread.  Check included flat soda and a sharing charge of $3.  Not a big deal but why?  Manager said since my wife only got a salad, he would not remove sharing charge.  
The place is dirty and in dire need of a make-over!  Food is below mediocre at best.  Be aware and stay away from this hell-hole!
4 - Ashley M.: I never ate here, so I can't speak to the quality of the food, but I certainly drank here plenty :) Generally good service and good drinks. There used to be a really hot bartender who worked there too, which was def a plus as well!
4 - Varun V.: Loved my tiger burger. 
Service was impeccable. 
Outdoor seating does not hurt!
4 - Amanda P.: I had a really great time here on a spur of the moment night in Princeton. The highlight of my experience was my pear martini. So good, I definitely recommend.
2 - Susan H.: My husband  I had dinner here last night.  

The service staff as a team was good, but our wait staff was either on top of us or not to be found.  We received our drinks and appetizers in a timely manner.  However, it took a while for our entrees.  Our waitress came by to tell us that we were just waiting for the macaroni and cheese.
My husband's dish was the Irish Stew, tasty, but s small seving for a dinner entree.  It was  served cold, it must have been setup before the macs and cheese was ready.  The macs and cheese was steaming hot, I burned my tongue, and the bottom of the casserole was burnt.  By the time it was cool enough  to eat, my husband was finish with his dinner, i had it wrapped.  This was very disappointing.

On a good note, the restaurant had a pleasant feel, but it was very crowded and noisy.

Aldama E Alfonso, MD - Houston, TX (29.710873, -95.4001828) (Medical Center)
5 - Catherine M.: Dr. Aldama was recommended to me by several people who work in the medical center and have watched him work. He is an excellent neurologist and performed my surgery beautifully. I was told by another doctor that I would need a much more invasive surgery and Dr. Aldama recommended a much less invasive surgery that has completely alleviated my pain. If you need a back surgeon or neurosurgeon, there is no one better than Dr. Aldama! He is the doctor that other neurosurgeons send their families to!
5 - Timothy H.: Wonderful Doctor. Performed my spinal surgery maybe 15 years ago. I am in sunny California and enjoying daily workouts and golf.

He worked with my Neurologist the late Dr Ben Cooper as a team.

Thanks to Doctor Alfonso Aldama
5 - Ann H.: Dr. Aldama did my back surgery about 10 years ago. He was referred to me by at least 18 friends that had an assortment of surgeries,from a brain stem to "blown" discs. Dr.Aldama was my second opinion. The first doctor wanted to put rods and screws in my back much to my dismay. I don't need metal in my back. Dr. Aldama performed surgery to repair a disc in my lower back. it was miraculous! I was walking within an hour out of recovery and 10 years later I am pain free. Dr. Aldama is the nicest most helpful Dr. I have ever had the pleasure to work with. He is calm, does not rush you,answered every one of my questions and explained everything to me in detail to my satisfaction. I cannot say enough great things about Dr. Aldama. He is The Best Doctor for your back surgery!He is as someone else reported The Dr. The other Dr.'s send their families to..He comes Highly recommended! He is the Doctor other doctors should pattern themselves after. One last thing..He calls you back if you need to ask him a question!

Aldi - Takoma Park, MD (38.9861528, -76.9878753) ()
3 - Kate F.: First - the Aldi website will try to tell you this location is in Langley Falls, MD.  Indeed, there is a post office with the same name that shares a parking lot, but Google Maps knows no such place and neither do I.  It's in Takoma Park - use this address to get directions. 

If you've never been to an Aldi's, but need to save money on groceries, get ready to get excited.  This is a pared down grocery store.  It is unlike any other grocery store I've been to.   It is owned by the same company as TJ's and is it's discount distant cousin.  

This will be a long review (I know you're shocked) because it will double as a primer for Aldi beginners.  Please have patience with me.  Contact me with questions as there will be a test. 

Basics to know: 
-Most shelf items are displayed in packed boxes on pallets.  No displays and few shelves.  Customers pick up the boxes for their own use so you can always get to the product.  

-There are very few, if any brand name items here.  Most are private label. Don't be scared - I've consumed Aldi's products for 14 years and have had one bad experience.

-It is similar to TJ's in that the number of unique products is low I think about 1600. There are four aisles - that's it.  You can get 90% of groceries you want from this store.

-People come here to stock up.  Lines are therefore long.  It is probably not wise to come here for only 10 items.  Come here to stock up, in the DC area these stores are somewhat out of the way.

-Hours are limited.  This is not the 24 hour megamart even when located in the suburbs.  Check before you go.

-Fresh produce is limited, and not super, especially when items aren't in season.  I stick to staples and  frozen veggies (as I do with most places) which are picked and frozen at the peak time.

Tips for you, the informed Aldi shopper:
-You put in a quarter to release the cart, and get your money back when you return the cart.  Two dimes and a nickel will not cut it unless someone returning their cart will take your change for their cart.

-No free bags - you can buy paper/plastic/insulated ones there, but  You earth-friendly Washingtonians already have your reusable shopping totes, right?  You can also pick up empty boxes throughout the store to carry heavier items and keep the cans from rolling around your car.

-They do not take credit cards or checks.  Bring cash or your check/debit card.

They do these unique things to save you money.  Groceries can cost half of what they would other places.  You aren't paying for bags, a cart collector, manufacturer displays, or credit card processing fees through inflated store prices.  

Review specifically of this store:  It's mayhem on Sunday.  I know this is shocking for a grocery store.  At this place it's a bigger problem because it's not clear where you line up.  (Note to the management: paint lines on the floor before you leave one night. )  My biggest complaint was other customers: they were rude - cutting the line, verbally aggressive.  angry at the long lines, and getting in the way of staff stocking the story.  (I'm sorry you cannot squeeze by those pallets unless you break the laws of physics.)  I got excellent boneless, skinless chicken here for 2.60 a pound - regular price.  A five pound bag of sugar (identical no matter what brand) was under $2.  I plan on stocking up here for holiday baking.  

Still with me? Excited about your very first trip?

Short summation: If you know the rules, it's a good place to stock up on discount basics.  *Remember the quarter!*
3 - Libby F.: Not your typical grocery store, however it is a good place to brush up on your Spanish speaking skills since that is the common language spoken here. 

As the previous reviewer stated, it probably won't have everything you are looking for, especially brand names. It is a poor man's Trader Joe's. I wasn't aware that it's owned by the same company. This chain is based out of Batavia, IL. 

As far as the products go, take a risk ast the unknown. Most products are pretty good! They sell oatmeal cranberry cookies in a tub for $2.99 and they are really good. Similar to stuff you'll find in Costco (Richfood brand). They sell a frozen food brand called Sea Queen and when they have it, the salmon in puff pastry is delicious ($4.99 for a 2pk). The shrimp and crab cakes I bought for $3.99 are like the Phillips frozen ones in the big chain grocery stores; not the best, but not terrible. 

I'd probably come here from time to time, but this isn't where I'd do my regular shopping. I am the Coupon Queen after all, and you can't use coupons on off-brand products. 



no-name brands = lower prices.
2 - Kellie D.: ok, i know that this is basically the cheap grocery store, and that you kind of have to take what you can get as far as the ....environment.

i'm used to aldi, the stinky people, the crowdedness, forgetting a quarter for your cart and having to lug everything around, and not having bags, i can deal with all this.

there was a DRUNK guy, and we are talking wasted drunk outside the store taking peoples carts from them so he could get quarters, and being a real pest. the security guard wouldnt do anything about it, it was a mess, just go to a better area if you have the time...
1 - Devida N.: Why does this place close at 8pm?!? Comparing this Aldi's location to Save A lot, this place SUCKS! The New Hampshire location is very small and the selection is very small. Who made up the idea to pay a quarter to use one of the stores shopping carts?!? Rent a cart? Why? I really thought this place was a joke. Trader Joe's owns this chain?!? LOL Dont waste your time just go to Save a Lot or Shoppers.

Aldi - Hyattsville, MD (38.9559455, -76.9640707) ()
4 - Kelly G.: You get what you pay for!

Here, that means a LOT. You may not recognize the names on the packages, but whatever. Just tear the package off, throw it away, and dump your deep discount groceries into your stacking containers you bought at Williams-Sonoma anyway. No one will ever know the difference. Ooops! Did I say that? :-)

This place is sort of a cross between Cosco (because it has everything) and a Trader Joe's (the parent company, I believe) (because they offer exquisite delicacies like lime grilled tilapia or something in a package for two).

You can do your BASIC shopping for the week for about $25. Add in a few specialty items and it won't cost you that much more. And while the shopping baskets cost $0.25, and they only accept debit or cash, (i.e., NO credit cards, NO atm, I think they take ebt) just think, you'll have more money to spend on fancy restaurants to yelp about! I'm a fan.
4 - Michele L.: This is a great place to go, when you need to pick up a few items. Not pricey at all. Just be prepared to wait in line for a few extra minutes, because no matter how long and crowded this place is, there are mere enough cashiers. 

Oh yeah, be kind and bring your own recyclable bag. Go Green!!!!!
1 - Paul D.: In a nutshell: It's a "Poor-Man's Trader Joe's." 
Nothing makes me more despondent then shopping at a place like this... 
It's another symptom of what's wrong with our society. In a word: "Disconnect." 

ALDI is short for "Albrecht Discount", and is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany. They are also the owners of Trader Joe's. 

ALDI can best be described as a cross between a Trader Joe's and a Costco. It's about the size of a Trader Joe's and everything is generic. Like a Trader Joe's they only carry one of every item (their brand). Limiting their inventory to less than 1,400 items. As compared to a regular Supermarket that carries over 30,000 different items. 

I felt uncomfortable walking through here. Maybe it was because I brought my own bag and was filling it until it got heavy and then I checked out. Because I didn't have a quarter to gain access to one of the shopping carts in the parking lot. The isles are so small that you wouldn't want to use a cart here anyway. So, I just used my big canvas grocery bag. Others were doing the same. 

There are only about five isles and most everything is on pallets with generic labels that vaguely resemble name brands. There are names like "Happy Farms" and "Cooks Corner."  Also, their little produce stand wasn't refrigerated. You don't come here from fresh produce, that's for sure.

There is something fundamentally wrong with having to forgo knowing who manufactures what you eat. All this standardized, generic food is disturbing. And yet I've been buying "Store Brand" generic meats & cheeses for years from Giant. However, this began back when Giant was locally owned by Izzy Cohen and not the Netherlands-based Royal Ahold. So, I guess it's a false comfort that I have with some store brands. 

Nevertheless, none of the labels here indicated where it was manufactured or sourced. It only said "Distributed By ALDI Inc Batavia IL." So, are we to assume that because it looks just like Land O'Lakes, Green Giant, or Kraft Singles with a different names, that it's from the same Factory? To say nothing of where the undisclosed factory sources the ingredients to make the things we eat and drink everyday. Hasn't anyone ever heard of Soylent Green? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soylent_Green 
This is just a step away from that dystopia. LOL 

ALDI sells "just the basics," and what they are saying is that It's all the same crap.  So come here, bring your own bags, bag your own groceries, pay CASH ONLY, and don't worry about where our dairy, meat, canned & frozen food "products" come from.  Because it's all private labeled, yet it looks like a familiar brand, so that's good enough. 
The rub here is that ALDI is only located in lower-income neighborhoods. So, when you can barely afford to feed yourself, ALDI may be your only choice. 

Products here didn't include the name ALDI. Instead, everything had weird names like "Happy Farms."  I don't know if it would've mattered?  I just know that I didn't like shopping here and I'm not going back.

And yet, I got 22 items of (questionable quality) food for only $40, making ALDI the Dollar Store of Food.
3 - Danielle P.: Aldi is targeted shopping for the Recessionista.

If you want to save money, this is a good place to pick up some staples like frozen veggies, nuts, dry and canned goods. Some of the frozen pizzas looked as good as Trader Joe's - spinach and goat cheese for example - but were $2.00 cheaper. Plus they have random non-grocery items like a memory foam bathmat for $7.99 - way less than Bed Bath and Beyond and it seemed nearly as good. I wasn't shopping for fresh produce so I didn't examine it closely but it all looked reasonably fresh to me.

Some people may find the following bothersome - You pay 50 cents for a grocery cart and you have to bag your own groceries. (They were selling reusable bags when I was there.) The lines are long at peak shopping hours. They only take cash or debit cards.

This is not as upscale as the Aldi I've shopped at in suburban Chicago which had more of a Costco feel, nor like the Aldi Markt in Berlin, which is jam-packed with more non-grocery items as well as more gourmet foods. But this Aldi is fine and gives a good, less expensive alternative to the Safeway or Giant when buying dry goods and frozen items. Aldi is the parent company of Trader Joe's.

Aldo Shoes - Cambridge, MA (42.3729281, -71.1197314) (Harvard Square)
3 - Evan P.: I rolled in to look for some hot new club kicks, because my current supahfly shoes give me blisters due to being too small.

Some female in my periphs starts ranting about some sale from across the room.  I just look right in her eyes, and say "are you talking to ME?"  Literally, the girl's face froze and you could see a light turn on in her head.  It's on.  She starts asking me where I'm from.  She keeps on touching me.  She's saying the song playing is so sexy, and she starts doing a sexy dance to demonstrate.  She literally almost backs it up on me in the MIDDLE OF THE STORE.

I have to admit, it was funny, and vaguely flattering.  But I was literally getting annoyed, because she wasn't helping AT ALL with getting me SHOES.  I would ask for a shoe in 8, she comes back with a DIFFERENT SHOE in a DIFFERENT SIZE.  I didn't mind as much because she'd flirt and do lots of sexual banter, but it was still obnoxious that I couldn't try on the shoe I wanted.  I ended up being late for my job and didn't even end up finding the shoe I wanted.

Aldo's is still a great place, and they have cheapish shoes that are in fashion, so I like it.  My recommendation is don't be a (EDIT: EXTREMELY HOT) guy and turn on the sales staff.  I might be going back to find the shoes, but I'll time it so I go during shifts full of ugly saleswomen.
3 - Jamie N.: First of all, let me give a shout out to the "extremely hot" Evan C. Give me a damn break, fool! Get your skank-ass wannabe clubbing bloated ego out of here. Now, on with an actual review of a shoe store, and not some sexual shoe fantasy from a blooming foot fetishist. 

I do have to agree with the other reviewers that the salesladies at Aldo can be a little pushy. I do not like it when I'm ringing up and they want me to also buy some useless spray to keep my shoes in good shape. The whole point of shopping at Aldo is to be able to chuck the shoes when you've worn them out, and buy a new pair on sale. That said, the saleladies here have saved me in two major crises. The first time, I stepped in a foot-deep puddle in the Square on my way to work, and my cheap-ass boots sprung a leak. I ran into the nearest shoe store (Aldo), and the lady hooked me up with some decently priced, leak-proof shoes and cute, dry socks. Second crisis (recent): I purchased an expensive designer handbag on a discount website for half price and the P.O.S. completely broke off from the strap while I was exiting a bus. I ran to Aldo, having previously noticed a sale on bags, and an overly enthusiastic young saleslady found a delightful yellow, much cheaper bag for me to pour my belongings into. 

Bottom line: although there are times I'd rather be hit by a car than deal with the crowds and too chipper sales staff at Aldo, and I will ALWAYS prefer Berks (which is just down the street), in times of need this store provides like a soup kitchen.
3 - Bethany B.: Good selection on par with any other Aldos that I have visited. The sales woman was nice if a little harried but it seemed she was working solo on 1.1.09 so I could understand.  I'd definitely stop back when the Spring shoes come out.
4 - Meghan P.: While I'd suggest Berk's over Aldo's if you're in this area, Aldo Shoes also has a fun selection of shoes, purses, jewelry, and other accessories. I've bought a few pairs of shoes on sale, sunglasses that I loved, and jewelry. The shoes are pretty basic in design and quality but for a girl who is not such a shoe fiend (like me) they do the trick!
2 - Kiki B.: i love shoes, i even like aldo some of the time, however i dislike the service here.  it has therefore become a very convenient return location for online purchases.
3 - Leighann F.: Great sales. Overzealous sales staff. In a mere five words, one can sum up the general experience at Aldo. Details of these experiences vary, but the usual expectations at this location include:

-the attempts of the sales staff to bring you a whole size above and below the one that actually fits you, because they are out of the one you requested.
-the attempts of the sales staff to bring you the correct size of the style you requested, but in a different color, because they are out the color you requested
-the attempts of the sales staff to hard sell you on those sticky things that go on the bottom of your shoes to prevent you from slipping. This has happened to me at every single Aldo, every single time I've shopped there. 

While some of their shoes border the ridiculously trendy and downright trampish in style, sales bring the opportunity to snag a decent pair at a good price. For $30-$60, you won't feel guilty wearing them for a season and tossing them.
2 - Inna H.: This is just a pricier version of Pay Less. Faux leather shoes, bad design. I have never seen leather shoes or bags there and I do not understand why Aldo is so expensive.
3 - Nicole V.: My shopping is rare, but when I do it I try to do it right.

Enter: Aldo
Exit: sandals I can actually wear out (apparently my passionate love affair for flip flops is not always appreciated) and some huge white wedges.  I love wedges....
One more product: sandal cleaner.  You know when you have leather shoes and by the tenth time you wear them the exact placement of every toe can be known due to the foot oils? No?  I'm the only one with gross feet? Awesome.  Well, once you admit that it happens to you go into Aldo and buy this stuff.  You can exchange $6 for a cleaner that makes those stains magically disappear.
Official damage: $70. Yeahhhhhh clearance.


I found regular stock to be fairly pricey, but they were having a huge sale so I didn't think it was necessary to check it out.  I will be back!! (assuming I walk by and there's another sale going on)
5 - Elizabeth G.: Closed for business. :(

Aldo Shoes - Palo Alto, CA (37.4422452, -122.1707225) ()
2 - Mika D.: I went to their Stanford Center location today during my lunch break and immediately found the pair of Luedi heels I've been drooling over. 

http://www.aldoshoes.com/eng/storeSection/redirect.cfm?sectionID=b2c/style/productDetails.cfm&itemID=71894574&&var=d&ckey=US&colorid=98

To my dismay, it just didn't work out after I tried them on. *phooey* They honestly look similar to the Christian Dior heels I saw at Neiman's. 

http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod58350015&parentId=cat17930733&masterId=cat15470740&index=12&cmCat=cat000000cat000141cat13030734cat15470740cat17930733

(maybe, kinda, sorta...not really..ahaha)

I was hoping the Spana open toe boots were in the store so I could try them on again and purchase them but no luck. Seems like this store didn't have much in stock nor any of their fall releases. Oh well. 

Customer service was okay. Didn't blow my socks off. There was only one person working and he was alright.

Oh well, my mission begins for the Spana boots...
1 - Lidsay C.: Very rude sales girl, I think her name was Karen. Avoid this Aldo go to the one in Los Altos.
1 - Dion L.: I have bought a lot of Aldo shoes in the past 3 years, great style.  However, i have bought my last Aldo shoes. Why, poor service, see the other comments here.  They seem to train extensively in Up-Selling accessories but not in actually serving a customer's needs.  

I tried to exchange a pair of shoes that was literally giving me blisters - No Exchanges on shoes that have been worn.  How would i know they were so bad without wearing them.  OK, assume that is the policy, the puke behind the counter has NO ABILITY to write up an exchange based on defective shoes.

I am done with Aldo after 3-4 years and about $1,000 in purchases.  Macy's sells shoes and has a reasonable return policy - so Goodbye Aldo, Hello Macy's shoes.
5 - karenina c.: I don't know why the low stars, but I had great service upon coming here. My friend had to return a bag she just purchased about a day or so ago, she was using it but for some reason the material snagged rather quickly and she takes really good care of her bags. She didn't have the receipt but we wanted to ask to make sure if we can exchange it or not. We were greeted and the nice sales associate assisted us I forgot his name, but he helped her when she last came in. He quickly apologized for the inconvenience and said he can gladly return exchange it without the receipt. The transaction was nice and smooth we had no problems what so ever. Which is great! Saved us a ton of times and the sales associates are all such sweethearts! You guys rock!! Hopefully this never happens again, and if it does I hope the other Aldo stores have sweet sales associates like this location!
2 - Stephanie C.: The customer service in the store was ok, but we had to order a pair of shoes in and when calling the branch in Palo Alto for status update, BOY was it bad.  It seemed like the pair of shoes we ordered from the store was lost since they told us it will arrive in 5 days and after 7 it still had not arrived.  When my husband called, they were told we had to wait for the branch manager to look up info for us.  My husband had to call back 4 days and leave messages EVERY DAY.  Finally , fed up, today, we called and was told the Branch manager doesn't come in till Tuesday so we would have to wait an extra THREE DAYS.....this is al to track a freakin pair of shoe.  All they care about is selling and no regard for customer service....

finally after more badgering, we got the guy to pull up their purchase history and was given a status update ... so first off, NO the shoe actually takes a WEEK and half to ship... and the fact that the guy was FINALLY able to pull it up after we threaten to talk to the District Manager, means it was not a hard thing to do... they were just lazy and no one wanted to pull it up
1 - Jessica L.: Aldo Stanford - I like your shoes, but why is it SO painful to shop in your store?

I had an incident awhile ago at this location that prompted me to write a formal complaint.    In short, it was about them rudely rejecting my request to return a pair of shoes the day after I bought them at a different location because the Sales Associate 'could tell they have been worn outside of the store'  which was completely not true.  I was furious.  The District Manager ended up calling me to apologize and offer a 15% discount off all regular priced shoes.  I appreciated the gesture and apology so I fussed no more but really, the offer extended was equivalent to one anyone could find online.

Another incident, which was recent, involved walking into the store and all I could hear for the entire duration of my shopping experience were 2 Sales Associates squawking away about  so-and-so's low self esteem among other negative opinions on fellow ALDO Sales Associates and Managers.  I was the only person in the store.  No 'welcome,' no toning down the inappropriate side conversation, no acknowledgment at all that a customer just walked in.  Expect poor customer service from this place.
1 - Stasha P.: This review isn't for this particular Aldo Shoe Store but just Aldo Shoe Stores in general. A week ago I placed an order over the telephone for a pair of flats that were on sale. The sales rep didn't seem to know what she was doing so I wasn't all that surprised to log into the bank and see I'd been charged 3 times. 

I called the bank who said I had to call the merchant and have the merchant call them. I called the merchant and some airhead named vicky laughed it off saying that "oh yah we put in the wrong zip code so those were kicked back and no we won't call your bank for you, you have to do that.". When I asked for her customer service ID number she giggled again and said she didn't have one. When I asked for a manager she giggled the entire time she was telling me that they don't have one of those either. 

So now I'm sitting here an entire 7 days later with $259.80 taken out of my account leaving me a total of $2.32 for gas, food, and prescriptions. I explained this to Vicky and told her all she had to do was call the bank to sort it out but she refused. 

So now I'm just at the mercy of whenever this falls off at the bank and hey if I get fired because I have no gas money to get to work well then golly gee I guess that was just meant to be. And goodness gracious it is a blessing that I'm only on thyroid meds and not anti-psychotics because I can't get my needed prescription either. I'd hate to see what would happen if I actually was on some anti-psychotics and couldn't get them because Aldo and their employees don't know the proper way to charge a card, something I could do despite not having done so as part of a job for over 20 years. 

So Aldo will never get my business again. As a matter of fact this was the first time they ever had my business and boy was that a mistake of the century. It isn't because they made a mistake, everyone does. It is their complete and total lack of initiative in correcting that mistake along with their absolutely idiotic sales girl Vicky who apparently thinks  laughing and giggling instead of apologizing and fixing said mistake are what true customer service is. 

Hey Vicky let me give you a little clue by four. Customer service is doing everything in your power to make sure your customer is happy. More to the point if YOU make a mistake that negatively impacts your customers life you should say SORRY repeatedly (with no giggling or laughing) while getting said mistake fixed. If you don't know how to fix it you should tell your customer that but assure them that you will find someone who can fix it and that you will call them back every step of the way. That is called follow-up, I know you probably haven't heard of it. Then you should cease doing anything else (yes that means no breaks, no twirling your hair around your finger while rolling your eyes into your head, no flirting with coworkers, and no giggling) until you have fixed your mistake. 

When your mistake involves tying up someones entire checking account so that they can't get gas in their car to go to work and can't pick up their medications you might even, on top of your apology and fixing said mistake, offer them a gift certificate to insure that they will try your store again. And since I'll most likely get fired for not being able to get to work you could just tell your boss that someone much more qualified is available to take your position since you certainly don't seem to want to keep it.

***edited***
While Vicky certainly wasn't helpful her boss was. It took her boss one phone call to my bank to fix the issue. Too bad it was 7 days after the fact but I digress. I was also given a gift card and my order was corrected. Veronique, the boss, took my complaint very seriously. It's just too bad it took so long for word to get to her but I'm thankful it finally did. Who knows how long my bank account would have been tied up if she hadn't.

Aldo Shoes - Cambridge, MA (42.3736158, -71.1097335) (Harvard Square)
2 - Tracee D.: nice staff

Horrible horrible pumps, heels, and other atrocious fitting crap.

the sandals, flats and standard brown shoes are ok.

I only go there when I am desperate, and lately- haven't been desperate enough to purchase a thing!!
4 - Doug H.: I just wanted to give a shout out to the staff there.

I ordered some ALDO shoes via mail and when I got them and used them, they were torturous.

I brought them in to Cambridgeside and asked for an exchange and they did so, quite professionally, quite pleasantly.

That counts for a lot in my book.

And I really liked the shoes I got in exchange.  Very comfortable and pretty well made for the price range.

Ale House - Troy, NY (42.7451318, -73.6839821) ()
5 - Rocco B.: This little dive is on a quiet residential street in Troy.  You'll probably drive by and and not even notice that it's there.

But the Ale House has the best wings in the United States, and probably the world.

This is coming from a chicken wing FANATIC!

Try a small order of their Award-Hot wings.  They're "holy shit" hot, but still have such an awesome flavor.  If you're within 100 miles, swing by for these crispy AMAZING wings.
5 - Andrew J.: Rocco B. totally sets the record straight by saying that the Ale House has the best chicken wings in probably all the world.  It does.  The universe even.  This place holds the title of "MY FAVORITE RESTAURANT".  My aunt and uncle started taking me to this dingy, Irish pub back when I was literally an infant.  The atmosphere is dark and the music is always loud.  The wait staff, consisting of about two or three people, are a great bunch of people.  The beer selection is what you'd think it would be, nothing fancy but you're not going there for the beer variety.  I recommend the following as a perfect meal:

1) a pint of either New Castle, Guinness or Sierra Nevada
2) an order of onion chips to start

and most importantly:

3) one order of (and say it just like this) "a dozen medium crispy"

They'll know what you mean and you'll be happy you did.  I absolutely love this place and it is one of the few (and I mean very few) reasons I sometimes wish I still lived in the greater Albany area.  And totally try to make it for their annual Thanksgiving pub crawl, the "Turkey Leg."
5 - Victor L.: Andrew J. you beat me you little bastard.

Let me just say that, while Mr. Subb is fairly close by, they don't have alcohol or chicken wings. This place does.

My parents, Chinese physicists, go here. THEY GO HERE.

I'm going to third the chicken wings, they are supreme in all of Troy, the greater Albany area, and probably as far as the Catskills (I really don't know what they do over there, so I'm going to let that one slide).
They use the good kind of chicken wings, smaller, tender, and their sauce is well balanced and just tasty. Their other food, well its good but you don't have to have it. Because their wings punched me in the stomach and I liked it.

Don't stick around at the bar, grab a few friends and go into the second room and sit at a table and get rockin'. They sort of have a stage. I wouldn't recommend it.

Oh and one time a pickle dropped from a friend's plate here. Me and Andrew J. decided it would be hilarious to give it to our friend, and she totally ate it heartily without knowing. Sorry Alana.
4 - Daniel B.: Don't get me wrong... I agree the wings are fantastic.

I do have to admit that my preference is towards the classic Frank's and butter combo.  But these changed my mind about the supremacy of Frank.  

We did take Andrew J's reco, and got them "medium crispy" and that was a very good call for an introduction to the place.  Next time, I will try them hot... because I know that it will end up hurting me in the end, so to speak.

Maybe it's just that I'm getting old, and fantastic wings are still just wings, and don't get me as excited as they used to?  Or maybe it has something to do with my new found vanity and concern for my vascular and digestive well being?  Hard to put a finger on it.

This was not disappointing at all, and next time I am in the area, I will certainly try to come back.  And I will sing the praises of this place to all my friends back West.  

The Capital District is a helluva wing town, and I am just not ready yet to award wing supremacy to one place.  

Yet.

- - -

Update:
The Ale House comes in a close number two behind Scubbers on wings alone.  Wings with beer - Ale House takes it.  The beer selection at Scubbers is weak.  But the wings are clearly better there.
5 - Shawn S.: An easy 5 stars.  The wings get my vote for best in the area and they always have a good selection of beer on tap.  The rest of the menu is good but I have a hard time ordering anything else than wings and beer.

The atmosphere always gets me, its a neighborhood bar but you can sort of tell this is an out of the way place for a lot of people, and as Mike P. mentioned on some nights it has a family restaurant feel to it.  But it all works, that is another reason why it is so great!

Reminds me of a lot of the pubs I visited in Ireland, with the mix of locals and tourists, everyone feeling at home and having a good time.

I wish this place was in Albany, I would be there every week and would probably have gained 25-50 pounds.
5 - Steven K.: My shortest Yelp review ever:  it don't get no betta than this!  All the prevous reviewers have it right and I don't need to repeat their raves.  I like to sit at the bar and have the man tell me about the various beers on tap, which rotate based on the owner's (Brian) instincts.  He has very fine instincts.  Go!

(And get your tires changed across the street at the Tire Warehouse, best tire retailer in the area).
5 - Mike F.: The tequila-chipolte wings are simply amazing. Great selection of constantly changing beers on tap.  Fun and cheerfull environment, family friendly.  In over 15 years of visits I have seen exactly one fight break out amd my fellow patrons threw the offending drunks out of the place and saw that their tab was paid. Voted best dive bar in the capital region several times, even though the moniker really isn't deserved.  The Ale House is much more a family / neighborhood institution.  My own personal Cheers...
5 - Matt T.: Ale House rocks my socks. I pine for this place much more than any grown man should. 

I ate there at least once a week for a several years, both lunch and dinner, and enjoyed many a music show to boot. 

Short list:
- Wings: Hot, sloppy, and crispy
- Burgers: Any of them
- Reuben
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Onion Chips with Horseradish Mayo

The wings deserve an extra special mention though. They've won the local "Best Of" multiple years, and rarely disappoint. I would make it a point to include an order in every single meal. 

Great pub food. Great rotating beers. Great staff. 

Go here.
5 - Brian L.: was visiting Troy for a wedding this past weekend and read the reviews on this site about the wings.  They were just as good as advertise.  Absolutely amazing.  perfectly crispy and saucey.  Wanted to drink the sauce!  had the Tequila and Chipotle wings.  AWESOME!!!
4 - Karden R.: Great wings, really meaty, 10 are more than enough for 1 person, large selection of tap beer, ambiance leaves something
To be desired
5 - Emma S.: I love this place. It's been around forever and there's a reason for that. It's a local hangout with no pretense where you can go to relax with an ice cold pint and some of the best wings in the area. This is the place to go to avoid the college  crowd and there's a fantastic mix of locals from all walks of life. Some nights there's a dart league and sometimes have live entertainment in the back room. Always top notch entertainment. I've never had anything other then their wings, which are big, meaty and come in a variety of tasty flavors. I like them hot, crispy and saucy and they never fail me. They even let you split your order into 2 different flavor selections which is great. That's how I discovered their tequila chipotle wings. Even though I'm a traditionalist and stick to the classic buffalo style sauce, the chipotle ones are amazing! The bar staff has been there forever, know everyone and are always willing to chat up a storm.
5 - Lai-Yee B.: OMG, get the wings, get the wings, get the wings. Crispy, meaty, moist, and well-sauced. I had the medium or mild wings with a friend, and they were plenty flavorful. JUST GET THEM.

Also had some of their fries and gravy. The fries were fine, gravy was better than I thought it was going to be. 

They also had Old Speckled Hen on tap! The name alone is enough to get me to order it. It was $5 for a pint.

The inside is all wood. It's almost like someone converted an old first-floor barn or garage into a bar. Really cool. The walls smell like they've absorbed years of fryer oil smell. It is a good sign. They have practiced years of the fine art of frying here.

Friday and Saturday nights are usually packed with people and live music. Lunch times are much more relaxed. I don't know if they do happy hour or food/drink specials on random nights either. It's a really casual place, so don't feel like you have to dress up. But you wouldn't be out of place in a business suit since there are offices  in the neighborhood as well. The crowd is a mix of people ranging from bikers to yuppies, and bartenders are relaxed and know how to handle a lot at once.
5 - Ssixty F.: Great wings, cripsy, hot or not. Staff is very friendly. Burger i tried was blue cheese and carmelized onions was awesome. Beer+Wings=goodness. And i try wings everywhere i go, Ale House is the bomb.
5 - James C.: For a man of simple tastes..their
 medium wings are the best I every had...and an order of wings with two Guinness for under $ 20? Try to get that in the capital areawithout the wings being bland our the beer trading like stale water
5 - Greg Y.: Best wings in the capital region?  I'm not sure yet.  I really like Junior's (Albany) wings and I've heard good things about The Ruck (down the way in Troy).  But, I'll tell you what, it doesn't matter.  Eat all their wings.  Simply amazing.  Crispy, large, and reasonably-priced.  

So now that you've came for the wings, stay for the amazing beer selection.  I'm a Mahar's regular and there were some beers on tap that i haven't tried.  I imagine they keep the selection fresh so I'm not going to bother listing what they had when I was there.

A final note on the location.  They're right across the street from plenty of parking and, while the place doesn't look like more than a neighborhood worker's hole-in-the-wall, it's really sweet looking inside.  Lots of wood, murals in the bathroom, and a classic dining room- bar room split.  

Finally, the service.  I was there about a half hour before closing and figured I deserved at least a small frown or extra foamy beer.  Much to my delight, the staff was very cheerful and inviting, even for a couple of latecomers like my friend and I.
2 - Amber F.: The Ale House?   More like the FAIL house.  Yuk Yuk Yuk.


Okay, I don't like when people review places that they didn't actually try but let me break it down for you.

My partner in crime and I had never been here and after reading the wonderful reviews we decided to check it out. From what I read it seemed like a place to relax, drink a good beer and perhaps make that bad decision to order some bar food and that's just what we were looking for. 


First of all, it's one of those places that everyone stops what they're doing and looks at you when you walk in.  

Obviously a townie bar.  

I had to hover over people at the bar to check out the beer selection because they didn't have a list written anywhere else.

My findings were disappointing.   The beer selection was rather pitiful for a place called the Ale House. 

There was a room in the back to sit but there was no direction if you could seat yourself or had to wait,  we would have asked someone but the only person who seemed to work there was chatting it up with the regulars.  

If you have read any of my other reviews you will know I don't mind crappy service or divey little hole in the walls IF there's something else to make up for it. 

Since there was not one beer either of us wanted to try,  we weren't hungry (and I don't eat chicken wings)  and the place was just too awkward so we just turned around and walked out.  ( We went to Holmes and Watson's if you were interested) 

I'm giving it two stars because I feel 1 star is too drastic for a place I was only in for 5 minutes and I'd be willing to give it another shot if someone who liked the place wanted me to go but I'll never return on my own accord.
4 - Beau C.: Another nice hidden gem of Troy. Good food and a nice beer selection. It's small but fun.
1 - Don H.: We went to the Ale House last night mainly because of all the great reviews here. We've lived in Troy for 7 years but have never been to the Ale House because it's sort of in a weird, run-down ghetto area. Driving by, it really doesn't look like a place anyone would want to eat at. It's very dumpy both inside and out.

I have to say that a person shouldn't trust everything they read here on YELP.  Sadly, our experience was quite different than most other YELP reviewers.

I ordered the BBQ wings, a cheeseburger (med-well) and fries. My partner had medium wings, a turkey sandwich and fries. 

My BBQ wings were cooked perfectly but they lacked any BBQ flavor. They needed more sauce. My burger was overcooked to the point that it had a thick burnt crust on the meat patty. The only thing that was OK was the fries. 

My friend said his medium wings were good. As were the fries. The turkey sandwich was supposed to have cranberry sauce on it but it was dry. No sauce at all. He had one bite. We took it home to the dog. 

We each had one drink (mine was a cape codder and his a non alcoholic iced tea). The total bill was $45. I left a $10 tip because the service was good. It wasn't her fault the food sucked, For what we got for the $45, (not including the diarrhea and cramps we both ended up having last night) I felt that was about $15 too much. 

They allow smokers to smoke right outside the open double doors of the dining room. The cigarette smoke blows inside the dining area where people are eating. They might as well be smoking inside. That was not cool. Smoking should be done far away from any diners. 

There was a single TV in the back room but the volume was turned all the way down. There were speakers hanging from the walls but no music. It was a pretty dreary and boring place to be. 

Ending thoughts: Had the turkey sandwich came with the advertised cranberry sauce, if the BBQ wings actually had BBQ sauce on them, had the meal and drink total been around $30 and finally, had we NOT gotten diarrhea and cramps a few hours after eating there... I would have given this place a 3 or maybe a 4.
4 - Scooby C.: I keep wanting to come back here & I'm not 100% sure why. The wings are great, but the menu is pretty average. The clam chowder (which I'm big on recently) is Manhattan style. Maybe its the old school never been updated since the day it opened decor. Maybe its just that I love dark dank hole in the walls. Whatever, I love this place.
4 - Mike L.: Its all you would expect from a hole in the wall bar in Troy. Its a dive bar with a kind of limited menu of appetizers and sandwiches. But the tequila wings are fantastic and the service is good. Don't expect dining at the Ritz but if you want a lowkey place to hang out and drink or eat chicken wings this is your place.
5 - Paula G.: My number one place in the Capital Region to get wings. I found them thanks to their well deserved best wings rating by Metroland year after year. They hit the nail on the head... these wings are worth the trip. 

The Ale House is a little hole in the wall across from a fire house in North Troy. Very modest and pretty chill, which is what I like in my eating establishments. The wings and brew is what it's all about here. Those crispy tequila chipotle wings burn my mouth and make me happy inside. And I wash it all down with a brew from a good array of choices. I've heard the turkey sandwich and a couple other menu items are pretty good, but I come for the wings. A little pricey but worth every cent. The staff is super friendly as well. If you love crispy hot wings, this is the place to be.
3 - Deth T.: Decent dive-y bar, but not too much of a dive, even considering its location in North Troy. The Ale House has lots of old taverny-character: wood-paneled walls, the same tables its had for the last 30 years, dark lighting, sports on the TVs, etc. Service was good although I could see it being rather too personal for some, although perhaps we were getting some special attention since one of the ladies in our group is a regular. If you want a detached, impersonal waiter than you certainly won't enjoy The Ale House where it seems the owner and his small daughter are the ones waiting on you. This is a family-run tavern and it very much comes across that way. 

Regardless, we had a nice evening, but the food is nothing to rave about, imo. CAVEAT: I am a vegan, but if necessary will eat vegetarian to keep the peace. This is what happened in this case, the kitchen made me a grilled cheese filled with random veggies. It was fine, but nothing spectacular. Sweet potato fries were good, but not like some of the amazing ones I've had elsewhere. The salad was surprisingly decent, much better than I was expecting, to be honest. Those in my party who ordered wings LOVED them however, so perhaps this is a good place for the carnivorous, but certainly don't go here if you are a super-picky vegan. My mom had a fried haddock sandwich, I think, and she liked it well enough. I certainly appreciate that they did accommodate my vegetarian request, but ask for something vegan and I'm sure you'll be met with a confused stare. This is a great classic bar of Troy, however, and because of that I will certainly be back to show it off to new visitors to Troy. Just not when I'm hungry.
3 - Jerry M.: I was looking forward to my first meal at the Ale House. I had read good things about the wings, and couldn't go any longer without trying. 

First of all, the service was the one major downside of my experience. At the time, a Saturday night around 7pm, there was only one waitress working the entire table area. The service was slow, and the food took long to come out. We stopped ourselves from ordering an additional appetizer, because we didn't feel like waiting another 25 minutes to get it. 

Aside from that, I thought Ale House was pretty typical. I found the wings to be a little too crispy, but the sauce was delicious. We got medium, and I found it to be tasty and rather hot. 

We also got an order of the crispy onions with horseradish dipping sauce. The fried onions tasted as if they had been lying around all day. The outer layer was soggy, and I was not impressed. However, the horseradish dipping sauce was excellent. A perfect example of good sauce, bad food.

I thought the beer selection was commendable, and reasonably well priced. 

Overall, the Ale House satisfied my craving for good wings, but in the end, I would not return.
5 - Jessica R.: Who has the best wings in Troy - the Ale House or the Ruck?  Tough call, but you are going to get great wings and beer at either place!  I give both these places 5 stars.

Go to the Ruck is you want a limited (but yummy) food selection, more beer selection, a fun bar atmosphere, and to cozy up next to some college co-eds later in the evening.

Go to the Ale House if you want to sit down, be waited on, have more food selection, and not have the noise volume override your conversation. My friends and I will often randomly declare it "Ale House Night", and we all gather there.  It's laid back, not pretentious, the wait staff is friendly, and the atmosphere is conducive to conversation and catching up with each other.  Surprisingly, Wednesday night is Mexican night, and they have great Quesadillas!  In general, I recommend the wings (Regular Medium wings, and the Tequila Chipotle wings), sweet potato fries, and carrot cake!  

The Ale House has also started hosting the Front Parlor Storytelling series on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 7:30.  This is an amazing night of storytelling, and definitely worth checking out.  I wouldn't recommend going here for dinner alone on that night - the place is packed, and you don't get a seat unless you show up before 6:45.  Check out more information about the Front Parlor nights here: http://alloveralbany.com/archive/2011/08/10/front-parlor-story-night-at-the-ale-house
3 - Colleen M.: Down grading.  I just don't like the wings here and for that I have to knock 'em down 2 stars below The King of Wings in Troy: The Ruck. 

Other than not having the best wings I like it.  Tap selection is small and does not cater to beer snobs.  The staff are awesome.  Trojan Story Telling is da BOMB.

Alegria Wine and Ware - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2813181, -120.6640607) ()
3 - Kate C.: Love the idea of this place, can't wait to see it develop! They seem to need a little more focus on the 'spanish' theme. I'll try it again after their 'grand' opening and hopefully add a star or two!
5 - Teri B.: "So far as drinking is concerned, you have my hearty approval; for wine does of a truth moisten the soul and lull our grief's to sleep". Socrates

The proliferation of wine bars, wine shops, and wine focused business makes my heart sing.  Each proprietor brings a unique view, inventory, and taste to those who worship Dionysus.  My newest find in the wine bar portfolio is Alegria Wine and Ware in San Luis Obispo.  Alegria means Joy in Spanish and elation is what I felt every minute in this new wine utopia.  

The concept is small boutique style wines are offered from California, Spain and Portugal.  All bottles under $25 and there is no corkage to drink it there.  The wine is sold in flights, 3 ounce, 6 ounce pours or by the bottle.  They also feature a "Just One Wine" selection that features a stand out for each winery.  They offer exceptional tapas with a menu inspired by Russell Thomas of Two Cooks Catering.  Owners John and David Hance come from varied and serial entrepreneurial backgrounds, to create this wine and tapas rapture.

The bright inspiring colors draw you in and make you feel like you just entered into a San Francisco hipster bar.  The artwork is stirring and created by Hance's 80-year-old mother.  The custom wooden crates that are fire stamped displaying the wine and the miraculous local artisan plates; towels and other kitchen adornments beckoned you to stay, imbibe, and experience joy. 

The idea started with a Website dedicated to wine made from old vine wines (www.justonewine.com) and turned into a place with distinctive discovery wines priced below $25, joyful gifts of artist created serving ware and a place to taste, meet and relax.  Alegria was set to open by Dec 1, 2011, but carful planning and brilliant business strategies made the curtain to rise by Nov 30, 2011.

I first found them when I was searching for a bottle of wine to smuggle into the Palm Theater.  I don't do soda, I do wine, and most the time carry a "wine purse" that has an opener, Riedel glasses, and a bottle of alcohol fermented from grapes.  This day I was caught without my bag, so I stumbled into Alegria.  I bought a Di Arie 2008 Barbera, from the Sierra Foothills that paired perfectly with a breathtaking foreign film.  We came back after and had tapas, starting with the sautéed mushroom bruschetta, that was earthly and wonderful. 
Next, we had an amazing house made Flatbread.  It was inspired and quite unique boasting such amazing ingredients like Allesina Finocchiona, fine cured specialty salami by Antonio Varia of Buona Tavola.  This flatbread shined with fresh heirloom tomatoes, zucchini, and cheese.  It had excellent dough and a symphony of fresh flavors. 

Our next dish was Asian inspired slow cooked pork that was served on a square little wonton with ribbons of carrots and green onions.  It was tasty enough to order another round.  

David came out and shared with us his ideas and enthusiasm for this fantastic wine bistro.  He is the cook and a fine one at that.  His brother focuses on finding the wine surprises, while Jules is the genial hostess.  Do yourself a favor and next time you catch a movie at the Palm, turn left down Chorro, grab a bottle of wine to enjoy with the the film and come discuss the movie after in this inspired place.
5 - Mary Ellen G.: From the moment we walked in, we knew we were in for a treat.  Personal attention to deetail by the owners, great wines and good food.  How can you go wrong?   You can also buy a bottle there and they'll serve it with no corking fee.  Felt like good friends just wanting you to have a nice evening.
5 - Yolanda S.: Alegria was one of our stops on the Central Coast Food Tour and it was one of my favorites places to discover.  Not only did we find an excellent Chardonnay (and I am not a Chardonnay fan) but we learned all about the fermentation of it in stainless steel as opposed to oak.  Bought a bottle to bring home and I wish I'd bought a case!

The pourings are generous at Alegria; great opportunity to discover local wines and wines from Spain (all priced under $25).  The flatbread was so good I was not the least bit embarrassed to ask to take the few pieces leftover home with me (it was towards the end of the food tour after all and I was so full but greedy enough at the deliciousness of this treat)!

Staff is very accomodating and attentive.  They even surprised my son who was celebrating his birthday with an out-of-this world chocolate brownie treat with strawberries for our group and a balloon bouquet for him.  I do think our tour guide was behind this thoughtful gesture and it sure was a nice touch on a lovely visit of this wine bar.  Wish we lived closer to frequent Alegria more but will certainly return on our future visits to SLO.
5 - Kai T.: When you go somewhere especially when you're not familiar with the town you want #1, good location, #2 friendly service, #3 great atmosphere, #4 good product, #5 great value. Well that is exactly why I gave this 5 stars. 

I'm writing this review for people who are not locals (like us) who are visiting. a block from downtown and where we parked. The woman that helped us was probably one of the nicest people, she gave us suggestions for dinner, grabbed us a paper to show us music scene for the night, chilled our bubbles for us to take home. So friendly! The atmosphere is great, you can sit by the window and actually forget that there is so much going on behind you. We had a girls day and this was the perfect end to the day/segway into the evening. We ordered a granache, chevre cheese and bean spreads...delish with all of them. Inspired me to make some of this stuff at home now. Seriously if i went to school here or lived nearby I would be here all the time, what a steal/deal! I dont htink there was anything over $25/bottle. I brought a $13 bottle home and my dad who is a big wine-o loved it!

Next time I'm in town i will definitely go here, everyone should check it out. So convenient to a leisurely afternoon without having to drive all over to wine tasting shops elsewhere.
5 - Allison M.: Words cannot express my love for this place. We stumbled upon Alegria looking for a glass of wine to end our day of shopping in SLO. What we found was an Oasis of delicious wine, delectable small bites and exceptional service. I was blown away by everything. The wine was super affordable, the small bites were exactly what we needed, and we pretty much had the place to ourselves. We ended up taking home a couple of bottles of really great spanish wine for something like $11 a bottle. Next time I am in SLO, Alegria will be on the itinerary!
5 - Charley C.: What a delightful  wine tasting and nibble stop. The flights are well thought out and very tasty when matched with the wines. They are located just around the corner from the theatre, both the Palm and the San Luis Little Theatre, so it is a great stop before or after the show to sit and chat and be served. Gotta love this place! (and a nice selection to pick up a few bottles for home too)
5 - Haz O.: Incredible time.

Kristine, the server, did a wonderful job of attentively serving us some exceptional wine.

Will definitely be back again to enjoy living!
5 - Lesley H.: Just had a lovely time at Alegria. So fun to taste great and very reasonably priced wines from Spain and Portugal...and California. Delicious tapas too. Very relaxing atmosphere but stylish without pretension. We're locals and for some reason hadn't made a stop here but now that we know we'll definitely be back...and we'll spread the word.

Aleinikoff Steve C - Seattle, WA (47.661958, -122.311664) (University District)
5 - jen n.: He did my family's teeth for about 5 years and he did a great job for all of us.  I found him to be knowledgeable, straightforward, proficient and friendly. I really miss having him as a dentist.
5 - k b.: I should have written something about Dr. Alienkikoff years ago. I've been going to him since shortly after he started his practice with Dr. Timberlake 20 years ago! 

He is thorough and thoughtful and does great work. He replacing several old fillings of questionable quality from my teens and early twenties.  Aside from cleanings I'm very squeamish about dental work - all the work he did to fix sub-quality dentistry  was done carefully with attention to making me feel relaxed.  I haven't had any issues with any of his work over the years and I haven't had any new issues - so I know he's not mining my mouth to make a boat payment. ;-)

My husband and and two kids are patients as well and we all think he's great.

Aleman Micaela MD - Austin, TX (30.289083, -97.728117) (University of Texas)
5 - Monica V.: Incredible doctor. Is very knowledgeable and caring. Wonderful bedside manner.
1 - therealslimfoodie f.: My visit with the doctor was fine, or so I thought... Be EXTREMELY cautious when it comes to paying the bill.    

In my case, I paid my copay through insurance, only to receive a bill at a later date for the full amount.  Strange, I thought, so I called my insurance company.  Dr. Aleman's office had misled my insurance company! So much so that the insurance company was not going to pay my bill without a dispute.  So I wrote the insurance company explaining the situation, the insurance company reviewed my dispute, then overturned their decision and paid the bill... 

Wait, it gets better... AFTER the insurance company cut the doctor a check, they (Dr. Aleman's office) still sent my bill to collections!  3 more phone calls and several months later and it's finally resolved, but not without a great amount of time and diligence on my part.  VERY shady "business" practices.  I don't know what they're up to over there, but you have been warned...

Alewife Station - Cambridge, MA (42.375392, -71.118487) (Harvard Square)
3 - Scott B.: Which train? WHICH TRAIN? There are two... and they are both going the same direction... and they both have their doors open... and people are boarding both.... AAAAAH... I'm in a hurry... which is departing first??? Oh good lord!  Tell me which train to get on!  I don't want to get on the wrong train and end up late!  It's the beginning/end of the red line... either one could be the next one out... can I just use a life-line?  I have no final answer!  Okay... i choose the one on the right... phew... sit down... relax... and... DAG NABBIT... boop boop... the other train left first.  Jeeze louise... just my effin luck.
2 - Brian R.: This is a Historical Building?  No, this place is a Historical Dump!   The red line is easily a close contender for worst line in the MBTA subway system.  If the orange line didn't have so much vomit on it's trains and used syringes...............the red line would be on top...........and  Alewife would be it's disasterpeice.
3 - Chris M.: Talk about end of the line!  This place is built up for one purpose... to store the vehicles of commuters.  There's tons of bike racks, and a huge a** parking garage.  The garage is open 24 hours, and takes cash only ($9 bucks a day i think).

It's easily accessible from Route 2 if you are going East (from 95).  I have found it to prefer it over the orange line for that reason.  You never know which of the 2 trains docked there will leave first, so just hop on one and wait.  

The bathrooms are so dirty they'll magically give you the ability to 'hold it' ... i'm talking even at urinals people.  I washed my hands in there, and i think they actually got dirtier. 

There is also a maze of escalators going to specific floors in the parking garage, so remember where you parked.  However if you don't like walking down stairs, take the elevator... it's the easiest way to go down. 

but yeah, if you are living in suburbia, and are trying to get to a T line, this place is wicked easy to get to... unlike that infamous station 'oak grove' which I have only heard legends about but never been able to find (I always wind up in Malden Center, trying to get there, wtf!)
4 - Hubert H.: I find it generally clean and well-lit. Benches are cleaner than those of Green or Orange. Not sure what others are referring to!
5 - Simon C.: What a beautifully building. 

This is a very good choice for people coming from the north to get into Boston. you can drive in to exactly where traffic starts to become crazy and drop off your car in the lot that holds 2700 cars and even take you clothes to the cleaners in the lower level so that on the way home it will be ready and you take the red line to where you want to go, it passes Harvard Sq. into South station.
3 - Lindsay B.: Ah yes, Alewife, everyone's favorite historical landmark. Over there, the famous battle site where in 1998 two JNCO-wearing teens fought over whether the new Insane Clown Posse album came out this week or next. And here, on the top floor of this very parking lot, marks the spot where in late February 2010, Lindsay "The Rock Johnson" B. found her car battery dead at 4 AM, and wishing to inform/bother no one, spent the most boring/freezing/unfoundedly terrifying 45 minutes of her life waiting for AAA.

Yelp miscategorization aside, Alewife actually isn't too bad of a place if you're in the burbs north of Boston and need to get into the city. The garage houses 2700 cars and 175 bikes, and parking is $7 for 24 hours. Good place to leave your car and disappear from your parents' house for a few days when you're home for the summer from college. I wouldn't know, just guessing.

Alewife Station also connects to the Minuteman bike path, which you can ride all the damn way to Bedford, if you really want to get somewhere where there's absolutely nothing to do.

And, since no one has mentioned it yet:
The alewife is a species of herring. The front of the body is deep and larger than other fish found in the same waters, and its common name is said to come from comparison with a corpulent female tavernkeeper ("ale-wife").

Source: Wikipedia.

The more you know.
4 - Thiago O.: Plenty of parking, lots of space, great location, trains run on time in general. A pretty nice station in general.
3 - Heather S.: Meh.  It's the end of the line, and the station is generally pretty clean and safe. The downside is the public bathrooms, which are schnasty, but at least there is ample parking and a DD for when you're in need of caffeine before work.
4 - CJ G.: The Alewife station is great! It is for MANY MANY reasons! 

Let me just start by saying I use this station just about every other weekend this year when I go to Boston! 

Its location is GREAT! Because you dont need to drive into Boston to get here! HUGE plus for me! I hate the traffic Boston sometimes offers. The station also has a lot of parking. I find it best to park up on the 3rd level and just park in a corner! This way its easy to find your car and the 3rd level all most always seems empty to me. So if you worry about your car getting hit or bumped. This is some advice for you! 

Parking here is very cheap! $7 a day or $8 a night! I dont think there is a better deal than this in the area. I know in Boston the cheapest I could find it was $15 a night. So being at about half the price you dont really need to think about it! 

The tickets for the train are also very reasonable! You can do it a few different ways! One you could get a card and load up some money and pay $1.75 a scan. Not to bad! The second choice you can do and get a 7 day pass for a cheap $15. The monthly card goes for around $60 if I remember right. I always end up getting the 7 day pass. I can easily use over $15 in one weekend just going back and worth in the city! So if your there for a weekend that's probably your best bet. Then you dont need to keep refilling the card! Also keep in mind all of the options are also good for the bus lines as well and ANY color train route! 

The only thing about this station that gets to me as I'm sure you can read in other reviews. The bathrooms are bad! I dont think they are ever cleaned. Even the sink is nasty. Stay clear of this. Just go down and get on your train! Wait it out until your next stop! 

So over all the station is very helpful for parking and tickets for public transportation. Its not over prices and I have never ran into a problem on the T. Trains always seem to be on time and one is always sitting there when I get down there! So if your going to Boston or anywhere the T can bring you, go here! Just make sure you can hold your self if you need a rest room!

Very very solid 4/5!
4 - David R.: Alewife is a great station. Let me elaborate:

-It's easy to get to from Route 2(my preferred approach), or the Minuteman bike trail.

-It's simple to navigate around the station itself, as it has two tracks which are both on the same platform.

-It also has plenty of inexpensive parking(I've never had trouble finding a space).

-It's fairly modern and well kept(except for the restrooms, as others have pointed out!).

I go here all the time, and will continue to do so
4 - Tim C.: In addition to being a great parking place for commuters coming into Boston/Cambridge from west or north of Boston, the garage is also a great alternative for local residents to park their cars during a snowstorm!  Most residences in the immediate area only have outdoor parking options (driveway or street).  So if you live in the area and don't want to have to shovel out your car after a snowstorm, you can't beat the price of $7 or $8 (overnight) to park your car during the storm, then drive it out after all the snowplowing is done.
2 - Jake M.: Spotted dead center in the confluence of several apocalyptically horrendous traffic patterns, Alewife is pretty much DOA straight out of the gate. It's a bitch to get to, it's an even worse bitch to get out of, and it generally smells of piss (when it doesn't actually just smell of straight up raw sewage, as it did for much of the summer of 2011, when I'm assuming all the pipes got backed up) and exhaust. 

It also must serve as a reform school for the recalcitrant of MBTA employees, as everyone always seems to be in a foul mood, and they all sequester themselves in their little glass encased bunker refusing to acknowledge that every single bus coming to or out of the station is over 30 minutes late. I see you in there!! Just tell me if if I'm better off just walking the three miles home instead of waiting (and waiting and waiting) for the goddamn 79!

One star, plus one star because it is actually rather cozily heated in the winter, waiting for all those buses that never come.
3 - K G.: Convenient to route 2 in Cambridge, this station is frequently very crowded being the northern most point on the Red Line through Boston's MBTA.  The part that gets everyone is trying to leave the parking garage during rush hour is pure punishment.  Avoid that time and it's not too bad at all.   Could be cleaner at times.
3 - Leo F.: This is the station I drive to when I want to access Boston.  Whether it's to pickup/drop off a person or actually traveling to Boston myself, I'd rather park and ride than to navigate the busy streets of the inner city.

Positives:
- Easy to get to as it's right off of Route 2 eastbound.
- Usually enough temporary parking spaces to wait for people
- No one harasses you in the temporary parking spaces even if you've been there for hours waiting.
- Dunkin Donuts right before the turnstiles if you're hungry
- Usually but not always plenty of parking in the garage
- Escalator and elevator

Negatives:
- Navigating the turns of the garage may be hazardous
- Escalator sometimes break down
- I've been seeing the parking fee rise over the years.
- Sometimes the garage gets really full and you worry about not finding parking even at the top level.
- Getting out of the station and back on to Route 2 can be hazardous due to the timing of the traffic lights.
3 - Dawn E.: It's the end of the red line, easy to get to and parking is usually great. Getting out, however, sucks.  SUCKS.  It could be 10am or 11pm - expect to wait from 5 to 20 minutes to leave.
4 - Lauren T.: I parked at Alewife and took the train for the first time at the end of February (2012) and had no issues.  Getting in and out was fine (I consider myself a good driver and I had my navigator with me so I knew where go).

The signs to the trains are not as visible as they could be.  I wasn't sure which direction to go in when I got out of my car.  Finding a place around 12:30 p.m. on a Thursday was a little bit of a search but I did find a place within 5 minutes of arriving and it was close to the stairs.  

The $7 is reasonable but if it goes up, I won't be able to afford to take advantage of this great convenience.  I t is more affordable than taking the T and transfering to the Redline (I live in Waltham).
5 - Dan B.: Great place for flowers.
2 - Elizabeth G.: Say you have designated Alewife as the meeting point for a group of friends. You are taking off for the weekend on a whitewater rafting trip and this is where you carless folk are meeting the designated driver. You live half a mile from Alewife so you figure you'll just walk... Except.

There are no sidewalks on portions of Route 16 leading to Alewife, leaving you to drag your wheelie duffel bag, bouncey bounce bounce, over the rough terrain of rocks and dirt and maybe some hypodermic needles. So instead you just walk to Davis and take the train one stop.

I have had actual train-taking experiences at Alewife. It has a nice circle where cars can stop for pickup (not the case with other Red Line stations). It is close to such fine institutions as Bertucci's and Lanes 'n Games. It has a garage where you can park for cheap(ish) rates and head into Boston.

But the traffic circle outside gets horribly, awfully, catastrophically clogged. Seriously, don't EVER drive near here between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays (and probably not on weekends, either). So, it really isn't all that convenient for cars. And as we've seen, not really for pedestrians, either... Would it be so hard to put in sidewalks?
3 - Andrea B.: I don't mind Alewife Station, it's A-OK.  That's probably because I've never had to drive and park there.  It doesn't seem to matter if it's 1 in the morning and every other street's deserted, Alewife Brook Parkway always manages to be packed right by the T station with cars driven by irate people just itching to give you the finger.  Here's the solution to this: Forget driving there.  Take the 79 or the 350 or one of the other handful of buses that come through there.  Problem solved!

As to the station itself, it's big and sorta clean.  They've got a Dunkin' Donuts, though I've never eaten anything from it so I can't speak to the freshness of that muffin or bagel you just purchased.

I have never seen more disgusting bathrooms in my life, though.  I was having a serious bathroom attack when I walked in, but upon further inspection, I realized I just didn't have to go anymore.  But on the plus side, most other T stations don't even have bathrooms to begin with.  Kudos to Alewife for that.

Alex & Friends Beauty & Bath Shop - Pasadena, CA (34.147054, -118.13184) (Pasadena)
5 - Hugo S.: Michael Gallego cuts my hair here, and has done so for the past year; meticulous, detail-oriented, he's also a terrific makeup artists and did a great job at a friend's wedding.   He knows a lot about how to do long and short hair, and has always made me very happy.
5 - Lala C.: I've been getting my hair done by Christine at Alex & Friends for the past 10 years and each time I leave the salon feeling amazing and happy!  The service the and the work ...OUTSTANDING JOB!  I always get compliments on the work she does on my hair.  I am a very picky on just letting anyone touch my hair, as we know ladies, that's our thing.  So to know that I can count on Christine to get the job done when I need her is important.  I recommend you give her a try if you're looking for someone to fix a bad hair work or just need a new makeover!!  :)
4 - diana h.: They have a new Intern stylist, Claire Grossman.  She is awesome!  I was skeptical to have a newbie work on my hair, but she did an outstanding job.  She actually LISTENED to what I wanted and I really walked out feeling "sassy!" :-)  
I would have rated this a 5, but where Claire's chair was, I could smell the yucky garbage in the back.
I'm going back!
5 - Patrick C.: I have been going to Alex since I moved to Pasadena 8 years ago.  He is a skilled master.  I have referred many people to Alex and ALL of them are now regular clients.  The atmosphere here is wonderful. I highly reccommend it everyone. You get what you pay for!  You pay a bit more here but it is worth it.

Alex Fish Market - Los Angeles, CA (34.011082, -118.302026) (South Los Angeles)
4 - Swiss M.: I like this place. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but actually is very clean inside and the guys that work there are friendly. We only went there for lunch, so I can't say about their fish from the counter, but our lunch was inexpensive and really good - breaded sol made fresh, so good. They could use some help with their sides though; the mac and potato salads needed some work.
4 - Sam Y.: You buy, they fry.

It's a fish market but they can cook up any of your orders to enjoy right there or at home. They have my favorite fishes from snapper to trout and some soul food classics like catfish, oysters, to hogs mog though that's not a fish but you get it.

They got lunch specials, dinner specials. It's clean, pretty laid back and friendly staff and just good fish. 

The batter they fry their fish in is great and you can buy some of it there. But but, still no malt vinegar!!!

Their fries were seasoned fries and their coleslaw wasn't all wet and mushy so it was just right.
3 - Maria O.: I remeber my teacher praising this place when I was in Jr. High 15 years back.  It's like a hidden institution. Now that I moved near by, I can buy my fish fresh. They fry it up while you wait if you have no desire to cook. Their LB of fried shrimp for $10- unbelievable!  I don't know who this Alex dude is , but he's ok in my book.
5 - Marina K.: This place is the sh*t. I could of gotten a better deal frying up a pound of red snapper then adding fries and cole slaw but next time. The seasoning and the freshness makes me come all the way out to the ghetto, that is where all the best ethnic foods are :) they actually slice up a raw potato then drop it in a fryer for fries. The Cole slaw was sweet and crispy fresh :) I devoured the red snapper meal within 5 min and wanted more. Yum!
4 - Morgan D.: They give you great portions for such a reasonable price. The seasoning on their fish and fries is just right!

Make sure you call your order in to avoid the wait.
4 - Jamar H.: Staff was a bit rude the first time I came, but the establishment was clean, and the food is amazing. Seafood is fresh and well cooked. It's definitely what keeps me coming back for more.
4 - Marylu P.: I always thought this place looked like a health code violation....but its actually really good!

The Red Snapper is always on point ...sooo good! The shrimp with the dip also good. And don't forget your side of fries!

Definitely a place to hit up if you're ever in the hood.
4 - Keesy S.: I've been coming here for some 10+ years. I was first introduced to this by the movie "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" it's the place Martin Lawrence's character raves about. I realized I lived right down the street! 

So began the love affair. Since then I've introduced many people and have made fans of them all. The wait inside can vary depending on day and time of day. I'd advise to just phone your order in. 

My personal faves: hush puppies, red snapper, fried shrimp

After much consideration I've decided to update with this...

WARNING: Alex's is in the hood. Don't be mistaken about that. If you feel uncomfortable going in to S. Central, this place is probably not for you.
4 - Cara B.: Food was seasoned really well. Quick service. The lunch special is a big hit. The portion sizes are great from the price that you pay. Very inexpensive.
3 - Larry H.: Good fish, not better than Pico Seafood in Inglewood in my opinion. But be prepared to get asked to buy movies and other hood things. The guys behind the counter seem no nonsense, I think they're Jamaican. I have eaten the fish before but had never stepped foot in myself. I usually go to Pico but didnt feel like driving that day and Alex was close to home. There was a customer who stated they came from Anaheim just to get some of this fish though. Come if you wish but be prepared.

Alexander Anne MD - Austin, TX (30.289083, -97.728117) (University of Texas)
1 - h t.: I've heard good things about her as a doctor, but.. either this office has weird policies or a grumpy receptionist.  I needed to make an appt to go in and get my back checked out after a car accident in which my car was totaled.  The receptionist initially thought i was an existing patient and offered me an appt tomorrow afternoon.  When she realized I was a new patient, she rescinded the offer and told me that I could come in in two weeks.  I explained that my back was bothering me and I was pretty concerned about it and would like to get it checked out sooner.  She suggested that I go get it checked out at a Minute Clinic in the interim.  Really?
1 - Kent D.: Couldn't agree more with h t.' s review.  I was referred to Dr. Alexander by a friend who's employer had seen Dr. Alexander for years. The friend and her employer had nothing but positive things to say. However, Dr. Alexander actually runs a practice under her name but new patients don't have the privilege of seeing her. In short, my wife and I have had really poor experiences with both the medical and administrative staff. Long waits to get appointments, long waits to see physicians and extremely rude office staff.  After two years, we are fed up and not going back.
1 - Stella A.: I wish I had read the previous reviews prior to going to the office. I had been referred to Dr. Alexander by one of her patients, but as the other reviewer said, she does not take new patients. When scheduling an appointment, the receptionist gave me a hard time, and because she had never heard of my insurance plan, she said it did not exist, even after I told her Dr. Alexander is a listed provider. She hesitantly scheduled an appointment and told me to not be surprised if my visit was not covered by my insurance, because Dr. Alexander's listing on my provider sheet was not a guarantee that my company would pay for it. I called my insurance company and even after confirming with them that I would be covered, the receptionist insisted that they would not be held responsible for the costs, as she still did not believe my insurance plan existed.
At the appointment, the receptionist was rude, the physician I saw (Dr. Alexander's partner at the office) was over 40 minutes late from the appointment time and barely addressed my concerns. There was only one other patient in the office at the time I left and I had arrived extra early, so there was really no excuse for the rush. The receptionist had been quick to tell me about appointment cancellation fees, and that I had to be at the office fifteen minutes prior to my visit for paperwork, so the delay was quite unexpected. Before leaving, I had blood drawn, and the medical assistant/receptionist did this quite painfully. Though I cannot vouch for Dr. Alexander's services, as I did not see her, I really recommend looking elsewhere if you want friendly and thorough healthcare.
1 - Topaz N.: I called because my friend raved about how great Dr Alexander is (she's a current patient), but when I called the receptionist told me that I couldn't see her for my 1st appt.  I would have to see Dr Marsh first then I could see Dr Alexander later.  I explained that I really wanted to see Dr Alexander since the recommendation for her personally and was willing to wait to be able to have the 1st appt with the Dr that I wanted to see.  The receptionist very sternly told me that I've have to wait for 3 months, when I said that was OK, she changed her mind and that the Dr doesn't want to do it any other way than having my 1st appointment with a different Dr.  I have no interest in giving my medical history to someone who isn't going to be my primary care Dr.  I might as well just give it to the receptionist so she can write it down for the Dr.  I think this is a bad case of bait-and-switch...I didn't get the feeling that Dr Alexander would ever have time for me so I'm looking elsewhere.
1 - Gina F.: My complaint is not so much with Dr. Alexander as her very rude office managers. I have seen Dr. Alexander twice in a month. Once for my yearly exam and once as a follow up. Both times, we discussed and she prescribed medication for my frequently upset stomach. She prescribed 3 different things including a probiotic. I called the office yesterday because I am going to Mexico in 3 days and a different doctor that I spoke to suggested that I get a preventative antibiotic before the trip because I always get sick in Mexico. 

I spoke with Mary and explained the issue. She was immediately rude and abrupt and refused to ask the doctor to call me in a prescription.  She kept saying, "this is a new issue, you have to come in the office". I told her that this was not a new issue. 

The other thing is, I live in Dripping Springs and I just had shots in both of my knees yesterday. I told her that I'd been in the office twice in the last month that there was no reason I should have to come in for a prescription. She very rudely kept insisting that I MUST come in the office. So then she tells me, "it looks like she's open at 1PM tomorrow". So, I said "fine, i'll take that" and she said, "no, you're going to have to call back at 8AM tomorrow morning." For god's sake, it was 4pm the day before, why couldn't I just book the 1PM appointment? She said it was "office policy". So, I called at 8AM, left a message and it's now 12:20 and they never called back. I wonder if Dr. Alexander realizes that her staff is a huge detriment to her practice. I have never been spoken to so unkindly for absolutely no reason.

Alexander Hoghooghi, MD DDS - Palo Alto, CA (37.436651, -122.1782) ()
5 - Angie C.: This review concerns Dr Hoghooghi MD DDS. oral and maxillofacial surgeon. He also commands an excellent support staff of nurses who are super friendly and helpful.

My story -- got referred to Hoghooghi/Trebowski for wisdom teeth extraction. I went in for my consultation and scheduled my wisdom teeth extraction for the next morning due to a cancellation. The day after I got my wisdom teeth removed, I was eating pho for lunch. The next day after that, I was eating Korean BBQ. Minimal swelling, minimal pain (I only took my painkillers once, after the initial novacaine wore off), and the entire experience was such a breeze. Everyone tells horror stories about wisdom teeth extraction, and I totally didn't have one. 

Dr. Hoghooghi is very direct, concise, and thoughtful. He took into account my medical history, explaining how the actions his staff would take to counteract my asthma, anxiety, and current medications. I never had any doubt about Dr. Hoghooghi's ability, as he is also a maxillofacial surgeon who skips across the street to the Stanford Hospital to reconstruct faces after they go thru windshields or get shattered by a bullet. You know wisdom teeth removal is like, cake to him and his team.
5 - K L.: I think Dr Trebowski is retiring.  This review is about Dr. Hoghooghi.

I needed to have 4 impacted wisdom teeth removed.  Only one of which had even broke the surface.  I was told I would need a week of recovery time, and I would need general anesthesia for the surgery.  He also talked about all the various things which could go wrong (at my request), and what he would do in response to each of them.  From talking to other people, I'd heard a range of experiences (ranging from horrible to great) about wisdom teeth removal.  My surgery sounded more invasive than most people I'd talked to, so I was pretty nervous.

I had the teeth removed yesterday, and I'm still doing great.  I woke up after the surgery in a bed and felt perfectly comfortable.  I started making phone calls home to tell family I was ok.  The nurse quickly took my phone and told me not to talk, so I didn't break the stitches.  After I took the gauze out of my mouth a few hours later, nobody could tell that I had surgery.  I felt perfectly normal on the vicodin, and even without the vicodin the pain is comparable to the soreness left over after having been punched in the jaw (not too hard).
5 - susan o.: this review is about Dr. Hoghooghi as well.  [someone should change the name of the office so more people can find him!]

before i go into details, lemme just say that i LOVED dr. hoghooghi and his whole staff who worked on me during the surgery.  this is saying a lot because i HATE HATE HATE all dentists and have never in my 32 years of life found one i could stand.  he was kind, honest and really personable.  he even called to check up on me last night.  i don't know too many doctors who do that these days.

i had 4 wisdom teeth out yesterday afternoon - 1 had grown in, 1 was starting to poke through and 2 were completely impacted.  one of them was so far up there that they had to numb me up to my eye on that side!

during the consultation, he told me all the risks and realities of my procedure (i told him i wanted to know everything and appreciated his candor) and ended with it's not impossible but "it's going to be one of those surgeries that i'll be sweating through."  and he wasn't kidding - normally these things take around 45 mins.  i was in there from 2:30-5pm.  it took the poor guy like 8 tries to find a vein that would cooperate - i have tiny tiny tiny veins and because i wasn't allowed any food or drink all day, i had virtually no blood pressure and was probably a bit dehydrated.

now, it's the next morning - less than 24 hours after.  so far, i'm extremely happy!  i was really terrified before - i read all these horror stories and was really afraid of nerve damage & permanent numbness in my lip.  i thought i'd swell like a balloon and be in agony.  i'm so happy i have very little swelling, and the right side feels like nothing even happened.  i won't say it's a piece of cake, but for all my fears and anxiety, it really wasn't bad at all.  i'd recommend dr. H to anyone.
5 - Farman S.: Well what else can I add that hasn't already been said?  I had all four wisdom teeth taken out on a Friday afternoon by Dr. Hoghooghi.  The next day, I didn't need an ice pack or heavy painkillers.  Not a single ounce of swelling or the "chipmunk effect" that he warned about - fantastic!  The day after that I was eating Afghan food.  A week later I was snowboarding in Tahoe.

Absolutely great!
5 - Taylan y.: This is a review for Dr. Hoghooghi. I am not really big into reviewing -this is my first ever review- but I think people should know about this doctor.

I just got all of my wisdom teeth removed by general anesthesia. The procedure couldn't go any more smoothly. Staff were knowledgeable and very sweet. When I came out of anesthesia I was told that there could be swelling for 3 days, doctor also prescribed me heavy duty pain killers.

Then I recovered soo fast, It was amazing. Bleeding stopped in a couple of hours, and I could eat pretty much whatever I wanted afterwards. I also experienced no swelling or pain whatsoever (I ended up not using the prescribed pain killer). I was in such good shape, i went out with friends. I even had 2 slices of pizza at 2AM in the morning.

Today is the second day of recovery, it seems like someone magically removed my teeth without any side effects. 

On the financial note, I had Vital Savings Plan from Aetna and it got me about 30% discount on the whole bill.

I strongly recommend that you guys visit this friendly and capable surgeon. He is gooood.
5 - Kiki B.: i survived wisdom teeth removal thanks to a well-advised pre-op valium pill and lots of painkillers afterwards - not to mention a loving bf's care. ;) follow-up was great; dr. hoghooghi made me as comfortable as he could with the procedure.
5 - Angie J.: Dr. Hooghoogi yanked my wisdom teeth about a year ago, and he made the whole ordeal very pleasant. From day one he was very straight forward and very good with followup. And his staff is SUPERB. I love those girls! From what I remember they were all Fiipino and I got that first-class Filipino hospitality.

They knocked me out with the gas and it was the best thing since... well since a rave in the 90s. Then the drugs... oh bless thee who invented vicodin. The teeth were removed on a Thursday night. I was back to work on Monday morning, even able to present/speak at a meeting. 

Have you ever heard of anyone talk about their teeth getting pulled and enjoying it?
5 - Alissa S.: I was terrified of getting my wisdom teeth out. I put it off for 10 years. Now I'm 30 with severely impacted wisdom teeth. What to do? Well, I follow the yelpers advice and go to Dr. Hoghooghi (pronounced ha-gu-gi).

WOW! You could not find a more squeamish, terrified, wimpy person than me. I hate needles, and the idea of anesthesia scares me. Dr. Hoghooghi was thorough, patient, and has a very calming, reassuring presence. He warned me of all the things that can go wrong and I was well prepared without being too freaked out. I had roots of teeth sitting on the nerves in my lower jaw, and one going into my sinus cavity, and another coming in at an angle and starting to form a cyst. I was "severely impacted". But somehow I had the courage to go into that operating room all by myself and trusted the doc and it all worked out great!

I am proud to say that I had minmal swelling, no bruising, very little pain. I followed the post-op directions very carefully (this is key) and took all my pills and it worked like a charm. Today its been 8 days since my surgery and I am chewing, there is no swelling and no infection. I was able to go to the store on my own the second day out. My follow-up visit was easy. The staff, by the way, are terrific. They helped me with billing (they take Delta Dental), and even gave me a copy of my gnarly X-Ray to show my friends. The nurses were amazing. They made me feel comfortable, all alone in the operating room, they got my IV in on the first try (unheard of on my arms), and they were very kind during recovery.

This is absolutely the place to go to have your wisdom teeth out, or any oral surgery performed. I wish all my doctor's office experiences were as great as this.
5 - Simone M.: I can't spoil the record of an oral surgeon with only five-star reviews, and I have nothing to complain about here. Dr Hoghooghi took my insurance, took my wisdom teeth, and didn't take too much of my money. While I didn't run a marathon or eat hot peppers mere hours after my surgery, I might have been able to if I'd really been interested. I had the more typical experience of spending the whole weekend doped up on Vicodin watching cartoons. I ate a lot of ice cream. I held a lot of ice against my face. At one point I coughed and got blood everywhere. You know.

I had them out at 1pm on Friday and went in to work on Monday, only slightly swollen and no longer in need of opiates. I was scared to death of complications (I basically scared all my friends off of ever having their wisdom teeth out because I did all this reading on dry socket and told them about it) but didn't have any...it'll have been two weeks tomorrow, so I'm pretty optimistic that I made it out alive. 

I had general anesthesia, which I really recommend if you've never had it before. It is a trip. You are in a room, and there's all this crap attached to you and a needle in your arm, and then suddenly you're in a different room, and your mouth is full of gauze. Crazy!

Anyway, if you have wisdom teeth that you don't want to have, this guy can take care of that for you.
5 - Jeffrey F.: I had put off getting my wisdom teeth removed for four years. Dentists said to me, "You'll need to get those out. You can't clean them properly", to which I replied, "I'll get them out when that becomes a problem."

It became a problem.

I asked a friend, who just had her wisdom teeth removed, if she recommended her surgeon. She had nothing negative to say about Dr. Hoghooghi, but for confirmation I checked Yelp as well, and was pleasantly surprised.

Two days later I had an appointment for a full mouth x-ray, and two days after that I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed. I was sedated by 2:30, awake and wisdom tooth free by 3:30, and walking around quite competently by 3:45. The pain was minimal, even after the numbness wore off; ibuprofen was enough to take care of it. Most of the swelling seems to have been prevented by the large dose of IV steroids that they give everyone. 

It's now 3 days post-surgery, and while I have a headache and am still a bit sub-par, this was as pleasant an experience as I could have hoped for. Five starts for Dr. Hoghooghi.

Only downside? They wouldn't let me keep my teeth. Apparently there's so OSHA rule about this. They would have made such cool jewelry too.
5 - Diane L.: I was referred to Dr. Trebowski by my awesome dentist Dr. Jabr to have two of my wisdom teeth pulled a few years ago.  The office staff at Dr. Trebowski's office was very helpful and upon completing my forms, I was sent to the dentist chair almost immediately.  Before the procedure, Dr. Trebowski came over to introduce himself, and the first image that came to mind when I saw him was Gepetto.  He has a head and mustache of white hair, glasses, and a very friendly smile.  Because their office did not accept my Blue Cross dental insurance, he quietly asked me if I was still in school, which I was, and then told me that he would try to give me a good rate because I was a student.  With his office practically on the Stanford campus, he was used to having student patients and favored giving them a financial break.  I was really grateful for this!

When it was time to get the teeth pulled, the nurses were preparing to drug me up, but I have to admit that I was quite terrified when they tied the rubber around my arm and were tapping their fingers on my arm to find the vein.  Mind you, I had just watched "Trainspotting" the day before and the tapping noise was bringing crazy thoughts to my head that they were trying to shoot me up with heroin!  But once the gas mask was put on, and I was asked to count back from 100, those scary thoughts left my mind and I think I conked out at 96. 

The procedure went really well, and I did not bleed as much as I thought I would.  I was able to eat solid foods the next day!  It probably helps that my wisdom teeth were not impacted, but as my first wisdom teeth-pulling experience, I couldn't have asked for a better doctor and staff.
1 - Elizabeth H.: I had my wisdom teeth removed in August 07. The procedure and recovery were fine. Billing was a different story. 

I paid the amount due after my insurance contributions. A month later I recieved a refund from the office with a letter saying my insurance paid more than they had anticipated. 

In March of 08 I get a past due bill for hundreds of dollars with a letter now saying the insurance company underpaid. 

My insurance agency is still trying to get to the bottom of this clerical mess.
5 - Allyson C.: Dr. Hoghooghi and his staff are amazing and kind. I was new to the area and needed to locate a good surgeon to remove my (very angry) wisdom teeth. It was a complicated case, with a high possibility for nerve damage. Dr. Hoghooghi took the time to explain all my options, the possible complications etc. At the end of the day, the extraction went flawlessly and I was on the mend quickly.  Wonderful doctor, I'd recommend him any day!
4 - Jessica H.: Great dentist! Everything went smoothly. I was a little freaked out by the surgery because I've never been knocked out before, but the nurses managed to find a vein easily (which is tough on me) and I went off the sleepy land. I woke up, got picked up by my friend, bled for the next few hours, but that was it. I think it is the best outcome you can hope for when you have dental surgery. I only got two teeth out and I can tell, four days later, that one side is very healed and the other might have mild dry socket, but I have very little pain overall (except for in the morning, which is mostly my fault because I'm a stomach sleeper and smash my face into the pillow all night). I would definitely recommend Dr. Hoghooghi and I will be going there sometime next year to get my other two teeth out!

UPDATED

I downgraded my review to four stars after I went to my check up. My appt was for 12:15, and the dentist was finishing up from a surgery. The guy in surgery got picked up by his friend at ~12:20. I waited until 1:00 before I asked the receptionist, "Is the dentist going to see me today?" After that, I was immediately let in. Being forgotten, waiting 45 minutes, being late back to work and completely missing lunch did not make me happy. Then, the dentist saw me for exactly 3 minutes and declared me healed. I'm fine with the 3 minute appt, I'm NOT fine with waiting 45 minutes for no reason.
1 - Lea S.: (all quotes in this post are paraphrases, I don't remember exact wording)

I wish I could give him less than one star. Dr Hoghooghi may be a fabulous surgeon as all these other people say. I will never know though. 

I recently moved from NY and got a new dentist, who wanted me to see an oral surgeon about my wisdom teeth (which my old oral surgeon in NY decided should stay in for the moment because the risks of removing them outweighed the potential risks of keeping them). I went in for a consultation with Dr Hoghooghi this morning because my dentist highly recommended him (as did yelp) but was immediately turned off by him.

When he greeted me he did not address me by name, and never used my name throughout the consultation. I felt like I wasn't a person to him, I was just a patient. He sat down and told me I was going to have all 4 wisdom teeth out. At no point in the consultation did he ask me if I had any questions or concerns and he did not discuss any other options or even tell me why leaving them in for now would be so terrible.

I voiced my concerns a few times and felt that he brushed them aside and just said "no, that won't be a problem." (I wrote on my medical history that I have anxiety, so you'd think he would make more of an effort to put me at ease.) I told him that I have trouble breathing through my nose, especially when I have my mouth wide open. He then held down my left nostril and asked me to breathe through the right (and vice versa) WITH MY MOUTH CLOSED, and when I was able to breathe ok he asked me if the problem was psychological.

He told me that since the roots are very close to the nerves, he might have to leave the root tips in my mouth. I had asked my oral surgeon in NY if this was a reasonable solution a year ago and she told me that when you leave roots in the mouth there is often infection or the gums don't grow over properly. I brought this up with Dr Hoghooghi and he said "no, this is normal practice." That may be, but I needed to be reassured, I needed him to give me all the details so I could judge if it is a risk I'm willing to take.

Finally, he gave me a referral to get new x-rays to see the location of the roots and nerves and said that when I come in for surgery he'll let me know whether he can take out the whole teeth or if he'll have to leave the roots. This is not information I want 5 minutes before surgery. After receiving this information I want another consultation to talk about the situation in my mouth before jumping into surgery.

He then shooed me into the waiting room and had me schedule surgery. I will be canceling the surgery this afternoon and seeing another oral surgeon
5 - C J.: Dr. Hoghooghi removed 4 wisdom teeth for me in October.  I'm 28 and two of the teeth were impacted.  I was super nervous since I'm above the "no-risk" zone for complications and especially since my teeth were impacted.  But Dr. Hoghooghi was wonderful. He explained everything regarding risks and complications very clearly but not in a scary way.  

On the day of the procedure, I showed up, got prepped soon after I arrived, and was out for the actual procedure.  They gave me good instructions and plenty of good drugs to manage the first day or so of pain.  Dr. H even called me at home that night to see how my bleeding was doing and check if I had other concerns.  

I did have to call several times and push his office staff to ensure everything was pre-authorized and sent to the right places...had I not monitored that so closely and realized they had not put everything through correctly, it would have cost me a lot more out of pocket.  But when is that not the case with medical billing?  

Aside from these issues, I was very pleased with Dr. Hoghooghi's thoughtful and honest chairside manner.  I experienced some parathesia affecting half my tongue but Dr. Hoghooghi has been thorough in checking it periodically to ensure expected progress and discuss my options if the feeling doesn't return completely.  I've never waited more than 5-10 minutes to get back and be seen.  It's quick and on time, which I really appreciate.
4 - Mark P.: I've been postponing getting my wisdom teeth removed for about 5 years now.  I finally got around to doing it and was very apprehensive because I was getting all 4 taken out at once and am past the normal age (I'm 29 now).  Going into the surgery, the staff was very friendly and answered all my questions.  Dr. Hoghooghi was very reassuring and confident before the procedure.  Waking up, I was in very little pain and had a very easy recovery.  I called Dr. Hoghooghi's office a few times during the week after my procedure with some concerns, and again, the staff was very friendly and helpful.  I would recommend his services to anyone.  

The only reason I am giving 4 stars instead of 5 is that I felt like I was rushed out of the recovery room upon waking up and not given adequate verbal directions.  Luckily, I got printed instructions on how to care for my teeth.  Nonetheless, this is a minor point, and again, I iterate the otherwise outstanding service and satisfaction with Dr. Hoghooghi and his staff.
5 - glenn w.: I HATE dentist so when I found out that my tooth had to be removed and an implant was to be put in I almost ran. Obviously that didn't happen. I was referred to Doctor Hoghooghi by my dentist and this guy was SPOT on/Dialed. He takes his job seriously, great at explaining the issue/procedure and he was a great listener. He did a remarkable job so far and I have no doubt that he'll pass with flying colors. I recommend this guy hands down!
5 - Lynn H.: I had to have an implant about a year ago. Dr. Hoghooghi was excellent as was his staff. Not inexpensive but definitely worth it. All professional, sedated appropriately, clear directions, minimal pain, great outcome. It's been about a year and my implant was definitely worth it. I am a medical professional so knowledgable about good pt. care and he and his staff are devoted to this.
4 - Basia M.: Nobody likes dentists, pulling teeth and an all day lasting pain. I was terrified going in for my wisdom tooth extraction especially since I'm pregnant and wanted to make sure everything was safe for both me and the baby. What a nice surprise. The nurses are sweet and helpful and make you feel relaxed even when you're about to get your teeth pulled:) Dr.Hoghoogi is awesome - knowledgeable, takes his job very seriously, discusses all the details and procedure, plus he's very friendly and makes you feel at ease. The whole thing lasted 15 minutes, I didn't feel a thing, he was gentle and the nurses made sure I knew the recovery process. Overall - great.
The only part I wasn't a fan of is insurance and payments processing, but I guess dental care is expensive:) For some reason they charged me a few hundred $$ for a "pre-op consultation" that lasted about 5 min and I didn't even open my mouth. All in all - insurance covered most of it and the staff clarified all the costs and charges. Still pricey, but I guess I should have been a dentist:)
5 - Audrey B.: I got my teeth pulled 4 hours ago (9 am today) and I'm feeling as good as new. I was super anxious about this procedure (removal of 2 top teeth) and I feel silly now that I am sitting here 4 hours later, perfectly fine, no pain (I took three advil) and no real bleeding, swelling or discomfort. Dr H and his crew were really nice - the worst part of the whole thing was just being nervous through the prep (I was a little alarmed when they strapped me down to the chair). Otherwise, piece of cake.
5 - Andrew C.: I had 3 of my wisdom teeth removed after reading all the great Yelp reviews here. I was quickly scheduled, had a very nice interaction with the receptionist and nurses there. They were really supportive and helpful.

This was my first surgery so I didn't know what to expect, but they were clear in explaining everything to me.

The actual surgery went great, and I was eating by the next day (!!). When I came back for a checkup, Dr. Hoghooghi noted that he could barely even see that my uppers were even recently removed. They had healed really nicely.

Overall it was a great experience.
5 - Malvina G.: Dr. Hoghooghi was absolutely spectacular. I asked for just local anesthetic, and pretty much felt nothing as my 2 teeth were removed. One of them was impacted and my cheek was badly swollen, I was amazed at how the Dr. still managed to do such a neat and quick job. I even went to class that same day, and it healed very quickly. Highly recommended.
5 - Sidharth S.: First of all a big thanks to all the fellow yelpers for such an awesome job on providing reviews. I decided to get my wisdom teeth extracted by Dr Hoghooghi after reading through the reviews here, and to my expectation my experience solidifies all the other reviews. I got 2 of my wisdom teeth remove last december, just over a week before i was scheduled to travel overseas. Thus I was extremely concerned about having a good doctor performing the procedure and a quick recovery as without which I would have had a lot of troubles during my travel. But the doctor was excellent, and the staff was also very nice. As far as the procedure is concerned, I opted for the general anesthesia (I had impacted wisdom teeths) , thus it was completely a painless and smooth ride for me and the extractions were done before I could know it. The staff briefed me about the medications and do/don't after the surgery. Although I was quite paranoid  about what should I eat and drink so that I don't accidentally even do damage on the surgery site, but it worked out quite well. During the next few days of surgery I called up the doctors office couple of times and also exchanged emails with my questions and I was taken care of right away by the staff there. They even easily gave me an instant follow up appointment when I felt that I might have accidentally damaged the surgical site. I called them in the morning and they told me to come after 2 hrs to see the doctor which was really nice of them and comforting to me. Overall i completely recovered in just about over a week, and thus was able to have a nice travel and vacation time. So when I just came back from my vacation, I though to write this review for the nice doctor because of which I was able to have a nice vacation.
5 - James W.: I was referred to Dr. Hoghooghi after getting a rather severe case of periocoronits (inflammed gum) from a partially erupted wisdom tooth. His recommendation was that it and a horizontal bony impacted wisdom tooth come out before they cause further problems. 

Day of surgery: I choose general anesthesia and it seemed like I had just fell asleep for a quick nap. When I got home I popped a 600mg ibuprofen for the pain. In hindsight I don't think I needed it. There was some soreness on the bony impacted side but kinda expected when they have to drill your jaw to pull out a tooth. I chose to forgo any more painkillers for the rest of the week. The pain was more a dull soreness on that side and nothing on the partially erupted side.

Recovery: I get my stitches out tomorrow. 1 week on from the surgery and no pain. 

Follow the instructions to the letter and if you have both bottoms out, take your time moving to solids. Use the medicated rinse even if you can't open your mouth to brush. No rice or things with seeds until dry socket is not a concern.

All and all Dr. Hoghooghi exceeded my expectations and I would recommend him in a second. Honestly, I've had more pain from a deep cleaning than this removal.
5 - T. C.: I had my wisdom teeth removed by Dr. Hoghooghi in February 2009. I was in a lot of pain and very nervous beforehand, but he and his staff did a wonderful job. They gave me a mild sedative to take an hour beforehand so I wouldn't be climbing the walls in fear, so I arrived a little calmer on the day of the surgery. The last thing I remember was them telling me to count backwards, and then I was laying on a recovery cot with my husband standing by. My recovery time was minimal - some swelling, but really very little pain. I didn't get dry sockets, which was my worst fear. Going back to have the stiches removed was also a breeze. I'd do it all over again with Dr. H!
5 - Kate J.: I was referred by my dentist to go to Dr. Hoghooghi to get my wisdom teeth out. The top two were completely bony and the bottom two were listed as difficult, all impacted. 

I was SO nervous to have the surgery in fear of the pain that would result. I took a 10mg of Valium before surgery given by the office and went in bright and early to get it over with. I was completely sedated throughout the whole procedure.

Charry and Carol were the nicest when they prepped me for surgery and helped me after. It was comforting to know Dr. Hoghooghi has an amazing staff. 

I had the operation this morning and while I was watching TV I even forgot it had happened. I'm in no pain, thanks to the hydrocodone and ibuprofen, and the swelling is mild. I've heard the third day is the worst but am not anticipating anything horrendous. 

I am so grateful for the amazing dentistry of Dr. Hoghooghi and would recommend him to everyone!
5 - M M.: I wish i could give him 100 stars!!!

I was referred to Dr Hoghooghi by my dentist.. I was orginally scheduled to have all 4 teeth pulled out but i didnt wanna pay the huge deductible so i opted to have the 2 worse ones pulled first. 

I showed up to my consultaiton and Dr. H went over everything that would happen, possible complications, etc. 

I have really bad anxiety and on the morning of my appointment I almost chickended out.  I took my valium before I left the house and my boyfriend reassured me a million times i would be okay. 

I showed up my appointment and I was taken in the back and prepped for my surgery.  I am happy to say everything went GREAT!  

I havent even needed to take the vicoden. I have been taking the ibuprofen and the antibiotics... I have mild soreness on the extraction side but that is to be expected.  i have minimal swelling and the rest of me feels great!  

I would like to give all my thanks to Dr. Hoghooghi and his team of excellent nurses and assitants.. everyone made me feel so welcome and secure and I am actually not going to mind having the other 2 pulled out next year :)  

If anyone is looking for an excellent oral surgeon with an excellent support team... Dr. H is the one... 

THANKS!!
5 - Chris C.: Dr. Hoghooghi is kind, professional, and an excellent communicator! I had two wisdom tooth removals + a biopsy handled by Dr. Hoghooghi. The whole process was clearly explained to me and smoothly executed.  By far, the best experience I've had with a medical professional. I felt a kind of doctor-to-patient respect that is so rare. 

For making a normally unpleasant experience bearable -- 5-stars!
5 - Emma Z.: I had 4 impacted wisdom teeth removed by Dr Hoghooghi last friday, the overall experience was great. My bottom two wisdom teeth were horizontally impacted, and one of them required bone grating too, and my top two were bony. I was expecting some serious pain and swelling, but for the past week I have only experienced minimal pain and minor swelling in the first 3 days. The surgery process was smooth, i had general anesthesia, and woke up wisdom teeth free!

Definitely a 5 star experience, worth the $3300 I paid. It's about $1000 for anesthesia, $750 for each impacted wisdom teeth, 500 for each bone graft, and he gives 25% discount for Stanford students. Although the cost is quite high, I think it's worth every penny!
5 - Demese J.: This is the best doctor ever! He is such a professional and is the best at what he does. I had to have several teeth pulled at different times through out the last couple of years and I have never had any issues. I would trust him with any type of oral surgery.
5 - Sunghee K.: I wanted to take time to write a review for Dr. Hoghooghi because he really deserves one.
I had 2 impacted wisdom teeth that were very close to nerve that the other surgeon that I went to see didn't want to work on. Dr. Hoghooghi was very kind and funny. He was very confident that I will be fine and my surgery went well. I was surprised how little the pain was after the surgery. my face was swollen but I didn't really have pain!!! I took my younger brother who had even more difficult case. His wisdom tooth was stuck in his jaw bone!! My brother has been procrastinating on removing the tooth since other doctors were not very confident about removing his tooth. But Dr. Hoghooghi explained why the tooth should be removed and my brother got surgery with bone grafting. He had very minimal pain and his face did not swollen much. Dr. Hoghooghi is very genuine, kind and professional and the whole staff (I went to SF office) is super nice and polite!!!  I can't recommend Dr. Hoghooghi enough!! He is the oral surgeon you can trust !!! (I at least saw 4 different oral surgeons before I decided to go with Dr. Hoghooghi)

Alexander Memorial Coliseum - Atlanta, GA (33.7866665, -84.393264) (Westside / Home Park)
5 - Drew W.: Not the newest building on the block, but certainly one of the best when it comes to getting close to the action during a basketball game.

Opened in 1956, the renovations and updates have kept this small arena current and comfortable. It's really a great design in that it gets a large portion of the crowd very very close to the floor. The worst seat at Alexander somehow feels closer than a lot of the premium seats at other arenas I've been to. It's only around 9,000 seats, so it's a very intimate feeling venue. I managed to get my hands on a pair of second row floor seats for a game a couple of years ago, and it was exceedingly cool.

Parking is a pain, but that's to be expected since it's on a college campus and parking is always bad around Tech. You can wander around forever and look for a spot, or just give in and use the pay lots across the connector on Spring.
5 - Katie W.: This is my favorite venue of any place I have been for watching basketball.  Maybe I'm just used to it after all these years.  In addition to watching A LOT of great basketball at AMC, I also graduated here and found a job via a career fair here, so I may be biased!

When I was a Tech student, I sat in many of the "bad" seats at AMC and also many of the really good seats.  But, there really are no bad seats.  It is not a big enough arena that you are going to end up very far from the court anywhere.  Now that I am out of school, I still have season tickets.  These seats are not what anyone would consider to be the really good, prime seats, but they are still great.  

The food options at AMC improved immensely a few years back.  Now, most of the corridor is dotted with a wide variety of food stands so there is quite a lot to choose from.  If you are getting food (or going to the restroom) at halftime, you will likely encounter a line but, if you can sneak out instead at a timeout, you can get food very quickly.  Again, the place is not that big so you can get out of your seat and back to it in a short amount of time.  You can also easily walk around the entire corridor at halftime to scope out your food options or just people-watch.

I am not really sure of the near-to-campus parking options since I usually walk over from Midtown.  I recommend that friends going with me park in Midtown so we can get dinner or drinks and then walk over - it is a little more of a walk but I think a lot less stressful than trying to find a closer parking spot.  You can also eat at Jock's N Jill's in Midtown pregame and take their shuttle to the game (or walk - it's only five blocks).  Taking MARTA to the Midtown station and walking over is also an excellent option.
5 - Daniel B.: Alexander Memorial Coliseum has a capacity of 9,191, so it's one of the smaller (and older) basketball arenas in the ACC and among big conference schools in general.  That's not necessarily a bad thing however, as the arena is still on-campus (a plus) and there's not a bad seat in the house.  The Thrillerdome can get LOUD during big games.  The arena has a carpeted concourse and is well-lit on the inside.  Most of the lower level seating is bench-style seating, while lower level center court and the upper levels have chairbacks (some with cushioning and cup holders).  JumboTrons on either end of the court.  Definitely one of college basketball's most underrated venues.

Alexander W. Kemp Playground - Cambridge, MA (42.3773283, -71.122682) (Harvard Square)
5 - Leighann F.: Recently, a sigh of relief and gratitude could be heard throughout the neighborhoods that thrive just within walking distance to Cambridge Common. After months and months and more months of renovations, the parents of this town finally had to stop soothing their sad little darlings with explanations of why the park is closed. And more importantly, when will it be open again? Today? Tomorrow? Soon?

Instead, they now have to pry their pudgy little fingers from all of the fantastical new wonders that make up the redesigned Alexander W. Kemp Playground. Nestled in the corner of Cambridge Common, this giant square of outdoor play space is every child's dream...magnified with climbing nets, giant wooden dragon boats, swings, water fountains and slides galore. The giant iron gated entrance has an adorable little door where kids cam climb through, and benches line the perimeter for parents to sit and watch. Heck, even the landscaping is nice!

Now, my walk to Harvard Square is filled with laughter and squeals of delight, instead drills, jackhammers and cries of childhood despair.
4 - sage f.: Yes, this long-awaited playground opened to rave reviews.  It's beautifully designed, creative and offers different options from your regular park.  The sand area is one of the best, with a waterplay station that is controlled by the children.  There are big blocks and pulleys all over that children can use for whatever they like.  Despite its splendor, this park has some serious issues.  First of all, the sand gets everywhere and makes the sloped areas of the rest of the park really slippery and hard to walk on.  The big wooden blocks are often used by children to go "sledding" down the climbing hill, which hardly seems safe for them or the children playing at the bottom.  All in all, a good addition to the neighborhood.
5 - Annie B.: This playground is the best playground I've ever been to in my entire life.  You could honestly pack a lunch and stay here most of the day.  There is the most beautiful sand in the sand box, beautiful wooden structures, water play area... And there are plenty of trees for shade on a hot day.
5 - M H.: Sand, water pumps, climbing, sliding, swings, and a wooden boat structure. My 2-y-o kid actually got included in a group effort in sand dam building with 10+ kids, all aged 2-8 or so. I've never seen this type of kid-led building collaboration on that big a scope of age difference of its participants at any other park.  Of course, getting the kid out of the playground nearly deafened everybody, with that high screeching she does when she's not ready to leave, but I guess she wasn't the first kid to do that there, because no one batted an eye at it.

Alexander on Ponce Apartments - Atlanta, GA (33.7724618, -84.3827603) (Midtown)
1 - T. W.: I give it five stars for location and  zero stars for customer service.  

The staff, like many apartment homes, fail to follow through on the little issues.  The little issues can result in major annoyances when ignored.   Lost packages.  Failure to update gate code information causing missed deliveries.  Lost messages, etc.  For example, I have mobility limitations and one day as I was trying to access the leasing center the door was broken.  Rather than helping me with the door after the office person saw me through the door, she sat there.  When I confronted her after a neighbor helped me with the door she told me I wasn't pulling hard enough.  This is as I was handing over my rent check. 

It's issues such as the example I gave that merit a low rating for the overall experience.   I have remained here because of all things, location, location.  I am now of the opinion that I can find a more suitable location that is responsive to customer needs.

As for security, the secured access door has been  broken for several months and because the complex is in the heart of midtown (foot traffic is plentiful) it is real safety issue.  

Visitor parking is very awkward if you are in the second building.  It becomes a huge hassle for deliveries and guests because they have to park across the street and call on a code box twice.  As for parking, the garage is poorly maintained and residents use the facilities for pet restroom breaks.  

Noise is an issue on the weekend, but not so much that it is unbearable.  Of course there is always city noise, but that's to be expected.  

Although the business center is advertised as an amenity, the equipment has not worked consistently in two years.  The decor is very nice, however.  

The workout center is recently renovated.  There is a slim selection for aerobic equipment but there is a great free-weight section.

Maintenance is superb, however.  The maintenance staff is punctual and professional and extremely friendly.  I've had a few repair issues but that's to be expected in a longer tenancy.  The public areas are well-maintained with the exception of the parking garage and the lower floors.  There is a really unpleasant smell on the lower levels.  

Look elsewhere for more amenities and consistent customer service.  If my experience could be isolated to location alone, my opinion would be different.
4 - Jeff G.: I have been living at Alexander on Ponce for several months and I have found it to be a very enjoyable experience.

The security is pretty top notch.  There is a completely enclosed parking garage which allows you to park on the same level as your apartment.  Every door leading to the building requires a security token or call box admittance. The only problem is some residents do not close the doors/gates all the way, but that is not really something the complex can control.

I love the enclosed climate controlled hallways; it really helps keep the electric bill down.  The rest of the utility costs are very minimal as well.  

The location of this building is fantastic.  It is right next to the Fox Theater and a short walk to some amazing places to eat (The Vortex, Publik, Taco Mac, etc.)

The only downside for some may be the limited availability of real balconies.
2 - Austin M.: This apartment complex is now seriously outdated and becoming rundown with every passing hour.  Upkeep at the property is clearly lacking and the staff are still the same style of prima donna that only care about "getin' paid."

The location is fairly decent, and gives it one star over the minimum rating!

In the past, this building had a very, very high rate of car break-ins and thefts.  The building also had some incidents of burglary!

There are much, much better properties at the same pricepoint in the area.  Consider them instead of this rathole that used to go by the name of The Alexan Terrace.

And I see that the management was taken over by Equity, America's largest slumlord acting like a premier landlord.  Bleh.  No wonder why.

Alexander's Italian Bistro - Pittsburgh, PA (40.458576, -79.9435413) (Bloomfield)
5 - Matthew Lee C.: Alexander's is an extraordinary family-owned old fashioned Italian restaurant.

Highlights: Homemade rice pudding, tiramisu. Sorry, desserts first.

The bread is fresh and is served with oil, vinegar, and parmesan cheese.

Traditional antipasto is delicious and made to suit the size of your party. For appetizers, the fried ravioli and calamari fritti are to die for. Entrees: the cream sauces, red sauces, and the pesto are all delicious but my favorite is the Marfredo Sauce, a mix of marinara and alfredo. The Marfredo goes really well with sliced spicy Italian sausage.

PS. The service cannot be beat. It's one of the friendliest restaurants I have eaten in. I used to go there often when I was a student living in Bloomfield.
3 - Alyson Y.: I was pretty underwhelmed by Alexander's.  Everything tasted fine--that is, nothing was disgusting--but the food just didn't justify the prices.  The bread tasted like the cheap, fluffy stuff from the supermarket, and was served with butter.  And the entrees weren't very impressive--they tasted like something you might find at the Olive Garden or some other chain restaurant.

Other people in the restaurant seemed very pleased with their meals, though, so maybe I'm just really picky about Italian food, or maybe I tried the wrong dishes.  Still, I don't think I'll be back.
2 - John H.: Disappointing.  The food was below average and the service was ok.  We were expecting a lot from this restaurant but it definitely did not deliver.  Pasta was not homemade and sauces mediocre at best.  Wine selection is very weak.  The outdoor seating is a redeeming quality.
3 - Dean J.: Solid American Italian food that's not making a pretense of being anything else.  The service was incredibly friendly, the food was well thought out, as promised, and in ample portions.  Half price wine on Monday and Wednesday. 

Will be headed back.
3 - Shanna C.: I really wanted Alexanders to be great - like a hidden gem in a sea of Big Burritos and high-priced Shadyside Italian joints. 

Well, it was well priced, but the food was just... okay. They didn't go that extra mile to make it great. I had the blackened ahi tuna salad - the tuna was fantastic, but the dressing came in a plastic condiment cup with a lid and the tuna looked real lonely on some standard dark salad greens. Pasta portions were generous... but again, not fantastic. Joe Mama's actually has better pasta. 

Half-priced wine by the glass - also generous. However there was lipstick permanently imprinted into the glass I got. The bar looks really nice and the dining room was more like a living room painted warm colors and filled with booths. 

I really wanted to like it. But I also wanted to comment on how the stellar review from an unknown source underneath the glass table top to read while you dine made it feel like some substandard tavern. I wanted to tell the waitresses screaming across the dining room to quite down because I can't hear the strangely out of place pop and rock music coming from the quality sound system over her asking if her customers want coffee with the dessert. 

I wanted a nice dinner at a beautiful restaurant. I got an OK one in a wonky dining room. If they take a step back and consider what they could do to make the place better, I think they can get there. However, that's not likely to happen without new management.
4 - Sarah E.: I was a little surprised by the lackluster reviews for Alexanders on here. I've only been there once, but I was quite pleased with the experience.

From the second I entered the restaurant, I was greeted in a very friendly manner. Service to my table was also prompt and amicable.

There is quite a bit of variety on the menu, and the prices are reasonable. I had the Tortellini Verde and my friend had the Mafalda Madison (thankfully I was able to sample this a bit too). I thought both were flavorful and tasty. Granted, I'm not an Italian food connoisseur, but it was definitely comparable if not better than other Mom & Pop Italian places I've been to. It certainly blows Olive Garden out of the water, but perhaps that goes without saying.

I will definitely go back!
2 - Megan H.: Very average Italian food.  If you're looking for a pasta+sauce experience, it's pretty boring.  Eggplant parm was a little better than average.  But all in all, not any more exciting than what I can make for myself with a jar of sauce and box of pasta.
3 - Tim S.: I wasn't expecting much (as I'd never heard of this place and randomly walked in today) but I didn't leave with much either.

My dad and I both had very average-tasting hoagies for lunch. I had a chicken parmesan hoagie. It was quite overcooked and I still have the taste of burnt breading my mouth.
4 - October R.: I'm not really a big fan of going out and eating Italian since many of the pasta dishes prepared at restaurants seem like they came from the frozen section of the local grocery store, I can do that at home and save some money, thank you very much. 

Alexanders is very different. You can tell the sauces are all freshly made and there is a great selection of them. I recommend the Gorgonzola basil cream sauce. The menu has all the classic Italian favorites and the Specials menu always has mouth watering seasonal items on it as well. The whole family can enjoy Alexander's. 

Great Italian food, very reasonable prices and huge portions make this our go-to Italian eatery.
5 - Sarah S.: I'm kinda sad to see any bad reviews of Alexander's on here. But come on people, who can actually write a review of an ITALIAN restaurant when they've only eaten the tuna or a hoagie? PASTA is in their name, so you should probably try the PASTA before commenting on something that isn't their SPECIALTY. Sorry for the sarcasm.
I've been going to Alexander's for years, and I can't remember ever getting a bad meal. I love that you can pick what kind of pasta you want, what sauce, and the toppings. My favorite is the marfredo sauce. It is spaghetti sauce mixed with alfredo sauce. So freakin good!!! 
My only "issue" is that they never seem to add enough sauce on your pasta, but you can ask for some extra on the side and they bring you a little bowlful. It's perfect!!!
I get hot sausage on top (which isn't too spicy) and broccoli (which is always steamed just right, so it's not limp). 
The bread always comes with olive oil and parmesean cheese that you can dip it in. I love that.  
We always get a carafe of their Chianti. It seems to go really well with the pasta. 
And lastly, the price is right. Why pay $20 for a plate of pasta? Alexander's agrees. With wine and 2 dinners, we get outta there for under $50. Not bad.
This is an all-around good italian restaurant. Sorry to the haters, but this place blows Joe Mama's outta the water!!!
4 - Morgan D.: Living in Bloomfield, I was excited to finally try some authentic, excellent Italian fare. Unfortunately, I hadn't had much luck so far at Pleasure Bar (okay food), or D'Amico's (awful food). I've had more consistent, tasty Italian at the Olive Garden, which is sad. So I decided to give Alexander's Italian Bistro a try.

We stopped in tonight, a Saturday evening. The place was pretty much full and we didn't have a reservation, but we got seated after just a few minutes. The tables are packed pretty tight and you can see the servers dancing around each other precariously. The decor is charming without being all tacky like other local Italian places...I love the beautiful backlit stained glass panels that open the space up. There is a nice little bar area in the front with a smaller bar food menu and a couple nice TVs...we'll have to check that out soon.

Mr. got the Eggplant Alexander, I got the Mafalda Alexander. The eggplant was nice and crispy, not mushy inside like eggplant parmesan can often turn out. It was very rich and definitely two meals worth of food. My pasta was excellent. The noodles were flavorful on their own, and cooked freshly and perfectly. I like the mafalda noodles, which aren't too commonly used in most Italian places. The sauce, a mixture of marinara and alfredo, was tasty and not overpowering. The spicy Italian sausage was soooo good...just the right amount of spicy, tender and flavorful. They give a pretty large basket of bread that is moist, fresh, and flaky.

We got the tiramisu for dessert, which was pretty good. It's hard to find real tiramisu anyways so I give them credit for having it. The ladyfingers were a little bit tough to cut with a spoon but they were good, and the cream was very good, not too sweet. A nice finish to the meal.

Only downsides...no soup or salad included with the dish, those are extra. Our server was nice enough but kinda disappeared when we were finished with our food...we waited around a good 15 minutes for her to come back and wrap Mr.'s leftovers and ask if we wanted dessert, then another 10 minutes after finishing dessert for her to come back with the check. This is one of my top pet peeves.

Alexander himself (I'm pretty sure anyway...) stopped by the table at the end of our meal to ask how everything was, which is always a nice touch in my book. Everyone working there seemed like they must be family, but not the type of family who dread working for the family business, which is nice.

We'll definitely be back.
3 - Colleen C.: I went there recently with my family, and the food was good overall, but the service was rude.  Upon arriving there, we asked if there was a place to hang our coats, and were told it's "a little hard to get to"; and that was it, so we crammed them into our booth.  Corkage fee was charged for the wine we brought (since the wine list is practically nonexistent), which we completely expected and appreciated that we could bring our own wine; but our waiter took the cork out of the bottle and set it down on the table and walked away. WOW.  For $10 per bottle, maybe he could have actually poured it into our glasses?  The restaurant ran out of bread that night, we were told.  The salad came with the dressing in disposable plastic cups on the side. Really?   I think Eat N Park has a better dinner salad than this!  Most Italian bistros ask if you'd like ground pepper on the salad, but this wasn't an option, so it was pepper from the shaker on the table.   We had one dessert for a birthday in our group, but our waiter never asked anyone else at the table if they wanted to order dessert or coffee.  Since the appetizers and entrees were good, I may give 'em another chance, maybe for lunch, but I am truly blown away that Alexander's was Post-Gazette's Reader's Choice Award winner for Best Italian in 2008, which is very proudly displayed in several places.
1 - Thomas C.: I used to work near Alexander's 10 years ago and it was consistently good,  so we decided to go there on Valentine's Day for a nice meal. As it turned out, the service and meals were a disaster. In fact, I have not seen service that bad in years. We ordered the "make your own pasta" and the meals were unlike anything I have ever seen from an Italian restaurant. Not only were the dishes not correctly prepared based on the order, but bland and something you might see from a frozen microwave dinner. The waitress and general manager were lost with how to make things right. They were fumbling idiots who made no effort to suggest or substitute the meals. I was not impressed with the management and staff. We literally scavenged what we could from our meals, paid the check and got out of there. How many times have I left an Italian restaurant hungry? 2-14-2011 was the first time. Beware of this place, its not the same as it was back a few years ago.
4 - Derek S.: The food - bruschetta and fried ravioli apps, side salad, 1/2 order of aglio olio, and rice pudding - was pretty good. The aglio olio and rice pudding were the best parts of the meal. The service was good. Everyone was friendly. The interior could use some sprucing, but, all in all, it was good Italian food. I'll be back for the half-priced wine!
5 - Jr A.: This review is for the banquet facility. My family had a special event in their party room this past weekend. The point man a the restaurant was Jim and he could not have been nicer or professional. He told us he wouldn't be there the day of the event but he made sure another employee, Dave, knew of our special needs. The event went off smoothly and we could not have been happier with the food, service and price. A great restaurant  to stage an event
4 - Alex W.: Seeing as I am named Alexander I'm not surprised that a restaurant which shares my name is fantastic. I have eaten at Alexander's several times and the food and wait staff have always been spot on. My favorite dish is the Mafalda Alexander (Mafalda pasta, sausage, and a tomato cream sauce). They give you an un-eatably huge portion which is fine by me, it makes a great lunch the next day. Also, I think the decor and prices make this a great spot for a date night. One minor flaw is that the only parking is metered street parking. It's usually not a problem finding a spot relatively close, however I have run into issues in the past.
5 - Iliana C.: OMG THIS PLACE IS AMAZING! 

Okay, the ambiance is cutesy and romantic. Upon arrival you are given a bread basket with HUGE Texas sized bread. I wasn't such a big fan because it was so soft that it seems to deteriorate while holding it. Little too messy for my liking. The bruschetta was not your typical bruschetta and honestly I would not recommend it. The Caesar salad is really a pity. Although it looks like a Caesar salad it doesn't taste like one since the lettuce, croutons, and dressing are all so flimsy. It hardly tasted like anything. 

So why am I giving this place a 5 star review? Because the pasta is amazing! The best pasta I have ever had! Now I know why people with Italian mothers/grandmothers scoff at places like Olive Garden where they don't make their own noodles. What a difference it makes. The menu offers you a large selection of noodles (gluten free available) and sauces to choose from. I had the marfredo (mix of marinara and alfredo) and I was dying over how good it was. My girlfriend, who has an Italian family, had the aglio aoli (sp?) and she was also dying over how amazing this was. 

DO COME HERE but don't waste any of your time with the appetizers or bread. Save your appetite for the pasta! 

I didn't get to try the deserts but next time I want to try their tiramisu since all the deserts are also made on site.
4 - Amy R.: We originally decided to go to Alexander's for an official dinner for a seminar speaker, expecting 15-20 people to come.  So I talked to the manager and he set me all up, despite the fact that I was calling only 3 days before the dinner.  He was so super nice and wonderful.  We wound up only having 5 (who passes up free food?) but it was still a lovely dinner.  The waitress was really helpful in suggesting the best things to get.
  
I agree about the bread...it was just 'meh'.  We didn't get an appetizer, but the homemade salad dressing (ranch) was very (very) good.  I got the special for that night - fresh veal, and it was so so so good.  The waitress said it would melt in your mouth, and it did.  I also got the marfredo sauce on malfada pasta as my pasta side, based on other Yelp reviews of this combination and it was also quite good.  

Overall, great food.  I would definitely return.
1 - Kiersten S.: I'm sorry, this place is simply not good. Unfortunately, it is yet another example of poorly made Americanized Italian food. Too much cheese, too much butter and cream, and quite possibly the worst bread I have ever consumed at any Italian restaurant in my life. 

Someone had to go out of their way to find bread this flavorless and awful. It's already a travesty that it's served to me before the meal, but to put it on my sandwich! I'm actually offended for Italians, and bread. Yes bread, this is not your best. The eggplant Parmesan served to my mother was soggy, covered with an absurd amount of plastic Parmesan cheese swimming in a bland sauce. My fathers pasta, cream and cheese. Contrary to popular believe, this is not traditional Italian! This is what some would refer to as, terrible and heavy. And the cannoli? Words could not describe my disappointment.

I'll admit it, I'm already an Italian food snob. I cook tons of Italian food for myself, family, and friends, and I only use the highest quality ingredients and go about preparing my meals in traditional southern Italian ways. I've had phenomenal Italian meals at the few great Italian restaurants in this city, so whenever I get the opportunity to eat at another "Italian" joint, I'm heading in with high expectations.

Is this what Italian food in Pittsburgh has come too? Seeing other similar Italian places in Bloomfield, I'm sad to say...yes. I'm actually slightly upset even writing this because the waitstaff is charming, and I hear the owners are great, but to pass this off as representative of Italian food is an injustice. If you want a truly great Italian meal please look elsewhere.
1 - Laura J.: My boyfriend and I went to Alexander's a couple of years ago and liked it well enough. We knew we were going to be in the neighborhood this past weekend, so we made 7pm reservations for Saturday night. When we got there our table wasn't ready and after 30 minutes, when it still wasn't ready, we left. What's the point in taking reservations you still have to wait more than half an hour for your table? We won't be returning.
4 - Dana K.: Portions, food, & service were top notch. It was 2 couples and 5 kids. The restaurant is a bit cozy, but we were incredibly pleased with everything.  There was plenty of room in the bar while we were there. There is a parking garage right next door & there was a decent amount of on street parking available.
4 - Jade R.: Nice and solid 3.5-stars for some solid AmericanItalian food!

Service was really really friendly and the portions were really generous.
It doesn't compare to your top-rated traditional Italian joint because that's not what it is.
It's really more of an unpretentious mom and pop spot, with consistent hearty meals.
Great stop for lunch or dinner, and cozy family atmosphere.

We ate, we laughed, and had a very relaxed meal with coffee and dessert at the end.
Drinks were refilled seamlessly and leftovers carefully packaged.
Would definitely come by again!
4 - Britney T.: The food here is authentic and FILLING! Each table has a nice setup complete with oil & vinegar to start out with when the fresh, fluffy white Italian bread is brought to your table. The gnocci is one of my favorite things, main course-wise, but a lot of people seem to like the bolognese. My favorite dessert is the Tiramisu. They also offer a side house salad which is also really good (they use dried cranberries and candied walnuts, mmmm!!!). I'm not a huge fan of wedding soup, but Alexander's has one of the best.The mac n' cheese is fabulous as well. Everything here is. Nothing is done cheap. The atmosphere is dimly lit and romantic, I suppose, the bartenders are sweet and conversational, and the servers are timely, polite and very friendly. They have outside seating available, weather permitting. Decent drink specials and a variety to choose from. Alexander (the owner) is such a wonderful and good hearted guy, he goes out of his way to make the customers happy. I feel like I'm at home here. When I go back to Pittsburgh, this may very well be the first place I visit!
1 - Michael H.: Not real Italian. When there's a crab dish on the menu and you don't let your customers know this there's a problem. Imitation crab meat at an Italian restaurant doesn't fly. I was hoping for some good Italian while out of town and was truly disappointed. The bar service was extremely friendly about my compliant and did remove that dish from my bill. My entree was pasta and shrimp. I haven't paid $20 for a dish of pasta and 5 large shrimp in a long time. Don't worry but I won't come close to this restaurant again.
4 - Samantha S.: Really friendly service and great cozy atmosphere. The bread was okay but the dessert more than made up for it! I would probably recommend skipping the "vegetable medley" as it is just broccoli carrots and cauliflower no asparagus but the pasta was good. Will be coming back for half off wine Monday or Wednesday :)

Alexandria II Bookstore - Pasadena, CA (34.142896, -118.131837) (Pasadena)
5 - Cat T.: One of my favorite little bookstores with quite a large collection. The front section is dedicated to a small but varied selection of miscellaneous items such as cauldrons, incense burners, alter clothes, candles and more. The back of the store is dedicated to books and is divided much like a library. You'll find your section dedicated to Eastern philosophy, one for Western philosophy, dreams, metaphysics, meditation, etc. thus making your book browsing much easier.
5 - stacey a.: I've been going to Alexandria II bookstore since I was 14 (late 80's)and it's always been on of my favorite places to "get lost" in. Back in 2000/01 I worked there and I have to say, it was one of the few jobs I've had that I actually enjoyed going to. 

Alexandria has a good selection, despite being a fairly small store. It's pretty easy to find what you are looking for because the shelves are divided up by topic. You'll find everything from information about health and fitness (lots of ayeurveda books, yoga accessories, etc.) to Christian, pagan, and other religious texts to some things that frankly are on the cusp of being bizarre (David Icke conspiracy theories, yo). Lots of oils and incense, as well as an excellent selection of tarot decks. Also, Alexandria does a good job at finding obscure and special order items and they usually find them rather quickly. 

You can also get a psychic reading at Alexandira. It's honestly been about 5 years since I had a reading here. I had one reading that I felt was simply o.k. but another that was pretty spot-on. If nothing else, the readings were fun.
5 - Joie P.: Sweet-cute.
Sometimes overflowing with the full-of-themselves Wicca though.  I went down that road years ago and although I believe many ideals of the craft I am, and will always be, open to beyond the pagan religion.
This shop has books that can get you started on your path though.  I have also found everything exceeding the practice and it can be a wonderful starting place.  
A resource for all of your metaphysical needs for years.
5 - ron m.: LOVE THIS PLACE! Did a ton of my "christ"mas shopping there. Awesome things you can't find almost anywhere else.
5 - Clara M.: I've been to a few metaphysical shops, and this is the only one that doesn't make me feel embarrassed to walk into. Everyone that works there is so helpful, and never judgmental. Love this store, and would recommend it to anyone needing spiritual guidance.
1 - GoodyGoody G.: I've shopped here quite a few times over the past ten years. I finally decided to have a reading. (I forgot her name but it began with an "A").  What a joke and what a fake! Half of the reading was like a counseling session and the other half she obviously faked seeing angels and deceased loved ones.. Then she charged me for the extra time she wasted looking for her therapist's phone number. 
Save your money; open the newspaper and read your horoscope instead!
1 - Tony Y. Jr. Y.: Alright, is it the hot weather that's getting to employees in Pasadena, or is it just a lack of etiquette and businesslike manners?  Not sure, but I came into the new location of this bookstore, simply trying to support the independent bookstores.  Now, this store wasn't busy at all, consisting of only 3 customers.  As I walked pass the cashier, this man, wearing glasses and with a low haircut, just looked up at me and back down at his reading material.  Then, there was a lady that walked pass him and he didn't acknowledge her either.  I thought maybe it was just me, but I read another review on this place and am glad to know someone else shares the same thoughts as I about this place.  These experiences are what prompt businesses to easily fade from your memory, meaning you won't return, nor will you refer others.  Given the current economy, this store, and many others, should have a fierce devotion to their customers.  Anyway, from what I seen in this store, I wasn't thoroughly impressed.  Thankfully, Borders is pretty much a hop, skip, and a jump down the street.
5 - Gioia P.: This store is absolutely a haven in the middle of a bustling city.  Pasadena can be very overwhelming and Alexandria is the perfect place to find some peace.  I always find amazing treasures here.  The staff is very friendly and helpful (though they don't hover or bother you) and their willingness to special order is unprecedented.  Thumbs wayyy up.
5 - Rosalynn R.: This is where I get all my new age/pagan stuff... You can find me sitting amongst all the books reading.  It's such a peaceful environment.  They recently moved, which is a bummer for me, cuz where they were before, I could buy a book then walk to Starbucks and read.  But it's fine....not a biggie.
It's great that they don't cater to one specific religious/spiritual belief.  You can find books and tools for all spiritual needs.
5 - Adriana K.: I like Alexandria II.  Cool stuff / Great location.  But I'm mostly a fan of the friendly & patient people who work there.  Thanks for donating an alien head to my group lol.  Wish there was more that wasn't so pricy - but they have things that are tough to find without having to drive a half hour or more away.  I always find things I love :) Nice touches like free gift wrap with purchase for the holidays - you ROCK!
4 - Peter L.: I usually come here in order to get my basics; charcoal, incense, and white sage (among other herbs).  They also have minerals (semi-precious stones), candles, etc. but I usually don't buy these because it's too pricey.

The only place I've seen a bigger collection of gay literature outside of this place was the LGBT centers at UCLA and UCR (then again I haven't gone anywhere else for gay literature than online), and of course books involved in the wiccan or newage paths.
2 - Mika B.: The readings are rather mediocre. I have had four readings here just to be fair by 4 different psychics. I am an advanced teacher and was looking for startling information. Something I could really chew on. Although some of the readings are very general (ambika) others are informative if you are a novice & have never been exposed to these concepts. I am beyond novice level and apparently they were not strong enough to see that. I don't tend to trust anyone speaking of angels..they tend to give distorted readings. I was disappointed everytime I have had a reading. I never learned anything new. I need more powerful psychics. This isn't cutting it. Also if psychics are told too much in advance, their ego mind takes over & fills in cracks which makes the reading so much worse. One is only receiving regurgitation, pieced together answers from what you've told them. DONT influence them by giving them ANY information. Better to have a COLD reading by readers. Interpretation is everything & psychics are receivers like radios, they can't neccesarily decipher or totally understand what they're receiving.. they simply TELL YOU what they see. Its up to a gifted psychic artist to blend intelligence, a detached disinterest in being correct and a higher intelligence to understand the images they are seeing and information they are hearing and feeling and impart this upon the person receiving the reading. 

If I want biased info, I'll ask my mother or coworkers. They can't read anybody but depend on external clues and trigger words to hypothesize and create their belief systems. Many weak psychics do this and its of no use for me.
5 - Marissa B.: OMG went Xmas shopping here today & got the coolest gifts!~ I spent a grip, but hey it's the love that I shared and it really paid off....I even spoiled myself with a silver gem ring of moonstone.....I want to come back for more.....Didn't get my psychic reading, but will have to go soon.....I had sooooooo much fun here today getting stones for me too and for others, gosh it was a great day!!!!!!!
4 - Lilo D.: great selection of books that are difficult to find other places. prices were somewhat cheaper than other places as well in respects to bags and yoga equipment. employees are really friendly and helpful. place is small and quiet and they have book clubs and buddhist meetings once a week i believe. i wouldnt travel from too far away for it but would recommend visiting if you are in the area .
5 - Kim T.: I like all the funky spiritual items they have here. It's a very calm and peaceful place to be at. If you're curious about spirituality or needing items to help guide you thru some negative phases, start here. 

I'm a big fan of the crystals and stones they have here. Last time I was there, I was looking at some small amethyst crystal points, however, a small slab of amethyst cluster in the display case kept attracting me to it.  I dunno what it was, but something propelled me to buy it. And I'm glad I did because I was going thru some negative trial and tribulations and was having confused and bad dreams, and was told of its powers to ward off negative energy and to encourage better sleep if placed near the bedside. Low and behold, it was true!  A few weeks later, positive energy had flow thru my way, and I was sleeping better again. 

I'm also a firm believer of what psychic Diane Bullock said, that if you keep coming back to a particular stone, then it's meant to be yours - it's calling to you. Which is very true. I was at one of her seminars in 2010, and I'm in the photo with her talking in the Events section, heheh :)p 

After coming here, and experiencing something positive for myself, I'm definitely a true believer!
4 - Tammy C.: Definitely a fan of Alexandria II. It's a comfy place to browse books if you don't know what you're looking for or are looking for everything. When I'm having a bad day sometimes I'll just go here to read.. and always end up buying something. The staff is really nice. I'm sad I don't live down the street from here anymore. Plus, free parking :  )
5 - lori s.: I am a Big fan of Alexandria ii Bookstore. I been going for the past 7 years. I love the new location better. Whenever I feel a bit overwhelmed I go there to hang out. They have a great selection of crystals. The staff is friendly and warm. It feels like family to me. My favorite psychic is Ambika. I've gone to her for years. Her readings are very accurate. She can see and hear Spirit guides. Many times she has given me very specific guidance that she hears from my Spirit Guides. She is a clear channel for divine guidance. Ambika is extremely gifted, and wide open. She has communicated with my cats as well. I was in awe by her clarity and accuracy. Most of all Ambika is beautiful soul. Very trustworthy and full of integrity. She has a very safe/sacred energy about her. She makes me feel very comfortable to open up. I would recommend Ambika to anyone!
5 - Toni B.: I love this place. Ralph is super nice.  John, Carson, Tashina and Jeff are just such jewels. 

I asked to be called when they got in some specifc crystals and as soon as the shipment came, Tashina was on the phone calling me. Carson is always kind and helpful. Jeff is always happy to help with any questions. Ralph was great with a hand/buddha  chair I bought this May for my 11 year old son, He loves this place. 

The energy in this store is so nice. I have a friend who calls it home, she goes there that often to decompress and to locate crystals for her healing work. It's that kind of unpretentious place that serves the community. A great find, a soft haven-
4 - Jackie B.: I stopped in to Alexandria II for a quick browse. I went through the back door and saw a sign for psychic readings. Ooooohhh... The store definitely has a calming, new age feel. It smells interesting, too, like... scented oils and burning candles.

There's a small clearance table at the back of the store, so I checked that out first. I bought a cool beaded bracelet for $5... I think they are prayer beads reincarnated as a bracelet just for me.

I'm a big self-help book reader. I especially like Louise Hay, and I noticed they had some moderately priced audiobooks of hers. There were other audio CDs of various meditations, music genres, spoken word stuff. Very interesting. The shelves are neatly organized, you can easily find books on a variety of topics, from homeopathy to religion to tarot card reading. 

It's a fun store with a ton to look at and browse through. I like it.
5 - Isabel G.: If only humanity were as accepting of spiritual diversity as this store...  (sigh)

This is a nice place to visit if you have an open mind about spirituality, and perhaps even just want to relax a bit.  It is truly a very soothing place to visit.  

There is a very good selection of books on various spiritual perspectives.  There are candles, incense, crystals, jewelry, and other interesting items that also reflect spiritual diversity.  

The staff are consistently pleasant, well informed, and helpful.  I have been visiting this store for about 17-18 years, and have consistently had good experiences with the staff. 

If you want to browse & see what you find, you will discover a myriad of interesting books and other items such as tarot decks, journals, and even unique greeting cards.  If you are looking for a specific book and they do not have it, you can order here.  You will receive a prompt call once your item is received.  

Next time I visit I will be looking for a collection of Kahlil Gibran's writings that I have been coveting for a while.  It's time to just get it!
4 - Jackie R.: I was on the hunt for smudging and positive energy materials and I found them at Alexandria II!

There is a wide array of other spiritual resources as well and the staff seems very knowledgeable.
5 - Amy Y.: I own a spiritually based business, so I visit a lot metaphysical bookstores. This by ar the best of them. Maybe it's an LA thing, but this store is exceptionally well organized. They carried a nice selection of books, oracle cards and woo woo items like sea salt. I had a reading done with James- who was very knowledgeable, kind and accurate. Will definitely stop in every time I'm in the LA area.
4 - Deb T.: My boyfriend, who embraces all kinds of spirituality, loves coming here because they carry a great selection of incense and he likes to browse the different books.  We have bought jewelry, CD's, books, and many other things. The staff is super nice and they are great with special ordering. Of all of the esoteric shops I have seen, Alexandria II is by far the coolest I have been to. Although I am a Christian, I enjoy coming into this store to learn about other faiths. More importantly, I love their selection of books that focus on treating certain medical conditions, holistically, such as depression, anxiety, stress, and maintaining balance in this stressful world; since medication is seen as the absolute cure and end all, people need to know that there are alternatives to drug therapy pending their condition.
4 - Donna S.: Wow, I have passed by this place over and over and not even realized it was here. A friend said they had to stop in for a book before we went to eat and I was expecting a normal book store. Imagine my surprise when I was hit with the scent of incense and hanging crystals beaming at me. 

Tarot cards, crystals, self help books, astrology books, salt lamps, scarves and on and on. 

I could have stayed and browsed for hours if we had time. A great little place to expand and nurture your spirituality. Which is good for you, no matter WHAT your religion or tradtion, by the way. 

My grubby little hands found a Himalyan salt bar to use while in the bath or shower to revitalize and purify the skin. My little fingers loved it, caressed it, and wouldn't let it go, so I bought it and skipped away with my little goodie.  

I shall return for more treats and quiet, meditative, browsing time.
2 - John N.: I was running errand around Pasadena last week and needed to go to a bookstore to pick up something on Spain for our travel coming up so I yelp the closest bookstore and this place pop up. So we want here and it isn't your typical bookstore because it is bookson healing/ spiritual. This place has personality but I was in a hurry so didn't get a chance to look around plus parking there was a bitch so we had to go fast lol
5 - SIRENA S.: I have been a fan of this store for many years. They have a wonderful selection of books, candles, tarot cards, incense, jewelry, stones and much more! You could definitely lose track of time in there with everything there is too look at. The place smells really nice, the energy is calming and the music they play is always nice.

I know most of the psychic readers there but today I saw Paula who is an absolute gem! She did the best 15-min reading I have ever gotten! As a tarot reader myself it was wonderful to receive the same messages I have been getting in my cards from a complete stranger in a small amount of time. I can't even begin to imagine what she would've told me if I had gotten a longer reading. I can't wait to go back!
5 - Richard C.: LOVE this place! I use to work for them when it was at the old location, and after all these years, I still love coming here. This place has great books, great people and a great environment.
5 - Jane F.: Ok, so if you're closed minded, devoid of curiosity, and are skilled at passing quick judgement in any given situation, stop reading, and don't go here.

Alexandria II could fall into several categories. Perhaps health, well being, and spirituality would be the clearest for me to go with for the purpose of this review. If you are Metaphysical (No, nothing to do with RPGs), or New Age, Alexandria II should definitely be on your list of planned destinations.

Atmosphere is deeply important to me, whether it be in a restaurant, shop, or someone's own home. Walking in here I feel a tingly sense of calming warmth wash over me. The store is full of color, incense hangs in the air, and some form of meditation music will be looping around on the overhead. 

Reviewers below me have covered many of the products of Alexandria II : 
Statues, carvings, some jewelry, crystals, stones, dreamcatchers, tarot cards, spirit sticks, essential oils, incense, sage for burning, Himalayan salt for purification, mini zen gardens, world music, meditation pillows, yoga gear, prayer flags, tarot cards, stationary, and BOOKS. Oh books !  Books on every religion from around the world, on eating organically, on astrology, on symbology from different cultures. I have learned much from the books here. Actually, over the years I have spent plenty of dough on this place. I even remember my first purchase from this place ! I bought a small statue of Anubis, and small scarab carving for my 5th grade presentation of Egyptians and their death rituals. 

Yes, all the products here deal with spirituality, so if you do decide to go, expect that. They do offer psychic readings, and special classes, but I have not utilized any of those services.An important parking reminder : There is very little street parking available. I suggest parking in the closest lot to the store (make a left of Cordova), and walking back to the store from there. Happy shopping :)

For your convenience :  http://www.alexandria2.com
5 - Vanessa M.: Used to work at a specialty/spiritual book store and this place is legit. Vast array of affordable gems, great selection, great prices! Got a little stick of sage for 99 cents and stocked up on incense- good to see they have the good brands. The store is narrow and long. After the register it's pretty much a bookstore with readings in the back. Staff is super friendly. Def going to try popping in whenever I'm in the area!
4 - Lacey W.: I go once a week to grab goodies!
I really love the jewelry selection as well as the books. There is always something new and exciting to find. 
I am also never unhappy with the prices.
5 - Red F.: I haven't gotten a reading here, but as a bookstore this place has a more uplifting atmosphere than Psychic Eye plus a wayyyy better book selection.  Good CD selection, too, much more diverse than I expected (not just the expected new-agey instrumentals).  And you can listen before you buy! The clerk who assisted me was super helpful and friendly.  I'm glad to have this place in Pasadena.
4 - Michelle A.: I recommend this store for those who find an interest in metaphysical and spiritual belief systems.

The crystals there are decently priced, but a bit expensive for the sizes they offer. However, the pricing on their sage (smudge sticks) are awesome! $8 for a large smudge stick, and $5 for a smaller one. They also have my favorite brand of incense.. they're "pure resin" incense, I always get the rosemary sage... So if I'm feeling lazy and don't wanna light my whole smudge stick, I just light an incense and use it to cleanse my space [it's the only place near LA that I've seen that offers pure resin incense]

Their selection of books is pretty awesome, definitely for the open minded... A majority of the books were related directly to the Hindu and Buddhist religions, and a few things here and their about angels, elementals, and some astrology. 

The service was nice, but the workers didn't seem to have much knowledge or experience on the subjects the store presents. Oh well...
4 - Ruth K.: While I preferred their old location over on Lake, it's still an amazing place and, frankly, the only metaphysical bookstore I know of in town.  With the Bodhi Tree closure, not a lot of options left.  Patronize them.  They have some interesting things to buy.  On my next visit I'm going to pick up some of those Tibetan rock lamps as a friend swears to me that they create a great and cleansed atmosphere in her home.

Alexi's Diner - Troy, NY (42.679212, -73.691) ()
3 - Tom C.: The Alexis is a pretty solid diner: the food tastes good and they serve it quick. The prices are a little on the high side, however, which is why I can only give it a 3 star rating.

If you're looking for a quick lunch spot around Route 4 & Route 43 in North Greenbush, this diner is a good choice.
3 - Lai-Yee B.: It's an acceptable diner. The food is nothing to write home about, but it won't make you regret spending your money there.

Prices are higher than they should be for what you get, but I think diners tend to be like that.

Their bakery and freshly baked goods only refer to sweets. I went in one day looking for a loaf of bread, or some rolls (because I am weird like that) and left empty handed.
3 - Jess P.: I was in the East Greenbush area looking for somewhere to go with my teenage sister and realized it was pretty much this or Applebee's. 

The last time I ate at an Applebee's, I felt parched for days because the food was so damned salty. We went here instead.

It's got a basic, slightly-retro diner interior and the same basic menu you'd expect at any diner. I wanted a spinach salad, but unfortunately they stopped serving them after the last E. coli scare. Instead I got just a small Greek salad and a baked potato. It's hard to screw either of those up, so my meal was pretty acceptable. The salad was a little overrun with feta though. As much as I love the salty stuff, this was too much even for me. Sis got a bacon cheeseburger with fries. We shared a hot fudge sundae. The bill came to about 22 dollars. 

It was acceptable food and service, and the bathrooms are clean, but this just isn't a place I'd go seeking out. Diners aren't typically my scene unless it's late night and there's little else open. Still, it served its purpose.
4 - Bethlyn B.: I go here for lunch since it is close to the office and haven't had a bad meal yet.  Last week I had their Short Ribs special and it was fantastic.  Their prices for lunch specials are fair since you get soup included.  If you do go with a larger party and need separate checks make sure you ask in the beginning, as they have had issues separating the check when paying at the register.
2 - Jessica L.: Now I usually like me some diner fare, but Alexis...ehhhh, I don't usually care for some Alexis diner. It used to be much better than it is now. There used to be many many more options to eat, and I used to have a much easier time finding something I actually wanted to eat there. I have tried and tried and tried to like this place, but I can't bring myself to do it. The service is always mediocre, as well as the food, and mediocre at best. One time I ordered what I would call a roast beef au jus sandwich. The au jus was lacking flavor, and the roast beef was so tough that it really took a lot to bite through it. Another time I ordered a burger, and the burger was so dry. As others mentioned, some people rave and rave about this place, but I'm just not one of them.
4 - a l.: I have found myself my new diner home....ahhh. I have searched high and low over the last few months since my New Year's Day debacle at 76 Diner and kept turning out negatives at all other diners in the area. Alexis has now officially won my diner-food eating heart.

So now in the beginning when this place opened up, I was never very impressed and preferred to drive out the extra distance to Latham 76 for food. However, over the last 6 months, I have been here 3 times and each time has been a hit as far as food, service, and prices. Alexis has really come a long way from where they were and the food is really good now. I especially loved the old fashioned strawberry shortcake...totally made my night!!!!! Can't wait to go back there and it's a quick hop, skip, and a jump for me from every place I'd be coming.
3 - Lena L.: A little surprised this place has less than 3 stars. Its a diner. Your standard Jersey diner, but displaced in Albany, NY. 

I have been here twice now. Once for breakfast and once for lunch. I'm not sure what people ordered here, but I go for standard fare. Omelet and a grilled chicken salad. Both were fine. Salad was even a little better than fine. However, I do wish they had better low fat dressing choices or offered avocado on their salads. 

Always amazes me what people order at diner's especially when people order the braised buffalo or the seared salmon...maybe thats why you had a bad meal, maybe your a moron. But who am I to judge.
4 - Robbin D.: We've been here three times now - once for some "I'm hungry, but I don't want dinner" food and twice for breakfast.  The evening munchies were kind of greasy (even for fried food!) but tasty, but the eggs benedict... Oh my!  I got the florentine benedict, whis has spinach, tomato, poached eggs and hollendaise sauce.  Really good.  Fresh, bright green spinach, perfectly poached eggs and a nice sauce (could have used a touch more lemon).  I find myself thinking about it and wanting to go back - that's always a good sign!
The waitresses in the morning are the "Mel's Diner" type who call you "hon" , are quick to refill your coffee and weren't flustered at all when I asked for toast instead of the typical english muffin.   Yum.
4 - Willie W.: I used to be a regular at Alexi's, and every visit is a trip down nostalgia lane. In those days my wife and I worked opposite shifts, she'd be asleep when I got home and I'd be getting up to leave for work when she got home. It was only on the sporadic days off that she could struggle to stay up late and meet me for lunch that we got to see each other. Most often than not, we'd spend that lunch at Alexi's.

Perhaps it's the staff at Alexi that make the place for me. It reminds me of the Greek diners that I grew up with in Queens. It has been years since I've visited and yet the owner still came up and greeted us as old friends. It was remarkable how many regulars they have; it's a sight to watch the staff get a table set with drinks for the people they see walking up.

This morning I had the eggs Benedict. Done right, with the right Hollandaise. Good helping of home fries. The wife had a gyro omelet without the pita bread. When she mentioned her need for gluten free, we discovered one of the owners is a recently diagnosed Celiac. We spent a lot of time discussing how things are going, and she's working hard to instruct her staff to be attentive to the needs of gluten free patrons. She's also learning to cook gluten free, and wouldn't doubt the introduction of gluten free items on the menu.
5 - Ashley S.: Cheap....
Cheap....
Cheap...

But in a good way!

I was hesitant to order grilled fish from a dinner but I really really really wanted fish.  So I went out on a limb and ordered it.  The fish came with a baked potato, veggie, salad and bread!  The fish came out and it was wonderful.  The portion was great and the flavor was fabulous. 

I would recommend this place for dinner any day.  The service was top notch and the place was packed.
4 - Ken W.: I work near Alexis Diner so I frequently go there for lunch.  The prices are very, very reasonable (cheap), the food is usually pretty good.  Tuesdays are my favorite, goulash is the special of the day.  Their egg salad is pretty good as well as their breakfast foods.  Portions are very generous as well.

The staff is pretty good there and some have quite a sense of humor. I had hot chocolate one winter day and after "drinking" all the whipped cream I asked the waitress for more whipped cream.  Next time she walked by she dropped off the can of whipped cream and said "Go nuts" without breaking stride.

Overall, I'd recommend checking it out if you're hungry, want a good amount of decent food but don't want to spend too much.
3 - Andrew H.: Nothing special, but good.  Service was great, prompt and there were no problems at all.  Isn't that why you go to a diner?

The Club Sandwich was MASSIVE!  and delicious.  Tomatoes fresh, lettuce too.
4 - Althea C.: Aside from the grumpy older waitresses, the food is consistent. I love eating brunch here.
5 - Rhonda G.: I can see why this was voted Best Diner in the tri-city. It's got the shiny, clean atmosphere that I love. Picturesque desserts forced me to break down and get an eclair for the train trip home. It was as good as it looked, smothered in chocolate and overstuffed with cream. I had the Spanish omelette, it was delicious but I found it strange that it only offered the sauce. It calls for Cheddar cheese which is how I got it. I could do without  the carrots and would rather see green olives along with the celery,  that's how I would define a Spanish sauce. The hash browns were equally great. Average, unnecessary toast. My friend was very satisfied with her skillet that had perfect sunnyside up eggs. It would be a destination treat, but the food attracts plenty of regulars.
1 - Steve b.: I have been here a few times, it didn't get better, food is not what I asked for, and the waitress  are  tuft and ruff.  you don't get your monies worth, I wont return!
4 - Stephanie S.: Close to my home in the Defreetsville area, Alexi's has been a favorite spot for Saturday morning breakfast with my husband.  His favorite continues to be the Cinnamon Pecan cream cheese french toast, while I prefer a classic belgian waffle with butter and maple syrup, with OJ.  The staff members are great, always warm and welcoming, some are totally cool with a terrific sense of humor!  It's a great spot for some coffee and a good meal, at a great price with great service.  I love Alexi's and it will continue to be my favorite breakfast spot.
3 - Wendy N.: We've been here several times since we live nearby and the food is pretty good.  This is the first time we've been here since I found out I have Celiac and have to eat gluten free.  Our waitress was very nice, but admittedly did not know what gluten or gluten free meant and therefore wasn't really able to direct me to anything on the menu that she knew would be safe so I had to wing it.

I ordered the broiled haddock with a baked potato, veggies and a salad.  Salad came out with croutons on it and she immediately took it back and made me a fresh one when I pointed out that I couldn't have croutons.  Hubby had the Chicken Divan.  Both our meals were good, but not great.  We weren't expecting fine dining and the price was right so we were happy.  Best part is, I didn't get glutened!
4 - Colleen M.: An enjoyable diner experience.  I've never had anything besides breakfast (and eggs at that), but my Little advises that the pancakes are superior to the '76 Diner's pancakes (evidenced by the fact that she eat all 4 pancakes plus eggs at Alexi's and only 1.5 pancake and no eggs at the '76).  The menu is a little smaller than the '76 and some of the other diners in the area, which I think is a very good thing.  

The services is always quick and friendly, even when they are slammed at 9 am (be advised weekend breakfast hours are busier than brunch hours at this joint).  

The coffee isn't terrible.  Its better then usual diner coffee.  They claim to bake all of their own baked goods on the premises...I'm not sure if I believe ALL of the baked goods are made on premises but I have nothing to substantiate this suspicious other than my eyes. 

Gripe: they are NOT open 24/7, which I believe is what makes a diner a diner.

Parking is easy.
5 - Tinya C.: Imagine my delight when I stumbled upon this diner while driving around Troy!

I love diners and Alexi's was fantastic. Breakfast anytime I wanted? Sold.

I usually get eggs with corn beef hash or sausage. The portions are large and filling. I have no complaints about the corn beef hash - it's moist and yummy.

The coffee is decent and goes well with breakfast. I usually drink at least 2 cups.

It's usually bustling on the weekends, especially around brunch. Expect a wait time if you have a large party. The staff are professional and will try and get you squared away as fast as possible.

I definitely recommend this place.
4 - Franklin H.: A very good, reliable diner.  I particularly enjoy their Greek specials on wednesday nights.  Soups taste homemade, so does the bread they serve as part of their meal.  A solid place to go for food if you are not quite sure what you are in the mood for.  Waitstaff are friendly and service has been good..  People who own the place are nice and willing to answer my questions regarding food preparation and what various Greek food are...  I am a regular at this place now.
2 - James F.: Most unfriendly experience I've had in a restaurant/diner. Food was OK, nothing special
3 - Kevin J.: Alexi's Diner good staples of diner food, i always get the greek souvlaki which is the chicken version of  a gyro. Standard fries and deli dill pickle. Our waitress was alittle off but the others were right on and taking orders and keep the food coming out of the kitchen like a army mess tent.
5 - Dave H.: I've been here twice for Sunday morning breakfast and had a great experience both times. The diner is gleaming, the service was fine and the hands-on owner was welcoming and kept everything running smoothly during a very busy morning.

The eggs with corned beef hash and eggs Benedict were delicious and very reasonably priced.

I'll be going back next time I am in the area.

Alfonso's Pizzeria & Restaurant - Princeton, NJ (40.4018914, -74.6502779) ()
4 - Oliver L.: 1 of the 2 great pizza places in the Route 206 Princeton-Montgomery area (the other being Rodolfo's in Skillman).  Consistently excellent pizza... my favorite is their Margherita; however, I like eating in (rather than take out) so that I can sample a couple different slices.  Also, they have the BEST wings in the area!  Perfectly crispy and served to your desired level of spiciness.  This is one of the few places that will actually give you hot, if that's what you ask for.  The owners are also very friendly and personable.  If they delivered to my neighborhood, I'd give them a perfect 5 stars.  For delivery, I have to resort to New World Pizza in Skillman which can sometimes be good, but they're too inconsistent.
4 - Jett T.: Great pie, excellent grilled chicken salad & perfect customer service! Can't go wrong!  I just wish they delivered.
3 - Hokie F.: Nothing special beyond the food service crust and sauce.  Typical Jersey pizza.
5 - Afonso B.: Good pizza and extremely good price.
4 - Christopher W.: Good variety of slices. The guy at the counter always amuses me. Food comes out pretty quick
2 - George L.: pizza is below avg.  they leave it out all day and serve it hours old. nothing special at all. maybe decent for a fast lunch. nothing more.
3 - Shantanu D.: A madman roams here. He seems very committed....but to what I have no idea. When he makes pizza selection suggestions I listen. 

And the food is good. The variety of pizza by the slice is wide and they are all very good (except for the cheesesteak pizza - that was not good). The salads are huge, the soup is great and the bread is solid. 

I dont like the chicken marsala cause they dont pound the breast out and I think this is a tactical error. But they cook pasta correctly and the marsala sauce is very nice. The staff is great, the vibe is always pleasant and they make fresh espresso if you ask (with the lemon rind).

 A final note on the pizza, I cant really place what appeals to me about it. I think the construction is how it should be, never one element (be it sauce, cheese, topping or crust) dominating the others. I'll keep going.
4 - Elizabeth B.: Freaking awesome. So much food for a good price.
Their pastas, pizzas, and cheesesteaks are my fave.
Totally a convert - used to go to nearby Rudolfo's (next to Montgomery Cinemas) but you get way more here, and I enjoy the pizza much more too.

No delivery, but then again not much around here does, so that's my only "minus" star for this lovely eatery.

Alfred Hair Design - Cambridge, MA (42.3725306, -71.1215509) (Harvard Square)
5 - Hillary W.: Like a second home, as comfortable as my own living room.  I have been coming to Alfred's (and seeing Karen) for over 5 years now.  She has taken seamlessly from short to long to short to platinum to espresso brown.  All  without a hitch.  All like perfect costumes so that no one would ever know that I wasn't born that way.  I recommend all of  the stylists at Alfred's to everyone I know for cut, color, blow dry or just good conversation.  Go...Now!  Get your haircut!
5 - Shelley B.: I have been coming here for years, and have sent numerous friends, all of whom agree that this is a GREAT place.  I see Thomas, who is truly the greatest of all stylists and advisor on just about everything related to living well--vacation spots, cuisine, new trends.  Five stars at least!
2 - kris s.: We went here for my daughter's wedding (7 up-do's and two blow drys) and overall were unhappy with our hair and the service.  Our appointment was for 1:30pm, but entering the salon we were told to wait until 2:00 for them to get started. At 4:00pm we left 3 bridesmaids behind waiting to be done and rushed back to the hotel to change and do makeup. With help from our family and friends dressing the maids, we just made the wedding at 6:00pm.  We were told they could handle a large party, and they failed.  The bridesmaids were not happy with the $75 simple french twists that were poorly done.  I actually had to fix my hair twice before the wedding.  The only one happy with her hair was the bride and for that reason I gave Alfred's 2 stars but I would not recommend them, especially for a wedding party.
2 - Hannah L.: Although I was very happy with my haircut, I am SO unhappy with the customer service I have experienced there.  Just recently they lost my appt and really made no real effort to squeeze me in,  Just letting me know how busy and booked they were with other people.  I know you are booked!  That is why I made an appt!  Then I was offered an appt a week later.  A week is long time if you need your hair cut.  I have rescheduled because I liked my cut, but I am very unhappy and distrustful of the phone staff.  A large part of a salon is the customer experience and this place is very lacking.

Alfred Harvard Square Salon - Cambridge, MA (42.3726007, -71.1215967) (Harvard Square)
4 - Tanya S.: I just went there last night for the first time and was extremely impressed.  Fran did my hair - he's a super nice guy with a professional demeanor and raw eye for detail.  

He cut my hair first, to take care of the length, then partial-foil-highlighted and finally cut it with grace.  I'm pretty stoked about my new do.  It's much shorter than I had before - due to his suggestion - but healthier looking.  Most important, though, is the new color.  He softened the color a lot.  I had some very gold/brassy highlights before that he actually darkened to blend much more subtlely with my natural color.

I feel like a new lady and am so glad I took the opportunity to find someone new!
5 - Erin W.: Love Alfred Salon, and love Fran, my old stylist.  He's the best I found in the Boston area, but sadly I just moved to DC so I can't go to him anymore.  After telling stylists for years and years that I am super low-maintenance and don't know how to do anything other than blow-dry my hair, Fran actually listened and gave me a cut that looked amazing for months and a look that I could recreate just by blow drying and brushing.  I also have to say that the vibe in here is great.  I hate the drama you get at most salons, but the stylists here really seem to like each other and it creates a terrific atmosphere.
5 - Joanne B.: I have been to every hair salon in the Harvard Square area and this is by far the best.  The price is fair, the service is excellent, and I can always get an appointment to fit my work schedule.  I usually go to Marie, but at times when I need same day service, I have gone to whoever is available.  The entire staff is wonderful and people will compliment your hair after you visit Alfred Salon!
2 - M H.: After Fran told me I wouldn't look good with bangs and I responded that I didn't want bangs anyways, he gave me bangs. And you can't really go back and get that fixed, they're just going to have to grow out.
Besides the cut, I felt he spent way too much time styling my hair and he was behind schedule anyways. A simple cut took 2 hours.
5 - Anna W.: I went to Alfred's for the first time last week and it was great :-) Actually, I am not really a "new" customer. My stylist, Alex, used to work across the street at Diego. But, she defected and went to Alfred. Since I love her so much, I went too. This was my first appointment there with her and I was very satisfied!

Alex is an amazingly talented, personable, outgoing, meticulous hairstylist. She provides an honest consultation, and works quickly, but does not rush you through your appointment. I felt SO bad because I was about 20 minutes late for my appointment, and she had someone right after me, but she didn't rush me at all. She took her time with her, and we chatted it up. She is SUPER happy at Alfred and happy stylists = happy hair!!

The actual salon is a converted apartment. It does not have the "buzz" of Diego. It was a little quieter, but also quite cozy. I really enjoyed my experience there and will definitely be returning. Her price is incredibly reasonable and fair considering the quality of her work. I highly recommend her (or any of the stylists there for that matter!)
5 - Jeremy F.: Fran kicks ass.

I combed this city for a place to get a decent haircut and failed miserably, that was until I met Fran. He does his thing, goes to town and is relatively cheerful and easy to talk to. I honestly have nothing bad to say about the place. 

My cut is $45 (rolling with the shaved head at the moment, but i'll be back) but I get a month of feeling good. For me, it's worth it. 

 If you're looking for someplace new and finding it a painful process thus far, check these guys out and see if they work for you. 

Friendly and professional --- badass.
5 - Kiki B.: they did a fantastic job on my husband's hair the day before our wedding, and that's enough to get a five-star rating from me.  :)
5 - Kaitlyn H.: Chris was great. Knew exactly what I want from looking at the pictures I brought him, and made my hair look fantastic. Will definitely return.
5 - Jenan A.: I arrived in Cambridge some months ago and I was faced with what felt like a maze to navigate the world of hairdressing salons in the area - you know what it's like, you're used to your old hairdresser and there are far too many salons to choose from at every price range - how does one decide? 

So I opted to delay the inevitable and my hair grew and grew, but enough was enough and I got to the point where I NEEDED a cut. But I need not have worried. Yelp reviewers, you know what you're talking about. 

After an extensive search, I opted for Alfreds 

The salon is a quirky cute loft space; you can walk past it without knowing it's there- in fact I did a couple of times and I was looking for it!

The staff had a great mix of professional and friendly- it looked like they enjoyed working at the salon.... Chris cut my hair and I'd give him more than 5 stars if I could. 

He was chatty, funny from the get-go and seemed to know what he was doing- a good sign I thought ... he did not disappoint... I have such a cute and sexy haircut and got so many compliments over this weekend!! just what every woman wants 

I will definitely go back
4 - Oren K.: i have long curly hair. i wanted to keep it long but still professional. most people don't know how to cut long curly hair and make it still look decently professional without taking too much off. these people did a great job. i'm very happy with my haircut. it was a little expensive, so i reserved my fifth star.
3 - Lindsay N.: I went to Alfred twice. Alfred cut my hair both times. The first time it was awesome. I got a great cut, and good advice. I really like a stylist with confidence who isn't afraid to say, "you don't want to do that..." Alfred has great ideas and does a great job. First time I would definitely have given this place 5 stars.

However, when I went back the second time, it was like his heart wasn't in it. I got a mediocre cut, and it was a mediocre experience. I probably won't go back again.
2 - Karen L.: I recently moved to the area and desperately needed a haircut.  I was excited to find this place because of the mostly positive reviews and decent prices.  Unfortunately, my actual experience at the salon was less than stellar and I will not be going back.

I made my appointment for 10:45 on a Tuesday and at 10:15 I was about to walk out my door to walk over when I got a call.  The receptionist told me that my stylist couldn't make it and could I reschedule for a later time.  I get that these things happen, I used to work at a spa- but only 30 min. before the appointment?  I was a little annoyed, but I shook it off and came in an hour later than scheduled.

When I got to the salon, the receptionist was very friendly and had me put on a robe.  I waited for a few minutes and noticed the salon was decent looking.  They made really good use out of the space.  One stylist was working and chatting with his client and it seemed like they were having a good time.

Then Alex came to greet me.  She gave me a fake, too friendly hello and whisked me away to her chair.  I told her I wanted 2 inches off the length and layers around my face- real simple.  That's when the my positive experience at Alfred Harvard Salon ended.

She did not talk to me once after the initial consultation.  No "how are you?", "how did you find us?", "how are you doing while I tug at your hair?" I found this to be really unpleasant and awkward.  I understand sometimes you don't want your stylist blabbing on but give me a little customer service!  Instead she just looked mad and had a sourpuss face on.

The worst part of the haircut was that she tugged at my hair so much that it actually hurt.  She also kept brushing over my ears.  Do you not know where the ears are?  Aren't you supposed to be a hair stylist?  When she went to blow dry my hair she moved my hair around with her hand- I get this technique, I do it at home.  Except I don't hit my head when I do it.  She was honestly giving me a headache and I had to speak up and tell her she was hurting me.  And trust me, I'm not one to speak up unless something is really bothering me.  She asked me rudely if it hurts when she brushed my hair.  Um, no, not when you don't hit my head with the hair brush!

In the end my haircut was decent, mediocre.  She only took off one inch (I had asked for two) so I will have to get my hair cut again soon.  I could have received the same haircut and probably better service by paying half as much at supercuts.
4 - Romulo R.: I had an excellent experience here.  I have been a 'barber' guy all my life.  No frills, just cut it, etc, move on.  Well, for once I was going to do something nice.

This was deffinlitly worth it.  I came on the recommendation fo a friend, and I was seen on time, Fran was very priofessional, asked me what I was looking for, made some suggestions and did a great job with my hair.  I am very pleased.  The price was also quite reasonble, although more than what I am used to paying at the bayer  You get what you pay for.
1 - Betsy B.: I have now had my hair cut at Alfred's three times.  The first was with Thomas in mid-summer.  I showed him photos of a really cute bob Katie Holmes had a while ago and while it wasn't a perfect cut, it was good and I was happy with it and got a lot of compliments.  It was interesting looking, flattering, not run of the mill.

The second time was at the end of the summer -- I was supposed to get a cut with Thomas again, but I got a call at the last minute that he couldn't make it and they referred me to Alfred instead.  I don't know what he's normally like, but he seemed overbooked that day and gave me a horrible cut.  I showed him the Katie photos, too, but basically, everything I asked him not to do he did:  don't go above chin-length, don't cut my bangs, I'm growing them out, don't cut layers, please just create some light texturizing.  I ended up with a boring, overly neat and smooth helmet head -- not cute, not cool, not attractive, not at all like the cute photo.  

Okay, so yesterday I went back to Thomas because he gave me a good cut the first time around.  As he was cutting he made a few negative comments about the bad cut I'd gotten the last time, but I didn't tell him who'd given me the crappy cut since Alfred was there, too.  So this time, I specifically said I didn't want to look like a soccer mom and showed Thomas the cute Katie bob photos again.  This time I somehow ended up with a sort-of bowl cut -- weird bangs, weird layers, weird, ugly cut that again is not at all attractive.  

Not going back.  Nope, never again.
1 - Sharmila G.: I had gone there for a haircut a while back. I confess I chickened out from writing my review sooner because my experience was pretty bad. I was hoping to get Alfred since he is supposed to be great and all that but I got some girl instead. She was friendly, and that's all that was good about the experiece. I wanted to cut bangs and she make them so slim they were invisible. But the worst part was the wash and blow dry. My hair was washed in extremely hot water (in cheapter hair salons they wash your hair in warm water before and after the shampooing, and then in cool water after the conditioning, just like they are supposed to!). Bleh cut and then a blow dry again on extremely high heat. I know you want to finish off quickly but don't ruin my hair in the process.

Ah well, friendly girl though...
4 - Jane E.: Pricey, but nice location, friendly stylist, and good basic cut.
1 - jenny d.: My hair looks so BAD. I got color today here, took 2.5 hours & looks awful. I want to just cry.
1 - Jessica S.: Worst haircut/ color I've ever gotten in my life. I asked if the stylist could even out my hair color and she instead gave me yellow blond highlights that were terrible against my complexion. The layers she did were so extreme that the bottom layer resembles hair extensions. It's completely removed from the bulk of my hair and then she cut super short bangs which I never asked for. 
Another stylist in the salon kept staring at me and saying "you're so serious!" and almost laughing at me. It was a mortifying experience, especially because I was just calmly sitting in the chair letting this incompetent person cut my hair, all the while trying to reassure myself that maybe it wouldn't look so bad in the end. 
I have sworn Alfred's off both from my life and anyone's who I care about. I had beautiful long blond hair and it took over a year to get even close to the quality it had once been.  If you care about your appearance at all you will not go to this salon.
3 - Emily S.: I went to Alfred's today for the first time. Mostly I was looking for a place that would fit me in for a walk-in trim on a Sunday. I came in mid-afternoon and the receptionist was able to book me for later the same day. When I returned both she and Galina, the stylist greeted me by name. Galina did a great consult and spent a couple of minutes talking about how I wore my hair, dried it, how often I cut it, etc. She also gave an exceptional scalp massage while she washed my hair. I was pleased with the haircut although $60 felt a bit steep for a trim. The only downside were the receptionists who made me uncomfortable by whispering in each other's ears at the desk two feet from the seating area. One was weirdly fake sweet and was chided by a manager in front of me for ignoring a customer. It was worth it for Galina's thoughtful cut, though!

Alfredo's Pizza Villa - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9265084, -79.0280732) ()
5 - Gabe M.: This is the best Pizza in the world. This is not hyperbole either. I have eaten thousands of pizzas all over the world and this is it. You might wonder what it's doing in a mall in Chapel Hill, NC. I can't answer that. I can say that Alfredo worked at Tony's Pizza in Jacksonville, NC to get his recipe (I used to eat here when I was a kid too). And that before that, they were from Jersey or New York or something. Either way, Alfredo is the nicest guy ever to run a pizza joint. He attributes the quality of his pizza to the fact that he's always in the place and doesn't leave the store to teenagers to run while he goes to spend his spoils. He cares about quality and customer satisfaction. I have gone a year between visits (since I don't live here anymore) and he still remembers me when I come in and treats me like an old friend. He's always there. 

But don't think that my judgement is impaired by the great treatment I get here. The pizza comes first and let me tell you that the pizza is always perfect. The crust is perfect, the cheese to sauce to crust ratio is perfect. The taste is perfect. This is the standard by which all other pizzas will be judged and have been judged for the last 15-20 years. Eat this pizza and tell me that it's not the best you've ever had. 

If it's not, then there's obviously something wrong with you.
4 - Toshi T.: You would never imagine a great pizzeria in a mall, but that the case with Alfredo.  

Their pizza is excellent, with great New York-style crusts.  I especially recommend the Margarita pizza with generous serving of great mozzarella.
5 - Henry S.: Alfredo's is WAY better than any Sbarro or other popular chain pizza place in a mall. The crust is always prepared just right, and the sauce is better than any I've ever had. Alfredo's uses tons of cheese and toppings, and I often find myself going to University Mall whenever I'm craving pizza, because it is the best in Chapel Hill. I wish they were open later or had an outside entrance, but other than that everything about Alfredo's is great.
4 - Adrienne E.: I used to visit Alfredo's quite a bit when I lived near University Mall, but proximity had little to do with my patronage. 

The breadsticks are the best I've ever had, and the marinara sauce they give you with them is delicious. The New York-style pizza is great, as are the calzones. I really don't think you can go wrong with anything on the menu. 

My only complaint is that the service is either really great or absolutely terrible. I'd recommend stopping by while Alfredo himself is there (usually during the day), as he's very personable and always wants to make sure that every detail of your visit was perfect. When he's not there, his staff of high school boys seems to make a habit of forgetting call-in orders and being snotty to customers.
4 - Lindsay T.: Alfredo's is pretty good.  New York style thin crust, but the crust wasn't as crisp as I'd like.  Great sauce and cheese though and the leftovers heated up later were still decent.  The garlic knots were amazing.  So buttery and garlicky and soft with delicious dipping sauce.  The employees are also super friendly and accommodating.  It didn't steal my heart away from IP3, but I would definitely go back.
4 - Tom P.: This place has been in UMall forever -- it used to be Tony's, then Mio's, now Alfredo's.  My brother swears this is the best pizza he's ever had, and he used to live in Manhattan and now lives in SF.  So that's pretty high praise.  Me, I'm not so sure, but I think you can put it in same ballpark as the great NYC pizzerias, which is saying something for a tiny place in the corner of some janky small-town mall (no offense UMall, I say that with love).  The pizza is basically NYC style -- thin, but not crispy crust that is best eaten folded in half.

I typically get the pepperoni and mop off some of the copious orange pepperoni grease with napkins.  My wife loves the ranchero, which has bacon and ranch dressing on it -- basically an instantaneous heart attack . . . but at least you'll die happy.  Something about the crust doesn't lend itself well to being eaten cold -- the middle of the pizza is fine, but the crust gets too chewy.  Better to warm up an old slice in the oven.
5 - Sara A.: Don't be deterred by its location in University Mall or in the south -- this is awesome pizza. NY-style and greasy... in a good way, it's delicious. They have some fancier pizzas too if that's your bag. Don't eat here; get it to go or get delivery. Tell everyone about it so they don't go out of business.

Oh also, they have a super cheap lunch deal if you feel like trekking over.
3 - Liz M.: Loved it since it was Mio's.  Random location in U-Mall, Alfredos was teeming with East CH High kids rushing from campus to grab quick grub.  You really only need one slice to be satisfied and I've never tried a slice I didn't like.  I loved Mellow Mushroom's pizza when it was around, but this is your quick and dirty pizza with a cast of characters of staff.  Living in NYC now, I can attest to it's goodness but not greatness.
5 - Lindsay G.: Some of the best pizza I've had in North Carolina, so the five stars is compared against other NC/Triangle pizza, not NYC pizza, or pizza in Italy, both of which I have had.  

I was at the mall to meet a friend and needed a quick bite.  I'd never been to Alfredo's but was curious.  I got the margherita, it was fantastic, fresh basil!  i like my crust with a little more char but otherwise the pizza was great, fresh ingredients, it reminds me of the amazing pizza place back in Sarasota, run by Italians, of course.  And, of course, this place is also run by Italians!  I love an exchange that ends with "grazie" and "preggo."

Anyways, I'd return here for pizza any day.  Next time I am craving pizza in Chapel Hill I will head out of my way to University Mall and get me some Alfredo's.  Can't wait to try the rest of the menu!!
4 - Brooke A.: Yum!  This is my favorite pizza place in Chapel Hill. The margherita pizza is divine.
3 - Portia and Luis C.: Anticipating the pizza since the reviews are stellar.  We ordered Margherita pizza w/ pepperoni and mozzarella sticks.  We got a coupon that we had to print for 10 cents at the UPS across the street from our Days Inn hotel.  We cant wait to taste it.

We shopped around the Umall and ended up spending $15.00 on a casual walk thru a store called A Southern Season.  They have Papyrus stationary:) We got a (3) onion dip w/ garlic & chive flatbread.  This was one of their sample items.  We also got ham, swiss cheese, and pretzel bread rolls to store in our Days Inn microfrig.  

Still anticipating the pizza we arrived and waited a little while for the pizza that we called in a prior to leaving and shopping?  We have no where to go, so we did not mind.  We lugged the pizza and mozzarella sticks to the Lincoln Town car and opened the box for a quick bite before we went over to check out K&W Cafeteria.  When we opened the box, NO BASIL???Huh??? We ordered the Margherita w/ pepperoni.  There was lots of pepperoni, but no sliced tomatoes:(  We called and the owner said we only charged you for the pepperoni, the Margherita is more money????Huh??? We already searched the prices on line.  We came prepared to pay for this.  We chose this restaurant after extensively searching reviews all morning!  We liked the idea of superb service and taste.  We even got a price quote twice over the fone.  The pizza should have been $20.50 for an 18" and $5.50 for the mozzarella sticks and remember the $3.00 coupon so the telephone fella made a mistake from the beginning.  The owner after he tried to convince us to keep the pepperoni pizza b/c it was cheaper said bring it back and we'll make the pizza you intended to get.  We did bring it back and the owner was embarrassed, but he explained that he did not take the original fone call.  The order slip just said pepperoni pizza, so that's what he made.  The then continued to offer us something free to drink, but I told him we just finished Skky pineapple Vodka w/ fresh squeezed OJ from Whole Foods and would prob go back to the hotel for more, but thanks.  He then sliced another type of pizza while we waited.  It was Gorgonzola cheese, mushrooms and olives.  Luis hates mushrooms and olives.  It was terribly salty. The mozzarella sticks left a lot to be desired.  The sauce was awesome! I even dipped my Margherita pizza in it. Finally the Margherita pizza: the crust is chewy.  The basil is really good.  The sliced tomatoes and pepperoni are nondescript. We think the Margherita pizza back in in Dallas, TX Olivella"s near SMU has better flavor.  The owner is very friendly and he enjoys his customers.  He jokingly called one of them Santa Clause and Luis could not stop laughing.
4 - Michael B.: No five star pizza in area, so I'd say this is among the best NY syle pizza here.
4 - Will C.: If you like NY pizza and are at/nearby the mall, this place is pretty good.  The new remodeled digs are helpful.
4 - Cyrus T.: Great NY style pizza, best hot Italian sub in town.  Owner Alfredo can often be found there tossing pies and boisterously greeting customers in a thick Italian accent.  

Pizza by the slice is great.  I can't say enough about the Italian sub with everything on it...the bread is fantastic.  I always eat here at least once when in Chapel Hill.
3 - Andrea P.: I claim some cred in reviewing places like this from the fact that I was born and raised in NY.  Alfredo's has wonderful pizza and calzones, and consistently delivers the same great taste.  Last time I ate there, I even had a cannoli--not only did it not disappoint, but the distinct sugary lilt in every bite conjured up images of Italian mamas in neighborhood bakeries in little Italy.
4 - Samantha E.: Pretty good pizza! Too bad most students don't make it out here on a regular basis because it is at University Mall.
2 - Ellen C.: Perhaps I'm being a little harsh since I'm no pizza 'connaisseuse' and I've only ever had reheated pre-made slices of pizza here, but I have not been impressed by anything I've eaten here. Yes, it's a convenient place to grab a slice if you're running errands in U-Mall, but the pizza always seems limp, greasy, and lackluster even after reheating in the oven (to just lukewarm, usually). The crust is really thin and insubstantial and I always leave feeling slightly unsatisfied. I would probably have to order a whole fresh-made pizza and other items on the menu to raise this rating, but so far there hasn't been any huge motivation to do so, since I've definitely had much better pizza elsewhere in the Triangle.
4 - Laura C.: I like this place a lot.

The owner and the staff are always friendly towards me.  I think pizza by the slice is great for a meal.  Prices are not bad, like some other overpriced pizza places around town.

It's good.  I've gotten not so good on the rare occasion when the crust just wasn't up to par, but I usually leave happy.
3 - David W.: Greasy, yes. NY style? Not really.  The slices are super thin and need quite a bit of blotting.  The Sicilian was topped with under-melted cheese.  When ordering take out or delivery by phone speak real slow and they just might get it right.  The problem is there is little competition.
4 - Scott K.: The main reason I love going to Alfredo's is the owner is a real character.  He speaks English with a heavy Italian accent and he loves to talk about  European futball (soccer).  Alfredo's does serve some pretty good pizza and garlic knots and calzones and fresh salads.  Recently he has been running a special of 1 pizza slice, salad & drink for $6.50, not a bad deal.

Staff A
Decor C
Food B
Location B
1 - Adina P.: Owner was incredibly unprofessional.  I called during working hours, they asked if I wanted pick-up or delivery, but when I said delivery they refused.  They first claimed that the driver would be over his hours, and THEN claimed that they didn't have any drivers.  He told me they work 14 hours a day and how dare I expect to have pizza delivered, but I could pick it up.  Then they couldn't deliver because there was only a cleaning crew there, but they could still make the pizza.  I mean we all know that the cleaning crew makes pizza right?! /eye roll.  Then he dared me to come to his restaurant and demand delivery.  When I explained that if I could come to his restaurant, then I wouldn't need delivery, he lost his mind.  I'm not kidding.  He cursed a blue streak.  I had him on speaker phone so the whole front lobby of the Aloft hotel heard him.  Haha.
5 - Christy C.: Because I work in University Mall, I eat at Alfredo's frequently, and I have to say it is a great restaurant. Pizza slices are giant and tasty, and I especially like the White Pizza and Margherita. If you are vegetarian and can make it in on a day they happen to have Veggie window slices or Go Green, treat yourself!

Hot wings are great, as are their Greek salads. I wish portion sizes were a bit more on some of the pastas. 

A recent remodel has the place looking great, and the wide screen TVs make it a popular place for watching sports!

All in all, you can tell Alfredo takes great pride in his restaurant. He is almost always working when I stop by, and it shows that the owner is involved.
5 - Jacob C.: I have been eating at Alfredo's since it was Mio's, so since I was a wee lad. I love it, the pizza is amazing, the sauce is so good. Very fresh with rich tomato flavor. The variety of slices are overwhelming too, I live in Charlotte now so each time I come home i feel like Alfredo has a new slice. This time I go in he has Chicken Parm slice which was delicious, the breading on the chicken is perfect and not overwhelming. Alfredo is also an awesome guy, we always talk about B rated action movies.
5 - Lynda S.: Love Alfredo's pizza and think  it is the best in the area.  We always get great service; either when eating in or using delivery. If you want more char on your pizza just ask for well done.  They are happy to accommodate.

This pizza also reheats beautifully .

I highly Rocco,end Alfredo's.
4 - John L.: They have really good pizza and some solid lunch specials. I had the slice of pizza, salad, and a drink today for $7.
2 - Lusby P.: disappointed in the quality of the pizza. It just tasted cheap like pizza hut

Algiers Coffee House - Cambridge, MA (42.3733152, -71.1209277) (Harvard Square)
3 - Jeremy S.: They have real arabian coffee, the thick stuff, fun to try. They also have a great selection of teas. The dishes are only so-so to not-so-great. Good for sipping and studying.
3 - Lacey P.: They are trying to get a liquor license.  Help these good people out.  An amazing atmosphere, with two levels and a really nice ceiling.  It's nice to walk into a coffehouse and not get stared at by everyone there.  I sat in a room of our own, upstairs next to the elevator.  We found a postcard sent to the owner by someone in Morocco and read it.  There was for some reason Elmer's glue and an office space that was nice to peek in.  The waitress put up with my indecicion and questions with grace, but didn't describe the desserts very well.  I got something that sounded delectable but turned out to be not very good  soggy cornbread.  But the drinks were good, if a little pricey.  Go for the atmosphere.  Bring a flask.
3 - Juliette V.: I know it is tabboo to say but I do miss the days you could smoke upstairs. It was one of the last vestiges of European nicotine indulgence. The mint tea is nice and the salads are filling.
3 - Lynn W.: Just visited this quaint Middle-Eastern style coffe house/restaurant on a beautiful sunny Tuesday. The ambiance is wonderful and getting a seat out on their little upstairs patio was delightful for enjoying the weather. Staff was pleasant but slow, pricing is reasonable an dthey serve breakfast all day!
5 - alejandro t.: Algiers Coffee House is a nice place to relax. If you are frustrated with Boston because you can't find a place that has tables outside defiantly check this place out. One the second floor there is a nice terrace with half a dozen tables. The portions are generous and the servers are helpful. If I lived closer I would be a regular.
5 - Noemie B.: A really cute place with the possibility of outdoor seating on the 2nd floor. The food was amazing (the combination salad platter was cheap, huge and delicious); they have a great variety of juices and teas, and have recently started serving beer and wine. They just get everything right here.
4 - annie k.: Food generally very good, service generally very bad, atmosphere always fantastic. Good place to study. Bizarre prices--like $10 for a modest amount of tabbouleh compared to $8 for a falafel sandwich. I wish they had reasonably priced sides. Algiers strikes me as terribly managed, but the upstairs dining area is lovely enough to make up for it.
4 - Michel R.: Good food, quiet atmosphere: it's great place to do your homework and grab a bite. if you are a fan of Turkish Coffee, this is one of the few places that serve them in Boston. Definitely try their Hummus, it's not bad  at all.
One downside to it: the service is generally pretty lousy. If you are in a hurry, this is not the place to go, but if you want to kill 2hrs while reading a book...
3 - reese w.: The architecture of the place is very nice. They have a good selection of food, but it's not really so great. The service is extremely slow, so you will be waiting unless you wave down your waitress whenever you see her. The waitstaff is nice, but they don't volunteer information, nor are overly friendly. They now have a liquor license if you are looking for a glass of wine. Watch out for their wobbly tables. I've had more than friend spill her drink because of them.
3 - aaron t.: I've really only tried their falaful sandwiches which is super tasty.
their friend rock as well.
I love the environment, location, and people there.
Sometimes the wait/service was long, but on s sunny day out on their porch, I didnt care.
From what i know, their cafe is delicious.
3 - Krissy N.: Cafe Algiers is great because it's actually a coffee house, i.e. a three-story building with a balcony.  Since Boston/ Cambridge cafes usually consist of a single room, I really appreciate this place.  The ambiance is pretty pleasant...think of Arabia transported into some old wooden French house.  The  service can be slow but who cares when you can just sit, read or watch the people go by on the balcony.
5 - Flora B.: Memories... PhD students in all black, sitting in their own smoke clouds, drinking strong Arabian coffee night and day... Angst. I love this place. Coffee is excellent, atmosphere is very soothing, food is yummy.
4 - Bryanne R.: Atmosphere * * * * *
Food * * * *
Service * * 
Price * * * 

Average it out...3.5..so I'll be on the nicer side and go with 4.  The food is good, priced fairly, but damn...the service is so slow.  If you're starving...go somewhere else.  What's really awesome is the location and the inside decor.  We sat upstairs right near the circle opening thinger.  It's a tight fit wherever you're sitting.  However, good food and awesome atmosphere make up for it.
5 - Jessica D.: Algiers is perfect for a particular audience: those with leisure. Other reviewers are spot-on in asserting that this is not a place for "being-in-a-hurry"; it most certainly isn't. It is a place for a longer-term commitment--a couple hours, perhaps an evening. And herein lies its strength: one can sit, buried in books for a few hours, or deeply engaged in conversation, and not feel as if you're monopolizing valuable real-estate. There's none of the pressure, even, of other Boston/Cambridge coffeeshops, to move along so that other patrons can sit down for a while--there are two floors of seating, and the general vibe is one of relaxed enjoyment.

Though the exterior of the building--labelled "Brattle Theater"--looks barn-like, the interior of the building is cozy and beautiful, with an abundance of lovely aged wood, a spacious domed ceiling on the upper level, charming (if somewhat rickety--due, no doubt, to age) tables, intriguing artifacts (a houka, an ankh, a few tapestries, hand-painted maps of Morocco, an antique chandelier, arabic manuscripts, mosaiced mirrors, etc.), curious graffiti (at least in the women's bathroom) and unobtrusive music (often baroque classical, sometimes chant--never loud enough to interfere with conversation). The crowd is a range of ages, with a strong student (both grad and undergrad) component, as well as an international/European one--a quality identifiable by the many conversations that are in languages other than English. When it's busy, the place is filled, for the most part, with the buzz of conversation.

The food is quite good, as far as I've experienced it. I usually stick with the breakfast--which is, thank goodness, served all day and all night. For $7, you can get two eggs any style, served with a small portion of mixed salad with a lovely light vinaigrette, a choice of bacon, ham or sausage, and homemade pan-fried potato chunks (there's not really any better descriptor than "chunks", unfortunately). For .50, you can add cheese--I recommend the havarti. It's easily enough sustenance for a good 3-hour study session. The middle-eastern preparations are quite good, and the other dishes I've tried, such as the sandwiches, are tasty, though not extraordinary--but it would be silly to expect culinary daring from such a place. The teas are looseleaf, and you can customize them if you ask. The coffee and espresso (though I don't drink it myself) is supposed to be very good. The prices are higher than one might expect for coffee and tea--if you compare them to Au Bon Pain. Otherwise, they're very reasonable, especially for a privately-owned full-service restaurant, using loose-leaf tea and freshly ground coffee. A perk to sitting down for a pot of tea here is that you can have a basket of fresh pita wedges--great for nibbling.

One final note: Algiers is open until 11 p.m. during the week, and until midnight on the weekends. Unless, that is, the waitresses decide to close earlier--which happens occasionally. Service can sometimes drag, but the food comes out quickly once you order, and you can always pay downstairs, to avoid waiting for change and/or your server. I always tip a few dollars extra, as a kind of camping-out fee, regardless of the speediness (or lack thereof) of service...but that's just the former-coffeehouse server/barista in me. (I've since moved on to the semi-behemoth that is Legal Seafoods...which is a story for another day...)
4 - Babs P.: My friend and I went here for brunch on a Sunday and hung out for 3 hours (!) just chatting about politics and life in general. There was no line at the door to stand in and no one rushed us thru brunch, a rare experience on the weekends in Harvard Square.

Other pros:
uber strong turkish coffee
plenty of space - upstairs, downstairs, & outside seating

Cons:
a little on the pricey side
don't sit at the table in front of the women's bathroom
5 - George A.: Best coffee house I've been to in greater Boston.  Let me explain why.  

Classically, a coffee house is a place where people congregate to drink (coffee, tea, sometimes wine and aperitifs), smoke, get high (as in "brown" cafes), listen to music, read, talk, create (much of the art of the "belle epoque" was created or inspired in cafes), philosophize, pioneer new social trends, and occasionally hatch revolutions!

Transposing this to the 21st century, and to Boston (where you can't smoke or get high, unfortunately), it translates roughly to a place where: 
* you spend more time than barely necessary to consume a drink 
* you go there as a ritual, it's a low-fat high-intensity substitute to watching TV. 
* there's social significance: you can talk to anyone around you, meet people who are different from you, see the same faces periodically, and be seen by the same people as well (may be not quite where "everybody knows your name", but close) 
* There's a sense of community: patrons are mostly local, not transient tourists! 
* There's an artsy component in the atmosphere: music, paintings, loud discussions... 
* it's crowded -- because people are having a good time and no one wants to leave, yet somehow you can always squeeze in and find a spot. 
* there's good coffee, perhaps with a dash of rum, the dude behind the counter understands that making coffee goes beyond pushing a button, and they stay open late.

Algiers serves excellent coffee and tea.  I also liked the dessert and the light meals.  The atmosphere is a world apart from that of typical cookie-cutter cafes in town.
4 - Dan C.: Time runs at a different pace here. I mean that in a good way. Ok that means slow service but the music, lighting and general vibe can lull even the most wound up type A person into sitting there for hours and hours, reading or chatting or just watching the world go by. All other coffee places I can think of Boston are so cramped and busy and end up stressing me out and make me feel like I have to do five million things. I personally consider this place its own form of therapy. An escape from Harvard Sq without actually having to drag your a$$ on the T. Oh, sit upstairs. Their food and drinks are pretty good, when they finally do arrive. But Algiers isn't that kind of place where it's supposed to be all bam bam bang fast. Sloooow. Yay

Also Algiers is the one time I ever got to hang out with a celebrity wowowow (Jonathan Taylor thomas during his brief stint at Harvard - his gf was roomates with my friend who happened to be visiting for break). ooooooh!!!
4 - jack p.: The Algiers is a great cafe. Too true what everybody says about it being a wonderful place to sit and have meaningful conversation**. Get a pot of tea, some baklava or a hummus/veggie plate, and chill with friends or a date for an hour or two. Great because it's open 'til midnight, too!

**meaningful is actually very subjective--every time I go to the Algiers there is a least one nasally voiced nerd telling some poor unsuspecting date about how he decided on Harvard because it has such a rich history and the people are just *smarter* here, it's just the prevailing mentality, even more so than at Andover, which was great but the emphasis wasn't sufficiently on...
5 - Nabeel H.: Amazing if you know what you are in for. Perfect for a long conversation, don't rush. 

They leave you alone - the food is good but not amazing. The decor and ambiance is wonderful - I bumped into "the socrates cafe" the other day - a group of philosophers that gathers every week. Love it.
4 - Ligaya T.: When I first met a certain Turkish gal in college claimed she could read fortunes from the sludge in the bottom of coffee cups. Algiers provided her divine brew; it was thick, aromatic and wonderfully bitter. The mocha arabica is my favorite hot brew ever.

We came to chat, we came to study, to eat their delicious falafel and swallow Moroccan mint tea sitting on their umbrelled patio. Gorgeous upstairs seating area with great light on sunny days. I used to catch myself spacing out with my eyes closed and head to the sky, clutching a warm copper pot of coffee. In retrospect, I've spend a happy portion of my life here.

Update: Since I've been back I've had two awful desserts so they lost a star. The pecan pie was obviously thawed from frozen and only had a layer of pecans on top, this sugar lovin' gal only had one bite. The next time I opted for the strawberry crepes. Great texture, slightly eggy yet tasty but the filling was just gross. The fruit wasn't fresh, frozen berries in syrup, and the worst thing was it was still really cold. I'm sticking to hummus.
3 - Rave M.: Even though Algiers is one of my favorite old hanuts in Harvard Square, it's lost something since it's become smoke-free. You used to be able to go here on a weekend evening and enjoy the aroma of apple-flavored sheesha even if you weren't smoking it yourself. Sure, it's healthier without the smoke, but that was part of its appeal for me. Still, a great little place to hit up with friend for coffee or tea. I've never eaten here, so I can't comment on the food.
4 - B. B.: One of the last vestiges of the Harvard Square I love(d).

I long for the days when you could smoke upstairs.  (an unpopular viewpoint, I know)

With the new world order, I have to settle for enjoying one of my other drugs of choice- caffeine.  Their arabic coffee is delicious, and I have it whenever I go.  I also recommend the falafel (amazing) and the chocolate cake.

Avoid the cheese plate at all costs.
3 - Mina I.: My aunt had her first date with her (now ex) husband here once upon a time..  I think that brought my feelings down on it right away.  I had a mint iced tea that was lovely and refreshing, I suggest a table upstairs next to the big circular cut-out so you can peek down!  That was pretty fun!  Ok ladies room minus the waiting..  they have advert post-cards in there so that is pretty funny.  (-;
4 - David J. W.: My wife and I first met here in Jan. 1996. It was a snowy blustery evening and we headed upstairs to have some hot drinks. Something must have clicked because she let me drive her home. Our second date ended up in Harvard Sq too and since then Algiers has always held a special place in our hearts. We would go back at least twice a year and around the anniversary of our first meeting. We always order the same thing too. She: a grilled rolled pita sandwich with brie, Me: grilled sandwich with chicken kebab and havarti. These never disappoint and come with a tasty side salad which has a homemade dressing. The dressing is never the same but more or less similer and like the grilled sandwiches always delicious. It's good to wash it down with an almond syrup soda or an iced chocolate. 

That being said, the food there is often hit or miss. If you don't like one item try something else till you find something that you do. I've been to the middle east and I can tell you the hummos is not very good. Also don't go there if you are in a hurray as the service can be slow. The decor and atmosphere is great. The bathroom graffitti always entertaining. Since you're sitting in close proximity to everyone else, you will often overhear interesting conversations. 

Funny story, once my wife was waiting for me at a table and a guy came up to her and asked "Are you, K?" (K being her name). She said yes but not the one youre looking for! We often noted year after year that Algiers is great for a first time meeting and for casual dates.

Sad to say but of course we couldn't leave the area without a visit to Algiers and so before we left MA in late 2005 we made one last visit.
3 - Tony L.: Taking shelter from a sudden downpour, we quickly ventured into this cozy restaurant cafe seeking a quick bite and some time to dry ourselves off.  Little did we know, the cuisine would be a mixture of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern.  The decor was both pleasantly eclectic and interesting, and I found it difficult to internalize it all in one look-through.  Initially, it seemed to be stuffy, until I explored the premises a little further and found a nice balcony area that provided outdoor seating, should the weather permit it.

The food was not remarkable in any way, but was found to be satisfactory.  I ordered the Hommos Anjali, choosing a saute chicken dish which was accompanied by pieces of bread and served along with sauteed vegetables.  In addition, a double espresso closed the meal quite smoothly.  Overall, the quality of the food was good enough to leave me content as we left the restaurant with full stomachs.  However, my date had ordered the falafel with french fries and reported stomach pains soon thereafter.  I will note that the french fries turned out to be quite fresh and delectable.

The service was nice and punctual, good overall.  The price was affordable and average for the food you get.  The next time I return it will most likely not be for a full course meal but instead maybe one of their desserts (the baclava seemed especially popular), or their coffee which was also quite good.
5 - Anna S.: Algiers is delicious and possibly the last place to close in Harvard Sq at night.  Try the mint coffee or the freshly brewed tea.  It is a cozy, romantic caf that can often get looked past while people hustle and bustle down to Casa Blanca Restaurant or the Brattle Theatre. So, next time, after dinner or a movie, stop by Algiers for from mint coffee or tea.
5 - John W.: The most sexy coffeehouse in New England. What else do you want from me?

Also, there are four or five small tables on their roof patio. Catch one if you can!
5 - Colin M.: Algiers came highly recommended from several people, so I of course checked it out. An extremely beautiful & cozy atmosphere and very friendly staff. Only had time for a drink with a friend and I opted for an Italian Soda, of the raspberry variety, and my friend got an espresso and a lemonade. The espresso was good from what I hear, but I was disappointed by the Italian soda -- it came in the form of the Italian part of the drink in a glass and then a bottle of poland springs sparkling water. I couldn't fit the entire bottle in with the mix so I ended up having 4-5 very sweet sips and then then rest of the drink tasted like plain poland springs water. Probably a silly choice to get Italian soda at a Middle-Eastern cafe, so no hard feelings.

The reason I give 5 stars is because of the staff going above and beyond. I realized, 20 minutes after leaving, that my wallet was no longer in my back pocket. I narrowed down the possible locations and I knew it had to be at Algiers. I ran back and came in and they asked if I needed a table and I told them my story. They had the wallet safe and sound inside the cash register and I gladly put it back in my pocket, thanked them and turned to walk out. One of the women told me to check inside of it just to make sure everything was still there, which it was. 

Over the past few days on my little vacation in Boston, I have dealt with quite a few snooty wait-persons. This was very refreshing as I feel as if they really went the extra mile.
3 - Nick v.: Oh, Cafe Algiers, if only I could nestle into your woodwork, climb into low light casting sheltering shadows over corners where whispered conversations soak into a pot of mint tea of mocha arabica. And then drop a massive cleveland steamer on the chick nearby stealing the neighbor's wifi and writing unforgivably horrible prose on yelp.
5 - gwen a.: Oh, Cafe Algiers, if only I could nestle into your woodwork, climb into low light casting sheltering shadows over corners where whispered conversations soak into a pot of mint tea of mocha arabica. Generous bowls of lentil soup and warm pita for winter gloom and studying, offset by a weekend's after-movie baklava or ice cream, and a simple italian soda, and always that specific calm a space filled with the memory of connections made or re-established over the warmth of a beverage or meal provides without fail. 
Algiers can almost always provide the remedy you need, just watch for prices if you make it a habit to drift off here.
4 - Allie S.: Yum. This is my favorite "undiscovered" place to bring friends. If you can get a table on the terrace, I highly recommend it. I almost always get the pasta salad, and it never disappoints. All of the drinks are delicious, especially those that combine orange and mint. Overall, a great place to spend a few hours with a friend. Then you can see a movie at the Brattle!
3 - Jessica B.: I need a coffee. NOW! 

That's my first thought off the bus every morning. And I usually end up at Finagle a Bagel, but today, after numerous passes by Algiers, it seemed the time was ripe for something new (also, I got to Harvard Square early because for once I didn't miss the bus.)

It feels like an olde-timey apothocary or general store. That's good. Tiny wooden busts of Jesus and piles of fezzes: also good. Breakfast served all day: excellent.  Almost $4 for a latte. Hmm. And a falafel sandwich for $8.50 seems about a dollar too high. The latte was good and all, and I like supporting local businesses, but really, for the price, it should have made me weep with joy. And there was none of that.
4 - Keith A.: Algiers is a strange and special place. Or maybe I should say "special but strange." The decor is authentically Arabian -- which, among other things, results in handcrafted octagonal tables that wobble no matter which way you turn them. The menu is deep and varied, with coffee prices that are too high for what you get (even by 21st-century coffeehouse standards) but also mouthwatering entrees that, while not cheap, give you all the bang you could wish for your buck. You wouldn't expect a coffeehouse to serve lamb chops; you certainly wouldn't expect them to be this good, and to be served with fries, hot sauce, pita bread and a salad.

As for the service . . . it's hard to judge, because I always seem to get stuck with the same very young, very skinny, very beautiful waitress, for whom English is very obviously a second language and service is at best a distant third or fourth. There are servers at Algiers who can keep tabs on their customers. I've seen them. I just never seem to get them.
3 - Sowadi C.: i like hiding here. the coffee still tastes like coffee, the chocolate cake still tastes like chocolate cake.  i think they just added beer & wine which is great ,just don't order a whole bottle of wine. I don't think they lay down their bottles because all the wine I've had here tasted funny. if by chance you get to sit down stairs, take a peek in the storage closet, there's a picture of the Ayatollah hanging on the wall!
4 - RJ A.: Found this place right when I was hitting the cranky stage of hunger. Love the fact that they bring you a pot of Arabic coffee. Food was a little bland, and service was extremely slow, but since I was on vacation, and I really appreciated the coffee... four stars!
3 - Maria V.: Pretty good food, unbelievably cozy (and dare I say even slightly exotique/Orientalist), but the service is quite slow and you will have to squeeze around a bit to find a place to sit.  When our group of six (really, it's too big for a place like this) came in, the restaurant was pretty quiet, not even 1/4th full, and many tables upstairs were still un-bussed. We asked a waiter to come clear the tables so we could sit and it took them a good 10 minutes.  That's pretty weird!

Anyway, I won't let that dissuade me from coming here again. I got the meat turnover for $8, a steal, and it was filling and on a big generous plate of salad. 

Don't get a soda here though -- they'll charge you $2.50 for a tiny glass 8 ounce bottle!  (It's about half a CAN of soda.)  Yea, I know I'm a tool for ordering a diet Coke with my Middle Eastern cuisine, sue me.  I paid the price for my toolishness. Don't repeat my mistake.
4 - shary m.: One of my most favorite things is taking people here who don't know anything exists of it's kind in Harvard Sq.  It's that little, acutely decorated and worn lebanese coffee shop that you want to get lost in for a while and ponder things over a pot of tea. Mmm or a pina colada with whipped cream and a Mediterranean plate!  It's pretty perfect for what it is.
4 - Amanda L.: First of all, this place is beautiful.  Nestled right on top of the Brattle theater, its cozy and very relaxing.  The decor/architecture is really beautiful, especially the ceiling, it was my favorite part.  Drinks were a little expensive, and i was disappointed with my pina colada, mainly because it was more warm than cool.  Hot chocolate was better than some places, but if left unattended, got this weird film on the top.  This place is awesome for big groups, because you can be tucked into a corner and not be bothered, or bother anybody else.  The hummus was very good, and I'm a real stickler for hummus, but i was very satisfied.  Would definitely come back here, i wish i lived closer =)
4 - Bridget B.: I remember when you used to be able to go here and rent out a hookah with your meal.*sigh*

This is a great place to go before or after catching a movie at the Brattle, preferably Casablanca.

Anyway, Algiers is a touch pricey, but it is one of my favorite coffee shops in the city. Particularly the mint coffee and baklava...they just seem to make a perfect pairing. The Arabian coffee comes in a small pot, thick and dark and gritty...just amazing to even think about. The Mediterranean plate is also good...really I've never disliked anything I've had there.

The staff is nice though sometimes hard to flag down, the ambiance upstairs is gorgeous, the bathrooms (or at least the ladies room) sport some fantastic graffiti, the tables are all sorts of terrible though. I'd suggest bringing a pack of matches to stick it under one of the legs to try to stabilize whichever weeble wobble you end up sitting at.
3 - Andrea M.: Went there for the first time last night with a rather large group, so I don't know that I can really judge the service well.  I can, however, tell you that the $4.25 Arabic Toast, though too expensive, was fantastically huge.  Seriously, the plate was about 12", and the gigantic pita cut into to rounds and toasted just surged over the edge of the plate all the way around.  The apricot jam that came with (we noted hints of honey) was melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

I do agree that the prices are sort of weird and a bit high from what I can tell.  $10 (w/tax+tip) for a tea and toast was more than I wanted to pay (American toast was the same price), but my judgment was clouded by the urgent need for snackage.  Some of the apps were pricey but huge, but other apps were pricey yet smaller.  I had a taste of the chicken with hummus, and it was really yummy.  And I s'pose $3 for a pot of tea isn't so bad.

I'd definitely like to try breakfast sometime.  I guess I'll just allot time for slow service.
3 - David D.: Sure, the coffee is good, the food fair, the staff friendly, and the ambiance swell, but what is up with the tables? They look the part but shuffle with every bump and nudge. Soigneux!
4 - Tracey N.: This has been around for ages, and I always forget how gorgeous the upstairs is until I go back. They layout is funky, and there are some excellent nooks and crannies for large groups. The tables are shaky, the waitstaff are nice but not overly so; our server was very patient with the big group of crafters coming in and out and the small children. The sandwiches are predictable in a good way but slightly--just that extra 1.00--overpriced for what they are. But the other bonus that I forget about is they serve breakfast all day, which is nice if you want something sweet for dinner.
4 - Chere P.: When I think I coffee shops I have visions of cozy couches and pillows, comforting music and lazily wasting the day away from home.  Not quite what you will get at Algiers, but it's still worth the trip.

When I walked in the first time I felt like I was in Europe.  Wooden tables and chairs funky colored walls, art and handicraft placed about to add ambiance, crowded and loud. You felt like it was the place to be.  I feel it is very tight and crowded so you need to watch out as you walk - especially if you are a bag whore - ahem - as I.

The food is fantastic.  I had the hummus/chicken special and it ws to die for.  I'm always order chicken with some reservations b/c I'm afraid it's going to be dry.  Not the case here.  It's is tasty and when you first get it will think you are eating a hummus soup.  Dep plate filled with soupy hummus, chiken placed inthe center and red pepper tossed about.  But oncve you bite into one of the nuggets (not to confuse with McD's) you quickly forget the presentation.  Mmmm peppery with the right amount of saltiness and when you scoop it up with the hummus, pepper and pita it's served with.  Yeah!   Another item I've scoped out and mentally noted to try was the greek salad which was a nice size to make as a meal and looked so fresh.  :)

I have had the mint tea twice and highly recommend it, although a few other drinks my group had looked tasty as well - the hot chocolate and a grenadine drink.  

I did feel they were a tad over priced....but  they can back it as the quality and service are great.

One other thing I thought was cool is that they are very accomodating.  We met here for a large crafting group on a Friday night and they reserved tables for us on what I'd call a very busy night.  Wine and beer are available although the list is small.
4 - Ashley S.: Algiers is *not* your typical coffee shop. If you're looking for a quick cup on the run - go elsewhere! Or if you are time crunched before a film, Algiers is not for you. It's important to get you guys elsewhere so you're not disappointed and so those of us who love Algiers can appreciate all it has to offer.

Algiers is filled with with charm and history....corners and nooks to catch up with an old friend or linger on a long first date you don't want to end...waitresses who give you breathing room so you're never rushed and can stay as long as you like...a coffee/tea selection that reflects their traditions - like delicious pots of Arabic coffee or mint teas...eclectic tables and seating that take you back to a time before sleek minimalism was all that mattered...and a legacy of surviving through all the changes and mall-ification of Harvard Square.

I'm thrilled Algiers has stayed like it's always been instead of becoming more like Starbucks.
4 - Roni E.: Located quaintly off of Brattle Street in Harvard Square, I like that this place is sort of tucked away nonchalantly on this street. 

I have a secret... I had my first falafel here. In a wrap, it was delicious and definitely a larger portion than I had imagined. In addition to the falafel sandwich, I also had my first Viennese coffee here (with whipped cream and cinnanananamin :-P). 

Both were great to start off with, followed by a cup of hot chocolate (which was missing it's whipped cream), a hot apple cider, and another hot chocolate (again missing the whipped cream). I want my whipped cream damnit!  The hot apple cider actually got slimy towards the bottom of the cup due to the congealed cinnamon combination. 

Despite these minor misdemeanors I actually did enjoy my food and beverages. I liked the atmosphere and it fit the description of a coffeehouse. The staff was excellent with being able to accommodate our large group, having a whole section set off in a reserved section for us, our slowly trickling group, the children, and all the craziness that was of the crafter's group. 5 stars to our server! 

I wouldn't mind coming back here if Harvard had more public parking. It's definitely somewhere new I can get some studying done.
3 - Jesse W.: 12/26/07: Coffee break, three lattes, one double espresso and one mocha latte. All the drinks were mediocre, fulfilled their obligation to warm us up. There were some impressive coffee grinders there (Quickmill). Others around us ordered meals (middle eastern cuisine), all looked good.
3 - Andrew M.: The main attraction of Algiers (aka Cafe Algiers) is the decor upstairs - a charming constellation of little tables around the stairwell.  Proximity to the Brattle Theater and the music they play (usually classical) add.  You can order a sweet sludgy Arabic coffee and the picture is complete, if you like the look of whoever you're with or whatever you're reading.

Cons: It's expensive, the food tends to be mediocre, service is slow.  Hmn, I guess that sounds like a lot of cons.  Nonetheless I keep this place in the roster.
4 - Alia H.: Upstairs seating is beautiful no matter how crowded it can get. 

The coffee is strong and delightful-- the food -- OH man. I think I got falafel, and I'm a strong judge on my falafel -- Algiers does it right!

This place is definitely full of dates -- first daters, long time gf/bfs, dating central. I came here and everyone was holding hands across the table, getting baklava or besbousa, sipping on some mint tea. Very cute.
4 - sunny n.: Cafe Algiers - I just love this place. Everytime I think about it or swing by, I almost get mushy inside as I remember some very fond memories here of the laid back ....totally chill times... on a week night when I would come with a group of college friends....also my ex gf, and my best buddy to enjoy the variety of Sheesha / Hookah (once served) along with ever refreshing Special Mint Tea or the Viennese Coffee. You absolutely must try the Mujaddan  (lentil-rice dish w/ fried onions), Couscous, and Hummus Ajami  (sauce or barbecued lamb or chicken). Ohhh and for breakfast - you have to try the Omlette w parsley & onions accompanied by chilled Mango Juice. :-)) The atmosphere is very casual cool ..usually crowded w/ high ceilings and hard wood floors and tables .... so fitting to be located in Harvard Square. I love the middleastern art work and traditional chandeliers. l feel almost guilty not to give this place a five star but the Baklava doesn't meet my expectations and the service sometimes can be a mixed bag.  Nevertheless I love Algiers and it will always a hold a special place in my heart !
3 - R E.: I wouldn't not go here for some coffee.

The food is a little expensive.
4 - Eliz O.: Atmosphere is very nice in this place. The prices on the menu are very interesting- 4 pieces of falafel and fries is $11, where a more delicious and rich meal is around $7-8... The food was delicious though. They also have mint-orange hot chocolate which was nice and tasty. The ambience is nice... It's open seating so you can choose a table, but there was only one waitress who was also a bartender (!) at the whole place, so trying to order could be a little annoying. Also their kitchen closes early, at 10.30, which is annoying. Overall a good place, I like it.
5 - C.C. C.: Ever since first discovering this place from a friend in College I go back whenever I can. On a weekend night it can be very hard to find a table as it fills up fast, but if you can you won't regret it.

It can get loud at times as everyone is very close, but the food and the drinks are amazing. I always get the Cafe Arabica and while it is strong enough to peel the paint off a house, that is how I like it.

Great after a movie date spot.
3 - wasabi m.: foods and coffee were good, a little pricey for student. service very slow but friendly.
3 - Sarah S.: Good coffee, and really delicious brie sandwich.. the brie is all melty and deelish. And it's open late, which is a plus. Beautiful interior, also a plus. I just think it's a wee bit expensive, the service can oftentimes be realllllly slow, and the desserts are so-so, hence the 3 stars.
4 - Mai O.: One of my favorite cafes in Harvard Square.  Let me correct myself.  One of my favorites in metro Boston area.

First of all it has a good jinx for me, this was the place where I had my first date with my darling.  Back then, the 2nd floor was smoking and the 1st floor non-smoking.  I am a non-smoker so not that I care personally, but my clothes smell cleaner now, although some of my friends (and yes they are foreigners like myself) miss the Algiers' smoking days.  

Their food is good, their balcony is nice in spring/summer/autumn.  Nice for chilling/reading alone or with friends, or even on dates.  My darling and I've been together now for 4 years+, we got married since and are expecting a baby soon, so see? Good jinx!

They also hosted Palestinian Film Festival fund raising night.  I met the art director  (...I think?) of the film "Divine Intervention" there.  So this cafe happens also to have similar political opinions and social awareness to mine.
5 - Matthew R.: Sitting up stairs in this place you feels very cinematic.  They've got a really high ceiling and a huge hole in the floor looking down to the first floor. It's almost elegant. I discovered this place a couple of years ago on Christmas day. This was the only place open any where in Boston/Cambridge that we could find. We ended up staying there for pretty much the whole day starting with a late breakfast and ending with desert and wine. It turned out to be an excellent day.
4 - Deepa J.: As if I wasn't impressed by everything in Harvard, Algiers was a perfect icing on the cake. This college hotspot is way more than your typical coffee house - how many cafes serve an allday all-American brunch menu alongside a fabulous middle eastern menu and provide a perfect refuge for the hoi-polloi that throng those hallowed grounds. I had the best mujadara cradled in a bed of yoghurt and an awesome mint tea when I was here for lunch. With a ton of small tables crammed in every inch of available space on both floors, the place was a bedlam of conversation, even on a weekend afternoon. Very unique, very good, very Harvard!
4 - Melissa C.: Mmm, I love the atmosphere. It's so visually engaging, I don't really even mind a wobbly table there. I am particularly excited about beverages that are labeled as "special" Mmmm, special mint... special mint tea, special mint coffee. Yum. I wonder if this is straight mint or a classic washed mint and green tea combination. Either way, it reminds of of what I've heard referred to as Algerian or Moroccan tea, particularly in the presentation. If I recall correctly, pour the water from a twelve inch height. 
The waitstaff is great. I haven't tried the food YET, but I have every intention of it because the menu looks great and the food I've seen makes me hungry every time.
5 - Erin S.: When I was home in New England last month, my husband, mom, sister & I stopped in here.

It is so refreshing to sit in an actual coffee shop, not some blah chain that you can find all over the country (or at least parts of the country) a la Starbucks or "Dunkies" (or Dunn Bros. or even Caribou Coffee -- whose coffee is delicious here where I am in MN, but regardless they are a chain -- I digress).

The house coffee is just tasty, the staff is friendly, and the atmosphere is just, simply, comforting.
4 - Emily C.: Algiers is a unique, cute, artsy, hippie-esque joint. It has a very artsy feel to it and the employees all have that artsy, emo-kid vibe. I've had the falaffel sandwich and it's alright... I also have had the meat (can't really remember) and it's decent, not anything to die for. It's definitely a crowd pleaser and a great atmosphere. It's very peaceful and genuine in nature, a different type of coffee shop.
Great tip, there's a small outdoor balcony that seats about 4 tables outside and you should try and snag one in the summer time because it's on the roof and it's beautiful. 
Great place to get coffee, tea and light appetizers to catch up with an old friend.
3 - Sun Y.: Algiers is a great place for a date with your favorite book. The cozy and slightly artsy atmosphere draws an eclectic crowd; you'll find your 18-year-old legging wearing college girls looking for a place to chat to your 50-something year old professors looking for a place to grade papers.  

The coffees & teas here are strong and delicious-- I recommend getting the Viennese (hot or iced) or the mint tea. I would advise against some of the 'specialty foods'. I got the lamb kabob ($15.95) and was less than impressed; the couscous was good but the lamb came out slightly burnt and dry. 

I would highly recommend this place for a place to sip coffee & catch up with friends, but not a place to go if you're looking for great food.
4 - tamama s.: this is the first cafe I 've fell in love in boston.
I love love love the building and interior.who made this beautiful building?
and I realized that boston is the city of the architecture.
but the food and drinks are okay for me. if there price is cheper and less chairs(I think it is too crowded) it would be better.
3 - Mabel C.: This place is so-so for me.  The first time I went I liked it because of the ambience and their orange mint chocolate drink, but now the novelty's worn off.  I'd go only if my friends want to go, since they tend to want to stay in Harvard Square rather than travel for food and entertainment.
4 - Kiwi H.: Cozy, dimly-lit, warm and welcoming. I love the atmosphere here. It makes me want to sit here quietly and... contemplate things. Sometimes it makes me feel like I've stepped out of Boston and into my own private little (nicely decorated) world.

They have good drinks, nice staff, are efficient, and it makes me happy that they have good Arabic coffee here. I just wish I could smoke in here. Shisha or cloves or whatever, it's just the sort of atmosphere that I'd like to have for surrounding myself with my puffs of sweet smelling smoke and sinking myself into a state of half-oblivion. Sipping on mint tea and getting lost either in the silence (if there on a quiet afternoon) or in the noisy bustle (if later on when it's busy).

To be honest, I haven't yet eaten here but I plan to sometime soon. Will update when I do.
4 - Bridget C.: My husband and I LOVE this place!!! The food is terrific!  My husband is a Taureg from africa and they are known for there mint tea and he says this place is the closest mint tea to what he has at home! My perfect night would be there with one of there salads or lentil and rice dish and finish the night with there honey cake and pot of mint tea. If you never had there honey cake its amazing! Its this grainy cake (I know that doesnt sound good but it is) I think corn meal-ish, soaked in honey and rose water! OH MY ALLAH! So good. Do yourself a favor and try it out!
4 - A T.: Come hither children and let me offer you some sage advice and instruction. Now listen carefully - I'm going to offer you secrets to a perfect summer afternoon and evening. Listen closely - I'll only tell you this once...

Arrive at Algiers around 5/6 on a Saturday or Sunday and you'll notice the downstairs patio area seems crowded. Disregard - you can't imbibe there anyway.  Move on in, say "hello" to the charming staff, grab a menu, and walk on upstairs. Exit the staircase but keep going - look for the natural light. Ah, here you are. The roof deck.

Grab a seat, wave down a server, order up some provisions (I'd suggest a pot of gunpowder green tea or the adult beverage of your choosing and a plate of baba ghanoush). Settle back (don't lean against the building though - little green and red beetles will take kindly to you). Go ahead, lounge, and spy on the happenings of Brattle Street below.

Ease back, settle down, and take some time to unwind and recharge before moving back into the hectic summer routine of barbecues, parades, parties, concerts, grilled babies, and other affairs...
4 - greg f.: I was in the real Algiers a few years ago and had an awesome time. My friend Rick and I met a lot of ladies and we drank a lot of Coffee, Tea, and warm beer.  We motorcycled through the hills and in the souq. the only bummer was that Rick got totally messed up on some bad weed and we had to come home early.
4 - Lynette M.: Cheap, quaint date place for after dinner tea. Love the ambiance.
3 - Vanilla P.: First, I was impressed that even with the doors open, it was nice and cool inside. We went upstairs and found a nice table in a semi-private corner... Until we realized the mirrored wall was actually the men's room. Oopsie. My buddy and I giggled every time a dude took too long in the WC, making me think, "How old am I? FOUR??"

I ordered the falafel plate based off of some reviews I read on Yelp. The falafel was good, but pretty heavily seasoned. Tahini sauce was perfect: nutty, tangy, and just a little sweet & spicy. THe fries that came with the dish were awesome: crispy and light, with almost a potato chip type of crunch. The side salad was ... okay. Not good, not bad. The pita was pretty dry, but was fine once dunked in the vat of tahini. Ooh, I also got a raspberry Italian soda, which was lovely. 

I'll come back when I can drink coffee and the mint tea. Mmmm.
5 - Leighann F.: Inconspicuously fantastic in so many ways...

A roof deck patio built not for people watching and the see-and-be-seen, but actual intimate conversation over delectable food and coffee. Quiet and unassuming, Algiers' "patio" probably wasn't even on the list of considerations for Boston Mag's 25 Best Alfresco Dining spots, and for that I am glad.  Some of those spots are so chichi that I believe the essence of eating out has completely gone out the window in favor of the name-dropping, eye-popping crowd just looking to get looked at.

Tonight, I watched the sunset over a plate of hummus and barbecued lamb, had amazing conversation and espresso Romano for about three hours and hardly noticed a person noticing a person noticing, well, pretty much anything but the person they were with. 

It's hard for me to admit this, but I can overlook the slow, sometimes non-existent service because the food and atmosphere are so unusually unadulterated that waiting for 10 minutes for the waitress to re-fill my water wasn't as unpleasant as it would have been in another place.
4 - marc h.: Went there today for some yummy food and judging by the middle east dishes I was the only person enjoying the food. Great desert and love the Italian drinks (orzata for me). Sat upstairs on the terrace and a beautiful morning. Prices won't blow your head off here.You'll love the atmosphere and upstairs decor. Worth a visit and you'll enjoy the place.
1 - Gwen F.: The coffee is ok.  The food is ok.  The atmosphere is awesome. 

But the service is abysmal.  If I wanted to be treated like a virulent leper I would have auditioned for a role as an extra in 1995's "Outbreak."  I love Dustin Hoffman as much as the next gal.

I had no monkey from the Congo with me during my visits.  I'd never been to Africa.  Nothing on my clothing or my person displayed the frantic, red BIOHAZARD symbol, so why the lack of love?  Or basic human decency?

I've been there four times, each time trying to offer Algiers a fresh chance to show me that I'm not in need of a penicillin shot.  Or that the staff doesn't think I smell (I shower daily, thankyouverymuch).  But it's always the same routine - the server takes our order, delivers it, and then apparently goes  on vacation to the actual Algiers.  Oh...is that where the name originates?

Each time I've been there, once the caffeine has been consumed, I've sat at my table, my friend and I glancing around, wondering if our server had died.  Four times in a row we've had to track our server down, pounce on her, and ransom her first born for our check.  As an ex server myself, it's in the restaurant's best interest to get lingering tables out of there.  

My time spent at Algiers has convinced me of the following:

1.  I must have some sort of facial gangrene that I don't know about to drive my server away.  Or is it some persistent body odor?  Should I try Teen Spirit?

2.  I should possibly reevaluate my career as an extra in movies centered on the effects of biological warfare.  I could be ALL OVER Outbreak 2.

3.  Maybe the servers at Algiers just aren't that into me, a totally harmless (somewhat attractive, gangrene-free) 20 something.  

Or maybe it's just that the service at Algiers should try to raise itself up to the caliber of its coffee.

Or I go to Hollywood.  What is more feasible, I ask?
4 - Ellen C.: Algiers has lots of corners for getting lost in a book or a conversation over mint tea.  I've spent a number of evenings around one of the small Moroccan tables, sharing baklava and watching snow fall, or enjoying the breeze from the terrace.  

The food is good (try the lentil dish!), with large portions and reasonable prices.  The service is good enough.  The atmosphere - and the fact that they're open late - is what keeps me coming back.
4 - Lauren A.: I'm a little nervous to write this review because I'm worried the cafe will suddenly be packed next time I go.  Algiers has the most comfortable, least pretentious atmosphere of any cafe in Harvard square.  It's usually not busy, the food is good, the tea is alright, and I think it's my new favorite place.  They serve a reasonably priced breakfast all day, which is a huge plus when I want eggs at 10 pm and don't want to go to IHOP.  I didn't have any problem with service, and it really reminded me of Cairo, what with the tea, the falafel, and the red and gold tiling.  How's that for atmosphere.
4 - Sonia G.: Go upstairs, get a mint tea and a play a game of backgammon while you enjoy the beautiful art and atmosphere, you'll be transported to Tunisia.

Very authentic tea, next time I need to try the food!
4 - Jess L.: great place for coffee. the chairs weren't so comfortable, but the ambiance was great. nice menu for drinks.
4 - Kelsey K.: pretty damn good coffee. I've sat down there for hours drinking their coffee and or coconut drink think...their cheese plate is decent too. nice presentation and fantastic natural lighting.
4 - Whytnee B.: A friend dragged me here with the warning that the service was pokey but it had good coffee... Well it turned out the service was fine, and I didn't even have coffee.

I ordered the falafel platter with fries. Really really good. Fries were decent, and the salad was edible (unusual for a side salad shoved onto a dinner plate). 

My friend ordered the hummus app and it was great, and the pitas were super fresh and good.

We opted for the outdoor seating, which was a little cramped but perfect for a sunny autumn Sunday.
3 - Cindy B.: It was 930 on a cold Friday night.  My baby and I wanted to go out, but we are so sick of the bars, so we were wondering what we could do.  We decided to go grab tea/coffee somewhere and decided to go to Algiers Coffee House in Cambridge.  

The place was very cute and cozy.  It was also very cramped.  I couldn't help but feel a tad bit annoyed, when a customer or a waitress would walk by and hit our table, causing our beverages to slightly spill.  

I ended up ordering the Algiers mint coffee.  I like strong coffee and their coffee definitely had a kick to it.  The coffee is served unsweetened w/wo whipped cream on top.  Very yummy.  My bf ordered the Algiers mint tea, which was "very refreshing".  I wanted to try one of their desserts, so I ordered the strawberry crepes.  I must warn you, the crepes are not made w/ fresh strawberries.  I think that they fill it with strawberry preserves.  Toooo sweet.  

I'd like to come back and try the food.  Some of the plates that were being served to other tables, looked very interesting.  

Overall, the place was very chillaxin.  I would come back for some more coffee, tea, or to try the food one day.
5 - jen f.: i am a curmudgeon.

but this place makes me smile.

best hummus. best pita.
most insanely delicious chicken kebab wraps.

the service is mediocre.
the ambience pleasant enough.

i won't complain.
4 - Deepa C.: Came here a few weeks ago for book club. Same great coffee and good service. The food was very tasty - simply and flavorful. I great place for good food and not too much money. Good for a long lingering lunch or a quick pit stop when you are running around the square.
3 - Michelle K.: 3.5 stars...
I never knew that there was a coffee shop/Middle Eastern cafe hidden behind the 40 Brattle Hall sign and I've been living near Harvard Square for 2.5 years now (and going to the eye doctor in an adjacent office). For shame. There were SO many people packed in there yesterday, warming up with drinks and snacks. I liked the upstairs, with its really tall ceiling and fun arabic wall decorations.

Anyways, finally made it there yesterday and got a hot cocoa and a Combination Plate full of hummus, taboule, baba ganoush, and um some rice/kasha combo with pita slices of course. It was more than enough for me and my friend and we both had a little to take home. I liked the food a lot but the service was mediocre. It took a long time to get attention, then our waitress interrupted our meal because her shift was over and she wanted to collect her tips. But then she accused both me and my friend of taking the Merchant Copy of the receipt (I did not - I think our waitress must have dropped it on the floor) and when we asked for 2 to-go containers were handed only one and, since we did not have any more utensils to split our leftovers had to use a pita to scoop it and it just put a bad ending on what started as a really nice afternoon with delicious fare in a lovely cafe.
4 - s b.: Delicious food and coffee! I came here after dinner, and sat around and chatted with friends. It's a perfect place to prolong the evening. I had the peasant salad which was enormous and delicious.  The dressing had some sort of cheese in it, which gave it a nice spark.  I also had the fruit salad, which unlike many fruit salads, actually had a wide variety of fruit - melon, apple, kiwi, grapes, strawberries.. and it was the perfect size.  My friend had the chocolate crepes which she described as "basically just dough and chocolate... what better combination is there?" Service can definitely be slow, and it's really noisy when crowded.  If you go on a weeknight later in the evening, it's very pleasant.
4 - Susie C.: Ah, the upstairs level of Algiers. I wish I could bypass the stairs and fly a magic carpet up to one of your corner booths. When I come here I feel like I have stepped out of Harvard Square and entered a magical little cafe that might disappear when I try to find it again. You are always warm and cozy and you serve delicious, strong coffee & teas. You can get packed, so don't come here expecting to spread out with your laptop and newspaper.
4 - Jennifer K.: I have walked by Algiers probably one hundred times and had no idea that it was a coffee shop. I swear I thought it was a jeweller and had no interest of ever walking in. My friend told me it was beautiful in there and practically dragged me up the stairs into the front door. You can only imagine my surprise when I realized this was not a funky, crap jewellry shop but a coffee house with a middle eastern vibe. 

We quickly walked up the stairs to the second floor and shoved ourselves into a small table. There were a few tables of people, talking loudly but it fit in with the atmosphere. The wood work was beautiful, we had sat right on the edge of the center dome. I would have preferred to not be jammed in so tight, especially without another table near us but it wasn't so bad. Still full from dinner, I had planned on ordering a coffee. Maybe an espresso but nothing more than that. Imagine my surprise when I saw baklava on the menu. Waistline be damned!I was having myself a piece of honey, nutty, pastry goodness. My friend ordered a piece of chocolate cake and I also ordered the Cafe Royale (I believe that was the name of the drink, this was over a week ago and my memory fails me). 

For the price, I would have liked a slightly larger slice of baklava and maybe a knife? But it was fine. The coffee drink was delicious as well.  I was slightly annoyed by the lack of a sugar alternative on the table and the waitress was not available to ask for one. Another strange happening was that a customer asked for a glass of water and the waitress pointed her over to the carafe and asked her to pour one for herself. This was not particularly bad and does not change my opinion of Algiers, I found it a bit puzzling though. 

I would bring out of town friend's here after a night out in Harvard Square. It is right next to the Brattle Theater and down the street from Border Cafe.  It has a nice atmosphere, with the wood work, funky artwork and opera music playing in the background, loud enough to hear but not be offensive. This is definitely a place to check out if you are in the area! Don't be fooled by the exterior as I was.
4 - Gino T.: Algiers is a great place to chill and have some coffee or tea, and if your hungry they have pretty good food. It seems that your either going to enjoy the seating or your not. If you need a lot of space or a buffer zone, you may not enjoy it. When I first came here I was like "what is wrong with the service?" But that's just the way things go down in here, I was so busy enjoying my company I wasn't too concerned. It's totally laid back, so if your in a rush, this may not be a great place. Not a big menu, wraps, dinner plates, coffee/tea. They have a small dessert menu, I tried the chocolate crepes, it was pretty bad I have to say, just hershey syrup in an attempted crepe. I did have the french toast for breakfast and the onion and parsley omelet, pretty good! Definitely one of the best coffee shops in cambridge/boston.
3 - Kyle D.: I've never been completely sold on coffee/tea houses, if only because their comfortable nookiness is almost always too cozy. Everyone goes to them, and the cramped conditions get kind of claustrophobic. That said, Algiers isn't without its charms. I went on a whim with some friends when we were wandering Harvard and was told to get a hot chocolate, which was nothing short of amazing, but it took so long to come I kind of forgot I ordered it.

If you're going for just a coffee or tea, make sure you leave some extra time to chill out. Upstairs is far better than downstairs, where the tables practically lean on each other, but I suppose if you're going to a coffee house, you probably have enough time to dick around.

Don't go in a large group; you'll have nowhere to sit (which was probably our downfall). 2-3 people is an ideal number.
5 - Alyssa B.: I wish I lived in Cambridge, so I could go to Algiers more often.  It's got great style, a funky vibe, and fantastic food.  I got the combination salad plate, which was not only huge but exceptionally delicious -- their hummus is amazing, and they have hands down the best tabbouleh I've ever had.  And I eat a LOT of hummus and tabbouleh.  I like that the wait staff doesn't hover over you -- it makes it a good place to go and read or do work or chill with friends without feeling like someone is waiting for you to leave.  All and all an excellent place to spend an hour or two.
4 - Gordon G.: Algiers is the kind of place you go to for lunch if you want to forget you have anything else to do.  In fact it's almost a necessity, because the service is not what you'd call snappy.  Still, the food is very good, the coffee is excellent, and the staff are always friendly.  A bit pricey, but for the area that's about what one would expect.
4 - Elizabeth R.: If you've been seeking out cozy spots for the winter months, Algiers is a good one.  I had walked by it for months then finally visited for the first time when my husband and I walking around Harvard Sq. It was perfect for a late lunch/snack.  I loved my Vienese coffee and we split a hummus plate and got feta cheese salads - all very good and fresh. We plan to head back for dinner soon.
2 - Kiki B.: so the hummus is delicious, as is the hibiscus tea, but there is absolutely no room to move around - or even get to one's table without knocking over all the others on the way - and it's just way overpriced for what it is.  don't really  understand the appeal.
1 - Kayleigh S.: This place is in such a great building I really wanted to love it, but I just couldn't get behind it.  You can't really just sit here with a coffee or tea, but the menu is expensive and strange.  I ordered a "grilled cheese sandwich", and what i got was a vegetable wrap with cheese in it.  huh?  It was a cold wrap sandwich.  How is that grilled cheese?
4 - Caroline D. L.: Love Algiers! I find the architecture of the whole thing lovely, very cozy with a personnality. Great colors.

This is a great place to study, especially in the afternoon. Not too loud and there isn't always music (and if there is, it's usually classical or instrumental). Also a good place to socialize with friends late afternoon. Yes, the place is small and it gets crazy to move around when it is crowded. But, unlike other places, it doesn't bother me. Why? because it goes with the whole ambiance: it is a 'juste milieu'.

The food is okay. I love the fact that they have merguezs and they are yummy too. The merguez wrap is my favorite thing on the menu. Love the mint tea (even though sugar is needed).
3 - Danielle M.: Completely reminiscent of Andala (or perhaps the other way around), I felt so at home the minute I walked in. Since I was on my way to work , and was desperate for the Arabic coffee I skipped this morning, I figured it was about time I gave this place a try. Coffee was on the bitter, add-your-own-sugar side, which is how it should be, although I usually prefer the version with cardamom. Perfectly grainy and aromatic, and cooked properly in a rakweh. They carry Les Emirs wine from Lebanon, have a nice selection of desserts, and seem to have plenty of seating on more than one level. The decorations are exquisite, although some of the prep areas seem a bit discombobulated. The cheese sandwich (gouda was my choice, but the offer a few other cool ones) hot the spot. Not too heavy, not too blah, the dressing on the salad it came with was super savory! Breakfast for 2 with two pots of coffee for under 15 bucks. Saweeeet.
4 - Arestia R.: I had just finished reading all about Turkey the first time I came here.  I know Algier isn't in Turkey, but it still reminded me of all the little tea and coffee shops my book was talking about.  It feels like an island amidst Harvard Square, quiet and relaxing and just plain cool.  Upstairs, downstairs, inside or on their roof, this place has a great vibe for catching up with friends are just sitting party of 1.  They also have great wraps filled with goodness - yum!  It's definitely a Harvard Square gem and favorite!
4 - sabrina s.: Yummy drinks and food!
3 - Kat C.: My roommates and I went for dessert and coffee. The place is very cute with a great atmosphere. When you walk in the front door and look up, there is a really cool round mirrored ceiling. You can sit and drink tea or coffee and chat. 

The wait staff was friendly but way short handed. It took about four tries to get someone to take our order, but once they took the order they were attentive and friendly. 

I got the chocolate cake and the earl grey tea. I highly recommend getting the tea. It comes in a cute little tea pot and the tea leaves are free and bagless. They give you a little strainer to strain the leaves out of your tea. It is really yummy. I also really liked the cake although it may have been sitting out for a while and was a little dry, but really all around not that bad. 

One of my roommates got the crepes and the other got Beabousa. The Beabousa was basically a cake drenched in honey, lemon and rose flavor. I am not a fan of sogginess when it comes to pastries, but one bite of this was ok. I don't think I could have eaten the whole thing. The crepes were not very good, they were cold and the fillings (chocolate and strawberries) were also not very good. 

I would like to return to have a dinner. Looking around I could see many things that I would like to try. I shall return.
5 - Meagan H.: Normally I'm a late night at Algiers kinda girl, but today I had made plans to meet a friend for lunch, and instead of meeting her Brookline (which is what I normally do), I thought "why not meet in Harvard Square"?? And at my favorite spot, to boot!? And that we did. It was perfect, rainy, dreary weather for Algiers cozy-ish, Moroccan style atmosphere. Unfortunately, they did not have any chicken today, but they DID have chocolate cake. So, no worries. My friend really enjoyed her meal, as did I. Their couscous always hits the spot. 

AND our waitress was FANTASTIC!!! Very attentive (a rarity) and sweet, but not too sweet. Great service.
5 - Lindsay W.: My roommate, Joce, and I decided to bike to the Algiers Coffee House today for brunch.  We didn't know what to expect.  As soon as I walked in I knew I loved it.  The restaurant is a two story building with lovely, authentic decorations and full of warmth.  We wound ourselves around the staircase to the roof deck where we sat.  Besides being flanked by a beautiful blossoming tree, we also had a perfect view of the sidewalk, which was great for people watching.  Joce and I split a big plate of the best hommus (very garlicky) and both ordered the grilled eggplant sandwich with sumac.  There was no rush for our table so ended up spending an hour and a half eating and reading, atop our Harvard Square perch.

Oh, and its vegetarian and vegan friendly :)
4 - Kate M.: Oh, Harvard Square, the gems that you hold. Like Algiers. I came here last week for the first time with friends, and right away fell in love with several things simultaneously: the gorgeous wood paneling and very high ceilings, the cozy multi-level setup, and the seat-yourself policy.  I will note that the spiral staircase may be difficult for some to ascend, and there didn't look to be a bounty of seating on the first floor. Though the service wasn't rapid, we certainly weren't forgotten, and I'm kicking myself because I didn't order the Turkish coffee like my friend did. I never thought I'd discover coffee that doesn't require sugar or cream to taste grainy, thick and rich, but it exists at Algiers. 

Now let me touch upon the food, which, once ordered, came promptly. I ordered the falafal sandwich (comes in wrap form with salad) for a very reasonable $10 or so, and it was worth every penny! I couldn't even finish it!! We also ordered the hummus app which was SO generous- the three of us couldn't clean the plate- and the hummus was certainly homemade, and most definitley the best I've ever tasted. It took another few minutes to get our check, but like I said, the service wasn't ridiculous and our waitress was super nice.
 

All in all I was shocked not to have heard of the place before last week. For all the lame chains that are springing up around the Square, and all the over-priced, under-portioned restaurants to choose from, Algiers is truly a find. It's a great place to study, chat with friends, eat some dank hummus, and enjoy the peace and quiet that Harvard Square still does, Algiers proves, have to offer.
4 - Kati M.: I love going there for lunch... it is quiet, informal, with great lentil soup and wonderful sandwiches.... you can have a glass of wine and not go bankrupt in the process.... one of the best deals on the square....
4 - Marcos R.: First time I went to this place I had a first date with this absolutely beautiful and intelligent but equally crazy Greek girl I fell in love with for a little while. She was such a disappointment that I should hate anything that reminds me of her, but Algiers is just too good to be blamed on.
Let's start with the location... can't get better than that! Just a few steps from Harvard Sq. Station. Next is its architecture. I consider myself no expert North African or Andalusian architecture, but the place does seem to transport you a bit to a cozy house in the Sahara. And then there's mergasa, a lamb sausage pitta sandwich that's absolutely delicious. Of course their minted coffee and  tea are above the bar.
3 - Stephie P.: The coffee/teas are pretty good, but the food is just ok, and don't order any of the pastries because most of them taste like they're 2-3 days old. The best thing about Algiers is it's laid back atmosphere. You can sit downstairs or upstairs, admiring the cool architecture and get lost in your own thoughts for hours. If you're in a hurry, service is slow so you may want to ask for the check half way through your meal. If you don't, you could be there an extra 20-30 min waiting for the bill.
5 - r m.: I worked there in 1996. I cannot believe it has been here all these years! Since back in the days, when it was really the center of 1960s Harvard Square - the poetry, the activism, the rebellion. This place has an amazing history.
You pay for the amazing interior, shipped from Syria, which lends an incomparable interior like nothing I have seen anywhere but at famous places such as Al-Feshawi in Cairo.
Owned by a Palestinian Christian man named Emile. 
A very special place.

A few insider recommendations:
-if you want to save money but eat your fill, split the "combination plate" with a friend. 
-The sandwiches with sumac are great
-I used to really like the strawberry frappe
-The pecan pie or cheesecake are pleasant to split with someone - very sweet (the chocolate is very heavy and nothing special)

A few notes: 
-Do not expect quick service - this is one of the slower places you will eat. This was a hard place to get food to customers quickly, trust me, I know.
-Not the best place for cappucinos, as the waitresses can often be too rushed to make your coffee that well. Sometimes the Arabic coffee is pretty good. Great tea selection however, and the frappes are very tasty. 

I would go there to:
-Study with a cup of tea
-Get frappes and chat with an old friend
-Eat a proper mujeddara or mergueza with well-carmelized onions
3 - Ellie B.: I met Emily F. at Algiers Coffee House on a Thursday evening for an early dinner.  I'm beginning to spend more time in the Harvard Square area so I've started exploring more of the restaurants, etc, in the area.  I'd walked by Algiers before but this was the first time I'd ever gone inside, and I was immediately charmed by the interior.  

The walls are painted a deep red, which I *loved*, and from the cool octagonal tables to the mirrored wall/windows scattered throughout the multiple floors and the winding staircase going up between different levels, I could spend hours here, tucked in a cozy corner, reading and drinking tea.  The food was good too; I got the lamb kabob sandwich and Emily F. got the eggplant, I believe; both were served with small salads, and the lamb was tasty and flavorful on a warm, grilled pita.  I also tried the iced Viennese coffee, which was strong and cinnamony, and I assumed it was supposed to be consumed without sugar, since there wasn't any on the table, which isn't usually how I take my iced coffee but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

The price for everything was reasonable, about $25 for the two of us combined.  Nothing was outstanding about Algiers but nothing was really disappointing either, and the only reason I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 4 is that our waitress took *forever* to bring us the check, even after I made eye contact with her and (I thought) indicated we were ready to finish up.  Apparently she didn't catch my meaning, so while Emily F. ran to catch her bus I continued to wait, to the extent that I packed up my bag and went over to the bar and actually stood there while she rang up the check.  Not so cool. 

I would go here again because of the cozy decoration and the tasty food and coffee, but be prepared to take your time; if you're in a hurry, this might not be the place for you.
3 - Shelly A.: Normally I wouldn't review a restaurant after only getting a cappuccino, but considering they call themselves a "Coffee House," I figure it's fair game. It was, in fact, one of my stops on my search for the best cappuccino in Boston.

I walked in and wasn't really sure where to go. There were barista stations on either side of me, a wine & beer bar in front of me, and an area for sitting wayyy in the back. A waitress nearly body-checked me and spilled most of a tray of water as she walked into the kitchen.

A friendly young lady came out from behind on of the espresso bars and asked what I would like. I told her I'd like a triple wet cappuccino to go. She giggled nervously and replied, "I... don't know what that means." So I coached her a bit ("three shots of espresso, go a little wet on the foam") and stood back, expecting that this was going to be a complete disaster.

A couple of minutes later she came out from behind the bar with a very short cup (I mean, smaller than a Starbucks "tall"), which seemed weird since I'd gotten three shots, but I guess those were their only to-go cups. It came to $5.20 (PARDON?!?!?!) and she actually had to ask another server to go into her purse to get change for my $20. Again, she was very sweet, but that was just a little strange... I kind of felt badly for using a big bill, but hey, it's Harvard Square; they should be kind of used to that, and prepared to give change.

Now, on to tasting what I was sure would be an pitiful for excuse for a confused cappuccino... and (drumroll)... it was really good! Even though the barista had had NO idea what I was talking about, she ended up making exactly what I wanted. Given, she should have known what my order was in the first place, but winging it with a single sentence of advice and making it perfectly takes talent. So I really have to give her credit.

I was still disappointed that it was so small for a triple (and for a COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS PRICE), but it was definitely a nice drink. They use pretty good espresso, too. It went really nicely with a couple of cupcakes from Sweet down the street. :)

A confusing and confused place, but in the end it turned out okay. I also took a peek at the menu and it looked great and authentic, but that's for another day...
3 - Janelle M.: This restaurant and café offers indoor seating on two floors and limited outdoor seating only on the second floor.  The menu consists of North African fare with an obvious emphasis on Algeria.  Everything was very tasty and well-prepared; the only negative being the service.  To be fair, it was very busy; however, in my experience a busy restaurant does not imply subpar service.
4 - Ellie W.: Algiers is a quirkly little coffee house in Harvard Sq...great place to grab a coffee/tea with a friend. My friend introduced me to it as her favorite coffee house, and I can see why--it's a somewhat eclectic atmosphere inside, and it's a place you can go to just drink coffee and read for a bit.

I normally sit upstairs--they've got outdoor seating, you get a nice view of Harvard Sq. They have a really good mint coffee...I get it every time I go to Algiers!
4 - Gabor Z.: Lovely little coffee house right in the Barttle Theater. Authentic middle eastern food and ambiance. The rooftop seating is nice and romantic and not that busy during the week. The service is a bit slow and forgetful, so just prepare yourself for that and enjoy the experience.
4 - David S.: Sloooooow service. 

To all those who complain that Algiers is crowded and claustrophobic, I wonder what you would have thought had you seen the place in its heyday, back in the 80s, when it was a tiny space hidden away in the basement of the current building. Back then, Algiers was consistently the single most crowded and claustrophobic room I've ever seen, either before or since, and I loved it. The old Algiers defined the word cozy, and was the best place to study on a blustery winter night. 

That all changed when the building was renovated and Algiers expanded to occupy most of the new space. Much has been gained: a soaring rotunda and small rooftop deck, but more has been lost in the transition.

Surprisingly, the menu seems to have survived almost entirely intact over the intervening 25 or so years (albeit with much higher prices). The Turkish coffee and mint tea are as good as ever, as is the food. 

Just don't be in a hurry. Did I mention the service is stunningly sloooooooow?

For those of us who remember fondly the olden days, the current incarnation of Cafe Algiers serves as a physical embodiment of Thomas Wolfe's observation that You Can't Go Home Again. Sadly.
3 - Demitasse E.: Algiers does both the coffee shop thing and the full restaurant thing.  My party of three came here for dinner and were pleased.  I ordered a cup of coffee ahead of my meal (I know, I know, it was getting a little late in the day for that) and I can attest it is a good-tasting roast.

Between everyone at the table, we ordered the falafel, fattayer (meat), and hamburger.  The hamburger and falafel came with fries; the waitress was nice and honored my friend's request to sub the fries for vegetable couscous on the side.

Pricing can be a little weird: my meat fattayer (which was quite good) was under  $10, but a plate of vegetable couscous would have set you back $11.  A hamburger is also under $10, which is why I was surprised that they agreed to serve it with a side of the pricier couscous.

All our dishes were good; my only suggestions or requests for next time would be 1) not to put my fattayer on top of the already-soaked-in-dressing salad, because it makes the pita soggy (not to mention the vinaigrette-y  taste!) and 2) to reconsider accompanying the falafel with fries.  A fried main course with a side of fries just seems a bit much (and the french fries weren't too good).

The waitress brought out a basket of pita bread for the table along with the main courses, but it was dry and stale.  If that's what they serve with the hommos appetizer, I will be skipping that in the future.
5 - Gail G.: This is probably my favorite coffee house in the Boston area. I remember spending a couple cool summer nights with close friends on the rooftop patio. If it's too cold to stay outside, the upstairs and downstairs seating is just as cozy. It's a great place for a low-key date or catch up on life with a close friend. I also appreciate the service, they're nice but not overly attentive. Which, I realized some people might not appreciate. But I actually like not having someone come by every 20 minutes to ask how you're doing. They usually drop off the check and let you take your time in paying it. I would know because I spent too many hours here. :-P

Did I mention that I love love LOVE their coffee??
3 - Lauren E.: At first I was charmed and impressed by the atmosphere and décor of this place. It really is beautiful, as some of my friends had told me. But upon looking at menu prices and when we got the bill, it seemed a little excessive. The food is pricey, and nothing special (though it's certainly not bad). But just going for coffee or tea would probably be worth it. It's definitely a beautiful place to sit and chat with some friends, just beware that the $ add up pretty quickly if you're getting food and coffee, etc.
5 - Gen M.: I love it there!  The coffee is delicious!  The crepes are epic.  The hummus can use work, but it's good too.  I love the paintings and the gorgeous set up (it's a former mosque I believe).  Gotta try it at least.
5 - Bryan R.: love this place! recipient of my saturday night post-raucus 5-star slam down.

unique building. italian soda. legit wraps.
4 - Allison L.: Beautiful cafe in a wonderful location. Sweet service, slightly elevated prices, a convoluted second floor. It's got my heart.
4 - Hubert H.: Nice atmosphere, oozes CAMBRIDGE everywhere you go. The mango juice is actually nice and yummy and fresh, and perfect to duck into to work, read, over a cup of hot cider.
5 - Christopher W.: This review is mainly for the coffee. Because that's all I care about in a coffee house.

It is good. Damn good. It is slightly more expensive than average for coffee but the quality is commensurate with the price.

I have to also agree with other reviewers: the decor and the space is very nice, too, upstairs or down. I could see getting stuck in there reading a good book for hours.

One caveat: this is a cafe, not a coffee shop. It has table service. Don't expect to roll in and roll out. This place is for sitting and relaxing. If you can't wait go to Starbucks. There's three of them near Harvard Square.
2 - Michael S.: I generally like Algiers Coffee House. It has a unique look, relatively quiet, and is a decent place to read or get some work done. However, it is a bit pricey and the service tends to be non-existent which is inexcusable. Last night, I had small meeting there and it took me nearly 30 min to get a cup of coffee and I never saw the waitress again until I bumped into her when I went downstairs to pay since I obviously wasn't going to be given any more service or a check. The 2nd floor was also dirty. Plates left over from previous customers for who knows how long, napkins on the floor, and our tables were a little sticky. I rarely ever go here any more because I tend to have similar experiences. Perhaps, some more waitstaff coupled with more effort from the staff on duty would make this place a jewel again.
5 - stephanie t.: who doesn't walk in the front door of algiers and immediately fall in love?  

undoubtedly the best place to grab a myriad of tasty warm drinks in the harvard sq, area.  

service can be slow, but sit back and relax for a minute and soak in a) the beautiful upstairs b) the sights of harvard sq. from the adorable roof patio.

5 stars, despite less than desirable service (yes, i am that charmed).
4 - Traveling B.: Yesireee bob, I am a fan, the iced tea in the summer and the mint tea in the winter, it has all my bases covered.  It's nice after rushing everywhere to come in, sit down, and relaaaaaaaaaax.  If you don't have the mindset that you are coming in to relax then don't bother, the service will probably irritate you.   

I love the tiny roof deck in the summer, and the upstairs for the colder moments, the food is good but the desserts, I do love me some babousa!!!!

I would recommend that if you are just rushing in and out for a coffee hit one of the other places, if you are looking for a place to study or just relax and you have time to chill this is the cafe for you.
5 - Wing M.: We were really really really hungry when we got here for dinner and Algiers did not disappoint. We got a spinach salad type thing and they delivered it to us along with pita bread post haste. I spent an entire day at a seminar, my friend spent the entire day writing a grant application and her boyfriend just rode 8 miles on a bike. None of us really ate lunch. So we went all nom nom nom nom nom nom and there was still salad left so we nom nom nom some more and oh my god more salad nom nom nom okay finally that was delicious.

And then our entrees arrived.

I had a giant plate of lamb and cous cous. It was amazing. Possibly the best cous cous I've had (not that I've had many from real Middle Eastern places; also, I was real hungry). My friends' sandwiches and kabobs looked good too! We were definitely very, very happy with our meal. The service was great; we were sitting on the top floor but our waitress was definitely around to refill water and stuff pretty often.

The atmosphere is wonderful. It feels like a real Turkish-ish coffee house. Not that I've been to one; I've only seen them in a documentary in a museum exhibit on the history of coffee. So I guess my standards are pretty low. But! The ambiance was still fantastic.

So yeah, great place.
4 - Kelly O.: 4.5 stars. Algiers makes me want to live in Harvard Square. The location alone is fricken adorable: an old house filled with all kinds of nooks and crannies and different table configurations and really cool decorations, the kind of place I could curl up and stay all day. 

The coffee/tea drinks are excellent... I can't get enough of their mint-anything, but even their regular stuff is tasty. I definitely make a point to travel here for the special mint coffee though... the whipped cream is the icing on the cake, mmm.

I wasn't expecting to really like the food here, but the one time I ordered something to eat I was totally surprised at how good it was... fantastically flavored lamb chunks swimming in a pool of to-die-for hummus. Man that was good. Service can be a little slow (we had a hard time just getting some water), but hey, it's worth it (and adds to the whole relaxed-cafe ambiance).
3 - Venu N.: Boo!  Way to simply destroy my earlier characterization of Harvard as a remarkably photogenic campus.  I am not sure whether Algier's is the exception or the rule.  But, in any event, it certainly had a different "look" than the other places I visited today.  

Points off for the initially brusque service as well.  While I understand that it is annoying when someone sits down and plays on the Internet all day, I'm not that customer (believe it or not, in between Yelp reviews, I am getting a ton accomplished today).  I actually BUY stuff.  In this case, I even bought a couple of beverages spaced over time.  Why?  Because I'm not an asshole like that.  

The hot apple cider here is relatively remarkable.  Each cup is served with a generous cinnamon stick which thoroughly infuses the hot cider.  The result is a wonderful apple cinnamon treat that soothes the body.  

Algiers is definitely the largest spot that I have visited today.  As far as a place to conduct work, it is a bit louder than Tealuxe (despite the fact that Algiers had classical music flowing as opposed to mainstream rock).  There are probably a few more plugs here than at Crema or Tealuxe.  The work space is fine.  Still, if you are going to conduct work, try and go before 5 PM.  

Algiers is definitely the ugly duckling (in more ways than one) of the Harvard coffee shop scene.  Still, it makes excellent beverages and is serviceable as a place to finish work.  I would recommend it if Tealuxe and Crema are already full.
4 - J R.: I've been hanging out in Harvard Square for 20 years, and have seen a lot of great coffee shops come and go, so the fact that I only recently discovered one of the best remaining cafes in the city is... shameful. Considering how many years I drank away at Casablanca's downstairs, I feel like a complete retard for missing the perfect study cafe above. 

SERVERS: Just the way I like 'em: Quick to take orders, competent, and not too chatty. Service can be slow, but it's a poky cafe, so it's nice that they're not pissy if you have to track them down because they're a little laissez-faire. I did have one super-friendly waitress who was a little off-putting (I haven't come to expect smiles at Algiers), but she brought my sammich fast and didn't stab and SWF me so it turned out okay. 

FOOD: By which I mean coffee. REALLY good coffee. I drink whatever swill they give me so I can hole up for a few hours of studying, and I'm always pleasantly surprised when I take the first sip of Algiers. The strawberry smoothie thing and the falafel wrap are also tasty. 

ATMOSPHERE: A little cramped, but that adds to the European feel I love so much. No annoying music, which is welcome after the 1369 Gwar Experience. Occasionally annoying Harvard kids talking at the top of their lungs like they're interviewing for another consulting job, but they seem to do that in most of the cafes around town, so no points off for Algiers.

Obviously, this is a great, classic old-school HS coffee shop that everyone knows and loves, and I'm just late to the party. But that's okay, because I'm staying and inviting my friends.
5 - Chris P.: As a Naval Officer, I have been to the Arabian Gulf a few times and even lived in the island country of Bahrain for a spell - so I feel like I have an idea what I am talking about when it comes to the kinds of food that Algiers serves.  With that said, I must add:

They served me the best hummus I've ever had.

I could not stop eating it, I actually asked the server if they put crack in it.  It was simply amazing, great body, texture, subtle flavors - it was drool-inducingly delicious.  Srsly.  Go get some right now.  Do it.

Other than that I had a chicken kebab "sandwich", which is really a wrap-ish sort of thing.  The vegetables were all fresh, delicious, lightly flavored by the sauce and chicken - all very good.  I ate every bite, and remarked that if my vegetables were always as good as the ones I had there, I would eat a ton more of them.

Overall a great food experience, the locale itself is unique and fun, intimate and inviting.  Yes, it's not "Harvard" - but why do you want all the places to be the same?  Once inside Algiers, you feel like you could be in a restaurant on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

Service is not amazing, but the drinks and food are.
4 - Katelyn M.: I came here on a rainy afternoon because I heard its a nice place to eat lunch and study (or in my case write). It was a great suggestion. I sat upstairs and ordered the lamb kabob "sandwich" that comes wrapped in a pita. It was around $9 without tip -- a bit more than I'd pay for a normal lunch by myself -- but it was absolutely delicious. The lamb was tender and I licked up every bit of tahini sauce that came with it!  It even came with a small side salad!

I'll return to try to the mint coffee, which has received rave reviews.
4 - Hannah C.: There's no place like Algiers.
It's kind of cruddy and in a constant state of flux, yet it's a nice place to chill out and have a nice cup of authentic Moroccan mint tea.
Located just above the Brattle theater, It is a load off your feet in the middle of a long day on the hard Cambridge streets... shopping!
The menus here are the exact same, decaying partially laminated green ones that were here over a decade ago when I was in college in the area.  I like that they haven't changed... and neither has the decor, or the over-educated crowd.  But there are a lot more laptops around today.  I'll keep coming back for the tea, the unique character, and the decent service... (By decent, I mean harried but polite with a long wait... which is just fine when you just want to get off your dogs for a bit.)
Tip: Sit upstairs.
4 - Quinn N.: I have traveled the world over and repeated these word: "Do you do the Arabic coffee in decaf?" to near universal derision. I've never actually been thrown out, but I suspect it's been a close thing. And yeah, maybe I deserve it, but I just don't handle the caffeine that well.

Algiers does me an Arabic in decaf, totally without laughing, scowling, or brandishing weapons. Bless them.
5 - Elizabeth M.: The Arabic coffee is amazing: grainy, infused with cardamom, and not overly sweet. It came in a small copper pot and a miniature serving mug. 

Yulan and I shared a mixed plate with hummus, baba ganoush, tabouleh, and rice and lentil pilaf. The flavors and ingredients were fresh and bright. 

There is plenty of seating and no one seemed in a hurry to go anywhere - it seems like a nice place to read or study. We stayed writing Christmas cards (as several others were around us) until we were both jumpy from the delicious gritty coffee.
4 - Jessica O.: My favorite lunch spot in Cambridge!

Here is a link to my blog post about my two favorite places in Harvard Square - Algiers and LA Burdicks - http://jessica-travels.blogspot.com/2009/10/day-in-cambridge-side.html
4 - Soaring E.: About the best lunch you can get in Harvard Square. Good Middle Eastern cuisine. The service is hit-or-miss, but last time I was there for lunch it was great. And the mint tea was a nice treat.
4 - Nick H.: Steeped in history and still housed in it's original location, Algiers Coffee House was home to many famous writers from this area.

Longfellow would spend cold wintry days scribbling poems and drinking warm tea. Some say Emerson first thought up Transcendentalism over a cup of coffee with friends here. Hell, it's even rumored that Poe buried an animal under the floorboards...

It was founded long ago by an Algerian immigrant named Ahmed, who had excellent trade connections and was able to procure some of the most exotic and high quality coffees and teas available in those former times. These beverages, coupled with a unique intimate dark-wood multi-level space that Ahmed designed himself, inspired these big minds of Massachusetts lore.

Everything above is completely fabricated, but doesn't it sound like it could all be true based on spending one afternoon here?

Algiers really does serve up tasty fresh coffee and a nice selection of teas. Although the aforementioned writers really never came  here, this place certainly does serve as home to today's bright minds...
4 - May N.: I finally made it to this coffee shop in Harvard Square. From the outside, it does not look like a hole in the wall. It reminds me of new construction in the 'burbs back in Texas. However, you walk inside and there's the cramped, cozy feel of an old Boston-area shop. It's two floors, tiny tables, and chairs everywhere. There's a rooftop patio, but it was way too cold in the winter to sit there. 

Great place to bring a book to read and enjoy the mint coffee or meet a few friends - not a large group - for a meal. The hummus was really good and I'm pretty picky. Algiers's hummus is not bland, boring, or flavored with anything other than plain hummus, but it was very delicious. We needed more pita to finish every bit. My lamb kebab sandwich was even better - I don't know if I've ever had a kebab cooked this perfectly. 

Service was a little slow, almost European in style, but attentive enough. You just have to be ready to slow down and enjoy the time. Prices are moderate and the little dishes/drinks add up quickly. There's a small bar, I think there's a short wine/beer list.
4 - J C.: This is not the place to come for the friendliest or fastest service in Cambridge. It is also not the place to go if you are obsessive about the cleanliness or orderliness of the dining room.

For a place to sit and relax, an escape from the bustle of Harvard Square, however, this place is perfect. The coffee and coffee drinks are excellent. The food is delicious and a great value.

I especially recommend the Merguea - a stack of lamb sausage with hummus that is close to perfection.
5 - Jen M.: After a dreadful movie next door, and a freezing day, Algiers is exactly what I needed!!  The smell of mint tea when I walked in the door took me back to Morocco.  The lamb kebab sandwich was delicious, and the atmosphere was amazing!  This is my new place to go for old world/North African charm and delightful food.  Can't wait to go in the summer to sit on the porch.
4 - Courtney B.: Cafe Algiers has a calming yet pulsing atmosphere. It attracts a variety of people, from hippie musicians (who play their guitar inside) to the more conservative crowd. The interior architecture is unique and the decor is beautiful and reflective of the cafe's pan-Arabian origins. 

I ordered the Iced Cafe Viennese with a fruit salad. My friends were more daring and tried Pecan Pie, Baklava, and Hibiscus tea. All loved their deserts, however the tea was not what my friend was expecting.

There are many choices on the menu, aside from desert. I saw someone eating crepes, and another eating a sandwich. They also serve beer and wine. 

I definitely recommend checking this place out. The space can be a bit cramped, so don't bring a large crowd with you.
3 - Courtney H.: Algiers Coffee House is the kind of place you go if you want to meet up with a friend you haven't seen in a while. Why? Because the service is very slow, so you'll have plenty of time to catch up!

Aside from being slow, service is friendly. I liked my mint tea, and my husband's hot cider smelled divine. We split a cheese plate which was quite tasty, and came with plenty of pita. I think the prices are a little high for what you get, however.

Algiers has a distinct atmosphere, which is a nice change of place from the usual coffee shops in the Square. I wouldn't mind going back for a savory treat, although their sweets are disappointingly expensive.

(ps -- I remember when this place had a smoking section and I never wanted to go because even if I sat in the smoking section, I still would cough and sneeze. Hooray for the smoking ban!)
4 - Matt K.: I'm surprised I'd  never heard of this place before last week.  It's truly fantastic.

I was in Harvard and just looking for a cup of coffee, and saw this place and thought it would be a small little coffee hut, a la 1369.  It truly doesn't look that big from out front.

But once you enter your treated to an assortment of amazing smells and bright colors painted on every well.  You could easily spend most your time their just paying great notice to the architecture and the color scheme.

As far as their food goes, I only had the house coffee and a falafel wrap, but both were truly amazing and priced less then I'd expect them to be.

I'll be honest in saying that normally when I go to Harvard, I'm their for greasy hamburgers and plenty of beer.  But this place has now been added to places in Harvard I truly enjoying being at.
3 - Claudia C.: Stopped by on a snowy evening a few weeks ago for the first time and had the lamb kabobs. The food was good, but nothing special. The restaurant was fairly empty - probably due to the snow - and the atmosphere was relaxing and informal. Unfortunately, so was the service. The staff were friendly, but exceptionally slow. I wouldn't recommend going if you're in a hurry.
4 - Lauren G.: Good food, very quaint interior... overall a great experience!

  The food at Algiers is really very good!  I was surprised because I thought it would be a coffee house with a few snacks food type items but I have gotten the falafel, the mergouz wrap (lamb sausage), the hummus and an omelet here on various occasions and they have all been good.  The tea is really nice, especially the mint tea (although the weird green food coloring they use is kind of off-putting).  The warm apple cider served with a cinnamon stick is also really good on a cold fall afternoon.  
  The atmosphere is very North African with a lovely sky light on the roof that fill the 2 floors with sunshine.  The service is a bit slow, this is not the kind of place to go for a quick eat, but if you want to savor your cup of tea and enjoy catching up with a friend it is a great choice!
4 - Sara M.: Still love the coffee, hummus and falafel... still dislike the sweets.  
Added to the list: biscotti.  Yikes.  Their biscotti are HUGE, bread-like logs that taste strongly of baking soda.  I feel bad saying this, but the biscotti are inedible.  The service, atmosphere, and savory food continue to be wonderful, however.
3 - barbaric y.: I like this place. I really do. And for that matter, I kind of want to give them an extra star, just because (without being too hypocritical) I come here from time to time just to enjoy the atmosphere upstairs and sip on a mint coffee once and awhile. Their food is also excellent, albeit somewhat pricey for café fare. Let it be known that this is less of a coffee house and more of a café-restaurant proper. Your portions will be large and if you balk a bit at the price (something over $10 at a coffee shop? Heavens!) their portions are also very splittable. Their tuna salad is amazingly fresh, and their hummus and tabouli equally so. I'd also highly recommend their lentil soup, to which a touch of lemon is added, giving it a refreshingly light and slightly acidic tone that compliments the nuttiness of the lentils well. 

And inevitably, the complaint arrives. In this case, it's the service- which admittedly has yielded mixed results. Many of the servers who work here are nice people who get their job done quickly, and with a smile. There have been other times, however, where I've sat there for about 20 minutes, only to have people who came in after me get served first. I realize that the restaurant itself is quite busy, and the food warrants the amount of traffic that comes through. For that matter I'm usually pretty good about the delay. On more than one occasion, however, I was served by a woman who demanded our orders briskly after taking a long time to even approach our table. She apologized only after making a mistake in the order itself, but by then we'd already commented on her lack of warmth. 

More than likely I'll be updating this again soon, and adding the extra star that I'm tempted to put up for the moment. This place is definitely worth checking out if you've never been, but don't come if you're in a hurry.
3 - Dominique N.: I really wanted to like Algiers...but came away feeling "meh" after dinner.

Breakdown of my scoring:
Food: 4 stars
Decor / setting: 4.5 stars
Service: 2 stars
Price performance: 2.5-3 stars

The food is quite good (though somewhat skimpy portions) and the space couldn't be cuter.  (High ceilings, cozy corners, exposed brick).  

But the service is lacking - when we arrived and mentioned a reservation for a large group, we were handed menus downstairs and told to show ourselves upstairs...with no direction as to which table was ours or anything at all!  

This would be totally fine if we were talking about a dirt-cheap, student cafe.  But this is a cafe where entrees run $14-16 each!  At that price point, it seems reasonable to expect efficient waiters, good sized portions and a hostess that at least points you in the direction of your table.
2 - Haley S.: So the Arabic coffee was great. Strong, sweetened, very enjoyable.....now bring in the service. Not so strong, sweet or at all enjoyable. Just had a pot of coffee, no food.

I would not recommend this place for a "quick" anything. But if time isn't a concern I would come back...alone. The atmosphere is great!  I can't subject any of my friends to that terrible service though. Ick.
4 - Tre M.: Great spot.  Can be a lil crowded, but the falafel and hummus were fantastic.
4 - Abdullah A.: I like Algiers for the Hibiscus tea which is truly fantastic and its wide selection of teas in general. The mezze platters are ok - but when you add the two together and combine it with a lot of sunshine on their nice roofdeck, you have a nice Saturday afternoon. 
Staff could be friendlier, the interior could be better maintained (chairs, tables, restrooms), and Algiers could benefit from buying new cups and cutlery as well. Just a little more focus on service and appearance and this would be one of my favorites.
1 - Sukanya S.: After reading the scores of reviews here, I decided I wanted to go to Algiers. I must admit I expected quite a bit from the place, but sadly I can't give it anymore than 2 stars. 
Even more than that, I was really disappointed because I took my out-of-town friend thinking we might enjoy some good fare. We were handed menus as soon as we entered, and we decided to go upstairs. I really liked the Moroccan lanterns that hung from the ceiling, but apart from that the place is really small and you can't get to some areas without brushing against the patrons who might sit at the tables against the window. 
Having been raised in the Middle East, I must say that the Combo plate (includes Hummus, Baba Ghanoush, Tabbouleh, 1 falafel, and lentils w/ rice) was a major disappointment. The Hummus and Baba Ghanoush can be expected to be served cold, but what is their excuse for serving the falafel and the rice w/ lentils in the same way?! Also, might I add that they were all QUITE flavorless (more like bland!!). The mint coffee was nothing spectacular, just some mint-infused coffee with a dollop of whipped cream on top, I didn't see why I had to pay $4.25 for that. 

I felt especially bad for my friend who wanted to try some french toast, BUT was served COLD toast (yes, you read right!!), and when she requested the server to get her hot french toast, what she brought my friend was the exact same toast which was barely even lukewarm again. Also, it tasted pathetic. The mint tea my friend got was not very spectacular either. 

The service was just as lukewarm as the food itself. We were cringing at the thought of including a full 15% tip, or any tip at all, but we included a buck, I don't even know why! 

Overall, the best part of the entire meal was the anticipation of something good before all our hopes and dreams came crashing down with a loud thud. IMHO, I've tasted delicious Middle Eastern fare growing up, and if you would like to do the same, try any other place but Algiers, it's too much money for very little quality!
5 - carmen l.: Perfect for a cup of tea, perfect for a varied platter of hummus taboule and baba ganoush, perfect for a more hearty dish. 
This place has a cozy environment.  Tables are spread in a way that allows for private conversations. 

Quality of food is great, it feels like a true taste of Algiers. 
Hibiscus tea there is wonderful!! You get the actual hibiscus leaves and true flavor. They also serve honey with their teas which I find fantastic. 
People are friendly and you get the feeling that service is nice from the heart and not because they have to give a good service. 
The upstairs part has a nice natural light---
4 - Tiffany Z.: A great place with character for coffee/tea and lengthy conversations in Harvard Square.

Not pretentious or trendy or cookie-cutter in any way, this coffeehouse with beautiful Arabic influenced decor and woodwork (but not in an over-the-top theme restaurant kind of way) is a perfect spot to get lost in meandering conversations.  The minimalist, barely lit balcony (really just a few tables and chairs) without much of a view provides a sharp contrast but is ideal for getting away from the bustle of Harvard Square.  Tonight, catching up with a couple of friends late into the night, I found myself forgetting that I wasn't on the roofdeck of a friend!

I found the service to be perfect for this type of establishment -- someone takes your order, brings it to you, checks on you a couple of times, but mostly just leaves you be to talk as long as you'd like.  There's certainly no rush to get you to leave.

The espresso/coffee drinks are nicely executed and the tea is passable if not ridiculously overpriced ($4+ for a tiny pot of tea!).  The food (I had the hummus) wasn't as good as I had remembered it being on past visits but it was certainly decent and much healthier than any bar food in the area.

In short, I'd recommend coming here for a cool environment to linger over good coffee/OK tea and maybe, in passing, to grab a bite to eat.  I wouldn't, on the other hand, come here for the primary purpose of eating good food.

[My top choice for an indoor café setting in the Harvard Square area or the patio is an excellent option for getting away from the Harvard Square vibe.]
4 - Josephine L.: This is not the most authentic North African food out there, but it does a decent job. The hummus, baba ganoush and mint tea are all pretty good, if not a little devoid of individualism and creativity. The orange mint hot chocolate is delicious, though, and worth the $4. The couscous stews are pretty savory and perfect for a cold day. I often get the murguez (lamb sausage) wrap, which is wonderfully flavorful and delicious. I docked a star because they used to serve salad with their wraps but have now taken that away while offering nothing else as a substitute and still charging the same price. Not cool.

Where Algiers excels is in atmosphere. The furniture, decor and colors are very reminiscent of a Moroccan cafe and definitely contribute to the laid-back ambiance that permeates throughout. On a warm day, they leave the front door open and the airy breeziness makes you want to linger over your meal for hours. The staff are friendly and never rush you, no matter how busy they are. 

One time I was here, I had the rest of my murguez wrapped up to go. The waitress rolled it up in aluminum foil, then shaped a handle with the rest of the foil to make the entire thing look like a purse. How cool is that?
2 - Carolina S.: The Good: beautiful historic location with lovely romantic middle eastern furnishings.

The Bad: The Arabic coffee was just bleck. And it isn't like I'm not familliar with Arabic coffee. This coffee was just poorly executed.

The Ugly: I came in for breakfast and had eggs and pita bread, etc.
The eggs were over cooked and ice cold with no flavor. And don't get me started on what they charged me for that!

 ::sigh::

It is possible I just really came in on the wrong day and ordered the wrong things, but I'm just not impressed. 
That said, I loved the atmosphere enough that I'm willing to give it another shot.
4 - Sarah G.: Mint coffee or mint hot chocolate? Yes, Please! And I can drink it anywhere in this fabulously decorated cafe? It is these kinds of coffee shops that I strive to find in life, so thanks Algiers for being there. 

Definitely not the cheapest place in the world, especially if you just want to grab a cup of coffee to catch up with a friend. I actually wanted to give this place 3.5 stars because of that. It is about $5 for one cup of mint coffee or hot chocolate here, which just seems a little ridiculous since you don't get a refill or anything and it is literally a normal sized coffee cup. But if you believe in paying for the ambiance through your purchases, than Algiers definitely makes up for it that way. And that mint hot chocolate was pretty delicious too! 

This cafe is multi-leveled and there are tons of tables here scattered about in this middle-eastern style cafe, and just being here makes you feel like you have escaped everything that is Harvard Square.  It is just that unique which definitely will bring me back here. Their food is also not the cheapest but I have heard good things, so perhaps if I am feeling like splurging I will try out a sandwich or two the next time I come here. But this place is perfect for trying out some new teas or coffees and just sitting and chatting and catch up with old friends. And you'll be surprised how quickly the time goes while you're here!
4 - Jillian Y.: Now, I've never been to Algiers.  But I have been to--and lived in--Morocco, and there is something magical about this place that reminds me of it sometimes.  I don't know if it's the couscous (delightfully Moroccan) or the thick Turkish coffee, or the lack of air conditioning, or perhaps even the slightly dodgy ladies' room but sometimes, sitting on the upper level, I am transported back to Fez, if only just for a few minutes.

The downstairs, however, is somehow more like Beirut...it's probably the delicious imported Lebanese wines, or maybe the hummus platter.  Whatever it is, I will keep coming back.
4 - Rachael F.: I visited Algiers for the first time for a late night dinner at the beginning of my freshman year of college.  Since then it's been my default place to bring visitors when we're in Harvard Square, because it's one of the least commercial spots near the shops.

I really love Middle Eastern food, and Algiers has great food.  I've had lunch and dinner there, and it's all been delicious and authentic.  I haven't eaten anything bad here yet.  It's perfect for any occasion:  lunch, dinner, appetizers, and coffee.  The atmosphere is like being transported out of Cambridge to Morocco, but in an authentic way, but a corny way.  

Also, I always order the tea.  It's real tea, no messing around with tea bags, and they have a good variety. Of course, have also HAVE to get hummus.

Complaints:  I've had some meh specialty coffee drinks here, sometimes it's a little pricier than necessary, it's always crowded, the service isn't great.

It's still one of my favorite restaurants in Harvard Square.
5 - Maria P.: This is such a great coffee shop in Harvard square, no wonder it's always packed (then again I usually go here on the weekends so that might explain it). Sit upstairs, it has a much nicer feel to it than the lower floor. It reminds me of the coffee shops back home where you can smoke shisha and just hang out with your friends for hours without ever feeling unwelcome or like you need to leave. I decided to try their food once and the hummus was fantastic. The couscous stew was great too albeit a little too heavy for a summer day. It is quite pricey although I usually try to just order tea or hot chocolate to escape an expensive tab. The service was quite slow and the waitresses aren't great conversationalists (maybe this is a good thing, as it leaves me free to converse with my friends) but the beautiful ambience brings me back every time!
3 - Deni D.: I'm torn. When I first went there 3 years ago algiers became my dream spot. I loved going there and getting the mocha arabica coffee and maybe a dessert and looking around at the usually interesting people sitting around whilst imagining their life stories. I've been there for breakfast and the omelet with a great selection of really good cheeses is really delish, as was this lentil soup i had there once. overall, I have to say the food has always been great and ive  been there on dates, get togethers with long lost friends, birthday lunch with my sister, a bite before hitting the bars, and even alone. i even find the sketch bathroom endearing. BUT. i have to take off two stars because the service is a little subpar and as cool as it is to eavesdrop, i would also like to finish my meal and peace and not think that someone else is trying to creep up on to my table.
4 - Julie F.: The ambiance of this place is great: small tables with nooks to hide in and even a small roof patio.  I went here for lunch and got the majadara: a dish I had never heard of but was enticed by the lentil & rice combination.  I also got an order of Turkish coffee.  The dish was so so good and although $9.50 seemed pricey for lunch, the portion was huge and could easily been 2 meals or split between 2 people.  The coffee was good but for almost $5, seemed a bit steep.  Overall, a pleasant place to hang out with a really unique atmosphere.
4 - alana c.: A roof deck!! Must go for that. A place that's Easily Missed. I hadn't noticed it for years.  A Cool location in harvard sq.
2 - Kate M.: Cute place but the service is TERRIBLE.  We waited forever for everything.  The food is OK but nothing special.
3 - sidanshu g.: Good food. Has a nice roof top patio. You should try the combination salad plate to try out all the good stuff in small portions! A touch expensive but that's what you get to b located at harvard square.
3 - Lorrie V.: The mentha chocolate frappe/iced beverage and mocha coffee were both very very good but over-priced. The waitresses are so pointless... why are they there? It's a coffee shop! Yes you can get over-priced middle-eastern food there too and it did look fairly good... I just really don't want or need a waitress bothering me while i'm drinking a cup of coffee. She was painfully slow too. That was annoying. I'd probably come back here atleast one other time to maybe discover something new and delicious. 3 stars is perfect- it's A-OK.
2 - Jillian G.: 1. I don't like to sit this close to people when I'm eating.

2. I don't like to pay $12 for anything that ends in "wrap"
4 - Hilary S.: Great atmosphere ... love the upstairs with the high ceilings.  Great location in an historic building.  The food I had was tasty if on the oily side and the iced coffee was very nice.  Price high, but service accommodating and no pressure, so you really could hang out here for hours working on that dissertation.
4 - Liz H.: Honestly, at this point in time I think I'd be slightly disappointed (or at least confused) if the service was actually decent. The servers' apathy does have one upside: You generally won't be bothered if you want to nurse a cup of coffee. 

Service gripes aside, their food is pretty darn tasty, if overpriced.  The hummus is good, and this comes from someone who has spent some serious hardcore time in the Middle East/North Africa. Also, the last time I was there, I saw Sam freaking Rockwell, which was pretty neat.
2 - Alyssa B.: Food is great, cider is awesome, but the waitstaff has been increasingly bitchy lately... otherwise I would have given them 4 stars.
5 - Bosle Y.: sit on the top floor and gaze at the ornate somewhat dilapidated surroundings and order an arabic coffee. dont get turkish coffee. arabic coffee has cardamom. pretty sure thats the difference- but straight up this is my favorite place to go and sit in harvard square
3 - Winston G.: Eh, the food is not too impressive at this place, though it might be a good place to get some tea and do some work - there are ample amounts of space with an upstairs and a downstairs area.

I went with the mint tea and the chicken kabob sandwich - the mint tea was good, but I thought a bit overpriced at $4.25 for a small teapot of it.  The chicken kabob sandwich was very average - the chicken is a bit dry, but the hummus is good.  I wish they had chicken sharwarma here, but they do not.  At $12 for the sandwich, it is VERY expensive for what it is - not a good place if you are looking for value.  I would stay away from the sandwich unless you are really hungry and have no other options.
3 - Razel M.: It is a cold windy day in Massachusetts.... and so I walk in to this spot. Also craving some crepes, which can supposedly be found here.

Er, crepes are NOT awesome here (cannot believe I am saying this of *any* crepe). Expensive and blah. Don't bother. Get the baklava or something... Dunno how theirs would taste as I didn't order it, but they have a Mediterranean vibe so I'm guessing it should be better.

Three stars because they have Italian sodas. And service was ok. Liked the ambience too, though yes they could have given each table a little more space.
4 - Mayur K.: We actually entered Algiers to get help in finding another local sandwich place called Hi Rise Bread Company. The staff at Algiers was so nice that they told us about them. As we left, s Algiers' niceness  and the smell of the food and the overall cozy ambience pulled us back in. The lamb kabob sandwich was delicious! Coffee is great! Would go there again.
3 - Lorrie M.: This place has pretty decent coffee, but decent is not really a 4 star rating. I didn't get any backlash from the waitresses or waiters and the barista was ok but everything here is just extremely overpriced.

Two cups of lattes = $10? Really? Since when? Even at most other places I went to which had sizes to their cups it was around $8 ...

Anyway, the to-go cups are small, and they don't really hold up well (they should think about investing in their to go stuff) and they don't give you a cup sleeve unless you look like you're about to drop the coffee because it's so hot and their cup are so thin.

Eh, in the end it served the purpose but I wouldn't come back for coffee.
2 - Lovan C.: Algiers used to be a favorite of mine. I'm not a coffee drinker but loved their Arabic Coffee. I've not been there for 6 months or so, so was very surprised with tonight's visit. The prices have increased & the quality has decreased. We waited over 20min for just 2 coffees and some pastries. Coffee was luke warm and tasted burned. 

With the price increases there are just too many other places in the vicinity with higher quality offerings. Algiers is no longer on our list.
5 - Peter T.: I've been coming to Algiers for over 25 years - since before they were in this location and in a small, cramped spot nearby. So, my five star rating is in part sentimental. This has been one of my favorite coffee houses of all time, even though my sense of nostalgia may, to be honest, be coloring this view.

Anyway, Algiers has great Arabic coffee - which is an extremely rare find. They also have cool sweets, like tasty cookies with date filling.  The baklava is rather mediocre, to be honest and, yes, the service can be nonexistent at times, but this is still one of the coolest places to hang out. It's in the middle of Harvard Square, so the conversations you overhear can be anything from discussions of art criticism, to religious history, to artificial intelligence.  

For something really unique, give it a try!
3 - EC S.: The food and coffee are fine--can be quite good!--but I have a few nagging problems with Algiers:

1. The service.  I don't mind slow service; I often come here BECAUSE of the slow service.  This way I can order only one drink and sit there three hours just because getting the check can take 30 minutes.  However, if you find you need to leave, it can be difficult getting anyone's attention. 
 
2. It's expensive.  I've always liked the things I've ordered, but, really, I think it's something like $3.50 for toast.  Really?  You've gotta be shitting me.

3. It's effing cold upstairs!!  Don't sit at the table next to the elevator thing.  There's a constant breeze coming through the bottom and your feet will be two blocks of ice by the time they finally bring you the check and you can leave. 

Besides all this, I like Algiers.  It's cute and a welcome break from study-type cafes where you're surrounded by people pounding away on their laptops.
4 - Kat A.: The mint coffee is tasty. A great place to have a meal with a friend. Good location.
4 - Sheila S.: This is a cute place to do some work/people watch. The prices are decent, even for the mint tea because they come over (on their own) to fill the pot with water.
5 - Rebecca K.: Came here the other day and completely fell in love. 
I will start off by saying: 1) I don't hang out in Harvard Square that often. It's a lot of fun, but basically just far enough away that it's just out of reach for the "Let's just go to a coffee house and work" kinda outing and 2) I don't actually drink coffee. (Yeah, I know, I'm soooo weird.)

Anyway, even keeping those two things in mind, I loved this place for so many many reasons.

* The decor - adorable. The space inside is way larger than it appears from the outside, extending up two floors where they manage to cram in as many tables as possible, yet still manage to end up making you feel as if you have enough personal space. 
* The menu. Huge and with lots of options. As I said, I don't drink coffee and I'm not a huge tea drinker, so it can be challenging for me to find something to drink at coffee shops. Not here, there were many many things for me to choose from all that sounded equally delicous. I do appreciate that. 
* Prices were affordable.
* Service was pretty good. They may have aired a bit on the cautious side of not checking in (there was a bit of a wait for the check), but for the most part, I felt as though they were attentive enough without being intrusive. Especialy when we only ordered one drink each and stayed for a long time. Never felt any pressure to leave.
* The clientele - these are my people! Such fun, interesting people all looking as though they are working on such fun, interesting things all tucked into the nooks and crannies. Can I be friends with all of you? 

So, at the end of the day, Algiers may still be that little bit too far to make regular trips to, but you can bet that if I find myself a-wandering in the general area, it will be on the top of my list for places to duck into.
4 - Simon L.: High school. Smoking in public in a restaurant  - clouds of smoke, wafting and swirling into the heights of the ceiling. Dim lighting, coffee, rainy Saturday afternoons. Pouring rain. For hours on end did we sit at the Algiers. Books were read, essays proofed. I haven't been here since then but not much has changed aside from the smoking.  The coffee was excellent - double espresso latte. Thick luscious foam with deep rich espresso. Café Americano. There's a reason it's still around. The menu seems to be the same although we didn't try any food today, just coffee. Friendly waitress  - give it some time, if you're in a rush, head to starbucks. Bring a book here and just sit. Good people watching.
3 - huong n.: good enough for mom, good enough for me.

my mom and i were walking around harvard square and  we stopped here for a break.  we had mint tea and an almond cookie.  we were on the second floor.  the interior is pretty but the tables are too close to each other - felt like the guy from mission impossible when i was navigating between people and tables.

i would come back here for the mint tea.
4 - Annie C.: Nice little spot to stop in and take shelter from Harvard Square for a cup of coffee or mint tea. I'm no huge tea fan, but ever since I've traveled in Morocco for a month I have a soft spot for mint tea.

Algiers definitely serves up the classic mint tea that I've crave. They also have some jet-fuel like Arabic/Turkish coffee on the menu that I'm also partial to. The atmosphere is a bit hectic and crowded depending on where you get seated. But the layout/structure of the building is super cool as there's a big opening under a skylight that goes from the first to second floor. 

Basically, a nice little spot to stop in or bring a date for a coffee. Not for the reading/lingering types though. I'd feel sort of awkward if I hunkered down with a book or notebook for 3-4 hours as it gets pretty busy in there.
5 - maya s.: I might be a bit biased b/c i actually signed my closing docs for my first home in this place. Despite being a complete ball of nerves, i was able to eagerly down their fantasic hummus platter, which is HUGE.

I love the hummus, combination platter (hummus, baba ghanush, tabouli etc, the peasant salad is huge, full of healthy cabbage and other greens, and the lamb anything.  

They are open late which is a luxury in the square, have amazing tea (my favorite is the hibiiscus), and surprisingly good wine (we went for the traditional red, lebanese wine). At $13, the combo plate is a steal to share with a friend.  

My only complaint, is that this is definitly a sit back and relax, enjoy your meal slowly kind of place. If u are in a rush, and have a fixed amount of time to eat, be served, and pick up the check, this might not be the spot for you.
3 - Lynn D.: --Cappuccino average.  The foam was poorly made.
--Atmosphere (at least down stairs where I sat) pretty uninviting.  My table had some sort of sticky substance on it that was not going to come off even if I were to have one of the employees attempt to clean it.
--Expensive (especially when you include gratuity for table service)
--No wi-fi (what is the deal with coffee houses not offering wi-fi?)
--I'll likely try this place one more time, but if I'm not impressed, I won't be coming back.
3 - R R.: Alright, I am ONLY giving this place 3 stars for the atmosphere. I could live there within it's lovely walls if I I wasn't crammed in, elbow to elbow, like a sardine- if sardines had elbows.

Okay, I could live there only if I could sustain myself with contraband sandwiches, cookies, and tea from home because this place is overpriced with a capital $$. 

My tiny $4 Earl Grey was tasty, but sad. Sad because it cost $1 for 2 rinky dink serv pacs of honey! Sad because it became over-steeped without a decent way to separate the tea leaves from the teeny tiny pot. Sad because the $2.50 apricot cookie that accompanied it was small, dry and decidedly apricot-less. 
 
I really want to like this place, but the overwhelming sadness it's tea and cookie have produced has prevented this. Boo.
4 - Betts C.: So cute.

That is the first thing that came to me upon walking into Algiers. The place is just bloody adorable, and I couldn't help myself. And yes, it's a bit cramped. But somehow, between the decor and the incredible old ceiling, it manages to have the best light and atmosphere of anywhere I've found in Cambridge. Ok, yes, it's cramped. One doesn't exactly feel the comfort to spread, but for a girl who spent a lot of time in crowded corner cafes in NY, this is ok. At least no one is angry about it (at least most of the time).

The waitstaff is slightly harried, but in a nice kind of way- they are usually a bit busy, and especially if you're sitting upstairs, there are only a couple of people working quite a large number of tables, so over the lunch hours it can get a little slow. Another plus, however, is that even over the busiest hours, you never feel the pressure to move on.

The food is pretty good- the hummus especially is worth the effort, and it's scads of food. The next time I'm there, I may just eat hummus. The chicken kebab sandwich is yummy, and I'm excited to eat the lamb. The sandwiches also come with a perfectly good, very fresh salad, which made me happy. My partner for lunch had a hamburger, which she also gave two thumbs up.

And then there's the tea. In case you haven't read any other reviews, they have seriously good mint tea. Yes, it's $4 for a small pot, but you can ask for refills on hot water and keep the leaves going for two or three pots. 

It is for these reasons that Algiers is rapidly becoming my favorite new place to go, spend some time, read something, or meet a friend. It's a great location, atmosphere and the place is a little quirky, and  all that comes with occasional challenges (like tight spaces). But I would vote that it's entirely worth putting up with those.
5 - Jessica S.: WOW I never though I'd find a coffee shop so good. the mint tea is great. It's real mint leaves, comes in a pot a s strainer. Not so many places have that. 
The atmosphere's great. It is so vintage, and unique. Love the upstairs, and the openness of the place. 
Beside the mint tea, I had a sandwich. It was really good and the pita bread was grilled, which gave it that delicious crispy taste. 
Definitely recommend you, if you're around Harvard have a bite there, or just a drink.
5 - Lindsey J.: This is a cafe after my heart, I swear.

I may like it so much because it reminds of me Cafe Regio in the village in Manhattan, with its light menu, extensive coffee drinks and hodge podge the vintage decor. There is something so endearing about a buzzing, stress free, sort of haphazard and nonchalant cafe experience. The waitresses are attentive enough, getting you the tea-coffee-food like you order, but they aren't over bearing. They aren't here to dote on you. This is a no frills kind of place. Grab menus, head up stairs to the domed seating area, and linger. They don't mind if you just order a tea. They will refill your hot water from time to time too. Or come with more people and feast on relatively inexpensive dishes. You can stay for as long or as little as you want. 

Since our cafe/coffee culture is now so focused on fast food these days, with starbucks just like McDonalds in green and black colors, I enjoy Algiers Coffee House exactly because it is what it is: a not so serious true coffee house.
4 - Remy-Anne V.: I was celebrating nye 2010 in boston..so my memory may not be the sharpest. But one things for sure is that I definitely enjoyed this place!

My friend and I were walking around Boston trying to find a place to eat and get warm away from the 14 degrees and snow! He yelped this and the rest was history...

Food wise- I honestly don't remember what I had since it was over a year ago. But what I do remember having was their hot chocolate. This was awesome. Just the right amount and balance of sweetness and the ratio of whip cream on top. Quite tasty and comforting on a chilly winter night.

Interior design wise- this place is so cute and a bit small, but quaint. Reminds me of a cross between Aladdin meets Central Park cafe from Friends. It's a two story building and we sat on the first floor. What i loved most was the view from where we sat. We were able to look up the stairway to the ceiling, the architectural design and patterns were exquisite.

Thanks Yelp for the good find!
4 - Julia F.: Want a place to hold a complete conversation over a good meal, cup of incredibly good coffee, or anything inbetween? Go to Algiers. You can hear yourself think here, and while the service is usually a bit sluggish, sometimes a little too slow, but bring a good conversation, and you are set up for success.

I like the food a lot, it was one of my favorite places to meet up with friends after work and relax with a meal and or a latte. 

Tired of feeling cooped up? Go out on the patio. It's teeny, yes. It's not a great place to people watch (unless you are into staring at the table next to you...) but it's a great place to enjoy the weather and a quiet meal. This is one of the most casually intimate places to dine that I have frequented for the past few years. 

I really really like the couscous plate/meal, I can't remember what they call it. But it tastes like what my mum used to make all the time when I was growing up. Hummus, also very good. 

Did I mention the coffee? It can't be beat. Though you may be tempted to get a dessert after your meal, I would stick just to the coffees, the cakes are all seemingly frozen, so... Stick to the stuff they make there.
2 - Maura C.: I've been here several times, and the first few times really enjoyed it.  It's a bit over-priced, but the atmosphere is great and the drinks are usually very good.  The food is OK, nothing extraordinary.  I went today and had the worst service yet.  It was busy, so I understand the waitresses were overworked.  But twenty minutes before getting a coffee and cider is ridiculous, and my friend and I got up to leave after over a half hour waiting for baba ganoush.  We finally mentioned it to the one waitress who was actually upstairs, and she was going to check on it - when no news came back we decided to give up.  As we went downstairs to ask for the check, our waitress brought us the food and we ate it on the bus.  By the way, it took several minutes to get the bill as I stood there, ready to leave, after being promised I'd be taken care of right away.
4 - Steve S.: This is a perfect place to grab a cup of coffee with a friend, study, or just get a good falafel. It's a really cool-looking building right in Harvard Square. The coffee is GREAT. Yes it's a bit expensive, but they had one of the best cups of latte that I'd ever had. The falafel wrap that I had was delicious and inexpensive. The only problem is the 2nd floor where I ate was a bit crammed, but you have to remember that it's a coffee house. If you get past that, you'll be delighted in this quaint little cafe in the heart of Harvard Square.
3 - Sara H.: Algiers is a bit off the beaten track in terms of frequently visited cafes in Harvard Square. I've never had a hard time getting a table here. I prefer the atmosphere upstairs. In the summer, there is a little patio on the second floor that gets great sun and is a wonderful place to grab lunch, coffee, or a late afternoon glass of wine. 

The food is delicious. I highly recommend the combination salad plate that comes with tabouli, hummus, and baba ganoush. The only downside for me is that I've seen them up their price over the years and I think $4 is a little ridiculous for a cup of mint tea, even if the leaves are fresh. Also, no wireless. Keep this in mind if you come planning to do work.
4 - Sofia B.: The pina colada was delightfully refreshing. The killer was the lamb sausage plate with (what must have been freshly ground) hummus. Perfect. The waitresses were very friendly and helpful in plate description, keeping the pita basket and my glass of water full.
Downside? Price. The delicious plate was about 17 dollars. (The sandwich option is about 7 dollars cheaper!)
4 - Priya L.: Ok.  I know there are mixed reviews here.  But I've had two great experiences at Cafe Algiers and felt the need to share.

The first was just a brief coffee with a few colleagues - coffee came quickly, the Turkish coffee with chocolate was crazy strong and crazy good, and the place was deserted on a weekday morning so we actually got decent service.  In this case, I like it when we're left alone...as long as we can actually find someone when we want to leave.

The second time, I hung out for a few hours doing work in between meetings in Harvard Square and again, found the place deserted on a weekday around lunchtime.  I had the fantastic Hummus Adjami (their amazing hummus with roasted vegetables and chicken in a die-for sauce).  This was absolutely one of the best things I've put in my mouth.

I don't love that it was a little hard to get the waitress' attention, their tables are super rickety and the place feels ridiculously cramped.  Yes, their prices are high, but whose aren't?  I'm definitely going back for more hummus.
1 - Ulli R.: What a let down. Maybe we caught them on a bad day, but the food was so tasteless and somewhat stale, that we won't go back for a second chance. Total dissapppointment.
4 - Justin H.: Friendly service, tasty falafel wrap, and arabian coffee served in a rustic steel coffee container make Algiers a Harvard Square favorite.

Wood laden, ye old bar comfortable ambiance add to the charm.

Free wifi is nice, and when the weather calls the outside deck on the 2nd floor is the spot to be.

One of the best signs of a quality establishment- I've had several meaningful conversations over plates of tasty food, both worth remembering and hearty reasons to return in the future.
4 - Michelle L.: I've been here a lot for leisurely meetings and get-togethers. Cafe Algiers is a Harvard Square standout for me simply because it's never been too crowded and service is never rushed. Which can work both ways: you might wait a while for you server, but you'll never be pushed out the door, either. You're free to linger for hours on a pot of (delicious) mint tea, and they'll top off your pot with more hot water if you'd like, too. 

In addition to the mint tea, I recommend the merguez (spicy lamb sausage). It's made in-house and is damn tasty.
2 - Deanna D.: Algiers is a well decorate, cute, and inviting cafe conveniently located in Harvard Sq. The top floor was quite and had lots of open seating which was great for studying or reading. The service was a bit slow but friendly.
Unfortunately, they served one of the worst latte's I've ever had. It had no foam, luke warm milk, and weak espresso....and it was $4.50! It looked and tasted more like a cafe au late so I asked the server if this was a latte and she said yes....hence confirming my worst latte award. 
I'm a big fan or local coffee houses & don't mind paying for good coffee but this was overpriced for the quality so 2 stars for the ambiance, 0 stars for the latte. I may come back to try some Arabic coffee since it a very cute & charming cafe, but I won't be rushing back anytime soon.
4 - Emil T.: This place has the best middle eastern/arabic food around Cambridge. Great hummus ajami and mujaddara and excellent mint tea.
4 - Aaron S.: I had the hot orange min chocolate and my partner had the mint coffee. We split a baklava. Both drinks came with the requisite copious amounts of whipped cream. The combo of orange and chocolate works...and the combo of mint and chocolate. So orange, mint, and chocolate? Amazing! Wish the baklava was bigger give it's price tag. A little cramped but great atmosphere. Loved all the stylized arabic calligraphy.

Cons- mens room felt unclean. But the mustache drawn on the mirror makes up for it. Sorta.
5 - Timothy P.: Such a pleasant atmosphere/ambiance, and a nice selection of teas, coffees, and smoothies. I'm not a big coffee drinker, so it's nice to be able to "grab coffee" with friends and have such a variety of drink options.

I really appreciate the wait staff doesn't push you out as soon as you've finished your drink. And I appreciate that--while small and cozy-feeling on the one hand, there are plenty of seats and little nooks so you don't feel crammed or pressured to leave.
5 - Lauren M.: A great place to go and catch up with friends.  HUMMUS PLATE AMAZINGNESS.
4 - Betsy A.: Keeping it simple, the food is good but not mind blowing but the ambiance and excellent friendly service more than make up for it. 
I would recommend stopping by to study/work and grab their excellent Orange Mint Hot Chocolate. It's delicious!
3 - Mimi X.: Algiers is one of the few coffee places in Harvard Square where you don't have to lurk creepily next to people who are on the last bites of their sandwich, hoping to grab their table. There is always plenty of room here, and It's surprisingly beautiful inside with funky decorations, an open foyer, and a deck upstairs. Seat yourself at one of their octagonal tables, and never feel rushed to leave.

As for food: HUMMUS HUMMUS HUMMUS. Served with olive oil, a dash of paprika, fresh cucumbers, and strips of pita, chickpeas never tasted so good. The kebab sandwiches are also a good choice for something more filling, and they come with a tangy side salad to quench your veggie quota.

One drawback is that service can be very slow, but I feel sorry for the waitresses who have to schlep up and down the stairs. Algiers seems severely understaffed, so don't expect to get in and out quickly. But if you're not in a rush and want a leisurely(turkish) coffee, stop in.
4 - Ed B.: Algiers is what a coffee house should be - a place where you can always find a place to sit, get a decent cup of coffee or tea (with refills) and linger over a book or a conversation without feeling uncomfortable or rushed. As others have commented, the service can be a bit slow, but it's always pleasant and if you are in a rush this is the wrong place to be. 

The food is good, not great. The merguez sausage was excellent one time, average the next. The coffee and lattes have always been very good.
5 - Mercedes V.: I discovered Algiers today & love it! The atmosphere is very nice. There are 2 floors, high ceilings, and I loved the decor: colorful & eclectic. The service was exceptional. Everyone was so nice and attentive. Some people were eating and enjoyed the full menu and others were drinking coffee & doing work. I came to do work & was fine. It was a little loud but I had my headphones in and was fine. 

Extra Plus's - an outdoor deck, air conditioning inside (which I especially enjoyed b/c I went on a Hot, summer day), AND it's open late (which is rare in Boston).
4 - Kelly M.: There's a vibe here that's sort of "Seat yourself; we'll be there in a minute," and I don't say that in a negative way. It's an unfussy and welcome relief from the scenester coffee shops you can easily find in the area. They have excellent hummus; that alone is worth a visit. The best thing about Algiers, however, is the upstairs deck. You might as well be in a treehouse with some tea or a glass of wine: you can be outside enjoying a lovely summer evening in Harvard Square but without, you know, sitting outside on a Harvard sidewalk.  (The only drawback to this is if you are sensitive to hookah smoke, as it sometimes wafts up from the downstairs tables.)

They've got some awesome-looking old school espresso and coffee machines near the registers. You should also look up, immediately upon stepping in the front door, and check out the mirrored details on the architecture.

Bring a book; bring a good friend; bring a desire to relax and enjoy some deliciousness.
4 - Madeline C.: Great hummus, great pastries (I'm a fan of their scones) and I just tried an excellent baba ganoush. Also a lovely atmosphere and environment; discovering the outdoor second floor deck was such a lovely and unexpected surprise. 

Slight drawback: For the quantity of food most of the items strike me as slightly overpriced.
3 - Alex Z.: I unfortunately did not have the four/five-star experience that some have lauded this place for. As far as coffee goes, its a bust. This is not the best place for quality coffee, but rather a nice, cozy place to enjoy it. I haven't seen it packed before, apparently people really hunt for seats during peak hours.

They're food is a whole different story. Next time I go (if), I'll be sure to sit down and sample their menu, because I've heard great things about their hummus and sandwiches. Perhaps my review will deserve an update after that.
4 - chanda a.: I love this place, the ambience, the coffee, and the desserts are great.

I gave four stars because it is expensive. A small cup of coffee and a small dessert would easily go over 10$. But, the good thing is that one can sit there for hours literally and no one will bother you. Perhaps that is the reason, they charge more for the coffee.

I love the middle eastern feel of the cafe, it always reminds me of the cafe next to the La Grande Mosquée de Paris, similar feel.

Great place to meet a friend for a long chat, or to sit and read a book and do some work.

Also, the lamb sandwhich and the bebusa are really yummy.
4 - Grace F.: A little pricey, but great coffee and vibe at Algiers. Went here on a hot summer day with my friends to get iced coffee. The iced mint mocha was just right (I worked as a barista for years and I'm pretty picky). On the second floor there is a tiny porch off to the side. It doesn't get much better than drinking a delicious iced coffee with friends on a nice porch in Harvard Square.
4 - Shelly K.: i love this place! it's a hidden gem.
the ambiance is one of the things i love most about this place - especially the upstairs. low-key, fun, warm, also has an upstairs deck area. i haven't tried their food, but they have some interesting drink options if you are brave enough to try them.
the mint tea, orange hot chocolate, and coffee are really tasty! the only reason why i didn't give it 5 stars is because i didn't know enough - like the food, desserts, etc.
4 - Randy O.: Algiers is another of my Harvard Square favorites. Pop in and sit upstairs. You can sit and chat and sip tea or coffee (or have a small bite to eat) for as long as you want. Watch students and couples come and go. It's hard to be stressed here.

The ambiance really does feel like a spot you'd find in Algiers. It's worth a visit.
4 - Jasmine K.: Fine food, great service, wonderful atmosphere, but bit pricy.

The service and the atmosphere is amazing. Nice and quite, and so much seating. There is some outdoor seating where you can look down at the people strolling over Brattle St, and the interior is so nice on the second floor.

The combo salad plate was delicious. I definetely reccomend it because you get hummus, tabioli, fafalel, lentils&rice, and something with eggplant, with LOTS of pita bread. You get EVERYTHING. The lentil&rice was wonderful. 
The rest was delicious too but for hummus and tabioli, I prefer Andala coffee @ central Sq. I mean, Algiers was delicious too, but Andala's hummus and tabioli was exceptional for me. Of course it may be just my preference.

I also thought the price a bit on the expensive side, cause at Andala's the combo is $8, here it is $16. OK, I have to admit maybe the problem is that I love Andala too much.

Still, Algiers is very close to Harvard Sq, the atmosphere is exceptional, lots of room to sit, so I will be coming back!

I see the coffee and pastries and sweets are praised highly here, so I hope to try those next time!
5 - Dave J.: I really liked this place. Terrific cup of coffee (a bit small, but tasty), and the service was exceptional. The ladies working the counter where I sat were fun, cheerful and asked about my day. I love friendly people and friendly places, so for this road warrior who stays in a different city every week...this place was terrific.
3 - Kristin J.: I had the chicken skewer sandwich and mint tea, and my friend had the falafel plate and mint tea.

Mint tea was delicious, and they gave us free hot water for the pots after we had finished our firsts. I enjoyed my chicken sandwich- the meat was well seasoned, juicy, and there was a lot of it, the sandwich was dressed with a good amount of tahini, and I really liked the very thin, warm, and slightly crunchy pita bread it came wrapped in. My friend found her entree a bit skimpy, particularly given the price, and it seemed like she got a really paltry amount of fries- the plate looked bare.

The waitresses were pleasant, but seemed a bit overwhelmed (or maybe understaffed), and it was hard to get their attention.

I've already come back again for the delicious mint tea. I will definitely return to sample some of the other food items.
4 - Logan J.: first of all, the inside of this place is worth a visit.  its a great quiet place to grab a snack and a drink on a slow day.  i havent eaten a full meal here, but what i can comment on is the delicious hot chocolate.  this hot chocolate is so deliciously rich and is like nothing youve ever tasted.  it tastes like they melted down a chocolate bar and mixed a drop of milk in with it.  be warned, its very, very rich.
3 - May M.: The coffee was pretty fantastic.  The food is slightly over-priced for middle eastern fare.  The reason why this place did not get more stars was the obnoxious service.  The asian waitress was very brusque and seem harried when the place was not remotely packed.  Her demeanor was also rough when asking about the coffee choices available.  She works is a place in the center of Harvard Sq.  She cannot afford to be so impolite.  I guess I'll be going back to one of the dozens of other coffee places in Harvard.
2 - Bonnie S.: Yes, the decor is really nice, and the food IS good. But really, $10 for a hummus plate? $15 for falafel? $4 for a tiny pot of tea? Ridiculous. The food wasn't good enough to qualify for it being twice the price it should be. Service was just ok- one of the waitresses was very nice and accommodating, but the other never refilled our tea, brought ketchup when we said we didn't want it, and never smiled once.
If they cut their prices in half, I'd give this place a 4 star rating.
4 - Katharine S.: A little overpriced, but the ambiance Algiers cultivates is divine.  If I ever find myself in Cambridge again I'll make a bee-line for this cafe.
2 - Eric S.: Good food. Everything else, leaves much to be desired. Slow service and way overpriced. $4.25 for wholewheat toast and $3.25 to add a few ham flakes to my omelette? I go there every few years. If I'm meeting folks at the Brattle ( right next door) and remind myself why exactly it's been a few years since my previous visit. If your not in a rush and money isn't an issue, I recommend but me and a friend met there a few minutes to 11 for brunch and made it next door with a few minutes to spare for our noon movie ( Algiers was NOT crowded).
4 - Austin R.: I came in here on a whim and got a mint Orange hot chocolate. It was amazing...
4 - Kristeen A.: Their orange mint hot chocolate was divine, great atmosphere, the only downside was I waited 25 minutes to get my hot chocolate.
2 - Eric F.: Lousy espresso drinks.  My cappuccino's milk froth was much too thick and the espresso itself tasted burnt.  Combine this with spotty, awkward service and cramped quarters and you have one really lackluster coffeehouse.
4 - Elizabeth G.: After living in Cambridge for three years I somehow never thought to stop into this little gem of a restaurant/café.  It's got a great location right in the middle of Harvard Square and is itself a beautiful building. I finally stopped in to grab lunch and coffee with a friend and was charmed by the place.  You climb up narrow set of stairs to the upstairs room with a strange angled ceiling and tiny little booths that are surrounded by windows overlooking a bustling Brattle Street.  They have free wi-fi so I've ended up coming back to do some work a few times and loved the upstairs attic feel of this place. You almost feel as though you're in some secret palace upstairs.  There usually isn't music playing so it just has the subtle sounds of a café, which makes it a great place to catch up with a friend.  The dishes are all Mediterranean/Middle-Eastern influence - while I probably sound naïve grouping those together, it really did seem as if the menu had a bit of both.  The hummus is delicious and the salads are usually quite tasty as well.  Overall, it's not too expensive and is never too crowded. I definitely was thrilled to finally find this gem after overlooking the place almost everyday.
5 - Siddhartha V.: Where should I start? The first one will find the precedence due to obvious reasons. But I dont want the rest to feel dejected so I will refrain from naming them individually. a collective announcement is what I have in mind. This cafe is as great as it can get. Everything about it is pitch perfect. May be because this was my first visit. But nevertheless it shouldnt stop me from writing a good review or should it? Visit it yourself to experience it.
5 - Samuel F.: How did I miss this place for so long?  The food is very tasty, and I liked the relaxing atmosphere.  Showed up late on a weekday, and the place was surprisingly almost empty despite the location.

An extra star because I love a place where you can get good breakfast food late at night.
3 - jun k.: Came here a few times and I like it because it's secluded and it's a great place to chat with someone.

Not a fan of their espresso mocha... or their really thick coffee.. or their honey cake. 

DID like their mint coffee.

I'd come here to study.
4 - Matt S.: Tea and coffee and food are first rate. But why so dirty? I'm sure the massive cockroach that sauntered out once to greet me and my guest would agree. (At least, he would if he hadn't been scooped up by a waitress. And when the same thing happened at a place in Chicago, my wife and I got free dessert--so why so cheap?)

Minus two stars for that, so still four. I know they're almost everywhere. But they shouldn't be when I'm there.

Of course I'll still go back.
4 - Erin H.: Ah, the old standby. It's always there to love me.  This place is great.  The service is slow sometimes, but the food is great, and the Arabic coffee is divine.  There is always beautiful classical music playing, and the space is so soothing, I like to write here and just people-watch.  There are always cute boys on the upper floor.  Lots of intense intellectual conversations.  Oh, one more thing: in the summer, the balcony is sweeet: great place for a first date that won't set you back (too much)!
2 - Cassy H.: Drink & food: Typical and overpriced. I ordered mint coffee and baklava as my Sunday afternoon treat. The coffee arrived with lots of whipped cream on top with mint syrup. The coffee itself tasted alright, nothing amazing... the whipped cream was a bit unnecessary and mint syrup was eh... lame. The baklava was meh as well... not as moist as I wanted it to be. The bill came out to be $10-- definitely not reasonable.

Service: You walk in the store... the waitresses ask you, "How many?" You tell them. They tell you, "Great, grab and menu and sit anywhere you want." It's not your typical coffee house where you order, grab your drink, and sit. It's more like a restaurant setup. Anyway, my waitress was great, so no complaints there. 

It's a 2 star mainly, b/c of how typical everything tasted and yet it was super expensive. Plus, there's no wi-fi, so don't bother bringing your laptop to browse the internet... perhaps, a book or reading for class would do, but definitely no internet. =/
2 - Randall M.: Unfortunately the place is souring rapidly. I've been coming here for a while and while I used to appreciate the ambiance and food, the service has been consistently worsening for a while now. I needed a quick drink while on a break from a class at Cambridge Center for Adult Education. Came in and sat at the bar in front of the entrance hoping to order quickly to go. One waitress noticed me yet decided to continue writing her checks, yes, checks, not a check. Second one, same story, third one, the same - all aware of my presence but apparently too busy/ignorant to ask whether I needed anything.  Finally I heard an unpleasant "Are you ready??" - well, not like I have been looking at the menu or appeared undecided. I asked for a hot apple cider to go. Five minutes later I receive a four ounce (!), poorly steamed drink. "$4.50 please, but I don't have a change", I hear from the waitress. Well, here you go, don't worry 'bout it, I say while paying, and leave. Sorry Algiers, you need to get your food service fundamentals straight.
4 - Barbra B.: Looked this place up on Yelp at Logan Airport when I was in Boston a few months ago and loved it!   My requirements were a cool cafe with WiFI near the train station in Harvard Square that had coffee and pastries and an interesting atmosphere, (you know, something to write home about).  I had half a day in Boston to do some work on my computer, it was pouring rain that day so no touring, before heading to my sister's house in Providence.  This place fit the bill and was definitely worth writing home about.

I had the mint coffee and it was good, not the best ever but good.  The ambience (old books on shelves above the tables, cool lamps, maps and photos of Algeria from different points in history, old house converted to cafe) and the staff (appeared to be a family who worked there, including an older man who was cleaning the tables).   

So, here's to Yelp leading you to find a place you would only stumble upon (if it wasn't raining of course!)
5 - shoaib a.: Came here for some some coffee with a buddy on a Tuesday night. Having been my first coffee experience in Cambridge, I came away quite happy with my visit to Algiers. Seeing as their name comes from a North African city, I ordered the Arabic (Turkish) coffee. The waitress was good enough to ask me how much sugar to pack in the coffee rather than leave me with sugar to pour into my cup later. I told her I didn't want any sugar and so that's what I got!

The decor has a nice North African/ Middle eastern vibe. All in all, a fine coffee shop in a very cool part of Cambridge.
3 - Camille R.: Falafel was pretty good. Prices are high and the staff are jerks.
3 - Emmanuel S.: A nice place for coffee or brunch, a little noisy though.
Their middle eastern food is actually very good and authentic, though the portions are usually pretty small. A little over-priced, but a nice experience overall.
5 - Sutanuka L.: OMG... love this place. it's got so much character and the coffee is to die for !!
2 - Cy F.: Ok, I came for dinner. First impression is the place is quaint inside (in a good way) save the bathroom, which is disgusting, please paint and remove the graffiti. The waitress was very pleasant and very helpful. I started with the hummus, which was pretty good. I then had the lamb kabob for my main dish. Here the lamb was a small portion, small mediocre pieces and overcooked. The rice and side salad were underwhelming as well.
2 - Alan Y.: The two stars I'm giving refer primarily to the service. I arrived here at around 10PM on a Friday night with a group of friends. The waitress we had was extremely impatient with our group as we were trying to order. I had ordered two scrambled eggs with toast, which was decent enough. However, she never got ketchup for me even when I asked for it. She also gave us the check when most of us were not even halfway done eating. She seemed to want us to leave as quick as possible, which is not something a coffeeshop should push.
4 - Aboud Y.: Beautiful, historic space to grab some tea/coffee and perhaps a flaky baklava.  

I wouldn't necessarily recommend any of the food items/entrees (they are mostly just ok), but for tea/coffee and a nice place to hit the books I give Algiers the 4 star nod.
3 - Saira K.: You come here for the scene, to read, and to have tea - NOT (as I learned) to eat. The lamb kebab with couscous was disappointing - overpriced, but only because it was dry and bland, and the service was aloof. I returned a few days later with the books. This time, I ordered mint tea, which was all right, and the bassbousa (or harissa), which was too syrupy. Yes, it is overpriced, the food is disappointing, and the service lacking. But it is beautiful. Ah, objectification?!  I did try to somehow find this place's soul, but I couldn't.
4 - Amanda T.: Love the prices, staff and menu options. They are really good about letting you sit, but also check in to see if you need anything. My only criticism is they charge for refills on coffee.... but really, if that's the worst thing, they're doing alright in my book!
5 - Nandanie R.: An absolutely divine place in Harvard Square.

Enjoyed the decor, a bite of chocolate cake, and shared some house mint tea with peeps. 

DEFINITELY returning very soon....

lovelovelovelovelove it....
3 - Eric A.: Coffee & tea are great but service is questionable.  The waitress bumped our glass of water and spilled it all over me.  It took her a moment before she (1) placed the check on the table, (2) apologized, and (3) finally asked if I'd like a napkin.  I understand that these things happen -  I am fairly clumsy and spill things on everyone myself - but I was surprised with her reaction.  If earlier that day, you had asked me what I would expect a classy place like Algiers to do when this happens, I would have expected some combination of: (1) comp my iced tea, (2) bring out a free muffin or something, or (3) proactively give me napkins.  Fortunately, it was sunny out so I didn't catch a chill, and my jeans dried quickly.
3 - Rachel F.: Algiers Coffee House is a beautiful, charming place in Harvard Square.  While in Boston, I met up with an old friend for breakfast here.  The food was nothing special (I had an omelette and my friend had two biscotti).  My latte was nice, but nothing outstanding.  But the decor was lovely, the ambiance quite peaceful.  A wonderful place to linger and catch up.
4 - Katie S.: This is one of my favorite spots in Cambridge, and by far, my favorite spot in Harvard Square. As the Square's foot traffic waxes and wanes outside, the crowd at Cafe Algiers seems to stay the same - never dead, never overflowing, always enough room to have an audible conversation or get lost in a book by yourself. I always sit upstairs, sometimes on the balcony, but more often, at one of the tables next to the railing looking downstairs for maximum people watching and window light. The architecture is beautiful and the vibe peaceful. Once they were playing an opera (softly) through the sound system, and I almost died of bliss.

As far as food goes, I recommend the hummus plate - their hummus is my gold-standard for smoothness and creamy flavor, and the pita always seems fresh. (If you're feeling indulgent, get the hummus and swap the pita for homemade french fries instead. Yum!) They serve breakfast all day and have other entree items, like a lamb sandwich and falafel. I rarely venture past the hummus (big plate and very filling), but have found the other foods to be just average. The drinks are also pretty good.

Unfortunately, as for service, I've had some pretty mixed experiences at Algiers. Once, my spouse and I waited over 40 minutes for the check (eventually going downstairs to ask), and otherwise, the staff can be flaky. But this isn't the kind of place I go to for the service - I go to hang out, because the place feels like an escape. And the high-brow graffiti in the women's room is pretty amusing, too.
3 - Sue K.: Sat us next to the women's bathroom. Was lovely to listen to the patrons do their business and flush while enjoying our tea and coffee. 

The tea was quite delicious though, and the architecture was very nice. I liked the open circle balcony hole woodyness.
4 - Qichen Z.: Coffee is mediocre to okay, but I usually came here to study and read quietly on the weekends. They have really fast service, on the bright side. Their location in Harvard Square is prime. The inside is a little crowded which makes for clumsy maneuvering, but the outside seating area is really nice on days with good weather so you can people watch.
2 - Anna Y.: Algiers, like a $5.99-jumper-two-sizes too big on sale at Urban Outfitters, I want and try so desperately to love you. I really do. You have a great spot right off Brattle Square and your brick exterior is charming. Your windowed 2nd floor brings promises of a prime spot to agonize over a paper while O.D.-ing on cups and pots of coffee and tea.

But like that jumper, no matter how I many times I try you on, I just can't seem to make you work for me. I've tried your coffee on several occasions and it was just genrally weak and flavorless. On the first attempt, I hopefully ordered your mint-flavored coffee to-go. I don't know what I was expecting, but I certainly didn't expect the barista to squeeze a shot of some radioactive-green supposedly-mint flavored coagulated syrup to the top of my cup, lidding it without even stirring or mixing the syrup in. On my first sip, I was greeted with a mouthful of that hulk-green slime. Eww. It wasn't strong and it tasted like some sort of herb, but it certainly wasn't mint and I will live a long and happy life if I don't have to taste that ever again. The other times I had to sit down at this establishment, I found the tables really sticky, even for a cafe. 

In terms of ambiance and audience, this place caters to an eclectic, strong hipster/european exchange student crowd. In other words, what you can generally expect from Harvard Square mix. It's great for students, but I once walked in in a suit (long story) and felt really conscious and out of place. 


For the price of the drinks here, I'd much rather go to Crema Cafe, Burdicks, or even Peet's around the street for a decent drink. One of the only reasons I come back is that you happen to be a prime meeting spot, mainly due to the fact that there are always seems to be an open table. Wonder of wonders.
5 - Monica J.: I miss this place so much from my college days. One of my all-time favorite sandwich, hummus, tabbouli, middle eastern food restaurants.  I used to bring all my out-of-town friends here for a meal, and every single one gave two thumbs up to both the food and ambience.
4 - Jiehua W.: I love the food at this place, especially the wraps. Their mint coffee is quite good, though I wish it wasn't lukewarm. Portions are small for the price, but it's Harvard Square so that's expected. I've come here with a group of friends for late-night chatting as well as by myself to study. Needless to say, the place was way too loud for studying. It's a "coffee house" but no one comes here just to drink coffee. I'd say it's more of a restaurant with expensive coffee on the menu and a bar downstairs that was nearly empty both times I went. 

This place gets 4 stars for the food, atmosphere, and decor, and loses 1 star for the slow and haphazard service. My friend requested ketchup that never came. The place is pretty small and there aren't that many tables, but it took a while for the food to get to the table.

Nonetheless, I sort of miss this place now that I'm no longer in Boston. I wish I had discovered it sooner!
5 - Fiona W.: Awesome little place. We passed by a few places before we settled here, dinner was a little dirty feel, another place little just not us but this place felt like home. Awesome omlette they switched fried for salad and tea pot with hot water refills. Very sweet place.
4 - Amy C.: I went here today to meet a friend from Harvard for lunch and she suggested this place because it's got an outdoor patio. She couldn't have picked a better place. The restaurant is a mix of a coffee house paired with an awesome lunch menu. I opted for the falafel sandwich while my friend chose the grilled eggplant sandwich. The sandwich came in a wrap full of good falafel, hummus, and vegetables. The falafel itself was crunchy on the outside and soft and succulent on the inside. I like everything spicy, so I asked for some hot sauce. Expecting to get Hot Franks or something similar, I was quite surprised when they came out with a homemade hot sauce. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure what was all in the hot sauce, however, it went heavenly with my falafel. It packed the perfect amount of heat and spices that mixed really well with the hummus as they contrasted each other in a hot and cool type of way. If you're ever in/around Harvard Square, you gotta give this place a try! The only downside is you can't be in a rush. The service is a little slow; we had our checks ready to be picked up and paid for and still had to wait 10 minutes before our server saw it to pick it up.

Ali Baba - Claremont, CA (34.1068255, -117.733095) ()
5 - Seth G.: Without a doubt, this place is the best Middle Eastern in the area. The quality of ingredients is superior to other places that do whatever they can to spare a buck. One can taste it in their chicken dishes as well as the more basic hummus dishes. Considering how good the food is, the prices are very reasonable. The service was excellent each of the several times I went (for dinner). They are also open until 11pm, convenient when the majority of the restaurants around have long closed.

Granted, the restaurant is fairly small as restaurants go, but it is a quaint atmosphere. (You certainly won't have trouble calling on your server.)  As the adage goes: sometimes great things come in small packages.
5 - Brandy L.: 5 stars for the most delectable homemade cashew filled baklava i've ever had. It was warm, flaky but not overly dry, and perfectly sweetened.

They also have a few fresh juices. I opted for the jalleb(sp?)which is grape juice date juice with a splash of rose water and a few pine nuts thrown in. It bordered on being too sweet but the more i drank the more it grew on me. I threw the straw to the side once i neared the bottom so that i could chew on the pine nuts which were nice and soft. If you try this make sure you enjoy rose flavor. 

Now for the food. We started with babaghanouj (sp) which i dont usually like but i enjoyed theirs. Perfectly smoky and eggplanty. Then babe got lamb shawarma entree and i the falafel one.  Lamb was tender and not too musty.  The falafels were tasty as were the pickles.

Finally, a more affordable and tastier alternative to Saca's.  ...and I thought I was destined to drive all the way to pasadena for my falafel/hummus/shawarma fix.
3 - Michael H.: People have been raving to me about this place. I went and got a lamb sandwich to go. It was okay, nothing any different from the place in the village, but here was the rub: I waited for 45 minutes to get it! 45 minutes! ! The owner was very nice and apologized for the wait time, but I have to say I would certainly hesitate to go there again. I just don't have that kind of time to invest in a sandwich! I gave it 3 stars instead of 2 because of how nice the owner was.
3 - jay r.: I had a falafel sandwich and some tabbouleh. The falafel ($4.50) was bland. The tabbouleh ($5) was unremarkable and swimming in lemon juice so that you could barely taste anything else. The service was friendly but harried and slow. It does have appeal as an obviously family-run operation (what appeared to be mom, brother and sister were in the dining room eating lunch and talking to the delivery guy. That's kind of nice. Portions were a little small given the price.  The blandness was unforgiveable.  There's roasted quail on the menu. Sounds interesting. Might give it a try. Until then, I'm headed down the village next time the falafel sandwich urge strikes.
4 - Dmitri S.: I had a vegetarian kabob at this place; it consisted of rice, mushrooms, eggplants (in some sort of yogurt sauce) and roasted peppers on the side. This was a very good meal (both in size and taste). They must have grilled/roasted it in some way that gave it a really good taste. I also had a taste of the Falafel Sandwich, which was also very good (i.e. the falafels were fresh and the sauce delish).

The service, however, was a bit slow.
4 - R B.: delicious food, reasonable price, nice atmosphere, good service.

a little annoyed that the only restaurant that does well in the space (that used to be a KFC) is mediterranean, which there is already an overabundance of in the area. Those mexican and korean places had potential! but I like what they've done by expanding the dining area and making this a comfortable, sit-down restaurant. Cute and small.
2 - wendy b.: The woman who was there didn't respond when we first opened door. She was on phone.  Not good.  Then the sun was in our eyes - she said she would pull down blind. She didn't so we moved.  Again not good.
We ordered from a somewhat bored person.  No enthusiasm whatsover.  We asked for order of the cold plate with hummus etc. And the lamb hot dish with rice.
He did bring two extra plates but no serving spoons at all and so we used forks. Pretty messy.
Presentation kind of mediocre. Great dobs of the hummous and huge glob of rice on the other dish.
No owner/manager ever came to welcome us and to ask how we were doing. We did notice a person who appeared to be the owner go outside and shake hands with two younger customers.  
It wasn't that there was a great crowd. Only one other table besides ours. Waiter left and didn't come near us after the bill was presented. So we took it to cash register and left. Nobody said goodbye or thanked us for coming. Doubt we'd go again.
3 - Jaime F.: The restaurant is family owned and their young daughter was our waitress. She was cute. The food was tasty. Tried the fattoush and it was great! Also tried the lentil fefta, it tasted good, just didn't expect how they served it.  It came out like a plate of hummus. A little pricey if you were just looking for a quick sandwich!
3 - Lynn E.: We were so pleased when this restaurant opened, the food was excellent, service friendly and prices perfectly acceptable.  However, the prices have risen almost 50% on virtually all menu items since this establishment has opened.  I have previous to-go menus to prove the price increases.  Not only that, but items that used to be included in the entrees no longer are.  The quality has gone down also, got take-out last night and the pita bread was scorched, and the falafel tasted very different than it normally does.  I hope the owners don't price themselves out of business. Would have given five stars, but now barely a three.
3 - Laila R.: We were in the mood for Mediterranean food and decided to try out Ali Baba. It's local, it's new .... we figured it would most likely be a good choice.
Alas, the experience wasn't all that great.

We sat down and ordered our drinks, opened the menu and once we got over a slight sticker shock, I decided on the falafel, my husband ordered shwarma and upon recommendation, we also tried an appetizer.  The prices here are too high for mediocre food. Maybe if the prices weren't so high, my expectations for the food here would've been lower as well, but as it were, the price & the quality of the food did NOT match up.   Oh dont get me wrong, the food was OK .... it's just that for what they are charging for it, it should be more than just ok.

(Judging by other reviews below, it seems the prices may have increased since some of these customers left their reviews.... I was wondering how they had so many 5 star reviews.... if the prices were more reasonable, I'd be more likely to give more stars as well ....)

The service here ran hot and cold.  We were immediately seated and we got our drinks quickly and while we were looking over the menu, she was at our table every other second, asking if we were ready to order yet.  However after we got our food, our waitress went outside and sat down with what I'm assuming was the rest of the family and that was the last we saw of her until it was time to get the check. 

So the food was OK but not up to par with what they were charging, the service was so-so ... I'm giving 3 stars, I was debating whether to give 2 but they are new and may need a few more months to settle in....

We probably won't be back here, there are other mediterranean restaurants in the area that are better. Sad to say this because this is the one that's probably closest to home, however I'd rather drive a little further for better food.
Sorry.
5 - Jen C.: I ordered a chicken kabob here and it was amazing. The price was decent for what I had ordered. I love the pickled radish and cucumbers ... it would be better if the price for a side of that wasn't so high. 

The owners there are very friendly and welcome you with open arms. I would def recommend this place for good med food.

P.s. Try the falafal sandwich, it was pretty amazing as well.

Thanks, ali baba!
5 - Alysia J.: Their fattoush salad is TO=DIE=FOR!! I have tried just about all of their veggie options and LOVED them all! I recommend the falafel sandwich. Love the owners and all the employees!  Very friendly service, always a treat to eat here!
5 - Grace B.: Small place, great food. We loved the moussaka (not sure if I spelled that right), its an eggplant dish with tomato's and chick peas...absolutely delicious. I enjoyed the shwarma and rice. We will definitely be back, just wish it was closer to us.
1 - Jay S.: The first couple times i ate here, it was pretty good.  Much better than Aladdin Jrs down the street.  The last couple visits, however, have been pretty horrible.  I'm really surprised that they are still in business given the following issues:

1) The place was completely empty during peak dinner hours on a week night
2) There was no one in the front of the restaurant, had to ring a bell to get any service.
3) Called for carryout and was told food would be ready in 15 minutes, both times had to wait an extra 10 minutes to get my food (see #1)
4) Ordered a kefta sandwich, kefta was completely cold
5) Ordered hummous shwarma, I'm convinced the garlic sauce on top was spoiled
6) Food is way over priced for portion size
1 - Glen C.: It is a bad sign when you walk into a place and they have a sign on the table "push button for service". The two tables that had people in there seemed quite neglected. I pushed the button and out came a nice guy, gave me a menu and asked me to sit down. 
I ordered the cold appetizer combo, with hummus, baba ganoush, grape leaves and taubole (I am sure I misspelled most of those). The waiter walks into the kitchen and comes out and tells me they are out of grape leaves. I ask if I can sub falaful. He went into the kitchen and came out and said they were out. So I just got double hummus. The food was substandard. The baba ganoush had no flavor and the taubole was chopped way too coarsely. I have had better hummus at Vons. 
It is not a place I plan on going back. Poor service, poor food, weird set up in the dinning room.
3 - Andrew H.: This place would be so much better if each plate wasn't 15$. I'd pay 10$ for the amount of food a plate is. 2 scoopsamount of colorful rice, the meat dish, and grilled veggies.

The wait time for the food was marginally longer than average.

Good food though, but not good enough to come back on my own free will.
1 - Tim S.: Editing previous review to 1* considering the only reasons it wasn't that to begin with was because I appreciated the menu recommendations; However I guess being the only 2 customers in the place at the time wasn't that difficult to manage now was it?  And if you felt injusticed by the lack of gratuity, your previous reply just justifies our decision to not leave one.

As far as the "pita left on the plate", that is complete bs considering we used the 2 we were given to try and manage the $4 cup of oily creamcheese (which I'm surprised didn't come with additional pita considering the labneh is what you consider an "appetizer" and not a "side").

All I have to say in regards to your establishment is the lack of customers proves that we aren't the only ones who felt that the service/cost/etc was worth it.
3 - Valerie C.: The best thing about this place is their Zahra (6.75)  which is deep fried cauliflower with seasonings, might be coming back for that. Falafel sandwich (4.50), had better. This place is okay, very nice employees.
2 - Alicia D.: Not so sadly, this restaurant has closed.
2 - Tony J.: Food was just OK - nothing special.  They had advertisements on the windows that were no longer in effect which was a little dissapointing.  I think the biggest let down was the service, with only approx 20 seats in the place - service is the last thing I thought would be lacking.
1 - Laurie Beth M.: No longer in business

Ali Baba - Troy, NY (42.7359888, -73.6760124) ()
3 - Corey I.: I'll start with the bad so that it's not all that you remember. Ali Baba's service is pretty bad. There have been times when I've actually left the restaurant thirsty. How ridiculous is that? Waits (whether they're for a table or for a waiter/waitress to take your order) are long when they really don't need to be.

I think the food there is affordable and pretty good. I go to RPI and this is one of the few restaurants within walking distance from campus, so I go there pretty often.

You can pick up your orders. I've never done this, but it's probably a good way to bypass the slow service.
4 - Jess P.: Fortunately, I've never had a problem with service here.
It's delicious, affordable Middle-Eastern  food in a fairly no-frills location.  Large portions and the perfect amounts of spice. 

However, for some reason they have pictures of their food on the menu. These photos do their food no justice whatsoever. I assure you it's far more appealing looking in real-life than the menu might have you believe.

If I lived a little close, I'd go here all the time.
4 - SUSAN R.: We like the food here- especially the wood fired Lavash - made to order and served with yogurt dipping sauce ( or is it sour cream with fresh dill ?) This sauce is also a delicious and necessary accompaniment to many of the entrees. The only complaint I have is that most everything is over-salted.
Since writing the above, I had the grilled chicken curry and asked for NO added salt. It was superb!! The lavash is the main attraction for me - I would be happy just to eat that. It used to come with the meal, but alas, now they have to charge for it. Understandable, since the price of flour went way up. I think that they raised prices in general, but it is still pretty reasonable.  The Baklava is not good - soggy. Would that they had their liquor license. Beer would go well with the spicey food. A word about service which was critisized above. We had no problem recently, infact, it was downright quick! The food is cooked to order and that is a good thing!
4 - Jennifer K.: First off I'd like to say that I've only eaten take out from Ali Baba. My rating is entirely on the food and not service. It is delicious and I would recommend the appetizer sampler that they have with all the different dips every time you eat there. Make sure you get extra bread!
4 - Dennis L.: I'll just note that I have not been here for about six years, so their first year or two of operation is my perspective, back when I was a student at RPI. One of my co-workers at the RPI Bookstore recommended me to come here when they opened. When I ate here, I was an ovo-lacto vegetarian through most of college and this was a welcome reprieve from the other foods in the area. This was a sketchy hole-in-the-wall joint next to a laundromat, but the food is very surprising. It had all the elements of a dive, including... a random sketchy-looking fish tank in the corner at the time? The same guy who used to pump $4 cheap pizzas out a block from my old apartment then made absolutely wonderful oven-fired pita bread topped with cloves and brushed with oil, the layers separated on the massive disk offered each time I came. The yogurt I had to go with it is comparable to even what I've had at The Helmand and Oleana in Cambridge. It was just plain yogurt, but very light. I enjoyed the eggplant and cucumber dishes I would order from there, as well as the vegetarian casserole I'd typically order. The casserole was topped by a myriad of vegetables in a spicy sauce on top of rice that I remember was very fluffy. I only ordered non-vegetarian from there once, and I fear my memory fades me from specifics, but enjoying the similarly sauced lamb casserole.

Next time I visit Troy, I'll swing by again, but being no longer vegetarian, I can now try a broader spectrum of their menu.

Dishes to try: Pita w/ yogurt sauce, the casseroles
4 - Chris K.: One of our family faves - we always try to go here at least once each time we're in the region.  The hand-baked lavash bread and yogurt sauce are reason alone to stop in.  We usually have the appetizer with the chicken durum ( chicken, lettuce, onions, etc., rolled up in a lavash with the yogurt sauce).  Reasonable prices.
5 - b f.: Easily one of the best restaurants in Albany area.
The owners have gradually spiffed it up as thay have owned it
I am pretty sure that these people make EVERYTHING  from scratch. Even the stuffed grape leaves- they pickle their own leaves!
I have never had bad service.
 I have never had anything that wasn't fantastically fresh and delicious.
I have always left feeling extremely satisfied, and only disappointed that I couldn't have found room to eat more.
Order anything in confidence, try someything you haven't had before.
As mentioned- the mezze platters are a great way to sample.
3 - Skye J.: Best. Bread. Ever. The food was ok Middle Eastern fare, the service was meh.

But the bread. Holy moley. Drool-like typing detected. The bread is so very, very yummy.
5 - Alex G.: This is one of my favorites in Troy. We went here a lot when I was at RPI for both lunch and dinner. 

The inside has a very cool and traditional decor. Its not too flashy, nothing like a  fancy restaurant but its nice. Parking can be tough sometimes, you have to park on 15th street where its usually packed.But I generally park on the side of the building or behind it. To this day, I honestly do not know if that's legal parking, because the area behind looks like its parking for the house/apartments there. But so far I never got towed so it should be ok. 

Now on to the food. The food here is great , I actually never had a bad experience with it. With most dinners you get the large lavash bread, which is simply amazing, its straight out of the brick oven (literally). For the food my all time favorite is the beef durum (or gyro as most other places call it) I also had the chicken with cury and gyro pizza, both of which were also good.

The prices are more than reasonable last time I went  for lunch with my friend, we got two durums, small lavash bread, drink and baklava for about $25, it was more than enough food for 2 people. 

This is definitely my favorite place for lunch in Troy that's close to rpi campus. I would recommend it to anyone who love Mediterranean food like I do.
3 - Shab S.: Well the lavash bread was pretty good. I had the beef gyro wrap. It was cheap and pretty big. The service was pretty fast too. 3 stars just cause it was OK. Nothing special though
3 - Matt H.: This place is a good option for vegetarians in Troy.  I went with a group of 9 folks for lunch one day and the waitress was only able to thinly veil her disdain for us.  Granted, we did have one person who was on a gluten-free, dairy-free diet asking all sorts of questions, but the rest of us were pretty laid back.  The hummus and yogurt sauce and bread were all very good.  The bread is made in an open-fire oven and sprinkled with sesame seeds.  Nothing else i had was very memorable like the babaganoush or stuffed grape leaves... I think that the prices are a little high, but I'll probably be back only because I'm spending the summer in town and Troy doesn't have that many other options, especially up the hill.
4 - Chris F.: Tasty lavish bread, and overall tasty fare can be found at Ali Baba. We grabbed take-out from here on the way home for dinner, since we were in a bit of a time crunch. The service was fast and the wait-staff very helpful and friendly. Food was great, we'll definitely be going back.
4 - John N.: Just a neat place to enjoy good food without any pretense that seems to accompany so many restaurants. The decor is slightly dineresque but the open kitchen keeps the boys entertained. Watching them cook the lavash in the open oven and bring it out piping hot and puffy like a balloon is just fun. 

We have tried the wraps and the open-faced pizza with egg. Not sure what it was called, but it looked good on the picture menu and we were right. Definitely something to try and enjoy.
5 - Katie V.: Ali Babas is as good as they come - fresh, spicy, and delectable. The tandoori oven they have makes everything crispy and amazing. I love their chicken curry pizza and their lavash. It's fun to watch them cook. I take my friends here when they visit because they have a wide selection of entrees (great for vegetarians) and they don't disappoint.
5 - Corinne C.: A friend showed me around Troy, NY during a work trip to Albany. A very cool little city on the rise. She was excited to take me to this turkish place.  I checked the online reviews and was a bit wary, but I'm glad I trusted the friend. Not only was the decor lovely and the staff VERY friendly (only suggestion: the lights are too bright for my New York City dining-eyes), but the food was outstanding. IMHO, it's hard to find a decent restaurant in this area (save the wine bar and bistro on Lark in Albany proper and Dinosaur BBQ in Troy)--this one is a keeper.  We shared the lavash with a lovely yogurt sauce that I'm still trying to figure out in my mind, apricot nectar mixed with seltzer water, and I had an iskender kofte, which was delicious. The portions were so huge, I couldn't finish it. The lavash was like a huge puffy-fish when it came to the table, a real treat! My only regret: not getting some baklava to go!
4 - Karden R.: Chicken Durum. Best $7 you can spend on a sandwich, period.

Also, the lavash with yogurt sauce is one of the best fresh bread experiences one could ask for.

Lima bean concoction is also delicious.

Beyond that, a lot of the selections seem strange and/or over priced, although, if I felt like taking a risk and spending a bit more money, I'd like to try some other stuff.

The menu is ugly as hell and the restaurant looks like a pizza parlor in Gaza, but I suppose that's part of the places awkward lack of ambiance. 

Service is more than adequate and if your nice to them they are nice to you.
5 - Tarah T.: Can I just tell you that I am so disappointed that NYC doesn't have a clone of this place? I crave the lavish bread on a weekly basis. So when I come home my mom and I make it a point to come here. 

Loves: 
The menu has pictures! 
Complimentary lavish bread just out of the brick oven
An awesome selection of dishes
Great service
Off the beaten path
No loud music

Dislikes: 
It's in Troy... I think we need an expansion to the city. 

Bring your friends, order a lot of dishes, and spend some time trying all  of them. My mom and I love sharing food and being able to try a few different flavors, and that is one of the great appeals of Ali Baba's. I will be back!
3 - Daiji K.: Reduce, reuse, and recycle and lavash bread.  It was the bread that saved this place from a 2 star.

Apparently, this place used to have its own market area selling groceries and spices and stuff, but they decided to reduce its options to just a restaurant.  I went there at a pretty late time, and by the end, I saw the guys saran wrap the big kabob meat.  It's good to reuse for leftovers, but I hope that they don't use the same meat the next day for customers.  Sure, the yogurt sauce is pretty tasty, but they recycle it in many of their dishes.  The yogurt sauce they serve with the lavash bread is the same as the sauce they hide underneath the meat in iskender kabob.  It even tastes like the aryan yogurt drink uses the same thing too (except with more salt).  If you're expecting the aryan to taste like lassi, you're thinking of a different country (hint: India).  If you don't like salty drinks, don't get this.  I've tried this drink before in Singapore, and I thought I was open minded enough to like it, but I couldn't finish it.

The adana kabob was not what I expected.  It really just tasted like an above average meat loaf.  But accounting for the fact that the average meat loaf taste is skewed to the right (where the x axis represents taste), this is not saying much.  If you understood that, high five!  You're a nerd.  The iskender kabob was also not that great.  In general, the food was not hot (temperature wise) and didn't taste that fresh.  The rice was undercooked and this is a big no no, although, not many places in Albany makes good rice.  It took them a while to bring the food out, so I wondered what took them so long.  I'm thinking all they did to the food was barely heat it up.  For the price we paid (it was about $10 each for the kabob), it wasn't worth it.  I've had kabobs in Singapore for $3 and they are AMAZING.  Maybe I should start lowering my expectations.  Maybe Singapore is to blame for my high standards for good food.

Either way, I agree with everyone that the lavash bread is delicious.  They also do take-out so that's nice.  It recognizes itself as a gourmet place, but I wouldn't take it that far.  I would only go as far to say that Ali Baba found the cave that only had one golden goblet marked "lavish."  But this place has won consecutive awards in the capital region since 2002, so in Albany standards, I guess it's worth checking out.
5 - Renee G.: A staple restaurant. I can't count how many times I've been here but it's my top place in Troy and most of my friends agree. When people move away and return to visit, they always want to go to Ali Babas.
4 - Roger K.: We've been trying to get here for several years.  Tonight all the stars unexpectedly lined up behind the clouds.  I'm so glad they did.

The menu with pictures is the best thing since sliced brea... oops, their fresh baked lavash rises high above plain sliced bread!!!  Wonderful.

We started with Stuffed Grape Leaves (8 for $5.95) and thought they were good, but not as good as we've had at Athos or those homemade by our friend.

I ordered the Lamb Tandur ($12.95) which came with rice, sauteed onions and pickled cabbage.  The lamb had a good amount of flavor and pulled apart easily but was very dry.  Wrapped in the lavash and dipped in the yogurt sauce the lamb was quite enjoyable.

My wife had the Curry Iskender ($9.95) with beef and the same onions and cabbage sides as on my dish.  It was a nice flavorful, Mediterranean spiced curry.  Quite tasty.

The portions were large enough that we didn't have room for dessert, but we both had wanted to try the Baklava.  Simple solution, we got the baklava to go - 4 small pieces in an order for $4.95.  It had a nice flaky top and sat in a not overly sweet syrup.  It hit the spot for that late night snack.

They do not have an alcohol license so choices are your basic sodas (free cup refill), Turkish coffee and tea, hot chocolate, American coffee, juices imported from Turkey (peach, apricot, sour cherry), and Ayran yogurt drink.
5 - John R.: We love Ali Baba, and despite our fear that all of  you will start going there and make it crowded, we'll let you in on why.

First, the place is not fancy.  Service is great and the staff is very polite and accomodating.  Great for familiy, large groups, etc.

Favortes are the eggplant salad (roated eggplant), the salad sampler (we get ours with chemen, ajuka, ezme, red peppers, roasted eggplant, and eggplant salad).  Greek salad is great too, as is the accompanying lavash.

Curry chicken is great, as is the veal guvech, eggplant kebab, etc.

Worth a trip to Troy.  Give it a try.
5 - Bill S.: I had never had Turkish fare prior to Ali Baba. I'm Jewish, from Buffalo, and I consider my self I Foodie for certain. I had had Israeli, Lebanese, Moroccan, and a slew of other food from the surrounding region, but Ali Baba blows it all out of the water!

The place is always humming with some customers coming in to dine and take out, I do both and the take out is excellent as well. I recommend the Curry Iskender that is my favorite dish there I order it every time. Also they have good grape leaves and a fair portion for the price. The Lavash is unreal!! the yogurt dipping sauce, similar to a tzaziki is delicious.

Service is great always with a smile and in a timely fashion... I recommend this place with all my heart. Truly a gem to be found in Troy, NY!
4 - Regular G.: I go here for lunch and occasionally dinner. Nice people and always good quality. The food is fresh and consistent. Not much for ambiance but its the food we're there for. The bread is amazing, and the service is always friendly. In terms of upstate ethnic food, this is a must go!!!
3 - Don H.: We have had take out from here at least 10 times in the last few years.

It used to be awesome but lately, it seems the chicken ishkandar is always over cooked and the portions are smaller. 

They have even started cheaping out on the rice. Where's the rice? Rice is cheap guys! Heap it in the aluminum container like you used to do. 

And that sour purple shedded cabbage stuff is nasty. Does enyone even eat that stuff?
4 - Jeff T.: I really like the fresh lavash and the veggie platter.
4 - Melissa C.: The lavish bread is amazing! The staff is always friendly and so helpful!! Everything I have tried is wonderful! I always leave so full but the baklava to go is a must. Just remember Ali Baba does not serve alcohol.
2 - X Z.: The food is actually tasty. Complimentary lavish bread is good. So why I am giving only two stars? Because I am Turkish and I can confidently say that the food that they are serving here is far from authentic. But in the absence of any competition within 100 miles radius, this may be the place to go for Turkish food. If you are looking for an authentic Turkish restaurant, you should drive to Paterson, NJ instead.
5 - Michael R.: A gem, I crave this place at least once a month.  The lavish bread is to die for.  Menu has pictures so you can see what your ordering,  i have no clue about this cuisine so it help me expand my options.  But like I always have been told if the restaurant is serving people of its own ethnicity it is probably a good place to go to.   I am a huge fan!!!

If you are into high end restaurants and not little dives don't bother.  If you are like me and go to eat the food, and enjoy a slice of the culture, then go. 

Parking can be a pain, and seating is limited, probably less than 15 tables, but its worth it.   If you need a hint on what to try start off with  get the Lavish bread and the sampler for an appetizer and  Curry Iskender fr dinner/lunch.  You will not be disappointed.
5 - Bill K.: Two words - FRESH and FLAVORFUL!!  That's all you need to know.  We got the lavish w/ yogurt sauce, baklava, Mediterranean pizza, & small plate with 5 choices.  Everything was delicious for a very reasonable $25.  

The location is in Troy and isn't overly appealing, but don't let that scare you away.  

The waitstaff was very helpful, courteous, and quick to serve.

Highly recommended!!
4 - Rob K.: Ah yes, piping hot Lavash bread from the brick oven makes me oooh and ahhh. I love ripping up this puffed up centerpiece and dipping it into that yogurt and dill sauce. This alone, is enough to entice suburban folks out of their comfortable dwellings.  Save Friendly's for another day, eat Lavash today!

The dishes all look incredible, and I've seen every single one. That's because there is a picture of every single item on the menu. How else would I know what Guvech is?  

The Chicken Durum is brilliant and although I generally order this on a street corner, I order in at Ali Baba to experience the Lavash with a glass of mango juice. If they branched out and set up a street meat truck in downtown Albany or Saratoga Springs, drunks would be in a late night food frenzy.  

Outsiders take note.  It's very easy to get here. If you're driving on Hoosick Street, just  turn on 15th Street and drive a couple of blocks to Ali Baba.
5 - Gelo S.: Great food...great service!..
4 - Ben W.: Real hidden gem in Troy next to the RPI campus. The lavash is out of this world so is the appetizer platter. Generally don't like pictures on a menu but here it is helpful. Middle Eastern food better than the pizza. Very reasonable-unique dishes. Not fancy but prompt service. Great for students and first dates on a budget. Avoid during RPI big events or the beginning of the school year.
4 - Collective C.: Amazing and unique (for upstate NY) bread. Very nice staff.
5 - Danika A.: This place is out of this world. I came here a few months ago and was blown away by the iskender kabob. I finally got my husband to join me tonight, and thankfully the food lived up to all of my ranting and raving. For an appetizer, we shared the large mixed plate and split the veggie iskender with a huge large lavash bread on the side. Everything is reasonably priced considering the size of the servings and the quality of food. It's one of those places where even though the food is traditional, there is something for every palate that is delicious and satisfying.

Probably not the most romantic setting, and the location is not 100% ideal. If you can put all that aside, Ali Baba is a must for those who love Middle Eastern cuisine.
4 - Ben R.: By far the best Mediterranean food in the Capitol Region. Their veggie sampler is amazing and the lavash bread superior to most others I've tried. I have had the chicken durum, which is also great and the meat filled pizza boat (I can't remember it's name!), which was just ok. The veggie sampler used to be bigger, now they give you less food, but hey I guess that's the sign of the times.
5 - Kate K.: My friends and I go here sometimes just for the mind blowingly good lavash bread.  We get a large and just rip and dip our night away and we always leave happy.  Whenever I go I like to try something new, and I have not been disappointed yet.  All the food is realiable and soooo tasty and rich.

The location kinda sucks and its small, but packed with awesome food.
If you like middle eastern, GO HERE!!
Cheap eats, balling spectacular food
4 - Lauren H.: We went to Ali Baba for lunch recently while on a client site working. They had a great selection of Turkish foods. The Lavash bread was excellent and we really enjoyed dipping it in the tzatziki sauce. We didn't love the hummus, but there was plenty of other food. The Dolmas were quite good, as well as the Adana Kebab (although I prefer veggies on the side that are grilled a little more). Overall a great lunch. I look forward to going back again soon.
3 - T.J. C.: Ali Baba is a really solid place to get food. The only thing keeping it from being worth four stars is one of my biggest restaurant annoyances, which is inconsistent hours. They have a sign on their door that says they close the kitchen 45 minutes before closing time. This is more or less true, but they don't follow it closely. If you call them at any time past 8:45, you have about a 50% chance of getting food. They also claim to be open until 11 on weekends but I've never been able to get service after about 9:15, just like on weekdays. This one thing I find unforgivable when it comes to running a business. If you want to close at a certain time, say that you're closing at a certain time. Don't just tell me that you're closed when I walk into your restaurant and it says you're open.

It's worth mentioning that Ali Baba is also extremely clean, which is a huge plus for me. The decor is quaint, but nothing special.

Everything else is unremarkable, but good. Their beef durum is quite good, and it's pretty hard stuff to find in the states. They have an awesome wood-fired oven that they make bread and pizza in. I had the chicken shish one time and was quite underwhelmed-- crunchy rice and underseasoned chicken. So the menu is a bit hit or miss, but if you know what to order you can get some delicious food for a really good price.
4 - Ed J.: Middle Eastern fare that attracts a big RPI crowd. The gyros are great and the lavish bread with yogurt sauce is excellent.  A little pricey to be honest.
5 - Kaitlyn C.: LOVE Ali Baba.

Curry Eskender is my all time favorite meal. I crave it. There will never be anything like it anywhere else around the area. I often call in my order and just do take out! I have had a few other delicious things, but highly recommend a large lavash and a curry eskender to share. I split it every time and end up very satisfied!

Ali Baba Magic Food - Philadelphia, PA (39.953387, -75.196762) (University City)
3 - Todd K.: Been here a couple of times for a falafel sandwich or a falafel platter.  Usually not a long line, compared to the other trucks in the lot.  One could probably find better falafel elsewhere, but this truck isn't bad, plus it's magic so that's good.  I'm floating right now and just turned invisible.
2 - Schuyler L.: Free taste.
Still don't know what it was.
It tasted ethnic.
The guy in the truck suggested a bunch of stuff.
I picked one I knew.
Gyro.
Too many peppers/cilantro leaves.
The meat was too juicy.
Juice shot out the bottom of the foil wrapper.  
$6 for this experience.
This is not a haiku.
4 - Alix H.: OH YUM!  This truck is parked next to a couple of his truck buddies and it seems like everyone stops at the first one off the street.  This is a shame.  Ali Baba Magic Food is tasty, my friends.  Some might even call it magic. I was preeeetyyy excited about the falafel.  They were not greasy or dried out.  They were fluffy yet crispy and I can honestly say that they made my day.  I had the combo plater, which had a fair amount of food.  Check it out, at least you get a free sample!  ( Mine was falafel)
4 - Katarina M.: Great food and real nice guy. I order either a small order of falafels (I usually ask for 5 and it's I believe 2.50), or the falafel sandwich (aka pita wrap) with feta cheese which is 4.25 I think. Great tasting falafel, freshly made. Crispy and flavorful and wonderful!

give this place a try!!
3 - Ramen F.: Ambiance: okay, this is a food truck-so no ambiance. The truck itself is normal, not above nor below par. The truck is located in an area of five or six other trucks and there are some benches and tables nearby. Convenient! 

Service: the guy running the truck was a real charmer. He lured us in with some free falafel to try. He was very cheery and joked about a guarantee on the food being delicious. The food orders were taken and completed within mere minutes. 

Food: I tried the platter because I wanted a taste of lots of items.  The shwarma is good, robust flavor and super tender. The rice and salad are bland.  The hummus wasn't very flavorful but had a nice texture.  My fellow diners tried the sandwiches and seemed satisfied, but not blown away. 

Overall: A nice choice for robust flavors and healthy options from a lunch truck in this area of Penn campus. I'm not rushing back, but would be happy to eat here again.
5 - Larissa M.: I am sad to announce that my buddy from Ali Baba will be retiring this year. So get it while the gettin's good! Sometimes he shows up at Clark park on Saturdays (more often for the flea market than the regular farmers market). But please help him go out with a bang, this is some of the best, freshest, close to -home-cooked truck food you will ever eat.
5 - Kalina I.: With great sadness, I've discovered that Ali Baba Magic Food, one of my favorite food trucks on the Penn campus, is going out of business soon. I've been going to Ali Baba since 1989. That's right... over 20 years! It is simply the best Middle Eastern food on campus. It's all homemade, nothing commercialized like the chain places. I remember when the owner, Sami, and his wife worked together many years ago. Sami was and is always so friendly. The falafel and chicken kabobs are always a treat. I love the baba ghannouj. Sami used lamb in his shish kabobs instead of beef many years ago and they were always so tasty. Wednesdays is kebbe day and I just finished a marvelous kebbe sandwich he made and got a free falafel, too. Thursdays' special is riz ala djaj (rice with stewed chicken), which is also marvelous. I've always found the shawarma a little tough; it's been that way for the past 20 years, but it's very flavorful with its stewed tomatoes. I've never been a big fan of hummus as the main item in a sandwich. With a meat, it's a perfect complement and that's what Sami does. Sometimes I ask for baba ghannouj in place of hummus in a sandwich or rice platter. What's amazing is Sami hasn't raised his prices as rapidly as other food trucks on campus. Magic Carpet serves $5 falafel sandwiches that just don't have the same kind of soul as Ali Baba's falafel sandwiches. I'll be sorry to see you go, Ali Baba. Your food was indeed magical.

Ali Baba Restaurant - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4450779, -79.9488958) (Oakland)
4 - Alona F.: Excellent place for a quick, cheap lunch.  Menu is full of cheap eats, and healthful fare can be found here too!  I've twice had  lunch there for two for under $15.  The lentil soup and tabbouleh salad are great.  In and out in 30-45 mins easy.  Tight seating, though... most tables are for two.
4 - Christopher H.: I'm in Pittsburgh for a conference, and thought I'd grab some Middle Eastern carry-out for dinner. It's Sunday night, I called them up and found out they're open until 9:45PM! I was really surprised, since most places don't stay open that late on Sunday.

I ordered the Vegetarian Special ($6.95 entree), Spinach & Lentil Soup ($2.50/cup), and Baklava ($1.50/piece). I'm saving the baklava for later, but the other two dishes were excellent. The soup was freaking awesome, seriously. It had maybe a little too much oil, but otherwise, it was very tasty. The entree had rice (not memorable), hummus (okay), and baba ganouj (excellent). Yeah, you could totally taste the grilled eggplant goodness of the baba ganouj. I would definitely at least add a side dish of this if you eat here.
4 - Erica K.: I've had food from Ali Baba before (lunch meetings and the like), and it's always been good, so tonight I went here for dinner with friends. While most dishes don't stand out as being better then other Middle Eastern restaurant, everything is good. 

We got hummus (lots of paprika and fennel, little oil), vegetarian grape leaves (standard, but always a fav), Fatoosh, spinach lentil soup, spinach pie (amazing), the fish entree, and a chicken entree. I didn't try either of the meat dishes, but everyone was really happy with what they got. All of this, six beers (they have no wine or liquor, you're welcome to bring your own bottle), and two desserts was $68. Total steal! 

The desserts were pretty amazing too. We got baklava, it wasn't too sweet, too nutty, or too sticky. A really nice balance between filling and phyllo dough. I don't remember the name of the other dessert, it was farina wrapped cheese with crushed pistachio and rose-something syrup. The cheese was the most mild I've ever had, and the syrup really stood out, flowery, but not too sweet. 

And for being a hole-in-the-wall kind of place, the service is good - attentive and nice, no dropping your check with the food or taking your order and then forgetting about you.
1 - Jenney C.: I think this is one of those restaurants for those who don't know any better. However I don't think anyone could enjoy their Moussaka. Obviously it had been reheated in the back in a microwave, bec. it wasn't warmed evenly through out the dish. If someone told me that their food came out of a can, I wouldn't at all be surprised.
4 - caitlin o.: Much better than Med Grill and Aladdin's, with just as reasonable prices.

The loobee is delicious, as is the mohomara! I would suggest getting a selection of a la carte items from the menu and sharing them amongst the table rather than individual dinner platters - I tend to be disappointed by the very-well-done kebabs.

Very speedy service, too, and a nice relaxed atmosphere.
4 - ally r.: A fan because its in a convenient location and it's cheap. Good baklava. Good service.  Decent food. Nice mellow atmosphere. Good place for a business lunch. Casual dress.
4 - Cara J.: I just got take-out from Ali Baba. We ordered a bunch of the a la carte items, and there was way too much food. As a note, their website menu prices have been raised by about 50 cents an item, but they're still rather reasonable. I also appreciated that they gave us a whole bag of pita bread to take home.

I whole-heartedly recommend the baba ghanoush and muhammara. They have a chunky texture that makes you wonder if some grandma was pummeling walnuts in the back with a mortar and pestle. I'm looking forward to going back and trying more of their dishes.

The atmosphere inside the restaurant looked modern and a nice spot for a romantic dinner.

Overall, Ali Baba is going to become a regular for take-out night at my house. I'd recommend picking up a couple large containers of their dips for your next party.
4 - Jason J.: Food is very good and fresh. I really enjoyed the lamb kabobs and did not find them to be overcooked. The Baba Ganoush is really good and a huge portion. The desserts and coffee were outstanding as well. A great place on Craig Street.
3 - Dean J.: The mezza have always been above average, especially the tabouleh and sleek.  Service has been slow both times I've been in recently, which drops it from four to three stars.
3 - Jessica W.: I have to agree that it's better to order a bunch of the a la carte items than the platters.  I had the vegetarian special here.  It came exactly how the menu described it: rice with pine nuts, hummus and baba ghanooj.  But I was still taken aback by the beige-ness of the plate--when I think "vegetarian," I think green.  (I don't know.  Am I crazy?)  Maybe a tiny bit of salad on the plate?  The plate is less expensive than the meat platters that come with salad--but I'd think that the meat, not lettuce, accounts for the price difference.  But, to be fair, the menu description didn't promise a salad.  

The baba ghanooj was the best thing on the vegetarian platter.  The hummus and rice weren't bad, but next time I'll just order the baba ghanooj a la carte and some other small dishes.  I prefer Aladdin's for its larger variety of vegetarian dishes, though.

The water glasses here are really, really small.  I came here on a warm day and my friend and I were really thirsty, so we kept draining our glasses.  Our waitress was pretty good about refilling them--but I couldn't help but think it'd be a lot easier on her if the place had bigger glasses.   Less waste, more eco-friendly, maybe?
4 - Shannon R.: My girlfriend has treated me to ali babas both times i have visited pittsburgh with her. It isn't a large place and has mostly 2 tops, perfect for a date night. 
She always gets the maxa platter. Not sure if that is how you spell it but that is how it is spelled on their web page. 
I unknowingly enough order something else for variety. Funny thing though because we usually end up sharing. Sharing really means me saying"hey honey would you like some of mine"? In which her response is "I might try it but you can have as much of mine as you want". That's the answer I was looking for. 
On to the food! This last time I visited I tried the "Fetter Treat". Which in my experience was lamb on a bed of rice (Not white rice but not sure what kind) with pine nuts. It was very good for what it was, and it came with a small lettuce and tomato salad with a lemon dressing.
I really liked it but I think I would have been slightly disappointed had my girlfriend not gotten the maxa platter. On the menu the Fetter Treat says it is cooked with mushrooms and onions and a savory mushroom sauce. I saw very few mushrooms and not a drop of sauce. All in all I would probably get it again.
The maxa platter on the other hand was pure heaven. I could gorge myself on the Tabooli and Baba Ganooj. The Baba Ganooj had a great smoky flavor and I was really impressed at how fresh everything tasted. With the maxa platter it also has an Artichoke Salad which is really just Artichokes covered in some delicious sauce. Also, huge portions of feta cheese, hummus and tomatoes and olives in the middle.The maxa platter is all cold dishes which is also why I got something hot. 
Everything was really good and we enjoyed our dinner very much so.
3 - Mireille M.: went there for the first time for lunch today. The weekday lunch crowd is pretty big but the service is fast and friendly so they seem to turn tables over pretty quickly. 

My table split an order of Hummus and I had the small order of cabbage leaves (ground lamb). The meal was fine, light and fresh tasting. I was surprised how inexpensive it was...less than $5. Would totally go back for another lunch run since I work in the area.
3 - r. h.: Long time neighborhood place on Craig St., Ali Baba is convenient to both CMU and Pitt.  The food quality ranges from OK to pretty good. The final bill will be relatively gentle on the wallet too -- an added incentive during these days of economic down turns.

While not necessarily the best Middle Eastern fare Pittsburgh has to offer (I prefer Taza 21), Ali Baba is probably your best bet in Oakland.  In any case, of all the restaurants on Craig St., its value to price ratio is probably the best.

3.5 stars
5 - Dan M.: Great fresh food, good service and ownership that cares deeply.  

I eat lunch here about twice a week.  Not only is the food good, but you cannot beat the prices.   It's the cheapest GOOD food in Pittsburgh.

But it's not all about the price.  The food is simple but authentic and delicious.   When my wife have dinner there -- about twice a month -- we usually order another three or four things to take home for the next day.

The service?  You ALWAYS feel welcome.  The wait staff are rushed at times, but friendly.  And "slow" is a relative term.  This ain't a fast food restaurant.  Relax, enjoy an appetizer and talk with your meal partner.  

And bring a bottle of wine.
4 - Cindy K.: I ate here almost every week when I went to Pitt. The kibbeh was amazing and I didn't have to get on a bus to have a decent inexpensive lunch. The folks are friendly and if you're a regular, they'll treat you well.
3 - Sylvia L.: I love Mediterranean food, and Ali Baba is the place to get some of that good stuff. Their eggplant and potato moussaka is really delicious which also comes with a salad or soup. Although the bill is pretty pricey ($10.95 for a square slab of moussaka), the food really hits the craving spot.
4 - David T.: I'm rather sad after two years of living in Pittsburgh I made my first visit to Alli Baba last night.

I must say I was very impressed.  The dinner menu includes around 10 entrees and 15 "a la carte" items.  Everything I sampled of my friends was very tasty, well seasoned and very satisfying.  The hummus, baba ghanooj, salads and soups were all obviously made in house, not too garlicky but had a good punch of acidity that I often miss in this type of fare.

If I was closer to Oakland I would frequent this place for lunch.  I feel like it is similar in quality to Istanbul for lunch, but crushes Istanbul's Larryville location for dinner, without question.

Beer only, Wine is BYOB without a corkage from what I could tell.

Lastly, @ Jenny.  I also had the Moussaka.  It was very tasty, and if you think something like this (or lasagna, souffle, etc) is not going to be reheated from a big platter they made earlier that day... you're fooling yourself.
3 - Joseph S.: There's not much to say about Ali Baba other than that it's decent Middle Eastern food in Oakland. The menu is fairly large, the hummus is good, and it's inexpensive. Good lunch place.
4 - Henry T.: I had a very tasty lunch in less than half an hour, which is exactly what I want from near-campus eats. Most plates that other diners ordered looked great--hummus and baba ganoush in particular. I had a gyro, and it was tasty, filling, and cheap. The tzatziki sauce was particularly nice. The price was also right--it's possible to eat a lunch for approximately $5.

I will be returning often when I'm too lazy to bring my lunch to work.
4 - Meghan C.: Ali Baba has become my go-to for Middle Eastern fare in Pittsburgh. I've ordered a few different things but the absolute best thing on the menu is the lamb shank, which a waitress recommended as their specialty. She was so spot on. The meat is juicy and fall-off-the-bone tender, and the tomato-based broth is seasoned perfectly. Yumm. The salad is great (no surprise there, I'll eat anything with that lemony Middle Eastern dressing) and the kabobs and hummus are pretty good, but the one thing I don't like here is the baba ganouj. It's not horrible, but every time I get it, it seems to be on the bitter side. Also, the service is slow as hell, always. Not a quick eat, but satisfying if you have the time.
4 - Miles O.: This is a great deal for the price, and very delicious, too (at least for most dishes). You will get large portions and pay little, if you choose from the a la carte menu instead of the platters. I would recommend getting a few a la carte items. 

The baba ghanooj is my favorite. So is the spinach and lentil soup, which has a very unique taste with lemon juice. So is the kibbe; one of the best I have had ever. So is the halwa bi-jibin (which is dessert made of dough, pistachios, and rose water). There was one point in time I was addicted to this dessert. 

The "healthy variety" and "vegetarian special" are combination dishes, which are even better deals. I usually replace the hummus in the special with baba ghanooj since I think their baba ghanooj is a lot better. Grape leaves are OK, but the veggie version is  not as good.

The portions are large enough that if you get three items, you will likely have stuff to take home. And some items (dips) come with pita bread. 

I often take out from Ali Baba, and they have always been timely.

My girlfriend says the open faced hummus pita is excellent, but Ihave not tried it. 

The only bad experience I had: mousakka is not real mousakka. It feels synthetic. Don't even try it.
4 - Kate B.: Love their kibee and the grape leaves. The tabouli (sp?) is great too! This is one of my "must visit" places when I am home from college. :) It is pretty close to my old highschool too, so I used to walk here all the time after school for some quick nosh. Service can be slow sometimes so I recommend take-out!
4 - Ruogu K.: Lamb here is good. Lunch is better than dinner with lower price and more choices.
5 - Anubhuti J.: awesome food:)
4 - Aditya M.: Nice middle-eastern place near CMU.
I usually get the 'Vegetarian Special' which is box with rice, hummus and baba ganoush (and bread). They also have awesome 'Sleek' which is this awesome concoction of kale, onions and beans.. tried it for the first time today and loved it.
The owner seems to really care about his food... always reminds me to hold box the right way when I get take-out.. seems like he really knows his middle-eastern food.
Awesome place, but a bit on the pricier end, I could get a more diverse platter of food for cheaper at the middle-eastern truck at margaret morrison st.
4 - Jeremia F.: Excellent Food with Great prices and very generous portion sizes. I keep going back here time and time again for lunch. Very busy lunch hour so if you get there towards the end of the noon hour be prepared to have just okay service.
3 - Nate F.: I'd seen the Ali Baba hype on Yelp, and I was in the area exploring Pitt, so I figured I might as well try my luck at the purported best Middle Eastern restaurant in Pittsburgh.  It was a fine experience, but nothing special.

I patiently waited in line to order takeout, and got the spinach and lentil soup and the spinach pie, both highly recommended.  The soup was definitely the better of the two, with a strong lemon juice flavor as I usually make it myself.  The spinach pie, rumored to be so good, was a real let down.  Another reviewer called it "best in the country"?  Cmon, are you serious?  If I came here again I would definitely get the kibbee or something.

I couldn't help but notice the mass confusion at the counter, either, between the owner and the waitresses.  The takeout ordering system, which should honestly be quite easy, was causing many problems and making everyone a bit awkward.  They couldn't match the tickets with the completed orders with the ticket copies sent back to the kitchen.  

Considering the other options for lunch in the area, I do recommend Ali Baba.  Next time I go, maybe I will have a better experience, but the thought that their quality hinges so much on what you order doesn't make me feel better.
4 - amy h.: Oh I just love this place. Great, quick BYOB that always delivers. We actually biked to Tandoor Indian Grill on Centre to use a Groupon, and the building is boarded up (FYI)! I really didn't mind since I knew Ali Baba was down the street and I could always go for good hummus. Theirs is awesome, along with their baba ganoush, falafel and bread. I usually fill up on all of those things so never have actually tried an entree. But the tossed salad compliments the pita and hummus well, seasoned and dressed with fresh lemon juice and olive oil. I've never had to wait long on a table and the service is always prompt. The bf fills up on various chicken dishes, and he is always satisfied. A few times the bread has been dry (I love when its warm and soft) but the hummus is soo good it really doesn't bother me!
4 - Teresa T.: Dropped in for a quick early dinner on a Saturday night and the place was not packed. I did notice the numerous awards that Ali Baba has been recognized for hanging up in the entrance. Ordered the humus to split for an appetizer and I had the stuffed beef eggplant with a side salad. Generous portions, good prices and delicious foods. I intended to not eat so much but I ate up everything! Waiter was attentive and friendly. I do feel like the decor has brought me back to my nursery school days though I'm glad I stopped on by.
5 - Robin S.: I worked in Ali Baba in college, and it set the gold standard for middle eastern food for me. Every place I go I compare to Ali Baba, and everywhere falls short. I mean everywhere.

I mean, sure, I only worked there for three weeks before I broke my ankle and realized waiting tables would have to well, wait, and sure, the kitchen staff doesn't necessarily have a western standard of respect for women, but man, they can cook some amazing food and they give you huge portions. And when you're in college, one enormous free meal every day goes a very long way. 

Their hummous is unmatched. Their baba is unmatched. I have never found mohomara anywhere else. I could go on.

Its really good, and they have a ton of vegan food, but also great food for meat eaters. Just go already.
1 - N N.: I always walked by this place and wondered if I should try.  I love middle eastern cuisine.  One day, I went here for lunch with a bunch of coworkers.  The place was packed and the menu was short, which were good signs of a good restaurant.  I ordered the kibbeh and it was just disgusting.  I've had so much better elsewhere.  It was very dry and tasteless.  The only real attraction to this place is the student pricing.  Dishes here are quite cheap.  Now I see why.
3 - Jon G.: Good quality, good price. Not very spicy. Cute waitress.
4 - Amy R.: Fatoush is a fun word.  And delicious! 

I've eaten here many times, but am just now getting around to posting a review.  My usual is the fatoush.   The babaganoosh and hummus are also very very good.  

This past time I was absolutely famished so I didn't think a little salad would do the trick, so I got the spinach pie.  It was good, but not what I expected.  I think I expected something like spanikopita but this was more tart - I think maybe because they added lemon juice.  The dough was good though.  A bit dissapointed in my meal, but it filled me up.  I've had such great experiences every other time, that one set-back on one menu item won't turn me away.
3 - Tom M.: Ali Baba is on a busy stretch of Craig Street near CMU and the museums, etc.  When I grabbed a late lunch today at around 2:00pm today they were still pretty crowded but the atmosphere and crowd were "cool" and the service was good.  

For some reason, I have turned into a baba ganoush fanatic lately.  The baba at Ali Baba (say that 3 times in a row and a genie will appear) was very fresh tasting but was a little bit on the bland side in my opinion.  There was a little too much oil (actually a puddle of oil) on top of the baba but there was some nice citrus taste to it.   The large portion of baba was definitely enough for 2 - I brought half of it home.

I also tried a spinach pie.  Good - not great.  Nice and toasted on the outside but just a tad undercooked and doughy on the inside.  Also a little on the bland side.  I wish they had a spinach-feta cheese pie option on the menu - maybe I should have asked.

My last trip to Ali Baba was over 10 years ago.  That visit included an incredibly hilarious and embarassing moment that I cannot post on the internet.  Well maybe one of these days after a few beers I will reveal - ha ha.  

Ali Baba is a good choice on Craig Street but there are better middle eastern choices in my opinion at Kassab's (Southside) and Taza 21 (Squirrel Hill).  With that said, I will try Ali Baba again one of these days.  I am intrigued that Ali Baba has it's roots in Syria so maybe I just need to appreciate the differences and give it another chance.
2 - Matt C.: Good recipes, nice atmosphere, and an interesting menu are frequently ruined by inattentiveness in the kitchen.  Meats are often dry, tough, and overcooked, though the vegetarian options are still delicious.  Ali Baba is a place with a lot of potential, but it needs more skilled professionals behind the curtain.

(Also, the water glasses are unusually small, requiring many refills and usually causing periods without water during a meal--you can ask for a bigger one, though, something I didn't learn until my third visit.)
3 - Maria H.: I'd think most of my Yelp buddies won't care about this review, but oh well! It was way overdue. 

This place is really close to my (former) school and some of the communities at school loved to throw events there or bring their foods at school events. So, I have tried most of their foods either inside the restaurant or at school. 

This is supposed to be a Syrian cuisine but you'll find some Persian foods in their menu such as shish kabob or koobideh (Kafta). And sure, I've heard so much arguments about whether or not Shish kabob or koobideh are Persian, so don't contact me on this unless you have a time machine that can send me back to see it for myself.  

Generally speaking, their rice is bland, their beef is dry, and Spinach pie is meh. I like their pitta bread, lentil soup, and tossed salad. Fatoosh is also a hit or miss... 

I haven't heard of any other middle eastern restaurant near that area and if you really crave this kind of food, I'd suggest to go here but don't expect much. Service is friendly but inefficient. 

The location is great and its nice and clean... It has been there since 1972 and is pretty popular. It is also big enough compare to other restaurants in the Craig street. And you can have a nice walk around it when you are done eating! There are coffee shops, bookstore, boutiques, people walking, etc!
3 - Jessica S.: Ali Baba is a good default place if you want to grab some lunch and you're around Carnegie Mellon University.  The typical lunch hour can be quite busy, so if you can neither go here a little early (11:30ish) or a little later (12:30ish) that is probably the best.  Ideally, this restaurant can best seat and service you the quickest if your party is 2 or less.  

The menu is pretty consistent and you'll find some familiar items on typical Mediterranean cuisines, such as hummus, babaganoosh, dolmas, gyros, tabouleh.  You'll discover that the menu is a mixture of different cuisines.  Like most Pittsburgh places, authenticity is not always right on the dot, but it is not a bad menu.  For example, the lamb cheeseburger.  I'm not particularly floored by the food, but it is a satisfying meal.  

Since I'm such a soup person, I do really like their spinach and lentil soup.  I typically have a bowl of the soup with a cheese pie and I'm full.  The bill ends up being less than $7.  What a deal!  

Service can be a little slow, so be prepared to be patient.
4 - M M.: Every time I go here I can get something different and love it. There are also quite a few gluten free options, which makes dining out with friends easier.

I also really enjoy the atmosphere. There are always real flowers on the tables!
3 - Kristen H.: This place has the best hummus in town!  

Their menu offers a great variety of food that's always very fresh.  I usually get The Healthy Variety for lunch and I've never had a bad experience at this restaurant. 

If you go on your lunch hour, do it on a day where you can spend more than an hour at lunch bc the service is SLOW and the kitchen is even slower!
3 - Patrick K.: I go just for the lamb shank -- very good.
1 - Soojin Y.: Got moussaka. Instead of bechamel, they put american cheese on top...interesting, cheap and not a tasty choice. So much lamb on the menu, it's hard to avoid. Just because it has lamb in it, doesn't mean its Mediterranean. Friend had beef platter. Beef too dry, too well done. For this price, you could get a lot better. Would not recommend
4 - Mark O.: We had lunch at Ali Baba's and had three of the best vegetarian dishes (and we're *not* vegetarians!) we have eaten.  All three were tasty and well-made. And one, a spicy and sweet walnut pesto, was entirely new to us and good enough we need to learn to make it ourselves. My only complain is that the service was pretty random, but that's to be expected in a university area.
4 - Harry B.: we had lamb cheeseburgers with mint yogurt.  great service, wonderful food.  Just as it has been for many many years!

Ali Cat - Carrboro, NC (35.9101438, -79.0752895) ()
5 - Caroline Z.: I've seen a number of these classic local toy stores lately, but I have to give the edge so far to Ali Cat for one big reason - the book section. They have several shelves lining the back wall, containing everything from "Pat the Bunny" right on up to Roald Dahl to Harry Potter. As for the toys, they have lots of the good stuff you expect - arts and crafts toys, science toys (is it too late for me to get the Smithsonian fossil kit?), games, puzzles and stuffed animals. They even have a little section devoted to horse-themed books and toys.
5 - Kianna M.: This store is awesome, I'm a big kid at heart!  It's especially great for the little kids too.  They've got nice soft stuffed animal, toy VW cars & even wooden cars made out of recycled wood, handmade in California.  Oh, and let's not forget the Rubiks cube, one of my favorites as a kid, I loved playing with that thing as a kid.  
This store as been in the Carr Mill Mall for about 11 years.  It's an adorable play land full of all sorts of fun stuff, you can even purchase the materials to make your own crystals, how fun is that!
4 - William J.: Sweet, a toy store!

As toy stores go, this one is very quality.  Nothing particularly amazing, just a great selection at awesome prices.  Really, you'll find everything from old style hand carved wooden pull toys to the most modern LEGO sets (man, I feel like an ass for capitalizing LEGO... twice).  There are tons of books, just in case your kid doesn't have enough copies of Harry Potter and the Ridiculous Obsession.  There's even a section with polished ornamental stones for those of you who have sad lives and get excited about polished ornamental stones.

So, yeah.  Like toys?  Shop at Ali Cat.  That is all.
4 - Adrienne E.: I've never made a special trip to Carr Mill Mall just to go to Ali Cat, but it's a fun place to browse while visiting Weaver St. or waiting for a table at Elmo's. As an independent toy store, the price point is maybe a little higher than a corporate chain, but still very reasonable. It seems to me that their selection places emphasis on educational toys and games. There are tons of children's books, with classics like The Hungry Caterpillar and Good Night Moon mixed in with newer fare. They also carry a bunch of creative and well-crafted hand puppets, as well as the elusive Rubik's Cube. When my boyfriend requested one for Christmas a few years ago, this is the first and only place I had to look.
4 - Felecia B.: I always seem to wait until the last minute to buy birthday gifts so I am glad that this place is down the street from me.  I love their selection of toys, arts and crafts, and science projects making finding something for any kid a snap.

They carry all the brands you are used to seeing in more "serious" educational type play but also just because fun things.  They have tons of Playmobil, Breyer Horses, and Calico Corner which I seriously want for myself.

It's located in the Carr Mill mall so no way do you need to drag yourself to Durham to get something at Target-this place will set you up right and you can support local businesses at the same time.  

They have a selection of gift bags so you can get all your gift needs met here.  Would definitely recommend for all ages.
5 - Drew P.: I hope this store stays here forever.

Best selection of kids toys that make gift-giving easy because you can always find something cool, educational, and different from the big box stores or Amazon.  Centrally-located, and prices are very reasonable, too.

I just wish that would carry more gift wrap or gift bags.

Ali Hair Salon - Los Angeles, CA (34.0604977, -118.4460908) (Westwood)
5 - Alex K.: Simply: This man is a master. Former business partner of Vidal Sassoon and taught him how to cut hair. The guy is independently wealthy and does this for fun. Dedicated to making you look good and has a clientele of actresses that will make you drool. A nice guy too.
5 - Megan B.: I first knew Ali as a customer at my Starbucks.  After a few months, he finally convinced me to come and trust him with my hair.  I've loved all the different hair cuts he's given me.  After taking my boyfriend, he wouldn't ever dare go back to a cheapo place like Supercuts.  Ali is excellent as a hair dresser and keeps the experience entertaining.  He has a great personality and isn't afraid to say what he thinks.  His shop is small, cozy, and very boutique-like.  In the mornings Ali always offers fresh donuts and coffee from his espresso machine.  While most hair dressers take at least an hour to cut my hair, Ali does an even better job in 1/3 of the time, but at the same time you don't feel like he's just rushing you to get on to the next client.
5 - Jeff L.: I love Ali and all his crazy stories... He is the goods.
5 - Chris C.: I went in for a haircut thanks to a friend's recommendation.  My stylist, Tina, seemed a little rough on the edges at first but she turned out to be one of coolest woman w/ a pair of scissors that I've met.  None of that fake nice I typically get from other high end salons I've been to in the past.  Quite a refreshing experience.  Tina, thank you for the great hair style and the honest conversation!  It's a rare find for a stylist that can do can an $80 cut for $30.
5 - C.C. S.: What character! I went on a Saturday and had an appointment for Tina. She was running late so I was forced to listen to the hilarious dialogue between Ali and one of his clients. Can't say that waiting is my favorite thing to do but now I know where to get the best 16 year old hookers (it's Brazil fyi). 

Tina came in late eating ice cream but got to work quickly on my hair. She understood what I was looking for - wanting to grow my hair longer whilst staying in style - and she walked me through how to style my hair and how to take care of it. I know this seems easy, but NO ONE has ever taken the time to watch me style my hair and then corrected my technique so that it's a more efficient process. 

Tina was down to earth and we talked for like 60 minutes while she shampooed, scissor-cut, and styled my hair. She's hot which doesn't hurt but wasn't her main selling point. It really was all about the hair - the process and the finished product. Big word up to Ali's.
5 - Kent L.: Not much else can be said about this great place.  I've tried countless places before until a co-worker (plus yelp!) finally pushed me over the edge to just go here.

Ali is the only person to make my funky head look great!  :D
5 - Arturo V.: Best hair dresser in LA. He knows how to cut hair almost instinctively. A plus will be a good conversation and an overall very good service. Worth what you pay.
2 - Peeks T.: I got an awkward haircut here.  Awkward experience, and awkward-looking hair.  Got it cut again somewhere else not long after.
4 - Julie L.: I haven't gotten a haircut in awhile, and figured I would try this place out due to the good reviews. I liked that I didn't have to make an appointment, I just called in 20 mins before I got there. At first it was a little awkward, he was kind of gruff and snarky, but by the end of it he was laughing and joking with us. He gave me some good hair advice and my hair looks great =], the only downside was that he held the dryer a bit too close and too long to my head, and I don't think he realized that it was burning me... Other than that, the cut was great, and it didn't take long at all. Oh, I also got the student discount ($50).
1 - Seigi K.: 1) He insisted on giving me a haircut according to his own taste, rather than what I wanted. I didn't like it, so he quickly cut my hair a bit shorter into a messy, uneven birds nest that I had to attempt to fix myself afterwards.
2) Way overpriced. $25 is way too much for this lack of quality and skill
3) I would rather go to campus cuts.. and that's saying a lot.

Enough said.

PS. One star for his weird, awkward stories.
5 - Sendie H.: I've been getting my haircut here for over a year now, only wishing that I found this place earlier!  I enjoy the atmosphere of the place and his sense of humor, but most importantly I love his haircuts.  If you are a UCLA student you should give this place a try.
2 - Ying C.: All right, so it was my second time going to Ali Hair Salon to keep my short hair.  This time, Young moved to Arizona to live with her brother.  So I got a rando, and his name was Rob.

Just to think of Rob makes me want to poke him in the eye.  Oh My God.  First, he did not even listen to how long I wanted my hair.  Second, he would not stop trying to get me to try his line of make up.  I told him at least five times that I don't even wear make up.  How would I even know if I like it or not??  Third, which is the most frustrating thing ever, is that he totally did what he wanted to do.  He first chopped my hair really short, and then asked me what I wanted.  I brought a picture to show him the general idea, and he did the exact opposite. Meanwhile, he would not stop bragging about how he used to give haircuts in Beverley Hills celebrity.

It was so frustrating to a point that I told him I am just a normal person who wants a normal haircut.  

Anyway, when I finally came out, he would not stop complaining how he gave me three haircuts.  Well guess what, after the allegedly three haircuts, my hair was still uneven.  And I have short, straight hair.  It is so crazy obvious when the right and left are not the same.  

My advice, don't go to Rob unless you want to try his "all mineral makeup line that is just amazingggg."  Augh.
5 - Elaine W.: Really, really great place. Can't recommend Ali more. Sure his conversation topics tend to be bit off the wall but the guy knows how to cut hair!

I've tried other salons but I always end up coming back to Ali Hair. Some people are just innately talented with shears and Ali is one of them. Post-haircut, I never fail to get compliments on my hair, that's how great his cuts are!!

An added bonus is that he's fast and doesn't waste your time. Because he knows what he's doing! Plus his prices are pretty reasonable for the area -- I believe there's a student discount.
5 - Lily q.: I've had my hair cut by Ali for a year now. i have loved everything he has tried on my hair.He is very skilled. When i have been out of town and asked other stylists to just trim my hair and repliacate his cut, they mess it up. I know better now. Sweet man.
5 - Granth C.: I've been going to Ali for my hair for two years now.  I am always a happy camper because:

1. every time I give directions as to how to have my hair cut, Ali follows them!
2. every time I walk in and I no clue clue what I want (I change hair styles often), Ali says "Trust me!" and I walk out feeling and Looking (I hope) great!
3. everyone, not just Ali, is very pleasant and friendly! 

So that's that!

Ali's Tandoori Junction - Kitchener, ON (43.4401818, -80.5263544) ()
4 - Ahmed S.: Definitely great authentic Pakistani good. Not as good as Pakwan in the bay area, but their Nihari was really good. Naan was fresh. Hole in the wall good food and really cheap too. 

Would definitely return here if for some reason I ever found myself in Kitchener, Ontario ever again. However, if you are here and are looking for great Paki / desi food, then this is the place to go.
4 - Ayesha R.: Very delicious and authentic Indian food. Inexpensive too!
5 - Goalie D.: Good Daal, Tandoori Butter Chicken.

Alibi Cafe - Providence, RI (41.817929, -71.410781) (DownCity)
3 - Andy F.: I wouldn't go out of my way to find this place hidden in the Jewelry District but if you are in the area for lunch they make some solid sandwiches. They are pretty quick. They don't have the friendliest service but its a pick up counter so it doesn't really bother me. Good price for a good sandwich.
3 - Carly B.: Sometimes you just want a sandwich-sandwich! 
The french bread is awesome here but I still always get the Sea Quest: Rye bread, tuna salad (very dill-y - yum!), bacon (hold the bacon - terrible), honey mustard, hot sauce, lettuce, tomato. 

Everyone's always friendly, even in the lunch rush. This place used to be Nobody's, then was closed for at least a year, then reopened as Alibi with the same exact menu. I've never been to the bar.
4 - Meghan A.: As I sit here typing away on my lunch break, I am currently munching on some chili from Alibi and felt inspired enough to write a review. LUCKY YOU!

Alibi is another one of those places that I wouldn't know about unless I happened to work a few yards from it. So whenever I'm craving a really delicious turkey sandwich on fresh French bread, I'm heading to Alibi.

I've tried a few things there. I've had my sandwiches hot and cold, with and without bacon, sides of pasta salad, sides of potato salad, sides of chips, and now chili. I can honestly say that I've never eaten anything bad at Alibi. While some of the sandwiches I've had aren't great, and while the bacon is limp and chewy, and while chili really isn't my favorite thing in the world (I hate the beans!), I'm still a fan of Alibi. When you do get exactly what you're craving (my favorite: small turkey sub with cheese and lettuce, slightly toasted) it's one of the greatest lunch experiences ever. That being said, when you get what you are craving, and it's not what you wanted it to be (i.e. the chili - TOO many beans!), it's still good enough to continue eating. 

There are two fun things about Alibi. There is the counter service where you can just head in and pick up your lunch, and there is the bar. You can get everything at the bar that you would at the deli counter, but this provides a sit down opportunity to watch people drink on their lunch break. Rebels or addicts? You decide.

And if you're looking for a drink collection of Coke products, Vitamin Water and Naked (naughty!) Juice, this is a good place to look. All in all, I think you'll have a pretty good lunch experience.
1 - QG N.: I called in to make a take-out order and was told my order would be ready in 5 minutes. Well, I came in 15 minutes later and they had only JUST started making the sandwich. That is absolutely unacceptable, especially from a place that overcharges their sandwiches like Alibi. Overall, I'd say that Alibi has okay sandwiches, but for the price and service they're not worth it.
4 - Paul M.: They're near where I work, they make your food quickly, and the sandwiches are tasty. Admittedly you're going to get ripped off if you don't get a large sandwich (twice the size for ~$1.50 more) and it's not a place to stay and eat because it's too small, but the food gets made quickly and it's above average. If you're nearby and you really want a sandwich, this would be my pick; Olga's has more creative sandwiches that are very good but is also more expensive. 

I usually find my bacon crispy enough, so I'm not sure what everyone else is talking about.
3 - Riki V.: Not  a bad place to stop in and have a drink.  During the day they have a deli around the corner. Sandwiches and coffee are great.  Nice to have this type a place not to far from work, I do recommend!
2 - Valerie Z.: I've been ere a few times since it's so close to my job.  The problem is simple:  the food is hit or miss.  There is a deli on one side for take out and a little bar or lounge with a pool table and patio on the other.  Probably would be a cute place to grab a drink.

The inconsistency of the sandwiches is the only thing holsing this little place back.
2 - Tammy G.: It's been at least a year since I've been there.  The ham and cheese and Italian sandwiches are great.  The service is neither friendly or fast but if you just want a good sandwich at lunch time and happen to be in the area go for it.  Forgot to mention that it is a bit over priced.

Alice Agzarian, MD - Los Angeles, CA (34.0646140203564, -118.446132601055) (Westwood)
5 - ruth l.: This is my new doctor (internist).  I've only seen her once, but I really liked her and was impressed with the amount of time she spent with me and with her thoroughness (although a recent article in the NY Times has me questioning whether thoroughness is such a good thing: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/11/health/views/11essa.html?ex=1363060800&en=0f55c1ae184eae47&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink). 

Anyway, I appreciated Dr. Alice Agzarian's candor, and feel relieved that I  selected her on the basis of a recommendation of some random stranger in line with me at the Costco Pharmacy to be my primary care physician for the purpose of my HMO.  

During my visit with Dr. Agzarian, I interacted with several of her staff members, all of whom I found to be really pleasant.  And I only spent a few minutes in waiting, bonus!  

One note:  Dr. Agzarian does not prescribe birth control, which is fine, as I've always had that taken care of by my lady-specialists.  But if you like your GP to handle your non-baby needs, she's not the one for you.
5 - LE F.: I've seen both Dr. Alice Agzarian and her twin Dr. Anita Agzarian for two years now and I agree with everything Ruth says.  These are terrific, smart, caring doctors -- old-fashioned in only the very best sense.   (I also appreciate the fact that their office is up front about their personal views on birth control -- no one is going to show up in their offices unaware of this limitation.)    Note:  the number above is wrong. The office number is 310-794-4212.
5 - Cori M.: Very nice and thorough. She remembers my name and my symptoms and follows up with me through mail.
I've recommended her and described her as the female version of Mr. Rogers.
5 - Mattea P.: She is a great doctor!!! I drive all the way from Long Beach to Westwood to see her, when I need to. When I come to the office, she takes the time to look over my chart,talk to me and I never feel rushed. She is also informed and concerned. As a bonus she actually remembers me when I come back for my appointments. I considered changing doctors because of the distance, but if it ain't broke why fix it!
5 - sophia t.: Dr. Alice Agzarian is the best doctor I've ever had.  I've been going to her for the past 4 years and each visit has always been very pleasant and very comfortable.  I always feel like I'm going to see a favorite relative, that's how great she is.   She's not the type of doctor who comes in 45 mins late, rushes you through the visit to only write up a prescription for pills and then leaves without giving you a chance to ask any questions (ahem...Kaiser Permanente).  She really takes the time to listen to your concerns, answers all of your questions and is very thorough in her work.  She even remembers my name and issues associated with previous visits.  I've never felt rushed or felt like she wasn't concerned.  Very personable and very caring...how every doctor should be.
5 - Laura D.: Had to check in for a checkup and yearly blood work, and it's always a pleasure to see Dr. Alice. She knocks before she comes into the exam room!

I have been morphing to a vegan diet, so I brought her the book I'm reading "Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Furhman, and she was fine with me continuing the food plan, and said she will peruse the book and monitor my progress.

She sent me up to the 3rd floor for the blood work, very easy in this wing of the medical center. There was only one person waiting so I got in and out right away.

UCLA Medical Center is the most practical and convenient medical practice I have ever been exposed to.  When you're in their system, anywhere you go they can pull up all your records and see what's going on.  And they usually send you a follow-up review request so you can let UCLA know how you liked your visit.

The only unfortunate issue in this visit had nothing to do with the medical center and that was that my appt happened to be on the day after there was an underground explosion on Westwood Blvd., and the entire intersection by the medical center was closed!  Luckily I know how to cut through the university so was only delayed a few minutes.  Talk about your news trucks all over the place!

UCLA Medical, you rock!
5 - andrea r.: I love Dr Alice for her sweet personality, old fashioned neighborhood doctor charm, and honesty. But most importantly she is so thorough and careful. I have never been happier with a doctor in my life and will be crushed if my stupid new insurance forces me elsewhere.

additional perk: she has a twin sister. if you have an emergency and you can't see Dr Alice, sometimes Dr. Anita is available. It's almost like seeing Dr. Alice if you squint.

Alice Pratt Brown Hall - Houston, TX (29.7190613, -95.3978223) (West University)
4 - Dolph W.: In the late 80's, both the Wortham Center downtown and Alice Pratt Brown Hall at Rice University opened. This is quite impressive since Houston's economy was in the tank at the time and the millions of dollars required for their construction were all raised via private funds. Alice Pratt Brown Hall became a reality because the Browns, Studes, Duncans and the Olds provided a big chunk of the required capital and got various portions of the place named after them.

It's a wonderful facility and the home of Rice University's Shepherd School of Music. It houses Stude Concert Hall (1000 seats), Duncan Recital Hall (250 seats) and my favorite, the Edythe Bates Old Recital Hall and Grand Organ. In addition, the facility is chock full of studios, rehearsal spaces, practice rooms and classrooms. It's one of the big reasons the Shepherd School is becoming so prestigious.

As a concert venue, it provides the best value for money anywhere in Houston. All the faculty, guest and student recitals are FREE and with world-renowned musicians on the faculty, the musicianship is of the highest level. This is the best place to consistently hear world-class chamber music in Houston. In addition to the Rice faculty recitals, the Houston Friends of Music holds its subscription series at Stude Concert Hall that features some of the world's greatest chamber ensembles. All the halls have excellent acoustics and an intimate feel.

The Edythe Bates Old Recital Hall features a tracker action organ with 4493 pipes modeled after French instruments. It will blow your socks off. The hall is also used for chamber and choral music. I've performed there a number of times and love the intimacy with the audience and the variable acoustics controlled by curtains that can be raised and lowered on the walls.

There is always something going on here during the school year. You really do need to stop by. To get here, take Entrance #8 off of University Blvd. West Lot 1 is right across the street from the hall. Please note that you have to use a credit card to pay and get out of the lot (failure to have one means you're stuck). Paying for parking is a lot cheaper than paying for a recital.
5 - Kevin D.: Tuesday I was checking out the CultureMap events calender and noticed the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University was performing a free concert at 8pm. I thought it would be a good idea to stop by Valhalla for a pre-show refreshment 30 minutes before the show and discovered they had 95 cent Zeigenbock on draft - Today was a good day for discovery.

20 minutes later I left for the Hall, which is two blocks away, and arrived just in time to find a seat . The first piece was the Overture to La Gazza Ladra by Gioachino Rossini. Stanley Kubrick used it in his 1971 film A Clockwork Orange - So yes, you've heard it and you liked it. However, hearing live was even better.

I have to agree with Dolph W. "...the musicianship is of the highest level. This is the best place to consistently hear world-class chamber music in Houston." For me, this was a 5 star experience and I will be going back.

Note: Unless otherwise noted, admission to all Shepherd School of Music events is free and tickets are not required.

Alice Yung, MD - Pasadena, CA (34.14434, -118.130085) (Pasadena)
3 - Kandace P.: UPDATE:  I still go to Dr. Yung but make sure I get a first appt of the day.  This helps and I've been much happier.  I did bring up the wait time and I think she understood.

I thought I found Dr. Yung on yelp.com but once I tried to find her I couldn't.  Today was the second time I had seen Dr. Yung and I was so happy that I could walk to her office from my home.  On visit #1, once I got to the office 15 minutes early as requested, I ended up waiting an hour and a half to actually see the doctor.  I waited most of the time in the waiting room and then in the exam room 1/2 dressed.  I was told an emergency had come up and she would be a few minutes.  When she finally came in, we talked for about 5 minutes, she wanted to do a different procedure that I would have to come back (in a month for scheduling).  So I waited 1.5 hours to be told to come back and paid for my $40 co-pay, basically for nothing.  
I returned today for my "procedure."  I arrived 5 minutes early, waited 15 minutes before anyone checked me in, then I proceeded to wait another 30 minutes before getting my vitals checked and then waited in the exam room for another 20 minutes. So today, I waited an hour before seeing the doctor. 
I had given them all the information they needed to get my previous records and they had not gotten them in the month they had the information.  
Dr. Yung seems nice enough but waiting over an hour to see the doctor seems unacceptable to me.  What is the point of having an appointment?  
After I get the results of my procedure, I might consider finding a new doctor just because of the wait time.
4 - mrs y.: 3.5 stars

I found Dr. Yung through Huntington Memorial Hospital (that's where we want to deliver). My appointments are always in the morning, so I never has to wait longer than 10-15 min before getting my vitals checked and into the exam room. I like that she's thorough and likes to err on the side of caution when it comes to potential problems. I've also called several times with medication questions and have always gotten a response from either the office assistants or Dr. Yung herself within the same day. 

Minus 1 star because they will refer the patients to another doctor for all the screenings (I did not know this in the beginning). But since that will only happen once or twice, it's not really a problem.

Minus 1/2 a star because they charged me for a prenatal visit that should have been covered by my insurance.
5 - H C.: I had a great experience here. Dr. Yung is knowledgeable, understanding, and thorough. The assistants are also great.
2 - Alana S.: I've seen Dr. Yung a few times now. The wait room staff are fine, aside from rarely following through with giving the doctor messages or calling in prescriptions. My wait time has ranged between 30 minutes to over an hour. I always feel rushed with her, although she's nice enough and asks a lot of questions. Overall, I wouldn't really recommend her.
5 - Stephanie A.: Dr. Yung is by far one of the best doctors I have ever had.  I am so fortunate to have found her after switching from another OB/GYN during my first pregnancy.  As a woman, it can be daunting to try and find an OB that you trust and are comfortable with, and I am lucky that I have found that in Dr. Yung.  Not only is she incredibly knowledgeable about her field, she has an excellent bedside manner with her patients.  My first pregnancy was very challenging as my son was diagnosed with severe kidney swelling during the pregnancy, and I was struggling with gestational diabetes.  It was a very trying time for me, and Dr. Yung helped me by giving me the facts, taking the time to answer any questions I had (and I had a LOT), and being available to me whenever I needed her.  I honestly don't know how I would have gotten through that pregnancy without her support and care.

I appreciate Dr. Yung's "give it to you straight" approach while also showing that she genuinely cares for you.  She makes sure that you are armed with the facts, so that you know what you can do to reach optimal health.  She is thorough and takes the time to make sure you understand what is going on.  She is truly a great partner to have in terms of your overall health.  Anytime I've called in with a question or concern, she has been prompt about calling me back.  She is now with me during my second pregnancy, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
1 - Kristen G.: I recently moved to California and needed to search for an OB. The first time I went I was on the fence.  The place seemed unprofessional at the front desk but  Dr. Yung was helpful and detail oriented.  The only thing that rubbed me the wrong way was that she seemed to be pushing me to make decisions rather then allowing me to  decide for myself.  So, I decided I would go back, give her a second chance, and make her my doctor (big mistake). I took off work for an appointment and when I got there the receptionist informed me the doctor was out of the office for the day!!  I got no call, text, email, or voicemail to warn me that my appointment was canceled and the desk girl didn't apologize.  I asked why I wasn't contacted and the girl said they didn't have email and forgot to call me. What?! Needless to say I will be going to a new doctor.
1 - Miria M.: Came in twice to get a women's annual exam. Even though i had an appointment, i literally sat there for 1.5 hours when they didn't even seem busy at all. I don't why they would make their patients wait for so long. I have friends who have gone there and told me the same thing about the wait time.
I would not recommend her, unless you would like to sit at her office and read a book for 2 hours.
1 - Christine Z.: Where do I begin?...
I was told good things about her from a friend, and I wanted to deliver my 2nd child at the new hospital in Pasadena, so I thought I'd give her a try. She seemed really nice at first, and everything seemed alright so I continued seeing her. After my 5th or 6th visit I thought to myself... Y is she always in her office? There was never a time when I was told she's out of the office she's at the hospital delivering a baby. With my first son, my doctor was RARELY at the office because he was DELIVERING BABIES. (I would love to go back to him to delivery my new baby but we live too far from him now). 
So as I was about to enter my 3rd trimester, naturally I began putting on some weight, but not a crazy amount. At every Dr visit she would drill me about how much weight I've gained. ESPECIALLY after I told her how my first son was 9lbs 9ounces at birth. (Yes my son was big but I had only gained 35 lbs during my first pregnancy.) She began telling me things like "aren't u scared?, because I'm scared". "I'm afraid this baby is going to get stuck on the way out." Then she insists I take another disgusting glucose test to make sure I'm not diabetic since I'm "so big". Which came out negative. She wanted me to write down everything I was eating during the day. My appetite has not changed since I've been pregnant . And I don't over eat. I don't look overweight, all my weight is clearly at my belly, BECAUSE THATS WHERE THE BABY IS. She didn't focus on how the baby was, how I was doing, etc. She would only focus on my weight. Which she mentioned on our last visit "well u only have a few weeks left of the pregnancy and you've gained a total of 30 lbs. So I guess its not too bad". Really? The final straw was when I asked her what position my baby was in, her answer was "I won't know till ur last ultrasound at 36 weeks". So I have to wait 7 more weeks to know if my son might possible be breech? The Dr who delivered my son knew the positioning of the baby by just feeling my tummy. 
So that was that. I was at 30 weeks, stressed, freaking out trying to find a New Dr to go to. Which messes up everything for me because now I only have a few visits left to get to know this new Dr who will be bringing my new son into the world. A waste of time, money, and energy. Luckily I've been seeing a new Dr who is great, tells me my weight is normal, and that its better for the baby that I gain weight than to be underweight. Much more reassuring!

Alice's Diner - Troy, NY (42.7172166, -73.6935063) ()
4 - Crystal C.: Newly opened on 3rd St, we couldn't resist stopping in for breakfast! The interior is classic diner, complete with pink neon that I kind of fell in love with. We loved how obviously family-run this place is. The servings were the perfect amount to fill you up without making you feel overstuffed if you cleaned your plate. The bacon was done perfectly, the toast and home fries were great. My over easy eggs were a little over cooked, but I didn't mind. The french toast lacked in presentation, but made up for it in flavor. Seasoned with cinnamon and cooked perfectly! We're looking forward to coming back again and again.
5 - Michelle L.: Alice's Diner offers homemade, delicious food in a comfortable, friendly atmosphere. But why is it just when you find a great place with great food, and think you could become a regular, you find out it's closing? On May 28, 2012, Alice's Diner will close its doors, and if they don't reopen elsewhere, it will be a loss to the Troy dining scene.

As the name suggests, Alice's is a true diner. A long counter with chrome stools divides the food prep area from the dining tables. Neon accents, including a really great neon-trimmed clock over the door, give the place a retro feel.

We were warmly greeted when we entered on a Sunday morning, and invited to sit wherever we liked. My husband ordered eggs over easy, home fries (which were really homemade and delicious!), and corned beef hash, a favorite of his that I don't make, so I'm always glad when he finds it on the menu. I had scrambled eggs, bacon, and French toast. 

You should know that in addition to being kind of a picky eater, I am most particular about my breakfast foods. Eggs have to be scrambled well, even to the point of browning a bit. Any soft/wet spots, and I can't eat them. Bacon has to be well done and crispy. Both were prepared exactly per my requests. 

The best part, though, was the French toast. I grew up eating it with cinnamon sprinkled into the egg mixture, and I rarely find it that way at restaurants. Most places usually opt for just shaking some powdered sugar over the toast, which is way too sweet for me when coupled with syrup. Not only does Alice's Diner use cinnamon, they add a bit of vanilla to the mixture. The result is absolutely delicious. I haven't enjoyed French toast that much away from home in a very long time, if ever.

For all the food we got, plus juice and coffee, not to mention the excellent service, our bill was less than $18 for two of us. More than reasonable.

As we ate, we chatted a bit with the owner and the waiter, who also seems to be the owner's business partner (we were the only ones there for a bit until a large family came in). They were very friendly, and explained the reason they were closing is that their landlord has already raised the rent twice in the year the diner has been at its present location, and was planning on raising it yet again. They've decided to close instead, when their lease runs out on May 28, 2012.

It's a shame because I could easily see us returning for breakfast on a regular basis, and probably trying it out for lunch, too. (I'm not sure if they're open for dinner). They're not sure yet whether they'll reopen in another Troy location.

If you like simple, delicious, affordable diner food, and friendly, attentive service, make plans to try Alice's Diner before they close. And if you enjoy it as much as we did, ask them to consider opening somewhere else in Troy so we can all continue to enjoy it. Looks like the spot where Uncle Ricky's Bagel Heaven used to be is still available...

Alina Hair Salon Dominican Style - College Park, MD (38.9802545, -76.9377949) ()
4 - Maisha H.: Ok, so prior to getting to this salon, I went to 2 other Dominican salons who quoted me $45 and $50. I wont call any names. I walked into Alina's and she said $35. Nothing extra for natural hair iike the rest of these places. And if you dont need a blowout its only $35 for a wash and set. (If you're reading this review a year from now, or even a few months later and the price has changed, well....sucks for you...lol) 

Wonder why this place isnt rated though. Its in the middle of college town, meaning right in the heart of the University of MD shops and eateries; very central location in College Park.

Jeydy (not sure if I spelled it correctly) did my hair. She was a little rough at the wash bowl since I got splashed in the eye with shampoo a few times but boy did she get my hair clean. She washed it 3 times and then rolled and set my hair.

The dryer sucks. I hate being under there! As at any salon, I was under there for approx an hour and a half cause my hair is so friggin thick! But Jeydy, worked fast during the blowout process. And unlike when I go to some Dominican Salons, my roots were straight and not puffy. 

The salon was very clean. Only 3 stylists and 1 barber was there when I went today. The "front lady", dont know if she was the owner or not, was very friendly. She even went to put money in the meter for my car because my time was about to expire.  When I left, I had a nice silky and bouncy doo. I think I've found my Dominican Salon home!
4 - Janine H.: Great hair for a great price.  Alina's (Judy) was very careful to make sure that you are happy...She aims to please.  Great wash!! and she was so careful to make sure that my roots were straight as she blew me out.  She took great care to make sure she didn't kill my scalp with the heat...I will definitely be back.
4 - Whitney T.: I just came from this place and Judy did my hair. She is very nice and helpful and is completely dedicated to making sure that you leave satisfied. She wet my hair, rolled it, and then sent me to another stylist to blow dry, but she stood over her to make sure that she did a good job. 

My hair is natural and I never straighten it, so she at first quoted me $45 even though they have a special with a $25 wash and set on M, T and W. So I would say that they do charge extra for natural hair. In the end she gave me the $25 special, but I paid her $40 because she ended up having to flat iron afterwards. I think it also depends on if you straighten your hair on a regular basis or if you wear it natural most of the time, like me. 

Overall, great experience!
5 - Nakia C.: Coming from a 2-year residence in NYC, I had become accustomed to a $15 Dominican wash/set/blowdry.  So, returning to this area to find the same service (plus longer waits) for triple this price, I was appalled!  I came across Alina's salon via Yelp almost a year ago and have been hooked!  Monday-Wednesday, pay only $25 for wash/set/blowdry.  They have great deep conditioners and treatments for an additional $10.  Since going to Alina's I couldn't imagine going anywhere else!!!  Love it!!
4 - Dewaynia W.: They waited for me!!! With less than an hour until closing, they waited for me. I called but traffic was not on my side. But they waited for me and That right there gets stars. Everyone was pleasant.  Dalacey(sorry if that's spelled wrong) listened to what I wanted and sat me under that dryer full steam ahead. She moved so fast that I was done in exactly an hour. Definately going back cause she worked some magic! Thank you.
3 - Shani G.: Love that it's $25 (w. student ID).. And they are super nice...

But they don't really style your hair, it's just a wash n set plus blowdry.. The end

However, like I said it's $25 and I'm never trying to get super fancy anyway so it works for me..
2 - LaToya E.: I decided to try out this salon since I needed a quick blow out and its close to where I live.. I guess convenience isnt always key! My hair came out nice but the road to getting there is what i can do without. The women in the salon arent very friendly and no one really says more than three words to you other than "Mama over there" when they are ushering you from seat to seat. While I was getting my hair washed the woman proceeded to beat my head against the bowl and bang me in the face with her breast... I was put under the dryer for longer than I ever should have, and rushed through my actual blow out! Going into places like this makes me miss the REAL Dominican salons back in Atlanta, it almost makes me want to drive the 10hrs just to get a decent blow out with quality service.
2 - Niki R.: I have natural hair. The lady tried to comb my hair from the root to tip and was really struggling. I asked her if she could try combing the ends out first, and then work her way up. She took offense to that. I wasn't teling her how to do her job, which I'm sure is the way she took it, I was just asking that she try another way. Besides, I'm paying her for it! Time wasn't her issue: it was around noon on a Monday and they certainly weren't busy.  The other hairstylist was pleading with her to do what the customer wants but she wasn't having it. (This dialogue is in Spanish and they obviously didn't think I could understand). She tried combing it from the tips to the roots for a little but got impatient and restarted yanking through my hair with a fine tooth comb. After she completed my roller set, she blew me off and turned me over to the girl who was asking her to "do what the customer wants" for the blow dry. This girl was a lot more gentle with my tresses, but I like my hair to be fluffy and I like for it to blow in the wind, is that wrong of me?!!! and so I asked that she not put any products in it. She pretty much rolled her eyes and put some stuff (the bottle's label was rubbed off...) in my hair without my permission. 

I left with nice, straight, bouncy hair, but they didn't give me what I ordered, and for that, they get two stars. :-(
5 - Mikia C.: I am always satisfied coming out of Alina's salon.  She is very knowledgeable of hair health and quality hair products. I also find she is careful in choosing her staff. Alina will evaluate your hair and recommend a suitable treatment/deep conditioner. She is very gentle and accomodating and Haley (sp) is baaad with the blower. I mean she gets your hair super straight with minimal passing of the blowdryer. I can appreciate how Alina doesn't push the use of chemicals and doesn't increase the price of service according to the length of your hair. It is only $25 for a wash and set on Mon-Wed, and I have BSL tempermental hair. I really dig this place.

Alite Laser Hair Removal & Waxing - Austin, TX (30.280464, -97.743868) (Downtown)
5 - Lucky D.: Alite has three locations, but this is the newest one and the only one that also has the new body shaping machines and CHANGES technician.  
They are still in the process of updating their website to explain the treatments, but the folks who make the machines have a site with LOTS of information:   http://www.getchanges.com/

I've been doing the Transion treatments, which basically contracts your muscles FOR you!  The sessions are about 20 minutes long or so and they say it's like working out for 3 hours at the gym!  
The technician, Valerie, worked on my booty and thighs for the first 10 sessions and it is now higher, stronger and firmer!  Yeah baby!  

The second 10 sessions were on my belly and thighs.  Valerie took before and after photos (this is not required) and I can totally SEE the difference!  I've lost weight and 6 inches total on my hips, waist and thighs.  My jeans fit again!

Now, you have to do your part too.  Cardio is your job, but you really only need 30 minutes like 3 days a week or something.  I wasn't doing my cardio as instructed at first, but now that I am, the difference is obvious. 

Besides this muscle contracting treatment, Valerie can make your skin prettier (wrinkles, skin spots, spider veins, CELULLITE!, etc.) I'm trying this one next!

They are running some specials right now that are a steal for this sort of outcome.   You can call them or write Valerie at Valerie@AliteLaser.com.  The entire staff is very pleasant.
4 - Amy C.: I see two ladies here: one for laser hair removal (Bruni) and the other for electrolysis (Valerie). They are both very competent and pleasant, and I think their services are really helping with my annoying hair. 

I am a biological blonde, so I have some hairs that are too light to get great results with a laser, which is why I am getting some areas treated with electrolysis. It's a bit more time-consuming than laser treatments, but a bit cheaper (per session, but smaller areas). Valerie is very thorough and as gentle as she can be while sticking me with a super-fine needle and shocking me. :-) I've had three treatments now and I think I've "turned a corner" in terms of regrowth. The upside is that I can go less often. The downside is that I won't be hanging out chatting with Valerie as much, which is a pity as she is quite nice! 

For my darker hairs, I see Bruni and her laser (cue the sound effects-- pew! pew! pew!). I've only had two treatments, but they do seem to be working pretty well. It's uncomfortable, but not painful. I just take an Aleve beforehand and then I am set!

The spa itself is pretty nice. Good sized waiting area with current magazines and "informational" (read as: persuasive) glossies about the services offered, and a pleasant front-desk staff. There are also a few dedicated parking spots in front, as well as some street parking, which is a good thing in this area between UT and the Cap. 

Overall, I'd be comfortable recommending this place to anyone looking for longterm hair reduction.
5 - Alex R.: I gotta say it: Alite Laser went far above and beyond my expectations. I just finished my last session there (well, I'll be returning for touch-up sessions very once in a while..but that's it), and the results were just as promised. Can I just tell you how pleased I am about this?!!

Brunie is a damn fine woman. The reviews/ravings about her are true; the woman knows her hair-removal stuff. She's got the kind of bedside manner that you won't find at a standard ghetto bikini-wax joint. (I'd be lying if I said I didn't go to a few of those back in the day). She was able to distract me from the lasering process itself - not really painful, more just uncomfortable. It kind of feels like someone snapping a tiny rubber band on you. And it's over in less than five minutes. OH, and for the record, waay less painful than a Brazilian (I still have PTSD from those few times I got Brazilian-ed, true story). 

I rated it as pricey because laser hair-removal is a pricey service in general. But if we're talking about Alite in relation to the other places in town that offer this service, it's comparable in price. And I think they do the best job (I did my research of laser quality, technician training, and every other factor you can possibly imagine. I do my due diligence :)).

I'm saving, saving, saving up to get my legs done at Alite. I thank yelp for helping me find this place--I'm obsessed with it!
5 - Monica J.: After my previous post, the owner of Alite contacted me to apologize for my experience. She very professionally and politely explained why my experience may have been less than stellar and offered me a free wax as well as a free underarm laser session just to try it out!

I knew they had only recently opened that location and it's understandable that they had some kinks to work out. So, I decided to give them a second try - and hey, how can I turn down a free wax session? 

I made my appointment with Brunie and she was great! Very friendly, very professional, and definitely paid attention to detail. I felt comfortable throughout the entire experience and left a very happy customer. 

I can't say that I will come back for a laser treatment (For me, waxing is less painful than the laser. But I think most people prefer laser over waxing) but they definitely won me over this time! 

Plus, I always love when the owners of a business contact customers personally if there is a problem. To me, that is an indication of their genuine concern for their clients and I really appreciate that.
5 - Lisa F.: I was referred to Alite by a friend who raved about the laser hair removal. I was skeptical at first, but am I now incredibly happy with the results! I've used threading for years and paid $15-30 every other month, so $80 every four weeks seemed steep - but it really works! I'm about three treatments in (out of 6-9 total) and can't believe it took me this long to do it.
The salon is comfortable, clean and discrete. Chelsea is amazing and so sweet - I always feel really comfortable and like I can talk openly and frankly about my needs and concerns. It can be crowded at times, but even if we get started a little late, I never feel rushed.
5 - Mushell S.: This is an update, I have had 5 session so far and I am loving it.  The feeling of not having to shave is great.  I love Chelsea she is the best and always have a great conversation with her.  Their level of service is consistent and they are very professional.
5 - Jes J.: Kind front desk service. Knowledgeable staff. I recommend Brunie Drumond for laser hair removal, she makes your appointment as enjoyable as possible.
5 - Vanessa R.: Completed all my laser sessions a year ago and I am still loving the effects. Hair still grows, but it is baby hair and transparent. You can only see it in the sun and only if you are really looking for it. Started on my underarms now. Yay!

They have a Round Rock location too! And a South Austin location. Laser for all! :)

Liz works at South Austin and was basically my therapist while I was getting my treatments (I was going through some crazy life stuff at the time). She is such a sweet person and I love her.

Dallas is at the Round Rock location and she is great too. Funny, very nice, and accommodating to your needs!
5 - Elena S.: Laser hair removal has been one of my smarter investments over the years.  It falls under the category of "things I do to be pretty but also be lazy."  You just don't notice how much time you waste shaving until you get in the shower one day and realize you have nothing to shave!  I won't get graphic, but it's pretty liberating.

Chelsea is my favorite person at Alite but I'm sure all of the staff is great.  I've never had a bad experience with them and they always have great deals if you laser more than one area.
5 - denise m.: I found this place via a Groupon offer and finally decided to bite the bullet and go for laser hair removal.  I've been lazy and cheap up 'til now, but the Groupon was the impetus I needed.  

I went to the downtown location and found it clean and professional.  There's parking and a nice waiting room.  Since it was my first visit, the technicial took me through the whole intro process.  It took about 15 mins for all the initial forms.

The treatment itself took about an hour (legs, underarms and bikini area).  If you're super modest, it may be a bit awkward, but overall, no worse than waxing in terms of personal embarrassment factor.  As for pain, it wasn't bad at all.  It's MUCH less painful than waxing, in my opinion, and any minor skin redness was gone before I left the appointment.

I have only been to one session so far but I am already loving how much lighter the growth has been.  They said I'd need 8 sessions to really be sure all the hair cycles have been permanently zapped.  So far, I'm thinking it may not even take that many.  Very pleased and looking forward to the final results.
5 - kathryn m.: Deciding to get "lasered" was a very hard decision for me. But I was tired of shaving, and my roommate one day said, "I never shave since getting lasered!" I was sold. She literally had NO HAIR on her legs, and it had been a year since her last laser appointment. She recommended Alite.

I decided to get my bikini line done first. I've been to three appointments, and I know I made the right decision. After each session, the hair gets thinner and lighter, and you barely have to shave. The sessions get booked every 8 weeks, and although I've put more time between appointments due to being on light-sensitive antibiotics, I see a huge difference already. It's pretty expensive, but imagine never having to shave that area again. 

I've had both Kristi (my first two appointments) and Bruni. With Bruni, I barely felt any pain. She said your skin gets more used to the lasering after a few treatments, but I could hardly believe that I couldn't feel a thing. She also gave me a stress ball to hold, which was somehow very helpful. They both make you feel very comfortable and not "exposed" at all. I will definitely be continuing treatments, and I will most likely do my legs next.
5 - Alysa L.: And yes I will be another Yelper giving this place another 5 star review.  

Every time I've been here, the staff is helpful and pleasant.   The weekend hours are awesome and the downtown location has always been clean with the rooms warm and cozy.  

I've had various areas treated and it hurts (let's not kid ourselves), but the staff puts you at ease while the snap of the laser goes off. Liz and Dawn are wonderful and are skilled at their jobs.  

I would say that allowing an individual to pay by area instead of lump sums does help make this place more affordable and then they offer specials all the time.  They even gave me a freebie area to see if I would like the results (it worked I came back for more like an addict).  

I recommend this place for sure if you plan on getting any type of laser removal in the near future.
5 - Mariel S.: I just had my 3rd (or 4th? Can't remember...) laser hair removal session with Victoria at Alite. I am so happy with the service and with Victoria in particular! I hadn't even realized that it had been 11 months since my last session, and that's because even after only a few sessions the amount of hair has been dramatically reduced. The sessions are very quick and everyone there is pleasant and polite. Before going to Alite initially, I went to another laser hair removal place to talk about cost, etc and they were incredibly expensive, and required you to buy a package deal. Not so at Alite, and I appreciate that because everyone's needs are different. The prices are very fair and their process is effective. Highly recommended!
5 - Amy H.: I had my first laser treatment today with Brunie. I was totally stressed out and worried. I have waxed before and hated it!!!! Brunie made me feel totally comfortable and walked me through the whole process. The place itself has lots of parking and is very clean. I am going for the legs next! Thanks for making me feel so comfortable....the session only took about 20 minutes and I went straight back to work. ......and for those of you thinking about doing laser....WAX HURTS BAD compared to this! If I can do it, I know you can do it too!
5 - Kara M.: Just finished my second laser treatment and again had an excellent experience. Both technicians I have had are very skilled and sensitive to my needs. Whoever thinks laser is not worth the money should reassess. (I put it off for years thinking it was a luxury for movie stars.) The first treatment at Alite (as in first time for each area) is $60. When the hair eventually grows back (about a month later) it is much, much softer and lighter. It's too early to know, but I truly think I will only need to get each area done 2x maybe 3x total (that's minimal to no shaving in between) and then will be hair-free. As others have testified, it's much less painful than waxing and i can't believe I wasted so much money on that in the past.
4 - Holly A.: So I've been wondering what the best way is to review subjugation of your parts and pieces to someone for a period of months to over a year ..?.. I mean they are singeing your stuff excessively and they are staring at it constantly.

:O

First let me say something that I hope does not even need to be said: please do not put your stuff in front of just anyone who waves around a wand and calls it a laser (or anything else for that matter). And especially do not put your stuff in front of just anyone who acts like they know how to use it! Do NOT get prissy-ed into charming Laser Vader at Oui' Oui' Frenchie joke spa who does not know what they're doing and can't prove otherwise.  (Let the track record show, Alite has been doing it just the way it should be done, ladies and gentlemen.)

:/

With all that said, my stuff is VERY happy. My stuff is neat. Always. All the time. Prettier than ever actually. And I don't have to do much of anything. Yep it's expensive and yep it's uncomfortable to get zapped - especially in certain places, but I have yet to meet anyone who has regretted getting it done. You will have to go back for touch ups at some point (every few years?) if you become spoiled like me. I now only spot shave every few months to keep up the beautiful work of Chelsea.

:-)

I feel confident in telling you that Alite Laser will not leave your stuff burned and smoldering in a pile in the corner or all out in the open for the world to see. (I don't even think they talk about it when you leave either.) Everyone is professional - though some front desk people seem indifferent - and I can tell you that Chelsea pays special attention to detail as required for a permanent procedure. I am giving 4 stars instead of 5 though - because their building smells. A lot. All over. From the second you walk in. I know that sounds stupid but it's a really nasty moldy dampy grossy smell that does not go away. My stuff all out does not do well with eau de moldy.

:O

Aljon's Pizza & Sub Shop - Plainsboro, NJ (40.32761, -74.5754303) ()
4 - Mitch L.: Really good Sub and Pizza Joint!!! I had a 1/2 sub and it was loaded with meat and cheese. The line was long and most were ordering pizza and enjoying it as well it seemed. I will be back for pizza. Sub was great !!!!
5 - Sarah B.: aljon's is my favorite pizza in the universe!! sadly, i no longer live in central jersey, but every time i go back i HAVE to go to aljon's.  not an option. 

it's a classic jersey pizza joint with ugly uncomfortable booths and pictures of every aljon's sponsored little league team in history on the walls. what could be better?

try the ziti pizza it will rock your world.
5 - Eugene H.: The Aljon's over in West Windsor is still number 1, but this place serves up the pizza goodness as well. I grew up on this stuff, so there's probably some bias, but then I brought in some out of state people and they still enjoyed this pizza.

Great sauce, crust, and cheese...plus they always got Italian soccer on. All of that equals one hardcore pizza store!
5 - Robyn H.: Even though they closed my two Aljon's restaurants in Hightstown and Cranbury, I HAD to give it a great review. I grew up eating at Aljon's, and still haven't tasted better pizza or hoagies!!!!

OMG! The memories this name brings back!  I remember walking to Aljon's for lunch when I was in high school (only honor students were allowed to leave the building our freshman year.)  What a treat it was to feast on those perfect slices, fries and hoagies. 

I really miss this place now that I live out of state!
4 - Tony W.: Aljons is a classic pizza place, not classic in the Little Italy sense, but classic in the 80s style suburban American pizza place sense.  The restaurant burned down a couple of years ago when the bakery next door went up in flames and took most of the shopping center with it, but now that they have re-opened, the Pizza is always reliable and the subs are as generous as they always have been.  I've never had a bad meal here, but the service could be friendlier.
1 - Leon P.: Did not take credit cards, machine not working???   No receipts  and forgot to take the coupon I handed him.  Mediocre food.   Will not return.  Not a way to run a local business.
3 - Doris W.: This is a 3.5 star review.

I came here for lunch when I first arrived in Plainsboro for work. The plaza it's located at has a lot of other food options so parking is readily available. They have more than your average pizza and subs. They had pasta specials that sounded really good, but ultimately I ended up getting the pulled pork sandwich.

The sandwich was huge, well for a woman at least. It wasn't the best pulled pork I've ever had but the meat and sauce was flavorful. The fries were just okay. They have that breaded-like texture that I'm not very fond of.

The sandwich was decently priced at $7 and it's your no-frills pizza shop. I wish I had gone back to try their other items but maybe if I'm back in the area I will. Some of my co-workers enjoy going there for lunch.
4 - Megan C.: There was a fire in the strip mall not too long ago, and ever since the reopening of Aljon's, it hasn't been as crowded. Which is fine - We live 5-10 minutes away, and it literally takes only 20 minutes from the time of the phone call before the delivery guy arrives at our door. 

The pizza is very good (I love the chicken & bacon ranch thin-crust), but so are the subs. My husband loves the eggplant parm (best anywhere, he says) and I prefer the meatball parm - both sub style. The pasta is waaaay too mushy, so avoid getting the dinner platters. 

These guys are quick and friendly, and I highly recommend this place over any other delivery in the area.
4 - Lauren T.: Good pizza, good prices.    Working in the Princeton area, it's nice to  be able to frequent Aljon's.   Their responsible prices and quality pizza are an excellent find.   I haven't had anything but pizza here, so I cannot comment on the other menu selections. 

Worth a try!
2 - Dan O.: A coworker of mine is obsessed with this place and insists on going here for lunch at least once a week. I am completely unimpressed. I've been here about five times and the only thing I've actually enjoyed were the garlic knots. Don't get me wrong, the food tastes pretty good, but I never fail to get a terrible stomach ache after eating it. I thought it may have just been the pizza, but I tried a chicken sandwich and it was even worse. I no longer join my coworker for lunch at this restaurant.
5 - Kimarie C.: Growing up in Brooklyn and Long Island, I have a high standard for my pizza. After living in Cambridge MA for 6 years I feel truly justified in saying I have experienced the "Highs & Lows" of Pizzerias. Al-Jon's Plainsboro has the best tasting pies in the Princeton area, with Candela in Lawrenceville and Al-Jon's in West Windsor coming in #2 & #3, respectively. They consistently hit the mark, and in my opinion the "Special Sauce" pie is a taste revelation, smothered in tangy deliciously spiced fresh tomato sauce, fresh garlic and fresh mozzarella.  (though my kids prefer the "normal pizza" for Al-Jon's as they call it) I occasionally have a hankering for a white pie, which is also never disappointing.
5 - Krishna J.: Aljon's is easily my favorite pizza.  The brooklyn pie is simply amazing - they strike a perfect balance of basil, fresh mozzarella, garlic, and olive oil.  The staff are always friendly and welcoming, and the menu selection is diverse for an italian place (they have gyro!) ... the fries are the good battered kind too, so make sure you get those along with your sandwich or pizza!
4 - Eric Z.: If you're looking for a slice for lunch, they do it well.
5 - Karen H.: I love Al Jon's. A pasta entree order will also get you a salad and bread and more than enough for a second meal. The guys are always friendly and prepare take out orders in a nice box.
5 - Matthew K.: Solid pizzeria. Easily the best in Plainsboro.
4 - Maureen V.: I've been coming to this pizza place since I was a little kid since it's right around the corner from my parent's house. They have a ton of pizza slice choices during lunch time including taco, chicken parm, cheesesteak, baked ziti, buffalo wing...the list goes on. DELICIOUSO! Cheesesteaks are damn good too!

If you order a pie, the crust is actually a little thicker than the individual slice options. So if you like your crust thin and crispy, like I do, make sure to order a "slice pie." Otherwise, you'll get crust that's a little more doughy and soft. 

The guys that run the place and take your order are true Italians: hysterical, friendly and warm. "Hello young lady!" 

I will continue going back here for the many years to come and is easily my favorite pizza shop in the area.
5 - A. B.: Always a dependable spot for pizza and pasta, Aljon's did an excellent job on its catering side for a New Year's Eve bash. The delivery was prompt and efficient. 

Now, to the food. To paraphrase Sideways, I've learned never to expect greatness from baked ziti, and this pasta was perfectly decent if unmemorable. But the eggplant parm was top-notch and the sausage-and-peppers inspired me to go back for fourths.
5 - Andy C.: Best restaurant in town and around! Great food great staff! Their cheese steak and wings are bomb!
5 - Miko B.: Love this place. I have been eating there for years, and they know my order as soon as I call. Their pizza is on point and their burgers are delicious. I love the burger with arugula and bleu cheese! Delicious. Always the spot from which I get a burger when in the Princeton area.
4 - Jackie L.: This place is great. Just moved to the area and was looking for a place exactly like Aljon's. Delicious, well priced food. Nice guys. Great hours. This is my new favorite local comfort food spot.
5 - Tom C.: EGGPLANT ALJON'S
Absolutely the best  appetizer I have ever eaten!! Hardly finished my dinner, but will order en extra "to go" next time. Wish I had left overs.... 
I have a new addiction :)

Aljon's Pizza & Sub Shop - Princeton Junction, NJ (40.3140562, -74.6203786) ()
5 - Fadi A.: I, and everybody in my office, think it's the best pizza in the area. However, we always get the slices that are sitting out, we've never tried ordering a pie but it should be the same story. The cheesesteak slice is especially loved.
4 - andrew h.: big fan of the pizza and subs.

the chicken parm is always on point- crunchy sub roll with tender chicken inside, with good sauce and good quality parmesan cheese.
3 - Atilla B.: Your usual neighboorhood pizza stop.  Walk in during lunchtime, even on Saturdays, and you'll get a very nice selection of slices to choose from.  They have good pizza.  Try a thin crust cheese slice, it is quite tasty.

Aljon's subs are also decent - make sure to ask for oil/vinegar/oregano... Chicken parm is also a viable option if you're eating on the spot.

The only disappointment I remember was that I did not like their burger patties...
4 - Greg Y.: Classic pizza shop.  It's the go-to place for a bite with your friends.  Their subs are quite excellent as well.
1 - Lily P.: pizza was like any other chain and was nothing like old world pizza (amazing). The cheese was not great and the ratio of sauce, cheese, and carb was not the best. The pizza iteself was pretty oily. I also got an order of the onion rings...and the onion rings were soggy!!! :(
4 - Megan C.: If you're looking for a slice of pizza, be it lunch time or dinner, this is the best place around for a single slice. The chicken & bacon ranch flat-crust is delicious, and the thick-crust buffalo chicken is tasty and spicy. They also do good meatball parm subs and eggplant parm subs. They don't deliver, but the one in Plainsboro does. Skip the mozzarella sticks and fries (the first is usually over-fried and the second too mushy). 

They have plenty of seats inside, albeit not for large groups unless you're willing to sit at tables next to each other and not one large table. They have been around since I was a kid, and their pizza is still as good as ever (they just make it with more varieties now). Plus, you gotta love the almost 24/7 Italian soccer they show on a teeny TV facing the cash register, and the arcade games in the back.
5 - Josh P.: Love Aljon's Pizza & Sub Shop.
My family and I have been going there for nearly my entire life which is 19 years and have always had great pizza and subs. 
Great guys working behind the counter and its nice how they always remember who my dad and I are when we walk in and what order we called in :)
Good prices and great food. The only downside ( and its incredibly minor)
is that while the tables can seat four, it can be a tad cramped.
We used to live about a 5 minute walk away. Even though we now live about right down the road from the Plainsboro Aljon's location we still always order from the Princeton Junction shop.
One dish I definitely recommend is the Barbecue chicken pizza. It's not on the menu so you'll just have to remember to ask for it. It's amazing!
5 - Ashley H.: Best pizza around by far! Also the Mercer Burger is AWESOME!! It's a family run business so they really make you feel at home. Great for ordering and then eating there. Deffs the place to bring a small group. I go there atleast a few times a week (crazy I know) and I've never been disappointed !
5 - E R.: I love this place, the only downer is that they don't deliver, but the Plainsboro branch does.  I always just get cheese pizza when I fly back from school in Chicago, and instantly lament the lack of this kind of pizza in the midwest
5 - Rishi S.: Been coming here for almost 20 years. Best Pizza hands down. I have yet to find something on their menu that wasn't delicious. Just wish they delivered!
Highly recommended.
5 - Somesh R.: Best pizza in a 10 mile radius of Princeton Junction. Love their NY style pizza.

Run by real Italians (they always have Italian soccer on the TV), they are friendly and serve good food.

My other favorite is the Eggplant Parmigiana sub (I ask for jalapenos on it !!!). The full sub is enough for two unless  you are very hungry
4 - Sani R.: Great pizza!!  Some of the best in the area.  Their eggplant Parmesan pizza is delicious, except I wasn't as much of a fan of the ricotta cheese - to me, it's perfect with regular mozzarella.

Their subs are fantastic, and the guys who work there are some of the nicest!

Go for the pizza and main dishes, and not for the sides, and you'll be happy and so will your stomach!

All About Chicken - Ithaca, NY (42.4396118, -76.4965954) ()
1 - Jane H.: Ithaca has a strange lack of fried chicken.  No KFC, Popeye's, Church's, nothing.  You only real options when that deep fried hankering comes calling is Wegman's (oddly mediocre considering their other offerings), Tops (but then you have to go into Tops), and All About Chicken.

And let me say, it's terrible.  All About Chicken is the marketing name for Sammy's fried chicken outlet.  They seem to change their name every year or so to throw people off, but don't be fooled.  It's the most mutantly small chicken (honestly, they look like toy chickens), coated with a soggy, ridiculously salty mush that they call breading.  No crunch, or even taste for that matter, beyond a sheen of salt.  Gross.

All About Keys - Los Angeles, CA (34.062827, -118.447997) (Westwood)
5 - Steve W.: I went here to have keys copied.  Lady was very friendly and it only took a couple minutes.  $2/key for the basic house and mailbox keys I brought in.

They also have decorative keys you can buy (e.g. colleges, sports teams, cute designs, etc.) as well as other typical locksmith stuff like safes.
5 - Belle T.: I really liked this place. Customer service was great! I even got myself a UCLA key :-)
5 - Michelle K.: The owner is very friendly and helpful! She's super chill and will offer you great service!!

UCLA students get discounts when they need a repair/lock service!!!
5 - Andrew Z.: Make sure you email/call first because sometimes they don't follow their business hours. Their email is certifiedkey@aol.com and phone is 310-709-1792.  Very helpful!
5 - Mutya B.: love this place! i went with my cousin to have his keys duplicated. 
 i cant wait to move to a new apt so i can have an electric guitar shaped key made here :) oh and the owner Norma Jean is the sweetest! She really knows all about keys.
5 - Yi Y.: This place is great! Pretty much I went in, got a key in like 1 minute. The owner was super friendly too, and I actually got a free key because her card thing wasn't working (don't expect this to happen to you haha).

This place is super close to In 'n Out and the prices they have are very reasonable. They have a huge selection of keys you can choose from (even USC for some reason).
5 - Steph S.: Friendly staff, great variety of keys, affordable prices!!!
5 - Kelsey H.: Great service and a huge selection to choose from.  This shop is very convenient since I work at UCLA.  Norma is so friendly and helpful.  We walked in, picked out a couple super cute Hello Kitty and Laker designs, and before we know it, she's done and ready to go.  I am loving my Hello Kitty keys!

Anytime I need to take care of key related items, I will be back.  It sure beats waiting forever for the Home Depot key guy.
5 - Jen E.: This is such a convenient place to get your keys copied and jazzed up. I work at UCLA and I was able to get it done during lunch. It took about 10 mins for me to decide which key style I wanted (because they have such a great selection) and about 2 mins to get the keys actually copied. The owner is super nice and helpful and I'm much happier coming here than Osh or Home Depot. It cost me about $11 for one Hello Kitty key copy and another regular key copy. Completely affordable and easy to find; right next to In n' Out - the 1st shop in the redbrick complex with a giant neon sign that says "Keys".
5 - Jen N.: The service here is impeccable! Got a key copied in less than 1 minute!! There's a variety of designs to choose from! The owner was very friendly and helpful. I will definitely be back here for any key related services! I highly recommend coming here for any key related services!

All American Mini Storage - Claremont, CA (34.0998929, -117.7070828) ()
3 - Cesar R.: Good customer service, clean place and easy to move into. I got a upper storage for decent size for under $70 a month. First month FREE! They have locks available to buy and office in front can take payment each month cash or card. Hours could be extended but its not to bad they close around 5 Sun-Thurs and 6 Fri-Sat. Elevators are helpful and place is secure and has cameras. I feel good about leaving my stuff here so far. I would recommend it.
1 - Geraldine D.: Had a unit there for over 9 years (@ $93/mo...you do the math!). Bounced a checkrecently due to a bank error and the Manager, VIckie, flipped out on me. (By the way, I was the one who alerted the staff to the error in the first place!!). Turns out, their bank only submitted the check once, and never resubmitted it again. Vickie, after wagging her finger in my face, literally, lied and said their bank had resubmitted the check. She was extremely beligerent and rude when I came into the office to clear things up, and she ended up charging me $35 for NSF, even though I pointed out that the check would've cleared (AND submitted a letter of explanation from my bank). I cleaned out my unit within a few days and left. Beware of this company....they have a racket going on and are making ALOT of money on auctioning off people's things (auction banners up, newly painted moving truck, etc) Stay clear!!

All Asia Bar - Cambridge, MA (42.362408, -71.09916) ()
2 - Georgia Y.: Yuck. The only thing All Asia Cafe has going for it is the wacky lady bartender and foosball. This place has tried to ban "loud" bands, and they'll book three shows in one day - an a cappella women's group, then some street punk bands, then a metal show. They treat the performers badly, and I haven't ever had a good time at a show here.
3 - Michael J.: Asian food, well stocked bar, live music...  All asia is one of the newer additions to the growing number of live music venues in the Cambridge area.  If you are looking for a little background music while you eat or drink, this place is pretty cool.  Unfortunately, they still have a long way to go as far as booking quality bands.  Lets hope they step it up.
4 - Jessica H.: All Asia is a cute little place to go see a local show. I have seen a lot of my friends bands play here. It's basically a bar with a few booths. I guess they serve food, but I have never eaten there. It's clean and pretty cozy so I like it.
3 - Sandra C.: I saw a friend's band play here once.  The place delayed their set and made them cut it short which  was too bad b/c they were really good!  Tasty apple martinis.
2 - Geoff T.: Let's start this off with a disclaimer: The woman who runs this place is insane. One night I saw her, all at once, acting as bartender, doorman and still runniing out back to roll dumplings. So, you might say there is a floor show sometimes.

The better shows people hope for will probably not happen as a stabbing there has put a kibosh on much music there at all. 

Typical chinese appitizers instead of bar food, it's of decent quality.

One warning-- I got a shot of straight whisky there and it was watered down like the soup in a shanty town.
2 - Brenden L.: This place screws over bands and books horrendously.  The beer is cheap which is cool.
2 - Pete S.: Eh, I still get the creeps here. I love the whole "Asian restaurant that's given in and become a rock venue, mostly" thing, but the booking is erratic, the drinks overpriced, the setup just horrible, and the constant, nagging signs on every available surface saying "One drink minimum -- what would you like?" are really irritating. Making things worse, the last time I was there a waitress saw me without a drink and made sure to remind me there's a one-drink minimum, as if it was possible not to know that.

See your favorite band here if they come to town, but be sure to offer them suggestions on better places to play.
3 - rishi h.: This place always has the same sorta draw every time I go back.  If they still have their indie dancy party nights, it's worth checking out.  It's surprisingly unpretentious for a place that lotsa hipsters and indie kids visit.
3 - josh k.: I went on the recommendation of YOU PEOPLE, and checked out the open mike on Wednesday night.  It was a mix of Cambridge kids, all scruffy and singing their white skinny ass angst out, (sorry I'm just jaded) but not too shabby guitarmanship on a couple of them, if I do say so.  
     The roof was leaking, which I though added some ambiance, untill it trickled down my back. After moving spots and 3 Bare Knuckle Stout's I was digging it, and would have liked to talk to some of the hipster indie girls more but I gotta wake up early... I'm slipping, shame shame.  Might be worth checking out but, like most of the bars in Boston the website makes it seem more than it indeed was.  But it was comfortable and not too loud, and had a good neighborly feel to it, so take my ramblings for what you will.
4 - Mats K.: I went here for the Brattle Theater movie trivia this weekend.

It was a nice little place.  Their appetizers were cheap and the beer was good, and came served in jars with handles.

I'd go back here again.  Seems like a nice place to lounge.
3 - Annie P.: This place is like the Twilight Zone. No joke.
We've all passed by it and heard the shitty bands playing inside. Except for that one time.. I was at the Miracle across the street and some emo band was playing The Cure's Boys Don't Cry.. INSTRUMENTAL. What the.

Anyways.. you go here when you feel like having a strange night out. Kill a few hours drinking some mixed drink in large pint glasses with those puns on them "The British Accent Guy", talking to the kooky bartending couple that owns the place, figuring out how you can draw the cute character paintings that are on their walls, looking at the graffiti of the graffiti complaining about the lame graffiti in the bathroom stalls, playing foosball, trying to shoot pool while hitting everyone sitting at the bar with your stick.. ALL while feeling bipolar because of the crazy mixture of music.
We go when we get out of our late shifts and Middlesex's line is still too long. They are always cool about last call. Guess they squeeze in as much business as possible.
The best story there? It was a Monday Night.. their Lesbian Night.. with girls singing indigo girls/jewel style... killing us with boredom.. yet we stayed. Then it turned into some 80's vampire party.. with goth kids and local drunks. They also had this Alaskan woman who looked like the woman from exorcist with the funny voice read palms. Then the gay DJ who was still in the closet with his sister but opened with his girlfriend hit on my friend and started filming us by keeping his camera on the table. I don;t know.
They have all kinds of nights. Least you never bump into these people again.
Check it out when you question your sanity.
3 - Lee D.: I've only ever been here for shows. I don't know anyone who comes here for food. It's cool because they pretty much let ayone book a show there. But because of that shows are often very disorganized and people know that. So often the only people who show up are people who're friends with the band. But It's cool because it does give smaller bands a chance to play shows and get their name out there. Often people get confused though about the fact that they're paying the fee to see the show and a separate fee to a diffrent person for the 1 drink minimum.
2 - Ligaya T.: I can't say there's anything disastrously wrong with this place except the fact that I need a stiff margarita to get me through any time spent here. The second (and probably last time) I visited, the cacophonous band was so loud that the bartender had to write their selection of tequilas on a napkin. It said: 1800 gold. The margi had a 1/1/1 ratio of alky, sour mix and ice and was undeniably gross. Patrons are of the 'yeah, wicked guy,' Sox hat, Delta Tau sweatshirt wearing variety. 'One drink minimum' signs are everywhere. We got it the first time. Really. By the third song of the second band (who were actually quite good) I had to escape.
1 - Eugene H.: basically sucks. I have a problem paying $7 for a beer in a plastic cup. Way too bright inside. Need to be drunk already to tolerate the place. They have bands just about every night. They don't book for quality...they'll book ANYBODY! Mostly bands playing their first gig but occasionally a quality act will make it in.  No soundman and the PA sucks.   Everything about the place seems pretty desperate.
3 - Meagan K.: Oh All-Asia. I spent many a night here watching friends' local bands play, and every time was a good time. The ambiance is not particularly good, the alcohol is not particularly cheap, but its kind of a cozy little place to see live music. Some of the bands are good and some are not, but its kind of fun to see what everyone has to offer anyway.
2 - Kristin G.: I've been in here twice. 

One- It was the end of the night and we were kind of buzzed and needed a place to go. We had an overpriced drink and listened to a mediocre band. 

Two- Last year, some friends of mine saw all of these posts on craigslist and posters in the city about a big 80's night @ All Asia. We got there and it was 5 guys and an ipod. We were trying to decide whether or not to stay when a waitress came over and reminded us about the one drink minimum.  We had a drink, hoped it would get better, and then bailed and went to miracle.
3 - Trish F.: Oh All Asia. You try so hard sometimes. I've seen friends perform here on more than one occasion. The whole one drink minimum thing sucks, but I mean, how else would they get business? PS - Stick to beer. The beauty of this place is, you could probably fo a non-hostile take over with your friends on any given night. Although.. why would you want to? I don't know. The opportunity is there though. 

Once, we got wrangled into staying for the comedy night following my friends' musical set. When I started chatting with one of the comediennes, she asked if I wanted to get up on stage and do a set. HAH. Even I know stand up is not as easy as people make it.. but I appreciated her offer. Plus Will Ferrell did the whole peeing your pants thing for laughs. Mine wouldn't have been funny.. unintentionally. 

The stars are for letting my friends sing and play music and be funny. 

Slash.. this place has been on the verge of closing for awhile, yeah?
3 - Kristine M.: Worth going if you know a good band is playing there.  Otherwise, skip it.  It's true; they'll book just about anybody.  You can be lucky and see an AWESOME band, or you can be unlucky and see a band that makes you want to throw up.  

Speaking of throw up, avoid the food.  We got a pupu platter there (we thought it would be the safest way to go) and it wasn't great.  Plus, they don't have waiter service and they give you NO idea when the food is coming, so you have to keep going up to the bar to see if it's ready.

Oh, and their Diet Coke always tastes really weird.  There's a one or two drink minimum (annoying!) so if I don't feel like having a beer I get a Diet Coke and as soon as I start drinking it I remember that something always tastes WRONG with their Diet Coke.  

Anyway, I like going there if I know a decent band is playing.  But that's about it.
1 - Henry P.: I really don't get this place.  I've been here a few times, nothing great to report except they have a nice Tornado Foosball table.  The food is interesting, not the food itself but the process of ordering it.  I don't know if this is a temporary thing or what, but when you order from the menu, they actually call another chinese restaurant to deliver it!!  It's true!  I kid you not.  15-20 minutes later, you'll see a lil asian woman knocking on the side door.  The server/bartender then plops it all onto a plate, and voila!  Make sure you tip well cuz they worked real hard!!

If you want to get in for free, you have to coordinate with your friends to let you in the super secret VIP side door (aka chinese food delivery door mentioned above).  This place most definitely rips off the band, they charge a cover ($6) none of which goes to the band unless there's a big crowd, which there never is.  On top of that, the stupid 1 drink minimum!...way to bone everyone, sheesh.

I think the next time my buddy plays here, I'll just toss him $5, let him kick me in the nuts, and call it a night.  It'd be less painful and annoying than entering this place again.
2 - Colin N.: You know you're in a solid joint when a dumbass with a bowl-cut haircut and a sidekick named shirley (he was male) wants to pick a fight with you. I didn't expect the dumbass crowd since we were going to see an obscure  surf-rock band (the vandelles). 

This place really sucked though. I think it used to be a chinese restaurant and they kept the name and the tacky tiled bathroom. I cant give it a one star because a slow bartender can still pour a decent pint of stella. 

Don't go unless you have a really good reason to.
1 - Kim L.: I've been a couple times, both only because my friends have had art up or played a show.  And for that, the All Asia deserves a star--way to support local artists.  Kudos.

Now, I'm going to agree with everyone else: I have no idea why you'd go otherwise.  Aesthetically, there's really nothing for you (unless there's an art exhibit up).  The drink selection isn't very big nor very good.  The food actually comes from next door.  And there's usually a one drink minimum...whether you stay for 5 minutes or a few hours.  And believe me, they remember that you're there and haven't had that one drink...they'll remind you.  

Bottom line: You need to really love your friends if you're planning on going.
3 - Tracee D.: I hear this place will let anyone play. This makes me happy b/c my BF & I always wanted to start a hybrid steel drum/ mariachi band/ modern dance troupe- so maybe this is the place?

I like beers in little mason jars.
I love the CAPCOM STREETFIGHTER Game machine-
that's going up there with a piano and a treadmill for my wish list.

The sound quality is pretty horrible. But I appreciate the forum it creates for music.
3 - Melissa A.: Actually, the game is X-Men vs. Street Fighter, not just Street Fighter and I'm convinced that no one ever really knew how to play this game they just have mini seizures while they're spazzily hitting the buttons until someone declares "I win!" which just means that they can hit a combo of buttons really fast. Yeah, I'm jealous.

I saw this band It's From the Sky play here. They were great but the sound for them sucked many asses. I noticed the guy running sound magically appeared on stage in the headlining band after IFTS and they had great sound but they sucked many asses. Can't win them all.

The place is way too brightly lit and I keep forgetting that it's an "Asian" "restaurant" because it just seems like a steaming dump with some white bread behind the bar. Looking at the thumbnails of the photos that were taken at the place look like the wall behind the stage is a giant meat curtain. I don't mean THAT meat curtain, but an entire curtain that is made of raw meat [Again no, not vaginas. Why is spell checker telling me that vaginas is not a word and has a little squiggly red line under it? Don't people ever pluralize vagina? Apparently, I sure do].

I'm not too sure about that regulars here. When a friend and I went out to smoke this guy who apparently is a regular there in a white button down, black suspenders and a scraggly beard/sideburns combo, looking suspiciously Amish [my brethren] offered me a dubious doobie and started trying to be provocative by saying how any white woman in the White House would drop nukes on anyone and everyone because that's how white women are. Well I'm not buying into your trap, Jedediah. I'm not buying into your trap.
1 - Joanna F.: Hands down one of the worst bars in Boston.  I've been several times for various fundraisers and shows.  Although the shows and fundraisers have been cool, this bar freaking sucks.  I really don't like being pressured into buying a drink at 2 pm on a Sunday at a fundraising event (especially since there was minimal table service).  So I ended up paying 3 bucks for a Diet Coke that I didn't even drink.

The food is mediocre, the bartender is often smarmy and the service is horrible.  I would never go here unless I was attending a performance for one of my friends.  Avoid this place at all costs.
4 - Marissa C.: I haven't been here in few years, but from what I remember, the folks who ran the place seemed pretty cool and relaxed for bar owners.  It's true the musical acts that play here aren't always the highest caliber, but I think in this world there needs to be a venue for the little guys as well as the better known musicians, so I am all for places like this.  So many places in Boston and Cambridge are so uptight with all the swarming hipsters and intelligensia, it's nice to find a place where you can let your hair down, have a beer and not have to SOOO into the music that's being played.
1 - Mandy H.: This is probably the worst place I've been to, and places I've been to include: "barely functional boardwalk bathroom in Coney Island" and "bar with visible asbestos and bullet holes in the walls."

First of all they charge  what seems to be a rather steep cover price of $8, when other local venues charge less than that and have a better drink/food selection.

Then, I got to the bar and ordered a soda as I am a recently converted teetotaller. It was $3. I think my face must have betrayed my utter shock at this pronouncement because the bartender had to repeat it to me twice.
 The only time I ever had to pay $3 for a soda was when I was in France this summer, due to the horrendous Euro/USD exchange rate. If I am paying $3 for a Coke, there better be some gargoyles and shit thrown in to sweeten the deal. I finally coughed up my Abe and cut my losses.

Oh and that drink? It's part of the All-Asia's one drink minimum policy. There are helpful posters plastered all over to remind you of this.

And that bartender? It took damn near 15 minutes to flag him down and order my goddamn soda. Seriously. I was there with three lovely ladies, seated at the bar, and he was talking to some yah-dude with a popped collar toward the back.

This is actually nowhere *near* as entertaining as my first outing to the All Asia, which would be New Year's Eve 2005. My old roommate was playing with his band and advertised that there would be a "full buffet" that would certainly make the $20 cover worthwhile.

The full buffet? Oreida frozen french fries. Like the kind your mom would get out of the frozen food section for you in the early 90's. My boyfriend even made up a song that he sings every time we ride by the All-Asia ( to the tune of Prince's "Raspberry Beret") "It was a French Fry Buffet, only $20 at the All Asia!" 
Aside from the soggy fries, the gin and tonic I ordered was so watered down it tasted like Schwepps and  lemon.
1 - Barney B.: ok, so I spent the past few years convinced this was an asian restaurant that happened to host live music of local artists at night.

kinda cool, right?

well it turns out this is just a shithole bar that hosts crappy bands simply due to the lack of garages in town.

come here if you are underage and want to drink.  come here if you want to start out at level one of the game "Slutty for a musician" - otherwise, don't come here - anything that you think this place offers, somewhere spitting distance away offers better, cooler, cheaper, cleaner....

oh, and it's "all asia" apparently because their spring menu of 7 or so items includes egg rolls.

waste
3 - Kelly A.: All Asia may be kind of gross and whatever, but they have lots of local shows.  I can't be too down on a place that welcomes bands - even high school bands - to play.  All-ages venues are hard to come by these days, so despite the weird menu/sticky floor/brusque bartenders/high ticket prices, I'll return.
4 - L J.: this budget little asian food / music venue / dive bar is the best thing that's ever happened to Mass Ave.

if you're a band looking to gig, this place will support your cause.  if you're a lush looking to get cocked, this place will fuel your cause.  if you're a fan of Foosball, video poker, and other bar pastimes, this place...

just go, and go with 30 friends.
3 - fraulein v.: It is what it is. Iv seen some good shows here. Some local bands make allot of this place. I have hit it on good nights and slow nights, its a ok dive. Drinks are cheap for sure, never had the food. Mixed crowds.
2 - Melissa L.: I know, I'm a performer, and I performed there, and it said I shouldn't bash the place cuz that's not kosher. But seriously, there are a couple of things that could be much better about the place. And I just have to get this off my chest.

First of all, why in hell is it called All Asia? There is nothing Asian about it. 

Secondly, the food is awful. There is generic pub food. But it's not even that tasty. We had to go all the way through the snow to Moody's for some good food.

Third, the bar is smack dab in the middle of the room, FACING the stage, which means whoever is performing has to look to the side in order to face the audience, who are usually standing and struggling to hear over the drunken folks at the bar. Another reviewer wrote that this was an intimate space to enjoy music. It isn't at all.

Fourth, there are way too many people on the bill performing, which means there are usually tons of people around who are talking through other people's sets because they came for an earlier band. 

It's such a weird place. 

The people who worked there were SOOOOO nice though. Which is totally awesome and they made my night great, but other than that, meh is right.
2 - A T.: I'm only giving this place two stars because it's a place to catch local, live, music, and I've had a variety of friends perform there..

That being said though, this place, well mostly the "regulars" qualify as the definition of lame. 

I work at a music school. The kids range in ages from 5 to 12 and they all (even the ones with ADHD, ADD, behavioral issues, etc...) know how to be a "good audience."  Most people in fact with any semblance of common sense, know how to be good audience members. It's right up there with the rules of basic etiquette.

The folks who deem themselves regulars at All Asia, however, do not understand this concept. In fact if the sound techs at All Asia weren't so gifted, those of us there to see shows wouldn't be able to hear any of our favorite artists. These people, for whatever reason, don't shut the hell up.  They will, no shit, actually talk louder or yell over the people performing.  Even though they make up only a handful of the crowd on a regular night, they're annoying as hell, and make me want to dole out bitch slaps left, right, and center.

Also - some of the staff there are totally off in lalala land. The last time I went to a show there I called ahead to see what time my friends were going on. The girl who answered the phone didn't actually know who was performing that night (I called two hours before the first band b/c the website wasn't updated).  She actually told me that my friends weren't booked there. Thankfully I asked to speak to someone else who was able to answer my question ... though they gave me a time that was an hour too late. Luckily I just called said friends and found out, from them, what time they were actually going on --- otherwise, thanks to the geniuses at All Asia, I would have totally missed them.

D-g this place makes me cranky...
4 - Doug M.: This place really isn't a "bar" or "restaurant" or "rock club" per se - it is all, or maybe none...

it always strikes me as a place that people are running as a clubhouse - mismatched furniture, strange layout - it is a total dive - the antithesis of anything corporate...

Anyways - my band plays there sometimes, and it's my favorite venue - the quality of the food and drinks may vary wildly, but it's still worth a shot...
3 - Dan C.: As president and founding member of my own fan club, I need a place where I can get together, with myself, and converse about how awesome I am.  All Asia is that place, i.e. the drinks are cheap.

All Asia is a hodgepodge of bars stereotypes:  It serves cheap (asian) food, it has live music or a DJ most nights, and it has a healthy group of older surly regulars who remember "when Central Square use to be dangerous" (see my Central square review for why this is so shocking).  The bar has a projection screen TV, pool table, stage, and boxing arcade game for entertainment.  The bar tenders are local students, usually Berklee kids, which is where a majority of the music comes from.

Cover can be a little expensive $5-$8 some nights, so I just walk in like a regular and say I am there for the bartender...it seems to work.  Though, I guess it isn't always a lie, if I was looking for live music I would probably go to Paradise Rock club or the Middle East.  Dancing never happens here, so if you are looking for some booty shakin, head on down to middlesex and get a lap dance.

Clientele are a mix.  There are the hipster kids who come for the shows and talk about indie music and whatever hipsters talk about.  There are the drunkards who hold normal people jobs then come by and have one too many and start to ramble on about how you and their husband would get along really well because you are both scientists.  Then there are the old decrepit curmudgeons who have been coming here for too long and refuse to go, even though the place is trying to have a more youthful image.  Then there is the occasional MIT student or group of students coming back from class.  I'm not sure which one I am, but I can tell you one thing, I'm not a drunk (though I do think you would like my husband...). 

Bottom Line: Where's Dan?  Probably at All Asia.
1 - Mimi H.: I'm not shallow or anything but the first thing I said when I walked in here was; "Where's a good place to stand where we judge everyone." 
So my first bad experience here was when I got a PBR on draft, it cost 3 bucks... okay that's fine, but when I ordered a 2nd it was 4.50! almost 5 bucks for a PBR on draft? Really? I told the guy that the other guy charged me 3 and he said the other dude made a mistake. Then I tried to argue that I was pretty but he still would only sell it to me for 4.50, So from there on I only got Miller High Life in a can... it was 2.50 and easy to sneak out of the bar. Oh and then later on the night I asked the bar tender to make out with me and he said no! He was a ugly pony tailed loser anyways.
So the next bad experience with this bar was the bathrooms. They're gross, and they let people graffiti the stalls. Which is fine, but it says some pretty dumb shit. Someone was trying was too hard to be insightful and just ended up sounding like a menstruating lesbian.
The other thing that's awful about this place is that's it's filled with two type of people: Pretentious Musicians and Mutants, and not cool X-Men mutants. I'm talking like born next to a toxic waste site.
The first band was so bad I almost demanded my 6 bucks cover charge back. 
And they played star wars on a projector. I HATE STAR WARS!!

I'm never going back to this shit hole. I don't even care if they give away free cake. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone... except mutants.  
But I'm not shallow or anything.
4 - Rich S.: Played here last summer, sometime.  Good venue.  A 5 minute walk from Central Station on the Red Line.  

The stage is only maybe 8 inches higher than the rest of the floor so you're right at the level of the crowd pretty much and there's maybe 6 feet from the end of the stage to the bar, a little weird when playing... but you get shots pretty fast!

Didn't have any of the food here, but I did get a White Russian which was the largest one I've ever had at a bar.  This thing came in a HUGE mug and the bartender didn't skimp on the vodka at all.  That was pretty much all I needed for the night.  The people working are also really nice.

There's plenty of space to sit and a coin-op pool table as well.  Thinking back, I had a really good time there... I wonder why we haven't played again yet, time to get on that!
3 - Kristine C.: Two words: Dive. Bar.

If you're expecting a nice place to go out for the night, this isn't it. If you're looking for cheap booze, a live band, and a hole in the wall, this isn't a bad place to start.

It's right in central square, easy to get to from the T. And hey, if it's lame, you can always walk to some other bar that will maybe exceed your expectations.

It's a laid back place. Just don't expect much out of it and you'll get along just fine and dandy.

Oh, and by the way, I appreciate the writing all over the bathroom walls. It gives it character and gives you reading material while trying to stay awake after drinking a little too much.
5 - JARED D.: I'm a huge fan of this place.  I felt like a regular the first time I went there, and I'm slowly becoming one by catching the open mics on Wednesdays.  I check out some shows there too from time to time.  The venue isn't spectacular for the performers, but the welcoming atmosphere and the cool people that work there make up for it.  I've heard this place get labeled as a "hipster hangout" or a "scene" but I'm as hip as a W-2 form and I always have a good time.
I did go one Monday and it was electronic music night and if your not down with that crowd I would avoid checking that out.  I enjoyed myself though,  the bartender could tell I was out of my element and shot the breeze with me while my girl danced with all her freaky friends.  A bar is only as cool as the bartender so this place gets 5 stars.
3 - Dorise G.: decent bar/venue-
sound quality was iffy,
PBR was fine
3 - Lis L.: Easy to find off Mass Ave with garage parking nearby. One of the windows was open so you can hear the music from the street, maybe the place didn't have adequate air conditioning? The bar is in the middle with a pool/foosball table to the left and tables to the right. The other furniture are so close that you really don't have much personal space. The bar has a not-yet-finished look towards the back. Reasonable prices for all the college kids in the area, not sure if they serve food.
4 - Adrienne T.: I like the spot. Only go once a month for the "UHURU" Saturday night party, and hey, it's a pretty cool joint.  

Nothin' fancy, nice door people, bar in the middle of club, usually only 2 bartenders, but they're attentive; reasonably priced, if a tad weak, drinks; space to dance; and some space for seating. Never eaten here, never been given a menu, or asked if I wanted to eat, or actually seen anyone else eating either.

Cool spot.
4 - John A.: You know a bar is awesome when they have PBR on tap and they sell Miller High Life cans!  They also have more swanky beers like Harpoon and Long Trail for those with a more demanding taste.  I went by last night to check out the open mic and it was definitely a good crowd.  Lots of young people just having a good time and playing music.  I don't usually go out much during the week but I could definitely become a Wednesday night regular at All Asia.  I haven't tried the food but I'm not sure that I want to.  This is, after all, a dive bar.
3 - Krys A.: It is what it is. A local dive bar.  

Its a good place to catch a local band. Nice chick at the door stamping your hand and taking your money ($5 cover).  They have some good beers on tap but unfortunately for me, I was unable to drink the night I went due to heavy drinking at a previous bar.  The bartender was really friendly and always quick to refill my water, he looked at me surprised when I only ordered a water lol but he was happy to get it for me.

Good place to catch a band, good service, but not the nicest looking place or bathrooms lol.

Bathroom kind of disgusted me, but I think that goes for all dive bars.
3 - Brittany H.: Visited the All Asia bar to watch a friend perform. Right in Central Square, easy to get to, totally laid back place (even though there's a one drink minimum)... A great spot to catch local music and a beer, but not necessarily a bite to eat. I was hungry so I ordered the turkey burger. I was told the cook hates to make the them, and I can see why... it was essentially a salty sponge on a bun. No thanks!
3 - Rebecca K.: I'm torn as to how to review this place because I had fun when I was here, but I'm not sure how much of that was do to the actual venue. So I guess I'll just go with a middle of the road solid, but not stellar review.

I came here with a friend cause I knew someone in one of the bands playing for the CNC Indie Music Marathon. I would normally object to a $6 cover for what I got, but I'm all about supporting local musicians, so I can't object too much. Got there just in time for my friend's set, which was awesome. The band that followed was so atrocious that my friend and I ended up fleeing the premises, but that's not the bar's fault, I suppose. But the crowd was fun and were definitely on their feet dancing and having fun and it wasn't too packed, so it was still comfortable.

My major gripe with this place was the service. One bartender. One lowly bartender to deal with everyone in the place. My friend and I ended up waiting forever, just to get his attention. I think he was legitimately doing the best he could under the circumstances, but he definitely should not have been scheduled by himself. I thought my first drink was a decently priced $4 whiskey coke that was strong enough to actually taste the whiskey. However, my 2nd drink mysteriously increased in price (granted the cup was bigger...did they run out of glasses and had to resort to plastic cups? Even if the cup is larger, filling it up with ice doesn't make it automatically more expensive. What's up with that?) and didn't taste as strong. Who knows what happened with that?  

Anywho, if I know a band playing here or see something on their schedule that looks appealing, I may check this place out again, but I'm not sure if it's a place that I would just spontaneously drop by.
1 - Jessica M.: If this bar was a guy he would have a neckbeard.
2 - Sarah D.: I don't know man. I just don't like this place. Maybe it's me; my friends like it and i've been there handfuls of times because that was where people were going, but I just do not like it there.

It's a dive, and I usually like dives. But this dive has a tendancy to be too crowded. Also, It feels like a ripoff to pay a cover to get into a dive. Yeah, they have live acts, but i've never seen anything there that was worth even a measly $5 cover charge. They have a pool table, but a lot of the time there's not enough room to use it. It's always understaffed and the layout is horrible, so it's hard to get near enough to the bar to order a drink most of the time and when you do, it still takes another 10 minutes to get a drink.

Also it smells like cabbage, in a very bad, very diapery way.
3 - Julian W.: The best things that the bar has going for it have really little to do with the bar. One nice thing is that I went their on a friday night to see a show and parking was abundant on the streets and meters no longer needed to be fed. I went to see a funky band called Newbury Street. They were fun but I was disappointed that they played such a short set considering the door was like $10 because I was under 21. The music is great at All Asia and from what I have heard that is consistent. The sound is also pretty decent considering the venue and the amount of people that were playing onstage at once.  Not sure how much bands make playing there but I know it is pretty easy to get a gig there. I hope the bands make a decent amount off that cover because it is pretty steep.  It would be so much better if they charged less to get in the door as that is what I think is stopping them from having a bigger built-in crowd.

And if you are going to see a specific band make sure to tell the guy who you pay at the door otherwise the bands won't make any money.
3 - Lindsay C.: I'm deducting one star because I have no clue why this place is called All Asia...it boggles my mind.  I went here on a Wednesday night to cheer on one of my friends who wanted to try out the open mic night.  When we got there, a band was playing I guess what some (deaf) people would call music.  There's no doubt in my mind that the band members were tripping something pretty fantastic because they were completely out of their gourds...as were the handful of people who were cheering them on.  After that fiasco, open mic night began and all was well in All Asia.  OH yeah, and they have Wachusett Blueberry on tap, which is awesome.
4 - Peter K.: This place rules. Always a live band, rarely a cover, drinks are cheap and the bar tenders are friendly. It all adds up to a bar which has recently become my cheers.
1 - Jon T.: Lame. Why asia?
3 - Seth D.: I'm not a regular here by any means, so maybe I caught them on a rare good day, but I was really surprised to see this place have such a low rating here on Yelp.  I thought it was a really cool bar, with a decent beer selection, and--although pretty tiny--a decent snack menu.  In fact, I really loved the egg rolls I got.

My band played a concert here, and you can kind of tell it's a much better bar than music venue, because it was way too loud for the type/size of place it is.  I didn't get much of an "Asian" theme, but i don't falt them for that.

The bar tenders weren't particularly attentive, but once an order went in, they were quick on the return.  Perhaps if I was more familiar with the area and not playing a concert here, I'd have found a better place, but I can't call All Asia anything less than completely solid.
4 - Justin G.: All Asia is kind of like Cheers. No, not the bar...the t.v. show. Come on, play along! Moving on, everyone knows your name and remembers you. The patrons are quirky and fun, and you'll usually end it with a story about to tell your friends about one of them.

One day I gave the bartenders band a ride home after a show when there ride got two flat tires. I managed to fit the entire band in my car, a mysteriously silent girl and all their gear, including a high hat which is still in my trunk. 

The other driver continued to do about 50 mph on his rims...in the wrong direction...down River st. 

After using the bartenders bathroom at his apartment, the parting words were...Give me a hug...and shut the fucking screen door...seriously...no one ever shuts that thing.

I mean...the music is good...the stories are funny...or at least I think so...and they have a really decent bar. Obscure single malts...pretty solid beer...and home made shot recipes that get the job done. 

There really isn't a good reason not to hang out here. Especially for open mic night on wednesday.
2 - kurt m.: All Asia isn't anything that impressive and yet I've been convinced to go there for a couple gatherings. The food is alright and the drinks aren't bad but everything is way overpriced. The appetizers aren't very big and for the price just aren't worth it. The bathroom stunk like urine, which I might have expected from some bars but I didn't think All Asia was that divey. Perhaps I was wrong? There's nothing that really sets the bar apart and while I was just there for some gatherings I'm most likely never going to go out of my way to go back.
5 - shannon c.: Yes.  Really.  Five stars.

All Asia books most anyone there and they are so open to give anything a try you would think they would fail more.  They don't.  It's awesome.

My favorite nights are when I can stop bye and there is just a guy or girl with a guitar up on stage. I'll order some of their yummy food (it really is pretty good) and sit back with some decently priced beer and have a good time.

Other nights with louder bands you can't help but smile at the 20 of their biggest fans ever to come out and watch them play - shitty or not their heart is in it and that's all that counts.

The door guys are always awesome, the bartenders are always awesome, and best of all is Marc the owner.  He's constantly there and will sit down and have a chat any time you want.

I love this place, so very hard.
4 - Lindsey G.: $10 cover for the live music & DJs so it is worth it but if you don't want to pay a cover just beware.  We went when there was an Afro Jazz playing and the DJ was fabulous. Lots of dancing all over the bar and most people stayed in their own place (only got elbowed once which hey, I call that a successful night. The bartenders were great, and I never had to wait very long to grab a drink. There is a $3 coat check in the back and the attendant was dancing all night. Great atmosphere!
2 - michael m.: Nice people rum the place. Generous drinks. Didn't try the food. ok music bar even though the sound system was marginal. college bar for college crowd.
4 - Brian P.: I totally dig this place now that they are starting to book some really good bands. I used to go to grab drinks occasionally, but now that they've gotten on board with booking really good live music--Im hooked.

Keep the live music coming!!!
3 - laura W.: 90% of the time, i won't do covers. $10 to enter your bar and buy drinks? nope. 

but this time, a friend was doing open mic and i wanted him to get some greenbacks. so the doorman took my $6.

i do love they let anyone and everyone perform here. the 16 year old angsted it up before my friend went on.... it's weird to think that she wasn't even born when kurt cobain was alive...

also, every band gets magically better with the CHEAP drinks. i got a bourbon and ginger ale for $5! $5!!!!  and... if the drinks aren't working, you can play pool for $1.

the bartenders are nice and though i didn't eat the food (just appetizers mostly), it looked good and not too pricey.
2 - Ruchita A.: Only $6.00 cover---good. Ran out of rum by 9:00 on a Friday night----what?

Good scorpion bowl though, if they have any rum.
3 - Adventurous J.: A dive bar. After leaving the overcrowded Phoenix Landing down the street, I found this to be a surprising nice break.  We came here because a friend of a friend had a co-worker playing on a Saturday night. Live music? I dig it. The cover was $6 for 21+.
4 - herp d.: I'm a little biased here as All Asia is my regular watering hole, but here goes.

Is it a dive? Absolutely. Is it still a great place to go? Absolutely.

I will admit the service can be spotty, but when the right person is bartending your drink will arrive prompt, strong, and cheap. Some of the bartenders ARE kinda sucky, but most of them are both friendly and good at their jobs. 

It's a good place to go if you're into the live music scene and aren't too discriminating. Open mic night is REALLY open mic night; Literally anyone can sign up and shred/wail as they please, for good or ill. Personally I avoid most open mic/live music night because it can get unbelievably loud (Depending on the band), but sometimes there's some genuinely talented musicians who make sticking around worthwhile.

The food's good, too. The owners are nice. The bathroom scrawls are amusing. And since it seems to be a common complaint I should mention that I've never seen the minimum-drink policy enforced.

I recommend their scorpion bowls. If you can manage it, get one made by Marc (The owner); His are definitely the best.
1 - Clark G.: My buddy's band played here a couple Fridays ago so I decided to check out this place as it's one of the few bars in Cambridge I haven't made a stop at. 6$ cover OK. Waiting to get a drink from a bartender that would rather clean and chat with other people for 20mins OK. Having 2 5$ drinks and being charged $20.00 on my card after the fact OK. Leaving repeated messages for a resolution to this problem and never getting a call back. PRICELESS. 
It's only 10 bucks so in the end it just means they will never see me again and they get a crappy review on Yelp. Live and learn.
3 - Sherry J.: live music most nights and the cheapest beer in town - $2.50 miller high lifes! 

The vibe is like a box a chocolate: ya never know what your gonna get... dependant on the band of the night, some nights teen-bopper central, next night - rapper's delight then into rave with glow sticks and candy flippers galore, chance of someone doing drugs the bathroom - 30%

the scorpion bowls are scary but cheap and I'm still not sure were the food comes from because there kitchen seems nonexistent.  I have a suspicion that they are ordering delivery from a neighboring asian joint, but that would be a best case scenario.
3 - Leo j. R.: A few pairs of chopsticks on the bar and some chinese lanterns to justify the name.  Stickers everywhere. Even one in the bathroom sink.  Cold beers and a crispy scallion pancake to go with it, not bad. Just a few bar snacks on the menu, not even a burger, don't plan on dinner.  They support live music which is great. Friendly low-key vibe and interesting music.
5 - Robert O.: Marc and Patty are divine. If you don't know them yet---you should. They are the All Asia Bar co-owners and wonderful people through and through. All Asia experienced its 10 year anniversary this year. I came first along in 2006, having been introduced to its existence and the music scene that has thrived here by Karina Dacosta, then-lead vocals and bass player for 28 Degrees Taurus.

I was brought here to witness the legendary All Asia Open Mic, which has been hosted by Brian Murphy, lead singer and guitar player of the Shills; a multi-intrumentalist, music teacher and selfless central figure in Boston's Indie Rock scene. What I found upon first witness was a home.

The set-up is perfect and comfortable. On the left hand upon entry you have the exalted pool table, where Sixes teach Threes how to become Fives. On the right hand you have a very slightly elevated stage, and its here the best and the brightest of our time come and regale us with their thoughts and emotions. These folk play all over Boston, up and down the seaboard and stretch out past the Mississippi sometimes. Yet they all know to come here. Dead center upon entry is the bar, and its bartenders must be the reincarnation of the very monks who invented the drinks they are pouring---you'll know what I mean when you meet them.

Can't say I know what the lady's room looks like, but the men's room has stickers all over it marking the presence of hundreds of great acts that have traveled through over the years---major acts of the Boston output. Band members playing here both past and present have been from the following acts:

This Car Up, The Shills, 28 Degrees Taurus, Thrushes, Justin Shorey, Shoney Lamar, Ellis Ashbrook, The Governors, Quiet Loudly, Gunfight!, OTP, Kayla Daly, The Soundscapes, Audrey Ryan, Hot Box, Sanguine Drone, Amoroso, Caspian, Sophie Innerfield, Fly Upright Kite, Ends of the Earth. And then there's the hundreds of bands and thousands of songs I discovered through the networks these bands course through. Its been wonderful for me---the same is available for you.

Now as for that Open Mic:

I have seen the greatest minds of my generation at this Open Mic, five years worth and by my measurement two epochs of Boston Indie music and the friends they drew in from the outer rings. At open mic, the singers and song writers either step out from the surety of their band's acts to become vulnerable again and test out new material or to play long familiar and heart warming favorites, however they like. It usually starts at 10pm and goes on till the thing has to end, two songs each (or for non-musicians, less than 10 minutes). On a typical open mic, you'll witness 20 acts.

As for the non-music act---it always has been a tricky measure to get up there without accompaniment from some kind of instrument. Over the years a few comics have come and gone. In the past year however, a new comic troupe has emerged that is worthy of note. They originate from the crew who gathers at Rodney's Bookstore and of this clan, Mr. Goodnight is the most undoubted.They're bad-ass all, and certainly will not hesitate to make good fun of you for pointing this out to them. Anyway, if you want a laugh, you can have that too, on top of everything else this place has to offer.

If its your first time, then your entire universe will be inverted and you may just find yourself completely illuminated. All other times, you'll enjoy the warm embrace of good friends, warmed by whiskey, beer, pool, music and entertainment, good conversation just outside over a cigarette, and courtly treatment from the staff and owners.

I believe its true All Asia will be closing soon and giving way to the birth of The Valhalla, Marc and Patty's newest brainchild---which will be 4 times as large, include 2 live stages, outdoor seating, a day-and-night food menu, parking and a major-primo location just at the corner of Mass Ave and Prospect St. This won't happen until after the New Year though---so you have a few months left to come in and see for yourself where it all began.

Come on in Pilgrim, you've traveled long enough---time to see the lights of the Holy Land.

(Marc, please bring the Foosball table back---we're in the homestretch, let's wind it down right!)
3 - Tanya Y.: Besides my friend and I, the only other thing that was actually Asian about this place were the red paper lanterns adorning the bar.

There always seems like there is someone smoking right outside All Asia, in which I had to hold my breath to venture in.  We were automatically greeted by one guy who claimed he comes here often.  He was super friendly, and pointed us in the direction of Brian Murphy, a pretty gosh darn lead singer of his band called the Shills.  Brian was the host of the open mic and he told us that it can start anywhere between 9:00-10:00pm, depending on the crowd size.   Performers are allowed to sing 2-3 songs, either covers or their own pieces.  If you have your own instrument [ie guitar], All Asia has the cables, mics, etc needed for your voice to be heard loud and clear.

It was my friend's first open mic, and we were a little apprehensive.  After grabbing a few inexpensive drinks from the bar and chit chatting with other performers that night, we were slowly becoming more comfortable.  Everyone applauded for each performer and after each song people sang, which was great.  After my friend had her turn, everyone complimented her and even gave us more examples of other open mics to check out.

Although there were far more bumper stickers and writing on the bathroom walls than actual people in All Asia, we felt very welcomed by small number of people there.  It's easy to see why people come back.  

Thanks for a great time!
1 - Kal B.: It's a good thing I didn't have to pay a cover.

I went here because these kids were promoting some sort of electronic dance party thing. A below drinking age girl got into the bar and managed to get a drink. Instead of acting rationally by kicking the girl out of the bar, the owner started yelling at the kids hosting the event and tore down all of the signs for the event at the bar while yelling (in a heavy Chinese accent) "THIS IS MY BAR! DO YOU WANT TO PAY 30,000 DOLLARS?". About 20 minutes later, she resumed her tantrum and kicked everyone out.

And it was only 11 o clock.
4 - Alexandra L.: As the first venue I ever played at, All Asia holds a special place in my heart. But as a patron, I have always been a fan as well. As far as the music goes, its pretty awesome. The room has a bit of an interesting set-up. The bar divides it in half, and the stage is in the front right corner. This makes it so that, if you're playing, and you have at least a handful of people in front of you, you're not so lonely; the same if you're watching. Pool can be played on the other side of the bar. The sound system is decent and the guys working are friendly and accommodating. As far as everything else goes, the beer is cheep and the crab rangoon are delicious :) If you want to check out the local music scene both new and more experienced, this is a great place to start.
2 - Liz G.: I love live music, but All Asia has got to be one of my least favorite bars in the Boston area. Yeah, that bad. Sure, it's a dive, but is that really an excuse for serving expired beer, barely keeping the heat on and hiring a band with a lead singer who can't sing? On top of that, you can't keep a tab open after 10:30pm. 

While I'd like to go with just one, I'll give the place a two-star review because of the doorman. He seemed like a friendly (as someone who's collecting your money really should.)
3 - Dorina M.: An extra star because it was freezing outside and there was no line to get in which in Cambridge is hard to find sometimes.

This place was a dive. They didn't have the beer I ordered of their menu. The bands weren't that good and the place pretty much totally cleared out by 11p.m.
5 - Anthony M.: All Asia is my bar of choice.  I've been going there for about 4 years now.  I know everyone that works there and now I even occasionally work there as a doorman.  The owners are pretty cool people.  Always walking around making people feel welcome and starting up conversations.  There's live music almost every night from local bands.  Great beer selection.  You can't go wrong with a $2.00 Miller High Life!  The bartenders are very friendly and make great drinks.  If you haven't been to All Asia I suggest you go soon!
5 - Josh M.: Were you invited to see your co-worker's brother's band?
This was probably the venue!
3 - Ari A.: Oh how this place brings me back to High School. I was in from out of town, visiting a few friends and of course someone knew someone who knew someone who was performing. Perfect, let's go there, it's close to the restaurant and we're not forced to talk to only people we know.
Well we get to the door and this place is screaming High School Divey Music venue with a cover. Luckily we worked our magic and said something to avoid the charge. I'm sorry to say, I don't know your band, and if you haven't made it big yet, quit playing at these hole in the wall gigs, you're past your HS prime and no one wants to pay to see you play.

The music atmosphere added a nice touch and definitely gave the hipster vibe. I was happy to try the UFO and pleasantly surprised.

OH and coming from NYC, my eyeballs popped out after I charged two beers to my card, $10!?! IS this a joke? Did they only hit me with one beer? Well I miss the days of cheap beer, looks like I'll be coming back to MA more often that I thought.
5 - Laura S.: I walked by All Asia about a month before I moved to NH. Too bad. I love it. I would easily describe it as my favorite bar. Good bar tenders, fun atmosphere and nice people.  I go there whenever I hang out in Boston... but go! It's great!

All Day Records - Carrboro, NC (35.9104655, -79.0708) ()
5 - Pete S.: All Day Records has an extremely knowledgeable staff with deep connections to the Triangle. These guys have been acquiring TONS of awesome records for years, and it's great to finally see the store come to fruition. 

More than just a boutique for ultra-rare post-punk, pre-war blues, and international music, ADR is a fast and professional distro for some of the best new punk and noise-rock records, a place to get all the newest records from local artists and labels, a well-curated venue for local and touring bands, and just a really great space to hang out and listen to music! 

Full disclosure -- Ethan and Charlie (and staff) are my friends -- but all that aside, I'll be saving my money and selling records in preparation for all future trips to NC, so I can load up at All Day.
5 - Dan P.: All Day Records is a great addition to the retail shops in downtown Carrboro.  It's a remarkable collection of new and archival records and rivals the best shops in New York (Other, Academy, Halcyon) for its selection and pricing. The indie rock, folk, and electronic selections are especially deep, but you'll find all kinds of music in the well-curated stacks.  

If you're not in the Carrboro/Chapel Hill area, they also sell online - http://bit.ly/em3H5b
5 - a. a.: Amazing selection of vinyl -- things I'd never been able to find in my favorite shops in Minneapolis or Chicago. Wonderful selection - a bit of everything, great prices, and they are clearly very involved in the local music scene. It isn't too picked over -- always likely to find something great here.There's a bus stop right at the shop doors, so it's great for popping in for ten or fifteen minutes while waiting for the bus. That being said, you could spend 'all day' here, just hanging out and talking about music! The staff are so friendly, and the shop is very welcoming - plenty of vinyl to peruse and comfy couches to sit on if you fancy. They host record release parties, though I haven't been to one - they have a great space for it. Also, check out the little 1"-pin vending machine by the door - 2 quarters gets you a neat button! The little touches like that make this place something really special. Hope it'll be a Carrboro fixture for years to come.
5 - David G.: All-Day Records is the bomb! The music is top-notch, as are the lovely people who work here. Really high quality selections from various genres, from old Chicago house, classic Detroit Techno, Disco 12 inches, Rhythm and Blues, new experimental music, rock-n-roll, and more. The layout is minimal, with beautiful records on display, and comfortable bins to browse. All-Day also supports local and touring musicians. I've learned about more new and old music from checking out shows, digging in the bins, and asking what's currently playing on the turntables. Great record store, waaaay cool.

All Dogs Club - College Park, MD (38.9939281, -76.9224694) ()
5 - Dee J.: All Dogs Club is amazing. They have a huge areas for your dog to play filled with all sorts of toys. The play areas are both indoor and outdoor and are always supervised by the staff. Speaking of which, the employees are all genuine dog lovers who will take great care of your dog. 

I've taken my extremely active dog there for both day care and boarding and she always come home exhausted! I think she liked going there better than coming home. Everyone who worked there recongized her as soon as she came bounding in the door and they were my biggest source of support/advice when she had medical issues. Their prices are great compared to other facilities in the area and the doggy daycare is worth every penny for the tired puppy you bring home!
5 - Dominique C.: I was very nervous about bringing my dog, Basil, here based on indifferent reviews, but was pleasantly surprised at the venue and service. 

I traveled out of town for a week and went to visit two different boarders for Basil. The first place I visited, Dogma, scared me because most of the dogs were larger and my dog is only 10 lbs. He seemed a little nervous, but after I dropped him off for a visit they said he warmed up to the other dogs. I wasn't completely comfortable there, and asked one of the staffers if there were any other places she could recommend and she said All Dogs Club (ADC). 

I googled ADC and read pretty average reviews, but decided to check it out myself. The first thing I was impressed about was the large flat screen that showed video footage throughout the property of each play/sleep area for the dogs. I asked if I could walk and see the dogs and I was told no for safety reasons. I thought that was pretty neat because when I walked in Dogma there were dogs everywhere and dogs were jumping on me from the moment I walked in the door to when I left. 

I picked up Basil last night after a week of boarding and the lady at the desk was extremely nice and helpful. She'd informed me of his eating and behavioral patterns and quickly brought him and his things out to me. I think the icing on the cake was a report card with his picture on it. Overall, I thought the service was great and I will definitely use ADC again in the future as well as recommend them to friends with dogs.

All In One Jewelry Experts - Cambridge, MA (42.3658266, -71.1037261) (Central Square)
3 - Ligaya T.: This place is rundown and I speculate powered by the "underground" economy". One might hesitate to give less than a glowing review when you see the behemoth owner, a burly brown man with dark ringed eyes that might have a relation to Jabba the Hut (but with a mouth from the other side of the family). So if I report any broken arms in the near future...

Prompted by the acquisition of ring that had the circumference of a rat's leash, I wandered in to find the spot where all ganked bling finds a foster home: flashy medallions on roped chains, huge rocks, those watches with the big ass faces and bright leather bands, a smattering of "vintage" rings, a decent semi-precious collection and a surprising lot of amber. 

Pretty dingy and disorganized, but the staff is nice enough and took my ring promising it back shortly. It was 2pm. I got a call at 6 saying I could pick it up before they closed at 8! While I paid $20 to get the damn thing sized which was half the price of the ring itself, I felt a little more like a Central Square resident when I closed the door behind me. I can even throw the sign for Port Life 44 now. I'm so bad. You wanna mess with me, eh do you?
1 - Lindy G.: I had two jeweler errands to run. I usually go downtown to the Watch Doctor (great) because I work around there but decided to look for one closer to home. Bad idea when home is Central Square. Totally agree with Ligaya above - probably runnin Bum Fights in the basement or something!

Of course I forgot the necklace that I needed a new clasp for so I just went to replace a battery for a watch (that I just bought). I figured eh.... made in China two years ago, shipped over, whatever. So I asked if they replaced batteries (yes) and as I was taking it off I explained the back had fallen off in my bag and it was digging into my skin. He then made a strange remark about how "bacteria" could get into the watch and ruin it so I might need a new one. Bacteria? OK buddy. No that's fine. Just replace the battery. I don't need an ebola spray down. 

He said he had the same watches and maybe he could replace the back for me. OK cool I thought. "How much did you pay for it?" he asked. Between $20-30? but I had gotten it in vacation in AZ so I couldnt return it. "Oh well how about I sell you this one for $30 and youll have a new watch." "Uhhhh. But I already have a new watch.I just need a battery." His coworker buddy even felt it was a raw deal and was like "(whatever his name was) just give her the new battery." I insisted on the battery and he again tried to sell me a new watch. I turned around and walked out. And goes without saying I won't be bringing my necklace there. Too bad because as far as I know it's the only jeweler in Central.
1 - Shannon C.: Had a few links taken out of my watch here a while back. Met aforementioned and aptly described "behemoth" owner. Distasteful character to be sure. Stayed while my watch was worked on as I did not trust leaving it there, paid cash and left. Will not likely frequent this establishment again. Felt like I needed a shower after I left between the dinginess of the store and the  unpleasant, obnoxious banter between the owner and his buddy at my expense.

All Lights Electrical Services - Upland, CA (34.098421, -117.690038) ()
5 - Ben O.: Great work, awesome customer service at very reasonable rates..!! Highly, highly recommend!!   We had a light switch problem due to work done by a previous contractor that affected the power to other parts of our house.   All Lights came in, quickly diagnosed the problem and fixed it.   They not only corrected the problem, but did some extra work to ensure the cabling to the light switches were safe (its an older home with older wiring/ boxes)!! 
All Lights Electrical Service WILL be our first phone call for future issues / projects...!!
5 - Will T.: All Lights Electrical Service was fantastic! They were knowledgeable, well-experienced and fast.  In fact, I learned a lot just by watching them work, which is always an added bonus in my opinion.  I accidently shorted out my outlet in my room, and it took him just a couple minutes to diagnose the problem fully.  On top of that, since my breaker box is apparently 50 years old or so (again, this speaks of their experience and knowledge), I was ridiculously lucky that they had the foresight to carry such outdated materials just for these situations! Lastly, they were fair and honest with their pricing, giving me a maximum estimate in the beginning, but dropping it down because the problem was solved quicker than expected.  I know who I'm calling next time i short out my house (hopefully not soon)!
1 - T C.: If I could give a zero, I would.  Here's another arrogant contractor who considers your time of no value.  Charles stood me up after making an appointment that altered my entire day's schedule.  Plus he didn't even have the courtesy to call and let me know he's a no show.  Loser!
5 - Jacquie D.: Charles did a thorough job. He came to our home to inspect our issues with the electric panel in the wall. He discussed many options with us and took his time trying to find out what the issue was. Then he came back two days later and still ran into problems but continued to look until he found the solution. He went the extra mile that you don't usually find these days. I would highly recommend All Lights Electrical.
5 - Gina M.: We recently purchased a bank owned property in Upland and were perplexed with multiple electrical problems. 

Charles arrived after noon and doggedly pursued and corrected every issue in less than a day. He was efficient, helpful, and very reasonably priced. The sun was setting, but he stayed until every issue was remedied. We couldn't be happier with the service we received. We recommend him 100%.
5 - Sparky H.: I almost couldn't believe all the glowing reviews, but it's all true.

On the phone, they were very helpful.  They suggested several things that could be causing my problem, and they were clear about how much it could cost.

I had a doctor's appointment in the morning, and another place to be in the afternoon, so they agreed to come at noon and to finish by 3.  How many repair services will do that?!?  Most of them have a minimum 4-hour window!

They arrived on time, and they were done within 45 minutes.  They were able to replace a broken circuit breaker, even though those circuit breakers aren't manufactured anymore.  The guy told me that he takes apart old panels for parts.

They recommended that I get a whole new circuit breaker panel -- which I knew I needed, so that was totally legit -- but they didn't push it, and they said it could wait.

And the price ended up being on the low side of what they had quoted over the phone.

So I have a new electrician, and it's All Lights Electrical Service!

All Los Angeles Painting Company - Los Angeles, CA (34.0633122, -118.4451838) (Westwood)
5 - Jerry K.: I needed my condo painted and I called Los Angeles Painting Company.   They helped me pick out the colors and they crews came out and painted the place in one day.  They did an excellent job.  The covered everything and there was no paint spilled on the floor and anywhere you wouldn't what it.  They made sure that there was adequate coverage of paint of the walls and ceilings. 

I had a different company once do a job and I had to ask them to make sure the walls had adqedate coverage.
5 - ken l.: We are so satisfied with the exterior house painting  job we just received on the external part of our house.  All the painting was completed as we preplanned with Alan, plus some.  Several areas, such as the detached garage and brick fence, were totally painted, even though this was not originally requested.  This was a plus.  Personally, we found Alan always accessible and kept up to date on the progress.  Alan is the painting contractor we recommend. This painting company deserves a five star rating.
5 - Leonard G.: Alan and his team are pros, plain and simple.
When you need the project completed correctly, on time,and on budget, Alan is your man.
He just finished one of my projects, every room  perfectly painted, all details tended to.
The client was pleased beyond measure,and  I looked like a hero.
5 - Sol T.: This is a top notch painting contractor!! I asked them to paint my parent's duplex and they did excellent work. My parents are elderly and had not maintained the paint, trim or cosmetics very well. This painting contractor came in and took care of it all with great attention to detail. The cracks disappeared, the trim looks like new, the painting was very clean. The duplex is quite old and large but you'd think it had just been built with that old world charm. I highly recommend this painting contractor for any kind of paint and cosmetics work. Top shelf painting contractor!! 

Added subsequently: 

I have a friend who tends to be very particular about how things are done and made. His carry wallet is a work of art to him, his car has to be just so, his front and back yards have to be manicured just the way he likes it., and so on. He is a pleasant individual but very particular. When he needed painting and cosmetics done to the house, i did not hesitate to recommend All Los Angeles Painting. 

When the job was done I was amazed and my friend was very pleased. Corners and edges were painted perfectly, the paint looks very rich and even, all of the woodwork was caulked at the walls and the place looked brand new. Amazing work! These are seriously good contractors.
5 - Abe S.: I come from a construction background and Alan is hands down the most knowledgeable house painter when comes to getting a job done best and at a reasonable price.  He's done quite a lot of house painting jobs for me over the years, and from my experience he's always been reliable and has always come through on our predetermined budget. 

For me, the most important part in any business relationship is trust. I know when I work with Alan that he is looking out for my best interest. I feel comfortable handing him the key to my house when I go to work.

Another great part about All Los Angeles Painting Company is that Alan has a flair for interior design. He has always suggested great interior colors and finishes.  Out of all the painting contractors I have worked with over the years, All Los Angeles Painting is the only one I work with.
5 - Rosa B.: Wow, talk about an excellent painting contractor!

Husband and I needed to hire a painter on short notice who could get all the walls of the interior of our newly purchased 1300sq ft home done in two days.  Not many people could get that done (plus some extra stuff) but All Los Angeles Painting Company did.  

Alan came out and took a look at our home with an expert eye and pointed out various things that needed to be done as well. We had cracks in our ceilings, especially by a skylight, that needed to be patched, gaps along our floorboard that should be sealed, carpet peaking out from under the fireplace (I don't know...)...a lot of things that we originally were going to put off but that Alan suggested should and could be done in the amount of time we had and with our budget.

He sent us to Sherwin Williams to pick out our house paint colors.  Originally, we were going to use Behr paint since it was cheaper but we're glad that Alan convinced us to go with SW because the quality really is superior, like he said, and well worth the higher price.  

His guys worked really fast and did a fabulous job.  All the edges were clean and they got all the walls painted, the carpet pulled out, the floorboards sealed, the ceiling patched and painted and even managed to fit in doing a fresh coat in our closets!!  Whew!  Talk about productive and efficient!  And they did an awesome job both prepping and cleaning up after themselves so no mess was left behind; no drips, dribbles or drops of paint where there should be none.  

We are definitely going to use All Los Angeles Painting for all our house painting needs in the future.
5 - Shadi S.: All Los Angeles Painting just finished painting our home.  They did a professional, quick and clean job. In fact, they did such a sharp job our house looks new!  Alan was true to his word.  He came when he said and his crew finished our house exactly on time.  
 
My husband and I have a house full of kids and thought it would be difficult to have our house painted while we were living in it, but All Los Angeles Painting Company made it easy.  They covered all our floors, carefully moved our furniture, painted quickly with non-smelly paints, and put everything back in its place when they finished.

They did a great job on the regular painting, and their special finish work was amazing.  We asked Alan for a suggestion for something dramatic for our dining room.  Alan did a deep red Venetian Plaster on my dining room walls.  It is now my favorite room in the house. 
  
We saved money on an interior decorator because Alan stepped up and helped us pick all our colors! He was very knowledgeable. It was like having a  painting contractor and interior designer all in one.
5 - Dave D.: I'm rating Alan (the owner):  I've done business with Alan for a good many years and have only good things to say.  He's always honest and up-front and does what he says.  A pleasure to do business with.
5 - Asher B.: All Los Angeles Painting Company is great to work with. Alan is responsive and easy to deal with and is absolutely the best house painter that I know of. His work is high quality, a bit more expensive than most - but well worth the investment.  I appreciated how quickly he got the work done, his help in selecting the right colors and he patched two of my ceilings after the electrician installed lights at no additional cost so he could stay within the budget he originally promised. Highly Recommended!
5 - Meryl G.: As a teacher, my budget was limited when it came to painting my house.  The owner, Alan, was always available to answer my questions and work with me on a price I could afford.  His workers were always courteous and professional.  I highly recommend them for any painting job you need done.  Alan's painting company gets an A+ grade from me!
5 - Barney S.: These guys were amazing. Alan and his crew of talented artists transformed our little loft space into a breath of fresh air.  I was so impressed by their detail oriented way of painting and their promise to go above and beyond what was asked of them. Their team was paid by the day and had only a limited amount of paint to work with, but nonetheless they finished their job before the deadline and painted more walls for no extra charge!  I can't ask for anything more than what they did, they not only did what they were supposed to do, they surpassed it! I highly HIGHLY recommend them.

Do yourself a favor and hire this team to take care of your home, you won't regret it.
5 - Sue D.: Alan and his team are fantastic! My place needed color on the walls bad. I called Alan and was taken with his passion for paint right away. I was looking to paint two bedrooms, a living room and a half-bath in different colors AND then find a good neutral to tie them all together. Alan patiently studied the colors I was looking at and made recommendations, but made it clear that it was ultimately my choice, which was nice. I've had contractors who push their opinions on me and it just doesn't sit well, especially when they're giving you the condescending "honey-I've-done-this-for-YEARS" bit. 

All Los Angeles Painting works with Sherwin Williams paint, specifically with the Sherwin Williams store in Westwood. Like Alan, these guys know their stuff and were very nice to work with. Alan's guys could work wonders with whatever they're given, but when you think about the difference in price (about $10/gallon more), and consider how long it'll last on your walls (years!), you may as well pony up for the nicer stuff. 

All told, I spent close to $800 on paint and materials and then ALAP charges a flat fee per man per day. Depending on how many guys you need and how many days you want them there, your total price will vary. For my place, we originally estimated it would take two or three days, each time bringing a crew of four guys. We were able to trim some of the work that wasn't urgent and brought it down to one day, six guys. I was also able to return some of the materials we didn't use, like rollers and paint trays. As with most stores, you can't return custom-mixed paint, so choose wisely.

The crew was scheduled to arrive at 9 on a Sunday morning and Alan called ahead of time to ensure me they were on their way. This may not seem like a big deal, but I've had contractors just not show up, or show up hours late without warning, so those little things are appreciated. These guys did a great job, and they took the time to fix details like the area around the handrail on the stairs or around the windows. They care about their craft and it shows. To top it all off, they were super polite and were very nice about fixing little drips and things here and there.

By six that evening my place had been transformed. Seriously, it looks SO much better with actual colors on the walls and not that Swiss Coffee crap. Alan came by at the end and inspected the work, which again impressed me. I've had other contractors drop off workers and then not check their work, leaving you to do quality control on your own. Not cool. Not only that, Alan called a few days later to make sure I was still happy with everything. How often does that happen?

If I need to paint anything ever again, I'm calling All Los Angeles Painting. You should too!
5 - Brian K.: Alan Silverstein is a superstar.  What an amazing job he did in our home!  From helping us pick colors, to using only the safest non-toxic paints, to bringing his critical eye and giving us some great ideas for a conversion project we were doing in our attic, Alan wowed us.  The rooms Alan and his crew painted look incredible.  If you care about quality then this is the paint company for you.
5 - Kandy L.: I was very impressed by the work ethic of this company.  They arrived promptly for the estimate and completed the job on time!  I admit that theirs was not the lowest estimate, but I was so impressed with Alan's professional attitude that I chose them anyway.  I was right!  We own a very old commercial building badly in need of paint!  The crew did a wonderful job on the exterior of the building including repairs that were not on the original estimate!  When the crew got to the inside of the building, there were repairs needed for the drywall as well, and they were fixed without a word!  The colors were matched perfectly and there were no extraneous paint marks on the ceilings or baseboards.  Alan finished on schedule and kept me apprised of the progress.  There was extra time and paint at the end of the job and Alan had the crew paint a bathroom at no extra charge.  When you work with Alan, you can tell that each endeavor is more than just a job.  He is friendly and informative.  He will work with you on colors and can also create very different looks, updating old areas.  I consider "All Los Angeles Painting Company" my find of 2010!
5 - Deborah H.: How often have you been excited about hiring someone to do some work on your house or apartment? For me, not often and yet excited is exactly how I felt after interviewing Alan of All Los Angeles Painting about painting the interior of my house.  I had already seen two other painting contractors who were nice enough and agreed with my idea to install dry wall in the cracked ceilings instead of repairing the cracks. Then I met Alan. He looked around my house and correctly identified that it had been built in 1927.  After listening to what I wanted he suggested what he thought might be more appropriate and in keeping with the character of the house, including repairing the cracks instead of putting up dry wall. This first interview gave me a solid sense of Alan's integrity and talent and I felt confident about the work he would do.

All along the way Alan was open to my requests and creative in working with me to help keep or restore the integrity of the house. He came up with the perfect color for my living room- one I would not have chosen on my own but after living with a sample on the wall decided to trust Alan and he was absolutely right. In addition to the actual painting aspect Alan was helpful about other design aspects- suggesting that while I was going to paint the hallway that I take down the old track lighting and put up a beautiful hanging light. That too proved to be the perfect solution.

All Los Angeles Painting is so much more than a painting company. Alan's attention to detail is phenomenal. He made sure that all the doors and windows to be painted were planed or sanded so that they would close properly once the layers of paint were applied. All of his crew were professional, polite and respectful. I can honestly say that the work done by All Los Angeles Painting is far and away the best paint job I have had done on my house in the 23 years I have lived here. I look forward to having them return to do the rest of the house.
5 - Matt L.: I found Alan and All Los Angeles Painting Company after reading the many positive reviews here on Yelp. After the job that he and his crew did on my townhouse this past weekend, I couldn't wait to add another 5-star review for his service. From our first phone call, Alan was a pleasure to deal with and went above and beyond in helping us find the perfect colors for our home and understanding the work that he and he and his guys could do. His estimate was incredibly fair and the final cost didn't exceed that price by one cent... which was amazing considering the extra work these guys do.

Alan and his crew arrived right on time the day of our painting and the first thing you notice is the level of professionalism of his team. They really help you to understand all of the different options you have (didn't realize there would be so many) and they are extremely polite and caring of your home. In the midst of the work on my house, Alan assisted in helping me to patch a large size hole above my fireplace with drywall and texturing it too so it matched the other walls. This easily could have cost me hundreds of extra dollars, but Alan was happy to help and not charge extra for it. At the end of the day Alan gave me an All Los Angeles Painting Company shirt and said we're now "part of the family." It was a small gesture, but it was in these types of little details that will make me use Alan for any future jobs and recommend him to anybody willing to listen. 

Stop your painting search right now (we searched for months and couldn't be happier with our decision). There's a reason Alan has so many positive reviews on here and it's because he truly is a gem. I cannot praise his service enough and couldn't be happier with the experience from start to finish.
5 - Ann P.: Alan just finished painting my West Los Angeles condo.  I hadn't had my place painted for a long time and it really needed to be painted.  

My condo is fully furnished with beautiful things.  I needed to hire someone who I could trust that would not leave me with a dusty mess at the end of the job.  

After getting estimates from a couple of other people, I choose Alan because I felt most comfortable that he would paint my place with the greatest care.  

It took Alan and his crew five days to paint my place.  I hung around for some of it and saw how much time went into covering and protecting my things.  I couldn't be happier with the results.  

He did a great job and kept my place clean and dust free.  I've got 1370 square feet and paid $8,500.00 to paint the place.  It was expensive, but worth it because I'm happy.
5 - Mitch P.: I was in a bind and needed someone to paint and patch my recently demo'd kitchen with one day's notice.  I called Alan on a Monday morning and he had his crew out the next day at 8:30AM sharp ready to start work.  The crew did an outstanding job patching all of the walls that had extensive damage after a backsplash was removed.  In addition, they were accommodating to each specific request I gave them.  Our electrician (who was working the same time as the painters) even commented about the speed in which they worked and how good they were.

Alan was extremely helpful throughout the process.  He helped us greatly by recommending paint that would be the safest for our new infant (Mythic Paint by the way) and went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure we were satisfied at all check points.  When Alan and I did a walk-through of the site, he was extremely thorough in his own evaluation even picking out things I had missed.  He also provided terrific advice on other aspects of our remodel project which turned out to be invaluable.

I would recommend Alan and All Los Angeles Painting Company without hesistation for all jobs big and small.
1 - Ernie V.: How can you even rate this people, they don't even call back.  I called and left a message and up to now no one's returned my call.  I guess they are so busy they don't even have the courtesy to decline or at least return phone calls.
5 - Jane f.: I just got an incredible paint job on the interior of my house.  I have never experienced any kind of construction workers or painters that were so clean, organized and respectful of me and my stuff.     

Alan's crew started work every day at 8AM and worked in my house until I arrived home at 4:30.  Alan met me every morning at 8 to make sure everything was running smoothly for me.  I couldn't make up my mind on my colors even though Alan was already painting in my house.  He saved me and patiently directed me to the right colors.  I needed someone who could get me to make a decision.  He did.    

Besides their cleanliness, the job that they did was amazing.  They finished my interior with beautiful colors from Dunn Edwards Paint.  I'm picky and after closely inspecting the painting work that was done, I truly feel like I have a new house.  Alan's work is impeccable!!!
5 - Steve M.: I have been meaning to write a review for a while, but seeing Ernie's review, now was the time.  Not only did Alan immediately respond to me, he sent an email while ABROAD to let me know that he'd call upon his return from the trip.  That alone demonstrated his customer service and business savvy.  

On to the work...for whatever reason, some of our window sills had started to peel.  We were planning to install honeycomb shades, but I didn't want to put them up before things were perfect again (not going to install something on chipped, curling paint).  Also, when having our air ducts cleaned last year, the grates were removed without care, causing cracks in the paint and plaster.  

I explained everything to Alan.  He came out to look and told me he'd send one of his best guys to knock it all out in a day.  And that he did.  From morning till evening, he bounced from room to room, slicing, prepping, and painting everything back to its original form.  If I had attempted this, it would've taken a week.  He did it in 8 hours...and it looks great.  

Oh, and back to the original point, Alan called during the work and after to make sure all was to my liking.  It was, most definitely. 

Thanks, All Los Angeles Painting Company!
5 - Ayana G.: I can not say enough about All Los Angeles Painting Company! I had several companies come out to give me an estimate, but Alan was by far the most knowledgeable and professional. He is not only professional and hires an equally professional crew, but he is intuitive as well.  My 1930s Spanish style home needed a serious facelift as it hadn't been painted for over 10 years! 

I was impressed with how meticulous the crew was in the prep work. Actually, this is when I was so beyond glad that I hired him! The crew never cut corners and they really did scrape the old paint so that we didn't have pockets of loose paint popping up after the new paint had been put on.  The clean up was also very impressive!  Every day...and I mean EVERY day those guys CLEANED UP!!!..no soda cans, cigarette butts, paint chips...no tools or any other odds and ends were left without care on my property.  Instead, the plastic, the paint chips...everything was picked up and disposed of each evening. Tools were placed neatly in one designated spot. And then there was the actual painting! Flawless! Alan helped us with the the perfect shade for the house and trim.  (He really is much much more than a painter!) 

Our home needed TLC and top notch work and that's what Alan and his crew delivered. Alan clearly communicated with me and was an excellent LISTENER. He even emailed me when he was out of the country!!! Alan really does care. He has integrity and is truly passionate about helping his clients realize their visions of their home.  

I HIGHLY recommend Alan and All Los Angeles Painting Company!
5 - Alison D.: Alan was amazing and so was his crew!

It was a daunting task to pick an unknown painter several states away, but Alan was so prompt with his phone and email communications with us, as well as being honest, helpful, and free with information, even before we told him he was hired!

He not only completed the job on short notice, on a weekend, he also helped pick great colors for our nicely redone apartment. And he was sensitive to our budget and our ever-changing minds about what to paint and what not to paint.

The finished product could not have been better! I would use him and his crew again anytime and would recommend him to my friends and family without hesitation.
5 - Barry S.: I just wanted to quickly update my review.  We recently had some electric work done that required patching a very large hole in our ceiling and repainting the area.  I called Alan on a Monday morning and he had someone at our house the same day.  The hole literally was invisible, and you could not tell that the area had been repainted at all.  It was amazing work that unfortunately I proceeded to ruin by messing with the light fixture that we had installed and accidentally pulling it out of the ceiling.  So I called Alan a few days later and again, he had someone there the same day.  The job was perfect once again, and this time I'll be smart enough not to mess with the fixture.  More great work and I'm not a "repeat" satisfied customer!
5 - Marc L.: I've started writing reviews because I feel it's important to recognize honest, hard working local businesses.  So, when you want paint job done right call All Los Angeles Painting Company.  Alan is a Pro.  He carefully explained to me the steps required for a quality paint job, offered color advice, he's responsive and his crew was always prompt and courteous. What was even more important was when there was a minor snafu Alan resolved it without a hassle.  Their prices are also very competitive..  They have earned my highest endorsement.
5 - Andrea M.: Great experience and beyond my expectations for fantastic results. The owner Alan was a gem to work with! His suggestions and recommendations were perfect in making my decisions  feel right for design, color and choice!  He works with a great crew who not only showed up on time but were respectful of my space and needs. Best of all I wanted  Benjamin Moore for this project with a price that was right in my budget and they delivered!.
They were fair and of the highest quality in producing a beautiful looking kitchen and powder room for me & in every way I am thrilled with the results.
5 - Robert F.: I was in the market for a house painter, but did not want just a cheap-o slop job.  Alan was highly recommended by a good friend and he came right over to scope out the job.  I needed to get the work done quickly, and he said he would help me.   I was specifically interested in Farrow & Ball colors.  Not only was I in a rush, I also needed someone to help with my color selection.  Alan was very patient and picked beautiful colors.  Also, Alan's crew was knowledgeable and efficient -- he and his crew of 12 did not waste time standing around.  He took really great care of my house.  I'm a very happy customer.
5 - Ben D.: Alan is the epitome of professionalism and personality uniquely braided into one very nice guy!

We were on a vacation in Hawaii and decided when we arrived back home to LA we'd like to do some paint updates to our laundry room, bedroom and bathroom.  We found Alan on Yelp and were impressed by his reviews so we decided to give him a call and see what he could do for us.  We left a message and received a phone call back immediately the next day which was exactly what we needed.  When we decide to do something, we want it done fast and efficiently and the fact that he was so on top of returning our phone call and listening to our needs made us feel like we were a priority right away. 

Alan gave us a spot on estimate over the phone just by listening to the description of our rooms and what we wanted to change.  He clearly stated exactly what he needed from us and what we should expect from him and his crew which really took a lot of the anxiety out of the situation. He was able to organize his crew and the time requirements very quickly and they were at our house painting within three days of us contacting him.  He even came over the night before to help us pick paint colors!

Alan arrived the morning of the job (after picking up the paint for us) to make sure everything was going accordingly; and then called four times throughout the work day to make sure everything was going as planned.  The crew started at 8:30 am and was finished (including cleanup) by 5:00 pm.  We've hired painters before who weren't nearly as thorough or fast.

We will recommend Alan's company to all of our family or friends who are looking for excellent paint work and we will definitely be using Alan's company for future projects.
5 - Devin C.: Incredible experience!  My girlfriend and I had ripped two large chunks out of the wall after trying install a dog gate at the condo we are renting.  Alan immediately recommended the most affordable solution and told us not to worry.  He worked around our finicky schedule and quickly sent out one of his guys.  He did a tremendous job patching up the holes to an even surface.  

Alan provided the best customer service we have experienced since living in Los Angeles.  We would definitely be using All Los Angeles Painting again and would highly recommend them for anyone looking for a top quality, honest painting company.
5 - S R.: A late review for an absolutely phenomenal painting company.

I was keeping an eye on a friend's condo after she moved out of state.  A couple weeks before Christmas she told me new tenants would be moving in shortly after the New Year and the ENTIRE condo (2400+ sq. feet, plus ceilings) would need to be repainted and cleaned up prior to their arrival.  I went into near panic mode trying to find someone who could possible be up to such a daunting task on such short notice.  Enter Alan and the All Los Angeles Painting Company.

Alan responded to my query incredibly quickly and met me at the condo at a convenient time to walk through and see what needed to be done.  His suggestions and detailed (and exceptionally reasonable) estimate demonstrated a professional (but friendly) attitude and clear expertise in the field and I felt entirely comfortable giving him the job basically on the spot.  I particularly appreciated it when he noticed some of the shoddy work that had been previously done in the bathroom (which had lead to bubbling, cracking and peeling).  He even noticed a part of a door that had never been painted and that my friend never even noticed while she had been living there for several years.

A couple days later, he and his crew arrived and got to work.  They were friendly and efficient, and I was given regular updates and invited to see the work to make sure I was happy with their progress.  They ultimately finished the job a full day ahead of what Alan had originally estimated.  The work was absolutely superb.  I could not have been more pleased with how clean the colors and lines were and how much nicer the condo looked with the overhaul.  The work he and his crew did to clean and repair minor scuffs and patches made it look like a brand new coat of paint.

Yeah, Alan runs a business, but I genuinely believe his number one priority is customer satisfaction.  I've had dealings with painters in the past where they clearly padded the work with an open time frame or rushed it to meet a deadline they were incapable of meeting in the first place.  You won't find that with Alan.  I found him to be honest and professional and I don't hesitate to give him my highest recommendation.
5 - Tom C.: Fantastic and extremely highly recommended. 

A few weeks ago, Alan and his crew painted my Condo in Studio City. You will see this term over and over again, but I truly have to say Alan exceeded my expectations throughout. After the amazing work, guidance and going well above and beyond expectations, my wife and I are clients for life and if I could give Alan 6+ stars in Yelp, I would.

Our condo is quite large (2000 sq/ft) and needed almost every surface repainted and also needed fairly extensive wall repair for holes and cracks. My wife and I interviewed multiple painters and contractors but Alan stood well above the rest as during his visit as he actually spent a lot of time offering design recommendations and I could tell he had a great eye, identifying issues areas to address such cracks in molding, that other contractors bypassed or ignored.

It took a few weeks for my wife and I to finalize our decision on paint colors, and Alan was extremely patient while we took our time to make a decision and once we had the paint, he was able to get the crew together in only a few days notice.

Alan has contracts at paint supply locations who gave us a good discount for the paint supplies and once the day arrived the crew was extremely friendly and professional. They arrived exactly on time and worked extremely hard the entire time they were on-site, and the quality of their painting was excellent. Alan mentioned some of the crew had been with him for over 15 years which was plainly evident.

Alan committed to a 2-day job, and when it appeared the effort was larger than expected, he crew added members at no cost the second day, started earlier at 7am and stayed late to complete the job. All of this was done at no additional cost.

Also, Alan went well above and beyond (see a trend here) by painting additional walls, fixing and repainting areas that were originally out of scope (molding) and again, didn't charge a penny more than we originally agreed to. His eye for quality was exceptional - after his extensive review and minor corrections, we found no issues across the entire 2000 sq/ft condo - all paint lines on molding were perfect, the paint was applied extremely well and the wall repair was so good the previous holes are now invisible.

Alan's above and beyond service didn't end when the job completed. I had an issue the day after the job was completed where another vendor caused a wiring issue that required a hole in one of the walls to fix. Alan sent his crew out at no charge to repair the wall and repaint. All of this after the issue wasn't even caused by his team. This is what I call exceptional service.

I know extremely positive reviews sometimes can seem misleading, but I truly can't say enough good things about Alan and his crew. I've worked with many vendors and I encountered one that was so willing to make sure the job was done 100% right and went well above expectations to ensure I was fully satisfied.

My wife and I am so happy with Alan's service, feel free to reach out to me if you need more information so I can share more of our excellent experience with Alan as I HIGHLY recommend his services.
5 - Robin W.: Very nice guy on the telephone - Didn't have time to give me a bid.  Must be doing something right!
5 - Denise V.: All Los Angels Painting just completed repainting our house trim yesterday. These guys are really special! Raymundo, Juan, Walfre and the rest of the painting crew were respectful and hard-working at all times. They took extreme care with our property to the extent that I felt comfortable leaving them in charge of my unlocked home to run critical errands and deal with the daily necessities of life. (I office at home.) At no time did I ever feel that the security of our belongings or my personal safety was at issue. 

Alan Silverstein was on top of the job at every step. He originally gave us an estimate over the phone, and then drove to the Valley--on a Sunday evening with his family along--to sharpen his bid. Although we had more to paint than I had adequately described over the phone, Alan put an extra man on the crew and still stuck with his original phone estimate.

Raymundo and his men hand-washed our eaves, porch ceiling, pergola, siding--every scrap of lumber that they were going to paint, along with the stucco that didn't need painting at this time. They spent an entire day sanding the peeling paint from our pergola. Then they applied top-of-the-line primer, followed by two coats of "one-coat" topcoat. They sanded and varnished our graying wood thresholds and restored them to mint condition. Every evening they vacuumed and/or hosed down any debris and neatly put away their supplies.

Alan called at least every morning and every evening to ensure our satisfaction. In addition, he visited our job site three of the four days it took to complete the project. Because of his rigorous attention to detail, we were able to resolve questions quickly and to our complete satisfaction.

Due to the high level of service that All Los Angeles Painting provides, it will never be the low-priced solution to anyone's painting needs. My husband and I firmly believe that we get what we pay for. With Alan and his men, we received outstanding value for the money spent. In addition, they are licensed and insured. We will be using them for annual maintenance to keep our home as sparkling as it is right now.

DMVantastic
5 - Teresa B.: We love Alan and his crew! We needed  the exterior of our house painted last summer, it's a bit of a tricky job, we live in the hills on a narrow street and needed scaffolding   ect. after interviewing several painting companies we hired Alan..soooo glad we did! He made sure that every detail was perfect, his crew was on time, really kept everything clean and they worked so hard! (the Valley in the Summer is no treat). Alan checked in several times a day in person and always called at the end of the day to make sure everything was going smoothly. We look forward to using Alan for all our future projects.
1 - Andrew P.: Alan called back once and left me a message, then didnt return any of my calls, very unprofessional imo, i spent my $$ elsewhere
5 - Matthew M.: I have only positive things to say about Alan and his team.  I received an estimate on a Thursday and his crew was booked and scheduled to start the next morning.

I am a firm believer in that you get what you pay for.  Working with Alan, you get a professional who has been in the painting business for over 29 years that can recommend great paint colors, provide a quality service and a team that finishes on time.  

I was a little doubtful that they would be able to finish painting the entire inside of my house in 2 days but they somehow pulled through with precise detail.

I work in the real estate business and I would recommend All Los Angeles Painting Company to all of my clients for the painting needs.  Thanks guys!
5 - Kylie L.: I had a great experience with this painting company. I was a little concerned at first because i had to call and leave a message twice before i got a call back but I am glad i was patient. I only had one room to paint which is a small job for any company and they had no problem with it. 

Due to the fact this room is a nursery, Allen suggested I use mythic paint which is non toxic. Believe it or not I didn't even think about this and was grateful for the suggestion. 

We scheduled a Sunday job which they do all the time and which made my life a lot easier. The guy who was sent over to my house, Abel, was great. He was late but Allen made sure to stay in contact with me multiple times until Abel got to my house.  Turns out Abel got VERY lost. This did not deter his attitude or the great job he did on the room.  Allen even stopped by when the job was done to make sure everything looked good. 

Quiet, professional, and extremely clean I was so happy with the work I will make sure to use them in the future.
5 - Jenny A.: Allen and his team did an amazing job. Professional high quality job for a fair price. The attention to detail is every where from the covered the floors to the perfect trim. I can not stress what a quality Allen and his team did. You will not find a company who cares about HOW your finished paint job looks more than Allen and his team. We Will use him again for certain.

All Out Events - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2979745, -120.6748854) ()
4 - Lauren O.: So I participated in two of the adventure races that All Out Events puts on. The first was the Central Coast Adventure Challenge at Lake Santa Margarita (May) and the second was the Adventure Challenge at Lake Lopez (June). 

Both were great events; the Santa Margarita event was especially well coordinated. All Out Events puts on a great show- registration and packet pick-up were both smooth, the event was well-run, goodie bags were well stocked, their t-shirts were cool, staff were firendly and they somehow managed Sierra Nevada to provide free beer at the end of the race! They also post race photos free to flickr, which is great; paying for race photos sucks.

Anyways, I'm a fan and will be returning to participate in their events.
5 - Andie B.: My experience at All Out Events was the most fun I could have asked for in any internship. Kristin and Yishai Horowitz are cool people and great role models. As the intern for their first Mud Mash X, it was exciting to introduce the event the San Luis Obispo and other locations in California. My primary duties included: posting races to online race calendars, visiting various locations in SLO and around California to spread the news and distribute posters, emailing potential participants from sporting groups, and assisting in any other marketing endeavors for the race. It was a pleasure working closely with Kristin, I enjoyed how she gave me creative freedom with most of my activities. It was extremely rewarding to watch the event come alive and to see all the people arrive that I helped to inform about the event. I would highly recommend working for all Out Events. 

Andie Bradford

All Pro Overhead Door - Austin, TX (30.2829069, -97.7421637) (The Drag, University of Texas, West Campus)
1 - Daniel M.: I was not overly impressed with them but I doubt it matters much. When I called they were not able to come by because of scheduling which is fine, I understand so we set something up for the next day which is where I became unimpressed. We set up a time of 4:30 because I told them we only had a small window of time and had to leave our home soon after.

They did not show at 4:30 as agreed and so I called at 4:45 and got a man on the phone who seemed bothered that I was calling and basically said they would get there when they could, they were finishing up a job elsewhere. A word of advice to them would be to call ahead if you are running behind. That's funny because I got a call at 5:10 saying they would be 10-15 min late to which I laughed and tried to explain that they were already 40 minutes late. He either didn't understand this or chose to ignore it because he said "like I said, their running about 10-15 minutes behind.

They finally arrived around 5:20-5:30 and looked at the door and gave the estimate. 

I don't think I ask a lot from the companies I deal with but customer service is the single most important factor in determining if this is a company I will do business with. I was disappointed, almost insulted with how poorly we were treated and I hired another company to do the repair...yes it did cost more but I felt better about it.

I don't like to give bad reviews but sometimes it is needed to tell a company what they have done wrong so they take steps to fix it.

All Saints Episcopal Church - Austin, TX (30.291654, -97.739959) (University of Texas)
5 - Larry M.: If the state of Texas let my kind get married, I'd probably do it here.

Beautifully located on the north UT campus, All Saint's has to be the most beautiful, picturesque churches in Austin. It's small size and chapel dating back to 1899 does play a part in the service - the kind of space does affect worship, and this building inspires.

The reverend Mike Adams is incredibly charming, has that spark, and knows how to communicate with the congregation.

As you would guess, the church has strong ties to the university, which in part they can borrow from UT's incredible vocal pool = great choir. 

A traditional religious experience that's not stuck in an un-evolved past.
5 - Scott B.: All Saints has an active community involved in many activities. There is a great outreach program with several offerings for volunteers. The connection with the university is terrific, offering a service oriented to students every Sunday evening to include a free home cooked dinner. the proximity to the university makes it convenient for students. We were married here, raising our kids here, with some wonderful programs for kids. An active music program - choir. I definitely suggest you come visit to see for yourself.

All Seasons Cleaners - Philadelphia, PA (39.9555162, -75.2022101) (University City)
2 - Kimberly P.: Now, I do not consider myself to be cheap, but I do like to find the best deal for my money. When the tab broke off of the zipper on my dress, I decided to take it to All Seasons to see if they could put a new tab on; the zipper itself was in perfect condition, it was just cumbersome to pull up and down. 

When I asked them how much it would cost, they said $15 because they refused to just put a tab on. They claimed that they would have to replace the entire zipper and re-sew everything. I'm sorry but why would you need to charge me $15 to re sew the entire zipper when I could just find some wire and make my own make-shift pull-tab? I'm not falling for it. 

I felt that All Seasons was trying to rip me off and, because of this, I do not recommend their services.
4 - Alex C.: Coming back to Philly, I needed to find a place to alter/cut one pair of jeans and to patch up a rip in another pair. So I decided to try this small little shop on 40th Street between Sansom and Chestnut.

Although, there isn't an official changing room, I was afforded enough privacy in a curtained room to comfortably change into and out of my jeans to have them altered. The seamstress working there was also very patient despite my fussiness in picking the right length .. .. .. because I was completely frightened that my brand new selvage APC jeans might shrink upon washing them, in like 6 months. I know, it's a pretty major concern. ;-)

Anyways, to get one pair of jeans cut and another pair patched, the total came to $17 and a two-day turnaround. The workmanship was good and when I came back to pick up my jeans, I was satisfied. I felt my patch needed extra reinforcement and the seamstress was willing to do it immediately.

My one complaint would have been that I would prefer if the patch on my jeans had been sewn in a less conspicuous manner. I'll go back and show them an example from an alteration done in CT. If they're willing to fix it, 5 stars.

I never felt they were trying to rip me off, and they have a visible sign listing the prices of all their services. Turnaround was also pretty quick.
4 - Michelle C.: I recently went to All Season's to have a winter coat repaired, since evidently H&M coats last two months before they start to disintegrate. It had lost a button, all the others were loose, and the pocket seams were unraveling. They were very sweet and fixed it all flawlessly for $12. I am quite happy.
4 - Sarah B.: The woman at All Seasons was very honest with me when I took my favorite dress in to get cleaned.  After taking a look at the mesh-veiled, bright blue frock with a delicately jeweled neckline, she let me know that there was a 50/50 chance that the beads might fall off and I'm better of hand-washing in Woolite. Disappointed (or rather, feeling really lazy), I took the dress home, did exactly as she told me and - ouila! - all the dirt was gone and it looked brand new.  In addition to that, I've taken a trenchcoat in to redo the buttons and a slip to shorten: both were altered perfectly.  As long as you expressly voice your needs, they will make you happy!
4 - Jonathan W.: I had a dirty suit; Now I have a clean suit. Price ~ 10 bucks. Solid. 
Seem friendly. I will go back.
4 - Vega X.: Decent job repairing torn jeans.

Quick service - they took just a day. Had to pre-pay the full amount.
5 - Timothy L.: The couple that worked there made every effort to patiently understand my problems, properly measure me for fitting, and clean precisely the spots I asked them to without damaging the garment.  I've had jeans shortened, suits altered, and sweaters dry cleaned from All Seasons' Cleaners.  On-campus dry cleaning services are generally pretty bad, but this one is a clear exception.
4 - Chi S.: I get tailoring and dry cleaning done here. Haven't had a problem yet. Prices are very reasonable and posted.
1 - Elizabeth B.: I was very disappointed that this cleaner was unable to get a stain out of a skirt. He also didn't mention that he had not removed the stain and still charged me for the cleaning.
4 - Jennifer S.: This is the only place that I go for dry cleaning because it's conveniently located near Penn.

The owners are nice and always know my name. They are always friendly and so far the service has been flawless.

However the prices are really high, which I dislike. They have no promotions for regular shirts or anything like that.
4 - Joan S.: The service is great, and the price is reasonable. 

I've taken my stained silken shirts, my button-up shirts with funky yellow pit-stains, my dusty coats, and my suits. They have never failed to get a stain out (you just have to point it out), and the suits are always nicely pressed afterwards. 

They're usually very quick to take care of orders, and the job is always done in a few days. They give you discounts if you take your clothes in during the week (Tuesdays, I think). It also has the benefit of being University City's most convenient and reliable cleaner (in my experience).

My only concern is that they don't do their cleaning in-house.

All Star Nails - Atlanta, GA (33.78209, -84.407698) (Westside / Home Park)
4 - Cara B.: I went with a friend to get a pedicure here.  Their prices are very reasonable ($20 for a pedi!), and you don't feel like they are scrimping on their services to match their price.  Even with a set of customers waiting, they spend plenty of time with you to make sure you get what you pay for.  

The space is clean,  has plenty of chairs for pedis, have a large selection of color choices from opi and china glaze,  are great for a quick service after school/work, and are open until 8 on the weekdays.    

I'll be sure to come back the next time I need a good cheap pedicure!
1 - erin j.: This is the worst manicure I have ever had in my life.

I went to dinner after getting my nails done that that was when i finally looked closely at my nails. There was polish on my cuticles, not polished to the tips, polish on my actual finger...it was really bad. 

The pedicure was ok but I wont ever go back.
5 - pat h.: I love going to this place to get my nails done. I have a shoulder and neck massage while I wait for my nails to dry. The place is very clean. Great location in midtown at the street level of  Tivoli Apartments in Midtown at 10th and Northside Drive.
4 - Tessa S.: I go here regularly to get fill-ins for my gel nails and occasionally for pedicures. I never have had to wait more than 5 minutes (and I never have an appointment), and their late hours are really helpful. Alex, the owner, usually does my nails and I have never had any problems. He even suggests colors/styles and never overcharges. The pedicures are really good, but nothing really special.

If you want professional, pain-free, hassle-free nails for a good price this is the place to go.
5 - Claudia C.: My favorite mani/pedi place in Atlanta, and I have been to them all.  Excellent pedicures, esp from Tom.  Amy does great gel nails.  Very very clean and friendly.  I never have to wait and if I am pressed for time they always accommodate.  Love this place!!!

All Star Wine & Spirits - Latham, NY (42.7517735, -73.766428) ()
4 - Derick F.: A very big wine store with some interesting selections, incl. a lot of California wines I hadn't seen in the area at all before, and a 15% case discount.  I'm not going into the wine blog game but I picked up a mixed case here last month, mostly in the $10-17 range.

Two notable ones, both on sale: Anne-Marie Gille Bourgogne 2000, which was a disappointment: past its prime, acidic, thin and bodiless.

And a 1996 Cottonwood Canyon Synergy (Cab Sav / Cab Franc blend) that they had for $8-10 or so -- I figured it's an 11  year old Cab, it can't be too bad -- acc. to the bottle only 3300 bottles were bottled & acc. to google it sells for $65-90.  So either it was a steal or it hadn't been stored properly & was going to be awful.  I think it was a steal & will be back to get a few more bottles to drink when I finally get around to making my elk stew (meat's in the freezer now, from the Troy Farmer's Market).

update - I think Daniel B's review has nailed it -- All-Star has some good stuff, but some of their variety / selection / sale wines come from having some mediocre close-outs.

update 2 - they've got their stock on-line, at the URL above.  This was a serious steal - 10 yr old Bourdeaux @ $11.99/bottle - http://www.allstar.coresense.com/product-exec/product_id/567/nm/Chateau_Gravettes_Samonac_Bordeaux_1998/category_id/7
4 - Daniel B.: Back where I am from, we had a place called Grocery Outlet.  My good friend lovingly called it "Groce Out".  But beyond expired meat and wilted produce, they sold close-out wine.

It was a bargain-hunters paradise.

All Star Wine & Spirits seems to have some of that going on, inside its hollowed walls.  They had some of my favorite finds from Groce Out.  Except in this case, it kinda seems less honest.  With these closeout wines nestled among some really fine bottles of hooch.  All Star has some remarkable stuff.

But it's not all remarkable.  Let the buyer beware.  The 1992 Scharffenberger Pacific Echo Brut is a good bit over the hill.  I've never had a bubbly taste sherried before, but I know enough that it's not a good thing.  Still, to get an opportunity to taste something that was bottled when I was in college... for $4!... is a special thing indeed.

Sadly they used to have a Beaujolais Cru section, but it is gone.  Apparently, the people of Latham just wouldn't buy the good wine that All Star had been stocking.  

What a shocker.
4 - Lai-Yee B.: How do I always forget about All Star Wine as an option for liquor and wine?

Prices - wow, they are very competitive. And when they have specials, look out! They really do sales well, not just 50 cents off of the normally high retail price. And they do sales on some really interesting items I might not normally have considered.

The staff are very helpful and unobtrusive. They'll ask maybe once or twice if you need help selecting something, but in a librarian way (quietly, and they walk with quiet sure steps) that doesn't make you feel pressured to buy anything. 

Bottom like - great customer service in addition to great prices.
4 - Jess P.: This place is pretty awesome, except that it's in Latham Farms. 
I try to avoid Latham in general as much as possible because driving in the Route 9 area is inevitably a total clusterfuck. I don't like it one bit!

That said, sometimes I can't avoid a whole suburb. I needed to buy a few bottles for Christmas gifts and I happened to be nearby for some other presents. Having heard good things, I was not disappointed. 

There's a nice selection of wines and liquors, and it's spacious with ample room to properly browse. I wish they had a slightly larger selection of South American and South African wines, but I guess you can't have it all in one spot. 

I picked up a 10 dollar crianza from their "reds under $12" section and was not disappointed with it.  I also had been wanting to try this year's beaujolais nouveau but definitely didn't want to overpay for it as I'm sort of on the fence about bn's. At 6.99 a bottle, it was a chance I was willing to take. 

A few brands I buy regularly though, such as Parallele 45's cotes du rhone and El Coto crianza rioja, are still a little cheaper at Empire Wine, which is a far more convenient location for me. 

Geography aside, the sales were good and the clerks were helpful without being too pushy about it.
5 - Ari S.: It's true that All Star can be hit or miss (but then again that's the name of the wine game). Some close out specials turn out to be past their prime has-beens or never-weres. But that's part of the fun/challenge and when you hit on a bargain there, it's a gold mine. 

It's also true that some of the wines can be found cheaper at the All Star up 87 where the prices are generally more consistent but the selection is less eclectic (and hence less fun in the "you never know what you're gonna get" kind of way). And I have a bad tendency of forgetting if I liked a wine or not but only remembering that I bought it. It's a bad habit as I end up buying the same bad wine twice. But I won't be fooled a third time.

I also have to go to this place in disguise.  The last few times I went, I was befriended by an overly-eager employee.  His excitement about the wine was so cute (not in the way you think but in a little kid kind of way) that I ended up buying a bunch of his recommendations.  And they all turned out to be mediocre to bad. I don't think he was trying to mislead me; I just think he has poor taste in wine. Or maybe I'm the one with poor taste in wine. No matter.  So now I go with sunglasses and a hat so he won't recognize me and politely demur when they ask me if I need any help.
5 - Pete L.: The best place for wine and spirits I've found so far i the Capital Region.  Knowledgeable staff, excellent selection, especially on the top shelf drinks, and prices that are usually a little cheaper than other stores in the region.  If you're looking for anything specific, try here first if you're in the area.  My only complaint, is that it's no longer that close to me.

They've also expanded recently, practically doubling the size of their showroom, making more room for more inventory.
5 - Amber F.: I usually go to Exit 9 or Spirits in Troy due to proximity to work/home.  I had stopped here after a hair appointment in Latham on my way to a friends house. 
I had been here once in a rush when they were half the size and left with no pleasant memories. 

This trip was a different story. 

I was greeted and asked if I was finding eveything okay 
(twice!).   I thought the prices were pretty on par with Exit 9.  I enjoyed the selection and thought the layout was easily navigated. 

I should warn you I'm not a wine snob. I like malbecs around 10, fun descriptions and pretty labels but I'm sure even the classiest wino will find what they're looking for. 

The only complaint was the Ho-hum cashier.   This trip would have been first class if it wasn't for her lack of energy. (Don't get me wrong, I don't need sunshine and rainbows while you're ringing my wine out but at least pretend to somewhat happy with your job) 

I'm still rating a 5.   When I go out of my way to shop here I hope the cashier is on the same level as the rest of the store.
5 - Alicia R.: Disney World for adults! :)  A nice selection of bottles in many price ranges.  The store is well organized and the staff is always friendly and helpful.
4 - Colleen M.: I usually go to Spirits of Troy but on several occasions I've stopped into All Star.  I haven't seen the dog in a while, I hope he's okay.  

The wine is a few quid cheaper here than at Spirits (and the selection is massive compared to Spirits, but I'm not that sophisticated so the selection doesn't do much for me as long as ya got a few South American wines).  

The booze is significantly more expensive here than at Spirits.  

They sell locally distilled spirits.  

The staff was super friendly and helpful.
2 - Barry B.: Big big store.  Many different wines and liquors to choose from.  Room to wander and get lost.  However, one major criticism...  their prices are roughly10% higher than Empire Wine in Colonie.  Maybe with all the square footage they have to charge more.  However, when a bottle of King Estate Pinot Grigio from Oregon is 14.45 at Empire yet is $15.99 at All-Star, the money adds up- especially if you're buying more than one.  At those different prices, All-Star would cost you $18.48 more per 12 bottle case than Empire.  Money talsk- I can do alot with an additional $18!  Also, the staff at check out on a Saturday afternoon (store was NOT busy) were cool indifferent and looking bored.  Except of course for the man that staff doted over for some odd reason.  Made the rest of us feel like our money wasn't as valuable as the other guy.  Hmmmm, methinks Empire wins my vote.

All State Moving & Storage - Hyattsville, MD (38.956334, -76.935) ()
5 - Dan S.: My family used this company to move us from our two bedroom condo to our new four bedroom home, and they were beyond amazing.  The movers showed up on time and had us packed and moved out of the Condo in less than 2 hours.  

We had a Pod meeting us at the new house with a dining room set, bedroom set and three couches.  This POD was included in our estimate but apparently not communicated to the movers, but they just rolled with the punches and got to work unloading that too.  They were helpful and professional through the whole process, and at the end even came in UNDER the estimate.   Great company.
4 - Inette H.: Even though I have heard bad reviews about this company (after I had already scheduled them)  I actually had a positive experience with them.  Prior to the move we sent them a detailed list of all the items we needed moved.  They sent us a quote based on that list. The email that was sent clearly stated it was an estimate, travel time included coming to us and returning to their location and that there would be a 10% fuel charge.  They said they would arrive between 8-9am.  At 8:15 we received a call saying they were in traffic but expected to be there within 45 minutes.  They actually arrived 20 minutes later.

When they arrived we explained that 1 item was missing from our list ( a washer).  We were told this was considered a bulk item and was an extra $25.  We were fine with this because we did not include it on the original list.  We also explained that we could NOT go over the time estimate.  This group of three men worked the tails off to stay within the time frame.  The were quick, kind and courteous moving our stuff in 100+ degree heat. They even moved heavy items to the curb that we did not include in our list.

Others may have had negative experiences with them but we did not.

All Traditions - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2827524, -120.6596156) ()
5 - Teresa V.: I have worked with Taffy from All Traditions on several weddings. I am will do give a discount on my services if you use her because she simply is the best. Her decorations are exquisite,  tables are set when they are suppose be, the decorations are on time, the cake is perfect- the bride walks down the isle when she should etc, the list goes on and to tell you the truth she has worked with the best venders and it reflects on how spectacular the weddings always are compared to when a bride chooses to not use a coordinator/designer. Plus she has the linens , the invites ( and they are gorgeous!) I wish I was blessed enough to work with her more. If brides think photography is special try coordination first and foremost. Magic can only be recorded if it is there to photograph, and who wants to work on their wedding day, call taffy :)
5 - elizabeth s.: Our caterer referred us to Taffy Gonzalez / All Traditions about a year out from our wedding in San Luis Obispo, and booking her to do our day-of coordination proved to be one of our best decisions about the whole event. We live down in LA so it was great to have Taffy's expertise and input as a local vendor when we were trying to put everything together from out of town. 

Overall, we had a terrific time working with Taffy and highly recommend her without hesitation. If you're looking for someone who's warm and communicative, who's really going to pay attention to details, who'll prioritize helping you create the kind of event you want to have, and who'll also be able to pull the strings behind the curtain if she needs to without any of the party guests noticing that anything's amiss, look no further than All Traditions.

All-Star Pizza - Atlanta, GA (33.7867, -84.3920449) (Westside / Home Park)
5 - Matthew L.: Consistently good pizza.

I've had the Fetalicious, Mediterranean, Meat Eater & the Italian Combo calzone.  All good.

I've only ordered by delivery and they're always less than 30 minutes.  

They've also got a greek salad which is a big plus for me and wings.

Only thing bad I can say is some of the stuff is  greasy and pretty messy.  Still good, though.
1 - Foodie Buddha F.: Finger nail in my pizza.  A big, nasty, FINGER NAIL!  That's a no in my book no matter what.  When I called to tell them, all they said was "Sorry, we'll make sure that doesn't happen again"  They're right, i won't ever be back.
3 - Enay A.: I love their pizza. It tastes delicious when they make it right. My only gripe is that their pizza is not consistent. I walk in each day not really sure what I am going to get.....some days the pizza is perfectly cooked, other days the cheese is falling completely off.....I wish they would solve that problem

Also, they should really consider sauces like garlic sauce for their crust...and not that homemade stuff they have in the back...cause we have tried it, and it sucks majorly!

If they get consistency....they will get 5 stars...for now...3.5 stars 


Also, the interior could use some upgrades. The seats are uncomfortable. They are pretty much little plastic chairs. And the tables are not really situated well to enjoy food with friends. The walls seem like they started to design...then ran out of money to finish it....gah....


9/8 Update- I told them about their falling cheese problem...they claimed that sometimes they use different cheeses and one takes longer to cook. It seemed like they used that as an excuse.....in my opinion ...if it takes longer to cook...then cook it longer...don't give it to me not cooked well. Just felt it was necessary to say that.

They are very good with coupons though.

Allblues Sewing & Alterations - Troy, NY (42.7258431, -73.6902855) ()
5 - Nick H.: I had a seam repaired on a pair of pants and buttons tighten on a jacket. I was very pleased with the work done; by far the best I have ever seen. The owner was friendly and willing to make appointments outside of business hours. The repairs were completed quickly and on time. Prices were reasonable.
5 - Hannah H.: I had to get my bridesmaids dress altered within a week time frame and this place did a fantastic job! I would recommend this place to anyone that needs a good job done for a great price. Location is also convenient and service extremely nice.

Allegro Espresso Bar - Seattle, WA (47.6587349, -122.3130789) (University District)
5 - Zarah M.: I was just there today. Apparently it's their 30th year. I was told that they were the first "espresso only" cafe in Seattle. They even just started serving drip coffee 2 or 3 years ago. I was just chatting with one of the baristas so I could have heard wrong. They have wifi and the coffee is really good. I had the mocha and it was very good. 

They have plenty of seating and even an outdoor deck area with plenty of little birds to keep you company. It was a warm, sunny day today and I had a nice time drinking my coffee at Allegro. I just up loaded some photos for you to see.  Check out their view!.

Update 9/9/05
There may be a big change coming for the Allegro.  The view may be obstructed by a building soon to be leased by the UW.  It's just sad.  Read about it here.
http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=uwdevelopment05m&date=20050905&query=cafe+allegro+UW
5 - Margaretta L.: How can you tell when a place in Seattle has been around for 30 years?  At the Allegro you can pretty much feel how many writers have sat in these well-worn seats to work out their ideas.  Food offerings are strictly pastries, but the scones and apple turnovers are out of this world and stick to your ribs.  Cash only.
5 - Robyn H.: The history of this place permeates the walls like the aroma of coffee permeates the air.  One of the first espresso cafes in Seattle and the first place where I had a cup of pure espresso and learned what the coffee obsession was all about.
3 - Amy W.: I was waffling between three and four stars for this place, but I'm just not a true fan.  I appreciate the ample seating, the access to power outlets and the occasional classical music, as well as the fact that it's been around since Chief Seattle.  I think the coffee is only alright, but the croissant I had was excellent.  My main complaint is that service is pretty slow when there are more than two people in line, and there are a few employees who have the snobby barista stereotype down.  If I'm on the Ave, this might not be my first choice of coffee shops, but I'd meet someone here if they wanted to come.

Note: They do take credit cards now, for a $0.25 charge.

Bathroom: 3 stars.  It's skinny, and sometimes they don't have paper towels.  I like all the bathroom graffiti, though.
5 - Misty S.: I used to hate the ideas of cafes and the coffee culture. I pictured pretentious people sitting around having deep discussions and reveling in their genius. And the Cafe Allegro was the type of place I pictured. It's in an old, rundown building. Art is for sale on the walls. Funky music of some kind or the other is playing. I often hear people talking about their music project or their art or theater projects. The service is rude, and there is a "No cellphones please" sign near the cash register. And the acoustics in the back room are such that once I couldn't help overhearing a REALLY BORING conversation between students about the state of the Comparative Literature program at the UW. There's a bench out in front always filled with smokers and people hanging outside, looking at their laptops and their new graphic arts programs.

But hey, sometimes it's too early to get a beer. And there's free Wi-Fi here. And I guess I kinda like being around people who are creative and write music and stuff anyway, since I am doomed to be a fan or art, never a creator of it. After the intial discomfort of wondering "I'm not hip enough to sit here," it's a pretty chill place. The coffee is good enough, they have a fine strawberry lemonade, and they have an assortment of pastries. There is one barista here who looks like the 8th member of The Strokes (or the 4th or whatever... not a Strokes fan), and he is often playing British music I like, such as The Kinks or Pulp. There's another barista who ain't so nice, but it's gotta be tough working in this joint while your band is on hold, waiting for their "big break," gotta be tough... 

The Allegro has been my favorite cafe for a couple of years now, and I find it endlessly amusing that I always see the same regulars there.  There's fuzzy haired guy.  There's Asian hipster guy.  There's beret guy.   This leaves me with both a very comforting feeling -- a feeling that this must be a good place to have such loyal customers -- but it also makes me feel slightly depressed to think how things don't change.  Reliability is good, but stagnation is not.
5 - Nicholas B.: Allegro is in many ways the quintessential Seattle college cafe. Its proximity to the UW means that the clientele is mostly students who are either busy hacking away at their laptops, reading with their noses stuck in several sprawled out textbooks or in a booth discussing that the Foucault essay they had to read for philosophy class. Personally I used to go here a lot my senior year to work on French and statistics homework.

The drip coffee is cheap and pretty tasty. I really like their selection of loose leaf teas as well, they've even got a blend that's good for helping you with your cold, which as a college student trying to survive the Seattle winters came in handy on several occasions. Their pastry and bagel selection is pretty good and if you get there earlier in the day you can likely find an apple turnover or a pain au chocolat in the half price basket.

I really like how they have several different spaces here that you can use. You can sit in the front room where the bar is located which is generally has more traffic, in the back room where there are larger booths and you are likely to find more groups of people talking, up on the balcony if you want to be more secluded or out on the porch in the fresh air. 

The music is pretty subtle and doesn't get in the way of studying and Allegro gets bonus points for having a huge dictionary to aid in the time of need.
1 - Ian S.: I was taking someone to a medical appointment at the hospital (nothing to worry about. All is 5x5.) and needed to kill some time, so I thought that I would wander around for some caffeination.

After driving around a bit, I thought that I would stop in at Allegro, where I had been once before, have a coffee and read until I got a call telling me all was complete.

Allow me to set the stage here.
Most of my things are still in boxes. I didn't really sleep much, so unshaven and messy-haired but I was needed to chauffeur around in the car.  I brought a hat to cover my messy head.

So about the hat.  When I was working in NYC, I bought a fitted Yankees hat. Do I like the Yankees? Not really. I liked NYC and enjoy it as a souvenir of a good time. I do keep forgetting that people from NYC are prejudged by the nonjudgmental crowd quite a bit, so if I look like one.. well. It is the only hat I have around, so I've been wearing it. It solicits comments like "We charge 20% more for Yankees fans" and things like that. I keep forgetting.

I enter.

I look at the baked goods, nod at the staff, and stand behind the person who is currently ordering.

The staff at this time is a guy at the cash register who is eyeballing me and an older polite guy speaking to the young woman ordering some drink.

"The line starts over there," said the cash register man with a gesture.

I looked "over there" to my right and no one was there. There wasn't a line.

"I think I'm good," I said.

He looked at me and didn't say anything for a moment.

Some other people appeared as the guy actually working was finishing up her drink and started looking over the menu.

He asks the newcomers what they would like to order. While he's doing that, I tell the guy working the bar "I'd like a tall cappuccino, please".

He starts making it and asks "For here?"

"No. To-go, thanks."

Cash register man isn't happy. He tells me something like "Next time, you need to go and *do as you're told*." He looks like he wants a fight.

"Right," I chuckle.

"Do you want anything else?" he asks.

I started saying "Yeah I was thinking about--" and was interrupted.

"Well think faster!" he demanded.

"Uh huh. I guess I won't then. So is this your place?" I asked.

"No."

"You're just like this then?"

"I don't like you," he tells me.

"I see." I very likely smirked.

My coffee was ready.

The thought of actually giving this place any money after this performance seemed wrong. This wasn't something I wanted to encourage.

"You know, I think you can keep the coffee. I'll just go."

"Good!" said angry cash manchild.

I left. Never to return.
April 2, 9am.
4 - Mary H.: This coffeehouse has the perfect ambiance for having some quintessential coffeehouse discussions -- about art, philosophy, science.  Whereas in many other coffeehouses, you might feel like a dork talking about that (or someone would roll eyes), not here.   So this is where I almost always come when I'm meeting a friend for a long conversation over coffee.  Somehow the ambiance improves the conversation -- don't know how but it does.  Allegra is also a popular place to work or study.  If you are coming here for that, take time to look around.  Allegra has lots of little back rooms and there are more quieter out of the way nooks than in the front room.   Well, I guess any review of Allegra has to say something about the baristas....what can I say.. you don't come here for warm, cuddly, smiley baristas.

Coffeehouse Culture: is this a place for a
long heart-to-heart with a friend: YES
a business meeting or interview:  NO
hang-out and work: Good in back areas
5 - Meghan G.: It is my opinion that Allegro is the best cafe in the U-District. Whenever I go there I always pass the people sitting at the Starbucks a block away and wonder why they choose crappy corporate cafe chain over a place that is uniquely Seattle (Sorry, Starbucks is no longer unique or Seattle).

The people working behind the counter are always very friendly and helpful. They always volunteer to heat up my pastries and seem genuinely interested when they ask you how your day is going.

The atmosphere is good for studying, reading, drawing or a casual conversation and there isn't too much noise, but it isn't eerily quiet either. I usually order tea, chai or hot chocolate, because I'm not big on lots of caffeine. They have two different kinds of chai and offer to put Mexican chocolate in your hot chocolate for an extra .35 cents (I recommend it. Really tasty stuff). I like how it is hidden away - off the street and down the alley.

They also have a good selection of pastries, vegan doughnuts and bagels.
5 - Caitlin C.: Allegro's by far my favorite coffee shop in the U District. The ambiance is perfect; slightly darkened rooms full of scarred up old furnishings and people with books, laptops, and friends.  The coffee is good, although I prefer a chai (they carry Morning Glory chai, not that sticky-sweet stuff found at many places). 
I've never found the staff to be rude, although they aren't necessarily warm and fuzzy either. Yesterday a few friends and I asked them to settle a debate about whether or not my friend's jacket was "girly" and they joined right in. 
Regarding the earlier review about the barista saying "the line starts there": to be fair, there is a huge sign stating the same on the counter, and I think the point is to keep access to the supplies (sugar, straws, silverware, etc)  at the other end of the counter open. Maybe *you* weren't in the way, but the next person who came in and got in line behind you might have been.
3 - Erin H.: I am frequently drawn to Allegro, specifically for their soy mexi mochas, which are sometimes impeccably delicious and sometimes not worth the $4.32 they end up costing. 

Its the kind of place I'd love to love...the history, the feel, the art on the walls, the people sitting at the tables, the pastry selection looks amazing....but its so love/hate...no, love/lukewarm. Lukewarm on the bad days and love on the good days isn't so bad, I guess.
5 - Marianne G.: This place is great - I've been coming here since high school. On the coffee price index (using Americano as an indicator) they hover around a high median, but it is worth it. 

Three rooms of seating - the upstairs especially good for studying or loafing - the front room good for being seen (all windows onto the alley/parking lot). Great alley space - when its nice, folks hang out here and drink their coffee on the sidewalk and benches outside the cafe. 

Sure hope the alley development plans don't wipe out this environment. Its one of the quickly disappearing "weird Winchester mansion" -esque Seattle places with multiple entries/exits and tiny bathrooms and weird upstairs rooms and Public Access TV stars (see: Shifterland) pulling your coffee.This means go there! 

They have open mic upstairs too, though rumor is you can't smoke up there anymore.

Also, they always seem to have interesting printed materials, zines, posters etc around. More so than other places on the Ave.

Oh another thing - if you're older than 21 you won't feel like you stick out like a sore thumb here (unlike some other Ave cafes).  Which is a huge A+
4 - Lance S.: My friend introduced me to this place when I first moved to Seattle and I've just now gotten around to reviewing... pretty damn good coffee and it looks like they have interesting variations and mixes (like some mexican chocolate deal that sounds tempting) ... good roast, they don't burn it, and tastes good.
2 - Michelle B.: I'll give Allegro another shot. Why not?

After I wait in line (behind one person) for a long time a booming voice comes from behind the tall espresso machine, "What do you want?"

Me: A vanilla soy latte, please.
Barista: *Peeks out behind espresso machine* A what???
Me: A vanilla soy latte. 
Barista: What size? For here or to go??? Grumble. 
Me: 12 ounces to go. Thanks.
Cashier: That will be $4.75

Seriously? That is significantly more expensive than anywhere else in town. Which might have been fine if it was significantly more delicious than anywhere else in town, but it was downright nasty. Rancid tasting. 

Let's recap Allegro:
Ruder Baristas
Higher Priced
Terrible Coffee

That's a lot to deal with simply to enjoy their beautiful exposed brick walls and peruse their truly interesting bulletin boards. There will be no more shots for me and Allegro.
5 - Josh F.: Old school!  first espresso in Seattle.  nice awesome atmosphere.  great place with a deck.  good coffee, view, nice company free wi-fi.  what else can you do?
4 - Jen S.: Had a latte from here this past weekend, it was good, the baristas were nice but did have to double-check my drink a few times.  However that was ok because my drink ended up being pretty darn good.  So I'll take a good latte anyday.
5 - Ireina B.: I am one of the Allegro babies. Grew up in this place and love it. I have gotten countless good cups o coffee from this place but I've gotten a few nasty ones. Its gonna happen anywhere. If you get a beverage that is not to your liking, tell the barista whats wrong with it and they'll fix it to your liking. Great place to chill out, meet people, study, and get your coffee on.
3 - Safa S.: The coffee here is pretty good.  The pastries are excellent (they even sell mighty-o donuts!).  There are lots of outlets... so almost everyone can plug in their computers.  There is extra seating in the back (but not a lot of outlets there) and upstairs.  The place feels old, has cement walls and is pretty cramped. Also, the place faces a parking lot... so the atmosphere isn't my favorite and any of you claustrophobic people probably shouldn't frequent this place (I can barely stand this place for more than a couple of hours)... but I do enjoy getting Mighty-O donuts next to campus and decent coffee.
5 - Ashley M.: I have some great memories at this place.  I have written many an English paper at Allegro.  For awhile it served as a 2nd home for me.  I like the coffee, although it is more expensive.  The owner guy makes great lattes.  For me most of the appeal is in the ambiance and the regulars.
4 - Pendleton F.: Seems like there's a lot of reports about surly baristas and snide comments being slung across the counter.  Honestly, I think that's all a reaction to equally surly and snide customers, and I don't doubt they're there.  I've found that in almost any situation as long as you're not being a jerk, jabbering on a cell phone, glittering with ostentatious accessories or anything else that brands you as a materialistic yuppie, one smile and you're golden.  So, I smiled and ordered my coffee.  He smiled and gave me a great cup of coffee.  I drank it on the outside bunch in the morning sunlight.  It was swell.  What's so complicated?  This is very much a college area coffee house, so it tends to serve a particular crowd.  That crowd is not businessmen and its not suburban soccer moms.  And that's fine with me.  It gives the coffee house some soul and character that in its absence would make it as bland as any other major chain.  Not everybody is a college-type, nor do they want to be, but it definitely helps here, I think.

Identities aside, the mocha is very excellent and the crowd is definitely fun to see.  Laptops and anguished students abound.  Also a good place to see what local venues and plays and whatever else are going on.  True, the coffee is expensive, but buying any food or drink item from any restaurant or diner is going to be expensive.  Does it still surprise people that food and drink prepared at home are cheaper than their retail counterparts?  Definitely my coffee house of choice in the Ave., though the price does make it a semi-luxury.
4 - Paul F.: The second floor has an outdoor balcony seating area, it's very pleasant on a clear day and you can see the Denny Yard/Green/Field/Whatever-its-called.  Good for sitting out with a friend and catching up.  Good cappuccino too.  No complaints, gets the 4th star for the tasty coffee and not-too-jerkish baristas.
1 - Jesse L.: I am a barista, and I must say that the worst coffee experience I ever had was at this place.

I ordered just a latte.  With a splenda.  Okay, I know that splenda isn't all natural or healthy, but hey, I like splenda in my coffee sometimes.  I also like diet coke. Shoot me.  The barista gave me the world's dirtiest look and proceeded to make me a shitty drink.

And I'm never going back again. Ever.

I just would like to say that if you are a person who hates customer service and working with the public, then don't get a fucking customer service job. It's just that simple.
3 - Winona R.: I want to like the allegro more than I actually DO like it. Their coffee is kind of mediocre. I have had great americanos, but their lattes constantly suck. I feel as though there might be one or two competent baristas, and some other people who are filling in or don't really know what they are doing. It's sad, because I think cafe allegro is cute, I like how much seating they have, their location directly across from UW, the ivy growing outside, the studious, attractive people that hunch over their macbooks, nursing giant coffees, and researching grad schools... But please, please work on your coffee! You're a coffee shop, allegro!
5 - Melissa C.: Still as great as ever, but now you just have to put up with the construction crew working in the alley building the complex next door.  It's been getting very noisy lately and you have to time your way in and out of the place because of heavy machinery blocking the alley.
4 - Alan F.: Great place to grab Americano on the go...

It's cheap (just over 2 bucks), fast (it was ready as soon as I paid), and rich (not bitter in the least).

Unfortunately they're dwarfed by construction that's completely hidden the shop entrance. I have a vested interest in the following advice: make sure you stop in since they probably get far less business now that condos on the rise completely block the way in. I really need this shop for a quick fix before reaching UW campus...
4 - Melmoth K.: I wrote most of my dissertation at Allegro. Don't go here expecting the Ladro or Vita or Diva experience. Its not those places. Allegro has the best iced americanos, better than average pastry prices (including a half-price/day-old basket; however, the cookies suck--go with a donut), and, like every non-Starbucks in Seattle, an eclectic and sometimes eccentric staff. If you're not into that, don't go here expecting to be thrilled. But if you live nearby and are looking to "settle down" with a lovable cafe for the long term (say, undergrad or grad school), I recommend letting Allegro take you on several dates before you dump her.
3 - Philip L.: Coffee is OK, but the atmosphere is pretty cool.  Mostly students studying.  Some nice outdoor seating.
4 - Jaime G.: I love the Allegro.  It is everything a polished chain-store cafe will never be.  I dig that the baristas there seemed to immediately remember who I was and what I drank.  I swear they must have a secret camera hidden somewhere and that they take your picture and make baseball cards of their customers which they study in off hours.  I also like the soft brown sugar they have and the tiny corkboard by the register in which people post little notes to their friends who will be coming through later.  Lots of posters on the wall.  Always filled with students and professors who dress like it is still 1978.  If you're in the U District, avoid the Starbucks and the Tully's are try this Seattle institution.  You might have to wait in line behind a few people but easy turbo, the kind of love they're pouring into these coffee cups takes time.
3 - joe m.: sad that there is now a huge building in front of it.  a star is lost for that.

decent to excellent espresso, depending on the barista you get.  the people who work here are eccentric and kind of high-strung.  just what you expect from a seattle coffee shop.  the grit & grime of the place tends to ward off the yuppies that flock to other cafes in hoards during lunch hours...but not completely, especially now that they offer free wi-fi  ---attn yuppies, just kidding, it doesn't work, go somewhere else.

it has been around for ages, has a lot of interesting regulars.  allegro is an experience, and it is worth the trip.  but you may or may not be able to put up with these people for long
4 - Nath, A.: Allegro seems to be the sort of place that polarizes people. There are those who come away complaining about the unfriendly staff, and vow never to return. And then there are the die-hard fans, who showed up in strength even when the construction work across the alley was at its peak, and the only way to get in or out was to sidle in between the construction vehicles and hope you didn't get squished.

I seem to be one of the few people at neither extreme. I've never had a problem with the staff; they've always seemed reasonably polite and efficient. Hell, sometimes downright friendly. But really, I go to coffee shops for the coffee.

The espresso here is consistently drinkable, but not the best in the area. I quite like the drip, though. It's not the single-origin Clover-brewed stuff that some places sell at $4 a cup. It's just good, simple, sensibly-priced drip coffee. It's what makes Allegro one of two or three places I stop by at semi-regularly to pick up some caffeine on the way to work. The decent drip coffee, combined with the fact that Allegro is quieter than some of the other coffee shops in the area, makes this one of the better places on the Ave to get some reading done.
5 - Kent K.: Perfect third place for graduate student workathons. Coffee, baked goods, wi-fi... just leave me a table and access to an outlet.
4 - Misty M.: I like this place! Mexican hot chocolate YESSS! Any place that sells this is automatically my friend.

I've had a latte here and it was delicious as well, and they had this wonderful vegan donut that was really awesome too, but I have indeed tasted a better latte in my days. I love sitting in the back on my computer doing homework, way better than being holed up in OUGL. They don't complain that I'm there or kick me out or treat me like crap when I order, they just leave me be to get my work done. Also, having it hidden down the alleyway is kind of hardcore in my opinion.
4 - Gwen C.: It's hard to get much more Old Seattle than down an alleyway and through a poorly marked door. As hard as Greg "Dino Rossi" Nickels worked to destroy the Ave in '02, Allegro survived and these days it really keeps it coming. They make excellent mochas, hot chocolate, and good baked goods. The rooms don't echo badly and it's easy to converse. They have outlets.

I dislike that  given that they close at 10:30, there's one night guy who starts the bumrush at about 9:30. Other than that one dude, who's there maybe two nights a week, everyone's awesome. The lattes are not their strong point, often too wet or too dry. Just get a cappucino or a mocha.
5 - Shane K.: I give Allegra five stars simply for the pure bliss my wife and I call their white chocolate mocha. They use good coffee with powdered Ghirardelli's White Chocolate and it is divine. The building itself is unique and before construction began on the behemoth building next door I would say it was quaint, now unfortunately it is void of all sunlight due to the tall multi-use building sucking all life from you as you walk by. I know that is a bit dramatic but it Allegra has a European Cafe feel to it, and then you look outside at the next door neighbor and that vision is squashed. All in all great coffee, average to subpar staff, but the coffee makes up for it.
5 - alice n.: I've been going to the allegro ever since I was four years old. 
This place has become my base for when I want to write, do homework, chit chat, and meet up with my parents. My life practically revolved around this coffee shop and I met many friends. In fact, this is the place where my parents first met and I now have an emotional attachment here. The baristas always know what I want and there is no awkward silences and bad jokes. The art is wonderful and the smell of coffee, newspapers, and baked goods warms the heart. Some Fridays they have music and every time I go I see someone I can say "hello" to. The owner; Nathaniel is a very honest kind man and  he has a good rhythm for music. This place is filled with love if you relax and soak in the art of the place.
5 - Jennifer Y.: Came here several times a week for 3.5 years--

Must haves:
-mochas (iced or hot)
-chai tea (hot, oregon chai, less milk)
-almond croissants

This is a great place to study or meet up with friends.  There's parking around the cafe and the staff is awesome (they remember you!).  The upstairs balcony area is very nice in the summer and equally refreshing in the fall.  The coffee here is strong and the noise level is just right... plus last I was here, there was free wi-fi. 

If I head 'home' I'll definitely pay a visit ... or two. :D
4 - Kayla C.: My favorite coffee place on the Ave., and probably anywhere for that matter. I LOVE the coffee here! I always get an iced white mocha and I have never once been disappointed. The drinks are reasonably priced and its a pretty good place to study, if you can find a spot.  I really like all of the different currencies on the wall for some reason too!
The only dislike I have is that, in my opinion, some of the baristas/cashiers are slightly elitist and give off sort of a rude vibe.  This is nothing that keeps me from going back though. I guess if I worked at a place with this good of coffee I would be elitist too.
1 - Vicki L.: $5.45 for one SMALL americano and one SMALL cappuccino? you've got to be kidding me. or rather, this had better be the best damn americano i've ever had.

we stopped by on saturday and it was extremely crowded. i feel bad writing this review since my boyfriend seemed excited to take me here, but being the coffee snob i am, i couldn't hide my displeasure once i had a sip of my extremely expensive, extremely mediocre drink. espresso and water, doesn't seem like a difficult concept, right? but if your beans aren't quality, the espresso's not going to taste good. the result was very bland, flavorless coffee and me feeling ripped off. 

sorry, allegro's just not for me.
5 - Linh H.: Always a good place to meet friends or a study group. The atmosphere is very relaxed and stereotypical Seattle-ish. Also a plus--free music most (every?) Friday evenings!
3 - Sun Young A.: I don't like the service here; though, their coffee&pastry goods are delicious!
4 - Brittany S.: This is my favorite coffee shop to study at when I am to study for ~4 hrs. TIP: bring cash, they'll charge 25 cents more if you use card. 

Pros: If you can grab one of the window seats, you're absolutely golden and happy. Lots of seating (upstairs too on most days) and the room next door. Really good coffee. Lots of pastries. Friendly staff. Low key and chill. Older patrons, and I mean the type that play chess and write poems. Great wifi. 

Cons: The seating in the next room smells (to me at least). Bathroom is itsy bitsy. I personally don't like the upstairs seating either...  And like I said, lots of pastries, but forget it if you're looking for a lunch/dinner (except for a quiche anyone?). I only like to sit in the main room but it's usually crowded. Outlets can be kind of sparse.
1 - Krista m.: A is for asshole that's good enough for me.

I have visited Allegro a few times before and have always found the baristas less then enjoyable, but today took the cake. On scale of 1-10 '1' being a little bit of an A-hole to 10 being the largest A-hole I would give the staff a 10 for the service received today. 
I was sitting up front enjoying some coffee and reading, when a staff member  propped open the door. We sat for a while ,when it began to get very cold and cigarette smoke from outside was coming into the cafe. I approached the counter and asked a the girl behind the counter if we could shut the door because of the above mentioned. With quite a bitchy attitude she responded by saying "it was very stuffy and we could move to table in the back." Huh. However, she did  then respond with a "fine" similar to that of a tween in pms yelling at their mom,  that I could shut the door.(thank you)
Soon after her co-worker stepped out from the kitchen and in a very loud voice said "I guess we can just turn on the air conditioning then".
I was impressed with his sophomoric passive aggressiveness  and would almost consider giving another star for the entertainment value it added to my experience today. 
When we left , we were closely followed out as the staff member propped the door back open. Again, I was impressed by his passive aggressiveness with added tenacity and drive to get the door back open to prove his point of what? I am not sure. Like a fish to water, a dog to a bone, a baby to a tit -he was there to prop open the door. 
Needless to say my Allegro days are over, unless of course, I need a little entertainment and the Real World -MTV is not on that day.
5 - Ben D.: Great place to come if you're looking for a coffeeshop where you can snag a drink and then sit for hours reading or studying. The coffee is good and, although I don't usually get "candy coffees" (as I call them), the Mexican Mocha is delicious. My favorite thing by far is their marionberry croissants. Amazing -- flaky on the outside, gooey on the inside, and not too sweet. I have no idea where they get them, but they're damned good.

I've heard complaints about the staff, but I can't say I have ever had a problem with them. They're not nice to a fake degree, by any means, but they also don't seem to be assholes.

Good place for gathering too. We hold journal club upstairs sometimes. In the morning, there's generally nobody up there to disturb and plenty of space to spread out.

It's a shame they constructed a huge building behind the place, but there's an added charm to this place being in an alley. It kind of feels like you have stumbled across an old piece of Seattle that has yet to be Starbucked.
2 - Faith K.: My friend and I wanted to go to Starlife on the Oasis but it was crowded so we decided to check out Cafe Allegro for the first time. I really liked the ambience. It isn't like all the other cafes on the Ave that try to be cool, trendy, and hip. We sat down at a table, pulled out our books and laptops, and wanted to just settle in and cool down before ordering any hot drinks (we had just walked from 50th, in the rain, bundled up, with heavy backpacks so I was a bit sweaty). We had only been there for maybe 3 minutes when the lady at the register began to stare at us. I'm assuming it's because we hadn't ordered anything yet. I intended on getting some coffee, but since I was so hot, I wanted to wait a few minutes before ordering. 

She asked us a bit rudely if we were going to get something, so I told her that I would in a minute. As we ordered, the two girls at the counter didn't smile, unnecessarily gave us attitude, and didn't make us feel very comfortable or welcomed. We both ordered soy lattes and a spinach & feta croissant. The lattes were good, but nothing to rave about; they warmed the croissant for us (which was nice) and it tasted pretty good. I only ordered a grande soy latte which cost me a little over 4 dollars - just about the same price as Starbucks. I can get a better drink at other cafes along the Ave for much cheaper & with better service.

Cafe Allegro needs to know that there are so many cafes on the Ave, so if their customer service is terrible, we have so many other options. 

I recommend coming here if your usual cafes are too crowded and you have absolutely NO other choice! (and maybe even then... I might not even go).
4 - Elisabeth H.: This place is nice and homey. Unfortunately there's only one bathroom for three different seating compartments, but that's okay. I don't mind waiting. 

The guys that I've met there are nice. If you're nice to them, they'll be nice to your. You know how that goes, "I'll treat you with the same respect you treat me" kind of thing. 

I always get iced coffee. I don't know what it is about the coffee there compared to other places, but it's just always better for me. 

Iced chai teas are delicious when it's hot out.

Unfortunately, it does get crowded sometimes, but overall it's a great place to hang out, talk to friends or study.
5 - marylou l.: i love this place and it makes me want to move back to seattle. the darjeeling tea pot always gets me way caffeinated, love it love it love it
1 - Kaya W.: Cafe Allegro is a cafe which has the potential to be super cute and mysterious. It is tucked away in an alley off of the Ave, near the University Bookstore. As I said it could be super cute. But it's super "ehhhhh". 

I stumbled upon Cafe Allegro while looking for a new yoga place (Universe City Yoga, super awesome, super great, take a class with Richelle, it will change your life). I thought to myself, "Oooh! A cafe in an alley, how mysterious" and I didn't let the smell of the nearby dumpsters deter me on my quest for adorable Seattle Cafes. Only then I went in and got an americano and got some serious snubbery (and snobbery) from the barista. But I was on my way to do yoga! Nothing would make me sad! NOTHING! My americano (my new drink of choice since I am now both soy and lactose intolerant) was okay. It was frothy and beautiful and it smelled good and it tasted...fine. I did my yoga and I forgot the snobby barista man. 

But today, I went back before my (life changing) yoga class. I had forgotten my water bottle and so I went to the counter and I asked 

"Do you sell bottles of water?" 
"We have mineral water"
"Oh. Okay. You don't have plain water?"
"We have a water fountain over there"
"Oh, that's okay. Thanks for your help!"
And I went back to my friends, ignoring the water fountain and cups because I have worked food service and while it is important to quench people's thirst, it is also important to buy something if you are going to take something and create more work for others. 

BUT on my way out he yells (yes, yells) "We would appreciate it if you bought something if you are going to take our water". 

To which I say (very quietly) "I didn't... That would be rude" and say in my head (very loudly): "I didn't take your water you snobby barista man!" 

So say no to Cafe Allegro, where the coffee is okay and the service smells as much as the dumpsters outside.

(want to know about some great Seattle Coffee shops? Visit my coffee blog: http://cupofseattle.blogspot.com/)
5 - Sharad A.: Great coffee & atmosphere
4 - Lisa N.: Admittedly I really didn't like Allegro all throughout undergrad. I thought the baristas were slightly rude and the patrons were slightly pretentious and it always seemed so intimidating to enter from the alley. Since graduation, however, I've found myself spending a ton of time reading and studying here and I've completely changed my mind!

I love that Allegro is broken up into different seating areas because it shows the history (I'm sure you all know it's Seattle's oldest coffeeshop!) and the need for them to expand available seating confirms the popularity that it has gained over the years. I prefer working upstairs because it's usually less crowded than the main cafe area and you get awesome daylight streaming in from the windows.

Their coffee is good: I usually get drip cause when I come here I mean business! Highly recommended as the best cafe on the Ave for studying!
4 - Meg V.: just moved back to the you-dist after a few years' absence, and i've found myself here three out of five mornings before work.  

i'm not a coffee drinker, full disclosure, but their licorice tea is motherfucking delicious, and as i slowly work my way through the pastry case, every single one has been a hit.  fave so far is the pear danish.

also, it's pretty.  and quiet.  and not desperately clamoring to make you like it.  and the clientele errs toward middle age, which is a refreshing break from the ave's hordes of high-strung teenage spangers.

anyway, i know allegro is older than i am and doesn't need my recommendation, but i've always liked this cute little alley-spot, and, well, i still do.  just another reason to be glad i'm back in the 'hood.
4 - Oliver S.: It's like you're part of a secret society when you go to Allegro.

The entrance to Allegro is in a back alley that's blocked by a recently built building. To indicate their location, Allegro advertises using a sandwich board they position on 42nd street right next to Magus books.

Allegro is partitioned into three parts: the main cafe, the back cafe, and the upstairs. The main cafe is the loudest/busiest, with the baristas getting their coffee on and customers coming in and out. The back cafe has several booths and is quite conducive to a mixture of people watching and studying. The upstairs is the most isolated, and should be left for those who are super serious about their studying.

The coffee and baked goods are okay, nothing spectacular. I'm a fan of this place more for the combination of their adequate food/beverage offerings in addition to the good use of space. Also, since it's in such a poorly positioned location, the place maintains only a steady flow of people. I think much of their clientèle comes from word of mouth advertisement.

For University students, this is a great place to study. The coffee shop caters to many different types of studiers from those who need that coffee shop bustle to those who only study in silence.

Overall, a great experience.
5 - Selim K.: I miss silent Allegro mornings. Now that the HUB is under construction students mindlessly peck around the Ave and the Allegro is the closest to sit down and work through the day. they used to call my lovely coffeehouse a den of creepy old people in the good olden days.
3 - Sarah L.: I could safely say I have never been that scared to walk into a business as I had been when I walked into Cafe Allegro. The reviews claiming bad service had me kept away from spending my coffee money here, even though I had wanted to for a while. Well, that and I had no idea where it was. It is literally hidden.

I wasn't in the coffee mood so wanted to try their hot cider. They were out and they only had some kind of ginger cider that I wasn't in the mood for either. So I just chose safe and got a tea. The guy at the counter was super friendly and even showed me how to use the tea when I was surprised that he brought out a drainer looking thing so that I could pour out my tea at my own pace. Good idea, but the small tea leaves that the drainer couldn't catch went into my tea so I'm not a big fan.

The upstair seating is nice and spacious, but freezing. I was bundled up with my coat while trying to study.

Definitely coming back to try their coffee, and hopefully bump my stars to a couple more.
3 - Lilly A.: I love allegro's location, the hidden-ness... In an alley way. Sounds creepy right? Its actually pretty spacious and has 3 areas where you can sit in. Theres only one bathroom which is aggravating when theres a line of three people and you are dieing. I know space is limited, but c'mon... get another stall? 

Staff are nice, sometimes a bit snobby... but one of my biggest problems is that the coffee consistently tastes burnt. Now I have never been a barista, but man do I love my coffee... its a little less drinkable when it has that overly burnt taste that you just can't ignore.
4 - Stephanie S.: This hidden little spot has a lot more character than most of the other cafes on and around the Ave. While Allegro doesn't offer the best cup of drip or the most perfect espresso in Seattle, it does offer some tasty treats, a decent range of drinks, cool baristas playing good music and a good, respectful clientele. There's also free WiFI, plenty of seating and a good number of outlets along the walls. It's the kind of place you can park for a while and still feel comfortable. The three distinct spaces in the cafe give just the right atmosphere whether you're trying to read/work in silence or have a chat with a friend. If you're looking for a low-key caffeine break, I highly recommend Allegro.
4 - Marie S.: This is a sweet little cafe with a lot to offer - lots of space but a cozy feel, outdoor seating, great place to stay a while to chat or study, not to loud and not too quiet, and donuts!  My one complaint is the loose leaf tea - it's not a big enough complaint to warrant a lower star rating, but I just want to put the word out to anyone else who gets annoyed at paying a lot for sub-par tea (really it's just tea leaves and hot water, it shouldn't be so hard).  They have a small selection of tea (a green, a lemon spice, a licorice, some others), and I appreciate that it's all loose leaf.  However, the tea leaves arrive to you steeping in a tiny metal teapot that bears a striking resemblance to those little metal pots with the flippy tops that they use to hold hot sauce at pho restaurants.  It's tiny (maybe less than 8 oz, which necessitates awkward requests for refills - "could you refill my hot sauce container, please?"), the metal conducts heat (watch out!), and every time I've gone the water has been way way way too hot for green tea.  The part that really gets me is that the tiny tea pot holds about twice as much liquid as the tiny teacup they give you.  So when you pour your steeped tea through the strainer and into the teacup, you tea leaves just sit there and continue to steep in the remaining bit of water, getting more and more bitter (and really unbearable to drink, considering that green tea shouldn't be steeped for more than 2-3 minutes) until you've drank enough from your tiny teacup to pour the rest out.  This could easily be solved with empty tea bags for the leaves, or with metal strainer baskets, or some sort of lipped vessel to serve as an intermediate holding space, or, or, or...!  There are so many simple ways to NOT ruin your green tea!  Again, this is really a trivial complaint.  If you never drink tea, you'll love it here :)
4 - Maria G.: Very cozy! Good for study groups. I would recommend their cider!
2 - Evan J.: I had my first -bad- coffee experience here today. Not ten minutes ago, in fact. I think today is just not a good day for coffee. Overextraction and bitterness abound.
Must have been the girl (friend? new employee?) standing in the back my barista was focused on pulling shots for and talking to. I'm sure my coffee would have been better otherwise.

What ever happened to customer service?

Also, I have yet to find their upstairs.
5 - Cathy G.: Many days,happy days.
A latte and a newspaper. Crowded, hunched in places to sit. Lookign at the baked goods..wondering.why? Not I? Still on a diet. Others happy, reading, studying.
Cinnamon for my latte
I will return another day

for more happy 
hipppy
hard thinking
cafe slinging!
4 - Anastasia I.: I don't usually go here, but I got the livingsocial deal that was up a couple of days ago ($10 for $20 to spend), so I was here twice this friday. My cappuccino was really good, I saw someone complain about it, actually, and isn't cappuccino suppose to be a lot of foam? (You're not suppose to let it shake around in your thermos, that makes the foam go away...) Anyway, onto other things, got the iced tea the second time, maybe I let it sit for too long, but it turned out really strong, and when I poured the tea into the glass (that was almost completely full of ice), the ice ALL melted and my tea was still warm. It made me kind of sad. For the pastries, I don't think I'm going to be getting any later in the day (I saw those little flies...), but earlier, when they're still fresh and there's a better selection, I'll consider it. Lastly, the wifi is really fast, there's lots of seating and plugs, and the music's not bad, or at least not imposing.
5 - Eric N.: The Allegro is the epitome of the Seattle coffee shop. The coffee is excellent, and despite being half a block away from the UW campus, there is a surprisingly consistent group of baristas and customers. As a result, it feels more homey than anyone would expect. Also, even though it's now in an alley, the new building across the street has enough windows reflecting sunlight in that the inside of the cafe still feels about as bright as it used to. 

The back room is also the best secret study room in town. As opposed to the normal coffee shop vibe in the main area, the back room has no music and is a great place to go to get some work done.
3 - katya l.: I'm pretty ambivalent about Allegro. It's an awesome space, lots of seating, great to hang out and read the Stranger or catch up with a friend. The drinks are good, and reasonably priced. However, the service is mediocre. The baristas are always chatting with a regular while everyone else who isn't so privileged waits patiently in line. I'd rather spend my time at Trabant, where I don't need to be initiated into a secret society in order to get good service.
5 - Sarah m. G.: OK...well
I actually haven't gone there since the Cappuccino incident. WHICH TURNS OUT is totally my fault (?I guess). The owner who's nice and someone else who's mean both sent me a message explaining that the majority (or at least half?) of an Cappuccino IS actually froth. Well...I'm not usually a coffee drinker so I don't know anything about coffee. Sorry about bad rating that I gave, I'll give a more informed review the next time I go there.
3 - Rich S.: I noticed there was an interesting meeting about food justice going on upstairs.  

I was pleased that Cafe Allegro was big enough to accommodate semi-private meetings of 7-10 people while still having an atmosphere conducive to sipping coffee, nibbling on scones and typing away at your lap top. My latte was good and my scone was fine... but the space, and the other people who congregate at this cafe, is what makes Cafe Allegro memorable.

Just make sure you remember that the entrance is along the alley. I think they sell a bumper sticker: 'where the hell is cafe allegro?'
5 - Jay T.: Quest: to find a tasty mocha on the Ave. (The quest isn't going very well because I tend to repeat places.)

I don't know what a tasty mocha tastes like. I just know that mochas are tasty. My mocha is served in a glass mug. It keeps me warm while I study. I don't know about this snobby baristas I've been reading about. They might not be Starbucks-friendly. I'm not really looking to make my barista my BFFL (best friend for life). My mocha satisfies me.

What I love about Cafe Allegro is this: three separate spaces. Four, if you want to count the outdoors. I walk in, and 3 eager faces look up from laptops as if I were the prophet. I don't know why people are always staring when I walk in. I'm just the run-of-the-mill, small Asian girl. This room is loud. I order my mocha. And take it somewhere else.

Across the hallway is nice. Globes...stools...etc. But upstairs, if you brave the cold, is even better. And there's a balcony! How to get upstairs, you ask? Simple, find a portal. Step into it. Not really.

Here's how (though I might come after you within the next seven days if you ruin my peaceful, secret room): exit Allegro. Find the door between the two parts of the downstairs cafe. Or, start at the main entrance and proceed to next door (North?). Walk  up the stairs. It isn't rocket science.

Cafe Allegro is hidden because the building next to it is new (around 2008 or 2009?). So people shouldn't be complaining about Cafe Allegro...they should be complaining about the new building. Cafe Allegro used to have a prime view of a parking lot across from UW!

5 stars for a study space, a mocha that keeps me satisfied, and a readily available pitcher of water.
3 - Angela K.: They used to be good. Now the espresso is sometimes burnt other times not. A little pricey.
1 - Marin J.: Might be the oldest but who cares?
me and my friend were traveling hard and road warrior weary. We both were wearing Keen hiking sandals cause you all know traveling with laced shoes thru airports is a biach right? Having just arrived, we were really tired but wanted to get a feel for the area around the university instead of high tailing it to the hotel. My traveling companion had to get to a conference at the university the next day.

We walk in and immediately the sarky barista says "matching shoes". like it's a bad thing....like he's trying to make fun of the "matching tourists". Was he being friendly? Well, maybe, but the smirk he was carrying beneath his upper lip told me otherwise. I was too damned tired to turn around and find another cafe, and besides, maybe he was just, well being... another kind of friendly. After all, this could be a kind of passive aggressive welcome to Seattle.

Undaunted,  I start telling him how fantastic the shoes are for hiking, throw em in the wash like running shoes....like how cool they are...funny, he doesn't want to "play" insult the patrons anymore..

My friend orders an espresso,  you know, for the price of an insult you oughta get good coffee. Yo! Suck azzz barista your espresso bites. Tastes like licking an ash tray and your sarcasm saved me money and the awful experience of drinking one cause I shared with my companion with similar shoes.

Next time think twice before making fun of your clients. From the numbers I saw all during my stay there you could  sure use the business and a lesson on how to attract customers, not drive them away.
4 - Maria K.: This is a great place to get work done or study (free wi-fi!) as the vibe is very laid back and chill. Their drinks are good and the people watching is even better. There is always a diverse group of people working individually or catching up with friends. The coffee shop vibe is definitely perfect here!
5 - Robyn B.: Mexican mocha is out of this world! As are the thumbprint cookies...

Basically, I love love love this funky little cafe. Such a great vibe, fantastic coffee, awesome baristas. One of the only cafes open on Christmas Day, and my family and I always go here on December 25th to get our caffeine fix before opening presents :) Cafe Allegro will always hold a special place in my heart!
4 - molly m.: This coffee shop is great. 

It's in a very interesting location--the entrance is in an alley behind a bookstore. I've heard great things about the open mic night, and the coffee and tea is really great. It seems as though the people who go there are generally laid back and add to the environment. Great place to read, study or do art.

Exactly what I look for in a coffee shop. I suggest it.
5 - Anna D.: Best cappuccino on the Ave. Period.
1 - Adam B.: Won't ever return. The espresso was was unbelievably awful. The foam on my cappuccino looked like the soap bubbles from my dirty dishes, except my cappuccino tasted worse.
5 - Joanne D.: Great casual place to meet up. Although they're hidden in the alley, they were packed the first time I visited. They have seating downstairs AND upstairs which makes it a pretty unique place. I tried their sweet chai latte, 3-cheese quiche, and croissant, all of which were delicious! Can get a bit noisy, so not a recommended place for hardcore studying/work.
4 - T. W.: In my opinion, best place to get hot chocolate on the Ave. And really, of the numerous coffee shops around Seattle that I've tried, this is my favorite place to get hot chocolate. Its not nearly chocolaty-enough in most places! And they stir it into the milk really well. My friends have said the coffee isn't the best. But they DO have this awesome upstairs seating area with a porch, which is great when every other coffee shop is packed, and when its really nice out.
5 - Rachel C.: Such a fun, funky, tucked away cafe in the U district! Great coffee, delicious pastries, and a comfy atmosphere to while away the hours reading or studying!
4 - Nicholas H.: Where the Batistas turn a knob rather than press a button, and where musak is discarded for real Seattle music, you'll find a delightful shift from the long lines and expensive espressos a block away at the nearest Starbucks. Cafe Allegro doesn't have the billions of dollars that the Starbucks corporation has poured into it's brand (and may not have total profits in excess of a billion dollars since it opened in 1975), nor does it have the word of mouth recognition carefully built up by being panned for its excessive saturation (I'm reminded of Lewis Black's joke about a Starbucks situations across the hall from another Starbucks catering to Alzheimer who've already forgotten that they just left a Starbucks).

What cafe Allegro does have is something that Starbucks lost a long time ago, and which this little shop never will: It's a truly local shop, dedicated to quality and the people who surround it.
4 - Katy H.: What a lovely hidden spot! I came here for a meeting and found the alley location to be rather quaint.
3 - Jane D.: You should make the Allegro one of your "must go" places in Seattle if, for nothing else, the history of the place. 

Don't let the attitude of the barista du jour dissuade you....they come and go. 
It was supposedly the first place in Seattle you could get an espresso---back when it was cafe au lait and not latte. The actual building it is housed in (rumor has it) was a mortuary.

 I think it opened in '74, I got a job as a dishwasher there in '76. 

The guy who owned it became a coffee buyer for Starbuck's.  Or maybe THE coffee buyer for Starbucks. He was pretty instrumental in the coffee revolution. 

It was always a place where you could go and get fresh squeezed OJ, scones, or tea in a beat-up aluminum pot. There was always an amazing assortment of posters and notices on the bulletin boards. There was usually some decent art on the walls that changed out pretty often. People would read Proust or Wittgenstein. The only music was classical. The side room opened a little later and the upstairs after that. It used to have 2 bathrooms. It's been through many iterations. Customers would spill out in the alley and sit on the curb. There was an open space across from the large windows that let in lots of light.

If you are the kind of person who can tell a high acid coffee from a mellower blend, you really have the former owner of this cafe to thank for that. He really made it possible for all of us to be coffee aficionados.
5 - Tom C.: An absolute classic.  Coffee and ambiance are fantastic in this quirky cafe weirdly located on an alley near UW and the Ave.  I have been going here regularly for almost eight years.  Same career baristas - clever and nice people.  I like to go here early in the morning to prep for class.  It's fun to see the profs, philosopher hobbyists, artists, poets, cyclists, UW students, and eccentric retirees.  Life in the U district wouldn't be the same without it.
2 - Alison P.: Starting with the positives:
 
This place has more outlets than you could ever dream of.  Plenty of space to plug in and get some work done.  Awesome

Tons of SPACE.  Lots of tables in the front, a nice quiet room in the back.  Even when it's busy, you'll always be able to find a table.

The problem?  Probably the worst coffee I've had outside of a gas station latte machine.  Actually I might have preferred a gas station latte machine.  I did like the nice glass mug my latte came in.  But it was filled with hot milk with a hint of espresso flavor.  No foam on top.  It just tasted like milk.  I recognize that a latte doesn't have as much foam as a cappuccino.  But a medium latte should have two shots of espresso and a bit of foam on top.  This "latte" just tasted (and looked) like a big glass of milk.   It was the first time I can ever remember not finishing a coffee. 

I'll try Allegro again (who can resist all those outlets?!), but I'll do an espresso instead next time.
3 - Jack E.: I remember the days when my Yelping was more positive.  It used to be a way to tell others, "Go here!"  But sadly, in Seattle, it has become more bitching than not.  Maybe because of an unconscious assimilation at work into the droll, pretentious ways of this city, but whatever the case . . .  I really have little to complain about I suppose.  It was more one of the baristas that just put me off.  I noticed him giving me weird looks from the back room while I was waiting in line.  Then when I went outside to go to the upstairs room, he was in the alley and giving me looks again.  I realize that this is somewhat standard for Seattle, but as it's creepy as fuck, I refuse to get totally used to this, or accept it.  Seattlites - it's okay to check someone out if you find them attractive.  This is normal.  But prolonged staring may put someone off.  In addition, giving odd looks to someone you don't know and is just passing by is seriously creepy.  Learn to a) mind your own business, which you do so well most of the time by turning your nose up in the air at everyone, not that I recommend that technique, OR b) stop worrying so fucking much about what everyone else is doing, especially people that are walking, going up stairs, waiting patiently in line, or otherwise doing something that is incredibly mundane and necessary as part of their movement or day.  

Thank you.

P.S.  Your upstairs room is cold and the heat fan is broken, apparently.  It's cool, I got me a jacket.  It'll take a little more than 40 degree weather to scare this guy away.
3 - Alice C.: Allegro is legitimately the first cafe in Seattle. I know from my Mom that the guy who bought beans for this place went on to become a bean buyer for SBUX when they finally rolled around (SEE?? This place was around before the 'BUX, maaan!). This place has some sentimental value because my parents met here, my mom was a dishwasher and my Dad met her here... And low and behold, a few years later, I was born. The barista people are the usually soft spoken passive aggressive disliking authority PNW stereotypes.  

There's seriously ONE toilet/bathroom for the entire cafe- when Ive been here the stream of people trying to use it has been pretty consistent. It's kind of a pain.
4 - Jessie C.: This place is great to crank out a good study session or paper. There are two rooms (and another extra upstairs) but it's all about the front room (if you can grab a spot!). The giant windows provide great lighting (sometimes I have an issue with dim lighting in coffee shops) and the tables and walls are always nicely decorated. It just feels so cozy inside. The pastries are pretty decent and the coffee is alright. I usually go for an Irish cream latte. The baristas have always been nice with me, although they can come across as a little haggard. I don't blame them for the amount of customers they have! It gets pretty busy during lunch time, obviously.
4 - Melissa N.: One of the oldest cafes around the U district! It's in an alley way so it's a little difficult to find. Just turn down the alley by Mod Pizza and you'll find it. There's also an upstairs area because the downstairs frequently fills up. They give you pretty big cups for the amount of coffee you get. This is definitely a quaint/hipster place to chill if you don't want something maintream on the ave. They have outlet plugs every so often if you're looking for something. Not too bad. Check it out if you get a chance. It has a unique ambiance
5 - Maylee L.: I did my math homework with one of my study buddies! This place even has a second floor!! I have not tried the food here but it looks delicious!

Great hideout, when you need to wash your thoughts someplace new! 

I did not even know this cafe existed! Now I know now!! And I am definitely coming here often to do homework if I just want to escape from annoying Koreans at UW!
5 - David G.: Allegro's great. Good coffee, good scene, good staff, good location, good seating, good wifi...
2 - Jonnie B.: Who cares about free wifi, let's get a sane cashier who doesn't tell paying customers that "time is money." I don't need the attitude and it's obvious that they don't want my business or money. Thumbs down, time to re-staff.
4 - Harley P.: past is past. still like your latte.
4 - Kevin W.: Allegro claims to be the first cafe in Seattle. Wait, were there no cafes in Seattle before 1975? Oh well, I certainly wasn't around back then, so I'm not going to dispute their authenticity. It's kind of a hidden place in an alley right across from MOD Pizza and kind of close to Magus Bookstore, but that doesn't seem to hurt its popularity, as this place always has a ton of people from what I've seen. And I'm not surprised, because I kind of like this place. I wouldn't say it's the most private or quiet place to get work done, but it's a refreshing place to just relax.

I was drawn here by their offer they were giving a while ago; it was a $20 gift card for ten dollars. Not a bad deal any time of the day. It's really just a sheet of construction paper with the amount and a signature on it. But anyway, with that, I got a bunch of their donuts, one of each kind. They're quite good, very fresh and creative but rather small and expensive. I'm sure they could keep a business on these donuts alone, but they didn't seem to have very many of them, and thus I seem to have cleaned them out with my greedy purchase. Hehe.

On another visit, I got a grande mocha here. They don't appear to have the Venti size! It's not a big deal because it's probably better than average. Kind of plain though, but the girl who made it also made up for it by adding a lot of whipped cream to it. Yum. Prices are also low for drinks, or at least "competitive." It's hard to define what a low price is nowadays. Nonetheless, I was pretty happy with the drink part.

I spent the remainder of my gift card on the pastries they had. If these are original and homemade, then they've really outdone themselves! These are appealing, tasty, and look carefully crafted. I wonder whether they have a huge bakery in the back somewhere where they make these things. The place honestly didn't look that big at first glance, but there's a room in the back with some more tables, so it's bigger than it looks. So I wouldn't be surprised if they had some secret area where they make these delicious pastries. Bottom line: I like Allegro and it's worth coming back to, but it was a little hot during my visits there.
5 - L M.: Terrific iced Americano. This place gets many bonus points for being right around the corner from the used bookstore Magus. When you're weary of browsing the stacks there, you can buy something incredible to read, and head down the alley to Allegro Cafe to enjoy it with your coffee. Pleasant, happy staff and great big windows with an easy-going atmosphere. Lots of study buddying here.
4 - Carlos E.: Nice atmosphere down a back street in the U-District. Espresso was a bit sharp for my liking. Get's 4th star for space.
4 - Daniel P.: This place is great. I like it a lot because every time I am there I feel like I'm in a secret hiding spot in the University District. This keeps me focus on my studies and the coffee is very real.  Come here for the coffee and the various rooms that this cafe has to offer.
1 - Sasha G.: Cafe Allegro has a great reputation for being an authentic Seattle coffee shop. It is. As is common in the university district in Seattle, Allegro seems to think cleaning up tables after customers bus their own stuff is optional. The baristas/servers are either rude or over-friendly depending on their moods. What is consistent, however is the fact that they have no idea about food safety. The floor and tables are often unclean. The pastry case has flies in it, and the server seems to have skipped grade school biology because she had no idea that flies carry germs and that they can be contagious, causing wonderful ailments such as dysentery. When flies are pointed out, the concern is of course for the poor fly, and its let free to sample the goods in the pastry case! Expensive tea and passable coffee. 
Give it a miss! There are other independently owned and operated coffee shops in the area that are not health hazards.
5 - Elan F.: This place is fantastic. Some of the best coffee I have ever had and the mood is great!

Allegro Hearth Bakery - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4338463, -79.9230629) (Squirrel Hill)
4 - jeff w.: They bake tasty European style breads and they're really good. Priced at the same level or cheaper than premium breads that you'll find at the nearby Giant Eagle.  Day-olds are still very good and I prefer that to fresh since I toast everything.  Wide selection of breads for breakfast, lunch or dinner. A real treat is to get white or cracked wheat and get some fresh meat from the deli's nearby and make sandwiches.

They also have cheese and some milk products.  Lots of sweets in their counters. Big cookies, Jewish hammataschen, and cupcakes (better than Dozen in my opinion).  Crossiants are big and fluffy.

My one complaint is their emphasis on ryes and their scant whole wheat options.
5 - Jenney C.: I love their rye bread! And their baguettes are better and cheaper than G-eagle. They also have a bread card so frequent customers can get a free loaf.
4 - Ryan P.: Tasty fresh bread, friendly people, and cupcakes -- what could be better? The rye bread I got here was especially delicious. Be aware that they tend to run out of most things by the end of the day.
5 - Dave F.: Their muffins and all their bread are the best I have found in Pittsburgh.
4 - Jessica W.: Walking by this store at night and early in the morning is heavenly.

Beyond the smells, the baked goods at Allegro taste great.  I like their baguettes, Italian loaf, and sourdoughs.  Haven't tried their rye loaves because while I'll eat a sandwich on rye once in a while, I don't love rye enough to buy an entire loaf.  

My favorite cupcakes here are the carrot cake ones (and I'm usually a choco-freak).  The pumpkin pie bars that Allegro has in the fall are pretty good, though I'm a big fan of cinnamon and other spices and I found the spice factor in the bars lacking.
5 - Suzane L.: I also think their poppyseed hamentaschen are to die for. Sometimes I'll make a detour on my walk home just so I can peak in their window to see if they have any day-old hamentaschen left. They're sold @ a discount and they make my freakin' day.
4 - Mary L.: Allegro has the best bread in Pittsburgh.  They're yeasty and crusty and perfect. It's preservatives free, so it will get moldy very quickly.  Stay away from the cupcakes; they're really disgusting. I had the carrot, while the cake part is fine, the frosting tasted like plastic. Yuck.
4 - Tatyana K.: Every time I get a loaf of their bread, I come home, cut a slice, and eat it right at the counter. And then I cut another slice, and another. Until I realize that I'm standing in the middle of the kitchen just eating bread. 

Their bread is amazing, and look at ingredients - my kalamata olive loaf had 5 total and I knew them all (water, flour, etc) I don't get the bread sliced at the store and haven't had the moldy problem yet. If I know I won't eat it quickly, I put the bread in a fridge. But it does taste best on the day it's baked.

I haven't tried their pastries but I noticed Turner's milk products in a small fridge and some cheeses in a cooler. Giant Eagle across the street doesn't carry Turner's and East End Coop is a bit far to go for just milk. This place might save you some driving if you need just the basics.
5 - Kevin A.: (4.5 stars, but that rates a full 5 for Pittsburgh - I'm still holding out for a mindblowingly incredible bakery here)

Can't believe I hadn't reviewed them - used to live 3 blocks away.  I never picked up a bad loaf from them, and the selection was always good.  Their bread's the best in town.  (Sweets are good, too, but there's plenty of other places in town to get those.) 

...Now if I could only get them to open a location Lawrenceville so I could have good bread in walking distance.
4 - Henry T.: Really wonderful bread. The challah was perfect, and the french baguette a close second.

The cupcakes were not great--maybe a bit stale? But I forgive them. I will be back soon for more challah!
2 - sasha l.: Allegro is one of the better bakeries in town, but it doesn't at all come close to Mediterra for bread.  The owner apparently has little imagination, and the bread selection has not changed in years.  If you check Artisan bakeries around the country you will find blueberry cornbread, cranberry walnut, cinnamon walnut, cherry nut, beer, and many other interesting types of loafs offered.  Why can't Allegro do that too?  Not to mention that the greasy chocolate chip cookies, and oatmeal raisin cookies, do not have walnuts or pecans.  What's the problem with adding nuts to cookies?

Mark R.

Pittsburgh
5 - H B.: I anxiously await the pumpkin bars that they make in the fall. They are too good. Also try raspberry and lemon bars. Yum! Good bread, too. Natural ingredients are a huge plus.
4 - Natalie R.: Having not yet been to any of the bakeries in PIT, I have only Arizmendi and all those hippy slow foods California bakeries to compare it to.
It's a wonderful bakery to have nearby!  Being able to swing by and have fresh bread with dinner is amazing.  
All the loaves I have tried thus far are de-lish.  The only one I found a little lacking was the Left Coast sourdough.  It had the perfect texture, and its hard to argue with freshly baked, but the flavor wasn't nearly as tangy as I would have liked.
I am excited to work  my way through the seasonal selections as the year goes on.

Bonus points for the well curated and well priced cheese selection.  If you are looking for something a little more special than what the GEagle offers but don't feel like making the trek to the Macaroni Company in the strip.
5 - Kelly R.: have lived in pgh for a few years now, and allegro has become my go-to bakery for weekly bread and special occasion pastries.  mediterra "bakehouse" bread doesn't even compare to the true, artisan bread that i've gotten from allegro.  love their rye selection and sourdough especially!

as for the sweets, the chocolate cake is amazing! have yet to find a more moist and rich cake in the city.  i always get cupcakes for when i visit my folks - they love them! 

can't walk past it without wanting to go in--heavenly smells!

this is a good, traditional bakery, with consistent quality.  don't come here expecting bacon on your cupcakes.  they don't cater to food fads.
5 - Anna D.: I live about 3 blocks from this bakery and it takes a stronger woman than I to resist the earthy, sweet smells that slip out Allegro Hearth's door everyday.  Omar, the owner, has such a generous heart and passion for serving the community through his love of all things bread.  If you happen to spot an apple crumb pie there this fall, you must take one home!  It is perfectly spiced and sweetened, and the apple slices stacked densely inside should hold their heads up high- to the soggy apple pies of the world, just say, "No!" Their traditional Ciabatta and mild West Coast sourdough loaves are great for sandwiches.  And even when harvest vegetables are at their peak and I cook up a pot of fresh stew, their fresh bread tends to steal some of the spotlight.
5 - Mel U.: Allegro Hearth sells my favorite bread in Pittsburgh. Sadly, I don't get over to Squirrel Hill as much as I'd like (add another reason to miss Right by Nature, as they used to sell their products *sigh*). 

I would highly recommend their deli and multi-grain breads -- I find the loaves even freeze well (when I unintentionally end up with TOO MUCH AWESOME BREAD for one week of sandwiches). They make a pretty awesome croissant too for something lighter-and-flakier from their bakery case.

You definitely have to get past the "quirks" of the staff though. It's not that their employees are inattentive -- because they are perfectly nice and helpful -- I just find them "spacey" or "incomplete" if that's a proper way to describe their service.
3 - Joe D.: It's not often I find myself on Murray Ave, but i was meeting a friend over at BRGR for lunch and took the long way. I was at a red light when I noticed a parking spot near this bakery. Not too often you can get a spot on Murray right near the place you're going to, so I took it as a sign.

I'd been here before, the first time was late on a Sunday afternoon, when I walked in just about everything was sold out, I had my mouth watering for texas toast made with  Allegro's 12 grain whole wheat bread. Damn Like Seinfeld, someone ahead of me got the last loaf. I settled for a regular whole wheat. I really enjoyed it. 

This time I was lucky and got the 12 grain I wanted. This bread is pretty amazing with lightly browned smoked tofu, charred arugula, peppered greek olives, and veganaise. No vegan restaurant makes a sandwich like that.(Thanks Deb! She's my dietician)

I need to get my butt out of bed early one day and get up there when I have the entire bakery at my whim!
4 - Quay M.: I just dropped by Allegro for the first time today as I am really tired of being disappointed by Giant Eagle's bread (tastes terrible the first day, is moldy by the next - they're sure they baked it fresh that morning??). I actually went in because I bought a Google Offer of $5 for $10 worth of baked goods.

The first things that caught my eye were the pastries. They looked so good! As I am not a big sweets fan (I prefer salty to satisfy my cravings), I passed them up to check out the bread selection. I came for a baguette as that is my boyfriend's favorite to pair with a lot of dishes that he cooks. This baguette was easily bigger than the ones we've bought at Giant Eagle for about the same price. I also ended up selecting a honey sesame bread for me to munch on. Let me tell you, it is quite tasty. It was moist and slightly sweet with a hint of peanuts (or maybe that was just me? :).

Ok, I didn't pass the sweets up altogether. I just kept going back to the rugelachs and ended up selecting a raspberry-filled one. Yum. The perfect amount of sweetness for someone like me who avoids cakes, cupcakes and ice cream like the plague. It was flaky and buttery and just all around good.

I also would like to give a shout-out to the lady who helped me out. She was very kind and attentive and fully answered my 21 questions lol. I got a bread card so I shall be back!
4 - Stacey L.: I tried them out with a Google offer, which incidentally "forced" me to try a variety of their goods.  I got a loaf of French Peasant bread and Raisin Walnut bread, as well as a Lemon Bar and Raspberry Crisp.  The peasant bread is so good!  I almost don't want to use it for sandwiches, because it's perfect on its own, with a piece of cheese, or with a simple butter spread.  Very flavorful; a nice crust on the outside and chewy on the inside.  I could probably finish the entire loaf by myself in a few days.  The raisin walnut wasn't as sweet as I'd expected, but makes for a hearty breakfast/snack bread.  As for the cookies: normally I don't go for bar cookies, but they looked so good I had to try them.  They're yummy, but I like the breads the best.

The regular price (~$4/loaf) is a bit higher than I'd normally pay for bread.  But I like it enough that I'll be sure to stop by again.  I didn't notice until after selecting my items that they have a Sun-dried Tomato bread.  I definitely have to try that sometime!

Allegro Pizza - Philadelphia, PA (39.9516632, -75.2028879) (University City)
3 - christopher s.: Granted I don't eat cheese so reviwing a pizza joint is a little off, but myself and all the other vegans and ex-vegans I know swear by the alegro tomato pie. It's fricken delicious. Beare in mind this place in university city so your going to have to put up with more drunk jocks then you can shake a stick at but hey if you can't beat 'em join 'em...alegros sells beer.
4 - Gregory L.: A solid four stars for Allegro... with the fourth star being the twinkle in my eye when I think of this place.  Some highlights:

 - The best chicken cheesesteak I've ever had.
 - Decent slices of pizza, especially after midnight.
 - Great peoplewatching, including the time my girlfriend and I sat next to the jukebox, only to realize that the drunk guy a few booths away put "Do You Want My Body" by Rod Stewart on repeat, apparently mistaking Allegro for a karaoke bar.
 - Tasty black and white milkshakes.
 - Cheap calzones.

All in all, a great neighborhood pizza place.  I wouldn't make it a destination or tell anyone from out of town their trip to Philly wouldn't be complete without it, but I do miss Allegro.
4 - Jake P.: Let us not kid ourselves; pizza west of the river is generally grease slopped on cardboard, with ketchupy sauce.

All that said, Allegro is the only 'za worth checking for in University City/West Philly, period. Though it's much better when eaten in the restaurant, the atmosphere sucks. Allegro attracts students, families, and a few drunken regulars famously arguing about whatever sporting event is on the TV.

The sausage pizza is the way to go, and Allegro has a tolerable selection of beers to go and a few on tap.

Again, if you can't make it into the city... and you're in West Philthy, go here. Also... extra love because Allegro seems to be the ONLY restaurant in Philadelphia without a delivery charge... not that it matters, but it's cool to get some suburbia treatment in the city.
4 - Jacquelin K.: Jake is so on point here.  Allegro pizza is so tasty, and it is worth a couple of your hard earned dollars IF you are in the area already.  However, the clientele is entirely disturbing, regardless of whether it's students or non-students.  The only non-students who come here are weird or have issues with talking to themselves and whatnot.  Everyone here is weird right down to the staff, so thumbs down for a creepy, dirty atmosphere.  But the pizza's good!
4 - Jon L.: Ode on a Distant Prospect of Allegro Pizza

Ye killer slices, ye tomato pie,
that I ate on Wednesday nights,
when I should have been eating at
the dining hall (eek, what a fright!)

Ah, but you didn't hurt my wallet 
and you saved me lots of time
cause your line moves super quickly
and you have a great selection of beer

(which means I don't have to go to the beer store, 
which is way down on 43rd street---
and, oh, what a drag.)
5 - Ed A.: 1. I'm a vegan and this place sells AWESOME tomato pie.  No, tomato pie is not just pizza without cheese on it.  Pizza without cheese on it is what we vegans eat when we agree to go to some pizza place with you non-vegans because we like you, and we're nice, but we don't really want your food all the time, even if your a laxidasical vegan like me.  No, tomato pie is a pizza with fresh tomatos, spices, and other such things on it.  In the case of Allegros it is also sicillian.  Definitely try it.

2. My wife has told me that their wraps and hoagies are really good too.  She also loves their cheese fries, and I've been told that their regular non-vegan pizzas are pretty good too.  OK, fine, I've eaten their cheese pizza once or twice.  It is good.  I'll admit it.  What?  I'm mostly-vegan, but I'm still human.

3. They deliver, and do so pretty quickly.  You can also pay with a credit or debit card over the phone which is really useful if you don't have tons of cash on you and want a good bite to eat.
4 - Michael C.: In my opinion, the best pizza in UC. It's a little on the pricey side - 2 slices and a Coke will run you about $7. Still, this has been my quick on-the-go-dinner spot for a while, and is always good for a laid-back time, eating pizza and watching TV.
4 - Warren A.: I'm a little surprised at Alegro's lack of Yelps.  I love this place!  I used to go to Alegro for slices and a beer and sometimes for a study break to watch a bit of an Eagles game.  Given the variety of quality slices on offer, the reasonable beer selection, and the fun, casual and local atmosphere, I'm almost tempted to give Alegro that coveted fifth star!
4 - Robert L.: Ok so here's how I arrived at my rating of 4 stars:

2 stars for food

-1 star for service

+ 2 stars for selection of booze

-1 star for price of booze

-1 star for actually enforcing the limitation on how much booze you can buy.

+ 1 star for having a clean bathroom

-2 stars for turning into Greek Lady 2 and throwing out all the homeless guys that would drink 40's out of little plastic cups at 11am

+4 stars for having the most incredibly tacky chandelier I've ever seen in my life.


So there you have it... A four star restaurant!
3 - Kimberly P.: Before this place changed management last summer, I loved this pizza place. The pizza was delicious and reasonably priced. The other items like cheesesteaks and sandwiches were delicious. And their fries were perfectly crunchy.

Now...after the management change, this place is nothing special. Sure the place is more spruced up with marble floors and a huge beer selection. Besides this, the prices went up, the quality went down a little bit. Now its not worth my while. It still is a popular pizza place, but no longer my favorite, though I am still a fan of their garlic knots. I'd say it is a hit or miss.
4 - Mark P.: Amazingly delicious grilled chicken salad, no idea what they do to their chicken but it is like crack. Buffalo Chicken pizza is one of my fav pizzas I have ever had anywhere. loses a star for the time it takes some times for orders - even after I get there more than the 20 mins they told me it would take.  Amazing beer selection.
2 - diana f.: the pizza is too dry.  I think people who live in that neighborhood convince themselves it's good because it's closer than traveling downtown to get good pizza.
4 - Rob J.: Allegro's is great. The pizza is really cheap, and lightning fast. My favorite was the sicilian, followed by the, uh, meaty kind, followed in a close third by anything stuffed (sometimes the centers were cold). They also sell beer, but I can't comment much on that because when I lived in Philadelphia I was under 21.
The only downside is the service (occasionally rude) and the constant crazies that hang out there talking to themselves.
3 - Sara C.: I think that Allegro makes a solid pie for your college-oriented pizza joint - the tomato pie is very tasty, indeed.  There's a good selection of slices to grab and go.  

The beer selection is definitely great, and I love how insanely late it stays open on the weekends, though I'm not too fond of the crowd.  I guess that's why I'm always drunk in there on the weekends when grabbing some nightcap beers - it's the only way I can put up with the Penn kids.
3 - Rachel L.: I admit it. I like allegro . I like going there and experiencing it. I like drinking a Chimay with my pizza, as snotty and horrible as that is. But it is more expensive than average and pretty unfriendly - lacking the usual grubbiness and character that should be required for a local pizza joint, ESPECIALLY one housed in such a shiny building. Those things being said, I think that it is important to go there and eat the food. I would never get take-out from them. The pizza is just too expensive to be worth it, when there is the perfectly delicious (and significantly less pricey) Varsity Pizza a couple of blocks away. However, for people watching and beer, Allegro wins.
4 - Jessica M.: Allegro, the answer to my lazy Sundays, after-work hunger pangs and late night munchies, your delivery service is top notch. I heart your wings, white pizza, and the friendliness of your delivery staff. The fact that I can order online and keep my daily human interaction at a minimum means the world to me. Your burgers are weak, but no one is perfect, right? You're about the wings, pizza, pasta, oh, and have I not mentioned your Allegro House Fries? Ranch, mozzarella, cheddar, bacon...good God, how you toy with me. Beyond your flaws, I still have a soft spot in my heart for you.
4 - Alex C.: One of two places on Penn's campus for a good slice (the other being pizza rustica). Allegro's is open much later and is way closer to most students' dorms and off-campus houses. It gets crowded on the weekends with mildly intoxicated Penn students whetting their appetites after a good number of drinks.

A good, clean place for buying / drinking 40s alone or with friends. Yup, they also "distribute" beer (stupid PA liquor laws). Reasonable prices on beer.

Don't get the pasta, it's not their expertise. Allegro's is also a fun place for watching sports games on their nice plasma screens.
3 - Dan K.: Ah tradition! My hangover cure. The food here is never great or even good really, but merely adaquate. See, when I'm feeling a bit sluggish and hazy on a Saturday or Sunday morning, a white pizza or some the crazzzzeeee disco fries will sop up the froggyness. Wings are a popular favorate but the burgers are way less than gourmet. It is what it is folks, and  thats just fine with me.
1 - Mike D.: It seems that everyone in UC/West Philly has a insatiable taste for awful pizza because there isn't a "good" pie this side of the Schuylkill as far as I can tell, and as bad as that is, Allegro is among the worst.  And yet people rave about the likes of it, California and Village.

Is it that hard for someone to open a shop that serves a true thin crust that doesn't taste like stale cardboard and look like something a slow child made in 7th grade Home-Ec?

Do yourself a favor and either go into Center City to New York Pizza Department or maybe Lorenzo & Son on South Street, or get something other than a pizza.  Unless you're the part of the unwashed mass that can't wait to chase down your cheeze drywall with a warm Natty Ice.
3 - Kacie M.: I've never actually been into Allegro, because my craving for their calzone strikes me at odd hours and I inevitably break down and submit to the $1.50 delivery fee.
     I've tried various entrees and have found most of them to be hit-and-miss.  The pizza is okay, but I suspect they use canned mushrooms.  I once drunkenly called them to inquire as such, but they vehemently denied anything but fresh mushrooms.  I think they were lying.
     However, I love their calzone.  It's so sinful.  I always get the mushroom and onion and a large not only feeds me for three days, but seems to get better with time.  I have a tendency to order at campusfood.com (how I love not having to explain myself on the phone), but I've found that they often have more dessert options, etc. than listed, which they can tell you about if you call.   I've found them remarkably accomodating when calling- that is, when they pick up the phone.  For some reason, as of late, their hours have not been as advertised.  I've called in late afternoon and the phone just rings and rings.  Campusfood sometimes randomly lists them as closed, even though their listed hours suggest otherwise.  However, last time my fiance called, the person there was kind enough to field questions for twenty minutes and make suggestions.  Maybe he spit in our food later, but the fiance LOVED the salad.  It was possibly the biggest salad I've ever seen.
    Speed of delivery obviously depends on when you're ordering, but lately, it's pretty speedy.  I find the prices mostly reasonable.  My opinion of Allegro might be different if I actually ventured in instead of past, but I've been happy enough with my delivery (and with those calzones) that I will consistently keep coming back for more.
3 - Brad P.: Eating at Allegro's is like reruns of full house.  It's ok the first time but gets worse with each successive experience.  

Their regular cheese pizza sits on the border between mediocre and unacceptable.  Their specialty pizzas(such as the BBQ chicken and spinach tomato) are the saving grace's of the restaurant.  If it weren't for these items, I'm sure this place would've gone under.  

They go up to three stars from two because their drink selection is large and they sell booze.
4 - Neil D.: I eat/order from this place at least twice a week. The cheese ravioli is great. The spinach and tomato white pizza is unreal. Best place on campus for drunk munchies. Not bad when one is sober.
3 - Chrissy R.: It's not the best pizza in the world, but at least it's floppy and you can fold it.  I do not like burnt pizza.  I like mine barely cooked.  This is kind of the quality you get at Allegro.  They've got mini strombolis here that are pretty good too. 

I have fond memories of Allegro, I didn't go to Penn (or college around here even) but WXPN used to be right across the street, and I used to volunteer there and get pizza before or afterwords.
3 - Tom G.: One of the "better" pizza places in UC, which means almost nothing as every slice of pizza I had in my 5 years in UC was pretty bad.  This was the place we ordered from the most during ugrad and it was the place that Penn orders from for most of their "corporate" pizza-events.  

A recent trip back reaffirmed the mediocrity.  2.5 stars.
2 - Hank C.: For a couple of slices of decently-topped pizza or getting a few pies for the road, Allegros is a fast pizza joint with okay wings and sells beer. That's the draw for most local students... they buy the cases of beer (at a premium to regular market, unfortunately, around $2 / bottle!). They only sell you 2-3 six-packs at a time, though.

Pizza itself leans towards the New York-style, and is piping hot when it comes to you. Parm cheese and spices on the tables, and the tiny little napkins. A TV in the corner if you want to crane your neck. But mostly in and out students buying a slice or two or beers. Seating is a bit dirty, but you can't really expect too much out of this place.
3 - Karen F.: We used to get pizza from Allegro's all the time when I attended Penn in the mid '90's.  It is not a holy grail by any stretch of the imagination, but they make a decent, greasy pie and sell 6 packs of beer - which is essential during graduate school.

It also feels somewhat safe in there - the UC area has improved alot in recent years - but I was there when McDeath and the Wawa on Chestnut had "hatchet man" out front.

Anyhow - a good place to order a quick pie to go.
1 - M W.: i love panninis so when i'm craving and forget about everytime they have messed up my order, i campusfood.com it and they always seem to mess up my order, and whenever i call and ask about it they have no idea what i'm talking about. atleast campus food will normally give me a refund
3 - Kate B.: Oh Allegros. When I was in college, I ate pretty much every meal here or at Wawa, and Allegros didn't give me nearly the indigestion.

The last few years have been some of Allegros' best -- up until about 2005, this joint was absolutely disgusting -- we're talking like, permanent grease stains on the tables and floors, trash everywhere, and like, 87897987 homeless people. I don't know anyone who went here sober. 

But then the folks overs at Greek Lady (http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-greek-lady-philadelphia) stepped in, cleaned it up a bit, and it went from homeless hangout to fratty pit-stop (thanks, gentrification!), which was fine with me, especially because the pizza remained the same...a little sweet, and covered with delicious toppings - -just the way I like it.

I usually opt for the bbq chicken or mushroom slices...cheap and great. They have a decent beer selection too...a little pricey, but one of the only places to get a six-pack right on Penn's campus...essential for any college student.
2 - Won S.: the dough is thinn-ish but under cooked thats bad. 
the sauce is sweet so its kind of good, but has no other flavor to it.  A little parsley or basil couldn't hurt.  So that's bad
The Cheese is salty, greasy., and ha the texture of styrofoam.  That's not good either.
The wings are ok.  it's that kind of spicy barbecue saucy kind of thing and the skin is soggy.  Not good.  
the broccoloi bites are wonderful bits of fried cheese wiz something or other, so it brings the place from one start to two stars.
the problem with this place is that it's the best pizzaria around here.  not that its good, just that everywhere else is that bad.  
Philadelphians have terrible taste for Pizza. I miss NYC.  
But Philadelphians redeem themselves with Cheesesteaks and soft pretzels.
3 - Austin P.: While not the best pizza in the world, and certainly not the cheapest, Allegro's makes up for it by piling on toppings (I swear by the Buffalo Chicken) and a decent selection of beer.  The chicken fingers are maybe the best on campus.  Besides that, it's open late, is a convenient place to grab a sixer and slice on your way to a friend's place.
3 - Edward L.: I don't hate their pizza. I just don't like being in this place. I guess I only like this pizza when it's delivered for a work function. Otherwise, this place is just another pizza place that sells beer too. 

Oh, and it's filled with Penn students.
2 - Cappy H.: I just experienced an annoying series of events with Allegro's Pizza.  Sunday night (5/31/2009) we placed a delivery order, which we do about once a week.  One of the items we ordered was chicken fingers.  When they arrived, my partner opened up the chicken container and recoiled at the smell.  I sniffed them, and they smelled rancid, like fish gone bad.  I immediately called them and asked to speak with a manager.  I was told that there was no manager on site.  I told the person on the phone about the rancid chicken fingers.  They offered to bring out another order, but since our concern was that the oil they were using had gone bad, I told them I wasn't OK with that choice and requested a refund.  I was told that since I had paid by credit card, the only person who could do the refund was the manager.  Then I was told that my other option was that they could put a note on my accounting saying we were owed a free order of chicken fingers, but I didn't feel comfortable with that option, so they took my number and said they would have the manager call me back.  At that point we put the styrofoam container with the stinky chicken fingers in a ziploc bag in the refrigerator (as "evidence.")

After a couple of hours no one had called, so I called to find out what was going on.  I was told that a manager wouldn't be in until Monday at 11:00 a.m.  Around 3:00 p.m. on Monday I called and asked to speak with a manager.  I was then told that the manager wasn't in until Tuesday.  I explained the problem to the person on the phone, and he asked me to hold on.  Then the line was disconnected.  I called back and asked if he had just hung up on me, and he said "No, I thought you said it was OK."  I said "No, I thought you asked me to hold."  He said "OK hold on," then in the background I heard him say "Matty, could you take this?" and he put me on hold for 10 minutes, at which point the line was disconnected again.  I called back, and the line was picked up then hung up immediately (they have caller ID).

I then called back on my cell phone and asked to speak with Matty.  This was the guy I had spoken to the night before.  I explained the situation, and he said "I offered to send someone out with your refund last night but you refused."  I told him that that option had not, in fact, been offered to me, and that I actually would be happy with that plan.  He then said "But what about the chicken fingers?"  I told him we had saved them and would be happy to give them back, which surprised him.  He looked at my account and said belligerently, "I see you've ordered them in the past and never had a problem."  I said, "Exactly my point!  If you get food that smells like rotten fish, would you eat it?"  He reluctantly agreed that no, he wouldn't.

A few minutes later the delivery guy showed up with my refund in cash, and I handed him the chicken fingers.  The delivery guy then said "They said they won't take your orders anymore."  I shrugged and said "Fine with me."  I mean, we're moving in a month, so who cares, right?  But still... WTF?  We've been regular customers of theirs for YEARS, and the one time we have a problem, we're given the runaround and are told we can't order from them anymore?  At no point did I yell or curse at them.  While I didn't hide the fact that I was annoyed, I dealt with them in a professional manner.  I'm disgusted with their behavior.  It's a shame that they have the best (to my tastes) pizza & strombolis available for delivery in University City.
3 - Lynn N.: I'd give this place a 3.5 star rating. Came here from a local recommendation, and having skipped out on breakfast, any food was good. Parking was limited, but so is everywhere else in town. I ordered the Philly steak sandwich with lettuce, onions, and mayonnaise and my friend ordered the Philly steak wrap with fries. The sandwich was very good, soft, flavorful, and filling. The fries were pretty good too, very fresh and almost too much to eat. The seating is a bit limited it you're coming with more than four people, but the service behind the counter was very friendly. We had a few friends from Europe who came to eat with us, and their English wasn't the best, but the cashier was very patient in helping them find something and explaining the menu. I wouldn't mind coming back a second time.
4 - Ingrid K.: Yeah I never hear good things about this place, but every time I come to Philly I find a way to drop by. Last time, I walked through the pouring rain, dragging 3 of my friends with me to eat their tomato pie, the crust just melts in my mouth. Their new york slice of cheese, and other toppings are good too and the guys behind the counter are always so courteous. It's the trustiest cheese slice closest to Pittsburgh that I know of, so I go to allegros like a safe haven when I get out of that city.
3 - Bill M.: Slightly above average food and a decent selection of to go beer. That's pretty much the best and only way to sum up Allegro.

Since it's 1/2 a block away from Pi Lam I've found myself doing beer more often then food. The selection can be beyond average, especially when they have things like bottles of Grimbergen for a little more then $3 (compared to Foodery that's a steal). But beyond that it's pretty much your standard varieties that you'd expect from a pizza joint, maybe a tiny bit above.

As far as food goes you generally get what you pay for. But considering you can grab things like a chicken wing dinner with 2 sides for $7.50, and a pasta and clam sauce meal for two for just a little over $10, you also get a whole lot of it. Overall you'll definitely find better, but it suffices for the Penn area that it's in, especially when most of the food trucks close down.
4 - Drew L.: The tomato pie is delicious, which is why i come back.  Although sometimes they do not have very many slices available and tend to push the other more expensive pizzas.  
Also, a convenient place to pick up beer while seeing a show at pilam (byobooz).  They seem to play country music alot, which is strange, but usually there's a good sized crowd watching the tv.
1 - Alisha M.: Allegro is falling off. I haven't been to this place in a year, and last weekend I was reminded by why. The pizza was not good to me. It was just blah. Went to go and wash my hands and the bathroom was filthy. I mean filthy. We decided to sit outside, hoping we'd get away from the chatter, but no. 

Two college kids followed us to these other tables and were busy running their mouths about people walking about and obviously going to parties. I know that we were outside but I don't want to hear your conversation. Annoying. Plus the tables hadn't been cleaned in like all day. 

I will not be returning for a long time.

Oh, yeah, I DID not like the pizza.
5 - Tom B.: Carry over all the good things from my previous review...

Today I was in charge of procuring lunch for a medium-sized presentation/discussion at Penn Law, so I hopped on Campus Food at 11:15am and ordered four pizzas. The estimated delivery time is 45 minutes or less.

At exactly 12:00pm I get a call from the delivery man saying he is out front. I go out front to get the pizzas, and not only do I get four delicious pies, but I also get three bottles of soda for the low, low price of free. They also thoughtfully included plates, napkins, and cups. Plus, the delivery man sprinted ahead of me to help open both doors going back into the school!

I was incredibly impressed by the extra (and wholly unsolicited) steps Allegro took to ensure my lunch was a success. If you are ever considering a pizza lunch for your classmates or coworkers, do yourself a favor and order from Allegro.
3 - Jaymes H.: 2.5 normally ... 3.5 late night. It is wat it is. Plus it had beer close to housing, so yay. Plus they got all kindsa crazy choices to hit the spot when u got the munchies.
4 - Alexander M.: Allegro is always a good option when in the UPenn area, whether you want to grab a slice after going to The Bridge or need munchies before a hard night of partying. I was a Drexel kid, and I didn't go to Penn parties. We bought our own beer at Allegro and made our own parties- because we're Drexel, and we need to engineer everything ourselves.

The pizza at Allegro is always good... nothing mind blowing, but it gets the job done like good pizza should. They have a better-than-average selection of sides, all of which I've enjoyed (especially the broccoli bites). One of the biggest draws is the wall of drinks, including a fair selection of good beer. (They also have cases of Budweiser Mineral Water... you know, if you like that sort of thing)

Granted this is a Penn place, so it's likely you may run into d-bags and homeless people with no teeth, but that goes with the territory. Otherwise they have the campus pizza thing down pat.
4 - Sylvia M.: I'm disappointed this place average is 3 stars. I won't give this place a 5 just because I don't come here enough, it's a treat to me.

The pizza might be the best pizza in University City that is open late, delivers, has BEER!, and is not that expensive. The selection is always great for those who get slices. The service is better than any other fast food place in Philly, they're fast, efficient and ARE NOT RUDE!!! just for that maybe it should be 5 stars... 

They have outdoor seating, always a plus... BUT you can't take beer outside... booo! I understand why it's just sad. The food tastes pretty damn good and their cheesesteaks are more than filling... don't order a side of fries unless you're starving. I forgot how big they are once, ordered fries and could not finish all my food. 

How could i forget to mention: free soda refills!
2 - Jim M.: This is really not a 5 star place. Not unless you're drunk and/or you want beer and the distributor is closed.

I've tried several different slices of pizza here. The sauce on the BBQ chicken was pretty sweet, almost overly so. And the chicken was dry, dry dry. Their tomato pie has been pretty bland every time I've gotten it. Not a lot of garlic or spices and the tomatoes aren't very fresh. The only redeeming slice I've had there so far has been the Buffalo chicken. The buffalo wing sauce on the pizza has a nice zip to it. That's about the only thing I"ll order if I go there.

Servicewise, yes the people there are very nice. They process your order, take your money and bam, your done. Kudos for efficiency.

As far as atmosphere, its on a college campus, so it gets loud when everyone is there. It doesn't help that they BLARE the TV sound night and day. Also, NEVER, never, never EVER go there during Spring Fling weekend. 

It's cheap and filling. Don't expect much more and you won't be disappointed.
4 - Vivian H.: Every time I come, I think, oh wow their pizza is better than I remember!! I guess my memory sucks, or have low expectations every time, but mmm favorites are their allegro white (spinach, ricotta, tomatoes), buffalo chicken, & primavera (broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, garlic sauce mozzarella). Then there's their chicken finger platter, which is super filling and such a treat (get the honey mustard sauce)! Good fries when they're fresh too.

Large beer selection, they can card pretty hard though and they'll take your fake. Filled with drunk kids Thu-Sat night and well maybe even Wed night. Open late Fri & Sat, which is smart and awesome for everyone involved.
5 - Rachel E.: I cannot believe this place doesn't have 5 stars. Everything is AMAZING. Though as far as pizza goes - don't get a whole pie delivered. It's just NOT as good as getting a slice or two for pick-up - and it is definitely the best pizza I've had in Philadelphia BY FAR (if you get the slices, I think they make the delivery ones a little faster or something bc theyre just not as good). The BBQ or Buffalo chicken is amazing, and the Allegro White (with tomatoes, ricotta, spinach, and garlic) and tomato pie are YUMMO!! And their buffalo chicken tenders are incredible, and I love their french fries. I am also crazy about their Italian dishes - especially the chicken parm - and their turkey burgers! Some items on the menu are pricey (like the chicken parm sandwich and pizza fries), so look out for the deluxe options if available, or split french fries with a friend (you get so many for just $3!). Delivery is also always good. AND they even serve breakfast stuff!!

Basically - there's a reason why every Penn student is obsessed with this place!
3 - Charles S.: This is what Philadelphia food is about -- a corner restaurant with great pizza and great hoagies. 

My wife is a pizza connoisseur and she loved the  Allegro pizza.  The hoagie was far better than the cheese steak I had ingested on South Street the previous day.  The manager was friendly and helpful (could this be Philly?) and the cooks were friendly.  The prices were low and they had fountain soft drinks.  What's not to like?
4 - Abi O.: The pizza is SO GOOD here. It's also pretty reasonably priced and comes with many different toppings. I only wish they had 1-person size stromboli...
5 - Jeannie M.: They have pretty amazing pizza. I really loved the spinach/feta//tomato pizza. They are also open pretty late :)
2 - Amanda C.: On U Penn's campus. Open late, and sells beer. The pizza I have eaten here is not so good, the pizza is fine for a quick dinner or snack.

Mostly I came here for beer, they have a decent selection and thier prices are not too high. I like a place where you can buy fancier microbrews and colt 45 in the same place. 

One plus is they allow you to open your beer in the restaurant, so you can have a really inexpensive dinner with your choice of beer.
4 - Ciara S.: I have been coming to Allegro since I was a young child since the mid 90's.

I remember when Billy Bob's cheesesteaks was across the street.....

They have the BEST EVERYTHING & ESPECIALLY THE RICE PUDDING !!!
2 - Katy K.: I generally just go here for beer. Or one of their many variations of cheese fries. Nothing else I've had there has really made me want to order it again, and I don't find their pizza particularly inspiring. In fact, 65% of the time I've had it I've found it to be pretty gross. Most nights the people working there are really friendly though.
5 - Michael J.: Good food, excelent service, fast pleasent place to dine. Remarkable beer selection. Also if you dont feel like going out in the cold, they provide a fast delivery service.
4 - Nicey J.: I'm a fan .. I hate going here.. into the place.. it's annoying I hate the cafeteria style seating.. and the line I have to wait in to order slices.. but that's all my annoyance with life in general.. 

I love the cheese on the cheese pizza here.. BAM.. bc when it comes to pizza I'm all about the cheese and mustard combo.. since I don't really bother eating the rest of the pizza! and allegro does cheese well.. oh yeah
4 - Alyssa M.: I passed Allegro a few times, and finally decided to try it when I was craving pizza BAD and nothing else would suffice.  

I can say, I was not disappointed.  It was cheap, hot, and hit the spot.  The slices had just the right amount of grease and crispness (enough but not overkill).

They have a really nice beer selection that seems reasonably priced too.  

What more could a college kid ask for?  Cheap Pizza AND Beer?!?  Sure is better than a night of nasty beer pong in my opinion.
4 - Jack J.: Best food in UCity
1 - Jana V.: I've gone to Allegro a few times and each time I've been more disappointed than the last. The service is terrible and everyone is extremely RUDE- the guy won't let you speak to a manager and they won't accept cards under $5 (my order was $4.85) even though it's against their contract with credit card companies.

On top of that, two of my co workers have had their credit card numbers stolen there. 
The pizza is so-so...  kind of bland if you ask me. Considering it's the only pizza place in the 40th street corridor, everyone swears by it. In reality, it's a crap place that should have closed down ages ago. 

Just go to Dock Street if you want to avoid this douchiness.
2 - Jack N.: The employees are all worthless and rude. Even before I ordered they ignored me for 5 minutes even though I was standing directly at the counter. After I finally ordered I waited for 10 minutes before asking what was taking so long. The workers all just shrugged me off and didn't ever make eye contact.

I had the bbq chicken pizza and it was amazing but I'll avoid the place since even the manager is an idiot.
3 - Anthony W.: Okay... the fries (although many in number) hurt my mouth and bent the hell out of my forks. Maybe that's why they gave me 3 forks? The steak I had was alright... nothing to get excited about. The meat is chunkier than what I'm used to... not as bad as Geno's, but not to far from it. My soda was refilled a few times. I think that kept me sane... I dig refills. I hadn't been to this place since I was a child. It had a completely different look back then. I'm thinking maybe I should've saved some money and gotten a couple of slices instead.

Anyway, I suppose it's a good place for the area and good for dining al-fresco.

And a miscellaneous gripe I have that there was a broken chair at my table. I'm so glad I spotted it or I might've been sittin on the floor. The right side was hanging by a "thread" from the rest of it. Not cool at ALL!
4 - Di P.: when it comes to my refined palate, pizza kills it. bread and cheese pretty much makes me happy in a lot of forms. it clouds my better judgement. So for pizza the quality of the ingredients and the taste of the pizza sauce is what sets things apart for me. i always get the Stromboli here because for better or worse, it can feed me for like three days because it ginormous! and I love dipping pieces of it in the marinara sauce (which is a little too runny, but still tasty). So while I would give the actual food 3.5 it's the boys behind the counter that make me round up. They've got the flirty but professional charm down pat.
3 - Kevin C.: This place is an institution for Penn kids, mostly because it's the most practical place to get beer after 11 PM on a weekday thanks to Pennsylvania's draconian alcohol laws.  

I have never eaten pizza here sober, and even when I'm drunk it's been very, very average.  I'd actually recommend their chicken parm plate - it's huge, reasonably priced, and doesn't suck.  Their beer is pretty extensive, though it's definitely pricey because they have the monopoly on drunk college kids.  If you're underage, make sure you have a good fake (and memorize the information too, they'll ask) or they'll take it away.   If they do take it away, play nice, because sometimes they'll give it back the next day.
3 - Lenny Z.: Okay, this is going to be a somewhat limited review, because we ordered a limited number of things. But we really liked what we got.


So here it is. We only got Grilled Cheese sandwhiches and soup.

Both were really good. I know, I know. How hard are either of these to make?

Well, they can still be made bad. And, Allegro made them good, and the price was great.

Update: Don't come here for the pizza. It's very average.
3 - Matt C.: Decent pizza and wings type of joint.  Not worth going out of your way for, but if you live in the neighborhood it ain't a bad place to go to every so often for a quick/cheap bite...  The wings surprised me, I expected subpar but I'd say there were above average.
4 - Alex Z.: This place is an above-average, but not exceptional pizza place.  As much as I love Philly significantly more than New York, and think Philly is a bastion of high food culture whereas New York is a sinkhole of overpriced junk, New York does Pizza better than Philly, and New Haven, CT absolutely owns Philly.  So the bar is set lower.

This is one of the better pizza places I've found in Philly, but compared against the other non-pizza restaurants in the surrounding neighborhood, many of which earn their five stars, this one falls short.

It's very good, but the pizza just isn't as good as it could be.  Every time I sink my teeth into a slice of pizza here, I am heartily satisfied.  The ingredients are fresh, it's not too greasy...but...it just doesn't wow me.  It isn't an otherworldy experience.  And...in the Philly metro, up the road in the north 'burbs, is Jules Thin Crust, which costs only a bit more per slice, and does wow me like this.  And...up in New York and New Haven, CT, there are lots of places that look superficially like this one, but also wow me like that.  I need that experience of awesomeness before I dole out the fifth star.

Other things that this place has going for it though are a great beer selection, really great location, a friendly staff, and the fact it's open late at night.

This place will make you say "heck yeah" when you are hungry and want a place to get good pizza and beer, but it won't knock your socks off if you're looking for the best gourmet pizza around.
4 - Sarah Q.: Finally, a pizza in University City that I will eat. Devour, in fact. Great service, decent prices, and delivery! As an added bonus, their chicken alfredo pasta is amazing.
5 - Elicia I.: Cheap, pretty fast, and good pizza.  Lots of flavors available for those of you that eat cheese.  They always have a good VEGAN, CHEESE-LESS tomato pie available, and I always add broccoli.  

Best place to grab a beer to go in UPenn area.  

I also got a delivery for a party and they were prompt.
4 - Marissa R.: I have to admit, I do like Allegro Pizza a lot! This place sells the pie-by-the-slice which is great for lunch or anytime of day for a snack.
There's a huge selection of beer and you can buy by the six-pack, too!
I've ordered catering from here a few times as well... and they have ridiculous specials like 50 pizzas plus 20 2-liters for $500!!! 
I'll be back again soon.
5 - Eric W.: I did not grow on the froufrou pizza that so many place serve these days, so I still love a hand tossed crust with cheese and sauce, and maybe some pepperoni to spice it up. That's what you get here, simple and traditional. If you decide you want to eat in, it has the feel of a real pizzeria, not a trendy restaurant that makes pizza. If you are looking for something good and traditional, I can't think of anywhere better in the University City area.
2 - Ben F.: Allegro, allegro, $5 a slice is weak. Large they may be, with chicken in barbecue, tomato, and chee... but I can get one for much cheaper elsewhere. The taste wasn't half unsavory, they gave me an extra large bag to carry my slice; I guess that was their attempt at making the price to quantity ratio close to one to one. I appreciated the casual insipidness of the cashier, not particularly caring about the torn Lincoln I handed him. I suppose money doesn't talk as much as others think it does.

I crossed the room filled with many a student taking a break from alumni weekend festivities and tomfoolery; I spoke with acquaintances casually sitting at a table by the large windows facing Spruce St. was a homage to the enthusiastic parle conversed by many a transient frat head, his buddies from Pi what-have-you. This is a story that may well embody your experience at Allegro so remember when you go. 

N.B. You can generally find many hilarious stupefied characters, toasting Bacchus, in media res of 40th and spruce speaking goatishly around yellow jackets of the University of Pennsylvania Security force.
3 - Jeffrey C.: This place is totally decent. I've had their delivery about one thousand times and am rarely disappointed, but there is really nothing special about the food. I've only eaten in once (for dinner) and it was weirdly desolate, which always inspires me to scarf and run, but maybe it's more populated at lunch. I was kind of into their beer coolers but I haven't really inspected them.
3 - Andrew H.: $2 pizza rossa in America, but it tastes like shitty monsanto American agribusiness tomatoes, but they have Leffe. Given that they are making huge American pizza and reheating it to order, they do it pretty well, but the ingredients are not very high quality.
3 - Robert F.: Full of Penn kids, I dropped in to grab a bite because it was convenient.  It is pretty average, but cheap pizza and hoagies and beer is college kid's wet dream. I was surprised by their Philly steak being not half bad.  I remember Billy Bobs was near here, and grabbing a forty and a steak was the best, but after that closed, this was the next closest thing to my bro's place.
4 - Sean H.: Also known as Drunk Pizza, Allegro is open late, serves pizza by the slice, and has beer. What else is there to say? Did I ever darken its door during daylight hours? No, of course not. It's got its niche, and it performs well.
5 - Snow X.: This is the only pizza my wife will eat, so I have to give it a 5. It's true that we tried to order pizza from a few other places around here and they were all awful, so I just this place is King Kong of West Philly pizza for the time being.

Even though I am giving this place a 5, I've got to warn you that the chicken they use on their pizza is pretty disgusting. We only ordered it once and it was revolting. We usually get pepperoni, though, and that's always quality.

The chicken Caesar salad is decent, though, so maybe this was a one-time thing. I'm not going to risk $25 to find out.

The mozzarella sticks are good. The chicken fingers are awesome. I got a burger once and it was pretty decent. 

This is our place--we're loyal to it.
4 - Antonio W.: Great pizza, wings, stromboli, cheesesteaks, and service. Plus the convenience of online delivery. That's why I've ordered from hear multiple times over the past two years and will continue to do so. The food delivers fast and the delivery people always seem happy.  I've never eaten inside, but my girlfriend and I stopped in quick for a bottle of water and the restaurant looked neat and clean inside.
4 - Nyota W.: A standard pizza shop with an outdoor seating area and a brunch menu? I must be in the twilight zone- atleast that's what I was thinking when a friend recommended this place. I came with a hungry group and we ordered a small feast though it did take them a lot longer than I would expect for a few riders of egg platters. Nonetheless they were nice and even bought our food to the table though this is an order at the counter kind of place. My friend I'd attempt to get true table service after our plates were delivered by requesting napkins, forks etc.. This was countered with a blank stare which kinda made me belly chuckle before reminding her that, "dude we're not at a restaurant, we're at the pizza shop". The price is all good. Stop by if you're in the nabe.
4 - Kevin C.: Have you ever ordered a pizza that was so gigantic that it literally couldn't fit through your door? No? Time to call Allegro's. This 28 inch monstrosity is not only one of the biggest pies in Philadelphia, it's one of the best (and it's under $25). Their regular sized pies are just as fresh and good, but really, can you ever have enough of a good thing? If you aren't in a pizza mood they have a wide variety of italian entrees which are outstanding (I'd do unspeakable things for the Penne Alfredo), and the serving sizes are more than generous. Each entree comes with a garlic knot and a salad, or soup (go with the soup!), and I can promise you that if you eat your side soup/salad before the entree first will have enough left over for a complete second meal.

Maybe italian isn't your thing, no worries, just order a hoagie or a chicken Caesar Salad (choose the salad!) and prepare to be blown away. My fiancee and I made the mistake of getting a grilled chicken Caesar for each of us once and immediately regretted our decision due to how big they were. One salad can EASILY feed two people (with leftovers) and if they put less than two chicken breasts on top I'd be surprised. The lettuce was crisp, the vegetables flavorful, the cheese was freshly grated, and the chicken was perfectly marinated. Allegro's beer selection is very respectable and reasonably priced and is the perfect compliment to their food.

Easily one of the best Pizzerias in all of "University City" (West Philly) and definitely the best delivery place, highly recommend you try it at least once.
2 - Wesley C.: Meh. We wanted a pizza to watch during the Gators vs. Vols game. Although the game has thus far been exciting the pizza wasn't. Bland crust. Pretty much the second worst (head cooks was the worst) pizza we've had in University City. Although the toppings weren't too bad the crust was like eating thick cardboard. 1/5

The saving grace was that we ordered 10 hot buffalo wings too. Those were among the better half of wings we've had in University City. Not really too got but u can feel a little heat. 3.5/5

Overall 2 stars. Would look elsewhere for pizza.
4 - Autumn E.: I have never eaten here, and being on the Penn Campus I am always wary walking through the door. Last week, it was a pretention Penn hipster fest and it was actually causing me physical pain standing next to a girl as she complained about the quality of clothing at Nordstrom. This is the crowd.

So I stopin to mix a six, and thye have occasionally interesting specials, like a free glass if you get a certain brewer. Anyway, we're building a pumpkin beer tasting party and were able to find exactly 6 here. Thought you should know. Also, they carry Mythos, which isn't too hard to find, but if you are greek or have an affinity, it gives you a crappy reminiscent moment.

Allen Field - La Jolla, CA (32.889223, -117.2428389) ()
3 - Maricela H.: Decent field has some dirt patches but not bad. Parking sucks when there is a tournament.  We had to park on the streets around the corner.

Allen Hall - Urbana, IL (40.10386, -88.221545) ()
5 - Jess S.: Alien Hall was the best thing I could've asked for as a freshman at U of I.
Lots of GDI's (goddamn independents), a decent dining hall (clean and comfy - booths - very restauranty) and close to Paradiso and That's Rentertainment.

I spent many a night outside with fellow porch rats. Discussing, smoking, listening, smoking and smoking some more. The people I met within the first two weeks at Allen remained my core group of friends throughout college (and beyond).

I can't believe I had this place down as my third choice. (the six pack was closer to the art building). I don't know where or how I would've ended up without Allen.
2 - Max E.: Unless you're a hipster, avoid this place.
The food was nasty, the facilities were old and dirty (many thanks to the disgusting kids that walk barefoot throughout the building), and the crowd relatively cliquish.
4 - Peter D.: Allen Hall was the only thing I enjoyed about my Tenure at U of I.  The students were awesome to be around, artsy without being obscure, funny, and all-around good people.  Low Greek density, and right next to one of the only all-girls dorms?  Yeah.  I'm into it.

Allen House Victorian Inn - Amherst, MA (42.374592, -72.507988) ()
5 - Zara W.: Wonderful service, gorgeous cozy decor, and Allen is a great host. A world-class B&B at an affordable price.
1 - Janet B.: My friend and I planned to visit the Emily Dickinson Museum and were delighted to find a bed and breakfast right across the street--the Allen House.  We were delighted that a second-floor room called "Emily," which looked right across to the Dickinson house, was available, and we booked it.  Curiously, the proprietor asked us to pay the total amount in advance, rather than a deposit, which was odd; even more curiously, in this age of plastic, she required that we pay by check.  But we did--we sent a check three weeks in advance for the full amount, as requested.  We received no receipt.

On the day when we were to travel to Amherst, the proprietor, Anne, called us in the morning and asked when we would be arriving. Would it be in the morning?  We said we weren't sure, maybe.  It was odd to get a call from her at all, and odd that she mentioned the morning.  Don't most places expect you to arrive in the afternoon or evening? 

We got to Amherst in mid-afternoon and went right to the Allen House. Anne took us upstairs and approached a room--but not "Emily." She was taking us to a bedroom in the back.  "But we didn't book a room in the back," we said. "We booked Emily, in the front." Anne the proprietor explained that someone else was in Emily, and we would have to sleep here in the back room. She opened the door of that back room--and lo and behold, there were two suitcases already standing there. Anne looked confused and said she had to check whose they were. In the meantime she showed us to two separate rooms, telling us we were to stay there.

We were nonplussed and outraged.  

When she came back from checking on the situation, she said the assistant had mistakenly put another couple in the back room, thinking they were us.  "You said you would arrive in the morning," she said. No, we hadn't said that--we'd said "maybe." And now we said we wanted to stay in Emily.  "But that will mean moving out the couple who are already there."  Okay, fine, we said.  "But they've already slept on the sheets and showered and use the towels."  We shrugged. "We want the room we booked and paid for."

Then in a remarkable scene, Anne brought out the couple installed in Emily AND the couple she'd put in the back room.  She seemed to want us to fight it out among ourselves. She apparently expected the couple in Emily to refuse to budge.  We objected to being pitted against our fellow customers and pointed out to Anne that it was her responsibility as the proprietor to handle the situation.  She and/or her staff had made the mistake; it was up to her to correct it.

The proprietor sighed and offered to let the other couple stay in another room for free if they moved out of Emily. They agreed.

Then with more sighing, the proprietor left to remake the bed in Emily and prepare the room for us.  A half-hour later it was ready.

We regard the proprietor's treatment of us as highly unprofessional. 

We do not recommend the Allen House.

Alleve Animal Hospital - Claremont, CA (34.1216098, -117.7053134) ()
5 - Glen C.: Not one complaint. They do a good job taking care of my dog. They are very friendly, very fast. Not very many people there you it is a more relaxed environment. Prices aren't too bad. 
Very convenient for people in northern claremont with pets. It is in the Von's shopping center so there is plenty of parking.
1 - Jason W.: Took my dog in for a skin irritation, and there was only 1 vet tech taking care of phone calls, customers and dogs vitals...The hospital is extremely small, only 2 rooms and the waiting area is cramped, if there is an energetic or aggressive dog there is very little room for your animal to avoid him, 3 animals or dogs would seem extremely cramped in their waiting room. I filled out the forms and waited about 10-15 mins to be placed in a room...also the room walls are thin so I could hear everything that was being said in the other room...Afterwards the vet tech let me into the room and took the dogs vitals and information, at this time there is no one in the waiting room or taking calls if I were to walk in there would be no one there to service me. After the vitals I waited about another 20 mins just for the doctor to come in..the doctor was in the next room and I could hear him almost word for word, not that big of a deal but not sure if I like people hearing everything I say...The Dr. eventually came in and looked at the skin irritation, he quickly said if I used any flea medication and I said no because my dog didnt have fleas...he responded that all dogs have fleas which I have never heard from any other vet before, in fact I have had vets told me if your dog doesnt have fleas then you dont need medication..after he diagnosed that the skin was infected from a flea bite he left and sent for the vet tech...again i waited about 15 mins just for the vet tech to come in and give me an the estimate...The estimate was a lot higher then I expected and it seemed like there were a lot of unnecessary charges and fees ( anti itch injection which he also recommended to the other patient, I told him that my dog doesnt itch but he replied if the dog is trying to lick the wound then hes itching, he also recommended an E-collar which stops the licking...makes no sense why im paying for an ecollar to stop itching and paying for an injection to stop itching as well...He also wanted to charge 20 for wound care which I have never heard of, since they had to shave the area...my old vet treated a wound on my dogs paw and had to shave the area and never charged a wound care fee...Overall i spend an 1 hr and a half at the vet..with about and hr waiting....I have been to 4 vets and have to say this was the worst experience I've had...the only reason I tried this vet was because they offered the 1st visit free....makes me appreciate my old vet much more try Mountain View Animal Hospital its about 5-10 mins away and are a lot more trust worthy and professional.

Update: Alleve price was 228 when I 1st got the estimate thought there were a lot of necessary charges when to Mountain View Pet hospital and total was 122....almost 100 less Yikes! The explanation of what was wrong with my dog was much more clear as well, on top of that charges seemed much more reasonable then Alleve.
5 - Barb C.: They are awesome!  My cats are very well cared for!  My older cat, had a terrible bladder infection they kept him for the day and
were so caring with him and attentive.  They have patience
and compassion.   I highly recommend them!
5 - Cami D.: Very glad we ended up going here!  The vet and assistant were incredibly friendly and helpful, and their prices are very affordable (much less than half of other places I called).  I really liked the small office setting, it felt like we got much more one on one attention without a waiting room full of other patients.  We did wait outside for a bit because we have a larger dog and there was a small dog inside, but we'd do that anywhere to avoid confrontation.   The vet was very informative without being pushy, and let us make our own choice as to what to and what not to do without making us feel like we'd be neglecting our pet if we didn't do everything they asked. Of course, because their pricing was so affordable and the information so complete, we ended up doing everything they recommended anyway.  We'll definitely be making this our regular vet, and look forward to working with them throughout the life of our dog.

Oh and one more thing - although we waited a bit with another patient in the next room (and maybe they've updated because we couldn't hear anything they said even though the office was dead quiet), when it was our turn the vet and his assistant spent more than our share of time with us, explaining things and making sure all our questions were thoroughly answered.
5 - Christina S.: Staff is friendly and super helpful and the vet is awsome.
5 - Stephanie F.: Everyone here was so nice! They made my 8 week old Mini Doxie, Noodle, feel very comfortable. She didnt cry once!  We were able to get a walk-in appointment for a check up.  The first thing the vet did, after washing his hands, was pick her up and cuddle her. He made sure she wasn't going to freak out before he started the exam. The girls at the front desk were also very helpful. This will definitely be Noodle's go-to vet!
5 - Ann G.: Been going to Alleve for over a year now with all three of my pups. Dr. Boparai is great and so is his staff. Prices are very reasonable esp when one has 3 active dogs living in the foothills. I had visited two other vet hospitals  here in Claremont prior to stumbling onto Alleve. One was larger, upscale but overpriced, the other had seen better days, smelled funny and my dogs did not want to go near the front door.  My dogs and I feel comfortable at Alleve and appreciate the friendly staff and knowledgable veterinarian. If you live in the area and are a pet owner you owe it to yourself (and your loved pet) to visit Alleve Animal Hospital.
5 - Lynsey C.: wouldnt trust anyone eles with my dogs!
5 - Rene C.: Great Doc and friendly staff.  The doc explains everything and takes the time for you to know what you have on your hands when your pets are sick.  He's wonderful!
5 - nuf c.: The dr. is awesome, what a friendly and knowledgeable vet. Our puppy noodles got his first set of shots and didn't even complain once, they were super gentle and loving with the little guy. I also purchased the puppy package #1 which gets you the whole puppy shot cycle and an exam for a great deal. I am happy that I found a solid vet in the area !

Alley Cat - Providence, RI (41.8223384, -71.4152628) (DownCity)
4 - margo q.: Wow, the guys in this place work fast!  I arrived on a Sat nite ready to party with my 2 queens in tow.  Within minutes one of my friends was swept away by a friendly stranger and my other royal friend and I stood in the corner, looking fabulous, watching the cute boys parade by...IT WAS PACKED!!!!  Which was good and bad, good obviously because you want people with whom to mingle, bad because it made it a bit claustrophobic in there.  But being Sat nite big crowds are to be expected.  Super friendly staff, spoke briefly with the beautiful prima Donna and gawked for a minute at the blonde adonis slinging booze behind the bar.  Just wish the place was a lil bigger to walk around and admire the scenery...we will be back!
4 - Jeffrey H.: This place was pretty impossible to find for 3 Boston gays venturing in Providence but thankfully a summer block party was happening in front so we just followed the sounds and sights of what I would imagine to be a Skittles factory. 

Noticing the lameness (ugly men) at the street party, we made our way inside Alley Cat. The bar is long and narrow so be prepared to bump and grind your way through. Don't worry though - everyone here is wicked nice and the older gentlemen might compliment you like they did me. Unlike smug Boston gays where you will get stared down, whispered about, and molested. 

Let me pause for a moment as I reflect upon the bar staff. O-M-GAH! The boys were so hot. SO hot. Like. omgomgomgomgomg. And shirtless. OMG. And the middle-aged lady behind the bar was the sweetest. Tips all around...sorry for the drool.

My only criticism would be the bathroom situation...there were only two that I noticed and for the cramped crowd, the bathroom line was about 10 people deep per toilet - so many people waiting I thought it was a dance floor. People shuffling side to side holding it in. It was so ridiculous that even when a girl asked to cut the line because she was pregnant everyone just yelled "NO!"

Gays are bitches.
4 - Shan C.: This place is easy to find if you carry a map Jeffery... LOL..  I actually like this cozy place as a first stop on a night out. Friendly staff, and friendly patrons, and a few cute ones as well. I want a relaxed homey place like this in Boston.
5 - all seeing E.: This is Providence's best gay bar and one of its best bars period.  The staf is beyond friendly.  If you are lucky you can run into the Mayor and his entourage. Stop in afterwork and you can always get a seat at the bar.  This is the only time this narrow bar isn't packed. Sometimes the bartenders even dance on the bar!  So much fun in such a small space!
1 - Merri L.: I'm visiting my friend and he brought me here last night., on a thurday night.  I liked the box is always open sign when we came in. The bar is sorta small, with a bar along the front which opens to a little lounge area with two (ish maybe 3) couches in the back.  When we came in, trying to escape the bad 70s music of stable, more of the same was playing here.  my friend asked for them to change, and they did and it was a little better. the bar was pretty dead but it was near the end of the night and pride was going on in boston so thats probably why.  it was dull, but i dont like bars, and this is just a bar, not a bar club, so that's to be expected. i spent the night watching the tv which had white party 08 footage, trying to see if i could spot me or my friends from when we went. lol. the part that was bad though was the end of the night. they blasted a celine dion cd. i love loud clubs, but i mean BLASTED. i had actual physical pain in my ear drums. i had to leave i couldnt wait for my friend to close his tab. this morning i still have pain in my ears. its a real health hazard and im sure its to get us to leave, but just shutting off the music, or asking us to leave would have served better without permanently damaging my ears. so if you go, please make sure you leave by 1245 so you dont get maimed. ow. i mean it. ow. Im giving it one star because i dont expect to get injured when i go out.
3 - Briana M.: Several high school friends and I have a pre-Christmas tradition of cavorting around the city an evening before the holiday's eve. This year, our last stop was an unexpected one: The Alley Cat! It's funny - in my travels around PVD, I have ended up at the Dark Lady at least once a month. Never, in all my stumbling around downcity with gay and straight alike, have I stepped foot inside the Alley Cat. I know the gentlemen who run it, I have performed with and befriended several drag queens whose butts are basically carved into the barstools there, and I have walked by it hundreds of times.

On this fateful night, I popped my Alley Cat cherry! And popped I did: we were there for about 90 minutes, and we heard EVERY pop singer's Christmas song, every cheesy holiday song in between (Dominick the Donkey, for one!), AND some great nineties pop! In addition to the great music selection, their couches were comfy, the bathrooms were very clean, AND my Amstel Light bottle was very cold (extra points). Although the bar stools were full, there was no one in the dance floor area (which feels much more like a living room lit with kick-ass gobos), so we went nuts doing step-pivots, ponies, and step-chasses a la 8-year old holiday recital. The bartender was totally accepting of this fun, and played more ridiculous holiday music to egg us on (Santa Baby by RuPaul!). It's nice to know there are places in Providence where my friends and I can truly be ourselves and have a bit of immature, pop music loving fun. 

If you're generally down for a good time (and are not of the homophobe persuasion), put the Alley Cat on your regular bar-hopping rotation. After my first visit there, it's certainly on mine.
1 - M T.: I'll make this short and sweet for the gay crowd: it's a small, dark, dank, tacky gay men's bar with a sketchy crowd and lame staff. Any self-respecting gay man should find another bar or drive two hours to P Town rather than lower themselves to going here. It's the old 1980s crap bar cruising scene with even tackier outdated gay men. Give yourself a treat and go to the Ram Rod instead!
3 - MandA R.: The drinks are strong and cheap!
4 - Matt F.: Another great place to meet up with friends. Tuesdays are amazing if you are a Glee fan. Cathy is one of the best bartenders Alley Cat has EVER seen. 

A note about this place also, just like The Stable, they have difficulty carding people. I would definitely consider keeping an eye on this place if you do not like being at an establishment that serves under 21. 

Otherwise, I love the place!
3 - J g.: Went there one night with my boyfriend about a year ago.  All seats at the bar were taken except for two, one of which contained a massive flower arrangement.  I sat in front of the flower arrangement and moved it over to my side to get it out of my face so I could see my surroundings.  Just then the very dramatic male bartender came over and shouts "No, No, No, No, No... and puts the arrangement back in my face.  Needless to say, I haven't been back since, nor did the bartender get a tip.  Its funny though, I never had an issue there before.  Cathy is wonderful, I have to agree and very friendly!
3 - Danielle W.: OMGoodness, how many fun nights have I had at Alley Cat?  One to many! 

Alley Cat is a small little bar tucked away on Snow Street in Downcity.  There are a few tables, a juke box, stools at the bar and a couple of couches in the back. 

It's dark and dank, a little trashy.  It's for the older gay crowd I've noticed, which is great if you're looking for a night out and not worried about being smothered between shirtless sweaty boys; unless you're into that sort of thing. 

Bartenders are always friendly and prompt.  Drinks are cheap and strong; just the way I like my men.

Alley Cat Towing & Recovery - Hyattsville, MD (38.9466222, -76.9420333) ()
5 - Kimel T.: Tonight, my friend's engine gave way and she found herself stranded on Rockville Pike, in nearly pitch-black darkness. The car was immovable, she had no flairs, and passersby were accosting her. When I arrived to help, she and I called several towing agencies, only to be told that nothing could be done until the morning; not so for Alley Cat Towing, which operates 24/7 for all your towing and recovery needs. They literally CAME TO OUR RESCUE!

Alley Cat sent a local tow truck and operator to our location, quoting us a time of about 20 minutes (fast!); they were there in FIVE (FASTER!). Justin, the tow truck operator, was incredibly concerned, polite, and efficient, the perfect combination of seasoned professional and good Samaritan. He seemed like the sort of conscientious person who would be, oh, a volunteer firefighter or something.

Excellent service from a company that doesn't extort money from you when you're under duress? Color me IMPRESSED. 

Better still, their motto is: "We don't want your arms, or your legs; we just want your TOWS!" (Got to love a punny towing company).
5 - Happiness H.: Very professional and they will come to you quickly!

Alley Flowers - Lafayette, IN (40.4191392, -86.887618) ()
5 - Jerry K.: Brooke has been great to work with.  Needed some flowers for my wife's birthday and I had no idea where to start.  She asked me a few questions and said that I could pick them up the next day.

WOW what a great arrangement, she really made me look good!  ANd my wife was quite pleased!!!

Thanks Brook for all your help, I'll be back again.
5 - Julie R.: Brooke is great!  I love that I can walk in the door with no idea about what I want except for how much I would like to spend.  She does a wonderful job putting something together for me in what seems like just minutes.

Allie Lindsey Photography - La Jolla, CA (32.8772223, -117.2308668) ()
5 - Zahra M.: FUN! That is the best word I can use to describe my experience with Allie. Allie recently took pictures of me for my upcoming law school graduation. Allie has a carefree, easy going personality; and we clicked immediately. She was cracking jokes from the beginning, and that instantly put me at ease! 

However, fun does not wholly describe Allie; she is also an extremely experienced photographer, this is evident by her knowledge of lighting and her clear and easy to follow directions. Looking at some of my pictures, you'd think I had another career in modeling- I don't! That's just how good she is. 

Passionate also describes Allie. Though, I only spent a little over two hours with her, I could tell how passionate she is about what she does. Allie was sprawled in different positions all over Balboa Park, once sitting on a pee stained tree trunk, to ensure she captured my special moments perfectly. She told me, "Zahra, if I don't get dirty taking your pictures, I didn't do my job!" This is a woman who is willing to get down and dirty to make sure her clients look amazing!! And believe me you WILL look amazing!

Thank goodness I found Allie!!
5 - Alla B.: Allie photographed my wedding in January and let me tell you, she didn't have a lot to work with! We planned to keep it very casual so there was no photograph session beforehand and she had to work with whatever "scenery" there was at the courthouse and near our apartment building. Looking at the photographs, you would never guess that they were taken in front of a building in a not so ritzy part of Culver City. Allie's creativity made it work beautifully! Her amazing "bedside manner" made my husband and I feel comfortable even though neither of us enjoys being photographed. Book her! She's great!
5 - Marlene A.: Allie is awesome.  There's just no other way than that to describe her and the gorgeous photos she takes.  I have had 2 sessions with Allie so far -- she took photos of my fiance and I at his deployment homecoming and also took family photos of us with our dogs.  We were so happy with our photos both times, and to top it off, she is just so sweet and easy to get along with.  I can't recommend Allie and her photography services enough!
5 - Cherie E.: I have had the privileged of being photographed by Allie twice so far and both times were a fabulous experience from start to finish! Allie has an uncanny talent not only with the camera but in how she is able to engage her subjects and make them feel effortlessly beautiful- inside and out all while having a great time. She is the best!
5 - Julie D.: Allie lindsey is absolutely AMAZING!! She is without a doubt the best photographer around! She is a perfectionist and will make sure to get all the right shots..she just has that special eye for what looks great and won't settle for less! She is super down to earth and knows how to make you feel very comfortable..I was nervous about finding the perfect wedding photographer but I really lucked out!! Wedding photos are the most important part part and I am very pleased! If you are looking for a photographer for wedding, family portrait, or boudoir session Allie is the BEST!!!

Allied Arts Guild - Menlo Park, CA (37.4420398, -122.1792626) ()
4 - Jane Y.: Allied Arts Guild is a historic and spanish colonial style building established in the 30's. it was built to create a serene, beautiful workplace for artists and is surrounded by beautiful gardens, shops, artists' studios, and a charming restaurant.

we dropped by to check it out for a possible wedding site for my friend and ended up having lunch here as well. it is a selective menu and changes daily. for $10 we were served a cup of soup and a chicken salad on a croissant...i was surprised at how good it was! and we HAD to get the dessert, a chocolate pecan pie.....YUM! it's a cute place to have a mother's day luncheon. lots of older ladies and gents dining here - truly a refreshing and lovely change of pace in our busy world. 

definitely a unique lil gem in the area! and for the cherry on top...the restaurant and shops are solely operated by volunteers for the benefit of children who need medical care. the Lucille Packard Children's Hospital, once the Convalescent Home, receives all profits from Allied Arts Guild for aid to critically ill children.
3 - Samantha R.: If you like little old ladies, various splendid rose bushes, and expensive local art wares, this is the place for you.  The grounds are beautiful, full of flowers and trellises and semi-working fountains.  The art work is pleasant enough.  I really liked the woodworking shed for its "retro" appeal.

The restaurant was surprisingly good, although our elderly waitress completely messed up our order (and I mean COMPLETELY) and then seem annoyed when I asked her to return the dish she brought me by mistake.  The tiny complimentary biscuits were very tasty, but I'd have to eat about 25 of them to be remotely satisfied.  Beware, the atmosphere is a bit precious:  I can't imagine your average guy eating over here (in other words, hetero girls should not consider bringing dates/bfs/husbands to this place), but it's a serene and beautiful place for a light lunch with your mom or mother-in-law (in my case).
5 - Stephen I.: Alright, this isn't for everyone, but if you've got Mom or Grandma in town this is the place to take them for lunch.  You can drag them to Sunset Magazine's gardens afterwards to make a full afternoon of it.

The place is impossible to find if you don't get directions (hidden in a residential neighborhood in Menlo Park off El Camino).  

The Allied Arts Guild Restaurant is part of a larger complex of artist studios and gardens.  All proceeds go to a worthwhile cause - the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital.

The place is staffed by volunteers and is only open for lunch Mon-Sat from Noon to 2pm.  If you've got Mom or Grandma plan on getting reservations since sometimes large groups of old ladies can fill the place up.

The menu is always changing and many of the dishes are local family recipes.  Very different and cool experience.
5 - Katerina F.: I don't much about the restaurant here, since I've never technically eaten their food. I did get married here, though. And let me tell you, of all the places we saw in the Bay Area when scouting wedding locations, this was the most romantic and naturally beautiful place. If you're looking to have a garden wedding, this is a perfect place. We rented the entire building (restaurant and hall) for less than what most places charge for just one banquet hall. It was also tax deductible and proceeds from our rental fee went to the Children's Hospital. 
 One of the best things was that I saved a lot on flowers and decorations because there were enough roses and pretty arches in the gardens that any more would have been overkill. We ordered a few bouquets for the tables during the reception and some balloons, and that was pretty much it. 
 There was plenty of on-site parking for all our guests, too. People also seemed to enjoy strolling the gardens during cocktail hour and reception for a breath of fresh air. 
 Some minuses: they only allow morning/afternoon weddings since they close at 5pm. Also, no amplified music. My guitarist had to play acoustic during the ceremony and it was hard to hear him. The lady who was in charge of events was very friendly and laid-back, but disorganized. She rarely returned phone calls and we needed to call her about 10 times before she got back to us. We almost changed our mind about this place because of her. Fortunately, in the end, she really helped us out and everything went off without a hitch.
4 - Tom D.: I have been coming here for years. Although hardly any of the stores ever seem to be in operation, the atmosphere is stellar. Perfect place to come and walk around and chill.
3 - Dominique N.: It's so difficult to write this review because I LOVE Allied Arts Guild.  It's has the most beautiful gardens and tranquil atmosphere and wonderful shops.  (The best place to take your mom on mother's day or to pick out a unique gift).

In fact, I liked it so much I recently went in for a wedding consultation and while the location was lovely and the actual rental price was fair, they were pretty snobby about the catering.  

I asked what they could do for snacks and asked if they could work with a budget of around $1000 (which I admit is low, but this is for a morning snack and we are hosting a separate dinner reception).  The event coordinator said that such a low fee "is definitely not our style or standards" (direct quote) and suggested instead $25-40 per person (not including service or gratuity fees) for SNACKS!  While I understand why they cannot accommodate the budget they could have been classier when letting me know...

Anyway, now I have mixed feelings about the Allied Arts Guild...lovely surroundings with a real air of snobbery!
1 - L M.: This may be a bit of an odd review of the place, because it has little to do with the actual facilities, but I believe it speaks very much to the spirit of the Arts Guild. 

I am a photographer who wanted to provide some gratis headshots for a good friend of mine, and the  gardens attached to the complex seemed like a great place to get some fun photos. I checked online to make sure that it was okay to take photos there, and found that it was. To quote: "artists and photographers are welcome" is verbatim what it states on the website. Sounded great to me!  It also mentioned something about registering when I got there.

Sooo... My friend and I arrive, and spend a fair amount of time looking for someplace to register, and then finally give up and start shooting. Sure enough, someone comes up to me and tells me I have to make an appointment to photograph on the grounds (mentioned NOWHERE on their website) and that because I'm a PROFESSIONAL I have to pay a fee in order to shoot there. Mind you, her determination that I was a professional came solely from looking at my equipment. According to her, because I possessed a nice SLR and not a point and shoot, this qualified me to pay some mysterious fee NOT mentioned on their website. (oh yeah, also, I was taking PORTRAITS. I guess if I'd been taking pictures of FLOWERS with my super-nice camera, I would not have been considered a professional...???) The fee was so mysterious, she did not even know how much it was, but she guessed it was somewhere around $50. When I attempted to explain to her that I was making no money on my "portrait" shoot, she stated that the guild "had to make money somehow." She proceeded to harass me and my friend, even though I assured her that I had, in good faith, checked out the website to see if there where shooting restrictions prior to my arrival.

So here's what I find so crazy - why am I being charged money simply because I own a nice camera? And why are the fees mentioned nowhere on the website?  Had I known about these fees, I would not have wasted my time, or my friends time in driving over to the guild in the first place. I would have instead gone to any one of a number of other local park areas that do not charge discriminatory fees to individuals who own good camera equipment.

Bottom line: The Allied Arts Guild has a very sneaky approach to dealing with their potential consumer public, and, if my run-in with their staff is indicative of the norm, they have a beligerant and uninformed volunteer staff that clearly knows nothing about good customer relations. I suspect this attitude applies across the board - I would never recommend a friend  to go there and check out their rental facilities, because they don't have a very professional attitude.

And hey, if the place is supposed to be supporting the arts, why are they making it so hard for someone like me to pursue my art? Oh, I forgot, my camera is too nice...
5 - Sramana M.: We walk here often ... beautiful garden and grounds, two really nice stores (pottery and wearable art, although not inexpensive by any means), a decent restaurant. The fact that it is so close to our house makes it a perfect destination.
5 - Ktana n.: I love this place !!!!
I've been there with 7 of my friends one morning and everything was just perfect.
The atmosphere was amazing and the food was yummy. 

Actually I am gonna go there now...
5 - Chunk Y.: This is an incredible space. It's pretty much the garden you would have if you were a billionaire, but it's open to the public to stroll through and just enjoy its delicate beauty.

The flowers are simply amazing. I had to photograph every single one. Lovely!

They also host weddings and events here and I would love, love, love to be able to photograph a wedding here. The setting is so serene and wonderful.

We also ate at the restaurant and the food was delicious (albeit a little on the pricier side).
5 - Ile F.: A hidden gem. Without my GPS, I wouldn't be able to find it. 

I brought my mom to visit this garden on one sunny day in January. There was only one yellow rose blooming. But from the names along the plants, we could picture an amazing picture during a blooming season. Some rare types of flowers found home here too. 

The landscaping was well-designed and got the European atmosphere. Not many shops were open when we were there, even it was a Friday morning. It was the only disappointment.
4 - Piggy S.: This was our third top choice for a wedding venue.  We would have had our ceremony at Allied Arts if we decided to do our reception at a restaurant.  We would not do both the ceremony and reception at Allied Arts cause of the pricing (on top of a higher rental fee, you'd also have to use their restaurant which is too expensive for our budget).  Rental for the ceremony only is around $1,500.  The gardens here are super cute and rustic.  Like the other locations we considered, it was a great ambiance to it.  Definitely a great place to just hang out on a weekend (and a romantic place for a date).
4 - Lisa M.: We got married in April. Before our ceremony we all drove up to Allied Arts to take our wedding photos. They turned out perfect. It was easy to call and ask for an hour rental, show up, take our pictures, and leave. BTW, our pictures came out wonderful.
4 - Kathleen W.: Nestled in deep Menlo Park suburbia, I attended a lovely wedding here this past weekend.  Despite the heat, the lovely gardens provided a lot of shade and made for a great venue for the outdoor reception.  Usually I'm plagued by flies and bugs after spending so much time outdoors (from 3:30 - 9:00 PM) ... instead, friendly staff and friendly cats roamed the grounds.

My only complaint - couldn't find the bathrooms ... the one I used during the day was locked up in the evening and the only one I found later that night was broken.  I also think the hip hop music that was played at the reception scared the neighbors.
4 - Seong P.: I went to a wedding reception here over the weekend and even though the temperature was in the 90's at times and we were outside for several hours, it was still lovely.  The Spanish style architecture and decor was perfect for such a hot summer day.  Someone said it reminded him of Santa Barbara.

We started with wine/beer and hor d'oeurves in a shaded garden near a fountain.  While it wasn't exactly cool, nobody completely melted so it was fine.  All the bartenders and servers were great.

Dinner was in another outdoor area and once the sun started setting, it was really pleasant.  The food was good for wedding food, particularly the salads and vegetables so as a guest, I recommend more people get married here.
5 - Fontane L.: Still as good as it gets!  Everything totally went smoothly, and my guests keep telling me how beautiful and intimate the place was.  It was totally worth it to get the entire place for the day - I can't imagine what a planning nightmare I would have had with an additional location for tea ceremony....  Tiana was great and, to my knowledge, my maid of honor had no problem finding her for extra things that we needed here and there.

Although it seemed early, the 9pm end was just about right.  It was pretty hot that day (about 95 degrees, with little breeze), and people were getting tired.  It was probably better that I had a chance to rest before going on to my wedding after-party.  :)

Despite the 95-degree weather, the heat was still quite bearable because of the constant flow of cool drinks and hors d'oeuvres.  Furthermore, the mingling part of the reception occurred in the Blue Garden, which was quite shady and almost cool.  There were plenty of chairs for people to sit, and plenty of space for people to mingle.

The dinner area (Sunset Garden) was a bit sunny in the afternoon.  We had an early dinner at 5:00pm.  However, the umbrellas did a pretty good job of maintaining shade for the guests.  All-in-all no complaints, and everyone had a really good time.  We keep getting compliments on how beautiful wedding was, and I think it had a lot to do with the beautiful venue.  :)
4 - Glaciala A.: Gardens are nicely manicured with nice smelling flowers/roses. A variety of different shops, the flower shop smells absolutely amazingly wonderful. I liked the woodshop, where it is neat to see the furniture under repair. It feels exactly how one might expect a woodshop to feel. Nice to walk around and to take out-of-town guests.
4 - Katy F.: What a little gem AAG is!  Beautiful gardens, specialty artisan shops and a nice restaurant are tucked away, off the beaten path, in a residential neighborhood in Menlo Park.  We recently had our holiday event there in their Sunroom.  The on-site restaurant Cafe Primavera provided the catering and did an excellent job.  The setting was mission rustic with lots of stonework and wood.  The grounds are beautiful and many of our guests stopped by the little artisan shops and made a few purchases for the holidays.  This is an absolutely perfect location for a corporate luncheon.  We had around 50 people and the venue was spacious enough for milling about during cocktails and a seating layout of 7-8 tables, seating 6-8 people per table.  There is a big fireplace in the room and the catering staff can offer heat lamps for the spacious patio outside the room, which has french doors that can open up the area even more. The only things that you should consider when using this location and the Sunroom is a) if it is cold, make sure they turn on the heat at least  4 hours before the event (and keep the french doors to the patio closed)  It takes a long time to warm up, b) signage could be a little larger or obvious for the parking lot entrance on the Arbor side and to the Sunroom.  Maybe welcome signs for parties can be tastefully placed in key areas directing guests to the event location.  Several attendees to  our event had to be tracked down as they wandered the grounds and the shops trying to find the event room.  This would have been fine, if it wasn't raining.
5 - Tina T.: For my 100th review, I wanted to write about a place that will, in a few months, hold a very special place in my heart. 

Our ideal wedding: a beautiful outdoor wedding ceremony venue for 125 guests with indoor / outdoor reception area. 

My fiance and I spent a whole summer looking for the perfect outdoor space for our wedding ceremony. To just find a place we loved was not an easy task and it became increasingly frustrating when paired with venues who were rigid with catering and had tons of restrictions. These venues required us to use exclusive caterers or pay absurd amounts of money to use an outside caterer. And of course, catering is $$$ and you are required to buy beverages from them, which is also $$$.

As we neared the end of summer and I was almost about to give up, I came upon Allied Arts Guild on Here Comes The Guide. The photos showed a beautiful Spanish-inspired architectural garden. We set up a visit with the Event Coordinator and we were IN LOVE with it!

The ceremony site we will be using, the Blue Garden has a blue fountain in the center where we can put floating dahlias and gardenias. When we made our visit in September, the entire area was surrounded by blue / purple hydrangeas. Right next to it was the Rose Allee, which was lined with beautiful roses. We will be using the Sunset Terrace for our reception, which is a great outdoor area surrounded by trees. It is connected to the Sunset Room, an indoor space. After sunset, the Terrace can get dark but the surrounding bushes have uplighting and candles can be added to tables. We will likely add strings lights. The venue has a bridal changing room.

The preferred caterer is Cafe Primavera, who is well-priced and very flexible. Outside caterers are allowed but there is a catering out fee.

The Event Coordinator, Tiana, is very easy to work with and has been an enormous help in my wedding planning process. We have hired her as our Day-of-Coordinator and she has been phenomenal. So far, we haven't had any problems with reaching her and I must say I am a big stickler when it comes to e-mail response time.

There are downsides to this venue for some people. It is not a huge deal for what we are imagining our wedding to be like. If you are looking for  a venue where you can host a huge, loud party with dancing into the night, this is not the venue for you. The party must end by 9 pm, which may be too early for some. There are restrictions on music because this venue is located in a residential area. DJ's and speakers must be inside the Sunset Room to limit the noise.

Other logistics to note: the only weekend day they are open is Saturday so no Sunday weddings. This venue has a maximum capacity of approximately 140 guests so it is perfect for couples looking for a more intimate wedding. The rental of both the Blue Garden and Sunset Terrace / Garden / Room is not cheap but if it makes a difference, Allied Arts Guild benefits the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. Beautiful wedding venue AND it helps young children!

I will be back to update my review after our wedding!
5 - Chris W.: We got married there 8 years ago and this place is MAGICAL!  We had a small reception, about 40 guest, and these beautiful spanish style garden really did make a huge impression on our guests... 
Our  engagements pictures were also taken there, and the everybody was amazed by this place.
Recently we came back to have lunch at the restaurant and we enjoyed a delicious meal in this peaceful and amazing setting.  The only thing missing was a glass of wine -- I'm guessing for some licensing issue the restaurant can not serve wine.
Anyway if you're looking for a wonderful setting for your wedding ceremony, or just spend a couple of relaxing hours in these beautiful gardens, do not look any further!
4 - jazzy l.: This place is nestled in the Menlo Park residential neighborhood and what a delightful hidden gem! 

This is open to the public and open for weddings.  I went with my friend to check this place out for her wedding ceremony.  This place sits max 160 people.  The blue room is the rental space for the ceremony.  

We met lovely gardener Kathleen and her dog Brody (black Labrador).  She devotes a lot of love to the gardens here. She layers the different blooms of the flower. In the August, it will be sprouting with Hydrangeas. 

Cafe Primavera was closed when we got there at 4pm (independent and separate ownership from the the AAG).

Rental is $2500/4 hours.  $1000 more if you want food. 

Bridal room - It was locked, we could not get in.

There are many workshops (pottery, gardening, jewelery, quilt) rooms within the AAG.
5 - Natalie B.: I highly recommend this venue. I am having my rehearsal dinner here in September and Tiana has been WONDERFUL about helping me plan all of the details. Honestly, I wish Tiana was the contact person at my wedding venue because she makes me feel at ease about everything.

I am a frantic bride and have planned everything for my big day in the last three months. Tiana has gotten back to all of my emails within a day and is more than willing to take on her fair share of work for me. She has been great about referring vendors, getting price quotes for me from rental companies, and letting me know exactly how to plan everything.

Allied Arts Guild is a really beautiful and classy venue. There's a Sunset room where you can have a wedding slideshow and also a patio to put chairs for a nice dinner. . You will be in good hands if you choose this venue and you definitely won't be let down!
5 - Bella V.: I love AAG. We had our wedding ceremony here, and everything was perfect. Tiana is wonderful to work with. We asked her to add paper lanterns for the decorations and she did such an amazing job, no need for extra flowers. She also coordinated our ceremony rehearsal with our huge wedding party until everyone knew what they were doing, and then on the wedding day directing everyone to make sure things go smoothly. Our wedding would not have gone as well as it did if it weren't for Tiana. 
AAG itself is beautiful. We got married in October and there flowers were still blooming, and all of out guests were just blown away by the place. I couldn't imagine a better place for the ceremony. 
We also got a full day photo permit for the place. We haven't seen the professional pictures yet, but even the pictures taken by our guests turned out really great.
5 - Leah S.: If you live in Menlo Park, or are visiting the area, you really should go to the Allied Arts Guild!  

When my sister and I were young, our parents used to take us there occasionally, and it was like entering another world which I never wanted to leave.  

The place, with it's cafes, old Spanish architecture,  tiled fountain,  lush, verdant gardens, quaint shops (and my favorite -  the glass-blowing studio), made the whole experience a feast for the senses.

I haven't been there in many years, so I hope it's still as beautiful and serene as I remember.  To me, it was a little bit of paradise right here on earth.
4 - Janet P.: I came to their open house and checked out the Allied Arts Guild for the first time. It is a super charming architectural gem, tucked away in a neighborhood. It's an idyllic setting for discovering local artisan handiwork, and taking pictures in their gorgeous gardens. 

Note to self: come back to have lunch at Cafe Primavera.
5 - Yayu L.: We had our wedding celebration here a couple of weeks ago, and we couldn't have asked for a better place!

As soon as we walked into Allied Arts Guild, we knew this was the perfect setting for our wedding celebration.  We love that it's a surprising oasis in the middle of a residential neighborhood.  We love the vibrant colors in the gardens, and the old school charm of the grounds.  We love that it's relaxed.  

We worked with Tiana Wong, and she was very responsive (including nights and weekends) and helpful throughout the planning process.  She's also very knowledgeable about various vendors and offered us some creative suggestions.  Tiana was also on site the day-of to ensure everything went smoothly for us.  

On the day of, we were lucky enough to get a beautiful sunny day with a light breeze.  And so many of the flowers were in full bloom!  Many of our guests were surprised that we found such a hidden gem in the bay area.  We had our ceremony at the Blue Garden under the oak tree.  The guests sat around the fountain (which we asked to be turned off) on the lawn, which felt intimate to us.   The cocktail hour was hosted in the Cervantes Court, which is not open to the general public and provided an more private area for our guests to mingle.  The dinner reception was set up at Sunset Terrace.  With the sunny and warm weather, it was beautiful to dine al fresco. We spread out ~100 guests over both sides of the terrace so there was plenty of room to move around without feeling distant.  Finally, we moved into the Sunset Room for cake cutting and dancing.  Being able to use different parts of Allied Arts Guild for our wedding celebration definitely helped entertain our guests throughout the day and evening.

Oh, an added bonus, Allied Arts donates all its profits to benefit the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital.  So not only did we have a great wedding, we also helped out a great cause.
4 - Helenas O.: This is a beautiful space...I was here for a wedding just a few weeks ago and was amazed by all Allied Arts Guild had to offer in it's small space.  There are so many different areas the fountain, the garden, the different rooms...all with so much character.  I can't wait to see the wedding photos from this place because there was so much character to this place, colors and flowers...it's definitely a great backdrop.  It's a bit hard to explain everything but during the daytime the place is open to the public with a cafe, shops, art..etc.  There is also a lot of history to this place...so definitely consider this place for any private event or just to visit when you are in the area.
5 - Laurel S.: Eleanor, an elderly friend, was the quintessential mid-20'th century wife and homemaker. She recalls working as a volunteer for the Palo Alto Ladies Society, serving tea at Menlo Park's *Allied Arts* in the 1950's. The profits went to Lucille Packard Children's Hospital, where all three of her kids were born. Of course all the ladies who came to sip, wore a hat and their nicest white gloves.

It's a perfect place for a little time travel.

Thankfully the grounds and style of Allied Arts, though recently renovated, have changed little since Eleanor's heyday. It's still chock full of Spanish Colonial Old-world California charm: red tile-roofed buildings, a splashing fountain and plenty of gorgeous painted Mexican tiles. 

Intriguing shops, stairs and corners abound.There are still plenty of quiet nooks and overhangs where you can just sit with a friend, a good book, or perhaps meditate on some of the artistically placed vintage artifacts.

The gardens are a treat in all seasons. I walk over every couple of months with my camera to see what's blooming. I'm just about guaranteed a good shot for my art journal.

Oh yes, Eleanor's tea room is still there. Of course it's called "Cafe Primavera" now. These these days you can have an entire delicious meal. And their meals ARE delicious and beautifully cooked. Try the soups, not only healthy but very tasty. All concocted on site.

And in case you're wondering, you can leave your white gloves at home.
......

Musing on the Vintage Milk Can at Allied Arts:
How many days, in her day after day never ending job, did Whilhelmina get up at 3 or 4 in the morning, to go out to the barn? The dozen patient Holsteins knew her touch so well. It was a rare day when she had to fix the stanchion in place to keep them still. Bucket after bucket filled to the brim, were poured into the big metal can. Did she sing "Springfield Mountain" to them while she worked? Or did she maybe whistle the jaunty little air she'd played on the piano the night before?

How many pounds of butter did she make? How many children on her farm, or just down the road in the new town, where people didn't have enough land to keep a cow, flourished on the milk?

Even the metal remains of the old milk can, carry me back through time.

My illustration of  this Allied Arts Scene: http://simpleromantic.blogspot.com/2010/11/milk-can-remembers.html
4 - Tom R.: I made a return visit to Allied Arts Guild a week or so ago.  It provided a fairly quick break while my son was undergoing out-patient surgery at Stanford Hospital.  I was accompanied by his mother and his girl friend.  The mother had never heard of the place.  The girl friend, who grew up in Palo Alto, only remembered it on entering.  Ultimately, they and I had a great and relieving time.  
I suggest you look at not only the reviews here, but more importantly the pictures.  As you will find, it's a gorgeous place.  And the reviews generally describe things well.  
My specific comments: 
* The facility underwent a major refurbishment a couple of years ago and is in really good shape.  
* The best time to visit is in the spring when their wonderful collection of roses and many of the other plants are in bloom.  
* The hydrangeas are gorgeous and special all summer.  
* They do not have any lavender planted.  
* The facility is very quiet and calming, perhaps too much so.  The original intent and the land donation were intended to provide a facility that reflected the architecture, arts and crafts of early California.  There is appropriate architecture, but rather than artists and craftsmen working, you have artsy shops with often imported wares.  I'd advocate a little tapping or rumbling or a few demonstrations and explanations or other appropriate activity to give the place a little more life.    
* The place is a female magnet.  You can almost smell the estrogen in the air.  I note that I am only one of three guys to provide a review.  Not afraid to expose my feminine side.  Guys, you need to take advantage of this environment when you have the need to please a female or two.      
* The overall cause is worthy.     
* Someone had picked all the fruit off the resident quince tree and had paper bags out with 3 pounds of quince available for $1.  The mother really liked the smell of the fruit, so I was immediately assigned to buy a bag and make quince jam for her.   We'll see what she thinks.
4 - Jen C.: The best thing about this place, if you have kids, is trying to find the bunnies and kitties that are running around!  They're rather friendly, too.
5 - D. S.: I was married here in December 2011, with the ceremony taking place in the Blue Garden and the reception following in the Sunset Room. The gardener planted blue and purple hydrangeas in the Blue Garden a few months ahead of our wedding, to match our color theme.  There are many places for fantastic photographs, and the architecture and atmosphere offer both coziness and elegance.
4 - Lillian Z.: A friend and I were taking a walk in Menlo Park and after a few random turns, we somehow found ourselves at the entrance to the Allied Arts Guild, and since it seemed so out of place in a completely residential area (not exaggerating), we decided that we had to check it out.

It's seriously like an oasis! (Not that the surrounding area isn't gorgeous as well.) 

This place was so charming and picturesque. It made me feel like I was in a secret garden. I can totally see myself coming here during some down time to take a stroll, have lunch or coffee at the cafe, or just sit and chat with friends. Everything-- from the architecture to the layout to the flowers and shops-- was very elegant and inviting. 

We stopped in at some of the stores and had a chat with Davide Bigazzi, who makes some of the most unique jewelry I have ever seen. He and his wife are both very charming and unassuming, which completely fits in with the vibe here.

tl;dr: Our adventure here at the Allied Arts Guild was definitely a bright spot on the terrible week my friend and I had been having, and I am definitely looking forward to my next stop here!
4 - Stacy H.: This is a great private spot for an offsite meeting. It's quiet and beautiful. The staff is very helpful. The food is fresh and delicious. 

The only down-sides are 1) sometimes the technology doesn't quite work, and 2) both times I've had meetings there the climate control was difficult to moderate. 

I do think it'd be a lovely setting for an outdoor event or wedding, as well.
5 - Chen S.: We got married here in May 2012.  We happened upon AAG when we were shopping for a wedding venue.  We immediately fell in love.  The garden has beautiful flowers and architecture and provides a tranquil escape.  In April the Wisteria and Irises are in bloom, giving you a rich purple theme.  In May the roses take center stage and add vibrant white, pink and yellow to the garden.  You are always surprised with how different the colors are depending on when you decide to visit.  There are also unique and interesting artisan shops for you to browse.  The site coordinator, Tiana, was so accommodating and professional.  She was always happy to meet with us and answer all of our questions.  We loved working with her.  Thank you Tiana for everything!  You helped make our special day so perfect!
5 - Amy O.: Lovely
4 - Molly W.: Whoa fancy! I NEVER knew this place existed until my aunt who was in town took me out for lunch. A bit pricey, but sometimes you feel like splurging and sitting in a beautiful garden.

Wild mushroom and gruyere sando was totally worth the $13. The strawberry salad? Neh.

The service was superb and the waiter basically did a photo shoot for us after asking for him to snap a picture. 

LOVE the old architecture and meandering around the guild buying crafts that support a good cause makes things all the better!! Go ahead, treat yourself!
5 - A I.: It's a smaller version of Filoli Garden. They have shops and galleries. Some stores I used to go a lot are closed, but then they bring in new nice stores. I also went to a floral workshop and it was great. My kids also take their music class here. Great place just to wonder and smell the flowers, but also to have lunch, coffee and shop.

Allied Arts Guild by Joy Imai Pottery Studio - Menlo Park, CA (37.4420398, -122.1792626) ()
5 - Sramana M.: Joy Imai's pottery is beautiful. You must go see it. We have a lot of pieces by her. Sramana
4 - Amy O.: This was nice. A few of us bought stuff at this store. She is pretty creative with the designs. 
The store needs to be dusted though...lots of cob webs.

Allied Auto Supply of Pasadena - Pasadena, CA (34.145606, -118.128507) (Pasadena)
4 - Benson L.: I was looking for an O2 sensor for my car which is not exactly a stock set-up so after trying Pep-boys, O'Reily and a few others with no luck of having the part in stock, I tried Allied on the recommendation of a friend.  
Sure enough they didn't have it in stock as well, but offered to order it and have it within 5 hours and it also cost about 20% less than anywhere else that could order it, even less than getting it online and that's with tax! These guys know what they are doing and have great customer service! I will definitely be shopping here for my hard to find Automotive needs.  Thanks again to Martin for all your help!
5 - Jose R.: Great prices and great selection to choose from in regards to brand names of parts. Also the staff is helpful and friendly !

Allied Van Lines Agents - Houston, TX (29.730719, -95.40996) (Museum District, West University)
5 - Tina D.: I've heard of horror stories when it comes to moving, so I was very nervous about moving from Houston to Dallas.  We selected Allied as our moving company because we were impressed with the agent that came to give us an estimate.  I can't tell you how wonderful our move was.  Rafael was the team leader (his team included: Javier, Franklin and Modesto).  They worked so well as a team, and they were incredibly honest.  They handled our property as if it was their own.  I can't recommend them highly enough.  If you have to move, trust Allied!!!
5 - Martin B.: I recently moved my office and had to find a mover.  It was a first in the context of office moves, and most of my home moves have been local, unrushed, and more of the friends & family approach.  What I found was a bunch of hucksters online who set up official-sounding fronts and get very hazy on details when you press for them.  Reports of scams are everywhere.  My approach instead was to go to a registered agent of a reputable company, starting with the company's web site, and I settled on Allied Van Lines.

The tone and nature of my conversations with a real agent were much different and put me at ease.  There was a lot of what I'd call mumbo-jumbo about insurance limits, valuable items designations, discount rates, and some minor confusion over packing materials, but all-in i'd say it was i) as expected, and ii) as good as I could reasonably expect.  In a low margin business I wouldn't expect more than good quality service, dependability, and no nonsense.

The move went off without a hitch and I set up my new office with no problem.  Maybe if there had been a bigger issue I would have more detail for this review, but what I can say now is that it was a great, and not particularly memorable, experience.

Great job.

Allston  Place Apartments - Berkeley, CA (37.869632, -122.266218) (Downtown Berkeley, UC Campus Area)
1 - Alice P.: I completely agree with the first review. OVERPRICED, the "amenities" never materialize, they try to overcharge you on your bill with "fees" (if you ask what they are, they say you don't have to pay, that it's a mistake...but I can't imagine how many people don't ask...what a great revenue stream for them, right?) and because they have no deposit they try to screw you over with charges after you leave. 

I've had so many problems, my advice, if you decide to throw caution to the wind and move in (DON'T), is GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING, MAKE SURE THEY GIVE YOU A COPY OF YOUR CONTRACT, TAKE PICTURES OF EVERYTHING (WITH TIME STAMPS), AND NEVER LET YOUR GUARD DOWN. I can't emphasize this enough. 

Please, please, please, don't live here if you don't have to.
4 - Alex S.: I used to live on 2535 College and subleted a studio here for 2 months.  During my two months I never had any problems and the manager Jeff was always very friendly and accommodating.

You send in a maintenance request and they take care of it within the next day.  This is a miracle considering at my other place it could take anywhere from a week to 3 MONTHS!
4 - Ada L.: I have been with Place Property for 4 years, both Allston and Stadium Place. To be frank, the only complaint I have is the constant change of management., but this is understandable because lack of competent people out there. I avoid the upper management and always went straight to Jeff and Jeremy and all my requests are done immediatley
1 - Farrah N.: I've been living here almost 3 years now and all I can say is don't bother - NOT WORTH THE PRICE ANYMORE.

Jeff and Jeremy from the post below me are both gone and they were really the only people in management and maintenance, respectively, that would get your work orders done. Jeremy left early last summer. Jeff left a couple months ago and it took the new management about 6 weeks to come in and complete my simple 2 minute work order. Usually, I would just see Jeremy in the hallway and he'd hop in and do it on the spot or come back the next day. The new person who came in reported to the office that I had a pet (which I overpaid 500$ to have) and I guess they loss that record and have a new policy where they don't allow pets at all. Just a lot of miscommunication all around - not something you wanna deal with in the middle of midterms. 

The building is old, and many people are frustrated about how taking the elevator up is 1/2 as fast as just using the stairs. 

It used to be a great place to live if you could afford it. I have the cheapest apartment right now (studio) and that's only because Jeff cut me a deal this last renewal. Year 1 - 1400, Year 2 - 1800 (discounted to 1600 by Jeff), Year 3 - 2200 (discounted to 1600 again by jeff). They used to include electricity in your rent, but BEWARE, they just changed the policy and you have to pay for it yourself. I didn't know about this and I got slapped with 180$ worth of late fees from the company just for a 32$ electricity bill I didn't know about because I just sent in the same amount of rent every year for the past 3 years. Just got my renewal notice again and they are asking 2300 now and it's just ridiculous. For that price, just go next door and get a 1bedroom at Gaia. 

Even if you manage to afford an apartment here, beware that there are many hidden fees. There's no security deposit, but that just means they can overcharge you for every little thing when you move out.
1 - Angelo D.: UPDATE - 

Things may seem well and good while you're living there but just wait until you move out. I thought the new management would be better about moving out but it seems like they're just as shady as the old management. 

All moved out, ready to face the real world (of student loans) and my room mates and I get a bill from the new manager. 

"Please remit payment immediately." 

We take a look at this bill and it's almost $800! For what you may ask? $200 for carpet cleaning and $500 for painting. First of all, we had no major paint repair needed and we hired a carpet cleaner before we moved out. Secondly, after 2 years landlords are legally not allowed to charge for painting and carpet cleaning because by law, there's about a 2 year lifespan for both of those and they must repaint and re-carpet anyway.

Unfortunately, we had to get a lawyer involved and the management ended up dropping the charges because they can't charge us without evidence of the repairs that they did. Apparently, they took pictures but they were "damaged." Right. 

So now, they're claiming they returned my roommate's deposit but my roommate never saw that check. Neither has the bank. 

Just stay away from Allston. They'll take advantage of the fact that you're a college student and you probably are unaware of rental laws and regulations. Luckily, my roommate's parents are in real estate and are very aware of Allston's violations. 

To pretty much sum up my review, the people that run Allston and Stadium are a bunch of CROOOKS. 

1/5 only because I can't give negative stars.
1 - Kathy W.: The lease says you have to keep furniture six inches from the wall. 

The lease says if you don't pay rent they can evict you without going to court, and your stuff belongs to them, because you abandon the property. The lease says they can make new rules after you move in and then fine you if you don't follow them.

Plus, the lease says they can take away any and all amenities, like the bikes or the roof deck or the lounge, at any time with no reduction in rent.

Why would you sign that? - READ IT!
1 - Tim T.: Overpriced. Stairwells smell like urine. Management is shady, they try to rob you upon moving out. Do yourself a favor and don't live here. The only good thing is the location if you go to Cal, which is the only reason they're in business: TAKING ADVANTAGE OF STUDENTS.
1 - Alyssa W.: DO NOT LIVE HERE. 
They are way overpriced and tried to scam me of more money every month by increasing utility bills. Furthermore, my electric meter was spoilt for months, and I had to settle on a fixed price to pay for electricity every month.. which I think was still overpriced for 1 person living in a 1 bedroom. No doubt I enjoyed the apartment being very spacious, but the management were not very friendly and helpful. I have also experienced lost mail. Upon move out, the apartment did not inform me that they were going to move my things, and store it at the storage center. When I went to collect them, SO many of my items were missing!!! That amounted to almost more than $600. I am extremely upset!! I now have to file a claim and HOPE I will get reimbursed. Never. again.
Not to mention the fact I think they take advantage of students.

Allure Boutique - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2794651, -83.7416865) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
4 - Sarah W.: It's a small dark boutique, but don't pass it up. You can find a good selection of designers at prices that are not too bad. Their brands are not the same as all the other boutiques around here. And they carry a ton of dresses.

I bought a great dress here for an event I had to attend overseas. It was a success, many people complimented me on a dress I had bought in Ann Arbor surprisingly!

They have a sale rack too. The sales staff are very nice. You can also put things on hold if you need too. Also they can special order things for you. A friend was having a wedding and she wanted to get her bridesmaid dresses here, they totally helped her to get more in other sizes. They will really try to help you out.
4 - Lisa W.: I work near the owner of this boutique and he is always warm and welcoming.  I came in here for the first time to try and buy last-minute shoes for a wedding.  They had a cute selection for prices expected at a boutique.  They have a good selection of dresses -- they are less trendy/daring and more classic.  This is probably a great stop if you are shopping for something to wear to a wedding.

A bridesmaid's dress I wore was actually bought from here.  They gave her a discount because the bride did a bulk order.  The dress was by To the Maxx and was actually something I wound up wearing again!

What I especially noticed when I was in here were these vegan (non-leather/PVC) bags that were colorful and with bright patterns.  Very unique looking and seemed out of place in the neutral colored boutique.  They were definitely eye-catching and a great gift idea for yourself or a green, stylish friend.
4 - ChianWen T.: I am a fan, secretly.

Look, I already have a favorite boutique in Ann Arbor, his name is Beanie June.  I am a monogamous type of girl - when I like someone, I like that someone faithfully forever, even if that someone doesn't reciprocate the same feelings.    The world probably thinks that Beanie June has nothing on you.  It's even true that I always feel like a million dollars when I wear one of your dresses but the same cannot be said about Beanie June.   I feel like you really appreciate my body while Beanie June may have even felt a bit ashamed of me from time to time.   Still, in spite of everything, when a girl likes something, she doesn't need a rational reason.   I still want to be devoted to Beanie June.  So,  stop tempting me with your perfectly sized for me To The Max dresses.  Now you even carry this Chrissa label, which is classy, sexy, and trendy all at once with that sometimes 50% off sale.  How do I say no to you?  Every time I walk out your door with a cute little number,  I feel like a guilty cheater.  You are like a greedy mistress who manages to suck more and more money out of me every time I go back to Ann Arbor.  I know you are hot and smart and other girls really like you, but I am going to have to terminate our non-existent relationship, you won't miss me anyhow.  You may be for other girls but you're not for me.
4 - JennyKayt C.: I agree with everyone else.  This place gets a solid four stars.  Unless, of course you're looking for every possible color and style of hanky panky underwear.  In which case, this place would be rated a five star... 

The clothing here is beautiful!  The jewelry is breathtaking.  The staff is really friendly AND helpful.  The only thing is that the prices are a tiiinnnyyy bit steep for my wallet.  $30 for underwear falls under the category of excessive, but MAN are they comf!
2 - mariah c.: The lingerie store just down the block (Four Seasons?) closed and got smushed into this storefront as well. There's really no need for one small selection of "intimates" in this store.  The designers that I really enjoyed finding here -- particularly Corey Lynn Calter, don't seem to be as represented anymore in the stock.  

I'd still rather stop in here than into Poshh, but the vibe and selection here has noticeably shifted to be closer to that shop. It's turned into less of a place I'm comfortable browsing, and I think it'll take more than their seemingly ever-present sale to lure me in once more.
2 - Lauren S.: They have pretty dresses, but only for people who wear size 6 (usually 4) and under. And I'm not exaggerating. After sifting through most dresses throughout the store, I asked the salesperson, "So do you just not order things above a size 4?" And she basically said, "Correct. Usually we order 2 0's, 2 2's, 2 4's, and a 6. Sometimes we order an 8." To which I said, "Oh. Well, then I guess there's no reason for me to come here!"

I understand it's a small store, it's designer labels, and they're probably solely catering to the sorority crowd. I'm not mad. But I thought people should know. *Literally, if you're not a size 4 or under, there is likely not anything for you in this store.* [they probably also only carry shoes up to a size 6 or something]
1 - Crystal L.: I will never spend a dime in this place again. My boyfriend gave me gift certificates through out the year to this place because he knew I loved the dresses in here and it is right down the street from us. I passed by it one day and it said 50% off everything sale. I was informed that they were not renewing the lease and that was all that was left. Most of the the sizes were small and x-smalls. I grabbed my gift certificates and headed down there and tried on a bunch of dresses so his gifts would not go to waste because they were closing. I grabbed a few things, not things that I would normally choose, but they were cute and I will enjoy them. A few weeks later. I see a sign in the window saying, 30%off selected dresses, not NEW ARRIVALS. I stopped in and tried on a dress that I really liked. I asked her if the are still getting new things in and they said yes, and they would be there for another year because they renewed their lease. I asked if I could exchange a few things for that dress that I wanted and I explained the situation. She said no and that the sales were final.
I bought those items under false assumption that I would lose my gift certificates if they closed. I can't believe they wouldn't honor what I was asking.Too bad for them! They will be losing at least 500 a year of my business. That's all that I would ask for gifts. Sorry pretty dresses, looks like I will be seeking you elsewhere. It's too bad, it was so convenient being down the street.
P.s.....If you get a gift certificate from there...keep your receipts for them like I did....their machine is messed up and they tried to tell me I only had $7 on the card when really in combo it was $350. They are lucky they excepted them because my guy would have BLEW UP!
Oh, and they are lucky I don't have time to contact the Better Business Bureau
2 - Heather J.: A boutique with a split personality, Allure tries to cater to the upscale bohemian Anthropologie crowd on one side and the Betsey Johnson lingerie group strutting in fishnets and rainbow boots on the other. The compacted floor space is the result of multiple closures, and according to signs in the windows, Allure probably won't see out the spring in its current store front. Honestly, I'm not sure whether it will find shop space anywhere else in Ann Arbor and I'm not particularly concerned.

50% off signs lured me in on a lark. I found signs of mental psychosis present among the remaining stock. Beyonce groupies were responsible for lots of the slashed and sliced satin clubwear certain to barely cover important assets, while one rack to the back carried $300 designer dresses at a tasty discount that still went outside the budget. Likewise, nothing larger than a size 4 was present outside of shoes. Talking about footwear, I love wedges and heels but nothing here was worth rounding out my closet: strictly size 7.5 and 8 (it's *that* kind of boutique, catering to the teeny weeny, slender girls with very model-sized feet). Bizarre choices, too, like heavily blinged and rhinestoned heels next to tiny ballerina flats I could get at Target for a quarter the price. 

The intimates actually held me the longest. $4 pantyhose and tights were a boon, especially since going bare-legged in my workplace is a tacit no-no. I thumbed through Givenchy and Spanx on one side, which was almost exclusively plus-sized or teeny-tiny A, and ignored the rainbow stack of fishnets on the others. Personality disorder of being a lady or a whore has never been so visibly illustrated in my shopping experience since an unfortunate, memorable scene with drag queens in downtown Toronto. 

I snagged three pairs for $24, including a set of Spanx sheers guaranteed to match basically everything in my office wardrobe sans malfunctions. Searching through the clothes wasn't worth the desultory effort, and I was met by a laissez-faire fellow who looked more like a Russian construction worker than a slick, judgmental girl staring down her nose. It was actually an awesome contradiction, and I would advise boutiques, hire those guys. They make us girls feel very much at ease, at least better than feather-fluff headed fashionistas who live on steamed fish and raw veggies with maximum 700 solid calories a day. Yuck! 

If not for the 50% off, I wouldn't have stopped in. Call it a sale day and flounce off on my way.

Almadina Egyptian Cuisine - Waterloo, ON (43.4722819, -80.5361722) ()
4 - Julianna B.: This takeout & eat-in joint has reportedly been open for about thirty years now, but has recently reopened with fresh signage and fixtures. It's bright and comfortable.
The staff aren't Egyptian, but the menu is; the kofta is worth the 10-minute wait for it to be freshly grilled, the garlic beets are gloriously, viciously garlicky, and the shawarma meat is flavourful and moist.  The fateer didn't strike me as awfully authentic, and I've never had samosas in Egypt, but hey, they're probably tasy too.  At $10.50 for a plate with one meat dish, two vegetable dishes, and a choice of rice, it's a great deal.  I'll come back to town when they have karkade!
2 - Lauren A.: Take-out is tasty and filling, but we almost didn't come back after a terrible experience a few years ago. Back then, we were the only table in the restaurant one weekday, trying to enjoy our lunch, but the waitress completely disappeared after the food came. No checking in, no water refill, nothing. Like, poof, gone. I had to go to the back of the restaurant to find her when we wanted to leave.

Almira W Cann, MD - Pasadena, CA (34.1445773, -118.1284909) (Pasadena)
1 - Denise M.: terrible experience with this doctor.  she keeps you waiting forever and does not have a warm and informative way about her.  She makes you feel dismissed for asking questions.  she did a routine cataract surgery referal on my father and law and that turned into a nightmare for him due to her negligence and the surgeon's apparent lack of knowlegde about medication and contraindications to surgery.  my father in law spent months recovering from something that should have been over in a week.
4 - Andrew S.: I really like Dr. Cann. She's very down-to-earth and cares a lot. I've gone in there with eye infections and she gave me her cell phone number in case her treatment did not work she wanted me to call her over the weekend.

Also, she was able to treat a problem with my tear production that several eye docs couldn't figure out, so I'm very impressed with her as a clinician.

Her staff is nice and helpful if you want to get glasses.

Dinged a star because more often than not you will have to wait a long time.
2 - Mark P.: Had glasses filled and needed a pair of sunglasses and because they were specialty glasses for motorcycles I had my perscription and went to another provider but it was missing the PD measurements. Called the office and was told I had to speak to the Dr. but would call me back in 5 minutes. Waited two hours and called again and was told that the Dr. doesn't give out that information because "if it is wrong they don't want to be responsible" First of all thats rediculas. I paid for it and medical records are to be made availible upon patients request. Secondly I had my first pair of glasses made from those measurements and had no issue, why would they now be wrong from a professional. I was forced to go elsewear and PAY another eye doctor to take those measurements.  



Read more: http://www.vitals.com/doctor/profile/1699748392/reviews/1699748392#ixzz1HSO3mOld
5 - At H.: Dr. Cann is very thorough! She is very nice and patient and spends time with her patients. She wouldn't let me leave until she figured out my random problem with my eye. Her staff is very nice as well. I recommend this doctor to anyone. Good doctors spend time with their patients, which is why the wait time might be long, but when you are in the room and appreciate the time she spends with you, then the wait time isn't that bad.
5 - Marti M.: Dr Cann is fun, friendly and explains everything very well. I had the cataract surgery under Dr Cann's care and felt very well cared for and now I can see with both eyes and no glasses. Dr Cann is great and I highly recommend her.
5 - elizabeth s.: Dr Cann saw that my prescription was changing because I have special medications and treatments.   She found the best window in the treatment to give me an exam - and now, I have the right prescription.  She is thorough and careful.  I highly recommend her.  Yes, you may wait, but it is because she is taking care of people.  These are your eyes, afterall !!
3 - Alan M.: I used to go to Dr. Cann, for quite a while, actually, and she's a very good doctor.  Very competent and caring.  Mostly what killed it for me was her office staff.  They all just seemed sort of surly, like I, the patient, was an annoyance.  Their hours are limited, and parking was typically a hassle.  Beyond that, appointments never seemed to make efficient use of my time.  I get it that she's the doctor and her practice needs to use her time efficiently so that she can make a living.  But I always seemed to spend a lot of time sitting around.  In short, she's a terrific doctor but the feeling of the business as a whole made me want to move on...

Alo - Cambridge, MA (42.3727497, -71.1199679) (Harvard Square)
4 - Melissa M.: Alo!  Aloooooo!  Is anybody home?  Oh, yes, they are open.  This is a very uncrowded, quiet, cool (temperature wise) and chic boutique.  A man who worked there came right over to me about 12 seconds into me entering their very nice store.  The attractive woman who was working there complimented me on my skirt as I was leaving sans purchasing anything.  I thought that was nice seeing as I bought the skirt for 70% off at J. Crew 3 years ago.  They have some very nice, I'd say Latin-inspired and some European-inspired clothing and shoes. Tis a bit on the pricey side, think the Tannery or Newbury Street.  But, you could possibly find something that you'd wear on that hot 3rd date or to a nice party.  I do like this store.  I passed it for years but I think I will check Alo out from time to time.
5 - Ariel G.: I really like this place. They have international designers that I had never heard of but  now are my favorites. Two imparticular from Barcelona. The owners are vey nice. They also have shop down the st underneath staples, next to the Dunkins in harvard(as well). they sell similar stuff just for  an older crowd of woman. I like alot of the clothing there and am only 21. Both places are great. My bank account doesn't like my addiction so much but I usually buy the sale stuff which is priced very well and just as nice as the in season stuff.
4 - Lindsay L.: I walk by Alo every day, and the first thing I notice is the bright, colorful, and intricate patterns of the clothes displayed in the window.  It is so refreshing to have a shop like this in the neighborhood where a lot of the clothing stores could be pretty nice but pretty run-of-the-mill.

If I want to buy something conservative and professional for the office, I'll go to Ann Taylor a few blocks away from Alo.  If I want to buy basic, casual, everyday wear, I'll go to Gap, which is also a few blocks away from Alo.  If I want to buy clothes that are distinct and bold, I go to Alo.

The shop has fashionable, funky Spanish brands that I really can't buy anywhere else in Boston.  For example, there is a Desigual section in the Macy's of NYC, but you won't find that in the Macy's of Boston.  

I personally like Skunkfunk.  Within the past year, I bought a Skunkfunk dress and coat from Alo.  This fashion line fits well and has cool details that you can't find easily with other brands.  For instance, I recently bought a Skunkfunk coat.  Originally, I almost didn't try on the coat because it was black, and I get bored with the black winter coats I see in the malls.  I like the Skunkfunk coat though because it's not as bulky as the coats I see at department stores, but it's still warm.  Also the coat has an asymmetrical zipper that makes it stand out from the sea of black coats in Boston.
5 - Charlie S.: I love this store and I love the man and woman who own it. The clothes they have are fun, colorful, and happy. They carry loads of Desigual clothing and accessories. I always get compliments on the Desigual clothing when I'm wearing it. They have great, unique dresses and coats.

The two people that own it are very helpful, knowledgeable, and big sweethearts. Stop in and check out the store.

Aloft Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill, NC (35.907507, -79.023318) ()
4 - Luke C.: This is a review of their hotel bar XYZ. A group of us (dark blue) came to meet collaborators from UNC (light blue). We found XYZ at Aloft hotel and we really enjoyed our visit. 

Aloft opened in early 2010 and there has been some buzz on Yelp. A few friends and I have been meaning to check it out and this work meeting made the best excuse.

The XYZ bar is located just beyond the foyer, down the steps and expands to the left where the bar is located. It has a nice balance of dark and color as its theme. There was a large pool table in one corner, right against a wall of fair modern art. We sat ourselves down at the far side to check out the area. The waitress was nice and responsive. The manager Stephanie even came by and said hello. She mentioned that they have a dedicated meeting room as well should we want to use that next time.

All in all, everyone enjoyed the visit. We hope to come back another time and make this the gathering place before more food and wine in the nearby area. It would a great cocktails/drinks spot.
5 - Nick D.: Recently my loved one and I spent a breezy summer evening and day in beautiful Chapel Hill. Now as a Wolfpack alum, I may be run out of the pack for admitting that CH/Carrboro is a great and gorgeous place to eat, live, or play. But I will take my chances. 

Spending a night at Aloft is simply like nothing CH has to offer. It is an unique experience located right off campus near shops, trails, and it even comes with its own nightlife to start your evening off right. 

It is hard to do the rooms that Aloft offers any justice without pictures. However, they are chic and modern, utilizing squared designs to maximize the entire room to something more than just a room. Its almost like an experience. While this is not something new, it is to CH. While it is not of 5-star status via a real hotel rating, it deserves one here based on many factors. 

It is eco friendly, with no little shampoo bottles, instead opting for Bliss (company name) dispensers. It has giant windows that you look out of while laying down without having to move. I mean from 3 feet off the ground to the ceiling windows. It has its own fresh snack bar downstairs with wholesome Naked drinks, sandwiches, and more. It also has an indoor saltwater swimming pool. And did I mention the shower can mainly be lit by natural light?

So yes 5-stars. A great experience and if you are lucky try to Priceline this hotel for a cheaper rate. We did! We had a great time and would stay there again.
5 - Chip R.: This place is very trendy and hip, a perfect fit for the Chapel Hill area.  Nice, new, very clean and wonderfully styled in decor.  It has a Euro feel to the main area as well as the rooms themselves.  I have included photos of both the lobby/common area and the room.  I had a great experience here.  The staff was very nice, friendly, and went out of their way to ensure all was taken care of when they interacted with you.  There is a very cool bar/lounge called wxyz accessable at the lobby, nice place to hang out.  The rooms were comfortable and even had hookups for your iPod to play music/video through their system and TV in the room, very nice plus.  Nice spacious shower area, with glass door and tile.  There is a natural light that comes through from a frosted glass to the shower as well, very nice.  It is a Starwood Preferred Guest rewards hotel.  I have come back more than once, and will again, great place.
5 - Christen g.: Perfect location.  The staff is kind and attentive.  The sales manager actually sought us out as we were playing shows in the area and met prices with a hotel where we already had reservations.  I'm glad we went this way.  The place is posh and classy.  There's a pool table and a bar down in the lobby.  cheers, indeed.
4 - Will T.: I stay at a lot of Aloft's around the US.  The nice thing is the consistency.    And the staff  has been very consistent from place to place as well.  This one fits the mold perfect as well.  Cheap nice rooms with a business centric hip scene....i like it.
4 - Chris P.: Great helpful staff and clean facility.  Stephanie Orlando let us us a conf room for a quick confernce call.
5 - Rob R.: For the money, Aloft is a great deal!

Tired of the cookie cutter hotel experience and want to try something a little bit more up to date?  This is the place.

My wife likes more of a homey, country decor while I like clean and modern.... while I usually lose out at home I convinced her to try something different during our stay in Chapel Hill.... and she liked it.

Free wi-fi, indoor swimming pool, fitness center, bar, self service food stall.... Aloft had all of the extras that you would expect from a hotel that charges a lot more.

Staff was friendly and attentive.

Highly recommend!
4 - Lorraine S.: Awesome stay! I loved the modern and comfortable feel of this hotel. The style is fresh yet they make you feel very comfortable through your stay. My deciding factor to stay here was that dogs could stay for free. They were very nice to my little pooch and didn't make us feel at all uncomfortable for bringing her. For the price per night and the quality I would def stay here again and recommend it to friends. 

It sits beside a couple restuarantes and shops to help pass any free time. It is also very close to UNC and didn't take more than 5-10  mins to get to Franklin Street. The beds are a little hard but that was easy to look over due to all the other positive factors. The valet men are also awesome. They literally sprint to collect your car so you are not waiting long at all.
5 - Bryan C.: Aloft is a fun hotel and my entire family really enjoyed our stay. The reason we choose to stay here was because of the unique, modern decor. When we first walked in the door, we weren't disappointed! It was a really neat looking hotel.

The staff was friendly and helpful. The indoor pool was really nice (they use salt water instead of chlorine chemicals). The fitness room was great! I really love when hotels have bumbell free weights! It's rare to find. And they had a pool table you could play for free :)

The food at their cafeteria style / snack area was very reasonably priced. The beer was actually priced good too. We will stay again.
5 - Keiko C.: Aloft hotel has it down.

I set up shop here a few months back and found myself pleasantly surprised with the staff and the overall feel of the hotel.  From the outside it looks a little pretentious, you know the modern hotel resting amidst extended stay hotels, universities, and a pretty laid back downtown.  But it's not.  

The staff was surprisingly accommodating and cheery, room service was [over 3 nights] on point with maintaining our messy room, the bar is modern/ hip/ and not overpriced...  Things are good here.  

The price for what you receive is more than fair.  Free wifi, pool, fitness center, lounge with billiards, extremely comfortable beds, and all the accessories you'd need of a hotel room.  It's a fun, friendly, modern environment that didn't disappoint.
4 - Kevin N.: Super comfy and a genuinely terrific staff: the tough thing about rating similar properties in different cities is that the stays themselves tend to be pretty consistent. When you stay at an Aloft (and I've spent time in the same version of hotel in at least three cities now), you get a somewhat more simplified of your average W Hotel room. They're clean, comfy, semi-upscale without overt opulence. They're comfortable rooms and they treat those who stay here well. I generally dig em. 

That said, the service level at those hotels can vary somewhat - no one spot is laissez-faire with their consumer base in my experience, but I found the staff at the Aloft in Chapel Hill to be beyond nice - they were downright gregarious -- engaging -- and that extended from the front desk to the valet to the bar. They all seemed to be on the same page, and I've been to plenty of directly posh hotels where that wasn't the case. Comfy, close to the fun in Chapel Hill, and plenty friendly. Lots to like here.
3 - Carolyn S.: Enjoyed the music at the w xyz bar Aloft Chapel Hill tonight.  The bar presents a surprisingly welcome atmosphere - and the jazz was very fine.  I'm hoping music will become a more frequent event here.
Chapel Hill has lots of music venues, but not so many that are comfortable for the 'grown-up' crowd.  w xyz could fill this need.
4 - tommie r.: The staff in this place are all so friendly that you're certain they're going to mess something up - like get transfixed on "how cool that fire looks" and not call the fire department or something.  But I have to hand it to them, they're both friendly AND professional.  The only drawback to this place is that the bar in the lobby closes at like 10 or something.  Otherwise, it's a perfect location and such a smart, sleek yet comfortable atmosphere.
5 - Andy H.: Cool hotel in Chapel Hill. I stay here on football weekends. The staff is always friendly and great. The rooms and decor are quite modern and spotless. Free wifi, breakfast for Starwood members, and a nice bar to relax.

About a mile from campus, so it has been and easy walk/taxi to and from the games.

The parking is either free valet or self park, and the area has plenty of food choices, a CVS, and a grocery in walking distance.
4 - dan t.: Had my first experience with aloft hotel in chapel hill, and now they are the only places i want to stay. A very modern european style experience with none of the unnecessary fussiness and pretension of most hotels. Rooms were spacious and intelligently designed, lobby was a great place to hang out. The lobby pantry was fine  for grabbing an inexpensive meal and the staff al semed happy to be working there. When's the last time you could say that about a hotel you stayed in?
4 - Mary G.: This is my first stay at an Aloft hotel.  Very conveniently located close to UNC and close enough to the Hope Valley area of Durham.  The though the hotel's address says it's on South Hamilton Road, it's actually situated on Hwy 54 just before you enter into the UNC campus.  Complimentary valet parking was a great bonus!  BUT, there is not valet parking at all on Sunday.  I didn't mind this because the garage is well within walking distance, I just didn't know it.

Having stayed in many conventional hotels before, this was a bit different for me.  The entire hotel gave me a European, modern avant garde style feeling.  Concrete floors in the lobby and a very unconventional check-in desk in the middle of the lobby as you walk in.  The air is fresh and very fragrant in the lobby which, in addition to the check-in desk, consists of a small snack bar, drinks bar, small family-room style area near a fireplace, as well as pool table and a couple computers from which you can print boarding passes.  There is a small in-door swimming pool as well as a workout room, both of which were very nice.  The elevators have a cool mat/pad type thing on the floor that changes color based on the amount of pressure applied to them when you step on them.  However, I wasn't crazy about the 'drop-cloths' that were hanging on the walls of the elevators.  At first, I thought I had entered a freight elevator, where the walls were covered to protect them.  Then, after being there for a number of days and seeing that both elevators were covered with these silk dupioni padded covers, I realized that it was a part of the decor.  Still gave me a 'freight elevator' feeling.  The music in the elevators was nice, and they smell nice too.  

When I walked into the room, I was surprised by the layout of the room.  Again, unconventional for a hotel, but I liked it.  You can see from the posted pictures.  Very spacious and well appointed, I was happy with the room.  However,  there were a few things I found odd:  there were no, absolutely no drawers in which to place my folded clothes.  There were 'cubby hole' style built-ins in the bathroom area.  The other thing I found odd and actually quite annoying was the fact that you have to run the water in the sink for about 10 minutes before it'll get hot.  This is no exaggeration.  I called down to the front desk to ask about it, and was told that because of the hotel's green or gold status (I forgot which the desk clerk told me), the water pressure is very low and for energy saving purposes, the hot water is in conservation mode.  He literally told me I could run it for 5 or 6 minutes or that they could send a tech up to my room to remove the little governor thingie that controlled the flow and temperature.  I just ran the hot water in the shower for a couple minutes to make the sink water hot.  Odd, but more so annoying.  However, the shower was really nice and comfortable but it leaked water on the the floor because there wasn't a good seal on the door to prevent water leakage.

Anyway, there is a well-working refrigerator as well as a coffee maker.  You are given two complimentary bottles of water each day.  I liked that.  There's an easy to use in-room safe as well as a plug-in and play station for all your portable electronic devices.   There's free internet access, though I didn't have a laptop with me.  There's even a laundry room on the 6th floor.  Lots of viewing choices on the flat screen TV in the room.  Firm, but comfortable bed, and did I say the room was quite spacious?  Dog-friendly!  

The staff was quite friendly and my entire stay was very comfortable and I felt safe.  There are lots of places of convenience nearby.  University Mall is just down the road a couple of miles.

Would I stay here again, yes I would.  They just need to do something about that hot water issue!!!
5 - Jill A.: Probably the best hotel experience I've ever had. The staff could not be more friendly and helpful. Brian and Chase, we love you guys!  Thanks for everything!
5 - Dexter R.: Great hotel! I stayed here for a wedding and was very impressed. The rooms were spacious and very modern and the staff was helpful. The pool was small but well maintained and heated. Workout equipment was also modern and in good working order. 

Nice to have a full bar (open until 2am) in the lobby area.  Good location, just east of Chapel Hill/UNC and only a few miles from Durham (the dirty D). I would definitely stay here again.
5 - BJ E.: I, along with my friends, stay here during the North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival.   It is by far the nicest hotel we stay in.  The staff is super friendly, the bed are incredibly soft, and the showers are amazing.  

Their lounge downstairs is a great place to congregate after a show or at the end of the day.   Their gym and salt water pool is equally awesome.   

I look forward to coming to North Carolina every year, especially knowing I have a great place to sleep at when the day is over.
3 - Karman K.: This hotel took everything I thought I knew about hotels and flipped it upside down.  Not sure I'm trendy enough to make a habit of stopping by, but it has an amazing vibe.  

We recently had a bad experience with the bar - where they over charged us and made pretty terrible long islands.  The hotel itself is pretty unique though from the saline pool to the modern decor and amenities.  

Super cool, overall.
4 - Jamie S.: I was a guest at a meeting in the hotel's lower floor facility recently and was impressed by this place.  Very nice staff and supper clean / organized facility.  Everything looked brand new.  I would definitely recommend visitors to the area to try them out.
The only reason for the four stars is because of the parking situation.  It's always an issue in Chapel Hill.  Having never been to this location, I pulled into the front entrance and saw no parking (again... normal in Chapel Hill) but there was a large parking lot back and to the right.  That lot was block and the sign on the swing arm said for guest of the hotel and the shops next door only.  I didn't know if being an invitee for a meeting at the hotel counted, so I had to keep driving around until something outside the lot opened.  Seemed weird, but there was no signage outside telling people where to park.
Again... this is a minor point.  The facility is extremely nice.

Aloft Harlem - New York, NY (40.8091987, -73.9518517) (Harlem)
4 - Monique C.: Great little hotel in the heart of Harlem. The wxzy bar serves strong drinks and the staff is super friendly. From the moment we walked in we were welcomed. 
I'll be back.
4 - Nayanda M.: Had the pleasure of going the the WXYZ Bar after a last minute cancellation on Cinco de Mayo.  I'm so glad I did!!  The staff was friendly and professional as were the patrons.   I will be back!!
4 - Steve M.: Review is for the wxyz bar only.  

Posh bar in the heart of Harlem.  Cool vibe and color scheme in every direction.  Great option to meet up for some after-dinner drinks.  Pool table in case you want to knock the 8-ball around.  Plenty of lounge space to kick back and relax.  Drink prices are a bit on the high end.
4 - Tasha S.: OK it's been a while since I've done a review so I guess you can say I'm back on my A game. Or should I say Y game? lol. This review is for WXYZ bar only too.

So i literally just got home from going here. I used to pass it in the winter a saw such a nice set up outside. Cool go-green hues for longe cushion in the courtyard, homely set up on the inside with sudo-firplace, plush couches, and magnetic books on latte table. You can shoot a game of pool if you like too. "I think we found a new spot girls"

Young attractive professional started to come through the revolving doors. I wanted to stay longer but my co workers wanted to hop around a few spots. Happy hour was from 5-9. very easy to remember if you work a 9-5 ;-) I think on tuesdays they have chicken and beer for $13. How stereo typical for Harlem. lol. Just kidding. But we didnt indulge. Instead we each had a specialty drink off the menu. Reg priced $12-15 each but they didnt sham us on the alcohol. I had a Golf Tea which was amazing. At first sip you'll be like "where's the liquor" but trust me, its one of those..."how many fingers am I holding ups?" lol. 

I'd definitely go again and stay longer. Im curious to see how a full crowd is or how it changes if it does through the night. Thumbs up from WXY&Z. No complaints over here. Another trendy, cool spot in Harlem is always appreciated :-)
5 - Paulina V.: Hotel was modern, sexy, and cool. 

The rooms were very big comfortable and accommodating. 

All the staff went above and beyond the regular customer service standards to make me feel welcome and as if I was "home-away-from-home". 

Amazing!  Also I really appreciated the shampoo and conditioner dispensers (usually hotels give you the tiny little bottles, thats not cool) and the how the towels where warm when they arrived to my room. 

Lastly, I extremely appreciated the heightened security after hours, and that everyone there knew my name -- it was a definite plus!
4 - Kenny T.: The name Aloft came in probably about couple years ago, is the chain umbrella under the Startwoods, they're all together with Sheraton, W, Westin, Four Points, St. Regis and few more, can't remember, just google it. lol

For Starwood chain, Aloft came in with totally different style, not like your normal Sheraton for Four Points hotel style, Aloft is no traditional hotel, they came in with a little of the funky, but modern and relaxing 

First of all, lets talk about location, is located 2 blocks from blue line (A and C) and the orange line (B and D) subway trains, very easy to get there

Surrounding area, this hotel located across the street from a NYPD station, so I assuming it should be in the safest area. lol

When I got there, I looked around, which I'm very surprised, because this hotel located in like a main street, they're many delis, drug stores, small fast food restaurants in the area. 

I took the D train which is the express, 1 stop you will be on 59th Street and Columbus Circle close to Central Park, the ride is approx 7 to 8 minutes, and if you come down to Times Square, it will approx 15 minutes total, very easy and fast.

When you first walked inside the hotel, you will see the front desk, and instead of seeing the front desk staff wearing ties and suit like you will see in many hotels, you will find the staff here wearing Aloft t-shirt, they're very colorful 

To the right, you will see the WXYZ bar, not sure who came up with the name, sounded like they just throw it in there in the last minute. lol

But is a nice bar, is good place to go with few friends, relaxing, catching up, and on the other side, they have a small pool table, few other chairs, guests can sit down and relax, or waiting for their cars to pick them up

Now to the room, first of all, this is a big building, but is a small hotel, because half of them are condos on the 7th floor and higher, and the hotel part is only from 1 to 6 floors

This hotel has only standard room, no suites, no bigger rooms, they're all about the same size, the only differences is 1 King Bed or 2 Queen Beds, yes, I said 2 Queen Beds, which is very unusual in Manhattan hotel rooms, most hotel rooms offering 1 King or 2 doubles only

The room size is usual Manhattan size, but a little bigger, approx 285 to 300 sq ft

This hotel do have a gym, and the gym is a very good size, much bigger then most hotels gym

This is actually only 3 stars hotel, because they do not have a restaurant or a spa or swimming pool, I'm giving it 4 stars because of the size of the hotel

Like I mention to you before, this is a small hotel, so is easier for the staff to pay every single guest a very special service and attention and take good care of everyone

Is depending on the time of the year, but this hotel price usually about 15 to 20% lower then your usual Manhattan hotel room price 

If you have a few friends traveling to NYC and don't want to pay the high Manhattan price, this might be your answer, and to all the New Yorkers, if you are in the area, stop by WXYZ bar and tell us how you like it

Enjoy!!
5 - Tenicka B.: This hotel is absolutely unequivocally AMAZING. 

It is in the heart of Harlem right across from the famous HueMan bookstore and Magic Johnson theater. It is within walking distance (2 mins. top) of the Apollo Theater. 

The customer service is the best I've ever experienced. I believe one of the check-in personnel members name was Ashley. He was a load of information. He directed a friend and I to "The Kitchenette" in Morningside Heights. He also took pictures for us, handed out maps to us, and told us all about the historic Harlem neighborhood. The community is completely safe and the neighbors are welcoming. This isn't my first time in Harlem but it was my first time staying in Harlem. 

The room was spacious, modern, and sexy. The entire hotel is set up like a loft and the furniture is contemporary with wine and earth tones. With Adele playing in the lobby and pictures of Marvin Gaye on the wall. There is a bar downstairs that caters to young professionals (25-35) and the young at heart.

If you love Harlem and need a great attentive place to stay-this is IT! I will always stay here when I come to Harlem. AMAZING.
4 - Jake M.: Fantastic hotel. The staff was incredibly nice, and the rooms were big and modern. It's very close to the A,C,E lines and you can get to mid-town in usually less than 15 minutes. I will definitely be staying here again.
4 - Yasmin S.: More like a 3 star. But it's trendy and hip. The rooms are a perfect sanctuary for the price. A little off the between path but easily accessible by subway. Its an average of $15 Taxi ride to Time's Square. The bed's are extremely comfortable and have Direct TV.
5 - Donaldson H.: Great location and , unlike many if not most W and Aloft hotels, the staff is not consumed by their own hipness . . . They really do provide exceptional customer service.  Rooms are not that big, but this is New York . . .Very affordable for Manhattan.
5 - Nyko H.: Ahhhh if only I never had to leave... LOVED the service, room, the lounge with DJ in the lobby on the weekends.  Loved the ReFresh station (24 hours)! 

Only downside was at check in, the person checking me in told me "I've given you a room with a view".  Little did I know that it would mean a view of a parking lot and a wall of the side of the building across the street lol. But the purpose of traveling should be to get out of the room and find your own view, right? :)
4 - Carolus G.: Clean, comfortable, and spacious rooms at a reasonable price. Service is very friendly and efficient. Aloft's only poor aspect is its location, which could be better - nonetheless, it's located right next to the 125th metro line, so that's not a big deal. I'll definitely consider staying here again in the future.
5 - Catherine H.: I loved this hotel!  For NYC, the price was great and staff was WONDERFUL.  I was in town for some interviews, and they were great about calling a town car for me when I needed it.  The room was small, but not small for NYC, and the space was used in very effcient IKEA-like way.  Super-cute room with everything I needed and comfy bed.  I have no complaints and will absolutely stay here again.  LOVED it.  :)
5 - SARAH J.: OMG this has to be the best hotel EVER. Not only do they exemplify what all hotels should be, but they could teach ALL customer service reps a thing or two about true customer service.

But first let me begin by saying...LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION. This is truly the SPOT. It's right in the heart of Harlem. So you'll never have a dull moment. It's literally a block away from the Apollo Theater, steps away from the subway, and right next to some of the most world famous restaurants. 

But don't let me get started on the WXYZ bar. Why leave the hotel when they have something happening every night. The men are beautiful, most people are sociable, and the atmosphere just pulls you in. Monday nights are the BEST...grab a drink and sharpen up on your vocals because it's Karaoke night. OMG I never in my life had so much fun.

All in all....Aloft Harlem will never disappoint you. Nor will the people, nor will the employees, nor will the location. I will NOT stay anywhere else when I travel to New York :-)
4 - Shannon P.: Great hotel, friendly staff, great location to the upper west side!

The rooms are small, but that's to be expected in any W hotel, especially in NYC.  It's priced considerably lower than the more touristy areas yet close and convenient to many things.  Great XYZ bar in lobby and free wireless in the rooms...can't beat it.  We'll stay here again for sure.
4 - Jess L.: A good option for Columbia parents and hip people looking to stay in this area. The space is modern and fun, and the people working here are nice and professional. You get the bare necessities, but it's probably all you need. The bed is comfy, too. 

I suggest not paying the $45 to park your car over night. You can totally park it on the street.
4 - Elsa M.: Best hotel in Harlem, hands down.  The service is absolutely fantastic and the rooms are clean and large.  W Hotels have spoiled me, so staying at the W's kid sister Aloft is a bit of a change, however, it's definitely still in the same family and has enough style to make you feel ok about not being at the W. lol!
The complimentary tea and coffee downstairs and in the rooms is a nice touch, and, if you get the chance, you should buy some of the chocolate chip cookies downstairs. They are delicious! We didn't hang out in the XYZ lounge, but would have if we weren't at a wedding reception the night we stayed.
My only complaint is that there weren't many amenities in the room, save for one little lotion and a bar of soup.  The liquid soup in the bathroom is in a dispenser as if you were in a locker room at the gym, which is a little tacky if you ask me.  All the products are bliss products, but the same quality as the bliss products at the W, so don't be deceived.
All in all, I was very pleased with my stay there and would welcome a trip back soon. Price-wise it's a steal and you can't beat the overall comfort. Totally worth it.
5 - Leigh J.: Great hotel! Clean, cute, and the staff is absolutely amazing-- so nice and helpful. The surrounding neighborhood can be a little dicey, so if it's your first time in the city and you're worried about that I'd go somewhere further south.
5 - Deana L.: When the conference organizers said that the hotel would be Aloft Harlem, A Vision of the W Hotels, I thought I was going to throw up.  A "vision" of the W Hotels?! Please.  I thought I was going to walk into a faux-celebutante nightmare with pretentious staff that could barely care to lift their heads away from their iphones to check me in.
I was wrong.  Completely and totally wrong. And I am not afraid to admit it.
The staff were so friendly, helpful, nice, genuine, and a bunch of other similar adjectives.
The hotel lobby is funky, yet comfy.  Free printing on the lobby ipads or Macs.  The bar is lively at night and cozy.  The rooms are small, but clean and comfy.
The bathroom is really small and the sliding door doesn't completely shut.  There is a shower stall with a door that can be difficult to maneuver because of the spacing between the door and the toilet, but they offer bliss products (shampoo/conditioner and body wash) in the shower.
If you choose to not get your room cleaned everyday, they will either add on points to your SPG account or give you a gift cert for a place nearby. If you do, no worries.  You will also get free bottles of water each day. The rooms have small fridges underneath the sink too so you can save your leftovers from the wonderful restaurants in Harlem.
Overall, this is a great place.  If I have the money and the time and the need to be back, I would be here again.
3 - Sophia J.: This review is for the lounge area only. It's a nice, chill place to meet friends for a drink and listen to some music. I wasn't crazy about the pool table right next to the dance floor (who does that?!). Kept dodging people swinging the cue stick around. I might swing by this place again if I'm in the area again. away from the pool table that is...
5 - Diane M.: We stayed here for 5 days.  This place was like finding a rare gem.  My 3 year old even loved the place and wants to say a few words, "They were nice, nice. And they did good things for me. And they gave me gummy bears. They were like a rainbow."  

The staff was very friendly and greeted us every day as if we were longtime friends.  The hotel was clean and all requests were answered immediately (towels, glasses - whatever we requested).  The daily upkeep of the room by the cleaning staff was impeccable - no detail left undone.  Great quality linens and beds.  Nice modern designs everywhere and everything looked new and shiek.  

One of our FAVORITE things about this place actually had nothing really to do with the actual hotel.  It was --- that there is an express stop close by so even though we stayed all the way out in Harlem - we were able to get into town in no time.  Even if there wasn't an express stop - we'd recommend this as one of our top 3 places to stay when in NYC - especially if you are like us and have to always find the most economical option (we come often and economical can often mean....a &^%&^% hole).  The fact that there IS this express stop makes it our #1 favorite place to stay when we're in NYC.
4 - Gloria Y.: Stayed here for a week in August. 

Price: I did stay on my dad's employee discount so I can't comment on the affordability of the room itself. The to-go bar was affordable, even for a hotel. We forewent housekeeping for 4-5 days, and the $5 vouchers covered a fair amount.

Staff: Friendly and responsive. Prior to our trip, I asked the hotel if they could hold packages for me and how far in advance. They responded a couple of times a little differently (from a month to a week), so I just tried not to get anything sent too far ahead. Everything was there when I got there, and one package was even left in my room one day, which was very nice of them to do. There was no additional charge. We didn't really make any other requests, so I can't comment on that service.

Everyone was always nice. There were always at least a couple of people on the desk. It's not a big desk, so that's a nice touch, because it turned out at least one person was always free to talk to us. 

Our housekeeping one day wrote us a thank you note (!). That was much too nice, especially since I think we were messier on our last day. Sorry! I tried to leave a good tip. 

Cleanliness: Impeachable. We noticed a couple with two dogs halfway through our trip, but never detected any dog in our room. 

Sleeping: Really good bed, better than some other pricier hotels I've been. We were on the 3rd floor, facing the boulevard. The rooms on the front of the hotel are set in, but to be honest, you can still hear the street. We're used to a quieter city street, so it bugged us a little bit. If you're very sensitive, I read other people asked for a "quiet" room, so you may want to try that. 

We could hear the elevator ding, etc. ... we were a few feet away, I guess.

The A/C is great, but a bit loud when it's on. It actually didn't bother us ... maybe because we live in a basement apartment and we're used to the furnace/central air. The A/C we had on a trip to Washington DC was way louder (like comically so). You do need to turn the TV up though when it on.

Space: It's not really smaller than most hotel rooms I've been in, but it's definitely cleverer -- built-in storage in the room divider, etc. Had a king bed (schweeeet), a long desk, a TV, a chair, two side tables, plus a mini fridge.  

Tons of storage cubes and shelving; no closet (just a curtained storage space), but that didn't matter. No luggage rack, but you can easily fit your suitcases on the shelves if you need to keep your stuff off the floor. We had one carry-on sized case, and one larger, and both were fine. 

I think the smart layout helped it not feel small at all. The sleeping area definitely does not feel cramped in the slightest.

Copy of Wired magazine! Um, I don't know if it was complimentary, but we didn't try to take it. But it was pretty cool to have something better to read than ... I dunno. People. Entertainment Weekly.

The bathroom is more obvious ... it takes a bit of sidestepping to open the shower when you're standing next to the toilet. But I liked the shower. 

ONLY complaint: If you're travelling with a friend, I hope you're OK with hearing them poo (it's funny and builds trust and intimacy!). The sliding door on the bathroom doesn't close off completely. There's also no suction fan, as far as we could see. Yep. If you're neurotic about people listening to/smelling your functions ... maybe that's why they have a bar downstairs with a TV. 

Safety: Just fine. Lots of people around. It's just very slightly off the main stretch, so it's a bit quieter, but still populated at night (I think the latest we ever got back was around 11 PM). My only consternation were random motorcycle groups .. guys coming around on mopeds, blasting through red lights. Everyone seemed to not really react.

The nearby subway (125th St) is just as safe as any station downtown. It's not "sketchy" at all, unless you're not used to metro stations in general. Yeah, there was a panhandler, but we're used to them. Just be polite. 

FANTASTIC location. All trains stop at the 125th St so you can express your way anywhere.
5 - Dawn D.: Since I was in NY for work, I needed a home away from home. Aloft was Everything. The staff were accommodating. The entire hotel was spotless! A plus in my book. My room was and I love the sleekness in the decor.

I had access to get around the city as needed and situated with many restaurant options to chose from.

I will be back in NY next year so Aloft will be my "home".
3 - julie s.: Love this place, but one major complaint: no bathroom door. Seriously. The bathroom door in my room HAD a sliding door, but it was bolted open - there were large screws driven into the floor that kept it from being closed, and they were clearly there on purpose. I'm not exactly a Puritan, but seriously, there are some things I don't want to do in full view of other people, and taking a dump is one of them. 

Aside from that, what everyone else has said: great location, affordable, great staff, overall an amazing experience. I just can't get over the door thing. Even now, long after my stay, it makes me feel squicky, just because, who does that?
5 - EliteCruises A.: Neighborhood is in transition but, hotel is top notch.  Great service and personnel. Pleasant surroundings. Well secured entry.  Our requests for extra pillows, etc. were met instantly.  Not the typical Manhattan location but, only a couple of minutes from the subway/Metro.  Give them a try.

Aloha Kitchen - Seattle, WA (47.6623654, -122.3132754) (University District)
4 - John B.: This place is bomb and really cheap.  I had their bulgogi kimchee burger.  I had never heard of such a thing before, so curiosity got the better of me.  Nicely toasted sesame seed bun, lettuce, bulgogi in great sauce, grilled onions, and kimchee.  I think there may have been a bit of mayo on there as well, which wasn't exactly necessary.  Every bite i took of this thing was like pure heaven.  

I saw some girls eating a noodle soup which looked good, and this super skinny asian kid ordered the loco moco which looked like a heart attack on a plate.  One of the world's great mysteries will be how this kid stays skinny eating mocos.  If anyone knows the answer, please email me.

The only reason I didn't give this place 5 stars is because the food seemed a bit unnecessarily heavy, and they call themselves a Hawaiian place but don't have kalua pork.  Definitely the most Korean-influenced Hawaiian place I've been to.
3 - Matt R.: Thai Tom's busy and not gonna be able to seat you for an inconvenient amount of time?  Head to Aloha Kitchen and experience their unique Asian food.  They serve Hawaiian and Korean food.  

You have to try the bulgogi (not sure if I spelled it right) burger.  Slow marinated pork grilled and topped with onions and lettuce.  It slaughters most regular burgers I eat.  They have a good amount of Spam dishes to chose from.  

Also, for the adventurous types, they have chilli spaghetti.  If I know anything about food (as I pretend to to from time to time) that is one potent combination: pasta carbs and fiber.  Let me know how that works out for you.

UPDATE 2/12:  Re-opened under different management.  The menu is completely different and they removed the bulgogi and kimchee burger!  I'm not feelin' it anymore, dawg.
4 - Izzy H.: [[ E D I T ]]

I have to say that I am absolutely devastated. The owners have left this restaurant and it is under entirely new management and they have a brand spankin' new menu to boot. :( Once I get over the heartbreak, I'll let you all know how it tastes. Oh and they took away the 3.95 teriyaki special too :( 


This place has changed owners about two or three times this last year, but Aloha Kitchen seems to be drawing a steady crowd of people. It could, of course, be the 3.95 lunch special. (Chicken Teriyaki or Beef Teriyaki + Gyoza, with your choice of either macaroni salad or garden salad, and rice). 

Portions aren't half as big as University Teriyaki, but for the price its pretty damn good. The chicken is really good, grilled and crispy yumminess. I've never tried the garden salad, and generally I don't like macaroni salad. But I like it here. 

Didn't have the bulgogi burger - but it does look delicious. 

For the last two years I have been positively enamored with Korean spicy soft tofu soup. I've gone up and down the Ave trying all of them - and so far the top contenders are Uni teri and Aloha Kitchen. The kimchi version is a lot more sour and the mushroom version is saltier (which is more to my taste). 

Kimchi rice is delicious, although less sour and more soy saucey as well. 

The servers/cashiers are always really nice too :)
5 - AlohaSpirit S.: ****NOTE:  5 star is prior to February 2008 (NEW Owners)

Really enjoyed this place when Tony was running it.  Very tasty, good Hawaiian-type food.  Alas, I got off work at noon on Feb. 8, 08 (was that the day Obama was in town and I was trying to avoid traffic on I-5 South?) had the Aloha Kitchen menu in my car (even though I was sitting right next to U-teri (ever since I discovered Aloha Kitchen late summer I've opted to go there) and called.  Someone answered and said 'no Tony isn't here any more, I bought the restaurant a few weeks ago, come try, have a new menu'.  So sorry, didn't try, wanted Tony's food and his homemade kimchi.  

Look forward to hearing what other's are saying and what the actual menu is from the new owners.
4 - Peter L.: Aloha Kitchen is a misnomer, and the name is a leftover from a previous business.  Adding to the confusion, it is also known as "Jjang" in Korean, and the new owner-chef previously worked at Imo in Pioneer Square.  So after we get past all of confusion, what can we expect?  Aloha Kitchen or Jjang really does a good job with "bunshik" or Korean snack or street food.  Dishes like Dukbokgi (rice cake in spicy sauce), Kimchee jigye (kinchee stew), and spicy bbq pork are all very good and inexpensive.  The jjajjangmyun (noodles in black bean sauce) was interesting.  The noodles were completely off (used overcooked udon noodles instead), but the sauce was very hearty and included chunks of pork.  They also have standard Japanese fare like curry rice and katsu, which are ok but not great.  But for spicy Korean fare, Aloha Kitchen hits the spot.
3 - David M.: They should really just pay the money and change the name of the restaurant.  This place is strickly a Korean joint, with nothing on the menu to really justify "Aloha" in the name.

The Korean/Japanese food was actually pretty good.  I had the "Jjamppong" - which was described on the menu as "spicy udon."  The teriyaki and katsu was also tasty.
1 - Andy G.: I don't know what happened, but this restaurant is one star, if that.  Stopping in because of the Aloha name, thinking we might find a rad new Hawaiian joint, we were suckered into this place.  Not a good sign when there was no soda in the cooler and the people in the sparse space looked like they were awaiting sentencing at a murder trial.  Anyway, the place was freezing.  It was probably 40 degrees outside and maybe 5 or 10 degrees warmer inside.  There was a single space heater heating the entire restaurant.  I guess if we would have been getting takeaway, it would not have been as big of a deal...but it also was not fast at all.  Two of the workers were carrying on and eating instead of cooking, meaning we had to wait nearly 25 minutes for two orders of katsu.  The food itself was not bad, maybe 2.5 star or 3, but the overall experience of Aloha Kitchen was a disaster.  Stay away.

Alonso's Auto Repair - Upland, CA (34.1028057153505, -117.685546875) ()
5 - Roberto V.: I have been going to Alonso's Auto Repair for several years and I have always had a good experience.  Freddy is a great mechanic whom I trust.  Every single time that I have had a problem with my car, Freddy has always been honest with the cause of my issue as well as the cost for the parts and the labor.

If anyone is looking for a good mechanic around the Upland Area, Alonso's Auto Repair is my #1 choice.
5 - Val M.: My parents had some trouble with their Ford and after the dealer was rude and adding on repair after repair for almost thousands of dollars, they had their car towed to Alonso's on a friend's recommendation. The shop is clean. Alonso was so nice and it was refreshing to find a mechanic who was honest about parts and labor costs and took the time to find out what was really wrong instead of charging for unnecessary repairs.. All the repairs were significantly less than the dealer charged, were done quickly and were done right the first time. Thank you Alonso's! We won't be going anywhere else.
5 - Marc E.: i been going to Alonso for many years always a good experience, and also recommended him to my friends , nothing but a positive feed back ,very happy with all his work ..
5 - Mike J.: I've been going to Alonso's Auto Repair for about nine years. Freddy is always friendly and honest and has done a great job of keeping my cars serviced at a fair price. After being ripped off at the dealer too many times I feel lucky to have him nearby and I've recommended him to friends, coworkers and family.
5 - Reece L.: My car sat dead for a year as I tried several repairs that my former mechanic wanted to charge $1000 for, yet none of them actually fixed the car.  I figured I would give it one more shot before calling the junk yard.  Alonso diagnosed my car within a few hours and had it fixed and back to me the very next day for less than $300!  I have been driving it problem free for the past 3 weeks.  I don't know about you, but for the life of this car every time it needed a repair, I couldn't get one done for under $500.  Alonso fixed it right and with such a great price!  He is for sure the only mechanic I will go to.  Honest, thorough and fair.
5 - Jennifer L.: Alonso's Auto Repair rocks! Alonso is a super laid back guy and not pushy at all. He is a mechanic you can trust. We recently bought a used car in Upland and needed to get it checked in a pinch.  We went to Alonso's Auto Repair because it got such  great reviews on yelp.  It turns out, he deserves it! We got excellent service! He was able to accomodate our schedule and was realy sweet about it. He was super thorough with the inspection he gave, and he did it for a very reasonable price. I would highly recommend his shop!
5 - Sean O.: My mom needed to replace her starter recently. I called a few of the places around her neighborhood, and Alonso was the most honest and confident (that he knew what he was doing) sounding, and gave a fair estimate/price. 

I referred him to my mom, and she got it towed over the next day. Alonso was kind enough to drop her off and pick her up while the car was worked-on/finished, which I greatly appreciate!

Many thanks, Alonso!!
5 - Alexis D.: Hands down one of the greatest people my husband and i have ever met.. And i say that because he is generally a good man, an honest mechanic, and we didnt have to be a friend or relative to get that treatment from hi..


Alonso if you can read this, thank you so much! Hope these reviews help in your business' growth.. Thank you for spending the time fixing my husband daniel's car ac, and for working really hard on it. We wish we could pay you more than you charged us.. However for now, while we got no extra cash, i hope recommending you to our friends and family would work.. We really owe you a lot.. God bless you, you were so kind to my husband..
5 - Michelle M.: Recently took the family car into Alonso's shop after researching various mechanics in the area.  So glad we decided not to take it to the dealer! It needed quite a bit of work and Alonso did everything for a price that was very reasonable.  He only took a day to do all of the repairs and we couldnt be happier with the results.  They truly do quality work at a fair price. We will definitely be bringing our cars to his shop again. 5 stars!

Alonti Cafe & Catering - Houston, TX (29.711575, -95.4000163) (Medical Center)
4 - Stan L.: Decent salad bar. Conveniently located near Methodist. A bit pricy though.
3 - Sherwin S.: There is nothing either great or terrible about Alonti inside Methodist hospital. It is a decent choice...when there are no other options!!! I really like their cookies and chips.
4 - Cara J.: Initially this was going to be a 1 star review for the catering which arrived late to a meeting I was hosting and also had pasta salads (gross) when I ordered fruit cups for the lunch boxes.  However, they know how to keep a customer.  They called me and delivered a fruit platter the next day (they do a lot of business the law school).  

Bottom line: Great customer service when they make a mistake, but not a small possibility of making a mistake in the first place.  Also pretty good food & a reasonable delivery fee.
4 - David N.: Since, I've been working at the hospital, I've been bringing my lunch more and more since it's getting expensive to eat out, however, every once in awhile I still enjoy going out and splurging.  Alonti gives me a quic fast and not too expensive option.  Recently I had the California club and it was so good.  It was packed with turkey, had bacon, and just the right amount of avocado.  

It's one of my go to spots if I want to eat out and want something good but affordable.
5 - Joshua S.: Several options for lunch: salad bar, buffet line, made to order sandwiches, and smoothies. I highly recommend the brisket, chicken enchiladas (kind of sweet tasting), and bacon/cheese mashed potatoes on the buffet line.  I recommend the club sandwich and the peanut butter/banana/chocolate smoothie. Kind of pricey ($9-13) for lunch but quick. 

I go here about once a week.
4 - Lorna G.: I am now committed to only eating here when I'm in the medical center... I LOVE the mashed potatoes, pasta salad and the to-go salad section.  The mashed potatoes are clearly made with a bunch of cream and chives and the pasta salad has pecans and pesto-y goodness.  It always has a decent crowd and the only negative is it is actually quite pricey when you start weighing the food.  At the end of the day, the quality and taste of this food is my favorite within walking distance...

Alpha Cleaners - Cambridge, MA (42.365079, -71.104519) (Central Square)
2 - Ryan K.: Avoid if possible. This is a dinky establishment in the basement of the MIT student center -- tucked away, as if even MIT wants to deny its existence. 

I'm living on campus this term and needed something dry-cleaned overnight. I called at around 1pm, and was greeted with a friendly promise that as long as I got my shirts and slacks in that day, I could have it the next day. So I go in after class, at around 3, and the lady behind the counter didn't accept my clothes, saying "you should have brought them in earlier." To appease her, I paid cash and left.

The next day, I went at the end of the day, and the same lady tried to charge me for the same job. I told her I had paid cash, and she claimed that whenever someone pays she signs the receipt. I showed her my receipt, as well as my EXACT CHANGE IN CASH from the day before. No dice. I paid again because I was in a hurry, and will not be going back again. 

Pros: 
-on-campus
Cons:
-cash-only
-lady speaks terrible english (worse than most dry-cleaning shops)
-bad service
-loud, staticky Chinese soap opera playing in the background 

Try the millions of dry-cleaning shops in Back Bay instead. I go to Galleria Cleaners at Mass. Ave. and Marlborough when possible.
4 - Michael C.: Have gone 3 times and twice had excellent service (including buttons redone, etc.) and always a friendly smile.  once had just acceptable service (one suit jacket wasn't as clean as I'd expect; next time I asked for more attention to be paid to pits, etc., and was great).

I don't know if I'd go if I didn't generally have a suit with me at MIT that needed cleaning, but it's done me quite well.  

Oh, and contra the other review, I find the staticky Chinese soap operas one of the pros of the joint -- along with the cheerful proprietress one of the main things lighting up what is, agreed, a dreary location.
1 - Shuang C.: This place is so bad I'm trying to restrain myself from using curse words in this review. Seriously, I paid $15 to clean my peacoat, and when I got it it looks/smells the same as before, with the same amount of hair and lint. WTF? Huge scam.

Alpha Lanes - Troy, NY (42.764492, -73.67759) ()
4 - Torben O.: I'm a stickler when it comes down to my bowling alleys. I gotta have a local, blue collar, working class bowling alley when I feel the need to throw a ball or twenty. This one fill all the requirements and has a bar filled with loud locals, blaring music and a greasy snack bar too. 

What exactly is Alpha Lanes?  It's Troy at it's finest.....plus Friday and Saturday nights 1 dollar games and 1 dollar shoe rentals...not a bad place to blow 10 bucks.
3 - Lai-Yee B.: When is a bowling alley not a bowling alley? When it's a bar.

There's a bowling alley that opens at a certain time at night. I think like, 8/9? But otherwise if it's open, it's probably just the bar.

Alpha Omega Jewelers - Cambridge, MA (42.3733731, -71.1191679) (Harvard Square)
5 - Sam S.: Might be a bit biased because I grew up watching this place grow into a fine jewlery and watch store right in the heart of the square. Thank you for taking over abercrombie...they had absolutely no right to pop up in the middle of the sq. 

These days, with the watch trend booming, this is the perfect place to grab yourself a bling bling time piece...and we're not talking just rolex', they have all kinds of craftsmanship including perpetuals, open faces, flight and diving chronos, and the ever-so-pricey turbillions!
4 - Melissa W.: Alpha Omega has a great selection of watches.  We finally found something digital, sleek, and design-conscious for my architect girl.  Go ahead.  I dare you.  Try to find a sleek digital watch that's elegant.  Yeah.  That's why I love Alpha Omega.

For engagement rings and wedding bands, they have a good selection and good service.  But they're pretty mainstream, and probably pricier than they need to be.  For a funky band for my girl, I went downtown to the Boston Jeweler's Exchange Building.  You know, the tower of diamond jewelers across from H&M - it's like a dingy sort of heaven in there.  Selection!  And cutthroat competitive prices.  I came out of there with exactly what I needed and a bargain.  But I suppose that's another review...
4 - erica c.: AO is known for their AMAZING collection of timepieces, when I finally splurge on a fancy watch...it will be here.

The staff is super duper knowledgeable and helpful and the upstairs watch section is like a fine watch museum.....so many interesting and complicated watches....if  only I were a watch collector...

Oh and they also have great engagement rings and fabulous baubles from Brazilian designer H Stern.....still daydreaming about their fabulous cocktail rings.........a girl can dream right?
1 - Ella W.: I have been dissapointed a couple of times by the lack of customer service in this store.  I am surpised by the experience that I had.  I took my business elsewhere.
3 - Ciao H.: This review is biased, because I'm rating this store on the basis of their service with jewlry, not watches. 

That said, I can't say I'd ever go back to this place to buy a nice bauble. 

The service is super slow, although they do try their best to help you. I can't tell if its the way this particular store is set up (as far as access to a register/amount of staff for each department) but they seemed to take forever ringing me up. 

Also, I found out the hard way that if you need to return something, you can only get store credit, no refunds. So, buyer beware. 

On the other hand, this branch has a very casual, very convenient lay away system. You can take about 6-7 months to pay something off and you don't even have to go into the store to make payments, you can call in with a credit card. Plus there's no interest charged. Nice. 

And though their selection of jewlrey (not watches!) is limited, they do have some really lovely designer pieces. Just seemed a little pricey. But that's Harvard Squ for you I guess....
4 - A A.: I couldn't find the right watch but they were very helpful and are able to change bands, etc. for you.  Be pleasant and you'll get great service.
1 - Lynda M.: Judging from this article, looks like the owner has fled the country and the stores will be closing. If you have items on lay away or being repaired, I would pick them up pronto!

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2007/12/20/alpha_omega_owner_leaves_amid_rumors_report_says/

Alphabet Soup - Ithaca, NY (42.439293, -76.497852) ()
4 - Heather B.: A (way less expensive) mini FAO Schwartz located right on Ithaca's Commons!! Ok, it's definitely not as large as FAO and doesn't carry quite the same plethora of toys, but this cute store is filled to the brim with toys of all shapes and sizes. It's definitely the best place to buy toys in Ithaca, although the price tag will surely be a bit higher than Wal-mart. Nonetheless, I didn't find the prices outrageous, and I had a hard time deciding when to leave. Definitely a great place to take the kids while enjoying a sunny day at the Commons.
4 - Stacy Z.: A visit to Alphabet Soup is not unlike taking a stroll through one's childhood.  It's like being in kindergarten again, surrounded by colorful building blocks and old-school toys like marbles and picture books. Every time I come here, I'm struck by how some of my standby favorites are still popular with kids (The Paper Bag Princess, I Spy). Sometimes, I'm tempted to walk in just to oogle over the Hello Kitty display.

 Alphabet Soup is the perfect place to shop for a small child, but I've been there plenty of times with my friends. We've yet to notice any odd looks. Definitely the best place to go if you're in the mood for elementary school nostalgia or you want to buy Little Billy something that's not a new Pokemon game for his PS2.
4 - Lisa S.: A toy store and a whole lot more.  You never know what clever, surprising little thing you'll find, sometimes for people a whole lot older than the clientele they're focused on.  It's one of those fun stores for kids to hang out in and play and browse and discover interesting things - not overwhelming and commercially!  Stuff for all ages.
4 - Alicia L.: Nice toy store with a focus on creative and inspiring toys so that kids use their imaginations while playing.  They also have a nice assortment of musical instruments for kids to play with.

Alphagraphics - Providence, RI (41.8252379, -71.4094094) (DownCity)
5 - Andy F.: I have never ever ever had a problem with these guys. They do everything a Kinkos does and so much more. They print posters (4'x3', 6'x4', 8'x10', etc.) for a better price at better quality than I have seen anywhere. The staff is extremely helpful. They have a super quick turnaround time. Basically, everything I want in a print media service.
5 - Hilary H.: Amazing service, printing, and efficiency!

I connected with the very helpful Mary Lou, who was kind enough to respond to my website inquiry via phone. She asked me exactly what I was looking for, and within a few days I had in my possession precisely what we had discussed, and for a very reasonable price. They were even packaged neatly, and the accompanying receipt was super-clear and expense-report friendly. 

I will always, always use Alphagraphics for future events. So excited I found them!
5 - R E.: Great printer who saved us a little bit of money on our routine jobs, and cut the turn time in half!   Plus they deliver

Alphonse Berber Gallery - Berkeley, CA (37.8687331, -122.25837) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
5 - Daniel B.: I was really impressed by this gallery. We stumbled upon it after leaving the Berkeley Art Museum, and while we had already had our fill of art for the day, could not resist the allure of the giant motorized contraptions that churn away in the front room. This has always been such a strange and underutilized block of retail. But the gallery managed to snag one of the nicest storefronts on this block and turn it into something really special inside. The front space is clean and light filled, but with just enough architectural touches to keep it funky. The second room, up short flight of steps, is much more unique, with rich wood floors and built in salvaged cabinetry which gave each group of works its own space. The back room was small and somehow pleasantly creepy. A diverse series of spaces for a diverse collection of artists.

The art was a great mix of the aformentioned mechanized sculptures, paintings and drawings, and wearable crafts such as silkscreened ties, handpainted sneakers, and cool laser cut earrings by Molly M. All the works in the current show are very cool, contemporary and design-oriented. Looking forward to future shows, and hope I can make it to the opening next time.
5 - Casey S.: The Alphonse Berber Gallery is a treasure in campus-local Berkeley--an excellent compliment to an evening at the BAM or a stroll down Bancroft at any time of day. The multi-tiered structure of the gallery relieves the white-walled monotony of most modern art places, granting visitors a pleasantly varied experience as they make their way through the immense space. At the opening reception, I was treated to an amazing kinetic sculpture composed of two giant wheels and a ton of string rigged to form a sine wave out of wooden pegs (for the physics fond DIY'er); a set of truly unique zip-apart handbags (for the fashion driven); and a jellyfish-like kaleidoscopic projection (for the experiment-loving art-tripper). Whatever kind of art admirer you are, there's something for you at Alphonse Berber. Way to go Berkeley, it's about time for some culture!
5 - Laura M.: Like others, I too stumbled upon this gallery on my way to buy some Cal gear.  The way that the space, a former men's clothing store, has been preserved and repurposed into gallery show cases is eerie, but very cool. There are exhibits in small closets, and pieces placed in former cabinetry used to display high-end men's business suits. This wasn't immediately apparent, but when Co-director Cameron Jackson told me of the space's former use, I could see it everywhere and applaud how the space was artfully integrated into the gallery design, rather than gutted and plastered over. 

The steaming machine in the basement area is a treasure to be retained too. The art is beautiful and a nice spectrum of sizes and mediums, all very affordable for the quality, which is a rarity these days. There are installations, pieces you can interact with (kinetic sculpture), fashion design, jewelry and small pieces, and paintings. My favorite were three dimensional repurposed paintings by Gregory Euclide that were mini-landscapes, esp. one with cigarette filters cut into small logs and mounted on a rolling piece of hillside.

Cameron Jackson, was very approachable, helpful and didn't have that pushy - buy something now - vibe. I had a really great time there, and didn't want to leave.
1 - Catalina A.: I was visiting from out of town and stumbled upon this gallery with my best friend,who was about to graduate from her master of fine arts program and wanted to check it out. As a contemporary artist and a freelance PR for new artists,I often search for new  contemporary art works but quite frankly, I was not impressed. What a waste of time. It may have been not one of the better exhibits, but the contemporary art showcased was nothing new, though it is always nice to see very local-esk artists get exhibited. The whole vibe of the curators demeanors were very fake, and it was clear this Cameron Jackson individual I was cornered by (supposedly a co-director) was blowing smoke out his ass while trying to make superficial conversation. It was making me uncomfortable.The name dropping about people he didn't seem to know didn't really score points either.The layout was spacious, however, their aim to accomadate the art pieces by "diverging" from the typical white wall was not executed. Putting pieces up in a black closet that looks like its from Ikea didn't count, and the cheap wine wasn't sitting well. I thought the people in charge were rather green, and pretentious. There were one or two note-worthy installations, but overall, it was rather mediocre. I've definitely seen better work at senior final project exhibitions.
5 - Jason B.: I walked by & did a double take as I was strolling down Bancroft, decided to take a peek & was able to catch a quick glimpse of the 'Works that Disturb the Moonlight exhibit' by Angie Crabtree & various artists. I remember this space as not really having anything of much significance to it previously, but was pleasantly suprised as I walked in. 

Very spacious gallery with good lighting & great collection of artists, very Impressive. The back room had an eerie short film playing which played well with the theme of the aestheticized human body in both extremes of its cultual perception. The sculptures were the highlight of the show, depicting the human male genitalia. Very abstract, & twisted. Hoping to catch some opening shows here in the future

Alpine Bagel - Cambridge, MA (42.3595182, -71.0940105) (Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - Seth P.: While my personal favorite Bageleria is Finagle a Bagel this one is a close second. At Alpine Bagel they've got fresh bagels everyday and their very own brick oven. They make a mean pepperoni pizza. Also to add to the zest they've go a Freshens smoothie place right in their store. Alpine Bagel is also located in the MIT student center. Great food, great prices, just watch out for the crowds.
4 - Jessica R.: I give it 4 stars because they have one sandwich that is vegan and pretty tasty.  This sandwich is really your only choice if you are looking for food at the student center.  It's your standard humus, lettuce, sprouts, and onions on a toasted bagel.

I've eaten this a lot.

edit 5/2006: apparently this being replaced with a dunkin' donuts.  I can't believe MIT is putting a dunkin donuts in its most prominent retail food spot.  adios alpine
4 - Kathleen T.: I was first introduced to Alpine Bagel by a friend at MIT and I am thankful for it.  Whenever I need a quick bite, at a somewhat reasonable price, Ican stop in and get a bagel, whether I create it from scratch or order another of their tasty bagel sandwiches.
2 - Amy L.: The burgers taste like shit and they are always burnt. I once asked if I could get a burger a little less than black and the worker told me the meat is so lo-qual that they can only be served well done. The smoothies, pizza, and bagels are all mediocre. The only thing I get here is the "hummus is amung us" bagel sandwich.
5 - John J.: Wonderful friendly staff!  Superb service!  Everything about Alpine Bagel Cafe is absolutely super!  I visit this place every time I visit M.I.T. (which is my Alma Mater).

P.S.  Alpine Bagel is no longer here.  Ownership has changed, and the space is now shared by Cambridge Grill and a Dunkin Donuts.  These new owners seem to have kept the same wonderful friendly staff.

Alpine Bagels - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9102731131237, -79.0479826927185) ()
4 - Jake S.: Alpine is a tasty and convenient on-campus option. They offer a great variety of bagels in traditional form and with sandwiches. They also have a good number of coffee flavors which is often useful for students on their way into the library or class.

The food is cheap and their bagels and coffee offerings are complimented by lots of sandwiches on loaf bread, salads, yogurts, and fresh fruits.

There is adequate seating in the Student Union to enjoy a conversation, but this is also quick enough to grab on the run.
4 - Kianna M.: This is a great place to dip in and out of, when you're hungry and would like a bagel in the morning or a sandwich or salad in the afternoon.  No matter if you commute to RTP by way of bus, work on campus or a student its pretty easy to swing through here.  They've got great indoor seating, and 2 big screen TVs going so you can catch up on the latest happenings.  There is also outdoor seating which is really nice if you want to enjoy a warm sunny afternoon with your parfait or a salad.
4 - William J.: Hm... A good friend of mine once worked at Alpine.  Let's consult him on the subject.  John?

John: AH!  Bagel!  Bagel!  No more bagels!

That's an actual quote.

Unfortunately for John, I don't exactly agree.  Alpine is ideally located right on the center of UNC's campus, easily accessible for anyone just walking around.  The staff is surprisingly helpful and swift, and the menu is actually pretty varied (for a bagel shop).  Pricing isn't bad, although you're definitely paying for the location.  Always reliable for a quick bite on the go.

The Sully Sauce deserves specific mention.  This stuff is a kind of horseradish sauce or something, although I think they also make it with raw happiness, or maybe essence of smiles.  It's amazing, so be sure to give it a nod on whatever sandwich you get.
4 - Katherine M.: It's Alpine. What is there to say? Think a Panera-type place, with bagels. Things to know:

- It's near the Pit and in the union, so expect lines at peak lunch hours and under no circumstances expect to find a seat in the main union area during any mealtime. Just go downstairs. 

- The staff members will probably try to flirt with you; do your best to ignore them.

- Circumstantial evidence suggests that their granola parfaits have some sort of addictive substance. This has not been verified by any formal studies.
4 - Adrienne E.: Mostly because it's in the same building where I work, I eat at Alpine at least once a week. It's a good place to grab a quick lunch, but if you show up at noon, there WILL be a long line. The staff is mostly friendly and, with the exception of brand new employees, very fast. I usually get the Pole Vault, which has turkey, sprouts, bacon scallion cream cheese, and banana peppers on it. And Alpine doesn't just serve bagels - they also have salads, muffins, cookies, and coffee. Most bagels, sandwiches, and salads are around $5 or $6, which is probably a little too much, but most of the food options at UNC are overpriced and underwhelming, anyway.
3 - John L.: I have a crapload of check-ins here, but no review.  I should probably rectify this (well, it does help that my iPod touch does get wireless at UNC. :)

You will probably never go here unless you have some reason to be on the UNC Campus.  Housed in the student union-ish area around campus, it's real draw is their big cups of coffee.  Is the coffee as good as, say, The Daily Grind?  Probably not.  And the food is okay, but not remarkable (bagels, overpriced fruit cups, etc).

But I'd say it's A-OK.  They have big cups of coffee.  And for someone with an unhealthy caffeine addiction, that's fine by me.  (is it a problem that I now refer to giant cups of coffee as "The Precious"?)
3 - Coleen T.: This place is one of the better food choices on campus next to Med Deli, Q Shack and Chik-fil-a.  Honestly I think it's a bit overpriced and both times I have gotten one of their bagel sandwiches I was unimpressed.  On the bright side they are open really late compared with other options on campus and they have really great seating options.... also their coffee is pretty cheap and they have good selections of side items (like cookies, muffins, chips, fruit etc).
3 - Nicole H.: I didn't actually get a bagel here, but I did have a bowl of fruit and a cup of coffee. The fruit was fresh and varied, and the drinks were all self-serve. The coffee - well, it wasn't bad, and it was bottomless for as long as I studied there. Can't complain about that! Definitely a place for UNC students/affiliates, not anyone just visiting Chapel Hill.
5 - Melanie S.: I love this place. It's a great place for students to grab something to go...everything is reasonably priced and delicious and my personal favorite is the chipotle turkey...which is pretty much to die for!
2 - Jake G.: The food isn't repulsive. I've eaten there multiple times because it's convenient and not bad. The BLT bagel is actually really good. But I just can't even give it three stars. Why?

Ordered the Oval Office - Bagel with Scrambled eggs, cheese, sausage, hot sauce and red onion. They poured the raw egg mixture into a bowl with the sausage, cheese and hot sauce and then popped it in the microwave for 1:15. 6 bucks for microwaved scrambled eggs? They take 1:15 to make on a stove. 

Paying 6 bucks for microwaved food sucks.

Alpine Collision Center Inc - Upland, CA (34.1140785433386, -117.691040039062) ()
4 - Kristine C.: 3.5 stars

Had my car towed here per my insurance AAA recommendations after I got in an accident nearby. My car was pretty beat up- mostly along the drivers side, and esp the front bumper and wheel.
 
Repair job was just OK. It was finished earlier than the estimate so I was happy with that, and they even picked me up from Fontucky when my car was ready! 

Afterwards though, my car was making some noticeably loud creaky old bone sounds every time I stepped on the breaks and especially right when I turned the car on it was worse. So I took it back, and they basically said that it was in my head and that they didn't hear ANYTHING which was super frustrating. Understandably, your car is never quite the same as it was pre-accident, but still.

Overall, the people were pretty nice and accommodating. The office and body shop is nice, clean, and spacious so you feel pretty comfortable leaving your car there which is important.
5 - Ryan D.: I was recommended here by the dealership I bought my Chevy truck at after I got in a front and rear end collision. I figured that if the dealership recommended the place, it has to be good otherwise if it wasn't, the dealer would get a bad rap for recommending it as much as the collision center. I can say that Alpine has done an excellent job.

Brought my truck in here for some front and rear end damage, including the rear parking electronics and the tailgate. They coordinate with Enterprise (who is just down the street) for rentals and Enterprise will pick you up at Alpine to work out rentals with you. The Alpine office is clean and sharp, as well as the body shop itself.

The staff at Alpine are friendly and professional. They called several times to update me about my truck's status during the week that it was being repaired. At the end of the repair, they gave a copy of an itemized list of parts and labor with costs and did a walkthrough with me over my truck. They even thoroughly washed the truck with detailing both inside and out.

I haven't had any issues with my truck since and I'm completely satisfied with the work they've done.
1 - Evelyn A.: Our experience was horrible!! Yes, everyone was nice and very helpful in the begining but it didnt take long for it to turn into unanswered calls and a lot of unanswered questions. Our truck was "fixed" even though we complained about our dash lighting up like a Christmas tree and a horrible noise coming from where the impact was, but we were assured that "everything" checked out "perfect". Long horrible story short....after 4 rent a cars...weeks  of going back and forth we were finally humored by the manager who allowed a mechanic to ride with us to hear what we were complaining about. What was wrong with our "perfect" truck? A cracked axel!! 

Horrible communication with us and also making us drive back and forth for NO reason only to hear " Oh no one called you?". Would never go back to this location.
4 - Rita H.: My family has had quite a bit of car trouble. From big accidents to knocked off side mirrors, we've had it all. Pretty bad record as a family. Haha. 

Over the years, we have brought our cars to Alpine and always been treated well. This most recent time, I brought my car to get a side dent and broken side mirror fixed. I needed the car back in about a week. Although they called and delayed one day, it was still finished pretty quickly. When I came in to pick up, they were really nice and friendly and offered me a cold bottle of water on a hot day. Customer service is always a plus!

When they brought out my car, they did an awesome job! They found used parts for my side mirrors to help me cut down on the costs. The paint matched perfectly and it just looked brand new. They were reasonable with their pricing and really did a great job!
1 - Jeff F.: First of all i am very disappointed, they have a very friendly staff and service center and they have done good work in the past. This time it was different, Un returned calls, Estimate promised that afternoon and 3 days later still no estimate. Several calls for the service writer and and call left for the manager and left message, no return calls.

Sad, I thought customer service was #1, not in this case!

Alpine Dental - Austin, TX (30.289366, -97.728069) (University of Texas)
5 - Kani S.: I was there for the first time in February 2010. I had TMJ, and Dr. Russell didn't even take a look at my teeth at all, but instead took the time to discuss what could be "really" causing the pain. The consultation turned out to be very helpful, and my pain was soon gone after talking to him-- amazing! 

So 2 months later, I went in there again to get my teeth cleaned. Everyone there understands what your insurance covers (and what it doesn't), and they really work with you. I felt also good that Dr. Russell actually remembered who I was and what I do, etc. And he's just really nice, genuine person, as much as he's a great dentist. Needless to say, he did a great job on cleaning my teeth =) 

One more plus: the office is very Austinian! I think they have a little cute art gallery run by Dr. Russell's wife as well, who is also very nice (she was at the reception today). I'm going to take a close look at the gallery the next time I'm in there. 

So yea, eat lots of candies and go meet Dr. Russell =)
5 - Honey G.: NO GUILT Dentistry! Dr. Russell is a very patient dentist. The biggest surprise is that he does the cleanings himself! And he spends the time to show you your x-rays and explain every thing very patiently. No hit-and-run dentistry! His rates are very reasonable, even for the uninsured. I live in New York City and wait for my visits home to Austin for all my dental cleanings and check-ups. I'm so glad I found Dr. Russell and his lovely staff!
5 - Nicole R.: First things first: I'm sooooo lazy on cleaning my teeth!!! Dr. Russell is so much cheaper than other parts of the country and in my view, does a better job cleaning them. I love him and his wife...NOT ROMANTICALLY, you know what I mean, as business owners. While there, Mrs. Russell has jewelry and an artwork gallery showcasing paintings for sale for whoever likes that.
5 - Susie L.: I have to echo my fellow reviewers-- Dr. Russel is WONDERFUL and incredibly patient. He is thorough and takes the time to explain everything without being condescending or talking down to you. He also won't try to sell you fancy expensive products like special toothbrushes and whitening treatments (a major pet peeve of mine). 
It's also super convenient if you live or work near the University and he is very accomodating with his schedule. I have been to the office twice in the last 2 weeks (once for a check up, once to have a cavity filled). It sounds strange to say about a visit to the dentist, especially when drills are involved, but it was actually a pleasant experience!
5 - Yvonne L.: My husband and I have been going to Dr. Merrill Russell for more than ten years and we both agree he's got to be the best dentist anywhere. Dr. Russell treats his patients with care and has the gentlest touch -- you're treated as a person and not just a set of teeth! Staff are friendly and also very caring, plus his wife Linda runs a cute art gallery and jewelry line available in the office. The office is in a converted home, so the atmosphere is very cozy and comfortable.
5 - LA B.: I love going to this little house/office to get my teeth clean. First, it is not hectic and I don't have to wait in the waiting room. Second, Dr.Russell actually cleans your teeth- not an assistant. The staff is very friendly.
5 - J Y.: During college at UT, I lived in the campus dorms, and needed a dentist to go to. For the first year, i actually had my parents drive me all the way back to Westlake area to go our normal dentist, but then my girlfriend recommended I go to her dentist, right off of campus, like maybe a 10 minute walk from my dorm down dean keaton.
Doc Russell doesn't have that many patients, I don't know why. He's fast, he does a good job, he's very friendly, and he doesn't mess up like the dentists of everybody's childhood, mine included. Doesn't pitch sales for teeth products (he has some posters to do that, but they're sparse and funny too). He also accepts a whole boatload of insurance, I don't pay for anything thanks to Humana. 
His practice is pretty small, the building looks exactly like a small house, and I couldn't recognize it as a dental practice the first time i went into it. Inside, there's a bunch of Doc's wife's art in a room, and I heard she may try to sell it to you, but I haven't run into her early at 8am in the morning each time I went.
The only issue I can think of is that he's not licensed to do surgical procedures. However, he knows of names around the area to recommend to you for anything you may need like wisdom teeth removal. If you need a dentist, give Doc Russell a try. The rest of my family is switching over to him since I said he's a good dude
5 - Sandra B.: I have always had a fear of dentist, but I am so comfortable with Dr. Russell...he truly ROCKS!
5 - Denise S.: Wonderful guy, great dentist, reasonable prices. He is the role model for dentists. I went somewhere closer to my house last time for convenience and it was like being at a used car lot. Now I'm driving the extra miles to see DR. Russell.

Alternatives Federal Credit Union - Ithaca, NY (42.439644, -76.510195) ()
5 - Rebecca W.: I've been banking as a member of this credit union since I first moved to Ithaca in 2001.  I have had nothing but positive experiences.  I love their community focus and that they treat all of their members like real humans.
4 - Holly C.: I have been banking with Alternatives since I was a child. It is a good bank but I do have some issues with there funny rules. Example no hats that's a little much, and they are a little too green/earthy for me. But over all I have had no problems with my banking there.
5 - Irene L.: Since I'm not from Ithaca, I don't belong to AFCU. But, most of my local friends are really serious about Alternatives, and for what seems like good reason. The institution is all about supporting financial growth in the community, and as Rebecca said, they treat their members like human beings. They have programs for people who have had trouble with financial institutions in the past, and offer seminars and information on lots of different aspects of personal and small business finances. 

AFCU also offers free income tax preparation to families that make less than $49,000/year, though I think that exact number probably fluctuates. I volunteered with this program this past tax season, and I was blown away by the level of service and commitment displayed by the folks who run the program. The volunteers work really hard to make sure taxpayers get the greatest possible refund; I rarely saw anyone end up owing the IRS or the state.

Ultimately, AFCU is a local community organization that's here to protect you! If I decide to stay in Ithaca much longer I'll definitely become a member.
1 - Bo P.: "We will charge you a fee of $25.00 each time Alternatives pays an ATM or debit card transaction overdraft. We will charge you a fee of $25.00 each time you overdraw your account by check or automatic bill payment, whether we cover the item or return it unpaid.
There is no limit on the total fees we can charge you for overdrawing your account."

Alto Lounge - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4511151, -79.9349322) (Shadyside)
3 - A L.: Formerly the Pittsburgh Deli Company's second floor...  I have to admit, I kind of miss the grunge-y bar of old, but this place had potential when I saw it.  Very beautifully decorated, but RIDICULOUSLY loud.  Everything echoes.  My friends and I left because it was so darn loud that you had to scream just to talk to the person next to you.  It's too bad about that because this place has potential.  Hopefully, they'll fix the problem.  But don't get me wrong, it doesn't stop the young Shadyside professionals from showing up!
2 - Aaron C.: REVIEW EDIT - All the house music has been removed. Now there's really nothing left to hit up Alto for. Nice looking space, but nobody there to use it. Sorry Alto, you had something good and you dropped the ball.
2 - Chuck R.: The concept is great and lacking on Walnut, a decent priced lounge catering to the just out of college crowd. Similar to but larger than Soba and closer to the number of bars on Walnut, Alto lounge is a great lounge if you are looking for a pure lounge.

The staff, at times, can be kind of cold and don't think you'll be able to have any sort of conversation because of the way too loud music.  While it isn't great, it is a nice lounge for the area without having to travel too far.
3 - ReviewHaiku F.: Good place for a group.
Drunk bartenders and ipod 
music. Not so bad.


(b)

AltoRex - Atlanta, GA (33.7783241, -84.387487) (Midtown)
3 - Stephanie K.: AltoRex is a nice terrace level bar at the Palomar Hotel.  Don't be fooled by crappy renderings on the hotel's website, this thing isn't quite 21st-floor rooftop, but it still offers a nice view of West Peachtree St. 

The bar and lounge had 30 or so people hanging around, some enjoying small meals and deserts with their drinks.  At 23, I was easily the youngest person there, but I can't say that came unexpectedly.  There's some pretentiousness floating around with the clientele, but the servers were friendly and accommodating.  Did not order any specialty drinks, but a well vodka soda was $7 (first round was weak, the second packed more of a punch).  Not a bad place to hang out at all.  Keep in mind that smoking is not allowed.

Additionally, I would suggest riding the elevator to the top of the hotel for a great view of downtown and exploring the hotel.
3 - Barney B.: Silly name - cool terrace

Comfy couches, screened in bar (which seemed like it didn't quite match the rest of the place) - but otherwise a perfect version of a hotel bar.
4 - Joel C.: This is one of my new favorite places to have a few drinks with friends.  The atmosphere reminds me a bit of South Beach:  White chairs and floors, fire pits, water displays, cabanas, (there's even a cool area that has fake grass!).  Drinks can be a bit pricey, but definitely worth it since it's not very crowded.  

The customer service is good as well and its nice that they have servers that walk around the deck to take your drink so that you don't have to go to the bar.  I do agree with Kit F. though about the chicken coop looking bar...which is the only part of the establishment that seems a bit off.  

I would definitely come here again to gather the group and pre-party before going to our main event.
3 - Katie W.: This is a pretty cool bar.  It's a bit fancy and it's definitely not the type of place I would frequent (being a more low-key, casual local and all) but if I was a guest at The Palomar, I would be thrilled that AltoRex was the hotel bar.  The outside terrace has comfy chairs, built-in sofa-type seating and cabanas.  I didn't get the feeling that it's trying to be trendy with the cabanas but that it's trying to be an appealing hotel bar.  I mean, cabanas aren't trendy, they're classics.  And, they completely make sense in Atlanta where daytime rooftop bars can be treacherous in the summer months without the luxury of a cabana to hide in.  Also making sense is the screened-in, covered bar area.  I was there in the evening and there was a really nice breeze blowing through the screened-in bar - it was great.  The fact that it's covered would also make it bearable in the hot Atlanta summer.  I thought the rooftop atmosphere was very pleasant.

The bartenders were super nice and friendly.  We even got to try a few sample concoctions that they were mixing up.  I expected the drinks to be sort of expensive because it is a hotel bar but they were pretty reasonable.  There were several reasonably priced wines on the wine list and my vodka-soda was only $1 more than at Cypress (my basis for all comparisons).  I think that their signature cocktails that have multiple liquors in them, etc. are probably priced higher.

We tried several of the small plates on the menu: crab fondue, tartare tacos (ahi), lobster deviled eggs, calamari and truffle chips.  They were all pretty good although nothing terribly substantial or earth-shattering.  But, definitely solid.  The deviled eggs were a bit runny (but tasty) and they probably should have served more bread with the fondue, but overall everything was OK.

The small plates seemed a bit pricey at first but they have discounts when you order two or three plates from a single section on the menu so it makes it not that bad.  For three of us, each with a cocktail and sharing the five small plates, the total was just over $20 per person.  So, not too bad at all.

I would definitely return here for an evening-starting cocktail and a light bite.  I might not hang out here all night but it's a good starting point for a night out or if you just want one or two drinks in a pleasant setting before you call it a night.
4 - Roshanda P.: I went here for my hello stiletto event last night and it was sooo glam!!! I think I will start coming to this place for after dinner cocktails.... 

The atmosphere was something right out of a scene from sex and the city... I'm kidding... it felt more like Miami.. with the white floors, and the cabanas, I also liked th touch of the grass in the patio area.

The servers were great they walked around the deck area taking drinks orders left and right.... I didnt even have a chance to finish one drink before I had another one in hand... 

I will have to come back for another visit because I didnt get  chance to sample any food but I did catch a couple of plates going by and boy did they looked awsome...
4 - Deanna S.: This is the bar inside a restaurant inside a hotel. Yes, I was confused too. But AltoRex is worth finding.  It's an outdoor bar with very comfortable seating and fire pits.   Yes, the fire pits were lit in July!  And it actually felt great because of the freak "cold" front we had last week.  It's not on the roof of the Hotel Palomar, it's on the 5th floor, but you still have a good view of Midtown.  The drinks are a little pricey, but refreshingly unique.
4 - Jason J.: there on friday, bout 730, lots of groups of people, felt like s. beach scene....would go again...drinks/apps pricey though
4 - Brad T.: Wow I just read Kit F's review, after breaking through all the gramatical errors I seem to think this person has no perception of reality. This bar is very chic and is not overdone. The hand crafted cocktails are delicious and the scene is very cool. I think Kit might be drinking a bit too much to authoring reviews, back to school Kit please!
4 - Nish N.: Can having drinks outside ever be a bad idea? I guess coming from San Francisco I consider this a luxury, but the AltoRex does it in style, and from a rooftop location no less. 

While I normally play it classic with something like a martini or straight whiskey, I gotta admit that their Peach Julep (Bulleit Bourbon, peach puree and mint) represents Atlanta quite memorably. 

Oh, so I was curious about the name, so asked: It's a combination of the Italian words for "high" and "king," but also pays homage to Kim King, the legendary Georgia Tech football hero and father to AltoRex investor Beau King. For being a national chain of hotels, I like how Kimpton keeps it local.
4 - David K.: I don't know who this Alto Rex person is, but I love his bar. AstroTurf, marble tile, tents, and a chicken coop. Quite the set-up.

I met Kathleen M. here for Joel C.'s birthday celebration. This was my first trip upstairs and it was much more than I ever imagined. Truly, a cool space (unlike that awful W Atlanta - Buckhead, but I digress). There was a really big crowd and it filled up earlier than I thought. It was almost 9:00 PM by the time I got there and pretty much all of the seating had been taken.

Standing outside was nice, although I always went directly to the bar for drinks. The wait was pretty long and even longer if you waited for a server. Fortunately, the bartenders are really cute and like to flirt [with girls].

Gorgeous space and not overly pretentious or bougie. I like it.
4 - Kathleen M.: When the young woman at the bar next to me ordered a "dirty, like crazy dirty, martini with extra stuffed olives" and then proceeded to ask the bartender for more olives throughout the night, I was a little taken aback. It's been a long time since I've been around the type who get their entire caloric intake for the day via bar garnishes, but trust: it happens here. I could go on and on about the glaring fashion no-no's that ran rampant on the beautiful Saturday night that I was at AltoRex, but I'll move on. 

So while the crowd is *so* not my scene, I liked AltoRex a lot. Surround yourself with your people and you'll be in good shape. Or, if you're one of those people who likes to see and be seen, then you can roll solo. I'm just not one of those people.

The bartenders were easy on the eyes and served up a killer G&T. It's a great space, with some private booths, interesting seating arrangements, and a screened-in bar for when the bugs get bad. Totally unlike anything I've ever seen it Atlanta; it'd be more at home in South Beach or even the Hamptons, but I like having it here. Atlanta is blessed with fantastic weather and I am all for any spots that take advantage of it, even if it does mean I see 4 too many bad boob jobs.
3 - Mike M.: Really its a 2.5...

First indicator of a low-score: TV's at the bar. Which leads to...

Young urban professionals and their fans needing something to distract themselves from scintillating conversations about where to get the best knock-off Coach bags, which dude has the worst shoes in the place, the benefits of AXE hair products, how to make your shrill voice pierce the night air...

The service at the bar is akin to Coyote Ugly; without the babes doing tricks. Fumbling, disinterested, vacant-eyed... Kind of douchey.

I actually saw a dude waving Ben Franklin in hopes of getting some attention. Classic. 

The food is alright, I'd say a solid 3.0 in terms of the basic bites. 

Really, its Amateur Night at the Roxy. 

Pass.
2 - Matt Y.: It's hard to make a bad gin and tonic.

The atmosphere here looked to be pretty cool, I'd like to go back sometime later in the evening to check it out, HOWEVER......

Gin and tonic: 2 oz gin, 2-3 oz tonic water, ice and a twist of LIME.  Is that so tough? Is that a $10 drink? No on both accounts. When the drink finally does arrive, it's in a plastic cup (all their 'glasses' are plastic that look like glass) and, floating in the center of the cup is a lemon. What the fuck? 

As the waitress hands me the drink she says the bartender didn't have limes cut yet and hoped it would be alright. Time was short so I drank it although I was a bit perturbed. 

So this same bartender has been making drinks for 40 people, roughly, while we were there, mashing cherries and strawberries in 'glasses' for all kinds of fruity adult beverages, several of which were at our table and very good for what it's worth, but all that work for a single cocktail and they couldn't cut a fucking lime into wedges to drop into my drink? Fuck that lazy shit, and then the bill for $9.99 for the goddamn thing, if I wasn't with a pub crawl on a schedule I'd have had words with them all. 

One star is all they deserve but they get the second star because the decor looked like it could be pretty cool place later in the evening, although I doubt I'd bother to check it out now.

It's hard to make a bad gin and tonic, but this place makes it look easy.
4 - Pam A.: Chic is the word. You feel special just walking up the grand stairway to the rooftop bar from the entrance to Pacci below.

A large space makes it great for a relaxing drink. Plenty of tables, couches, and cabanas  to go around. Even a screened-in bar, makes for a good place to get in the shade. It's definitely worth a walk-around the first time you're there just to find the best spot that suits you. The atmosphere alone earns a few stars.

We hung out in the back by the cabanas with a cool little courtyard. A server tended to us and brought us uber-expensive cocktails and martinis that weren't as strong as they should have been for the price.

When we asked if there were any specials, our server said, "No, every drink is pretty pricey here. We do have $3 drafts though."  FYI -- $3 drafts is a DEAL! Sweetwater 420 and Sch'wheat were included on that list! $2 PBR drafts too!

But - when I'm paying for a $10 martini, I don't expect it to come in a plastic glass. Are you afraid I'm going to drop it? It made me wonder about the regular clientele they draw.

We'll be back to check out the views at night!
2 - Taylor A.: I've been here for a couple of events. Once as the first stop of a pub crawl and another time for the launch of a magazine.

First off it's a beautiful spot that looks like a chic rooftop garden somewhere in France. I haven't been after sunset, but I bet it looks even better.

Servers were aloof and didn't have their information straight. Is there a $3 draft or not? Bartenders/servers/etc all have different opinions on that question.

They had some free drink on one occasion that was just poured out of a pitcher. You're not going to get respect as mixologists if you're doing that kind of 2nd rate stuff.

They were also passing free appetizers but the waitresses were only focusing on one area and not spreading the love. We weren't the only table who was getting annoying that we were getting passed over (and yes, we all looked the part).

I'll probably come back at some point because of the gorgeous surroundings, but I just hope they have their game tight.
3 - Antoine L.: AltoRex was a little confusing. The rooftop is a nice with a decent view on West Peachtree.   Went there for an anniversary dinner and didn't realize in the beginning that we could order from the Pacci menu as well. The prices seem to indicate a premium quality yet the altorex menu display was far from that. Service was decent. The food is very good. I ordered several of the tapas style meals which were actually better quantities than most tapas lounges/restaurants.  I would recommend this place if you want a tapas style meal after work or over the weekend. Great place for drinks but many of the drink prices don't match up with the quality of the drinks. I think I ended up ordering a mexican sumer (non-alcoholic) and getting the bartender to add something to it. That ended up being the best drink for the night I went.
4 - Cooper G.: It's not Miami (that's for sure), but AltoRex isn't bad.  I don't really think of it as a rooftop bar like most people claim it is.  I guess you could call it that... but I think of Charleston when I think rootop.   Drinks are decent (not mind blowing).  It's a great place to grab a drink before dinner on a date or with a few friends.  It's not bad for Atlanta.
3 - Chris H.: One thing...It is not a rooftop bar which was kind of disappointing. It's on the 3rd floor terrace. So not really any great views.

But it's was a cool outdoor spot. I like that they have cheap beer to augment the expensive drinks and wine. So something for everybody.
4 - Scott U.: A funky combination with patio seating plus a screened-in bar.  You can walk around and see the view from the third floor (so not exactly what you think of rooftop)
4 - Chris Z.: This cool outdoor bar was fun.  Contrary to other viewers, service here was great.  But be careful not to stare.  The servers were are in cute little black outfits.  Our waitress recommended a bunch of different drinks and everything I tried off their specialty menu was good.  

Grab the booths in front of the fire sculptures to stay warm.  Pair a night at this bar with dinner a Pacci and it's a sure fire hit for date night... but a wallet breaker.
4 - Andrew D.: Solid space. Hit or miss crowd, especially on the weekend when it is quite dependent on Midtown's or the Hotel's events. I love the $3 draft special! Their cocktails are quite good as well though. I prefer to sit next to the bonfire in the winter, or in the back patio in the summer. 

The service is always very good. This is a prime 1st quarter spot for me. A great place to start the night. This is also one of my main happy hour joints. Back in NY us in the fashion world used to meet at the Bryant Park Hotel's Cellar Bar. Here it seems the consultants and lawyers of midtown Atlanta seem to like this spot. It really is quite nice. 

Anyways Palomar's are truly cool hotels and this Bar had been a grand addition to the Midtown community.

Alumni Cafe - Stanford, CA (37.430663, -122.1649) ()
2 - Ryan D.: yes, i must concur, the alumni cafe is overpriced. THe only sandwich that I like is the pesto chicken sandwich. That is good but I am confused about their hours and when they can make hot sandwiches. It seems like most of the times that I go, the place is closed, or if it is open, the sandwich guys are gone. The pesto chicken sandwich and the salty chips are good, but the prices and weird hours weigh this place down. They dont even give discounts to fellow Stanford employees.
2 - Mike B.: Average...very average.  I usually get the (cold and wrapped) Cubano panini.  Only problem with calling it a panini is that they don't actually grill it - isn't that what a panini IS?  So I eat it cold anyway.  The bread is very tough...I sometimes have to gnaw on it like a dog gnawing on a Kong toy.  Of course, this could all be fixed if THEY GRILLED IT.  (can you tell I'm bitter about that?).  I will give them props, however, on the dressing they put on it.  It's not spicy mustard, which, quite frankly makes it NOT a Cubano.  But it's some sort of chipotle mayo that is awesome.  

So we've answered two things about the Cubano Panini...it's neither a Cubano, nor a Panini.  Change the name to "Chipotle Ham and Swiss" and I think I'll accept it more.  Come to think of it, I'm not even sure it has Swiss on it.  Man...I'm starting to not like this place more and more.

I've tried their weekly/daily hot portions and they are ok...nothing to get excited about.  Warm (not hot) BBQ ribs that are sitting under a heat lamp all day.  Warm (not hot) tri tip, also in said heat lamp.  The salads are good, but come on, how can you screw up a salad?

They are trying to be fancy option for Stanford employees/Alumni.  Instead, they should stick to the basics and become an actual deli.  I think people would appreciate that more than their attempt at 4-star dining.  Go to Cool Cafe at the Cantor Art Center if you want to step it up a couple notches.
4 - Daniel J.: There are a lot of great things on the menu at this place and you can get lunch for under $7--maybe that's considered overpriced for some people, but it works great for me!  I'd put it up there with the Treehouse as the best places to eat on campus.  The specials and turkey club croissant are very good..
1 - San Jose Girl M.: Boring, very few new things on the menu, and way overpriced.  
So many better places to eat at on campus.  This is my least favorite.
4 - Geoff D.: Nice out-of-the way cafe option for meetings or laptop work in the Palo Alto area when the downtown cafes are packed with business-y jokers like me.

Pro:
- Clean, well lit and relatively spacious
- Nicely air conditioned (or heated in winter)
- Better-than-average food and drink options
- Reasonable access to outlets

Con:
- Only Stanford WIFI, so BYO data plan unless you're a student
- Jammed around the lunch hour
- Paid parking for non staff/students
2 - Kristine D.: I'm a little frustrated with this place.  Business is booming --- which is great for the cafe but, customer service is sliding here!  Only one cashier ever seems to be on duty during lunch hour and that person is also expected to be a coffee barista as well.  I don't like standing in line with my lunch choice for up to 15 minutes before I even get to pay!  Please hire a barista and let the cashier move people along before their lunches get cold!!
3 - Alissa S.: The best thing about the cafe is Joan, the cashier/barista, who remembers the favorite drink of over 250 people who work in the building, down to the type of milk, and always with a smile on her face.

The worst thing is the same boring food every day. I wish their food was more like Munger.
4 - Stephanie W.: I think I like Alumni Cafe way more than it deserves to be liked, but then again, I'm not stuck getting lunch here however many days a week. 

Joan is super sweet and friendly, I love the muesli, and the bagels are actually some of the best bagels I've had in the Bay Area (kind of hard to believe, right?)

Also, they're one of the very few places on campus that serve wine and beer, which is another nice little perk.
2 - Anne S.: Overpriced, understaffed, mediocre food. I enjoy a few menu selections but (although I work in the building) I eat here as infrequently as possible. Example: pre-made salads (and even green salads served "fresh" with daily lunch) have old, brown and wilted lettuce in them. Side-dish vegetables appear to be used on a second day and are frequently limp and tasteless (actually that way on the first day too). While other people rave about the specialty coffee drinks, I find the coffee here very bitter and always get my coffee at Peet's on the way in to work. Also logistically it is very badly set up. Signs should be posted (probably just signs on stanchions) that indicate "purchasing line" and "order your food here" line, since they are two totally separate lines. I think it's great for visiting alumni, but as a regular lunch counter for workers, it leaves much to be desired.
1 - William B.: After the surprisingly-good, if uneven, food at Munger I guess I set my expectations too high for other lunch spots on the Stanford campus.  The ingredients look like standard low-end deli fare (wilted produce, nothing to write home about), and the service is puzzlingly slow.  Two people handle one order at a time, very slowly, with no multi-tasking and no thinking ahead, while getting in each other's way.  How frustrating it would be to eat here regularly.

Alumni Center Ut - Austin, TX (30.2839887, -97.7343025) (University of Texas)
4 - Stephanie I.: Beautiful building and outdoor area. Once you step inside and see the interior decor, you just KNOW that you're in Texas! Great place for events - I went to a few here while in still in school and each one as great! They used to have a gelato place inside, but I think it's now closed; however, I think the cafe is still open.

Proud to be a Texas Alum. Hook em Horns!
4 - Anh P.: They can feed you burgers really fast on game day when you tail gate. Plenty of spots to buy beer also. Good spot to tailgate right before the game starts so you don't have to walk too far (from your other tailgating spot) and get a beer and a bite to eat.

Alway Cafe - Stanford, CA (37.4342205, -122.1792382) ()
2 - Cecilia M.: Can't beat it for convenience--it's the absolutely closest place to buy food from where I work.  The staff is friendly, but the food is unexciting.  Best feature: fried bacon in the morning, or possibly the nice courtyard with tables just outside.  Most disappointing: some sandwiches from the sandwich bar are pre-made and get soggy.
4 - Nikki W.: I LOVE this place!  The owners are super nice and the salmon teriyaki is tasty!!!  The only downside is that they tend to run out of salmon by 12:30 pm, so I am often disapointed.  However, they will save some for you if you ask.  They also make decent coffee/hot cocoa.
2 - Sushi S.: Makes you appreciate Nexus Cafe much more.
1 - Michelle C.: Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse. Is there a 0 star rating?
2 - Angeline P.: When I first started working at Stanford, I wanted to try all of the nearby campus eateries. It takes a lot of effort to get off campus when you're near the hospital, and well, Stanford has a lot of eateries in a small distance. 

Right around the time I started, they started doing pizzas to order. I was floored! My own personal pizza, made to order? I could see them making it behind the counter? Sign me up!

The first pizza I ordered was a delicious, delicious Margherita. The crust was just right, and all of the ingredients were delicious. It's a very simple pizza, everything was just right. Sure, I waited about 15 minutes for it, but in my opinion, it was worth the wait.

The second time, I wanted to try something different, but all the had was the Margherita left (this was at around 1pm or so). So I had it again, but this time, the crust was boring and the cheese was not great. It was completely underwhelming. I chalked it up to someone different making it this time.

The third time, it was a rainy day, and I wanted to make sure I didn't go out into the rain, and be made to wait for a mediocre pizza. So i called in advance and asked if they could make it ready for pick up. They said yes, and that I could pick it up in 15 minutes.

I arrived when the rain had let up just a little, starving, only to be told that my pizza would take another 5 minutes. And then it was another 10 minutes. It was clear that they completely disregarded my calling in advance and just didn't make it, even though they told me they would. So I waited for this damn pizza, and told myself it had better be good. When it finally came, 25 minutes after I showed up, I was really upset because it had started to rain again. So I fumbled with umbrella, and put the pizza on top of the vending machine while I tried to get it open so I could walk back to my desk and eat my pizza. I don't think it was the best idea, but clearly I was too hungry to think clearly.

My pizza fell on the floor, cheese side down. The pizza I waited 40 minutes for. I was really upset at this point, and didn't want to order another pizza to be told to wait again. So I walked out, dumped my pizza in the trash, and told myself that it wasn't that delicious anyway.

My pizza falling on the floor is not a fault of theirs. But their sheer lack of regard was so appalling that I attribute this bad experience to them. I have not had a pizza there since.

And their teriyaki bowls are disgusting. You'd be better off going to Nexus for that anyway.
4 - Jason B.: Alway cafe has resurrected in it's new location:
1070 Arastradero Rd
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1336

I work on Deer Creek and I usually take a short walk over to Alway to see what they have for lunch. They usually have a different lunch special every day.

It is usually hit or miss on the specials, but more on the side of hit. There have only been a couple times, that I remember, that I was unhappy with the lunch special. 

The chicken and pork adobo is amazing, as well as the salmon over brown rice. 

Friendly staff and service with reasonable prices. Lunch special is about $8 and comes with rice (white or brown), salad or veggies, and pasta. You really can't beat that.

They recently added bbq items to their menu on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have yet to try their burger but will do soon.

Alyson Jon Interiors - Houston, TX (29.7253408, -95.4152756) (West University)
4 - Carmen M.: If you've been to every furniture known to man and *still* can't find what you're looking for, try Alyson Jon. On Bissonnet between Kirby and Shepherd, they have quality furniture that you don't see on every corner. Tasteful with a touch of flair, Alyson Jon carries standard furniture lines, but infuses their store with unique statement pieces that will make an impression in your home.

Alyson Jon isn't Star Furniture, so expect to pay for the quality, but their pieces are investments that will last many, many years. They also have great accessories and little vignettes around the store that give fabulous decorating ideas.
2 - K. G.: LOVE what they have inside but my third time to buy there over a year's timeframe, I ordered a custom piece. That time, I dealt with a salesman who acted like my very best friend throughout the process, told me he would call in six weeks when it was ready - and dropped off the face of the earth. I've worked with designers and know there are always logistical hiccups that delay everything so I was very patient, but it was annoying to have to call and leave several messages before getting an excuse, "I've been sick", "I had company in town", etc. Sometimes, I actually had to stop off at the store just to find out where my piece was! Finally, after SEVEN MONTHS - yes, seven months - I got firm and lo and behold, the piece arrived within days, accompanied by much hissing and huffing from the salesman who made it clear how inconvenient this delivery timing was for him and his other clients. My friends shop there and I periodically check the web site to see if the salesman is still there. Unfortunately he is and I won't go back as long as he works there.
5 - just a G.: I've recently been to Alyson Jon looking for a chair for my newly renovated living room....I not only found the anchor piece to my new room but a whole lot more!  Sara helped me throughout! Made me feel important ( unlike sooo many other furniture stores) and went above and beyond to insure I loved what I got! I also ended up finding a lamp there too, and I just couldn't be happier! Unique items, friendly faces & happy customers!

Am-Ko Oriental Foods & Gifts - Champaign, IL (40.112538, -88.238638) ()
4 - Allan C.: Probably the largest Asian grocery store in the area:  They have a huge supply of ramen (no, not maruchan *shakes fist*) and ingredients.  Though not as produce-centric as Far East, they have much more in terms of sauces, frozen food, and even cooking untensils.

Don't miss out on grabbing some cuttle fish chips, crushed pear juice, and some frozen man doo, among the many things you can find here, but nowhere else.
5 - Helen H.: Korean owned asian supermarket... they have fruit from California for a reasonable price. Reminds me of home.  Unlike Far East which is overstocked and overstuffed, Am-Ko has a clean sanitary feeling to it. This is how an asian super-market should be. Everything is approx a dime or two more than at Far East.... but it is less likely to be  passed the expiration date.
5 - Kris H.: Am-Ko is the BEST! I've been going there since I was a kid (long time ago...heh) to get fun Asian snacks and ice cream treats. They have produce though, too, and it's very affordable. They have fish, they have tofu and kimchee, and they don't stop at Asian food -- there's some great Mexican, Arab, and Indian stuff there, too. They have really cute plates and cups for sale and I have been eyeing their pressure cookers lately -- they sell those, too. This place has all kinds of awesome stuff; treat yourself and check it out sometime.
5 - Ashley M.: First of all, Am-Ko is HUGE for an ethnic shop in the midwest.  They have a huge variety of foods, ranging from ramens/noodles, fresh fruits and vegetables, drinks, snacks, spices and condiments, canned foods, meats.. you name it.  There is also a moderately-sized selection of kitchen and grooming/beauty supplies.  Fairly clean and organized, with a nice open-air feeling compared to a lot of other similar shops.  If you are curious, this is a great place to find cool foreign foods you have never seen before (or foods you have been searching for, for ages- if you know the cuisines!)
5 - Deanna C.: The better of the two Asian grocery stores on/around campus.

I especially like that they have the kitchen appliances you can't find in a typical grocery store (like mini rice cookers, hot water pots, electric hot pots, etc.), and lots of random drinks, candies, snacks, etc. like a traditional store in Asia.

Their produce selection is probably smaller than Far East, but I still think you'd be able to find anything you could need here.  Plus, Am-Ko is just a much more pleasant place to shop as everything is organized well and it's just.... cleaner!
3 - Allen H.: This normally would have been 5 stars, but I am a bit worried.  I remember going to Am-Ko as a kid.  We used to go when they had their home nearby on Green St.  I loved their selection of Asian candies, and I guess the kid in me won't quit, I still buy rice-candy from them along with my other asian food needs.  The two who owned this place were wonderful to get advice from and probably single-handedly changed how I cooked asian food.

BUT

It appears the ownership has very recently changed???  I noticed a lot of produce was gone, and shelves were semi-bare.  In the back, which usually was closed off, I saw people cooking food for their dinner etc., it was very strange.  No one appears to be the same staff as little as a month ago.

Does anyone know what happened to the great owners?  I remember the fellow's name was Mike, but for the life of me, I can't remember the woman's name.  They became a part of my life here in Champaign, and it's a bit of a loss that we now won't see each other when I go to purchase my goods.

I'm worried that the produce and goods I've grown to love will no longer be available... time will tell.

[I already noticed almost all the CD's, DVD's etc., are completely gone.]
5 - Barack O.: Great place for Asian fare, whether you're stocking a full fridge or just craving a slab of Hi-Chew. The whole place is cleaner and brighter than the other oriental stores around town. Prices are fair.
4 - Grace S.: I moved to Illinios from California so I've been looking for an Asian grocery store to get all of my Asian needs! Am-Ko definitely has a lot of Asian goods. It's definitely not as great as the ones I'm used to back home, but it does suffice for the time that I'm here. 

They have a variety of Asian goods, such as frozen foods, spices, snacks, alcohol, and cooking supplies. This is definitely the place to go if you need anything Asian in Champaign!
2 - Kali M.: They have some great harder-to-find packaged items (melon bars - yes, please!), but they sold us a whole bagful of ROTTEN purple yams!!  What?!  We got home and started preparing them before we figured it out. GROSS.
4 - Stefani M.: Has almost everything I need for Korean, Chinese, and Japanese recipes, plus a few items from other Asian cuisines. Produce is limited, but dry goods are extensive. They also have a good selection of Sake and Soju, as well as inexpensive frozen Asian foods and bulk rice. What I can't find here I get at the Green Onion.
3 - Mark B.: They have some really unique stuff in here. I wish I new what some of it was, but having limited foreign language skills makes it difficult to read some packaging. 

Honestly, I don't have anything to compare this place to, and I don't shop there regularly, but I like it for just being unique. 

I give this place a solid three stars for carrying some really interesting items that I enjoyed. They also had some beer that I had never seen anywhere else!
4 - Daniel W.: Like this place! It feels like  real market. Some of the prices are absolute bargain/basement. Great place to pick up some loose green tea and all of the accoutrements.
4 - Jerome J.: Moving here from California, I was expecting there to be nothing asian in Illinois. This small market was a huge surprise to me. As soon as I walked in, it reminded me of the asian markets in San Jose, California. The only thing that I can think of that this place does not have is fresh sea food. However, it wouldn't be fair for me to deduct a star entirely because of this. I deduct a star because of the lack of anything fresh. Fresh vegetable section is very limited. Fresh anything is very limited. If you need anything in a can, bottle, or rice sack this place has.

Ama's - Providence, RI (41.8242669, -71.4103342) (DownCity)
4 - Kate L.: John and I were excited to got to Ama's last Saturday because we're big fans of the owner, Mike Sears. Lili Marlene's and the Loie Fuller were a couple of our favorite places to go - although now Loie is under new ownership.

Ama's is on the West Side, in Luongo Square, acrosss the street from the Avery - another favorite. It's a tiny place, but as usual, the details are amazing. The place has the feel of a Japanese ship, which I suppose is appropriate. I'm told an ama was a female Japanese diver that collected pearls. The gorgeous wood bar had a well filled with ice running the length of it, on which oysters are served. The ceiling is covered in nautical rope. The floor at the entrance boasts a plat of beautiful, smooth pebbles.

As for the food, we'll have to revisit, since we didn't have much this time. I had the oysters - they serve 2 kinds. John ate the chicken skewers and watched me drink. The 2 items we had were perfectly done, but I'll want to go back and investigate further.

The place is small, and on this particular night, it was busy, but not uncomfortably so. We were able to snag 2 seats at the bar and were warmly greeted by the bartender / oyster shucker, Brian. He chatted us up the whole time we were there, which is always a nice welcome.

I'll be back for dinner very soon.
2 - Jack G.: How exciting for Providence's West Side to have another interesting, intimate restaurant. The interior design is good, but like Louie Fuller, the dining room arrangement is awkward, and also serves as a pass through to the rest rooms.  Biggest disappointment with Ama's was the service.  We sat several minutes at a very small table with large menus before we grabbed the hostess to take a drink order. The blue pt oysters were fresh and cold. The bento box was a disappointment save the pork cutlet.  Left Ama's hungry: got a satisfying burger and shrimp po boy fix at Mike's other place down Atwells, Lily Marlenes.
3 - Julie A.: I went to Ama's after hearing about it from friends of friends of friends... This izakaya style (japanese style bar with bits of food) hole in the wall, had great ambience and decor. It's a good place for one-on-one seating as space is limited.

I decided to get the udon noodle soup.  I love asian food, especially soups.  And Ama's lost a star due to the "eh" factor of this soup.  Sure, it had all the ingredients but the broth was EXTREMELY oily, the noodles too stiff (not to mention was a pasta noodle), and a bit too salty.  

In contrast, the little appetizer items were pretty delicious.  I'd recommend the raw oysters and inari pockets... Prices for alcoholic drinks were good and even my diet coke came in the glass bottle.

Overall, I would rate this place a 3.5.  i wouldn't recommend this place for dinner, but if you want to drink and snack, this is a great place to go.
5 - Tawana B.: Im just giving this place stars like candy to a junkie!  Mike rocks, ate dinner there lastnight, had oysters from Canada that were fabulous, then snacked on the duck breast special, perfectly cooked, delicious.  Also, I highly reccomend the shitake mushrooms, alongside the pork cutlet.  FYI, get a side of rice vinegar and soy  sauce for the cabbage garnish and you're all good.  Yummalicious.
4 - Nick P.: Ama's is Japanese food with a New England sensibility. There can't be more than 8 tables, mostly 2 tops. This place would be ridiculous if it were crowded, but on a Friday it was prefect.   It cute and cozy inside, and a great place for a date.

Girlie and I both got the bento boxes. A choose your own combination of 4 menu items.  For $15 it is a good value, and I left feeling satisfied, but not stuffed. 

Jeff Chu had oysters from all over the northeast. They looked good if you are into that kind of thing. We went out for a beer after and the girls were all over him, so something worked. 

Rob recently returned from Thailand and delicately had 3 scallops on a plate. No where near enough for a real meal, but he was dealing with some stomach issues. 

The servers were hip and effective. Our edamame came out at the same time as the meal and I would have preferred it as an appetizer, but beside that we all left happy.
2 - A. M.: If there's one reason why I won't come back, it's THE SMELL.

I know this is a little vegetarian-friendly japanese place, big on the seafood, but the smell of low tide is overwhelming.

There are five tables here. One can seat about 6 or 7 people, the other can seat four. The other three can seat two. That's 17 people. There are also about 10 stools at the bar. So if you come in with a group and the big table is taken, you're pretty much going to be looking for another place to eat. This place is TINY.

I'd actually call it almost a romantic dinner type of place if it didn't smell so awful (sorry I'll stop complaining now). But one more thing, our wet, greasy waiter also smelled like he just came off the fisherman's boat. Was he the cook AND the waiter? Possibly.

On the plus side, he was very jolly and attentive. Super nice, besides him almost not letting us eat because there were four of us with the POSSIBILITY of a fifth person, and the big table was already taken.

So while I was there, I got a bento box. Steak skewers, noodles, slaw and edamame. The steak skewers tasted a little funky, like they were cooked along with the fish. So I only ate a few bites of those. The noodles were not good. The edamame was very undersalted (if you want good Edamame, go to Ebisu!), and I'd have to say the best part of the bento box was the coleslaw. For 15 bucks.

The portions for anything else were TINY. My friend got the shrimp plate and got, I think, four or five shrimp. I think it was 8 bucks or so.

The one redeeming quality of this place is that they have crushed ice, which generally excites me.

I won't ever come back here. It wasn't the service or even the mediocre food, but the smell of seafood in such a tiny place was just nauseating. Sorry Ama's.
3 - Chris J.: Stopped here after visiting The Avery to grab a bite to eat Saturday night. They had loads of boring bottled beer and Sapporo was the only draft. The oyster selection was impressive and reasonably priced. I also got the steamed duck bun. The steamed bun was quite good but the duck breast had obviously been of the frozen sort and was as tough as rawhide. My friend had some sort of mushroom dish and loved it though. The service and price was ok and the place was pretty cozy. If you are looking for a quiet spot near The Avery, this is an ok spot, though Julians is not that far away.
5 - John R.: This is a great little gem worth finding. The oyster selection is always good. The fried pork is a favorite as is the fried chicken. Others really seem to enjoy the tofu pouches. If you're a beer fan, try one of the Hitachino Nest craft brews from Japan.
4 - Alexis G.: This place was deeeeelicious! My boyfriend just moved from the East Side to the West End, so all of our usual spots are still on the E. Side. Tonight we made an effort to try something closer to home-- and I'm so glad we did!

The place is tiny, so I'm not sure how fun it would be to wait for a table over the weekend, but it was the perfect Sunday night dinner spot. I got one of the box deals for $15 mentioned below. I got seaweed salad, cold noodles with a dipping sauce, the tofu pouches (sound weird but they were tasty-- seasoned really well and filled with yummy rice) and some amazing sauteed shitake mushrooms. The flavors of all four dishes were unique and so tasty. I also got a glass of sake for $5 and despite my best efforts didn't finish it by the end of the meal, so that was a good deal.

My boyfriend got the shrimp and pork udon noodles (rabbis, steer clear! :) ) and said the shrimp were simply fantastic.

Definitely recommend checking it out!
5 - Sarah V. M.: We had a great experience Sunday evening catching a late dinner after grabbing a drink at The Avery.  Very chill vibe, reasonably priced and the bento boxes are perfect for someone that loves variety.  For $15 I got steak, fish, shitake mushrooms, and a seaweed salad.  Pair with the extensive beer list and it's a date night meal for under $20!
4 - Michael S.: Ama's is a tiny little space with beautiful decor and good food.  Designed with a nautical motif, one of the main draws here is the raw bar, which always has an assortment of super-fresh oysters and occasionally clams.  If you sit at the bar, they'll serve them to you in the trough of ice that runs the length of the bar...clever and classy!

The bento boxes are a great deal, and also a great way to sample the menu.  Also good are the noodle soups and the selection of sakes.  For a hidden-away spot, it's worth checking out for a casual, intimate dinner.
4 - Amahl H.: On the one hand, I'm loathe to share this quiet, little neighborhood gem with Eastside interlopers; on the other hand, it deserves recognition; on the third hand, yes, come spend your money here.  Ama's is a lovely little jewelbox--intimate yet casual, gracious, comfortable. The main focus is on oysters and bento boxes.  Prices are very reasonable, portions are decorous, and the experience is one of genteel sufficiency--if you're leaving hungry, then perhaps Twin Oaks is more your style.  The oysters are always fresh, the entrees are flavorful and earnest interpretations of Japanese cuisine, if not overly ambitious or complex.  I'd like the food to be a bit less salty, but I find myself saying that at every restaurant.  And, of course, the night's not complete without a digestif at The Avery next door.
4 - Mary P.: this ruggedly simple aesthetic incites the sway of an asian fishing rig...  the gentleman barkeep serves me several refreshingly well-chilled oysters while the intimate setting inspires the charming clientele to mingle in the most subtle and playful ways... i shall return to learn more...
3 - Kevin D.: Chilled out little japanese/dive/raw bar/ closet of a place with a sort of  Jack Kerouac meets the Pogues type vibe going on..... Very light meals. Head next door to the Avery when your done to complete your hipster fill.
4 - Riki V.: Love coming here for the bento boxes and oysters!!!! My favorite thing when it is on the menu is the pickled cabbage, I just can't get enough. The owner has a few locations, and always out does himeself when coming up with concept places. If you into Japanese, I say check it out for sure!!!
4 - Mindy D.: Good place for a first date.  The Udon Noodle bowl is awesome.
4 - David G.: Ama's is a tiny, beautifully appointed hidden gem of a restaurant with a menu focused mainly on fresh and amazingly well made bento boxes and Japanese seafood dishes. 

Both the menu and the restaurant are small but excellent. I'm not usually a fan of seafood, and even I thought that what I've had here is amazing (though last time I just had steak, so I guess that doesn't count). 

The food, the atmosphere, and the almost hidden location make Ama's probably the best place to go to impress a date. Especially if it's followed by a walk across the street to The Avery.
5 - Danielle Leda W.: I went to Ama's on a Friday night for dinner. They serve until midnight, which is super  great and awesome for people who work late or whatever. 

It has all these ropes all over the ceiling and you can pretend you are a sailor or a pirate. The walls are also festooned with fantastical paintings or frescoes or wallpaper of pearl divers with great butt cleavage and pert little bewbs. Underneath the molding of the wall is studded with tiny gold medallions that are great to look at - I sat net to a bumblebee, lotus flower, seaweed and a sand dollar. The bar is super neat; instead of a gully carpeted with those rubber mats next to the taps there is a mound of ice shavings! When I'm sitting at the bar I like to imagine lilliputian ice climbers tackling the summit of that mountain of ice.

The bartender (Brian? - the skinny one with medium length hair, the other one with the afro who also works at Lili's I haven't chatted with as much but makes his drinks sttttttrrrooong) is great and makes the best conversation if you are by yourself, you don't have to whip out your phone and peck away to find amusement. The interior is small and perfect. Oh! The bathroom has an interesting faucet and sink so check it out  when you go! 

I ordered shitake mushrooms and a special of edamame stuffed yuba that came with a dreamy ponzu sauce. Being vegan I am sometimes loath to dine out as I hate asking what I can and can't have from the waiter. It feels so pretentious and i also am filled with dread and paranoia of a vegan surprise. The surprise being that what I ordered isn't really vegan. Anyways, the waitress Nori was super nice and already knew what veganism was and what I could have and didn't make me feel like I was pestering her or anything. So the meal was amazing mushrooms were perfectly done, and the special was special. A friend of mine who was already eating there came over to wax poetic about the yuba special and the sauce in particular. I also had the seaweed salad which I thought was under seasoned which bummed me out. I wish the plates were warmed because I am a slow eater and was bummed by the acceleration of temperature decrease in my dish,but  I'm really a terrible critic and relentlessly nit picky. They have an agreeable wine list and Nori once again helped me out by recommending a neat cocktail with gin and campari and limes. I still gave it 4 stars because I like the atmosphere and it's never too crowded.
2 - B. H.: Nope. 

Rest of reviewers have it pretty correct: it's tiny, the food's tiny, it's cozy, it's Japanese, it's open late, and it's full of ropes.  Yeah, ropes. 

The collective Yelp, however, surprise me by not identifying the fact that a) the food's not very good b) the service is worse than the food.  

They do have bento boxes, which is nice to find, but they demanded a twosome sit in the middle of the place "in case a three some shows up" and made us rather uncomfortable (the tables are way too long for an intimate date and wouldn't let us move around chairs).  They missed on the order a bit, and were super condescending regarding drinks.  Perhaps 99% of this can be traced to the dude with the fro and the attitude, so maybe this review is warped. 

Other places survive with these issues.  Hell, what is french food without borderline abusive service?  However, they fail where they must excel: the food wasn't that good.  Go elsewhere.
5 - John N.: I love this place, if you want traditional Japanese food, mostly noodles and bento box dishes and great saki then this is the place.  Its a tiny hole in the wall behind Broadway street.  The also have the best oysters ive ever had, all served raw on the half shell.  It really is an incredible little place to know about.
4 - Rachael J.: We were looking for something cultural and this hit the spot. They have good Japanese beer, sticky white rice and delicious unique food. Really enjoyed it and will be going again.
4 - Jessica S.: Nice little place with nice decor. Love their little sake sets, though it turns out I do not like sake lol. like drinking lighter fluid. Nice staff, will come again to try the food.
1 - Nicole A.: I went to Ama's some months ago, but am just getting around to writing this review now.  Like everyone else says, the place is small.  And very dark.  So dark that I had a hard time reading the menu (and I do not need to wear reading glasses).

The food was actually quite good, some of it was even remarkably good.  But not good enough to make up for the lack of friendliness and service.  (Sitting at the bar with an empty glass is one thing.  Being one of three people in the place and still sitting there with an empty glass is ridiculous.)

The overwhelming flavor of this places is: we don't need you to validate that we know what we are doing here.  If you don't like it, no one is forcing you to come here.  We do not care about your business.

Going out to dinner is more of an experience than simply having a meal.  I found the experience at Ama's very disappointing.  The level of snobbery, condescension,  and exclusivity was more than I care to deal with.  

I really wanted to like this place since it is right in my neighborhood, but as soon as I stepped out of the door, I knew I would never step back inside.  Sorry, Ama's.
3 - Alma C.: I enjoyed my experience, especially the Japanese-style noodle dish I ordered, but I left slightly broke and still hungry after ordering a half-dozen oysters, appetizer and a main entree.
5 - Hilary H.: When I say, "I love Ama's," I don't think it adequately describes how much I actually LOVE Ama's. This is quite possibly my most favorite little spot in town, and here are the reasons why:

- Fresh, delicious, unique and beautiful food. They daily oyster selection never fails me, and they're presented so beautifully on a bed of ice with nary a piece of shell nor a single grain of sand to ruin the beautiful texture of these fresh little kisses from the sea. The bento boxes are superb - I adore that you can choose your own combo of four items to make up the best meal for you in that very moment. My fave? Those shittake mushrooms - my god, those are good. Also, they're only $15 a box - not bad for dinner, kids. The fish 'n' chips are simply delicious - not heavy, greasy or messy, it's actually a well-portioned plate of bite-sized, panko-breaded white fish and great shoestring fries. Totally wonderful. 

- The atmosphere and ambience. I feel like I'm on an old world-y ship in another country where politeness and respect for everything is standard. The staff here are so kind, so knowledgeable and so good a what they do that there's not reason to do anything but relax and enjoy. The bar staff is well equipped to make you a drink based on simple descriptions like, "I like gin, but not martinis," or help you select the perfect beer and, again, they can shuck an oyster PERFECTLY. The restaurant is a little jewel box - small, lovely, warm and pretty. Perfect considering Ama's is an absolute gem. 

- Location. A quiet spot on a quiet (cobblestone) street on an awesome block. I love this teensy square in the PVD, as it feels very old and cool and historical, not to mention hidden. No riff raff here, kids. 

In closing, go to Ama's. Sit at the bar, and get some oysters and a Hitachino Japanese Ale. Have a bento box, and share the fish'n'chips with your companion. You won't be sorry.
2 - Jen H.: I really wanted to enjoy this place.  I am a fan of both oysters and bento boxes so I was expecting a home run.   The oysters saved this meal but the bento box truly mad me frown.   The fresh panko encrusted fish was something that I could have easily picked up at Stop and Shop with more salt then one dish ever needs.   Every little piece of fish was the exact shape which leads me to believe it is not very fresh at all.  The soba noodles had much to be desired and the zucchini tasted as if it had been sitting in the back waiting to be prepped for the last week.   The atmosphere is great and if you are going for just  oysters if you want a meal from a bento box I suggest finding somewhere else to eat.
4 - Leesha Z.: The place is very small but cute inside. Perfect for a date with your lovah. 
The boy and I came here solely for the oysters which were yummy and fresh. We got seated quickly but it took a while to get the food because the poor bartender was the only server in the place. We didnt mind though, he was friendly and apologetic about it all. I'd definitely come back.
5 - William H.: What a fun place!  I love sitting at the bar with the ice trough where my oysters can happily wait for me.  The bartenders have always been friendly and helpful.

Food-wise, I've had oysters, some of their bento boxes, and the fish & chips.  All have been top notch though the portions on the boxes are a little small.  Prices aren't very steep though so adding an extra app or sharing an entree is very doable.

I love any reason to go to Ama's.  The Avery across the street for a before or after drink is an added bonus.
4 - Craig S.: The food here is very good. The Bento Box is a great option, because it allows you to try four different tastes.  There are a lot of options to choose from, all of which are excellently prepared. The house sake is good, too.
5 - Ashley B.: Went here for the first time the other day- so good! Bento boxes are perfect for a healthy and light dinner option! Loved this place!
4 - Chanrathany P.: Great place! Small but cozy. Food is great! Meeeeee likey! I give it a 4 cause nothing really wow-Ed me... But everything was really good.
4 - Felicia K.: Really enjoyed my visit to Ama's. 

Although, yes, it is extremely small, we intentionally went early since we knew that was the case and had a group of 5. The place was empty. The bartender/waiter was insanely friendly and stood around chatting with us for awhile since there was no one else there. They have a great selection of beer for such a small place, including Sapporo on tap and a bunch of varieties of Hitachino in bottles. The atmosphere and decor are rather exquisite.

The menu is somewhat limited, and the prices might seem high to some for the portion sizes. In a way, it's like a French restaurant that serves Japanese food. The portions are smaller, but from what I tried, the quality is better. Really enjoyed my bento box with inari (rice wrapped in fried tofu pouches), carrot and daikon salad, shitake mushrooms, and noodles. 

I would like to come again, but would either come early as last time, or with only one other person. It's too bad they don't have a bigger space, although I suppose it wouldn't be quite the same place then.
4 - Bee K.: Really and truly a wonderful experience. The service was fantastic, the ambience was dreamy, and the food was delightful. I chose some lovely items in a Bento box(smoked salmon was especially tasty, as were the pillows of tofu and rice) paired with Spanish white wine. The place just makes you feel special. Cozy and darling. I hear the oysters are divine.

Amadeus - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2802617, -83.7478351) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
3 - Mae S.: Very pleasant little place with tons of little Eastern-European decorative items like carved wood figures or tinsel castles. These stand all around, on the walls, dangling from the hems of the window curtains, and on little shelves. 

The garnished potato pancakes are like a huge pancake sandwich. Most of the foods we tried were enjoyable. When we have been there at dinner time, live classical piano music in the background was a nice touch.

For Sunday brunch they offer several variations on the potato pancakes: with scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, salmon roe, beef goulash, chicken paprikash. Also one or two other choices. I am partial to brunch served neatly on a plate: NOT gorge-yourself buffets. So I find this appealing.
3 - Haroun K.: A cute Polish restaurant.  I've only gone for dessert, wine, coffee, and cognac, all of which were good, but did not wow me.  The service is friendly.  Whenever I'm there though, it seems to be empty.  I guess if I want to go somewhere just for liquor or dessert I wouldn't return here.  But to get away from the crowds and any chance of people watching, this is the place.
5 - Robert F.: On Fat Tuesday, once a year, Amadeus turns into a massive bakery with just one product.  And I ordered a dozen assorted Paczki.  They were excellent.  Not sweet like jelly donuts, not one pound gut bombs.  The fillings included custard, lemon, raspberry, and prune.  Each Pazcek is smeared with an an identifying glaze.  For example, lemon Paczki  have a lemon peel glaze.  It's a nice touch.

I spoke to one fellow (the owner?) who said that its a lot of work but they can stand to do it once a year.  He had been up since 10AM Monday when I picked up my reserved Paczki on Tuesday morning.  All of the tables were covered in steel trays of Paczki, quite a site.  

I think its great that Amadeus keeps this regional tradition alive.  Place your order in advance.
3 - Sarah W.: If you ever come here you must try the viennese coffee. It's really delicious. Hot, sweet, a bit of a caramel flavor and a huge drop of real thick whip cream. 

Even if you don't want to eat here, drop by and drink the viennese coffee!
3 - Peter W.: Went for the Valentine's day special,

Neat, quaint, but they couldn't seat us until 45 minutes after our reservation.  The food took a long time to get out as well.

Had some good borscht to start things off.

I had cheese, potato and mushroom perogis.  The cheese ones were a little too rich (and actually sweet) for my taste.  The potato were like Mrs. T's out of the freezer section.  The mushroom were quite good.

On any other night, service and seating are probably fine.  If you're after real authentic polish food, you'll have to drive out to Hamtramck.
2 - Annette J.: I'm Polish. Like, most of my family still lives over there and I'm first generation US so my bar for Eastern/Central European food is set pretty high. I was really excited to try this place since I don't know of many places you can get a good pierogi in Washtenaw county but unfortunately this place fell a little flat for me. I had the Atlantic ducktrap pancakes for my meal and it was just BLAND. Maybe it was my mistake for not ordering something a little more exciting or traditionally Polish so I could get a good feel for it but that dish sounded so great on the menu I couldn't resist! For the price it should have been much better and much more interesting. I did, however, try a few bites of my fella's Polish combination plate and it was just as disappointing.  Not bad but not great. And for $20 dollars for a dish you should get out of this world Polish food. $20 can buy you 2 times as much food in Hamtramck for better quality.

The space is cute, though. I will say that. And their liquor was great. I had a honey wine which I really enjoyed. I'd be interested in giving this place a second chance, especially for brunch, but I'm not racing to go back any time soon. I'll just stick to my grandma's pierogies or head to Hamtramck for now.
3 - Andrea M.: Having never had authentic Eastern-European food, I have nothing to compare this to, but I was very surprised at how excellent it tasted.  

The portions are a very generous size, which to me in no way makes a meal, but I'm simply mentioning it here.  My s/o had a sampler plate of various things, including the pierogi and meats and was very pleased with it.  Everything was full of flavor. 

Our dinner companion had a light salmon salad that looked divine and she was quite pleased with it as well.  I had a dish with chicken and potato pancakes and a slaw-type salad they serve there and loved the creaminess to everything.  

It had a rich flavor without being too heavy or too creamy in a bad way.  I would recommend that you at least try them for dinner.  My s/o raves about their baked goods, but I have yet to try the bakery. I will try it and post an updated review in the future. 

To me Amadeus is a nice change of pace among the same types of restaurants that so often pervade so many American towns.  We sat outside and dined and it was very nice; the waitress was attentive without being annoying, which is always a plus.  We wanted for nothing with the good service. 

Again, I'd say give them a try, you've got nothing to lose, as there are plenty of things on the menu that will suit most everyone and it's something different to throw into the mix.
3 - Ingrid C.: It was one of those experiences where I was like, "ooh, that was pretty good... wait, how much is it?" There just seemed to be a disconnect. 

The ambiance is very much like a mock Viennese cafe - cafe tables, informal decor, no tablecloths, and even a dessert case in the back (like a bakery). So $23 for my entrée seemed a much, especially since I didn't expect to pay close to $50 for my meal. 

I had the Hungarian Pancakes because I wanted potato pancakes and paprykash (thanks to When Harry Met Sally). It was pretty good, and a little heavier than expected. I'm still a little flabbergasted at $23 for for small-medium potato pancakes with some creamy chicken stew, though.
4 - Jen S.: I liked this place and I liked my food. I came here for dinner and there happened to be a live guitarist so it really made the whole ambiance even better (I already thought it was a cute place as soon as I walked in). I thought they had a lot of interesting things on the menu so it made it hard to decide because I honestly could have tried them all.

I'm deducting one star because it was pretty expensive for what it was.
4 - Chad C.: I would not say the attire here is dressy at all as the yelp profile lists it.  It's definitely casual relative to the other downtown Ann Arbor restaurants.  I would not go here if you are looking for a vibrant "happenin" dining spot.  It is good if you are looking for a more tranquil evening.  I am not a big Eastern European food fan; it's a bit too plain for my tastes (though there are many exceptions to this generalization).  I'm giving it four stars because it tends to be on the better side of that type of cuisine.
2 - Sanita M.: We went there one afternoon as we really enjoy European kitchen. We were little bit disappointment when we asked the waitress what salad she suggests, which one she prefers (as there were many options and we never tried any) but her response was "I like all of them". That really didn't help us. When we ordered beef goulash (it was really good, except instead of pasta we ordered potatoes as this is how we are used to eat in Hungary), waitress said that it comes with salad.. We asked what kind of salad and if they have cabbage salad. Waitress said yes, she will bring them. At the end we were very surprised that it was extra price cabbage salad (not good at all and small for about $12). She was supposed to tell that this salad is not included in the meal, but it will be extra money.. We also ordered soups (beet root soup and another one), it was our surprise that the soups were JUST a broth, and 2 slices of beet, also the other soup was just a broth with 2 potatoes. I have ordered beet soups in Europe often but they are always with more stuff inside. We will not return there, probably will find something better.
5 - Bridget K.: My boyfriend and I stopped in here for a late lunch Saturday afternoon, and it was a wonderful experience.  

The restaurant was completely charming in its decor, and we were able to sit in a window seat and enjoy the sun and the view.  The food was excellent Eastern European food.  We had pirogies and potato pancakes with chicken paprikash.  The mushroom pirogies were the best, and everything else was very good.  We both enjoyed our salads too; its not often you can write that you enjoyed the house salad at a restaurant.

We split our entrees.  Considering what we got, we thought the food was well worth it.  Definitely coming back!
3 - Freedom M.: My first dining experience here was lovely. I got the kielbasa plate which was beautifully presented and cooked to perfection. The surroundings were unique and old fashioned. I also tried the Viennese coffee which I highly recommend. The price for lunch is average, like you would find anywhere downtown  - 6 to 10 dollars a plate.  I will probably return and save room for dessert because the sweets looked amazing!
4 - Maria R.: Positives:  
1.  The Central Europe cuisine (Poland, Hungary and Austria), if it attracts or interests you, is delightful.  
2.  The decor is intimate and quaint.
3.  Service is polite and well informed.    

Negatives:  
1.  Service is leisurely to the point where you think you are in some sort of time vortex where everything slows to a crawl.  Not the place to go for a quick meal.  Savor it.

Amadeus Spa & Salon - Pasadena, CA (34.1445999145508, -118.134002685547) (Pasadena)
1 - judy w.: i was soooooooo looking forward to my deep tissue massage on my day off.  and the steam room. oh how i do luv me some steam room steam.  the best is when you go before your appointment time to use the steam room, then shower, then steam room, then shower. that way you're nice and melty right before your massage.

i arrived early for my 1030 appointment.  it was a busy morning for them and i felt rushed when the receptionist was fast talking me to the locker room so that she could go back to taking care of whatever else she was doing.  so i changed into my robe and sat patiently in the waiting area.  and waited.               and waiteddddd.....

10 minutes after my appointment time, i went to the front and asked if someone was supposed to come and get me.  they apologized and said that my therapist was running late and would be there soon.  could they offer me something to drink while i waited?  

me:  i'm okay, thank you.
nice front desk lady:  are you sure? coffee, green tea...?
me:  okay, i'll have some green tea.

2 minutes later this gal hands me this glass mug with some sort of red liquid inside.  it was a fruit flavored green tea.  uhh.... call me old fashioned, but when someone offers me green tea i expect GREEN tea. bleh.

30 minutes after my appt time, my therapist arrived and was sincerely apologetic and quite nice. all was forgiven as we walked through the halls to the massage room.....passing the employee break room and watching someone nuke something in the microwave, and strolling on by the laundry room with the cleaning ladies stuffing the washers with dirty sheets.  ahhh yes.  such lovely visions right before my massage.

my massage was quite disappointing.  i was anticipating this guy's hands, knuckles, wrists, and elbows digging deep in my back causing me to *yelp* in pain - but no.  unfortunately none of that happened. and usually the therapist will ask if the pressure is okay, but he didn't.  i will take part of the blame in not speaking up.  

their "quiet room" is not very "quiet".  you can hear the echos of people talking from down the corridors and the washer/dryers from the laundry rooms spinning.

well, so far this visit has been disappointing overall.  but there's still the steam room. aahhhh yes - steam room steam!  so i get to the steam room and read the instructions. set the timer no longer than 10 minutes and i turned the knob. all of a sudden i hear this EXTREMELY loud, motor noise. i was in disbelief that the racket would remain while anyone would be steaming, so i entered the room anyway.  boy was it a scary experience.  it reminded me of what mccaulay culkin must have felt like in 'home alone' when he was in the basement and the furnace came to life.  how could anyone relax while the engine was blaring like that? so relieved was i when it stopped. 

but then all of a sudden it started up again and scared the bah-jeezus out of me.  i ended up running the heck outta there before something came out to devour me.  at this point i decided to leave.

at least there's a nice shower before my departure.   

i could not wait to leave. luckily i was using a gift certificate and none of this was on my dollar.  i was happy to high tail it outta there. i was still kinda dirty but at least my hair was clean.
4 - Yosie G.: Ok, so I've heard this place sucks for the spa/massage aspect, but the hair cut is good enough for me. 

I came here because I needed to cut my hair - at a salon mind you - and I found it online and it looked nice. Ok, check, found a real haircut place. Next, made an appointment for the following week, arrived, walked in about 15 min before my appointment time, sat in the chair 5 min. later. I got a nice shampoo, head massage, even though I didn't ask for this one, and a hair cut, obviously. Basically, I was looking for a cut that fit my face and age and I'm definitely satisfied. 

Also, everyone in my office complimented the hair cut, so I know I did right somewhere. My lesson learned, it does pay to spend a little more for a haircut.
2 - Sally W.: I used to be a regular here--for 3 of its locations!  Yes, I followed them from place to place to place.  (Not that I was ever recognized or greeted by name at the front desk.)  

Why did I keep going?  Because one of their facialists was so good it made the place bearable.  When she left/was transferred, I left too.

The Amadeus I knew was very invested in putting up a good front: vast satiny swags, generic marble etc., but they missed the boat on REAL elegance--courtesy, good manners.  Customer appreciation.  For instance, not being greeted by name upon arrival, as mentioned before--and always being asked for ID when I wrote a check--wore thin.  I went there at least once a month!  For years!  3 locations!  Great tipper!  Never bounced a check!  Still, "I'm gonna need to see your ID."

A trip to a spa (IS this a spa, or is it a glorified salon?) should be relaxing, a treat from start to finish, or--at the very least--not aggravating.  

There are lots of other places to go.
2 - Erica L.: I receive a gift certificate to Amadeus every year.  I used last year's at The Grove location.  Wasn't so impressed there so wanted to give Pasadena a try.

They're renovating. So I was told to change in the Men's Locker Room.  Ummm, it was more like a closet.  Not much room to move around and no place for privacy if you wanted it.   The closet ... I mean locker room ... reeked of Pine Sol's new Mountain Fresh scent (the blue one).    

The robe they gave me felt like it needed another round in the dryer.  The sleeves were wet.  Yuck.  I walked out in the waiting area to ask for a new robe.  No one was in sight. So I helped myself to a dry one at the bottom of the stack behind the counter.

I was seated in the waiting room with 10 minutes to spare.  Plenty of time for me to look around and scope out the place. They could stand to update this area ... since they are renovating.  It felt a little dated, the sofa wasn't comfortable (need better cushions) and the curtain covering the interior windows was a bit spooky.  

My masseuse came out right on time and escorted me to her room.  It smelled like incense.  I don't like incense!  But the bed was nice and warm so I got over it. 

The receptionist had misinformed me when it came to the type of wrap I was getting.  I  thought I was getting the wrap done in the wet room. But it turned out I made an appt for the wrong thing based on my discussion with the receptionist.  The wrap I got included a  dry rub that hurt.  However my skin did feel like butter afterwards, so it was worth it.  But my massage was too short. Just when she was starting to work out the kinks.  It was over.  I felt cheated. Sigh!  

My appointment  began at 9 AM and I was out by 11:15.   The wrap was suppose to last 75 minutes and the massage was scheduled for 90 minutes.  Doesn't that equal 2 hours and 45 minutes? I think the girl shorted me by thirty minutes. 

I politely handed over my gift certificate and tip with my buttery soft hands.  $250 of someone else's money.  Wasn't really worth it.  Won't ever go on my own dime.  Though I should mention, the slippers were very comfortable.  I bought myself a pair for $5.  Hmm, where will I wear them?
4 - Agnes T.: The only reason why I'd give them 4 stars is just because of one person... Marco.  He is a serious genius with scissors.  I've never ever had a bad hair cut since I met him.  

OK, the parking's decent (its free in the structure),  the mani & pedi's are pretty decent, and a couple of their waxers are great.  Otherwise, everything kinda goes down hill from here.  Tiny changing rooms, pricey, mediocre massages and spa treatments.

Anyway, if he leaves, I would stop going too.
4 - Connie C.: Love Marco! He's the best stylist. I never have to tell him how to cut my hair, I just come in and let him do his thing. The salon itself is nice, it's always clean. 

Would've given the salon 5 stars  except the people at the front desk aren't always very friendly or organized. I've made appointments a few times only to come in and not be on their schedule. 

Marco saw me anyway, but the confusion was annoying.
1 - Susan B.: I've been to the other location in Paseo and although the facilities here are slightly better, what makes this place so bad is the poor service. The receptionist is a bonefide b!tch!. 
The massage was OK, but having someone so rude at the front lines just gets you off wrong. 
The paseo location although smaller and with less facilities, has a quaint, cozy, friendly enviroment and staff. 
The last thing I want when I'm on my time off is to get treated rudely.
1 - unhip l.: I don't recommend this spa.  I felt like I was at the Y, no joke.  The steam room smelled worse than the one at LA Fitness.  It's supposedly a "eucalyptus" steam room but it smelled moldy, dirty, and dank.  YUCK!   The steam power was good though, but a little dangerous because it's really thick and blinding.  

There was urine on the toilet and a cotton ball with blood on the ground.  I was really shocked by how rundown this spa was. The only beverage was ice water.  Sigh.  If you're going to fork over big bucks for a massage, you think you'd get better amenities.  I saw someone had written about a quiet room.  Where was that?  Do you mean the curtained off waiting area behind the receptionist?  Oh, this place was just abysmal.  

Then for my massage - the therapist was good but she had a cold or something and kept coughing/sneezing during my session.  I should have just asked her to stop rather than being in a small room with someone coughing all over me.  It was very unrelaxing.  But she was good and had strong hands.  Unfortunately I didn't get her name.  She gave me a $10 off coupon for my next visit but in reality that doesn't help the session that got messed up today.  I HIGHLY doubt I'll be going back.  For better facilities, one should visit Burke Williams, Equinox gym, or the Shiatsu spa place in Old Town (sorry forgot it's name).  Also, the Westin has good facilities.  Oh, also, my robe had dirt on it and the towels were thin and not soft.  This was a very unspa-like experience.  I feel bad for the place.  RIP Amadeus.

The only upside to all this is that I used a gift certificate so none of this was on my dime.  Next time, I'm asking for a Burke William's gift certificate and I'm going to the one in Santa Monica.
2 - Sher D.: Ayami h.!
You gave me the Phytomer gift basket that I won! And you were right, that product is much better than Dermalogica.

I have another review and this one is not so great. After I got undressed and into the towel, I sat on the table to cover up. The table wobbled and tipped toward the head of the table and I found myself looking at my bottom and noticing that I really should have booked a bikini wax, too!

I saw Julie for a facial and this time she seemed to be rushed, left the room for long periods of time, a half hearted effort to extract my skin and I  wasn't as refreshed as I was after my first visit. 

I told Julie that my back was sore because of the back flip and she apologized and shoo'ed me on my way. I knew that it would be fine...later, but that wasn't how I'd like to be treated. 

All this and no steam room?
Amadeus has seen the last of me!
5 - Ema S.: don't know about the spa.....But Marco is the best Hair stylist i have ever had!!! I live in La/Marina Del Rey area...and I drive out to Pasadena just so he can cut my hair!! I let no one touch my hair!
I think he is the only good thing going for Amadeus spa right now!!!
It is very pricey...but well worth it.
1 - Jevon O.: Alrite I had my haircut about a month ago. I was not very happy about the administration of this salon. When I had to book an appointment, they asked me for my credit card. "Just in case, if u cancel ur appointment". I have never heard such thing about giving my CC number. So I thought it will be a 5 or 10 bucks, so no biggie. 

And so unfortunately by chance, something came up at work. I had to cancel the appointment. They informed me that they will be charging the full amount of the haircut. I was like WAT THE *BEEP* *BEEP*. I was not  at all happy. The only way to avoid that is to postphone the appointment to another date. I have never felt such big obligation just to go for a haircut. NOT RECOMMENDED!
5 - Britney A.: Very Nice! I really love this place :)  Very soothing.  I especially love the Eucalyptus steam room.  Lisa and Tanya are great massage therapists. This is highly recommended!
4 - Lina O.: ive never been to a spa but came here for a good friends bachellorette party. we did all of our appointments through gigi, who is apparently hard to get a hold of. (i think shes the big boss though) everyone was really nice and friendly. i only got a mani and pedi, but wish i had gotten something more like a massage or something! the girl that did my nails was so cute and nice. i forgot her name though =P (little asian girl =) haha) i got my nails done with my girl friend and her cousin. the two girls that were working on them were hilarious. probably louder and laughing and talking about things we shouldnt have at a spa. hahah (they would immediately get all quiet when gigi would come around ;) haha) i forgot what those girls names were but one was this white girl that turned out to be pretty ghetto hahahaha and the other was an older black lady who they called their mama because she'd been there so long and took care of everyone. hahaha oh yeah there was another older european looking lady who was doing someone elses nails in the same room. i remember her name was gina because she was telling a story that someone called her GYNA (even before the whole 40-yr old virgin movie came out LOL "so you're name is gina?" "no... GYNA" hahahah) 

some of the girls got a package where lunch was included, and everyone else got what they wanted and then put in for the lunch. so we had lunch together in one of the relaxation rooms in the back. lunch was from tarantinos i think across the street. it was pretty good. i got the tomato and basil pasta, which tasted pretty good but was really really oily. the room was kinda a small and half of us had to sit on the floor. we got shush-ed from a lady who was doing a message or something in a room next door. we were also only given like 30 min to eat lunch, but i think it must have been like 15. which kind of sucked because the girls kept coming in asking if we were ready for our next appts. we couldnt really relax and just chat. 

my nails came out pretty nice. my pedi better than the mani. my mani sadly only lasted about 2 days =( 

before we left, gigi gave us all little goodie bags with a little bag and samples of products. overall the service was good and everyone was very nice. but i just felt rushed, which i feel like we should be since we're at a spa. =P oh well
4 - Taylor S.: Went here over the weekend to get a much needed massage. I booked the Amadeus Signature, which starts with a quick foot scrub, continues with hot stones, and finishes with a standard full body massage - and it includes aromatherapy!  It was maaaaaaahhhhvelous (emphasis on the "aaaaaaahhhh")! Michelle B. did a fantastic job and used just the right amount of pressure. When she started working on my shoulders and upper back, I could tell I had a lot of knots (I sit at a desk, hunched over a laptop all day, and I'd had a beyond-stressful week, so it was to be expected!) Usually when I get a massage, the masseuse will spend some time on the upper back and then continue on to the other areas without really working out all the knots. Not Michelle! She spent a good 20 minutes (at least) making sure she got rid of every last ball of stress. Of course it was a little painful at times, and my shoulders were a bit sore the next day, but it was so worth it! I can't remember the last time I felt that relaxed! 

After booking my appointment online, I received a 10% off coupon for any additional service that I hadn't tried at Amadeus. Because this was my first time there, that left me a whole menu of services to choose from. So when I checked in for my massage I scheduled a spa pedi. Bonnie did my pedi and she did a great job as well! I've been to higher end spas before, paid up the a$$ for a pedi, and not had good results, so I was pleasantly surprised to find my toes perfectly smooth and polished at the end of the hour. Bonnie paid great attention to detail, and while I certainly can't afford this every month, she made this visit well worth the price. 

- 1/2 star for the fact that this isn't the most economical option for a massage and pedi - especially considering that you can hear everything going on in the hall way from your treatment room. 

- 1/2 star for the steam room. I tried this out before my massage, and while it was a great way to start getting loosened up, it did NOT smell like eucalyptus. It smelled just like musty/ damp air, which is what one would expect if it wasn't advertised as eucalyptus. Also, the whole room is tiled, so as it fills with steam, condensation collects on the ceiling and drips on you. Ick. I wanted to use the room one more time after my massage and pedi, but the on/ off knob had been removed. =( 

Overall great experience. I will definitely be back for another massage with Michelle B.!! =)
4 - Peter D.: Yea, as a man living in Pasadena and being a big TV Star I have to look my best. So went to Amadeus for my Jiffy Lube Oil Change. I mean my facial pores were full of oil!!! Michelle "Me Che" took great care of me , Place seems busy and if you sign up for their club or advance reservations they offer a discount. Every penny counts. Right/!!!  Back to the restaurant reviews
5 - Courtney F.: I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!
If I lived closer I would be going ALL the time ~ I used to get my brazilians done here and they are by the very very best.  Quick, clean, and no weirdness (which is important considering hehe).  I used to go to this lady (and im so sorry i cant remember her name) but she is one of the few who have been there forever and she specializes in that the of wax job I mentioned above :) 
Summer is right around the corner - go check her out!
4 - Kristen R.: The woman who did my eyebrows and lashes was GREAT - I would give her 5 stars. (Her name was CC). She was really nice and pleasant and she's really good with eyebrows. If you go here, be sure not to wait in the front room which is kinda like being in the middle of a store. Go to the quieter waiting room. I say quietER because there's a window that rattles REALLY loud each time you start to relax... RATTLE! The atmosphere is only OK in my opinion, not exactly an amazing getaway experience, but a friendly staff goes a long way in my book.
4 - Heather H.: Been going here for almost 20 years. Ingred is the BEST waxer and facialist.  I have also had my makeup done here for a wedding as well.  They have nice amenties as well.
5 - Rebecca K.: This spa is top of the line.  Creme de'la creme.  Top of the food chain....you get the idea.  I have been coming here since I moved here from phoenix umpteen years ago.  I have YET to be upset about the service here.

I will say when I first came with my sister and mother the first time we bought a spa package and came on the busiest day ever.  So the staff was taxed you could tell and the service was mediocre to be modest.  That could be said for any business so we didn't take it personal.

I decided to give this establishment a second try and was astonished at how well recieved I was.  This place has the nicest service, they're sweet and generous and patient with tough patrons.  Some say this place is too expensive, I say for the service and expertise you get that you are getting a splendid deal.

Amadeus is giving you quite a package.  

To sum it up...yes..I am biased.  I always will be.  I love my ladies there and will always adore them and the service they give.  What can I say, I love being pampered.  Who doesn't?
4 - Charlotte R.: Great spa!  I went there to have a 60 min. Swedish massage with Liza Lim. 

The women's locker room is clean and nice, with many products for you to use for free.

The waiting area is dimly lit with comfy couches although the window does rattle and you can hear all the noise from the salon area.   Not a super relaxing area which is the only reason they get 4 stars instead of 5.  It's not the height of luxury but it will do.

The massage was in a very nice room, very clean, with soft music.  Liza was amazing!  I was totally relaxed.  She wasn't chatty (yay!) and gave an amazing massage.  Made sure to ask me at the beginning what kind of pressure I wanted and went from there.  I was so relaxed afterwards!

I highly recommend this place and Liza especially!  I know I'll be going back to see her!
2 - Chai C.: If someone blindfolded me in the parking lot, led me straight into my treatment room and kept me blindfolded during the treatment itself, I'd give this place 5 stars.  I had their Signature Massage, a 75-minute full body massage that starts with a foot scrub, essential oil personalization and hot stones.  Michelle was my massage therapist and she was very skilled in figuring out tension areas and how to get into the right knots that allowed me to relax (as opposed to scream).  Michelle - thank you.  You're very, very good at what you do.

Since I didn't go in blindfolded, I was surprised.  The reception area was congested with inventory including baskets of bracelets and accessories, plastic wrappers shoved into shelves.  The place looked like they were in a middle of a move or renovation (which they're not).  And why is a supposedly high-end spa business selling bracelets at the front desk?  And advertising it in the locker room on a frayed sheet of in-house printed flier taped to the back of the main door?   

The entire establishment was designed by someone with no taste, 20 years ago.  Carpets were worn and was a dark navy blue like an office carpet.  The locker room was beaten up.  Lights were too bright and there was at least one flourescent in there.  Lockers were old and scratches were never repaired.

The rest area was a real offense to the senses.  The sofas were off-white, worn, pleather and from the 70s.  Their decorator either shopped on craigslist or drove around LA to pick up the sofas left on the curb.  

The whole place is so old and ugly.  

Now about the service.  The staff is uncoordinated but friendly in a most basic way.  

Only go to Amadeus if you're the kind of customer who can forgive bad taste.  I so want to return to enjoy Michelle's excellent techniques but unfortunately, I think spas are 100% sensorial experience and that includes decor/ambience.  Everything I see, smell and touch matters.  I won't be going back.
2 - Jenny w.: In the past I've visited the Paseo Colorado location a few times before they closed down, back then the massages were pretty good and the facility was decent. I've been to the Green st. location 3 times, and won't be going back there anymore! I really enjoyed there neck nirvana massage before, but the last time there the therapist was really the worse I've ever had anywhere. She kept pushing the same spot with the same lack of pressure even though I had asked her for more pressure and asked her to work on other areas. I didn't feel good, I almost felt bored and could feel her lack of care.  The facility is run down, there is only a steam room, and the showers are weak. I've come to realize that the place isn't worth the money.
1 - Christina V.: Way to ruin a Valentine's day!  My husband gave me a surprise massage and pedicure for Valentine's day.  Since I didn't know exactly what services I was suppose to receive, after my massage they cut me loose!  It was a thanks for coming, you're all signed out, everything has been paid for.  Too bad my husband had both scheduled me for and paid for a pedicure that they just FORGOT to give me.  

If it wasnt so poorly managed it would have been an ok place, if you don't mind being given shoes and robes that are too small.  The massage with Liza was ok, I can't complain about that, but honestly Ive gotten better massages without all the hassle from cheaper places.  Save your money...go someplace else.
3 - Eduardo R.: I been a couple of times here for massages received a 60mins. deep tissue sport massage last time recently after receiving a valentine gift certificate  I went in for a 90mins. Amadeus Signature massage. I gone to a variety of massage parlors they all really are up to the masseuse. Not thrilled by this place they do walk you to the changing rooms with a locker,a sauna room, and are handed a robe and sandals. But really is all about the massage personally two times, different girls, not impressed.
1 - Sara V.: Why I will never go back ... I have visited this salon for years and every time - no exaggeration - they are late.  If you don't mind waiting about 15 minutes past your appointment time for someone to collect you, then this is the place for you.  

While their services kept me coming back, the last straw was when I showed up for a pedicure and the nail tech blew off the appointment.  I could hear the receptionist arguing with her on the phone behind me, that she was supposed to be here already and the poor receptionist had to come up with an excuse (her car broke down) as to why she wasn't there.

The consolation prize was that if I came back later, they'd give me 20% off the service.  Big deal.  

I'm done - having been disappointed way too many times.
4 - Graciela G.: I am not a spa person at all but my stepmom and stepsister are and so I went with them to Amadeus to be a good sport. So I had no idea what to expect but I can't say it was a bad experience at all. In fact, reading through some of the bitching and complaining on the dated decor and cluttered inventory from other people here makes me realize why i had a sudden attack of the giggles during my facial. The whole spa experience is stuffy, filled with hokey new age music, and a sense of calm that is completely fabricated. If those types of things are important to you, then I guess you should pay attention to the 1 and 2 star reviews here. But c'mon, will any of us go back to our jobs on Monday morning feeling like our lives are so full of inner peace and relaxation? Especially in our city's horrible traffic jam? Absolutely not. 

I had some of these thoughts during my facial and the dead quiet in the room, except for some bad music, when there is obviously someone working on my face, just seemed so absurd to me that I could only crack up. So after the whole facade of a spa was broken and I was able to talk to my technician, I felt more comfortable. I don't need all the bells and whistles when I am basically getting my face cleaned and blackheads are being removed. Extractions are not exactly a call for Enya music and images of streams in pastoral mountains. Maybe I'm just more down to Earth and realistic in that way but the facial I got was perfectly fine and my skin feels cleaner and smoother. So as far as I'm concerned, Amadeus did a great job at the service I was there for.
1 - Alixandrea M.: Not really happy about my experience today. I went in for a nail treatment with a new kind of gel they have that is supposed to be really good for your nails. The mani went ok (Took a long time, but sometimes I guess that's to be expected) 

My problem came when I was leaving, and got grossly overcharged. $100? For a manicure? Uh...ok. I asked a couple times if she was sure about that total, and told the woman at the counter everything that I had done. She insisted that it was right. So I handed over the plastic, paid, left a nice tip and went about my business. 

After I left I decided to look up the prices to verify. Just like I thought. I got super overcharged, it was supposed to be $60. SO I went back in, showed them how much it was supposed to cost and what is the answer I got? "Well, $100 is how much she said" Not apologetic at all. Maybe the manicurist padded the price to get a bigger tip? I don't know, but they finally fixed the pricing and refunded me...the whole time looking at me like I was the problem.

Um...no thanks. I can go to other spas and get a much better mani with much less 'tude on the side. I don't think I'll be returning.
1 - Erin M.: I have been going to some of the best spa's my whole life around the country. When I wanted to do a couples massage for my boyfriend and I, I decided to try out Amadeus on Green St. The ambiance is horrible, slightly felt like a doctors office with more relaxing music. The locker rooms were small, the waiting room was tiny and exposed to everyone when it should be more of a relaxing area. Then on top of it, the massage therapists were barely OK to say the least. I really was not impressed. I did 90 min massages for us, and cost me WAY too much money for the type of service and ambiance. I really was disappointed, and will never return.
4 - Alanna G.: I was skeptical about driving down about 3 hrs. to Pasadena to use my gift card my boyfriend Josh got me back when we were still living in Los Angeles, but despite bad reviews I decided to journey down back into the traffic and smog we moved away from.  After checking on-line about the different services and receiving an email from Amadeus about a 40% off all services excluding facials and some other services, I knew the time was right to get a massage and haircut for an awesome price.  Amadeus will send you emails every now and then about different deals they have and you just need to let them know and print it out.  You can sign up on their website.

  I decided on a 75 minute Amadeus massage and a haircut and style from a Jr. hairstylist.  My massage was with Alex and my haircut was with Daphne.  They suggest you arrive 15 mins. prior to your massage, so you can have time to check in and get changed into a robe and sandals they provide and put your personals, etc. away in one of their coded lockers.  You can also arrive even earlier, if you wish to use their sauna, which I didn't and also didn't get the best reviews on cleanliness from other Yelpers' reviews.  

I got down to Pasadena and checked in at 11:30 am for my 12pm appointment.  The parking, by the way, is in the Community Bank garage to the left of Hudson around the corner of Amadeus.  Amadeus will give you a parking validation pass once you pay and check out, which is good for the whole day.  Once you check in, they give you a robe and sandals in your size and they bring you to the locker room and let you know where you will wait from there for your service, etc.  The robe was nice and cozy, but the sandals were pretty old and uncomfortable with the top of the show digging into the top of my foot.

I didn't have to wait long for Alex to show up and bring me to the massage room.  The sheets you lay on weren't that soft and I could here employees talking every now and then outside of my room, but I could relax pretty well.  Alex did a great job of applying firm pressure and focusing on my areas of concern, which we discussed before the massage began.  They have very good bedside manner with the way they move the sheets around to get to massage you.  Maybe a little too good of bedside manner though because he didn't really massage my lower back that well because maybe he didn't want to get to close to my rump.  They play some light music in the background, which made me feel like some jade princess in a bamboo garden or something because of the asian vibe of the music.  He has good technique and uses his arms and hands in different ways.  He did a good scalp massage as well with slight hair pulling, which helped to relieve tension in my head.  

My hair was quite crazy after all the hair pulling and scalp rubbing, so I was glad to be getting my hair done next.  Alex had me sit in another waiting area to wait for Daphne.  I read some magazines and drank some more cold water, which they have everywhere.  Make sure you drink a lot of water after a massage because it helps with flushing out the toxins, etc.  Alex didn't explain this, but I know this from previous massages.  

Daphne came and got me and brought me back to the salon area.  I did feel kind of awkward being in the buff in the Amadeus robe among other women who were clothed in the salon, but I got over it because of my good massage vibes.  Daphne sat me down and I explained what I wanted, my concerns of looking like a lampshade with short hair and even showed her a pic I had brought as she listened quietly.  She offered me a drink as we waited for a sink to open up.  I had water, but did  notice when leaving through the salon that they had a big coffee espresso maker thing, ice tea and lemonade, which would have been nice to know earlier.

She did a great job shampooing my hair and getting the oils out from the massage and did a great scalp massage.  I absolutely loved my haircut when she was finished.  I had never had short hair before and went from thick wavy hair that was at my bra strap to shoulder length hair cut into a sexy sleek lob (long bob).  Daphne didn't talk much throughout the haircut, which I didn't mind because she was super focused on my hair.  She took time in making sure all the layering blended well and that there wasn't any chunks in certain areas.  She did a great job blowing my hair out as well.  I was amazed when she was done and I'm loving my short hair!

In conclusion, Amadeus could remodel to up their ambiance factor of the spa and make it more plush.  For a 75 min. massage for $110 and a Jr. Haircut/style for $65, my total after the 40% off special and tip was perfectly covered by my $150 gift card.  For a massage, I will stick closer to home, but for a haircut I would brave through the LA traffic in the 3 hr. drive one way to see Daphne!
3 - Emma H.: Though i live far, I work near  and have been going for wax appointments once a month with Ingrid for several years now. She is amazing! I love love love her, the type of work she does is very professional and very thorough, she's sweet and friendly.  (i'd give her 5 stars)
I got my hair done there once (color and cut) and it was way too expensive ($400) which is ridiculous and way over my budget. It's kept me from trying other services unfortunately. Which is why i'm giving the location only 3 stars.
So, now I stick to what i know, the brazilian, and i'm a happy camper!
1 - Venessa J.: This outdated, overly priced salon, with inexperienced stylists left me not only looking worse then when I arrived, but angry I had just blown $50 on the worst blow dry I have ever received.  When I asked for a refund, the manager was rude, combative and all together disagreeable.  I do not know how this place stays in business when there are salons like Echo and Salon Eleven all within a 10 mile radius.
1 - Samuel C.: This is the worst full-service spa that I have been to in Southern California. And I have been to many spas between Santa Clarita and San Diego.

The sad part is the massage was actually average (warranting at least a 3 star ranking). But the locker room, waiting room, and massage room experiences ruined it for me.

The men's locker/bath room area looks modern, but it has the dirt and dilapidation as if its never been cleaned or maintained over the past 20 years. The sink and mirror are near the door. Although there are peeling stickers on the mirror advertising certain shaving products, none of those products are available. There are only 2-3 communal brushes/combs. And of course, these are truly communal since they aren't separated as "used" and "unused" (like other spas). Many of the lockers don't work. The sauna - the only amenity available besides the shower - doesn't work! The shower's fixtures are covered in what seems like 20 years of water deposits. The shower wall has a splotchy patching job on one side (maybe a disgruntled customer punched a hole in it?!). The ceiling is peeling. I felt gross walking on the one rug in the bathroom, wondering if it contained even half of the bacteria saturating the rest of the bathroom. Grime covers the floor, ceilings and wall. So much for relaxing before heading in for a massage.

The waiting room did not help the situation at all. It is a small closet-sized space located off the main hallway. Although its a claustrophobia inducing space, there are window sized holes in the walls covered by curtains. This artistic value is extremely outweighed by the fact that the very loud nail salon area is close by.

When I finally was escorted down the hallway to the massage room, I started breathing a sigh of relief imagining that it would make up for all the rest of Amadeus's shortcomings. But I was wrong. While the massage was average, the room was very cold and was almost as loud as the waiting area.

I went to Amadeus because a friend gave me a gift certificate. Now, I wonder if that friend found it on a deal site. I can only imagine how desperate they are for business with such a decrepit and poorly designed facility.

Is this review harsh? Probably so. I also recognize that Amadeus is consistently a few dollars cheaper than neighboring Burke Williams (incredible facilities, by the way). However, if a spa decides to charge over a hundred dollars for a massage, the facilities should at least be half-decent.
2 - Janis F.: I came here with my girlfriends for a massage. Upon checking the gals at the reception desk were not the friendliest and didn't greet us by name. Checked in given a robe and sandals which were not comfortable because the top part digged into the foot. I didn't see any staff around in the locker room area cleaning and picking up. The women's locker was small and dismal considering some of the locks on the lockers were broken. The shower amenities were dismal only saw a dispenser for shampoo and conditioner and a small unmarked bottle which I assumed was body wash. I did not have time nor dare to try their other facilities such as the steam room because it didn't look clean. The lounge/waiting area was really small and no ambiance at all, and you can see the messy storage area. There were no refreshments only plain water in a pitcher with plastic tumblers. I had to ask the staff for hot tea but it was not warmed. I like spas that offer water infused with limes, lemons or cucumbers. My 1 hour massage was relaxing and the therapist was good but after my massage I was surprised she wasn't waiting outside the room ready with a glass of water. I had to ask her for water! The massage room had no ambiance and had cheap linoleum flooring that needs replacing, and I could hear noise and talking coming from outside. Overall experience = outdated shabby ambiance, not so great customer service, and lack of cleanliness. I've had better at Glen Ivy in Brea and Corona, and a local neighborhood spa My Spa Journeys in Cerritos.
3 - Kari K.: I recently came here because I had a gift certificate that I've had for almost 2 years (every time I wanted to use it, I would read the reviews and didn't want to use my gift certificate).  Anyway, I decided to get a facial and then I had an odd amount leftover on my gift certificate, so I used that up with a 20-minute chair massage.

The facial was ok, but here's what I found disgusting- the sheets were dirty (they had makeup on them, so they obviously didn't clean the sheets from the previous person).  I also felt like my facialist did a so-so job (she was nice, but I didn't feel like she did an amazing job).  As others have mentioned, the decor left a lot to be desired, but when your eyes are covered for most of the facial it doesn't matter (clean sheets do though!).

The reason why I'm giving this spa 3 stars instead of 1 or 2 was the chair massage.  I really didn't have high expectations for that (as I mentioned I was just using up the remaining part of my GC).  I wish I had just skipped the facial and used it for chair massages by Gary - seriously, the best chair massage I've ever had (and I'm not a huge fan of chair massages).  If I could review Gary separately, I'd give Gary 5 stars. I can see myself coming in to see Gary for a 10 or 20-minute massage on a regular basis as I'm running errands in Pasadena.  The only thing that was weird about the chair massage was that they do it in a lobby (you'd think they'd have a little room off the side for that- not that they'd have it out where people are buying products).  Again, not a miss on Gary's part, but something the salon should think about changing.  It's just weird to give a service (no matter how quick) out in the lobby.
2 - Susan M.: $150 for a facial?? Come on now. I can't believe I even paid that much. It was the same type of facial I could get for half the price elsewhere.

Also, I got my hair done here once. Initially, I went in to get it dyed lighter (I have natural brown hair and wanted a dirty blonde look).. the lady who did my hair said it would be difficult because my hair was dark even though I told her I had only dyed it once to black and it faded away a while ago. So, she ended up just giving me a simple conditioning treatment and then a blow-dry. I was so confused. Now, after having it dyed several times, I know she was just being lazy/wrong. Weird experience. I think she was pressed for time. Still, don't give false information like that.
2 - Sarah Toni M.: I had a Travelzoo Coupon for a great price but I didn't get the Champagne & Chocalate Cover Strawberry"s as promised, the service was good the bathroom sink was dirty the place needs some cleaning.
1 - James S.: Check out ruthswissa.com
1 - Cheryl L.: I got a $99 deal from Travelzoo for a couple's massage w/champagne. In the past few months, I have been trying to schedule the appointment but can not really get into their calendar due to the fact that they only have ONE couple's room. This surprised me since they made it clear on the voucher as "couple's massage"! If they only have one couple's massage room, why do you market this way? For me, it's almost a false advertising. However, I still wanted to give a try then scheduled my appointment finally on Sunday, May 29 in Memorial Day long weekend.

15 mins right before my massage appointment, I got a call from Amadeus Spa to inform me that they have to cancel this appointment since the masseuses were not even showing up. What a wonderful "surprise"! I woke up early and drove all the way to finally want to try this with my boyfriend, towards the end, I got this cancellation call from them 15 mins before my service. Honestly, as a customer, we need to cancel/change our appointment 24 hrs before the appointment. Otherwise, your voucher subject to forfeiture. However, as a business, Amadeus Spa just called me not only in the same day but 15 minutes before my appointment to cancel this appointment? This is just totally unacceptable and shows the poor management they have to run the business.

Still, I was patient enough and wanted to give another try to finally get on another appointment. I even called 2 days before to ensure my request as a couple's room for this couple's massage.

Their manager, Katie, is the one to answer the call. I expressed my frustration and disappointment through my experience on the memorial day weekend and wanted to confirm all before I even come in. However, instead of apologizing on my inconvenience, she simply put a way that " I am sure you have never run your business or deal with people, I can not control who will show up to work or not. This is beyond my control" to respond what happened to me on my original-scheduled appointment on memorial day weekend. Honestly, this is just unprofessional to begin with. I would expect the spa manager can handle it correctly and also understand what I have been through from a customer. You will never point out that my service is subject to change since I am a TRAVELZOO VOUCHER customer! 

Therefore, I called Travelzoo and get a refund from this ridiculous deal. Though I didn't get to experience your service/facilities, I believe that they way Amadeus Spa advertises/markets has already shown the unprofessionalism in this business. Unfortunately, not only you didn't win the business from me, I will also not recommend your business to any of my friends.
4 - Michele K.: I've read a ton of bad reviews about the spa side of this place, something I haven't experienced, but the reason I go to Amadeus is for my haircuts by Marco and now hilights with Cierra. They are both awesome!
2 - Toia C.: I went to Amadeus expecting a very relaxing day at the Spa but I walked into a chaotic entry with four people crowded at the register and people sitting in the waiting area.  I checked in for my massage only to be told that the Steam Room was not working.  This wasn't going very well but I must say that I did have one of the best massages and body scrubs so I was very pleased about that.  If facility were a little cleaner and nicer looking and the front was more organized and quiet, I would have enjoyed this experience much more!  They used to have a location at the Grove that was everything you'd expect in a Spa but it has since closed.  I don't think I'll drive way to Pasadena again for that!
3 - S M.: We got a really good deal from Travelzoo to try out this Spa.  We were quite excited, but as soon as we picked up the phone to make our reservation our excitement immediately died.  The front desk put us on hold for quite a long time.  They weren't helpful nor friendly. Nevertheless, we dismissed the behaviors by convincing ourselves they were just too busy.

Well the day arrived for our spa treatments.  Again we were excited, but as soon as we stepped into the front lobby the whole ambience was nothing but relaxing.  There were tons of front desk personnel standing around talking to each other.  For a moment there I didn't know what I was suppose to do. After a moment of standing around, one of the staff final turned around to greet me.  It's definitely not what I expected from a spa.  

My disappointment with the front desk occurred again at the end of the treatments.  I stood at the counter for quite awhile to check out.  Given there were 4 staffs at the counters and no other customers, I didn't understand why I had to ask for help.  It got worsed once I received help, the staff asked me to hold for a second while she answered the phone.  Of course, I graciously said okay and waited.  At first I didn't listen to the conversation, but it took quite awhile so I looked at the staff.  She then told the person on the phone, in her sweet voice, that she "gotta go because she has a customer in front of her". I was shocked, because I waited thinking she needed to help another customer, but instead she was talking to her friend or boyfriend while I was standing there.  There is nothing more unprofessional than this.  To make the matter worse, I paid for my service and stood there waiting for a receipt or thank you for coming or something to let me know she's done.  Well, that didn't happened.  I had to ask are we done.  Amadeus truly need to change their lobby presentation and re-train their front desk personnel to be more helpful.

I gave it a 3 star, because the treatments I received were really great.  I enjoyed my Maui body scrubs, the massage, facials, and paraffin manicure.  All the professionals were super friendly, helpful and very informative.  They gave out really great tips on how I can take better care of my body.  I like meeting everyone of them.  Only if I can bypass the hustle and bustle of the front desk and lobby area, my spa day would have been great.
4 - Cristina M.: I received a TravelZoo Voucher from my girlfriends for my bachelorette party back in March.  I finally tried to call in and schedule in July when I realized it was going to expire...only to find out I couldn't use it on Saturday. (the only day I could go)  I got put on hold and the manager Katie (or Kate) came on and said she could make an exception.  I was very pleased because I know businesses have to be pretty strict when it comes to those vouchers.  

Before going in, I visited yelp to read some reviews and suddenly got nervous because it only had 2.5 stars.  But was pleasantly surprised when I arrived for my appointment.  I did not find the lobby chaotic at all.  Yes, they are a business and were answering the phone and helping customers, which is normal.  I immediately got called back and was shown around, given a robe and sandals and instructions on what to do next.  After filling out info sheet, I met my massage therapist Melai.  She was very pleasant and great at her profession.  She also provided me with my Maui Salt Glow session.  I have never had one and she explained every step of the way and made me feel very comfortable.  I would definitely go back to see her again! Unfortunately, I did hear conversations through the wall so that was a bummer.  Not Melai's fault though.

Next, Melai guided me to a resting area and provided me with a glass of water.  That was where I found the source of the noise I heard through the walls.  One of their clients was having a conversation on their cell phone in the quiet area.  She did not even try to lower her voice when we walked in.  So after Melai stepped away, I kindly informed the lady that we could hear her conversation during my session.  Yes, the walls are kind of thin but, come on people, when it says quiet area, be QUIET!  

Stella, my estetician came and got me for my facial next.  She was funny and informative.  She helped me understand my skin a lot better and provided recommendations for ongoing care.  I didn't seem like an hour facial like it was supposed to be though...I don't know...I wasn't keeping time.  

Then I changed and went in for my manicure and parafin wax.  Trish was the manicurist.  She has been with Amadeus for 23yrs.  She was gentle and helped me understand what to do to care for my nails as they grow out from getting acrylics.  

Overall, I had a great day at the Spa.  I look forward to coming back as soon as I can.
1 - Pamela V.: LONG STORY SHORT:
I was pleased Amadeus was able to schedule me for a same day waxing BUT it never happened.

4pm- Checked in at reception and had to seat myself. Found a new magazine to keep me busy.
4:15pm- I told the receptionist this is taking longer than usual and would impact my other appointments that evening. Nothing.
4:30pm- Still flipping through a magazine.
4:42pm- I realize I have now read the ENTIRE magazine. Patience has evaporated.

I walk to the receptionists and say I will have to cancel my 4pm appointment. She asks "what day" to which I reply "right now." She looks shocked because the time is 4:42pm!  She said I'll be back, and disappeared,  running into the rear of the salon. I wait for her return. Nothing. I finally just walked out of the building and left.

40 minutes...
-did the esthetician ever give notice that she was running late? NO
-did any of the 3 receptionists ever approach me while I sat there for 40 minutes? NO

What a waste of my time (45 minutes of waiting, 20 minutes of driving).
1 - Mirasol R.: My friends and I got a good deal from TravelZoo. We booked this massage and facial package since May as a nice Mommies Day Out for 7 of our friends. We came as far as South Orange County and Edwards just to have this get together. We were very excited and expected to be relaxed and rejuvenated when we walk out of the Spa. The front desk was clean. We were showed the locker area, we changed into our robes and were met by the massage therapist by the door. My friends went on while I was instructed to wait in the waiting area. 10 min later,  I was still waiting. I had to get somebody from the front desk. She told me that they were still trying to get somebody to come in, there was a no show. After a few more minutes of waiting I was told that I will NOT be having the massage. I was offered a pedicure or a deep hair conditioning instead. WHAT? I was here for a massage!!! The girl showed me another waiting area. A bright, not-so-relaxing ambiance. (with a plastic water pitcher and plastic cups from a chinese buffet). There were plastic plants all around. The room was unSPA like. She offered me a cappuccino which came 15 min later. What a service! After 1 hour and 15 min of waiting, my friends finally came out from their massages and were as upset as I was when they heard about the incident. A relaxation experience turned sour. We were expecting a manager to talk to us but there was none. The receptionist's defense was-"I apologize but I am new here".  THIS IS NOT AN EXCUSE. When it was time for the facial, we were told AGAIN that one facial service will not be done. She ended up with a blow dry. I was expecting a much better service than this especially that we booked this service 2 months ahead of time. They scheduled me a complimentary massage (which I paid for anyway) at the Newport area and hoping that my experience will be better there. The facial was a nice. Julie did a great job. I feel bad for the good employees who had to deal with the company's unprofessionalism, disorganization, and I guess lots of new employees who are unexperienced. I might as well have gone to a $20.00 1 hour full body massage in Westminster.
2 - Rodney S.: Let me start this entire thing by saying that the massage was fine...not great but the massage therapist was very nice and competent.  Also, I was using a TravelZoo voucher and only paid half price, so I cannot be pissed off.  However as it is valued at $220 (I paid 99) I will review it as such.   

We got there and checked in and everything was fine... the place is a little worn around the edges, but not dirty or anything.  They led us into the back to get our robes to change into before the therapists came to get us for our massage.  However at that time they told me that there mens steam room had recently broken so there was no where for me to change and no bathroom for me to use.  

Once in the therapy room, both therapists were fine, however something was wrong with the music in the room and they had to keep getting up and changing the song or fixing the music.  It was very disconcerting during the massage.  After the massage we were led to a quiet room and served wine and chocolates as part of the romantic couple massage, however what we had purchased was champagne and strawberries.  While the switch was not really a huge deal, it was given without explanation and not what we signed up for.  Once in the quiet room we were not told how to get out nor checked up on and finally we just wandered around until we found a way out.  

All in all, it was fine, but it is nothing special and there are much better spas in the area.  Next time I will choose them.
2 - Sarah B.: I got myself the travelzoo deal a little while ago. I went after FINALLY being able to book an appointment. (They were "so fullll")
The place was Dirty: Hair, toilet paper on the floor, dust balls, you name it. 
I know i went on a Saturday (one of the busiest days) but that is still no excuse! The girls at the front desk didn't know what they were doing, and seemed to be chattering rather than working. 

My facial experience was nice, however, I didn't see much of a difference afterwards. So many impurities left on my skin!

Massage was good, but definitely not the greatest. 

The travelzoo deal also included a glass of wine and chocolate. They sat my down after my facial and massage, in their "relaxing" area. Not so relaxing... Told me they would be right back with the wine/chocolates... But never came, I had to get up and go all the way to the front in my bathrobe asking them what was happening. "Whoops, I guess we forgot!"... I was so over it, i offered my chocolates to another lady and left. 

Not worth it guys! 

S
3 - Vishal S.: We purchased a $99 couples massage from travezoo.  Staff was nice.  Mens locker room area is outdated. When I went into the steam room I was like "Great its not on so it might take awhile to get the steam.  So I turned it on and it got really hot and steamy right away.  It worked great.  So the Men's locker area is clean but outdated.  The shower is old and they only had conditioner and body wash but no shampoo.    The sink area had shaving cream but no razors.   A hairbrush, but no disinfectant.  The water they served tasted bad.  They definitely need to invest in bottled water or filtered water. 

Once we were done with the steam room we were waiting in a small sit down area for our massages.  The massage people came out and introduced themselves.  Very friendly and made you feel comfortable.  My massage therapists name was Andrew and he did a mixture of Shiatsu and some stretching techniques which were awesome.  No complaints on the massage.  

Given the spa locker room is outdated, but the main thing we came for is the massages which were really good.

Once our massage was done they escorted us to a quiet room where  they gave us white wine and famous amos cookies.  Wine was okay but they could  have given something better than Famous Amos.  They also said we were all out of chocolate which should have come with the wine.  We went on a Friday so one would think you would keep your supplies full for the weekend coming up.

Anyways the important thing was the massage which was great.
4 - Elda Q.: I also bought the voucher from Travelzoo.  The front desk was friendly and attended me right away.  The locker room was a bit small.  The restrooms needed to be kept up a little better.  The steam room, however, was very STEAMY!!  The waiting area was really small.  They offer water, tea, coffee.  But once you're done with the cup, there is no place to put them so it looked kind of messy just leaving cups around.

Bertha gave me my facial and she was nice and gentle.  She explained everything as she went along.  Abigail gave me my massage which was good.  I normally don't like massages, but I liked this one.  She led me to the waiting room and gave me my wine and chocolates.

Overall, I liked it.  I paid for the services and I was very satisfied with the services and staff.  I knocked down one star just because of the amenities.
1 - Janet K.: I haven't gone to the appointment yet, and I'm already angered by their costumer service, or lack thereof . Here's what happened:
- Made an appointment for a bachelorette  "spa day" with my girlfriends nearly 2 months in advance.
- The spa called to cancel THE DAY OF the appointment because they were having sewage problems. We were bummed, especially because we were already on our way.
- I asked to schedule a new appointment. They hurried me off the phone saying they would call back with appointment times. NO CALL BACK for nearly a week.
- Finally, I called them back to reschedule. AGAIN they hurried me off the phone. When I hesitated, she assured me, "I promise, someone will call you back." Guess what, NO CALL BACK.
- I called a third time to book an appointment. At this point, I was losing my patience, but I figured they would try to make it up to me. I was wrong.
- The first person I spoke to completely ignored me. No apology. And said they couldn't fit us for another 2 months. (Keep in mind that we already waited 2 months for the first appointment that THEY canceled. AND her wedding was in a month.)
- The second person I spoke to apologized, but did nothing to help me get an appointment before my friend's wedding.
- After an hour on the phone with them, the third person finally found an appointment that worked.
- After all that disappointment, time, and grief, all they offered to make it up to us was a facial OR massage upgrade worth $25 bucks, and I HAD TO ASK FOR IT.
3 - S C.: Got the groupon deal.  Here's how it went down.

Made an appointment well in advance on a three day weekend.  two weeks before the day, I get a call saying they're closed on that weekend but they would honor the groupon the saturday of the weekend (groupon specifically said no saturdays at one point).  I was happy with that.  Went in for my day with bliss where I got a lukewarm welcome.  But it did get better.  Michelle, my massage therapist, was REALLY, REALLY good.  Like, damn, goes up with some of the best treatments I've ever had and I've been blessed by having a bunch of good ones lately.  I get my kona loofah scrub which was great for my skin too.  The facial followed and it was OK.  Nothing I'd go back to, but OK.  After my facial, I waited for my fitness lunch.  And waited.  And waited.  Eventually, I was so hungry I had to go up to the front and asked for my lunch.  "But I left two plates."  That's nice but I'm hungry.  Turns out someone else ate my lunch.  They rush to get me my food   I scarf it down.  Get my mani and pedi.  The manicurist is very good at what she does despite being sort of on the abrasive side (which is fine, but a little weird during a spa day).  Go to give tips without realizing that I hadn't gotten my champagne and chocolates.  I was in such a rush (because of the late lunch) that I ran out without looking at the bill for the tips.

Turns out instead of charging me only for the tips, they recharged what I paid for the groupon.  I called to settle it and in their defense they handled it...but man, I may not have caught that they charged me an extra hundred dollars until its too late to argue it!  They offered me 40% off my next service for overcharging me and not giving me my champagne and chocolates.  I'm guess I'll go back one time more.

Just one more note -- I'm surprised they don't put more money to keep the place up.  They need to refurbish a couple things and maintain the grounds.  It's a bit dingier than I would have expected.  

Really, 2.5 but that massage was so good that I bumped it to three.
1 - renee b.: I purchased a groupon for a 5 hour luxury spa day for myself & my friend. We scheduled it so we could have a few services individually...then lunch & mani/pedis together. Our appointments were at 10am. 

SIDERBAR: When we walked in they never had us fill out an intake form about allergies, current medications, if you're pregnant or have certain illnesses (all those things that someone working at a spa NEEDS to know about you). I was so surprised that I asked about it and was told "no, there's nothing to fill out." All I could think was "what? why would I not need to sign some waiver of liability? that seems silly."

I was rushed through a facial, massage, body scrub, mani and pedi...one after the other...not even a second to relax in between. I didn't get to eat "lunch" until after 3:30 pm. I didn't see my friend once all day. But her day was equally unsatisfying. She had to eat lunch alone at 11 am. She had to wait an hour & a half between services. When I finally saw her again at 3:30 she still had her body scrub, mani & pedi to do! And I still didn't have lunch! 

The manager was unhelpful when I explained the problem to her. The staff seemed confused the entire day. The place itself was very un-spa-like. There was no lounge or relaxation room - just a few random corners with old couches & no magazines. There was no tea or fruit - just water in big jugs - and no ice at all. The locker rooms were bare bones - no comforts or products or anything to make you want to take a cozy steam (which didn't seem to be working anyway). 

The manager did nothing to compensate us for the lousy scheduling. Barely even apologized. Just acted like since she just arrived none of it was her problem. The services were decent though so we tipped the girls fairly. I will not be coming back. Ever. No wonder they had to offer a deal to get people in there. (I'm sticking with dtox in los feliz: it's a real spa for people who love spa days!)
2 - Dream P.: Long story short, I really wanted to like this place.  It is close to where I work and had the experience been half way decent I would come back. The spa (If you can call it that) is dirty, outdated, and the ladies at the reception area have NO idea what they are doing.  The first time I came it was for a facial and the second time for a couples massage with my husband.  The first time I waited over half and hour before they told me they had messed up on the scheduling (basically they forgot about me!).  The second time I felt like we were rushed through--
The therapists have actually been decent which is the only reason this place gets the two stars.  But, I will NEVER go back. I wish I would have paid attention to the reviews before I went (and then went again).

Also because of the first mess up--the second time I was supposed to get a free $15 upgrade (after asking for it) and they tried to charge me for it after my appt!!
2 - Candice R.: I received a groupon for a 5 hour luxury spa experience. It included a massage, scrub, facial, lunch and mani/pedi. The first problem came when I tried to schedule the groupon. I called right away and they said they were going to be booking those soon and they had my name on the list. I would be called back in the order I left my name to schedule the appointment. I never got a call. I finally called back to find out that they had already booked the appointments and the next available appointment for me was over 2 months away. Fine. I accepted that appointment. 
A couple of days before the appointment, someone called to confirm. They asked me to arrive at the spa 15 minutes early to get changed and settled. However, they did not open the doors to the spa until 8:57 so all 8 or so of us waiting outside were quickly rushed into the change room with very little instruction. 
I have agree with other reviews I have read on this site. The place was dingy. I will stop short at dirty but very close. The robe I was wearing seemed old. I understand reusing the robes for a greener establishment. I will happily use a reused clean robe. The one I had was dingy and old. It had seen many spa days and many washes. The waiting room where I spent much of my 5 hour spa day felt like my grandmother's parlor. Dark with leather furniture. 
As I said, I spent a lot of time waiting with no direction. If someone had told me I would be sitting waiting for over 30 minutes for my facial, I would have happily spent some time in the steam room. But par for the day, one person would drop me off and tell me to wait. I spent 1/2 of the 5 hours waiting. I am sure they included lunch as an hour, but it doesn't take an hour to eat a simple green salad. Finally I was again picked up to go get my mani/pedi. As dark and creepy the rest of the spa may have been the mani/pedi area was bright, flourescent light bright, and cluttered. The technician actually embarrassed me by emphasizing how bad my feet were and how I really needed a good pedicure but she didn't have time today because the coupons only allow for a sampling of the services. Sampling? First I heard of that. 
Overall I can't complain about the massage and facial. Both were lovely. The facility itself is sorely in need of an update. There was no cohesion between the areas and it was quite dingy. The hallways reminded me of being in a scary doctor's office. The staff was not attentive. I do not find it relaxing to spend so much of my spa experience worrying if they had forgotten about me. The lunch was an airport salad. The body scrub was laughable. If they actually charge people for that, then they should be ashamed. The mani/pedi was great, but I look forward to going back to my small "cheap" shop where they just do the work without the lecture and subsequent embarrassment. In fact, I will go back to the Olympic Spa in Koreatown where you don't get the fancy ambiance (although  three hours of harp music with water flowing in the background made me want to stab myself in the ears, so not sure how relaxing that is anyway) you can get some great body work and wonderfully detoxifying/relaxing rooms/pools to use at your leisure. And cheap! If I had walked out of Amadeus having paid full price with tips for the package I received (which would have come out to over $400) I would have been quite upset. As it was, paying over $200 ($169 for the groupon and $60 for tips), my thought upon looking at my watch 5 hours later was "what a waste of time." I will not return to the Amadeus spa, nor will I ever recommend it.
1 - stephanie n.: My bf and I were excited to use our $99 travelzoo deal for a facial and massage.  We got a couples massage, and I have to say if this review was based on the massage alone, I would give 5 stars.  Shea was great and it was one of the most relaxing massages I have ever had.  The bf was really happy with his as well.  But the happy ended here for me.... 

After our massage, we were told by the front desk girl that there was a mistake and our facials were booked at the same time with the same girl.  After some discussion, we decided that the bf would get the facial and I would instead get a mani/pedi.  I was told it would be complimentary since there was a mistake and could come back for a facial another time - BUT would have to book it soon because the promo was running out.  Unfortunately,  I am out of town the rest of the month, so it wouldn't work out.  They wouldn't extend the offer even though the spa made an error.  Boo. 

Bf said the facial was good, although it wasn't a full 75 minutes as promised.

So when we were finished and checking out, I was less than happy when I was charged for the gel upgrade, even though the mani was complimentary and I wasn't coming back for the facial.  

And four days later, the gel mani that was supposed to "last forever" according to the manicurist, chipped on three nails.  I was not happy.  I called the spa and they said we are sorry, sometimes the gel mani's don't work on everyone, but we will give you a 10% discount next time you come.  Ugh.  

I am not one to complain about this kind of stuff, but this place is not good.
2 - Dizzy D.: I hate reading reviews where you can tell the person is a negative Nancy... I will try to be unbiased here, and give facts.  Wen I read "luxury spa experience", I would never think that is what I received at Amadeus.  I'm racking my brain as to WHY this place is voted the "best of" in Pasadena for years.  Yes, I bought the groupon (5 hr luxury spa experience for $169 + $75 tip) and yes, by now we are all used to businesses getting slammed by groupon sales, and we as consumers have learned to go with the flow.  So the 6 week wait for my appointment didn't phase me.  My Sunday morning rolled around, and off I went.

Easy validated parking next door (they said this was a $10 value, but all-day parking on a Sunday was $5), confusing reception area.  You walk right up to the desk to only get blank stares, then realize the SPA reception desk is behind you.  Odd.  Next I kept noticing how cramped the whole complex felt.  You stand & get a robe & slippers right in the middle of where employees / clients are trying to walk through.  Again, odd.

Locker room for all clients only had 1 working toilet (I assume employees use that toilet too since I saw one coming out). The amenities counter had used brushes w/ hair in them... very unsanitary & unsightly.  The other products out for use seemed also unappealing.  (this was 9 am, so locker room wasn't being used all day... this is how clean it is in the morning)

The complimentary eucalyptus steam room needs to be turned on before you go in, but the bummer was I never used it because I never knew when I had time to go in.  I turned it on & poked my head in for 15 seconds before I left (but I was starving (see below), so no time to relax in there).

The 1st waiting room for the massage is ghetto.  Dirty floor, dirty walls, mismatched dark furniture.  Sad, fake plants, sad dark curtains... no luxury spa here.  At every real luxury spa that I've been to, the water dispensers has ice & either lemon or cucumbers and a healthy SNACK station.  Here, it's just room-temp water from the tap?

-1 hr massage (usually $95) - my masseuse was good.  She was very very young, like straight out of high school then massage school.  So her technique was textbook and strong.

-go wait in the ghetto room for 20 min (although I didn't know how long it was going to be)

- kona loofah glow scrub (usually $85/ 30 min) - I would NEVER ever pay for this here.  they have tiled clinic rooms w/ shower heads coming from the ceiling as you lay on a water pillow (kinda neat).  But loofah scrub was nothing special, kind of hurt, & was 20 min at most.  You are SO much better off going to k-town for a full body salt scrub that lasts an hr for $60 & gets you super smooth. also the tiled room had MILDEW in the cracks. When I saw that I was grossed out. (same person as massage - she was nice & did an OK job)

-wait in ghetto waiting room for a longer time than before FREEZING bc i am wet from scrub & sitting in AC. I SHOULD HAVE SAT IN STEAM RM, RIGHT??!!

- facial/paraffin happens at the same time w/ same person (facial usually $100/ 1 hr, paraffin hand dip usually $20). The esthetician seemed knowledgeable (again young), and she used lots of nice products on me.  first you get a smaller robe to put on, then you have to walk back down to a hallway alcove where you dip your hands in scented paraffin.  then you walk back to your room.  after the facial she peels paraffin & hands are soft.

- go wait at some odd little random table for your 'light lunch' (light lunch usually $20, glass of wine & chocolate usually $12).  i am so hungry now I can't wait to eat my light lunch!  After waiting 15 min at a table in a hallway (everything is in a hallway here w/ dirty walls) a green SIDE salad arrives.  no veggies, no bread or croutons... a leafy SIDE salad valued at $20. right. I scarf it down I am so famished.  I hate white wine but I sip it because I ended up sitting at the hallway table for 40 min.  No chocolate ever made it's way to me either. so sad.  after 40 min of reading ESPN Zone (bc it was the only thing there), I wondered around.  I found another lukewarm water station in a less-ghetto waiting room with a big sofa & a basket that had 3 apples in it!  I ate an apple in about 4 bites to fill my tummy.  then covered myself with a blanket  & shut my eyes on the sofa bc I was obviously still supposed to WAIT for undisclosed amt of time.

- mani pedi (usually $79 - yes that's correct).  Again, nail tech was like 18 yrs old. nothing exciting about it.  no nice leg/hand massage.  go to any run-of-the-mill place, and it's the same. The massage chairs didn't work well, & didn't RECLINE. The foot tubs seemed clean which is important. (side note: i recently went to South Pasadena Beauty Salon on Mission and for $35 you get a mani/pedi w/ 2 people working on you with great long leg/arm massages and a massage chair that reclines in an open, airy atmosphere). 

In closing I will never recommend this 5 hr spa experience.
4 - Rach E. P.: my boyfriend treated me to a massage/facial spa day at Amadeus and it was terrific! i had an amazing 1 hour massage by Lisa and a Fabulous 1 hour facial by Julie.
Everyone was really friendly and warm! in my opinion the robes could use a little clorox, but besides that, it was a great, relaxing, experience!
5 - Angela T.: Wowzas has this place gotten a slew of horribly bad reviews--bad reviews that really concerned me prior to my massage today.  I can honestly say, I don't know how anyone could be so upset. 

First off--my two girlfriends and I purchased the $99 voucher from travelzoo that included a 75 minute facial, 60 massage, hand paraffin treatment, glass of wine and chocolates.  WHAT A DEAL!

So we finally had our session today and we were all a bit concerned, but went in with an open mind.  We were greeted right away and were lead away to go the locker room to prepare.  Okay, so it's not the biggest sauna or the fanciest bathroom--but it's really just fine.  A few of their lockers weren't working...but  no big deal otherwise.  

Aside from that, I will say that the services were beyond anything I expected and the esthetician and the masseuse-- miracle workers!  First up, I had Katherine...and I love her.  She was sweet and explained the whole process to me.  She was gentle, yet firm with all her strokes--and I think that was really the best facial I've ever had.  So very relaxing!  Aside from that, the conversations I had with her really added to the experience.  

Next up, Carmen for what was probably the best thing that happened to me this month. Period.  She's a smaller woman, but where she gets that sort of strength is unbelievable.  I love her.  I don't know what I can say about her...but she was soooo amazing...I snored away at least 5 times. NO JOKE. Sooo soothing.  

We finished off the night in the lounge in back with a glass of red wine and chocolates...feeling like Jello.  Our bodies were limber, without a care in the world...and I can't tell you if I've ever felt so amazing. 

If you've purchased a coupon--you got one heck of a deal. Our deal was worth over $250. What a bargain.  

I don't have a single bad thing to say.  I had an amazing experience, as did my friends.  I will definitely be back and I would encourage others to give them a try.  They're not Burke Williams and they're not Glenn Ivy...but they're wonderful either way.
1 - Victor C.: No response from owner. This place will fail. Now they are running another Groupon. Doesn't Groupon care about customer experience? Apparently only about the bottom line selling groupons. that people may not be able to use or have terrible experience!
2 - Amy J.: I visited Amadeus Spa as a result of purchasing a Groupon. For $169 I received a package valued at $421 including body scrub, massage, facial, mani/pedi, paraffin dip, wine and chocolates as well as a light lunch. Great deal, right???? Not really. I feel like I got exactly what I paid for because the only good experiences I had were the 30 minute body scrub and 60-minute massage (both by Michelle). I arrived bright and early at 8a.m. for my 5 hour spa day. The facilities were okay, kind of messy and things from the previous day had not been cleaned up yet. I started off with my scrub which was amazing following by a great massage. Next I had a facial that was just your basic no frills facial. Then I was guided to the waiting area where I was given wine and chocolates and told I had 45 minutes til my next service, which ended up being an hour. I got so tired of waiting I used the time to take a shower so when I was done I could just get dressed and leaved. I was very hungry having been there so long and figured that long wait would have been a good time for them to bring my lunch. But that did not happen. I went on to the mani/pedi area to wait since that was my next service. Finally someone got me and I have acrylic nails so didn't need a mani, so I asked her to trim my cuticles and for the hand massage. She cut my cuticles and massaged 1 hand??? then took me to the next room for the pedi. On our way she asked how my lunch was and I said I had not rec'd it and was leaving right after so they brought it in for me to eat while getting a pedicure.......really?????!!!!! The pedicure was so no frills. This pedi retails for $50 and is nothing more than trimming, foot file, 1 minute foot massage and painting the nails. It was so quick and pointless. I usually go to the Nail Garden for my pedi's and for $40 you get soak, trim, callous removal, salt scrub, cooling mask, paraffin, 10-15 minute massage and painting.
All in all the only thing I would ever return for is a scrub because it was that good and I feel worth it whereas the rest of the services are overpriced and simplistic or under-par. If you want a great spa experience worth the money, don't go here, go to Ra Organic Spa in Burbank, you won't be disappointed.
1 - Edie B.: I have been a customer of Amadeus for over 15 years.  Even though the place seemed to be increasingly shabby I liked some of the facialists like Ingrid and Prema.  However, for other services I have started to go to spas such as Detox Day Spa in Los Feliz.

After buying the $99 deal through Travelzoo for facial, massage, paraffin hand wax, etc. I will NEVER go back.  NEVER.  The irritation started when I received a message from Amadeus confirming my appointment and informing me that they would charge a 18% gratuity to my credit card for the services.  I took a few minutes to read the terms and conditions, and then called them back to politely inform them that there was nothing in them that specified a specific gratuity, and that it was up to me to determine the appropriate amount. The person with whom I spoke insisted that no one would have said that, but I informed them that I had saved the voice mail message and would be happy to replay it to the manager.

Like others, I found the place dirty, shabby and in need of dire repair. The technicians were fine (I couldn't specify who I wanted) but nothing special.  At the end, the facialist asked if I wanted wine and I asked her what type they served.  She said "nothing special, just something out of a box."  That summed up the entire experience.

Ladies, go elsewhere!  Place has turned into a dump.
1 - Anush A.: Amadeus Spa looks like complete crap I don't even get how people would walk in there. Most of the receptionists sucked and they are over priced & stupid. I don't recommend Amadeus to anyone.
1 - Andrea B.: I was super disappointed with my experience at Amadeus Spa and Salon.  

My best friend purchased a package from travelzoo that included a massage, a facial, hand paraffin treatment and wine and chocolate for my birthday.   We had heard that this place was one of the best day spas in Los Angeles and had even been in a few movies, so we were super excited to indulge in these treatments.

When we got there, they took us to the back and gave us robes and slip on sandals.  She gave us one robe that was so small it didn't cover the body completely and one robe that was so big I was swimming in it.  She asked what size sandals I would need, I said size 9. She informed me that they only had small sandals and gave me a pair that I couldn't even slip on my feet so I had to walk around bare foot, and received strange looks from all the staff, one even asked why I was bare foot.  

So then I go in for my massage. He did my back, and then flipped me over, and then realized he forgot to do my legs, so flipped me over again. He massaged my right leg fully, both thigh and calf, but when he did my left leg, he did not massage my calf at all.  =/ the calves are one of the best parts in my opinion.

When the massage was over, he asked if I needed to use the restroom, and I did want to before going into the facial so he lead me back to the ladies room and told me to wait in the waiting room next to the ladies room when I was done. 

There is a 30 minute wait in between the massage and facial.  I waited in that initial waiting room the whole time, wondering where my friend was, wondering if maybe I missed the facial, because I was not aware of how long it would be before I was to go in for the facial.  

The lady finally came for me and the facial was actually wonderful. She was very nice.  She had asked why I was in that waiting room though, instead of the back room, and I explained why and that I had been wondering where my friend was.  She informed me that the massage therapist should have told me to go to the other waiting room since I was there with a friend.  I have no complaints about the facial I had, it was wonderful. She even went looking for my friend when she was done. 

So when my friend and I were reunited for the wine and chocolate at the end, I felt bad telling her that this was an overall disappointment since this was my birthday gift. But she agreed.  She told me about her experience and that her facial was mostly spent in pain because the lady spent 65 out of the 75 minutes squeezing her face. 

I get it that reviews are usually all from people who had bad experiences because the ones who had good experiences don't bother posting if they are happy. But this experience really did suck.  We won't be coming back to this place.
1 - Kristin T.: I was very disappointed with the services here. I went with my mom and aunt as a birthday present for me with a groupon for a 5-hour spa treatment. Instead of a spa treatment, we spent majority of the time waiting around in the "quiet room" we sat for a long time. We finally asked someone when we'd receive our next treatment, a body scrub, the girl said someone would come back to get us...half an hour passes no one comes. It's getting late so we go to the front and they say we were already done for the day..but we never received our last treatment! Turns out they made a mistake and put us down for only a 3 hour spa day. So we were waiting around for nothing...they then made us reschedule to come back another day for our last treatment because there was no one there to do it..

On top of that, the services in my opinion weren't that good either. The massage was really rough and hard. I should've told her more to be gentle, the body scrub that we had to come back for on ANOTHER day was really rough!! LIke yeah it's a body scrub but wow that hurt! The manicure was ok, but I realized after I left a bubble had formed and closer inspection my french tips were off they weren't all the same size. In the changing room, my mom's locker broke and wouldn't open via combination so they needed to get a key but the key didn't work either so we had to wait for another key to finally get the locker open...there were just so many things that went wrong that day.

After the whole fiasco, and this being my first ever spa day I'd have to say I don't think I'd ever do a spa day again. Such a waste of time and money. Waay overpriced and not worth it.
4 - Mandi T.: I'm not sure what's going on with the awful reviews. Granted when I went to the spa to redeem my Groupon, I was braced for the worst. When it was an awesome experience. And it was a very happy birthday to me!

I got the 5 hour treatment, which included a facial, 60 minute massage, a loofah scrub, lunch, wine & chocolates

People and staff were very helpful. If you don't know your schedule, you can flag someone down and they can give you your itinerary as well as who your service provider is.

Michi was my esthetician and mani/pedi girl. Jack of all trades, this girl is. She was attentive, told me what she was doing, asked me about my concerns and was fantastic. I totally would go back if funds permitted. Also, if you book in advance, as a returning client, she gives you a 20% discount. hmm. OH, totally forgot about my hand paraffin treatment. It was ok. dipped my hand in the paraffin and it was on for about 20 minutes while I was getting my facial...

The massage was soooo awesome. My therapist (sorry babe! I'm terrible w/ names!) paid attention to my sore areas and worked on my back that I felt like buttah. yeah, buttah.

After my massage, I had a loofah scrub. Agreed that if I wanted a scrub, I would rather visit a korean scrub place and that's a real scrub. However. the Vichy showers... man. I want one of those in my house. I'm not sure how much water they waste, but I totally felt like a baby being showered for the first time. haha. :D it's pretty relaxing, but your hair, everything gets wet. I'm not sure how I felt.

Similar to the other patrons, i'm not sure if it was really "lunch". It was a "spa" salad with garbanzo beans, romaine, and cheese. er. where's the protein. If it wasn't for the pita bread, I would have starved. Then truffles and wine. mmmm. nom nom nom. Just the dessert I needed.

Lastly, my mani/pedi. They suggested that I go change out of my robe and into my regular clothes so I wouldn't smudge it. FANTASTIC Idea. 

Yes the place is older, but I'm not scoping everything and saying man it's old needs repairs, etc. In addition, they were painting the men's room. hello? why not the ladies. The steam room was broken. boo, hence the one minus star, for the steam room and lunch.

If you don't know how to work the locks, read the signs it's all over. Or better yet, ask someone. I'm sure they can help you. Relax dude. That's the whole point of a spa, and not combing thru and nitpicking at minute things. :P
1 - Rochelle Y.: worse spa experience of my life. facility is dirty and not maintained. i will never go back.
4 - april w.: I've been going to Amadeus off and on for the past 10 years. Each time I've been, the body treatments (Honey Dip, Signature Massage, Kona Loofah Scrub etc..) have been top notch. However, I had started noticing a steady decline in the level of customer service at the reception desk over the years. Their gift card system was also problematic. At times the values on my cards would should $0, but luckily I had receipts for each of the cards showing what the values should be.

I too, bought the big Groupon package..and so glad I did. Each of the service treatments were awesome and they didn't have us waiting very long in between. They have made some building improvements over the years. They were in the midst of fixing their vichy showers and so offered to replace the kona loofah scrub with another treatment OR to reschedule that one treatment. No big deal.

Overall everyone was courteous and professional.

Good Job Amadeus Spa - please keep up the good work.
3 - Karen N.: I normally don't write LONG reviews but this one called for it. 
Came here  with a friend using our Groupon $99 for 1hr facial and 1hr massage. (they automatically add on the tip at the end $20 for facial and $17 for massage). The spa environment is 3/5. I feel like they're 'trying' to be like Burke but not (ever) achieving the same quality. 
Started out with the massage 1st (can't remember her name, it wasn't a common name, and I've just kind of wanted to block the whole experience). she's NICE but that's about the only compliment I can give about her massage. She played music that was not entirely 'relaxing', it wasn't your typical rainforest or classical music, it definitely had more beats than i cared to count. And they REALLY shouldn't have placed the 'waiting'/ social area JUST RIGHT OUTSIDE the massage rooms b/c I could hear conversation and laughter coming from the outside during the whole hr. NOT.RELAXING. AT. ALL. I specified the areas that needed the most attn. 'Lather' is rather too loosely put, for the amount of 'oil' / lotion she put on me. I want to say that b/c of the amount of oil she put, she couldn't tell that there was literally 'no' pressure applied. I assumed she was just 'warming up the muscles' until she moved on to the other sections of the body. When I asked for more pressure, she said 'oh, you can take a lot of pressure'. Um.. there was basically no difference between before she applied the pressure and after the request. I never quite felt 'relaxed' b/c she didn't warm the lotion/ oil up w/ her hands 1st, so I could feel the coldness of it with each application. The icing on the cake was when she applied some form of 'BenGay', which of course, she just squeezed the gel directly onto my back, making any muscle that was remotely relaxed, freeze back up. she said 'sorry' but still continued to squeeze it on me. I have NEVER had BenGAy applied during a massage session. If I had bengay, I wouldnt' need to come to a masseuse, right?! If i had knots and tension, that's the masseuse's JOB to undue them, NOT some formulated Over the counter gel to do it! RIght?! Needless to say, my back was burning, then freezing, then burning, as she continued to 'massage' the 'front'/ anterior part of my body. My extremities were freezing from the offset sensation put off by the bengay. She would uncover one side to massage, but forget to cover it back. At the end, my knots were still there and I felt no different other than completely covered in slippery oil. And freezing. Massage: 2/5. 
However,  my friend DID get an awesome massage from a guy (asian), I think 'Sam' was his name. She said he did a great job getting out all her knots, was really strong, and professional. 

I've given this place a redeeming 3/5 stars ONLY because my facial was great with Bertha. Super nice and informative. This was the only hr I felt 'relaxed'; 4/5 stars.

For a total of $140 tip included, it was NOT worth it. They DO give you a 20% discount on your NEXT massage, And 30% off for my next facial, which you need to use in 1 month. 

Parking is comped w/ validation in the parking structure next to it. Although I only saw 4-5 spaces. perhaps there's more on another level.
1 - B F.: I rarely write review but Guys....Please don't go there at all....DO Not waste $$$$.  It's the worst customer service I'd ever seen in my life. I don't even want to waste my time to explain it, just DON't go there!!!
1 - Denise M.: Bah Humbug Amadeus on how you treat your customers - you must have so many that you can afford to lose me and the multitude of friends I am going to personally share this story with. I purchased a Groupon and was not able to use it within the 5 months it was offered. I realize that's on me - but given some extraordinary events in my family the second 1/2 of this year - it makes ALOT of sense that I could not take advantage of this offer in time. Ok that's one thing - but when I called to find out what could be done....and the receptionist informed me that Amadeus will honor the amount of the Groupon but will not honor the original package??? C'mon give me a break ! You and I both know that is no deal....so now my $99.00 package (massage, facial, paraffin treatment, validated parking, wine, chocolate and roses) becomes a $99.00 1-hour massage (your normal price for a massage is $95.00)...again give me a break!!! This Groupon package is what made me consider Amadeus in the first place and I probably would have become a repeat customer - because I spend my money frequently on spa sevices. But, OK I get it....I didn't use it in time...and I understand if it's no longer available....but you might want to reconsider a different package offering as I know I am not the only person that could not take advantage of this in the 5 months it was offered...(like say throw out the wine, chocolate and roses from the original offering...but HONOR everything else as  you and I both know it is no skin off your back to HONOR services you normally provide everday. When I suggested this to the receptionist she told me that Amadeus already spoke with Groupon and that they were well within their rights in the CA law...WOW now that's a discussion I expect to have with my local spa person... Well I spoke with Groupon today and they took care of it and they handled me with more class and consideration than I ever received from Amadeus.... Mark my word....I will never....ever... use or recommend Amadeus spa again - not because I didn't get what I purchased....but because of how I was treated. Amadeus certainly does not understand what it means to be in the "service industry" and I am happy to purchase spa services elsewhere.
1 - Aqua M.: Extremely rude receptionist!  Read the other reviews if you don't believe me.  They would not accept my Groupon nor would they schedule an appointment unless I confirmed that I was not using any other discount.  I'll take my business elsewhere even though I've been going here for years.
1 - Cathy K.: Now I understand the really poor ratings.

I don't know if their services are good or not because I never even got that far.  I purchased a Groupon deal - 1 hour massage - for my cousin and myself as a christmas gift.

I had a little trouble booking the appointment.  The first time I called I was told they were booked up until the end of January.  When I tried to book it, I was told they couldn't book it w/out my groupon numbers.  Ok, my bad, so that night when I went home I looked up the groupon numbers so I could call again the next day. 

I called the next day and the girl offers me appointments that same week (1st week of January).  Hmmm, weird, thought they were all booked up for the whole month, but not gonna question my awesome luck!  So I tell her book it and give her my groupon numbers.  She tells me I am giving her the wrong numbers, they want the barcode numbers, not the actual groupon numbers.  But she's so nice, she's willing to hold the appointments until the end of the day if I can call back with the correct numbers.  

Ok, so I don't work at a desk with a computer and internet access.  Long story short, I went through a LOT of trouble to find the correct numbers and and nab those appointments.  Shortly afterwards, I even get a very nice phone call confirming my appointment.  Yes!  This is my first massage ever!  I'm so excited, see you Friday! ...

So I show up Friday with my cousin (we don't live close to this place so we both drove and met there).  They can't find our appointments.  They tried to blame me: "Oh, your appointments were DELETED because you never called back with your groupon numbers"

Um, excuse me??? Yes I did!  And someone even called me afterwards to CONFIRM my appointment.    

Then they tell us, "Well, someone made an error then because they didn't make a note of it.  We can squeeze one of you in."  My mouth literally dropped open.  ONE of us?  There were 2 of us standing right in front of her, how was that supposed to work?  

Or we could come back in 3-4 hours (not sure if she meant one of us or both of us).  Then "well, you guys can either reschedule your appointment or ask groupon for your money back."

WOW.  I couldn't even speak this whole time.  I was so mortified, and I felt horrible because this was my Christmas gift to my cousin!

They screwed up, the error was on their part.  They did not acknowledge our inconvenience or apologize for their error.  Hell yeah, I want my money back.  I am not interested in trying their services.  Ever.
4 - Renee W.: I have nothing but great things to say about Amadeus Spa & Salon. I received a gift card for Mother's day, but just got around to using it on 1/10/12. I booked a mani/pedi with Trish who did an awesome job! The customer service was great with friendly staff who were attentive. Trish really paid attention to my needs and made sure my nails looked liked a million bucks! She gave a very soothing scrub and foot massage....didn't realize how much my poor feet needed it. I wanted to add that she was a great conversationalist and very interested in ensuring that the services were exactly to my liking.

I would most definitely recommend Amadeus and plan to visit again real soon.
Renee
2 - Sandy Y.: I purchased a groupon for this spa because I live locally.  It took me a week to get an appointment because they booked all the groupons for the current week (I called on a monday).

The spa facilities are nothing to rave about. Amadeus has 5 showers 1 steam room.  The water in the showers got luke warm and stayed that way for my entire shower.

The massage was okay. I'd recommend saving up and going to Burke Williams cause it's worth the money.  My massuse Jasmine was very nice but spent a majority of the time massaging my arms and legs.  Yes I did purchase a full body massage but it would have been nice to have my back massaged for more that 10 minutes.  The hot towel Jasmine put on my back got cold really quickly so it went from plesant to uncomfortable in a matter of minutes.

I like deep pressure massages which is what Jasmine gave me but she didn't get the knots out.  This was my first and last visit to Amadeus spa because this is the first time I've had a massage and walked away with a sore iliac crest.
2 - Pateel C.: I purchased the Travelzoo voucher and came here for a massage, facial and wine and chocolates. I made the mistake of waiting too long to make the appointment, so I had to settle for one of their last appointments on a Wednesday. 

As far as the service goes, it was pretty good. The receptionist was nice and facialist was very detailed and super sweet. The masseuse, however, had her iPhone docked into the stereo system because her iPod died, so her phone kept on ringing during the massage....umm okay. Otherwise, she was good not great, but she could have put her phone on silent. 

I never got my chocolate or wine and since I was the last one in there,I had no time to shower or use their facilities, which had towels thrown everywhere. I can't really complain too much for 99 dollars, but if they plan on continuously posting offers on different discount sites, they should staff accordingly. 

If you plan on paying the full price, do not go. However with the voucher, it's worth it.
1 - Kathleen B.: I was disappointed to see the Spa lost its Sparkle and Shine!   When an exclusive Established Spa like Amadeus has to display the awards of achievement near the entrance, you know you're in trouble!  I arrived for a 90 min. Amadeus Massage ($130.00)  The service did not meet my expectations of an upscale Spa and Salon.  The Spa is old and tired.  

The amenities included random store brand products. Paper napkins to wipe you hands. THE SHINE IS GONE, WHAT WAS MISSING...rolled wash cloths, cold cloths near the steam room.  Fresh chilled water with sliced lemon, lime and orange in the containers.  Signature products, Fresh fruit, soft music, hot water in the shower, great water pressure, and clean un-cluttered counter space to relax, apply make-up, blow-dry hair and chill-out. 

The woman's locker room was dirty!  The used towels were piled high in a corner on the floor, used shower slippers were scattered about.  The lock on many of the lockers were broken.  The shower had low water pressure and only warm water.  No attendant on duty to tidy up and refresh the towels.  

The 90 min. massage was relaxing. The therapist was very professional, but he was not great.  I have become accustom to the high standards of Burke Williams.  For the same service and cost, Amadeus doesn't compare to Burke Williams on any level.
1 - L T.: "If I could give no stars I would."  I completely agree with another reviewer who made that statement.

My review is only for the horrendous customer service I received on the phone while attempting to make an appointment.  I was so utterly mortified by the poor customer service, I ultimately decided to request a refund from Groupon.

I purchased a Groupon despite the mediocre reviews on Yelp because I'm always on the lookout for different spas to try.  I waited about 6 weeks before attempting to make an appointment because I figured there would be an initial onslaught of people attempting to redeem their vouchers.  Waiting to make an appointment was completely pointless because they were still booked for over a month in advance.  Very annoying but I may have been in a more understanding frame of mind if I had been told in a courteous manner.  However, this was the sequence of events that occurred when I called Amadeus Spa to make an appointment:

1. Someone picked up the phone and told me to please hold.  Fine.  3 minutes pass...I'm still on hold.  5 minutes have gone by at this point...I'm still on hold.  After being on hold for over 8 minutes (I put the call on speakerphone and there is a timer)...I figured they forgot about me.  

2. I hang up and call again.  When the person said they were going to put me on hold, I asked her to please don't put me on hold since I had already been on hold for almost 10 minutes.  She said sorry but I had to be put on hold because they were really busy.  I was put on hold and that was that.  I was then put on hold for another 5-6 minutes.  I'm getting pretty annoyed at this point.

3. I hang up for the second time and call back.  I tell the person that I've been put on hold twice for a combined total time of 15 minutes and I just want to find out their availability for an appointment.  She was kind of apologetic and offers to take down my number and they will call give me a call back.

4. Did I receive a call back that same day?  No.  Did I receive a call back the next day?  No.  I remembered on the third day after my initial call that I never heard back, so I call Amadeus again.

5. There was no eternal hold this time but the receptionist/appointment setter was definitely not friendly throughout the call.  I'm told there are no weekend appointments for the next 4 weeks.  I'm not happy but I give up and decide to schedule for a weekend when there is availability.  However, I'm still kept on the phone for quite some time while the receptionist/appointment setter is fiddling with the calendar trying to fit in my facial/massage services on the same day...very unprofessional but at this point, I was just glad to get an actual appointment.

THE STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL'S BACK:  After going through the ordeal of #1-5, at the end of this 4th arduous phone call to make a simple facial/massage appointment, I'm told that I will need print a copy of my Groupon voucher AND that there will be a mandatory 18% gratuity charge at the end of my services.  I was very surprised and asked (1) where this was listed on the Groupon and (2) whether this 18% is calculated from the $99 cost of the Groupon. 

I was told it's not listed but the 18% gratuity is mandatory on the RETAIL VALUE of the package which was listed as $200+.  Wow.  I always tip generously when I receive a great facial or massage but to be REQUIRED to pay an 18% gratuity on an inflated retail price without being given a choice?  Ludicrous.  Nowhere on the Groupon deal did it indicate there would be a mandatory 18% gratuity.  I have purchased other Groupons for spas and there has never been such a policy.  Gratuity is always at the customer's discretion and correlates with the how satisfied she/he is with the service(s).

Horrible customer service + ridiculous mandatory gratuity policy + mediocre/poor yelp reviews of the actual spa facilities = FAIL.
4 - Tree S.: I have to counter some of these negative reviews! 

Granted, I had a gift voucher and I went mid-week, so I didn't have to pay for my service or compete with all the TravelZoo or Groupon bookings. I was able to make an appointment on the exact day, time, and masseuse that I requested. No hassles whatsoever. I even forgot to bring in my hardcopy of the gift voucher, and was nervous I'd have to pay (and get refunded later), but it was no hassle whatsoever. Easy peasy. Super friendly and nice. 

But now for the shining stars. Veronica and Lisa, you guys rock my world. I LOVED my spa experience because of them. Ah-maz-ing facial.

I went out to lunch immediately afterward and my mom commented on my face right away. I didn't look blotchy or red. My skin was calm and dewey, even after extractions. Veronica really focused on my skin type and how to address my particular needs. She's very knowledgeable and super sweet. 

Lisa gives super massages, too. She was very good at checking in with me to make sure the pressure was okay, to make sure I was comfortable in every way. She focused on my tense areas (neck and shoulders), but didn't ignore the rest of my body. I felt like I got star treatment all the way through. So relaxing, I was a noodle afterwards. She kept my camomile tea on a hot plate, so when I was ready to relax in the lounge afterward, my tea was nice and warm. It was attention to detail like this that made the day so special.

As for the complaints about the rest of the facilities, I'm a bit confused. Based on the rest of these reviews, you'd think that you were going to the Eastern Bloc, like you were going to one of those run-down health spas from the turn-of-the-century. Please, people. It's not THAT bad in the ladies locker room and lounge. 

I've tried spas out all over the world, for every budget, and Amadeus ranks in the middle. Not grand, but far from bottom dwelling.
3 - Catherine H.: I bought a special from travelzoo.  It was a discount for a couple's massage.  The steam room was nice, and the staff was nice, but overall, it's not worth it.  I would not repeat, nor would I buy another special to amadeus.  There are better places for the $$.
1 - Steph C.: purchased groupon, called twice with long hold just to get a reservation. when i showed up for the appt, the lady who did my work, was very preoccupied and busy chatting with others than concentrating to work on my nails and toes.  also my pedicure wasn't that great at all, my nails needed rework a week after she did the work.
4 - tracey c.: i have to admit, my visit was my first time getting a full body rub down at a spa. i had a groupon to visit amadeus, which included a full body massage, foot scrub, wine, and chocolate. after checking in, i was directed to the towel and slipper section. i asked for a size small, but found out it was a medium.... holey... and did not have any belt loops attached (because they were ripped off at the ends) to hold up the belt... the massage was quite nice.. and so was the foot scrub :) it was very relaxing... i dont know though. i was kind of cold. lol. now after eating chocolate and drinking wine.. it was time to go back to the locker room to shower. unfortunately, the stall i some picked.. ran out of body wash! so disappointing.  i didnt even know where to leave the slippers! bahhh.. luckily i was by myself in the locker room and didnt have to look like a fool lol. place is okay. just needs a little face lift, but i would go back.. for the massage. and only if i had a groupon lol
3 - Cyndi H.: Pass by this place several time before but never tried it until I found 2 seperate groupons for a peppermint mani-pedi and 3 one-hour massage.  There was the initial problems of trying to schedule the massage appointment in which I was placed on hold for almost 10 minutes, so I hung up and called back later that day.

Both of the groupons allowed for use of the spa amenities.  It's a small steam room with shower facilities.  The place is super clean and see that the cleaning lady takes care of it.  They provide salon quality hair products too.  I really enjoyed my mani-pedi.  The young Asian gal was friendly and really took care of making sure she did a fabulous job.  My massages were ok.  I did feel a little relaxed but not a much from other places I have received massages.  I did ask for the masseuse to work on my specific problem areas and she did a little but it felt superficial.
4 - Sholeh G.: Today I stopped in during my lunch hour to get to my massage that was given to me as a gift in form of a groupon. 1 star for friendly customer service and validated parking next door. 2nd star for taking me in so promptly after I had lounged for a couple minutes and started getting into spa mood. 3rd star nice salon, clean, friendly atmosphere but is smaller than what I'm usually used to. 4th star for overall good massage, good price for group, tea and cookies at the end to put the cherry on top for my experience. The lady who did my massage was really nice!!

Cons: I didn't start enjoying my massage till after 20 mins into it. It was more on the painful side when it started but as time went on I began to enjoy it.
2 - Stella A.: The name of this spa/salon is really cool but when you go in there it seems outdated almost messy looking, it definetly needs a face lift! I would not have gone there had I not purchased a Groupon deal..so I guess we get what we pay for..lol! The massages have been really great though and the staff is ok. They also need to update their tiny locker rooms..it seemed packed when there was just 6 people in there. Overall it's ehhh..ok!
2 - Jennifer H.: Stay away! This place is by no means a spa. By calling themselves a "spa" they set up an unrealistic expectation. There are no amenities meaning no hot tub, no steam room, no sauna. Their "relaxation"/waiting room, is anything but relaxing. It is outdated and loud. They served wine with chocolates as part of my package and the red wine was served in a champagne flute which is not acceptable and the chocolates were not worth the calories.

My 60 minutes massage only lasted 50 minutes, though it was OK. My facial person left a mask on my face for 10 minutes and didn't do anything during that time period.

They served their water out of cheap plastic cups and there was not even shampoo/conditioner or soap in the shower.

I would avoid this place. The only reason I gave this place 2 stars instead of 1 is because the massage was not bad minus the fact that it was short.
3 - Angela M.: I've been a long-time customer of Amadeus Spa for years. I searched all over the San Gabriel Valley and felt that this was the go-to place from now on for my massages. Recently, I just had my deep tissue massage. I normally return to the same massage therapist. But I don't know what happened. Their services just slowly started sliding downhill. Perhaps that could be why Amadeus is getting negative reviews as of late. I don't want to be harsh on them because I had great massages in the past. At the same time, I didn't feel that their services were up-to-par with how much they charge. My massage felt more like a spa massage. They didn't use lavendar oil this time. Whatever massage oil they used this time around, it always made my skin feel itchy whenever they rubbed it on my skin! Do you know how uncomfortable it is to feel itchy in the middle of a massage? It's like the worst feeling in the world! It's pure torture! I hate feeling itchy, yet I'm giving them a generous 3-star review. I still felt stressed and stiff after my massage was over. What a disappointment.
When I returned to the women's locker room, the bathroom reeked! I don't know who made the horrible stench. The room wasn't ventilated, and no one bothered using Lysol to mask the smell. I had to endure that horrible smell, and it was sooo gross! I think that ruined my day.
Lastly, whenever I finished paying my bill, the cashier ALWAYS asked if I would like to leave gratuity. Excuse me but as if Amadeus Spa isn't insanely expensive as it already is! Gratuity should be completely optional if they customer felt that the person did a great job. No one should be asked to give gratuity. Not wanting to look bad, I gave 10%. But that's still a lot of money considering that my services usually go beyond $100+. I think that's why people give negative reviews because Amadeus is ridiculously expensive. I'm willing to pay a ridiculous amount of money for a ridiculously good massage. But if I don't feel that my massage matches up to how much I had to pay, that makes me question whether or not if I should return.
I don't know if I'll go back again. I think I need to start looking for my new go-to massage place again. Someplace that's good and not too ridiculously expensive. I know that people have been raving about Burke Williams, but I just don't feel like burning my wallet yet because Burke Williams charges way more than Amadeus Spa.
2 - Ildiko H.: I am a fool!!! I went to get cut and color Tuesday July 10th with David. A 2, 2 1/2 hour appt lasted 5 hours. My hair is a mess. David and I discussed cutting my hair shoulder length. He cut it chin length. My sons wedding is in 2 weeks and I am at a loss of what to do. Nice looking salon, people are friendly but they ruined my hair and have created great stress for me before the wedding.
4 - David A.: My husband and I recently went for our belated Valentine's day chocolate massages and facials.  The spa was relaxing and low key.  Our treatments were very enjoyable.  Massages were very good, and our facials were very effective, resulting in glowing, clear skin.  Would have liked an indooor jacuzzi, and steam room was broken.  Overall, a nice experience.  
Shari A.
4 - Lil S.: I started going to this spa back in the early 2000s with my aunt. I liked it then and I still like it now. Im  not quite sure why Amadeus is getting such bad reviews...

I do admit though that whenever I call in I'm always on hold for the longest time and it takes forever to set up an appointment! (which is why I knocked off a star) That really needs some work! 

The last couple times I went I got groupons. I really liked my massage lady, I asked for the same one each time. She asked me what kind of massage I liked (pressure) and so she really paid attention to what I wanted and it was super relaxing! My first facial was nice and the lady actually did something to make my skin look better but the second time the lady they gave me actually hurt my skin and it burned and part of my face turned red! The mani/pedis were ok too nothing that was bad or good. It was very clean everywhere I went which I liked. I think my mom said the slippers they give hurt her feet though. I always bring my own because I have small feet. 

Overal I dont think it was bad at Amadeus. Sure the wine and chocolates werent expensive but you dont have to drink or eat it. (i ate my chocolates cause, well it was chocolate!) 

I would go back again if there was another special on groupon or any other site, but I wouldnt pay full price for it because it is very expensive for just a massage!
2 - Maria P.: Hair Salon over rated.  I made an appointment, but they were running 30 minutes behind.  And a simple blow dry ended up being a frizz ball. The only great stylist is Liz.  Will only go back if my stylist is Liz.  Beware of others.
3 - Annie T.: Been there...was I impressed - no; was it bad - no. Decent place but sure looks more shishi from the outside then it is inside. For the same dollars, def. go to Burke Williams. THey have no spa, no pool....just simply ok.
4 - Lucy K.: This place is by far my favorite spa. The signature massage is to die for.

I would appreciate it if this place had more male masseuses but it seems like they are never on hand when I want to schedule an appointment.

Like them on FB and they are usually always spitting out last minute deals.

If you come to the spa on the weekends, just park on the street its free and no need to mess with the lot next door.

Their signature massage is my favorite. Its about 1 hour 15 minutes, but if you want to extend the time on it, they are always happy to accommodate. The massage incorporates hot stones (which are so relaxing) and even has a nice foot scrub, where they wrap your feet in hot towels after applying the scrub.

Its always really relaxing here, they have a nice waiting area and just all around always a good experience.
1 - Mark J.: I had a massage here a few weeks ago, and have delayed posting as my experience was so dismal, that I thought I was over-reacting. 

First of all, I purchased a package of massages (3) through Groupon and the first issue I experienced was in attempting to schedule a massage.  When I called up and stated that I had a Groupon, they immediately stated that they would need to schedule my appointment at least 2 weeks in advance (and a weekend appointment wasn't possible for 4 weeks).  I told them I'd figure out my schedule and then call back to reschedule.  Half an hour later, I had a friend call up to schedule a massage (and not mentioning Groupon) and they were able to book an appointment for that Saturday.  I mean WTF?  I called back, explained the situation - and still no go.

Anyway, I finally got my spa appointment scheduled.  Arrived at the place and it's not really a "spa".  The men's locker room is super small, super dirty and had a very tiny and very broken dry sauna.  The shower was skank with no shampoo - oh, and did I mention that they had no Med or Large bathrobes, so I had a small one that barely covered the equipment if you know what I mean.

Finally I went in for my spa and I followed the massage person.  I had my massage in what was clearly an overflow room that didn't have a solid door from a waiting room.  Again, WTF.  I could hear everything going on in the waiting room.  Weird.

Massage was a 3 star, Spa is LESS than 1 star - so I average it out and give them a 1 star.  

I'm getting a refund back from Groupon for the entire package.
2 - R D.: I've had a lot of different services at Amadeus in the past, but due to cost, I looked at other places for massages and salon services.  I recently went back to Amadeus for a massage.  Although my massage was fine, the place has certainly declined in cleanliness, decor, etc.,  They used to serve cappucino and iced tea in quality glassware, etc., now, it's plastic cups. The waiting room looks like it's been haphazardly thrown together with used furniture.  It's too bad, they were good for a long time, but definitely not the same spa they used to be.

Amanda Winkles - Austin, TX (30.2961708, -97.7389543) (University of Texas)
5 - Julie S.: Beautiful professional work! I used Amanda Winkles services to photography my art work. I am an oil painter who needed photos taken of my paintings to post on my website as well as to use for promotional materials such as business cards, postcards, and brochures. She not only made my paintings look incredibly vibrant, she was able to meet my budget and time constraints.  I will absolutely use her again in the future.
5 - Sean A.: I thoroughly enjoyed working with Amanda. she is an amazing artist. she is highly professional and went above and beyond to accommodate us. thank you for all you did for us. We will definately work with her again.

Amante Gourmet Pizza - Carrboro, NC (35.910267, -79.068915) ()
3 - Sarah A.: Pizza is well made, but the wait tends to be quite long (even for freshly made pizza). Menu has a wide variety of specialty toppings, though, and delivery is available.
2 - Sierra G.: Its a shame that the service here is so poor, because their pizza is very good. 

I've never had a meal at the restaurant, but we have called in delivery several times with mixed results. They always take more time then usual, but the last couple of times its taken close to an hour to get a our order...

This could be an isolated occasion, but the staff on the phone are always rude and its hard to support a business that has continually been sub-par
4 - Kianna M.: The pizzas here are amazing, you can get a cheeseburger pizza, if you like!  How about those carbs?  Well you can get a nice crunchy salad with a lite dressing to satisfy your cravings for your greens.  They have an indoor seating space and outdoor tables for the warm months of the year.
3 - William J.: This is a pizzaria.  They serve pizza.  To enjoy Amante, you have to go in there with these observations well in mind.  Also, sandwiches.

The pizza here is good, but not great.  They've got a decent selection of specialty pizzas, or you can create your own, and everything is fresh and quite good.  The sandwiches, likewise, are well put together and of a goodly size.

The service leaves something to be desired.  As with many places in Carrboro, the assumption among the staff seems to be that if you don't already know what you want and how their system works, then you don't belong there.  Needless to say, there is an amount of rudeness here that is apparently a prerequisite for employment.  Plan on at least fifteen minutes to get your food out, even if you're the only one in the place (I've worked at another pizzaria, and trust me, it doesn't have to take that long).

The pricing is also poor.  Everything needs to have a buck fifty knocked off the price for it to be really reasonable.

The main advantages to Amante are the relatively high quality of the food and the fact that they have no real competition anywhere nearby, so they've got a fair lock on the market.
4 - Mary C.: My expectations for Amante were on the low side because of the mixed reviews here and we mostly went because it was convenient to eat there before going next door to Cat's Cradle, but we had a positive experience there. Service was just fine. I ordered a garden salad in anticipation of the pizzas taking a long time, it was a pretty decent salad (I hate the pile of iceburg lettuce with a lone watery tomato slice that passes as salads some places). 

Pretty soon after we were done with the salad the pizzas came out. Both were really tasty. I got the zucchini primavera and was nervous when I first saw it, I was worried that the zucchini and broccoli looked almost raw. But the pizza was savory and didn't need meat to make it satisfying.

The only tiny problem I had with the place was that it was incredibly cold inside. 

We'll definitely come back for a nice pre-concert dinner sometime.
4 - Oliver C.: I could eat Amante's Ciao Bello pizza every day for the rest of my life and probably still love it. This location is in central Carrboro right beside Cat's Cradle so it's a good stop before a show. Seating is very limited though so you might want to get your order to go. Owner/Manager seems lovably kooky? 

There is a big parking lot in front but it's packed if there's a concert going on that night. Walk if you can.
5 - Nicole M.: My favorite Triangle-area pizza joint.  I order a pie at least twice a month, and I haven't yet been disappointed.  My favorite is the Zucchini Primavera.  Lots of veggies, not oily, and super yummy.  The calzones are killer, too.  I usually get the spinach one and add sun-dried tomatoes. Delivery is always super fast except during obviously peak times.
3 - Paige T.: My husband and I sort of pride ourselves on making some really great homemade pizza, so much so, that I can't really recall the last time we ordered in or went out for pizza.  We had had a long day of test-driving, wheeling and dealing and signing papers and my stomach was growling something awful!   We were going to just go home and make pizza as usual, but we were starvin' Marvin' and decided to pick one up instead.  We had heard good things about Amante so thought we'd give it a try.  
After perusing the menu, we decided on the Florentine Chicken--an Amante Favorite!  The girl told us it would be about 10 minutes, so we kicked back with some newspapers and waited for what seemed more like 20 minutes.  Back at the home front, we ate up the whole thing and it was pleasant enough.  It was a perfect size-medium-and not too, too greasy.  The crust was also nice, because it was not thin crust,( I like my crust) but it was not too much either.  There were just the cutest little chicken cubes all over it, which were nothing special, yet it had an overall delightful rosemary-basil flavor!  I think we'll stick to our  home made, unless we're in a desperate take-out way again, then, it'll probably be Amante.
2 - Ben D.: Maybe the cook just undercooked it but our pizzas were really soggy and watery.  And it seemed like the vegetable toppings were not very high quality.
4 - Leela S.: Seriously, people? Three-ish stars? You're a tough crowd. I'm spoiled by having lived within spitting distance of Za Pizza in SF for several years, and yet I still give this joint four stars. 

Their options are reasonably inventive - I defy you NOT to have a tough choice on your hands as you evaluate the merits of the Proscuitto Italiano vs. the Portabella, for instance. 

And I give Amante extra props for having vegetarian options that sound, well, exciting. The day my husband is OK with me ordering a pizza that isn't meat-infested is a rare day indeed, and yet Amante made it happen.
5 - Sreeniket R.: I just returned home from going to Amante's with my folks. I had a small pepperoni pie and my parents shared a small onion pie. Both pies were very carefully prepared. The crust was very thin and chewy in the front and middle, but crisp at the end. The sauce in both pies was extremely flavorful (I had a slice from my parents' pie) and well-seasoned. Both pies were sprinkled with Italian seasoning- oregano and basil, I believe. 

The menu also features great subs and a large variety of pizzas.
5 - Samantha E.: I always loved it when APPLES ordered in Amantes instead of the campus standard of Dominos. Absolutely delicious pizza! Perfect balance of crust and cheese. Always fresh and amazing!
4 - Adam L.: Our crowd just polished off a large two topping. It was delish.

The gent who took my order was quick and friendly. Delivery was on time but definitely on the late-side of on time (it took about 40 minutes from order to delivery). 

We ordered a Jerk Chicken/Pineapple and Pepperoni/Green Pepper two-sider. The pepperoni was so-so. The green peppers were HUGE. This is complimentary. I like me my veggies. The Jerk Chicken was just spicy enough to give some nice heat and was complimented by decent pineapple. 

All in all, an excellent experience for delivered pizza.
4 - Dan W.: A sure thing.  My favorite is the hot portabello sub.  With garden salad.  Delivered.  Pizzas are good too.
4 - Felecia B.: This is probably our favorite pizza place downtown and a big hit among teenagers in our neighborhood it seems as well.  Whenever we host a get together this is where they ask to get pizza from.  

They have a nice selection of sauces and toppings.  I am a fan of the pesto and their red sauce is pretty good as well.  The crust has a good texture and the ratio of cheese/sauce/toppings is just right.  

They deliver as well locally so that is a plus.  We ordered 7 pizzas tonight and they were here in less than 45 minutes which is great for a local non chain place.  I would skip the chains and try it out.  It is located in the shopping center where Cat's Cradle is.
2 - Erin K.: I had high hopes for Amante Gourmet Pizza. I had heard great things about it, in fact. Even when we were standing in line and ordering our pizza the guy, a regular, said we were making a smart choice in eating pizza there. So, we ordered a sausage and bell pepper pizza and a big salad. We went and sat down in their narrow, comfortable and relatively quiet seating area and waited for our food to arrive. We were so excited to dive into this pizza. But it just didn't do it for me. I ate the whole thing, mind you, so it wasn't so horrible I couldn't eat it but I didn't love it as I thought I would and have no desire to eat there again. I love a good dough and this is part of the reason why it fell short. It just wasn't flavorful and wasn't that combo of crisp and chewy that i like. Even their salad fell short. It was leafy with sparse bits of veggies but I wasn't over the moon about any of it. Maybe it was an off day in the kitchen? Maybe I'll try it again just to give them the benefit of the doubt and if I like it better I'll update this review. I'm giving them a "Meh. I've experienced better" because, Meh, I've experienced better. But they weren't horrible.
4 - John L.: Good food, slow service.

The pizza is generally good, and better than what one would get from a national delivery chain.  However, the carryout service is a little lacking.  I was quoted 25 minutes, and ended up receiving my order (pizza and quesadilla) in 50, waiting close to 25 minutes when I could have bern home watching the Pats.

They do have a funny gum golf game, so that's also a good thing.
2 - Josie R.: The quality of this place has gone downhill significantly in the years I've been in Chapel Hill.  We used to order with them regularly, but the last 4 times we've ordered it's been almost inedible (crust so soggy it was wet and limp) and two times they sent us the wrong pizza.  I don't know if they changed management or what, but they've become incredibly inconsistent.  Sad.
2 - Mike M.: We dined in last evening, ordered the sausage/pepper/onion combo pizza with a couple glasses of wine. Pizza was soggy, pretty greasy, and didn't seem to have more than a millimeter thin coating of tomato sauce. The taste was OK. Wine was half-price (what a deal!), but at a regular price of $7.50/glass (are you kidding?), $3.75 isn't that great. Service was fine, but then again we were the only dine-ins for most of the time we were there.
4 - Helena K.: I did not eat pizza here.  Say what??  I know, what a weirdo!  But I'm also a fatty and I'm trying so hard not to be.  I will say that their salads are MASSIVE and really quite good.  The spinach formaggio salad ($6.99) is made with fresh baby leaf spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated portabella mushrooms, roasted red peppers, Kalamata olives, pine nuts, and goat cheese, and is served with a balsamic vinaigrette on the side.

My husband hadn't eaten all day long (no joke), so he opted for a meaty-meat-meat fest calzone, which he ate in like five minutes, so you know that junk was good.

The only thing that was weird is that they brought me my salad a full ten minutes before they brought out my husband's calzone.  Huh.  So I just kinda sat there waiting, and waiting, and waiting.  The wait was a tad long considering we were one of only one other table there (early on a Friday evening).  There were folks in and out with carry-out orders, but it was very quiet inside.
5 - Linda H.: I've had classic pizza and gourmet pizza from NYC, to So. Cal. even in Southern Italy, this was the BEST pizza I can remember ever having! The crust was perfect in taste and texture and the toppings were flavorful without being too heavy.  I can't wait to eat there again!
4 - Mike O.: Solid pizza. Good pizza. The inside is a sliver of space with booths and tables.There is more outside space than inside space, it might seem. Behind the counter are stacked pizza boxes and crates of soda. You get the sense that looks don't matter, the pizza does. And it's true. It's pretty darn good pizza. I ordered the NY-style pizza, which basically means it's an 18 inch pie. I'll briefly say that aside from the size, it's not NY-style pizza. End pizza snob alert. The toppings are good, and the cheese is a little salty (which I like). The crust is nice and chewy, but a little bland. And the pizza is not foldable, a la the NY slice. It the slice ends up tearing where the crust meets the toppings. The crust is also large and folded over a bit, which is great if you are a crust-eater.

Good luck finding parking the night of a  show at Cat's Cradle! I was foolish enough to order take out, but I would have been just as much screwed as if I had driven for dine-in. I'm not sure it can compete with Pepper's just yet, unless they too offer cheap, giant, pitchers. Maybe they do. It warrants another visit to find out!

Amara Yoga & Arts - Urbana, IL (40.11054, -88.207147) ()
4 - lisa N.: This is the only yoga studio in town that I go to.  Grace Giorgio and Lauren Quinn are amazing yoga instructors.  Grace is the most caring and thoughtful yoga teacher I've ever known, and watching her practice is very inspiring.  Lauren is the teacher who introduced me to ashtanga, which is a style that suits people who want to replace jogging (bad for your body) with something that will get similar results (endorphins, sweat, muscles).
4 - Alecia M.: I have been coming to Amara regularly for about a year now, and it is a welcoming, peaceful place to grab a cup of tea and find a quiet workout after a long workday. Amara is a small studio with a friendly community and a variety of reasonably-priced classes (hatha, ashtanga, yin, etc). Personally, I have learned an immense amount from Linda Lehovec's wonderful alignment-focused classes, but there's many options and great, caring teachers. Special classes, art events, and workshops (for example, partner yoga and yoga 101) rotate through the schedule, too.

I would love to see a greater variety of morning classes, but that is my only (small!) complaint.

Amati Violin Shop Inc - Houston, TX (29.7149315, -95.4134266) (West University)
5 - Suzy E.: Deeply indebted to Mr. Shaw! Thanks so much
1 - Dan W.: I hate putting negative reviews of violin shops, but feel compelled to about this particular one.

If you do decide to pay Amati Violin shop a visit, go with a faculty from the Shepherd School or professional in Houston Symphony or Opera. Otherwise, you are seriously putting your instrument and bow at risk with these guys and they WILL try to rip you off. Most of all, they are incompetent: They failed twice to fix my bow with a broken eyelet (a fairly common and standard fix), and because of that, there is no way I can trust them with anything else.

Amazing Net Adult Video & Magazine Center - Troy, NY (42.739166, -73.685776) ()
4 - Rocco B.: Have YOU ever had cherry flavored Anal Lube stuck to your ceiling?  How about water pistol douche fights?

That is just a small part of the fun to be had at this great porn store.

PS. I applied for a summer job here, but I don't think my hardcore Catholic parents would have approved of such an internship.
5 - Chris B.: 6 foot inflatable penis.

Amazing Wok Plaza Chinese Restrnt - Latham, NY (42.7409715, -73.7622518) ()
4 - Ian W.: The Chinese food here was pretty good.  

I was looking for a Chinese takeout place in Latham to grab some lunch and also offers lunch specials (on Sundays). I already knew that the newer Chinese takeout place down the street and the place in Latham Farms only offers lunch specials on Mon-Sat only. So I decided to check out Amazing Wok (next door to the 76 Diner), which does offer lunch specials everyday until 3PM.

This is a standard Chinese takeout place with counter/open kitchen and table seating in front of the counter. This place serves up the usual Chinese dishes including Hunan, Szechuan, and Cantonese cuisine, no MSG. 41 luncheon specials ($4.95-$5.95) and 23 special combination plates ($6.85-$7.85) are offered here. A weight watchers menu with over 40 items is also offered, served with steamed rice and ginger garlic sauce on the side.

I ordered the L8 ($4.95 plus tax): Pork Lo Mein with Pork Fried Rice and choice of soup (I chose hot & sour). The food was ready in 10 minutes. The generous portion of food was very good and simple. The lomein had tender pork strips and vegetables (including snow peas). The fried rice (yellow color) had tender pork cubes, peas, carrots, and onions. The hot & sour soup was pretty decent tasting and light with medium spiciness with red pepper flakes, tofu, mushrooms, & bamboo shoots. There was enough food for two meals.

(Overall, 3.5 stars, rounding up because lunch specials are offered daily)
1 - Melanie S.: We ordered Amazing Wok at work last week, venturing away from our usual Chinese spot, and that turned out to be a mistake.  No one was particularly pleased with the food quality and after most of us had finished eating, a coworker found a bug in her food.  Needless to say, none of us were thrilled.

When a coworker called to let the Amazing Wok know what had happened, there was absolutely no reaction.  This leads me to believe this may happen often enough to create complacence among staff.  I shall NOT be eating here again.
2 - Colette J.: Moved back to the area after being away for a few years.  I loved Amazing Wok growing up and lived on their lo mein.  Unfortunately, had a bad experience the other night.  Ordered shrimp lo mein and it tasted like it had gone bad.  I called to let them know but didn't really get much of a reaction and was too far to bring it back.  Was disappointed as I was such a big fan!  Will give them another try but will check my food before I leave next time.
1 - Steven S.: The first time we got takeout from here we liked it. The three experiences since, however, have finished my relationship with Amazing Wok. My expectations relatively simple, I think, and they can't seem to meet them. 1) I would like the time estimate to be close. I know unexpected things happen, but don't tell me 10-15 minutes and then not have even started cooking my order when I arrive 15 minutes later. 2) I would like the items I order to actually be in the order. I don't really want to have to make a second trip back because you left something out, or because you gave me the wrong thing. 3) I would like the quality of the food to be somewhat consistent. When I order a spicy item it should be spicy, and the dishes should include the same ingredients every time you make them.

If any one of these things went wrong occasionally I could deal with it.  When all three things are problems three visits in a row, I'm out.

Amazing Yoga - Pittsburgh, PA (40.451095, -79.934871) (Shadyside)
5 - Sujata S.: If you're looking for yoga that makes you sweat, makes you work, makes you feel awesome, this is by far the best studio that i have discovered in pittsburgh thus far. it's worth the 5 mile bike ride fo' sho!  and they have great student rates.  $40 for 5 classes.  

do it!
5 - Jenney C.: Amazing yoga is great. If you like Baron Baptiste's style of "Power Vinyasa" yoga, you'll feel right at home here. At the Shadyside location there is only one room. And the room is not as hot as Bikram yoga. Though it is quite a workout, you'll find that the warmth of the room does indeed help your muscles. You'll be able to do poses that you previously probably never thought you could.
5 - Lili X.: There's a reason this place is always packed in the evenings - the GOOD word is out! This studio is awesome! 

The instructors are excellent - they challenge and encourage students while still respecting any limitations you might have. They keep watch over students to help improve their positions, and always remind you to BREATHE. The heated studios allow for a satisfying, refreshing and spiritual experience. Try the morning classes if you want more space during your session.

I think the prices are fair: $13 per class, ($9 for students). You save a few bucks when you buy classes in sets of 5, 10, or a monthly unlimited pass. I've tried to invite some friends, who make faces when I tell them the price, but frankly, I think you get MORE than what you pay for at this studio. But alas, some people take no issue with spending $13 on beer & hot wings, a movie and twizzlers, or Red Bull & Marlboros  (bleh, gross).

I like to drop some cash on yoga. Amazing Yoga. Namaste.
1 - Terry B.: Turned me off. I was planning on taking the instructor's class, but these numbnuts wanted me to have taken a year's worth of classes prior to signing up, even though I been practicing for years. Is it because they want to be sure I am really adept, or is it about lining the pockets?  It is a "business" so I expect as much, but such policy should be made clear from the jump. 

To their credit, they did return my deposit promptly, but it smells like another case "yoga for the rich yuppies stressed after hard work in the office".  probably a great studio, but that particular instance is none too appealing to me.
2 - C K.: This studio is nicely decorated, the teachers are knowledgeable,the sequencing is well done. The student-teacher ratio is pretty low though so don't expect adjustments or personal attention. Also, the classes get really crowded and sometimes waiting your turn to move around/exit can blow the high that you just worked so hard to achieve.
2 - Katie K.: I find their instructor's voices, speech cadence and pseudo-spiritual narrative to be awfully annoying. I would rather they just allow some silence in the class. But, it is a good workout, not too expensive...and I suppose it's good practice to learn to learn to tune it out.
4 - Katie M.: Out of town visitor finds perfect power yoga class with parking, that'd be my headline. 

Nice studio, well-appointed cubby spaces for personal items, very friendly students (more so than anywhere else I've traveled), warm and humid class (as it should be...just right), tough with a touch of kindness instructors who follow the Baptiste sequence. Can you tell I really liked the place? 

Oh yeah, parking on the street is free for 2 hours if you can find it. I gave up and parked in the garage right across the street next to the coffee shop for $5 bucks. Totally worth it if you don't feel like walking blocks before or after class.
2 - Christina P.: Spiritless, soulless yoga studio for overpriced workouts in an unpleasant environment. Yeah sure, the yoga studio itself is shiny and pretty, with pretty young 20ish yuppies who say "oh, my life is horrible," but yoga as I understand it is not supposed to make you more frustrated and stressed out when you are done with the session. I have felt so turned off by the instructors, and felt like I was competing with others in the classroom. If you like a variety of yoga poses and meditation practice, do not come here. I would suggest Yoga on Centre, Regent Square, or Yoga Matrika instead.
5 - Nada J.: I have been going to classes at Amazing regularly for 3 years and I love the classes and teachers! Very inspiring instruction along with a great workout and you are guaranteed to sweat! I have never taken a bad class here but I have favorite teachers that lead more challenging classes. Sean, Karen, Sally and Lisa are among my faves! I love the heat too! They also have cool workshops and special 2-hour classes on holidays which are always a nice treat! Keep up the great work AY!!
3 - Anna H.: I have been attending the Shadyside studio for the past year.  I will give AY credit for always giving you a great work out.   You're going to sweat a lot and feel good about burning a bunch of calories.  However, I do find all the classes (even amongst all the different teachers) very repetitive.  I assume this is because the owners (Karen and Sean) have taught the vast majority of their teachers through their own teacher training program.  There is not much creativity between the different classes; it's the same poses over and over.  Since attending AY this year, I feel like I could now teach there too!  It's that predictable.  

They also don't offer much guidance for more seasoned yogis who take modifications or arm balances.  I feel like I'm "showing off" if I modify, where at other studios I practice it's encouraged to try new poses.  It's an "amazing" feeling when you're able to grasp a new pose. 

In summary, great place to get some cardio and decent yoga; not great if you're trying to expand your practice.  I mix it up with other studios.  They do offer a wide assortment of class times, which is convenient.

P.S. Would love suggestions of other studios you'd recommend based on reading my review.  Namaste.
5 - Jill M.: I've been practicing yoga for 12 years. I've practiced many styles, and I've also done Pilates. 

I absolutely love this studio. The classes are rigorous and slightly heated, so you feel both refreshed and like you've had a solid workout.

Some of the negative reviews here are just silly - yes, there's some repetition to the classes. The "flow" portions of the class are the center of the practice, so they are a part of every class you take. Another reviewer commented that the classes were like a competition with people showing off, etc  - which is simply untrue. If you are focused on your breath, your poses, and the action taking place on your own mat, you won't even notice the people around you. A lot of yoga is psychological. If you've had a crap day, you may bring some insecurities to your mat and see them manifest...

Not all yoga works for everyone. Different people need different things. As a sort of mid-level yoga
 practitioner, I'd say this studio has a lot to offer if the style is right for you.
3 - Nancy H.: I got an awesome yelp deal for this place which I definitely recommend because it gives you freedom to explore all the yoga places on walnut street before dropping down major dough (this place beats out Yoga Flow).  They do hot yoga so there're a few things you need to know:

1)  It REEKS the moment you step into this place
2)  There will be PUDDLES of sweat on the floor at the end of the session- so pick a place near the door so you don't have to step in any!
3)  It's a pretty darn good workout

Some of the instructors get a bit repetitive.  It gets very CROWDED which is one thing I don't like.  They have a website where you sign up ahead of time.  I enjoy the PowerYoga with Music.  They list EVERY class as for "All levels" just to attract more people, but I think a true beginner would feel overwhelmed, especially since there are some pretty hard core yogis here.  I like that their sessions are quite long up to 90 minutes and I always feel sore the next day!

Amazon Reptile Center - Montclair, CA (34.0929683, -117.6895289) ()
4 - Richard L.: Amazon reptiles has some of the best cared for reptiles for sale in the Inland Empire.

If you are looking for a reptile as a pet, supplies for a reptile pet, food for a reptile pet, then I highly recommend this store.

Reptiles have pretty simple needs, but most reptile stores are shameful in how they care for the animals they are trying to sell. Amazon is one of the few that take the time to ensure all their animals are kept clean, fed and in suitable environments.

If you remember the Burmese Python that used to live in the store - "Lourdes" who is an ex-member of Alice Coopers band, I can report he is enjoying his retirement since we bought him. He would like to thank all the people that bought him dinner over the years.
4 - Dani K.: I'm holding out on the last star since we've only had our lizard for a couple of days.  This place has excellent service with very knowledgeable and sweet staff, and a great inventory of very healthy animals.  Both people we spoke with gave us tons of great info, did not try to sell us things we didn't need, and repeatedly told us to call them with any questions.  We're so happy with our lizard and so glad to have this place in the area.
4 - Victoria T.: Well, I would have given 5 stars if not for the attitude of the workers, honestly they were a bit rude. That said, overall I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a reptile. They have a limited collection but I must say I have never been to a cleaner or more well maintained store than this. All of their reptiles were obviously taken very good care of and they all looked alert and alive. I didn't see one messy cage and even the glass on the cases was polished and clean! Highly recommended! Can't wait to go back and get my next leopard gecko from them :)
4 - J. P.: I'm in the store twice a week to buy food for my reptiles that I have in my classroom. Knowledgeable and helpful staff. Great prices.  Many reptiles to choose from.  Sometimes there are used cages or equipment that is great for the classroom budget.  Better prices, better selection and better staff then the local petco.
5 - Natalie J.: gianna rocks! this place is helpful friendly and knowledgable for all your reptile needs!
5 - Jarrod C.: Great Service! Healthy looking reptiles, and a Very Knowledgeable staff! i will cntinue driving from West Covina to this store because its the best i have found so far. Definately beats the crap out of any of the Pet supply Mega stores
5 - Jess B.: The best reptile store!

After visiting several reptile shops in the IE and OC area, Amazon Reptile Center was hands down, the best! It is a very clean shop with a lot of good variety, and the staff is friendly as well as knowledgeable. The cages are very well kept and clean, and the animals look very healthy. My boyfriend and I finally decided to make our purchase here, where we got an albino Sonora gopher snake, and we are very happy as is our new pet.
Also, the prices here are very fair, and actually cheaper than most of the shops we visited. The same day we purchased our snake, we bought a cage with set up, and they gave us 15% off the supply for purchasing it! :)

Ambassador Brattle Cab - Cambridge, MA (42.367964, -71.0940683) (Kendall Square/MIT)
3 - A T.: UPDATE:
I don't use them as often now that I don't live near Kendall square anymore--back then they were always on time (probably b/c they were around the corner).  However I do understand people's issues with the rude drivers--and, when coming back to Allston from shows at the Middle East, I've frequently had drivers who didn't know where Comm Ave was--WTF?!
---------------

I only used this cab company once, but the driver was super considerate and conversational. Because I was a young,single woman he also insisted on dropping me off near my door and not down the street as is my habit--and he didn't charge me extra for it. He might have just been a one time nice guy, but I was impressed.
3 - Laura A.: my company uses this cab company exclusively, so i've taken many of their cabs. and it's a mixed bag. sometimes you get a driver who zooms through all the shortcuts and gets you the airport in 15 minutes. sometimes you get a driver who talks your ear off and takes forever to get there. sometimes you get a driver who makes a million wrong turns and a $30 cab ride ends up costing you $40 (but then, who doesn't get drivers like that?). sometimes, when i call for a cab to my house in davis (where half the street is cambridge and half the street is somerville), they'll say "it's somerville, we don't go there" -- despite having picked me up MANY other times. and then sometimes you have the driver, like the one i had one morning, who started screaming at me while unloading my baggage at logan for having shared a cab with a coworker to the airport ("ONE PERSON PER VOUCHER!!") -- keep in mind, i handed him a blank voucher, and he could've tipped himself ANYTHING to make himself feel better. 

at least they come on time!
2 - Alex Y.: Never met the driver, so I can't vouch for them, but the operator was a complete moron! He didn't even say the name of the company when he answered, just "What town...?". I thought I'd dialed directory assistance by accident! Then he was impatient, even as he continued to mumble commands at me (which I had to constantly ask him to repeat.) Just unnecessary, really.
1 - Daphne M.: Wow, talk about aggravation. I live less than a mile from Fresh Pond, but I bought a ton of crap at Whole Foods and it was dark (I haaaate setting clocks back) so I decided to call a cab. I called one place whose number I'd seen on a car earlier, but they said they didn't do that area (funny, cos I'd seen them right in the very parking lot I was in), so they tell me to call 492-1100.

I tell them where I am, and wait. And wait.

After 15 minutes, frustrated, I call them and ask how long I should be waiting - and am told 5-10 minutes. I said that it's been 15+ and there's no one here yet, and they apologize, and say they'll get a cab to me immediately.

Twenty more minutes pass. I go back into Whole Foods and the manager calls Green Cab for me, which arrives in less than 10. Now I know who will never be getting my business, that's for damn sure.
2 - Ligaya T.: These cabs like most cabs are old, drivers wear too much cologne, pretend not to understand English. Every time I've used these guys they bilk as much hard-earned money out of me as possible. I have to explicitly state the route from street to street or else they'll inevitably take me on some crazy nonsensical detour that deliberately goes down one ways or pass the address I'm headed to. And argh, they know that it's so damn frigid here that we suck it up and continue the ride, and still have the audacity to glare at $1 tip!
1 - Dachary C.: Any other business ran the way this one runs would be out of business in no time. I have consistently had issues (4 times) with calling for pickup and having the driver never show up. When I called the dispatchers back to ask, they always apologized and said that the driver will be there shortly but the driver still never showed. If you flag one of these guys down in the street, it might not be so bad, but don't try calling for pickup or you'll be stuck walking.
1 - Johanna W.: I've called for Brattle cabs at 4 or 5 in the morning to get home.  "5 minutes," says dispatcher dude. They don't show, I wait, and end up walking. On another occasion, my driver claimed he didn't know how to get from Davis to Central and tried to take the highway!!  I don't recommend -- I've stopped calling them.
1 - meaghan s.: I don't care if you smell like smoke or cologne.  I don't care if the cab is dilapidated and burning oil.   I do care that when I call you and you tell me "5-10" that you don't show up at all. More than once. 

They suck.  I don't know any great alternatives.  Why can't cabs in this city be honest and reliable?  Boo!
3 - John L.: My cab stories are usually weird.   I once apparently discussed the 1867 US purchase of Alaska with my Russian cab driver while I was drunk, which I think either proves I'm too nerdy for my own good, or that I'm a good conversationalist when I'm drunk.  But, to be fair, I don't think that happened in an Ambassador Cab (that being said, the story apparently does qualify me for being the Republican nominee for Vice President... but politics to the side for the moment...)

I've never had a really bad experience using Ambassador.  From a cab stand perspective, they're not that bad.  They get me where I want to go when I need a cab to take me places, and they did not seem to do that whole "screw you over" thing, like take the most roundabout route from Central Square to Beacon Hill or the Seaport (this would be something along the lines of "Hey, let's NOT take 93").

I also saw Alan Dershowitz along the way once.  That was kind of cool.

So, they're not perfect, but if I'm in Cambridge really late and the T is done for the night, they're not the worst option at the cab stand (I don't know from the calling perspective, so I can't speak to that).
1 - Jesse K.: I needed to get to the airport this past Saturday by 8:00 A.M. I called Ambassador because I saw one of their cabs drive by my house the moment I was thinking about my plans.

I called and told the dispatcher: "I need a cab at 7:30 tomorrow morning."

He asked: "7:30 tomorrow night?"

I said: "No, 7:30 A.M."

That should have caught my guard.

No cab at 7:30 A.M. I put a phone call in to the company... no answer. No cab at 7:35 A.M. No answer at the company. No cab at 7:40 A.M...

Luckily a competitor taxi company was answering their phones, and sent a cab within 5 minutes.

I didn't hear anything from Ambassador, and throughout the day was thinking about what I'd write in my Yelp review. Then at 7:30 P.M. there was a call on my cell phone. It was Ambassador calling... presumably because the cab was waiting outside my place.

Unfortunately, they were 12 hours late.

Chalk it up to error on their part, but I was very clear about my *early morning* taxi need. The guy even asked and I corrected him.

Worst part is that they didn't even answer their phone in the morning. Maybe they're not open then (which is stupid for a taxi company) but if that's the case the dude should have told me. After I corrected him.
1 - Marjie H.: DON'T EVER USE AMBASSADOR CAB!!!
They recently picked up my fiancee for a trip to the airport.  I received a call from the dispatcher to tell us the taxi was outside after my fiancee had already gotten in the taxi and was leaving the front of our house.  I informed the dispatcher that he already left, and the dispatcher flipped out on me.  Clearly, he misunderstood, and began YELLING at me... telling me that next time we'd BETTER call to cancel the cab or else they won't send another taxi to our address again.  When I informed him that he left IN THE TAXI they sent, he hung up on me without an apology.  Their customer service is beyond bad, they are simply rude.  I feel sorry for the drivers who are going to lose business because the people on the phone don't have have basic human decency.
4 - Barney B.: so our little holiday adventure almost derailed before it even started.  Early Monday morning to flight required a call for a cab.  calls to 3 cab companies resulted in zero answers.  Panic mode kicks in.

Option two, hoof it to the T and hope for the best.  But, 'hoof it to the T' means carrying my suitcase and that of my injured sidekick, over the foot or so of snow we accumulated over the weekend.  God I hate the holidays.

But a mere block from our place, we actually hailed a cab - who was on his way to pick up someone else for a run to the airport, but he saw how pathetic we (I) looked and called his buddy to grab that fare so that he could hook us up.

These guys were the first company I called - but the Monday morning of a holiday week after a storm, you can't blame them for being busy or short-staffed - s I forgive them for not answering this time.  they will still be the first company I call for future trips.
1 - sweetand s.: Absolutely horrible.  The absolute worst.  Words cannot express how horrible this company is and how unfathomable they are a business.  I called for a cab and waited ONE HOUR, and was told every fifteen minutes when I called that, "we don't know what happened to the cab, we will send another."  this happened literally 4 or 5 times.  once they kept me on hold and i called them from another number to check.  Take an ark or crawl, whatever you do do not patronize the worst "cab" company in the world.  I am still not convinced they actually exist, the worst kind of liars, I hope their own mothers get treated this way, sorry bunch of jackasses.
1 - Eric R. And Valerie H.: On Halloween, one can expect that cabs might be a little busy and hard to come by, but who could pass up Kelley B's delious Pumpkin Punch or a skeleton ice chest full of tasty brews.  Therefore, being the responsible adults that we are, we decided to choke up the 22 dollars to get from Cambridge back across to the other side of the river.

We first called Ambassador Brattle Cab company per the suggestion of the party hostess at 1:30 a.m. not late by any means, but past the time when the T was running.  The man on the phone told Valerie that it would be an hour to an hour and a half wait for the two cabs she requested.  After providing him her phone number, Valerie inquired if the cab would call when they were outside to which the man rudely replied that they were too busy and we would have to watch out the window.  Somehow the 15 seconds it would take to place a simple phone call would cause the cabbie too much inconvenience and really delay the process....riiiight.

After the clock hit  2am for the second time in a row (daylight savings, how I spite you), having patiently sat  watching out the window and squinting through the pitch black to see if any passing car was a cab for over an hour, Valerie was getting a little fed up and asked Eric to call to see how much longer it would be.  The dispatcher informed him it would be another 15 to 20 minutes.

45 minutes later, and a few more tasty adult beverages in, being the only remaining guests at the party (others had decided to walk the 1.5 miles home instead of waiting, which if our ride was not 4 miles would have been the better option), and with one of our friends who was riding with us home completely asleep on the couch, Valerie decided to call the company yet again.

After 13 minutes of listening to the phone ring, Valerie was just about to give up when a man finally answered.  When she inquired about the two cabs that had been requested a ridiculously long time ago, the man said "those two haven't been there yet??"  and informed Valerie that it would be yet another 20-30 mintues.  Completely fed up, Valerie's not-so-nice-exhausted-and-cranky side came out and she demanded that they send cabs to their location as soon as possible since they had now been waiting for over 2 hours.  He said they would do the best they could.

Ten minutes later a cab finally pulled up outside.  As Burns was still asleep on the couch, we offered the first cab to Val's cousin, hoping that the second cab wouldn't be far behind.  Luckily, another one pulled up a few minutes later.

The actual cab experience itself wasn't bad.  The cabbie was pleasant and ensured the easiest route home, and the car was clean.  He then agreed to take Burns back to Brighton instead of him having to find another cab (which we all know at this point probably would have taken the rest of the night.  Anyone looking for Waldo and Wanda (our awesome costumes) would've had to wait quite a while!

In short...don't bother with this company unless it's daylight savings time and you're gaining an hour of sleep.
1 - Riesling R.: I definitively have had the worse cab ride with those guys! Although they were on time when called, when calling they were as friendly as Darth Vader.
For the ride - I was taken the "long way", it rained through the roof, the driver was tuning his long-wave radio station while driving like wanting to find out what radio station the car in front is listening to. 

It was scary, dirty, and expensive.
1 - Juliet D.: One of the worst cabs I've ever taken 

Things started out ok.  Cab arrived on time for an early am airport pick-up. Driver promptly called my cell.  Cab was clean.  

Problem arose when I got to the airport and pulled out a credit card.  It was A HUGE ordeal.  The driver moaned and complained about the additional fee the credit card company would charge him, etc.  

I politely explained that I couldn't expense the ride without putting it on my corporate card.  He repeatedly insisted that I pay with cash and then had the gall to tell me that that of course I could expense it - he would give me a receipt.  How does he know how my corporate expense policy works??? 

Very rude service.  Let me feeling taken advantage of and furious. 

Beware:  I called (617) 492-0500 the "Yellow Cab of Cambridge" phone number to schedule a taxi and Ambassador of Brattle Cab showed up. Don't know how dispatching works at 1am but this was quite odd.   If you call Yellow Cab - insist they don't send Brattle cab
1 - Cindy F.: Ambassador Brattle Cab sucks. I called to reserve a cab for my boss and her guests at 6:15PM - the next day my boss said the cab didn't show.
1 - Lala L.: I called for them to pick up guests from the office today at 3:15 for a 3:30 pick up. Guess what? Didn't show up until almost 4 pm! never had this type of problem with the other cabs in the area. The only reason I called them today was because they took credit cards. Ugh! never again.
1 - Kate R.: Update: I got a prompt response to my email complaint apologizing for the actions of the dispatcher and offering to refund the fair. I didn't take the refund because I was worried it would affect the driver who was not to blame. I feel better but after reading the other reviews on here I would still think twice before calling them again.

I agree with one of the previous reviewers who wished they could give Ambassador negative stars. I have never been so furious with a cab company. I called Ambassador to book a cab for a friend from out of town who needed to get from Central Square to a meeting in Wellesley. I let dispatch know that we are from out of town and not drivers so we needed a driver with a GPS or someone who had mapped out the route ahead of time and I gave them the pick up and drop off addresses. They said no problem, they would have a driver there in five. The driver was prompt and I put my friend in the cab, minutes later I got a call from him that the driver didn't know where he was going. I ran home to map it myself and talk them through the directions. On my way, I called back Ambassador to complain. The dispatcher I had first dealt with, the one who knew what I needed, handed me off to someone else. This new man explained "it is all computerized" so therefore they can't be responsible for drivers knowing the route. I pointed out that they should have told me that up front and all he said was "it's all computerized" so they can't know if drivers know where they are going. When I pointed out that that is no excuse for not telling me up front that they can't provide the service I requested (I would have just called another car service who had a driver with a GPS available) the man told me he was busy and hung up on me. So basically they lied to me about what they could provide and then hung up when I called to complain I didn't get what I asked for. That is some stellar customer service. I don't think I have been hung up on before. Ambassador is, if nothing else, impressive. Impressively unprofessional.
1 - Diane I.: Can I give you zero stars?

So really maybe the company is okay - but the driver I had yesterday was the worst!

I just got done with surgery and got in the cab with my mom to go home. The cab wasn't even for us (who knows where the one we called for went to) and he abandoned his regular job.  Sketchy!

But the driver was awful. He decided to complain to my mom about how other drivers take each other's jobs (which he just did) for 70% of the way, talk on his cell phone (not hands free) for another 20% of the way, and for the last stretch he decided to tell us the drama about splitting the $24 cost for the meter cover with the other guys who shared the cab.

Guess what dude - I don't give a sh*t. I just had surgery - I want to get home to my vicodin and you babbling on the whole time is making you go slow. Also, you're not paying attention whatsoever to the road and I'm guessing you're more likely to get into an accident. And since my nose is already not happy, having it smacked into the back of the front seat probably wouldn't be a good idea.

Also, the cab was old and didn't even have seat belts.
1 - Amanda H.: Unfortunately, I am unable to give a proper review based on my experiences in one of these cabs because the man who was arranging my ride on the phone was so rude to me that I told him to shove it and hung up. If I could give zero stars, I would.
1 - Mary B.: Made me miss my flight.

If I could review them with negative stars, I would. Not only was the cab half an hour late, but when I called the dispatcher repeatedly to inquire about it, he kept saying "2 to 3 minutes away" which was really 15 to 20. So I didn't go get a different cab or try to find another way. Which is just egregious. 

Never using them again, and you shouldn't either!
1 - Claire J.: ************ 0 STARS***************************

I arrived at Alewife Station after taking a new bus company back from New York.  We arrived at just about 1am, and you know that the T was not running. 

There happened to be one cab in the stand, Ambassador Brattle Cab.  I got the number from the side, and called for one myself.  It promptly arrived in 15min.  Then my night went from bad to worse.

I had checked the company on my blackberry, and it said that it took cards.  When the cab arrived, I got in and gave my address.  The drive rudely informed me that "he didn't take cards." (despite the fact that the website said they did).   I calmly informed him that my bank had an ATM right in Davis Square (where I was going).  I had already planned to tip him more than 20% due to the fact that I had to stop at an ATM.

The driver proceeded to refuse to take me.  He told me he needed to see the cash first, or he wouldn't take me.  He demanded I go into the deserted station to use the ATM there.  I'm a female, traveling alone, at 1am...why would I go into a train station that I'm unfamiliar with?

After arguing for a good 15minutes, the driver then informs me that "...this is why I never take black people.  They never have any money.  And they always want stuff for free.  And the only reason why I picked you up was because I thought you were with the white kids..."  I kid you not, that is verbatim what was said to me.

Needless to say, my blood about boiled over at that point...and granted, I said some things I should not have (however, given the situation and what was said to me and the treatment I received, I felt was somewhat warranted and justified).  By this time, he was decided he's going to "...make me happy..." and take me to Davis Sq.

When we arrived, I stepped out of the cab, which was in front of my ATM, and left my belongings inside.  Upon my return from the ATM with the fare plus tip, the driver had placed my items on the sidewalk and promptly sped off as I attempted to pay him.

I have never been so rudely treated and disrespected in my entire life.  You can believe I will never use them or their counterpart (Yellow Cab) EVER again.  And you can trust that I will make sure to tell everyone I know never to use them either!
1 - Rachel M.: TERRIBLE!!!!  Caused me to my flight!

I was on hold forever then told a cab would pick me up in ten minutes to take me to airport.  

After half hour, I called back and waited on hold again only to be told the cab picked someone else up by accident (which seems unrealistic on my quiet neighborhood street).  

Then they said another cab would come right away and it never showed up so I finally dragged my bags to Harvard square to hail a cab in person, but it was too late.  The HOUR wasted waiting for a cab that never showed cause me to miss my flight back to California.

 Don't waste your time  - call anyone else!
1 - Michelle N.: Uh, ZERO STARS!  Nilch!  Nada!  

WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER!!!

They will hang up on you and refuse you their own names and will not allow you to file a complaint!  They even said, "No one here cares about you or your complaint"

Wow, REALLY?  

Well Mr, no one there will have a job if you don't ever have happy customers!
1 - Debbie L.: If i could give 0 stars I would!!

Worst customer service ever!!! They were extremely rude over the phone and when I tried to speak to the operator's supervisor THEY HUNG UP ON ME!!
1 - Meghan H.: My bad experience with Ambassador Brattle occurred Sunday, January 30 and Monday, January 31.  I called on Sunday evening to order a cab for Monday morning. When I gave the particulars, I was told that I could not place an order for a within-Cambridge cab in advance and that I would have to call back the next morning.  I had done this before without issue, and I told the dispatcher this.  She immediately got very rude with me and simply repeated herself instead of explaining the policy.  When I told her that I had had issues with calling in the morning before (no one answering, no cabs available, etc.), she repeated herself again.  At this point, I was frustrated and as I hung up I said, "You guys can be really awful sometimes."

The next morning I called for a cab and the dispatcher I spoke with put me on hold for a bit and then came back and told me that I could not have a cab because I had "cursed out the dispatcher" the night before.  I explained to this dispatcher that I had gotten frustrated and told her what I had said about them being awful, but that I certainly had not cursed at the dispatcher.  She said that it didn't matter because it was written in my file.  I asked her to put her supervisor on.  The supervisor comes on, gruffly says the same thing that the dispatcher said, and when I start to explain myself, I realize that he has hung up on me.  I called back and tried to explain the situation again.  The dispatcher repeated that I could not have a cab because my file said that I had "cursed out the dispatcher."  I asked her and she confirmed that I would never be able to order a cab through Ambassador Brattle again because of it.  When I tried to point out that the policy meant that the dispatcher could lie and effectively blacklist anyone at any time and hurt business, I was hung up on... again.

I really wish there were a way to give zero stars on here.  I would give them zero stars.  I could not believe how incredibly rude every single person I spoke to there was.  Or the fact that the dispatcher simply lied and got me black-listed from the company.  Although I guess it doesn't matter, because I will gladly withhold my business from this company from now on.
4 - Andrea C.: Maybe I've been lucky so far, but my experience with Brattle has been more than satisfactory.  I've been able to book in advance for within-Cambridge rides twice without a problem  Seriously short rides too - from near the Cambridge Public Library to MIT's student centre, for ski trips that start around 5am.  Maybe the lack of customers at that hour helps, but a $6.50 fare is normally a low priority.  

Drivers have been on time, even early, and have helped me with my skis. The booking system has been efficient so far - sure, once I had to wait a couple of minutes for the dispatcher to pick up.  But after the first trip, my phone number and address were saved, so for the second booking I didn't have to repeat any location details for the pickup, which is a welcome time saver and avoids confusion too. 

Here's hoping that my luck with Ambassador Brattle holds.
1 - Jesen F.: If I could only rate these lowlife scuzz-buckets lower I would. They are rude, disorganized, unrepentant and not worthy of a single dollar from a hard working citizen. They are unreliable at best. When they leave you in the lurch, which they will, they will be unapologetic and confrontational. To top it off, when you wait forever for one of their thug drivers to show up, then take off on foot in a frantic attempt to get to wherever you needed to be 20 minutes ago, you'll see two of their cabs parked 1/2 a block away jawing with each other without a care in the world. I wouldn't be surprised if this company was merely a front for some kind of sociopathic organization. Use at your own risk!
1 - jason m.: I took a ride from Alewife station to Waltham, a ride that I take all the time and averages me $18-25 at most.

This cab is way overpriced as they charged me $32 for the ride. Not only that but upen arrival the Driver said that I needed to include a "mandatory" 10% additional on the card or the Company will charge him that 10% for having accepted a Credit Card???!!!

I decided to pay cash and asked the driver to wait at the door while at entered my home to retrieve the cash. The problem is the Driver WOULD NOT open the trunk so I can gain access to my luggage. He said in a rude manner "show me the cash first" 

I lost my temper and explained that I can't possibly access my home because my keys are inside the luggage and unless he gave me access to my luggage right away I would call the police.

He finally let me get the keys when I came back to pay him I (of course) left $0 TIP .... for his overpriced service and rudeness.

Horrible... Never again "Ambassadors Brattle"!!
1 - Angela F.: ***0 STARS*** 

My company has an account with Ambassador. We are forced to use them a lot, unfortunately.

Thanks, Ambassador, for leaving my VERY HIGH PROFILE visitor standing on the curb for 40 minutes, waiting for a cab I had reserved two hours earlier.  Also, thank you for leaving me on hold for 20 minutes when I tried to call and see what was going on. 

I ended up having to drive him myself.
1 - Steven B.: I called.  The guy told me someone would be there in 15 minutes.  No one showed up.  If you need someone reliable, try someone else.  I have called them in the past.  They show up more often than not, but I have found them to be unreliable.  

If you have to get somewhere at a specific time, I wouldn't trust them.  They certainly make no effort to be pleasant or professional.  I have thick skin and don't mind if they show up a bit late or are not friendly or even show basic politeness and professional behavior on the phone or in the cab, but I hate missing flights because they said they'd be there and didn't bother to show up or call so we can make other plans.
1 - Jenny K.: Verbally abusive dispatchers and drivers. Need I say more?

I'm on a last-minute errand of mercy for work, which requires me to use my business card to pay for a cab. And to call this errand "very important" would be a tremendous understatement.

I call in at rush hour, which yes, is understandably stressful. When the dispatcher picks up, he promises to send a cab, though he's not exactly sure when, since I'm using a credit card. "Could be half hour, hour, who knows?" When I press him for a time, he starts to get extremely rude.

Essentially, my question is answered with a "go F yourself," and "F off," which are *never* appropriate, no matter what the circumstances (hey, I managed to be pretty cordial with him, and I've been working 16-hour days for almost three weeks straight). Then he slams down the phone and hangs up on me, "go find a F-ing cab somewhere else you B."

It's worth noting that this isn't the first time that Ambassador Brattle has done this.

On another occasion, when I asked a driver at a cab stand if he'd take a credit card, he said yes he could, but preferred not to. I asked him if he's make an exception to the rule. He turned the other way, started chatting up a driver and completely ignored me. 

Perturbed, I took down his medallion number. When he noticed he starting screaming at me and told me, "go shut up your ugly F-ing face!"

Now there's lackluster service, poor service, and downright rude service, but this one takes the cake. Unless you want a side of verbal abuse with your cab ride, I'd call someone else!
2 - Anne D.: I've been dialing the number for Ambassador brattle for over 20 years, and although they're not perfect, they've improved a great deal. The plus: the cabs are now clean. The minus: some drivers still don't seem to know the way without help; some need to be prompted to help with bags; sometimes they're late or no-show; very few are particularly friendly. Still, it's better than it used to be, and it all depends upon the driver you get. Face it; they have the monopoly on cabs in this area, so they don't have much incentive to improve.
1 - Amy B.: Yesterday I had a job interview and I wasn't very familiar with the area of the interview, so I decided to take a cab to ensure I wouldn't be late. That was the worst decision ever. This was the WORST cab experience I've ever had. I gave the driver the address and he didn't seem to know exactly where that was. Fine. So I pulled up map on my phone and gave him some rough directions (thinking this would be more than enough to help him figure out how to get there since he's a cab driver) Well, we got off I-90 OK but then he didn't seem to know which way to go. So he just stopped on I-90, looking at me. As if I had the answer. Since he was stopped on the exit of a major highway a police offer pulled up behind him and started beeping incessently. Then the police officer pulled up beside us and I thought we were getting pulled over for sure. Great, this is going well. Since he had to move immediately, the cab driver decided to take the turn that actually put us back on to the entrance to I-90. Yup, we were now committed to getting back onto the highway. I screamed at him that this was WRONG so he then decided he had to figure out a way to BACK UP and get off again, rather than getting back on and off again properly. OMG this is ridiculous. Then, I had to direct him more by my phone and tried to get my GPS to work, which it didn't. I told him to pull over so I could at least try and get my GPS to work. It was at this point, that he decided to pull out his own GPS. That's right,  he waited almost the entire trip to pull out the GPS that he should have used from the start. I couldn't f---ing believe this guy. 

When I got into the cab, I noticed he had a credit card machine. Therefore, I knew it wouldn't be a problem that I didn't have cash, and if it was a problem, too bad. My first priority was to get to the interview on time. So when we finally pulled up (safely, thank God) I handed him my card and said, you need to use this. "Oh, I don't know...hmmm...." Nope, I said. You have no choice. Use it. No tip. 

HORRIBLE cab company. Don't ever use them!!!
1 - Emily B.: **ZERO STARS**

I've had to take ambassador cabs on occasion when stranded in Harvard Square, pressed for time, and in situations where I am not able to have my car. Convenient, yes. good experiences, no.

It's been SNOWING out all day, thus leaving me not comfortable to drive. It finally let up and the roads were clear so on my way home from work, I jumped in a cab, as I thought that was the safer option than walking in the dark...
... I'm wrong. my driver was on his phone THE ENTIRE drive, was distracted by who knows what and was in the middle of both lanes on mass ave. He almost missed his turn to my street (it's a main one. not hard to find, lots of lights), and was too involved on his call to pull over when I asked. 

I'm the first to admit, I talk and drive, it's legal here. HOWEVER, in a position of being responsible for someone's life, i find it unacceptable. It's unprofessional, regardless of what language it's in, and it's unsafe. ESPECIALLY in poor weather. 

Yes, some of us have to work in it, myself included. i know it's miserable and scary for travel, and i'm sure having to drive a cab in snow sucks. but, really, ambassador? take your phone call elsewhere, save it for your own drive home, and transport me in peace (and safely). 

i wish this was a boston rule. no cell's in cabs....
4 - Matthew B.: Preface: writing this with the time i have to spare here at the airport. My lady friend made a reservation for us last night for a 6am pickup. The company called in 2 hours later to verify the address - pretty thoughtful of them considering how batshit crazy Boston naming overlap can make travel. we got a call at 5:55am from the cabby waiting for us outside. All in all it was a perfect taxi experience. We'll be using it in the future.
1 - Nadia S.: Their cabs do NOT take credit card, and will forget to tell you this on the phone. I was late for my flight and was only told this information upon arrival at the airport. Nowhere in the cab does it say anything about cash only. When I called the cab company to give them my credit card info (an option they neglected to mention when I made the reservation), they actually refused! I think this was actually the boss/manager who was so rude to me. 

(As an aside, the cab drive himself was fine. My beef is with the company as a whole. They should not be in business)

I second the other reviews here with ZERO stars.
1 - Gaylen M.: Do not use this cab company or its sister company Yellow Cab.  It should be ZERO stars!  I needed a fairly short ride today, not feeling well and no car, and first the driver didn't want to take me (1 p.m. Harvard Square area).  When I said fine I'd find another cab he literally yelled at me that there were no other cabs and started to argue with me about not using him.  I should have walked away, but was so exhausted I just said, fine then you can take me.  I gave him the address and he took off.  After a block he still hadn't put on his meter.  I pointed it out and he refused to put it on.  I said ok, I'll pay you what I usually pay.  When we got to the destination and I handed him the usual fare he tried to start a fight with me about the amount and spoke in an extremely hostile way.  At that point I jumped out of the cab fearing that the man was becoming unhinged.  The situation felt unsafe.  

This is not the first time I have had really unpleasant experiences with this cab company.  It is the last time I will ever get in one of their cabs.
1 - Anne R.: Rainy night, hailed an Ambassador Cab.  Got in, gave my destination.  Driver talking on cell phone, held to his ear, drove 3  blocks in the wrong direction.  When asked where we were going, he asked me where did I want to go.  Re transmitted directions and asked him to please put down the phone.  Was informed the call was important and was invited to leave the cab.  Stayed in the cab. Overheard conversation, in French, about my request and me, important call indeed.  Arrived safely, did not tip at all; normally a good tipper.  Thought about reporting the driver to the company then figured he'd edit himself out of the job all on his own; at least I hope so.
1 - Rishi N.: I called Ambassador Cab recently because I had a 6:30am flight out of Boston and was staying with a friend in Cambridge.  While I'm not a local, I've definitely been to Cambridge enough times to know what more efficient / less efficient ways are to get to the airport.  On the positive side, the cab driver was on time (4:45am pickup).  However, the cab took a decidedly terrible route that was clearly circuitious - *as I tracked my progress (or lack thereof)* on my phone via GPS and watched the dot move further and further away from the airport for the first 10 minutes of the ride.  My cab fare ended up being 40% higher than it should have been and I got there 20 minutes later than was necessary.  Service (when booking the cab) was also extremely poor (curt and rude).  There have got to be better cab companies out there - avoid Ambassador if you can!
1 - Kate S.: I guess I must be in a bad mood, because this is the third 1 star I've given in a row...and normally I'm a 5 star kind of girl.
But, my last review reminded me I was late in filing this one.
Every ambassador cab I've been in is disgusting.  Like...1984, failing suspension, ripped seats, crappy upholstry, dirty nastiness.
Every ambassador cab driver I've encountered has given me lip.  Every.  Single.  One.
Even if you SPECIFICALLY ORDER A CAB that will take credit cards, they will complain that they want cash.  
Get with it, guys.  Credit cards are here to stay.
If you're not going on a long enough trip, they complain.
I suppose the only reason they can stay in business is because cambridge has, apparently, so few cab companies.  
If you have a choice though, don't go with them.  You will be given lip and feel like a dirtier person.
1 - Mimio G.: So.  I usually take Ambassador cabs because they were the only decent cab company in the area.  My most recent trip, I called and they informed me that pickup would be in 15 minutes.  I waited 45 minutes and still no cab.  I never received a callback or any explanation.  That was the last time I ever call Ambassador.  Walking is so much better for you (and cheaper!).
1 - Florian L.: Overall bad experience.
I called the first time to book a van for 6 people. Then called 5 min later to cancel it and book 2 cabs cause we were finally 8. They told me everything was all right. Results: we ended up with 2 cabs + a van! Had to explain to the van driver to go back.
After that, the cab driver drove us in a totally wrong direction: 40 min in the cab and 45 bucks instead of a normal 20 min-~20$ ride.
Never again.
1 - Ernesto G.: I was on my way to a funeral and asked beforehand if I could pay with a debit card. I get to the funeral parlor and the cabbie won't take my card and says that I have to go to an ATM. When I attempt to call the company, the cabbie says he'll take my card.... Like he's doing me a huge favor. I've had a multitude of problems with brattle in the past but this will be the last one.
1 - Anonymous R.: This is the worse cab company I ever used. 

I needed a cab ride for my elderly parents to the airport and called the day before the flight and asked for a cab ride at 5.30pm the next day. By 5.45pm the cab had still not showed up so I called them and they said that there was a traffic jam and that a cab is on its way. 5.55pm and still not there and after I call they say that the cab is on its way and I should wait.

6.05 (and my parents running the possibility of missing their flight) and the cab finally shows up. He is not apologetic and is confused why we are flustered. He then explains that the company just notified him and that he finds it weird he did not know earlier since he is the only driver who can accommodate our party of 5. Hence, we (the driver and I) conclude that the company does not have their act together and lied about traffic jams.

We eventually get to the airport just in time to get the flight and then we charges us 60 dollars for a ride that I have always paid for in the range 35-40 dollars.

The next day, I decide to call the company to complain. The employee passes me the supervisor who takes forever to confirm that I actually had ordered a cab the day before - his IT system being at fault he claims - and he ends up getting very angry even though I was polite and factual in my statements. He insults me claiming that it is all my fault for not calling earlier. I keep claiming that they are at fault for being late and overcharging me at which point he asks me to call the manager, giving me the number to call and abruptly hanging up. 

I call the manager, and old sounding guy, who tries to patiently go through the issue with me but still claims that his company is exemplary and that his driver lied to us and that they probably had a traffic jam. He promises to look into the matter further and I make him swear that he will indeed call me back. He never called back.

In brief, horrible experience with this company that you should NEVER use. I paid 60 bucks for something that was worth less, and it almost cost us to miss our flights.

Ambassador Toys - Palo Alto, CA (37.4381851, -122.1585488) ()
4 - Ingrid P.: I like this store for what it has. The toys that you will find are not the ordinary brands found at Target or Toys R Us.  The books are awesome, some are even in French, Spanish and other languages.  The store is small and so its definitely not a place you can let your child run around in.  But it will definitely make your child curious at all the new and unique toys that they probably have not seen in other stores.
5 - Amee C.: Wonderful little toy store!  How wonderful to find this place to purchase all those birthday party gifts for my son's friends.  While this place is small, it  carries lots of toys the big box stores don't have and I feel like my money is well spent on well-made toys that are fun too.  The 5' gumball machine by the door is a fun addition along with the wonderful valentine's we found there as well.  While I usually wouldn't spend $8 on valentine's for my son's school - he loved being able to choose Max (Where the Wild Things Are) cards instead of the typical ones you find at other stores.  I've not only found great birthday presents, but fun creative toys as well - and great puzzles and books too.  We will be back often and regularly!!
4 - Leslie M.: This is the perfect store to go if you want to buy a toy but don't know what to get.  Its not the store to go to if your kids knows specifically what he wants (advertised brand name popular plastic junk).  Always unique items, fun games and they wrap for free which is great if you need to stop quickly for a gift.  I got great help here.
4 - Hogan W.: If I had kids of my own, this store would definitely be the place to spoil them. Big kids, little kids, and adults can spend hours at Ambassador Toys looking at all they have to offer.

I went to Town and Country Village today to get some dessert a few stores down, but ended up taking a stroll around the plaza too. Our second stop was Ambassador Toys.

I've never seen this many toy sets, dress-up clothing, plush dolls and animals, cars and trucks, tea sets, educational toys, baby toys, and games and puzzles all in one place. If you need toys for special occasions, don't worry about getting the same as other people because they carry lots of unique items. They carry a few mainstream toys and puzzles too. 

As my wife was asking a sales associate what she would recommend for a 4 year old girl, I slipped away into another room. I was intrigued by a glowing side room. There were glow-n-the-dark toys lit by a black light. There were also plastic airplanes with sound effects, scientific sets and toys, and puzzles in this amazing room. I felt like I was inside a planetarium gift shop. Yipee!

Now I know where to shop if I need some unique and educational toys for gifts. If you're around the area and you need something in a hurry, I can't see why you won't find something that appeals to you. I saw too many toys I can spoil my own kids with in the future.
4 - Lis B.: Great little toy store.  Despite the size, this place is packed to the gills with unique and interesting stuff.  They have mainstream toys too (board games, Thomas sets, stuffed animals), but they have a lot of really fabulous puppets, glow-in-the-dark stuff and cool cars you just can't find in some of the bigger shops.  

I have always found the quirky staff helpful.  In fact, when I was in the store today, one of the staff members called out to each customer as they walked around, asking if they needed help. 

Prices are expensive, but worth it.  Parking in the "improved" Town & Country stinks, but if you don't mind walking, you can park in their North lot, which a lot of folks don't even know exists.
4 - Dave O.: My daughter likes playing with the train set and loves the gum ball machine.  They have a nice variety of toys:  art supplies, kites, dolls, barbies, legos, thomas trains, scientific packs, and all sorts of stuffed animals and more....
4 - Jaime L.: This store sure does hold a bundle of goodies considering its size.  They have a neat science nook in the back that is lit with black lights; it gives it that "sciencey" feel, ya know?  Actually, it makes me want to play lazer tag.

In the store, you'll find a variety of toys that are likely to entertain infants all the way up to...me?  And I'm 24!  I suppose I'm not your average 24 year old, but there's enough of a selection here to intrigue any inquiring mind.  I'll definitely be back to leisurely peruse, score a sweet gift, or just to indulge (only when I've earned it, of course).
5 - Nine N.: woah i'm surprised!  only 9 reviews so far?
this is THE ultimate children's playground!!
well i'm a child at heart, and i came here to buy a gift for my little niece, BUT while i was there i just had to explore.  they had steiff bears in a glass cabinet!!  like, three of them from who knows when!!
not a huge selection of steiff, but there is only one other toy store that isn't an all steiff dealer which carries steiff collectibles, and that would be the wooden horse toy store in los gatos.  

ambassador toys is conveniently located close to kara's cupcakes, on the other side of paper-source stationery store and sur la table, and just a few doors away from peet's coffee and tea.  this toy store carries a wide variety of golden books, some are hard to find reprints so it's worth going through their book stash.  plenty of coloring books and imaginary role play toys for the children in your life.  dozens and dozens of plush toys, probably thousands.  they have those cute little critter toys and other dolls, such as polly pocket, collectible barbies, baby dolls with creepy sleepy eyes...worth checkin out!
4 - Eri H.: I was looking for specific wooden blocks for my toddler boy. I wanted to check this place out as they seem to carry a variety of European toys. When I entered the store and saw all the toys I was reminded of my childhood. They carried all the toys I grew up with in Germany (playmobile, steiff and hasbro). Unfortunately, they didn't have the toys I was looking for but we had a great time exploring the store. 

I can definitely recommend this store if you are looking for unique toys that you would like to surprise your child with. It is definitely pricier than in the internet but supporting local stores is also important and sometimes it is helpful to see the toy in person than rather trust online reviews and your guts.

Ambiance - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.279062, -120.663706) ()
2 - Cynthia C.: I'm from the Bay Area, so I was excited to see Ambiance in SLO, sadly I was disappointed at their meager selection of items.  The sale selection was not tempting in the least bit and the other items were not unique or basic enough to fit into my wardrobe.

Another reason to stay away: the building has not yet been earthquake retrofitted.
5 - the asian jedi ..: super great service.
great selection of accessories.
betsey, nanette, biasa, fantastic! 
love love love the dresses,handbags, & sweaters.
so girly and so much fun.
much better than all the ambiances in northern california. 
not cluttered with crap. 
just filled with the good stuff like a frosted cupcake!

bring your friends and splurge!
4 - Marie W.: A great source of pretty, feminine dresses and vintage offerings, Ambiance is a fun place to window shop, although the clothing is too expensive for my budget. It has a section devoted to beautiful, girly Betsey Johnson dresses, and another section with glamorous Nanette Lapore skirt suits and 50s-style sweaters.

The salesgirls are very helpful and while I was there, pointed out some of the latest additions to the shop that they thought I would be interested in. I'll be back to gaze longingly at all the pretty things.
4 - Caroline C.: Good combination of great all-american tattoo style jewelery, beautiful things old and new, and even some art-to-wear by local artists. 

All the staff is knowlegeable about the designers and jewlery makers, though some of them are quite well known (nicole miller, nanette lepore). I found the service to be a little overbearing the last time I was in, and am pretty sure I was serviced by the owner. 

The problem was, essentially, that I was first greeted by the owner, then offered help by a sweet girl in need of a serious makeup makeover (the blonde thing and racoon eyes is very 1993 sweetie, but you're a nice girl), and I assumed she would help me from then on, but the overbearing owner kept jumping in. I could tell they were on commission by the end of the ordeal but probably only because I've been in that boat before.

Even still, I almost always end up buying something here every time I come, and they do have a very nice selection of clothing and accessories that are pleasing in this small town even when I ride down from the bay area.
3 - Kat H.: This store was my favorite in SLO when I went a year ago, but now it isn't anymore. Something must have happened because it was not so great when I went this time. Only one sales person and it felt so crowded with just a few people inside.

Some cool bags/purses and jewelry but not the great selection that I remembered. A generous sale was going on but I didn't feel like going through all of the stuff folded on tables and shelves. Much easier to look through things hanging, especially in a small space.
5 - Judi Y.: Wonderful selection of totally wearable clothes and bags you just gotta have. LOVE the new location -- so much room and so much ... I don't know ... ambiance?!!

Always helpful sales staff, knowledgeable and not overbearing. 

Bonus! Gorgeous jewelry from a local artist -- each piece is totally unique, made from found items such as crosses, rosaries, and watch fobs. Same artist has a line of fab-u clothing found here...
5 - C T.: The staff here are great & the selection is fantastic. No pushy sales nor any huffy attitude just helpful, honest, and always upbeat.
4 - Rebecca O.: Just to clear up some apparent confusion - Ambiance in San Luis Obispo is completely separate from the 3 store San Francisco chain. I always stop in when I'm in SLO because it has a great selection of funky graphic t-shirts and interesting jewelry all by local designers. That's the sort of boutique I want to check out when I'm visiting. Also, the staff is very sweet, knowledgeable, and helpful - which makes for a very pleasant shopping experience. Bonus points because they even recommended a great dinner spot when I was last there.
3 - Seong P.: There were some cute belts and bags but the clothing selection was pretty limited.  It reminded me of the store on Haight, although it was nowhere near as packed with stuff, and the cashier said they used to be affilliated but not any more.
4 - Mary J.: For being a boutique, the staff is surprisingly friendly. I didn't feel pressured to buy anything and I didn't feel a bunch of snobby girls staring me down for just browsing through the clothes. I wish I could live in that store, it is decorated exactly how I want my house to be!
4 - Jan W.: This is the store I would create if I could make the perfect store. Great combination of styles and brands that let me put together a unique look (or more accurately, many looks) every time I go in. Plus, the staff is super friendly, helpful, and great stylists without being pushy .... I'm still looking for a place like this in San Jose!
5 - Lisa F.: LOVE LOVE LOVE Ambiance! 
Awesome buyers stock totally delicious, flattering, current clothes. The staff are so good. Let them do their thing and get you into stuff, get to know you and your preferences and show you some new ideas. don't judge before you try on--the shapes of small designer clothes are sometimes weird on the hanger, but gorgeous on you!

This is the opposite of the Garanimal type experience you'll have at banana or the like.

Also a great place to send your sweetie for presents. Gorgeous jewelry.

Darling, Ambiance will make you as pretty as you can be! (and who among us  doesn't want that?!)

p.s. If you haven't been in recently, you'll see that there is more of a range of price points, now, too!
5 - M G.: the jewelry alone would keep me coming back to this store. its worth going to you can find the most amazing and hard to find brands of jewelry. it really does feel like the girls are on commission they do tell you that stuff looks good when its the wrong size though. they were wonderfully sweet and not at all snobby the most friendly and inviting store they were very helpful. if all the stores had this atmosphere such as..coverings.....then slo would be better to shop in!
4 - CaliGirl S.: This store has simply gotten better and better. It seems like over the last year or two they have picked up a lot of brands that I really like. The staff is very friendly, and usually pulls pieces they think would look nice on you without being pushy. The decor of the store is very cute too. Yes, it is pricey but high quality and always end up wearing everything I purchase from here a ton. Favorite store in SLO
5 - Stefanie L.: This boutique is fantastic. And by "fantastic," I mean incredibly dangerous. I don't come here often, maybe once every year or two, but without fail, I buy something each time. The women here manage to stock the store with so many beautiful pieces that I actually convince myself I need, rather than just want, and therein lies the danger. Consider yourself warned. 

I'd even venture to say that the prices are pretty reasonable. Of course, boutique shopping basically comes with a price tag of its own, since there's no more than four of any one thing in the store, but I don't think the selection here is overwhelmingly intimidating. They sell Diane Von Furstenberg clothes, but they also sell crazy socks. And the jewelry... well, let's just say it's my kryptonite. Metal, feather, beads, rocks, stones, they have something for every taste. And, most importantly, they have a chair for uninterested partners to sit in while the shoppers whip themselves into a sartorial frenzy.
4 - Lisa S.: Ambiance has a great staff of sales people who will help you get a stylish look going. The price of shopping here is not low, but many things are made in America.  I feel that the staff truly work with you as stylists. You can get some combinations brought to you that you would not have imagined and be really surprised at how cute it all turns out.
5 - Jade A.: I've always wanted a reason to shop at Ambiance, and I finally found one in a $200 gift certificate. I'm usually a really frugal shopper, I started out in the sale section which had enormous markdowns on brands I love like Free People and Desigual. Then a salesperson found me, Victoria was her name. I usually shop alone, so naturally I felt a little uncomfortable, but Victoria had great style herself, was bubbly and interested in what event I was shopping for ( my birthday party ), and was super complimentary. She brought me a pair of heels so I could really see how the clothes would fall. Thanks to her, I left with a stunning FP dress that I'll be able to wear in any season, and they have layaway so I'll be back soon! I left a ring in the fitting room and because they take your info, I got a call hours later telling me to come by for it. Hands down, best customer service I've ever had at a boutique.

Thanks Victoria!
3 - Tessa T.: Very cute store inside with an okay range of clothing. Not very many demin brands but there are some cute "one of a kinds" in there. The managers and store manager are incredibly rude and act like they are god which was a big turn off from the store. They weren't even dressed cute. The price range is high.
5 - Beverly D.: This store is great! Especially Alex she is so helpful and has a great eye!
love love love!
4 - Leah G.: Such a lovely store. It's a bit out of my budget for regular shopping but for something special it really is the place to go. The staff is so very friendly and helpful!! They carry home decor too and it's right up my alley! I love to browse when I head downtown!
2 - Kendra C.: Pushy pushy sales women! I haven't had a problem with the boutique before, but I was told repeatedly, "just get it," "it's a no brainier" and "oh its on sale? Oh then that's a yes" in front of several other people. They made me feel embarrassed not to have bought anything! Horrible! Tisk. Tisk. I won't be going back. It was that pushy. It's sad because I really enjoy their store, but I just don't want to run into that women again...

Ambiance Day Spa - Claremont, CA (34.115311, -117.699527) ()
5 - Jenny W.: i've been here quite a few times over the last few years, and it never disappoints.  they do a great job with massages, and i've always managed to get an appointment, even when i called for a same-day treatment.

it's nice to be able to come here even as a non-member.
5 - Molly Z.: Great for hairy mamas!

I went in for a bikini and under arm wax, and it was as good a wax job as I've ever had.  Allison was really pleasant while making my unwanted lady hair disappear in a timely, and relatively painless manner.  

I liked the atmosphere of the Ambiance Spa for this particular service.  It was clean, relaxing, and . . .well, really clean.

I for one do not care to lie down half-naked on a table for a cosmetic procedure only to see a Buddha eating an orange and smoking an incense stick over in the corner beside some scum-rimmed pedicure tubs.  But that's just me.

Go there.  Ask for Allison.  Get your junk waxed.  Leave her a good tip.
5 - Kelly P.: Wow!! Let me start off with that. I had been looking for a new spa for bikini and underarm waxing for about 5 months. Of course I yelped it out in search for a spa and to my amazment I found sooo many great reviews about Ambiance Day Spa. If you go ask for Allison, she is the best. She was very knowledgable about my waxing procedure and what I loved the most is that she uses a certain special wax for bikini. LOOOVVEEEDDD IT
5 - ghs r.: Just when I completely lost hope on all spas, I happened to come across this FANTASTIC spa. The staff are very competent and very professional. The services are a little pricey but you really do get what you pay for. All of their estheticians do a great job.

If you're looking for excellent service, SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH AMBIANCE DAY SPA!!!!! =D
5 - C U.: I had a facial for Valentines Day, and my experience was pretty magical. Allison has wonderfully skilled hands and she really enjoys her job - you can feel it. It was very relaxing. She also gave me some input on how to control some problem areas with my skin. Didn't try to up-sell me or anything, just handed me some samples and made some recommendations (probably because I asked). I hate being up-sold. :) Good conversation too if you have a short attention span like me. 

My husband received a massage from Whitney who is one of their new masseuses. He said a lot of praising things about her and recommends that if anyone is looking for a skilled masseuse, Whitney is the way to go. She's terrific and knows her stuff. 

We'll be coming back soon to see Allison and Whitney. Looking forward to it!
4 - Antonia C.: Needed a quick root touch up and didnt feel like driving to OC so I came here and Lamont worked on my do and he was great! Would totally come back.
1 - Kimo K.: Got a massage at the Claremont Club and the massage therapist really hurt me.  I am still suffering with pain and numbness.
2 - Pam S.: This place was recommended to me by a REALLY good friend of mine... but she did recommend specific people whom were not working the day I went in. 

I went last Thursday evening after being in Mexico for nearly 2 weeks and my back had been KILLING me, Thomas Jefferson sleeps at odd angles which translates to sometime sleeping in awkward back or leg positioning so hence I wanted a massage.

I called and was able to get a same day appointment - was NOT IMPRESSED at all =/ and for $85.00 I expect better. The room was freezing the massage table is heated but the room was COLD, I was in a room with 2 beds and the one they gave me I was angled right where the door opened... it was a bit strange layout.

Here is the thing about massages and I KNOW MASSAGES! you have to have enough oil when you are rubbing on someone skin it becomes a RUG BURN if you don't have enough flippin oil on your hands. I couldn't relax I was so dayum cold and I didn't want to say "Hey Lady put some more lotion on your hands" LOL for some reason that sounds... lewd and sexual said from my laying down position LMAO!!!

This Spa is inside the Claremont Club and I think if I were to go again (I'm doubting it) I would ask for Amanda or Carly those are the people I hear that do a Outstanding job.

Respectfully Reviewed
5 - Jen V.: I am going on a trip and after 2 kids back to back, I hadn't gotten a Brazilian Bikini Wax in a while.  The lady I used to use moved to a location way to far away and I wanted something locale.

I found this place on Yelp and picked it because of the great reviews.  The place is nice and clean and the only downside is that they are inside a place called the Claremont Club and it's a little hard to find (it doesn't look like a salon on the outside).

I got my wax from a bubbly and very friendly girl named Allison.  She was very knowledgeable and has been doing this for about 9 years now.  She kept me talking which helped with the pain and uses the kind of wax that dries hard so that it's not painful as well.  Now, I'm happy, my husband's happy, and I don't have to worry about unsightly hairs on my trip!

They also offer a 15 minute service after you get a treatment of some sort.  I could be a hair wash and blowdry, nail treatment, massage, etc.  It's completely free!  I got the massage and was thinking it would be like a mall massage.  I was wrong.  Another lady, Kimberly, took me to a room with dim lights and soothing music and massaged my neck and back for 15 minutes!  It was AWESOME!

To to this place and ask for Allison for a wax and Kimberly for a massage.  you won't be disappointed!
5 - Shawna Z.: I have a history of back problems, so i'm very cautious with who massages my back. A friend recommended Gillian, and she is the BEST i've ever had!! I now refer to her as the woman with the magic hands! If you're looking for someone who can work well with pinched nerves, or anything really, Gillian's your girl!
5 - Summer J.: I love this spa! I'm in just about once a week and my favorite gals are Q Ann for nails and Allison for facials and waxing. However, the entire staff is professional, welcoming and helpful. It is super clean and the "ambiance" is warm and inviting (had to get that word in there!). It's a big bonus that I belong to the Claremont Club and my kids can play in the Kids Court and In Zone for free while I'm receiving my services (I also think child care is available to non-members for a small fee). I can't recommend this spa/salon more highly.
5 - Alli J.: I really love the services at ambiance! The service providers are top notch and very knowledgable. You won't be disappointed no matter what service you get. I got a facial and waxing and was very impressed with my estheticians skill and touch:) thank you!
5 - Jennifer M.: I was introduced to Ambiance by my ex-boyfriend a few years ago. I can't think of any poor experiences here, except the fact that they are not open on Sundays. Saturdays can be kind of busy, but the staff is always patient and they make you feel like you are the only client that matters to them.
3 - Catherine W.: I've gotten my eyebrows done here, and the biggest downside is that they made me wait like 15-30 minutes after my appointment time! They also didn't really ask me what kind of wax I wanted or what kind of shape I wanted. A little over priced!
5 - Barb C.: I go all the time and have had great experiences with the following services.
Hair...there are great stylists Teri (who has been there long time) is patient
and very professional.  Laci (newer but very good) who takes her time and
gives a great haircut.   For nails, Lisa is very professional and also takes her
time gives an amazing pedicure, gel nails..she is very experienced and has been there about 15 years...all of these people are great.
Massage therapists, Carly, Amanda, michael and pam are all wonderful.  Amanda also does pregnancy massages and has been there a long time.
Only negative if there is one is the parking lot is jammed many times..swim lessons and club members especially on weekends...but there is street parking
too in case.
5 - Karla M.: I believe in love at first color! I came here with my mom for my 21st birthday and this spa took amazing care of us. My mom had a massage and her nails done, both which she was pleased with. I had my hair colored ombre style by Molly and she was amazing and a sweet as can be, she is the only hair dresser that has taken the time to understand what I want. Same goes for Marlene, who did my mani/pedi, she was very very GOOD, very professional yet chill to talk to - we chit chatted the whole time-. The price tag isn't cheap but you get what you pay for. I am definitely going back.
5 - Laura B.: Jill is amazing! I always leave relaxed. My skin looks refreshed for weeks.
5 - Roger S.: I luv this place. Iget my hair,nails and feet done here. I like Debbie sge does a great job on my hair. Stephanie does great jobs on the facials. Everybody here is courteous and helpful. It's a popular place. I see people here all the time.

Ambiance the Salon - Pasadena, CA (34.1363706, -118.1321845) (Pasadena)
5 - Jessica B.: Excellent service!!! I was invited by a friend to go to this new salon to get my hair highlighted. I was impressed from the moment I walked in. I was offered something to drink and immediately taken back to the stylist (David T.) who was friendly and professional. He answered all my questions, and didn't rush me while I changed my mind (a few times) about what I wanted. I ended up with a great cut, beautiful color, and my hair felt really healthy.
The atmosphere was professional and relaxing. They played good music, made sure I was comfortable, and the entire staff was friendly. Products were explained and suggested, but there was no pressure to buy anything. I really enjoyed being there. I am definitely going back.
5 - Monica M.: I love this place! I highly recommend it to everyone.

I think they really make an effort to create a relaxing atmosphere. The place is nice and clean, the music is relaxing and everyone is really friendly. I went in a little bit scared because I have long hair and every time I go to get a haircut hairdressers tend to cut a lot. David took me in and I think he noticed I was nervous. He was patient and was sure to understand what I wanted. He gave me his opinion as a stylist and together we decided what was best for me. He styled my hair afterwards and it looked awesome! What I like is that he was not pushy and let me decide on everything. I will definitely go back and I have already recommended this place to my close friends. If you are not sure about what you want to have done,  just go and talk to him. He is really helpful and I am sure he won't make you feel like you have to get something done if you are not entirely sure about it.

I have always said before that whenever I go to the salon I want to feel like a celebrity once I go out. This time I really felt that way :) They pampered me and my hair looks awesome.
5 - Daryl K.: Ladies and Lads Alike if you are Searching for that relaxing salon experience where you can trust the stylist to make you look and feel like a million bucks with out costing you an arm and a leg this is the place I love these guys so professional so refreshing to have people understand what you want or even work with you in a comforting way if your just lookin for change and still unsure about how 
David Tehrani is an Amazing Shop Owner with amazing let one of these Stylists be your Host and Your Guide through your next MakeOver you will not regret it
5 - Mimi L.: Joseph is kind of phenomenal. He's the kind of professional that really cares about your hair and walks you thru every step of his process. He also tells you how to take care of  your hair at home. Ambiance also carries a great line of products and they don't just try to upsell you either. They recommend products that you'll actually use. I would refer anyone to Joseph and Ambiance Salon.
5 - Leslie L.: Just popped in off the street and im glad i did !  David is a talented hair stylist
1 - Grace C.: This was absolutely the worst hair dressing experience I've ever had. I decided to try this place on a whim because of the great reviews and the deal on Groupon. I booked an appointment at 3 with David (who actually seemed nice) but apparently they told me I had booked an appointment with Nick. 

When I attempted checking in at the counter, they glanced coldly at me and told me that they'd get right to me...from which point I just sat there in the mangy, "white", love seat for an hour. If they had just told me to leave and come back in an hour I might have been able to do something a little more fulfilling with my life instead of staring at the dim salon for an hour, but no, they just kept blatantly lying, 5 to 7 minutes, 5 to 7 minutes.

Once I was finally seated (at which point I wasn't too happy). Nick apologized and I decided to forgive and forget, since I didn't want to leave unhappy, as long as they got the job right. I really should've left. I've never had a hair dresser tug thru my hair and cause so much excruciating pain. Furthermore, at one point, he burned me with the blow dryer, only to shrug it off, "oops, sorry", not displaying an ounce of sincere apology. 

In addition, throughout the whole experience, his daughter was following us around and asking him questions, trying to get him to play with her. Granted I love kids but I'd rather have my hairdresser paying 100% attention to me when I'm paying for a service. "Daddy how do you spell upon?" "What?" "Like in once upon a time" "ohhh...O.P.O.N".....yeah....that was probably the most amusing part of my experience. 

Finally, he seemed intent on selling me these products that would ensure that my Brazilian blowout would stay intact. When I kindly refused and explained that I like to do research on things I buy beforehand online, he got irritated and clearly displayed it. I would NOT recommend this salon to anyone. I've been to quite a few salons and even the AVEDA blu at the mall has better service than this!
1 - Ashlyn A.: This was the worst waxing experience of my entire life. I made my appointment for 2:30 in the hopes of being out by 3:00, I have had many times at other places where it takes less than half an hour for a great wax. However, I did not even get into the room until 3:45. The workers were also deceitful because they kept saying "just a couple more minutes" since about 2:35. After an hour of an immensely painful session that ripped off LAYERS of my skin, I was finally free.  The only plus was that the lady, Mona, was nice. But that does not make up for barely being able to walk let alone put my pants on. And so, I walked out of there at 4:45, after being there since 2:15, luckily I had nothing planned for the rest of the day. I am never going back there again. I would give this place 0 stars if I could despite it looking like a decent place when you walk in. If you are looking for a truly excellent and relatively painless wax and can stand a busy atmosphere in the Pasadena area go to DeLacey Beauty Shoppe. I will never go anywhere else again.
1 - Joey K.: The staffs are nice, but not the haircut outcome. Be careful not to buy any products from them unless you love to pay double price comparing to others. Even if you asked them about returning products, they would only offer store credit. What's the meaning of store credit to a customer that wouldn't go back?

I bought a Groupon regarding 3Keratin treatment or Brazilian Blowout for $199 and took Nick's advice: do Keratin because I have lots of splits ends, and Keratin contains more proteins which helps. Then he took me to shampoo twice, and we shared some business concepts when he started to brush certain cream onto my hairs. When he was about to finish, here comes the David, who just completed his last customer, it was one hour late already.

Comparing to Nick, David is taking his time way TOO much. He spent much time to measure the elevation but it's still different at the end, and he didn't know. The good point is he truly counted 7 times when flattening iron my hair, very carefully.

Speaking to store credit, I compared the products with Amazon.com when I'm back home, the salon's price is twice over. I emailed them two days ago but no response, so then I called again this morning and unfortunately David explained that he was in the middle with a customer so he couldn't talk more to make me happy (Then you should call back!)

While I told him you are losing a customer, the truth is you are losing more than that. All the customer who read my comments would think before entering your salon. 

I end up to contact Groupon about this miserable experience. "I don't really like the service, can I request maybe ....partial refund?" is the only sentence I said to the customer service representative and he checked my account, "according to your purchase records, I can even issue fully refund."

How my hairstyle looks like now? Email me and I would love to share, but I will blackout my eyes to make the picture not too awful. 

Thanks Groupon, and goodbye Ambiance.
1 - Michelle T.: This was the most unpleasant waxing experience I have ever had. Mona is sweet and the salon looks clean and modern, however, I could not wait for her to be done because of how extremely painful the procedure was. The wax she uses is very, very sticky and got all over the place. I was embarassed that I had to ask to wash my hands after she was finally done. Because she goes over the same spots a gazillion times, there are patches of my skin missing. These areas still hurt even after 24 hours.

I bought a package of 3 waxes through Lifebooker, but would rather go somewhere else to avoid the same experience and pain. I get regular waxes and would definitely not recommend getting your brazilian here.
4 - nostalgia J.: Sigh. 
Beauty and Hair in particular is such a touchy subject and salon experience and expectations are so subjective.

I have gone from one salon to another, never to return, but refrained from writing a venomous review, because I know that just because I wasn't particularly pleased with the outcome, or didn't "connect" with the stylist, doesn't mean they didn't try or deserve to be publicly berated. 

This is the first salon in LA I would consider returning to. 
Since I have been conditioned to have terribly LOW expectations REGARDLESS of how much I spend, I bought a super cheap cut and style on lifebooker, because I needed a trim really bad.

The  thinly veiled sneer from the receptionist as I handed her my printout made me prepare myself and steel my nerves for a good hour of being looked down upon. 

Instead I was utterly pampered and loved by David who gave me a massage that had me moaning his name and a beautiful cut. He spent 2 hours on me for almost NO money. (I'm not terribly fond of sitting in a salon all day, but my hair is long.)

David didn't give me any shit about dying my own hair, or trimming my own hair (as I have been known to do in sudden fits of late night mania). He did gently push the "Moroccan oil" on me, which I gladly bought, because for once, my expectations were SURPASSED and I was grateful! 

Summary: Ambiance gained a customer. But next time I walk in there and plunk down $100, that receptionist better smile at me!
5 - joshua s.: I'm actually kind of surprised to see such mixed reviews for this salon. I've had Nick do my hair twice now, and both times I was surprised at the skill and quality of his work, especially for the price. Previously I have been to numerous salons where the price of a men's style cut can range up to 80+ dollars. However, here I've been able to get the same quality styling, for about half of what I was previously spending.

Both appointments I've had here showed me that their staff is very attentive; as well as accommodating to my schedule when I needed an appoint. They were always able to see me same day, which is a total plus since I work down the street. Needless to say with their skill level, ease of appointment making, and price point they've earned a lifetime customer.
1 - E C.: I urge others not to utilize this salon!!!  

I visited Ambiance Salon because of the Groupon I purchased.  I was VERY disappointed and outraged at the poor quality services rendered.   I went to the salon for a Brazilian Blowout treatment.  The person with whom I had the appointment was late, but appeared nice.  He stated that I should color my hair prior to the treatment and that he could take care of it that same day.  He boasted about his color skills and that he would take my hair color down a few levels.  To make a long story short, I spent over 10, yes ten, long hours in the salon chair.  He seemed inexperienced and unsure about his skills.  I left the salon with different color roots and ends.  I had to go back because he still had not provided the service and claimed that he would try to fix my color the following week.  On the next visit, he spent another 6 hours fumbling to fix my color.  I had to go back a third time to get my Brazilian blowout treatment.  Another stylist was assigned to me because of all of the errors the first stylist had made; and he admitted to his inexperience.  Although the other stylist did a fair job on my Groupon treatment, I ended up paying tons of money for a terrible service and subpar results.  

During my three visits to the salon, I also saw other clients waiting long periods to be served as well as a few irate clients whose appointments had been mysteriously lost.  Overall, I would rate both the management and salon service poor.
1 - Rebekah R.: My stylist with whom I've been loyally associated with for over 10 years moved to Touché Salon about a-year-and-a-half ago. It was an exciting switch for my stylist and for myself. Mira, the owner of Touche, did an absolutely fabulous job keeping the salon in tip-top shape and clearly had a vision and a purpose for the aesthetics and the service. Unfortunately, Mira sold the salon to a new owner, Nick, and the name changed from Touché to Ambiance. With a bold name like Ambiance, I was thinking the new owners were going to contribute to the push for the clean-up of South Lake and completely revolutionize Touché into being a go-to-salon in Pasadena. AMBIANCE REFLECTS NOTHING OF ITS NAME. Since the new owner has taken over, there has been a significant decline in customer service, cleanliness and overall care for the salon. There has been construction within the salon that has never been completed and the spa area, including the bathroom, has been entirely unkept and unsanitary each time I have visited. I have to mention the refrigerator. There is a random refrigerator in the middle of the salon area which has an abundance of cheap beer, including Tecate. Who drinks Tecate on South Lake Avenue??? I'm mortified. Also, I must say, someone must be smoking in the salon. Each time I have visited, certain areas REEK with cigarette smoke. There is no longer a receptionist and products I have purchased in the past have not been replenished in a very long time forcing me to purchase them elsewhere. I wouldn't be surprised if Ambiance goes out of business, especially if the current owner continues to display a lack of integrity, intention, purpose and aesthetic reasoning. I truly hope my stylist and a few of the other fantastic stylists, to whom I absolutely adore, can find a new outlet for their ingenious and creative artistry.
5 - Dee W.: I was quite nervous going in as I had made an appt for a Keratin treatment and wasn't sure how it would go. Nick was amazing! He made me feel so comfortable I had him cut it too! 
I love my hair!
Ambiance was very clean and very professional! I have a new salon for my needs and I live half an hour away and won't think twice about the drive!
I really don't understand the mix in reviews...they must have been in a different place!
5 - Justin S.: I was in a real bind my salon could not get me in that day and I surprisingly got a last minute date with this beautiful girl from my gym that I have been admiring for ever! I happen to be at the Starbucks on Lake St to drown my hair issues in a little caffeine and as I was pouring the perfect mixture of cream to coffee when out the window I see Ambiance The Salon. After almost spilling my coffee I briskly walked over to check it out. As soon as I opened the door the modern decor gave me hope and when David the hair stylist said he could squeeze me in I knew there was only one more question to ask, Where did you go to school when he said Paul Mitchell I just new that everything was going to be OK!!! David was Great he took his time and even gave me some suggestions that I hadn't considered before and when it was all said and done I gotta say he did a better job than my normal salon and that is saying something! I am not going to say David did magic but my date did compliment me on my hair and I got a second date and a new salon!!! Thanks David!!!

I do have to say I was shocked when I read some of the other reviews because that was not my experience at ALL!! Almost seems like must me be some hating salons and I am glad I did not read those 1st or would have missed out on a great find

J Specht
1 - Samia B.: This is probably one of the worst salons I have ever been to, which is a shame considering it is in a prime location.

I bought a groupon for a brazilian blow out or keratin treatment. I clearly stated I wanted a Brazilian Blowout (more than once) because I love the results of the product; great product which I highly recommend to all those curly haired girls out there. I was so excited to be getting my hair done! 

When they stylist and I went to the sink to wash my hair, the hair dresser bairly scrubbed my scalp. its like she just dropped shampoo in there and rinsed it out. She didn't even wash my hair with conditioner after. She insisted I get a haircut, which I unfortunately agreed to. I usually cut my hair dry for better results considering my hair is curly and naturally uneven. She refused to cut my hair dry, and immediatly turned down my request before I could even say I dont want a haircut anymore. 

The stylist started putting the product in my hair. Mid through the treatment I realized she was not using the actual Brazilian Blowout product. She was using the Keratin treatment which I really did not want! You cannot wash your hair for 3 days with the Keritin treatment, and it makes your hair smell like a 1990 perm! She tried to convince me that the Keritin treatment was better, but I know what I want and I know what I asked for. 

I would not recommend this place even if you have a groupon. Dont cheat on your hairdresser to save some money. I really regret it .
3 - Crystall F.: Went with a Groupon for a $16 spa mani pedi. The manicurist was nice and seemed to try but really didn't do that great of a job. I can't still see the paint color I had on before on the side in some spots. She wasn't sure to over my entire nail with polish. 
After i sat the receptionist brought me a promotional coupon with some other services i could get. i noticed that the nail design was one of the promotions for $7. So I decided I wanted a design on my nails. The manicurist made a nice design I suggested on my hands and toes. Before she was done with my feet she told me that it would be $15 for each hand and foot. I showed her the flyer and she said that doesn't count because I got the design on all my nails and that the price on the flyer is for only one nail on each hand. Just because she was so nice I didn't argue. She walked me to the front and whispered to the receptionist and nicely said goodbye. The receptionist said that it would be $30 in addition to what I had already paid for the groupon. We joked about how it really didn't make sense and it seemed like the groupon was not being applied. 
So I ended up paying  at total of $46+$5 tip (I know I, shouldn't have) for a mani pedi that I thought would cost $16 
I liked how friendly the manicurist was but really didn't like anything else about this place. 
I would not go back.
5 - Sandi B.: What a fun day!  I recently moved to Pasadena and needed to find a new salon.  Nick gave me a fun cut, beautiful color, at an affordable price.  The location is right near Burger and Pie, there is free parking & right on Lake near all the shops.

Ambit Press / Minuteman Press of Cambridge - Cambridge, MA (42.3626545, -71.0872802) (Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - Melissa B.: Ambit/Minuteman press have gotten me out of jams more than once.  Their customer service reps are extremely helpful and knowledgeable.  Their rates are reasonable and final product always superb.  We use them for business cards, stationery & various mailings.  I highly recommend them!
5 - Steve P.: These folks can get anything done for you. I've used them to print a large order of custom namebadges twice now and they did a fantastic job each time. Both times, they helped walk me through preparing our digital documents so that they would print well. All the staff I've worked with have been friendly, helpful, and communicated well via email.

My lab has been happily using them for a number of years now. Just recently, we used them to create promotional material and the quality of the final print was noticably better than the same material printed from another printshop nearby.

Amelia's Trattoria - Cambridge, MA (42.3649294, -71.0927578) (Kendall Square/MIT)
3 - A T.: Good, local restaurant.  They make a surprisingly nice Arabbiatta--the service, however, is painfully slow.  Still, a good place to catch lunch with friends--definetly make reservations.
4 - Joy F.: i really like amelia's... it's very small and cozy and the food is really good. i've been there 2 or 3 times and i love their fried calimari (it's very light... you don't feel like you ate a lead brick afterward). the service can be a little slow, but it's a nice place to go if you're willing to sit back and relax. reservations might be necessary some nights, but i've just called ahead to see how busy they are when i've gone.
1 - Patrick B.: I had lunch here once, but found the meal (a chicken panini I think) very bland and haven't returned since.  Some co-workers complained of under cooked chicken in one of their sandwiches on a recent vist.  The Teele Sq location is definitely better than this one.
5 - Jane C.: Amelia's Trattoria, I ask you this: "How am I ever supposed to become a vegetarian if you don't stop making brilliant plates of meat?!" In Light on Yoga, Iyengar states that you cannot be a yogi if you eat meat, not possible, making my quest in life a little problematic, especially considering the menu awaiting me every time I happen into this place. I will resist one day, enter into a state of samadhi, and never eat here again. Until then...What a hidden gem!

So, obviously, what I personally think that they do really well is  meat. I was not so crazy about the spaghetti when I had it, but the meat plates are exquisite, the sauces are always delicious and very well balanced. The quality of the meat is consistently excellent, and they really know just how to cook it - don't bother giving a preference because at this place, the chef knows best - let him do his job, and you won't regret it.

The pork with cherry demi glace - such a dark earthy sauce and the meat so juicy! They also have done a short ribs plate that was really superbly done, melts in the mouth. As a future vegetarian, I say come here for the meat. The wine is also nice. I have never been disappointed.

EDIT - about the vegetarian options - the butternut squash gnocchi with crispy sage!  !  ! And I am ashamed to say the steak is so tender and juicy and the sauce is interesting and well balanced oh god. Oh, and I'm not supposed to drink wine either but you are fool who does not order the Marina Svetic (sp?) Montepulciano D'Abruzzo
4 - mickey l.: A neo-rustic ware-house bistro,  chic in presentation and attitude. The food borders on good to really good. service good to fair. They put real butter in the pasta and they don't skimp on portions. Plan on spending one hundred dollars for two people. Drink some Italian wine to make the experience better. You're sitting on the border of housing projects and Bio-Techs. Hmmm. Outpost?. Almost.
5 - Maura H.: Amelia's for dinner was unbelievable. Talk about being classy without being pretentious. This place is on the top of my list. The downside of the place as already noted is that it's just west of Kendall Square and there isn't much for a view. However, it's fantastic for an intimate atmosphere and fabulous food. Intimate is the key word. The place is tiny and a crowd would probably ruin the experience, but excellent for a first date. 

My favorite things about this place:
1) Half bottles of wine - perfect for two
2) Fresh pasta
3) White Truffle Oil
4) Windows that open onto the street (for the summer)
5) Reasonable prices (entrees run from $15-$25) 

My husband's comments is that this place has all the good food of the North End without the rude service and tourists. Amelia's is highly recommended for you next date!
5 - Joe p.: I visited Amelia's for the first time last week with my son who is  very hard to please when it comes to eating out.   We were impressed that the owner Delio Susi, is also the chef and was in the kitchen doing most of the cooking.   I ordered the rack of lamb and it may have been the best that I have ever had.   Seasoned and cooked to perfection it just about melted in my mouth.  My son had raviolis with a beef gravy and he enjoyed it as well.   The restaurant although rather small had two large groups that were seated ahead of us and I thought we may have a problem waiting for our meals.  Not a problem at all.  As the food got cooked it was served as fast as it came off of the stoves.   The only people working there that evening were the bartender and waitress and they did a very good job handling the crowd.   The bartender did tell us that the chef would cook meals that were not on the menu if he could by request and that the menus usually changed with the seasons.  The only sour spot in the evening was the $30.00 ticket on my car when we left.  I had thought the meter maids only worked at night in East Cambridge  near the Court House.  I was wrong and I will not make that mistake again.  Make sure that you park in a legal space and you will have an enjoyable night of fine dining.
4 - Bridget T.: Started going here last year when we were living in Kendall. Had a huge snow storm and walked down to eat. Loved it ever since. 

One of my favorite places! Love the menu and the staff. Anyone who remembers you when you come back gets an A+++ in my book. 

Walked in last night without a reservation (decided last minute that cooking at home for Valentines Day was alot more work than we wanted)

Sat right down and had a fantastic dinner. Our waiter remembered us and treated us like royalty. Not too expensive and always tasty!

Great place for dinner after work.
3 - Erin G.: I definitely liked Amelia's but I for sure prefer a number of the other neighborhood restaurants.  The restaurant appears to love olive oil...I was disappointed by my panini because it was pretty well drenched with olive oil and found the straight olive oil as dipping sauce a bit strange.  I dipped my bread in the oil and found it didn't taste that good.  I requested and received balsamic vinegar...that helped but I simply remained not that impressed.  After reading other reviews, it appears that other things on the menu would be worth trying but I gave it a shot and it didn't land on my favorites list.
1 - jenn p.: Skip it. 

Limited menu- coupled with items listed on menu but not available. 

Bland food, bland service, bland location and way too high prices....
1 - Alena D.: Disgusting!  

I wish I could give this zero stars.

I've been aching to go to Amelia's for a while now, just hitting up another spot I haven't been to, and wow, the satisfaction of my curiosity was not worth this.

It was like a list of what not to do when you open a restaurant.

The waiter kept talking to random people that would walk in to chat with him and then mozy away.

All of the food was under-salted, over-greased, and plated atrociously.

The mussels were old, I could immediately tell after biting into one because it tasted like soggy old boot.

The crab cakes where all bread and no crab.

And everything was waaaayyy to expensive for the crap they were shilling.

Skip it, skip it, skip it.  The only thing good about the place was the waiter deducting the food from our bill because we refused to eat it.  Gross!!!
1 - Hamdan A.: Please please do not go there if you are on your lunch break unless you wanna get fired. We waited an hour to get our food. Once we got the food, there was at least three incorrect orders. No bread was offered while we were waiting. The servers have absolutely no sense of customer service. This is the most horrible Italian place i have been in States.
5 - Clare B.: This restaurant is wonderful! Quaint and cozy. The staff is very engaging and the chef's specials are always a delight! The variety offered on the menu is very creative and I have yet to be disappointed! Always recommend the ravioli of the night! Fantastic!!!!
4 - Rosa Y.: I was taken here on a weekday evening, and it wasn't too crowded.

I thought the food was great for a not-too-expensive but still nice restaurant. The portions were a bit small, but not excessively so (and really, they were 'normal' people portions, not restaurant portions). I tried the calamari with lemon risotto, which I really liked, and the mushroom risotto, which I mostly liked. (I say mostly because it tasted great, but they included this one kind of soft mushroom that reminded me of slugs for some reason. First type of mushroom I've encountered that I didn't love, ick).

In terms of the ambiance, it was great. The restaurant was dimly lit but not to the point where you'd get eyestrain, and pretty quiet, overall. The waiter that we had (who I think was also the host?) came by every 10 mins or so to refill our water, so we didn't have any service problems.
4 - Tinimini K.: I LOVE this place. Service is excellent!! I'm vegetarian and love food, so it's always great to find restaurants that will tweak their recipe to make it veggie!! Considering that everything is made from scratch (unlike a LOT of restaurants), they can accommodate pretty much any request. It's a little pricey but totally worth it for that special occasion!!
3 - Cecilia L.: I've had some good meals here, notably the short rib bolognese over fusilli, but Amelia's does nothing to distinguish itself in my memory.

My bf's coworker took a new hire to lunch here recently but forgot they had a 12:30 meeting back at the office. They had to ask their food to be wrapped as soon as it arrived, and the chef got mad: "This isn't a takeout place!" Your food better be damn near perfect if you're going to be that much of a prima donna, and it ain't.

At dinnertime, I'd spend a few more dollars down the road at Hungry Mother for an overwhelmingly better meal.
3 - River J.: I went to Amelia's on a recent Wednesday evening with a couple of co-workers.  We were all traveling from out of town and in search of a good meal at the end of a long day.  Amelia's was satisfying.  Following our server's suggestion, we ordered a bottle of Sangiovese which was quite good, and reasonably priced by restaurant menu standards.  We each ordered a salad and entree and all found our food to be quite good.  The total bill for the three of us was $150 plus tip.  The service was very good, and the atmosphere was cozy and warm.  

All in all a good experience.  Definitely worth trying out.
4 - Daniel C.: I was in town for a conference and arrived a day early.  I looked on Yelp for a place to eat and came across Amelia's Trattoria since it was within walking distance of the Boston Marriott in Cambridge.  For a Monday evening, I was the first patron (albeit was 6:30pm).  But that meant I was 1 of 2 people who could order the braised short rib bolognese with fusili pasta ($20).  The fusili itself was fantastically made - just the right consistency and texture, and great at holding the bolognese sauce.  I very much enjoyed it and had it with a glass of red wine ($7, can't recall which one).

Prior to the main showing up, I had a mixed greens salad ($7) which was quite large.  It could have used more salt (strangely, no salt/pepper shakers on the table), but overall, it was good.

With tax and tip, the total came out to $43.  Service was very attentive, though perhaps it was because I was one of the few patrons in the place.  I would come here again.
3 - Jonathan W.: A quiet trattoria that tries hard but misses the mark. 

The lighting is this place kills what could be a cozy, intimate space. Cut down on the halogens before I develop a tan.

Food wise, your traditional Italian fare but executed haphazardly. The calimari came over breaded and tasteless. The antipasto platter had high lights and low lights. 

Tried the homemade spaghetti and they took al dente a little too literal. The sauce was just the right tomato but the doughy pasta strands didn't help. 

Limited wine menu and the carbonara my friend had was nothing to rave about.

Other than location reasons, I would try some place else.
4 - Andrew F.: I went to amelia's for new years this year and it was great.  6 courses, i had a confit duck that was amazing, black truffle pasta, tuna tartar, it was unreal.  My date had the beef tenderloin and lobster tail and was beside herself. The creme brulee was delicious as well.

Service was great, food was great, definitely going here for new years again next year.
2 - Katia V.: Good, not great.

Amelia's is close, but the execution is just not what I would expect from their beautiful site, and their relatively high price point. 

The bread should warm (its in the details) and the pasta was a little over cooked, though it was homemade. I can forgive them for running out of the fusilli, and I would be willing to try them again, but for now, disappointed.
5 - A B.: Location, location, location.

Amelia's is at the corner of Harvard and Portland, jammed in between housing projects at the eastern edge of Central Sq. and the sterile, highrise offices at the western edge of Kendall Sq.  I'm still not certain how I found my way into Amelia's, but I'm pretty sure I had to get lost on the set of 'A Clockwork Orange' to get there.

Dropped, as if by chance, into this bleak and awkward location, and with few good parking options and about a mile away from the nearest T stop, Amelia's defiies the odds by surviving, year after year, even as restaurants closer to Kendall and Central come and go.

So why does Amelia's persist while better-situated peers perish?  To borrow from a former, philandering President: Its the food, dummy.  Amelia's offers a delectable range of pastas, seafood, meat dishes, and vegetarian options, all of which are reasonably priced and are served in generous portions.  The waitstaff are also knowledgeable, friendly, and prompt.  The wine list, although not huge, is diverse and also reasonably priced.  Desserts are quite good too, although after an appetizer and meal, you'll probably want to ride home in a wheel barrow and forego further stomach expansion.

Critics claim that Amelia's is dark - its true, the exposed brick walls, dark woods, and heavy red drapes glow brilliantly on a sunny day, but add lots of *atmospere* at night.  

I'm a fan, but I understand why my friends have never heard of it and are unwilling to venture into this peculiar corner fo the city.  But for those willing to park near a dodgy part of town or walk a mile for their dinner, then Ameila's will pleasantly suprise you and still not leave you poor.
4 - Dorise G.: I had a pretty solid experience at Amelia's.

When I booked dinner there for my party of 8, my main priority was getting us out of there so we could hit our evening movie.  What I forgot to bear in mind, however, was the fact that I was booking dinner during the week of Passover, and I tend to observe the holiday rather strictly.  Sooooo, the man upstairs is going to have to pretend that my potato gnocchi didn't have any flour in them, and that if they did, it was potato flour.  That's feasible, right?  At least that's the story I'm tellin'.

Anyhow, though my party took awhile to congregate, our waiter was kind and attentive, I heard good comments about the wine (I opted for tea), and everybody seemed to greatly enjoy their meals.

The salads are GORGEOUS, and the olive plate, too, is like its own salad - delicious.  My potato gnocchi was not at all what I've known gnocchi to be, so I don't know if what I've been eating has been too hard or if Amelia's is too soft, but I think I prefer a firmer gnocchi to Amelia's (one of my friends also got the gnocchi, which she described as "melting in your mouth," where to me it just felt a little mushy, but not too bad).  One way or the other, the flavor was there.  I'd say of both my tea and my dinner that both could have been a little warmer, but I thought despite the not-so-bad temperature issues, the meal was great.

Pricing is a little high, but still reasonable.  Decor is lovely, and if you beat your party there you can always kill some time at the Garment District, which is practically next door!  They were so good about getting us out on time to see our movie, I would definitely go back if I were in the area again.
5 - p r.: A little out of the way and a little pricey, but the food was obviously freshly made and they really dressed everything up.  Also a little small but the service was excellent. Overall excellent expereience.
4 - Shirley Y.: amelia's trattoria is a hidden gem, right in my neighborhood.  when my boyfriend and i decided to come here last night with a livingsocial.com coupon in hand, we couldn't understand why we didn't come here more often.  well, it's a bit pricey, which prevents us from frequenting more.  however, the food is well-done gourmet italian fare, a cuisine which has been attempted so many times around town, sometimes to little success.  however, amelia's quality is on par.  

i had made reservations for 9.30pm but we were late [yes, it was a very late dinner].  our server greeted us in the small, cozy, warm interiors, and joked that we needed to leave because we were late.  he sat us next to another couple having dinner.  however, another server was setting up the table next to the windows, and said that we could have that table once he was done setting it up.  i was delighted at the better table, where we could have a little privacy as well from the couple.  they brought us bread with this yummy white bean paste spread.  the cumin in the bean paste made it appear reddish, and it had rosemary and olive oil sprinkled all over it.  very delicious, but i'm a fan of bean paste spreads.

we started off with the antipasto dish for two.  it consisted of proscuitto, salami and another slice of meat as a bedding for gherkins, goat cheese, provolone cheese, artichoke hearts and an abundance of roasted red peppers.  very good, but i guess i was hoping for more of a charcuterie plate.  however, wrong cuisine, that's french.  dammit.

we also ordered the braised short rib bolognese with fusili.  it was a little more on the sweet side than savory but so creamy and decadent!  it was hot out, so we weren't able to finish this very rich dish, even though the portion size [shared between two people] was just perfect.  so we decided to brown bag it, which the server was surprised about but gladly obliged, and offered to pack it with more bread and white bean spread to accompany us home with.  our bill ended up being under the coupon we came with, so we tipped based upon their fantastic service!
5 - Nick P.: I have never left a food review online before but my experience at Amelia's needed to be recognized.

The food selection at Amelia's is both elegant and diverse.  The Short Ribs Bolognese melts in your mouth and the homemade pasta was cooked perfectly.  I am not a huge pasta person, but I could have eaten two orders of this entree.

Overall, the food was exceptional, from top to bottom, one of the best meals I've had in Boston.  As impressed with the meal as I was, the food quality was overshadowed by the service.

My server, Jeff, was not only attentive and knowledgeable, but he was very quick witted and funny.  He was the perfect compliment to a great meal.  He said he works Monday nights, so I highly recommend Amelia's as an end to the worst day of the week.    

You can experience great food at many restaurants in Boston, but come to Amelia's if you want to experience greatness in a restaurant!
2 - sam h.: Has Amelia's lost its way?

I think so. After years of enjoying family celebratory meals, there's just not much going for Amelia's. We had the ravioli and gnocci, both with identical, non-descript sauce. A decent bottle of chianti for thirty bucks, and so-so service. With all the great bread going around Cambridge these days the bread basket here was sparse and bland. 

Good artichoke salads which seem to have taken the wonderful vegetable in its prime. But maybe they're out of a can. I don't know. One thing I do know would improve things. LOSE the sports TV. Are you a sports bar or an upscale dining place? 

Please, bring back the quality, serenity, and service of the old Amelia's!
5 - Robert S.: My wife and I are visiting from San Francisco.  We happened on were staying at a hotel near by and happened on to this place on our way someplace else..  We got there about 7 and place was very quite which appealed to us.  By the time we left, about 8:30 it was pretty much filled.  Food was exceptional.  Service was great.  We really appreciated the whole experience.  Would definitely recommend it.
4 - Tiffany Z.: Came back again for lunch during the summer (despite my own advice) and once again was uncomfortably warm.

But, I also returned recently on a cooler autumn evening and was pleasantly surprised by a very delicious meal of lobster ravioli (with large pieces of lobster both inside the ravioli and topping it) and gnocchi with butternut squash and sage.  Both dishes were beautifully executed and plated and were definitely a notch up from the lunch offerings.

I was a bit disappointed with the kitchen noise level (very loud conversations going on and it's an open kitchen!) but I'm going to chalk that up to us being the first and only table at 5 PM (we missed lunch that day :) ).
5 - Zehr S.: driving in the middle of the rain trying to find a parking spot

on the radio, the hostess in her funny bostonian accent was babbling about a guy who strangled his wife 10 years ago and dumped the body in a shopping cart, who served in an all-male MA jail, who now wants to have a transgender surgery ....blah. blah, all his bra, panties, shaving brazers, his SRS would ALL be paid by TAX dollars, his hormone therapy, his electorosis; he was allowed to shave 2 a day

amelia's trattoria was such a nice shelter in the middle of a downpour and all these CHAOS

Rioja's wine was great, as always, the P.E.I mussels were superb, absolutely clean and fresh, with the right taste, I drunk a lot of the soup  :-)
the pappardelle with wild mushroom was awesome too

what a night, thank god you can enjoy some good food, even in a Demo/donkey state :-)

I walked to the open kitchen and said to the chef "molte grazie" wholeheartedly
5 - Stu G.: After a miserable experience on Saturday night in the North End, I returned to my roots at Amelias Trattoria.  Absolutely the best Italian food and experience.  The calamari is killer and the caesar salad is so full of flavor!
Once again, Amelias was awesome!
4 - Faith N.: Amelia's is probably my favorite Italian place in Boston and I was so happy to see all the other positive reviews for this place. 
I am a garlic bread fiend and this place serves up some of the tastiest. My boyfriend could live off of their veal parmigiana.

I don't know what Amelia's Trattoria's stance is on sustainable environmental practices, but I'm urging all of my favorite restaurants to look into becoming certified green restaurants, i know that the green restaurant association works pretty closely with restaurants who want to become more sustainable. 

Just an idea =)
It will be a perfect day when restaurants as delicious as Amelia's are also certified green.
4 - Sutanuka L.: Good food ! Make reservations for sure
3 - Jeff M.: Great spot for a good, quick and affordable lunch if you work in the area.  Just get to Amelia's before noon though because it gets very crowded.
4 - Sarah P.: My husband and I went here one night after seeing a movie at the Kendall.  The food was wonderful.  I had the linguine with clams in a red sauce.  The sauce was like a broth and it was so flavorful.  My husband had the hanger steak and fries.  The steak was cooked to the right temp and was very tender.  For dessert we had the tiramisu (one of the best I have ever had!) and an olive oil and lemon panna cotta (delicious!).  The prices are very reasonable for the quality of the food.  

My only gripe about the place is the space.  The restaurant is small, which is fine except for the fact that they have put too many tables into the dining room.  My husband is tall and built like a line backer, so he had to really squeeze into his seat.  I had to have the people at the table behind us push a chair to the side so I could slide into my seat.  I noticed a lot of other diners precariously getting in and out of their chairs and trying not to bump into people and tables as they made their way through the restaurant.  Having a little extra wiggle room would have made the place much more comfortable.
3 - Kaitlin A.: My boyfriend and I came here on a Wednesday evening.  Even for the middle of the week, almost every table was filled.  Without a reservation, we were able to grab a place at the bar. (Tip: make a reservation before coming here!)

Atmosphere:  We liked the warmth and intimate feel of the restaurant.  The bar was large, so it didn't feel crowded.  The bar is not ideal for tall people - there is not much room under the table to fit your legs!  My boyfriend had to sit sideways the whole night.

Food: The food was tasty, but nothing really special. The salads were fresh and big (note that the beet salad is only beets, apples, and pecans, no greens like I'd expected).  The ravioli of the day, a mushroom ravioli with a pork sauce was tasty but a little rich for our tastes.  The cioppino had tons of fish and the tomato sauce was flavorful.  

Service:  The waitstaff and bartender were very pleasant and attentive.

Overall a decent Italian dinner, but we won't rush to go back.
3 - Chad C.: Note that you should always call for a reservation here at Amelia's.  We came on a Wednesday night without a reservation and were surprised that our only option was to sit at the bar or at a table next to the windy entrance.  We opted for the bar.  The bar was a bit awkward to sit at -- there is very little leg room so I had to sit with my legs turned sideways toward my date.  Could have been awkward if she hadn't been my long time girlfriend!

Atmosphere was really nice here.  So nice, in fact, that I wanted to like the food more than I actually did.  It has a warm, cozy feel in the winter.  It is also fairly small.  And it appears that in the summer the windows open up for a nice open air feel.

 I had the spinach salad which was very good.  Portions for the salad were very large, too.  We could have split one for the two of us.  I then had the ravioli of the night. -- with mushrooms and truffle oil and in a red sauce with pork sausage.  It was decent, but not as good as I was hoping.  Portion size was perfect though -- and prices seemed reasonable here.  I may have to come back to try something else.
4 - Julie B.: Word to the wise - if you're coming here for lunch, come early and don't come in a big group. Oh, and don't expect excellent service either. But do come, because the food is really good. 

The food is fresh and the ingredients are good quality. They certainly don't skimp here and the prices are fair. There's everything from paninis to hearty pasta dishes to soups and salads. I happened to have the spinach salad with caramelized shallots, pancetta and goat cheese. YUM!

The tables are very close together and jam packed into this tiny little place. There were also only two waiters serving the entire place, so I can understand why they seemed so stressed out. 

Overall, I'll be back. You should try it too, just don't get too fussy about the service. They mean well. And the bread/olive oil is sooo good.
4 - Lisa R.: LOVE Amelia's . . . my husband and I went there on a busy Friday night and had a wonderful and memorable dinner. I had the seafood special, which was salmon that night, and it was DIVINE. My husband had ravioli.  We each had wine too. They had a wonderful wine list, and thankfully my husband knows wine. We shared a panna cotta dessert with coffee after our meal. 

I didn't like how close the tables were -- we actually got blocked in. And the prices are a bit high, but totally worth it. We will definitely go here for special occasions in the future. :)

BTW I had a voucher from LivingSocial that we used, so that was why we finally tried this great place!
3 - Jeffrey M.: I met two friends of mine at Amelia -- butter, and slow service.

Let's talk about the second one first.  I show up for my meal -- granted, I was 10 minutes late -- and they told me that they had a table and they were just setting it up for me.  There were three empty tables at the time -- one of which was our table to be.  It was over 15 minutes before we sat down, though.  Does setting the table really take 15 minutes?!

Also, service was uncoordinated.  Two people came by to greet us, five minutes apart from each other -- and it's awkward when you tell a server: "I've already been helped."  Because really, if I"m still standing there -- I haven't *really* been helped yet.

And when we sat down, two separate waiters came by to try to take our order.  And the same thing with the bill!  Say what?!  There was also a long delay between sitting down, having our orders taken, getting the appetizer, and getting the entree.  I suspect this may be because of understaffing issues =/


The food is pretty tasty -- the flavours are even above average!  We ordered the polenta with mushrooms as the appetizer -- it was softer than I was used to (butter!) but it melded and molded well with the mushrooms and the cheese on top.  Definitely recommend this!

My gnocchi with butternut squash was also quite good -- the gnocchi was again very soft (butter!) but seasoned very well, and the squash provided a great counter-sweetness to the dish.  But it was absolutely DRENCHED WITH BUTTER.  At the end, when it had cooled down slightly and all that was left was melted butter, I just kept thinking about my arteries.

You should walk home.  And then go for a run.
And maybe limit your visits to Amelia's to like once a month.  I don't like my friends that much.
4 - Rachel G.: We went on a Friday night around 7pm and got a table right away without a reservation. After briefly considering CBC but rejecting it because it was zOMGs loud and crowded, it was delightful to walk into relative quiet and intimacy of Amelia's. The crowd was definitely different--mostly older couples and small groups, rather than the youngish yuppie biotech mass-exodus swarm at other places in Kendall. One semi-complaint: why the TV? ESPN kind of ruins the ambience of this otherwise quite nice space. Is that necessary for a Friday night dinner hour? As for food, we had the arancini appetizer, which was delicious, and the arugula salad and the ravioli special. All of the food was wonderful, and served in reasonable (read: not ginormous) portions. The prices were about on par with any other nice dinner we might have gotten in the area. I would certainly go again, and recommend it to others.
4 - Sara H.: There are a few things you should know about me & Amelia.  

1. I live around the block.
2. I usually go for a late lunch/early supper when no one else is there.
3. With the exception of one time, I always go by myself.

The food is fantastic, I used to only get the mushroom ravioli, but have branched out and tried short rib, risotto, gnocchi, etc.  It is all tasty, the staff and chef are a fun bunch of guys that really care about the quality of food you're getting.  

I see this place get busy at night for dinner which makes me happy.  It's a small dining area, but feels cozy not squashed.  During the holidays they had a pumpkin creme brulee for dessert that was So Good.  It's a bit more than I normally want to spend on lunch, but I feel so comfortable eating alone in here, being able to relax, take my time, that I totally treat myself to some fine dining in the afternoon especially if I have to go in to work later that night.

Yum, yum.
3 - Gal N.: Came here with a group of friends, during Boston Restaurant Week. It's a small place with view of the kitchen, and a nice atmosphere. Food wise, I was underwhelmed.

Pork sausage with polenta and asparagus- did not particularly like any component by itself, but when combined together at every bite was pretty good. Sausage was a bit spicy, which I appreciated.

Steak with wedge fries- steak was a bit burnt on the outside. The sauce, which was very tasty, covered this up for the most part, and also added moisture to the beef, which was otherwise lacking. I really wanted to like the fries, but they were completely tasteless and there wad no salt on the table.

Pear turnover with hazelnut icecream and blackberry coulis- turnover  was very good and flavorful. The icecream was good by itself, but I could not taste it when mixed with turnover-- strange pairing. Could not taste the tiny pool of coulis at all, which I found very odd.

After dinner, I asked for a cappuccino, which came flavored with cinnamon. Not my cup of tea, and would have been nice if the server mentioned it beforehand. Other than that, service was good and friendly, and our water glasses were never empty. 

Overall the experience was alright, but nothing special- next time I will probably try another place instead. Glad I had a chance to test it during restaurant week rather than at full price.
3 - Marina P.: i work just around the block, so every time i feel like having a "special" lunch my co-workers and I head to Amelia's. This place is very cozy and the staff very friendly. I usually choose between the most perfect italian panini, the soup of the day or one of their salads. Although they use tasty fresh ingredients, the food is nothing to die for, so don't keep your hopes up. Yet, for the reasonable prices, this is a place I would recommend.
3 - B L.: Ate here during Winter Restaurant week 2010. This was my first time at the restaurant. Overall I think the menu was somewhat dissapointing. I should have realized that nothing on the appetizer menu really appealed to me. I ended up having the stewed clams which were fine nothing special. My guests had the fried potato ball (she liked it, I didn't care for the smokey cheese inside), other guest had the mushroom tart which was good but  all it entailed was premade puff pasty, sauteed mushrooms and some greens on top. For entrees I had gnocchi with sausage bolognese. It was very tasty though not much meat in the sauce. My guests had papparadelle w/ pesto which was good, and the other had salmon and requested salad and vegetables in place of risotto. I didn't try the salmon but it looked average. Came with salad but no side of brocolli rabe as promised.

The the thing that really pissed me off was the dessert. A 'pear popover' was really pre made puffed pastry baked with sauteed pear inside. I'm sorry this is not a popover. The panna cotta was also pretty pathetic. It's as if the kitchen was screaming- WE DONT' HAVE A PASTRY CHEF! If you don't have one as they clearly don't- then try to provide something you can actually execute professionally. Get some nice sorbets or learn a few easy italian cookie recipes. The dessert was really junk.

Overall a nice place to have dinner though cramped. Good drinks. Enjoy the pasta but don't get any dessert!
4 - Ben E.: A group of six of us went here on an early Saturday evening and found it to be very enjoyable.  The layout is pretty nice; a cozy little dining room with a small 5- or 6-seat bar as you enter.  There may have been more seating around the back, but I didn't see it.  It would definitely make a good romantic setting, and despite the smallness I didn't feel like other parties were really on top of us.

The food was incredibly well-prepared.  The bean dip they provided with the bread was very savory, my girlfriend's gnocchi might have been the most tender I've ever tasted, and my salmon filet was, no lie, THE most perfectly cooked piece of salmon I've ever had.  It was really unbelievable; cooked just enough, and it flaked apart with an incredible buttery texture.  The only gripe I had was that it wasn't seasoned very strongly, but honestly, when a piece of fish is cooked that perfectly, it creates its own flavor.  The saffron risotto it came with was delicious as well.  The portions are not large, but are enough to keep a regular appetite satisfied.

I would love to come back here during the evening, when the atmosphere of the dining room would certainly be amplified, and based on just the fish I had, I'd be eager to try other dishes.
3 - Travis D.: We went to Amelia's this Saturday night with 3 other couples.  The experience was just what Yelp's three stars represent ... "A-OK".  It was not outstanding but it wasn't horrible either.  The waitress had recommended the braised short rib bolognese very highly, even changed my mind from a previous dish I was contemplating, and while it was good, I expected better than merely good.  There was nothing terribly unique about it, and for a $20 pasta dish, there should be something unique.  The feedback from most of our table was similar ... good meal, but nothing outstanding.  

This was a nice place to try once, but there was nothing compelling that will have us returning any time soon.
3 - Markeya W.: I enjoyed the atmosphere until a group of 'kids' came it and ruined the ambiance. Other than that the dining room was cozy and charming, the staff was polite and helpful, and the food was good. I loved my short rib bolognese over fusilli and the Arancini was delicious. The preserved lemon risotto was cooked perfectly, however the white and green onion really overpowered the dish.
2 - Steve S.: We were excited to finally get a chance to visit this cute little Italian restaurant in Cambridge. We had heard great things about this restaurant and were excited when we saw what looked like a really interesting menu. But what we found was that the food was mediocre, and way too pricy for what you get. I got the pasta dish with mussels in it (forget the name), but the mussels lacked flavor. In fact, the entire dish lacked flavor. It looked cool because it was served in a pan, but the sauce itself was so watery it left the noodles without any sauce to go with it. The meatballs were so-so. I'd say the best part of the meal was the free bread and hummus that came with it. The hummus was actually really good.
3 - Andrew B.: Solid meal, not fantastic, but definitely edible.  Great location for dinner and a movie with Kendall Square Cinema.  Salmon special with risotto was delicious but parpadellle with mushrooms was skippable. Great salad with goat cheese and pancetta (best part of the meal).  Limited wine list.  A nice quiet find in a corner of Cambridge for a romantic evening.  But not necessarily because of the food.
2 - M G.: Very dissapointing. My boyfriend's salmon was somehow both burnt on the outside and raw on the inside. It also did not have any real flavor or seasoning to district your taste buds from the repulsive texture. 

We were planning on doing dinner and a movie at the Kendall, but went straight home after this place left a bad taste in our mouths!
4 - Jin C.: The entrance is a bit odd, hard to tell if you're just supposed to wait by the door or walk past the bar and go to the nearest computer where staff may be.  Other than that momentary confusion, we were seated promptly.

Man friend and I started off with a Calamari appetizer.
It came out with more rice than calamari, which was a surprise, as there is no mention of it in the menu.  The rice was a little strange so that didn't go over so well with us.

We shared two pastas.
A bolognese and clams in white sauce.  
Both were very flavorful and very yummy!

Service was pretty good aside from running out of water.

I'd say this place is a 3.5 because of the Calamari, but would rather round up than down.
3 - Rebecca Y.: We went during Restaurant Week, which gave us a nice sampling of their menu, and the night we went, they'd added several options to the advertised Restaurant Week menu.

The phrase that comes to mind when I think of our experience at Amelia's is "except for..."

The atmosphere is sweet -- intimate tables, view of the kitchen, rustic brick walls...except for the flat screen t.v. at the bar that makes it seem like they might have aspired to be a sports bar once.

The food is decent -- the descriptions on the menu sound delicious and decadent...except that each dish we tried had its own downfall. 
The tomato tart was pretty...except that it was a bit bland and difficult to eat. 
The goat cheese/broccoli rabe ravioli had a rich sauce and delicious sausage...except that the filling was way too salty. 
The braised short rib bolognese had tender meat and uniquely-shaped pasta...except that it had little flavor and needed a stronger sauce to complement the meat. 
The panna cotta was beautifully presented...except that it was bland, and there wasn't enough fruit and sauce to balance the custard. 

The one area where I can give unequivocal compliments is the service. The waitstaff were all pleasant, we knew who our waitress was, but we were served by every staff member at least once. Whoever was available made sure our needs were met, our food and drinks were delivered, or our plates were removed.

Amelia's Trattoria has a lot of potential. It doesn't make sense for them to try to compete with more traditional Italian restaurants. The ideas for the dishes described on the menu sound outstanding, but execution falls short. If I didn't know from their website that they've been around for twelve years, I would think they have some growing up to do.
3 - Jennifer F.: My boyfriend decidede to try Amelia's for restaurant week since everyone is always telling us how good it is. We went late around 9:30 on a Tuesday so the service experience was great. The food was simple but still good and the presentation was nice. For appetizers we had the spinach salad with goat cheese & vinegrette and the fried calamari. For dinner I had the salmon dish which both my boyfriend and I enjoyed. My boyfriend had the hanger steak with fries which was ok. For dessert we both enjoyed the Wild Berry Panna Cotta which is kind of like a flan texture with fruit. All in all we had a pretty good experience. We would definately go back again.
3 - Yin W.: It was a bit crowded, so I took a seat outside. The servers were humorous and nice. The food was okay.
2 - Laura S.: We went to this restaurant for my boyfriend's birthday after seeing them reviewed on the Phantom Gourmet.  The service was good, they were attentive but I was very underwhelmed by the food and overwhelmed by our bill.  We had two glasses of wine, I had an appetizer salad and mussels while my boyfriend had the lobster ravioli.  It came to $80.  The lobster ravioli was $33 for five smaller sized ravioli.  The salad was fine, I had asked for the dressing on the side however it came dressed.  The mussels were an okay portion but did not come w/any bread or anything to soak in the sauce.  My boyfriend said the ravioli were good but he ate them in about 3 minutes and since there weren't too many on his plate, he was done eating.
This was not a great dining experience for us.
1 - Shiny L.: Calamari appetizer was too rich with soggy texture.  But, the worst was the linguini with white clam sauce, which was far too spicy.  Not edible, and I'm usually just fine with spice.  My husband's pappardelle was good, however.
3 - Jennifer H.: Ambience was nice - definitely a cute idea for a restaurant.  However, I was disappointed with a certain female server on staff (she kept forgetting to bring back the food she had packaged, and even forgot one of our meals).  The food was decent, but not overly exciting, so for that reason we felt that it was overpriced.  Had a good time with friends but definitely not rushing back to eat there any time soon...
4 - Panos A.: Excellent Italian outside of the North End. No better place to eat in Kendall before a movie.
3 - Jon M.: The food outkicks the coverage at Amelia's.  It's nice that it has only a limited number of tables, and you can call the place quaint.  But really its the menu that looks simple, and is, that delivers the goods.

I guess i'm knocking off a few stars because the wine list was unimpressive and the vibe felt painted on the walls.  Our service was good.  I just can't think of why I would want to come back - its across the street from a parking garage.  If this place were a few blocks over on Mass it would benefit from more pleasing surroundings.
4 - A G.: Nice unique looking bar (magnetic apparently) with a warm atmosphere and very friendly staff. We had Zoe as our waitress and she was pleasant and attentive. Had the shortrib pasta which was delicious though probably enough for two. Look forward to going there again and trying the rest of their menu.
3 - Nitya D.: This place isn't half bad. Nor is it anything in particular to write home about. The service is so god damn slow though, which is my biggest gripe. I mean seriously, especially during the lunch HOUR why the fuck are the waiters so slow? It puzzles me and makes no sense to me (idk maybe they're all baked), but it has resulted in me calling them more often than not to place pick up orders rather than eat at the restaurant. 

The food itself is actually quite tasty and I think the portions are very satisfying for the $10-15 pricetag. I would probably go more often if the service was better (the people who work there are all actually very nice, just SO slow...please read this and hurry the fuck up next time. I'm not a CEO who can take 3 hour lunch breaks, I'm a much lower rung on the corporate ladder who likes good food in a timely fashion).
5 - Jonathan P.: My girlfriend and I came here for Valentines Day because we wanted a low key and awesomely delicious romantic dinner. Needless to say we got just that. 

We were greeted right away, seated immediately (with a reservation of course), and the service was wonderful. Everyone there was super friendly and courteous.

Food was amazing, lamb, lobster ravioli, antipasto, Polenta. By far some of the best Italian food Ive had in Boston. 

The restaurant is much smaller than expected though so keep that in mind. It is pleasantly located on a quiet street near the Garment district store. Its mostly permit parking only, however there is some metered parking. 

We both had a great time, and can't wait to come back for more.
5 - Kimberly T.: I was surprised by my boyfriend with a lovely dinner here on Valentine's Day. Luckily he had made a reservation and we were seated right away in this quaint, warm venue that sits on an unassuming corner in Cambridge. 

The seating area was a little cramped, but there's something very charming about a place that can only hold so many people. Our dinner reservation was early and the place was just starting to see the dinner crowd, so my boyfriend and I had a really romantic and relaxing dinner.

Amelia's specializes in polenta and different variations of it (from savory dishes to dessert) and we enjoyed a wonderful polenta dessert with a caramelized brittle and blood orange foam reduction.  It was delicious.  Lamb and lobster for dinner - how could you not? I would definitely recommend Amelia's and look forward to another dinner there!
5 - Lindsay G.: Phantom gourmet recommended this place.  They deserve every star possible. Highest quality food. Everything down to the pasta is fresh daily. Extremely reasonably priced. Average entree price between $18-$22. Worth the drive where ever you are from. Superb. Better than any place in North End. If your from Boston- i DARE u to prove me wrong!
5 - Dan L.: This was a nice random find on a trip to Boston.  The place is small and cozy and the noise level is just right.  The antipasto platter contained a nice selection of meats and a fantastic tangy goat cheese.  The Caesar salad here is nice if like bits of anchovy.  The foccacia bread they serve is top notch.  I had a the braised short rib bolognese which was a much bigger portion than I imagined it would be.  The only issue is that they don't really salt the entrees.  Salt aside, the experience was a nice one.
4 - megan l.: Absolutely delicious food. Cute, cozy atmosphere. Service was friendly, prompt and knowledgable. Neighborhood gem - will definitely be back
4 - Amelia G.: Had very fun dinner there with my husband. Such a cute little place, perfectly happy with the wines by the glass, service was sweet, food fresh and well prepared. Really liked their take on the whoopie pie, granache over whipped cream!
2 - John B.: Went here on a Thursday night with a party of five.  We could only get a reservation at 6 (we wanted 6:30), but when we showed up, there was one other party of four there.  Not sure why 6:30 wasn't possible.  Seated immediately.  Decor is attractive for this small place.  Service was good, but the food was bland.  Meatball appetizer was generous (four small meatballs), but I couldn't find any flavor to them.  I had the fish of the day, which was crusted salmon with lemon risotto.  I can't remember a worse risotto than the one I had there.  As for the salmon, it was totally lacking flavor and the crust did nothing for the flavor.  The one saving grace was the apple tart with vanilla ice cream for dessert, which was outstanding.

By the time we left, only one other table was filled, so being unable to get a 6:30 reservation made even less sense.

When I go to dinner however, I need more than a great dessert.  The food (except for the risotto) wasn't terrible, but if I'm paying $25 for the fish of the day, there HAS to be more to say about it than "it was okay."  

Attractive decor, attentive staff, but the food is not great.  There are much better places in Cambridge to have dinner, most definitely.
3 - Kara B.: The food at this comfortable, friendly little place was basically good, but with a few mis-steps.  The polenta with wild mushrooms appetizer was very tasty, but the mushrooms were dry.  The description says "wild mushroom braise" but they were devoid of moisture.  The flavor was great, but the texture was somewhat unpleasant.  The polenta, itself, was wonderful, so it was disappointing that the mushrooms didn't measure up.  Likewise, the calimari  in the "crispy calimari" appetizer was delicious, but the so-called risotto was absolutely awful!  It had the taste and texture of undercooked "converted" (i.e. precooked and dried) rice.  This light and tasty calimari would have been better served with a little salad.  And the rice would be better served by a trip to the garbage...

Other dishes around the table were excellent.  An eggplant appetizer was wonderful and their plain spaghetti with a light marinara sauce was very good, as well.  

I really enjoyed the atmosphere and parts of this dinner.  We'd be willing to try it again, but hope they read diner reviews.  I've seen that risotto panned in a number of reviews and am surprised they don't take these things to heart.

Amelie - Claremont, CA (34.0949768, -117.717881) ()
2 - Jessica I.: It's high time the Village got a high end super cute boutique.  I love this place.  It's worth the drive.  The owner is really really nice and knowledgable and can always tell who you're wearing.  They carry the same sort of stuff as The Kids Are Alright, many of the same designers.  I'm so happy for the Inland Empire that they finally have a decent place to buy cute clothes.

Update:  7/7/07 went there last weekend and was disappointed.  don't bother with this one.
3 - Cat C.: Little boutiques are cute.  I'm all for supporting the little shops that give good service.  My only qualm is that the last time I was there, there were a lot of things from old seasons but still at full price.  I understand little boutiques can't compete with Bloomies or Neimans but once things are no longer of the current season ... or even from the past two seasons, the price should probably be adjusted.

It's nice to have a shop that carries some cute things from various lines located right in the village.  Like I said, I love little shops.
2 - Nicole P.: I hate to edit my review and feel that an update is necessary. I have popped into Amelie about three times in the last year and have to agree with the posters below. A lot of the clothes look very...cheap. Like, Forever 21 style, yet the prices are still too high. I don't recognize any of the brands (maybe they are fashion district/Downtown LA) and wish they would bring back some recognizable names (Nanette Lepore, Cynthia Vincent, James Perse etc.)

Bummer.
5 - Nicole B.: Staff has gotten much nicer than when I first started shopping here a few years ago - they are friendly and helpful if you talk to them. CUTE STUFF even if I have to put it on my credit card because its kind of expensive...LOVE IT:)
5 - Justin C.: I just went in here the other day to shop for my girlfriend! LET ME TELL YOU! this place is great. Amazing staff, great selection of fairly priced clothing, great jewelry, contemporary lines...but all in all a great place to shop! way better than that **cough cough** snobby isabella D across the way....
5 - Kathi M.: No matter when I go there they have the right stuff... The sales people are always right on & helpful... I love the store .. This ones a keeper!!!!

Amenities - Providence, RI (41.8240814, -71.4122581) (DownCity)
4 - Agnes T.: Working downtown,there are a lot of options for a good quick lunch.  Even with all of these options, I keep going back to Amenities.  The food is consistently good with many options.  There are dozens of sandwiches to choose from that are all made to order.  They also offer several soups and salads too.  The staff is very friendly and very efficient. You can eat there but I prefer getting my lunch to go: there isn't much ambience.  There is a good reason that they have been in business for over 35 years:  they are always a safe bet.
3 - Melissa S.: Lunch goers beware while they open bright and early for breakfast when it comes to lunch you must not be late as they close promptly at 3pm and the staff normally has the whole place cleaned up by 2pm and therefore the later you go the less lovely the service. Those things aside Amenities offers a wide variety of sandwiches with tasty flavor combinations as well as sides and drinks. For my lunch selection I decided on the "New Providence"; a combination of roasted red peppers, baby spinach and pesto covered in melted brie cheese. The sandwich was served warm and the ingredients paired well together. I ordered my sandwich on a bulky roll, looking back the French bread may have been a better choice because this meal was messy! I say as long as you grab some napkins it is well worth it. Amenities provides a pickle on the side with your sandwich which was an additional treat that left me satisfied. The portions are smaller than some other sandwich shops but sometimes it is quality over quantity and the price is right with sandwiches just under $5. If you have the time and the cash on hand**as they do not accept credit or debit cards** Amenities may be exactly what you are looking for and it worth a try for a sandwich that isn't your average sub.
3 - Cee D.: CASH ONLY!  Delicious creative sandwiches, staff knows many by name.  The down side a little price for what you get for a $7 sandwich.
3 - Vilay S.: Downtown is lacking a good deli and this is as close as we can get. This deli has an overwhelmingly huge menu with endless combinations of bread and meat. But they also offer daily "hot" specials like shepherd's pie or chicken parm. The egg sandwiches (you can also get them in wrap form) are the best because they are made to order: a real egg cracked and fried just for you. They also have a case of donuts, muffins, pastries, breads that look freshly baked but I'm not 100% sure on that. Also the staff is sooooo nice!
4 - Julia B.: Just got back from grabbing a sandwich. My coworker recommended Amenities to me and we went for the walk. I got the American Way [lean pastrami, turkey, swiss, and dijon] on a french roll. It was delicious!! Served with a pickle and chips. The staff was very friendly. I highly recommend this deli for a quick bite to eat.

Amer's Delicatessen - Ann Arbor, MI (42.274876, -83.734382) (South University Ann Arbor)
1 - Mitch M.: Worst Amer's Deli Ever!

I had a simple order:  Grilled Cheese.  They gave me two pieces of bread with cheese between them.  That's a cheese sandwich.  I asked them to do the unthinkable -- grill it.  What did the woman do?  She put it in the microwave (not the grill they have specifically for this - I've been to other Amer's and it's not like this) and when it came out the cheese was now liquid and dripping off the bread.  Obviously I was upset.  I asked to speak to the manager.  He told me the following:

"This is a grilled cheese sandwich and it's what you ordered.  If you want another you will have to pay for it."

I haven't been back since.  I urge you ... do not visit this location!  When I've ordered other things (in the past) there were often times errors in the preparation of the food, but I looked past it.  I simply can't look past this.  It is a disgusting way to treat a customer and it reflects poorly on the restaurant as a whole. 

On State Street (near N. University) there is another location ... walking distance away.  I have NEVER had an issue there.  It just isn't worth the hassle.  Do not go to this location!
4 - Stacy W.: I hope that the review on 1/6/10 is  a reflection of just a bad employee! My recent lunch at Amer's on Church St. was great!

I will say that they are a bit pricey for lunch, but that's pretty typical for a deli, especially on campus. The sandwich I got was massive though, so it was worth the price! I ordered a ham sandwich on pumpernickel, and it had tons of meat on it. It was pretty delicious, as was the pesto tortellini that I got for a side.

The yogurt looked really yummy too. I didn't get any, but they have just about every topping you could imagine-even Captain Crunch!

I was especially impressed about the part where they didn't put my to-go order in a big plastic or styrofoam box- it was just wrapped in deli paper, so I felt like they're doing a good thing for the environment.
3 - Allie Y.: I've only had the yogurt here and some of the coffee drinks, but there's nothing spectacular about this place. In fact I'd probably give this place 2.5 stars, but because the mocha is pretty decent I bumped it up to a 3. 

The yogurt is probably 1-2 stars on its own. It's self serve with toppings and priced by weight. There was pina colada, strawberry, original and a 4th flavor the day I tried it and they were all a bit off. Strawberry tasted really artificial, and maybe like it had been made from powder mix. The pina colada and original were also sort of weird, having this saccharine aftertaste that made me wish I had put a little less froyo in the cup. Oh well, had to try it once. Will not be getting the yogurt here again.
1 - Koy T.: Sloooooooooooooooooooooooow service.  You have better luck going to the place with that starts with a 'Z' or that sounds like the colors of the University next door.  This used to be voted the best deli in Ann Arbor.  Maybe in Bizarro World.
2 - Becky H.: The service here can be SOOOOO slow. I've waited over half an hour for a spinach salad. No meat, basically just spinach in a plastic bowl with some other veggies and dressing on the side. This does NOT take half an hour to assemble!

The sandwiches I've tried taste fine, although they are on the greasy side. I almost don't want to touch the bread while eating it.

Yogurt tastes okay, but not good enough for me to ever go back.

Amer's Delicatessen - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2789681, -83.7409449) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
4 - Katia M.: Amer's has great sandwiches.  They're overpriced, but still yummy.  And I used to absolutely LOVE their chicken noodle soup -- that was actually pretty cheap.  They used to have good coffee before they sold out to Coffee Beanery, whose coffee I find awful.  Other than that, they have pretty good desserts and the drink with Tonic and Lemon syrup -- whatever that was, that was my favorite.  But I really miss their old coffee when I'm in town.  Make your parents buy you lunch here; that was my strategy for this place.
3 - Cyn C.: the cheaper deli in town, but the quality definitely suffers. In the last 5 years, the service and quality of food has taken a nose dive. Still a great place for a quick bite, or to hang out and study, but it's not the place it used to be. If I were a student, I'd give it a better rating, but if you're going to A2 for a visit, and need a deli sandwich, go straight to Zingerman's.
3 - Theresa F.: This place would have a higher rating if it wasn't so expensive.  They have sandwiches that reach upwards of $9--definitely pricey for a deli!  But, that being said, their sandwiches are generally fairly large and quite yummy. On cold days, I recommend the grilled cheese with their tomato soup.
4 - Nupur L.: The food is really good here. I love their #31 sandwich, the desserts and the salads. They also make the best iced mocha around campus and serve Haagen-Dazs rum raisin ice cream, which is my favorite ice cream flavor. Amer's is gentler about kicking people out around midnight than most other campus establishments. Starbucks on State, I'm looking at you with turning the speakers to full blast at midnight. It's a bit pricey overall and some items are very overpriced (as in a 6 dollar veggie pita I could've made myself) but it's a very good place to stop for a quick lunch when you have a crowd of diverse palates and preferences.
3 - Haroun K.: I remember coming to Amer's before going to school here, several years ago, and I remember it being much better.  The sandwiches are fine, but maybe of the quality of a bagel restaurant.  The problem is, the prices don't reflect this.  Their Iced Tea is good though.  Also, the atmosphere is a big plus.  It feels like a coffee shop, but with pretty edible food.  It is nice that they have one in the Union in addition to the others.  My sandwich, by the way, is the Lindsey's True Grazer.  It's the best thing on the menu.  My favorite Amer's memory is having my Lit class at Amer's during the LEO strike a few years back.  All of us squeezed into 1 booth :-)
4 - Aaron B.: There is nothing really great about Amer's, but it is dependably a good sandwich if that's what you're looking for (the tuna melt with provolone is my favorite).  If not, they also have lots of other things to choose from: salads, pasta, falafel, decent french fries, bagels, deserts.  The worst thing about it is how overwhelming the menu is to people when they first go there; or maybe the worst thing is the inflated prices.  But you can also just go there for a cappuccino and to study as if it were an ordinary cafe (and it beats Espresso Royal next door).  Meeting here is rather dependable since I've never seen it very crowded and it is much quieter than surrounding venues.  I have to say, though, it could use a good scrubbing.  I'm scared to sit in those booths, they're slimy and sticky at the same time.
3 - Cathy H.: My then boyfriend and I were addicted to their lunch specials, which always contained a chicken leg with tender dark meat sliding off the bone and perfect rice and sides, all topped with a dollop of garlic yogurt. Guaranteed satisfied stomach doused in a food coma.
4 - Hubert H.: The largest selection of sandwiches you'll ever find! It's overwhelming! The Midwest deli scene is nothing to mess around with! Fresh ingredients, homemade bread, I think, and really good chicken noodle soup to boot. Can't ask for more! Actually I prefer this place to the infamous Zingerman's because it's about 60% as pricey.
4 - Clarence C.: I know their sandwiches are popular, but try the ready-made salads and the spinach pie.
I picked up pesto tortellini, gnocchi with cheese and potato salad this week. I guess I have a cold pasta fetish.
I love the spinach pies and meat pies. The pastry is great--more bready and less like a pie crust. 
Everybody in Amir's is a college student, and maybe that has to do with the funky atmosphere--there's something very college-town about the brick walls, tile floor and wooden furniture. I had lunch here a few days ago and it looked like one of the striking grad instructors was holding classes here, rather than set foot on campus. 
When I was a student the Communist Party was recruiting members on campus, and I met with them a couple of times at the other Amer's in the Union. Actually, it was Cava Java back then.  They used to stand outside the back doors of Mason Hall on the diag and whisper: "Are you interested in revolution?" 
I never became a revolutionary, but I drank a lot of tea over at the Union.
3 - kmtina k.: On a good day, Amer's selection of a la carte salads, spreads, and proteins is just the ticket for my schizophrenic food-moodiness: I like being able to order a combination of foods that would never be paired on a conventional "plate." That said, I loathe the tofu, which is uncooked and unsteamed, and am also disappointed by the ubiquity of mayonnaise in salads that are appealing otherwise.

Additionally, I would avoid ordering "Very Veggie" soup: I am convinced that it is Progresso's "Vegetable Soup" incognito. Cosi's "Moroccan Lentil" is a better bet.
3 - Lisa W.: This quick trek from work is a great place to grab some brisket and a basket of fries.  Plus they have a decent salad for $3.49 --- it is what it is.

I love their smoothies, also -- some are made with Looza, some are made with fresh fruit.  Either way they go into my happy tummy.  Their espresso drinks are also less expensive than their neighboring cafes -- quality is debatable, but even the picky might be able to settle.

There are also a selection of pre-made salads you can buy according to weight.  FYI if you're especially broke:  Ask for a buck fifty's worth of food and you'll get a heel of bread with it.  Butter that baby up and maybe you'll feel full.  I've been there, at the border of brokeassedness.  Maybe add a 75 cent banana into the mix and you're all good.
3 - Nilda R.: I'm so torn.

They have a huge selection of cold stuff, but the sandwiches are pretty expensive. The deli case also holds plenty of strict veg options.

I had the worst lentil soup ever concocted here. I mean, it was completely inedible-- even after dumping lemon, salt, pepper & hot sauce into it. If anyone from the Mediterranean had been around, it might've started a war. I had to toss it out immediately.

But then they have roasted cauliflower with tahini and it's completely addictive. It could surely patch over any disagreement.

I just don't know what to do.
4 - Ruben L.: 3.75- I went with the higher rating because this place is better than I remembered

Made a trip back to A2 last weekend with some family.  My sister and her husband (who has never been to Ann Arbor) were in town, and we wanted to show them around.  We ended up at this little gem.  I'll be honest, I didn't dine here that often when I was a student, but I'm kinda sorry that didn't.

Amer's is some what of a hybrid joint.  They are both a deli and a coffee shop rolled into one.  Their coffee isn't anything spectacular, but their deli is the real deal.  They have 70+ sandwiches to choose from, as well as an assortment of salads and deli side dishes.

We all got something a little different went we went.  I rocked a corned beef blt, my wife got the pastrami with cole slaw, my sister got a falafel, and my bro in law got a chicken sandwich of some sort.  My wife's pastrami had to be the star of the show, it was ridonkulously good.  I enjoyed my corned beef, but it was a little on the plain side.  My sister's falafel was pretty tasty as well, and my bro in law seemed pretty content (he didn't share his sandwich).  With each sandwich came two pickles.  One which was tasty, and the other not so much.

Sandwiches are anywhere from $5-$$9, with their "super" sandwiches (sandwiches made with 9 ounces of meat) beinng at the top of that range.  I was tempted to get dessert as well, but we had just bought some pies the other day, so we passed.

Overall- As far as delis in Ann Arbor go, most people say Amer's is the working person's version of Zingermans (which is excellent, though overpriced).  Parking for this place is pretty much non-existent (as are most places in downtown Ann Arbor), but is certainly a good place to grab a lite meal, or grab a cup of coffee and hang.  I would recommend checking this place out if you're in A2.

Chuck Norris Rating- Adamantium strike (for my beloved Wolverines!)
4 - Matt B.: The #6, the Dark Side...is a f'ing awesome sandwich. I would eat one every single day if it wasn't so pricey. The bread is moist and delicious and the pastrami is awesome. I would rate it as slightly cheaper, and significantly less snooty version of Zingerman's.
5 - Avery S.: My girlfriend swears by Amer's falafel sandwich. Anytime we are in town for a Michigan game or just visiting we stop by to fill up. The side items alone are worth the trip and the falafels are indeed one of the best I've had, a little spicy and great with hummus and tabbouleh. My favorite is the Brooklyn club, fresh crusty bread, cream cheese, and tasty clean tasting meat makes this one of my favorite sandwiches ever. My only regret is that I'll never be able to try all of their 80 sandwiches, especially if I keep ordering the same one.....
4 - Alexandra K.: While Amer's is not your typical deli, they have a wonderful selection of vegetarian sandwiches, wraps, and salads that keep me coming back. Made to order, any sandwich can be customized, and no matter what, the portions are large, ingredients fresh, and price not awful. No deli trip is complete without a  Dr. Brown's Soda.
5 - Andrea M.: WOO HOO!
As a Deli Sandwich place, I give them 5 Stars hands down!

If you're going there for coffee or juice, go around the corner elsewhere for both.  However, you can certainly get decent sodas, juices, coffees, etc. as the drink to go with your FANTASTIC sandwich or other lunch delight.  I'll take an Izze Pomegranate soda w/ my lunch thank you. 

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION:
The BEST Amer's location with the best service and best put together sandwiches is on S. State street across from campus, around the corner from Borders downtown.   I've been to the other one right on campus, and while it's o-k (food is stil good) I don't like it as much as S. State's location.  Can location make food taste better? sometimes...

MMM SAMMICHES (as they say in Boston):
If you love chowing down meat, or taking it veggie style Amer's has everything.  They even have awesome side salads, and I highly recommend anything from the Middle Eastern selection.  In addition to that, they also have a loaded dessert case of tempting cakes to make you fall off the Jenny Craig wagon now and again. 

MY FAVS:
#88 
#77
Don't look at the board and cheat, just go in and tell them Andrea said to order a #88 or a #77.  if you don't want as much meat on the #88, get "half meat". (#77 is vegetarian)

;)
4 - Sam K.: I love this place.  I spent a great deal of time (and money for that matter) during my tenure in Ann Arbor.  And I loved every minute.  The people are great, the coffee is some of the best I've had, the deli is ridiculous, the sandwiches are great (and what a selection!).  Plus, it's in Ann Arbor, so that makes it that much better.
1 - Amy M.: Big selection of yummy-looking sandwiches, but we both got disgustingly sick three hours later. So I'm not eating there again.
3 - john h.: This is one of the greater selections of sandwiches that one can find, and they get points for variety and for good portions.  The sandwiches are good, but somehow I feel like with such a huge selection, they ought to taste better.  But what you are getting is the customization.  I guess that part of the problem is that if you try something other than the tried-and-true you probably are going to figure out why the tried-and-true is just that.
4 - David M.: A poor man's Zingerman's!

This place has a great selection, and every option is good, at least from what my friends and I have experienced.  And I loooove the spicy pickles.  The less pickly pickles are just ok though.
4 - marissa t.: This is another place I would always go to for a quick bite and not feel like I'm stuck in this crowded cage of coffee addicts. This place has room, lemme tell ya. I love the booths all the way in the back that are closed off. 

I always get some kind of vegetarian sandwich on an everything bagel, I have always left satisfied and my wallet doesn't take too much damage. Wolverines are in good hands at amers.
4 - Nancy L.: I'm perfectly positioned to make the call - Amer's or Zingerman's?  Having tried both for the first time within a space of 20 hours, the answer is... a draw!  What a wimp!  They're good at different things - Zingerman's offers more atmosphere, exciting baked goods, and better delicious beverages, but Amer's price is way better and you could actually get some work done there.  If pressed, Hostage Gastronome gives the edge to Amer's for its meatier sandwich.  And, I guess I can make a decision (being judgmental is my forte) - I give it to Zingerman's for being more unique.
3 - Heather C.: Now that I work on State St., Amer's has become my go-to spot for dining alone for lunch. It's a good place to bring your laptop or book and enjoy your food. 

However, I now know to stick to their soups and prepared items from the deli case. All the soups I've tried have been pretty good, and they always have at least 3 types each day. I really enjoy their gazpacho in the summer. And it comes with a nice hunk of bread. A lunch of soup, bread, and a small side of pasta salad usually comes to $5 - not bad! (FYI - Church St. location is NOT as good for soups)

As for the sandwiches, I've almost always been disappointed. They are usually dry or flavorless, and pricey. If you're desperate for a sandwich, I would stick to a grilled one. It's possible I just don't pick well - there are hundreds of sandwiches on the wall (or at least it seems that way). 

I like coming here - its cozy, the workers are nice, and on a cold day, nothing beats a hot bowl of soup.
3 - Rebecca W.: This review actually reflects my recent experience at the other Amers, the one by the Forest St. Parking Garage (the Church St. location)--but I imagine it applies across the board.

Wandered in here the other day while spying on the Charley's patio to see if a friend was there.  I didn't need a whole sandwich but--look!  Froyo! Tart AND untart. I think this is a new-ish addition. 

I like that it's serve yourself and sold by weight.  I like the variety of flavors (pumpkin tart?  Yummy!).  I like all the toppings.  I like that this froyo did not have the chalky aftertaste that I disliked at YogoBliss. 

I didn't like that the smallest container available was GINORMOUS.  Of course you have the right to put as little yogurt in it as you like...but it seems like deliberate manipulation to get you to wind up with way more than you bargained for.  I was pretty careful, filled the smallest container barely halfway, and still had more than I needed/wanted.

But now that I know this is here, I'll probably get yogurt here again.  Well, maybe next spring, which will be the next time I'm warm enough to want it.
5 - Stephanie K.: If you're a fan of quiche, I would definitely recommend this deli.  One of my favorite places to go after class to study and grab a bite to eat. If you are not a big fan of quiche, they have a vast assortment of goodies to choose from.
3 - mariah c.: In case it isn't obvious, the proximity to campus makes this a prime place for undergrads to grab a bite, study, chat, etc. Much like the ERC just down the way, Amer's can get kinda loud for this reason.  But that shouldn't completely deter you from checking it out. As long as you don't need a super-quiet place to work, this is a good bet for a quick, affordable lunch.

There are some really substantial salads here -- the Heidi is a personal fave (tuna salad over greens), a myriad of sandwich options, tea, the good types o' chips, and juice drinks.  The staff is generally nice. 

So yes, great place for a speedy, often healthy lunch.  Not a favorite place to work because of the noise.  The other minus on the place-to-work-front is that though the wifi is free, it seems pretty slow and in-and-out at times.
3 - Athena K.: Although Amer's deli items are slightly overpriced, and the tables are often filled with annoyingly chatty undergrads, I have found this to be a great spot to sit and study for hours. I usually get the chicken salad (hunks of freshly roasted chicken delicately seasoned with mayo, a smige of onion and crisp celery). 

The wi-fi here is great! The seats and tables are not so comfortable.

The bathroom is usually filthy (yech!) and the tables could often do with seeing an occassional wipe-down. 

But, I do love the pay-by-weight frozen yougurt with toppings. I layer fresh berries (rasberry, strawberry, blueberry, boysenberry) in my bowl first and then top with a healthy dose of tart berry frozen yogurt. YUM!

I love the fact that I can sit here for hours and eat in courses: Some hunks of freshly-baked bread with real butter, then a while later my chicken salad, then an hour or two later so frozen yogurt. Can you get any better than that?  Really?  Can you?
5 - Lily P.: "Everything bagel with Scallion cream cheese toasted to go" or 
"Spinach avocado salad with pumpernickle bread and hummus dressing on the side"
Thats me...every day...not kidding. The chef or guy who makes everything here is super nice and everyone else who works here is friendly. Service is super fast :)
YUMM i like how you know what is going into your food and its not as processed as panera or etc. The prices are normally 2-3 levels for the sandwiches based on how much meat you want. For vegitarians they have a decent selection of food. Soups are also here and they make their own assortment of potato salads, pastas, and food you can weigh and eat. The place is like a cheaper version of zingermanns not as good but affordable being less then 1/2 the price. The salads are HUGE and they really found ingredients that go well together for the sandwiches!!! 
Sometimes they run outta the bagels which is sad. =( then once I see the huge amt of cream cheese slathered onto the one i ordered..it doesn't even matter what kind bagel I ordered since i just inhaled a tub of cream cheese.
Those are my 2 choices that I basically go with...outta the probably 70 different sandiwches and etc..Ive def tried a lot of the other food..turkey sandwiches are great..make sure u specify how much meat you want or they default u to the re size (obviously) or the one on church street. 
The smoothies are made out of real fruit and mango or pineapple base, they have HG ice cream here...slushy drinks, coffee (pretty good...I like their hazelnut or french vanilla..not as burnt or acid as espresso royale. Desserts they have bakery food, specialty bars, cheesecakes, reg cake, tiramisu, etc. Candy bars (a few), chips and other drinks.
Breakfast they serve until 11am and their egg sandwich is GREAT!!!!
They have the frozen yogurt which they rotate flavors and have plenty of toppics if you want mochi, candy bar toppings, fruit etc.
Free internet, outlets are around in the bar or randomly on the walls. You can sit in booths, chairs, high stools, or etc. You can study here for a long time and the lighting is pretty good.

Yea so..I live here and at the church street one (where I never do work but just walk in and out since the internet these days hasn't been as good and you need to resort to stealing the koraen resturant -ucafe- next doors...and then when gchat doesn't load I get pissed).
5 - Mike R.: Amers Deli on State Street is an incredible place for a Sandwich. The ingredients are always fresh and great quality. When you order a large size be ready to eat it's big and affordable unlike some other well know delicatessens in Ann Arbor. Price for a large is around $10 including pickle.enjoy the frozen yogurts and Also the Windy City Red Hot just like you would get in Chicago.
3 - Min H.: Good selection of food (deli, sandwiches, soups, and salads) at a convenient location for a break from class or place to study. I haven't had the food much but the frozen yogurt and cakes are tasty as well as wonderful to look at. The only downsides are the tables (can be a bit wobbly and sticky) and the lack of outlets if you are there and your laptop has a sad battery life.
3 - mike w.: The sandwiches are pretty good. Get one with the purple slaw on it, def makes for a tasty addition. Mango smoothies are bomb. I don't really care for the one on South U, but this one is A-OK!
4 - Eddie S.: A friend and I spent a week working on the University of Michigan campus and were told by some locals to check out Amer's for great sandwiches. The sandwiches were awesome but what I really liked about the place was the staff. 

They were incredibly friendly and after our first visit they knew us by name. They also made great recommendations on some of the menu items. My favorites in particular were the turkey reuben and the midwest club. Also their falafel is perfect, probably the best I've ever had.

The only thing I didn't like was the pickles. I told the staff this was my only objection and they politely accepted my criticism. I will give them credit because they make the pickles themselves, and I respect that.

To Michael and the waitress from Madagascar (sorry I don't remember your name) thanks for making our stay in Ann Arbor the absolute best!
3 - Ellen L.: The prosciutto was dry and overdone, but my lox bagel was very filling and decent.  The tea was weak, but the lemonade was good.  So your experience will depend on what you order. good luck
2 - Sebastian L.: Oh god, the belly rumble. My wife and I each ate a falafel sandwich with tabbouleh on the side. It tasted very good when I ate it, but it turned out to be one of those enjoy-now-regret-later things.

I've gone back a few timessince  to eat, get coffee, and study, and I think the two star "meh" rating sums it up. The sandwiches are pricey, which is understandable considering the location, but they're not particularly good. The coffee is fine, nothing to write home about. People looking for genuinely tart frozen yogurt will do better to go to the bubble tea place at the end of South University. Amer's bascally limps by because it has okay food and drink, not very outrageous prices, and a great location.

The seating and atmosphere are okay for an hour or so but not cozy or even particularly comfortable. When I want to stay at a place for long, I'll choose either Espresso Royale next door or Starbucks because they have no internet.
1 - C L.: Felt great on the way down, not so great on its way up. Thanks Amer's, after eating your pastrami sandwich I got violently ill. Maybe the Russian dressing had gone bad... maybe it was that oddly colored pickle. There are tons of sandwich options from thick cuts of oily meat (pastrami / corned beef) to falafel, chicken, tuna and some vegetarian choices. There are also a bunch of salad and dessert options. The portion sizes are good and the pastrami tasted yummy. I had really wanted this to become a go-to spot. What a shame.
2 - Ann A.: Meh. The ingredients are fresh, the service is fast, and it's a nice easy place to meet with a group, but given the prices (read: the fact that you can get a sandwich from Zingerman's for a dollar or two more), I'm not particularly impressed. 

Anyone who thinks this is "healthy" is deluding themselves. Get a sandwich with any kind of condiment, and it will be absolutely slathered and bathed in said condiment. Case in point - Lox-o-Luck Bagel; good, fresh salmon, decent, soft bagel, and pretty much an entire container of cream cheese. Sandwiches with any kind of meat are dripping in grease. I leave this place with that feeling you get from McDonalds where everything smells like bacon and you feel like you've taken a grease sauna.
3 - Ryan B.: Food is average, the variety of options is above average and the atmosphere is cozy. What draws me into Amer's is their presence/contributions to the A2 community.  I wouldn't mind going back, but not one of my favorites.
1 - Megan G.: Over priced, but that is expected for coffee shop drinks, however I do expect to get what I pay for, which was not an almost warm latte that was so overly sweet I had to throw it out.  Avoid!
2 - Julie C.: Normally, I would have given Amer's 3 or 4 stars, but my last experience here was not good. I split a pesto chicken sandwich with a friend. My half of the sandwich ended up including a hair (a different color from my own) and piece of plastic. :/

Also, I once order some chili cheese fries here. The guy working put them in the microwave and then sat down to eat his lunch. After several minutes I had to ask him about the fries because he ended up forgetting about them! However, he did apologize for his absent-mindedness. 

The frozen yogurt and french fries are good, but based on my last real meal here, I wouldn't recommend getting any sandwiches.
4 - Justin D.: Amer's is my favorite sandwich shop in Ann Arbor. They have a wide variety of sandwich choices, and each one comes with a generous portion of deli meat. 

The place has a coffee shop ambiance, which is great if you want to go there to get some work done over lunch.
4 - Jee D.: For old times sake I had to get my jam back in my dairy-free days: a small soy almond steamer, which is steamed soy milk with a shot of almond flavoring.  The line to order was long (not much has changed there) but the smell of the steamer brought back some good old college memories.  I'm glad to see that they added some froyo machines up front - changing with the times, always a good thing.
3 - Munaf A.: The food is so-so. TOO MUCH VARIETY! The froyo is good, though.
4 - Adam M.: Perfect when you're in the mood for a jewish deli that isn't in fact jewish (learned that on my last trip, surprisingly).

I order custom sandwich's and they always turn out excellent.  Get the Super Size and you won't have to eat later.
3 - Micah L.: Great sandwiches, and a lot of variety. It's a little too pricey for what you get sometimes, but the service is great.
2 - Bob M.: I do not mean to be unkind in this review. The people who took our order were kind and pleasant. And I had not been to Amer's for a number of years. I remember liking items in their deli case. Middle Eastern and Mediterranean fare mostly.

Yet this review, and the two stars, comes down to one bottom line: the Reuben.

I am currently on a hunt for the best Reuben in Ann Arbor. I have had most of the Reubens on offer from Zingerman's. I have had a truly horrible one from Ahmo's. I had a surprisingly good one from the Fleetwood. 

Still, the search continues. 

I will not render final judgement till every last vote has been tallied.

But...to stretch the election metaphor...Amer's Reuben, while better than Ahmo's, has had to make an early exit from the primaries. Some candidates lack money or public support. Amer's Reuben lacks flavor.

The person I was with refused (rightly) to finish hers. She said it had about as much flavor as cardboard.

...Maybe I have spoiled her with too many visits to Zingerman's? Either way. She's right.

Amer's seemed to have a lot of folks coming in for frozen yogurt. Who knows? Maybe THAT'S good? Meanwhile, the race for best Reuben must go on. 

Sadly, Amer's is an early dropout.
2 - Fadi F.: The last time I was at Amer's was back in the late 90's, with this visit I found the service was rude, no greetings no thank you, just take your money. When the sandwiches came they were good but not what it used to be and falls short from local competition despite being one of the more expensive joints... the place looks lacking of any leadership or care, the tables are dirty, the seats are ripped and walls are stained. That is unfortunate considering the restaurant was a major player in the downtown scene.
4 - Jessica Y.: This place is consistently good.

Nice salads, nice sandwiches, nice frozen yogurt.  Is the food as good as it is at Zingerman's?  No, but the prices aren't as expensive, either.

If you come in here, you're not looking for a fancy sit-down dinner... you just want a sandwich before you see a movie, or some froyo on a hot day.  And for that, Amer's is wonderful.  You can even sit outside or in a booth.

What's *not* as good here?  The desserts--often dry.  The hotdogs--okay, just nowhere near as good as Wiseguys.
4 - Adam D.: Most people in Ann Arbor say that the best deli sandwiches come from Zingermann's.  Those people may be right - but Amer's is a close second, with a much lower price point.  Amer's has a HUGE selection of sandwiches, giant portions, lots of sides to choose from, and reasonable prices.  You might pay $9-$11 for a sandwich, but you're getting at least two meals if you have a normal appetite.  The atmosphere is very casual and inviting.  It's as easy to study there quietly as it is to have a chatty meal with friends.  Next time you want to go to Zingermann's, try this place and spend the money you saved on a night out.
5 - Ben D.: This place is fantastic.  I always make sure to go back whenever I visit Ann Arbor.  The setting is relaxed and comfortable, while the sandwiches are huge.  And with over 80 different sandwiches available, plus frozen yoghurt by the ounce (one of my favorite kinds of food ever), I'm always satisfied no matter what my mood.  

Being right on State Street is a wonderful location as well.
4 - Jessica K.: For years I only went here for coffee and cake, even before I moved to the area.. but when I had a lecture nearby I started buying their sandwiches. Holy crap, I've been converted. Not the cheapest, but so worth it. The smoked salmon is really good. I think the bread tends to be a little dry for my taste, though, but you can get around that by ordering your sandwich as a wrap. Tea lattes are better than espresso royale, but you pay more for the quality, so it's up to you.
2 - Hope D.: I wish I could rate Amer's better but unfortunately the last couple times I randomly stopped in I was bowled over by how bad the service is. I'm not talking about the sit-down service where the waiters come to you but the deli and take-out service. It's appalling. I don't want to spend my money somewhere where people aren't even treating you like a guest but instead seem to ignore you, forget why you're there or treat you like a number. 
I totally get that this is a university town and now that the students are back campus businesses are booming- but even on nights when things are relatively low-key I felt extraordinarily unimportant and NOT a valued customer.
I love the food at Amer's, don't get me wrong, but the people behind the counter are really not together with the way they operate and dont have quality service
skills down by any means.
The first time this season I went in I waited for close to 15 minutes or more for the kitchen to put together my simple salad with greens and turkey- not including the ring-up time. At one point the guy who took my order asked if I was "finding everything alright" as I waited near the cash register with enough space between me and the few customers being helped. He thought I was just standing there browsing and wanting to buy something when I was just waiting for my take out order? Hey, remember me? I ordered a salad from you guys, like, an hour ago?
On top of that- this larger salad was over 7 bucks. Not really the best a student can do. Yikes! $$$
The next time was a little over a week later- some of the same people were working but there some new faces behind the counter too. I came back because I wanted to give them another shot and thought that maybe it was just a bad day for them or circumstances were off or whatever... And- their food is good!
Anyway, bad idea. They proved me right ony hunch this time too. The black guy serving me was totally mute and not very friendly :( I mean he served me- but without any words at all and no enthusiasm or friendliness. Also, this left me feeling confused about how long I should wait for my order to go to the cash register or if I should wait in line or what. It was just awkward. No help in the 'friendly service department' at all.
When I did get rung up my soup was tipped over in the bag and I had to go back to the counter to interrupt the taciturn kitchen help to give me a new bag. There's nothing like reluctant staff to make you feel like you're interrupting them or making an odd request.
I learned that sometimes, the quality of food doesn't trump excellent service. Not going back any time soon. There are cads of amazing restaurants and cares to waste my time at Amer's on state st. again. Boooo
4 - Marjo G.: Falafel ranch on pita is great! Friendly staff but at times a bit slow.
4 - Kat D.: My husband and I came in to Amer's craving hot dogs and chili cheese fries and Amer's did not disappoint! The chicago style hot dogs with the famous neon green relish (just what we were craving!) were filling and hit the spot. The chilli cheese fries came in a basket of hot cheese with an amazing chili! I was very impressed.

For dessert I had frozen vanilla yogurt with crushed cookies, chocolate chip cookie dough, chocolate chips, chocolate sauce, and caramel sauce. Absolutely delicious. I love the cookie dough!

Overall, very relaxed atmosphere. Great service and great food.
4 - Lindsey S.: Great for a quick grab n go breakfast if you do choose. They are very accomodating, i call ahead for some scrambled egg whites and they give them to me hot and fresh, and cheap. Its great way to start my day off easy!

Pretty good coffee too!

America's Best Inns and Suites - Urbana, IL (40.1164662, -88.2120811) ()
1 - dave w.: Previously called Travelodge.  Same address and phone number.
1 - C S.: Found a cockroach in the bathroom.  Interesting white stains all over the hotel.
2 - erik a.: If you like the accommodations of a hourly motel for the price of a regular one, this is your place! Cigarette burns, lamps missing light bulbs, and  no Kleenex in your room are only the beginning! The walls are thinner than a college apartment, and the shower's exterior was sprinkled with hair from previous guests.

America's Best Value Inn & Suites - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.286462, -120.665545) ()
4 - Will A.: At a nice spot off 101 and 1, this place is your standard roadside motel.  It is a great value, and I got there right at the perfect time as it was a torrential downpour.

The bathroom was a bit cold, but the room was very comfortable and had a mini fridge, too.

My only beefs were that  the continental breakfast was basically non-existent, and there is no one around to really ask about breakfast or checkout.  There was a little mug for you to put your room key in to check out.
3 - Nancy A.: We considered it for the competitive rate and location.  Close to farmers market and easy 101 access. Room had everything for a quick stay comfortable bed, T.V. microwave, mini fridge, but was in definitely in  need of an upgrade. The paint was chipping in many places. Our side window did not open, the blinds and carpet needed to be replaced and the lobby had a very unpleasant smell.  All in all, this is a decent hotel offering the basics for a nights stay... a good deal for the price.
1 - Kirby H.: would like to express my dissatisfaction in the ABVI location in San Luis Obispo. My family stayed there last night, and it was a horrible experience.

I will start from the beginning. As we are driving through Santa Barbara towards San Luis Obispo (SLO), we realize that we had not yet made a hotel reservation for our Saturday night stay. We call around, and ultimately end up talking to ABVI, We have a newborn baby, so we needed a room with 2 queen beds, as my wife sleeps with the baby on the bed. We called your SLO location, and the desk clerk who answered the phone had a very heavy middle eastern accent making him very hard to understand. We made the reservation, although, the room cost us $190 for what we got, which was completely ridiculous. 

As we got closer to the destination, neither my wife nor I could recall the name of our motel, so we call the motel again. I was not able to understand the clerk when he said "America's Best Value Inn..." So I nicely asked him to repeat it, and he wouldn't. This went on for 30 seconds or so, and the very rude man would not repeat it. Not very professional. I was not being demeaning or mocking him. He had a very thick accent!

We finally make it to the motel, and my wife goes into the lobby to pay. I look down and see that you guys are offering a AAA member discount. I immediately grab my AAA card and run in to see if we can still get a discounted rate. The rude clerk seems bothered and says "No, I will not go any lower, I am already giving you a good deal." I leave scratching my head wondering why the sign would even be posted if you would not honor members.

We check into room 104, thinking for nearly $200 per night, we would be staying at a close to four star hotel, we are in for a rude awakening. This hotel is a joke. The parking layout is a mess. We get to our room and we have paint peeling off the walls, a nasty stench, dents in the walls, holes in the bathroom walls, headboards didn't line up properly with beds, etc. This room made Motel 6 look like the Taj Mahal.

My wife and I sigh, drop our bags, and get ready to go meet up with some friends. After the night out, we got back to the room at 9 or so. This motel is in a sketchy neighborhood, and we had to rush into the room as there were many bums around. Being an august in southern california, we expected the room to be hot upon arrival, as it was. We immediately reached to turn on the AC, only to find out that it was broken. Please keep in mind at this point, we have a very tempermental newborn baby. We were exhausted, so we put on our pajamas and prepared for bed. We spent the next 2 hours staring at the ceiling because the room was so hot, we were actually laying in bed sweating, with no blankets on. Our son did not fall asleep until midnight and threw off his sleep pattern, which effectively ruined the whole trip. 

This was just a ridiculously horrible experience. I have stayed at many ABVI's in socal area, and all have been very good - UNTIL NOW. I hope to hear from you. I am going to post this on Yelp.com until I do.
1 - Jaspreet S.: The beds are horrible.  The mattresses are a joke.  Iagree with review above about the bathrooms. They end before they begin. There was a spider on the on the counter when we walked in the room. The sink was cracked.  There was NO breakfast to speak of. Just OJ and coffee. Pathetic overall. I would not recommend. TVs in the room are from 1980s. Fridge in the room is more like a toy.
1 - Juliet T.: Didn't even stay here - only dealt with them through a booking with Hotels.com and it was a nightmare.  Literally had the reservation booked for 5 minutes then found a better deal/hotel and called back to cancel only to hear, "Sorry, past the cancellation deadline."  Huh?  No one told me about that, even after I asked for the phone number if I need to cancel.  AND within 5 minutes my payment had went through on my card - which they never told me about either!!  I thought it just to hold the room.  So after multiple calls to Hotels.com and America's Best Value Inn they both told me the same thing:  You have to get the other guy to cancel it.  Are you kidding me????  So when I screamed, "misrepresentation, fraud, lawsuit, internet flood of your creepy business - guess what?  Refund.  But not from the hotel.  From Hotels.com.  NEVER AGAIN!!!!!
1 - J J.: I can hardly bring myself to give this place one star.  *sad face here*.  What an extreme disappointment.  A dump in a dumpy part of town.  Agree w/ so many of the other comments, wish I had looked more before we booked.  
Room = "1980's" and not been upgraded (or cleaned?) since. 
Bathroom = walls covered in dried brown mildew, cracked bathtub & tiling, crappy window w/ no screen, parking lot below. 
Towels = Small,  thin & scratchy.
Beds = barely acceptable.  I could hardly sleep knowing the condition of the rest of the place, the beds must be FULL of every germ & god knows what imaginable.  Yuck.
Carpets = filthy, worn, circa 1980's or 70's.
"Complimentary Breakfast" = joke.  Nothing available except flakes in a huge dispenser, and waffles to cook on a gross griddle that everyone else's germy hands are touching.  No fruit.  Nothing but dried thin bagels, again to put in a dirty toaster, I think not. 
Price = We're members of the ABVI "value card" club and are supposed to get a free upgrade (i.e. queen room for double price), which this owner would not / did not honor.  He said the "discount" we got on the 2-queen room was "it".
Lobby = stinky combo of curry, B.O., and stale air.   Pee-yew.
Owner/manager = Unpersonable, took every muscle in his body to even offer a partial half-smile.  Never even said "thank you".   And he was also a combo of bad smells.

Bare bones, barely tolerable for one night.  SO sorry we booked this place.  I should have splurged just a little more and gotten a MUCH better place somewhere else - - so sorry I booked this for the hubby's birthday, I felt SO bad!!!
I doubt this business cares about these reviews or their customers or they'd change something...anything!
DO NOT STAY here if you are shopping around!!!
1 - Michael H.: I stayed here last year. It was cheap, and I was leaving early, so I can't comment much on the breakfast, although it didn't look promising. Even after a year, I can still smell the pervasive smell of turmeric, not just near the office where the owners live, but all through the building. Next time, I am spending a few bucks more.
2 - Melissa R.: We booked a visit to this hotel using a hotel deal site. We picked a hotel with a 2 star rating, but a 4 star customer satisfaction rating. We had two adults and two children (ages 3 and 5). When we checked in and went up to our room there was only one queen size bed. They charged us $20 for a fold out bed and then changed us to another room with two queen size beds for $20 more per night. So our hotel super secret deal of $46/ night ended up costing us $66 per night.  At $46 per night (mid week in winter) I wasn't expecting much, but for $66 per night we could have stayed at a nicer place.

As for the actual room: the room itself was fine, just what I'd expect for a two star hotel.

Cons: 
Blankets on both beds had tears and holes
The towel rack was falling off the wall
Three of the five bath towels we had during our trip were stained and one hand towel had a long black hair stuck to it. 
The bathroom walls and door were disgusting. They needed to be scrubbed down and repainted.

Long story short: this hotel was passable, but I doubt we will ever stay here again. 

And the office staff told me that if you book on a travel site you should call them to make sure they are reserving what you want.
1 - Robert H.: Why oh, why didn't I consult Yelp before booking a room at this miserable excuse for lodging? I relied on a hotel booking web site that offered a reasonably positive set of "customer reviews" for this place. That booking site is used by my firm, and I will provide feedback to them as well. More evidence that the customer comments on hotel booking sites are either filtered or self serving vanity reviews. The place has a 1 Diamond rating from AAA, but I doubt that that will survive AAA's next inspection. I may help that along by contacting AAA myself. I did provide comments to America's Best Inns corporate web site, but I am guessing they already know and either don't care or have no motivation to call the operator to task.

The room was dirty: rug had dirty footprints, accumulation of dirt behind night stand discovered when I went to plug in a power adaptor, article of baby clothing (a sock) on floor and dirty men's underwear briefs left on closet floor.

The bathroom was tiny. I have been in RV and airplane bathrooms that are bigger. That doesn't matter that much to me, but just to let you know.

It was very warm on the day/night of my stay and I had to turn on the air conditioner. I had to run the noisy thing on high all night and it was barely cool in the room.

Desk clerk was discourteous to the point of being surly. When you don't get a greeting in reply to your own, you know you're dealing with someone who just doesn't care. Seemed like it was an imposition for her to check me in. I offered her my AAA card to get the reduced  rate. It was $2 less than the original rate, but she was irritated in honoring the rate change. Her broken English didn't help. I had to ask her to repeat things a few times, and she was visibly perturbed. 

I tried to check out and get "continental breakfast" at 6:15 AM, but office was closed and locked. But from what I could see of what would be offered, I probably didn't miss much.

Not a pleasant experience.There are quite a few alternatives in that immediate vicinity as well as elsewhere in SLO. Stay somewhere else.
2 - Dave T.: This is basically exactly what you'd expect for cheap motel by the side of the main freeway in town, by which I mean paper-thin walls so you hear all the other guests clomping around, a terrible mattress with rough sheets, bathroom faucet almost falling off the sink, and a toilet that sometimes would catch and keep permanently flushing. But you get what you pay for.
1 - Craig F.: I hate this place.

I am not truly one who cares much about the hotel, as I tend not to spend much time there anyway, with the exception of sleep.  That's all I ask--a good night's sleep.  But I was over-stepping my boundaries, I guess.  I am not exaggerating when I say that America's Best--let that sink in for a moment--America's Best offered the worst sleeping experience I have ever had.  The bed was so uncomfortable.  To simply shift my body--a manuever I did constantly--the bed sounded like I was rolling around in a diaper of bubble-wrap.  The unsupportive bed mattress was so loud.

Look...you may be searching for the best price in SLO.  Well, this will be the lowest you will find.  Fair warning: you get what you pay for.

American Apparel - Berkeley, CA (37.8684533, -122.2590945) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
4 - Michael K.: What can I say? I love this store! If only... I was wealthy and could support such a lavish lifestyle. All the clothes are of and feel like great material, which is why the price is so outlandish. I only wish they had a sale section, which none of the American Apparel locations do. Clean, organized, and stylish, I can honestly say I really do adore this store. One day when I can afford it I'll be purchasing from this store often. I also really appreciated how friendly and helpful the employees were because in a place where the price tags hurt your eyes, you're going to need cooperative people around.
5 - Tracy A.: Where do I begin? I love their leggings, scarves, and fleece capes. My husband loves their sweatshirts. They are very helpful in the store. I usually shop online so I have access to all of their wonderful colors. We even have AA sheets on our bed.
1 - Alexis L.: Honestly, this store isn't all that bad. It's like every other American Apparel store that I've been to. Clothes crowd the racks, & racks fill up almost every inch of the floor. The clothes themselves aren't a problem; back in the day I used to wear AA everything! 

My problem has to do with how my concern was handled. I went in to the store last weekend, with an online coupon in hand (spend $25, get $50 in credit). The associates were nice enough, asking if I needed help a few times. I ended up settling on three pairs of pantyhose and a pair of thigh-high socks. AA has had a buy 3 of the same item, get 15% off deal for a while, so I did some mental math & my total should have ended up to be a little over $50. (Pantyhose @ $14 each, with a 15% discount = $11.90 each, + $18 thigh highs = $53.70, pre-tax.) I got rung up, & handed the girl my credit card, without even thinking. To be fair, this part was my fault.

When I got home, I looked at my loot, & checked over the receipt. The cashier had rung me up for $13 and some change. I was puzzled. I checked my math again, & got the same results. So today, I went back into the store, & asked to speak to the manager. The first girl I spoke to told me she would get the manager, but she was busy, so a second girl attempted to solve my problem. She tried to convince me that the receipt was confusing, & that the store had actually only charged me the difference, even though the receipt clearly showed that I payed $13 with my card. She went to get her manager after her associate corrected her.

The manager explained that my discount was applied, but in a different way. She said that I got $25 in credit, as well as 25% off of each of the items. That's cool & all, but that isn't what I paid for. She also told me that the 15% of discount wasn't used, because discounts cannot be combined. Why was I not informed of this by the person who was ringing the sale up? And why couldn't I just get my $50 in credit? By doing this, I was unrightfully charged an extra $10. The manager gave me an unsympathetic "sorry" on my way out.

I am definitely taking my business elsewhere.
2 - Tiffany M.: Honestly, I don't know why this place is even still open. The empolyees are rude as all hell. That whole aloof persona is only acceptable at Urban Outfitters up the street. They should close it down and open an H&M instead.
5 - Gabi B.: Go here all the time! Cutest clothes ever! #FavoriteStore Great customer service also!

American Apparel - Los Angeles, CA (34.061328, -118.445022) (Westwood)
5 - Lily L.: Very friendly! Even after we tried on like a million things!! =)

They have a lot of spandex and funky colors! Although I'm not into that kind of stuff, I really liked their cardigans and convertible dresses! Their totes were super cute too!
1 - Andy K.: Wow,

The customer service here is none existent.  They almost seem like they shouldn't be helping you or something.  And whats up with the girls that work there wearing the ugly spandex crap....it looks horrible.  The pasadena one is a lot better still spandex but better CS,  I guess that one will replace my old AA in pacific beach.
2 - Anthony S.: Being a hipster is tough, I'm sure. You have to look cool in those skinny jeans, probably eat vegan, so constantly starving, and then this guy walks in with a green tie and a receipt.

"I would like to..."
"Uh, all sales are final," she rudely interupts me.

There I am with my tie in my hands and that feeling you got in the lunch line when you realized you didn't have enough money for milk. She goes on to explain that all accessory sales are final. A correction on her part, but no sympathy for my return. The good news is my dignity is still intact. Meanwhile, she is starving and wondering how long she has to wear those ridiculous skinny jeans.
5 - nadia b.: I really like the afternoon staff that works here. They're super friendly. Super helpful. 

Oh. The new line of nail polish is awesome.
4 - Amy L.: I love shopping at American Apparel and the one in westwood is one of my favorites I'm really big on costumer service and this American Apparel is great. They're always greeting me when I first come in and helpful with their merchandise.
1 - Teresa A.: I don't like the staff by any means. They all stare at you as you shop. It's a shame. I love American Apparel - but would rather shop at the Factory or Promenade locations.
5 - Kandy L.: Beautiful clothes, super helpful staff.  Great clothes shopping experience.  When I stepped through the door, I was greeted by two very helpful and knowledgeable sales girls.  They were all over me trying to help, but not in an aggressive way.  I told them what I was looking for and they showed me some beautiful stuff right away. 

After I got what I was looking for, I spent some time looking around the store on my own.  At that point the staff left me alone to do my own shopping.
3 - Kai L.: It's American Apparel my love, so you know what it is.

Fast, sort of cheap, doesn't last long, fades away, annoying and cloyingly desperate in places.

Just like people, sometimes.

The Westwood link in the AA chain is tiny; parking is abysmal on weekdays and a whoretastophe on weekends. Walk, sweetheart --show off those long legs of yours. 

The selection here is less extensive than the Roberston Blvd or Hollywood Blvd locations, but the staff tends to be friendlier.

Yes, they're hipsters, but the friendly, drunk-but-not-drunk-really JD Salinger kind, and not the pretentious "look at my sh!tty painting and listen to the awful, AWFUL song I composed using Garageband on my Macbook" sort.

The store is clean, and the neighborhood is cute; look both ways as you cross the street because the drivers here learned their craft at the Helen Keller Driving Academy.

If you're definitely in the mood to buy the American Apparel duds you saw on the billboard or on the website and you're not from the neighborhood, the Robertson Blvd location is a much better bet, parking and selection wise. This Westwood location seems better suited to foot traffic who just happen to tramp on in, because if you're in a car you'll need luck to find a meter.

Whatever though, right? 

It's American Apparel. Unisex racerback tanktop -- slate gray, $16. Wear once, and throw away. I look better clothesless anway, asdfghjkl... 

-- and thigh high tube socks.

On a guy.

Shuttupers! I look hot.

HOT, I say!

(please don't burst my bubble)
2 - Bridget P.: My advice: try before you buy!

I have a love-hate relationship with American Apparel.

On one hand, they're high-quality, well-made clothes, and in the USA! Part of the reason why I support them, The more form-fitting dresses are cut perfectly for a woman's figure and have an amazing fit. They always make me (and my friends who borrow them) feel like I have a bangin' body even on those days when I think I don't. It's like wearing built-in Spanx. Always a wide variety of styles and colors, for hipsters and non-hipsters alike.

This store is tiny, with not much of the merchandise you see in other stores. Parking is in Westwood Village, therefore it's shit. I always come here during the day and the fitting room is inconveniently located upstairs. No one monitors it, so you have to find a staff member (they're always gathered at the checkout talking, never walking around the store if you need help) to open it for you, and wait till they finish helping whoever they're ringing it up. A little hard to dash in and out on a lunch break.

My worst beef with this store is NO REFUNDS! Come on, what year is this? Is this a swap meet? They only give store credit, even if your clothes are brand new, tags on, receipt, in the bag, etc. Definitely something that will discourage me from shopping there. And you can't use the store credit online. 

Why do you have to sell such well-cut clothes, that are so annoying to buy? Why?
4 - Aubrey S.: I have to revise.

The new batch of staff at this location is much better than in years past. Everyone greeted me, everyone was helpful. When one of the salesgirls went to go look for a bra I wanted, but couldn't find it, she offered other suggestions for similar items and stuff that was on sale. So that was nice.

Kudos.

American Apparel - Providence, RI (41.82251, -71.4115502) (DownCity)
4 - David H.: This is a great store. Lots of staple items like t-shirts, undershirts, etc. It's all made in the US. The company has some rather unsavory sex scandals that have put it in the news lately. If you can get over that, and are interested in buying clothes that are made in USA, it's a good bet. They stock many different sizes for all their clothes. In fact, there are lots of clothes for small people here (seriously: I'm a dude with shirt size of 14 1/2 and I find shirts here every time). I honestly don't know what the previous reviewer was talking about. I'm very hard to fit and I always leave with tons of stuff. In fact, it's literally the only store in Providence where I can find shirts that actually fit me.

So, why not five stars? Well, it's really expensive. Like $20 dollars for the most basic t-shirt...and it goes up from there. The cheapest button down shirt (totally plain) is like $50+ dollars. Next, the return policy sucks. No cash refunds whatsoever. Even if you bought the item ten minutes before. Only store credit. Third, sex scandals/union busting. Seriously, we're being asked to trade in sketchy overseas labor exploitation (but with good prices) for weird porn culture advertising, union busting domestic labor practices, and corporate sex scandals (not to mention high, high prices.)

Aren't there any companies that are just...you know, good?
4 - Hilary H.: I'm gonna give it up for this American Apparel location, cuz I totally dig it! Sure, parking can be nasty, but once you've made it inside, all that matters is the pure awesomeness that abounds. 

Firstly, let's get acquainted with my obsession, The Raceback Tank. The fit, the weight, the feel... it's perfect and I own one in just about every color. It's true. Then, we can get to the item they call the 'tap short' - perhaps they're a bit dorky looking, but it's roomy enough for the junk in my trunk and softer than a rose petal, so I wear them. Often. 

But enough about the clothes, this is a review about the STORE. The clerks are always super-friendly, the layout is pretty organized, and the store itself is bright and roomy. You can peruse at leisure, or run around like a mad hen grabbing one of everything and the staff will politely smile at you while you do your thing. Then, they'll tell you about the awesome promotions going on as you check out, so you have either the option to decline, or go grab more stuff. Totes up to you.

All in all, love it.
4 - Christina V.: They closed :( very sadden by this, does anyone know what happen?

American Apparel - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2793986, -83.7417932) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
3 - albert s.: If you've ever been to an American Apparel store then you already know exactly what to expect.  I do think this store uses it's space well though and also does a good job with the displays.  Staff is pretty helpful considering you are in American Apparel.  Not like some other stores where all the staff does is change outfits and prance around.  

Watch out coming here on UM home game weekends.  It's as if every high school/college girl that's been dragged to the game conditioned her attendance on a trip to the American Apparel.
4 - Kathryn L.: This store was my first experience with an American Apparel. I have to say I was quite pleased. Though some of the ensembles are a bit eccentric, I think the eccentricity comes from the way the pieces are paired together - not the pieces individually. Most of their clothes are bold solid colors, which is nice because you can accessorize them to dress them up or dress them down. 

Location of the store is great (close to campus). 

Prices are a little steep, but I guess part of what you're paying for is the made-in-the-USA concept. 

I'm a little torn on quality. The pieces I've bought have lasted a long time. I think I own two skirts, four tops, and a dress from here. But when we were in the fitting room, playing fashion show, a friend of mine tried on a pink shirt, then came out of the fitting room and hugged me. The pink from the shirt actually came off onto my white purse. So I would recommend washing the clothes a few times before you wear them, even though the company lies and says they're pre-washed pre-shrunk. If you've already washed it, then why is the dye running?

American Apparel - Austin, TX (30.286868, -97.742004) (The Drag, University of Texas, West Campus)
4 - Mandy C.: Call me a hipster to the worst degree, but I frikkin love American Apparel. I watched the damn storefront like a hawk until the day it opened (even though it was initially covered with a giant pic of a girl with her asscheeks  busting out of a thong bodysuit, which kinda made me grimace.)

Yes, the adds are a bit oversexed, but holy crap, try on the tri-blend v-neck tee just one time and you'll be hooked. AA makes soft, comfy stuff that generally has a cool, youthful (read: body-hugging in a good way) fit. May I recommend the leggings, track jacket, and baby rib tank top? Of course, they also make some bizzaro stuff, like the myriad one-piece rompers, and the whole gold lame collection. But hey, if I ever need to get a costume together for a late-70s nostalgia skating party, I know where to look.

This campus location is smaller and more cramped than the South Congress spot, but they managed to stuff a lot of crap in there. The employees are helpful, and they finally put locks on the dressing room doors! Only thing I gotta say is HOO BOY does the music blow. It's usually some kind of dated metal-droney music that makes you feel like you're in a Thrasher magazine, always turned up to 11 so the melange jersey dresses are nearly vibrating on the racks.

One fun thing to do at AA stores is check out the employees and figure out how much girls' clothes the guys are wearing. Oh sure, the skintight green acid wash jeans are "unisex" ... but it's still a laugh.
2 - Jessica C.: I'm annoyed. Annoyed with American Apparel. Pffft.

I do not like stores that sell crappy made products. I'd rather spend good money knowing that something isn't going to fade or fall apart after one wear. I thought that American Apparel was rather decent, I go there for random tank tops and tube dresses and usually do not have a problem.

 I bought this super cute blue tank top, got home, ready to look spunky, and it had a gash along the seam. I drag my heels to the west campus location where I bought the sonofagun, hoping to just get another and get on with life. The sales clerks there are the most aloof hipster posers, talking on the phone, ignoring the fact that I'm standing (and smiling) for some customer attention. He looks at me, rolls his eyes, sighs and stays on the phone while asking what I need.

I show the shirt, they see the defect, I give the receipt. But no, Jess will not be getting her exchange today....why?....because she was a num nut and took the tag off before putting it on. He says to me that he can't resell it now, which is ridiculous that he would even mention this since it has a freaking tear in it. Claims that I could have done it, or worn it out and washed it....all this annoying nonsense. I leave with the yearning to say "you suck", but bite my tongue and walk away.

Who knows, maybe it's because I had 1 hour of sleep that I'm extra sensitive about customer service...but if something is obviously flawed by the maker, and the customer justs wants to exchange it for the exact same thing that should never ever be an issue.

I think I'm going to keep this tank top and get some glue on letters that say AMERICAN APPAREL IS CRAP

:) the end.
3 - Christina M.: One of my (many) fashion vices involves American Apparel summer tees. Okay, and their tri-blend v-necks. My heart will always belong to AA because they stock down to a size XXS which is, for someone barely cracking five feet, a godsend.

I like to check out what the employees are wearing whenever I stop by. It's an endless source of amusement.

Senior year I bought some silver lame leggings and bra (think Las Vegas on a collision course with the cocaine-fueled 80s) for a photoshoot and returned them immediately after. I couldn't keep a straight face if I attempted to legitimately wear them in public. So I exchanged them for some v-necks and a sweet grandpa-style cardigan. Which were completely at the opposite end of the spectrum from that garish lame getup.

This was not lost on the perplexed cashier, but she helped me out anyway. The quality isn't always the best, the clothes usually shrink at least one size and some of it's overpriced, but as an addict of v-neck tees, AA is my favorite dealer.
2 - Sydney T.: I like some of their clothes, but the weirdness of that store is just appalling. Gold lame tights? Do people actually wear this crap? Watching their salespeople is really fun though. So young. So misguided.

I just wait until I can find some of their stuff at Buffalo Exchange. I can't, in good conscience, spend $28 on a tee shirt.
2 - Koley P.: Cheap junk, including dresses made of t-shirt material that are guaranteed to make any woman wearing one look dumpy and unattractive.

Plus, I think they drug and sexually abuse the models.
3 - L L.: This store's okay.  I'm not a huge fan of most of their clothes, but I do love their skirts.  Comfy, well-made, and all of mine have lasted for years.   

The problem with this specific store is that part of why I love American Apparel's skirts is that they come in so many colors.  But this store only has the boring stuff.  Black, white, gray, brown.  Maybe some navy.  I thought the whole appeal of the brand was the crazy array of colors - bright greens, reds, yellows, etc.  That's how the stores were in other cities I've been to, so I was surprised when the one on Guadalupe was so oddly restrained.

Anyway, in light of the limited palette, I'd suggest going into the store to try stuff on for size (runs small!) and then ordering in cool colors from their web site.  Also, I'm really surprised that people have had problems with their stuff falling apart.  My guy and I have both bought lots of stuff from them over the years, and the only problem I ever had was with a pair of skivvies that promptly shredded.  Returned them for another pair and haven't had any problems since.
2 - Jessica M.: i think this was the final store that convinced me to stay off the drag. i know all american apparels are super-hipster-crap-piles but i thought (hoped) they might put a fun spin on the store and hire friendlier staff to cater to austin, like most national chains have learned they need to do in order to succeed here. seriously, you know it's true. 

anyway AA didn't do so. this is the worst hipster crap pile i have seen yet. i guess they're catering to the college kids... but i'd like to believe that even college kids don't want to be treated as crappy as they'll treat you here. i think i was in there for 15 minutes before 1 of the 3 girls working finally said hello, and that was because i was checking out. i didn't want to buy anything but i needed some dayummm socks ok?! 

one redeeming quality -- apparently everything is US made and sweatshop free so that makes me happy-ish..mostly i just dont like to end on a sour note.
4 - Carolyn V.: The Good:
  :: they location...it's great for college students (a huge part of their demographic) and people that live in hyde park or near campus
  :: they have awesome basics for both men and women
  :: sweatshirts are comfy, cozy and come in tons of fun colors
  :: tshirts vary from v-necks to crew necks to organic cotton to blends. they also come in a huge variety of colors
  :: fun socks galore!!!
  :: fun ties that can be worn by guys or gals
  :: lots of unisex options
  :: fun trendy accessories like watches, scarves, gloves and more
  :: wacky women's tops, skirts, and bottoms
  :: great men's shirts that are the button ups
  :: great men's polo shirts that are more interesting than the typical polo variety
  :: clothes are made here in the USA in los angeles
  :: clothes don't shrink much if at all. love that about their stuff!

The Bad:
  :: hard to find parking. however it's hard to find parking for ANY stores on the drag
  :: service can be super friendly or super indifferent/too-cool-for-school

The Ugly:
  :: purple glitter tights? really? 
  :: gold lamme tights? really?
  :: their ads make me feel like i'm a rapist or voyeur

Would I go back? Most definitely. I don't care if the place is overrun by hipsters galore. It's got a great set of offerings and it's my go-to place for all my comfy basics. 

This place is IN.

American Apparel - Philadelphia, PA (39.9533559, -75.1963692) (University City)
4 - Colin C.: If I'm looking for a tee with a specific color, I always head to American Apparel. Yeah. They are pricey. But they are anti-sweatshop. But they are plagued with rumors about their production and their advertising. OK.
So their ads are a little sexual with a hint of misogyny (by fetishizing/objectifying particular parts of the female body... it only magnifies a problematic aspect of our society).

I still like the clean, simple, crisp designs that they offer, and I think they are awesome for re-inventing kitsch as retro and classic.

In terms of location, I prefer the university city location because it feels more open... I tend to feel suffocated in the Walnut street location, which is constricted by blank walls.  the uc location has great big windows that allow natural light in, so that you might actually get a realistic sense of how your outfit will appear instead of in a flourescent box.
3 - Andrew W.: I love their products. But seriously, why am I totally not cool enough to shop here. i dropped my brother off at UPenn. Yes, he is smarter than Andrew W. Anyway, thought I'd go in and get the massively low cut V neck shirt. What happens? I go to purchase it and the girl behind the counter doesn't look up once. Cot damn! She had nice eyes too. A cool blue. But no, I can't even get a stare down. I hate you all!
4 - Sara C.: I know.  I know.  It's scenester-approved.  It's overpriced.  But honestly, I can't get enough of it.  Cute, solid color, and versatile styles that can so easily be mixed and matched. 

I much prefer the UPenn location to the Center City locale - the staff isn't quite as cooler-than-thou, and the layout of the store is a hell of a lot more spacious.
4 - amanda d.: A lot more stock and a much nicer staff at this location (compared to the Center City store). These v-necks still fit the best of any t-shirts I've had, so I'll keep coming, but some of the styles are just not boob friendly and end up looking kind of obscene...actually, that's probably intentional.
4 - Felicia D.: The tall windows at this AA let in some quality natural light that makes the shopping experience more pleasant than the walled-in cubicle AA in Center City. 

The selection also seems larger, with more colors and sizes in the girls' clothes I was perusing.  The staffers who helped me get a dressing room and ring up my selections were also sweet and friendly, with no whiff of attitude.

I work in a uber-casual office and tend bar at night, and most of what I wear is American Apparel.  It's not dead cheap, but it's all US-made, so there's no sweatshop guilt, and it is easy to machine wash and dry.

Tips:  Everything is going to shrink, unless it's 100% poly.  Even the tri-blend tee shirts shrink up to one size.  Size up, or commit to never hot washing or drying your t-shirt or leggings.  Things especially shrink shorter.

Scope the opposite gender racks.  Boys, tights work well under jeans in the dead of winter, and girls, take a look at those sexy button-ups!
2 - Hank C.: Pretty much a cheap women's clothing store with the provocative ads that make men leer a bit.

Not that much different from any other AA, the colors really stand out. Makes for cheap clubbing clothing that you can ruin, a la H&M, just on campus.
1 - Grace G.: This is not to rate AA in regards to fashion, but as a business - this location is the PITS. Like just-went-to-the-gym-and-rolled-around-in-dirt PITS. Ok, that might be confusing...the store doesn't smell, but the service was ridiculous! I walk in at noon on a sunny Sunday afternoon to do a little browsing/buying and I am literally the only customer in there and not one of the 3 employees says hi. The friendliest person in that damn store was the security guard! 

After I had a large heap of clothes, I walk over the employees who are just standing in front of the computers and still no response. 

ME:       "Where are the fitting rooms?" 
GIRL:    "Right there" (pointing) ......(finally looks up and says very 
              snoot-ily) "do you NEED one?"
ME:       (....no i just wanna stand here with this armful of clothes and 
             wanted to know where it was, just cuz....idiot)

Man, it was like pulling teeth. I had a pair of pants I really wanted to get, but after debating, I put it down. I just can't purchase from unfriendly retail workers. I know customer service isn't always easy but COME ON. Im in a bad mood just thinking about that experience again.

I ended up making my way over to Urban afterwards and regardless of if you like the style there, I was happily greeted and helped multiple times! Thx Urban. No thx dummy AA.
4 - Dana B.: The first time I visited American Apparel, it was the location in Center City at 16th and Walnut near its competitor, Urban Outfitters.  My gut impression was, "Wow, what weird stuff...who wears this anymore?"  However, if you dig deep enough, you can find some wearable pieces--for me, basic solid colored t-shirts that feel like you're walking around in your favorite broken-in bedsheets are a must.  I haven't bought anything from American Apparel yet, but the University City location seemed to be a bit more spacious and have a bigger selection.  And they sell Sharpies in every color of the rainbow...out of place yet you never know when you might need to buy one...or two...or three.
4 - Erin M.: If you Google "footless tights", American Apparel should be the first result. I can't imagine any other store carrying nicer, more comfortable tights. The pair I purchased cost $36, which seems pricey for tights, but you're paying for the secret plush lining. 

Since the University City location opened a few years back, I've had ambivalent feelings about American Apparel. On the positive side, the clothing is made in L.A. in a sweatshop-free environment. On the negative, the advertising is so inappropriate that I have to hide my copy of Philadelphia Weekly from relatives when they visit.

I decided to ignore the icky feeling I had about the ads, because I really wanted footless tights. I found a pair here, in the M/L size because tights should always be purchased in a size up to allow for adequate breathing.  My shopping experience was good. I found tights immediately upon entering the store. I swung to the back of the store, where they hide the shiny swimsuits. I then quickly walked to the front of the store to purchase the tights because I didn't want to get caught looking at indecent things on my lunchbreak. The clerk was nice, rung me up quickly, and explained that the tights were non-returnable. Good idea, that. I don't want to wear someone else's tights.

American Apparel - Seattle, WA (47.661132, -122.313464) (University District)
3 - Kimberley D.: Mixed feelings. I don't see a person who's 5'8 and 140 pounds and reasonably healthy as being a size XL (though I'm admittedly biased ;)  I know that's normal junior's sizing, many boutiques don't even carry a size that large, etc... but it still frustrates me that my larger friends can't shop here. I know a place that bases its ads on sex appeal and has a CEO who travels out to stores to make sure that the employees are attractive enough probably doesn't want BBWs shopping there, but still.  

They don't seem to last any longer than sweatshop-filled clothes. My AA clothes seem to get holes pretty easily, the thread comes out, etc. The underwear don't fit me right and ride up my butt, and $38 is pretty expensive for a v-neck shirt.

On the other hand, they do make it easy to get dressed in the morning. The elastic waist skirts match with everything and can become dressy or be casual with sneakers. The tube knee socks with stripes are cute. 

To summarize: Can't make up my mind. Sweatshops suck, it's cool that they sell organic cotton... I just wish there was a place doing similar things for similar prices in an easily accessible location that was less slimy.
1 - kayta b.: What I don't get about this stupid company is that it sells crappy merchandice - two items I bought once fell apart within a few weeks - and NOT cheap. Their whole schtick is that they are "socially aware" - "sweatshop free" and "anti-exploitation.' But you walk in that place and it's covered with billboard-sized images of females that look like you just climbed off them and left $50 bucks on the nightstand. Why not advertise with women looking hot because they're intelligent, capable and proud, if you claim to be so socially progressive? I mean, dang!
1 - Maria C.: Mary Kay Letourneau creepy, being an adult and walking into this store. Yeah, it's the mama in me, but the pictures look like sex kitten versions of my 15 year old daughter and no way in hell am I going to subscribe to the sex sells message here, even if the garments are made in the good old U. S. of A. for a fair wage - although I still bet that "fair" wage is actually minimum wage. Besides, the clothing itself seems run of the mill t-shirts and things you can get anywhere, or even learn to sew for yourself, and even if some poor woman or kid in some Third World county is getting pennies a day, which is a tragedy, at least they aren't completely starving to death, while in the meantime, there are stores that pay fair prices to people just like them for their work and merchandise and the hope is that they will find those places and the demand for them will grow. Ok, enough ranting, sorry, it's just that crotch shots of teenagers makes me mad.
4 - Krissi P.: There need to be more places like American Apparel. I think it's really great that they're doing what they can to stamp out sweat shops and exporting labor. Yes, you pay more for a plain t-shirt/sweatshirt/skirt/underwear, but if it's something you believe in, you do it. If not, I'm sure there's a Wal-Mart ready and waiting for your business. I think being conscientious of how your consumer choices impact the world is an important thing, because like it or not, we're consumers. You can limit your consumption and be aware of what you're consuming and where it comes from, but we're still consuming nonetheless. 

I'm not so into the 70's porn star advertising style, or the fact that you can buy gold lame hot pants - sweat shop free or not, that's just fugly.
4 - Karen A.: Styles are limited, but distinctive. What impressed me was the salesperson. I asked for advice, she sized me up, and then marched to a rack and handled me a beatiful V-neck shirt to try on. I tried on several other shirts, but the one that really looked great on me...was her pick.
4 - Betsey S.: I love that their basic stuff like leggings and tees come in so many colors!  I want to sum the place up by saying everything is really simple, but they have metallic tights, Union suits, all kinds of little dresses, and dog clothes too, so 'simple' isnt really right.  

Considering that it's all made in the U.S. of freakin' A., it's really reasonably priced.  Except if you're buying tube socks, those you could probably get cheaper at Wal-Mart.  But that would require going to Wal-Mart, and those tube socks are probably made in Sri Lanka.
1 - Rachel S.: Go away, American Apparel. 

Or paint over your windows.

You can have a small side entrance with, at eye level, a little sliding window for furtive customers to whisper a password through. For people should not be able to approach these goods without speaking their shame, nor you be permitted to spread your blight across the landscape.

May your posters curl.

May your mannequins topple.

May your shipment explode in flames upon the highway.

Go away.
3 - Laura P.: I hate their ads.  But I'm conflicted.  Without those ads I would have never known about their thigh-high tights.  These are awesome.  I can get through the winter without having to skip wearing a dress or a skirt because it is too frakkin' cold. I can even get by without my knee-high boots with these on.  Damn them for converting me.
4 - Linda L.: This place was introduced to me by my sister a few year's ago.  Since then I have passed the intro on to several of my friends.

Despite the other reviews on this page (to each their own) I'm really happy to have a place like American Apparel to shop at.  

They specialize in cotton fashions in every cut imaginable.  The plethora of colors allows you to wear your favorite piece over and over, looking different all of the time.  I still wear the very first items I purchased there.  They hold up to my obsessive washing.  The clothes are great for layering.

The staff there have never been anything, but extremely friendly and helpful.  I was surprised when they offered to check other stores for me when the items I was looking for weren't available.  They will actually call you back when they say they will.

The only displeasure I have with the clothes here are when I show up to find my friends wearing the same thing.
4 - randi s.: I love this place for pieces I wear almost every day, and are pretty durable. Some of their clothes stretch out and pill but it's to be expected for clothes that are abused by me.  

Everything I have picked out from here has been comfortable and complimented on. I love their basic hoodies, their leggings, and their dresses (especially the T shirt dress and the baby rib bubble dress)

Definitely go to the store to try the stuff on first though...everything fits differently here based  on how you are built. 

In addition Ive never had an issue with their customer service. They usually always check in the back if a size is missing, if its out of stock they've always called other stores for me or given me a free shipping when you order online coupon. Their return policy is a bit crappy though. I think its exchange only.
2 - Me H.: I walked in looking for something specific, a gift for a friend, not something for me.  Three people are at the register talking about how hungry and hung over they are and how they need to go get food now or they might die.  I look around aimlessly having no clue where to look next.  I wonder around some more, they keep talking about a party last night, still hungry, a lost purse, but get this no one wanted to assist me, so I walked out and went on my way.
4 - Stephani K.: I give them four stars mainly because I am pretty much in love with their leggings, hoodies, dresses, and skirts. The plethora of colors, combined with the perfect fit, makes any outfit stellar. The only drawback is that some of the clothing does fall apart easily. The staff all look a bit anorexic. They've been nice to me everytime I've been in...It's also uber-pricey stuff. but the hoodies are worth every penny.
1 - Jen L.: The place was empty when I walked in and the one employee there glared at me.  Nice.

I spent about two minutes walking through the store and looking at the ugly, unimaginative and over-priced items then left.

Not impressed.  China does it better for less.


Update:
I was just told that there is a downstairs to this place. I did see the stairs but when I looked down it was dark so I assumed it was storage. My bad. Maybe the glaring girl could have said something instead of glaring.
4 - Danika M.: I am always embarassed to go in here.  It is ghastly, but their spandexy dresses fit so well.  And I love me some gold stretch pants...  The thigh-high black athletic socks are a staple for me (I have 4 pairs), and I like their bikinis too.  But it's so embarassing to go into a place this gaudy.  I suggest wearing a disguise.
4 - Katherine T.: Ok, I have to admit that I have friends that work here, so maybe it's a tad bit biased!  Whenever I personally go in, I always at least get a "hello" or "hey! how are you?".

The cotton, ankle length leggings are amazing.  I have probably 10 pairs in various dark shades and they last me forever!  The only downside is that the color fades over time, which is natural for any cotton clothing.  I also like their cartigans, unitards (for wearing underneath sheer dresses not alone!) and tanktops.

I have noticed alot of the dresses are veryyyyyy narrow in the midsection so I have to go up a couple sizes, and also the swimsuits are a little revealing.  

I hate the capitol hill store, but the university one is awesome!
4 - Leaf W.: love the cloths, love the way they pay well..NOW.

love my new versatile new orange dress!
3 - Camille K.: American Apparel wants to be a slutty, smutty store.  It's really just an updated version of Units, with men's clothes added into the mix.  I skipped the body hugging purple dress that ties in many, many ways (Too many tortillas, Camille!) for a purple boy beater and a lilac scoop neck tank.  They are great for layering.
3 - Kathleen M.: Here is what I like about American Apparel. Clothes are casual, comfortable, and colorful and they are not made in an overseas sweatshop. Here is what I don't like about it. Prices are over the top for the simplicity of their garments and the stretchy pants and dresses could only look good on a Barbie doll. I was in the U District location the other day and after walking around for 10 minutes, I realized that I hadn't seen or heard anything from a customer service rep. But then, out of nowhere, I heard, "Are you finding everything ok." Lo and behold it was a sales rep and her timing was perfect b/c I was indeed not finding what I was looking for and she helped me out. So that was cool. I'll stop in again for a scarf and a v-neck shirt, but I don't look like Barbie, so I will probably be passing on the dresses and stretchy pants.
5 - Nick W.: Love going with me and the girls, we find the best cute shirts.  The customer service was amazing and even though they were short handed the girl who helped me was amazing.  Thanks for everything yours truley Nicole in Seattle
1 - Bill E.: I'm not bashing on the clothes as much as I am the horrible, annoying, tragic fucking lighting at the store downtown. Good lord, who did that, Stevie Wonder? It SUCKS!
1 - S A.: I'm not a fan of American Apparel.  I think its great that their clothes are American made, but the quality is really poor.  The items that I bought here have NOT held up well at all.  When I tried to return a defective item that I ordered online, the online manager was rude and difficult about it, (and you can't return online stuff to the store!).  Clothing is poor quality and kind of pricey for what it is, returns are difficult, I wouldn't shop here if you can avoid it.  Also, AA should re- think their ads.  I really wanted to like this store, but it just wasn't happening.
2 - Geraldine D.: I have trouble shopping at a store where the customers, the staff, the ad campaign, even the clothes have an air of superiority. I've read articles about the head of AA, and he's detestable. I've heard he's a lecherous lout and has several outstanding sexual harassment suits against him. 

The employees are all a little "We're too hip to talk to you, help you out, or look for the size you need (and OMG you're a size Medium? Gross.)" The clothes are over-priced, too, for what you get.

Still, it's non-sweatshop produced, made-in-America stuff, which you've got to support. And some of the sweatshirts are pretty darn cute.
2 - Brittany Y.: Great clothes, horrible customer service. 

The second you walk into the store there's at least one staff member staring you down. Obviously your only welcome to shop in an overprised store if you have a stick up your ass and a finger down your throat. It's rare that you walk into the store and have someone that can at least "fake nice", and greet you.
2 - Cathy G.: The clothes are lovely, touch me and look at me clothes. Full colors which can blend and mix and match.

The staff is rude, cold and impervious to the fact that customers might be there to look at things, to buy things to ask questions.  

Maybe this is the 'new' customer service style - look thin and over-made up and refuse to acknowledge customers. I don't bother going in any more.
2 - Sasha S.: I like because I bought leg warmers.

I don't like because, as I've seen from everyone else's comments, they really push women into a sexual toy light.

I like because they have an array of tights, from shiny silver to plain black.

I don't like because they are way expensive. I never really see a ton of sales, and I can't afford the product.

I don't like because the staff is usually very rude, catty and ignorant of the surrounding customers.

Maybe one day they will just sort of ... silently disappear and never be heard of again.. because with their customer service that's how I feel whenever I enter and leave.
3 - Michelle A.: I love exactly 2 of their sweatshirts.  Season after season, I buy them in new colors and wear them until threadbare.

That said, the stores and employees usually make me want to gag.  The prevalent hipper-than-though, "I make minimum wage and somehow still dress like I'm rich, which makes me cooler than you" attitude just reeks.  If americanapparel.com worked better I'd just shop online instead of dealing with the bored and judgmental-seeming employees again and again.
2 - Ashley P.: Why is it necessary to have a mannequin in lingerie sitting spread eagle in the front window? Classy, American Apparel.  Classy.
1 - Leni D.: These people are unbelievable! They actually ask you to **surrender your handbag** in order to try clothes on.

Yes, that is what you've read.

I was browsing the store last Saturday, picking some t-shirts to try on (in the masculine section, of course. Even the XL size is skin tight on the women's section, and - gasp! - I actually prefer wearing *comfortable* t-shirts [what a novel idea!].) I picked 3, and went around the store, "hunting" for an employee to let me use the fitting room (there was no one anywhere near to help.)

When I finally found a clerk, she demanded that I hand my handbag over to her, in order to be allowed in the fitting room. First I thought I had misunderstood; after all, it's somewhat common for stores (especially low-cost and very low-class ones) to hold bags behind a counter to prevent shoplifting. But those are shopping bags, large backpacks, things like that - in my entire life I was never asked to surrender my actual purse. But it was no misunderstanding - I looked at my empty hands, and my handbag was all I was carrying. I asked is this is what she meant, and she confirmed it. I shook my head in disbelief and tried to talk sense with the clerk, stating the obvious: that my ID was in there, my credit cards, my cash, my personal belongings, and there as no way that I was going to hand it to her. "Then I'm sorry, but I can't let you try the clothes" was the answer. I handed the t-shirts over to her and said something on the effect of "Then you can put these back; I am never coming back here, this is ridiculous."

I walked out of the store, flabbergasted, wondering if they were really that unreasonable, or if there was something wrong with my appearance, something that would make them want to kick me out. Well, I had taken a shower that day, and my clothes were pretty casual but by no means I looked homeless or dangerous. But just in case, I felt too low to continue shopping and went home. If THAT'S how you want to feel, go to American Apparel.
2 - Meredith S.: This place always gives me the creeps. This whole company gives me the creeps. I own a few things from this store, but I feel pretty gross about it. Clothing here is very expensive, which they say is because it's produced in the US, but I also hear that they are union busters, so that almost cancels out any reasonable excuse for having prices that high. The designs don't live up to the hype, either... I would not recommend shopping here unless you perfectly match one of the models in their catalog.
5 - Rachel P.: Decent layout and great selection! Perfect location!

Claire was super helpful!!! She was knowledgeable about the clothing and what worked pieces well together. As a sales person myself, I appreciate the fact that she knew her merchandise yet gave me space to look on my own and not feel pressured!
1 - Dane K.: I went in to do a simple exchange for a defective tshirt - the bottom hem was all ripped up - and though I had my receipt, I did not have the shirt tag.  Fair enough.  I was prepared to accept that consequence, when one of the salespeople told the woman who was working with me

"Oh, just print her up a new one; it's clearly defective."

The woman who was working with me sneered at me and then said she suspected I'd damaged the shirt and that she was not inclined to help me without the shirt tag.  That insulted me.

I went home, rifled through my trash can, found the tag, and plan to return with it, just to give her a hard time.  I would've accepted her reasoning had she not basically accused me of sabotage.  Way to go, UDist AA.
3 - Jeff S.: I guess this review is for the location as well as the American Apparel brand itself. The service and culture seem to be the same from store to store. 

Okay, I'm definitely (a bit) older than the target demographic of this place. Frankly, their ads with scantily clad 18 yr old LA hipster models make me feel like a bit of a perv when I shop here. But hey, I've got disposable income so please show some courtesy. The few times I've shopped here I had to ask the super cool hipster employees to help me (most retailers, especially in these economic conditions usually ask the customer first!). Whatever, I can get over that. But I do love their short and long sleeve t-shirts. Well priced, good quality and last forever.
1 - Anna I.: Calling American Apparel creepy is like saying that hipsters are irritating. Thanks for the update, Captain Obvious. And, quite frankly, if you aren't a fan of either creeps or hipsters you will want to stay far away from this store. From the moment I walked in, the blindingly bright lights and oversized posters of absurdly skinny cokehead-looking models put me ill at-ease. The sales staff looked alternately bored and contemptuous of me. And good luck trying to find one to grab you another size. You're on your own there. 

Which brings me to the actual garments. American Apparel proudly announces that it's made in America. Which is great, don't get me wrong. I am all for keeping as many jobs as possible in the US. But the workmanship is shoddy. The clothes are flimsy and rip at the first possible opportunity. They somehow manage to shrink and stretch at the same time, completely losing any shape they might have had. 

And if you're attempting to find some basics, give up now. American Apparel's idea of a "basic" is a tank thong (Yes, really. It's basically leotard combined with a thong. Even the models don't look good wearing them.) Another exciting product offered is the mesh dress (the model pictured isn't wearing anything underneath. One has to wonder what the heck kind of occasion such a dress would be worn to. The AVN Awards?) 

Upside, they do have a wide variety of colors of each garment, so if you find something you like, chances are you're going to find at least two or three colors you like for each garment.
1 - jefflin b.: I went in to this store today, something I have done 3+ times in the last month to buy baby clothes. I really like the baby clothes they sell. Unfortunatly I will not be back to buy anything else there. Not only did they follow me around the store but one girl in particular followed and whispered to what ever coworker would listen to keep and eye on me and my 6month old son. I have really never felt so uncomfortable in my life in a store!! I will still buy baby clothes from this company but I will not go back to this store again.
4 - Asli O.: The news says the owner is creepy; a French Canadian and nephew of Moshe Safdie, who feels he has a right to womens bodies without their consent. But then they also say he employs struggling immigrant women in L.A. & gives them free clothes, food and bonuses. The goods are made by hand, too.

I disgust myself that I love their cotton skirts, hair accessories & stockings so much. But they are so comfortable & perfect for all seasons.

Their t-shirts always shrink. Some of their prices are laughable. And much of the stuff is meant for 12-year-old boys and/or hipster pimps. I still can't tell. 

The staff thinks everyone is stealing from the store.

American Apparel - New York, NY (40.8039069, -73.9670289) (Manhattan Valley)
3 - Allison C.: I swear, I never feel cool enough when I shop here. I feel like I'm the nerdy kid trying to talk to the popular kids. The only time I seem to come here, by coincidence, is right after work. I'm wearing my usually stuffy work clothes and look like death warmed over. The staff, on the other hand, looks fresh and their jeans are always perfectly tight. I secretly hope they aren't judging me when I am walking around in my Ann Taylor Loft dress and cardigan, both wrinkled from a day's worth of wear and walking.

Per usual, I'm sure this is all just a paranoid delusion. Haaa.

I like to pop in here because...really thinking about it, there aren't any major clothing stores in my neighborhood! I've got to go down to the mid-80s if I want to find stuff that appeals to me. The selection in here is quite good. Lots of relatively good priced basic items. I can always stock up on t-shirts and way - too - short shorts in here. I can also stock up on thigh-high socks that I don't need but desperately want...and always cave into buying. *sigh* I tend to get lost in Fantasy Land when I come across their leggings rack, entranced by all things shiny, sparkly, and rubbery. I have always given this chain kudos for it's unique takes on such simple clothing items. I still couldn't wear half of it if I tried, but it's fun to pretend! 

And yes, I should mention that the sales staff, in all of their perfectly - dressed and fresh glory, ARE quite friendly. Indeed! All friendly joking aside, I have had no qualms with customer service here. You can always find someone on the floor and they are more than helpful. They are always very good at reminding me which items I've purchased can't be returned. Good to know. ;-)
2 - Jess L.: Walk in. Walk out.
Expensive. Crowded. Bland. 
Nice staff, but I don't find the products or displays inspiring.
3 - Alessa M.: I'm with Jess L. on this one It's always been a walk in walk out for me. The staff is incredible nice though so thats a winner for me. Also after 3 it's like a magnet for the younger crowd.
2 - Imir L.: American Apparel has cornered the market on providing the American consumer with the most expensive bland clothing we've ever seen. They're like the Seinfeld of retail and for some reason it's working. I applaud them. It's like the pet rock..and mind you the inventor of that concept is filthy rich. 

I just love the ad that says sweaters and panties. What man in his right mind doesn't want to come home and find his uber hot girlfriend or wife in sweaters and panties....hmmmm...based on what American Apparel offers they may corner the market next on uber expensive naked clothing. 

Stay tuned.
3 - Kate P.: I guess this could be one of those reviews where I say "An American Apparel is an American Apparel"  and that is the truth.  
The staff at this store is friendly and helpful which doesn't usually happen at this chain so. 
Am I a fan of american Apparel? Not really, but their tshirts are comfy, their hoodies I enjoy, and this is where I buy my leggings. So now that we got that over with I'll just say, "An American Apparel is an American Apparel.....is an American Apparel"
3 - Yuna D.: I hate American Apparel. Their clothes are so cheaply made compared to how much they charge for them. 

However, that aside, I like this location the most. Staff is pretty friendly, and they have like every single freaking size imaginable, which is awesome, because American Apparels normally ONLY have a size S (or at least that's been my experience.)

Otherwise, I just come here for hoodies. Overpriced hoodies. Ugh.

American Apparel - Cambridge, MA (42.3740846, -71.121445) (Harvard Square)
5 - Beth M.: Guess I'm the first to review the newish Cambridge location, replacing Hartnett's on Brattle Street.  It's pretty much the same as the Newbury Street location, only with a different layout.  Same awesome fitting clothes, same skinny hipster be-legginged employees.  

I love that walking into AA, you would have no clue what season it was-- they always have bikinis, winter hats, shorts, sweatpants, scarves, you name it.  It's great if you're going on vacation somewhere warm during the winter-- you can always stop by and pick up something skimpy.  Excellent underwear, too, and great shirts for silk-screening.  A lot of people won't shop here because they don't like the founder and his philosophy...and yeah, he's kind of a perv, but he makes some sexy-fine clothing.
3 - Mags L.: i like short-shorts and i cannot lie.  

nothing much more to say.  location is good.  prices are what they are.  salespeople polite enough.

the touch, the feel of cotton (in every color of the rainbow), the fabric of our lives.
1 - Susan D.: I don't understand how this store continues to be popular. It sells cotton apparel made to be don at the gym. Am I the only one who can picture the sales people in some lame 80's movie minus the big teased up hair?

And what is with the layering? It is becoming out of control bumps and tightness that is so unbecoming for those with a little belly pooch. I am so confused as to how they remain open. Walking down the street, I could not imagine pointing out someone's outfit saying, "oh, there goes an AA style aficionado!"
4 - Tristan B.: Alright, lemme get this straight here right now: If you need this site to convince you to wear AA or not, you're in the wrong place.

But anyways, here's a checklist for you to follow if you should shop there or not:

1) You know how big you are and are not offended by real sizing.
2) You have own, have owned, or are/have dated someone who owns checkerboard slip-on Vans.
3) You can't name more than 10 active professional ball sport (basketball, baseball, football, etc) players.
4) You are a sexual deviant who thinks thigh high socks are hot (and don't mind the owner's (In Dov We Trust) sexual deviancy).
5) You have disposable income.
6) You frequently are referred to a "hipster" (with or without the term "shithead" attached, but bonus points if it is).
7) You wear briefs.
8) You are a meta post socialist capitalist.
9) You regularly read Vice Magazine.
10) Looking like you fell out of the late 70's early 80's in a way without having to deal with thrift store burdening and thrift store fit is appealing to you.

Since all of these apply to me, I go there way too often, but I've been kind of slowing down recently due to the fact that I already have a ton items and the stock really doesn't change, so much as expand slowly.

The various staff always seems to like me, but hey, I fit the checklist to a perfect fit.
4 - Nicole P.: Perfect place for plain old shirts, hoodies, shorts, socks and underwear without graphics!  They also have some cute things like boy tighty whiteys for chicks (hot) and old school tube socks.

I'll be honest, I don't care where my clothes are made, and although I am always up to support local business, in the end I just want some clothes that look good and are confortable. If that earns my ticket to hell so be it.

I just bought a new, soft, graphic free, hoodie here for $38 which is about the same as anywhere and I'm snuggled in it right now in my over air conditioned office, happy as a bee.

The boy who rung me up was also soooo adorable- we exhanged gay winks as as he rung me up- at least I think that's what we did, lol.
4 - Lesley D.: I didn't buy anything when I went in here, but I loved it. It was a really hot day and the store felt like there wasn't any air conditioning, so unfortunately my browsing was cut a bit short, but it's just what I'd want in a wardrobe- simple separates in solid colors or stripes (wow, alliteration much?) and reasonable prices. I've seen American Apparel online, so I was excited to go inside an actual outlet. The music and atmosphere were very chic and it had a great college aged vibe to it that I really liked. I hope to go again when it's not so hot so I can try on a hoodie without having heat stroke!
4 - Jessica B.: Oh American Apparel, I love your employees and their discounts. Become a friend of an AA employee and get the comfiest clothes for cheap forever. Of course, it might be hard to befriend one. And it hasn't happened for me here, yet.

This store, though, has hands-down the friendliest employees. Now, they are still not *that* friendly or helpful, but comparatively they are customer service wizards.

If only the sizing made sense and more stock was available! Never, never buy AA clothing online. You might find out you look like a tart in the small romper, but are overwhelmed in the small deep V T-shirt.
2 - Quinn E.: This store makes me feel like I need to take a very, very long shower and start up therapy again. It also gives me a headache, all those fluorescent lights are going to give someone a seizure one of these days. I'm giving it 2 stars because the manties are cute. I mean, everyone knows American Apparel is for anorexic hipsters who wear yeast-infection tight pants, so it's kind of a given that those kids work there and aren't very enthused to help you find the perfect unitard. But give them a break, they haven't eaten in weeks, they're tired.

You gotta read the Onion's article on them though. http://www.theonion.com/content/news/14_american_apparel_models_freed
3 - Bridget B.: Ok first off I have a hate-on for them for replacing Hartnett's. While I'm not huge into naturopathy or anything, I liked having the option to go in there and pick up some probiotics or lip balm or whatever. I'm not sold on homeopathy or naturopathy, but I thought it was great that there was a store with a staff that seemed invested with which whom I could discuss natural remedies that were potentially a waste of money.

Now I can spend that potential waste of money on a plain t-shirt. I honestly don't get the appeal of American Apparel. I love getting their stuff when other artists have done cool screen printings on them (I like to shop on Etsy) but in general I really rarely need a $20+ T-shirt. Maybe it's a sign that I'm getting older, or maybe it's because I'm not as hip as I think.

Their sizes piss me off too. I'm a small in some shirts, a medium in others, sometimes a large in tanktops, sometimes not..if this were a department store where one was dealing with different designers it would be one thing, but it all comes from the same place!

All that said, sometimes you need a nice plain cotton shirt, and they do have them, in an array of colors ranging from neutral to neon. They do one thing, and they do it well and I can't begrudge them that.

 I dunno. I grew up in the eighties, I didn't love them then, I don't love them now (and that seems to be their aesthetic) , and their print ads used to sketch me out big time (and before y'all call me prude go check out some of the other places I've reviewed!)
1 - Emily M.: ugh.  I'm sickened by aa.
many years ago I used to buy their stuff.
then, they replaced a small business in the almost heart of harvard square.

let's hear it for another corporate company making our city less unique, less independent and less individualized.
3 - Trish F.: I don't subscribe to their catalog.. because it does look like a dirty magazine. Or the back pages of The Dig. But.. I do like their clothes from time to time. 

The last few times I went, I was looking for simple pieces. In one instance I was looking for some light friendly plain shirts for a show I was in. In another instance I was just looking for a plain skirt to wear to work. Every time, I've walked out with what I had had in mind. Success if  you ask me. It's my response to Gap. 

The prices are a little above what I'd like, but the pieces I've purchased have been perfect for my needs. It's kind of sad when you go shopping all day and can't find a simple t-shirt without some sort of beading, sequins, or huge graphic on it. I'm not about the bling from head to toe. 

The store is laid out in an easily accessible manner. Good for people like me who don't always like rifling through sales racks. Some of the stuff they carry (metallic bikinis?) make me laugh. The workers are kind  of just hanging out all the time. They do maintain the store nicely, but you're more likely to get a head nod than help finding an item. 

Meh.. it's not my favorite store.. but at least I know what to expect when I go in.
4 - Damon I.: Sure, their ad models look like heroin addicted, razor burned seventies pron stars.  Sure, sex addled sleeze Dov Charney (CEO) holds "no pants" meetings and gets BJs during magazine interviews.  Sure, a plain Tshirt costs well more than it should.

BUT. . 

American Apparel is a greenish, vertically integrated company with solid labor practices that uses some of the most comfortable cotton materials I've ever worn.  Their range of clothing sizes cover the small to the tall so that even I can find something colorful in disco-chic, shrink wrap size.  60% of the time, I find something I love all the time.

Stay away from the glam/avant garde 80's stuff if your body type differs from AA's waifish models - Watch: http://tinyurl.com/2jswku
3 - Erica S.: I have a wierd relationship with American Apparel. It's kind of a hate-to-love, love-to-hate sort of thing. Sure, I pop in from time to time and buy something, but the experience is always a little frustrating, mostly due to the fit of the clothes and the hipper-than-thou vibe. But then again, I can't actually hate a company who is successfully rivalling companies selling only sweatshop-made apparel at similar or higher prices. My general impressions are:

Employees-- Hot, skinny hipster fashionistas that want you to know that they are much cooler than you.

Clothes-- Vibrant colors and cute basic designs, but everything feels doll-sized. So tiny that my medium-sized ass is lucky to squeeze into a Large. 

Background music-- It's angsty, whiny, and emotional. So underground. So indie rock. I'm distracted while I'm there, but miss it when I'm gone.

Models-- Naked. Pre-pubescent. And all I can think about is how they probably banged the pervy AA CEO (you've heard the rumors, right?).

Business model-- Made in America. Living wages. Comfy, basic clothes. Me likey.

So, I think 3 stars fairly reflects my internal conflict on the AA debate!
1 - Bevin C.: This place can definitely suck a D.  I remember being pretty excited about American Apparel when it first started popping up, until I bought a bunch of stuff there and realized I look stupid in it.  Stretch jersey jumpsuits are silly, but not cool-silly because you can spot an American Apparel purchase from a mile away.  The first (and last) time i wandered into the Harvard Square location, the sallow dude working there reeeeeeeked of BO, prompting my immediate hightailing.
2 - Amanda L.: I don't get this place.  At all.  They don't offer anything innovating or different.  Tank tops for $20.00???? I can get better quality at Old Navy for a fraction of the price. They have an impressive collection of leggings, but minimum $26.00!?!?! WTF, and most are more than that!!! Holy crap.  Jersey knit dresses/skirts for $40.00.  WHY do people buy this crap??? Go to Target or Old Navy and you can get the same shit for pennies compared to the prices here.

The staff is friendly, but it's like they all call each other up in the morning to discuss what they are going to wear.  They all wear a combination of the same thing.  So skinny jeans that if you move in the wrong way they will explode off of you.  Aforementioned $26.00 tank top and some kind of leather vest over it.  Add a bandana or two, slick your hair so you are a wannabe Emo but are sooooooooo over it, and BAM, you have the staff of American Apparel.

My BF's brother shops here.  He doesn't really know when to stop spending money, so it's appropriate that he wastes it here....
4 - Shawn W.: There are a lot of things that really turn me off about American Apparel - from the borderline pornographic advertisements, to the eccentric (to put it nicely) owner, to the achingly hipster aesthetic of the employees and the store itself.

All of that aside, I'll be damned if every American Apparel garment I own isn't the most comfortable piece of clothing I've ever had the pleasure to wear. Also, being skinny almost to the point of emaciation - their stuff fits really, really well. I'm a huge fan of their t-shirts, zipped sweatshirts, and track jackets (basically the conservative half of the catalog). Not much of a fan of the pants, as most (but not all) of the colors and materials are gaudy as hell (and lame only works in very specific cases).

The prices are slightly expensive - but by no means unaffordable. I think the clothing is definitely worth it. I'd rather pay 15 dollars for a t-shirt that's super comfortable and fits well that I actually want to wear over something cheaper and uncomfortable.

Also, the fact that their clothing doesn't bear a huge logo is very appealing. The fact that it's made here in the States is also great.
5 - Mabel C.: This is where I get all my basics now.  The first time I saw American Apparel was back when I was in college in Philadelphia, and I was put off by the skimpy ads and the plainness of the clothes.  I tried on their clothes for the first time in Boston, and I was surprised to see that the clothes did not appear boring and actually fit me very well.  I also get lots of compliments whenever I wear clothes from American Apparel.
2 - Melissa M.: Overpriced, over-rated and I feel this stuff looks very cheap.  Go to Marshall's or TJ Maxx for this dancewear because that's what they sell, riiight?  Props to the staff who couldn't be bothered to help me shop or pay for my leggings..  And, props to the door that was easy to slam as I left.  Just kidding, I did buy the leggings to wear under my clothes in the cold months.  But, I don't think it's worth the over 20 bux.
2 - Francesca R.: My navy blue hoodie I bought here got a little tear in the pocket after owning it for less than a year.  Lame!

I always thought the clothes at AA had a certain simple grace, and looked well-made.  So I braved the smirking sales people who looked at me like I was a lost little old lady and spent the extra money on my favorite wardrobe staple.  My hoodies from The Gap & similar all fell apart really quickly.  I thought to myself, "Self, why not invest a little more $$ in a hoodie that will last?"  

I will say that since sewing up that hole their have been no more shenanigans with the structural integrity of the garment.  But I'm not inclined to go back, because of 1.) the ads that make me feel dirty for looking at them 2.) the sales people who treat me like a retarded gnome and 3.) prices that don't reflect the quality.
3 - Kiwi H.: Every time I need a more basic piece of clothing, I think 'hey, I'll go to American Apparel! Great!' But then I actually get there, and I'm always disappointed. FIrstly, I prefer the setup of the Newbury St. location over this place - I've found it easier to find. The staff here are a smidge more polite and friendly than the Newbury staff, the ones there can be like cold-hearted zombies. But otherwise, it's pretty much the same - drugged out looking sex-slave attitude people in the ads, and I understand that's one of their angles or whatever but sometimes I just get sick of looking at it. Yay, you like to be obnoxious about the level of sexuality in your ads, but enough already, get some bloody variety sometimes.

Anyway aside from that. They do use some pretty good quality cotton and they supposedly have some good perks for employees and don't use sweatshops, recycle their fabric scraps and use some solar-power where possible in their factories, so thats good. Maybe thats why the prices are higher than average? In any case, it's good that they do those things.

The clothes don't tend to run or fade like other brands would more, and they don't shrink so easily either which I really like. I do think some things are really overpriced for what they are, and more often than not I've really liked a dress or skirt then had to give up on it since it was so body-clinging it made my size 4 body look like fat in a tube, but from time to time I've found some cool simple things in here and they've lasted me a good while. I'm just very careful about what I buy there and it happens more rarely. I love their (non-cling but actually well-fitted) wrap-dress though. The bikinis have no support on top for medium-to-larger-chested girls, I warn you.

Once you've been in an American Apparel you can pretty much get an idea of what they're like. If you like it or need what they have, it's convenient and quality will be decent if you buy the right thing, lets just hope it fits. If you dont like it, well it's pretty obvious what they're like from just setting a foot in there so you can easily walk out. I'll use it for the things that are good for me, but it's a shame that they charge $38 for a pair of gold lame leggings. Especially if I'd only use them once or twice ever... but hey, at least they had 'em!
4 - Annie T.: You can definitely tell the difference between a regular, cheap-o cotton tee and the heavenly soft American Apparel tee. If you have the money, I SAY SPLURGE!

Also, in my humble opinion, there is something about the way their V-neck tee clings just right on a guy. It is yummy, except for when their chest hair pokes out. Seriously, though, all alterna-boys need to have this t-shirt if you're skinny enough. Hot!

AA's definitely getting too ubiquitous though. Hard not to laugh at the employees' hipper-than-thou vibe, when every overweight wannabe hipster is wearing the same purple hoodie.
2 - Chloe B.: Dear AA, 

Seriously, I am baffled by your sizing. 

If there's some secret to it (besides a complete lifestyle overhaul on my part), then plz clue me in, because I'd really like to know why I don't fit in your LARGES when I'm basically a 6/8 everywhere else on known earth except for maybe Greece which is an entirely different can of worms into which we shall not go. 

That said, I like your acid washed Ts, which I can wear. And I'm also a big fan of the slim sack in the generally retarded colors you stock. What I don't like is the incessant HOARD of 15 yrold girls in your Harvard location who look at me like I'm old. I'm not old. Fuck you.  

I think I like you better in NYC, AA. Is that possible? Can we get all Alan Ginsberg about this? America...I've given you all and now I'm nothing...
4 - Sherrie G.: Ugh, I'm so tragically hip. XD

I dunno, you'd think the concept of this store would crash and burn on itself but it holds up surprisingly well. It's like a relatively tasteful late 80's/early 90's revive. The silhouettes are pretty flattering too. I'm a pretty curvy girl and I think I look decent in most of the dresses. I stay away from the one piece body suits and over the top stuff though. lol 

This location is my favorite since their supply is very good and the workers are pretty nice here. One guy was pretty funny when I was trying on the monte carlo shades because I was complaining about how no one makes flip up shades anymore. 

Anyhow, if you're feeling adventurous and happen to be in Harvard Square, check it out for not other reason to see how'd you'd look in gold leggins....
3 - Lauren B.: I have such a hard time finding plain, comfortable t-shirts, and a friend recommended American Apparel to me. The clothing is pricey, but it's really comfortable and it lasts awhile - I'm still wearing a t-shirt I bought three years ago, and there isn't a single hole in it. Some of the stuff is really ridiculous (who needs shiny purple leggings?), but it's great for basics, like t-shirts and hoodies. The staff at this location is a million times friendlier than at the Newbury Street store - they offer to help and answer my questions cheerfully, and I don't feel like they're judging me when I walk in. The selection and layout is better at this location as well. But I only shop here because I like the t-shirts and I know they fit well on me - otherwise I would probably avoid this place.
2 - Hadley D.: Oh American Apparel. You're overpriced. You're seedy. You make me feel fat. Basically, you're that pervy old pseudo-relative who can simultaneously make you feel inadequate AND like you're about to get touched in naughty ways. Not my favorite character.

I have major beef with Dov Charny, with their "living wage" claims, with their sexist ads.

But uh, some of their clothing is pretty cool. I own that high waisted denim skirt and it's great... just made with sin =/
3 - Daniel M.: Three stars because they don't use sweatshops in the creation of their ridiculously overpriced incredibly boring clothing.

No stars for anything else.  

How can you remain solvent when the people you have working for you don't acknowledge anyone in the store?  I *think* the girl strewn across the floor playing on the Macbook worked there but maybe she thought it was a coffee shop since the other "workers" were standing around chatting?  If you're going to try and charge me $75 for a polo you could at least drag your heroin-chic ass over and say hello.  Even if you just mutter it while simultaneously looking off in to the ether and kicking a pebble.  

I get that you're all supposed to look unshowered, too hip to live, and like you've spent all day at some pre-pubescent heroin-fueled orgy, but dial it down a bit you still work in a clothing store.  

Oh and HyperColor is back?  So for only $40 I too can have bright pink or white armpits?  Hooray!  I guess calling it thermochromatic makes it sound scientifical and causes people to forget that they're being charged $40 for a T-shirt.  Hopefully they don't bring back the shorts.  Florescent pink ass cracks are flattering on no one.
2 - Mallor Y.: every single time i go to this store i feel the urge to physically assault at least one person in there. 
i am "over" american apparel. in like, ten ways. 
but. i went there once when in extreme need of a shirt before work and knew exactly what size and cut to get. 
meaning: i know the two shirts that don't make me expose my breasts in their entirety.
2 - Katie F.: I am not reviewing the clothes because I LOVE the clothes.  

I am reviewing the people who work at American Apparel.  I know what the brand stands for, so seeing skinny little boys in pants so tight it makes even their emaciated bodies look fat is really no surprise to me.

Do not expect anyone to help you unless you look equally as hipster as the employees.  Even then, if you're more than 50 pounds also expect to be outright ignored. 

If you want better, go to Newbury.  They're extremely pleasant and helpful down there and they also go out of their way so you don't look like 10 lbs in a 5 lb bag.
2 - Anna W.: I am thoroughly unimpressed.

Ok, so I understand that maybe I am not quite hipster enough to be wearing your clothes, but for the love of Haysoos, you are selling brightly colored see-through cotton T-shirts. Do you really need to charge $20 for them? Does your "hipsterness" exempt you from greeting me or a friendly "hello" when I enter the store? Maybe I am not cool enough to be in your presence, and for that, I apologize. But, here's a friendly bit of advice from someone who has worked in retail for over 10 years: greeting the customer should be the first thing you do. And when you have at least two customers standing in front of the cash register, that probably means at least one of them wants to PURCHASE something, and you should walk your bony ass from the other end of the store, where you are pretending to straighten clothes, up to the cash register to ring up our sale. Yes, that is what I would be telling you if I were your manager.

But, despite the piss-poor customer service, I do shop here because I like the fit of the clothes, though they are overpriced. 

I am still miffed over an incident that occurred a few weeks ago though. I was in there while their credit card machines were "down." The associate took my card and swiped it, but a receipt never printed. She told me, "Sorry, our credit card machines are down. Do you want me to put this on hold for you and you can come back later for it?" I was in a rush, so I said fine. Well, lo and behold, the next day, the charge showed up on my bank statement. I called and complained and asked what to do. As expected, the associate on the phone was a moron. He took down my number and promised me their manager would call me back. He never called (asshole). I finally went in there in person to complain. Again, I was met by more members of the peanut gallery. They did ask for me to bring in my bank statement, which I did the other day. They said they'd have to fax it to corporate, have them issue the refund, etc., and they would call me. Of course, they haven't called  me yet and I still haven't been refunded. Argh. Complete incompetence.
3 - Cleopatra P.: Ugh, I want to like American Apparel sooo badly. Many of the company's practices are quite laudable--especially the fact that they pay their garment makers decent wages and provide benefits when they could easily profit from the sweatshop conditions that typify most Los Angeles garment factories. The company also has a good track record of supporting immigrant rights and integrating environmentally-friendly practices into their business operations (I just found out that among other nifty benefits, they have a bike-lending program for employees). 

The good, however, is seriously marred by the bad. First off all, and perhaps most unforgivably, 90% of the clothing sold at American Apparel is seriously fugly. I understand that anemic hipsters with a misplaced sense of 80's nostalgia need clothing too, but damn, can we get something besides rows and rows of leggings, stonewashed fabric, gold lamé hot pants and skanky, flimsy "convertible" dresses? 

The few "classic" t-shirts styles available actually have the opposite problem of the more avant garde offerings--they can be pretty boring and tend to be either v-necks, crew necks, or scoop necks (I would seriously love to see a good range of cuts in the stores, including options like boatnecks, square and sweetheart necklines). 

I'm also not a fan of the fact that the CEO is a total perv with a tendency to sexually harass young female employees, as well as the creepily sexist ad campaigns that feature underaged-looking girls in various states of nudity in drug den-like surroundings. At the risk of going into humorless feminist mode, these messages of sexism and female objectification that AA's ads and corporate culture convey put a serious damper on their more progressive policies.
1 - Sarah W.: Maybe if the staff actually ate, they wouldn't be so cranky and inflexible during returns...or maybe they're just cold. getting dressed might help too.
3 - Miriam L.: I have such mixed feelings about AA.

I'm gonna have to agree with the reviewers who say that this store/brand/whatever makes them feel fat.  Oh, dear GOD it's true!  I wear maybe a size 10 and can *barely* fit into a size large.  Actually, sometimes a large is too small.  Excuse me?  Women have enough pressure to be thin as it is.  I don't need some brand run by a guy who has a thing for androgynous women telling me I'm fat, too.

At the same time, a few of their dresses are ridiculously hot.  I do love the, um, four that I own.  They're incredibly cute, and can be dressed up or down.  'Course, I think the biggest size they carry in jeans (what is that, like a 33?  I've never worn a 33 in my life!) barely go over my thighs. Yay!  And this is definitely not clothing for women who have, well, womanly bodies.

Ok, and their business practices really confuse me.  I mean, non-sweatshop is fantastic, but a no return policy on *any* clothing is kinda ridiculous.  Besides, non-sweatshop doesn't mean that it's actually fully socially responsible.  A socially responsible company might hire people who wear larger than a size 4.  It might also make clothing above a size 8.

This review has come out sounding kinda negative, and honestly, I like the clothing from here that I do own.  I guess I just sometimes question whether or not the company owner would even want me shopping here, based on the sales help and advertising, and the fact that I don't look like a 12 year old boy.
3 - Sarah S.: American Apparel makes me feel that I'm not cool enough to shop there, every time.  I think that's part of its deal.  The store, the clothes, the rudest, or, not even rude, the most un-acknowledging of its customers' existences clothing store I've ever been to.  Plus you can't return things.  What's the deal with that?

That being said, when I need a cute dress on short notice, AA always comes through for me, so 3 stars it is.
2 - Christopher S.: American Apparel is one of the only clothing stores that I know of that has a big selection of bright colors!  Most of the places I shop like GAP or OLD NAVY have darker colors like navy blues or deep browns.  So it's nice to see a store that have a wide selection of swatches.  

I cannot say that this store if my favorite nor do I believe they offers quality clothing.  If anything this place is over priced and you have to be a male/female supermodel to fit into their clothing properly.  If you're female it is even more intimidating and frustrating.  My girlfriend's arm could barely fit into a pant leg of the woman's pants!  This is not a place to bring your teenage daughter unless you want her leaving feeling bad about herself and developing an eating disorder.  Plus, it doesn't help that some of the models are porn stars.    

The quality of clothing is fair to just okay.  Not the best I've experience, even when I've taken great care of the 3 pieces of clothing I have from this store.  When I bought a track jacket it wasn't long before threads were coming out of every seam and holes appeared in places I over-looked before going to the cashier.  Remember to carefully inspect anything you want to purchase in-store.  

So in short this store is only for the perfectly fit and incredibly thin.  When I say thin I mean pencil thin with a touch of anorexia!
4 - all seeing E.: I am tall and I am thin that being said I can buy clothes here.  I find it hard in many other places to find clothes that don't have labels and logos on them.  The stretch jeans are fantastic.  A bit on the pricey side but...
4 - B.Kiddo K.: I read all the other crap reviews but I thought this store was fine. Everything is plain which is what I like and it had a huge variety of colors. I tried on a few things and they didn't fit weird nor am I a supermodel AT ALL but the shorts are def all booty shorts. I just didn't think it was bad... I kinda liked it b/c it is so plain.
I will add that I went on the website and its like a port/clothing site. I was very surprised and it made me rethink the store. But me likes. I didn't think the prices were outrageous but I'm pretty sure the quality equals that of like old navy or whatever.
5 - Kat S.: This is my favorite AA store in the whole USA.  Its a great location, with a very minimal traffic.  I have never had to wait for a dressing room.

My biggest qualm with these reviews are about the brand.  The brand is plain, jane, and customizable.  Dont like it, dont shop there.

The associates are friendly, helpful, and have shown me how to customize my outfits.  i.e. make their dresses classy vs emo.  They always let me bring my dog, and she's allowed to try on her cotton t's as well.

I'm a ralph lauren addict, and this store really floats my boat.
2 - Stephen G.: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Seriously, American Apparel owner, just give it up. Sell it to the Chinese or something. You've got Marshalls goods at Marcus (comma Neiman...duh) prices. PLUS, whenever I go there, I get some holier-than-thou lecture about immigration or gay marriage or whatever it is THIS week from a purple shirt hung on a rack in front of me. I don't need all this politics garbage when I'm trying to find some fly gear. Oh wait, actually, I just straight-up don't need the lecture at all, because I'm sure as hell not going to find any fly gear here.

(Two stars however for the asses in the window display...rock on!)
5 - sara m.: Yup 5 stars. How can you go wrong with killer basics? Stop looking at the kiddie porn-esque adds and don't let the doughy hipster in the way-too deep v for his body scare you away. The socks feel new forever and the tees are the perfect weight.  Can't wait to go back and score the winter weight leggings.  Its quality gear made by Americans!
2 - Kiki B.: okay, so i like the styles in general, but everything is at least twice what it should be.  plain cotton is great, but it should come with plain cotton prices.  if you don't mind that, though, go right ahead.
4 - Leighann F.: The simple, well-organized, color-coded categorization of American Apparel stores appeal to my inner OCD. The items are logically displayed, you can easily spy what you're looking for and just as easily find your size, because they don't cram the racks so full that you end up knocking off half of the hangers when you're looking.

This American Apparel appeals to me more than other Boston-area locations because of its size (it's compact, yet easy to navigate) and the staff (who seem friendlier than nearly any American Apparel location I've ever been to--except this one location in California. 

Though I share the usual gripe about American Apparel--the price is usually a little more than what I am willing to pay for certain items, I don't mind forking over $14 for a pair of well-made shimmery stir-up tights that will last me through a few seasons. All of their leggings, from light hosiery to winter weight, are worth the money and come in a million different colors.

Beware of the leathery looking ones, though. They just don't flatter anybody.
4 - Sarah S.: Ok, American Apparel. Your clothes, I love them! 

The leggings are amazing. They keep their shape, they come in a variety of colors, the fabric is soft and super high-quality, and they're long enough even for my legs. 5 stars.

T-shirts and cardigans are amazing. Again with the great colors and fabrics. 5 stars.

 My main gripe with the company is the pervy owner of the company, but I guess that really has very little to do with the clothing in the long run so... yeah. Clothes. I really like em!
3 - Michael L.: This is a good place to buy underwear and single color shirts or hoodies. They have other gear, but it's all, I don't know. A lot of their clothes are the color of a heart attack, and while that is ok sometimes it's overwhelming in the store. 

In my experience the clothes are also pretty well made. The hooded sweatshirt I bought here especially stood up to being worn almost every day as my jacket or underjacket, and didn't lose too much hoodie softness after repeated washings. 

It doesn't really make sense how expensive the clothes are though.
2 - Abdullah A.: I like the brand. Really. But this store somehow does not do it for me. 
The staff is super unmotivated and more thinking about themselves than any customer. Last weekend I wanted to try on a couple of sunglasses from the display box. Wow, was that hard to get someone to open this magic display and give me the glasses I was interested in...

No question that the stuff they sell has a cool design. But this store clearly needs a revamp of the facilities - too old! And the merchandise is too much and overcrowding the sales area.
5 - Katrina d.: I've been to American apparel before and always thought it was overpriced hipster wear. Recently, I realized I couldn't be more wrong. 

I bow to whomever is currently doing their visual displays. They are the reason I walked in and dropped way more money than I should have. :( The clothes are AMERICAN made(good for the economy), and they can be worn by most anyone in any "social scene" and they'll still look gorgeous. 

I need more AA in my life. Oh and to the person dressing the mannequins, dress me please.
2 - Fred P.: Positives: 1) They carry XS sizes. 2) There are some hip clothes. 3) Clothes are well-made.

Negatives: 1) This particular branch: a store clerk/manager with an awfully BLAH personality. I went there today (September 5, 2010 around 11:45 am) and there was this short dark-haired girl who looked like she does not like being there. I greeted her good morning with a smile and she just looked right through me, quite rude actually. 2) What's up with the no refunds policy?
2 - Carolina S.: To me, going to American Apparel is like being set up on a date with somebody who sounds fantastic on paper, only to discover during the date that they're a big hot mess.
AA promotes itself as an ethical left-wing U.S. based company which supports human rights and does not use sweatshops. 
(On closer examination there seems to be some controversy about AA blocking factory workers to unionize :- /
 But they also raised money for Katrina victims . . . with a bikini car wash??)

Ok, so this particular American Apparel store IS currently quite well run, well staffed, and not in the least rude or condescending to customers.
That said, at other American Apparel locations (and previously this one in particular) I've found their Hipster employees arrogant, elitist and  "too cool for school". The prices of things at American Apparel are just ridiculous;
$40+ dollars for a plain t-shirt???
$75 for a cheap looking pair of spandex leggings?????

Are these people not aware that we're in a recession??

And to add to this unpleasantness,
consider the infamous sexism and racism of American Apparel's  porn-tastic advertising; 
or CEO Dov Charney's overall creep factor. 

It just so happened a few weeks ago, I needed to buy a bra without underwire to wear on  a visit to a high security prison that does not allow underwire bras because they set off the metal detector. For real.

Not wanting to have to pay for the subway fair to get to a TJMaxx, I walk to AA.  I was so surprised by how friendly and helpful the staff were without being too pushy. No pressure to buy anything, no eyerolling when I ask if there is a clearance section. 
Am I in the right store?
I notice that, stylistically, all of the clothing has gone from "porntastic" to "40-something accountant in 1983."
50 and 60-ish-looking people are browsing happily for expensive, plain, fugly sweaters.
I'm immediately led by a friendly employee to a rack with $10 bras that do nothing to support one's breasts or flatter one's figure at all. They are essentially tshirt triangles sewn to some elastic. 
I bite my tongue and buy the damn bra.

As I walk out I realize there are racist fake "native american headdresses" on the manikins intended to give the customer a "creative idea" for a halloween costume: Porn-y Hipster Pocahontas.
NEVER shopping from this company again. EVER.

The people working here currently are lovely and the company is allegedly sweatshop-free and overtly pro-LGBTQ and Immigrant rights (3 stars), 
but the American Apparel company itself is sleazy, sexist, and racist with lousy taste , (0 stars).
4 - Rachel H.: Their presentation of expensive, colorful jersey is familiar if you've been to any of their stores. Thanks to this location's helpful staff for searching the back room for the exact size and ridiculous color you're looking for. My friends and I have spent more than our fair share of pre-party afternoons in the dressing rooms devising costumes and we've only experienced patience!
1 - Kate S.: I usually shop at American Apparel, specifically the store on Newbury street, however, recently I went into the Harvard Square location. Literally the second I walked in the door I was bombarded by multiple employees offering their 'help'. I've worked in customer service before and its one thing to be overly-friendly and helpful but this bordered on obnoxious, it seemed as though the employees were forced to approach customers in an insincere and unauthentic manner. This isn't Barneys NY people. The same petite long haired brunette that followed me around, I overheard speaking to what I'm assuming was her staff, in a rude and patronizing manner. The whole experience struck me as less than genuine and I doubt I'll be back in the store anytime soon.
1 - Meg H.: It sucks, everything is poorly organized.
5 - Louise E.: First of all, I think when it comes to clothing stores, yelp reviewers should really focus more on the layout, particular selection of clothing, and staff of the location they're reviewing. Obviously it makes sense to take the overall company into consideration, but I know when I read reviews I want specifics about the location I'm reading about! 

Anyway, I think this is my favorite AA to visit when I'm in Boston. Even though it's not the biggest store, I think it has the most helpful and friendly staff. I really feel like AA's image has changed in the past few years- I agree with past reviewers that the staff used to be largely rude and subpar- but I swear they've nearly done a 360! I've had staff here help me put together fashion-forward outfits (like when I was trying to figure out how to pull off a sheer chiffon maxi skirt) and their compliments really seem sincere (I have a hard time trusting the opinions of salespeople, generally). I actually enjoy shopping here. It feels comfortable. And the salespeople don't seem like robots, as salespeople for international companies so often do.
1 - Julia N.: Hate it here. I visit to kill time and ponder at why anyone would wear a bright silver leotard......
5 - A T.: The staff here wins again. I'm continually impressed, each time I stop in, with the way the staff is genuinely friendly. I don't pop in often as I'm on a limited budget, but AA is always great for staples. 

Today I went in searching for a skirt that I wear almost religiously throughout the fall. Due to the holiday weekend they were short staffed but the one gal working (another person showed up while I was in) went out of her way to apologize to folks for waiting, to help people size things correctly, to match things up, and to help me look for that coveted skirt.

Turns out the shop didn't have that skirt in stock, but the gal working (I think her name was Monica) actually went out of her way to look in EVERY OTHER store in Boston for it as well as online. She was able to find a similar style for me online that I also liked and then had another associate order it for me online from w/in the shop so that I didn't have to pay shipping and could have the skirt delivered straight to my office. Above and beyond customer service (again) for sure. Overall consistently impressed by this AA location.
4 - Retro G.: We all know American Apparel for its well made staples and fun accent pieces. Despite the Harvard Square location, the staff is welcoming and helpful. The clothes are pricey for what they are, but they do endure. My teen has yet to wear any of these clothes out.
4 - Sarah R.: OK, yeah, American Apparel is run by a creepy serial sexual harasser. That's really not cool, and I try to speak with my dollar. However it's admirable that a clothing company employs its workers in non-sweatshop conditions in the US, and at a living wage at that--which is unfortunately rare. As Jerri Blank would say, "Quandary!"

I love AA for basic duds that come in a rainbow of colors, like the ubiquitous hoodies with white drawstrings (required for hipsters everywhere), undies, and leggings. Unfortunately their sizing runs sort of small (despite supposedly rolling out a "plus size" line soon--and don't get me started on the infamous advertising campaign regarding plus-size models for the new line a few months back), so I don't even try most of their "fashiony" ladies' wear, like blouses or skirts. Too bad, because they really do offer a great selection of cute hosiery.

The staff has always been friendly, in my opinion, and will often share (favorable) opinions on what items they like. 

Time to stock up on more insanely comfy hoodies, I think!
4 - Anthony L.: I don't understand American Apparel. Let me back up for a bit, I've been addicted to Shark Tank (have you seen it? Why haven't you? It streams on Hulu... watch it, you'll get addicted, too) lately and one thing they always say is a product ought to be for the masses rather than a tiny niche market. Okay, I can see a boutique being for a niche market, but a large American Apparel chain?

I'm not overweight, but seriously, guys, who can fit in these clothes? Who?! RAISE YOUR HANDS!

I do go here (and only to this location) for their underwear, though. Sometimes they fall apart easily, sometimes they don't. However, they are always comfortable. Always. And it's a fun little collectors item, trying to see how many colors I can collect (sounds a little like Pokemon, eh?)

The staff here is super friendly (especially the young girl with dark brown hair and large fake (?) glasses). I've been here a handful of times and she's always pleasant (is she the manager? Maybe). I really enjoy people who can rattle off simple small talk with me and still seem interested (I wonder if she is really interested or couldn't give a shit). Anyways, I like her.

The bottom line: This is the only American Apparel I will go to. The others in Boston have a strange / stuck up / overly hipster feeling to them. The staff at other locations are generally standoffish and annoying. The Harvard Square AA is great.

American Apparel - Pittsburgh, PA (40.451485, -79.933398) (Shadyside)
3 - Kate B.: I love that this shop is conveniently located on Walnut St. I really enjoy hitting up Walnut for other stuff when I'm in Pittsburgh, so it's a plus that I can also go to AA for some tights or whatever it is I'm in the mood for/need. Plus, no sales tax on clothing in PA. YAY-NESS! :)

So yeah....I love AA's selection of tights...SO many colors. But my biggest beef with them (pun maybe intended?!) was the size selection!

I'm a size 4/6 US...which is about a size "S." They only make TWO sizes of tights...XS/S and M/L. Well, I have to buy the size M/L and they STILL don't fit me very well. I can get them on but they're not very comfy to wear. Maybe my legs are just larger? I mean, I'm sorry that despite being a small, my legs just aren't small? IDK. This is more just my disdain for the company's manufacturing practices and not this specific shop but I thought I'd include these comments here in case a larger lady is interested in buying the tights or leggings. If you're a size 10 US, you might still be able to fit into them but it probably won't be comfortable. Especially if you throw your stuff in a drying machine. Just don't even try it!! My dad did mention this company is going bankrupt so maybe their lack of sizes has something to do with it (I'm pretty sure the average American female can't wear their biggest size of tights) as well as the prices... good god. It's so expensive! But everything is made in the USA in this store, which is GREAT...I fully support that idea...but it's ironic because a lot of Americans can't even afford "made in the US" stuff. lol. Alas. My boyfriend even remarked "wow, I love this idea, but I can't afford to buy this stuff. If only I made more money at my job...then I'd shop here all the time." Yeah.

Anyway...the staff, while sorta odd and hipster-y looking, is definitely quite helpful. One young guy went looking all over for a pair of tights for me only to realize they were sold out. I appreciated his effort/help! The staff seems to be generally helpful and knowledgeable at this location. I went on Black Friday (ha ha, I know, wtf is wrong with me, right?) and it wasn't even too crowded. Plus they had a buy one get one half off deal which rocked because I was loading up on tights. Muwhaha.
4 - Rob I.: American Apparel has great selection of thermals, T's, pants, button downs, hoodies, and pretty much anything else you can think of.  I recently stopped in to buy christmas gift and I was very impressed with their selection and service. The girl who helped me was extremely helpful and made some really good suggestions.  I definitely like the layout too - it's easy to navigate through the different sections and it's not cramped like the former Oakland store.

As far as the clothes, American Apparel has a very simplistic approach to fashion, as they offer a wide variety of plain colored shirts and thermals.  American Apparel is definitely a great shop for folks who want to look fashionable without rocking a lot of ostentatious logos (Yes, I'm talking to you Ed Hardy/Affliction folks).

The clothes always fit well and the shirts are always extremely soft.  If you're in the Shadyside area and you're doing some shopping, I definitely recommend checking out American Apparel.
4 - Jaime J.: American Apparel has become my "crack".  I snubbed my nose at this place for many years - thinking it way too hipster or "80's flashback" for my taste. Many of the styles still fit that description for me; however, I find myself loading up on basics like tees, scarves, tights, leggings, and socks! These items are so classic that they are easily mixed, matched, dressed up, and dressed down that I find myself reaching for them again and again.

The sizing can be a little 'off' as I am a size 4 (bottom) and S or XS (top) in every other store except AA. I've found myself buying M or L in some items - so definitely try things on!

I'm indifferent on the store's location...maybe because of it's convenience, or lack thereof, to my house and parking in Shadyside. The store itself is great - with 3 floors of everything you could want and spend hours looking at.

American Apparel - Atlanta, GA (33.7767146, -84.3895275) (Midtown)
5 - Erin W.: American Apparel is like the Crate & Barrel of t-shirts; Soft, comfortable, excellent quality and American made.  Finally we have a few in Atlanta.  Located in Lenox Square, near Georgia Tech and in Little 5 Points,   American Apparel specializes in high grade quality.  Catering to men, women and children, they sell t-shirts, under garments, slacks, swim wear, dresses, pants, skirts, shorts, accessories, athletic wear, dance wear, leggings, tights, jackets, long sleeves, short sleeves, etc.  

American Apparel is a growing power house that's truly made in America in Los Angeles California to be exact. The American Apparel factory is actually among the highest paying in the business and the largest in this country.  The best part is they are against the sweat shops and outsourcing that many other clothing brands thrive from. My boyfriend designs shirts and he frequently orders in bulk wholesale online from American Apparel.  The quality is so superior that they can withstand the wash.  

Check out American Apparel.  They make the kind of t-shirts and clothing that is destined to last.  The clothing is contemporary, fashionable and modern and the store takes you back with retro imagery and designs.  For products and store information go to http://americanapparel.net.
5 - Coley W.: This clothing line dedicated to fair labor and entirely produced in America is known for well-fitted tees, a variety of underwear shapes and styles and hip workout wear that you'll want to wear everywhere. The owner of the company has gotten some bad press for his treatment of women. But so has Ted Turner and I still watch CNN.

Word to the wise: AA clothes are 100 percent cotton and will shrink. So size accordingly.
4 - Stephanie S.: I love this store, the clothes are great!

I spent something like 200 dollars are plain colored tanks and T's last summer before going to Europe because I didn't want to come across as an egotistical American tourist in purely brand name clothes and/or logo infested t-shirts! Which worked by the way, most spoke French to me at first sight and then looked shocked when I shook my head.


This store lacks customers - which is either a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you like to shop. You will definitely get the assistance you need from these urban junkies sporting their skinny jeans and layered American Apparel cotton T's. And the store is large enough that you can always find the size you want...I can't remember them ever having something not in stock! 

And don't worry about running into any Techies in this store - most are unaware of this cotton, no label trend and prefer to wear the brand all over the polo shirts with dockers (are those the boating shoes that are in now?).
2 - Vy A.: Don't get me wrong.  I love the AA concept.  I love that they are made in the US and I even like some of the clothes.  This particular shop, however, gets a thumbs down.  It's a bit crowded for one, and there doesn't seem to be as much of a selection. 

The staff is also pretty horrible compared to the other AAs I've been to. They don't seem like they want to be there, maybe that is why I've never seen anyone in there aside from myself.  The staff at the Buckhead location is much more helpful.  The store there is nicer as well.
4 - james l.: Really good store that doesn't try to get too fancy with their products. If you want great-fitting, plain T-shirts with no logos all over them, then American Apparel is the place. They've all different types of materials too so you don't have to buy a cotton shirt knowing it is going to shrink. It is the perfect store if you have something such as a hat and nothing to wear it with, go grab a tee from American Apparel and you're all set.

American Apparel - Claremont, CA (34.0943923110568, -117.719643115997) ()
3 - Rosalin L.: It's no secret that American Apparel employees don't need a customer service background to land a job there. One visit to the store and you'd learn that pretty quickly. I'm not even being a hater; I've worked for the company before. 

That being said, this location's employees are much more bearable than most of their other SoCal spots. I wasn't thrilled with the interactions I had with 2 employees in the few minutes I spent there, but I didn't leave feeling annoyed and/or pissed like one usually would after leaving an American Apparel store. One of them was actually pretty nice and not only greeted me once I entered, but later asked if I was finding everything alright (seems like basic retail etiquette, but if you're an AA veteran, you would know this could be a rare occurence).

Customer service aside, the store was very spacious, clean and organized. Minimalist design with various photography throughout the place like any other American Apparel store. I had asked about a new item I'd seen on the site that didn't appear to be anywhere in the store. It was the 2nd employee who merely offered a "We probably don't have it in yet" that bothered me. Didn't even budge or bother to try and figure out which item I was talking about. Didn't offer an apology and shortly walked away. I'm used to that kind of service at their stores, though. Just wish they'd appear to make more of an effort to care about their customers.

I was also surprised there was no music playing over the speakers (Viva Radio?). I know it's a new store... this could very well be its first week in business actually, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and say they're still getting their stuff together -- in reference to their service, familiarity with their products, etc. etc. Bottom line is I'm eternally grateful they've set up camp in Claremont, where I won't have to drive 30+ minutes to get to my nearest store.
3 - Justin M.: As impoverished college students, my friends and I are on an eternal quest for good deals.  Because Pomona College's Coop Store and most of the shops in the Village are overpriced, we decided to take American Apparel for a whirl.  

Aside from its bland antiseptic design (it looks a bit like a doctor's office with clothes), the most striking thing about the store is its merchandise, which is decidedly gender neutral.  Maybe that's expressing it too strongly: at first glance, you can't tell what clothes are designed for what gender.  It doesn't help that product advertisements regularly feature women (often otherwise scantily clad) modeling men's clothes.  And, of course, the fact that men's and women's clothing are interspersed makes deciding what you should feel comfortable wearing difficult.  

The clothing, however, seems fairly comfortable.  Granted, some items seem rather thin (paper thin T-shirts, for example), but they're all pretty soft.  

Bottom line: if you're looking for a quick buy, save yourself some time and shop elsewhere.  If you have an afternoon to kill, check out American Apparel.
3 - K P.: I'm really glad I held off before reviewing American Apparel after I went to this location the first time.  My first experience culminated in me shaking my fists at the building that housed this store.  I LOVE their clothing, but the service was just bad.  
The people seemed nice, and I don't think they were trying to be bad sales reps.  But they were just a little involved...SELF-involved that is!  They didn't really seem like they wanted to help, and they didn't seem to care very much.  Luckily, I really wanted their clothes, so I was willing to work a little.  My favorite part of American Apparel is the fact that what you see, is what you get.  Yeah it's really simple clothing, but TRUST-- you will wear that shirt everyday!  (or rather, I will wear this shirt everyday, and you will hopefully agree with me so that I will feel a little bit better about myself!)
Anyway, I went back to exchange something, and this time, people were alot friendlier.  The employees seemed alot more willing to help and I was even able to engage one girl in a pretty helpful conversation.    So, much better!
Girlies: I strongly recommend their unisex shirts and cardigans.  I mean, fitted is nice and all, but relaxed fit shirts worn on purpose look surprisingly nice.  They also have really cute shirtdresses.  And ONE MORE THING...I LOVE that their website have little comment boxes for people to comment on particular pieces, how they fit and how they match outfits for them!  It's literally like having these shopping buddies all around the world helping you out!  SCHWEET!

I know this review sounds alot happier than 3 stars, but honestly, even with improvement, service wasn't that stellar.
2 - Eileen C.: You said it, K P!

I'm an avid online shopper. Only until recently had I discovered all the hidden potential of American Apparel under it's pseudo soft porn advertising exterior. I had fallen in love with anything composed from Shiny Nylon Tricot.

The store experience was horrible! The workers are all really thin, so that's automatically minus points. Jealousy rears it's ugly head. And they don't wear name tags. Would it kill a retail shop worker to wear a name tag?? I was approaching random people and asking if they worked there! This would never have happened on the internet.

The flimsy curtain that substitutes for a door in the fitting room stall doesn't really close properly. Normally I wouldn't care, but struggling to get some size 26 unisex slim slacks on is something I do not want underweight vegetarians to point and laugh at. Ever. And they didn't even make it past my hips!

I'd die before I buy 27's. I also entirely blame this on the store.
2 - NC G.: I'm glad that their stuff is sweatshop-free, but that's about all I can say. Their return policy sucks, and the people who work there are, I'm sorry to say, not the sharpest tacks in the drawer. I was looking for a simple T to wear under a suit at a business meeting, and they were showing me weird tie-dyed crap that a 13-year-old in the Valley would wear. I don't think so. 
AA stuff is OK, but I'll shop online from now on.
2 - marlon e.: this place is gayer than UO. 

so apparently everyone is annoyed by the employees being too friendly here.... my previous experiences is kinda annoying but tonight it wasn't bad.. the girl just said hi to me and that's it and just because she's sweeping the floor... 

I only come here every winter just to get some thermals that all i'm gonna get in this place since theirs really fits well and it doesn't stretch out in time and also it srinks by 8% (length after washing divided my original length multiplied by 100). the downside is that sometimes it a bit over prices but who cares if its pretty good. it took me a while to get what i want since this store is fucking confusing... can't they just separate the girls section from the guys or they assume everyone who enters this place is gay?
2 - Noelle H.: This place is overrated and too expensive for cheaply tailored clothes

American Apparel - Berkeley, CA (37.868474, -122.258771) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
3 - John L.: I like their clothes ok, they make good basics, but I thought the whole aesthetic was all about Dov getting to meet some ladies:

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_26/b3939108_mz017.htm?campaign_id=rss_magzn
4 - Caroline C.: Good quality, good colors, good selection of cotton "basics" in current styles, a little overpriced but worth it since it's sweatshop-free.
2 - Max B.: The concept is nice but the clothes are too damn expensive. It's all COTTON and all costs SIXTY dollars. I used to be into buying their shit off the internet but ironically stopped when they opened up shop in the Haight then in Berkeley. Plus, the founder of this company is an egomaniac who things he is the most virtuous and glowing example of mankind at his best even though he's a huge slut with all the porn models that work for American Apparel.
2 - ananda z.: I have to say... I just don't get it.  Like many Berkeleyan things, the idea is great, its just the execution that makes you go... Whaaaat?  A million of the same thing in a variety of colors?  yikes... feel good boringness.
1 - Angie C.: This is a review of the business located on the corner of Telegraph and Bancroft in Berkeley, not a review of American Apparel items in and of themselves. 

The location is ideal, but the cramped and tiny dressing rooms are not. The clothes are always understocked - it's hard to find the right color, size, and style of what you want. The staff are always New Yorker- cold, and unjustifiably so. 

I'd rather order American Apparel off their website than walk into this cramped and lacking store.
3 - vicarious c.: I can absolutely appreciate the whole "anti-sweatshop" thing and the kiddie porn aesthetic even kind of appeals to me (I'm a sicko, I know)... but the place still doesn't thrill me.  Okay, it's a great place to get booty shorts... and I even recently entertained the idea of an AA gold lamee two-piece swimsuit (because who doesn't love gold lamee?  If you don't, you are an enemy of fun).  But cotton jersey for everything does get old... the trying-really-hard-to-be-uber-hipster vibe gets pretty damn tired, too.  And, the sizing makes every woman who isn't a runway model feel fat.  Now, I definitely can't get behind that.
4 - Samantha R.: Whatevers.  I like this store.  It offers the cutest "maternity" clothing I could find when I was humongoid with my twins.  Love the A-line skirts with the stretchy waist bands and the swish skirt in bright orange.  I don't really get the roller skater shorts and tube socks look--overkill I think.  But I enjoy the comfort and washability of the skirts here.  Plus, you can eat a big ol' lunch at Intermezzo and the clothes will quietly expand with your capacious gut.  Love that.

Don't know much about the skeeziness of the CEO mentioned by other reviewers, but he can't be any worse than the other ignominious jerks of corporate America.
1 - Quinn G.: Gross.
Gross.
Gross.
I was in the AA today, and two of the four garments I tried on were noticeably soiled.  In more than one place. 
AA Employee: How did everything work out for you?
Me:  Well, the gold hot pants weren't all that I had hoped, but I'm interested in...(blah, blah, blah)...also, two of the things I tried on had some, uh, schmutz on them. 
AA E:  (blank look)
Me: They were dirty.
AA E: Oh, well, we have others in the back.
Me: No, I don't think I want to buy them.  It's the two things on the left...
AA E: (not looking) Okay.
Me: Because, you might want to take them off the floor, since they're dirty.
AA E:  Oh, no.  See, if we put more out, then they'll just get dirty as well...(trailing off in a "and so on, and so on, and so on..." kind of way).
Me: (shuddering inside) Okay.

AA starts out with four stars for being worker friendly and for meeting all of my jersey clothing needs.
Minus one star for the kiddie porn.  
Minus one star for an indifferent staff -but it's not like they were hired for their personalities.
Minus ONE MILLION stars for lack of hygiene.

I have worked retail, and that policy is NOT NORMAL.  When something is dirty, it comes off the floor.  If 8 things get soiled in a row, the company eats the lost money, but you keep your store clean.  Ick!
 
Also, the store itself is dirty, too.  The tops of the dressing room cubes are infested with visible dust bunnies, the walls are smeary and dirty, and now this.  Disgraceful.

A final note that the employee with whom I had this discussion was courteous and helpful.  It just seems that filth is store policy at the ol' Berkeley American Apparel.
3 - Erica C.: i like the clothes. a lot.

as for the employees (some of whom are my friends): you work in retail. YOU'RE NOT THAT COOL. now where's my discount?
1 - Sasha R.: I was so excited a couple of years ago when AmAp opened up in little ole Berkeley. They have a great model of clothing production- a zero sweatshop tolerance policy and some of the first eco-cotton products that bridged the hip gap- and I wish that more clothing stores followed suit with the things that AmAp did well. 

But aside from it definitely being as Nat M. says for skinny bitches, and shoe casing items with noticeable holes and stains all over them, the Berkeley AmAp just isn't very creative. I mean I like to find things elsewhere and then spark up a hot little number with a pair of bright leggings or some nicely colored leg warmers, but the things that you can get here, you can get anywhere. And to me that's just not what style is about. 

I'd love to see them take it to the next level. Are they implying that all a US made brand can be is basic? 

Be bold AmAp, and we will follow.
3 - bianca v.: this is a tough one.  i tried to pin down my opinion of this place before reviewing it, but after cheating and reading the other reviews, i am as confused as i ever was.  i see both sides of the issue.  1) american made, vertically integrated, respect for the worker, blabla and 2) soft porn marketing, expensive, lots of saleskid attitude, and poor selection at this location.  i have bought a few things here and i support the business model at least theoretically.  maybe the real problem is that i don't look that great in knits.
1 - Captain P.: Holy balls this stuff is overpriced!!!

1 star for good color choices
1 star for great cuts

Other than that this place and these clothes are total shite. I've had numerous problems with AA products in the past, from poorly-done seams that came apart the first time they were washed to t-shirts that twisted when washed so that the side seams went in a weird diagonal from my armpit to the middle of my stomach.

This location is well-lit and carries most of the stuff that's on the AA website, but it's cramped as hell and everything is marked up at least $10 more than it's worth.


EDIT: I just remembered that they didn't have the ONE thing I wanted from the website in stock when I visited the other day, so -1 for crap selection, which makes this a solid 1-star review!
4 - A U.: I am happy with everything I have purchased here.

** I do agree that it is overpriced, but I can't find simple items that have a nice fit anywhere else.

The staff  were attractive, helpful and friendly to me (guys and gals).

My only thing about this store... it's hard to look through everything. 
It is all cramped in to a little space and packed full.
3 - Devon F.: This place is a sausage fest.

Not in a dudes-everywhere kind of way, but in a their-sizes-make-me-feel-like-encased-meat kind of way.

I'm not a big girl at all. But according to AA, I'm a large. Umm sure, thanks for the ego boost. 

Bottoms are better and a little more true to size. And I have to give them props for leading the push for longer tops. My stomach doesn't need to be hanging out in a faux-muffin top kinda way. 

And I like  that they generally let me sneak in even when they have supposedly "closed" for the evening. Friendly indie kids work here.

So let's just improve on the sizing so that I'm not reminded of meat when I look in the mirror, mmmkay?
3 - Rocco B.: They ought to change their tag line to:

Fits fat guys like skin on bologna (TM).
1 - Jessie J.: YUCK!  boring clothes that allow me to look like everyone else.  this place is basically the gap for hipsters.

and dude, wtf is up with the gold lame??

do i even NEED to mention the creepy ceo dov charney or their advertising campaign that centers around images of women looking no more than 12 years old???
4 - monica r.: How is it possible that no yelpers are happy with the Berkeley AA on Telegraph and at the same time every kid on Telegraph is wearing at least one thing from AA???  I actually like that their sizes are kind of realistic.  I mean, it's ridiculous to think that a majority of the population is a small or XS, like most places want you to believe.  Seriously, look around you.  Waaay around you.  Kidding.  Anyway, I won't buy dresses or anything here because paying steep prices for fairly common items just isn't my thing.  I prefer shopping at Sharks, Mars, and Buffalo for more unique pieces on the same street.  But I do like AA for the tried and true staples of my wardrobe: leggings, tights, undies, and long tank tops.  These always come in handy.  And most of the time, the kids that work there aren't half bad, either.  However, I'm taking away a star because the last two times I've been there, they've been out of stock on the items I've wanted, and both times I've had to go buy them online.
1 - Piper E.: Leave this craphole to the snipy gutter rats of hipsterdom.  Disaffected youth is so over.  The people who work here are as happening as floss gunk.
5 - Danielle B.: I can't believe i'm yelping this store, but my best friend and I had the most amazing time trying on bodysuits and admiring the neon colors, shiny fabrics, and super-organized layout that makes me want to color-code my closet. It's rainbow selection of everyday basics so characteristic of A.A. (not to be confused with our other regular spot, also nicknamed "A.A.") will have me returning, but so will the staff...we had this ghetto-fab hot queen-y guy helping us, which only added to our delight.
4 - JAYCE B.: Hey I'm gonna stick up for the people that work here... everyone else can cram it.

Look: it is what it is. You know the brand, you know the owner, you know the vibe and in all cases either it's your thing or it taint.
But you know what you are getting into going here and you go expecting to get something specific. Personally, browsing at AA doesn't work for me but when I need v-necks or something then I know I am set.

And give the kids a break. They are good people.
You know that working retail fucking sucks... ESPECIALLY when everyone is complaining about A)the sizes B)the selection C)"the sexually charged atmosphere" or D)all of the above.
I guarantee that would shove anyone between the cold, hairy thighs of despair.

So shut your mouth, get your magenta unitard and go home.
3 - charlotte c.: For such a small store, I was surprised at the amount of clothing they crammed into the place for both boys and girls. Unlike many of the American Apparel stores in New York I frequented before work for a clean t-shirt, this one wasn't organized by an idiot. Hoodies were next to hoodies, sleeveless next to sleeveless, and intimates and bathing suits shared a common space. Logical. Wow.

So why the 3 star rating, you might ask? Unfortunately, the changing rooms were seemingly forgotten when the place was set up. They're uncomfortably close to the register, making for an awkward moment when you emerge from the booth to see if those super tight, super bright pants make your butt look big.
3 - Stephanie W.: Squishy.  

That's how I felt inside this location of American Apparel.  The store is teeny tiny, but at least really well organized and clean, I'll give 'em that.  
It made it easier to pick items that I wanted to get.  In those big stores I tend to get a little overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of merchandise.  

But, I must say that in general, I never feel hip or cool enough to even step foot into an AA store.  
All the kids that work here are the epitome of Mission Hipster (or wannabe Mission Hipsters).  Cool hawks, dark frame glasses, fabulously chic hoodies, low rider skinny leg jeans, hot chuck taylors...all the while appearing to be SO brooding, dark and intense that they don't even have the time or energy to say hello.

As much as I make fun, I like it.  I WISH I was that cool.  
But I'm not. 
Only cool enough to drop butt loads of cash on their insanely comfy tees, leg warmers, tights, dresses, etc.  

I'll go back...if only to try and absorb the urban suburban hipster-ness that seems to be in the air here.
4 - Inari T.: lots of stuff in one leetle place.

i don't like how this particular location never has any visible price tags- anywhere.

i don't mind the staff there- they don't piss me off, but they aren't phenomenal either.

i love american apparel's cotton basics. colors are nice and varied.

i'm a bit nonplussed with the whole gold windbreakers.

just like any other american apparel.

thank god it's in the east bay- so i'll keep coming.
1 - Andi R.: i'd rather get teeth pulled than have to shop in an american apparel store. i just order that shit online, preferably from ebay because it's way cheaper.

i have never stopped being entertained by hipsters who work in shitty retail jobs who like to be rude and make customers feel uncomfortable and unhip (amoeba, urban outfitter, etc etc etc.) you. work. in. retail. i'm sorry but you're actually getting paid terrible wages to be nice to me. that's the deal. 

pfffft.
3 - Matt J.: Service is pretty bad compared to most locations, but American Apparel makes really comfortable shirts, so I keep coming back. Do they really need 4 employees if 3 are just hanging out in the back ignoring customers? I've seriously waited 15 minutes at the cash register while the employees were gossiping about shift assignments (in case you're wondering, I'm not normally this willing to part with my time - I hadn't done laundry in while and had to be somewhere, looking decent, in half an hour).

I personally find the neon leggings ugly, but I guess people like that kind of stuff.

Overall, I'd recommend it if you've never been to an American Apparel, but they have much better locations. And it is still the only decent clothing store on telegraph (unless novelty tourist crap or a $200 adidas branded shirt is your thing)
3 - Amy J.: Dude, they moved to a smaller, cramped location. What the hell? Aside from the cramped aisles I was in need of a sweatshirt because it got COLD when the sun went down. I love the softness of American Apparel clothing even if it is a bit on the pricier side. I ended up snagging a track jacket for a little more than I wanted to spend but their stuff does last longer than most items so it's worth the investment. Also, what's with the lack of pricing on some items? I've noticed this at several locations. I usually put the stuff without prices down because I don't like surprises.  I have to give the guy who gave my friend a free shipping online code two bitchin' thumbs up though. That was really nice of you.
4 - Katie W.: When I had just turned 20 I went to visit my bestest friend in L.A. He would have had to have been for me to go to L.A. we were walking along heading wherever, when we happened by the American Apparel Store. What's this? I asked in awe.

Oh, this is my f a v o r i t e place he said knowingly, and explained their creed. We stopped in and I haven't stopped stopping since.
I love the effortless feel and style of the clothes. I have been known to scamper around in that polo dress (which I have in 4 colors) and my kangaroos for days on end. 
Everything is cotton. 
Everything is American made. 
Everything comes in colors to delight and cuts to fit like a glove (in fact, sometimes too "glove-y" they have a few styles that come in one-size-only. Now, in my size 4 days, this was not a problem, but I'm 27 now and I got more to me. I got to opt for the sizes).

All I can say is it's good style doing good things.
3 - carrie c.: call me indecisive

I can't decide if I like this place or not.  The ultra soft cotton feels good against your skin and I've heard the clothes can last forever.  BUT I can't fathom paying $50 for a shirt and look like I'm wearing a $10 tee.  Also, I'm no seamstress but I'm pretty sure I can replicate some of the skirts if I buy  a few yards of fabric from JoAnne's. 

It's true what one of the yelpers said...for such a small store, they have 4 employees and all like to hang out behind the cash register.
3 - Berna T.: So here's the deal.  I've probably reviewed several AA's already, and basically I feel like they do women a disservice by sizing their stuff so inappropriately (i.e. Women's XS = toddler size, Women's XL = normal people size) BUT I do agree with the whole sweatshop-free, made in America aspect so I must give them some points for that.  And I am a big fan of solid colors and simple lines, which AA does well with, so, points for that as well.

This location is hit or miss - sometimes the staff is friendly, but most of the time, they aren't really there to HELP people, rather, they just wear the clothes and attend to the register (god help you if you have to ASK them to bring you a size that isn't already out).  Luckily, they keep their racks fairly stocked, and organized, so I rarely have to ask anyone for anything.

BUT....$16 for a blank t-shirt?  Really?  Since my latest job has me working with an AA wholesale distributor, now that I know how much this stuff is WHOLESALE...I don't think I can ever bring myself to shop in an American Apparel store ever again.
5 - Suong N.: I've been to four different American Apparel stores in Southern and Northern California, and Nevada. This location was the only one where the employees were friendly and helpful.

AA has great basics in sweetsweet colors. I'm particularly fond of the men's baby rib briefs and the regular unisex v-necks; the deep ones are too... well, deep. I wouldn't shell out $15+ for the crew neck shirts in black/white/gray though, go and buy a five-pack elsewhere for less.
3 - Shelly S.: Luckily, the store moved back to the original and larger location on the corner.  While browsing the store I find myself in the middle of the hipster Olympics.  The eavesdropping was spectacular!  I heard about a girls new neck tattoo and how she didn't tip the artist, another pre-teen's nipple piercing, and for a 10 min stroll that was pretty decent juice.

The quality of the garments is absolute shit.  I'm a huge fan of simple basics that feel soft against your skin, fit well, and last.  AA isn't quite what I have in mind.  I do like to wear their simple bras under tank tops.  

My assessment of AA is that you can find better quality and fabrics in my FAVORITE brand - LA Made.
4 - Callie K.: So it took me FOREVER just to go in an American Apparel in the first place. I was convinced by their obnoxious ad campaign featuring rarely clothing clad adolescents that number one, I would never support such a company and two, they would have nothing to appeal to my tastes anyway.

Then upon a trip to DC last year, my girlfriend who swears by their leotards dragged me in and twenty minutes later I left with a tunic top, a cardigan, a pair of tube socks and two pairs of neon briefs for my BF. Guess I was wrong!

As annoying as people claim the Telegraph locale is, I have no problems with it. In fact, the last time I was in, my shoes were complimented by three different employees which I felt gave me instant cool points. I mean, we are talking about a ten year age gap at the very least. My BFF and I both left with pairs of corduroy short-shorts that have been main staples in our wardrobes ever since. Others complain about their sizing, and I can attest, I am not a small girl, and I have no issues with fitting into their stuff. In some items yes, I may go up a size, but I find that with most clothes anyways. It's not a huge deal. 

Only complaint- like most AA stores, their dressing rooms are the worst! I am overtly modest it's true, but even still! Who are they kidding with those skimpy sheets that never close all the way? I always make sure to wear a skirt & solid tights when I shop there so I can throw whatever I'm trying on over my tights and tank top to prevent the peeking potential. I can always see the naked reflection of others trying on stuff in the dressing room mirrors which is a little creepy. So be careful for peepers!
2 - meg w.: I saw a documentary on the American Apparel guy a while back and was intrigued:  goods made right here at home, he picks hot chicks up off the street for models (ok, not all of them are so hot and should perhaps be left where he found them...), he is open and honest about his use of sex to sell.  Rock n roll.  But you know, I walked through the place, desperately trying to find something that I didn't liken to stripper gear.  Ok, I guess this brings me back to "sex to sell."  
i remember lots of gold lame' leggings (?!), spandex (!?!).

I think jack found himself some basic t-s here.  No need for us to drive to berkeley for basic t's.
2 - Gina W.: You know I used to love their clothes.. I still do but their service at this store is HORRIBLE!   First, the girls working were ignoring me even AFTER i asked them a question.. they continued on in their own conversation about some party one girl had gone to.  Then after asking for an item to be shipped from the SF store, it never got there and when I call the SF store.. they didn't even ship it out!  They said someone had just left the order on the counter and never shipped it out.   Honestly I'm really disappointed because I do like their clothing.. I guess from now on i'll just shop online.
5 - Allison W.: I wear bright colors. solid bright colors. They match each other and anything else you decide to pair with them even if its another bright color or a pattern.... If you are looking for the one store that has literally every piece of clothing in every color you are searching for, this is it. They even have a great website with multiple views of each piece of clothing on models that are real people.... awesome!

BEST BUY: zip-up hooded sweatshirt. I own two and literally wear them 24/7. no joke!
1 - Tracy M.: If you buy something online you can't return it to the store in person.  Then they charge you double shipping.  The customer service people are rude and argumentative.  If you have low self-esteem and like to be treated badly, then by all means, shop here.  Otherwise, you can easily find similar items elsewhere.
2 - Camille W.: I love american apparel clothing, but I have to say, the clerks at this store tend to be plain rude! I tried on a pair of shorts once, and put them back because I didn't like the way they fit, only to be harassed by one of the women working at the store about why I wasn't buying them. Another time, a different clerk was convinced I was shop lifting from the store, merely because I was carrying an over sized canvas bag. She even had the nerve to ask if she could look through it. I was down right insulted.
However, I have had better experiences at the men's store 4 doors down when buying my boyfriend a shirt; I was helped when I couldn't find what I was looking for, then complimented when I went back later to buy the shirt.
2 - Bryan G.: Pros: Sweatshop-free clothing made in the USA.  Also logo free.

Cons: The company itself has engaged in union-busting, meaning that while they don't operate sweatshops, per se, they won't let their workers unionize, either.  The sexist, exploitative advertising is also disgusting.  This is a company that obviously has absolutely no problem treating women like pieces of meat.  This ties into the unsavory things that I've read about the company's CEO, Dov Charney.  He has sexually harassed workers and just been known to generally be a slut.  Google him if you want more details.  On top of all this, their prices are ridiculous.  I get that it's sweatshop free and going to cost a little more, and I am fully willing to pay more, but they are outrageous.  They're obviously charging a 50% hipster tax.  Another reviewer made a joke about AA being a sort of Hot Topic for hipsters, and I can't really disagree with that.  They've been increasingly marketing and designing their clothing for hipster consumption, which I believe is directly tied to the increase in prices.

In the end, I think that the idea behind American Apparel (sweatshop-free clothing made in the USA) is great, it's just so poorly executed because of the problems I mentioned above.  There are alternatives out there for more ethically made clothes, such as No Sweat Apparel.  Not only are their shirts sweatshop-free, they are also UNION made AND cheaper.  Oh and they also don't treat women like sex objects.
3 - Joh W.: The staff was nice, the place was clean and organized. Still hate their prices though.
3 - Michelle W.: I categorize most AA products under "unwearable" (http://jezebel.com/341625/american-apparel-will-make-you-look-like-a-fat-hooker).  Gold lame? Check.  Thick gold chain bracelets?  Check.  U-neck spandex dress that accentuates your every roll?  Check.  Rapist sunglasses?  Double check.  Aside from the above items, I think as long as you know what look works for you, you'll find something at AA that suits your style.

Similar to AA's products, the customer service is also hit-and-miss.  Some of the girls working there have been dismissive of my non-neo-hippie presence.  Maybe because they could see through my clothes that I don't have the bangin' AA bod goin' on underneath and they don't want me to bring negative publicity to their products.  However, I've had good service from the guys there.  One dude (with either really gelled or really greasy hair) was particularly helpful in helping me find items I  described (with a lot of gesturing thrown in) to him.

Shopping at AA does make me feel ill at ease though.  I get hyper-sensitive to my surroundings, always aware of the fact that Dov Charney might jump out from behind a clothing rack and molest me.

AmericanApparelStore.com is a great alternative if you're too much of a wuss to brave the crappy parking situation.
2 - X S.: Holy Shizzle!!!! Someone actually said "hi" to me when I walked in!!! Next stop on the customer service train, eye contact!!!
2 - Lisa S.: My friend designates this store "hooker wear."  I can't say I blame him.  However, I picked u some cute neon leg warmers, and really, where else am I going to get something like this?
4 - Abraham E.: The store floor was so clean a slippery I did moonwalks all day!  I love it! lol   (oh yeah, I also love the softcore porn pix on the walls & ads)

Classy!
4 - Camille K.: American Apparel sells leggings that fit and flatter in basic colors and fabrics (Cotton and Lycra blend!). Sometimes they run specials, ie, "Buy 3 pairs and save $15."

This UC Campus area store seems smaller than their Hollywood location, but packs a punch regardless. The salesgirls are very friendly and helpful.
5 - Rose S.: I absolutely love love love this store. Everything always fits so naturally and comfortably. I shop here for sexy casual wear. The people are nice and they have a wide selection of yoga fits. If you're a cheeleader, a dancer, or a modern performer this is especially the place for you.
1 - Alison V.: I will never step foot in this place again. I was in the store for a total of five minutes. After squeezing through people in the closet sized store, I found the leggings section... to my dismay. $25 for a fucking pair of leggings? THE SEAMS WERE RUNNING FOR GOD'S SAKE!

It took me longer to get out of that clostrophobic closet sized store than it did to find the overpriced, poor quality leggings.


And I found the same exact legging down the street, for $7.
3 - Charmian D.: Hell yeah I'm getting my sexy on...

Walked in the store & spotted several cast members from Fame, a Kevin Bacon, a Jennifer Beals and even Prince from Purple Rain

That's all the 80s excitement in one little store

Not your typical "cookie cutter" Urban Outfitters, FCUK, H&M or even GAP apparel store. American Apparel clothes give you that "look" which sets you apart from the bland, unoriginal styles that you see in many of the stores lately

Attractive, stylish and can be "over the top" for some. Though, I did see that they have a selection of basics yet trendy, sexy and they can play well with fashion accessories 

Because, I love a little spontaneity in my wardrobe at times, I dig  the thigh high socks, metallic colored leggings, long sleeve crop tops and the circle scarf...a little too hipster for me but cute

Items are pricey, however, American Apparel does raise money for social awareness & engage in social issues such as the opposition of Prop 8, immigration reform and promotes solutions to improve the environment and raise money for awareness of these issues...and that's what makes this store tres chic!
4 - Lydia W.: There's a new selection of lacquer nail polish by the register.  They have adorable colors.  The quality of the polish is fantastic and each bottle is $6 or you can buy 3 for $15.  Cheaper than OPI with comparable quality!  Love it.  Personal faves: Mouse, Office, Rose Bowl
1 - david w.: Dov, the CEO is purely rotten and degenerate.  AA is finished. Hipsters are just not that cool anymore.  In fact, not cool at all, even laughable.  Try something new guys.
4 - Christopher B.: Ugh I'm so tired of giving four star reviews, but that's the star rating that fits this place. This place is hella hip (often too hip), they always have cute girls working in the guys store (well done AA),and the have quality clothing at a not so reasonable price. I really like that they separated the guys and the girls stores, because a lot of the time I can't figure out what's for guys and what's for girl. I still see things in the male store where I think, "really? how is that going to work with me having a penis?" This store is overpriced, but I will pay it time and time again because they have a quality product, and every color I could ever ask for.
1 - annie l.: hate this place!! too over priced for the most basic clothes. the service is horrible every time i go.. i never get a greet or asked if i need any assistance.
4 - kristi l.: I walked in there last week with one thing on my mind and one thing only: Slut me up, American Apparel, I'm going to EDC! 

Neon leggings, t-shirt dresses, zip-up hoodies, $70 sweaters, cute accessories, what can I say? this store is great! Staff was really nice to put stuff on hold for me while I walked over to the mens/unisex store, and they were willing to grab sizes for me while I was in the dressing room so that my bf didn't have to do it.

I could just imagine him standing in front of the neon colored, glittery leggings thinking "wtf am I doing here?"   (:

Yes its hella expensive, and probably not worth it in terms of quality, but they have cute stuff. I actually found their sizing to be better than most stores; they tend to have flattering cuts for those who are a bit on the boobalicious side, even though every model on their advertisements is flat as a board. 

And you know American Apparel and their advertising...they just let it all hang out. All over. Just, everywhere. Yikes.

The store is small but super clean, brlghtly lit. You should know that this store does not accept returns! Exchanges only, which is why I took off one star. I understand that taking returns can be a bit of a pain in the ass but when you've got plain tee's that cost $24 and leggings at $35, give a girl a break! 

Damn, AA, buyers remorse is a serious problem; you should be more sympathetic to my shopping sprees that leave me -$100 and only have 2 things to show for it.

:''''(
5 - Carlos C.: Ahhhhh, goood ol' Amurikan Appurel.
lolz

I used to loveeee this place.
actually I still do, the v-necks, the flex fleece sweatshirts and henleys are the win, california fleece pullovers, and the boxers too.
Parking is blehhh, Telegraphhh of course.
Friendly stafff.
Kinda Pricy but nice clothes:)
3 - Amanda L.: This location is extremely small compared to others, and because of that is cramped with as much clothing as possible.  It is overpriced, but people should stop acting so shocked because chances are you knew that before you walked in...but you just couldn't resist because where else are you going to find a gold bandeau and full lace bodysuit (yeaaa i kno right, they do have those).  

I'll give this location an extra star because I tried on some pants here once and found $10 in the pocket.  Too bad that could probably only buy me a gold glitter scrunchie.
4 - Sierra V.: While most AA stores are the same (high prices, blindingly bright decor), this one is significantly better because the employees are incredibly helpful and nice. The girl working the cashier when I went mastered the art of small talk, without sounding painfully bored or just plain frightening.

I, also, bought a very comfortable pair of leisure pants (I don't know what that means in the pants world, but I do love to be leisurely). They're really great for when you want to bust out some dance moves (I favor the Running Man).

But in all seriousness, if you need bandeau tops and pleated pants this is the place to go.
5 - tabisky c.: Purchased three pairs of their leggings for 15% off.  I've had one given as a gift earlier, and I wanted to expand the wardrobe as it has been great during the cold winter days in Norcal.  Great to wear it under regular pants or without.

Nice store with caring and helpful staff.

It looks like a store for the very young, but I do patronize their store and I am at least "X" times the age of the  average shopper.
4 - Diana C.: They have a variety of different items here. They are all in different colors as well. Never actually bought anything here because I get a little overwhelmed with all of the things and mostly just go to window shop. But I at least know they carry lots of stuff especially if I would need anything for a dress up thing.
5 - Nathan V.: TONS better than the Valley Fair one and a little bit better than the Palo Alto location.

Christopher and Miriam (sp?)

Cutest people ever and oh so helpful.
A shame that it's in Berkeley because I've moved to San Jose..
3 - Courtney C.: American Apparel still sells the same overpriced basics, and it still has that terribly inconvenient return policy. I admit I'm a hypocrite since I shop there anywhere. (I had a Groupon, okay?) However, the rating increase is attributed to the increase in customer service quality. The attitudes of the employees who now work at this location have really improved over the past few years. They're friendlier, more alert and they're actually helpful. Whaaat? So props, American Apparel Berkeley. Your employees are almost as cool as your tri-blend v-neck tees.
1 - Ezequiel R.: Considering the reviews that are on here I should be a lot happier. 

I have come here multiple times now and every single time I have literally been the only one in the store. I came in expecting to get a "hello!" or "how can I help you?" from one of the 3 employees working but I got nothing. Instead the employees just went on their merry ways chit chatting and didn't even bother acknowledging me nor helping me until I actually asked. I didn't feel very welcomed at all. Having worked in retail I know that you need to keep a balance between friends in the workplace and actually working. 

The times I have come I haven't bought anything because everything I'm looking for is just way too overpriced and doesn't seem like great quality clothing or I just can't find what I am looking for. 

Will I be here again? Probably just to see if what I need is by chance here but overall a disappointment. Sorry guys
1 - Mari C.: C'mon.

I mean, seriously? How can you charge that much for an article of clothing that is clearly poorly made, boring, and unflattering even on the models?

I'm all for fair treatment of employees and decent wages, etc. etc. blah blah blah, but I'm also all for the fair treatment of fashion.  And what about providing a quality product at a reasonable price?

hmmmm?? Riddle me that, American Appalling.
3 - Raji R.: I find a bunch of stuff here that I do on the website, so I'm a fan I have to say. I've also had days, where I've walked in and wondered why I even came in just because I feel like there's no new clothing or styles. 

I think some of the reviews are a bit harsh, i.e. pricing, i mean it's not the store's fault! Go blame the corporation! Anywho, I'm fine with the pricing, yea it's overpriced but that's AA for you.
2 - Sunny J.: Overpriced basics.

I'm there
1 - Vicky L.: Wow. Overpriced basic clothing galore.
1 - clip b.: Went there because of a sale, despite generally associating AA with cheesy derivative retro design. Quality of products seemed meh. Prices of products was way too high even after sale. Sales staff was self-absorbed, unfriendly, and unhelpful.
1 - Sarah Q.: So I left the pants and shoes I tried on in the dressing room, my bad, I apologize. But I get to the counter and the two employees are talking crap while ringing me up. The one girl was complaining like "look at what someone just left in the dressing room!" and the other girl was like "wow, they just left them all crumpled like that?" Then the girl goes to paint her nails at the counter! Even before that, she was giving me attitude about how they don't have half sizes for shoes and how accessories are nonreturnable. Can a customer not ask questions? First shopping experience in American Apparel, worst shopping experience ever.
1 - Jenn Y.: Good location, but no idea how they stay in business considering Wet Seal closed down last year. They mostly sell basics that are extremely overpriced, not to mention the terrible customer service. Yeah, retail sucks, I've been there, but that's no excuse.

American Auto Center - Los Angeles, CA (34.033053, -118.292622) (South Los Angeles)
5 - Art O.: Brought my bucket for a smog test and it passed with no sweat!  Prior to the test, I did changed the plugs, oil and performed the other routine maintenance that goes with it.  Nevertheless, these two Vietnamese guys know their business well.  Thumbs up fellas!
1 - Sean B.: DO NOT GO HERE FOR A SMOG CHECK. Tried to sqeeze $500 bucks out of me by intentionally failing me on a smog check. I assume they will give you the same shady service for auto-repairs.

American Baptist Seminary of the West - Berkeley, CA (37.8653332, -122.2561662) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
4 - jacques t.: The American Baptist Seminary of the West is a Christ-centered school that trains men and women for leadership in the church of the 21st Century who are:

 Prepared to minister in a multicultural and multiracial world 
 Rooted in an evangelical heritage and tradition 
 Equipped for ecumenical partnership in ministry 
 Informed theologically and biblically 
 Skilled in the practice of ministry for personal, ecclesial and social transformation 
 Committed to the justice demands of the Gospel
5 - Jennifer P.: I went here and graduated with an M.DIv. in 2003.  I had a wonderful experience; the professors are very smart and warm and helpful.   It's a pretty diverse school, and a lot of people who attend this seminary (at least, when I was there) are going into their second, or third career.  I went there right out of college and was the youngest student.  They really encourage you to think critically.   I loved taking classes at the other seminaries, too.  I loved taking Greek because it really brought out new things to me in the Bible.  They have even started a new program/degree for those who have already graduated from seminary but want to continue their education and stay sharp, for which I would like to go back.  
The setting in Berkeley is fabulous, too!  Unfortunately they did a lot of reconstruction to their apartment buildings, which had been beautifully constructed in the 20's or so.  Now they can hold more students, though.  It's within a few blocks of Cal; the dorms are nearby the seminary; I had to get used to firetrucks in the middle of the night during the school year.

American Consumer Insurance Agency - Cambridge, MA (42.3708559, -71.1139701) (Harvard Square)
2 - sarah s.: i will reserve the right to change these stars at any point...

3 because up until now these guys have been pretty good to me. they're small (only 2, maybe 3 of them, but i've only dealt with the erics) so they actually do remember you when you need to call them.

only 3 because now that i've been having some problems they really leave a lot to be desired. they rarely answer the phone after 4 even though their hours state that they are open later. when you leave a message or when they say that they'll call you later in the day, expect that return call at least the next day.

disclaimer is that of course this is really not their fault that i'm having problems with the rating board, and i do understand that. i also understand that leaving to go elsewhere is not really going to do me much better being that we have this antiquated system that provides for no competition. 

but after all that, i'd really just like them to pick up their phone or call me back when they say they will.

------edit------

so they finally answered the phone/called me back...so they get one more star...i suppose the real test will come when competition gets opened up...

-------edit (again)-----

i've just spent another month of my life not being able to get in touch with them and not getting called back, so i've left...it's hard because i really want to support local progressive businesses, but really, this isn't where my money will go. if i went into a restaurant and they over charged me and then it took 3 months for me to get my money back and a couple dozen phone calls i'd probably never go back, so really why should this be any different.
4 - Cport J.: I've worked with these guys both in person and over the phone, and they've handled things pretty smoothly for me.  Most of the hassle with getting car insurance in Massachusetts is at the beginning, and there is not a lot of need for dealing directly with your insurance agent after that.  If you are registering a car for the first time here, the insurance agent actually can get the license plates for your car for you, which is handy.

The actual insurance company that issues automobile insurance policies for them is Plymouth Rock.  They have a discount for WBUR (Boston's NPR station) members.  In the event of an accident, you actually make damage claims directly with Plymouth Rock, not American Consumer, and Plymouth Rock sends somebody out to take a look at your car.

American Consumer also works with Better World Club, an environmentally friendly auto club.  BWC is an alternative to AAA that I highly recommend if you need a towing service in case your car breaks down.
4 - Jessica A.: The Erics are awesome, and usually helpful.

You *do* spend quite a bit of time in voice mail tag, but there's something charming about insurance salesmen who *aren't* trying to screw you over, their cluttered office in a converted house and the whole laid-back milieu.

Rarely do they have immediate answers for me, but I shopped around and no one had immediate answers either, so why not?  They're friendly, they're helpful, they give good advice.
2 - Kimberly L.: I'm sorry, I have to give only two stars.  I'm tempted to only give one, but the Erics are nice guys.

First, you can never call and just talk to someone.  They are so busy, they don't answer the phone - they call you back after you leave a message.  It's very frustrating not to be able to get an answer for a simple question or resolve an issue without playing phone tag for days or weeks.  Email seems to be worse.  

Communication issues aside, we've had two major issues with this agency.  First, even though when we enrolled we clearly wanted our policy auto-renewed (which EVERY auto policy I've had for the last 20 years has done), they didn't do it.  As a result, we were unknowingly uninsured for 2 months, which is a disaster when you move to a new state and try to get coverage.  It took a week's worth of phone calls to get our coverage started, and the MA DMV almost cancelled our registration.

Second, when we moved, I called to cancel the policy.  When I talked to Eric, he said he would cancel the policy, told me how to cancel my MA plates online, and that he would back-date the cancellation so we could get a refund for the time our coverage in our new state overlapped.  Fast forward 3 months and the policy STILL isn't cancelled.

Like I said, these are nice guys, but clearly disorganized and in the end, you really want to be able to get these things taken care of quickly and simply and not spend days, weeks, or months.  Find another agent.
5 - Alex C.: The Erics are great! After returning my initial call (I called at 4:15, the called back the next day at 10:00) they were incredibly helpful in getting me all the information I needed to insure my vehicle. They were very patient with me (I can be a tad annoying) and answered all questions I had with the utmost professionalism. They even pointed out that the policy i wanted was over-priced for my driving habits and recommended a lower-priced policy that better fit my needs. I've never seen a company talk me out giving them money; outstanding!

These guys are running a great family business and while it feels great to support the community, the Erics will have my business because of their customer service and their great working knowledge of the Massachusetts insurance world.

American Crafts by Robbie Dean - Ithaca, NY (42.43977, -76.496984) ()
2 - Heather B.: For a long time, American Crafts was one of my favorite stores to browse when I managed to get to the Commons. It's a very unique store with pretty fantastic pottery and other hand-made housewares, but after witnessing a friend's experience, I can no longer recommend them. 

He ordered a hand-made barometer in late September/early October. He had to pay for it up front, and was asked to pay for shipping. He challenged the need to pay for shipping when the order would come with other items they'd ordered for the store, so thankfully the clerk waived the shipping charge. After nearly a month, we hadn't heard anything from the store. We tried calling and got no response. We finaly went to the Commons and were told that they needed to call the maker of the product, and would call my friend within the next day with a status report. My friend didn't hear a word. A few weeks passed and he called again and found out that the craftsman had trouble ordering the correct pieces for the product; it would take a few weeks longer to make. After more phone calls and a trip to the store, my friend finally received his barometer over 3 months since he ordered it. 

I can understand that problems arise because of distributors, but customer service is simple. When the sales clerk was confronted and asked why my friend was never contacted, they made up excuses. "We wait a month before we call the craftsman." Unfortunately, that doesn't make up for the complete lack of communication (from management even) regarding my friends order.

I am really disappointed with the customer service at American Crafts. In the past, I overlooked the fact that the pottery and other crafts were over-priced - after all, hand-made products are typically more expensive. After this experience, I can't justify another purchase from the store, and unfortunately the craftsman of the products are the ones who suffer the consequence of poor customer service - not the clerks who are responsible.
4 - Susan H.: Great selection of unique hand made gifts, jewelry and home decor.  Many pieces in my pottery collection come from this store.  I also have a number of pieces of jewelry that always attract numerous compliments.  

The artists featured in this store are fantastic crafts people.  If you haven't been here yet...stop in!
5 - Holly C.: I love this little shop located on the Ithaca Commons. Lots of nicely made items I have a beautiful decorative bowl with wonderful flowing colors. I would definately recomend this store.
4 - Kate S.: I love this place, and I really miss it after graduating from Ithaca College and moving away. Their jewelry is what attracts me the most, everything is hand crafted and unique, so you won't find a ton of other people wearing the same thing.  It feels good to support the arists as well.  

Every once in a while, I check to see if American Crafts has a website yet, and it looks like they still don't.  I would love to see their stuff online and could guarantee at least 2 very frequent customers who can't make it back to Ithaca as often as we'd like.
5 - Yaocheng L.: I love all the products here! They are so delicated~

American Eagle - Houston, TX (29.715867, -95.415786) (West University)
5 - Holly S.: I admit it, I'm 28 years old and I still shop in a juniors marketed clothing store. But I have good reason darn it, their jeans fit this curvy girl to a "T"! As for most women, finding a good pair of jeans is quite possibly the hardest thing to do. Now for me being only about 5'3" on a good day and having a waist to hip measurement that is not even close to proportional I'm super happy to find a place that can fit all that craziness. 

Outside of being able to wear pretty much every pant style they make, they also have some great clearance prices and also some great tanks and tees for a good base to your wardrobe. They carry pant lengths from short to tall and I believe you can order extended sizes in length and waist online. Every time I stop in this particular store, the salespeople are always helpful but never overbearing, which I thoroughly appreciate. 

As far as accessories this store does have both jewelry, belts, shoes and even under-roos! I can't say I've tried the undies, but their belts are really great and last with out showing much wear for a very long time.
4 - Barry C.: Very helpful. Good selection. Courteous staff. Explained and took time to offer details about their rewards plan.

American Eagle Outfitters - Cambridge, MA (42.3736158, -71.1097335) (Harvard Square)
1 - May J.: I do not understand why the cashier would ask for my social security number while she tries to register me.
2 - Alexandra M.: Inattentive staff who looked at me and stared while I was wondering around looking for kackis (I couldn't find them, and no one talked to me so I assume they don't have them...)

American Express - Cambridge, MA (42.3733271, -71.1195398) (Harvard Square)
4 - Hubert H.: I can only speak for services on the 2nd floor not the travel services on the first floor. The service at the 2nd floor window was quick, speedy, and accurate.
5 - tim l.: I visited the American Express office in Harvard Square to plan my honeymoon the Paris. I met with Kathryn Lapointe who is the office's France expert. Her expertise base on past experience and client feedback was very helpful. I immediately booked my honeymoon with ther, and am confident that my expectations will be exceeded once I arrive.
2 - Liz G.: I had never been contacted by an actual business before (probably because I typically review like random Dunkin Donutses or write things that are at best tangentially relevant) until a few days ago when a manager at American Express Travel contacted me to assure me that my experience was abnormal. 

Since I've only been there once, I can't vouch for whether it's normal or abnormal myself, but I can say the following:

1. This is the only time I have ever been here. 
2. I figure a business that contacts the writers of bad reviews to apologize months after the fact (rather than, say, suing them) is more committed to good service than my review might lead you to believe.
1 - Emily G.: Oh American Express - since both myself and my husband are card holders - we had such high hopes - and you dissapointed us so greatly.

We came to this office to book our honeymoon about five months ago. We took their advice and booked a trip with them to The Excellence - Playa Mujeres, in Mexico.  Simple. Done.   Unfortunately, Not quite...

We get to Mexico and although we were given vouchers for many things - such as a massage, private dinner on the beach, breakfast in bed, etc  -   The resort claimed American Express never paid for these things. We weren't entitled to these things we had vouchers for.  So, here  I am on the first day of my honeymoon calling this office. I should also notate that they put the reservation under my last name - even though we just got married and I told them I would be taking my husbands last name. Imagine my husbands dismay when they kept calling him by my last name because Amex booked it that way....


We quickly called this branch because we booked it here.  What do they do? They put me on hold for about 10 minutes.  I am in Mexico  - on my honeymoon - why am I on hold?   In any case, finally I get back to someone who promises me she will figure it out.

The hotel apparently still didn't get that message though, because we still were not entitled these things, the next day. So round 2 - I call the American Express  office and this time I am promised they will work it out. They call me a few hours later letting us know we should charge the additional expenses (the ones that were supposed to be included) to our American Express Cards - so they can take care of it.

We do just that.  A week after our honeymoon we are back in town and go visit the office. They promise us they were take off the charges quickly.  I also explain that by giving us what we already supposedly had paid for, they weren't really helping us - and I felt, we deserved something for the inconvenience. I explained this very calmy in person...

It took us two months to get our refund.  We had to call them twice to check up on what was going on. As well, we got nothing else on top of that. No written apology, no - please book with us again - here's what we will do to make it better next time.

So....there will be no next time. Honestly, this experience has got me thinking about why me and my husband are both Amex card carriers at all....
4 - Elizabeth G.: This review is primarily for the currency exchange service.

While I am sure that many of the banks in Harvard Square will let you buy U.S. dollars, I don't know of any other place nearby where you can buy multiple types of foreign currency. American Express keeps many of the more common ones in stock, and will order any others that you need. You pay for your currency in USD, they order the foreign bills, and they give you a call a few days later when your currency arrives and is ready for pickup. (Note that they only accept cash to pay for this service.) Very professional, great customer service.

Frequent travelers out there, you hear me: this beats showing up in an unfamiliar country with no local currency, and having to stand in line to change money after you have been in airports and airplanes for the last 24 hours with no sleep, and you still have to go through customs and figure out how to find your hotel. Oh boy, does it beat that.

I haven't done a systematic comparison of the exchange rates but my perception based on several experiences here is that they are roughly comparable to in-country exchange. In other words, you aren't getting hosed.

Regarding the travel services: when planning a trip to multiple African countries three years ago, I did sit down with an agent here. My experience was similar to what other reviewers describe: for my purposes, this service was basically useless. They stuck to the main, biggie airlines and had no clue about which smaller minor/local airlines were safe and reliable, and which weren't. I ended up getting airfare for less than 50% of what they quoted me, and they told me it was impossible to fly to one city that I ultimately did end up flying to. The agent had not heard of a couple of the cities where I was going. He had no idea about budget hotels. This service is definitely not for the budget traveler. Maybe it's a better experience for those looking for luxury hotels or an all-inclusive trip. And again, this is old information so things may have changed since 2009.

American Hair Co - Greenbelt, MD (38.998768, -76.910957) ()
5 - Melissa J.: There is a stylist by the name of Ashlee who is going to be starting on Monday...who is very talented, fast, and personable. She has been doing my locks for a year and she retwists them all the way to the bottom, so they will look neat. She also styles them if I want. She does great work!!! Go see her Monday!
5 - Bob M.: Ashlee asked me to come on here and write a review so here it is. I am a white male and Ashlee is an african american woman. At first I must admit that I was a little nervous about going to her because (based on past experience) not everyone can shear cut my hair. But she proved me wrong. She has great prices, great energy and I definitely love my hair. So does my wife ( who goes to get cut and color). If I had to recommend any one? It would be Ashlee. She's young, ambitious, and wants the best. She also educates you on products and your hair. She's the real deal.

American Haircuts - Atlanta, GA (33.7813003, -84.3880174) (Midtown)
4 - Andrew N.: I just heard about this new barber shop which opened in late November in their current location.  Its a good haircut at a fair price ($25)...  a step up from "mediocre clips" down the street.

What I like:  
   -- Its very close to work, and filling an void in the area
   -- It is a real barber shop
   -- neck shave 
   -- no reservation necessary (this may change)
   -- good haircut
   -- free wifi
   -- fax (If I had $.05 every time I needed to fax at my barber)
What I don't:
   -- Ugly buidling
4 - Barry A.: I had driven by this barbershop for a few weeks and decided to give it a shot just today.  It was closer to my work than my normal salon and the possibility having a my neck shaved instead of just trimmed was another plus.  So I walked in around lunch time and they weren't badly busy.  They had free WiFi and also complimentary drinks (from hard stuff to coffee).  The decor was very clean, inviting, well lit and All-American.  After I walked in I was promptly greeted and was told Wallace would cut my hair once he was finished with his lunch.  Not five minutes pass and Wallace comes out and introduces himself.  We go through the usual formalities of how I want my hair cut (i.e short on the side, don't cut my bangs short though, etc) and off we go.  A flurry of different clippers, scissors and small talk ensue and before I know it we are on to the neck shave and hot towel.  In total I was in and out in about 30 minutes but I felt I could have spent longer.  

What also impressed me about this establishment was their website.  Not only can you book your next haircut on there but they have barber bios, a blog, links to the music they play in the shop, and much more.  This is definitely a place I could see myself coming back to on a regular basis.  

THE BOTTOM LINE -- Every man should have a good barber and this place has some good barbers.
5 - Scott K.: "Fang gave me a layered razor cut and a straight razor neck shave."

It's not often you get to say a sentence like that without being into S&M... but don't worry... Fang is a woman... and she didn't abuse me at all! Quite the opposite! 

Hands down, the best $25 haircut I've recieved in Atlanta! (Also my first, but, hey... if it's not broke, don't fix it.)

I made an on-line reservation, walked right in and was offered a Coke!
The haircut was super solid!
Neck shave with a straight razor!
Hot Towel!
and... Eye Brow Trim? 

Uh... Ok... I guess I needed it? 

What else can I say? It was a great experience all around! Friendly staff that instinctively understood that I like my haircuts like I like my women... smart, efficient, and lathered in shaving cream! 

I'll be back!
4 - Mark B.: 5 star rating based on my first visit...... Been going to Great Clips for several months and my haircut started to get messy. I liked my barberess but she didnt have the touch. So with great trepidation I decided to try this new place, I was a walk-in and had to take whoever, and I got Clifton. Explained what I wanted, and I have been very happy with the results. Once again I can towel dry in the morning and look just fine all day, then gel up for those special occasions; no fuss, no hassle hair! I will go back soon as I think its been over a month.... I am on a budget but it is worth the extra bucks- the last time I got a haircut this good it cost $70!

April update, my second visit was not quite as good. Still good but not 5 stars. I brought a friend who is not happy at all. Oh well.

May update, my unhappy friend went back and had a better result, so good news there!
3 - Barney B.: Another in a long line of higher scale barber shops.  This place doesn't go into the whole 'have club, half grooming' variety, and just simply focuses on the grooming aspect.  For 25 bucks, a decent buzz cut and beard trim in a clean environment pumping in ESPN on flat screens.

Perfect
5 - Gerald S.: Awesome place for a haircut - with a reasonable price and great environment.  The American Haircuts Barber Shop is new, nice, clean, and most importantly friendly (exceptional service).

After nearly three years in Atlanta struggling to find a place for a good and decent priced haircut, I found American Haircuts.  My hair had grown to the length that my friends would say to me "are you going for the fro look."  So, I walked in off the street to the barber shop.  The ambiance is brightly lit with a modern, but yet somewhat classical feel.  By that I mean - the environment is open and relaxing with nice counters, cabinets, couches, flat screen TV's, and wireless Internet.  I say classical, because the chairs and couches are nice leather (I think) and the bureaus for the individual stalls have wood trim.  

Anyway, when I walked in - I was greeted with, "hey, looks like you need a haircut - let's get you in right now.  A bit hesitant to go to a barber shop - (flashbacks of my dad taking me to the barber shop as a kid where there were basically three options - short, shorter, and shortest or a shoe shine).    So, I asked if this were an "old school" barber shop or a place with the feel of a barber shop with more haircut diversity.  Well, it's exactly that - a place where you can have a non-pretentious environment and get a great haircut.  

Well, it is definitely not the classical barber shop.  I actually felt as if I could grab my laptop, comeback later, and do some work while watching ESPN/CNN - I kind of wanted to hangout there.

Now, just before Troy came to get me from the lobby area - I was asked if I would like a drink.  I paused for a second, looked around and saw a variety of hard liquor bottles and beer displayed -- really, could I have a scotch and get a haircut.  I asked for a glass of water and made a joke about having a Jack on the rocks.  The guy responded with - would you like both - please let us know if you would like a drink - we have plenty of options.  I stuck with my water as I had just finished playing tennis and needed to hydrate.  Still curious, I kept thinking - really a nice drink and a haircut - hmmm.  Someone else walked in after me and was offered a PBR Tall Boy - man, this place rocks. 

I have pretty curly hair, so I was a bit nervous about getting my haircut - well, not that nervous, though, cause it grows back.  Anyway, I got a great haircut and actually had a nice conversation with Troy while he cut my hair.  It was nice to be in a place where I didn't feel rushed.  Most notable was that on my way out Troy dropped the line - if after you wash your hair you find you want something else changed or done different just come on in Monday, I'm here the entire day.  Really -the snooty salons never say anything this nice and charge quite a bit more.

Next time I go back - I'll have that scotch while getting my haircut and possibly take my laptop in case I feel like hanging out.  If they had a table or two with a chessboard or card table - I would definitely hangout.  (I know that's a far stretch).  They did tell me though that the shop might bring in a part-time shoe shiner (great idea) and possible offer manicures in the future (ok).
5 - Shaun K.: I don't take switching barbers lightly, but when it started to get to be annoying to keep driving out to North Druid Hills after moving to midtown, I decided to give this place a shot. I was definitely not disappointed. It's a great space, nice TVs, great people, have a glass of Scotch while you get trimmed. The barbers here are serious professionals. My last trip was maybe my third here; I was greeted like an old friend, didn't even have to have "what's the plan" chat, and picked up right where we left off two months ago. Awesome.

I also love that you can get a reservation (and get it online at that) so I can book a 6pm on a weeknight, not have to spend my weekends trekking to the barbers and waiting in line and all that. First class operation here.
4 - Patrick M.: I get a hot shave and bald it up every two weeks.  I usually see Dave but have also gone to Fang.  Both great.   The hot shave smooths it all down and cleans it up nicely.
4 - Jen H.: So I guess I'm the first woman to rate this place. I brought my boyfriend over here yesterday because he really needed a haircut. 

First thing you notice is that this is really a manly man's barbershop. They also have a lot of really good guy's products too. You will notice that they do have alcohol and non alcoholic drinks, which i thought was amusing. 

They have a bunch of flat screens all over the place, all on sports channels. They have good magazines: Maxim, Atlanta, Men's Health, etc. 

They are skilled at cutting hair. I think the guy who cut my boyfriend's hair was Steve. And he made sure that the haircut would look good on weekdays as a business cut and on weekends, spiked up.
2 - Dan A.: This is an old fashion style barber shop in a tony condo tower.  My haircut was fine, but twice the price of a strip center hair cuttery.  I don't think I received value for my money ($25 plus tip) and won't go there again.
3 - David K.: First, where can you get a good men's haircut for $25 in Midtown? Not many places?  I usually go to another salon, but my regular stylist was on vacation. I figured that it didn't make sense to pay the same amount for a different stylist, so I decided to come here and pay less for a different person.

This was a unique experience for me because I'm not very familiar with how a barber shop works. It's very manly in here. Like, football games playing on flat screens and guys sipping bourbon while making small talk about traveling for work and golf.  Other than being male, I'm probably not their target client.  I'm okay with that, though.  They treated me pretty well and I liked the guy who cut my hair. He did his best with my request to use scissors (and not clippers) to trim my hair short.

It's neat that they finish up the trim by using a straight razor to trim sideburns and down your neck.  I was expecting them to shave my entire face, though. I guess the signage made me a little confused.

Oh, by the way. They don't do any shampoos here. I guess they're probably not needed cutting men's hair, but I had some product in mine that probably should have been washed out for an easier cut.

If I come back I'm definitely going to try their online reservation system. Apparently you just go to their website and book a time to come. Then just walk in. That's a lot easier than even calling.
4 - Jithu M.: I finally decided to try this place out after much deliberating. My roommate had gone there and had said good things about it. It's a very short walk from Georgia Tech and is MARTA accessible, which is a plus. 

I went on their website last night and made a reservation with Wallace. I came in a little early and told the guy at the front desk that I had a reservation, and immediately Wallace came and brought me into the main room. I was never offered a complimentary drink, but I'm under 21 and it's not a huge deal.

He asked me what I wanted to do with my hair and I wasn't really sure, so I told him I wanted something short that would look good with my face. Maybe 20-30min later, I was out of the chair with a nice looking haircut. This guy was great and was really quick with the clippers, and it was nice that they had compressed air to blow hair away instead of a brush. Everything was quick, smooth, professional, and comfortable.

I came in the middle of the day, so there wasn't much going on. The TVs were off, the barbers were hanging around, and it was a very relaxed environment. I'm sure it's more lively in there when it's more crowded. Despite this, it was still a very nice atmosphere to get a haircut. Although it seems like a barbershop, I'd say it's more like a salon for men. As many people have stated, it's very masculine; however, the barbers definitely know what they're doing and know how to make you look good.

I gave this a 4 because it's a great place to go for a nice haircut, but it's a little pricey for my budget. I'm probably going to find a less expensive place to go on a regular basis, but I certainly plan on going here if I need a haircut before an interview or any other type of special event.
1 - Jared B.: I had to go here because my normal guy was out of town.  I chose this place because it looked great on paper.  MARTA-accessible location, nice atmosphere, a few extras for a slightly higher price, etc.  

Big mistake; I should have waited.  I have never felt so unwelcome in a barbershop in my life.  The guy cutting my hair was very curt with me and insulting at points.  He couldn't get me out of his chair fast enough.  The normal place I go to is cheaper, much friendlier, and gives a better haircut.  Never going back to this place again.
5 - Matt Y.: A hot towel, lather and a straight razor.  Three things to fear if you're staying at the Bobbit Motel but at the end of a great haircut it's called icing on the cake!

I needed a haircut badly and I'd noticed them a few times while driving by earlier in the month. The price was a bit more than I'm used to paying for a barber but after reading some of the reviews here on Yelp I decided to give them a try and I'm glad I did!  I was worried about finding a good barber in midtown, I didn't want a 'stylist', that's not my scene and I wouldn't look good with a fade so I was looking for a real barber shop and that's exactly what American Haircuts is, a quality barber shop that is well worth the money. I'll be returning next month!
4 - Juichia C.: Accompanied my bf there for his haircut. He didn't have an appointment and we just looked this place up on Yelp. The place is nice, clean and I liked the layout. They had a lot of amenities for people who were waiting around, they had a computer with internet, magazines, a nice lounge area and I also noticed bottles of whiskey and bourbon in the front. :] The restroom was really clean as well.

We waited 25 minutes without an appointment on a Friday. The place was full, but they have a lot of barbers working. The people were friendly, as for the hair cut, well my bf got a buzz cut so not much to say about their skills. :P Overall, a really nice, modern and sanitary barbershop.
4 - Kyle G.: I used to go to Great Clips down the street. But I have been coming here for over a year now. It's a bit pricey for a cut but the service is great and the cut is even better. 

I love the online reservation system. It can be busy at times so walk-ins beware.
5 - Mike B.: I received an email from Dave about my review. He asked me to come back in and even offered to cut my hair free of charge. I took him up on his offer and went in Friday afternoon for a haircut. THIS was the experience I was looking for all along. The service and ambiance were, again, top notch. From the quick, friendly greeting when I came in the door to the thanks and the handshake on my way out. These guys really do understand what customer service is all about.

The haircut I got from Dave was excellent. He took his time and made sure every aspect was exactly right. The time and attention to detail were nothing short of fantastic. Three days later and I'm as happy with this haircut as any cut I've gotten in years.

Thanks American Haircuts for the opportunity to love you guys. And a special thanks to Dave for knowing what it means to make a client happy. I'm sold. This is officially my Atlanta barber.
5 - Stephen T.: SO YOU Live in Atlanta and you say you NEED A REAL FADE - You can look and look and look.  If you are of chocolate coloring, it's not a problem, but when you have a white man's hair texture, you would have to endure the pain I went through for 5 years.  Let's face it, when you live in South Beach and Fort Lauderdale, you learn what a South Florida fade looks like quickly with the latin and cuban influence.  I started wearing a zero fade, no line 12 years ago.  If you have a good head and can pull it off, nothing is hotter.

Fast forward - my company moves me to Atlanta.  I go from barber to stylist to barber and back getting some of the worst haircuts of my life.  Most white barbers in Atlanta don't know how to cut a classic fade.  5 years later, I meet Dave at American Haircuts - my back and forth to Fort Lauderdale has slowed and it is time to find someone that gets it and my head.  Dave sits me in his chair after I am made feel at home in their modern take on a classic barbershop.

I describe the cut, standard, and expected the worse. If you wear your haircut classic and short, you know that a bad hair cut may grow out, but it always leads to the next bad cut.  Dave put an end to this pattern and I left with my ears lowered and my face smiling.  Not only did I get a haircut, I got my haircut.  

Just so you know - this place has the best hair gels and pastes a guy can want - and if you need a close shave - they can cut it down to one layer of skin.  LOL  Way to go Dave.
1 - Isam R.: Alright, I'm completely redoing this review. 

First off, I really liked the place when I walked in. I was greeted and immediately seated even though I didn't have an appointment. The guy who cut my hair was really fun and chatty and had me done in 20 minutes. The service was excellent and I even made an appointment to come back.

So why the one star? Well, turns out my haircut wasn't as great as I thought. There were two big patches on the back of my head that I hadn't seen, and literally, when I went into work, people thought I had tried to cut my own hair. It was humiliating. I went back in and explained to the front desk, the guy was rude but quickly got me into a chair to fix it. The guy who fixed it didn't say one word to me (It was pretty obvious why I came back) and took 10 minutes (half of the time of my original haircut) fixing it. It looked fine when I was done, but he didn't ask if I liked it or anything, just said "I'm done" and kicked me out of his chair. 

Now let's get this straight - I'm a nice person and I wasn't rude or bitchy in any way. I was polite and very understand (I'm a server - I of all people know that mistakes are made). I didn't expect them to refund my money (though now I feel like I should have demanded it considering how rude they were) nor did they offer, which I honestly feel they should have. It would've kept me as a customer (just would've used a different guy next time). When the guy up front said "Alright" when I came back up and then went back to what he was doing, I decided I was done. I asked to cancel my next appointment. He asked when it was, didn't try to sway me in any way, and cancelled it. He asked "Would you like to reschedule it?" I told him I didn't and he just stared for a minute, then finished canceling it, and looked at me and said "Anything else?"

Honestly, I don't care if customer service is even decent, but they were downright rude when the problem was their fault from the beginning. I did not receive a single apology nor any attempt to keep my business. I expect more for how much they charge. Never going back, and suggest you don't bother with it. It's not worth the disrespect.
5 - Jon A.: I'm going to go ahead and write an update for my original review posted way back when and by way back when I mean July 25th 2009.  When I first moved to Atlanta I did not have a regular place to go to, then settled on Mint and found that I was paying way too much.  Luckily I gave American Haircuts a try and to this day I continue to see Fang.  The drinks are still free with a haircut, the service is top notch, and the cuts are great as always.  

Just a quick shout out to the front desk too -- let's say there's an event downtown or traffic issues in Midtown that may make you late for your appointment and you are totally unaware of said issues.  More often than not you are going to get a friendly phone call letting you know you should allow a bit of extra transit time to make your appointment on time.  For those of us that like to run "right on time" (if not a few minutes late...fashionably of course) this is a huge help!
5 - Shawn W.: I have been to the aledged "Atlanta's Premier Barbarshop" for my last 2 haircuts and was less than excited either time.  

I am real picky about my hair and just moved to the area did not know where to go.  I walked in to American Haircuts based on my research on Yelp and instantly felt comfortable right away. I was greeted by a man at the desk.  He was polite and led me back to my stylist, Derek. He was very nice and we made some small talk and asked "how long since my lash haircut". It told him how long and then I  told him how I wanted my cut this time. The conversation was very comfortable as if I had know him a long time.  (my wife says I can talk to anybody) 

My haircut was great and the atmosphere was laid back and while I did not have a drink because it was 11:00am (the bar was very welcoming) I will go next time in the PM and will have one. 

I have found a new spot to get my haircut!!  I will be back!!
5 - Aj B.: OK, I have to admit. This is the first "barber" shop I have ever been to. I have flip-flopped between being a salon snob or cutting my own hair. And since moving to Atlanta, I have been super disappointing with my ventures to various salons around town. Which explains the fro I had until today from not cutting my hair for 6 months... 
But thanks to a drive by the other day and a Yelp special for $5 off first visit (which I then luckily checked in on Foursquare and found a 50% off on first visit there! What's the deal Yelp?!) I hit up American Haircuts. The place is awesome - new, clean, flat-screens with CNN and ESPN, a bunch of guys, professional shaving (which I didn't but really want to try) and whiskey! (which I didn't have the courage to ask for). Anyway, I had Chris who was OK but seemed like he must have slipped with that strait edge razor and cut his tongue off because he didn't say a word the entire time I was there. Plus there were much cooler looking guys I would have rather had which I might get next time, but regardless, he did a good job. And it isn't too expensive either. I think I might have found my new haircut home, and can't believe it actually a "barber shop" but I did feel a bit more manly walking out of there...
4 - Chris D.: Great service. Online reservations. Free parking.  Best haircut I have had in years.  
I have used Troy who is excellent.
5 - Daniel G.: I walked in here without an appointment and was promptly seated in a waiting area. I was not offered anything to drink as many reviewers here have said. I only had to wait for about 20 minutes so I flipped through the nearby local events paper. Dereck cut my hair and did an awesome job. I am used to getting bad haircuts from all sorts of places such as Great Clips and even though this place is more expensive($25), the price is worth it. I never really know what I want done to my hair except that I want it shorter and Dereck told me to trust him. I'm glad I did because I love the new haircut! In addition, they gave me the $5 Yelp discount.

They only cut men's hair, so sorry ladies! I think this is great in some sense because they specialize and are good at what they do.
1 - Dante B.: I have trouble getting good haircuts, with decent quality, reasonably friendly service and attention to details.  As a result, I try pretty much every place and bounce sadly around, getting gouged and supbar cuts I could do in my own house, with the basic Wahl setup and a couple mirrors.

I desperately wanted this place to be my local Atlanta barber.  But, the truth is that they are below the average and, while they offer a lot of services and sound initially great, they're not.  For instance:  hot towel and massage.  Ohhh wow... sounds great.  Mmm.. so relaxing.  Yeah, for the 10 seconds it was on my neck.  Massage?  Don't blink or you might miss it.  chop chop, done.

American Haircuts is more expensive than other Atlanta barbers and doesn't do anything to justify the premium.  I would not recommend them.

FAIL.

Note to Barbers:  clean the hair off of your client's face.  Provide a quick, uniform, professional cut that would make you proud if you saw it again in public.
4 - Juan M.: Okay, I am really sensitive about my neck.
When I was at Tech, we all had to take a mandatory public speaking class; when it was my turn, I got up and explained how to make Cuban coffee (with the appropriate props).
I had my suit on and everything.
When the comment cards were turned in, I was really pumped because I thought it had gone well and the feedback confirmed this.
Until I got one that simply said:
"SHAVE YOUR NECK"
So, since then, I have had a high sensitivity to not have that "Jethro" look; typically, my lovely and willing better half will oblige, but it didn't happen one morning.
So I came here.
And they did it; a might fine job at that.
In and out for $5 plus $1 tip.
Why not 5 stars?  I didn't have time to walk from home so I had to take the car and pay for parking.  Me no likey paying for parking!
5 - Don J.: I started using them about a year ago because they were close to the office and take reservations online.  I have always been a fan of the traditional barber as I end up with a hack job at the the other quick places.  I have never had a bad hair cut.  There are more expensive then most barbers but my time is worth the extra cost.
5 - Cooper G.: FOUR Letters - FANG.  She was fantastic.  My girlfriend won a shave and haircut from a Cystic Fibrosis Benefit silent auction.  I was pumped to try it out. 

Fang did a great job on my hair.  They use a straight razor on the back of the neck.  I saw the price when she rang up the gift certificate. It's a little more pricey than supercuts, but she was more professional than what I generally see in those types of shops.  She has been at the shop since it opened.  Who knows how long somebody will last at a corporate establishment. 

I loved the shave.  I've been in numerour places that did this, but never have sat down to have it down..   I'm not sure how much it costs alone, but it's worth it.

I guarantee your guy will not be dissapointed if you give a shave to your guy as a gift.  I'm also going to take my dad when he comes to town.  Also would be cool to do for your groomsmen on your wedding day.  I"m pretty sure anybody there can give a good one.

I didn't have to wait, but I mean what guy wouldn't like internet and a drink while they are there.  Televisions were a nice touch.  Cool atmosphere.

I'll be back.
5 - Jonah K.: Wallace is the man, he does an awesome job and he's a personable guy. This place is essentially a mens club and you can get a haircut. They have a good bourbon selection as well.
4 - Chip p.: I went to American Haircuts with a group of friends to celebrate the birth of a buddy's first child. Let me start off by saying that the staff at American Haircuts is absolutely phenomenal - the place was immaculate & the service was top notch. I got a hot shave that was not only the first I've ever had, but it was on par with a spa type experience. Worth every penny!

They offer adult beverages while you wait & they have an "internet cafe" type area that you may utilize as well. You can purchase grooming products on site & schedule advance appointments. This is a great place to visit! If you haven't had a hot shave before, you've gotta have one!!
1 - Chad Q.: Horrible!  I went to have my beard edged and neck shaved for a wedding. I had to go home and fix it myself. A total waste!
4 - Andrew M.: Oh, I'm so sick of salons.  They're for women, and when you get a men's haircut they are way overpriced.  I don't want to go to a barber, I want someone to take their time grooming me with high-end products.  I want to sit in big, comfy leather chairs and watch CNN or SportsCenter on a big screen TV.  I want a computer to use while I'm waiting, or a cool book on manliness to read through.  And I definitely don't want that shitty glass of Merlot, I drink Bourbon!

American Haircuts has all of this.  It's classy, comfortable, and they have liquor.  I love getting my Maker's Mark and Coke while waiting on Troy to finish up his last appointment.  I get a hot shave for an extra ten bucks, with warm lather and a straight-edge razor.  Hair dryers?  Screw that -- these guys use air compressors to blast that hair off of your neck.  

Oh, I'm out of my Jack Black grooming supplies.  No problem, American Haircuts has a ton of products to choose from.  

You should start going to this place!  The staff are all so friendly, so accommodating.  The haircuts are very fairly priced at $25 and if you have a beard go in a little grizzly and spend the extra $10 on grooming.  My only beef, and the reason A.H. gets four stars is because a couple times I left and realized over the next week or so that my hair wasn't perfect.  I'm sure they would have fixed it, but I live too far away to make another trip in.  I'll still keep coming back.  Ask for Troy Thompson, he's the best!
5 - Jie Y.: Very nice service and totally worth the price. 
Great atmosphere. 
A haircut shop for men!
Expect a little bit more than 20 dollars for a basic haircut.
4 - Peter M.: One of my few best discoveries in Atlanta. Unpretentious, masculine, relaxed vibe, clean and a good old haircut complete with a straight razor clean up and hot towel rub to finish it off.  Plus a cocktail if you want! They even offer a full beard straight razor shave. Definitely going to treat myself to one soon!

This is the first time in several years that my hair is longer than the length of a #1 clipper guard. Needless to say, I shopped and read all over to find a place to get my haircut. I hate pretentious salons and most of the barber shops in my neighborhood look dirty and uninviting. I changed the search parameters and American Haircuts came up and I suddenly remembered it.

The place always did look inviting from the street so I took a gamble and came out satisfied beyond my expectation. I'll definitely go back. 

The parking can be a little tricky. I'm glad I drive a compact!
1 - Abhinav T.: Not worth the price, poor customer service. I was a walk-in and the receptionist gave me this look of disgust that I didn't call in (even though I could see 3 barbers just sitting around doing nothing). Clearly I had upset the whole place - after I explained to the barber how I wanted my hair cut, he proceeded to do the exact opposite of what I had asked. He was in a real hurry for some reason - finished my cut in 2 minutes! Save your money - go somewhere where they actually give a crap.
4 - Stephan T.: Very nice.  I had let my hair get completely out of control...longest ever in ages.  Went to this shop as a walk-in and got Wallace.  He did a fantastic job, made me look like a new man, and was friendly without being too gabby like some stylists/barbers tend to be.  The atmosphere is laid back and the decor is very inviting and just has a men's club feel about it.  Overall a very relaxing and enjoyable experience.  And I don't get the complaints about the price; personally I consider $25 entirely reasonable for the quality of work and service they provide.
4 - Kyle D.: I've been going there for a while now. I've tried out a few barbers there, but Justin was by far the best suited to my tastes. Unfortunately he's gone, but there's still a pretty good selection of barbers to choose from. (I've now switched to Troy H. if you're wondering.) The service is always great though the prices are a little high. If you go there, I highly encourage you to have a drink while you wait. (Who doesn't want a Crown and Coke or a PBR on a Friday afternoon while waiting to get a trim?) The place is clean, there are lots of TV & magazines and plenty of waiting space. They do take reservations if you want someone specific, but I've seen plenty of walk-ins as well.
2 - Brennan B.: The place is nice and in a really convenient location if you live or work in Midtown. However, you'll pay $30 for a haircut you could get at Supercuts or Fantastic Sams. My cut was done by Tyler Hunt, who seemed a little upset about something related to the front desk guy. I showed him a picture of an old haircut of mine as a guide, but what I got was way different and shorter. Not too worried about the cut. It'll grow out, thats what's nice about mediocre haircuts. Maybe Tyler had a lot on his mind or something. He was talking to his buddy about going to get a few new dope outfits at the mall after work, so that's a lot to think about.

All in all, if you don't need reassurance that you're a man while you're getting groomed you can probably do better in the area. Especially for the money
2 - Alex P.: Cool concept, lacks quality. What good is the fancy building when you come out with a mediocre haircut every time and pay through the roof for it? Also, very snobby guy at the reception desk.
4 - Phillip K.: Great place. Nice service. Really
Professional but they should tone down the prices to increase their revenue. They are a bunch of barbers in the same area that could do the same thing for $15 less

American Legion Penn Center Post 204 - Philadelphia, PA (39.955088, -75.201251) (University City)
3 - Jack S.: AKA "The Pit". Dark, seedy establishment that I've only ever entered after-hours. Not sure about difficulty of getting in, since I was always with a regular. Pool table, video games, large bar. Barkeeps are very friendly in comparison to other after-hours bars. Very mixed clientele. Usually pretty mellow, even when it's packed.
4 - Joseph W.: I also know this place as "The Pit."  It's a private club, so you mostly have to know someone to get in or be a member of the Legion.  It's the only after hours club that I know of in West Philadelphia, so it's usually pretty busy late at night.  They only have mixed drinks and bottled beer.  The selection is not great, but it's late at night and why wouldn't you order a Yuengling anyways?  They have strange late night television on mute, strippers/pros, and all sorts of shady people there.  I love it, but fights can happen there quickly too... so shut up and drink your beer.  One of my favorite oddities about this place is that they have a pretty typical jukebox... Bon Jovi and bullshit like that... but then they also have The Smiths "The Queen is Dead" album too.  Awesome!
2 - Larry L.: "We're from out of town and wanted to know where we could go afterhours?"

"Legion"

So on a trip to Philly, we (Me, Rick B. and Vic M.) had no idea how restrictive Philly's alcohol laws were. The supermarkets didn't sell beer but instead referred us to a Chinese restaurant, which I will review separately (5 stars).

Along the same lines of conservatism were the 2AM club curfews. So instead of retiring to our hotel, we restlessly searched for the one place where someone could get a beer after hours. Everyone we spoke to referred us, in a whisper, to Legion like it was some super secretive speakeasy that you needed a password to get into. Totally not the case.

We went. We knocked. Bouncer opened the door, checked us out, let us in. No need to know anyone. No need to know any password. Thanks for that I guess.

Inside is dark, seedy and depressing, filled with a bunch of people that reminded me of Barney from the Simpson's.  

We evacuated immediately.

American Mega Laundromat - Hyattsville, MD (38.954923, -76.966643) ()
5 - Laura D.: I don't typically used laundromats because I have my own washer and dryer,  However I have some big items that cannot be washed from home.  I dreaded going to the laundromat because of past experiences, but when I went to the American Mega Laundromat near the Hyattsville metro, I was very pleased.  Their triple load washers were clean and plentiful, and the atmosphere was very conducive to letting me work.  The people who worked there were very friendly and helpful.  The next time I needed to wash something big, I simply dropped it off and they called me that day to pick it up.  Laundromats no longer need to be stressful.  I highly recommend this place.
4 - Benna H.: I hate laundry. I'm not going to make excuses. I hate doing it. When I'm doing laundry I always feel like these are precious moments of my life that I am wasting and I will never get them back. I work hard and play hard so I feel that the money I make should be used for all the fun things in life and to get rid of the things I don't like. Like Laundry. AML does all the tedious parts of laundry that you hate and you get to enjoy the final product. There is nothing like dropping off bags of dirty clothes and getting them back clean and fresh smelling and FOLDED! Folded I say! Folded into neat little squares that you can just take home and put away. Pretty darn magical in my eyes. And hey if you got the money, why not? You can call me lazy, but really I'm smart. I partake in the the drop off/pick up wash, dry, and fold service. It's $1 per pound. Which in my mind is cheap for the hours you will save not doing it yourself. Be warned though, they only take cash!
4 - Ashley W.: so during my recent search for a wash and fold service, I was somewhat hesitant to try this place....  
but was so glad I did.....  
very convenient and very quick!   - located literally next to the west hyattsville metro station... 
-- they charge by the pound  - a dollar per lb.  
I took them a modest size load around lunch time on a weekday .  (just wash and dry items, like towels, t-shirts, etc)
and received a call later that evening to notify me that my laundry was finished.  -
the staff was incredibly friendly....
to my surprise.. I pick up  my laundry -- that was perfectly folded!.... i mean the epitome of perfection... wrinkle free and ready to be placed in my drawers....  
wow oh wow..  
the only thing is... next time i will be taking my own detergent/fabric softner/dryer sheets(which is not necessary) but if you prefer that 'fresh laundry' smell ... then it's not a bad idea to provide your own!...
5 - Terinee B.: FANTASTIC wash & fold spot!  Not only do they do a great job, but they are also the cheapest ($1 per pound) that I've found w/this level of quality.  On top of that, they have a yelp check-in deal that you get $10 of of 50 lbs or more when you check in there.  Last time I went I ended up getting 53 lbs of clothes done for like .78 cents a pound w/that deal!  The staff is ALWAYS super friendly, and they are pretty quick.  They are most definitely a keeper!!!
5 - Brian S.: The best!
4 - Deborah T.: As a busy barber shop employee in DC we go through a lot of towels.  American Mega Laundromat delivers towels to us weekly.  They are always nicely folded and clean.  The drivers are pleasant and helpful.  They accomodate with next day delivery when necessary.

American Picture Framing - Philadelphia, PA (39.9595998, -75.1980893) (Powelton Village, Saunders Park)
5 - Ann R.: This is a great family-owned business with a friendly staff. They specialize in wholesale, but they also do retail (and they treat their retail customers well -- I've sent lots of friends and family here since I discovered it). 

They aren't incredibly cheap or anything, but their prices are totally fair for the quality. The only drawback is that their weekend hours aren't especially convenient. 

I've been getting my pictures framed here for about 3 years now, and I've been consistently impressed by how professional they are. They always have the frame finished on time, I never worry about how they're going to handle the art once I'm gone, and they know exactly what to do with antique and fine art prints. Plus, they have a huge selection of mats and frames to choose from. I won't go anywhere else for custom frames.
5 - Ben M.: American Picture Framing just framed a large poster for me and did a wonderful job.  They were professional and very friendly.  I would recommend them for someone who is looking for good quality work.  I agree withe Ann R. they may not be a budget framing business but will also give you good value for money.
5 - Sahara M.: This is a great asset to the neighborhood. The staff is professional and very friendly. It isn't cheap, but good custom framing never is. They did a great job on my project and I would definitely go back.

American Red Cross - Los Angeles, CA (34.0613925, -118.4507041) (Westwood)
4 - Jess A.: I volunteer here from time to time, in addition to donating blood.
This West LA location is my favorite for blood donations. They get you in and out quick, which I appreciate.
If you are eligible, please donate blood. It just takes a little bit of time, and it does a lot of good!
1 - Mike B.: Never ever ever EVER give these people your phone number. They will hound you relentlessly to give blood every two weeks, even though you can only give blood every 2 months.

After they had called me about 50 times (seriously) I went in to give blood on a day I was in the area. Well it was only 3 days later that they called me asking to give blood again. I told them I had just given blood and obviously I wasn't eligible and to please take my number out of their records as I plan on going every two months.

After this incident I received at least 5 calls a week later from the same people and repeated to them to stop calling me. I am thinking of changing my number just because of these bastards who have no concern for individual privacy and no common sense.

American Red Cross - Cambridge, MA (42.362246, -71.082349) (East Cambridge, Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - Lisa R.: I have taken a class at the red cross with an instructor named Lorrie as well. Though some of the references sound similar the way they are portrayed in the other review are not accurate at least for the class which i partook in. She made the very long class entertaining and relevant to our everyday lives. 
Lorrie was very informative and answered all of our questions promptly and made sure that we were happy with the answers that were given. From what we learned in the class angina is a heart condition that looks and feel very similar to a heart attack and the only way to distinguish is to go to the hospital and have medical testing. As far as the heat related emergencies she did emphasize on the stages and gave examples which for some may have sounded like a beach bum but for any mother or one who themselves enjoys the beach as much as possible over the summer would understand so they can see where the stages differ and when it is important to received help. 
This evaluator does seem to have at least learned about wounds and chocking but doesn't seem to have paid all that much attention to the references since we wouldn't ask a stroke victim what the day was but rather any victim who was seeming to be in a medical emergency to test for mental status. In this day and age with all the smart phones and technology who truly knows the date and time? The day of the week, month and year will suffice. The same goes for when checking speech for a stroke victim. WE all speak differently here and accents and speech disorders do hinder what we may evaluate so it does seem appropriate to me, to check with a loved one of the victim to know what their baseline for all of these different questions are. 

After all of this, i honestly believe that this review is a case of jealously. You do after all remember her outfit to a T. I personally have no idea what my instructor was wearing but i do remember all that she taught me on how to save a lives. Thank you American red cross for an excellent class, and thank you for making Lorrie an outstanding instructor.
4 - Tamar A.: Hi all.  I'm back.

Not one to miss giving credit where it is indeed due, I just wanted to throw a prop to Bill Green, the gentleman who came in to our office to lead the adult/workplace CPR class.  Much like a thwarted workplace emergency, he was equal parts stern upfront and funny later on, and even though he picked me as his pet to humiliate all through the class (perhaps revenge for my last review?  OH YOU ARE SNEAKY, RED CROSS), we all had a merry old time giving fake quick upward thrusts and counting compressions.  Even though it seems CPR training  is going the way of the dodo, and now we're all just supposed to call 911 and wait on instructions.  Oh well.  Years of information accrued during infinite rainy days at camp and grainy VHS tapes?  Prepare to meet your Q-tip.

American Red Cross - Palo Alto, CA (37.4434416, -122.1663115) ()
5 - Andrew W.: The Red Cross offers great classes in Adult and Child/Infant first aid and CPR including the use of an AED.  The classes consist of videos and hands-on instruction.  I recommend taking these classes.  Providing someone with CPR early can prevent possible brain damage and even save their life.  The classes start at 9 and end at 4:30 with a 1 hour break for lunch.  Also, check out the website for other valuable life-saving tips.

American Repertory Theater - Cambridge, MA (42.374905, -71.123021) (Harvard Square)
5 - Stephanie W.: They have a really good variety of shows, and if you are a student, you can get a good deal on season tickets. There is also the Loeb Experimental Theater, where many of the shows are free and written/done by Harvard students. Some of them are pretty strange, but hey, its free. Call ahead.
5 - Anna S.: Amazing shows that are ever changing.  The actors are fantastic and the directors are creative in a way that isn't too extreme, but pushes the limits just enough.  Students also get great rates.
5 - Joe b.: Excellent theatre. Nuff said.
4 - Ellie L.: Often the shows here are experimental directors taking on classics like Shakespeare's, or Greek tragedies, or O'Neill, Brecht...you get the picture.  Always noteworthy for the standout sets.  Great building to get lost in with tons of pictures and statues and weird theater gnomes skulking about.
5 - Geoff T.: I have been going here since I was 14 and I love it. Student discount tickets are a plus. Some great plays go through this theater. Their tendancy to slightly "modernize" some plays is usually pretty refreshing, though on some occasions falls short. But it's going to happen if you experiement, right? They currently offer package deals where you can pay one flat rate for three shows of your choosing during the season.
3 - Natasha A.: I've seen quiet a few plays here. The theater is very intimate and you can see the stage perfectly even form the last row. I suggest getting the cheaper tickets in the front but on the side. Island of Slaves was hilarious and is typical of the Repertory. They take old works and interpret them in a totally bizzare and inventive way. No Exit was excellent and I hear its coming back. The only reason I did not give it 4 stars is because of plays like Chekovs Three Sisters..that play was butchered beyond recognition..a bit too interpretive. Otherwise, i'm considering buying a season pass.

Updating the review because the ART has gotten progressively weirder and weirder without any added value. Once they stuck superman into Julius Caesar I had to draw the line...
5 - Nobu K.: I am just a theater fan.
I like it anything on stage, live show.

I like theater better than movie.
Well, you'll pay a lot more than movie for sure but , you know,  I just get tired watching TV , movie, computer monitor and cel phone monitor.

Theater is easy on your eyes.

This theater is well built, feels like you are in the open-air theater.
It is more casual, relaxed and modern design.
I do recomend this place no matter what is showing  there.
5 - George A.: When you've had enough of the cheesy aromas that prevail in the so-called "theater district", head to this locale for a refreshing breath of creativity and original theater.

Mostly smaller productions, experimental work, and the occasional one-man show.  I've seen some shows that were plain stunning, some that were full of ideas - but I couldn't necessarily appreciate all of them, and some that were unmemorable.   

Beyond the shows, one has got to appreciate how management lets artists do their thing, take risks, and experiment.
5 - Ashley M.: What a beautiful space. Cambridge-funky without losing its aesthetics. I've only been to one show, but can't wait to go back and see how it is set up for different styles of theater.

Also they have a liquor license! How many theaters can say that? 

Oh p.s. I just realized I should note that I was at the smaller of the two - Zero Arrow Theatre.
5 - Micaela L.: ART is so beautiful -- it's a great venue for live performances.  I saw Carmen here in the fall of 2005 and it was outstanding.  The roster is always creatively varied and interesting, and the neighborhood is easily accessible and gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.  This venue is just one of many cultural institutions that makes Cambridge such a special place.
5 - erin d.: Just saw ART's production of Brittanius.  This theatre is the result of that really weird guy you went to college with actually getting some money, but in a good way.  Excellent theatre.  It really made me feel good to see a non-traditional show on a Wednesday night play to a nearly full house.  I was the youngest person in the audience, which made me wonder.  Of course, I am very young.
4 - Sarah A.: This review is for the 0 Arrow Street Location:

Mad props to any place that has live goldfish at the ticket counter. That is awesome. They also have large, comfy couch like seats for you to relax on while waiting for friends before the show starts. You can sit down and stare at the fish till your peeps arrive. The theater itself is a nice, intimate venu. However, as you walk in, be sure to veer to the left and not the right, regardless of where they try to steer you. The seats on the left side are way more comfortable than those on the right.

Also, they have great student discounts. Remember to show your ID.
5 - Mandy H.: The ART is an amazing theatre space in Cambridge. There literally isn't a bad seat in the house. No obstructed views, no balconies, no nosebleed inducing seats-nuthin. The ART has 19 rows so it is also pretty intimately sized. There is a new program called "50 at $15" which enables  the general public to get the same day rush price that in the past was just reserved for college student rush.
The fare can range from the experimental and freaky-see "Orpheus X"- to genre crossing and crowd pleasing-"The Onion Cellar"- to campy -see "Island of Slaves"- to just plain beautiful -- see "Wings of Desire." Not everything shown at the ART is to everyone's taste. Don't go here expecting a family friendly version of a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Not all of the experimental stuff performed here works all the time but---hey---at least they take creative risks and those risks are always executed beautifully.
5 - Tracee D.: I used to work here & I still recommend it...Imagine that! Great theatre. 2 theatre's comprise the A.R.T. The loeb in Harvard Sq. on Brattle and the Zero Arrow graciously donated by the Carr foundation. They do lot's of cool gimmicks to get us television watching primates in the door like: bring in a movie ticket and they will charge you that price..or 50 tickets for $15 on the day of a show...when available. If you are a student you can wield you i.d. and get a season pass for $60, thats a deal!! Great theatre. Marissa Tomei was in a show forever ago..rumor has it she was a diva but I don't believe it..John Malkovich is a fan and supporter.I saw the entire season thus far..(for free!! b/c of prior employment)  and it was pretty eclectic, diverse and never torture..the chairs are comfy.  It is not Harvard affiliated which makes me like  it even more!! Its more of a symbiotic relationship that exists...Go!
A.R.T. and Am Rep are the same. There are 2 categories for the same place on here....
5 - John W.: Bold, daring, intelligent theater. Great acting, amazing set design, and imaginative productions of everything from Shakespeare classics to a stage adaptation of Wings of Desire. I dare say this little theater in Cambridge offers a more thrilling experience than anything I've seen in New York.
5 - Caroline A.: Very modern theater in the heart of Cambridge.  I've seen several Shakespeare plays here - the acting is terrific and the sets are very well done.  It is a small theater, so it's hard to get a bad seat.  The crowd is very diverse - many older patrons as well as students. 

If you drive, get there early.  It's impossible to find a parking spot by the theater (or anywhere in Cambridge!).  Also, we've gotten last minute tickets (day of) for a discounted rate.  So check it out!
5 - Merri H.: Small theatre in the heart of Harvard Square; great views no matter where you sit. I have seen just a handful of plays here and they have all been unusual and really well produced. The best part - you can show up at noon and score $15 tickets for same-day performances. I think this is usually true (at least it was this past weekend), but you should double check to be sure. Considering how pricey theatre can be this is a great thing to know about!
3 - Richard F.: i saw Donnie Darko (play version) here (which I'd probably give a 3.5 or a Low B- ,it was OK) and the place is small and cool and unique, kinda expensive ($39 tickets for this event at least) and right near Harvard Sq.  I'd definitely come back here - hopefully to see something better for less money.
4 - Steve N.: saw Donnie Darko here a couple of months back and really liked the layout of the place and the discounted parking at Harvard is a big plus. although their sales department wouldn't take 'no' for an answer when they later called to see how i liked the show and then tried to sell me a subscription.
4 - Gary P.: By sheer luck got comps to opening night of Copenhagen. Beautiful little theater, interesting patrons. All the seats are good. The play is a monumental examination of the famously ambiguous meeting in Copenhagen between physicists Bohr and Heisenberg. It is a marathon for the performers, especially as the script is dense with physics terminology. But it is fascinating. It is as if the author holds up three crystals for us to look at: Bohr, Heisenberg and the relationship between the two; and turns them this way and that, illuminating with reflected light this most fascinating period in the development of modern physics and nuclear weaponry, as well as the deep humanity of the physicists themselves. Heisenberg's soliloquies on being in Germany at the end of WWII are particularly fine, as is the treatment of how physics put the human individual back into the center of the universe. The actors were for me totally convincing. I liked the sparse electron-themed set too. See it.
5 - Vanilla P.: $15 for third row seats -- you can't beat that. We went over the weekend to watch the play Cardenio, a lost play attributed to Shakespeare. The set was amazing, and we really felt like we were sitting in the cloister of a Umbrian monastery.  The actors were fun, entertaining, and captured our attention for the 2.5 hours, and the seats were mostly comfortable. The bathrooms are located on the basement and second-floor level, and there's a nice little booze stand right outside the main door. 

I would have loved to grab a glass of wine from the stand (can't drink right now) and gone outside to the courtyard with the beautiful landscaping and fancy lights (too many smokers - gag), but the wait for the bathroom killed my 13 minute intermission. We signed up for the email list, and will definitely return for future performances.
4 - Stephen Y.: We saw Cardenio there... Play was OK..... not spectacular 

More of a traditional theatre... Seats were comfortable and since it wasn't full we managed to move closer to the stage

I liked the theatre especially the outdoor courtyard with the strings of lights -- great place to sit with a glass of Pimms (or substitute your fav summer EtOH beverage here) on a summer evening...
5 - Haley S.: I was given some great tickets for Elections and Erections here. First time and I'm a huge fan. We sat at a table and could drink throughout the show. Drink while watching a play! Brilliant!

They open indoor layout was very inviting and gave me ample chance to mingle with the lovely people there. Modern motif with no pretension. In the future, I will look here first for plays.
5 - Anthony L.: A truly great theatre, with first-rate amenities, dynamic acting and daring productions. Their production of Julius Caesar this past winter remains the best Shakespeare performance I have ever been fortunate enough to see. The location, just to the edge of the square, means that it is in a slightly quieter area, while still close enough to walk to from the red line.
5 - elizabeth l.: join the a.r.t.'s mailing list and get thee to a show! performances range from avant garde to classical, and the space is intimate and engaging. the a.r.t. provides some of the most culturally enriching experiences in boston.
4 - Miriam L.: I love having good theater so close by!  I've seen plays here since I was a kid and the quality has consistently been good to excellent.  I loved Copenhagen, which was performed several years ago, and most recently saw Endgame, which was done really well, though the play itself is vaguely disturbing.  I've seen plays in both the main stage and black box theater at the Loeb Drama Center, but have yet to see anything at the Zero Arrow over on Mass Ave.  Hopefully that will change with Trojan Barbie.

Also the student ticket deal (5 tickets to be used any way you want for $60) is fantastic.
5 - Nick H.: I've never heard so many racial slurs in my life and enjoyed myself as much as I did when viewing a production of David Mamet's Romance at the American Repertory Theater...

I am no Broadway junkie or regular theater-goer but this was a great experience for an excellent price ($15). If all spectacles here are as good as what I just saw, I have surely been missing out in my years of thespian-free life.

Get over here as soon as you can to see the next production. The acting company has some top-notch talent and the venue is great - would be an excellent spot for an upcoming Elite Event...ahem Leighann?
5 - Annie C.: Last night I caught a production of the American Repertory Theater's "Seriously Funny: an evening of short works by David Mamet, Harold Pinter, and Shel Silverstein." Previously, the only ART show I'd seen was a two-man production of "The Importance of Being Earnest," which, you can probably tell, was a crazy (but hysterical) take on the Wilde standard. Otherwise, I'd heard that ART could go really experimental, which isn't always the kind of theater I enjoy, so I wasn't sure what to expect from their latest show. "Seriously Funny" was far less experimental than other ART productions I'd heard of, but was one of the most enjoyable evenings in the theater I've had in a while. Held at their One Arrow Street theater, the intimate, almost lounge-like space worked well for the show, a collection of very short, humorous plays. All the actors were fantastic--they had great comic timing and did a fantastic job.

Their 2009-2010 season looks great. After "Seriously Funny," I think I'll be going to American Repertory Theater shows a lot more often.
3 - Krys A.: The ART was hard for me and my friend to find due to not being familiar with Cambridge, due to being lost we were a few minutes late and we had to wait a few minutes to be seated.  Before we were seated we were informed that our seats had been given away due to a cast members family member coming in as a surprise, therefore we were seated a few rows back. No seat is a bad seat, but still I rather sit where I was suppose to be sitting.  The actors and set were great though I found this show to drop the F bomb way too much.  I was too the point where I was like oh my god are they serious, just about every other word was f---.  The best part was the gay guy in a thong banana hammock, yeaaaaa baby!

Good show, very funny.... I got the tickets from a fundraiser, not really my thing but I'm sure this is something other people would really enjoy it.
3 - Leslie T.: Why are they always naked?

Every play I have ever seen at the ART has incorporated some manufactured excuse for someone on stage to drop trou at some point during the production. Not that there's anything wrong with the human body or anything, and if the script or interpretation calls for it then I say go for it, but, like, NAKED SHAKESPEARE??? Really, ART?

I'd comment on the plays themselves, but I'm always so distracted waiting to see how they're going to work in the obligatory gratuitous nudity I'm not sure I'd be the best judge.
5 - Anne G.: The Donkey Show was amazing. The format -- a disco club, where the audience is the crowd at the club and the action happens around them -- was original and worked well. The interaction between the cast and the crowd was really fun and the show was hilarious. I highly recommend it!
5 - Sally B.: I attended the ART's recent production of "Sleep No More," a new work by Punchdrunk.  I love theater, and was a techie in school and generally think of myself as having a good handle on the theater realm, but this show/experience went far beyond anything I have ever seen/done before.  Best acting, best sets, best value; one of my most memorable nights in Boston to date.

I can't say too much without ruining the experience, just GO.  Grab a friend, your running shoes, and your imagination, and GO.  Go now, go again at Halloween, go with your best friend, roommate, boyfriend, save your lunch money to afford the $25 ticket, GO.

Oh, and (re)read MacBeth beforehand, or you'll spend a really long time trying to remember who the "good guys" are.

Since this is an ART-general category, here's the link for this particular show, which was held at an abandoned school in Brookline Hills (but an ART production all the same):
http://www.americanrepertorytheater.org/events/show/sleep-no-more
5 - Ryan B.: This review is for "Sleep No More."  It is a new show co-produced by the ART and Punchdrunk Productions out of the UK.  It is the most innovative and inspiring piece of theater I have seen in a very long time.  It is a total immersion and engages all of your senses,  fusing elements from Macbeth, Hitchcock, and more.  

Sleep No More is set in a giant old school building on Route 9 in Brookline.  When we arrived, we were directed to a little path off to the side and then entered and the adventure began.   We were welcomed to the "hotel" by a 40's bellhop and a jazz singer and taken onto an elevator.  We were all given masks to wear and I soon ended up separated from my friends.  Also there's NO TALKING as you walk around and explore!   It's not scary so much as surreal.   You can go at whatever pace you want - stumble upon crazy scenes - unexpected things happen.  Choose to just dart from one thing to the next, or maybe follow one particular character around for the whole night.  

I don't want to give too much away but if you are like me, your first thought upon leaving will be, "I need to go back!"  I was talking to someone after the show and she said she's gone ten times and still hasn't seen everything. That's because you create a different experience every time. 

It's like soaking your soul, mind, and body in a big bowl of rich juicy art stew for several hours. 

One thing to remember is that although it is (kinda) the story of Macbeth, it's not a very literal or linear version.  So if you expect a direct storyline from start to finish, or approach it in an analytical way, you may get frustrated.  I found it was more enjoyable when I just gave myself up to the experience and let it happen, even if I didn't exactly understand everything. More emotional than intellectual I guess - although I expect that people pick up on more of the meanings and influences the more they go. Layers upon layers.

After the show I was all, "Oh my god! I loved the part where a guy was naked with a goat head dancing around to a pumping beat in strobe lighting!"

And my friend was like, "I didn't see that but did you see the live eel swimming in a bathtub upstairs?"

"NO!"

And so on.

Clearly this requires a repeat visit.
5 - Greg C.: Re: Sleep No More

This is one of the coolest things you will ever see or do in your entire life.
5 - Charlo M.: I have been a subscriber to the ART for many years.  They have always had good plays with great actors and fascinating set design.  But for a number of years they've had quite small audiences.  I wasn't sure why, but the plays tended to be dark and heady.  I often enjoyed them, but not always.

This year, under a new director, Diane Paulus, the first few shows have been very exciting experiences, especially the Donkey Show and Sleep No More.  Upcoming is a two part telling of the Great Gatsby and a play about the Red Sox Nation.  It couldn't get more interesting.  You can read details about Sleep No More in other reviews, so I won't go into it.  But it is absolutely wonderful.  It's sold out, but you can try to go standby if you show up around 7:00.

I encourage others to become subscribers so that you won't miss any of the ART's productions.  We're lucky to have them in our community.
5 - Bridget B.: if they keep putting on productions like GATZ, Sleep no More, and the Donkey Show I may have to marry them.
5 - Erin C.: Sleep No More can only be described as an experience and a fantastic one at that!  The amount of thought, creativity and hard work that went into this event is unfathomable. My introduction to ART through Sleep No More was brilliant and I look forward to being entertained by future productions by this group.
5 - Ali A.: This review is for the Donkey Show at the Oberon.  

BEST. NIGHT. EVER.  After two hours of disco and dancing, my cheeks actually hurt from smiling so much.  It's pure enjoyment!  Lovely glitter-covered, pasty-wearing, roller-skating, disco-dancing enjoyment.  I don't want to give any spoilers, but anyone who likes FUN will love this show!  Girls night out?  Perfect.  Friends visiting?  Done.  Grandma's feeling saucy?  Absolutely.  Make sure you get a ticket for the floor and you'll find yourself in the middle of all the action - perhaps even part of the show!  

Nothing is certain in life except for death and taxes and the fact I will be BACK to the Donkey Show!!
5 - Dorise G.: Came here for Gatz, a 7 hour play (8 hours if you include the one hour break for dinner in between).

Since I can't really review the play itself on here (though I highly HIGHLY recommend - one of the most amazing cultural experiences I've ever encountered), I'll say the seating was extremely comfortable given the fact we were sitting there all day (though I did bring a back pillow just cuz I was in for the long haul), and the seats were set out in such a manner that there was no fear of being able to see over the person in front of you - it was an ideal sort of quasi-stadium seating that I wish more theaters had.  Also, it was very smoothly run and quite reasonably priced, with an option to order dinner there in between from Chez Henri, which was also quite delicious!  Would definitely like to hit up the ART again soon, and if you can still get tickets suggest you go see Gatz post-haste!
5 - T T.: Saw this again (I found tickets for the Haiti Benefit).  Completely different experience.  Found 3 new rooms and 2 characters that I didn't see the first time around.  Time of my life.  Based on the lines of folk it screams bring it back, for the love of god bring it back.  They could set up shop indefinately I am thinking.  ANYTHING by Punchdrunk has to be good, I would put down cash for them to do any of the other (masque of the Red Death or Faust), or something new.  The staff at the theatre is very friendly, kind and helpful.  I appreciate them taking my frantic phone calls looking for tickets.
5 - Colleen M.: Oh, I am such a fan of the A.R.T. I really don't know how to articulate this, except to say: BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT. 

Every show I've seen has been spectacular. Really intelligent, smart theater - theater that makes me excited about the art form again. I find myself wanting to see their shows again and again (and with both The Donkey Show and Sleep No More, I've indulged the repeat customer urge). Tickets are affordable and they offer a wide variety of discounts and group ticket offers. A.R.T. really seems to want to broaden the typical theater-going audience, and I think they're succeeding; I've seen a lot of diversity in the audience at their shows, which is so refreshing. 

Also just need to give a shout out to their promotional teams - the A.R.T. has some of the best publicity I've seen in ages. Good job.
5 - Erica A.: I've been here twice and enjoyed it both times.  Artful and accessible.  Nice space.
5 - Ellie W.: Such a quaint theatre, I love it! I recently caught Alice vs. Wonderland here, and it was fantastic! Between falling down a rabbit hole and eating flying cupcakes, they belted out Radiohead's "Creep", Lady Gaga's "Poker Face", and a ton of great, classic songs that somehow went along with the theme of Alice in Wonderland perfectly. Granted, I arrived late, couldn't find my friends (and didn't want to have to sit on 16 people while trying to find my seat in the dark), so I stayed at the top of the theatre and watched the show sitting next to a group of 7 year olds mesmerized by the world of theatre. BUT, the show was great regardless, with some standout performances. And made me feel 7 again. YAH!

It's a small theater, so it makes any show feel a lot more intimate than it would in a huge sell-out theatre. They showcase some incredible shows here--I hear The Donkey Show is really good. Very camp and hilarious. 

I think this would be a great place to take friends in town for a short visit, b/c they have shows every weekend, and you're bound to find something good here. Yay, major fan! It made me remember just how much I've missed great theatre productions.
5 - May N.: I recently caught the theater's run of "Cabaret."  I was very much looking forward to it because I'd read about the development of the local production in the Globe, had never seen "Cabaret," and was excited about seeing Amanda Palmer after missing her stint with the Boston Symphony last year.

The Oberon theater is an intimate venue with small round tables on two levels and a standing space. In addition to the stage, there's a loft space above the bar and the orchestra plays above the standing room-only space. The actors use all the space to tell the story so you may have to adjust your viewing at times to make room for their dramatics. The musical itself was fantastic. I've never seen the live or the movie versions. Scantily-clad men and women, some dressed in drag, made up the ensemble supporting the emcee played by Amanda Palmer. She and the actress playing Sally Bowles had the best voices. I admit that for me, "Maybe This Time" is now going to be owned by Kristin Chenoweth when she performed it on "Glee." However, the show's title song was among the best I've heard. 

Sold-out crowd. I think this may have been one of the first fine art performance venues where I didn't feel like the minority youth - my friend and I were in the majority of the standing room because we couldn't afford the seats. The company puts on some great shows so I hope to catch more in the future.
5 - Mary C.: I am a long time patron of the A.R.T. The work is always fresh and innovative.  In 2010-2011, however, I have attended three shows and been blown away every time.  Kudos to their new Artistic Director for taking chances and reaching out to younger audiences!
5 - Michael S.: Just saw ART's production of Porgy and Bess and loved every second of it. What a great place to see a show! I found everyone working there to be friendly and helpful and the performance/venue made for a wonderful night.

I would love to see another show at ART the next time I find myself in Boston. If you are local to Boston/Cambridge take advantage of this amazing repertory theater!
5 - s c.: I also just saw Porgy & Bess there.  The production was amazing, even for those new to "opera."  The theater @64 Brattle (as opposed to the ART at 2 Arrow) is fantastic - intimate yet acoustically magnificent.  There's no bad seat in the house.
5 - Ian Y.: This is a great theater with great, high quality shows.  More than that, their Loeb Drama Center is intimate enough such that you feel like you are getting great seats no matter where you sit.  To prove my point, go to  http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~loebinfo/loebinfo/loebdata.html and scroll all the way to the bottom to see REALLY good diagrams of how seating is arranged at the Loeb Center

If you are a student, the best deal around is to buy a tax-deductible student membership.  For only a $10 donation, you can get $15-25 seats anywhere in the theater -- no joke.  I saw Porgy and Bess in a center, 3rd row seat for $25.  There's no way you can beat that price.
2 - Kiki L.: I am not sure what appeals about this place. Difficult parking to get to mediocre shows. I've been going since I was a kid, several decades ago. I was even an intern there 25 years ago. I loved Christopher Lloyd despite his engaging the downward spiral of shows no one cares about. It's like the academics have gotten further and further away from accepting any projects which take a risk. Oh, yeah, risk is they get naughty and show a naked part. That's it. That's all they can garner.

Porgy and Bess had an amazing cast. But as I sat outside afterward drinking a tea and having a cookie from that wonderful place almost next door, some locals saw me reading the program and asked me the same I always hear: "Was it any good? Why don't they do shows we actually might get interested in? I haven't been able to stand it in twenty years." I looked them over like maybe I should know them, but I didn't.

The price is really high for a theater event. They think it's Broadway or something, but Broadway doesn't even cost that much. I shake my head.

I enjoy art for art's sake, but that aint it. I don't know what to do with those people. They need somebody still breathing to step in and take over.

Academic Runamok Theater. A.R.T.
4 - Vivian C.: A simple walk from the Harvard Square T stop, the theater is a few blocks down Brattle Street on the left.  There is plenty of room to stand or sit while waiting indoors before the theater doors open.  It is a cozy theater with a nice rise between rows so the person's head in front of you doesn't block your view too much, but if someone wants to pass by to get to their seat, you would likely have to make room for them to get by.

They validate for parking at the Charles Square Garage (One Bennett St.) and the University Place Garage (124 Mt. Auburn St.).  And a coat rack is available in the hallway to the left of the ticket windows.

PS - Wild Swans was really good!
I also liked how they decorated the walls with artwork specific to the performance.
5 - Aj P.: This place puts on quality productions with an amazing staff to compliment it.  Armed with two great theaters, The Loeb and The Oberon, you would be hard pressed to not find something for your taste.

American Sewing & Vacuum Center - Princeton, NJ (40.36412, -74.652203) ()
4 - Candi K.: My mom has wanted a new sewing machine for over a decade.  I've been wanting one for a few years, but hadn't piled up the courage to lay down the money needed to buy one.  So when my mom decided to bite the bullet and buy one, she found some great machines back home in Indiana but the prices were not so great.  So, like all non-Internet savvy mothers of this day, she called her Internet-savvy daughter to find her a deal.  Enter American-Sewing.com.  The prices were awesome, and then I noticed that they have a real store in Princeton.  Only a bit over an hour from the house, so we hopped in the car this weekend to visit.

They have more selection out then I'd know what to do with.  If you want to see something that they don't have out but they stock, if they have it in their building, they'll probably open it up and let you try it.  Focus on the "you."  No cranky clerks trial-ing the machines for you to show them off.  Just a few nice guys who will show you what works for your needs within your budget and will help you along the way.  It was refreshing to be able to sit down and use a machine...many stores won't let you.

So we came out of there today with two machines on the Visa...one shipping to my mother (free shipping on machines!  hurrah!) and another in the back of the SUV for me to figure out how to use at home.  So many buttons!

If you are in the market for a machine, visit their website.  And if you are close enough, drive on over and see their stock.  I promise you won't be disappointed.
2 - S K.: My experience was not as good as the other reviewer. Owner had a temper and was rude to my mother. He actually threw something against the wall right in front of us. Maybe a bad day. Otherwise the store was very good.
1 - Priscilla B.: I bought two machines online from them. They never sent a confirmation email and they charged my credit card right away. I emailed to find out if they got my order, they did not reply. I had to call them after a week of ordering. They said they hadn't gotten to my order yet and were working on it. Their phone system kept on hanging up on me. I had to call them back. Then they say that they are back ordered on one for 6 weeks and basically couldn't give me the machines I was already charged for. One machine they said they will upgrade me to, the other they weren't clear on whether or not I could get the machine I was already charged for. They first said backordered 2 weeks and then it was 6 weeks. And then they said the only other one available is only available for walk-in purchases. And while I was on the phone, they started talking to someone else in their store and I had to go to work. I was late for my class because I was listening to them talking to someone else in their store. Whether or not they are a good deal and kind in person, they really need to work on their professionalism.

Mid-September I still had not heard from them, sent an email, no response. I called them and they said the second machine was still back-ordered. I asked for a refund and they said they would refund my credit card. Then they sent me a payment via paypal, which of course charged me $7.50. Terrible service. I would not consider using them again.

American Spoon - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2794771, -83.7419712) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
1 - Mae S.: Isn't this store completely out of business, replaced by another one? I'm sure it is. The Observer even exit-interviewed them.
5 - Andy W.: The best gelato in the United States! One of the best on earth! Too bad they closed down this Ann Arbor store. I was delighted to find out from their website that the company still exists and have stores in other Michigan cities. I'm praying everyday that they would someday open a store in California.

American Tech - Berkeley, CA (37.8682339, -122.2661999) (Downtown Berkeley, UC Campus Area)
1 - Andrew f.: "Flat Rate $69 In-store computer repair sevices" ??? Not quite. Brought my computer in for a cracked screen and when the guy hands me my initial contract, the charge is $99. "What about $69?" -- Oh, that's just the flat rate for all repairs; any hardware issue has an add-on charge". 
I had already purchased a replacement screen and only wanted to put so much additional money into this little netbook. And didn't I see "no repair - no charge" somewhere? Not quite. Once you ask them to look at it you have to pay that flat rate, whether or not the cost of repair is worth actually having them do it.
No thank you -
Misleading and shady...
2 - Ira M.: These guys aren't incompetent or unscrupulous, but in a bad economy and a world where word about customer service gets around quickly, they could work a lot harder to make their customers happy.  I had a laptop that suddenly couldn't find the OS.  I first called another tech, who had a $30 labor charge who said it was probably a bad hard drive and that this would cost an additional $50.  Then I called American Tech, who said that while it might be a bad bad drive, most likely it was a software issue they could fix within their flat $69 labor fee.  I explained that I'd only paid $180 for it on Craigslist, that it wasn't worth it to put much into fixing it.  Anyway, it turned out it was a bad HD and they charged me $80 the part (bought  from Best Buy, they said), so the total cost, after tax was $155.  I explained this was just what I'd been hoping to avoid.  Tough luck, was basically what they said.  It was only a sense of decency that stopped me from just leaving the machine for them to sell.  As I was paying, they offered me two "10% off" coupons to use next time I visit.  If they'd thought to offer me a 10% discount THIS TIME I might have considered going back.  No, they don't owe it to me, but it's good business and they would better be off knowing that.

American Vintage - Pasadena, CA (34.1458023, -118.1248203) (Pasadena)
5 - cassandra v.: Love it
2 - Raven A.: Not the best vintage store. Went there specifically for their generous pairs of military boots but none were in the correct size. Like many "vintage" stores they jack up the prices even on on vintage items (newer brands like DOE). Ill stick to goodwill.
4 - Mick M.: Had two levels of good wears. I was looking for something in particular and I was able to find it with their ample selection. I will now be warm!!
4 - L A.: I like shopping at AS Vintage Stores - their prices are still considered affordable vintage and they don't try to get sneaky on you like these other faux vintage places that sell 90's stuff as vintage and then spike the prices on real average quality vintage clothing. This may be less frequented than other AS locations, which means more stuff for you! It's 2 floors and as usual I find something special for cheap - a 1950s puffy full circle chiffon floral dress for my Mad Men family portrait, $25. Its not as big as other AS's but for me I think that's better so I can actually go through most of the sections.
4 - N L.: After Aardvarks closed ...again I had to get my vintage fix and AV so far has done right by me. They are a little pricier then I am used to paying but the plus side to that is that it keeps me  within my budget. I put alot more thought into what I will buy.
The selection of clothing is pretty decent. Although I think they have more contemporary clothing than actual vintage. I love that they have shoes and sometimes in my size. I have bought a couple pair of really nice boots here. 
The staff is always very friendly and helpful. 
Only down side to the store is its a little to messy and dark, especially downstairs.
4 - Amanda I.: This store is pretty awesome - I used to go to Aardvarks before it closed down, so it's great to find a decently priced place to find vintage clothing.   I saw a couple lovely 50's/60's wool dresses, but overall most of their clothing is 70's, 80's and contemporary.  The woman at the counter was really friendly too, which is always a plus, considering some of the thrift stores I have been to, with some pretty rude staff.  I took a star off for the lower level, because it's pretty dark down there and rather creepy.  Other than that, love this place - I'll def. be back!
4 - Sonia A.: First time at American Vintage today. I was on my way to another vintage/thrift store farther down on Colorado when I spotted this sign. I purchased two blouses and got one free (promotion, don't know if its only for today or if its a normal, ongoing deal) for a total of eighteen dollars. Positives: I really liked that they sorted the denim separately from the other clothing - even separating denim jackets, from sleeveless denim. The non-denim blouses were separated by color, which was also very nice. The same thing with the dresses, all separated by color. There's a nice selection of shoes and boots! They have dressing rooms with a door (not a curtain as you have in some places). The young lady at the counter was very nice and directed me to the downstairs (I didn't know about the other floor). Lots of merchandise! great prices. Negatives: the downstairs, but others have already mentioned it (not significant and I'll return).
4 - Vee V.: great store to find cheap recent decade trends 70's, 80's. I needed some items for my AWESOME 80's 5k in Pasadena. I didn't look anywhere else. I found everything here, even got a pair of Neon Sunglasses. More clothes in the basement, so this is really a 2 story store. Very helpful staff. Fair Prices. Student Discount applies, bring your ID

American Vintage - Los Angeles, CA (34.0629016, -118.4470643) (Westwood)
4 - Colleen M.: Stopped by with a friend just to "have a look" and ended up browsing the racks for nearly an hour.

American Vintage isn't your regular thrift store - it's a boutique of organized, vintage and refashioned goods, with something to cater to practically everyone.

AV prices are somewhat high, but for the most part, you're never getting more of a deal than you would on Ebay or a Goodwill, but hey...to be able to have this selection (think vintage Dooney and Burke totes and crossbodies to Levi's denim jackets and Mickey Mouse raglans), paying $20 to $40 for a lightly worn 60s Izod-Lacoste cardigan is nothing.

The store opened pretty recently, so their selections are probably the best things you'll see for the next couple of weeks - until this place is hyped up enough. That local Buffalo Exchange won't stand much of a chance next to this branded gem.

Stop by and have a look! There's good music, good finds, and a really cool range of retro and vintage goods. I'd say the guys' selection is pretty rad compared to the girls' selection here, as I ended up buying guy cardis and tanks because well, they were cool!

Let your inner hipster run amuck.
2 - Stacy S.: I don't usually shop vintage at all, but I wandered in "for halloween reasons" with my friend...fell in love with a fur coat. I didn't exactly have the spending money on me for a fur right then and there, so I asked the dark haired guy how late they were open and he said till 10, "but come in a few minutes before." Okay, got it. Thanks. Fast forward to 9:50 pm, after I drove all the way downtown AND BACK to get my money, and the doors are locked. I make eye contact with the guy. He tells me they're closed. I say "I have a fur on hold and it's still 10-till." He gives me the shoulder shrug. I say "What about credit?" Nope. Hey pal, I've worked retail, too. It sucks. I get it. But exactly what plans did you have that couldn't have been put off 2 more minutes? He was pretty snobby for someone whose job description is to SELL...Needless to say, I did not go back for the fur, as they OBVIOUSLY did not need my sale. And yes, I already told others not give this store their business. It's true what they say: a person might tell one friend about a good experience at a store, but they'll tell ten more about a bad experience. There are a million other vintage shops in L.A...I'll opt for the ones with the friendly employees, thanks. This single experience was actually my sole reason for joining yelp as a reviewer instead of a reader after all these years. (The 2 stars were for the fur, by the way...)
1 - Jade J.: Was excited to go shopping at this new Westwood spot. Store has a nice style and set-up, but we had the most rude/clueless/undriendly sales person (a young blonde woman) who was NOT helpful, but seemed bothered to respond to simple inquiries. My shopping parter noticed this as well.  We mentioned the 10% discount offered on their website, and the sales girl dismissed us by saying "that's at the other store."  The website did not say anything about a specific store. She did make the HUGE effort to call her "manager," and we heard her ask about the discount, and replied that I was *only* buying boots and a scarf. She then scoffed to not "blame her," even though she mentioned many others had come in requesting the same discount. In short, the service was a turn-off, and I'd recommend that someone else commandeer the customer service aspect of this store, instead of zombie cashier girls who seemingly can't be bothered to care about (or even smile to) paying customers.
1 - Katie O.: My friends and I went there and immediately thought, "wow, what a cool store!" Then we went upstairs and started trying on jackets, not using the fitting room because we weren't taking any clothes off and one of the store personnel came up to us and raised his voice, angrily saying "If you want to try clothes on do it in the dressing room LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE. If you're not going to get with it then get out." There were so many more appropriate ways to ask us to use the dressing rooms to try on the jackets. I will not be going back.
1 - Alison G.: things are very much overpriced you get way better deals at a lot other VTG stores. The manager is rude and aggressive; his bossy attitude turned me away. Not going in next time if I saw him working lol. HE IS GROSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4 - Victoria H.: I love this store. The guy working helped me find my new favorite pair of boots! I couldn't be happier!
4 - Nicole A.: Fellow best friend and Yelper Emily A. and I were walking around Westlake Village and decided to stop into this store. I found some amazing finds and almost purchased this Asos black and white striped coat that looked adorable but yeah, i'm poor and did the responsible thing and did not purchase that awesome one piece that looked like an early 90's french cut bathing suit or the white leather dress I wanted badly, the ring with the skeletal fingers on it, the high cut velvety suede magenta, brown and purple boots... this amazing pink 50's prom dress, a truly 80's red swirly asymmetrical dress, a 90's stonewashed dress...and more finds. It was really hard but I want to come back here and buy all these fabulous things. I like the inside of the store because it's not that big but they make the most of the space they have and they carry a really wide selection. Pricing is a little high but honestly, these pieces are gems. I want to come back.

Ameriprise Financial Advisors - San Diego, CA (32.870847, -117.226609) (University City)
2 - Chuckie G.: Financial Planning is an odd thing.  You're paying someone for help but you can't really explain what that help looks like.    

I'm a 25 year old yuppie who is mindful of life ahead and I want to make sure that when I'm 75 I'm getting my grandchildren awesome wedding presents as opposed to asking my then grown children for help with my bills.  In order to do this I need to start a solid plan now, and as such I sought financial planning.  Most of the big financial houses are only interested in you if you've got $500K to play with, which I definitely do not so I ended up speaking to a guy from Ameriprise.  Ameriprise is nice because they'll still talk to you if you're just getting started out (plus 1 star).

Ameriprise reaches customers by doing those little luncheon things and after one of those I thought, what the hell, I'll give the guy a shot.  I paid $300 for one year of advising and today my fellow Yelpers I am going to tell you what they told me and save you $300 in these 13 steps.

1. Get disability insurance - If something happens to you, you'll need it.
2. Put $500 in your savings accounts for the purpose of being able to access it instantly in an emergency.  They call this tier 1.
3. Get disability insurance.
4. Set a goal to get around 3 months salary in an easy to access liquid account such as a high interest savings account from www.ingdirect.com.  They call this tier 2.
5. Get disability insurance.  
6. You want to get an additional 3 months salary (that's 6 months if you count #4) in an even higher return but slightly less liquid investment such as bonds.  Forgetting that I don't know of many bonds getting above the 4.5% interest rate in my ING account, but hey I'm sure they exist.  They call this tier 3. 
7. Get disability insurance.
8. If you want to save for something like your first house/condo you need to put a plan in place.  Never mind what that plan is, you're just getting started out Chuckie, and besides what are you thinking!?  Buying a house!?!?  You should be more concerned with...
9. Getting disability insurance.
10. Pay off your credit cards in an orderly fashion.  Start with say 15% of your income going to it everyday but if and only if you are already...
11. Getting disability insurance.
12. Max out your 401K where earnings grow tax deferred as well as a Roth IRA where your earnings are not taxable.  Do this simultaneously as to put yourself in the best shape when you withdraw the money.  Alternative investments?  Until you're socking the maximum away in both of these don't even think about it.  But while we're on the subject of alternatives, you should definitely consider...
13. Getting disability insurance. 

While the information was useful it was pretty much common sense and for the most part I was already doing all of it.  Pay off your debt (which I just did woo hoo!), max out your 401K/IRA's and have some money in the bank in case something bad happens.  AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD GET DISABILITY INSURANCE.  ::laughs:: You must realize your financial adviser is really a salesperson.  The disability insurance pitch was so pushy that I'm sure their pockets got padded quite nicely for it and to be honest it turned me off.  Obviously, I did not buy it.  It's a hard sell when my company already provides it, but dammit they tried!  I would have had a bit more respect for them had they actually looked at what I already had insurance and investment wise and compared/contrasted what they offered as opposed to saying "most companies..."

They did not provide me any earth shattering ideas or investment strategies as I was hoping.  Rather, I had someone state a disciplined approach to saving.

At the end of the day I paid $300 for IRA management.  What a crock.  Needless to say I won't renew and once this year is up, I'll move all of my stuff over to Vanguard.

So two stars.  I didn't feel the advice given was bad or incorrect.  I just did not find it worth the price and you my friend just got 6000 nickels worth of "advise" for free!  He he get it?  "Geeze I crack myself up."
1 - Jill W.: So I signed on with Ameriprise last year to ensure I'm on track to save for retirement. I was naive, so naive. We paid I think $500 for some genuine advice from a qualified person. I guess for one year, it's not the *worst* way to spend money, but our advisor moved out of the area last fall, and nobody from Ameriprise contacted us. 

So, $1000 for experts (another advisor's fee) to tell me to max out my 401K, be sure to diversify with post-tax investments, and to make sure we have a will and power of attorney. OK, I'm sure a Suze Orman book could have told me that for $19.95... $7.95 for paperback. 

I'm going to call their impersonal "home office" to request a refund. Wonder how that will go. Ha!

Ameritalia Pizzeria - Ithaca, NY (42.4395093, -76.4985272) ()
3 - Steven C.: Pretty standard pizzeria in the Ithaca Commons that's offerings are similar to its nearby competitors such as Sammy's; they sell pizza, sandwiches, burgers, wraps, baked pasta, wings etc.

Dropped in here for a quick late night pizza slice, the chicken & bacon ranch pizza was surprisingly good as I wasn't expecting much from it. Slice of pizza from any of their gourmet ones was $2.50 if I recall correctly.

Their webpage is supposed to be at ameritaliapizzeria.com but I think they're still pretty new and pulling things together since the cashier told me their take out menu pamphlet needs to be updated. For their current menu and deals, use their campusfood.com site. Just about every Ithaca restaurant uses it.
4 - Jennifer G.: I have to admit, by the time I waited at another nearby restaurant almost TWO HOURS for food (and still didn't get it), I would have thought linoleum tasted pretty good.  But Ameritalia did several steps better by serving me a hot, delicious, greasy slice of pizza.

They have a ton of pies out and ready to serve, including the standard cheese-and-pepperoni and the not-so-standard cheesy-onion ring pizza.  Slices are a couple bucks - and can be easily folded for quick eating and/or running to the State theater 'cause you're late for a show.  (Not that I would know anything about that...)
4 - J. B. M.: I've only picked up a slice from here a couple of times, but each time I have, the pizza was good.  As a midwesterner, I'm not a big fan of NY style pizza, but Ameritalia is some of the best I've had.  We had a whole pizza delivered once, and it loses something in the transport, but it was still better than many I've had.
1 - bevyn r.: 1 star because the delivery box remained intact, unlike the pizza which disintegrated in a pool of its own ooze. Even after significant surgery, this pizza was unsalvagable. Bland, greasy...overall a shame.
2 - matt h.: Their Cheese pizza is pretty good, but their veggie pizza tasted pretty bad because the broccoli got way over cooked and the tomatoes were in that state where they were not quite cooked and not quite raw. My friend ordered the cheeseburgers and payed a dollar extra to get fries. These fries were actually quite tasty. Overall the place is decent enough that I don't vote against it if my friends want to go here, but I never suggest it. I think Sammy's down the corner is slightly better, and Collegetown Pizza all the way up the hill is even better than both of these places as far as thin crust Pizza goes.
3 - Kateland M.: It's my go-to for pizza in this town. I'm not saying it's amazing, high quality, artisan pizza. It's the pizza i get when I'm hungry, and it's late, and I'm hungry. 

Don't get too complicated here. Don't order an entree, or chicken, or a salad, or a pizza with fancy toppings. Get a plain large pie and you can't go wrong.

Beware the herds of drunk folks around 1am when the bars let out.
2 - Yoshi P.: I saw Jessica G's review, and dared to try  a medium (12") onion ring pizza  for delivery.  The positive: got to me in 45 minutes instead of the predicted 60 minutes (I was 4 miles away). Everything else was kinda disappointing.  Luke warm and a little squishy except for the outer crust.  And the biggest disappointment was that the sauce was ketchup instead of tomato sauce.  Maybe my fault for not asking "what's on the onion ring pizza?" but I think it's usually okay to assume pizza has tomato sauce, right?  

Even so- their cheese pizza might be good ordered in person- but delivery from here is a let down.
1 - M A.: Pizza was too greasy, the cheese slid right off the pizza, and they charge you for every little thing. Overall a very unpleasant experience.
4 - Chris C.: Best slices in Ithaca.

Amherst Books - Amherst, MA (42.3757883, -72.5195731) ()
5 - Clay B.: Impeccable, locally owned, independent bookshop. Particular strengths: poetry, literature, & philosophy. They also carry a large selection of small press titles & literary journals. This is a rare bird. It takes my breath away.
4 - amy w.: I really like this bookstore, the staff is always friendly and tables of sale books make me happy.  Don't forget to go to the basement where they have a wall of used fiction books, I generally find one or 2 good ones every visit.
5 - Karen R.: Sometimes, I need to go to a nice, independent bookstore, spend a good hour browsing and hunting and then buy myself a little treat. Today, I had the urge and I was in a new city where I had no clue where to go. Thankfully, Yelp exists. Quick bookstore search popped up with Amherst books, and I headed on over. 

Not only do they have an amazing selection of new and used fiction, but they also have incredibly well populated sections (that most big chain stores neglect) like poetry, African American fiction, American studies, Philosophy, Anthropology and Mythology. I loved the organization of the store, especially the used books section that was properly alphabetized and neatly shelved. I am very happy I discovered Amherst books, and I am very happy with my eventual purchase. 

Keep up the good work indie booksellers!
2 - Tram MacKayla T.: Came here twice, last year and this year. Last year was a pleasant experience. Lots of books and they are very organized with textbooks. They have sections of textbooks for all the surrounding colleges so it wasn't hard to find what I needed. 

First two weeks of school the lines are out of the door. Beware.

Customer service sucks. Some older man asked me if I needed help and I told him the book name. He took me to the area and told me the book is over the counter since it is over one hundred dollars. He told me that he was going to get it and I said that it was okay, I am still looking for other books. He replied, "don't you have anything better to do besides looking in a bookstore?"

Wait, what did you say? RUDE. psh. What am I suppose to do in a bookstore? Sniff the books? Why offer me help if you're going to be rude?

Maybe you were having a bad day, but as a student coming back to their first week of school, I am stressed too but I don't go around being rude to others.

Don't get me wrong, I will come back to buy books here. But if someone asks if I need help, I'll pass.
3 - Matt C.: Definitely the lesser of all evils when getting books locally. Neither hilarious corporate (hello textbook anex) or disgustingly liberal (looking at you food for thought). You won't be getting any deals, and I still feel uncomfortable about being made to leave my bag in an easy to steal location, but it gets alot worse in the area. Here you can get in and get your book quickly, which I always appreciate (I'm a very busy man, man)
4 - Anny R.: Great little store. It seems to lack a lot of classic books, but has a decent selection of pop science books. Their used books section is very reasonably priced, and the staff is very helpful.
5 - Erin B.: I loved this bookstore for its liberal selection of books, quiet atmosphere, friendly service and bathroom! I spent over an hour browsing the shelves, but I can't say the store would have anything one would need. It caters to the surrounding colleges/universities and a liberal-minded audience, but I'm sure they could order anything you were looking for. It was quite a charming atmosphere.
4 - John B.: Stopped in and bought a book. Actually, I sat on one of the couches first and read a few pages before buying it. Towns like this need bookstores like this and when they close for some reason or go out of business, it's part of the community's soul that goes with it. I like Amherst Books - have been coming here for years - and think it's one of the nicer independent bookstores around. Sure, you can drive down Rt 9 and go to the big Barnes and Noble but that just leaves you cold.

Amherst Brewing Co - Amherst, MA (42.3734797, -72.5328553) ()
4 - John F.: One of the classier bars in downtown Amherst. Before 9pm, it's a restaurant, and a decent one at that. Afterwards, it becomes a bar, with the upstairs serving as more of a loud game room, and the downstairs a quiet, low-key bar for sitting and catching up with friends. The beers served are all either their own brews, or other local breweries, like Paper City or Berkshire Brewing Co.
3 - Mats K.: As far as bars go in Amherst, this is definitely one of the nicer ones...

There's just something lacking about it.  It's refined, its nice, it has good beer, but...   Dare I say, It's a bit boring?

I like this place.  It's just not extraordinary.
4 - Jenny N.: Nice bar/restaurant. Great for burgers and a good selection of house-brewed beer. Best sweet potato fries ever.  And in the warmer months, definitely grab a table outside for prime people-watching.  I like that you can play pool or foosball here.
4 - Andrew B.: Delicious. I went here for dinner a few weeks ago (before it apparently turns into a noisy bar) and my palette was very pleased. I began the night sampling their Massatucky Brown (forgive my spelling). One of the best beers I've ever tried. It's a medium bodied wheat beer with tons of flavor. I'm certainly upset I didn't buy a growler of it to take home.
My dinner came from the specials menu and I hope that it is still there when I return. It was the Cajun Stuffed Chicken (or something like that), a breaded chicken breast wrapped around a spicy Cajun sausage and an apple stuffing. It also comes with wild rice with sausage and corn on the cob. All amazing.
If you can, eat outside. Amherst is a beautiful town and their little patio looks out at main street through town.
Great beer, great food, and fun outside dining earn Amherst Brewing Co a  4 / 5.
4 - Vanessa C.: Ah, ABC!  well, people seem to rave about the food downstairs, but i've only been upstairs, and the upstairs is pretty neat too!!  i think it is probably my second favorite amherst hangout (second to the Moan and Dove).  honestly, i don't know a whole lot about brewing, but friends who do seem to think they've got pretty good stuff at ABC, and i can personally attest to the fact that they make a few delicious mixed drinks too.  the place has all sorts of amenities to entertain you: pool tables (you need quarters for those though!), ping pong (you might have to wait your turn if it's fri/sat), darts, foosball, and a really nice jukebox.  it can get pretty crowded on weekend nights and you may have to stand in line to get in, which can reallly reallllly suck if it's cold out.  but once you're in there, it's fun.  i've met some nice people there, too.
if you haven't been, give it a try.  i wouldn't call it outstanding, but you might enjoy it...
3 - Q S.: Definitely a chill place for drinks.  The food isn't all that amazing, but the seasonal brews are awesome.  I am after-all a beer girl most of the time.  My favorite thing besides the booze is the sweet potato fries.  I highly recommend it with everything!  
  They also have pool tables, ping pong and foozeball tables.
4 - Heather H.: This is a nice, relaxed bar to visit to enjoy an afternoon beer. I did not try any of their food, but the beer I tried was better than expected. A gold medal winner in the Great American Beer Festival, their Anniversary amber is definitely worth checking out.
3 - Jonathan L.: Good casual food there.  The prices are relatively cheap.  The bartender is attentive as well.  I like the laid back vibe there.

Their brews are nice, but not on par with some of the more famous domestic micro-brews.  Try out their sampler if you get a chance.

The also have a lounge area with pool tables for hanging out.
3 - Jane C.: I had contemplated whether or not to even write a review for this place, so here's a review based on the little that i know about this place.

the good:
+ very clean establishment!  we went upstairs and it felt like we were in someones home--definitely not afraid to sit down anywhere
+ great atmosphere to relax and have a beer/drink/munchies with some friends
+ shots are ~$5 and they're pretty decent sized

the not so great
- i ordered a long island iced tea and if you're a fan, you know u drink em to get plastered.  that won't happen here unless you order maybe 5 or them.  its mostly soda.
- we came a bit early so there was a place for our group to sit, but otherwise i think it might be standing room only.

*
i definitely want to go back again soon to try out some of their beers and i really wouldnt hesitate to go back--its clean, a relaxed environment, and i def wanna try some of their food + beer.  :)
3 - brooke m.: The food is pretty good.  Not spectacular, but decent.  You pretty much can't go wrong with a burger, or the nachos.  Both good things to eat when you're drinking good beer.  I recommend getting one of their samplers, with everything from light to dark.

Upstairs is cool but be prepared to wait in line after 10 or so.  Also to pay cover I think (lame!)  It is a bit bigger than most of the bars downtown though.
3 - Victoria S.: I think this a good hang out place. I don't know why people giving such hard time to ABC most of the time because I personally don't think it is all that bad. In fact, I like this place most of the time. I mean the food is not top of the line, but come on! I don't come here with the greatest expectation, and I am always satisfied by what I get. 
ABC has a good selection of bar-appetizer staples and other hardy foods. The beer selection is not that bad either and the upstairs atmosphere is nice and relaxing, and great for groups of people.
4 - Baer T.: Come for I.P.A. / 
Comfy Sox view and billiards / 
Stay for the ping pong.
4 - Bill M.: The band music was too loud when I went.  Us in the table had to shout to each other to maintain a conversation.  But other than that its a neat atmosphere.
3 - Rachelle H.: as a student at umass, i sort of avoided this place like the plague because it was always so crowded. after graduating, though, i went in a couple times during non-college season and enjoyed this place quite a bit.

the beer selection is great, in variation and in taste. the food is good when you want a ton of appetizers to share with friends. i haven't had entrees but the apps and beers are high quality, so i'm sure the entrees are, too. 

i like the atmosphere a lot and i regret not going while i was in college. ah, well.
4 - Mimi H.: The beer here is so good. The honey pilsner is amazing.
The food is really good, too. The sweet potato fries are sooooo good with the honey mustard sauce they give you. I almost always get the burgers they are amazing! but the potabello mushroom wrap is also delish. 
You can eat outside when the weather is nice. and you can also take their beer home with you.

The only things I don't like about this place is the crowd. 
There are only two types of people in Amherst, bros and pretentious d-bags... and on a friday night the place is packed wall to wall with both.
3 - christian C.: Bison burger was excellent!  The IPA was good - nothing outstanding, but nothing offensive either.  Not a bad choice - try it.
3 - Andy T.: I'm happiest here on a quiet night with low expectations.  I don't think much of ABC as a destination, but if I am looking for a place to duck into on a weeknight for a decent bite to eat (pub food - usually I get a burger) and a beer or two this place does fine.  
Their beer is definitely good, very few beers are amazing, but most of them are nice enough to order twice.  Ask the bartender for recommendations, or for a taste if you are curious, that's the best way to be sure you end up with something you like.  
The entrees I've ordered that stray beyond typical pub fare tend to be fall apart, but the burger is a solid one, sweet potato fries are good, and if you stick with stuff like that you will do fine.  
The general atmosphere is pretty bland and boring, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but not anything special.  Still, they at least rise above the frat boy standard most Amherst watering holes adhere to.  
I recently stopped in for weekend brunch, which was a mistake.  Coffee was just terrible, simple eggs over-easy were tasteless and too greasy at the same time, toast was clearly from the cheapest bread available.  Must admit the bacon was not bad, but how often is bacon bad?  I suppose if you are looking for an excuse for a beer on a Sunday morning this is a good option for you, but if you actually want to eat, go somewhere else.  Too bad, because Amherst needs more options in the breakfast and brunch department.  
Anyhow, don't get me wrong, I'm glad these guys are around for a burger and a pint when I am in the mood, and they do fine with the basics, but I don't ever find myself looking forward to going here or wanting to recommend it to anyone else.
4 - Kim G.: I really liked the atmosphere here.  Leather booths with bench seats, and a wide, long bar.  Lots of people here on a Sunday afternoon drinking and reading.  Beer was tasty, with a nice variety of microbrews.  They also have a couple outside brews that can be hard to find elsewhere.  We didn't get food, so I can't attest to that.  But if in the area, I prefer this to the Northampton brewery.
3 - The H.: Food is yummy and not too expensive, but it's their desserts that are really to die for. Everyone raves about the fried oreos, which are excellent without question. But in my opinion, their cheesecake is often overlooked. ABC makes the best cheesecake in the world and totally beats the fried oreos. Also a great atmosphere.

However, do not expect good service. Ever. It doesn't matter what time of day it is or how crowded it is, the service is always terrible. You'll have to wait forever to get your food and the check, the wait staff is often rude, and there's only about a 50/50 chance that your waiter will get your order right. There is also only a 50/50 chance that what you want on the menu is even available. If you don't have a lot of time to kill, or you're with people you don't particularly like, I recommend going here a different time. 

I've only been upstairs once. It was pretty nice--Nothing terribly special though.
4 - Kathryn H.: I skipped the food at ABC and went straight upstairs to the bar, where the good stuff is. I was struck by how clean and large the bar is. There are lots of places to sit down, and the music from the jukebox wasn't too loud. There are a lot of TVs but if you're not into sports,the people-watching is great entertainment. Service was average, but it was because the bar was understaffed-- nothing personal. As a warning, I visited ABC in late May when college was out. I have heard that the crowds are much larger and service less great when school is in session.

I tried three of the ABC house brews: wedding witte, Massatucky Brown, and Honey Pilsner. The witte was pretty good-- a little more bitter than I was expecting, Massatucky brown was much better. The best beer of the night was the Honey Pilsner. It wasn't too sweet or filling, but it had substantial flavor. YUM! The best part of this bar was that the drinks were cheap. I got three pints and my tab was only $12! This place deserved kudos for its large selection of beer on tap, reasonable prices, and great atmosphere.
4 - Meghan D.: ABC downstairs is a great restaurant and a nice change from regular chain fare in Amherst.  ABC upstairs comes alive at 6 pm and has foozball, tons of tvs, pool, darts and lots of great homemade brews.  You can even host catered events for a minimal cost if you don't mind that other people are there - go private and the price increases.  Definitely worth a try.
3 - kris a.: Woo hoo! Tons of beer!

Oh...you don't have ANY of the listed dark beers on hand? Well...the fries were good.
3 - Johnna M.: I really like the ABC as a restaurant. They have the best burgers I have ever had and the sweet potato fries are also awesome. The outdoor seating is fantastic. Service is usually pretty good. 

As a bar, its a mixed bag. I came here for my 21st birthday, so it holds fond memories. There is usually a line to get in, and I certainly don't think it is worth the line. It has many pool tables, which apparently appeals a lot of people but not myself. A little bit like hanging in your fratty brother's basement. 

The booze is really, really, awesome! I have never had a beer here I did not enjoy, but the Massatucky Brown really stands out. The Porter is pretty awesome too. If you do not drink beer, fear not! Their collection of ridiculously named and priced fruity drinks is outstanding as well. Try the Georgia Peach or Crazzzzzzzzzzzzy for Coconuts. But this blue drink tastes much better if you emphasis the crazzzzyyyy. When it is not crowded, it is a great place to chat with friends over some brews. One time I came here with a migraine and inability to function, and spilled not one, not two, but three drinks on the floor, and the bouncer only playfully rolled his eyes at me, so apparently it is a place you can get rambunctious at as well.
4 - Morriss P.: Just went to the upstairs portion of ABC for the latest installment of WesternMass TweetUps. It's an informal gathering of local people and others who are on twitter, or just want to hang out and meet some new people. I've eaten at ABC before, but this was my first time to the upstairs level. The bar was nice and we had some nice apps. ABC has a great selection of beers and the Oktoberfest did not disappoint. The only downside is there was some traffic flow to the room behind us, so random people not involved with the TweetUp kept walking through. Aside from that, it's a great setting for a small gathering. I look forward to trying out the restaurant part of ABC again asap!
4 - John L.: Amherst Brewing Co. is situated in the middle of Amherst, on that strip of area where all the kids come out to play at night (across the street from Antonio's, McMurphy's, et al. )  Unlike the McMurphy's and Monkey Bars of the world, ABC has decent beer (their own brews, in a variety of styles), as well as decent food choices.

It might not be the best deal on North Pleasant Street both beer and food wise, but quality wise, it's a step above most of the places.
3 - kevin k.: The food is ok.  Service is a little slow.  Seems like too many inexperienced servers and bartenders  (choosing eye candy over skill).  Why do bars do this? I would rather goto a place where there is great service and it does not matter who I am served by.   It is a bigger place so you should be able to find a seat during peak hours.  Good beer selection and samples,  can get you buzzed up in no time!
1 - Amy E.: The beer is great - the food is not inspired and the staff was hungover/lazy/shared a lot of personal details better left unsaid while eating in "staff" area, but still close to dining room.  Not professional, not okay.  Three tiny naked hot dog "sliders" were on stale rolls, served without condiments.  Waitress went off to text instead of checking on table.  Spicy nachos are not at all spicy, more crappy attitude about food from waitress.  Try not to eat here and you should be okay.  Two stars for the beers only.  Smells like bleach - must be because they cleaned.  Never again.
5 - shannon c.: I know my ABC's...

Why are you reading this review?  If I were you,  I would be hopping on the Mass Pike and getting my butt to Amherst.

This place is the tits, and I don't use that phrase lightly.  If you are getting food I would sit down stairs.  I prefer sitting at their bar, but I've always been a bar lady.

Their beer is excellent.  I always start with a flight of beers.  You can pick 6 beers and try them.  They are served on a carved board with small glasses of about three or four sips each.  I usually do one or two turns of these before I decide on my favorite.

And good god the food.  You haven't had fried pickles until you've had these.  They have a little bite to them that makes me get butterflies almost as intense as when I first saw Jason Segels character on Freaks and Geeks.

They burgers are great.  They even offer buffalo burgers.  You didn't know you loved buffalo burgers so much, did you?  Well I now do.  

What I'm trying to say is you can't go wrong here.  I mean, this place introduced me to sweet potato fries and honestly, there is nothing as good as your first.

And if your not in the mood for beer, try their cocktails.  They have some fun concoctions.  This is what  I would recommend, grab some friends and head on upstairs on week night.  Settle in at one of the dart boards or a pool table and order the Diploma. 

 Look, I may have never graduated from Umass, but I've had plenty of Diplomas from the ABC.

And in the end, when you don't want to leave and you think you just will have one.. more.. beer... do it! In the form of one of their growlers you can take your hooch home, prohibition style.
2 - Rue B.: As far as brewpubs go, this  is a place that has never drawn me back very often, except for social outings where someone else picks this place and I go along with it only semi-willingly.  Food is quite mediocre and rather pricey for what it is, though they do have good fried pickles and sweet potato fries.  Beer is decent.  Highlights are the IPA, ESB, and Two Sisers stout. But at nearly $5 a pint, and almost $6 with tip, they're above the curve for a house micro-brew.  Basically, this place seems to sense that Amherst is a limited-option, relatively affluent market, without an incredibly discerning palate, and they price their products accordingly.  

Upstairs is college hangout land with pool, televisions, and darts.  Okay vibe, but often crowded, and they got rid of ping-pong.  Boo!  

Let's say this is a 2.5-star review, because the beer is decent, and the waitresses are cute and (usually) friendly though service is slow, so that 2.5 is weighted downwards.

11/23/2011 - new space is like a mutant Applebee's, expanded to the size of a warehouse.  Trying to capitalize on the 128/495-belt suburban mindset of most UMass students, are ye, ABC?  I didn't check yet, but if you brought back pingpong, I'll boost you up a star!
3 - Kiernan G.: The good:

They have very greatsweet potato fries.
There beef burgers are quite tasty and  they carry bison burgers. 
All the food is pretty good (not amazing, but not bad).    
They also carry a nice variety of home brewed beer, that I have been quite pleased with

The bad:

Every time I have been there it takes a little while to get in the initial order, not a big deal, but kind of annoying.   At the end of the meal, it takes FOREVER to get the check.  Every single time I sit there going "so um, did we get forgotten?"  -- not  a good way to end a visit.   More attentive waitstaff would be a plus.

-----
Summary:

Get take out, the food is good, but the service sucks.
5 - Rita G.: I used to love ABC when I went to UMass. Even before I turned 21, I liked the restaurant downstairs a lot. Good burgers, great beer-battered pickles! It was also my favorite bar in the area once I turned old. Not only do they have good beers, but the mixed drinks aren't too shabby either. Though it's usually very crowded, they keep it relatively clean and nice (unlike McHerps across the street). Of course, I always went there as a UMass student, I bet if I was older than 25, I wouldn't want to go to this bar on a weekend night (but, to be fair, one should probably avoid that entire street on weekend nights if you don't like obnoxious drunk 20somethings). It's not the cheapest bar in the area, but worth it. And I do recommend the restaurant downstairs, too!
4 - Michelle T.: Ah, ABC. I love it. Good location, right in downtown Amherst. But the location is nothing compared to the food. My staple is the Victorian Burger, a burger with cheddar cheese and spicy apple chutney. Different and delightful. The brewhouse fries are nothing short of phenomenal...ask for the honey mustard dipping sauce to accompany them. You won't be disappointed. I also enjoy the Monster Pretzel, which is really a meal in and of itself. I'm not a huge beer drinker but they do have a good selection of their own beers and you can order a sampler to decide which one (or ones!) you like. I personally prefer their mixed cocktail, The Pink Elephant. Yes, it's a fruity chick drink, but it's refreshing and delicious. They've recently expanded, so there's more seating, which is nice. Bangers and Mash are another house favorite, though I can't vouch for them since I can't eat pork (damn nitrate sensitivities.) I'm told by my vegetarian best friend that their salads rank above the best and their honey-chili vinaigrette is so out-of-this-world that I bought a bottle to take home. Also, their bathrooms are impeccable. Gotta love that. The Upstairs (the bar which is open later) is fun with pool tables and a jukebox and booths and such. Can be crowded and cramped but a good beer/alcohol selection and generally a fun atmosphere. Give both the upstairs and the downstairs a try next time you're in town.
4 - Ron M.: I've been to ABC Upstairs... I dunno... at least 50 times. Despite my loyalty and dollars, I've never gotten a free drink. Oh well - it's a business. 

ABC's ideal customer: graduate student, plays pool/foozeball/darts, wants to carry a convo with friend without yelling, and wants to drink in a clean environment.

If you are or want the above mentioned, you have no other choice in Amherst.  Go there, have fun, get drunk, and enjoy the "ABC Beer Headache" the next day.
4 - Derek W.: This place fits the niche of a brewpub to a T. The food is basically a dressed up bar menu. The space is generic and bereft of any personality, but it is clean. Service is friendly and helpful, if a tad bit slow. Honestly, it looked like our one waiter was taking care of most people in the place so he's not to be blamed. The menu consists of pub food, burgers, and sandwiches (think Boston Beer Works, if you've ever been there, just with less selection and less imagination). The nice thing about the burgers is the variety of gourmet toppings you can get on each one. I ordered a cup of Irish Stew (just beef stew made with stout) and a bison burger southwestern ranch style (topped with caramelized onions, jalapeño cheese, and bacon) and their puffers smoked porter. The stew was so-so and the burger was very tasty, but certainly not in an earth-shattering way. The beer was delicious, actually it may be one of my favorite all time porters now. My girlfriend got the seafood chowder in a bread bowl and I must say it was delicious, I'll have to get that the next time I'm there. Overall, it was a pretty good place that I'll go back to again, and it gets that fourth star for the beer and the seafood chowder.
2 - Rachel S.: I've had several acceptable experiences upstairs (where I've never ordered food, only beer), but I haven't had such good luck downstairs for dinner. Last time I was there, our waitress basically ignored our table. It took more than two hours to have what we thought would be a quick dinner. Tables next to us were in and out while we waited. In addition, my vegetarian dish had been smothered with meat chili (I had specifically requested vegetarian, as was confirmed by my table and eventually by the waitress who insisted on looking it up on her order form). Maybe they were just having a bad night.
2 - Patrick S.: Bad Service, Decent Beer, Okay Food

Not bad for a college bar, not good for a "real" restaurant.
3 - P E.: We only stopped in for a few pints, which were all quite tasty. I had the Blueberry IPA - I believe it was - which was good, but not too much with the blueberry, save for the handful at the bottom of the glass. We all enjoyed the house brews, though their stout was a bit.. mmm not quite there.
3 - J S.: I like this place more for the beer than the food.  My friends and I ordered a bunch of appetizers for dinner recently and there was nothing that stood out as being great.  I do like sitting outside on the patio, although the bar area was fairly appealing too.
1 - Debrin S.: Black flies everywhere. Yuk. The interior is in MAJOR need of updating and (dare I say) cleaning. It smells & its gross. The fries are very good but the food over all was not good at all. Served as if there was no pride in that kitchen. Shame on you guys for serving people "food" like this & then charging $ for it. Sorry to the waiter who was very cool to us.
3 - Ralph R.: Stopped by here for a burger and a couple of brews over the long weekend.  Very tasty!
5 - Joel B.: There comes a momentous time in any serious relationship, a time you get anxious about but also look forward to cherishing in the long term. Yes, I'm talking about that special get together, when her parents finally meet your random college friends with whom you happen to be staying for the weekend. That important step in my relationship with The Girlfriend came about this past weekend, and it came about at a little place called Amherst Brewing Company.

I was visiting Amherst on Saturday to see--well, you guess who--and My Friends and I came to ABC after the big UMass game (which, let's face it, seems to be more about the marching band and less about the brown oblong ball getting tossed around, or, in this case, dropped a lot).

Despite the massive crowd of college kids after the game, service at ABC was quite on the ball, friendly and prompt. We had a party of 8 all together (her family and my friends), so we waited at the bar for a little while where the bartendress was super cool and kept our respective glasses full.

Standing around, I chatted with The Dad and The Mom and enjoyed The Beer. Much of my enjoyment came from trying the local and regional beers! Throughout the evening, I'd say some fun/best ones I had were the house Honey Pilsner and the BBC Oktoberfest. I also had some good sips of the specialty Pumpkin Ale, which happened to be a lot more subtle than some of the extra-spiced stuff you'll find in bottles sold around the nation.

The Dad warned me strongly against The Fried Pickles, which warning directly prompted My Friend's Bride and I to frantically order them once we had established our dining seats. (The server, Elizabeth, by the way, was quite friendly and attentive, totally willing to answer questions about The Menu and (you guessed it) The Beer.)

I had never quite seen fried pickles of this caliber. Literally, the caliber. They were not chips, egads, no. Nor were they spears, my good ladies and gentlemen. These were fried pickle HALVES. And they came with spicy mustard. So good. So bad for you. And watch that your tongue not get burned.

The quality of The Fried Pickles then, as you may have guessed, indicates that the rest of the appetizers and entree selections proved just as interesting and tasty. Plenty of vegetarian fare: I sampled The Monster-Freaking-Huge Pretzel (again, with The Mustard), The Vegetarian Chili (a stew that could almost not get beaten up in the back alley of a Texas restaurant, I kid you not), and The Sweet Potato Fries. I found none of these things lacking. In fact, it was quite the opposite, for I very nearly found MYSELF to be lacking.

But The Dad, The Mom, The Brother, The Brother's Girlfriend, The Girlfriend, My Friend, and My Friend's Bride helped support me through this challenging but educational process of overeating and carousing, and we all made it out with smiles and twinkling eyes. And I know that if (when) I visit Amherst again, I'll very much press the itinerary to include a couple pints and some munchies at Amherst Brewing Company.
3 - Daniel P.: Went here with my cousin for lunch today, we both enjoyed the food and it wasn't too crowded, being a Sunday afternoon and all.  The waitress was pleasant, the pulled pork sliders were quite tasty, and the prices were phenomenal.  Nothing really stood out but it made both of our empty stomachs quite satisfied.
4 - Shawn A.: It's been a while since I've whipped out some lame-acrostic review action, but Amherst Brewing Company (or ABC to the locals apparently) is quite clearly begging for it.

*gross throat clearing noises*

Amherst
Brewing
Company is an awesome place to grab some brews and 
Dinner.  Even though I was there for lunch.  
Each one of the microbrews we ordered was top notch.
From my Pumpkin beer to the
Great selection of other seasonals, we all found beers to
Help round out our food picks.
I went for a quality pulled pork sandwich.
Just what I was looking for.  Especially since they didn't have
Kangaroo on the menu.
Little sister had a Bratwurst that looked
Mighty good.
Noshing
On
Pub-grub is always a 
Quality way to start a college town visit.
Regrettably, we had to drive afterwards so we could only 
Sample one beer each.
Though it was enough to convince me that this place was 
Undeniably a great spot.  These Amherst kids are
Very lucky to have it.
When I was in school, "good" beer was Keystone Light.
Xylophones are an underrated instrument.
You know, that last bit had nothing to do with anything.
Zounds!
3 - D. B.: I'd heard good things about ABC and recently stopped for a quick dinner with a friend.  The visit was underwhelming at best.  

To start, we shared an order of Beer Batter Fried Pickles, which are served with a tangy honey mustard.  We enjoyed them; they were tasty, but nothing to write home about.

Then, I ordered a Turkey Burger Smokey BBQ Style with sweet potatoes.  Again, it was okay, but not fabulous.  Turkey burgers aren't the world's fanciest food, I admit, but this one was nothing spectacular.  The fries were decent but tiny.

My friend ordered a Henry the 8th 8 oz. Choice Cut Sirloin Steak.  Though he asked for it medium rare, it came out close to well-done.  His dinner also came with a salad, which our server forgot about until after our dinner had been served.  The plus of my friend's meal was real mashed potatoes (rather than boxed) and the Massatucky Brown ale.  

Our server was pleasant, but not particularly attentive.  There were a lot of staff milling about.  To be fair, it was a Monday night when the local colleges weren't in session, but the place was a little dead and seemed overstaffed.  I don't think I'll be back.

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3/27/11 Edited to add:   I recently gave ABC another try (due to a friend's insistence) and had a much better experience than my first go-around.

This time, I had a couple of drinks and a turkey club with sweet potato fries.  All were decent.  I also had much better service than I did on my first visit, but that may have been because my dining company was a "regular".  

All in all, my second visit was better than the first, but I'm still not blown away.  I'm changing this review from 2-stars to 3.
1 - Anthony K.: ABC:  I hate this place, and I used to be a regular.

Once upon a time, the ABC was a good place to have drink, play a game of pool and have good dinner.  Not anymore my friends.

Pros:
- Has several pool tables
- Good selection of beers and spirits. Wine is ok.
- Sells food
- Waitstaff is usually nice

Cons:
- The food.  It's never consistent, frequently boring and if you don't like you're out of luck.
- Management ranges from indifferent to outright rude
- The upstairs is inhabited mostly by meat head college dudes and/or late twenty something stoners.
4 - Jeff S.: Great place for a group of 40 somethings to play pool, drink good beer and retell college stories. Excellent juke box. Plenty of room to walk around. (review was written during winter break). Not sure how crowded it gets when the kids are back.
4 - Alexandra S.: This is a review for our server Phoebe. She was phenomenal! Five star material! 

The kitchen kept messing up our orders (burgers overcooked and our beers were flat) and  she was so graceful and accommodating. She was genuinely nice and had a great sense of timing and gave us awesome food recommendations. 

I've never been a big fan of ABC. Sometimes I'd meet a friend upstairs for a drink and some prime people watching but that's about it. Earlier this week, I went to the ABC with friends for dinner as we knew they'd be able to easily accommodate a large group composed of beer-loving people with various dietary constraints. 

 Our food was fairly good. We indulged in  standard pub fare which was nothing to write home about - but who doesn't love a burger priced under ten bucks that's cooked well and comes with delicious fries? The artichoke dip was also rather tasty. 

Unremarkable, inconsistent food - but I can't really complain. We had a great server. And the jazz  orchestra was a nice touch.
3 - Clif P.: I really want to like ABC, but cannot give it higher than 3 stars for a few reasons.

Their beers are a bit pricey, and although they are fine tasting, they are not exceptional.  
Their food isn't that great, as most people go across the street to Antonio's.

The atmosphere is very laid back compared to other places around Amherst.
2 - Alison P.: This place has no heart.  And apparently I can't get past that to give it more stars.    

But it has good sweet potato fries, and I've enjoyed many a beer and a bison burger here.  Maybe its the way Amherst is a regulars and students crowd and the students are always changing and the regulars are not.  This place does not have that ineffable quality stamp in my mind or heart, that certain feel of OH YEAH lets go to ABC!  But it is near campus, open, and has some good beer.  I guess.

Packers has weaker beer and crappier food and more heart.  NBC apparently has gone way downhill since I left the area, but they used to be good...Oh ABC...I miss the valley, but not you.
4 - Edmund H.: I came in during a shift change so the hostess was no where to be found until I had to walk around to look for her but it did not bother me when I had a bite of the stout burger with sweet fries. The stout burger was soo amazing I never had such a burger before and although the hostess/waitress was absent in the beginning she made up for it when she recommended me to split my side haha! Pretty good but I'm not sure how the beers are but I'll have to order one next time I go.
4 - Diane H.: I've been to the bar upstairs, and also the restaurant downstairs on two separate occasions.

Upstairs: They check IDs at the door, I think I went on a Saturday night (10pm) or it may be friday, i'm not sure. It wasn't overly crowded, they stop letting people in after a certain amount of people. The pool/darts are free. Drinks are around 8-10$. I got a boston iced tea (8-9?)and some random martini for $5-6 on their special menu. Place is really chill when it's not crowded.

I tried on a friday to go upstairs again, but there was a line since they hit max capacity. So i opted to go downstairs. Got seated at a table, they let us pick which area. My friends and I ordered an app to share, (nachos) but they definitely need more cheese...half my nachos ($9+) were just plain and some were wayy to greasyy... I got a long island iced tea ($8+), my friends tried it and said it was not strong enough, but didnt wanna be rude so i didn't send it back. i heard they make great grateful deads. I also got fried oreos with vanilla ice cream...yummy!!!! ($6+) . My friend also got chicken strips with fries ($9+) Not a big fan of the chicken..kinda dry.. but fries were good. Service was kinda..slow, didn't check back that much..maybe once/twice. Waved her down to get our check. 

Overall, it's a chill place to hang out with friends and catch up. I wanna try the puff pastry next time!
4 - Heather G.: Upstairs: 21+ only bar and gameroom with a limited food menu.  Specialty mixed drinks are delicious, my favorites being the Nice Melons and the Grateful Dead, albeit a little expensive in the $7-10 range.  A nice range of beers span from the local ones brewed on site to 10% alcohol Belgian imports.  Usually this place gets very crowded so it's best to come early if you want to play games or if you have a large group that wants to sit together.  Bar service is pleasant and brisk. 

Downstairs: Restaurant with a more "chill" bar.  The food is here is consistently solid with most entrees reasonably priced.  My preference skews towards their sandwiches/hamburgers, which can be customized with a variety of "styles", but they also have a lot of comfort food favorites like meatloaf.  Service is sometimes slow, even when the restaurant is relatively empty, so make sure you have some time to kill.
3 - Alyssa W.: More like a 3.5. 

Came in on a fri night at 7, with 7 people. This yelp page says they don't take reseravations..so we ended up waiting 45 mins or so for a table. Which was fine, none of us were starving. I asked the hostess if they take reservations, and they do, so if you have a big party, call it in. 

When we were finally seated, our waitress came over quickly, to take our drink orders since we had waited for so long, this was good. I ordered the beer sampler. My favorite was the Honey Pilnser, light but really tasty. For dinner I got the ABC burger texas ranch style, this exceeded my expectations. I love a good burger and this burger was GREAT. tasty, moist, good amount of cheese, ranch dressing and the bacon was amazingly crispy. I also got sweet potato fries with it. I will definately return here for a good meal.

Upstairs, which is 21+ is a fun place to hangout with friends, free pool and darts. The drinks are really good too. They do have an occupancy limit, so you may have to wait to get in. Overall, ABC was a good experience.
4 - Sean K.: I have become enamored with micro-brews.  So, when we walked by ABC we had to give it a try.  First of all, I would rate my standard 3 stars for the brewing company and 4 for the food = 3.5 stars

I tried the sample tasting of 6 beers: Honey pilsner, IPA , M. Brown, baltic porter , smoked porter, and stout.  I'm usually dark beer kind of guy; however, these dark beers tasted "fishy" if that's a correct word to describe the beer?  On the other hand, the Honey Pilsner and IPA  were definitely above avg.  

As for food, it was pretty good selection of bar food and entrees.  I thought the sheppards pie and the portabella mush marsala were both exquisite. 

The service was very attentive and friendly.

I would return, but refrain from getting my usual favorite of dark beer :(
4 - Jason L.: This was my first visit to Amherst Brewing Company. Awesome vibe... we sat at the bar, it was pretty busy. The bartender was great. She was very friendly and made my drinks just right. We ordered some nachos. Yeah, pretty basic. We weren't  all that hungry, and they sounded like the perfect appetizer to go with our drinks. They came out pretty quick and tasted delicious. I'd def check this place out again for dinner or maybe just another few drinks.
5 - Alex Z.: I moved out to Boston before realizing what a gem this place is, and now that I know, they're moving to another location, which really puts a damper on the locality-factor I enjoyed so much. I used to walk up the street from my home to get one of their local beer offerings, or meet up with my friend for a sandwich downstairs before one of their live acts start. 

It really has everything a "cool" college kid would want in a fun time out with friends: bar games, great micro-brews, and tasty food within stone's throw of each other. There's a certain charm that their location has on N. Pleasant Street that will be hard to top once they move closer to UMass. 

I recommend you try all of their local offerings (five or so) before settling with an import. Support your local brewers!
5 - Audrey K.: Beer - 5
I wish we had anything as good as the selection and prices at ABC out where I am now. The beer here is pretty fantastic, and if you're anything like me you'll just be spoiled rotten by going here as a college student and then expecting more like it out in the real world.
I am not going to recommend specific beers to you because I'm picky and I'm going to assume that you are picky too. If you liked PBR, you would have just stayed in your dorm room anyway. However, if you don't know much about beers, this is a good place to start learning!

Food - 4
There are mostly just bar food items, really, but things are cooked well and you never regret ordering [terribly greasy item]. You may regret ordering ALL of the terribly greasy items, but just don't do that. Stick with something (or somethings!) that will help you absorb the beer without telling all of your friends "I... I LUUUFF Yooooo". I mostly ordered sandwiches (pulled pork!) or burgers (cajun style!).

Upstairs gameroom - 3
Meh. I suppose it's okay if you don't have the downstairs option. You can play various bar games and it's 21+ so you don't have to deal with too many idiot kids... but otherwise, I couldn't find anything too exciting about the upstairs. Stay downstairs. If you're meeting someone on a date, go to the bar and get a beer. If you're going with a bunch of friends, get a big table and have a good time.
2 - Terra N.: Amherst is not fun. I have never waited in a 25+ person long line for beer; if it were not for the fact that I was on a date, I probably could have just gone to the Moan and Dove. Still not quite sure why we didn't.

Usual bar food and quality as such. I like the idea of local if the beer was actually good. 

Come here if you wanna "bro out," but I think I'm all set.
4 - Chris Q.: I really like this place a lot, whenever i was in amherst visiting my girlfriend at umass we would go here for a few beers and some nachos or something. I was always really kind of impressed with their draft selection for being a brew pub in a suburban college town. Their draft selection always seemed to break down like this to me %20 "limited" stuff, %30 rotating seasonals, %40 "all the time" stuff, %10 guest stuff. My percentages are probably off but if you care you can screw. While i can't say their beer is phenomenal, it is pretty darn good and i have been real impressed by some of their brews (couldn't tell you which ones, but they were probably a stout, ipa, pale ale or a belgian), plus they usually have a keg or two of like sierra nevada or dogfish or something. The food again, not amazing but definitely not bad at all. This place along with maybe one or two restaurants will be the only reason i would ever consider taking that god awful drive down route 2 to amherst ever again.
1 - Cal F.: eek! Me definitely thinks not. I went to the "new ABC" which has moved to a space formerly occupied by a gym. THE MENU IS THE SAME and food just as tasteless and unappetizing as before. The renovation did an ok job with the 'bar' section but the restaurant section looks cheaply constructed and the bench seat already had a split in it. The pulled pork sandwich was truly disgusting, and the texture was horrible. The only reason I feel this place will survive is the drunken college crowd. If you are looking for good food in the amherst area, stay away from this place.
2 - Tashina B.: Unfortunately ABC's food has gone down hill. The drinks are still good. But I wonder with the new not so accessible location if it will survive. Not many things in the new location have. It's really a shame. Amherst has to get better places to eat!
2 - Helen M. T.: I have to say that the new location is better; there is ample FREE parking, instead of worrying that you will get a ticket up town if you linger over your food and drinks.
Our service was only so-so.  The bartender we had clearly didn't want to be there that night; she wasn't very happy, and never smiled.  The bar manager (?) did a better job; he noticed that after we got our apps, that we weren't getting any more service from our bartender (you should never ignore customers, especially the over 30 crowd; we can afford to tip well!).  The seafood chowder was very good.  Can't say the same thing for my steak, which was ordered rare and came almost well done.  My friend loved her crab cakes; said they were delicous.  
Alcoholic beverages are pricey; $7.50 - $8.50.   Unfortunately the beer offerings aren't all that visable, and ABC is all about beer.  Too bad we didn't know what the beer specials were and our bartender never told us.  
I will probably go back just to see if things get better, or if we just want to drink a few beers.  But given that there are lots of pub style places in the area for food, I can get better food in Amherst, since I've never had a really stellar meal at ABC.
3 - Jeffrey G.: The beer just keeps gettting better and better, but unfortunately the food.....well, that's about the same or perhaps a slight step backwards.  I have been to the new location twice now.  Once for lunch and once for dinner.  For lunch I had a meatball sub.  Unfortunately it was pretty un-inspiring.  For dinner I had a cup of artichoke soup and the german sausage platter.  The artichoke soup was made in house, but unfortunately someone didn't want to waste much of the artichoke, and I think blended the entire thing.  There were 3/4" long fiberous strands from the leaves in the soup.  The sausages (which I have had in the past and enjoyed) had some off flavor, perhaps that of something that spent a little too long in the freezer??  Not quite sure.

The new location in Amherst, nearly on the UMASS campus is interesting.  Great that it has plenty of parking.  It's easy to get to.  The brewery operations are so much easier for the brewers.  The space however is almost too big, and unfortunately has the feeling of an institution, not a cozy pub.  On my way to the restrooms, I almost felt as though I was in a campus building, or perhaps on my way through the halls of a hospital.  I'm hoping that they just ran out of money, and the tables and chairs that they have are temporary.  They are pretty low end.  For rooms with massive vaulted ceilings, the tables should all be high tops as well, trying to fill in some of the massive space.

Another thing that I noticed - the main bar.  Love the looks of the bar. Love the decorations, etc.  Hate the gap between the back of the bar, and the patron on the barstool.  While I am sure it's super convenient for the staff, being able to walk past each other 3 wide with entire racks of glasses, it lacks the intimacy and connection that a bartender and patron should share.  

In business there are many fights between manufacturing and marketing.  I think that manufacturing won a bit here.  Easier to make the beer here, easier for restaurant operations, but misses a bit with the marketing to the end consumer.

One final note - and a true bright spot.  The "guest beer" list is really remarkable.  Very interesting, and actually hard to come by beers.
5 - Dan V.: Used to love this place when I went to Umass...

Good beer, never too crowded.
2 - Andrew G.: Yikes, where to start? Our hostess was rude, the waitress was unbearably slow, and when our order arrived it had multiple mistakes.

All in all, a two hour dinner experience that I wish I could forget. Watery beers and mediocre food on an overpriced menu. Strong thumbs down.
3 - Jamie G.: I was not very impressed with this place. We did  not have great service - no water given immediately -one of my pet peeves, and getting our check took forever. and I kept having to ask for things, since we were kind of ignored the whole time. And I was taking notes about the beers we were trying, and I put my pen down, and the bartender took it away because he thought it was his, but it was mine, so I said something and he gave it back but did not even apologize!! 

For food we tried The pretzel, which was really a breadstick in the shaped of a pretzel- it was still good, but not the pretzel I was expecting. The Honey mustard dipping sauce it came with was amazing.


We also had the deep fried oreo sundae- which was pretty good but the oreos were not creamy/melted inside the fried dough like others I had have. I dont think they were fried long enough. 

For beers, I had there sampler... which was on this good spinning wooden platter...all of their beers plus four guest beers. (I liked the guest beers better than their beers!) Of theirs I tried (in order of best to worst):

Wedding Witte: tad too lemony, little plain, good wheaty, no banana

Workingman's Wheat: very intense banana smell and flavor, not enough carbonation 

Massatucky Brown: dark, roasted, malty 

Two sisters Stout: little smoky, smooth, not bitter, sweet fruity 

North Pleasant Pale Ale: little bitter, not bad

Anniversary Ale: bitter brown ale 

Puffer Smoked Porter: a little too syrupy, not my fave 

Cascade IPA: not very carbonated, pretty hoppy 


Not sure if I would ever come back here because everything was just mediocre, and I may not ever be in the area again anyways, and would probably never make another special trip to come all the way out there!
4 - Saba N.: This was like the staple first date spot when I was in college. Not too expensive, kind of high class (at least for Amherst).. food was really good, beer was even better.. 

I have nothing to bad to say about this place. I recommend their fried pickles, sweet potato fries (with honey mustard sauce obviously), and fried Oreo sundae.
1 - Chris B.: This place holds one of the top three spots for worst dining experiences I've had. The waitress was HORRIBLE! We were sat inside and she attended to her outdoor patrons almost exclusively. The only times she came over was when we actively tried to get her attention. She was downright rude the whole time. I ended up grabbing menus from the hostess stand myself because it took so long for her to come to our table.

We had just one round of beers as there wasn't enough service to get more. Didn't matter, because the food and beer were forgettable.

The best part, because I love a good dining nightmare story, was that she added automatic gratuity to our bill for a party of 6. The menu stated auto-gratuity for 8 or more. When I told her about the "error" she said the policy had changed since the menus were printed, so she either gave us crap service because she was legit telling the truth and wanted a quick auto-gratuity buck from us with minimal work, or she knew she did a horrible job and wanted to scam us. She actually raised her voice arguing with us, giving us such a hard time that I yelled for her manager, so she took it off the bill. It was so bad that I watched my bank account, convinced she'd try to sneak money on. Didn't happen, luckily for her.
4 - Karin O.: Great beer and good food.  This place is not intended to be gourmet or fancy.  It's a brew pub.  The sweet potato fries are excellent and the shepherd's pie is always a good choice.  Not a huge fan of the pulled pork - a bit too much sauce for me. But there are plenty of options on the menu and definitely something for everyone. I've been here several times and never had a problem with being seated or slow service.  
The new h-u-g-e bar is spectacular and there are so many different kinds of beer to choose from. The Wedding Witte is my favorite, but there are dark beers and beers you can eat with a fork (not really).
All in all a good choice for a stick-to -your-ribs meal and a great micro-brew.
1 - Donna A.: Waited  1 1/2 hours to get our food.  The place is  clearly understaffed and mismanaged.  Worse waitstaff ever.  No forks, knives or napkins upon sitting. No water. Nothing but a snotty and rude excuse for a waitress. EXCUSE ME but I am spending a hell of a lot of money here, and I expect good service and not to be treated like I am wasting YOUR time. We came for good pub fare and a brew.  

After waiting over an hour and a half after ordering our food  EVERYTHING came out cold and gross - it had obviously sat for some time.  We sent everything back for being cold and inedible.  We ordered sliders ( the burgers were 2 times smaller than the bun, dry and overcooked), Sausage platter again cold, and overcooked. Steak, burgers, sweet potato fries (the only thing they got right) everything else came out COLD and dried out. The prices are are high for what you get, which only adds insult to injury.

Good luck finding your waitress...we saw her twice--once to take the order and once to give us the check. It took 4 people to bring out our meals that were cold from sitting in the kitchen.That is just BAD service.
 
The people in my party were from Greenfield, Amherst and Sarasota Florida. Trust me NO one was happy with the dining experience or the bar service or the wait service. we dropped close to $200 with tip.  

 And when all the students go home for the summer,it is the residents who keep business alive. But ABC just does not get it. Amherst Brewing Company suffers from the "We don't give a crap" mentality which is getting to be rather prevalent in this town of late. 

I would never, ever go back there. There are better  restaurants, who actually care about service and quality of food. Amherst Brewing Company is not one of them. I gave them 3 strikes..they are out.
3 - Courtney R.: Still get three stars, but last night our experience was very nice. We sat at the bar area and for the first time in a while we had really great service. We were there late, around 9:30 and the food came quickly and it was hot and fresh. I was really happy. So, as I said in my previous review, its a hit or miss, but when you hit ABC right its great.
5 - Paul O.: Outstanding brews to suit any palate and great basic pub food.  The burgers and fries are awesome and the Irish bangers and mash with apple chutney are a favorite of mine.  Great game room for pool and darts.
2 - Mike A.: Always out of the beers they have listed. Sat at the bar and didn't get served for 5 minutes. Bartender took an empty glass then never asked for a refill. Second time I've had the same experience
3 - Jenny Y.: Highlight: the fries! perfectly golden brown and crunchy on the outside yet soft on the inside with the right amount of salt. Perfect fries are hard to find, especially in Amherst! Positively addictive. 

Lowlight: Slow service. It took too long for the waitresses to come back with our orders or another drink or take our dessert order. I'll cut them some slack because: it was a busy football night, some of the waitresses were in-training, and the hostess was considerate of where we wanted to sit, so ABC gets points for that.

Mediocre food, but an expansive selection of both food and drinks. The fish part of my fish & chips wasn't spectacular (bland, even for fish & chips, and even covered with tartar sauce and lemon juice), but probably very good paired with booze. The portions were standard American-sized, so definitely on the large side. I'm not much of a drinker, so I can't comment on the alcohol menu. I did like the long island ice tea that I split with a friend though. 

Overall, a really great laidback bar/restaurant. Great for groups both large and small. I saw lots of little kids here, and lots of college kids. I love their new location! The place is huugggeeee and for its size, it never feels cavernous or too empty despite its high ceilings and dark lighting. It's all space well used and well sectioned. And free pool on Sundays!
3 - Tim M.: OK Food, OK service, OK review.
4 - Chris W.: The new space is great for casual meetings with friends, there is plenty of space and several pool tables, dart boards and a fooseball table. I cannot comment on the late night scene yet, but its usually pretty tame during the day and for "happy hour" unless there is a Umass game at mullins or mcguirk. 
The food is still lacking so dont expect big things just slightly better bar food.
2 - Suzanne S.: Wasnt impressed with their Amherst brewing co beers...tried the extra special bitter, which was pretty bland, and found the black dog ipa to be kinda bad,  but that is my personal beer preference.  The service was slow for an early Saturday night and no crowd.  I think our food hung in the window for a while when our server disappeared a third time...and even my vegetarian chili came out chilly...not that I could tell anyone since once she dropped the food, she disappeared again.  Go across the street to the Hanger before you go here.
2 - Rich H.: Visiting from Portland, OR and looking for a good brewpub experience. Sadly, we didn't get it here. We went in on a Friday afternoon about 4PM. Cavernous place that was almost totally empty. The three of us had some good beers and ordered the chicken finger app. Cut into it and discovered that the chicken was totally raw inside. To their credit, they replaced it right away, but, honestly, I can't see going back again when I visit the relatives. Having visited the ABC in its old location on a previous visit, I can't say that this is an improvement.
2 - Elizabeth D.: This is really more of a 2.5 star review, with the sincere hope of seeing this place get its mojo back.

ABC recently moved to its new location in a strip shopping center near U. Mass' athletic field. Although the parking lot and added floorspace are nice, the atmosphere is not nearly what it used to be.  The interior felt very unfinished, with large empty spaces where it seemed tables should be, and spotty decor.

The night we went, the bar was packed, and we had a half hour wait to be seated.  It seemed like ABC didn't quite have enough staff to manage the crowd, which explained the roomful of empty tables we passed.

The food and the beer are spot-on. Great burgers, and reasonable prices on their house brews.
3 - Joshua G.: Small menu, but good food for the price that taste good too. The place is also VERY big, almost to big and it just feels weird.
3 - Todd O.: We went late - about 9:30 to grab a quick snack and a pint.  The new location does have plenty of parking and plenty of seating.  They had a band playing which was great.  Not many people were sitting enjoying the music.  I saw on line they had Ithaca Flower Power IPA so I couldn't resist going.  Disappointed that it was not there and they recommend Cascade IPA as something similar.  Not even close.  Very mild IPA at only a 5.3%.  We ordered a coupe of apps including the cheesiest nachos and the Artichoke and Spinach dip.  The nachos were okay - a bit to much cheese and the  dip was over powered by - I think pesto they added to the dip.  couldn't taste the parmesan cheesy aspect of the dip only the pesto flavor.  I might try it again - might.
2 - Cam F.: While the beer list is extensive and very good (I recommend the chocolate brew!) the service and food is subpar and overpriced at best. I went for an early dinner with a few friends at around 4:00 on a Saturday night and we waited a long time for our food, even though there was barely anybody else eating. I ordered a turkey burger with onion rings, and after the hour or more wait, I was handed a lukewarm burger that was so charred all I could taste was a mouthful of ashes. The onion rings were similarly cold and very greasy, as though they hadn't been drained after coming out of the fryer. My friends' also agreed that their food was just average, although they all made a point of loving their fries, which I had given up for Lent.

It took about 20 minutes for the waiter to come back and ask how everything was, and when I showed him the burger, he seemed skeptical at first, and eventually offered me not another burger, but a free order of fries or onion rings. Seriously? Yeah, that's what I wanted for dinner...a double dose of grease. But I was starving, so I went with it. He brought me out the rings and I sort of just nibbled until my stomach started churning. THEN, as we were all about to leave, ANOTHER waiter came to the table with ANOTHER order of onion rings and said, "Did somebody need an order of onion rings because of their burger?" So I left with two orders of onion rings and not a morsel of substantial food in my gut. I think  I made boxed mac and cheese when I got home, and it was a good 10x better than anything I got at ABC.

Interpretation: the staff is disorganized and needs retraining. I don't think I would ever come back for dinner.
4 - John R.: Have had 2 chicken sandwiches here w/fries in the recent past, both times excellent. When you go, stick w/bar food for the most part and you should be ok. The new cavernous location has its good and bad points, but I like parking and space, so it's cool with me. Acoustics can make it hard to talk sometimes though.
5 - Stephen T.: Very happy - atmosphere, food was really good, almost not what I expected. The place is huge!!!
The server was really good with his recommendations on beer and what we all were looking for. Typical pub food but good size portions and did not lack in quality. I look forward to returning. 
We had wings, nachos with chili, which was so big.... (see pic), and the burger sliders. It was 5 stars
1 - Elijah M.: Horrible food, miserable service,  bad atmosphere. Went here about a week ago,  the Burger and onion rings was frozen,  the table was dirty, and the service was next to none. Don't waste you time going here, you will not be satisfied.
1 - Jeff H.: Garbage food, served alongside bad, watery house beer. You can order "guest beers" -- and you should, but the food accompanying those beers is of the absolute lowest quality. The service is bad to worse, and the price for the whole thing is way overpriced. Don't bother; unless you are a UMass student without a car, you can do much better.
3 - Jim G.: I like this place.  I thought they went out of business when I went looking for them downtown a couple of years ago, and was thrilled to find out that they merely moved.  The new place is enormous.  The billard area alone is bigger than the entire previous location.   The bar is very long, must fit at least 50 folks. And then there's the dining area.   It's actually too big, I preferred the original location.

They have a long list of their own brews, plus a bunch of guests.  Cask Condtioned is the only way to go, it tastes so much better than normal draught.  They vary what they give this treatment, but my favorite is the North Pleasant Ale. 

The food is generally basic pub grub, but some of their specials are amazing.  The Pulled Pork Chile is to die for. (Oddly the regular pulled pork sandwich is merely okay).   Ditto for the Chile Macacroni.   The daily menu offers very nice Veggie and Buffalo burgers in addition to the usual cow meat.  The slaw is not too wet, like that alot.   

It gets very loud in the dining room.  I'm usually there by myself, before a BB game, so I sit at the bar. It's generally mid-week and a little early.  I prefer the quiet and faster, more personal service of the non-peak hours.  I brought my wife here for the first time recently and we ate in the DR, but if/when she comes back I think we'll sit at the Bar.
1 - Celeste A.: I have been dinning at the ABC for decades at their former location and their food was always wonderful but we ate dinner at ABC tonight and it was the worst food I have tasted in years. The turkey berger was dry and bland and it looked more like a hockey puck then a burger (like frozen food from costco). It was served with no dressing or condiment of any kind...but did have a wilted leaf if lettuce, tastless tomato and onion. The server brought only ketchup to the table and if you want any other condiments such as BBQ sauce you have to spend another $0.75.
The good news is...at least I will not have to consider ABC when deciding were to eat out ....less choice makes it easier. The beer was not much better but I will review that later ...
4 - Bill B.: Excellent food and brews... We had brats and knocks & brewers meatloaf... Potato soup was bowl licking good .....
1 - Eric B.: Unfortunately the scale only goes down to 1 star...another horrible experience.  I was hoping my 2011 visit was just an off night.  I had a 6 sampler of beer and couldn't even finish them.  Watered down, all under-carbonated and just bland.  Service is slow and not real friendly.  Keeping my fingers crossed that this place will return to its former glory.  There is a reason those awards hang on the wall...

Amherst Chinese Food - Amherst, MA (42.3757152, -72.5190396) ()
3 - Andrew B.: An average Chinese restaurant. Food is  good but nothing spectacular, the service kind of sucked it may have been because we were tucked into the back corner of the restaurant. Most dishes are about $9-$13 I was hoping up get some pineapple for desert but instead of asking if we wanted desert the waitress just brought the check over. I guess i could have said something but i figured I'd save us the extra $2.50 which is kind of ridiculous since places like Ginger Blossom in Springfield include that in your meal for free.
Good food but nothing special get this place an average 3 / 5
5 - Heather H.: You can't go wrong with a restaurant that boasts it's own farm. Vegetables here are ridiculously fresh and good. A favorite spot when I lived in the valley years ago, the quality is still the same. Lunch specials are well priced with large portions- about $6 for soup of your choice, rice (white or brown), and a choice of main dish. I was stuffed and happy.
3 - Matt L.: To say this place has great Chinese food is a little over doing it. It is average Chinese food for this area. The place has been here since I was in high school and does well in this area for an upscale place. The location is prime right in downtown, but the food is a good presentation of just mediocre selections. It is nothing great and to tell you the truth it is forgetfull. I would say pay a visit but don't keep coming back. It is not the best in the area. It may be the best in Amherst, but there arent many restaurants here anyway.
4 - SS H.: I am so happy to have found this little jem right in Amherst, two blocks from where I live.  I grew up in China, and have always had a hard time finding good Chinese food unless I'm in a big city like NY, SF, or Boston.  And even so, I have never found another restaurant that serves Dao Shao Mein -- noodles made by shaving pieces off of a block of dough.  It is the most fantastic noodle dish ever, something I grew up eating, and Amherst Chinese has it!!!  Additionally, they also make a fabulous mock goose.  The veggies there are always really fresh, unlike what you would get in run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurants.  Service is always friendly, as well.  If you go, please don't stick with the American-Chinese regular offerings -- they make these dishes to taste like everywhere else.  Branch out and try something new, and you will be pleased.
1 - Johnna M.: The food was basically average. We split three chicken, shrimp, veggie, rice dishes and I can't complain nor rave about any of them. 

The waiter was what I like to call a "first date waiter." He was pleasant enough but for some reason I couldn't help but feel slightly self conscious around him. Apparently Uma Thurman used to work here, perhaps she would have been less awkward. 

Towards the end of our meal, the staff started sorting through a gigantic pile of mushrooms on the bare table with their bare hands. I'm not quite sure what they were doing but it didn't seem very sanitary nor friendly to people with food allergies. 

My fortune cookie advised me, "an apple a day MAY keep the cancer away." This strikes me as offensive at worst, pragmatic at best-neither of which are qualities I look for in a fortune cookie. 

Needless to say I never went back to AmChi but the whole experience struck me as so unsettling that I am compelled to write a yelp review two years later.
4 - Stephanie J.: Chinese food that's better than average.  We came here with an extremely large group, and we were treated very well, and our orders were taken with ease, and everything came out extremely quickly and everything was correct - which is a big plus, in my book.  The food itself wasn't the best Chinese I've ever had, but it was on the higher end of the spectrum.  I would definitely come back if I was ever in the area.
2 - Wing M.: I will only go to AmhChi if I'm not paying for it.

They do have their own organic farm. Problem is? They don't know how to actually cook the vegetables well. They overcooked everything I ordered from the vegetable menu.

Had several other dishes there. Was completely unimpressed. The duck was especially bad.

They try to walk the fine line of authentic and Americanized Chinese food and failed pretty badly.

Presentation of the food is... "homely". Not necessarily a bad thing since I think they're going for the home cooking style, but if I'm paying the prices they're charging I expect my food to look better.
3 - Nicholas L.: This place tries to pull it off as if it were a upper class dining joint with the furniture, lighting and ambiance, it fails. The color of the walls does not add to my dining experience. 

The menu is filled with Americanized Chinese dishes, but also has 
 The food was not too bad, I ordered shrimp spring roll &amp; crab dish. The spring rolls had no shrimp inside them... but the waitress still insisted that there were strips of shrimp in them. Not only did I not see the strips, I could not taste them either. The crab dish, which was under the House Special... was nothing special at all, it was just deep fried crab meat on top of bunch of bean sprouts!!! This was served with a bowl of brown rice, that was it! It was the driest restaurant meal I have ever eaten in a restaurant. 

The place is a little expensive for what it offers, I can get a similar package for much less at Mom's House take out which I would highly recommend. It takes about 5 minutes from Amherst Chinese.
3 - Nancy T.: The food here is definitely not authentic Chinese.  It's Chinese-American, but I wasn't expecting much authenticity considering the area.  It's pretty much your typical east coast small town Chinese-American restaurant.  I had their lunch special of Green Beans and Shrimp.  It came with a choice of soup.  I chose the Hot and Sour.  If I didn''t compare it to Chinese food in San Jose (where I live), I would say it was pretty good soup.  Lots of stuff in it with just the right amount of spiciness.  If I did compare, however, ....well, I've just never seen cabbage in hot and sour soup before.  Another example of being Americanized was when they asked if I wanted white or brown rice.  Ummm.....brown rice?  That's not a Chinese rice.  If they were keeping it real, it would have been Jasmine or forget it.   

The Shrimp and Green Beans came in a white sauce.  The two main flavors were salt and cornstarch.  The beans were cooked well, not overcooked at all.  The shrimp was medium-small in size, nothing impressive.   

The place was actually a decent size and nicely decorated.  You can definitely bring a  date or business client here.  Their menu was extensive , but the preparation was fusion.  We also ordered the water spinach to share, which turned out pretty good.  They used only the leaves and thin stems.  Authentic places often throw in big stems and all.  Chinese people like the extra crunch and don't like to waste anything edible.  The flavor of the dish was nice and simple....just sauteed in garlic and seasoned with salt.  I dipped each bite in soy sauce with a bit of hot chili oil for heat.  Pretty yummy.

I was with my husband and his parents.  This was a nostalgic place for them.  They use to bring my husband here when he was just a baby, so they had stories about the owners and cooks coming out to fuss over the blond American baby (my hubby).  Very, very cute story :)  I could see the nostalgia shining through their eyes as I shared the meal with them.  I would come back here again.  It is a part of my hubby's childhood.  I probably wouldn't recommend bringing Chinese parents though.  On second thought, I wonder if they have a secret menu??!!
5 - Claire S.: Unfortunately for me, I grew up eating Amherst Chinese Food. Which means that I like my veggies steamed and fresh rather than swimming in your average garlicky salty cornstarch goop. And yes, if you choose wisely, you can still get thick sauce, but expect it to taste like fresh garlic, and it's not over salted.

If you love chinese food that you will taste in your belches for a week, this isn't it. If you've got high blood pressure and self destructive over salting tendencies, take them elsewhere. If you can dig the taste of steamed, fresh, organic veggies, this is your jam. (Or duck sauce, or whatever.)

LASTLY! These are the best mushu pancakes I have ever had. They are thin and toothsome and amazing with plum sauce and any of AmChi's mushu dishes. I can't eat them anywhere else. (I am still traumatized from my first foray into the world of average chinese and horror of when they serve me whole wheat  burrito wraps? WTF. Never again. AmChi, you had me at Mu...)
3 - Huan z.: The owner of the Chinese food has it's own  farm, so the veges are very fresh. The food is bit greasy to me but many of my friends love this place.
This place is spacious and they have a lot of plants in the restaurant.
5 - Andrew J.: I love Amherst Chinese. Let the haters hate, this place is great. Unbelievable lunch specials at the price. Anything deep fried there is top notch and better than any other Chinese restaurant. You can have them make anything you'd like, they have their own farm and grow their own vegetables (which they also sell at the Farmer's Market on Saturdays) which are just unbeatable. Fresh, not sweet or greasy. Many hard to find items they do with the best. 

Best egg rolls of all time.

On a side note, they don't really know how to make drinks well, in my opinion, so they end up being really boozy. The $4 long island iced tea is absolutely ridiculous.

Get the Moo Shi. Bomb.
5 - Elijah M.: My family has been going here for over 20 years and let me tell you, this is the best Chinese restaurant in the area. Don't listen to those other reviews. The staff are very friendly and the vegitables are very fresh from their own farm.
5 - Jenny J.: This has long been one of my family's favorite restaurants.  I'm surprised to see so many negative reviews, because we've never had a bad meal -- or even a bad dish -- here.  Although, saying that, we don't tend to order "standard" dishes.  We get whatever vegetables are in season (they generally have these posted based on what they're harvesting at the farm that week, but if they don't, you can ask), along with a protein.  Our favorites are beef and spinach, beef and bean sprouts, chicken and eggplant, anything and pea shoots... and the tofu vegetable soup and spinach black mushroom soup are hands down the best in the area... in fact, sometimes we stop and pick those soups up to go even when we're not staying for dinner!
4 - Jessica S.: Really good. Got beef with mixed veg. Not greasy like some places. Bean sprout salad was ok but the dumpling was very good.
4 - Daisy R.: I'm really very tired of hearing people from the West Coast critizice the Chinese or Mexican food we have here in the East.   So if it's not as good as California, then don't go to ethnic restaurants when you are here!  Better yet go back to California.  Amherst Chinese is excellent, inventive, service-driven and a wonderful value for the money.  It's not often - not even in L.A. I'm sure - that you find a Chinese restaurante serving fresh, organic vegetables that they grow on their own farm.   And whining about what a fortune cookie says?  Get a sense of humor, how sensitive can you be?   Amherst Chinese has my vote,hands down.
3 - Madeleine H.: Run-of-the-mill American Chinese restaurant. Delicious, but nothing special or particularly notable. They have their own farm and offer fresh vegetables, but they are considered specials rather than being integrated throughout the menu. Service was a little slow -- my friend and I hadn't decided what to order, so we asked our server to come back to us, and she didn't return until 10 minutes later (when my friend waved her over).
5 - Mel G.: I've given AmChi 5 stars, not only because it is extremely good in all aspects, but also because when compared to the horrid and mediocre dining experiences you will have at the poor excuses for restaurants in Amherst, AmChi undoubtedly comes out on top as the #1 restaurant in its price category in Amherst Center.  Though they aren't necessarily "as good as it gets" in the entire world, they are probably as good as it gets in the Pioneer Valley dining world for a restaurant in its category.

As other reviewers have noted, their food is not too greasy, salty, or gooey sweet like other chinese in the area.  It's rumored that they don't use MSG which is a huge plus.  Service is generally fast friendly, and attentive.  There are a lot of vegetarian and vegan options. In addition, they will prepare any other item special for you without any qualms.  They also offer brown rice as an option.  

When I go there I am usually very excited and order a lot so that I have leftovers. On my last visit there my partner and  I ordered 3-4 appetizers, 2 entrees, and we were going to throw in an extra vegetable dish for the heck of it, but our waiter was kind enough to suggest that that might be too much, even for leftovers, and he was correct.

Another reviewer was correct in saying that they do have their own organic farm-fresh vegetables, but mostly featured in specials, and in a few scattered dishes.  Sure, it would be nice if ALL their vegetables came from their own organic garden, but all you have to do is take a look around at the restaurants that serve local organic produce in their dishes, and they all only can afford to do so partially, as this is New England, and sorry, celery just ain't in season all year around, especially if your trying to remotely compete or survive up against any other restaurants.  You just can't grow everything locally in New England, while keeping with the seasons, and trying to keep your business open.  Unless of course customers would be willing to pay double, and we all know that probably wouldn't work even in a hippy- earthy-yuppy town like Amherst, unfortunately.  

They also offer local grown and produced organic sandraberry juice which is healthy and delicious.  Be warned however, it is $3.50 for a tiny glass.  It would be totally nice if they increased the serving size, but again, we are paying for something small-scale, local, organic, that's not always in season.  

They make the best pork dumplings I've ever had, not that I've had that many, but I'm sure they're delish.  Also, their spinach dumplings are a great vegetarian option (they are filled with tofu, veggies, and rice noodle bits, with spinach puree in the dumpling dough to make them a pretty green).  Great vegetarian egg rolls-mild and not too greasy.  Also, if your looking for items with their own veggies, look no further than their House Bun-yummy with their own organic veggies, tofu and rice-noodle bits.  As for the entrees, there is something for everyone, try them all, and don't be afraid to ask the servers questions.  I myself have tried 5-6 different entrees, and I've liked them all in their own way.  I plan to keep trying something different every visit there. complimentary yummy hot tea to keep your tummy settled as you fill it up with deliciousness.  

Also, though their restrooms could use a little work, the dining room itself is warm and cozy, with plenty of window seats to go around.  (Be sure to call in a reservation if you absolutely must have one on a Fri-Sat).  AmChi is a great medium between the overly flavorful AmericanChinese dishes that most people are used to, and the more healthful, light, and delicate flavors that traditional Chinese dishes offer, of course veering on the side of being lighter, healthful, and more traditional. Try it.
5 - Katie B.: Insanely good Chinese food!  An ill relative was craving the "Crispy Shrimps", so we drove in to Amherst with the intention of dining in and also placing a large carry-out order.  We had a great visit here, both the service and food were excellent.  Highlights were the pork pot stickers, crispy shrimps, and the triple orange delight (crispy chicken, beef and shrimp in orange sauce).  Really, some of the best Chinese food I have ever had.
4 - Darci C.: Fresh, seasonal dishes that keep you coming back for me!  The best American Chinese food I've enjoyed in the area.
4 - Bill S.: We really enjoyed our dinner here. It is an outstanding restaurant that has is own farm for seasonal produce -- how rare is that??? We think it stacks up well against Chinese restaurants in many places in this country with a selection of familiar and unfamiliar dishes, thoughtfully prepared and served with a sense of style. Prices seemed to us quite reasonable. 

Specifically, we had the squid with scallions -- uncommonly tender and packed with flavor, not too spicy -- and the lemon grass chicken, large pieces of white meat very tender, in a coconut sauce that unfortunately overwhelmed the lemongrass. The vegetarian spring rolls had the crust just right with crunchiness and the inside with veggies (sprouts, beans, etc.) as fresh as could be. There's a full bar, too. Our service was mixed; dinner was served quickly and efficiently, but our waiter disappeared an it took us nearly 15 minutes to find someone to bring the check.
3 - Nom D.: No ac, service was decent, food was average.
3 - Fauzia I.: There have been many reviews, so rather than repeat all the other things, I will just give my own observations from tonight. I've been before and each time I forget my chief complaint about going here - NO AC. It makes things incredibly hot and eating very uncomfortable. Even on a night when it's not particularly hot out.

I can't relax (let alone eat spicy things) and enjoy while in heat torment and mopping my face like a mad woman. And living in FL pretty much ensures one can handle hot weather, at least in my opinion. So, that part of it was definitely not fun. 

I went with 4 other people, all of whom shared 2 whole fish dishes. The general consensus on these was that they had definitely gone down in quality and were not as good as last time. Granted, last time had been crispy fried, but based on the recommendation of the waitress who said the steamed ones tonight were "much better", well ... maybe not. Anyway. Maybe it was the type of fish. Overall, they were good, albeit in my opinion, a bit overpriced. Which was surprising, as most of the other things on the menu seemed quite reasonable.

I got the triple delight, which I enjoyed. It wasn't too sweet or heavy, although it could have been a bit hotter. Hard to tell which pieces were beef and which were chicken. 

We also had the spinach and shrimp dumplings. The spinach ones had a ginger and garlic filling - unusual and nice. The shrimp appeared to be minced as opposed to whole. Both came steamed, but personally I would have liked at least the latter ones fried. Wasn't impressed with the flavor (strength) of the tea. 

After the first 10-20 minutes of being virtually ignored once seated, the staff suddenly became very attentive and efficient - constantly filling up glasses, whisking away plates, etc.

Would have possibly considered dessert, but 1) didn't know what was on the menu, and 2) wasn't offered the option. Plus by that time, all I wanted to do was leave for somewhere, anywhere, much cooler.
2 - Courtney R.: Good old AmChi has gone down hill. Once vibrant and busy with hot fresh food...not anymore. Takeout is always wrong, and service is slow.
4 - Laura S.: AmChi is a great go-to place for food in Amherst! I love their sliced rice cakes dish as well as the peppers and cashews (with tofu in my case as I am vegan).

The food is delicious and cheap AND it comes from the restaurant's own farm. I have no problem coming here for a lunch or dinner date with my girlfriend - the service can be a tad slow but generally is not. 

What else is there to say? There aren't enough real restaurant options in Amherst (the "food court" options for UMass students on the main drag don't count) and because of this, I end up at AmChi frequently Not that I mind.
4 - Albert T.: After Having tried Chinese food in San Francisco, New York I must say that "AMCHI" is the freshest and tastiest Chinese food I ever tried (after the defunct Pearl Chinese Restaurant in Santa Cruz, CA). You can go wrong here. They are very VERY aware of any gluten or any other allergy and are careful to cook the food to order. Eat there with a person with a bad Shellfish allergy, the cooks were very careful and the food didn't cause an allergic reaction. Same with Gluten Free, they even carry GF soy sauce. 

The food is fresh and made from scratch and to order... so to some, the waiting period can be a little exasperating. Go there with no other plans, sit, order and relax, a great feast will come to your table.

The owners farm most of their seasonal vegetables for the dishes, make sure to order those, as they are on the menu of the day board by the main entrance (the waiters do not usually tell you what they are unless you ask)

YUM!

Gluten Free Update:  they are very accommodating when it comes to any allergies, i.e. Gluten Free, they have the Tamari and will cook with or without the Tamari for you. If you decide to ask for a dish "sans" Tamari, your dish will cost $1.00 less. We learned this looking at the check, nobody told us about the extra charge, is not mentioned on the menu and their waiting staff is not clear about their policy on charging an extra buck per dish. Any other place will not charge extra for Gluten Free Soy Sauce or Tamari, since they consider it a way to provide a service and attract people with dietary restrictions... We ordered 6 dishes for 5 people, a buck doesn't seem much, but when you realized that is an extra 5 bucks what you are getting charged for a splash of Tamari on your dish... The average price for a 250 cc bottle of San J tamari is 6 buck if you get it at Whole Foods, not cool!   Will I come back to Amchi, sure, but will bring my own bottle of Tamari and save a few bucks.
5 - Nanette S.: Went to Amherst Chinese for my (college) son's birthday. Was a little dubious about the generic name but it was great. The most pleasant surprise was the freshness of the vegetables. Even Peking dumplings are ten times better when fresh and not covered in sauce. I had eggplant and it was great. It's really a whole different experience of Chinese food. 
The service was wonderful: friendly, prompt, accommodating. I would go there again in a heartbeat.
1 - A C.: I love that Amherst Chinese uses such fresh ingredients and even grows some of their own produce and all that jazz, but I judge a chinese restaurant on two things: hot and sour soup and house lo-mein. Both were pretty awful. The noodles were bland and soggy and the meat was very dry. And the soup tasted like vomit and was not spicy in the least. Not good. Very disappointing. That being said, the scallion pancakes were wonderful and the spring role wasn't bad. Still, only two stars for me. "Meh" food and too expensive.
5 - Theodore C.: this is the best chinese in the five college region. The ingredients are always fresh and healthy, and the service kind. My only complaint is it is a little expensive, but we have been coming here for five years and have a good time, every time. I recommend it, especially in the amherst area, and miss it now that we moved. in a time where chinese is typically generic, every dish here is a unique spin on the classics.
5 - Lauren C.: This place is amazing.  At first glance, the food isn't that much different from any other Chinese place, except that they have their own farm and grow their own veggies.  You wouldn't know from the prices though.  It's extremely reasonable, especially with the lunch specials.

I'm mildly obsessed with their hot and sour soup.  Whenever I'm in the area, I get a large container to go.  The bean sprout salads are very fresh.  They actually sell their organic bean sprouts in the local super markets.  Look for Chang Farms brand.   They have a daily specials list when you first walk in... it's actually what they have from the farm that week.
4 - John R.: I'm a person that has been sick of the quality of Chinese food in America I've gotten lately, so I was pleasantly surprised by this place. My meal was crispy, fresh, and not overbreaded. Ambiance was decent. The Sandraberry is AWFUL, it does NOT taste like cranberry. I tried the fried banana, which also sucked, but my meal was excellent all around, and the rice was cooked properly. I'm really excited to find a decent Chinese place in the area!
4 - annie w.: it's authentic, with a large typical (not entirely catering to american-chinese) menu, with chinese folks running the joint who take their veggies from a local farm (that they grow themselves?) so that detail is pretty awesome.

the prices are a bit high (relative to what you can find in a chinatown -- slash the price in half), but after all, they're probably the only joint in town that is authentic, so sure, pay for the premium of doing this.

not five stars because they're interesting and authentic but not necessarily "best ever" but for the area, the locale, the function, the promise and the delivery, yes. pretty good!
4 - Hana T.: Obsessed with their seafood basket! After being a loyal Panda East fan, I'm sorry/not sorry to say that I have moved on to AmChi! Farm fresh veggies are a nice touch, and I like that they have a "seasonal" menu! Prices are a little higher here, but worth it.
5 - Naitian W.: they have amazing fresh vegetable!  its also not to greasy compared to other chinese resteraunts. I usually judge cinese resteraunts by the cashew chicken and the hot sour soup and amherst chinese cooks it amazingly. They have to best steamed vegetables. amherst chinese is well know by the locals.
5 - Christopher W.: Best healthy Chinese in the valley

Amherst Cinema - Amherst, MA (42.3758082, -72.5205212) ()
5 - Jenny N.: Brand new non-profit theatre showing hot indie films--I love it!   Having grown up in this area, it's good to see the town taking on such an ambitious new project to revive the old Amherst Cinema.  The tickets are reasonably priced around $6-8.  You can also purchase them online, or get annual membership if you're a real movie lover.  The seating is awesome (but doesn't recline).  I saw "Babel" here and it was a great experience--they didn't even show those stupid commercials!  And I must say, the concession stand is a real stunner--fresh popcorn with real butter, Pocky, homemade ice cream sandwiches, pastries, etc.... I'm in love.
5 - gwen a.: This is a theatre done correctly, with screens whose girth will not abandon you in a too-widescreen projection pulling your eyes and head and reactions across the room, reasonable ticket prices, serving healthy snacks (including goat's milk yogurt and offering nutritional yeast for vegans' popcorn) alongside mandatory snow caps and the like, and offering truly choice films and events. Memberships for devotees are far from what you'd expect in price (cheaper, that is), and students receive discounts. Tucked behind Amhersts' main streets' storefronts, the theatre is modest, and understated, elegant and comfortable, truly enriching the community as it brings a life, crowds, and energy to Amherst that is not limited to the college population.
5 - Baer T.: Bright lights, big city / 
chocolates, comfy tushy / 
Jean Renoir is happy.
5 - kris a.: I've always dreamed of building my own movie theater - and somehow those bastards over at the Amherst Cinema snuck into my dreams and stole my ideas. 

Seriously, a very nice theater, very modern with a classic art deco touch. Incredibly comfortable seats, great tickets prices, stadium seating, and real butter on the popcorn. Can't beat that. 

The only downside in my opinion is that I can't see ALL movies in this theater, because it only shows the more indie stuff. 

Hell, I would recommend seeing a movie here even if it's not something that interests you, the theater is THAT nice.
5 - Theo B.: Art films in a classy clean place with nice coffee and treats.  What a great idea.  It's all good with another shot of great.  Love this place.
5 - A F.: My absolute favorite place to see a movie.
small theatres, great films, excellent popcorn and other snacks, friendly people , both the workers and the clientele.
5 - Madeleine H.: I have so much love for this place. It's brighter and larger than its sister in Northampton, but still has cream of the crop movies at decent prices that you wouldn't see anywhere else. Also, they have the best concessions anywhere! Flavored salts for my popcorn, vegan brownies AND italian sodas? Yes please!

They also have baby-friendly shows. I'm not a parent, nor do I wish to become one anytime soon, but I've sat in enough theatres with screaming children to appreciate this move on their part (and also know in advance which screenings to avoid!).

One minor complaint? Parking is a bitch. But I've parked in the adjacent bank lot after hours with no trouble.

Don't waste your time elsewhere, except maybe Pleasant Street. This is as good as it gets.
5 - Darci C.: This authentic little theater is tucked behind Amherst Coffee and Bank of America and definitely easy to miss.  It gets my 5++ star review.  This establishment screams, "I'm the best" and is certainly a flagship experience of downtown.  Once you visit Amherst Cinema, it will be difficult to go back to the big-box theaters.  The popcorn and soda are freakin awesome and certainly one of the many things we love about this place.
5 - Terra N.: I really enjoy this cinema and the fact that it is non-profit and I totally support that!

I do feel sorry for their employees because they probably don't get paid well, because well you've guessed it. Pleasant Street Theater is way up their in customer service but there shouldn't be such things as customer service at a non-profit. Paradoxical.

The better selections usually end up at this bigger, newer theater. I saw Exit Through the gift Shop twice here and the first time the end of the film ended up cutting up all weird so I didn't get the ending. 

I like that I can have coffee and a vegan cookie with a nice film. And I appreciate their events they hold including a showcasing of a certain film maker or student work.
4 - Andrea B.: Amherst Cinema is a fairly small and cozy independent movie theater, and I love it.  I went here several times last January to see movies that weren't playing anywhere else in the area.  The seats are extremely comfortable and the desserts that they sell are tasty.  The only frustrating part of coming here is finding parking, so after the hassle that I encountered with the first time, I just took the bus every time after that so I wouldn't have to deal with it.  Problem solved!
5 - Zara W.: Great movies, great crowd, and I can drink a glass of wine while watching outstanding films. Perfect!
5 - Yedi G.: What would I do without Amherst Cinema? I finally had to get a membership last year because I realized how essential a service it is to me. Also, they get points for continuing to improve. When it became clear their initial layout wasn't working, they changed it to make it more efficient. Love being able to purchase tix ahead, bring in my scannable receipt, and skip the line. Great food and drinks, too.
4 - Dhruv K.: Very cute and clean movie theater in Amherst Center. It usually shows independent/artsy movies. If you're a movie snob, this is your place.
4 - Donna A.: I love this theater, and just saw "The Artist" with fresh popped corn and lots of real butter ( a guilty pleasure). My only complaint has to do with the seating. There just is not a whole lot of leg room, and at 5'7" with very long legs, I spent a lot of time shifting.
 
I just wish that whomever designed the screening rooms took that into consideration. I am not the only person who has complained of it. 

But it is what it is. So I heartily recommend that if you have long legs, or are a large person, to sit in the first row (there is ample room there, but your neck will probably ache in exchange) or the row of seats before the break of another set of seats.

Customer service was great! Love to see a smiling face when I plop down my hard earned cash!
4 - Greg B.: This is a great place for a date night. My wife and i saw "The Artist" last night in the main theater, and the first thing we both realized was the age of the audience. Grown-ups filled the place. No talking teens, no over the top glow of text replies during the movie, and everyone one was there to enjoy the movie. I had a great XPA beer and my wife had a nice glass of Cab. What a treat it is to relax with a drink have incredible popcorn (no butter needed) and enjoy a wonderful movie. I will return for quality movies in a wonderful place.
5 - Courtney R.: Thank Goodness for Amherst Cinema. Classy, clean and sophisticated. Great film selection, always. Fresh popcorn with lots of goodies to sprinkle on top, too! One word: Yay!
4 - Chris W.: A good change from the commercialized scene. The theaters maybe small except for 1 but the smaller style makes for a better experience. You'll ditch the megaplex feeling and appreciate the more intimate vibe and if that doesn't happen order some beer or wine.

I will be seeing more pictures here soon.
5 - Arthur H.: This place is great. The staff are very friendly, the prices are great. They play a great selection of movies you wouldn't fine in a big box theater. I also love that they have started serving wine and beer at their concession.

Amherst Coffee - Amherst, MA (42.375703, -72.520517) ()
4 - Q S.: This is also a bourgie coffee place.  But their coffee and teas are sooo good.  The area itself is a little small, but the atmosphere is nice.  They also serve alcohol as well but the wines and mixed drinks are very expensive (think about a $9 Cosmo).  Along with pastries, they serve small appetizers as well like bread and olives.  
  In the summer time, an iced oolong tea really hits the spot.  They have Jazz on certain nights as well with local artists.
5 - Vilay S.: I'm so glad this place opened.  The coffee is way better than Rao's and I don't have to elbow around young people pretending to be homeless artists.
4 - brooke m.: Good coffee, nice atmosphere.  A lot quieter than Rao's, although sometimes it's hard to get a seat.  A good place to read pretentious novels, or people-watch.

I was also a bit overwhelmed with their tea selection, only because I'm more of a coffee junkie.
1 - Victoria S.: I have to disagree with previous reviews. I've heard many good things about this place and passed by it a few times, however the one time I went to get a coffee from them I was really disappointed. I agree the coffee itself is really good quality however, service, price, staff, and everything else in between is horrible. I spent at least 15 minutes waiting for my drinks - and I was the only person in line!!! I mean come on! I used to be a barista at Starbucks, and I do have respect for all the coffee industry employees, but seriously I don't need to wait 15 minutes to get a cup of coffee that a machine makes in several seconds! I do not like drinking my coffee cold, and in fact the espresso shots go bad after only after under a minute time, so you should get it to your customer before that time!
Plus, even though the mastery of pouring the milk in an artsy form is seriously a gift and my praise to that person, but making bad tasting mocha(s) for those prices is a crime. 
I would not recommend this place to anyone.
4 - Derek B.: Good espresso. I've been here four times now, and espresso is all I've gotten. Tasts like Seattle espresso, not so much in terms of quality but in terms of flavor characteristics. Interior is one large room with an espresso counter and a wine & bourbon bar. A local beer guru highly recommends this spot for it bourbon & scotch.
4 - Baer T.: Elegant old brick
King hell scotch and bourbon tastes
Black clad Eurotrash.
4 - Elizabeth R.: A haiku:

Macbooks everywhere.
the best latte in ever.
Oh, how I love thee.

I love you from afar, Amherst Coffee, and I'll surely be back for more deliciousness.
3 - N. P.: The coffee, espresso and tea selection is quality. A major bonus is that they are open late and serve beer and wine.

However, I have a list of things that bother me. First thing is that there is no free wireless; you can get onto the Amherst public network but the connection is often unreliable.. The second thing is that I would like to hear a wider variety of musical selections.

The place is good to grab a coffee or drink or to do work there once in a while.
4 - Anna A.: Great selection of loose-leaf teas, comfy chairs (though most of them are bar-stool height, so grab an extra one to put up your feet) and funky decor might just make up for lack of free wi-fi.
5 - Mr. O.: Some go to coffee houses to sit and lounge around.  I understand this passion.  I love working at a coffee shop.  But, this coffee shop isn't about the lounging.  It's about the coffee, more specifically a espresso shot....

On a busy rainy Sunday I wondered to Amherst Coffee with a girl that I was visiting.  "I've been here before."  I said with a strange sense of familiarity.  I had visited Amherst before, but I did not remember it, nor did I walk away with the knowledge that I now have generated.  I wasn't expecting what I was about to run into, but, I knew I needed to go.  As I walked in and looked at the espresso machine, I knew I was about to get a shot that would knock my socks off.  I looked up at the board, under the words "espresso" it said, "triple ristretto."  I have heard of a quad ristretto, but not a triple.  This intensified my curiosity.

The small ceramic glass was handed to me.  I could see the thickness of this shot and my mouth watered with anticipation.  It was filled to the brim but it was still thick the way the Italians would have liked it to be poured.  I smelled the sweet smell of carefully roasted coffee, blended to perfection.  I knew that careful care and consideration went into this shot of coffee; from the blend of beans, delicate grinder and espresso machine, to the barista who was pouring my shot, I knew it would be heaven.  With the first sip, I could taste the complexity of the coffee.  At first my mouth filled with a fruity dessert flavor like caramelized peaches.  Then it finished with a maple syrup after taste.  "What an appropriate flavor for this part of the country," I thought to myself...

Go to this coffee shop go for the love of coffee or whiskey.  Engulf yourself in the care and craft of coffee.  If you go for this purpose, I can guarantee you, you will be more then pleased with what you find.  Don't go if you don't get coffee.  This is not about frapachinos or crap coffee, it's about the art form of coffee.

H
2 - Dhruv K.: Pros: Good coffee, clean, absence of wannabe hippies.
Cons: Unfriendly staff, watered down martinis, bad music.
  
I have been there on more than one occasion, and the service each time has been terrible. How much effort does it take to be receptive, cheerful and welcoming? It is called 'service' industry for a reason.
I don't think the skill of pouring down milk in a fancy way into coffee can make up for a sneering pretentiousness reeking of renaissance age Florence. Knowing the names of obscure wines or scotch whiskeys found on the menu card does not make you the most intelligent person, either.
This place tries too hard, and it fails because of it. Granted you will be surprised by their drinks menu since it has vowed to not serve any drinks found in any of the bars in town. And yes that includes Chivas Regal whiskey. But then, you will be bored to hear Miles Davis' Kind of Blue being played incessantly every time you go there. 
And that's what other reviewers have said about good jazz. Yes it is good, but it is presented in a blanket of we-are-the-stalwarts-of-art-and-we-can't-play-anything-else-since-we-don't-know-and we-know-you-don't-know-either.
Besides these gripes, you have the typical coffee house crowd, fraught with Apple Macs and curious eyes more focused on other people than the work they're supposed to be doing.
So, if you want to wait 15 minutes to get a coffee or a drink and engage in existentialism discussions with empty headed people, do go there. 
Or, if you want to really make the most of it, get their good coffee to go, and visit the Amherst library right across the road, where you can learn more stuff without being a neo-snob.
5 - Chizlum M.: Excellent cup of dark roast coffee to start the morning.
4 - Rue B.: Amazing coffee.

Prepare to feel under-dressed, and under-trustfunded, by the disapproving eyes of arrogant Amherst College kids straight out of Westchester.    

Amazing coffee.  

And whiskey.
5 - Andy T.: Why do Pioneer Valley folks hate the Fabulous so?  It's 'bougie", too-cool, etc.  Oh please, get over it.  What is here that's so threatening to you?  Not enough kale on the menu?  Not enough beards on the staff?

Given the range of mediocre food and drink establishments that flourish in the Pioneer Valley, we are lucky to have a place that is so consistent in delivering world class goods and service.  Yes, it's expensive.  It's the best.  

There are two criticisms I could begin to get behind - the first is that the incessant Jazz playlist could use a little switching up.  Check out some newer Jazz, like Susie Ibarra or Claudia Quintet.  Play the Sea and Cake, Sade, folk, indie rock.  Hell, play Bitches Brew.  Change it up a little bit, please.

And, while I don't expect to really be fed here, I'd love to see bar snacks involve a few affordable options.  What you have is delicious, but $3 for olives and $6 for a few slices of cheese is a bit nuts (and I don't mean $3 for a few almonds).  Find something easy that you can keep cheap and add it to the menu.

I'd also love to see the bartenders get a little more classic cocktail training.  It's a shame to have so much good booze and not have a serious foundation in mixology behind it.

All that said, it's really hard to complain about a place that brings the 100% awesome at least 95% of the time.  Amherst Coffee is simply excellent at what they do, and I'm glad they are doing it.  All the haters can suck down mediocre-sauce in their sweatpants at a million other establishments.
4 - d w.: great coffee that turns into a whiskey bar after hours. what else could you want? oh, food. it wouldbe nice if they served food. but the bartender / barista is great cuz he can figure out what sorts of tapas will go well with your wine, whiskey, scotch or tequila.
3 - Peter M.: This is where you go if you want your coffee to be not only a drink, but a cultural event.  The staff seem a little - not pretentious - but in their own world.  The same can be said of the MacBook and PhilosophyBook toting patrons.  The frequent playing of new-age jazz over the speakers does not help to quell the reputation of this place being hoity-toity.  

Side Note: I've also always wondered how people can read such dense books with such loud music in the background.

All that being said, the drinks are damn-good.  The lattes are foamy yet rich and savory.  And the staff is fast - I always have enough time afterward to sit in my car with my delicious beverage, chastising myself for spending half-an-hour's pay on a cup of coffee.

If there's no parking outside there's always the parking "For CVS Customers Only" behind the drug store, which is down the street.
4 - Cheyne L.: Not a bad place. The tea is great and it comes in a sweet kettle. However the wifi costs $$...but there is always Amherst local wifi that works.
4 - Elizabeth O.: So I get the rants and raves about the atmosphere.  Sure, it's in Amherst.  Sure, there's a crowd that might feel a bit new-age-hippie.  But let's face it, it's a coffee shop. And why do you go to a coffee shop? To drink coffee.  At least that's my reason.  Oh, and if a place is cool enough (a la Amherst Coffee), maybe you can have a delicious--and fabulously priced--glass of wine.  Or a bit of whiskey.  Perhaps tea is more your thing? Or a divine goat-cheese-with-honeycomb plate of heaven?

Please, don't blame AC for the clientele.  Just get yourself the most delicious cappuccino this side of the Atlantic.  You'll be glad you did.

Disclaimer: they lost a star when the wifi started costing money.  Just use the Amherst public wifi.  It's a little slower, but at least it's free.
2 - Heather S.: Three Phrases:
1. Snobby Service.
2. Tasty drinks.
3. Expensive prices. 

An addition: They play overly loud jazz music, have poor acoustics (the sound ricochets off the walls), and the seating is uncomfortable. 

Why do coffee servers, in a place that has great drinks, have to act like they're better than everyone else? Wouldn't that make everyone happier than most?

Enough said.
3 - Chris L.: Many good experiences and one horrible, horrible one make me give Amherst Coffee only 3 stars.

Aside from the one horrible, horrible visit, here's the short and sweet:
Excellent espresso, likely the best in Amherst. The price reflects the quality (seriously, this is a splurge unless all you buy for breakfast is coffee...).

They offer some small bites (croissants, buns, cookies, etc.) which are alright, but also overpriced. And regarding the service, cashiers are not exactly snooty, but not friendly either. Sort of machine-like, which isn't a terrible thing when you're groggy and in need of caffeine.

The atmosphere varies, though not much of a concern for me since I usually go there to study. And speaking of studying, they turn down the lights WAY low around 5-6pm. Depending on the light, you may have to move somewhere else just to see your own paper.

Now for the horrible horrible experience. I went to Amherst Coffee once with my Mom after seeing a show and we ordered a croissant. It was clearly labeled "Plain Croissant," and was overpriced. So we sit down, sip some coffee, and bite into the croissant---huh? What's that inside there...? Some sort of deli meat? Um... ham?? Wow, it's been years since I've eaten ham since I'm a freaking vegetarian! 

At the end of our time there, we went to the seemingly oblivious cashier and politely explained to her about my dietary restrictions and the mistake she had made. What response did I receive?

"Oh." Nope, not even a "sorry" or "thanks for telling us"... just "Oh."

Bottom line, just go for the coffee and bring something to read or do. I'm not going to risk any of the pastries ever again, though.
3 - Donald B.: Except for the regularly broken AC and prices, a great place.  I like the jazz, which helps me work, and the ginger molasses cookies are delicious.
3 - Jonathan L.: It's a little dark here at nights with only dim candles as light, but I rarely stay.  The main reason I go to Amherst Coffee is the latte. They make a mean latte and if i'm walking by I always make an excuse to grab a cup.  

Sometimes they have live music which is always nice.
5 - A F.: this place rocks. the best coffees/lattes around. great atmosphere and location. good drinks at night too.
4 - Darci C.: I'm going to put it to you simply, if you really like a good cup of coffee, an Americano or some other espresso drink, this is the place to go.  The baristas at Amherst Coffee know how to pull a mean shot (or shots) of espresso.  I'm not going to debate the other yelpers about whether this place is cool or too cool. I mean really, when you want a cup of coffee, who cares about the ambiance.  If you are looking for that Starbucks vibe and don't care about the quality of the coffee, then this isn't the place for you.  That said, it is a place I like to work or hang out when its not crowded.
2 - Tracy G.: Things to like about it: 
The long table is a cool and comfortable place to sit.
The chai and lattes are quite tasty.
Great people-watching location at the main intersection in Amherst.

Things that bug:
The wireless isn't free.
Drinks are expensive.
You could come in every day and there would be no glimmer of recognition in the eyes of the staff, no friendly hello or how-do. An insider told me that employees are counseled to maintain their distance, stay aloof. Seems awfully pretentious in a small farm and college town. It's the reason I stopped going there regularly.
The place gets overly steamy inside.
The jazz grates after a while.

I stop in every now and then when my boyfriend wants coffee. We never stay, we never sit, and we just never get over the snootiness of the staff.
4 - Audrey K.: Ok, here goes: 

A bit pricey, but, I find I get what I pay for. Bonus: social and eco-conscious goods and ingredients, often from local or regional sources.

Best espresso drinks in town, by far, with a short and sweet menu. 
Good tea and soda selection. Really good pastries, like the beautiful banana chocolate chip muffin.

The bar, which opens at 3pm, is a great feature because it offers a unique variety of liquor, beer, and wine that you can't find many places. Oolong Vodka, for instance. That, plus the snack menu of meats and cheeses is pretty tasty.

It's a good spot to work or read until evening when it gets a bit "mood-lighty". However, then it becomes a nice spot to catch a drink with friends.

Jazz gets played, sometimes its a bit loud. Sometimes they have live music at night. Wireless will cost you, which does suck.

The staff get their job done, which is to serve delicious things.
5 - Theo B.: Best coffee in Amherst.  Better than Raos.  I know some may hate me for saying that but I love coffee too much to lie.  Also the guys at Chez Albert go there for coffee and to chill out.  That should say it all to my mind.  When the only people in town capable of competing in Iron Chef go to a coffee house it's a good idea to follow them.
2 - paul d.: I just read an enlightening review on Yelp: "They counsel their staff to keep their distance". This explains the extraordinary "tete de veau" that greets even the frequent customer. There is some weird concept here that equates aloofness with quality, when it's mere pretentiousness ("Whsk(e)y  Bar"). The attitude that friendliness is provincialism is particularly strange since their shops (excuse me, shoppes) in NoHo and Greenfield don't do this.
5 - Joseph P.: I am honestly perplexed by the previous reviews of "snobby service" and claims that it is expensive.  

You will not be greeted by a Walmart "team member" when you enter.  But the staff here has been nothing but professional, friendly and well informed.   They even smile at me and make pleasant conversation!  Insane!  

As for prices, drinks may be a few cents (yes, cents) more than other places such as Roa's, Black Sheep or whatever other coffee place opens up and closes in the next few months.   But the quality of the product is far superior and I'd say that's worth a few extra cents.   It is the best coffee I've ever had.  Hands down.  The iced tea is also excellent.  
(I do not have a direct price comparison, but I will try to follow up on it).

Aesthetically, Amherst Coffee has a very distinct atmosphere.  Everything is well thought out, it has an identity.  While other places in town look like high school cafeterias decorated by college kids that just hit up the traveling poster/tapestry sale, Amherst Coffee succeeds in following through with a vision of a place to sit comfortably and enjoy your beverage.   There are orchids, appropriate lighting, and jazz (which suits the situation and is preferable over an ipod on shuffle that switches between Cat Power, Black Eyed Peas and Minor Threat*.)

This place is about beverages and the beverages are great.  The service is good, the people are nice and you can always stumble into a conversation with a stranger.   But there is always the chance you might overhear a really pretentious conversation, but that's just fucking Amherst.  

(I haven't used their wine and whiskey bar so this review does not cover that.)

*disclaimer: I love Minor Threat and Cat Power, but not the Black Eyed Peas.
5 - Kelley K.: I'm going to be starting my second year at Hampshire College this September, and I'm going to be honest: Amherst Coffee will be my first stop upon arriving back in Amherst. Though it's almost always crowded and hard to find a seat, (though that's a good sign, no?) Amherst Coffee is my go-to for both studying and good espresso. Though it's a little pricey, (but aren't all coffee shops?) Amherst Coffee definitely has the best cappuccinos that I've had in the Pioneer valley so far. The atmosphere is fantastic, with a warm, dim, rustic, yet somehow fancier feel to it. My favorite part is definitely the lighting - single, uncovered lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling above each table. Some of my favorite moments there were very late at night when there was almost no one else in there - if you live in town, treat yourself to a midnight tea and just enjoy the atmosphere. I'm not of drinking age yet, but will be soon, and can't wait to take advantage of their whiskey bar as well. They've also started to organize live music which I haven't attended yet, but plan to in the future. Overall, if you're in Amherst and are looking for a good cup of coffee, espresso, tea, anything, Amherst Coffee's definitely the place to go.
5 - Ian M.: Great coffee, awesome scotch. Perfection.
3 - Yedi G.: I'm not a coffee girl but I love the  wine bar (when I can get a seat). Funny thing about the service: Yes, it's professional. But it's not friendly. GREAT handmade donuts ( not that I need encouragement to eat donuts).  I love people watching from the tables out front. Nice addition to coffee shops in town.
5 - Cody S.: This classy and professional coffee shop. Nothing like a Starbucks at all!
The espresso and lattes are perfectly made using Barrington Coffee and Highlawn milk. Only the best local ingredients are use and yes you will have to pay a little extra but it is well worth it once you taste there products.  You will get more quality than quanity so do not expect huge drinks.

Service is ok , it is no the friendliest or most welcoming as they more focused on their work. But keep in mind they do know what they are doing and do a great job. Just with an attitude and rather snippy.
The atmosphere has a sophisticated yet preppy feel. 

Great place to visit if you are in need of serious latte or even a cocktail just make sure to have extra cash .
1 - Jamie E.: if you like your coffee with a large heaping of hipster arrogance, this is the place for you. I recently asked the server if he could put on some different music,
I was informed that " this is what they play here."
4 - Steph L.: Nice place to grab a cup of coffee or tea and chit chat. I wish the tables weren't so high, and instead, replace them with couches and more comfortable seating. The dimmed lighting really set the mood, and i love how this place opens till late!
4 - Courtney R.: We love Amherst Coffee. It is the perfect combination of snobbiness (which I love, 'cause I can be that way too), classiness and comfiness. They have tasty little snacks at the bar. Very good bartenders and baristas here as well. They hire really qualified people. Fellow Yelpers: Wireless is now free! They have good cookies and cakes and muffins etc to go with your latte and they have a great tea selection.
4 - Mark D.: Amherst Coffee offers a delicious soy chai!  On Sunday a local folk trio sits down at a table and plays live music...very enjoyable.  

My experience of the staff is opposite of a few others...they are not snobby...they are friendly and don't go overboard to be friendly like many of the more franchise businesses out there lately...and I appreciate that.   I don't like it when people are phony.

And the wifi is free.
5 - Abdullah N.: The only complaints that I can come up for with this place are that: 1. No free Wifi 2. It often gets crowded.  Otherwise, I spent many hours here while i was at Umass, and I miss it dearly.  Parking in downtown Amherst can be a bit of a pain, but it's nothing that's too bad.  The staff is always friendly despite often being swarmed by customers.  If only they were 24/7!
4 - Daniel H.: Hey Jamie E., you must have been top of your class at Clown Camp because accusing someone of being arrogant from a position of arrogance is some next-level acrobatics. 

The espresso is so good here I don't care if they find a dub-step track that prominently features crying babies and play it on loop. Also, all things considered, it's the best place to get a whiskey in a 100 miles.
3 - Hana T.: I usually try to rate places solely on the quality of food/drink, but honestly, I hold a grudge against this place because I find it irritatingly snooty. The coffee is good, but not incredible, which is what I expect from the prices. I once had a piece of the banana chocolate bread, which was really soft and yummy, and the only reason I'm giving this place 3 stars. 

Each time I walk in, I fear that I'm going to lose an eyeball from all the pointing pinky fingers. But seriously.
3 - Jennifer D.: I'm not quite sure what to think about this place just yet, I want to give the shop another chance. I loved the atmosphere when I walked in, theres a bar on one side and the coffee shop on the other side and tables for people to work on school or work while they drink coffee or booze. I ordered togo a cup of tea and a shot of espresso for my boyfriend and to me the loose leaf oolong tea wasn't to my liking, but that's probably a bias because I love my oolong tea to be crazy strong. And my boyfriend wasn't to excited about the different taste of his shot of espresso...I mean I thought espresso was espresso ( I know nothing about coffee) but maybe I'm wrong? I'm going to give this store another shot and then report back ;)
3 - Rina L.: It's more like a 2.7. I got an espresso with soy milk because somehow they'd run out of skim milk. What?? And the dearth of outlets ultimately made me relocate to Starbucks. The latte was good though and I was pleasantly surprised by the latte art.
3 - John B.: Coffee is pretty good and service very friendly on my recent visit - first time back in perhaps five years. They've added a full service bar but the atmosphere is pretty much students with laptops taking over most if not all of the place. All in all, a nice independent choice beyond Starbucks and some of the other independent coffee houses in the center of pretty Amherst.

Amherst College Museum of Natural History - Amherst, MA (42.371845691092, -72.5141644477844) ()
3 - Elizabeth P.: Sheer terror.  That was the feeling I always associated with my childhood visits to the Amherst College Museum of Natural History.  Enormous skeletons of mastodons and saber-tooth tigers, gigantic fossils of brutish-looking fish creatures, and the faint smell of death that hung about the old building all worked together to strike fear in my little heart.  And then there were these tiny, sinister-looking ceiling fans buzzing around the whole place, imminently ready to descend and cut me to pieces--ironically, these bothered me most of all.

These visits formed such a deep impression that I did not return until almost two decades later, when a friend needed to turn in a final lab report for a geology class at Amherst.  There I was astounded to find all my old nemeses disarmed of their former powers and housed in a gorgeous new building alongside oodles of geological specimens, all accompanied by informative labels.  I think being literate and about three feet taller made a huge difference here. If you are a child in the area who is not easily frightened and enjoys encountering the remains of massive, fearsome creatures, I highly recommend you ask the tall person (or people) you know best to take you here.
5 - Donna A.: My daughter is a camp counselor K-1 for the town of Amherst. In fact she grew up going to the former Pratt History Museum on campus. She knows the collection very well.  She recently brought her group of 19 kids to the Museum. She gave it such high reviews I had to post it. 

The tour guide was so informative, and age appropriate, keeping all 19 children actively engaged. The space is of course amazing. All of the children had a wonderful experience and want to go back. 

Many thanks to Amherst College for making such a wonderful resource available to the public. You have done much to inspire young minds.
5 - Chris M.: The museum is three levels. The mineralogy and meteorite collections are behind some doors, so don't miss those. 

Some impressive dinosaur bones, including a triceratops skull, a tyrannosaurus skull, and a dunkleostreus (monster fish) skull. 

They also have some meteorites, including the Canyon Diablo meteorite from Arizona. And they have an impressive collection of minerals.  

The museum also has some informational panels that describe things such as what the Pioneer Valley looked like when it was covered with glaciers. This was very interesting. I learned a lot here. I'm glad they did this.

I would have liked more information about the fossils though. There were some large fossils hanging on the wall, and I had no idea what they were. But they do have a fossil room. You might find more information there.

The museum is on Barrett Hill Road which runs parallel to Route 9. They're closed on Mondays. On most days they close at 4 PM, so get there early.

Amherst Creperie - Amherst, MA (42.376, -72.5194999) ()
2 - Jamie E.: Two big televisions, plastic forks and paper plates!
not for me, food was OK nothing special, good ingredients, clean
but no great effort to be really special . If you like to watch news and sports while you eat you might enjoy this place..I didn't
2 - amy w.: I was super excited that this place was opening. I like a good crepe. However, they way they executed it was the complete opposite of what I was expecting. Instead of a slightly classy but still affordable place to perhaps take a date, it instead has two giant tv's playing ESPN and they use paper plates and plastic forks. The crepes were also unimpressive - they use lunchmeat and the fillings were not very plentiful. My fiance said he thought they tasted like cafeteria food. I don't see us coming back.
1 - Andy T.: I was so excited to see a crepe place open in Amherst Center - there's nothing like it in the Valley (ok, I guess Mosaic Cafe in Noho is serving crepes, but it just feels too much like Amanouz to be in the same category) and it's a great idea that I would really love to see succeed.  I really hope these guys can pull it together, because I'd really like to see them stay open for more than a year, and would love to have a great crepe place to expand the limited food options in Amherst.  

The crepes themselves are not bad at all, so there's hope.  I'd love to see some more creative menu items drawing on high quality seasonal ingredients - a crepe with asparagus, serrano ham, and manchego cheese in the spring, or something with peaches, fresh coat cheese, and honey right now as we are just starting to get fresh local peaches.  The fillings they offer are kinda blah - deli meats (yes, Boar's Head, but still..) and there hasn't been a lot of effort put into making them interesting.  I'd love to see house-roasted tomatoes, carmelized onions, etc. as options for crepes.  As it is the choices feel cheap and a bit too off-the shelf.  I asked to add avocado to my crepe and even that was not an option.  And little touches of niceness - like a tiny salad of baby greens and tomato along with my crepe - were ruined by cheap ingredients, in this case a salad dressing that tasted of guar gum and high-fructose corn syrup.  It's not that hard to whip up a nice dijon vinagrette, and it's a shame they didn't.  And American cheese - offered on several crepes - just should not be on the menu.

As others have noted, there's been some serious mistakes ambiance-wise that really kill the experience and make this a place I'm not inclined to visit again.  Despite having clearly sunk some time and money into renovation, all efforts to make the place feel nice are ruined by the use of disposable plates and silverware.  No green-biodegradable arguments make this ok.  If people want food to go, pack it to go however you like, but if people are going to eat there, offer them something that makes it feel like real food.  Bueno y Sano can figure this out and so can these guys.  And the TV presence is just way too much.  Perhaps they should sell one and buy a dishwasher?  This place is not a sports bar and should not look like one.  I'd love to see them get to having just one TV and setting up seating so there is a TV zone and a TV-free zone.  Of course, no TV would be fine as well.  The space is really too small, it's better to play on the cozy intimacy than to treat it like a movie theatre.   

In any case - like I said, I'd really love to see this place succeed as I'd love to have a great crepe place as a dining option in Amherst.  Hope these guys can read the feedback here and make some changes for the better.
2 - N. P.: Most of the reviewers have already summed up my problems with this place as far as the decor and atmosphere.

The most important issue with this place is the crepe. It just wasn't good. This was not the fluffy, flavorful substance that I enjoy so much. I'm not even sure how they screwed this up (cooking method or ingredients?). And then there was just poor taste in the choice of fillers (American cheese for reals??). Honestly, I would happily sit and eat surrounded by TVs in the electronics department of Sears if they served a great crepe.
3 - Kiernan G.: Update:  The smoothies are pretty crappy.  They may be 100% fruit but they taste like watered down juice, not like smoothies.  You can make a good smoothie without sugar by using real fruit (frozen or fresh) and some real yogurt.    No reason to use fruit juice and ice.

The crepes are tasty, but the meal crepes are nothing amazing and a little pricey. If it werent for the salad I would feel ripped off.
2 - Diane H.: The place looks pretty nice, with the big windows and it seems to   promise great crepes, right?  Well my fruit and nutella crepe looked really good, but it left me unfulfilled.  There was not a heck of a lot of fruit in there, and while I'm sure it was freshly made, the crepe was cold by the time I bit into it.  Plus, my coffee was lukewarm.  So disappointing.
2 - Madeleine H.: I was so excited by the concept of a creperie opening in Amherst, because I loves me a good crepe. I picked out a vegetarian crepe and a dessert crepe with sorbetto. The food was reasonably priced (as in, no more or less than I've ever paid for a crepe) and pretty delicious. I felt like a glutton for eating two crepes, but one was simply not satisfying.

I feel like the creperie is suffering from a mixed identity. On the one hand, the general appearance has a clean, modern, vaguely Parisian feel. It would be so pleasant if the wall wasn't being consumed by a MASSIVE flat screen television. Also, paper and plasticware? Really? How absolutely wasteful. Get some real dishes and a dishwasher. That alone cost them a star.

It's nice to have this place around when I'm absolutely craving a crepe, but otherwise, I have better options.
2 - Greg H.: I would give 2 and a half if I could give half stars, but, since I can't justify a 3, a 2 will have to do.

The food is ok. Nothing amazing. The savory crepes have a decent selection, if not of ultra high quality ingredients. The crepes taste more warmed up than fresh made and served on paper plates does diminish the experience a bit. The savory crepe was ok. The veggies were fresh-ish, but certainly not local. (That would be a nice touch.) It wasn't the worst crepe I have ever had by far, but it also does not rank near th top of crepedom for me, either. The dessert crepe was the more disappointing one. Very little nutulla, Not very good quality strawberries. (Pithy and poor flavor.)

My companion had an omelet that was also good, but not fantastic.

I got a hot tea that was a bag, and was ok. VERY hot, however, took a good long time to cool to drinking temp. (I drank it after I left.)

The decor is nice. The TV (volume on, no less) was distracting. The ONE employee was doing everything from taking orders to preparing them to sweeping and spot mopping the floor...

The largest ding to the place, tho was the paper plates and plastic forks. A garbage can at the doorway filled with plates and trash definitely detracts from your otherwise pretty decor.

I'll probably not go back unless I can't fill my crepe craving at home.
5 - Scott S.: DELICIOUS!
The world needs more creperies like this one. Friendly staff, warm atmosphere, nice location, and most importantly great food. The tables are in clusters of three or eight so plenty of room for company.

 I ordered the Lombardo savory crepe with pesto, chicken, and tomatoes and I was left happy and full. I couldn't stop there, they offer about 6 irresistible gelato flavors so I treated myself to a scoop of mint chip and a scoop of belgian chocolate. Someone I was with ordered a crepe with strawberries and Nutella and it was warm and delicious. 

Long story short: well worth the visit.
3 - Buxton B.: I tried when they opened. Not so great. I tried again and it's improved. Crepes are good. Sandwich's are good. 

The food seems to take a while even when the place is mostly empty.
4 - Hazie W.: Amherst Creperie! I'm not a fan of savory crepes in general, but I did try the sweet crepes and some of the gelato flavors.

I recommend the Sadie--it has all the fruits in one (banana, strawberry, blueberries). Although it's normally served with Hershey's chocolate syrup, I asked them to substitute the chocolate for Nutella (YUM!) Also, there's an option of adding two scoops of gelato for about 2-3 bucks. Also, I'm not knowledgeable as to what authentic gelato tastes like, but I did enjoy the chocolate gelato (makes a great combination with raspberry sorbet!)

The gelato scoops as well as the amount of nutella on the crepe were not very generous (I like my crepes OOZING with nutella), which is the only downside of this delicious crepe. 

The prices are a little on the high side for a crepe but with the portion size being so generous, it's easy to share among two people. (The Sadie was one of the more expensive sweet crepes and was around $7.50, not including the extra addition of gelato scoops)

The facility is clean and homey, and the service is great. Very friendly workers who are great at making recommendations and are very accommodating.
4 - Jin C.: I came here with a large group on a Sunday morning, and the service staff was definitely struggling to keep up with our orders. My omelet with turkey was pretty good; nice generous portion and lots of filling. No complaints with the food there.
4 - Ian M.: On a quiet Sunday, I went with a larger group. This strained their system of one person cooks and does most everything, so the food took a while and came out sporadically. The ingredients were fresh and my omelette was enjoyable.
5 - Dan J.: Again very pleased with my food and service here.  Great addition to Amherst Center.  Really is a warm atmosphere.  The crepes are very tasty.   You leave feeling like a hero.
5 - Steph L.: I can't believe i didn't notice this place!
I love crepes! It's owned by a very nice former UMASS student. 
I don't know why people are so bothered by the plastic plates and forks. It's cleaner, and i don't think it ruins the experience at all. 
I ordered a nutella crepe with strawberries, bananas, whipped cream and gelatto on the side. Also got a vegetarian crepe with cheese, spinach and mushrooms. 
I was satisfied with both creations. It wasn't overly sweet, which is perfect. 
The owner seemed to be working by himself, which was the only downfall. I understand weekdays might be slow, but you never know when you can get a sudden rush of customers, and having one person do all the work doesn't make sense. 
My boyfriend and I waited at the counter for over 5 minutes before he realized we were there. Luckily I'm not picky on these type of things, and I understand it is a self-owned business and times are hard. 
I will be returning and definitely will let people know about this place. It is a bit on the pricier side, but whats 10 bux here and there. 
Give this place a little more credit!
5 - Blanca M.: I went there this morning and the crepes were great. I had the "Anna" which has strawberries, bananas, whipped cream and chocolate syrup. I substituted the chocolate syrup for caramel and it was beyond tasty. My friends also enjoyed the crepes, and the atmosphere was great. Our table fit all of us and the service was good. I'll definitely go back there again. 
I didn't really notice the paper plates and plastic cutlery. I don't mind it at all. It's quick and easy!
2 - Adam P.: Went here before a tour of UMass thinking it would be a nice, quick cafe. Interior is really nice and the staff were friendly. I ordered the Jason crepe and they gave me something else, I don't even know what. It was decent at best! My Mom ordered an egg white omelette which took like 20 minutes to make. The staff was apologetic and said the "egg whites were sticking to the pan". How can a breakfast place not make a decent omelette. Vegetables in it were not good. Waste of money. Will not be back. I would only recommend going if you like apathetic service who can't get an order right.
4 - Edwin C.: Came here twice and both times by choice of the gf. I think the last time I had a crepe was in Paris or was it IHOP? Both times I've came here, we ordered something with nutella, fruit, and gellato and both times it has been good. Although, I'm really not a fan of warm sour fruit (strawberries) in my crepe, but it's okay throw some gellato in it to make up for it. This place is made to order the way you like. The staff is friendly and welcomes your business.  Price maybe a little above average, but they have to make a living somehow. I ordered 2 crepes with gellato (hazelnut and coffee!) a water and an orangina and it was around $30. It's definitely a nice little spot to grab dessert or a coffee.
3 - Courtney R.: After much deliberation we tried this place for dessert on Saturday afternoon. Decor is adorable and the bathrooms are very clean. We tried the most traditional crepe on the sweet crepe menu: butter, sugar and whipped cream. It was delicious. However, I wish they had real silverware, plates and glassware. Also, if they are going to go with the French theme, they should get rid of the americanized sugary drinks and americanized crepe options. Keep it Paris, please! Otherwise, they might see us again, but it won't be a regular thing. I could make the same thing at home for a dollar...

Amherst Farm Winery - Amherst, MA (42.358683, -72.485733) ()
5 - Chris W.: This is a great place to visit. The tastings are generously hosted by the nicest people who will be pouring some great fruit wines and grape varietals. You can also order up a nice cheese plate or create your own! 
They have a deck for enjoying a glass or bottle of wine or if the weather is not favorable there are many spaces inside. 
Check this place out as its definitely worth it for a relaxing afternoon of wine.
1 - Donna B.: I would love to try this winery. I went by with my friend yesterday, tues   about 1:30pm. Sadly it was closed. We hung around for ahwile and the grounds are beautiful. We couldn't find a soul around, but the sign said "tasting today" ? We petted a very friendly cat, and gave up.Ill try to call next time,but maybe they should put a sign up if they won't be open normal hours?
4 - Emily Rae K.: I came here last month for a bridal shower and was pleased all around. The building is an old farm building, there are flies and open doors..fire places..that type of thing. Everything is dark wood. It was a very country feel. The bridal shower was located in a room inside the main building. It was a small room, they provided us chairs, we provided food...so I don't know if they ever provide food...prob not? 

There were two people working that day, one guy and one woman. They were great, the guy especially. He was so entertaining. We all got to choose between trying 3 wine samples or having one glass of wine. A lot of people ended up buying a glass or buying a bottle, which were all very reasonably priced!!!  I decided to try the three. I have seen a lot of complaints about the fruity wine...but this is what I LOVE. 

1st I had the peach wine. It was great. It really tasted like peaches and was smooth
2nd I had the blueberry wine, this was realllllly good. It was a white wine but had a blue tint and you could tell it was made with real blueberries. yum.
3rd I had the pear wine and I really enjoyed that as well. 

They offered crackers while tasting and they were so friendly. My Nana and I stood at the counter just chatting with the guy pouring the wine for a half an hour. It was like he was part of our family or something. Overall I really enjoyed coming here and would love to come back! I also heard its great to come when its a little chilly out and sit by the fireplace enjoying some wine...I think I will be back for that!

Amherst Farmers Market - Amherst, MA (42.366667, -72.516667) ()
3 - Baer T.: Summer Saturday / 
Veggies? Nah, It's the wild warm / 
Chocolate bouchon.
4 - John R.: Organic Veggies, Bakery Goods, Goat Cheese, Flowers/Plants, Ice Cream, Herbs, homeopathic goods. There is just sooo much here it's incredible. Bring a re-usable bag and a bunch of cash. It's easy to get what you need for the whole week here. Parking tip. There is easier parking along side streets.
5 - Madeleine H.: Three words: Tasty. Organic. Vegetables.

But even that doesn't do it justice. There's bread and flowers and yogurt and cheese and meat for those who choose to partake, all from your local growers who know their stuff when it comes to fresh local food! Availability of vegetables and fruits changes every week as growing seasons begin and end. July and August are the best times for the widest variety. It's open from May to November, so take the time and the few extra dollars and cook seasonally and locally. Come early in the morning for the best selection and the easiest parking.
5 - Elisabeth Y.: So wonderful.

You want artisanal cheeses? Freshly baked baguettes? Delicious strawberries? Just-picked veggies? Check, check, check, check. 

Last Saturday a group of us got a whole mess of goodies from the market and then had a picnic dinner with some wine we picked up in town. It was without a doubt one of the best meals I have ever had!
3 - J K.: Don't get me wrong. I like the market and fully support it. However,....... if I were the market god I would do two things:
1. Open it up to more vendors. This may be Amherst's fault, in terms of space available but they need more variety.
2. The vendors need to allow more tasting. Is this a New England frugal thing or what? C'mon guys, how do we know if your stuff is good?
4 - Hana T.: Delicious breads and yogurt smoothies on a Saturday morning...blissss! This farmer's market is definitely small, but you can find a surprising variety of local produce! There's a really happy atmosphere with happy people and delicious food!

Amherst Fish Market - Amherst, MA (42.384917, -72.5310401) ()
4 - Peter G.: Sushi is expensive. So make your own! ...But where on earth do you get safe, sushi-grade fish in Western Massachusetts?

Amherst fish market! There's a great selection of very fresh seafood for you to take home, or hang out here and have something made for you.

The cute Korean couple that owns this place also offer a small menu of American-y seafood options - skip them; instead go for some of their tasty home-made Korean food. Yum!

Pioneer Valley this is your one-stop shop for making sushi in the comfort of your own home. Check it out!
3 - John R.: Business is now closed. Other than getting your fish at a supermarket such as Trader Joe's, Stop and Shop etc., the closest fish monger is in Northampton.

Amherst Hairstylists - Amherst, MA (42.3756, -72.5139) ()
5 - Ashley P.: This place can't get any better. Caren cut my hair for 4+ years while I was living in that area. She always did an amazing job. When I moved back to Boston, I spent about a year looking for another hairstylist that could replace her. But I never found one! I paid 5x more for haircuts that I hated. So now, I happily drive from Boston to Caren for all of my hairstyling needs. She has this way of taking a hairstyle that you want and really tailoring it for what is best for your hair texture and personal style. She is also excellent at demonstrating how best to style or blow dry your hair to make it look like you just came from the salon. She is extremely plea sent to talk to and never pushes product on you unnecessarily like many other salons I have experienced. She has amazing expertise in her field and I love her salon!
5 - Shara D.: I started seeing Caren for my haircuts in college.  I've long since graduated and moved to Boston.  I've seen dozens of stylists in the city trying to replicate her amazing angled bob, but no one has even come close.  I just traveled out west to get my Caren cut, and the 2 hour drive was well worth it.  She can't be beat.
5 - Saera H.: After reading some Yelp reviews, I decided to try Amherst Hairstylists. I called in the late morning and snagged an appointment with Caren. The place is just a little tricky to find as it is tucked on the side of the building, and the signage for the place is confusing. It really is the little white shop on the side. 
Caren absolutely got my hair right away. Very few stylists have done anything about the excessive volume and thickness of my hair. She also guessed that although my hair is currently short, I'm really a long hair type of person. She thinned my hair, gave me great advice for taking better care of it, and gave me a lovely blow-dry. She was also a pleasure to talk with... how many hairstylists have you had that talk philosophy with you and give you Spinoza reading recommendations? 
I was absolutely delighted with everything and I look forward to visiting Caren for my next cut in a few months!
5 - Ashley M.: Caren did the best haircut I've ever received. I strongly recommend anyone to get haircuts with her because she is knowledgeable and friendly. Plus, she is super nice and extremely easy to chat with, which makes the process quick and fun. I'm definitely going back! Prices are average with a 10% student discount.
5 - Danielle N.: Caren is the best hairstylist I've ever encountered. She cut my hair for 5 years until I moved out of the area and I don't think I'll ever find someone as good as her! She's so intuitive with hair and I've never been dissatisfied with a haircut she's given me. Highly recommended!

Amherst House of Pizza - North Amherst, MA (42.4109267, -72.5306841) ()
2 - John R.: If you've ever lived in Amherst in the last 30 years or so, you'll know this spot has been home to at least 3 pizza joints, the latest was pizza shark back about a year and a half ago. Well, it's been replaced by this new place called Pizza House. While picking up a movie,  I stopped in here the other day to sample a slice. The woman behind the counter was very pleasant and the service was very fast. Reasonable too I might add, as the slice cost a little over two bills. But that's where the fun stops. Once I was back in my car and began to consume the luscious slice of pepperoni, I was immediately reminded as to why you don't want to burn the bottom of any pizza. Because no matter how good the top might taste, the burnt bottom will always make your pie taste like bitter quagmire. So, for now my pizza loving peeps, we have to give the place a measly two stars. But have faith, you know I'm all about second chances so they have one more shot to bring up there rating, so stay tuned.
4 - Kevin L.: My friends and I ate here after working out.  We ordered a large Hawaiian pizza with grilled chicken.  It was the best Hawaiian pizza I have ever tasted.  I usually just get single slices and it's reheated.  The fresh out of the oven pizza was just amazing.  The crust was thin and had the perfect crunch.  Definitely recommend people to give this pizza shop a try.  

Unfortunately, this shop doesn't open past 10 pm.  There are a lot of hungry college students at night...  Anyways the inside is pretty nice and the customer service was good.
5 - Gayla B.: I love this place. It's better than Antonio's (gasp)!! Actually, it's run by the same guy who started Antonio's back in the 90's (he no longer owns the latter), which is why you'll see a lot of similar pizzas at both places. He's really friendly to talk to, and gave me and my friends a complimentary slice when HoP was just starting out.

The pizza is some of the best I have ever had... the crust is out of this world... toppings are fresh and well thought out. This is the only place I have enjoyed meat on pizza - the BBQ chicken pizza is fabulous. And my personal favorite, the tomato-basil-mozzarella, is heaven in your mouth (they will take the basil off before cooking it so it doesn't wilt in the oven).

Best of all is it's walking distance from Puffton/Brandywine/Townhouses, and right next to Big Guy's and Cumby's. I wish this had been open when I was a freshman!
4 - Andy T.: I have been really pleased to see this fairly non-descript, kinda blah-looking joint that replaced the much more full service Pizza Shark turn out so well.  These guys keep it basic, there are some sandwiches and such on the menu but it seems like pretty much everyone is there for pizza.  It's a good pie, good crust, good oven, and ingredients don't taste overly cheap or greasy.  

While I enjoy a slice at Antonio's now and again, I've never really thought it's very good pizza there.  They do interesting topping combos, but ingredients taste like the cheapest available, and the basic slices - cheese, pepperoni - really aren't that good.  Pizza House, on the other hand offers both great basic slices and some of the more interesting topping choices.  They do a black bean and avocado by the slice, just like Antonio's, but also offer a veggie lovers packed with tasty grilled veggies, and today I saw a slice with strawberries and grapes on it.  I drive past all the time and keep finding myself pulling over for a slice and only my waistline is regretting it.  

Prices are a bit high, just like Antonio's it's far too easy to spend $7+ on two slices of pizza, but it's good stuff.  There's no great reason to make a pilgrimage here like one would to Pepe's in New Haven or Santarpio's in Boston, but if you live nearby or pass by on Rt. 63 on your way home, it's a really good spot to stop in for a slice or pick up a pie for dinner.
4 - Ben J.: If this place only served french fries, it'd be enough for four stars. Quite frankly they're delicious, both in regular or curly form.

For the vegetarian, their vegetable wrap is rather good, as well as their veggie burger grinder. Overall it's standard a pizza/sub shop with prices in line with the rest of the area.

I haven't had any of their by the slice pizza, but it always looks good to the eyes. The made to order pizza is rather good, and they tend to be generous with the toppings. In the first few weeks they overcame the burnt pizza problem (guess there was a learning curve for the ovens) and now they come out perfectly.

The calzones are good too, but they cut holes in the top which makes them look great, but you'll need a plate and a fork and knife to eat them, not exactly hand-held like a calzone usually is.

All the food I've had from here has been very fresh, and I've yet to have something that made me unhappy (and I have been here at least once a week since they opened). Overall a really nice change compared to what had occupied this space previously.
5 - A F.: actually it's called Pizza House of Amherst.
but it's AWESOME.
DELICIOUS pizza, many many varieties, some with tons of veggies....also fantastic Calzones.
5 - Ima D.: First of all, a disclosure, I am biased in my review since I have lived in the Valley long enough to remember when much beloved, late  Bruno Matterazzo started making pizza in North Amherst at the original Pinnochio's on the corner of Pine St. (he let me run a tab in the late 70's and as a poor college student at the time he had my undying gratitude)

He brought the gourmet pizza slice business to town after he opened and sold Bruno's pizza  and opened and sold Antonio's after  another highly successful run. Unfortunately he passed away several years ago.   

Paco, the co-owner of Amherst House of Pizza trained under Bruno at Antonio's 20 years ago and learned much from the late pizza master. His crust is the best in town.  The ingredients are top notch. This place is way better than Antonio's now and the commitment to the art of making great meals is alive and well. Bruno would have been very proud of this man who puts out a high quality product with consistency and good vibes. As a former professional  cook, caterer and kitchen manager, I am not easily impressed and I don't ever put up with poor service or crappy food.
5 - Peter R.: Legit, the best pizza I've ever had (in the US). A coworker agrees and he knows pizza.

I tried a massive slice of BBQ Queen (BBQ chicken, bacon, ranch) and was not disappointed. The toppings stayed put, the pizza was warm with a pleasantly crunchy bottom and it tasted gourmet. No grease here.
5 - Louie W.: Very good Pizza at a reasonable price with great service. They really really have the cheese slice down, as well as their toppings. In fact as I write I've already called in a medium pizza with extra cheese.. bombastic
4 - Shannon K.: The pizza was awesome! The pizza is warmed all the way through unlike other pizza places! Great variety of topping combinations!
3 - Andreana L.: I have been here a few times since they opened. The pizza is good, great selection but i wouldn't say "best ever." The buffalo salad comes with buffalo chicken which is really good, no sketchy chicken. I've also tried the calzones and the ice cream, both very tasty. 
My issue is with the new menu that says "new low prices!" a 10" cheese pizza used to be $6, it is now $6.50. I did not find one lower price and only a couple that had remained the same (garlic bread $2). So i get that it doesn't say "new lower prices" but i still think it's misleading and shady.
5 - Drew P.: I live right down the street and I haven't gotten tired of this place. I'm a sucker for weird slices like the BBQ chicken & bacon, the Hawaiian... pretty much anything with bacon on it is good for me. But they also do straight up cheese really well. Slices come out hot, crispy and gooey, and even stand up to a reheating at home. Maybe not as much variety as Antonio's but they make a really solid pizza.
2 - Jillian T.: I like their food well enough, not too many complaints there. The problem I have is a trust issue. I have ordered from them before and always paid the tip on the credit card slip. This time I decided to hand the delivery driver a cash tip and just signed the slip. After he left I realized I hadn't crossed out the tip section on the slip and left it blank by accident. I didn't think it would be a problem and that I would be charged the amount I signed for. A few days later I was checking my bank statement and I saw that the amount was different than what the total bill was. The driver must have written in a tip where I had left it blank. It wasn't any sort of outrageous amount of money by any means, but it's the principle of it, and I don't feel like I can trust this restaurant any longer.

Amherst Inn - Amherst, MA (42.3755219, -72.514722) ()
4 - Jenna F.: Cozy. 

It's awesome to sleep in a bed that's been tightly made. woke up and looked out the window to realize I'm staying across the street from the Emily Dickenson home museum. bonus. 

warm. friendly host. delightful breakfast with interesting - friendly guests. would definitely recommend staying here for a weekend to noodle around town.
1 - Kelsey B.: Owner gave our room away, despite a 6 week advance booking and several verbal confirmations that we would be arriving that evening. 

I booked a one-night stay over the phone with the owner and agreed to pay the overnight rate by check. She called the week before my arrival to confirm that we would be staying. I confirmed that we would be there that weekend. I called the next day to ask about late arrival, as we would be driving to Amherst from some distance. The owner confirmed that we could arrive late, but she asked us to call if we would be arriving past 7pm. I confirmed that we would. 

Two days later finds us arriving in beautiful Amherst, MA at 5:30pm. We called the owner, who was in the Allen House, the other property managed by the owner. She stated that we had never confirmed our reservation. I reminded her of our previous two conversations. She stated that we arrived too late, and that she had given our room away 20 minutes previously. I reminded her that I warned her of a possible late arrival, and she only asked us to call if we were arriving past 7. No room for us at the inn. 

I am not sure what happened, whether she truly gave our room away or whether a room was never reserved for us. Another couple at the inn while we called the owner confirmed that they had this experience on many, many of their (attempted) stays with the inn, over 30 in the past year. 

Fortunately, we found an open room at the Lord Jeff, but we very seriously considered crashing in a common room in one of the dorms, since all of the nearby hotels were booked. 

Bottom line: If you are relying on a place to stay, don't book this location.

Amherst Massage - Amherst, MA (42.3761, -72.5082) ()
5 - Marielle L.: I got my friend a Thai massage with Chris as a present.  She said it was really great and she would probably go back in the future.  She came out looking very relaxed!
5 - Emily B.: I went to Chris for a prenatal massage at 29 weeks pregnant.   He is extremely professional and has a very calming personality.  The massage itself was amazing - I truly have not felt that relaxed and at ease in the 7 months I've been pregnant.  I had no idea how much I needed this for myself.  If you are pregnant and want an excellent massage from a gifted masseuse, schedule an appointment.  I am so glad I gave myself this gift!  Thank you Chris!
5 - Mary E.: Terrific style mix --pressure where you need it, stretch where you need it.  The approach through the Nacul Gallery into a space elegant in its simplicity well suits the releasing, calming experience.

Amherst Nails - Amherst, MA (42.379226, -72.518895) ()
5 - Claire S.: This place is incredibly inexpensive and way nicer than your typical NYC instant manicure place. $8 for a color change, $12 for a manicure, less than $40 for UV gels... the prices are great. 

They have some talented nail artists as well. Very efficient, pleasant manicurists, friendly place, amazing prices.
1 - Alison H.: When I first got my nails done here I was pretty happy with my experience even though my nails have looked better when I've got them done at other places.  The prices were fair and everyone was friendly but I am SO disappointed in the quality of whatever they are using over there.  I got french tips with the UV Gel and one of my nails broke the SECOND day I had them and another the fifth day (yesterday) and another just now (which is why I felt compelled to write this).

I have NEVER in my life had these type of nails break within 2 weeks never-mind how fast these ones went.  I have only been doing daily activities, nothing rough where this should have happened.  I am going to go back tomorrow and see what they say about fixing them, if they try to charge me for what I consider their own fault I will never go here again. Actually beyond trying to get them to fix these I'll probably never go here again anyways. What was I paying $40 for if these aren't even going to last me a week? That's BS and a WASTE OF MY MONEY.
4 - Jocelyn M.: I really enjoyed my experience here! I walked in the door and was immediately greeted and requested a pedicure.  The ladies working there were extremely friendly and personable even while struggling to structure their sentences in English properly.  They are still running a business, and I had more than a few "no, thank you"s when asked if I wanted a manicure also.  Everything looked and felt very clean and up-to-date, if you will.  Just a bit more expensive than I'm used to ($20 in SoCal vs. $25 here), but it was my first pedicure since moving out here.  Will definitely come back again!

Amherst Nurseries - Amherst, MA (42.3680865, -72.4948035) ()
5 - Caren M.: Great local business.   The staff are honest and reliable.

Amherst Optical Shoppe - Amherst, MA (42.3797214, -72.5200899) ()
1 - Stephanie H.: I really wanted to like this place- being local, family owned- but honestly, it is very disappointing shop in all regards.  

I walked in to scope the frames out and to ask if they could gently bend my glasses so they don't slip off my nose.  Admittedly, the specs in question were purchased in a shop in DC, but i have asked lens crafters and other optical shops to help and they are more than willing to do it for free.  This time, the man said there would be a fee, but as the other places do it for free and it is an easy task, i assumed it would be nominal.  

Needless to say, it was not until i was signing my credit-card receipt that i saw i just paid $20 for a glasses fitting that most other places are willing to comp.  

Although is bad to charge for such a small task, it is reprehensible and a bad business practice to not alert the customer of a fee that is $20- until it is too late.

On other thoughts: the frames were dated and he sunglasses selection is rather sparse- especially if you want prescription sunglasses.  There were exactly 2 ray-bans that were worthy of consideration.  

I do not recommend going here: their frames are dated, the sunglasses are paltry, and you may just get charged $20 for asking them to clean your specs.
1 - Albert T.: DON'T DO BUSINESS WITH THEM! One Star is too generous!

I'm all for supporting and doing business with locally owned shops around town but...   (Our household spends $1300.00+ on prescription glasses annually, we also like fun and good looking/quality frames). 

A couple of days ago an $800 pair broke, and the distributor said we should go to Amherst Optical Shoppe (AOS).  We called, and here is where the list of rudeness, snobbishness, petulance and lack of respect toward potential customers starts:

They were really bothered by our phone call; Jim was genuinely put out saying:  "...well, I've never done this before and I have to spend 15 minutes of my time to contact the company to see if they will be willing to fix your glasses...  since we didn't make the here I don't know if they'll take them..." 

REALLY it bothers you to make around 70 bucks to make a phone call and give the box to your UPS guy who comes in every day?!?  Since they are the only shop in town that has a business relationship with Italee (Swiss Eyephoric 2.5 gram frames) we decided to go into the shop and put up with the attitude and the rudeness of (owner?) Jim.

Guess what?!  We got the same treatment in person!   But I persevered...  I had called the shop in Nevada where the glasses were made, and they said they'd charge me $72 to send them in, no problem (but we were really trying to go local for our business).  I had also called Italee directly (to save him some of his precious 15 minutes), who said they didn't care where the glasses came from or who made them; they would repair them at HQ in L.A., and I would be charged whatever he optical shop's rate was.   Jim, after not getting away with the "well I don't know if..." argument since I'd done all of the work for him, responded:  "well, IF I send these glasses in for repair who will be responsible for the if they break or get lost?" 

ASK ITALEE, since YOU are the one with a business relationship with them!!!

From experience, we know that the repair is not free and they would make a cut. (Usually this kind of repair costs around $30-35, a shop usually doubles the price, and makes a 100% profit... nothing wrong with that so far.)   I pushed them for an estimate (like pulling teeth), and was told the repair would cost a minimum of a $100 but they weren't sure, maybe more (to a co-worker: $150 do you think?).

We insisted that they call us with an estimate before doing anything with the glasses, and just in case, asked for some proof that they had my glasses (you know, just in case they break or get lost!)   WOW, Jim exploded, red in the face and rude: "I've never done this before!  I don't even know what to put this on!" and unwillingly started to write a card with our info asking his associate "What should I write on this card for these people?" and then stopped, retreated to the back, saying, "I don't have time for this, you deal with it, I have more important work to do"

The other clerk, "No-eye-contact-quiet-guy" (NECQG for short) finished the card.  I mentioned to him that we wanted to do business with them in the future but this wasn't a good way to treat new customers.   Still hopeful (but who knows why), we left with a bitter aftertaste.

We called Italee back; are there ANY OTHER optical shops that work with them?  Yes, there were a few more scattered around the area. We called Hutt Eye Associates in Holyoke and they were happy to help. I nearly fell over when a very kind optician (Tammy) said that the whole repair, including shipping, would be less than 35 dollars, sans attitude! 

No way were we going to give away $150+++ when nice professionals would take $35!!!  Operation "rescue the glasses" begins.  No call yet, and NECQG was at the counter at Amherst Optical Shoppe, and lied to my face: "...since we didn't make the glasses, we can't send them back to Italee, and the insurance would be prohibitively expensive,"  Having called Italee myself (and done out-of-house repairs before elsewhere) I knew this wasn't true. "Oh well," I said and took the glasses, "You know, I'm really sorry my business was such an imposition on you, you can rest assured it wouldn't bother you again."  He acted confused.  I repeated that Jim seemed so terrifically bothered by every interaction with us, we would be sure to take our business elsewhere... and we did!

What's wrong with these people?!?  Surely they must know you can always go to another shop in nearby Northampton, or these days even get your glasses on-line... this is no way to treat customers or anyone! They are sales people selling goods and services, but they acted like we were such an interruption of their important existence, like they were doing us a favor merely talking to us on the phone and in person.  We felt so icky about the whole thing, we decided to write this review to warn others not to bother these people with your petty and pedestrian business and certainly not with your money!  Save yourself the trouble.
1 - Lalla S.: Terrible experience as well. I just needed a screw to be put in. They told me to come back after 2 hours (!) because they needed to look for the right screw. I needed the glasses right away, but decided to leave and come back anyway, and only then did I realize that the charge was $15...for a screw!! I made it clear that I was surprised  and they rudely replied: it's not only the screw you're paying for, but also my trouble of looking for the right one (WTF) and the work I put in it. Horrible people. Despicable behavior. Greed greed greed. PS: I got the same job done in NY this weekend for FREE.Shame on you!

Amherst Tire Center - Amherst, MA (42.3729988, -72.5047774) ()
4 - John L.: Back when I had a car (a long long time ago, like 2006 ago), my tires went out semi-regularly.  I went to Amherst Tire after one particularly fun popped tire on the way to Burlington, VT.  Not only did they get me out quickly, the price wasn't terrible.  After dealing with dealerships for as long as I had owned my car (which had been about a year or so), it was nice not to A. have to wait so long, and B. get a decent price.
4 - John R.: They do a lot of automotive mechanical work but I usually stick to bringing them problems that only involve tires. I've not purchased any tires here as of yet, but I will certainly give them a try when the time comes. 
So far I've brought a car tire and a tractor tire here for leak issues and both times, the fixed the problem. The tractor tire had to go back more than once, but there was never any extra charge for it.
4 - Ron M.: I've bought tires here twice and had them work on my exhaust.  The prices there are competitive.  I've had them inspect my suspension and CV joint as well.  They did it for free and also greased the bushings for free.  I think they are an honest bunch.
1 - teresa g.: horrible horrible horrible!  do not do business here.  my daughter was in there this morning because the 4 used tires they sold her were flat the very next day.  all four.  they said they would give her money back for tires but they would not give her the $95 for installation!  after 24 hours.  then the woman started yelling at my daughter and swearing.  welcome to crazytown.  do yourself a favor and avoid this place.
5 - Tyler K.: I took my car to Amherst Tire for the first time this week, because I was having an issue with my car that I wasn't able to diagnose. The mechanic was friendly and told me to drop it off the next day, and he would look at it the following morning (today).

I got a call from him this morning, and he told me what the issue was, and how much it was going to cost before he started anything. I agreed to the estimate he gave me, and he was able to get my car driving as good as new within about an hour and a half. My brake caliper had been stuck, and it was something that another shop in town failed to diagnose.

The other shop had told me it was an alignment issue, so I ended up sinking $100 for them to balance and align my wheels, then still have the problem persist. I feel sort of dumb for having to learn that the hard way, but I'll certainly taking my car to Amherst Tire for the remainder of my time in the area.

I'll also be needing tires in the fall, and will likely go here for that as well.

Overall: timely, completely up front with me, didn't try to sell me things I didn't need, fair price. That warrants 5 stars in my book :)

-T
5 - Kirsten R.: Excellent service, above and beyond. We had a tire blowout on a pretty specialized tire,, and all their locations and affiliates were backordered for four months, so they called a local dealer and asked them to set aside a tire for us, despite the fact they were losing our business. They were very friendly and helpful and devoted to getting a full sized tire for our all wheel drive when we had a spare.

Amherst Town of - Amherst, MA (42.37686, -72.46914) ()
2 - John R.: As progressive as it might seem or even claim to be, it's not. I am writing this review as it relates to the condition of the roads though I'm sure if urged to do so, I could write about a number of issues in this town as it is full of them.
Even as I write this, the town is lacking in the up keep and general maintenance of their roads. It seems it must be a pretty bad prioritizing issue because even as potholes swallow up cars in the center of town, not 200 feet away a new project starts. This happens all over town, every year. They seem to be able to find money for new projects and yet never enough money to maintain what they already have. They seem to be falling into the very trap that the towns people profess against. The ever glutenous attitude of materialistic new projects without taking care of what they already have.
3 - Jack M.: Every Fall through Spring, the poor town of Amherst is overrun with students, and each Summer, they run back to their hometowns, leaving the residents with some time to unwind and breathe.
-
As a town, it's a college town - the college kids run the place.  And that may mean poor service at establishments, or overcrowding at bars.  But well, it's all right.  You can walk into town from UMASS, if you want.  It's a sorta-walkable town.  Few decent stores.  Some OK restaurants.  Mostly a lotta hippies walking around town.  Oh well, enjoy your summer off folks!

Amherst Veterinary Clinic - Amherst, MA (42.380928, -72.521176) ()
5 - Darci C.: "Searching for a great vet in the Pioneer Valley"

Take 3...

Okay some people may  be a little over protective about their kids.... I might be guilty of similar behavior with my animals.  We moved to the area last year and I've been on the hunt for a good vet for my cat and dog ever since.  We've now tried and canned two other vets in the area.  One because they seemed clueless and the other because their prices were competitive with SF Bay spas.  So at long last, I decided to try Amherst Veterinary Clinic despite the fact that NO ONE on yelp has commented on AVC or Dr. Rosseel.

From my first call, I was sold.  Dawn, who answered the phone, was super nice and able to fit me in (thank you!).  My dog has Cushing's Disease so I was interested in a vet that not only knew about the condition but had experience treating it.  I found Dr. Rosseel to be very familiar with the condition and how to treat it.  His staff were fantastic and very gentle with my old girl.  The cost of my first visit didn't break the bank and was about $200 cheaper than my last visit at another vet.  Additionally, they had great follow-up communication with me regarding test results and next steps.  

If you are looking for a knowledgeable, kind, reasonably priced vet in the area, I'd highly recommend AVC.
5 - N D.: Great vet and staff. We moved here four years ago and I just picked them out of the yellow pages. They were terrific with my geriatric dog until the end and now they are my new (rescue) dog's best pals. Knowledgable, friendly, responsive and their prices are very reasonable. Excellent vet.

Amherst Wines & Spirits - Amherst, MA (42.379039, -72.519391) ()
5 - Jack M.: Wonderful wine selection!  I had a great time browsing through the bottles here.  Found all KINDS of stuff I love, as well as learning about some new things I just had to try!  I learned a great winery I love makes a Chardonnay I didn't know about.  Some cases have hand-written signs above the bottles helping you decide whether or not it's what you're looking for.  It's a sizable place inside and you can easily kill some time checking out all the wines.  They have some hard stuff too - it's displayed quite nicely over on the left as you walk in.  Some of the bottles were pricier than I've seen them elsewhere, but I assume it's because most of you college kids just wanna buy a case of "Golden Anniversary" or some other rot-gut beer!  (They sell beer here too).
5 - N D.: Excellent store with an owner who will always help you get what you're looking for. Good selection, good prices. This place was a great discovery after living here for two years--the only place I buy wine now.
5 - Darci C.: I love this shop for many reasons, but I particularly wanted to share my experience working with the owner, Steve, for my wedding.  

We decided to purchase all the beer and wine that was served at our wedding.  Initially, we checked with a few larger stores in the area that came recommended by our caterer.  However, we found those stores to be less interested in us and thus, unavailable to answer questions and actually have a conversation.  By chance, I popped into Amherst Wines & Spirits after a frustrating visit at another wine/beer store on College St.  I wasn't sure that Steve could supply wine for our wedding at a price comparable to the bigger stores.

I was wrong.

Here's why I recommend buying wine for big events through the Amherst Wines & Spirits:

First, the entire process felt right.  From my first conversation with Steve, it was clear that he was listening to what we needed and had a process for finding the right wines for us at a price that was within our budget.

Second, he suggested wines based on our menu.  While we had planned to go through a few rounds of tastings, we instantly loved every wine he picked.

Third, he not only selected great wines that complimented the meal, but also suggested a nice range of wines that suited any palate.  For our wedding, we ended up with one white, two reds, and a awesome bubbly.  Wedding guests are still raving about our wines (note: we did not break the bank with our wine budget).

Forth, his prices were on point with the larger stores.

Fifth, he was willing to buy back any wines that were not consumed as long as the bottles were not damaged.

Sixth, his recommendation for the # of bottles we would need was EXACTLY on point.  Literally, we used every bottle that we purchased from Steve and did not open any of our back up wines.

Seventh, Steve is awesome and exactly the kind of little business that you love to support.

Ami Japanese - Los Angeles, CA (34.0615601, -118.4463372) (Westwood)
3 - Joel Y.: Nothing quite spectacular here. The ambiance is quite nice for Westwood and the prices for rolls range from $10-15.  I wouldn't say that it was great food but more or less just your average Japanese place.  Tried the lunch specials which had quite a bit of food but I am sure you can find it less somewhere else.
4 - Carrie U.: I frequent Ami's quite often and I have to say it is one of the best restaurants in Westwood. 
The ambience is nice and pretty quite. They painted the interior black so you get a hip-urban feel while you wait for your food. The service is fine, and you're never waiting too long even when it is busy. The only thing is some of the waiters may not speak english very well so you'll have a hard time asking them random questions.
The sushi I get is always fresh, and if you come at lunch you can get a good combination special. If you are a UCLA student you get 15% off with Bruincard, which is a very good deal for nice food. 
They have a wide selection of fresh sushi as well as a few fusion pieces.  I recommend the seaweed salad; very authentic.
Nothing else like this place in Westwood. 

*This place is recommended for people with peanut allergies, because they don't use peanut in anything.
4 - Tina M.: Pretty good Japanese food here. While the sushi is not spectacular, it's still respectably good. The UCLA discount is great and I will second that the seaweed salad is awesome. It's addicting. I wasn't too excited about the "flying fish egg" sushi though, as it was really sweet. But since I hadn't tried it before, it could be the characteristic of that type of caviar?

Lol oh yeah and a friend says the bathroom is creepy, I went inside and it is a little. She said that the mirror looks like one of those see-through one way mirrors like they have in cop shows... it indeed does look like that... but it's cool I peed anyway haha.
3 - Eric C.: good sushi.  best salmon ive tasted in awhile.  first time, went on a date, took seats at the sushi bar.  great service.
3 - diana c.: i used to love ami's because it was right in westwood and ucla students get a 15% discount. i loved their baby lobster roll because it was so rich and the lobster was so tender. i used to go there at least once a month.

but now... their food is disappointing!! their baby lobster roll is now kind of dry. and their portions are smaller now. sigh. i am so sad.
3 - Stephanielle K.: Nothing to write home about here. Nice decor and Plasma TVs... lots of bRUIN kids.. get a 15% discount with the bRUIN card (sorry guys I'm a TROJAN lol)

Food was decent. Good value for what it was. Definitely doesn't compare to Little Tokyo downtown, but hey what can you expect from WESTWOOD??? The quality of the sashimi here is atrocious. Back to Downtown for me....

Service sucked ass. It took my friend about 15 minutes to get a drink and they never brought the rice over. Needless to say, I was unimpressed by the non-existent service.
3 - Mookie D.: I came here a few times back when I went to UCLA a couple years ago. Once for sushi bar and two times for lunch specials. For their lunch specials, I had their assorted tempura, beef teriyaki, and sashimi. And for dinner, it was straight-up a la carte sushi. Although it's solid stuff, it's definitely not one of the best sushi places. The quality of the fish is just okay good, not melt-in-your-mouth fresh like Urasawa or Sushi Gen.

Their cooked foods are okay, although I wouldn't say it's anything particularly outstanding. It's pretty obvious from this alone that Japanese people do not own this place. Yep, this place is Korean owned.

As for the sushi, it was solid, although not anything spectacular once again. I had just about every fish that night. I do, however, give props to the sushi chef for hooking me up with a free order of halibut sashimi that night.

Anyways, this restaurant is good to eat if you're in the neighborhood, but please do not drive out and look for it. It's not Nozawa material. If you want decent sushi in Westwood, head about one mile down south on Westwood Blvd to a place called SUSHI MASU. Otherwise, everything else in Westwood sucks.
4 - Yvonne W.: I really liked this place. I went with a cousin a few weeks back. The crunch roll was so good. The texture everything was perfect. Plus it had Spicy Tuna which gave it a little kick with a little crunch. It was good. And I love my edamame and theirs came out hot and fresh, it was so good! I got the lunch special and the only thing I didn't like was that the chicken was a bit dry, but other than that it was good.
4 - Tammy G.: Back in my UCLA undergrad days ,oh those good ole days, I used to eat at Ami a great deal. The ambiance is really nice, and even a bit romantic. (Well except for the humongous TV that is constantly broadcasting sports =P) I love that UCLA students get a 15% discount when they show their Bruincard. Ok, I'm not going to lie I have returned to Ami after graduating and shown them the card for the discount. Perhaps that is a bit wrong? Oh well, I'm a starving graduate student now. hehe
You can't really go wrong with the Crunch Roll, Las Vegas Roll, and Spicy tuna rolls. They are consistently good.
The edamame is free. =)
Yes, the service can be a bit slow and many of the servers don't speak English well.... but if you are persistent you will get everything you need. 

If you're in the area give Ami a try :)
5 - Toni L.: Love, love, love this place. I live about a block away from it which makes it hard to wrench myself away from its fatteningly delicious sauces and artsy but inexpensive rolls. Perhaps that's not a bad thing considering I can get full off of a single roll there. 

Food: Edamame comes free of charge. The rolls are huge, fresh, and some are coated in a delicious sauce (you can ask to hold it or put it on the side if you're watching your waistline). What more could you ask for? I like the Tiger (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/iQ3fajcAmbQrwPfg-AoJTA?select=cKnfB-oN8fq9YHLRBl_l7g) and Las Vegas (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/iQ3fajcAmbQrwPfg-AoJTA?select=Wgpw414uz0YqMDOE4BU2tA) rolls. The lobster roll (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/iQ3fajcAmbQrwPfg-AoJTA?select=wJvhEL4nmk97JkIPJ23HVg) is also delicious but obviously more $ for about the same satisfaction. The bento is your standard bento with plenty of food on the tray. For dessert, try the deep fried tempura green tea ice cream (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/iQ3fajcAmbQrwPfg-AoJTA?select=AD1LlA6qd10FK52SpuqLOw). Do your heart a favor. Give it a workout. 

Ambiance: It's dark and mysterious. The place looks upscale inside, primarily because you might be imagining that it looks classy. I wasn't kidding when I said dark. They have a large screen by the entrance that usually features sports. No sound. 

Parking: With the exception of markets, parking in Westwood generally sucks. Ami is conveniently located across the street from a large and cheap parking garage which might save you a few expletives behind the wheel of your SUV. 

Value: Bruins get 15% off. It's pretty kind on the wallet even without the discount though.
2 - FoodSlut ..: Really?  You call this sushi?  B grade fish from Ralphs is what this is.  

Sorry Ami.  You can fool the students, but you can't fool me.  

Bruins!  Please just take the big blue bus down to santa monica blvd. and grab some Echigo instead.  That's sushi.  Not this crap.

I do give the waitress an extra star for service...we usually order TONS of food and she suggested how we can order the combo instead and get the same stuff for cheaper. 

 If I ever go back, I'll just have sake and flirt with the waitresses.
2 - James P.: Ami is very disappointing.  Decor is very cool and the location is great if you are catching a show at UCLA or in the village.  Otherwise, a total flop. 
 The food was terrible.  We ordered the dinner combo with a California roll, mixed tempura and teriyaki salmon plus an assorted Sashimi plate. The bland and boring california roll fell apart as soon as I picked it up. The nori in the roll had the texture of masking tape.  Tempura was heavy and oily (I know it's fried, but come on).  The freshness of the sashimi was questionable, and the salmon was grossly overcooked.  Inexcusable at a SUSHI restaraunt. 

Service was acceptable, although one of the waiters wore so much cologne you could smell him coming.  Ick.  The music was terrible, and the Jumbo flat screen really detracts from the ambiance.  

We loved it this place when it was Zen Grill... Same decor, better restaurant.   They had a great vibe, good food and killer happy hour specials.  Alas, since it has become Ami, it's lost sight of the important things, like the food.
4 - Bianca B.: The sisters and I were visiting our big brother this summer. He attends UCLA and he likes to gallivant around Westwood. 

He took us to Ami's for dinner. 

I loved their sushi. Good stuff.
2 - Amy C.: This place sucks. I went here once and will never go back. 

I cant believe this is called sushi. wtf? No way. It was disgusting. 

The only reason I give it 2 stars is cuz the service was good. And I feel bad. 

But, really, dont waste your time or money here.
5 - jenn l.: This place is awesome.

I've tried a number of sushi places around Los Angeles, and Ami's is still my favorite.  The environment has a nice ambient feeling, you can take friends here, or even have a date.  This place is the default place for a date when my boyfriend and I can't think of anywhere else to go.  If you are a UCLA student, you get 15% off.  Portions are a nice size for the amount you pay, great service, awesome sushi.
2 - Michy S.: This Japanese restaurant located in the old Zen Grill location in Westwood could be so much better than it is.  You enter the tall glass doors and immediately think "wow, what's this nice, upscale restaurant doing in the part of college town that all the poor college kids frequent?"  The dcor is hip and modern...the high wood-beam exposed ceilings make the space feel larger than it is.  The second floor (loft, really) is reserved for private parties and not used as restaurant seating, though it should because this place gets a nice flow of customers and waiting is a bummer.  

Case in point...the last time I went here, we were offered sushi bar seating because all but one reserved table was occupied.  Now, not to sound like a sushi snob or anything, but I didn't want to sit so close to where they were preparing raw fish since this was not a Katsuya or Koi-level dining experience.  So, we politely told the cartoon-y cute, cheery hostess that we'd like to wait for a proper table.  To our surprise, she said that she thought we'd have to wait 20 minutes for a table.  We hemmed and hawed about it, then decided that yes, we could wait 20 minutes for a table.  After a few minutes, the hostess said that they did have one empty table but it was reserved for a couple that should have shown up 10 minutes prior.  So we asked if we could be seated there.  No, we were told, the restaurant policy gives them 20 minutes to show up before they forfeit their reservation.  We had to wheel and deal...please let us sit at that table and if they show up in the next 10 minutes we will move to the sushi bar.  Ok, she finally agreed and seated us.

Our waitress had to be the grumpiest lady alive.  Not only that, she was hard of hearing.  Everything we said, we had to say twice.

Edamame:  Even though these were free, they are a waste.  How hard can it be to mess up edamame pods?  Well, these were served cold (I prefer mine warm), completely flavorless and unsalted (I prefer sea salt), and mushy.  Yes, mushy.  The pod melted in my mouth.  Eeew.

Mexican sushi roll:  This roll has spicy crab, avocado, and jalapeno.  Sounds delicious, right?  Well, I thought so.  That's why I ordered it and asked the waitress to check on it since it wasn't brought out 10 minutes into eating my entre.  Well, I knew when the order arrived it wasn't going to be the best sushi roll I ever tasted in my life.  The roll was cut too large and the proportion of filling to rice was way off.  The rice wasn't even rolled around the roll completely...uh, hello, sushi chef?  There was far too much filling to make this into one's mouth neatly.  Yes, it's always great to have a generous portion of crab but is it really that cool to have nacho jalapenos in your sushi?  I'm not joking...the jalapenos were the same jalapenos that you'd find on your nachos at a Dodger game.  Gag me with a spoon.  Thank goodness this roll was only $6.95.

Spicy tuna roll:  This roll has spicy tuna, sprouts, and cucumber.  Again, this roll was too large.  It did have a decent level of spice and at least it didn't fall apart like the Mexican roll.

Japanese pasta with seafood:  I had a bite of this and it was pretty good.  My dining companion seemed to like this.  It had a decent amount of assorted seafood and a spicy mayo sauce.

Korean BBQ short ribs:  I ordered this because I knew they would probably be the best thing on the menu.  You see, the owners of this Japanese restaurant are Korean.  I was right.  These marinated short ribs were delicious, dripping with a savory garlic-ginger-soy sauce.  The meat was surprisingly tender and well-cooked.  I really like this one, and despite the other shortcomings of this place I may return to order it.
4 - sophie l.: More expensive than it should be and the sushi is not orgasmic or anything but still a solid place to come for a group dinner or a date. Their red-carpeted stairs really make a difference in the decor. They have two party tables for loud, large groups so they don't disturb the smaller parties downstairs. Service is very good even when they are busy (which is almost every night). 

The combo boxes are filling and cost $15 on average for 2 entries fo your choice (the usuals: terriyaki chicken, tempura, california rolls, etc). Special rolls are about $10. I usually have to order 2 rolls to be satisfied. Some are pretty good- Baked Salmon Roll, Heart attack roll, and the Crunch roll. Definitely one of the better sushi restaurants in Westwood. You really can't be too picky about your sushi if you want to stick in Westwood... if you are, take some sake bombs first.

update:
OMG SNOW ROLL = GREAT!
4 - Chris V.: We had good luck here.  Ordered a california roll, dragon roll, spider roll, and some combination deal to get some steak, chicken teriyaki, salad, and soup.  Total came to about $50 so not too expensive.  All of it was really good.

Going in it looks like an upscale place with the decor but with the students in there its very down to earth.
2 - Jason W.: Sometimes I wonder why people still go here. With so many other decent sushi places in the area, it just doesn't make much sense. Granted Ami does have some pretty swank decor and they offer a discount to UCLA students, these things don't really make up for Ami's long LONG list of shortcomings.

If you go anywhere close to normal mealtimes, expect to wait. God forbid should you decide to go on Friday night at 8pm, because the wait will be even longer - somewhere between 45-60 minutes if you have over 4 people in your group. Oh but don't get too excited yet, the fun hasn't even begun! You will wait again to have your order taken, even longer to get your food, and - surprise! - even longer for your check! 

Service can be a little incompetent at times (although I think Ami tries to hire cute waitresses in the hopes of distracting away from this fact), and in one instance I did not receive a spicy tuna roll I had ordered, but they claimed it was "taking a long time to make" after I asked when to expect it. In all honesty I'm pretty sure they just had an "Oh shit..." moment where they completely forgot I ordered it and just covered themselves with an excuse, because really, how long does it take to make a spicy tuna roll?? Not that complicated...

Also, it's not unusual to find groups of annoyingly obnoxious white kids doing sake bombs and being unnecessarily loud. They must be Ami's ideal customer, because the three times (ugh, have I really been there that much??) I've been, there has always been at least one of these type of groups. I would think that'd be a good enough indicator for most people that there are far better sushi places eat at...

I suppose the sushi's decent, but nothing spectacular that might set it apart from others in the area. In all fairness their prices are pretty good too, especially for students. In the end though, I just can't get past all the other deficiencies of this place...
2 - Audj Y.: Been here twice, it does the job. First time was for fun (birthday + sake bombs). Our food was great! We got rolls (Las Vegas, Baby Lobster) that were so infused and packed with different flavors and ingredients that they HAD to be good in the end. Our main goal was to get full and it did happen, so I'm happy. The lobster chunks were aplenty, the soft shell crab was decent, and my boyfriend loved the fresh ceviche fusion special. I noticed all the employees were Korean and couldn't pronounce some of the things on the menu. I'm Korean too, yes, but it would help to have a waitress who knows how to explain a dish...not just to me. & I overheard another waitress unable to calculate the 21+ age cutoff and having to inquire with the host. Eek! it's basic math/memory! But hey, there were plenty others who could, so it's fine. I didn't get a five star experience, but their prices and menu tried to deem it so. Even with their OBVIOUS cheap Korean dishware. Slight disparity. 

p.s. Haha...am I the only one who's tripped coming down the red stairs?!
4 - Shelly M.: I'm around the LA area, and Ami is the most often eaten place by me and my friends.

They do still give 15% off for students, and usually are not so picky about seeing everyone's ID.  If you go in a group, and a couple of you have ID's, just tell them you're all students, and they'll be pretty nice about it.

Their Combo's and Las Vegas rolls are the BesT.  

I got to admit that sometimes their food might taste slightly not as up to expectation, but most of the time, their food is great.  If you did not like it the first time, give it one more try.  I enjoy meals there.
3 - van d.: romantic atmosphere because all the decor is in red & black.  

it's also two stories and has high ceilngs.  the grand staircase leading upstairs is usually reserved for big parties.  my friend had to put down a $50 deposit for his party of about 25.  it was well worth it though because the manager took care of us with round after rounds of sake bombs!

felt like i was at a club because they were playing a ton of hip hop...

affordable sushi. 
however, if you want a steal, i would recommend coming to this place for lunch.  for about $8, you could get miso soup, a salad, and two choices from a list of about ten options.  i enjoyed the spicy tuna roll and the salmon steak with rice.

the sushi could be rolled more tightly... but you're definitely missing out if you leave this restaurant without ordering their fried tempura green tea dessert! SO. GOOD!
3 - Dorothy S.: Ami has a special little place in my heart because it was the very first restaurant I visited after I officially moved here a little over a year ago. And for that bit of sentimental connection, I overlook the "fusion" Japanese thing (i.e. it's a Japanese restaurant where the chefs are mexican and the waiters/waitresses are korean).

But in Ami's defense, it's not really trying to draw the foodie crowd. After all, it's located in Westwood village where most kids are content with rolls and "Combo A", "Combo B" type fare...which Ami does really well. It's affordable (plus 15% off for UCLA students...making it less than $15 per person for dinner) and the interior is pretty nice (I really do love their high ceiling). Their oyster appetizer is pretty damn good, I have to admit.

But yes, if you're looking for authentic Japanese fare, skip this place...in fact, skip Westwood Village as a whole. But if you're a college kid looking for a nice night out with some friends, Ami's the way to go.

So, in a nutshell, while Ami might not be the greatest of great Jap restaurants, it's perfect for its target clientele. And I guess, that's what counts...
3 - Melissa N.: i'm not a huge sushi eater (the most adventurous i get is unagi...and a shrimp tempura roll), but the atmosphere was pretty hip at this place and it seemed to always have a crowd.
The inside is trendy but still really relaxed-the perfect place for a sushi craving and a night out.  The food is pretty good. from what i ate (unagi, shrimp tempura, bbq ribs, pork cutlet, spicy chicken) it was all pretty good. nothing spectacular, but nothing to complain about either.
my boyfriend gets the sushi combination b every time and he loves it. so, nothing too bad to say. all in all, a pretty good place to eat on any night of the week.
2 - Denis S.: I was really disappointed with this place.  I had come here about a year and a half ago, and remember it being much better.  So I came back when I was really craving sushi.  Bad idea...  While the rolls are very large, and the price very reasonable (especially with the UCLA discount), the food itself is very sub-par.  

The rolls felt really heavy (not sure what they put in the rice to make it so creamy) and the fish simply wasn't fresh.  The spicy tuna wasn't spicy, and the tempura shrimp was cold.  Also, we had a really long wait, despite the fact that it was well after lunch and it was not all that crowded.  

There are better places in Westwood (and especially in LA) for sushi, so I would recommend steering clear of this one.
3 - Paul S.: one word to describe it: alright.  not fabulous, not 'I'm never coming back' kind of crappy, but just alright

went there with a large group, I was there late so didn't wait, otherwise if I had to wait 30 mins it would probably have been 2 stars.  

it took FOREVER for the food to get here, and I asked for some more wasabi and again it took forever and I had to ask again, definitely deducting points for that.  The food is alright, we ordered just about every single roll on the menu, the rolls were decent sized and didn't make me wanna puke afterwards, but I definitely wasn't in sushi heaven.  

one problem with the food getting here so slowly is that we kept on ordering because we were hungry, so we ended up ordering too much.  their combo special was actually decent, the steak teriyaki I liked quite a bit.

the decor is pretty nice, but the place was hella loud, I had to scream across the table for some soy sauce 

won't be going here voluntarily since there are so many decent sushi joints not too far away from westwood, but I also wouldn't say no to the evite just because it's at ami
1 - Timothy L.: One of my worst kick-back days ever.

Usually I treat myself to a place to eat out. This place was awful and as a result I never want to go back again.

All I ordered was a diet coke, a sashimi lunch, and green tea tempura ice cream. Of course, I got the diet coke first and I finish it. Now as a diet coke addict, I think that diet coke is not only a beverage, but a flavor enhancer. I get the sashimi lunch and I'm out of diet coke, so I ask for a refill. I give the glass and wait 15 minutes. No diet coke. But I can't let this sashimi sit here. So I slowly eat it, hoping that any second a diet coke would be there. I try to get the server's attention, but all of them were rushing to serve other customers. I finish my lunch and I don't need a diet coke anymore, I just want my tempura green tea ice cream and that's it. Finally, a server stops by and takes my plate away and I ask for tempura green tea ice cream. 15 minutes, same "service," until finally I get a server's attention only to find out... "we are out of green tea ice cream"

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if they ran out of diet coke 45 minute prior.
4 - Niko X.: "Japanophile Gentleman"
lyrics adapted from Wyclef Jean

(This one's goin' out to the sushi bars
Yo, meet me at Ito's Rendez-vous 
For every Kaiten Bar 
I'ma send this one out to the "snack" clubs
Fukuoka, Mikasa dogs, Matsushita 
I be seeing y'all up in there late at night 
I understand when your girl is stressing you out 
(Crazy girls) Know what I'm saying? 
Don't let the ladies fool y'all now, fellas 
They be doin' the same thing y'all be doin' 
Turn up my symphony, man. 
Turn up my symphony! 
Drop a BEAT!) 

Even tho' she drinks the shoyu
Her blood pressure's still low yo
Hatsu, put your magic mic on
We going karao-ko
We gonna eeelope to Tokeeeeyo
Called up my mama, said I'm in love with a sushi ho

Ten grand, let me see you slice cold raw hamachi
skillfully and quickly like you was made to be an I-tamae
Twenty grand, know it's a sin, but before me you roll
me some salmon skin please do fill up my hot green tea 
Thirty grand, to the highest bidder but rule book
say, 'you no dip rice bed in the shoyu bowl'
Forty grand, saw ceramic cat, his waving paw falling
down, type of cat bring luck to owner guy.  

-------------------------------------------------------

Now that I got the ironic ignorance out of my system... 

Ami is a pretty swanky little spot for Broxton Ave.  The interior is carpeted in a striking red hue that would appear far more at home in Hollywood.  None-the-less, I would anticipate it to be a pretty good first date spot.  Given that I was there celebrating a leisurely Friday lunch with a friend, we opted to sit outside.  

The service is quite quick, and the prices are spot on spectacular.  If you have a UCLA ID you get a 15% discount!  

In Los Angeles I never expect greatness from a sushi house, and Ami is no exception...however I found it to be enjoyable just the same.  The mackerel nigiri was very flavorful, and the specialty rolls were presented artfully.  

I'd recommend Ami if you're looking for decent sushi at a fair price in an upscale atmosphere.  I'm not sure anywhere else in Los Angeles offers such a balance of all three realms.
4 - John O.: I didn't get to try any of the specialty rolls, sushi, or sashimi here yet but I will definitely come back here to try it since I have another year of school here at UCLA.

I tried the 3 item dinner combination which is worth every penny. It's $14 and you get 3 choices, miso soup, salad, rice, and a slice of orange. I ordered the steak teriyaki, grilled salmon and the california rolls. They all tasted great. The food was cooked to perfection and had the taste of what a japanese restaurant should have. 

The best part is that UCLA Students 15% off!!!! That's a great discount for food that is already reasonably priced. This place I thought was a little too dark. It's not really a romantic place to go eat so I didn't see why this place was so dimly lit. They have like random pop music playing and a bar so yeah... why the super dim lights. But they do have a little cool patio to eat outside for those that enjoy the wonderful weather of LA.
4 - Carolyn C.: I heart Ami's!!  It might not be the most spectacular Japanese restaurant out there, but I think it's a great value for what you're paying.

When I first walked in, the ambiance and decor suggested that the place was a lot more expensive that it actually is.  It's dimly lit and nicely decorated, with a kind of modern feel.  I think it's kind of fun!  It also usually has some sort of popular music playing, which isn't bad for my tastes as a young college gal.

The food is definitely reasonably priced.  You can get a combo meal with a choice of 2-3 dishes from a pre-selected menu, plus rice, salad, and miso soup for 13-15 dollars.  The sushi is pretty good too - I've tried the vegetable, crunch, spicy tuna, california, salmon, and a few of their other rolls that seem to escape me at the moment...and they're all tasty and fresh!  I've also had the sushi combo A which was yummy as well.  The sushi combos go for about 3-4 dollars more than the regular dinner combos, and you get about 8 nigiri and one roll (either spicy tuna or california).  Some of the rolls come on pretty platters that complement the sushi which is cool :).  The servings are big - each roll has around 8 pieces and the meal combos are filling.  I always make the mistake of ordering too much because I want to try a new roll or something. :O(

Every time I've gone, I've had great service - very friendly and attentive staff, frequent refills on water and tea, and reasonably quick serving of food.

However...one of my friends went in a group of 6 one time, and apparently they split the bill part cash and with two credit cards.  Apparently the waitress dropped a $20 bill, and charged the cards $10 extra each, even though it was the restaurant's fault.  That's where I dock one star...I mean the restaurant called him later and told him that they had found the bill, and that he could come pick it up...but seriously!!  That is not great customer service to still charge them in that situation.

Otherwise, this place in my past experience has been superb!!!  Yummy break from the dorm food at a reasonable price!  Extra yay for the 15% discount for UCLA students. :)
3 - Parvelard S.: I've been here a good number of times and it's usually a very lovely experience.  The food is REALLY good... and the prices are very reasonable.  The staff sometimes is a bit slow and isn't really dedicated to customer service so much.  They insist on greeting you in Japanese when you walk in... which is cute I get it.... but it seems a little fake/forced most of the time.  Oh and the cocktails are NOTHING to write home about... spare yourself the trouble and go drinking somewhere else afterwards
4 - Hannah L.: ami sushi is a really good place to have birthday dinners, first dates, etc. it's a beautiful restaurant: nice black/red/gold decor, dim lighting, high ceilings. the pop music and giant tv seem a little out of place, but you could easily ignore it and pretend ami is a really fancy, upscale restaurant.

i don't even eat sushi, but they have a two/three combination for $13/$15, where you can get steak & salmon teriyaki, 'fish,' shrimp tempura, etc. i always get steak teriyaki & fish cutlet and it's served with miso soup, edamame, a small salad, and rice. i LOVE the fish cutlet and i feel the two combination is a perfect amount of food for a very reasonable price.

if you have a large party, definitely make a reservation. service isn't anything special, but they're really tolerant of large (and often noisy) groups. the 15% UCLA discount and outdoor seating are nice bonuses too!
2 - Erik S.: Sushi = not good

Dark interior = even worse

Drunk college students = the worst
3 - Eric L.: Typical japanese combination dinners and rolls, but prices are pretty good for the portion sizes you get.  There is something like a 10-15% discount with a Bruin card.  It is very dark in here.
3 - Kendra G.: Not the best sushi. Here's an example: the rolls fall apart when you pick them up...que? yeah. the rice is a bit off. anywho, they have a lunch special for 8.95 for 2 fixins', salad, miso soup, and a small dish of edamame. not bad. i def think there's better options in the westwood area. the ambiance is dark, almost club dark so it's probably aiming as the date spot. yeah...not so much.
4 - Shayna S.: i ate here last weekend. this was the second time i had been there. really good stuff. if its nice weather i would recommend sitting outside, cuz the inside seems really dark during the day.
1 - Sally P.: I went to this restaurant on their opening night.  It was great.  I thought I'd found a wonderful new sushi restaurant that was moderately priced and had great sushi.  Not that I care what the decor looks like, but this place looked cool inside.  

Then I touted this place to my friends, and brought them there for dinner a week or two later.  It was like a circus of retardation and the waitresses and sushi chefs were feeding off each other.  My ginger friend didn't even get his order of tuna sushi, and the quail egg I had tore through my body with the ferocity of Mount St. Helens, leaving me a sweaty, exhausted mess.  

We didn't see our waitress for over an hour, and the place was not even busy.  She offered no explanation or even something that could be considered an apology when she finally came back to drop off our check.  Our check also had many nice additional sushis charged on it that we did not order or eat.  The waitress refused to take these off, and that seemed quite rude.  Some other bad stuff happened too.

I had such high expectations of this place, and they really screwed up.  I am always astounded at the busy lunch crowd at this place when I walk by, and quietly chuckle to myself, at their utter lack of concern with what sorts of stomped on crap they ingest.  Places like this are the reason that god doesn't talk to us anymore.
2 - Cris I.: I'm gonna have to go ahead and say this place made me feel like i was in middle school.  I thought about doing the all you can eat sushi with some friends but for the price they had it for, it didn't seem worth it.

Also there's like a million rules and regulations for the all you can eat.  Once we decided that it wasn't worth it for the all you can eat we ordered our rolls. Once they came i was kinda surprised, the size of the roll was pretty small.  

Then when we started eating the rolls the rice tasted kinda off and the rolls actually started to fall apart.  I came here out of a recommendation by my gf saying that she had lunch here and it was pretty good.

I'm not sure if it was just and off day but it made me not want to come back here. The rolls themselves were ok when they didn't fall apart but there was no stand out part of the meal.  

I also don't like it when there's a million rules to ordering a certain meal i mean really? Do i need to sign a waiver too in case you kill me?
3 - Megan S.: Ami is a solid place to get sushi.  Here are some reasons I go to Ami regularly:
(1) I can walk there
(2) The salmon and hamachi are consistently fresh and tasty
(3) 15% discount for UCLA students makes prices cheap
(4) I've never gotten sick from their food
(5) They have generously sized rolls
(6) Cheap sake bomb specials

My recommendation is to stick to the nigiri and simple rolls.  The few times I ordered special rolls (with the exception of the shrimp tempura roll, which was overpriced) I've been underwhelmed.  The hot food also isn't anything special.  If I move away from Westwood, I doubt I'll make any trips back specifically for this restaurant, but I do currently eat here about once every other week.

Also, totally unrelated, if you look closely at their red lighted up wall decoration thing outside the women's bathroom on the first floor, I swear you can see Voldemort's face.  Has anyone else noticed this or am I going crazy?
5 - johanna a.: The Vegas Roll here is AMAZING!  I was a regular here during my UCLA days and the student discount is an added bonus.
2 - Wileen R.: I went here about two weeks ago on Sunday for lunch. The patio area was all taken, so we sat inside right next to the window to get more natural light. Everywhere else inside seemed kinda dim. I almost couldn't find the door to the women's restroom. Maybe they forgot to turn one of the light on or something.  

Parking was extremely easy because it's right in front of the restaurant. The first 2 hours is free until a certain time in the evening...I think. 

All the dishes were good, but some of the sushi were kinda slippery. If you don't like a lot of sauce, you might want to ask them for light sauce especially the ones with the creamy sauce. Something that was really good there was the tuna sashimi. Usually, I prefer other fishes.
1 - Michelle A.: Mediocre sushi, a little overpriced, and the service was really disjointed. Won't be going back, there has to be better in Westwood...
4 - Van P.: Lets list the bad thing about AMI SUSHI first:

1. BAD SERVICE - it took them a long time to seat me and my friends. Our group consisted of 7 ppl...that's not too bad. We came around 7-8 pm. So yeah it was pretty busy but it took them about 30 mins to seat us even though we were told that it would take 15 mins. And the host was fucking rude. He needs to be replaced. K thanks.

......that's it. good for you AMI SUSHI !!

Now...onto the good part:

1. FOOD- the sushi was amazing. best sushi i've had in LA. I went here two nites in a row.  that justifies how good it is. My friends and i ordered their spicy tuna roll, baby lobster roll, rainbow roll, crunch roll, and the tempura ice cream....all of which were fresh, flavorful, and delicious. I'd recommend the BABY LOBSTER ROLL and the SPICY TUNA ROLL. the baby lobster roll is very creamy and good and tasteful. The spicy tuna roll is crunchy on the outside for it is fried on the outside. The inside is amazing...filled with fresh tuna.

2. THE AMBIENCE AND ENVIRONMENT- this place is well designed and decorated. the ambience is very relaxing and chill, and the customers are classy, laid back people.

OVERALL, GO HERE. its one of the best sushi i've had in a while. =) you'll definitely enjoy it.
1 - jonathan s.: sushi is way below average. saying it was "okay" would be a huge compliment. service was absolutely horrible. literally, the worst service i have ever had at any restaurant anywhere. also, the men's restroom had a dook log in the urinal. so beat.
2 - Carrie H.: This place is seriously so close to being 5 stars...then why you ask, am I rating it 2? It's pretty much the worst service I have ever experienced. It's actually laughable. 

This was a place we went to a ton in college. It's good priced sushi, saki, and beer made even better when you get 15% off with your Bruin Card.

Unfortunately if you want your order right, or would like a re-fill on a drink, this is not the place to come. 

On the UP-SIDE of Ami, and what keeps me coming back:
- I really do like their sushi. Their crunch roll is my favorite and no other sushi place to date has been able to replicate it
- It is reasonably priced (which is great for starving students)
- It has nice decor with a grand red staircase in the entrance 
- There is a HUGE flat screen TV on one wall where you can watch UCLA away games during dinner 
- There is a DJ spinning the most up to date dance music (I wish I could have the Ami mix for getting ready to go out, no joke)
- It is good for big groups on the second floor. There are big tables and you can order lots of saki, beer, and sushi for a reasonable price

Overall, I love the place, but I just can't justify giving it a good score for a serious dining experience.
4 - Allison P.: I went here tonight around 8pm. There was a wait for a table, so me and a friend sat at the sushi bar. We were served right away, the chef was friendly. 
We ordered a bunch of rolls, which arrived quickly. It is dark inside, not too loud, I liked the atmosphere. The big screen TV is nice for games.  I will definitely be back!
2 - Hyang L.: went here like three times. in the beginning it was... disappointing of taste. I ordered sweet shrimp sushi and it was OLD. yes. old aged shrimp.
I had to see Mr. Toilet so often that night. 
second time... I was in this rush of sushi and Tomodachi was closed and this place was only place I could think of. was okay that time but no student discount for to-gos.
third time was with my friend. restaurant wasn't too busy yet service was slow. we had to wait for quite a while for a cup of water, even though there were three waitress and one waiter.. yeah. 
I kinda suspect their lighting is to hide quality of their sushi...
2 - Jenna C.: I've only been there once, but their rolls are just mediocre.  I almost laughed at the size of my friend's tuna roll (they were less than 3/4 of an inch wide), but I didn't want to make her feel bad about spending around $5 on such a small amount of food.  I also don't really like the ambiance - the fluorescent lights don't do it for me.  With Tomodachi around the corner, go there instead for similar prices, bigger rolls, and better quality.

But UCLA students do get 10% off with Bruin Card, so I guess that's nice...
1 - Natalie F.: I have been a long time reader of Yelp, but this restaurant was so awful I signed up for an account because I had to vent so, so badly.

Service:  Possibly the worst I have ever experienced at any restaurant in any part of the world, ever.  Took forever to get our drink order in...just as long to order food. We had to inform the waiter that one order of sushi was missing.  When it still hadn't arrived 20 minutes after we had finished the rest of our food, we asked him to please cancel it.  He acted exasperated that it hadn't arrived (even though he himself had never brought it...curious, to say the least)...and then didn't take it off the bill.  The bill we spent 15 minutes+ chasing down because he was nowhere to be found.

The sushi: Blech.  Fish tasted old. Rolls were enormous and not tasty.  One of my rolls had some limp romaine lettuce in it, for no conceivable reason.  

I say take your sake bombing business elsewhere, UCLA students.  Please do not keep this place in business for unsuspecting sushi lovers to stumble upon.
5 - Sally Y.: im sort of surprised by all these negative reviews of ami's!  ok, im not any sort of expert on sushi but i do eat a lot of it and i really like the rolls here. 

 UCLA students get 15% off (not take out though) and they also have half off regular rolls and sushi now (not the specialty rolls), although its dumb because all they did was up the prices and then slash those in half (for example! it used to be around 4 bucks for an eel roll, but then they upped it to 7 bucks, and 50% off is $3.50. tricky tricky!)

sometimes they give us a small bowl of edamame, sometimes not.  but i like the way the restaurant looks and is decorated, bad music though. 

my favorite roll of all time there is the tiger roll ($10).  dragon roll, heart attack, and the las vegas rolls are good too. most of the specialty rolls are around 7 to 13 bucks but they're pretty big. 

ive always had pretty decent service here too.  if you're coming with a big party, go ahead and make reservations first.
5 - Gareen D.: I can't believe the bad reviews! I love Ami! The Las Vegas roll (of course) is to die for. It's a huge roll (8 pieces) with everything you can imagine: california inside, tuna on top with crispy eel and a creamy sauce on top, drizzled with eel sauce. So. Good. Their baby lobster roll is also AMAZING. I wouldn't recommend the tuna biscuits, they are not the traditional kind - they come out looking like fried balls of crispy rice with spicy tuna in the center. Almost everything here is good, I really recommend it! The ambiance is also great. It's dark with wood accents and a huge tv in the front of the restaurant.
3 - Amy S.: Sushi at Ami's is okay. 

I thought it was a good place to go with friends, or on a DATE! This place feels really datey because of the dim lighting. I went here a couple of times with friends and always felt a bit awkward with the dim lighting and color setting. 

The staff could be a bit more attentive, service didnt seem that great. But a pretty good deal for sushi in westwood.
3 - Joe S.: Nice dim setting - so great place to take a date but a bit pricey for average sushi.
3 - teo w.: This place has pretty solid Japanese food. The sushi is okay, but I really like their entrees. The Chilean sea bass with miso sauce is especially good. (Side note, hopefully we can sustain their stocks in the ocean and keep enjoying their delicious succulent flesh!)
4 - Maria O.: I've seen some folks complain about service but honestly I don't see why?

I've been here 2x. Once was happy hour-really cheap grub. M-F 4-7pm House sake 6.95 for a large and you get a free refill. Good veggie tempura, the agedashi tofu was not up to par, far better at Warung Cafe. 

2nd time I reserved a table for seven, 1/2 hour beforehand. Place was empty at noon but filled up pretty quick. Everyone loved their food. Impressed with combo bentos. Usually these things like these at other joints seem to come with  the reject rolls (fugly cali rolls made by the busboy) but these rolls were really good. Salmon steak seemed smallish but looked delicious and mouthwatering.

I had the Snow Roll (baked whitefish, avocado, cream cheese) thumbs up I can't even explain how much I liked this. I also tried the uni (sea urchin shooter) How could I not order it? It was 6.95 and was served in ponzu with green onion and fish egg garnish. Uni tastes like very soft, very mild oysters, a little more "ocean" taste.

Plus-locale great, fancy, relatively inexpensive, Happy hour prices, attentive-ish staff, snow roll, spicy tuna is the best I've ever tasted , delicate & not overwhelmed by spicy mayo junk.
3 - Lesly S.: My sister recommended Ami for a quick dinner when we were looking for something tasty and close to my hotel, and it was a great find. Dinner for three was a  deal, thanks to a bit of budget sushi. I know that sounds wrong, but you know what I mean--the quality was great and most of the rolls we selected were 50% off, and the waiter was kind enough to point out when we had ordered two rolls and really only needed one. I had a two item bento box with some awesome Chinese style ribs. They taste exactly like those I get from Trader Joes, and with two items I was totally stuffed.
2 - Jenny S.: cheap but service is soooo lame

first of all JUST because you are a big party and gratuity is included DOESNT MEAN you treat your customers like they are eating at mcdonalds.. I mean..

the wasabi soy sauce plates they gave us were TINY plastic take out sauce holders that barely fit a sushi roll.. the plates they gave us look so un-japanese esque.. they were like saucers for tea.. they got my order wrong.. and unlike other sushi restaurants were not even trying to satisfy the customer and say "we can change it for you".. 

never again.. menu SO LIMITED.. only good thing

cheap sushi... i could fill up on that.. maybe not w/ a big group though.. maybe just take some TO GO..
5 - Hanna H.: After a few more times of eating here, I seriously think it is the best sushi place I have gone to thus far. Just wanted to update a few points that I've already made:

- UCLA students get 15% discount, not 10%.
- Tempura dipping sauce here is DELICIOUS! I love tempura in general, but once, I ate at Yamato, the sushi place across from Ami, and their dipping sauce completely ruined it! Ami's is perfect and super yummy!
- They will give you one dipping sauce of spicy orange mayo for free upon request, but any extras will cost something like $1 more.
- My favorite sushi roll here is the shrimp tempura roll. They drizzle it with eel sauce (which I think is basically the same as teriyaki sauce?)--other places I've eaten at don't do this. It really adds to the flavor and makes it less dry.
- Now they have 50% appetizers--I think between 5pm-8pm. 
- Service is still pretty slow and not very friendly, but not particularly hostile or bad other than that.
3 - Stacy I.: One of those trendy, not-so-authentic sushi places.  It's a great "going out to dinner" spot for UCLA students, but I would imagine that local Westwood residents stay away.  Prices are good with the BruinCard discount.  Servers don't speak English very well or are just shy.

It's best to share a couple sushi rolls--those humongous eight-ingredient combinations--with a group; I especially like the baby scallop roll.  Don't get an entree here.
4 - Diana T.: After having Kabuki's happy hour sushi I was very iffy about trying another place but Ami was much better than expected.  Happy hour is definitely worth it here for 2 for 1 sake, cocktails, and large beers (~6.95 each).  The sushi itself was tasty and they give you 8 pieces per order which is ridiculous.  House sake wasn't anything amazing but it did it's job.  I recommend the tempura app, agedashi tofu, yellowtail with jalapeno, eel roll, and the spicy rolls were all good.  Okay I think I recommended everything I ate that night except the CA roll which is never that amazing anyway.  From 5-7 pm, get your drink on here.
4 - Dani S.: In this economy, 1/2 off sushi is exactly what I needed! My co-worker and I were totally stuffed and we each had a doggie bag full of sushi and only spent $32 for lunch. Definitely a good way to spend those damn stimulus checks!
1 - Diana T.: What a disappointment. The waiter was not attentive at all, the food was horrible, fish was not fresh, rolls falling apart, restaurant very VERY dim, food took forever to come to our table, will not come back again.
1 - Andy T.: slow service ruined this experience. the place had 2 servers and only one sushi chef on a saturday afternoon.

the chef moved around like a snail and really did not seem to care about how long people waited for their food. nobody came by to check for drink refills and the last dish to arrive and probably the easiest to make was tobiko nigiri. 



decent food but terrible service. i will never return.
3 - Soleil D.: more like 3.5 stars. 

Taste wise it's okay, but price wise it's awesome! It's half off sushi from open to close now! yay! I don't know if they still give a discount for ucla students...forgot to ask. Atmosphere is nice, and calm. The waiters are kind of slow but they're really nice.
5 - May W.: Wow, it's been a while since I last dined at Ami!!  Last night, I was here during HAPPY HOUR (5-7PM) so all appetizers, and alcohol (we didn't get any) were 50% off.  My friend and I ordered fresh oysters on the half shell, yellowtail collar (mmm, good), salmon sushi, spicy yellowtail roll, salmon roll, spider roll, and jalapeno poppers (warning: this is really spicy!).  The total came out to be less than $34 thanks to the happy hour and UCLA discount (15% off regular priced food).  There was so much food on the table that we doubted whether we could even finish everything.  In the end, we did have leftovers so I took them home for my second dinner!
2 - Stephanie N.: Service BLOWS here. 1 star for service, 4 stars for sushi.

I was really really disappointed the last two times I came here. My roommate and I got here, ordered sushi and got our 2 rolls about 30 minutes later, the next time we ordered 3 rolls and it took about 40 minutes. On top of that, the waitress did not apologize and we noticed her check up on another table full of older Caucasians about 3-4 times whilst she didnt check up on us once. 

The sushi, though, is really good. I think it's one of the better places in Westwood, which is a shame because I can't decide if I would come back regardless of the shitty service.
3 - Jeremy E.: One of the nicer decorated restaurants in Westwood. Definitely on the dark romantic side, but it is pretty expensive and the cost does not justify the taste.

The cool thing about this place is that it is what somebody would expect a sushi place to look like in a movie. But, if you have been to a few sushi places you realize it doesn't matter if it costs so much for so little. 

I don't hate it, but I don't love it either. My reaction to this place is: ehhh.
3 - Aubrey S.: Ami is characterized by 2 things: fresh, delicious sushi, and terrible service.

I would argue that Ami offers the freshest sushi in Westwood. It doesn't smell fishy when you enter, and everything is nicely prepared. I've tried a wide variety of things on the menu, and I've never been disappointed with the quality.

And as everyone else is saying, the service sucks. Waiters are slow and unattentive. 

Also, despite the nicely decorated, dim atmosphere, there's a huge big screen TV randomly playing sports games (in a quiet sushi restaurant, really??), and the music goes back and forth from 90s easy listening to Kanye. Random.

If you have the patience to wait for stupid waiters, but are looking for good sushi, give Ami a try.
2 - Teena S.: HORRIBLE HORRIBLE SERVICE. 

while 3 waitresses were struggling to keep restaurant operations moving fluidly - the manager was getting drunk with some patrons while guests waited 20 minutes for backed up orders - and another 20 minutes just to get their cc processed for their bill.

nothing terrible regarding the food - if you are a sushi snob then stay away- the fish / sushi here is only half decent but way above avg if you compare it to yamatos down the street.

it was just incomprehensible to me on how management was so oblivious in the poor service and the struggles and failures of the wait staff while he was just taking shots of sake with one table... 

wont be back.

 if i ever have a craving for fish - and want slow and incompetent students to serve me with imbecile managers ill go to wahoos fish tacos.
3 - Dorothy X.: Personally,  if I wanted Westwood sushi for a cheap price, i liked Sushi Mura better before they closed it down. The food here took forever to get to our table, and we had to ask the waitress for it three times. People aren't lying when they say that service is bad here. We ordered crunchyroll, dynomite and crazy roll. Crunchy roll could've been crunchier, and the popcorn shrimp that came with the crazy was soggy. I think coming here during happy hour would be better so you can order more items. If you want a romantic loungey atmosphere,  coming here wouldn't be bad. I have to admit the interior decorating was very nice.
2 - Derek L.: I've been here several times for sushi. It isn't the best place for sushi in Westwood, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to try. 

The sushi here is not spectacularly tasty or special, but if you just want regular sushi, this place will not disappoint. 

The big problem with this restaurant (and apparently many other sushi restaurants around Westwood) is that they have terrible service. I could never get the attention of any of the servers despite raising my hand and calling for them. Food here took over 30 minutes to get; the table next to us, who had arrived around 10 minutes after us, had already received their entire dinner before we received even 1 of the 3 rolls we had ordered.

Conclusion: Nothing special about sushi here. The atmosphere is also nothing to be crazy about. Service here is terrible.
1 - Daniel C.: Went here on a Sunday evening.  Restaurant was at about 35% capacity.  I have never experienced such poor service from a supposed "sushi" restaurant.  It took approximately 1 hour for 3 orders of sushi rolls to come out.  With three sushi chefs behind the counter, it's a wonder we managed to muster the patience to wait.   Our waitress was extremely rude; when we asked her what the status of our food was (40 min in) she said she would go check, and never returned.  In fact, 10 min later she walked by us as if nothing had happened.  When the food actually came, another disappointment.  The rolls were tiny, unappetizing, and in my opinion bland.  We all know you shouldn't come to these types of places for real sushi, so if you're easily satisfied with mediocre rolls with stupid names, as well as horrendous service, by all means be their guest.   Otherwise go to a real sushi place like sasabune (a few miles away).  For those of you that gave this place 5 stars I have to question your judgment.
1 - Uy T.: I've been here a total of four times over a span of three years. My first experience was the best. It was my birthday and I had the Chilean Sea Bass and it was cooked perfectly. They didn't give me free dessert or anything, but the food was worth it.

Unfortunately, they've gone downhill since then. I went here for an office lunch and the food and service were acceptable. However, I recently went here again with my girlfriend two months ago and the time it took for our food to arrive was unacceptable. From the time we sat down, it took 1.5 hours for our food to get here. The restaurant was hardly busy at all. We saw people sitting at the sushi bar arrive at the same time, but FINISHED their meal before we even got our food.

Service can be a bit rude, food can be mediocre, but making me wait is the absolute one thing I can not forgive.
1 - Carissa T.: My friends and I came to this restaurant and ordered 3 bento boxes. We waited almost 2 and a half hours for our food. It was not packed when we got to the restaurant and by the time we left, we were probably the last ones in the restaurant. The waiter told us after 40 minutes the food was coming out.  He lied.  After an hour, he told us he lost our orders. I asked for a deep discount. He gave us a 50% discount, but we left the restaurant unsatisfied with the food and service. Avoid this place if you care about your time.
3 - Catherine T.: The discount is definitely a plus, however the food comes out very SLOWLY, even if you aren't there during Happy Hour.  Service is ok, they refill your drinks a lot since you're stuck waiting so long.
Once you finally get the food it's generally very delicious, I haven't found one I didn't like yet!  Las Vegas, Dynamite, and Baby Lobster are three of my favorites.
4 - Tita L.: It was our lunch hour and had to head back to campus for a 1:00 o'clock. We were in a rush and rang my friend Carmen who was already there to pre-order some miso soup and rice to get a little bit of a head start.
We show up and look around and recognize the top of my friend's mane at a booth mid-restaurant. I was pretty surprised how nice the place is inside. I'd walked by it at least a hundred times and just figured it was a hole in the wall joint. To my surprise, the place was actually very hip-lookin'--all black with a beautiful red stair case in the middle that leads to the upper level, with generous A/C and cool electro/pop music.

I ordered the mackerell lunch entree that comes with soup, salad and rice. Mackerell was tasty, miso soup and rice were bland and salad was fresh and crisp. I guess I could've added Soy sauce to my rice, but opted not to since Miso soup is already high on the sodium tip. Everything came in a Japanese black meal box and there was even an orange slice surprise to clean the palate after the great meal. 

My friend had the Dynamite roll that was deeelicious. I rudely overhelped myself to the standard single bite when people offer a taste and had about four! it was so good.

I'm determined to return and order one all to myself with a side of tempura ice-cream. They say one should always set goals to maintain Happiness.

Going back to Ami, is one of mine.

Ami, much like me, is a total package: nice ambiance, good food, reasonable priced and great service. 

The place seems perfect for a private party. I secretly fantasized standing at the top of the stairwell, in a slinky black dress in new Louboutin heels (to match the stairwell), waving "we're up here" to friends to celebrate some greatness life has to offer---okay, it was really Derek Jeter who showed with an exotic single stemmed black callalilly.

Happiness is setting goals, right...

Oh yeah, and Sushi/Rolls are 50% off.
AND
an additional 10% discount with your Bruincard!
3 - Erica L.: Ami Sushi is a pretty good place for a date.  It has a great atmosphere, big televisions if you want to watch a game, and enough seating for big parties.  

However, some cons are the fact that the service is a bit slow and the raw sushi is only okay.  It's usually a hit or miss depending on the night.  But if you're looking for a place with good atmosphere, then this place is perfect.
1 - Lawrence C.: Apparently you have to give a restaurant some type of star...i tried giving Ami a zero.

I've been going to Ami for years.  It's a relatively good price for sushi in westwood, but has been going down hill for years.  After the service/food i received today, I shall no longer come here.  I shall list out my grievances, Martin Luther style.

I.  They told us they didn't have enough of those square soy sauce dishes, and that they would come out after they were done washing them.  How the duck does a japanese restaurant not have enough of the dishes for wasabi and soy sauce?
II.  Tried obtaining glasses of water.  6 tries.  Maybe they didn't have enough glasses either.
III.  Random Fact: Miso soup takes 40 minutes to make and 2 ordering attempts before they will give it to you.
IV:  Sushi is not sushi if there's more rice and sauce than there is fish.  
V:  Wasabi often looks like play-doh.  It should never taste like it.
...
XCV: "I'm on a boat" is not a song that aids in enchancing the atmosphere of a dim lit restaurant with dark decor
1 - Leo L.: Terrible service, our server dropped the plate on the table, which kinda scared my friend. So we left a $5 tip for two person, slightly under 10%.  When my credit card statement comes out, Ami charged the bill + 20% tip. It was exact 20%, so I doubt it was a mistake. Outrageous! We will never come back there again. Need to call my CC company to correct the charge.
2 - Tory A.: The big bonus is the 1/2 sushi and maki served on weekdays during happy hour. Unfortunately the big bonus is just about the only bonus. The layout of the place is nice, and it can feel intimate, and the sushi itself is adequate. The real problem with this place is the service, which I would rate as being fairly subpar. Often times you will wait for fifteen or more minutes before seeing the server again, and their servers (while being generally genial and cute) forget to refill drinks, bring the wrong rolls to your table and take forever to give you your check. That, plus overly loud "trendy" music, lowers the value of Ami's in my humble opinion. There are better options in Westwood (Tomodachi, Sushi Mura) so I say avoid when at all possible. The crunch roll is yummy though.
3 - Momo O.: living in westwood, i come here often because...
1) HAPPY HOUR, 50% alllll day/everyday for sushi! (just the plain ones.. salmon, spicy tuna, albacore etc.)
2) discount with bruincard
3) BABY LOBSTER ROLL :)
4) great atmosphere

yamatos - which is down the street has happy hour too, but ami's def has better sushi. 

slow service, so just be patient.
2 - Hannah K.: I say yelp pretty much hit it right on the mark with a 3-star average. I would give it a 2.5... but rounding down bc of the service - see below.

Service - friendly but S L  O   W. Our water glasses were COMPLETELY drained and we had to ask for them to be refilled before they came around again after serving our food. Service - 2 stars.

Food - completely average. Reminds me of Sushi House in Alameda (http://www.yelp.com/biz/sushi-house-alameda) but not as good. 

Decor - LOL. I walked in and thought I was going clubbing for a moment. It's all red velvet and black. A little weird for a sushi spot... maybe trying to be super luxe and cool? I didn't love it, but it didn't detract from the mediocre food. 

Will I come again? Probably -- it's close to school. But will I want to? Not really. Just an okay place.
4 - Marthie D.: When I lived in Westwood, my brother and I always loved coming here. We got a student discount which was about 10% off, which was totally useful since the prices here are kind of high. 

Let's start with service. The service here is actually a toss up. Sometimes it could be good while sometimes extremely horrible, which is why I can't give this place 5 stars.

The ambiance and restaurant itself is beautiful. The restaurant is two stores with a large beautiful staircase. Usually large parties are held upstairs and smaller groups below. This is a great place for a date, considering the intimate lights. 

The sushi I love! The Las Vegas Roll is soo good that I have to savor every moment of it, including smelling it. (I'm a sushi lover alright!) Plus the pieces are so big that I have to eat a piece in two bites.  For the dessert, you should definitely get the deep fried ice cream. Nice round ball of tempura with sweet green tea ice cream inside. 

A good tip is to park in the parking lot across the street. 2 hours free before 6pm!
3 - chris c.: sushi is average. not as fresh as can be, but still ok. 
service was ok  for us, not as bad as some people say.
BUT the weird thing was that they 'ran out' of soy sauce platters?? what the hell? this is a japanese place right? and there are only like four or five other parties here? interesting.. the waiter gave us the plastic take out soy sauce containers to use. damn thats cheap haha.
2 - Kathy J.: Their portions are not bad, but the taste of this place isn't so good. I would give this place a 2.5 for its effort (location and food), considering it is probably one of the better sushi places in Westwood area near UCLA. 

I came with my brother on a whim for a sushi place since he lives near there. We decided to check this out as from the outside it seems to look nice. Don't go there during the afternoon from 1-5pm) when the sun is high cause depending on where you sit, you could be blinded by the big window they have! 

Onto the food part: We ordered mainly rolls (california, salmon, spicy tuna, and shrimp). They were okay as they taste about the same in most restaurants. The fish seems pretty fresh. Maybe the sashimi would have tasted better. 

The special rolls were the most blah. One of them, crunch roll, was not up to my expectation. Surely, I understand how some Japanese places would try to deep fry their rolls and that would be considered  a "crunchy roll." Ami's crunch roll was far from that. I guess they want to be more authentic in a sense, but most Japanese restaurants that offer these special rolls don't! The roll looked like a spicy mayo tuna roll with splattered tempura on top.... And the taste.....Ugh. My brother and I immediately thought the same thing and blurted out how the Crunch roll tasted like Frito chips! How horrible. I wish I had gotten my Japanese-American crunch roll instead.


On top of that, I was reading Marthie D.'s comment, my brother is a student at UCLA but they did not even ask if we could get a student discount! That blows, how would we know if they offer student discounts???

Service was only okay, too. Come here if you can't go anywhere else.
4 - Meredith D.: While sushi restaurants are a dime a dozen there are certain things you look for when putting raw fish into your mouth. Freshness, a good selection of rolls and sushi, sake and beer and a nice decor to sit in and enjoy your tasty delights. Ami has all these things and more.

Located in the heart of Westwood Village, with a huge space where people can come, sit inside or out, 1st or second floor, or even at the sushi bar, this place will rarely ever have you waiting for a seat but will always have you sitting in anticipation. With a happy hour that rivals many, where sushi, sake and beer are half priced you'll get your fill for...well half the price. 

With intricate rolls like their baby lobster, where a California roll is decadently drizzled in lobster and sauce, or a Blue Crab roll where the California roll is taken to new levels will real delicious blue crab you'll be licking your lips for every last drop with every bite. They do of course have a larger menu where those who aren't fishcaterians can enjoy tasty meats and veggies but of course go for the rolls that will leave you so stuffed after 8 giant pieces that you'll think you just had a hamburger.

With a friendly and always fast staff you'll be able to order your food, eat it too and enjoy the ambiance it has to offer, inside and out.
2 - Mikolas S.: Back when I was a freshman (4 years ago), I thought Ami was amazing. Friendly, attentive staff, great sushi, good portions. It seems as if times have changed. The sushi quality has gone downhill. Way downhill. Last time I went, the portions looked like they were 3/5 of what they once were. And the rice was falling off the rolls when I tried to pick them up. Really now? Skimping on rice quality? I don't know what went wrong, but Ami is a mere vestige of what it once was, at least in my eyes. Sure, everything still looks the same, I always liked the decor and setup, but this place has lost its soul- the food it serves just isn't near what it used to be. 

I used to jump at any invitation to eat here, now I just politely decline. My friend was planning a birthday dinner here for a party of around 20 people. She made reservations the day before, and when we all got to the restaurant, the hostess claimed no reservation had been made. Naturally there was a little freaking out involved. Turns out whoever accepted the reservation had simply written it on a post-it and tacked it to the board, instead of logging it in a book or notifying someone. Luckily they had space for us, but I'm fairly certain that that was the last nail in the coffin for my relationship with Ami. Small portions, below average quality sushi, too pricey for what they give. 2 stars.
5 - charlie j.: I m Korean #1 (World #5) portal site"the NAVER" great LosAngeles area Bloger.
If u korean plz visit my NAVER blog Ami Japanese Review Korean version. 
http://blog.naver.com/xcreative/120089608601

Price : very good. 
50% off and UCLA student ID discount, and happy hour..
It s very Good.  $$$$$$ 

Service : very good.
Our table more than 10 times refills.. and super special order..
service perfect. (1:30pm-2:50pm) 
Look my upload pic, and Check quility

Taste : good.
fresh, crispy, Delicious...

Place : High ceiling and good interior... 
I Love this Place!!!!!  ^.^;

specially today i took pic that place..Thanks for allow pic!!!!!
Ami's good place to eat!!    

this is my first review on Yelp. 
Thanks for reading my review..
4 - Lily J.: The food was yummy.
Service was  ok.
Good happy hour.
Price is good.
They have good tapas as well as sushi.
Walking distance to UCLA, 3 movie theaters and a lot of little shops.
1 - Walid A.: We first had the Ami-experience in early summer when my cousins graduated from UCLA. The strip in Westwood was packed but we had reservations for dinner. We had about 20 people and in the upstairs room. Our waitress was half-absent, half-way interested in our table, and half-way helpful. Drinks took about 20 minutes, refills took equally long. extra chop sticks, soy sauce (she gave us one for 20 people) went dry instantly and we had to walk downstairs to borrow one from a table. At a certain point, we grew increasing annoyed because we wanted to order alcohol, dessert, and more food. It's almost as if they could care less we were there. Then we asked for the bill, got it 20 minutes later. They were terrible. The service was so bad, she was so absent that we (the guests) went behind the counter of the bar upstairs and helped ourselves. I know, I know.... you're thinking we are thieves but had you been so ignored, you would justify the actions also.

Last night we went back to Ami. We went there because my cousin moved to Westwood and he wanted sushi. The place had happy hour so we went. Let me break it down: The tea was luke warm. The service was OK, but the last waiter was an ass. When we asked for extra ginger, he said that he had to charge us a dollar. Seriously? Seriously you cheap F**cks? it's not that the $1 that bothered us, it's that they charge a dollar and said "The Price of Sushi went up guys, sorry but we have to charge". Then we gave 3 cards to pay the bill, annoying I know. But that's how we wanted to pay. The guy says that we can only pay with 2 cards. That's illegal you jack ass! I have a business and that is illegal to say that. You can have your card services revoked if enough people complain. So he suddenly decides they can take 3 cards after my cousin says, "There are more rules here than the constitution". So he took our cards and messed up how we wanted the bill broken down. Me thinks he did it on purpose! I swear he did! So homeboy got a big fat ZERO tip and I think he deserved that!
5 - mavel r.: This place is greAt! Fresh Delicious sushi, the service was great...We happened to be here during happy hour so we got two for one drinks! I really liked the the decor as well a combination of wood and concrete, dark awesome place.  Will come back!
3 - Loran H.: Food: 3.5 stars
Service: 1.5 stars
Atmosphere: 3.5

I'm torn on what to rate this place, because it's so hit or miss.  I decided to go with 3 stars because for some reason unknown to me, I keep coming back.

I'll start out with the main reason I come here (and I assume most people), the prices.  A UCLA ID gets you 15% off regularly priced items (not including booze).  They have "50% off" sushi and basic rolls, but this is a gimmick.  While the prices are cheap, when they started this promo, they just jacked up their prices a bit and then cut them in half.  And it's "50% off" all the time, so that's not really 50% off.  Happy hour is good, from 4pm-7pm drinks are buy 1 get the 2nd for a penny.  Kind of dumb, I don't know why they don't just do 2 for 1, but whatever, I got some deep pockets.

Anywho, the rolls are decent here, and it makes for a quick healthy lunch if you sit at the bar.  Nothing really to remark on about the food here, other than that it's decent sushi with a more fusion/american inspired flair on the special rolls, i'm sure you wouldn't find any of this in Japan.

Now for the service...

It has improved somewhat recently, but at times it is downright TERRIBLE.  I have gone with a group of friends and made reservations before.  They kept our reservation correctly, sat us down and large table upstairs...AND FORGOT ABOUT US.  I literally went downstairs and yelled at the hostess to give us menus after 30 minutes.  Absolutely ridiculous.  I normally tip 20%, and I have stiffed them here on the tip before because service was that awful.  They seem to have taken the hint and improved service and hired a new waitstaff and manager, however they still have problems.  Now they can be incredibly over attentive.  Servers are not assigned specific sections or tables, everyone is responsible for anyone.  So, with a group of 4 people, you can end up with 10 waters on the table.  You are constantly bombarded with a server asking if they can get you drinks.  I certainly appreciate them trying to improve service, but it's begun to get in the way of being able to have a conversation.

The solution:  SIT AT THE SUSHI BAR if you aren't with a large group.  The chefs are attentive and friendly, and occasionally will offer you creations on the house if you've ordered well.  I went here for lunch this past Monday, and chef Jun was friendly, attentive, and lightning quick.  I had my first roll in front of me in less than 2 minutes after giving him my order.  

This place needs to get someone with real restaurant experience to streamline operations, but as far as food goes, it's a decent bite to eat.
3 - Vicky V.: So you're in Westwood, most likely sitting in your dorm or leaving a late night class and it hits you-the sushi craving. You run through the options and before you know you're debating between Tomodachi or Ami's. San Sai and Yamato are terrible so you don't even need to consider them. Anyway this is how I've always made my decision: 
If I want more ambiance (maybe for a date) or just need some tranquility then I think Ami's is where you should go. If you want a more busy scene with some hussel and bussel with slightly tastier, but less elegant rolls than I'd go to Tomodachi. 
Both places serve up westernized sushi best suited for the roll fanatics who like to share, sorry but they're catering to the Westwood crowd.
Suggestions:
Hawaiian Roll
Ultimate Albacore
Spider Roll

Ami tends to cover most of their rolls with this think creamy mayo based sauce, total turn off for me whereas Tomodachi prefers to douse their's in eel sauce. I just tell the chef to hold the white sauce. The nigiri at both places is meager and more rice than fish, but makes sense at these prices. Honestly didn't care for the bora bora and have never ordered it again (rich, salty, and just a big mess).

So If you're with a group of friends who like sushi sharing family style and aren't pretentious about how the fish has to be rigor mortis fresh, then both places are acceptable.  There are about 8 pieces to a roll and you'll probably pay about $20 a person.

TIP: 15% discount with UCLA ID, happy hour 4-7pm is mostly nigiri style
1 - Lily H.: Everytime I go to this I regret it completely and this last time I promised myself never again! The decor is nice but the quality is really terrible. We had spicy tuna biscuit and it was an old hard crusty hocky puck of rice with a lump of bad quality tuna. I think I may chipped a tooth on that rice. 

The rolls were totally over priced, messy, and gross. They gave us a hard time ordering our lunch special and it was just annoying bad service. 

Never going again!
1 - A S.: This review's a little over a year old, but I haven't been back to Ami since this incident.  We had a party of 12 come for a friend's birthday last year; made reservations beforehand, so they seated us at a huge table up top and quickly got our drink orders to get us started.  We place our orders as table halves (6 people per check); about half of each group orders the dinner box while the other half of each group orders rolls.  Ten minutes later, my side of the table gets their dinner boxes.  Another ten minutes later, the far side of the table gets dinner boxes and sushi.  We wait another five minutes (so my steak teriyaki has been cooling untouched for 15 minutes), then ask the waitress where the rest of our table's sushi is.  She gives some halfhearted explanation about it taking a while, then rudely tells us to be patient.  Another fifteen minutes go by, I ask for the manager.  A full HOUR after my food came out, the waitress brings out the last 3 people's sushi.

I speak with the manager and he offers no sympathy.  He explains that they get lots of sushi orders but few dinner box orders, so the chefs making dinner boxes fill their orders more quickly.  No explanation for the HOUR long wait, and he completely ignores when I bring up that half our table received their sushi quickly.  After two separate talks with him, he refused to modify our gratuity to match the (abysmal) service we received. 

I frequented Ami for 3 years before this incident, but they won't be getting my business again.  The restaurant had been gradually in decline after changing owners, but this level of disrespect to their customers was atrocious.
3 - Mimi T.: 4 stars for food, but 1 star for service so I would give them 3 stars. I love their rolls like the baby lobster roll and such. The service really sucks. I probably won't be coming back anytime soon.
2 - Eric S.: Went for lunch, sat outside for some lunchtime rolls. The service was fine, but the sushi was sub-par. I don't eat in Westwood much, but this wouldn't pass for edible on the East side. Too much mayo in the spicy albacore, too little fish in the eel roll and the spicy tuna looked old. The fish at the counter looked old and dry. At least it was a cheap FAIL.
3 - Andrew M.: The ambience is nice. The prices? So-so. The sushi? It's in decline.

The sake and hamachi I ordered were not fresh at all. The rolls were still pretty tasty (The Tiger, Dragon, and UCLA), but I wanted some good quality raw fish to go along with these less authentic indulgences. 

I've heard that Ami's has bad service, but so far, I've been pretty lucky. All-day happy hour makes the regular sushi 50% off, and happy hour gives you discounts on the appetizers. 

They take reservations for large parties, and the atmosphere is very nice. For quality stuff, you should try Tomodachi a block north.

UCLA students: 15% with BruinCard!
3 - Michael L.: Good:
 - Cheap! Half-off sushi, reasonable prices on rolls.
 - Tasty specialty (re: Americanized) rolls! Love the Vegas roll.
 - Cheap parking across the street! Free if you get in before 6pm.
 - Pleasant ambience, lighting's a little dim - good for a date.
 - 15% off with Bruin Card. :)

Bad:
 - Not a place for authentic sushi.
 - Freshness of the fish is hit and miss.

Best To Go When:
You're craving some indulgent, fatty special rolls.
You're not looking to eat authentic Japanese food.
You need a date spot that looks decent but doesn't burn cash.

Bottomline:
If you want real Japanese cuisine, you're going to have to walk down the street to Isshin Restaurant or take a drive down to Sawtelle.

But for cheap Korean-made sushi, Ami is a definite win. It's a little more intimate than Yamato and the quality's half a notch better - though Ami's prices reflect that.
3 - Andy N.: In the words of my supervisor that JUST discovered AMIs after being at UCLA for six years... "OMG the Baby Lobster Roll is BOMB Y'all!"  ...and hell yea it is!

Amis does this weird thing with their sushi prices where a lot of the nigiri and rolls are already priced as "half off" even when it isn't happy hour.  The only real benefit of happy hour is that you get half off appetizers and the second drink you buy will be 1 cent, last time I remember.

It is extremely dim inside; I guess to give off that personal atmosphere.  However, the blaring top 40 music that they play in the background certainly seems off.  The thing I hate about Amis is that SERVICE BLOWS...  Everytime I've come here I've had to hunt down a server for us, and the food honestly takes a long time to come out.  I was getting hungrier and hungrier while waiting for the rolls we ordered.

With that said, I would say that the nigiri here comes in good deals, and that the baby lobster roll really is good.  A bunch of small, creamy cooked lobster pieces piled over California rolls... mmm.  That's probably the one reason why I would come back to Amis.  All in all, this sushi joint is decent enough, but you can definitely find better places over at Sawtelle or on Santa Monica.

Howeverm when you bring a friend for a birthday, they give you a free order of fried tempura ice cream.  ++
5 - Yvonne L.: Baby lobster roll is delicious. Food here in general is delicious and the prices aren't too bad either.  It's definitely hands down the best sushi place in Westwood.
2 - Charles M.: Ive been here twice, and I dont think I'm ever coming back just because of the lack of professionalism and service. If you can ignore this, its a good place for sushi and friends.

Pros:
1. Prices. Cheap for basic rolls such as tuna, salmon, stuff to get you started is under 4 bucks. More fancy rolls that really fill you up cost around 10ish.

Beer prices not so good. 4 dollars for a bottle of Asahi. 7 for a larger size.

2. Food taste: rolls taste fine. some are filling and will satisfy you and a date for under 25 bucks. 

Cons:
1. Service. Waitresses are always bitchy, and have a condescending vibe. They pretend like they care, but they treat you like the run of the mill idiot college guy who doesnt derserve a normal sushi experience as any other restuarant would give. 

Examples. I wave my hand in gesture for service the response i get is "Whats up." Cmon, just because I'm 21, doesnt mean im your bro. Act professional.

second example. NO WASABI OR GINGER or a Dish for soy sauce? These items are mandatory, I cant eat sushi without them. When i ask for these, some guy puts down two large mismatching plates. what am i supposed to do with this? My girlfriend is annoyed and asks if we can atleast get a new set of plates that match. The waitress takes away the plates, and 1 second later brings back the same exact plates still mismatching. I tell her to just give it up. 

anyway, i said i would keep this review short, but these experiences just bothered me deeply. I think the manager should retrain these employees to treat the customer with more respect, and give a more professional experience.
3 - Elaine W.: Came here for a friend's birthday dinner. Some of the rolls were really knock-outs, like the baby lobster roll and the Las Vegas. Mmm tasty! Not as cheap as Yamato down the street though.

There's a discount for UCLA students but other than that only the basic sushi rolls are less than $5 (e.g. cali, philly, spicy tuna etc.). The fancy rolls, aka the chef's specials, range from around $7 to $13. There's also a happy hour deal involving appetizers.

Ambiance is nothing special. Kind of almost feels like a bar, rather than a sushi restaurant, what with the random top 40 pop/hip-hop/R&B playing and the TVs on the wall tuned to ESPN.

Overall not bad. I would consider possibly coming back.
2 - Jerry P.: We went to see the movie Legion- be sure to see it. Its not what you and others may think its about. And while walking out of the movie or driving home, you'll say, "Oh, that's what going on". 

We first had 6 falafel's and shared a salad at Falafel King to calm our grumbling. It was ok. Salad good, falafel over cooked. 

Saw the movie, and as we were about to go home , and a bit hungry and it was 10pm, we saw this place we had never been to. 

The interior is real nice. They spent some money on this place. They have an upstairs. There was high volume music being played, but not high enough to make me leave like we would normally do. We could go someplace else. 

We sat at the bar, no wet towels offered. It is policy. 

The fish was big and fresh. The rice was terrible. Hard in spots and not compact. And I told them my opinion. The hand scallop rolls were good, but the green rap should have come with a pair of scissors. 

The prices are very reasonable, but no reason to come back.
4 - SOPHIE A.: This place is great. You just have to know the secrets.
1) go for happy hour... appetizers and drinks are half price, along with many of their rolls and dishes. You can walk away with a tab of 30 dollars for 3 people!! (yes! for sushi!!)
2) ASK THE SUSHI CHEF'S WHAT'S FRESH. this is vital!!! They will be honest with you, and that is what you should order.
3) be ready for a college scene: i.e. University sweatshirts and loud trendy music. Embrace it. Have some fun! :)
1 - Wesley T.: I really hate this place, everytime i crave sushi, I think 'I'll give ami another chance' and I always regret it. Their sushi always comes with toppings all over the place, the sushi falls apart when you try to pick it up. and the service is just...horrible.

Las time I came here, a waitress asked me if I wanted more water, I said yes. and she walked away and started playing with her little monitor station thats located at several places in the restaurant. I asked another waiter for water, he says 'more water? ok' and he also walks away and starts playing with his little monitor. I had to ask a third time to finally get a sip of water from this place.

They got a nickel as tip, and they dont even deserve it.
3 - Jean L.: 3.5 stars

I don't give near four stars for a fusion sushi place - much prefer the authentic japanese restaurants. Nonetheless...

The baby lobster roll. Let me repeat - the baby lobster roll. Hefty, generous chunks of lobster in a gastronomic heap on cut rolls. 

Also got a 'real crab' cut roll. It was my second favorite, sans extras, a good reprieve from the mayotastic or spiciness of the other rolls.

The rest of their 'fusion' rolls don't have much variety. We also ordered a spicy tuna w/ jalapeno, and I tried to find another non-fried/non-tempura roll, but saw only spicy tuna...or spicy yellowtail, but also w/ jalapeno. 

I had no issues with the quality of the pieces. It's a no frills place for sushi full of frills. So if you want generous portions of nicknamed fusion rolls, I'd come here. Prices are good, and service was fast. Tea was refilled frequently, and you don't need reservations due to plenty of seating.
4 - Colleen M.: We had a reservation at 6:30 for a small group of six on a Saturday night, and surprisingly enough, Ami wasn't even close to being packed. We were quickly seated by the windows, and the service was, unlike other reviews, very attentive.

Most of us ordered bento boxes because they were such a deal - $12.95 for two items, rice, salad, and miso soup? I had the roasted fish and shrimp and vegetable tempura, and the tempura batter was cooked to perfection. The mackerel, though fresh, wasn't too amazing, but whatever, I didn't expect much from it anyway.

On other occasions, I've had rolls and sashimi; I HIGHLY recommend the hamachi (yellow tail) sashimi, because it was unbelievably fresh. The rolls are decent, though they do fall apart quite easily, but to no cost of the taste. The freshwater eel roll is the way to go.

If secretly informed of a birthday, they'll serve the birthday patron fried ice cream with a lit candle! A friend told our waiter, and he pulled out the magical dessert at the end of our meal. Best waiter ever, no?

Keep in mind that if you go to UCLA, you get an extra 15% off with ID! And happy hour is from 4 (or 5?) to 7, but discounts mainly apply to the appetizers.

A minus (or to some, a plus) would be that they play some really bizarre music. Think techno-remix Phantom of the Opera. Yeah.
3 - Samantha M.: It looks really dark from the outside, and it's still very dark on the inside, but it was a nice atmosphere that would be more ideal for dinner than lunch. I did, however come here for lunch on a weekday and it was nice because the place was pretty empty so the service was pretty attentive.

Between two people, we ordered sesame chicken, a baby lobster roll and a UCLA roll. The sesame chicken was battered chicken pieces that came out hot and crispy with a really good sweet chili dipping sauce. The baby lobster roll was california roll topped with baked lobster. And the UCLA roll had so much stuff on it that I didn't even know what I was eating anymore. I didn't appreciate how the rolls fell apart pretty easily. Overall the food was not that bad and was priced pretty similarly to other sushi restaurants.

They accomodate large groups of people because there is an upstairs level that is removed from the main dining area.
5 - Gerry P.: It has been a while since I have had really good sushi so I was BLOWN AWAY when I grabbed a quick lunch here and had the freshest and most delicious cuts of sushi I have had in quite a while.  Even more shocking was that it was 50% off!

GO HERE!
4 - Christine Y.: Jun is pretty much the coolest sushi chef ever. I met him through a mutual friend, and when I sit at the bar, he crafts the most delightful and inspired dishes, not on the menu, for us to try. Various sashimi offerings paired with different sauces/veggies/toppings that just burst in your mouth. Plus, he makes the best Tiger Roll I've ever had - and I order them everywhere. The staff will toss back a drink with you if you're having fun, and even hand you a snowball of rice if you're getting too tipsy :)

The beer's always cold, the sushi's always fresh, the staff's always nice. I'd come here even if I didn't know anyone.
2 - Michelle L.: i'm kind of confused about this restaurant

i've been to ami's around dinner time before and the service has always been good... but when my sister and i came last thursday around 4 the service was abysmal. and i never use the word abysmal so it was really that bad..

we went in and the guy that was standing at the cash register looked at us. and looked back down to finish what he was doing without even acknowledging us... so my sister and i awkwardly said 'table for two...' and then he finallyy finished what he was doing and had some other girl lead us to our table

my sister and i ordered the yellowtail roll and the baby lobster roll (the whole reason we decided go to ami's) and marked our choices on the little paper that they give to select what you want. we had to wait a while for the server to pick up the paper, and when she came around my sister handed her the paper. she kind of looked at her and said 'hold on', put the paper back down, left to go do something else, and then picked it up again.

in summary
the yellowtail roll was crappy, the baby lobster roll was amazing, but the service was COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.

the next time i go when i crave baby lobster roll, the service better be impeccable! or i will completely cross ami's off my list of sushi restaurants to go to!
5 - Caroline S.: I am so thankful that I have friends who love me the way that I am.
They do not confine me to the societal norms that women should have dainty appetites and watch what they eat and how much they eat.
We celebrated my friend's birthday there the other night and had ourselves a FEAST.  I think we ordered at least 1/4 of the listed rolls. And they were ALL delicious.  I think the only thing that I wished was better was the jalpeno poppers... they were big... but maybe I just didn't enjoy them as much the second time around (I had 2 orders).  I think the part that I enjoyed the most was that each piece of the roll fit in my mouth. In one bite I could enjoy all the flavors of the sushi roll.  I've been to sushi places where the rolls are just too big to eat without having the damn thing fall apart on you. But AMI, you have created mouthfuls of wonderfulness... and I love you... I love sushi. Ami... mi amore.
3 - Steve E.: That's a shame I cannot give half stars, this would have been a 3.5. You can copy & paste my review about Yamato, just skip the part about outdoor seating and wine (which was better). Food is a little better than Yamato, but in the end it depends which place you like most, it's kind of personal.
1 - Tina C.: DON'T EVER GO TO THIS PLACE!

I used to come here  because they are pretty good at happy hours until one of the waitress argued with us.
Her name is Hana, if I remembered correctly. We asked her for something and she didn't know what we were asking for and keeping bring the wrong stuff. Later she gave us an attitude and said "what is it that you want then?" ( bad bad attitude). Then we called her over and ask her why is she talking to customers that way and she denied that she had given us attitude. 
I ask her if I could speak with the manager and she said the manager is not here. then she said, "are you going to complaint about me? if so come back tomorrow, the manager will be here tomorrow and I am not afraid of him." 
I asked for the check and left right away without touching the food. I was so ANGRY!! I This girl seriously got some problem and should not be a waitress if she is going to make customers angry. Worse thing is... I cant even complain becuase "she is not afraid of the manager" whatsoever. 
If you want to pleasant dining experience, DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE!!
2 - Pye N.: I used to come here pretty often my first year at UCLA.  Love their Las Vegas roll and Baby Lobster roll.  It's gone down over the years in my opinion.  If you're gonna eat in, I'd give it a 3.

I'm writing today though because of the last time I ordered take out from Ami.  I ordered a Vegas roll and as usual, service sucks.  They are incredibly unfriendly.

Me: How long will it take?
Ami: about 15 minutes.
Me: Okay thanks, pay. (walk around farmer's market because it was a Wednesday)
20 minutes later
Me: (wait in line with other people who want to order as the guy punches in numbers for something for about 5 minutes)
Hi, I got the Vegas roll, and I'm here to pick it up?
Ami: Oh, I'll check on it. (He stands there and continues to punch in numbers.  Did not ask anyone)
Me: Did you check on my order?
Ami: Oh, it's not ready, come in and sit.
Me: Okay (sit at a nearby table waiting for another 5 min.)
Is it ready yet?
Ami: (finally asks another girl... it's been sitting next to him the whole time) Oh here it is.
Me: sigh thanks.
Total wait time: 45 minutes

THE WORST SERVICE EVER. Damn, reliving it makes me hate them all over again.
3 - Rosalyn P.: Ive been this place couple of times becvause group of my friends were dining here.

i would never choose this place if i were to plan a dinner night.
the food is not bad. but everything is very americanized... the menu is super boring..
if you are looking for something authentic.. u shouldn't go here.

there is a broxton parking lot right next to this place. so its prob one of the only places in westwood with good parking.
5 - Clare N.: I've eaten here several times with friends and family and I've always loved this place!

I love their bento boxes, their sushi rolls (they're big and decorated very well) -- it's all so good!!

For the bento boxes, I especially recommend their sesame chicken.  SO good.

For dessert, I recommend their Green Tea Tempura Ice Cream.  You would be full after a meal at Ami, but even when you think you have no room left, this dessert comes in.  You get ONE taste and I PROMISE you will want some more. :)

In general, the waiter service is good and there is also outdoor seating.

The ambiance is nice because of the dim lighting and the simple, but very aesthetically pleasing decor.

Definitely a great place to dine with a friend, a date, and a group of friends.  

Oh, and the food doesn't take forever to get to you. :)

I don't have any complaints about Ami even after all the times I've been there.  I would really recommend this place.
4 - Barbie C.: I've eaten here more times than I can cound during my ucla years. The food was always good - their specialty rolls are delicious.

I've experienced some great lunches and dinners here and have also had some nights of painfully slow service.

Still, I would keep coming back because the food has always been fresh and delicious.
3 - Emily T.: I don't know why, but i ALWAYS come back here even though the sushi is sub-par! Well actually I know why, its because Tengu is EXPENSIVE as hell! Tomadachi is SKIMPY and SLOW, Yamato is NASTY, so that is why I come here: LARGE ASS rolls. 1 fills me up to the point where I'm gagging. 

However, now I get the half off rolls so its always HAPPY HOUR. Like the salmon roll, yellowtail roll, and scallop roll for about $3 bucks each=equivalent to 1 roll. This is how I get my fix now. The scallops roll was DELISH! 

Oh but the SPICY TUNA TEMPURA was NASTY! Do not ever get this roll. It was disgusting. The Jalapeno tasted weird.. blehhh

I will come back for the half off rolls that are ALWAYS half off. Plus UCLA ID gives 10% discount :)
4 - Jeff B.: Good sevice and good food.
2 - Andrew H.: You get what you pay for.  Their "half price" rolls are the smallest, most plain things you can imagine.  Their spicy tuna is reprehensible.  The salmon is tiny and their rice is tasteless.

Go to Yamato across the street.
1 - Marie o.: My friend and I bought got food poisoning from the california rolls there...been sick for 3 days already.
3 - Jessica R.: The service here is SUPER mediocre. Don't go if you're in a rush!

On the other hand, tasty, tasty food. And the normal rolls are always half off, so it's around $2.50 - $4 for stuff like California or Spicy Tuna rolls. My favorite specialty roll is the Crunch Roll, which is around $8. The edamame is also good. Came here all the time when I was at UCLA - I stopped by here yesterday after going to the Festival of Books.

They have a massive TV where they're showing whatever the hottest game is. Yesterday it was the Bulls-Cavs game. A few friends had birthday parties here and it was always good for groups.
3 - Mark C.: I've been to Ami a few times in the past few years.

The quick and dirty: good but expensive.

The sushi isn't brain-shattering amazing, but it's certainly not an average discount sushi mart either. It is however, a tad on the pricey side. The atmosphere however is nice. I guess that's all I have to say, I think I saw something shiny...
4 - Nate Y.: Great happy hour. Probably the best HH from 5-7 in Westwood. 1/2 price appetizers (get the chicken tempura and sashimi cocktail !) and b1g1 free drinks. Our table had 6 large sake's and 6 large bottles of Sapporo for 40 bucks :D o yea,  Ami' sushi is half off all the time too. The rolls are decent and sushi is decent as well .. when you're sober. but after 6 sakes/6beers everything pretty much tastes awesome! 

sometimes it gets very crowded during HH so reservations are recommended for larger groups. Come here for the HH and take advantage of the drinks... then there won't be any complaints about the food :)
2 - Patty F.: So I finally came to try the famous baked lobster roll and I have to say, it wasn't bad.  The lobster was super overcooked and the whole things was drowning in teriyaki sauce but the lobster chunks were sizeable and plentiful.  I actually ordered another side of the california roll finish the lobster and the sauce, which makes this a pretty good deal.  I have also had the tiger roll here which again, wasn't terrible, just drowned in sauce.  The happy hour unagi and cucumber roll was actually a pleasant surprise though because it came with avocado.  Also, their bento boxes are relatively inexpensive at around 15 bucks each.

The negative:  Salmon sushi slightly subpar, menus sticky, service slow, wasabi weak, overall terrible value.
2 - Priscilla Z.: Sushi are always too expensive. Even at a happy hour time. Only 2 pieces, but $2.5, and you don't feel eating anything!= =
O, and the rice is loose, which is terrible!
So I would never go Japanese Restaraunt when I'm hungry!!
But they have lunch special, which is good. It comes in big amount and reasonable price. Unfortunately, I didn't order the right thing, so not a good impression..
1 - Patricia B.: Although they have quite an extensive menu consisting of appetizers, sushi, drinks, and a so-called happy hour menu, the service here is ridiculous! (and let me tell you why..)

This is a long over due review that I should have written a long time ago so I could have prevented people from coming here. My sincere apologies.

So once upon a time ago, (a couple months ago) a couple of friends and I decided to come to Ami for their great happy hour menu. We were enjoying ourselves until we ordered food and drinks. I myself ordered Miso soup. To my surprise, there was a spoon in the Miso soup. So, I decided to use the spoon and stir up the soup a bit. THEN A COCKROACH EMERGED. 

Yes, that's right a huge bug surfaced in my Miso soup as I was about to eat. Just imagine if there wasn't a spoon there -- like at other Japanese restaurants. I would have probably ate the miso soup..infested with cockroach(es).

That just makes me think... if the cockroach was in my soup, then it might have been in the whole entire pot of Miso Soup. Disgusting. and this restaurant was rated "A" to by the public health department.

To make matters worse, when I told the server about it..she acted as if it was my fault. She asked me if the cockroach had dropped from the ceiling or just appeared in the soup because "it wasn't there" when she gave it to me. RUDE. She kept coming up with a variety of excuses. 

THEN I asked to speak to the manager on duty because clearly she was incompetent...only to find out that there wasn't even a manager on duty and if I wanted to speak to a manager, I would have to wait 45 minutes-1 hour. Really? That's just wrong. Anyways, after a few minutes of bickering and distresss, the manger finally appeared and comped our bill (exception of the happy hour drinks). He was nice.

The service here is unacceptable though. The servers are SO rude that it is unbelievable!!! I can't stand it. No matter how good the food is, I will NOT be returning EVER. 

This place is suck and now I'm traumatized every time I eat Miso soup. I don't recommend it to anyone! The service is ridiculous  and when I say service I actually mean their inadequate servers!
2 - David W.: Not that good and not that cheap. If you are in westwood and need sushi I would go to Yamato.
3 - Idy T.: First off all, restaurants that claim they have a "lobster" roll.. come on, it's NOT lobster!! It's freakin' crawfish (unless you go to a fancy, super expensive sushi joint. THEN it's legit lobster).

This place is good to go to if you're craving sushi as it will get the job done.  It's not a place that we would frequent though.  A couple rolls and some drinks usually wind up around the $40 range for two people.

Bruins get 15% off!! :)  So we come here every now and then...
2 - Yiwen S.: this place is really subpar for sushi. their raw fish really isn't fresh, but their cooked rolls seemed ok. then again, if you were served your rolls with extraneous amounts of sauce and then proceeded to douse them in soy sauce + wasabi, you probably wouldn't taste the true quality of the fish anyways.

for how mediocre the sushi is, this place is WAY overpriced. i might MAYBE be persuaded to come here for hh, but really only for the drink specials. service here is SUPER slow. i've only been here a handful of times, but everytime i feel like i've wasted 2 hours of my life waiting for someone to come take my order and then for my food to come out.

the good thing about ami is that they have an upstairs area that can hold large parties, so we were once able to get a party of 40 seated all together upstairs - and it was like we had our own private room with our own dedicated servers. the restaurant is pretty good about letting organizations host events there, probably to the detriment of everyone else sitting downstairs trying to enjoy a nice peaceful meal.
1 - Rubína K.: If I could give a negative review, I would. Forgive me, this is one review I definitely should've written long ago. The owner really needs to get his priorities straight. Serving a friend above his customers during peak DINNER hours is a red flag in my book. I could not believe what was going on. My friend and I were suppose to be seated next and he (the OWNER so I'm told) seats his friends first? I wish I took a picture of the reaction we all had when we saw them seated. It definitely would've been proved useful for this restaurant. 

I haven't been there since that horrible service and am glad when I have that beautiful YAMATO sushi right down the street. Who's not only service trumps theirs, but inside you'll find a beautifully decorated restaurant. 

Oh and there's more.

My friend and I were waiting over half an hour to be seated before his friend went ahead of us. On top of that, some snippy waitress told us to write our names down again. Now, I've been to this place enough to know that they usually write our names down and how many for us. Whatever, that didn't make me lose it. It's just when she told us it would be an hour for the next seating that made me think, "Are you kidding me?"

My friend and I just left with me giving them a dirty look and tried YAMATO for the first time. I must say, if it weren't for that horrible service, I never would've found my go-to sushi place. Being a local Bruin, Ami has opened the door to Westwood sushi dining. We haven't been disappointed since! Save yourself a major service disappointment and go to YAMATO. They'll take care of you. I'll never go to Ami again.
3 - Crystal L.: My boyfriend I ate here recently only because it was the only place that was open in westwood village. It was cool they had outdoor seating and the food portions were fair. The only thing that kinda bothered us were the servers, a different girl kept coming to the table and didnt check up often to see if we wanted refills or anything. but overall it was cool. id go back but only if was in that particular area and wanted some sushi.
3 - Denise L.: "Ami, baby lobster roll, ami, omg baby lobster rollllllll....."

The above is a sample of what I am forever hearing from my roomie, so I checked it out today.

The first piece was heavenly, but I started to taste the mayo too much. Bleh. And I love me some spicy mayo, but I think they only use the yummy yummmm spicy mayo (i ordered a side of it too ^ ^) on the top and then use normal white sandwich-belonging-to mayo under that top layer...? In any case, the mayo started tasting a bit funky. But those huge chunks of lobster were a pleasant surprise. That said, I'll probably get it next time, but under the understanding that everyone is gonna help me out with finishing it! 

Also, we ordered a Unagi Roll ($3.50!), Rainbow Roll, and a Tiger Roll (salmon and unagi). It's best to stay on the cooked side of the sushi here, the fish obviously isn't fresh, so don't expect it to be (note how I didn't recommend the Rainbow Roll....)! Play to Ami's strengths,stay with the sauced up goodness of the likes of the Baby Lobster and Tiger Rolls. It's just that easy peasy, lemon squeezy :]
2 - Brian W.: Half off sushi brings it to about $2.60 per order of nigiri (2pcs) and $3.50 per order of rolls (8pcs-- quite a lot of food!!)...

Sushi's only okay, our water glasses never got refilled, never got more ginger... had to wait almost 20 minutes for the first half of our sushi to come out...

But for the price and the quantity of food we got, not too bad.
1 - Christina L.: Let me save you time by summarizing these reviews - Ami's sucks.

1 star. They will forever be known as that mediocre Japanese restaurant in Westwood with ridiculously offensive service.

It's been awhile since the offending incident happened so I feel like I have the perspective to write a reasonably unbiased review free of expletives...

The story starts with a group of ~24 students looking for a place to celebrate one of our classmate's birthdays. I want to clarify that we were grad students in shrubs, not rowdy in the least. After our group slowly filtered in, we were told that if we wanted to eat there then we wouldn't be able to have Tue happy hour prices. OR, they told (aka yelled) at us, we could come back at 10 with a reservation. Oh, excuse me I didn't realize we needed a reservation considering the place was filled to capacity with one other couple finishing up on the patio. Our bad. Needless to say, we took our group of 20+ (you calculate how much business that would have been) and went two doors down to the much more accommodating Barney's Beanery. I'm sorry, I just don't understand the economic purpose of mistreating a huge group of potential income generating patrons...

I also want to say that this was not my first visit to Ami's - they're service has always been lacking and it's interesting to me that although I think their food is better than Yamatos, their restaurant is always emptier. Perhaps due to the feeling diners have walking out that they got swindled into giving a tip that was not deserved.

Needless to say, even though Ami's is only two blocks from my place, I will definitely not be back. I believe the rule of "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me" applies here and I refuse to waste any more money at Ami's for BS service.
1 - Gloria S.: Oh wow.

Living in Westwood, we don't have many options for sushi. When craving sushi that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, we're left with just one: Ami. So sadly, even though they've somehow found a different way to piss me off every time I've gone, I've been going back.

Until now.

Let me quickly list the pros, because the list is short.
1. Pretty decent selection of yummy appetizers, their half off sushi rolls, and premium rolls that, in my opinion, are pretty worth their price.
2. 15% discount with UCLA ID
3. Pretty unique atmosphere - takes a little getting used to the darkness, but it gives off a classy-ish vibe

The cons? Where to begin...
I think it's the general consensus that service at Ami SUCKS. And why shouldn't it? They're busy, they're going to get business from desperate college students regardless. However, I've come to learn that there is a very distinct line between service that sucks and service that's downright offensive, and I've found this here. Let me detail some of the experiences I've had over my past few trips:
-One particular time, I was next in line to be seated when a pompous ASS decided social conventions do not apply to him and arrogantly cut in front of me. What happened? The hostess smiled at him and said "this way, sir." True story. 
-Average wait time between getting seated and having orders taken: 8 minutes. And this is in a half-empty restaurant.
-The happy hour drinks that I've gotten look like the bartender was making a drink and happened to spill some of it in my cup, and decided to serve it. In clearer terms, it's about 5-7 sips.
-My last visit, the one that prompted my decision to leave the smallest tip I've ever left in my life and also one that prompted this review, left me waiting ~10 minutes for my check after I'd given them my credit card. AFTER I noticed that it was taking an unusually long time, I started paying attention to how many people had their bill processed after mine: eight. I finally had to head over to the hostess and ask her to process my card, which they hadn't. Strangest thing, though: she knew exactly which bill mine was. Which begs the question, wtf were they doing with my card? And the entire time the hostess was scrambling to process the check, the store manager (owner?) was standing right in front of me, pretending like a furious customer wasn't yelling at his hostess. Like, literally...looking over my head to see if anything else needed his attention. Sadly, this is the second this (that I can remember) that this has happened. Needless to say, I'm not returning here anymore.

For what it's worth, I've also heard secondhand accounts of friends-of-friends leaving no tip because of their horrid service and having their card overcharged because one of their workers wrote in a tip amount to their liking. This has happened twice to the same person.
3 - Chicco C.: It's ok.  Very Americanized, but I do like a philly roll every now and then.  Now I can't really comment on the poor service, I've never experienced it, but the food isn't horrible it's just not very good either.  But if you're a UCLA student you can get a 15% discount which is pretty cool.  I can see why people would go here, especially on a student budget.  But if you're a foodie with discerning tastes, stay away.

The verdict: just go to Tengu, it's a couple blocks away.
3 - Champ M.: Dim sexy red and plush. Sushi's a lil too decadent--like, ok, i get it, youre trying to Americanate my food to the point of no return thats cool please don't. Waitresses kinda cute. Did you see their grand staircase that thing is pretty haute. Anyway, glad this place is here. Everybody gets tired of Yamato once in a while. Discount for Bruins if you mention it. No discount for Anteaters:(
1 - Warren G.: MADE ME SICK AGAIN!!!!

I gave this place a second try and it made me sick again!!! Both times... 2 for 2 this place made me sick!!!

First off, once again horrible service from the waitresses and chefs - they don't even acknowledge your existence.

Second, the food blew up my insides again... horrible... ruined my evening. I was running for a bathroom 20 minutes after I left. I believe it was their spicy tuna (the worst I have ever tasted) that made me sick. The sushi tasted good, but i will not trust anything from there.
Killed my evening.

***AVOID*** BEWARE*****
4 - Catherine S.: I love their happy hour menu! My friend and I came because it was 50% off all their sushi and appetizers. We ordered a lot of smaller rolls and splurged on a crab roll plate at the end. Delicious! It was my first time in Westwood so I thought that because the menu was so cheap, the sushi wouldn't taste as good, but it was actually really yummy.
1 - Kimchi L.: Ami gets one star for being so unaccommodating.  I called to rsvp a party of 10 for a surprise birthday party and was told that we are not allowed to make reservations between the hours of 5pm-7pm. I told the person on the phone they should put that information on their website and was hung up on.

Really, I wouldn't mind if they were shut down.
5 - Jamar H.: All fish was extremely fresh. Service was good, and waiter/waitresses were enthusiastically helpful. Also, very well priced!
1 - Mindy L.: I went here on a Saturday afternoon, figured the service was going to be somewhat decent since it was pretty slow when we got there.  I ordered the salmon sushi, which was okay. I also ordered the Bel-air roll, which was obviously not the best roll there.  The food was okay, but their service was HORRIBLE.  Our waitress was MIA the entire time, our waters never got refilled, and she was down right rude.  I'll definitely stay far away from here!
3 - Ariz G.: Yeah.  Their rolls...too much rice.  Food is whatever...  eh...

My friends and I happen to end up here during some games of the NBA Playoffs.  Afternoon wise...   it gets really sunny inside.  They have a big projection screen that was showing the game.  

Too much of this and you'll die!!!
4 - Julia C.: Yum!  I've been coming here for years!  Conveniently located in Westwood Village.  Right across the street is the Broxton parking garage (2 hours free if entering before 6pm every day!). 

My favorite used to be the baby lobster roll, YUM!  However, ever since they started their fantastic daily 5-7 happy hour, I've been in love with the 1/2 off appetizers.  The sashimi cocktail (2x salmon, yellowtail, tuna sashimi) is delicious.  The texture and flavor of the salmon is very tasty, the yellowtail is absolutely amazing!  The sesame chicken (deepfried chicken with a sweet dipping sauce) is enough to satisfy a hungry stomach!  And really yummy as well.   Sushi is 1/2 off during happy hour as well (but not the rolls).  Also japanese beer (large or small) available buy one get one for a penny (great price, I cant remember exactly what it is though)

UCLA students get 15% discount off non-happy hour priced food if you show an ID.

They play a lot of upbeat music (usually top40's or some house remix of the top 40s) and have sports on a big screen TV.  

Have to mention though, some days service is great and others it is not.  It is hit or miss with the speed of getting food as well.  Overall, totally worth the happy hour prices! I usually enter the parking lot right before 6 for free parking and eat happy hour dinner at Ami's!
1 - Min S.: went here during happy hour with 3 other girls..
total disappoinment........ especially, those servers look  very frustrated and not willing to serve any more people. When we walked in, there were little dirty orange smelt eggs around 2 tables, and  the guy seemed very reluctant to let us sit there because he had to clean the table by himself with the towel( no busboy at that time.)  
albacore & egg sushi: bland........... especially the sauce they put on top of albacore was watered down soy sauce....
spicy tuna roll: mashed mediocre spicy tuna with sriracha taste.
spicy tuna salad: we were pretty sure we ordered spicy tuna salad. it looked like a plain sashimi spring mix salad...... leftover dressing on the bottom tell us that was spicy tuna salad.......
ordered 2 appetizers at half price : sesame chicken,and dynimate..
few shrimp and scallop pieces on top and all mashed up onions and veggies on the bottom with mayo.......... 
sesame chicken tasted worse than the one they sell at local chinese restaurant.

worst part: Reluctant to serve or SMILE attitude
especially 2 guys who work during happy hour.......
please, it's part of hospitality field.... LEARN TO SMILE!! or AT LEAST DO NOT SHOW ME YOUR FROWNING FACE.
4 - Herumi B.: I'm reviewing this restaurant again for two reasons:

1. NEW MENU!
2. Service got significantly better. 

Their new menu is innovative -- really creative in terms of using the flavors of Japanese sushi/cuisine. For example, on their new menu, they feature an udon seafood pasta - spaghetti style. I've never had it but it looks amazing and it comes highly recommended by the sushi chefs. Their originality is refreshing and they had many dishes that I would love to see at other restaurants. Great choices and selections for the customer! 

I ordered: Nigiri (Mackerel & Albacore) + Snow Corn Roll.
Both were delicious, and fairly priced. Snow Corn roll is a california roll that's baked with a spicy mayo and lobster/albacore on top. So yummy!

As for the service... Compared to the many times I've been here, they've really stepped it up. I sat at the bar with a friend and we were approached by three different servers, who all made sure we were taken care of in terms of drinks and more food. Really thoughtful. And the place was pretty packed too. The sushi chef was even attentive and was nice enough to make sure we got our checks the moment we said we were done ordering.
2 - S P.: Normally would be a solid three stars, but last time I walked past Ami they had a B.  Now I'm not one of those whiny assholes that cries when a restaurant does not receive an A rating.  In fact, I think twice before eating at a Chinese restaurant with an A (seriously how legit can it be if doesn't have a B?).  A sushi restaurant, which serves raw fish, is pretty much the only type of restaurant I demand an A from.  

Moving on, Ami is host to what I consider the best rolls in walking distance from UCLA, which really isn't saying much.  Their service is usually horrendous. If you ask the host how long the wait is, he'll simply shrug.  WTF??  What kind of restaurant can't estimate wait times?  Seriously Ami, you're not Din Tai Fung.  You can't get away with bad service if you're food is mediocre.

Their ultimate albacore roll is probably my favorite.  You also can't go wrong with anything that has spicy tuna.  Their spicy tuna is pretty damn spicy.  

Again, if Ami goes back to an A rating, I'd give it a solid three stars.  Edible, but nothing to write home about.
1 - Michael M.: They said they were not going to serve a party of 6 to 8 about 10/15 minutes before they closed. To top it off that was their closing time not what was on there website. Hour difference guys..
3 - Matt F.: The best way to describe this place is "pretty mediocre."  The lunch specials are reasonably priced, but the last time I was there, I was pretty disappointed in the food and the service.  I didn't get sushi this time, and instead ordered teriyaki chicken and tempura.  Both were not that impressive.  In fact, the chicken was dry and not very flavorful.

The service was also pretty lame.  We went for a late lunch and there were probably more employees than guests at Ami, yet the servers forgot about something we ordered (and than said "you didn't order that" when both my girlfriend and I remembered doing so) and it took a relatively long time in an almost empty restaurant to receive our orders.  But as I said, the prices are reasonable for Westwood and the decor inside is pretty cool.

One little remark - although it didn't particularly bother me, whichever iPod playlist they were using should have been better thought out.  About five uncensored tunes played in a row, all prominently using various four-lettered words.  I couldn't get a particular Lily Allen ditty out of my head for a week!  "F*** you very much!"
3 - Candice N.: Came here to eat today around 3:30 pm -- was highly surprised to find that they were still open (I thought most Japanese places closed at 2pm for lunch and opened again at 5 for dinner?).  They had pretty decent prices for sushi and makis, and they had 15% off most rolls for any Bruin student (yay!).  

However, the sushi wasn't that amazing.  I heard it was really good, I had expected more ... the spicy albacore roll was really delicious, but that was about it.  The tuna had bit off a fishy, off taste/smell, and the ultimate albacore roll had an odd taste to it.  Hopefully I don't get a stomachache, but ... we'll see if I come back here.

PS there really aren't that many waiters, so service was not that great. Still, the one waiter really did try, so props to him.
3 - Melissa P.: The sushi is delicious, but I couldn't bring myself to give Ami more than 3 stars because the service is TERRIBLE. The service ruins my experience of the restaurant every time I go - but the sushi does keep me coming back. The sushi rolls are innovative and you do get your money's worth. And the tempura green tea ice cream is perfect for dessert!
4 - Tiffany L.: I'm surprised at the low ratings this place gets. I'm a UCLA student about to enter my 3rd year and have eaten here about 8 times already, with good to great experiences each time. 

However, you should note that:
-The food is great for UCLA students and pretty much just that. I would not make a 20+ minute drive to eat here, but for UCLA students, its right in Westwood and has take-out. 
-This is certainly what you would call "Americanized" Sushi
-Food is pretty cheap as far as sushi goes, and as such you can't expect high-end, awesome-quality food. However, I personally think the food is very good for its price and I always enjoy my time here.
-The "reservations required" statement on their site is a straight-up lie. I've never once gone here with a reservation and each time have been seated within 20 minutes.

Ambience: It has the typical dark lighting/moody atmosphere that a lot of restaurants have these days. The furniture is dark and the lighting is very dim (can be difficult to read menu), but definitely is well-done and does not seem cheap or tacky. However, it plays basic top 40/club mixes and has about 3-5 flat screen wall-mounted TVs, so despite the attempt to look upscale, it can certainly be considered a casual eatery. There is also balcony seating available that overlooks the rest of the restaurant.

Logistics/Price: Ami is located right in Westwood and has metered parking in front. However, your best bet is to walk there either by parking in the structure on Broxton (flat $6 rate after 6pm) or maybe even somewhere near UCLA campus where the apartments are (though it can be pretty tough to find an open space unless on a weekday while school is not in session). The price for sushi here is typical of cheap sushi - meaning about $5 for maki and $6-11 for specialty rolls/sashimi. As far as the Japanese restaurant portion of it, its just basic $10-15 entrees for average fare.

Service: I'm definitely surprised at all the mentions of bad service because from my experiences, I've never actually had "bad" service. I've had okay to so-so and then great and awesome, but certainly never "bad". The waitresses have been nice, polite and tend to be prompt. 

TIP: UCLA students - bring your Bruincard for a discount! Can't remember how much but it was around a 10-15% off kind of thing. 

TIP: If you're here for sushi, sit at the bar if there's room! I never understand why people don't do that more often. I suppose many tend to prefer eating at tables but being at the bar has so many advantages. Firstly, you can talk directly to the sushi chefs - be friendly to them and you'll certainly get a great meal. Whenever I go here, I always ask for BRUCE - an awesome, hilarious, all-around great guy who is great at making sushi and even better at accommodating it to your needs. By sitting at the bar, you can see exactly how your sushi is being prepared, which means - 1. the chef will be more careful and therefore make you higher quality, more thought-out food and 2. you can tailor the sushi to your liking! I'll usually tell Bruce what specific fish I'm in the mood for and he'll come up with some kind of awesome custom sushi for me for the same price as a specialty roll (~$10). 

Food: 
I've eaten here many times and here are the items I would recommend (all $8.95 or less and come with about 4-6 pieces):
-Dragon Roll - delicious! definitely my favorite
-Baby Lobster Roll
-Spider Roll
-Crunch Roll

The Maki, basic rolls, and sashimi are just okay, so I'd definitely go with the above listed rolls as they are very good for their price (especially if you like your rolls drenched in that sweet, thick dark soy sauce).

Things to avoid:
The Japanese "cuisine". I've had the Steak Teriyaki here as well as the BBQ Rib and both were just blah. The meat was tough and dry and overall the dish was not very flavorful. For much better Asian teriyaki food, go to the tiny Korean dive Gushi on Gayley Ave (also in Westwood).

Verdict: Go here for cheap, good (for its price) sushi, especially if you are a UCLA student or live nearby. Don't go here if you: are a sushi enthusiast who only wants the best, want good and flavorful Japanese cuisine, live over 25+ minutes drive away, or hate shitty parking situations.
4 - Ryan T.: I'm a big fan of Ami's (especially over Yamatos). They're never too busy, their prices are nearly the same on the rolls and the quality is so much better! Don't forget that UCLA students receive 15% off. Sometimes the waiter is kind and does it for you but be sure to remind them just in case! (and remember, common etiquette has you tip on the pre-discounted total!) 

Ami's is my favorite place in Westwood to get sushi!
3 - Kazuma K.: This place is average.

50% off "rolls" and "sushi" - which is deceiving, because normally rolls means those big fancy rolls but here, it only means handrolls.

Anyways, nothing special.

I got bento with bulgogi and spicy tuna roll. Haha the spicy tuna roll is super spicy, which means the fish tastes bad haha.

Anyways, service was good.

15% off for UCLA students so go then.
2 - Rachel M.: The baby lobster roll is my favorite here. However, it's inconsistent quality. Somedays it would be perfect, and other days it's drowning in mayonnaise. Everything else taste like something you would get at any other sushi restaurant. 

It's suffering from an identity crisis. It's trying to be hip, cool and romantic with the dim lighting but also has a large TV screen to watch games. I have actually dined here during a football game and a Lakers playoff game. So it's cool if you want a sushi dinner and occasionally look up at the score with the silenced screen. 

Service can be better. I have waited too long for my check or change. They have also charged the incorrect amount on my credit card.
3 - Kristina R.: When we were going to school at UCLA, my boyfriend and I used to try all the local sushi places to find the best in terms of quality, taste, price and overall experience.. 

In terms of quality, taste and price.. Ami gets 4 stars from us. Honestly.. I was a fan of the food --especially the baby lobster roll! That was AMAZING! And 50% off for students came out pretty reasonable for our budget.

As for overall experience.. very hip atmosphere, but overshadowed by horrendous service!! I remember waiting super long for our orders, seeing others get their dishes and checks before us, and really.. just a lack of attentiveness by the servers. I haven't been back in while for that reason.. so Ami service may have changed, but before --their business was NOT the bizness! And with that experience, I am basing my review!
4 - Will S.: Love this place! They just updated their appetizer menu and it's much improved. Unsure why it's rated so low. Great happy hour, fresh sushi...can't ask for more
3 - Catherine N.: ambiance is clubby for a resto

sesame chicken:  pretty good, nothing special.  appreciated the sauce that has a kick in it.
agedashi tofu:  kinda on the bland side but huge portion of it.  more than double the size at other restos
spicy tuna crispy rise:  not crispy enough but otherwise... good
dynamite scallops:  pass.  it had scallops buried with onions, mushrooms, and a dynamite sauce.  sounded good as i love onions and mushrooms but it was just mushy all over.
yellowtail collar:  not fresh.  part of it was overcooked, the other end was raw, and the middle was cooked correctly...

if you want cheap okay sushi... this is where it's at.  at the time, some rolls were half off and all apps were 40% off.... all that food for less than 25
3 - Amanda N.: great deals on their generic rolls. (1/2 off)  and all the specialty rolls are also pretty good.   rolls are pretty good size.  service is decent.
3 - tina l.: the food is mediocre. but they are good for soaking up alcohol. make sure you get seated upstairs if you want to partake in some amazing sake bombing. we were messy, loud, and drunk. they were incredibly accommodating and kept smiles on their faces while we drank through their supply of sake and beer.
4 - Dave D.: This is probably my favorite Sushi place in West LA, as far as fusion Sushi places go.  I am not critical on the fresh fish, so maybe i may have some bias, but i like what i eat here.  

As most others say, the baby lobster rolls are great  i haven't had bad issues with that.    I am a fan of the crunch roll too, but only when they put the crunch part on themselves.  lots of times it sits on the side and you roll the sushi in it.  I cant say i am a fan of that.  The dragon roll is also fantastic. its got a good combination of fish and additions.  

This place is in the heart of Westwood, so its pretty lively.  its sorta of casual elegant, so attire can be anything really.  You might see some celebrities here on occasion.  

Service is pretty good too.  the servers are always checking up on you, so dont feel like they may not come around.  they are friendly.

Id say if  you are in the West LA area, especially if you are in Westwood, stop by for some good Sushi.
5 - Karen L.: One of my favorite sushi places of all time, because I love their Chef's special rolls!! I like sashimi from time to time, but I love my sushi drowning in sauce! My favorite roll is their baby lobster roll. It is so delicious and filling. It's a lot of lobster, and the price isn't bad either! I also really like their heart attack roll (spicy) and baked salmon roll. Actually, I think all of the special rolls are good! And I love that there's a 15% discount for UCLA students! I've also tried their apple martini, which is really good, too! I just noticed I've ended most of my sentences with exclamations! I really love this place!

The ambiance is pretty cool too. They have a huge TV screen, it's a bit dark in here, so it has a kind of hip vibe.
3 - Lendy L.: I usually only eat here with coworkers for lunch when they have half off on many of their basic sushi rolls.  My favorite dish, which is not 50% off, is the baked baby lobster roll for around $10.  The various times I've ordered my dish, there were inconsistencies in quality and taste. Some days I've had it the way I love it and other days there is just too much mayo used!   I've tried the 50% off sushi rolls and they're nothing to rave about but they do fill you up. I suppose it's nice to have a variety of sushi for cheap! If you're a UCLA student, Ami allows a 15% discount on your bill, which is not bad for students.
3 - Amanda N.: Just went for happy hour & tried some of their non-sushi dishes - not bad.  I don't recommend their dynamite but the agedashi tofu & veggie tempura were good (though it's pretty difficult to screw that up).

As a note on the service - I haven't really had any problems eating here at night for dinner, but recently I came in for lunch and the service was soooooooooooooooo slow.  I don't recommend this place for a "quick" bite, but dinnertime servers seems to be more on top of it.

Also, I just noticed their B rating.  Why do all the fresh fish places in Westwood have to have B health ratings?!  Gross.  Regardless, I'll still probably come to Ami over the other sushi places in Westwood because relative to price, it has the best tasting sushi & rolls.  But I don't recommend if you have a car & are willing to drive out of Westwood for better sushi.
4 - nancy l.: I love the promptness of this place.  All my orders and requests for chopsticks(I used a lot cause I kept dropping them)/more alcohol were taken care of quickly.  The workers stay on their toes from the minute they speak Japanese to you when you walk in.  I really like the atmosphere, maybe a little bit more date-y than anything else because it's so dark and fancy.  It's a pretty nice place though.  Prices are average to a tiny bit above average but I think it's worth it.  I dont think you'll be dissatisfied with anything you order.  They have special rolls like a Lakers roll and a UCLA one so those are pretty cool.  I had the baby lobster roll, which a lot of people mentioned and I thought was delicious because of the lobster, but other than that it was just California Roll, so get  the korean barbecue beef and Red Dragon Roll for more variety (It has garlic butter on top- sooo yummy). You will definitely be satisfied with this place. PS. One of the workers Eddie is a really cool guy!
4 - Grace C.: I have mixed feelings about this place :/

The sushi wasn't THE BEST but I love the  ambiance- the dim lounge club feel. It's a pretty nice place for a date. 

The Baby lobster roll-$10.95 was good. 
The fresh water eel roll was kind of plain. 

TIP: if you ask the waiters, they give you whatever sauce you want. Try getting the eel sauce, ponzu sauce and DYNAMITE sauce ~-- put this on your sushi...it is delicious!

UCLA STUDENTS GETS 15% OFF. 

HAPPY HOUR-APPETIZERS 1/2 OFF (so everything is about $4.00)

They have fried-green tea ice cream~~
3 - Eva H.: **3.5 stars**

The few times I've been here, it's never crowded and there are so many deals and discounts piled on! 

We always have our student organization happy hr/ meetings here- it's  still fairly quiet around 5pm, tables can accomodate bigger groups and the service and food are great!! 

Sapporos all around when it's Buy 1 Get 1 for 1c during Happy Hr!! They have rolls that are *always* "50% off". Bruins get discounts! 

I had their agedashi tofu appetizer- crispy crust, savory but not too salty! I got their salmon roll - HUGE pieces of fresh salmon- and veggie roll. The veggie roll was especially impressive- stuffed with asparagus, creamy avocado and cucumber. Both the rolls costs less than $6!! 

I also heard the Dynamite (baked scallops!) is worth getting.

Service was nice, but a little slow getting the food out. 

Great convient spot for students to chill after a long day of class.
4 - gary b.: okay I used to come here alot  the service is good, you get seated pretty fast,  its not that expensive its like a dollar more than yamato's. they play good music, there large hot saki is actually large lol. friendly staff,and great for groups, or  a date.
4 - Remi L.: Love this place. Sometimes the music can be a little loud, the service a bit slow, but the fish is fresh and delicious enough to be worth it.
4 - Lany C.: My favorite Sushi place around UCLA. Their rolls are a little flimsy and break easily, making it really messy, but that doesn't matter cause the rolls are pretty big! Really delicious too! 

My favorite is the baby lobster roll... ahhh soooooooo good! Best. Lobster. Roll. Evarrr. I'm craving it right nowwww.

The UCLA roll's also really good too. nom nom nom

Nice ambiance as well :D

Also, UCLA students get a 15% discount :D So make sure to bring your Bruincard and tell them you're from UCLA
3 - Melissa W.: not the worst but definitely not the best. 

Came here for lunch with my friend the other day and in a room full of empty tables they seated us between an awkward first date on one side and a couple of annoying high schoolers. 

We "started" with the crispy rice spicy tuna cold appetizer, which was actually pretty tasty. The rice was pretty crispy, go figure. But I've had this before somewhere else and it tasted pretty much the same. Nothing too spectacular. Even though it was an appetizer it came after everything else... grumble grumble. 
We got a couple of specialty rolls and they were all satisfying but i can not for the life of me remember what i got and which one was which. They were all drenched in sauces so you really couldn't taste much else and all tasted the same...apparently we should have order the baby lobster roll....dammit...

The decor was a little to sexy for a sushi place. dark woods, large booth seats, dim lighting and the MUSIC!!! omg!! There's a time a place for baby making music and a japanese restaurant is definitely not the place for it. I really don't want to think about what you wanna do to shorty when i'm stuffing my face...
4 - Brooke P.: Had a late ucla basketball game so we went for happy hour sushi. Promptly greeted and seated. Quickly acknowledged and had drink orders taken. They have a martini that combines my two favorite things- elderflower and lychee. They are great by themselves but definitely shouldn't be put together. Oh well, now I know. 

Had the salmon sashimi and a Cali roll, hubby got a Cali hand roll and a baked lobster roll. We really liked everything, it tasted fresh, and the whole bill was less than $40. Would definitely go again.
4 - Rochelle G.: I went to Ami with my coworker on Thursday around 5:30p (during Happy Hour). We parked in the lot on Broxton which has 2 hours of free parking if you enter before 6p. We walked in and they said we can sit wherever we liked, since most the booths were taken, we sat at a little table in the middle after changing our mind like 3 times. But the hostess didnt seem annoyed by us LOL. Once we were seated the waitress took our rink order right away, we just got water. About 5 min later we put in out order, then 2 mins after that we changed our mind. They changed our order with no problem. We started off with a cold appetizer, I dont remember the name but it had salmon, cream cheese and avocado sauce and it was really good.   We had 3 hot appetizers, grilled yellowtail, creamy shrimp, and sesame chicken. The grilled yellowtail didnt have much flavor, I probably wouldnt get it again. The creamy shrimp was good, but they had drizzled cream cheese over it and it kind of looked like semen (sorry to gross u out). The sesame chicken was well seasoned and good. We also had a roll with ell and shrimp tempura but I dont remember that name, but it was really good. All the appetizers were 50% off. And the specialty roll was 15% off since we are UCLA students. Our total was about $30. I enjoyed my meal and the service was great. Even though me and my friend were very indecisive everyone was friendly nonetheless. One of the waitresses saw me struggling with the chopsticks and brought me out some beginner chopsticks LOL. I didnt use them though, and she kept coming by to check on me to see if I was getting better lol. The only downfall of this place was they had a B rating on the window :/ Oh and the lighting is really dim so it was kind of hard to read the menu.
1 - Tony L.: This place has gotten worse over the years.  I really don't like the sushi here any more.  Its cheap and FISHY TOO.  I think they use low quality fish or just buy old cheap fish.
1 - Daniella Y.: The worst place I have ever been! I've never been so irritated at a restaurant! 

Food was good but the HORRIBLE service made it bad. 
Definitely never going back.
3 - Veronica R.: My generic go-to place for sushi, since it's walking distance from the UCLA campus.

The food here is not bad @ all. Pretty good, actually, but there's nothing memorable about the food. It's your typical sushi joint. The prices are reasonable and even better if you show your student ID.

The ambience is a little to sensual for the type of crowd that frequents the restaurant, but that won't stop me from going!
1 - Kitty L.: I call this Ethiopian-sushi!

Why? Like the place is going through some major famine. The rice in the sushi is scant. The fish? Almost invisible. I should post some photos of the severely malnourished rolls. Wow. They really look like the Hollywood stars with severe eating disorder.
3 - Courtney L.: This is my boyfriend's favorite sushi place in Westwood, and it is one of my two favorites.  The food is pretty good (I would especially recommend the Las Vegas Roll and/or the Energy Roll - both are unagi based), but it is more expensive than some of the other restaurants around.  

The atmosphere at Ami is not necessarily what you would expect.  They tend to play clubbing types of songs, which doesn't really go with the dark, romantic atmosphere.  The hostess also yells hello, which is a bit startling.

Overall, it is pretty good, but sometimes the wait takes forever.  There was one time where the waiter hadn't even taken my order for 30 minutes.  I honestly thought that they had forgotten about us.  But other than that time, it has never been noticeably worse than any other restaurant that gets busy.

I definitely recommend this restaurant to people who are in the UCLA area, but otherwise, you can find better sushi other places.
1 - Raymond B.: Have you ever had that experience at a sushi place where you take the time to park, sit down, order, only to realize that they just don't give a damn?  This sushi is so weak, it's comparable to the stuff they make to go at Whole Foods (where they actually do seem to care, a little at least).  

Here's how bad this place was:  I am a grown man with a good job, and after eating it took so long to get anyone's attention to get my check, I dined & dashed for the first time in my life.  For that I say THANKS AMI, it was fun.

Food - generic
Atmosphere - annoying
Service - poor

I see some other people saying the same thing but still giving the place 3 stars.  This is not "A-OK", it's a place where people who don't care about sushi go for bad dates.
3 - Jay M.: This restaurant offers great combinations.  For $9, you get 5 pieces of sushi and an 8-piece spicy tuna roll.  They offer lunch/dinner combos and special rolls for about $10.  

My California Lobster roll was a bit undercooked.  It was still tasty, but it looked like a mountain- so overwhelming.  The sushi itself is tasty and fresh.  

I appreciate the quick service and large water cups.  

What bothered me the most is the music.  Although I love mainstream hip hop and R&B, it's not the type of music I want to hear when eating my sushi for lunch.  As they played Fergie, Trina, Mike Jones, and Nelly, I imagined myself in a music video...walking down the red stairs with my entourage.  

I'll come back when I feel like sushi clubbing in the afternoon.
3 - Jaina P.: Go-to sushi spot for Bruins.

I would argue that Ami is the best sushi place in Westwood.  Their portions are generous, ingredients are fresh, and they accommodate large parties.  Although the prices are not the best, even during happy hour, a college budget can afford their manageable costs.

The ambiance definitely sets the mood.  It kinda has that red-light-special-vibe to it (bring a date).  However, the service is subpar.  One time I asked the waitress if I could request a song to be played on the speaker and she responded with the biggest grin on her face and said no.  I was so confused as to whether she understood my question because her affirmative face did not match her negative answer.  But anyway, after 4 years of trying out the sushi places in Westwood, Ami takes the cake and really deserves 3.5 stars.
4 - Cristina T.: I actually think this is the best sushi place in LA. The price is reasonable. It is within walking distance for bruins. I love their baby lobster rolls. Simply delicious! The atmosphere is nice, for big groups or couple dates. It's true that service isn't that great. I once came with a friend and it took them 30 minutes to remember that we came and come back with our glasses of water. But the waiter made up for it and brought out a deep fried ice cream on him. So he actually acknowledged that it was his fault and went out of his way to make up for it. Overall, I would still love to go back to this Ami's.
4 - Emily M.: Best sushi in Westwood, for sure. We stopped in for a really random late lunch, and the place was empty except for annoying Marymount girls. I had really really low expectations, and actually considered not ordering sushi but I'm so glad I did. Their fish was really fresh, very good and everything was beautifully presented. Service was okay. Loud KIIS music should be rethought, but eh.....it's Westwood and it caters to the coeds.
2 - Serena L.: Saw this place and their promotions so we decided to give it a try after getting books at the course reader store. Once we got there, i plunked my books on the table and proceeded to order since we were madly hungry. Service was pretty good, the waitress got our drinks quickly and took our order. Even joked about how hard our classes are when she saw the books. 
They charge $1.50 for hot tea though, which is a ripoff. In the restaurant, they also play songs you would hear on kiisfm or in a club, and that wasn't very appealing to me. Somehow it didn't match the decor and ambiance of a japanese sushi restaurant. 

Anyway, we then wait for 30minutes, thinking that it is busy with like 10 tables, and only one sushi chef working. We then observed other tables get their food even though they came after us. So we inquire and the manager says that he will check and asks if we want miso soup. We refuse and then see confusion on the chef's faces, they seemed to have lost our order. So then we wait 5mins more and all our food comes. 

Food is good, sushi is pretty fresh. We ordered unagi sushi, albacore, salmon and snow cone roll. I love baked albacore so of course I had to get the snow cone. It came with mayo, eel sauce, masago (tiny orange fish eggs), green onions and baked albacore on a california roll.

Service was good but I think that they could have been more honest. When the bill came we paid and left more than 15% tip too! 

While reading reviews of this place I noticed that UCLA students get 15% off when they dine. There was no mention of this discount even though the waitress knew that we were UCLA students. 
Also, I would have appreciated it if they had just told us that our order was misplaced. 

Will not be coming back.
1 - Joel H.: Food was decent but count on it taking a LONG time to get your meal.  My wife and I have gone here several times and usually sit at the sushi bar where our food comes in a reasonable amount of time, drinks not so much.  But last night I had some friends in from out of town and the bar (although not the restaurant) was full so we sat at a table:
7:45  we were seated
8:00 drink order (4 waters, 2 beers) was placed- servers had to be called over to ask for this
8:15 still no drinks, called a waiter over to ask for drinks again and to order food
8:25 drinks arrive
8:40 two people get their food
Every ten to fifteen minutes after this we asked for the rest of our food
9:30 everyone finally gets the rest of their meal
9:40- one of the bar backs gave us 1 complimentary beer (for the table, not 4 beers, just the 1).

The food was good- what was supposed to be hot was hot, what was supposed to be cold was cold.  We ordered simple items off the menu, nothing complicated, yet it took a ridonculous amount of time.  We were there for almost two full hours before food was provided.  It was not worth that wait.
2 - Kevin T.: The food was mediocre. Definitely had better sushi before. However, the service deserves no stars! This is the worse service in the world! The food took forever, they brought 4 chop sticks at first for a party of 7 then we ask again and they bring ten more... Then they allow someone to come into the restaurant and ask for money, which ruins the atmosphere! They also gave us the wrong receipt after they had already given us the right receipt... Overall don't come here! The food was definitely not worth it and the service was the worst. I cant see this place staying in business... Also the table next to ours found a cricket in their food so.... The worst eating experience of my life anywhere
3 - Michael F.: I ate at Ami last week for the first time and I have been holding out on writing a review because I could not decide if I would classify my experience as being good or bad. Ami was average in almost every way, which has made it hard for me to write a review. After thinking about it for a few days, this is how I would break it down: 

Location: Ami is located in the middle of Westwood on Broxton. There is a parking lot across the street, so parking is easy. The interior of Ami is in need of a renovation as it maintains a very 70s look and feel, which includes a disco ball. 

Service: The staff at Ami are nice and very friendly. A few of the questions that we had regarding the menu and the restaurant were answered incorrectly and/or incoherently. It seemed like maybe a couple of the staff were new and not yet completely familiar with the place. 

Food: I ordered the steak role and the crunch role. The steak role was pretty good, but a little bit on the fatty side. It was expensive compared to steak roles that I have had at other places, and it looked quite different than what was pictured on the menu. The crunch role was just plain weird. It had an overwhelming amount of 'crunch' on top of it, which made it look very unappealing. I took one of my chop sticks and wiped the excessive 'crunch' to the side as though I was sweeping rocks off of my porch. The role itself was good once I got rid of a lot of the 'crunch'. 

Eating at Ami was truly an average experience. However I did enjoy it enough to give it another try and see what else they have to offer.
3 - M W.: Great happy hour deals. The yellow tail collar is pretty worth it for a few bucks. 

It's more of a japanese fusion place but they also have regular sushi and rolls. The special rolls are about $10ish. I recommend the Las Vegas roll. *drool* 

As for the regular sushi/rolls... very typical and original, the sashimi's not particularly fresh or thick. 

Ambiance is perfect for a romantic dinner.
4 - Jade A.: The first time I stepped into Ami Sushi, I was impressed by the ambiance:  romantic red low lighting and a large staircase leading to a second floor of more tables and seats. That was four years ago, and I've been going to Ami's since. 

This is my go-to sushi restaurant in Westwood; the happy hour prices make me and my wallet happy and the sushi tastes pretty fresh. Whenever I go to Ami's, I usually order the scallop roll, salmon roll, spicy tuna roll, some specialty roll, and/or Fire Crunch appetizer. I'm not exactly sure if the name is Fire Crunch, but the waitresses know what you're talking about. The amazingly delicious Fire Crunch comes with wonton skins topped with a kind of ceviche (cubed sashimi tuna garnished in tomatoes, onions, and a mild spicy dressing).

What is lacking is the consistent attentive customer service. So, keep in mind, you may have to wait a while before finally getting your order, and you may suffer from watching everyone else eat their food.
4 - Jessica L.: the service was dare I say... GREAT? Wow, very attentive and sweet. They even offered us free mochi ice cream for waiting so long. Both servers were very good and the host was even nice enough to take our drink orders when she noticed that our order had not been placed yet.

Lobster Roll: Everyone loves it, but I say pass. the crawfish they used in the roll tasted mushy and very meh.

Rainbow roll: good as usual

Spicy Tuna Tempura roll: good

Caterpillar roll: love the avocado on there.
1 - Briana W.: I wish I could give ZERO stars. Worst dining experience ever. Waited an hour and a half for food. When we asked OUR waiter where our food was he responded, "Who is your waiter?" We responded, "YOU. YOU ARE OUR WAITER." How hard is it to remember your own tables? They somehow "lost" our order and waiter didn't even offer us a discount. Our waiter didn't even ask us if everything was okay. Later on, a different waitress told us she "forgot to put our drinks on the bill" and asked us if we could be billed again. We left the "restaurant" 2 hours later. Any decent restaurant would accommodate with a free meal or discount. They didn't.
LEAVE WHILE YOU CAN.
4 - Nok S.: Great for happy hour from 5-7pm. Appetizer and selected rolls half off!!! Not a good place to come with a large party unless you sit upstairs. You get your own special attention. They play loud music almost has a club ambiance.  Sushi can melt in your mouth but not sure they are consistent. They sometimes don't wrap up the rolls too well or pretty but they get an extra star for their creative presentation.
3 - Sandi C.: It's basically "The sushi experience at a club"

In my Stomach: Total: ~$84
- Yellowtail sushi (good)
- Salmon sushi (good)
- Uni (sea urchin) sushi (good)
- Mackeral Sushi (good)
- Extreme Albacore Roll (ok, too chunky)
- Lobster Roll (meh, had better, lobster=shrimp)
- Salmon Skin Roll (ok)
- Blue Crab Roll (good) 

In my mind:
Thought it was a very decent meal, especially when it was the boss's treat. However, relative to the other sushi restaurants I have been to..they still put too much rice in the rolls and sushi. The fish quality and the cut of fish was okay. The rolls did not impressed me but the blue crab roll is worth a try--if you like the taste of seafood. I still prefer the sushi pieces over the roll. Service was okay. Music is too loud--sounds like I am at the club than a restaurant. Parking: Try Broxton parking lot (free before 6pm).
3 - Vince L.: It has been a while since I last ate here. I suppose that's because the experience and food wasn't that memorable.

The servers are friendly and attentive, but the sushi is average.

I can't really say much more because...like I said...it wasn't a memorable experience.
4 - Krista K.: I LOVE THE LAS VEGAS ROLL. I don't order anything else but this. It's just THAT good. I definitely have to say AMI is my favorite sushi place in Westwood, it's delicious and the happy hour prices are uhhmazing.
3 - Vanessa F.: The first few times I came here, [i.e. as a freshmen @ college] I thought this place was awesome.  But as I grow into my wisdom, I know better. 

Ami's is a place you would go if you lived in Westwood, didn't have a car, & wanted to eat with a big group of people.  I've come here many times for birthdays or some kind of celebration.  And after that meal I always leave frustrated.  The service they give you when you are in a big group never reaches my expectations.  One time I came with a party and we ate at the second floor.  I didn't feel that our waiter checked up on enough, and it just felt very disorganized.  

THe sushi here is OK to me.  If you wanted to eat sushi in Westwood you might as well go across the street to Yamato's for happy hour.  Anyway, I think the best deal here are the 2-item or 3-item combos.  If I must go here that is basically what I'm ordering.  The best value for you dollar.  These cost around $9-$12.  

I mean really this place is just OK.  Nothing super great about this place.  They are just lucky that they are in Westwood where college students will sacrifice taste for saving a buck.  

On a completely random note, don't order the oyster shooters here.  They are absolutely disgusting.
4 - Laura T.: WHHATT? You people are whack giving Ami only 3 stars... COME HERE TO GET SOME CHEAP AND DELICIOUS SUSHI!!!
2 - Pathu S.: I've had waaaaaaay better sushi. This place is actually crap compared to by favorite sushi joints. However, Ami warrants 2 stars because it is sadly the best sushi in Westwood. I came here a lot during college and it did its job when I wanted sushi.

Their fish isn't fresh so they specialize in super saucey fusion rolls. Their rolls are mostly just California rolls with lots sauce on top. I recommend the dynamite roll. It has scallop and fish eggs on top of California roll. 

The service is usually that not great especially when they're busy. The prices are also too much for the quality of food. They also play really random music, like house or trance--something you expect a club not for a sushi atmosphere.
3 - Tiffany B.: Service:
The waitress hardly spoke English very well & didn't understand us. It also took us forever to get our orders in. Without even informing us, they decided to cancel an order of one of our rolls, just because it looked like we ordered too much. Did we tell you to cancel it? No.

Prices:
Prices were typical of sushi restaurants, however they overpriced their appetizers.

Food:
Decent. I've had way better at an AYCE before. It's not bad, their uni is decent. Their snapper is not good though, incredibly dry. Their rolls get really filling, especially since they drench their rolls with their sauce.

If you're wondering why people discriminate against Korean owned Japanese sushi restaurants, it's because they're obsessed with lathering your rolls with their mayo-based sauces! It's not even sushi, it's just some baked mayo monstrosity.

I ordered the spicy tuna on crispy rice & was so disappointed. It was okay, very plain, & there were only 2 pieces. Are you serious?!? 

Environment:
Nice restaurant, although the bus boy fails at doing his job. The table next to us still had not been cleaned up for the hour that we were there. There were 10 people in the restaurant. 

I do not recommend this place. Westwood, when it comes to sushi, you effin' blow. So many types of disappointed.
2 - Janelle V.: Had to go here because Yamato was closed 2:30-5. The rolls were double the price of Yamato's, and not as good. They were kind of cold. I didn't think the raw fish tasted fresh, also a disappointment. I liked the baked lobster better than the scallops. Everything was just decent, including the service. Everything except the tempura green tea ice cream, which is always great here! The ratio of tempura to ice cream to chocolate is perfect. I'd still walk half the block down to Yamato for better and cheaper sushi.
3 - Jaimie T.: I came into Ami with high expectations because of the nice atmosphere. However, I wasn't impressed. The prices were alright.. If you like sushi and maki, then the prices are good. The specialty rolls were expensive. Also, the service wasn't that great.
3 - Sascha L.: When here on a weekend afternoon for sushi and cocktails.  Server was really nice, but I think it may have been his first serving job, based on his lack of knowledge. The first cocktail I ordered, they were missing a key ingredient. Decided to switch it up and have a glass of wine, which they were also out of. Problem is, the server didn't know these things in advance. He'd take the order, walk away, then come back to tell us they were out of the item, without offering a substitution.

Considered leaving, but the server returned and offered to give us a more expensive glass of wine (not the kind I wanted, but, points for effort) for the price of the cheapest. Fine. It was enough to keep us from leaving. Rolls were good. Pricing was decent enough. Everyone was very nice, which is why I give 3 rather than 2 stars. I'd return for Happy Hour, knowing there's a shot they may be out of things and that their servers are sweet but poorly trained.
4 - Robyn L.: Ami sushi was my favorite sushi restaurant in LA because of its rolls but especially because it is in walking distance to UCLA. It's great to use your bruincard to get a 15% discount while dining in. My favorite rolls are the tiger, las vegas, crunch and philadelphia rolls, because my favorite fish is salmon. I've never tried the bento boxes or rice plates, but I've heard they're only okay.

The only better sushi restaurant I've been to in la is HARA sushi. Both restaurants (I think) are owned by Korean people (which I assume because all the servers I've seen are Korean.) Ami sushi is reasonably priced because the rolls are HUGE and it's a fun place to eat with a group.
4 - Anna G.: Ami Sushi... you are not the greatest sushi joint out there but I will continue coming back because you know how to make me smile. Your prices are a bit steep but you quickly make up for it with your complimentary beer and green tea ice cream. It could be because Jeannette Y. and I tend to order enough food to feed the entire North Campus but I like to think you do it because you love me. I make your employees happy when I order sake bombs at 11:30 AM and I try not to milk your incredible happy hour that badly. You are my go to place when things get tough at school and I feel the need to kick back with a crazy roll and a Saporro.
1 - Alexandra S.: My boyfriend and I went here for our anniversary because we thought it would be nice to try a new sushi restaurant that wasn't too far away.  All I can say is BAD DECISION.  The prices were good but the food and the service were awful.  After seating us they didn't pour us water  until our food was already at the table, about 25 - 30 minutes later.  The rolls were small and lacked flavor.  I'm not sure how you can mess up a shrimp tempura roll, but they managed to do so.  We had to call the waiter over every time we needed something because they never checked in on us to see how we were doing and there were only 3 other tables occupied while we were there.  In the end we split three rolls between us and decided to finish our dinner off somewhere else.  I'll never be going back to this place again.
3 - Anh-Chi V.: 3.5 stars for Ami.  Was going to go to Yomato but it was closed for private party.  Ended up here instead, and was happy with the results.  This place reminds me of "Ra Sushi."
I wouldn't come here for impressive or to die for sushi.  Come here for good happy hour prices (until 7pm) on drinks and food, and decent sushi.

$105 during happy hour got us (for three people):
4 large Kirin lights  (alcohol buy 1 get 1 free)
4 large bottles of hot sake
4 appetizers
8 orders of Nigiri sushi (16 pieces)
2 rolls

that's a lot of food! and a good amount of drinks!  The food was good enough. I really enjoyed the appetizer dishes. The fish is very fresh and the sushi looks pretty.  I thought the rice was a little off and the rolls were rolled unevenly, but I'm not going to be picky when in search of "Happy Hour sushi."

Service was definitely lacking, not once did anyone come by to refill water or ask if everything was ok.  We had to flag someone down every time.  Seems like they were understaffed.  Went to the bathroom, hostess came out and didn't see me, I went in and she didn't flush.  Gross?

Would be back, except its a bit far, and with so many places to try, nothing was screaming at me to come back.
3 - Pauline L.: Came to Westwood to have lunch with Husband Man and decided to have sushi for lunch, we were trying to decide between either Yamato (in the same area) or Ami; and he said if I wanted good rolls/sushi then we should go to Ami, so Ami Japanese it was.

Looking over the menu I ended up ordering a bento box instead, because all of a sudden I was in a chicken kind of mood. I decided to go with the three-item lunch special priced at $12.95 which came with a salad, rice, and miso soup; as for my three items I chose spicy tuna roll, beef gyoza, and sesame chicken. 

Husband Man ordered three salmon sushi at the 50% price of $2.99, and two special rolls; Crazy Roll $12.95 (inside: cucumber, avocado, shrimp tempura / outside: spicy albacore, crab crunch) and Popcorn Roll $11.95 (california roll topped with golden crisp baby lobster).

We both shared everything, and my bento box was very average, the spicy tuna roll on the other hand didn't taste right, the spicy tuna was way too mushy for my taste. The special rolls on the other hand were good, I especially liked the Crazy Roll with the shredded crab on top, I never had it like that before so that roll appealed to me. Service was good, ambiance was nice.
1 - Richard B.: I eat a lot of sushi but I can never remember having fish this tired looking.  The quality of the fish looked a week old, opaque and off color, in less than appealing colors of pale white and gray.  Even at 50% off, this seemed a little off-putting, like they visited Davey Jone's Locker rather than the LA Fish Market. Not a pleasant ending for Charlie the Tuna. Will never go back.
3 - Tristan L.: UPDATE 03/09/12

I'm upgrading my 0 star to 3 stars.  
(Will update again after I revisit Ami's - 3rd time's a charm right?)

Why?  I've been contacted by the District Manager of Ami Sushi and received a cordial apology for the incidents that happened to me and my fellow comrades.  I was offered the money back, better training of the crews at Ami Sushi, and a nice invitation back to the restaurant.

I'm really glad they messaged me and apologized, it shows that someone actually does care.  This earns them 3 stars.  I'll be back to try out their restaurant again to see if things have changed for the better!  I'll be updating accordingly.  :)

Stay tuned.


_______________________

My Old Review:

READ MY REVIEW BEFORE YOU GO.  for your own sake.

ARE YOU SERIOUS???

I'm generally pretty cool about people/places and I have a lot of patience.  But, this place... man, this is the ONLY place I will NEVER go back to.

I've been here twice, gave it a second chance... after my first bad experience.  Man, that was such a bad idea.

Why?  Read on.


My experience:

- one of the waiters had a whistle and kept on loudly whistling at random people thinking it was funny to disturb people when they're eating.  (it wasn't a friendly whistle, it was an ANNOYING one - I felt really bad for the other tables)

- So we ordered the food, ignored the whistling, and pretended everything was still cool.  Guess how long it took to bring the food???  OVER half an hour!  We had to call the waiter (the annoying guy with glasses and whistle) to see if they were still bringing the food.  Several minutes later, our food was brought to the table.

- Okay, fine, long wait, whatever.  I don't care.  Lets just eat their over-priced food.  It's got to be somewhat decent right?  WRONG.  I got FOOD POISONING later that day from eating at Ami Sushi.  WTH???

- Alright, we're done with eating, lets pay the expensive check and LEAVE.
WAIT!!!!!  There's MORE... I'm a pretty generous tipper.  I GENEROUSLY tipped them in CASH on the table and used my credit card to pay the hefty bill.  Okay, so they charged my credit card and we left.

- Next day, I check my bank account, and what do you know?
THEY FRIGGIN' CHARGED an EXTRA 15 DOLLARS!!!!!!  (I can only guess that the waiter whistle had something to do with this)
- THEFT MUCH???

I had to call the sushi restaurant and asked... they ADMITTED their mistake, but I can't do anything until i talk to the MANAGER..........  but, apparently their manager wasn't in!

Okay, fine, I asked them when I could talk to the manager.  They gave me a specific day and time to call him.

Alright, fine.  I waited and I called back the day and time they specified.

The MANAGER WAS NOT THERE...

I called several times after... and after being LEFT ON THE PHONE TO WAIT.... I finally reached the manager.  He told me that I would have to come into the store to pick up the money...

WOW. Why am I not surprised?


---- I let them have my 15 dollars.

---- I'm just NEVER setting foot in the restaurant EVER again.

______________________

RATINGS:

FOOD: I got food poisoning!!! = 0 stars

PRICE: OVERPRICED...AND they might ACCIDENTALLY OVERCHARGE you =  0 stars

CUSTOMER SERVICE: Annoying whistling AND bill charging mistakes? = 0 stars

AMBIENCE: who the **** cares when everything else stinks???

______________________

OVERALL:

I HIGHLY DISCOURAGE AMI SUSHI.

ZERO STARS.  Do NOT go here.  You have been warned!!!


______________________



I will reserve my honest review until I get a formal apology from the restaurant.
(Apology received from District Manager)
3 - Anthony N.: I love texting, its almost therapeutic, catching up with multiple friends all in the matter of seconds.  I get excited when I get a new text. When I'm driving and my phone vibrates between my thighs, I get all warm and fuzzy inside. Not just because my phone just tingled my nut sack but also because my heart is filled with anticipation. To me, opening that text is like opening a present on Christmas. Don't worry, I'll refrain from quoting Forest Gump right here. Sometimes, when I'm super bored and I'm not getting much textual love, I leave my phone. That's right, I leave it. If I'm in the kitchen, I'll leave it in my room. If I'm running errands, I'll leave it in the car. If I'm going to school I'll leave it in my bag. Doesn't matter, whatever the case may be, I ditch it. I go do something else and forget about it. That way when I finish whatever else I'm doing, hopefully when I come back, I'll have a new text message waiting for me. It's like a Prozac raindrop.  And don't bullshit me, I know what you're thinking alright. F YOU! It's what I like to do! I'm pretty sure you do some weird shit too, so shut your mouth!

So anyways, I'm quizzing myself on bacterial slides and making flash cards.  As I was doing so, I was also IMing a buddy of mine, trying to solidifying some plans for this weekend.  All of a sudden, BUZZZZ..... BUZZZZ.... Uh oh, my phone gets a text from an unknown number! YES! Automatically my adrenaline spikes and I'm anxious to find out who it is!!

    Unknown: What are you doing tonight?

    Me: Who is this?

    Unknown: Someone who wants to eat sushi and potentially go out tonight

    [At this point I'm psyched thinking its probably some Random boy I gave my number to]

    Me: Hmmm I'm still trying to figure out where we've met

    Unknown: Lol, you don't remember me?

    Me: Did we do something I'm supposed to remember?

    Unknown: Do you want to go out or not

    Me: Depends, what are you wearing?

    Me: Ha, so you're not going to tell me who you are? How anticlimactic.

    Unknown: No

    Me: K

    [Okay silly, I'm done trying to figure it out]

    Unknown: Lets go get sushi! and beer!  Meet you at Ami's at like 8?

    Me: Fine!  (at this point I'm bored and using any excuse to stop studying)

    Unknown: Ha ha yay Date Night!

    [At this point I realize who it is]

    Me: Gosh Darnit!

It turns out its my friend and the reason her number didn't show up is because my iphone broke last week and so I'm using a replacement phone and I don't have anyone's number saved!  Like an idiot with wishful thinking I thought it was some cute boy I could make out with, but instead its one of my girlfriends.  Wahhh!!

Anyway, Ami's is okay.  I've been here many times and the food isn't anything amazing, its average.  They don't have a lot of things a normal sushi restaurant would have, and they run out of things often.  I think the nigiri tastes a tad better than buffet style but not by much.  Sweet shrimp were slimy and old tasting.  The rolls seem safe most of the time.  Get a beer and have low expectations.

At least there's a parking structure across the street.  Free 2 hour parking, and $3 flat rate after 6pm.

I'd give this place like 2.5 stars.
4 - Amanda H.: I love this restaurant for a variety of reasons. For one, it's close to campus and walkable from anywhere in Westwood, so it's very convenient for the college kids in the area. Secondly, it's cheap but still good quality, which is always hard to beat. It's a refreshing contrast from the greasy more fattening options directly surrounding it, such as Barney's Beanery, In-N-Out, Fat Sal's...etc.

That said, if you stick with a basic sushi roll of 8 pieces it will only cost you about $2-4, which is about half as cheap than if you went to Ralph's and picked up the same roll. If you want something a little more fancy, it will be more like $8-12 for a roll. The selection is excellent and if you are a fan of sushi or other Japanese faire, you are sure to find something to your liking.

As far as ambiance, it's a tad dark which makes it hard to read the menu. I actually found myself using the candle once when I was seated towards the back. The service is alright, the food could probably come out a little quicker, but for the quality and price, there's nothing better. I will definitely keep coming back.
3 - priscilla d.: This place is OK. Good prices, ok service, nothing to rave about food, but does its job. I ve enjoyed nice 1c sake over here, and for an alcoholic like me that s always a +
4 - Amanda H.: I like Ami. This is a good restaurant around UCLA. You can get 15% discount if you show them Bruin Card. I like their 3 or 2 combination. Yogurt Soju Cocktail is good.
3 - Jim B.: The service is a bit slow for when you're trying to get a quick lunch in Westwood. I had the Chirashi. The rice had the right amount of vinegar and warmth to it. The sashimi had bits of fish that weren't cleanly as cut as I'd like. Still the fish was fresh.
2 - Jack L.: The employees here are somewhat unwelcoming. Put on a smile once in a while, yeah? I've gotten better service from a Chinese restaurant waitress in the SGValley than what this waitress did. At least the busboy(the guy that cleaned tables and brought us our water) was happy to get us an extra set of utensils. This guy should replace the waitress.

3 item bento box: spicy chicken, sesame chicken, and bulgogi. Spicy chicken was alright. Sesame chicken was tasteless; ask for spicy mayo and drench those suckers. Bulgogi had a weird taste to it, but gradually got less weird as you ate it.

Some of the sushi rolls are plain; I tried a piece and I couldn't tell what it was.

Pricing is pretty expensive for what you get. Anyway, I suppose this place is alright if you live near the UCLA campus, but there are tons of better places in LA. No real reason to come here, in my opinion.
4 - Jarek K.: After I wrote my last review, I was promptly contacted by the General Corporate Manger, Mr. Yu. He expressed his regrets for my experience, gave an explanation on their training, and extended another invitation to try them again. I am glad I did! 

It was the complete opposite of my past experience. Upon entering, I was greeting by the friendly hostess and promptly escorted to a nice booth surrounded by a "modern" ambiance. The wait staff was extremely helpful in explaining and recommending items. The service was prompt, and throughout the night, we were consistently checked on to make sure all was well. I was watching the room, and everyone received this same level of service. They were on their game!

We even saw the waitress from our last visit. She was much more comfortable this time around. Quick to help, and extremely friendly and attentive. 

Now, for the best part...THE FOOD! Wow, where do I start...the baby lobster roll...delicious. The baked salmon roll...amazing. The dumplings...succulent and juicy with every bite. We ordered the plum wine...one of the best glasses I have ever had, and my fiancée would agree! It was all topped off by a "beautifully presented" lava cake complimented by green tea ice cream! Also amazing! 

During the visit, we were also greeted, and attended to, by Mr. Yu, who wanted to assure we were having a good experience. We most certainly did! And will be coming back in the future!

Yelp doesn't allow 1/2, but this indeed was a 4 1/2 star experience!! I now recommend, and would take visitors for a modern, contemporary sushi experience. Well done!!
4 - Sam C.: this place is getting hammered for service recently....i think they deserve a break!!!!!

I used to work in westwood and i never had a service problem. we came here with coworkers for cheap nice happy hour outings. its buy one get one 0.01 so its worth it for the beer. service is generally fast!!!! the staff is also pretty welcoming, some of them seem a bit shy to be waitresses but never gave our table an attitude.  service is solid here.

food-wise, u get what you pay for, its not a upscale japanese restaurant so its no sushi roku but everything is still up to par. this being said, dont expect exquisite toro from here.. but they do have excellent rolls. the baby lobster was tasty, crazy roll, etc.. the sushi is 50% for happy hour so get the white tuna, salmon is always consistant, hamachi, and spicy scallops!!!
3 - Jenny T.: The only reason why this place probably exists:
 
-UCLA students who are craving sushi, but don't have cars to drive  beyond Westwood village, thus are stuck between going here, Yamato, or Tomadachi 

-UCLA students who want to go to a "hip" place that's not CPK or BJ's for a birthday dinner

-Sake Bombs & 50% off sushi (though it's not even that good, but i guess for the price you're paying, you can't ask for more)

Honestly, the service at this place sucks. The food takes forever to come out--even when there is barely anyone in the restaurant. I've also been here for few birthday dinners and every single time, they took around 20 minutes to give us the check. Though, when it was my birthday (oh how naive I was to think this place was "cool" to host a dinner...) the manager took 45 minutes to bring us the check and to top it off, we saw him taking sake bombs with another group of customers at the bar, even though my table was waiting for him--or any waiter for that matter--to bring us the check. Though this happened awhile back and I don't believe that same guy works there anymore, I will always refer to Amis as "that sushi place with horrible service" because of that incident. 

I would probably give this place just 2 stars, but since the prices and the sushi is actually decent, 2 stars would be a little harsh. Minor thing, they also do play good music and have a fun upstairs area if you do come in a big group. However, if you have the option of going to a sushi place outside of Westwood, I would definitely recommend going somewhere else.
3 - Daniel F.: I actually really liked the sushi here! For my first time at this place, I ordered the salmon tempura roll and the dragon roll, and both of them were comparable to other sushi places at which I have eaten. It was not exceptionally astounding, but it was tasty nevertheless. 
The service was not as poor as many reviewers have suggested, but it was not great. They charged us extra on a shrimp roll, but that could've just been a mistake. Furthermore, they actually served french fries, which I thought was strange for a sushi bar. Also, the place is very dark and full of loud people, so if you want to go on a date, check another place out.
Otherwise, the sushi here is pretty good, but the ambience seems like it is primarily intended to satisfy college students going with friends, not families or couples.
1 - Ann J.: A group of four of us were walking by and we thought this looked like a fun place to eat.  Well what a horrible mistake we made.  I can't believe how people could give this place 4 stars!  The only reason why I gave them 1 star was because of the good music choices.  

Please save yourself the time and money and do not eat here.  There are plenty of good restaurants around the area.  When I began this review, I was actually waiting for my food.  Yes, that's how horribly slow this place is.  It took them 2 hours to serve us our food and when we asked the waitress about it, she gave us attitude like it was our fault we were not getting served.  The sushi was not good, in fact we all feel sick right now.  I guess my favorite part of the night was when all the sushi chefs left! haha  I looked over and the bar was empty.  Why in the world would they leave when the restaurant has customers?!? Does anyone know what customer service is?? And of course our bill had mistakes on it...go figure!

Seriously, I could go on and on, but it's just making me more upset.  PLEASE do not go here for your sake.  It's expensive and not worth the time.  Go somewhere where the waiters are friendly and the food is good!!

Or just skip dinner and go to diddy riese!
2 - Natasha D.: I went to this place with my brother about a year ago and was pleasantly surprised to find it wasn't too bad. I usually avoid half-off places like the plague, but this time, the fish was fairly fresh, the service was good, and I had no problems with it overall.

Cut to a few months ago. I was in Bel Air shooting my photography project for school, along with my friend/aspiring model, Samantha C. I had raved to her about this place, saying it was the only half-off place I've ever found that didn't make me feel like wretching. Well, I spoke too soon. Every dish they brought out was spectacularly fishy and not fresh at all. I hate using the word disgusting to describe food, but that's what it was. It was a struggle to finish it all. I understand this place is half off, but it was just straight up bad. I really wanted to give it a 1, but the chef was super nice and it WAS half-off, so I'll refrain. Overall, I've given up on my quest to find cheap sushi that's actually good. It's just not possible (and God knows that, as a sushi addict, I've tried many, many times). 

The bottom line: spare yourself of this beautifully-designed indecency and head over to another sushi place. The ambience is on point, but the fish is not. And the latter is way more important.
1 - Stacy A.: This place is terrible. We were in Westwood looking for a dinner spot and the hostess convinced us to come in by offering us the student discount. It was the biggest mistake of the night. It took the waitress 20 mins to come take an order and another 20 to get our first order of food. An order of mine never came and the service was so bad that i didn't even bother to mention it because I didn't want to wait any longer. The all you can eat price is too much for the quality of sushi. There are other good places to eat in WW,don't waste your time or money here. The only upside of this place is the music and decent interior.
2 - Mimi C.: You just have to know what to order and what your taste is. I personally dislike the Dynamite Roll because it is basically a dish that has this weird mayo sweet cream sauce sogging up the cali rolls and slightly funky taste from the weird mushrooms and scallop combination. The Spider Roll (deep-fried blue crab)  wasn't much, the same for the salad that came in the bento box, and I couldn't even taste the lobster of the popcorn-fried lobster roll, but a redeeming point is the sesame chicken which is mildly tasty and fills you up, and the 50% off rolls. Sometimes service is slow, so be prepared.

Stop putting mayo in your rolls. It's like putting too much frosting on a cake, except no one really eats it.
3 - Stephanie L.: I'm super conflicted about Ami. I have been going here for about 3.5 years now, and the service is always hit or miss. However, my food has ALWAYS ALWAYS been fantastic. I've never had a bad roll here, their miso 
soup is delicious, and their nigiri is always fresh. 

I have been here so many times I can pinpoint which waiters/waitresses are the bad/decent/good ones. This is a good place to go with a small group of people, don't come here with a very large group, unless you know you can reserve the second story.

The restaurant has changed quite a bit in the past 3 years. There is now a happy hour menu (which is incredibly deceptive with their photos of the food and how it actually comes out on a plate), and the happy hour no longer includes two beers for one like it used to. 

I don't know what to say. My opinion about this restaurant changes every time I go because the service is so volatile. 

Come here with friends. Come here to eat. Don't come here expecting a marvelous LA sushi experience.
1 - Samsnorn Z.: Decent Japanese food but horrible service. It took forever to get any service at our table and it wasn't even a busy night! The people outside got faster and better service. It was so bad that we had to flag down other servers to get any service. This left a very negative first impression and I never go back or recommend this place to anyone.
4 - Candy S.: Sooo good. One of my all time favorites. I'm glad my friends brought me here! Thanks jenn and josh =)

I love the ambiance. Two floors, great music, giant projection to watch the game, but sometimes not so great service. This place is great for big groups and for dates. Just a quick tip, you should ask to sit upstairs. Its the best place to sit. On last, but not least, great sushi for an even more amazing price.
3 - Alexis S.: Came here for dinner with my friends before clubbing last Thursday. We had chosen this restaurant on impulse because we were running late but it turned out well. Entering the restaurant, the decor was very nice and had a similar ambiance to a club. The service was pretty good as well, she attended all of us fine. The food was just as good. We had ordered a mixture of sushi and rolls and all came out tasty. My faves were the Fantasy Roll and the Monster Roll. If I'm ever at Westwood again, I would probably consider coming back here to eat.
4 - Jeana L.: I like their happy hour here, it's pretty cheap for their quality of fish. The atmosphere at night is almost club-like with the big red staircase in the middle of the restaurant. Service was friendly and attentive. Their sushi is good and their specialty rolls are creative and come in very big rolls. I like this place, just wish it wasn't so far from meee.
2 - Nicole T.: While the location/ ambiance and the prices are great, the sushi is not spectacular.  I am a huge sushi lover and I love finding new sushi places.  They do have a discounted sushi section on the menu, which a lot of small sushi restaurants have, but the inexpensive prices do not make up for the taste/ quality of the sushi.  The fish didn't seem very fresh to me.  (This restaurant also received a B rating, which I noticed after I ordered my food).  

I have definitely experienced better sushi places, and I probably would not go back there, unless it was to get drinks.
3 - Lina T.: This is my usual sushi restaurant. ^^ The variety of sushi offered is better than Yamato's [imo].  The sushi has been spot on and delicious, so i usually rely on Ami whenever i have a sushi craving.

The service nowadays has been downgrading but that's because the workers are usually students, so they change frequently.. It's understandable. 

The place itself is very cozy inside. I like the vibe the place gives off and the music isn't bad either.  I've recommended this place to some of my friends and every single one of them has fallen in love with restaurant. I'd definitely say that it's the best sushi restaurant around westwood area for sure.

Edit: I went back to Ami's a few months ago actually and the food doesn't taste the same anymore. It's quite saddening since I used to go here all the time. I'm also unhappy that their happy hour changed. I go to Tomodachi for my sushi cravings now~
2 - kristin l.: What yelp says when I clicked on two stars says it all: "Meh. I've experienced better." It's not bad, just not that great. Service stinks, foods ok, not expensive but not cheap. I suppose one of the things that makes me more critical of this place is the fact that Yamato is right up the street and is AMAZING. Actually, I've only been to Ami Japanese twice. Once was to try something new and the other time was because Yamato was closed until 5 and I was craving sushi. You may want to give it a try and see for yourself, but if you don't like it, I recommend Yamato.
2 - Nahal A.: I went here the other night because I didn't want to wait in line at Yamato. We were seated quickly but I felt very uncomfortable because the waiters would stand right above us and ask "are you ready to order" way too much considering we had just sat down & already said no twice. Finally, when we decided to order, the woman had no additional knowledge on the drinks we were ordering, in terms of how they're different or which is most preferred by other customers. Once we did get our drinks they didn't bother us for a long time until it was last call so that was good. Hopefully they get the tip that they should give customers a little more space to make the experience enjoyable.
1 - Chris G.: Ugh, horrible service. Overpriced horrible tiny portions of sushi. Felt rushed even while restaurant was empty. Would not return.
1 - R R.: Remember Heathcliff? The cartoon alley cat who pulled discarded fish out of dumpsters? I always assumed he ate them. But I think Heathcliff brings them to Ami, who then serves them as sushi to unsuspecting customers.
I was really worried that I would be very very ill after dinner, but I was actually ok. Good thing I left a lot of sushi behind, uneaten, which is a first for me.
The fish was not only not fresh (some of it was actually spoiled, I think), but the chefs mask the fishy taste with strong flavors that do not belong in sushi -- like cumin!
I have never had really bad sushi, until I went to Ami.
It was also strange that the sushi chef kept asking us whether the sushi was good, almost as if he was afraid to taste the old fish himself. I didn't tell him it was absolutely horrible, since it's admirable for a Korean establishment to tackle something challenging like sushi. I left a nice tip and departed quietly. But I will NEVER COME BACK.
2 - Sarah H.: My main complaint about this restaurant has to do with the atmosphere and service, I'm actually partial to their food and that is the only reason I've been here more than once. Very lackluster service, and more of a club environment instead of a more soothing dining experience (loud dance music and very dark). Seriously some of the worst service I've had in Westwood.
3 - Peter C.: The Yelp average is correct.  I would give this place 3 stars and nothing more.  I was in the mood to try something new, and the menu seemed to have a good mix of noodles, sushi and cooked entrees.  In the end, I'm a sucker for a 2-item combo that is less than $10, so California rolls and tempura it is!

I would rate my main dish as below average, mostly because the tempura was awful.  The batter was heavy & thick, and almost took over the taste of the food.  It's the first time I've had tempura like this, and I didn't like it at all.  I'm used to having tempura with a light, airy crispness to it.  The California rolls were fine, and the salad had a very interesting ginger dressing.

What saved Ami from getting 2 stars was the edamame.  Most of the time, edamame is boiled, lightly salted dish and served refrigerator cold.  No no no, my friends.  If you get the garlic edamame here, they are warm, salty, garlic-infused and sauteed in soy sauce.  They are so good that I was licking the leftover pods clean, and it didn't really if I was making my co-worker lunch friend uncomfortable with the sucking noises.  It was that good.   A mixed experience, but now I wish all places could make edamame this good.
5 - T P.: This place is awesome! The space is really cool and the service and food are excellent!
1 - Jennifer B.: Service: SLOW

Atmosphere: Ami's has a dark, chic decor in the inside, but that's really the only nice thing about the place. The sushi IS NOT FRESH.

Food: The main criterion for a sushi joint for me is the quality of the fish and the freshness of it.  I had a spicy tuna roll here once and they didn't clean/cut the fish correctly and so it had a REAL FISHY taste. My friends and I have gone a couple of times and not once have I been impressed with ANY OF their rolls or sushi. Food is below average. One time we ordered a bunch of spicy rolls with jalapenos and peppers... We got food poisoning the next day. Such a bad experience. There's another mediocre sushi joints in Westwood that you can go to instead of Ami's.
4 - Mel W.: It's always a toss-up between Ami and Yamato when my friends and I look for sushi in Westwood.

That said, I've been here quite a few times, both with a few friends and in large groups. Service is a lot faster if your group is small (like most other restaurants, duh). For larger groups, they have a private dining area up the staircase that had no trouble accommodating my group of 30+ people. And they don't mind splitting the check.

The food is good, but nothing too spectacular. All of the rolls are decently priced, and UCLA students even get 15% off their non-discounted items. The sushi wasn't straight-out-of-the-sea fresh, but it wasn't too fishy either. The presentation is really pretty and most of their special rolls come with a little mixed dark greens salad. Would definitely recommend this place to a friend!
2 - Rebecca A.: I've given Ami sushi a try several times and I was very disappointed after tonights experience.  We were a party of 11, and immediately we were told by the manager we could not be accomodated.  He said that they were too busy.  Proper restaurant management would never turn a customer away, and at least tell us there will be a longer wait.  Nevertheless, we took it into our own hands to point out several tables that were empty and could be put together to accomodate our party.  The manager was reluctant to do so, but we insisted.

The food is mediocre.  The quality isn't amazing but is just fine for a casual night out to have sushi.

Overall, the restaurant is under staffed and the service is poor.  The food is average.
3 - Mark L.: This place used to be so amazing but I think after being exposed to what sushi is outside of college (now that I can afford food), In retrospect it is still better than average.

Nonetheless, it is a great place to go if you are in the area and craving sushi and the prices are good. The chefs changed the last time I remember, so it just isn't the same. Good food stil.
4 - Mario G.: The Place...
...has a dim, relaxing environment. They remodeled some time ago and it looks nice. The bathroom is clean. They have an upstairs area for larger parties that makes the place look a little more elegant. Parking is conveniently located right across the street and it isn't stupidly expensive, usually a $3 flat rate after 6:00pm.

The Service...
...is good. The waiters and waitresses are nice. Sometimes it takes a little while, depending on what you ordered and how many other people are there, but the wait's worth it. They're pretty good about keeping drinks filled and asking if the party needs anything.

The Food...
...is delicious. We usually get rolls and occasionally nigiri and/or an appetizer. The sesame chicken and the jalapeno poppers are pretty good. The portion for the price is hard to beat. Few other places have 8-piece rolls for under $4. Their happy hour used to be awesome: half-off all the appetizers, but now it's nothing special...just some tacos and stuff on a separate menu. Also, they don't have brown rice. But outside of those two hiccups, I have no complaints.

The Verdict...
This is the go-to sushi place for me and my friends. We've been going for quite a while now and always enjoyed ourselves. I've been to a couple of the other sushi places in Westwood and they just don't compare. If you're in the area and are hungry and like sushi, this is the place to go. And afterward, walk down the street to Diddy Reise and have an ice cream sandwich for dessert. Can't go wrong with that.
1 - Camilla Z.: One of the worst experiences in my restaurant-goer career. 

Our server was truly slow and didn't seem to care too much about our table. She forgot to bring out part of our order, and 40 minutes later, when we were about to leave and we asked to have the item removed from our bill, she said she 'forgot' it and went to retrieve it in the kitchen. Now, this was an octopus sashimi, which by then had been cut and out for almost an hour - needless to say, it was disgusting.
Also, she mistakenly charged us for the bigger portion of sashimi and would not consider reducing the price. A nightmare.

On top of all that, the quality of the sushi was low even for Westwood standards. 
I am not going back, and neither should you - Yamato might still be bad, but it's better than Ami.
1 - Leonel V.: The service here is absolutely terrible, it completely overshadows the decent sushi. It also doesn't help that this place is not well lit. 

Had a group of 15 people, it took 45 minutes for the first order to come out. The last roll probably came at 1 hour 15 and we ordered everything at the same time. They even missed the last order... what terrible fu*king service, I had ordered two rolls for myself and both of mine came before my friend's order... apparently they forgot about his order or they ran out of rice or something ridiculous... 

How can anyone put up with this service? 

Go to Yamato's instead if you want to stay in Westwood.
4 - Jennifer C.: A few co-workers and I came here for dinner and on a whim, decided to go for the all-you-can-eat sushi deal. 

The all-you-can-eat menu seemed extensive enough. The offer was fairly priced. Why not? 

Big mistake. Despite being full halfway through our second round, we forced ourselves to finish it and then greedily ordered an additional third round. Cue bloated stomachs, slumped over gluttons, and groans all around that we were fools. One of my co-workers mistakenly thought that you HAD to finish all the sushi you ordered, or the additional, uneaten sushi would be added as a cost to your bill. For a good 10 minutes, we schemed up ways to rid ourselves of the excess sushi, including taking turns to roll them up in napkins, stuffing the napkin-covered sushi in our pockets, and then casually throwing it away in the restroom trashcan, one roll at a time. (Can you tell that most of us are Asian and wanted to avoid any extra fees?) Fortunately, Ami doesn't charge for uneaten sushi and we didn't have to resort to that. We had actually walked there, because we were at UCLA for the night and walking seemed like a better option than driving and parking in Westwood. Those two blocks was probably the most painful walk I had ever walked in my entire life, and I've walked a mile down the Las Vegas strip in 5 inch Louboutins. 

About the sushi-- it was decent. Although not all of the items on their menu could be used for the all-you-can-eat deal, the ones you could order were pretty good. They did leave a strange feeling in my stomach, but I don't know if that was from the quality or the quantity of sushi I consumed; most likely the latter, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. 3.5 stars.
2 - Lacy R.: the worst thing about this place is the service. me and some folks went on an off-hour (like. 3-ish or something) there were 3 servers on the floor, and the place wasn't even busy at all. 
 Regardless of being over-staffed..the service was still hell'a slow. Our server acted like she was scared of us. everytime she'd bring something, - and we'd actually want to order..and she'd leave really fast. it was as if she didn't even want us to order anything. 

I asked for lemons. and instead of having the common sense to say "can i get you anything else?" (since we were ready to order appetizers and it was OBVIOUS bc our menus were closed) she ran off and got the lemons; and then came back to ask if we wanted any food. If I didn't know any better, i'd say that the girl was stupid. Maybe that's really mean, but it's not rocket science to be a server - especially when it's not busy, at all. (i'm a server. maybe that's why I'm over critical) We ended up having to ask the host to finish our transactions  - she got us our check, and she rung up the bill for us too. I felt like she should have been the server, and the girl who didn't know how to be a server should have been the hostess that just..stood there. . It takes little to no brain power to be a hostess - especially at a slow restaurant. 

anyway, the food wasn't even that great. My friend ordered something from the happy hour..which SEEMED like a great deal. but not really. it was a mini-burger for $3.50, and it was the tiniest burger I'd ever seen. and that was their "deals" menu. 
The rolls are whatever. My other friend ordered some sort of "roll up" thing..it was decent; but still waay over priced.



Besides "whatever" food, and stupid-people being servers there, it's actually a really  nice looking place. They should totally turn it into a club. They have a fancy red staircase right smack in the middle of the place.
1 - Rachel F.: I have been here several times and I have not been impressed. I was here last night for a friends birthday and I was appalled. My friend and I ordered garlic edamame which was terrible. It had a weird sweet almost teriyaki like sauce and did not taste like garlic at all. I ordered the spider roll and the rose roll and both were mediocre at best. THe presentation was terrible, the rolls were not cut evenly and impossible to eat even with my hands. The tackiest part about the experience was that my friends who were doing sake bombs were given plastic cups and plastic shot glasses, real classy. I will be sticking with another restaurant close by if I'm looking for sushi in Westwood.
2 - Kevin N.: If you're in Westwood and craving for some sushi, I would recommend some other places. 

I had the scallop roll, the lobster roll, and a spicy tuna roll. The food tasted kind of off, I think they use too much onions. Also each roll costs about $13 dollars, so it's not cheap either. 

As per use, good luck finding parking in Westwood. However, this place does look pretty nice considering it is 2 floors and the stairs give off a savvy oriental look. 

Overall, I can't recommend this place, the food is mediocre and pricy for what you get.
3 - Michelle C.: In an oyster shell: Ami's is a subpar sushi restaurant in Westwood because you can definitely get your sushi fix elsewhere with more bang for your buck. HOWEVER, their baked baby lobster roll is the best I've come across in my sushi escapades. For some reason, I haven't discovered another restaurant that makes it quite like Ami's... so an extra star for that.
4 - Erin H.: Came here last night for a friend's "22nd" birthday dinner. They didn't even card us! Which was pretty convenient. I always forget that you get carded in America.. cuz  I was studying abroad in Asia for a year.

Anyway, I think I've only been here a couple times in the past few years as a Bruin. It's more expensive than Yamato but I guess their rolls are better. I shared the Tiger Roll with a friend and tasted the Baked Salmon Roll and a piece of scallop from the Dynamite Roll. Everything was pretty good, not really spectacular. They were sweet without being too saucy. I liked that they give you hefty communal plates of wasabi and ginger

We had a big group, so we were seated upstairs, and we decided to do sake bombs for my friend's bday! We were pretty much sake bomb n00bs, so our waitress helped us in determining how much alcohol we needed, what to chant, and quickly getting us napkins to clean our mess. She was also very patient with us despite our taking forever to decide what to order and such.

Overall it was pretty nice but a little pricey. Definitely can't eat here often but I want sushi again :[ sighhh
4 - Kevin K.: Pretty typical modern Japanese sushi/maki restaurant. I have tried their rolls and they were pretty great. I have tried the baby lobster, alaskan, energy, salmon, scallop, and spicy albacore. They were all good and delicious. However you really can't go wrong with some of these rolls, I've tried them at many different sushi restaurants and they all generally taste the same. The price is pretty good, it is slightly below average so its really nice. Especially the simple rolls that are 50% off.

It seems like everyone was having trouble with the service, but I did not have much trouble. They got our orders fast and even came occasionally to ask if we needed anything.

The interior was pretty nice and slightly fancy. It wasn't sparkling clean and high class, but it had a nice ambiance. 

Parking can be a pain, you have to find street parking and nearly all of them are metered so yeah, good luck with that.

Otherwise, this place is a very solid place and I may be coming back again.
5 - John M.: The best value for sushi in Westwood!
3 - David B.: Just above average sushi for decent price. I always feel like I get my money's worth when I go to Ami's, but I never really feel wow'd. I'll still go with friends and it's quite easy to fill yourself on their happy hour prices (it's always happy hour).
1 - Ryan C.: Worst dining experience--ever!

I am pretty lenient when it comes to restaurants and sub-par service.  I know how difficult it is for food service employees.  However, my patience tonight was tested and pushed to the extremes.  All aspects of my dining experience just added more fuel to the figurative fire.  

First off, we waited an hour just to be seated and at least twenty minutes before somebody would come to our table to take our orders.  We asked for hot tea and received it lukewarm in greasy cups--ten minutes later.  

The staff constantly snubbed our table, forgetting orders and requests.    

My suggestion:  Go to Yamato's down the street.  The atmosphere is much better, service actually exists, and food is good and prices aren't bad at all.  

I will never come back to Ami Japanese Restaurant.
1 - Haili Q.: So let's see, long wait, nonexistent service, and hidden charges. Really? You charge for GINGER? 

And in exchange for the nonexistent service we get charged gratuity.
3 - Im hungry L.: A sushi bar in the fashionable Westwood Village - full of UCLA Bruins snacking on the 50% off sushi rolls and other special deals that evening.  That evening they had Toro -Blue Fin tuna 9.95, Akimono 3 rolls 5,95, and after 9pm a special rate on some items were offered.  All this soft advertising is unnecessary - the food is above average and the prices are well below average for sushi.

Sure to fashion - the luau platter WAS CHOKE FULL OF RAW FISH IN MANY SHAPES.  Spicy tuna was chopped, added to bay scallops and a little special sauce,  This became the base mix  for the cluster in the middle bumped up a notch with a hot sauce. Eight rolls of raw tuna strips wrapped around some spicy tuna mixture of asparagas, avacado, and special sauce.  Savory, sweet, hot and salty all on one platter.  The Sake Kama was also v good, but a little oily for my wife's liking.  It would get more stars if the atmosphoere wasn't so Fusion meets Japanese - noisy and slick.
3 - Brenda K.: Try the Dynamite Roll. Mmm.
4 - Brian C.: So I had the Catapillar roll and another specialty roll just excellent and they were huge. Very fresh and the staff is very nice.
1 - Anthony B.: Went there for the AYCE special and had terrible, terrible service. We had a Vegan friend and called ahead to make sure it was fine if she sat at our table even if she would not be having AYCE and the woman on the phone said it was fine.

Once we got there another one of my friends was not set on AYCE, however the manager came over and said that it was a restaurant policy that all at the table had to eat AYCE, which was fine (however our Vegan friend had been given the OK from the hostess over the phone).

The food was decent, however I found a LARGE piece of hair in my food. The waitress was there when the hair was found and only offered to get me a new dish. The manager did not come over to apologize, but instead came over to yell at us for our Vegan friend not ordering AYCE. He implied we had gone behind is back to get around the policy, when we in fact had cleared it with the hostess before even arriving at the restaurant. He was rude and did not conduct himself like a manager should. 

This was the final straw. Many people have had issues with this place, particularly the service and the cleanliness of the restaurant (A year back my friend told me how she found a fly in the soy sauce!!)

I will not be returning and will instruct my friends to do the same.
4 - Brian S.: The ratio of price to quality is seriously one of the best. 

A lot of complaints on here about service, "real" sushi, etc etc. But if you're looking for a GREAT deal and pretty tasty sushi, their happy hour menu is all day long.

The specialty rolls are a little higher priced - but we usually each order one of those and just over-order on the happy hour menu. It's the best way to go.

I've probably been here 30 or 40 times, and never had a significant problem, aside from some slow service. Don't eat sushi if you're in a huge rush, anyways.

Parking in the garage across the street is free for 2 hours OR $3 flat rate after 6:00 PM.

***The only weird thing about them, is their music.. Always playing some weird techno or gangsta rap, doesn't fit the ambiance at all. But easy to get past.
4 - Donnaly N.: Came here for the earlier happy hour. A great deal! I ordered the sweet potato waffle fries ($3), which is a huge serving and comes with spicy mayo and wasabi dipping sauces. Also got one Kobe taco ($2.50) and it took a little long to come out, but was delicious. A little small though. The spicy tuna roll was the right amount of spicy was came with 8 big pieces ($3.50). Overall a great deal with good food and good service for happy hour.
2 - Maysam A.: Worst service I have ever experienced from a restaurant. The food was a 7/10 but the service was a solid 0, it was almost nonexistent, we had to ask for the check 3 times and even go the wrong one once! We had to ask for refills for our water and after the 2nd time they gave up and just gave us our own pitcher. The food took somewhere around 30 min for a 4 rolls, and anytime I asked about a roll they answered in a way that sounded that they were angry at me for even asking them.

Go for OK sushi but be prepared to have to ask them for everything multiple times.
2 - Ashley B.: So, I've been to Ami a few times now.  I really want this place to be great, but I've just had really poor experiences with the customer service here.  The food is good and atmosphere is decent, but the waitstaff just kills it for me.  They have either seemed timid to the point of being really awkward or just completely negligent.  The last time I was here, the host seated us and gave us menus and we waited for about 20 minutes for a waitress to take our order despite the restaurant being almost empty.  The food service was REALLY slow and they brought the appetizer out with the meal for some reason, which isn't horrifying but does kind of defeat the purpose of an appetizer.  Again, after the meal we had to basically hunt someone down to get our check.  Overall, I just got the impression that the staff here is out to lunch and just not interested in taking care of their customers.
3 - Eric M.: ok, first of all I walked in and couldn't see shit, so after tripping over a chair, midget, stroller, and 5 year old, my eyes got used to the dungeon style lighting. Found a seat and got ignored for a while due to the fact that I'm white... my skin is my sin baby! I ordered the Philly roll, and it was aight, didn't really compare to "Ugly roll" and was more money... weird enough there was a bus boy there named Annie, yah... it was a boy, my thoughts exactly. This place was quite forgettable... i'm not saying it was terrible... Just nothing special. You can go and see for yourself.


ummm, yah ok, Ami Sushi you can get a salute because you didn't give me food poisoning...
2 - Emilia C.: This restaurant has decent sushi, but TRULY AWFUL service and is relatively over-priced. I got the impression that this restaurant takes itself more seriously than it should.....the menu options seem pretty fancy, but they didn't have the oysters, which I asked about. I'll take any old sushi place in Little Tokyo over this restaurant any day! It seemed pretty trendy, and there were quite a few people here, which definitely surprised me after experiencing the food/service. The waitress at first seemed like she was rushing us to order, and then pretty much disappeared for the remainder of the evening. No one else checked on us, and my boyfriend practically had to jump out of his seat to get someone's attention. If you are in a hurry, DO NOT GO HERE.  Sorry Bruins, we Trojans have much better sushi in our 'hood. 

I ordered the Fantasy Roll, tuna sashimi, and a small miso soup, and my boyfriend ordered the Energy Roll and spicy albacore roll.  For our appetizer, we ordered the spicy tuna-on-top-of-a-bed-of-crispy-rice, which was very satisfactory. I should've just ordered three of those! 
Almost everything except the appetizer, the sashimi and the albacore roll was covered in the same bright-orange spicy sauce. This made it all SUPER spicy and taste the same, unless you ate some of the parts without the sauce. The pictures look very elegant, but not all of the rolls look that good.  If you take away all that awful orange sauce, the Fantasy Roll would have been quite good, with plenty of avocado on top! The sashimi was fine and a nice, more subtle taste contrast to the awful orange sauce. My date and I ate everything because we were really hungry, however,  it definitely wasn't a fabulous mouth-watering sushi experience for which I had hoped. 

To top it off, we wanted to split the check and the hostess/second waitress accidentally put it all on my card, THEN tried to void it, but of right now I just have two charges on my card.

One random note...I am big on cleanliness, and this restaurant was definitely pretty clean. The bathroom was also perfectly clean and nice, which is important to OCD people like myself.
1 - OliveFoo D.: one star for luring us in with your 50% off sushi special. 

service? less than what's appropriate for human contact. first you (asian female) seated us and walked away. a nice guy server came and asked if we wanted drinks, we got water. you came back and asked if we wanted drinks, we told you another (steadfast) server had already helped us with drinks. you walk away, defeated. it doesn't stop there folks. you brought our plate to the wrong table, brought it BACK to our table and stared at us for confirmation without saying one word. you brought our second sushi roll out and stared at us with utter confusion (i'm assuming you were mentally trying to figure out how to sort the dishes already on our table to make room for new plate?)

that is why i gave you 10% tip. and i thought i was pretty generous too dammit.

hide sushi on sawtelle trumps this place.
2 - Christopher H.: THEY BROUGHT ME WARM BEER!!!!!! The sushi was alright but the servers were incompetent. They brought us somebody else's credit card and thought we stole it when we gave it back to the busboy to give to the right people.
2 - Joyan C.: I'm not sure why this place is so popular.  It's packed to the brim with UCLA students all the time.  I've been here twice and both times the sushi was just ok.  Maybe there isn't much good sushi in Westwood.  We got like 6 different rolls in our group, I would say the best was the Energy Roll if you have to eat here.  Don't get the organic greet tea, it taste like water.
The service was terrible, there was not enough waiters for all the patrons there.  The atmosphere is unique though, it looks like a club inside.  Maybe that's why people like it.
1 - Annika H.: HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE!! Most people have covered the obvious: takes forever to get the attention of a waiter, wrong food being brought to the wrong tables, had to wait for a half hour to get the basics (chopsticks, ginger, wasabi, napkins), but what really pissed me off enough to the point that I felt the need to write this review was this... I order vegetable tempura, and told the waiter TWICE specifically to not put shrimp in it. I am mildly allergic to sea food (what am I doing at a sushi restaurant, right? Well I still enjoy veggie sushi, tempura, edamame, etc.) and of course when they finally bring it out, I take a huge bite (since, you know, I've been sitting there waiting for almost an hour now and am starving) and it's shrimp. 
After puking in the bathroom and being apologized to by the only seemingly-decent waitress in the entire restaurant, the manager takes his sweet time to come over and deal with everything. Though my friend and I got our meal for free, he was completely apathetic and undisturbed about the whole situation and barely apologized. He also explained that they were training new waiters because 4 had quit the previous week. Hmmmm wonder why... 
NEVER. GOING. BACK.
2 - Chelsey H.: Good food, TERRIBLE service!! It took forever to get our food, and even longer to get the check! They didn't give us soy sauce, and when they did they forgot to give us the bowls to put the sauce in... They basically treat their customers as if they don't need their business and have better things to do. OH and the "all you can eat" is a joke--do not do this deal! It isn't worth the time or the money. Plus, they have all sorts of rules that come along with the all you can eat deal that I found rather difficult to follow with a group of friends. It was too much of a hassle! I am going to eat at Yamato and never come here again.
3 - Linda N.: I wish I can give half stars. Ami get a 3.5 from me!

I went during happy hour (3-6 I believe) and it wasn't too packed. The food was good, but not great. My roommate and I got the Rainbow Roll and it wasn't too bad. We also got one of the baked rolls which was good, but it kept on breaking so I kept on getting frustrated. 

I did like the service though. They were very attentive to my needs. Right when I was struggling to move an empty plate to the side of the table, someone from the staff noticed and right away told the waitress to rush over and take the plate from me.

The baked tofu nuggets, which we got from the happy hour menu, were really good too! They're crunchy on the outside and a bit soft on the inside. They were only $2! I would definitely come back for that.

My roommate also said the alcohol on the happy hour menu were good prices. I'm not a big drinker, so I don't know much about that ;)
4 - Soraya H.: went here twice - once for happy hour and once w/ a big group for dinner

no sushi on the happy hour priced menu =( but their selections are still delicious! kobe beef sliders or tacos, fried tofu nuggets (DELICIOUS) and so much more! prices were so good for the happy hour, 2.50 sake bombs! and they were a generous amt of beer/sake! service was AWESOME

the time i went for dinner was w/ a big group and the service was still amazing. they were prompt and attentive! 

I will definitely go back!!!!!!!!
4 - Jackie D.: Newly renovated + a happy hour menu (3-5pm and 9pm-close). Always get the bora bora luau roll. It is FISH -- no rice BS. $2 imported beers (Sapporo, Asahi, Kirin) and $4 for large bottles. WORTH IT. The HH menu include sweet potato criss cut fries and kobe sliders, among other things, for around $3. 

Always remember to show your bruin card for a 10% discount.
1 - Shawn C.: The food was not great, but it's definitely not bad for the price.

However, the service was absolutely disgusting. Maybe I experienced an "off-day", but it was unacceptable.
The waitress simply dazed off, with both my guest and me trying to get her attention with polite calls of "excuse me". When that didn't help, I gently tapped on the table to alert her. When she finally came, I thought she was rather courteous.
That is, until my guest alerted me that the waitress was giving me dirty looks behind my back. (I was facing the wall.)
I could ignore all that, but the server actually came up to me and asked if we were done 10 minutes into the meal. She told me that she's clearing the register, and wanted to save some trouble. I didn't know restaurants could be this bad. Needless to say, we finished the meal as quickly as possible to get out of this horrid place.

I have never experienced anything like this, and I don't plan to again.
4 - Anthony M.: Ate at Ami last night for a friends birthday. We ordered bento boxes, a specialty roll, and regular rolls. Everything was very fresh tasting, cheap, and delicious! The service was also great! We were asked if everything was ok and if we needed anything multiple times, which is great. Sometimes at busy restaurants its impossible to get a hold of a waiter. We celebrated my friend's birthday with the chocolate lava dessert with ice cream. that was good too! I recommend this place! The only odd thing about this place was the music choice, Soulja boy, Whats your fantasy, and etc played.
1 - Lea A.: Worse sushi ever if you can even call it sushi. Super soft seaweed that didn't keep the rice and fish together...the fish seemed old. The staff was also slow and not fun. I thik they should close this place and bring in a real sushi bar..or something better.
1 - Sandra Y.: I made a yelp account just to write this because I'm THAT MAD.

NEVER COME HERE! The workers here are some of the worst people ever. The other day, I left my cell phone there on the table by accident, and the workers STOLE IT! I was 100% certain I left it at Ami, and I came back twice asking if anyone turned it in.... nope. The day I lost my phone, I was sitting inside around 3 pm on a Thursday, so there was not a single other customer inside, so I know that it was the workers who simply pocketed my phone. WHO DOES THAT?!?! And then, I checked my phone usage the next morning, and they had used a ridiculous amount of data on my phone!! Really, Ami workers? This is gonna bite you back in the butt because you're going to have no more customers if you keep doing sh*t like this.

Just to add to how much I hate this place, the service is like snail pace. I was willing to tolerate the slow service, but now that I know the workers are thieves, I am never ever going back!!!
1 - Justin W.: Food really isn't that good. Mostly the same specialty rolls you get everywhere else, drenched in teriyaki sauce, siracha mayo, and random garnishes sprinkled with no taste. Sashimi is unfresh to the say the least.  Bento boxes are decent I guess...but so is Yoshinoya.  Everything is honestly 50% off all the time so don't get tricked...

Service is pretty terrible.  One time we waited 2 hrs before our food came.  We explained to the manager/shift leader how we had waited forever...and he said something along the lines of  "Come on! Its only 2 hrs...okay what do you guys want, free sake?" 
We replied no and left promptly.

Wait times are consistently long, service itself is crap, food is mediocre at best.  Do yourself and favor and head over to Yamato instead....food is better, service is wayyyy better.
2 - Erika M.: The sushi here is decent, but the service is just too slow.  I'm not sure why because the times I have gone, it was pretty empty.  I am giving an extra star because this sweet waitress snuck me some green tea on the house.  I tipped her extra for that.  I would rather go to Yamamoto down the street.
4 - Chloe P.: This place really isn't that bad.  Sure the service may be a bit slow sometimes, but they're always pretty friendly and nice. I honestly think this place is deserving of 4 stars if you base it on the food.  They serve americanized sushi and honestly they do it really really well and isn't that the most important thing?? Yelp reviews should focus on the food honestly.  Giving a restaurant that has pretty good food a 1 star just because of service is unwarranted.  

What I got
1.  Spicy Tuna Tempura Roll
so good!! creamy spicy tuna that is paired with an even CREAMIER indulgent item: CREAM CHEESE!!  yum yum yum and you smear it around that sauce and oh man it is so good.  Did I also mention it has shrimp tempura AND AVOCADO? This roll is totally badass and you need to try it.  It is americanized sushi HEAVEN.
3 - Kristin Leigh M.: I'm not a fish (raw or cooked) eater, but I do love my Japanese food! When eating here, both my husband and I had the two-item bento boxes: mine with vegetable tempura and beef teriyaki and his with chicken teriyaki and beef ribs. Our friend, who was also dining, has the sushi E combination and had no complaints.

In my opinion, the pros are:
+ Teriyaki sauce was delicious and pletiful!
+ Beef was of good quality and not fatty
+ Tempura portion was very generous - I wasn't able to finish
+ Dressing on the salad was tasty, making me want more
+ Miso soup had a great mix of seawood and tofu - no skimping there!

A few improvements:
+ Service. SO SLOW. It wasn't even that busy when we were there (maybe 6 tables full), but it took forever to get anything. They forgot my dipping sauce with the tempura, and when I requested it, it took about 10 minutes to come.
+ Refills? I'm not sure if they do refills on soft drinks and green tea, but we didn't get any. 
+ Waitress said she would be back "in a second," but turned into 10 minutes. Good thing my party and I had things to discuss!

Overall thoughts: Delicious place to go if you want to splurge at bit (it's not the most cost friendly Japanese in the Westwood area) and aren't in a rush.
3 - Kevin P.: So checked this place out for a lunch place because Tomodachi's seamed just that much further away from where I parked... heck park at Broxton parking lot and walk right across the street and you're at Ami. 

Walked in, looked very clean, kinda dark-- reminded me of a sushi bar I used to go to when I was younger. There were a slew of chefs behind the bar and a couple of waiters stern about, not many people for a 2pm. 

Ordered the first thing that came to mind, which was the Chirashi, spanish mackerel, Amaebi, Yellow tail and regular mackerel. 

After getting my Chirashi, which was fantastic, lots of great fish, great variety, but could have used a couple salmon row somewhere to give a little saltiness to it, I eagerly awaited my other sushi.... well to my dismay they were out of Amaebi and they stopped carrying Spanish Mackerel because "students don't order it"... that was minority disappointing but it made sense. 

Lastly.... THEY HAVE A CHALLENGE!!!

"Name your roll" $38 , 38 minutes, free, name it, $20 certificate! It's the size of a football!

This will be my greatest accomplishment. I will try it not now, but very soon. Look for THAT review!

All in all a great place to get your sushi fix, the chirashi was $16 and it was well worth it, if I was living in westwood I would probably come here for a regular stop!

Enjoy... AND DON'T NAME THIS SUSHI YET!
4 - Lillian Z.: Ami's is one of those places that for one reason or another, is constantly on my list of potential places in Westwood to have a group gathering. Birthday dinner? Lab lunch? Roommate reunion? Farewell shenanigans? Pre-gaming with sake bombs? People visiting and didn't know where else to go so ended up at Ami's? Yuuup. Done it all.

It's not that Ami's is orgasmically good or anything, it's just THAT place-- the one that you can always count on to be there for you when you need food that is generally appealing to most people and has a certain level of "niceness" without being too uppity. I guess in some ways, Ami's was kind of my little black dress of food places in Westwood.

There's a nice variety of "specialty" rolls at Ami's (lovely presentation!), and the happy hour prices are usually very reasonable. If you have a large group, they usually let you have the tables on the second story, which is awesome because it offers some privacy. We managed to fit 30+ people up there once, so it can be done. Random: we took one of our lab group photos using the main staircase, so that was an adventure, but it looked nice. And when the weather is nice, eating outside can be a good option for less of a wait time.

tl;dr: The LBD of food places in Westwood. Sassy, classy, and not too shabby-- Ami's gets the job done.
3 - Henry H.: Service is 'meh' but the food it good.
4 - Yi Y.: To be honest this is probably my favorite sushi joint in westwood (out of yamato and this, I know). 

The happy hour sushi isn't anything special, but then again why would it be? For those I would recommend the eel and the spicy tuna. The real treat though is the specialty rolls. I, unfortunately, tend to order a lot of items with mayo on them so this place is perfect for that. I highly recommend the baked lobster roll; it's probably my favorite thing on the entire menu. The dynamite roll isn't bad either, but I would recommend against ordering both.

This place is somewhat on the pricy side, but that's most sushi places besides Sushi Stop. You get a pretty decent amount of food with the specialty rolls and if you share with a friend, it most likely won't come out to more than 20 bucks a person (which is a bit on the pricy side imo).

Oh yeah and you get a discount if you're a UCLA student which is always a plus.
3 - Lidiya M.: Every time I get a craving for sushi and I'm around the UCLA area, I head to Ami's. The specialty rolls are really worth splurging on if you like something a little more complex than what you could get at a fast food sushi place, but honestly, it's more of a quick fix kind of joint than anything. 

Really, the only reason to come to this place is happy hour. The prices drop to around $3-4 for basic rolls (spicy tuna, california, shrimp, avocado, etc.) and there are some good deals on drinks. Their happy hour appetizers are NOT worth it at all. I got the wasabi edamame and there were literally 10 pieces of edamame on there; no freaking bueno. The tempura ice cream is pretty decent, but definitely not big enough to split. It also feels like the tempura part is always stale. 

The service, however, is the biggest problem with this place. If I have to wait 15 minutes for my server to notice that my table has been cleared and I'm obviously waiting for either my check or to order dessert, something is wrong. Especially when it's an off-peak hour and the place is nearly deserted. So please don't try to kiss my ass when you finally drop off the check--it's not going to earn you any extra dinero. 

Would I come here for a big date, an event, or a group affair? No.
Would I come here in between classes when I don't feel like getting another damn platter of nachos from Barney's Beanery? Hell yes. 

Give it a go.
3 - Julie T.: The ambiance is hip and slightly high class. However, I feel the music is too loud. It's as if you're at a bar. The seating is pretty limited, in my opinion. The tables are pretty close to each other. Didn't look like they "welcome" large parties...I guess they can just combine tables for larger parties.
My husband and I got the all you can eat and unfortunately, it's not worth it since they give you a crap load of rice...and the rice taste funny. They didn't season it right.

As far as the service goes, it's okay. 

Unfortunately, I would like to be more thorough but I can't really think of anything that I felt terribly bad or incredibly great about...
2 - Joseph J.: what can i say all you can eat. haha
1 - Koushi S.: The sushi at Ami is not good. In my first visit, I tried a roll and hamachi + salmon nigiri, which was ok. 3 stars. My second visit was atrocious, which I will describe below: 

1) The chef should listen more carefully to people's preferences. I wanted ponzu sauce on the side, which I described with my hands making a circle shape (symbolizing a bowl). Instead, he soaked the rice of the nigiri in ponzu sauce, which really took the flavor out of already unflavorful sushi. 

2) The quality of the fish range from mediocre to terrible. Hamachi tasted ok. The rest (White tuna, something else, and OH GOD ESPECIALLY TAI) was terrible. Tai (Red Snapper) had the texture of balled of ceran wrap. It was that tough and tasteless. 

3) The prices are absolutely ridiculous for this quality. I paid $16 for my meal, which was 4 pairs of tiny nigiri + tax + tip. 

4) The ambiance is a little.... meh. Rap music with dirty lyrics really does not fit the ambiance of what looks like a classy Japanese restaurant. When I went to the bathroom, I was repulsed by the lyrics: "That has got to be the smallest d*** I have ever seen in my whole life / Get the f*** out of here" (Not censored BTW) etc... Like really now? I know this is the bathroom, but does the ambiance have to go down the toilet too? 

5) The servers are nice. The two Korean boys that were working there were attentive. One female worker, however, who I presumed was off-duty, was arguing loudly with her coworker/boyfriend about how she has to work all of tomorrow and all of Sunday and blah blah blah... I understand that she had a lot to say, but she should pick a time and place. And a decibel level. Just because you're off duty doesn't mean you act unprofessional -- you're still setting a tone for the restaurant by being there and wearing your Ami T-shirt. 

That's about all. I'm not going to come back here. Next time you want sushi, I suggest Yelpers take the bus down to Sawtelle and go to a sushi restaurant there OR my favorite alternative: get a chunk of sashimi at Nijiya and prepare yourself some sushi at home! Better quality for a better price.
1 - Eric L.: Awful place. My rolls feel apart faster than Kim Kardahins marriage. Never go here. Go to Yamato down the street, cheaper and better.
4 - Kia R.: This place is pretty good and I have no complaints about the service. I took my food to go so that may have made a difference. I had the Alaskan and the Kamakazi rolls which were delicious. This will probably be my new lunch spot moving forward.
4 - Jason K.: Summary: Great food, huge selection, solid quality, reasonable prices.  Students get 15% off with Bruin Card.  The happy hour menu looks amazing, though I haven't partaken yet.  Large beers are $4 each. Service gets worse the more crowded the place gets, so come at non-peak times for happy hour.  Parking across the street.  Will definitely come back again.

I went here for the first time last night (Thursday) for happy hour and sushi with a buddy that had been a few times before.  When we arrived at around 5:30, the place hadn't really filled up yet, though the happy hour prices were in effect.  We got started with a couple of beers (large Japanese bottles for $4) while perusing the sushi menu.  I noticed that the happy hour food menu had some amazing deals on some really cool looking fusion foods like tacos, burgers, etc. with an Asian twist.  But those would have to wait for a second visit, for sushi was the goal of the evening.

I let my friend make the selections while I provided some feedback about personal preferences.  He pointed out some interesting items on the menu and a sign posted on the wall for a "Name Your Own Roll" challenge.  You get to build a giant roll (way bigger than a Chipotle burrito) for $38 and if you eat it all in a certain amount of time it's free and they give you a certificate with the name of the roll on it.  Interesting concept.  Another day.

Spicy Tuna roll - Despite this being a pretty standard roll, and one I consider a filler, it was actually a little enjoyable than the standard spicy tuna.  Maybe it was the quantity of tuna, the use of cucumber, the quality of the ingredients...I can't say.  But something about it stood out from other spicy tuna rolls.

Spicy Albacore roll - Similar to the spicy tuna roll.  Very tasty, and just a slightly different color.  A solid roll to be sure.

Heart Attack roll  & Jalapeno Tempura Roll - I don't really remember which was which since they have similar ingredients in the description, but I remember that the one that came with the tempura slices of jalapeno on the side was particularly enjoyable.  It had sweet sauce (eel sauce?) accompanying it, and was really tasty.  The other one was good, but didn't stand out compared to the first one.

Hungary roll - According to my friend, this roll was not as it usually is.  I concurred that it had a particularly fishy taste, and though the quality was solid throughout, it slightly hampered the overall enjoyment.

After a while, the restaurant got busier and busier.  Proportionally, the service got poorer and poorer to the point where we were suddenly not being attended to at all, and had to ask for the check and ensure that we could depart.  Based on many of the reviews, service seems to be the greatest problem here, something, I would think, that could easily be remedied if desired.  That said, the food was still excellent and a bargain (especially with a Bruin card).  Will definitely come back, but hopefully at the beginning of a happy hour so as to get good service.
4 - Christopher S.: Ami's is a smaller, but definitely less crowded sushi restaurant in Westwood. Right across the street from Yamato, but I prefer this place for it's more laid back atmosphere, the service is very good, and sushi is good as well.
Didn't get the 15% UCLA discount.. definitely remind them about it.

ALSO
Want to improve your sushi going experience here?
Sake bombs.
2 - Minyoung K.: The sushi is decent and 50% off is nice, that's the reason for the extra star - would of given it 1 star because of the terrible service we got.  It took them 15 minutes to grab our orders, didn't even ask what we wanted to drink so we had to ask another server for water.  The server totally forgot one of our orders when we followed up twice and we ended up not getting that order at all because it was last call.  At least she apologized.  Overall, the service was super slow because they were more busy laughing it up with their friends that were sitting nearby us.
1 - Z K.: WARNING. I highly recommend not eating here. Myself and 2 other people got sick immediately after eat here. Plus, the service was horrible. They forced us to pay efore we even received our food because it was last call. Like seriously? They made my food different than what I ordered and put something that I told them not to put in it do I had to send it back. I was allergic to that ingredient. They had to do a whole other refund transaction and then charge us al over again for the other food. The service is horrible and the sushi is old and rotten. They have no sense of customer service they are just selfish and want to get out of there ASAP. Do yourself a favor and stay away.
4 - Diana A.: Does Ami have the best sushi on the planet? No. Is it good? Yes. Do they serve unfiltered sake? Yes. Are the prices reasonable? Yes. 

This funny place has a red staircase focal point and plays more modern music than one normally hears in a Japanese restaurant. It has character. I always laugh, even when I go by myself and am not entertained by my hilarious friends. Of course, when I'm with my friends, we have a riotous time and savor every bit.

The staff is friendly and you can get a wide variety of items, both authentic Japanese and Americanized. (In others words, they do offer rolls with cream cheese, but I've never had them.)

Try the blue crab hand roll, it's great!
3 - Kelly H.: Went back with a friend and enjoyed their Bento Box for lunch. Service still leaves something to be desired.
3 - Khoa T.: Quality of sushi: OK
Diversity of sushi/rolls: OK
Prices: MEH
All you can eat: GREAT! 

I'm a sucker for AYCE sushi, and this place is no exception. It's about the same price as Midori Sushi in Encino ($25+) except that it's within walking distance of UCLA, which is great when I'm in the mood to fill myself to the brim with tasty sushi yet don't want to stress over having to drive far to do it. 

There aren't as many choices as other places I like, but they do still offer the basics: salmon, mackerel, eel, red snapper, etc. Service is also a bit slower than I would expect too for a place that's empty half of its open hours. 

*AYCE is only Mondays and Tuesdays nights. 
**Watch out for their special rolls if you do AYCE, they're huge portions and really filling!
4 - Vincent I.: great sushi in hte heart of westwood.
they have specias that will delite the pocket book. all sushi specials are hafl of the other places.
the special in 10.95 inclides a large beer, appitizer, and roll. cant go wrong
you can get out of here at 14.00! we had dinner for two of us
2 beers 2 seaweed salads, 2 rainbow rolls, spicy tuna roll, house roll, all for 35.00!!!!
sit at the sushi bar, the tables are nice but the feel ofthe place is at the sushi bar.
sign up for their email specials and coupons for additional savings.
they have a no name roll, 38.00 if you eat it all in 38 minuites it is free. great gimmick. looks like we are going to put together a group and go give it a try like Man vs Food.enjoy
4 - Shelly A.: OM NOM NOM NOM NOM

Great sushi. I love the heart attack roll and the jalapeno tempura roll. There's a ton of variety, and lots of creative rolls that I haven't seen elsewhere. I've been here several times and I've never heard anyone complain about their food.

A friend of mine had the $25 all-you-can-eat once and was super pleased. And full. Very very full. (He probably ate about $60 worth of food.)

Prices are what you'd expect, or a little lower. I think last time I went my jalapeno tempura roll (tuna, jalapeno, cream cheese, avocado, all fried... AH!!!) was $8.95. YES MA'AM.

LOVE happy hour! $7 pitchers and cheap sake (I forget how cheap exactly). SAKE BOMBS AWAY! And nobody gets angry when you screw up and totally destroy your table.

ONLY complaint is that the service can be slow and a little iffy. All of the servers are nice but I've definitely been in situations of having to ask for things multiple times, having trouble flagging down a server, or waiting too long for a credit card to be run. Last time I went they seemed understaffed.

Tables also seem a little close together for my liking.

Still worth it, though! Always my first choice for sushi in Westwood. :)
2 - Katherine R.: Well, I see everyone complaining about the service and they are right that it can be awful. Called ahead with a medium-sized group of friends on Friday night of finals week fall quarter and the place was emptier than I'd ever seen it, but it still took them 45 minutes to seat us, another 20 minutes to take our order, and at least another 30 minutes to serve us. After that amount of time, we should have been finishing up our meal not just starting to eat!  

Meanwhile me and my starving friends (nothing takes it out of you like a week of exams and papers) were devouring every ounce of ginger and spicy mayo in the place. We must have eaten 7 cups of ginger between us by the time our food arrived. Seriously, I was so hungry by the time I got my food that I hardly cared how it tasted at that point!  I think it was pretty decent, but I could be wrong...
3 - Alex B.: Happy hour prices are good but selection isn't wide. 50% off always isn't really a discount. their giant $38 roll challenge looks interesting.
4 - Liv Y.: This is definitely the better sushi place in Westwood (of the two...just pick this one). One of my biggest concerns with sushi places is FRESH FISH, so I am always hesitant to try new places. Fortunately, Ami has very very fresh fish, making the dining experience very positive :) 

Although they are slightly overpriced for the college budget (a Happy Hour on their specialty rolls once in a while would be nice), I would say this is one of my favorite places to go out to eat in Westwood. Whether a birthday dinner, date night, or even a night out with friends/family, I would recommend Ami.

One thing about Ami...though their Happy Hour menu is cheaper, the rolls contain a lot of rice and not that much fish, so I would opt for going for the Specialty Rolls or the Appetizers..

Here are some menu options that I would recommend:
Bell Air Roll
Bruin Roll
Crazy Roll
Miso Soup (yum!)
Garlic Edamame
2 - Tracey W.: First off I need to say that service here is horrible. Came here for lunch around 1:00pm and the place wasn't even crowded. My coworkers and I stood at the front desk for awhile and none of the staff even bothered to help us. They just ignored us until we finally had to speak up and demand they give us some attention. When they finally asked us how many people were in our party they lady went to go find a table for us, but never came back! Another girl asked us how many people then disappeared as well. Finally the guy came and told us he's having a table cleared for us. Really now?? Is it that difficult?

We finally sat down and ordered our food. Took over 20 minutes for our food to come. By now our lunch break was almost over, so we had to scarf down our food, which was pretty tasty nonetheless. Some of their maki rolls are 50% off. Bento boxes are pretty decent in size.

Pity that I had to give this place 2 stars since their food is not bad at all, but their service just ruined our whole first experience here. 

Shout out to the bus boy who took us to our table, brought us our food and asked if there was anything else we needed. Isn't this what our waiter is supposed to do?
4 - June-Young C.: I came here to eat for my friend's birthday party.  I got a Chirashi bowl, and I was impressed by the quality of sushi. I only wish the serving size was a little larger! This place is really great to have a birthday party because they give you free fried ice cream. Even though there were a ton of people, I managed to eat a piece of that delicious ice cream. It was a little cramped since we had so many tables linked together, but that just makes us friendlier? I enjoyed coming here.
1 - Courtney P.: the sushi is good but the service isnt worth it. absolute worst service i have ever experienced, hands down
4 - San K.: This place was good the few times I went. They have a decent happy hour. I would definitely recommend splitting a few with a friend to get a variety.
4 - Tricia M.: Ami's is definitely my favorite sushi restaurant in Westwood. I feel like it has the best atmosphere, the best happy hour, and the best selection of sushi. (out of the 3 sushi restaurants in Westwood, that is.) For one thing, there's all-you-can-eat sushi on Monday and Tuesdays. Also, there's a good amount of variety and selection on the menu; the hot and cold appetizers are all unique, and the specialty rolls are generous and quite tasty. 

I think Ami's is probably the best restaurant in Westwood that you could have either a nice casual meal or a fancier dinner date. The prices are a bit on the expensive side, so its not the place in Westwood you can dine at on a regular occasion. 

The service is eh... the guy waiters and a couple of waitresses are always really friendly and accommodating. But there are a few waitresses that come off as a bit rude. One refused to refill our ginger.
4 - Luke P.: Without a doubt the best place to get sushi in westwood. The rolls, while not the cheapest around, make up for that in their size and quality. I ordered the Rainbow roll, which was very good, and the Las Vegas roll, which is was absolutely amazing. While it's not the best lit location around, the atmosphere is upbeat with pretty current music playing. Overall, a pretty good sushi place and probably the best in the UCLA area.
3 - Linda M.: My friend and I came here for lunch around 12 on a Friday.

Service: We were seated almost immediately upon entrance. The hostess already had our menus ready in anticipation. That was nice! They were quick to get our drink order, but that's when service went downhill. The entire waitstaff was focused on the Olympic soccer game between Japan and Korea.

We were half done with our iced teas when we finally managed to flag down a waitress. The food took a decent amount to be prepared, though my friend complained of the wait time. I let it go, because, at least they were freshly preparing the sushi, with all the time it took.

Finally, when it came time for the check, they took 20 minutes trying to get our change to us. You work in a restaurant, you should know how to add, subtract, and give change to people. Even if you don't, the cash register should do it for you!

Food: We got our rolls 50% off, because of some price reductions on the menu. I had the tuna roll and fresh water eel roll, while my friend had the avocado roll and California roll. Both of my rolls were filling and delicious. I recommend them, whole-heartedly. The iced teas on the other hand? I had the Tropical Iced Tea, and even the waiter wasn't sure what I was trying to order, it was like, they hadn't heard of it before. When it did come, it tasted like soap. Or shampoo.

Come for the food, not for the service.
2 - Cathy L.: Ok, mediocre japanese fushion.  Ambience is a little dark and not that nice and service is ok but they did get our order wrong.
3 - Bobby E.: This place used to suck when it was owned by another owner. They were cheap and had terrible service. A few months ago it went under new management and now the place is ok. They aren't as cheap with charging you for sides of sauces and the foods better. Its always hard to get a waitress to help you though once you are seated.
3 - Phoebe T.: went here for happy hour, and got seated right away.
Chose to sit outside instead of the inside because it was a beautiful day. 

Looked at the menu and realized that the happy hour menu is for very simple rolls that I could probably make at home myself...so it was cheap, but I figured it it will taste cheap too.

Decided to then get the more pricey rolls. As expected, it was A LOT better. It was actually delicious and the sizes of the rolls were HUUUGE!! 

pricier rolls= DELICIOUS
happy hour rolls = not so delicious, just decent tasting

if you have extra money in your budget, splurge on their pricier rolls!!!
i'd give this place 4 stars for the taste of their pricier rolls, but you can easily spend 50 here for lunch for 2 people. That's not convenient if you're a college student on a budget
4 - Jodi B.: I'm a huge fan of Ami Japanese.  It has easy, free parking right across the street, the rolls are huge and not very expensive.  The biggest problem I have is that I accidentally over-order almost every time I go there because I forget how big each order is.  My recommendation is to pace yourself when you order - start with one or a couple of items and then add more if you are still hungry.  I am rarely still hungry.  I find it delicious!
3 - Stanley L.: I definitely prefer this place over Yamato's because it is less packed and the dim ambiance is equally as nice. Perfect for late-night hang outs. This place is only worth it if you come during happy hour--all the snacks and basic sushi rolls are very cheap.
3 - Betsy R.: This is the first sushi place I tried when I lived in L.A., and I wasn't exactly blown away, but it quelled my craving nonetheless. 
Sometimes I just want stylish looking, salty tasting, smile inducing raw fish, you know? I think we all understand that some fish just don't fancy being cooked. Some fish, well, belong in a cute, cold little roll. They want to be embraced by sticky, salt-infused rice, they want to nestle up next to some cream cheese, some cucumber, some spicy mayo. They want to take the short and swift journey from plate to mouth in the clutches of chopsticks, not on the tines of a fork, perhaps after a short bath in some soy sauce.
Ami makes those fishies dreams come true. So I guess it deserves 3 stars for that.

The two stars it didn't get? Were taken off because the music is SO. DAMN. LOUD. 
(And obnoxious, to boot.)
2 - Lilian K.: Oh my god the service. I've, in all seriousness, never experienced such terrible, slow service any where else. I've been here multiple times because it's close to work and either you get a server that forgets you and your party of 6 exist, or another that's annoyed you're even patronizing their restaurant. Expect a wait between 15-25 minutes after sitting down to have some one come by and take your order - if they gave you menus. 

The menu and dishes are ok. Nothing special but never terrible.
2 - Dong Y.: Dropped by with a friend on a Tuesday night; incredibly inattentive service, with a rather weird vibe about the place, the loud, club-like music did not help at all.  The udon noodles were fairly good, but nothing exceptional, ditto the rolls, with a bit too much mayo on them.
3 - William H.: There's not much to say about this place, it's one of those place that stays in business due to their happy hour specials, drink specials, and location to upper middle-class college students hankering for some $12 dragon rolls. Prices are okay, and sushi is okay. To keep it vegetarian, I had a tofu salad and asked if there was any meat in it. It's not surprising they don't think the bonito flakes sprinkled all over dish as not meat.

Service was ok. 3 stars is the perfect rating for this place--A-OK.
3 - Joy G.: Came here for a quick dinner before class. Their happy hour had a variety of dishes for $2.99 and $5.99. Apparently if you ordered one of each you would get a drink for a dollar ~making your total $10. 

The sushi was just okay. I had a 1/2 roll up (special of the day) which was three pieces of sashimi rolled around a scoop of crab salad or spicy tuna. 

I also had their happy hour menu of three small "sliders" that have crispy little blocks of fried tofu as the "bun" and then small scoops of salad inside, topped with spicy tuna salad and an order of their seaweed salad. 

The sushi was not the best I've ever had but it served it's purpose. The portion of seaweed salad was relatively large (about a cup) and I enjoyed the crunchy tofu on the sliders. 

I wouldn't mind returning but I probably wouldn't.
1 - Alex K.: Mediocre sushi, mediocre service but found a paper napkin/rug inside our hot sake.
2 - Hanning X.: This place sucks. Not only is it unnecessarily high priced for its average Japanese cuisine, the service is terrible. They didn't even give me wasabi with my bento combo. Hot water also took way too long to arrive: the food arrived before the water. Anyway, not worth your money.

Amigo Express Moving Company - Hyattsville, MD (38.9736594, -76.9747306) ()
5 - Stephen H.: I reluctantly agreed to have professional movers assist us on the last move....I'm a thousand times happier as a result. We moved from 20906 to 20912 (about 8 miles one way) from a 2br apartment. The cost was $415 for a little over 4 hours of service.

The moving assistants were helpful and patient. We only had one casualty: a cheap picture frame...so overall I would say they're very good. Give them a call if you want cheap, good service.
5 - Nia H.: Amazing! We previously book another moving company who got great reviews on yelp, but they canceled on us due to family problems. So, I was frantic, and I didn't know who to choose, because the previous quote was so cheap. But, I looked around and Dos Amigos got a good review although it was only one. I was hesitant to book with them, because of the only one review. I do not regret that decision at all. The charge $285 for the first 3 hrs for 3 guys and a truck and $85/hr after the first three. They do not charge a travel fee, which is hard to find. That is another reason why I chose to book with them, because I was moving from NW DC to Silver Spring, MD.

They were phenomenal. They were there bright and early. They moved my stuff so quickly and efficiently--it was a amazing. It took about 5 hrs for a one bedroom apartment move (including travel) and that was only because my previous apartment would gave them a lot of hassle (about 30 minutes worth). There were three guys, one leader and two others who worked effortlessly as a team. If I have to make a dreaded move again, I will choose them without a doubt.
5 - Tom G.: I really cannot recommend these guys enough. They offered a competitive bid; not the dead cheapest, but pretty close. I could not be happier with the result. They arrived at the agreed time and ready to go. They had a big truck, as well, so it was just one trip. 

These guys made the experience much easier than it has ever been for me. When the bed wouldn't fit up the new staircase, they asked my permission and pushed it through. Everything ended up where it was supposed to and all the work was done in the estimated time. Would use again and recommend to friends/
5 - Miss C.: Recently moved from Bmore area to Columbia, MD. They were early and efficient.
5 - Nina S.: They were great!  They showed up on time, got the stuff out of the apt quickly, and were just as fast getting stuff into the new place.  They took apart stuff that wouldn't fit through the door and put it back together perfectly for me.  They have a flat fee for three movers and a giant truck for 3 hours, and is cheaper than a lot of the other companies out there.  They were done in 2.5 hours and I had A LOT of stuff.  Would def use them again!
5 - Jennifer L.: This moving company was terrific!  They moved very quickly and efficiently and got us moved in the time they estimated, which was wonderful considering horror stories from other moving companies I had read about.  I highly recommend them for any move you have!

Amigo's Restaurant - Pasadena, CA (34.1459299, -118.1241186) (Pasadena)
4 - Jeanne S.: Good, and authentic.  It's close to home for me so when I'm craving Mexican food, this is where I go.  Service is good and always quick.  They have great (and huge) margaritas also.  Usually, I spend more on the margaritas than I do on the food. :)
3 - Alfred P.: You don't go to Mexican restaurants for the food because we all know the mom n pops do it so much better.  You go to Mexican restaurants for the service, the music, and to get shit-faced.  

The service at Amigos is always great.  The servers are attentive and nice, always taking notice of empty drinks and plates and offering more of anything without pitching sales.  

Now, while eating at "Mexican" restaurants, I prefer listening to music from Mexico.  I'd love to take shots to some chente while eating tacos and talking to friends.  You won't get that here.  Don't get me wrong, their jukebox in the bar area is great and the songs filter into the restaurant.  I remember faintly hearing some Beatles and some Stones last night, kudos, but I get that at just about every divey bar I visit. 

I was already shit-faced upon arriving, but a couple of their 12 or 13 dollar pitcher of margaritas woulda spruced me right up.  Of course, when a restaurant offers cheap pitchers of margaritas they either load it with ice or use cheap tequila.  Here, the tequila was sponged off the ground around the bartender and squeezed into a vat of year-old limes and the cheapest orange liqueur they could find.  Their regular margaritas are great, though.  Not too strong, no overpowering flavors.  

I find the best way to gauge a Mexican restaurant's food is by their refried beans.  I've noticed that the longer beans soak, the deeper, fuller, and richer the flavor.  The beans here were bland and more pale than my legs.  They tasted as though they were cooked and fried in a span of an hour.  Nasty.

Three stars for the service.  No stars for the food.
5 - Katherine K.: The only reason to go to  Amigo's is the Margaritas.  They are about $7-$8, but you really only need one (two if you are extra tough).  It's the kind of place where you can get food in the cantina or in the restaurant, depending on the noise level you prefer.  Chips and salsa are always abundant and the servers are pretty good.  The food is edible, but really not good at all.  Basically, go get a drink here, consider ordering another one, then as you stumble to the bathroom, reconsider that second drink because you are already too drunk to drive.
4 - Guilherme F.: Service is simply great. All the waiters and waitresses I've met so far had a sincere smile in their faces and were very efficient. They're nice people, and if you talk to them you'll agree with me (I really value this kind of thing). 

So far, I'm very happy with the food too. The Vera Cruz Shrimps are among my favorites. I wouldn't order steak at a Mexican restaurant, because it's really not their specialty I guess. I tried that, and felt a bit disappointed with the steak (the sides were great though). Chips and salsa taste good, and are in endless supply in this place.
4 - Robert G.: Amigo's has a typical Mexican menu. They offer a #1 combination that's delicious. LIke most #1 combinations at other restaurants, it's the local favorite. The #4, however, is my personal favorite. The #5 is also good but I found the sauce to me a little weak. I haven't ventured beyond that.

If you don't like combinations, they do have a la carte.

Since this is a lunch place for me I haven't yet had the opportunity to get completely plowed, but I hoping some depressing day will present itself offering the perfect chance.

I did like the chips n' salsa and the service was great.
4 - Dr J.: Terrific mid-market authentic Mexican food at Amigo's, in pretty typical way.  But of course the main draw to Amigo's are the margaritas, which are almost always great (we did get a toxic batch here once that almost put me in a coma, but I still went back).  Good for groups looking for a mid-afternoon margarit-esta and some salty tortilla chips and salsa to go with.  Service is always friendly.  Slide into a dimly lit booth in some corner, order a pitcher, and you're good to go.
5 - Richard M.: In February 2004, Popular Science described Amigo's as one of the country's "Top Nerd Bars."  I don't think you could tell that from looking around this Mexican cantina.  Actually I am always struck by the diversity of the clientele, they get all kinds and not just the crowd from nearby Caltech.  However just in case there is a PopSci reporter around doing a follow-up article, I like to keep the place's cred alive by lugging my laptop around the bar.

The best things about Amigo's are the chips and the margaritas.  Two Amigo's margaritas will knock you on your ass.  They're probably not as strong if you order by the pitcher.

The food is pretty good too and I especially recommend the chimichangas.

Technically they have parking in back but it's always full, so de facto you have to park on the street.  But that isn't difficult.
4 - Mike M.: If you are looking for decent Mexican food, smothered in tasty sauce and lots of cheese (and we all have these cravings occasionally), this is the place to go. 

Here's the breakdown: 3 stars for the food and the Margaritas (which, on the rocks, is slightly brown from all the tequila and totally worth the $8), and another star for the bitchin habanero salsa--see more on this below.

Chips and salsa are good--thin chips (pre-salted) with endless red salsa. The standard salsa has a bit of a kick, but hell, I'm a transplanted Texan, so this was pretty mild by my standards.

Now I ordered the cheese enchilada verde with chile relleno, and my wife had the shrimp a la diabla. My food was almost exactly what I expected--greasy, saucy and cheese covered. But the relleno was pretty mild.

The shrimp a la diabla was again almost exactly what we expected--lots of shrimp, rich red chipotle-y sauce with onions, and surprisingly good corn tortillas (they have flour too). Again, the complaint was (to our taste buds) the low level of heat. I mean, "a la diabla"?  Come on. (Beware of my opinion though, as the natives I've run into here would probably consider it pretty spicy.)

This is where the habanero salsa comes in. My wife didn't think her dish was quite up to the standard of "la diabla", and told the waitress so. 

She quickly offered us a spicy salsa, "the hottest we have." Hell yes. She came back with a little monkey bowl with a orange-brown speckled salsa. Rich habanero flavor, with lots of garlic and who know what else. Frankly, I don't even care what they put in it--I'll come back just for this. And this one was hot. I mean, I'll eat jalepenos straight out of the can, and this was spicy hot. But deeeeeeeeelicious. 

So, if you've got (metaphorical) balls of steel, or novacaine to cool your tongue, come in, order a margarita and ask if they have some habanero salsa.
5 - Ana R.: i like me my cheap, but good, strong drinks, but not ridiculously strong so that you can't taste anything else. and i like the free chips and salsa. i've only been on the bar side, so i can't speak for the food.
1 - cece m.: Yuck. Dirty and questionable activity in the bathrooms which were filthy!

Food was gross. The margaritas were ok; we had to drink them to get through the experience. 

And it always seems really sketchy around the place.

Yuck. Yuck.
5 - Rip D.: I don't know what these bad reviews are about.  This is a great little place with authentic homestyle mexican food (I should know!) and a great atmoshpere.

The habanero salsa (you must ask for) is fantastic and super spicy.  You can tell it was made from fresh grilled habanero peppers.  The tamales are HOMEMADE and delicious, but are made fresh so sometimes they run out.  The chicken enchilada is delicious, the only enchilada anywhere I have found to like.  Their guacamole is fresh, and their margaritas are strong (and tasty!) as well.  I had the albondigas once and it was just like mom makes it!  I can't vouch for the rest of the menu, but isn't that enough of a reason to go there?

The bar side has a few cozy tables you can order dinner from, very intimate and nice.  When we went last it was a Sunday and there was a nice familiar crowd that started trickling in at about 10pm - understandably as it has a very nice atmoshpere and a kitchen that closes at midnight.  (In Pasadena?  Unbelievable).  Our waitress, Lorena, was awesome.  So friendly, she even shared some home cooking tips with me.

Amigos is a gem!  Definitely give it a chance, especially if you like real people places and homestyle mexican food!
4 - Gerald S.: As my colleague put it, this place is a great place to have an affair.  The dining area is dark and feels somewhat shady.  So if you feel like an affair, this is the place to go!

As for the food, it's good.  I ordered the carne asada burrito and had them take out the beans from the burrito.  The burrito came "wet" and was one of the better burritos I've had.

I didn't think the service was all that great.  My glass of water stayed empty for the latter part of my meal.
5 - Casey M.: Amigo's is my favorite Mexican Restaurant. Everything I've tried has been awesome. 
Carne Asada and Carnitas Tacos are excellent. 
The Arroz Con Pollo is so yummy. 
The Ceviche is so good and there is so much of it!
 Endless chips and salsa.
 Let's not forget the Margaritas. That's why we all come here. They are so strong. 
It seems like I make a trip here at once every couple of weeks. 
The service is great.
The bathrooms may be a little on the yucky side, but I'm not going to Amigo's for the bathroom.
4 - Zack H.: I have actually seen very few places that are as shady but as clean as this place.  

I dearly miss being able to come to this place on a regular basis.  The door is always open,  something always seems to be going on in the back room, and the staff loves to get you as drunk as possible.  The food isn't anything special, especially considering it's in Pasadena, but the ambiance is pleasant.

Come here on a Saturday night sometime if you want to get drunk with some friends or some shady people, but you want someplace that is relatively clean.  As Gerald S. said, this is a great place to have an affair.  It is dark, they have cheap booze, and it is a little out of the way but not so much you can't easily find it.  

The bar room is one of the few places I have gone to that actually seems like a shady cantina, especially if you go in the middle of the day.

*Decent food, good margaritas
*Cantina that is Shady, but clean
4 - Liberty H.: "Shady, but clean."  -Zack H.

Ditto on the deliciously strong margaritas--you won't realize that you had to spend over $20 on the pitcher because you won't be coherent by that point.  Try the cadillac.
5 - Jen D.: I've been looking for a good mexican restaurant for 3 years, so I feel super lucky to have found Amigos.  The outside is really unassuming, so you have to "brave" it through the front door to find a friendly and welcoming restaurant and staff.  I really enjoy this restaurant.  Heard about it from my real estate agent when I moved to the area.  

Let's start with the margaritas - you get intoxicated from the smell!  They are strong, so be responsible and bring a DD:)  They are tasty too, a rarity among a strong margarita that isn't brimming with premium tequila.  

I have had the macho chimichanga, the chicken tamales, and the mole.  The first two were great and the latter was still good.  Great chips and salsa.  

Parking is in a little lot in the back or anywhere on the street - check the signs closely before leaving your car.
2 - Gerard I.: The food sucks but the service was great. The margaritas are strong, at least the Cadillac was. I had to chase it down with a Tecate. 

I had the carnitas burrito, blah, there are much better spots that serve a good carnitas burrito--it was small too. This place is open kind of late, we left at 12am, and people were still coming in.

If you must come here, avoid the food, and go straight to the bar. 

I'm reading that this place is "shady", we experienced none of that. In fact, when we walked in, it was dead. It picked up shortly after. 


Remember, 

Drinks=YES
Food=NO
3 - Joie P.: I wouldn't say the food sux but it isn't the best mexican food I've ever had either.  I've been here late at night and I've recently been there for a quick dinner with some hawtness I call my boyfriend.  The chicken burrito was so full of chicken that I almost forgot it had beans!  I had to have him help me finish this monster.  The chicken quesadilla that my beau devoured was satisfying but still not the best he's had (pssst..Pepper's!).  The chips and salsa are definitely restaurant quality.
We both agree that we would go back.
4 - Matt S.: Amigo's Restaurant is a quiet little Mexican place at the corner of Colorado and Wilson in Pasadena.  It has friendly service, and the food is excellent and affordable.   It does have a "hole-in-the-wall" feel to it, but the place is actually very clean and the food is of high quality (not to mention the fact that the portions are huge!)

Many other reviewers have mentioned the margaritas here, and I would be remiss if I did not do the same.  Margaritas are served in giant glasses and are really potent...you can taste the alcohol before you even take your first drink.

Every meal, of course, comes with chips and salsa.  The salsa is good, but I would recommend supplementing it with an order of their freshly-made guacamole.

I have eaten several things off this menu and have never been disappointed.  My favorite would have to be their carne asada burrito, though.  It is definitely something you must try.
4 - Novy D.: I'm not here to rate their sketchiness or questionable sideline businesses if they partake in them. I'm here to rate their service and food. We were seated immediately and yes, it was busy with several large families in attendance and couples sprinkled throughout. 
We did however, enter through the cantina and immediately thought the whole restaurant was lit this way. Upon turning to our left we saw the walkway to the actual restaurant. As far as the cantina is concerned I don't mind the dim lights or lack thereof. The last thing you'd expect is flourescent lighting in a bar anyway.

Onto our experience at Amigo's shall we? As previously mentioned we were seated promptly with drink service instantaneous. Our waiter (an older gentleman) gave us enough time to look over our menu before coming over to take our order. Perfect timing I think.
Our food came out lighting fast and as I observed, so did the other patron's meals. I ordered the chicken enchilada suizas and my husband ordered their chorizo con juevos and a carne asada taco. Our entrees came with rice and beans accompanied with fresh salsa and fresh-out-of the-fryer tortilla chips. The carne asada taco was awesome (direct quote from my husband himself) and reminded him of a mexican joint back in Irvine. My enchiladas were very good and the green sauce didn't taste canned/jarred at all. The portions were huge and we left stuffed and satisfied. In total we spent a little over $20 with tip. Not bad for lunch.

The portions were huge and water service was on point. We did not wait very long to get our food and we were out of there in no time (perfect when you have a long agenda ahead of you). We will highly consider going there again and hope all of your experiences here are as good as ours was.
4 - Arlene S.: I'm not really into Mexican food but Amigos is my favorite Mexican restaurant.   The food is good, the portions are ridiculously large but what really gets me every time is the service and the Margaritas.  I also love that it is so easy to just show up and get a table for a large group with no notice.  My friends and I have had many late night gatherings here.  This place a great hang out.
4 - Larry H.: A pleasant surprise... I'd driven by it for years and never given it any thought. The food is good and moderately priced. I would go back and recommend it to others.
4 - Katy R.: **plip, plip** 

That's the sound of my pant buttons...after I gorged myself  with the salsa and chips and cheese enchiladas ( I couldn't breathe :& )

**awwwwwww***

That's the sound I made after downing a crisp coke after dinner.

**snuggle-snuggle**

That's what I did with my boo after we ate comfort food at Amigo's.
1 - Alan A.: Mediocre at best.: Being of Mexican decent, this experience was very disappointing. The service was slow and the waiter (looked like he was past retirement age) was very rude. The food was horrible, especially the Carne con Chile Verde (Pork with Green Sauce). The sauce looked like it was made yesterday and reheated today. The rice was hard in texture and had no flavor at all. As for the music, it sounded like it came off a soundtrack from a cheesy stereotypical Mexican movie that was made for Americans only. Lastly, as we walked in, there were no other patrons in the restaurant. Only a few people at the bar. That should've given us a clue about this place.  The restroom [at least the Men's] is remenisant of a scene right out of the British movie "Trainspotting" (if you guys seen it, you'll know what I mean...) 

The only thing that was good was the price and the Margaritas. Needless to say, I will not be going back nor recommending this Mexican restaurant to anyone.  Try El Cholo, Mijares or even Dona Rosa before you come here.
1 - Pearl J.: If I could cut that 1 star in half...I would!!!  This is probably the WORST Mexican restaurant I've been to.  

I ordered the Enchiladas Verde...it was cold and it looked like a 10 year old prepared it.  There was no harmony on the plate...the rice was on one side, the enchiladas were in the middle, and the beans were on the other side...they all looked so lonely.  I think what was missing was the blended cheese that's usually melted over the dish that brings them all together.  The rice tasted like it was prepared out of the box and the beans tasted like it came out of a can, without it being reheated....YUK!!!

I guess the service was alright, but there was no one else there for them to serve.  I thought the price range was a little steep for the little food that they give you, so save your money...it's not worth the trip.
3 - Simeon T.: I'll be honest I didn't eat here, I didn't even spend 30 minuntes at this place.  What I did do was come in after a wine and cheese party and have a pitcher of margaritas and sangria.  I ate the free chips, which were so-so, with the free salsa, which was awesome, and drank until last call.  

The margaritas will knock you on your keister, and the sangrias were awesome.  It was a great place to pretty much enjoy a few drinks with your friends.  

I don't have much else to say for it, because I don't remember much after a couple of pitchers of margaritas.  Also they had a student discount which knocks 10% off the bill.
4 - Sam M.: I started going to Amigo's when I was a student at Caltech in the '90s, and I still find myself going back.  It is a regular hang out for many Caltech students especially the physics student.

Nowadays, my wife and I go to Amigo's once a month.  My wife thinks the food is great and I think it's average.  But we both agree that the ambiance is relaxed and friendly.  Every person working at Amigo's is friendly and pleasant.

The bar is also tons of fun.  It's more like a local bar.  Many regulars.  The juke box has a great selection of classic rock and other good music.

The margaritas in Amigo's are decent but be careful.  They are deceptively strong.  If you want to get someone drunk without them knowing, take them to Amigo's and give them margaritas.
5 - Rene D.: For Pasadena.. Sit down Mexican food is served No better....
reasonable priced, delicately sliced; cocktail's a flowing, margarita's DESTROYING!!!!
Have anything, or just sit and chill at the kool bar with great jukebox.. Just keep this on the DL.. The bar already has no room to sit down at.
4 - BustA G.: I've been on a Mexican food marathon for a few weeks.  

We were in large group and were seated promptly.  The wait staff didn't go over the food specials for the day.  We requested two separate for our checks and met with some resistance initially.   The food and drink service were quick and the wait staff checked on our table periodically.  

The food quality and taste were average with good portions and reasonable prices.  This is a "keeper" for large groups after you've taken in an event in the Playhouse District.
4 - Concha X.: Arroz con pollo and a cadillac margarita!! Foods bueno and the cadillacs here are super strong!! :-D dark ambiance, jukebox and closes late. Cool place to chill with AMIGOS!!
3 - Jen J.: I pretty much go here for the margaritas.  The food is merely a second thought.  You can order pitchers of margaritas, but be careful because they are sooooo strong.  It's not too long before you are craving something greasy, alas the food.  The tacos are decent, burritos are huge, chips and salsa are fresh.  I had the carne asada once and the steak was overcooked.  Rice is pretty bland, but beans are good.  But like I said, the margaritas rock, and sometimes when you're drunk you'll eat (almost) anything.
4 - Sharon H.: After reading other reviews, I had to laugh.

I've been coming to Amigos since before I had an I.D. - and that pretty much sums it up. They're not big on the red lighting of anyone and their drinks are STRONG STRONG!

I ducked in recently and we had the YUMMIEST quesadilla known to man! And that was before the beverages. I've always found their service, food and especially cocktails to be excellent.

Besides that, the main restaurant part is totally suitable for families.

As for the "shady" factor...come on people...it's a bar on Colorado Blvd. If you were homeless in that vicinity and you noticed that drunken smokers are always good for a cigarette or a buck, you wouldn't stray far.

Amigos has everything I want in a mexican restaurant... dim lighting, strong drinks, and free chips.
And of course neon aztec wall paintings!
3 - David M.: Great Service, Decent Food.

Not the best Mexican food, but a lot better than what is in the area (better than El Portal, La Fiesta Grande).  Service is great and the margaritas are STRONG.  One of these days, I'll make it into the bar area for a couple cold beers.
2 - Reese L.: Bland. 

The food needed lots of seasoning. I ordered a chimichanga and the cheese didn't really taste like anything. The beans seemed like they came out of a can. The portions were big but it really didn't matter because I disliked the food... I got myself to eat half of my dinner. My friend ordered enchiladas and she agreed that the food needed more flavor to be decent. My boyfriend had a burrito and said that it was really good but I cant take him seriously because he already had a few rounds of drinks prior to coming to Amigo's. Oh I was really looking forward to some good margaritas but the margarita that I got was weak and watered down. The server was very attentive to the point where it was borderline annoying. He asked us if we were doing ok like every 3 minutes. For the quality of food here and the flavorless margarita, it would have been more worth it to go to El Torito and spend extra.
4 - Travis H.: This is all abou the margarita!!!
1st time I went i had two, got up and was like what the hell.
Then made mistake of 3 the next time.
Lucky my ex lived close by so had somewhere to go lay
and let the cieling spin.
So, anyone that is up for a good drink
give me a "lets go"!!
5 - Susie B.: Good food.  Good prices.  Good service.  

What else is there in a restaurant?  

From the outside it looks like a little hole in the wall, but once you get in there, you realize it is a hole in the wall, as are all mexican restaurants worth their weight in rice & beans.  

Their meat is always flavorful and tender, their drinks are strong and tasty, and you can tell someone really tried with the decorations.  Tried.

This place will not disappoint.
3 - Baback D.: You know, it was tough giving this place three stars! As I write this very sentence I'm tempted to go back and change it to a two star. 

My girlfriend and I decided to go here after a night at the Ice House Comedy Club. I wanted to like this place, I like the area, so it would've been great if this place hit the spot. Here goes the review.

So we go in and are immediately seated, the place isn't that busy, yet we got a front row seat to the door leading into the bathroom! The place is odd in the sense that the lighting from the front of the restaurant is different than the back. I felt like I was eating in a cheap cafeteria. Zip ambiance, ok fine, maybe the food will blow me away! 

Chips and salsa immediately hit the table, and I try the salsa. It's more of a pico de gallo. Chopped up ingredients, almost on the sweet side. I asked the waiter if he'd be kind enough to bring me some of the spicy stuff. He did so, right away, and I can honestly say, it was bad. It had good heat, but the flavor was off. The problem with smaller non-corporate restaurants is usually consistency, so this salsa probably tastes different from day to day depending on who's making it. (I assume they make it themselves)

Soon after, our entrées arrive! They were good! The nachos; good sauce, cheese, and really good seared carne asada! Finished off in the broiler to give the chips that extra crunch and caramelize the cheese a bit.

The burrito was also pretty good. It came with beans and rice, both not bad, the rice wasn't as good as the beans. The burrito itself was pretty yummy, again, good carne asada! It had a red sauce on it, with a bit of melted cheese. 

Overall, it was the atmosphere that killed it for me. I know I know, what's atmosphere have to do with good food?! Sometimes a lot! The sad part is, It wouldn't take much money to up the look of this place. Just dim the lights!

The service was good and fast for the most part. We didn't have to ask for refills on drinks or chips, they were on it. 

If anyone from Amigos is reading this...you've got a gold mine on your hands, it won't take much, ambiance is all relative!
3 - Brian Y.: bartender On Point. waiter. not quick enough. no food. just chips and salsa. i can have it daily. margaritas. do not allow others to continue ordering them for you. have you looking into the future. Thanks. TRADER JOE'S staff Pasadena. Bohemia Beer. Mmmm Grreat !
2 - Melissa S.: I started going to Amigos when I was a student at Caltech.  It is the closest bar to campus...  :)  Earlier this year after the 3rd Eye Blind Concert I stopped here afterward and ran into many many Techers.  This is def a nostalgic spot for me.

The food is ok, but the highlight of Amigo's is the maragaritas, which are super strong and delicious. The servers are attentive and its easy to find parking along the street.

Amigos is a sweet local spot for having a few drinks and catching up with friends.
4 - Jyenny B.: I come here because the beer is served ice cold, the margaritas are strong and the carnitas tacos are bomb. The service ranges from OK to good.  Decor and ambiance, not so much.
4 - ShanBen R.: Number 1 spot for margaritas! (They have a 3 maximum drink rule!) I don't know how anyone would give amigos anything less then a 4 star. I've been going to amigos since I've been able to buy my drinks legally. Being a native of Pasadena I'm still trying to figure out how this place slipped passed me in high school during my fake id days.

BEST margaritas hands down! I said this before but it is worth me saying again. I didn't know this place served anything other than margaritas and chips & salsa until last year.

I took SD here the other night and she begged me not to get my 2nd margarita because she was fearful that I wouldn't be able to get up for work the next morning. We both had the chicken taco combo. No complaints. The waiter was on point also. Chips & salsa were coming as frequently as a revolving credit card payment. I even think my second margarita was stronger then my first.  

As far as the food. It hits the spot. You need something to soak up the alcohol or else you're going to be calling someone to pick you up. I don't know about everything on the menu but they have a few items that will satisfy anybodies Mexican cravings. I recommend the chicken (or asada) burritos, tacos, and enchiladas. 

Side note: There is an El Cholo on Fair Oaks that has a great atmosphere if you care more about that then getting the best margarita you've every had. They charge $3 for valet. Limited parking.
4 - belinda n.: lets cut to the chase:
the food sucks, but the margaritas are strong as hell!
ive had the nachos, the chimichangas & the albondigas soup & everything was just ok. & i hate "just ok" mexican food!  i'd rather heat up a can of beans from the 99 cents store w/some boiling tecate & scoop them up w/rotten flour tortillas than pay for bland bad mex food.
well thats what the "amigos" kitchen will serve ya!
however............. the bar.........
well thats another story!
i used to come here a couple of times a week when i used to work in pasadena.. & thank god im still alive ....
or not in prision.
these margaritas can kill you or give you ten DUIs if youre driving
3 - J B.: Shitty food, strong drinks.
5 - Nadia F.: I FREAKING LOVE THIS PLACE!!!! The best Mexican restaurant I've found!! Pretty hidden, although it's on Colorado Blvd., but great in the inside! 
I'm surprised by all of the bad reviews I read on the page, maybe it's changed by now? My experience there was not less than outstanding! The service is great, and our waiter (we've seen him twice over the last weekend) is fabulous! 
The food is greaat!! On Friday my boyfriend and I split a plate of their wonderful nachos-- couldn't finish them all! Nearly crawled out of there after a margarita each. Today I had their garlic shrimp- they were pretty good, too! I couldn't finish them all, so now I'm munching on the leftovers while I'm drafting up this review. My boyfriend had their fajita-- and again, it tastes great, and there was a lot (*note in mind- to finish his food, also). 
My parents loved the place too!! We shared the little jewel with them this afternoon =D. 
Margaritas-- Lord smite me if I ever get a margarita from another place!!! WHOA!!!! I thought my tastebuds were lying to me for a second...but no, they were determined enough to prove to me the SECOND time that their margaritas are heavenly. First time I had their peach margarita (ahh!!!), and today it was guava. My boyfriend had strawberry last time, and raspberry today-- I think I'll have to taste them again to pick a favorite ;) 
Anyway-- we can't wait to see our waiter Tony again, he was great!! And we'll definitely have another margarita run at Amigos before the week is over. 
Enjoyyyyy...!!!
4 - Ellen C.: 4.5 Stars

OMG!!!! I got so drunk at this place. Had lots of fun with Travis, Debbie Y., and Kevin C. !!!
The drinks alone are 5 stars, but I'll give the food 4 stars. Their Chimichangas were pretty tasty and meaty.

The margaritas are truly diabolical! I had one...ONLY ONE and I was wasted. Kevin C. had 3!! I think he was hurting the next day. Poor thing. The strawberry margaritas are pretty good too and less strong. I think I'm gonna stick with those the next time I go here. I may need a few more weeks to recuperate from last night.
4 - Chris B.: A small, cozy, sit-down, family style restaurant with attached bar.  The service is fast, friendly, and attentive.  Like many others have mentioned, the margaritas kick ass.

Unlike some others, I think the food is pretty decent, generally.  Of course, I'm a gringo, and I enjoy Americanized Mexican food, which is mostly what they serve here. I don't have any problems with it whatsoever.  Besides, after a couple of power-packed margaritas, who really cares anyway?

Essentially, this place is a smaller, quieter, grittier, mom & pop version of El Coyote.  I'll give them three stars for the food, and another for the service and cocktails.
4 - Megan W.: Aaaaaaah Amigos...where the margaritas flow strongly and freely. This is Americanized Mexican food, but it is damn satisfying and the prices are great. I have always shared a pitcher of margaritas with friends and we always seem to squeeze a few more margaritas out of it then what it looks like it holds. And they are strong.
   For the food, everything I have had is pretty good. Enchiladas are decent, tacos are good. I always order their Albondigas soup and add avocado. Its a huge serving and it tastes like my mom's. The definite stand out on the menu though is the ceviche. I think its really good quality and you get a goblet full- these aren't those tiny, persnickety portions where everyone gets one chips worth. Its big enough that you could eat it for a light dinner.
5 - Jeff R.: This is the best Mexican Restaurant around.  I like the carne asadena burrito, chili colorado burrito, tecate with lime n salt, and the chips and salsa.  The chips and salsa are top notch.  They are really friendly.  I like to sit on the bar side.  The bartender always remembers me and so does the other staff.  You feel at home when you're there.
4 - Lisa P.: Oh Amigos, how I do still love you, even after that fateful night, years ago, when your margaritas made me do some crazy, crazy things......

But we don't have to talk about that.

GREAT RESTUARANT. Should be open 24/7, but they close their doors for at least 6 hours a day, I think to keep people from overdosing on alcohol. 

Their margaritas will knock you out--this is a PROMISE. Start with one--halfway through, you're a bit jiggly already.

Their food is tasty and fresh, authentic Mexican in my opinion. The service is great, attentive, watchful, friendly, and willing to please.

Love this place, but (scary voice) bbeewwaaree thhee marrrggarriittasss!!!!!! :)
5 - Barbarella B.: Best margarita in town.
4 - Kevin C.: Margaritas and chimichangas are all I can comment on here but those were definitely some strong!!!!!! Ritas!!!!!!! Came here after being informed that a movie we had been interested in had way too long a line and we would never get in. I think since I was informed later the movie was bad it must have been the right decision after all I was able to bond with a few really nice yelpers and get my drink on. 

This place is just a few blocks from the office so perfect for a friday night and that chimichanga was perfectly fried to greasy shredded beef perfection. Is the food a 4 star? Likely NOT....

As for the Ritas 5 star all the way!!!!:

I believe the rundown was one will make you tipsy, two you will be drunk and three you will spin.....yep I think that was accurate.

Glad I had a nice person to accompany me home and tuck me in...She is My Amigo(a)!!!!
4 - ericka g.: After moving to Pasadena two years ago, my husband and I began our hunt for good mexican food in the area. Unfortunately we have been only mildy impressed with mijares, el cholo, etc...that is until we went to Amigos Cantina! Dont let the ugly exterior deter you from enjoying great service, great food, and excellent margaritaS! 

I ordered the chili verde burrito (excellent) and my husband ordered your standard chicken taco and enchilada. We both ordered 1 margarita each and were buzzed on our mile walk home. A buzz for $6 each? Not too shabby! We will definitely be going here again.
5 - Desiree S.: I have been going to Amigos for years and years now and each time its always just what i wanted to go for...good food and drinks..the margaritas are the best in Pasadena and I vote the chicken buritto to go..the best in Pasadena as well..once u go Amigos ur hooked for life
5 - Kathleen R.: Best Mexican food I have personally experienced in Pasadena. Amigos is my favorite place to go for an intoxicating margarita and scrumptious food. I have recently moved out of Pasadena, and I think this is honestly one of the main places I will miss. 

I have only sat on the bar side of this establishment, and every bartender and server I have ever encountered is wonderful. The drinks are always strong and the food is always great. Top picks on the menu, Carne asada plate, and the Carnitas plate. Both are large enough portions for two to share. They have great chips and salsa, and have no problems refilling if you ask nicely. 

The crowd can be obnoxious at times, once had a girl approach my boyfriend and asked him to refill her glass with some of our pitcher of margaritas. (Honey, where did you leave your manners?) But, I honestly think all is forgiven for the quality of food and service. The prices are reasonable, considering the portions, the juke box has a nice variety of music, and the bathrooms are clean. 

What more can you ask for? Amigo's I will miss you, and I will forever compare Mexican restaurants to your superior standards.
4 - Wo Z.: Went to Amigos for lunch.  The carne asada burrito is good.  The carne asada was marinated pretty well.  The fountain drinks were also pretty good.  Good amount of carbonation, never flat.  I recommend to try the mexican pizza if you guys visit this place.  Friendly service and average price.  Too bad there isn't a mariachi band during lunch time.

Seems like a nice and cozy place to go to for lunch or dinner.  Would like to go back to see how's the atmosphere is around dinner time.
4 - Casey D.: Beneath the drab exterior of a small building on the corner of Colorado Blvd and Wilson Ave sits Amigo's Restaurant, a place that serves some damn fine Mexican food.

Amigo's has been a favorite of mine for quite some time.  I work just a few blocks away, visit frequently and can honestly say I've never had a bad experience.  The food would rank as very good, doesn't quite reach great, but way better than an El Torito or Acapulco's.  The place isn't too busy and the food comes out quick.

The enchiladas, chimichangas, Mexican pizzas all hit the spot like not many Mexican food places do.  It's not fresh Mex type food and its a little heavy, but that's the way I prefer my Mexican food.  

I also have not tried their Margaritas or any mixed drinks, but their bottled beer contained no shards of glass or dead mice, so thumbs up there!

If you're in the Pasadena area and feel the need to have some good Mexican food (that you or your stomach may regret later), you can't get much better than Amigo's!
3 - John S.: Well this is probably one of the best places to get Mexican food in the area. I have only been a few times, but it is pretty decent food and I find myself leaving happy. I have yet to try their margaritas, but I'll have to keep that in mind if I ever go for happy hour. This is a great place for lunch if you work near by because they are very quick about seating you and bringing your food. I can't say it is the best Mexican food I have had, but definitely satisfactory.
3 - lionel t.: Went with The Fiancee.  Ordered the "Combo" taco & enchilada.  I always order this on the first visit so I have a point of comparison.  Chips & salsa were good.  Good sign.  Sangria, while a "bar" version, was also tasty, and big.  Another good sign.  Then the food arrived.  Beans tasted like they were out of the can.  Rice had some flavor.  Taco was interesting.  Chicken enchilada was tasty, so was the ranchera sauce.  TF said her chicken & rice was OK.

Dining room was half full on a Sat night.  Small groups of friends, a family or 2 with kids. The bar was crowded with locals.
3 - Consuelo D.: Have only been here during lunch time, its pretty big and almost empty which is nice and quiet. The food isn't spectacular and the horchata is nothing more than cloudy tap water :(

The 3 stars are for the reasonable prices, portion sizes, and the service speed. They serve the food so fast its great! They had the Brazil v N Korea while I was there which was great to watch as I ate. 

I probably won't go back unless I have to, the construction out on the street was almost knocking things over it was so loud and vibrating the entire restaurant. Oh and parking isn't all that convenient either, I don't think I have ever seen those spaces in the back empty.
2 - Peter P.: awful chicken burrito. appalling. no freshness of flavour. nothing interesting. portion was big. that's it.

edited: one star is unduly harsh. the chicken was cooked ok. i just thought it really would not ever be worth going back. there are multiple taco trucks within five minutes drive that have better food. 2.5 stars
4 - Mary Anne D.: Uhh....I don't really know how to rate this place.  I have never eaten here, and I really can't believe anyone does.  What this place does well is get you really messed up in one drink or less.  On at least two occasions I thought I would be safe and only have one drink and instead went home wasted.  I don't know if I can say that's a good thing, but if you are looking to get drunk and save cash this is your place.
4 - Ramona A.: To be honest, I didn't really have a full meal here.This review pertains to the bar area as that is where I sat and mostly just drank. I ended up here because a friend invited me out for a drink and I really wanted a margarita, I looked on Yelp and this place had decent reviews. 

When I walked in the dinning room was pretty empty so I made my way back to the bar. Within an hour the small bar was full of people. The waiter, although busy, offered decent service, very polite. I ordered a margarita which was large and very strong. I split a chicken quesadilla with a friend, it was pretty tasty. The chips and salsa leave a little something to be desired, not the best I've had. They have a great jukebox, with everything from Malo and Trio Los Panchos to Tom Petty and The Rolling Stones. And, I didn't have to wait all night to hear my songs. If you travel out of your way to come to this place, you're probably not going to like it. But if you live locally and don't want to deal with Old Town traffic (and prices and yuppies), come here for a good time.
4 - Dre V.: Been coming here for years. Top dishes I love:
-Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (Garlic Shrimp): chunks of garlic on seasoned shrimp, rice and beans, slices of tomato and avocado. Your choice of flour or corn tortillas (for this dish, I get flour. Don't hate.)
-Camarones a la Diabla. Can you tell I'm a shrimp lover?

Some tips:
-Check out the specials on the chalkboard outside the entrance to the dining area before you order. Missed it? Don't worry it's on an even bigger chalkboard right in front of you when you're waiting to be seated.
-Try the Jamaica (Hibiscus) drink.
-Ask for Habanero salsa (more flavorful and more hot than the house salsa).
-If there's no parking in the back, park in the lot across the street (the eBay store, Firestone, a windows and doors place) they don't ticket, I promise.
-Get wasted off the Margaritas! The BF and I always compare other place's Margaritas to see if they are up to par with Amigo's. Usually they aren't.
-Laugh at the drunk people staggering their way to the bathroom in the back. Hilarious.
-Awesome music from the jukebox never ceases to pleasantly surprise me while I'm here. Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, Sade, Santana to name a few. 

OH, and whenever I'm here, there's always that ONE table with about 10 people from CalTech. How can I tell? You just can...trust.
4 - jim h.: Excellent place for a Cadillac Margarita. Drink two and someone will have to wheel you home. I don't have much to say other than to recommend their excellent margaritas. And it looks like I can simply agree with what many other people have said: "solid four stars for an excellent Pasadena dive", and "do people really eat here?"
4 - Romy C.: Two words: Killer Margaritas!!
My neighbor told me about this place. So a friend and I went to try it out!
We ordered some appetizers; nacho and quesadillas. Nothing out of the extraordinary. They were OK.
When they brought us the Cadillac Margaritas we ordered... wow... 
We ended up leaving Amigo's at their closing time.
Pretty good margaritas I must say... 
The servers were really nice and the service was great but I'm only rating Amigo's with 4 stars cause the restrooms were not clean and there were any T.P.
4 - Jonathan L.: I really enjoy this place because of the food and the decor.  Very spacious inside and comfortable leather booth seats.  

I like big juicy burritos are my favorite food, does it well.  The only place nearby that does it better is Armandos in San Gabriel.  Margaritas are expensive though.  

If you like Mexican food, go to this place.
4 - Mark G.: I've been working in Pasadena at Caltech since 1995 and have been living in Pasadena since 2005. Since that time I have enjoyed going to Amigo's especially since moving here in 2005. When I want good mexican food and a good time all I have to do is walk two blocks up to Amigo's. Besides the food I like that it's a magnet for locals that live in the area as well as Caltech people. If your in the bar not only dose the conversations include sports it could also include science.

On Sunday (9/12/2010) I walked back from Old Town Pasadena and was hungry so I walked in and ordered one of my favorite dishes, the #21 Super Burrito. Most mexican restaurants, when you order a burrito, you get just the burrito and that's it but at Amigo's one gets a plate with rice, beans and the burrito of their choice. The Super Burrito will set you back $7.50. Not too bad for the amount of food you get and by the way I rolled home with a full stomach.

Other items I enjoy:
#19 Carne Asada Burrito
#20 Colorado Burrito (Refried beans, seasoned beef, diced tomato, shredded lettuce & cheese all wrapped in a soft flour tortilla & covered with a red enchilada sauce)
#17 Fajitas (Both steak & chicken)
#1 Amigo's Nachos with steak
#57 Machaca (Shredded beef sautéed onions, bell peppers, tomatoes and egg) I always add jalapenos to kick it up a notch.
#55 Carne Asada Dinner Plate

Writing this has made me hungry see you at Amigo's!!!
4 - Darlene P.: My friends and I use to come here all the time after watching a movie in the dollar theater near by. I love LOVE LOOOVVVVEEE their michilatas beer. You get to pick the beer. I have it with Modelo (the light one). In other restaurants, they make it with lime juice and you add the hot sauce. Amigo's serves it with lime juice and tomato juice. It kinda taste like a Bay of Pigs but lighter and more refreshing. I always order the shrimp ceviche to go with it. Yummy stuff....
4 - Steve S.: Good food, good service, great staff!
4 - Jen C.: This is a good spot in Pasadena for delish Mexican food and a Strong Margarita (or more if you can take it).
I usually get the Machaca plate and I Love It.  The rice and beans are to my liking also.
Then I steal pieces of M's Carnitas and my taste buds to a little happy dance.  
The salsa is flavorful with a little spicy kick!  
The service is friendly and quick.
Atmosphere is fine and the bathrooms are clean.
What else can I say?  Go!!
3 - C. M. E.: Victor, You make the meanest margarita in Pasadena. I will come back ONLY for the margarita. Ok, probably for the guacamole too. =)
4 - Kate H.: Let me tell you what to expect:  

a total dive
fun bar with regulars from *all walks of life*
excellent shredded chicken tostadas
excellent blended margaritas
strong on the rocks margaritas
almost always fast, good service

Park on the street - there is a tiny back parking lot but those spots are usually taken.
4 - LD L.: Love this place.  I go for the Ceviche most of the time. Love the Enchiladas. The drinks are great as well.  Great service, and chill atmosphere!  You won't be disappointed.
5 - steve c.: My dad used to take me here every monday after karate class when i was a kid. I used to always get the chicken quesadilla, and he would get a beer. i've continued to support Amigos by going every once in a while. they have great food (Chicken enchilads, steak nachos, even their burgers are pretty good)

I usually stick with the fiesta platter. it has a sample of most of their foods, nachos, quesadilla, flautas, taquitos.

Last night i had the Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (coktel de camaron) it was fresh, delicious, and spicy (i'll ask for no hot sauce next time)

The people there are always nice, from the bartenders to the wait staff. They all have a little bit of Eleno in them.  That guy was one of the most stand up guys i've ever known. RIP
4 - Sanora A.: wow-we! MANGO margaritas! yum-yum! 

I had a torta(mexican sandwich) carne asada, which was the special of the night and it was ok, but my friend had a wet burrito and that was really good. The server was a delight and that's important. The restaurant also has a bar so that's great for the area its in.
4 - Anosha S.: Don't judge a book by its cover...and don't judge a restaurant by its exterior!!! Came here with my boyfriend and his sister, I only walked into the restaurant and sat down because she said it was good and had been there. Sooo happy I tried it! Their tamale plate was awesome and the rice was moist and delish. Oh, and they aren't joking about the margaritas, I had a Cadillac and felt its effects only after a few sips...now that's quality! The waiter was also very attentive, which is a huge plus factor in the whole dining experience. I will definitely go back if I'm ever in the Pasadena area again.
4 - Joseph G.: This place is walking distance from me so its convenient. It's open late and has pretty consistent tasting food. Ive tried most of their burritos and I have also tried their chicken enchiladas and crunchy tacos. All are pretty good and reasonably priced. The only thing I have tried that I know I do not like it the horchata. It was sub par to say the least, a disappointment for any mexican place.

Today there was a lunch special, $6.75 for a burrito, it was pretty darn big. It came with rice and beans and choice of meat. Guacamole and sour cream as well. The beans were ok, the rice seemed re-heated, all in all it was a good deal and a quick choice. I know I'll come back.
3 - Wayne H.: An upstanding neighborhood joint - friendly people, large portions and very special margaritas.

One can expect to spend around $13 or more per dinner entree, excluding beverage.  If you enjoy shrimps, I recommend the Crystal's special.

Their margarita is unlike any I've sampled elsewhere, by that I mean there's, I think, a sedative quality to it.  Try to keep under two glasses if you intend to drive afterwards.
4 - bridge d.: I give this place 4 stars because nothing can beat the margaritas from Las Casuelas in La Quinta!  The margaritas here are really good here though!  

Everything is great here!  This is my boyfriend's go to place for everything!  This is usually at the top of the list when deciding where to go for dinner, where to have a party for someone's birthday, going away dinner, friends visiting from out of town, etc... 

The food is excellent and the atmosphere is nice and casual.  It's definitely one of my favorite Mexican food places in the Los Angeles area.  

One thing that I dislike about this place - I asked for a side of sour cream, and they charge extra.  That bothered me... I put sour cream on all the Mexican food I eat!
4 - Court O.: Definitely, the best Mexican food in the San Gabriel Valley, though you would not be able to tell from the exterior!  The parking is pretty much nonexistant, but don't illegally park, else you will seek the wrath of Pasadena Parking enforcement.  

My brother introduced me to the wonder of Amigo's Restaurant, and I can't get enough!

This place, quite possibly has the strongest Magaritas that I've ever had in my life.  The bartender doesn't hold back on the alcohol, and the drinks are reasonably priced.  This restaurant is also a great place for parties!
5 - Marissa B.: My fiance' and I go here weeknights for a late night outing and always are pleased. 
We were here last night and the waiter suggested their Cadillac Margarita (which I had not previously tried but am glad I did!!!) 
DAMN! It didn't taste strong or overly tequila'd it was yummy. However, after drinking about 1/3 of this potent drink I was flying high and feeling loose!!! 
Lets just say...we had a great time during and AFTER Amigo's. Their food is good, Camarones A La Diabla is VERY good and their chicken quesadilla appetizer can serve as a full meal.
5 - Saori H.: OHHH MANGO MARGARITA, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

Margaritas are so amazing here, I'm willing to drive all the way there just for one of them slushy goodness :)

Food was good too. Carne asada steak and shrimp enchiladas were hot and fresh.
5 - Samantha S.: The food is good.  Excellent guacamole! The margaritas are great!! The price is right.  And the waiters are so friendly!  I give this place a gold star.  

recommendation:  peach margarita
5 - Kaleo T.: The Cheese Inchilada was the best. They have very quick service and the seating is good. The food is filing and and tasty. Parking is fine. It has a bar on one side of the resturant and the drinks are good. Ill be back here very soon.
4 - jessica p.: Unless ur in Mexico, Mexican food in California is... OK... I guess. Every Mexican place I've been to has ur typical standard dishes.. enchiladas, tortilla soup and so on.
With that said I belive that Amigo's is a good interpretation of ur typical Mexican joint. The service is always attentive. They welcome any substitutions and the cadillac margarita is legit!! I really enjoy this place everytime i go.... which is more often than not.
4 - kaycee w.: A tribute to ELENO!


Before Amigos this was an Italian restaurant.  When Amigos opened I remember a petite hispanic gentleman use to stand out front of the door.  I lived one block away so I passed the spot every day and said hello to this very unique man.  I was always fascinated by his mustache. Finally one day I decided to go in and get something to eat.  The food was okay and the atmosphere was also okay.  

I would stop by every so often to pick up dinner and that was about it.

It wasn't until 2008 did I become some what of a regular.  The reason I'm writing this review is not because of the food but a very special bartender named Leno (I Americanized his name so I apologize if this offends.). Everyone seemed to love this very special man and I know I was fascinated by him even though I barely spoke 3 or 4 sentences to him each time I saw him.  This gentleman was truly a caring person.  He helped, listened, and laughed with so many.  He gave his heart and soul to his customers.

I left Cali for a year and when I came back I was sad to find out that my very special bartender passed away at a very young 50 something.

Here I sit with my Margarita in hand and a toast to my very special bartender that I've known for at least 15 years...although I really didn't know him.  Good bye Leno...you have. Been truly missed. 

By the way I've had two cadillac margaritas so I apologize for my spelling. ;-)
5 - L L.: Best margaritas I have had in years!!! Affordable price.  And the food was delicious!!!!!!!!!

I am a fan!
2 - Aaron L.: Wow, went to this place during their  happy hour around 6pm.  There was literally 4 other people in there dining aside from the servers.  I read on here that the margaritas were good so I was interested to try them.  First let me say that Chambord has NO place in a margarita which is what they put in their Cadillac Margarita instead of Triple Sec or some sort of Orange Liquor which is what is supposed to be in there, can you say kinda gross.  Their basic margarita was definitely better but I wasnt very impressed.  
     Now for the food, how in the hell does this place have 4 stars?  Are people stupid or something?  I mean the food is edible i'm not saying it was horrible but it wasnt that good.  Its just your run of the mill mexican food with a crapload of cheese trying to mask any flavor that might be had.  If you want good mexican food do yourself a favor and try out La Cabanita in Montrose, Ca.  Much better flavors and not as generic.  Plus their salsa here sort of blows.
4 - Sandy W.: Great Margaritas!  One is plenty.  

Great food and good service.  I've been there twice now, and neither time was the restaurant too busy -- which is a shame given their good food and drinks.

Definitely would recommend this place to anyone.
4 - Maria L.: Love, love, love, loved the margaritas!  So yummy!  One of my biggest pet peeves are when margaritas are to sweet and sour but these were perfect!  I ordered the mango, my friends ordered the peach and the midori.  For food, I ordered the bean and cheese burrito, it came with rice on the side and a red sauce on top....it was yummylicious, I ate the whole huge thing.  We also ordered the guacamole...it was okay, very creamy, I usually like it chunky...but my friends like it.  They also give free chips and salsa.  They have a separate bar if you just want to have a drink.  My only bad comment would have to be the service...our waitress was extremely slow...it wasn't too bad because we had good conversation and margaritas, but still it was super slow, but the other waiters we noticed seemed pretty quick.  Another weird thing was that it was eerily quiet in there...when we first walked in everybody in the restaurant stopped and looked at us and I thought it was weird...but I later figured out that it was because there was no background music...in a way it's kind of cool because everybody seems kind of connected in the restaurant, we can actually hear each other and hear the others in the restaurant...but it was just wierd...not used to it.
4 - Patricia B.: GREAT customer service!!! I went here on a Monday night to try out their famous margaritas and was pleasantly surprised by the taco Smörgåsbord Surprise I received!! The margaritas were good but too sweet but the tacos...oh, the tacos!! I was not sure what I wanted to try on the menu being that it was so large, so my boyfriend said "wouldn't it be cool if they made a taco platter like they do in Mexico"? Apparently, in Mexico, they give you a choice of meats, fixings, and you make your own tacos to your liking.  After talking to the waiter about this, he said, "We can make this for you, if you like.  We are slow so why not??"  I was amazed they would just make whatever we wanted! We ordered shredded chicken, asada, and carnitas and what ensued was a FEAST!! They brought out a meat platter, 3 salsas (ranchero was the best!), pico de gallo, guacamole, tortillas, chopped cilantro/onion/avocado extra chips and salsa AND a side of beans and rice!!! It was all really good (AND CHEAP for all the food we got) with the exception of the chicken (it was weird and mushy) but the asada was juicy and flavorful! I will definitely be back here and requesting the off the menu "Taco Platter". GREAT JOB AMIGOS!
5 - Michelle M.: This place is as good as it gets!!! I really believe that this place has the best mexican food I ever had! 
NOTE: when they bring you the salsa & chips, Ask for their salsa with habanero. It will Blow your mind and mouth off. 

We came here and two things popped up. Parking. There is a tiny lot in the back with prob 5 spots, so the rest of us need to park on the street. Another thing is when I walked in, It was kind of dark, and the seats needed fixing. Not fancy at all. I ordered the Chimichangas, and OMG it was sooo good! I got the strawberry Margarita with Vodka, and it was super sweet and strong. Loved it. Next thing I know, I started to come here A LOT. One of my best friends told me that he knew about this hidden gem, and didnt tell me for years cause he thought I already knew about this place!! Hate him. I can honestly say by far that this place has the best Mexican food & margaritas I ever had to date!
5 - Nate W.: Great food! Everything we had was excellent:  chiles rellenos, tacos, tamales, and everything else on the combo platter. Yum!
2 - Joe H.: Has this placed changed hands in the last few years? I use to go there with golfing buddies and mostly to drink. I do remember their food being sub par and sometimes, down right awful so needless to say, I'm very curious how a one time known dive with bad food is now being raved by so many.
4 - Thomas R.: Yummy food. Good prices
4 - E M.: Picked up a tostada for the fam!

Pretty cool place! Aweome and attentive staff! Pretty cool of them to be open for Easter. Thanks Amigo's!
4 - Stephanie M.: MARGARITAS! Amigo's has amazing $8 margaritas, it honestly doesn't get better than that ( Dona Rosa's $2 margaritas are incredibly disgusting compared to Amigo's). 

Although I'm not a huge fan of their food. I recently tried their cheese quesadilla and it was too greasy for my liking. I can't really comment on the rest of their menu items as I happen to be a Mexican who dislikes Mexican food (I know right?). Anyways, their chips and salsa are a must try!
4 - Dave A.: This is THE Mexican Restaurant to be at. Although my friends come here usually for good drinks, we have tried their food. Food is not amazing, but it's good. Authentic. It'd be nice if they prepared it a better way. For example if the Chicken and Steak Quesadillas were less greasy or if they cleaned the shrimp before putting them in your shrimp cocktail. The give you tortilla chips and salsa with whatever you get which is good because the salsa is really good. I am also a fan of their guacamole. It's prepared like I would've made it at home. 

The highlight of this Restaurant, in my opinion, has to be the margaritas. Prepared on the rocks (Really strong) or blended with a variety of flavors. They cost about $8 but are big. I have so many good times here because it's not located in an are that's really busy. Parking lot is small but you should find plenty of parking on the streets. 

You'll find me here on Sunday nights!
4 - Cesar P.: Their $8.00 margarita's are the best! Very strong and large! 
 Nice cool, dark light dinning room and bar area. I love to go there and watch a game and eat my food. 
Last time i was there, i had the Cheese enchilada, Tamale, and Chile relleno. Very tasty and filling, that was only meal for the day, so I was very content with their portion sizes. 
Their Guacamole is one of the best in town. Yummy! I'm salivating just thinking about it.
4 - Megan D.: We come here mostly for Margaritas!! They are large, strong, and very yummy for what you pay!  I also enjoy the endless tortilla chips and salsa.  The food is great for the pricing!!  If you are looking for some comfort food for a great price, with a great atmosphere then you are going to the right place.
4 - Ara P.: Grete place to go drinking with friend's, their margaritas are a must have only for 8$. I am there at least once a week.  As far as there food, the chicken quesadilla is good. I can't recommend anything else because that's all I had.
4 - emily t.: Firstly, margaritas. Secondly, margaritas, thirdly, margaritas! as a pasadena local there's nothing better than spending a chill weekend in old town with my roomies and having a satisfying dinner and beyond amazing margs at Amigo's. It's a great atmosphere, a great place to hang with friends, a great place to spend a relaxing weekend night or rewind after a crazy weekday. Never any complaints at this place
4 - Mal S.: Great service! delicious foods. We ordered a few chimichangas, which were fried to perfection; a carnitas plate; arroz con pollo; steak nachos; and guac. None of the food items disappointed. The salsa was delicious. The waiter was nice enough to bring us all of the variations of the salsa they have. The classic red was definitely the best. Would return.
4 - Aaron T.: I got the camarones el diablo and it wasssss gooood. Wifes chile relleno was too breaded but everything else was good. Large plates full of helpings. My wifes margarita was the absolute strongest margarita she's ever ordered from any restaurant. It needed to be toned down a bit.
4 - Zach G.: Great Margaritas, okay food. They have some good authentic specialties, but they also have the Mexican American style burritos smothered in cheese. There margs are very strong! Kind of pricy though, but definitely will get the job done (be careful having more than two!)
3 - Courtney H.: Came with Debbie Y. for dinner one night, as we'd decided on Mexican food and I'd asked her to choose. The place is known for the great margaritas, so of course we each ordered one, and I couldn't finish because, as Kevin C. commented, one will make you tipsy and I think I had a cold or something that night, so didn't have as much of an appetite for alcohol. I ordered the chicken soup, which wasn't very tasty, and maybe huevos rancheros. I remember the chips and salsa being yummy.
4 - Jen T.: This place was a blast from the past. WHen I walked in I thought i had been transformed into the 1990's. the decore and atmosphere was definitely from the 90's and it was dark but nonetheless their food is pretty good. The chips were warm, the salsa was good, I got the carne asada burrito and they automatically put enchilada sauce on it without an extra charge. The dish came with rice and beans and guac. What more can you ask for?
4 - Leona A.: I'm here at lest once a week. The food is great, for what your paying for. I feel at home every time i come here to eat.
5 - Carmen S.: Great drinks.  Laid back atmosphere.
4 - Katherine K.: Amigos is another of our regular haunts. Cheap, solid Mexican food and awesomely strong margaritas - you should check it out!
3 - Randy D.: amigo's makes me feel so ambivalent.  
some of their items like their fresh guacamole, spicy salsa, super-moist tamale shells (masa), garlic-flavored spanish rice, and refried beans are five-star quality.
others things like their kinda stale chips, rancid oil in their deep-fryer (which made for a nasty chile relleno), boiled flavorless chunks of pork, and overuse of cheese got me thinking two stars.
but the few excellent items on the menu and super-friendly service make this place worth it.  not my first choice for a meal but when there are slim-pickings, it sure beats the hell outta fast food....
4 - Ashley V.: First things first, strong and tasty margaritas for $8! 

When you get seated, they start you off with complimentary chips and salsa. For food, I ordered a chimichanga, rice and beans and it was pretty good. I had came with two other people and one of them also had a chimichanga, rice and beans and the other had a taco salad and both of them said they were satisfied with their meals too.

The place has a mom and pop kind of feel and the crowd is pretty diverse. The service is pretty good and the waiters are friendly as well.
4 - Charlotte M.: Came in here hungry for some Mexican food and definitely didn't leave disappointed! This place provides fresh chips and salsa which is always a plus in my book.
I started off with a strawberry margarita which was strong and delicious at the same time! They have several other fruity flavors and my friends got the mango margarita which was equally as good ,they say.
For food I ordered the chicken chimichunga, which was huge! Yummy and flavorful chicken with cheese and rice in a deep fried burrito....l mean how can you go wrong! I definitely enjoyed all of it. It came with rice and beans which were also very good. The service was good and we got our food quickly, I also enjoyed the laid back atmosphere. I would go here again and try different things on the menu.
5 - Syl R.: Best margaritas, hands down. My friends and I get the pitcher and there is never any left over.
4 - Aud P.: My hubby and I went here for a Saturday afternoon refreshment and to get the latest college football updates.  
Lorena was behind the bar and is a very nice and personable person.  Enjoyed pleasant conversations with the other patrons.  He ordered a beer, I got a margarita. Whoa, now that's a margarita!  She was very generous with the tequila. I'm not a drinker, so I had to pace myself.  Still a bit thirsty, I decided to have another - bad idea (for me at least).  The second one knocked me on my ass!  I was done for the rest of the day And night!  What can I say, I'm a light-weight. LOL! 
I'll go back for the food next time, but will order just one margarita. :)
I only gave 4 stars because I didn't expect to get drunk off of two drinks.
3 - Johnathan F.: A little pricey, but good tasting food and strong drinks.
2 - Taric W.: This is a review of the bar, and it's a short story about deal breakers. Having a small bar area is okay, but you've gotta know how to utilize it. You don't do that with huge, circular booths that seat less people than the actual bar area does. Having nowhere to sit is alright, but having nowhere to stand--not even a patio? That blows. Not that it was even busy enough to be so full.

But I digress. You might be wondering "Taric, tell us why you have an axe to grind with their bar?" It's because I was pretty hyped for the house margarita. I asked for it on the rocks, and glanced over as the margarita was simply poured out of the jug. At most bars, the price would get me something at least made to order, and of better tequila than some bitter well swill. I can already tell this place is questionable.
5 - Andrea G.: Do you want to be drunk, and quickly?  Then this is the place for you.  

Came here before a movie with two friends, ordered a pitcher of margaritas, and we were all feeling it after about two sips.  And thus, when the pitcher was empty, of course we thought it was a good idea to get another pitcher.  

(It was not.  Desperate texts to friends commenced, trying to get them to help us finish our second pitcher folly.)

Anyway, the margaritas were totally worth it and propelled many people into interesting life decisions.  The food was probably just okay, but at the time tasted utterly fantastic.
4 - Nancy M.: I am a fan!!!
Yes I do enjoy the margaritas ~ watch out they just catch up on you!  The food is also delicious!   Very attentive wait staff also.
4 - Karen H.: I went here with a friend last week for a late dinner and drinks, loved it! It's not much to look at, but the service was great and I really enjoyed my meal. We started with Margaritas that are silly strong. It felt like I was drinking straight from a bottle of tequila! I had the carne asada taco meal and it was absolutely delicious. This place is relatively inexpensive and yummy. The added bonus is it's located right across the street from a movie theater, which is where we went to sober up!
4 - Audra A.: Good solid Mexican food.  Came here for lunch with coworkers and I would definitely come back without hesitation.  For four of us we had two pitchers of Cadillac Margarita's and they were good and strong.  Each pitcher worked out to be a glass for each of us.  I had the carnitas sopes and the carnitas (which I am very picky about) were juicy and flavorful.  The chips and salsa were spot on too.  It's everything you could ask for in a Mexican restaurant.
4 - Leilani R.: My co-workers and I have been coming to this restaurant for years. Besides the proximity of our work location (where eating fast is a necessity), this restaurant serves good quality food at decent prices with excellent service.

I always get the Chicken Mole plate. Portions are large and the chicken has always been flavorful and tender. My co-worker always gets the steak burrito, which is satisfyingly large and well made. We have also gotten the beef nachos, which is a mountain of chips, cheese, beef, beans, salsa and takes at least three people to finish. A couple of weeks ago my daughter ordered a bowl of chicken soup, which probably has been one of the tastiest bowls of soup ever. Thick chunks of white chicken meat in a light chicken broth with large cuts of carrots, onions, celery and squash.

Again, service has always been fantastic and the food is prepared quickly. I can't speak for the bar or the drinks, I haven't been there yet, but the food at Amigo's is great!!
4 - Jorge C.: Curb appeal is not great, but once you get inside it is a homey sit down restaurant with booths and tables. The lighting is dim, and the decor is outdated, but all seems clean. We sat at a booth with the  bar behind the wall. The noise level from the bar wasn't too much. We were greeted very quickly by a friendly server, and our drinks arrived fast - we didn't have any alcohol, but the Diet Coke, and Ice tea were fresh. The menu offers a variety of foods and I think good pricing for Burritos and special plates. My wife ordered the Tostada Salad and I went with the Carnitas Plate. Her salad had too much Pico de Gallo or Salsa, swimming in it. She didn't  finish most of it, though it was fresh and did not taste bad. The Carnitas were excellent! Tender, light, and tasty, and cooked to perfection. I finished it. The server noticed that she didn't eat much of the Tostada Salad and he removed it from the bill without any questions asked - what service and attention to detail. We will be back, and I am thinking of trying the bar next time for margaritas. Very nice place.
4 - Maria N.: First time i went to this restaurant to celebrate my son in law birthday. I really like it . The atmosphere was nice. They have a variety of mexican dishes, i got enchiladas , i got plenty of food, so i took left overs home. The margaritas are good, but i like better the ones in Acapulco restaurant, i could go back again.
5 - Roland M.: Reviewing the Margaritas only:

1 Margarita = "Yay, I'm at Amigos and this a good margarita"
2 Margarita= "I'm drunk"
3 Margarita= "I'm wasted"
4 Margarita= "Sir...sir...sir...you're at Huntington Memorial..you got alcohol poisoning"
5 - Bernie Q.: Best margaritas ever!
4 - Deb T.: The boyfriend and I were looking for decent Mexican food within walking distance from our apartment. We usually go to La Fiesta Grande and we are sort of done with their food. Not only were the Enchiladas yummy, but I had a wonderful Chimichanga. I loved the presentation with the little Mexican flag in the rice (which was equally delicious). We are definitely going to go back since the food is great and the prices are affordable. One tip: there is a tiny, tiny parking lot so be prepared to  park on the street and walk a little, if necessary.
4 - Ray C.: This was my first visit to Amigos.  I am a huge fan of Mexican food and I was looking for something new.  Based on the Yelp reviews I decided to give Amigos a try.

The margaritas are tasty and strong...if you drink more than one, be prepared to have a designated driver.   

The food was good but not outstanding.  I had a beef taco and cheese enchilada combo.   Everything tasted good and was filling.  I wish they would put onions in their cheese enchiladas.

The décor is the typical tacky Mexican.

The service was prompt and courteous.

The night we went, it was not particularly busy and our food came within 5 minutes of ordering!  We didn't have time to get filled up on chips and salsa. 

This restaurant is located on Colorado Blvd in Pasadena and has a small parking lot.  Parking can be an issue.

I plan to come back and would also like to try their Happy Hour.
2 - Kevin K.: Came here on a friday night, it was pretty dead with a couple sitting down at one table and someone at the bar. Even with an empty place it still took forever to get help from our waiter. The food however did come out very quickly on a extremely large plate. We were pretty hungry and both unable to finish out food. I was looking forward to having some good spanish rice but the rice that came with my dish was extremely dry and left me disappointed. I probably wont be back to this place unless a friend wanted to try.
5 - Nasa D.: Wow, super service and super fast. I was there about 2 hours ago. It took 5 minutes to seat me, 5 minutes to get my Cadillac margarita (tasted great), chips and salsa, and less than 10 minutes to get my steak burrito. The burrito was delicious and service was great. Definitely recommend this place!!
1 - Susan K.: Tried to rip us off with 18% for PARTY OF 5!!  Drinks way too expensive, marg $8.00,
no name bourbon and 7, $8.00.  THIS IS A HOLE IN THE WALL... While the food was good, the chips were not good, tasted old and bagged.  Obsurd.  A lot of good restaurants in the area, GO ELSEWHERE.
2 - Daniel B.: Came here a few nights ago and omg I hated it hated it wanted to go home bad service took the waitress about 30 mins ,give or take a few, to take our order kept saying she was Gonna refill our drinks yet had to ask another employe because she was taking to long but I give it 2 stars instead of one because I kind of felt bad for them since a large group of loud and obnoxious ghetto "people" came in and there were only 2 waiters/waitresses for the whole place but the ghetto pack of low lifes were extremely Loud nasty ugly hoochie thug outfits practically barking at our ears eh not coming back
3 - Kathy C.: From the sad sign that simply states "cocktails" on top of the door, you would never think that this place served up some mean margaritas.  

The Cadillac margaritas are pretty strong (as they should be).  The blended margaritas were tasty, but not quite as strong as you would want a margarita to be.  The free chips and salsa and friendly service were great as well.  

I wish I could write about the food, but we just stopped by for a drink because we heard that Amigo's had great margaritas.  I'll be sure to stop by and try the food next time. :)
3 - Valerie F.: My friends come here a lot and so I came with them. I'd come back, but I'm not impressed and would not come here on my own. The food is okay, not exceptional. I also ordered a strawberry margarita that I could not finish - very good but too sweet for me. 

I really like the juke box, a mix of classics and latin. The decor is only okay, the place could really use an update.
5 - Rick R.: I wouldn't call this place a hole in the wall, but it's definitely has that hole in the wall feeling....which is why this is one of my favorite Mexican spots. It's definitely one of those hidden gems that not too many people know about.

First off, every true Mexican food aficionado knows that "chips and salsa" is the first test as to how good a Mexican restaurant is. Amigo's passes this test easily. Chips are always crisp, they have the perfect amount of salt on them and the salsa goes perfectly with the chips as well as blending in nicely with the food. It's not the standard pico de gallo that you get from alot of spots. This one is definitely tasty, and if you prefer the hotter type of salsa, they do have a habanero blend that you could request.

But what I really love about this place is their margaritas. Two of these will usually do the trick for me, but if you're a lightweight, one actually just might be enough to get you that really good buzz. Any more than that and you may be asking for trouble. It turns out that they do sell pitchers of it and for $1 more, you can get a cadillac margarita (don't quote me on that, but that's what I remember from the last time I was there).

There are so many delicious dishes here with a good portion size (actually, the portions are very generous here), but the one dish that I usually almost go back to is the Colorado Burrito. For under $8, you get a huge wet burrito with sour cream spilling off it and a side of rice on the plate. For me, it seems to hit the spot.

I've also had their soft tacos (which are tasty) and their shrimp cocktail (also big portions), but I usually just go back to what I love, the colorado burrito.

The bar isn't much to write home about, just a couple booths, a jukebox, some average TVs (don't think it's in HD) and a bunch of barstools. But it's the food & margaritas that keep me coming back to this hole in the wall.

If you're a fan of margaritas and good mexican food, I definitely recommend this spot.
5 - Tim E.: We came here upon the recommendation of Alice while we were going to check out the 626 night market which was many blocks away that turned out to be a a poorly created event. 

Alice said Amigos has some good food and because we were walking it seemed like forever while walking east on Colorado blvd. There was six of us cruising down to Amigos which I thought was funny cause we were going to the 626 Market for some Asian food instead we are heading to a Mexican restaurant.   

Upon arriving we were quickly seated and our drink orders were taken. I want to say the Jamica was pretty darn good with free refills. I ordered the Carne Asada dry with no beans except rice. The meats were beautifully cooked and I finished the plate clean. 

Within a couple of days I was back for the Carne Asada Burrito and again I cleaned off my plate and having some good Jamica. 

This place also has a bar aside from the restaurant. The waiters are friendly and helpful and refill drinks without me asking.  I think next time I'm asking for a margarita to try.
5 - Paul G.: We drove by this restaurant on Colorado Blvd. many a time, not even noticing it. It is very unassuming from the outside and easy to miss. Funny how those are usually the BEST places, isn't it?

After a recommendation from my wife's co-worker, we wandered into Amigos one Friday night and have have been regular customers ever since. Amigos does not score points for decor or fancy digs, but man do they have great food and margaritas. Not once have we tried something that we did not like and we've had super fast and friendly service each time we've gone.

Some of our favorites include the carnitas tacos/plate, chicken tacos, arroz con pollo, and guacamole. 

I must honestly say that this is our "go-to" spot for Mexican food...and we're picky about this genre having spent many years in El Paso, TX and Los Angeles.
5 - Maria R.: Best place to go have fun!!!! Drinks are really good service is excellent !!! Can't wait to go again!!!!
5 - Lan B.: This is our go-to place for Mexican food.  Everything I've had has been great, several times I've asked Fernando, our favorite waiter, to surprise me with a meal and he's never disappointed.  Everything he's ordered for me has been yummy. 
Their margaritas are amazing...get the Cadillac.
5 - Clarissa C.: Been going here for years. It's a great hole in the wall. If you blink, you might miss it. Most recent visit was with my hubby. Sat at the bar. Darkly lit, good drinks, attentive waitstaff. Servings are huge! Come hungry and leave happy. There's also a restaurant side if you don't want to go to the bar. 

Street parking and very small lot in back! Will be back again for sure.
5 - Kahlil N.: Tequila galore. Margarita's too, both Cadillac and regular. Maybe they have food, not sure. Plenty. To. Drink. Awesome plus is it's very close to second run movie theater, The Academy, where you can laugh at normally unfunny movies, but you're amazingly drunk so all bets are off.
1 - Vlren P.: Known for Cadillac Margarita. Just one is enough for getting almost drunk. Never again. Food is awefull. Needs new TVs for sure or atleast flat screens.
1 - Rich S.: So this place exists. 

If you're looking for items that will take the place of emptiness in your stomach, this will do.

If you're looking for Mexican food, you know, the kind that uses spices and has flavors, you would do better at most chains.

Tastes like the kind of "Mexican" food you get at a place in the Midwest served by a girl who does cage fighting on the weekends.

Save $6 and get the Taco Bell 99 cent burrito, no joke. It has more kick.

DON'T BELIEVE THE FOOLS WHO SAY THIS IS GOOD!
4 - A. B.: The food is good and the Margaritas are better. A nice spot if you want mexican food food late night. Ive been going here for a few years and it never disappoints
4 - Dirk G.: Amigos is cool. if your looking for a place to get some decent food without waiting too long and paying up the ass then Amigos is the place. You cant beat the prices I've gotten dinner for the whole family for like $30. If you are looking for something more exotic then go somewhere else. Amigos menu is pretty basic Mexican American style cooking, nothing too spicy or regional. Just good comfort food. The place has lots of space so if you have a large party its great place to go. The staff are very kind and family friendly. I've been coming here since I was a wee man and it hasn't changed much and hopefully wont in the future.
4 - Irma S.: Good hidden place.
I would have never tried this place unless a friend too me there.

It's become one of my favorite local Mexican restaurant.
4 - Amy R.: I've been here maybe 15 times in the last two years and have always had a blast.

Drinks: Always get the cadillac, always happily regret it, always leave in a drunken stupor. They're not cheap, but man, are they potent! 

Food: Nachos: AMAZING. Easily sharable between 3-4 people.  Tacos: Carnitas and carne asada were bountiful - packed full of meat and are like delicious street tacos on steroids. Carne asada plate: greasy, filling, and juicy meat. Good divey Mexican food. 
A plus: the endless chips and salsa are great. I love their chips, the salsa is above average, and you can also ask for salsa verde or a watered down salsa roja. 

Service: I love the bartender here. He's chill and will share shots with ya. The waiters and waitresses are also nice and attentive. 

Environment: This place is divey. It's not necessarily a place you bring out of towners or dates to impress, but it is a place you go to get drunk and to eat good, reasonably priced Mexican food. It's dark, dingy, and you'll encounter a fair share of loud kids and/or drunken tools, but it's all part of the experience.
5 - Vannessa V.: Plain and simple- regular margarita on the rocks with salt = bomb.com go tell your mom. Also the macho chimichanga is the best thing on their menu ;) I'm always here if I was on yelp earlier i'd be the freaking queen of amigos. They sprinkle magic in their margaritas. ;)
2 - Angel B.: Food is ok -nothing spectacular. Portions are satisfying and reasonably priced. 
I had the burrito plate for lunch.It was a good lunch with good service. I just wasn't impressed.
The place seems to be more of a night club, So it can shine at night and I was missing the full effect.
4 - Maurice Desi F.: I'll just start this off by saying that if you think you've had the best margarita you've ever had, go to Amigo's and I'm willing to bet that you'd change your mind. One of their fantastic margaritas not only taste good, but it more than does what it's supposed to do. As for the food, it's very good. I usually get the chicken taco/ chicken enchilada combination plate and I never leave unfulfilled. There's usually no wait when I go as well...which is an added bonus. I strongly suggest that you try them out. You'll thank me later.
1 - Tucker B.: Spent my morning returning the Burrito Colorado to the ground from which it came. I kind of regret not spending the $8.00 on a Margarita, at least it would have killed the germs.
4 - richard l.: Eat here after drop the vehicle off in Pepboy, there ain't that many restaurant nearby.

Is basically a family Mexican restaurant. They serve many well know mexican dish. Pretty cozy inside, it has 2 small tv.  They serve lunch special here, is pretty good as long as $6.78 to $8. All order comes with free salsa and chips.  Chips is pretty medicore, but the salsa is quite good has bit of spicy on it.  

I order the carne asada burrito, is huge comes with rice, beans and avocado, the burrito inside is white cheese and steak, delicious. The dish was very hot fresh from cooking.  Other similar restaurant would probably cost above $9, this one is $7.75 off the menu.
5 - Jenna B.: My boyfriend and I come to amigos at least once a week! The food is spectacular! The service is great and quick! Their portions are huge!!! They make the best salsa! AHH EVERYTHING IS JUST AMAZING
3 - Ayumi S.: STRONG margaritas..old school set up inside. Dark, loud loud crowd..delicious salsa, and warm salted chips. 

Bf and I both got the cadillac margaritas, and we were kind of feeling it by the end of the drink. 

Meeee gusta!
4 - Dan M.: Dark, divey and delicious.  This is my go to spot when I need some deep fried carnitas and a margarita that knocks you on your ass.  Don't let the fact that they pour them from large,  plastic bottles throw you off, they still work perfectly.  I always eat in the bar and listen in on some of the most insane conversation Pasadena has to offer.  The jukebox has an eclectic mix of CD's that probably haven't been rotated out in 10 years.  Go here to escape reality and enjoys some off the menu sopes.
4 - The Honest Truth P.: Awesome little dive bar! Everytime we come were always treated like family.. their fajitas and there steak tacos are by far my favorite around. There drinks are poured strong and you really can't go wrong with there cadillac margaritas.
5 - O A.: This review is based on the margarita only. 
Best "on the rocks" ever!!
4 - Susie V.: Margaritas on the rocks...I forgot my name.
1 - Alex M.: If you are looking for good food and good service, this is not the place. Not only did out appetizer never come but we had to get up to get our own refills and silverware. Upon speaking with the "manager", he only provided lame excuses such as"we have a lot of orders coming in". Unfortunately no attempt to rectify our less the satisfying experience was made. I do not recommended this place, not will I be back! I'm sure there are plenty of better options for Mexican good is Pasadena! Steer clear of Amigos! Ps after complain to the manager no one ever came to are table to check on us till the check
5 - Stephanie G.: I love this place! It is definitely my favorite Mexican restaurant in the area. I probably average a couple of visits per week. 

EVERYTHING here is good. I don't think I've had anything that I don't like. They have a great carnitas plate and the tacos are awesome. 

They have STRONG margaritas. Seriously strong. If you're feeling especially courageous, go for the cadillac margarita. If you drink more than one, you probably won't remember much of dinner. So, in other words, thumbs up on the margaritas. 

Parking can be a little bit annoying when it's busy, but I usually park across the street in the evening (when the other businesses are closed) and have never had an issue with this.
4 - Danton N.: Great place to stop after work for strong but tasty margaritas. I like the most relaxing and easygoing atmosphere. Food is not really the best mexican in town but definitely does the job. This is the place to experience some local vibe and get relaxed with your friends.

Aminata African Braiding - New York, NY (40.8109857, -73.9531844) (Harlem)
5 - Yanoh J.: So surprised there are not any reviews on this place. There are tons on google and city search.
So Aminata African Hair Braiding, I have literally only been to one braiding Salon in NYC, and its the best braiding salon I have been to in my life. They are consistent with prices, time, and quality. The prices are worth what you are getting, they always try their best to have you out as fast as possible(they will have up to four people braiding in your hair at one time if they have enough staff), and the finished product is always always always fab!
The women are very friendly and always introduce themselves before they start working on your hair.
Big warehouse type of salon, if you are looking for an aesthetically pleasing salon this is not the place, but the place is always clean. 
I like the fact that everyone takes lunch at the same time, keeps the day structured(since most likely you will be there a while if you are getting braids)
The building is kind of hard to find and had to call when i was on the block the last time(the entrance is actually on St Nicholas and not 125th)
Don't know what else to say, I love Aminata's braiding and I am a customer for life :)
5 - Jennifer A.: I got my hair braided yesterday by Yada. I always warn braiders, African or Afro-american, that I will get up and walk out if I ask them to stop braiding my hair too tight and they don't comply. I only had to ask her once and she modified her technique. I don't believe a person should have to pre and post medicate in order too look good. I have not personally experienced it, but I have observed some people's scalp bleed and crust over when getting braids. I refuse to have that happen to me. Anyway,  I digress. 
The shop is in an office building. The entrance is really on St. Nicholas. 289 St. Nicholas to be exact. The shop isn't the dirtiest I have been to. While I was there, the braiders were constantly sweeping hair up. It's nice to see they care about the appearance. But it's no Aveda. That doesn't matter to me anyway because as long as I don't see any brown creepy crawlers, as are so common in braid shops, I'm good. 
Yada and the other braiders were very attentive. Other shops I have been to, here in nyc and other states, have braiders with ADD. They didn't have to the typical African drama movies, incessant gossip,  the loud cell phone talking and bad snotty nose children that are so dominant in braid shops. There were children there but they kept themselves occupied. I like "business" attitude the shop displayed. Yada took an eating break, but it was only fr\or about 15 mins.My butt needed a rest too, so it was a perfect time for me to get up and stretch. 
It was a good experience with a great outcome. My hair is the bomb, I got compliments on it before I left the shop, as soon as I left the shop and even as I type this review a co-worker is complimenting it. The price was right and my hair is tight, but it a good way, not the "I need a Motrin" way. Since I didn't throw out her card as soon as I got out of the building, this is a shop I would recommend.
4 - Sasha B.: I wish I could give them 5 stars!  I went in for thin, waist length senagalese twists.  I was quoted $110 on the phone for arm pit length so I was expecting to pay quite a bit more when I showed Aminata how long I really wanted them.  It was $130 including hair.  Very fair price.  

I had a 9:30 appointment, didn't get started until about 10:15.  I had up to 5 people working on my hair at once and I was out by 2:30.  This was about 3 hours less than I was expecting.  I was afraid that with so many people doing the twists that they might not be uniform.  The twists are all the same size so I was very pleased.  Everyone was very friendly and they worked really hard on my head.   You can't see where the 'seams' where they added more hair midway down the twists in order to achieve the length I wanted.  They moisturized my hair and the braiding hair in order to avoid tangles.  I only heard a few 'snaps' that I thought might be my own hair breaking which puts them head and shoulders above a salon on 116th that I had to walk out of because the lady was tearing my hair out with her technique and awful fingernails.  

The ONLY negative I have is that one braider was way too rough.  She nearly had me in tears.  I told her to relax about 3-4 times and then finally told her she couldn't work on my hair.  I expect braids to be a bit uncomfortable but I should never be in pain.  Because of this, I can't give the full 5 stars.  

I agree with the other reviews that the salon was clean, if not fancy.  It was a bit warm, but I don't care about the glitz and gloss as long as my hair looks good and the price is right.  Everyone else's hair I saw get done looked great too.  I only live a few blocks away and by the time I stopped at 2 stores and the nail salon, I had already gotten several compliments.  Even from my normally quiet doorman!  I will definitely be back every couple of months while I am growing out my hair.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
5 - La Viajera M.: They were excellent and fast. Got my hair braided here today... went in at 1:30 pm and they were finished by 4. I had five women working on my head and they were all quick and efficient. I couldn't believe they finished in such a short amount of time. For a head full of Senegalese Twists, they only charged me $110 (and I used their hair). Quick, efficient, and cheap, this is my new go-to shop whenever I need braids/twists.
5 - Helen A.: I went to Aminata after reading great Yelp reviews. What makes my case special is I was on a business trip from Boston to New York and only had a half hearted intention to do my hair in NYC because 1) there is a dearth of really really good hair braiders that are professional and actually listen to their clients in Boston 2) the price of mediocrity here is way too steep. I called 2 hours before I walked through the doors (don't attempt this on Friday or Saturday).

Aminata's was fantastic! You get all the usual things that make African hair braiders charming like beautiful chocolate babies on the far end of the shop entertaining themselves while the women chat and laugh. However, what makes it really great is that these ladies hustle!  I recommend going on a weekday because there are several women who can work on your hair. I was catching the 8pm bus back to Boston and because of my tardiness we get started around 1pm and finished around 4:30.Yes, let's say it together, "wow".

The style that I got were the Solange (Beyonce's sister) inspired Patra Braids. They're very long and look deceptively easy but the length requires work. I did this in Boston in May and my hair came out matted and the braids couldn't be fashioned into a bun. These ladies not only achieved the length I was looking for but the braids look even better and neater than the same style in Boston. And it costs $40 dollars less than what the average braider would ask for in Boston!

I told the ladies I would go to NYC rather than trying in Boston. If you live in New York consider yourself lucky!
5 - Nana Ama S.: This is my favorite and ONLY braiding salon in the city. I will not go anywhere else. I normally pay $100 for their small size microbraids, which are very neatly braided and usually last me 3 months. But recently, I decided to change it up and got butt-length Senegalese twists, and again, only paid $100. 

Every time I go, I always bring my own hair, but they do have an extensive hair selection, and their prices are reasonable. 

I have a lot of hair, and it's very thick. So every time I go, I am always the last one out of the shop. However, Aminata has never increased my price because I am "more work", as other braiders might be inclined to do. The braiders are also very responsive to customers' instructions and wishes, which is necessary when you're shelling out $100 for your hair. 

The shop isn't fancy, and yes, it can be loud, but fanciness is immaterial when you're looking for good quality braiding.
5 - Lala P.: Okay so after reading several reviews about this hair braiding salon, I was a little hesitant to go but I went last week in person to check the place out and make an appointment. When I walked in last Saturday 9/22/2012, the shop was full with the braiders taking care of their clients. So I checked and the place look clean and kept up to me. Again it is a hair braiding salon with more than one braider. So I spoke with who I guess runs the business, and I set up an appointment for the following Saturday 9/29/2012 for 9:30am. And we discussed me doing medium size braids for $80. So fast forward to my appointment, I was there on time, but they showed up a little after 9:30am, no big deal to me, as long as I am there on time you can't say that I threw off your day. So I go in me and another young lady and I sit for maybe like 7 minutes while they got the shop set up and ready for customers. With in that time 4 more ladies came in. Some with appointments and others were walk-ins. I was headed to the chair and the owner (I can only guess that this is her establishment because she was the only one handling phone calls and hair booking) and she started right away. I have shoulder length, thick hair, and when I say she went to work on my hair, her hands were moving so fast. But I noticed that the braids weren't medium size, they look more so like small, micro braids to me. I had two hair braiders and I was out of the shop at 4:45pm. I went to pay thinking that she misunderstood the size of braids I wanted and when she told me that it was only $80, I hit the jackpot! For the size of the braids and how they turned out I had to give her a generous tip because she was fast, efficient and very friendly. I have a high tolerance for pain and she apologized for the braids being tight, I had to tell her they felt fine to me. So there was no yanking out my own hair, there was no rude braiders. This hair braiding salon is a must-go-to for me. That is my opinion as my experience was a great one!
1 - Ellis T.: I went there for Senegalese twists. You can barter on the price so don't take the first price given to you. Everyone was polite, my hair was finished in 4.5 hours. At one point there were three people working on my hair at once. They didn't finish off the ends very well b/c they were all different lengths and not cut or tied uniformly. It wasn't a big deal since I planned to wear it up in a bun the entire time I had them in, but it looked ratty-tat when they were down. My main complaint is that they made the twists EXTREMELY tight. I have REALLY thick, strong hair and the next day you can see my hair follicles at my hairline popping out. When I took the twists out, my hair around my edges had COMPLETELY, I mean COMPLETELY broken off, as in, I have a new hairline b/c my old one was destroyed. Literally, as I undid the twists, my hair was unraveling with the synthetic hair that they used and fell right up off my scalp. I kept saying, 'not too tight,' and they'd say sorry, but continued do twist just as tightly. The one star is for my hairline, but if you think your hair can withstand the abuse, then take your chances.
5 - Lola A.: I will go back here again and again and again... and I don't even live in New York. Me and my mother both wanted to get our hair done, and we also needed to get away for a little bit. So we decided to take a weekend trip to New York to shop and to get our hair braided. We walked in on a Saturday afternoon at 12pm without an appointment. My mother was in a chair within five minutes. There weren't enough hair braiders there since the shop was busy (it was SATURDAY!), so Aminata, the owner, called another braider to come to the shop. I was in a chair less than an hour after entering the shop without an appointment. I watched as she called other braiders to come during the afternoon as other walk-ins entered. I got medium width, mid-back length twists with the hair purchased there for $90. My mom got micro, armpit-length twists also with the hair purchased there for $110. Both of the braiders braided our hair really well. Every twist was the same size, no bigger ones in the middle. They were also really receptive to our requests. My mom asked for stretching breaks, and I asked not to braid too tight. I was finished in 4.5 hours, and my mom was done in 6. It was definitely worth the trip. I will be returning once I'm ready to get my hair done again.

Amir's Falafel - New York, NY (40.8064994, -73.9651106) (Morningside Heights)
3 - Chinku G.: Food quality is poor. Service may be instantaneous, prices are low, but you're really getting just a bad imitation of what baba ganoush, falafel and all the delicious stuff is meant to be...
5 - Brad T.: This is fast food done right! The quick and tasty middle eastern sandwiches, platters and fresh pastries are not to be missed. This is a family owned place and the owners really take pride in their business which has served the Morningside Heights community for years. Not to be missed - the shwarma sandwiches, birds nest pastries and Lebanese coffee, and a deliciously smokey babaghanoush which is out of this world.
4 - Felix H.: Come for the tastey sandwiches at good prices. Unless you want to get their homemade tea, grab your drink elsewhere along Broadway--it's marked up a bit here. Minus a point for overpriced (albeit well-made) desserts.
4 - Shannon O.: Makes a great falafel, and fast!

This place is predominantly for take-out. There are tables but it's a no-frills type of place.

Sometimes they'll close before posted closing hours and sit at the counter shrugging at me like they can't imagine why I would want to come in.
3 - Mike W.: I've heard it posited before that the quality of your classic take-outs like pizza and Chinese tend to fall across a normal distribution. This means that the majority of time when you order them, they will taste good and be exactly what you expect with few outliers in either direction. I would add the Mediterranean mainstays to that classification, such as your falafel, hummus, fatoush and the like. My experience at Amir's would confirm this. Good falafel pita, with a plus for spiciness and a minus for too many tomatoes. Above-par lentil soup, though it's not much to look at. Inexpensive, but I've had inexpensive...er. We're sitting right atop of the curve here: getting the job done sans fanfare.
3 - Rachel K.: (I'm assuming this restaurant is the same as the location in Morningside Heights)

I probably would have ignored this place entirely, as it gets lost next to the construction at Havana Central, but I was recommended to the eatery by a fellow classmate. Feeling the need to change it up from NY pizza and bagels, I went for the Shawarma Beef sandwich, which included beef, lettuce, tomato, and tahini sauce in pita bread. If the pita had actually stuck together more, the sandwich might have been more enjoyable. The taste wasn't bad, but I tired of it  quickly. I wish I had more to say, but the meal in general was less than impressive - especially for a $6 sandwich.
1 - Ryan F.: I went to Amir's hoping to find a good falafel place that's not in Greenwich village, but was sadly disappointed.  I ordered a vegetarian platter to get a sense of several of Amir's offerings (Falafel, Hummus, Baba Ghanouj, and Grape Leaves) and was not really impressed with any of them.  The food was ok, but my biggest issue with this place was more their service.  First of all, my platter came to $9.81 and I wanted to pay with my credit card and was told that there was a $10 minimum.  Despite being less than a quarter off and knowing that merchants cannot require a minimum for accepting a credit card (http://www.mastercard.com/us/business/en/common/faq.html#211 and Visa has a similar policy), I took this as an opportunity to try out the Bakalva, another of my favorites.  When I left, I felt pretty good about my choices and was excited to get back and enjoy my food.... When I got back, I realized that they didn't include any pita to have with my hummus and baba ghanouj... so I went to the store and bought some pita bread....  When I get back, I realize that they also didn't put my bakalva in my bag.  So, not only did I buy the baklava to meet their minimum credit/debit card limit, they didn't even give me the baklava!  

Overall, the food wasn't horrible, and it was pretty quick service taking less than 5 minutes from the time I walked in the store until I left.  However, the mediocre food is not worth their poor policies and inability to successfully complete an order.
3 - Srini V.: It is a well known fact that, when in school, "fine dining" standards are suitably lowered to match "earnings", that largely originate from student loans.

Here is an extract ripped out of the weekly record of expenses for a Columbia University graduate student who shall remain unnamed for the purposes of this review.  Rent, books, entertainment, etc. are not shown.
                       ________________________________
                      |                                                                          |
                      |                Week of March 9, 1998                 |
                      |                                                                          |
                      |    Food:                                                            |
                      |         Hamilton Deli * 5                    $25       |
                      |         Koronet Pizzeria * 2                $12       |
                      |         Amir's Falafel * 2                     $15       |
                      |         V & T * 1                                    $20       |
                      |         Ollie's * 1                                  $15       |
                      |         University Market  * 2              $40       |
                      |                                                                           |
                      |   Drinks:                                                           |
                      |         Yogi's * 2                                  $20        |
                      |         West End * 2                            $30       |
                      \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Amir's Falafel is a reliable pit stop in the typical CU student's weekly journey through the mediocre Morningside Heights collection of restaurants.  The fare is Lebanese and the space is appropriately basic for the university setting.  Expect some traffic during lunch time and dinner, but not as much as in some other eateries in the neighborhood.

I am generally happy with the falafel+hummus platter.  The hummus managed to get high praise from a Middle Eastern food connoisseur with exacting standards, on a recent visit.  The falafel is a tad dry and the tahini sauce just passes muster.  The dessert choices may be viewed in the showcase by the counter.  The baklava is above-average while the bird's nest with pistachios is less desirable.

Amir's is good value for money.  And an excellent fast-food choice as you wait for your term papers to be printed at Kinko's, or when you are in need of a quick eat-in lunch or dinner in the area.
2 - Maria V.: Back when I was a student at Columbia I heard Amir's mentioned a lot as cheap digs for your chickpea dosage. Years after college, I'm back in the neighborhood and in need of a quick bite. I was quite disappointed!  Though I'm not Lebanese, I'm Greek, so I do have SOME idea what good falafel and hommus tastes like. This was awfully runny cheap tahini and the pita pockets were slapped together. A mess to eat and a bit overpriced considering it was hommus in a store-bought pita pocket with iceberg lettuce and styrofoam-esque tomatoes. Come on now.
3 - Ben C.: Amir's is the place to grab a quick and tasty falafel pita/plate.  Like someone else pointed out, the decor is no frills and that goes for the food too.  Simple, but good!  Prices are reasonable too.  Just about everything on the menu (except the platters) is in the $4-9 range.  I consider this a great value, especially compared to nearby take-out options.
3 - Rachel D.: Amir's is my favorite place to get a quick, cheap, tasty lunch near campus.    the staff maintain a friendly and calm demeanor at all times.  I'm a huge fan of the baba ganoush platter.  consistent quality, speedy service, add some hot sauce, you're good to go.

update:  I felt I should mention that I used to get the beef shawarma, but once it was kind of stringy & gristly.  Yuck.  But i continue to strongly endorse the baba ganoush.
1 - dsf d.: These jerks short changed me $10 today. I called them on it and they refused to rectify the situation. These people are money grubbing short changing rude jerks who do not deserve your business. I was once a regular customer, but no more (I should mention the guy who short changed me was not the person who usually works the register when I go). Avoid this place at all costs!
1 - G. Michael G.: Nastiness on a plate. I tried several things there: two types of wraps (mine and a friend's), their hummus and some sweets. The only thing that was really any good was the baklava which would be hard to mess up. Even it wasn't spectacular, it was just okay. I went once and won't be going again!
2 - Kevin O.: Update! The main entrees/sandwiches are still pretty bad here, however I do have to recommend their pastries. Also, their homemade iced tea is pretty good if you like unsweetened iced tea. At $1.35 it's also a bit cheaper than buying a bottle of something here or elsewhere.
1 - Sienna K.: I've been putting off writing my scathing review of Amir's, but seeing as how this place was shut down yesterday by the Department of Health, now seems like a good time as any to do some ranting.

Amir's is a take-out Lebanese restaurant that is neither good nor cheap. I've always suspected that the only reason this sad excuse of a Middle Eastern store remained in business was because it had smartly placed itself next to a college campus. After all, who needs to work on quality when your customers are notriously known to have undiscerning palates, voracious appetittes, and a disdain for responsbile spending?

And although the food at Amir's isn't expensive, it isn't cheap either, especially considering the disturbingly low quality of the dishes. The falafel at Amir's is $4.99. Granted, it's one of the cheaper food options in the neighborhood, it's still pretty pricey for a falafel. While the price at Amir's is comparable to Maoz down on 72nd (also $4.99), it's double the costs of the dish at Mamoun's. And despite being twice as expensive, the falafel at Amir's is utterly disappointing.

The pita bread is always too stale and breaks apart far too easily. The falafel balls are pre-cooked and microwaved to order, causing them to be soggy, mushy, and flavorless. The vegetables inside are drained of color and are limp. But the worst part about this already awful falafel sandwhich is that instead of the delicious yogurt sauce, Amir's soaks the insides of the dish with way too much Tahini. And while I like Tahini as much as the next person, its effects on the sandwhich is that it makes it messier (the falalfel always falls apart into a sloppy mess), heavier, and greasier.

The shawarma here is just as bad. Not only are the pita too fragile and tasteless, the vegetables still wilting, but the meat here is way too tough and dry. Last time I ordered the beef shawarma, I watched as the guy in the kitchen took up the pre-sliced chunks of meat, throw them into the microwave, and then chucked them into the pita sandwhich. And indeed, when I took a bite, the meat was so dry, it was almost like jerky.

The service is rude and the place is cold and unappealing. But on top of that, Amir's also apparently had 77 health code violations. Some specific crimes includ roach infestations in the food storage area and evidence of fly infestation.

Is it wrong for me wish that Amir's never comes back? I don't care what they put in its place, as long as it's not Amir's. Heck, put in a White Castle and it'll still be better than the roach infested craphole that is Amir's.
4 - Sarah G.: I actually think the falafel here is rather good. I can only speak for the hummus falafel pita and grape leaves. Grape leaves (dolmas) I can do without, but the falafel was never over-dried or over-spiced. Very quick and place seems clean but they were CLOSED BY THE HEALTH INSPECTOR for about 2 weeks. I'm a bit ruined since then, I can't decide whether to go back or not. There's nowhere else nearby to get falafel this far UWS. 

Pitas are cheap, but anything else gets pricier.  Only counter space and a couple booths, but not really too much room inside, more a take and go place.
1 - Jon K.: The fact that I was overjoyed when I saw someone write that this place had been shut down the department of health is probably enough of a review, but I'll continue.
The food here is god awful. They overfry their falafel to rock hard flavorless crap, they overcharge you for it, and yet they stayed in business because there isn't real competition. Their hummus and baba ghanoush is flavorless and has terrible texture. I'm sorry I ever went there once, and I feel bad for every undergrad who's made that unfortunate mistake. I hope(if they haven't already) that they never reopen. Maybe one of my four or five least favorite restaurants in the city.
3 - Kate M.: I used to grab a quick bite here fairly often between classes, and I don't think falafel was ever bad. Admittedly I'm not a falafel fan to begin with but for the price, it was always a good and satisfying lunch, especially compared to other options in the area.
1 - Natalie B.: Overpriced for the quality. I got the falafel platter, which was supposed to be a large salad with a falafel sandwich. Falafel was dry, salad was limp (if you can call it salad) and pita was store bought and cold.
1 - Amanda A.: I shouldn't do anything without asking Yelpers first. Lesson 1:

I stopped by Amir's because it was close to school/my place of employment. I wanted falafel. Didn't think it would be that complicated. Instead, the falafel in my sandwich was dry and swimming in sauce. The pita was dry too. The decent baklava didn't make up for this bad culinary experience or the inevitable gastronomical consequences. I wish I had read the bad reviews and warnings of health code violations first. Here's hoping I've learned my lesson. 

If you're in the mood for a quick falafel pita in Morningside Heights/SW Harlem, try Cafe Au Lait on Broadway b/w 121st and 122nd. I am crazy in love with their avocado/hummus sammie. Their pita isn't great, but the filling rocks.
1 - Tovah S.: I haven't written a review on yelp in almost a year, but I signed on specifically to write this review.  And my review is:

Yuck.

Falafel shouldn't taste like donuts.
1 - Noodles M.: What an effing dump. The food was ok. I still say Hummus Place is da bombdiggity. In fact a new Hummus Place opened on Broadway not too long ago on 101st street I think. Yum. 

Getting back to Amir's. 

The "staff" is usually one Lebanese guy who doesn't cook an effing thing. 2 Mexicans are right behind him cooking their a**es off. The kitchen was dirty. The place looked like a refurbished pizza joint. Nothing struck me as even closely linking this place to Lebanon with the exception to the music. That was the best part. 

Heard some great Lebanese singers like: Fairouz and George Wassouf. 

But I have my iTunes and iPhone for music.
4 - Suzanne H.: I really am surprised by the terrible reviews Amir's has!  I think they're great!  I use them as a catering service and they always deliver the food on time and delicious.  We used it for a student function and of 125 students I didn't hear any complaints only compliments.  I'm using them again this year, let's see if they're as good as I remember!
4 - mike d.: There are some big haters here.  And I haven't had their falafel more than once so i can't speak to it.  But the shish kebab sandwich is absolutely delicious.  You can feel safe ordering that.
2 - Dan T.: Waltzed into this place not knowing what to expect. Got the falafel for lunch takeout but wasn't thrilled with it. Service was very rude, especially considering they were the worse side communication-wise. Definitely wouldn't return unless I somehow had to. Allegedly it's a cabbie hangout, per A Cook's Tour.
4 - Rich U.: Far be it from me to argue with all the sweater-over-an-untucked-shirt wearing, pseudo-beard rocking, glasses-they-don't-really-need using, x-game watching, "app" utilizing, Ahmadinejad enabling, kayaking ecotourist, self-absorbed, overly pierced and tattooed, hyper tweeting, overprivileged, moral relativist 20 something (or soon to be) Columbia students who regularly rip this place - BUT:

Amir's falafel balls are PERFECT and consistent!  They are MUCH better than the vastly overrated and too dry Mamoun's (NYU crowd) and Sido's (located nearby).  Seriously, I've never had falafel so perfectly done - crispy/moist on the outside and flavorful/tender inside.  Great flavor and a great bargain.  I love their Shawarma sandwich too.  Service is competent and efficient - never gruff.

Still, no love for Amir's from the career protesters who make up Lion Nation.  I'm perplexed.  Perplexed, but not ill-equipped to accurately critique authentic and tasty Middle Eastern/Lebanese food.  

I HAVE SPOKEN!!
1 - Aaron L.: If this was what food was really like in Lebanon, Hezbollah would have died off of rampant dysentery before plotting their first attack.

Thankfully, real Lebanese cooking is much better than Amir's... wait... 

Middle Eastern paramilitary organizations aside, I enjoy Lebanese food and falafel is one of the few vegetarian dishes I can swear by -- possibly because it's fried -- preferably in the oily fats of a dead animal.

Now, I've had amazing falafel before in the city and in Israel. I've had good falafel. I've had bad falafel. I used to live in Arizona after all and there isn't much in the way of "good" Middle Eastern food there.

Amir's, however, is a new category of awful: a smell of charred herb-like-chemicals, burned outsides, grainy innards that feature the texture of doughnuts, and a general lack of taste.

Am I going to bother reviewing the hummus? The shwarma? Naw. It's called "Amir's Falafel." Their namesake should be their best product, and the reason the restaurant stays in business. And if it weren't for naive Columbia students, this place would be out of business and replaced by a better falafel restaurant. Or a Starbucks.

Oh, and to counter Rich U's accusation and (dare I say) personal attack upon myself of being a:

'sweater-over-an-untucked-shirt wearing, pseudo-beard rocking, glasses-they-don't-really-need using, x-game watching, "app" utilizing, Ahmadinejad enabling, kayaking ecotourist, self-absorbed, overly pierced and tattooed, hyper tweeting, overprivileged, moral relativist 20 something (or soon to be) Columbia students who regularly rip this place...' 

I tuck my shirts in, my beard just grows in thin which isn't my fault, I wear contacts, don't watch the x-games, use apps because they make life easier, prefer to enable Iranian citizens,  haven't kayaked since being in the Virgin Islands 4 years ago, guilty, never pierced nor tattooed, think twitter is a fad, came from humble roots, morally decent 28yo Manhattan School of Music graduate.

If you like Amir's "balls" so much, why don'tcha just go suck on them.
3 - Mark L.: I have to confess that I am no expert in matters of falafel.  I didn't even know what it was until a few months ago.  But I do now, and I know I like it.  I also know that I enjoy Amir's Falafel, if only for the fact that it is conveniently close to my apartment.  I woke up one morning with a strange craving for some falafel, and knowing Amir's was close, I stopped in for a take out lunch.  This craving wasn't going anywhere until I had some falafel, so I had the platter to go.  The staff was friendly, and they offered me extra pita free of charge, so bonus points there!  Unfortunately, I had to walk for about 10 minutes in some cold weather, so it wasn't as warm as I would have liked it to be, but no fault to them.  All and all, it was a great lunch that made me appreciate even more the ethnic diversity of food available right outside my doorstep.
4 - doc s.: Heres a review of the only combination at Amirs Felafel that i go for. 

Felafel platter with hummus and french fries. 

Of all the hummus places i have tried in the city, Amirs hummus is most consistently fresh. although french fires are better known to go with ketchup rather than hummus, but over here i always order fries with hummus cuz its so good. highly recommended, fellas.
5 - Jacob W.: Tasty falafel, fresh greens, and great service make this shop a weekly stop on my trips to Columbia. It is great for lunch or a light dinner. Simple, affordable, and good. If you want a sit-down, multi-course Lebanese dinner...    maybe you should look for the appropriate restaurant instead of complaining about this great little falafel joint.
3 - Hideki K.: Back in grad school, I used to frequent Amir's.  I liked their falafels, lamb, and baklavas / semolina desserts.
 
I haven't been there in over 4 years, so can't comment as to how good or bad it is now.
2 - Gray B.: I've been here three times now and only on the last visit did they really make me mad. I ordered a burrito with chicken but when I got back to my apartment, I discovered that the burrito had no chicken at all. As far as I'm concerned, Amir owes me $2.50. 

In the past I've tried the beef and chicken sandwiches and the chicken is slightly better in my opinion but they're both just mediocre. The fries can be good if you eat them immediately, as they can get too soggy when doing takeout.
2 - Dimitrios D.: It's weird.

I want to like this place.  It's plain but kind of modern looking inside.  And it's usually busy enough to suggest that the food is good.
But, it's not.  Not really, anyway.

The falafel, for which Amir's is supposedly "famous", has literally made me feel nauseous on more than one occasion.
And the chicken shwarma was kind of fatty and bland.
2 - Sue F.: Amir's... you break my heart! I just moved here and thought that you would be this great, non-chain, inexpensive go-to place for falafel, and then I realized that you put bread crumbs or some kind of filler into your falafel mix, in order to bulk it out. Is that why the pita is $3.50? The result is just bland, dry falafel.
1 - L P.: Just tried this spot out after starting a new job in the area. I was so glad to find something reasonably priced. Now I know why it's so much cheaper than anything else nearby. I've never had falafel as bland or dry as Amir's before. It was like sawdust, but flavored with a synthetic falafel seasoning from a packet. There was little else in the pita pocket except some bits of lettuce and a flavorless tomato.

I also ordered some kind of heavy, chewy, smelly dough that was posing as a spinach pie. I saw the spinach--I was looking RIGHT AT the spinach--but I couldn't taste any spinach when I was finally brave enough to taste the thing. 

I hate wasting a lunch (I'm still so hungry and am stuck in meetings for the next couple of hours), so please take this review to heart if you feel the same way.
3 - Bijan S.: I am kind of surprised how poor the reviews are for Amir's. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely an average falafel place, but at a price of $3.50 near Columbia, I don't have too much to complain about. The tahini sauce was fine, pickles and vegetables were fine. The falafel was kind of greasy with less taste than you might expect, but still a decent falafel. Most people are exaggerating on these reviews. I have been to some of the best falafel shops in NYC (Mamoun's, Maoz etc.) and Amir's is a nice, cheap alternative if you live in the Morningside Heights neighborhood.
1 - Acacia G.: I'm never going back here again.  The only good thing I can say about it is that it's cheap and looks clean.  However, the falafel is ridiculously over-salted, which makes me wonder what other nasty tastes it's covering up.  The tahini is drab and flavorless.  I respect Amir's as a small business, but when I'm in the mood for falafel, I will happily spend twice as much and walk twice as far to go to Maoz.  This was gross.
4 - lakshmi b.: I love this place for their falafel.After mamouns,this is the only place where the falafels taste as good.Its usually fresh ,with a lot of vegetables and also give you an option of white or what pocket pita.The pocket pitas are a lot better,atleast the food and the sauces don't drip all the way through like it does in the usually cart pitas.It is very reasonable-just 3.75$ for a falafel sandwich:)However if u r looking for the authentic spicy sauce, you will be disappointed,their spicy sauce is just chilly sauce mixed with water.However if you are hungry,want to eat something healthy for 4 bucks,this is the place to go.
4 - Tommy C.: One of the guys who works here has the loveliest sad eyes and is clearly a dyed-in-the-wool romantic. He cut my red onion into a heart shape the other day. So sweet!
4 - andrea b.: Tasty shwarma in a super clean, super quick place. I'm a fan. I tend to come here if someone in my party is a strict carnivore. For veg-heads seeking falafel, they are probably better off down the street at Maoz. However, if you're looking for chicken or beef shwarma - this is the best in the area. They give you healthy portions, with different levels of crispy and tender meat. The salads are fresh and everything is always ready in under 5 minutes.
2 - Robbie K.: I got the chicken shwarama...it was decent. They had one bottle of good hot sauce but the rest of the hot sauce bottles were random Mexican brands. I also got the hummus, which was decent but a little runny. The pitas provided for dipping were clearly grocery-store bought. I'll give Amir's another chance b/c I love this type of food, but the execution here is pretty low quality.
2 - Leaf W.: Meh indeed. 
I mean, don't get me wrong, no one was rude, nothing was dirty 
(except for the top of my soda, so I was like "Can you rinse this for me?" and the guy said "Ok" and his boss says "Just grab another" And I was like "I want this one rinsed" 
and so it was rinsed off)

They answered my questions, it was not expensive, it was edible.the soda was $1.25
And that's why two stars. There did not appear to be a restroom.
I would go back if I were hungry again, but more likely I would walk ten blocks up to Veg Out over who's food I drool.
2 - Irene W.: after 5, they have the dinner deal: a falafel, side, and drink costs about 8 bucks.  you can also choose to have chicken or beef, with a side and drink which will cost 10 bucks.  

my falafel was alright, although there were some that were so hard, i had trouble biting into it.  the sauce was slightly spicy, the portions were just the right amount.  it filled me up FAST!  i ordered a side of babaganoush (or you can choose fries), and i had tons left over and an entire extra pita bread.  it's nothing i would absolutely crave but it's not bad if you're super hungry and in the area.

there's much better food in nyc and the upper west side than this.
3 - Tara M.: Pretty standard falafel, nothing too special. 

I honestly just went because of the discount for Columbia students, and 'cause I was mildly in the mood for falafel. Nothing too special, but better than Maoz (I HATE Maoz).
1 - Dmitry R.: To begin....I give it one star for it's cleanliness. That's best thing I could say about this place.. 
A little background on me...I tend to go out a lot and always eager to try different places and different food. As far as Felafel's go...I been to several places and carts...LOL..I have tasted some very good and some not so good. 

I was in the area..and decided to give this place a try since it looked very clean. The first thing that turned me off slightly was the price...but I guess in that area...its understandable. I like my Falafel with everything on it. What I got was a Pita with large chunks of tomatoes and other vegetables...the sauce was watered down and had no taste. All this can be forgiven if the Falafel was good. 

The Falafel was cold...and overly crisp which makes me think it was sitting there for awhile. I would think running a Falafel place, you would try to make the food to order...it's a Falafel after all and only takes a couple of minutes to make it fresh...what I had was not fresh at all. If you like Falafel or middle eastern food...this is not the place.
4 - Jim G.: Clean, friendly, fresh, and they support Columbia University Athletics. This place is great and if you need a boost try the coffee.
4 - Tizzy Z.: I'm surprised by all the negative reviews...  maybe I went on a good day...

I was quite satisfied with my falafel sandwich.  Not the best I've had, but definitely not the worst.  The baba ganooush was quite good.  And the portion size here was excellent!  I was stuffed before I even finished all my food.  I also like how they provide water pitchers and plastic cups.  

I would visit Amir's Falafel again.
4 - Chantal D.: All things considered this place is pretty good for the price and area. Enjoyed falafel and tabouleh here on more than one occasion and it was clean and i found seating. Will stop in again
2 - Finlay L.: This place is fine for the basics. Their falafel is really crispy, sometimes almost too much so, but if you're craving the fried crunchy taste it hits the spot. In the Columbia neighborhood there's almost no such thing as a cheap meal, so the $3.50 falafel pita is a bargain.

But definitely stick to the simple stuff. The salad I had a while back was so tangy it upset my stomach. Today I tried "The Moroccan," a plate of couscous with vegetable stew. It managed to be both tasteless and bad-tasting at the same time, not to mention kind of soggy. And, unlike the sandwiches, it was *not* cheap. Since it came with pita and salad, and I got it with falafel, I luckily didn't leave hungry, but I won't stray from the straight and narrow path again.
1 - Alice G.: Amir's really sucks. People are fond of it, because it's the closest falafel place to Columbia, but the falafels are always cold. Also, while their hummus is decent, their baba ganoush tastes stale. Plus, when they sell leek and potato soup, it would help if there were actual leeks in it. I'm not asking too much for the price. Just honest information about soup ingredients. Really, Amir's is not good, unless you like your falafel cold, and you might do better with the falafel cart on Broadway.

Jerusalem Falafel (btw 103 and 104) is much better. Plus, they will give you free hummus and act friendly. I even prefer Maoz.
4 - Claudia T.: So surprised that the reviews for Amir's are so low on yelp!
I've been here a couple times for lunch with friends after class.
I usually get the falafel combo and it always comes out with just the right amount of crunch and flavor. The fries are always hot and perfectly cooked. Arguably at the level of many falafel places in Israel, and better than many falafel places in this city (i.e Maoz, Pita Joe's etc)
However, the last time I went with my SO, he was pretty underwhelmed by the chicken shawarma.
All in all, a decent place run by nice people and pretty fairly priced good food (even without the Columbia student discount).
5 - Sultan A.: Their chicken and beef shawerma is really good. My favorite dish is "The Works" with added chicken or beef. You get some salad and from protein in your system. I've been there quiet a few times and I still like it.
3 - Antonia D.: I'm a huge falafel person, but given the prices and the college neighborhood I wasn't expecting the quality of the food to be life changing. I mean, where else can you get 6 falafels and a full pita for $4.00? The counter guy was sweet and took time to explain the menu options to me since it was my first time there. I'll go back if I'm in the neighborhood and looking for a really cheap, full meal. A-OK.
1 - Shamus K.: Mediocre at best. Avoid. It's not fresh. I've gotten sick here. Enough said.
3 - Saira K.: This is good if you don't have time to get to another (better) Middle Eastern place. The meat is very dry, and the falafel leaves much to be desired. I like their mujadarrah - which, to a South Asian, is similar to daal chawal - lentils and rice topped with fried onions - but they usually give you way too much rice and not much lentils.
3 - Laura S.: I can't speak for most of their options, but the veggie wraps here are quite good.  They always come out quickly and they are reasonably priced.

Also, I love that they have a bunch of different hot sauces out on the tables.
1 - Rashad T.: Use stale/store-bought pita and dry, stringy meat. Like eating shoe-leather wrapped in sandpaper. Vegetables relatively fresh but otherwise a waste of Shwarma.
4 - Pria P.: Not sure why all the hate for Amir's- I just tried it for the first time the other day, and I have to say it supersedes Maoz in my opinion. The lentil/protein combo entree is really good and healthy- lentils and rice, with grilled chicken atop a fresh salad. $9. It's one of the better options for a cheap, hearty lunch near Columbia.
2 - Caitlin R.: Meh. I had the Veggie sandwich, which was supposed to be good for the price point.  I read on Serious Eats that the Veggie was $3.50, but it was actually $4.85.  If it had been $3.50, I would have been more willing to grab this again sometime in the future when I was looking for something quick and cheap.  

However, for almost $5 I'm not interested in mushy, greasy vegetables, pretty bland flavor, and canned beets. I normally love canned beets, but it was really bad that they were by far the most flavorful part of the sandwich.  Yelp reviews said there were various great hot sauces on the tables - there were two, and they were both really bland as well.  They seemed old.  

I probably won't go back.  If I did, I would perhaps try a platter, and steer very clear from the Veggie.
3 - Howard H.: This place has been here for 30 plus years.  Decent falafel but Jerusalem on 104 is better.
1 - Elbee M.: This place just sucks, and I eat here sometimes too...

Amnesia - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2795666, -120.6631966) ()
3 - Sylvia D.: Random-ish retail store that carries accessories, jewelry, scarves, incense, home decor, and little knick-knack toys with an Indian/Indonesian-like twist. But that doesn't explain how I ended up purchasing a men's tie that featured happy-faced condoms all over it. Only cost $5 and a 40% discount on top of that. I win.

Amoeba Music - Berkeley, CA (37.865903, -122.258285) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
5 - Hae-Jin K.: the hours will pass like minutes as you browse for second hand dvds and cds (and a few new releases). they even had the entire new season of family guy (and the older seasons of buffy, who's my hero!)
4 - Kevin S.: If you run out of patchouli and clove ciggies to scent your lifestyle, just make a trip over here.  You'll get yourself fragranced just working your way through the crowded sidewalks on the way into Berkeley Amoeba.  I never make a trip to Berkeley just for Amoeba, but I will make a trip to Haight just for Amoeba.  The Berkeley store is less convenient than the SF location in that finding parking is even harder and you have to swim upstream among the Berkeley street scene to get in.  The interior is more cramped but you'll find a slightly better mix of used items.
4 - maiko h.: There's nothing wrong with Amoeba--they have a section dedicated to practically every genre and pay fair prices for your used CDs.  However, there's a lot wrong with Telegraph Ave, especially the madness that decends upon it on weekends.  It's part of the reason why I don't really shop as often as I used to.  Now, when I go, I usually try to make it there after work on weekdays to avoid the loooong lines and people who interrupt my OCD alphabetically ordered browsing on weekends.  When the jazz/classical register is open, you can take your purchases there for a shorter wait, even if you didn't shop in that section.  If you're trading CDs in then it is highly recommended to go on weekdays, preferably during the day when the buyer isn't overwhelmed and exasperated by the weekend rush.  There are great finds waiting for you in the bargain CD bins, but I think the SF store has better offerings tucked in their bargain section.  The people who work there are very nice, so don't hesitate to ask if you have questions.
4 - Claire B.: A great place to waste lots of time. They have a really nice used vinyl section and the men who work there are really sexy. oooh. You won't feel strange coming in just to look because it is such a big store with tons of things to occupy your time. If you're looking for something specific it's usually pretty easy to find, especially out of print stuff. If you're buying something new, check to see how much Rasputin has it...because sometimes they're cheaper with that kind of stuff.
5 - Britton D.: Way better than Rasputin's: more stock, less attitude, and the cashiers aren't so rude that you'd rather shoot them than buy anything.
5 - Michael T.: This was the first music store I saw after arriving in California for a reconnaissance visit, and even though I'd been told about it beforehand, I can't say I was really prepared for what I saw when I walked in.  Let's just say that I was suddenly a lot more receptive to the notion that maybe Heaven could be really crowded and noisy and have long lines.  It's just as huge and eclectic as the best music stores where I'm from--if not more so--and much better organized, with tons more used inventory.  I was so overwhelmed by the whole vista that I really couldn't tell when I saw the SF store a few days later that it's actually much bigger--all I knew was that these were incredible stores and any doubts I might've had about moving to the Bay area were promptly shouted down by naked CD lust.  OK, I've got a problem, but it's a relatively benign one.  Anyway, quibbles about Telegraph (which is no worse than Haight if you ask me) aside, this is just a fantastic store.  Almost every test I've put them to, they've passed with flying colors--vinyl copy of Fantasy Records' The Real Lenny Bruce anthology?  3 copies!  Hell, I even saw a very-limited edition vinyl-only boxed set of the first 5 Killing Joke albums--each on different-colored vinyl!--when I first came here, and have been kicking myself ever since for not getting it as a gift for a friend of mine back east.  This is as fine a store as you could hope for if you're in the market for music, DVDs, videos, etc.--long live the Mighty Amoeba!
5 - Jill k.: best music store in the bay!
3 - Angela N.: I'm not thrilled by the exhaustive breadth of their disorganized new & used goods, but I've found accidental treasures while meandering through the DVD section.  This is a great spot for finding discontinued mainstream, indie and foreign films.

Sometimes.
4 - Andrew W.: I don't know if I like Amoeba or Rasputin better. In any case, when you feel like browsing through new albums and trying to find something a little older... heading to telegraph isn't a bad idea.
4 - Amy D.: Great selection of used CDs. I wish there were an Amoeba on the peninsula. I'd probably be there once a week just to browse the goods. I wish there were a way to listen to a few of the songs first. That'd be freaking awesome.
5 - Dan Y.: 30 years ago Rather Ripped Records was THE music store in Berkeley. It was operated by people who knew music and loved educating people and turning them on to new artists. The profit motive was secondary. That store is long gone but Amoeba,although much much larger and definitely in existence to make money,is similar in some ways. There are very few artists that the staff here have never heard of. Whatever you're looking for they will probably have it in stock or at least they'll have heard of it. Rasputins is the place to look for good deals. Amoeba is the mecca for music lovers. And if you're trading or selling your old stuff I think you generally do better here,
although it depends on what you're trading and who the buyer is.
If you only have time to visit one store,this is the one.
5 - Joshua G.: If you ever get tired of downloading mp3's or buying songs from iTunes you must check out Amoeba.  Huge selection of music and some hard to find stuff too.  Amoeba ROCKS!!!!
4 - John D.: Before I moved to the Bay Area, I used to visit SF quite a bit and while the record stores in SF were pretty good, I'd always BART over to Berkeley just so I could go to Amoeba. 

Now that I live in SF, I don't have to BART over anymore, but this is still a good place to shop and fondly remembered as the best store in Northern California.
5 - Anna G.: Amoeba will remain one of few music stores, in my mind, that caters to the music snob, the music enthusiast, the music nerd, and the music cavalier all in one.  I could easily spend entirely too much money if I'm not careful, leaving me with the notion that this place is both amazing and dangerous - a sexy combination overall.
5 - chris w.: Well what more can you see about this place.  Yeah, their organizational skills need improvement and the staff can sometimes pass as that Jack Black character in 'High Fidelity' (read pretentous music snobs),  but I don't know what I would do if they were not around.  Just a amazing place to buy new/used music and movies.  The L.A. branch is number one  in my book by sheer size alone.  It is also better organized and you have a chance of running into a celeb if you are star***k*r .  I saw ?uestlove from the Roots there and was going to have him sign my Tony Williams double cd set but chicken out.   The L.A. store is so big now, it has put 2 big independent stores down there out of business.  

The San Francisco store is next and then Berkeley.  The Berkeley store really sucks for being so disorganize sometimes.  The staff  there though is very helpful and really know their stuff about all genres of music.  The San Francisco has a great dvd section and is organized fairly well.  

All the stores are time drains.  I can go in and spend a good couple of hours just digging in the jazz section alone.  There is a reason why Rolling Stone named them the best independent music store in the U.S. a couple of years ago.
5 - Stephen H.: Great place to just get lost in.  Lots of obscure titles that you may not find elsewhere.  A must for any music lover
5 - Yvette B.: best music store ever!!!  huge selection in virtually ever genre... and staff actually tends to know something about music--what a concept!  I'm still loyal to the material cd world--i like to have the actually cd versus buying stuff off itunes.  maybe i'm "old skool" but i don't really care.  so this is where i go, pretty much exclusively.  very good used selection as well!
4 - Dela A.: Amoeba is always the final place I go if I cant find a certain album anywhere else.  I usually keep it simple while on a lunch break and go to Rasputin in Hayward, but lately they haven't had the artists Ive been looking for.  

Anytime I have been, I recognize how they do a really good job of keeping things organized.  Thats more than I can say for Best Buy or Circuit City.  Maybe its because they are a smaller store?  I dunno.

The staff is always helpful and really nice to me, if I cant find something, they can usually walk right over to it.  

The most bizarre thing about Amoeba is that they even have illegal movies.  Like I remember when that whole R Kelly thing was all over the news and people were talking about the sex tape leaking out.  Well here I am in good ol Amoeba and what do I see?  On the display shelf was the tape!  I told the staff that this was illegal (as though they didn't already know) and he just chuckled.
4 - Irene S.: i used to hang out at amoeba constantly, at least every tuesday. the dudes i didn't know already i soon became acquainted with, as they tried to suggest records i should buy even though SERIOUSLY, THAT'S LIKE, THE MOST ANNOYING THING EVER. i got sick of it, eventually, and started going to rasputins instead. for a little while...

this one dude who worked there used to hand out fliers on the corner for a dollar off. he was pretty cool, so i would often stop and talk to him, and sometimes, because if i just popped my head out of my apartment building i could see him on the corner, i would sometimes specifically look to see if he was there so i could go bother him.

now he goes out with one of my best friends.

and he's also the source of confirming such information as that the Boy I Am Currently Dating used to have a crush on me when he worked there, years and years ago. 

anyway, that's really cute of you, amoeba, that you gave me an excuse to talk about a Boy. i really needed that. gag.
5 - jen n.: love, pure and simple.
5 - Dave K.: Oh, how I loved Amoeba Music.  I quickly got tired of Tower Records and went solely to Rasputin's and Amoeba.  Amoeba has the largest selection of CDs I've ever seen.  It caters to just about every music lover you can think of.  The DVD/VHS selection is decent, but it's all about the MUSIC.  And the used CDs!  Admittedly, I didn't get into CDs until college (1992), but I probably bought about 600 CDs (I wasn't rich, just in debt) during my tenure.  Imagine how much more that would have cost new!

Since it's on Telegraph at the heart of Berkeley, you have to get used to the panhandlers in front, the funky smells, and the crowds.  While I was at Berkeley, this was not a problem.  I'd just go before or after classes when it wasn't so packed.  Unfortunately, now that I'm a working stiff, it's hard enough just to get to Berkeley and then find parking, but the store is packed.  I mean packed.  I mean once while browsing through U2 CDs someone had to squeeze by me because there were like eleventeen other people in the same area, and as he brushed me from behind, I could tell he had a nipple ring.  Hot.

Like the usually Berkeley stores, expect to check in large bags.
4 - Jonathan Y.: Good selections of music and plenty of cd's to browse. Sometimes there's strange people chillaxin outside but it's Berkeley.....come here for music browsing!
5 - Rico G.: Great place for used CD's. 

Also you can bring your dog in the store which is great as I don't want to leave the poor guy outside on that part of Telegraph.
1 - jane d.: My last experience selling records here was the worst of my life.  The tall buzz cut unsmiling buyer with sideburns was so rude and condescending!  I was waiting to sell after my friend - a scruffy looking although cult famous underground musician.  The buyer asked my friend if he had robbed his mother's record collection to get the lps to sell.  My friend was so insulted he didn't even dignify the employee's snarkiness with a reply.  He sold some lps and went outside to wait for me.  They had one of my friend's lps hanging on the wall for sale for $50 and yet this buyer didn't realize who he had just been rude to.   When my turn to sell came up the buyer pointed to one of my cds and said, "how could you bring in a cd with this?!" and pointed to a tiny scratch.  He also refused to go through all of my records saying, "I know there is nothing we can use here," (even though he had yet to see about 20 vintage soul/r&b lps - Minnie Riperton, Marvin Gaye, PARLIAMENT, Rufus, etc.  He did not even look at the titles on the lp spines so I know he did not know what else I had brought.  I told him that even though some of the lps were in poor condition (they had been stored in a basement) that half of them were in mint condition.  He still dismissed going through the last 20 records in a most condescending manner.  I even called Amoeba to complain about how RUDE, RUDE, RUDE and just plain power trippin and hostile this buyer was (something I have never done).  Go to Rasputin's instead.  They are much more polite and professional and have no problem answering questions.  By the way, I did go to Rasputin's after the "incident" and they purchased FIFTEEN of the soul/r&b lps in question.
4 - Colleen B.: When I first moved to SF over 10 years ago, this store was a mecca. It was the only other reson to go to Berkeley other than to see bands. They've since branched out all the way to LA. Good job!
3 - Robyn E.: I've been to all three Amoeba stores--here, SF, and LA.  I've found that the LA store is the largest and the most fun atmosphere (for me), but as far as selection goes... it's hard to tell.  

Amoeba, in general, is a great place to find any sort of CD, vinyl, DVD, VHS, .... etc.!  But you have to know what you are looking for, or you will be there for hours.  Guaranteed.  

I love the sound the DVDs make when I flick through the Bargain rows at a rate of one DVD every 2-3 seconds.  

I don't think it's worth driving here, parking, and walking around JUST to go to Amoeba, but it is worth it if you are interesting in window shopping or browsing the many other stores in the area.

AMOEBA--GO HERE IF YOU WANT OBSCURE ALBUMS AND FILMS AT GOOD PRICES--AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ANYTHING USED.
4 - Henry Y.: I like the SF one better, but this one gives you a student discount of 10% (I'm not a student, I just brought one with me, heh heh). I think on Thursday nights 6-8pm it is also 10% for everbody. I once bought the Avengers - We are the One 7" on Dangerhouse records with the Crucifix sleeve for $150 off the wall after getting the 10% off. That was a good deal. I still regret having not bought the Subhumans' Death To Sickoids for $350 when I had a chance. Anyone got a spare?

Yesterday I only bought the Hackamore Brick - One Kiss Leads to Another CD reissue, which for some reason cost $16.98 USED. A kick in the pants, surely, but find me any store that actually even sells the dang thing in any condition for any price.

Amoeba in SF gets 5 stars, Berkeley 4.
5 - Tracy A.: If I want to actually pick up a physical CD, which is becoming less and less frequent, I try this place first.  If I want to sell any hidden CDs I still have in my storage, this is also the first place I go.  Someday soon I will never need to do this again.
5 - natasha s.: the best.  there used to be this guy there who used to help me find stuff and knew soooo much about music... i had just the tiniest crush on him.. time spent and definitely not wasted.. always walk out w/ more than i'd anticipated
4 - Mari J.: I love this Amoeba, just not quite as much as the LA location.  It seems so cramped compared to that one.  Despite that, I still could spend many hours looking around here.  I also enjoy the student discount, which I can use myself even though I am not a cal student, but still a student.
5 - Richard A.: I grew up in Berkeley, so maybe I'm a little bit nostalgic for this particular Amoeba.  I love the selection and the vibe.  I try and make it back every time I'm in the Bay Area.
4 - Jeff M.: After years of going to both Amoebas (usually in SF though) I never bothered to look through the bargain CD racks.  Until this weekend in Berkeley.  I'd say it was a big mistake because there was a lot of good stuff in there that I wanted to buy, but for $2 each, I actually can!  An album called "Taking Advantage of Stupid People"?  Brilliant, I'll take it!  Old Blues Traveler albums for $2?  Brilliant, I'll take 'em!  Minus one because they didn't have two of the three things I was looking for, and the one they did have, there was only one copy left, which led to a somewhat-awkward showdown with the lead singer, who also happened to be there to buy the album.  I'm sure there must be some kind of etiquette in place for that.  What it is, I don't know, but I got the album.

ETA: They also had theSTART's new album yesterday, when Amoeba SF, Streetlight 24th St, Virgin, and Sam Goody didn't.  And they held it for me.
5 - Andrew W.: you can spend hours and hours in this place. deadly, indeed.
4 - Jhoe G.: As weird as it may seem I kinda like this amoeba better than the one on haight, maybe because its smaller, and more condensed. You can go in, find what you need and not feel like you gotta walk 5 blocks to finish up your shopping. But overall the haight location kicks the berkeleys ass in inventory. But I still like the intimacy of this store, and I always seem to run into some underground rapper like gift of gab or someone. Check out the jazz section. Really good stuff.
5 - Mollie M.: I come here to buy my music. 'nuff said.
5 - Morgan E.: If you're looking for the newest single on the Billboard top 40......go to Best Buy. Amoeba is for serious music lovers. I'm talking about people who, for the most part, do not develop their music tastes from the radio. I'm talking about people who read reviews in obscure magazines, make lists of music they need (not want, NEED). People who have a place in their heart for vinyl and indie bands and great musicianship. People who are willing to spend time, hours, in a music store and not be bored. Who have a favorite Bob Dylan album and a favorite Nas album. Yes i am an elitist, sue me. I love Amoeba.
5 - Karen H.: If Amoeba were a man, I might ask it to marry me.   But then again, the same thing happens to me in Amoeba that sometimes happens to me when in love: overwhelmed by the sheer wonder of it.  I often end up wandering for hours and either purchase nothing bc of the overwhelmed factor or end up binging.  Hmm...again, back to the love metaphor.
4 - Patrick C.: Not as good as the San Francisco branch but still lots of music though.  Great for discovering new bands and spending an entire afternoon.
5 - Rachel B.: I'd rather drive to this Amoeba than bus to the one in SF. The aisles are roomy and the staff is less elitist. Rasputin's is down the street so you can hit both in one trip.
5 - Evan K.: The great war in Berkeley between music mega stores is the rivalry between Amoeba and Rasputin. In my eyes, Amoeba wins. The prices here are cheap, and the selection is good. Not only that, but they have a great staff recommended music collection. I almost always walk out of here buying something, even if I couldn't find what I originally came in for for this very reason.

For example, about a year ago I came in here to just browse, and found a copy of the Black Flag "1982 Demos" album. This is one of their infamous albums, that due to a long legal struggle, was never released. In fact, to this day, the legal ownership of the songs on this album is owned by MCA, which refuses to release this album (or any of the songs on it). The album was originally released in very limited circulation as a bootleg LP in 1996; there is literally no legal way to acquire this album or the songs on it. The material on it is unique, and something you will never find on a Best Of collection. And here, among the racks of used Black Flag CDs at Amoeba, I found a CD copy of the infamous LP. Since this is clearly a bootleg, this is not an album that someone could have just sold to the staff. This is something that the Amoeba staff conscientiously picked and decided to stock and sell, and I think it demonstrates good taste and an impressive love and knowledge for music on their part.

If you like this Amoeba, be sure to check out their San Francisco location as well. It's bigger, and dare I say it, even better.
5 - Kalyani Y.: What with Father's day right around the corner, I've been revisiting a yearly tradition of mine: freaking out about what to get dear ol' pop that shows him how much I love him. You see, the problem is that my father isn't like most men in his hobbies, and exactly like them in his dislikes. 

Let's take a look.

He's Chinese (=cheap), middle aged, doesn't like sports (nothing besides hackey sack and tai chi in Chinatown, anyway), doesn't grill (naturally, he prefers stir fry), and isn't interested in cars (he's going to drive his 12 year old Toyota until it dies). 

But, he has a life long love of music, world music in particular. Amoeba, with it's stupendous variety and great prices, is his candy shop. So, this year in the middle of June, after I freak out I'll take a hike to Amoeba and  buy him a gift certificate. He's bound to show up by 3:00 on Father's day, gift certificate (and coupons, cheapie that he is) in hand. 

*Father's day is June 17th, in case you forget.
5 - Michelle K.: While smaller than it's counterpart in the Haight, this place is better.  I found several CDs that I bought at the other one being sold here for dollars less.  :-(

This one feels more intimate and more like a neighborhood record shop than a huge overwhelming warehouse.
5 - Kit K.: Amoeba... what can I say that hasn't been said over and over again? Love this place. Love, love, love... I grew up spending my allowance here, that and hours and hours on a weekly basis or so. Especially awesome are the dollar vinyl bins... filled with mostly inescapably corny finds with an occasional keeper (the Saints, anyone?). I'm a big fan of their clearance used Cd's, especially in that they're four for the cost of three, and that they're irreparably out of order. Definitely not a place to search for a specific album, but they're so cheap I've gotten in the habit of buying a few based on cover art/band name alone. Plus the dollar vinyl section's a great place to pick up random bad rock, which is helpful to have around when your roommate's having really loud sex late at night (nothing kills the mood like John Melloncamp...)
5 - Drew O.: Okay, I'll admit it. I love music. I love discovering new bands. I love finding music for a great price. Well, at least Amoeba fits the last category, if not the first two. :)

But don't get me wrong. They have a very large selection of rock, and their bargain/clearance section is amazing. That said, you do have to root around if you want to make it worth your while. I suppose that's what you pay extra for if you want to find something in the clearance section. You pay in hours spent flipping through CD's. Not exactly blood, sweat, and tears I know, but what do you expect?

As far as prices go, just step on up Telegraph to Rasputin and compare. Amoeba beats out Rasputin 9 times out of 10, and plus seems to have a better selection most of the time. Nuff said.
4 - inga r.: I love diving in the piles of 1.99 cd's, losing myself for hours in LP's and checking out the cult dvd's in the corner.  The music they play often sends me back to the stacks to buy it and the resale of discs is quite fair. What would a trip up Telegraph be without a stroll through Amoeba for 300-400.00 of tunes? 

The have a decent selection of Cash cd's and box sets and I found some cool Clash LP's in the bins digging around. 

This has become part of my sunday (late) morning ritual.
4 - angela n.: It's not the biggest Amoeba, but it's still awesome!   I can spend the whole day in the dollar bins (without spending my whole wallet).  I also like the staff-written "Music We Like" booklets:  Alex says "Return to Cookie Mountain" reminds him of when he first heard "OK Computer." I think I heart you Alex.
3 - Jamie C.: The original Berkeley Motherstore was once the vanguard of what a record shop should be, but probably because of sheer size, her fat San Francisco son ( an ex- bowling alley) totally out-stocks and out-files his mom, these days. 

Lately, Berkeley seems a bit shabby, half-assed and hap-hazard by comparison and I can no longer count on getting what I go in looking for. 
There are an awful lot of empty file cards in the bins these days that never seem to get replenished.

For me, more often than not, I now have to go on-line to sites like: Boomkat U.K., AB-CD ( local, S.F.) or Forced Exposure (Mass) to get the latest releases in the small label, mostly import-based, ambient world.

I used to live in the city and would excitedly Bart over to Berkeley once a week just to go to Amoeba to augment the S.F.store's selection. Now, I live in Berkeley and take Bart over to the city to prowl the other shop.
 
I don't know about you but I didn't like it, when both stores decided to merge the new and used sections.

But, either way... they still get my money and vote...lol!

One suggestion:
When I spend a hour ( or more, sometimes) flipping through the CD racks, the tips of my fingers get filthy-black and disgusting. Wouldn't it be nice if Amoeba provided a little wet-wipe packet to its customers at the checkout?
Just a thought I'm sure many of you have had.
(I bring my own)
5 - GS M.: Best music store ever. They also have the preview listen pods now, so you can listen to the album first. I suppose the SF one is larger, but I haven't found anything there which the Berkeley one didn't stock as well. I  actually think the Berkeley one's used section is less picked over although its turnover may be lower. Don't go to Rasputins!
5 - monica r.: I really prefer the original Amoeba on Telegraph in Berkeley to the one on Haight Street.  Call me crazy.  But the one in the city can a bit overwhelming sometimes.  Bigger is not always better.  And I've noticed certain things priced much, much higher in the city store, too.  Like '60s girl group compilations and oldies vinyl.  And now that Mod Lang has moved to El Cerrito, Amoeba really is the best record store in Berkeley.  They have a nice selection of CDs and vinyl with general genres like Rock, Experimental, Hip Hop, Electronica in one room; Jazz, World, Country, Vocal Pop in another.  And they now mix together their new and used items, too, which is kind of nice.  The workers behind the registers are pretty friendly, albeit a bit on the quiet side.  Just don't try to ever squeeze a smile from any other staff member there.  Yikes!
2 - Robert P.: No joke: Every single employee I came in contact with (total-3) were total..well..OK, I'll say it, ASSHOLES.

I will never go back.

And what's up with the ollllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllld skool gigantic plastic cd holders so people won't steal shit!? I didn't know those still existed.
5 - Chalk A.: Sadly with the advent of itunes I don't venture into music stores as much, except to buy something that I can't get on itunes, which leads me to this review.  I was going to buy the new Kaskade on itunes when I discovered that it's a continuous play album when purchased on itunes- hello, ANNOYING!!  On a lark I made a phone call and discovered that the CD is not a continuous play album.  Why oh why Kaskade?  Why did you do this? To prevent people from buying individual songs off the album? I promise I want to buy the WHOLE thing!!  

Okay, okay, so I'm calling everywhere to see where I can get my mits on a copy of the CD.  I'm a big fan of call first, then go.  I'm in the East Bay, and so I call various locations.  I try Best Buy first because it's easiest to get to, but of course they don't have it, the fools.  So next I call Amoeba, despite the horrendous parking situation up on Telegraph homeless junky pukeville where herds of students will trample you underfoot.  They had no more copies left, but despite that lacking, I was so touched by the awesome customer service, which has always been the case there over the years when I ply the helpful staff with annoying questions.  The gentlemen I spoke with even knew about the album so that when I asked for Kaskade he said, "the new one?" And I was like, yeah, dude, yeah.  

So they don't have the greatest house music selection.  That's okay.  I still love this place.  Thank you Amoeba!
5 - Caroline L.: It's the original Amoeba! I already reviewed the one in SF, but I'm writing one for Berkeley just because today was my first time in. It's a lot smaller than SF, which I have to say lowers my chances of finding stuff I like that other people don't (example: obscure singer songwriters with long hair and dirty nails).  But I felt that there were less touristy people, and more people of my liking ... aka local people. It's located on a corner of Telegraph that's super busy, so you're bound to crash into a few people if you're not looking where you're going when you come out. 

But all in all, I liked that this place was less gigantic, more intimate, especially when there are in-store performances (which there was today of some guy who played the violin. At least I think he was playing it...). And also for some reason, all these hot dude customers were in the store while I was there, which made my trip even more enjoyable.  And the "characters" in there are even better than SF, because there was some hot guy that went through all the CDs like a machine as he scanned the clearance section! All I heard were clicking noises, then periodical stops where he would take a CD out, then continue clicking through. I don't know if he actually worked there and was just filing/organizing, but that was totally awesome. I picked up his technique, but I got a hangnail trying to be cool. 

(Although, I found it odd that Amoeba Berkeley files NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Britney, and all other casualties of 90s teen pop under "Soul/R&B," or more accurately, under "Soul Misc" while Amoeba SF puts it under Rock. How very odd indeed ...)
5 - Inari T.: i enter the almighty Amoeba... and i have entered what must be a glorious paradise of music.

this is where i accumulated my Beck collection...

where i bought my Tool album.

where i got my Kasabian cd.

where i traded in countless cds for countless others.

where i got lost in at 4 years old. (yep i've been in the bay area that long.)

where i've just stood and breathed in the smell of cd packaging.

ooooohhhh Amoeba. 

you are my best friend. 

you make me happy.

nothing can go wrong here.

like audrey hepburn in breakfast at tiffany's.

breakfast at amoeba... *sigh*

: D
4 - Richard C.: The original one.  Probably not as big and roomy like Haight or the Hollywood locations, but good for finding cheap deals for CD's and DVD's.
3 - Matt G.: Niece wanted uncle Matt to waste his energy, gas, and valuable time to drive all the way to the city of Berkeley and pick up a CD gift-set @ Amoeba Records for her friend's birthday party. What puzzled Matt is that, "why she can't purchase the gift-set at the sister San Francisco store?"

Just like the San Francisco Store, finding parking was a total nightmare, but somehow we manage to a space not to far away from the record-store.

She picked up a limited-edition Japanese-animated DVD series from this place, which is rare to find after doing the research. 

Matt was not in the mood to browse around for any music. With the invention of downloading music to the I-Pod, the world of the CD format might be an obsolete item really soon. Matt hung around at the popular "listening-station" while waiting for niece to complete her visit. 

She found Matt at the station and he was listening to Midnight Star's hit "Slow Jam." She never heard of the classic R& B hit, so she was next to uncle and listening to that same slow song for the very first time. We both listened to that song in unison with the store's headphone and she was so into the beautiful song that we both danced  together to the beautiful song at the station.

Next we chose Michael Jackson's classic album and song, "Off The Wall." We both played the same song, and the next thing we did was, we're dancing to classic hit with each other, strutting and pumping our body like we're in a club. 

"So Tonight, Gotta Leave That Nine To Five Upon The Shelf
And Just Enjoy Yourself
C'mon And Groove, And Let The Madness In The Music Get To You
Life Ain't So Bad At All
If You Live It Off The Wall"
 
After the song and our ridiculous dance together, the associates and other customers stared at us,and gave us a dirty look thinking that those Chinese couple is a little "Off the Wall" themselves.
5 - blah b.: Thank you for selling records!!! Best in the bay!!!!!!! Nuf Said
5 - OJ C.: No brainer: Ameoba (Berkeley) is the best spot for used vinyl...in the Bay Area, and quite possibly...in the world. Great balance of diversity in material and reasonable pricing.
5 - Kimberly B.: Amoeba is rad. I spend a few hours there every week digging through the dollar vinyl bins and ALWAYS find something that I want. I heart Amoeba.

Oh man... and will somebody come and buy the bajillion copies of Suzanne Vega already?!
5 - Emily M.: I LOVE AMOEBA. They've been the recipient of many of my hard-earned dollars, especially in college, when they were always a short walk away. Whenever I walk inside nowadays, I am transported right back to those times.

I used to buy lots of $.50 and $1 vinyl there - it was a great way to find classic records I would enjoy. It was sort of a zen activity to go through the disorganized bins of records to find the hidden treasure - I'd do this during finals a lot.

Sigh. The misspent days of my youth. ;)
4 - Mimi P.: We had been to the LA store and the recently the Haight store so we figured well the Berkeley store must be just as good RIGHT?  Being big lovers of Electronica & Dance music, that section at Amoeba in Berkely was seriously lacking. New music on vinyl is very hard to find in Honolulu and my boyfriend being a dj likes to visit a record store or 2 when traveling. Unfortunately, we didn't find much in that genre at Berkeley.  I mean it had alot of everything else...just not what we were looking for.
4 - Jay M.: Amoeba has a great selection. The really old and outdated music can be bought for really cheap..and there are some good single vinyls for $1 or $2!  Always make sure to look through the whole stack to see if there are cheaper prices for the same album.  It'll save you a couple of bucks.
4 - Hubert H.: Has an amazing selection of stuff; usually I inhabit the upstairs classical / contemporary music selection. Unlimited amounts of Stockhausen (and I have always wondered who buys these anyways). Only gets 4 stars because the Hollywood branch contained a copy of Gounod's Faust in Chinese and a copy of Guy Reibel's CD with him hovering over a colored mushroom.
5 - Boi P.: Had the Miguel Migs CD I was looking for and a lot more.  Too bad money was running a bit tight or I would have bought more.
4 - Dan C.: since i rarely buy music anymore i'll just review the movie section....

i can usually find something i'm looking for here at a decent price, usually used. they usually have a lot of "hidden gems" and stuff you might not expect to find so that's a plus. the clearance sections are fun to sift through.
5 - Nnekay F.: I'm not one of those music snobby types, but i do like me some jams. I've been coming here since i was a teeny tiny girl with my poppa, looking though the dollar bin for rare finds. 
i like this place- because it has a down home feel. Yea...it's kinda grimey- but i like that in a music store. I like my music store covered in weird stickers and band merch. I also find that no matter how weird the band is, i'm sure i can pretty much find it here- and i like that, because i tend to like groups who aren't on the radio- though i can find those artist here too. I'm down with amoeba, and i think i'll go there now. 
yes, right now!
5 - J. D.: If music saved my life as a suburban kid heading down a lost highway--and it did--Amoeba Berkeley deserves an honorable mention as a place that I spent a lot of time getting right.  Here are some incentives and tips I've accrued from spending far too much time and money there:

- The used CD's and DVD's are near mint unless otherwise noted (and they promise a full refund if you get home to find skips).  Amoeba has always been good about this.  Other music stores (i.e. Rasputin) will sometimes charge near mint prices for discs that are whipped.  

- Weekend mornings usually offer the best selection, so get your ass up early.  Wednesday mornings, for whatever reason, are good too.  At least in my experience.

- Just in case you're a fan, Staple Singers are in both Gospel and Soul.

- Music prices are generally better at Amoeba, but if you're looking for DVD's, start at Rasputin.  Rasputin's DVD prices are often better, they have more sales, and they have more promo DVD's (new, but with a hole in the barcode, and cost less).  But again, if you're buying used at Rasputin, ask to see the disc first.

- The clerks at Amoeba usually are more knowledgeable then those at Rasputin.  They tend to be older and in some cases, more specialized.  The people in the Jazz, Country, World, etc. room are total characters!

- The vinyl dollar bins sometimes contain warped records (with no sticker indicating it).  So if you find a dollar gem you gotta have that doesn't have too many scuffs, examine it closely anyway.  Warped records suck! 

- If you're looking for a pretty obscure local band that doesn't have its own card or is just nowhere to be found in the regular bins, you just might find what you want in the clearance bins.  It takes a while to look through them, but it's a good chance as a last resort.

- If you're looking for a used box set that isn't filed in the regular bins, check the end caps.  The ones that have box sets and comps are kind of inconspicuous.  There's also a miscellaneous display  that runs perpendicular to the cashier counter and has used box sets and new vinyl releases that might not be filed under the artists. 

- If you're looking for a long out of print 7", and you see it on the 'rare 7" wall', take the time to search through the boxes first.  You might find the same pressing for considerably less.

- Used, resealed vinyl ($9.95 and over) with the "Ask Clerk to See Disc" stickers is already cleaned for you.  How awesome is that?!  I've asked to see the vinyl every time before purchase, and I've never found occasion to turn it down.  

- If there's something that's recently gone out of print and is now fetching ridiculous prices on ebay, call Amoeba to see if their suppliers have it in stock.  If they do, order it.  It may take awhile, but if you can wait, you'll get it for retail while all the suckers are paying way more on ebay.

- And finally, for the vinyl heads, Amoeba Berkeley isn't what it once was.  Word is that they used to get feed from the larger SF and LA locations, but now they only stock what they buy from people who come in selling.  That's why the three "New Arrival" bins have now been reduced to one.  It really sucks, but if you're just hunting for vinyl, you'll probably have better luck making the trip across the bridge now (ouch!  It hurts to say!).

Update (4/1/08):

- I've done the math, and I estimate that I've purchased the entire Smiths album discography on vinyl (all NM- or better) from Amoeba for a total of $21.  Now all you Emo s**theads who are far younger and thinner than I am can go cry about it.

- Amoeba is really making an effort to display more newly released and/or reissued vinyl.  This is a very welcome change in floor plan.

- Screw it.  This place is rad.  Five stars.
5 - Bernadette H.: it's been years since I've stepped foot into a music store, but for some reason I don't remember the HMV's and virgin music stores being this much fun.  From walls of vinyls to rows upon rows of hip hop, world music, and obscure classical collections, Amoeba has something for everyone and their mother.

With a great selection of both used and new merchandise, it's a great way to explore different artists and musical genres without breaking the bank.  I definitely had fun, was simultaneously productive and felt like I was being adventurous when I emerged from the store clutching 2 CDs (whose contents were unfamiliar to my virgin ears) for $15.  

The only thing that I found puzzling was how CDs would have seemingly inconsistent pricing (eg. same price but one was used, or two of the same CDs had different prices).  Since I'm a sucker for a good bargain, this just added to Amoeba's appeal.
5 - Piper E.: Please don't ever close this location.   This is easily the best music store of all time.  

Rasputin's? More like Asspudding's.
5 - daniel m.: Amoeba Berkeley doesn't have the selection that SF or LA has, but it does have better prices than either of those stores; at least for used vinyl.  You are much more likely to find a "deal" here than at the other locations.  Part of it is the fact they tend to price a bit lower and partly because people don't seem to scour the store as they do in the other locations.  

Smaller but in its own way, better than the other Amoeba locations.
5 - judy w.: I moved a lot during the last couple of years and lost many of my CDs.  They're in boxes, somewhere. Last night I was really itching to hear my Led Zeppelin stuff so I stopped by Amoeba to pick up replacement copies.  I ended up getting a used copy of Physical Graffiti b/c it's 2 discs and I figured the more songs on there, the better to feed my addiction.  

Oh, by the way, did you know they offer a 10% discount to students?  I don't think they had that before, at least not when I was in college (the first time around).  

So I go home with my CDs and when I opened the jewel case, I see that it had two disc 1 but no disc 2!  By then it was too late to go back to Amoeba, so I went to bed wondering if they'll give me a refund or tell me tough luck.   

Anyway, so I went back in today and told the man behind the counter what happened, and I was prepared for the worst.  It turned out well, though.  He let me swap the one I bought yesterday for the other used one on the shelf.  I was so happy* that I bought a copy of "Houses of the Holy" while I was there. 

* I was happy to see that Amoeba hasn't turned hard ass because of the onslaught of online competition and the decline in CD purchases.  I remember I used to go back and forth between Rusputin and Amoeba to see which one had the CDs I want cheaper, and Amoeba would tag theirs something like 10.98 instead of 10.99 in Rusputins.  Man, looking back, I can't believe I used to walk 2 blocks to save a penny!  I hope Amoeba never closes.  :-)

Rock on.
3 - Sydni F.: Yes, you will marvel at the selection, and they're likely to have whatever you're looking for at a couple bucks cheaper than you expected to pay (the LA and SF stores have better selection, but sometimes high prices...Berkeley store seems to have more marginal and local artists, but maybe that's my luck of the draw). That having been said, the employees at the Berkeley store can be snippy...they prowl like somnambulistic shelf stockers, scoffing at your questions and getting downright imperious if you dare bring in cds to sell. Or, maybe I just got someone on a bad day. Still, a few bad experiences have soured the place for my by at least two stars.
5 - Erwin E.: I know, I'm not from the Bay Area, but when I was visiting my family in SFO I decided to give Amoeba a visit. I've been to the Amoeba in Hollywood millions of times, but I wanted to see the other stores. I took the BART all the way from South San Francisco all the way to Berkley, which was a great ride compared to the MTA in LA. I had to walk several blocks to get there and when I saw it there was a lot of life happening around it, well it's Berkley. 
I'm always jealous of this Amoeba because they have a lot more bands playing live here than in Hollywood, which has mostly art shows and auctions. 
The prices there are a lot cheaper and their USED section is a lot more extensive than Hollywood's. I bought several albums under 40 dollars and was able to get out of there before the sun set, which is a good thing if you are in that neighborhood without a car.
5 - Miguel d.: You know how when you step into a store not sure whether you'll get anything, only to find yourself in need of a basket or something to carry all the goods you have and want to take home?

This is that kind of store. 

Unknowingly setting foot into the used section and finding an obscure Japanese release of R.E.M. in my hands, I continued to dig and dig and dig, and pretty soon I had everything in my hands that would take me my entire collegiate career to listen to and fully appreciate. 

Flash your student ID and you get ten percent off. Awesomeness abounds.
1 - Damon S.: I have been shopping here since it opened. I have certainly had some great experiences and found some great music, however I have never spent so much money at a place and had so much poor treatment as a customer. 

The owners are great guys but they continue to hire hiptards with huge power trips, 5 or 6 run ins with them over the years after spending tens of thousands of $$ over the last two decades just does not sit right no matter how many great albums I have found there. 

They stand at a crossroads of making the decision to be the last ones standing at the end of dying industry or go right down just as fast as the rest of it. 
Customer service and treatment will likely be the deciding factor. 
I am going to spend my money elsewhere for a while, at least. 
I recommend: http://www.emusic.com
5 - Uncle Fishbits Aeneas X.: This is the same as my Rasputin review... these two were a tandem event, usually after spending too much at the Berkeley Hat company.  The only difference is that there are too many lunchboxes at Ameoba.  But I think their selection is incredibly brilliant.  Sold a lot of music here too... It just seems, in the end, they give a better deal.

I am sort of weird now... I can't find most stuff I need in stores.  But my childhood involved that moment where the mind snaps, the saliva quickens, and the jaw drops.

I was lucky to not have cable, I think... it got me to the point where I realized there was much more than they were feeding us through the cable box.

And I would spot something that would blow my mind... a cannibal corpse album cover.  A punk rock album with a swear word on it.

Oh my, this was the quickening.  This was the validation.  It was the ruin.....

... and I thank that damn store to this day.....
5 - Rafael L.: This place is great!  It reminds me of the days when me and my friends used to cut school and take the bus to Telegraph Ave in Berkeley to look for the lastest heavy metal imports! It's like being in a time warp.  

Hell come to think of it, Telegraph Ave is in a time warp, has been as long as I can remember.

They have tons of vinyl records, posters, and moives that you don't find everyday.  I picked up a DVD with the Original War of the Worlds & When Worlds Collide double feature on it.

Check out Telegraph Ave if you're the area and stop in here while you're at it!
5 - Jones D.: A local institution.  I love this place.  Perfect for an afternoon when you want to do something but not really motivated to do anything.  Come here to listen to music and thumb through thousands of cd's.  The employees will even make recommendations based on the bands you like.  Prices are good and people are friendly.  Plus, they even let my big lazy dog lay around in the store while I browse.  Gotta love that.
5 - Anthony B.: I love you Amoeba!!! When I needed 2-step on vinyl ,you were there. When I had only three bucks in my pocket and needed new audiotory inspiration, you were there. When I had no idea what new band to check out, you were there. When I needed the Black Crack, you were there to give me my fix. When other record stores were leaving me you were there and still are. Thanks for being there. I love you.
5 - Jason P.: Coming to the Bay Area from Chicago, I was awe-struck upon my first visit to Amoeba.  The selection, especially when it came to used vinyl and cds, was unlike anything I had ever witnessed.  Six years later and I'm still a regular shopper.  If you collect vinyl like I do, the place is a godsend.  Great buys to be found all over if you're willing to dig.  (Sometimes the journey is just as much fun as the destination!)  People, don't take this store for granted... Music fans all over the world would probably trade one or both of their pinkies for access to a store like this.
5 - Eric E.: For me, music shopping is all about the hunt.  I approach it with the same sweaty-palmed rush of adrenaline that many get from sex, sports, gambling, or a hundred other vices.  I'm not talking about just popping in to pick up the new Arcade Fire album.  Oh no!  I'm referring to the prolonged visits to a music store where my fingers turn black with grime and my eyes start to hurt from excessive browsing.  I fall into a trance where all surrounding noise vanishes and it's just me and the "clack-clack-clack" of flipping through row after row of compact disc.

I've been like this since high school--I can't help it!  Amoeba on Telegraph has been my first choice for hundreds of hours of aimless music shopping.  Nowadays I only have the time and energy to do this a few times a year, and I have to be alone or in the company of fellow music freak Renee E (who I've shopped at Amoeba with for nearly a decade!).  Anyhow, here's the way my most recent trip to Amoeba went down when I had some time to kill the other day in Berkeley...

First, I hit up the New Release displays...I'm usually aware of what's recently come out, so no surprises here...but I always have to check.  Then I zeroed in on the two discs I planned on getting with premeditated surgical precision.  (This time around, it was the BRMC Baby81 outtakes and "100 Days, 100 Nights" by the lovely Sharon Jones).

Now that I had what I came for in hand, I was free to really do some damage.  First, a cursory walk through every aisle of the pop rock section, stopping at my favorites (David Byrne, The Smiths/Morrissey, and Patti Smith)--a futile maneuver to be sure--there's not a chance in hell I wouldn't have anything they'd put out within a second of it hitting the stores.  

Alright, so then it was off to the R&B/Soul section where I combed through every single row of music.  This is where the agony always happens.  Give me 5 minutes and I can come up with at least a hundred soul albums that I can't live without--and can't afford all at once.  So instead, I limited myself to one or two.  Alright, alright.  Three.

Then it hit me that I needed some stuff by Eydie Gorme and Peggy Lee, so I headed all the way to the back corner of the smaller room where they keep the vocalists/easy listening section.  It's a small section, so I got what I needed fairly quickly and headed back over to the soul section to further torture myself, and then up to the counter to pay since they were closing soon.

A hundred dollars later and I had Sharon Jones, the BRMC, Eydie Gorme, Peggy Lee, Freda Payne, Gwen McCrae, and Honey Cone all securely stashed away in my manbag...dance party to follow!  

**I dedicate this review to Renee E who first fanned my musical flames when I was but a freshman in high school.**
5 - Mary T.: I love that they carry a ton of Asian horror flicks, and that they have a student discount! It was a good place to unwind after a lovely meal at Unicorn right down the street.
5 - Sharee R.: There was a sale going on, the employees seemed pretty friendly, and I got some kickass opera records and an andrew bird CD for 20 bucks.
5 - Kyra T.: Great place for music & movies!
I like that they're an independent store, so I'm not just giving my money to some CEO of some giant corporation.  I like that they treat their employees well, give them benefits.  Many of the employees have worked there more than the 10+ years I've lived in Berkeley.

Love their HUGE selection of used cds.  Most of my cds I've bought for about an average of $5 at Amoeba in the last ten yeras.  

It's WAY WAY WAY better (and personally I think cheaper) than the HIGHLY sketchy Rasputin records which from what I hear from former employees is run by a crazy & extremeley cheap guy.

P.S.  To the other reviewers who bring their dogs in.  STOP PLEASE. They may let you do it - but that doesn't mean they should. Other customers don't appreciate it.
3 - Andy C.: When I came to Berk, to visit my sister, she left me with a map of different places to go to when I got bored in her apartment. 

I totally did end up get bored and then took the map and went out on my own. I ended up coming to this place and getting a lot of CDs.

I think I ended up getting more than I should have, but with the prices that they have here, how could you not end up with a handful of CDs!!!!
5 - Chad L.: Amoeba Music in Berkeley has been and will continue to be here forever and there are a whole lot of reasons why. If you have not yet made the trek down Telegraph then this should definately be one of the stops you look forward to the most. It's at the south end of Telegraphs one way existance and so if you're on foot and you hit this place, after you're done looking through the massive selection of audio and visual wonders, it's time to turn aroud and head back up the street toward campus. 

...But wait just because you now know where the place is, don't begin to think that we're done here. You still need to know what you're in store for, (no pun intended). So let's talk about what to expect on the inside. There are three Amoeba Music stores last time I checked, but this one's my favorite. The selection is less mainstream than your average music store, a fact which will become very obvious the more you look around. Part of this is use to the fact that they are also their own indy music label and therefore seek to promote local artist and also other local labels. Another reason they carry all of the oddball ins and out's you might be looking for is just that, they know that everyone's looking for something they can't find elsewhere so they do their best to suply that demand. 

Amoeba has you covered for cd's, lp's, movies and just about any rarity you may be searching for. You will find albums your brother broke way back when and things you forgot even existed all within the hallowed walls of this indy mecca of wondrous treasures. So, when you've got the time and a little money head on over to Amoeba Music with some friends. I'm sure you will find something to love there and if you can't, just ask the staff, they don't bite qnd in fact they'rs super helpful in ensuring you find that oh so unique item of yours. What are you waiting for? Go!

CHAD
4 - rj s.: I am an ITunes addict, but when i do feel the urge to buy actual cds and vinyl, this is the place to go. Whenever I come up to Berkeley, I've gotta hit it up. Cheap prices, good selection (found some gems in the used sections), and i love the free swag (bumper stickers, magnets). I also frequent the Haight location. I've got nuthin but love for amoeba.
5 - Callie K.: The Berkeley Amoeba is definitely one of my top picks for best record stores in northern California. AND, I prefer it over the SF location.
Once I finally figured out that there's a cheap parking lot just around the corner ($1!) which allows you a nice and easy detour from the dozens of incense selling vendors, coeds sporting sweatpants w/Berkeley etched across their rears and crusty punks w/mean dogs scene mayhem - AKA Telegraph (to be avoided at all costs)- Berkeley Amoeba has quickly become a weekly shopping destination. 

It's not that I always score great finds here cause I don't. 
BUT- their vinyl selection is more than decent. 
For the most part, their prices are reasonable.
And the tape section rules. I can usually find some random but obviously much needed tapes (a la Dead Milkmen, Flaming Lips, Talking Heads, etc.) for a couple of bucks... and I love me some cassette tapes!

Other niceties- the staff have never been judgey (knock on wood), I'm a fan of free calenders (for work!), they still continue to have free live in-stores that rock, and again, are FREE!, and finally their staff recommendation mags are perfect for bathroom reading material. Sorry.  :)
5 - Renzo D.: Amoeba is the best place to find independent and rare music!!  I love the experimental section.  They have a great selection of new and used vinyl as well!  Definatley my favorite place to shop for music and movies in the entire SF Bay Area!!  Love it!!!
5 - Micaela M.: I love this place.  I have been to the one in Hollywood, and this one is certainly smaller, but by no means small!!  It was great!  Huge selection, great people, awesome environment.

I spend time almost every Saturday at my local used record shop, and if I lived anywhere near Amoeba, I don't think I would ever leave.  For me, it's heaven on Earth.  For you, it will be a great  place to buy music.
4 - Anne-Marie R.: They did not have the Drop Nineteens the last time I went there.  

Either I am old or they suck.  Okay, I'm old.  

It isn't as good as the one in Hollywood, but maybe that one no longer has the shoegaze selection of yore now either.   So I'm saying yay. 

Then again, I really hate the parking, the parading past 300 people trying to sell you newspapers about crackwhores or something.   That kinda gets on my nerves.
5 - Brandon L.: It's up and down with this place ... but, mostly up. The down part is that some of their used material is a bit higher than it really  needs to be. They have such a wealth of product that I'm not so sure that there needs to be used cd's for more than 7 bucks, but ... that's just me. I mean, you can get a digital copy for 10 (or less sometimes) on Itunes. 

However, their selection of material is such that you could easily spend two hours there and not even realize it. Every genre of music is fully represented in all formats, with a plethora of options within each.  They ... really ... have it all. 

This, to me, is easily the best record store that I have ever been to. However, I can only imagine what Dusty Groove is like in Chicago. 

Word.
5 - tim s.: I love you, amoeba music. don't ever change...
4 - derrick i.: wow.  this place brings back memories.  i used to come here on a whim in my younger adult years when i had nothing but expendable income, and me and my boy would go digging for HOURS.

on another occasion, i got a giftcard for this place and i went digging for HOURS.  you get the point.
5 - Norm P.: When I was an all star mobile disc jockey and ruthless battle DJ  I went here to get all the latest cuts and best breaks.    Now, I'm neither of those, but I always wished I could be.  My skills are mediocre at best, but my taste in music (to me at least) is second to none and my opinion is pretty damn good.  I got an open ear.  I'm not some ELITE anti everything punk rocker, or some social hipster,  I LOVE music.  In every phase of my music loving career, Amoeba's has had a hand in it.  It is because if this place, I bought my first doubles of Super Duck Breaks and Bionic Booger Breaks.  It's here where I first bought my MTX and Green Day 7"s.  Bought my first copy of Minor Threat, DK and Bad Brain's LP's and CDs.  Discovered my love for hardcore and the local area's offerings to the genre.  Before the Internet or mailing lists, I went here to see Steve's List to see who was playing at Gilman or at some local punk rock show.   Back when people actually bought their music, this was the place to be.  And Amoeba's had something for everyone.  For the banging metal-head, the east bay punk rocker, the Hiero lovin' backpacker, SF blue noter jazz fan, and East bay Grease funk specialist, the list goes on an on.  Every genre and sub genre.  Hard to find sh*t.  Rare as hell, or you standard commercial bubblegum.  It's all there.  And for the DJ's... Vinyl lives on here.  One of the handful of stores in the bay that exists and still stands to this day.  Since then, they've opened locations in SF and LA and cats will tell me that amoeba"s in la or sf is the off the hook.  That may be, but Berkeley will always be the first and the flagship...  The beginning of a movement and gateway to culture.  Till this day, even during the digital age, I go here to get my music.
5 - Kate W.: though smaller than the amoeba in san francisco, i've found some rare gems here.   they have a good vinyl selection and the staff is really very nice.  i just wish they had a goth section like the one in sf. ;)
4 - Esteban C.: This is a good place for tapes and cheap LPs. A lot of cheap punk/hardcore records can be found here. I found Unwound, Jesus Lizard and a bunch of good 90's stuff in the tape section (most of them a dollar each). 

I wouldn't really recommend Amoeba as far as trading in goes. I traded in a bunch of DVDs (crappy movies, but popular and current) and got maybe a dollar a piece. I think I traded in about ten DVDs and a few CDs and got about $25. The dude who bought them from me said they had a lot in stock. I later traded in the same amount of stuff to Rasputin and got a little over $50.
4 - Lolia S.: It's not as large as their location in SF and my fond old memories of shopping for music in Berkeley belong to the Rasputin's (and Leopold Records, RIP).  The lack of a goth/industrial section is also disappointing (and not one Sleep Chamber CD).  The goth/industrial selection at the SF location is definitely better.  Still, their selection of CDs, DVDs, vinyl and even cassette tapes and VHS tapes is impressive and covers everything from world music to jazz to electronica.  You'll find classical music on the second floor.  It looks like they're phasing out the cassette tapes though (Does anyone still buy those?)

Rare vinyl LPs line the walls and they sell vintage children's lunchboxes too (didn't see any that were too interesting).  They do a great job of keeping things organized, even the $1.99 clearance bins.  I've found some good CDs in the clearance section too and try to take advantage of the buy 3, get 1 free deal.  It takes a long time to find four clearance CDs you want but it's worth digging.  

Students get a 10% discount.  It smelled like weed inside the store - maybe it was coming from People's Park?
5 - W K.: This is my favorite Ameoba! I've only been a couple of times, but I prefer it to Los Angeles and San Francisco. The staff seems less obnoxious and the prices are pretty great for used records.
5 - Amie S.: This place is like my boyfriend's Church - and I have to admit, I really dig it too. While I'm not quite as obsessive about music as he is, I recognize that Amoeba knows what the hell they're doing, and does it very, very well.

What I *am* obsessive about is movies. Movies, movies, movies. And the Berkeley Amoeba does that pretty damn well too. They ROCK hard for separating things in a way that makes sense to serious film nerds - sure, everyone has a David Lynch section, but does everyone have Dario Argento and Hammer Horror split out from the rest??? I think not. 

They also have the biggest selection of used DVDs I've ever gotten my greedy little hands on - most for around $6 or less! My Scream trilogy is now complete, I finally got a copy of Bound, and I was able to finish out my Argento collection. Plus, I picked up the Pulsars CD I've been coveting for $1.99. 

Oh Amoeba, why can't you be closer to me??? I NEED you.
5 - Carmen M.: The atmosphere here is amazing, the staff is knowledgeable and friendly, the selection is unparalleled, and the deals are great. I picked up 14 good CDs for $35 just yesterday. Definitely worth a trip. I can't wait to visit the SF location!
4 - Maximillian M.: Ah, memories. Eons ago, wandering around Berkeley back in the golden age of record stores: Amoeba, Rasputin, Leopold, Tower, and yes, Mod Lang, this city was music Mecca for me. Discovering Amoeba was like the cloudy skies parting and sunrays beaming down and heavenly choirs singing. I used to spend hours browsing here. It used to be THE reason to go to Telegraph for me.

Key words, "used to." Today, it's still a great store, but it's no longer a must-stop for me when I'm in East Bay. Now blown out of the water by their gigantic Hollywood store, Amoeba seems to be a ghost of what it once was for me. I had a pretty good size credit slip with me and I had a hard time using it. Sigh. Thanks for nothing, MP3.
5 - Casey B.: I do like me some Amoeba; any place where you can walk in and pick up 8 or more CD's you've been looking for, or new artists you've been meaning to try, for under $3 a pop is a place a like.
4 - Adolfo H.: This was and is as good as it gets. It is not so much the experience of shopping there as that you find what you need, and probably whatever you want.

Posters, vinyl, Cds 

The selection is great because they offer a wide range of used music, as well as offer some of the more independent labels and hard to find stuff. the environment is quirky and user friendly.

I don't however remember needing the staff very much so i am neutral on that.

The aisles are set up in such a way as there is a sense of community as people flip through,  in the new used or discount section.
5 - Georgio N.: It all started in Berkeley for Amoeba Records. This store will always be the original Amoeba with a unique energy and spirit not to be surpassed by the newer stores.

This store opened a long time ago on Telegraph and had to take on the great Rasputin's which dominated the Telegraph record store scene for years. Plus the old Tower on Durant was a nice store as well.

They did this by developing a solid collection of rock/ soul and funk.  Hip-hop/rap was an entire separate section.  Plus they had a back room of Jazz, Brazilian, Soundtracks, and a World Music room full of vinyl and cds.  

We had a routine.  Pick up a Fat Slice right down the street.  Wash it down with a large coke to muster up the energy for some music digging at Amoeba.  It was a bustling scene back then, as it is today.

The main format was CDs, but they also offered a good deal of vinyl.  During this time they started buying used albums from the public.  Thus, their music inventory completely snowballed.  

If you wanted to find a rare album by say Grand Central Station, Evelyn "Champange"  King, Cymande, etc.  You went to Amoeba to find it.  Always with the help of a passionate music staff who were there to share some knowledge.  Plus, they generally kept the in-store music on a  rare groove, indi rock format.  

After the demise of many of the big record store chains, it's quite assuring to know we can still depend on Amoeba in Berkeley
4 - Prince T.: ive been to this store only a few times and i must say they do music the right way... their selection is incredible.. they always have little gems lying around for your discovery.. everytime i come here i always end up diggin in the crates for a couple of hours and grabbing a few pieces of vinyl.. i actually picked up a couple that i havent seen anywhere else.. i definitely would never turn down a suggestion to come by this place
5 - scott p.: Best Music Store in the History of the World- and the first Amoeba!!!!  Required visit if you're in the East Bay.
4 - sharon m.: yay you!
4 - Ken K.: I'd deduct one star because it smells of hippies and runaways with Alsatians in here, but it wouldn't be fare to this landmark and store considering the variety and type of products offered therein,(as they do attract the kind of afforementioned crowd, what can you do but hold your breath) .

When a store has to proactively worry about thievery and make you check your bags at the door as if you have a premeditated plan to steal Milli Vanilli Ice Kids On The Block CDs that they can't even give away, it has got to be something better than paranoia. And it is if you don't mind the 3rd degree, just be glad you are not subjected to a full body cavity search instead.

Diversity is the spice of life, and that is why stores like Amoeba and its comic book equivalent in the same city (Comic Relief) are still standing high and tall to this day. Sure you can specialize, but if you offer a lil' sumthin' for everyone and do it well, people will flock back again as they have time and time again.

Out of countless visits in thelast 10 years, there was almost always treasure to be found in the used bins. One person's junk ends up being in someone's trunk. Collectible used CDs (limited edition promos, vinyls in the form of singles, album's EPs, DVDs of rare movies, imports from Europe, Australia, Asia, indie label stuff, jazz, classical, pop, rock, r&b, soul, world (ethnic) music, uncategorized, to all sorts of DJ dance club techno trip hop ambient rave drums n' bass for the budding hip hop, DJ, sucka MC, or all in one.

If you are a buff in one of those categories, be it movie, music, media for consumption, chances are you will find something you like here.
5 - Paul F.: Stop two on a "All three in one day" Amoeba road trip, and was a great stop.  A record store with a alphabetized dollar vinyl section earns this one a 5 star from me.  Smaller, but in a good way.  Great selections of music and movies to go around here.
1 - Stan O.: I used to come here all the time until an even better record store opened in my house. Yeah, its called the internet. 

Besides, Rasputin was always always better.
5 - Ayelet I.: It's much smaller than the Amoeba in L.A. and creeps abound in front,  but the selection is still rad. I picked up the fairly obscure Brightblack Morning Light's debut album for $7.99 when Amazon sells it for $15.98. It came with the trippyest pair of rainbow glasses covered in weed leaves that makes my Christmas tree look out of control when the lights are on and is hazy fun otherwise. Score. If not for Amoeba, I would probably have missed out an album that is a ultimately total experience. 

They also had a great Hitchcock section and I picked up Taxi Driver for a tenner.  And while the curmudgeonish guy ringing me up was rather loathe to extend the discount to me, if you have a student ID (that is five years old but conveniently has no date on it) you can save ten percent on your purchase.
3 - Reza K.: This place has a good selection of hard to find stuff. I just don't like going here anymore. It's kinda dirty, overpacked and pricey. I was looking for the Toy Story 1&2 DVD pack before they were re-released and they wanted $70 for a used copy. WOW, really??? 
All in all it is nice to go for hard to find stuff at decent prices, but new stuff and things like that, I'll get on iTunes.
5 - Carrie M.: I love Amoeba. I give it five stars because going there is always a 5-star experience.

Amoeba may not have the  perfect selection of super rare recordings that uber music fans hope for, but it has a great selection.  And plenty of vinyl. They have a lot of good stuff covering many, many genres and sub-genres of music, from show tunes to dubstep to death metal to...whatever your heart desires. Their jazz collection is awesome, and they always carry the latest rereleases, many in vinyl, lovely 180 gm vinyl!  And folks, if they don't have exactly what you are looking for, they will be happy to special order it just for you.  Ask and ye shall receive.  Their used selection is the best around, and is always changing, so I love to check it often. I've  found some awesome stuff  there.

And let's acknowledge Amoeba for being there for us since 1990, as an independent store the whole time. That means something to me. 

Five stars for Amoeba.
5 - Chris Y.: My favorite Amoeba location.  It's not the largest store, but I always end up buying the most cds here.  I don't know why, but maybe it's because they're located right next to a college.  Parking in the area is terrible, but it's not Amoeba's fault.  I live in San Jose, but I try to make the trek up to Berkeley at least a few times a year because I love coming to this store.
4 - Hilda Z.: I don't usually purchase CDs....so when I walked into Amoeba today and left with 3, not only was I excited but thrilled about my awesome finds. Great world music section (got some Mexi-pop for $5! Reggae for $10 and a little electronica for $9)!! Staff is super cool and helpful and make purchasing music kind of like a treasure hunt, because you don't know what you will discover and love!!
4 - Sheila C.: Smaller then the LA Amoeba by far but still a great spot. I can chill for hourse here. Music shopping is one of the reasons I love the bay are and surrounding areas....I NEVER have a hard time finding all my music from my metal to my hardcore to the punk and the hyphee you can get it all here just check your bag at the front and go NUTS!!
3 - Norris T.: I like the location in the City much better. The normal cretins on the Ave in Berkeley abound. Once that gauntlet is cleared into a vinyl wonderland you shall roam. 

Nothing feels better than a 12" x 12" piece of cardboard holding a LP tucked under your arm as the search continues!
4 - Karen F.: Back in the '90's we went here alot for used CDs.  Watch out for the homeless entourage out front.

They also have a great selection on vinyl.

A fun place to poke around.
4 - Michelle J.: I used to be in love with amoeba! It was my first stop i would make when i visited Berkeley. But now looking at it, it hasn't changed.. at all.. not one bit... there are still box sets that haven't sold for years! 
which is OK, but i like variety!! I don't like there categories, its too broad!! 
If i want death metal i want a section to death metal. 
If i want ranchera i want a section for ranchera. 
if i want classical music i don't wan to see Elvis right next to it! 
you know what I'm saying?? 

other than that if want contemporary pop or hip-hop or even industrial its great store to just walk in spend a couple of hours looking and enjoying the music! 

on the up side it's CHEAP! and has a MASSIVE used "rock" section!!
3 - Jason W.: Hey yo, how many know about crate diggin'?
What does crate diggin' mean to me?
Diggin' for them unordinary soundin' loops
Even if it's not clean to thee

Diggin' in these crates for a phat remix 

and thats what this place is all about to me. However the problem I have with Amoeba right off the bat is they do not have as strong as a selection, rare plates and what not, as I like. Usually I stop in here and dig for abit but I usually come up empty handed. 

This place also needs to get some listening stations for their vinyl. It sucks buying blind... but other than that, its rather solid... so...

Hey yo, how many know about crate diggin'?
What does crate diggin' mean to me?
Diggin' for them unordinary soundin' loops
Even if it's not clean to thee

Diggin' in these crates for a phat remix
Diggin' in these crates for a phat remix
5 - Jessica E.: You can't go to B-town (yea that was lame) without hitting up Ameoba! All the music I could ever dream of with helpful staff. Okay Think of an album you've been searching for. I bet you they have it, and if they don't then whatever album you're looking for SUCKS!
3 - mark z.: This is the type of store that is putting good music out of print, and leaving downloadable songs to absorb a large variety of good music they refuse to distribute. Even though it's a big store, they refuse to put rare titles on their shelves, and finding roots music (or earlier albums of bands that are now better-known, like E-40's Federal, In-A-Minute Record's releases, or 3x Crazy) is close to impossible. Several times I have brought old school rap albums to sell to them, and they have refused to even accept them for free because they say no one wants them. I tried to leave them in front of the store, but they told me they would just put the music in the garbage because it would eliminate customers...
2 - Dave S.: Ugh, disappointment!!!  I was bored this past Saturday so I decided to take a trip across the bay to Berkeley to see their famed Amoeba Music store.  I am such a huge fan of the SF store I thought, might I find a ton of cds at this store I need!

My gawd it's horrible!!!  Ok so not horrible.  But DAMN is it cramped.  And my speciality of music is so lost in the store.  Dance music?  What the hell is that?  The Electronica section is soooooooo tiny and so burried I had to hunt and hunt and hunt till I found it and it was terribly disappointing.  I guess Berkeley doesn't like dance?  I am not enough of a hipster for this place.  *sigh*

I barely spent 10 minutes in here I just couldn't stand to stay any longer.  It didn't have the SF store vibe although it tries...I didn't feel particularly welcome and I always seemed to be in somebodies way.  I wasn't impressed and I'm not going back anytime soon.  Sorry Amoeba Berkeley!
5 - Dana B.: LOVE this place! Possibly one of the greatest places to look for good quality used CDs, DVDs, tapes, videos, you name it!  I've only been here twice; the last two times I visited California, the summers of 2004 and 2006.  Both of my two and only trips (thus far) to Amoeba in Berkeley were memorable in that I found some great stuff--before the world reverted to DVD format, I found some rare Hanson VHS tapes--"The Road To Albertane" and "Hanson at the Fillmore" (the Fillmore one is now on DVD but the Albertane one has yet to be released on DVD, so I'm very happy I was able to find that there--it's one of my favorite videos from Hanson's younger years) as well as "Blackbird on a Lonely Wire" by Will Hoge for an extremely unbeatable price!! 

If only they had a music store as awesome as this in Philly...just means I'm going to have to visit California more often!
4 - Michael U.: I download CDs like anyone else, but if I like it enough to keep it - I buy it.  Music supports my mind, my mood, and to an extent even my soul - I'll certainly support the artists who support me in such ways.  In an era where "music" entails a whole lot of garbage and banter about whether 192kbps is enough or whether you need 320kpbs or Lossless encoding I still prefer my music to come with art and on a medium - the way the artist intended.  Seriously, what is a TooL album without the album art - it is great, but the experience is incomplete.  

That said, If you want it, chances are Amoeba has it - if they don't you'd better check Amazon to see if it even exists.  That said, what Amoeba has in addition to what you're looking for is a pretty hefty pricetag.

The staff is friendly, the store is cramped, and the 10% off for student-ID is something we need down here in Columbus.  New, used, out of print - I could spend a day wandering through Amoeba.

What could be a perfect experience is foiled by two things, however.  #1 - the raw number of bums and townies on the streets outside and #2 - the small used section that appears incredibly picked over at all times.

While I do indeed love the store and would be a regular if I lived in SF, I actually prefer my hometown Used Kids, Sonic Boom in Toronto, and Rasputin just down the street a bit more - so 4 stars will suffice.
5 - Steve V.: Fabulous record store.   One of my sanctuaries from the neverending onslaught of alternative rock and mainstream hip hop... staff is very helpful and I also met my girlfriend of five years browsing for some vinyl here!
5 - quinn v.: great prices!
I got The Beatles record for $5
and The Velvet Underground for $10
also
La Vie En Rose
for $15
oh,
but that is not all
students get 10% off

yay
score.
4 - Billy S.: This place often has live bands and artists who come in and do autographs and stuff. Thats not really why i go, but it is an added bonus. Amoeba has a lot of rare albums that often can't be found at rasputins or other music stores. They also carry a ton of Vinyl albums as well as cds. It's a great place for the casual music collector or even the serious record collector.
4 - Mace M.: This Amoeba is pretty great for finding just about anything you could think of. I usually skip the new stuff, and go straight for the used section. Why the used section? Simple. I can find just as much, if not more stuff in the used than I can in new, and for a WAY better price. I don't care if someone listened to a record a couple of times, or played a DVD once or twice before selling it to Amoeba, let me reap the benefits!!!
5 - Michael S.: Monday I came into the record store to look for three LPs that I've had a hard time finding. 
Before I came into the store I went into Amoeba in sf and Rasputin in Berkeley, but I was ignored, so after an hour of searching at Rasputin I went to Amoeba. 
The second I came in a guy with a neck tattoo greeted me and walked me to two of the three albums I needed and offered to order the third. He was so helpful and I was in and out in less than 20 min. It was the greatest LP experience I have ever had and he was the most helpful employee I have ever encountered. 
Tell him thank you for me.
5 - Joey J.: According to my iTunes, I could listen to it for over 80 days, or roughly two Ark-worthy floods back-to-back, without the same track playing twice. So you would think it would be possible for me to go into Amoeba Records without walking out with an arm full of used CDs. You'd think wrong.

Herein lies the problem. That rare  ________insert band name you drop to give yourself indie cred_______ album? It's there. You can count on it. Though lately, my addiction has been going through the $1.99 Used CDs and telling myself "It's only two bucks" as an excuse to put the stuff from the 90s that I listened to in high school. Normally, I pick up three and then get told I can get another one free, so I run back and get that Poison CD nobody really wants (there goes any bit of indie cred I may have had right there). As an added bonus, if you need to kill off an hour while the significant other shops for, um, "less manly" things, there are thousands upon thousands of CDs and DVDs to ogle and dream of owning. It's really a win/win/win situation.

Yes, in the end you have to pay the piper to the angry glower you'll get from the girlfriend when you walk out of the store with another armload of used CDs. But, what can you do. We all have issues.
5 - Daniel B.: If there's one significant advantage that Berkeley has over other college towns, its the record stores. Though this end of Telegraph Ave. has been in decline for the past few years, this store remains and anchor and institution of this six block stretch of hippie nostalgia. I remember my first day in California when, after attending a boring prospective architecture student gathering, was guided by a future classmate to Amoeba Records. My eyes grew wide, having never seen such an expansive collection of vinyl before. I have no idea how long I spent in there that day, but it was special and unique experience, yet repeated so many times since then. You can just get lost in this place.

Now, since then, I've found out that LA, then SF trump the original Amoeba by leaps and bounds. And that Rasputin up the block on Telegraph is a better organized store with a less stagnant though smaller vinyl collection.  But Amoeba remains THE record store for me nevertheless. I rarely walk away from this store with what I intended to buy, but I always come home with something interesting to listen to.

Just for kicks, here's my latest Amoeba purchase (don't sleep):
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
Mr. Scruff feat. Alice Russell - Music Takes Me Up
El Michaels Affair - Sounding out the City
N.A.S.A. - Spirit of the Appollo
Illa J - We Here
Group Home - Up Against the Wall

One note of major annoyance: I have damaged countless album covers and a few vinyls themselves while attempting to  remove the intricately taped up plastic sleeves . I understand  the desire to stop shoplifting but this is major overkill. Opening records is so much fun, except when you buy them at Amoeba. Ease up.
5 - Sean M.: Everyone else pretty much covered it.

I'm into the nerdy hardcore/punk/ska vinyl. I could easily drop $500+ in a single trip, if I had that kind of cash.

If you can manage to ignore the pretentious UC hipsters, you're good to go.
5 - Robert K.: One of my favorite places to shop for unusual CD's.  Great selection and fun environment.
5 - Lisa T.: I hate how late the new releases comes in 
I literally spent a day here Just checking out music 
It helps that one of the guys that used to work there was amazingly hot too
1 - Robin Y.: Boasting about the best trade-in value doesn't mean much when their used products are priced higher than what you'd spend for brand new. A quick comparison against amazon's DVD/Blu-ray prices reveals a new 6 disk box set on amazon for $70 versus used set at Amoeba for $90. That pattern repeats where most of their used titles a priced at or higher than what you'd pay for new elsewhere. I can't speak about their music but at least for video you're better off going elsewhere.
5 - alina a.: love this place.
great selection.

i can't rave enough about the vhs section tho. one dollar movies??!? count me IN!

unforunately their trade ins are really shitty. i traded two dvds in, one that was BRAND NEW not even out of the package, and i got two bucks for it  -____________-
4 - Scott L.: One of the best music stores that I can think of. The selection is massive and the genres are well represented. Upstairs, for example, is a great selection of used experimental classical music.
5 - Sherelle V.: I have to admit that I've been more of a Rasputin fan. I feel as the organization of Rasputin's store makes it a bit more shop-able than Amoeba, but I became a fan when there was a side walk sale. 

I got 9 DVD and 3 CDs for only $19, tax included! Ok well 8 DVDs and 3 CDs, but then my boyfriend spun a prize wheel they had out as part of the sidewalk sale, and won another DVD bringing up our grand total  to 9!  The CDs they had were mostly soundtracks and older albums from the 90s, but you can't be 33 cents a CD. I also got a bunnnch of coupons, so I will definitely come back!

What did I get you may ask?
DVDs:
1) Cutting Edge
2)Sweet Home Alabama
3)Disturbia
4)The Incredible Hulk
5)Wanted
6)The Cable Guy
7)Rocky Balboa
8)Accepted
9)Once Upon a Time in Mexico

CDs
1) Hitch Soundtrack
2) Rome and Juliet
3) Randy Jackson Compilation CD- Jason Mraz , Joss Stone, and Mariah CD were in the CD, couldn't beat that. 

Great place to find those movies that you've been searching for at an attractive price.  =)
3 - kenny t.: Amoeba Records, is an excellent place to go shopping for music. The Berkeley location has a vast selection of CD's, tapes, DVD's. They have both new and used items. It's located about 5 blocks from the UC Berkeley campus. Thursday night, after 7:00, they take off ten percent off of all used items.
5 - Richard J.: In the six years I lived in the Mid-Atlantic region of the east coast, I never once ran into a music store anywhere close to this. Washington, DC maybe had two record stores that I went to, and they were roughly a fifth of the size that Amoeba was. 

I'm not a music junky, I'll easily admit, but even I was entranced by the selection, variety and supply of amoeba. Also, my cheapness-love went crazy on me when I saw the prices of used CDs. I really can't wait to come back, as I've yet to find a place where I can pick up a used Paul Van Dyk CD and some random Japanese electronica CD for like $3. Just spectacular.
4 - Chris C.: I've always wanted to visit an Amoeba location, and today I finally got to. I'd say my greatest find today was "Lycanthropy" by Patrick Wolf, which I bought new for $13.98 (compare that to $37.99 on Amazon). I also found a Thom Yorke remix CD I didn't know existed, plus a Radiohead single with my favorite b-side. Overall, a nice little trip.

I'm in San Jose, so I'm pretty fond of our local Rasputin. I'll be sure, though, to browse through Amoeba whenever I'm up in Berkeley!
5 - Jon S.: They really don't make record stores like this anymore. Huge selection of new, used, cd, dvd, lp, blue ray video.... Great prices, helpful staff with great taste. Not sure what else to say.
5 - Rebecca R.: I'm always able to find what I need at Amoeba. They're the best record store in the the East Bay. Very knowledgeable staff. I saw Boris here last year and it was amazing. I can get lost in Amoeba for hours. If you collect vinyl, this is the place for you. All hail Amoeba!
5 - Michael S.: Amazing. Everything you could want in a record shop!
2 - Bobby B.: I must say that it saddens me to have to write a review like this about what used to be my favorite record store. 

This review comes from someone who has been an Amoeba customer for over ten years, and in that time, I have seen the slow degradation of the store. 

From the vinyl lovers perspective: Amoeba is no longer a place where you can go to find good and original vinyl. Do you remember when their "new arrivals" section was more than one bin across? Well, that was back before they turned into an eBay storefront. Yes, that is correct. Amoeba sells a lot of stuff on eBay. They have an entire assembly line, and more than one eBay account per store. 

It's totally understandable that they allow their employees to take home as much vinyl as they want. It's a perk for working at the store-- fine. The unfortunate part is, what doesn't go home with an employee or friend, will go on eBay-- not to mention: the resellers are around like hawks when the records come out, so make sure you get there at just the right time, and bring your boxing gloves. 

Yes, I'm a whiner, but I can remember back when Amoeba Music was a great record store. Oh the days when I could buy good vinyl at Amoeba. 

Oh well. I'll go back into my cave now.
4 - Sherif H.: Heaven for music shoppers, especially for the great selection of used cds and vinyl. Take one star off because I have had bad experiences with CS in terms of return policies but given the selection, expertise of staff this is just essential for music shopping. 

Also have cool bands drop by for free live shows once in a while which is awesome.
5 - Eryka V.: Some:

Morrissey - for the emotional lesbian in me not to mention the soundtrack to my first drink of the evening

Alton Ellis - so me and my lady can laugh and enjoy some drinks during the evening

Prince - So we can begin to feel sexy and buzzed, and start the question of the night "Where do you wanna go tonight"

The New Snoop Dogg - So we can motivate our ass to start getting all sexy and gangsta, so we can be "giggin" on em

Hector Lavoe - Towards the final touches of our outfits and the straight shots, so we can groove a little and have some steamy kisses before we head out.

On the way out grab 2pac, Erykah Badu, Dilla, Flosstradamus, DJ Platurn, Maxwell, and don't forget all the spanish cds too!!!

Bump all of the above as me and my gorgeous lady are out and about!!!

Come home from a great night out put all my Sade cd's in rotation, and turn up the volume.  Come up behind my girl grab her ass, kiss her on the back of her neck, remove her clothes, and wrap those pretty thighs around me all night.............................

Thanks AMOEBA for always having what I need to perfect the soundtrack to my days.  Couldn't have hit it so well without ya!
3 - Anastasia E.: I do not live under a rock nor do I resemble a troll, but everytime I go inside Amoeba Records, the staff there makes me feel like something the cat dragged in.

Yes its true, they have a great selection of movies and music. Their trade prices are MUCH better than Rasputins, yet everytime I leave that place, I feel like I have been insulted. No matter how many times I say "hi"  in a friendly voice, or "thank you!" or "Good-bye!" I am met with sullen look (if I am even lucky enough to get that, or absolutely silence in return.

I was wondering the other day, if they would act that way to a really beautiful woman, then I remembered that I have been told I am a really beautiful woman. So what then?

Is it some sort of "I am a rock God and you are a mere mortal"  sentiment going on? Well I have news for you. You are NOT a rock God, you are a freakin clerk in a record store. Get over yourself!

My best friend used to work at a record store exactly like this in Portland, Oregon. She said I was not imaging the "'tude." She said they do think they are holier than thou.

So my message to the store's management is to work on customer relations.  A smile goes a long way...
5 - Haik K.: Let me start by saying AMOEBA is the only place I buy CDs if I got to. Love the one in LA, love the one in SF, and this one...love it too. 

Roll up with a homie and we figure we kill some time before our ladies get out of class. Instantly found the bulletin board there covered with local shows and events happening THAT NIGHT. Who are the cool out of towners that end up knowing the locale of the best gig in town? The music selection and atmosphere is not as big as the one in LA, but still pretty awesome! needless to say, amoeba helped me get laid. Thanks guys.
4 - Vicky B.: Went here last night (Sunday) and found it to be a perfect time to visit. Parking outside was ample. The Berkeley homeless were out and about. And not a lot of people were in Amoeba, which meant I could sift through records without having to bump elbows with others. Though one guy totally pushed me aside to get past me without saying "excuse me" - I hope he didn't find whatever he was looking for. Anyway, I got a bunch of 80s vinyl for no more than $2 each, so I can't complain. This place is definitely smaller than the city's and the one in LA. But it totally satisfies my need and is still a pretty big place. Staff is nice too!
5 - Len Z.: Solid shop.A great place to get lost for a few hours.
4 - Corey G.: I personally like Rasputin's up the street a little better, but you just can't go wrong with Amoeba---both stores are evil in that I ALWAYS in end leaving with a lighter wallet.

They have their music divided into some of your basic genres, but I like how within some genres they're sub-divided into more useful categories (i.e. World--Latin--Cuban or Electronic--Chill--Compilations).  

They also have the cool bar-scan listening stations (just like Rasputins), which helps when determining whether to buy a whole album or waiting to get the single electronically later.

It goes without saying that a huge store like this has an awesome selection.  In this age of the Invasion Of The MP3, it's nice to know that stores like Amoeba still thrive.
4 - Dolores T.: Vinyl! Vinyl Vinyl! Their selection isn't as great as Rasputin down the street but I found some MJ, some Abba, and some Kings of Leon within minutes. If that is what I find in a rush, I'm scared what will happen if I take my time and shop there. My bank account will surely diminish by the minute.
5 - Nat O.: Simply a great store. It's big, independent, and has lots of great used stuff.
5 - Arianna M.: I do not buy my cds here...I buy tapes. They have thee BEST selection of tapes like you have no idea. CD selection is good too, however I pledge my CD alliegence to Rasputins. But I love coming here, or the one on Haight. 

One of my friends went here for the first time a few weeks ago, and nearly creamed his pants over the selection and how cheap it was. 

Long live Amoeba!
4 - Eileen P.: I recently went on a vinyl binge and found some real gems here.  Been shopping at this location for nearly twenty years and it never failed me once with the ol' gem-finding.  

Bonus points for the used item prices.  Found me a rare Cocteau Twins interview Picture vinyl for eight bucks (eBay had one a couple months back for a starting bid of $25)  Cassettes are insanely cheap too.

I like this place so much I brought my dad there.  He scored some used Elvis Presley vinyl and sprung for a Pink Floyd LP reissue.  We both left happy.
5 - Christopher S.: When it comes to CD stores in the Bay Area, no one tops Amoeba.  Their CD selection is huge and the prices are the best.  They carry a very large selection of DVDs as well.  Their vinyl selection is pretty good as far a jazz and classical music goes, they are more known for their rock and indie vinyl.  

The thing that sets Amoeba apart from all of the other used CD stores in the area is their quality control.  I have never bought a CD for Amoeba that was in a condition that was unacceptable for the price (unlike a store down the block).  They have special cards that they put in a scratched CD case that lets you know you are buying a "guaranteed to play" scratched CD, if it doesn't play or it skips they will refund your purchase.  No surprises from this store.

Of the two Amoeba stores in the Bay Area, this is my favourite.  Though the turnover is less than the SF store, but I have found more gems and surprises here than the SF store.
4 - Drew H.: This place lives up to its hype for sure. Amazing selection of music in all genres and all formats (cd/vinyl/cassette/dvd) and some shirts too. I was impressed with how much used stuff they had here and the new was priced pretty fair. They have some dollar bins under the racks which are always fun to explore. Don't expect to find any rare gems at good prices, they know what they have and are quick to slap an "out of print" sticker on it and charge e-bay prices.
5 - Keith W.: This place has everything. There are like 4 sections to this store, each section being a decent-sized building. Very very nice.
5 - kris v.: I love this place I was able to find everything I needed! I found some CDs that Rasputin didn't have and I found some music for a more reasonable price
5 - Jessica G.: Amoeba has every CD from every artist on Earth. This is by far the best. I feel a little criminalized in here - because they search my bag. o.O But it's their selection that ROCKS. I found a fxing Art Brut CD in here. I've been looking for their albums for years. And it's right on Telegraph, which is pretty much the coolest part of Berkeley.
...Just stop searching my bags.
5 - Mimi Z.: could have sworn i wrote a review already for this place, but i guess not

I LOVE AMOEBA!!!!!!!! i always wander in and spend an hour here looking at their amazing selection of LPs and movies, CDs and posters, cant get enough of this place!
4 - Jenny M.: Best used music store in the East Bay. While the staff seem like they'd be the 'I'm too cool to talk to you" type - they're not. They're super knowledgeable, friendly and love to recommend their favorite artists. I also love that they have listening stations, which has saved me from buying stuff that I'd only listen to once AND has given me freedom to check out any CD in the place!
1 - Joey H.: Never again will I sell stuff here, not only did the buyer insult my collection telling me it wasn't desirable (even if it isn't you don't TELL your customer that!), but THREE or FOUR of my 'undesirable' CDs are mysteriously gone!!! If I didn't live so far away or if it were possible to get someone on the phone at this store who had more then 2 braincells I might be able to do something about it, but I'll just have to stick to never entering an Amoeba store again.
5 - Michelle C.: This was the first Amoeba as I was told by my boyfriend.  Tons of music to select from.  Not as big as the one in SF or in LA, but has a nice charm to it.  We always leave with a CD or a DVD.
5 - Andrew M.: Here's what I got:

-A double album by the Swan Silvertones
-A CD of James Booker's early singles
-Some Bulgarian choir music that was a staff pick
-Screamadelica by Primal Scream (for like $3 off the discount rack)

Made for some great browsing!
5 - Madison S.: I really hope this place doesn't go anywhere. I mean it's Amoeba, so it probably wont. But go in, get lost. This store is how music should be sold--by passionate staff.
3 - NeO B.: One of the few Record Shops still standing after the MP3 take over.

In my younger years I have always walked in with the hopes of diggin for rare finds with plenty of success. And even till today I still feeling that it's that same feeling that keeps me coming. Unfortunately I do more "window diggin" than before, but the fact is, I'm still walking in to the store everytime I'm in the area.

Not fancy, not the most cheery staff, but staff is knowledgeable (Of their favored genre that is.) And you can almost always find what your looking for.
5 - Tom D.: Shit tons of used vinyl for cheap.
5 - Christina S.: Great selection of new and used music.
5 - Sean S.: You can find music here that you can't fund anywhere else, including online. A lot of rare and indy music. It's fun to pick through the bins for hidden gems!
5 - Jolie O.: Best vinyl selection in the entire Bay Area, hands down.

The selection of vinyl singles are worth combing through on a weekly basis -- don't skip the rows of old ones from the 70s and 80s; you'll find some real gems.

They've also got a huge section of rock/pop/metal vinyl albums, another enormous section for folk and jazz, classical and opera upstairs... If you love vinyl, you could die happy in this place.

And the staff... well, for being record store employees, they're not completely judgmental dicks. That's high praise.

Added bonus: When you're done blowing your savings on obscure 45s, you can spend the last $10 wadded up in your pocket on cheap and delicious Tako Sushi a couple doors down.
4 - Sherman W.: Good place to scope out used CDs and vinyl, but mostly if you're into rock music.  Maybe hip-hop too.  Most of the other genres had about 2 rows / aisles dedicated to them, which is decent, but I have to say I've been completely spoiled by the Hollywood Amoeba so it's hard to rate them above a 3.5 - 4.

I will definitely say that I'm glad this Amoeba does not have a pop / top 40 section.  Otherwise, I'd have been listening to 98 degrees or backstreet boys the entire drive back from the bay area to LA.  MY EARS AND SANITY THANK YOU AMOEBA!
5 - Colbert T.: What can I say?  This is hands down the best music store in the Bay, California, make that the whole US of A!  You name, you can find everything from Audiophile recordings to Zydeco!  My addiction started ever since I went to Cal in the late 90's.  Long live the record store and it's great to see Amoeba is still around in this day and age of downloading!
5 - Daniel W.: It's amoeba, what else do I need to say? it's great, not the friendliest people lol but you can expext that in a real record shop. Plenty of old school stuff, they even sell VHS and Cassettes, Vynil and a lot more. The atmosphere is so city and just a great place to be in. Plus any time there is an amoeba, you can count on a rasputin near by lol
5 - Gary N.: The Gold Standard of record stores, even if a few things could be better.  I can come to this store and entertain myself for hours.  Sometimes I don't even buy anything and still have a good time.  The staff is hip and knowledgable, without that pretentious "record store guy" attitude.  A lot of people don't even know about the Berkeley location, but it's the first, and I happened to go to it the day it opened, in 1990, I believe.  I always tell people that when they engage me in conversation about my Amoeba hoodie, which happens a little too often.  People in other parts of the country have to act like it's some cool destination, which it is, but get over it.  I always wish that they would stock new copies of all or most of the albums by major artists on cd.  That's one thing places like Tower, that were otherwise pretty crappy, did well.  You could always go and get, say, a copy of Surfer Girl by the Beach Boys.  I couldn't do that at Amoeba this time, so I settled for a used copy of Little Deuce Coup instead.  But it's all part of the fun.  You can be surprised.  You can start thinking that you don't even like music while unable to find anything of interest, then come across something unexpected and tangentially remember all this other awesome music you want to get.   Or you can make a shopping list ahead of time.   The clearance CDs section and dollar vinyl bins often have great finds in them, but sometimes it's all picked through and you can only find Carole King and James Taylor, but then you come back a few days later and it's been replenished.  Here's to 20 years of music-lovin'-shopping.  I think I'll go there right now before I have to fly back to New York.
4 - Justin K.: Amazing selection of CDs, DVDs and Vinyl but at prices that could stand to be a bit lower. This shop is still well worth a visit but I like Rasputin's better. 

Btw, the Amoeba on Haight in San Francisco is amazing and blows both of these Berkeley shops away!
5 - Jack P.: Amoeba is my favorite CD shop, ever...they have everything I want. my tastes in music and film can get quite obscure, and Amoeba almost always seems to have me covered. Also, i like their exchange policy, so I can keep recycling my purchases for other people to check out, while simultaneously getting myself some new entertainment.
1 - b b.: The attitude you gave me when I sold my CDs almost made me walk out with all of them...  I realize your job is to give me as little as possible, but I clearly wasn't in there to make significant cash off of my purchase.  I dropped off nearly 400 CDs and got no explanation of how it was priced.  And while maybe you are the best game in town, next time I'll just take the tax write off.  You won't mind - clearly you didn't really want my CDs anyway.
1 - Miki D.: Do people even buy cds anymore? I thought everything could be bought, downloaded, or streamed on youtube. Music in the digital medium saves space and no longer do I have to carry a CD bag around with me. No longer do I have CDs taking up space in my house, no longer with the exception of a few albums do I have the need to hoard CDs.

I used to go to this place all the time. It's your typical record store with all the cliches.

*upper middle class kid(trustafarians) with tattoos who listens to music you've never heard of.

*rude employees, stand offish employee who think they are so fetch. 

*Old crazy guys who have cool taste in music.

*over priced "out of print" music.

The hippy/electronic musician in me loves places like this. But as music becomes easier to get via digital download. I find myself going to places like Telegraph ave even less. I am not a college student anymore and with Codys closed. I see no point in going to these places. It is just another place in Berkeley I'll avoid as I go to the Ethiopian store or indie bookstore.
5 - Murphy O.: I prefer the SF store, but this one's pretty neat in it's own way.

They've got lots of CD's, Vinyl, DVDs, and VHS for pretty darn cheap. Last time I went I got four VHS movies for about three bucks and six used CDs for a little over two. 

Definitely worth checking out, even if you just want to browse through a different selection than the SF location.
2 - maninderpal m.: Couldn't find nothing, i went here because they had a "buy six red tag cds for 2 bucks" deal.  I understand that the clearance cd's would be few and far between, but all they had down there (and i mean down there, we were on our knees looking) was elton john and tracy chapman, i mean who'd they piss off where every one of their cd's is in the dollar rack at amoeba? well anyways, my friend and I searched for like 30 minutes and didn't find anything, so that sucked!!! She was looking for some blue grass jazz cd's and I was looking for Motown, 80's, 90's rap, pop and r&b, and we could not find anything within those parameters, major sucky!!!!
5 - Nicole B.: My favorite spot to go digging for used CDs! I lived on College however, I always found an excuse to walk home on Telegraph just so I could stop here for some new music. I could spend hours in here and do some major damage. They even have used movies here too, which I think is way better than paying full price!

Just be warned ladies, if you have a bag (or a backpack in my case) they'll want you to check it in. So be sure to grab that wallet if you plan on buying something!
4 - Anne N.: Able to find a lot more new records.  Used items were mostly CDs and DVDs.  I like to go music hunting with Lewis :).  10% off used items if you showed your student ID.  

The haul:
- Andrew Bird: Useless Creatures
- Sufjan Stevens: The Age of Adz
- Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong: Ella and Louis 
- Pink Martini: Hang On Little Tomato

I feel like I'm missing a record from our list.  Otherwise a great place to look for new music, but keep an eye out for used items, you might just find a keeper.
4 - Darrell Y.: I love you and hate you at the same time.  My record player loves you, my wallet hates you.  I can't get out of Amoeba without spending a billion dollars, but that's because Amoeba's always got something I absolutely must have.  This go-round I found an out of print Man's Ruin era Kyuss record, still sealed, a newer Acid King record, and quite possibly my favorite of the batch, Betty Davis' "Nasty Gal," used, but in immaculate condition.  I will always come back.
3 - Laurie H.: I like to support independent....every time I go to Amoeba I hope for more than what I get. Not sure why, exactly. While there are dozens of people working here, finding one of them to help is a challenge, at best. Once you do find one, they are helpful, but sometimes I just give up.

And please....could you stock more Hawaiian and Polynesian music? Do you know how big the Pacific Islander community is here? And you barely carry the local people making Hawaiian music. Get in touch with someone - go to pica-org.org and get a consultant....seriously - the number of halau is off-the-charts in the east bay alone and you could really be tapping into that.
4 - Amy J.: It was absolute chaos here for Record Store Day! That said, Ameoba never disappoints with their selection of new and old music. I haven't been to a record store in awhile but coming here always brings back good memories.

I don't always find what I'm looking for but it always makes me happy. This past visit I did end up grabbing a couple of good albums for a friend of mine.
5 - Paulringo M.: hands down a phenomal place to get music weather you want lps,cds,tapes, or videos they have so mcuh stuff including bootlegs and more oddball stuff, is cheap if you buy a few things but will add up quickly if you buy alot.
2 - Ksenia B.: I'm giving 2 stars to the Berkeley store mostly because of the staff. It seems like everyone is too cool to pay enough attention to customers, no one cares to help if there is a special event and you supposed to enter a sweepstake or get a poster, and on the record store day almost every worker was severely depressed (yes, it is a lot of pain for the staff, but it is an exciting event!). Plus, they did some restocking on the RSD, which was quite annoying,

Selection of LPs is pretty good though (probably much better than your local indie record store), but Amoeba San Francisco and Amoeba Hollywood easily beat that. And people at your local indie record store are more likely to be much helpful and guarantee a better experience.
5 - Ron J.: I love this place. They support independent and local artist. Be sure to grab a copy of Milla's album The Golden Ratio, Hip Hop at it's finest.
5 - Akvile H.: The second Amoeba location I've been in the Bay area wow, I am just in love with this music store!

I could spend hours digging through vinyl records and looking through old used CD's...which is exactly what I did. Looking at old album covers brings back a sense of nostalgia, it's quite nice.

Their selection is top notch, prices are really good, and the staff is friendly. They do ask you to check your bags in at the front before you go in, so make sure to bring your phone and wallet along with you. I had a small purse and they allowed that through though, that was nice.

Stop on in to find some musical gems for a great price!
4 - ben s.: BIGGEST FUCKIN RECORD STORE IN THE EAST BAY.

ok so the best thing about amoeba is also the worst and that is its vast size and variety of music.

you will always find something you want. the workers are almost always helpful and friendly. i'm a little biased cuz i've got friends that work here but they definitely hire people who know music, a good thing.

my advice if you don't wanna be in here all day is know what you are looking for in advance, go straight to that section and get it. otherwise its like some kinda crazy casino trap type situation. before you know it hours will have gone by and you will have spent all your money.
5 - Michael K.: Officially the greatest place to go to for CDs, DVDs, and Vinyl. This store is jam-packed with everything that concerns music and film. A great location for people who are art enthusiasts - like myself. Not only is there a various and excellent selection, the sales are outstanding. I bought 2 DVDs for $4 all together - one of them not having even been opened yet! I'm not one to buy my music or films onlinemso I prefer to go to the store and hold it in my hand before I can get it and Amoeba provides just that. I love the foreign film section and Criterion collection as well. I feel as though all the movies and CDs I see, I could not find anywhere else in person. I could go on forever about this wondrous store, but I'll just say to visit it for yourself. You'll enjoy the atmosphere, the customers, the employees, the items, etc. It's simply and absolutely worth it.
4 - Ara G.: They have a pretty big collection of Vinyls from many different genres. I certainly like the rock collection as much as (if not more than) the Amoeba in Hollywood. Overall, it's a good record store with a nice staff and a 10% discount on any used item for any student from anywhere.
4 - Tony B.: This place is pretty dope. There is a huge selection of music, posters, art, collectibles. The place can get crowded and stuff can be kind of scattered around, so be prepared to spend some time in here.

I managed to find a Foreign Exchange album here that I was unable to find up the street at Rasputin. Music is pricey, but nowadays music either costs nothing or a lot, right?
5 - Haaay East Bay l.: Oh honey, let me tell you. I've probably been squatting and lying on the ground in the aisles of Amoeba since I was 16. I actually have the patience and quick fingers to go through the boxes of 45s and the dollar bins. I've contributed to the very slow depletion of the cassette shelves (it never hurts to have a back-up of a favorite album WITH the art for a friend's '80s car). I probably own 5 separate copies of Orff's Carmina Burana, Satie piano pieces, the Ravel string quartet, and Bach's cello and violin suites just for the sake of hearing different ensembles and soloists play them. I've written to bands years after they put out single albums and went defunct (hullo Bubble Core Records, reply to me!). I've stalked bands nobody likes in England based off random bin purchases from years before, I've duplicated buys of stuff I already own just to give as gifts, I've asked for advice in the Berkeley classical section just to hear them talk, and I probably have the saddest, dustiest collection of VHS tapes from below hip level than anyone around.

Yep, I'm into FINDS. Sometimes just for the spectacle, most of the time because I've had so much success finding things I love almost at random. I even had a system - judging a random clearance item based on the album art, the looks of the artist, the cleverness of the title, the instrumentation (if listed), and the year it was published actually works!

But I think one experience that ties all this cray-cray together must be the time I walked into the SF store with my brother and a friend from high school. I was wandering the aisles and finally got a call from another friend who had been MIA for weeks. By gut instinct I said, "Wait, you've been getting laid, haven't you? In fact, are you getting laid right now as you're talking to me on the phone?" Well I was right on the first count! Hmph! Psychic AND neglected.

But as my friend described the Irish dude whose best friend was also picked up by her co-worker (ewww), I exclaimed, "Oh HELL! The Hairspray soundtrack, with an OUT OF PRINT sticker, on cassette tape!" I think it was $1.95! Just then, my brother poked me in the shoulder to tell me that he and my friend were tapping their feet at the front waiting for me to finish.

I started to walk to the line, and noticed what looked like the holiday wall decorations of a suburban '60s family to my left. John Waters was in the store signing autographs! And in addition to my Hairspray snag, I had my Pink Flamingos CD in my bag because I was about to lend it to my friend!

I think the signs and the security guard's growl said that only those who purchased a new triple-DVD set could stand in line and get John Waters' autograph. But I thought I'd lollygag and stare at him for a moment at least. You know, for a mental reference so I could get my future pencil-thin mustache *just so* in the far future.

The guard just put his mom-arm across my chest as John Waters spied me and the items I was holding. He motioned for me to come over, and when I showed him the cassette and the CD, he just said, "OH MY GOD. Take a Polaroid with me!"

I cannot tell who's more amused in the photo. Later on in life, I met a banker who owns a can of AquaNet signed by John Waters. I wonder how THAT one came about!
5 - Jeremy G.: One of the coolest stores on the planet!

Maybe a little too cool for me. In a place like this, a Puritan WASP like me sticks out like an orange traffic cone on an icy road. But I don't let that deter me from frequenting places like these. 

The Amoeba stores are gigantic in comparison to most used record stores, which earns them five stars by default. Of course, that's also the problem with this place - it's almost impossible to simply browse; it's better if you're searching for a specific item. On the other hand, one can find hidden gems by bouncing from stack to stack like a billiard ball.

The only negative: sticker shock, baby.
5 - Cara D.: I was really excited to check out this Amoeba since I LOVE the Haight location, and this one is much closer to home. I wasn't able to devote as much time to it as I would like -- I can seriously spend hours browsing -- but I was able to check on a few artists I've been looking for and have had trouble finding. One of which was Ingrid Michaelson, and I am happy to report the store had two of her albums -- one less since my visit, but still. It definitely made me happy. 

The Verdict: Still my all-time favorite store and this location was no less awesome.
5 - Frances L.: Of all the Bay Area Amoeba's, I have a special place in my heart for this location. While it may be one of the smallest locations, this Amoeba has a ton of character and a more local charm than the bigger shops. I always find something good here browsing through their records and vast used CD collections. The Hollywood location is still my favorite, but when record shopping in the Bay, this is definitely a must-stop because of their often great selection of small-print, local labels and independent artists. I prefer the record stores in SF a little more,but for the Berkeley area, this place won't disappoint.
5 - Zuretti C.: From the zombie heart tattooed cashier, to the cool vinyl guy who always talks to me about beats, and general music trivia, I love this place. Odds are you can find me here digging in the crates on a semiweekly basis, always looking for that one piece of music that is better than the last. Call it a gift and a curse. It's all good though, as I will continue to support this store, because even though itunes is convenient at times, nothing compares to the experience of going into a record store, and embracing it in all it's glory. Happy crate digging my friends.......
1 - Kyle L.: First of all let it be known that I love Amoeba and I was a patron of the Hollywood location for years before moving to Berkeley. 
With that said, I have a complaint. 

 I really wanted this album I discovered the night before and I take 5 CD's with me to trade in at Amoeba. The guy at the trade counter offers me $10. The CD I want costs $10.76. I kindly explain the situation and ask for the difference in trade-in value. The guy says no (saying he can't because they're all scratched, I won't go into the problems with this situation as they are many) and having no cash on me, I take the offer, buy the CD I came for and I am thus forced to charge 76 cents on my credit card.

FAIL!

Now, from an objective standpoint I would say that this store is mediocre at best. This is the case not only when compared to Amoeba's other locations, but especially when one considers Rasputin Music, which is literally next door and offers a wider and larger selection, at equivalent if not cheaper prices.

Sorry Amoeba, you still have your place, but it will unfortunately be a back-up one from now on.

So I wrote the first part of this last week and I wasn't going to post it, as I decided to give the benefit of the doubt. 

And then...

I go there again this morning before class and this time experience what I can only call poor customer service. I'm the only one waiting to buy, that's right I wait for at least a good minute before one of the clerks breaks from his conversation to help me...wait, what's this?...he's not done with his conversation, he 's going to continue it while he checks me out, which normally would not bother me, but when he answers my question in a curt manner and then, because of the aforementioned conversation, doesn't realize I'm waiting on him to hit whatever button he needs to to complete the transaction, yeah I got a problem.

FAIL! Again!

What the heck Amoeba? I thought we were cool. I'm not sure I'll be back even as a last resort now.
5 - Alisha F.: The friendly staff, the general layout, cleanliness, and orderliness of the store, the takeaway packaging design, the music selection, the prices, the special order policies and prices, the temperature inside of the store, the lighting... Amoeba wins!  P.S.  Whenever you want to get four tapes for $1 like I did (you must get four or they are $1/ea), go to Amoeba.
4 - T N.: I always come here to look amongst the records and CDs for vintage stuff and classics.
The place is dusty so take a benadryl for allergies to molds/dust before you enter.
Staff kind and resourceful.
4 - Jenn C.: I love the giant Amoeba store in SF with the live concerts but it's so far away and often such a zoo.  This Amoeba store has just as good a selection of the genres and artists that interest me - so when I'm looking to pass a rainy afternoon, I hop on the 1, walk a few blocks and browse Amoeba and the other excellent music & book shops on Telegraph.  It's definitely worth your while to pop in and browse this store - support your local merchants!
2 - J R.: I have to agree with Kyle's review below - I used to love this place, but have recently found the customer service here at the Berkeley location to be lazy, curt and apathetic. 
Back in early December I was looking for a particular classical CD, and given that they didn't have it in stock, I asked if they would order it, and if they could get it in a week's time. Apparently they COULDN'T confirm if it was available, and therefore WOULDN' T order it for me because if it came in later than a week, it wouldn't be a sale. Now, I was taken aback by the attitude - this wasn't a rare CD, and if it didn't show up in time, couldn't they just return it to the distributor? At any rate, they said they wouldn't even try to order it.  
So I walked up to Rasputin's, and NOT ONLY were they able to confirm that the CD was orderable from their distributor, but they had a friendly and helpful attitude.  The sale went to Rasputin's, and I won't be going to the Berkeley Amoeba any time soon!
1 - Bettie P.: My review is the same as JR and Kyle's. Exact same happened to me as what bb wrote about on 1/27/2011.  And i'm glad i'm not the only one!

Seriously? I will never step foot in this business again.  How RUDE!! This place needs a training not only in simple customer service, but just simply how to treat people IN GENERAL.
WHY are you so hostile, aging Berkeley hippy CD-buyer guy?!?!
I mean, look at all the BAD reviews you are getting, and it has to be YOU, because all the reviews with only one-star are all people who came in to sell things.

I had some CD's and VHS to sell.  I was on my way to Rasputin (as i called Rasputin the day before and made an appointment to sell 2 suitcases full of media) , but passed Amoeba first and saw the sign that they buy these things, so I went in.

I met with a middle aged guy with blond hair chin length and glasses.  He looked through about 200 of my CDs, and said he would give me a small amount for only 4 of them.  Then he said...  or you can take them somewhere else and see what you can get.    He didnt even look at any other media I was selling.

So, I took him up on that. I said, well let me go down the street and see what they say.  I said I'd be back. He said OK. 

I went to Amoeba, where i had the nicest customer service and they were all friendly. 

I was Greeted right away at Rasputin..... I was GREETED at the door at Rasputin, not "HEY CHECK YOUR BAG" at the door like at Amoeba.

 The Rasputin guy looked at every single one of my CD's, VHS, video games, and cassettes, and scanned them all into the computer.
He bought most of my things, but not all.

So,  i took what was left and went back  to Amoeba.  This guy practically chases me out of the store when I walk in... and for what?! Did he have a sudden change of personality in the 1/2 hour i was gone?!
He was fine with me when I was first there. Then I come back and he's all hostile.  He asked "you went down the street didnt you?"   As if I was not allowed to visit another music store!?  Plus, he told me earlier that he did not mind if I went somewhere else first to see if I could get more money.

When I said yes, i had just come from another music store, but i still had some nice stuff to sell -- he actually swatted my arm and said 'yeah, no, i'm not interested' and like physically shoo'd me out of the store.

WTH!?  I'm not a hobo, i'm not homeless. I'm not gross. I wasnt rude. I dont stink. I wasnt begging. I was polite.     I'm an upscale, married, regular 45 year old lady who just wanted to sell her old music to others who might appreciate it.

I was very surprised at the clear, obvious difference in customer service and customer treatment between Rasputin and Amoeba.

From now on, Rasputin is my place and has my business and referals to anyone I know. . I'll never step foot in Amoeba again and be treated that way.

Have you heard of that restaurant in New York where they humiliate you, are mean to you, and rude, but thats just part of the theme for that restaurant??  Well thats how Amoeba is, but for a music store.
3 - Eve O.: I really like digging for records, but I don't love it like I used to. The reason is two fold: First, I've acquired a taste for heavy vinyl, and what you'll usually find here are re-releases and less substantial stuff. That's cool, those are fun and useful too. It's hard to afford the other stuff, anyway.

But also, I used to ravage the dollar bins. For that, Amoeba was unparalleled. I could kill 4 hours in the one on Sunset, spend 8 bucks, and walk away with a ton of essential collection stuff. Not so much anymore, as the dollar bin stuff never tends to change. I bought every copy of Nebraska that was ever in there, so that's gone. And surely I don't need more than three Frampton Comes Alive albums. Even that's probably three too many.

This situation could probably be solved if the the service wasn't less than stellar. Perhaps new life could be breathed into the whole endeavor if an in-the-know employee would take a minute or two and have a conversation. You know, what stuff to look out for, this sounds like so-and-so, or recommend something I maybe haven't thought of. No one seems willing. What is up, my musically-inclined brethren? Grace me with your knowledge!! Sell me rad stuff! Sigh.
5 - Christal B.: Coming from San Diego, stores like Amoeba are practically non-existent. 
I was overwhelmed (in a good way) with the extensive selection of music and movies. 

Had a great time browsing the classics/ indies movie sections.
Ended up buying Requiem for a Dream and Run, Lola Run for a little over $10
bucks,

Oh yeah, 10% student discount. 
Win,

Can't wait to come back so I can start building my movie collection :)
3 - Mari V.: Have been coming here for years. Sometimes people are nice and helpful, sometimes annoyed to be bothered. Sometimes I get a decent price for my CD's to sell, sometimes I get peanuts. Sometimes my returns are carefully calculated, sometimes a figure is tossed off without much effort to be accurate. EVERY time I get charged tax on both my credit and my new purchases, so in effect I am paying tax twice. How they get away with that, I have no idea!

Till I read other reviews I thought they were the only game in town. Despite the problems, I HAVE to have a music store. So, think I'll give Rasputin's a shot next time.
5 - Return T.: Love it.  The smell of the CDs is intoxicating.
5 - Tommy M.: The heavy metal buyer here is very good. They are not afraid to carry albums that other stores may consider obscure or weird. This is the main reason I come to Amoeba, and the reason I will continue to come here. If I wanted just your average metal album, I would just go to any other store. Highly recommend for fans of Black Metal, NWOBHM, and Doom Metal. Keep up the good work, don't give into social pressures and remove these obscure foreign bands from your selection, if the buyer reads this, they should know what Im talking about. Also! on a side note, I met the buyer and now I receive call occasionally when titles that they think I may like come into the store....who else does that?!
3 - Jon T.: Not bad, but not great either. After being very used to the selection and organization in SF, this Amoeba seems a little lacking. There's still a pretty large vinyl selection, but when I went, I couldn't find what I was looking for.
2 - Zwolf A. U.: Pondering the reasons for the inconsistent experiences one gets at Amoeba - Telegraph is heady philosophy. First read other reviews -- same mixed experiences from many, many people. 

Same as many people, I've been shopping at the local music stores for a lot of years (more than 20 for me). Now it's a 20 mile drive to Berkeley and all the pain-in-the-ass aspects of Telegraph (parking, parking meters, filth, addicts, stinking incense, etc.) make a return trek that much more reliant on the store experience. So when my partner tells me that my negative store experience has ruined our entire evening, it's another nail in the coffin.

Took in a few cds and dvds so that I'd have some trade to play with, but the staff was all bitchy last night and the buyer I got (the big dud with a black birthday-cake hat and beady eyes) only bought 1 cd and 1 dvd and gave me $3 total -- stuff I had paid more than $15 for at Amoeba. He didn't look anything up, and was snarky when I asked him about it. Just another ugly experience to go along with the growing list of reasons not to return. I stopped dragging books to Moe's, clothing to Buffalo Exchange and perhaps it's time to add Amoeba to the list. Unfortunately, the competition hasn't been better in this regard, but it's donating to Goodwill is becoming more gratifying.

For years, the bricks-and-mortar independents have been railing against shopping at the big chains that carry music, and the ever-growing number of on-line options, and the trend toward digital downloads from home, but when they take away the remaining reason for going -- getting some trade-in so you can happily browse the racks for an hour or two -- they aren't doing themselves, their customers, nor the music industry any favors.  

Telegraph dishes out more toxicity than the Rasputin experience in Vallejo, Concord, Stockton, Campbell or Mountain View.  Perhaps Amoeba will soon be added to the gravestones on the Rasputin shopping bag. If you don't know what that refers to check out the music-store cemetery on the bag. It's great and sad all at the same time... and maybe that's why Amoeba employees get into their funk and now frequently cheat their customers out of a good experience.
5 - Joseph A.: I was overwhelmed, that is good.  One does not find music/video stores like this one anywhere.  The selection is unbelievable!  I didn't know where to start, but I was able to get the CDs I wanted for an excellent price !!
4 - Cassandra J.: I had no idea that Amoeba had a second location over in Berkeley (I've gone to the Haight one usually). We stopped in while shopping in the area to go through the stock. 

I was unable to find a few things I was looking for (either weren't actually in stock or the classification system is a bit wonky). Staff was friendly and helpful in looking up items for me, but alas, my desires were not to be found. 

I did pick up some tv seasons on dvd for an absolutely insanely good price ($10 for a full season? Yesplz!) The credit token we had from the Haight store was useable here, so wound up paying $10 cash for $30 worth of DVDs and CDs.

This store is far smaller than the Haight store, so the stock is probably a lot thinner and the divisions a lot more compressed, but there's definitely a lot to dig through for your music needs.
2 - Russell C.: If you're looking for a first pressing of Joy Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart to impress girls and people in your dorm you can probably find a used and overpriced copy here that the last college kid traded in after his college romance tore him and his girlfriend apart.  But if you're a serious vinyl collector you're not going to be overwhelmed or overjoyed by the selection in the new arrivals or the used bins, like you would be at the SF store.
2 - Garfield J.: Oh, how the might have fallen.....

Ok, granted, having being a vinyl collector for now over 20 years---If you would have asked me to rate Amoeba in the first 18 years, they would be well past 5 stars----but...........the last 2 years they have become tired, ----I never thought I'd say this, but Rasputins Berkeley just stomps them when it comes to vinyl selection and pricing. I almost always see Amoeba employees shopping for vinyl there 

There are probably numerous reasons why they have fallen
From an ownership/management perspective, I heard one of the uber-wealthy owners is pretty clueless and full of ego-

but there is also blame due to their often too cool for school hipster employees. 
You know, a simple example, some obsure cool record, you will never find for a fair reasonable price----the hipster employee will know the coolness factor and will price that record or CD for 3-4 times \what  it should be,---that record will sit for months and months and months trying to find that 'right' buyer who will spring for it--but in our wired day and age, we can now find the same thing on Ebay for a fair and reasonable price........sure, it is cool to find scores locally, but their pricing has removed the fun in that
5 - Voidy Q.: They sell anime (and hentai, for you pervy sages) in the back! I got the entire "Serial Experiments: Lain" series on DVD for cheap. I was happy that day. They had season one of Yu Yu Hakusho, too -- talk about nostalgia, oh my god -- but I would've felt bad about buying both all at once. 

... Their music selection isn't bad either.

Amore Mediterranean Restaurant - Atlanta, GA (33.7805996, -84.3874755) (Midtown)
3 - Travis N.: We came across this place leaving the yelp party Monday at Marlow's.. it's just next door.

Apparently from the feel it had just opened.  

First off the decor is impressive...you walk in to a giant ceiling, effective lighting (not bright, but not too dark) and flowing curtains.

As my friend with me remarked, it would be a great place to hold a wedding reception.

We sat down and started ordering from the tapas menu.  The food was Mediterranean in nature, for example the Calamari has curry on it etc.

Unfortunately for it the food, could not live up to the decor and the wine list.  The fillet kabob was good, but the pizza was just pedestrian.


However where this place did stand out was in its desserts, the truffles were more balls of ice cream, but very good nonetheless.  I think this will become a dessert/drink stop over after a night at some of the better restaurants in the area.

so to conclude

Pros: Good wine List, Great Desserts, decent prices
Cons: average food, an over naming syndrome, (can we just call a pepperoni pizza a pepperoni pizza?)
overall: A good second stop after dinner at other places in the area.
3 - Aanal P.: Beautiful restaurant........love the booth seats that has a curtain for privacy and seats are on the floor with pillows.  The restaurant is huge...and has darkwood floors (my favorite) and candles and little vases with flowers everywhere.  You really feel like you are in a five star restaurant.  I was floored when I saw the prices on the menu....it was very very very reasonable.  

I went to Amore with a friend for dinner and started out with a glass of wine, which was really nice and smooth.  The bread (pita bread) that they bring out in the beginning had a nice flavor, but it was dry.  Seemed like the bread was brick ovenbaked, but it didn't have butter or any sides to go with it.  

Calamari was kind of fishy and overly fried, the beef kabobs were tasty, but chewy and the main dish....."spicy pastrami pizza"....which was more like a pepperoni pizza.  The pizza did taste good, which was brick ovenbaked....and very gooey.  While I do love brick ovenbaked pizza, because the taste is like no other, a little variety would have been nice to see on the menu.  

BUT, the best part of dinner was the dessert...cappucino truffle ice cream and the gelato coco ice cream truffle...with a nice cup of hot cappucino.....hit the spot.  My friend and I could not get enough of the truffles.....oh so good.....

Overall the restaurant is beautiful inside and also very big.....even big enough for a wedding reception :) they have upstairs seatings as well....and by the looks of the restaurant and the fact that it is a mediterranean restaurant....they have got to have belly dancers on Saturdays (still researching that)....and if not, they should definitely look into getting some dancers.
4 - Gilda P.: Cafe Amore offers Mediterranean cuisine with several good options in the menu; from brick oven pizzas (VERY GOOD!) to an excellent cut of beef seared to perfection.  When I went we were 4 adults and 2 toddlers, not an easy arrangement but we got to seat in one of the semi-private booths (they have curtains you can close and cushions so our toddlers could jump around without disturbing the clientele) the food was really great and they were very accommodating to our toddlers, they made pasta with butter and offered stir fried vegetables.  The service was good and prices were fair for the portions and beautiful presentation.  It is just an excellent option if you are in Midtown and are tired of the usual or the lunch crowd is driving you nuts (salads anyone?)  They offered warm rosemary flat bread and the glasses of wine were generous, what else to say? We will definately come back.  The cafe transforms into a lounge on Fridays and Saturday evenings and they have a DJ on-site that plays great music!!!
5 - Dan W.: Went to Amore for the first time last Friday night with my wife and we had a fantastic evening. First of all the place is very charming; as we walked in, we were mesmerized by the elegant decor and the overall richness of the place. We were seated very promptly and were treated great. We started with the PIE mussels and the Carpaccio, and they were both great; I never tasted better Carpaccio outside Italy. The rosemary foccasia was to die for. My wife had the roasted Scottish salmon and I had the Shrimp Fried Diablo. My wife kept bragging about how tasty her salmon was, but I still think my shrimp was out of this world. The wine was amazing and the service was outstanding and very personable, however, my best part was the dessert; Oh My GOD, My wife had a Napoleon and I had a Cappuccino Truffle and they were both amazing. I personally think this place will become a destination by itself. We will definitely be back.


In short:
Pros: everything
Cons: Nothing I can think of
Overall: great place for anyone looking for an elegant yet affordable dining experience.
4 - Deanna S.: Just walking into this place is like watching a circus.. your eyes will be moving around the whole time to catch something different at every angle.   You walk in and see the iron-railed balcony seats (very Mediterranean) then you turn and you see private booths with curtains and chandeliers (very romantic. I have to come back here with a date just to check out the comfort.)  Then you face another direction and see a DJ with a dance floor and strobe lights! Then at 10pm the dancers come out. if you don't like the belly dancer, then a more modern dancer will come out....then, surprise! a guitarist!  The menu is also a mixture of all things good: a little Italian (caprese and pasta) , Middle Eastern (hummus and baba ghanoush) and seafood (grilled salmon and crab ravioli.)  Drinks and desserts were pricey, but worth it!! I didn't see a website for this place since it's fairly new, so good luck finding the menu.  Parking is the same space at Marlow's Tavern, it's covered or valet.
4 - Joel C.: This restaurant is crazy huge!  Tons of tables and seating and the decor was very detailed that you feel like you are in another country!  David and I had one of our best friends in town.  Danielle use to live in Atlanta about 2 years ago and we wanted to show her the changes of the city.  We were going to take her to Marlow's Tavern but decided on trying out Amore.

Definitely a very good choice since both the service and the food was excellent.  We started off our meals with stuffed grape leaves and hummus.  All of us ordered kabobs, the chicken and steak, and it was delicious as well.  The dessert menu looked really good, but we passed since we filled ourselves with pita bread.

I would definitely go back, especially on a nice day since they have outdoor seating and open up all the doors in the restaurant.  It can be a bit pricey though!  The waitress told us on Friday nights they have belly dancers and a live band.
3 - Katie W.: This is an interesting place and not just because of its physical appearance.  The appearance intrigues me.  Using the back entrance, I entered into a huge room with vaulted ceilings which was highly decorated and generally aesthetically pleasing.  It looks like an old-fashioned dance hall.  There is also another big room with vaulted ceilings and there is an upstairs section all of which has a railing to overlook the lower sections; very big and grand.  I scoped out this one unique private room upstairs that had a curtain and fluffy cushions and pillows, and was very hidden.  It looked like a cool, cozy place for a party of eight or so to just hang out for an evening.  

We were seated in one of the large rooms which happened to be the one that did not have the live music that was to begin shortly.  From this room the lounge-y music was not as loud as it might have been and it was tolerable.  If I was right next to it, I think I might have been annoyed rather than merely amused.

The menu is a little bit all over the place.  They had a lot of pizzas, appetizers, kebab plates, some bigger entrees, and salads.  A lot of the appetizers sounded good but I did not try any (if I return I will definitely try these since they were really the most interesting items on the menu).  I ordered a Greek salad and a quattro formaggio pizza.  We were served a basket of rock-hard bread and this very strange plate with two very tiny and oddly shaped globs of butter.  I couldn't tell what it was and, at first, I thought it was a dirty plate that they had mistakenly set out.  Really, it looked like there used to be butter on it and then other people used it up and they brought the remnants to us.  Not that I needed butter, anyway, because the bread was way too hard to actually eat.  Since I already had wine, I requested a glass of water, but I was the only one at the table who received water or was offered water the entire time.  The wine list was a little small but had some interesting choices even thought the wine I ordered was kinda meh.  

My salad was delicious - lots of peppers, olives, onions, lettuce and a huge piece of feta; I ate every bite which was only a problem when my pizza came out as I was about halfway through my salad.  The entrees were brought out and left at the table to get cold while we finished the salads.  My pizza was good but it was soggy by the time I got to it.  It was thin crust and flavorful, and maybe was crispy at one time, but I couldn't tell because it sat and cooled down before I got to try it.  Also, the cheese had kinda congealed and was not all hot and melted anymore.  It was still OK but it might have been much better with proper timing.

We also tried a dessert (cheesecake) and it was decent but they definitely do not make their desserts here.  They are very much reminiscent of restaurants in Italy that order all their desserts from a supplier and they have a colorful glossy menu with pictures of the many desserts they offer (as does Amore), and the desserts are good but not remarkable.

Throughout dinner, there were a lot of people working who seemed to be preparing for some sort of later evening entertainment.  This is fine but it's a bit distracting to be dining - not all that late, mind you - and to see tables and chairs being hoisted overhead and on shoulders to be carried upstairs, people rushing everywhere, lights being strung, etc. in preparation for something - either a party or maybe just their general nighttime club scene - and this was sort of confirmed when a crowd of big-haired girls sporting sunglasses (inside, at night) and short, sparkly dresses appeared and headed upstairs.  It felt like serving dinner was more of an afterthought than a focus here.  

The bathroom situation was a little odd.  There is one men's and one women's restroom, each a single room with a locking door and an open shared sink in between them.  You wait for your turn by the sink which is also really close to where the dining tables are set up.  I felt a little strange standing so close to the tables waiting for the restroom - I was just happy it was not too crowded.  Once I made it into the little one room bathroom, I encountered what is quite possibly the most annoying automatic towel dispenser ever.  You have to almost touch it to set the sensor off, and then it dispenses strip of towel about three inches long.  But, you can't just hit the sensor again to add another three inches; you have to tear off the first three inches, then trigger the sensor and then get another little three inch section of towel.  So, to dry my hands, I had four little scraps of paper.

I think I'll return but I don't think I would go for dinner.  I'd probably just sit at the bar and eat appetizers.  I debated a 2 or 3 star rating for this one and I went with the 3 but, if I go back and it's not better, I will definitely make it a 2; they are walking a fine line with me right now.
4 - Chuan S.: That's Amore!  I feel generous tonight so I will give it 4 stars.  I had lunch here today.  This place gives off more of a Mediterranean or Greek vibe than Italian.  There are some pasta dishes but, none of the sandwiches on their menu had an Italian flare.  I ordered a felafel which was served with a side salad.  The word can either be spelled falafel or felafel.  Before the meal arrives, they serve a rather thick soft bread with olive oil.  The side salad was very good and had a very refreshing taste.  I rather enjoy the felafel too but that could be because I haven't had one in a rather long time.  The interior design of Amore is pretty interesting with red tapestry over white alcoves.  The inner dining area also has a TV with a DJ booth on a second floor balcony.  I think I might prefer this place over Marlow's which is next door.  Only time will tell if this 4 star stands.
4 - Kyle S.: We had the fortune of stopping by this place on for a warm sunny sidewalk lunch. Ended up with an awesome platter that included gyro meat, a kabob, rice and grilled vegetables, all exquisitely seasoned and all easily enough to split. Our server was both new to the restaurant and new to some intricacies of the English language but she was more than friendly and did her best to figure out what we were trying to order. The menu is not only Italian, more an interesting and delicious blend of mediteranean plates. Easy parking in the provided deck and a half block walk from the midtown metro station makes it a quick find for lunch. Looking forward to going back soon. Especially now that I've actually looked at the interior photos here on the Yelp page, even cooler atmosphere!
4 - Tracy L.: ATMOSPHERE: Exotic looking and pretty inside.  They have table seating in addition to booth sitting which is close to the floor so it's like you are sitting on the floor, It was a weekday night and it wasn't that crowded. Some people smoking hookah but it didn't get super smoky inside as the place is roomy.
FOOD: Good amount of vegetarian selections mostly in the appetizer/salad section but enough to make a good dinner out of: 
1. Amore salad - yum! Favorite part of the meal. Grilled eggplant, squash, mushroom with greens and goat cheese in a sweet vinaigrette (rasberry?). This is very good. I'm going to try to make this at home. 
2. Flaming cheese - it's just cheese they set on fire in front of you and put out by lemon juice. Tasted like cooked mozzarella taken of a piece of pizza. Nothing bad just average. 
3. Babaghanoush  - very good but would have preferred not to have so much drizzled oil on top...
4. Merlot - will give samples upon request. Wine list is not very extensive. The merlot initially chosen they ran out of so we stuck with our second and only choice. It was just ok. Forget the name. 
5. Dessert wine - very sweet but good. I usually don't prefer sweet wines.
6. Bread comes with the dinner - average white bread - blah.
SERVICE: Our waiter, Courtney, was excellent. He even charged my dying phone for me via USB on his computer since it was an emergency and I only had my USB cable. Definitely deserves props for that. 
PARKING: on the street - the meter is supposed to take credit card but for some reason was not able to process multiple cards. $2/hour. Didn't really bother trying to find free parking, so not sure if it exists over there. There is some in Technology Square (spring and 5th) after 5pm and all day on weekends.
PRICES: Reasonable for what you get. Portion sizes pretty big. Just right on the salads.
CONCLUSION: Nice place with good food, atmosphere, and service. I would be willing to come back again.
3 - David K.: Really mixed feelings about this place. I love their drink list and the service is generally good. Their menu is all over the place, though. 

There is some Italian food... some Greek stuff... all of which I guess you could group as geographically Mediterranean, but it was kind of smashed together. The music is usually Lebanese (or otherwise inspired by the culture). 

I guess if you're not sure what you're in the mood for, stop here and have a drink. Then just open the menu and point.
2 - Veronica J.: THIS PLACE IS CLOSED.  I'm sure something nice will move in shortly. Sad because I thought the owner use to be partners with the Ibiza owners and that place is still doing well!
1 - Sophia T.: I'm so glad this place finally closed! I like the location, and the time I went it was still warm enough to sit outside, but the service was atrocious!!!

My friend and I just stopped there before going out to just grab a drink. I had some frozen cocktail or something (which I had to explain to the waitress like 5 times) and my friend just ordered a diet coke. My drink was okay, nothing special, but my friend ended up with a regular coke which she hates! We were in a rush and the incompetent waitress took like 20 minutes to make my drink.... its not that hard, just put everything in the blender!!!

By the time we were leaving we were soo annoyed that we were going to give her a $2 tip (which is like 15% given our order). Considering the shitty service I would have liked to walk away without giving her a dime. She had such an attitude the whole time we were there I really wanted to get up and just leave... but that would technically be stealing so we didn't. When I put my $2 on the table she had the audacity to look at my friend and ask her for a tip, then proceeded to say "You know?? I only get paid with tips!". I was about to jump out of my seat but I contained myself. What a bi*ch, not anyone's fault you can't do your job, its not like the place was full!

I never did taste the food, but I sure am glad to see that place finally off the map.

Amplify Barber Shop - Berkeley, CA (37.8678323, -122.2586455) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
5 - Joseph N.: Great haircut, great service.  I came here because the previous barber I went to totally screwed up my hair.  The barber/stylist I saw (forget her name at the moment) fixed it in about 5 minutes and I was on my way feeling very much relieved.
5 - Dean J.: Got my head shaved here. Good place to get the stubble off.
They don't charge a lot, about the same as supercuts, and they do a above normal service, so , go there. I reccomend it.
5 - Shan S.: A great authentic barbershop where the people really take the time to give you a great haircut. Paying attention to detail, and making interesting and friendly conversation, are luxuries when you're getting your haircut, i'd recommend this to all people who are sick of typical cheap asian hair parlors :P
5 - Charlie G.: There are very few actual barber shops in Berkeley; it is nice to find one so close to campus. The fellas that work here move between this location and a high-end salon in Walnut Creek. My barber had a good idea of how to cut my hair, explained to me what he did, and it came out pretty well. It was one of the better cuts that I've had in a while. He was also one the the most friendly barbers that I've had. He made sure to compliment all the hot girls that walked past the window, just between us of course. He asked me not to tell his wife. Cost: $18 plus tip.
3 - Andres G.: Changed my review from 4 stars to 3. 

Main reason being price went up twice in a short period a while back and I have not been back since. Haircuts in Berkeley are usually more expensive due to high rents.. We all get that but at the end of the day a mans barber-shop haircut should not be over $20

That's just my opinion

Otherwise the Barbers seems skilled enough but if you are not into paying premium prices shop around.
5 - Deepak R.: The guy doing the haircuts is helpful and knows his stuff, made getting a haircut fun and gave a great cut. Definitely coming back.
5 - Bennett L.: I don't care if it's a 10 mile drive from where I live or if I have to pay $6 for the bridge toll to get back home, I'll be back to this place.

I had been searching for a barber shop here in the Bay Area for the past few days.  Of course, my fellow Yelpers wouldn't steer me wrong.  This place is in the heart of Berkeley's campus area and is a laid back, walk up establishment.  No appointments necessary.  They'll hook you up.

For guys like me who are follically challenged, the request is simple.  Just your standard buzz cut to streamline the past couple of weeks of growth on the sides.  The girl who did the honors was a delight.  I can't remember her name exactly only that it starts with an "S" and is unique.  Please forgive me.  She is super hot and was dumbfounded by my recent decision to leave Portland.  My kind of lady indeed.

Oh did I mention they gave me a free beer to enjoy as I was getting my hair did?  Yes, yes they did.  Tecate it up my friends!  I don't know if this is a regular thing here, but they had some brews handy and tossed one my way.  THAT is certainly a first.  Why can't all places be like this?
3 - Meaty M.: Best thing about this place is the cute girl cutting your hair and the fact that they are open on a Monday. I usually go to the Grand Barber Shop in El Cerrito, but it was a Monday and I really needed a haircut.

Decent haircut but they do not use a straight razor (there is a sign in the shop saying so). You really can't call yourself a barber shop if you don't use a straight razor IMHO. I also wouldn't call the girl a barber, she's more of a stylist working at a barber shop. $18 for a haircut (not including tip). You should always tip your barber! 

FYI: Cash Only place! The barber (stylist) informed me that only one person works there on Mondays and Saturdays at the moment until business picks up (they just opened about 6 months ago). She does quick work, I was out of there in less than 15 minutes, so you shouldn't have a long wait if you are in line.

I would go there again but only as a second choice. I prefer my 80 year old barber who takes his time and uses a straight razor.
5 - J. S.: Finally my first review...

Great place to get a haircut. The staff are cool and do a good job. Sandrine is a blast. 

Definitely check them out. Been 3 times and have finally found my barber in Berkeley.
4 - Brett L.: Used to go to their shop in WC but when I moved out here it was a little to far to go for a cut. Stoked Alan opened another one in Berkeley. Parking/traffice can be an issue as it's right next to campus.  Great people, cuts, and price. People in the Berkeley/510 area, go to Amplify!!!!!
5 - Tony H.: Love this place.  I've gotten my haircut by 3 different barbers and they all did a great job!   This is significant because I've, literally, been to 5 different places and have been butchered by each.  I have difficult hair to cut so almost no one ever gets it right the first time.  But 3 different barbers here got it done the 1st time.  Needless to say I'm impressed and will be coming back here from now on.  You probly should too!
1 - Kevin B.: The barber I worked with could not take basic directions on what to do and made me look like an idiot. Avoid at all costs. Also, $20 for a haircut at a barbershop is ridiculous.
4 - Ray C.: Got a full haircut, my first straight razor shave, lined-up and tapered for 45 Bucks. I couldn't be happier, i left the barber and went straight for work and immediately got compliments from my coworkers and employees and my sharp-lookin cut. 

1 word to describe this place: cool. They have playboys to look at while you wait for your cut. They had old school country music playing. We had intimate talks about comic books, DC vs. Marvel. A boys' club definately. Anyone wanting a cool atmosphere and nice clean cut should go here. 

Ask for Mike.
5 - Dongwan K.: Great place to haircut if you are looking for some real men's haircut.

probably the only barber around the campus although there are plenty salons for some reasons

Barbers are super friendly and they remember your hair type and style in detail so no wasting time on explaining type of haircut you want to get

No appointment is necessary and they are open all 7 days
5 - Douglas S.: I just happened to be visiting a friend in Berkley, and was in desperate need of a cut.  So, after a quick Google search, I found Amplify Barber Shop and saw all of the great reviews here on Yelp.  And I am very glad to say that I was not disappointed.  Not only did I get one of the best haircuts that I've had in a long time, but I also got a great beard trim, as well as some good conversation.  The shop itself is very old school (which I loved) and the environment was very comfortable.  Best thing is that I didn't have to drop $50 for a basic men's cut, didn't need an appointment, and was in and out of there in a reasonable mount of time.  I will definitely be back the next time I come through town!
5 - J C.: Waked in, met the owner Alex (or Alan?), chatted with him for a few minutes about what I wanted and then 30 minutes later, walked out with one of the best cuts I've ever had.  Thanks a lot Alan, looking forward to coming back!
5 - Mitch M.: More expensive than other places in Berkeley, but the difference is worth it.  Barbers are very friendly.  Shout out to Naomi; best guy's cut I've gotten from a girl.
5 - Vinod C.: Great place. The staff are friendly, professional and explain their reasoning if their opinion differs from yours. 

Garrett was a perfectionist who took his time making sure that I got an excellent haircut, even though I came in just a little before closing. Definitely one of the best haircuts I've had in the past few years.

Also got a free comb and a coupon for $3 off to their new place half a block away - next to Kips.
2 - DJ G.: I feel like they're more focused on the image of a barbershop than on giving good haircuts.
4 - bad k.: TBH, I find the aggressively heterosexual vibe of this place to be a little forced and pretentious. Flat panel tv playing sports, vintage Playboys plus Hot Rod and Lowrider mags on the table in the waiting area. Nevertheless it IS more welcoming than just about every other chop shop around the Cal campus area. I'd rather wait in slightly pretentious, tongue in cheek comfort than be herded like cattle in a buzz cut emporium that pretends to be a salon.

What it really comes down to though, is that at Amplify, for as cheap as all the other places in and around Telegraph, you get a fine haircut from a barber/stylist that you can communicate with and who actually listens to you. Oh, and actually has skill.

I get my hair cut by Nick (a little on the short side, mustachioed). He's given me a great cut every time and has figured out just how to deal with my cowlicks. You'd think all those Asian lady barbers in the other salons would know how to deal with my Korean hair, but no! Nick, on the other hand, was able to step to and give me a cut that was more than "a tight fade staring with the #2 guard." Bravo. I've also seen the taller kinda greaser looking guy do straight razor shares, but haven't splurged on that yet.

Anyway, I generally hate "the Ave," and try to spend my money elsewhere if I can help it. But seeing as I work very near by, I'm pretty stoked that I can get a quick, quality haircut without going out of my way or making an appointment way in advance.
5 - Adam R.: Great place! Barber was friendly, and I like the vibe they have going on. Great cut, too.
5 - Benjamin D.: Elie, aka The Lebanese Magician, will take care of you; not only does he use a straight razor, but you can tell he enjoys what he's doing -- a true artisan barber.
4 - Arjun P.: My barber was a Lebanese dude named Eli. Cool guy, gave me a sweet fade. Would def go back again. Patrons and owners alike engaged in copious swearing in the shop, which added to the atmosphere.
5 - Navid N.: Nick rules and is such an incredible stylist.  

The space is interesting too: fish tank (rules) magazines (the playboys are a bit off-putting but I guess Berkeley students really lack imagination- especially sexual), couches (really comfortable and shitty looking), etc. 

But it's really about Nick. He does such a great job for a cut under $30. Best cut in the east bay... and especially for the price.
5 - Jessie S.: Excellent place! 

Garett gave me a tight cut and then I got the straigth razor treatment from the other guy (sorry cannot remeber your name)

I had not shaved or cut my hair for six months when I walked in. They hooked me up and left with a nice cut and a vandyke with a handle bar mustach! 

Super geat guy thanks...see you this weekend. For the second visit!
5 - Peter R.: Best cut in Berkeley.  Garrett is the man.
5 - Kevin B.: You can't beat the price for value combination here.
5 - george t.: Just ran in here yesterday.  The owner, Allan, (I *think that was his name*) hooked me up with a really nice cut.  Nice guy, really cared about his place.  It's definitely a barber shop--not a lot of frills here, and def not like that place in oakland with the 19th century hipster moustache guys.  Another reviewer mentioned the "aggressively hetero" vibe of the place, but I didn't really feel that way.  It's not one of those places that gives you a pbr and has sportscenter playing on flatscreens.  Just a good place to get a much-better-than supercuts haircut for $21--a rarity.  Highly recommended.
5 - Palash A.: I wish I still lived in Berkeley so I could get my hair cut here. I have been searching for a place since I left last year and have not found anywhere nearly as good.

There is no need for an appointment, just walk in and any of the friendly barbers (they are all kick ass at cutting hair btw) will cut your hair just the way you like it. If you don't know how you want it, I have had great success by asking them to "make it look good", and I have never been disappointed.

This is not a shop for kids (they have playboys available), and it certainly has a bit of a mens vibe to it with hotrod magazines, sunglasses, and tattoos. That said it far outshines every salon in Berkeley (which seems to attract a ton of low quality extra cheap "stylists"), and is one of the best I have been to around the entire bay area as well.

It is a bit expensive, and they only take cash, but it is worth it to get an amazing haircut from people who clearly enjoy what they do and are professionals at it.

You will leave feeling confident in your looks.
5 - E K.: Had my hair cut by Eli today. He did a great job, was fun to talk to, and went above and beyond in terms of service. He threw in a wash for free when I told him I had class after the cut so I wouldn't have to spend all day with little pieces of hair falling into my face. The haircut is edgy but clean and he did a great job with the little quirks of my hair, e.g. cowlicks. I'd highly recommend him.
5 - Daniel A.: Found my barber shop! I just moved here from the East coast and was dreading the initial searches for go-tos: go-to bar, go-to grocery, go-to gym, and go-to barbershop.  On the first try I wander into Amplify between classes.  It has a good vibe and the price is right so I stick out the long wait on one of their giant leather couches.  I then sit down in Angela's chair and she gets me right away (it's disconcerting when a barber doesn't know what a faux-hawk is).  Usually I have to go home and try to work with what the barbers have done.  I always get that "you obviously just got a haircut recently; don't worry, it will grow out" stage.  Not this time.  Right off the assembly line, I like what I see.  

To recap: good price, near campus, and talented barbers.  I was slightly surprised to see their magazine selection consisted of Playboy and Hustler, but I guess I'm not in Virginia anymore.

Also: CASH ONLY.

Amsterdam Cleaners & Tailors - New York, NY (40.803232, -73.9638901) (Manhattan Valley)
1 - Faith C.: I got three items altered here and they ruined every single one. I honestly think the "tailor" doesn't know how to sew. Both of my jean hems (Seven for All Mankind, Rock and Republic) were uneven, so that's basically $200 down the drain. I didn't even ask for the original hem!

The silk dress I asked to be taken in (a relatively simple task) now has crude stitches along the side. And honestly, I'm wondering whether they actually dry cleaned my pants. 

If you love your clothes, never EVER take them here to be cleaned or altered. I lost $300 worth of clothes here; I can barely wear them in their current condition. Amsterdam Cleaners should have -100 stars.
1 - Jennifer S.: Amsterdam Cleaners ruined two of my sweaters and then tried to put the blame on me. I dropped off two sweaters to be cleaned and they were returned to me with holes in them, with one sweater so damaged I can no longer wear it. When I brought this to the store clerks attention, he told me that the holes were already in the sweaters prior to the cleaning. Not only is this completely untrue but he should know that any reputable cleaners would check for stains and damages before cleaning. Next, he referred me to the ?store manager who pretended not to know English. Later on, I was told 'mistakes happen' but they did nothing in terms of compensation, not even an apology for so obviously damaging my clothes.
5 - Chris C.: I'm writing this review because I am unsure of all the previous negative reviews. I started coming here because of a recommendation from my roommate who really enjoyed their services and wasn't let down. 

This business is competent, quick and has extremely reasonable prices. I have never had a problem with their services and drop clothes off at least twice a week. Finally, their free delivery of your dry cleaned clothes is another nice perk.
1 - Joseph B.: This place is awful. They cannot manage to properly press a single collared shirt, and every suit they touch manages to get overpressed or overcleaned, until the fabric is stiff, shiny, and the lapels uneven. They will destroy your clothes. Also, they have very poor customer service. I could not recommend a dry cleaner to avoid more wholeheartedly.

Amsterdam Pizza & Restaurant - New York, NY (40.8133753, -73.9560713) (Harlem)
5 - Michael L.: This place is a real hidden gem, I'm almost reluctant to write a review to avoid increasing the competition to get a table. =)

 Located just across 125th street from the Morningside Heights, that location across 125 makes all the difference.  This place is Harlem through and through.  The crowd is overwhelmingly local, I don't think I've ever seen a Columbia or Barnard student there before.  Every student living in the area should know about this place, and I'm surprised that it's not more popular with the students.  Where else can you go to get a delicious plate of french toast and sausages for only $5 including tip?  The lack of students hasn't stopped this place from being completely packed by the locals though!

The menu spans pretty much every type of American food you can think of, but pretty much every time I go I can't resist getting the breakfast food.  The service here is fantastic - very friendly and casual.  Only trouble is they only have four or five tables here, and the biggest tables only seat four, so it can be pretty tough to get seated, especially with bigger groups.

It's all about the location.  Located close enough that you don't have to risk death just to get some chow, but still located in Harlem, making it soo cheap (and good)!
5 - Jim C.: This might be the only 5 star review I ever give.  Mike L. and I frequented this place back when we lived in the area.

I generally refer to this place just as "The 125th Diner with the big yellow Pizza sign."  For the money (you can get out of there for $5 a person including tax and tip and be so full you can't walk), this dingy little place on 125th and Amsterdam is the absolute best bargain in NY.  I've pretty much only ordered brunch food here, and you'll get 2 eggs, toast (white or wheat), home or french fries, bacon or sausage, and bottomless coffee for less than 5 dollars, and it will be cooked to perfection and delivered to your table with a smile.  

The waitstaff is both extremely friendly and surprisingly talented.  I've never seen a guy memorize 5 or 6 complicated multipart orders and come back with everyone's food prepared exactly as requested.  Because of its relative obscurity and diminuitive size - I don't think it has more than about 6 tables - this restaurant has a very homey feel.  The downside is that you are virtually guaranteed a 10-15 minute wait for a table, as it is perpetually packed with Harlem locals whom I suspect would like to keep this place a well-guarded secret.

Just a word of warning to those of you who may get an impression that this place is stylish or classy.  It is not, and would not like to be.  it sets out to serve outstanding food with great service, not to compete with Megu for best decor.  On both counts, it is a smashing success.

A few blocks away on Amsterdam is a little place known as Kitchenette.  After discovering The 125th Diner, I grew a strong loathing for Kitchenette, as The Diner did everything Kitchenette could, except better in every conceivable way.  Cheaper, tastier, friendlier, less crowded...what more could I ask for?
4 - Richard K.: The Diner -- simple goodness that comes so cheap, you can tip the waiter 35% and walk out like a stuffed balla.
4 - Douglas H.: Nice place to enjoy a good time with friends. Their basil risotto is really good if you like the taste

Amsterdam Restaurant & Tapas Lounge - New York, NY (40.8088802, -73.9593312) (Morningside Heights)
3 - Liz S.: The tapas are decent, but it's a looonnnng way to go if you are not in that far uptown to begin with (from 31st St. to 119th = $20 cab ride, ouch)

I went to this restaurant with Denise L., who is one of the most fun people to dine with as we both love food and trying new places.  The best part of our evening was sitting outside on a balmy summer night and not being crowded.  

We tried the beef empanadas and baked brie to start - both good.  The empanadas had a flaky crust and savory filling, and the baked brie, while small, was flavorful, with a garnish of walnuts and dates, and drizzled with honey.  We washed these down with a couple of cocktails, taking advantage of the Happy Hour which was $5 cocktails before 7pm.  For dinner, we switched to Sangria, which was excellent.

Then we shared the Pollo al Ajillo for dinner, which was a great dish.  Big pieces of chicken and a salty, savory sauce with a lot of green olives.  If you like green olives, this is the dish for you.  We also shared the St. Louis Spare Ribs, which were pretty good - not great.

Desserts were just OK.  The Molten Chocolate Cake had a good flavor, but did not ooze chocolate as anticipated.  The Apple Crisp had a nice crumb topping and a very generous portion of sliced apples, but definitely no crispness.

It was a nice experience and the service was good, but I would have to have a reason to be that far uptown to visit this place again.  The Lounge inside looked cool and could be a good choice for a private party or gathering.
2 - Denise L.: 2 1/2 stars... (I'm not as nice as Liz S.) After a long, rough work week in NYC, I spent my last meal dining with Liz S. We decided to venture off away for the bustling city and decided to try New Amsterdam. We sat outside on the patio and enjoyed the summer heat. 

We started with the beef empandas. They were really good. Golden crisp and perfectly flaky with flavorful meat inside. The baked brie was just okay.

The pollo al Ajillo was good. Juicy, moist chicken with a flavorful olive flavored sauce. It was pretty good. We also had the spare ribs.... they were just okay. Came with a side of fries and they were good, but can't go wrong with fries right?

Dessert was quite disappointing. Molten chocolate cake was NOT warm or "molting" either! BUMMER!!!! Apple crisp was NOT crisp! Another bummer!!! Being a HUGE dessert fan, this was not a fun way to end your last meal in NYC.

Oh well... my fault for picking this place. Honestly, it wasn't that bad, but given ALL the wonderful places to eat at in NYC, I was kicking my butt for picking this place!!!
3 - Gabby D.: Another fun after-work spot! We shimmied right through the upstairs dining area and down to The Lounge.  Dark...some pillars....DJ...bar...lounge...chairs?? All fitting things for 4pm .Anyway, the music is great--the DJ likes to spin some of everyone's favorite salsa-merengue-just shake it kinda blend.  Nice. They have great Happy Hour specials. $3, $4, $5 drinks specials?? Something like that. Um, yes.  Food is a little expensive, but isn't that the trendy nature of tapas? I followed the crowd and ordered the quesadillas. Definitely worth it.  Quite filling and quite tasty. Definitely a good time.  Although, I'm not sure if the highlight for me was the affordable drinks...the delish quesadillas...or perrrhaps it was the 40 year old men who insisted on charming us on the dancefloor with twists, spins, and turns while we made our way to the exit.....
4 - Hugo O.: I used to frequent the Am-Caf as it was called (and still by me, anyway). It was a run of the mill columbia bar/eatery. I had stopped going for some time as I switched up my friday night hang-out to the now defunct West End Bar.  Anyway, my brother and I used to be good friends with one of the bartenders and bouncers from West End. We heard one of them was having his birthday celebration there. Plus, the bouncer was now workin at Am-Caf. My brother and I headed there after stoppin by Moca. The entire West End crew was there. I hadn't been there since before they made the renovations. The place looked hot! The lounge downstairs was pumping. The DJ, which we also knew from West End, never disappointed on the tracks. The bar area is sexy and the bartender there was a real nice guy. Me and my brother have a tradition of just tipping real heavy from the get go and seeing what happens ala "you start with an A grade, all you got to do is keep it". My man never disappointed. It was awesome to see familiar faces from West End. That's what hooked me in. I'm only 15 minutes from the place so you won't be hardpressed to find me there on a Friday/Saturday night. Definitely take advantage of their happy hours Monday through Friday from 4pm to 7pm, plus Thursday night from 10pm to 12am. 

I have yet to try the food. But a lot of my friends have told me that the food is top notch with great Tapas selections and worthy of the price. I'll update my review upon sampling. But as a night spot, AmCaf gets a thumbs up.
2 - Rachel D.: The food at Am Cafe is glaringly unacceptable.  The only reason it remains in existence is that many in the columbia community value proximity over quality in their restaurants.
 
Last night I went for a school thing, and even though the food was free I couldn't eat it.  I put in my mouth a seemingly inoffensive "tapa" of green apple, brie and some fruity red sauce.  It tasted like going to the dentist.  

however, the space is okay, and they serve alcohol.  two stars.
3 - Vi V.: Romantic ambience but food is only so-so. I thought my Mahi mahi wih mango salsa and yucca was pretty bland. without the salsa, the mahi mahi was completely  flavorless. and the mango salsa was also disappointing - it wasn't sweet nor spicy enough. not salsa-worthy.

there's a separate lounge area downstairs - good for private parties.
3 - Kathleen R.: Nice and attractive atmosphere for this neck of the woods near Columbia, but for the prices, I'd expect a little more (food was just ok, although the portions were generous).  Still, if you're looking for something other than a deli, dive bar or pizza place up here, give this place a try.
4 - Philine V.: Wow, I'm the first to review this place?  Cool!  

Well, I organized a group of friends to meet here for an evening of drinks and eats and conversation (actually, my Anti-Valentine's Day celebration!).  We were seated in the restaurant (large group), and we liked the look and feel of the place, although it could be cozier.   Ultimately there were about 10-11 of us.

The drinks were mostly outstanding (great Key Lime Pie martini, and the Coco-jito was fab as well), and the food was pretty good.  My roommate had the Media Noche and felt that the pork could have been better, and that it was rather dry (and was lacking the cheese), and that the Cheese Steak Egg Rolls should have had cheese IN them, rather than just in the dipping sauce.  She's a chef, with pretty high standards, but I got the Pernil Napoleon (great idea, good execution) and agree that the pork really had no flavor, which is unforgivable for something labeled Pernil!!!  Should be brimming with flavor!  

Didn't hear any complaints about the other food ordered (I also did the sliders, which were lovely and well-presented) -- I think some of the other things were:  Albondiga Meatballs, Bruschetta, Parmesan Spinach Artichoke Dip, Saganaki, and the Mediterranean Spreads.

All in all, we liked the place.  The waitress was a little abrupt here and there (and the place wasn't THAT busy), but the hostess was delightful and they handled the final checkout very well and with much patience.  I do want to return to try the Lounge downstairs, and to have a full-scale dinner.  I'll re-post when I do!
5 - Derek B.: I have been to many restaurants since I have come up to NY and Amsterdam was a great place.  I thought the food was excellent and the prices were great too.  Ive read some of these other reviews and I dont know if they have been there recently because these are from 2 years ago.  

I had the arugula and goat cheese salad which was great, and for my main meal, I had the grilled skirt steak which was cooked perfectly and tasted great too.  The only problem I did have with the place was the service was a little slow.  I waited almost a half an hour after I was done eating until I received my check, however I was not in a hurry and relaxing with my girlfriend so it wasn't the end of the world.

I would highly recommend this place to try out.  I never really listen to reviews anyways, even though I am writing one.  I would rather experience things first hand and learn for myself.
2 - Tamar F.: I miss AmCaf.  Prior to it's "Upscale Renovation" AmCaf was a bit divey but had good and reasonably priced pub grub and a really fun atmosphere.  It's where you could go for a drink, a snack, and a good time.  Then it became a more upscale restaurant with a martini bar.  I don't think it's a good fit for the area as the food isn't as good as other upscale places in the area and it's now overpriced for students.  The food is okay, nothing to write home about.  But with few good pubs in the area, AmCaf seems like it was better for the area before it became AmRaTL.
4 - Marissa J.: Lunch time/post class cocktail standby for Columbia grad students like myself.

Everything I've had there has been delish - the sandwiches, salads and soups are always good, and the specials never dissapoint.  Pre-meal bread/olive oil is nothing to write home about, but you can't win 'em all!  While I can't comment on dinner, it's never too crowded to hear the people you're with or fit in a last minute study session before a final.
4 - Max S.: i've heard friends say that Amsterdam Cafe is not great and overpriced. I would have to disagree. I find this place to be a really solid restaurant/bar though a little impersonal. The sangria is good. I've enjoyed the food I have had here too. The sweet potato fries are especially noteworthy. I have gone multiple times and will go back when I'm on the UWS.
2 - Jeni Y.: I just have to give a shout-out to "AmCafe" because now that I'm back to school 5 days a week, I seem to end up at this place every other day, for club events, corporate cocktail hours, or something related. The food/drinks here are so mediocre that I refuse to think about my opinions on them, but the venue is definitely big-yet-cozy enough (outdoor seating, indoor seating, downstairs bar/lounge) to spend time relaxing before/after class.
4 - Topher B.: Great specialty martinis. We had key lime pie and midnight espresso, and both were fantastic: well-mixed, served ice-cold, potent. Served in stemless martini glasses.

Artichoke and portabello risotto was pretty tasty, as wash the butternut squash ravioli.

Dimly-lit, spacious interior. Efficient service.
4 - Sarah G.: I've been here for drinks a couple times. They have delicious sangrias. Just last night I had the peach sangria and i highly recommend it. they have some happy hour specials too on drinks which is nice. this area of the UWS has mostly dive bars, so Amsterdam Cafe is a nice change to those.
3 - Chris S.: Food isn't anything special. Selection of draft beer is good. It's only worth going for the happy hour.
3 - Ki G.: One of the problems of doing your master's part-time is that you barely get enough time to hang out with the cool people you meet in your program.

However, sometimes my classmates and I make it a point to hang out because the whole point of going to school is to meet people. Right? Screw the degree, it's all about the people!

Anyways, this week after one of my classes, my classmates and I decided to hang out and we came here. 

It is a really large space, nice decor and lighting. It wasn't too full on a Wednesday night, but there was a comfortable buzz. We snagged a table by the bar area and decided to get one of their 1/2 price bottles of wine and some appetizers.

The apps were OK, the wine was a nice Chianti and the service was with a smile, if a little persistent.

I think that this might be a good place to come after a long day of work and school.


A-OK.
2 - Amy R.: Great place to go for happy hour. The beer selection is nice, and the specials are usually good. The food, on the other hand, not so nice. Stick to normal bar food items and you should be ok.
4 - Mike W.: One day a fool named steve made a brash decision to place 100 dollars on the new england patriots making the playoffs.  I was lucky to be on the victorious end of that wager and used the cash to take my three apartment-mates other than steve out for a meal at this establishment.  It was a sunday night so the vibe was not as trendy as the owners would probably prefer but after pretending not to have reservations upon realizing the emptiness of the restaurant we sat down and had a superb meal.  We asked for more bread about six times and they didn't mind at all-very important.  The food was surprisingly good and the ripping on steve was better.  Best of all-the bill with a characteristically generous tip came out to exactly 100 bucks.  Thanks Tom Brady.
4 - Allison C.: Great happy hour specials ($5 cocktails!) and a tasty brunch. I usually come here for a pre- or post-class get together, when we're all so exhausted a drink is necessary. Downstairs is pretty comfy but sometimes you have to really fight to get the staff's attention (even when it's not that crowded). I've never had dinner here and it looked a little pricey, but still tasty.
2 - Thea T.: I walk in and immediately notice the dark decor, seems space alienish with some type of exotic topping.  Chrome and yellow??

I noticed also that everything was basically glazed with peanuts.  I ordered a wrap (rip off of a sandwich) and it was a-ok.  I enjoyed the french fries but seriously, my food was pretty dull.  My basic chicken wrap had peanut glaze. Ew.  And some shrimp appitizer we ordered too; seemed to have peanut or some nut glaze. What the heck!?

They get two stars for drinks... food, I can't even begin to explain how you should not eat it, eh. It's one of things where you get after feelings, not so good ones.
2 - Sarah B.: When we arrived here at 9:30 on a Saturday night the place was totally dead. This probably should have been a warning sign. However, we had made the journey from the UES to join a friends of a friend for dinner so there was no turning back.

The tapas menu was priced a bit high so I opted for french onion soup and an ahi tuna salad. Both were extremely bland. I hate going out to eat and thinking that I could make something better at home.

The only thing keeping them away from one star is their awesome sangria. We had a pitcher of the white peach and raspberry- both were delicious. 

This place might work well for the Columbia crowd who doesn't venture too far away from campus. But it simply didn't work for me.
3 - Ashley D.: All three times I have gone the food has been good. I remember that I ordered the ravioli and the basil salad. Prices are a tad expensive for quality, but all in all it's not that bad.
3 - Rachel T.: This place is best for happy hour because of their specials on cocktails and beer.  They have a decent number of beers on tap, as well as very potent cocktails.  Best enjoyed sitting outside when the weather's nice.  

The food is average and overpriced, but sometimes they have specials.  Their spinach artichoke dip is great for sharing with a group.
4 - Susan L.: The Amsterdam is a part of my distant past (meaning, in the early 1980's).  I went there several times, either with a friend or with a group of people.  I remember loving the small section by the windows, which I referred to as the "greenhouse"; it had big windows, lots of hanging plants and it's smaller than the interior of the restaurant (definitely try to sit there).  The wait staff was always very friendly, but that was 25+ years ago....
2 - Paula M.: I've lived within 12 blocks of this place for 15 years. Up until today, I thought I was missing something. The timing was convenient, so I popped in for a little lunch. There were a surprising number of flat screen TVs in the dining area and what appeared to be none in the lounge. Kind of backwards in my mind. Not wanting to sit under a TV monitor, I asked for a different seat and was given a nice one by the window. 

My waiter and other staff were as basic and functional as the decor and I eventually ordered a combination 'safe' dish and comfort food: The French Dip with thyme aus jus, substituting fries for a salad.

Before continuing, I should mention that I like clean, unprocessed food and I don't like sugar in anything except desert, which I rarely order. Tasting the salad first, the lovely and fresh mixed greens were drowned out by some sort of balsamic dressing that was sickly sweet. By the end of the salad I had an intense desire to wring out the lettuce. 

Wanting the sweetness off my palette, I ventured into the sandwich. The French Dip was so overloaded with the driest, most over-cooked and least flavorful beef I have ever encountered on a sandwich. Perhaps the cooks were trying to get rid of it? Eventually squeezing the bread together to get it into dipping position, I noticed immediately a lack of thyme in the aus jus and faint sweetness. I didn't get to note its affect on the beef, however, because the bread had such a rubbery, tough exterior that as soon as you bit down the contents of the sandwich slid the opposite direction of your mouth. After three or four attempts to tame the beast, I gave up and went open-face with a knife and fork. It still ended up being the toughest sandwich I ever cut with a knife. My workout at the gym got canceled (hence the surprise visit to Amsterdam Tapas), but my sandwich endeavor helped make up for it.
 
Blame Arnie's in Grand Rapids, Michigan for spoiling me when it comes to a great French Dip, but this was the worst I've ever had and I thought is was impossible to ruin this sandwich.

Please ... take it off your menu.

Perhaps on another day I'll try again, but will first ask what the most popular dish is. My chances might be better that way.
3 - Lisa P.: I've been here for lunch with my boss and for happy hour with friends from class. The food isn't anything special- mostly sandwiches, salads and wraps- bland and overpriced IMO. Their happy hour specials are great- $3 draft beers and well drinks, and $5 martinis/margaritas/mojitos. I really wish they had appetizer specials for happy hour- the food is overly pricey for what you get and how it tastes. Will definitely come back for the cheap drinks, though :)
4 - Adjoa T.: My posse & I popped over to Amsterdam after our Epi test a couple nights ago to celebrate, hoping to find some fab happy hour deals.

Martinis, sangrias, and maybe a few other drinks were $5/each during happy hour (which ends @ 7p), so we each got two. Bartender was cool cause he was honest with us about what his strengths were, so there were at least 3 Almond Joys on the table, which were pretty good. One of my friends got two different types of sangria: peach & mango, I believe, which she also enjoyed.

We ordered the chicken & vegetable dumplings and the crab cakes (full price), which we hoped would help soak up the alcohol, however, they were pretty small portions that weren't fit for splitting between 3-4 people, so that was epic fail. Nevertheless, good times were had (in part because of the good company I was in), and we've made a date to do it more often.
3 - Aaron C.: I've had a decent hanger steak here. But the salmon caesar salad tasted like a shoe store. For every good item I had, there was another dish to ruin the experience. Given the high hit-and-miss ratio, I'd save my money and try something else.
3 - Dan T.: Bit overpriced for the portion. Had the sesame crusted tuna salad and the cripsy plantains. Good but not worth the $ for takeout.
1 - Tray D.: I will never go back to this place, which sucks b/c: 
1. I don't live too far from it
2. I really like the ambiance and decor

My bf and I decided to check this place out since it's not too far from us. We decided to meet there for happy hour and to watch the UM vs. MSU game (GO BLUE!) We decided to watch in the lounge on one of their several mini-flat screens. Just as we were about to step down into the lounge area, we're greeted by a waiter who needed to take our coats (mandatory coat check). I'm not a fan of checking my coat, but we had no choice. We find a table and chat for a while, waiting for someone to bring us menus. Um, we waited for a good 10 minutes. Apparently, the waiter that took our coat was doing double duty and was rushing around to all the tables (it wasn't crowded. There were at least 4 tables/seating areas with 3-4 people each). The lounge is pretty spacious, so at first glance it didn't seem to be a lot of people. 

There were several people at the bar and the bartender was pretty busy, so no help there. My bf finally walked up to the bar and asked for menus. We had read online that there were happy hour and tapa specials, but the menus we got didn't mention anything about it. The bartender finally comes over and asks what we'd like. We ask about the specials. She looks through our menus, then tells us to hold on. She goes to another table to fetch a special menu. She says she'll come back. Keep in mind, it's been about 20 minutes at this point and no real service has taken place. 

The menu has TWO tapa specials. Both of the tapas on the menu were variations of empanadas. WTF?? Why have two types of empanadas on special and NOTHING else?! I looked at the main tapas menu and there were at least 20 different kinds. I was so confused. She came back and I said, "Are these the only tapas on specical?" She nodded yes and I couldn't help but to say, "Wow, but you have such a big menu, that's surprising there's only 2 on special." She didn't reply. ugh. 

We ordered mojitos,  the nachos and chicken wings to start. The mojitos had TONS of mint. It was strong, but way too much mint. I had to fish it out w/ my fork. The nachos were burnt... I guess they make their own. They tasted more like burnt dough and not tortilla chips. The nachos also had ground beef on it which wasn't seasoned at all. Ew. Nothing like bland meat. The chicken wings came out lukewarm and were super dry. 

Overall, the only good thing about this place is that we got to watch the game. The service continued to suck since at one point, I asked the waiter if I could have a glass of water. He never brought it, however, he walked back over to our table to clear dishes. Again, wtf? I take it he didn't understand me since we noticed his English was not up to par (I'm sorry, not to be mean, but if you're not a native English speaker and want to work in a place dealing with the public, I'm going to need you to learn English). He later came back and we asked if there were drink specials. He said, "No, they end at 7p" But that's not what the website said. So when the bartender came back we asked her and she said the sangria and wine were still on special until 10pm. 

What a bad experience all around. Slow service the whole night, mind you, the place didn't really fill up, except for the bar. The food sucked. Definitely will not be returning.
3 - Irene Y.: Great chill place around Columbia

Recommendation
*There's a lounge in the back, go down the stairs and you'll see couches, tvs, and a bar
*Tuesday afternoon/evening: $5 Sangrias and $5 tapas special. 
*Tapa ($5)--honeydew and prosciutto, i thought this was an odd combination but it tasted pretty good. very light with a hint of sweetnesss  
*Sweet potatoe w/ apples soup($5): I think it was the special soup for the day, but also very good. creamy, but I could definitely taste crisp apple in it.
*Friend ordered the artichoke dip ($11)and it looked very amazing.  I will probably get this next time 
*Overall a solid place to hang and eat.
2 - Paul B.: Biz cas food with mind blowingly slow service and suburban decor wasting a perfectly good spot right next to where I work.  Maybe you won't be pissed if you are visiting Columbia and your company is going to reimburse you for your terrible meal but man, stand up for yourself!  

So, fine, there are plenty of bad biz cas restaurants out there, I was willing to just ignore Amsterdam Restaurant until I got pulled there for some drinks with friends.  I ordered a $6 pint of Weihenstephan and it came in a falsie.  Sweet, thanks for screwing me out of the extra 2 ounces and not cleaning your beer lines properly.

If you really need to eat right on Amsterdam then walk up another block to Haakon's Hall.  I may have mixed feelings about HH but the food is hands down and obviously more inspired there.
3 - Andrew L.: The happy hour specials are great -- $3 for some great beers like Stone IPA and Dogfish Head -- but the food is uninspiring and overpriced for what you get. I'd recommend this place to grad students who are looking for a cheap, good drink before heading elsewhere for dinner.

I usually find myself in the lounge area, which is a little less formal than the main dining area. It's pretty comfortable, and I like the cavernous, exposed-brick ambiance. The big drawback to sitting here is that the DJs and bartenders keep the music at a rather high volume for 5:30pm on a weekday. It would be nice if the management monitored the volume more closely so that customers could carry on a conversation without having to shout.
5 - Katie N.: I love this place! Its not so great for an everyday meal since the prices are a bit out of reach for the typical student's budget... but brunch is AMAZING here and this place is also great for a date or for when your parents come to town. I will definitely go back for the specials. Tapas selection is impressive, and the dance lounge in the back at night is so fun for a night with the girls. Also, the coat check was free and there was a DJ, which in a small lounge like this is sometimes rare. A lot of the reviews say there is slow service, but I've had the same waiter every time and he;s been great. Very attentive, even though it was fairly busy.
2 - Dee B.: Went on a Thursday night with a large group from work. We were stuck in the corner booth behind the bar. The drinks for the most part were weak. The service was slow. Several people started just going to the bar to order rather than waiting for the waitress to come over. The food was extremely salty and not good. Nothing stands out in my mind and we ordered quite a few appetizers from calamari to crab cakes. I wouldn't go back...just didn't have enough going for it for my tastes.
2 - Stephen C.: Amsterdam Cafe (as everyone still calls it despite the pretentious new name) is ok.  There are a couple of good beers--usually Stone Arrogant Bastard and IPA and Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA--along with some "good" mass market Euro beers if you're into that kind of thing.  The dinner food isn't very good, but the appetizers are alright.  I've been here more than I care to admit for happy hour drinks ($3 beers) and snacks simply because it's directly across the street from Columbia and a block from my apartment.  The outdoor seating is also nice, and it easily beats the garbage food and lousy bar a block down at Haakon's Hall.  Late at night, the crowd goes from after-work to lounge-y/creepy, so I never go here after 10.
2 - Yusuf A.: Had heard mixed reviews of the place before checking it out with a friend. The menu was standard fare, what my friend called the convenient but bland American place across the street. After waiting around for a while for the waiter, I ordered an eggplant panini. I found myself needing to add ketchup for flavor - if I was at a diner that would have been totally cool, but the prices were definitely not diner prices. A lot of better restaurants in the vicinity so this was my first and most likely last time at Amsterdam.
3 - Francie W.: I go here almost every week--it's the closest happy hour location to my workplace.

The food is pretty good, especially the nachos, empanadas, and guacamole.  (The chips are homemade and very thick and yummy.)  

The drinks are yummy as well.  We usually go for the passion fruit cosmo or mango margarita.  The key lime martini is something special.

The service is consistently slow.  We keep coming back because we like the food, drinks, and atmosphere--I'd love to see the waitstaff step up their game.  We regularly wait 5-10 minutes to try to get someone's attention when we want to order something else.

A lot of people like the lounge, and I've been to some good parties there (plus the drink service is faster because you just walk up to the bar!) , but I prefer sitting at a table upstairs, where there's more light.  That might just be me.

Overall, it's worth a try.  As far as bar options in the neighborhood go, it'll do.
3 - Megan C.: I go to Columbia for grad school and this place is quite near my school's building. In addition to its convenience, the sangria and guacamole are both quite good. I haven't had much else, but it's a pretty chill place to relax after work or school. There's a lounge downstairs that has couches and another bar, also. The service is a little spotty, but I'll probably keep going for after school drinks and apps.
3 - Cathy C.: TIME: Thursday night after going to the gym in the fall, we had 6 people and didn't have to wait. 

PLACE: Nice decor for Columbia Area. Feels classy and has a nice back room and bar area. 1 big flatscreen for sports

FOOD:
Nothing too special, but in a decent price range. 

Penne A LA Vodka: decent, but nothing special for the price. 

Burger: chef tends to overdo burgers, I asked for it medium well, and it was pretty well done...


TIPS:
Great Place for Happy Hour, $3 happy hour from 5-7 on weekdays
Good for private (small) parties, has two adjoining back rooms that can hold ~40 people each.
Has an additional extended happy hour on Thursdays (as of December 2010)
If you sit in the bar area near the big flatscreen, it's a decent place to catch a sports game, if they are playing it.
3 - Dimitrios D.: I came during happy hour; the drink (gin and tonic) was as expected (though it could've been stronger).  But for $3 what can I complain about?

My chicken dumplings (all four, count FOUR of them...) were tasty as well, served with spicy thai peanut sauce.  I would actually come back for drinks and tapas.

The downside here is that these dumplings cost me $11.  That's a ridiculous price, considering the portion size and the caliber of the place (i.e., college bar/restaurant trying to be fancy).

But decent place overall!
3 - Chris N.: Ok food that's overpriced. The spinach and artichoke dip is pretty good.
3 - Bryce A.: Great spot for that Friday happy hour from 5-7 if you are in the Columbia University area. 
Great drink specials during Happy hour

~Fish and Chips are BAD, do not get them! 
~Sandwiches with sweet potato fries are GREAT, do get them!
3 - Jenny W.: I came here with two friends on a quiet Monday night because I had a Groupon. It was nothing special, but satisfying for a starving trio. 

Food: 3/5. For an appetizer we started with the burnt Brie. It was quite the show: they came with a huge slice of Brie, poured some alcoholic substance on it, and set it on fire. Nice blue fire consumed the cheese and we clapped for our waitress. Now, both my friends said their slice of cheese was pretty good but my slice tasted like pure alcohol. It blistered my tongue! I almost spat it out but managed to get the thing down my throat. I didn't return for another piece. NOT appetizing. 

For my entree I ordered the gnocchi, which was exceeded my now-low expectations. The pasta was handmade and tasted like it! The doughballs were nice and fluffy but the sauce was way too oily for the pasta. The spinach tasted like it had gone for a swim in some butter, which would soon be taking another leisurely stroll through my arteries. Not good. My friends ordered the veggie sandwich and the steak sandwich. They both looked okay, but they didn't eat their food the relish I'd seen them demolish Max Brenner's cookies so I can safely say it wasn't a 5-star course. 

Service: 2/5. Our waitress was nice enough, but my friend's plate was brought out with fries and not a salad when she requested a salad. Generally this is not a big issue but we were literally the only people in the restaurant. You have a total of 3 orders and you get one wrong? That's unacceptable. Then we put the Groupon and a $20 bill to cover the rest of the tab in our cheque and she came back asking for cash because she didn't see the $20. Really? Anyway, I wasn't impressed.

I probably wouldn't come here again. Nothing stood out to me and it was just a bit of a pain. Plus the atmosphere was only so-so.
4 - Alex G.: I've never had food here I didn't like, and I get something different every time I come. The fish and chips practically melt on your plate and are very close to the real thing ("the real thing" being fish & chips in the UK, I guess). The crab & bacon mac & cheese is enough for at least two meals (a steal for under $20) and has bursts of flavor throughout. I'm not huge on bacon as a non-breakfast item, but it works in this instance. Great steak tips and fries, and a wonderful selection of tapas items and beer, and pretty decent service. The atmosphere is a little dark, but it lends a more "Spanish" feel to the whole place.

This is for sure my favorite restaurant on the east side of Columbia's campus.
4 - Aaron W.: Went for lunch and had the steak sandwich. It was delicious. The atmosphere is nice. My girlfriend got the salmon, which is the only reason this wasn't a five. It was bland and overpriced.

I would come back for the great sandwiches.
3 - Sarah B.: This place isn't bad. 

Sparkling recommendation, huh? 

Unfortunately, I think that's about all it warrants.  I came for brunch with a couple of friends, and there were a few things that were actually good.  We all liked the homefries, as they were flavorful and well seasoned.  The "Tiki fizz" brunch cocktail (passion fruit puree + champagne) was also yummy, and a very reasonable 5 bucks.  

Despite not being an omelette person, the "Amsterdam Omelette" description (smoked gruyere, bacon and caramelized onions) sounded appetizing, so I went for it.  My friends got the brie salad and the breakfast burrito, respectively.  

Nothing was bad, but aside from the home fries, pretty much everything was underseasoned.  And annoyingly, my "caramelized" onions were not at all caramelized - they were pure white.  

I remember liking their happy hour more, but their brunch was entirely underwhelming, and I feel 3 is a very fair rating for the current incarnation of AmCaf.
3 - Nira S.: I can only really comment on the bar/happy hour. Being right across the street from my college, this is a consistent go-to spot for drinks for us.

The happy hour is a good deal- all cocktails, sangria, wine are 5 bucks, and they have some nice cocktails. The atmosphere is pleasant, with the upstairs being more laid back/quiet and the downstairs more lounge-y. The food I have tried, mostly appetizers, were good, no complaints. 

The one time I ventured downstairs during a not-happy-hour time (I think it was 11) was very strange- loud music and what looked like nerdy 19 year olds dancing terribly. If it's kinda late, I'd say stay upstairs. Oh yeah, and table service near the bar area sucks- most times I've been there, it'll take at least 7 or 8 minutes to even find a waitress to get you another drink, and they make it seem like chore. If you're sitting at those high tables, you're better off just grabbing a drink at the bar and bringing it over.

All in all, I like the place.. $5 for a martini after a 3 hour class- what's not to like
2 - Jessica P.: Overpriced for so-so food. Convenient location for Columbia University students. Odd rowdy crowd gathers here on Thursday and weekend nights. Decent happy hour prices. This place is nothing to write home about.
3 - Shana J.: Went here with my bf and another couple. Decided to order food and the waitress was very nice and patient. Food is priced decently. Menu was ok, not impressive but better than some. 

Our party decided to go downstairs, where there was music, and umm interesting dancing, or a sad excuse for it, either way, like I said, interesting. Mixed crowd, acceptable music, mostly r&b and hip-hop...couple oldies mixed in.

Bathroom was clean, major plus. Watch out for stairs lol.
Probably wont be back....
1 - Sarah E.: We received a coupon in the mail for $10 off so thought we'd check it out. Food was disappointing and service was horrible. Worst of all, they would not take our coupon when the check came because they charged us happy hour prices for our drinks (even though it was 7:30 and happy hour ended at 7) so we came up $1.50 short of the minimum needed for the coupon. We asked to speak with the manager and he refused to charge us regular drink prices and was very rude. Irritating end to an already bland dinner.

Definitely will not go back....
3 - Lin M.: Stopped in for drinks and dinner.  I love tapas and theirs were good, solid choices.  We had the Saganaki  which is seared goat cheese on croutinis. Spreads which was black bean hummus, roasted peppers humus and classic .  Very good. The beet salad and potato gnocchi were great and they had no problem with  our sharing these main course meals.
Could see it being very noisy if college was in session.
2 - Audra R.: I've been there twice now, once in the lounge downstairs, once for dinner upstairs.  The lounge downstairs has a nice atmosphere, the earlier you get there the better-for me.  There is music playing but its not too loud.  As the evening gets later, the music gets louder and it gets to that point where you cant hear the person whos sitting right next to you screaming so you can hear them...the lounge is too small for such loud music.

Upstairs is also a nice atmosphere.  The good, the drinks are priced very well-any glass of red is $7-the syrah is fantastic.  The food leaves something to be desired.  We tried the calamari, it was rubbery and bland.  However, the aioli it comes with is great.  My boyfriend got the fish and chips which again, had no flavor.  There was also A LOT of breading.  I had the Penne alla Vodka, again, bland.  And the sauce wasn't saucy, it was kind of lumpy.  I put a side of sauteed spinach in with it, added salt and pepper and was satisfied but not impressed.

So, my recommendation is to go for drinks and drinks only.
1 - Jaimie M.: Okay. I've been here several more times since my first review and I will not be going back. The food is absolutely awful and the service is even worse.

I came here with about 5 friends this weekend and ordered the Nachos. The Nachos were stale and I asked a friend to try it to see what she thought. She agreed. I told the waitress that they didn't taste good and I wanted to send them back. She started arguing with me for a few minutes.
I've never been so maddened by a waitress in my life. I thought it was a bad joke.

Everyone was uncomfortable and couldn't believe the audacity of the rude waitress.

Add to that, the time previous to that incident my friends and I had all been displeased with the food we had ordered, I know I will not be coming back not even for the Happy Hour that isn't so happy.
2 - Stephanie D.: Oh Amsterdam. You almost had me with your awesome $5 Sangria specials on Tuesday. That alone would ALMOST be worth visiting you if I just didnt do the following: 

a.) Eat your bland as hell food
b.) Converse with your crisp, snappy waiters and waitresses
c.) Had to pay your obnoxious prices for any other drink besides a Sangria. 

If all that were negated, I'm pretty sure the experience would be wonderful. But seeing as how it usually isn't, I'll take my chances at Haakon's and keep the dance floor specialty to you. Cheers.
4 - Svetla M.: My go-to place for dates while I was going to Columbia. The food is great, and so are the drinks -- try the sangria or the mojitos! The prices arent bad either.
3 - Lizzie C.: All the sandwiches that I have tried were decent (West Coast Grilled Chicken, Chicken Mushroom, Buttermilk Fried Chicken Wrap, Oyster Po Boy, Roasted Turkey Club). My favorite is Oyster Po Boy: the oyster tastes really fresh and the sauce is delicious. Although they are somewhat pricey, the portion is pretty big and they are served with fries so I don't think it's a bad deal. I also recommend their Ricotta Potato Gnocchi for all the truffle oil lovers. But it is rather salty and buttery, so be aware. Overall, Amsterdam is one of the best places to dine in this neighborhood.
1 - Chad S.: I really should've read the other Yelp reviews before I suggested this restaurant to my other half. But it was raining, and this place is incredibly close by. To get to the point, the food was bland and overpriced. And the service was absolutely terrible. Our server came over 15 minutes after we were seated, and said "Are you ready to order?" Those were the only words we heard from him for the rest of the meal. Never even stopped back by the table, until he dropped the check off (and by the way, I had to ask the manager just to get the check.)  

I'm not a vengeful person, and I LOVE to tip people well if they've given me even the minimum amount of service I expect. This seriously was the worst service I've received in New York City. And in this city, that's saying a lot. 

Even though this place is just around the corner, I will never, ever eat here again. I can find better places to spend my money. And that unknown server (he never mentioned his name) should find a different career path.
3 - Jess L.: My friend and I had a fun happy hour in their outdoor seating area. The Almond Joy martini is a must -- liquid coconut and chocolate -- and their coconut mojito was refreshing. We ended up ordering two mojitos, though, and they were noticeably different in sweetness. 

Nonetheless, a great happy hour deal near Columbia, for sure!
3 - Katherine P.: They have standard sandwiches and salads. I've never tried their "nicer" entrees. I can't give them a higher rating because the prices are high for such simple fare. If I'm going to shell out more than $10 for a salad, it should change my life. Otherwise, I'd rather go to a nearby deli where I'm not going to have to pay tip.
5 - Morgan C.: Great time!  The staff was extremely friendly and helpful.  We tried a bunch of different tapas and shared an entree.  Food was delicious and sangria was awesome! We will definitely be back!
4 - Jennifer S.: I enjoyed a relaxing hot tea and appetizers here after a long day of work and evening classes.  My friend enjoyed a cold beer - but it's allergy season so I had a hankering for a hot tea! We were lucky that it was late enough (a little after 9pm) to snag a spot outdoors.  I have walked by Amsterdam Restaurant & Tapas Lounge many times and never knew how great their menu was - I should have know it was more than just outdoor seating that keeps this place busy at all hours.  This will certainly become one of my favorite post-class spots to unwind and enjoy good food.
3 - Niambi M.: Cute place but extremely limited vegan options--even the veggie burger is on a egg bun! 

I got the Black Bean Hummus and Grilled Vegetable Wrap (black bean hummus, eggplant, zucchini, squash red peppers, onions, tomatoes, whole wheat wrap) with sweet potatoes fries. 

The fries were great, the wrap was average at best. The enormous pieces ('sections' is more accurate) of red peppers and eggplant made no sense and unceremoniously plopped themselves out of my wrap as I took my first tentative bites...

My omni friends got the pumpkin french toast and pancakes with sides of scrambled eggs and sausage. One was clearly dismayed that the french toast was really 'pumpkin spice added' not actual pumpkin. One was underwhelmed with her pancakes but they all agreed that the Cinnamon butter was on point and saved the meal (not exactly a ringing endorsement, but...eh, there ya go!)

I've been downstairs for a surprise birthday party and we had a great time (no eating, just drinking), so I think that's what I will stick with when I find myself @ Amsterdam!
3 - Shana B.: Fun place to go on a Friday night. Has a DJ, variety of different items on the menu. Enjoyed the food as well as the drinks. Would recommend the sangria. Also, love that they have a coat and bag check as well!
3 - Alyssa M.: Amsterdam is a great place to grab a glass or two of sangria and eat tapas in a chill vibe.

I like how this restaurant is set up:  main dining and a bar upstairs, and a lounge & bar with a dance floor downstairs.  The lounge is a true lounge-lots of places to sit, mingle and drink. On Friday nights the DJ gets it poppin with a great mix of hip hop, r&b, and dance music.  The only drawback here is the abundance of"Daddies" (older men) who are definitely there to pick up some pyts.  

The food is pretty decent too.  Loved the quesadilla and spicy guac.  The sweet potato fries weren't too shabby either.  Since this place is in the area I'll most likely come back for happy hour.  

Oh!  And they have hookah too if you're into that.
2 - Sarahi G.: Went here for lunch. The food was good but the service was mediocre. It took our waitress a good ten minutes to greet us. It was pretty busy and only two servers and a bus boy! Don't come here if you want a quick lunch!
Otherwise my fries and Turkey Wrap were good.
2 - cassetteject J.: If you're looking for delicious sangria, this is your place. The drinks were absolutely delicious (albeit expensive, but that's par for the course around these parts). The food was a whole other thing altogether; I ordered the bacon and crab macaroni and cheese and couldn't find a BIT of crab in there. It had a crab-like taste, but no actual meat. The cheese was flavorless and the macaroni overcooked, but the bacon was palatable. It didn't help that there was a strong, miscellaneous fish scent wafting around while we were eating. Gross.

The service was fine, though the waiters were not the most chipper group of people. I'd recommend this place for its sangria (again, if you can stomach the fish smell), but suggest going elsewhere for food.
3 - Ava E.: As soon as I hit Amsterdam Ave, I was like, "Oh, I ate somewhere around here before years ago".  Lo and behold, it happened to be the same spot.  My review is strictly for the Friday night lounge scene.

I went for a friends birthday party and when I first got there, I wasn't feeling the music but I peeped the hookah so I knew I would be good to go regardless.  And for the record, everytime you go out, there's always one person that gotta show their ass and do something stupid like break dance, drink too much and bump into everybody.  

The downside to this spot was that it was a little too small to accompany all the people that were there.  It's been a long time since someone has spilled a drink on me or inside my shoe, and I surely didn't want it to happen that night.  Nevertheless, the finger foods (empanadas and wings) were excellent* and I was even able to take some home.  Now that makes for a great party.  

*Reading previous reviews about the food, apps seems to be the safest way to go.
3 - Michael K.: I experienced only the bar, which boasted a decent beer selection fairly priced. Dimly lit, chill vibe, and open space with lots of wooden textures. Nothing special, but it's still satisfactory across the board.
3 - Liz B.: I used to go here every Friday after grad school a few years ago. They reserved the basement for a large group of us. As far as drinks go, they have a great happy hour and a wide variety of cocktails & beers. The service was always great (but we always had a reserved space). The food is not so great and its not really "tapas."
3 - Andrew W.: No reason to come here for food. It's average at best and the service is terrible. The lounge downstairs in the back is, however, a good meeting spot for groups in a neighborhood largely devoid of decent options.
3 - Nicole C.: So we're never in Harlem. Yesterday (a Saturday evening), we took a field trip from Home-Sweet-Brooklyn up to the Studio Museum and had a few hours to kill before our reservations at Dinosaur BBQ. It was snowing and we wanted a cozy drink and possibly an appetizer to nibble. We wandered over to the Columbia area, thinking that with a college so close by there would be a lot of watering holes to choose from. 

But no! None! Not even Yelp had any suggestions! Most of the stars here are simply to acknowledge gratefully that Amsterdam Restaurant existed when we were in need. 

The goods: 
We sat at the bar on the street level, as the downstairs lounge wasn't open. Hot toddy was inexpert but did the job - I was both cold and stone sober when we got there  and the hot toddy made me warm and tipsy. They didn't have a great wine selection (no malbec or tempranillo) so I had to get a cab which isn't my favorite. We also ordered an app of 3 wild mushroom risotto croquettes served with truffle butter. This was actually awesome. I recommend it. 

The price wasn't too bad over all but the service was not great.  Like their hot toddies, the Amsterdam is functional but didn't really impress me too far in either direction. If I lived up there I wouldn't be a customer, but as a visitor I couldn't have been happier to see them from the street.
3 - David H.: A pretty convenient place for Columbia Law School events. 

I run an organization on campus that has a couple social events each semester and we've booked the downstairs bar area twice in the past year.  The second time we brought about 60 students and they would not let us use the inner half of the bar--which had been booked by another party of only 10 people.  I don't know why they would double booked us but it resulted in a highly claustrophobic experience and got them effectively blacklisted for future large group events.

That incident aside, this place is decent.  I've had dinner upstairs a couple of times and partook in a couple firm events here as well.  The food isn't bad for the price--it's bar grub--and the drink prices are fair.

Tip: if you are looking for a big group event and can spare a few bucks, try Village Pourhouse instead.
1 - velvet l.: This was by far the worst place I have ever been to . I went there for a friends birthday party only to be told that its overcrowded and cant come in . So I asked the bouncer who actually thought he was security at a upscale place if we could wait for guests to leave and then enter after he then yells get back seriously ??? I spoke to another manager who was actually calmer and I got in to only see that the place is empty huh... What was all the yelling about the music was dated and the place was dark... Bad experience by far will never be back.
3 - Charles S.: Went here for brunch/lunch on a saturday at 2pm because I was craving a burger and wanted try some place new in the west harlem/morningside heights area. 

Both the gf and I got burgers with bacon and goat cheese.  The burger was quite good on the whole.  Fresh bun, meat cooked the way we asked it, fresh lettecue, tomatoe, onion, etc.  Good amount of bacon and goat cheese.  The only problem is that with the goat cheese and bacon additions, each burger came out to $14.  As good as the burger was, that is completely overpiced (Even accounting for that it came with a side of fries).

Thank god we got the Yelp deal ($10 for $20 worth of food), otherwise I would have way overpaid for this meal.

The servers were friendly, but there were very few people in this resteraunt when we there (maybe 2 other parties).  I say this because it took us minutes to get our check when we clearly done with our food looking around for our server (not sure where she went or what she was up to, there was basically no one else to attend to).

I also remember coming here for drinks on a friday after work about a year.  It was a fun place to get drinks and just socialize with friends.
2 - Elbee M.: The food's not bad, but it could be better.
1 - Ivy L.: So, I live in the building above Amsterdam Cafe.  I attend school three blocks from Amsterdam Cafe.  Amsterdam Cafe has decent food and OK specials around the time of evening that law students tend to be looking for some appetizers and a drink or two.  All in all, Amsterdam Cafe has all the makings of a fine grad student hang-out.

So why one star?  The OBNOXIOUS WEEKEND CROWD.  This place turns into some sort of ghetto dance club for people from the other side of the park every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night.  I'm on the third floor and the thumpy bass coming up through the floor and catfights on the street outside my window either keep me up or wake me up.  No amount of discounted sangria or yummy brunch is ever going to counteract my visceral hatred of this asshole establishment and its out-of-place nighttime clientele.
4 - Elizabeth P.: Great food nice portions wait staff is really nice and they play great music in the lounge
4 - La Viajera M.: The beef empanadas (which are under the tapas menu) are small but very delicious. The barbecue chicken pizza was very filling and also delicious. The most impressive part of the meal besides the food however was the pitcher of sangria. This restaurant does not skimp or hold back with the pitcher size. There were two people in my party and the pitcher poured seven drinks between the both of us. What an excellent deal. It is conveniently located directly behind Columbia University on Amsterdam Avenue in a nice and quiet neighborhood.
2 - Celia Y.: Great location with outside seating. They have nice deals for happy hour, especially with special drinks.

This was my third time visiting this restaurant and again, service was disappointing. We had a group of 10 and was accommodated right away, but the waitress forgot to take orders of a few of us at the end of the table, very frustrating. After we all successfully ordered drinks and downed them, we found that no one cleared our tables and we were left waiting for some service. Eventually someone from our group went up to the bar with a bunch of empty glasses to be cleared. When we tried to pay the bill, the bartender was nowhere to be seen. We asked another staff but apparently he was not able to do any register or bill calculations so he was completely useless. We waited around the empty bar and wasted a good 10 minutes before she came back.

Based on my previous visits, I still thought food was way overpriced with guacamole at $12 a plate. We once also ordered a round of tequila shots that were so watered down it didn't have that burning kick at all. Drinks during happy hour are alright price-wise, but they were just too weak! I would try other places around the area because you can definitely get better quality drinks and service that's worth your money.
3 - Bryce W.: I have mixed feelings about Amsterdam Tapas. 

On one hand, I end up drinking here after work a lot. The snacks are tasty, the happy hour is decent and on a weeknight, it's empty enough for a big group of people to pop in, find seats and talk comfortably. 

On the other hand, this place has pretensions that just don't fit its audience. The VIP reserved tables, the too-loud DJed club music and the tyrannical bag/coat check policies would fit better in a club in the Meatpacking district. Most of the people drinking here are Columbia graduate students and people from the neighborhood who want a comfortable drink.
3 - Mike O.: Ha! I just looked over to the right and read the review of this place written by "Bryce W." and that review looks spot on. I have not much to add, other than it can be lovely to sit outside, it's beer on tap selection is woefully lacking, and the food is just okay.
4 - Sandra F.: This place was pretty good. We just had breakfast and lunch here and they served us really fast. Big portions of food at an affordable price. Great comfort food restaurant.
4 - Manuel B.: Last semester, Amsterdam Restaurant & Tapas was a great place to have drinks after a historiography course. From my weekly excursions, I can tell you will find here the best Cuban sandwiches and red sangrias in Morningside Heights.
4 - Amanda O.: Went back (for dinner again!) and had the Crab & Bacon Mac & Cheese - definitely a winner! I highly recommend it!
3 - Virginia D.: Cheap beers and decent food - a good place to unwind after class, but nothing special
3 - Yolanda R.: Yea, i read the review and i wanted to try it myself.  I decided to check the place on a Friday,  I got to the door the security guard was too aggressive and wanted me to wait outside like it was a club. When i got in no one was in the spot.(strange) But when i went to the bar the service and the drinks was really good. The hookah was fair about $30. The music was great and I had fun. I would have gave more stars but the security guard messed it up. I guess they are doing their job

Amsterdam Tavern - New York, NY (40.8007739, -73.965864) (Manhattan Valley)
4 - Joni K.: So this bar just showed up on our radar recently but apparently has been open for about three months. It is owned by the "Dive Bar" people and thus has the gratis Blow Pops and Tootsie Pops.

The decor: Tin ceilings; fun mirrors; nice flat screen TVs; big windows out to the street; awesome jukebox that the owner has filled with mix CD's others have made. You too can bring one in.
The food: The food I've had is super yummy. I had the lobster mac n' cheese and it was really good with crunchy breadcrumb topping, MIke had the Dive Burger which was also yummy with sweet potato fries (my favorite). Our friends did a taste test between the organic burger and the regular burger and besides the $3 in price and the unflavored toxins consumed, there appeared to be no difference.
The drinks: Well-priced, full bar, lots of beers including Hoegaarden! We even got a free round
The bartenders, waiters, bouncer: Nice, helpful and didn't get mad at us when we screamed at the Red Sox game on TV. There were a lot of Red Sox fans, which was awesome and a nice find in NYC.
2 - Amanda D.: I liked the ambiance and the view (hello there, grad school boys!), but felt like my waitress wasn't very attentive. Maybe because it was a Friday night and I was there with my girl friend, and the waitress prefers to flirt with boy customers. Who knows.

They were out of two of three beers I'd wanted to try, and the beer menu hadn't been updated to reflect that, so it took me forever to order. 

Sadly, I'm used to paying $6+ for a crummy pint of Magic Hat in the city, so the prices sure don't make this bar special. I'll come back to gawk at college kids that I'm too old to date, so there's that.
4 - elise h.: We retreated here in search of real alcohol after suffering through fake, watery caipirinhas at Blockheads down the street.  My friend said it was a great bar, and you know, I wasn't disappointed!  We were here on a Monday night and there were enough peeps in the joint to make it festive but it wasn't obnoxiously crowded.  Just a chill neighborhood scene.  The decor is beautiful -- lots of wood, ornate ceiling, lights not too dark/not too light -- and the staff are polite and quick with the service.  The bathrooms are nice, clean and private. And I was, thankfully, able to get a few glasses of Johnny Walker Black on ice and just hang out.  

The night took a turn towards hilarity when we noticed they had a jukebox and we started putting in our songs & singing along.  They have a lot of everything!  It was cool to be able to hear the Smiths, Cake, Eric Clapton, Lily Allen, Tears for Fears, Prince and Simon & Garfunkel all in the same place!  Plus they had bar staff put together their own favorites playlists alongside the full albums, and I love it when places do that.  It gives them a little bit more character.  We stayed so long we ended up ordering Dinner Part 2 (aka drunk eats).  The cheese sticks we ordered were decent but they took a little too long to get to the table . . . or did it just seem that way? ;)

Overall I was quite happy -- this is an excellent Upper West Side drinking spot that's not too young or too old.  I'll be back!
4 - Chris S.: Great selection of draft beers. The ambiance is really warm and welcoming. The staff is very friendly They have 4 TV's for sporting events. This is my regular spot.
4 - Jeanette D.: This has become the regular bar for me and my girls in Morningside Heights.  So much so that the bouncer has stopped carding our baby faces. The first visit I had food, including a delicious cheese plate that I can't wait to order again.  Subsequent visits were wine nights, which led to some disillusionment.  The wine selection could use a face-lift.  But then my girl informed me that the beer selection was better, and I was back in love.  The changing selection has some great European choices, including one of my favs... Chocolate Stout!  This is a great little neighborhood joint, the perfect chaser to a night of stress or final moments of fun in MSH.  Plus the bartenders are sweeties:)
4 - Shannon O.: Good food and more than a dozen beers on tap. Clean, nice looking bar, with an awesome copper ceiling and an antique clock. We had no problem with the service.
4 - andy t.: I really like Amsterdam 106. In its previous life, it was a dive bar that looked sketchy to even a bar rat like myself. 

But I like the new and improved 106 a lot. The selection of beer is outstanding - very varied with brands and styles I've never heard of yet alone tasted (I had a stout with hints of Mayan chocolate my last time there). 

Service is prompt and friendly - sometimes they give out free blow pops or starburst. Can't go wrong there. In terms of food, I've had the burger, which was nothing special but definitely good enough.
5 - Emily B.: some bars might tempt you to say, 
"if heaven had a bar..."

amsterdam 106 provokes something more like,
"if heaven WERE a bar..."
4 - Haley S.: I like this place, and not just because it's a block from my apartment.  Excellent beer selection - I had a lager with some ginger on Friday, yum!  I haven't tried the food yet - but it looks good!
5 - timmy t.: A delightful experience all around. Incredible beer selection, and the Shakshuka is out of this world! It's a Middle Eastern stew served sizzling hot in a cast iron skillet, with vegetables, tomato sauce, poached eggs and Halloumi cheese. I dream about this food and have to have at least one serving a week or my mental health starts to decline.
4 - Guy D.: I think it's a bit unfair to call Amsterdam 106 a 'dive', which makes it sound grimy and unpleasant. It's not--far from it. The staff are friendly, it's clean and tidy, the beer selection is top-notch, and it's in a great spot. Their happy hour is a great deal, and I'll be returning.
5 - George R.: I really like this place.  Not all the time, mind you, because some days it's just so crowded that you can't even get close to the bar to order.  But on a Wednesday night the crowd is under control and you can even get a seat if you stay away from the dinner rush.

The kitchen is surprisingly good.  I've ordered mostly sandwiches, but the guy next to me the last time in there had something called shastuka (sp?) that looked amazing.  I'm getting that next time.  I don't know who Mary Ryan is, but the sandwich named after her is a thick slab of perfectly cooked (rare for me) tuna on grainy bread with lettuce, tomato, avocado, wasabi mayo, etc.  The po boy is really tasty as well, and the veggie burger is huge and tastes like home made.

They have a lot of brews available, but the house beer that's made by a local brewery is really good and incredibly cheap.  

And the staff is super friendly.  It's a great place to unwind after a long day.
5 - jen f.: Just the best place in the world. 

A bar with the best happy hour ($3 pints of interesting and obscure and high-alcohol brews) and shockingly delectable food (well, the shock is starting to wear off because now I just expect the best from them). Great bartenders and, for most of the day, the best vibe. Wi-fi, televisions, jukebox with homemade mixes.

It's what I've always wanted in a cafe, just in a bar, so it's mad better.
4 - Shea D.: Only one word is necessary here:

GROWLERS!!!

For those unversed in what is best about beer brewing, let me educate you. Imagine a half gallon glass container that you bring to your friendly neighborhood bar or brewery (in my case, Amsterdam 106) that is then filled with one of many brews on a list. Air sealed and sitting in your fridge until you decide to partake.

I can't comment on anything else since we literally walked in and walked out, but I was happy with the results. The bartender seemed a little annoyed for really no reason, but I'm okay considering the growler itself is $5 (one-time fee since you bring your growler back) and to fill it up with any of their decent ales is $13. I also noticed that if you're into Bud Light, it's a grand total of $9. Some of the more expensive ones ran you $22. Not bad for a half gallon, which is roughly 4-5 pints. I'll definitely be back and maybe I'll actually sit down in here!
4 - Evan H.: Last time I was in here (two weeks ago), good beer was back on the menu--and for the happy hour, too.  Plus, the barkeep who's served me/friends a number of times there, Kate, is awesome.  I have to restore a star.  Definitely a good spot for happy hour, etc.  Great bar.  See my first review--I only leave the second one up as a warning that there's the potential for this place to be a disappointment.
4 - Laura E.: Yay. This place is chill, a decent beer list and seemingly unknown. It's just... relaxing...
5 - jimmy t.: This is my spot on the UWS.  Great rotating beer selection, esp. w/r/t/ high alcohol content beers.  really good food and they play great music from the jukebox.  never too crowded but there is usually a pretty lively crowd.  Also, the bartendresses are about as cute and cool as girls can be.
4 - dan c.: thought this was a totally decent place.  definitely worth going back to.

beer was good.

food:

*hummus appetizer - totally solid, large portion of hummus

*mac and cheese (plain, not the lobster or bacon one) - fine, not amazing, but better than lots of other restaurant mac and cheese dishes.  no breadcrumbs.

*fries - thin steak fries, if that makes sense.

*turkey club - very enjoyable  amazing?  no.  but perfectly fine.

*cheeseburger - waiter didn't ask how to cook it, burger came out nicely medium.  tasted good.  best burger ever?  no.  worth ordering again?  sure.

*veggie sandwich (mozzarella/tomato) - didn't try it but it looked alright and the review seemed to put it at about a 7.5 or so.

will have to head back and try both the cheese plate and the tuesday $12 mussles/fries/beer.

definitely a bar in which the food shouldn't be feared.
4 - Katie V.: This is a chill place to grab lunch or a drink with friends -- the decor is classy (tin ceiling, brick walls, vintage mirrors) and less fratty than their neighbor, The Village Pourhouse, and less cramped than Sip.

Lunch special for $8 is good -- any burger or sandwich plus either fries, a salad or soup.  I got a grilled salmon sandwich with wasabi mayo - reg. price on the menu is $12, so it was a bargain. Hefty piece of salmon, too. 

Also, they have a deal on Tuesdays where you get mussels, fries and a Belgian beer for $12.  I'll definitely be back to check that out. The bartender also made a fresh pot of coffee for me even though I was the only person drinking it in the bar.  

They have free wifi and a ton of outlets, too.  To sum it up: me likey.
4 - Margot G.: If you live in New York, you have done some serious people watching/judging in your life. My trip to 106 was the scene for one of the most hilarious people watching and subsequent judgings that I have had in a New York  bar. Let's just say that if you have underwear that say "CLASS" in big letters across your ass, you should purchase jeans that are high enough in the back that they cover said undergarments when seated. And if you need to adjust yourself so that your "CLASS" is no longer broadcasted, you should pull your jeans up as opposed to pulling your underwear down. Crack kills. :)

That said, Amsterdam 106 seemed to be a perfectly nice bar/restaurant and is always busy when I walk by. They have a respectable beer selection that rotates weekly and a decent menu. To be honest, I don't remember what I had to eat, besides the fact that it was a burger and it was tasty. The best part about this place is the growlers: for a reasonable price you can have a half gallon of the beer of your choice to bring home with you!! can it get better than that? Nope!

----------------------
Update 8/23

We went here again for lunch and beer. The food is still yummy, the beer selection is still impressive, but the service is pretty lousy.
2 - Jenn T.: It's a small bar with some good beers. I don't live in this area and I probably won't come back... but IF I did live here, this would probably be a place I'd go to drink after work. 

I was here for Craft Beer Week, and got to taste the wheat beer and maple ale. The maple ale was pretty good - it had a smooth syrupy finish (maple, duh). We were at a table and the waitress was kind of a you-know-what and completely ignored us. However, a guy that seemed to be a manager of sorts came up and asked if we were still waiting for our beers. When I told him we were still waiting to order, he jumped and quickly got our beers, which was cool. Then he mentioned another beer he thought I might be interested in and said he'd give us a taste of it. He walked away. And never got us our beer tastes. Oh well.

Maybe I was just in a good mood that night because I think it's still a decent place to have a few drinks. I also appreciate the glass of blow-pops they offer at the bar.
4 - Elizabeth O.: Nice place to get together with good friends. There's even a hotdog on the menu for $3. The beer list is great! Wine, not so much. They don't always have everything that is listed.
3 - Jason J.: Totally adequate and nothing more.  This bar probably has four yelp stars because it is decently shiny and clean and carries more variety of beer than Bud, Miller, and Coors.  Even though the beer selection is a bit expanded, it isn't anything that impressive or interesting.  If you envision your typical bar with typical atmosphere, that's what you're going to get in 106.  Nothing more, nothing less.

It's nice that it's near where I live, but I wouldn't give a place like this a second thought if it were downtown.
5 - David Z.: A great beer joint. Period.

The establishment is beautiful in general. Tables, chairs and all.
4 - joshua s.: Good beer selection, very friendly staff, above average bar food.  After work and weekends it's often hard to find room for more than two people, but overall it's one of my favorite local bars.
4 - Jane F.: perfect neighborhood spot. can't beat their $3 happy hour! food is totally good. atmosphere is awesome, but they have too many tv's.
4 - Ana F.: Hell yeah Amsterdam 106! The first bar I visited in New York this past trip and my experience was awesome. Walter, the manager, was our server and he did a great job of recommending food and beer to my friend and I. He also made us feel very welcome and even comped a round of drinks! (I hope it wasn't a mistake on his part, but I don't think it was!)

I ordered two beers- Atwater's Java Vanilla Porter and Goose Island's 312, neither of which I can find on tap in Los Angeles! I was impressed with the selection; since I'm from California and distribution of our beers to NYC is limited, it was interesting to find Green Flash on tap in NYC. I also appreciated that they served more than just Smuttynose, SlyFox, or Magic Hat #9. These seem to be staples on the taps in NYC, and he offered way more. I was also impressed with the Dogfishhead selection, and that Walter let us know about a Harpoon event coming up. Amsterdam 106 is definitely a bar that gets frequent, rotating, and sometimes rare taps. If I lived in the area, I think this would be one of my main spots (my Library Alehouse equivalent of Manhattan!)

Also, per recommendation of a VERY enthusiastic guest sharing a table with us, I had the BEST TUNA MELT EVAH (this is really the name) with the "Mottz" aka mozzarella. It was actually really good, and although not the best ever, it was pretty damn close. I'd come back just to try more items on the menu.

However, on a Friday night of course, seats are hard to find but they do come up if you camp out for a bit. Cheers to Amsterdam 106; you've made my short list of great craft beer bars in NYC!
3 - Melissa G.: Great beer selection, overpriced food. That about sums it up!

Oh - and don't get the shakshuka (or whatever it's called) unless you want a plate of tomato sauce with cheap cheese on it. I don't know how they get away with  "roasted vegetables" and "haloumi cheese" in the menu description. If I wanted what I ended up getting, I could've done it by opening a can of Classico at home (and it would've tasted better too).
3 - Jim F.: On the small side but decent food, decent beer selection and a very accommodating staff.  In this neighborhood is is probably closer to 4 stars but in greater NYC it is closer to a 2.5
4 - Andrew L.: This place is my go-to bar in the Columbia area. The interior is beautifully decorated with a tiled ceiling, exposed brick walls, and large mirrors, which all give the restaurant a stylish-yet-comfortable feel. The tap list is well thought out and has a strong showing of domestic microbrews. Hop-heads will like that IPAs figure prominently into the draft selection. As other reviewers have mentioned, the food is above average but not superlative (french fries were good, wings were just alright), and the menu has plenty of options for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.

The bartenders are all pretty solid, but the real star among them is Howie, who goes out of his way to get to know you and make you feel welcome. Thanks, Howie!
5 - claribel S.: We loved this place.  They gave us great service and were very considerate.  The burger was great and the sweet potato fries were delish.  The atmosphere great though I think some of the tables are a bit cramped.  We will def come back again.
3 - Stephen C.: Unfortunately Am 106 has been sold and is no longer owned or staffed by the Dive Bar group.  The atmosphere has suffered tremendously, and the service is not as good and certainly not as lively as it was before.  It's now just a pretty good bar with a decent beer selection, but it's usually worth making the trip down to Dive Bar at 96th and Amsterdam these days.
3 - Kevin L.: ok bar tho lot alot of seats but good diff kinds of food
4 - Sean G.: A proper "beer" bar ... had a selection over over a couple dozen.
It's no Peculier, but it also doesn't smell like sewage.

Very reasonable prices, even though we missed a happy hour which they do from apparently 4-6 M-F ... can you say $2 Guinness?!

Tasty menu, we just had some small bites.

A GORGEOUS tin ceiling and very nice tables in general, all of them topped in polished granite.

Friendly service (cute waitress).
A few quality TVs if you're looking to catch a game/etc.

Just an all-around stand-out place in the area.
I don't make it up that way often, but I'd go here again without hesitation.
4 - Ann L.: When the beer selections on the menu outnumber the food selection, you know you've gone to a place that knows their beer. Food is pretty standard for any bar, and the portions are relatively large. The waitress remembered our orders without writing them down, although one person's food didn't get there with everyone else's. This is a good place to have a drink with friends and catch a game on tv without having to worry about the other patrons getting too rowdy.
2 - Billy W.: There's nothing special about this place. I prefer some of the cheaper neighborhood places.
3 - mary l.: good variety of beers on tap and a friendly layout. surprisingly tasty food too.  if you want to sit at a table however, you have to get servers to help you.  kind of stinky when the server forgets your water three times and gives you a withering look each time you ask.  it's nice to have the option of 106 in the area of very minimal nightlife but i was incredibly put off the last time i went.
2 - Claire H.: I am so sad that amst 106 changed their menu!  I have been a loyal customer for 2 years, coming here almost twice a week and I just cant go as much as I used to.  If it wasnt for the mac and cheese I might never go.

They got rid some of their best vegetarian items like the Mary Ryan, the quesedilla, THE VEGGIE BURGER and the Tuna Melt.  How can there be NO VEGGIE BURGER?? WHAT?!

Please bring these things back!
3 - Bryan S.: Came in here on a Friday night with my girlfriend looking for a casual meal, after having read some good reviews on Yelp (yay! it works!).  

We shared a lobster mac & cheese appetizer...OMG  what a cheese-erific start!  granted, if you put lobster, macaroni and cheese together, it's prettyyyy hard to fuck up, but it was awesome.  The only other time I'd had lobster mac & cheese was at Poco on the LES (that review's on my to do list)...and that was HEAVENLY.  A106's isn't as good, but is still really good.

Girlfriend had the burger with gruyere cheese and mushroom...AMAZING and perfectly cooked.  Waitress accidentally brought regular fries when she had ordered sweet potato fries.  When my GF asked, she brought us an extra basket of fries, so that was very cool.  Unfortunately, both sets of fries were kinda bland :(

I had the grilled chicken salad, which was good but...uh...too healthy I guess?  I wanted something healthy after the LM&C, but jeez louise.  Very very very, almost non-existent dressing, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers.  For $12, eh I'll make my own.  

Awesome selection of beers though!  I didn't really like mine, but that's a matter of the beer's taste, not A106's.  If I'm in the neighborhood, I'm definitely going back for an appetizer (definitely mac & cheese again or hummus) and a weird beer you don't normally drink....oh and maybe take home a "growler", a $13 to-go half-gallon of beer...good idea!!

Oh, and it has a buttload of TV's.  You can't possibly escape sports if you come here.

Good place IF:
1. you're looking for a casual spot with good food and a good beer
2. you live in the neighborhood...nothing to travel more than 20 minutes for or write home about
4 - Julie J.: Delirium makes me delirious. No seriously though, strongest beer ever and it is quite tasty. I've visited Amsterdam 106 on a few occasions and they definitely have an extensive and interesting beer list. Obviously my favorite is Delirium, but I'm sure there are other beers that are just as noteworthy. Their menu doesn't have a huge selection of food, but they have your standard bar options like burgers and wings. Check it out!
3 - Evan H.: Beer List - 4.5 stars
Food quality 3.5 stars
Accuracy of their website: 0 stars

I like this place, they have great fries, good burgers and a good tap list, and most are only $6.  BUT i have to say, CHANGE the damn menu on the website and get rid of the specials you claim to have, since you don't offer them.  Sort of annoying.

Anyway, the wait staff and bartenders are friendly, though they are a bit annoying about growler fill ups.  Don't advertise them on the menu if you are going to complain about it. Also, don't over charge me for them.
3 - Paul B.: I've been back to Amsterdam 106 a few times since my first review and it is holding tightly to its 3 star review.  I like that I can usually find a table and that they try to offer more than just the average beer selection.

But it is frustrating how the waitresses never come around then get mad when you finally suck it up and order from the bar... I also have to admit that despite the 20+ beers on tap I always struggle to find a single one that I want.  106 is a good neighbor hood bar but certainly not worth traveling more than 5 blocks for.
4 - Cade R.: I went by myself on a Tuesday night.  The bar wasn't that crowded, which I like.  The staff was friendly.  The beer was good - I had a few Turbodogs (I'm from Louisiana, so any place that serves Abita automatically gets extra points).  I didn't have any food, though.  Maybe next time.
3 - Michael W.: Nate is a cool bartender. The 80's music was blasting! It was fun to clown around. That energy was infectious! Great beers on tap. The medium rare 106 burger was a big sloppy mess of meat and blue cheese! Yeah, baby!!! The fries were crisp. The area nearest to where the bar and the front door meets seems a little small, so I can imagine a nasty bottleneck action on the weekend. But today, this was very enjoyable.
4 - Miran C.: I'm confused- is it Amsterdam 106 or Amsterdam Tavern?  Whatever it is called, this restaurant is a beautiful space with a clean, fresh ambience.  During daytime hours, it is very light and airy and when dusk settles, it becomes quite romantic and cozy.  I can picture taking my girlfriends for brunch in this surprising location. 

Mr and I stopped by for happy hour after work for the first time. Apparently, we arrived at the "soft opening" before next week's Grand Opening! New management? The menu was still in development.   

Anyhoo, we had a $5 cheese plate, and house merlot / chardonnay and beer that was like $5 bucks? I forget, it was something crazy cheap like $5 or less until 7pm on weekdays. Today, only 1 beer on tap was on the happy hour menu, which I don't quite understand. But the bartender was very sweet and approachable. We'll most likely come back to try something on the full menu after the grand opening.   

The bathroom doors do need some signs signifying that they do lead to bathrooms.
4 - Jessica R.: I go to Amsterdam Tavern every week for their Tuesday trivia nights. It's always a good mix of people, nice bartenders/waitstaff, and GREAT onion rings. No complaints.
4 - Jess L.: My friend and I came here spontaneously around 8pm on a Saturday night. The bar was definitely full but not too full. We easily got seats at the bar and had two screens to watch the Barcelona vs. Madrid soccer game.

Pretty decent draft list, though the first three options my friend chose were all out at the time. 

Definitely a sports bar, but it was clean, and the bartenders were nice and attentive. I'll be back!
4 - Rose H.: This is a great little spot in the Columbia University neighborhood to grab a couple of drinks and a bite to eat. Their happy hour drink specials are good, their lobster sliders are to die for and the servers are friendly and pour generously.
4 - Carol M.: Great food, spotty service. My boyfriend found the menu online, sounded good so we went. We knew it was a bar and probably full of college students but we went anyway. It was a very nice crowd, not overly crowded. The cheese plate, steamed mussels and hamburger were delicious. The service was a bit sub-par. We were served the food with no utensils. We got tired of waiting for the waitress to bring them so got up and got them ourself. My food was served first. After waiting a while, we asked the waitress where the hamburger was. She said they accidentally gave it to someone else. She compensated by comping a beer and had the kitchen send one out right away. 
All in all, the food was good enough for a return visit. Hope the service improves.
4 - Kenny O.: Very comfortable little tavern. Enough space to sit around 12 on the counter, and perhaps for 40 at the tables. Walked in after a long day if traveling, and a nice game of futbol between Napoli and Inter was on. My stress seemed to melt away with the pints of Keegan Ale Hurricane Kitty and Arcadia Starboard stout was served.

I had a long in-and-out conversation with the other football enthusiasts in the tavern. For a while they ignored me until they figured out I spoke Spanish fluently and could join their little group! One of the older gents bought me a few shots, so I can say that I'm a fan of the clientele coming around this place :)
4 - Old Y.: Solid neighborhood pub.  Can take friends, girlfriend, parents here, or just pop in for a pint by myself.  Diverse and interesting and quality beer selection, which are $4 a pint for happy hour.  Food is excellent and not too pricey either.  I'm glad I live just a few blocks away, as I can go here often and never leave disappointed.
4 - Erica R.: Thank god for this place it was a bright light in a night of blah. After some earlier disappointments my friends and I ended up here and were immediately impressed by the atmosphere and the attentive service. Our waitress was handling the whole place but you never would've known by how often she checked in with us. In terms of the drinks they were all decently priced and there was definitely a wide selection. I got the woodpecker cider and it was pretty good but not the best cider I've ever had. For food we all shared the buffalo chicken nachos (the daily special for $10) sweet garlic wings ($7) and sweet potato fries ($5). They were all really good! I definitely want to come back and try the Mac and cheese which had awesome add in options like bacon, lobster, and truffle butter. Overall I really liked this place and I think you will too.
3 - Julio D.: I find that bars are a hit or miss. Some have the right atmosphere with energetic people and other are social environments and have the right music. I must say Amsterdam Tavern has a mixture of all that is energetic and good music. The food is reasonable and the selections of beer are great. Will surely come again.
4 - Bob K.: Great bar, drinks and food, good staff and nice looking space. I highly recommend it for a fun time out.
3 - Kristin M.: Nice little place with good service and a fun atmosphere.  A little overpriced ($10 for a large plate of, admittedly very good, fries?), but pretty good beer list and clean bathrooms.
3 - Alex F.: This place has a small and dark feel to it which is exactly what my girlfriend and I were looking for when we visited.  The nachos are good but pretty small.  The beer prices are reasonable and the service was great for a place that was actually really busy.
4 - Margaret T.: Come here on Tuesday night for Trivia night it you want me to whoop your ass* at trivia while I drink a ridiculous amount of beer and berate you. 

Come here on a Sunday afternoon after your teachers mind-fuc you (not funny, useful, or cool) for 10 hours** while I drink a ridiculous amount of beer and berate you.

Come here any weekday night for the $4 selection of beers which covers an entire sheet of paper, front and back.  This leads to -- you guessed it -- too many beers and being berated by me.

The food is standard pub fare and while it won't make you wanna slap yo' mama, it will go well with the ridiculous amounts of beer I drink and the berating you get from me.

Who wants to go?

-------------------
* By whoop your ass, I mean I will get 3rd place and a $10 bar tab because there was a section on reality TV and no one watches more reality TV than me.

** Group Relations Conference in case you want to experience it first hand. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENHO1yUtCRo
4 - Seth M.: This place has a nice rotation of craft beers on tap.  Its a quaint destination and even on a Saturday night late was able to get a seat with friends to relax and share a few.

The food menu looked really good as well but we only tried the sweet potato fries which were great. 

I will be back here to check out what else rotates onto the taps and to try some of the food because if the fries were any indication it will be good.
3 - Allison C.: Once again, add this place to the list of places I didn't take advantage of when I actually lived in Manhattan Valley...

At 2 a.m., there is a comfortable amount of patronage. I don't want to go into a packed bar, but I don't want to go anywhere that seems a little TOO empty.

The beer list was plentiful, with plenty of craft beers on draught or in bottles. My one disappointment was that there was only one kind of hard cider! However, it was Kopparberg Pear, and it was merely $5 (...I've seriously and regrettably paid $9 for it at other establishments...), but no Original Sin, Woodpecker, or another tradition apple hard cider? Curious.

Food was available, but I did not partake. Lots of flat-screen TVs showed the kind of awesome and bizarre television that lends itself to 2 a.m. show times. Nice vibe. Nice ambiance. Chill. On my own, I don't think I'd come here electively, but I'd certainly go back if a friend said, "Hey. Let's go HERE!" whilst puttering around that 'hood. 

I'd rather go there then 1020 Bar, that's for sure...
4 - Cindy L.: It was a rainy Thursday night, and my boyfriend and I were looking for a place in the neighborhood to catch Game 6 of the World Series. We spent about 20 seconds in the Village Pourhouse, felt like we had stepped into a raucous frat party, and walked back out into the rain. What to do? 

Amsterdam Tavern to the rescue! 

There was a lively, spirited crowd (most people seemed into the game), and though it was crowded, we were still able to get a table. It's a small place, with a few tables that each seat about 6 people, so we wound up sharing a 6-person table with another couple, but it still felt like there was sufficient personal space. (And believe me, I need my personal space.)

There was an impressive selection of beers on tap, and the food, while nothing to write home about, was solid, standard pub fare. Service was great, and everything was reasonably priced.

There were plenty of flat-screen TVs for optimal game-viewing. Whenever the Cardinals scored there was a lot of cheering, high-5-ing, and this one dude kept doing this entertaining jumping up-and-down sort of victory dance. So it was definitely a fun, spirited, but not-too-crazy atmosphere, and for us it was the perfect setting to enjoy the incredibly exciting Game 6. (I can't even imagine what kind of madness was going on up the street at Village Frathouse, but I am very glad I didn't stick around to find out.)

We were so glad to have stumbled upon this place and will definitely be back.
4 - Heather S.: Love this local neighborhood bar, good music, good people and great food. The brunch is very good, I recommend the lobster sliders, they are fantastic! The Mac and cheese is also very good.
5 - Mark A.: What can I say about this place other than it's just the best.  Drinks are always incredible, food rocks and the staff is amazing.  I suggest nachos, fried green beans, mac and cheese, the burger or chicken strips.  Draught beer list is constantly rotating and always incredible.  Aaaannndd make sure to check out specials: sriracha mac and cheese popped up last week and rocked.  Could've done without the .95 cent price bump in the last 3-4 months but other than that 106 is the best!
4 - Heather S.: I don't find myself bar hopping in the Upper West Side too often, but luckily enough I stumbled upon Amsterdam Tavern (with the help of Yelp, of course). Turned out to be a bar with a solid draft selection, plenty of seating, good crowd, and fine service. 

The place was absolutely jumping on a Friday night. We managed to find a couple of seats at an already pretty full table - luckily the other patrons were very chill and didn't mind us encroaching (5 yard penalty!). At the previous spot my friend had raved about about a Sierra Nevada brew, Celebration Ale, that reminded her of Christmas (and I raved about the oh-so-amazing Shiner Cheer) and it turned out that Amsterdam happened to have it on tap. What a pleasant surprise on a chilly January night!

Food looked/smelled great, but we had just gotten done scarfing chicken & waffles down at Amy Ruth's and were far from hungry. I'd definitely be back for their bottomless brunch though.
5 - Heather P.: Food here is awesome, great bar for sharing snacks. Specials included mac and cheese and short ribs. Bar is small and cozy, with an old neighborhood feel. Waitresses are attentive and super sweet (of course, I'm pretty sure my dad flirted his way to good service).
4 - Alexis R.: I know it's probably a little weird for a chick to wander into a bar alone with a book, but that's what I did the other evening.  I was waiting for my boyfriend, had a book, and wanted a beer.  I've been to this joint a number of times and love it for the most part.  Great selection of beer.  Generally really tasty food.  I am a fan.  

My only small complaint was that I didn't feel super welcomed when I showed up.  I might be overly-sensitive.  That's a distinct possibility.  But the bartenders (all female that night) basically ignored me until I flashed cash.  Ah well.  I got my beer.
4 - Shane G.: I'm one week into a two month stay in New York, and I've already been to this place three times. I guess that makes it my favorite bar in New York. The beer list is diverse and always changing, the service is friendly and prompt, the food is decent pub chow, the atmosphere is just right, and the music is usually great. My only complaint is the hordes of self-entitled brats that frequent it, but what do you want from a bar five blocks from Columbia?
3 - Jon F.: Definitely a good happy hour stop.  From 4-7pm most craft beers are $4, $5 for the more expensive ones.  I wish I had been here when they were $3.  They have over 20 craft beers to choose from and you can bring a growler to fill up.  Standard UW crowd, and they had 90's alt rock jams playing.
3 - A. S.: Great beer. And great selection. Really, really great beer and great selection - that changes, and is always good. 

Food is pretty good - not your usual boring pub fare, but nothing extraordinary. 

HOWEVER - service has gone downhill the past few months. We used to come here very frequently, for beers and food - great neighborhood bar with an awesome beer selection. And we like to drink good beer. Frequently, meaning about once a week or every other week. Would go to meet friends and go to watch NFL games. 

And the waitresses USED TO BE great. Very friendly, efficient, together. But recently - read: the last 3-4 months, the service has been very bad. Ignoring you when you come in, seating you and bringing menus, only to take 15-20 minutes to actually come and take your order, very rude and inconsiderate. This has led us to really try to find another bar to go to in the neighborhood -- which is unfortunate, since the beer selection here is AWESOME and the food is pretty good too. What happened to the old waitresses, and old vibe?? We want that back, please.
4 - Shweta S.: I ended up discovering (and then playing) Tuesday Night Trivia here quite by accident. Walked in here with a couple of friends quite randomly one Tuesday night and the waitress asked if we would mind taking the one remaining table by the door. "You'll have to share it with the trivia guy" she said, "but don't worry, he's very polite." And that's how we met Adam. He convinced us to play ("its free and you get money off your bill if you win!") so we did. We ended up finishing in 5th place, which is pretty respectable all things considered. 

The service is good, as is the beer selection and their food is decent. I haven't had a chance to make it to their happy hour yet but their regular prices are pretty reasonable. Good ambiance, good crowd, overall just the type of bar I'd like to be a regular at.

I'm definitely planning to go back and take another shot at trivia. Looking for some teammates. Anybody interested? :)
3 - Janice C.: A-OK for a local pub. Good selection of beer and ok burgers. Don't order the mussels, however, because about a third of ours were empty shells.
3 - Laura L.: Cool spot - a slightly nicer place than most of the local bars. They have some tasty cocktails, too. I need to stop by for trivia night.
4 - Emma B.: This is the best bar I've encountered above 96th St.  They have a great beer selection and a helpful, descriptive menu to go along with it.  The servers are also knowledgeable about the beer selection without being pretentious -- when my friend tried to order a Blue Moon, which is a step below what they have on draft, the server politely suggested some other beers that she might enjoy.

The food isn't incredible, but it's a cut above the standard pub food I expected. There's a quinoa veggie bowl that seems a little out of place on the menu, but it's yummy.

The crowd usually looks like it arrived en masse from a Columbia lecture hall, but that's not the bar's fault, I guess.  Otherwise, the atmosphere is pleasant, with lovely tin ceilings.
4 - Jackson F.: Great selection of beers on tap and good pub food. The chicken tenders are delicious with their buffalo sauce.
4 - Joan X.: I love this place without really being able to explain why... to me, it exudes a warm, homey, neighborhood-bar persona.

I've enjoyed many a good drink and conversation in their well-worn booths, crowded into the red vinyl booths, markers of a well-loved spot. Their extensive, consistently updated beer menu has something for everyone (even myself - a non-beer lover). A neighborhood favorite of mine.
5 - Tony P.: Awesome staff great prices and karaoke Wednesdays!!! Ask for Emily Moses or Carissa for good services and tasty burgers.
5 - Jessica S.: Found this place on our visit to NYC, and had to come back for a 2nd time it was so good.
Really Good Bar Food! full bar, and good variety of beer on tap, fast friendly service and laid back ambiance with low lighting.
Great place for a casual date :)
5 - Kelleigh W.: This is my type of bar. It's clean, the music isn't too loud, the craft beer selection is wonderful! I'm glad to have it in my neighborhood and will definitely come back!
4 - Melissa D.: I had a good time at this place. The drinks were a little overpriced, but whatever. They had a good variety. 

Except, they had a big sign for pumpkin flavored stuff, specifically mentioning pumpkin cider, which was why my friend and I stopped in for a drink. Turns out they were out of pumpkin cider, but since we had already trekked so far from the door to the bar stool we just HAD to stay and order something else. 

Plus, the music selection was really good.

It's definitely a small location. No real room for mingling. But, I'm pretty sure I'll be back.
4 - Matthew K.: Great seasonal beer selection and really good food. Some of the best nachos in NYC!!

Amtrak - Philadelphia, PA (39.9546084, -75.1850492) (University City)
2 - Khalid S.: I'm totally unimpressed by them. This was my first time hopping on one of their trains, and almost everything that could've gone wrong did go wrong.
- First, their kiosks wouldn't work at the 30th St. station, so couldn't get the tickets electronically.
- Then, when we approached the counter, the system was down, so they had to hand write the tickets.
- Also, they weren't able to accept plastic, only cash.
- Finally, the train was 50 minutes late.

I'm like what the f*ck? But my roomy, who travels with them pretty regularly, tells me that today was definitely an anamoly, and they're usually quite solid. So two stars for that. I have yet to see it though...

- And yeah, the stewardess lady was sooo friggin' loud, annoying as hell!
4 - Karl M.: I think I am giving Amtrak four stars because of what it competes with.  When given the choice between cheap smelly Greyhound Bus, cheap smelly New Jersey Transit train, or comfy-yet-outrageously-overpriced Amtrak, I will take the comfort every time.  Call me snooty.

I love Amtrak because I have found it to be (generally) on-time, the seats comfortable, and the ride smooth.  And while bare-bones, the snack car is a fantastic amenity - how many other trains serve beer and liquor?  

Be sure not to sit in the quiet car if you are going to be typing or something that even involves very light noise, lest you get attacked by sleeping executives!
5 - pedro s.: Roll down the Escalade windows and breathe breathe in - Sunoco towers, eternal gas flames along I95 / I76 (the freedom highway), most of the Schuylkill oilshed in nether SE - is this a proper punishment for exile out of Eden?

How else can we affect change if not enduring sacrifice, minor and almost less than a spec - yet vital and founding-father decent

Make a 65-length list on the foibles of our nation's rails - Chenyhunt targets each one - it's clear how you feel about $5 rubber pretzels, loud conductors, insufferable delays (a train to Miami - o por favor), vending machines, sneezes in queues, faux security, the Lyon-Paris vs New York-DC sadness, etc

Simplicity sake is all we have: each $ on your next trip to Harrisburg, or Fun City or Providence saves lives - saves qualities of lives

As we eat and overeat and indulge isnt it worth a little extra this one time?
3 - George R.: Over the Christmas/New Year's holiday (a.k.a. Winter Holiday Season), I took the Acela one-way from Philadelphia to Boston. The experience was pretty good as it took 4.5 hours in comparison to 8+ hours by a combination of Regional Rail service to NYC then buses to Boston and relatively speaking, it was about as long as getting to the airport, waiting, flying, landing, and getting to my destination.

The benefit that trains can offer you that planes cannot is that there is no check in process and most of the time (especially in Boston) you are dropped off much more centrally than if you were to take a plane.

On the train, the bathrooms were reasonable spacious. At some ends of the trains they only have handicap bathrooms, and if you get one of those, they are HUGE. They also have changing tables in there (if you happen to be traveling with a child).

To my surprise, the seats recline really far back and there is plenty of leg room. There are also foot rests unlike on planes in economy. That's probably because on Acela there is only business-class and first-class ("business" is the new "economy").

The things that I didn't like were that the seats were incredibly worn and highly uncomfortable after only 30 minutes. When the train is actually going at high speeds, the cabin shakes you back and forth (this is no different than if you were on high speed trains in France). The final thing is that because the trains are electrified and traveling at high speeds, most cabins have this very high pitch electric squeal that gets very irritating after a while. If you're older or have difficultly hearing high frequencies, you're all set!

My recommendation is that you put your stuff down in your seat, stow your bags above in the closed overhead compartments, grab your valuables, and walk down to the food car. Hang out in there and stay on your feet. You get a really great view of the world whizzing by you.

Overall, I would travel on Acela again, but would not sit in my sit for as long as I did without a supplemental cushion. Also, I would have to be going as a business expense of have someone else pay for my trip because $173 One-Way from Philadelphia to Boston is ridiculous for regular citizens (non-business travelers) when air-fare is less expensive to travel the same route.

With improvements made to the train service, Acela could supplant air services to many places along the Northeast Corridor. The only issue is that it is still prohibitively expensive (although, Acela made its first profits in 2007. Perhaps Amtrak is going to use Acela money to support the rest of the dying system).
1 - Jon P.: Enough waxing poetic around the thrill of an old and antiquated transportation system.  First off I have been taking Northern Corridor trains for years.  And what I have learned is that train travel is one step below bus travel. 

There record here in the north east is abysmal and they, well don't care!  The last four trains were either delayed hours, broke down or never came and this is out of Philly.  

I feel like I am somewhat knowledgeable since I have spent months in Europe and they have one of the world most efficient mass transportation systems.   We cannot even begin to compare the differences in service, price and coverage.

As the world runs out of fossil fuels and those huge SUV's become paperweights with payments in our driveways we will be stuck in our own mess with no real transportation infrastructure.
4 - Andy H.: Easy ride between Philly and NYC.

I use it quite often, and enjoy it most of the time.

Big comfy seats, plenty of leg room and giant windows to get a view of small cities to zip by. 

Bathrooms are decent, I have experienced some messes at times, but mostly clean. The food on Amtrak is cafeteria style and skippable, so for that it loses a star. Just buy food at one of the train stations and bring it aboard.

Takes 1 hour and 10 minutes via the Acela service.
Takes 1 hour and 30 minutes via the Regional or Keystone service.
3 - Meg C.: Sometimes I love Amtrak, sometimes I hate it. 

I do enjoy riding for free (thanks, magical family member pass!) and I find trains a bit romantic. But delays are not unusual. The Acela seems to be the only one that runs on time anymore.

There is a wide range of attitudes from the staff as well. I have spent enough time going back and forth to see my family in Boston and friends in NYC to know which trains have the friendlier conductors. Usually, the off-peak trains are your best bet for a good experience, I especially like the ones that travel late at night. 

Early morning trains tend to be laid back as well. And Keystones are great because they rarely sell out, I always have the seat next to me empty on those trips. Around Christmas and Thanksgiving, the crowds get a bit rabid, so I avoid using Amtrak completely.

It is a lot nicer than the NJ Transit/SEPTA option, I used that once during a massive Amtrak delay and vowed NEVER AGAIN. I guess I'm just spoiled.
3 - Karen F.: I, too, have a love/hate relationship with Amtrak - seeing as I take it every 2 weeks like clockwork - it is a necessary evil in my life.

First of all the prices.  They're high.  Acela is a complete rip off saving you maybe only 20 minutes of time from Philly to NYC - and that is only if the trains are on time.  Don't bother.  Also you can skip upgrading to Business class - what a freakin' joke.  It's the same seats - just the front car.  BFD!!!

OK, now the schedules - IF they are running on time with no delays they would be adequate.  But you can forget about holidays - when crowded trains are OVERSOLD and running late.  Thanksgiving weekend is a NIGHTMARE,

Basically between T-giving and January 6 the weekends are all a colossal mess.

Bring your own food - many trains no longer have the cafe car.
2 - sri n.: Got the stars to downgrade a little bit.....was coming back from EWR airport after a 14 hrs of bus/plane travel. I was waiting near the sliding door as the train reached Philly. And this train conductor dude thinks that I am some sort of an idiot and yells at me on how I should stand inside, etc, etc. I was already inside. He just wanted to yell at someone that day. 
Oh...The joys of customer service..
5 - Matthew W.: Rating - 9.996

This so beats traveling via plane between Philly and Boston. I could have had an 1 1/2 hour flight on US Air for $560 since SWA doesn't start flying there until August. The train was just $160, plus $100 for first, so for $263 you can't beat it....no security....no delays....no crabby flight attendants yelling at you to get in your seat and stow your bags.

Please see my blog for more details and reviews.

Sitting in first on this train is ok, no better really than their standard coach. The car behind us in the "quiet car" no talking/cell phone usage........NICE. So there are probably 25 seats up here, two servers who are very attentive (it is common to tip them as you leave). Food is marginal, but drinks are free (for once, I am not drinking). I just walked back to the food/bar cart, the prices are very reasonable.....$6 for turkey sand, $5 for a Heiny, $2 for soft drink. I just upgraded because its 5 1/2 hours on the train.

I would never fly between cities on East coast again, i have had several miserable air delays due to weather
5 - Nikki I.: No complaints! I take Amtrak for the Lancaster -- Philly route, and the ride is always nice and comfortable.
2 - Felicia D.: Amtrak's Acela service is billed as the deluxe business traveler's choice between D.C., Philadelphia, New York and Boston.  Though over the longer hauls it can shave some minutes off the journey, the trains' egregious lateness and ridiculous prices ($190 round trip Philly to NYC) destroy any time savings you might conceivably expect.

Because the damn Acelas run on the same tracks as the regionals, when anything goes wrong, it backs the whole works up hours and hours.  I've been sitting here since 7:30 for a train schedule for 8:15 that will maybe, if we are lucky, arrive at 10:30.  

The Acela Club attendant put out some bags of potato chips to allay the hunger many of the frustrated passengers are no doubt feeling.  Of course, he's not responsible for this kind of monumental delay, but potato chips are the official response to ruining everyone's night?  Methinks that WEAK.
4 - Jeff M.: I'm not sure how many people know this, but in case you didn't, here it is: Amtrak's Acela Express trains are built for speed and awesomeness, this much is known. What might not be as well known is that very few tracks used by Amtrak in the Northeast Corridor are set up to allow Acela Express trains to function at their full potential. The tracks are too close together to allow the trains to tilt safely, which is one way that the Acela Express trains achieve higher speeds (by tilting on the tracks when approaching bends, and whatnot). Also traveling any faster than 135 miles per hour requires a constant tension catenary (those cables above the train), which are limited to only certain lines, (for example, NY to Boston, if I remember correctly). Knowing this, don't waste your money on the Acela Express if you're traveling anywhere in Pennsylvania. You won't get there much faster than the regular Amtrak trains. Unless you just like to say that you took the Acela Express so you can feel special.

As far as regular Amtrak trains go, I'm very pleased with the service, the timeliness, the prices, and also just the general upswing in clientele when compared to, say, SEPTA? I could get used to the nice seats, and the friendly conductors. And can we say comfortable? I've never had so much legroom on any plane I've been on in the last... a long time. I've never really had an issue with not arriving on time, because... well because I've always arrived on time. As a caveat, I feel it's important to note that my Amtrak experiences have been limited to Pennsylvania. I find that getting to NY via SEPTA/NJ Transit is significantly cheaper than the Amtrak route. The R7 to Trenton is $8.00, and then it's something like $15.00 to go from Trenton to NY. You're welcome.

Overall, fantastic experience that is only limited by the fact that long distance trips seem to cause ticket prices to rise exponentially, which kind of defeats the benefit/purpose of taking a train over a plane. If you have the money though, it's not a bad way to go.
3 - Danan R.: Amtrak is something that I can always count on to get me to a destination on time.  The Acela between Phila and Boston is fast and comfortable.  So much easier than flying.
2 - Jing G.: ...

I've taken the Amtrak exactly 2 times in my life.  The first time was years ago, don't remember much except that it was expensive.

The other time was yesterday, took the Amtrak out of 30th Street Station to NYC.  Still expensive.

I am not pleased that a one-way ticket for the regular service (not express) was $90 and it was late getting to NYC.  Like, close to 30 minutes late and me missing my appointment.  

To top it off I had to book it in heels down 6 blocks because no taxi would take us that small distance.  

Not very happy with neither the service nor the pricing.  On the bright side the seats are spacious.
5 - Erika B.: I love Amtrak for it's reliability and flexibility.  As a frequent traveller of the northeast corridor, I love the option of taking the Amtrak even if it is sometimes more costly and time consuming than the alternative plane or bus or car. The quiet car is quite relaxing and condusive to reading, sleeping, working, or enjoying the  beauty of the connecticut shoreline to the industrial marks of the mid atlantic states. My favorite trip is DC to Philly because it is so quick.
1 - Jess K.: I hate Amtrak.  I really hate it.  I hate how expensive it is and how it doesn't save me time.  I hate how the trains are always late, the wireless barely works (and only exists on the Acela trains) and the people are rude.  I always choose to fly or take the bus over the train but for work it is expected that I WANT to take the train instead of the bus.  Blech.
2 - Phil T.: Ahh, the reservation system. The arbitrary, cronyistic institution of harassment used by conductors to bully unsuspecting passengers. Its use has diminished the otherwise admirable Amtrak Keystone Service. 

On the Keystone Service, you may board a train without a ticket and purchase one on board unless the train is "Reservation Required" or is sold out. The website clearly shows which trains are Reservation Required when searching train schedules. 

We attempted to catch a 6:10 p.m. train back to Philadelphia the other night. Despite the train being half-empty, the conductor would not let us on-board without a reservation and simply drove off, leaving us in the cold with the lone option of making a reservation for the 8:10 train. 

I called Amtrak's line, which stated that all trains during Thanksgiving week required a reservation. This is stated nowhere on the website when checking train schedules. I made a reservation for the 8:10 train. 

Two hours later we went back to the train station. The train pulled up and the conductor let us on board without needing the reservation. He did not ask for my reservation number, he did not ask for my boarding code, and he did not ask for our IDs. He simply sold us two tickets. 

I described what happened at 6:10. The 8:10 pm train conductor asked me for a description of the conductor who wouldn't let us on, and confirmed that he has done this to other passengers. He intimated that the guy was simply being mean and that he himself wouldn't have done that.

The issue is not about a policy, it's about choice. The reservation requirement is arbitrary; that conductor could have chosen to let us on the train, especially since we bought tickets on an even more crowded train without a reservation. He could have let us on. He didn't. This is what makes him a jerk, and this is why the otherwise excellent Amtrak Keystone Service gets two stars.
3 - Amanda C.: I have taken Amtrak's regional trains(nyc-dc route) quite a few times the past few years. All the trips have been for work or training so I have never paid for a ticket.

I have found the trains to be clean and quiet, almost relaxing. Train stations have wireless and usually small places to grab a bite to eat.

I wouldn't bother taking Acela because in my experience it is always late and not worth the extra $100 it costs to make the trip.
4 - Phillip Y.: Okay, I have to say I loved the ride from 30th Station in Philadelphia to New London Station in CT.  One thing I noticed was there was higher ridership than before when I traveled as an undergrad around 10 years ago.  Also, fewer stops in between and the conductor had to remind me about only his door in the back car would be opened for New London.  Aside from this, it was a pleasant ride to New London but not so pleasant on the way back to Philadelphia.  

The main reason was that I deal with city folks on the ride towards Boston on Sunday.  These folks are considerate and know to keep conversations short on the phone.  People are either sleeping or reading.  On the way back to Philadelphia on President's Day holiday, you get other folks like this grandmother from Connecticut who talk loudly on their phone about their "very smart and socially adept" grandkids and being under-appreciated by their sons/daughters.  The woman next to me agreed as well since this grandmother was sitting behind us.  If you have an emergency or need to let someone know you are running late, then keep it short and let others sleep or read.  The dead silence in the car was filled with this grandmother's high pitched voice.  We finally got enough after she apologized to her friend over the phone when we went through a tunnel and redailed.  I said quite audibly "Thank God" followed by "Aggrrr, you've got to be kidding me."
3 - Ocee D.: 3 Stars

Heading back to New York was a little different. The ticket cost $21 (almost 50%) more. Lady at the ticket booth was still nice, but not as friendly as the one in NY. Line to get on the train was pretty long, and the train was packed, so It took a little while to find a seat. 
The lady checking tickets was cool to me, but definitely not as friendly as the guy working when I went to Philly. She raised her voice at and talked down to the girl that was sitting next to me.......
I still enjoyed the ride though...
2 - Tanya L.: Do you make as much money as Scrooge McDuck? If so, your pockets won't be emptied by Amtrak like they have drained mine over the years. It pains me to think over the years collectively how much money I've wasted to get to a place smoothly without lurches. 100 plus dollars to get someplace 2 hours away via a regional train without internet access is ridiculous. 

Plus I am now sitting down in the Philly office of customer service where I experience employee S.Gregg being sugary sweet to everyone else, but snaps at me when I ask her how I'm going to get on a train when she directs me to go to one, without her handing me a ticket.

Train lateness is also unacceptable. Though it's nice the food car exists, the only edible things there are a vegetarian burger and chips. 

The ticket collector ask me why I looked so miffed, holding in my hand with what appeared to be a detention slip (an alternative train ticket, not the original). That's because I've been completely sapped by Amtrak prices. Unless they improve their fares or their stupid customer loyalty program pays off the return on investment sooner, choose the much cheaper, more courteous Bolt Bus instead!
4 - Kurt I.: I love Amtrak.  If I could afford it - I would use it everytime i come to the city.

As for now - I use it mainly for business.

This is the 30th street station Amtrak - which is a gorgeous old building.
4 - Maggie M.: I LOVE trains and i LOVE amtrak!

The Pennsylvanian is always on time.
The conductors are always pleasant. 
There is always a car reserved for people going all the way to Lancaster and harrisburg (which means you always have room to be comfortable).
The ticket you buy is good for any time train that day, just in case you miss yours or get there crazily early (both of which have happened to me).

And any train is always smooth, fast, relaxing and fun to ride. 

For me, the best part is the Amtrak Rewards system, which doubles my miles every trip, and means that I gt a free round trip every month and a half or so! (unless i decide to save, in which case, I could travel just about anywhere within a year!).

I only wish Amtrak could run SEPTA.
2 - Lan D.: I think I might have gotten spoiled  by friendly employees of Amtrak in California thus was completely unprepared for the "customer service"  experience in Philly. I would gladly forgo any interactions with the staff but the electronic ticket booths refused to scan my ticket.  Women at the ticket kiosk  and the receptionist at the customer service office were super nice to each other but extremely rude to me. When I talked to them, they  rolled their eyes  and snapped at me,  looking  like they were doing  me a huge favor by being present at their jobs. I understand they may have no motivation to help customers, but  they definitively are ready and eager to be mean and harass customers for no reason.  I give two stars, but these two stars are only for the great work of the manager Richie (Richy?) who was extremely polite and professional and  was able to solve my problem in 10 minutes after me trying to discuss it with other employees for at least two hours. Thank you, Richie,you by yourself deserve more than 5 stars.
5 - Wm H.: Riding the rails is the only way to get from city to city here on the east coast.

Yeah everyone loves the cheapness of the bus lines, but if I wanted to sit on I-95 and at the tunnel, I would drive.

Taking the train is more civilized, and it really is about the trip.  You have space to stand up, walk around, electric plugs, real bathrooms, and a lounge car to pick up goodies.  Plenty of room for baggage, what more can you ask for.

Using AAA and senior discounts along with student discounts, gets you a better price, even though the ticket prices are not bad.  The best rates are yours if you book at least two weeks prior to travel.

And going to Florida, all I can say, is AUTOTRAIN!  Much better than driving I-95.  Get a sleepette room, you will be very happy you did!  Again early reservations get you the best prices!
4 - Frances L.: I, like many other people, have a very romantic relationship with train travel. On a recent trip to Pennsylvania, we took the Amtrak from 30th Street Station to Lancaster, PA and were delighted to find spacious and comfortable cars that were quiet and wi-fi ready. Some cars even had electric outlets, making this a great way to get around for the business-commuter. With minimal stops, our journey was quick and painless. Checking-in and purchasing tickets was a breeze with online purchases and self-service kiosks. There was plenty of room for our two big bags and carry-ons, and trains came and left right on schedule even during the holidays. I appreciate that there are quiet cars in the morning and late at night for those who want to get some shut-eye, too.
5 - Joey N.: Ok, why don't they have the Acela Express on the west coast?!?!?! This train kicks the proverbial @$$ off any other commuter train out there! With spacious seats, free WiFi aboard, tables and outlets to plug in your laptops to to chug away at while you're on your way from NYC & Philly to DC and back, this train has it all! And you get this killer experience sans gropefest via a handsy TSA agent! You can literally show up right before the train departs, buy a ticket, and hop on with all your bags in tow and actually make your train! (Yeah, I literally was running through NYC Penn Station to catch this train to Philly)

A great experience! I highly suggest anyone commuting between NYC/Philly and DC to shun the rest and try the best!
3 - Willanne W.: Travelled from Philly to NYC.  The Philly station was clean and secure (It seems like there was one security guard for every 20 passengers!)  It is a lovely old station that takes you back to the glory days of train travel.
The service left promptly, arrived a few minutes late, was acceptably clean, BUT the car was terribly hot and stuffy.
Also, the WIFI was horrible .. extraordinarily slow!!!
3 - Ryan W.: Amtrak is a total crap shoot.  If the train is clean and on-time, I'm a big fan.  During a recent round trip from DC to Philly, the outbound leg was great.  The return was another story:  30 mins late, filthy train cars, rude conductor.  There's one constant though: the WiFi always sucks.
4 - Abhishek Y.: I take Amtrak a lot. How much is a lot? Last year, I hit 350 segments. This year, I'm 5 short of the 200 mark. And it's just July. 400-450, here I come.

From the Keystone (my daily train), the NER (Northeast Regional), to the Acela Express, I've done my fair share of time in Amtrak trains.

Consistently acceptably clean cabins, moderately well kept and modern interiors, and free Wi-Fi make Amtrak a great commuter and travel train in the Northeastern United States. When compared to SEPTA (the regional Philadelphia transportation system), the Amtrak trains are far ahead, far faster, and only cost a marginally higher amount, depending on the route. The lack of a thorough TSA check is a split for me. Nice to not have to deal with the hassle, but then again, the entire of TSA (in theory) is to keep folks safe. Regardless, TSA checks and Amtrak Police (with K9 units) abound in some of the larger stations in the Northeast region (Philadelphia, NYC, Boston, DC).

By and far, the Keystone line offers some of the best values in the system. A trip from Philadelphia to Ardmore or Paoli runs a mere 6.50$ (or 5.52$ if you are a student).

The Amtrak Guest Rewards program is a great chance to earn points to redeem on the network, and redemptions are usually quite easy to come by. Having consistently made the Select Plus tier due to my frequent travel, I can attest to the fact that the benefits really do make attaining the status worth it (free companion and upgrade coupons are just the beginning).

All in all, Amtrak is awesome.
4 - Steve M.: I have begun taking Amtrak from Philly to NYC and Albany, NY.  Taken approximately 5 trips in the last few months.  Overall, the service is fine and the trains are clean.  I think the Wilmington, DE station is very easy to travel from as parking is simple and station was just remodeled.
4 - Kanchana S.: After a horrible Amtrak experience going from DC to West Palm Beach a few years ago I was terrified of taking the train recently.

I've had four wonderful experiences.  The only difference is that the trips were short and to and from New York to Philadelphia and Baltimore.  The trains were on time, fast and comfortable.

I would recommend rushing to the exit when you near your stop.  Amtrak is like the subway in that way.
4 - Allie A.: Should I drive 7 hours to North Carolina and deal with horrible traffic, feeling my blood pressure rise to stroke level as I near road rage?  Or should I spend what I would've spent in gas money and instead sit back on the Amtrak and let someone else do all the driving?  DING DING DING.

I was so pleased with my recent trip from Philly to Fayetteville.  Every seat had a charger.  Free wifi was constant and accessible.  The train was fast, clean, and modern.  The staff went above and beyond in friendliness and helpfulness.

Amtrak - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2869238, -83.7413465) ()
5 - Jeff N.: My family, my wife and I and two teenage boys took the train from Ann Arbor to Chicago and back in early July. It was an incredibly enjoyable experience. My one son spent the time online, the other looking out the window. The train was totally full but the staff did a great job of seating everyone and keeping them happy (both ways). As far as I could tell there was not an undesireable passenger on the train.

Great way to get to Chicago and back.
4 - James M.: I like Amtrak a lot, for getting to Chicago from Ann Arbor... Coming from the Royal Oak area, I know that the trip to Royal Oak, or Detroit on Amtrak, from A2 or anywhere west of A2 is annoying, but its all smooth sailing west of A2. 

The train CAN be very, very late... but in my experience over the last few years, it's actually been on time. So, compared with driving, I adore the train... This past weekend it really only took me 4.5 hours to get to Chicago, and it's super easy to get around from Union Station in Chicago - though the CTA doesn't directly connect. 

here are some reasons why I like the train:

1) you can pee without stopping your trip, and don't loose any travel time
2) you can drink, buy food, play cards, etc
3) power outlets are on the trains
4) amtrak tix in Michigan cost a lot less than tickets on a similar trip from NYC-DC
5) the train deals better with the snow than a bus
6) from Kalamazoo - Porter Indiana the train can go like 90 MPH, as amtrak actually owns that rail and it's now "high speed" by their standards
7) sleeping instead of straining my eyes driving, and talking to other people

Reasons why the train isn't so great:
1) it can potentially be VERY delayed
2) its underfunded.
3) it has to wait sometimes to pass other trains on the route (like the amtrak going the opposite way, or freight trains) - though my friday-sunday trip this past weekend didn't have to do this
4 - Marcus K.: Went fron Ann Arbor to Chicago right after Christmas.  It was packed but a nice smooth ride.  Only 30 min late.  Snacks leave something to be desired for.
4 - Erik M.: I made a plan to hang in Ann Arbor for a night and for $25 round trip, this was a fun add-on.

I came from Royal Oak (ROY in Amtrak jargon), and I didn't buy my tickets in time, so I was told I couold buy them on the train, when I tried, the conductors had a discussion over who was the most lazy and the decided on a tie, and therefore told me they could not honor my AAA discount. I want my $1.50 in savings! Whatevs.

After a fun night in Ann Arbor, I stopped by this station first, to buy my ticket before I was on the train, so I could get my $1.50 in AAA savings (that's like 3 tacos from Taco Bell). I told the guy at the ticket office about my malady and he said they should have given me the discount on the train, and went ahead and discounted my the AAA price for both ways. Really awesome.

To be fair, I was at this station at about 11:00pm on a weekday, so I did not get the full rush of a bustling train track. I was the only one there, but the guy at the office was very nice. Bathroom was very clean, always a good thing when about to ride on a giant metal twinkie for 3 hours.

All in all my experience in the station was good, and I got to pretend I was a 1940's press man, ending all my sentences in ", see?", and pretending to bet on horse races.
4 - Mike P.: A little pocket of skieve in the otherwise quaint little hamlet of Ann Arbor.  By Amtrak standards, it's pretty good though.
1 - HD B.: it is impossible to get into your system to speak with someone
3 - Liz W.: This has worked for me as a way to Chicago more than once. You have to book way in advance for the upgraded tickets, they are worth it in my opinion. I am kinda spoiled.

I ended up in coach this last trip and did fine though. The station itself gets crowded and chaotic but it is clean and has plenty of seating. Be warned they fill up a Chicago bound train before they make it to Ann Arbor so you might end up sharing with a stranger if you are alone at a popular departure time.

My trip there had no breakfast food that was not a sweet in the dining car but I come prepared thank goodness. The seats are roomier than airplane seats, you do not get scanned or strip searched and the bathrooms are not the size of a postage stamp. I would not sit near one though.

The trip to Chicago is pleasant and uneventful. Scenery is a total snooze. Things generally run on time though and time passes quickly enough with a book. All in all it is not a half bad option. Given the lead time you must allow when travelling by plane and the delays, this is not too much more time consuming really.
3 - Jennifer V.: My god this station is a clusterfuck, I swear. I'm not much of a fan of traveling in general, so that may be part of the problem, admittedly so. But seriously? With as busy as that station gets, it's THAT tiny? And then they shove all the people to one end of the platform to get on the damned train? Okay, well, the coach class people get shoved to the end of the platform. There's got to be a better way to do this. I mean, honestly. I rode Amtrak for the first time from Ann Arbor to Chicago and was surprised and just how unorganized and clusterfuck-y the whole boarding process was. I think I'd rather just fly next time.....

I was also highly annoyed at how DUMB people were in the station. Please, people, if you're standing around because there aren't seats left, how about you NOT block the walkways, doors, or the Quick Ticket thingy?! Yeesh, is it that hard to figure out on your own? We're adults - do we really have to be told these things?

See? I told you I don't like traveling....
4 - Allie K.: Traveled to Birmingham today. Called a couple hours early to change my reservation (no cost) and they offered to hold my bags while I grabbed a bite across the street. Very helpful staff!

Amtrak - Champaign, IL (40.11566, -88.241458) ()
2 - Sarah L.: My experience with amtrak was surprisingly pleasant.  My morning train in to chicago was sterile-ly clean and almost empty, but took 4 hours (scheduled for 2.75).  My evening train smelled like extreme BO, but only took 2 hours (scheduled again for 2.75).   This state of affairs can be described as "surprisingly pleasant" as I expected BOTH legs of the trip to take 4 hours AND smell like extreme BO. 

Despite my friends' urgent warnings, no indigent peoples tried to talk to me or make friends on either train.  I think I will use the amtrak again!  Way less stressful than driving in the city, and not any more expensive with gas in chicago being up to $4 a gallon.
1 - N A.: Just logged on to amtrak.com to buy a one way ticket to Chicago for a Monday train a couple weeks from now.  Price for a ONE WAY ticket has gone up yet again to $37.00!!!!!  

Thanks to a slow day at work, I decided to do the math on this to see exactly how much of a ripoff Amtrak really is.  At $1.70 a gallon for gas, even if you were to drive a Hummer H2 to Chicago, it would only cost $21.00 in gas to get there.  If you've got a Prius, driving would run you less than $5.00.  A 38 foot Winnebago would cost about $32.00.  In fact, you would need a vehicle that gets only 6.2 MPG for Amtrak to be the less expensive option.  Did I mention I'm having a slow day at work?

Moral of the story:  Don't waste your time looking at Amtrak as an alternative to driving.  Even if you have a vehicle large enough comfortably sleep 6, it's still cheaper to drive.  I also don't imagine Amtrak's reliability issues have been resolved by the price increases, so the extra cost really doesn't get you anything other than a strong likelihood of a 90+ minute delay in reaching your destination.
1 - Melissa M.: I guess there is no way to really make Amtrak improve by making a one-star review, but I think it's awful how expensive it now is to go to Chicago given the quality of the service. I live in Stockholm now and was entertaining notions of going back to Champaign to do another degree, but really...it's an isolated place if you don't have a car. It shouldn't be a big deal to go to Chicago. It shouldn't use up all my money or my patience. I've had 11 hour delays on Amtrak! Chicago is a major travel hub and the closest major city. The fact that it is so difficult to get to hurts the University. 

Sweden benefits enormously from having fast, relatively cheap, and hassle-free railway. I don't have to sit on a cramped bus next to a McDonalds eating elementary school kid or endure six hour delays on a crappy train to get to places like Oslo and Copenhagen. I'm bragging now, but UIUC needs Amtrak to shape up.
1 - David Z.: Both times I have taken the Amtrak back and forth between Champaign and Chicago I have been late on both legs of the round trip. The delays have ranged from 1 hour to 3 hours. It should NOT take 5 hours to get from Champaign to Chicago on a train. 

Unfortunately as one of those pesky Chicago dwellers who does not own (nor plan on buying) a car, this is pretty much my only way for me to attend U of I football games. Well, I guess I could rent a car for the weekend, but that would be around $100+, whereas Amtrak is $13 each way if you book far enough in advance. As long as the football game is at 2 PM or later, you should make it, since the train is supposed to arrive in Champaign at 10:45 AM. But if you have an 11:00 or noon game, do NOT expect Amtrak to get you there by kickoff (or even halftime in some cases).
5 - Brent S.: I'm an occasional train passenger, having taken most of the three routes through Champaign about a half dozen times each. In general I've found it quite pleasant and worry-free. The cars have been in good shape, and only occasionally completely full. Amenities include at least a snack car (fuller food service on the City of New Orleans route), electrical outlets for use with your favorite electronic device, and large comfortable seats with plenty of leg-room (I'm 6 feet tall). Additionally, the terminals at either end are clean and pleasant, although the waiting area in Union Station in Chicago can be a bit crowded.

The only downside is the occasional delay, especially with the long-haul City of New Orleans northbound leg. The station personnel in either terminal are not very good about keeping passengers informed, with explanations and announcements being rare; onboard delays fare better, getting announced/explained roughly half the time. I consider travel delays inevitable in any form of transportation (Chicago by auto at rush hour? fuhgeddaboudit!) given right-of-way  and general operational conditions, but even so they seem somewhat too common, especially on northbound segments.

Still, the price and convenience is a great bargain. I wholeheartedly recommend the service, with the caveat that your schedule needs to be flexible to accomodate usually-modest delays.

September 2011 update: 
I've been using Amtrak from Champaign more often, most recently in conjunction with CTA to get to and from O'Hare. I continue to have very good experiences in spite of  the usual expected short delays.

I will add that the pricing seems to have changed-- popular times and days have increased in cost, and as usual the City of New Orleans route continues to be the most expensive option. Still, compared to other ways to get to and from Chicago from Champaign it is still a bargain, and a comfortable one at that, especially compared to the student-oriented bus services that rudely cram you in, cost 2 to 3 times as much, and usually take longer.
5 - Samuel I.: Reading the other reviews for Amtrak makes me wonder about the expectations that people have concerning cheap public transit. It also makes me wonder if they'd give the interstate a bad review when a 2.5 hour drive turns into a 5 hour trip due to accidents on the road, adverse weather conditions, or just plain ol' too many drivers on the road. 

I've taken the Amtrak from Champaign to Chicago (and back) literally dozens of times (i.e. 24+), and I've *never* had my trip delayed by more than a hour. I cannot say the same about traveling via car, LEX, or Greyhound. I've also never experienced a breakdown (car), had my stop skipped by the driver and been stranded for 3 hours (LEX), or had to sit next to some cat who's just gotten out of prison (Greyhound).

If you buy your ticket in advance and don't try to get on the New Orleans train (not state subsidized), tickets are ~$14, which is what the Greyhound charges with similar notice. LEX and driving in your own car are both more expensive. Amtrak also offers a 60 day 10 ride pass on the Illini and Saluki trains for ~$130. You can just walk on with your ticket.
5 - Tim J.: This is the best way to get to and from Chicago from Champaign. If you book long enough ahead of time, you can ride for $13 each way. If you wait until the last minute, you are going to pay $36, which is still less than the private busses. 

If you are going to Chicago, the Amtrak drops you at Union Station, which is really convenient to take the Metra out to the 'burbs, Blue Line to O'Hare, Orange to Midway, el to wherever (3 block walk) or busses and trolley (a free bus) to wherever else. It is true that the train can run late, just like the private busses, but it is extremely rare for this to occur on the early morning trains.

I actually prefer it to driving, as I can do work on the train, read a book, or sleep. Trains are much more spacious than buses or planes and have plugs for laptops, etc (no WiFi yet). You can even walk around, and use a human-sized bathroom. In the car all that I can do is sit, eat, and get older.  

You can also drink on the train (cafe car has beer, but you can also BYOB). Just sayin'.

Also, if you are feeling awesome, check out the Rockstar Ride: departs Friday & Saturday nights from Champaign at 7:59pm, arriving downtown Chicago at 10:45pm. Departs from Chicago on Saturday/Sunday morning at 8:15am. A night to never remember.

Amused Clothing - West Lafayette, IN (40.4239587, -86.9086747) ()
3 - Amy D.: I miss the stickers they used to sell here. The hair dye is good shit though. The clothes are ok, some really cool others look like trash.
4 - Megan C.: There can be some good clothes and then a lot of bad clothes.  They have started carrying American Apparel now so that is a bonus.  I don't skateboard, but if I did I would be shopping there.
5 - Kate S.: I got lots of clothes here during college. Funky hippie skirts and dresses, funny t-shirts, etc. My favorite is a skirt made out of an old Oakland Raiders sweatshirt (funny enough, I live by Oakland, CA now). This is a great place for Breakfast Club and Halloween costume materials.

The all-time best purchase was a pair of exquisite cream colored cowboy boots, already broken in, and fit me like socks. $20. I don't think I'll ever beat that.
5 - Jon C.: I'm reviewing their tobacco/hookah department, not the clothes/accessories area.

My wife and I wanted a small hookah to have at home, and we'd seen Amused's sign a few days back, saying they carried hookahs and accessories.

Boy do they!

The dude that helped us choose one was super knowledgeable and helpful.  He helped us pick out a small glass Mya hookah which we love.

Their selection of shisha rocks.  They carry Starbuzz (ALL flavors), Fantasia (probably all the flavors; they have a ton), Al Fakher, Tangiers, and a couple others.   They also have coals (natural and self-light) and everything else you need to smoke hookah at home.

If you're looking to get into hookah - go here!
5 - Lizz C.: I'm reviewing their clothing area. =)

I love skirts and dresses.  Actually it's all I wear.

Amused has two kinds of women's clothing - kind of vintagey (from classic to kitsch) and what I lovingly term 'hippie'.

They have probably the best hippie dresses that I've seen in the area. The prices are pretty affordable ($15 for some of them up to $30ish) - and while the selection isn't department store-esque, that's not why you came here, right? You wanted something different!

The sizes range from small small to plus size (size 24+). They have a little bit of separates, but the thing here for women's clothing are the dresses.  Flowy long and short ones, adjustable tie tank-tops, cute skirts and from silk velvet to polyester vintage stuff.

For flowy cute funky hippie dresses, this is the place in Lafayette/W.Lafayette. It's why I continue to shop here =) (well, that and their great hookah selection, but you can read Jon C's review for more about that side of their store =) )

Amy Adams - Dermatologist - Palo Alto, CA (37.440111, -122.161179) ()
4 - Jason H.: I have seen Amy a few times over the last few years and I think she is great. She is smart, exudes confidence and competence and she has a good bedside manner.

I like that she is efficient and respectful of my time, but I don't feel like there is not enough time to cover anything we need to cover. One thing to consider though is that if you are shy, you might want to make a list of subjects to cover before you get to the appointment, lest this efficiency turn into a negative. To me, I find it respectful of my time.

A couple times, I've asked for some treatment and she just deals right away. No second appointment or waste of time, just done.  I like that.

Dropped one star because of receptionists and generally poor administration at PAMF. For example, this department is super busy but won't keep a waiting list. This results in the silly result that you might be waiting 3 months for an appointment, while meanwhile cancellations happen and Amy goes with missing patient slots. That means you are inconvenienced and she loses money. Gotta love American Health Care administrators. Not her fault, but impacts your visit, so letting everyone know.
1 - L S.: Completely misdiagnosed my daughter's skin problem. Unnecessarily, gave her a very strong antibiotics that cause a major reaction. Didn't even bother to examine my daughter herself. Instead sent one of her resident physicians with a big book to diagnose or rather misdiagnose the problem. Unfortunately, I was a young and inexperienced  first time Mom and just trusted Dr. Adams. Don't make the same mistake!
1 - paul m.: incompetent and uncaring. just wanted to get me out of her office as quickly as possible. I had to go to another dermatologist. It's a good thing I did, one of my problems could have killed me. 

go to someone else. 

I was lucky to find Dr. Divya_Railan in Palo Alto.  She is a wonderful doctor.

Amy Bakes Cupcakes - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2801417, -120.6612682) ()
5 - Rachel S.: Mmm. Even as I write this, I can taste the salty sweet caramel lingering on my palate's memory. After a few blah-zeh attempts looking at wedding cakes, tasting yawn-able cupcakes and feeling completely underwhelmed, nay, revolted by all things baked, it was suggested that I meet Amy. Amy bakes cupcakes. Proper Noun! And verb!

Not only was I completely enamored by her (quite probably one of the most sincerely lovely people roaming this glorious coast), but when she talked cupcake, her passion just burst! How could you not want someone who loves so very much, to make whipped frostings and experiment with yummy taste combinations to make your "Happiest Day of Your Life" cupcakes?!

So, we opted for salty sweet caramel (I know), white chocolate macadamia nut with a buttercream(mmm) frosting and dark chocolate ganache with a hint of WOW!

Let me just say this. I come from a family of foodies. We love flavor. We love new tastes. We love presentation. We love the thought of putting joy into what you are creating. And that is what we tasted. They were simply divine. Di-vine.

So yes. I would recommend Amy to you. To anyone who wants to dazzle someone with baked love. I cannot wait for the next excuse to have some Amy Bakes! 

So eat well, taste much, and lick your lips!
5 - Nikki C.: Sooooooo yummy.  Accommodating to dietary needs, too (can be sugar free, gluten-free, and/or vegan friendly).  Not only is Amy really sweet, inspirational and lovely...her baked goods are divine.  I always enjoy them when I stop in to Granada Bistro (a business to definitely check out!) As an owner of a floral design business I confidently recommend her to any bride looking for wedding cupcakes...and to any person looking for a special sweet treat!
5 - cooper m.: One of my co-workers birthday's was this last week, while i've known Amy for several years I've never been in the area to be able to try some cupcakes. So the birthday was the perfect opportunity. WOW! SOOOO AWESOME!!! These by far as some of the best tasting, and good for you treats!  (well i dont know about good for you, but i'm going to stick with it anyways) so if your in the need for a sweet fixin definitly go see AMY!!! YAY CUPCAKES!!!!!
2 - Cate M.: Meh. That sums it up.

Some friends of ours had Amy Bakes Cupcakes at their wedding and they seriously were nothing special.  I tried two different flavors (strawberry - tasted like a box mix; and chocolate - OK but not great).

I realize people are obsessed because there are no cupcakes in SLO, but I seriously don't get why they're so special.
2 - jennifer j.: The long version:
I love cupcakes and really wanted to be impressed, but I wasn't.  The three available flavors were chocolate with scary bright pink frosting, merlot chocolate and pumpkin spice.  We got the merlot chocolate and couldn't taste any merlot at all.  The cake was okay, but the frosting tasted fatty and left a greasy film on my tongue.  The pumpkin cupcake was dry, and the frosting had some spice but was also fatty with a weird consistency.  At $4 each (at Granada), I'd never get another one.  

The short version:
SLO deserves better cupcakes.
1 - Jen B.: Alright, before you think I'm an insensitive person for posting this review, let me plead my case.  I completely understand that things come up and "family emergencies" happen, believe me, I've been there!  But when you own your own business, if something happens or comes up, you should have some sort of back up plan in place.  As a teacher, if I have a family emergency I am still responsible for getting my 22 first graders a sub with plans before I can just bail.  Amy, on the other hand, calls me 3 DAYS. . . I repeat. . . 3 DAYS, before my wedding (which we have been planning for over a year) and cancels!  No back up plan, no explanation, no nothing!  After hysterically crying for an hour straight, my amazing husband was able to contact another bakery and they saved the day.  If you are looking for INCREDIBLE cupcakes (beautiful, as well as delicious) and wonderful customer service in this area, you need to check out Clementine Cupcake Company.  I even held off on writing this review, hoping to hear from Amy once the wedding was over with an apology from her, herself (instead of the assistant that broke the news to me) or at least a note with the refunded deposit.  However, I've heard nothing from Amy, and got my deposit (at least) back today with nothing but the check in the envelope.  I am beyond disappointed in my experience with this company.  Although, I suppose, we should have seen it coming.  We made many attempts to get in touch with her prior to the wedding and she was VERY difficult to get a hold of.  Shame on me, for being so trusting!  I would NEVER recommend this vendor to any bride, or anyone, for that matter.  But that's just my opinion.

Amy Ear, LAc - Pasadena, CA (34.139313, -118.131797) (Pasadena)
5 - K M.: Awesome treatment! I just started treatment here after developing a repetitive motion injury. I'm a student athelete at USC and was referred here for acupuncture treatment (Amy used to practice at the USC student clinic). I found out that my back muscles were incredibly tense, but after diagnoising it and starting acupuncture treatment my posture has improved and I have quicker recovery time. Amy's so friendly and gives great advice too! But when I was there it smelled a bit like fresh paint, I think the office was newly remodeled or something. But the chinese art's pretty cool! I normally hate needles but she had a great comforting and calming presence. She helped me relax and talked me through the first few needles, and the rest were a breeze. I was able to plug in my own ipod in the speakers in the treatment room :)
5 - E H.: I've had on and off back pain for a while and was looking for some alternative therapy which is when a coworker referred me to Amy.  I couldn't be happier that I went.  She's incredibly friendly and has a great bedside manner.  She really dove into my pain issues and helped come up with an acupuncture treatment that's been better than any pills or shots I've gotten in the past.  The other reviewer mentioned a wet paint smell, which I did not notice, but her place is really nice and looks brand new so I suspect it was whatever remodeling they were talking about.  I will certainly recommend her to anyone looking for a comprehensive healing approach.
5 - C L.: Practitioner: Amy is very knowledgeable and skilled in her practice. I was seen for chronic joint pain (specifically in wrists and knees). I saw her for about 10 sessions and noticed improvements, especially my wrists. In addition to her skills, she is a warm and is empathetic to concerns.

Location & Parking: Burglinton Arcade, Pasadena - great location and free parking for 2 hrs.

Facility: Clean and comfortable. Modern with accents of traditional Chinese art in the office and treatment rooms.
5 - Paige K.: I've had a couple of sessions with Dr Amy so far and am very pleased. Her offices are peaceful (new paint smell is gone) and easy to get to and easy parking. 

She listens carefully and does a couple of things other acu's I've worked with don't do that I really like. One is that she repeats back a summary of the issues after we talk which helps me make sure I didn't miss anything and that my communications were clear. Two, after the needles are in, just before she dims the lights and puts on the music, she does a sort of 30 second guided meditation to help start to quiet the mind and it's totally personal to my situation and status that day. Never had someone do that before and I feel like it helps me get a bit more out of the quiet time.

 Another thing I like a lot is that even though she is a sole practitioner, she has a compounding pharmacy for Traditional Chinese Herbs that shipped a personally formulated compound to my house. I was spoiled at my first acu office  on the west side was a large group practice and had a compounding pharmacy on the premises. Amy provides that same service without the in house expense. She has herbs on hand to get you started, but I love that she has compounding as well.

Amy Keller Mft - Pasadena, CA (34.1397033, -118.131722) (Pasadena)
5 - Abbie M.: Dr. Amy is an amazing therapist. After feeling a lot of indecision about my career path, I went to see Amy. Her website states that she's like your "personal cheerleader" which is what initially drew me in. I was excited to meet a therapist with such a positive attitude. This gave me hope that I could figure out my career indecision and move forward with my life. Amy has recommended a ton of self help books that have really helped me explore my thoughts and feelings from a new perspective. She is a great listener, empathizing with what you're going through while also challenging you to move beyond your own limitations. She has taught me techniques that have helped me communicate more effectively in my personal and professional relationships, and for that I am truly grateful. Whether you are having family problems, relationship issues or professional/career "writer's block", if you will, I am confident that Amy can help you. I was also happy that Amy offered me a free consultation, because obviously you want to make sure you and your therapist click before you jump in, and we certainly did!

Amy Zamarripa CranioSacral & Massage Therapies - Austin, TX (30.289083, -97.728117) (University of Texas)
5 - Naomi C.: I've been seeing Amy regularly for the past 6 months.  Amy is a true healer!  She is highly knowledgeable about her work and has a very calming and caring energy.
5 - Julie B.: I'll admit it.  I am extremely fussy about my massages. Amy meets and exceeds my unrealistic expectations!  Incredible deep tissue massage, and a lovely, caring person. I feel valued and listened to when I am under her capable hands.  The deep work is excellent for the stress I manage to translate into an aching neck or midback ("computer back").  Wait....I think I need to call her right now.....
5 - Laura C.: I have been seeing Amy Zamarripa weekly for the last 8 years for deep tissue massage. Prior to that, I had visited many different massage therapists- but no one more than once, because they just didn't get deep enough to really be a help. To say that Amy is fantastic , has many years of experience, and deeply cares about her clients well being, just doesn't say enough. 
Before finding Amy, I experienced physical pain and discomfort on a daily basis, sometimes to the point that I missed out on many fun things I wanted to do.Also , as a real estate broker, my job can be very stressful and exhausting. My weekly "tune-ups" keep me feeling limber and pain free- Amy has really changed my life! Tell her where it hurts- and she will dig it out of you! Ask her about discounts on pre paid package deals, and make a commitment to your health and well being..
5 - Aaron M.: Great Massages! You Gotta try the CranioSacral thing. I actually fell asleep and woke up feeling younger! 5 Stars
5 - Terra Y.: I found Amy Zamarripa and couldn't be happier with her deep tissue massage. I have been to numerous massage therapists over the last 10 years and she is a true gem! She actually listens to you and what you need and focuses on those areas and then some. I signed up for my 1st triathlon and 5 days before my event I injured my low back. She fit me in right away, spent so much time working on me and gave me some amazing stretches to implement! They worked and I completed my tri! Thank you AMY!!! You are awesome and I'm hooked!

Amy's Alterations - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9090494, -79.0252692) ()
4 - Carolyn D.: Except for a bridesmaid's dress or two, it had been many years since I last bought any clothing needing alterations. This was on purpose... my mom had always done my tailoring, and ever since I moved a thousand miles away from my parents' house, her services weren't quite as available. A couple months ago, however, I discovered two pairs of designer jeans on super sale that I just had to have. Unfortunately, both pairs were at least 6 inches too long for me.

I searched online for tailors and discovered a couple near my apartment or my work. I called each one to ask what they would charge for shortening a pair of jeans while preserving the original hem. I got a wide range of prices and settled on Amy's Alterations because their prices were the lowest and the shop was close to my apartment and had gotten good reviews on another website. It was a fortunate choice. The lady who helped me was friendly, the work was done in just a couple of days, and I was very pleased with the quality. I would trust her with other types of garments as well.

Amy's Alterations is located upstairs in the Glen Lennox shopping center, and they only take cash or checks. No credit cards.

Amy's Place - Providence, RI (41.819573, -71.399006) (Fox Point)
5 - GARY-SOUSA G.: The food is excellent ....run by an Armenian family......There's one problem the owner is cool.....try the Portuguese Pancakes (BOLOS) or the Portuguese Sweet Bread....and Portuguese ground Chourico..... Amy makes homemade chili.....Her mom makes the best corn bread......Her Grandmother makes homemade soups....Ari is beautiful.....and a hard worker.......go there.....5 stars......

Note:  you can catch wifi near the front windows or outside the cafe........
4 - Andrew B.: I finally made it down to Amy's Place a few weeks ago after hearing a lot about it. Great breakfast. I had the french toast with strawberries... pretty amazing. The guys I went with all loved their omelets too. I'll definitely be heading back here soon. [And I'm not just saying that because Amy's fiance is my boss]

-- Wishing Amy, Joel, and their new baby boy all the best. Congratulations --
4 - Michael S.: Good breakfast/lunch dishes with nice/friendly service.  You order at the counter and they bring it to your table.  Good coffee.  It's a nice cafe!
5 - Chris B.: This place is great. There are a lot of small restaurants on Wickenden street. Some of the BEST home fries I've ever had. The smoothies were great. The design of the place was cozy and welcoming, and the artwork on the walls was very nice. staff was great. very good hours. Only con is, a small menu.
3 - Nicholette P.: Went to breakfast here with my BF one morning after hearing about it.... I was good, friendly people.. we both ordered omelette's , and we thought they came with potatoes or something else for the price. Real cute place though, will go back to try the smoothies and chili!
2 - Rhoda G.: I hopped off the bus on Wickenden Street to check out the area and found a lot of small cafes and mom-and-pop stores, which I thought was cool. I chose this place because it looked promising.

I was tempted to get a late breakfast, but was in a mood for lunch. I ordered the "I Like It Like That", a sandwich that had turkey, cheddar, honey mustard, lettuce, tomato, and cucumber on wheat bread. It also came with a bag of chips and a pickle. The sandwich was all right and it's something that I can make at home, but I guess that I paid for the convenience of not making a lunch. The water that they gave me was in a plastic Tupperware cup and I had a flashback to the 80s. 

Based on the few other reviews, you are better off having breakfast here.
4 - S S.: Great, healthy food at reasonable prices. The amount of food you get is enough to fill you, with no leftovers. The staff are friendly and efficient. It's in a great neighborhood to spend an afternoon reading or chatting with friends.
3 - Olivia C.: Eggs, toast, bacon and coffee. Simple. Good Joe though the finer stuff is at the hipster coffee place with the better shaded patio right across the street. 

Things are slower in Providence. There was only one young girl working the joint. Sincerely friendly but not very attentive. When the other girl showed up they were like "maybe we should turn the sign around so it says 'Open'--people are passing by"!! I felt like I was in a Dumb and Dumber clip!

It seems like there are many fun restaurants and coffee places on this strip. Also, antique stores, record shop, one and only sex shop, art galleries, and boutiques that open past noon or don't open at all. Close to a mediocre park and cool bike path.

There's a patio at Amy's but you could hear the (non-working?) AC really loud and it reminded me that I was alone.  

It's kinda hot in there. Don't know if the music is always this low because I was able to chill and study in this cute, brightly colored  place-
2 - Rebecca F.: Eh.  Maybe I'm over homey cafes with broken chairs.  I've been to too many on Wickenden and I could just be doing the same thing in my kitchen.

The service blew.  I mean it wasn't even busy on this Sunday morning and the waitress completely forgot about us, didn't even bring us our drinks and then seemed a little annoyed that we still wanted them after we were done eating.

Eggs were good but not great,  Nothing I couldn't have done myself and not exactly warm by the time I got them.  I thought if this was a breakfast all day sort of place it would be un-freaking-believable, but it was pretty believable.  French toast got nothing on Meeting Street.

Interesting smoothie and sandwich choices but I was on a breakfast-only mission.  Maybe I'll go again when I'm feeling lazy, but for the most part I could just make this stuff myself.
2 - Sarah W.: Cute place, but not staffed enough. There was one girl cooking, serving, taking payment, essentially doing everything to run the restaurant.  The food was pretty aweful, giant french toast was two limp pieces of white bread, bland and chewy...   Looked for vegan options as well and was disappointed.
5 - Andy F.: What a wonderful little place. The staff is always friendly (and usually just one person). They can run on the slow side if they get hit with several customers at once (usually we are talking one or two people running the show) but they exude and unpretetiousness that is like a refreshing tonic after all the desperately serious little joints serving breakfast and brunch in Providence. I kept going for breakfast sandwiches and coffee to go in the winter so I had no idea that they have an awesome garden patio out back and make great lunch.

Out of all the "dumpy" downhome little cafe's on the east side this place takes the cake. They manufacture an egg and bacon bagel sandwich that is unreasonably good. I get kind of worried about how much I like it.
1 - CC J.: I went some time after noon to have breakfast. I had my laptop because I needed to work on a project. I ordered an omelet and a cup of coffee. After that, I had another cup of coffee and ordered a smoothee. Finally, I had one more cup of coffee. Everything was delicious by the way and the woman at the counter was particularly friendly. Around 1:30, an older woman (perhaps the owner's mother?) approached my table and asked me if I was 'done'. When I replied yes, she said 'good, because we need this table.' She went on to explain that it would be ok on another day, but it was busy. At that point, the restaurant was barely half full and I tried to explain that when I came in, this was the only table available. She either didn't hear me or didn't care to hear me as she just turned and walked away. I was extremely embarrassed as many of the tables overheard and were now staring.
I would have gladly moved to a smaller table or to the stools by the window, but I no longer felt welcome at that point. I know that I would want this feedback if I owned a restaurant. Especially with direct competition within a few steps.
1 - Gerald L.: Absolute travesty of a burger. Asked if it was from frozen patties, and they told me no. Not positive, but I'm pretty sure I got a microwaved frozen patty. Utterly disgusting.
3 - Sabrina F.: Breakfast is good. Pancakes are delish. And STACKED.

Love the fresh fruit smoothies.

Lunch is okay, not great.

Only major complaint is that there isn't proper ventilation and I always leave smelling like kitchen grease.
4 - Christopher F.: Good grub, nice people but be prepared to wait for your food. The kitchen has only counter top ranges making it hard for them to cook more than a few orders at a time. This is the charm and the challenge of the place. The coffee is a little thin so if you want a great cup hit the coffee exchange across the street first and enjoy. All in all a nice place to eat tasty food.
3 - Lou P.: Could go for a fan
Peaceful outdoor patio
Good sandwich choices

If you're in the area, this is a great alternative to Brickway on Wickenden, which is packed to the walls on any given breakfast morning. I've eaten here a few times, mostly for lunch, which is a touch on the expensive side, but good. They have a few wraps, even vegetarian options that are pretty decent (try the East Sider Wrap, it's fantastic)

The folks who work here are generally friendly and don't mind questions. I was here with my mother last week and she had a few special requests, which were accommodated with no issues. They even went so far as to come back out to the table to ask follow up questions after we ordered.

The back patio is a great place to grab a morning bite if you can swing a table there. Even though there may be tables indoors, the patio is prime seating and is generally taken (except during weekday lunches, when you've got your pick of chairs.) The indoors is a bit stuffy, and I'm not a fan of the padded armchairs instead of diner seating; they take up a lot of room and make it difficult to maneuver between tables.
2 - Michael M.: Really mediocre. $8.25 for an omelet and homefries. Good blueberry pancakes, but very small and only 4 served. Indifferent staff, almost asleep on the morning were there. Good for the college crowd, but otherwise do avoid.
4 - Maggie H.: Very friendly service. Delicious soups and veggie sandwiches. Cozy decor. I'm adding this to the rotation!
3 - Kimberly H.: Went here for brunch and it was good!  Would definitely go back but I'm not craving it!! Food was very good, portion size was good and service was friendly.  We ordered at the counter and then they brought your food to you.  Nothing fancy but a solid choice.  Their big plus for me was the cute patio out back.
4 - Liz T.: I've changed my mind about Amy's Place.

I used to think it was kind of mediocre food, but having this place close to home and frequenting it often when I need a quick sandwich, some pancakes, heck, some bacon, I think Amy's Place is the kind of "mama's little kitchen" I need in my life.

If you're eating lunch, get the CHICKEN SALAD sandwich. It is SO homestyle, I crave it all the time. If you're eating breakfast, chocolate chip blueberry pancakes!!!! The benefit of having Amy around is she cooks things custom made, right in front of you when its ordered.

Amy, our first date didn't knock my socks off. But I think we might get married someday. :)
4 - Leah S.: we loved this place.  nice breakfast options, super friendly staff and really cute place! (i loved the table cloths)
5 - rest. critic c.: This place rocks!
3 - Betsy S.: My friend and I could not find a reasonable restaurant open on a rainy Sunday afternoon in Providence, and we stumbled across Amy's on Wickenden Street. Thank God we did.

Cheerful and unpretentious service, for one. I ordered the California omlette with the yogurt on the side (usually it comes on top, strange!) rye toast, and a fruit cup. The omlette was delish-moist bc of the mushrooms, tomatoes, and spinach-the toast was well, toast, and the fruit was 2 small watermelon wedges. Strange, but I rolled with it. My friend got the chicken salad wrap and they let her substitute fruit for the chips. Her fruit cup was full of tropical fruits. I was a tiny bit jealous. Oh well. It was a great lunch! The employees also answered our questions on what to do in Providence. Great service.
3 - Sarah V. M.: The sign for gluten free bread is what inspired me to bookmark Amy's place.  I took Michael back a couple weeks later and had an immensely relaxing time.  This is the kind of place where everyone knows your name and you feel transported to Cape Cod living.  They have outdoor seating in front to catch the morning rays/people watching and in back for a quieter space.  A small coffee is $.93! and what the food lacks in flavor price and service overshadow.
4 - Amy M.: The food (turkey wrap) and iced coffee were okay, but I'm giving Amy's Place 4 stars for the atmosphere. I came here on a Sunday afternoon with a couple of friends because Coffee Exchange was too crowded. It was the perfect place to sit for a couple hours and catch up. We sat outside on the patio - a little chilly (our own fault though, there was plenty of seating inside) but they had a little heater in the middle! Great idea, Amy's place. Next time I'm in Providence I'll definitely be back, and I have my eye on the pancakes.
4 - Juliana O.: Love at first sight! Any place that has kids' artwork taped up under the front counter can win me over pretty easily.

Amy's is a sweet little place with a handwritten blackboard menu. Went mid-day during the week and there were only a couple of other people there. It was a very comfortable place to hang out and read a book. The girls were friendly, the little tables are cozy, and I felt like I was just hanging out at a friend's house.

I wasn't expecting anything special from the food, but I got the California omelet and it was actually super delicious. Very light, cooked just right. Great homefries, too, and good value in my opinion. I will totally be back to sample some more of the menu.

I don't know about the weekends, but during the week you just order at the counter, so you don't have to worry about table service. I always like that because it makes me feel less pressured - you can go to the counter any time you need something, and nobody bothers you if you want to sit and read for a little while. 

Definitely worth checking out when you are in this part of town!
4 - Lillian Hua G.: I went to the place on sunny Saturday morning. The place was packed. Indeed, with the ample space for outdoor dining (and there are also plenty of sunny indoor seats!), this is definitely my favorite place around college hill when I'm craving for both food and sunshine.
5 - Jackie V.: YYYYUUUUUMMMMMYYYYYY!!! great place to have food outside.  Reminded me of a restaurant you would find in southern cali.  Everything is made on the spot.  I have had breakfast and lunch and was equally impressed by both.  The menu is specific but you can mix anything up and they will make it right!! Very welcoming, the staff is super cool and friendly.
4 - Justin K.: I've been coming here for about 3 years and have never been disappointed in the food.  The service is always great thanks to the pleasant staff.  You might not be able to park right in front, but there are always spots within a block or two and it's a nice area to walk around for a bit anyway.  Always comfortably busy, but never too full.  The crowd is usually a mixed bag.  I'll continue to eat here often.
4 - Jeff W.: I love Amy's. Super laid back atmosphere and awesome no fuss food.
3 - Leesha Z.: I like breakfast. I also like finding new breakfast places. I came here for the first time a few months ago on a Wednesday morning by myself just looking for a quick bite. I ordered a simple egg and cheese on a bagel. It was good, but I've had better. The bagel was a bit hard and dry and not really worth the price. I could've gotten something better at Honey Dew. The atmosphere is nice though, they have an outdoor patio or plenty of seating inside.
4 - Roberta D.: I was a bit hesitant about trying this place at first because of the look from the outside. But once I stepped inside I was so glad I tried it out. They have absolutely delicious smoothies, amazing food, and a staff that is extremely friendly and welcoming. They also have an outdoor patio if you choose to eat there in the warm weather, or an inside space.

The only downside is that the inside space is somewhat small so if you go during a crowded time it may be difficult to find a table.
3 - Cato M.: All I can remember about this place is that I came here for food three or so years ago. Guess that means it was A-OK!

Amy's Skin Care - Austin, TX (30.288049, -97.750209) (University of Texas, West Campus)
4 - DiAnne O.: I tried Amy's because she ran a coupon in the Chronicle. I think it's still running, and the deal is $35 for a Brazilian and 20% off your second visit.

I am in my 40's. I am from the Midwest. I have never had a wax ummm, "there" before - let alone a Brazilian.  The thought of laying with my legs in odd positions and my stuff hanging out in front of a complete stranger made me somewhat nauseous.

Amy is so professional. She took away my anxiety almost immediately and did an excellent job. It wasn't nearly as painful as friends who have had waxes led me to believe it might be.  

Amy also did my brows and I really liked the shape. I've since been back for another Brazilian and had her tint my brows, as well.  The dye she uses is awesome and lasts longer than other tints I've tried.

Amy's so professional she might come off as a little cold, but once you get past that she's great.  The space she uses is tiny and not so comfortable but if she was in a swanky spa she probably wouldn't be able to charge such reasonable prices.
4 - Tabitha F.: While I don't have anyone else to compare to give her a 5 I think Amy does a great job!!  I was super nervous and psyched myself up for some insane pain the first time I went in. But it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be and the second time was cake. She is super professional and the office is very clean.  And no one actually knew what you were there for as it was in a medical office. Helps keep her prices low. She talks to you about the different waxes and explains that it won't be perfect the first time and will take a few times to get all your hair on the same "schedule". I admit I haven't been going lately as I have been tightening up my budget and going back to the razor. Uggg.   But I am calling her today to make an appt for the holidays. My boyfriend is also going for his first ever waxing as well next week and get back on a regular schedule.  She recently moved into a new office space with someone else so I can't say yet what that's like. I'll update after my next appt.
4 - Alicia R.: I came across Amy's skin care searching for an alternative to the really expensive waxing places in Austin. She was running a special for first time customers: $35 for a Brazilian wax or microdermabrasion!! I figured it couldn't hurt to check it out. She let me try both services at this great price and she has now become the wax professional that I go to the most because she runs other promotions for her loyal customers. I wish other places did this! I can honestly say her services were up to par with other locations in Austin. She does a good wax job and it's great that I can get beauty services more often because of all her promotions. If you are on her mailing list she will also periodically offer discounts on other services (definitely a plus because I don't feel so bad spending so much money on these luxuries). Amy is easily available by email or phone and she can usually get you an appt within a few days, even after hours which is a definite plus since I work till 6:30pm. Amy's skin care was a great find!
1 - Beth C.: I was extremely disappointed with my trip to Amy's Skin Care. There was a complete lack of professionalism and the customer service was extremely poor. I purchased my deal through Localiter and was only given 1/3 of the service promised on the voucher. After it was over - I didn't even mention the other services because I just wanted to leave. With so many amazing spas and skin clinicians in Austin, I would say look elsewhere!
5 - Sara B.: I found Amy through a Groupon offer and I'm so glad she participated! This isn't a big salon, Amy's the only esthetician and she is in a small office but that means that she is able to offer fantastic services at great prices. I am just not sure if I would have found her if it wasn't for Groupon. 

Amy was very professional and put me at ease by explaining what she was doing and why she was doing it. I look forward to going back to see Amy!
5 - Meaghan S.: Very clean and professional. I went in for a chemical peel and I plan on going back for waxing. Thank you!
3 - Meredith G.: My experience was solid; not bad, not stellar.

Amy told me she was having an off day, which I believed, but reading other reviews tells me she is grumpy often. A bit disconcerting. She was relatively professional, but I got really uncomfortable when she would lean down really close to my lady parts with my legs spread wide open (I was having a Brazilian & eyebrow wax as part of an online deal I purchased). I appreciate someone wanting to do a good job, but I don't think my gynecologist even puts her face that close to me! 

The waxing was more painful than the other place I went, but I think that she did a better job -- fewer missed patches of errant hair. She kept commenting on my "weird growth pattern" which wasn't exactly comforting, either.

I was also kind of annoyed at how many times the subject of gratuity was brought up -- when I called to make my appointment she made it very clear and also again when I got an email reminding me of my appointment. I get it! You want a tip! 

I got what I paid for and she did a solid job. I'd probably go back to her if I got another good deal.
3 - cyndi b.: Amy gives a great Brazilian Wax and is almost always available via coupon.  I have felt more warmth from other aestheticians and believe this is an essential part of this type of service--thus 3 stars
3 - Kate S.: Amy did a good job with the Brazilian, but the environment and personal interaction left a lot to be desired.  I had an Adealio certificate for 3 Brazilians that was set to expire in a few days, so went in on a Friday afternoon.  When I gave her the certificate, she said she could only honor one of the waxes, as it would expire before I could use the other 2.  Fine, I get that.  Still disappointing--every other place I've tried through a deal of the day site honors the full value as long as you go in for the first session before the expiration date.  

Anyway, like other clients have mentioned, she was somewhat crabby, which I find off-putting when someone's working on my lady parts.  She was done completely in less than 20 minutes, which was surprising.  I've never had a Brazilian take less than 45.  It seemed like she was just there to get the job done, not that she has any passion for the work.  Yeah, it was Friday evening, but if you make your own hours and you don't want to work that late, don't!  

I wouldn't go back and would recommend other waxtresses to my friends.

Analog Books - Berkeley, CA (37.8757816, -122.2604081) (UC Campus Area)
4 - Kat C.: This bookstore is too cute and way too nice. They always always have great, new, and interesting books in the front window calling out to me "please buy me and read me you know you want to". Lord, this store costs me so much money, not because it's particularly expensive, but because I just accrue an incredible amount of half-read books. I have stacks of them on my bedside table. I really must learn to finish a book before buying another.
4 - Quyen T.: Analog books won't have the book you are looking for.  But they'll have the book that you never thought of buying (and do end up buying and thorougly enjoy).

 Their selection is small, but it's a terrific place to browse for interesting books that you might not have picked up otherwise.  For instance, they have this small book comparing a piece by each Tilley Olsen and Leo Tolstoy.  Who would have thought that these two writers would have anything in common?  There's also a terrific magazine section in the back where you can read about architecture, fashion, or anything else.  It's one of those places where you can find an interesting book, sit down for two hours, and read to your heart's content.  No one will disturb you.  Total serenity.
5 - Karin S.: Exactly what I want from a neighborhood bookstore.  Its a small place, but it is stocked with really interesting books.  Its a great place to stop for a bit and browse.
5 - Elissa D.: This is a truly terrific bookstore. They have all the things you had no idea you were looking for, and that you absolutely have to read. I love how it's organized, they have your traditional sections, fiction and non, but all the books surrounding the one I was looking for also looked like must reads. It's a great place for discovery and perusing the shelves. I met the owner, who seemed very knowledgeable and nice. I'd recommend this place over any other bookstore I've come across in the East Bay.
4 - Jonny d.: Pros:
-showcases all the cool, new and hip books... great for curiosity browsing

Cons:
-don't go here looking for a specific book: it's a tiny little shop oriented toward browsing
5 - Suzanne F.: Exactly what I want in a book store..cool, quirky titles, some European hard-to-find books and magazines, and loads of interesting tomes I want to read...and sadly cannot get to them all.

It's small, maze-like, and finding treasures is what I like in a book store. I do not like it all mapped out for me, nor do I like the big "presentation packaging" which seems to be running rampant this time of year. This shop also carries a few select items from Little Otsu, another favorite spot of mine.

I have already spent my allowance here, and I still plan to go back this week!
5 - Lauren S.: Analog Books is a shining example of an independent bookstore in which the owner truly cares and is very thoughtful about what he is selecting for the store.  While the store may be small, the breadth of selection is great.  There are a ton of children's books, graphic novels, classics, cook books, zines, magazines, international news papers, and much more.  They don't have everything  you could ever want (but will special order upon request), however Analog is the kind of place you go with no specific book in mind.  It is great to be able to browse and read the first few pages of a book to see if you will like it.  The employees are very helpful, and can usually make thoughtful recommendations if you give them an idea of what you are looking for.
5 - jenna p.: GREAT BOOKSTORE!  Berkeley has not been the same without Cody's, and it is such a needed line of Oxygen to have the awesome and stylish Analog books right in my favorite little northside neighborhood. the owner is really nice (also hot in an indie kind of way), and you can find him, sipping on a  beer and re-organizing the books with a friend in the back room (ooh, is that what theyre calling it these days?? hee hee. i can only surmise what they were doing with those copies of lipstick jihad!)

i was very sad not to get the new yorker there, though apparently the evil distributor was responsible for that one. GREAT selection of graphic novel/comic style stuff, and also some very good taste in the children's section too. (the first section i go to in a bookstore if they dont have a french lingerie section.)

anyway, HURRAH for analog. it rocks.
5 - M.C. H.: Analog is the smallest bookstore that I shop at in Berkeley, but it's the one with the biggest heart. My department orders nearly all their books through Analog, so I have reason to come in at least once a semester, though I wish I had the funds to visit more frequently. The narrow layout forces the shelves to almost embrace you upon entrance, so every time I visit I am confronted with yet another beautifully-designed title that I haven't seen before. I am especially impressed with their selection of graphic novels and picture books. Yum. And they have zines.
5 - Jan Michael K.: Great little bookshop to peruse on the northside of campus. The owner is knowledgeable and usually has an interesting selection of books on display. If not, he's always willing to help you find and order it for you. Between classes or during your lunch break, it's a great place to visit.
5 - Zoe W.: I used to work here until last February, and man, sometimes I miss it.  Instead of doing what plenty of small bookstores do - a scaled down version of Borders - Analog is one of those great bookstores where you know that someone with a specific eye and taste chose what the store would sell.  Nima makes a point of stocking the latest books of local authors and scholars, and has a personal thing for graphic novels.  He's very open to ordering books for you if he doesn't have them in stock....or you can spend a lazy afternoon in the big chair in the back, reading all the magazines, zines, or books that catch your eye.  Seriously one of the most relaxed bookstores around.  

But also - local bookstores in Berkeley need your support!  Recommend to your professors that they order class books at local bookstores like Analog, buy your next lit volume at Analog, etc.
4 - Matt J.: A really eclectic (and surprisingly large) collection of recent books and magazines. The employees are always friendly and down with you reading for hours in the bookstore.

Definitely a great store for the neighborhood. I wish they had a nice big technical shelf (I would buy a book here every week if they had a shelf of o'reilly books), but, for casual reading, this place really can't be beat.
4 - Stephanie W.: This is one of those perfect neighborhood bookshops. I stop by on my way home from time to time (as it is about half a block away from my house) whenever they change their window display. The magazine rack outside has a great selection of specialty and foreign publications (including Paris Match on a regular basis) and the people who work there are very friendly.

The store is the size of a glorified hallway but it actually is quite "cozy". You never feel rushed or overcrowded inside...instead you are pleasantly surrounded by a surprisingly large amount of new and specialty publications. It's great for political publications and has a very nice selection of cooking and food politics based books.

You're not going to find books for class or a lot of fiction. This isn't the sort of place you go to with anything in mind. Go there the next time you don't know what to read and you're sure to find something to please you from their great  non-fiction selection.
5 - Brian L.: Analog is a wonderful, surprising little bookstore. Some have noted that it isn't the place to go if you're looking for a particular title; in my experience I've found that the opposite is true. The selection is highly eclectic but relatively hip, and I've been lucky enough on several occasions to find exactly the book I wanted. Also, as with the recent passing of David Foster Wallace, there have been times when Analog has been the only one to carry books that are otherwise sold out/out of stock at other shops.

I realize that the chances of the store stocking any given title are slim, but that's neither Analog's mission nor their specialty. Just take a look at the books displayed in the window-- there's bound to be something of interest.
4 - David R.: Cool selection of magazines, including several from the Sceptic movement. Some interesting and scarce graphic novels and other graphic design / art / design books. A small but well-curated collection and I ended up spending $100+ on a few books, each of which will make a perfect gift for a well-chosen friend. They were using cover prices, so nothing to complain about there.

The girl who was staffing the register was nice and offered to make an origami flower of the receipt. It was a nice gesture, I thought!

There is something about this store that seems so familiar... Can't put my finger on it.
5 - Gemma J.: THE APOGEE OF ALL BOOKSTORES. 

The collection is quirky and exciting (Moomin comic strips for a heart-warming childhood flashback!) and the store itself is comfortably snug, unassuming, and intimate... The combination makes for a whimsical experience and you'll easily lose track of time perusing these literary gems. Supporting the local was never so rewarding.

A true book-lover's paradise tucked away in the charming Euclid Avenue!
4 - M B.: A small and rewarding bookstore, eclectic enough to be interesting, 
yet often surprising one with a copy of a book just recently released, that it had struck one's mind to acquire. It does not stray from what is worthwhile, and all in all, its educated choices mean you browse this store longer and with far more pleasure than one could reasonably expect for its size.

Essential to its neighborhood - I hope they realise the fact.
4 - Nicholas M.: Like pretty much everything on Northside, Analog reeks of a hip pretentiousness -- an air of nonchalant superiority that doesn't take itself too seriously. So I walked in and bought a comic penned by a local artist and photocopied in her bathroom.

The end.
5 - James W.: Such a good mix of books!!

They're small and can't carry that many titles, but they make up for it by carrying an awesome mix of smart, quirky, and interesting books. The workers are smart too and can wax a little literature with you if you want!
5 - Gypsy J.: My favorite bookstore ever; a quiet hole-in-the-wall to browse and then sit on the floor and read for an hour or two.  Pretend you are a Gender Studies scholar, or Political Science or Religion -- the selection is a window into the best of Berkeley's classes.  And I unexpectedly found some ancient out-of-print books here by a favorite author of mine hiding on a low shelf and just had to ask an employee, "How in the world did you get these?"  The staff at Analog are also pretty in-the-know about local goings-on and are fun to talk with.
4 - Günter V.: Great small store.  Found this place entirely by accident while exploring the neighborhood.  Walked out with several gems.
5 - Yvonne K.: A wonderful little bookstore tucked away on the North Side of Berkeley. I only regret that most of my classes are located on South Side, so I have to make quite a trek up the hill to get to Analog Books, but boy, it's worth it.

For being a small place, they have a good selection of books, newspapers, and magazines, and the workers are extremely nice and helpful. There are comfy chairs and benches around the place, so feel free to grab something and curl up for some down time.
5 - Hannah R.: A great, funky little bookstore. I come here to find stuff by local authors or to just browse a unique selection. Personable and helpful staff. I could spend hours in here.

Anchor No 5 Boutique - Troy, NY (42.7325123, -73.6900231) ()
5 - Megan E.: I absolutely love this gift shop, its probably my favorite place to go and look around. It has a ton of unique jewelry, artwork, indoor plants, t-shirts. This place has it all and its all local people who's products are inside. There are probably 8 or more different venders represented at this location, I love buying creative local products and this is the place that I can get myself or someone else something unique. Everything is incredibly priced, I usually expect the prices to be much higher then they are and get pleasantly surprised when they are affordable and beautiful. If I had enough money I'd come to this shop every day and buy something new because I want it all!
4 - Lai-Yee B.: Okay, remember Paper Sparrow? This is a turn key operation, so if you liked Paper Sparrow, you'll like Anchor #5. Heck, I keep calling it Paper Sparrow any way.

But yah - lots of locally made things ranging from wallets to hair clips and scarves. It's like a small version of Etsy. Really cute packaging, too.

Some items run a little on the high side, but other items are more than fair. If you're in Troy, check them out. It's a fun site for the eyes, if nothing else.
4 - Danika A.: This. place. is. PRECIOUS.

This is a great place to go if you're looking for a great gift for a friend with eclectic jewelry/decor taste. This shop features locally made jewelry, yarn, paintings, scarves, and more. 

It's worth a stop in just to chat with the owner. I can tell she has a real passion for what she does, and it leaks out into her bubbly and upbeat personality.
5 - Stef C.: I love this place. The way the store is laid out with it's products is very tastefully done. They have a wide variety of local hand/homemade products that are very unique. Its a great place to pick up gifts for friends and the gal who runs the place is fun to talk to.
5 - Stephanie S.: Anchor No. 5 is fun, funky, and inspiring.  You feel like you're walking around an Etsy store! The jewelry is unique; a lot of steampunk inspired pieces in stock (my favorite.)  I purchased a chunky necklace for my sister-in-law who lives down south, and she couldn't get over the wrapping/packaging that Petra designed.  She didn't want to open the box and see what was inside, it was so gorgeous!  

Some items (the artwork/paintings) are a little steep, but beautiful.  The jewelry and other accessories are fairly priced and totally unlike anything you'll find anywhere else.  The store layout is fantastic, as the owner has a sharp eye when it comes to design.  Items are displayed beautifully!  It seems that each time I stop by, plenty of new items have arrived.

Petra J., the owner and designer of many store items is creative and extremely pleasant to chat with. She's always on the lookout for new ideas, and offers the perfect advice if you're shopping for a special friend and have no idea what to purchase.  Oh - and the window decor?  AMAZING.  It will suck you right in.

Anderson Barber Shop - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2812478, -120.6620955) ()
1 - Nick D.: Stopped in there several years ago while my regular barber was on vacation.  There was a customer in the chair and no one waiting.  The first words out of the barber's mouth were, "Do you have an appointment?"

No "Hello" or pleasant greeting to a potential new customer.

I left and have never gone back and never will.
5 - Jack C.: Ray has been cutting my hair for the last 25 years, and I wouldn't go any place else.  Truly a great experience that leaves you looking sharp.
3 - Matt C.: A couple different guys have chairs here but Ray is the man to see.  Mens cuts, plus haircuts for women too. The cuts are good and grow out nicely, but this is the SLOWEST shop I've ever seen!!  20-minutes plus in the chair just for a basic trim??  Thank god Ray doesn't charge by the hour.  Ray encourages appointments, and, while that eliminates waiting, it doesn't change the fact that Ray just works really slow.
5 - James B.: If you are a man looking for a man's haircut then this is the shop for you.  

You'll be talked to and treated like a man and you'll walk out looking like a man.  I read the previous reviews and that's OK, those sallys can go to a stylist if they want to be coddled or supercuts if they want an instant haircut that'll make you look like a wal-mart greeter.  

Ray's sense of humor is almost as sharp as his scissors and there is no one in town who has a better pulse on the goings on of the community.  He is great with kids and the kind of barber that you would gladly let become a fixture in your life.  That barber chair isn't just where a man can get his hair cut it is an inner sanctum that leaves you looking great when you walk away.
4 - R S.: Stopped in at Anderson because I couldn't get to my regular barber during the week. Josh provided an excellent haircut!

PROS: old school feel; easy going atmosphere; more scissors than electric razors; Josh repeated to me what I wanted and proceeded to cut my hair to my specs

CONS: nope

The building has housed a barber shop since 1943!? Damn! My cut was $18 and it was worth it. I'll be going back.

Ando - Troy, NY (42.6985311, -73.6887838) ()
3 - Jessica L.: I had gone here for a very very long time, and only have recently stopped going here because my hairdresser has moved to a different location. The owner, Tony, is amazing. He is always booked, and always doing a great job. He has such great relationships with his clients, and everyone, whether his client or not, adores him. Over the years that I have gone there, I have seen a lot of the hairdressers there, some better than others. I have had my share of good and bad experiences here, definitely more good than bad though. 
One particularly good experience I had was when I had called for an appointment 2 weeks before for a school dance, I was told I had an appointment on the Thursday that I requested it. Well when I went in that Thursday I was told my appointment was made for Tuesday, even though I had confirmed it with the girl when I made the appointment and she assured me with the day and date that it was the Thursday appointment. Well needless to say, I was a bit saddened and angry about this because now I did not have an appointment for my last high school dance. One of the hairdressers wanted to see what happened, and when the girl explained that she had marked down the wrong appointment time, the hairdresser said that since it was their fault they couldn't let me go without getting the appointment I was supposed to have. Now this salon is very close to where I went to high school, and they had many other girls coming in for up-dos and things of that nature, and I so very much appreciated that she took me, in between trying to do 3 other appointments, and between all the workers, they got it done, and I loved the way she did my hair! 
Then there are some of the bad experiences, which really all add up to one problem - they are very gossipy there. Not Tony, and many of the other hairdressers that have been there for years, but some of the younger, newer ones, and the occasionally older employee. Now its a salon, and its a close space, and being that I work in a close space myself, I know it can be like that. Talking about your co-workers, whatever, I can get over that, we all need to vent. But the problem is when you hear the employees talking about customers. Now I'm sure we all do this at our own jobs, but the problem here is that customers can hear them talking badly about other customers. Sure, complain to your co-workers, but do it in private, because it reflects very poorly on the business when you wonder what they said about you once you've left the salon. It also reflects badly on Tony, who has worked so hard to make the salon everything it is. 
I would recommend Ando's, but I would recommend that you try and get an appointment with him, or Rae Beth. Many of the others I would have recommended have opened their own businesses, or moved to another salon. Tony is excellent though, and while I never saw him myself, I can speak highly of his work, and his work ethic.
5 - Wendy N.: Prior to going to Tony it seemed that I would go through a new hairdresser every 1-2 years.  I found that at first they did my hair awesome, but after that short period they'd get into a slump and wouldn't do my hair right so I'd have to find someone else.  That said, I have been going to Tony for about 8-9 years now!  He is GREAT!  

As a business owner, Tony 'gets it'.  He knows everyone has a choice and appreciates that you choose Ando and will do anything in his power to keep you happy!

They do accept walk ins however Tony is ALWAYS booked well in advance so if you want an appointment with him, call ahead.
4 - Colleen M.: I was pretty pleased with this place today when I dropped in to see if they took walk-ins (obviously they do).  My first thought walking through the door was that this did not look like a typical strip mall salon.  it was very bright, well decorated, with comfy waiting chairs and a cool trendy vibe.  I also figured this would mean an expensive cut.  I waited less than 5 minutes despite not having an appointment, before Stephanie came and whisked me away to a sink to wash my hair.  She was not extraordinarily chatty (which I care for, I don't want to chit chat, but I know some people do), but she was friendly and professional.  I showed her a photo of what I wanted and she wasn't above telling me that perhaps a few longer layers and shorter bangs would highlight my face better, and then she went to work.  They were not very busy while I was there, only one other person who was directly next to me, the hair dressers preceded to complain about a woman next door, but otherwise I liked the experience.  A wash, cut, and blow dry was $22 and I tipped well.  I will be going back!
2 - Rachel Q.: Needs work!  The stylist who cut my hair today reeked of cigarette smoke.  Having my hair washed was very unpleasant while she stood over me.  I think she was new to cutting hair because she seemed unsure of herself.  The bush she used on me was full of other people's hair and looked like it had never been cleaned.  When she took off my cape, she lifted it up over me, instead of to the side, depositing all my hair right in my lap.  I'm satisfied with my haircut, but with a little training, my stylist could have given me a much nicer experience.  Lastly, I think it's very unprofessional that a lot of the stylists were wearing flip flops.  This is supposed to be a nice salon, not the beach.  I hope things will improve.
4 - Louise P.: I had a very enjoyable manicure and pedicure today with a Groupon. My technician Natasha took a long time explaining the pros and cons of Shellac to me and helped me make an educated decision. I love the outcome - my nails are exactly the shape and length that I like. I also told her I was getting ready for my wedding in a couple of months and she wrote down a few similar shades for me to test on my nails. The section of the salon for mani/pedis is very small with less colors than I would have liked, but Natasha more than made up for it, and I'm very happy with my nails.
5 - Paige F.: Natasha is the absolute best at nails! The selection of colors isn't super impressive but the quality makes up for it. It's the best looking Shellac manicure I've had- she took the time to make it completely perfect.
1 - K R.: DO NOT GET YOUR NAILS DONE HERE!! I would rate this zero stars if I could. Not only was she totally unprofessional, she didn't book enough time for my manicure and then told me I had to reschedule to come back at another time. I left there after an hour with nothing done!! WHAT A JOKE......
5 - Daryl B.: I decided to get my nails done here because of a groupon offer - but I have stayed because of Natasha.  She is a perfectionist and my nails always look great.  I have tried many colors and she has made a huge effort to expand her color selection.  I am very very pleased to have found this gem so close to home.  Her prices are very competitive to the nail-mills and she very clean, and tries to fit your needs.

Andre Hair Salon - Cambridge, MA (42.3707614, -71.1138543) (Harvard Square)
2 - Jocelyn C.: I came in here once just to get a *quick* trim. What I got was an cute, elderly lady who reminded me of my maternal grandmother and seemed almost scared to cut my hair. I hadn't realized that "trim" meant "cut my hair with the utmost apprehension!" Silly me.

While I'm sure she meant well, I was a bit annoyed that she would cut about a half-inch here and there, then ask if everything was okay every two seconds. It's fine, lady! I just wanted three inches taken off! That shouldn't take so long! JUST CUT MY HAIR.

They might do better with actual haircuts and styling and all that, but I'm not planning on going back to find out.
3 - Keiko K.: I was drawn in the first time by the "Hair Cuts-$12+" sign and my experience was good enough that I came back a second time.  Granted, my hair cut ended up costing $20, but they warned me with the little "+", so I can't complain.  I remember the sweet old lady that Jocelyn mentions, and I'm glad I didn't have to endure a marathon trim session with her.  My lady was pretty quick and gave me a decent dry cut.  Nothing spectacular.  Nothing traumatic.  I say go for it, all ye that walk that fine line between "stylish" and "unkempt."
3 - Dragony F.: Me against that annoying strand of hair that keeps falling into my eye every time I move

Who wins? the #2 blade and quick scissor work by the nice lady at Andre Hair Salon

Haircut = B+, simple, short and sweet
Atmosphere = very comfy, family feeling, like getting a haircut from mom at home!
Price = for guys, this place is quite a steal at only $12! Even a chain like Supercuts can't match that...

First come, first serve

Good for a quick, efficient cut...
4 - Nat T.: In the world of men's haircuts, I really like this place. Its fast, cheap and generally reliable. As noted in previous reviews, your haircut can be a sure thing or something more in line with the Supercut roulette wheel depending on who cuts your hair.

But really, if you care enough about what your haircut looks like that you need to stoop to personal insults on an internet review after a bad one, you should probably not be going to a place with the big "$12!" sign out front. This place is for efficiently processing the standard dude haircut with clippers and scissors. If something is wrong, wait two weeks and get it cut again.

If you need your special male tresses elegantly trimmed and styled by a professional, hit the Newbury salons and shut up.
1 - Iana U.: WORST EXPERIENCE EVER
I was literally in tears after I got my hair 'trimmed' there. It was supposed to be 1-1.5 inches trim, but Sahara, the woman that cut my hair, chopped off over 3 inches in the front except for one thin strand. She was 'refreshing layers'. Now I can't part it in the middle because I have a thin strand that looks like rat's tail, then short hair that creates a gap, then the rest of long hair. It was truly a disaster. I've cut my own hair better in the past than what they did. I have blond curly hair, but the way she layered it, it looks closer to an afro now. My boyfriend got a haircut over there at the same time, and they managed to even screw his up, which was a simple guy's cut. Just luckily for him he's a guy and doesn't care as much. 
After we told them what happened, they didn't apologize and just argued that they did everything right, and later told us to get out, and when I compared my hair in the front to 'rat's tail" I was yelled at for talking like that in front of other customers. The old italian woman there even threatened us. 
They are probably trying to keep all cash payments under the table, and don't even issue receipts, so when we asked for a receipt the italian woman wrote a couple of numbers in pencil on the back of Citizen's bank deposit slip. My next stop is Better Business Bureau.

What have I learned?  If you want a good professional hair care don't try to save a couple of bucks and go to reputable places, even though it will cost more.
5 - Ruth M.: I went to Andre Hair Salon today for the first time and I am super happy with my cut!! I showed Sherline a photo of what I wanted and the results were exactly what I asked for. She did a superb job and she was also super gentle shampooing and combing. I've had other experiences where the hair dresser really yanks on my hair, that was not the case here. Another bonus is that they take walk-ins and they don't push products on you. Excellent experience!!!
1 - Christian S.: SKETCHY!
If you're a guy and want to go to a decent barber shop, don't get lured in by the cheap $14 haircut deal here. It's not worth it. Go to one of the other barber shops in Harvard square. 

What irked me most, is when I went to make change to pay the nice woman who cut my hair a fair $2 tip, the lady working the counter "accidentally" gave me the wrong change back after I asked her to break a $20 for change after I gave her $15 (I'm 100% positive about this). Since they don't keep a register and everything is in cash, she had no record of it. I argued with her for about 15 minutes. She finally admitted her mistake, and then said she needed to "watch out for people like me" whatever that means. I have a feeling she might be pulling this on other customers. Kind of sketchy with no register and a hand written receipt. Watch out for this place.
1 - Eva F.: Just awful. I had the middle-aged woman with long dark 80s hair (note to self, never let a hairdresser with out-of-style hair work on you) who doesn't speak English. She didn't even shampoo, just wet it a little bit. I asked for a trim, and she didn't touch the back at all, just cut the front into one sawed-off looking line. People have been asking me if I did it myself.

The worst part is, it's not $14 as the sign might make you think. That's only for men's clipper cuts. The lady with short blondish hair said she would give me a discount--apparently she could tell the other one hardly did anything but screw things up--and so asked for $20. They also don't let you know up front that it's cash only. I kind of wish I had gone out to the ATM and stiffed them. I'm going to have to spend more money having the damage fixed.
3 - ace z.: Sahara was the best haircutter I've ever had, and apparently she's left! Does anyone know where she is now?
5 - 'amy E.: Lately, I have found it delightful for my everyday hair to look like something worn by your favorite badass Japanese video game or anime character (complete with totally fun-but-not-too-unnatural color), with the versatility to style it more normally so that my grandmother didn't have a heart attack when she saw me.  
Before that, I also loved to, you know, highlight my hair because computers just don't give the same kinds of natural highlights to your hair like the sun does.  And I've worn it at various lengths, depending on what the season was, with the consideration that I was too lazy to get to the salon except every few months.
Oh, and I hate mushroom-hair.

And that, friends, is about all of the direction I've ever given Helen for styling my hair and she has consistently given me the best friggin hair styles and color I've ever gotten.  (And that's a loaded statement, because I have had some pretty awesome stylists in the other places I've lived as well.)  

I (and many, many others) have followed her to Andre's from Savvy, and I'll follow her again and again, damn it, because she is just a peach and a half.  Check her out on twitter for her hours - @helenthestylist.
5 - Pierre B.: It all depends on the stylist.  I am not sure about everyone who works at Andre, but Helen is nothing short of amazing.  She KNOWS hair, and she takes pride in her work.  She never cuts hair just to cut it; her philosophy is that cutting hair is like making a work of art.  Helen has a wonderful personality, and always knows what to do.  Once you go to Helen, you never want to change stylists.  I cannot recommend her highly enough.
5 - Cathy T.: I was hesitant to check this place out since I read mixed reviews here. But, I just got my first cut this afternoon, and I have to say that the lady did a great job! I was attended by Ranjita, and she was careful, meticulous, and kept checking back and forth with me to make sure the length of layers and bangs was what I wanted. I have med-long hair, and went in to fix my ends, get long layers, and adjust my bangs, and she took about 25 minutes and was very thorough in her cut. I was, however, charged $25 for the cut with a minor blow-dry (not all the way through, and no styling), which I thought was a bit much considering that the sign outside says, $14+. But, because she did a great job (for a head of hair like mine which is hard to manage), I was ok with the price. The owner, Maria, was really nice and the atmosphere overall was friendly and inviting. I'll definitely go back there for my next cut.
2 - karolina z.: Since the beginning I knew was a bad idea coming here. The lady who did my hair was ok  but I notice they only had one hair wash. She start rushing the other lady to wash my  hair. But this is not the only bad thing, they don't see to have enough  equipment to work. She start brushing my hair with the other hairdresser's brush which had hair  from other client(so gross). This is not the end, the girl next to me went to pay  and the lady who were there start offer her a discount for her fist time. She did'nt take it because she've been there before. So i went to pay and I told her tthat was my first time comming there , she never offer me a discount  and she said to me that I've beenthere  before. Which is no true. NEVER AGAIN.

Andrea Rapkin, M.D. - Los Angeles, CA (34.070264, -118.4440562) (Westwood)
4 - think h.: I love Dr. Rapkin.  I've gone to her for 8 years.  She's not necessarily warm and fuzzy if that's what you're looking for, but she knows her stuff, and she is very competent.  I completely trust her!

The worst part is scheduling - it takes a while to get in to see her, and I don't think she's taking any new patients and sometimes there's a wait once you get to the office.

Andreas Restaurant - Providence, RI (41.82905, -71.400914) (College Hill)
5 - Silvia S.: My boyfriend is Greek and he was pleasantly surprised with the food there. We have only been there a few times and much of the menu is American (hamburgers and such) so we have only tried a few things, but so far so good. The pikilia (appetizer combination plate) is great and I think that probably is a good sign that the meze will be good too. Tthe lamb burger is pretty good too, but if you want a bit more of a Greek taste ask for a Greek cheese on it (I do not remember if it is kasseri or kefalotyri they have. ) The specials are as close as you can get to Greek home cooking for a reasonable price. If you like dessert, their galaktoboureko is very good too. The service has always been great too and I hear their brunch is quite popular.
5 - A T.: This place is my favorite restaurant in Providence--and that's a hard hard choice to make.  Regrettably I did not discover Andrea's until just before I moved away, but I continue to recommend it to just about everyone.  They have a great drink menu and the wonderfully authentic Greek food will make you feel like you've taken a small vacation.
4 - Mats K.: Not bad.

The food was good, so was the service.

It was an all around good experience, just nothing to rave about.
5 - Kate B.: I've been here a bunch of times.  Really good Greek food and good service.  It can take a while to get a table on a weekend if you have a group, but the waitstaff is really helpful and will try to get you in.
4 - sunny n.: Excellent food..with an intruiging with a dominant Greek influence..charming atmoshphere...in dark tones of wood..cool black n white flooring..high level bar....cozy mixed seating styles..perfect lighting..on the corner of Thayer St...eastside...My beautiful waitress from Russia was so sweet..and full of recommendations..although sometimes on a busy night the service can be slow...good for a romantic night..or..gathering with friends...!! I recommed the Shrimp for appetizers and Lamb Kebobs....alongside a Mango Mojito..!
2 - Erin C.: Fine dining and Thayer Street just do not seem to go together. Andreas has decent Greek food and good service, but there is very little here to get excited about. Neither the food nor the decor are particularly dazzling, and the crowds can grow prohibitively large in the evening. For a better dinner (albeit at a higher price), head east to Wayland Square or west to downtown and Federal Hill.
4 - Carrie U.: This place is so dark that I actually had a hard time reading the menu, and I didn't take note of the decor. However, the Chicken Gyros were really good. Very tender and fluffy. The wrap was the same way. We also ordered the Greek fries, which were yummy and not very oily like other fries. If you're gonna spend 7-8 dollars you might as well go here because that's how much my gyros cost me. 
This is not a five-star restaurant so I don't know what the other reviewers were expecting. This is, after all, in a college town, so businesses have to cater to their nearby customer population.
2 - Michelle S.: Studenty place near Brown that serves pretty typical fare. It's fun to sit outside in the summer, and service is usually friendly. The food is fine, but nothing special.
4 - Alicia Y.: Went here many times during the years at Brown.  The food was always great (soups and gyros were especially good), but the atmosphere was often dark and crowded on weekend nights.  Moreover, it was not the best place for seating groups (we went there for my birthday one year and it was a tight squeeze for twelve people).  Still, great food and reasonable prices.
2 - Adam S.: Had a day to kill and went here for lunch on a weekend. Food was decent and a tad expensive for what you get, but it IS a sit down place so you've got to expect things are going to be a bit higher even though this is a college town. Environs are nothing fantastic, kind of like a coffee shop trying too hard with 80-esque black lacquer everything. After reading the other reviews from people making special trips to come here, I'm not quite sure why. 

Service was quick and courteous but restaurants KILL me when you've just gotten your salad as your first course and literally 30 seconds later they're dropping off your entree. The place wasn't very crowded, so I'm not sure what the deal was; maybe it's because I was by myself and only ordered a gyro - low margin customer. :) One advantage though was the "dining by yourself" table was right by the wait station so I got to hear good local gossip - nothing juicy enough to take them back up to 3 stars though.
4 - Victoria K.: I usually order either of my two staple items here: chicken souvlaki sandwich, or their Mediterranean penne (which is soooo good and slathered with mozzarella, feta and kalamata olives).  It's been a while since I've been, but I would definitely go back if I was in the area!
4 - Mike H.: I love Andrea's.  Conveniently located on Thayer and Meeting, it's very spacious (especially now that they've expanded it some more), the waiting staff is always VERY friendly (including the managers who are always great), the prices are very reasonable, and the food is delicious.

If you don't necessarily want anything to eat, it's a great place to go and have a drink and/or dessert.

To start off, I really like their Calamari because they also add in peppers to give a nice kick to it.  For the main course, I usually go with a Souvlaki sandwich (lamb or beef), which is only about 8 bucks (it comes with salad and rice, too), but I've tried a variety of other courses and can honestly say that it's all around great food.

If you're in the mood for Mediterranean food with a nice atmosphere, Andrea's is the spot for you!
5 - Mon T.: Great Greek cuisine and not pricey.
Very authentic... and you can see tons of local Greek people visit this place!!! What does it tell you?? ;-)  Do I need to say more???!!! lol

Nice Bar area too!
3 - Natalia B.: +1 Tasty gyros and souvlaki, especially with a beer

-1 Herds of Brown freshmen who want to test out their fake id's

+1 Pretty good service

+1 Reasonably priced

-1 Kind of boring
2 - Juhi D.: i'm not sold. i agree with a previous yelper's review: "Fine dining and Thayer Street just do not seem to go together." and this is true for this restaurant as well. something doesn't seem right...

the menu makes a conscious effort to exclude hummus and falafel- i would like to know the reasons behind this- i'm just curious not complaining...

i had chicken kabob with a greek salad. the chicken was dry and the balsamic sauce they served with it didn't pair off very well.
3 - Sue P.: I'm torn on whether to give this one 3 or 4 stars.  I'd say 3 1/2 .  The food was decent, the atmosphere comfortable, and the service was quick and friendly.  My fiance and I ordered off of a special menu (maybe b/c of the night we went in?) which included an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert for 19.95 per person.  We found the amount of food to be very good for the price. We were both stuffed half way through our entree.  We both enjoyed the fried eggplant for an appetizer. It comes with a garlicky hummus-like dipping sauce which was delicious.  My fiance ordered the lamb and I had the stuffed trout for a main course. He seemed to enjoy  his lamb dish, but my trout was just average. I found myself pushing it around my plate a bit, which generally tells me it could be a little better.  For desserts, they only had 2 choices- baklava, and a blueberry bread pudding. We ordered one of each and found both to be huge portions and very tasty.  

The only awkward point to our dinner was at the end when we settled the bill.  My fiance paid for the meal with his credit card, and I offered to leave the tip.  Maybe it was my mistake in not putting the cash tip right in with the bill as soon as the server went to run the card, but we had some guy (maybe a manager?) come to our table with our card and ask us why we didn't leave a tip.  So we explained that we were leaving cash, and that was that.  But I just found it a little awkward, especially with other parties sitting right next to us.
3 - Lauren R.: Solid choice for Mediterranean food on Thayer.  Honestly, give me decent Greek food and really tall beer glasses and I can't complain.  I almost always order a gyro here - there's just something really satisfying about the beef / lamb / tzatziki combo.  Throw in some french fries and a tall Blue Moon, and I am a happy girl.  The sangria is OK, but there is nowhere near enough fruit in there.
3 - Maryam S.: Came here for dinner with my brother when we were in town visiting Brown.  I got the lamb soulvaki, he got the bacon cheeseburger and we shared the broccoli cheese potato wedges.  Everything was good - not excellent, but still tasty.
5 - Courtney H.: They have REALLY good drinks, and very tasty Mediterranean food. Their outdoor patio, along the sidewalk, is nice during the summer.
4 - Andrea A.: I have enjoyed both of my experiences here.  We have not been inside because each visit was on a nice day, so we opted for the outside seating.  The tables are perfect for people watching on Thayer and are roomy and comfortable.
Really great Greek food!  The salads are fresh and yummy with really great feta and olives.  The french onion soup is amazing.  I have had the gyro plate and the french dip and they were both delicious. The service is wonderful and attentive without being overbearing.  They also make giant drinks.  Although delicious, I could not finish my fishbowl margarita without passing out under the table.   
My partner is a picky restaurant eater, but enjoyed the pasta and salad.
Nice place for a date!
4 - Behzod S.: While visiting Providence to see Brown University, my father and I were looking for a good place to get a light meal to counter all the *lovely* airport food. Andreas was just that ticket. 

They had a wide selection of salads and plates that offered a variety of meats, veggies and rice. The stuffed mushrooms and salad that came with the gyro plate were especially tasty. Service was very welcoming and helpful, although our table seemed a bit high. If I was in the area, I would definitely go there again. Great food at a great price.
4 - Chris K.: Have been here twice for food and drink.  I like their drink menu- has some nice creative selections and the bartenders and waitresses are very nice and helpful.  I also like the atmosphere of this place and the fact that it is very clean (including the bathrooms).  We had very simple appetizers for food so I cant really speak for the entrees but their apps are good and they stick to what their good at ( greek food). Will have a more detailed review in the summer when I can eat outside
3 - Henry S.: Serviceable Greek food on Thayer.  Food doesn't blow your mind, but it'll hit the spot if you have a hankering for it.
3 - Josh F.: Andreas is a serviceable Greek restaurant that's on the main Thayer street strip, just outside Brown university in Providence. 

Nothing fancy here; Gyros, Souvlaki, Greek salads, piles of meat; it will definitely satisfy your taste for Greek food and provide a reasonably priced meal. Clean establishment, courteous service, nice outdoor seating area.

Decor is strip mall esque, and food isn't overly seasoned or creative.

If you're dead set on getting your Greek fix, you could decidedly do worse. If not, there mayyyyyyyyyyyyy be a better choice within stones throw of Andreas. (Hint: there is)
3 - Caroline R.: Looking for a great place to brunch on a Saturday morning in Providence? Andrea's is your choice. Met a couple of girlfriend's here and had a really relaxing, delicious breakfast. It was a beautiful day, so we sat outside and we were so happy we did. The people watching was fantastic and the sidewalk was big enough that you didn't feel like everyone was walking on top of you - big plus. 

I had a delicious breakfast. I ordered the fruit plate and was served a gorgeous plate of deliciousness. Tons of fruit, walnuts, honey and a huge dollop of marscapone cheese. Wasn't sure what to expect with that piece, but it was great. Sweet and creamy and a perfect match for the fruit. I also had a croissant which was delicious, but I would recommend ordering it ungrilled and unbuttered, but that's just my personal choice. 

My two girlfriends had omelets and they looked good too, but I didn't try them at all. However the potatoes were great (I had to try those). 

So, you may be asking why the 3 stars if I had such a great brunch. First, the menu is very limiting. It's really just eggs, french toast and he one fruit salad. Luckily, I found the fruit platter since the idea of eggs to me wasn't very appealing, but if that's your thing, then you're in luck. 

The second reason was the bathroom. it was 11 in the morning, no one was there and when I went to the bathroom, both stalls were unusable. I'll spare you the details, but really makes me wonder if it was first thing and they were that bad. But I try not to linger on that. The good side was when I told them, they fixed it real quick!
2 - Richard B.: There might be great things to say about Andreas for Greek dinner, but don't expect much of a Mediterranean styled weekend brunch.  I found very little imagination here for any kind of brunch menu.  My longtime dining companion and I found our egg en trees to be uninspired and the staff unenthusiastic.  Maybe Sisyphus brunches at Andreas.  Zeus demands better.
5 - Sarah J.: I have never had such excellent greek food!  I ordered the chicken souvlaki with the side salad.  The chicken was juicy and tender, the cucumber sauce was light and tasty, and the pita bread was thick and soft.  The greek side salad had the perfect amount of feta and the dressing was perfectly simple.  People watching from the outdoor seating on Thayer Street makes the place even more fun.
4 - steel m.: Very good Greek-American food.  The dolmas are excellent --warm and much better than the oily cold ones that come in a can.  I think people often fail to make a distinction between extremely authentic cuisine and really good-tasting, Americanized cuisine.  Both are ok!  This is Americanized but that doesn't mean it doesn't taste good!
3 - Paul W.: Andreas has to be one of the most consistant restaurants in the country. The food is not gourmet just good and well represented on the menu - no suprises.  brunch, lunch and dinner - good portions, cooked to your specifications, decent drinks, nice staff that greets and remembers you. The owner makes the rounds every so often and runs a clean ship. If you are familiar with greek food they have all your favorites. This is another restaurant where i like to sit at the bar
3 - Elizabeth N.: Good food. The host called someone a faggot though by our table. Not charming.
3 - Brittany M.: Pretty blue water glasses, modern, yet minimally decorated interior, convenient location, the intoxicating smell of greek food in the air... I really want to love Andrea's. I really do. The food is wonderful. They don't have a ton of options if you are intolerant of lactose - or make certain dietary choices. But, It's not the food that I have a gripe with, no sir. If this review were based upon food alone - 5 stars easily. It's the service I have an issue with. 

Every time I go, I get an attitude. I'm not a cranky customer either. I always tip over 20%, and don't make any kind of weird or rediculous requests. I always genuinely use my please's thank you's. This past Friday, I had lunch there with an old friend. I knew I was going to be short for time, so I let them know when we were coming and what we were going to have.  When we got there - our waitress didn't even say hello. She tapped her her pen on the side of her leg and said "Drinks?" This was not a huge deal. I've waitressed. It's busy, and it's the last place in the world that you want to be. The entire meal no one asked us if everything was okay, and at the end of our meal, we had to hunt for our server, and I said, "Thank you so much, our meal was lovely." She replied, "Yeah, whatever."

Really, lady? A little unnecessary. The food is delicious, the restaurant is aesthetically pleasing, but the service always leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
4 - Karen W.: One of my favorite restaurants in Providence, and an even bigger plus that it's located so conveniently on Thayer Street (this is coming from a RISD alumna). 

Food: Such mouthwatering dishes that definitely satisfies a Mediterranean and Greek cuisine craving. 
The variety of salads are composed fully of fresh ingredients and the huge portions always leave me with leftovers. 
The souvlaki (Greek sandwiches) are great, too, mainly because of the delicious pita bread. 

Environment: generally high-volume levels in the restaurant, but still a good sit-down place for a meal and conversation.
4 - Janelle M.: I love Greek food, but I haven't found too many places that do it quite right. While in town for the weekend, Andreas himself saw us checking out the menu outside the restaurant door.  He introduced himself, ensured us we'd have an excellent meal, and promised us a glass of wine on the house should we chose to go inside and have dinner.  Well, as promised, we got the complimentary glass of wine as well as an excellent meal.  They're weren't a ton of veg options, so they went ahead and made me a small mezze plate for my entree.  Excellent.  My boyfriend had the Moussaka and I'm still curious how he managed to finish the whole thing.  He said it was rich, but very well prepared.  If I return to Providence, I'll probably go back as I enjoy fresh, thoughtfully prepared food as well as stellar service.  Thanks, Andreas.
4 - Steve D.: Large menu, reasonable prices, good service, excellent food.  We had a very good Greek salad and very nice moussaka, and the little one reveled in the pasta with meat sauce.

Comfortable booths, with modern decor.
3 - Chris S.: We have been here twice and both times it was a bit of a mixed experience. 

The Hot Meze Platter is a great way to enjoy a wide selection of apps. It is very tasty and a great way to feed several people. 

They were happy to reserve a table for 7 on a Saturday night and we didn't have to wait for it to open up or for them to push tables together. 

The waiter they gave us was new and that probably wasn't a great idea for such a large table. Drink orders took a long time to get from the bar to the table. He was mildy attentive but could have been a bit better. 

They overcooked my wife's steak and the meatloaf (Bifteki) I had was okay...but a bit bland for greek food. 

Most other people seemed to enjoy their meals. 

On our previous visit we had much of the same experience. Hit & Miss on the food...and drink orders taking longer than expected. 

Neat place with a lot of potential if they can just stay consistent. My guess is with the college kids propping up the business they don't need worry about high quality (i hope that doesn't come across wrong).
3 - Zoe M.: Food: A+, Service: Not so much

I always see this place and it looks so sophisticated from the outside, so I decided to try it last weekend. There were five of us, and since it was a late Sunday afternoon, there was no wait which was nice since we were all starving. Everything was fine and dandy until we met our waitress...she was curt from the start and hurried us along to order. Whatever, we could deal. 
The food was quite delicious! I had the feta and spinach ravioli which I would go back for any time. I highly recommend it! The rest of my party all seemed to enjoy their meals as well, with the exception of my friend who ordered a very over priced salad that was mediocre at best. 
Then came the waitress again...
She actually tried to take my friend's plate while she was still eating!! I mean literally mid bite and here comes this vulture-like waitress swooping in to clear our plates prematurely. It would have been funny if she had just laughed it off and apologized instead of standing there waiting for the plate to be clear...who does that?! 
Anyways, we asked for separate bills and the waitress said she could only split the bill into two, so we agreed that was fine. She came back with one bill, then proceeded to give us a hard time whilst we were paying the bill.

Andrea's certainly has done an excellent job in the kitchen, but when it comes to the staff, they seem to have forgotten about the importance of good customer service.
4 - Taylor T.: I really enjoy coming to Andrea's. Their food is consistently good, both at brunch and for dinner, and I've never had a particularly bad experience with the service. I was here last night for a late dinner and it was surprisingly busy. My bf and I were seated right away and our waitress greeted us warmly within a couple of minutes. I ordered a glass of one of the house Greek white wines (from Crete I think) and he had a margarita. I really enjoyed the wine and it paired nicely with my dinner (and was a total bargain for $5.50!). 

To start, we shared the baked feta appetizer, which has become one of our absolute favorites on the menu. It's a generous slab of broiled feta that's seasoned with herbs, olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, and capers and served with warm pita. I seriously crave this dish! My only complaint is that they never serve enough pita bread with it and we have to order extra, which costs a whopping $1. For my entree, I had the Greek salad topped with grilled shrimp and it was excellent! It came with three perfectly grilled jumbo shrimp and loaded with fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, olives, and crumbled feta. I got the dressing on the side because I don't like it to get to soggy and our waitress happily obliged. My bf had the grilled swordfish sandwich on focaccia, which looked good but I opted not to try (not a big swordfish fan). Service throughout the meal was attentive, but not intrusive. Even though the restaurant was full, I never felt like we were being hurried or rushed out to turn the table. We opted out of dessert and instead ended the night with crepes from the Creperie down the street. For two drinks, an appetizer, and two entrees, we spent right around $50 (before tip), which is really reasonable in my opinion. 

We've been here on numerous occasions and have actually found brunch to be a great time to come. Service has always been fabulous on weekend mornings because it's not quite as crowded. I also like that they offer a mix of Mediterranean and American breakfast/brunch items. Andrea's is a perfect place to sit outside and enjoy drinks and appetizers on a warm summer night. I encourage you to give it a try!
4 - Julie A.: I've been to Andrea's many many times over the years. And overall, have always had a pleasant experience.

Service:
I've always had prompt and friendly service. There's plenty of 2 and 4 tops, as well as group seating. In the summer, there is outdoor seating. (I love to enjoy a large cold beer in the warm summer evening air).

The food is fresh and tasteful:
I love to start off with the Calamari, and if I'm feeling ambitious, I'll have an item on their special's list -usually a fish dish. Otherwise, I'll order a spinakopita (spinach pie) and a salad with a side of tzaziki and pita.

Notes: 
Over the years I've noticed some little changes in the decor of the restaurant, but nothing drastic. The bathrooms were renovated a while back and it was a vast improvement to what it was. The menus have been converted to Euros for the Providence international traveler.

Prices are decent. Overall 4 stars for above average, everything!
3 - S D.: I only like coming here for drinks with friends. I've had their food it's not the greatest thing in the world. But, when you start drinking anything tastes good. I love their pitchers they give you for a decent price. I love the Ultimate Lemonade one Kettle One Vodka with lemonade. It's sure to get you feeling great on that pitcher. The service is alright sometimes they neglect me here so thats why I don't come back that often.
5 - M W.: I took my new guy here for his birthday. I have been a few times in the past and have always liked the food.  The food was excellent. We statrted w/ the Spanikopita and it was amazing. I had the lamb kobab and he had the Greek pasta bolongnese. Both of our dishes were great. It was an ejoyable night.  We went on a monday night and it was pretty busy. I've been on the weekebd before and if you go then expect to wait a little while, but it's well worth the wait. =) The service was excellent and our waitress was very helpful.
5 - cynthia r.: Great food, nice host (owner?), reasonable prices, fantastic wait staff and fast service.
Try the Greek fries.  Amazing spin on a classic dish.
4 - Margaret O.: Stopped in here for lunch while exploring Thayer Street. I had the haddock fish sandwich on soft ciabatta and my friend had the Olympian burger. Overall, clean restaurant, excellent food, nice atmosphere and average service. Prices are moderate. Definitely worth the stop.
4 - Amy B.: The food was excellent, the drinks ok. Factor in the economical prices and Andreas looks like a pretty good choice for dinner in Providence.

The cheddar and broccoli potato skins we ordered as a starter were just ok, though Andreas gets points for fresh crisp broccoli. Our friends ordered an octopus starter that they let us taste; it was a bit rubbery and not something I'd go for a second time. As an entree, I had the Greek bolognese. It featured fresh pappardelle noodles bathed in a rich tomato sauce with chunks of ground lamb and beef. There was a ton of meat in this dish, and the overall serving size was huge, especially considering it cost just $13. This was one of those entrees where my stomach told me to stop eating but my mouth wanted more. Souvlaki with lamb and a chicken gnocchi with moscato sauce also drew positive reviews from our group.

I had the house red sangria and found it ok at best; the heavy lemon and lime garnishes added too much of a citrus zest to the mix. My husband's mojito was better. I'd either order wine or a cocktail next time.
4 - Larry P.: Wonderful Greek food. Huge Greek salads. Excellent grilled octopus. The baked figs in the marathon salad were amazing. Only complaint was some of the greens were a little dry. Very tasty baked feta. Baklava oozing with honey. Good selection of draft beers. Everything comes in huge portions at prices that fit a student budget.
4 - Kimberly H.: I'm generally not a huge fan of Greek food.  I like it but I never crave it or go out of my way for it like other cuisines.  My partner and I were walking by Andreas and decided to stop in for lunch.  I had the Chicken Gyro and it was very very good.  Pita was fresh and warm, cucumber sauce was cool and delicious.  It also came with a large portion of Greek salad (or rice pilaf) which I wasn't too excited about because I do not like feta and am just meh about Greek dressing.  The waitress suggested I try the Kesseri cheese instead of the feta and their dressing was awesome...big win for me.  My wife had a salad for lunch that she enjoyed as well.  We recently went back for the chicken gyro as it was so yummy the first time.  Different waitress, not as friendly and attentive as the first but still fine. My one complaint...they charge extra for everything...no refills on drinks, charged extra to change my cheese and charged $.75 for more salad dressing...I just hate when restaurants nickel and dime you like that.  I'm putting down good money and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  I will go back though as I really enjoy their food.
4 - its c.: Love their Greek Dip platter and VEGETARIAN SOUVLAKI :-)  :-)
3 - Neil B.: I have been to Andrea's many times and have never been overly impressed (unlike my brother and sister-in-law who will disagree with this review and rate the restaurant much higher! 
A few nights ago I had a burger which was quite average and my girlfriend had a chicken pesto sandwich. She found the chicken to be dry and was disappointed that she was not told that the pesto was not the Italian green but a Greek red which tastes much different. On the other hand we had Saganaki as an appetizer and it was exceptionally good!

When we arrived I asked for a water with lemon. I got the water but not the lemon. No big deal and otherwise the service was fine but it is the little things that distinguish a good restaurant from an exceptional one.
2 - Ileana S.: Meh. Mediocre food accompanied by virgin-like alcoholic drinks. Leaves much to be desired.

I ordered the vegetarian souvlaki, quite possibly one of very few vegetarian options at this restaurant. It was a sandwich with baked eggplant, zucchini, fire-roasted red pepper and kasseri cheese. It was ok.

I ordered two mimosas that did not taste like they had any alcohol in them. Just sugary sweetness. Lame. I even asked the server to ask the bartender to make the drink stronger. Honestly, I could not taste any sort of change.

Overall, I do plan not on coming back to this joint. Boo.
4 - A J.: We had a large party for dinner and not everyone was fluent in English. The server was very pleasant and dealt with all the tough/slow orders with grace and patient. Very happy with the service. The food was excellent with generous portions. Overall an exceptional value for food and service.
3 - Elise J.: I've been going here for years (15 years?)

It's good.  It's not great.  Their service is wonderful - and their location is stellar.... but it's just okay.

Sorry to say...

I love Greek food - and in Montreal had so much better (who knew that Canada had the second largest concentration of Greek restaurants outside of Greece?)

If you want steady and true - this is your place.  If you want extraordinary - then keep looking.... haven't found better Greek in Providence... but that's not a resounding endorsement!

Their staff really is wonderful, though.  Which is why they have 3 stars from me.
4 - Mike D.: We stopped in here later in the night to curb my girl's ravenous hunger, and even though I didn't eat, she gave it rave reviews.  We ended up here again for a early dinner one Sunday and sat outside enjoying the sites and sounds of Thayer.  The Mediterranean dipping platter was perfect for me, and just enough to get me started.  The octopus was absolutely awesome; perfectly cooked without being overly chewy.  Service was on point and unobtrusive, making this a really great experience.  We ordered a pitcher of sangria, which was ok, but were forced to add some other alcohol to it; in my case in the form of tequila!  Definitely a spot to return, and I think probably better than average for a "touristy" part of town.
4 - Kate L.: Although this was my first time @ a Greek restaurant, I fell in love with Greek food. We had an antipasta type app with all different meats, and amazing hummus. The bread was out of this world. Think I ate 80 pieces. Great wine. Great service. Awesome back room for our private party that was perfect. We were able to be loud and not worry about disrupting anyone else. Hostess was super nice as well. Braised lamb entree was TO DIE for most moist flavorful meat ever. Great meal! And excellent prices.
4 - Sohini R.: Andreas made me so happy today over lunch; I love the vegetarian soulvaki but instead of the normal side (either rice pilaf or greek salad) I asked if I could have the marinated beets with it.  So delicious!  Many thanks to my accommodating waitress.
4 - James M.: When we go to Providence for a weekend of R&R we always go to Andrea's for a late breakfast just before returning home.  their breakfast fare is well prepared and they have several creative specials (benedicts, fritattas, etc)  Service is always excellent and friendly.  Food is plentiful and properly cooked.  There are so many options in Providence for breakfast but this one has us coming back.  We love to sit on the sidewalk and watch the world go by.
3 - Jay D.: OPA!!!! 

So  I'm all, A-OK, about this place because you can sit outside (no more than 4 at a table though) and get your people watchen' on. ALSO because the food is delicious and GIANT....but nothen' cray cray goin on.

I have had the Greek Salad, Spinach Salad--- which includes a giant brick of feta, topped with super-sized chicken or shrimp. The staff is pretty nice and you really rarely have a long wait. I have been here 3x and haven't had a bad experience yet.  The Greek dressing is omg. 

The prices are pretty reasonable as well. Enjoy some serious Greek nom nom. Why not 5 stars... because it hasn't BLOWN me away.

If you wanna die by feta...this is your kinda place.
4 - Danielle W.: Oh, Andreas, how I adore you with all of my heart and soul.  

While Andreas is Americanized Greek, it's still Greek flavor and unlike any other restaurant that we really have in Providence.  The interior of the restaurant is casually fancy; the bar is a bit small making it hard to maneuver around.

The prices are fair and the food is yummy yummy in my tummy.  My favorites are the Taramosalata appetizer - whipped caviar with pita bread and for lunch or dinner, the Grilled Swordfish Sandwich - fresh grilled swordfish on delicious onion/rosemary focaccia bread accompanied with a caper dill mayonnaise.  My mother is watering just writing this review. 

The service has been up and down over the years that I've been dining at Andreas, however; I like their food so much that it keeps me coming back.
5 - Jean R.: Amazing greek food (can please the pickiest eatters too) decent prices, nice ambiance, outside seating in the summer and Thayer Street parking is never that bad.
2 - S O.: Stay away if you are gluten free. I gave them two stars bc their food is excellent if you are not gf and if you are willing to eat everything their way. Today we asked for a gf plain hamburger w rice- manager told us it would be gf walking in the door and a lamb souvlaki gluten free w rice. After we ordered we were told the rice was not gf - has orzo in it and that they had no sides other than salad that would be gf.
Then when food was served the souvlaki was in a pita and the burger had not gf fries w it. Also the other kid w us was served onions on her burger after asking for no onions. Five years ago we walked out of Andreas bc they had nothing for my then 3 yr old to eat. We had hoped it had changed, clearly it hasn't which is really sad bc it was one of our favorite places pre gf. Go across the street to Kabob and Curry or to Nice Slice if you need gf.
4 - Kara S.: I'm a big fan of Andreas. I love being able to head there with my girlfriends and enjoy a great beverage without tons of people squished into one area. There drink menu always has something to offer me, no matter what I'm in the mood for... i.e wine, beer, cocktail, or pitcher...  The foods so-so, I've eaten there a couple times, liked it ok but not my fav place for greek. Would def recommend it for a nice app and drink night :)
3 - Tom S.: Yesterday Ii came here for lunch with two friends, We were just looking for a quick lunch. We started with the Greek Dip Platter. It didn't taste spectacular, but it wasn't horrible. It was A-OK. Then I got the chicken cous cous soup, and the Moussaka. The chicken cous cous soup was good, but it did have a layer of fat (impurities) on top of the soup which can be a turn off... My Moussaka wasn't seasoned very well, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, I hope that mine was a mistake and it isn't like that every time they serve it. It was lacking flavor on every layer, the meat, the eggplant, and whatever else might have been in that. Besides that, our server Jenni was very sweet and knowledgeable about the menu. She was quick and efficient and most importantly, she let me pay my bill discreetly. 

I remember coming here a few  years ago and getting what i believe was pita bread and hummus and it being unbelievably good. I can't remember if it was that, but there was something about this place that was really good, but yesterday it didn't quite meet our expectations.
4 - Rachael J.: Had a good experience here.

Ordered the house wine and was pleasantly surprised at the delicious choice! 

I ordered one of the specials, filet mignon on a bed of creamy risotto and portobello mushroom cap, topped with spinach and roasted red tomato.
Partner in crime ordered stuffed shrimp and a Greek beer! 

Left feeling full and happy. :)
4 - L T.: This place has the BEST french onion soup...like EVER.  I gave four stars instead of five because the food has a HIGH sodium content.  I adore salt (I put it on everything) but none is needed at this place...and I still look swollen as hell the next day.  Other than that, the food is great.
4 - Samir K.: Awesome place for any occasion. 
Have the mezze platter and the fried cheese.  I usually end up only getting filled up with the apps but the one time I ate the main course vegetarian like the ravioli, it was really tasty for a Greek place.
3 - Laura T.: I have never been disappointed with a visit to Andrea's, but also am not usually super impressed. On my last visit, I got the Beef Souvlaki. It was really tasty but the meat was really chewy, making it extremely difficult to eat as a sandwich. The Greek salad that comes on the side is really tasty also, but I opted for fries instead which were warm and crispy - yum! The portion size was pretty small for dinner, next time I would probably get an appetizer or salad also. The service was very good, as it always is when I go. I will definitely be back here, but it's not one of my favorite restaurants in the area.
5 - Sarah V. M.: You know you're on to something when Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick walk in behind you (or maybe not because apparently they frequent Brickway on Wickenden, which I could do without).  Anyway, in this case - you're definitely on to something!  

All of the delights of Greece: blue and white, family like arguments amongst the staff, delicious food, and the feeling of never being rushed.  We ordered the large 'hot meze platter' and split it between the two of us.   Grilled meats, fresh vegetables, toasted pita, tzatziki, taramosalata, spanakopita, dolmades, all topped with a generous hunk of Greek feta.  The marinated chicken and gyro were memorable.  Ask for extra tzaziki sauce, which is on the milder side of garlic, and load up the fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and sweet red onions.  I had a soda and we were in and out - after our star gazing - for $23 including tip.
4 - Melissa F.: Andreas is an excellent place to visit on Thayer Street. I am not even the biggest fan of Greek food, but there is really something for everyone. It is also a place where parents can take out Brown students - but Brown students can afford to go every once in a while, too.

The first time I went, I had a delicious chicken-topped gnocchi - super creamy and the mushrooms really came through via the sauce. I sampled my friend's braised lamb - whoa! Ever since, I've ordered the braised lamb and have not been disappointed. The lamb is fork-tender, not too gamey (which sometimes puts me off from (?) lamb), and the red sauce is intense and has so many amazing flavors intermingling, including a tiny amount of cinnamon! (But it isn't weird. Trust me.) There is a tiny bit of saltiness, but really, it's hardly enough to make me not crave this incredible dish, mmmm. As for other dishes (which I'm gleaning from two separate occasions) my roommate really enjoyed her pastitsio, my parents split a whole fish which they loved, the bruschetta is well above average, and the chicken gyros and crab cake sandwich were a big hit.

The service is always OK, not amazing. The drinks are nothing special or just taste off. And some old creepers are around, like when a bunch of women were waiting in the small but clean restroom, and he said from the hallway, "The ladies' room is in here!" pointing to the men's room he was about to enter. That's not their fault, but ugh. Don't let this scare you away, and don't pay as much attention to the 3.5 star average. Andreas is a highlight of Thayer Street and even Providence in general!
4 - Guillermo M.: We really liked the beef kebabs coupled with a greek salad. Service was good and it is in a nice location if you want to enjoy walking around a live place.
5 - Sandy F.: I have too much to rave about when it comes to Andrea's.. the food is always fresh and delicious!! The wait staff are kind and courteous and very helpful. The food is always spectacular, the ambiance is quite nice. I love when the weather is good and there is outside seating. For superb, authentic Greek cuisine Andrea's is the place to go.. just love this place! Also, I was pleasantly surprised at the prices, I figured they would be expensive given their location but they are not the have very reasonable prices.
4 - gina p.: Love this restaurant! Great food. Big portions. Warm atmosphere. Customer service is super. Everyone  is friendly and accommodating. we had the Greek sampler plate and the Horatiki salad. Loved it!
1 - Nelson S.: Who serves peach schnapps on ice and calls it sparkling sangria?  Andreas

Who serves a hunk of cold cheese without bread, calls it saganaki, and then has waiters look at you like you are crazy when you ask for bread and then charge you a buck?  Andreas

Who grills rotting octopus?  Oh yeah. Andreas. 

At least the waitress took the octopus off the bill.
3 - Lyd M.: Food is pretty solid. I like their sandwiches and salads. The kitchen is open late so it's a good place to stop for a drink/late night dinner. Service is fast. This is where we go if we have plans in the city but don't want to have a pricey, involved dinner.
4 - B M.: This place is great. I like it more each time I go back. Family came to visit for a few days and this was their favorite. I almost always order the roku salad, but there are many great dishes. Service can be slow and confused sometimes,but they're always very nice.
4 - Merari C.: Checked in for an early dinner on a Saturday evening. No wait and good seating at a booth by window. Service was prompt and courteous. Food portions were good. At the table we ordered, veggie burger, fish sandwich, side of spinach, potato skins, glass of wine, greek yogurt with honey and strawberries for dessert... Everything was good and at $53 + tip.... No complaints!!
4 - Miranda M.: This place is a great restaurant to visit on Thayer Street. My family has been frequenting it for years, as it my elderly grandmother's favorite restaurant in the state. 

Their Greek food is traditional and delicious. We often get the hot meze platter (the large size will be more than enough appetizer for five people), the calamari, and the gyro dinners. Everything is always great! I've never been disappointed with anything I ordered there. The spanakopita is particularly good, if you want a smaller appetizer recommendation.
2 - Bill H.: Andreas is a so-so Greek restaurant on Thayer Street. There are definitely better restaurants nearby (in particular, East Side Pockets).

My most recent trip was on a Sunday morning for brunch. I ordered a lox bagel. The salmon wasn't particularly tasty, the cream cheese came in its own separate container and was a pain in the butt to slip on the salmon (or maybe I was supposed to put it under the salmon and on the bagel? I dunno. The bagel itself was nothing to write home about.

I have friends that swear by Andreas, so I'll probably be back. Reluctantly.
4 - Kris D.: Greek food = Yum! We have been going to Andreas for years. I love the food! The braised lamb is my go to and it never disappoints. Hot & delish always a hearty portion. Last wknd we were sitting inside Andreas enjoying a variety of apps including the greek dip platter, plenty to share! The moussaka is also another favorite! You can't go wrong with the lamb  souvlaki.  We had the pleasure of having a newbie server that day and when that happens,  just roll with it : ) I like to just sit back, relax and dine when I am at Andreas.
3 - Scottie M.: This place is pretty good.  I like their food.  Not too many up-scale(ish) Greek restaurants around.  The service is good.  My favorite dish is the braised lamb over a bed of rice (cooked to perfection) - the only down-side is the side of vegetables... a plate of THREE steamed old looking pieces of broccoli... not edible.   Good thing I like their drinks - Raspberry vodka lemonade is delicious - especially in a pitcher!
3 - Ettya F.: Andreas has the perfect pita. Why this pita is not served complimentary to any meal is beyond comprehension. Everything else served at this establishment is mediocre at best...and the food tastes as vague as this Yelp review.

Andrew Gutow, MD - Palo Alto, CA (37.440111, -122.161179) ()
1 - Anonymous H.: I find this physician to be arrogant and rude.  If he cannot handle himself in a courteous manner with other people, then he is not a good doctor, in my opinion.
5 - amez k.: I've got to write a review here because I completely disagree with the reviewer below. I've always been impressed with the doctors I've seen at Palo Alto Medical Foundation, but Dr. Gutow is exceptional. 

I went to him last year due to pain in my wrist, which he immediately diagnosed as gaglion cyst without ordering any unnecessary tests. He gave me multiple options, one of which probably costs a lot (a surgery.. which he did not recommend) and treated it successfully in al alternative way (drained the cyst). He did set an expectation that it may come back, and when it did, I had to be seen immediately due to my imminent move out of the area. He not only squeezed me in at an inconvenient time for him, but also referred me to a fellow doctor in my new city to treat my wrist if the cyst grows back.

Seriously, I cannot recommend this doctor more!!

Andrew Mayer MD - La Jolla, CA (32.885157, -117.22509) ()
5 - Honey S.: The most wonderful and caring gastro doctor.  Dr. Mayer listens to you, answers all your questions, but most of all he really appears to care.  He made me feel physical and mentally better when I was feeling horrible.  Thank you Dr. Mayer.
5 - jason s.: Doctor Mayer's approachable manner and gentle skills make him one of the best i've seen. When my regular doc told me I had to see a colon doctor I was not thrilled. Upon meeting Dr Mayer I felt at ease with his demeanor and his experience. His colonoscopy was 'great' because he diagnosed my problem and because it was not uncomfortable as I feared it would be.

Andronico's Market - Palo Alto, CA (37.438797, -122.172292) ()
4 - Anita L.: Although the prices are quite high, the produce, meats etc are of such quality that sometimes, it's worth those extra dollars to have that perfect meal. Love the deli section.
5 - Rob M.: Yes it's expensive but then I tend to believe some things are worth it.  The fresh vegetables, the meat selection, the deli, the wine.  If you're planning a special dinner at home (for 2 or 10) this place has what you need.
2 - Kevin S.: Lovely meat counter staffed by a nincompoop.  I discovered a sale on the very thing I wanted--bone-in pork roast.  I very carefully, with joy in my heart and voice and with no attitude, told this goober where I wanted the giant bone-in pork roast cut to achieve a piece the size and shape I needed for my dinner.  He goes and cuts it exactly the wrong way.  He then hands back to me a piece half the size I need from the end I wanted, essentially spoiling this long piece of gorgeous meat.  I tell him that's not quite what I had in mind and in a spirit of hopeful compromise ask for an additional piece.  He's instantly incredulous that I would claim he didn't do what I asked, and gets all huffy and snotty.  When he wraps the first piece, glaring at me he only half finishes the wrapping, slaps a label on and tosses it over the counter at me.  The ass-end of the roast is half hanging out the wrapping.  I don't need this at these prices.  I go to the front, ask to see a manager, manager is "at lunch" (it's 7pm) and the remaining members of goobersquad seem to have no idea what to do with an unhappy customer.  I hand meat to female goober, and leave, never to return, no matter how lovely the meat counter is.  Sad.
3 - Rinne R.: I luv going here when i have to buy snacks for a meeting or lunch for a class at work!  A bit pricey, yet it's worth the mucho dinero for high end deals!  i esp love the deli, dessert, and carbonated drinks section.  i also must, must check out their colorful (and yes, expensive) napkins for parties!  but are those worth $5 per pack, no!
4 - Cynthia C.: Although pricey, the quality makes up for the pinch, I have gotten some of the sweetest, juiciest, most aesthetically pleasing fruit here and the veggies are always top notch.  Their buyers also know I like my Banana Cookie Lara Bars!  Tastes just like banana bread.  Mmm!
4 - Christina Y.: Andronico's has changed a bit over the years, but I always come here for bread pudding. Nowadays the price for bread pudding goes by weight (as opposed to serving in the old bakery), but I still love it.

It is kinda pricey, but you have to factor in the freshness. I take advantage of this in the deli section for lunch. Mmm..
1 - Alice Z.: The exact same brands as Safeway, only two fold more expensive.  For 40 dollars, I bought enough food for lunch, to make 3 sandwiches, and three peaches.  Ridiculous.  Only went there because I was *starving*.
3 - BeBe C.: I am not sure if I should give it four or three stars...

I used to live in Berkeley and love Andronico's. The produce is great, and so is the meat and cheese selection. However, this Palo Alto store is not quite on par with its Berkeley counterparts.  It's still good and better than Safeway, but I expect more from Andronico's. I guess I'll give the Andronico's chain 4 stars, but the Palo Alto store 3 stars.

There also seems to be something wrong with the staff--they are not quite knowledgeable about their products. The staff at the deli cannot explain to me the difference between one type of Italian ham to another. I also asked for headcheese, but the staff looked completely clueless. For these reasons, I would still return to Cosentino's in Santa Clara or San Jose (despite my recent relocation to Palo Alto from Santa Clara). Cosentino's has far fresher produce, a better butcher section, a phenomenal deli meat counter, a wider cheese selection, and a more knowledgeable staff.  (Read my review about Cosentino's.)

Anyway, I guess if you want a quick bite with your dog, you can go to Andronico's. There is some spacious outdoor seating. However, mind you, the deli meats used for sandwiches are pre-sliced. This is disappointing as deli meats quickly loose their flavors once sllced and left sitting in the fridge. I still like Cosentino's, which does not pre-slice their lunch meats for sandwiches.
3 - Stacy L.: There's a good deli and bakery here, which paired with its convenient location made this my default place to pick up food for various group meetings when I was a Stanford student.  The produce is great, and sometimes there are awesome sales on meat or produce.  But for general items, things are cheaper elsewhere.
4 - Dave S.: Just a quick shout out to the friendly deli counter ladies at Andronicos.  I stumbled in late one night a few weeks ago, in desperate need of some sliced turkey meat.  It was 9:52 pm.  Andronicos closes at 10:00.  Most grocery stores close up their deli cases early, so I approached the counter attendant bowing and begging forgiveness when I inquired if it was still possible to have some poultry sliced up.  Her response:  "Sure!  It's not 10:00 yet!"

All businesses should run this way.
4 - Roshan V.: My only experience with an Andronico's was with the one in Berkeley many years ago when my sister was a student. I think it was the first time I saw shopping carts with poles that prevented theft of the shopping cart. So when I heard I was going here to look for a turducken, I expected the turkey to be rat, the duck to be racoon, and the hen to be old chinese newspapers.

Much to my surprise this store lives up to being in the Stanford mall behind Nordstroms. I mean, they have an olive bar with like 20 different types of olives! I had never seen an olive bar before in my life - that's a lot of martinis!
4 - Benjamin M.: Hippies with money, that's what I think of when I think Andronico's. I have found them to have some items most definitely off the beaten path, and for good reason: most items I honestlydon't find anything of interest here. They do have some excellent pre-made meals though: and the food certainly beats ralphs for quality.
4 - Sabrina D.: I actually don't shop here for groceries! I come here for the food! I used to work across the street at Stanford Hospital and remember coming here during my lunch breaks. They have lunch combos that are both healthy and tasty! The prices are affordable (can't say the same for the groceries though). I don't come here as often as I used to, but I still come back here for one thing only: their STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKES! They have a large size for $19.99 and a small size for $14.95. It is the creamiest, richest, best tasting cheesecake I have ever had HANDS DOWN! Not even Cheesecake Factory can beat it! It has a nice balance between cheesy and sugary. It's sweet but not too sweet and the cream cheese is not as overpowering as in other cheesecakes that taste very plain! I'm telling you that I swear on my life, this is the BEST and most special cheesecake you will ever put in your mouth! The other desserts are also to DIE FOR! Other than that, the rest of the store is just another upscale Lunardi's, Whole Foods, etc. You have GOT to try their cheesecake with the strawberries on top! I can't stress that enough! =D
5 - Lauren B.: I really miss this place...It was a regular lunch stop when I used to work across the street at Stanford Children's.  A quick little walk, but not a cheap lunch.  Well worth it though.

I always got drawn to other areas of the market aside from where the pre-made lunch items or deli was...the store just drew me in with their unique little finds.

I wouldn't say this is a place to do your full grocery shopping, unless money is no option, but for special items, its perfect.

The staff is superb and always friendly and very helpful, even when the stress the the big lunch crowd comes.

Bonus:  Shopping just footsteps away.....food and shopping?  My kinda lunch break!
2 - Barb B.: The world's snottiest checkout clerk works here. Gives you MAJOR stink eye for looking at the magazines while waiting for you to have the pleasure of having her ring up your expensive groceries. Why is she the only checkout person available when I go...everytime? Its like some bad Twilight Zone episode where I am stuck in an Andronico's time loop with her and the multitudes of double strollers and blue haired crankyassed women who frequent this place.
Food is good...but jeesh. I'm not inclined to pay this kind of money for stink eye.
2 - Emily L.: I use to shop here every week. But I don't anymore. Here's why:

1) Andronico's food quality has dropped significantly
2) There is very little organic
3) They stock the shelves with secondary brands
4) Service is getting worse and worse
5) Still very expensive

Basically I feel that when I shop there, I'm paying for worse than Safeway quality at Wholefoods price.
4 - Katharine A.: I like Andronico's but it is VERY expensive at this location--to the tune of ridiculous.   
I like the large cheese selection and the deli.   It does have an extensive selection of good gourmet products.
However, I did once get a deli worker give me Prosciutto with the rind still on.
5 - Marni L.: I love Andronico's, every single one of them.  They have incredible prepared foods in the deli and bakery sections, a great assortment of cheeses, harder to find brands of whatever, gourmet items, and of course, the Adult Brownie (which is so true to its name it should be x-rated).  But this location at Stanford Shopping Center has got to be my favorite for one very clear reason (well, clear to me and very soon to be clear to you).

In high school, I was madly in love with Steve Young.  In all honesty, a love that mad doesn't go away ever, and so I still have feelings for the guy.  But in high school, I'm talking about some serious crushing going on.  My graduation cap had his number puffy-painted to the board, prominently displayed next to my puffy-painted future alma mater.  

All of this Steve Young reminiscing has a purpose, I swear.  So returning home from college one summer, I went shopping at this Andronico's with my mom, and I kid you not, Steve Young was pushing a cart down an aisle with his munchkin of a cutie son plopped in the front seat part.  Young's step was more of a bounce.  My heart was certainly more of a bounce, skipping a beat, practically putting me into cardiac arrest.  I dropped my grocery basket right in front of him.  I was sure the thud was a million decibels.  I was completely horrified that I had just done this clumsiness in front of my McDreamy.  But at least I got to see my McDreamy....and from 5 feet away.  Our eyes locked for probably two long seconds.

It was one of the best days of my life.  And it all happened at THIS Andronico's.
1 - Bernadette M.: I've heard such great things about Andronico's, but I was disappointed.  I went in circles looking for their salad bar - expecting to find one like Whole Foods in SF.  Nope.  They're salad bar was small and the dressings available were 'eh'.  But I was starving and I just had a little bit.  I got in line and the older woman behind the counter had sooo much attitude.  Once a customer left she said something pretty darn rude about her.  Wow.  I'm sure it made the rest of the people in my line wonder what she'll say about us all.  A guy also left the line to run and get a fork and napkin.  When he returned she said in a loud voice that he doesn't have to do that next time and that "we put utincils there near the exit for that very reason.  So next time, know it'll be right there."  Totally called him out and how much he was an inconvenience to her.  Perhaps bitter women shouldn't be in the customer service business.
4 - Renae H.: Their prepared foods section is really nice, it's perfect for those "oh, you wanted to provide lunch at this meeting?" days.  The asian chicken salad is easily my favorite, though the prepared sandwiches are nice too when you don't have time to stand in line at the deli counter.

They have lots of interesting specialty foods as well.  One time I found this totally awesome sea salt that was shaped like little pyramids, which is apparently a characteristic of this particular kind of salt.  How cool is that? 

My favorite thing about this store are the little tables and end displays which showcase new or interesting items.  I'm a sucker for impulse buys.  Chocolate with goji berries for only $8?  Sure, why not?  Truffle-infused honey?  Sounds yummy!  Strange cheese I've never heard of whose name I can't pronounce?  I'm so there.

Andronicos....not the place you'd go for your every day grocery shopping, but a perfect spot for last minute emergencies and culinary oddities.
5 - helen t.: i love this place.  i can stare at their baked goods and prepared foods for hours.  PLUS, they always have free samples of brownies and cookies available.  their olive bar is great fun to look at as well.
3 - Lily R.: I expect superior yummies when I shop at fru fru stores like this. 

I really liked their sushi. Grocery stores are giving sushi bars a run for their money. It might be the chefs they hire. I had great spicy tuna rolls for lunch here. 

What didn't meet my expectations was the sandwich. The lady behind the counter was so scatterbrained. We asked for Turkey with muenster but she couldn't get the cheese package open so we opted for provolone instead. She added provolone AND muenster AND some gross wasabi mustard. We asked for spicy brown and got that other stuff. All in all it made for one weird tasting sandwich. I ate the turkey inside and tossed the bread. What a waste of money.

I guess I might come back for more sushi on my next visit to Nordy's. You can bring your lunch over and sit outside on the tables near the coffee bar. The sun hits this patio perfectly at noon. (inbetween crate and barrel and nordys)
5 - Mia T.: We just held a celebration of 150 people.  We had a smallish budget and could not afford hiring a catering company.  A friend recommended Andronico's saying she had used them for years and loved them.  Her parties were much much smaller so I wasn't sure.  When I called the first time, I spoke with Jan.  I felt uncertain even of the questions to ask or what we needed only that we had a certain number of dollars and a certain number of people to feed.  She was so competant and clear and made me feel comfortable right away.  We made an appointment to talk again when our group got clear on some things.  She really took time with me and advised me on where I could save money and how much food I would need and what options to choose. She helped with quanity and selection.  So many good choices, I was overwhelmed. I was so relieved to find someone who could help.  I also spoke and was assisted by Monica who was just as competant and caring.  The two were on the same page, knew the details of our party, I felt very reassured.  It was like the old-fashioned days when folks cared about customers, and complete contracts with a handshake, because there was mutual trust and integrity in the agreements.
The food arrived on time, delivered by Byron and Daniel...Byron made sure that every thing was there and that I was satisfied before leaving.  He was so pleasant and helpful and efficient too.  When I offered him a tip, he would not accept this, only thanked me for the business.  As for the food, there was not one complaint.  Everyone loved everything!  I will use Andronico's for every party and will recommend them to everyone and anyone.
3 - Josephine L.: Average, pricey, high-end grocery store. It has most everything you would expect but it's not quite what you would get at a Whole Foods. To be fair, the sandwiches are pretty good and definitely do the trick for a yummy lunch. Other than that, we only shop here because it is close and there isn't much else on this side of Stanford. It's decent for hot food and quick take-out. Personally, I would take the extra few minutes to go to the Whole Foods off of University if you have the choice.
4 - L. E.: Four stars for the tzatziki dip. Very fresh ingredients.
4 - Sophia Y.: 5 stars for the sandwiches and food selection here

every since Oakville grocery closed, I have been sad with nowhere to eat

but I found andronico's deli and yum!  though the service is slow on weekdays. so be prepared for the line

but when you wait, you can stare at the wonderful cupcakes and chocolates they have to offer. they have my favorite sharffen berger covered dried pears!  my nurse likes the chai cupcakes. I like any of the cupcakes by just dessert company.

went on the weekend and it was not busy at all. though faster to call in your order ahead of time. had nice indoor sitting area with AC to eat but also outside tables as well

and lots of cool drinks and fruit options (pre-cut for the lazy in me)
4 - Piggy S.: I like Andronicos.  They have good meats and good fruits and tasty prepared foods.  Usually sampling items doesn't cause me to buy it, but when I sampled their cookies, I had to get it!!! It took a few weeks of cookie buying before I got tired of it.  I like how they have lots of cookies, scones, pastries :)  Whole foods has a lot too.  Both are delicious!  Even though they are high end, their sale items can be reasonably priced.
4 - Evin B.: Helpful meat and seafood counter staff. They know what's in their crab cakes! Expensive butter-like steaks that melt in your mouth. Drool-worthy baked goods that you can bring to the office or your kid's school and be fairy Godmother for the day.

Favorite place to get a delicious sandwich. Their deli has custom sandwiches as well as pre-designed ones. I preferred the South of the Border Salmon Wrap with pickled ginger and cucumber salsa and a few spinach leaves for texture. Shirley is the best sandwich maker in the deli. I only ordered something different three times in three years and they were not nearly as good in my mind. Turkey with cranberry sauce and mayo is great - go with the real roast turkey not the low-fat stuff. 

My only disappointing experience there came on my most recent (and final) visit. The Kobe Beef Reuben was delicious the first time I had it (the kind of delicious you dream about), but the second time it lacked the flavor zing from before and the Kobe beef looked pink and marbled (ham-like) and included an unexpected white meat (chicken? turkey? pork?) in it too. That was not nearly as disappointing as when I called the deli to ask about it because I am allergic to pork. Though the person in charge kindly checked the other Kobe Reubens for white meat, he found none thogh did admit that that batch of Kobe looked pinker than usual. Sadly, he assumed I thought white cheese or cabbage was white meat. I wasn't about to drive all the way back to show him so I just stopped going there altogether. My friends confirmed it was some kind of meat and probably turkey because I didn't have an allergic reaction. A real loss since I miss the salmon wrap, but I can't risk eating something I am allergic to. Other than the final experience, it is a wonderful place to get groceries or a sandwich. Be sure to get a frequent sandwich card and have it stamped when you purchase sandwiches to earn one free deli sandwich.
5 - Denise Q.: Like Whole Foods but with less emphasis on the organic and more just on the whole gourmet grocery store feel.  

99 cents for little mini fruit tart pastries.  

Yummy fresh baked cookies and other goodies, including petit fours.  

Though I personally have never had the sandwiches here, the line at lunch time is always out the door.  

Also the outside seating is perfect to people watch at while enjoying your lunch. 

Cookbooks, pots and pans...........anything related to the kitchen is covered in someway or quickly addressed in this store. For all your general cooking needs and if you are looking for kitchen stuff and foods that show you are no longer shopping at Ikea as you have arrived now into an incredible job/career.
3 - Angelica N.: A sandwich at Andronico's costs, bare minimum, $6.99. That ain't ballin' to me. 

Having gotten that issue out of the way, here are my main concerns with the sandwich counter:
1. It takes forever for you to place your order initially. 
2. Once said order has been placed, it's like that scene in Love Actually, where Alan Rickman is trying to buy a present for his maybe-future mistress as his wife slowly approaches, and the salesperson puts every tiny detail into wrapping the gift in the most time consuming, intricate, infuriating way possible. 
3. Once said order has been executed, you pay said price.

That all being said, they make a damn good sandwich.
4 - Erin O.: Andronico's has a good place in my heart, and I would rank this location higher than their location in Los Altos mainly because it's massive in comparison.

They have a solid deli counter, with good sandwiches, even if they are a bit expensive.  Their bakery counter is again, very solid, and I'm a big fan of their Adult Brownies.  I don't like chocolate all that much, but I like this version of chocolate.  I also like their selection of cold drinks.  A good variety of froo-froo drinks (tons of iced teas, almost juice drinks, etc.) and a good selection of high end beers.  If I need a funky cracker, or I don't want to deal with the pretention of Whole Foods earth mother-ness, I go here.  I can get my perogies, a decent steak cut, and very good produce without plowing through a mile of tofu-related meatlike products.
2 - Michael F.: Fine... call me a cheap bastard, go ahead!

I just can't justify going here to do any real grocery shopping for what they charge... my mom would smack me upside my head if she ever saw me shopping here.

But... if you just need a couple of things from the produce aisle, it's a good place to go.  They have really fresh produce, and the selection to match.
4 - Gina G.: Andronico's is a great market,but especially the people, they are my family.  I miss Kris!  Maria and Jose in the deli, and Martha is slow, but makes a mean sandwich!  Mr. "Big" aka Alex, you make me laugh, and cutie-pie Luke and his fine twin brother!  My Sofia man, and I am blanking out on your name (ETHAN)-just promoted-"to do everything now!  Carolyn is the bomb, OK then, the samples are not coming out as much, but when they do, WOW, you buy it!  The cheeses, the meats, the fruit!  What a marketing concept.  Also, the meats that are marked down are a deal, keep it coming ENRIQUE!  Yeah, and you know the zone machines keep demagnitizing my credit cards!

Love you all, great service, too high prices, but good specials!!! Great produce and seafood and meats!
5 - Jaime G.: i worked here when this place first opened up, wonder and fun and great food...wow the economy really dragged this place down...hope everything turns well..u still see the customer service here is great...i love the deli not just because my mom works there because its good...
2 - Rahul B.: Andronicos is well situated right next to Stanford campus and the shopping center.  They're quite expensive but if you live / work here, you can probably deal with it.  The cashiers and especially the store manager go out of their way to be rude though.  With so many great grocery stores in the area, why put up with such nonsense?
4 - Cheryl P.: Conveniently located next to Nordys so I can pick up to go items for my ride home. Love their hot food take out boxes - chicken piccata, spaghetti & meatballs, & pork roast. A better alternative to frozen food when you're on the go! The only place I know that has pre-made crepes and healthy Kavli brand crackers! Prices are higher than what you'd find at Safeway's but the selection of organic and higher quality food definitely make it worth the $$!
2 - CJ C.: Went in for a little bit of lunch, $35 bucks later the two of us were able to step away to "picnic" lunch.  The deli counter was so overwhelmingly busy that it was impossible to order a sandwich so we purchased ready made sandwiches at $7 for a CHEESE sandwich with two slices of cheese, a piece of wilted lettuce and a tomato.  My lunch buddy had a meat sandwich which was no better.  With a special request that could not be fufilled (horseradish for the roast beef sandwich), we were disappointed with the sandwich, bag of chips and a soft drink that was so expensive.  It would have been easier, quicker and tastier to hit the awesome burger joint down the street with the best fries.
4 - S L.: Nice selection of produce which is on par with what you would find at Whole Paycheck. The layout of the store was easy to navigate and the bakery items were pretty darn tasty.
3 - Jennifer P.: This place reminds me of Mollie Stone's -- only I don't like it. Atmosphere? Prices? Staff? Customers? Lighting?

I don't know what it is...but it's just not for me...
4 - Bradley N.: Three generations of family-owned market experience, eight Bay Area locations (four in Berkeley alone), and a history that goes all the way back to 1929: it adds up to a top-quality operation with some very fine products and some expert staffers who can cater to the specialized tastes of its middle and upper-income clients. 

Apparently two Andronicos (in Walnut Creek and Danville) shut down in 2006, but otherwise this operation seems quite solid. This Palo Alto branch opened in 1997 and is in a great location in the Stanford Shopping Center, although I suspect that it will not be thrilled that a Trader Joe's just opened up nearby in the Town and Country Village on Embarcadero and El Camino. 

Personally, I really loved this place, even though it took me more than a year of living in the PA area to finally discover it. I came on a recommendation to pick up a bottle of Aglianico del Vulture (Re Manfredi) and ended up leaving with this plus a prosecco (Carpenè Malvolti) for New Year's eve and a selection of meats from their excellent deli: some thinly-sliced Fra'Mani rosemary uncured ham, jamón serrano, and their superb house-made roast beef. I also picked up an Acme Bread Co. pain au levain and a La Boulange brioche from the bakery section as well.

So, it was like getting a little bit of the best of Italy, Berkeley, and San Francisco, and all in Palo Alto! Needless to say, I will not be coming here for my daily shopping needs, but I will return for such divine specialty items when I have something special to celebrate or just want to treat myself, my wife, and our friends to some memorable meals.
4 - Christa R.: Andronicos!!!

Deli
Andronicos is a great place to grab a quick lunch if you are on the Stanford campus or the Stanford shopping center!  They have a great Deli that makes amazing sandwichs if you are creative enough to build a masterpiece!  -that masterpiece will cost you about $8 per sandwich, not bad considering its way better than subway!  

Groceries
The grocery selection and prices at Andronicos are more high end, similar to what you would find at a Whole Foods.  They don't always have as big of a selection of natural foods, but they have high quality hard to find meat cuts and seafoods.  Great wine and cheese selection!  

Money saving tip: Sign up for an Andronicos card and get 10% off everyday if your a student, or Stanford Staff.
4 - Katheryn H.: I love this market. I guess it's more upscale version of Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. My rave is for the deli. They have the best spicy salami, and they know how to make a mean sandwich.
3 - The Fuzzies S.: although ive worked in palo alto for more than 2 years, im still not used to all of the high-end shops and markets.
palo alto is a great town, but you can tell, you gotta have money to coexist with all of the opulent niceness- nothing wrong with that.
anyways, andronico's is like Pier 1 World Market & Whole Foods mashed into one, but multiply the upscale items by 10.
Dont get me wrong, the food is great. They have a deli with tasty foods which can be very convenient during the lunch hour, but gotta warn you about the pricey-ness. Also, they have a wide selection of beer and wine, which is fun to stroll by if you want to have a good drink with dinner later on in the day.
overall, this place is gravy! just not my cup of tea.
3 - Michelle T.: No more 15% discount for Stanford affiliates.  Boo.  5% everyday for Stanford affiliates and all students (at any school).  

Now that the discount is even smaller (and the mark-up is pretty high), I'll only come for grocery emergencies on my way home from work.
5 - Aaron M.: Whoa, it's 2010 and I haven't yet written a review of my favorite grocery store on EARTH?  Why is it so awesomesauce?

1) They have BOTH the the snobby healthy stuff and the non-snobby non-healthy stuff.  It drives me nuts to go to a "natural" foods store to get my aged gouda and then not be able to get golden grahams.  Andronico's solves the problem, and doesn't gouge you on the commoners' items (cough cough M**** S****'s).

2) In 2002, I cooked steak about 50 times over a few months as I attempted to find the best meat and best preparation style.  In the end there were several stores contending for the honor of tastiest meat (including Schaub's and Mollie Stone's) but Andronico's most consistently had the richest USDA prime beef.  They also have American Kobe beef quite often and I don't know of any other grocer that does.  Note that the beef I (and probably you) like is the tasty kind, not the sustainable, healthy grass fed kind like from Whole Foods.  But I think they have grass fed beef sometimes.  In any event, see point 1.  And they also usually have at least one of the tasty beef items on sale for prices competitive with Safeway.

3) Selection: this is the only place I know of that has multiple offerings of aged gouda and gruyere, USDA prime beef, turkey (and vegetarian) bacon, pork bacon, slab bacon, port varietals and dark chocolate ice creams.  It's like food heaven.

4) I totally don't get peoples' bitching about prices.  This place is cheaper than whole foods for the snobby items (ever shopped for aged cheese?),  fairly priced for the items that they carry exclusively (they could charge double what they do for Kobe beef or Beemster Master's or even some of the more highly rated wines), and non-gouging for my favorite slummy items like mac and cheese.  But indeed if you are not shopping for the finer things you'll definitely save a buck or two by going to one of the Safeways nearby and buying the club card items.

5) The service is pretty great.
3 - Lyssa Y.: Andronico's is your typical high-end supermarket. I came here one day for some lunch on the way home from a visit to Stanford. Because this is like a moderation stop, I did try to bargain. But here, it's kinda hard. Their selection on deli sandwiches was low. It was an okay sandwich, pretty small for what I paid. I like the deli sandwiches at Safeway-more selection, and under three bucks! Hiyahh!
3 - Linda L.: I loved it back in the day but now it seems like they are slipping. Once i was browsing the fridge selection of desserts, and found one molded and told one of the staff of the situation ... they seemed pretty apathetic.

They have a great variety of items that you won't find elsewhere. I appreciate their salad bar, soups, and sandwiches that are made there on site.
3 - Noelle J.: The World According to Noelle
Allergic Girl's Guide to Life

There are three things I love about Andronico's Market:

1. Specialty cheeses
2. Hot deli 
3. Desserts

They have a great selection of specialty cheeses.  They variety of already desserts (cookies, cakes and pies) are great especially when you're looking for something to take to a party or when you have last minute guests over at your home. The hot deli has some amazing already made foods- free range turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and cranberry sauce. Once when I was short on time- we dropped in and picked up dinner & dessert here at Andronico's. The turkey dinner that they have is overpriced but extremely delicious. The other parts of the grocery store- the meat department, produce- veggies & fruits are just okay and nothing special. One look around and you'll realize how 'dated' this grocery store looks. For the price point you're better off going to Whole Foods- better selection and around the same price point or cheaper on certain items.

Noelle's Notes
Great free range turkey!
1 - Alissa A.: Let's start with the positive:
Easy in/out access to the parking lot
Attached to Stanford campus = fast bike grocery trip, in theory

Down to business:
Have you been in here midday?

You could waste an entire lunch hour, grow a full head of gray hair, AND get an upset stomach from the amount of out-of-code product stocked here.

The lines can get out of control at the registers and the sandwich counter. Enough so that I have filled up a basket on multiple occasions and ended up walking out with nothing because it was not worth the wait.

Yet again, product past its shelf life. Seriously. You need to manage your inventory. Yesterday I was in the dairy section and went to buy some cottage cheese, picked up MULTIPLE containers that had "Best By" dates of November 24. This took place December 1. NOT okay.
I have seen this many times on many products here.

Shop at your own risk.
Waste your own time.

My recommendations:
Produce & Dairy from Sigona's at Stanford Mall.
Trader Joe's or Safeway near by for grocery.
JJ & F Food Store, Tootsie's or anywhere on campus for Sandwiches

I've hit my tipping point. I'm out.
5 - Kacey L.: Hands down .. Best sandwiches .. And plus right acroos the street from my work !
1 - Koy T.: I bought a cheesecake topped with kiwis, blueberrys, mandarin oranges, etc. for V-day.  Valentines day not Victory-day.  It looked great.  Then I tried the fruit.  Some were moldy.  Unfortunately, I find this out half-way.  I proceed to vomit for the next half-hour and then sleep the next 11.  They have good sandwiches but stay away from the bakery.
1 - Nyyca M.: Overpriced regular supermarket. Also they are dishonest. Beware of their "specials" a few times I noticed (after noticing the stale taste) that what I bought "on sale" was in fact old food with an expired sell by date! By the third time I am thinking this is not a coincidence. Yuck.
2 - Indelisa M.: I feel like the freshness of the deli & ready to eat packaged foods are taking a dive downhill.  Had a couple not so fresh tasting salads from the case over the last few months and last time went for drip coffee, they were out of decaf by 6:30 pm so went for the fully caffeinated.  The self serve coffee area was a mess, no garbage in sight for the sugar packets & such, so they were being strewn on the counters.  I'm thinking we should be able to expect more from high end markets.
2 - lilli g.: This place is sure convenient if you're on campus. They also make darned good sammies. My only beef, okay 2 of them, are 1. Stuff is a skosh on the pricey side which would be worth it if the quality were all that and the service was good but my point number 2 is that service is pretty effing lacking. I don't expect the checkout clerk to chirp, "Hello" or ask, "How are you". I'm not that needy. But today, the clerk and the bag dude were talking about a dead woman and didn't stop talking about how she died a horrific death while scanning my groceries. And granted I only bought a couple small items, the bag dude plopped them on the counter for me to take instead of asking if I'd like a bag. I would've declined, but it would've been nice for him to ask instead of ASSuming. OK, maybe I am needy...
5 - Karen E.: I'm on a weston-price type diet and it's the only place on the penninsula I can get (almost) everything: unpasteurized-FRESH dairy and grass fed meat and organic/free range chicken all under one roof.

They even have potato chips cooked in olive oil or avocado oil.

The only thing I can't get there is grassfed  butter.
2 - Amanda F.: I liked them until today. I purchased a chicken breast and rice pudding. When I got home and tried to eat them with my boyfriend, we discovered that BOTH were spoiled. What are the odds? 

What really irks me is that the expiration date on the pudding was at least a week out. I have a sneaking suspicion that either the expiration date was swapped, or a huge vat of the stuff was created in one sitting and then "dated" when it was portioned out over a few days or weeks.

Note:
Added an extra star because they have an excellent granola that I can't find anywhere else.
2 - Sparkely K.: I've been to Andronico's perhaps a half-dozen times since rewriting my review (someone deleted my original) in 2009. Spoiled food (rice pudding among other things), tasteless stuffed pasta (for $10.99 no less), and crabby, complaining staff at the checkout line. This place used to be SWARMING with customers and nice staff happy to help. I realize that times have changed but it's my choice to stop shopping at this store.
1 - sam p.: call the health dept. first the foul smell,then the abundance of cheap marinated un-named steaks,sorry never again.what went wrong here
1 - Adam S.: Dear Andronicos,

I'm going to state in very clear terms why people should avoid shopping at this store.

1.  You are dishonest.  You systematically leave up  expired sale tags and neglect to honor current sales at the cash register.  You leave the burden of checking every detail of one's receipt entirely up to the customer.  I have shopped at this store dozens of times, and it is rare that I leave without having to make a correction.
2.  You gouge your customers.  One a recent trip I found most items I looked at marked up 50%-100% above the normal retail price.  It's one thing to sell expensive products like Whole Foods or the Crate&Barrel next door does.  It's quite another to expect your customers to pay nearly double the standard price for common items.  I found most deli meats were in the range of $15-$18/lb.  Name-brand cereals were $4-$6 for the 10-12oz boxes. Shall I go on, or just suggest that your customers bring their iPhone barcode scanners? 
3.  You are pretentious.  I know its important to keep up appearances in Palo Alto, but your customers deserve better than to have to subsidize your fly-ridden olive bar by overpaying for everything else in the store.
4.  Your are disrespectful.  To assume that your customers will be happy to vastly overpay for food that, for the most part, can be found at safeway--well, I guess it's their loss, but the rest of us suffer for it.
5.  You are located in California.  There is no reason why the vast majority of your produce, even the most common items should come from outside the country.
6.  Your deli is not a fancy bistro in New York.  It is a grocery store deli and your customers deserve better then to be charged $8-10 for really bad sandwiches.  There's one counter worker who barely understands english who will make a random sandwich and then insist that he gave you what you ordered to cover up the fact that he didn't understand.
7.  You don't even carry the GOOD stuff that customers SHOULD be willing to pay a premium for.  There are some better products at TJ's for, crying out loud.  Forget comparison you to WFs...

I could go on, and on.  But in sum, if your going to sell the same stuff as Safeway, why don't you just provide good value like everyone else and show your customers a little respect.
2 - Mike J.: I have shoped at the Andronico's in Los Altos several time in the past.  I have found the whole gestalt of their operation, pricing and selection offers very little value for what you're really getting.  If you want expensive organic fruit and vegatables, then Whole Foods is the way to go.  If you want high quality prepared foods then Draegers is the way to go.  Andronicos is expensive and doesn't offer these things.
Once when I had the flue I bought their chicken soup.  It was so salty and peppery that I had to bring it back.  I went to Whole foods and found a great chicken soup.
4 - Jake R.: CLOSED - http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=21835

Andrus Chiropractic Group - La Jolla, CA (32.870735, -117.236132) ()
5 - Metis B.: Doctor Andrus is amazing. His approach is holistic and educational: explaining what he's seeing in x-rays, feeling up your spine and doing.

I had a head nurse recommend him as the chiropractor he goes to. That was gold!

I've seen a lot of bad chiropractors and when they are bad they are very very bad. So I really recognize the good ones. I really recommend Dr Andrus and he was quick to get me in.
5 - Krista H.: I've been seeing chiropractors for 27 years for low back pain, competitive sports injuries, of late a whiplash injury, foot and shoulder pain.  Some of these chiros were good, some were okay, and then Thankfully Dr.Andrus was referred to me about 4years ago...OH MY GOODNESS! since then my health has improved so much!, and my body has healed in ways I didn't think were possible! My body feels younger and better than it did 15years ago!!! Dr. Andrus is a special kind of chiropractor, in that he's a neurological chiropractor-Major Difference! I don't live with the head to toe pain I used to carry around anymore, my circulation, energy and posture have improved leaps and bounds!!. I've never met a doctor so innately  skilled, or so genuinely caring EVER!!! His understanding of neurology, and the skeletal and muscular system is Out OF THIS WORLD!!!..HE IS HANDS DOWN THE BEST and MOST GIFTED DOCTOR AROUND!!  Citizens of San Diego County consider yourself very very fortunate to be living in such close proximity to such a brilliant and amazing doctor!....  For anyone looking not only for extended pain relief but improved quality of life and ultimately TRUE HEALING, I confidentially recommend Dr.John Andrus.
5 - Jennifer S.: I have been seeing Dr. Andrus for 5 years for low back issues, neck pain and general health.  He has helped me tremendously over the years and I have recommended several people to him.
His staff , Chelsea and Ashley, are friendly, and fabulous.
I'm a work out nut and he keeps me in the game and when my back goes out he gets me back on my feet in amazing time.
My only suggestion is to set your appts when he is not real busy.  Ashley and Chelsea can help you with that!
5 - Carlee Z.: I had always been too scared to go to a chiropractor, but after having my 2nd kiddo I was having tingling and numbness in my hand. I went to my physician, who referred me to a specialist, who referred me to a therapist...none of it worked. Then my husband suggested going to Dr. Andrus. I was nervous but gave it a try. On my 2nd visit Dr. Andrus adjusted me and almost immediately my numbness went away. Within 2 weeks, I was back on track. While doing x-rays we discovered how off my back is (I knew it was bad since I was born with spina bifida ocolta, but had no clue it was this bad). I have been going to him 2 times a week since. I feel so good and my back is looking way better!

I had mentioned once to Dr. Andrus how tired I was because my new son was so colicky. He asked if he could take a look and discovered Parker (my youngest) had discs out of place (probably due to natural birth). He adjusted Parker and after the 2nd visit Parker never had colic again!

Another time I had mentioned my oldest son Brayden was having potty issues out of nowhere (had been potty trained for years and then all of a sudden in the last weeks would just pee himself). He worked on Brayden and again, never peed his pants again.

I would highly recommend Dr Andrus to anyone, but especially my friends whose children are having issues. He was a miracle worker for our two and has helped this mommy sleep better at night. :)
5 - Darcy D.: Dr. Andrus is great!  He's really easy to talk to and makes you feel comfortable and well taken care of.  It can be kind of scary to have to go to a chiropractor but I totally trust Dr. Andrus and he helped me with my neck pain for years.  I had another friend who used him when her back would go out.  I just sent my boyfriend there as well for his first visit to a chiropractor.  I highly recommend.

Andy's Coffee Shop - Pasadena, CA (34.145671, -118.124885) (Pasadena)
3 - gotelemetry n.: it's across from Vagabond Inn in the eastern part of Pasadena.  

one of those store that you've seen the sign from car window, but never dropped in.  well, i stopped by this morning since my truck was getting fixed on Walnut, and i was walking back.  

American Diner type establishment.  staff island in the middle surrounded by counter, and 4 person booths hug a wall & front window.  classic bath-tub-ish freezer and glass aquarium-ish cooler are w/in the island.  

they turned off the TV at 9am, and switched on the Oldies.  pretty cool.  atmosphere is very relaxed, w/ old couples, a father w/ a baby, an intellect type, crew of utility workers, and myself.  

got myself a cup of coffee & Corned Beef Hash combo (two eggs & toasts).  coffee was pretty weak, but this might be a diner thing.  coffee  cup was retro nice.  

corned-beef & hash were crisp on the outside & moist in the middle.  just the way i like.  waitress asked me if i wanted to have it w/ some salsa.  i didn't take the offer, but i'm kinda regretting it for not trying.  

total was a bit over $10, so it's not value meal.  food was plenty, but not served in MEGA quantity.  tasty but not ummm delicious.  service was not speedy, but not irritatingly slow.  i guess this place falls under "decent" but not quite in the "GREAT!" category.  

but, i was VERY impressed w/ how clean they keep this place.  i mean, everything on the table was clean.  ketchup, salt, pepper, etc were all grease-less.  they must have clean these things fairly frequently, and i know how time consuming that is.  good job.  

oh, they only take cash.  
you can park on Colorado, but they do have more parking in the rear.
5 - Wes M.: Good ol' Andy's.  My wife and I went here all the time in college yet I don't think I ever saw another Caltecher here.  No surprise, though--it's a coffee shop in the truck-stop diner sense, not in the latte & mocha sense.  The patrons seem to be mostly working class too, not a bunch of young smart-asses who want to feel "retro" (except me, but I was raised on places like this, so I knew how to blend in).  

Obviously you can get good coffee and breakfasts here, but we mostly came for the cheeseburgers and potato salad.  Cheap, simple, and satisfying.  If you're a San Franciscan reading this and you like Westlake Coffee Shop or the Manor, give Andy's a try next time you're in Pasadena.
4 - Thao L.: Andy's Coffee Shop is a family run place serving American diner fare and some Mexican entrees. I passed by this place for years when I would drive out to Pasadena and never knew it existed.

I  like the U-shaped counter and the milk glass mugs and dishes.  I'm not too crazy about the lady sipping her coffee on the left side of the website. (So random)  http://www.andyscoffeeshop.com/

BUT 

It's a real diner and that's why I like it. If I lived closer, I would come here on Sunday morning,  get toast, eggs, and coffee and settle in until I went through my LA Times.
3 - ERICA R.: Mom & Pop place. Perfect for breakfast and lunch. Great specials. Huge bar area for all us that eat there alone. Crowd is a mix of PCC students, Near by office crowd & seniors. The staff is very friendly and the regulars are easily spotted. The food is what is expected in a diner nothing with a WOW factor.
5 - ericka L.: Despite being located a few doors east of a recent restaurant success story (Daisy Mint) and a few doors west of a beloved local bookstore (Book Alley), Andy's doesn't seem to be a well-known establishment in Pasadena. That's okay with me, because it means street parking is easy as pie and I can get seated as soon as I walk in the door.

Service is warm and friendly; the atmosphere is low-key humble diner. The best part about Andy's is that breakfast is served all day. (The worst part about Andy's is that all day ends at 3pm, 1pm on Sundays.) The hashbrowns are killer good and they understand exactly what I mean when I ask for them "well-done". Pancakes are perfectly serviceable; eggs, bacon, and sausage are better than you'll get most places; and the only slight complaint is that the coffee is a tad watery for my tastes.

Unlike a lot of small diners, you can pay with a credit card, and there's a big bowl of free candy at the cash register - GOOD candy, too, like 3 Musketeers and 100 Grand mini-bars.

Free chocolate ALWAYS gets 5 stars.
3 - Emily H.: This is the kind of breakfast place I've been looking for in Pasadena...inexpensive, no long waits, good basic breakfast foods.  Pasadena is the only town I've lived in without a lot of good breakfast places...maybe I just haven't found them yet?  Don't know, but I woke up with a craving for breakfast on Sunday.  Breakfast is my least favorite meal of the day, I usually just make myself a smoothie and chug that down before I head out, but every once in a while I need a real, hot breakfast.

I liked the coffee shop vibe of Andy's and lack of hipsters.  It was mostly just local working folks, my kind of people.  I had huevos rancheros, and it was quite tasty.  Was it the best or most authentic huevos I've ever had?  No, but it met my expectations.  The eggs were fresh and cooked well, it had the nice crispy corn tortilla underneath and the sauce was pretty good.  I got a side of salsa to spice it up a bit, and that was surprisingly good.  The coffee is a bit weak, but I think that's a pretty normal coffee shop thing.  Service was friendly and the prices are cheap.  I'll be back the next time a breakfast craving strikes.
2 - E M.: The service was okay and so were the hash browns. But the scrambled eggs were lousy. They must mix their eggs with something else because they had a slight flavor of cottage cheese and a strange texture. I couldn't eat them. The ham  was salty and tasted a bit like Spam. The sourdough toast was weak, as was the coffee. There are better places for breakfast in Pasadena.
4 - Jason P.: Andy's is a great little local breakfast joint.  I had Andy's twice this past weekend while visiting friends in Pasadena - once "to-go" and the other time "in-house". The staff was great on both occassions and I really liked the vibe. The food is reasonably priced and tasty to boot.
3 - Andrea K.: Service was OK, but even the dude behind the counter said they got slammed, so it'll let it partially slide.

the food was typical diner fare, although i've had much better....but for the price? pretty decent.

i actually liked the coffee....it gave me a HUGE caffeine buzz :)


overall, 3 stars...nothing too special here!!

xo-
andrea
4 - David C.: This place is a very awesome place to grab breakfast in the morning.  If you're in a hurry, don't worry because the food will come out very fast.  Fast service, fast food, and without the fast food cooking.  I like this place.
3 - howard k.: DON'T GET THE CORNED BEEF HASH! 

The people are nice and most of the food is decent. Yet, the corned beef hash taste and look strangely like store bought hash. I bought a can from the store and did a one-to-one taste test. Exactly the same. If you don't believe me try it yourself. 

I am in no way a foodie or snob, but sorely disappointed in the cb hash.
4 - MADELINE M.: Nondescript place, so it was a surprise when I discovered it in my neighborhood.  I've only been for breakfast, and each time I order one of the Fit choices.  The portions are bigger than what I'd serve myself if I was conscientiously watching my meal sizes, so I'm not sure if that negates the "Fit" part of the dish due to the extra calories.   That being said, I do like Andy's as the staff is friendly.  I believe it's a family run business, which makes it all the more endearing.  Service is great and quick.  The breakfasts I've had have been so good that I really want to try this place for lunch.
5 - Shannon B.: I work very close to Andy's and managed to walk by it for months, while also probably simultaneously frowning, without ever going in.  It doesn't look very interesting; I'm not going to lie, it's not all that interesting on the inside either.  But, I went in the other day and it's charming.  It's great for people who want a quick breakfast in the middle of the day without a lot of hassle.  It's quiet, the food is sufficiently tasty, and you can RELAX.
2 - Al B.: I go to this place for the no-frills, basic breakfast items. Stick to the American-style items though. Really good bacon and they know how to cook an egg. Coffee is a little on the weak side as stated in other reviews, but good nonetheless. 

However, the Mexican breakfast items are uninspiring and institutional-like in quality. The menudo was, or at least tasted like,  it came out of a can. But then again if I wanted a Mexican breakfast, I would have gone to Ciro's or El Tepeyac.
4 - Cheri. A G.: When the hell does Pasadena wake up?  I have been spending some time in Pasadena lately and it is a lovely town but it is hard to find anything that opens before 9am except for fast food places.

I was starving and came across Andy's.  It is a very old school style coffee shop with a horseshoe shaped counter and booths along the wall.

They were having a special for eggs and chorizo so I ordered that and it came with a choice of flour or corn tortillas.  I asked for one less egg then they normally use so the there was a better meat to egg ratio (I always do that everywhere...I don't need all the food anyways).  It was good.

The coffee was good and the service was great.
3 - clark i.: Not a bad place at all. I had the soyrizo and eggs, and my boyfriend had the machaca and eggs. The soyrizo was pleasingly not greasy, but the accompanying spanish rice and refried beans weren't anything to write home about. Coffee was good and not watered down. The service was reasonable, and they switched on the AC right on time. I'd prefer The Toasted Bun in Glendale, but in a pinch I'd come back.
4 - Michael M.: I used to work upstairs in the small office building adjoining Andy's.  This place is one of those great standby's that never really changes and never disappoints.  Their standard breakfast items are on point.  Great eggs.  I love how they do their Huevos Rancheros.  Fried pork chop is a great seller there too.  Lunch is standard burgers, sandwiches, and soups.  Nothing to write home about, but consistently decent.  Friendly faces and fair enough prices that you can eat there everyday.

3.5 stars for being a great diner.  (I rounded it up on the rating for love :)
1 - j m.: Went for breakfast. Dirty, horrible service and food was marginal at best. Won't go back.
4 - Elizabeth L.: This is exactly what I have been hungering for in Pasadena! Fabulous, no frills, reasonably priced breakfast food. The cushy booths don't hurt either. As a vegetarian who sometimes has trouble getting exactly what I want off a breakfast menu, Andy's is great because you can just order sides (today I got 2 fried eggs and cinnamon toast) for around 5 bucks. Good, fresh coffee and quick service, even on a Sunday. Will definitely come back..probably next weekend.
1 - Anh T.: One gray and drizzly morning, the Colombian and I decided to warm up with a nice hot breakfast. Seeing how crowded this old school shop was, I thought it would be an easy win. But I should've adjusted my expectations after seeing the waitress in flip flops. 

Maybe a morning rush had just passed, but I noticed that most of the empty tables were left uncleaned. We were seated at a less greasy booth, but still greasy nonetheless. 

When opening the dingy menus, I expected standard breakfast fare for your usual coffee shop prices -- maybe around the $7 range. But no, most of these dishes were well above $10! Are we no longer in a recession? I glanced around the outdated decor and hoped against hope that the prices equated to fresh and high quality food. It was like hoping that smell wasn't coming from the dead hooker under my bed.

The Boy gave in to his Latin instincts and ordered the Machaca plate. I was unnerved by the greasy air and stuck to something simple and hard to screw up - a fried egg sandwich. 

Looking at our meal, I was sorely disappointed. My sandwich was pathetic; two fried eggs, some lettuce, and a slice of tomato were carelessly plopped inside an English muffin like tranny kids in a detention hall. No sides were provided. 

Although the Boy's salsa was freshly made, his shredded beef was swimming in oil, and the refried beans were grossly inedible. This is saying a lot for a man who's vile gas often originates from the legume family. Sadly, I'd probably endure that (not that I have much of a choice) over another visit to this miserable establishment.

Coffee shop fail.
3 - Marlon H.: Like the others have pointed out, this is a no frills type of restaurant. The menu is short but has all the classic breakfast items. I went with the corned beef hash and it was quite delicious. Though it was a bit pricey for my taste, $15 including a cup of coffee. The service was a bit slow and considering there were only three other tables I wasn't sure why. Didn't even get utensils until after the food came by, which made stirring my coffee a bit difficult. Still, I'll probably stop by again to try out the chilaquiles.
4 - Jason L.: I love this place, there pancake's are some of the best i've ever had!

all there food is great! 

it's a bit pricey, but man is it a lot of food!

Service can be slow at times, but it's still decent. 
the good food makes up for it. 

oh and they are no longer cash only.. they accept credit cards now!

really good corn beef hash, pancakes, hash browns, chocolate mlik.. it's all excellent!
3 - Gerald S.: The jury's still out on this one.  I need to go back for some breakfast food.  I tried the Hot Turkey Sandwich and it was just ok.  It's a bit overpriced at $11.99 (you can get a better Hot Turkey Sandwich at Claim Jumper for cheaper during lunch).  I must say though, they give you a TON of food.

This place reminds me of my mom's old coffee shop, right down to the coffee mugs.  It brings back some nostalgia so I guess there is a place in my heart for this shop.  It's just that the place is very small right now.
4 - Sarah V.: I love Andy's!  I come here for breakfast sometimes and I get the same great service every time.  I love diners and unfortunately, there are a lot of places that categorize themselves as a "diner" when really it's just cheap, crappy food.  Andy's Coffee Shop is a real diner.  You walk in and are taken back to another time.  There are people sitting around the counter drinking coffee, lots of booths, 50's music playing, and tons of black & white photos and old movie posters.  I've only eaten breakfast here but it's always good.  We're not talking high quality cuisine but it's a diner, what do you expect? :)

I love the atmosphere and the wait staff are always happy and very helpful.  The place has a long history, I think it started in the 40's or something and you feel like you've stepped into the past.  It's a great little place, I hope it stays around for a very long time.
4 - Eenon P.: Only been here twice but each time was a great experience.  The feel of the place was this nice old fashioned diner.  I heard there were a couple of movies shot there along with some episodes of Mad Men.  I had this interesting concoction of beans, eggs, chorizo and some other stuff.  It's a dish named after a customer but I can't remember the name for the life of me but it was pretty darn good.  I also had the Fish and Chips which was average but the portions were good as well.  If you're in the neighborhood, take time to visit here!
5 - Nuri C.: Huevos a la mexicana!!!!!
it's just soooo good!

my friend and i go here often after class in the morning.
the lady who works here is amazing!
she's so genuinely nice and friendly
even when my friend bothers her with lots of questions :)

really homey and cozy and retro and much more!
2 - Pancho V.: Although Andy's Coffee Shop is only about 1 /12 blocks from PCC and I've passed by zillions of times I've never noticed this place until the other day and decided to see if they had a breakfast burrito, upon entering I thought I was in some old movie or something.

I'm not sure when this placed opened it's doors but it's definitely stuck in time, flashback to the 50's with 50's music playing on the radio, the wood paneled walls all covered in pictures of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and even Cantinflas ha,ha,ha also many others I have no idea who they are, oh and a nearly life sized cardboard cut out of Elvis now that's says classy!. 

So I'm standing there a minute or so and nobody greets me nor says I'll be right with you, have a seat nothing so I seat myself and wait a couple more minutes before my waitress acknowledges me, she finally arrives and asks.

Waitress: Hello, May I get you some Coffee?

Pancho: No thank you, may I have a Diet Pepsi or Coke please!

Waitress: Which one would you prefer?

Pancho: Diet Pepsi, Thank you!

Waitress: We only have Diet Coke!

Pancho: * Silent thought, You Dumb @$& WHY?? do you ask what I prefer if you ONLY have ONE choice?, be nice, be nice OK Diet Coke please. Hijole! now I see why she's wearing a low cut top!

So I ordered the Andy's Breakfast Burrito with Bacon, 3-Eggs, Hash Browns and Cheese with a side of Beans.

Breakfast Burrito (Bacon) - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/du0tHy1a1XlgLHcOBOxTgg?select=BxF_9S3fALYA7361dEsD0g  not the biggest burrito around and with a $6.75 price tag, well one good thing it's not overstuffed with potato's so also why it's smaller but I really don't like when some places just fill it with potato's I prefer a balance of ingredients, well but heavy on the bacon, but unfortunately this is one that has a limited amount of bacon pieces http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/du0tHy1a1XlgLHcOBOxTgg?select=Ektb-eCClklUIKJyOHeiEA with the added salsa they give you on the side it was OK but just OK. I was surprised though that the salsa was not bad, not great but for a coffee shop pretty good.

Beans - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/du0tHy1a1XlgLHcOBOxTgg?select=HfFEl7OgovJCLvu9fUe18A was lacking any flavor, not that good but then I did not expect good beans from a place like this.

Food OK 3-Stars

Slacker Service (-) 1-Star

Overall 2-Stars
4 - David W.: Truly a faded coffee shop specimen!!

I had a delicious Saturday Brunch. The staff was very friendly.

It is definitely on the outer fringe of Pasadena. 

**Some of the 'Madmen' series has been filmed here**
4 - Laura J.: This is your usual neighborhood  Mom & Pop cafe. No frills just old memorabilia on walls. My husband & I are regulars, I  recently had the daily special that is posted on a small eraser board. It was called "The San Francisco"   scrambled eggs with cream cheese & bacon. I couldn't imagine what it could taste like but I took the risk. It was delicious!  Two other favorites are; soyrizo scramble & the pancakes.
5 - Eugenia C.: I LOVE this little hidden cafe in Pasadena. Old fashioned mom & pop diner, delicious breakfast and lunch. Super friendly staff who makes you feel like you are home, and very humble about their involvements in multiple Hollywood movies. There are usually very little guests, very relaxing and cozy place to give you a warm start in the morning.
3 - M. S.: Filling a craving for a 50's breakfast diner for a 20 year old has proven elusive and tiring in Pasadena.

This quaint 49 person diner has been transferred away from Andy's pastime to a Hispanic run relatively expensive average breakfast place. Service was attentive, coffee was strong, but the lack of an English muffin and the large portion of beans and tortillas on the side of their omelettes made even this youngin' nostalgic for his American breakfast. Perhaps I should have opted for the corned beef hash, but at $15 it's quite a bit steeper than the $6 for 3 eggs I've longed to find daily near my home.    

Not even the 50's Life magazine ads framed on the wall nor the classic boogy soundtrack can make me feel like I'm enjoying what my pop's did so long ago...
4 - Leslie M.: I just moved to Pasadena about month ago, and I think I've found my new and better alternative to Denny's.  Andy's Coffee Shop is charming-- a little rough around the edges, but that's exactly how I like my diners.  If diners could have the feel of dive bars-- Andy's would be the quint essential dive diner.  It has this great oldies atmosphere; I especially loved that my favorite show Mad Men was filmed there.  The food was great-- I ordered the breakfast Quesadilla off the menu.  The service was a little curt, but then again, it's not the Ritz or anything.  I feel privelaged that my apartment is only a quarter of a mile away.  I now know where to go on a Sunday morning for hangover food :)
2 - Nadia M.: Used to come here often with my hubby but the service is not so great. It seems like it is a family run business and they dude must hire his nieces or daughters cuz they don't look very happy to be there and aren't very experienced but the food is ok and the prices are great.
4 - Peter F.: I've been to Andy's many times for breakfast and the food is great.  Large portions, very fresh.  A true dive.
2 - Jen J.: Went there for breakfast yesterday, and was very disappointed. When we first went in and sat down, the seat was loose and i almost fell through the bench. Then they eventually came to take our drink order and bring our menus. the staff was not very hospitable at all. She seemed annoyed. We did not get our food as cooked and when we told them, she took it away and never brought anything back. Overall a definite disappointment. Also it was a little too expensive for what it was. No chocolate chip pancakes at all.
4 - erin c.: Just What I Was Looking For!!!

It was just the other day that I was bitching to my boyfriend "where are all the diner style breakfast spots in LA!  I'm so sick of stupid IHOP!!"

Lo and behold! Andy's coffee shop is exactly what I was looking for.  As a former breakfast diner waitress in my (small) hometown, I have come to miss the EXTREEM casual breakfast haunt with thick pancakes and well cooked (not greasy) bacon.  

We were on our way to the PCC swap and were needing an inexpensive yet satisfying breakfast.  Not only is Andy's coffee practically next door to PCC, the service was fine, the food was delicious, and we were in and out in 30 min.  

I will be back.
5 - Pettra T.: Greatest breakfast sausage everrrr!!
3 - Shoshana R.: Ok, I had high expectations for this place. It looked like the coolest little place where you can sit for a nice long read of the newspaper over a cup of coffee. Now, it is this kind of place but the service isn't great. The waitress had to be flagged down every time my coffee cup got low - she never once asked if I needed some before I really did. 

The portions were quite large. Can't complain about that but the food was just average. The pancakes were fluffy enough but nothing special - same for the eggs, just ok. 

Would I go back? Maybe - it is nice and quiet and you can take your time in there but if you are looking for a quick breakfast, this is not the place to try.
3 - Bert R.: It is pricey for what it is,,,and the service leaves a lot to be desired,,,,oh-and I hated the music. But the food was fine and I am glad it is there for folks that like it.
5 - ERIC R.: This place is awesome, I hang out there almost every weekend, the owners are very nice people, and I have so much fun talking to them. Sometimes you will get a bonus from time to time and see celebrities eat there. It's a fun environment, if you think otherwise is because you are too quiet and you are afraid to chat with the employees, get to know them they are very nice people. The best part which I like, is that I can walk in there choose any table I want, well it has to be empty of course, also most of the time they are so busy to welcome you in so you pretty much you have the choice of seat you want. Unlike other places where they want you to sit in a certain place, I prefer to sit where I want. The food is awesome as well, I always get my usual (#10 Veggie Omelet) so when I get there they don't give me a menu because they are already making it, which I love when they do that, also they have one of the best tasting hash browns. This place is not for everyone, it's a place to chill out and chat with your buddies and have a good time, other places they kick you out because they need tables. But overall it's an awesome place to hang out with your friends.
4 - Jemae P.: aw, i love andy's coffee shop. it just has a special place in my heart. 

i try to come here when i don't have anywhere to rush off to because there are times when the wait is long (after being seated). but other than that, my food always comes out tasty and the people are friendly - even during a rush. those are two important points for me. i like that it has that quaint Andy Griffith show quality. like, i expect the town sherriff to walk through at any moment to sit down to a quick cup of coffee and a bowl of frosted flakes.

anyway, don't come here to be swept off your feet. they aren't in the business of doing that. they get really busy sometimes and maybe there will be 3 tables at a time that need bussing. but the food will be good. and if you aren't satisfied, i'm sure they'll be more than happy to fix it or get you something else you'll enjoy. they're nice like that.
5 - Raina R.: My sister and I were walking around Pasadena and thought a cup of coffee would be nice to perk up and have more energy to shop. Lo and behold we walked right by Andy's. It was like we walked back in time to one of the kitschy diners our grandma used to take us to when we were kids. We immediately fell in love. Their coffee was delicious. Of course we ended up ordering some breakfast as well. Best french toast I've had in years and even their scrambled egg whites were delicious and I normally never like egg whites. Their food was simplistic yet done to perfection and not fussy or gimmicky like other chain restaurants. The server was hilarious too! I only wish I lived closer.
4 - Victor E.: Great place for breakfast. It's one of the best breakfast burritos around. It's huge for the price and stuffed with all sorts of delicious. Highly recommended.
1 - Ron A.: I went there for breakfest a few times usually on a weekday. But my experience has always been the same. The service is just really the absolute worst! The reason I tried it again was I thought maybe they were just having a bad day. So I gave them another try. So this time when I came in, I was the only other person besides 2 other people eating already. I sat down, I was asked to move to another booth by the same waitress who always seems to be there. So I moved to another booth. I sat there for 15 minutes and she still never came back. Finally she served me coffee. Then I had to wait for some time to order because she ran off! Finally she took my order. More people came in maybe 6-7 people scattered around the coffee shop. She took everyone's order, brought food to their tables refilled coffee. Everyone was eating & I was still waiting for my food. I was about to leave money on the the table for coffee when she suddenly realized I never got my breakfast! She sat it on the table, & it looked cold & discusting. It looked like someone just cooked everything quckly in a microwave. I was so upset I wrote a note on a napkin explaing the dollar tip & the service. I also wrote I would never come back again! In these times when the dollar is tight, there are to many other places who can give you your money's worth!
3 - Shannon R.: Two fried eggs, toast and hashbrowns, just the way I like 'em. Perfectly cooked, all yummy. The coffee was really delicious (I drank too much and have been jittery all day). The ham was veiny and not appetizing, but that was my only problem. Service was OK-- the waitress was lovably forgetful. While she forgot some of our food, shepe seemed so friendly and apologetic that we wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. I'd go back and try it again. 
The price could have been lower, but I like how you can order sides. Makes it perfect for the picky eaters among us...
5 - Bernie A.: This place is a gem in disguise. The reason that it looks old and stuck in the past is that it is frequently used by the film industry. Fast and Furious as well as Mad Men are some that have filmed here. My wife and I have eaten here many time and always feel like we're eating at one of my aunt's kitchen. We always feel at home and the owner/waitress, Yesenia, is always friendly and willing to engage in a short conversation. I've tried many of their breakfast dishes but now I'm stuck on the corned beef hash with eggs. My wife prefers the chilaquiles, which I find a bit spicy for my taste. The food is what you would expect from a place that does not try to lure in customers by their appearance, very good and plentiful. A down to earth breakfast at a place that has character.
4 - Steven W.: Andy's is a great family owned cafe with fantastic diner food.  Its not much to look at - the booths could use a refurbish - but that really doesn't matter.  You go to Andy's for the food and the excellent service.  I HIGHLY recommend their chorizo and eggs breakfast.  served with hot, delicious tortillas.  and ask for an extra serving of their homemade salsa and put it on top of everything!  its fantastic!
5 - Michael A.: Really good service. Food was great. I recommend it!
4 - Dan Y.: A simple place with simple food.
4 - M-Co C.: Food was great. Slow service, but it came with a smile.
5 - Bernie Q.: Talk about convenient cure for a hang-over! Soyrizo con huevos are my favorite. Love the owners too, so friendly and always prompt with service.
3 - Caye B.: Came here for a Saturday morning breakfast. This humble 50's  style diner is very basic. No frills, nothing fancy - it looks as though it has been unchanged since it opened. The walls are adorned with faded old Hollywood cut outs and photos and collages of magazine clippings for Mad Men (which was shot here.) Food was pretty decent, and the service was friendly but rather slow. This is a place to come when you're looking for a laidback, relaxed Old School American breakfast/lunch joint.

We Tried:
- The #1: Pancakes, eggs and 2 sausages. The pancakes were nice and fluffy pancakes
- San Francisco omelette (bacon and cream cheese with homemade salsa) and a side of hash browns. So generous with the bacon! The cream cheese was interesting, but I'm not sure I'm completely sold on it belonging in an omelette. I was hesitant about trying the salsa on it, so I was thankful it came on the side. Although I'm not sure if it really went well together, the salsa by itself was great and had a nice kick of cilantro. The hash browns were crisp and nicely textured. Overall, I approve.
- Side of ham: 1 slice of thick-cut ham, browned on a stove. Very straight forward

The prices are a little high for such a modest establishment, but I'd much rather come here than IHOP.
3 - Raven A.: I always got a "Coffee & Cigarettes" vibe from this place, something that seemed like the 50's left behind. No doubt inside was like many other dinners decorated with Marilyn Monroe and Elvis images. Not in perfect condition but a decent set up. The meals are the same as Denny's but prices are high but when you get the food, you know where that extra cash went; real ingredients not processed.The service was really nice however, after we finished our server left for a good 20 minutes leaving us completed alone and unable to leave. As i debated leaving cash on the table and walking out we hailed down a server from the back and paid. The meal was amazing and was so big i could even finish. Tasted better than the same thing i get at Denny's or any other sit down joint; the slices of meat were thick cut not layered thin like served at Denny's. A quiet place to eat and talk.
5 - Ian B.: Over the last year or so Andy's has become my go-to breakfast place in Pasadena. Admittedly I tend to prefer places to do the basics well to places that rely on unusual fare to stand out, so don't expect anything fancy -- things are done by the book, "just the facts". 

With that said, they have friendly and prompt service, rather good food (including a menu for Mexican breakfast dishes), and great ambiance -- photos of celebrities, classic cars, and customers adorn the walls, as do photos from film shoots (scenes from Mad Men and Fast & Furious were shot here). Then there's the soundtrack, which ranges from 1930s American standards through 40s blues and 50s and 60s rock and roll. 

Andy's is located on historic Route 66, but since it doesn't rely on that for business it better reflects the true character of the old highway -- friendly people and good food, cooked the way you want it. 

Both breakfast and lunch menus are quite good, though I almost always find myself ordering my usual off the breakfast menu -- the "Andy's" (pancakes, eggs, sausage) and a cup of coffee. 

Prices could be lower but are fair when one considers the portions -- half the breakfast is usually enough, and the rest gets packed up for lunch. $12-ish for a big breakfast plate and coffee. 

All told, there isn't one thing that makes Andy's great, but between service, food, and atmosphere it's a damn good way to start the day. My only complaint is that I wish they were open later!
3 - Ellerton W.: I was disappointed with this place.  Was hoping for so much more.  The whole plate of food was kinda of dry -- toast, eggs over medium, overdone hash browns, and average corned beef.
4 - Kevin P.: I stumbled upon Andy's by accident one day in Pasadena. I sat at the counter and ate the perfect diner breakfast...corned beef hash, eggs over easy, wheat toast, and hot coffee. Totally Rocked!
5 - Mike K.: You won't like it...

Now that I've faked out those who only read the first few words of Yelp reviews, let me assure you that Andy's deserves 6-stars...Met some friends from out-of-town here, and it was delicious, quiet, and we enjoyed ourselves. I had decided in advance to go to some place regional, and "Not-Denny's" or "Not-IHOP." Great decision.

Had eggs, bacon, hash browns, bacon: perfect. Much to my surprise the bacon was on the thicker side than I would have expected. Wife enjoyed eggs with corned beef hash: similarly impressive. Friends had eggs, pancakes, hash browns. BTW, they had two little boys with them who are on the mellow-side of quiet.

The place is decidedly quiet; I doubt they have wifi in there, even though it's close to PCC. Parking in the back, but it was a Saturday AM, and I think the Pasadena PD is not really on the hunt on a vacant Colorado Blvd for long-term parking violators...

So,we're going back. Soon. Just don't start going there: you won't like it...
4 - Stasi A.: Super cute! 
LOVED the atmosphere and the service was great!
5 - Margaret L.: I love the old school feel of this place and the fact that it is within walking distance from my boyfriend's place.

The breakfasts here are huge, so you might want to just share a plate.

Orange Juice - no pulp, yay!
Huevos La Mexicana - amazing, love the crispy tortilla and the homemade salsa
California Omelet - if you love avocados, this is a great dish for you and it comes with hash browns
Pancakes - super fluffy and they taste so buttery you don't actually need to add butter to them

The service is great and really adds to the Mad Men feel of the place (and yes one episode of Mad Men was shot here).
4 - Michelle C.: This is my new favorite breakfast spot in Pasadena!  Atmosphere was comfortable and homey.  The food hit the spot - even the "fit" breakfast (which my friend ordered - I ordered the bacon/cream cheese omelette) looked and tasted amazing.  We loved our waitress - when she was showing us to our table, we passed a couple of male patrons who said, "Sit here!" (indicating the table next to them), and without missing a beat she responded, "You wish!" and kept walking, coffee pot in hand.  We were bonded from that moment on....  She was also an attentive and funny waitress. Can't wait to go back.
4 - Diana L.: Alright, alright, so I gave Andy's a second chance.  And to my surprise, they did well. Portions became generous so it made the food taste so much better!  I asked for the corned beef hash to be crispy, and not only was that crispy, but the hash brown was also crispy too.  Crisp, crisp, crisp with a side of eggs over easy.  Ya, I'm bound to come back again.
4 - Aaron Matthew K.: When my friend told me that she wanted to have breakfast here, I wasn't sure what to expect. It's called a coffee shop and my mind wandered with ordering food at a Starbucks-type of venue. As we pulled up to the storefront, it seemed unassuming as well. Wasn't sure what was supposed to be so special about this place.

And then we opened the door and stepped back in time. My God, this place looked awesome! It wasn't a coffee shop, it was an old diner! Apparently, this restaurant has been around for 70 years and was used as a location for Mad Men recently.

But you aren't reading the review to find out about their awesome decor. You want to know about the food. Definitely worth the visit! I tried their chorizo breakfast plate and was left very satisfied both in quantity and quality. It was so delicious that I scarfed it down, let it left me full for several hours. Om nom nom! A friend of mine ordered pancakes and eggs, which he said were delicious and the pancakes looked very thick and fluffy.

Do I recommend a trip down to Andy's Coffee Shop? Yes. Yes, I do. But make sure you get there before 3pm. That's when they close.
4 - Diane C.: I went to Andy's Coffee Shop on a saturday afternoon, after class and a tutoring sesh at PCC. I remember being surprised that Andy's was actually there, so close to the campus. I had never noticed it. Okay, what to order? Well, I got a turkey sandwich, sorry but it wasn't my cup of tea. They were close to closing and I think we were one of their last customers. Beware that they have a selected menu on the weekends. They told the person I went with that anything could be ordered from anywhere on the menu, except from the right side. Guess what the person I was with wanted to order? Yes, you're right, it was something from the closed right side of the menu, and they were actually nice enough to make it, so that's why I bumped it up to four stars. I only ate half my sandwich and even though it wasn't knock-my-socks-off great, I will always regret leaving the other half on the table. I should've at least taken it with me. The decor is coffee shop standard. This place is great for a cup of joe and time to catch up with a friend.
4 - Victor D.: Great service and perfect place to come for breakfast!  My kids love it because of the cereal and retro bowls they use to serve it.  Not comfortable for parties larger than 5.
3 - Amber W.: This place is cute. The service was good and they have a good variety of breakfast food. It has that old feel to it with lots of picures of movie stars surrounding the walls. The food was good to. I live far and probably wont drive all they way over to come back but its worth a try.

Andy's Towing - Champaign, IL (40.120833, -88.240345) ()
1 - K M.: TERRIBLE.

Terrible, terrible, terrible. Now, I understand that there are a couple towing companies in/around Champaign that pretty much have the monopoly on the area - if your car is towed, there's nothing you can do but pay and get it back. But the employees at Andy's are downright rude. A friend of mine's car was towed the other day due to a misunderstanding - by an unfortunate stroke of luck, his phone was dead and was unable to call them to confim that they had his car, and to ask when he could pick it up. Needless to say, I called, and was treated EXTREMELY rudely by the man on the other end, who was acting as though I was inconveniencing him by calling. Ultimately, he said, "yeah, we've got it. you need to come get it soon 'cause all the windows are rolled down". My friend did not leave his windows rolled down.

Later that evening, my friend called when he was on his way to pick it up, and the man who answered the phone stated, "LOOK, you've been having all kinds of people call here all day - call me one more time, and I'm charging you extra". Which is definitely not the case - that was the second phone call - just to let them know he'd be there in a minute. The man proceeded to yell at my friend and cut him off, saying to call him as soon as he gets there (even though my friend had stated he was only a block away). He called again one minute later, and the man said "I'll send someone over" and hung up. 30 minutes later, someone showed up, and my friend finally got his car back... but only after a $125 with another ~$100 in miscellaneous charges - and windows that an employee of Andy's Towing had rolled down. 

If you're going to take peoples' money, the least you can do is be pleasant. Never, never will I/anyone I know be dealing with Andy's again if it's anything within our control.
5 - Anna B.: A car that had been parked for at least 3 days was still on the street despite city signs for an event. Andy's towed the car within 15 minutes of the call. Super fast service.

Anfang Chiropractic Professional Corp - Berkeley, CA (37.8662141, -122.2639615) (UC Campus Area)
5 - Nene R.: Top notch.   Dr Anfang  and Kathy make a good team and are compassionate about what they do.
5 - Sarah S.: Dr. Anfang is just wonderful. I've been going to see her off and on for a couple of years -- she's made a big difference in my long-term chronic pain -- wrists, neck, and back. Whenever I get myself in trouble with too much computer time, I come in, and she brings my body back to a place where I'm not limited at my job or in my daily activities. In between, I do a brief set of daily exercises she taught me that have been very helpful (in addition to Qi Gung, the gym, etc).

She's warm, funny, incredibly smart, very caring. I trust her as a person, and my body trusts her, which lets me relax into the treatments. I went to a number of different chiropractors and other bodywork practitioners before I found her, but no one else had anything like her combination of skill, intuition, and humor.

Angel's Diner - Kitchener, ON (43.4374885, -80.5114265) ()
3 - Jennifer-Lee B.: Fair prices for a large meal. I have never left hungry. Alright atmosphere, but can get quite loud. It's still worth a try.

Angel's Family Restaurant - Waterloo, ON (43.4758781, -80.5178879) ()
4 - Sara-Yan Y.: It is a new location in Waterloo. Personally, we haven't been to any of their other locations, so we can't compare.

The diner's interior did not look like...well, how a diner usually looks like. It is a bit classier with duller colours as opposed to the bright yellow/red diners we've been to. It is a spacious restaurant with booths and a bar. It is located next to Comfort Inn. 

There was a host at the front who greeted us with a big smile on her face, and seated us promptly with both the breakfast and lunch menus. They checked back regularly and always with a smile. They took the initiative to bring out extra plates when they realized we were sharing. But the restaurant only seated 3 other tables or so; unsure whether they would be as observing when it is busier. 

The portions were big. Well, huge and really cheap for what you get. We ordered an entree special (13 oz. rib steak, comes with soup or salad, and 2 sides) for $17.95 and an egg as a side order for $1.50. We were both perfectly stuffed afterwards. We got cesar salad, french fries and vegetables which all turned out pretty good. The french fries were perfect actually :D crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. The steak though, was overcooked. Asked for medium-rare and they give us medium (only faintly pink). But even though it was overcooked, the steak was decent.

We would recommend dropping by here if you live near or just happen to be around. Just that for us, we had to walk a lot because no buses would us straight to it.
5 - James C.: Deluxe meat sandwich with fries rocks, ok prices and great service makes this place 5 stars in my book. A must in your in the area

Angela Yvonne - La Jolla, CA (32.870735, -117.236132) ()
5 - Melody H.: Angela is not only a great acupuncturist, but also a wonderful masseuse.  She's very skilled, professional, and a warm & funny person to boot. I highly recommend her!!!
5 - Amy B.: I have gone to Angela for several years for massage, and I also recently went to her for my first ever acupuncture treatment at Natural Health Acupunture.  I was a little nervous at first (I'm not a big fan of needles), but Angela put me completely at ease by educating me about acupuncture and explaining the treatment process.  Come to find out, acupuncture is not painful at all, but actually relaxing and very healing for your body!  I want to also note that Angela's office and treatment rooms are pristine clean and very comforting with calming scents and music.  I have referred all my friends to her, and especially encouraged those who have had trouble with conceiving, since she specializes in fertility acupuncture treatments.  I highly recommend Angela because she is a knowledgeable and skilled acupuncturist, who genuinely cares about her clients' well-being.  In addition to being a trusted professional, Angela has a heart of gold, and she is very generous with her support of Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County.  She has donated countless NHA giftcards for our fundraising raffles, as well as donating her time and service at our annual Golf Marathon fundraiser.  She's the best!!
5 - Jackie W.: I was referred to Angela through my personal trainer and am so happy to have found her.  In the past I had visited other Acupuncturists and felt like just another number.  Angela made me feel right at home answering my questions and offering friendly advice.  The treatment was painless and left me feeling relaxed.  I highly recommend her.
5 - Dave G.: I could not kick my cough, which I had for a month.  After 1 acupuncture session with Angela and some herbs that she prescribed, I feel much better.
5 - Jordan M.: I play football for a local Semi pro team and I went to Angela after an injury to my knee.  What I thought was a sprain turned out to be an ACL Tear.  Now that I am recovered and done with initial rehab, I fully intend to go to Angela to promote additional comfort and healing in my knee.  

She has always provided me with a variety of treatment options and was very knowledgeable about acupuncture and massage.  I highly recommend Angela as she turned a skeptic of acupuncture into a believer!
5 - Felena H.: Angela is amazing!  This is only my second time trying acupuncture and I can't wait to go back.  I so needed to balance out after a large event the prior week (running low on energy).  She knew just what to do to recharge my batteries.  She is intuitive and patient.  Love it!
5 - Erin K.: Angela is a wonderful acupunturist.  She is concerned with the well being of her patients and does everything she can to help you reach your goals.  Her generous, kind spirit is what keeps me coming back time and time again.  

She always surprises me with new techniques she uses.  I'm very confident in her and would recommend anyone go to her.
5 - Jaylin A.: Angela is an amazing acupuncturist. I've been a fan of acupuncture for many years and through that time, I've experienced many different acupuncturists. I can tell you with certainty that Angela has skills above the rest.

She's very sweet and attentive - the kind of person you'd enjoy spending time with. If you have any fear of needles, she will put you at ease immediately. You'll continue to relax while you're being treated as you'll realize, with her technique, you hardly even feel the needles. Once you've had treatment and feel the results of acupuncture, you'll be hooked too.

What I like most about Angela is that she is an example of the healthy lifestyle that I choose to live. She recognizes that nutrition and fitness play an important role in maintaining health and she practices those healthy habits in her daily life.

I highly recommend Angela! Whether you're experiencing acupuncture for the first time or just in need of a new practitioner, she will take great care of you.

Angela's Images - Lafayette, IN (40.4099967, -86.8864726) ()
5 - L G.: After having two unpleasant salon experiences since moving to Lafayette almost a year ago, I was very anxious to find a stylist I could trust who could fix my butchered hair.  While reading the local paper, I saw an article about a new salon opening and decided to give Angela's Images a call.  The receptionist was so helpful and encouraging that I made an appointment for that day.  Angela, the owner, really cared about my hair experience and was determined to help me get my hair back to the style I liked.  I thought a perm would hide the damage for a while, but she advised to wait until my hair was stronger and less dry.  She wasn't trying to just sell me products and get me out the door, but genuinely cared about the overall condition of my hair and the style for me.  She was also upfront about her prices which are very reasonable.  The first salon I went to in Lafayette quoted me a lower price which somehow escalated to a $114 perm with a higher ranking stylist by the time I left with slightly wet, unstyled hair.  Angela believes in the high capabilities of all her stylists and does not rank them to charge you more money.   As a newcomer to the area, I am so happy to have found a trustworthy salon with awesome service and great prices.  To any other newcomers or those needing help with their hair, I thought I'd share my experience - let's hope I can still get an appointment as word spreads!
4 - Jenny M.: Very nice place!  I needed a cut and color, which was really a reshaping of my hair since I'd let it grow out too much.  The wonderful stylist, Cassidy, spent all the time necessary to get the right color and the right cut.  She was really open to suggestions and listened to me.  I appreciated it a lot.  The decor at the salon is gorgeous and they have cookies.  Nice place.  I'll be back.

Angelino's Cafe - Los Angeles, CA (34.0607486, -118.4453094) (Westwood)
4 - Tuan T.: This place is pretty small, but then again, sometimes the smallest places give the best food.
I had the carbonara pasta with pink sauce that was great. The bacon, the butter, the pink sauce, awesome.
I had the philly cheese steak, the meat was seasoned very well.
Come here for the food, but buy it and eat somewhere else if you plan to bring a lot of friends.
4 - Jennifer J.: Hole in the wall Italian cafe~  Love love love the ravioli in pink sauce!  I'm sure their other offerings are good as well, but I have a weakness for ravioli so that's the only thing I order.  Good luck trying to find a seat!
5 - Emily F.: It really is a hole in the wall place... but with GREAT food. I always get the Carbonara and it is fabulous! Pink sauce, bacon, comes with bread, large portions, etc. I'm not sure why it is called "Angelino's" when the owner's name is Archie. Archie comes off real stern and unhappy but he's actually pretty friendly. He just doesn't like to be bothered when he's busy. You know what that means? HE'S CONCENTRATING ON MY FOOD. Love it. It'll be hard to find parking but if you go to UCLA or work in Westwood, you should def try it out. FYI: I think they're open from like 11am-8pm.
5 - Dorothy S.: Angelino's has great food, gigant-O portions and great prices (i.e. think around $10 for a plate of pasta that you'd most likely need to box). The place is small but comfy and "homey". Also, it's not just their pasta that's great, their sandwiches are awesome too (get the Philly Cheese Steak. Trust me - get it!) and their bread!!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...so crusty, so good.

But even with all that, the REAL highlight is the service. The owner, Archie, is the best. He's nice and friendly and he makes sure you're well tended to.

If I HAD to make one complaint though, it'd be about their odd hours. There have been several times when I had my heart set on eating at Angelino's only to find that they're closed. Apparently, according to their website, they're open til 9pm on weekdays and 8pm on Saturdays but I swear I've been several times at 6 on a saturday night only to be very heartbroken by the unlit "open" sign.

But other than that...this is good stuff!!!
5 - Kevin T.: Mom & Pop.  Seriously.  You know Archie's (the owner) ingredients are the freshest when many times you ask for something and he says he ran out.  It can be a bit annoying but I rather have that happen than getting served 3 week old sourdough bread (slight exaggeration there).  So far I've tried the carbonara, caprese sandwich, chicken alfredo, ravioli, and chicken parmesan with penne.  I've also had some of their breakfast items.  Take note though that Archie's wife is there in the morning and Archie is there in the afternoon.  But it all comes down to the amazing quality of his food.  Each dish is perfect.  Pasta is cooked to perfection.  The mozzarella is cut to perfection.  Prices are pretty darn decent for the perfection you get from him.  Angelino's Cafe is place you must try, especially if you are a student at UCLA.  You'll be ridiculed by those that have because you would have wasted a somewhat hidden gem (in front of Brew Co.) in Westwood after being there for 4 years.  Enjoy!
1 - viktor p.: I have worked in Westwood for almost as long as this restaurant has been open. I've given it several chances because the food actually is good. But Archie who runs this with his wife has been rude to me on just about every occasion. I understand the stress of a busy restaurant (I managed a pizza joint when I was in high school and did EVERYTHING my self for 4 hours from phones to cooking to cleaning) and there's never an excuse to snap at a customer.  At one point we were ordering $300 worth of food a week for a project we were on and he was more annoyed than thankful. I'M DONE WITH THIS PLACE. In fact, I am so angry at this guy that I signed up and delved into the world of Yelp JUST so i can tell as many people as possible how awful he is.
4 - Dominic L.: My best friend's new job is across the street from this place - so he discovered it when he came to interview for the position he's getting.  

When we came back to visit the city, he recommended we eat here.  I was quite pleased.

He ordered the Gnocci, I ordered a Chicken Pesto sandwich.  I got a Snapple and we shared our plates so we could both try what the other got. 

It was delicious, quaint atmosphere with patio seating out front on the sidewalk.  A really pleasurable meal.
3 - Sameer M.: It's a nice ma-and-pa type of place to eat. It's pretty small but cozy-recommend a seat out on the street. The food is relatively cheap and the service is good enough to make me want to come back again! I would highly recommend the hamburger and fries, only $5.95! I was in a party of 3 and I was the last to get my food, and I jokingly asked what the deal was with my burger and fries. The lady joked back that I had asked for it to be well-done so it takes time. And the next thing I know, the chef hand-delivered my order and tells me that he added a special thousand island sauce and tells me that it will be very good!
5 - Misha T.: This is probably one of my favorite places to eat in westwood, if you've never been there, and by the way i don't normally rate on atmosphere but i really dig it here, it's basically this little Italian restaurant with like 8 tables max and this old Italian guy and his wife. Honestly it almost feels like you're eating at someones house and i guess i really dig that homey feel. Plus they're always really nice to me and help me choose what i want since i'm bad at ordering...

I've had alot of things there and nothing is mindblowingly unique, it's all really standard fair done really well. and in my experience the hardest things to cook really well are the things that everyone has had and already has an opinion on, you don't know if something you've never had sucks compared to other places same dish but everyone knows how fettucine alfredo tastes. and it tastes like they make it at Angelino's Cafe.
5 - Dave Y.: this is definitely one of the best places in westwood, which i guess isn't that much of a complement 'cuz westwood pretty much sucks. but anyway, the guy who runs this place is awesome. most of the time he cooks up the stuff himself and is not hesitant to give you suggestions. food is excellent, but it's the various pastas that i love. it feels both very homey and gourmet. a nice little cafe that epitomizes small businesses and a true delight in westwood. i just heard that his rent is going thru the roof so he'll have to move. that'll be a sad sad day in westwood.
3 - J W.: I was really walking around mindlessly looking for a place to eat before checking out some exhibit at Hammer and saw that they were having  "grilled salmon with rice, spinach and green salad" as special of the day, started to crave for grilled salmon all of a sudden so I decided to give it a try. 

The grilled salmon was tender and juicy, salad could be fresher, the rice was actually very tasty, definitely a good surprise for my taste buds :) 

Good food at reasonable price, I will return in the near future to try the more Italian food options, will update later.

Great service, the owner is very friendly and order came really fast. Oh yeah, portion is great as well!
3 - Harvs K.: This tiny little (yes its super small) eatery is a great place to grab a relatively quick bite!  Especially if you dont mind eating outside, which I dont, its a great little place.  The owners are super friendly and sweet and they have several wonderful dishes.

Their chicken parmesan is great!  the portions are huge on this dish! I cant finish it ever!  Although my only drawback is I wish they gave extra sauce- which you can always ask for.  

They have a wonderful chicken pesto sandwich, which is kind of small for the price you pay (in terms of the half size).  The half sandwich is a bit tiny, and I always leave wondering if it was worth the 5.50.  Its really good, and I dont leave hungry but im not full either.  Does that make sense?  All in all it is a great sandwich and I will keep ordering it.

Pastas are great- not the best in the world, but really for a quick bite to satisfy the italian craving, all in all not a bad stop!  I think the size of the dish is definitely dependant on the dish...
4 - Jenni C.: we were gonna go to la bruschetta, but i txted jeremy last minute to see if we can go somewhere less expensive because i'm so broke. he suggested this place.

i walked in and stared transfixed at the menu. it wasn't that fascinating, i was just really hungry. then archie said something to us that i didn't understand.

.....

oh shoot, now that i'm trying to finish this review 3 weeks later, i totally forgot what i was gonna say. i had the special which was chicken tenders with lemon caper wine sauce. jeremy had the gnocchi with pink sauce (the sauce was recommended by archie). http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/BJsVuk2sK7bE7vqCVxLgKQ?select=Xi0E5U8CdPb7vnR4n10xtw

my chicken was cooked just right for how it was served. i really wanted pasta, but i was on a diet, so i picked the meat, and it was pretty good even though i thought it'd only be ok. i tried the gnocchi, and i loved it! granted, it was the first time i've ever had it, but it had a deliciously slightly chewy texture and the pink sauce was just awesome on it. my friend said that he was surprised that they were able to cook the gnocchi that well because most places don't do it well.

definitely a place to visit if you're around and needing a quick cheap meal!
4 - Soleil D.: I'm just going to get straight to the point. 

I ordered a small tuna sandwich, and i loved it! usually when places make tuna it's either too watery or way too much added ingredients. the tuna was just right.  The bread, oh the bread was soft and flavorable, probably the best part of the sandwich.  my friend ordered the turkey sandwich and she gave it a good review too.  the size of the sandwich amazed me. I ordred a small sandwich thinking i would get this pathetic little slab of tuna and bread but no, you get a six inch sandwich...maybe a little bit longer. i can't imagine how big their larges are. 

the place is small in size...you walk in and bam like five feet later you hit the counter to where you order. inside, there are three tables and outside, like 4-6.  if it's full, i suggest you get it to go...but be prepared to wait a little. it took them maybe like 15 mins to make my order and there was no one in the restaurant. 

price: my sandwhich was 5 bucks. their pasta dishes are around 8.
5 - jin y.: i don't want to talk about this in great detail because i'd like to keep it kind of private but i can't! it's so good! i had the pink ravioli. delish! can't wait to try everything else. plus, it's nice on the wallet.

Read the blog entry: http://seekingfood.blogspot.com/2009/07/angelinos-cafe.html
4 - Catherine W.: I dig this place.  It's a neighborhood restaurant with maybe two tables in the restaurant and a few outside.  The menu is small and well-priced.  For a local Italian restaurant, it's unpretentious and has a homey feel to the location as well as the food.

My only experience with this restaurant so far is ordering take out.  I was tired of my other takeout/delivery restaurant and how spotty the food is and how long the food often takes, so I decided to give Angelino's a whirl.

The phone was answered promptly, order taken without a problem and I was pleasantly surprised when I was told my order would be ready in 15 minutes.  Just before I left my house, the restaurant called to let me know my order was ready.

There are two loading zones near the restaurant, so I pulled up without a problem.  When I walked in a group of younger kids were crowding the counter.  I assumed they were ordering, so I stood back waiting patiently.  The owner saw me and said, "Here you go Catherine," walked around the counter with my food in hand, rang me up and it was only $20 or so.  I liked that he knew who I was by name, even though it was my first time, nice personalized service.  

I am kind of shocked by the review that said the owner was rude and I really disagree.  I thought the service was efficient, friendly and I prefer sincerity over fake, overly-happy people any day.  A simple, "Enjoy!" after I paid was more than enough.

As for the food, we ordered the Chicken Marsala and the Ravioli.  Both were very good.  The Ravioli is stuffed with spinach and ricotta, served in a pink sauce.  How can you not like that?  Good portion, great flavors, nicely cooked.  The Chicken Marsala is more rustic, served with capers and diced potatoes, mixed in with a light, but flavorful marsala sauce.  It's not the overly glazy, overly sweet, reduced, dark brown style marsala. After my initial, "getting used to it", I really came to like the Chicken Marsala, the more I ate it... but be prepared, it may not be what you expect after eating at some chain restaurants.

Nice little neighborhood restaurant, no fuss, no frills, but quite delicious.
4 - Amy B.: I've used Angelino's for catering many times, and people are always happy when I do. Always a good sign. Archie, the owner, is awesome. He remembers repeat customers and is always on hand. I've never had service like this anywhere else. 

The meatball sandwich is delicious along with the caprese salad, ravioli, and a host of other things. 

You should definitely give this place a try the next time you find yourself in Westwood at lunch.
5 - Kelly B.: Excellent little italian place. Authentic, tasty food in a tiny, family-owned place.
5 - Nok S.: Nice little Italian place in Westwood. Limited amount of seating so don't come here with a big crowd. The owner was the only person doing all the cooking, cleaning, and hosting.

Food was made on the spot about 15 minutes wait. I ordered the Linguine alla Genovese and it was delicious. This place is worth going especially when the food is not overpriced like other Italian restaurants.
4 - Chris H.: Just ate at Angelino's today because of all the positive Yelps.  Very small and hidden -- but that made it more fun.  Liked the location just off of Westwood Blvd. - so close to the action without being overrun with traffic noise.  My Chicken Parm. was good - not great.  My favorite Chicken Parm. in the neighborhood is at Palomino -- HUGE portion plus a haystack of garlic butter pasta.  My buddy had the ravioli which he said was great.  I love the fact that it is a true mom & pop business, and that makes it more special.    I will be back to try the chopped salad (maybe tonight).  Also, it is very small.  A group of 10 showed up and they just about took every table available!  All in all -- very enjoyable.
4 - L. S.: Cute little family owned place that serves up the most delicious gnocchi with pink vodka sauce. This is a tiny hole in the wall place next urban outfitters in Westwood, but really the gnocchi is worth a trip on its own. And it cheap! For $8 bucks i believe you get a healthy size portion rich, smooth, chewey, melt in your mouth potato dumplings. Love it! The sandwiches are also worth a try. Be warned though the hours here are kinda short and they don't always have the gnocchi everyday.
4 - John R.: Dear Angelinos Cafe,

While we love your pastas, we don't love that you charge five dollars for Carlo Rosi burgundy in a coffee cup.  A chipped coffee cup at that.  

Also, we don't like the neighborhood because we had to pay for parking.  We know you have no control over that.  Just like we have no control over our use of the royal 'we' instead of a more accurate first person singular. It's a compulsion that we can't resist for the remainder of this review.

In conclusion, we love that we can watch tv while we eat in your cafe.  

Peace
4 - Topher N.: No, this is not an upscale, fancy Italian kitchen/restaurant like some of us may be used to. Yes, it's a hole in the wall. But there's a reason people say that holes in the wall are the best places to find the best food. I LOVE the food here. When I lived in Westwood, I constantly had a hankering for gnocchi and it took me a while to find a place that served it. And lo and behold, I stumbled upon Angelino's. I've had other pastas here, too, and it was just as delicious and satisfying. And it's definitely economically friendly. Not to mention that the staff is kind (I believe I've encountered the owner a few times) and definitely want to provide your tummy with a smile. :D
5 - May W.: Oh Angelino's, you may be tiny, but you sure packed a whole lotta punch!  I love how this baby cafe feels like someone's humble abode, seriously.  While I was dining on my spaghetti and sausage (Archie the owner gave me a bunch of sausage!), I couldn't help but notice how comfortable and relaxed I felt.  I can't pinpoint what it was, but I suspect that lighting and the pictures on the walls were factors.  

Sure, this place is so small that half the space is taken up by the counter and kitchen area, but so what?  I love that I can watch how my food is prepared and that I am served within seconds after the food is ready.  Everything was piping hot and the portions were HUGE.  At first I thought I was only given 10 pieces of sausage, but as I was eating I realized that there were at least 20 more pieces hidden underneath my large serving of spaghetti.  You should have been there!  I was THRILLED!  Oh, and the balsamic vinegar here is so delicious.  I wanted to drink that stuff straight from the bottle, but it wouldn't have been lady-like.

Please make the time to seek out this little cafe (seats about 10 people).  If you aren't a fan of pasta, they serve sandwiches and pizza as well.  Everything is really cheap (medium pizza ~ $9, sandwiches ~$5-6, pasta ~$8-9) so you won't have to worry about braeking the bank here.  Parking is a bit more difficult, but there are 2-hour free parking structures around Westwood and they aren't far from Angelino's.  One is on Broxton (free before 6) and another is where the new Trader Joe's is located (you may need validation rom TJ).
4 - Lynn s.: Yummy dishes: carbonara spaghetti and meatball sandwich served with pride of ownership.  Definitely a nice contrast to the multitude of anonymous chain fast-food eateries in Westwood.  Prices are very reasonable too for the quality of food.  Go early to get a seat at lunch time!
4 - Christina L.: great great food. i usually just order the penne marinara and that's enough. i wish that he had more dishes that are spicy though, but thank goodness for red peppers! i didn't give it 5 stars bc the owner sometimes is a bit gruff. my bf and i asked for water, and he said "Maybe, if i have time. i'm busy right now" because there were two other customers behind us. he eventually did get us water, but we were kind of freaked out to ask for a box to go haha. 

great quality food. it's not the best for huge groups but once i did come with 6 people and we just sat outside. he served us then even though he was about to close, which was super nice of him. the good thing is that it's usually not super crowded when i go by, so there's room to go eat. when i was there yesterday, a guy asked for wine, and he gave him wine in a coffee cup. i'm not sure if he usually serves wine but that was pretty chill for him to bust it out for the customer. :P

if you want seemingly authentic italian for pretty cheap, def recommend angelinos!
3 - Anna S.: Turkey Sandwich was alright.
They forgot the guacamole, so I went back and they added it. The amount of guacamole in my sandwich was a little ridiculous. They spread the guac on the bread and it was probably equivalent to peanut butter on half the slice of a normal wonder bread. It wasn't BAD, just average three stars. The tabasco sauce looked really old. They need to get new ones or refill the bottles. Maybe I need to go back and try the pasta? Till then, three. Alliteration! What fun.
4 - Brian C.: I frequented this place for dinner (take-out) while working in the vicinity. This is truly a family run operation - oftentimes, the same guy who takes your order, is also the one making the food.

It seems like everything is made fresh and from scratch. There are daily specials based on what the owner picked up from the market in the morning. Because of this, I would recommend calling in an order - they don't make it until you order it.

Their spaghetti with meat sauce is great. The noodle is cooked to an ideal chewy-ness, and the sauce does not skimp on the meat. It comes with several meatballs, which are legit. There is just enough herb in the sauce to give it flavor.

NOTE: They do not prefer taking AMEX cards - I always tried to pay with my AMEX corporate but the owner would give me shady eyes. However, if you offer to buy a few more items (ie. some sodas and cookies), he will let you use your AMEX. It's cool if the company is paying and everything fits under your per diem, but if not, bring your VISA/MC or some cash!
4 - Megan S.: Angelino's is what Westwood should be full of: a reasonbly priced, locally owned cafe that serves great food.  I mean, any time you have a Philly steak sandwich for around $6, I am so there.  But anyways, I digress.

I came here one random weeknight to grab a quick bite with the BF and a friend.  We ordered spaghetti with meatballs, spaghetti with sausage, and chicken marsala.  The spaghetti with meatballs (my order) was definitely solid, but the spaghetti with sausage (my boyfriend) was ridiculously tasty... I had a little dish envy there.   I didn't try the chicken marsala but it was reported to be decent, but not amazing.  I definitely need to make it back here to try a philly cheese steak some time too.

The only thing keeping me from giving this place five stars is that it's ridiculously small (they do have outdoor seating, but if it's cold and there are more than 8 people eating here, you are screwed), and the fact that service can be so-so.  For example: when I went to pay, my total was $14 and change.  I gave the guy a twenty, then started counting out change.  He said, "no, no, don't worry about it", then proceeded to give me a $5 back.... uh, so he stiffed me out of about 50 cents.  Which I suppose isn't the biggest deal ever, but makes this place slightly less cool in my mind.  I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and pretend like he meant to give me $6 back (like, "don't worry about it" meant, "don't pay the change"), and messed up.
4 - Stephanie N.: Good service, good food, good price!

I really like this place and I wish I had the time to frequent it more, but the hours are so short I can never make it after work. 

When I do go, it's usually for lunch in between classes or for dinner on a weekend. I would suggest ordering to take out and pick up to avoid the small cramped space and Westwood parking, of course. 

I've had the carbonara and the ravioli here and they are both really delicious. That pink sauce is amazing and I'm so partial to the carbonara I'm scared to try anything else!

Service is really nice. My boyfriend and I had to sit outside once and Emma, Archie's wife, was constantly making sure I was okay, she even offered me a sweater because she noticed I was kinda cold!
4 - Tommy J.: My go-to place for a nice Italian lunch/dinner whenever I am in Westwood. Good prices, good service, and good food. The place is small, but I never had problems getting a table. Archie is the owner and he named the restuarant after his daughter, Angelino. I recommend:

- spaghetti with meatballs
- spaghetti marinara w/chicken
- chicken parm
- chicken alferdo

They also have a pink carbonara, which I thought was just okay... I am a purist.
4 - Matthew M.: Angelino's is a tiny mom and pop operation, and one of your better lunch options in Westwood.  When I worked at UCLA, I came here at least once a week, sometimes more.  The owners are exceedingly nice and work extraordinarily hard.  

The pastas sauces are very good - I've had the bolognese, pink sauce, and the carbonara, all of which are delicious.  The chicken pesto sandwich is also something I used to order regularly.  The daily specials are also fantastic and tend to be healthier options, although they are a little pricey - with a drink you're looking at about a $13 lunch.  But aside from that, the prices are reasonable and a high standard of quality is always maintained.  

This is the sort of operation you've got to pull for - the antithesis to to the soulless chains that have ever so insidiously invaded Westwood. If you champion the little guy, get over to this place and support it.
4 - Laura T.: YUMMYY!! Fresh, delicious, and reasonably priced. Cant wait to go back!
5 - Jay M.: Is this place the reason why pastagina closed?  I'm sad I didn't come here sooner.  Today I ordered the chicken milanese and it was delicious.  The flattened, tender chicken was pretty large and the edges were warm and crispy.  The salad and the dressing was refreshing- and there were actual chunky pieces of parmesan cheese.  And the slices of bread were so soft and fluffy- nothing like the really tough bread from pastagina.  I can't wait to try the other pasta dishes and sandwiches.  

Forget the corporation. come to this mom and pop.

I like the autographed photo of Christina Aguilera in her dirrrty days hung up on their wall. haha
5 - Bridget P.: One of my favorite cafes of all time. I'm afraid to give it a glowing review because I'm not sure it can hold any more than 10 people at once! A hidden gem in Westwood (I don't think they even have a sign up right now) across the street from Brew Co and next to the old Haagen Dazs. Locally-owned, family-owned tiny spot serving up fresh, homestyle, simply delicious Italian food. The pastas are great, as everyone says, and I mostly go for the sandwiches during lunchtime. The bread is perfectly warmed, with the best balance of a slightly crispy crust and softness. I crave the turkey with guacamole and the caprese! 

What's weird is that they don't post the hours on the door, and I guess Archie and his crew close up whenever they feel like it.... we've driven by at 6 or 7PM to find them randomly closed. But I will still gladly give 5 stars, because even with the strange schedule (or lack thereof), I love them anyway and will keep coming back.
5 - risa y.: love love love this place! everything on the menu is so delicious! I've never left unhappy! The owner Archie and his wife are always there with big smiles and welcoming hellos! My favorite is penne pasta with pink sauce, and also there mushroom sub. We go weekly and always leave very satisfied!
5 - Sasha V.: This is the best authentic food in the area, the price is great too, usually for a meal like this u would spend much more (2x at least). Everything on the menus is great, I partcularly like the siplest thing.... the salad, the sauce and toping are avesome! This place is the real thing....if u want to eat like Italians do come here.
5 - William S.: On a recent trip up to L.A. for a Dodger Game, we stopped off in Westwood Village to get a quick dinner.  We happened to see Angelino's as we drove by and decided to give it a try.  It was one of the best Italian meals that we have had in a long time.  If you are looking to support a family business, get a great meal and enjoy a cozy atmosphere, I highly recommend Angelino's.
5 - Kaye P.: My boyfriend and I have been passing this hole in the wall over for about a year and a half now, him longer considering he bought a place in Westwood 3 years ago. We finally went and it was amazing! Not only was the food great (esp. the famous "pink sauce") but the owner was there and he was one of the nicest guys I've ever met! I highly recommend trying this place!
5 - Wesley P.: Took a dive into Angelino's today for dinner a few months ago and I can't believe I didn't finish this review. Okay, I hadn't even heard of it but I still took a dive. Nestled into a slightly hidden corner of Westwood, this tiny Italian spot has a PERFECT date atmosphere -- friendly and casual with food that's worth falling in love over. 

Now I didn't go here on a "date" "date" so don't get any big ideas. But she had rigatoni in a red sauce with chunks of eggplant... how dreamy! I had sage-infused chicken ravioli in a pink sauce. And a Pellegrino. 

This place was so good that I ordered an f'in PELLEGRINO. I NEVER DRINK PELLEGRINO!
3 - Willis C.: So I actually came here on a date cuz I yelp'd nearby location at UCLA and this came up.  I don't really agree that this is THAT great of a date location, it's REALLY small, you can almost hear what everybody inside the restaurant is talking about, so it's not really private, I guess it depends on how you want your date to be I guess.  But it is a cozy, nice atmosphere. Pretty dim lighting, wooden tables and chairs, fancy plates, it's nice.

So there's about 3-4 tables inside that can seat up to about 10-12 people total.  Outside there are two more tables sometimes, but not all the time.  It's basically just the restaurant owner and some chefs in the back.  It's a very small menu, and the food is average priced, about 10-15 per dish.  I thought the food was pretty good.  But as always, I can't really tell the different between Italian dishes from most places, they all taste the same!

Overall I enjoyed the place, but I don't really see myself coming back.
4 - Eileen L.: i've passed by this place multiple times without taking a second glance. when i first ate there, i thought it was new, but after having an intimate chat with the owner, i found out that this place was like 10 years old.

Angelino's is a corner, hole in the wall italian cafe that probably seats a max of 20 people, with 7 small tables on the inside and out, and a wall of celebrities who have graced their presence in the cafe. 

the boss welcomed us right away and made us feel at home. 

the food was bomb diggity! i had the gnocchi, wanting more after my dish was gone. it's italian baby dumplings in pink tomato sauce. just right!
2 - Tim N.: Can't say that this was the best Italian food I've had, even in Westwood.  The food was okay as far as Italian goes. I had the gnocchi with bolognes sauce.   I found  it a bit dry as if it was sitting the pot too long.  The gnocchi wasn't as firm as I usually like it.  . For $15 I found the lunchtime meal a bit expensive.  As mentioned by others the service was very polite and welcoming.   Overall, the experience was nice but I've had much better.
3 - Mari H.: So I am always in search of good italian.  Im a NYer what can I say.  Anyway, I ordered the eggplant rigatoni. It was ok.  I found the sauce to be a little greasy. The parmesan stunk up my work place...LOL!!! I love that part. In any case I will come back and try the sandwiches. No one rated the eggplant rigatoni so its my bad.  I should have trusted my fellow yelpers and went with the suggested dishes.....so stand by for my next review....
5 - Jackie D.: I got the beef, cheese ravioli w/ garlic, marinara sauce. OM NOM NOM SO DELICIOUS!!!! MUST GET! Boyfriend got spaghetti marinara w/ italian sausage. It was yumss. The portions were perfect. It was very filling, even for my fatty of a boyfriend. Definitely a Westwood treasure :)
4 - Kazuma K.: I got the gnocci, and it was pretty good. The linguini, fettucini with alfredo and the pesto one is good too.

The guy who works here is really nice, although you may get the impression that he is mean! He's actually really great - we were kind of shocked he wouldn't give us water because he said he was too busy, but later one he came out with water and apologized and gave us bread too., Turned out this jackass was cussing at him for "forgetting" an order that he never placed... oh well, it happens.

There's like two tables for two people inside, so if you have more people then you gotta sit outside. But it's great because you get to pay before. So include the tip when you pay!
4 - Amanda N.: Kind of a whole in the wall, quaint little place with not a whole lot of seating.  but its prob one the best momma's and pappa's authentic italian you can get in westwood.  sandwiches are okay, but all the pastas are amazing.
5 - Kim W.: I went to Angelinos tonight after finding it on YELP.  We loved, loved, loved the owner...He is 100% Sicilian and he cooks only AUTHENTIC Italian food.  This is not a fake Italian restaurant.  Every single dish is prepared FRESH, FROM SCRATCH, after you order it. You can literally watch the owner and his one sous chef cook the dishes from scratch right behind the counter.  Yes, it is small inside, and yes, it only has three tables inside, HOWEVER, for the price and the QUALITY and AUTHENTICITY of the food, you will NOT be disappointed.  He also has a lot of Celebrity Clientele, such as JLo and Christina Aguliera, who have both signed prints and they're posted up on the wall....It's a cool little "locals" spot with INCREDIBLE AUTHENTIC Italian cooking.  

The owner, who was a doll to us (and not at all rude like some people on here claim), chatted with us happily for 10-20 minutes and we learned all about how he came from Italy and how he's cooked all his life and he brought all of his recepies straight from Sicily.  He even makes the GNOCCI BY HAND!!  It's delicious.....as was the spinach and cheese ravilolli....The TIRAMISU is also INCREDIBLE - the best I have ever had - and I have had a lot, being Italian, I always try the tiramisu if it's on the menu.....But this place was out of this world!!  

I am going back again and again!! :) 

ANGELINO'S CAFE IS THE BEST!!!!
4 - Betsy R.: Authentic Italian food with reasonable prices. My hubs and I met here for lunch the other day. He LOVES this place and goes often since he works down the street. We ordered the arugula salad, ravioli, and a pizza. The salad was fresh with a simple tasty lemon dressing. The raviolis in pink sauce were very tasty. The pizza would have been perfect if it was cooked a few minutes longer but I'm not holing it against this place b/c it's easy enough to say extra crispy. The important things were super thin crust and a perfect red sauce. YUM. Will def eat here again!!
5 - Fred F.: Food is really wonderful.  Very tasty italian.  The dishes are all really good.  I have business that takes me to Westwood often & I go here all the time, so I have been lucky to try most of their dishes & they are all very flavorful & well done.

The owner is a great guy & very friendly.  This is a very warm, & cordial place to get a great meal at a very reasonable price.  

Overall, definately try it...you'll really like it
5 - Cynthia H.: Angelino's is a tiny red-brick restaurant and not very well-lit, with only three small tables inside and a couple more tables outside.  The owner, Archie, asked what I wanted to eat, so I asked him which pastas he recommended.  He suggested the gnocchi and ravioli, and when I picked the former, he asked "with pink sauce?"  Even though the menu says marinara or meat sauce, I decided to let Archie decide; if Yelp reviews were any indication, I was in good hands.

I sat down and watched Archie prepare the gnocchi; given that I was the only person in the restaurant, my enormous plate of pasta and a few slices of lightly toasted baguette were ready very soon.  Simply put, the gnocchi were fantastic - tender and not doughy.  The tomato cream sauce was both flavorful and the perfect balance of richness and sharpness, and the sprinkled parmesan and basil chiffonade were a nice touch.  I really should have stopped after eating half, but just couldn't help eating until the plate was mostly empty. 

My meal came to just over $10, including tax, and I obviously left a tip.  This was some of the best Italian I've ever eaten, and certainly the best value.  I'm far from being the only one who feels this way; during the time that I was eating there, quite a few regulars came in and chatted with Archie before and/or after ordering.  I also saw Archie and his one assistant handling what appeared to be sheets of fresh pasta, maybe for ravioli.  Long story short, if you are ever in Westwood or nearby, go to Angelino's!!
3 - Karen E.: This place was ok. I've had better. I tried the ravioli since I read some good things but the sauce was too thick for my own liking. For the price I was expecting more food. 
The staff was friendly and it was a very calm atmosphere which I enjoyed. I might come back and try another dish.
4 - Sarah W.: Angelino's Cafe! Super decent prices ($10 for pasta) and a nice, homey, and cute ambiance. They offer around 20 different options and is a great stop for lunch. Calling all CHS peeps--they are so close and nearby!

I ordered the carbonara pasta ($9.25). It was yum and filling. Apparently the pink sauce is to die here so I had to try it. It was pretty darn good. It wasn't oily, not too mushy nor thick with over-reduced sauce, and to boot--it tasted homemade. YUM. The only complaint I have is that the carbonara didn't have enough bacon, boo to that. But, I enjoyed my meal very much and in fact downed the whole thing in one session!

I want to go again to try the other options! Esp the pesto.
5 - Ada L.: DELICIOUS.

This place is extremely tiny and cozy. I was taken here on a date, or at least I'm assuming it was a date. Womp, womp. But anywho, he ordered the ravioli, and I ordered the spaghetti alla carbonara. I can't speak for his ravioli, but boy was I in heaven when I took a bite of the spaghetti alla carbonara.

I'd be lying if I said that this wasn't a heavy dinner. The pink sauce is laden with cream and was infused with the flavor of the bacon bits in the sauce. Like I said, HEAVEN. 

The pasta was perfectly cooked. There were hints of basil from the shredded basil garnish that topped the pasta when it first came out. I'm also a big fan of mushrooms, so with that thrown into the mix, I was in pasta heaven. 

PASTA + PINK SAUCE + BACON + MUSHROOMS = LOVE

Not to mention, the prices are affordable and starving-college-student-friendly.
4 - Jim B.: I love this place. If I want a lunch that is tasty and want to feel like I'm in a hole in the hole in northern Italy, this is the place. I always order the specials and have never regretted it.

The pasta is cooked al dente and the sauces are rich and were probably bubbling on the stove for hours.

On the downside, I wish there was more indoor seating. Don't let that detract you from taking an order to go, though.
5 - Roxana V.: it is amazing food, great service. I think it is the best italian cafe in westwood.
5 - Y L.: I love this place! The first time I went with two friends. Though the owner seemed stressed and preoccupied, the food was, in a word, delicious. I had the Gnocchi, and it was fresh and authentic. 

The place is very small, and there are only one or two people working there at all times, meaning your food is always made fresh, on the spot. 

The second time I went with my boyfriend, and I had the rigatoni pasta with eggplant, which was also exquisite. The owner also seemed to be in a much better mood this time around. Definitely recommend!
5 - Brian M.: OMG, what a true gem in Westwood.  Thank you Yelpers for telling us out-of-town-ers about this awesome little place.  Went here for lunch last week while visiting Lalaland and all I can say is WOW! 

For $10 bucks we got the special of the day that included a generous portion of beef/cheese ravioli and a nice salad.  Everything from the funny quirky staff (owners?) to the food was spot on. It's a little hole in the wall (I mean that in a good way) that offers yummy food at a great price. What's not to love about that?

Actually, I want to move to Westwood just to come here everyday... (although I'd probably end up weighing 500 lbs so I'll stay by the bay).  

If you like fresh pasta you must go here.  Period.
5 - William T.: Went with a friend here, and much smaller than I thought it would be.  Literally only has 2 tables that can fit 2 people each.  Luckily, one of the tables was open and my friend and I were able to enjoy a nice chat here.  

We got the gnocchi with pink sauce and the carbonara pasta, and both were delicious.  A lot of flavor and just enough of everything.  And since the pasta is kind of heavy (with all the cream and stuff), I saved some for lunch the next day, so it ended up being a great deal, as well.  

Wish I knew about this place while I still lived in Westwood, but I'm still not too far away.  I'll probably come back to try the ravioli sometime.
5 - Jay S.: Amazing food. Personal service. You have to try this place.
4 - Karen W.: I stumbled on this tiny cafe last night while looking for a quick bite before our play started. The cafe only has 3 tables inside each with seating for 2-3. We both ordered the special of the day with a tweak since there were no more mashed potatoes. Out came 2 plates of salad, penne pasta, and a large hunk of salmon over a bed of spinach. YUM! Everything was delicious and I ended up eating every last bite off my plate. ($10.95 a plate!)

The owner seemed like a nice man... He asked us how we wanted our salmon cooked  and then shook his head when we gave him the "wrong" answer.... so we told him to cook it however he thought best and it was delicious! Cute mom and pop restaurant. I'd definitely go back.
4 - Brandon C.: Great little place for take out. I had the chicken parmesan and I tried some of their penne as well. Everything was really tasty and if you just want to take out some simple italian food, this is the place.
2 - K L.: I'm surprised this place had such great ratings. The boyfriend and I stopped by because Mio Babbos was closed. 

The location has only 4-2 seater tables. More than just really cozy. It's tiny. It's called an Italian ristorante, but you have to walk up to order your food.

We ordered the special, which was the beef ravioli and some creamy spaghetti which we ordered on a whim from another yelpers review. The special came with a salad. Super good with real parmesan. Then our entrees arrived. The beef ravioli was actually not bad, but the spaghetti was missing something. It didn't have that flavor pop that is synonymous with Italian food. Half way through our meal I realized we were not offered any water. He didn't even ask. 

Anyhooters, it was a nice adventure, but I won't be returning.
3 - Mary L.: Going in with a low expectation can sometimes result in a happy surprise.  This was the case for this place.  I was looking for a cheap, local place for Italian food.  This was the highest rated so I gave it a shot.  The interior is nothing to tout about.  There were 3 small tables and it was too cold to eat outside.  I had the homemade ravioli, with spinach and mushrooms and a pink sauce.  It was creamy, full of a mix of spinach and mushroom flavor.  The sauce was just the right mix of red and white.  The Cesar Salad was okay, it had dill in it, which is not my favorite herb.  All in all, this is pretty good.  Comparable in price and quality to Frito Misto in Santa Monica.  If I worked in Westwood, it would be on the rotation for lunch, definitely.
5 - Christine C.: This Italian cafe is a hidden gem in Westwood!  A friend suggested we eat here, and I didn't even know this place existed.  

This small quaint cafe is located behind Urban Outfitters, is run by one (talented and mysterious) chef, and has amazing Italian food.

My recommendation: Chicken Parmesan.  So basic and simple, but he makes it so delicious!
3 - Andrew T.: the order.
linguini w pesto and shrimp
spaghetti and meatballs

this is an a convenient take out italian place. it's a cute little venue next to the acapulco. the service is prompt though the place is small.

my order of spaghetti and meatballs was good. the spaghetti was overcooked but still held a slight al dente texture. the meatballs were sliced and portioned well. not very tender but quite meaty. the sauce was good. 

the linguini with pesto and shrimp were on the bland side though the pesto was good. the dish could easily use more salt. and possibly some cream. but it was a very generous portion of pasta though only 4 pieces of shrimp. however, nice juicy shrimps. 

this is convenient for students, however it must be said that there are pretty good italian options on westwood blvd past wilshire.
4 - Michele K.: Angelino's a tiny Italian cafe hidden away in Westwood.  I had never heard of this place before even though I make frequent visits to the area. 
I read on yelp that the pink sauce is amazing and decided to try the carbonara pasta.  The pasta was really good... a little on the heavy side because of the sauce... but I was pretty impressed.  

The owner is really nice.  Great service & I like that you can pay for your food at the beginning.  I came here with my boyfriend and when I tried to pay, the owner guy wouldn't accept my card and let my boyfriend pay for the both of us instead.  That was definitely interesting.. :)

Overall, great food but tiny place.  It would probably be best to walk here or get your food to go since parking is hard to find (or expensive) in westwood.
4 - Anna G.: The food is great, but the portions could be bigger for the price. With that said, I will come back here again as long as I'm in the area.
4 - Mindy N.: It's so hard to find good, non-generic Italian food nowadays. When you feel like Olive Garden is better just because of their salad and breadsticks, you know that's a no bueno. Angelino's, however, hits the nail right on the head. I judge Italian restaurants on their marinara, and Angelino's does not disappoint. Their meat sauce was flavorful and meaty, and their pink sauce was not unlike a creamy rose-colored cloud.

Angelino's is a quaint cozy joint, tucked away in the little corners of Westwood. You order at the register and find your own seating; and the food is brought out to you by Angelino himself, probably as mom&pop as you can get

My only negatives:
(-)Mr. Angelino wasn't really the most pleasant person in the world, despite many attempts at making conversation with him
(-)no credit cards on a Saturday? a sign would have been appreciated
(-)fresh pasta would have been nice. non-kraft parmesan cheese would have been nicer

Nonetheless, if I should find myself in Westwood, I would definitely frequent again
3 - Confucius J.: Neat little tiny place that hit the spot as I wanted something non-chain but not really fancy/huge for dinner after a big lunch.   The place is very small, as in just a couple of tables, and it's more of a quick-service place than true table service.

I went with the specials for the night:  split pea soup and a mix of beef and cheese ravioli.   The soup was outstanding and was perfect for a cool night.  The ravioli seemed to have been food service (possibly from Costco as he had some Kirkland items such as teas), and was good but nothing special, but the sauce that he served with it was excellent.
3 - Vivian H.: I've been to Westwood so many times and never noticed this place. Simple pasta dishes, certainly not the best I've had but satisfying for under $10. We enjoyed the gnocchi and the rigatoni, which came out quickly. You can tell the place has lots of regulars, and the owners/servers are super nice!
4 - Jay C.: Great food. I only docked a star because the chef who runs the place is kind of a dick.
4 - Philip S.: We found this place on Yelp for the good reviews, and it was a very good experience. 

The place is tiny, 2 tables inside basically... so I'm guessing that most of the food is to-go. The owner is nice, kinda old school but nice. When my wife and son stepped out the restaurant, the owner went outside to look for them when the food was ready. 

The food was very tasty and well done. I can't remember exactly what we had but it was tasty, better than those chain Italian places. Overall, we're happy with the place.
4 - Will F.: Cool place. Mysterious owner. Good food.
When we walked up the owner was outside doing some sort of woodwork or repairs. Interior is tiny, so I wouldn't suggest bringing a big party. We had to request water, but that was the only problem with the place. 

I had the Fettuccine Alfredo. I was creamy and delicious. My buddy had the pesto chicken sandwich. It was so good that he ignored his mild nut allergy and finished the whole thing. My other two friends shared a chicken parm with pasta. Huge and delicious. When it came out it looked more like a pizza than a chicken breast. They praised it highly.

I agree with Christine C. The owner is kind of mysterious.
5 - Liz C.: if you really want REAL homemade, cheap Italian food you have to come to Angelino's. Their tiramisu is homemade and its to die for. 
The owner makes you feel like family!
4 - Stephanie S.: Yes! Great! Saw other yelpers raving about this place and just had to give it a go. Had the carbonara with pink sauce and was very happy afterward, ie. great tasty dish and very filling. The bread as others have noted was served freshly warmed.

It is a small hole in the wall that like others, I walked right by and didn't even bat an eyelash. Well now I have a new village fav!
5 - Sissi C.: I'm not an expert on Italian food, but this place is definitely one of the best Italian places I've tried. Small (seriously like around 4 tables, two of which are outside) but the three times I've been there, seating was not a problem. I always recommend this place to my friends because it is quite hidden next to the Urban Outfitters in Westwood, but is a must-try! If you like Italian food, you'll love Angelino's. I guarantee it. I think it is better than Pomodoro's and that place is quite popular. 

Everything is so good here and I've tried the chicken parmesan, ravioli, carbonara, alfredo, and gnocchi. I especially recommend a dish with the pink sauce because it is simply delicious. Angelino's, unlike other places, is generous with the sauce making the dishes the perfect flavor.
4 - Tiffany L.: Came here on a whim while walking to Acapulco's around the corner and was soo glad I did! As a UCLA student, I'm so used to taking the short walk to CPK and grabbing some quick pasta that I long forgot what fresh, well-made pasta tasted like!

The restaurant is tiny and very casual. It kind of looks like Angelino tried to go for a rustic, Italian cafe feel but only got halfway there before he said eh, f*** it and decided to have a beer instead. The tiny tables and chairs outside are a nice touch, as are the many framed photographs that line the walls, but the janky soda machine and drab walls of the second half of the restaurant bring the aesthetic down just a tad.

But it doesn't matter because this review is about the food. I had the Spaghetti and Meatballs and it was absolutely delicious. The pasta was a perfect consistency (soft, not chewy or hard) and the sauce was just the way I like it - chunky and flavorful. Angelino wasn't skimpy on the meatballs as there were plenty on my plate, but they were more like thick slices of  ground beef as opposed to traditional, round meatballs. They also had a different flavor than I'm used to and that was off-putting at first but I grew to love it by the end of my meal. Overall, it had a very home-cooked feel to it and was very satisfying. My boyfriend also had a pasta dish (forgot which one) that was just as delicious so I know at least mine wasn't a fluke!

Things of note: 
-You can get unlimited bread (really yummy btw) and butter here but water is not free- you have to buy a bottle from the soda machine. Weird.
-Apparently they don't take credit cards on Saturday. I came here on a Saturday and Angelino told me that, but since I didn't have any cash on me he was willing to overlook it "this one time". 
-Portions aren't that big (by my standards). I finished off my pasta plate and could've easily had a couple slices of pizza and dessert before getting full. For reference, I usually need a double double, animal fries, and large shake at In N Out to be satisfied (I re-read this sentence and it sounded terribly obnoxious. I didn't mean it that way, it really was just for reference!)
5 - Julian T.: Favorite place to go in westwood. Spinach and Cheese ravioli in pink sause, chicken tender specials on Monday and Tuesday is delicious and filling.

Specials typically are:
Mon & Tues: Chicken Tender with Lemon sause and Salad
Wed: Grilled Tuna
Thurs: I forget
Fri: Meat Ravioli

Just love the small cafe feel and the quality home cooking you get from there.

Try their personal size pizzas to mix things up.
5 - Jeff C.: Most excellent Italian food. Angelino is a maestro, making incredible carbonara sauce. Everything is made to order and there are more  than enough choices to make this an affordable every day meal. Outside and inside tables. Enjoy a pasta with heart and authenticity.
3 - Erika M.: I've eaten here twice, and both times I have really enjoyed my meal.  The first time I ordered the gnocchi and the second time I had the ravioli, both with the pink sauce (don't know what it's called, I totally missed it the first time.  But when I asked for the "pink" sauce the second time, they seemed to know :P).  The pink sauce, which is probably some kind of tomato cream, is a must have.  It's really delicious.  I was scooping it off my plate at the end.  I docked 2 stars because of the service.  It's strange.  The first time I went, I asked for water.  The cashier lady told me she'll give it to me, "If I have time."  That really took me aback, but I did get that water...  While the service bothered me that first time, I decided to go again because I enjoyed my dish so much.  When I asked for water, again, the cashier lady said, "If I have time."  Again, I did get water.  But why say that to the customer?  Just tell them it will take a moment.  Hmph.  I also got kicked out of my table on accident to make room for a bigger group.  There was a group of 3 waiting.  I told them they can take my chair.  I think there was a misunderstanding, because while my table was clear, I was still waiting for dessert.  One person in the party sat at the chair at my table.  I was a bit confused, then the cashier lady told me there was a table outside with a chair.  I just thought I'd be nice about it and moved.  They weren't rude about it at all, but it was just really odd.  Anyhoos, I highly recommend the FOOD here, but next time, I am ordering take out.
4 - Momo O.: A westwood hole-in-the-wall gem!

It's right behind UO's, so its right off westwood.
PINK SAUCE = the best!!! Most of the stuff I tried is good.
It's a pretty small venue, but very homey and i love that :)
5 - Scott N.: Every time delicious. A mom and pop place with character and great food. Tired of seeing reviews from people with "chain" expectations complain about the excellent character and experience you get in an, unfortunately, rare establishment. Go to Olive Garden if you don't want Italian food :-)
5 - Amanda L.: I have been here now a total of 4 times. I never really write reviews unless it's really good or really bad, and I HAD to write a review for this place, because it's amazing!
Previously, I have ordered: Rigatoni, Gnocchi di patate (with pink sauce), Linguine alla Genovese, and Ravioli.

Rigatoni - I uploaded the picture here. It's soooo good! The description sounds simple but maaaan this dish is delish! Totally recommended!

Gnocchi di patate (with pink sauce) - It was my first time trying gnocchi. I had ordered it after seeing good reviews about it. It's so good! You HAVE to ask him "with pink sauce" because I don't think it originally comes with that. It's good, filling. awesome!!!

Linguine alla Genovese - This is good too, but I felt like it was a bit bland every time I ordered it. So I guess it wasn't a mistake but just how it's usually cooked here. If you think it's bland, just add a bit of salt. 

Ravioli - It's also with the pink sauce. MAN the pink sauce is really good! light and creamy!

I was walking back from UCLA campus after class and wanted to pick up food from here. So I was across the medical center when I had called the place for an order. He said it would be ready in ten minutes. By the time I got there, it was already almost done. Had to only wait for like 2 minutes.

The owner is sweet too. loved it!
It's a hidden gem in westwood!! :)
5 - Jessica L.: The owner is super nice and after a long day of work there's nothing like their...

Spaghetti Ala Carbonara:
SERIOUSLY THIS STUFF IS AMAZING. The pasta is cooked al dente and it just swims in this decadent pink sauce that has huge fatty hunks of bacon and mushrooms. It is just AMAZING and definitely satisfies your cravings for something rich and hearty. Get it!!
3 - Rebecca P.: By "small", all the other reviewers basically mean this is the type of place where you order at the counter and then go sit down... at one of the two two-person tables inside or one of the three or four four-person tables outside on the [slanted] sidewalk. Enjoy an Americanized Italian dish of less than Italian-like gluttonous proportions with your beverage of choice out of the mini fridge: Snapple, cans of soda or bottled water. Although the food was fine (but not great or authentic) and the service was polite, I feel the prices are a bit high given the overall experience. I paid out $14 bucks for lunch and felt that, for a few bucks more, I could have treated myself to a much nicer lunch or dinner elsewhere. I got the ravioli (7 pieces), which was in a cream sauce that was somewhat bland and boring like if a mediocre alfredo and vodka sauce came together. It was not bad or inedible, hence the three stars, but will not keep me coming back.
4 - Nino R.: This is not a sit down restaurant.  If you're looking for affordable Italian during the winter, get here at an off time in the hopes of snagging one of the four tables inside the restaurant.  Otherwise you're stuck eating out in the cold or at home.

The layout reminds me of a classic pizzeria.  The kitchen is wide open and you order and pay at the counter.  

Food is great and the specials are better.  My GF and I had each ordered the day's special ravioli.  It was a ground beef and cheese-filled ravioli served with marinara and a toasted roll.  Olive oil and balsamic are available upon request and drinks are located in a refrigerated case next to the entrance.

Prices are super affordable, and as I stated earlier, the food is delicious.  This is a great spot for cheap good eats.  Where else can you find that in Westwood?

That's a real question...
4 - Jessica K.: This is kind of a belated review. I came here with a few close friends for a Thanksgiving meal before we went home for the holidays, and it was a real treat. Each of our meals (pastas and a sandwich) were priced at around $10 each, but the food tastes like it should be priced so much higher. My friend got the carbonara with pink sauce, and it was so delicious. It was creamy, fatty, carby, smokey, and just flat out good. I had the gnocchi with pink sauce, and the gnocchi were pillowy and perfectly stick-to-the-untouched-regions-of-your-mouth-yummy. We shared a coke to cut down the fat of the pastas, and it was the perfect pairing. Forget alcohol. You just need a soda with these things. My other friends had a sandwich and the shrimp pesto pasta, but I didn't try either. My taste buds were too mesmerized by my own gnocchi and my friend's carbonara.

The food here is really affordable and delicious, but be prepared to either sit at a very small table indoors or a very small table outdoors. Lightly toasted and warm bread comes with your meal. Order at the counter, and a delightfully jolly man will serve you your food.
4 - tawny w.: Great place to order to-go lunches or to have a quick lunch with a friend.  Seating is limited so I wouldn't recommend having a lunch date here.  
I ordered the chicken salad and rice to go and my co-worker ordered the spaghetti with meat balls. I tried both dishes and they were delicious. I had requested to change my rice to spaghetti when i ordered and the boss lady in front was very warm and accommodating to this request.  I didn't check if the items were switched when i picked up my order (my bad) and when i opened the order up when i got to my office, i noticed that the rice wasnt switched for spaghetti.  Normally, i would be pretty peeved, but the owners willingness to accommodate for no extra charge was genuine so it wasn't too big of a deal.  The chicken on my salad was reallllly juicy and tender. Flavor bursting from every bite.  The honey mustard dressing was the perfect tangy and sweet and the greens were fresh. My only qualm is that i wish it came with more lettuce for the salad. 
 After trying my co-workers spaghetti as well, I knew that i would definitely be coming back to Angelino's cafe for my italian fixes.
3 - Brent C.: I would write a long review like I normally do but I don't really have much to say other than the carbonara was pretty good. It wasn't the best carbonara I've had, but let's be real here. What carbonara honestly compares to the chicken carbonara at Sonoma Chicken Coop in the bay area? Nothing really. 

This is a good place to go during lunch breaks in Westwood. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't go out of my way to come here.
4 - Iris H.: This place has become my new go to place for a quick lunch/dinner out! 
Their pink sauce is delicious, but I felt like my pasta is swimming in sauce. It got a little overwhelming after awhile. Same goes to my friend's alfredo pasta. 

If you like dessert, then you have to try the tiramisu from here. 

This place is CASH ONLY! There are no signs anywhere in the restaurant saying this, but after you ordered and want to pay with a card, you will be rejected. My friend and I had to leave to find the closest ATM because we didn't have enough cash. 
Save yourself some trouble and bring money.
5 - Philip B.: Great food in a convenient Westwood location.  This place remains small and unassuming while consistently delivering some of the best Italian food on the west side.  It is certainly more of a cafe experience than fine dining, but for quick, inexpensive Italian food, there is no one that can compare.
4 - Wendy C.: I was so excited to try this place!

I was so surprised by how small it is: inside, there are three small tables (each enough for maybe three people since the tables are against the wall one side) and just enough room for incoming customers to line up and order in front of the counter. Outside, there are four small tables and heaters (which was nice since it was sooo cold that night).

I ordered the spaghetti meatball for $9.50. It was good, but it didn't exactly meet the high expectations I had for it... To be fair, I did wait several minutes after it was served to eat it. 
The bread was great, though: just soft enough on the inside and just a tad crunchy on the outside.

The owner was very nice--he chatted with us a bit and told us to eat the food while it was still warm and good, and told us a story about balsamic vinegar at the end of our meal. 

Overall, I had a pleasant experience; next time, I'll be sure to eat my spaghetti right away!
4 - AndrewScott S.: PRICE: Very reasonable for Italian food.

FOOD: Got the parmesan chicken and the pink sauce ravioli. They were both amazing. I loved that the parmesan chicken came with a balsamic salad as a side. Surprisingly, these flavors worked well together. Pink sauce ravioli was delicious as well.

AMBIANCE: This place is tiny. More of a casual atmosphere. But I love that this is more of a mom and pop place. 

Definitely a gem in Westwood!
5 - Ardo I.: Love, Love, Love them! Very down to earth, great food with good natural flavor! I have never gotten anything there that I did not like, and I've gone there for years. Very reasonably priced for the food you get and their pasta compares to Osteria Mozza (no joke!).
4 - Rafid A.: their pasta is good and delicious (all of them) 
I tried the Salmon and it is also good 
but the I used to go twice a week when I was in Westwood for the sandwich. I used to eat NY steak and the burger is also good :)
the only bad thing about this restaurant is that it is very small and during the lunch it becomes very crowded :)
oh my roommate tried the tiramisu  cake and it is super Delicious
5 - Dustin M.: My fiance and I just came back from not only a wonderful tasting dinner, but an incredible experience with the owner.  It really felt like we were treated like family.  What a wonderful and friendly man.  The food was fantastic!  Pizza was soooo much better than anything we have had in Los Angeles and the raviolis were delicious.  We will absolutely be back, highly recommend!!
5 - Celia S.: I have just fallen in love with this place. The sweetest lady behind the cashier will take your order. Cash only. I had the chopped salad with turkey... next time I'll try chicken. The dressing was superb, and the salad itself was very fresh

I had a half portion of the rigatoni, and wish I got the full one because it was BOMB! Also tried the lentil soup which was perfect and the minestrone. 

Can't wait to try all of the other dishes here. Westwood's hidden gem. 

Wish they were open for dinner too!!!
3 - Jean T.: My friend and I were in the area and check out this cafe based on the high marks on Yelp. We ordered gnocchi and the special of the day, which was beef raviole.  The gnocchi was well prepared.  The marinara sauce on the raviole was flavorful; however, the filling was only so-so.

The service was attentive.  It's a very casual atmosphere with only 3 small tables inside and a few more outside.  We were there for lunch in midweek; most patrons there were from the university. The price was very reasonable for the portion. Overall, the experience was slightly above average.  I may return and try other menu items.  In addition to pasta dishes, they have pizza and sandwiches.
5 - John C.: My friend introduced me to this place and I love it. The dishes are cheap but very authentic. I hope the recession doesn't claim this amazing italian restaurant!!
3 - yy j.: Overpriced, they serve really good carbonara but the other pastas are just okayyyy.
1 - Calvin H.: I really want to like this place, but the owner/waiter/cashier(?) was extremely rude to us when we were there last week. We came for dinner and sat outside. One person at our table was not hungry so he did not order anything. He went inside and asked if he could have a glass of water, and the guy said no, since he wasn't eating. Fair enough. Then another one of us who was eating asked if he could have a glass of water. "I'm too busy. You can get water from the fridge."

1. The restaurant was hardly packed.
2. I don't think I've ever been in any food establishment in the US that won't give you a glass of tap water.

Eventually he did come by and give us all a glass of tap water. All of us except the guy who didn't order anything, of course.

I ordered gnocchi with bolognese sauce. The bolognese had a really off beefy/irony/bloody taste, but the gnocchi was otherwise fantastic.
4 - Robert B.: I go there almost once a week for lunch. Food quality is consistently good.
I have never had grilled salmon better than Angelino's!
Ravioli's are great too!
3 - Shawn T.: We've now also tried their ravioli and hamburger.  You wouldn't believe it, but their burgers are really good, definitely hand made and not the flat patties that you sometimes get, and probably would expect from and Italian restaurant.  Very tasty, comes with fries for only $5.95.  The ravioli was just okay, also you only get about 9 or 10 of them, not really enough for a meal unless you add bread or a salad.  Last couple times I got takeout, it was the owner who was there.  He's not very friendly at all (thus knocking off 1 star), I prefer to go there when his wife is there.
4 - Elliot K.: Probably the most authentic italian food i've had! this place is amazing! I went here with a couple friends and ordered the gnocchi, rigatoni, and the alfredo. All 3 were delicious! I'd describe every last bit of each dish to u guys but its better to just go and try them yourselves. Im sure no one will leave unsatisfied. 
It's a really small place and arent many tables. Looks like maximum occupation would be like 15-20 people. The owner i think he was, is very nice and pretty funny too. Overall all a very good place to go and enjoy some good italian food if you're ever  near the area.
4 - Russ W.: Simple, easy, honest food. In a quaint spot in the Village (I think it use to be an ice cream shop). Is it the best Italian food? No, but it consistently good quality fare. The service was friendly and casual. Working at UCLA, it makes for a nice lunch spot.
5 - Karla W.: Best Italian food ever. I am probably one of few people in this world that hate pasta so I avoid most Italian restaurants. Being a great friend I decided to take one for the team and give in. The chicken Marcella was perfected with the perfect sauce consisting of Marcella wine, mushrooms and capers. The portions were large enough to have left overs, and all for very reasonable prices. The atmosphere is fitting and reminiscent of my last trip to Italy, except his restaurant was clean. Haha. This is probably hands down one of my favorite cafe the Westwood area! And the order and the counter, grab your drink yourself atmosphere makes it perfect for a quick lunch!
2 - alex d.: carbonara.  pretty decent but really not much in it except spaghetti and the pink sauce.  place needs to be less "cheap" and toss in some more mushroom or whatever..  plus the bacon was super soggy and the fat hadn't been cooked out of it at all.  as far as the spaghetti.. not the best "fresh noodle" that i've had.

veggie noodle soup.  basically a ton of soggy noodles swimming in a bit of very basic soup.

complimentary bread.. worst i've had ever.  as delicious as a cheap slice of white sandwich bread.

service.. not great, not courteous.. just flat.  didn't bother asking for water.
2 - Ala S.: I'd love to give this place 3.5 stars for the food alone, but considering the fact that service and price are inseparable from the eating experience, it's going to be a 2.

I got spinach ravioli in pink sauce--approximately 7 pieces of ravioli that came out to about $10. It was good, but probably about the same quality as what you might get in the Costco package of spinach ravioli that, funnily enough, comes in at about the same price. Except you get, you know, about 50 times more. (I'm exaggerating--maybe 5?)

The great cherry on top, though, was the service. After standing in front of the menu for about a minute trying to get our bearings, we were accosted by a slightly volatile-looking man with a heavy accent that we couldn't pick through at first. This made him really impatient--he had to repeat, "Well, are you ready or what?" about three times before we understood, and then we had to ask to be allowed some time to think about what we wanted. When I asked what one of the dishes entailed, he gruffly barked that I should look at the menu with descriptions; I did and, as it turned out, it didn't answer my question anyway (it had something on it like "pasta with sauce," and I believe I'd asked him what type of pasta and sauce it was). After taking our orders with as much affability as a sleep-deprived toddler, he sort of barked us out of the restaurant as well to take seats outside. All this being said, if I hadn't lost a bit of my appetite from this treatment by the time my food came, I might be able to rate this place higher. Too bad I can't.
1 - Peter C.: My coworkers and I have been here several times, but after the service we received from the white-haired guy who works here (I think he owns the place), we will never return.  He was incredibly rude, and combative.  I've never encountered a more unreasonable, unprofessional and unpleasant person in a restaurant before.  Never again.  I'd rather go to the Olive Garden, than be mistreated the way we were today.
1 - Ashley B.: This was my favorite restaurant in Westwood.  It is family owned, authentic and the food is delightful. Unfortunately, I will never step foot into this place again because of how badly my friends and I were treated yesterday. He asked our friend to get up and leave when she did not order food even though she was sitting among three paying customers. We let him know that we came here all the time and he simply said to us "well...never come again." It was widely outlandish and completely rude. I'm so sad that I can't enjoy the wonderful food, but I've never been more disrespected at a restaurant. 

I highly suggest not eating here.
5 - Kini W.: Love, love, love this place!
I come here about once a month and I can honestly say I have tried everything on the menu.  My favorites are the chicken parmesan and spinach ravioli with pink sauce.  Also, the carbonara is BOMB!
The food is consistently good, and take-out only takes 12 minutes.
A few warnings though.  They only take cash on Saturday.  I found this out the hard way and was scraping through my wallet for enough change to pay for my meal.  The owner was nice enough to take my $20 and change when the meal actually cost $24.
Also, the owner can be a bit gruff.  His English isn't that great, so he is very blunt when he speaks.  I think that can easily be mistaken as rude, but when you get to know him, he is super sweet.  And a talented chef at that!
I honestly don't know how more people don't know about this place!  In my opinion, it is the best restaurant in Westwood.
3 - Karen D.: Great place for some pink sauce ravioli. The establishment is family run and pretty good overall. Haven't gone there as often lately. Maybe because it is pretty small and sometimes hard to find a seat. Also because pasta can be heavy during lunch and there are too many other lighter options that are a bit cheaper. Good place over all.
2 - Tommy H.: The good: They give you a good amount of food for what you pay for, and the service is fairly quick.

On the other hand.  There's very little seating here, and the ambiance here isn't too great.  The food was only okay, I had the carbonara with pink sauce (pink sauce just sounds sketchy to me), but it was alright, nothing amazing.  Considering what I paid for, I expected more than just the pasta with the sauce and some bacon.  I honestly could've made this myself for about half the price and have it be just as good.  Same with the caesar salad we got.

All in all, if you're looking for food, you probably can't go wrong here.  I just found this place very mediocre.
3 - David S.: Tried this place out for the first time... it's a hole in the wall, but the food was pretty decent.
2 - Cathy L.: Came here again, and weirdly enough the place smelled and the food smelled so bad it was inedible...I love stinky cheese but there was something....off.

Angell Street Dental Associates - Providence, RI (41.82949, -71.390526) ()
4 - Nicole B.: I came here because my insurance (Delta Dental) is accepted here. I was pleasantly surprised by my experience despite the fact that I need a lot of future work done.

I came in for a cleaning. I was seen right on time and was greeted first by Dr. El Maasri, not a dental hygenist. She went through my chart with me and did a very thorough exam before leaving me in to get xrays by a hygenist. She came back to go over everything with me before bringing me to get my teeth cleaned.

I was a little surprised that this took about two hours for the consultation, xrays, discussion, and cleaning. However, I'm happy because I was able to ask questions, I feel the exam and cleaning were thorough and nice people were with me all around. Very nice staff here I must say! 

Overal, even though I have a lot to get done, at least I'll be in hands I trust.
2 - its c.: I agree with the previous comments. Dr.Depetrillo recommends cosmetic surgery and Invisalign for anyone and everyone.lolz.. I went there for a general checkup and ended up having an surgery. :( :( :( :( But,overall he and his assistants were so kind and explained the procedures in detail. Well, for the money that they got from our insurance and from our pocket, the least that they could do.
1 - Hilary H.: A word to the wise: STAY AWAY.

There was a brief moment in time that my new dental insurance was not accepted by my preferred doctor, Dr. Page on Elmgrove (fabulous, they are). Because I am extremely mindful of my teeth and dental-care, I wasn't about to skip my 6-month cleaning. I did a little looking around, and Angell Street Dental would accept the insurance I had to offer. I should have waited. 

The waiting area was nice enough - clean, bright, nice magazines... off to a good start. However, the examination room to which I was taken was FILTHY. I cringe at the memory. There were spatters and scuffs on the walls, yellowed photos stuck on a bulletin board, and very little room for the hygenist and myself, let alone the chair and table with all the instruments. 

The cleaning took TWO HOURS. Two! The hygenist was nice enough, but she kept pressuring me to get x-rays even though I told her repeatedly I had had them 6-months prior, let alone the fact that there was no pain indicating a problem that would require them. 

Look, I floss daily, brush more often than necessary, and pride myself on being an A+ student when it comes to dental care. There was absolutely nothing wrong with my teeth or gums, and Angell Street Dental seemed hell-bent on convincing me otherwise... especially Dr. DePerillo. Firstly, I had to wait an entire 30 minutes before she came in to see me... and this was after the 90-minute cleaning. Upon arrival, she was cold and rude and completely unfriendly, which you really don't want when that person's fingers are in your mouth. After looking at my teeth for all of 2 seconds, she told me I needed gum grafting and whitening. That was enough for me. 

After all of that, my teeth weren't even clean. I could feel the plaque on them and even see the spots they had missed. To say the least, I was extremely displeased. I ran to my beloved Dr. Page and Maria the Hygenist as soon as my insurance switched back, and they welcomed me with open arms and even commented on the condition of my teeth. They assured me my gums were fine, and there was no need to undergo the extreme and intensely painful gum-grafting surgery Dr. DePerillo recommended. As for the color of my teeth, they're pearly white, and I see no need for whitening procedures. 

So, I learned my lesson: patience is a virtue, and a good dentist is a true treasure.
3 - Kay R.: I've been coming here for about the past 7 years - after 7 years without a dentist (moving, etc etc).  I came in with an emergency - and they got me in quickly and helped me shorten what was a very painful experience.

I've always found Angell to be prompt, efficient, convenient to get to and schedule, there is parking available, great systems of 'reminders' (email, text, or phone call!), but I don't love them either.  I can't QUITE put my finger on it - maybe it is that the hygienists are too friendly (why is it that everyone insists on conversation at 8am - before my coffee - while I am laying down with things in my mouth?  I can't answer you!), or that I they seem to be selling something.  Are you happy with your teeth?  Is there anything about your smile you don't like?  This is a dentist.  Not a car dealership.

The only major complaint (ie: one I can put my finger on) is that they sometimes suggest procedures before they talk to you about the cost - and depending on coverage - that ain't cheap!  This happened once with me- and once to a friend I had referred here.  She didn't go back, and I felt awful.

Short shorty: quality dentists and hygienists, but a little too sales-y.  You feel like they only have the best interests of your teeth - not the person attached to them - in mind.
1 - David V.: Scary, terrible. This is the worst kind of dental office. The summary: they care more about "smile improvement" than dental health because there is more money to be made in cosmetic improvements, and they will go to great lengths to show you how imperfect your smile is. You may go in for teeth cleaning, but dollars-to-donuts they'll try and sell you some advanced, expensive and unnecessary dental work that may leave your mouth less healthy than before.

I've always had nearly perfect teeth - no cavities, no braces, nothing. Chalk it up to good genetics, diligence about brushing/flossing and avoiding soft drinks. Which made every prior visit to previous dentists short and sweet, but made my visit to Angel Street Dental Associates very strange.

First, they spend a tremendous amount of time showing you how ugly and unaligned your teeth are. No other dentist has ever done more than 4 x-ray images of my teeth - they literally did over a dozen, which was completely unnecessary. Then they used a painful contraption to pry open my jaws and take photos of all my teeth - again, I've never had this done & didn't ask for it. And then just the generally humiliating "smile!" request so they could take photos of me smiling from different directions. All of this before I saw an actual dentist.

The dentist spent the next half hour going through all the x-rays and photos looking for every excuse to find some extra work to do. She seemed disappointed that I really didn't need any corrective work to straighten my teeth. But this is an actual statement: "HHmmmm, you've got a little bit of an overbite.... but it's kinda cute, so I'll let you keep it." REALLY!

So, in conclusion, do not go here. There are plenty of other good dentists who don't act like used car salesmen.
5 - Elizabeth L.: I was in town visiting family for Christmas. On Christmas day I was in so much pain, I could barely open my mouth. Dr. Barron rearranged her schedule and was able to see me first thing the next day. She went above and beyond any doctor that I have ever been too. I highly recommend her and her practice. I will never forget the quality of care that I received. I was able to enjoy the rest of my vacation. Thank you Dr. Barron!

Angelo's On the Side - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2832171, -83.7338916) ()
5 - Steve S.: all the same food as angelo's next door.  in the odl days, you used to be able to get around the long lines at angelo's by going here, but that no longer seems to be the case.  they now seat people in here as well.

i'm not sure it counts as its own place anymore.
5 - Dave M.: This is the best place to get coffee in Ann Arbor.  Unfortunately it is breakfast and lunch only, so it closes at 4PM or so.  You can also order the famous Angelo's deep-fried french toast here.
4 - Margot L.: Try Angelo's on the side on weekdays when the main restaurant is packed and you're thinking bleak thoughts of waiting for 30 minutes for some thick-cut bread (Angelo's specialty).

The full menu is available here, you order at the counter and pick it up - sadly in styrofoam containers even if you order "for here" - but the food is muy delicious and the service is fast.  Highlights:

Anything with hollandaise sauce (of course the butter doesn't hurt)
Pancakes that have some delicate sweet aroma to them (vanilla?)
Fresh Squeezed O.J.
Bread

The main downside of anything Angelo's is that parking is extremely limited, so you might want to designate a driver and a "wait for your tabler" to optimize the experience.
4 - David T.: The food is to die for, but you might be waiting a while and have to deal with short hours of operation.
5 - Ryan B.: Great atmosphere, great food, the best toast in town. 

Angelos on the Side has great windows, and it perfect to watch falling leaves while chowing down on pumpkin pancakes (w/ whipped cream). Just as the menu says, "perfect for a cool fall day."

The real treasure is the toast though. Seriously, my fav. bfast place is the Northside Grill on the other side of town. But Angelos gets a +1 in the bread department.

Yum!
3 - Chris C.: Sorry to be the spoiler, but this place is just average. Pricey, extra large greasy portions served on styrofoam. Small, crowded, noisy. Cold in the winter, hot in the summer. Good for take out, but just go next door if you're not in a hurry and enjoy some real service for the same prices.
1 - ying l.: Was a long term fan of Angelos- until I went in for lunch w- a colleague a week ago on wednesday.  The salad and soups came with generic wheat bread that looks like kroger brand, instead of their usual home-made stuff. The sweet potatoe fries shrank about 75% in size, and my salad (which boasts grilled chicken, a variety of vegetable on top of greens had basically just lettuces and chicken, nothing else. The sauce (vinegar and oil) tasted awful. WHAT HAPPENED??????????
5 - J R.: Had lunch here twice
 & breakfast once.  3 for 3 excellent meals & outstanding service. The waitstaff treats you like a long lost relative that they might inherit from.  Courteous, helpful and joyful.  Quite a delight to be served by people who take pride in their work.  The tomato basil soup is served piping hot, with Westminster oyster crackers.  The soup is creamy and holds your spoon upright for a couple of seconds.  Perfect.  Great French toast and wonderful homemade bread.  It is a can't miss place for brunch.

Angelo's Pizza - Cambridge, MA (42.3730636, -71.1107789) (Harvard Square)
3 - Tristan S.: Tiny little place that continues to exist primarily because it's directly across the street from CRLS, where it is popular for its large (and cheap) single slices and the infamous cheese fries.  They have plenty of other items on the menu worth trying but admittedly, unless you're a hungry 16 year old with no other options, you certainly can do better and more interesting.

If you want to have a filling, fattening, and overally pretty good "dish" to take with you on the go, get the cheese fries.  I'm not sure if they're still $2.25, but basically you get like a pound of french fries, with a bunch of mozzerella cheese and baked until the cheese is melted through but still gooey.  It's pretty good but you can almost feel your arteries clogging and hear your bloodstream come to a screeching halt as your heart labors intensely after your body digests it.  Once in awhile though...
3 - Shane F.: Angelo's slices are cheap. You know why? Because the ingredients are cheap. While hot, it goes down OK. If you let it get cold it's pretty much inedible.

The Cheese Fries are crinkle cuts with pizza cheese melted on top. They're OK.

The Rindge lunch schedule is now posted on the wall. I guess so students can check and see if they're cutting class.
4 - Julia F.: I think that the cheesy fries are something to write home about, even if you are mostly writing about your declining health as it relates to the food you got at Angelo's or not. 

As a former CRLS student, it is really the only place worth going to, unless you have the money to go to Broadway Market, or well... Darwin's wasn't there when I was in school... Anyways. 

The pizza slices are cheap and totally edible. The cheesy fries will probably kill you eventually, but everything in moderation. Just never go around 10-12 on a weekday it's totally mobbed.
5 - Leigh I.: The high school joint to hang out in.  I used to live on Harvard Ave, and when there was a laundro-mat a block away, my room mate and I'd come here and grab some fries.

Their cheese-fries are the best in town.  If you are into Velveta stuff, then this isn't it.  Basically, a pound of fries is scooped into a tin container, fist full of mozarella is thrown on top, baked for few minutes and you have Angelo's cheese fries.

I know, we all should grow up and eat more sophisticated food, but sometimes, nothing beats cheap, fattening, tasty food.  If you want something different, shell out $5 for the lasagna dinner.  Last time I got it (few months back), I swear he threw in couple of pounds of it.  (Then again, I've know the guy for 10 years so he tends to be more generous).

It's worth going there, but do avoid them during lunch time as it's totally packed with students.

L
5 - Orly M.: Totally a hidden jewel!!

I haven't tried these infamous cheese fries, but I go here for cheap delicious subs and sandwiches.  And I do mean CHEAP.

For 2 bucks, you get a good sized chicken cutlet sandwich.  Load it up with fixin's, and you have a meal.  Blows fast food out of the water!  Reminds me of the chicken patties they served us in summer camp, which is a good thing.

4 bucks gets you a veggie bomb sub that's at least one meal and def' better for you than cheese fries.

Pizza is okay and cheap, too, but come here for the subs and leave full, happy, with plenty of change in your wallet.
5 - Fionna L.: Despite kind of terrible business hours (basically only when school is in session) Angelo's remains my favorite place for subs.

Anytime I get a chicken cutlet sub from anywhere else it's value is determined by its likeness to a sub from here.

Lou is the greatest and somehow remembers my friends and me from high school.  Whatta guy.  He signed my year book "buena suerte!"

Pizza isn't great, but cheese fries, burgers, and subs are out of this world.
5 - Meeco O.: One word---CHESSEFRIES. (Yes, if you are a true Cantrabridgian, its one word)

Angelos is the best. 

It's a high school hangout that somehow manages to produce  decent food for teenagers (who don't understand how good they have it until its gone).  And as crazy at it may sound, I graduated from CRLS about 14 years ago and the prices have not changed that much...the food is cheap!  I don't know how they do it.  

Oh..if your are afraid of the kids in the joint...move out of Cambridge...we don't want you here. holla!
5 - Yarilda I.: GO GET YOURSELF SOME CHEESE FRIES!!!!

and a chicken sandwich too!

Thats all I gotta say!

I miss you Angelos! Why can't anyone else make cheese fries like you do???
5 - Tarin S.: Cheese fries
Chicken Sandwiches
Steak Bombs
Regular Slice

I dare to find anyone that has had better.

This place looks like fast take out, but tastes like heaven, just order one of those things when you're there and tell Lou that "Chino" sent you.
4 - Dan S.: Cheap-ass slices of pizza.  They're huge.  Great snack for the budget-conscious.  Everything else is dirt cheap too.

This place looks like a mafia front.  There are exactly zero decorations inside.  An ancient video game machine or two sit just inside the door.  Back in college, in Albany NY, there was a place called Fire Station Pizza that gave the same vibe - the utter lack of attention to the premises just screams tax shelter, or basement dismemberment shop, or drug trafficking stopover... you get the picture, maybe.

Last visit, some guy was sitting on the windowsill staring out the window.  Another dude busted in just after I had placed my order and made a racket.  From what I gathered, he was a regular, since he loudly ordered a chicken sandwich "how you do it, man".

I'd say if you want a chicken sandwich here you should probably get the chicken sandwich how you do it.
5 - Hobin S.: Cheese fries and chicken sandwich. that's all you need to know.
3 - Shawn L.: But don't believe Yelp's lies, they do *NOT* deliver. 

*ring*

Hello?

I'd like to order delivery

No delivery *click*

wait ...

*ring*

Hello?

I'd like to order pick-up

What do you want?

...

Super-cheap ($7.50 for 3 topping 12-inch pizza). And it was pretty decent as well. Good cheese, nice soft crust, fresh bell-pepper.

I wouldn't eat there, but it seems like a good place to pick up from.
5 - Joe B.: Someone already said it, Chicken sandwich and cheese fries, but I'd have almost anything on the menu, as this place is without a doubt the best value in Cambridge.  i will say I am not and have never been a fan of their pizza. Don't hate me lou!  I rarely get subs either, which are decent, and upgraded to GOOD considering the value.  I basically won't eat cheesefries or cheesy fries or fries with cheese on them of any kind anywhere else in the world.  These are in a league of their own and the place is probably still in business cause of them, along with the chicken sandwich.
4 - Eunice B.: Super cheap, large slices of pizza. Nothing fancy but get the job done. I prefer this place to Pinnochio's regular just because the base is so much thinner at Angelo's.

Decor is a total turn off! But fortunately, as there is nothing else next door we still ventured in ...
5 - Elizabeth R.: Hole in the wall gem right across from the Cambridge Public Library and Cambridge Rindge and Latin.  
Amazing amazing pizza, some of the very best in Boston, or really anywhere.  I will trek out of my way to bring friends from out of town here for lunch.
Ridiculously cheap (kind of amazing that they stay in business, but I guess the location demands that they compete with the Rindge students' cafeteria lunch prices and they receive lots of orders).  Huge, steaming fresh thin-ish slices that are a perfect blend of crunchy and a little doughy with juicy cheese (but not so much you feel like you're drowning) and plenty of topping choices--secret of the awesome crust is that the dough is made of honey wheat.
Been going here for many years and it never fails to satisfy.  The staff are friendly and serious about their business; they give it a family-run, neighborhood vibe.  Check it out when you get a chance.
4 - Joe k.: Delicious and Cheap.
 The only two words you need to describe Angelo's.
They don't have many items on the menu but the signature classics has kept that place running for decades.
You have to get either the chicken sandwich,cheese fries or both. The chicken sandwich is legendary here but the cheese fries are the fucking shit! Phenomenal!! Dude.. The cheese fries are cheesy as fuck... Absolutley delicious.. and you can get BACON on it!!! Dude you can get bacon on almost anything here. enough said.
GO TO ANGELO'S
5 - Cris E.: This is a whole in the wall that hasn't been renovated since 1963. Why do I love it??

As a former graduate from CRLS, I'm always pleasantly surprised that Lou never forgets a name or face! He's always upbeat and makes food consistently great!

- Cheap cheap prices
- Delicious grilled chicken and veggie salad
- Well sized  portions
- The best "enormous" slice around! Nice and thin with sweet sauce, dough that you actually wanna eat and just enough grease!

   Haven't  been eating Angelos famous cheese fries since high school, but I gotta grab some soon. So damn good!!!
5 - Amy C.: Lou, Lou, Lou Best Cheese Fries and Chicken Sand which ever!! My fiance took me to Angelo's on one of our first dates, this could be the reason I fell in love with him. You have to get the cheese fries and the chicken sandwich- don't forget the bottled cream soda!!!
4 - Michelle J.: A little bit removed from Harvard Square, Angelo's holds its own among the best restaurants in the neighborhood by appealing to it's demographic, high school kids. From the pizza to the burgers and fries this is the place CRLS students go to chill and get a bite to eat. Conveniently located across the street from the school and the library it's one of those hidden gems of the community that's all locals and zero tourists. 

That being said this place far from fancy. And I think their chairs might have been "borrowed" from the high school across the street. But you can't beat the food. Lou makes a great pizza. I think they might have snuck in some wheat dough. But most pizza bought here comes piled with toppings, like bacon. And don't be fooled by the salad. Lou told me the kids who get the salad all they really want it for is the feta cheese.

Seriously, he's a funny guy to chat with while waiting for your food. Toppings are cheap and plenty. Actually all the food here is inexpensive. And I love a good deal just as much as a good meal.
4 - Kim M.: Food here is decent and it's a large portion for a cheap price. Not much to look at but the service is friendly and they have a lot of regulars coming in and out throughout the day. Bought a soda from the vending machine (yes there are vending machines in the place) and had a HUGE slice of mushroom pizza and cheese fries, which hold true to the other reviews.
4 - DJ N.: The most basic sub shop around and it is simple and great. 

The steak special (small steak with cheese, mushrooms, peppers, & onions) is only $4.50! 

Forget the amazing price for a second...it's very good. The quality of the meat is good, not that cheap nasty fatty meat you wold expect at that price. 

Also, 6 wing dings for $4. They're good and cheap.

Students flock to this place, and it helps that it is across the street from Cambridge Public Library and Cambridge Rindge & Latin School.

It's good that I don't live near this place or I would gain weight every week.

Give this place a try. It's not pretty, but it's good (and cheap!)

PS - bring cash

Angelo's Pizzeria - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4609115, -79.9478826) (Bloomfield)
5 - Sarah S.: This is, by far, my favorite hoagie place in the entire city!!! I love it!!!
I can't give a lot of insight on their pizza, although I know you can buy it by the slice, because I always get a cheesesteak. They are the best in the city!!!
Make sure you ask for "mayo." They don't use regular mayo, it is a garlicky, tasty, mmm...mmm good, finger-licken sauce. I always get extra. Yummy!!!
The steak meat is excellent!!! It looks and tastes like it is hand-carved. Really good quality, no steak-umm's here. The price can't be beat. 
I have their phone number committed to memory. I always call to place my order, then zoom on in 10 minutes later to pick it up. 
The people that work there are great, and you can even see where they make the hoagies...right in front of you.
Definitely worth it. By far the best hoagie shop in town.
Give it a shot, you won't be disappointed.
3 - Nichole M.: There are two types of food that I will go out of my way to try in each and every neighborhood I spend time in. Pizza and Mexican. Last night found me wanting something within walking distance and cheap. I called over to Angelo's and the pizza was ordered. 

The service was fast and friendly and when I went to pick up the pizza the local hockey game was on the radio and the place was deserted. My pizza was just finishing up in the oven when I got there. For a large plain pizza it was 6$ (7.48$ with tax). This special is for carryout only!!

The pizza was huge. The crust was great, crispy on the edges and a medium thickness. The sauce was thicker and a bit tangy. There was a lot, A LOT, of cheese on the pizza. This caused a lot of grease. In all fairness, this was a great pizza for the size and the price. Was it in my top five pizzas of all time? No way. I'd opt for less sauce and cheese next time.

Considering the quality of service and the prices, I'd most certainly try this pizza/sub shop again. I think the next trip will be for subs though, rather than a pie.
3 - Jarrett H.: Angelo's Pizzeria was recently featured as a finalist for best hoagie in town and the only one on the list nearby. They also had a Vegetarian hoagie on the menu, so in the haste of a hunger-driven decision I called and ordered a veggie hoagie($7.75 - hold the mushrooms), mayo, and an order of fries($4).

We arrived at the shop about 10 minutes later and waited another 5 watching jeopardy while our food finished up. The store was clean, the dough was being rolled out by hand, and there were people eating inside. The pizza was square-sliced and looked good, but we didn't have any.

When we got home with the food, we started into the fries. They give you a lot - you get a small pizza box filled with them - an extra buck or so nets you cheese melted all over it. The fries were very tasty, and had a remnant taste of chicken wing to them. They were also very salty, which I prefer.

The hoagie was a different beast entirely. A few dots of grease on the outside of the paper could not prepare me for the damp towel of sandwich paper I would see when I opened it up.  The hoagie consisted mainly of grilled peppers and onions as advertised, but having asked for extra mayo(As Sarah S suggested) may have been a bit much in this case. They really gave me what I asked for, this thing may as well have been a mayo sandwich with lettuce and onions.

The taste was awesome and even with all of the grease the bread stayed crispy, but not crunchy as many roof-of-your-mouth-scraping sandwiches around town are.My real qualm is about the texture though, and I'm sure it applies most to the veggie hoagie, with no cheese or meat to provide resistance, it all just sinks and squishes around. They need something firm, something that provides some resistance - take Big Jim's, where roasted broccoli and carrots give a nice firm crunch to make you feel like you're eating solid food.

So while I give the taste an easy four stars, I have to deduct a point for the texture of the sandwich, hoping that maybe they will try to add a firmer vegetable to it to make eating it not feel quite as much like sausage gravy on a roll. However I'm sure if you go for a meat-laden variety it will be totally worth your time.
5 - Natahley B.: I'm having an affair. A pizza affair. I have forsaken my darling Adrian's for Angelo's... And it's all because of a white pizza. 

Okay, for realz now: Angelo's white pizza is ridiculously delicious. It comes with tomatoes. I added pepperoni, 'cause I was feeling kinda wild. When the pizza arrived and I opened the lid, I had to gasp. The cheese! Ohh, the glorious cheese!

There were regal mountains of ricotta... Majestic valleys of melted mozzarella... Fragrant Italian herbs infiltrated my nostrils... Why am I using the word "nostrils" in a restaurant review? Gross. 

Anyway, it took all my willpower not to have a pizza eating contest with myself right then and there. You just have to try this pizza. The crust, the tomato, and the pepperoni are all awesome, too, but trust me -- if you like cheese (and who doesn't), you'll love this.

On top of that, their fries are fresh and served in lah-arge portions, and their steak, cheese, and mushroom sandwich is phenomenal. I get it sans the tomato and lettuce -- but keep the onions and mayo. The bread is all nice and toasty, and I swear there's some secret ingredient in there that is a magical a flavor booster, 'cause it's just SO delish!
5 - Andy G.: Support this local business.  Good food, nice lady on the phone, and quick delivery. YUM! Never been to the actual restaurant, but i'm sure it's awesome.
5 - Rachel B.: I love Angelo's! Every since I've moved to Bloomfield, this is my main pizza joint.  I have carried out, and had delivery.  The staff there is always friendly, and the pizza is delicious.  Delivery drivers are super  nice and quick!
As for the pizza I can't stop raving.  I love the sauce and especially the amount of cheese they put on it! YUM!  Toppings are good, and always plentiful.  

I will keep going back to Angelo's again and again and again....
4 - Faith A.: I cannot say much for the pizza having never had it (YET that is) but I have to say I love their sandwiches/hoagies.  The Italian one never disappoints!  

The nice thing here is they actually listen to what you do and do not want on things (seems like a lot of places do not do this anymore).  

I am definitely keep Angelo's on my speed dial as there are a lot of other items I cannot wait to try now that the sandwiches have been satisfying on multiple occasions!
4 - Daeja B.: The second time in my life that I ate steak I ate it at Angelo's. This was not a mistake. 

Approaching the place from the front stacks of pizza boxes on the right hand side glare through the window if there is any sort of light outside. I guess no one wants to steal those. Walking in I nearly miss the black and white portrait of the Corleone family on the wall. Nice touch. We're in Sicily now. 

The cashier let me stand far away as i decided. Somehow I like the space and waded there for moments longer than I needed. But, in fairness, after being a vegetarian all through college and only having steak once in my life, last month, I was making a difficult decision. 

I ordered two half hoagies. One steak and one Italian. My friend Dave was supposed to be on this excursion with me, but he had to help his dad so I decided to get him a sandwich. Like I do with books (which Dave and I both love more than people) I don't decide which sandwich to eat or whether I will give Dave one or not. I do not get cheese on one of them because I am rather lactose intolerant. I do not get cheese on the steak hoagie, in order to trick my subconscious into thinking that I had a choice but simultaneously letting it know that I will be eating the steak. It all worked out.

I bit into this sandwich while reading about food. I'm not sure if the moment could have been better, reviewing some Amiri Baraka essay on African American food culture and biting into my warm, soft hoagie. So well blended together, each ingredient holding each other like lost lovers, I began to fear that somehow I had not been heard and there was cheese on the hoagie. I opened it up.

Nothing lay between those Italian bread slices but steak, Italian dressing, onions that looked seasoned, peppered, lettuce, and tomato. I think, "Is that crack or cracked pepper?" I'm not a believer in such great things unearned. 

I look at the spotless red floor and then up to the open kitchen with the chef wearing a Steelers t-shirt with a "7" on it for Big Ben. He got sauce on it and almost looked as if he would faint. I wonder about that.

The cashier and the sandwich girl are the only ones who wear uniforms: a company t-shirt. I wish that I could wear short black shorts to work with a half apron that made it seem as if I had no bottoms at all. 

The chef slings a pizza out of the oven into an Italy colored box. I grip mushrooms, tomato, and warm lettuce from my paper wrapping, to finish. I've never found a better way to be a part of this city than to find a sandwich shop unique to the neighborhood. Perfect. My stomach still agrees with itself: no more steak.

Angelo's Restaurant - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2830568, -83.7355434) ()
5 - Steve S.: there is a reason there is a line out the door of this place every weekend.  they can get away with being cash only because they have hands down the best breakfast in ann arbor. 

they make their own bread, so anything involving it is first rate.  the deep fried french toast is amazing, but a bit on the heavy side for one person.  

their breakfast potatoes are also pretty tasty.
4 - Eva S.: i thought i loved fried food
but even i
could only eat one slice
of the deep fried french toast
i suggest an omelette
and get the french toast as a starter if you've got a party of four or more
yum!

good coffee too!!
5 - Dave M.: Deep fried french toast!  OMFG how could you make french toast any better?  Deep fry it!
5 - Amanda K.: This is an Ann Arbor Tradition, best breakfast. I used to go hear before my class that was at the hospital... So good, everything is good, highly recommend the homemade bread, it's great. Also, the french toast and omelettes and really everything. An ann arbor institution.
5 - Cyn C.: Coffee and toast. That's all you need at this place. But if you're REALLY hungry, you can't go wrong with some of their specialty french toast, or their home fries.
4 - Susan L.: After the gym, go straight to Angelo's for their deep fried french toast. Just don't go during normal brunch hours - you'll be waiting forever.
3 - Margot L.: Three for the wait.  I believe this speaks for the sorry dearth of great breakfast places in Ann Arbor.  Angelo's measures up with the rest, but the quality is a little higher, which is why it's so damn popular.
3 - Chetan P.: The wait and the terrible hours are some of the most negative things about this place.  To reduce the wait, go by yourself or with another person and honker down at the cafe's bar stools.  You will skip the wait for the tables.  

The staff is very friendly even when it is unbearably crowded.  The key is to go before or after the lunch rush.  If you go before, you can actually have their specials before they run out.  The price is absurd and their bread is OK.  Actually the bread is pretty good, but when you find out the cost, you lose that good feeling- very quickly.  

To avoid this absurd cost, I recommend getting the soup of the day.  The soups are very filling, flavorful, and HEARTY.  If you get the bowl size serving, you should be full enough with the bread.  Don't waste your time with the cup portion because it is slightly larger than a thimble.  I've had and recommend the Chicken noodle (Mondays), and the Clam Chowder (Fridays).  They don't serve soup on the weekend and they close every day by 3 pm.  On the food side, I've had their Reuben.  I hate Reubens in general, but this one won me over.  I even tried the turkey version which tasted like a foot so I switched back.

I almost forgot, they have a To Go section called "Angelo's on the side".  Trust me, if there is any grease or bread in your order, just eat it there.  It tastes weird when you eat it at home.
3 - Michael L.: Pretty great place for breakfast, but a lot of hype. long lines, slow service sometimes. great griddle items. french toast is actually out of control.  quaint, quiet out of the way location.
2 - Bonnie P.: The wait, and the absolutely maddening lack of places to park, frankly wasn't worth it to me. Deep-fried french toast wasn't even that good; I prefer the regular french toast, and when it comes right down to it, there are plenty of places with better french toast. Hit it once for posterity, but block off at least an hour to stand outside.
3 - Coco C.: Go here during football home games to miss the crowds. Also, if you're not with very many people, get seats at the counter - you don't have to wait in line, faster service and you can eavesdrop on the waitstaff.

The food is good, but not great. I've had much better eggs benedict at other places, and the legendary bread is just good.  The bacon is pretty terrific, though and the staff is always nice and competent.

One secret - you can get half-orders of the french toast, which is a good idea, as a single order has approximately 10,000 pieces.
4 - Nupur L.: Angelo's always makes me a little sad. Like anything in this town that is of some quality, people hype it to such an extent that you arrive at a place expecting to have your socks knocked off-and find yourself being knocked down to earth. 

Ann Arbor definitely exemplifies the idea that no expectations are the best expectations and I wish I had none when I first visited Angelo's. I probably would've been much happier with it. My first visit left me feeling down as I expected to have the best breakfast of my life and found that it didn't compare at all favorably to the other purveyors of supposedly great breakfasts that I had tried in many other towns (from small southern towns to San Francisco to Philly). 

I went back about 6 months later (too late for the pumpkin pancakes, sadly!) and had the eggs benedict, which was quite good. Their french toast was neither cakey nor moist-just fried heavily without much crisp to it. I don't recommend it. The fresh berries are a nice touch in Michigan, though. The service is really nice, however, and they do make a good cappuccino. 

I really feel like I'm raining on the parade with this review. I just posted it because I feel as if it's more instructional as to how to deal with Ann Arbor's dining in general.

Edit: For the past two weekends, I have visited Angelo's on the imperative of friends. I tried the pumpkin pancakes today. They melted in my mouth and left me with a big, ridiculous grin on my face. I also tried the crab cakes eggs benedict and had a bite of the Deep Fried French Toast last weekend. The eggs benedict was so damn good that I didn't mind the impending extra half hour on the treadmill. The French Toast was quite tasty this time. I've bumped it up a star for potential. Still four stars for the wait and apparent lack of consistency. 

I still stand by my previous statements on Ann Arbor dining.
3 - Mae S.: My friend thinks the French Toast is overrated. So he bought a loaf of Angelo's raisin bread and made brunch for a group of friends. His light, baked raisin-bread French Toast was great. It's been years since I was actually at Angelo's -- and I thought it was ok. All I can say now is that their raisin bread makes good French Toast at home! 

Maybe sometime I'll overcome all the negatives and get over to Angelo's in person.
4 - Theresa F.: Angelo's is a memorable place to have brunch--it's become a staple in the hearts of many AA locals and students alike, and for good reason.  Their homemade raisin bread is as good as its rumored to be (take your extras home! It's great warmed-up again). Be prepared to wait, but it's worth it.
2 - Jackie P.: The food is okay. Like a lot of places in Ann Arbor, you should go once to try it, or otherwise people will make fun of you for the rest of your life for not going (You've got at least 4 years right?) The wait is ridiculous and service is not that great.
1 - Senor D.: This place reminds me of the club you see people waiting outside of at 2 am.  You wait and wait, anticipating greatness.

Once inside, everyones in a trance, hyped up on some drug that leaves you sick the next day.  But it's too late, you are knee deep in it and have to eat your way out.

The next week when you drive by the club, all you can do is shudder.  Hopefully in a few months time, you can laugh at the experience.
2 - Vi V.: i'm being mean by giving this local favorite a 2 just because I feel like defying the majority - most U of M students will tell you how much they  love Angelo's.
I am very fond of most places in Ann Arbor but i just don't get what the hype is all about with this one! it is just your typical diner - with the typical omelet and toasts. For no apparent reason, people are willing to wait in line for half an hour to get a table here. I gotta admit I was one of those people the first time i came there. but never again (not willingly at least - sometimes I'm forced to by my Angelo's-loving friends).
1 - Professional Eater S.: The food is just bad. The soups are all warmed up straight from the Sysco can, their "famous" bread is thick, doughy, and like eating stone, their Hollandaise sauce is gross and tastes like it has been sitting in a vat all week, the list goes on and on... I just don't know why people continue to open their wallets to go to this overpriced place. Even the service leaves a bad taste in your mouth - there is one really nice waitress, and everyone else is just crabby because they're cramped and pushing customers around in this tiny space all day.

The sandwiches are crummy and overpriced, they pinch pennies in ways that make you feel bad about your food (when they say "avocado" it means a small dollop of guacamole), the omelettes are huge greasy overly salted messes, their fruit is under-ripe and crunchy...the only thing I like is their waffles.

In every way it's obvious that they just run a business, that they don't take any pride in their food. I just can't say enough about the food - yet I keep eating there because it's so close to the medical school and they're basically the only game in town when I'm in a rush. Which is why I'm baffled by the enormous lines that form on the weekends. People, it's not worth the wait! There are plenty of other brunch spots that taste far better and are priced more reasonably.
5 - Michael C.: The wait? Ha!

First and foremost: If you plan on going to Angelo's, you might not want to go there after, say, half-past noon. Way too crowded... and if you consider that yeah, a lot of other people have Saturday and Sunday off too, then you might want to try being an early bird so you don't have to wait in line to dine because everyone else got up at the same time as you and had the exact same idea.

Angelo's is the breakfast I dream of in Detroit. After eating a National Coney Island's "Big Breakfast" for ten years, you come to appreciate a meal like Angelo's.

Their homemade French toast is an absolute must. Some people claim it's soggy. Soggy, heavenly... what's the difference? Actually, I found it wasn't soggy until I poured hot syrup all over it... and there's no question about the nature of THAT. 

I also liked that breakfast came in a big pile. Lots of meat, really great hash browns, and the famous thick-cut toast, all cooked perfectly. Were I staying in Ann Arbor again, I'd be here every morning...again. 

I dig the history (any restaurant that had a classic tune written about it is automatically awesome) and the way the place looks (looks like it  probably looked 50 years ago) all add to a fine breakfast experience. 

And given that this place beats out Maine Street in Hamtramck in my book (taste-wise for sure, and not bad considering prices either)... then it has to have something special going on!
4 - Lisa W.: MMM.  Cinnamon toast!

I usually go here when there is no wait.  It's not like at Northside Grill where they have coffee sitting outside, waiting with you while you anticipate getting your grub on.  There's not much of a waiting area and you pretty much stand around awkwardly without a bench.

I am usually pleased with my meal because it is very hearty and in good portions.  The omlettes are large and tasty, and they used red skin potatoes.  The cinammon toast is very good and sliced thickly.  They serve a very solid breakfast here.  They are a diner so they have lunch foods as well.  Yay to meatloaf!

The steak and eggs, however, aren't that great.  There are better breakfast options on the menu.
4 - Parisa K.: Angelo's is my favorite breakfast place in Ann Arbor.  Unfortunately, there aren't many options, which means you better like Angelo's and you better be willing to wait.  That's just the way it is.  Now it helps if you don't walk into this place thinking it will be the best ever.  Yes, it's good, but the hype is insane.  It's like Zingerman's (which I don't like because it never lived up to my unreal expectations).  I'm not saying you shouldn't go to Angelo's or be excited to go, just don't hold it to impossible standards.

But I really do enjoy breakfast and brunch fare served there.  I've never ordered anything off the lunch menu.  I'm pleased with their breakfast.  Most of the negative comments are not about the breakfast items, but I don't agree with those that are.  When you consider that breakfast and brunch are what they do best, I don't see any reason veer away.  

Their bread is homemade and their juice is fresh squeezed.  It really says a lot about a place.  They key is to figure when exactly they aren't busy and go then.  The service will be better, the wait will be pretty much eliminated, and the food will be fresh.  I will say my more pleasant dining experiences at Angelo's occurred when I waited only 5 minutes or less.  Since it closes in the afternoon, figuring out that time won't be easy, but it's well worth it.  

Just remember, even with all it negative reviews, Angelo's does in fact serve good breakfast and brunch, and what more can you really ask for?
4 - Dee W.: With a decently sized group of 7 of us, we waited roughly 15 minutes for a table and got a nice comfortable booth.  We all opted for breakfast and were definitely pleased.

The deep fried french toast with raisin bread looked tempting with fresh berries smothered on top with whipped cream.  Really decadent and large portions.  I also split the Western Omelette with my sister which was pretty good, too.  Instead of regular wheat or white toast, you can also request raisin bread - check out the pictures for our food.

Apparently, the eggs benedict and crabcake eggs benedict were really good, too - my other sister's only complaint was that her knife was too dull to really cut through it.  The meals are hearty and portions are large (probably enough for two meals which is great for a college town).  Service is friendly enough and a nice diner option for a college town.  However, since we came during the summertime, there were a lot of families there.  I think that we counted at least 5-6 kids under the age of 2 there.
3 - Devon A.: This restaurant gets a lot of hype.  The breakfast is OK and the line can be long on the weekends, so come prepared to wait.   Yes, their homemade cinnamon bread is great.   However, there are many better options in town for breakfast (Cafe Zola, Seva, etc).   You want to eat here simply because it is an Ann Arbor institution.
3 - Chris S.: Yes, the French toast is good, but it's not memorable. I ate here once and just thought "eh, whateves." I wouldn't wait in line to get in.
4 - James M.: I REALLY enjoy breakfast, but what I do not enjoy is standing in the annoying line. 

Let me break it down:
- The food is great. It's really, really good. 
- The service is really friendly and cheery, and I often vaguely know a few people who are wait staff, so it's fun to both eat and run into people I know from the area. 
- There is usually a line, which blows. The people in line really annoy me, but I'm cynical. The line reminds me heavily of the website stuffwhitepeoplelike.com
- There is minimal parking... don't bother driving if you don't have to. 

Just wait until the breakfast crowd is gone, but don't wait too late (they aren't open all day).
3 - Loren R.: I'd give Angelo's a 4 for the down-home experience and attentive service, and a 3 for the food.  And a 4 for price.  All ya'll saying it's expensive need to get a better job.  I paid $14 for fruit bowl, 1 egg w/bacon and potatoes, raisin bread, and cappuccino.  And so I left a $7 tip because I thought wtf.

The raisin bread was pretty good (SF will bias you on local bread for sheezy) and I LOVED putting more butter and using the cinamon-sugar shaker that was on the counter. I felt like I was 8 years old again and grandma made me toast (which is an awesome memory, clearly).  

They were sweet, busy, and I loved sitting at the counter listening to the barely college-mature dudes next to me, as well as the staff talking to the kitchen etc.  And the under-age boys working as runners and cashiers.  

My potatoes were undercooked a little (one half-raw, the rest I wished were crispy).  My bacon was ok, pretty crispy but not stellar so only ate half.  Egg was an egg.  Fruit was pretty good (no gross pieces but melon mostly wasn't ripe/tasty) given I expected it to be pretty bad mid-west fruit, and a hefty helping. 

I'd go back, and certainly also try the other places people talk about.
4 - W. E.: I've been to this home-style family run breakfast spot countless times and I always order one of two things: the florentine eggs benedict or the regular eggs benedict, and occasionally I opt for getting my benedicts on their infamous rasin bread. The hollandaise sauce is hard to beat - very rich, creamy, and lots of it - just how I like it. The eggs are never over done and served over bread that so beautifully absorbs the yolk and sauce. 

I would steer clear from the double fried french toast...its too much and over-cooked and you loose so much of the quality in the bread. But overall the service is super friendly and always an enjoyable dining experience.
4 - Richard F.: I always go for breakfast, especially at lunch. Does that make sense? The breakfast dishes are just great and they make their own breads. I have had the chili at lunch and I wasn't impressed and now I am back to breakfasts at Angelos at lunch time. They have their won parking lot in a place where it is very difficult to park. That's a plus and don't forget the place next door called Angelos next door. It's not as authentic an experience, but still very good too.
4 - Melissa R.: Best breakfast in Ann Arbor hands down. It does get noisy though. Get yourself a reservation on the weekends if you have more then 3 people. Very much worth a wait though. Angelos makes me drool. Deep fried french toast!!
3 - Heather C.: I like Angelo's, I really do. Unfortunately, because the wait times for a table are horrendous, I only go a few times a year - with people convinced this is the best place EVER, which is a lot of people in Ann Arbor...

Pros - corned beef hash, pumpkin pancakes in the fall, and the toast if you're into really dense bread like my friend

Cons - prices, sausage (patties), the reuben, its REALLY loud in here, and the bread if you don't like getting full from one slice

Angelo's has never wowed me (except for maybe the corned beef hash), and it has the potential to make a decent dent in your wallet. I've been disappointed in the past so now when I do come, I stick to what I know. A-OK indeed...
3 - N P.: Angelo's is only open for breakfast and lunch, and you can get breakfast all day. I went 2 Fridays ago and again last Friday. The first thing that caught my eye was an item on the breakfast specials menu, the crab cake benedict. I love crab cakes, and I love eggs benedict. Naturally, this should be double love. We kind of had our orders set... then saw a server bring over a plate to a table next to us that made our jaws drop. A huge mountain of some sort of breakfasty goodness under a mound of fruit and whipped cream. After asking our server, we learned that it was deep fried French toast with strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream, and he recommended going with our other options over the deep fried French toast. And then we saw that Friday's special is fish and chips.  After much internal conflict, I went with my initial crab cake benedict and my friend had pancakes and a bowl of fruit. I didn't get a taste of the pancakes, but my crab cake benedict was awesome. Two big crab cakes served on two pieces of toast topped with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. I was really happy with it, and I don't think it was just because I was hungry. Either the toast or the crab cake was drier than ideal, but the overall effect was more than satisfactory. I would definitely order it again. As for my friend's order, my position is that pancakes are always good, and the fruit bowl gives you pretty much every fruit you could ask for at brunch - strawberries, blueberries, bananas, honeydew, and pineapple.

Last week, this was our spread: eggs benedict, clam chowder, fish and chips (served with tartar sauce and a side of coleslaw), and deep fried French toast. Eggs benedict are a little hard to share across the table reaching over a napkin holder, so I didn't have a taste of that. The eggs benedict comes with canadian bacon and green pepper (surprise!) on their homemade toast topped with hollandaise. I haven't met an egg I didn't like, and I enjoyed the hollandaise on my benny last week. Combine that with the salty kick of canadian bacon and the crunch of green pepper, and it can't fail. The clam chowder and fish and chips were more accessible to me, so I did get a taste of those. The clam chowder was really quite good - it was creamy, had just the right amount of garlic, and was zesty, which I enjoyed as soup can sometimes be boring. The only fault is there was no actual clam in the chowder. Clam flavor, but no clam. Deceiving? Maybe they should advertise it as clam flavored chowder? Or maybe they should just throw some clam in it and call it a day. I can forgive them for skimping on the clam because it was good, and I would still order it for myself next time. The fish and chips had me salivating before the order even came to the table. That's because the man right behind me ordered it as well and the smell wafted over and invited itself right up my nose and into the pleasure center of my brain. This might be a strange comment, but I really liked the tartar sauce. It wasn't too mayonnaise-y (which is gross) and not too pickly (the crunch was actually more reminiscent of straight up cucumber than pickle, so I was confused... was it even pickle?), it was just right. As for the actual fish, it wasn't bad, but I don't feel it was anything to write home about. It was good, not fabulous. Now... the deep fried raisin toast with strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream. It didn't blow my pants off. First of all, I'm pretty sure I remember seeing the fruit and whipped cream piled on top of the toast last week, not set on the side in tiny cups (tiny cups = poor fruit/w.c. to toast ratio). So I was a little disheartened right off the bat. I arranged my fruit across the toast (which came with a very sad shower of powdered sugar. I'm sure I could have asked for more but I don't want to be that annoying customer) and then laid across the whipped cream. The fruit was just fruit. I expected it to be syrupy from being drenched in sugar, like at IHOP. 'Twas not the case. I took my first bite and decided I needed maple syrup. I poured some maple syrup over it, took another taste, decided I needed more maple syrup. The toast was dense, the fruit was not sweet, and I was basically disappointed. I couldn't finish it all - firstly because it was too heavy, and secondly because it didn't live up to my expectations, leaving me full but not satisfied.

I apologize for ending on a sour note with that deep fried French toast, and I hate to say anything bad about Angelo's. So let's me end by saying that Angelo's is an Ann Arbor legacy that you must try - just pass on the deep fried French toast :) I'll go back again to bring you more positive reviews like the crab cake benny and clam chowder, and there are sure to be more great items on the menu. Yummers!! 

http://tastytastybites.blogspot.com
4 - mariah c.: Yeah, yeah, it's crowded. We know... but here's the secret -- go early if you're headed there on a weekend morning. 

I know you're likely hungover (or wait, is that just me?), but by the time you wake up enough to drag yourself here and realize you're actually up, the food will provide a good antidote to what ails ya!

I don't come here all that often -- it's more of a special brunch/breakfast place.  When I do come here, however -- it's all about the thick, delicious french toast. 

I'll usually end up at the Northside (and wait there a bit, too) rather than here -- they're so close and Nothside is a fave.  But Angelo's isn't bad. It's just better to get there early enough to avoid a ridiculous wait!

One thing -- I sometimes wish they were open late into the night.  I think they could make a go of it with the odd hours of nearby hospital workers and lack of coffee shops in the immediate area.
1 - Riki L.: I've been to Angelo's at least five times, always on crowded weekends. Maybe I just haven't experienced it at the right time or enough times, but I never feel satisfied there. Their "famous bread" is big on size and small on flavor. The best menu item I've had was probably.... chocolate chip pancakes. Which, as we all know, are pretty hard to mess up. 

Worst food I've had here were the Eggs Florentine. The spinach was clearly still cold and frozen on my hard-as-a-rock English muffin and I don't know if that was supposed to be Hollandaise sauce or, oh God... just please, no!
4 - Liz W.: Crowded before 8 am on a Saturday. The parking is limited, take quarters for meters just in case. It's a very old school place with tons of students and alumni chattering about the upcoming Penn State game. Lots of people seem to be regulars and know each other. 

The food rocks though. 

We both got the special. Eggs are delicious, my husband added cheese to his but I got a side of Hollandaise and mmmm. We were both overwhelmed by the meats and ended up taking a bunch home. The ham was stellar, the bacon very nice, the sausage was thick but a bit too porky for me. Hashbrowns were just ok. The raisin toast OMG, happiness. James slathered his with jelly and I got some cream cheese (they gave me three containers wow). 

The waitress was a chatty hoot, service was efficient and everyone was very friendly.

We will be back but earlier in the morning or sometime on a weekday. Definitely swing by for your birthday, get a free one with a purchase of a second.
4 - Byoung Kyu S.: Angelo's food rocks!  Used to frequent here often when I used to live in A2.  Made a return visit around 1 PM on a Friday and was able to get seated right away.  

This place is ALWAYS packed so service can be a bit slow sometimes but the food rocks.  I had the Crab Eggs Benedict.  The crab cake underneath the eggs were mostly crab meat.  The Hollandaise sauce wasn't sour like other places.  Of course the raisin toast bread is awesome.  

I've tried other breakfast fares here and they were all tasty.  It's an A2 staple!
5 - Esther H.: The first place I got to eat while I was in Michigan. I wish the university I go to has a good morning go to place for breakfast or even coffee.

This place isn't so much diner like food but it caters to those who want a hearty breakfast. What I liked about Angelo's was that their menu selection was varied. All their food choices seemed new and different. I wanted to try them all. I ended up trying the Crab Cake Benedict. It is crab cakes served with home made bread with an egg and hollandaise sauce. This was so good. The sauce was rich and deliious and it was great to eat with the crunchy thick slice of the bread. One crab cake benedict was filling already, but you get two for about $10 which I think is a great deal. Usually crab cakes alone are expensive and not to mention small in portion size. Angelo's didn't skimp out at all. I also tried the lox benedict too. Smoked salmon is yummy with hollandaise.

The service was great and kind. They still found time to check up on our table even when their restaurant was pretty crowded. What a great place that's not far from theb University of Michigan!
5 - Diana K.: One of the best brunch places I've been to on campus - the eggs benedict that they serve on their home-made toast bread is simply scrumptious, as is the raisin french toast. Portions are huge, so that's always a plus... and their orange juice is freshly squeezed (and tastes like it too)!
3 - Johanna L.: As a student this place definitely got 5-stars. As an alumni, I'm happy to give Angelos 3-stars.

Here is the deal. As I remember it, the cafeteria food at the University of Michigan was REALLY bad and even after I struck out on my own my culinary skills, poor kitchen set-ups, and penchant for studying a lot limited the variety of food my diet. I guess what I'm saying is my standards were pretty low. 

I LOVED Angelos, and I still do love it but more for the nostalgia than the food. The bread was and still is the best part of this place. The line, which is probably the worst part of the experience, even brings back hilarious memories. 

However, the food outside of the bread just doesn't stand out to me anymore. I went back to Angelos this past summer (5 years post graduation) and felt like the eggs were eggs, the bacon was bacon, etc. I could have done as well in my own kitchen and certainly have with my new and improved culinary skills, kitchen, and access to a grocery store... all of the things being an 'old' 28 year old affords a person.

So, while I'll always love this place for the memories and talk it up to any prospective student, I probably won't rave about it to my now 'old' friends who have kitchens, frying pans and eggs in their refrigerator. :)
3 - Anne I.: This is a fairly typical brunch venue.  I wasn't particularly impressed with the food--it's decent and hearty, but nothing was especially remarkable. A lot of people mention that the bread is homemade and delicious, but to tell the truth, I found it a little too dense and quite bland. I've been to Angelo's a few times, and each time I've ordered some variant of omelette. The serving portions are fairly large and I usually end up taking home a third of my meal.  The place was crowded both times I visited (on weekday mornings).  The meals are a little expensive, but it's what you'd expect of the cost of an average brunch.

Addition: I was referring to the plain bread in my original post, but I have also had the raisin bread, which I actually really like.
4 - Sarah M.: I've always like Angelo's, and when the wait time doesn't work for me, have never had a problem going to Angelo's on the Side and getting it to go. Because sitting in the restaurant isn't that big of a deal...it's the food. Plus, every time I've been in Angelo's it's been decently loud which isn't always the best.

I'm a huge fan of their raisin toast, french toast, belgian waffle, and their hot chocolate. Their servings are pretty big and I don't think I've ever finished my plate. I took my parents here once when they were in town, my dad really liked his omelette and my mom's eggs were done just right and her bacon not crispy (but maybe only because she asked for it...I don't understand why everyone likes their bacon so freaking crispy).

I've only ever been here for breakfast, so I'm not sure how the lunch menu is. But every time that I've been, it's been an enjoyable experience food-wise, and is a restaurant I would recommend for someone who might not have a car on campus (the N-bound bus has a stop right up the street).
3 - Wally S.: Angelo's is a tough one. You come here with high expectations based on the years of glowing reviews from Ann Arbor-ites on how great this place it. You usually wait in long lines to get a seat. 

Well, I took a day off and my wife and I decided to give it a try. We found a spot in the 8 car lot (Yeah, free Ann Arbor parking) and found that there was no problem whatsoever with getting a seat, possibly because it's Monday. 

Angelo's has a nice diner look of days gone by, hand written special boards, tiled walls. Very nice.

I ordered the corned beef hash, she the deep fried french toast with a side of bacon, and two coffee's. Service was good. Our cups were kept full of nice tasting coffee which was not too strong nor bitter. 

I enjoyed my Corned Beef Hash. It had a large amount of corned beef mixed in with the potatoes; perhaps a 50/50 mixture. With a bit of salt and pepper to taste this was very nice; not exceptional, but nice. The raisin toast was phenomenal though. The breads are made on-site and have a nice heavy texture that goes well with the jelly. The eggs that came with the hash were pretty blah. Not being much of a salt user, when somethings blah... it's really blah. Salt and pepper and the eggs picked right up. 

My wife had the Deep Fried French Toast. This was made with the raisin bread and surprisingly, it was pretty boring. It was cover with blueberries, FROZEN strawberries and lots of whipped cream. None of these things were able to really make this dish stand out. The side of bacon was A-OK, a bit too crisp for my taste, but that's the way my wife likes her breakfast meat. 

We each kept about 1/3 of the order to share with each other, just so we could really check out something different. I think we both came away with the feeling that the food was good, but not really worth the drive downtown, nor the premium price tag.
4 - Jessica L.: this was my first time in ann arbor and first time having breakfast and gota say it's not bad at all!

they got it all:
fresh orange juice
friendly service
delicious homemade raisin bread
fluffy raspberry and chocolate pancakes

my main breakfast entree, the lox benedict was just ok, but had some of their Mexican Omelet and that is really good!

Overall a hearty breakfast and experience :)
5 - Rena G.: Best breakfast place in town!  The food is always excellent.  The waitstaff are always friendly, even at the end of the day.  I recommend "The Omelet"-you get to choose 4 items to fill the omelet and homemade toast.  We go after Sunday morning runs.
4 - Matt M.: In retrospect, when I lived a 5 minute walk from here I didn't take advantage of Angelo's enough.  Everything on the menu is above average, from the fluffy, light buttermilk pancakes to the fresh raisin bread (lightly buttered with cinnamon sugar) to the delightfully beefy corned beef hash.  

Though there are waits on weekends, it's very easy to find parking since the Blue lot across the street is free Saturdays and Sundays.  And if you don't mind a short walk, there's lots of metered parking at Ingalls and Kingsley (Catherine east to Ingalls, turn north and the lot will be right in front of you).  And during the summer, it's even pretty easy to find street parking in that area.  

Fifth star is withheld because the only things very special about Angelo's is their fresh-baked sourdough and raisin bread.  In general, they just do breakfast well.  Avoid it on football Saturdays and graduation weekend, and you should be happy with your breakfast experience.
4 - Jay A.: Deep fried french toast!  'Nuff said!  Angelo's is a great place for Sunday brunch.  Their breakfast selection is expansive and delicious.  The seating is split between two buildings.  I prefer the main building if for no other reason they have fountain drinks (cans at the side building - blah).  

If you are an omelet lover, Angelo's has you covered.  My personal favorite is the feta/avacado/ham/tomato one, which now that I'm writing this I think is my own creation, but one that I would recommend.  

Angelo's also has a lunch menu which seems like the usual diner food, but I haven't tried it first hand.  Sounds like I have something new on the To Do list!
2 - Chiwei L.: I think for many mid-western students, this is their first experience to "fancy breakfast."  I think it's this nostalgia, combined with a heavy dose of Ann Arbor style that gives you a perennial A2 favorite.  The mythos is so powerful that the huddled masses will cue up for hours just to be stuffed into this turkey with dozens of pajama clad college students looking for morning relief.  

Well, for the first time in ten years, I went again with some A2 expats, and hoped to get some decent food for an over inflated price.  Well, I am sorry to say that all we got was the over inflation...  The mexican omelet was filled with a taco bell like chili, and was covered with two slices of velveeta.  The chicken salad was a plate of lettuce with a few lone tomatoes and slightly dry chicken.  Raisin toast was dense enough to be building material.  Coffee and juice were fine.  All this with a 2 hour wait for a table, and food service, and a 25 dollar price tag.  

Anyway, i'll give this place another chance next decade.
3 - mike w.: This place is good, but not great. Breakfast is so easy to make that it is the originality and special ingredients that put it over the top (Both of which Angelo's could use more of). Angelo's Deep Fried French Toast is their signature item, along with their raisin toast. It is a Ann Arbor breakfast go to spot and always will be. Their menu could use a few twists and new concepts.
3 - Nancy K.: There are two types of breakfast places that I like - loud, fast-paced, bustling types and quiet, slower-paced places were you can linger over coffee and something light with a book or friend.

Angelo's is a great match for the first kind, which is exactly what I was looking for - high energy, good breakfast grub, loud and fun.

I was really looking forward to trying Angelo's.  I'd noticed it the many times we drove past on the way to and from the ER and thought, "When I'm feeling better I'm going to celebrate at Angelo's," and that's exactly what I did yesterday.

My girlfriend and I arrived around 10:30 a.m. and after finally getting a spot in the little parking lot across the street only had to wait about ten minutes for a table, which isn't horrible.  We both tried the french toast - mine with raisin bread and hers with white bread.

After all the rave reviews I was really excited, but in the end it was just french toast.  And a little too eggy, at that.  But, the breakfast potatoes are awesome, especially with some black pepper and Frank's.  Yum.

When I got home yesterday I researched a little and think perhaps I should have tried the DEEP FRIED french toast, so I'll definitely be back and hopefully adding a star.

Because this matters to me (and probably many, many others): the coffee is excellent.
5 - David M.: I've been here four times now, and once I'm back to Ann Arbor it's gonna happen again.  If you didn't get the memo yet, there will probably be a wait if you come during normal eating hours, so pleeease get over it or find another place to go.  Surprisingly, on Father's Day it wasn't that bad.  Note: this was ON and not FOR Father's Day, thanks to modern medicine's impressive array of prophylactics.  The line was small, but we bypassed it regardless by taking a seat at the bar (pro-tip: great way to get food quick).

So far I've had the corned beef hash, the three-egg-sausage-ham-bacon-toast meal, and a ridiculous omelette.  I've also had bites of various sweets that my girlfriend likes for breakfast, including the latest one, chocolate-chip pancakes with raspberry and a ton of whip cream.  A decadent, and yet shrewd choice.  Everything so far had been awesome and so for my fourth trip it was difficult to try something new, but I did, and that new dish is the sole reason for this review update.

Crabcake Benedict.

This may not be unheard of, and I don't want to give the impression that it's the craziest thing in town.  I only emphasize it because of how incredible it was.  I'm not even sure why I ordered it actually.  I was like that guy on the ESPN Fantasy Baseball commercial who couldn't choose between all the great batters during the draft and then spurted out the name of a pitcher, his third pitcher in a row.  I was like, omelette, eggs benedict, eggs florentine, hash, steak and eggs, I don't know! and then I just said it.  Lord am I glad I did.

The upside to the crabcake benedict is that it tastes amazing and might be my favorite food now.  It's definitely not imitation, and the crab cake is homemade and just falls apart under the fork.  As other reviewers have noted, the hollandaise sauce here is excellent, and I couldn't get enough of it.  The eggs were poached perfectly, and of course, the whole thing is on two slices of homemade bread.  

The downside is that it makes the surrounding vicinity smell like fish, and your significant other might be bothered by this while trying to eat chocolate-chip pancakes with raspberry and a ton of whip cream.  But that sounds like her problem and not yours, amirite?

I like Angelo's.  For one, they do the simple things well.  The coffee is no special brew, just Paramount, but it's a very good choice.  The bread you could make with a breadmaker in your own home, but no one uses that crap, and it's very good at Angelo's.  Everything else is just spectacular.  There's no "Super Bird Flying Chimichanga with Green Chilis" like at the Broken Egg, but at Angelo's you can order anything without fear of disappointment.  At least that's been my experience.  And it's well worth the wait.
3 - Maggie W.: As a student I used to come here with friends about once a year. Most of the breakfast dishes I've had there aren't significantly better than what you can get somewhere like Benny's or the Broken Egg- but they are significantly more expensive. The homemade raisin bread is a notable exception, though it's come to the table slightly burnt a couple times. The home fries are also excellent- nicely roasted and well seasoned. The diner is a fun place to eat breakfast but it's always crowded and hectic. Service is on the slow side. Also, be prepared to wait in line for a table on most days, possibly for a long time. Angelo's does have a certain mystique about it, and its "Ann Arbor-ness" supplies most of its charm. It's a good experience to have once in a while but that's about it.
4 - Dora C.: Pumpkin pancakes.Oh.
Eggs Florentine. My. 
Corned Beef Hash. God.
3 - Sarah W.: I love Angelo's because it tastes like nostalgia.  But an objective review of the food is that it is solid breakfast fare, but not quite equal to the legend.  Definitely worth it if you can get a table in less than 20 minutes.

But, is it blasphemy to admit that Zingerman's has better raisin bread?
4 - Ryan L.: This week's FBT was in the far away land of Ann Arbor.  I met up with Jeffrey B. and Jay A. for a very special FBT.

First, parking in this area and finding this area is awful.  This is the worst location ever since it's so hard to get to and park, yet the best location ever because there isn't another restaurant for blocks and blocks.

The breakfast was excellent.  I had The Omelette which is an omelette where you can choose four mix-ins for $7.75.  I chose feta, avocado, bacon and spinach.  There was a lot of mix-ins and they were all very flavorful.  I thought it was excellent.  The omelette was huge and was accompanied by homemade bread (choice of white, wheat or raisin).  The meal did not include potatoes.  I wish the omelette was a little smaller and came with some potatoes, but the omelette was good and filling.  It cost an extra $2.25 for a side of home fries.

Jay got the pumpkin pancakes.  I tried them and they were excellent.  They had good flavor and were cooked well.  The rest of the breakfast menu included a number of omelettes, pancakes, french toast and some eggs benedicts.  The menu was varied and had a lot of good options.

It was a great FBT with great company.  The only negatives are the parking and the lack of potatoes.
5 - Nicholas C.: The food here is really good. I recommend the corned beef hash.
3 - Elizabeth B.: I'm just going to come right out and say it: Angelo's is overrated.

I know, I know - it's one of those campus institutions.  If you've gone to school at U of M any time since the mid-50s, chances are you've had a greasy breakfast at Angelo's at some point.  And chances are that when you come back to town for a football game, Angelo's is one of your two Must Eat spots.  But as a recent transplant to A2, I have no such nostalgia to convince me that I need to stand out in the cold or battle for parking for what is just a diner breakfast.

That said, through some miracle my husband and mom and I got a money spot and a table at 8:30 on Homecoming weekend with no problem or wait.  We had a totally adequate breakfast, the highlight of which was the raisin toast.  My husband had to send his eggs back because they were woefully undercooked.  I had a half order of the crab cake benedict, which was still almost too much food (and I was quite hungry!).  The coffee was slightly better than your typical diner fare.

I'm glad we finally had breakfast at Angelo's, but I imagine we'll only be back for the free breakfast they offer to you on your birthday.  That is, if we can find parking, which we couldn't when we tried to get breakfast there on my husband's birthday.
2 - Corey H.: Finally made it out to Angelo's.  With its reputation as a breakfast institution, I had high expectations.  I didn't have to wait in line 8:30 AM on a Wednesday.  The wait staff were polite and helpful.

As far as the food goes, the best compliment I can muster here is Angelo's is not lacking in portion size.  Their chai is just okay.  The raisin bread is absolutely nothing to behold.  The rest of the breakfast (eggs, ham, pancakes) was ... filling.  

Glad I went, but I have no desire to go back again.  If you're looking for something unique I suggest Cafe Zola.
3 - Jason C.: Angelo's is a landmark in Ann Arbor and even though I have lived in Ann Arbor for 27 years, I have never found myself going to Angelo's.  I have tried Angelo's on the side and enjoyed their offering, but I never had the desire to go to Angelo's... don't ask me why...  

So yeah.. 27 years later... I went to have brunch with friends.  We waited about 20 minutes for our table, ordered our coffee and looked at the menu... since it was my first time, I went with my usual breakfast items... western omelet, which did not come with cheese, so there was extra charge for adding cheese... also added sausage and got it with raisin toast (there's an up-charge for this... 25 cents)...

The omelet was decent, nothing special... the raisin bread was good... I'm told I need to order their specials, so next time I go, I'll try something that's unique to Angelo's.

As for the service, our waiter was nice and easy going.  He forgot to get the OJ for one of our friends, so be brought it and didn't charge us for it.

Like I always say, try it for yourself and see how you would rate the establishment.
4 - Michael S.: Went back there recently after a long hiatus. I was pleased to see that the fine food served there has not changed. They use quality ingredients throughout. The feature, to me, is there own bread. it's much heavier than store bought or even that of some bakeries. 

The prices will be more than some wish to pay, but I find you get what you pay for. The seats seems to be made for midgets, but I could still fit in. I did go earlier than most during bad weather, but more folks streamed in while I was there. 

My only food problem was the lack of fluffiness for the omelet was less than I expected.-
3 - Heather G.: This place has achieved legendary, strike that, EPIC status it seems.  It has all the hallmarks of being a great restaurant.  It's been around forever.  It's named after an actual person.  There is a line out the door every weekend morning.  Hell, I do believe that there was even a song written about this place (or it's a coincidence).  That makes me really want to love this place, but the food just gets in the way of my love.  I have to warn you, this is a very sad review.  I hope you have a box of tissues nearby.  

Once upon a time (last weekend), I Heather G., went to Angelo's with an unfulfilled need for a good breakfast.  Now the background to this story is that I know how to cook and I can make an omelet at home.  I can also make a frittata.   When I go to a restaurant and I order an omelet, I expect an omelet, not a frittata.  What is the difference?  When you make an omelet you wait until the egg is almost cooked, and then add the veggies (or whatever) and fold it over resulting in a pile of veggies wrapped in egg-y goodness.  With a frittata you throw the veggies in the egg before the frittata is done, resulting an the veggies (or whatever) being mixed in with the egg.  My omelet was clearly more like the frittata.  

But since I had my heart set on an omelet, I was disappointed.  No, I was sad.  I was even more sad that I had to order and pay for a side of breakfast potatoes.  And you know else makes me sad?  Bad coffee.  Bad coffee makes me real sad.  Angelo's has bad coffee.  Angelo's makes me sad.  

But there is one thing that pushed me beyond sadness, to the depths of breakfast depression:  I could have gone to Cafe Zola.  Yes, I still would have waited in line, but at least I would have gotten an actual omelet, at least it would have come with potatoes, and dammit, at least my coffee wouldn't have tasted like acetone.  And the really f-ing heartbreaking thing is that it would have cost about the same amount of money.  I'm really broken up about this missed food opportunity.

Anyway, I ate all my food, it was okay.  I liked the raisin toast with real butter and cinnamon and sugar.  But was it epic?  No.  Was it something I would write a song about?  No.  Would I freeze my tail off while hung over and wearing a pair of Uggs?  Well you'll never catch me wearing such god-awful footwear, so no.
4 - Annette J.: I got two words: pumpkin. pancakes.

Awww yeah! These are some pumpkiny treats. You can really taste the pumpkin in these flapjacks. Not just a smattering of pumpkin pie spices with no pumpkin and calling it pumpkin. No, this is legit orange stuff going on here. Fluffy and perfectly spiced they certainly made me a cheery gal on a cold winter's morning. 3 huge pancakes slapped with a side of the Canadian bacon for a little bit of salty side (and the sugar free syrup that they offer which I appreciated) and I had one heckuva meal. 

Angelo's is an Ann Arbor institution and it shows. The crowd of college students huddled up in their sweatpants and ugg boots on a weekend spill out the door. Heck, the line for a table on a Friday afternoon was even pretty significant. But if you want a solid breakfast at any time meal or a hearty sandwich prepared with fresh and tasty ingredients it's worth giving Angelo's a wait.

The pancakes are great, as mentioned, but they also whip up some killer savories. The smoked Angelo reuben (a heaping serving of smoked turkey, cole slaw, swiss cheese and thousand island dressing) is fantastic and served with a side of sweet potato fries, more than enough for two meals. The sweet potato fries are tasty although I wished they had a little more kick to them--more salt? A dusting of cinnamon and sugar? A side of honey? Spicy seasoning? Just something else to give it an extra oomph! But still, mega tasty. Just looking around the room when we were waiting for our meals was enough to make me want to order one of everything on the menu. Nothing looked like a bum plate to me. 

Trying everything on the menu? I'm up for the challenge.
5 - Jason B.: One of my favorite breakfast places on ann arbor. Lines are out the door on the weekends so make sure to get there early. Service is quick, food is great, oj is fresh, atmosphere is cozy. Prices are reasonable.
4 - Inez L.: Awesome. Hands down, one of the best breakfast places I've ever been to. I wasn't sure how the portions were going to be, but they were definitely worth the price! I highly recommend going.
4 - Erin H.: I love this place - if you're lucky enough to get a parking spot that's usually an indicator of how tasty the meal will be!  The fries are delish and I'm a huge fan of the Reuben.  Also any place that can keep up with how quickly I drink ice tea wins points - the waiter was the refill king!  I love the vibe here and am happy to support a local place.
5 - Mark S.: Tried out the Corner part, not the main restaurant. You can sit in there, as well as get pick-up/take out orders filled. Got the pulled chicken BBQ special. Tasty chow, large potions. Price was right, certainly seemed fair. Fries were ginormous! Service was ace, very friendly.  Plus they have a huge menu. You almost don't know where to start! I can definitely see me eating here again.
4 - Kelly B.: I am all for rating a place given it's market. It is a breakfast place that consistently delivers. Always spring for the fresh OJ. Also, be wary of Sunday brunch, the wait is just not worth the wait IMO, there are plenty of other good breakfast places in Ann Arbor (eg Northside Grill). When I worked in the nearby BSRB it was a great place to spice up a boring workday with breakfast for lunch.
4 - A E.: I've only been here once, but this was probably the best (upscale) breakfast I've encountered in Ann Arbor. Coney Islands and other greasy spoons usually satisfy, but this place has a great feel and some inventive breakfast options. I had the eggs benedict and it was right-on. Their deep-fried french toast was also amazing. Big portions here, by the way -- you definitely get your money's worth.
5 - Kristin D.: BEST place for breakfast! I've been here a few times and they have the most delicious homemade bread.  Its kind of an old diner feel to it so it has a great atmosphere.  Biggest hassle is the parking.  Food is WELL worth it though!  I've had an omelet, hashbrowns, and deep fried french toast, all very good and all HIGHLY recommended.  If you come here on your birthday with a friend you'll get your breakfast for free :)
5 - D T.: Awesome! Homemade breads, great food and service! Rivals any breakfast I have had. Try the raisin bread french toast.
4 - Justin D.: Angelo's is my favorite breakfast place in Ann Arbor. Make sure that you get there early as they close early in the day, but it's worth it. Pretty much everything there is good.
3 - Jennifer V.: Somehow, somewhere, a long time ago, Angelo's was a legendary, mythological, magical place. I must've missed that time period. 

Now, don't get me wrong. Angelo's isn't horrible. Far from it. I just don't think it's this phenomenal, epic, awe-inspiring breakfast spot. I think it's your average joint that somehow was made famous by means unknown. There's no way Dick Siegel's song has made it far enough outside of Michigan to make Angelo's as famous as it is. Don't lie to me.

Their food is your typical breakfast/diner fare, and it's all pretty good. Nothing exceptional, nothing noteworthy. The one exception to that, I would say, is their corned beef hash. THAT is quite good. I don't generally like corned beef hash, but I will order it at Angelo's.

If you're gonna check the place out, make sure to get there early. This place gets PACKED!
2 - Aubrey L.: Le sigh.  

I wanted to have some satisfying french toast/pancakes/something sweet for breakfast and we decided to go here as it is within about a 5 minute walk of where I am staying. 

I ordered the raisin french toast.  They make their own bread so I was looking forward to some amazing french toast.  In my opinion, the french toast was dry and not very flavorful.  I solved this problem by using lots of butter and syrup but I feel like those 2 things should be used to accentuate french toast instead of make it edible.  It wasn't bad, but, if you are looking for really moist tasty breakfast, perhaps look elsewhere.  Our waitress was also grumpy.  She wasn't rude necessarily, but she seemed to be hardly going through the motions and had already turned to the next person to take their order when the previous person was still talking.

I decided to use the restroom before I left.  The bathroom was dirty and looked like it hadn't been cleaned all morning.  

Overall, this is an okay place but I will try an alternate option for breakfast the next time I'm in Ann Arbor.
5 - Kathryn L.: Angelo's is one of my favorite Ann Arbor hot spots! When you go, make sure to try the fried French Toast!! It's the most amazing breakfast food ever!
4 - Jo H.: Good service. Everyone enjoyed their meals. Solid breakfast choices. Cannot go wrong with any Benedict choice. But the day we went there was a Portabella version Really good pancakes and yummy hash.  They have fresh squeezed OJ and real maple syrup if you ask.
5 - CUNIT T.: Haters, try the corned beef breakfast, omelette or Cali club
3 - C L.: The place resembles a 1950s diner. The food is pretty solid and you won't be disappointed with the portion sizes (I asked for some spinach on the side and was given a heaping portion for $0.75) and the menu selection (they have waffles and your typical egg benedict, egg florentine selection). There is a line on weekends and they don't take reservations. This is all very typical however, and there's nothing very remarkable about the experience. There are just too many other brunch options in Ann Arbor.
3 - Kelsey P.: I think my problem with Angelo's is that I came here with really high expectations. Not sure why this was (I think there might be this general feeling of excitement that floats around Ann Arbor about Angelo's). But Angelo's felt like an average diner when I actually got inside and tasted the food.

I think it compares nicely to many of the other breakfast spots in Ann Arbor - but honestly, there are more exciting places to try for out-of-towners. I ordered the deep fried french toast myself and loved the yummy blueberries, strawberries, and whipped cream on top. The french toast itself was hard from over-frying and not that exciting in taste (but large proportions!). I think because Angelo's had an average diner's feel to it and I love diners, I would definitely come back. Next time I'll at least know what to expect.
2 - Nancy R.: I'm finding it really tough to find a reason to like this place.  I've been here three times, now.  The first time was in January around my birthday.  I got the eggs benedict and hashbrows.  The hubby got the corned beef hash and eggs.  Both were quite good and we wanted to come back again, but never got around to it.

I have a job nearby and have gone to Angelo's twice in the last two weeks.  The first time, I got the special of huevos rancheros.  To put it frankly, it was almost disgusting.  The tomatoes were canned, which is fine, if they were cooked or marinated or something to make them taste like something other than the can.  They weren't.  The beans between the tortillas reminded me of dog food.  About the only redeeming thing on the plate was the potatoes.  The service was also lacking.  I sat at the bar since the place was packed, and a waitress stood directly in front of me and opened a beverage on the bar, about two inches from my plate.  I understand the need to grab a drink, I know space at the bar is tight, but there was an empty stool next to  me.  It just seemed to intrude on my space a bit by putting your drink next to mine, by my plate.

However, I was asked how my food was at the register, I told him and he removed it for no charge -- even though I somehow managed to eat half.  So I made it a point to return and try something else.

I came back today, same time as last and got the crab cakes benedict.  I loved the eggs benedict before and many had enjoyed the crab cake version, so I thought I was set.  First off, my server was the slightly rude one from last time.  The space I took at the bar was occupied by her water.  After asking if someone was sitting there, she said no, then refused to move her water.  So I moved it for her by the empty stool next to me.  I ordered a Coke and she asked me if Diet was ok because regular was out and she didn't want to change the line.  WTF?  No.  I ordered regular.  If I wanted Diet, I would've ordered Diet.  She seemed annoyed I was going to make her change the line.  WTF?

My food came and I was genuinely disappointed.  My eggs were over-cooked, the crab cakes were mushy and tasted funny and the hollandaise was flavorless.  Has this place really gone downhill in less than a year?  I wasn't queried on how my food was, I paid and left.  I'm not sure if I'll give it another chance.  

I don't know what people see in this place to flock to it at such levels that it's packed.  But I don't get it.
4 - Wade D.: I love Angelo's.  I try to make it there whenever I have time -- time being the key element.  It's not uncommon for the wait to be upwards of 45 minutes to get a table.  (There are secret ways to get seated almost immediately, but if I tell you, I'll be less likely to be able to utilize those in the future.)

The deep fried french toast is to die for (and may take you there early as it's so loaded with fats and sugars)!  Pancakes are great.  Omelets are amazing.  But the variations on the benedicts are, in my opinion, the best food around.  Lox benedict and eggs florentine vie for my favorite breakfast foods on the planet, with only slight competition from a street-side vendor in Tianjin, China.
4 - Brian K.: We found Angelos on Yelp while looking for a new place to try when visiting A2 and they didn't disappoint.  The pancakes were awesome, the portions are perfect and the service was good.  The homemade raisin toast was great (although my wife thought the bread was too dense).  

 The restaurant has a nice diner feel to it and all of the staff were friendly.  It was a busy Sunday morning and we were seated near the door.  The greeters did a great job with crowd control without coming across as pushy or offensive.
5 - Clayton H.: At least tied for my favorite breakfast place in Ann Arbor. Excellent and highly recommended! And excellent coffee. My favorite coffee in town.
4 - Michael S.: Having worked at the University of Michigan and being within two minutes walking distance from Angelo's, I ate there quite a bit. It is best known for its breakfast and bread but it has an alright lunch menu as well. I enjoyed the staff and the fact that they remembered what my "usual" was.

The problem with Angelo's is that it has poor parking and there is often a line. 

The bread is probably over-rated but I like it. People complain that it is too thick and it is used for their lunch sandwiches.

For breakfast, you can't go wrong with the pancakes. Be sure to get a side of raisin toast. Their french toast made with their bread is pretty good. The deep fried version is a bit too much for me.

For lunch, they have pretty good reubens, but be aware that they use their thick bread so it will be a lot to eat.

If you feel like something on the lighter side, try their soups or chili.
4 - Jim R.: A cozy bustling spot on the University Campus.  We ate here on a Sunday morning arriving before 9 am and were happy to get seated right away. My son ordered the standard breakfast that for around $7 consisted of 2 huge pancakes, a heaping portion of eggs (he chose scrambled) and about 5 strips of bacon and despite being a ravenous teenager, could not finish it all. I opted for the Deep fried French toast which was also sufficient for two to three people.  A great value and tasty breakfast.
4 - Cesar A.: A little loud and service was lacking but she was nice. Ordered the eggs benedict and the combo. Cool atmosphere.
5 - Daniel D.: Angelo's has the best breakfast in Ann Arbor. However, be aware that it has two very small parking lots that fill up very quickly. Also, unless you get to the restaurant before 9:30 AM or so, be prepared for a long line. The food is definitely worth the wait, though. My favorite has to be the crab cake benedict (eggs benedict on crab cakes), which is truly unique and delicious!
3 - Jessica W.: I was dying to try the infamous deep-fried french toast since I moved to Ann Arbor.  So I dragged a kind friend out to breakfast with me and we shivered in the cold outside for half an hour before rushing for an open spot at the bar on the take-out side.  Not too bad seating, actually, since there isn't as much of a rush in that building.

But yes, the food.  The coffee refills were less than frequent, but the good was decent.  I tried the french toast because of the rave reviews, but found I enjoyed the berries on top more than the actual toast.  (My own fault; I'm not a fried food person)  It was a little flavorless, honestly, and I had to push myself to keep eating it.

Still, I'd love to go back and try the pancakes.  Their flavors look awesome, especially the pumpkin.
5 - Dorothy C.: Ideal brunch spot! Found it on Yelp and have no idea why there are any bad reviews. Great service, a fun ambiance, and fantastic food. All the types of French toast are divine. Probably because the bread is home-made. The bacon is some of the tastiest anywhere. We will make a point to eat here every time we're in Ann Arbor.
3 - troy d.: If you like diners, you will like angelo's.  

If you like good food, you probably will find angelo's just a-ok.

They don't really offer anything unique or unusual except they make their own bread.  I read one reviewer saying their crab cakes benedict was "unique".  I love crab cakes benedict, and it is not a unique dish.  It is served almost everywhere breakfast is served.  Additionally, Angelo's crab cakes are mediocre.  But, you get a MASSIVE portion.  I've never seen crab cakes of this size and you receive two.  As usual, like most diners, their food is relatively inexpensive which is a plus.
4 - Jared W.: The best restaurant around the hospital or medical school to grab lunch. Everything that I've tried there from the Greek salad to the smoked turkey Reuben has been amazing.
4 - Melissah L.: Angelo's is a bit over-rated, but it's definitely one of the better breakfast restaurants in town.  It is a diner, but it's an upscale diner that is cleaner than most and has better service.  

As far as food goes, I recommend the corned beef hash- it is a heavenly mash of corned beef, potatoes and onions, and the portion is huge.  I had this with two sunny side up eggs and raisin toast today.

I've heard great things about their french toast too... but I'm lactose intolerant and can't eat it :(

Anyway, this place is definitely worth trying.  The only thing I don't like is they have really weird hours (they close at 2 or 3 pm) and the wait for a table can be super long on weekend mornings.
5 - Kara D.: Delicious food and great service. My sister and I came here for her birthday (her meal was half-off). She had the chocolate chip waffle and said it was delicious. I had an egg white omelet. Their omelets are a different style than I am used to, very thin in an almost crepe-like fashion, and quite tasty. Their homemade bread is good, I tried both the wheat and the raisin. I liked that the food ingredients were very fresh and nothing seemed greasy the way diner food can be. In addition, the coffee refills were constant without asking - my mug was always full!
5 - Josh K.: The breakfast is fairly traditional but their homemade bread sets it apart. They also serve Clancy's Fancy hot sauce which is made in Ann Arbor and I love that. The atmosphere is fun. Drawback is that on Saturday and Sunday you will always have to wait probably around 20-40 minutes to be seated unless you arrive very early in the morning.
5 - Robyn T.: Angelo's has now become my 'go to' weekend breakfast place.    

Each time I go here I am greeted with a smile and no matter who is my server, they are always attentive and pleasant.  There have been times it's been very crowded so we've sat at the counter and have received the same level of friendliness.

The atmosphere is a typical looking diner.  Black and white tile, bright colors, chrome accents.  It's nice and clean.

Now, on to the real reason for the 5 stars.  The food is awesome.   Because everything is made fresh (including the delicious bread) you can customize anything you want.     

I've ranged from basic eggs and potatoes to pancakes to omelettes, and everything I've had here is fantastic.   I would have to say the favorite though is cinnamon pancakes.   They don't have it on the menu but of course you can order it.  Fluffy with just the right amount of cinnamon/sugar that you don't need much syrup.  

I have found the best time to go is before 10am (either Sat or Sun) when school is out.  You can park for free in the hospital parking garage behind the restaurant.  Yes they get pretty crowded but isn't that a good thing?
3 - J Z.: Good pancakes +1.  Daily special meatloaf , corned-beef hash, bacon, homemade bread, avg.   Breakfast sausage -1. 
Server Mike was fast, friendly and had a good sense of humor.
3 - Trang S.: It's been about 15 years since I was last at Angelo's and though it wasn't quite as heavenly as I had so fondly remembered it to be, it was still quite good. The service was prompt and friendly with the place being packed at 2 pm on a Friday. I had the deep fried french toast and my sibling had the crabcake benedict. The deep fried french toast was what I had driven over an hour for and it was pretty good. The french (raisin) toast was fluffy and didn't taste oily. The whole chunks of (preserved) fruit with whip cream was a nice touch to add sweetness if you do not enjoy table syrup. My sibling's crabcake benedict was also good though it could be considered to be a bit on the salty side.  The portions are quite large in my opini

All in all, I'm glad I went back to Angelo's after all these years but I don't think I'll be making the drive again.
4 - Amanda B.: A great diner that doesn't feel so much like a diner.  

I was visiting my husband while he was on an away rotation at the hospital there.  We stopped in after hearing that this was the place to go for breakfast.  Generally speaking, I've found that the best breakfasts usually come for a greasy spoon restaurant.  This place has food the mimics this quality, but without the dirty, grungy atmosphere.

This place is clean, bright, and has some real character to it.

My husband had the fried french toast.  O.M.G.  My good God!  It is incredibly rich and my husband, usually a man who can put away food quite well, had to stop himself for fear of eating it all and upsetting his stomach.  I don't know that we'd come back and order it again, but you absolutely have you try it one time.  It tastes a little bit like an elephant ear at a county fair, which at 9:00 A.M. in the morning might not be what you want to fill your belly with.  However, if you're in a crowd, order it and share a few bites a piece.  That will be all you need.

I ordered the eggs, sausage links, hash browns, and homemade toast.  I've got to be honest.  The potatoes were really good, and who doesn't like some sausage links?  The eggs were Ok and I really didn't care for the toast.  It was definitely difficult to chew and instead of having an extremely fresh quality, tasted a little bit like cardboard.  I really appreciate their efforts at homemade bread and perhaps the raisin bread is better, but I would avoid the bread if I came again.

Overall, a nice place to grab a nice breakfast, that has some character and charm.
4 - Elizabeth K.: I've been coming to Angelos since I was here at U-M as an undergrad, and am happy to report that nothing much has changed. It's still packed during the school year, with lines that stretch out the door. 

Angelos is only open for breakfast and dinner, until 3 if memory serves. They have a lot of 'famous' dishes, such as the deep fried French toast, but since I prefer savory, I always go with an omelet. For $8.75, you get an omelet with 4 fillings (including cheese) which comes with toast. Their bread is homemade, and they offer white, wheat, or raisin (which is a $.75 upcharge, but worth it). The omelets do not come with potatoes, but if you're a lumberjack and can put it away, I recommend ordering the potatoes (which are cubed and grilled, not grated or sliced) with the added onions, peppers and cheese - really delicious. 

My husband is more of a lunch person, so when we go he always orders the Rueben with a side of sweet potato fries. It is a robust sandwich, and tastier if you order it with slaw instead of kraut. I'm also a fan of the chicken salad, which you can get fried or grilled, with some delicious homemade ranch. 

You might have to wait to get a seat, but you won't walk out hungry.
4 - Kate F.: This was everything I wanted from a breakfast spot. There was no wait when we went around 9:45 on a Tuesday. The corned beef hash was some of the best that I've had lately - a good ratio of meat to potatoes, creamy on the inside, enveloped in a crispy shell with lots of caramelized bits, plus perfectly cooked over medium eggs. The pieces of toast were a little too thick and pre-buttered (I am a control freak and prefer to butter my own bread), but the bread itself was quite good. The price was completely reasonable for the size of the servings (I'd be okay with smaller servings for less money, though - it was a bit overwhelming), and the service was attentive and friendly.

Angie's Kitchen - Waterloo, ON (43.4647157, -80.5242586) ()
4 - Bas G.: Angie's is one of the best places for breakfast or an early lunch.
Their buttered toast is fantastic. But their Belgian waffles and pancakes are even better.

Portions aren't enormous, but quality beats quantity any day.

I spy pie. It looked glorious but haven't gotten around to try it yet.
5 - Andrew N.: Angies has been the go-to spot for my friends and I to get breakfast in Waterloo for the past couple years. If you want to spend a saturday morning with your friends over breakfast then Angie's is the perfect place to go.
5 - Graeham M.: I've been so fortunate in that the last few reviews I have had the pleasure to write have literally written themselves, in that the service,food and overall experiences have been nothing less than stellar. Angies Kitchen is no exception, although I must throw in a caveat, in that I actually ate at the St. Agatha location, which by most accounts is superior to the Waterloo restaurant. 

Angies offers up a simple, but delicious home style cuisine. the weekend buffet is legendary. They offer a full salad bar and their fall off the bone ribs are among the best I have ever had. the service is tremendous and no detail is spared. Servers are attentive without being overly forward, they seemingly blend into the background emerging at just the right time to replenish a half filled coffee mug or offer water when its needed most. 

I was in awe of Sharon the endless ball of energy that seemed to simultaneously work the buffet line, offer menu recommendations, and efficiently delegate to her busy staff, all well taking the time to greet regular patrons by name and engage in easy chit chat with them as she proceeded to seat them in their preferred locations. She did this all with the delicate balance of only someone that has made hospitality and the restaurant business a professional career choice and not merely a job could.
4 - Cooper W.: Had an all-day breakfast for lunch here yesterday. If you want steadfast, spot-on service, then Angie's is your place. If you enjoy fresh-baked bread and homemade preserves, Angie's your place. The eggs were cooked well, the homefries were cooked well, the sausage was okay. What you get here is atmosphere and quick service; the food is good, but not outstanding. I'll go back for sure, but try something different on the menu and then re-evaluate.
3 - Precilla C.: I had brunch here one day and it was pretty good. I liked my breakfast sandwich, but the omelette and homefries were rather underwhelming. However, I did like the homey feel of the place very very much.
4 - Yuzhou D.: I liked the homy feeling of this place.
The food and services are decent and I would recommend people trying this out as a budget eatary.
4 - Leo M.: Being a big fan of breakfast food, I had to go here after it was recommended by some locals. I ordered a black coffee and Angie's Famous Melt (Homefries, sautéed onions,pepper, ham, smoked sausage, bacon, 2 eggs, any style topped with melted cheese) Let me say this, the portions are huge. My order was enough to satisfy two hungry people. The melt had a little too much potato for my taste(they put a lot ), but overall it was pretty good. The waitress mixed up my request for no ham with my friends and ended up giving me ham and leaving it out of his, however, she noticed this herself right away and asked if I wanted it remade, but it didn't matter enough for me to wait again. 

The food did take a while to prepare (half an hour?), so just based on my experience, I would only go if I had time to sit down and enjoy my food. I also enjoyed the small town diner interior. I think it definitely added some character and charm! As another yelper mentioned it does have a very "homey feel".
5 - Carmen M.: I grew up in waterloo, and Angies is a local fix. My favourite meal of the day is breakfast, and I'm always on the lookout for the perfect authentic diner breakfast. Honestly, in all my travels and across all the cities I've lived in, I have yet to find a better traditional breakfast. I'm not the biggest fan of their lunch/dinners, but the breakfast is composed of FRESH BAKED BREAD, and very high quality meats. I always get the breakfast with sausage - and note that I hate those crappy little fatty sausages most places give you. At angies - you get REAL sausage, probably from some lovely local german butcher. My husband always gets the peameal bacon, and they give him a generous portion of this, cooked perfectly. Always be sure to grab a loaf of their fresh bread on your way out, and if you have the room, a home made butter tart too! - Oh and their homemade pies are also AMAZING. Definitely have a pie for desert after your breakfast :)
3 - Arsalan M.: Angie's is located in uptown Waterloo on ERB street. As you walk in to the restaurant you are welcomed with a very simple home-y decor. When I got there it was fairly busy but got service right away. There is plenty of room inside and out for a large number of people to have breakfast together.

I went to Angie's expecting a great home style breakfast (as per many great reviews). I ordered a 'grandson's delight' with bottomless coffee. The dish included an omelet with chicken, home fries, toast and jam. The omelet was tasty, and enjoyable. However the toast, was dry (didn't look homemade) and the home fries were nothing special. 

Maybe I was expecting too much because of all the praise but I was disappointed with the quality of the food. The service on the other hand was great. The breakfast and coffee (Without tips) came out to $16.xx.

Angkor Restaurant - Providence, RI (41.819096, -71.399341) (Fox Point)
4 - A I.: I've been here several times, and every time I've had something tasty. Sometimes, though, it's not the same as the last time I've been there! One example is the street noodle dish. It's always tasty, but sometimes it's more eggy than others. The desserts are tasty and unusual, but they seem rather pricey compared to the other dishes on the menu.

The staff is quite helpful if you have questions about the cuisine, and the service has been good.
4 - Atul G.: This is a one-of-a-kind family-run Cambodian restaurant that never fails to please!  I especially love the Bee Bong with tofu and vegetables or the Shrimp Methapheap.  I always leave feeling very satisfied and during lunch I got a complimentary dessert once which was super yummy.  The golden triangles are also very tasty.  I especially love the fact that this restaurant is so authentic and the service is provided by members of the family!  Great place to go for a casual night out for dinner!
5 - Erin C.: Seriously, if I had to live on a single dish from a Providence restaurant for the rest of my life, it would be Angkor's nam yaa soup with tofu and vegetables (much more flavorful and satisfying than the versions with meat, for the record). Sweet and spicy broth with delicious noodles, hefty chunks of tofu, and perfectly cooked vegetables. They call it medicine soup, and I believe it. I always feel better after I've finished my bowl.

The Cambodian coffee is unusual and flavorful (I recommend trying it hot rather than ordering the standard iced coffee variation that you can get at most Thai and Vietnamese restaurants), the appetizers are delicious, the menu is quite varied (featuring Cambodian specialties as well as dishes from other countries in Southeast Asia), the prices are reasonable, and the staff is super-nice. Eat in the tiny dining room or rent out the top floor for a banquet. (I know folks who have done both.) Just don't forget the nam yaa soup, whatever you do.
5 - Robyn F.: MAn their Nam-Yaa soup is to die for.  Their food tastes very fresh, and I liked how small and cozy the place felt.
5 - Biqi C.: Cambodian food, where have you been all my life?

This is hands down, my favorite restaurant in Providence.  I'm just sad I only discovered this my senior year.

Do yourself a favor, and order the Angkor wings.  I know, you're probably like "Why would you go to a Cambodian restaurant just to order some chicken wings?"  I asked my roommate the same thing too, but this place will make you wonder how something so simple can give you a feeling I can only describe as visceral.  

Any of their curries are good.  My sister, who hates green curry and refused to order it initially, admitted defeat and said it was good.  It's not the typical watery green curry.  (Remember, this ain't a Thai restaurant).  It's chunky and fried, and gingery, and will break you down to tears especially since you've starved for such a place after resorting to Kabob N Curry (RESPECT) for the last 3 years.  My favorite is this one dish with red curry.  It was either the red curry or the Johns special or something.  Sorry.  I can't remember!  But it was both spicy and sweet, and had carrots, and the chicken was just marinated with this... deliciousness.  

I could literally eat here until I explode.  And it's sooo affordable if you eat with a group.  My suitemates and I ordered like 7 dishes and ended up only paying ~10 per person.  The more the merrier!  (Though the place is small, my only objection)

A+++  Would eat here again, and again.  And again.
4 - Melissa R.: nam yaa = delish.  the perfect soup for a crisp fall evening.  gotta love that you can byob and the affordability was a lovely end of the meal suprise.
5 - Jalon Z.: Angkor is delicious! The Nam Yaa was the best part of the meal. It is as spicy, sweet, pungent and flavorful as others say it is and full of chicken and shrimp. There is a lot of flavor going on, but somehow everything is balanced and comes out just right.

The three of us had a cup of Nam Yaa each and shared a common platter of Hot Chicken Basil in Lemon Grass sauce. I love me some lemon grass, and Angkor delivers! The ingredients are fresh and crunchy, the sauce thick, and the pieces of meat large. 

We also tried the chive dumplings, which were good, though could have been cooked a bit more firm. The waitress was surprised that three white guys were demanding lots of rice with their entree, wanting chopsticks, and eating out of the little bowls, Chinese style.

Three of us hungry guys had food left over and spent only $33.

The interior is tiny, with maybe 8 two-top tables. A group of 4 would be the largest that can sit together.
4 - Rebecca F.: This tiny hole-in-the-wall on Wickenden never seems open, but when you catch it you're in luck!  

Street noodles, bee bong, num yaa... I never tire of this place.  I've never been to Cambodia, but this food makes me want to go.  And the owner is super nice and friendly, he really cares about his food and his diners.

The only minus is that it's smaller than my bedroom so you could never bring a large group to enjoy the tastiness.
5 - Jenny M.: Yay Angkor! Angkor gets it right on variety, price, freshness and staff helpfulness. This is what dining out should be like.

It's a small place (especially the upstairs; they basically cleared out a two-story house and put in restaurant tables) but the intimacy makes for great service. They have a mean homemade Thai chili paste (which I haven't been brave enough to try, but my more adventurous friend really enjoyed it after they recommended it and switched out her sauces mid-meal for her).

Reading the reviews, it looks like I need to order the Nam Yaa. The street noodles, however, are SO delicious and abundantly portioned and SO cheap. I can't quite understand it, but I'll just keep eating, thanks.
4 - c h.: Quite tasty, reasonably priced. The dishes for "2 or more" are a great deal. I split one with my girlfriend and we were eating the left overs for a couple days afterwards. With apps, spent ~$25 total for 2 people.
4 - David B.: very good, nice service, BYOB, excellent food.
4 - Edwin L.: When it comes to asian food, would someone non-Asian giving a review on sushi has any weight? Would you ask a plumber for USA PATRIOT and Terrorism Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2005 financial advice? NO, I didn't think so. I'm Asian so LISTEN UP!

-=Décor=-
I was quickly seated and had wonderful Dim Lighting in a Romantic setting. *wink* *wink* This is truly a tiny restaurant... maybe a front of a house converted into a little dinner.  The décor is very unique but I felt at home. 

-=Service=-
Service was prompt. My glass of water never came close to the half empty point. The servers didn't have a system so both of them tried to take my order... but the first server was very knowledgeable for what is on the menu and how it was cooked.

-=Food=-
I didn't waste any time! Main entry right away! I had to see what all the hype was about! Rice and Fish are the main staple of the typical Cambodian diet though many dishes are prepared with beef, pork or chicken. Sea food is abundant in coastal areas with shrimps and crab among the favorites. This includes fish-cooked in coconut milk and a variety of soups, and curries similar in taste though not in spiciness to Thailand. Truly an authentic Cambodian joint! I love the food!!!

Side Note: they do accept credit cards for any order over $15.00

I'll recommend this restaurant to anyone and everyone who isn't scared of Khmer Food Menu Cambodian authentic food!
4 - Joshua K.: I went with my parents and we shared a small Nam Yaa soup, which was excellent.  As I'm a big eater, I wish we had ordered a large, but the small was enough for the three of us to each have a decent sized portion.

Then we had the Green Curry with beef (without the eggplant), chicken Ramvong and Red Curry with pork.  The ramvong and the red curry were excellent, while the Green curry was a bit off the high standard set by the rest of the food. 

Definitely worth eating there again when I'm back in Providence.
5 - Gerald L.: This is one of my favorite restaurants in all of Providence. Very casual, great service, and phenomenal food. The Nam Yaa is addicting -- I  can't walk down Wickenden without ordering a bowl.
4 - Andrew G.: Some of the best Cambodian food in the city. It is slightly pricey compared to competitors but everything is made fresh. Service is always good as well.  It is nice that they focus on only cambodian food and not on pan asian.
5 - Matthew H.: Found this restaurant by searching for Asian restaurants in Providence and sorting by highest rated.  

Did not disappoint.

Coming off 195 I thought this was a very residential location.  Parking was a bit tough (though probably only seemed so because it was pouring rain.)

You walk in and think "This place HAS to have the best food because it's a hole in the wall."

Worn down place settings, bottom-of-the-barrel silverware, cheap napkins, plastic "ceramic" plates and tea-cups.

Good thing it doesn't matter because the Street Noodles might be the best thing I've ever tasted in my life.

Shared this along with a Whole Crispy Garlic Fish with a co-worker on the way back from a trip to Long Island.  Just amazing, every bite.

The service too was lacking, so please appreciate how much the 5 stars mean  for the food because it had to carry the rest of the categories.
4 - Catherine S.: Delicious Mango with shrimp salad, nam yaa soup, and Street Noodles combination.  Not spicy but tasty.  Very good tea. BYO beer or wine. Small restaurant.  Will be closed July 18 - August 17th so be sure to call around these times to make sure they are open.  Also closing earlier starting next week.
5 - Simon K.: I stopped in one Friday afternoon after eating at a Japanese restaurant. I ordered the street noodles and i was surprised how good it was. It looked like a traditional chinese wide noodle dish but with curry. It wasn't spicy but had very good flavor.

Parking might be a problem because of the narrow streets that surround the neighborhood. You can only park on one side of the street on Wickendon Street. There are a few bars on the same block and only a few blocks from Brown University so i can see that parking can be a problem later at night.

I will definitely be going back to try other dishes.
5 - Ann K.: After driving past this Cambodian restaurant forever, I finally checked Yelp for reviews. Thank you, Yelp, for giving me a new favorite.

Disclaimer: I have never had Cambodian food anywhere but here. 

However, I will have cravings for Angkor's Nam Yaa soup for the rest of my life.I've never tasted anything like it. It's a little bit spicy (some days spicier than others) and has so many layers of flavor, many of which I can't identify. It's simply amazing.

If Ankorg ever closes, I will forever bemoan their passing, and pepper my conversation with "I miss Angkor". How do I know? Simple -- they are closed for vacation for the next few weeks and I am already in mourning, although only for the blessedly short-term.

The street noodles are very, very good. The Nime Chow is good, but I've had better at Pho Horn. Our first two visits we sruggled to find something that our kids would like; though they are pretty adventurous eaters, they don't like spicy food and even mild-sounding menu items came out with a bit of heat. We finally smartened up and asked the waitress for help, and she made some great suggestions. My daughter likes the Chicken Satay, the other one likes the steamed dumplings, and both love the scallion pancakes. 

But really, it's all about the Nam Yaa soup for me. I wouldn't care if the rest of the menu was awful, I'd still give this place 5 stars just for the soup. It's that good.

Really, go there, and have the Nam Yaa soup.
4 - Richie R.: Alright! Solid food, good prices, friendly staff, and the owner, Ramblat (who always reminds me of Rambo, both because of his name and his appearance) is always around making sure that everything is OK. Very solid, this place has become a usual for us.

Try the lot for starters, then try the street noodles, and in the winter time, don't miss out on the soups!
5 - DJ Z.: This place rocks! Everytime i go i have a great dining experience. Chef owner prepares everythign himself, from scratch from family recipes. My favorite dish is on the special board, Papaya Salad, so fresh light and healthy.. LOVE IT... other awesome dishes, Medicine Soup, i like it with less sugar and rice noodles though, and street noodles are great, other dishes are great too, names escape me but, it is all great! Best freshest nime chow around.. not packed with rice noodles, light and fresh every time..  I appreciate that it is Cambodian and advertises as Cambodian and not just generic SE Asian.. they specialize in their native foods and do it very well.  Most the other places try to serve Thai, chinese etc, and they are really  Cambodian or Laotian and most of the food ends up being mediocre, i appreciate that Angkor took the risk of specializing in their home recipes and feel it was a great success.... it is a must try!
5 - Michael Z.: One of the best restaurants in Providence.  We love the street noodles, naam ya medicine soup, rice mitaheap, and pickled mustard greens.  I could eat here everyday and never get sick of it.

Also great--the fact that its byob--stop by college liquors or or Madeira liquors before to get something good to drink.  

The owner is so nice and glad to see you.  

Awesome for vegetarians and meat eaters alike.  In fact, its a perfect place to go with a group that has some meat eaters and some veggies.  

Yay Angkor!
4 - Joel M.: I'd never had Cambodian food (never seen one in Chicago) and this place was recommended by a colleague so we checked it out while traveling for work.

The place looks and feels like your typical college town Indian/Thai restaurant - renovated small old house with a kitchen somewhere in the back.  The menu looks pretty similar to Thai as well - curies, rice dishes, tom kha, tom yum, etc.  I tried the Green Curry which is my usual benchmark dish at Thai restaurants and was impressed.  Cambodian curry is has similar flavors and spices to Thai, the only  major different being that the coconut milk is used much more sparsely if not at all.   I love coconut milk, but this was a nice change because the milk can sometimes overpower the underlying flavors and spices.  

I like things spicy, so we asked for the maximum spice level which was "XXX".  It was moderately hot, but pretty tame from my experiences with a range of Thai food.  I could have used another "X" or two.  Make my lips burn.

Good food, good atmosphere, and a solid choice for an Thai-like ethnic cuisine Providence.
4 - Kailey W.: It was my first time tasting Cambodian food. I agree with all the previous reviews. Looks can be deceiving from the outside but once you enter this neighborhood restaurant, you will be in for a gourmet's treat of spices and tastes that off the chart! The dishes are all special recipes that you will only find at Angkor. This place "Rocks."
4 - Deb S.: On a recent trip to Providence, R.I. from San Diego, I had lunch at Angkor.
Entering the restaurant, you felt like you were going into someone's home. The decor was bright and cheerful, and the kitchen area was partially visible which gives one that "warm-fuzzy" feeling.

There were many small tables, a very cozy and inviting place. 3 or 4 tables were filled with what looked to be local businessmen and young working people, and it was not very crowded. 

I had shrimp Spring Rolls and Nam Yaa, a spicy soup with a unique taste of lemongrass, ginger, garlic and other spices. Although the food was very tasty, I felt the portions were small for the price. The bowl of soup was very small and it was almost $6.00.

My dining partner ordered street noodles and loved it---the portion was huge in comparison.

The owner was extremely nice, friendly and eager to please--how could you not want to return? I was just not overly impressed, but I definitely would give it another try and order a noodle dish next time.
5 - A. M.: First things first. The Nam Yaa Soup aka "Medicine Soup" is a highly coveted secret passed down from college student to college student. When you have a cold, you go to Angkor and get the Nam Yaa. 

It's amazing. I've never used the term "explosion in your mouth" or "tongue orgasm" before, but I think it's because I've been waiting until now. This soup is very, very different and it's not like any other soup I've ever tasted. If you like Pho, you will probably like it, because while it's not that similar, it has that same.. "hmmmm... ohhhhhh!" effect when you first taste it. 

It's sweet, spicy, and it'll make your nose run. Make sure to eat/slurp it while it's piping hot, because like any other soup, it's best when it's ready to burn you.

As for other things... I'm not a fan of the street noodles, but I do love the Brittany Noodles.

Their new location is lovely. There are only about 5 tables and a few stools at the counter, but it's not a very busy place most of the time (but always still pleasantly occupied). Granite countertops, a flatscreen TV that plays Cambodian music stuffs, and new tables & chairs.

I've also had their Sweet & Sour soup and their Tom Yum (aka Hot & Sour) soup. I will always prefer the Nam Yaa, but in order of preference, I'd probably go with the Nam Yaa, Tom Yum, and then Sweet & Sour. I say this only if I HAD to choose, but I've gone in and bought all three before to freeze two of them for a later date.

In any case... if you're sick, this is THE place to get soup in Providence.
5 - Brittany M.: I could easily be an echo and drone about how wonderful the Nam Yaa is - it is worth every bit of praise it has received. And if you're not into chicken and shrimp, you can get it with tofu and veggies. It's a meal all on it's own, Super Yum.

The new location is where Cafe Yuni used to be, but they use the entrance facing the church rather than the side entrance like the former occupants did.  The windows are a little drafty on the side of the building, but they keep the heat cranking, but I still bring a sweater if I'm eating in.

The bar is little - I think just four seats, but it's cute. The owner (and everyone there, for the record) is unbelievably friendly.  Big points for being the nicest people on the planet.
5 - Greg L.: The Naam Yaa (medicine soup with chicken and shrimp) was unique and amazingly tasty. Nantaing (sweet ground pork with coconut milk over rice cakes), Green curry with beef were other delightful highlights of lunch last week with Andy van Dam who's a great fan of Angkor and a fanatic foodie. Go, go, go!

Great staff and happy owner. Service was cheerful, attentive and very helpful. New location is small on the ground floor, but second floor dining will open soon (late Dec 2010). Free delivery from 5pm to closing at about 9pm.
5 - Mandy D.: I can't even begin to rave about the Naam Yaa soup, although it seems that everyone on the page has done the job for me. 

Everything on the menu that I've tried has been exceptional so far. My favorite dish would have to be the green chili, hands down. It's got the perfect balance of spicy & sweet. If you're more daring, I'd suggest the red chili which is much spicier. Also, the mini eggrolls are delicious, and they come out quickly so they're a great starter.

I can't wait for the new upstairs dining to open up. I'm sure to be back soon!
5 - Nicole B.: Have I seriously been dining at Angkor for almost 2 years and never written a review? Shame on me!

I think Angkor can be best summed up by a recent visit I took there with my friend Leah, a first timer. It went something like this.

"Do you want to split the..."
"No." (I cut her off)
"No?"
"No. I know exactly what I am getting and I love it. I don't share here."
"But you always share your meals. You just don't share dessert"
"Not here. This is not a place for sharing. I love the nam yaa so much I will not share. I won't even let you try. But you have to get it. It's amazing. You'll love it" 

Clearly poor Leah is puzzled by my hoarding-like behavior. She hadn't been to Angkor before and was overwhelmed by all the tasty treats. When the owner suggested perhaps we could share something she informed him that it wasn't an option. Eventually she chose something to accompany her nam yaa with. Her first words:

"Oh my god." 

Yep. That about covers the nam yaa experience. The other food is great too. The street noodles, dumplings, curry, etc. But the nam yaa will blow your mind. She finally understood why I wouldn't share. I promise I'm really not a bad friend. In fact, now I'm an even better friend because I took her to Angkor!
5 - Shibs K.: Nam yaa...oh sweet spicy goodness

If panang/red curry got it on with tom yum soup, you would get nam yaa (plus noodles, minus coconut)

Must...have...more NAM YAAAA!!!

I was thinking of docking the stars to a 4/5 because of the credit card minimum, but the nam yaa was so good that I don't have the heart to!

I hear they open the upstairs dining room on the weekends when it is really busy, and if you have a large group, you should call ahead to make sure you can have a table upstairs.

GLUTEN FREE DINERS:
If you want the nam yaa, make sure to ask for the rice noodle sticks. Also, I think they use soy sauce in the broth, but I'm not sure if it has gluten or not (I didn't have any gluten issues).
5 - Keith S.: Based on these reviews, my wife and I tried this place, and, of course, the nam yaa soup. Well, it's all true. The soup is incredibly complex and tasty. The peanut sauce that came with the nime chow was also the best I've ever had. I don't know what they put in it, but it was unique and delicious. We tried to street noodles, but weren't really impressed. They were fine, but I like spicier, more flavorful dishes, and this dish was a bit too subtle. Still giving it a 5 though.
4 - Steve L.: The nam yaa is worth the trip.  Getting a table, however, is not - it smells like wet dog in their new Traverse Street digs.
Nam yaa is sweet, loaded, and as good as other reviews describe.  So good that a large order intended to leave leftovers for tomorrow's lunch never make it past the one hour point.  Green curry was also quite good - like most things here, it was sweet, and again loaded with a generous helping of vegetables.
Now, the smell.  I don't know if it's inherent to Cambodian cuisine, or the tree-hugging RISD/Brown crowd that frequents this place, but I'm really glad I got my order to go.
5 - Samantha S.: I went to grab food from Ankor today and nearly had a heart attack. I didn't realize they had moved and was poised to be heartbroken. 

I've been going to Ankor since we moved to Providence-- I had a solo lunch there on a whim and fell in love. My two staples there are the street noodles and lemongrass beef. The lemongrass beef is good-- spicy, but not overly so and the street noodles are interesting, almost sweet, with lots of veggies.

What I really go for is the taro custard. I craved that like no one's business when I was pregnant and my daughter coincidentally loves it now. The staff is always great and willing to tell you about dishes or customize food to a personal spiciness level. 

I haven't eaten inside the new location, but our takeaway was still outstanding. I can't wait to go back.
4 - Carly B.: Yelp rocks - without you guys I may have never had my Nam Yaa conversion experience. After seeing all these emphatic reviews I couldn't wait to go back to Angkor - hadn't been since the new move.

That is one freaking special soup. Hearty, noodley, herby, big shrimp-n-chicken chunkity, lip-tingly joy in a bowl! Perfect with a side of Nime Chow and a cold (BYO!) beer. 

The servers were nice and helpful and everything was going great until the clock struck 9:00 and suddenly the place was washed over with a seething "get the f out of here!" vibe. I'm talking: killing the music, trying to take the food away while still eating, annoying hovering, asking to have the tab paid after 2 minutes of impatient waiting "because I have to close the register", and overzealously upending all of the vacant chairs on the tables. 

I can't imagine how looks-could-kill if you walk in the door at 8:55 for your tea, app, and a leisurely dinner. 

sigh... still, they had me at Nam Yaa and I'll go crawling back. Early-bird style to avoid the abuse.
4 - Stephen T.: amazing food and friendly service. sometimes when I ask to have a dish extra spicy they don't actually do it. regardless though, the food is always great as is the service.
2 - Kimberly H.: After reading all of the great reviews I decided to give this place a try.  I got the street noodles with chicken and my wife got the pineapple fried rice.  We also had the steamed dumplings.  Everything was ok...but not great.  My noodles were pretty dry and there wasn't a lot of chicken.  Her fried rice was lacking flavor and depth.  I didn't hate it but I am not eager to go back.  That said I will return at least one more time to try this soup everyone is talking about.
5 - laura s.: so good. SO GOOD. this is my "special occasion" takeout. the green curry rice plate thing with tofu is delicious, but every once in a while they put the wrong veggies in it and it's weird.

also, their tea is really really good.
5 - Leah S.: This is a spot I frequent, and for good reason. All the food is good, but a few things are just GREAT, which make this gem stick out from the rest. The star? By far, Nam Yaa- the delicious spicy curry-esque medicinal soup. It's filled with ramen noodles, chicken, shrimp, cabbage and carrots (Tip: I get it without chicken. One of my only complaints is that it's entirely too DRY, the obvious result of boiling instead of poaching the chicken). Other notables include the nime chow, scallion pancakes and Chicken Ramvong.

The owner is friendly and dedicated, and I enjoy frequenting this place. Hours are a little finicky so be sure to call in advance.

(p.s. I'm looking forward to trying the new express restaurant downtown!)
4 - Bailey M.: The first thing you'll notice when you walk in is that this place is TINY. However, it is decorated nicely and there is a TV on the wall playing Cambodian Karaoke if you are so inclined. 

Our waitress was delightful-- very friendly, quick, and helpful with explaining the dishes on the menu. 

The best part of the meal was the fried cod-- I highly recommend it. All of the dishes (spring rolls, noodles, pad thai) were fresh tasting and delicious. 

I would definitely come back.
4 - Stephanie S.: My husband and I love Angkor. They are very convenient, fast and fresh.  They will make things adequately spicy for my taste, which is more than can be said for many Providence restaurants, sadly!

My issues are 3-fold:
1) I wish they had more fresh fish options. 

2) Their banh hoi is not served with adequate letttuce on the side for wrapping, and is also lacking the fresh bean sprouts and basil on the side.
 
3) I wish they would replace the styrofoam containers for takeout. Beyond the environmental concern, there is an issue of practicality. The hot food often burns through the styrofoam, causing it to leak! This is not fun for anyone.
3 - Steven P.: My partner, who is Cambodian, and our two friends went for dinner.  We shared 5 entrees.  The Nam Yaa soup had a unique flavor, although even my partner had never tasted it and he's Cambodian? It was tasty but Ramen noodles, really, that isn't authentic.  

The John's Special wasn't special at all,and could have been from any Chinese Rest.  The crispy Tamarind fish was great.  Overall, we all weren't as impressed as we hoped we'd be.  

The food was served quickly and hot. Although after that our water wasn't refilled and waiting for the check took forever. 

I'd visit again after some time if I was in the neighborhood but wouldn't go out of my way.
1 - eddie w.: Honestly I don't know how this restaurant was rated that high. I went to this restaurant after reading Yelp. But the 2 orders we got are the worst Asian food we got till now! The pork meat was over cooked, and the pad Thai didn't have any taste. I don't like to said bad things but if you are looking here, think first before eating in this restaurant.
5 - Daniel P.: This little place is in a cute artsy neighborhood surrounded by other ethnic fare and cafes.  The server is super friendly, the wait times minimal, and the food is DELICIOUS.  It's listed as Cambodian as Thai but the food I had was very similar to Vietnamese.  The spring rolls with shrimp were fantastic, as was Bahn Hoi (sp?) and the lemongrass soup with tofu.  Next time I find myself in the area, I'm definitely coming back!
2 - NUNO P.: Visited a couple days ago... Very disapointing! Food was barely ok, mediocre service, place could use some spic-and-span, menu very limited... All in all, boring as hell. There are better places out there for Cambodian food. I can't give this place more than a 2 star.
5 - Bruce D.: Angkor opened a few years ago on upper Wickenden but is now be found on Traverse Street, near Utrecht and Curatorium and opposite Adler's Hardware. Though it appears small, good numbers of hungry folk can fit into its two floors. Especially during the academic year, when students abound, the place hums with the chatter of satisfied diners. BYOB.

My wife and I, seasoned denizens of Providence's numerous pan-Asian eateries, love Angkor's Cambodian menu and range of offerings. Our favorite starters are small, spicy-hot lort coupled with pungent, chunky, uniquely-flavored nam yaa ("medicine") soup, delicious year round and especially on a chilly winter day. That combination is a meal in itself, but we usually find other offerings from the ample menu irresistible.  A marvelous pad thai and street noodles, yes!  A recent summer discovery is the cooling Cambodian  salad, shrimp (or your choice of meat or tofu) strewn through a cabbage and carrot slaw, spiked with a squirt of lime. 

A cordial host and friendly staff make this a very satisfying spot, one where we have never yet known disappointment.  Now we're eager to try the recently opened fast-food Angkor Express on Weybosset.  Stay tuned!
5 - Zared G.: Low price + delicious food + attentive and friendly service+BYOB=mutharippin awesome!  
And i can walk here there. Angkor take-out and I are going to be best friends this fall.
3 - Aris L.: this place is so overrated..i dont know why people like it, its not even thai food..it is a cambodian restaurant..2 stars for the food and i will add one more star for the service..the staff are very friendly..the food was truly plain and tasteless..im having a very hard time eating the carrot..

CONCLUSION = NOT RECOMMENDED!!!
4 - Sundeep K.: Nam Yaa, you are liquid gold.  I've tried to find similar soups at other places and still haven't found anything close. There is just something comforting about eating it. 

The Hot and Spicy dish with peanut sauce surpassed my expecatations as well with complex flavors.

Good prices and quality food.  Interior is low key and they play strange slow-motion karaoke videos which I couldn't stop staring at.  But all in all, I'd return.

Too bad they only deliver within 1/4 mile by bicycle or I would order that Nam Yaa to NYC.
2 - Lane F.: Let me first start off by saying that I used to be a huge fan of Ankor....eating there at least once a month, at their former Wickendon location. Their Nam Yaa soup is (hands-down) worth the trip alone if you like sweet and spicy soup. The large is a meal by itself and at $8, quite a deal.

We ordered the Nim Chow, Nam Yaa soup, and Pad Thai. The Nim Chow was pretty good....nothing special. The Nam Yaa soup seemed a little different from the past, while the Pad Thai was actually disgusting. The Pad Thai had zero flavor. The noodles were over-cooked, completely white (from zero flavoring/spicing) and very mushy. They included a small cup of a sweetening sauce and a tiny lime wedge. Long story short, we threw all of the Pad Thai into our Nam Ya soup just to give it flavor.

Their new location is awful. It feels like there are fewer tables than before. There's a tv playing Cambodian shows very softly on the far wall. A bar for the hostess that occupies 1/4 of the first floor and a tip jar on it for to-go orders. What the.....? it feels like a cheaply decorated Chinese restaurant. The kind that makes you feel uncomfortable.

When we arrived, there was only one table with people. One of those guys was actually the cook. After we ordered, the food came fast and from the kitchen came the cook to sit and talk with his friends again. Maybe if the cook were in the kitchen spending time on our food, it would have tasted better.

I will only be back for a take-out order of the Nam Yaa soup....and I will not be tipping.
3 - Amanda C.: I went in yesterday with a Groupon coupon so score for me. I had to try the famous Nam Yaa, which like everyone on Yelp has said, it is so friggin good. It was like a flavor explosion and it was not too spicy I must say. 

The fried wonton shrimp appetizer is nothing to write home about. It is just a wonton wrapper wrapped around a shrimp and deep fried, served with a sweet chili sauce. My friends curry was pretty good. It was heavy on the peanut flavor so I was not going to complain there because I am a peanut butter freak! 

This place is BYOB so bring some wine or beer to go along with your meal. They do give you complimentary hot tea. 

I imagine this place will be a go to for me in the winter months. Hot tea and hot Nam Yaa sounds delightful. Bring on the snow again Rhode Island --- I am ready to be cold!
4 - Jessica C.: My experience at Angkor was excellent. I went there with a group of 6 people and we all enjoyed our meals and the service was amazing. The staff is very accommodating, attentive and friendly. Personally I would recommend the pad Thai. Also, don't forget it's BYOB!
5 - Julie A.: Back in good standing. Love you guys!
3 - Charles S.: The Nam Yaa soup is ridiculously good and worth the trip alone.  The curries are delicious and the service is friendly. I usually just go with take-out since the restaurant itself is a little cramped, but all and all it's a great local spot with some real gems on the menu.
3 - Cory K.: This is one my local joints that I want to love but always end up wanting more.  I will say that I've finally had something here that was lip-smacking good: the khmer chicken wings.  Served in a bath (half of a take out box) of sweet chili sauce with plenty of chili peppers and slices of onions.  A pleasant change of pace from buffalo wings or dry Chinese style wings.

While I've never had anything bad here everything seems to lack flavor.  I end up putting extra sauce on their pad thai.  The fried fish was unimaginative- like a fish version of Chinese sweet and sour chicken.  I keep trying new things, but Ankor's prices are higher than other Asian places.  As other yelpers have said, it is small and cramped and they don't do lunch.  But at the very least I'm happy that Fox Point has a decent take out place just down the street.

Still on my to do list: try the The Nam Yaa soup...though I'll wait for a snotty cold first.
4 - Carmen M.: Yummy! great cambodian food. the medicine soup truly made me feel better!
4 - Siv T.: Street noodles have made me a fan. I really don't say this often (heck, don't say this at all) but this dish really came close to how my mother makes her noodles at home, in Khmer we call it "Mee Gathang" (sp), which is pretty much thick sheets of noodles sauteed w/ various vegetables and meats in a thick (almost) gravy-like sauce. And if that's not enough the dish also comes with a really nice, light tasting dipping sauce you can drizzle over your noodles for added flavor. Can't go wrong here if you're big on Asian noodles. 

  With my order I had a jackfruit bubble tea. Much better than the last time I had bubble tea. I do really wish they would incorporate more real fruit, I would SO order bubble tea every time I eat here if that was the case. As for the service this night, it was right on point. The waitress (didn't get her name) but I'm almost positive she's authentically Cambodian (I have an eye for these things) and is a regular there. Granted the place wasn't packed at the time, which is a good thing because the first time we went here it was a full house- and a full house in a small room almost feels too close for comfort. Which brings me to a thought, I'm starting to notice a trend with good food and smaller restaurants... 

Any case, will be returning to try out the Tom Yum Soup~My fav.
4 - John L.: Finally was able to come try out this place and the food is very good. I came with a friend and we created a four course meal that was exciting and delicious. The exciting part is a little hard to explain so I'll just explain the delicious part.

So, we decided we will split all the food we ordered. For starters, we got two appetizers, the Nime Chow and  Chicken Satay, both were excellent. I personally prefer the sauce that came with the Satay over the peanut sauce from the Nime Chow, but that's just me. Not too much of a  fan of peanut sauce... Next for the entree we ordered the much talked about on Yelp, the Nam Yaa soup. It has a sweet and spicy taste that is pretty unique and very good! We also ordered another entree, the Beef Spicy Noodle dish. I love scallions with any type of food and they certainly did not skimp on it. As for desert we brought a bottle of Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout. I call it desert since this was tasted like Cappuccino. 

The restaurant is small, so we went early around 7 to beat the crowd on a Friday night and it turned out to be a great idea. There wasn't much people eating there yet. The service was great and so was the decor. They also had some ethnic karaoke on tv that looked like a bad soap opera. But it's part of the experience, I guess. 

I would definitely go again to try the other dishes and since it's BYOB, the "dessert" menu is unlimited!
4 - Jennifer E.: I had been hearing great things about Angkor for a while and was super stoked to finally walk in the doors one Friday evening.  I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't quite busy yet, and we quickly were seated at a lovely table for two.  My friend and I perused the menu and decided to share a few items.  We chose the the Nam Yaa soup, the Nime Chow (always a fav of mine), chicken satay, and the spicy noodles with beef.  

Everything was really awesome, but the true winner of the evening was the Nam Yaa soup.  Holy cow, that is some damn fine soup.  This soup was out of this world.  No wait, out of this Universe!  I love hot food and this soup really did the trick.  It was spicy,sweet, and savory all mixed in to one awesome meal.  

The atmosphere of Angkor is fun, casual, and you get to hang out and watch cheesy Cambodian music videos while you eat.  The service was fast and friendly.  My only gripe with the place would be that the prices for most of the entrees were a little high.  Sure, it is Wickenden street, but I can go not to far away and get a noodle dish just as good for a few dollars cheaper.  I will definitely be back, but I will probably stick with the appetizers and Nam Yaa to get a great meal and keep the bill down.  Don't forget that it is BYOB, so you can bring a bottle of wine, or like myself a 22 oz bottle of delicious Cappuccino stout, to wet your whistle.
2 - Hilary H.: Something happened to me at Angkor.

I wanted to love it, as it's an adorable, small, family-owned establishment where you can get a meal for under $10 per person. It's also BYOB, which I love, and the service was great. But I just cannot get over my meal. 

After reading the stellar reviews here on Yelp, I was psyched for a bowl of the Nam Yaa, especially on the cold, rainy night I finally made my way here. But, guys... it just wasn't as good as I was expecting. 

The chicken in the gritty soup was old and rubbery, and the ramen noodles were still dry. Also, the street noodles left a horrible after-taste in my mouth that couldn't even be washed away with the last of my Brooklyn lager. Sad. 

I have high hopes, and want to return and give this place the four or five stars I keep reading about. I have leaving a less than stellar review, especially when I see so many great ones!
4 - Brianne J.: This place ruined me.  All I can do is think about that Nam Yaa broth all day long.  Seeing that I'm from the Boston area, it's not so easy to just go out and get some.  le sigh. 

LOVED the Nam Yaa.  Get it.  Not too spicy, VERY flavorful.  AWESOME.  Even though I can't eat shrimp, I still order this.

Also got Rice Mitapheap (LOVED the sauce that the chicken was cooked in.  It was great with the garlic on top of the rice.  I do wish it had saturated the rice more though.

Mom got beef street noodles.  Those were great, but I do recommend pouring the sauce over them.  Much better that way.

Left COMPLETELY satisfied and now all I can think about is the next time I'll be in provy and can get me some Nam Yaa!!
2 - Jenica B.: I ordered delivery food from here as I was craving some Pad Thai one night....serious mistake. The noodles were overcooked to the point that they congealed into a solid mass which I had to cut to even take out of the box. Also, the only flavor that they possessed was that of fish sauce. Lots and lots of fish sauce. I also ordered scallion pancakes which were alright taste-wise, but texturally resembled nothing so much as crackers.
5 - Don W.: This is one of our favorite restaurants anywhere.  Originally started by a woman whose Aunt was a chef in the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Angkor serves the royal food of Cambodia.  For appetizers, we love the lot (served with a home made hot and sweet chili jelly) and Angkorian chicken wings (moderately spicy peanut sauce with lightly fried basil leaves and jalapeno pepper slices) .  They also make one of the best fried dumplings anywhere.

For entrees, we like Rice Mitapheap, Chicken Ramvong and Street Noodles.  The whole fried fish, with 4 sauces to choose from, is also excellent. 

BYOB, inexpensive great food and cheerful and friendly owner and staff make Angkor an amazing experience.  If it isn't too busy, ask the owner, Shootemah, to tell you how he survived the killing fields - chilling and inspiring at the same time.  Providence is lucky to have this restaurant.
3 - Thomas W.: This restaurant is tucked away off Wickendam.  It has a pleasant atmosphere and decent food.  It is not a place for foodies.  The fried dumplings we had were very good, but my Pad Thai was mediocre at best.  I asked for it to be a little spicy and they went crazy with the red pepper and jalapeños.  That did not bother me, but the noodles were not fresh and were melded together.  I would try another dish.
3 - Alma C.: Decent Cambodian restaurant off Wickenden. The food is good, the service is attentive, and the restaurant itself is small and family owned. The prices are reasonable for the area though a little higher than other Cambodian I've had off the beaten path. Worth a visit.
5 - josh s.: I'm addicted to Nam Yaa. It is THE BEST noodle soup I've ever had. No joke.
My favorite is tofu veggie with rice nooddles. Try it. You wont be disappointed.
1 - Steven L.: This place has gone downhill!  Woah!  Stopped in there and the food has gone from great to tasteless and unimaginative.  So sad!  I loved this place soooo much...boo!
1 - Nickolas Z.: I hate to write negative things about restaurants because I am spent years in the industry.  But the food here is just poorly conceived and executed. Its a botched version of Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese, and in my view has nothing to do with Cambodian.  Their signature dish "medicine" soup was absolutely horrible, had no no proper structure and balance,  and simply inedible.  The cold Vietnamese spring roll was dry, lacked flavor, so did the dipping sauce, etc. The Cheesecake factory does 5 times the job.  The Pai Thai was tasteless, improper balance of flavors and sequence structure in cooking.  My Green beef curry was the worst I have ever had.  No balance, thicker light green pasty sauce with no flavor, cheap bits of beef with no flavor, 1/2" pieces of green beans and swimming in eggplant and bamboo shoots. Sorry, these people cannot cook
5 - Jade L.: Phenomenal is all I have to say.  I've only ever gotten delivery, but it has been fresh, amazing, delicious, authentic, everything you could ever want from an Asian restaurant.  AWESOME. Nam Yaa is delicious, I always get the yellow curry with pineapple (extra spicy) and vegetarian nime chow.  Amazing.
4 - Matt S.: I can't speak to the authentic nature of the 'Cambodian' element of Angkor's offerings.  The afternoon I ate lunch at Angkor, I was sitting next to a traveling couple.  The (a little bit too loud, slightly obnoxious) male of the couple ordered items that he seemed to consider especially Cambodian and was enjoying everything he ate.  (I swear, I wasn't listening in.  He was hard to ignore.)

This said, I had a red curry that I would have identified as inline with many "ThaI" curries that I've had.  The spice level was perfect and it was a great lunch.   I was thrilled to find Angkor in this neighborhood, and I'd definitely return there again.
1 - Jay D.: OH HELL NO.
You did not just serve me some STALE nime chow. 
it was so hard. the rice paper was actually old.... 
GROSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the shrimp was shriveled up.
GROSS!!!!!!!!!!!!
are you kidding me?

my friend got some weird fried tofu thing which was also really strange + greasy + tasteless. this was my first + last trip to Angkor.

how could they serve this and charge so much for it?

so awful I can't even explain it. 
totally grossed out.
will NEVER go back here.

WAY OVER PRICED... go to apsara. 
where the food is great + the prices are right!

if you want rock hard food, this is your kinda place. ew. so disgusted.
1 - Nicole A.: My man and I just ate (literally, moments ago) the delivery we got from Angkor tonight for dinner.  It was terrible.  The only redeeming qualities it had were that it was hot and it made our hunger go away.  We wanted to enjoy it, but there was nothing to enjoy.  It was bland and over cooked.

We shared an order of Angkorian Chicken wings.  The menu said they were seasoned with peanut sauce and lemongrass.  That sounded sooo good!  But, it was only barely peanutty and there wasn't even a hint of lemongrass.  I opted for the combination pad thai with chicken, beef and pork.  Every piece of meat that I could find (and luckily there weren't many) was completely over cooked and tough.  Horrible.  The noodles stuck together in one big mass, and when I put my fork in them to get a bite, they all broke into tiny pieces.  It was terribly sad.  And there was no flavor on the noodles.  At all.

My man's meal was the chicken Bee Boong.  I asked him to describe it for me and he sad, "Bland and unmemorable."  That pretty much sums it up.  

I also had them bring me a coconut bubble tea.  It was equally flavorless, underwhelming and disappointing.  Well, at least they have the consistency thing going for them over there.

I've got to assume there has been a drastic change in the kitchen staff or management.  There is not a person on this earth who could rate the food I ate for dinner tonight higher than 1 star.  It was a complete disappointment.

Also, and I know this has nothing to do with the food... when I ordered it, I was told it would be delivered in about 20 minutes.  It arrived 45 minutes later.  I don't really care much about that, though.  I am more interested in it tasting good and being hot.  (And like I said, it arrived piping hot.  And that is the only thing keeping me from giving this place zero stars if I could.)
3 - J. F.: Well this place is no Apsaras. Its a rather small place off Wickenden St. I realize that rent is expensive here and adds to the price but it does kill the business somewhat. I've been here before and had the street noodles. I decided to try them again... It seems like they overcooked it again... The chicken came out like it was freeze-dried. Sort of flaky. Almost everything I have eaten seems to be over done.
5 - Candice B.: Never having eaten at a Cambodian restaurant,  I wasn't sure what to expect.  My coworkers insisted i try them one day when we were ordering take-out.   I played it safe and chose their steamed dumplings.  To say I was impressed is an understatement.  I fell in LOVE with them.    I returned with my boyfriend two days later for a sit down meal.  Its a very small restaurant, but it has charm to it.  I ordered the Nam ya soup and egg rolls.  It is easily the best soup I've ever tasted.  Surprisingly potent,  It made my nose run and cleared my sinuses after only a few sips.  The eggrolls were perfect, light and crisp, served with tasty dipping sauce.   
     Conveniently Angkor is located right up the street from the salon I work at.  I order take-out several times a month and am always satisfied.  The prices are very reasonable, i never have to wait long, and when i pick up my food I'm always greeted with friendly service.    
      ......To be truthful the only time i didn't like something I ordered was when i tried the nime chow..  but my boss gets it all the time and she loves it..  so i think it just wasn't for me.
       Angkor is officially one of my favorite restaurants, I tell any client who is looking for a bite to eat to check this place out.
3 - Kev L.: The grilled corn was great - stay away from the street noodles...

Angkor Restaurant Express - Providence, RI (41.822984, -71.411408) (DownCity)
2 - Michael M.: This, apparently, is a sister restaurant to the location on Wickenden Street. Nam Yaa Soup ($8.50) and Marinated Chicken with Rice ($8.50). The quantity of food is comically small for the money. We literally laughed when our food came. Unless they can get this dialed in, their fate will be the same as a few other in this spot - out of business,
2 - Melissa S.: Good if you just want to grab nime chow for a quick small lunch. As for everything else the portions are super small and therefore really over priced. The inside is just about empty, they really have not done anything to the place to convince me that they are going to be there for the long haul.
5 - Joanna r.: Consistently great food and service! Portions are pretty sizable, most times I can't finish the whole thing. 

My favorites so far:
Nam Yaa, they call it medicinal soup, I call it magic. The soup has the right amount of spiciness that doesn't overwhelm the other ingredients. 

Hot Basil

Street Noodles

Nime Chow

I've never been disappointed here. It's a great addition to the downtown lunch spots.
3 - Cookie M.: I come here for nime chow pretty often, and theirs never disappoints. However, the one time I switched things up and ordered the spicy noodles from their specials board, they were greasy and disappointing. I'll definitely go back, but plan to stick to dishes that can be prepared ahead for the lunch rush, such as nime chow, soups and sandwiches.
2 - Valerie Z.: Sorry, but my experience here mirrors the other unimpressed folks.  

I stumbled into Angkor on a windy Friday, looking for hot soup.  I ordered the Nam Yaa and was quite disappointed.  A very small portion for the price which was, at best, mediocre.  

I hope that my lunch was a fluke, but I am a little concerned since the Nam Yaa was heavily advertised both outside and within the restaurant.  Maybe the quality of the food is just inconsistent, which would be a relatively easy fix for this new location.

Angl - La Jolla, CA (32.8641868, -117.2362026) (La Jolla)
1 - Jessica K.: This place is a sussed up Forever 21 without the colorful arrangements and loud music. I found a dress I bought at a surfer shop at this same place for $30 more. Shameful. This place belongs in Vegas right next to the Spearmint Rhino and not in a nice area like La Jolla. 

The color palette at this place consisted of cream, grey and black with a splash of gold, tacky and cheap. My eyes did get drawn to a cute black jacket in the storefront but upon closer inspection, the cheap shoddy work and the tags that screamed "Made in China" immediately turned me off.
1 - Yolanda G.: Jessica K is correct. I managed this store through January of this year. 

I noticed all the packaging was from China and all the shipments were from China. Sweaters had beads that were scattered all over the tables and floors, those sweaters went on "sale" to 34.00. Ones with flaws and without beads. Customers upset since the day the store opened and all sales with beads and gems were "final sale." 

They have no return policy to benefit the customers. This place has a sewing kit in the back so that employees can sew beads and jewels back on to items. There is never allowed to be any item damaged out unless it is severely damaged and unfixable.

The entire buinsess chain is run by non english speaking individuals....to be PC about it, and they never spoke to me in my native language. I was the manager and they never spoke English to me unless I asked them to please tell me what they said so I could benefit and comprehend. I dont speak Korean. 

The upper managment of this corporation is hands down the worst I've ever worked for in my many years of retail. I was explained nothing but expected to do everything correctly, a phone call needs to be made regarding everything but dont call anyone unless its necessary.... Don't touch mannequins and dont sell anything off of the mannequins in the window even if its the last item, but mannequins cannot wear anything we don't have in stock, DEFINATELY do not switch a Small for a Medium off of a mannequin and definately dont ask an associate to help you do so, as they will assuredly have a look of panic and not know if they "are allowed to." 

All jewelry sales are final but they will break on you within one wear.
ALL of the items in this store come from the LA fashion district or from over seas. I have seen a vast array of Angl clothing and jewelry in the shops at the LA Fashion District. One necklace in particular was 7.00. Angl price: $29.00. 

My final tidbit: I worked open to close during christmas last year. That means in the store at 7:30am and out at 12 midnight. I was treated as though I was an expendable pos, even though I was the sole 
responsible party to run that store. I was paid the most pathetic wage imaginable, thinking that after Christmas and all the work I was doing, I'd get a raise. I was then, after Christmas, pushed out by another new hired manager who was the upper management's same ethnicity and spoke their language. She was hired for 4 more dollars an hour than I was getting paid. To top it off, they asked me to train her in. (!!!!!!)

I never received a Christmas bonus or even a thank you for making that BRAND NEW store rock. They left her resume and rate of pay on the counter on accident and when I opened the store one day I saw it and I quit on the spot. I felt so cheated, used and completely neglected. Why? Because I'm white?

This is hands down the most dissapointing position I've ever held. I LOVED working for this store, I loved the employees I had and I loved the mall and its environment. Angl is a pile of JUNK that is run by a bunch of overpayed snot nosed brats who have no respect for Americans, their culture or what they want to wear. I swear they sit over coffee daily and giggle about how dumb Americans are buying their overpriced bs. 

If you ever go in to any Angl and find 3 little giggling trumpets speaking a foreign language laughing, you can be assured they are the upper level management and yes, they are making fun of you in their native tongue. My friend who speaks Korean was in this store in April and heard them talking about a customer's shoes. 

If you shop here you are paying easily 150% mark up price for the original cost of the item. Believe me, I know. Put that money in the gas tank and head on up to a fabulous shopping day at the LA Fashion District. That place is a gold mine!!!!

*Addendum, side note: Recently I met the manager of a new boutique in La Jolla. Turns out, happy accident, she was my predecessor. She quit for, you guessed it, a different manager who was hired to push her out. Total coincidence, but now I know that I wasn't special and that makes me happy and sad. Wow what a strange world we live in, folks.
4 - San D.: This is from a customer's point of view:

All the sales girls were really nice.  The stuff is pretty cheaply made, but it's also trendy, so buying a cute trendy top for around $20 is cool with me, I find it the same quality as F21.  I thought the regular priced stuff was a bit expensive for the quality, but I went in last Friday, 12/10/10 and they were having an extra 40% off of sale items.  I got two cute tops for around $11 and a really cute cocktail dress for $22.  Even if I wear these things three times each, I'm getting my money's worth. I'll go to J.Crew or Gap, or Nordstrom if I want something that lasts.
4 - Annie K.: I'm also a customer, but reading the reviews from below kind of made me not want to shop here anymore....! :(

But I honestly think that the clothes are really cute and trendy, and you can easily find a good clubbing dress or a cute going out top/skirt here for $25-40, which isn't too bad.  I do agree the quality is NOT the best, I'm a college student and I can deal with it. But I would never buy jewelry here because it's so damn expensive, I saw a chain necklace that was cute but $30??? I could find one at F21 for less than $10 so I skipped that.

I think everytime I shop here, I buy about 3-4 things, which equals to about $70-120, so I guess it is a little on the expensive side, but I'm pretty picky about what I get, so none of the things I bought has ripped or been broken.....yet.

But the sale girls are really nice and there has always been a line for the dressing up (since it is a pretty small store, there is only about 4 dressing rooms), and that gets annoying and people take forever. But sometimes I take forever too so I deal with it....haha

I'm mixed about this store now, but a lot of my friends from LA/Irvine swear by this store so we'll see....
5 - Jarryd A.: All these girls are trippin.......I found a beautiful cardigan that i deemed myself unisex, and have since, utterly enjoyed every single experience within the store. Upon arrival, I noticed right away the friendliness and courtesy that to this day, has remained consistent in every single visit. While the prices may appear high at times, the beauty and comfort i've experienced through each and every visit will never provide a hindrance towards my desire to just come in and shop. Forget Forever, I aint tryna hear that high school prom bitch shit!

GO ANGL!!
1 - Khloe S.: Customer service sucks!! And way overpriced. The girls here are so rude.. I don't think any of them could even define CUSTOMER SERVICE. 

Clothes are way overpriced. you could probably find the same item at any other fashion store for half the price.

Don't go here unless you want to get starred down by their rude employees, ignored, and swipe your credit card on clothes that fall apart.

Angry Mom Records - Ithaca, NY (42.444589, -76.499268) ()
5 - Lisa Frank F.: BEST REKKID STORE I'VE EVER BEEN TO IN MY LIFE. 
(I need to say it that strongly, in all caps, because my partner and I dropped $350+ there over the course of a few days! 
We have both been all over the west visiting the supposed meccas for obscure vinyl in Amoebas and Rasputins across CA, record shops in AZ, and small specialty record shops in Seattle and PDX.... and have never walked out with such a massive haul of amazing gems, and at the fairest prices!)
About the shop,
Angry Mom is set up in the basement/lower level of the Autumn Leaves bookstore with nice organized shelves of vinyl that spans an impressive amount of genres, with a great new arrivals section too for the frequent buyer! Listening Stations, he has2 of those (!!!) so it is even easier to try some random records out and get into some new music!!! Amazing fliers from early hardcore and punk shows line some of the walls, along with a display case that holds some great books. There's also an awesome display out front of record players for sale too. 
I hate hate hate digging for records at thrift stores and flea markets because I know there wont be any Black Flag, DRI, or Siouxsie lurking in overpriced dingy stacks- the owner George has done all that work and collected the most amazing assortment of the basic record store rock/jazz/country staples with the best selection of punk, metal, and gothy post punk stuff I've ever seen, all that are priced between $8 -$10 and awesome basics like Abba's Greatest Hits was $2.50, Duran Duran $3, etc

Here's a partial list of the amazing rare all Original no represses rekkids I swooped in on for length defying yelp review excess 
(2) Smiths albums $14/$15 each
(1)Gang of Four album $18.50
(2) Cure albums $12/$10
(3) Depeche Mode albums $8/$10 
(1) Bauhaus bbc sessions $15
 and awesome anarcho punk Conflict, Crass, Flux of Pink Indians for $10/$12
(3) PIL albums $6/$10
and an assortment of great metal mostly $8 each and rarities like King Diamond for $15
YAYYYYYYY!!
5 - Tom A.: This is truly a wonderful record store. The owner has achieved a rare balance of depth and pricing. Most record stores these days are either CD stores that offer some common titles on vinyl at cheap prices or "collector" stores that charge a premium for everything.

Angry Mom fits nicely in the middle - it has plenty of obscure and collectible albums for very reasonable prices, thousands of really cheap used records, and some new vinyl as well.

Obscure example: "Hudson Rock" compilation - $5 ; collectible example: "Captain Beyond" with 3D cover - $18 (vs. $30-50 online).

Great selection, great prices, great location - worth a trip!
5 - Joshua L.: I have to say, I was a bit blown away by this little find, located in the lower level of the used bookstore in the Commons.

I wandered downstairs after having bought a couple of books and was truly amazed at the quality of records this small record store had.  All four early Peter Gabriel solo records worth a damn - really?  A shit-ton of 45s that I had no time to search through like I wanted - I think I could have been in there for another hour, easily.

This little record store has it all for me - quality rather than quantity, except for the wall of 45s I mentioned, which was a truly full collection of soul, r&b, pop and rock from the 60s and 70s.  Nice jazz selection as well - I wanted the Ornette Coleman Free Jazz album but didn't have enough cash on hand.

Next time I'm in Ithaca I'm going to visit my Angry Mom and dig through those 45s.
5 - Maggie G.: A fantastic little record store, hidden in the basement of Autumn Leaves. I know better than to go down there unless I have at least an hour and $50 to spare, because I always find what I'm looking for and then some.

They have a very broad selection, and their jazz section is especially great. While the new releases are a little on the pricey side, I don't mind paying those higher prices, because I think it helps them to keep their used prices very reasonable. I've never bought a used record there that I felt was overpriced once I got it home and listened to it. 

The guys are very friendly and knowledgeable, both about music and about how to take care of records. They don't mind if you browse for a long time, and they have listening stations set up where you can try out used records before you buy them. 

They participate in National Record Store Day promotions, and they have a great selection of even the rarest releases on that day. This is also a great place to pick up tickets for all non-State Theater Dan Smalls Presents shows, since there's no service charge on them.

If you're a vinyl lover like I am, make sure to check this place out when you're in Ithaca!
5 - Ryan B.: Great local record store. Considering how small this town is, it's amazing that we have a records store of this caliber. Every time I'm in the staff seems friendly and knowledgable. Wonderful place to lose a few hours and find some vinyl.
5 - Sam S.: The Bestest record store I have ever been too, selection is delish...  Prices are extra reasonable, George and company are some of the nicest fellas you'll come accross in the commons too, so go gorge on in and swim in the lush river of sound opportunities :-)             -kb

Animal Avian Hospital of the Village - Houston, TX (29.720902, -95.415927) (West University)
5 - sap P.: I love Dr. Jordan and his staff. I've been bringing my pets there for 2 years now and have always been happy with the care my furry friends have received. Everyone there is so kind and helpful and they provide excellent care. Your pets will be in good hands with them. Dr. Jordan can seem a bit serious at times, but he clearly loves the job and the animals. Highly recommended.
5 - D G.: If there were 10 stars, that is what I would give. This is by far the best veterinarian we have been too. The staff is awesome!!!! Our dog likes to be the boss in most situations and they were very patient with him. Usually when we would board him with other vets we have used in the past, we felt the need to check on him, but with Avian, we never felt like we had to do that. We absolutely knew he was in good hands. Every time we picked him up he was so happy and  excited. He seemed to always have a special treat in his go home bag from the techs ha ha. Sadly we moved away and no longer use Avian. Our next vet will have some big shoes to fill. If you are in the Houston area and looking for a great vet this is the place. You will not regret it. I wish they were here :(
5 - Meaghan W.: Friendly and convenient!  I've been brining my 2 cats there for years. The staff is wonderful with all animals and extremely helpful. I love that I can call in prescription food orders and they charge my card and prepare a bag so I just run in and run out when in a rush. I also love that I can drop my cat off, they perform her checkup/vaccinations, and then call me when they're done, saving me an hour or so of waiting. Dr. Jordan is great with the animals and is always patient with my questions. The technicians are very knowledgeable about general pet health issues, so if there's a question I have between visits, I can call and ask them. I can't say enough good things about this place!!

Animal Emergency Clinic of Capital District - Latham, NY (42.739174, -73.7345571) ()
4 - R F.: If you're having an off-hours pet emergency, see their website above for hours.  They are only open something like 5pm to 8am on weekdays, and 24 hours on weekends.

I don't have a lot to go on -- I only visited them once. It was in the middle of the night, and they were able to help my cat.  I left a happy customer.

Hmm... I'm getting an eerie feeling that I researched this place on Yelp before I took my cat there.  Now there's no reviews, at all, for it?  That seems odd.
3 - Danika A.: We took our new dog here the night we got him. I don't want to get TOO graphic, but basically there was diarrhea, then diarrhea and blood, then what seemed like pure blood coming out of the dog. At midnight, the only place we could go to was the emergency clinic. 

If you have a cat, you can expect 5 star treatment at this place. Several cats that had come in after us were seen before our dog. A nurse was constantly coming out to the waiting room to check on the cats and admit them quickly. Another couple brought in their dog after us, and because they are "regulars" their dog was given attention before ours. After more than a half hour, someone finally came over to see our dog and examine the stool sample we had brought. It was an hour before he was seen. 

As it turned out, he didn't have anything life threatening. It was a case of Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis spurred by the stress of being in a new home. When we finally did see the vet, she was very kind and compassionate and did her best not to worry us. They hydrated him and gave us some medicine to help his intestines unwind a bit. 

Our puppy was almost completely back to normal the next day, so the story has a happy ending. I really do wish they would have given us more reassurance as we were sitting there waiting to be seen, or at least told us why they were admitting all of the cats before us. 

As far as I know, this is the only emergency vet in our area, so we had very little choice but to bring our dog here. I wish there were other options.
4 - Josh A.: Went a couple months ago when our dog ate a bunch of dark chocolate.

Wait was reasonable, staff were friendly. Vet gave good enough advice although he didn't believe us and was skeptical about our claim of how much chocolate the dog had eaten. Services were reasonable enough considering.
5 - Lai-Yee B.: I had to take my guy here one sad night. He was terminally sick for over a year, and the moment "when" struck at about 2 AM one July morning. 

When I called and said I needed to have my cat euthanized, the voice on the phone was understanding but skeptical "Okay, why don't you just bring him in?". When I brought him in, they understood and made the situation as easy as these things can possibly be. 

Intake was quick. A tech came in to look at my guy. Then someone came in to talk options and costs, then payment ahead of time (I appreciated not having to stick around after). They were good enough indulge my request to do this out of hearing/out of the room of my guy. A vet came in with the shot, and was reassuring as I asked mid-shot if I was making the right decision. 

I'd brought his veterinary records just in case there was anything they could do. I left everything I brought there, and they mailed the records back to me in one envelope, and a sympathy card in another envelope. They notified his main vet, who also sent a card. These were both comforting and emotional. I was able to collect his ashes a little while later, and they had him in a fairly decent plastic urn with a small area for a photo on top.

I'm very glad to have an option like this in the area for emergency visits. They are only open nights and weekends.
4 - Colleen M.: I've been here twice.  Once in 2009 when my beloved Boxer needed to pass over the rainbow bridge and the other time in August 2012 when my dear sweet nosy rescue Dobie-Pittie got herself stung by something when we were playing at the baseball fields and had an allergic reaction.  By 11pm her left eye was 30% swollen shut.  I knew it was an allergic reaction, but I didn't know how to dose the benedryl, so off to the ER Vet we went.  

We were promptly seen and the Vet talked to me about her findings and gave her an injectable dose of benedryl and told me to continue her on oral benedryl.  We were in and out in less than 30 minutes.  They also fax the chart from the ER to your regular vet so you don't have to worry about getting that record to the regular vet.  

The only thing I didn't like is they took my pup in the back to examine her without me.  I wasn't keen on that.  Next time I'll insist that I go with her.

Animal Hospital of San Luis Obispo - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2888554, -120.6570478) ()
3 - Miranda R.: I was pleased to find a place in SLO last minute that would treat my rat. The vet was great handling her and the rest of the staff seemed knowledgeable and friendly. Turned out the visitation and antibiotics cost about $100, which I find incredible overpriced for such a small pet. I was glad she received great attention and care, but for my further rat needs I was much more pleased with O'Connor Pet Hospital.
3 - Tee D.: I agree with Miranda, Dr. Hallock's Animal Hospital is very expensive. They have also done things without prior approval. 

We've taken all our animals to Dr. Hallock for a few years now, but our experiences over the past year or so have us looking for better vet services.

For example, I brought my dogs in at 8 am for teeth cleaning, but wasn't able to to pick them up until just before closing time. The woman at the desk said they were going to keep them overnight. I should have come earlier, but would have appreciated a phone call to remind me that I should get there 15 mins before closing time. Instead I was chastised and threatened with an unauthorized boarding charge.   

This same visit our dogs were given a blood test before the teeth-cleaning, without authorization. The tech asked if I wanted the test and I said no because it was unnecessary trauma for a healthy young dog, but was then told it had already been done. We have their teeth cleaned regularly but this was the only time we were billed for a blood test. 

The last time I was there (paying $200 for six months of flea prevention for two small dogs, no vet visit), one of the techs snapped at two other techs in front of me and some other customers. Linda was the only one I had seen before and she handled it calmly, but it was not a pleasant or professional scene. 

I've paid these people thousands of dollars over the years for basic vet services for basically healthy animals. I think the vets at Animal Hospital are competent, and I have been happy with the service in the past, such as followup phone calls to see how somebody is doing. Maybe it's just lately things aren't going so well there.
2 - Sasha T.: As with several other reviews, we like Dr. Hallock quite well and, for the most part, believe that he has provided quality care for our animals.  However, his staff is aggressive and ignorant.  They apparently believe that they do not need to listen to a pet owner, even when they are asking about the problem at hand.

One issue with the care, itself, is that Dr. Hallock seems to rely on anesthesia more than most other Vets.  Maybe it is the $100 a pop, maybe not.

Our five pets will not have the pleasure of Dr. Hallock's company again and Dr. Hallock will not have the pleasure of the $500 to $1,000 that he had been charging us. Too bad

Anime Zakka - Cambridge, MA (42.3726317, -71.1198692) (Harvard Square)
5 - J W.: This looks to be the new location for Kofuku; the proprietor changed the name and moved into Tokyo Kid's old space. 

Fortunately, since he opened the original Kofuku he seems to have branched out from just Studio Ghibli merchandise to a broader range of Japanese imports; things like phone straps, keychains, tea sets, bento boxes, a moderate selection of action figures and sets, and all sorts of other stuff. Don't come in expecting Tokyo Kid 2.0; there is no manga or anime (outside of Studio Ghibli movies, art books and paraphernalia). 

All the prices were very reasonable, and the proprietor is incredibly friendly. Overall, you'd be doing yourself an injustice to not at least stop in; it's less Akihabara and more Shibuya, if means anything to you.
5 - Harvey F.: This is an amazing store. I had a very emotional and nostalgic experience upon entering. The sound of the My Neighbor Totoro theme was playing, and Hayao Miyazaki related merchandise decorated much of the store. Aside from the Hayao Miyazaki merchandise, there were various other anime and manga related items. The owner was an absolute pleasure to talk to and I will make sure to return here when I visit Cambridge next. I purchased a My Neighbor Totoro t-shirt, chopsticks, and wallet.

Anise - Cambridge, MA (42.36703, -71.091384) (Kendall Square/MIT)
4 - Eric E.: Anise is a great place to satisfy your adrenaline-rush need for spice - straightforward chili heat and the hard to find numbing pleasure of sichuan peppercorns. And it's perfect pre-movie din-din before going to the Kendall theater a few steps away.

As for the food - Vinegary scallop soup featured many of the flavors of a good hot and sour soup. Loved the salt and peppercorn crusted beef tenderloin (my mouth drools as I write this), double-cooked pork belly and both the wontons (sauce more vinegary) and other dumplings (sauce more numbing). 


Despite fantastic food (on one visit, mind you), I feel this place won't make it. Kendall is a little bit of a ghost town at night. Apparently Anise has a bigger lunch crowd. But we were one of just three tables in a pretty large and well appointed space. So visit now, while you can. Hopefully these guys can stay in business long enough to build up a following.
1 - S. D.: This is one of the worst restaurants I've been to in my life, possibly the absolute worst.  All of the food is dripping with the same flavored hot oil that has strong and horrible taste. I couldn't eat more than two bites of the food.  There's a reason the restaurant was empty--and it wasn't the location. Next time I will stick to Chinatown.
2 - A T.: Booooooooorrrrinnnnngg...

Ok, maybe that's unfair, after all, I haven't eaten the food here.  I did, however, spend a few hours of my life sitting at a corner table chatting with friends during a little company gathering last week.  First of all, it was a Friday night and we were the only people in there--all 20 or so of us--not such a good sign.  Second, the waitstaff, particularly the hostess, love to smile at you, insist you leave your credit card to start a tab (for ginger ale? seriously?) and then will promptly forget your order...when it's time for the check, look closely--we were handed someone else's bill rung up on our card--yikes.

Finally--the bathroom requires walking to a back stairwell, down into a basement, way outside of the restaurant proper, to a shared restroom in disgusting condition.  

God, what a dud of a place--boring, almost downer/lazy servers, subdued decor, no crowd...
5 - annie k.: Very good food, but a bit inaccessible. Not really catering to ordinary Western palates. However, the atmosphere is wonderful, plating is excellent, and the mixed drinks are awesome. If you're not accustomed to Szechuan food, maybe take it slow--order some drinks, ask the bartender for a popular appetizer, etc. Oh, I forgot to mention: expensive.

(6/28/07: Have not been here in awhile...Perhaps it's on its last legs given these reviews. Reports on Chowhound about a decline in the food suggest that's the case. A pity.)
4 - Daniel C.: I recently changed my rating from five to four stars, because I went back and had some different menu items that were not quite as good.  I think my five-star rating might also have been a result of my server's totally hot ass.  Nonetheless, my original review below is still appropriate:

My roommate and I wandered into this place when Cambridge Brewing was overflowing with people and we had a movie to catch in an hour.  What an experience!

Completely refreshing menu (sorry, no Gen Tso's Chicken here), serene atmosphere, attentive staff...  My roommate lived in China for several years and this was the best Chinese meal he's had in the US.  I completely agree, this may be the finest Chinese I've ever sampled.

I think Allix T. was expecting something like Avalon--I can understand her disappointment.  I will be returning to Anise very soon.
1 - Ashley M.: wow this was awful! i'm not a big chinese fan anyway because its usually greasy... but this restaurant just missed out altogether. i wasn't a big fan of the atmosphere... the dim lighting suggested a cozy, intimate atmosphere that the big open spaces and high ceilings do not offer. although the restaurant was almost empty we waited a few minutes for a host to come seat us. the green tea we ordered was fresh, served in a really interesting, glass kettle. however, the top was hot too touch, and fell off when you poured if you didn't hold it. the waiter didn't undertsand that appetizers come BEFORE the meal... even though we explained this when he asked. the food was typical greasy chinese... except the soup. i ordered a seaweed and shredded duck soup that was too awful to eat, and my friend ordered some ginger soup, again too awful to eat. i wouldn't go back if you paid me. nuff said.
4 - Matthew A.: A very nice and relaxing environment. Very tasty spicy szechuan which was plated beautifully. Pork dumplings w. rice vinagar were delicious! Food was very clean and not greasy. Loved the spicy chicken with cucumbers. An very attentive cute waiter. It was a holiday and was mid afternoon and no other customers. Not sure as of why.
Poor bathroom which is in some scary basement. 
Boo for charging $10 for a pot of oolong tea.
1 - Tim J.: Wow. This was the worst chinese meal I've ever had. I was lured in by the magazine reviews I'd seen, but came away not only disappointed, but borderline sick.  Something clearly is wrong here; I sense that a key chef has quit or something of that order. The only thing decent was the chicken lettuce wrap appetizer. The Salmon in bean sauce was so sloppily done that they might as well have used canned salmon. The beef with tangerine strips was inedible; as opposed to slices/strips of beef, they served chunks of low quality meat covered with a horrendous sweet/sour sauce. Truly one of the worst meals I've EVER had.  Stay away!
5 - Maggie W.: This is not meant to be a swinging bar but rather a really fantastic place to eat - If you want to go to a really trendy, hot spot - then go to a crowded bar - don't go to a restaurant and get pissed that it is - well - a restaurant.  I have thoroughly enjoyed every meal I have had here - and also appreciate that I can get in without a fuss and can hear my friends when we dine here as a group.

I find the food absolutely wonderful - the last time I was there was in May.  I also especially love their tea, which is served in a glass tea pot and opens as a flower...it is artistic as well as wonderfully yummy.  I agree that the food is not typical or Americanized - but that is one of the things I liked about it...also, they have a sister restaurant in Medford, and I think this restaurant beats Medford out - which was previously a favorite.

I also like that I can park at the garage and get a validation - so, it is easy to get here and get out...

I do understand why some people would be freaked out that there are few people there...I can say from my experiences eating there that it is not in any way indicative of bad food - just perhaps bad marketing.  So, I hope it picks up - because I love to eat here, and I want them to stay around for a while.
2 - Derek L.: Didn't have a chance to eat here when it was newer, but the food at my recent lunch here was certainly nothing special. Really just take-out quality, which isn't what you come to a place like this for, is it?
4 - Deepa C.: my dad and i hit up this place before a movie one weeknight last winter. the place was empty so service was fast and friendly. we told them we were in a bit of a hurry and they were accomdating. 

the food was good but nothing out of the ordinary. the food was a bit greasy, but that was to be expected. my dad's soup was spicy as requested and there were smiles all around. 

as far as a quick meal before a movie or after work, i would say go for it. it is not a cheap chinese place, but will not break the bank either.
3 - Mike C.: Not in Kendall Square!

OK, so I'm the new-to-Boston guy who just assumed that a place that is in Kendall Square would be near the T stop just like so many other places I frequent in Davis or Porter Square.

Not the case.  Anise is at One Kendall Square which is actually a bit of a walk (and I can't exactly tell you which way) from the Kendall T.

Nevertheless we made it and were pretty happy.  Considering the reviews here seem to be either STELLAR or POOR, I was pleased with everything.

The food was all tasty, not too pricey, and came out really really fast.  OK, there was only one other table on a Friday night , which did bother me a bit but perhaps everyone else also got lost.

Try the Dan Dan Noodles.  I was excited to see these on the menu and they were garlicky and great!  Too bad they were just an appetizer portion.   Yum.
4 - Tristan B.: Ahhh, the epitome of Ghost Town, or Gui Cheng as they say in Chinese.

I really, really, feel bad about Anise. It has by far, one of the best interiors I've ever seen at any Chinese restaurant. A great hall of chairs, padded seats, tasteful wall decor, nice looking bar, and... No one in it. I went on a Tuesday night on an offal tasting bit, and after eating tongue, pig ear, and a few other things,  I can say that the ingredients were fresh, the tastes were bold (mouth numbing), and surprisingly edible. I'm giving them an extra star if only because they're so uncompromising with their menu, something that I have to respect.

So give them a shot some time, although try not to let the emptiness get to you. Maybe on a Friday or Thursday....

And yes, the bathroom is quite sketchy when compared to the rest of the restaurant's interior... But can I really hold them down for that?
1 - eric e.: This is among the most disgusting food I've ever had.  I work close by and when I saw the Best of Boston sticker I was very excited.  I tried it a few months ago for takeout, tried the beef and broccoli after it took like 10 minutes to get the hostess to notice me.  

It was gross.  I went back to ask for hot sauce, but they apparently don't stock hot sauce.  I asked for chinese mustard, and they had no idea what I was talking about.  I appealed to another service girl, who said "you mean yellow sauce?"  I felt if I spoke I would say something extremely rude, so I just nodded.  

Unfortunately, the mustard they stock is the disgusting bright yellow fake packaged chinese mustard like they use at a mall food court.  Since I needed the a good hot sauce or mustard to cover up the foul taste of the beef and the slimy gunk of a sauce that everything was in, I just threw it all out.  

I thought maybe I'd just gone on a bad day, and vowed to try it again someday.  

That day was today.  I ordered the spinach and tofu soup and the minced pork w/ spinach noodles.  I ordered it via phone, in hopes that I wouldn't have to wait as long this time.  No such luck, when I went to pick it up, I had to wait 10 minutes for someone to come to the front desk.  There were like 4 people eating.

The online menu has this soup listed at $3.50, but they charged me  $5.95.  I didn't noticed this until after I got back to my desk, and I quickly forgot about the price differential when I touched the soup to my tongue.  It was vile; it looked and tasted like dirty bathwater.  It also had no spinach.  Not a single piece.  

I went back to return the soup.  They took the soup, brought it to the kitchen, put some spinach in it, and gave it back to me.  I asked for my money back, which they gave me, and they told me to keep the soup, which was nice.  But the soup was still gross so I dumped it out, and added the vegetables and tofu to the pork & noodles.

This dish also turned out to be pretty gross.  They layered the pork atop the noodles atop a peanut sauce in a quart-sized plastic soup container, so there was no way to mix them together without making a huge mess.  The noodles were overcooked and slimy.  The pork tasted like little packets of rusty dirt.  The menu didn't say that it came in a peanut sauce (which I hate) and had I been allergic to peanuts, I surely would have died, since there was no indication of said sauce's existence, since it laid secretively on the very bottom of the container.

Maybe I've just had bad luck but this place is gross.
5 - Sean M.: You might not want to eat here, because you may discover you really don't like Chinese food, that is real Chinese food. Unless you have had home cooked Sichuan/Szechuan or been to China, the taste sensations will challenge your palate in ways that it may not have been before. The menu here is unapologetically authentic. I went on a Tuesday for lunch and the place was quite full. I'm guessing the lunch crowd from Amgen et. al. keeps this place going, because I have seen reports that it is always empty. For lunch on a Tuesday it was packed. I wanted to have the Rabbit but they were out so I started with Spicy Beef Tendon, Pig Ears and Cucumbers, and Bamboo Shoots with Wild Fern. The tendons was very spicy and shaved wafer thin, it did have the mouth numbing heat. The pig ear was shaved slightly thicker but not too thick, it less spicy but quite delicious. We have been cooking bamboo shoots at home more and I'm reall a fan of the fresh stuff sliced quasi julienne, not like a can of overcooked LaChoy vegetables. The texture of a more al' dente shoot is wonderful. The real star of the dish however was the wild fern which was heavily pickled. This is the type of taste sensation I was eluding to before, completely foreign to most western diners. Cold and tangy yet crisp, perhaps even a tad slimey. Alternating bites of fern and bamboo made for a a real yin and yang counterpoint. Since it was lunch I did get a special the Double Cooked Pork bellies. These were served in a dry-ish sauce that could have been more spicy with rough chopped long green peppers and leeks. I devoured the entire plate in 3 minutes.

* The menu has English and Chinese, you don't have to hunt for the gems the Frog, Rabbit etc are right out there.
* they do have the spicy beef with napa cabbage, that will be my next choice.
* the service was slow, only 1 waitress and  hostess had the entire floor. I did not hold it against the staff.
* I did request brown rice but received jasmine rice instead.
* food came out relatively quickly
* Excellent bar with large Single Malt selection, I had a  Tsing Tao to chill the spicy heat. Fair wine list.
* Two TV's at the bar, SciFi channel and ESPN playing.
* NIce layout with a small but cozy waiting area and hip furnishings.
3 - Jeremy K.: Anise is a very awkward restaurant. On one side of the story, there's an amazing decoration, from the tables and chairs to the silverware and glassware and even the walls, floors and atmosphere. On the other, there's the food. That was the problem for me. Way too spicy, not savory or meaty enough and overpriced, I left disappointed but charmed by the fact that there is hope. If only they were to tweak their menu a bit and were to reduce the heat from the spices, they could be a hit! You can't replace flavor with heat.
4 - Shaina P.: I took out some food from Anise today.  After a long St Patty's day outing I was still feeling a little undernourished, so today I really needed some noodle soup goodness.  Wisteria is a little far away for pick up and I think Mulan is closed on Mondays.  So, this was my first visit to Anise even though I've wanted to go many other times.  In addition to the noodle soup, I ordered the Sichuan beef dumplings in sweet hot sauce.  

Yum.  

For take out, it was excellent.  A tupperware full of soft wheat noodles in spicy savory broth with chunks of beef (the beef wasn't great) was exactly what I needed.  Next time I might ask them to leave the beef out, though.  Unlike some takeout, the soup was combined with the noodles, etc. in one tupperware.  After some time, it would probably sog up, but I was able to enjoy it quickly.  The dumplings were superb.  Simple and delicious with a hint of spice and the sauce: garlicky.  I liked it.  

Anyway, it hit the spot for an $8 lunch.  I'd get it again.  But their lunch menu appeared limited.  And their dinner menu is a little expensive.

I'm babbling.  It's Monday after St Patty's day.  I think I'm allowed to babble.

Side note: $20 minimum for deliveries + $3 charge.
3 - Chanpon N.: Hit or miss Sichuan dishes. This place gets point for striving to offer a more authentic menu (please do not come here for beef & broccoli or chicken fingers).  Some of their items are truly tasty, while others are more meh - nothing to write home about.  Inconsistency is perhaps their greatest enemy.  I've found some dishes to be well-seasoned to other dishes that are too salty or completely bland.  I for one could stand for a dish or two to be spicier than it was.

The space is definitely more modern to cater to the younger/hipper crowd, but service seems awfully lacking.  I have never seen this place crowded, and with that, I often only find the one hostess lady available, and she can be hard to flag down.  Lots of operational kinks yet to be worked out, but this place has been open for a while now.  If they still can't get it right, I'm afraid this place is likely to sink soon.

It's not the worst option for food in the area.  Food is definitely pricier than your typical Chinese restaurant.  I think you pay for the ambiance and the space, more than the food.
3 - Robo t.: This place is bizarre.  Upon entering I was confronted with a beautiful spacious interior.  The decor was fantastic but once I was seated I realized something strange......  on a saturday evening at 6pm there was only one other party seated in the entire place!

The appetizer I ordered was simple - terriyaki tofu.  Triangles of bean curd perfectly (not overly) fried with a drizzle of sauce served on wooden skewers.  They were delicious.  My main dish, General Tso chicken was not so good.  The chicken was tough and stringy.  I actually had to spit a piece into my napkin because it resembled a dog's chew toy.  One of my companions had beef with onion and cumin which I tasted.  This dish was good - the meat was tender and the spicing and flavor was just right.   

A couple of other things of note - we ordered drinks but had to change our order because the staff did not know what a Sidecar was.  Also the sun was setting and illuminated the very very unclean exterior windows.  They need a window washer stat!!

I am planning to return to try a couple other appetizers that sounded interesting.  The issue that plagues this place is inconsistency.  I suspect that is why this place was literally empty at dinner hour on a Saturday.
4 - Beth B.: This place was impossible to find and was dead on a Saturday night. And when I looked at the menu I knew why. This restaurant was really BIG with really dumbed down American decor. The menu is primarily traditional Schezuan cuisine - which I love. But I can see where it isn't for everyone. And I can't imagine that they fill the dining room with such an authentic menu. Our meal was great - very spicy and everything was very fresh. Traditional pork and cabbage was great and the dan dan noodles were to die for. If you're in the mood for a "real" Asian meal - don't be scared off by the weird ambiance. Give Anise a try..
4 - Samir S.: Had dinner on a Thursday night. We are vegetarian - and there are lots of veggie options here, all clearly marked with a "V" on the menu (that's really nice to have from a Chinese place). The eggplant garlic dish was just awesome. Tender and a slight bit sweet.

The decor and dishware are really nice. Its true that the restaurant was fairly empty. Looks like they survive from all the lunch business as its within a high density office area. Will definately go again. Great place for large groups or families with kids since there's no wait.
3 - Bo F.: fu qi fei pian tasted slightly less spicy, but 80-90% authentic. Zhong shui jiao was 80% authentic, too viscous, a little too much sugar, not enough hot oil.

Pork with leek and peppers, too much dou shi, so a little bit on the salty side, pork a little undercooked.

I'd recommend this place to other Chinese/Sichuan people but the price range is not in line with the quality. Although it is less Asian fusion than some other Asian fusion places.

Waitresses were Thai, but were very nice and wanted to learn how to pronounce the dishes in Chinese.
5 - Jane S.: I thought I hated Chinese food, until I tried Anise. I went here a couple of weeks ago with a friend, who suggested we grab Chinese. Begrudgingly I went along, assuming we'd walk out with some wire-handled carry-out boxes filled with chicken fingers and friend rice. Instead, what we got, was pretty much a killer meal.

Sadly, the names of our meals escape me, since both were good enough to recommend. My friend ordered the fried chicken and chili dish that had the disclaimer "good choice," which we took to be a good enough recommendation. Mine was a beef with chili and cabbage, which was dubbed a "traditional" choice on the menu---just my style. 

My friend's chicken was great. The texture was amazing and chicken was cooked perfectly. The beef, however, was out. Of. This. Friggin. World. It was so good that both of our eyes bugged out when we took a bite. It's been almost two weeks since we had dinner there; I'm still dreaming about it.

The beef absolutely melted in your mouth. I continued eating long after I was full because I've never experienced meat that was so well-cooked in my entire life. 

Both meals were short on the vegetables, but well-seasoned. They were spicy enough to need the white rice that came with them, but hardly lip-burners.

Sadly, we walked into Anise so famished that we went right for the entrees---so no reviews of the appetizers. To make matters worse, we were in a bit of a rush, so we didn't have time for dessert and drinks. We definitely didn't give Anise the time it deserved; we'll definitely be back some time soon.

Overall, Anise has remedied everything that usually makes me cringe when I walk into a Chinese restaurant: they have shorter, more directed menus; made clear what the chef's specialties really are; and offered the authentic dishes on the English-language menu. 

My only complaint: They had a Bonnie Tyler and a Michael Bolton CD on alternate shuffle. Fix that small detail Anise and you might just see your tables fill up on a Friday night.

Anita Carmen Choy, MD - Palo Alto, CA (37.434956, -122.1782014) ()
5 - christina c.: Dr. Choy is AMAZING. She is extremely thorough and knowledgeable. I can tell she does her reading and is up to date on all the latest on treatments and medications and truly understands each disease state.

I feel like a lot of other doctors just know that you treat X with Y and don't really understand what is happening in our body to cause our illness/disease and how a medication works to either cure or suppress symptoms. 

She is an allergist and I finally decided to see her about my life long allergies that I've been living with for as long as I could remember.  I got the allergy test and found out that I am extremely allergic to dust mites. She showed me  how I could protect myself by telling me the sheets and covers to buy for my bed and giving me literature. She didn't just stop there with her examination which was what I came to her for...my sensitive skin. She also gave me pulmonary exams.  It was more than 2 hours later before my visit was over but it didn't even feel that long. 

I never had to wait for her or her staff besides the tests that required a 10 min wait each. She is very hard working and basically with me her whole lunch time. I offered to buy her lunch but she refused. I later saw her as I was buying my own sandwich and tried to buy her one and she still refused!

Dr. Choy is an excellent doctor all around.

She is also the Google campus allergist! Google does their research and would only hire the best!
5 - M K.: This woman changed my life.

I'm not the type of person that  bakes cookies, but I love Dr. Choy and all her staff so much that sometimes I feel like I should just so that I can say thanks and express my gratitude.
5 - Julie K.: I started going to Dr. Choy several years ago when, just days into starting a new job in Menlo Park, my eyes were all red and watery and I was soooo congested. I made an appointment with her stat, since she was just down the road at Stanford. It turns out I was basically allergic to every single plant and tree in the business complex--damn you, beautiful old Sequoia sempervirens (just kidding).

I started a course of daily allergy shots, which gradually became weekly, then monthly, and felt so much better. In fact, my allergies were so well controlled that I could have stopped going to Dr. Choy altogether--except that I then decided to switch careers and try veterinary medicine. A wonderful idea, except for the fact that I'd also tested allergic to cats. 

So, now, years later, I'm still seeing Dr. Choy on a monthly basis. And I only have myself to blame. As crazy as it sounds, I actually enjoy my visit--no, not for the three shots--because she's so interesting and we love chatting about travel and food. Then again, I'm probably one of her favorite patients because I've probably helped to pay for all her cool vacations! 

Seriously, if you are having any allergy problems, make an appointment with Dr. Choy. She's a wonderful, knowledgeable, and caring doctor.
5 - Jeffrey B.: dr. Choy has been my dr. ever since i moved to california around 14 years ago.

before i saw her i had been struggling with finding the right meds for a few years. she worked with me methodically to find what worked. my asthma is now well controlled.

she has repeatedly shown real interest in getting me well and diagnosing the root cause of my problems.  i don't know how she does it but she always seems to be available at the drop of a hat when i need her. highly recommended.
5 - Jonathan B.: Dr Choy is incredible!!!

I found her by asking my friend at Stanford Medical who was the best allergist in the bay area. 

I came into Dr. Choy's office with vague complaints of a post-nasal drip.  She was able to track it back to the source of my problems within about 5 minutes.  She's an *amazing* diagnostician, and she also is really well-connected to the broader bay area medical community (important since allergists have to work with ear-nose-and-throat people, etc).

She's super-smart and very very good at what she does.  Can't recommend her highly enough!
5 - jenny d.: I'm so glad I found Dr. Choy through Yelp. She got to the bottom of a persistent occasional allergy that had been bothering me for *years*.  She is whip-smart, thorough, and genuinely cares -- a real gem!
5 - moosie m.: She's a wonderful doctor!  So caring, smart, and genuine.  Dr. Choy has really improved my life by helping  me with my allergies and asthma.  For a while, she was kinda acting like my general practitioner-looking at the overall picture of my heath and helping me trouble shoot.  Can't say enough!  If you have allergies, she is the doc to go to!
5 - barkingdog s.: Dr. Choy is young, hip, kick-ass smart and, she cares.  The BEST allergist in the Bay Area.   She will work to get at the root of your allergy issues but will not hesitate to advise you if she sees something else amiss.  Sort of holistic.  While other doctors may hem-haw and hold their tongue,  you can trust Dr. Choy to tell it like it is.   She won't hold back--and you don't want her to.    She's amazing and brilliant.    Her staff is good, too.  Parking ez.   Office is a bit old fashioned, who cares.   Will follow her anywhere!
5 - Jenny G.: Dr. Choy changed my life. I've never met a doctor so passionate about getting me well and staying well. After a lifetime of what I thought were sinus infections, I've been healthy (knock on wood!) for 2 years now after seeing Dr. Choy.

Ann Arbor Area Chamber Of Commerce - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2814141, -83.7487321) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - Marissa B.: Gift certificates are usually so limiting... but think about this - an ANN ARBOR gift certificate!!  How cool is that?! 

Yup, at the Chamber of Commerce you can purchase "Ann Arbor Gold" gift certificates.  They are redeemable at over 130 shops, restaurants, etc. around Ann Arbor.  You could use it anywhere from the Art Center to the Michigan Theatre, from the Paint store to the lumber yard, from  the Gandy Dancer to Pizza House.

There is no fee to purchase them at the Chamber or at a few local banks (check the website, click on "chamber store" for more info).  You can also buy them online, but I'm not sure if there's a fee - you'd need to check.

BOTTOM LINE:  Don't limit your family/friends with a single-store gift certificate, get them an Ann Arbor Gold certificate and let them choose a new place to try around town!
4 - Sarah W.: This is a pretty good association. If you own a business in this area you should really consider joining. They have a lot of networking events and resources to benefit you and your business.

Nancy Shore is the program director of Get Downtown here. This program is really important if you have employees working downtown. It will help you to get Go Passes for all of your full time employees for just $5! Which must be supplied to them for free by you. But it's an excellent perk and no one can complain about the parking anymore. Those Go Passes will get you discounts at many of the local businesses in Ann Arbor.

Check out the website to search for jobs too.

Ann Arbor Bed and Breakfast - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2813844, -83.7354373) ()
5 - Mae S.: A fun place with a nice deck for outdoor breakfasts in season, used for giant inflatable Christmas decorations out of season. Quirky decor reflecting the owners' other interest: antique dealing. Pleasant rooms. Convenient to downtown, campus, and hospital.
5 - Julia B.: Charming, whimsical, and walking distance to downtown and campus.  The hosts were gracious and breakfast was delicious.  We will stay here again!
5 - Lily H.: I could never say enough wonderful things about the Ann Arbor Bed & Breakfast, specifically their Farmhouse out on Miller Ave. in Ann Arbor.

My husband and I stayed here this summer the week before our Ann Arbor wedding.  The Innkeeper was wonderful - Marcia cooked us wonderful breakfasts, and kept the Farmhouse in perfect shape.  My husband and I enjoyed evenings on the wrap-around porch, and peaceful sleep in the quiet house.  There were always snacks and drinks available in the common room, also books, TV, DVDs.  We loved it!  Close enough to downtown that you could walk back and forth if you wanted the exercise - lots of parking at the Inn too.

And I could never forget about wonderful, darling Clara!  The Innkeeper has a dog!  Clara is an adorable, young black lab.  I could've played with her all day.

The Ann Arbor B&B Farmhouse is a special place.  It's worth the money for the peace and harmony it will bring you during your stay in A2.
4 - Morgan I.: We have been here a couple of times now and we really like it here. We stayed in the Jamboree room (which has a separate entrance from the main house) and loved it! The shower is pretty amazing :) and they have nice comfy sheets too! Clean room... also provided a blowdryer in the bathroom.

The breakfast was awesome!! I was able to make my own toast and everything (which is nice because I don't like it too toasty). However, the lady of the house made my boyfriend and I amazing veggie omelets! I had the broccoli and mushroom omelet and it was perfect. 

I am also a huge Star Wars fan - and they had little figurines of R2 and C3PO around the main house... it was a nice little touch :)

Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2794571, -83.7454853) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
3 - Andrew L.: When I think of Ann Arbor, I think of a smaller, less interesting DC. So when I think of the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase, should assume that it's going to be a smaller, less interesting DC Improv right? Exactly.

The Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase is a little place crammed beneath Seva, a vegetarian restaurant (that's Ann Arbor for you). With 10 bucks your likely o get your money's worth with B to Z list comedians who happen to be passing through the area on their way to Detroit or Cleveland or any other big city (where the real money is). 

Now that's not to say that these guys/gals aren't funny. You're just not likely to see Dave Chappelle or Chris Rock on a Daily basis. Try Chris Rock's little brother, Tony Rock. Seriously, I saw him perform there once and he wasn't that bad. 

The bottom line is that you're going to laugh, just not at big time celebrities. Let's not be snobby though, sometimes the amateurs will knock your funny bone just as much as the A-listers who headline big time venues. 

Don't expect to get good grub here though. Succulent popcorn and tantalizing chips are sure to send you elsewhere. However, if you could care less about the food, simply enjoy the show.

Here's a friendly word to the wise. Comedians will mock you and include you in their jokes if you sit too close to the stage. Also, regardless of what the owners might think, there is no invisible wall separating the smokers from the non-smokers, so choose your seats wisely. Also, the tables are very tiny so don't plan on resting anything on there larger than your face.

Sit back, relax, and laugh your ass off.
5 - Clarence C.: I've seen some really funny acts at the Comedy Showcase. It's one of the best things happening downtown.

Tickets range from $5 to $12 depending on when you go. 

They do get some nationally known acts, but most of the time, you will see local guys and people trying to break into the business. Even if you've never heard of them, some of these guys are really funny. Last time I went, I broke my funny bone in three places and I was laid up for a month (ba-dump-bump).

I see John Heffron is coming up on the schedule, and then after that, we'll probably be back to some local guys.

If you're planning an evening downtown, you can't go wrong by having dinner and then catching a comedy act.
4 - Sarah R.: I really enjoy being able to see comedy acts locally for a good price. The last time I went, I didn't know much about the main act, but the price was right at $8. My companions and I went to dinner at the vegetarian restaurant that's in the same building and then caught the show. We weren't much impressed by the opening act, but the main comedienne was funny. 

I also LOVE the fact that they host non-smoking shows at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. And Thursday night shows are even cheaper. You can't even see a first run movie for $5, so it's a great deal.

Note: The times listed at the top of this entry are for the box office. Show times are Thursday at 8 p.m., Fridays at 8 and 10:30 p.m., and Saturdays at 8 and 10:30 p.m.
5 - Becki B.: I've liked all the shows I've seen here. If you work in Ann Arbor, there's a pretty good chance they'll make some free tickets available to your employer at some time. It makes a really fun outing after work (if you like your co-workers, that is).

I never want to sit too close to the stage, as I'm always afraid of being made fun of. Since I like popcorn, the food offerings are plenty for me, and I like that the staff is friendly and prompt with whatever I request. 

If you have to use the bathroom and can get there without the comedian seeing you and making fun of you for it, don't worry about missing the show - you can still hear it in there too!
5 - Michelle S.: i have only been here once and i was a guest of the comedian so my review may be slightly skewed. 

the room is a good size and you can probably see good from anywhere. my friends and i were seated near the back in a booth that was slightly raised so we could see really well. 

you could smoke inside so that was a bonus and our waitress was great even though it was dark and busy in there. 

the sound and lighting were good.
4 - Liz H.: This was a lot of fun! I think it is fair to call me a stand-up 'hater,' but i still went here for the first time last week on a date. I was really surprised how much fun i had. 

They had a host (eh), an opener (better), and an act (really fun). I had never heard of any of them before, and it was still worth going. Even when the performers were not hilarious, the atmosphere was still fun. There were a couple hecklers, but the comedians did nicely to keep them in check. If you go, don't heckle. It is awkward for everyone, and the audience will sympathize with the performers even if they aren't that good.

The price is inexpensive. At full price, it is $12. Student can get in for 1/2 off some shows, and there are shows on certain days that are cheaper for everyone. The show i saw was just over 1.5 hours, and for that i think $12 is a great deal. The theater is intimate, and I doubt there is really a bad seat in the place. I went to the late show, and it was probably at 1/2 capacity.

The drinks are affordable too. I had a tap Magic Hat for $3.50--not the hugest beer, but at least they don't really hike it up. Oh, and they serve all-you-can-eat baskets of popcorn--the whole place smells like it, so be ready to order some.

I would really recommend it if you are looking for something different to do.
4 - Violi M.: I have gone to about 10 comedy shows at the Comedy Showcase...if you're looking for a low-key, casual, and comfortable night at a comedy show, this is where to go.  It's in the basement of Seva, it's pretty small, low ceilings, and tables very close together (and close to the stage).    The service is great...I've never had to wait for a drink.  Great prices as well!  Students pay $5!  Oh, and there's some real talent there, too!
4 - Tamara W.: Just had my first visit to see Maria Bamford at the A2 Comedy Showcase.  A gret show and great opening act.  I was thrilled to discover they have non-smoking shows.  Also, if its your birthday month you and 5 guests can get in for free!
  
I'll be returning soon... and highly recommend.
2 - Jimmy C.: I love going to comedy clubs.  It's my favorite night out of all.  In fact, I joke with my friends that whenever I go on a first date (yes, I've had too many of them) I like to include a stop for some comedy...that way, even if the date doesn't turn out at least I had fun! (and I'm sure some of my dates have felt the same way).

I've visited the AA Comedy Showcase many times over the years and have seen some great shows.  I appreciate that they bring in comics that are out of the mainstream, like Maria Bamford, Emo Phillips...and the recently seen Mary Mack.  However, outside of their much appreciated taste in comedy, the club is seriously lacking.

The service is spotty at best.  During my last 2 visits, I have waited 15 minutes to be served my first drink.  This past weekend, I organized a group of 12 for the Friday, 8pm show.  Ordered our first drinks and it took 20 minutes (glad I had a few before we arrived).  By the time I had finished my first beer, they were giving last call!  Now if I owned a comedy club, I would be pushing the drinks a heckuva alot harder than that...after all, that's where your money is made. Note: Miller Lite bottle $4, not complaining about the price at all, I just want MORE!

Another reason I can only give AA Comedy Showcase 2 stars is the bar area is too exposed to the seating area and therefore is too LOUD and distracting during the performance.  Knowing that, one might think that the bartender would attempt to work quietly but that's not the case at all.  Ice gets dumped in the bin as if he's standing on a ladder.  One can hear the sound of every drink with ice being made as he digs into the ice bin.  With all that noise you'd think the drinks would arrive quicker.

One more thing that I feel is worth mentioning.  One of my friends is in a wheelchair and the AA Comedy Showcase is NOT accessible at all..not even the least bit.  15 steps down (and back up to leave) is way too much to deal with, especially in Ann Arbor in 2010.

It should also be noted that the Box Office is always friendly, helpful and efficient.  I'm sure I'll be back as I'm addicted to laughing but they need to work on the experience once inside the door.
4 - Josh W.: I've seen 3 shows at the Comedy Showcase and had a great time at every one. Admission is cheap and they pull in a lot of comedians in that you see from TV and specials. 

If your having a hard time finding the place it is below the vegetarian restaurant Seva. Seva is a good place to eat and even if your not into vegetarian food they usually have 2 cheap beers on their menu. So start your night with some $2 PBRs.
5 - Eric K.: Love this place. I go here quite often and enjoy the variety of acts that are hosted. This is definitely a place you should check out if you're a student here.

Just youtube the comedian before you go and you'll know if the act is the kind of style that will make you laught. Look for the sweet birthday deal.
4 - Chaely C.: I've been here 3 times and had a blast all 3 times. Check out their website in advance to see who is performing & they'll often have their own Comedy Central Presents special or something of that caliber. You can go in advance of any show in the month of your birthday and sign up to get FREE tickets for yourself & 5 friends just by showing your ID.

The room clearly hasn't been updated in a very long time, but it's still relatively clean & comfortable for being sort of in the dungeon of Seva. The seating is pretty tight (be prepared to cozy up to the stranger next to you, especially on a weekend) but the view of the stage is good from pretty much anywhere in the room.

The drinks are a little over priced but they mix pretty strong ones. I don't mind paying a little more for that when the tickets are always cheap (or free around your birthday) so I can't complain about that.
3 - Andrea M.: FUN NIGHT OUT

COST NO MORE THAN A MOVIE!
I'd say if you're looking for an inexpensive, fun night out with friends, then this could be the ticket for you.  Given the right show, you could snag tix for $10-12 each and w/ a drink or two, your night could end up just being $20-25. Come on, theatre movies cost more than that!


WHAT'S UP DOC
You have to sift through who's coming, but they do get some national acts worth watching and even some up and comers who are worth the price.  I'd advise buying tix in advance of the show and getting there early to get an up front seat.  This will ensure that:
1) wait staff pay attention to you when you're out of a drink or food
2) you don't hear noise from the back from people there to gab or the noisy bar that someone else mentioned in their review. 
3) the obvious- a good view of who's on stage. 

I actually recommend sitting in the tables that are not in front of the stage, but in front enough to be the next set after those tables.  You're not too close to the stage, but you're close enough. 

THE VENUE
Yes, this is a small venue, but no smaller really than other comedy clubs I've been to. It seems smaller due to being underground from Seva restaurant.  The colors are a bit darker which lends to the cave-like atmosphere.  Don't worry it's not claustrophobic, but I'd go with friends, otherwise you'll have people to the left and right that you don't know and the tables are very intimate and close together.  It's got a cool supper club vibe that way though. 

OVERALL
Check it out. You'll have a barrel of laughs for little money and no regrets if you follow my suggestions.  Have fun!
4 - Todd N.: Have probably been there a dozen or more times. The only time it really stunk was when they had a "high profile" comedian and we paid top dollar for the tickets. Nobody and I do mean nobody laughed. The guy ended up declaring that all his jokes were over our head or something like that. So my takeaway: You may get a dud, but you probably will get a really funny act. Also, the smaller acts can be more funny than the national guys (they can steal their material from everyone!) Booze is reasonably priced and you can get a drink in Seva if you get there early....and don't forget to tip your waitstaff.
5 - Nicole D.: Had a great time, the comedians were funny, drinks were great and I won two tickets from filling out the comment card. I was so surprise when they called my name :)
5 - Annette J.: LOVE the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase. Such a great space with fabulous views from all tables and a really intimate venue that puts you right next to the comedian.....and your neighbor. Yes, the seats are close but it wasn't uncomfortable. Just a little cozy!

I came most recently on Monday night to see Aziz Ansari. It was an unusually small venue for his star status but he wanted to eat at Zingerman's so they booked him in the club. Thanks, mac and cheese! Anyway, it was a perfect night out. Hilarious comedian, super cheap tickets (22 only for 4th row!) and strong, relatively cheap drinks. Ahh yes, the electric lemonade long island left me appropriately tipsy as I walked out of there. A half carafe of bright blue goodness. You pour well, AACS!

The staff is so on the ball despite the fact they're running around in the dark in the middle of drunk laughing people. Unobtrusive and very friendly. I also love how attentive the staff in general is. The date of the show got moved a week early and they both sent an email and gave me a personal phone call to confirm with me. Great service! Can't wait to see another show there soon.
4 - Kristin D.: Been here twice.  You have some hits and misses with the comedies, but overall its a good time.  Its a fun, different atmosphere for a date.  They offer drinks and snacks (drinks are a wee bit overpriced).
4 - Narma L.: I wish I can give this 4.5 stars, but there is no option.  I went to the Comedy Jamm night and it was my first time going here.  It caught me by surprise!  I expected a dark and dingy basement with a few comedians present, but to my surprise the venue is quite nice with nice carpeting, and an authentic comedy club style atmosphere.  We enjoyed the open mic night comedians for the most part.  Only problem was a few comedians who managed to make the jokes a little uncomfortable.  We felt as if some were not screened well prior to offering them an opportunity at the stage.
5 - Beth H.: Great to catch a show and even better to catch a show during your birthday month, when you get 6 free tickets.  You have to call ahead to reserve.  Great drink selection and on this last visit we had a great waiter.  Saw Ron Shock on this visit.  Haven't been disappointed with any of the headlines so far and we've been coming for 5 years.
1 - amberherself x.: I've been to the comedy showcase three times - to see Doug Benson, Michael Ian Black and Moshe Kashar - and have enjoyed all of the performances. It's hard to find a bad seat in the house, so don't obsess too much over the seating chart because your view won't be obstructed and the sound is pretty good.

The reason this place is getting 2 stars is because after the show we sat this Saturday night - 11/05 - our sweet and kind waitress took my friend aside and started harassing him over the tip he gave her. She *literally* said the 'standard' is 20% and his tip isn't enough as she has to tip-put to the bar. She kept grabbing his arm after he said he was going to leave to insist on WHY she wasn't getting more money. Classy!

New flash kid, NOT our problem - Plus I'd work on your math skills as he did give you 20%. Oh, did I mention he's a veteran on leave from Iraq? 

On our way out I approached the manager Neil to let him know what our service did and to see how it could be rectified. He replied "Oh, she probably thought it was less than 20% and didn't know the math."

As if that's OK?

I am appalled at how we were treated and the lack of concern on behalf of the management. I'm one of those people that put their $ where their mouth is so I will not be returning to the Comedy Showcase anytime soon.
4 - Michelle C.: I'm speaking (well, writing) from having visited 3 times.

Venue is small and nothing fancy. But it really does the job. I've been there during the weekday as well as weekend- it doesn't ever fill up too much that you feel claustrophobic. 

The price is very reasonable. Sometimes you get no-namers, sometimes you get guys who have made a name for themselves in the industry. either way, I haven't been to a bad show yet.

Drinks are nothing too special. I've gotten the same vodka, club soda with a splash of OJ all three times. It's not consistent, so if you don't get a mixed drink your way, don't get mad. It is what it is.

Food- well, it's a comedy club, not a restaurant. ok?

Try it out! You'll have a great time.
5 - Katherine P.: LOVE the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase! I have seen many great comedians here. The prices are great. The service is good. The Long Islands are fabulous. Sure, it could use some redecorating but all I really care about is having a good time there - and AACS delivers!
5 - Jenee M.: If you have an issue sitting directly next to strangers, this place might not be for you. If you can get over it and be a little social, check this place out and get ready to laugh. I have been here a few times and every time the comedian has been hilarious. No duds booked for talent, that's for sure. The layout is a bit funky inside and the seating is not private at all. You will make new friends as you most likely will be seated directly next to total strangers and feel forced to acknowledge them. It is a bit odd when you first arrive but once the comedians come on, you forget the other people are there. And even though the seating is a tight fit, each spot has a pretty good view of the stage and hearing the comedian has never been an issue. Oh, and don't forget,  if you are sitting up front, be prepared to get picked on by the guys on stage. Happens every time. 

As far as pricing, I think the cost of a show is very reasonable. The no-namers are dirt cheap and still super funny. Also, the two larger scale shows I went to (John Hefron and Chris Rocks brother) were not overly priced. Note, Chris Rock's brother is funnier than Chris Rock...just saying. Anyhoo, back to the business...the long islands are made well and are typical bar price. I do not remember if they have food. Oh my, how can I forget this???!!! LOL. I think they have snacks but not a full menu. I remember popcorn and pretzels each time I was there. That's about it. If I am mistaken about the food/menu, please someone correct me. 

Onto the service; the servers can be a tad slow. However, every time I have been there, the place has been slammed. So, slow service is understandable. I can't expect rocket speed when every table is packed to the brim and the floor layout is like a maze. The servers have always been apologetic for taking a bit longer than average. No anger here. PLUS.....One time I had tickets for a show and went on the wrong night. I couldn't believe it. We arrived and the door guy told us that we had missed the show as it was the night before. This mistake was totally my fault since I got the dates mixed up. The door guy was so cool. He gave us a pair of tickets to another headlining act the following weekend. He didn't have to but he did. That's seriously generous and awesome in my book. Yay....Door Guy!

Overall, I think this is a fantastic place for a night out. Perfect, perfect, perfect for a date night. After, go have yourself a late dinner or hit a local bar for a few drinks. Make a night of it. You will not regret it.
5 - Jenni H.: I went here for the first time a few days ago (to see Myq Kaplan, who is amazing!!). For some reason, I expected it to be a dingy little room that smelled like old sticky cola ( like a  roller rink?). But it was not! It was actually very nice and very cozy and it smelled lovely. My husband and I sat in the 2nd row of seats, which at first made me a little nervous because it was sooo close to the stage and I thought we'd get picked on, but nothing happened. The seating is a VERY tight fit, and that would be my only complaint of the place. I wouldn't want to sit in the back because I could hear one of the drink makers whirring and it was pretty loud (even the comedian commented on it).  I thought the drinks were very good. I got a hot drink, a "nutty irishman", which was nice to hold on a cold winter night. I later got a creamsicle which was good, too. One recommendation I have for newbies is to have your credit card ready to pay for your drinks.  I ended up having to dig through my purse at the end of Myq's set looking for it (missing some jokes), not knowing that they expect payment right before the show is over. I thought our server was very nice. All in all, an amazing night and I will definitely be back!! Loved it!
4 - Tyler B.: I don't know why I am always surprised at my good time whenever I manage to make it over to the AA Comedy Showcase.  I've been there enough times to know exactly what I'm going to get.  Intimate, yes.  Service is acceptable given the narrow walkways and comedy club expectations. Most importantly, the drinks will not crush your wallet. That's the real nature of my surprise - I always assume comedy club = I need financial aid for the bill, not so here.  I thank them for that.

Perhaps my surprise and lack of a fifth star is that I only ever notice a headliner that I feel I have to see once or twice a year.  As a comedy nerd who knows a fair amount of comedians and as a drunk who likes to be entertained on the cheap, you'd think I'd find myself here more.  I guess keeping it sporadic keeps it special, which is never a bad thing.
4 - Jessica O.: I've been to a few shows at the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase and I'm never disappointed.  Great acts (including openers), small/intimate setting (I hardly notice that the seats are SO close together once I'm settled in), attentive waitstaff (though the drink prices are a bit steep).  Keep your eyes peeled on their website for special engagements - the tickets cost a bit more, but it's totally worth it when you get to see comedians like Aziz Ansari.
1 - Ed P.: I had purchased ticket coupons thru Travel Zoo, very deceiving.  We traveled to AA, paid for parking had dinner to be informed at the ticket window the performance was a "special engagement" which our coupons were not valid.  Smart ass at the counter told me I should have looked at their website (why would I do that if I have coupons?) or the signs they have posted on the ticket window.  Plus they advertised on Travel Zoo the coupons for 2 were good for up to $30; which would be a "special engagement" and there for void.  The normal price is $10 which makes the coupons not a value.  At the AA Comedy Showcase the laugh is on you!
3 - Manika A.: We laughed, but only for 45 minutes... WTF?  shortest comedy showcase I've ever been to.  Maybe the comics in Ann Arbor have somewhere to be after 9:30pm...

Ann Arbor District Library - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2781965, -83.7459273) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - Mae S.: A great library for many purposes. Here's what I do: 

-- watch for interesting books listed on blogs, in reviews, etc. 
-- add them to an amazon.com wish list
-- when I want something to read: look up from wish list to online library catalog (I use the Ann Arbor Dist. Library and also the University of Mich. library catalog for this). 

While I'm at the library I can read newspapers and magazines (in real paper copies, instead of online like I do at home), I can look at new and browsing books (conveniently arranged), I can look at the library sale books (when the store of donated books is open), I can donate my old books, I can look through cookbooks (shelved together), travel books, lots of books. I could also check encyclopedias, reference books, etc. if that were on my agenda. The librarians are knowledgeable and helpful also. 

A recent article about the demise of small and independent bookstores noted that if you want a big selection of nicely arranged books with  knowledgeable guidance for reading or research, you should forget bookstores and go to the library. BINGO!

The library: where I get value for my taxes.
5 - Clarence C.: The downtown branch of the library has more than books. 

Check out movies, music magazines and other media on your library card. Use library computers to do research on the Internet or to access electronic databases. Request books on loan from other libraries. 

Check out the events schedule regularly. Interesting speakers and authors are scheduled every week, and they're all free. 

The art gallery rotates through several shows a year. Works are on display in the basement and on the third floor.

The Friends of the Library operate a used book shop in the basement. Check out their separate review on this site. 

For more information, check out the library's Web site above. You can access the catalog through the website. If you have a library card, you can set up an online account and use it to reserve or renew your books.

Open Sundays from Noon to 6 p.m. Every Sunday there is free parking on the city lot next door. Sundays only. 

The new self-checks are very fast and easy to use. Unlike the ones at Home Depot. You scan your card and then the book. Then you push one button, the one that says "finished," and then you're done.

Do not park in the staff parking lot. You will be towed, even if you happen to be on the staff. You have been warned. Leaving your four-way flashers on does not actually provide any kind off legal protection against having your vehicle towed

P.S. I'm a paid employee of the library, so my five-star rating comes with a little bias.
5 - Sarah W.: This is a really good city library. Good selection of books, I can always find some to check out here. Also the DVD selection is pretty good and you can't beat free rentals! I love how you can rent and request things at home online from here.

The library is also pretty nice and large. If you go up the second floor you can use the internet. They have all the latest magazines and newspapers. There are also private rooms you can study in as well as plenty of tables to study at. There are plenty of special events here so you should check out the library website.

Every year things just get better here. Always improved a bit. It's amazing to see how small it was before and how it keeps growing.
5 - Lisa W.: This is probably one of the hottest libraries around these parts.  You walk in and you don't know where to go, there's so many possibilities right in front of you!  Right away you are hit with the free rentals (don't be fooled, though, because you will pay dearly if you are late).  Fiction is off to the side...  oh, but then children's -- gotta check that out.

Speaking of chlidren's stuff, I was at their booth with my family during the Taste of Ann Arbor (I had to get a plastic yellow hardhat for my son), and they were telling me about an awesome summer program they are having.  The Reading Program awards the readers with a brand new book after reading ten books.  They have special events involving Egyptian medicine, chess!, dancing babies, yoga, science, playgroups... and...  Lowrider Car Expo???
5 - Adelais T.: This library is awesome. They have a huge, and very complete, collection of books. You can put things on hold and pick them up without having to go to the circulation desk, which makes things much easier. Also, their self-checkout system makes checking things out a much speedier process.
5 - Andrea M.: CONVENIENT, CLEAN, CONTEMPORARY.
Overall, this library is booming, and in an age of electronica, the library here is still valid, and alive. 

What I love the most is that you can reserve books, DVD's, etc. and be emailed as soon as you have come up on the waitlist to receive the item(s). 

I agree with another reviewer in that this is a great way to check out something that you want to get on Amazon.com, and personally, I think it's a great place to find newly released DVD's to see if you actually want to purchase them later or not.

They do have a large amount of computers upstairs if you need computer access.  Also they have quite spacious rooms downstairs for meetings, presentations, etc.  (I attended a public event there recently that was packed to the max.)  

There are also art installations in various areas, and a great area for children.  There is definitely something for everyone at the library.  It is centrally located, accessible by bus, walking, and if you drive parking is convenient, as there is on-street or a lot next door (and also across the street). The bus station is right across the street. 

MY PERSONAL LIKES:
*I like that whatever you have "Waitlisted" is pulled for you and ready right up front when you get there. 
*Checking out is electronic if you want to use the self-checkouts (there are 4-5 of those), or a very helpful, nice library employee will assist. 
*Also, as I mentioned, you are emailed when your item is ready for pickup if you registered online for notifications.
5 - mariah c.: One of my favorite spots around.  Seriously!  I haven't been out to the new Traverwood branch, or the Pittsfield branch (where I hear they have a.... fireplace! Oooohhh!), but this location is less than a 10 minute walk from me. I should be so lucky to always live so dang close to a great library like this.

The staff's really helpful, the collection is vast, and inter-library loan works like a charm.  You can put a book on reserve, use the self-check-out, and even renewing my library card was lightening-fast and painless. 

They have wonderful programming- both for kids and adults, too.  As someone who has a several points considered going back to school to become a librarian, I think the example that this place sets is a big part of what keeps me excited about libraries.

Libraries aren't just places to store books anymore, by any means.  They are an equal access space, a place for community dialogue and events, and this one, particularly, feels like a home away from home.

It's a bit sad they had to put the plans for the new facility on hold due to the economy, but at least it'll give me some more cozy time to hang out in this location, which has been near and dear to my heart (and mind, I guess!) for many years.
5 - Theresa T.: This is the greatest Library EVER!  Did you know that you can access Rosetta Stone online for FREE!!!!!  Wow.

The staff is wonderful and so very helpful.  Great location and such a lovely place for children.
5 - Lane M.: I can't say I've ever been to a more complete, friendly, and inviting library in my life.

I am constantly surprised by what the carry there...graphic novel, music, and movie wise.  It's truly amazing.

Also, I can easily browse there and find books I'd want to read that I'd never find on Amazon or elsewhere.

Don't have it on the shelf? Just request a hold. 

I babysit from time to time and I always enjoy bringing the little one to the children's section.  We can read there, play puzzles, or maybe just play with some toy cars and airplanes.  

A great place to chill out, relax, and read for hours on end.
2 - PJ M.: They never have the book (from classic literature to travel guides to current bestsellers) or DVD I want, they once chastised me for putting my head down on the table. (school plus work makes a person tired). They let a group of teenagers continue to be loud while I was trying to study. They are basically closed on the weekend and Fri nite when I could have used them the most,some of their fines are excessive, I couldn't afford it... All of this was a while back, but i gave up on them a long time ago....maybe things are better, i dunno,  I didn't have time to figure out the online crap either, so......the reference desk was always super cool....
5 - Dharma A.: I hope Ann Arborites appreciate just how lucky we are to have such a fantastic public library system.  The AADL has a great collection of materials, including DVDs, CDs, really good magazines, and graphic novels.  Their website is outta-sight!  On top of that they have a constant stream of events--invited speakers, cheese tastings, and workshops. All for free?! If you live in Ann Arbor and don't have a library card yet, shame on you!
4 - Lily P.: Its a great library! there are tons of movies and blue ray versions of them. You can borrow them for a week with no charge and always review them. The staff is very helpful. There are a ton of cds, magazines, and also books that just got released.
The booksale is a lot of fun to go to since some of the titles are pretty new there. Also they  also have dvds selling there for dirt cheap. THe hours are pretty good and its easy to go in and out due to the self check out. I like to order a lot of movies online and even if its really popular subject there will be books either at the library, short hold list, or can get it from other branches.
5 - Stacy W.: Love this library, particularly the Pittsfield branch! Their online system is wonderful, makes it really easy to search for a book and have it held at a branch, or be put on a wait list if it's not currently available. Also, the system emails you when your books are due...so helpful!
The staff has been helpful every time I'm needing any help, and the library always seems clean and well organized.
4 - Liz H.: Downtown has a great library. One of my favorites free places in ann arbor to kill some time. Great movie selection pretty much always, and the website is really use-friendly to request titles. It is also spacious. Even though it is a downtown building, i don't much get a cramped feel from it. 

I wouldn't mind more independent places to study, but most of the time the 3rd floor is pretty quiet even if there aren't any rooms available.

 I support them so often through late fees that i should have donor status, but instead I have probably just really inconvenienced someone reading this review. The staff never judges though. They just politely collect. I appreciate that.
5 - Patti S.: The library system rocks.  It was a great day when I realized that I could order a book from the downtown branch and pick it up at the Malletts Creek branch near my house.  Perfect for lazy people like me :)
5 - Amy W.: This library system is amazing.  They have a huge collection of books, dvds, cds, and magazines.  

They have a great selection of movies including foreign films and television series.  You can actually borrow everything from episodes of Cheers to episodes of Alias, Star Trek, or even Friends.  

I also use the library for borrowing magazines.  Whenever I fly, I stop by the library to pick up a few magazines to read during the flight.  They let you borrow magazines for a week so this is great for short trips.  

Perhaps the best part about the library is the online catalog and emails they send.  You can search for items online and have them delivered to any of the branches you'd like.  When things are about to be due, you get a friendly email warning you and then you can easily renew items online too.  SOOO user friendly!

The library has free wifi and lots of computers too so it makes for a nice place to study or just get work done.  They also offer read along and sing along events for little kids as well as events for teens and adults.  They really work on making a community.

I will be sad when I leave Ann Arbor and have to leave behind the best library system I've ever seen.
5 - Sara P.: My Mom grew up in Ann Arbor and this was "her library" as she says. This past weekend I was in Ann Arbor for a family reunion and got to check it out. This library is huge and I assume that means lots of books that you wouldn't normally find in other libraries. My review is solely based on the 3rd floor. The selection of language books was surprising. Since I'm trying to brush up on my French, Spanish, Mandarin and learn Italian I had plenty of material to look while waiting for my family to show up to view the photography exhibit, my Grandpa's work. Free parking across the street on Sundays too!
5 - Athena K.: The staff are amazing. If they don't have, they will find it and let you know when it's in so you can come get it. The reading/study spots are all comfortable. The bathrooms are clean. What more could anyone ask for?
5 - Jen S.: Ah, I love this library. They have such a great selection of books, movies, newspapers, magazines, CD's, and even art to bring home and show off on your wall for a few weeks. They have a great inter-library loan system where you can borrow an item from almost any library in Michigan so you can pretty much always get what you need/want. And they're website is great -- you can do so much on there and they sometimes have really interesting events. I'm a big supporter of this place and you should be too!
5 - Becky S.: Perhaps it is a little nerdy to review a library, but this one is really a cut above.  During the summer they offer museum tickets for Detroit, they have framed art to rent and a huge modern music collection. They are open late and you can generally find a quiet place to read. Requests come quickly because the whole library system here is one of the best I have seen. They will often purchase books they don't have.

I won't dock a star for it, but the volunteers/low paid workers can be a little bit over zealous about their responsibilities. Fall asleep in your calculus book? You'll quickly have a volunteer making some smart ass comment about sleeping. Have a handful of books without a basket? You'll get a stupid comment about how you should use a basket for the book's sake. So on and so forth they get a little excited. There are two in particular that are borderline assholes but that's not the library's fault and I guess they keep the peace.
5 - Elle D.: Fantastic!

You can search for books/music/movies on their website, request them, and wait for an email that says they are ready for you to pick up.  When you arrive, you find your name, pick up your reserved selections, either scan yourself out or visit the desk, and then you are on your way.  Renewals also available online when available!

The selection is tremendous between all the branches.  The staff is very helpful and friendly.  The hours of operation are pretty good (closes way too early on the weekends).  They offer so much with their events schedule that it is astounding.
5 - A N.: Excellent resource

Ann Arbor Film Festival - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2790451, -83.7409011) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - Kristin D.: The most innovative, cutting-edge film festival in the nation, and the oldest at that! So last March the ACLU sued the State of Michigan on the AAFF's behalf since the state cut their funding. Check out their website. Too many Film Festivals have gone mainstream and film nerds no longer have a valid place to be the creative beings they are. Thank the higher beings that the AAFF is still around. I just found out they are launching a capital campaign to secure their existence for a little bit longer. Apparently the AAFF is endangered and about to kick the proverbial bucket. Not cool. Not cool at all. I love these creative ogres. Check out this short film on endangered species they created to launch their campaign. www.annarborfilmfestival.org
5 - Clarence C.: The oldest festival in America, and an internationally recognized event.

It's possible to screen a lot of new, exciting and avante-garde film in a short period of time when the festival takes over Ann Arbor.
3 - Athena K.: Maybe I'm just not a short film fan. But I'm not sure why so many people have given this five stars. I do love the fact that independent and experimental films are shown. And I like that the film makers are there to talk about their films. But some of the ones I saw last time, I just didn't get. Huh. Perhaps I'm just not creative enough.
5 - Sylvonna R.: Straight from their website: "The Ann Arbor Film Festival is the longest-running independent and experimental film festival in North America, established in 1963...The six-day festival presents 40 programs with more than 180 films from over 20 countries of all lengths and genres, including experimental, animation, documentary, narrative, hybrid and performance based works."

Ann Arbor is a hip but rather small college town and events like this are what make me feel so lucky to be from here.  The film festival is a great opportunity to experience an event that you would otherwise have to travel to a much larger city to enjoy.  This film festival is organized and run beautifully and is on par with the much larger film festivals in larger cities.  Ann Arbor is truly lucky to have the Ann Arbor Film Festival and anyone who has the chance will be lucky to take advantage of it!

Ann Arbor Hair Studio - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2804405, -83.7470745) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
4 - Jolie V.: I followed Dawn from Above Ground, and now she has her own place.  It is super cozy with a great view.  I have had a lot of fantastic color, but Dawn gave me hands down the best vanilla platinum ever.
5 - Bill M.: Dawn is already ready to fit me in for a cut--she just helped me out, cleaning my hair up for my summer road trip before she closed up for Art Fair.

I rarely know precisely what I want and she does a great job figuring out what is going to look good and do what I want.
5 - Kelly J.: I have been going to Dawn to get my fabulous haircuts for 4 years. Dawn really knows how to cut hair and is always up to date on new techniques and styles. I may be moving out of state within a year and am seriously considering making the trips back to Dawn to get my haircut, she is that good. I have never left her salon feeling anything but refreshed and more than satisfied. Thank you Dawn for my great looking hair! Oh, I also have 3 friends who now go to Dawn for their haircuts, 2 of them guys, and they love her too!
5 - Margaret C.: I've been seeing Dawn for about 6 years now even though I have moved out of Ann Arbor. I was really excited to get my most recent cut because I have been dreaming about a funky, asymmetrical cut and have always wanted Dawn to try something edgy, fun and different. I am 100% obsessed with my new cut! Dawn's layering and shaping is superb and her razor work is bad to the bone. Dawn can do a great traditional cut but she is AWESOME at fun and funky cuts.
5 - Emily B.: I am extremely picky about my hair, as it's short and platinum. Finding someone who is good at both of these things is extremely difficult. I can't tell you how many times I've paid over $150 for something that is a bad imitation of platinum. I am new to Ann Arbor and searched for reviews on Yelp that talked about platinum and found Dawn.  This lady knows platinum. Seriously, if there was advanced certification for color, she would have a PhD.

Anyway, enough about the platinum (it's perfect, nice and silvery with not a touch of yellow or blue). The haircut was awesome, and the environment is super laid back and friendly. It's not really a "salon," it's just Dawn's own space in a super funky art deco building downtown, no high-pressure salon sales, no products being shoved down your throat. 

Prices are market (actually very reasonable for platinum, which is a multi-step process) and services are far above average. I have heard that Dawn is really good at fun, non-traditional cuts, but she can do boring hair too (and men's hair) so check it out! But don't take my Saturday 12n time slot please!
1 - Marianne K.: I can't speak to Dawn's haircutting talents, but her ability to run her business properly is lacking. I made an appointment for a wash and cut and when I arrived at the appointed time was told "No, I have you down for 5:00," an hour away. At first I was annoyed that she didn't apologize for her mistake, then later realized she thought she was right. She was not; when making the appointment she suggested 3:30? 4:00? and I specifically told her 4:00 was perfect because that's when I get out of work right around the corner. She replied "Perfect!"
My time is valuable to me and I can't afford to deal with such a flake. For those of you with time on your hands I hope it's worth any such aggravation.

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2822389, -83.746538) (Kerrytown Ann Arbor)
3 - Mae S.: If you have seen the Exploratorium in San Francisco you are destined for disappointment. Otherwise, take a kid who likes hands on science.
5 - Clarence C.: Hundreds of fun, hands-on science exhibits that kids will love. They also have workshops and other events regularly. 

This is a great place to go when you have rugrat/zookeeper duty for the afternoon. I love this place because I know my favorite five kids in the entire world will love it.
3 - Jen H.: Maybe I was expecting the wrong thing...but this museum is a little small.  I drove about a hour and a half in nasty winter weather with my best friend and her daughter (21 mos old) to get here today.  

I wasn't inside but a few minutes and already I was freaking out.  They tried Twice to swipe my Debit/Credit card.  Both times they told me it was declined.  What?!  Declined?!  I started freaking out - there definitely was way more than enough money to cover the $9 entrance fee.  The lady told me sorry and moved on to the next person.  What was I to do?  I don't carry anything else.  No cash, no other credit cards.  Luckily, my friend paid for me to get in.  But before we could get in I called the bank.  I was freaking out - did someone steal my card?  Why was it declined?  What happened?  The lady at the bank told me that my account looked fine.  There was still my money inside and better yet, there was no try to charge from the Museum.  That's right - somehow they had never tried to charge my account, but just declined me instead.  So I suggest that you bring a cash form of payment just in case.  The woman at the counter did tell me that sometimes it just declines cards.  Great.

We went inside, currently there is a Bob the Builder exhibit.  My niece loved this.  She was running around and trying everything out.  She really liked where you had to try and build your own wall out of foam bricks.  

The third floor was dinky - as was the fourth floor.  There were school age children running around all over and knocking over my niece.  They were taking parts of the exhibit away from her and overall needed to be controlled better by their group parents.  Not that it's the Museum's fault - but it was irritating none the less.

I was looking for a few hands on exhibits that I didn't see - where's the Van de Graaff generator?  I enjoyed some of the ones they had, but I was expecting more.  Also as another person commented - some of the exhibits were looking sadly old.  

We got through the museum in probably 2.5 hours, and that was spending a decent amount of time in the Preschool section and running after my niece.

An okay place to visit, but I don't think I'd ever go back again and certainly not if it required the long drive.
4 - Christie M.: After a disaster lunch at Cafe Zola, I needed to cheer my 1 yr old up so here we are.  This place is pretty small compare to others I've been in other states but it does the trick. The preschool area is prefect for us. Baby can spend all day here playing with water, puzzles, Lego blocks, kitchen area, and lots more. Glad I always pack extra clothing because he is a crazy kid. He managed to drench himself in water even wearing their smocks. Again, great place to unleash tiny tots energy. Must go.
3 - Katie T.: this past friday, my boyfriend and i went to the ann arbor hands-on museum for a little outing!  we walked over there about an hour and some odd minutes before it closed.   i had been to the museum once before when i was in undergrad (why...i can't tell you).  

it was smaller than jason thought it would be.  jason really liked the optics floor and i liked the "world around you" exhibit.  we played with lights, some digital media.  it was very hands-on (obviously).  they had some really interesting noise exhibits as well.  the gift shop seemed fantastic.

i think we wished we had gotten there about 15 minutes sooner.  we were a little rushed near the end.  also, some of the exhibits were slightly broken or not working properly, which was disappointing.  overall though, we had more fun than we expected. 

times visited: 2
time in museum: 1 1/4 hrs
overall: B+
3 - gina s.: We have a membership at a reciprocal museum, so we get in here for free. Otherwise, it's a $9 entrance fee for adults. (For kids, I'm not 100% sure so check the website). I would not pay regular admission prices to come here.

Many of the exhibits are in a sad state of disrepair. (I was just there for the third time this week, April 2011.) Also, most of the exhibits require relatively heavy-reading and are advanced. Not so good for the 5-8 year-old set. 

The water play area is really fun for my daughter (who is 7). I see kids from 2 years to 10 years old having fun in that area. The very top floor (visual media or some such title?) is also really fun. These two areas keep my daughter entertained the longest. She also likes the exhibits surrounding the ambulance (on the main level, not sure of the title).  The exhibit with the live animals (fish, frogs, butterflies, etc) was closed when we were there. Seemed they were remodeling it.

There is a preschool area for ages 4 and under. We've never been in there, but I imagine it would be enjoyable for that age group. It seems busy in there, but not frantic and chaotic like the rest of the museum can be on weekends, or god forbid...during a middle school field trip. AAAHHHH!

We spent about 2 hours there this time, but if it was a first visit, and the animal exhibit were open, we probably could have spent 2.5-3 hours. If you live nearby, get a membership and go regularly for an hour or two at a time. That seems to be the best value from my experience.
3 - Jennifer V.: AAHOM is a pretty neat place. It's definitely fun for little ones, and little ones at heart (like me!)

The reason it gets 3 stars:

1. It's on the small side. Like, surprisingly small, for it's apparent size on the outside. It seems like a lot of it is offices and/or birthday party space. 

2. There don't appear to be enough staff to keep an eye on things at times. I saw a lot of kids behaving inappropriately (read: pushing them, taking activities from them, etc.) towards other kids, and while it should be on the parents to watch their jerkface kids, it'd be nice to have more staff around to pitch in and enforce "the rules."

3. The price - why is it $9 to bring little kids to this place? They charge the same price for ages 2 & up. Anyone under 2 is free. Generally speaking, most kids under 2 won't get the full effect of the place, so.... You're really paying for anyone and everyone to check the place out.
4 - Aaron T.: First floor has these huge foam building blocks.  My daughter and I had a kick building castles, but it took all my strength to keep from smacking the strange kid that kept trying to knock down our tower.  MYOB punk!  Second floor is more for toddlers.  Third and forth floor were the most interesting for parents.  Especially liked the old timey store front and the electric dance room.  Overall a very nice surprise on a cold or rainy day.
5 - Bob S.: This is a great place for kids.  I always enjoy going to the Hands On.  My kids are very entertained by the ambulance, the health exhibits, the giant soap bubble you can stand in, all of the light experiments, and especially the funky dance room on the top floor.

I highly recommend the Hands On Museum.  The real fun part (I think) is the toddler room where you can sit on the floor and get out all kinds of things to do, like look at things with a magnifier glass.  I wish they had the equivalent for older kids...my kids really loved that part.

It is really hands on.  Highly recommend.
4 - Ethan P.: The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum is a great museum. Kids 3-12 will have the most fun at this museum I would think. The exhibits are unique and interesting. All four floors  have great things. This is one of the best Science museum I've been too. Down stairs is loads of fun for smaller children.  

The next 3 are super great, it's all hands on hence the name and interactive. The kids will not be the only learning a lot while having a good time. Adults and teens will learn something and will get engaged in some of the activities and exhibits. There is lots of health exhibits and other things such as the bubble tube, the green screen etc. The gift shop is reasonably priced as well. In my opinion it's cheaper than other places.
5 - Barramundi S.: Great place to young kids - by that I mean kids upto 5th graders would probably really enjoy it. We've members now and our kids love it.  They've got hundreds of interactive exhibits and the kids really enjoy it.

The only downsides are: Parking is a pain (street parking only) and if you happen to there while a school field trip is there then lots and lots of kids running around and it gets noisy. 

The restrooms are clean, they have lots of historical exhibits as well as state of the art stuff for kids. There's a pre-school room that great for little ones with a splash pool etc.

I'd highly recommend. 

On a side note - there's a great food co-op right around the corner from the restaurant so if you get hungry....
4 - Jill C.: I agree with others that this place is a bit small but it was perfect for my little ones who are 3 and 5. Parking is an issue, so beware. They ran out of juice before seeing everything so we have lots to see the next time we go. We wound up buying a membership so it'll be well worth the expense by the 2nd or 3rd time we go. I love that grandparents can take the kiddos for free with the membership!
4 - Nijole T.: Since I am not a art or history fanatic the hands on museum is perfect for kids and the kid at heart (me)
It is no COSI and won't tke more than 2 hours to go through but the $5 after 5pm deal on thursdays is perfect, otherwise the entrance is $10 pp above the age of 2 which is steep for the fact that it is not that big.
It has 4 floors but the top 3 are very small, still fun.
Our favorite was the video dancing on the top floor but there was a ton of fun things to do and a nice break from movies, video games and all the other garb that kids are into nowadays.
I wouldn't drive more than an hour to get here, but being on vacation in Ann Arbour this was perfect and my son (8) had a great time.
3 - Kristine G.: UPDATE: I updated the review from 1 to 3 stars. I received a courteous and professional response to my email to the museum within 48 hours. We will give it another try.

Don't go during the week in the summer!!
I took my kids to the Hands-On Museum on a Tuesday at 2 p.m. and the experience was terrible. The museum was overrun with camps with too few adult supervisors. Twice my 5 year old was in tears because a child had pushed her from a station. We moved to different sections, trying to escape the chaos, but ultimately both kids ASKED to leave. After only an hour and a $30 admission fee, I can say I won't be returning anytime soon. I've written to the museum to express my concern, we'll see if they respond.

Ann Arbor Magic Shop - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2795282, -83.7464879) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
1 - Sean L.: I've been a magician for over 20 years and was excited to see a sign in the heart of Ann Arbor that said "Ann Arbor Magic Shop".  With Ann Arbor's vibrant and eclectic environment, I've always thought that a well run magic shop would do good business in the city.  Having been to some of the best stores in north america, I expected good things from this store but boy was I let down.  As you walk down the stairs (below Afternoon Delight), you will see the store on the left but it isn't clear until you realize that the magic store itself is mixed in with a sports memorabilia shop.  Having been open for 4 months (around August), the dual store was extremely disorganized with stuff EVERYWHERE.  The store owner, Kenny, was pleasant but is really just an amateur magician/memorabilia collector who is trying to find anybody who is foolish enough to pay top dollar to buy his used goods.  Even my friend, a non-magician, left saying, "It looks like they are just selling some really old stuff in there".  And boy was he correct.  Most of the items looked old and had already been opened almost as if they had been opened but never used much since the trick sucked or never fit into a show.  I walked in hoping to find a diamond in the rough but left feeling like it was a shame to brick and mortar magic shops across the world.  The problem is that the tricks were severely overpriced (compared to online vendors) and there wasn't anybody who was actively selling the goods.  Along with a disasterously messy shop, it summed up to a very unpleasant experience.

I am all for supporting the local business, especially the niche shops.  However, the Ann Arbor Magic Shop does not deserve my (nor your patronage) until it cleans up its act and it's store.  What should've been a wonderful and exciting experience (as magic should feel) left a sour taste in my mouth.

But don't let me convince you.  Go and judge for yourselves!  I'll be back in six months to see if they made any changes.
5 - Sumer S.: The owner was very friendly! he showed my friends and me some great tricks and gave us all a little something to remember the shop by. I was very impressed and highly recommend making the stop to take a look!

Ann Arbor Medical Marijuana Clinic - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2794653, -83.7452341) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - Hadeer S.: A2 Medical Clinic is professionalism and compassion at its finest. The staff is very knowledgeable & well-versed about the medical and legal aspects of cannabis. 

What do I look for in a clinic? Compassionate, respect, professionalism, knowledge, expert care, and understanding. I also look for staff members who are experts in their trade, be it the receptionist or even the medical doctor. 

At A2 Medical Clinic, all of these components of expert care are clearly evident and demonstrated. The receptionist answers all questions clearly and concisely and follows up with patients as they embark on this journey.

The doctors are very nice people who are on board with the use of medicinal marijuana to treat patients and to ensure they have the best quality of life.

The waiting room has a flat screen television and lots of snacks, coffee, and drinks to make the visit as comfortable and stress free as possible.

Definitely check it out! And the prices are the best in town! Not to mention, coupons are available just for "Liking" them on Facebook! Now that's a deal!
5 - Nicole L.: They are a pleasure to work with!

Ann Arbor Summer Festival - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2869431, -83.7414835) ()
5 - Mae S.: http://www.annarborsummerfestival.org/

Check out this website (caution: it sings loud as soon as you go there!)

The best thing at the summer festival is the outdoor free movies, surrounded by food stands and tents where you can drink beer or whatever (if you're old enough). Meet your friends! 

Downside: the food is overpriced. But the atmosphere makes up for it. IF  you really just want the ice cream, walk over to South U. or State street and go to Stucchis.
5 - Jessica Y.: I love Top of the Park, a 3 week nightly festival taking place in Ingall's Mall.  I go mostly for the movies, but occasionally have been for the concerts or dancing.

The movies screen at 10pm, for free, on a giant inflatable screen set up in front of the Rackham building.  Folding chairs are plentiful and provided (albeit slightly uncomfy) or you can bring a blanket and spread out on the grass.  There's always a great movie selection, from recent blockbusters (2010: Avatar, Sherlock Holmes, Fantastic Mr. Fox), to classics (2010: Plan 9 from Outer Space, Casablanca, The Birds).  Lots of family friendly flicks, too.  The food is a little pricey, but reliable and hits the spot... and definitely cheaper than a movie theater!
5 - A N.: One of the best ways to enjoy Ann Arbor and get a great sense of the community.

Top of the Park events are admission free  (so if you don't care for something, just wait a bit and check something else out - hard to beat with the price of admission).
 = 90% of the festival itself.

Artists, film trailers and menus are all posted on line making it easier to plan how best to enjoy the 125+ events presented in just under 4 weeks.

Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra - Ann Arbor, MI (42.281232, -83.746194) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - Clarence C.: Ann Arbor has a professional symphony that performs September through April. 

Performances are world-class, and some of the annual events have become popular traditions, including the Mozart Birthday Bash.
5 - Erin G.: Ann Arbor's very own professional orchestra--they're awesome. Their season runs Sep. - Apr. and tickets are very affordable. I like that while their music is first-rate, it's not a hoity-toity event each time. Yes, you can dress up and make a night out of it, but many people also go in jeans.  Before the concerts they always have pre-concert lectures which tell you about the music that will be played that night, which is a really cool thing and very informative. The A2SO is a non-profit and they do a lot of great work for music education in local schools, so they're a great place to spend your money for a fun and different night out. In addition to their regular concerts, which are on Saturdays, they always have family concerts the Sunday afterwards, which are more kid-friendly. They do free Kinderconcerts for little ones at local libraries, and cheap Afternoon Delights concerts for senior citizens or folks who can't get out to a night show. All in all a fantastic part of our community.

Ann Taylor - Cambridge, MA (42.373927, -71.1215685) (Harvard Square)
4 - Kathleen M.: Ann Taylor is always hit or miss for me, but I am quite picky about clothes. I've had great luck at this location for finding cute stuff, both full price and on their sale rack. I love that their sale section is nicely separated by size so you don't have to wade through things that are way too big or too small for you in order to figure out whether or not there is something you want. Clothes can be a bit pricey, but the quality is great and they have lots of classic, versatile pieces that you can wear for several seasons. 

The staff is always helpful, much more so than some I have encountered at other locations.  I am indebted to one of them who found my ATM card and called my bank to let them know she had found it. The bank called me before I even knew it was missing, and the staff was great when I went to pick it up. Big thanks for being a wonderfully honest establishment that saved me the hassle of having to replace my card!
5 - Anna P.: You know what they have there already, it's a chain, you either like the clothes or you don't.

But buying an interview suit by yourself is a hugely intimidating experience - the women here were helpful, patient and honest.  I really felt like I was being taken care of.  I'll return here again rather than go to a more anonymous branch at a mall.
4 - Melissa M.: Am I really becoming a female who shops at Ann Taylor? Probably not.  But, I did find clothes here today that are very complementary and comfy.  They are having a big sale now so, get forth and shop!  The pretty girl who put my clothes to try on in the dressing room was very nice.  The prices definitely range from almost a steal to no way am I going to pay x amount of money for that.  But, I'd say check it out in between seasons and you could find something.  I still can't believe I'm reviewing Ann Taylor.
5 - Peg P.: There are MANY Ann Taylor branches throughout the Boston area. As an Ann Taylor fan, I have been to almost all of the branches at some point or another. All in all, I like the Harvard Square store the best for the following reasons: 

1. Location - This is a pretty accessible store from the MB TA Red line and a variety of bus lines. 

2. Size - This store is a pretty good size and allows for a lot of mechanise to be put out. Smaller stores do not have as much inventory. The smaller stores will tell you to go to a larger one for a better selection. I would rather go to a larger store and see it all first hand. 

3. Atmosphere - This is a quieter store than others, as it is tucked away a bit. They have a steady business, yet I do not feel the store gets "crowded" in the same way as other Ann Taylor stores. 

4. Staff - The staff are helpful, and do not hound or badger me when I am in the store or trying items on. This is a big plus for this store. 

At the end of the day, I think women either like Ann Taylor clothing or they do not. For me, and the job I have, I have found Ann Taylor to be a nice store to shop (especially with coupons!). The Harvard Square location is my favorite out of all of them.
4 - Sarah S.: Reviewing Ann Taylor, kind of lame, yes, but somehow over the last year it's become my favorite clothing store and this is my favorite Boston location.  True, being a 10 minute walk from my house is an added bonus, but the layout of the store is quite nice (much better than the small, multi-level thing the Back Bay location has going on) and the employees I've always found to be friendly.  Check it out!
4 - Miriam L.: I consider myself more of an Urban Outfitters kind of girl rather than Ann Taylor, but I find myself stopping in here for their sales, especially blazers, skirts, and tshirts.  With reasonably good sale prices - and really good "final sale" prices - I don't see myself stopping anytime soon.

This store is a bit small as Ann Taylor stores go, but still pretty well stocked.  I think the fact that their petite section is a bit lacking has more to do with their manufacturing than the store size anyway.  The sales help is extremely friendly, but not overbearing.  I'm always impressed with sales staff that treats me like an adult, since I look younger than my age and could easily be mistaken for a college student.  Not that college students aren't adults, but salespeople often ignore those shoppers they assume don't actually have money to buy anything.  I've always been treated with respect here.

Plus, I got a fantastic deal on a really pretty dress shirt today.
2 - edition o.: Beautiful location and great selection but awful customer service.  I was there making a return and while two staff were already assisting customers at the registers, I waited patiently.  When one staff member became free she ignored me and messed around with some bags before telling the other staff member "I'm going to go out back."  Finally, ten minutes after I arrived, the other staff member acknowledged me and took my return without so much as looking up.  The store was empty after the previous two customers left.  Obviously I know better than to believe these two nonchalant staff members are truly representative of the brand but needless to say, I will not be going back to this location.

Ann Taylor - Houston, TX (29.7161488, -95.41639) (West University)
1 - May N.: A smaller, equally snobby version of the Galleria location.  Sales and petite sections are much smaller.  Walked in, looked around, tried on one item, put it back on the rack, and not one sales associate acknowledged my presence.  I'm just trying to spend a gift card, ladies!
3 - Martha D.: You will find the usual section of business attire here, all of the neutral variety. They have gotten a lot more tops on the casual side recently. Prices here are a little higher than it's sister down the street, Loft. Tops are around $60 - $100 and pants about $70 - $120. This is again a great place for business attire. They do always have a supply of suits. Once and a while they have interesting styles and fabrics, but most of the time they are solid and plain. 

I do agree with May N. There are several qualms with this location. I do always get asked if I need any help, but it comes with a look of "you better not ask for anything." On about half of my trips someone does volunteer to get a room for me when I get bogged down with options. 

The petite section is a little back corner about the size of a handicap bathroom stall. Where is other locations the regular section and the petite are about half and half, the regular section here is about 90% of the store. 

So this is not the best location of Ann Taylor, but I still make a stop when I'm going through the Village.
3 - Joy D.: I visited the store several times, when they were having their 40% off everything sale. The people here were more helpful than mentioned in the other reviews.  However, I will have to agree they don't like to go out of their way to help out.  I had to go to the register to ask a question about an item I saw online, but she knew exactly what I was looking for. The clothes are awesome, but that is not comment on the store so much as the company itself. I was there with a friend and this was her first time in the store, and after trying on a few tops she exclaimed "so this is what real clothes feel like." 
Although expensive, this place is worth a visit (if they are having a good sale.) 
Note to students: if you present your student ID you can get a student discount on a full-priced item.

Ann Taylor - Princeton, NJ (40.3498015, -74.6615594) ()
4 - Serena C.: Oh, Ann Taylor. If you're female, young-ish, and living in this area, chances are that you're here for work, and you'll find yourself in need of work clothes. I bought my interview suit here, and then the corresponding business casual clothes for the job.

This particular branch has a petites section as well as shoes, jewelry, and accessories, and a smorgasbord of  blouses, sweaters, skirts, shifts, cardigans, pants, and dresses. Perfect for relatively stylish work clothes for companies with a conservative edge. 

True, you'll feel vaguely ridiculous shopping here alongside all the "hot moms" of Princeton (as my former co-worker and I once observed while shopping here after work), and you won't get as much help from the workers here as they will, but at least you'll be appropriately dressed in the office.

Tip: The sales here are pretty amazing. I recall getting some merino wool sweaters and wool pants for $19.99 each during the off-season...
4 - Shradha A.: Good collection, large organized store, and friendly staff - what more can you ask for? Well, discounts! But that's something I'll have to write to HQ about ;)
4 - Diana A.: Nicely organized store.  I was impressed to find so much sale merchandise (it IS Princeton, after all...).  The salespeople didn't pay me any mind, which is just how I like it.
5 - Judith C.: I fell in love with Ann Taylor when I was poor.  Not that I'm wealthy now but I'm better able to afford the clothes.  The staff in all the stores rock.  They are super helpful and courteous.  Regardless whether I drop in wearing sweats and glasses or whether I'm suited up after work.

Freehold Ann Taylor is just as good.  Ann Taylors in NYC can get busy and the staff not as helpful but that has never stopped me before.  

Their clothes are timeless and last forever.  Their sales are awesome.  All of that coupled with helpful sales staff and other than a good friend, what more could a woman ask for???
3 - F F.: Actually...they get 5 stars in selection and 2 stars for customer service. It is a great store with a huge selection and always neat and well-placed, however, if you are not dressed, just right...forget it...they don't even look at you. Seriously!! It's Ann Taylor...give me a break. First, nothing is worse than bad customer service and then pretentious customer service is the all-time worst. Get real...I've shopped all over the world and even the Prada store in Milan or in Paris wasn't this ridiculous.

Ann Taylor Loft - Philadelphia, PA (39.9537625, -75.194636) (University City)
3 - Hank C.: Stylish business attire sold here for the local populace of female students at Penn, I think.  Styles here are semi-conservative with a business tilt, but with a few louder accessories and more. A good place to grab a gift certificate for an interviewing student.
4 - Erin M.: I was a hard sell on Ann Taylor Loft; I spent much of my twenties refusing to go in for fear exposure to their clothing would turn me into another corporate person. Now, I go in often on my lunch break because I have found that they do make nice looking clothing for a professional gal like myself.

The girls who work here are always happy to find a size for me of tell me about a current sale. Recently, I walked out of the dressing room in a dress I was trying on and asked a worker for help getting it in a different size. She was happy to grab it for me. Please note that it can get pretty hairy during the "Friends and Family" sales. But you can get a really excellent deal during that time, too.
4 - Casey R.: I am a big Loft fan and this store is sorta... kinda.... on my way home from work if I "need" to stop or they are having a great sale. It is bigger than a lot of their mall locations which is nice because I don't feel as cramped. Safe is generally helpful.
3 - Robyn H.: I like going to this Loft store on Sundays because parking is easy and the store isn't crowded!  Definitely beats making the trek to Springfield or King of Prussia or dealing with traffic and parking downtown. With this location, I can be in and out.

Ann Taylor Loft - Houston, TX (29.7153018, -95.4157002) (West University)
4 - Martha D.: Where Ann Taylor is great for business attire, it's sister the Loft is great for business casual, or if its your style, everyday. Think about what a put together woman would wear on vacation and she probably got it here. 

What I love about this company is that most everything comes in petite sizes as well. Most other stores that offer petite are of the other generation variety, in other words where my mom shops. What the Loft means for me is that I can find pants that I don't have to get altered, horay! If I buy at a local discount store, i.e. Marshalls or Ross, after I get them altered it comes out to be the same. So time wasted. 

Loft is similar to Banana Republic with the neutral color palette. Tops are usually about $40 - 50 and pants about $70. Like my other favorite in the Village I usually wait until things hit the sales rack and there's always things to look at in that section. Word of warning sometimes their sales items are non-refundable, which is really weird in this day and time.
4 - Kylie S.: I never buy here unless there is a sale going on.  When there are sale items, though, it's a fairly good steal.  And the sales rotate so if you're patient and/or plan ahead you can usually get a great work wardrobe.  

Parking in the Uptown shopping center is convenient (unless it's a Saturday afternoon).
3 - Hande J.: I go shopping in Rice Village area often so I frequently stop by at this store. So far (several years) staff has not been friendly in general and selection they have seem to be limited. I find better selection and service in Sugar Land store or even in San Antonio if I'm in town for work. Just convenient due to location...
3 - Julia S.: I'm glad they finally opened a Loft store in the Village but I feel like this store is smaller with less inventory than the Loft in the Galleria and Uptown Park.

Ann's Kitchen - Berkeley, CA (37.8651779, -122.2586396) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
4 - Leslie H.: Given it's slightly shady appearance and almost complete lack of customers, I was really surprised that the food and prices were so good. Counter-service, decent selection of sandwiches and breakfast food. Tuna salad sandwich: quite good. Vegetable soup: bland with disintegrating veggies. The lemonade is outstanding. If it's not freshly made, they could have fooled me.
4 - Angie C.: For a place that looks average, the food is above average.
5 - Jenni D.: Not sure what others are talking about in terms of Ann's lack of customers.  Almost anytime on a  weekend  or 9am-11am weekeday is packed!  Several times I have had to head to Durant Cafe (by far my 2nd choice) because Ann's line is out the door!!!  Super Rising Sun is far too much food for any one human, but it's such a crazy deal (2 eggs, 2 huge pancakes, bacon, homefries for somewhere in the neighborhood of $5-6) that you have to get it.  Don't miss the homefries, fresh squeezed lemonade or the granola pancakes (sounds weird but they're delicous).  I can't speak to lunch but for breakfast the price is right, the food is good and the curemyhangover quality can't be beat.
4 - Dave K.: 
4 - ananda z.: Despite its outside looks, this place is super homestyle good on the inside.  Delicious, huge fluffy wheat pancakes, a stack of 3 for about $3. Eggs, toast and homefries for about the same... you could live off these meals!  The orange juice was super fresh and extra tasty as well.  Its a homey neighborhood kind of place.  I'll be coming back!
4 - Stephen S.: This restaurant, only blocks from my humble abode, makes the perfect next-morning hangover cure.  The reason for their near-medicinal comfort is definitely their home fries.  I love potatoes, and these are the best potatoes.  If potatoes were my children, these potatoes would be the child upon which I lavished more attention than the others.

The rest of their breakfast menu is pretty standard and good.  I haven't really had experience with their non-breakfast items as they serve breakfast all day and even when I've gone there later in the day I've gotten breakfast.

The main reason I give them 4 stars and not 5 is because they lack air conditioning and are usually a little uncomfortably hot; not hot enough, however, to keep me from coming back for mo' taters.
4 - Kat C.: Cheap, home style, greasy breakfast. YUM. Seriously folk, you can't beat the price for the taste.
5 - Daniel C.: One of my fav places while I was in Berkeley. They serve breakfast food all day!

A couple of recommendations: Country Western Omlette. This sucker is huge. It will definitely get you full. It has all sorts of vegetable fillings, ham, cheese, all wrapped by eggs.

Sandwiches. Their avocado sandwich is great. Especially for lunch, when you're not in the mood for breakfast food.

Beware though, if you go during rush hour, (i.e. meal times), be prepared for a long wait (15 minutes from order to food), and also you could come out of the restaurant smelling like fried grease.

Overall it's a great place! TRY IT!
4 - Peggy w.: Cheap greasy breakfasts!! Long wait for weekend breakfast/lunch hours and seating can be limited so watch out for that.  Not sure if it's the healthiest because their store their Crisco in spray bottles in the back....bottles and bottles of it might I add....but mmmm....greasy bacon is worth it. Recommend their Western omelette that is just under $5 with homefries and toast. can't beat that.
4 - Ryo M.: A great place to get a cheap traditional breakfast. Any of the combo dishes ($4-6) is loaded with food. If you add a side order and a glass of orange juice/lemonade, expect it to run around $7-$10. Definitely recommend the lemonade -- very sweet and tasty.

I like how the corner table by the register is reserved for the owners, who sit down and have their own breakfast whenever they have free time in-between. It gives off a nice mom-and-pop feel to the whole place.

The crowd is pretty unpredictable. Some mornings, it's incredibly packed, while on other days, you can easily find a place to sit.

When I came in last time, they were playing a Journey album. That alone deserves an extra star.
3 - Ashley N.: The food is pretty good, there's a lot of it and it is definitely affordable.  They also validate for Sather Gate which is good if you drive since there is never any parking but that's where good things about the place end.

I realize the place is self-serve and I am OK with that.  I don't mind busing my own dishes or coming to the counter to get my food when my name is called.  However, just because that is the style of restaurant you have doesn't mean you need to be rude to your clientele.  

When asking for a validation coupon I was treated badly (even thought we spent more than $20 and the minimum for validation is $5) and I was treated even worse when I asked for a couple of to-go containers.  I do not believe it is unreasonable with portions that large to ask for a box for each person and I don't believe I should have to pay a quarter for each when that isn't posted anywhere.  If they would give me one small one for free (as one person), then for three people we should have gotten three small ones or one large one for free without a problem.
3 - Janet K.: great place for big breakfasts after a night of drinking.  nothing special inside, it constantly looks like they just moved in for some reason.  but the service is fast and friendly and the prices are low!
3 - Jeffrey R.: I had a cheap cheesesteak here and it was decent.  I don't think I will come back.
5 - Alex Y.: Ann's kitchen. Hmm.. Finally I could find a place to fill my morning appetite. There's so many places around Berkeley where I can pay a shitload and it still doesn't fill me, defeating the ultimate purpose of food. In the future, I think people should recognize who I am and that I can EAT. Anyways, I've tried a lot of things here. I advise staying away from sandwiches since although they are good, they are greasy like some fat dude's face after walking up Berkeley hills. I think the burger is okay, definitely has  a homemade feel. I eat that sometimes. I usually go here for breakfast, getting the Super Rising Sun, Western Country Omelette(usually I choose my own omelette now, even though Western Country a great deal) or something similar that has homefries. I like their homefries and I wish they would teach me the recipe by the time I graduate.

The food is probably not five stars but I feel like giving them it since it's all relative. They served me when I needed them the most. *tears*
1 - Audrey N.: Average price, average looks. Horrific service!

On a lazy Sunday morning sometime before 10 a group of friends and I decided to check it out because it looked "homey".  Three of the four weren't hungry so we decided to wait for the one to eat.  When the order came one of the ladies decided to tell her off about ordering one item for four people in a place that had empty tables galore.  If they were pressed for space I could understand, but I wonder if she thinks one order for 4 people is worse than 0 orders for 4 ever again!    

The French toast also tasted off, not sure if it was just that day as I never intend to come there again.
4 - Matthew E.: Ok, I'll have to grab a photo next time I'm there; I'm sure it says Soup Kitchen on the outside.  You pay at the counter and are expected to clear your table.  Nothing fancy.

4* because it's a great value,food-wise.  We had good, big breakfasts for cheap.  It attracted clientle looking for that.
4 - Yaamini R.: When I was an undergrad at Cal, post-party deconstructions took place at Ann's Soup Kitchen. With plates of scrambled eggs, buttery toast, and homefries served with glasses of fresh orange juice, my girls and I would gossip away about the events that transpired the night before. Despite the tables somehow suffering from maple syrup over-indulgence and the overall lack of ventilation in the restaurant as a whole, Ann's was a favorite spot for a post-apocalyptic brunch. I dearly miss those girls as we now span the breadth of the country, and Ann's will forever remind me of my wonderful youth spent at Cal.
3 - Jenny W.: Cheap, fast breakfast fix. Huge portions. A few ants here and there, bunch of flies, you bus your own trays. Passable.
3 - Nick H.: Cheap, greasy food that to me is synonymous with hangovers.  You get pretty good portions of food that all sorta looks and tastes the same.  Coming here any Friday, Saturday or Sunday morning guarantees you quite a wait in a crowd of other bleary-eyed hungover people.  

Ok, I'm too hungover to write anything else exciting, and I have a lot of grease in my belly from the meal I just ate at Ann's. Nap time...
4 - Dave L.: Home of the home fries.

In college, Ann's Kitchen was a real treat. I remember coming here during finals to power up. Big portions for small prices. They have killer omelets, mounds of home fries and fresh squeezed orange juice. The one thing that disappoints me is smelling like grease after eating here. Anyway, it's a lovely mom 'n pop shop. Check it out.

Tips: Bus your own tray.
5 - Owen T.: This place rocks. I've been going for years. So cheap, and so good! I always get 2 eggs, toast and home fries. I think its $3.65! You will be TOO full if you eat the whole thing.
4 - inga r.: As tradition has it in my reality, before I set out for a great snowshoeing or backpacking adventure I need....  PANCAKES!!! 

Ann's serves these awesome granola cakes made with whole grains and a sprinkle of granola to get your grub on for that 15 mile trek near Shasta or the Doe Ridge Trail/Jackson Flat loop in Butano. 

And while I must say the Pancakes are wonderful, its the potatoes you keep coming back for. Browned with a nice crust, a meal in themselves. If you get there before 9 there in nary a crowd , though it is often a bit busier by the time I need to cruise to Mo's for book shopping.  
The staff is quite friendly and there are some characters that hang out on a regular basis to help with the ambiance, plus the sub 5.00 plates help start your day.
2 - Evan K.: I'm a student at Cal, so I've walked by this place many times. After classes and during lunch and so forth this place can get quite crowded, so I assumed that the food here would be pretty good. And the Yelp reviews indicate that most people do think it's pretty good. But I was really disappointed when I came here. I visited with a friend, and we both felt like the food was pretty bad. I got a vegetarian sandwich and it basically consisted of avocado, lots of cream cheese, and tomatoes, lettuce, and sprouts. The avocado and cream cheese made the sandwich way to rich and insubstantial. My friend didn't like his meal much either (I think he got some other kind of sandwich).

Maybe I just came here on a bad day, but I didn't enjoy the food much and don't plan on returning.
2 - Ralph L.: Closed on Tuesday. I just went and tried for breakfast :(
5 - Nate M.: Big portion of breakfast for cheap, fresh squeezed OJ and home fries! Oh the home fries, topped with green onions. Yum yum yum.
3 - Jen S.: I'd like to try the breakfast food here because I suspect it will be better than the lunch meal I had. It was a salad and half sandwich. Tasty but not as healthy as I was hoping-- the bread had butter or oil and had been grilled. Took me by surprise. It was kind of hard to communicate clearly with the woman at the counter but it was even harder (and more amusing) for my friend with a thick German accent. 

Worthy of another try, probably the breakfast next time around. Will update accordingly!
4 - Jay M.: 5 years ago....

Me: Are you Ann?
Mrs. Ann: No, that's our family name.
Me: Coooool.
Mrs. Ann: =)

Good food, huge portions. One order can probably fill two people.  Minus two stars for lack of cleanliness (flies, dusty window sills, dead flies on dusty window sills, marked floors, bad bathroom, questionable water), crowded mornings, and sweaty workers. I give them an extra star because they serve the best home-fries ever. Thank you Ann family.
4 - Will R.: The food merits probably three stars: it's ample and greasy, probably the best breakfast you're going to find on Telegraph, if you're too hung over to make it to a less irritating neighborhood, or if you're a student and aren't yet able to perceive how irritating the neighborhood is. The four-star rating is motivated purely by nostalgia.

I used to live less than a block from this place, and I think I went there for Sunday breakfast every single weekend I was there. I would roll in at one or two in the afternoon with the Sunday Times, order an omelet, and spend an hour or so reading through the front section, the Week in Review, the NYT Magazine, the Book Review, and whatever else seemed interesting, while finishing off my eggs and home fries at a leisurely pace and getting refill after refill of coffee. I always gave a fake name when I ordered ("Max"--after Maximilien Robespierre, of course), because I never could recognize my real name the way the staff called it out when my meal was ready. Those were good times, and Ann's is one of the few near-campus establishments that I hadn't learned to absolutely loathe by the end of college. 

They ticked me off by ditching the somewhat edgier "Ann's Soup Kitchen" for their current name. They also ticked me off one time by refusing to take a $20 bill when I was in a hurry and didn't have smaller bills. And however much I liked the place when it was conveniently located, I've almost never gone there since and I can't even remember the last time I did (it was at least two years ago, maybe three). But God damn it, those Sundays reading the Times there were just so damn pleasant.
3 - Melissa T.: i heard really good things about the restaurant but i have to say i didn't love it. maybe i'm too prissy, but no matter how good the food is, i feel kind of gross walking into an atmosphere of greasy smells. i got really paranoid that i smelled like grease after i ate my meal. i wish they had boxes of napkins available, but you're just given one with the food. i ordered banana pancakes and they were good, although i felt like i could probably have made them myself. i really want to try their salmon burger, which sounds really delicious. i went here with a friend, and it was a nice place to just chat and eat. i would probably just come here alone and eat for fun, or if there i decide to randomly come with a friend. it's good for that, but i can't really see myself saying "OMGGGG LETS GO TO ANNS!" my pancakes were around $5, which i didn't think was that cheap, since there was nothing but pancakes. other combo meals seem more worth it. the menu is very diverse and i'm certain you can find at least one thing you'd want to order.
3 - Irene L.: My friend's friend's mom and aunt run this place so I'm here with her quite often for weekend brunch. I'm not fond of their sandwich menu - my salmon burger frankly was too dry and weakly seasoned, and my friend's generic burger wasn't very remarkable. However, they do serve  good breakfast all day. Their home fries are crispy and greasy and delicious (probably the best I've had), topped with a sprinkling of green onions. Their wheat pancakes are huge and filling. The omelettes are good, and the western omelette with ham, pepper, onion, and cheese is a great deal. If you are eating with a friend, get the Sunrise Special - you get pancakes, home fries, eggs, and toast for less than $7. Most other items are under $6. Lines are usually long, but the food comes out relatively quick. Overall, Ann's Kitchen serves up hearty, tasty food that will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside.
4 - Resa W.: When you can't have pho, a cheap heaping plate of breakfast food is the next best thing after a night of heavy drinking...

One of my friends tended to a hangover with toast and OJ as I finished off my plate: 2 slices toast, 2 eggs, and homefries, and then another friend's banana pancakes. (Friends and restaurant patrons alike looked on in wonder.)

Bonus: they did my over hard eggs perfectly! I always order my eggs over hard, and I don't eat egg yolks. (I suppose I could order egg whites only but I enjoy a more colorful plate.) So I like to be able to pick out my egg yolks nicely without sacrificing the white. These yolks happened to come out in perfect, easily pickable golden circles.

Why don't more people order eggs over hard anyway? Like, sunny side up? That's freakin' gross man... once you poke that thing it's like a bad pimple bursting on prom night. 

Their sandwiches didn't look nearly as good, and you do have to bus your own tables. I hate doing the dirty work.
4 - Jamaica Y.: Are you hung over, early for class, or skipping class?  These are the only reasons you would be looking for breakfast near UC Berkeley.  This place will probably make you happy in any event.  I had eggs, homefries, toast, apple butter, and sausage.  It was good. 

Parking will probably be hard, but they do validate.
3 - V M.: Ann's Kitchen is definitely a breakfast place, and more specifically a hungover breakfast place. They do have sandwiches, salads and such, but those are fairly mediocre. Go here if you're looking for a lot of cheap, greasy food.

Eggs and pancakes are mediocre, but the hash browns are really damn good. I'm also partial to their fresh lemonade.

Be warned: it's not particularly clean, you won't find much parking near Telegraph, and if you're with more than three people you may have difficulty finding a table. They do take-out, though.
4 - Stephen H.: Great breakfast at a great price.

I usually order the rising sun, with potatoes instead of meat, which gives me a huge helping of food for the price.  I also usually add in blueberries to my pancakes.  Nice to have antioxidants to combat the deep fried grease.
4 - Kathleen A.: Delicious, fresh, huge portions, cheap. You can easily share an order with somebody. I wish I knew about this place earlier in my time at UC Berkeley.
4 - Jeff C.: After a heavy night of drinking, the place to go when you awaken from your alcohol induced coma is apparently Ann's Soup Kitchen. I'm pretty sure over 50% of the people in there are recovering and are super hungover, as was I. Although i'm pretty sure mine was not nearly as bad as most people's in there. In any case what beats pancakes, eggs and bacon? So much food for not so much money. Its great. My only problem with this place is the tables are quite sticky from the lack of table cleaning and excess of syrup. All in all, a great place to get some food back into your stomach after you puked it all up the night before.
4 - Samantha W.: Two words:  Edible hugs.

I get the whole wheat pancakes with a side of sausage every time.  It's the kind of food that forces you to smile because it makes you feel so good.  I'm full for hours, it's always satisfying, and you get a HUGE amount of food for the price.  

Only drawback is that the place is almost always full of obnoxious college kids or NPR-ents.  Obviously, Ann's can't help that, and I don't fault them for it.  However, this does translate as a little more noise than I'd prefer sometimes.
5 - haunapikolani r.: Seriously the most amazing place ever.  Supper huge portions for super cheap.  Best hang over cure ever.  Even if you arent hung over you can swim in the greasey deliciousness.
1 - Leslie A.: Worst.Service.Ever.

I understand the appeal: huge portions of greasy lackluster food while you rub elbows with students that reek of alcohol on Sunday morning...oh, wait, what was so great about this place?

They give you a good portion of food, yeah. But the potatoes are usually tasteless and way too greasy for me to not fear a heart attack after consuming them. Also, they're really rude if you want to substitute anything? Don't want potatoes? Well, how about 3 slices of tomatoes? That's all we can do. Oh wait, let me ignore you while you're mid-order and turn around and pay attention to this person back here! Counter people lack basic people skills. That's all.
3 - Claire H.: Ann's Kitchen is a no-nonsense, student-and-group oriented type of dining place, specializing in large quantities of food that, while better than junk food, still has that air of mass-produced grease that characterizes the major fast-food chains. It's a good low-key and, as I said, group restaurant, having large wooden tables and plenty of space and a general light, open-air atmosphere, but I found the staff to be incredibly unfriendly and the meal I ordered, French toast, to be so completely substandard that I just stared at it blankly for about five minutes. It was a barely cooked, soggy mess. To me it looked like something that would be served in an Army mess, only with more sugar. When I took it to the counter, I was informed by the cashier lady that "that's how we make it here" and stared at with contempt. Having said this, I grant that the little of my friend's food that I tried was quite decent. Another drawback, however, is how noisy and overcrowded it gets, mostly with students from nearby Berkeley. Overall, Ann's Kitchen is a good place for a quick stop and/or vast quantities of food, but the worst possible if you're looking to please your culinary appetite or enjoy conversation.
3 - Wendy N.: It's cheap and the meal lasted me until dinner. I had the polish sausage breakfast. I don't recommend this but was just what my tunny needed after a night of strong martinis.

It was Sunday morning and all the students were there. It was packed. I'm just happy we got a seat.

Don't think I'll go back but it was just what we needed - fast, cheap and filling.
5 - Daphne L.: I love this place... #3 breakfast menu, all the time. Cheap, and lots of food. So... so... delicious.

It's too bad it isn't open that late, and sometimes, it's so damn busy in there, it's impossible to get a table, but I've always been able to get one by the time I get my food. I think their service is pretty fast, actually, not sure what other people are talking about... and I avoid going on Sunday mornings because I know it's brunch time, and I don't bump into too many moronic hungover fools. =] If they were present, I was not made aware, so it couldn't have been that bad.

If you love breakfast food around the clock... this is it.
5 - Megha S.: Ann's Kitchen is best and cheapest place in the bay to get some awesome banana pancakes (for around $5 you get three delish pancakes topped with a dollop of butter)!  I used to frequent this place all the time when I was an undergrad at Cal, and I still love its appeal.  This kitchen serves no nonsense brunch food with generous portions, and fresh squeezed juices (try their orange juice) as accompaniments.  It usually gets crowded over weekends, but it's definitely a great place to recoop oneself pre-midterms/finals, or after a long night of debauchery!
4 - Brian S.: Ann's has a comfortable, homey feel to it. I have only had lunch there so far, but have been impressed. The tuna sandwich is really good. It is simple, yet tasty--kind of like the way mom would make it.

Ann's can be crowded on weekends, but it tends to quiet down towards the afternoon, when the relaxed atmosphere invites one to linger a while over a week old Daily Cal.
4 - July M.: I was pleasantly surprised by this place- very cheap, very good, very large and fast "service." The menu selection is really great- lots of different types of pancakes, toast, and sandwiches. Like many places in Berkeley Ann's has a giant water igloo at the front and you just get your own water- which I think is great in the home of unfriendly, slow waitstaff. These were the best whole wheat pancakes I've ever had- most are way too dense and these actually manage to be rather light and fluffy. The cinnamon french toast was VERY cinnamon-y and the West Coast omelet came was excellent with lots of cool fillings. The potatoes were far from tasteless as someone else claimed, they were perfect- crunchy and nicely browned. The only bad thing is that seating is very limited and nearly impossible to get, and I don't particularly like sitting at a table with two hungover guys boasting about the chicks they banged last night.
3 - sava s.: was actually looking for lunch... but the sandwich place we wanted to go to was closed so we ended up winding our way through the weirdos of telegraph till we found this solace of normalcy. 

omelet and homefries - awesome! (was confused by the applesauce)
whole wheat pancakes - yum! (too much butter)

the place has an old-world feel about it (or maybe it was the accordion music from across the street) and is homely and straight-forward. you have to clean up after yourself, which is kinda cool, really. gives you a nice 'berkeley' feel.

cheap. simple. no frills. and breakfast served all day!
3 - Traci C.: It's really good for breakfast food-- service is quick and friendly.  The coffee is really good, I had the omelet and it was really good.  The potato things were good, but they're pretty oily.  The toast is too buttery for my taste, but I really liked the idea of eating it with apple sauce.  All in all, the food is pretty greasy and buttery (makes me feel fat), but it's decent, local breakfast food for people like me who can't drive to denny's or ihop.
5 - Eric R.: This is definitely my favorite place to get breakfast.  I've eaten here maybe four times now and every time I love it.  Omelettes, pancakes, everything is great.  Be sure to get the lemonade (or orange juice) as that is excellent as well.  Service is reasonable.  My only complaint is that it seems to be priced a little high.  And I don't like menu schemes that have the base item (say, omelette) be too plain to order standalone, making you add on a bunch of add-ons (mushrooms, sausage, etc.).

Even despite the pricing issues, the food and service make up for it for it for a definite winner.
3 - Bianka G.: it was cheap, i wanted breakfast, and thats what i got! for $5 i got three wheat pancakes with a slab of butter and a side of home fries. It was a lot of food and i couldnt finish it, partly because it was so heavy/fatty and i kinda felt sick...still do. ANYwAY the pancakes are very yummy and my friend who had the banana pancakes loved them. Oh and they need to replace some of those trays, yuck!
4 - Kevin G.: Went here last week for lunch. Surprised by how good the food was - I had a grilled cheese sandwich and cream of broccoli soup (I know, possibly odd selection but I'm a soup fan).

Very chill environment, I like the fact that its well lit with the huge windows. The owners are as nice as can be. Service was prompt

All in all, would recommend anyone who likes great-tasting diner/deli foods. I hear breakfast is awesome as well and cheap
4 - Jennie Z.: Unassuming place, but good food, amazing fresh squeezed lemonade/OJ, and good service.   Had the veggie Salad- very generous portions, with all sorts of good veggies in it (not just like the usual garden salads places give you).  This salad had romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers, sprouts, half an avocado, boiled egg, pickles, cheese, and even 2 perfectly toasted pieces of garlic french bread. ...all for only 5.95 I think it was.  

They also had a bunch of breakfast foods on the menu that looked really good. yum pancakes.
1 - Genevieve J.: I was an avid Ann's goer. I work in the area the food is cheap and tasty enough. However, I called today to place a to-go order as I have done on many days. I asked the gentleman what the soups of the day were. He told me. I asked what the specials were. Just as I was about to give my order for pick up he told me 

"come over, ok? I don't have time, ok? "

"but, I'm just trying to place a to-go order"

*click, dial tone*

Riiiight. 

I'll tell you what. You don't have to worry about my business anymore. Time consuming as a one minute call may be. 

If you value service, don't go here. If that's of no consequence to you, knock yourself out, it's a decent meal.
2 - Tee D.: the bf and i stumbled across this place after walking around the area for what seemed like an eternity. the place i really wanted to eat at, the UNICORN restaurant, was not open, so we settled for ann's kitchen. 

at ann's kitchen, it's all about self-service: you place and pick up your order at the counter, seat yourself, and bus your own tables. i'm guessing that they're able to keep their prices so low because they don't have to deal with all the hosting, waiting, and bussing bs. 

anyway, their menu offered pretty standard diner fare: sandwiches, burgers, pancakes, eggs dishes, daily specials, etc. i ordered from the daily specials menu, and got the salmon burger (freaking risky choice) with fries. the bf ordered some kind of pasta dish. my memory is hazy  now - probably cloudy from all the grease from my salmon burger. 

did i mention the burger was greasy? it was uber-oily - like the patty had been stewing in a vat of recycled oil all morning. i got a major case of greasy-mouth. you know the kind of greasy mouth you get when you eat something that's just got way too much liquid fat absorbed in it (e.g., fried chicken, fried pickles, double-fried-french-fries, deep-fried-macaroni-and-cheese). 

overall, ann's kitchen is not special. it does, however, serve affordable and edible food. so, if you want to fill your belly up with cheap food, and lube-up your lips, try out ann's kitchen! i'm sure they will serve you an extra helping of lard with your pancakes.
3 - Erin L.: I think it's nice to have a breakfasty place. I thought their omellett was pretty decent. their orange juice (i believe) is fresh - so it's reallllllly good!

my friend said they're really rude and cheap. she asked for extra ketchup and they didn't give it to her. lol.
2 - Chris L.: Because of it's proximity to my workplace, I end up eating here about once a month. That's about to change, because the under-cooked potatoes aka "Home Fries", while not without their rustic charm, are no longer tolerable.

I did eat here many times before I reached this epiphany because there are good points to Ann's. Besides being among the cheapest places on Telegraph, the service is also fairly quick.

They may appear rude, but I think they are just tired. The Telegraph Ave. crowd can get to you after a few years, so I can sympathize. 

They also are closed on Tuesdays. Third-Day Adventists, perhaps?
3 - Jay L.: 3.5, but I rounded down.

Prices have gone up as expected but the portions are more of less the same. I can't seem to justify paying $3 for a side of potatoes, esp when potatoes are ridiculously cheap. Anyhoo..

I come here typically for the Super Sun Rise (3 whole wheat pancakes, 3 eggs, side of meat).  I added a side of homefries today just for a change and I'm addicted to carbohydrates. Pancakes were good as always, as were the eggs. The potatoes erred on the greasy side however, but still good until you forked up the last bits soaking in oil. 

Overall, my favorite breakfast place in Berkeley, as I can't stand La Note.
4 - Jim W.: 3.5 stars.

Good breakfast grub here, my friends.  And reasonable as well.  I had the western omelet which at Ann's includes onion, green pepper, tomato, cheese and ham.  Maybe mushroom too.  Anyway, it was really good.  It came with home fries and toast.  

Basic, tasty and filling diner style food at a reasonable price.  I would absolutely keep them in mind for a quick and satisfying breakfast.
4 - Jenny L.: Oh Ann, your omelets never fails to snap me out of a hangover.  Or is it your fresh orange juice that does the trick?

Regardless, I'm glad you're there on Sunday mornings to help me wind down a crazy weekend.  I think a lot of others agree, seeing how you are always packed and I have to fight for a table all the time.
1 - Starr R.: I like to think of myself as somewhat of a pancake connoisseur. I always order pancakes if I can. Ann's has by far the worst pancakes I've ever had. Maybe it's because of the whole wheat ingredients, but I just did not like it, so much so that I couldn't even finish, and I ALWAYS finish pancakes. If on the off chance that I do ever return here, I'll keep my expectations low and stay clear of the whole wheat pancakes.
4 - Brian.Needs.A.Full-Time.Job P.: I've never even noticed this place although I've walked Telegraph several times. The food consisted of pretty large portions. My gal had the $7.00 salmon burger special w/home fries, while I had the $8.00 super rising sun (3 eggs, 2 pancakes, meat). Maybe we're just big eaters, but I was still pretty hungry after devouring all the greasiness. Or, maybe the food just had more grease than carbs because I ate some of my gal's food, too. Yes, I was being the big pig I am. The salmon burger was quite big, but the salmon itself tasted like a frozen salmon patty you find in Costco. The surprise I enjoyed the most was my WHEAT blueberry pancakes. Finally, I've found pancakes in town that have actual chunks of fruit to devour on the inside! Another plus is the healthy wheat-y taste. Yah, they tasted good. I deducted some stars because service wasn't so great, just ok. Lastly, the bathroom was of average cleanliness.
UPDATE-sept.09:  tried to come here with my gal on a game day and the place was so PACKED several groups were waiting....well, we had to leave and i guess we'll come back next time!
5 - Justin S.: Anns Soup Kitchen!

although I don't fully understand this name. 

Ann's is Amazing!
I was born and raised in the south and this happens to be the only place I have found that is as close to it gets as real "southern breakfast"

the price is actually remarkable for the area.

you must go.
2 - Joyce C.: Really convenient for students and pretty cheap. The restaurant could be a bit more well-kept and maintained but I suppose it IS on telegraph ave. so can't ask for too much

Sometimes their potatoes are undercooked and thus a bit hard... not the best tasting... this is one of my pet peeves since well cooked hash browns like that are SO GOOD.

Pancakes are generally pretty good, they're HUMONGOUS but not that special...... they're just big. 

They give you this weird like apple sauce as jam with their toast... this is the first time I've seen that... and maybe it's a way they save money? I don't really care for it that much. They charge you for refills (if I remember correctly) but free water that you get yourself. 

Oh, another thing, they don't clear up their dish tubs enough so sometimes you smell the leftover food and you have to manage to leave your plate in the tub without breaking it. sometimes challenging. 

great place to bring large parties for brunch because they are pretty flexible with letting you make your own long tables (because it is just a bunch of small tables that you can put together). pretty good variety and convenience but altogether low quality.
4 - Jay C.: Went to Ann's Kitchen today since La Note and Venus were closed. All I have to say is I fell in-like with this place for sure!!!

The food was "get-your-grub-on" deliciously great! I wasn't expecting anything spectacular so this place blew me away! 

I was indecisive when ordering and the girl who was working was understanding and patient with me. I ordered the diced ham and scrambled eggs with a side of french toast. 

I really enjoyed the potatoes since they were cooked just right - crispy! The eggs were good and the french toast was also delicious. It's those crispy potatoes that got me though. 

The freshly squeezed orange juice and lemonade were great too!!!

I highly suggest this place to anyone and everyone for sure! 

Four-thumbs up!!!
5 - Betty H.: dude, it doesn't get much better than this : two eggs and three pancakes: whole wheat granola (slightly more expensive than regular whole wheat) but they are bomb ass pancakes. hits the spot and big enough to share if you go with a friend and don't want to have pancake thighs.
2 - Joanne Y.: The owners of this place hate me and my friends. D=

Well, not that bad, but they certainly always seem moody when I try to order there. They never let us do substitutions or customizations and the lady is always angry, like this D={. Kind of disappointing, especially since they get such good business there, too.

Food-wise, they're okay. Nothing spectacular or special and it's a place I don't really care to go to, given the vast variety all around Berkeley. It's just another place to hang out with other Berkeley folks, and it's a place you're likely to run into someone you know if you go to school there.
1 - Tracy B.: So I love a good greasy spoon and good cheap food...but yesterday we went there for lunch, there were bugs in my granola and they yelled at us for wanting our money back. Beyond rude--and the lady was pretty obnoxious just when we ordered...i'm definitely over it!
1 - Simon L.: Wow, Ann's Kitchen takes the cake when it comes to bad service. I've never been a fan to begin with, but after my last experience here, Ann can rest assured that that will be my last. 

One day I came with my brother for some early morning breakfast, paid for the two of us and before our orders came, I stepped inside the men's room to wash-up. Literally, three minutes later I walk out to find the owner yelling at my brother. Apparently, they gave us an extra pancake by accident which my brother had just cut into and were yelling at him because he had taken a bite out of it. 0_o As if their mistake was our problem. 

In any case, this just reinforced my perception that this place is nothing short of a dump. It's only a matter of time before they go bankrupt.
3 - Jennifer S.: This place is pretty good for a breakfast place.  I usually get one of the usual combos of bacon, eggs, and toast.  The portions are good, and there is plenty of seating.  I like the large open windows, giving the interior of the restaurant plenty of sunlight on a lazy Sunday morning.
3 - David K.: Alot of good, greasy, breakfast foods with a usual line to the door waiting to get in and for a table. Service is alright. This place is local spot, cheap, good eats but I wish they cared a bit more about the upkeep of the place.
4 - April Z.: I'm not really a morning person, so it's rare that I actually wake up early enough before class just to go out and eat breakfast. But the few times that I've done so (in addition to hangover mornings + all nighter mornings), I've gone to Ann's Kitchen. 

I always get the omelets, sometimes with different stuff inside. Typically I recommend mushrooms, cheese, tomatoes, and avocado. Their omelets are very good - although a bit pricy - and come in a large portion. They also include home fries and toast with it...but I don't like them very much and usually don't eat it. Nice touch though!

Get the freshly squeeze orange juice too - good stuff!

It's bus-your-own-tables, so remember to throw away your leftovers and bring plates to the cart in the back. 

ALSO - they don't accept credit card. (As in they either charge you extra or it has to be over a certain amount....) So bring cash or a debit card.
3 - Jennifer W.: Top Pick: French Toast Deluxe

I love eating breakfast, whether in or out, but it puts a dent in my wallet. Fortunately, breakfast meals here come in large portions and is super cheap! I can almost never finish a plate by myself. Breakfast is served all day, but there are other items like sandwiches, pastas, and soups. If you go too early in the day, the soups will not be ready yet. The omelettes can get a little runny, but they taste pretty good. The breakfast entrees are highly recommended and the pasta entrees are highly discouraged. Truth is, I can probably make every item on the menu, which is why I generally choose to eat at other breakfast places. However, it does feel homey here and it's not because I live so close to it.

By the way, the apricot and grapefruit juice on the menu is just canned Kern's. I knew it was too good to be true!

Also, the new red awning looks much better than the tattered old blue one.

Also, cash only!
4 - Sarah K.: I love this place's blueberry pancakes and orange juice. The portions are big, the food is yummy, so seriously, what's not to like? Alright, I know the service is sub-par and the lady that calls out your name can't seem to pronounce anything (really, was there no one better they could hire), but it's a small price to pay for a filling, delicious breakfast for under $10.

Funny story: I once tried to watch the sunrise at the Big C with some people (obviously we didn't see the sun rise because the Big C faces the wrong side - idiots). When we came down from the hill, a bunch of cops were waiting for us, asking if we had been or had seen people camping up there. After we explained to them that we had just been watching the sunrise and that no one else was up there, my friends and I went to Ann's kitchen for an early morning breakfast. When we go there, lo and behold the same cops were there, munching on their pancakes, smiling and waving at us. We should have just got a ride with them.
5 - tyla t.: Amazing, cheap breakfast. When it's not really busy, this is a great place to just eat and chill for a bit with a book or some homework. I'd recommend it on a weekday morning, b/c it gets pretty chaotic on the weekends.
3 - Andrew M.: When I think of a sit down breakfast place, I think of Ann's Kitchen. They do pancakes right. Their sandwiches are good, but not top notch. They give a decent amount of food and the pricing is right. There really is no service here (the extent of the service ends the moment you finish giving your order to the person who works the register), you get everything yourself. Unless you need something from the kitchen, which they are glad to help.

Overall, a solid place to get breakfast food all day. Unremarkable in most ways, but also reliable.
4 - Tiffany C.: What better thing to add to a stomach roiling with beer from the night before than THE WESTERN OMELETTE? It's filled with all sorts of good veggies and comes with a side of crunchy home fries and toast coated in apple butter. 

Ann's Kitchen is the perfect little corner greasy spoon to traipse to on Sunday mornings. Sure, your clothes kinda smell like bacon for the rest of the day, but the orange juice is fresh-squeezed (so, so sweet) and you get to people-watch on Telegraph safely behind a pane of glass if you get a window seat.
3 - Cindy K.: I agree, the portions for breakfast here are HUGE and cheap-er than Denny's. Oh and I think the pancakes I got were wheat which was a healthy surprise. Also, I normally don't like pancakes because they're usually made too soggy for me. Ann's does it right! 

I came here with my friend who recommended it for breakfast. She also said she loves their house potatoes. I've had better. The potatoes (there are pictures) are just pan fried? Maybe with some salt, but I've had some where they put some onions/garlic to flavor them. I needed lots of ketchup to make the potatoes edible - at least to my tastes.
3 - Catherine C.: This place is alright. Nothing special to it, but it is convenient that it has breakfast. The fresh squeezed lemonade is SOO good! However, the food here is stuff anyone could make at home in like 10 minutes. I always find the potatoes to be overcooked, and sometimes the omelets are the same way. The people at the counter always seem stressed out and in a hurry; they don't really take the time to smile or be friendly! Oh and one time I got the ravioli, and it tasted like they just opened a can of Chef Boyardee. The food here really is subpar, but it's a good place to eat on a lazy Sunday morning/afternoon.
4 - Talia L.: Ann's can be so satisfying under the right conditions. It's cheap, portions are huge, and those home fries are absolutely amazing (assuming you're in the mood for crunchy greasy heaven). I love going to this place after a long night. It's simple, the service is fast (just never go there during peak hours or on a game day), and the food really hits the spot. Obviously if you're looking for something fancier and healthier go to La Note (which I also love), but for those days when you just want a big hearty breakfast, nowhere beats Ann's. 

I do have to say that the tables are often sticky, the man and woman that take your order are sometimes grumpy (although I can't blame them since it's jam-packed so frequently), and if you go here when there's a line out the door, prepare to wait forever to get your food. Also, it does suck that they don't accept credit cards and that they're randomly closed on Tuesdays. However, all of this is worth it because the prices would obviously go up if they started using a credit card machine and/or if they hired a full waitstaff (you order at the counter and bus your own tables). These minor sacrifices are definitely worth maintaining the low price!

You can't really compare Ann's to La Note, Rick and Ann's or Venus.. it's a totally different, much more casual dining experience. It's basically a tastier and cheaper version of Denny's/IHOP that is walking distance from campus (awesome).
1 - Eran B.: I have never received worst service in my life! I went around noon for some brunch and I expected somewhat of a wait. When I arrived there were only about 4 people in line and a few people waiting for their food, but it still took 40 MINUTES (!!!) to cook my food! I am not the kind to complain and demand my money back, so I simply waited (finishing 4 cups of water in the meantime). I ordered the omelet (which doesn't even come with cheese, you have to pay extra) with homefries (which were average). I didn't have the juice that everybody is raving about so I can't critique that, but overall this visit to Ann's kitchen was terrible.
2 - Patricia J.: Let me just start out by saying that the food is actually good.  But the pricing scheme is so annoying.  I don't eat meat, but I usually like putting a bunch of junk in my omelet.  Having said that, the #4 (or was it 3 or 5?) would be PERFECT if I could only have it without the ham.  Lo and behold, that's not possible.  So I have to build my own omelet, which is the exact same one as the special but minus the ham, but this costs me $2-3 more because ingredients are 45 cents each.  OK so maybe they already have the batter pre-made, but that's still kind of gross when you think about it.  Plus I can order the same thing at Cafe Durant for so much less.  And if you like the orange juice at Anns, you'll like the one at Cafe Durant also since they taste exactly the same.  Oh yeah, and they charge you 25 cents if you ask for a to-go box.  Who does that?!

And I really don't like the lady there.  The man who works there once in a blue moon is a bit more polite.  Oh yeah, and the atmosphere is really really sweaty.
4 - Danny K.: 1) Huge Portions
2) Great tasting french toast
3) Even better tasting Western Omelette 
4) Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
5) Excessive time spent in restroom post meal.
3 - Kristina s.: Big portions. The home-fries are great. prices affordable 
But what's with not having the breakfast burrito on weekends.
3 - M. M.: I went to Ann's  for the first time last week for coffee and the breakfast burrito special, both reasonably priced. I was attracted by the cheery, local feel of the cafe. I was disappointed to see that the coffee was served from a glass carafe that had been sitting on the warmer-unfortunately it did taste burnt/stale. Somewhat lackluster service but not bad-it was not at all busy when I came in mid-morning, just two other people already eating and myself at the counter for takeout.
My breakfast burrito was a great size portion, but it was way too greasy, and some of the ingredients seemed to have seen fresher days. 
Also, read what's included in specials carefully! Although I don't recall if "ketchup" was listed for my special,  I was surprised to find my burrito with a lot already added, enough so that it was marginally gross tasting when combined with the overly greasy fried potatoes. I ate it, but only because I was very hungry and didn't have time to walk back and complain or get something else.
I will give Ann's another try because they have a good reputation for breakfast; maybe their other specials will prove better, although I'll avoid the coffee!
3 - John O.: Anne's is solid 3 far cuisine.   I usually opt for the sandwiches when I come here.  

Whenever I come up to Berkeley, I have lunch with Father Al, a Catholic priest, who counseled me when I attended Berkeley.  

He loves this place.  I never ask him where he wants to go, because, well, that would be stupid of me suggest any place other than Anne's Kitchen (I think he has no interest to try all of the great other places on Telegraph).  I think he likes it not so much for the food (because the food, IMO is simple, uninspiring, but decent) but because of the people that run it.   

He told me that every year they do free Thanksgiving dinner (the day before Thanksgiving) for folks who have no home, friends, or place to eat dinner.  They started doing this years ago.  I think it is for this reason that he likes this place.   I think they definitely deserve a star for this kind gesture. 

All in all, there are so many great places in Berkeley, I'm since I'm a foodie, Anne's probably wouldn't  be my first choice for dining around Telegraph.  But, Father Al would definitely beg to differ.
1 - terra d.: uggghhh... LONG BLACK CURLY HAIR embedded in my home fries. 

blehhhhhhh. 

im sure ive eaten a good amount of hairs by now, but do i have to SEE it, glaring back at me, all oily with bacon fat?

time to try sunny side cafe on north side.
4 - Steph L.: I definitely gotta lower the rating of the breakfast burrito because

1) breakfast foods is only served before 3pm on weekdays
2) breakfast foods are not served on weekends

So on several occasions, I was unable to get one :[

Last time I had it was friday, but this time - the potatoes were not as crispy...
3 - Stephen H.: I ordered the blueberry pancakes once and they were okay.  I didn't taste real blueberries in my pancakes and they seemed a bit soggy.  I like my pancakes with a slightly crispy edge to it.  My friend ordered the spaghetti and it was rather bland.  It was your average homemade spaghetti.  I think the potatoes and eggs were acceptable.  With the 15% off Blue and Gold Fridays, I might be more inclined to come here, but they do close early, so if I want breakfast food for dinner, I'm out of luck.
3 - Jean L.: this is another brunch spot in berkeley.  I go there when i'm super hungry and have cravings for greasy food--it's very very greasy!  But portions are large! Service is okay..
4 - Eddie L.: Three and a half stars. I've been to Ann's a few times now and can't say I've been overwhelmingly impressed, but I haven't been disappointed by any means either. There's nothing here that will blow you away, but the quality is high here, the portions are generous, and you'll feel satisfied. I pretty much always get the number one on the breakfast menu (two eggs, toast, and potatoes) but you really can't go wrong with any breakfast item. 
Lots of people also comment that this place is really cheap, which it is. But I think it's sort of deceptively cheap... the number one is $3.95, but if you want a side of bacon, ham, or sausage, it's an additional $2.25. If you get the meat (which I do because, well, I love meat), it totals to almost seven dollars after tax. That's not outrageous by any means, but I don't know if it constitutes "really" cheap. The number two is the three egg omelette with toast and potatoes priced in the four dollar range. But the omelette doesn't come with anything in it, so each ingredient that you want to put in the omelette is an additional $.45. Again, it's not bad, but in the end the price is just about what you would expect for an omelette anywhere.
Anyway, I'm probably just being nit-picky because all my friends told me this place was really cheap and I found that to not exactly be the case. So the lesson here is to be a better friend than mine. Be real with your friends, kids.
4 - Adolfo H.: I love love love this place!

Its a basic breakfast and brunch place, but what it does it does so well.

The food itself is what one would expect from a breakfast menu and the portions are more than decent.  You can mix and match, get a dever omelet ect. ect ect.

Why not five stars? 
The seating was always an issue for me, the line can sometimes curl around your the place where you are sitting and i never liked people watching me eat.

It is also a nice place to people watch
3 - Lana N.: 3.5 stars

big portions, good food, cheap, and breakfast all day? THIS PLACE ROCKS! Got the banana almond french toast... it was huge! AND TASTY! definitely left satisfied and with a food coma. If you're ever looking for a cheap and hearty breakfast, come to Ann's.

BEWARE: seating is difficult to find.
1 - Jenny W.: I usually don't enjoy breakfast foods unless the sun is down, but my friend was craving a breakfast burrito and I owed him lunch so we headed here after class.  It was a hot day so we grabbed cups for water but the water trough thing was almost empty, so he tipped it and I held the nozzle as we filled our cups.  Later, as I raised my glass to take a drink my friend grabs my arm and removes the cup; we both stare at the cup and realize there are more brownish particles than water in the cup.  SERIOUSLY.  I wish I had a microscope so we could see what was in my water, it was so disgusting.  We put our water away and took out the bottled and canned drinks we had and drank that, trying to forget what we just saw.  I ordered one of the specials, which were blueberry pancakes with hash browns and my friend got a ham and cheese breakfast burrito.  When our food was ready, I realized they made me buttermilk pancakes with a side of scrambled eggs.  HUH?  I didn't order this...and how did eggs get in the picture?  She didn't ask me how I wanted my eggs...eggs I never ordered.  However, they were coming out with peoples orders pretty fast so I just manned up and ate the food so we could leave and forget the whole ordeal.

The food was okay and the prices were decent.  However, I don't think I'll be coming back here.
1 - Alexandra R.: Very disappointed with this place. I ordered the breakfast burrito and it was nearly 90% potatoes. Hardly and eggs or other ingredients in it. When I went to ask the owner/manager for extra eggs, she flatly said no, "we don't do that". What gives? To make matters worse, as I was leaving the restaurant, I saw a bug & mouse exterminator exiting the building through the back door. Blegh.
1 - Spring L.: Alright, just because I am a poor berkeley student does not mean that  I have to stand for crappy breakfasts close to campus. Even though their breakfast items are dirt cheap, their food tastes like it was cooked by a 10 year old child born without a sense of taste, smell, or sight... the frenchtoast I ordered was a triple whammy of violations. It was to the point of being offensive. Taste: it was dry and chafed my tongue. Smell:It reeked of too much cinnamon and nutmeg. Sight: It looked like they threw the bread down the ski slopes there was so much powdered sugar on there. I had to windshield off most of the gunk on top to even get to the toast... but unfortunately I couldn't get past the crusty eggs hanging off the side from their sloppy dipping into the eggbatter before frying. In conclusion, I definitely could have made a better breakfast at home this morning. fml.
4 - Carol L.: Delicious breakfast and healthy!  It really is like eating good home cooking.  Everything is fresh and healthy.  I really don't know where the negative ratings and comments were coming from - I have never had a bad experience.  And the portions are huge for a really great price.

You have to bus your dishes yourself, but it just makes it seem more like home after that nice home-cooked meal.
4 - Venus T.: BEST heart attack in a bowl breakfast place around Berkeley! i love their country western omelet with home fries! Their portions are huge and usually I can split the omelet into two meals. More about the homefries....they are fried to a perfect crisp,sprinkled with scallions, just dip it into ketchup and you've got yourself a winner! I don't really understand the whole apple sauce as jam concept but it's grown on me and I really like it now. (but they are so frugal with their apple sauce portion). 

I would give them 5 stars but they have the worst service ever. The place is run by an Asian couple who seem miserable with their lives and love to take it out on their loyal customers. One time I called to ask what time they closed and without even answering my question they hung up. Giving them the benefit of the doubt that we had lost reception I called back and politely asked the same question again, "Hi there what time do you close today?" By then the man who picked up was so infuriated that I had the balls to call twice to ask the same question that he literally grumbled, "GO AWAY!" It was a great laugh for me to hear someone so worked up over a customer who was just trying to give them some business. jeeeeze.
3 - Alex C.: Large portions, great breakfast/hangover food. The one thing I noticed that I thought was funny was that I saw a couple that was an Asian guy with a white girl. I haven't seen that in a LONG time. Anything is possible.
3 - Andrew L.: DAMN was the cheesecake BAD...words can't even begin to describe what it tasted like. It was a combination of expired, minty grossness...sort of like toothpaste. That makes it sounds better than it was. But then again, you don't come to Ann's Kitchen for the cheesecake. My friend only got it because he wanted some...

Otherwise, the breakfast food is decent. The Country Western Omlette (or wtv it's called) was great with a plethora of fillings (ham, spinach, cheese, mushroom, onions, etc etc.). Also came with lots of home fries and toast. (too much to finish!)

Summary: come for the breakfast food, DON'T GET THE CHEESECAKE!!!
3 - Andrew Y.: Went in here for breakfast with the gang. Cheap food, big portions, and quick service. I had the Western Country Omelet (I think). There is a lot of potato so don't eat it all if you're planning on doing anything active 30mins to an hour later. I think it was $5 or $6. 

We went on a Saturday morning and it was pretty busy.
3 - kent c.: A healthy cheap meal, and pretty quick service. -   3.5 *

The quality of this place is nothing to brag or hoot about, but it gets the job done.  Good genuine portions. 

I went there and ordered the Western 3 Egg Omelet. ($5.49). It came with a side of their version potatoes hash; it is slightly crispy on one side.  The omelet has ham and green peppers and some onions in it with some mozzarella cheese, and some wheat toast. 


Ps.. You bus the tables after yourself
5 - Leo W.: Cheap food, quick service, good food. If you're tired of coffee and scones and want a substantial meal.... go to Ann's. 

BYON (Bring your own newspaper).
2 - Charles L.: I stopped by this place for breakfast before I had to catch a plane back home for break. I ordered their breakfast burrito, but was disappointed with the content (or lack of) inside the burrito. They advertised that it had ham, but it had about 10 really tiny pieces of ham that didn't even count. :( Instead, the burrito contained mostly potatoes, and I almost had to throw away half of it because I couldn't stand how dry it was. But, the staff seems nice, whoot.
3 - Sonya K.: Some of the cheapest food in Berkeley.  Ann's is a no-frills kind of place.  If you are hungry and want a hell of a lot of food for not that much money go here.  The eggs and hash browns have very few spices (which some people might like).  The best thing about this place is that they give you a tiny cup of applesauce with each meal...regardless of what you have ordered.  The applesauce is actually really good.  Generally filled with hung-over undergrads.  There is pretty much always a space to sit (which is nice) and good chairs.
4 - Christa V.: For the price and speediness and overall taste, I'd give Ann's another breakfast star. 

Everything feels very home town and good, and the portions are huge for what you pay for.
2 - Michael L.: For breakfast they have 2 things on the menu: Eggs and pancakes. You can get these with sides or in any manner of presentation. Alternatively, you could easily make this at home for $4 less with very little time commitment on your part. 

Lunch menu is better, but weakened by the fact that they use the homefries from breakfast instead of offering a french fry option. You get more for your money with a cheeseburger here than across the street at Bongo Burger, but it's also greasier. 

All in all, nothing special, I understand its hangover appeal, and I guess it's quite successful at that, but it's certainly nothing special or even particularly good.
5 - sarra s.: Nobody has pancakes like Anne's! I'm addicted. They are humongous and so delicious and the price doesn't get any better. I heart Anne's.
5 - blake s.: Perfect for breakfast. I had an omelette with cheese, bell peppers, and mushrooms. It was a good idea they put mozzarella instead of, say, cheddar. Potatoes on the side. Tiny portion of applesauce at the end to cleanse the palate.
3 - David L.: Taste: 3
Value: 4
Service: 3

I've been here a couple times (around 5-6), and it's decent brunch food. I usually get the half turkey sandwich and soup combo (around $7). The turkey sandwich is pretty standard, and the soup is usually pretty good. Home fries are pretty good as well.

The lines are sometimes pretty long, and the place gets pretty crowded around brunch time. They seem to have really weird hours, because sometimes they're not open in the morning, and sometimes they are. They also have "breakfast all day" written outside, so it's a bit confusing. Perhaps they're only open on the weekend and some weekdays?

In terms of brunch food, this place still has nothing on La Note or Venus. However, it's close, cheap, and okay, which is good enough for me. I haven't been back for a while since I usually eat milk and cereal for breakfast every morning though.

Also, they only take cash and debit, so keep that in mind.
4 - Lucy D.: My roommate took me here on a Saturday morning for breakfast so I could try their breakfast burrito. Unfortunately, they don't have the breakfast burrito on weekends, nor do they have smoothies. Poo. (hence the 4 star instead of 5)

The place was also completely packed but we got lucky and found a table right before we ordered. We order 2 western omelettes to split between 3 people and we were completely stuffed! Each plate came with a generous helping of perfectly done home fries and an omelette packed with ham, cheese and other goodies. It also came with lightly buttered toast and a small cup of apple sauce. Every bite tasted really good too.

I'm really glad we came here for breakfast but I do wish they didn't limit their selections on the weekends. I was really looking forward to the breakfast burrito.

By the way they only accept cash or debit so be warned.
3 - Natalie U.: This place is definitely cheap. I got an omelet with tomato and cheese with potatoes and toast for around 5 dollars. Cha ching! Service is very fast too. I placed my order then scurried back to my car to put more money in the meter and came back within 10 minutes and my food was already waiting for me. 

As for the food itself...it's decent. They definitely skimped on the tomatoes and cheese in my omelet, and it wasn't cooked well in some places. The potatoes were good, and I liked that the toast came with apple butter. Portions are generous, especially given the price. The atmosphere here is plain, kinda dining hall style, especially with the busing your own table part :P
3 - Audrey L.: Bunch of Cal students love this place, especially their homemade fries, yet I'm not particular a huge fan of it. The food is not bad consider the price is pretty cheap. However, to me their food is a bit oily, so it has a bitter aftertaste (this applies to their omelette). One thing, DON'T get their french toast delux, it's probably the worst french toast I'd ever had... other than that, this is an overall student friendly brunch place around campus.
4 - David R.: they give you more food than you could ever eat in one sitting...excellent. And it's cheap depending on what you eat and the restaurant itself is nice, quiet, and a pretty good environment to fight a hangover in.
3 - Kimberly H.: Caveat: I hate eggs so I haven't tried most of their stuff.

The stuff I HAVE tried is ok, and it's all pretty darn cheap. The homefries  = delicious future heart attack, weekday breakfast special = possibly best deal in Berkeley, pancakes = edible. Service is usually pretty grumpy when I've been.
3 - Danny E.: Traditional breakfast fare; eggs, potatoes, bacon, sausages and pancakes.  I don't particularly like the home fries though, where are the hash browns?

The orange juice here is quite good.

Food's cheap and it's a great place to come with good company and spend an hour on a Sunday morning.  Especially if your company is a Bear.
5 - Kat G.: I'm addicted to the homefries.  Eggs, hella potatoes, and toast for 3.95 - I'm set. The fresh squeezed OJ is also amazing.  Definitely best as a breakfast place, but I had a couple good sandwiches here too. But this is absolutely 5 star breakfast. So cheap, and so.good.
4 - Alan H.: Great place to come in the morning especially if you are a little hung over since its near campus. The meals are great and very filling. I usually get the western omelet which comes with home fries. The home fries here are different than what you may find in other places. This is more of a cross between regular home fries and hashbrowns because they are stuck together.
4 - Tory A.: Ann's Kitchen is a wonderful little place, sparsely decorated, but with a fair amount of atmosphere, relaxed as it is. I ordered cinnamon french toast with a side of bacon, and it was delicious and extremely filling. The food is simple, cheap and unadorned with any excess trimmings. I really enjoyed eating here for breakfast and would definitely do so again when I am in Berkeley.
4 - Albert L.: This place puts the greasy in greasy spoon. Many a hangover has been cured with a healthy portion of Ann's delicious homefries.

No oregano-basil poached egg nonsense here, just the basics. Heaps of homefries, grilled sausages, bacon, ham, pancakes, and/or waffles. What you see is what you get, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
3 - Quinn S.: The wait was a bit long for diner food, but at those prices, I shouldn't complain.  What I can complain about is the total lack of seasoning in the food.  There wasn't the slightest hint of salt or spice in anything we ate.
4 - Tung L.: This place is what I would like to call the college campus breakfast delight!

Be warned, this place gets ridiculous busy on weekends (mostly Sat and Sun, wait . . . that's the weekends DUH)  and you may have to wait in a long line, but if you wanna have a good ole American breakfast with extremely large portion, this is the place.  

Though this is "American" breakfast, i still find it humorous that its run by Asians!  Maybe we should convert this to food place from American cuisine to Asian cooked American cuisine.
3 - Alexandra K.: Ann's Kitchen is less than a block away from my apartment, so i eat here pretty often. It's pretty much your basic greasy breakfast place, and has pretty good prices. 

However, this weekend i was disappointed to learn that they don't serve breakfast burritos on weekends. That still doesn't make any sense to me. I asked the woman at the counter for a breakfast burrito, and she said "no specials on weekends." I told her that i dont care about special deals, i just wanted a breakfast burrito.. but she said they couldn't even make me one. I don't get it. Their breakfast burritos are verrry tasty too, so I was very sad when I couldn't satisfy my craving. I got an omelet instead, and it was okay. 

I'd recommend this place for a nice weekday breakfast burrito.
4 - Melissa M.: SOOOO MUCH FOOD!!!! and very reasonably priced!

I got a spinach omelet, toast, and house fries (my favorite item) for about $6. Really good, really cheap, and huuuuuuuuge portions! My plate could have fed 2 people. I was hungry and still had leftovers!!! Everyone in my table had leftovers.

The food comes within 5-7 minutes. I give 5 stars for the food and price, but minus 1 star for customer service. The lady was not friendly, and she barely wanted to give my party to-go boxes for the leftovers. I asked for 3 and she gave me 2..........the second time I asked.....the first time she COMPLETELY ignored me!!!!

I went around 9-9:30am on a Sunday morning....there we no lines. People started coming later, but it still wasn't too packed.
3 - Nina Y.: I came here an hour before my first class with my boyfriend. We decided that I needed some food before going to more class than I should when I have my boyfriend over.

 I got the Western Country Omelet which included onions, bell peppers, cheese and ham. It says that there was spinach too, but I didn't see those or taste them.  It also comes with house fries, and toast, but seriously it's so much food. I only finished about 2 pieces of toast and the omelet. Regardless, it's so worth it! 

My boyfriend got scrambled eggs, bacon, the house fries and toast; he on the other hand finished the whole thing, but it was delicious! I really enjoyed breakfast, but it seems like everyone else does too! 

The food comes out pretty quickly which is nice when you're really hungry! The asian lady seemed pretty nice. Regardless, it was great to try this place. I think the next time if I go, I'll just share something with someone. It's really too big for one person unless you'll be sleeping right after due to your food coma!
3 - kat p.: good food, good portions, but sorta really greasy? typical american breakfast minus the hour spent slaving in the kitchen..speaking of which, the atmosphere would kind of remind you of your grandma's kitchen.
2 - Kat W.: The food was greasy and made with bad ingredients. My brother's broccoli soup tasted like it was straight from a can. Thin coffee. I left with a stomach ache. The man behind the counter was sort of rude and made me feel rushed to order. I won't be back, there is so much yummier food in Berkeley, and for lunch the prices really aren't that great considering the bad quality.
4 - Danny N.: I am a fan of good pancake.  They got awesome banana pancake.  I am a fan of cheap eat.  They are incredibly cheap.   I am a fan of greasy food...

It's populated with mostly UC Berkeley students, so expect to stand in line on Sat/Sun. 

On a rainy day, the place reeks of cooking though.  Dear Ann, if you're reading this, I love your place.  Please charge 49 extra cents so you can afford a better ventilation system.
4 - Jacky T.: BEST PANCAKE EVER!! Ok, their homefries are phenomenal too. But yes get their pancakes every chance you get.  I usually get their 2 eggs breakfast and then tag on a side of pancakes.  When I came here for the first time, I was like, OK thats not a lot of food, I will finish this like it's nothing.  But when I saw the portion they have, I was in awe!  They are huge!!! So unless you have an appetite like me all the time, otherwise do get one order, but not two thinking that since it's cheap, it must be small.  
The hearty food really help when you were drinking the night before as it eases your stomach from a severe case of hangover.  But yes awesome cheap breakfast food for some of the biggest portion ever makes this place a must go after some good o'fashioned drunk fest.
-1 point for the line and having to bus your own table, o yes one reminder, go early, they always have huge lines!
3 - S H.: In my last review I gave this place 2 stars, but I had brunch there this morning and tried their Whole Wheat Pancakes...........bumped the rating up to 3 stars.

I STILL think it's your typical traditional American breakfast style so it's not 4 stars, but 3 stars for their pancakessssss! Yum.
2 - Leslie L.: The food is really greasy and kind of expensive. You get a lottt of it, but it's nothing too special. I'd much rather pop some toast into the oven myself or head over to cafe durant for a cheaper, just as filling, and a bit more flavorful meal.

There is a 50 cent fee for using your debit/credit.
4 - Robert X.: I come here for breakfast each week. The portions are decent and prices aren't bad either, since eggs, potatoes, and toast is only $4.34. The food comes pretty quickly and they also do take out. I think they only take debit, not credit cards.
3 - Kate T.: Ann's is a no-nonsense, you get exactly what you order, and it's good every time sort of spot. There's nothing to write home about, but at the same time, it's great because you know exactly what you're getting. Can it compete with the fancy Berkeley spots like Rick & Ann's, La Note, and the Sunnyside? Well, no. But I don't even put it in the same category. I go to Ann's when I want eggs, toast, and meat, cooked exactly how I ask, fast. When I want oatmeal with a side of fruit, piping hot, in 3 minutes. You get the idea. I don't go to Ann's when I want a crab benedict with a small glass of blood orange juice. If you adjust your expectations accordingly, you should be pleasantly surprised.
4 - Pat P.: This was my choice for a hearty American breakfast while I went to school in the area, mostly because of its proximity to my apartment.

I do have to say, though, that the pancakes are incredible (and big) and the eggs and potatoes have a certain quality to them that can only come from a homemade style.

Don't count this place out because of its less-than-astounding appearance; Ann's Kitchen is good food at good prices and captures everything that we love about Telegraph Avenue.
4 - Danny C.: Alright, you have to try their whole-wheat cinnamon pancakes. They are a ridiculously good idea that I have never had anywhere else. Their plates are also quite large and very affordable. You can get a stack, eggs, bacon/sausage, and potatoes or some fruit/toast if you want for under 10 dollars. It beats going to Denny's or IHOP (of which there are none in the area, thank goodness, and it seems like the place is family-owned. The eggs come out runny, and the pancakes hot. Seems like there's always room, and they open fairly early. What's not to like?
3 - Amy L.: Banana pancakes
2 egg breakfast 

Love this place because its fast, convenient, gives you loads of food, and breakfast foods are good anytime of the day. 

Taste-wise, its nothing special. But it sure beats cooking a whole breakfast meal for yourself.
2 - Hanson Z.: Ehhhhhhhh

I have heard good things about this place so I was a bit disappointed when my brunch was not quite so memorable.

We ordered the 3-egg omelet and the blueberry pancakes. The omelet is super cheap (less than 5 bucks including toast and house fries) but if you add stuff (mushrooms, spinach, etc) for 45 cents then it can add up.

 So...

The house fries were really lacking in flavor. They had a nice layer of crunch to them but were really lacking in the seasoning department. The omelet itself was... kind of weird. The cheese they used was super stringy and never really melted. And the "eggy" part didn't really have any... volume.... Instead it was almost like a thin layer of egg (or egg substitute or SOMETHING) sandwiching the vegetable contents. Pancakes were pretty heavy and you could make a meal out of just one instead of the huge stack of three you get, but they were pretty good considering I'm not the biggest fan of pancakes.

Service is pretty fast though and the portions are huge, but I'd rather spend a bit more for something more worth eating.
4 - Melody L.: Ahh! So great! Large portions, decent price, quick service! This is another one of places where you order first, then have to seat yourself and bus your plates at the end though. But if you want a hearty, filling, affordable brunch, this is it! Plus, you don't have to deal with the snobby SLOW waitstaff commonly found during Sunday brunch.
4 - Courtney A.: Went here for breakfast and it was pretty epic. I think for eleven dollars my sister and I split a three egg omelet with veggies, several pieces of toast with apple butter (delicious and free), a huge portion of home fries and a giant stack of whole wheat pancakes with syrup. We were both stuffed and it was seriously cheap. I would definitely come here if you want a good, hearty breakfast. It's not gourmet by any means, but if you want comfort and portions this is a great place for brunch and to hang out with friends.
4 - Loretta C.: I came here for breakfast quite a few times in my stay at Berkeley, and I've always gotten the omelets with toast and potatoes. The juices they serve here are really fresh and yummy. The service is also very quick. The only issue is that it can get really crowded, and the hours are very limited. Go here for brunch/breakfast!
1 - Jay P.: Burnt Pancakes and bland homefries...
OJ was really sweet and tasty.
Though prices seem cheap it is relatively expensive ccompared to any other diner type place.
2 - Xtina L.: Everyone seems to rave about this place as an awesome breakfast place, but personally, I've had better. The home fries were the best part, cooked perfectly, but the toast was on the hard and chewy side while the eggs were on the cold side. A good thing was that the food was prepared fairly quick, but I'd rather it be quicker if it'll ensure my meal is still nice and warm by the time I eat it.

The place itself could be cleaner, though it often gets really crowded so I suppose it can't be the cleanest. There's only so much to expect at breakfast - i.e. eggs, pancakes, toast, waffles, etc - but I'd stick with other breakfast diners like iHop.
2 - Bonnie X.: Ugh, I don't understand the big deal about this place. I'm a sucker for the classic American breakfast, since it's so simple and almost impossible to mess up, and I don't even need a hot shirtless boyfriend to serve it to me in bed. It's that amazingly simple. But sorry, Ann's was a disappointment. 

Service - the lady behind the register seemed so rude and not accommodating. She looks utterly bored and couldn't spare a smile. We're all hungover, not you.

Place - this place was small and the windows we sat by were pretty dirty.

Wait - while it was a Sunday morning, the wait was more than I expected. 

Food - I got the traditional plate, which wasn't bad. However, this place lacks flavor. The potatoes and scrambled eggs just didn't have any BAM to them. Crossroads, my dear dining hall, can do better than that. The potato and egg portions were pretty big. They have apple butter available for the toast, which bumps them up to a two star.  My boyfriend got the spagetti and it only had 3 MEATBALLS. Like really now? Meatballs are probably the cheapest form of meat, and you can only spare 3? Shame shame.

Price - I've had homestyle and more fancy breakfast meals, and I don't mind paying a little more for my favorite meal of the day. This place is overpriced for the quality.
5 - james m.: Ann's Kitchen is the spot to go to when in Berkeley. Unfortunately, I moved and can't come here as frequently anymore. But when the craving hits, I take the drive to come order my usual- Denver omelette and a stack of banana pancakes. 

The pancakes are heavenly and the omelette is hearty and delicious.
what more can you ask for?

Oh yeah, I almost forgot... get a large OJ, the best I ever had.
4 - k. s.: Love their breakfast!!
Cheap and good portions :)
very fast and good location
And ask for their apple jam/jelly/spread thing at the counter for your toast, it's like apple sauce but it's delicious!
1 - Mike S.: Sampled the western omelette which came with potatoes and toast and also had the banana pancakes.   The omelette and potatoes were bland, had to douse it in hot sauce and pepper.  The toast... they didn't provide any jam, extra butter, etc.  The pancakes, they were ok, no clue what kind of syrup they provide.  Charged too much for a small cup of ordinary coffee.  Then you bus you're own table; which i don't have a problem with in principle, but for the quality and price, i might as well go to (*gasp*) denny's or ihop for selection; or better still back to the great breakfast place in inner sunset i went to some weeks ago.
oh and the piece de resistance, i had a tummy ache and digeestive issues later that day.
3 - Karen S.: Came here randomly for brunch one day with the boyfriend & his friend.

The food is decent.  Extra nod for the home fries & the eggs.

The prices are good, especially if you take into account the large portion size (I didn't even eat dinner that night).

Quick note: Everything there is pretty  much DIY (do it yourself); from ordering to picking up to busing tables.  Not the place to go if you are planning for a nice relaxing breakfast/brunch experience.
2 - Jacob K.: Pros: Very good potatoes, whole wheat pancakes and scrambled eggs; cheap.

Cons: You have to order at the counter and bus your dishes; she barely cleaned the table- still had lots of crumbs on it; no napkin dispensers anywhere; on a Sunday, there was no wait but the food took nearly 25 minutes! This makes me not want to go back and there's no way I can give 3 stars if it takes that long for just two breakfast entrees. Also, I don't like the college dorm cafeteria vibe.
3 - David C.: This is a typical mom and pop's breakfast joint.  They have a pretty extensive menu, but they are only open for breakfast and lunch.  If you come here on any weekends, its pretty crowded.  I would have to recommend the pancakes and omelettes, and the OJ.  The texture on their pancakes is amazing.  They really were perfectly cooked for the three or four times I've had them.  The same goes for the omelettes; the eggs are never too dry, and its never runny.  The OJ is also freshly squeezed every morning.  The home fries are good, but I've found them to be too heavy for breakfast (the fried portion is really oily).  The rest of the items on the menu are pretty typical, and this place does charge you a hefty premium for breakfast foods compared to IHOP or Denny's.  Their portions are decently sized.  I took off one star because their service is somtimes lacking during busier intervals.  They don't have enough hands to clean the tables, and since you have to seat yourself, you usually end up cleaning your own table before you sit down.  Also, the ventilation in this corner building is really bad.  I don't think they have kitchen ventilation, so after eating here, you'll end up smelling heavily of cooking grease.

Sidenote:  I've gotten food poisoning here before from sunny-side up eggs, so they maybe don't use pasteurized eggs?
3 - Vittoria L.: Oh Berkeley, I love your food :) This was the last restaurant we dined in before we went home. 

This place doesn't disappoint. I ordered a simple breakfast platter of pancakes, bacon, and eggs. Although the pancakes looked a little burnt, they actually taste pretty good. Very filling.

I also ordered a bacon and cheddar sandwich to go. It wasn't anything special, and I thought it was kind of bland. If I were to come here again, I would only do breakfast!!
1 - Tony K.: Plusses: cheap. Nicely cooked potatoes, nice crisp.

Minuses: stand in line to order, bus your own table. Kind of dirty. they do NOT take credit cards, and they charge $0.50 for debit.

Only table open had dirty plates and syrup. Nothing to clean table, so we got some paper napkins and poured drinking water to clean. Yuck.

Potatoes were unseasoned. Omelette was quite average.

Kind of like a slow, slightly pricier, slightly better food, slightly dirtier McDonald's.

I would give it 1.5 if I could, but I'm rounding down because the yelp rating is stupid high at 3.5
4 - Lucy N.: If you leave Ann's Kitchen hungry, you either have a tapeworm in your digestive tract, or you simply don't know what to order. This place serves hearty breakfast food in huge portions.
Homefries - Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I feel like the crispiness isn't consistent from plate to plate. I like mine extra crispy and am convinced that whoever I'm eating with always has crispier homefries.
Toast - Buttered for you. 
Ham - Eh. Not mindblowing. I probably won't get this again as a side.
Western Omelet - Cover this baby in ketchup and you're set!
They also offer sandwiches and soups, neither of which have I tried.

I have yet to completely finish a plate here. Definitely the place to come if you're running low on cash and are ravenously hungry from a long night. At Ann's Kitchen, you definitely get what you pay for, and much more.
3 - Jamie M.: I love breakfast foods, especially on the weekends.  Davey R. says it's the "country girl" in me, and I don't argue.  I wandered into Ann's in search of a place to fill up with a solid breakfast and to use their free wi-fi to start on a big work project.  

I walked up to the counter and ordered my standard breakfast meal--which happens to be #1 at Ann's;  2 eggs, potatoes, toast and bacon, plus I ordered an orange juice.  Looking at the board above the counter, I thought what I had ordered was $3.95 plus the price of the orange juice.  (What a deal, I thought!)  When she told me my bill had come to $10.15, I was surprised.  Over $10 for a pretty basic breakfast seemed pretty steep to me.  What I didn't realize was that my side of bacon cost me an extra $2.45.  That board of theirs is a bit tricky!

I went back to my table to wait for my food thinking I probably wouldn't be back.  The environment at Ann's is pretty basic and not especially comfortable.  My orange juice was served in a broken plastic cup.  $10.15--really?  I'm happy to pay that much for breakfast at nicer establishments with inviting environments, but Ann's is not that place.  

I was already writing this review in my head (because I just could not get over the mix-up with the cost of the meal) when my name was called.  And when I saw my plate, I wasn't upset about the $10.15 anymore.  Maybe it was the satisfaction of my hunger that helped me get over the misleading sign, the price of the meal, and the broken plastic cup.  But Ann's actually has a great breakfast.  My plate was heaping with eggs, potatoes, crispy bacon  and toast.  The potatoes were served with green onions on top (yum, yum) and the potatoes were crispy on the outside and perfect in the middle.  I asked for my eggs poached--which apparently Ann's doesn't do, but over medium they were pretty good.  

I did have problem with the wi-fi and ultimately didn't stay for much longer than the time it took me to consume my huge meal.   Overall though, Ann's is a nice little breakfast spot.  Just watch out for prices on that tricky board!
3 - Brian S.: I never knew this place was around...despite passing by the Telegraph-Dwight intersection many times.  But a group of friends wanted to eat here, so it gave me a opportunity to have a first experience here.

I ordered the Western Country Omelette w/ homefries & toast.  The omelette had onions, peppers, cheese, ham (I think?), and some other ingredients that I don't remember...(FYI: the ingredients for the WCO were listed on the counter, but not on the menu.)  The omelette was okay, pretty ordinary.  The homefries were...interesting.  They were literally potato chunks that seemed to have been fried on one side.  Again, not too memorable.  Toast was standard affair, though the apple butter was interesting.

I haven't gone to many breakfast places in Berkeley, but the ambience at Ann's kitchen is not that inviting in my opinion...Cafe Durant is better for that.

FYI: no credit cards, but they accept ATM/debit cards (albeit with a $0.50 transaction fee)
1 - Ernesto G.: I had bad coffee before but Ann's Kitchen was by far the worst I've ever had. I took one sip and then another -- and my wife and I came to the conclusion we've wasted our money and had to dumped it. It was undrinkable. I told the person at the counter as we were walking out but she could care less. We should've gone to Pete's right across the corner.
3 - Joan K.: Ann's Kitchen = yums in my tums! tehe I went with a friend before summer school for the first time. I ordered the Ann's Special (2 pancakes & their home fries) & I was freaking satisfied. The pancakes are REALLY filling & their home fries are just amazing! I'm coming back fshos!! =)
5 - Matt V.: I went here for the first time on Sunday and WOWOWEEEEEE!

1. Cheap!  They give so much GOOD food for so little money!  My dish was $4 for 2 eggs, toast, apple butter (mmm!!), and the famous, orgasmic, sinfully delicious HOME FRIES!

2. THE HOME FRIESSSSSasklfjal;sjdfa;lksdjfalsf x3

3. Free wifi?  Lol

4.  Fast, friendly staff.

5. HNNNNNNNNNNNG.
5 - Tiffany L.: I LOVE THIS PLACE!

I'm generally not a breakfast-y type of person but this place is just too great for words!

First of all, the BANANA pancakes. If you like bananas, you have to get these! Even if you don't like pancakes, which I don't really, you have to try it out!

Second of all, OMELET! That thing may look small, well to me it did, but MAN IS IT FILLING!!!!!

Third of all, THE HOME FRIES! Nomnomnom. So good!

And finally, it's cheap and the people there are nice.

What more can you ask for?
4 - Tim C.: Cheap, good breakfast food.  Denny's and IHOP have nothing on Ann.
5 - Michelle L.: Holy heck I HAVE BEEN MISSING OUT!!

I have been to Ann's Kitchen at least three of four times, but since I am not, as many profess to be, a "breakfast person," (and I usually go around lunchtime anyway... my friends are not early birds), I usually opted for the lunch-ish options: garden salad once (uninspired--go to Intermezzo if you want a really excellent, interesting salad), avocado and cheese sandwich with lentil soup once (kind of salty, if i remember correctly).

And lunch prices are only standard, for Berkeley. Not horrendously expensive, but not dirt-cheap either.

Breakfast, though... is a whole 'nother story.

The combo I ordered the day was their cheapest combination but SO DELICIOUS ohmygod I miss it already. The portions are extremely generous: 2 pieces of wheat toast, sliced diagonally with a little cup of apple butter (a bit like concentrated apple sauce), two eggs prepared however you like, and a slab of golden, crispy-soft-beautiful homefries.

Let me just say, I polished off my plate despite suffering horrible stomach cramps from a less judicious restaurant choice (Pintoh, I'm looking at you!!) the day before.

Does Ann's Kitchen conquer food poisoning? No. But for a sweet, sweet hour I forgot my more base, more vulgar sufferings, and instead ascended to breakfast nirvana.
5 - Mike P.: The breakfast burrito here is fucking good.  Hands down best breakfast burrito for it's value and possibly one of the best I've ever had.  It's packed with potatoes, eggs, salsa??, and other goodies I can't even identify cause I eat it too fast to even notice, let alone care.  Just get it and you won't regret it.

And for 5 bucks, I can eat half of it and be full.  I actually usually split the burrito with a friend so we both save money and leave with satisfied full bellies.  This place has gotten the best breakfast award in Berkeley 3 years straight and I'm not surprised.  Maybe I'll update this review when I try the other things on the menu but for now, that breakfast burrito is all I need to start my day.
4 - Audrey C.: I ordered a number one (2 eggs with homefries and 2 toast) with side of meat! It's a relatively cheap brunch place with a good sized serving. Service is nice and quick and you seat/bus yourself.

TIP: Try their apple butter!! Adds a nice hint of applesauce to your toast :)
4 - Lainey D.: Delicious Breakfast Food!!!  I love their Western Country Omelette, and the homefries are awesome too.   Only downside is the cashiers are not very friendly, but who really cares when the food is so amazing!
2 - Maria Z.: This place gives you a lot of food for your money, but the food is bland and just plain average. I have friends that are really into this place, but it's just not my cup of tea. I don't know if the potatoes are good, or just plentiful, but it's an alright place to eat if you're on a budget. Just remember to bring cash.
4 - Anna T.: Still the best breakfast burrito ever.  Everything else is just fine, but the homefries inside... oh man, I would drive back to Berkeley just for one of these babies.  

I also really love their applebutter with their toast.  I never knew about applebutter until this place.  Now I don't like jam with my toast.. Applebutter all the wayyy
4 - Lynn L.: Came here around noon on this gloomy Sunday. My friend and I crossed the street to see an enormous line forming from the counter inside to the door itself. Hungry and cold, we still decided to wait. If there's this many people, than it must be good! Good logic, no? :P

And boy was it gooood! Ordering a Number 1 on the breakfast menu along with wheat pancakes a la carte, we sat down to talk by the window and smelled the loveliness that was being concocted in the kitchen. The ladies were wonderfully polite and nice. It had a very homey feeling. 

This is a place where you can literally eat your feelings away. And they will go away by the end of the meal (that or be replaced with food coma inducing satiation)! Portions are massive. My plate was 3 neat piles of toast, scrambled eggs (perfect with Tapatio and pepper), and their insanely awesome homefries. (HOMEFRIESSSS) Potatoes done right :) Wheat pancakes - 3 massive ones stacked on top of each other along with apple butter (APPLE BUTTAA Oh my jeeez).  I was feeling a little negative at the beginning of the trip with some dramarama and sunburns -__-, and despite all the awkward sightings of certain personas all eating under this eatery's roof, I still have to say it was all worth it.  All you really need in life is a friend and Ann's Kitchen. I left feeling quite positive :) with a full to-go box left over still. 

PS: Expect a half hour wait from getting in the door to getting your grub on at crazy hours (lunch time). And I do not kid when I say massive portions. 

Bon apetit :) One star off for it being a little too crowded and humid.
4 - Jenny M.: This is a great, affordable, and homely place to have a weekend brunch with friends :) The plates they give you are very large. I usually get the basic plate with toast, eggs, and potatoes and it always fills me up. Weekend brunch lines are super long and it's even hard to find a place to sit, so try to come either a bit earlier or later than normal. I love their apple butter too! 

I think the next time I come, I'd like to try one of their actual lunches. The salads look amazing.
4 - Kai C.: Just thought I'd write in a note for this place since I've been dropping by every few weeks or so for years and have loved it. Their #1 breakfast of homefries and eggs is simple but really well done, a satisfying breakfast for a very reasonable price.

I was ever so slightly disappointed when I asked once if I could just get 3 eggs in it and the lady refused -- I'd have to get the omelet . I did try their omelet once, and it's alright, but not the best I've ever had. I generally only go there for breakfast, but the rest of their menu looks pretty good.
4 - Hannah S.: Solid diner type food in a casual environment. 

Since moving to the Bay Area, I've noticed that as far as food in the East Bay goes, people are really really into 3 things in particular: Pizza, Brunch, Ice Cream. 

There are SO many brunch/breakfast spots, and more than that, there are so many acclaimed, popular, wait-an-hour-in-line breakfast spots. It's like every weekend, that's just the thing to do. Brunch. 

I've tried a lot of well known spots. La Note, Bette's Oceanview, Brown Sugar Kitchen, 900 Grayson, Rick and Ann's, etc. And some I've liked, and others have been disappointing. But the thing they all kind of have in common is the super long wait, and the rather unconventional breakfast items. And that's fine. But sometimes all you really want is a homey "standard" type breakfast, and a lot of it. 

And that's exactly what you get at Ann's Kitchen. Very little wait at 10AM on  Saturday morning (woohoo!). 

The food comes out pretty quickly and the plates are heaped with food. The bacon is crisp, the eggs perfectly cooked, the orange juice is fantastic, and the pancakes are great too. Nice standard meal, but done well. I like that. 

So if you're not looking for anything too fancy, but good solid food that's comfortable and relaxed, then this is a great place to go. 

I will say though, I was a bit confused by all the praise given to the  "applebutter". It really seemed like nothing more than a small tablespoon scoop of applesauce. Not sure what the hype is about on that.
3 - Katie M.: I think this is one of those "quantity over quality" things - I love breakfast food as much as the next person but this place isn't as amazing as everyone makes it out to be. But portions are enormous and it's decently good food considering what you're paying. 

I'm not a fan of their homefries (too salty), but I like their pancakes (as long as they're not whole wheat - they're really scratchy) and omelettes. They always overcook my bacon, though, and the sausages are really oily. 

The place is big but not very clean and very homely-looking. But (I'm assuming) because of all the food they give you, there's always a good amount of people in there. I'm always disappointed in their hours (they close at 6PM on weeknights and 5PM on weekends)... somehow I always end up craving pancakes for dinner. I've never been here for lunch, so I'll try to do that sometime soon.

OH. I WISH THEY SERVED WAFFLES! +1 star if you start serving waffles!
1 - Anson N.: I waited for 45 minutes for my food. The frist time they messed up my order so I waited for an extra 10 minutes. It was not until I was home that I found out that they gave me the same WRONG order. The food from this place is bad and I would preter McDonald's any day, which is much cheaper and tastier. Not going to this place again.
5 - Jenny C.: I'm more of a waffle kind of person, but Ann's Kitchen has the best pancakes I've ever had.  I feel like they literally melt in my mouth they're so good.  It's a whole in the wall kind of a place, so you know it's good!
4 - Meghana S.: Ohhhh Ann's Kitchen. Their breakfast/ brunch foods are the best; enormous portions and really delicious food! I'm a big fan of their fluffy omelettes and home fries, they really hit the spot when you're hungover and woozy the day after a big party. Remember to ask for their apple butter and to try the french toast here! 

I'm deducting one star because this place is almost always crowded (especially during the weekends) and it isn't the cleanest.
4 - Edward W.: The atmosphere is very casual and lots of college students come here for brunch on weekends. They don't accept credit cards, only debit and cash.

Portions are HUGE.
Western Country Omelette includes three eggs, green bellpepper, ham, onions along with homefries and toast. The apple butter sauce is the MOST DELICIOUS JAM ever. The natural apple sugar makes the jam just sweet enough. The homefries are just potato chunks fried, nothing special.

TL;DR; Ann's Kitchen doesn't accept credit cards. Western Country Omelette is a good alternative to Diced Ham & Scrambled Eggs. Has three eggs, green bellpepper, onion, and ham. Never forget to request the FREE apple butter sauce.
3 - Simone L.: It's never worth getting anything besides breakfast for four bucks. Two eggs, toast, and more yummy homestyle potatoes than you could imagine. It's quick and cheap, although they only take cash or debit. Lots of room for seating and it's easy to find a spot on weekdays to sit with a whole huge group of friends. 

Here's a photo of the dish I recommend: http://www.simoneanne.com/journal/2011/08/food-anns-kitchen-berkeley-california/
4 - Cesie A.: Definitely changing my review. The line still sucks but the breakfast is great and super cheap. Got the #1 on the breakfast menu which is 2 eggs, toast, and home fries (kinda a mix between potatoes and hashbrowns) for under $4. I was craving breakfast so much this morning and it really hit the spot!
2 - Maryam R.: I'm pretty disappointed this time around. I have been going here for about 3 years, and was always semi satisfied, but my experience this morning was pretty bad. We ordered #6 on the menu which is 3 pancakes, 4 strips of bacon, 3 eggs. We also ordered a medium OJ. I asked the older asian lady to put the bacon on the side because I am vegetarian. She just looked at me and said she couldn't do it...I explained I am a strict vegetarian and I cant eat anything if it is touching meat, and she looked at me as though she was exasperated but said ok. I have NEVER had an issue like this in other restaurants...even dennys or ihop. 
     The entire thing came out to $12. The food came out, and I was surprised. The eggs were on a tiny plate, the bacon on another small plate, and the pancakes were on their own plate (huge proportion of pancakes and they were delicious!). I was surprised at how little egg there was..I think she only gave us 2 of them. So, to sum it all up, I was disappointed in the service and her inability to be accommodating. The tables were sticky, there were flys everywhere and it just looked gross over all. I dont know if the food and safety administration would approve of this place, maybe i'm being too harsh but it was pretty yucky to me. I normally leave about 20% tip, but they got 0 from me this time around.
5 - Candace C.: These stars are all for the quality and quantity of the food here compared against the cost. If you order right you should never have to spend more than $7 for the best and most filling (and okay possibly greasy enough to kill you) breakfast EVER. I swear by the home fries, which -- despite repeated tests of multiple recipes and variants -- I have never even come close to replicating. Potatoes are crisp on the outside and still a bit soft in the middle, without being greasy. Everything else on the menu is, in my opinion, just icing on the huge helping of home fries cake. Though the cinnamon French toast deserves a shout-out if you're looking for sweet rather than savory -- it's always too much for me to eat on my own, so I usually only order it when my mom visits, and we split it. The sides are predictable, nothing out of the ordinary, though do ask for apple butter for your toast -- it's free, but they've stopped giving it to you automatically with your order...

This place may not have any real atmosphere to speak of, but it doesn't need it -- the line out the door on weekend afternoons says enough. Also, as someone who enjoys the ability to sit and linger over my food, possibly with a bit of schoolwork in tow, this place is a godsend. No one is going to try to make you leave your table as long as you have ordered something. 

It might not look like much, but if you're looking for the breakfast of champions on a student budget, look no further.
5 - Stephanie L.: Come here! Friends here at Cal insisted I had to try this place during my visit, so we came on a Friday afternoon...for breakfast food only, of course. I was treated to #1 off the "Rising Sun Breakfast" menu which was: eggs, toast, and amazing (favorite) potatoes. Being a fyattie, I also ordered a stack of banana pancakes...yea, indulged. I tried the Western Omelette as well, and I have nothing but praise for this no-nonsense, bus-your-own-dishes, delicious restaurant. 

Huge portions; convinced?
4 - Phan H.: Not a bad place to go for lunch, although it was a bit busy, but plenty of room to sit. They are known for their breakfast. Unfortunately, I didn't get to try their food as I had to leave.
4 - Justin K.: Ann's Kitchen. Yay!

One of the better establishments that sell a variety of breakfast/lunch foods. It's usually bubbling with activity but I went around 5PM with my friend so it only had a few customers. They accept both cash and card but add an extra fee for using the card. :( They do not have a waiter system but it's a bus-your-own-table style place which I prefer at times. After all, this isn't some huge chain restaurant with a thousand workers scurrying back and forth but (I'm guessing) a family-owned place.

The restaurant has a very homey and diner feel to it and it relatively well maintained by a Korean couple. How do I know? Because I spoke to them in Korean. Supporting my culture all day breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Anyways, food comes out in time and there was no delay of any sort (except that they didn't have an ingredient for one of their smoothies so I had to order the Rising Sun smoothies). Their omelette, toast, potatoes, and bacon come in very hefty portions and is great. Their smoothies are also good (Rising Sun) and they claim to put in protein powder, but I have no clue how that works. Pineapple based smoothie with protein powder? Interesting...

The owners are very nice, attentive, and food is good so this is definitely a place to hit up when you're looking for a heavy breakfast type meal any time of the day. :)
4 - Garett N.: Cheap breakfasts. Recommended!
3 - Denver D.: The food isn't anything special, but it's good for the price. It seems like the staff gets confused with the orders when busy, but it's easily fixed. Mostly a student crowd.
4 - Trish S.: When I am in need of breakfast food and want to spend very little on it I can rely on Ann's Kitchen conveniently located across the street from where I reside. They are always busy whenever I come in which proves their bomb breakfast food. I always get their #1 with a side of sausage and I eat everything except for only half the potatoes/home fries. Their sausages are delicious as well as their toast! I love breakfast food and I am happy that Ann's Kitchen is there to cater to my tastebuds.
4 - David W.: This place is one of the best, affordable, good-sized portion breakfast places in the area!  The home fries are great, and I would definitely come here again and again.  Definitely recommend it for a breakfast and brunch place.
4 - John P.: I've lived about 3 blocks from Ann's for the past 5 years and only this year have I started eating there, thank GOODNESS I found it!

For a very fair priced and well made breakfast, this is THE place to go.  Don't expect great ambiance, its full of students on weekends and gets pretty noisy.  But the big windows are lovely on sunny days and its a fun location to look out onto Telegraph and all that is Telegraph.

The two things I can't get enough of there are a) the potatoes.  seriously, no better ones in the bay  as far as I'm concerned.  Crispy, potatoey, amazing with some ketchup.   And second are the pancakes.  I love a good whole wheat pancake and Ann's has some awesome ones!  Really nutty flavor and if you get the pecans, MMMM, so good!

Its just cheap and easy.  A little crowded at brunch times on the weekends, so come prepared. 

Oh, one odd duck thing that I sorta love now, they only have "apple butter" for the toast, but honestly, its just applesauce.  But its really good I think!  Just kinda wierd the first couple times.

Enjoy some good cheap grub!!!
3 - Andy Q.: Not bad food! It's great for mornings when you feel like getting up earlier for breakfast! They do a good job at making breakfast food without trying to scalp you for $2 for everything on the menu like a lot of other businesses down Telegraph. But that being said, it is breakfast food! Expect your breakfast food you can probably make at home. It didn't blow me out of the water but it was nice to not have to get up half an hour earlier to account for cooking and cleaning time.
4 - Tammy T.: Honestly, was not that excited to come here since I live in SF, and there are a ton of brunch places there (and even in East Bay) that from the outside, look way better than this. With that said, never judge a book by its cover! 

+: Cheap w/ good portions
+: Crispy potatoes
+: Hearty pancakes
+: Fast and easy. Who wants to wait 2 hrs for bunch anyway? Instead, you can choose for a number of seats.

Ambience is definitely lacking, but who cares, you got darn good pancakes in front of you?! I can't say it's worth crossing the bridge for, but if you do find yourself in east bay, just go here. Don't bother waiting at the fancier places.
3 - Edison T.: 3.5 stars

My friend and I went on Sunday morning. We both got the Western Country Omelette and we shared an order of French Toast. Although the line was long, we were able to place our order The omelette was good, but there wasn't anything that really jumped out about it (other than the fact that there was a lot of food). The homefries that came with it were really good as they were crispy, but not dry, so I liked it. The French Toast was delicious though. It was topped with nuts, bananas, and a thin layer of sugar. None of the flavors were overpowering, and the bananas tasted fresh. This is somewhere I'll probably go back to .
4 - Nancy L.: Cheap, fast, and delicious.  That's why Ann's Kitchen gets 4 stars.  I'm no longer a college student at Cal (Class of '05!), and this place still rocks even though I have a better budget to work from.

* Cheap: There were 3 of us, and we spent under $30 total for breakfast.  Awesome.
* Tons of food: So much of that hash fries/potatoes.  A little crispy but hearty and yummy.  I couldn't finish it.  The eggs were cooked just the way I ordered it - over easy.
* Fast: No fuss or crap.  Order the food, pay, sit down, pick up food when your name is called, bus your own table.  It's about grubbing down at this restaurant!
4 - Ancy D.: The food here is really quite delicious and portion sizes are huge! Their potatoes/tater tots are very fluffy and they give you a ton. I also love their whole wheat pancakes--also incredibly fluffy, and taste healthy with a grain-y bite and very delicious.

When I came here there was definitely a bit of a wait though. Also, I ordered two plates of food for me and a friend, as well as a beverage, and it came out to almost $20, so not exactly the cheapest! If you just get a basic plate it's definitely a good deal though; they don't short you on food.

I also really recommend their orange juice. Bittersweet, really refreshing, and pulpy--it's the definition of fresh-squeezed.
3 - Grace H.: Great place for typical American-diner style food and breakfast! It's relatively cheap for the portions they give (HUGE) and will definitely fill you up with their carb-heavy dishes. There's plenty of seating but gets super packed around 11-1pm on the weekends (probably when everyone wakes up and needs to cure their hangovers) and service gets pretty slow. I would suggest ordering to-go over the phone if you don't want to wait.

Dishes I've tried and recommend:
-Two Eggs Meal
-French Toast
-Whole What Pancakes (sooo fluffy and delicious!)
-Three Eggs Omelette (you can add a variety of ingredients like tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, cheese, etc but it adds up)

Tip for owners: please have a better system of letting people know when their orders are up. Shouting their names in a loud restaurant is not efficient.
2 - Helen W.: I did try their banana pancakes and they were quite dry... I don't think I'm going to come back here.
4 - Jessie M.: This place serves amazing hearty huge plates of breakfast and that's all I've ever gone there for. Omelette fillings are kind of expensive and the wait is often long and tedious, but that's because it's worth it. Still, when you're hungover and craving homefries and toast, watching the guy behind the counter take orders at the speed of a glacier is frustrating and the only reason I took off a star. Easily the best breakfast I've had in Berkeley.
4 - Austin W.: Cheap food, and filling food. This is the perfect kind of breakfast place for college kids on a weekend morning (or anytime actually). The banana banana walnut french toast I would highly recommend. It's probably the only non-egg/toast/hash item you can order there from the breakfast menu.

If you're here to meet up with a friend and/or to study, look elsewhere. This place is LOUD, and it's honestly just a place to eat, like any high school cafeteria.
3 - Samuel C.: One of the better places to eat breakfast around campus.

Service/Decor: I quite like the retro vibe given by the restaurant, as if I'm walking into a 70's diner. Most of the tables are next to each other and not separated, which is a bit of an inconvenience. It's also rather loud and not the best place to have a quiet conversation, but food comes out pretty fast and you'll be on your way quickly. Proximity to campus makes it a favorable location for the college student.

Food: Ann's Kitchen is known for its breakfasts, and most of the items on the menu are not bad. I generally get the the Western Country Omelette, which comes with onions, ham, bell peppers, and spinach, and it comes with home fries and buttered toast. They've recently raised their prices to $5.95+tax, but it's still not a terrible deal. As for flavor, the eggs in the omelette are very overcooked and seems like its individual toppings were just stuffed in after the omelette was cooked. I do believe most people come here for the homefries and toast, which can be eaten with the apple butter that you can get for free at the front. The homefries (I believe they're yukon gold) are colored very well and crisp, though bland, and the toast is pretty tasty with the apple butter. Seasoning (or lack thereof) seems to be a major issue here.

I've also tried their whole-wheat pancakes, banana pancakes, and pecan pancake. They're just alright, but I found that they were unsatisfying and I craved something savory after eating them.

If you feel like eating breakfast or brunch and you don't want to go to the dining commons, this isn't a bad place to start your day.
2 - Jess L.: Very very unimpressed.  Eggs were rubbery.  We ordered sausage for our kid and when it arrived we cut it in half so it would cool faster for him and discovered the inside was seriously undercooked.  When I took it back to the counter and requested they replace it with ham, she argued with me, and even then came over to our table and tried to convince us to just let them cook the sausage a bit more.  !! Dude I don't want your sausage for my toddler after I see it served pink and bloody.  The ham it was ultimately replaced with, alas, tasted weird, too-sugary, or too-chemically-treated.  Ech.
4 - Ira S.: Robust vegetable soup for a great price.  I don't find myself on Telegraph much these days, but really look forward to stopping by here for lunch when I do.
4 - Alice H.: This is THE place for a filling and cheap breakfast. The portions are HUGE and the potatoes are yummy. I've had the Western Omelette and the cinnamon french toast. I wouldn't recommend getting more than 1 thing at Ann's Kitchen unless you just eat A LOT.

The western omelette was great, it tasted good. (You cannot substitute or take out any ingredients because they pre-mix the omelette mix)

The cinnamon french toast is AMAZING! I love it. If you're ever graving cinnamon french toast, Ann's Kitchen is the place to go. I'm in love with their cinnamon french toast.

The only down-side was that I went on a Sunday morning and the line was incredibly long and it goes very slowly. So if you're planning on coming on a weekend morning be ready to wait because the line will be long. The wait is definitely worth it.
4 - Tristan T.: The good:
They prepare your food fairly quickly. The food tastes great. Portions are extremely generous. Lotta seating, generally lotta students on the weekends tho. The grilled sandwiches are very good!

The bad:
The food is kinda greasy. Don't like the pricing; almost 3 bucks for 3 sausage links... Come on... They are tasty, but not that Tasty... 

Cnoclusion: Wake up, hung over, tired, hungry? This is the spot.
4 - Amy H.: TIP #1: Be prepared to wait on weekend mornings. Ann's Kitchen is popular among college kids who may have had a late night.. you know, studying!

TIP #2: Doesn't look like a table's open? By the time you're done waiting in line, it'll probably open up. 

TIP #3: $0.50 charge for debit cards. 

This was THE place to go if you're one of three people:

1) A college student who's tired of dining hall food. It's not much different here--eggs, toast, homefries, pancakes--but it's a different atmosphere. Sunny and airy, busy and bustling, versus the sterility of Crossroads and the stern glare of the elderly woman serving you the Blue Plate Special. Here you have Ann (right?! That has to be her name!) who takes your order, rings you up, and smiles at you, and then the cooks in the kitchen who pop out with your plate when it's ready. 

2) Hungover or extra tired. It's early, the sun is searing laser beams into your eyes--just order that Western Country Omelette or chocolate chip pancakes (or whole wheat pancakes for a healthier alternative), sit down, wait, and then chow down. You will be happy. Fill up your cup with water at the cooler to the right of the counter. 

3) You don't have much money. Everything here is cheap--mostly under $7--and the portions are huge. Cheap and yummy--what else can you ask for?
 
I fit all three of those characteristics a few years ago. Just passing my knowledge on to my fellow Cal bears and campus community!
3 - Furai X.: I was really pleased with the omelette I got from Ann's since it was bigger and had more veggies than I thought. The homefries were okay, nothing special, and I did not appreciate how the toast came buttered already. The toast was also more on the burnt side than I would have liked.

Later in the day, my boyfriend returned with a pastrami sandwich. I only picked at the sandwich filling since it was absolutely and digustingly LADEN with mayo on both sides of the plain white bread. 

They also do not take credit cards.
4 - Stephanie W.: Ann's Kitchen is one of my favorite cheap places to come for brunch! 

I always come in with a sweet tooth and end up ordering either pancakes or french toast. Both the banana pancakes and cinnamon french toast were great. I also tried the pecan pancake, but was super disappointed. I guess I was expecting candied pecans, so I found the nuts really bland. The pancakes are pretty filling, and I can never finish the whole plate.
The western country omelette is also really good. They don't let you substitute or remove any of the filling. It also comes with homefries and toast! You can ask for free apple butter to go with the toast, which is like the consistency of applesauce. 

The food is good, and pretty cheap. The only thing is that there are sometimes long lines and it can be hard to find a table, so come early! :)
1 - Emily W.: Got the two eggs with home fries and... something else. Forgot what it was.

My experience was definitely not great.  The lady was not exactly nice to me.  I told her when I ordered if I could have the food to go, she said yes.  However, my food came on a plate when it was done cooking.  SO...  she TRIED pouring the food from the plate into a take-out box, and USED HER HANDS TO PUSH THE FOOD DOWN when it got stuck or was about the fall out.  The same hands that she handed me money with.  The same hands she was wiping the counter with. 

Really?!  You can't have the kitchen do it?!

Really?!  You can't use a fork. 

MAYBE?!
3 - Cheston W.: Nothing beats a cheap and reasonable place to get your brunch fixe on the weekends! Ann's Kitchen, which is run by a welcoming and friendly couple, has a homey feel to it and offers a selection of breakfast and lunch items. While the food is not incredible, it does the job in satisfying my cravings for a hearty omelett for a weekend brunch. Their orange juice is deliciously refreshing and squeezed fresh to order! I personally am not the biggest fan of their home fries, which, to me, is like a mound of deep fried potato slices that are rather bland in my opinion. However, their omelettes are huge and the side of apple sauce is a unique addition to the toast they give you. All in all, not a bad place to get brunch.
4 - E. C.: Favorite brunch place!  The only downside is the huge portions... it is so delicious that I almost finish the whole thing and then I'm stuffed so I can't eat anything for the rest of the day :( 

Breakfast burrito: at $5.22, it is just a little bit over Yali's price, but over 2x the quantity and quality.  They make each one fresh!  There is a spicy sauce that adds a kick with a variety veggies.  The potatoes are crispy, but I think it would be better if the potato:egg ratio were lower.  Also, if they could have options for whole wheat tortilla and black beans instead of ham, I would permit myself to more breakfast burritos here, but among most people, white flour tortillas and ham are more popular.

Western omelette is also very good!  Lots of mushrooms and onions.  

The lady is very friendly.  I always want to speak to her in Korean but I'm afraid that I won't make sense :( I've seen that she remembers some of the customer's names and chats with them.
4 - Patrick B.: This place is pretty special for me. I used to come here every Friday for some brunch with a group of my friends. Service is always nice and friendly. But, sometimes on Sundays it gets really hectic in terms of the sheer amount of people that are in there. I definitely recommend getting any of the breakfast menu items! Omelets are pretty good, and can be suited for your heart's desire! The hash browns and toasted bread round off the whole meal to put me in a place of contentment and later, food coma. They definitely give you more than you can eat, which is definitely awesome for the price. Other than the omelets, I recommend getting banana pancakes and perhaps split the cinnamon french toast. It's not outstanding, but it's satisfactory!
4 - Isabella L.: My friends have been talking about how cheap this place is for bfast, so i was super excited to come check it out. Finally came here for lunch the other day and it was pretty packed by the time we got there (around 12:30pm). 

I ordered their 3-egg omelette with cheese and mushrooms. Came with home fries and 2 pieces of toast. The omelette was amazing, I like it slightly runny on the inside and there was a lot of mushrooms and cheese in it. Honestly, this was probably one of the best omelettes ive had..it was just delicious and done just right. The home fries were crunchy on the top and flavorful, and I had my toast with the apple butter.

I didn't really expect this place to have such good food at such cheap prices. Best bfast place near campus. Can't wait to come back for that omelette.
2 - Jason B.: Eh, pretty bad, not good
1 - Frances C.: THANKS FOR RUINING MY MORNING.

I was Looking for a nice breakfast.
Came here because it was one of the few places open so far and there were some people sitting inside.

I came in and was ignored by the lady working here. She didn't even make eye contact with me. I looked at the menu for several minutes and still no acknowledgement. Finally I asked her a couple questions about the menu. She still didn't look at me while she was giving out peoples food.

I decided to order the number 5: 2 large eggs with 3 pancakes. I asked her if I could substitute the whole wheat pancakes with the blueberry and she said yes but its an extra 1.50 so I said "OK ill take that"
Got my food fairly fast, but while I waited I drank the cappucino I ordered here which tasted like DIRT.

I got my food and was eating the pancakes. They were so blan and gross. The worst pancakes I ever had. Eventually I realized they lacked any flavor when I asked for Blueberries, afterall my total came out to 10.22! 
I came back to her and asked her if this was the blueberry pancake and she looked at the paper she wrote and said "you didnt order them. you just asked me about it." WTF. "No, I said 'I want that'" And she said "well, i could put blueberries on top, and she motioned for the plate, then she changed her mind and ran to the register and punched in $1.50 and I was shocked, I asked "I have to pay for it?" After all, it was her mistake and it was ridiculously over prices for the shitty mean anyway!
She said "yah!  I didn't charge you for it."

How cheap do you have to be?! What kind of customer service is that.

The meal was gross. The eggs tasted like eggs, which I guess was good, but 10.22 for this breakfast?! I think not. What a waste of my money. Never coming back, save your money and go to some place better where they also have courtesy. YUCK.
4 - Ann C.: Super cheap breakfast! 2 eggs, toast and way too many home fries for 4 bucks. Everything's greasy but in a good, hang over remedy way.
Bacon's extra but comes crispy and in a hefty serving.

Blueberry wheat pancakes are also really tasty and fluffy, but not super cheap. 6 bucks for a stack of 3. OJ is fresh squeezed. Coffee's pretty bad but the chai latte's pretty good. 

Pretty grungy but it's cheap Berkeley food so what do you expect?
4 - Cynthia L.: Anne's kitchen is like the fratty version of Crepevine.

College kids (including my former self) come here on weekend mornings hungover as balls, looking for nourishment and a place to discuss shenanigans from the night before. 

Expect to wait quite a while to order and I would suggest keeping a sharp lookout for tables. Keep your brunch plans somewhere between a tête a tete and a party of four if you expect to find seating at all. If you can't find seats and you have a penchant for danger, you can take your food, walk a block over and watch the microcosm that is people's park.

The food: regular breakfast dish comes with two eggs, toast and a mountain of breakfast potatoes. Really delicious breakfast potatoes. I personally prefer russet potatoes over rose for breakfast potatoes and this place uses russet!

This breakfast is a great deal price-wise and the proteins present in eggs are supposed to be essential to recovering from a Friday night alcohol binge.

The blueberry pancakes are also extraordinarily delicious and satisfying on their own albeit a tad pricey for pancakes.

Overall, great stuff. Definitely going to miss bringing my out-of-town friends for brunch here!
5 - Anita A.: The BEST whole wheat pancakes I have ever had. Ever. They're amazing. And there's THREE of them!!

We also got the eggs, toast, and potatoes, which was awesome! The eggs were really fluffy and the potatoes were nice and crunchy on the outside. The prices are extremely reasonable for such huge portions. For a scrumptious $5 breakfast that can last you through lunch, Ann's is the place to go!
4 - Jessica X.: I'm not usually a breakfast person, but on this one particular day, I was in the mood for breakfast food. So while I was in Berkeley, my boyfriend's friends suggested we go try out Ann's Kitchen, and I'm glad we did.

Ann's Kitchen has this really relaxing atmosphere to it. It gives you a sense of relaxation where nothing is more important than having the most important meal of the day. Maybe it was because the sun was hitting at just the right spot, the weather was unusually crisp, or the fact that I was starving, but it was a wonderful day to have breakfast.

I ordered the Beef Polish Sausage and Eggs ($6.95), but these entrees should really come with a warning sign because when I got my breakfast, it was huge! They are really generous with their portions and it was definitely worth the $6.95. The entree came with homefries (seasoned potatoes) and toast. It was a delicious meal with a delicious price!

College student on a budget, come here! You will have plenty of left overs for lunch.
1 - Amy B.: The food is okay..unhealthy and overpriced. More so than being disappointed by this, I was disgusted by the atmosphere. It is very loud, which makes it incredibly unpleasant. Furthermore, the entire time I ate, I could hear the top dog chef screaming at his employees--- using words I did not want my child to hear. He was very hateful and disrespectful and I don't like to support businesses, local or not, who stimulate negativity and spread hatefulness unto the community. If you like kind compassionate folk, don't eat at this place.
4 - Audrey G.: The portions are HUGE here! And pretty inexpensive too! I got a Western Omelet, which is cheaper than a regular omelet with fillings if you aren't picky about what goes inside (onions, mushrooms, spinach, tomato, ham, cheese, and no substitutions). And it comes with delicious home fries and 2 pieces of toast! There were a lot of onions in my omelet, which was a little weird, but it was delicious nonetheless. But my favorite were the home fries! They're skinned, cut into little chunks, and fried and crispy on one side, yummmm.

Also tried some of the Cinnamon French Toast, and it was delicious as well! You can really taste the cinnamon, and it was sweet and fluffy! I would suggest coming with a friend and splitting a sweet and savory dish, because just the pancakes/french toast alone might be a sugar overload.

I came for brunch on a weekday so it was pretty empty, but it can get crowded on weekends!
4 - Tiffany C.: HOMEFRIES!!!!!! are the best. This is probably the only place in Berkeley that I actually get up in the morning for breakfast for. It's pretty cheap and very worth it to get a basic breakfast. The line can get pretty long, so if you're just coming out to get breakfast, I recommend calling in your order, especially if its around 10-11 AM (brunch time)
4 - Pooja S.: Ambiance:

Ann's is AMAZING. Great place to go on a hungover Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Only problem: everyone else in the Greek system has the same idea. This place is constantly packed. Waiting in line takes the longest time. Once you've ordered though it takes about 5 mins to get your food: the cooks are FAST. The only annoying thing is people who are waiting in line in large parties try and reserve seating for everyone who haven't even ORDERED YET... Be prepared for rude people, or people who dont know its rude to do this in a crowded restaurant. Berkeley's a diverse place, this is the case every where you eat.

Food:

Most people get a simple breakfast plate: its cheap, its fast, and more than filling. you get 2 eggs anyway you want them, 3-4 pieces of toast with our without apple butter AND you get AMAZING homefries. The homefries are the reason everyone eats at Ann's over other breakfast places.
5 - Jason R.: Ann's Kitchen has the best breakfast, anywhere.   And the price is good, too.  Atmosphere, relaxed.   Disclosure: this was my first real job way back when I took a year off of college, never worked so hard in my life, but now I just come for the food.
2 - Trinity M.: Been here a couple times and I'm not impressed! I tried a basic pancake combo which really lacked flavor. Not a fan of the whole-wheat pancakes and the service wasn't very friendly for a sit-down place. I usually don't expect that much in berkeley since it's a college town, but everyone is always raving about this place. They forgot my drink so I had to go back up and ask and the food was kind of cold when it arrived. It wasn't horrible, but I'd rather grab a bagel at Noah's then come back here again...
5 - Janet H.: I'm such a sucker when it comes to quantity, quality, and a great price on a meal!!

And yes, like everyone else on Yelp has said -- the home fries are amazeballs. Or as my friend, Nicole, said: "the home fries are the shit."
I got the Western omelet which was stuffed with a bunch of veggies and goodies. It was definitely a hearty meal.... lots of carbs, too. Don't forget to ask for the apple butter to spread onto your toast! YUM!!!

Bonus points for Ann's Kitchen for taking on my health conscious request for using egg whites only!! And also major kudos to the employees there. They were busting their butts to get the orders in and food out! 


My only gripe is the line... but that's understandable. Totally worth the wait!! Excellent breakfast spot after the spending the night out =)
5 - Lucy C.: Oh Ann's! I honestly think this is Berkeley's answer to breakfast foods. I mean, yes, Cafe Durant is pretty good but Ann's is just heavenly!

I came here with a friend the morning of the Cal v. Arizona State game- big mistake. The line was HUGE and wound throughout the restaurant! Sigh. Better luck next time!

Regardless, we stuck through the massive line, stole some chairs from an exiting group, and finally set out to eat... I had forgotten how HUGE the portions were! I think I got an egg breakfast or something? I don't really remember the name of my order, but it contained toast, scrambled eggs, home fries and-- my favorite-- BACON!

Anyways, the bacon was cooked to crunchy perfection; honestly it felt like it was melting in my mouth at the same time. I thought the eggs were a little skinny (I like fluffy ones!), but the home fries were delicious and I always love toast [:

I feel like I forget about Ann's most of the time when I'm in Berkeley, so this review and last week's visit is definitely a HUGE reminder for me!

Bottom line: BEST breakfast food in Berkeley! Reasonable prices & huge plates- I'm loving it!
5 - Husam Z.: Been graduated from Berkeley for 3 years now, and this is STILL the joint I always go back to. they give you a LOT and I have never left there dissatisfied, plus they always let me take my coffee mug outside for the post-breakfast smoke!

AnnArbor.com - Ann Arbor, MI (42.279611, -83.745947) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
1 - Dan R.: No, no, no, no, no. Even on the days that they print an actual paper, I wouldn't wipe my ass with it. Their idea of journalism appears to be cutting and pasting from other news sources with a few minor edits. Even their attempts at original contributions, such as a couple of recent articles about the closing of the Elbow Room in Ypsilanti, made me feel dumber for having read them. The "business reporter" could not explain why the place closed. Her story had more holes than swiss cheese. The "community contributor" spent most of his word count bragging about how well he knew the owner. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, considering that their antecedent, the Ann Arbor News, was barely any better.
1 - Matt S.: If you like shoddy reporting and being mislead by headlines that have more creative hooks while sacrificing the truth, then by all means this is the blog for you. 

I wish that the stories were fact checked prior to publication. 

A2Journal seems to be the better alternative.
1 - Jason C.: When Ann Arbor News shut down, it was a sad day for Ann Arbor... when AnnArbor.com was born, the notion of good news went down the toilet.  

I agree with Matt S.,  their headlines are misleading, lack of proper information, lack of fact checking, yeah... lot of lacking in reporting the news... I also agree with Dan R., in that many of their reports 'imply' why xyz is happening, rather then providing the actual facts... 

annarbor.com became a TABLOID NEWS... they hype things up with sensational headlines, but the content of the article is lacking... you walk away with more questions then answers... many of their articles is 'informational based'...

Anna Skin Care - Pittsburgh, PA (40.451787, -79.932312) (Shadyside)
5 - Anna T.: I went to high school with Anna and when I was home I went in for a facial at her new salon- As someone who LOVES day spas, massages, and facials- I couldn't believe how GREAT Anna's services were. I have since gone back over the last several months and have had every facial she offers! The ambiance that is created and the personal attention is beyond any amount of praise I can give for this salon. I had the hot stones last time I was there and they were amazing! I have since got a facial back here in CT and it was $110 for 50 minutes-- the price at this salon was $75 for 115 mins AND she makes you a foot soak before the facial- the service was even better!! hands down- best salon in the Northeast!

Anastasia's also sells a bunch of really highend, high quality products. I am addicted to the Kate Somersville Purifying Cleanser-- it smells like tea tree and peppermint and leaves your skin soft but clean and takes off makeup (including mascara).  She also sells a really nice lip moisturizer that leaves your lips very kissable! My husband loves when I use that product!!! Finally, I really like the Sundari candles that she sells- the leave a really nice relaxing scent throughout the room- reminds me of my spa experience!!! Go and check it out!

UPDATE: I ordered some products off the website and they arrived two days later!! how is that for customer service! i was so impressed!
5 - Rosalind C.: Just wanted to give yet another shout out to Anna for being my go-to person in terms of skincare and beauty for my wedding.  About a week before the big day, I went in for a facial, which was probably one of the best I've ever had.  I was SOOO relaxed during the whole experience and just wanted to go home and take a nap afterwards.  My skin also looked and felt great.

On the day of, Anna did my wedding make up and she was phenomenal.  First, she spent SO much time with me to figure out what my look would be, and even went with me to Sephora (conveniently just across the street!) to pick out products that we would use.  She also did a test run with me on the day I had my facial, and I knew that everything was going to be great.  I looked great on the day of, and what was especially important to me is that Anna made sure that I was comfortable and happy with my look.  She didn't do anything too heavy, and made sure that I would look as natural as possible.  I have only seen a few photos so far, but I look fantastic, and a lot of that, I am sure, has to do with my fabulous makeup artist.

Thanks Anna!
5 - nora b.: I sometimes think Anna cares more about my skincare regimen than I do! She is a wealth of information on taking care of your skin in the utmost natural and healthiest ways. She makes it a point to always provide her customers with the most organic and natural products too.
I have had the great luxury of going to Anna for facials for a few years now and she does a magnificent job! I have recently been dealing with some adult acne and my skin always looks clearer and healthier after her facials. My face is usually glowing hours later as well.
 
Anna started offering eyebrow waxing a couple of years ago and I have been going ever since. She always listens to exactly how you want them to turn out and makes it a painless procedure! She also always squeezes me in for an eyebrow appointment no matter how little time in advance I call. 

The best of part of this salon is that it's a one-woman show and Anna is able to give me her full attention to you every time!
5 - Shari P.: Anna's Skin Care is AMAZING.  Not only do I love Anna, but she does fantastic work.  I have been going to Anna for microderm and it's been fantastic.  Very clean, very relaxing.  She has given me tons of info regarding different treatments that would be great for my skin.  Her skin care treatments have become a part of my general routine.  When I go back to LA I will miss Anna.
5 - Teresa T.: Anna Skin Care is tucked inside the little mall on Walnut Street in Shadyside. Light blue-purple and white colors with lots of light and spa music welcome you as you open the door to thee cozy shop. Anna is incredibly friendly and did a great job with my eyebrows. I tend to tear up a lot with wax but Anna talked to me throughout the time and surprisingly I did not tear up. The terry cloth covering she had that I laid on was super soft too. What I was pleasantly surprised by is that Anna gave me some advice on my eyebrows to take care of them which is unlike the other places I have been to where I usually just have my eyebrows done and I am out the door. I would totally go back to Anna Skin Care to get my eyebrows done again and possibly a facial too which looked very tempting.
4 - Kaitlyn R.: I like this little place and Anna is very nice and knowledgeable, and she gives good facials. Also, she carries decent products. Her selection is extremely limited but it's good. I had two facials there and my friend had many more, which is how I first heard of it. The facials were pretty relaxing and my skin looked good afterward. The only sort-of negatives I could say...and this is just personal preference...the room is a bit cold temperature-wise and everything she used during the facial was so heavily scented it became irritating (to my overall senses, not to my skin). I don't get facials here anymore because of that but I have recommended it to others because I respect the cleanliness, attention and care she gives you.
5 - Tanya M.: Once upon a time.............I had decent eyebrows. Then one day my husband pointed out the fact that I had two mismatched, ugly ass eyebrows (ok, HE didn't say they were ugly, but they were hidious). I blame it on the fact that I had no job at the time. Clearly, I had too much free time on my hands and the obvious answer to fill up my time was to pluck one eyebrow. What about the other eyebrow, you ask? I don't have an answer. 

Fast forward a few years later and I have found the answer to all of my eyebrow woes at Anna Skin Care. Anna herself is super sweet. Her shop, nestled on Walnut St, is airy, bright, and clean. She took the time to listen to what I wanted and gave me several tips on how to manage my eyebrows until my next waxing. The end result was exactly what I hoped for! Although I've seen several waxers over many years (not here in PA), Anna's work has been the best and I will definitely be back. Next time I might just have to treat myself to a facial as well!
5 - Alfonsina S.: I was in the neighborhood for some errands when I came upon the sign for this business as I was walking to my car. Booked an appointment that was for today,and it was amazing. My skin feels great, and she took the time to get to know me and figure out what products would work best on my skin. will definitely be back again.
5 - S.N. L.: First off, I am picky.  I search out the best facial in every city I live in (Boston, Santa Cruz, Atlanta, Chicago, not to mention my stints in the UK and Canada).  So far, without doubt Anna's is the best.  La Vida (Shadyside) was so mediocre I couldn't get over it.  Eva Szabo (East Liberty) was thorough but felt perfunctory and not worth the cost.  Evolve Wellness Spa (Shadyside) was underwhelming and rushed.  And UPMC Cosmetic (Shadyside) was the same.  Good but not great.  Anna's is great.  The perfect mix of pampering and technique:  the hot stones are luxurious and amazing, but she also knows how to analyze and treat skin.  Everytime I see her I feel like the *right* decisions are being made for *my* skin, rather than some pro-forma set of procedures.  I cannot recommend her enough.

Anna's Spices - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2802679, -120.663082) ()
5 - A F.: Anna's Spices offers unique gourmet world blends of spices and salt.  There are 13 spice blends and 7 gourmet salts.  My favorite are the Old Europe Seasonin and the California Fresh Blend.  Each unique spice blend and salt has been handcrafted from natural ingredients from every corner of the world.
5 - Paul M.: I recently placed an order with Anna's Spices in an attempt to liven up my rather bland and boring culinary creations. I now have Anna's Rub - haven't tried it yet but I'm so intrigued by the fact that it has coffee in it. What I really want to rave about is the jar of truffle mushroom salt. I have been adding it to my salads and omelets. Some kind of magic happens when the flavor of truffles and the sensation of salt fuse. 

I'm looking forward to experiencing the various other spices I ordered!

Anna's Taqueria - Cambridge, MA (42.359083, -71.094761) (Kendall Square/MIT)
3 - Amy L.: Students were thrilled when Anna's came to campus, but this location seems less fresh than the others. Plus all the workers are sketchy toward female customers. I like the horchata and the quesadillas.
2 - A T.: With all the raves I hear about Anna's I'm starting to think that no one in Massachussetts has ever had REAL mexican food.  I don't mind coming to this location b/c it's cheap, offers a nice walk away from work, and is fast...but; everything tastes the same, and there are very few veggie options--even the rice has chicken broth in it! Also, nothing tastes as good as homemade and the portions are less than you'd expect. That being said their grilled veggies are usually nice, not all soggy like Felipe's.  BUT, be warned: If you're a veggie or vegan who gets sketched out by any of your food being near or touching meat products you won't want to come here.  The food service guys move so fast it's inevitable that your carrots will end up touching some chicken.
4 - Richard F.: I consistently come here 1 or 2 times a week.  I work at M.I.T., so it's close, and it's quick and cheap.  Anna's Taqueria any location will be inconsistent, yes it's not "real" mexican food, but it's pretty much a fast food place.  I usually only get 1 or 2 things every time I go, and for the most part, I'm fully satisfied.  Great salsa, fresh ingredients, and I love cheese on everything.
It keeps me coming back, so I give it 4.5 stars.
5 - Carl G.: For years Anna's Taqueria has offered Boston residents the best mission-style burritos available in the area, and now this delicious meal in a tortilla is conveniently offered at MIT campus.  All of Anna's meats are good, but the steak burrito is our hands down favorite.  In fact we wonder if there are any addictive additives in the steak burrito because sometimes you just gotta have one.
2 - Elaine C.: Several people recommended Anna's for a really good burrito, so I had my hopes up for this place. And, once again, Boston has yet to impress me with it's food. Best "mission-style" burritos? Please! Don't let your experience at Anna's taint your impression of what a true mission-style burrito tastes like. Anna's burritos weren't even that big, and left a nasty, greasy aftertaste in my mouth. Guac and chips were disappointing as well. I prefer Chipotle's over this.. yes, CHIPOTLE's.
3 - Brett K.: Same review as the others, but this is by far the worst of the group. Somehow, adding rocket science and computer programming to burritos ruins them. 

Super cheap, super fast (soup-nazi style, so be ready), and so very filling. The perfect college fare.  

I once ate here for 30 days straight. I used to be a steak quesadilla fan, but after the first bypass surgery, I switched to burritos (get the guac, it's worth the additional 75 cents).

Note: not all Anna's are created equal. Here is the official ranking:

1) Harvard Street
2) Somerville
3) Beacon Street
25) Kendall/MIT
3 - Jon B.: Anna's is the definition of "you get what you pay for." You don't pay much, but don't expect too much in terms of quality. The sizes are pretty decent, but the taste is pretty bland. The location is great, it's right in the MIT Student Center, and is by far the best option in there. Anna's is so cheap, if your in the area and are looking to eat on a budget, Anna's is a great place to go, but if you have the money and the time to go somewhere else... by all means...
1 - Peter R.: As someone from Southern California, I've had my share of good Mexican Food - none of it from Anna's. The only redeeming quality of this establishment is it's speed. If you just want something that can be described as food, and you don't want to wait for it, then go to Anna's. If you are looking for Mexican food, go elsewhere. The rice is too moist, the vegetables are over-steamed, the guacamole is mediocre at best, all of the different items seem to be roughly the same once wrapped up and served, and you feel like you are ordering at some sort of Mexican food assembly line. However, all of that pales in comparison to their greatest offense - unshredded cheese. I do not want a burrito that has a slice of cheese melted into a tortilla, i want a burrito that is laden with delicious shredded cheese. I can only go to Anna's when I have forgotten what Mexican food is supposed to taste like.
5 - Jane C.: ok, you can't expect "Mexican" food in Massachusetts, but please, have you compared it to the wrap (to quote me, eating at the wrap is like giving up on life) this is five stars for a cheap clean lunch spot with fresh ingredients.
Their hot sauce is delicious, the meats tasty, which is saying something because even the chicken has flavor (I say the same thing about chicken as I do the Wrap), the rice is also extremely tasty, the quesadillas are my favorite, consistently crispy and buttery and delicious. I think your expectations count a lot toward your experience, and I suspect West coasters will be annoyed, more of the fans will not be accustomed to or expecting Mexican food.
4 - Shuo S.: Anna's has always been my favorite place to go for west coast Mexican, and it was really convenient finally having one at MIT.  It's true that the food at the other Anna's (especially Davis) taste better, but still, it's not like this place is serving bad food.  The burritos and quesadillas are still awesome, and really hit the spot after a long day.  Get a few al pastor tacos and you've got a really tasty meal that won't run you more than 5 bucks.

I would have given this place 3 stars if it weren't for the breakfast.  Anna's makes AMAZING breakfast burritos.  The sausage, potatoes, eggs, and rice goes really well with their hot sauce.  They recently added spinach to the options for breakfast...it's like heaven in your mouth!

I'd advise not to eat inside though...that Anna's smell gets into your clothes, and it takes a lot of Febreeze to get it out.

The drinks are always interesting...I'm not a fan of horchata myself (not really into almonds unless they're fresh), but I do love the Jarritos sodas they keep in the fridge.

And the orange juice they squeeze fresh every day....I'm from Florida, so I know my orange juice.  And Anna's OJ is better than any juice I've ever had outside of getting it from the farm or squeezing it yourself.  And it goes great with the breakfast burrito! ;-)
2 - Andrea U.: A prime example of how you can successfully train your tastebuds to enjoy bland Mexican food and then be compelled to eat it again.  And again. And again...until you wipe out your meal card and have to search for free food on campus.

On the bright side, Anna's did introduce me to the burrito al pastor (only to find much better versions elsewhere), and I could get a tamarindo Jarritos without having to leave campus.
3 - Hugh R.: Three stars for convenience, and that's about it. If you want to fill your stomach for cheap and you're at MIT, then this is your place. If, however, you're looking for a little flavor and don't mind spending a couple more bucks, you might as well just head upstairs to the Subway and have lunch with Jared.

Can't say the food is bland; they threw enough salsa on my burrito to make sure of that. Almost as if someone dared me to dump a bottle of Pace down my throat - and I was dumb enough to do it.

Felipe's in Harvard Square is far superior in my opinion.
4 - Albert D.: I must admit, this is the best mexican food ive had in Boston. 

Before you get your undies in a bunch, let me tell you, I am from LA. I love mexican food. I think without it I would be dead. In Boston, this is my.... 10th mexican place? All of them got 4-5 stars on yelp yet have been disappointments.

When I came here, however, I was pleasantly surprised. It was affordable, and pretty good. It's not LA, but it'll do while I'm here.

Hint, get the quesedilla and put burrito ingredients into it. the flaky tortilla hits the spot. wash it down with horchata, but get a small, it quickly gets old.

i got carnitas, it's definitely the way to go.
5 - John J.: Wonderful friendly staff!  Exceptional service!  I love everything about this place!
3 - Tez C.: Best Mexican food I've had in Boston thus far; everything pales in comparison to California Mexican food.  They're all straight to the point here.  It's relatively cheap and it's all made to order right there.  If you want some cheap Mexican food quick then this is a good pick.
4 - Andrew S.: OMG, good cheap mexican eats.  Always a fan favorite.  Quality seems to be pretty consistent across the MIT, Porter and Davis Sq locations.  And oddly enough price seems to vary +/- 50 cents at times on the exact same items.  MIT location needs better ventilation as it is THICK with the smell of Anna's... good thing they have alternative eating areas.
5 - Tyler C.: Be prepared to know exactly what you want and repeat it over and over again until you get to the cashier.

"Ok, steak burrito with rice and lettuce!"
(Guy steams tortilla, passes it on.)
"Chicken?"
"Steak!  With just rice and lettuce."
(Grabs a gigantic spoonful of beans and hovers it over my tortilla.)
"Beans?"
"Ahh!  No, just rice and lettuce."
"Rice?"
"Uh huh!"
"Lettuce?"
"Yup!"
"Salsa?"
"Ahh!  Stop!"

Ordering at Anna's can be a stressful experience, but I usually end up getting what I came for.  Back in college, Anna's hit that perfect sweet spot of a meal I could afford ($4) with a serving size that always seemed to be exactly the amount of food I wanted to eat.  Whenever I'm back in Cambridge, Anna's is one of the few places I make sure to visit before I leave town.  The biggest problem with eating here is that everyone will know you did, because you will smell like a burrito for the rest of the day.
4 - Misha L.: Anna's has practically kept me alive at various points in my graduate student career at MIT.  The service is always fast, the food is pretty delicious if you know what you want, and the burristas (I'm thought I made that up just now but apparently Urban Dictionary has beat me to it) even remember my strange chicken-broccoli-corn-red sauce combo each time I come in.
4 - Shang C.: I love, love Anna's. I grab something here whenever I visit the campus. It's cheap, quick, and yea, a little greasy, but cheap. I wish the hot sauce would stay inside my quesedilla and not drip into the bag though.
3 - Jeffrey H.: Well it's no El Pelon.

I don't understand the following here - I was less than impressed. 

The burritos taste like something I could make in my own kitchen - and I'm an Irish boy with kitchen ingredients consisting of saltine crackers, jelly, some fruit & almond mix, and a couple ketchup packets. 

It's inexpensive, which is good. And it better be, since the chicken burrito I ate wasn't worth much.
4 - Daniel M.: I am shocked by how much I liked this place.  Seriously, a burrito chain in Boston...come on how good could it be?  Well, apparently the answer is pretty damn good.  

I ordered the grilled vegetable burrito and watched with amazement as they hacked huge pieces of grilled veggies down for my meal.  There was broccoli, corn, squash of some sort, zucchini, you name it.  Delicious.  Roomie got the grilled veggie quesadilla.  Equally good, but a little on the oily side.

I like that they warn you up front that their rice is made with chicken stock.  This saves you from asking only to be met with a blank expression or being told there are no pieces of chicken in it so it's totes vegetarian.  Service was fast and friendly too.  
I'm very glad to know that I will not live out my days in MA Mexican food free.
4 - Eric K.: I have been working close to here for almost 2 years now, and until recently ate here at least twice a week.  I love love love this place.
The food is perfect for someone who is hungry, doesnt want a burger, but wants something that will sustain and will taste good while on the go.  Anna's is the answer for local people who dont get long for lunch.  Not a big fan of the mexican plate, but there chicken or carnitas Super Burrito is fantastic... just the prices went up quite abit recently so the 5 stars it is... that said they have got a little bit tighter on there additions.
4 - Tina H.: When Anna's replaced Arrow Street Cafe in the student center, I gained 11 pounds in one semester.  Coincidence?  Nope.  Eating two Super Burritos stuffed to bursting with Al Pastor pork, rice, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa every day will do that to a person.  It was like Super Size Me: Mexican-style, except I wasn't destroying my body purposely to make a statement -- I just couldn't help it.

Even when I could no longer fit comfortably into the majority of my pants (Hello, muffin top), and had more than the beginnings of a double chin, I couldn't stop eating at Anna's -- the food was like crack.  Delicious, guacamole-y crack.  I couldn't stay away from the Super Burritos (They also came in regular size, but hey, go big or go home, right?), or the Quesidillas. Mmmm, quesidillas. Those were the best, because the special tortillas used to make them had the cheese baked right in.  Greasy flaky cheesy tortilla + pork + rice + sour cream + guacamole + lettuce = super messy, super delicious, and SUPER bad for my waist line.

It took me an entire summer of non-stop running to shave those burritos and quesidillas off my stomach, legs and hips, but...totally worth it.
2 - George L.: I used to think Anna's was good, before that burrito smell infested the whole student center.  Before I realized how unbearably greasy all the burritos and quesadillas  were.  Before I found other, better burrito places, i.e. Chipotle.  At least I still like their breakfast burritos.  Too bad they only serve it before noon; it's the only thing I get anymore, unless I'm desperately hungry and everywhere else is closed.
4 - E C.: I've tried Boloco's (exotic, but too small, overpriced) , Chipotle (delicious but overpriced), and Border's (not ok) in Boston. At Anna's you're likely to get the cheapest and best burritos in Boston. The guys at the counter give you extra jalapenos free of charge and generous amounts of salsa. I'm going to have to admit, however, that I still miss a good California burrito.
2 - emily m.: You know it's not going to be good when they used sliced cheese instead of shredded.
4 - robbie r.: I went to the MIT version of Anna's the other day with some friends and ordered myself a steak super burrito.  I had thought about just a 'regular' burrito, but I did NOT want to leave the place hungry, sooooo decided to go with the super.

I was not disappointed.

I have had burritos from Qdoba and Boloco and this one was better than both.  Qdoba's taste great going down... but an hour or two later aaaaand well, you're in discomfort.  Boloco is decent... but for the price i expect a little bit more.

Anna's serves up a delicious burrito for a very nice price (bout 4 bones).

It's worth the couple thousand calories.  I think.
1 - ADITYA P.: I love Anna's Taqueria. So why the one star? 

Cuz the one at the MIT student center sucks compared to their branch in Beacon St., Brookline. I used to eat every week over there and the two times I ate at the MIT branch, the difference was drastic. 

So while I love Anna's, I will never go to this branch again.
3 - Daniel B.: Burrito criticism is really a matter of degree.  

Anna's had the authentic flavor, but with some significant lapses.  The burrito tortillas were off.  Maybe they were under-steamed, but they were too thick and chewy.  And when the tortilla is off, it throws everything out of whack.  

Fillings were not as tasty as Boca Grande.  Maybe they were overshadowed by the tortilla.

The Horchata was so sweet it was almost undrinkable.

Still, this is better than anything I can get around Albany.  But there is better to be had around Boston.  If you are in the area, and need something to scratch the burrito itch, this will do the trick.  Just skip the Horchata.
3 - 'amy E.: How Major Moments of My Life Might've Been Different If I'd Had a Burrito From Anna's at My Side:

BIRTH:  The doctor tells my mother to push, and there I am, crowning.  My dad faints at the sight of my bloody bald head, but he has revived by the time she's pushed out the afterbirth-covered foil tube.  We are both the same length.  Once I am swaddled, the nurse unwraps the silvery foil of the tube.  It is still warm, but the tortilla is a little dry.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL:  I cry.  The kids are all much bigger than I am and the teacher - a woman with a heavy accent that I barely understand - has little patience for the timid little girl.  At lunch time, I sneak off into the corner and unwrap my burrito.  The guacamole is soothing.  One of the kids has tortilla chips and we trade parts of our meals.  I make a friend.

FIRST KISS:  It's 10 at night and he's dropping me off after a fun afternoon of ice skating.  We can barely see one and other by the light of the moon, and he misses, moist lips grazing the edge of my mouth.  Burritos in hand, our breath smells like onions and the spiciness burns our lips.  This feeling in my stomach is like salsa, butterflies.  I feel like dancing.   We grin and try again.

GRADUATION: It's raining and I don't want to be there, but my parents put their foot down and demanded that photo op.  The general atmosphere is one of weary victory.  The nonstop stream of names goes on for hours, and I praise myself for thinking ahead and bringing lunch.  Of course, I spill oil down the front of my robe; luckily, it's too dark to catch in the photos.  On my way back to my seat, I step in a puddle and accidentally splash my diploma with mud.  It'll be a great story later.

LOSING VIRGINITY: I didn't realize I would be so hungry after sex.  Nor did I realize how annoyed I would be when he just rolls over and goes to sleep after he comes, leaving me feeling strangely...empty.  My burrito is on the nightstand, and I quickly unwrap it and tear savagely at it, savoring the feeling of sating physical hunger.  When he finally wakes back up for another go, it's not nearly as fulfilling as that burrito.  But it is more fun.

FIRST TIME EATING ANNA'S:  Uh, yeah...this is kind of the same.
3 - Aaron W.: Sadly, this is kind of decent mexican food for Boston/Cambridge.  It'll do in a pinch.
4 - John S.: A burrito is the perfect food for a college student.  It's filling, cheap and has such variety that it can breed good debate while waiting in line at the book store.  It is only logical that an Anna's should sit in the MIT Student Center.

In terms of quality and speed, the Anna's here is just as good as the other locations.  What you get here is indistinguishable from its tasty cousins.  If you're in the area and need some flavor on the cheap, you won't find a better burrito.
5 - Alden F.: I went here before hitting up the game room and I was very pleased.  What I particularly liked was the fact that even though there wasn't much of a line, the guy made my burrito insanely fast, which is the type of service I got used to in NYC, but don't always find in Boston or other places.  I got a tasty burrito, at a reasonable price, prepared lightning fast.  I'm happy.
4 - Noah C.: Anna's is a great place for having a taco.  I went there during Splash, and though it was crowded, it was very fast.  I was in the door and out in less than fifteen minutes, and the small staff served between 30 and 50 people at a time.  The speed was a huge benefit.

The food was asi-asi.  It was comfort food and was good for a good time.

It was affordable for my very low budget, under five dollars for a supper burrito.
5 - Anthony R.: Man, Anna's. Five years ago applying to schools, I half-assed my MIT application - it always seemed kind of dorky and dingy, was supposed to be super stressful, and just didn't seem like it'd be a good fit for me.

That was five years ago. Before there was an Anna's there. Freshman year, my friends who did go to MIT kept sending me the news - "Did you hear we have an Anna's now?" Damn. I will honestly say that one year and one delicious burrito place could have seriously affected by college choices and changed the rest of my life.

Hindsight is always 20/20, though, and I will live my life on - perhaps it was for the better that I didn't spend four years eating three meals a day of delicious super steaks and chile verde quesadillas while paying half what my college meal plan cost... sigh.

Seriously though people, this Anna's is as good as the rest and perhaps a bit better in some ways. For example, they don't charge meal tax so everything is just a bit cheaper. Cha-ching!
2 - Joey M.: Take this review with a grain of salt. This establishment could easily earn a higher rank if it were not held to the high standards of the Coolidge Corner Anna's. 

Growing up coming into my friends apartment in brookline meant 1 thing. Anna's. Party? we can get anna's first. Board games? Anna's for lunch. Dropping someone off after a trip out to the suburbs? Lets swing by anna's. 

Though the burrito establishment on MIT campus shares the same name as the one in CC it is not on the same level. 

The burritos are inconsistent, the flavor and mixing of the ingredients are not quite right and the biggest flaw, it has none of the anna's character that i have grown to love. This place feels... fancy. Clean, polished, brightly colored counter... even the people who work there seem more professional. Thats not what i want when i get annas. I want the nitty gritty, i want the annoyed look from the worker when you dont realize its your turn. 

Do yourself a favor and take the trek out to brookline to experience anna's how it is meant to be.
3 - Omar F.: So, yeah, Anna's at the student center is your typical Mexican food place. The plus side is that their service is fast, fast, fast. If you're at MIT and you need to eat something fast before heading to a meeting or a class, just go there. However, the food only tastes good the first few times you have it. After a while you just have it cause it's convenient and cheap. Or because you're starving and nothing else is open.
5 - Dan C.: I wanted to start this with welcome to the land of suck, as so I shall.  Now, 90% of the food this place doles out is total crap.  The meat is boiled and has a spongy consistency puzzling even the most fine-food deprived college student.  The burritos come out large, stuffed with your choice of steak, pork, chicken, black and red beans, rice, and the traditional accouterments.  The burritos come in regular and super, though everyone just orders the super as they are so close in size and it is the better deal for the price.  The quesadilla comes out as a hot mess.  I'm not talking about any reality show winner here; wrapped in tin foil the quesadilla is is impossible to open without pouring hot oil all over yourself.  Similarly, there seems to be no good way to get sour cream with your quesadilla, though default is inside.  Since the quesadilla isn't cut, it is not prime for dipping, and the eat on the run style of the wrapping makes it very difficult to enjoy.  

Now you are probably curious why I gate it 5 stars, well that is all due to the breakfast burrito.  This little gem is what reminds me there must be some higher power out there looking out for me.  Scrambled eggs, cheese, hash browns (the little cubed potatoes) with meat, and sausage (rice optional, and I always leave it off since it makes everything taste subtly of chicken).  I throw a little "green" sauce and sour cream on it then am off to class.  Since it is sealed tighter than the pentagon, the breakfast burrito is the perfect traveling companion, too bad it is only sold until approximately 10:30am.

Bottom Line: The breakfast burrito may win the award for my best breakfast in Boston.  It definitely wins the most mobile breakfast, right above the Belgian waffle.
4 - Kristina B.: I have gotten, and liked:

-Taco with chicken, cheese & salsa
-Taco with carnitas, chicken, & salsa
-Taco with steak, chicken & salsa 
-Burrito with chicken, cheese, & salsa
-Quesadilla with steak, cheese, & salsa
-Quesadilla with steak, cheese, salsa & rice 

Anna's has turned me into a creature of habit...but an oh-so-delicious habit...
1 - buckminster f.: this place manages to stay in business because of their loyal following of MIT undergrads who cant seem to ever leave campus or have led such sheltered lives that the only alternatives they know to anna's are taco bell and del taco. well there's also the lack of better options in the student center (although the peanut butter cookies at la verde's are of premium quality). in any case, the prices at anna's are constantly revolving. the menu lists one price, and then there's the price that you get slapped with after they've put together your burrito, piling on the sour cream, salsa, and guacamole as they simultaneously ask you if you want these things (as if you could refuse).  i wouldnt be surprised if they were paid commission. do yourself a favor, jump on the number one bus, get off at central square, and walk to picante instead.
4 - chelsea h.: delicious, fast, and great location!
4 - Audrey R.: I have been told that, as a native New Englander, I am not capable of appreciating "real" burritos. Several people have also told me that Anna's Taqueria isn't authentic, that the salsa isn't spicy enough, that things are miss-named. These people are missing the point. I work across the street and eat a burrito at Anna's at least once a week. I don't care what you call them, they are delicious. The tortillas are soft and chewy, the salsa is packed with cilantro, and the guacamole is fresh. The portions are generous and cheap. There's frequently a long line when I go there during lunch hours, but I've yet to wait more than 5 minutes in line. The only bad thing I can say about them is that the dinning area could be cleaner. This winter there were some globules of an unexplained brown liquid clinging to the ceiling. Condensation? A leak? I don't know. There are tables outside so I usually take my burrito to go.
5 - John K.: "Steak super!"  (burrito is implied....)

Yes, that's my order a couple times a week.  It may or may not be the most authentic burrito ever, but it is a darn tasty, filling, cheap, convenient, balanced(ish) meal.  

*Quality, seasoned steak, not stringy fat and tendons (Qdoba...).  
*Rice that's so tasty it must be cooked using a chicken broth.  
*Good salsa with lots of fresh cilantro. 
*Soft, chewy, moist tortilla with gooey lovely cheese that is aligned with the long axis of the burrito so it's in every delicious bite (not always so at Boca Grande, which is otherwise pretty close).  
*Pinto beans that are cooked just right.
*Lettuce, there to add a little roughage and pretend it's a balanced meal
*Sauce, tasty, though not hot. This is probably the only minor shortcoming, it would be nice to be able to spice it up on days when I feel like something hot, but in honesty I've never asked for a hotter option.
*Wrapped properly, so it doesn't leak and you can easily rip the foil away gradually as you eat it. 

You get change back from your $5 bill for a filling portion of all this goodness.  

This place rules.
3 - Chris L.: I have to start this off with a disclaimer that I realize that I'm not back in San Diego where I spent my time in the Navy.  San Diego, where the taco shops in the barrios might as well be deep in the heart of Mexico;  where a real carne asada burrito is $3.50 and is the size of your forearm.

I hate this saying, but Anna's is what it is, New England's version of Mexican food.  It's good, but it's not great.  The steak ( I guess they never heard of carne asada) burrito is almost 5 bucks and is the size of my..... well, not my arm.  I had to get 2 just to put a dent in my hunger.  Most of Anna's are closed at 11p.m.  What good is that after a night of drinking?  I don't want to be too hard on Anna's because it is tasty; I guess I was just spoiled by S.D.
4 - Tiff T.: Anna's is a good place to get a burrito once in a while; eat it too often and you will definitely get sick of it fast.  Their breakfast burritos are delicious, and their fresh squeezed orange juice is very good.  Be careful when eating their burritos and quesadillas; even though they're wrapped in foil and plastic and then put in a paper bag, the juices can still leak out.  The service here is insanely fast; make sure you know what you're ordering, or they'll get annoyed at waiting.
1 - stevie w.: This has to be one of the worst meals I have eaten in Boston.
Perhaps because it lacks spice, perhaps because the sour cream tastes like thick milk, or perhaps because the super burrito was anything but.

On the plus side, it is edible, hence the single star.  I do hope this is not the standard for New England Mexican food because it is truly lacking on all fronts.
4 - Alyson G.: I was super excited to see they were open for breakfast after playing tennis one morning. I victory danced over to the counter, and ordered a breakfast burrito with potato, egg, cheese, and oh no bacon? (minus one star)? Ok, sausage then. And extra hot sauce please!

So I'm not sure if it was because I was starving, or because it had been forever, but the burrito disappeared fast into my belly. Well half of it of course, because I couldn't finish the whole thing. It was delish! I heart you Anna's! See you soon...I may even play tennis more often just so I have an excuse to stop by!
4 - stephanie t.: Okay, I have now lived in Cambridge for two years and I've come around to Anna's. Maybe it's because I've learned what to order (two pretty good al pastor tacos for $3.10!!!), or maybe it's because I've learned that I need to lower my standards for lots of things while living here, but for food quality/freshness/price, Anna's is really not half bad. No, it's not a Bay Area burrito, but it is basically the best thing going in the MIT area. Plus lots of hours.
4 - Jang David K.: Never go to this place after fasting for 30 hours....bad move.  Real Bad Move.  My stomache was cursing at me for like 2 days straight.....But can anyone criticize me?  Not eating for 30 hours...only thing that came to my mind was shoving down hot, cheasy, steak quesidia or that super burrito filled with just goodness....

If you live anywhere close to boston, you've already heard or tried Anna's.  I've been to all three locations and all I can say is, thank you God.   This mexican goodness is a gift to all poor college students in the area.  

First things first.  You don't have to wait long till you eat your food.  So if you are hungry and wanna eat real fast, this is the place.  Second, you don't have to spend too much money filling your stomache.  Third, your mouth gets to enjoy an explosion of many flavors all at once.  

Heaven?  Almost.
4 - Ryan L.: I blame Anna's for the 10 pounds I gained when I took this job in Cambrdige.  Once I found out that they opened one on MIT campus, I practically go there twice a week for lunch.  Now normally for all their other locations, I give 5 stars but I have to, I repeat HAVE TO, take away  a star because the MIT location skimps on their proportions.  The flavor is still there but the super burrito would be the size of the regular small burrito at the Davis Square one or Brookline one.  I know there's an obesity epidemic in America but c'mon I ordered a SUPER burrito, not a small one.  Do I have to call the Somerville Anna's employees to show you how it's done?
4 - Cecilia Z.: Back in my undergrad years, Anna's was a guilty pleasure. Because it was the only thing I could get between getting out of the late afternoon cross-registration class recitations and getting picked up by the Wellesley bus on Mass Ave. I miss it. I love it. It's a little sketchy. A Wellesley girl on MIT Campus some times draws white eye balls when waiting in line. But I loved every bit of it. I guess I should get some college friends to go back for reunion. wahahaha
4 - Lauren R.: Oh Anna's, you do me right.  Whenever I can't resign myself to a lunch of yogurt and a turkey sandwich, but I also feel cheap, I walk on over to the Anna's in the MIT Student Center.  A steak super burrito with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole, accompanied by some chips and guac to share, and washed down with a Diet Coke, is basically amazing, if not my comfort food heaven.  The employees are friendly, quick, and don't skimp on the steak (or anything else you ask form for that matter).   I don't care that I may or may not find myself in a food coma afterwards; I'm pretty sure it'll just make my afternoon go by quicker.
3 - Christine T.: So uhm ya when i first moved to Boston Anna's Taqueria had just started.  I popped my Boston Taqueria cherry in the Brookline location.  Maybe it was because they were new, or i was freshly arrived from the Real West and Mexican food, but the food then was appaling, un satisfying, dry, awful, gross, and not good period.

So 10 years later, i have either A) I have fallen into an alternate universe or B) Anna's has made some strides.  I was pleasantly surprised when i ate here for lunch while at work one day. I work at MIT, sounds cooler than it is, trust me.  

Its cheap, they give you a ton of food, and its good.  I'm addicted to the Mexican plates, pork carnitas thank you very much add some jalepenos and we're gold.   I do also love the fact that they have jarritos, best mexican soda around, althought to be a truly mexican spot they should have the Strawvberry (fresa) flavor of soda.   

Yay Anna's!  I was pleasantly surprised.
2 - Sean S.: Scale of 1-10 (multiple visits):
7 Food
7 Service
5 Atmosphere
7 Value

It's a 7 if you know what to order and the ingredients are fresh.  It can dip to a 4 otherwise.
4 - Lisa C.: i LOVE this place.  I used to live in Davis Square where I enjoyed anna's regularly.  Then I moved to Central, and anna's was taken away.  Now I live in the boston, and this anna's is just a short walk across the river.  I couldn't be more excited!

i can really only attest to their burritos since that is what i got during my first visit and really will never stray.  I usually get the carnitas, but ive also had the al pastor, steak, chili verde, and chicken...all delicious!  everything is seasoned well (though sometimes can get a bit salty).  I also just love burrito places where your meal is completely customizable.

We also often get chips and guac on the side and that is also awesome.  And- this place is so cheap!
2 - Timan G.: I think Anna's is one of the Boston area's most overrated taquerias.  After 4 years at MIT, I've given this place more than enough opportunities to redeem itself, but I'm still unsatisfied.  

I've tried just about everything from the burritos to the tacos to the rice plates to the chips and dip.  I will say that the guacamole is delicious and I love their Mexican drinks (horchata and jamaica).  Those are definitely worth trying.  They also have refreshing lemonade, but recently, it seems like they have been using that cheap artificial lemon flavor.  So sad.

The meats are usually bland and if not bland, super fatty.  I thought al pastor was supposed to be super fatty and greasy until I spent my summer in Mexico City.  The real stuff is well seasoned and pretty lean.  

Nonetheless, I will admit that Anna's is filling.  It's the kind of meal you can scarf down in 5 mins, run back to class or work, and be nourished for half the day.  But it's not that tasty and you'll probably feel gross and bloated afterwards.
4 - Byron M.: I used to live in Coolidge Corner and I remember when Anna's Taqueria first opened.  My earlier experience with mexican food or tex mex was Taco bell and Chi Chi's.  I didnt really like it.  Anna's changed that for me, and for the better.  It opened my eyes to fresh foods a la mexican.  I also went to San Diego and got some really good Mexican food there.  Now, I am not a mexican food expert, so forgive me if I am misclassifying things.  But, their stuff is fresh and it is good.  The cambridge location at MIT is just as good as the Brookline location.  Give it a try, and maybe you will agree that this place is a keeper.  Eat!
4 - Kenneth F.: MmmmM yummm...good and cheap mexican food so close to home and so close to campus...because it's on campus!  Beats many of your other typical campus restaurants or fast food chains.

I'm always a huge fan of quesadillas as opposed to burritos and this place was no exception.  I definitely enjoyed the carne asada quesadilla with guacamole more than the super burrito we had.  The prices are very reasonable, and the portions are great as well (albeit on the slightly small side).  I feel like it's a good size to eat for lunch but might be a tad small for a dinner.
2 - Jake M.: After receiving an honorary degree at Harvard on 6 September 1943, Sir Winston Churchill took his afternoon constitutional down Memorial Drive. Favoring a light repast  at the MIT Student Center after his leisurely amble, and having already sampled and dismissed all the other dining options on a previous visit, he bellied up to the counter at Anna's Taqueria. 

The exact contents of his undersized super burrito have not been accurately preserved - there is some disagreement among Churchill historians about whether the main filling was steak, chili verde, or pork al pastor - but all agree that they went heavy on the rice, and skimped on everything else, especially the meat. 

When asked later what he thought of the inexplicably popular burrito/taco establishment, Churchill was overheard to declaim that "Anna's Taqueria is the worst dining option at the Stratton Student Center - except for all the rest"

(An unattributed source did later claim that Churchill found the guacamole to be more than passable, when taken on its own merits, and that the tacos al pastor to be very tasty and an exceptional bargain)
3 - Kelly A.: This Anna's is kind of wack.

1) They don't have iced tea.  They don't have any good reason not to have iced tea.  All of the other locations have iced tea, so why not this one?  Because this location is lame, that's why.

2) The portions here are small when compared to the other, superior Anna's locations.

3) You have to go into the armpit of Cambridge to access this bizarre location.

I have love for Anna's, and I still prefer this subpar location to many other burrito chians, but I'm not thrilled with it.
4 - Danan R.: Since freshmen year, it has been Anna's everyday and although I'e gone through phases of going for chicken teriyaki instead I always return to Anna's.  It's fast, reliable, inexpensive, and the chicken and rice are so good.  We need one back in KoP.
5 - Johnna M.: There are two things I try not to get involved with debating over the internet-politics and burrito joints. I am just too passionate about both of these sensitive subjects. However, since I have recently learned the delicious burritos I have been consuming from Anna's are really quesadillas-I feel safe to share my opinion that Anna's is the best!  Back when I used to get annoyed at my then boyfriend, he would bring me Anna's "quesadillas" as a peace offering. It worked-partially because the food is glorious and partially because I would end up in an Anna's coma and when I woke up I wouldn't remember what I was angry about.

You can get whatever you want in an Anna's "quesadilla" and it will be amazing. Chicken, steak, pork-it is all delicious. Their veggies are extremely fresh and it is fun to watch them get chopped up! People complain that the grease and salsa pour out of the tinfoil, but mmmm...I like that. Looks like a burrito, smells like a burrito, but whatever. Apparently the quesadilla is fried and contains more cheese than the burrito. Both noble qualities in my book. The chips are also quite good and they serve Jarritos!

Upon moving to Central Square, it was my plan to sit in the MIT cafeteria and find me a geeky suitor who will one day be able to support my expensive tastes. This will never happen now because whenever I am at MIT I always be covered in guacamole and beans and stuffing my face with delicious Anna's. Not hot.
4 - Vic K.: The most common rating of Anna's is 4, so my 4 essentially makes no difference.  But I have something to add.  This Anna's is on the MIT campus, so even though grading at MIT is (by regulation) based on absolute standards, it is good to remember that restaurant ratings should be curved.  In its neighborhood and at its price point, Anna's is great.  No one in their right mind is coming to this location without already being on campus.  What are the options?  Most other campus dining options have lower quality at higher prices.  Anna's portions aren't small -- they are a good size and priced appropriately.

My only quality quibble is that the tortillas can be gooey.  They are sometimes undercooked.
5 - Kevin L.: super carnitas with salsa lettuce and hot sauce.

I do think that if you do not pay attention they will charge you for the sour cream and guacamole.  I started to notice this because I get the same burrito every time and it is NEVER the same price. 

I like them so much I don't even care about the price.  Just thought I would see if anyone agreed.
5 - Amit G.: i love you anna's.  this a great "default" spot to go when you're hungry.  food is good quality, the place is cheap, and the staff is fast. you can hang out as long as needed in their restaurant or in the MIT student center lobby next door.
1 - Curtis P.: No. The quesadillas are bad. Felipe's is better. I just feel that Anna's needs a giant NO the size of the universe stamped on it. NO.
1 - Stefanie R.: NO, people. NO.  

Every time I come here, I shed one lone tear for all the young, impressionable MIT students with their suitcase backpacks wheeling forlornly behind them who have never had a chance to experience delicious and cheap Mexican food.  

My first semester at MIT was depressing not just because of how little I actually left campus, but also how much I ate Anna's burritos.  I have eaten almost every kind of burrito here as well as the quesadillas, which are kind of strange--really just fried versions of burritos.  

Someone told me that people in Boston really think that the Anna's franchise has the best Mexican food in the area, and I cracked up because I thought they were kidding.  Then as I started talking to more people I realized-- holy crap, it's TRUE.

If you are judging your food purely based on convenience and you happen to spend all days of your life on the MIT campus, then Anna's is great.  Otherwise, consider leaving the state for Mexican food... or at least Kendall Square, people!  Other parts of Boston exist.

I would say the number one plus is that the people that work there are really nice. I bet that they go home and laugh to their families about the food they serve, while they chow down on something home-cooked and delicious.
2 - Berk U.: News flash: the burrittos are small, and by small, I mean bite-size small. The quality of the ingredients isn't bad: the chicken is chunky, the pico de gallo is fresh and the beans look wholesome. It's just that they put so little of them within their tortillas. 

I've realized that my visits to Anna's Taqueria will always start and end with an empty stomach along with deep regrets for shelling out $4 for a hot-dog sized burritto. My advice? Endure the 1.5 miles to Felipe's near Harvard Square and get something that's a little more expensive but 5 times the size.
3 - Elmer C.: One of the better values on the MIT campus. As others have pointed out, Anna's is what it is... don't expect every Mexican specialty. You order, much like at Subway, first specifying what type and size of burrito, etc. you'd like. At this point, the attendant will ask if you want cheese and add it to the tortilla, etc. for your order. Next, (like at Subway) you move down the line and get to choose among various fillings and extras. At the end of the line a cashier will add beverages and total your order. Note that extras things like guacamole, sour cream, and even cheese have an added charge. Overall, it's fast, fresh and can be a healthy choice. They open early in the morning for breakfast and stay open late into the evening.
3 - Nate C.: Being an Anna's connoisseur, I've been to each of their locations multiple times. This is one of the more dissappointing ones. 

The rapid service is certainly still here in spades, and the quality of the food is the same as other locations (read: good!) but I often find myself consistently getting smaller portions at this location that at some of the other ones. They also always charge you for any "extras" you put on your burrito that sometimes i've just not been charged for at other locations.

Anna's isn't known for being super spacious, but this location is very tiny with few seating options. I also noticed that the staff here aren't as friendly and chatty with customers as they are at other Anna's locales and since I've been multiple times, I don't think it was a case of catching someone on a bad day.

It's pretty convenient if you are an MIT student or at a sporting event/other function there and need something cheap and quick to eat but I would much rather eat at one of the other locations if I was deadset on getting Anna's.
5 - Skyler J.: amazing burritos. 
good tortilla. alot of filling. packed tight. packed in easy tear foil. 
good sized portions.
order what you want in your burrito ... almost like at subway. 
yum yum yum yum yum
5 - Sean S.: Very fast, delicious, and very cheap.  I eat here at least once a week.
4 - M B.: As noted by some, the "standard" burrito are relatively small, however at about $4 one can hardly gripe. The "super" are a bit over $6 and offer plenty of food for one person. Ignore reviews from students at Berkly. Neither reviews nor attempts at music should be heard from them. Ever again.

One of the best aspects of their burritos is that they perfectly steam the tortilla just before adding the ingredients, making it flexible enough to be packed with food and not fall apart. 

The veggie burrito can be had with rice that doesn't use chicken stock in the preparation and is well packed with food. However, if you're someone who is picky about the prep of your veggie foods, you may not like that they will chop up chicken, pork or beef on the same cutting board and with the same knives as what they use on the veg. Personally I could care less. 

The carnitas super is my personal favorite, though they could do better with the amount of pork they put in the burrito. Often the man at the counter will pull out this nice, large chunk of pork and chop it up, only to put about 3/4 of what he's cut up into the actual burrito. However, they do put in a reasonable amount of rice, beans, lettuce and anything else you ask for. This isn't The 99, though; they put in enough for a reasonable meal of good quality ingredients, not 3x what the human body actually needs of heavily processed garbage.
5 - George P.: Best Mexican food in town. It happens to be really cheap, but that's a good thing. 
Tried Mexican food in Mexico : amazing.
Tried Anna's here : at least as good.
Now it's not if you want to be posh. Just enjoy the food and relax.
3 - Andy L.: The story of how this place arrived at its particular location and how my attitude towards it evolved still amuses me. When the MIT student center had a prime piece of vacant retail in late 2004, they put up a vote to the student body over what potential eatery they'd prefer there. It wasn't binding at all, just wishful thinking, but students overwhelmingly wanted an Anna's. Did anyone believe we could actually strike a deal with the franchise and make it happen? I didn't! It was as big a deal as the Sox winning the world series that year, and I'm not exaggerating.

It was incredibly cheap, filling, and convenient. I probably wasn't the only student to flip out over super burritos that following year. I ate one every damn day. Carnitas, steak, al pastor would each go in there depending on flights of my mood. I would've bought their merchandise (T-shirts, foam hands) if they'd had any. These days, I just shake my head at the abundance of enthusiasm I had for Anna's and how defensive I got if anyone even hinted they weren't all that.

Something in the attitude of the student body collectively turned by the end of 2006. It wasn't backlash; it was a honeymoon ending. It might have been triggered by the greasy stink that permeated the entire ground floor of the student center and tested the patience of people trying to study. People also realized that, oh yeah, eating an enormous burrito can make your gut feel disgusting for a couple hours afterwards. 

Still, people kept eating because the value was unbeatable. Where else could you pick up dinner in two minutes as you rushed for an LSC movie you were late for? Or eat and finish your lunch while you walked to lecture? Stockholm syndrome is real.

I'll bet many others in my graduating class had a similar conflicted relationship with Anna's. I now see the saga as an allegory for the kind of marriage I hope I don't have, where you stick around mainly to preserve status quo. That still means three stars!
5 - Ja H.: I love my custom burrito every time!
Not a fan of the breakfast options (I long for Herrera's there).
Nice fresh drink options!
2 - danielle l.: I don't find Anna's to be as good as everyone makes it out to be. The meat is super greasy...and just unremarkable. It's not terrible, but not especially ~the best burrito you'll ever have~ as people seem to claim this place offers. Mehh. It's cheap and that's about the only redeeming factor.
3 - Briar B.: Update: This situation was resolved when the owner contacted me personally and apologized. I was told that because this was a new policy, I should have been able to get one whole slab of cheese without being charged for extra cheese, but since it was a new policy, the servers were unclear. I told him that I accepted the apology, but was more appalled by the way I was treated than by the policy itself, and in fact I now embrace the "half slab" of cheese, since it's a healthier portion, anyway. He then asked if I would use vouchers at another location if he sent them to me, and said that while I didn't have to use them at the MIT location, he wanted to keep me as a customer. The offer was enough to get me back on this burrito bandwagon, with one caveat:

I don't eat at the MIT Anna's as often as I used to because this incident left a terrible taste in my mouth, but I do make it out to the Porter and Davis Square locations as often as I am able to because I love these burritos. I still go to the MIT location occasionally, but I will never forget the way that dude treated me, and I would simply rather spend my money on the variety of great restaurants in the MIT/Central/Kendall area than binge on burritos the way I used to.

--------------------------------------

I Love me some Anna's burritos, and when I lived in Davis Square I would, I kid you not, eat there every single day. I had picked up this habit my senior year at MIT, when the Anna's on campus was brand new and exciting, and I had only been able to venture out into Cambridge for burritos rarely, if ever.

Since then, I have found this location to be completely sub par when compared to the other locations. The staff is rude, and they know english until you complain about something (I speak spanish, but refuse to play that game). The burrito quality is lackluster, and they recently changed their policy to only use half a slice of cheese on small burritos. Probably a good thing for my waistline, but not so great when I ended up having to shell out an extra 65¢ for "extra" cheese when I argued with the guy behind the counter about how that's not the same amount of cheese I had on my burrito yesterday (as in, yes, I do eat there every day most weeks)! Instead of explaining the policy to me, he just stared at me until I had to shrilly insist on more cheese, not knowing that this was now extra cheese. After getting my bill, I had a rational conversation with the cashier, and she kindly explained what was going on, but I am still disgusted that I had to pay money to be angered and slightly embarrassed by the incompetence and rudeness going on behind that counter. I miss my Davis burrito man. He was the best.

I will not be frequenting this Anna's anymore, but it won't do any good, since students line up around the block for this place.
3 - Jen S.: Much better than Qdoba and Chipotle and Boca Grande and Bolocco and Zeus help us, Taco Bell.  I usually HATE fast Mexican food.

But yesterday, after being swamped receiving 50 summer fellowship proposals, I had to have some grease. I am frankly tired of eating all the crap from Laverde's Market, and i really hate Subway. I like CafeSpice and the Japanese place on the second floor, but I was just craving a chicken quesadilla. It's my supervisor's fault. She said, "I can go for a big greasy chicken quesadilla now" and I agreed that would be a good idea, so became obsessed to get one in my tummy. 

The quesadillas they have are not like the typical fast food American-Mexican quesadillas- it actually looks more of a burrito that has cheese encrusted into it. I actually enjoyed it. I have to say it's my favorite chain style quesadilla! It's not that big, and it's good for what it costs, but it DRIPS with grease. I really like the taste of the tortilla, though! I think that's the best part. I am not a taco/burrito person, so I won't be trying any of those. But I will go back for another chicken quesadilla while I am working at MIT! I won't go out of my way to go to an Anna's though...

The space is clean and the workers are friendly. The thankfully serve Coke products.  Not a bad place to spend your money, but please, for the love of Tonacatecuhtli (the Aztec creator/provider of food), do not let this be your end all-be all Mexican place.
5 - Justin I.: This was the first time I have ever been to an Anna's Taqueria.  I've seen a couple around town but haven't made it in yet.  I went over there after a golf lesson at the MIT recreation building.  They have a really cool indoor golf teaching facility in an old racket ball/squash court with state of the art video systems and software to analyze your swing.  You can putt and chip in there as well.  I worked up an appetite and there is an Anna's right outside on the way out.  They are very similar to Chipotle or Qdoba but more authentic.  The only knock is that it was cash only.  I had to borrow cash from my friend and pay him back later.  He said that all Anna's are like that.  I guess they don't want to pay the small percentage to the credit card company.  They might be perfect if they started allowing cards.  A nice feature was old school glass bottle Mexican coke to go with a huge burrito.  The place was clean and filled with nerdy MIT students.  I look forward to checking out other locations.
3 - Vivian C.: I have friends who love Anna's, but I just never had the chance to try it myself.  So, I've heard that their quesadillas are strange in that they look very much like burritos, rather than the flipped over half moon thing normally served.

Peeking at their menu, I noticed that they offer something called al pastor... what's that?  Well, according to Wikipedia:

Pork is marinated over one or two days in a combination of dried chiles and then slowly cooked with a gas flame on a vertical rotisserie called a trompo (lit: spinning top), very similar to how shawarma is cooked, with a piece of fresh onion and a pineapple on top.[2] The juice from the pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain, which breaks down protein and makes the meat very tender. When ready, the meat is then thinly sliced off the spit with a large knife. It is served on small tortillas, with finely chopped onions, cilantro and a small slice of pineapple, and usually topped with some lime juice and hot salsa.

Mmmm... they also serve lengua... that's tongue for those of you who don't know.  Tongue is a wonderfully tender meat when done right, but just a warning that the lengua served by Anna's still has taste buds attached.

So, for $6.90, I got myself a taco al pastor for $1.95 (vs $2.85 for all other taco options) and a lengua quesadilla regular for $4.50.  I finished both, but felt quite full... probably should have just had the quesadilla...

The Taco was a pretty fat little foil wrapped package - two would have probably been fine for a light/just right lunch.  The taco al pastor had a bit of a kick.  Tasty... but not my cup of tea.

The quesadilla began as a flour tortilla grilled open faced while the cheese was melted in the center.  It was then topped as you wished, bundled up, foil wrapped, and packed into a plastic baggie inside the long brown paper bag.  Good idea on the plastic - my lengua wasn't well drained, so there was a pool of murky liquid left once I had finished eating.  Probably would have been less messy if it was tighter wrapped, but a tasty meal nontheless.

Note:
Cash & Tech Cash Only at this location
Mexican rice made with chicken broth
Horchata includes milk & peanuts
Guacamole made with sour cream
5 - Shaina P.: Just when you thought it was amazing at how quickly those dudes at Anna's could whip up a burrito for a line of 20 people, they DOUBLED up their service at the Anna's in the MIT Student Center.  That's right, one line forms, but it splits at the center moving people left AND right.  20 people? At the MIT student center, get your burrito twice as fast.  Never an annoying wait.  Just enough time to allow you to read the various signs like:

 + Regular Burrito 4.85 includes beans and fillings, but typically not cheese and rice*  For all the goods, get the super.
 + Carnitas = tender pork with a smattering of soft pork fat
 + Whole wheat wraps are now offered
 + Chile Verde, a spicy tomatillo sauce is now offered
 + Lengua special (that's tongue)

Etcetera...  

*Although when I ordered a regular burrito, they still put rice and cheese in it, just a smaller portion overall.  Perfect.

Peeps love Boca in Coolidge and Chipotle, but I prefer the compact size and actual flavor of an Anna's.  Plus, it's priced right, even with extra charge for sour cream and guac.
4 - Sarah J.: Delicious, cheap, quick, efficient smart service. Whenever we are at MIT for anything or in the area this is our go to lunch or dinner spot. The burrito's are tasty and very filing. Two sizes, regular or grande-regular is plenty!  Lots of choices, authentic taste, and everyone leaves happy.
3 - Katyusha K.: I'm a Mexican-American (citizen of both countries). I live in a bordertown to Mexico so I know what Mexican food and Tex-Mex food are suppose to taste like. I moved to Cambridge to work at MIT. I took a break from work and decided to go to Anna's Taqueria and I absolutely enjoyed this food - it was a shock to taste something actually authentic in Boston/Cambridge area. It was definitely very authentic. The only complaint I have is the taco de lengua al vapor. Where I live in Texas, the lengua is made barbacoa style (i.e. like pulled pork) rather than in cubes. Despite that it was made in cubes, it was very flavor-less. You should definitely consider making it like barbacoa it is so much better and very traditional. Also, the horchata was too sweet almost like syrupy snow-cone sweet. It should definitely get toned down a bit and have a little more of the cinnamon taste to it. Lastly, the corn tortilla is too crumbly. As I tried to eat the taco, the bottom of the taco tore and it was very messy to eat. Though I think this place tastes authentic above all other Mexican restaurants here, it could be improved.
5 - Paul M.: Oh Anna, you siren of the salsa, temptress of the tacos, charmer of the chili verdes, seductress of south of the border fare. I don't know if you even truly exist, I've heard rumors that you're actually founded and owned by the spurned brother of the owner of Boca Grande (burrito intrigue!), so maybe you are someone in his life or maybe you are just some mythical creature not unlike a unicorn; magical and beautiful. I know not the answer, but I choose to believe the latter. 

At the present moment, being new to Yelp, you are my first 5 star review, but just because I'm new don't let that tarnish it's significance. I plan on handing out 5 stars like Ebenezer Scrooge handed out Christmas gifts pre-having the living Hell scared out of him by those 4 ghosts (don't forget Jacob Marley....don't). In other words, you are in rarefied air. 

Listen, this may sound blasphemous, but you're not perfect- but you're darned close. The worst you've ever done to offend me is serve me slightly stale chips or slightly over sweet al pastor due to a few extra chunks of pineapple making their way into that delicious package of pork, beans, rice, pico de gallo, hot sauce (salsa), and guacamole. 

On a good day, and by that I mean any day I get some Anna's, and by that I mean a frickin-great day you've filled me with delicious food to a point a human probably should never experience unless they are a competitive eater or on Man vs. Food and being paid for it (and even then still no) and for less than any number of so-called superior food establishments. I don't need to be wowed by ambiance or service, though your speedy burrito rollers are quite impressive, as long as you keep producing the quality of food you do at the price you have. 

You may be cheap, but I still think of you as one classy lady, Anna, and you certainly know how to please a man. Don't change you minx. 

Love always, 
Paul
1 - Sean H.: Was looking for something semi-healthy for lunch and stopped by Anna's at MIT. Never again. The dark meat chicken tacos had no flavor. Neither did the salsa or cheese. They were really messy and probably the worst tacos I've ever tasted.
5 - Ricky M.: My favorite burrito in Boston and the lowest priced tacqueria. I've had burritos in the Mission but Anna's has them beat. I recommend the super quesadilla, with steak.
5 - Mike D.: This is my number one go-to spot. Always fast, efficient, and delicious.
5 - Shendi X.: If only I had an Anna's breakfast burrito and iced coffee to greet me good morning every morning - that's all.
5 - Adrienne M.: My fiance is at my alma mater right now for a conference & when he asked me where he should eat, I initially went to the web to look at the list of dining options and was sad to see that I recognized so few of them...I guess a lot can change in almost 5 years!   (I shouldn't actually be sad, since the food really sucked when I was there, so its good that current students have some new options.)  But then I remembered Anna's and of course that's where I told him to go.    Anna's was everything I wanted as a student: cheap, fast, and most of all delicious.   They have a whole assortment of burritos, super burritos, and tacos, but I always went for their quesadillas, which are huge and come with the perfect buttery, flaky tortilla.   It's a great value too.  I remember the quesadillas being around $4, and their website says they're currently $4.50, which isn't much of an increase for 5 years.    The biggest downside is you smell like a taqueria for the rest of the day after visiting this place, but its worth it.


(Best ___: Best Quesadilla)
4 - Doc H.: I was very hesitant to visit this steamer of a burrito joint, as I have very strong beliefs that a burrito deserves to have proper grill marks and anything less is a lack of attention to detail.  

But I digress, this was on recommendation of a real bostonian who actually ranked anna's as his #1 burrito.  Now after trying this slab, I would def say this was an exageration, BUT I would not sell the ingredients short. Their beans had a nice consistency and rich flavor, the carnitas had a nice amount of toasted crunch and the horchata washing at the end was a smooth finish.  Also the guac was authentic +1.

room for improvement: I found the rice to be lacking flavor but nicely fluffly; The tortilla was steamed so each bite sticks to your teeth.

Redemption... I saw someone eating one with grill marks before I left, which leads me to believe that like nessy it can be found if you know where to look .

$$ Very fairly priced, but cash only $$

I'd like to try it again, with the grill marks...
3 - Sara C.: The staff is friendly and the food is good - except the beans are always undercooked.
2 - Barbara L.: Meh is about right, I give Anna's a two and half stars. The pros the place was clean, the staff was nice, it's pretty cheap. The burrito was just decent. I don't know if this is a case of expecting something spectacular because of the hype and how many people told me they loved this place. Also I'm not surprised most of the people who have raved about this place are from Boston/Ma. Like most of us here I can't claim to know authenic Tex Mex/mexican food, but I do know really good food when I taste it. Anna's is just barely ok. I got a chicken burrito. The chicken was bland,the rice seem to overpower the beans and salsa as I could barely taste them,I order guacamole on the side and the guacamole was pretty good . But all in all it was nothing spectacular and didn't leave me feeling like I would go out of my way to come back. I don't get why people love it so much. I think I will keep looking for a better burrito joint and unless I was starving and at Mit again, I doubt I would find a reason to go back..
4 - Jeff W.: Cheap and very good.  You can ask for half meat, half veggies, as I always do.  The veggies have really good variety, which is a huge plus for me.  Lots of different meats too.  The staff are impressively fast in the busier hours...
4 - Zack M.: Stopped here after touring the MIT campus. I got a large burrito with spicy chicken and everything on it. It was fairly expensive but it came in a big proportion. It was very tasty and the chicken was perfectly spicy - wasn't to spicy but still had a nice spicy kick to it. Altogether I like this place and I reccomened you try it out.
1 - Eric J.: Some of the worst food I've had in Cambridge... everything is obscenely bland and greasy. 
I'm astounded that anyone thinks this food is reasonable.
They also don't take credit cards... kindof inexcusable for somewhere that is supposed to be "fast."
4 - Sharon O.: The Boston area burrito world seems divided on Anna's- but I'm here to tell you it's a great fast-food burrito place: tasty & decently large burritos, quick-moving queue, and nicely priced.

The chile verde burrito was packing some heat (and pork). The rice inside was super soft and sticky (yum!) because it was made with chicken broth. The guacamole was fresh. The tortilla has an interesting, different mouthfeel than what I'm used to...also a bit moist/sticky. It's hard to describe but it wasn't a bad thing- just different. I didn't feel greasy or like there was a brick in my stomach after eating. Took it to go and it wasn't liquified upon arrival at my destination- wrapped in foil and in a brown burrito bag.

The staff wasn't overly friendly but certainly not rude, and hey, efficiency/speed is where it's at.

Cash only (or tech cash if you're an MIT student), but only $6.10 for my super (12 inch tortilla) burrito with guac... the cheapest around the Kendall area! 
Without guac, it's even less. If you choose the regular (10 inch tortilla) it's another dollar less.

Guac is an  $0.85 add, which pales in comparison to Chipotle's ~$2!
Sour cream is $0.55, but since the guac is made with it, I just opted for the green goodness.

If you're vegetarian/vegan, you might want to steer clear, while there is signage about the rice and guac (& a few other things), personally I feel those two are part of the burrito experience.


Another tip: Looks like no tax if you're an MIT student (show ID)
2 - Hana T.: On MIT campus? DESPERATE for food? Pinched for time? Don't care to eat extremely mediocre, bland Mexican? 

If you answered "yes" to all those questions, a trip to Anna's Taqueria is acceptable. Otherwise, no.
4 - Tough C.: Great fast-food burritos.  The taste is reasonable, quantities are good for the price, and the soda refills are free.

The only downside, it can be a little noisy.
2 - Kat W.: The burrito was fine. We were sitting near the back and saw a mouse running across the floor. Kind of gross.
3 - M H.: Love Anna's! But this location only takes cash!!! No debit or credit!!! Made me run to ATM and totally late... Get with it Anna's!!
4 - Dan F.: This is not the best location for Anna's because it is in the MIT student center, and don't take credit. They only take cash and MIT student cards.

As far as the food goes, I don't know why people are calling it bland. It's a bit on the greasy side, but it's very good. I don't think anyone calling this food bad has ever been to Mexico because the ingredients and the flavors are totally authentic to NORTHERN Mexico. Also, if you haven't ever tried Al Pastor, it's the only thing I eat there because you can't get it anywhere else and it's great. Also, put the salsa verde (hot green sauce) on, and don't put beans in the food, they make everything taste more bland no matter what restaurant you're in. Just sayin. This place is great. Also, get the Horchata or Jarritos if you're getting a drink, skip the american junk you can get anywhere around here.

As far as service goes, it can be hit or miss. Last time I was there, the workers we're talking smack about my friend (in Spanish), because he ordered "everything" on his burrito and they thought it was stupid. It was incredibly rude. First of all, whats the problem with someone ordering everything? Secondly, STFU it's not your place to say anything and if you're gonna make fun of someone say it in their language. Also, the guys behind the counter had the most blank looks on their faces as we were ordering like they we'rent paying any attention and had a very lazy attitude. Normally the service isn't this terrible, it's always a little awkward ordering, but last time was bad.

That being said, I wouldn't go anywhere else in Boston for fast Mexican food besides possibly Olecito if I we're in Inman. Anna's is the most authentic as far as ingredients go (not food assembly, but shit, no one eats burritos in Mexico it's an American invention and quesadillas aren't normally just a grilled burrito with extra cheese) and it's great.
4 - Michelle A.: Super Burrito Me!!! Every place seems to have their own take on what a burrito should look and taste like. AT's does it right! Choice of black or pinto, all the fixings and speedy service. Nuf said.

Anna's Vietnamese Restaurant - Ithaca, NY (42.4391206, -76.4989817) ()
2 - Ducson N.: My coworkers and I were excited to see a new Vietnamese restaurant in the city. Maybe this place would be authentic, unlike Vietnam Restaurant in Collegetown. It is, in fact, owned by Vietnamese immigrants, which raised my hopes even higher. Unfortunately, a quick glance at the menu showed few of the dishes you'd expect in a Vietnamese establishment. No banh xeo (Vietnamese pancake), bun bo Hue (Hue-style beef noodle soup), goi cuon (summer rolls), bun thit nuong (grilled pork with vermicelli noodles), banh mi (sandwiches), etc. 

Instead the menu offered pho, chicken curry, shrimp fried rice, wine steamed chicken, beef stew, fried shrimp/fish, shrimp salad, vegetable noodles, and chicken rice soup. Perhaps the beef stew was bo kho? It was... sort of. It lacked the lemongrass and star anise flavors you'd expect, and it was served with rice instead of bread (typically a baguette). It was still moderately tasty, however. A coworker ordered the shrimp salad and it wasn't exactly goi tom. Just tiny shrimp and iceberg lettuce. Other coworkers ordered the vegetable noodles, fried rice, and fried fish, all of which seemed unspectacular. 

On a separate visit I tried the pho. The broth was rather bland. I'm also used to a separate plate of bean sprouts, cilantro, mint, lime, and peppers that's served with pho, so you have some control over the flavor. Here, like Wok Village, the pho is just served as it is. All-in-all, Wok Village's pho (listed on their menu generically as "beef noodle soup") is better. 

I did get a chance to chat with the owner briefly. The family hailed from somewhere southeast of Saigon (if I recall correctly), a region of the country that neither I nor my parents have visited, so it's possible that the food there is just simpler and blander than we're used to.

If you're used to the Vietnamese restaurants in high Viet population centers like Philadelphia, Washington, DC, California, Houston, etc. you're not going to be very satisfied. The food, while moderately tasty, doesn't push the culinary envelope in Ithaca, which will unfortunately continue to suffer from the lack of a quality Vietnamese restaurant.
2 - Margot C.: We were enticed by the attractive exterior signage, but immediately underwhelmed by the decor and horrible fluorescent lighting. Fluorescent lighting should be forbidden in restaurants, as it does no justice to food and skin color! We started with meat spring rolls, which were actually meaty and tasty. One of us ordered the curry, which was pretty thin and bland. I had the "Asian catfish," which was deep fried, but in spite of the decent flavor, was not crispy. Not sure if fresh or frozen, and served on a bed of iceberg and garnished with slices of pale tomatoes. A challenge to finish, which usually isn't an issue for me. The shrimp salad was depressing: slightly larger than salad shrimp with shredded iceberg and cilantro. I think the sauce was nuoc cham, which tasted like nam prik pao mixed with water and fish sauce. The girls had the chicken rice noodle soup (pho), which was okay. The broth was mild, not bland. There was cilantro and bean sprouts-the former being a welcome addition, since our other Vietnamese restaurant doesn't use *any* fresh herbs. 

We were all sadly disappointed, and probably won't return unless they do a major menu overhaul, and pull all the excess screws and nails from their walls and patch up--and get rid of the fluorescent lighting.
4 - Fergus B.: UPDATE: SADLY ANNA'S HAS CLOSED.
...a moment of silence...

It is a shame that had I read the other reviews here, I would have missed out on what is easily the best Vietnamese place in a city that is in desperate need of this simple, beautiful cuisine. I have long lamented that there is no place to get anything resembling decent Pho here. We walked by, looked in and saw the familiar decor of a home-style Vietnamese restaurant- yellow walls and red tablecloths; simple. But what really made us take a chance (on our very limited budget) and try this place was the fact that the family in there was Vietnamese :)

To say we were thrilled would be an understatement. If this place, located on that slow strip of S Cayuga (across from Wildfire, formerly Lost Dog) is not supported, Ithaca will lose out on fresh, homemade and fairly priced food. I have had amazing Pho. I expected to be disappointed at Anna's. I was not. The flavor started out delicious and light, but maybe since I had just been drinking coffee, I did not get the full effect until a few bites in. It was beautiful. The beef was succulent and melted in my mouth, the noodles were perfect and the flat kind, so they did not get mushy like the very thin rice noodles get... over all, this soup managed to be hearty and refreshing at the same time. 

We spoke with the owner (such wonderful people), who told us that his wife makes everything. You can tell it is homemade. Absolutely wonderful. I am going to tell everyone I know to give this place a chance. If you go out to eat for flattering lighting, then, well... I guess that is an altogether different priority. I go looking for delicious, real food, served by nice people, for a reasonable price. 

My Pho agony has ended. I will be coming here all the time- and bringing all my friends. Folks who work this hard and love food in this way should be supported :)
3 - Hal M.: I enjoyed the Pho here, where as my fiance did not.  I don't like the fact it is all served in one bowl already, as for me, putting the soup together is part of the fun, but I thought the flavor was good, the noodles were perfect and the beef was delicious.  My fiance ate about three bites and stopped.  This does not taste like any of the Pho houses we are used to from the DC area.  But I still liked it.

We also got the (fried) spring rolls, which we both enjoyed a lot.  Service was fast and friendly.  This is all going to come down to how you feel about the items on the small menu.  I thought the soup was good, she did not...so there you go.
3 - Angie H.: I'm in between 3 and 4 stars.  If you go, order the wine chicken.

The wine chicken was juicy and delicious.  It was a whole chicken, small for a chicken, but big enough to be a substantial meal.  It was very well seasoned.  It came with rice, fresh sliced cucumbers, and tomatoes.

I also had the pho with beef, and it was so-so.  I have had pho a few times in the Bay Area but I haven't been to Vietnam.  From my experience, pho is usually lighter, but Anna's flavor was quite strong.  I didn't like that, but this could just be my personal taste.

Service was great.  The server could tell when we needed attention and came promptly.  She was very friendly.

The atmosphere isn't the best.

Also, the menu is small.
4 - Lux C.: I had the beef Pho. The offer only one variety. The broth smelled strongly of star anise, but was not to anise-y. It was beefy, rich and very well balanced. I usually dose up my pho with a bunch of fish sauce, chili oil, lime, hoisin, the works, but I didn't feel the need here (and no condiments offered on the tables). All in all, very satisfying broth. Then I got to the beef. The brisket was amazingly good. Melt in your mouth tender with good beefy flavor. Not many herbs were offered, but I don't really fault them for that, because it's January in Ithaca and they are not doing high enough volume to have all those not in season herbs in stock, and throw them away when they wilt. 
So don't expect the same options as a huge pho house in a city with a big Vietnamese community. Do expect to answer the question of "where's the beef", deliciously.
A solid addition to the Commons dining options.
4 - Paddy M.: I had been craving some Pho lately and and hadn't checked out Anna's yet.  I just orded take-out but I was pleasantly surprised.  The noodles and sprouts came in one container and the broth with basil, beef, etc. came in another.  Also came with a small container with Sriracha and Hoisin sauce.  Overall it was quite good - not exceptional - but a solid meal.  I will say I've had better pho in San Francisco and Philadelphia but this certainly seems to be the best pho option going in Ithaca right now.  It would be nice to have all of the fresh veggies/herbs separate from the broth so that you can add them at your discretion but I thought the broth flavor was pretty good and the beef was delicious.  

The owner seemed very friendly when I picked up my pho and I hope they do well.  We need a good Vietnamese place in Ithaca - the collegetown option isn't cutting it.

Annabelle Jewelry - Ann Arbor, MI (42.279075, -83.7484793) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
3 - Mae S.: Pretty boring selection of costume jewelry. I didn't even notice any wigs. I really wonder if there's enough demand for this stuff -- it is no different from similar offerings in the mall and at chain stores.
5 - Christina C.: I think they've passed on their days of the wig because when I was there, there were no wig traces to be found... so, carry on...

OK. Ask yourself what kind of jewelry you want before stepping foot inside...

1) Is it affordable? (aka do I want a replica diamond without the price tag) ... Please proceed. Elaborate necklaces I viewed were no more than $30. Whoa.

2.) Do I want a wide selection? From costume to everyday-ware, can I find it here? Oh yes, and then some. There were earrings of the shiniest shine, to everyday fake pearls that could fool anyone. I was surprised that such a small store covered such a wide selection of day-to-day jewelry plus some extras.

3.) Am I comfortable sacrificing quality for price? I was. And I did. There were SO MANY cubic zirconia's and faux rocks in that store. (Clearly they were shipped from overseas.) But honestly, I didn't care. If was looking for an affordable store to give me one-night (plus a few) glamour - that is if I lived in the area, of course - this would be my first stop.

Annapurna - Berkeley, CA (37.8665592, -122.2588941) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
3 - D B.: I must say, this is quite an interesting treasure shop.  It's PACKED with: pipes, smoking accessories, bongs, adult items, candles, incense, stuff on the ceiling, tapestries, buddhas, and just a ton of crap everywhere.  In a good, but dusty, way, though.  Especially the incense and candles--the dust is starting to build cities and highways.

But!  This place, ironically enough, has one of the better buddha collections that I have run across.  They have a few of the small, one inch tall ones and even more large figures, around six inches, but the joy here is sifting through all of the medium priced buddhas, around $10 or $15.  Yes, most of them are ancient, but that's how they're supposed to be, right? For weeks, I have been searching for a figure that I finally found here, that oh so special one that calls me without speaking, moves me without effort, teaches me without knowing.

Or at least that was my experience here.
4 - James J.: When I used to be an avid smoker and a resident of the east bay, this is where I would go for all my equipment needs. Sure it seems like it has a completely lesbionic vibe but they also have what the average smoking maniac needs. Although they could get it anywhere on the Graph.
4 - Theodore V.: Got to love it when the employees are rude - not because they provide bad service - but just because they have so much going for them in the physical attractiveness department - it doesnt matter much what they say.

Great place to find all of the novelty items and gogly bits you have never knew you would find absolutely required as part of your mystic pleasures treasure.
4 - scott p.: This is the classic Telegraph Ave. head shop- this one- right here.  Stop at this one if you have some head shop requirements.
2 - paige m.: eh, full of cheap-looking glass and the selection is really small.  i didn't see one piece there that i would buy.  

i expect more from a head shop on telegraph ave!

they are open late which serves it's purpose...good for people who need something last-minute.  so it's good for quick cheap glass, but just don't go here if you're looking for nice, beautiful and quality glass that you'll wanna use for more than a night..
5 - Tsada K.: I used to work next door to this place.  The owner is a super nice guy and he's good to his employees.  Perhaps it's karma that's kept him in business after three-plus decades when everything around him has gone out of business.  

Yes, it's karma that keeps Annapurna afloat--because it's sure as hell not the baja shirts or bong cleaner or Steal Your Face window decals.  WHAT A LONG, STRANGE TRIP IT'S BEEN!!!! Not.

Kidding!  I kid Annapurna.  Really, I love them.  

Back when I did hair at the salon next door (also defunct, of course), I learned that smokers have an excuse to take ten times as many breaks as a non-smoking employee.  FUCK YOU, CAL OSHA!!! 

Since my own boss was not as kind and mellow as the hippy who runs Annapurna and worked my delicate fingers to the bone, I decided to take up smoking during workday hours to free up my schedule.   But since I really don't care for the taste of tobacco, I chose to smoke clove cigarettes--the preferred cigarette of hippies.  YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY--I MEAN, DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!

I would go to Annapurna to buy my Djarums.  I would always get a discount and a smile, and a bit of friendly chit-chat. Then I would stand outside and cough and gag and generally avoid cutting the hair of cheap, no-tipping-ass, collegiate douchebags.  

Yes.  I drank lots of chai and smoked Djarums.  I smelled like a patchouli-laced ashtray.

Then one Saturday morning I had a screaming hangover at work.   I chugged down a chai, smoked a cigarette and proceeded to go to work cutting the hair of a male cheerleader from Cal.  I was fading out his neckline while feigning interest in his rant on the subtle intricacies of the human pyramid, when suddenly, I burped.  A big smoky, clovey bubble of warmth began to rise in my esophagus.  I dropped my clippers just in time to run outside and puke next to a guy doing a rasta hair wrap on his dog.

*burns sage*

Now that Jerry's dead and I don't smoke (or drink chai or anything else that tastes remotely clovey), I don't have much of a reason to go into Annapurna anymore.  But I still love the place.  It's good to see a little bit of the real Telegraph keep on keepin' on.

5 stars for karma and all that other hippy shit.
4 - Karen F.: This was our go-to head shop whenever we needed screens, pipes or accessories back in the mid to late nineties. And I agree with Josh B. - it reeks of incense in here.

The dude who owned it then (pretty sure it's still the same guy) was always nice to me - but he can be tough so don't cross him. 

We also bought a few glass pipes here -ahem- for tobacco purposes only.
4 - Adolfo H.: Near and dear to my heart.

Very found memories, of buying loosies (which they stopped),  cigarettes (which I stopped),  buying Sandlewood and Musk (which for some reason my particular brand was hard to find) and incense.

The place is small but has very other interesting items associated with head shops, the kind that strangers and tourist will go into 
for a taste of the area, or notion of it.

The place had a personality that felt held over from the 60's and a place that I visit when ever I'm in town for old times sake,  just to browse.
4 - Shelly V.: How a VW Camper Bus could survive 33 years without external stickers is beyond me. Where does one go to doll up the old girl?

Telegraph Ave in Berkeley.

Where can you get all said stickers in one place? 

Annapurna -- that's where.

A bit pricey for stickers but who knew they could be so hard to find?

They do get extra points for allowing our dog in the store with us!!
1 - Heather H.: This store smelled like feces. Maybe it was a customer who stepped in something, but I had to stop looking around so I could go outside and cough away the foul air.
The chick behind the counter gave me the stink eye when I walked inside intially too. Dang, just want to look at the Bettie Page postcards, if that's alright with you lady.

Unwelcoming experience overall.
2 - Daizha V.: Beautiful Store. All the girls that work there are very nice & helpful. Too bad the owner is a DOUCHEBAG. Not a good reflection of the business, you probably shouln't be rude to the people keeping your store in business!..I guess I'll keep bringing my $$ to big Als.
4 - Missy W.: *Awesome*  and very nice staff. Not a great selection of items, but if you're not picky, this is a good 'quick stop' place.  A major pain in the ass to get to tho.  However, they do validate parking .
2 - Katie F.: let me start by saying that i love all of the 'hippie' type shops. annapurna is no longer one. and just because the place hasn't been cleaned since the 60s does not mean it's 'authentic'. poor employees & poor inventory make this a must-skip, not a must-see.

my first experience here was amazing. i bought a beautiful hand-blown glass piece from a VERY knowledgeable and helpful man (the owner?). it was a great purchase. however, since then, my experiences have been beyond poor.

one time, i went for papers, shisha (sp?) and coals. i asked for recommendations (i assumed that the employees knew more about their inventory than i did). wrong. the recommended papers rolled very poorly and had the worst adhesive i've ever experienced. they burned really fast and came unrolled. it was awful. the shisha (all 3 flavors) had no flavor at all. they all tasted the same. faintly sweet and fruity. i had asked for the kind of coals that weren't quick start (the coating imparts a weird flavor). i was assured that they weren't the quick start despite the packaging saying that they lit quickly. they were wrong. 

i have been back a few times since (i must be a masochist). each time, the employee(s) have sucked beyond belief. one girl didn't even know where the hookah coals were (they were literally 3 inches from her right elbow). they had 2 different kinds of coals that were exactly the same, quick-start. i have become increasingly disappointed in their inventory. it seems like there is less everytime i go in. 

i still appreciate the spot for its history. however, annapurna is no longer the go-to place for smoke stuff. it's really disappointing. if you're serious about your gear or you want some help from knowledgeable staff, go to big al's. seriously.
2 - Rachel S.: This is one of many head shops around Telegraph, but definitely not one of the best if you're looking for a comfortable chat with the staff. If you're aiming for a quick in-and-out for a specific novelty something-or-other, go ahead.

Every time I've walked in (or out) the girls at the counter glare at me, wide-eyed, and when I've needed help they've been vague and disinterested at best. They tend to talk on the phone and smoke cigarettes in the store when the manager isn't around.

The selection of stuff is a little disorganized and sometimes dusty, but they have a decent layout overall that's easy enough to navigate on busy days considering the tight space.

It is fun, though, on the warmer nights when this store opens up the doors near closing time and blasts old Green Day songs down Telegraph. At least they're still trying.

FYI - Nag Champa is cheaper at the smokeshop next door.
5 - Luke A.: I have been to all of the head shops on Telegraph except this one, until today. I must say that despite the negative reviews on here I gave it a try, because y'all who have reviewed seem to like Big Al and Gypsy Trader and honestly I can't stand those places. I did not encounter any surly girls behind the counter and the owner was super nice and helpful. The place does not smell like poo, it smells like incense has been burned in there for several years, and gee it is a head shop after all.  If Nag Champa smells like poo to you, perhaps a place like paramount imports in the south bay is better for you.  As for Annapurna, they will be getting my smoke-needs business from now on. Everything was well marked with good prices as well as being organized. Not to mention if you aren't a traditional stoner and get up before noon, they open at 10am!  If you like to be fooled into getting a "good price" by haggling go ahead and go to Gypsy Trader or Big Al's with their apathetic and ignorant sales staff.  If you want a good shop that has everything at good prices you don't have to haggle for I highly recommend Annapurna.
4 - Dave H.: This area of town is completely annoying, but I'll make the trip here just because I can get my parking validated while at a head shop. Name anywhere else in the country where that's possible...yes, only Berkeley.
5 - Mark A.: This place is history.  This place is magic.  You don't go into it with your version, you let its version go into you.

If you don't know, you been told.  Get here and learn.
5 - Charles F.: Annapurna = Berkeley institution.
5 - Joseph V.: I used this Business over 17yrs ago when I was a drunk.Now I am looking forward to using this business when I have been sober.Looking forward to moving to California again.Can wait to be Back on Telegraph.And Annapurna's...
4 - Patrick K.: Friendly knowledgeable staff that were very helpful, and not pushy.

Annapurna Stores - Champaign, IL (40.1115764, -88.2435198) ()
5 - Heather T.: I always have full faith that Annapoorna will have what I need when I'm cooking Indian cuisine.  For instance: I went to two other places looking for curry leaves before finally arriving at Annapoorna.  The owner greeted me immediately and asked if he could help me.  I asked for curry leaves, wincing in anticipation of him saying "No, we don't carry that."  Instead he said, "Curry leaves?  Yes.  Right here."  And he handed me a baggie full of them for under $2.  

Also, the samosas in their refrigerator?  HEAVEN.  INEXPENSIVE HEAVEN.  They're spicy and magical and I want them all the time.
5 - Jill F.: Really nice little store and the owner is super friendly and willing to help people unfamiliar with Indian cooking.  I will be coming back here in the future.  Also, the premade roti they carry are surprisingly good for something that takes a couple of seconds to warm up and eat.

Anneke's Downtown Hair & Co - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2797864, -83.7485869) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
4 - Rebecca W.: Another 6 months....another haircut....another review update.  Does no one else go here?

This time I visited a different stylist, Sandra, but had just as good of an experience.  

I don't know if this is a salon-wide philosophy or what, but what I really noticed and appreciated about both stylists that I've seen here, is that they didn't do anything I did not ask them to do. I've been in a growing-out phase for quite some time, and neither of these ladies insisted on taking off half an inch to clean up ends, or anything.  In fact, Sandra somehow breathed new life into my monstrous mane without cutting straight up from the bottom at any point. 

I'm pretty timid about expressing my preferences, so I appreciate the soft touch, and not having to fight with anyone about what is, after all, my hair.  

When Sandra asked me about how I usually style my hair (let the part fall, haphazardly where it may?  yeah.  Blowdrying?  Rarely.  Product?  Nope) I admitted that, when it comes to my hair, I'm pretty lazy.  Her response summed up what I like about Anneke's: 

"I'm not here to judge.  I'm here to make it work."

They're easygoing, and I always leave feeling shiny, bouncy, and confident that my hair will look good again tomorrow, because it doesn't require professional skills to "make it work."  Thanks, Anneke's!
1 - Tory A.: I've been pretty disappointed with my experience thus far. After reading some nice recommendations about this salon I called to book hair and make-up for my wedding party. The receptionist was nice enough, but it was frustrating that, since all of the stylists work as independents I guess, she couldn't give me a ballpark price range. If I was just going for a trim, ok, but for a large group I need to know if this is within my budget. Still, I understand the situation. That said, she said that she would get back to me with the stylists' names and more information. I never got a return phone call. With so many salons in the area I wont be calling back.

Annena & Company - Menlo Park, CA (37.441376, -122.178852) ()
1 - LUCY N.: This lady was very rude. I received a return call from her, only for her to ask my questions and tell me that I can't afford her! Isn't that the whole point of a wedding planner? You work with my budget! 
I was sad after and called other wedding planners who were much more pleasant. Don't waste your time here. She's just looking for a blank check and seems to hate what she does.
5 - C G.: I can't thank Annena enough for everything she did for us.
I loved everything about our wedding. I wasn't stressed, just excited.  She kept me on track on what I needed to do and when.  She came up with ideas for our wedding once she realized what we were all about-our personalities and what we wanted to convey at our wedding.  She listened, interpreted, then came back with fantastic ideas that suited our budget.  Her ideas concerning color, flowers, linens, invitations, etiquette,
food--everything, were perfect!  I have to say that we had the wedding of the decade, and thanks to Annena & Co!

Annenberg Center For the Performing Arts - Philadelphia, PA (39.9533506, -75.196613) (University City)
5 - rick k.: Three theaters in the complex, one 1000 seat, one 250, and a black box at about 100.  The sound is awesome in the main theater and the others are intimate and inviting.  Decor is very 70's and their are alot of stairs.  Old people should ask for assistance to reach their destination, but staff seems very willing to help.  Great value.
5 - Andre B.: I made a four hundred mile pilgramage to see Marie Choinard here.  I am not sure how much more of an endorsement I can give.  Venues like this that put on challenging work are a dying breed and need to be preserved.
4 - Amy H.: We saw Israel's Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak Dance Company perform Oyster here last month and we were quite pleased with the clean, (albeit dated) contemporary and spacious setting. The Annenberg Center is located across the street from Pod restaurant and public parking, so getting out to Philly for dinner and a show is quite convenient. 

I like to think that I am a Tim Burton follower and this performance was intended to mimic his expression and style. The production was indistinct and gritty which I typically enjoy but the cast seemed to work so hard at making this show weird that sadly, it wasn't weird anymore; just confusing but still an enjoyable event.

Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism - Los Angeles, CA (34.0220127, -118.2892046) (South Los Angeles)
4 - Lew H.: First, the stereotype - U[niversity] of S[poiled] C[hildren] - is still deserved.

But the Annenberg school, where I'm a grad student, actually is different:  a place where people are trying to change society for the better.

I wish I had publicized this earlier, but ther are still two weeks to see an amazing photo exhibit: the World Press Photo Exhibit.  This runs until February 1st and is only @ USC and the United Nations.  These are the most powerful photos taking by the world's leading photojournalist and they depict terrible beauty, grace and amazing devastation.

Check it out @ http://www.worldpressphoto.nl/

There's something about social networks like Yelp that feed our narcissism, like everything we have to say and complain about is that important, and an exhibit like this puts things in perspective.  Highly recommend it.  Also, it is disturbing so be forewarned.  I'd recommend people downtown or on Eastside stop by after work as the building is only open during week, but is open till 9:30.

PS:  There are year-round free lectures listed on the website's event page and they're also podcasted.
5 - Nerses A.: One of the best schools on the USC Campus... The Annenberg school is probably the most well known COMM school in the world. Excellent faculty and the most interesting courses you can take! This is one of my favorite schools at USC :) Fight On!

Annex Restaurant - Princeton, NJ (40.3499721, -74.6587283) ()
3 - Matt C.: Closed!  Sotto's now  is in this location.

Annie's Hair Salon - Los Angeles, CA (34.0617608, -118.445313) (Westwood)
2 - Henry C.: If you're a guy and want somewhere relatively cheap to get your hair clipped and don't want your barber/stylist to talk to you outside of you giving them directions, this place is as good as any.

If you're female or a male with medium to long hair, stay FAR FAR AWAY. One time I asked Annie if she could cut my hair without using the clippers and she looked at me like I was crazy. The old adage you get what you pay for fully applies here.

FYI This place no longer exists and appears to have been replaced by a nail salon.

Annmary Brown Memorial - Providence, RI (41.8240417, -71.4026514) (College Hill)
4 - Erin C.: It's easy to walk right past this unassuming cement structure, but in doing so, you are missing out on a truly fascinating site. Completed in 1907, this building serves as a mausoleum for Annmary Brown and her husband, Rush Hawkins (their grave stones, laid out side by side, can be viewed in the crypt at the back of the building). The memorial also houses Hawkins' art and book collections and the Mazansky British Sword collection, a beautiful array of weaponry mounted in display cases made of glass and dark wood. When I visited, some of the 5,000 toy soldiers from the John Hay Library's famed Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection were displayed alongside the swords, complementing them nicely. (I later learned that this is not a usual occurrence.) Perhaps the best part of my visit was the long and careful tour of the building and the collections that I received from the kind, grandfatherly gentleman on guard duty. I suspect he was delighted that someone actually bothered to show up. You too can make his day by stopping in on a weekday afternoon during the school year.
5 - Francis S.: I love this place, so victorian, the pictures are awesome, I like the new paint colors on the walls, So who was Annmary and why did she get her own memorial I still don't understand she was a rich man's daughter who married another rich man who collected things. Do u think she was just one more thing in his collection?

Annual Stanford Powwow - Palo Alto, CA (37.42, -122.17) ()
5 - monique H.: When I was a kid - junior high through high school -  I use to attend this annual event regularly with my sisters, and our cousins - who are full blood Creeks. During those times, it was about finding cute guys and buggin' the shit outta' them...now, as an adult, I can fully appreciate the art, music, and cultural awareness that is in the Native community. 
It's a big 3-day event held on the Stanford campus - members of tribes from all over the States and Canada attend. There are many dance contests for some serious cash prizes.  ( My favorite dances are the men's Fancy Dance and the women's Shawl Dance ).  There is always a lot of good food - fry bread and the various ways it's served is the highlight - think of it as a big flat puffy un-sugared donut -you can eat it with desert toppings, fruit, etc on it, or pile it full of meat and veggies...yum! 
Speaking of fry bread, another fellow Yelper - Stanley D - was suppose to meet up with me there on Sunday - the last day of the event.  I found out later that he was indeed there, but we totally missed each other - he owes me a fry bread! 
Getting back to food, it was interesting to see a bit of multi-cultural exchange as well  -  there was also Chinese and Jamaican food available! 
I was a good girl with my spending - tempting things were all around, but I only bought a pair of pretty black and red beaded earrings for $12.00. 
To learn more about the 37th Annual Stanford Powwow, check out their site:  

powwow.stanford.edu/
5 - Tiffany N.: This is such a fun event! I look forward to it all year. This is how I spend Mother's Day with my mama every year. Good fun for all ages and all ethnicities.

Antelope Antiques and Coins - Ann Arbor, MI (42.279504, -83.7462705) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
3 - Lisa W.: This is an interesting new shop in the lower belly right near Underground Sounds.  It took over the old Vault of Midnight space.  Don't be fooled into thinking "china ware" when you see the word "antiques" however.  They carry items that could populate a Freaks and Geeks bedroom.  That Iggy Pop posterboard in the window?  Must-have.  Whoever snatches that gets kudos.

The place specializes in University of Michigan football paraphernilia as well as "white prostitution" collectibles?  Yeah.
4 - mariah c.: Whoa! From reading Lisa's review, I guess I missed the "prostitution collectibles."  However, I did see quite a few awesome posters -- they have a whole section of just magician posters, which are both cheesy and sweet in their design. 

They do, as Lisa mentions, specialize in U of M paraphernalia.  Their signs claim they have the very largest collection in the world, but I'm not sure who proves/audits that sort of thing!  Suffice to say, they have a lot, including old programs, etc.  Not being much of a football fan, that's not really my thing.  However, they have plenty of other intriguing eye-candy to examine, though. 

Personally, I got sucked into the books and a very small collection of 45s. I picked up a couple of custom/home-made 45s that I am itching to listen to (family remnants like these and slides of vacations fascinate me), as well as a couple older books on Ann Arbor history.  

One of the books is a collection of drawings by Milton Kemnitz, whose prints you sometimes spot around town. There are a few in the meeting room at the local Y, and I dig their style, so I'm really in love with this book of drawings. 

There is so much stuff packed in this space (and I thought Vault fully utilized the space before!), that I know I could go back multiple times and still discover something new.  The prices for the items I purchased were totally reasonable, though I'm sure some of the posters I'd most covet are out of my budget range!
4 - Nick H.: Antique shops and collectibles remind me of when I was growing up and the times I spent lazy summers going "freedling" with my grandparents.  We'd go into old shops and look for nothing and everything - just hoping to find a great bargain or some artifact that would bring back memories and stories from 'the good ol' days" as my grandma would say.  I haven't been into an antique shop in years but Antelope Antiques hits the nail on the head when it comes to finding some great artifacts that are fun, interesting, and down right desirable.

The store has a lot to offer - especially in the small space that it resides.  I could easy spend an afternoon there just digging around.  Mariah is right - they have a GREAT movie poster collection and the Michigan paraphernalia is definitely top notch.  I like the randomness of everything they have - you really just have to go and browse around and you'll find things you'll love.  And, I thought the prices were excellent for antiques.  I'll be coming back again, even if I'm not intending on buying something, just to have fun snooping around.
3 - MaryLiz S.: One day after we had lunch at nearby Afternoon Delight, my mom wanted to take me to this little antique shop below the street level. It's a bit hidden, but very worth the visit if you like old stuff.

Ceramics and old silverware and paperweights and toys and old posters and old books of all kinds. You won't find "garage sale" bargain prices, but you will find reasonably priced, carefully sorted and identified items that are worth collecting, and there are a lot of categories represented.

Mom and I gravitated toward the book section. There are a LOT of U of M related books. I liked the one from the 50's where the author drew cartoons, one for each school in the university. Quite clever, and I'm sure my in-laws will get a kick out of it, too, because they graduated from U of M also. Mom found a very old looking tome about government. She said she liked it because it was "Biblically based." That's my mom. We each ended up with a fun memento of our outing together.

Anthony Kravitz, OD - Los Angeles, CA (34.0260142, -118.2839606) (South Los Angeles)
3 - Zé M.: Positives: 

Kravitz and assistants are laid back.

Got my contact prescription correct

Negatives:

Could not get my left eye's prescription right in 2 tries! *

* I have screwy eyes so I can't blame him 100% for this, so I give 73% blame to him.
4 - Paganbrew X.: I've been coming here for years. Since I liked the frames my sister got at Lens-Crafters, I tried going there. No one acknowledge that I was there. When I come to Dr. Kravitz, everyone is very attentive and nice. I rather support a small business that means well, that a corporation trying to make money.
4 - Carie F.: Dr. Kravitz is nice, efficient, and makes an effort to keep an eye (har har) on your history to make sure everything is in order.  Asks me detailed questions about how I like various changes since the last visit, etc.  I have no complaints about my prescriptions, and he's been able to find solutions for all of my eye complaints (dry, itchy eyes were a pain for my first few months in L.A. and have been much better since).  His staff are friendly and efficient as well.  My appointments rarely take longer than half an hour door to door.
4 - Lillian L.: Bad: Kravitz was half an hour late for my appointment because of L A traffic & sort of awkward desk assistants.

Great: Kravitz is patient, helpful, honest, & very sincere & informative.
5 - Rosie H.: There are not a lot of businesses like this one left. Dr. Kravitz and his staff run their shop like a shop ought to be run. I've been there for 3 exams now, and I will never go anywhere else.

Each time I come in the door, I am greeted. There are only a few people who work there, and they all know me. They say 'hi' and ask how my school is going. Even if they are busy helping someone else, I am acknowledged right away. I love that! It's one of the great things about patronizing a smaller business.

My exams are always done great. Dr. Kravitz is a really sweet guy and he knows his stuff! I have unusual eye issues and Dr. Kravitz has helped me immensely over the years. 

And I love picking out glasses there! They have a pretty good selection and they are really reasonably priced. Nobody is trying to up-sell you like in some places that work on commission or whatever. They answer all of my questions and help me when I need it, and they let me just browse and try everything on too. 

The last time I was there I picked a great frame and I got my new prescription put in them really quickly. They have their own lab and a lot of the work is done there in the shop. You can tell that the guy who cuts the lenses takes a lot of pride in his work. When I went to pick them up, he had me try them on, and he made sure they fit right and everything. He even adjusted them to accommodate the fact that one of my ears is higher than the other! Anyway, my glasses are great and I get tons of compliments! 

I read one review on here of some guy who had nothing nice to say about this place, and I just don't get it. Dr. Kravitz and his staff has always been friendly, helpful, professional and fair. They've always given me great service and great glasses.
4 - Stacey P.: Prepare for an extended wait. I normally block off 1.5 hours whenever I visit the office. The agony over the wait time is ameliorated by the attention to detail the doctor gives to the exam on top of the friendliness of the staff.
5 - Jessica P.: I've needed glasses since I was in the 5th grade. If I recall correctly, I first visited them in 2000-'01. I am now 23 yrs of age and ever since then, I have received all my pairs with Dr. Kravitz.

I have never had an issue with them. I have always arrived on time for my appointments and the most I've waited past my time is 20min (keep in mind I called 3hrs earlier to see if they had an opening for that day).
I don't mind waiting at all because I know I will leave happy. I only trust them and with great service comes patience on our behave as a customer since it is a small business. I believe his son works there too. I tend to forget if son or nephew.

Anyways.. one time, I did have an issue with my current pair actually and his "son" said he'd fix it for me on the spot or for pick up the next day. That same pair did take longer to come back from the lab though because I ordered from a catalog instead from their display. I don't remember the reason why, but they gave me a discount and they know I am a loyal and frequent customer there. :) 
Almost my whole fam schedules apps. My sis goes there and my mom has gone about twice (she doesn't break her glasses like my sis & I, & doesn't care about updating her frames).
I even refer people to him when certain people say they like my glasses and where did I get them. ( I should keep his info at hand. haha..)

I'm happy to hear they will be moving to a brand new location on Figueroa.
Maybe this way they will get more business and hire more staff so impatient people wont complain about the wait. OH SUCK IT UP!

P's. I also hope he doesn't retire soon. :(
2 - Jöshua M.: I booked an appointment for an eye exam 3 days ahead of time. I went for my appointment and arrived 15 minutes early. The receptionist immediately disappointed me by telling me I won't be seen until 30 minutes after my appointment time. Pretty irresponsible of this place - not everybody has the schedule flexibility to accommodate this. I would understand if I were a walk-in or if I called and tried to get them to fit me in on the same day, but this was not the case.

I decided to stay and began filling out the requisite forms. The receptionist asked if my last name was really the one I gave (since it's a shorter last name). I laughed at the ridiculousness of the question, and she decided to make a big deal out of her own incompetence. Meh, whatever.

Dr. Kravitz was very professional. He gave quick service and filled my prescription with terrific accuracy. I was very pleased with this part of the exam. But then...

I returned to pick up my contacts after they were ready. The same receptionist decided to be even less pleasant this time around. She told me to sign in even though there was one person ahead of me. I was about to ask if I still needed to since I was just picking up contacts, but she cut me off and made a big deal yet again out of nothing at all.

I liked Dr. Kravitz. His professionalism along with the convenient location makes this office pretty good. Unfortunately, the unprofessionalism and downright rudeness shown by the receptionists makes it difficult to return.

Anthony's Automotive - Upland, CA (34.10665, -117.6899846) ()
5 - Jordin M.: Excellent customer service and an honest mechanic. Look for the shop behind the car wash! Anthony provides a range of automotive services at competitive prices and is a friendly person as well! Do come by and check him out!
5 - Becky J.: Have always had  good experience here and highly recommend!!!

Anthropologie - Seattle, WA (47.6632853, -122.300746) (University District)
4 - maddie s.: You know how you get those silly email forwards that are like: Fill out this list about yourself and forward it to all your friends!" Well, when I choose to fill them out- about 1 in 3 has this question: "If you could max out your credit card at any one store, what store would it be?" My answer?

Anthropologie (Anthro to those in the know/former employees, which I am).

I first fell in love with Anthro back in high school when my mom and I would make the trek from small town Port Orchard to the big city and stop in UVillage.  The clothes were so pretty and there were so many of them!  Yes, they were expensive, so I would maybe get a shirt, but it was definitely on sale.

Then I started school at UW, and during my sophomore year, I got a job at Anthro.  The upside: work with pretty clothes and get a discount.  The downside: I was one of the few that was working part-time to support my LIFE instead of my shopping habit.  Therefore, when all my coworkers blew 3/4 of their paychecks buying new clothes, I had to be a tightwad and only bought things during the rare times when we got discounts on sale items.  

But, every item that I have ever bought from Anthro is still hanging in my closet, and I still love it. In fact, as I write this, I'm wearing my watch that I bought there over 3 years ago.

Anthro is a great, beautiful store that I love, and would be a five-star review if it wasn't so freaking expensive!
4 - Mallory P.: Definitely save up before you go here.  And don't get too caught up in all the gorgeousness that surrounds you.  They have the most elegant and classical touches for your wardrobe in a new, unique style.  I like that their clothes say more about a person than just their silhouette.  The home decor stuff is where I get crazy, though.  There's good deals in the back and you can usually find a cute piece that won't blow your budget.  Very girly and feminine (which is an indulgence I enjoy, but cannot thrive on).
3 - Sprizee V.: So I was thumbing through the latest Anthropologie catalog last night and I fell in love with an adorable t-shirt nicknamed "Unruly garden of wild flora meanders over double layer screen print gauze."  

I thought it was cute and so, later on in the evening when I was browsing the InternetS and wandered over to anthropologie.com, I decided to throw it into my shopping cart for kicks.  This is something I often do without actually getting to the point in which I purchase any of the items in my online shopping cart.  It's kind of liking going to a gourmet grocery store, filling up my cart with $90 caviar, imported cheese and $7 baguettes, and then leaving the cart in the aisle before walking out the door.  Except less work.

But before their website would actually put the shirt in my shopping cart it notified me the shirt was backordered. Until May. Anthropologie, what is your problem? Every time I see something I like in the catalog or at the store that I want to buy it, I find out that you don't have it in my size or it's 6 months backordered until it will totally be out of season. You have issues. Then again, I was the one willing to pay $58 for a t-shirt. Fine, we both have issues.
3 - carrie L. B.: I hate you Anthropologie.

You tempt me with your overpriced dresses and t-shirts that look so pretty when I try them on. 

So I spend the bank. But after one wearing your overpriced garments never look the same. Never so fresh and dainty as the first time. And forget washing or dry cleaning!

Don't speak to me Anthropologie. Don't send my your catalogs, I'm just going to throw them straight into the garbage.

Oooooh look at that pretty dress right there on the first page... 

Give me strength.
3 - Eva G.: Sing along will you?? 

"How much is that dress in the window??"

Too much..thats how much!!

It takes real will power for me to not go in into that store and it doesn't help that whenever I watch Giada on Foodnetwork, it reminds me that her husband works there and she gets a discount. 

Damn Giada!!
4 - Katie S.: *If this store was food, I'd shove it repeatedly into my fat face all day long.

*If it were a man, I'd do what Parker Posey told her 'bitches' to do in Dazed in Confused, "Anything you want'.

*If it were an automobile.. what kind of automobile would you be? huh? what.

Seeer, people. I love this crazy arty girly clothing store. I usually shop the sale rack, but I broke down today..  Got sucked into buying those full priced pants (count 'em two pairs!). They were starin' me down somethin' fierce.. Super cute and I'll have 'em for a long time. Yeah, I went there. I'm not proud of it. No sir.

It's wearable art and sure, it's overpriced.. but they have some fab stuff that's pretty individualistic. 

If you wanna look like you just stepped out of a Surface Magazine Photo op (I do!), shop here.
5 - marki v.: Age: 31 & Sex: Male
Why am I reviewing Anthropologie? 
I go to this store quite often than any mens clothing stores.  Why???  Why??

No... I am not a cross-dresser. 

My girlfriend loves this store and we live within walking distance. 
She can shop here for hours, I usually follow her around for few minutes but eventually will pick one of  their cookbooks and head to a couch. In those few minutes I would have heard "this is what Giada wore when she cooked..." a few times. 

"Do you come here to shop for yourself or to check out Giada's closet?" I always wanted to ask, but never did. 

I do like the cookbooks they carry and they constantly change their selections to keep me busy. 

I almost forgot to buy a gift for her birthday this year and how a quick stop at Anthropologie and a gift card saved the day for me!  I can't fall back on Anthro for a gift again can I? But wait I think I got  a hint last time when we went to Anthro.

Location: Anthropologie
Scene: I am on the couch with Foods of Asia on page 365 of 380  and 
             she is empty handed and we are ready to leave.
Me: How come you didn't buy anything?
She:  I can't afford anything.
Me: Nothing from the sales rack? 
She: No, I am saving up for the $500 GUCCI bag that we saw when
         we went to San Diego.

Great, I am putting my kidney up for sale. Any buyers???
4 - Carly L.: Heart this place, but not the prices. You will usually find me in the back where the sales racks are. I don't care that I shop the sale racks. I guess I usually peruse them, since I still don't have millions to spend on clothes. They have great random gifty items, books, lotions, frames, you name it. I have bought lots here, but it's never enough.
3 - C N.: The clothes are the saving grace of this store for me and the sole reason why I give it three stars.  I love the jeans they carry (Joe's and Paper Denim Cloth are still fitting me, luckily) and they usually have a good pair of casual work pants as well as interview appropriate clothing.  However, it all does strike a distinctly Country-Club, sorority-girl note especially in the spring when all the pastels attack.

I have now managed to actually find items to purchase on my last four trips to Anthropologie and have almost been driven away (or driven to killing) by the sales staff, which seems to employ the type of person who would live in the entire store's clothing without having to purchase elsewhere.  It takes all of my self-control not to walk out pretty much every time I get to the register.  This is partially sticker shock (though they definitely aren't terribly pricey; just somewhat pricey for the quality of certain items) and partially because no one wants to wait in line forever when there are two sales people, but only one doing the ringing up of a huge line while the other checks things on a list (this was at 4pm, not near closing) or there's no one at the register.

Unfortunately, my experience today brought all of my good times here to a close.  After finding the pants that I had coveted online and locating them in every size except for the one I wanted, I requested the next available size down in the pants and a shirt I was trying on.  

They had not been terribly busy when I asked because they were all talking to each other (I stood and waited for a break in the conversation because I had no "helper"/sales associate assigned to me) and two of the girls remained after the floor manager left to go find my pants.  Now the kicker is that I had seen the pants in the size I requested and that's why I was asking for them, but I just waited instead of listening to my gut and going to find them myself.  

Tried on the other five pairs of pants I had brought in and looked at the pants I chose again, but no sales associate had returned.  After walking around the little room for a few minutes and staring out the slats in the louvered door, someone came with the shirt, but upon asking where the pants were, she told me that they were looking in the back for the size.  Obviously, a bit annoyed, so I told her that they were on the floor and I had found them before I went into the dressing room (with more than one of that size).  She said that they would look again.  

After waiting another five minutes with no updates, I walked out onto the floor, walked over to the rack with the pants, pulled off the size I requested (noted the other two of the same size right next to it) and walked over to get a different shirt... only to run into the manager.  I could've spit nails when she said that she just couldn't find those pants I wanted and had been looking in the back.  Unfortunately, my seething boiled over and I informed that I had to go get them myself and had found two others of the same size, so I doubted that she was in the back.  She then lamely told me that she was doing something else.  I know that this is a business and you have things you need to do, but no customer should have to go out and find the items that you, as a sales person, are supposed to be getting.  Particularly because it was the manager and when I found her, she was folding shirts at the front and talking to a new customer.  I wonder if I had just stayed in the dressing room if they would've ever come with the pants.

Went back into the dressing room, looked at the pants again.  Chose the original size I had brought in (which made this experience even worse), walked up to the register, thought about it, and put the pants back.  You know, I don't want someone to get a commission for not helping customers.  Anthropologie could do well to learn from their counterparts in the Village, particularly due to their proximity to the very friendly and helpful Lucky.  But hey, Anthropologie's online store gives you a little pink birdie when its loading a new page.  That's pretty cool.  Hope the web designer gets my clothing commission instead since I ended up buying the pants online.
4 - Amie S.: My greatest hope is that someday I'll be able to afford to shop the whole store - not just the clearance rack. It would get 5 stars if I felt like I could shop there guilt-free, but the pricing brings it down a notch. 

I love, love, LOVE the clothes here (especially their skirts & dresses), and their selection of home stuff is also adorable - but I just can't quite bring myself to pay $80 for a cardigan, $50 for a tee, or over $100 for an everyday dress. 

That said, the clearance racks have some INCREDIBLE deals (I once scored a very cute sundress for $30, originally $120!!! - that I wore to death). I find the U Village store to be a better in that regard than downtown. The sales staff seems friendlier there too. 

I'd definitely come here to splurge on a fancier-dress for a special occasion, and I'll continue to scan the sale racks for good deals, and the home stuff for super-cute dishes, towels, and other neat things. Their web site is great for that too!
4 - Alli D.: As much as I adore Anthro, I don't own a single thing from the store. It's so dang expensive! I have to pacify myself by just going in and looking looking looking. I don't even let myself try anything on, because then I would have to buy it. I'll admit, the last time I was there I actually whipped out my phone to snap a few photos of some really cute stuff. Just so I would be able to drool over it in the privacy of my own home.

I do have a love affair with their housewares, though. They have really dainty dishes and linens, which are usually pretty reasonably priced. Last time I was there they had the cutest peacock-themed notebooks (I heart peacocks), which made me wish I had some profound thoughts to write down. 

You can get stuff on sale, too, which seems like the way to go. My oldest Sissy is always prancing around in these model-esque outfits, and when asked where they came from, her answer is invariably, "Sale at Anthro!" That little brat. If I weren't so jealous, I might actually like her.
4 - Cassie B.: I adore Anthropologie. For a chain, their clothes can be surprisingly nuts and arty, and if you mix them into your own wardrobe you won't look like you stepped out of their catalog. For anyone with eclectic, vintage taste, this is the store for you (just save your allowance). In addition to clothing, they sell lots of bags, shoes, and other accessories. They also carry lovely jewelry, some of which is quite reasonably priced. The physical stores don't tend to carry a wide variety of accessories, and the U Village store doesn't carry shoes at all. They do have a lot of Anthro's charming housewares, which have a definite shabby-chic or retro vibe to them. 

Their clothes are crazy expensive, true. Not couture-level, but tops are generally $50-90, so take that as you will. I rarely buy things full price, though, as they frequently move things to the sale rack and sheeeeit I ain't made of money! Check their website often for new sales items, then call the store to see if they've got it in stock. 

The U Village store is very similar to the Downtown location, but they do tend to have a slightly different variety since neither carries everything. But both have the same level of service (friendly but not intrusive, very helpful if you want it) and similar "feel". They have nice dressing rooms, with a large bank of mirrors in the dressing area so you can check our the ol' caboose in those $150 jeans. 

I decided to knock a star off because the U Village store tends to be a bit too perfumed sometimes, and I'm not sure a store this crazy expensive should get 5 stars. I can't really afford to be as addicted to this place as I am. Doesn't seem fair, I know--but mass-produced clothing made of standard materials really shouldn't cost this much; Anthro just knows they've got us by the you-know-whats.
5 - Amy B.: Truly one of my favorite stores. I absolutely love their unique styles--esp their cute cardigans, fantastic dresses, and stylish slips! 

*Sigh* I long for everything in this store!
3 - Geraldine D.: Shopping here is always a frustrating experience, because the regular-priced items just don't seem worth it, and the sales racks never have my size. Still, sometimes the stars align and I'll find something on sale that I not only like, but that fits, too! 

Another frustrating issue is the sales racks aren't homogenous across stores or the internet. Something will be much pricier (or cheaper) online, and will cost twice as much on the downtown sales rack as the U-Village sales rack (or vice-versa). I hate that. 

Also, they ask for your name when entering the dressing rooms, which is weird. I always give them fake names. I am working on the name "Mulva" (like from "Seinfeld") but I can't do it with a straight face - the best I got was "Dolores" and I started giggling whenever they knocked on the door  and called me that.
4 - Laura B.: Something about me wants to dislike this store...but I can't.  I actually like it.  I usually just browse the regular priced section before heading to the back to scavenge the sales racks.  I've found a lot of cute stuff there for really reasonable prices ($40 for a super cute skirt...).  

I don't have any complaints about the sales people since I don't ask random strangers whether or not clothes look good on me and I don't pay attention to unsolicited comments.  Doing so would be, in a word, idiotic.  Of course they'll tell you everything looks good...it's called retail, darling.  

It is really similar to the one downtown but I like honestly think this one is a little friendlier, more relaxed, less pretentious.  I'm definitely more tempted to go to this branch than the one downtown when I'm desperately in need of some retail therapy.
5 - Ava E.: Love this store.  Have always loved this store.  Will probably always love it too.  The product is amazing and just walking into the store makes you feel like you are walking into a story.  And I guess that is how it is set up too.  One of the sales associates told me they invent a person and merchandise around her.  They even give her a background story!  So cute.  Love the staff, they are always so helpful!  And it is refreshing to know that they aren't paid on commission so I don't feel like they are lying to me if they say something looks good!  Once I tried on a dress and showed the associate and she politely told me that they could probably find something to suite me better... and they did!  The only big con of this store is that weekends are insane.  The store is always so busy and crowded.  If you want a more personal and relaxed experience come during the week!
4 - Midge C.: Their policy now honors a 14 day price adjustment.
3 - Melissa S.: I have finally found my new favorite store! Only - because this is a chain - I won't be visiting this location again and will be seen at the downtown Anthro instead. This is mainly due to the employees and there too-hipster appeal that they can't even have good customer service! I guess this is what you're supposed to expect when they hire mostly college students who don't have any experience?! I didn't even get a hello until I went to try on some clothes!

However I love the store as a whole because their clothes are actually very stylish, affordable (especially on the sale rack), and the fit is great!

Thanks Anthro for being available ... in more than one location!
4 - Kiki M.: My friend is an Anthropologie lover through and through. It has surfaced in many of our conversations but I had never been there. I figured it to be high end clothing which of course would be expensive. I shop at thrift stores therefore this place obviously was not for me. One Sunday we needed to do some retail therapy and I found myself walking through the heavy wooden double doors of Anthropologie and found why this is heaven.

This store is decorated as if you're outside under a canopy. There are lots of windows and it feels airy with lots of natural light. The color scheme is very earth tone based and you just know their mission statement boasts about working to protect the environment. Unbeknownst to me Anthropologie sold more than clothing. There are house and bed wares to satisfy the chicest of people. My house looks like a bachelor pad. Its sparse and purposely so. If I gave a damn about my house looking presentable, I would buy decorations from here. 

The clothes are cute. So cute. I wish I could be more articulate but that is what they are. Plenty of colors and patterns and embroidery. I was in awe then my friend mentioned the price of a top we both admired. You have got to be kidding me! It is legal for them to charge so much for a strapless top?! I continued to browse, loving every item I saw, but remembering that if I bought something at full price my heart would explode. 

The sale rack beckoned and I found a cute romper that was still a bit pricy in my mind but damn it would make my day a little brighter. Went to the dressing room and the associate there was gregarious and helpful. She told my friend and I to let us know if we needed a different size or anything else. She then came back later to see if we were doing okay.  The romper was terribly cute but I found the boning was sticking out. A minor repair that I was capable of but I wondered if I could get a discount. I figure I wouldn't and if I did it would be something measly like 10%. I go up to the counter and the woman was incredibly friendly and nice. I told her about my problem. She was genuinely concerned and said I could get a discount but needed to call her manager to see how much it would be. The manager came and the associate explained the situation. The manager expressed just as much concern, apologized, then gave me 35% off. My jaw dropped. Did that really just happen?! Dang. I like this place!

Of course Anthropologie has incredible clothes and trendy housewares but it gets four stars due to the customer service. Its been a very long time since I've been treated that well in an establishment plus they gave me 35% off! Holler.
4 - Joy H.: I heart anthro . . . why did my friend ever introduce me?! Everything they have is so cute although pricey. Their sale section can get over crowded and messy due to its proximity to UW. Once a year they do have a huge sidewalk sale (which just concluded this weekend) and so I always swoop in and grab some goodies! Today I got a summer dress for $20 and a nautica blazer for $10 - crazy cheap for anthro!!
4 - Lori M.: I'm a thrift store kind of girl, so you'd think I'd hate Anthropologie (heck, I can even find Anthro cast-offs at Goodwill when I look, so you'd probably wonder why I'd buy at the store). I can't help it. Anthropologie is to clothing like Whole Foods is to grocery stores - they completely sell a shopping experience (as well as some good quality and beautiful items). 

Shopping at Anthro is like shopping in another dreamy world. You walk in and the smell of burning Voluspa candles takes over your olfactory senses (interestingly, this also perfumes the clothes you buy, so the first time you wear your clothes, a little of the Anthro store magic floats around with you). Each Anthropologie store has their own team of artists that designs its store displays (around a central theme governed by some Anthro head), so visually everything is super appealing (plus, it's like you're shopping in a gallery, elevating the clothes to art-like status).

Admittedly, I have never bought something full-price at Anthro. I always shop the sale rack (and even then prices can be high for me). But even at sale prices, you get the Anthro experience.

The sales people at the U Village location have been really awesome. They are super helpful in the dressing rooms (and the dressing rooms are bright with full-length doors and enough places to hang clothes - there's no clothing limit for the dressing rooms).

tip: Because of Anthro's return policy (forever with the receipt and tags intact), if you peruse the sales rack often enough, an item you might have missed out on from last season could return at a great price.

tip 2: Also, although the sidewalk sale is ridiculously crowded and hard to park for, if you're looking for a certain sale item that is no longer in stock on the website, you should come here. This Anthro gets all the sale items from the other Anthro locations in the area shipped to them for the sidewalk sale so they can have MASSIVE inventory. Even a week before the sidewalk sale, you'll start to notice their sale selection gets a lot larger!)
4 - Pamela U.: I admit it, I have a problem with Anthropologie both on line and in real life. I love wondering through this store, running my hands over the dresses, fingering the necklaces and bracelets, gazing longingly at the little knobs and tea cups. Sometimes I just go there to wander around and relax and of course, end up buying something delicious anyway.

If you're looking for old fashioned glass door knobs, a cute blouse with a bit of a vintage vibe, flowery china plates or a Mad Men dress for an evening out that you don't have to duke it out to win on Ebay, Anthro is the place for you. Some of their sweaters and blouses have that hand made, thrift store find that you will not be able to resist. They have a great selection of denim and pants that rival Nordstroms. 

My only complaint is the price, but if you're patient and lucky you can find things on sale tucked away on the sales racks.
4 - C M.: i love love love this store. i go in once a week and can always find at least one amazing sale find. just last week i found an amazing skirt for only $30 originally about $80. you just have to look and keep going in.  plus the whole anthro experience keeps me addicted! the u-village store in particular is really open and the employees always are honest if i ask them their opinion on something that i choose and if i ask them for advice and to help me put together an outfit they most certainly will.  love this store.
5 - Christina S.: This is my favorite store. I can always find beautiful clothes and fun items for the home. But even if you're not interested in the shopping the designers who decorate the store are so inspiring, imaginative and creative. The staff is always friendly and helpful.  Absolutely love it!
3 - Angie K.: I love Anthropologie in theory. Their mix of carefully curated pieces with mass-produced funky/pretty items is very captivating and I find myself spending a ton of time walking around the store looking at things. Today I saw the most amazing canopy bed made of what looked like regular old plumbing pipe, of course dressed to the hilt in frilly, pretty bed linens.

So why do I rarely buy anything at Anthropologie? I'm not afraid to spend a few dollars now and then when I see something I like. Partially I think it's because I have to rush out the door when I get overwhelmed by the candle smells. And I would definitely buy clothes there if they carried plus sizes. But mostly I think the store itself is more lovely than any one thing in it. I do find cute things for the home from time to time, though.
1 - Sarah R.: Prices are on the higher end for a chain retail store but their clothes are really cute and decent quality.  

However, I won't be back at this location.  I got so much passive-aggresive attitude from the staff and I have no idea why, I'm generally pretty nice.  From being snubbed at the dressing room to being outright ignored when I tried to check out (yeah, they ignored me when I was trying to PAY for things).  Maybe next time I'll take the hint and drop the items I want to purchase on the floor and walk out.
1 - Cathy G.: Yuckaroonies!
I caroused the entire store looking for something which was NOT wrinkled or of poor quality material or BOTH. Didn't find. I found outrageous prices for wrinkly wierd clothing for very thin women. Some over-priced housewares.

I went through the entire store.. rack by rack.. EVERY RACK.. I was offered help as I exited!
4 - Clover A.: I put this store between Urban Outfitter and Coldwater Creek.  For those of us who are grown up enough to not want the trendy cheap stuff anymore but still aren't ready for mom jeans.

The housewares are really fantastic - think Williams Sonoma meets farmer's market- and the clothing- although expensive is all seemingly well made and gorgeous.
4 - Sarah R.: This store is one of my guilty pleasures. I rarely buy anything, it is too damn spendy! However, I enjoy the experience. It feels like a splurge just to go in there. 

The boho style gets me every single time. I love it for clothing & home. This place has both in one store! 

At some point I will be able to do more than window shop here. When that day comes, watch out because it's on!
4 - Elizabeth M.: Beautiful, unique, inspiring.  That goes for everything the store carries: clothing and  jewelry, and also bath-, home-, and kitchenware.  However, out of the many times I've been here, I can only remember 2 sales associates that gave good customer service (in my book this means friendly and helpful, and perhaps but not always going the extra step).  As a shopper, I observe the employees of this store always seem to have sour attitudes, especially at the counter.  The attitude isn't justified, the store is so bright and beautiful, a refreshing place to be.  From my experience, I come here for inspiration and gifts (too expensive to shop regularly for myself), but not for help or chitchat.
5 - Kari C.: I used to work in fashion, and right now none of the popular trends appeal to me at all. It's always a sure bet that when I can't be bothered to wander into more than 2 stores in a mall because the clothing in display windows looks too sloppy or boring for my style, Anthropologie is going to have at least 10 things that I'll want so bad that it hurts, post haste!

In the summer, my friend and I went to Seattle and I begged to come here. Upon walking through the doors, the words "I'm so excited, I don't know whether to cry or wet myself!" entered my head. I was home, standing in the middle of a pretend European land that could have existed 60 years ago. 

Bright colours, flirtatious ruffles, sparkly jewelry, cute books and stationary, vintage-styled lingerie, luxurious body products, and a large housewares side that included A KITCHEN SECTION!

Sexy aprons, adorable measuring spoons, flower measuring cups, a white fleur de lys collection of pitchers, plates, bowls...I waddled out of there with 2 monogrammed mugs (one each for my boyfriend and I), a retro kitchen timer, and an armful of adorable glasses, all different type, for food and drink photos. I rationalized that they were investments in the food blog. 

My only regret was not getting the white fleur de lys pitcher and teapot, and maybe not having brought a U-HAUL. I was tempted to tell my friend to go on home without me, and I would try to make a go of it, living in the store, sleeping in the fluffy, royalty-worthy beds, and eating coconut candles.

Anthropologie, open up your Vancouver (Canada!) location already. You're killing me here!
5 - Maria N.: It's definitely pricey, but I love the Anthropologie aesthetic: classy, feminine, and whimsical--a far cry from the trashy-cheap-chic of places like Forever 21.   They always have well-designed window displays that look like pieces of art than advertising, which I can appreciate. 

The best time to go to this location during the U Village Sidewalk Sale.  You can score some really great deals.
5 - Jessica B.: Anthropologie teaches me how to dress and live like a cool kid!

Here's why I love it so much: 
1- Clothes seem to fit me often! and make me look cute and cool! 
2- Sales here can be AMAZING! 
3- It's the only place in the world that makes me buy $25 candles. I buy them often because they make my bathroom smell like the baby jesus. 
4- Beyond cute kitchen items!!!! Aprons, dishes, oven mitts! 
5- Hooks and knobs that are to die for! The knobs on my dresser cost more cumulatively than did the dresser itself. 

Love love love!!!!! Shop shop shop!!!!! 

I try to ignore that the corporation donates lots of money to politically "red" things. 
Also, it's pretty expensive. Save up! .. I wish they had a mens section... I always feel bad for all the dudes who were dumped on the couch for the long wait.
3 - Suie C.: If I had the money, I would buy so many things from here...but the prices deter me. 

It s a large store with lots of things to look at, but I usually end up browsing rather than buying b/c being the poor grad student that I am, $149 for a casual dress just isn't plausible. 

Also, service seems to be a bit lacking, the last time we were here, not one staff said hi or asked if they could help us. 

No biggie as I like to browse on my own. 

Overall, a-okay, and if I had the means, I would purchase things from here, but you can find similar things for much cheaper elsewhere.
4 - Jennifer B.: Anthropologie is definitely my favorite clothing store out there right now.  The styles are fantastic, their clothes are high quality and fit very well, they have great sales, and they keep everything very fresh.

This Anthropologie store is a pretty good one.  They sell both homewares and clothing, but unfortunately they don't sell shoes, and I really do like to be able to try on the shoes.  The downtown Seattle Anthropologie store sells shoes which is nice.

I've never had any issues with the service - everyone has always been very helpful in getting me different sizes when needed, and they are pleasantly attentive, which for me means not very attentive but just enough that they notice when I have a handful and offer to put it in a dressing room :).
3 - Vanessa J.: Anthro is Anthro is Anthro, no matter which locale you hit. However, this one seems to be super extra smelly. It keeps me from browsing too much, and sometimes it keeps me from finding what I want, due to the sickly sweet nature of the perfumey aroma. The girls are nice, the stuff is pretty, but I just can't get past the smell.
3 - Lana H.: OMG, they have the cutest, most stylish clothes here.
Too bad I'm not willing to shell out $110 for a pair of jeans or $96 for a blouse.
This location had a lot of everything and most items were pricey.

Anthropologie - Palo Alto, CA (37.4396985, -122.1578255) ()
4 - Mary C.: If you want casual clothes but don't want to look like a Gap clone, you'll find something to tempt you at Anthropologie.  Don't overlook their sleepwear, which is especially cute, or their home items and stationery.
1 - Allison K.: I don't like this store.  It kinda reminds me of a yuppy vintage clothing/furniture/nicknack store that marks up everything 500X logical value.  "Wow, I can get this sanded down, beat up, white footstool for a meagre $750!"  What a f'in steal...how bout you send me $20 and I'll make you one.
2 - Lovebird ..: Anthropologie: hip Palo Alto soccer moms
Urban Outfitters: hip suburban teens

Anthropologie: $500 shitty beaten up nightstand
Urban Outfitters: $200 shitty beaten up jeans
1 - Dave M.: Verie uglie clothes in a smellie store.  Would do well to carrie a lot more pot and a lot less pourri.
2 - MJ T.: This store is a huge giant red obstruction on alma street, that still distracts me from driving everytime. I hate it. Staff is nice, and the clothing is of quality material and unique style, but the prices are freaking unreasonable. I do hope this store will be replaced with something that serves the community better.
3 - Jared W.: I'm giving three stars for the cool fountain at the front of the building.  The doors are nice too.  Never been inside, but have had the pleasure of driving past it for the last year now.  Thanks anthropologie!
3 - Jen W.: Clothes are a little "funky" and not always my taste, but I can always find a great pair of pants and cotton top. I think the prices are too high for the quality of clothes, however I always find time to stop by when I'm in the Palo Alto area. Their housewares and note card inventory is worth checking out.
4 - Jane Y.: despite which i think are "undeserved" negative reviews...i really love this store! granted i sometimes do wonder, "did they actually make that for someone to wear?" and certain things are overpriced but i have found tons of cute and unique clothes here. the sales are pretty good...anything that was too overpriced to buy but just went on sale - you gotta get quick or you'll be left with size 14's. they've been really good about price adjustments too. numerous times i have bought something that i really loved at full price (knowing it would be gone in 24hrs) and let's say a month later it goes on sale, and i haven't worn it yet....you get the idea. i just feel happy when i'm in here and enjoy walking around their wonderfully displayed store and looking at every little thing.
1 - Rachel M.: It's probably like any average store - it's hit and miss on its selection, although yes, the fountain in front is a nice touch.  

However there's a major caveat - the store supports Republicans financially (http://www.buyblue.org/node/2064/view/summary) and is part of a chain and not necessarily a source of independent unique items.  Let these facts guide whether you want to actually spend money in the store - or if you want to support a smaller independent local business (say, on University or Ramona...) instead.
2 - Elaine C.: Like Adrienne C. mentioned in her review, Anthropolgie is just another line opened by the people who brought you (or your teen sister/daughter) Urban Outfitters. Excep Anthropolgie is tailored towards the slightly older crowd of yuppie moms looking for "trendy" "vintage" clothing (hey, sounds like Urban...) and housewares. I tried to like this store. Some of the things on their website actually looked cute and wearable for a girl in her early 20's. But every time I visit the actual store, I find it filled with stay-at-home moms pushing baby strollers around the store while browsing at ugly peasant blouses and plates with flowers and peacocks on them. Something about this store really makes me ill. I think it's the whole "country-style" feel. The people that work here are also rather snooty, although they can probably tell I can't afford most of the things in the store. Not my place or style.
4 - Amanda C.: I love this store - - - Yes, I agree - the clothes are over priced, but the sales are what keep me coming!

I purchase clothing only every so often when I find a really good deal. Housewares are the best deal around - and those are always on sale. I purchase the most adorable, colorful napkins and dishtowels probably every month. Picture frames and notecards are also a great find at Anthropologie.
4 - Ann H.: This is the only store where I can consistently find cute skirts.  It's pretty much the only thing I'll buy from here; all the other clothing they sell is cute but bad quality.  Sweaters will pill quickly and tops lose their shape and shrink very easily.  I would recommend any of the Odille skirts, and they usually have a nice sale selection throughout the year.
5 - Sunshine Z.: I love this place! Some seasons are better than others, depending on the  overall fashion trends out there, but you can always find something flattering, unusual, and pretty. I have always had very helpful and friendly salesgirls (unlike some Anthropologies in other cities).  The sales are fantastic, but stuff goes fast. The in store sales are almost always way way better than the online ones (things often go on sale sooner in store and for lower price). Yeah, full price things here are ridiculous, but when I find beautiful, flattering pants, well, I will pay a little more. For tops I will usually wait for the sale.
3 - Akemi Y.: I like their stuff.  I always want to buy something there, and then I see how ridiculously overpriced they are, and I just don't.  Plus, their clothes are always too small for me, because I have hips.  And an ass.  Ah well.
2 - Angie C.: The clothing selection in Palo Alto is not as good as the selection in other Anthropologie locations in the Bay Area. Also, the salespeople are hit or miss. Sometimes they're super nice and sometimes....................... I think I might walk out from the snottiness.
3 - Ginni S.: Been here several times and drop by whenever I'm just cruising by Palo Alto.  It carries a variety of items in addition to clothing, such as candles, perfumes, household accessories (pillows, doorknobs, etc), and paper products.

It definitely provides an alternative to Banana Republic and Ann Taylor's practical solid colored tops and bottoms.  I agree that it's somewhat overpriced for hippie looking stuff.  But the colorful patterns are fun looking and easily paired with the solid stuff you get from Banana Republic.  I'd browse through the sale rack.  The return policy is quite lenient, so if buyer's remorse hits you really hard, you can always take it back to the store.  Happy Shopping!
3 - Julia A.: The Palo Alto location doesn't seem to be as cramped as the San Jose store, where every nook and cranny is packed with so much stuff that it's overwhelming.  They have some cute and/or classic things here that you'll wear for awhile, but most of what they sell is very trendy and very overpriced.  They do have decent sales, though: I bought a pair of AG Jeans marked down to $25.00 from $150.00, but that was a rarity.  Most of the time their sale items are either teeny-tiny or extra-large.  I also like that the salespeople aren't pushy.  I used to come in and browse more often, but recently I've found that their prices have gone way up while the quality of merchandise has not.  I just don't have the money to throw away on an expensive item that will fray, shrink in the wash, or otherwise destruct in a short time.  =/
5 - Archie R.: Once again I am giving away trade secrets.  Much like BCBG, this is one of those places that makes us guys look like we know what we are doing when shopping for women.  When it comes to LOOKING like I know what I am doing, I am a master.  

Pretty much anything from this place is a sure fire hit.  Well, except for the very out of place "Bed, Bath and Beyond" section that highlights cabinet knobs, handles, and bath hooks.  Much like a vacuum and or blender, these would probably not go over well given as a gift.  

My last trip here, I scored with a white summer-ish skirt, shoes to match, and a pretty cool Audrey Hepburn book.  No, none of it for me.  Oh, and don't even get me started on the candles they have.  

But seriously...who's buying the $3000 25 year old 6 foot tall clock that's smack dab in the middle of the room?

If you are timid, just hand your credit card to any chick that works there, tell her you are clueless, and she'll guide you right.
5 - Snowtea G.: I love Anthropologie.  Although their clothes are a bit pricy than Forever 21, but you got what you paid for it.  They have great quality of clothes.  The fabric looks and stay the same even thou u washed several times.  

I also like the Palo Alto store better than the one in Santana Row.  The staffs are more friendly and they have good stock of small sizes.  I am size 0-2 and can always found size 2 dress on the sales rack.
4 - Elaine S.: The clothes here are really cute and are definitely vintage inspired. I always find really cute things here that I want, and of course can't afford (the prices are really high).

The smell of the store is amazing! I keep meaning to ask what candle or scent it is, but I always forget.

The only thing that annoys me is that a lot of times, I cannot find my size in pants or skirts (0 or 2), especially in the sale section!
4 - Jennifer T.: Ok I never thought in a million years I would shop here....but my friend lives down the street so I just stopped in last week to see if they had any cute sun dresses on sale for my trip to Spain.

YES! I found a bunch of cute stuff all marked way down! (I am a size  12ish and tall so it's not always easy to find stuff) Surprise..Jennifer finds clothes that fit and are not insanely priced at Anthropologie...Hallelujah there is a God...

The sales girls here were really really friendly too...I think I'll go back every now and then, but only to the sale racks! The regular priced merch is a little out of my budget!
3 - J T.: Tried to like this place.  Really.  It seems fun and different, but I've never found anything here that could even begin to justify the hilariously high prices.  The water feature outside the front door is kind of interesting.
4 - Katharine A.: I have a mixed feeling about anthropolgie.  It has GREAT sales. I agree that the prices are sometimes a bit steep, but the clothing and housewares are cute.  The jewelry is VERY reasonable and there are some cute vintage pieces that are a bit more expensive. 

TRY EVERYTHING ON!  This store suffers from reverse hanger syndrome.....a lot of their clothes look better on the rack then on the body.  However, there are some great finds to be had here.

I also like the orange building, the waterfall outside and whoever is the visual merchandiser for this store.
5 - G L.: I think any one who doesn't love this store is nuts!  The staff can be rude and annoying but the clothes are always fresh and interesting.  I woudn't recommend them to anyone above a size 12 though.
4 - Hazel Grace D.: Gotta' love Anthro! This is certainly not one of their best stores, but the staff is friendly and they have a decent sale rack... it's just fine in a pinch, when I can't make it to the (much better) Burlingame location.
3 - Leah A.: I love this store, definitely. I can always find something to buy and always find something on their extensive sale rack. This store is packed with clothes. Which leads me to my gripe: I can't see half the stuff they are trying to sell me. Why do they have to fold everything and put it at knee level on a shelf under a table? What is up with that? Isn't there some better way to display those poor tshirts and sweaters? Bummer. I hate unfolding the stuff to look at it, just to make one of the ladies fold it up again. 

Furthermore, if you are looking for a place to shop where the sales people won't bother you, this is the place. I probably stop in here 2x per month. No sales people EVER talk to me. I can even look at them longingly and they turn away like I am a leper. But when you do ask them for help, they are very receptive and attentive.
4 - Reid Y.: I am writing this review for helpless males who get dragged into this store.

Women loooooove this store. The shabby-sheik interior.  The bohemian clothes.  It attracts women of all ages, who can spend hours upon hours browsing through their clothes.   And I'll admit it, my girlfriend looks good in their clothes.  But woe is me, who drives the fuel-efficient car that transports us around the Bay Area, for I have been here too many times to admit.  And unlike the mall, where you can go do some thing else while your partner shops, you're stuck.  The closest store is an antique shop across the street.  

So how do you survive?  Given that when you go here, your girlfriend will probably head straight for the left side of the store, where there's all the clothes and sale items, veer right.  You'll pass the cash register, where a sales person will look at you and immediately register that you're here only because you're with your girlfriend and know that you're not a potential sale at all, hence leaving you alone for the duration of your visit.  But, the right side of the store offers some time-wasting benefits, such as cookbooks with only pictures of cupcakes or photographs of bridges.  Take a seat on one of the cushions there, but avoid sitting on the $1000 couch on the right corner, because you could be victim of a 'you break it, you buy it' story or worse yet, be approached by a sales person.

If you exhaust all of these books (maybe because you've been here too many times), head to the back of the store, where you can browse through cheeky stationary and miscellaneous things like door knobs.  One thing I enjoy doing is checking the price tags of lots of these items, and laughing at how lavishly overpriced it all is.  Did you know you can buy a candle for $20 with a box that has any letter of the alphabet you want?  Or that they sell toothpaste imported from a European country.  You can sample each of their 30 brands of lotions in the back, but don't use too much, as the flowery scent might give away what you're doing to your female companion (and convince her that she needs some, requiring a long amount of testing on her behalf).  

And if you run out of doing things, then you, my diligent male companion, are out of luck!  Maybe take a nap on the bed in the back, but since I've never done this, I cannot say for sure if that is a good idea.
4 - Rachel S.: This is a store that you want to bring a sleeping bag to, pop microwave popcorn and invite 10 of your closest friends to spend the night. What is it about adulthood that transpires to eliminate the all-girl fashion show sleepover? That loss is the thing i forgot to mourn until i found this store.

I don't get it. I want to dress my girl loren in all of the lime green frills the place has to offer since that color suits her and makes me look like i've had a long night at the rollercoaster park. I want to put all those pattern-intensive smoks and tops on that i could never wear to work but KNOW i'm meant to sport.. somewhere. Nah, the truth is, this store merges the outlandish notion that women like color in their clothes (thank godness someone knows) and style in the lines. If only i didn't hemmorage the bank account just for stopping by..
3 - jeanne l.: :(

how to afford all the awesome items here -
actually, how to afford just 4 of them?

anthropologie is what i treat myself with when i 
make just a little bit more, work just a little bit harder,
or when i am sick of all of my clothes and bratty and
am "okay" with spending 68 bucks on a simple (though
cute) tee.

anthropologie will get a visit from me come tax rebate time..
and, not to mention the receipt of the rebate we receive to
boost the economy.

in the meantime, i will peruse the sale rack and search their
online sales, hoping for some good finds.

p.s. the stationary here is quite cute as well as the perfume
bottles -
5 - Theresa C.: I love this store! So girly, so fresh, so fun! Everything form perfume to soap to kitchen items to nighties, to beautiful underpinnings to sweaters that cost an arm and a leg. I am a size 0 or 2, and just can't seem to convince myself to wait for the sales. So if there's a beautiful sweater I buy it, love it, and don't buy another thing for the balance of the month!

I use to live about 3 blocks away, on Homer Ave, and it was nearly deadly. I am more at peace since I moved a little further away and visit the store about 1X per month.

I can ALWAYS find something beautiful to buy here! The sales are good, and I do love the kitchen items too! Go when you have time, and HAVE FUN!
2 - Liz L.: Ahhh pretension.  The epitome of.  I am still waiting for the day I am willing to blow $ here, because as of now, I won't.  That being said, I don't and wouldn't mind receiving gifts from here.  I remember fondly seeing a cute blue dress with sailboats on it that was a gazillion dollars.  Oh well.
3 - Jenn D.: I think this store has some really nice clothes, expecially for those impromptu occassions where you need something nice. The selection is great, different colors and designs for everything. The downside is this store costs like half of my paycheck to just get a pair of nice cropped jeans. Jeez, I do like the location of the store, right on the corner where everyone can see it. Parking can be pain, unless you find that one spot, where you won't have to walk a mile to your car. Also, it's in close proximity to both downtown Palo Alto and Stanford Shoppiing Center.
4 - Superduperpooperscooper T.: I don't particularly like the style of clothing there right now, but I did in past seasons.

But the real reason to go to Anthropologie is to fine terrific gifts for other females; small tokens or otherwise just to say thank you.  They have the cutest knick knacks everytime I go!  If you're a guy or gal needing to buy a small last minute gift for someone Anthropologie is a good bet.
3 - Christine P.: maybe i need to soften up my express wardrobe with some soft, girliness!  

i also need to smell some amromatherapy candles over my lunch break!

antropology does the trick!  the clothes are pretty pricy, but the clearance rack is good for a nice splurge.  the accessories are very unique and i've already got my eye on some glassware.  

i'll just have to just keep coming back and wait to the things i want to hit the sale area!

oh, and the rooms in the fitting rooms are huge.  staff is very friendly and not pushy!
4 - J. N.: This is where I go anytime I feel I need something special and a brownie just won't do. Although sometimes I do find the prices to be a bit much for what a particular product IS (i.e. 80 dollars for a T-shirt), I can always find something I absolutely love for a price that I feel is worth it. And although I spend more here on individual pieces than I would elsewhere, I find that the pieces I buy at Anthropology always end up being my favorites and I get A LOT of use out of them and so in a way, they pay for themselves:) 
The staff is OK, they don't go out of their way to help you, but are pleasant enough...
4 - Christine B.: I'm always on the fence when I go to Antrhopologie. Can I really afford to step in here? The times that I do come in, I peak at some new clothing on the stands and tables. Although I already know that this cute dress is over $200, I still look at the price tag hoping there would be some kind of mistake. After my browsing, I head straight to the sale racks.

My visit here today was pleasant. Two employees asked if I needed help with anything. I also found a light jacket for sale.
4 - Sarah C.: I've been to this Anthropologie location a handful of times; it's halfway between my home in San Mateo and where I grew up in Los Gatos. It worked when I was driving home in either direction. 

I love the red exterior of the building, but I'm not as crazy about the layout inside. A bit smaller than other stores I think.

I've run into a few unhelpful salespeople here, but others were equally as helpful.
4 - Linh L.: I love this store and I shop here all the time.They are very pricey if you are not use to paying top dollar you wont find it easy spending your cash here.  But they carry top brands.  When they have a sale its great! Great prices for designer brands!  They also have some unique home items:bedding; office;dinning;kitchen.  I even love the kids stuff they have!
4 - M G.: I like that the employees are sooo helpful. They will find anything for you and are knowledgeable about what is in stock.

The clothes, knick-knacks, and home decor items are really nice, too. Expensive, but worth it.
3 - elizabeth f.: The styles are just too similar to last season's same floaty skirt, same ruffly sweater, but then that's the Anthropologie look I suppose. They certainly don't seem to have any problem with sales. The home decor items are cute, but I'd rather shop across the street at Addison Antique where unique retro items can be found - and often at better prices.
5 - Ruth C.: I didn't think I could love this store any more than I already do, but 5 stars it is!

For one thing, the induction of the Anthro card was GENIUS.  It is very much like the Sephora card where points can get racked up, but since it's only been around for a little while, the complete perks of it aren't known.  What IS known is that I received a 15% discount card for my birthday month!  Yay!  So having this handy coupon, I went to this Anthro to try on some of the deliciously beautiful clothing.

Let me just say, this location has the most helpful staff ever!!  I tried on maybe 20 items and was in the fitting room for 45 minutes (which to me is a long time).  It was great!  I got to take my time and they retrieved different sizes for me and gave me suggestions.  I felt incredibly taken care of at this store.

One thing I didn't like was the DUST.  The fitting rooms could definitely use a sweeping.  But I'm not a complete germaphobe and it didn't bother me too much.  I just kept my shoes on the whole time.

What's new at this location is also that they have incorporated more of the "home" and beauty items found at the Santana Row store.  They've also expanded the accessory and bag collection here. Yay!

The sales rack is wonderful!  I found a GREAT magenta/pink shawl-like jacket for $50 when it was originally $98!  And it was the only one left AND it was in my size!  WOO!  I also purchased some lovely shirts that will be useful for work as well as going out.  =)  These shirts were great quality and very Banana Republic-priced.  In fact, I think Banana is more expensive than Anthro.

If you haven't been to this Anthro, definitely check it out!
5 - T J.: Way better than San Jose or Burlingame. This store has really great sales and the employees are extremely helpful and nice. They start fittings rooms unlike other Anthropologies I have visited. Its nice luxury when you have a ton of stuff in your hands. Sign up for the Anthro card, its a nice addition to being a customer there.
5 - Erin K.: Looooove anthro!!! 

This one is HUGE compared to the one in Burlingame, but small compared to the one in Union Square and NYC :-) 

They have the cutest fashion and home accessories! 

I can only afford the sales racks but when I was here a few weeks ago to pick up some presents for friends, this location had a lot of sales items! Oh how I can't wait to go back!! 

The staff was really helpful with getting me boxes to fit my odd shaped presents and they just looked so adorable in their boxes when they were all wrapped up.
4 - Allison D.: As always, the clothes and other items that this Anthro carries are all beautiful.  This location is slightly smaller than the store at Santana Row BUT at this location you don't have to deal with all of the obnoxious slow walkers who frequent Santana Row.  What I loved most about this location was the beautiful exterior of the store.  The waterfall creates such a peacefull mood as you enter the store.  Puts in the perfect mindset to do some shopping.
5 - Opera G.: I love Anthropologie, and the Anthropologie of Palo Alto is just another reason I love the store so much!  It has an excellent selection (considering it's not in a major city, like NY, Boston, SF where I used to shop at till I moved to the south bay area).  The staff are all very helpful and always in good spirit.  The displays are just stunning.  I love this store and I'm so glad that there is a store close to work.
4 - Rhea F.: love the clothes, love everything, love the location, love the staff...anthro keeps me going...
2 - Jessica L.: I love Anthropologie.  It's my absolute favorite chain store.  But, this particular Anthro just isn't for me.  For some reason, it never seems like they have the huge selection that's available in other stores.  On the few times I've stopped in here, I've found the staff to be unfriendly and unresponsive.  I'll stick to the Berkeley and SF stores, thank you.
5 - Janel Y.: Oh my.

My heart gets palpitations once I spot that brick-colored building and then my knees go weak once I'm inside, absorbing the beautiful colors bursting out and the smell of their candles wafting through the air.

When I haven't visited an Anthro for months, I can spend at least an hour inside, walking around, pulling clothes off racks and trying them on. Prices are HIGH and all my items are off the sale racks (which really, isn't much of a sale...it's just been discounted to regular store prices) located at the back by the dressing rooms and sometimes several racks once you enter, to the left.

The clothes are definitely unique, girly and a piece from them can just transform your blah outfit to an outfit that makes a statement. The one thing I bought original price from them was an Anna Sui dress that I've used to wear to different friends' weddings. Every time I've worn it, I've gotten compliments and know that it was $120 well spent, seeing that I've worn it at least 6 times already.

The staff here are friendly and helpful, setting up dressing rooms for you if you're like me and walking around with 5 hangers in your hand. The Anthro card is great. I got a bday present from them this past year (15% off an item during your birthday month) and loved the packaging it came in! Their window and floor displays are so creative as well. And I love the music choices they play as well...could it get any better?
5 - Momo O.: let's say that this is like the...warehouse anthro. the store is pretty small & cozy, and has an AMAZING sale section. especially for me...since i'm always looking for small sizes that seem to be all sold out at the sf anthro. used to shop here all the time before i moved down to la, & i miss it :(
5 - Kris I.: FYI - discount is 40%....  ;)
4 - B B.: This is a great clothing store.  I absolutely love 'em!  

Anthropologie offers high quality clothes at high prices.  The thing is though...I'd rather pay a bit more for great quality & have my clothes last a long time rather than buy nothing but cheapie items & have them fall apart only after a few months.  Many stores just don't make good quality clothes like they did back in the day.  Well, Anthropologie *does*.

They offer trendy pieces but not overly trendy, in my opinion.  They seem to mix a bit of trend with their classics.  I, personally, would rather have gorgeous classic pieces that last throughout the years & not spend $ every season as the trends change...

Awesome store & their sales are great too. That's what I normally wait for but sometimes when you find a piece you can't live without, you give in to their regular prices :P !
4 - mar m.: If I could only shop/browse at one store for the rest of my life, it'd definitely be Anthro.  Hands down my favoritest store in the whole wide world. However, I'm a poor student so I mainly go in here to look at the beautiful colors, styles, and fabrics.  Their clothes are just so wonderful.  Candy for the eyes.  They carry my favorite brand of jeans (Adriano Goldschmied), their dresses are unique, you can find wonderful basics, and who can resist their house stuff? I so could live off the clothes here, including undies.  I don't really buy anything unless it's on sale, and they tend to have good discounts every once in a while, so make sure you go look =)  While this is not my fav anthro store, it's worth checking out....if simiply to walk in and take a whiff of the beautiful smells, try on some clothes, put on some lotion, and walk out to your next destination. Thank you anthro for brightening my days.
3 - Meghan P.: This is a cute, homey Anthropologie store like many of the others. Unfortunately, also like the other Anthropologie's, much of the merchandise is pretty pricey for simple (though cute!) designs. I usually spend about 25% of my time browsing the 75% of the store that is not on sale and 75% of my time browsing the 25% of the store that is on sale. Basically, their sales are often great and their clothing becomes affordable once it hits the sale rack... And check out those math skills! ;)
4 - Sarah N.: I quite literally can not walk into this store without buying something, usually a dress. This means I rarely go for fear of the damage I will do to my credit card balance. While I will never understand why cotton blouses should go for $80 and dresses for $200  the gorgeous fabrics, designs and overall beauty of the clothing makes my heart swoon. They also have really cute housewares, including many different kinds of drawer knobs, aprons and dishes as well as books and furniture. This specific store pales in comparison to the one in San Francisco but it's convenient and has a great sale rack.
2 - Jaime L.: Style-wise, Anthropologie is really hit-or-miss for me, mostly miss.

These 2 stars are only because I feel like Anthropologie has given me the greatest compliment of all by allowing me to fit into their size 0.  I don't remember the last time I was able to fit into a 0.  And this is also why I hate this store.  I fell in love with a dress when I was there yesterday.  A dress that I could probably find elsewhere for half the price. 

I've become a fan of frugality and have refined this skill in recent months.  My trip to Anthro yesterday made this recovering shopaholic stray from my straight and narrow path.  Funny how love can blind a girl!  The dress I fell in love with was $118 and I had to buy 2 - in different colors.  Good thing they were out of the third color or else I would've snagged that one too.  I can't say I regret these buys for plain cotton and corduroy dresses, but I will not return anytime soon.  It definitely does not help that this shop is 2 blocks from home.  I'm just glad I said no to the $70 top that was so cute, but a cotton top with some satin ruffles on it for $70? 

I MAY return for the sale rack only.  Even some of the stuff on sale is not worth what's on the price tag.

I am, however, a huge fan of their home goods.  They have some really cute dishes and lamp shades, at unreasonable prices of course.

All-in-all: not worth the money.
5 - Kim C.: Great product...better service!
4 - jazzy l.: Why do I love this store? It's hidden from the main busy strip on University.  I love the outdoor waterfall. 

I minus one star for the lack of parking space.  There is only street parking.
4 - Anna V.: I am addicted to this Anthro location! It's a close drive from my work, and after rediscovering Anthro recently, I'm finding myself here at least once a week.

In high school I used to love perusing through vintage stores. I heard about Anthro a few years later, and loved the styling but it was totally out of my budget at the time as a broke college student. Anthro is totally the answer for people who love vintage-style and quirky clothing without having the time and energy to browse the hip vintage and thrift stores. 

However, this does come with a hefty price. I still can't justify paying for anything at Anthro full price (you're looking at $50 for a cotton tee/tank, $100 for a cute cardigan, $150-$200 for a pretty silk dress).

I do love the sales rack here though! I've only been to this location and the Santana Row location and I much prefer this one because of the sales rack. I find the one at Santana Row to be a disaster and pretty picked over. This one seems much neater, and has more things that I like.

I'm starting to realize that one reason why it's so fun to shop here is because they seem to rearrange the store all the time ! Everytime I go, it's like a brand new experience, with new arrivals and older ones coming out from hiding. I can literally spend over an hour just browsing the sales floor and then trying on the treasures I find. So many pretty prints and fabrics!

Come here, and hold on tightly to your money. I can't seem to escape this store empty-handed (but maybe empty-walleted).
1 - Amanda R.: I came in here to buy a quick present for a friend, and the  person who worked on the floor was rude, with a awful tone of voice and energy.  It was so bad at the end when I asked her a question and she gave me a sarcastic remark, and I said to her why are you talking to me this way ...her voice changed her demeanor changed and she was so defensive in a nice way .. I don't know what you mean in this sweet voice.  Like Jekyl and Hyde very bizarre experience. Should not be that hard!!!  Shame she still works there!
3 - Rachel G.: Of the three Anthro locations where I've shopped (the other two being San Jose and San Francisco), this one is definitely the least daunting as a shopper in that it's smaller and less crowded than the other two. Because it's off the beaten path from University, it's a pretty mellow experience shopping here, from the ease of finding street parking to the very zen waterfall/fountain by the entrance.

I've always had great luck in finding cute birthday presents for girlfriends and uber girly clothes for myself at this location. However, minus two stars for the customer service. Most of the time I come in here, it's a challenge to get a salesperson's attention when you have a question about a particular garment. It was especially frustrating today when I had an armload full of clothes that I wanted to try on, and 3 different salespeople breezed right by me without batting an eyelash. Thankfully, I didn't have to schlep everything around the store for too long being an efficient shopper, but I couldn't believe that no one stopped to offer to start a fitting room for me.
4 - Sarah M.: Very, very helpful sales people that know there stock and dress you for any occasion, very quickly!
5 - Olivia G.: This location has the best selection than anywhere else. Things are easy to find, it's smaller than the Santana Row one but I like it better. They usually have more sizes here and the staff are really nice.
2 - Elisa W.: I am a big fan of Anthropologie and can usually find something on my visits.  The ladies there are usually very nice and helpful.  However, my last experience at the Palo Alto Location has left a bad taste in my mouth.  

I was returning a blouse and that is where the hostility began.  The Asian sales clerk was rude, rude, rude.  She began making comments about me returning a blouse that they no longer carry.  Um.. the tags were still on and the return policy allows me to return it, so why the bitchy attitude?  She then proceeded to ring up my purchase and hastily puts the receipt in the shopping bag and shoves it towards me and said, "there you go".   She didn't even bother to wrap my purchase in tissue paper.  Not that tissue paper matters, but I just felt this clerk was really rude and obnoxious.  

If you are going to visit any Anthropologie stores and want friendly service, go to the one in Santana Row or Burlingame.
4 - Christine C.: I was pleasantly surprise when I visited this location. The inventory was smaller than other stores I have been to but they had all of the cutest Anthro pieces. I especially loved that their sale rack wasn't picked over. The salespeople are also really nice without being all up in your face.

I think I'll visit this location instead of the other larger, more crowded Santana Row store from now on.

Parking was really easy to. The stores is well away from busy University Ave. I went on a Monday evening after work and had no problem finding street parking.
5 - Nine N.: this location is the best of all the local to me locations.  i've noticed that they've got more sales selections in clothing and accessories, plus they are ultra organized and sincerely more friendly than other anthro sa's encountered!
the best section of this store has got to be the front far right of the store:  books galore!  again, more books and stationery variety than all the other anthropologies i frequent, even beating out santana row and san francisco.  carmel's anthropologie doesn't count though because it's not local to me, and anyway, carmel is my all time FAVORITE anthropologie.

i still have and wear this deletta rosette tank from this anthro location that i've only seen online.  i tried looking for it at the santana row and SF location to no avail.  guess they've got better buyers and/or shipment at palo alto.  

5 stars to them all the way for customer service, sales selections, display, variety of books and the store in its entirety.
5 - Michelle C.: Man this location is like super pretty!  The outdoor part to the building has water along the wall and a fountain that pours water into it.  So nice and relaxing.  It is like walking into a resort.  The store I felt was also a nice size.  Nothing to overwhelming.  My success was finding a dress that nobody else had in the Bay Area in my size!!!!  Bonus it was on sale!!!!!  Yesh!

I parked on the street.  Staff also super sweet.  No issues except for ladies thinking they own the sales racks giving me dirty looks.  How rude fellow shoppers.  I'm just like you, I need fashion at a cut price.
3 - Tammy L.: This location is the smallest compared to all the other Bay Area Anthro locations, so I usually don't bother to stop by even if I'm in the area. The times that I've gone, I just don't find anything here. The selection and sales are simply better at other Anthro stores. And the salesgirls can be quite snooty at this location. They'll help you when asked though.

Parking is super easy. I've never parked farther than perhaps 15 ft from the door.
2 - Jessica K.: Anthropologie used to be CRACK to me, I was addicted to this store. I won't lie, I'm not totally  "clean" yet, I still stop by now & then...but the overall quality of the the clothes seems to have dive bombed. Almost everything is made in China, I know this is how things are now but if I spend $100 on a skimpy shirt I'd like it to last more than 1 wearing. Low quality fabrics, unfinished hems, fraying seams....I bought a gorgeous dress last summer for $198, wore it once only to find the collar seam coming apart.
Still, they have CUTE clothes, especially dresses & shirts...but look everything over CAREFULLY!
4 - Catherine L.: I love this Anthopologie but I hate how expensive it is! No matter which Anthropologie you go to, casual dresses are usually at least $100, pants $98, tops $58 unless its a basic t-shirt then its usually $28.. yes I know my Anthro! Out of all the Anthropologie's I've been to, Palo Alto is always my favorite. They have some pretty good sales and the sale section isn't rattered and pulled apart like all the other locations (ex: Santana Row). 

The store is organized, well spread and easy to walk through so you can take your time admiring the pieces which are designed beautifully and true to what a lady would wear. Dont come here looking for skanky gear! You come here for some great sweaters, cardigans and everything else for your closet that has a special accent/touch that gives Anthro the right to jack up the price.. wahh.

They also have bedding, books and knick knacks for your house. Kind of like an Urban Outfitters but without the hipster wannabe feel, better quality and more expensive.

Service is always really friendly here too which is always pleasant especially when you're paying the price you pay for the stuff. It's just not as fun spending money on relatively expensive everyday clothes when the staff is a biatch! No need to worry about that here :).

Parking is either street or right across the street in Addison's Antiques parking lot (another great store!). 

I love Anthropologie but I hate what it does to my bank account.. but I love what it does to my closet! I'm excited for the next warm and sunny day so I can wear the new dress I just got :o).
2 - Carolyn G.: Ugh! I love Anthropologie, but will not be going back to this location. I wasn't impressed by the selection and even less so by the service. I asked about a blouse that had clearly had clearly had the tag cut out and was told "you can order it, deliver is free if you're in the store" . . . good so far. The sales person dials and then hands me the phone and walks away. I never saw the sales person from the store again. At that point I was completely ignored . . . just left at the register holding the phone (very weird). The person on the phone apparently messed up the order as well (I never got the item, though at least I wasn't ever charged either).
4 - Stephanie W.: This out of the way location is a jem. Beautiful store with a great selection and natural light in the dressing rooms. And there's enough open space between selections of merchandise that you don't feel nearly as claustrophobic as you do in some Anthropologie stores. 

My only complaint is the slow check out process. There was only one register open, and even though there were at least 5 people in line the whole time, the girl behind the register was chatting away. 

Other than that, great store!
5 - Carolyn F.: I can't help but give this store kudos again. They now have a fabulous personal shopper at your disposal. I needed a dress for my high school reunion, i won't say which one. I had gathered a few things I thought could work which did not. Without saying a word, Katie, sensed I needed help and honed in on just the right look that was very flattering. Check out this service. It is free!
5 - Jenny A.: I love Anthro and I love this location. 

I love driving by to see how the windows have changed. 

The clothes here are spread out beautifully and neat. The staff is helpful and not overbearing. The fitting rooms are spacious. This really is my favorite Anthro store. 

They are also VERY accommodating.  Sometimes the shirts are a little fragile and I brought one back that had a hole in it after one wearing and they quickly returned it with no hassle.  Great service!  

The clothes are not cheap but you get what you pay for and I always get compliments on my stuff from Anthro.  This location usually has a great sale section which I always hit first.  

Happy Shopping!
4 - Josh K.: I was after me' final bone, the mighty femur of the Erectus Joshus. It took not long 'for I found this mighty bone, in a true Anthropologist's diggery, Animorphologie! The women reminded me of a young Bea Arthur, they truly are such golden girls. I immediately began brushing the itinerary with my dusting brush, I was hungry for family jewels. They kept asking me if I needed "help" (no argument here) but my quest needs no sherpa, you cannot herd a discovery of this magneto. The security tried to stop me, but my quest persevered, I scurried under the dressing room door and found my glorious prize... for several moments my eyes feasted on a sight only meant for the immortals: John Lovitz, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Prince... It was the best moment of my ribald existence.

Tote's worth the three month sentence to pris-pris.
2 - Caroline C.: The customer service here is not very good. I have had two different situations where I put items on hold, and came in the next day, and the items were no where to be found, which is tremendously annoying. Also, there was a situation where I decided to return a pair of earrings that were too heavy for me; the girl at the cash register seemed to be accusing me of replacing the original earrings sold with other ones, as the item number on the earrings did not match the description in their computer system. When I told her that that was how I had bought them, she said "Well, I guess the wrong number might have been put on them" in an accusing way. After being suspiciously blamed for their employee mistakes, I will not be shopping there again.
4 - Teresa P.: Anthropologie is like Urban Outfitter's older and more sophisticated sister.  Everything in this store is a celebration of femininity and is definitely for someone who has a good grasp of their own unique and individual aesthetic. I blame my obsession with dresses on this store's proximity to my office. Any time I'm in need of a break I take a quick walk to this store and I immediately find something beautiful to muse over!

This location is beautiful - I love the distinctive warm color of the building, pretty water structure in the front, and big giant wooden doors. 

They always have a great selection on their full price and sale racks and they have a great return policy (just don't lose your receipts!) 

Gentlemen, if you want to impress a special lady in your life, buy her something from here!
4 - Diana B.: I HEART ANTHRO. 

I love everything about this store. The layout, the ambiance, the smell, the staff., the clothes, the housewares, the candles, the jewelry. Seriously, EVERYTHING. 

Of course, price says a lot about Quality, so the quality here is amazing! 

This is by far, my favorite place to buy my household Candles. Ranging from about $18-25 each, totally worth it!

This location is cute because it is secluded on a side street with a good sized parking lot across the street. 

LOVE LOVE LOVE it!
5 - flo c.: I love Anthropologie clothing. That being said, I don't love the prices! However, I always am up for a treasure hunt in the sale racks and I've snagged my fair share of $9.99 sweaters, including some that were made in Italy. The return policy is excellent and you can get further markdowns on discounted merchandise if it gets further discounted within 14 days. That's a win in my book.

I've been to many Anthropologie stores in both Southern and Northern California and I can say definitively that some Anthro stores are better than others, both in terms of service and deals. I also learned that the size of the sale racks do not necessarily dictate a great variety or a surplus of bargains. The Palo Alto location is definitely a good place for both excellent customer service and awesome marked-down items and, as such, one of my favorite locations. One of my pet peeves is when they stuff all the sale racks into a tiny room in the back (e.g. Burlingame) because it gets very stuff and claustrophobic in there as hands and arms are reaching and digging everywhere. At this location, there is enough room between all the racks and displays so it doesn't look like the Barney's Half Yearly Sale madness.

The staff here have been very helpful. Recently, I was looking for a purse in the catalog and I didn't see any around. I mentioned it and two different staff members helped me hunt it down in the backroom. I was just expecting them to say, "Oh sorry, you can probably order it online. Everything is on the floor," but they checked everywhere in the store for me.
5 - Cindy M.: I LOVE Anthropologie. This location wasn't as great as SF or Carmel, but good nonetheless. Stores in downtown Palo Alto are a little frustrating because parking can be a headache but this store is on a corner and off a side street so you can park across the street or find street parking a little easier than busier streets.
5 - Angelica M.: I love Anthropologie and this location definitely does their products justice! Staff is friendly and helpful and they often carry stock that some of the other locations don't. It's location off Alma makes it easy to visit considering its near downtown PA
5 - Tiffany C.: I typically don't write reviews for chain clothing stores...I mean how much can they really differ from one location to the next?  Well I was here a few days ago and they couldn't find the item I was purchasing on their computer so I ended up waiting at the register for about 15 minutes.  Things aren't looking so good for this location.  BUT I came back this morning to do a return.  The associate helped me with the return and my new purchases and saw that there were other items on my receipt.  She then proceeded to do price adjustments on all my items!~ I didn't even ask her to! Amazing service.  There was along long behind me and she took the time to help me.  She went above and beyond what was required of her and I ended up purchasing two new items and walking out with $50 extra bucks.  Win!
5 - Este P.: Just had to comment on someone's post below.  I've been shopping here for years and they have one of the most lax and accommodating return policies.  There is no time limit, you don't need your receipt, and if you say it had that tear in it when you bought it, they'll still take it back.  They'll even take back items that are so old they can no longer be sold and will refund your full price.  The ONLY thing, and I think this is very reasonable, is that you need to have proof you bought the item a full price.  So this very rude and ungentlemanly person writing a few posts below I'm assuming bought the dress for full price, lost the receipt, it went on sale, and then demanded he get the full price (usually twice as much) without having proof he paid for it.  If it was the store's policy to refund the original sale price when the item has been marked-down, everyone would be buying sale clothes and returning them for full price.  
Millie is not the store manager, but she is one of the warmest and most helpful managers you're likely to find in any store anywhere.  

I am amazed this man was even able to get a girlfriend in the first place, but if he has the habit of referring to women as "trolls" then I imagine she's no prize.
4 - D. S.: I love to shop here, even if I don't end up buying anything (about half the time I don't, because the prices are so high).  The clothing, home decor, little gifts and books are so attractively displayed that they are always a mood booster.  The designs here are refreshing compared to other clothing stores, especially the dresses and skirts.  Parking is easy and the staff are very helpful.
1 - sri b.: I LOVE Anthropologie. I have shopped with them over the years and some of my favorite pieces in my closet are from this store. I'm always making an excuse to somehow make a trip to the store to see if I can snag some clothes/home stuff. 

Similarly, today I went to the store in Palo Alto when i had about 30 mins to kill. Loved a jacket I tried on and wanted it in a smaller size. I asked the girl who was helping me out to get me a smaller size and she said ok. However, even after 10 mins the smaller sized jacked never showed up and the girl gave me a VERY fake apology saying 'sorry we were not able to bring it out'! What the heck does that mean? Isn't it your job to sell more? Anyway, I went and found the smaller size for myself and waited in the line to check out. I'm not exaggerating but there were 4 sales girls just aimlessly walking around the store (there were probably 5 other customers; 4 of which were in line) while there was only 1 person ringing up people at the counter. I waited for 10 mins and finally left the jacket on the table and left. I've never been so annoyed with Anthro. They seriously need to change their staff at this store and get sales people who want to help clients and actually do business. I had a $300 purchase in my hand and they lost it just like that. Do yourself a favor and go to either the San Francisco or Santana Row.

Anthropologie - Pasadena, CA (34.139928, -118.131804) (Pasadena)
5 - tristin m.: Every girl dreams about having a closet full of Anthropologie clothes right? 

Anyway, I went to this one just cause it was close to where I lived before...  parking was always a pain... then I started working over at the grove... hello lunch breaks...
4 - akzidenz g.: i love this anthro, esp bc its close to me. first off, this anthro is not nearly as busy as the other ones in LA or OC (the rancho cucamonga one is dead so go there if u wanna shop for sales!). and the pasadena one has plenty of stuff in their sale racks that dont go fast (bc you mainly get local clientele not like 3rd street promenade). and parking is easy- if u dont find street parking, u can park in the huge lot behind the store. and the store is pretty big (i guess all anthros are too). 

its just a pleasant store. and every girls dream store.
4 - joanna e.: I love anthropologie, but I especially love anthropologie on sale! Nothing beats typically priced $198 dresses on sale for less than $40! On a side note, does anyoene else notice how much they love the number 8, tops are $68, sweaters are $98 or $118, dresses start at $168. Get over the number 8 and just go with the $19.99 flow. 

I never can find street parking so I end up parking in the back, walk through Aaron Brothers to get to the entrance on Lake. I wish they'd create an entrance in the back so I don't have to pretend like I'm looking for picture frames when all I want to do is look for clothes next door.... 

i hate how this place closes at 7pm, I mean really... for those of us working until 6 it's near impossible to stop by. But I guess on the upside b/c some people have limited access to the store, the sale racks always looks appetizing!
4 - Kristen G.: Anthropologie has some of the CUTEST clothes... 

and by cute, I mean CUTESY cute. No skank here.  Which is good for me.

While I do like their clothes, I find it difficult to pull off their "looks" I tend to buy individual pieces and wear it my own way -- and maybe not as "cute" as they would like (not skank either, mind you..).

I really, particularly, love their housewares section. They have some really interesting items that are great for gifts, for others, or ya know.. yourself.

Sale section IS good as others have said and it isn't as busy as other Anthropologies.  And because I have a difficult time justifying paying full price for their clothes, the sale section makes me a happy girl.
5 - Muriel J.: Anthropologie is probably my favorite shop. Ever. I've been to this location, and the one on 3rd Street in Santa Monica. They both have iffy parking if you go during busier hours, but the 3rd Street location has a second floor, which makes me drool.

The designs they carry are amazing. I can't get enough of their housewares, like dishes and decorations. Clothes and shoes are always very eclectic and not trendy, but stylish. I love their ads, especially their current designs for their email newsletters, which are evil. I don't read some of them in fear that I'll see something I can't deny myself.

So the negative - they are not cheap. The only things that are moderately priced are items on sale. But, I've bought clothes and housewares from them, and the product quality compares. I would go so far as to give them 4 stars instead of 5 because of their price, but I've never been disappointed by their service or products, so 5 stars it is!
4 - Diana L.: I absolutely love the clothes here! They can be a bit pricey though, so if you are a bargain shopper like me, try not to look at the beautiful things all around as you make your way to the sale racks in the back!  I've gotten some pretty good deals here!!
4 - Carrie E.: There were months and months, almost two years to be exact, that I spent trying to broaden my wardrobe, but I kept coming up empty. I'd seen Anthropologie before, and I thought the artistic displays were great, but I thought the clothing was a little too much on the bohemian side to blend well with my style... I guess I didn't look hard enough until recently.

These days, I've learned how to pick through their merchandise and find special treasures. What really keeps me coming back is the uniqueness of the designs. The details. The whimsical and feminine pieces that garner me so many compliments. In retrospect, I guess I had to broaden my sense of style a little.

One of the challenges of being an Anthro fan is getting to the new stuff before it's sold out in your size. They only get a few pieces in each style, and once they're gone, they're gone. It would pay to develop a good relationship with a salesgirl, but that's next to impossible at this location because they're just not interested.

If they would develop a "personal shopper" program, it's a sure bet that this store would get an even bigger share of my wallet than they already do, but either way, I'll keep showing up and searching for those little treasures.
5 - Tawny A.: This is one of the best places on earth. Eat your heart out Disneyland.

My fat bootie sadly can not fit into the beautiful clothes, but I can't get enough of their housewares. I love buying tiny little bowls to hold jewelry and odds n' ends. Also, they have adorable breakfast bowls that are only $4 a pop- so everyone can afford them. Other items are much more pricey such as my favorite perfume, Hidden Cove. It is sometimes hard to find, but it is divine. I also buy my favorite Illume candles here.

The bad part: service sometimes sucks. They are either really nice or really damn snobby. They sometimes need to be put in their place, though I have not done so other than mentally. oh well.
5 - j m.: I am so- obsessed with this store. Yes, things are quite pricey, but as the other reviewers wrote, their sale section at the back of the store is excellent. Things get marked down every week and usually it is marked down 40%. 
I get compliments most often on the jewelry I buy (on sale) from here. I haven't had a bad experience with service here, all the sales people have been extremely helpful and nice. The biggest plus is that you can grab literally 10-15 items of clothing and they'll keep putting them in a room for you until you're ready. they don't limit how many items you can have in the fitting room at a time, and don't get all snooty about it like other stores do. So go ahead and grab each item in 3 different sizes and in 3 different colors, more power to ya...
4 - Elizabeth V.: Anthropologie South Lake has got to be one of my favorite places to window shop. (and occasionally blow a paycheck or two) The clothes, the accessories, the random cute little knick knacks.. all make my heart skip a beat.  The only reason why Anthro recieves 4 and not 5 stars is due to the slightly extravagent price tag.  It simply puts a halt on my shopping spree and a dent in my bank account. Thus, on a typical day, its only a window shop stop.  Once in a while though, its hard to resist.  When the quality is exceptional, the details unique, and the prints, always fun & feminine.. sometimes my bank account just has to take one for the team. 

Now, this particular store is also really well organized and well staffed, so I never feel unattended to nor ignored.. and I've learned to always check out the clearance section in the far back.  Cheap finds do exist! However, the absolute BEST time to pull out your wallet is right after xmas and at the very end of summer.  The markdowns are incredible and the amount of stuff on sale is breathtaking.  Too bad, I ALWAYS have to wait for the sales though!
5 - Missi T.: I went here for my secret santa's gift and had a great experience. The staff was kind, helpful, and at my service when I needed help. The clothes are super cute but well beyond my budget. The house ware was to die for! I almost broke several bowls but thankfully, no one noticed! I suggest checking out the sales section for great deals. I found candles 50-60% off and place mats 30% off. They have a lot of cute stuff. Parking is available on Lake, across from Ross and right next to Borders. It can get pretty busy on the weekends.
5 - Nicole P.: Why I love Anthropologie:

a) darling fashion with a vintage flair 
b) pretty much two pricepoints on above stated darling tops and skirts- 88.00 and 128.00 (not cheap, but not over the top, either!)
c) amazing textiles and housewares at also reasonable prices
d) the pasadena store is never too crowded and parking is good

I rarely can step foot into Anthropologie and not drop a couple of bills, but my wardrobe and husband always thank me for it!  Retail therapy, for sure. :-)
4 - Chrissy L.: My favorite clothing and decor store is Anthropologie! Their style is fresh, flowery, homey, bright, and just oh so lovely. Their dresses are original and beautiful, their shirts are really dressy, their coats are unique and oh so adorable, and I've bought at least three rugs. I just wish they had twin size sheets for my bed - they only have full/queen and king. Their prices are pretty high, so I usually only shop sale (but even that is just okay).

At this particular venue, the store is smaller than the one that I'm used to - my favorite store is the one in Santa Barbara. But the sales people at this Pasadena store are friendly.
4 - aiha n.: I love Anthropologie!  Pure and simple.  It is the one place I go to when I need to look good.

I can't fathom their clothes, especially their dresses, being any cuter.  My coworker and I have an unspoken rivalry over who gets the good Anthro stuff first.  She's winning by a landslide but last year I bought a beautiful white dress with big, bold, black flower appliques that made such a huge impression ppl still remember it today!

This last trip I browsed the sales racks looking for nothing in particular and walked away with a beautifully crafted lamp shade for LITERALLY 90% off.  Originally $98, marked $38, paid $9.99 at register.  Also got a sweet pleated top for same.

They are hella expensive if you buy full price but they have a great sales section!  Should alter my profile to say, "when I'm not yelping, I'm in the Anthro sales section".
4 - Brittany K.: Everyday-elegant and understated. 
Casual-yet-somehow-sophisticated. 
Simple and classic, plus a few modern twists and attention to detail.
Blah blah blah, its a chain so Im sure the name "Anthropologie" is at least a bit familiar...

This Anthro offers the normal spread of clothing and houseware that Antho's normally carry. Nothing too special, but I HAVE to give at least four stars to my favorite clothing store (visit Fashion Island for my favorite location). Minus one star for the staff - punkish college kids who wouldnt normally wear Anthro? Give me staff that at least wear the store/brand!!
5 - deana m.: I love you guys!  I love your sales.....The best place to shop!

Thank you!
3 - Joanne P.: I would agree that all the items in the store, I love! It's a bit quirky, arty and retro at times. 

However, I've been to this store about twice a month for the past year and my beef with the store is the checkout counter. They have more people working the dressing room than the counter and the people at the counter are always blaming the computers. It's time to get those fixed. So yes, like Shauna's post, they are usually down to about one person at the register.

Mind you, the store is really cute, but it is a smaller Anthro store. For a bigger one, go to the Grove to see more items that you might have seen online, but the sale section is where I'm usually at - and I tend to find stuff all the time!

There is parking in the street or along the back - I tend to walk through the shopping plaza that has Sansei in it to get to Anthro.
4 - Dave C.: There was a short window of time in junior high when my older sister and I were roughly the same size and stature (she was prettier of course).  I would sneak into her room before school started and steal away her hoodies and long sleeves from the GAP (80's clothing styles were quite androgynous weren't they?) so I could flash some name brands, peg my jeans, and show off my new hair style caked with mousse.  'Don't touch my hair! It took me an hour to style it...You're gonna crack the mousse'

Times have changed and thankfully so have our tastes in clothes (though I could probably rock the mousse hairstyles if I had to).  Now my older sis' favorite store happens to be Anthropologie, found on both the West and East Coasts.  So I stop by here 2X a year on birthdays and Christmas and the experience is usually pain-free.  Yesterday was no different.  Kudos.
4 - Anita I.: one of my fav stores to shop at.  Everything is pretty pricey, but that's why i head straight for the sale section.  They always have most of the items i want on sale if I go maybe 3 weeks after its debut.   its  seriously the cutest store ever!  I love the clothes, bedding, and kitchen section!!  They have some random stuff here, and its nice to just browse and look at everything.  Like other yelpers, i agree, its hard to wear their items, so i usually pick items here and there and match them with my existing clothes or buy something to match it else where.  nonetheless, anthropology is such a dainty & unique store.  minus one star for the parking.  Yes there is a lot in the back, but you have to pay?  boo.
4 - Cecilia C.: The best thing about this store is the staff.  They are always helpful and even when I return multiple items (sometimes), they always help you with a smile.  No questions asked!   I sometimes wish this store were bigger, but I truly like the coziness of it and attentive staff.  This is definitely one of my fave Antho's in Southern CA!
4 - katharine r.: 20 minutes of FREE parking will save me millions.  I am an uber fan of this store.  The sale rack in the back is great, but the sale jewels in the front locked case is even BETTER!  I got a Madame Fortuna necklace with all sorts of New Orleans fine trinkets for 75% off.  It is the best Mr. T bling ever, as I get a lot of compliments on it.  There are some great pieces that sit in there time and time again, and it appears that the case is hidden for serious shoppers. Whenever you ask employees about the corporate history, it seems that they know all the brands and where they are headed.  I asked about Terrain at Styers in Philadelphia, PA area, the garden center under their label, and the gal knew it and what was up with the place.  Exceptional employee corporate knowledge.  I think the employees at this store are best when it is not too busy.  Need to order a shirt as all the larger sizes are taken, no problem... they do an on-line search or call another store and order for you!  No problems there.  No shipping costs, it is just done.  I find buying a few pieces and then going to Target to let them shine through is my best style approach on a budget.  Seems to work, as I haven't been pulled into HR yet.   Bigger store Pasadena is, and definitely beats the Portland store - rude and small as well as dark. This hometown place rocks with lots of light and delight, and I don't mind dropping in for the sale stuff from time to time.  Don't forget go for the jewelry and the sale towels, too, you won't go wrong!
1 - Andre N.: Ok must forewarn everyone this is from a guys point of view, but man this store is quite boring. My friend Joanne brought (dragged) me here and all they had was stuff that seemed to cater to women. Women's clothes, stuff the the house, dining ware, etc.. Not one thing is this store appealed to me. 

Also I was expecting the store to have something related to caveman, monkey, prehistoric man, hence the name of the store, but nothing related to it. quite disappointed

So guys watch out for this store.
4 - Elisa C.: I love this Anthropologie. (i just wished they closed a little later). I love the location on lake avenue. the store is always cute and quirky (as are the others) It has less foot traffic than the ones in Santa Monica or the Americana. The staff is also very friendly. I like the "closet" in the back where they have the housewares on sale. And i love the sale section. In fact now i wait a few weeks when i see a dress i like that is regular price because its happened to me a few time that i buy it and two weeks later its half price. I love walking into Anthropologie stores-- I feel like I'm being taken into a different little world. Its calm and refreshing and nothing bad could happen. This store definitely captures that feeling.
4 - Melissa P.: I love Anthro for the vintage inspired dresses and artsy sweaters. I've procured some really unique peices over the years here. The Pasadena store is nice, and my fiance covets their distressed leather display couch. I really wish the hours weren't so limited. It's so enjoyable walking along Lake Ave on a summer night and doing some leisurly clothes-shopping. Sad when it hits 7:15pm and you walk up to Anthro only to see the doors locked and the girls inside closing up shop. Also, stay away from their basic apparel (t-shirts and undergarnments) as a lot of them are flimsy and overpriced.
2 - Sophia C.: With most shoppers trying to get the most bang for their bucks on anything, say food, clothing, shoes, etc....yea, this is probably not a good spot for saving money. 

The location is on the Lakes shopping block out in Pasadena. The hours to this store seem kinda strange for such a bustling pedestrian strong location in Pasadena, but whatevers. I love that this store has a great variety for the home, but in a girly sense. Honestly, if you are a woman reading this, which is probably 97%, please do not bring your bf/hubby/sugar daddy here. They might just gouge their eyes out from the over-girly stuff. From too cutesy-utsey measuring cups to shoes that men won't really bother complimenting you on, I say let them wander over to Macy's or another store up Lake Ave.

I do give props to the sales section to this location. It's a hit/miss to find an absolute steal (again, it is Anthropologie afterall), but I have managed to find some great deals on dresses. Not a steal, but a great percentage off the original prices of their dresses. Their blouses that are on sale. Hmm...it's weird. You'll suddenly find a blouse/shirt that fits perfectly in their fitting room...only to realize that there's foundation or lipstick stains from some other girl trying it on. So you think you go point that out to a sales staff to see if you can get an additional 1-2% off the already marked off price. Uh yea, the sales associate just look to you like you are crazy and ignore you. Oooookk then...

When you find something, be prepared to stand in that line for a whee bit. I don't know if their registers are like the 1930s Underwood typewriters I have at home, but the people working the registers...I don't even know how to explain it. Let's just say you leave this place scratching your head...not on the girly girl item you just bought ,but in regards to how long it took for you to get ringed up...for one stinkin' item. 

Service: 2.5 out of 5
Clothing Selection: 3.5 of 5
Kitchen/homeware selection: 3 of 5
Prices: 2 of 5

I understand that their stuff here makes girls swoon...but I suggest if you want your wallet to swoon on top of you swooning...you can honestly find similar items of similar quality on sites such as etsy, etsyonsale, shopplasticland or ruche clothing.
5 - Melissa G.: Look.. the only thing I don't love about this store is that it's simply not BIG enough. Coming into Anthropologie is dangerous...I feel like all the life is being sucked out of my wallet and bank accounts....and then I am revived by the amazing array of shirts, dresses, candles, books, bed linens, kitchen accessories...ahhh.  I love you Anthropologie. 

I love that you dress me and make me look all purty. I love that your sale section is actually affordable and wonderful.  I love that though I can be frugal at times, your clothes make me feel like splurging. I love that your clothes fit me beautifully.  I also love that your associates here are all helpful and sweet.  I just love this Anthropolgie.
5 - Corine W.: This store always always always draws me in when I'm in the area and almost every single time I go I end up purchasing a candle.
The staff is very friendly.
I just wish I could afford to buy more from here.
5 - Clarissa C.: What can I say, I love this place. Been shopping here for years. Haven't ever had a bad experience there. Bought a dress online, and the fit wasn't right. Exchanged it at the store with no problem. Found a new dress and there must have been an additional % off the sale section because I got credited $! What a pleasant surprise, made my shopping experience even better!

The sales ladies were attentive, friendly, asked if I needed help. Awesome customer service. Service with a smile.

I also love the variety of things in the store: kitchen goods, bath goods, perfume, books, housewares, shoes...although it's a bit pricey, it's worth it in my book. My shopping motto is, "who better than you?" If you love it, just get it!

I'll be back!
3 - Kali M.: I love all Anthropologie stores (I don't care if they're brainwashing me... I eat it up), but this one felt lacking in the stock department.  All the clothes were very, well, Pasadena mom.  Which I suppose is appropriate given its location.

I almost never leave an Anthro empty-handed, but nothing called to me here.

Nice and friendly staff, but I had a couple of run-ins with some rude fellow patrons.
4 - Twiggy X.: Sometimes when I'm about to walk out my front door, I am reminded again that my obsession with Anthro has gotten way out of hand. I'm literally dressed from head to toe with purchases from the store. Yes, undies are included. It's hard to walk out of the store without any purchases, especially when they have so many unique pieces and gorgeous earrings.

I love how the company is so customer friendly. They really do go out of their way to make your shopping experience as easy as pie. You can order items while in the store for free shipping. While most stores only give you price adjustment within that 7 day period, they will still give you the difference even after almost a month. I've done this multiple times. Although Ilike this Pasadena shop for the more personable one on one service, I think the one at the Grove has the best selection. That one carries swim wear, shoes, the widest selection of clothing from the catalog and biggest sale section for you to check out in person. It is also the busiest though. I give the Pasadena store 4 stars because like others have said, the check out is slow. They often only have 2 working registers even when the line is long.

Ok. Now off to pay my credit card bills from Anthro purchases!
3 - Pippi L.: Great clothes...but incredibly high prices. I can't tell you how many times I've picked something out, tried it on, gazed lovingly at my new hip reflection, only to look at the price tag....Ouch! $88 dollars for this flimsy little top. Back to the rack you go. And off I go on my unfashionable way.
4 - Maria R.: Spring 2012

Ok darlings, I'm updating my review. The staff is so much bettah now.  It's still tricky to get them to collect the 87 pairs of pants you're toting among the sale racks, but at least the staff is well-meaning and friendly.

A reminder:  park in front...there is still no back door. And watch the time on that meter;   the City of Pasadena is strapped for cash and it wants *yours.*
3 - Lindy B.: Anthro is a great standby when you can't find the real thing -- vintage wise... They do a great job of creating vintage-influenced fashion (and objects for the home, too) but give me the real deal any day! But it's a pretty store, interesting interior design, and the staff has really improved. I know I'll be back...
5 - Stephanie P.: Thank you Anthropologie for your wonderful customer service and for shipping the smocked maxi dress I fell in love with twice when UPS didn't follow through. I will be a life long customer because of your superior service!
5 - Tanya B.: I am an Anthroholic.  I seriously think I need a 12 step program to keep my Anthropologie habit in check.  I love this store.  About 90% of my clothes and shoes are from here.  Sure, some things are expensive (like, almost all of the clothes), but if you buy quality stuff, you won't need as much of it.  Buy better, buy less.

I love that this store has clothing to suit almost every personality and body type.  Quirky, hippie chic, pin-up vintage, over-the-top sweet, or preppy--you're covered!   I'm more classic or vintage-y when it comes to clothes--nothing overly trendy because I want to wear my clothes for years to come--but I'll dig into their funky accessories.  I've gotten some gorgeous dresses by Anna Sui and Tracy Reese that I adore.  I also worship my coat collection from Anthro.  My favorites are my Pendleton coat and a Jackie O style swing coat.  I look forward to cold weather just so I can wear these.  Yes, their retail prices are pretty steep, so I generally hang out around the sale rack.  I will splurge on coats and shoes, but I just can't bring myself to spend $78 on a t-shirt.  

The quality of the items the offer is mixed, so inspect carefully and choose wisely.  I have gotten some gorgeous leather shoes and purses made in Italy and England, and then I've also seen some items that look cute from afar, until I discover that that feel totally cheap and are made in China.  

I love the home items.  I've bought several lamps and clocks that look like they've been taken from a grandma's attic or from an old school house.  We've gotten so many compliments on our unique housewares.  The one that gets the most chatter is our modern cuckoo clock.  http://www.gizmodiva.com/entry_images/0407/12/orangita-cuckoo-clock.jpg  

I'm always happy to see when Anthro offers items that are repurposed and/or made in the USA by artists here.  It's nice to see that Anthro is offering a broad forum for smaller artists to promote their work. 

I cannot count how many gifts I've purchased for people from here.  Tile coasters, adorable aprons, measuring cups, picture frames, cookie jars, pajamas, sweaters....It's the first store I'll stop in  whenever I'm looking for a hostess gift, birthday gift, or thank you gift for nearly every woman I know. Things are always so unique that people ask, "Where on earth did you get this??" and I have to say, "At my favorite store, of course!"

Customer service is great.  I've never had a bad experience, and I've been shopping at this location since it opened (and the Anthropologie nearest me on the East Coast and online since 2003).  If the store is ever out of stock of an item, or they don't have your size, they'll find it in another store and have it shipped to you for free.  Their return policy is fair, and if you open up an Anthro account (not a credit card, just a customer card), they can easily access your purchases for returns and exchanges, so you don't have to worry if you lost your receipt (it's happened to me!).  Also, if you buy something and it goes on sale within 2 weeks, they'll refund you the difference....which you will inevitably spend on more Anthro merchandise.
3 - Stephanie S.: FREE TWO HOUR PARKING. 

Wondrous, wondrous words to hear in Pasadena - especially here, on Shopper's Lane. There's no back door, but I'd rather take a shortcut through the "mall" a few doors down than to pay for front, metered parking. 

This location, in my opinion, is pretty average size, but I always manage to find a ton of things. It's very clean, and their artwork at this particular location is so pretty. (Check out the window display of hanging [fake]  lilacs!)

Their sale section is pretty big. One thing that really annoys me is that they never have the air on! Every single time I come here, I am instantly sweating. It's so hot....Please turn on the air! I don't want to be uncomfortable shopping at this nice store. 

I don't like the employees here. I've encountered two people several times that were simply unhelpful and unfriendly.

One lady asked if I needed sizes, so I told her the sizes I needed for the things I was holding in my hand. Half an hour later, I still hadn't seen my clothes! I went to the fitting room area, looking for her, and she was there, folding clothes. She visibly had to stop herself from rolling her eyes, and tried to sweep me into a dressing room. But I just asked her if she found the sizes I asked her for. The next is something that always annoys me : She said, "oh, okay, I'll look for them right away!" 30 seconds later ( not nearly enough time for her to look for the five different shirts I asked her for) she came back and said with feigned sincerity, "Oh, seems like we don't have it.....any of it, oh well, so sorry." 

....like, what? This location treats me pretty bad - the worst out of all the other anthropologie locations ( and probably other non-anthro stores, as well.) Very uncharacteristic of their normal anthro employees.

Anthropologie - Cambridge, MA (42.374, -71.1217999) (Harvard Square)
4 - Roy L.: After months of worrying about what would show up in the old ("iconic") Design Research space, and further months fretting about what Anthropologie might do wrong, it's reassuring to see that they've not only respected the unique space, but also improved it over the previous tenants (Crate & Barrel).
4 - Mimi X.: No different than other Anthropologie stores with trendy and cute clothes at a eye-widening price. I would say things here average at about $120, and the style is a more upscale Urban Outfitters.

I'm only writing this review to point out the SALE ROOM! It's very hidden on the top floor behind a partition with no marking. It's tricky to find- walk toward your left when you get to the top of the stairs, the room is behind a full length mirror. Check it out- things are much more affordable there.
3 - Esther Y.: I'm not usually an Anthro girl. I pop in every so often, scope out the sales (which usually are pretty awesome) and then move on out.  I made a point to stop in see what the new store was like.

Pros:
1. Great sale section (they do mark downs every Tuesday, so if you are waiting for that one sweater to go on sale, go in on Tuesday to see if it is).

2. Staff was helpful and nice.  I was torn between two colors, and basically had to make the decision at the register.  The person that rang me up wasn't irritated or annoyed and actually gave it some thought. I appreciated that.

Con:
1. There are only dressing rooms on the bottom floor.  I'm fine with that, in principle,  but the schlepping of all your stuff up and down the stairs gets to be annoying.

I know I'll definitely go back and visit with the sale section, but it's not a place I go when I'm willing to pay retail.
3 - Peg P.: I like the Anthropologie and the presentation of all the Anthropologie stores. For the Cambridge location specifically, my observations are: 

1. It is worth going up ALL the stairs to get to the top floor. This is the sale floor and nearly everything up there is discounted. 

2. The layout is cool. They made good use of the various floors for different "scenes" and "rooms" to display the merchandise 

3. The staff are helpful. I was helped a great deal by the woman in the fitting room - she was able to get me other styles and sizes AND was not overly pushy with the clothes. 

4. I like the location - pretty easy to get to from bus/subway 


In terms of price, I find some of the items to be a bit expensive, but within a few weeks or so, I can find them marked down in the clearance section.
4 - R G.: service here has been (so far) much better than at the back bay location.  they've even started dressing rooms for me!  imagine that!  and they actually checked in on me and got me other sizes!  I didn't have to get dressed again and find them myself!  hey...  this whole customer service thing led to me buying something....  maybe you should keep it up!

I love the architecture and layout of this particular store.  with all of the windows there is much more light and the atmosphere is airy.  the many different levels can be a bit confusing (with all those stairs, mommies should leave those mega-strollers at home or plan on spending a lot of time in the elevator).
3 - Michelle J.: I stop by this Anthropologie at least a few times a month just to browse. The staff have always been very pleasant and helpful and come across as being genuinely interested in you as a customer. The layout is definitely unique, but sometimes it can make finding what you're looking for a bit of a search so it's best to ask if you're looking for something specific. The sale room is also kind of awkward and frequently crowded, I wish they'd move things into a bigger or more open space.
3 - Rachel H.: Lucky Harvard Square got an Anthropologie. This glassy, multi-floor location is perfectly suited to their aesthetic. It lends itself to a longer stroll/browse (don't miss the sale room at the very top). When you find your way back to the basement fitting rooms, you'll find plenty or rooms, with lots of space and good light. The staff is warm and helpful.
2 - Amy B.: Rating this purely amongst Anthropologie stores, I gotta say "meh." You're going to make me climb five flights of stairs for a tiny sales room? No thank you, there's a bigger sales selection at the Anthro on Boylston and less vertical journeying required to check it out.

That said, I did enjoy the juxtaposition of Anthro's often charmingly retro displays amongst the modern structure of this building. This Anthro is not short on eye candy.
2 - Oski B.: Mrs. Oski gives this store two stars because its sale selection was not great.
4 - Janet M.: If you are a fan of Anthropologie this is a terrific location. It has a great selection and really helpful staff. It is always very organized. I have also made a few great finds in the sale room which is a little tucked away on the third floor.
4 - Julia N.: Beautiful set up. Wish they would please please please stop burning smelly sweet candles- awful!!  The clothes are hit or miss but overall a great experience when shopping here.  Pricey, but what isn't in Cambridge?
5 - Meagan H.: Anthro and me go way back. Like, all the way back to the late 1990s. I've fallen in and out of love with Anthro. But all in all, I think it's a great store with brilliant merchandising and branding. And when I say, brilliant, I mean that. I think they are masters of merchandising. 

And so, when shopping in Harvard Square for a dress to wear to a friend's wedding, I popped into the many storied Anthropologie. Beautiful baskets of luscious soaps are nestled in amongst neatly folded tops, design books, and other aesthetic delights. The sales staff are very friendly and likable. I can imagine the store on a sunny day, with all those windows. What a great spot. 

As far as my purchases go, I did not find a dress, but I did find a sweet striped top, very French. I was also very happy with their sale section. Great stuff! I found an adorable Odille tunic. I'm wearing it as I write. I just love it.
3 - Jessica E.: Prior to this store, I never thought I could have too much Anthropologie. I was apparently wrong. The store is huge (five floors, I think), and with dressing rooms on the very bottom and the sale room on the top, you have to zig and zag up and down the narrow stairs a bit too much for comfort when it's crowded. Plus, although it's a visually gorgeous space, they don't seem to have proportionately more merchandise to fill it - things are just more spread out. For example, they had only one rack of a dress I wanted that was featured in the latest catalog, with only two sizes of dress available. Boo! Also, the sale room has virtually nothing in it - I have been to Anthropologie stores with outstanding sales sections (the one near White Flint in Maryland, for example) and this is not remotely comparable.

I always love to window shop in Anthropologie, but the fact that I have a gift card I have never used from over a year ago, because I can't find anything to spend it on, is just disappointing. Meh.
4 - Aubrey S.: This is an awesome Anthropologie. I know some people are annoyed by the multiple-floor, zig-zag-y (yep, just made up a word) layout, but I actually like it a lot. I always like stores like this because I feel like I'm discovering something new in every room. 

The sale section on the top floor gets a bit crowded...basically, it's a little room with one entrance, so it's hard to maneuver when a lot of women are in there. Still, we found some pretty good deals. 

As with all Anthropologies, you really need to go through the store slowly to see everything they have, since there are items tucked on low shelves, and on all sorts of different tables. Some items even look like store decorations until you walk up and see they have a price tag. 

If I find myself in Cambridge again, I will definitely be back.

Anthropologie - Princeton, NJ (40.311667, -74.662825) ()
4 - Madeleine M.: This store is the only time it's okay to spend $88 on a pair of pants or $100+ on a dress. 

I absolutely wish everything in this store was more within my budget, but the clothes are so pretty that I don't really mind too much (and the on-sale room in back routinely throws a few choice finds my way). The staff has always been friendly, helpful and approachable, and has the uncanny ability of knowing exactly when I'd rather be left alone and when I feel like talking my fool head off to a complete stranger. 

Yep. Definitely one of my favourite clothing stores ever. I just need to find one around me now that I don't pass the Marketfair location anymore. :(
3 - Elizabeth B.: If you aren't willing to spend, go to the sale racks. Usually you can find good stuff. 
But if you're set on something, get it before it's gone or come back often to check the price... things go fast if they're pretty!
4 - Mockingbird G.: I must say, I shop there an awful lot so they see my face often enough to know me and treat me well. I guess it helps when you walk in wearing most of the store's merchandise. 

PROS:
-Lovely staff of helpful, informative, cheerful ladies. 
-Everything is wonderfully placed, there is a sale section in the back instead of having sale items scattered about.
-Unique pieces often nicely thrown together for the fashion-tarded.

CONS:
-The shoes are online so I end up frustrated returning what doesn't fit. 
-Unimpressive selection of accessories in general. If you're a big accessory fan then you may have to check out the website. 

Happy Shopping!
4 - Shannon T.: I spent so much time here during my stressful last semester of grad school.  Retail therapy courtesy of my bank account.

I was in there so often that when I'd walk down the street, I could point out clothes people bought at anthro.  I almost felt embarrassed seeing the same sales people in there week after week, but they were always friendly and helpful.  There was only one time that a girl said she went to the back to look for a size and said they didn't have it - I didn't believe her and sent someone else to look for it.  The other employee found what I was looking for.  Always double check.

The store is cozy, cutely decorated, and has a pretty large selection compared to other anthro stores.

The sales rack helped not totally break the bank.  But, omg, this store is my absolute favorite.  Unique clothes.  Yes, they are expensive, but they are not run-of-the-mill outfits and you're paying for quality.
3 - Annie F.: the sales room can be fab, i must admit. though flouncy, frilly can really go overboard here. and sometimes you have to fight angry, princeton moms through the sales racks.
3 - Ryan L.: Depends on what staff member you get to deal with there...

Antica Osteria Restaurant - Houston, TX (29.725282, -95.413273) (West University)
5 - Jolyn B.: Dinner only at this popular and warm Italian restaurant. The stuffed ravioli for appetizer was delicious. The menu has several options, from light (less expensive) antipasto, penne and ravioli to larger entrees like tender veal and lamb chops ($15-22).
3 - Jimmy W.: As soon as you walk in through the front door, the aroma draws you in further. Sat upstairs with a medium size group and we were able to sit in the corner so it was almost like our own private room. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful, there were about ten or so specials written on a small chalkboard which he walked us through one by one. Overall, the food here is very good, but you have to know what to order. For appetizers, tried the stuffed ravioli with porcini mushroom (per Jolyn's recommendation in her review), that was very tasty and some of the best ravioli I've ever had. The carpaccio was good also. For the entrees, the standout dish of our table was the red snapper, it was extremely fresh and flavorful, and the portion was generous. I ordered the veal with prosciutto and wine sauce, the portion was small and it was fairly average. Some other dishes ordered included the duck (small thin slices, not recommended), chicken parm (very good, would recommend), and lamb special (average). I will definitely return for the ravioli and snapper. I'd give this place 3.5 stars if I could, it's better than 3, but not worthy of 4 since some of the dishes were hit or miss. Service was excellent.
3 - Therese T.: From the outside it looked charming already. They are only open for dinner, 5-10:30 pm, and closed on Sundays. Service was VERY good; they're the type who won't really chase you out the door to close on time. I asked for balsamic vinegar and olive oil for bread, but was given this garlicky olive oil dip, though it was good: something different, I guess. That said, there's butter for the bread, if you swing that way. I ordered 2 appetizers for dinner. They have daily specials, and you will be walked through them patiently by your server. For my main, I ordered their scallop-prosciutto appetizer and it.was.divine. The prosciutto (ham) was wrapped around the scallop like a surf-and-turf, and it tasted like they used the stock from the scallop to form part of the sauce. Sprinkled with sage, it looked nice, too. Ordered their house Pinot Noir ($8 glass), and it smelled like flowers, and went down smooth, too! As mentioned, the wait service was very good; they take time out to talk to you after, make you feel welcome. My server ended with him showing me out, and saying "don't be a stranger!" Awesome. If only they were also open for lunch. Ah well.
5 - heather a.: Went here for valentines day last year. We were able to make VERY last minute reservations when everywhere else turned us down they said they could find room for us. The restaurant is an old two story home. Very resonable prices for five star fine dinning service. Great wine selections. Wines by the glass pour is very generous and also great prices. We only got to see the selected menu but everything we had was perfect. The ambiance is very romantic! You can sit downstairs, upstairs or near the fireplace or patio. The gentlement who sat us seemed as he was the owner very friendly energetic and helpful, LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!
5 - Amaranta C.: I LOVE ANTICA OSTERIA!! It looks pretentious on the outside, but its amazing food and very reasonably priced on the inside. Located in a converted old house, the interior is dimly lit and very romantic. The last time I went we had the daily special appetizer of burrata and arugala (YUM!) and I had the puttanesca (forgot what my companion had). All the servings were very generous and we had leftovers going home. The only downside is the mandatory valet parking and hazardous (sometimes) location on Bissonnet (you gotta dodge cars to turn in!). But its soooooo worth it. I will be back again, and again, and again!
5 - olivia b.: Sadly, I haven't been to Antica since November.  But, it seems just like yesterday that I was there. 

The service staff is divine.  Very attentive without being intrusive.  The design and decor is lovely.  I came dressed in a cotton cocktail style dress and felt comfortable, but there were people in jeans as well (likely armani jeans, but who's counting) The food was delectable.  The daily specials were brought to the table on a large blackboard and recited to us with great detail by our waiter.  

I was with a large party that turned out to be not so large.  They sat us even though we did not meet our full reservation (which was a pleasant surprise).

I know I said it before, but the food was wonderful.  This place would be great for a date.  Too bad my husband never takes me anywhere.  There were kids there when I first arrived, but that was pretty early.  

You must valet. parking is at a minimum in the area.

Best surprise for me were the prices.  Very affordable for such high end food.  I think it is comparable in pricing to Pappsitos.
3 - Allie N.: Antica Osteria must be Italian for "slowest service EVER".

The BF and I had never had Italian together and I found Antica Osteria on Yelp. We called for a reservation but it was last minute and they told us there's no wait to sit on the patio. So we proceeded to drive there. FYI, you have to valet. Thank goodness my boyfriend drove because I would have been a little embarrassed rolling up to the valet in my non-European made car.

We were seated right away. The patio is very quaint and faces out to Bissonet. Most of the people dining there were an "old money" or "country club" type crowd. It sort of reminded me of Backstreet Cafe. I felt a little under dressed in jeans and a fitted tee. Maybe that would explain the mediocre service...

The waitress came and took our drink orders. We just asked for water since we were still looking at the wine menu. She said she would be back to give us the food menu. 10 minutes later, she comes back. She gives us our food menu. We ordered a glass of house wine. 10 minutes later, she comes back with the bottle of wine and lets us sample the house wine before pouring us a whole glass (very nice of her). The wine tasted like the bottle had been open for a few days though. She poured our glasses and then left for ANOTHER 10 minutes. By this time, we were really ready to order our food already. In total, we waited 40 minutes before we could even order our food. 

The only saving grace was that the food was pretty good and came out timely. I had a chicken breast stuffed with cheese in a wine sauce. My boyfriend had a veal with a tomato mushroom sauce. Both were served with mixed grilled veggies. The prices for the dishes were both very reasonable too (under $20). The food was very fresh and the meats were tender.

So maybe it was an off night? I don't know if the atmosphere is quite right for me. A lot of older rich people. So I'd recommend the place if you want a nice Italian meal in West U, but I think I'll continue my hunt for a better Italian place in Houston.
4 - P H.: So I was looking for a nice romantic restaurant in the Rice Village area before going to the theatre in downtown.  The restaurant itself is unassuming on the outside but don't be fooled, the food here is good but be warned that the crowd definitely seems like the old boy's country club.  Everyone was dressed pretty casual but in that country club casual style if you know what I'm talking about.

Decor: We came pretty early, around 6P, so the restaurant itself was still pretty empty with only one other table occupied.  It was definitely nice to have the restaurant to ourselves although the restaurant got pretty crowded around 7P when we left.  The restaurant is definitely nice and gives that old and classic Italian feel to it especially with the Italian opera-style music they were playing. There is also a shaded patio outside for those who prefer sitting in the hot hot heat.  As the other reviews mentioned, there is only valet parking available or you can park on the street if you don't mind the walk.

Service: Our waiter was very attentive and helpful in explaining the daily specials and the menu.  We were very well taken care of - our water was refilled as needed, our dirty plates were taken away promptly after the appetizer and the main course, and the waiter was always available.

Food: We ordered the scallops wrapped in prosciutto as an appetizer and the daily special salmon as the main course.  The scallops were delicious (although there were only 3 of them).  The salmon was fresh and the waiter brought out the sauce on the side just in case we didn't want the fish drenched in butter sauce.  Everything was delicious and the price is pretty good as well. 

Summary: Romantic but casual decor, attentive service, and delicious food.  I would definitely come back to try some of the dishes that the other reviews mentioned.
4 - Oz G.: Pretty solid Italian restaurant.  The menu has a lot variety and good wine list. I loved the "PETTO D'ANATRA AL PEPE NERO" (Duck Breast) - ordered it medium based on the recommendation of a buddy who works there. It was scumptious and mouth watering. Also, give the dessert vine Pascena moscato a shot - hands down one of the best dessert vines I have ever tasted.

Some tables feel crampy and it might take some time to get to your "reserved" table when it gets busy. Hey it's an Italian restaurant - what did you expect?
4 - Agustin S.: A beautiful quaint restaurant on Bissonnet and Greenbriar. It is a converted house and it's easy to miss. Walking into Antica Osteria you would think you were walking into someones home. I love it. I wouldn't try to find parking, they offer complimentary valet I highly recommend using it. 

As you walk up the stairs you can't help but notice the patio. It's bigger than it appears from the street. The wife and I walked in on a Saturday night without a reservation and were seated within a few minutes. Unfortunately it was at a two top next to the entrance and the kitchen door. High traffic area, not good. 

Despite the bad spot, our service and food I thought was good. We started out with a glass of the house pinot grigio. The wife ordered eggplant Parmesan and I had the Red Snapper fillet lightly breaded and sauteed with purple potatoes and asparagus. The eggplant was not that great. I figured it would be a pretty standard dish that was easy to execute. The eggplant was not completely cooked, I know, crazy isn't it. Now the Red Snapper on the other hand was outstanding. A good size fillet of fish breaded then sauteed and a garlic, caper, butter sauce poured all over the fish. It was delicious, everything on the plate was eaten by my wife and I. towards the end of the meal she had pushed her eggplant Parmesan to the side and forced me to move my plate to the center of the table. We had also ordered a small bowl of homemade fettuccine with Alfredo Sauce. This small bowl of pasta was the high light of the meal. It probably was because we didn't expect much from it, but it turned out to be the best fettuccine in cream sauce we've ever had in Houston. For dessert the wife and I split an order of strawberry cheesecake, which I found good. I was surprised that the dessert menu seriously lacking. 

I would definitely be back for the fish and the fettuccine Alfredo, I just wish they would work on their dessert selection.  Good service along with really good food and great ambiance has put this restaurant on the top of our dining list.
3 - adrian f.: I think that by standards of quality Italian food, Osteria Antica does a very good job of main tining the authenticity of its food. I can only comment on the Petti de Pollo which I thought was good but not awesome. If there would have been a less cream cheese flavor and more of a wine saute' then perhaps i would give the food another star. The restaurant was nice and the general ambiance was welcoming. I would recommend this restaurant for a nice quiet couples dinner.
3 - Caroline K.: Antica Osteria:

This is a great neighborhood spot! Cute decor with a very homey feel... The service is wonderful and very attentive. 

Upscale clientele.

Food... NOT THAT GOOD...

 I am sorry to say it but it is true... I mean the bread basket reminds me of the cheapest loaf of french bread you can buy at randalls... not heated up, not served with the olive oil stuff... nada... BUT I AM A HUGE BREAD BASKET PERSON...like a "you had me at the bread basket" kinda girl (if it is a GREAT one).

We ordered some asparagus appetizer - basically 5 sticks of aspar. with melted cheese on top. 

My chicken dish... tender and tasty, but nothing special.  Dads trout was very healthy tasting but a bit dry. Veggies that came with the dishes were good but nothing to write home about. 

Good place to take parents for the atmosphere and service, but for food I would choose Dolce Vita anyday...
4 - Mark L.: Love this place. We had the eggplant parmigiana, veal picatta and spaghetti boulinaisse. Everything was delicious.
5 - Kelly W.: I had the lamb chops and they were tender and perfectly spiced and rare- just the way I like them. A friend had veal and it was melt in your mouth. I usually do not order veal because if it is not just right it is terrible. I would definitely order it here. My wife had the grilled  salmon. I did not try it, but she said it was outstanding. Service was good. Atmosphere quiet and pleasant.
4 - Chinwe N.: I came here for a surprise birthday dinner for my little sister. This charming italian restaurant has a great staff thta is super nice and friendly and were very accomodating. (They gave us th entire second floor for our party, even though everyone couldn't make it, they still let us keep the room).

We had the antipasta platter, veal raviolli, eggplant parmesean and pasta alfredo, which were all yummy. All the pasta was handmade and the wine was the perfect complement. Buon Appetito!
5 - Primm K.: Very friendly and attentive staff as well as super charming atmosphere! Great outdoor patio, authentic Italian menu and full bar!  Request Ben, Thomas, or Jon Beck for your waiters and you will recieve the best service. You will not regret Antica Osteria.
4 - L A.: We tried Antica Osteria again last night from a four year hiatus.  We came early because we didn't have reservations and the place fills up.  Appreciated the free valet parking.  They were barely open, but we had no problems waiting in the bar with a pleasant bartendress.  They had a nice table ready at the time we requested.  The room had a nice decor matching the ambiance and although full, we didn't feel crowded.  Service was prompt and attentive.  Menu was varied plus they have several specials all at reasonable prices.  Due to a late lunch we only had caesar salads and appetizers, however and both were large portions and excellent.  Only negative was the bread - tasted stale and hard.  But, we had a wonderful tiramisu desert with Italian expresso as afters.  All in all a very pleasant experience.  Will come back.
5 - Estevan G.: Try the Bison steak no knife need cause it melt on the fork!!!! The Duck its so good and not greasy just lets say I been here a few time and was never dissappointed. Even the desert is so good I took one to go for the next day! The staff is friendly and the cooks are great. Its kinda hidden in the area but once you go spread the word how great it is.
4 - Jeannie K.: 3.5 for food, 1 extra for decor and service. 

Which isn't fair, because I recently started keeping a mostly vegetarian diet so I didn't choose their lamb chops or branzino, but the fresh spaghetti alla chitarra was fine and my friend's veal piccata had pretty flavors too, albeit slightly on the small side as an entree.  We also had the Italian Cream Cake which was decent.  Nothing spectacular but good enough, especially at those prices.  All entrees under $20 except for the specials.  Only gripe:  No grated Parmesan (they use the Kraft kind).  

Very romantic atmosphere with lots of patrons so a perfect date spot.  Oh, very fair (inexpensive) wine list.  Normal markup is about 200%, this place, 50-100%. 

Great service.  We loved Lorena. 

Complimentary valet, just tip.
4 - Laura D.: I came here with 2 of my girlfriends for dinner on a Wednesday night. The ambiance here is so charming on romantic! The restaurant is located inside a house, so it has a very unique feel to it. They also hava a front porch if you want to seat outside.

I ordered one of the specials entrees they had that night. Unfortunately I do not remember the name but it was a stuffed pasta with chicken. It was amazing!! It had tomato cream sauce that was delicious! One of my friends ordered the Gnocchi in pesto which I highly recommend as well. They have quite a wine selection to choose from. My other friend had the ravioli, which I did not try but she said it was very good too. One of the things I like about this restaurants is the portion size. It is not like other American-Italian restaurants where you stuff yourself and still have some left overs. 

Parking- If you can, there may be street parking right in front, but if not they have complimentary valet.
4 - Tony G.: Solid. Simple. Value. $50 Gaja. What could go wrong. Fennel salad, pesto pasta, no cheese. Great service. 

Dad got lamb chops,,,,,,,

Will go back.
4 - Erin D.: I came here tonight for a dinner presentation. The service was excellent. The restaurant recently added a new red wine to their collection, which was available to us. It was smooth and delicious! I think it was a Rocca della Macie Tuscana, but I can't remember. It was definitely something different; my compliments to the servers for choosing a unique wine.

I had the caesar salad, agnello alla griglia (baby lamb chops lightly char-grilled with mixed vegetables), and pistachio gelato. It was all very good! I also tried an acquaintance's lobster ravioli and a friend's filetto alla crema (black angus filet topped with a brandy mushroom sauce). The former was good, but the latter was delicious. I really liked my food, but I should've ordered the steak.

The presentation room upstairs was great too. It was cozy and quiet, definitely appropriate for 15-20 people. 

If someone suggested this place, I would definitely go again!
1 - T- b.: I can't believe this place has received so many stellar reviews. Get it together Houston. Is it because you have never had real Italian food or is it because your palettes are all messed up ? 

We ordered take out, which I know is never as good as it is fresh from the kitchen, but having lived in NYC for 8 years I've ordered take out many a time, and eaten left overs and although fresh pasta is never as good, well not "fresh", via takeout.... it is never as revolting as what I experienced from this restaurant. 

We started with Melanzane Alla Sarda, Okay based on my extremely low stardards I'll go out on a limb and give this dish 3 stars. It was 2 tiny slices of eggplant that was smothered in a dressing over a bed of greens with copious amounts of canned black olives and some goat cheese. 

Next we had the Spagehtti Alla Chitarra. The flavor was fine, the pasta slightly overcooked, but it was swimming in a pool of oil... GROSS. There is absolutely no excuse for that. 

After that we had the Gnocchi Di Patate with Pesto sauce. The Gnocchi was a bit mushy, the pesto tasteless. Was there even any cheese in the pesto ? It tasted just like ground up oil and Basil, no other seasonings. Some garlic and pine nuts, perhaps some salt would be good. It was also swimming in a pool of oil. And if that weren't disgusting enough the small section of the to go container was filled to the brim with green oil. Because the pool the Gnocchi was swimming in might not be enough. 

But the really really disgusting part of the evening was when I was looking forward to my favorite dish of all, Spaghetti Alla Carbonara. 
I have never seen such a congealed gloppy pile of goop in my life. 
I don't know what was used in the Carbonara, but it was like a thick gloppy al fredo sauce. I'm sorry but I don't recal cream being an ingredient in this dish. The Panchetta, and yes if you are a real Italian restaurant this is what you should be using, looked like huge chunks of Lard. Panchetta should be crisp and the fat rendered by the time it is put in front of me.  
I took one bite and the thought of taking another made me neausous. It looked as bad as it tasted.
5 - Reena M.: To sum it up, another wonderful dinner here at Antica Osteria. We had reservations and only had to wait about 15 minutes but we did not mind because we just sipped on some great house wine at the bar while we were waiting. 
We did not get the same waiter, Thomas, which I had hoped for but the evening turned out perfect. We started with the same appetizers, the carpaccio and the chicken fettuccine and they tasted just as good as the first time we had it here. 
I was very excited to finally have tried the Special of Lamb Chops. Oh My Goodness.... it really is like an orgasm in the mouth. I had it cooked medium since I am not so food savvy of having the blood dripping down my plate and I am always paranoid that I will get sick. Call it mental, whatever. The grilled chop was not over powering so you are able to capture the great taste of the meat. It was tender and oh so flavorful. We also had the traditional chicken parmigiana which was good but I know I was glad to have ordered the chops.
We ordered a different wine for the evening which was an Italian Red, I believe it was a Gaja. We ordered it because the waiter had recommended it so we tried it first and then loved it. 

The waiter was great. He was super busy but knew how to charm a girl =)

So here is my update with finally being able to try to lamb chops and I still rate it 5 stars. I would give it more if I were able to. 

I wonder if they have wine tasting here... if you know of anything let me know. Thanks!
1 - barbara m.: For a supposedly "upscale" restaurant it was one of the worst meals we have suffered through.  The minestrone soup tasted like a canned 
vegetable soup in a thin broth with none of the heartiness or flavor of a good minestrone.  We asked for a spinach salad, which is not on the menu, and the waiter said the kitchen could make one.  It was spinach, chopped tomatoes and pecans--not too authentic--with a bland dressing for which we were charged $10.  The veal dish (can't remember the name) was swimming in a thin tomato based sauce and was only fair.  I ordered the fish "special of the day" which was a whole flounder.  It was served in an extremely unattractive manner and  when I tasted a bite, it was almost cold.  The waiter took it back to heat it up, but it came back only lukewarm.  After that, we just wanted to get out of the restaurant.
The atmosphere is pleasant and the service was good.  Will never go
back to Antica Osteria.
4 - Topper T.: Very very good. Great food and atmosphere.
5 - wendell k.: I dont know much about food, but I know when i like it. I definitely enjoyed the food here. I've driven by this place a bunch of times before and never noticed it until it was recommended here. I would definitely recommend. If you're looking for a cozy place for a nice dinner or for a date, check these guys out.

One note... dont play on your cell phone at the table. It's frowned upon :)
5 - Julie V.: We had the SCALOPPINI AI FUNGHI     (tender veal saute' with crimini & porcini mushrooms) & PETTO D'ANATRA AL PEPE NERO     (duck breast pan-fried with crushed black pepper & fresh herbs)

The veal and the sauce complimented each other so well blended with the herbs. The duck was moist, juicy and the sauce was an excellent compliment!

The atmosphere is super cute, in an old house with dim lights and also outside seating. It's like a little hidden gem in the Village, tucked in.

Loved it!
5 - Shandra A.: Definitely my #1 favorite "date spot".... if you can get a seat away from Bissonnet, you might actually start to feel like you are in Italy... Intimate, beautiful....

I'll keep it simple:

Wait Staff: Friendly and accomidating
Food: Wonderful! (I only eat fish, so that's my base line)
Ambiance/Decor: Comfortable and beautiful! You feel like you are at a comfortable home in Italy....
Music: Perfect! From Sinatra to Pavarotti... I loved it.

Clientel is a little on the older side, which actually encourages a nice, mellow atmosphere. :) Just IMO. 

I will be back here again and again and again...
3 - Lalo R.: Loved the veal chop! The asparagus with provolone was good too... Although the marinara sauces was not the best...
5 - Katie B.: The first thing diners should know before going to Antica Osteria is that the owner and chef is from Sardigna. Therefore, the fish dishes are the best on the menu. I'm a mostly-vegetarian who will indulge occasionally on some local, sustainable fish. The grilled fish here is some of the best  in town. 

My sister enjoyed the non-greasy melanzane parmigiana, and I often dine only on the starters, particularly the peproncini and the burrata. My husband loves the wild game, when they have it, and we usually try to make sure one of us orders the grilled snapper.

The service here is great. Most of the staff have been with the restaurant for years, and they are very loyal and attentive. My husband and I hosted our wedding dinner here, and we were treated like royalty. 

If you're looking for coastal Italian, definitely give Antica Osteria a chance. The intimate dining room, friendly service and delicious food have turned us into loyal patrons.
5 - Kay C.: Dined here for HRW, open menu. Enough said. 

To have that much confidence in your menu to open up every single appetizer, entree, and dessert for you to choose means that each dish must be very good - and it was! 

Lamb shank - fall of the bone, melt in your mouth good
Beef filet - absolutely delicious and cooked to perfection! 

Ridiculously amazing wine list at reasonable prices. The staff was extremely knowledgable about the menu and wines. Attentive but not interrupting. Definitely coming back to this place as a regular!
4 - Andrea R.: Ok so being a self prclaimed foodie of Houston...how did I not hear of this place???  I have lived here on and off for 39 years and I have never been here..shame on me.

Came here for restaurant week b/c well, I have never been here.  Food is wonderfully prepaird and flavorful.  I had the grilled salmon that was prepaired just right, not over cooked or undercooked.  My dining partners had steak toped with blue cheese sauce, and lamb chops.  All tasted and smelled fabulous.

Wine list is very extensive and they also sell half bottles!  That sold me right there.

Atmosphere was very cozy and inviting, I am going to bring my husband the next time for a nice dinner for two.  
 
If you are in the neighborhood, go find this place, gaurantee you will fall in love.
5 - Bryce K.: I went here on a Saturday night; reservations are definitely recommended, as it was packed, even at 8:30 onwards.
We were asked to wait at the bar for our table, which was a mixture of loud and boisterous, and quiet and intimate. I would prefer not to have a table by the bar, since people seemed to congregate and get loud.

We got seated and they brought us delicious, garlicky bruschetta. We ordered a nice half-bottle of merlot. The wine list was okay, although a bit expensive overall.
We ordered the pan-seared scallops wrapped in prosciutto. The white-wine sauce was amazing, and the scallops were good, although very decadent and rich.
For our mains, we got pasta. I had the baked penne, which was alright, while my date had the Penne Three P's, which was unbelievably good. The sauce was smoky and creamy, and will likely leave you with a heart attack. But oh so good.
Service was okay, not amazing. It was pretty busy, and at least our water glasses were refilled frequently, but the okay service didn't even matter, since our food was so good. 
The space and ambience are really nice - romantic, slightly darkened atmosphere, nicely decorated. The crowd seemed a little older (as in, older than mid-30's), but it was nice and not unbearably loud in the main dinner room, even when seated in the middle of it all.
Lastly, although Yelp has it listed as "casual dress," I'd lean more towards the dressy side. Jeans weren't out of place, but plenty of the guys were in slacks and a jacket, and ladies were in dresses.
1 - Don M.: Terrible service for my friend's birthday, food took about three hours to arrive for a table of 20, even when it was a private room with two waiters "serving" us.  Check was overpriced because they were charging for food that never arrived, and service throughout was just awful...they were blaming other customers for being "busy" to explain the lack of food (besides bread and water) and customer attention.  Really, really pathetic and very rude staff.  They waited an hour just to get the check.
4 - Rachel E.: My boyfriend and I came for a nice dinner last Saturday night on recommendation from one of his coworkers and to summarize the experience: what a great recommendation it was! We absolutely loved it!

Our reservation was at 8:30 but our table wasn't ready when we arrived so we headed over the bar area to wait. It's a great little room that feels like a library, but as a note I don't recommend being seated there for dinner, as people tend to congregate around the bar and it was very noisy. Much less romantic than the rest of the restaurant. We hung out for a little bit and then our table in the main area was ready. 

The bread they brought out was just so-so but I thought the bruschetta-esque bread was delicious. Super garlicy and flavorful. 

The wine list is good, but on the pricey side and they only seemed to have bottles. We had been drinking the better part of the afternoon at the Sonoma Wine Bar (which I should probably review at some point) so we were hoping for just a glass. We ended up ordering a half bottle, which worked out ok, but I wish they had more options for wine by the glass.

We started with the prosciutto wrapped scallops which I thought were good, but SO rich I could only eat one. On the scallops was just too much, so we ended up using the sauce to dip the bread in :)

On to the main course. He had the baked penne which came out steaming hot with melted mozzarella and tomato sauce. YUMM. I had the 3P pasta (pancetta and peas) which was amazing. The sauce was rich and creamy, you could tell the peas were fresh instead of frozen because they had that super flavorful almost sweet taste to them. We both agreed my pasta was better, even if it was probably clogging my arteries as I ate.

Service was fine, not memorable, but he was friendly and checked on us on a regular basis.

Know before you go: items on their website may not be on the menu (*cough* lobster ravioli *cough*) and they had run out of almost all the specials by the time we were seated. I guess the moral is eat like an old married couple and get there early. And I most certainly will!
4 - Aimee L.: We came here on a Monday night and it was very lovely outside so we took advantage of the lovely patio that they have. 

It's situated in West U and is a very cute and cozy little place. Valet is complimentary and greeters at the door were fast. 

Once sat, we were greeted immediately and given the wine list along with  specials of the day. The prices here were very reasonable for the portion sizes. The food was fresh and hot and of course delish. I am so glad we gave this place a try.

Also thanks to fellow yelpers for yet a new discovery.
3 - darcy e.: This dinner was nothing special, the food was fine for a neighborhood restaurant., the wine was over priced and the servers seemed wound up and tense. I will say the pasta seemed fresh but the flavors were bland and the plating was sloppy. We did decide to try a dessert and my impression is that their desserts are brought in from a vendor, the Chocolate mousse cake was nothing special and they served a over cooked Flan instead of a more traditional Panna Cotta.
When it comes to a neighborhood italian Restaraunt I  would choose Divinos on Alabama near Woodhead any day and go to the chocolate bar for dessert.
3 - Stephen S.: We've been here several times for private parties. The upstairs rooms (we've been seated in two different ones) offer a great experience for larger groups. The food is pretty good. On my most recent visit I had the gnocchi pomodori. I usually like my gnocchi to be soft, pillowy, and chewy and these ones just didn't have the same consistency.
5 - Grant K.: This reminds me of a nice little Italian restaurant in Belgium. Coming here is like taking a mini vacation. The service is discreet, the food is great, the tables are arranged in such a way that you are not stacked on top of one another.  Above all it's the atmosphere that makes this a place worth going, but nothing else falters, ie the food and the service don't disappoint.  It's a good place to be festive or to take a date.  Valet parking which is becoming unavoidable in town.
5 - Michelle T.: This is the perfect first date restaurant. Dimly lit and cozy, the ambiance is romantic without being too formal. Its biggest selling point is that the prices are extremely reasonable for quality food.

I've had the veal with mushrooms every time and am basically afraid to get anything else because of the niggling fear that it won't be as good and I'll just leave regretful at the end of the night. The tomato sauce on top of the veal makes the dish amazing and I'm embarrassed to say that I practically licked my dish clean. The veggies and potatoes were nothing special but the free bruschetta definitely played a part in my giving this place 5 stars.
5 - Chrisha A.: We went to Antica on a Friday night without any reservations- I didnt know that reservations may have been better, however we were promptly seated in a cozy table for 2. The wait staff was extremely attentive, my wine and water glass were NEVER empty the entire time we were there! 
The entire restaurant is like a cute little house, the wait staff is very knowledgable and the food was very good. The food is authentic italian. I had the special (Grilled red snapper) and my husband had the cheese ravioli with porcini mushrooms- DEELISH!!! we also had the italian creme cake for dessert which is made in house along with a cappuccino to complete the meal. Overall, fantastic experience comprable to Da Marco's on westheimer. I will defn be returning!!!!
5 - Nick V.: Fantastic atmosphere. Very cozy and quaint. The waiter was fun, but very Italian and experienced. First class. Avocado salad with crab and shrimp. Lamb chops first rate.
5 - Ricky M.: Came here for a birthday celebration. The atmosphere is perfect, a great place to disappear into within the West U/ Rice Village area. Very romantic. The waitstaff were top-notch - they were willing to put together a variety of things for delicious pre-dinner cocktails. The food is very good. We had the beef carpaccio with arugula and mozzarella and tomato dishes as starters, followed by the veal with porcini and crimini mushrooms and the fresh snapper. Generous portions. The desserts were fantastic including one of the best italian cream cakes I have had in a long time. Everything you want in a nice, relaxed evening meal somewhere close to home.
2 - Vivian L.: Let me be real here...this is the kind of place that has preferential treatment. 

My boyfriend made reservations during Valentine's week (not on the actual day). While we only waited 15 minutes over our reservation time, many other couples and families joined us at the bar/waiting area. Guess they overbooked. The bartender was genuinely attentive while we waited. We were in good spirits, and I must admit, the ambience was very romantic and intimate. 

One thing we noticed was that the majority of the customers that night were an older crowd, which is PERFECTLY fine with us.  However, when we were seated, we were given an awkward table in the middle of the restaurant that could've sat 4-6 people. The older couple (in their 50's I'm assuming) who came in AFTER us was seated at a cozy, smaller table against the wall. I suppose it's debatable why we weren't seated there. But the real kicker was when our waiter began servicing them first. We REALLY wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, as it was busy, and we were seated almost at the same time. 

However, when he came to take our orders, we had only glanced at the menu for no more than a couple minutes when he asked, impatiently, what we wanted to drink and eat. Normally on special occasions we will order a bottle of wine, but we weren't even given a drink menu. I looked frantically up at my boyfriend and scanned the menu, which only had food. As the waiter grew more impatient (and made a suggestion to just order a cocktail), we went with one house glass of wine. I believe this verified his intuition that we were cheap youngins. He then resumed tending to his more "profitable," older guests. So much so, that I had to wave down another waiter to take our order. When he finally made it back to the table, we explained we had already ordered, in which he stammered "Well didn't you want to hear the specials?" Ya kidding me, right?

As for the food, our appetizer with the cured meat and truffle oil was quite nice. The veal entrees were well cooked. Nothing I would say is memorable, or urban. The portions I admit compensate for the subpar flavors, and I'm happy that the entrees weren't overpowered by thick Italian sauces.

Pros: The food was good...enough. Portions are sizable. Prices were almost fair. Ambience is perfect. The bartender, who not only served drinks, but sat guests, and ran food as well.

Cons: Valet parking only...not even complimentary. The food was lackluster, and more than likely catered to more traditional tastes. And the highly preferential service...as a former waitress of 4 fine dining restaurants, I have learned to NEVER judge your customers, old or young, well or underdressed. 

I would not come back.
5 - Joseph K.: Had a great and romantic valentines date here. The food is delicious and the atmosphere warm and cozy. The serving staff was unobtrusive and did not try to hurry us out the door. If you make a reservation, ask for the table by the fire!
3 - Yvette A.: Such a romantic spot. This is another house turned restaurant. It's intimate and dimly lit.. with a "have dinner at my house" feeling. The maitre'd escorted us to the bar (from an extremely cramped hostess area) to await a few minutes before our reservation time. After a few sips of chardonnay and 10min of taking in the ambiance from the bar, we were assisted to our table.

Fast forward to dinner. For starters, we ordered the Stuffed Portabello which was not too bad and I appreciated being able to taste the bread crumbs on top. For main courses, we ordered the Vitello Picatta and Braised Lamb Shank. Both entrees were equally mediocre, nothing impressive. Sauces were tasty but my only complaint is the EXTREMELY thin veal portion. I know, I know.. that's the purpose of a piccata because I cook it often. Was it mashed, hand sliced, butterflied? Who knows but while I thoroughly enjoyed the piccata sauce, I was a bit unimpressed with the overly thin veal. I guess I should have taken the menu detail "Thinly sliced veal.." much more literally. No worries, I cleaned my plate anyway.

Our server, Robert, was friendly and attentive.. The food took a while but he informed us of the situation.. which was fine so we were patient. The bread basket included banana bread and carrot cake (?) so that sufficed. He seemed a bit rushed but it was a very busy Valentine's night so we understood.. As long as WE weren't rushed and our glasses were full, I was fine with that.

Still with positive thoughts, the Osteria itself left a good memory and I wouldn't mind returning for another meal with them.
4 - Alain H.: The decor is romantic  with it's warm aged walls and woodwork.  Diners have the option of sitting next to the street on the beautiful covered patio that runs along the front of the building and links the restaurant and lounge area.

It's dinner only at this warm Italian restaurant offering a well executed menu. Veal chops and boar chops share space with lamb chops grilled with fragrant rosemary; veal scaloppine perches atop a refreshing salad of peppery arugula. Filling pasta dishes (the huge ricotta-stuffed ravioli is our favorite) are properly prepared crowd-pleasers. Side salads of field greens, or arugula and fennel, are lightly dressed to let the natural flavors shine. We especially appreciate the wine list, heavy with unusual Italian options and several Super Tuscans. Charming, dimly lit rooms in this old house make for a romantic setting conducive to sharing the chocolate mousse for dessert making for an enchanted dining experience.
5 - Saba E.: This is, by far, the best Italian restaurant in Houston. I took my husband out to dinner on his birthday to relive our first date in New York city. This restaurant did it - we had a wonderful time. We had a lovely bottle of wine:  Tenuta sant'Antonio Amaron 2007 with fennel salad to start us off. Delicious salad with balanced dressing. Then, our main entrees were lamb chops and sauteed salmon. It was all so relaxing and delicious. Our waiter made us feel really important - he was so accommodating, helpful, and attentive. We ended our meal with a scrumptious dark chocolate cake with all kinds of deliciousness!

We hope to return, because the atmosphere, food, and service is something we cannot stop comparing to other restaurants in Houston.
4 - Lorna G.: I booked Antica's private room for a business event.  I have a few things to say:
-The staff was incredible-they get a 5!  Lorena and her staff took fabulous care of me... the wine glasses were never empty, the plates were always cleaned, they accommodated last minute guests... it is the perfect vent for a work event.  I would say we easily had about 30 people in our party and they could have accommodated a but more.  There is a cute fire place, private music in the background and a screen if you need it.
-The food was very good.  Everyone was very happy with their meal- and the portions are very generous.  I opted for the eggplant parmesan (went traditional) and was very happy with it.  I give the food a 3.5- really, really solid.  They have a shrimp/seafood salad in an avocado half which ended up a bit heavy and mayonnaise-y for my liking and the eggplant parm was definitely better than average.  Oh, the antipasti platters were great as well.
Overall, I would go here again for a corporate dinner no questions asked; however, I will continue to try Italian restaurants in the city of Houston when I'm dining by myself until one floats my boat.
4 - Mauricio P.: Good food , excellent service!!!
4 - Kel E.: I had really high hopes for this place. I was in the area last week and thought it would be a romantic restaurant for my husband and I to go to. I really wanted to try a particular dish and ordered it. (or so I thought ). The server  must've gotten confused because at the same time she read the specials to us and they brought me the special . It was not what I ordered and I told them several times that I received the wrong dish . The server insisted that I ordered it and said I would like it so I never got what I intended to order .  The garlic bread with the tomatoes on top was good . The restaurant was expensive but the decor and atmosphere were nice . I will consider trying it but I hope I get what I wanted to order next time .
4 - Gino T.: A great neighborhood Italian restaurant that we wish were closer to our home.  We've never had anything but great food, friendly service and a very good experience here.

We dined with our granddaughter and one of her friends last night, and the two youngsters were treated with the same respect that two adults would have been. Our starters included the peppers with anchovies & capers, and the gnocchi with suga rosa sauce, both dishes prepared to perfection.  (The gnocchi is more of a main course than an appetizer for one, though.)

Mains included a filet and the lamb chops for the youngsters, and they both said they were great. One of the girls had a side of spaghetti with meat sauce, and I've got to say it was probably the best I've ever eaten. My wife had the veal piccata al limone, and I had the always incredible vitello ai funghi (veal with mushrooms). 

Our only complaint was that as we were about to order dessert, a table of five was seated next to us, and two early-20's young men were so loud we could not hear our own conversation. If only people could learn to moderate their converation so that it was just for their own table instead of for the entire room, dining would be much more pleasant for everyone. We decided to skip dessert, as we literally could not hear one another.

Prices are not inexpensive--with gratuity, the tab including three glasses of wine ran $200 for four people, but it was well worth it.
1 - guava j.: Smoked salmon $10 - two thin slices of smoke salmon that tastes nothing better than what i can get at krogers. I would recommend Tiny boxwood's home smoked salmon instead.

Cappacio $10 - taste was blend and the meat fell apart.

Ossco Bucco $27 - veal shank was quite tender and the tomatoe sauce tastes good.

Lamb Chops $32 - ordered medium rare but turned out rare. The texture was rubbery which meant it was processed with tenderizer. It's like the meat you find in a cheap chinese restaurant. I didn't not expect such low quality of meat. Such a disappointment.

In conclusion, entrees are overpriced but service was good.
3 - Sebastian D.: Before I begin my review I need to mention that I just came back from a 5 city tour of Italy that lasted 16 days, so realize that is my measuring stick. This restaurant's first plates are between $10-$20 and their entrees are between $20-$30+, so needless to say it IS a little pricey. All the food was cooked properly and not lacking in professional technique. I asked for lamb chops medium and that's exactly what I got. However, nothing tasted 'Italian'. It tasted like it was cooked by trained chefs, yet lacking that little extra flavor here or there.Simple and passionless food. NOTHING made me go wow, nor can I say anything was particularly delicious. Also, I got some dessert that was not made in house, but tasted pre-made, dry, and pulled out of a freezer. Sorry to say it. If its a special occasion and you plan on dropping $$$, avoid this place. You can find better in Houston.

HOWEVER: the wait staff was very attentive and warm, and I did have the strange homey, family feeling simply from observing the wait staff and managements interaction with one another. The decor at night is fairly romantic. 

Its not terrible, but its also not worthy of more stars. Its average for Houston (which may be pretty good in other cities, but not here). Its just a little better than Buca di Beppo, which would only get 2 stars according to yelp rating, so really Antica should fall somewhere between 2 and 3 stars.
4 - Alvin J.: We always wondered about this place every time we went to Under the Volcano so for her birthday I decided to make a reservation here. We were seated in the upstairs section where most of the bigger groups were seated. The place is small and intimate so the ambiance was great for catching up with friends. The service was efficient although a little slower on a crowded Saturday night.

The food was good across the board. We started with an antipasto plate of cured meats and cheese, and a plate of bresaola (air-cured beef filet with truffle oil). The antipasto was standard but the bresaola was great; the truffle oil gave it an extra oomph. She chose one of the specials which was the angel hair pasta with crab meat with choice of sauce. For $20 the portion was big and very generous on the crab meat. I chose the ravioli with mushroom sauce. The ravioli were big and stuffed with ricotta cheese; the sauce was a tad too salty but the mushroom flavor was great. 

She loved her birthday dinner! I recommend this place for a romantic meal or a special occasion.
3 - Amanda M.: Visited for restaurant week. Bonus points for offering the entire menu as options for the 3 course meal. 

Loved that they served bruschetta as a free appetizer along with regular bread. The butter was too cold to spread though and the bruschetta was just ok. It was more like a glorified garlic toast. Wish they had olive oil on the table for dipping. Strange that they took the bread away when the entrees arrived. ??? Why???

Everything we ordered was tasty. Not amazing, but tasty. Service was spot on - my water was refilled every five minutes! 

We had the marinated eggplant appetizer and the burrata, which both were prepared over salads. the eggplant was better than the burrata since i've had better elsewhere - even at Cafe Express!

For dinner, i had the Costata di Vittela, aka veal chop with mushrooms - cooked perfectly and the sauce was fantastic. the veggies and potatoes on the side were your standard fare. My date had the Filleto alla Crema. The cream sauce reminded me of a stronganoff sauce out of the box. however, the steak was cooked as ordered and was super tender. 

I'd recommend the tiramisu - very traditional. one of my favorites in town. capuccino was also very good. So maybe for the ambiance and all, I'd recommend this place for dessert only. Everything else isn't as good as it gets for italian. There are so many other places! And those places have more than 3 parking spots to boot.
4 - Amanda M.: This place is quite charming, evoking a certain nostalgic feeling that you've been there before.  I was quite taken by the waiter rattling off information in an accent I could not totally understand, the flickering lights, the bartender who bosses the servers around, and the portable chalkboard listing all the specials.  

We started out at the bar, and their bartender sure knows how to make a good martini.  When the rest of our party arrived, we were seated upstairs.  We had the pan-seared scallops with prosciutto to start, which were quite delicious.  I opted for the Veal Milanese for my main course, which was served with potatoes and grilled vegetables.  The veal had a very light breading, so the meal was not too heavy.  This approach was a good strategy, so that I had room for dessert.  Their tiramisu was very good, but I don't think I've ever found a tiramisu that I didn't like...thus, my judgment in this area may not be trustworthy.

The best part was sitting there for around four hours without feeling rushed.  Coffee.  Another round of drinks.  It was the perfect place to catch up with our friends and I will definitely go back.
5 - Lee W.: Romantic Italian restaurant.  Great wine selection and wonderful service.  Try to make a reservation ahead of time.  Very quaint, quiet restaurant (what used to be a former home).  Very private and intimate setting.  A great place to take a date.  I ordered the veal--very good.
5 - John D.: This is a wonderful, cozy Italian food restaurant with a superb wine list!
4 - Rebecca S.: The atmosphere of this place is great! We had reservations, but we got there a little early and the host said no problem. He even asked us where we preferred to sit. We were able to sit in the corner, so we were not in the middle of everything. I loved how even when the restaurant started to get crowded, the noise level stayed pretty quite. It is a very romantic place with the low lighting. Perfect for a date night!

The service was also great! Our server, Roberto, was very knowledgeable about the menu, especially when I asked him which "sauce" would work best with the dish I chose. He was attentive, yet not annoying. Also, we ran out of butter and I had one piece of bread left, so I asked the lady who filled the water for more butter and she brought it right away with more bread! We didn't need the bread, but it was very thoughtful of her to bring more bread without me even asking!

The food is awesome! I wanted to order everything on the menu. I had the special angel hair pasta with lump crab meat and my fiance had veal wrapped in prosciutto. We had the anti pasta rustico for an appetizer, which was just the right amount of cheese and select deli meats. 

We will definitely be back to try other items on the menu and to see our server again. He was very charming throughout, he even wanted to know how we found out about the place and if we liked it. Before we left he said he hoped we come back and it seemed like he genuinely cared!

Antico Pizza - Atlanta, GA (33.784655, -84.405647) (Georgia Tech, Westside / Home Park)
5 - David K.: A friend told me about this place... he is a pizza snob.  He said, Hands down it is the best pizza in Atlanta.  I don't really live near by, but I decided to try it as I was having some friends over for the Braves game tonight.  All I can say is WOW, what great pie.  Everyone loved it!  I lived in Philly for 10 years and never thought I would get really good pizza again.   We got the Diavola and it was spicy goodness!

The people inside were really nice and attentive.  I will be frequenting this place from now on.  The thought of getting another pie from Mellow or Fellini's is depressing.  Yes, it is that good.

I just remebered what this place reminded me of and it's the pizza version of the crawfish shack!

If you like pizza, run to this place.
5 - Ben H.: Yesterday I went after work to check this place out after seeing it pop up on a few blogs and after some dynamite reviews from some gents on here.  I went in with high expectations and was not disappointed at all.  This place has it going on.

I went in and immediately found myself in a great conversation about soccer with the guy behind the counter, Luca.  He was really friendly and just loved talking about Naples, calcio (soccer), Maradona, and his beloved Napoli team - cool guy.  I ordered a margherita pizza, a couple of cannoli, and, on Luca's recommendation, a sfogliatella.

I decided to take it out instead of eating at the little counter - maybe not the best move since I ended up getting pizza all over my pants, steering wheel, and gear shift (whoops).  It was a dangerous (but delicious!) ride home - I was actually wishing for red lights along the way.  

Like everyone's said, the pizza is fantastic - superb flavor and texture.  The crust is probably my favorite part of the pizza - it might be the best thin pizza crust I have tasted.  It was pretty chewy and not cracker-y which is how I like thin crust.  The sauce on the margherita is great - it's just a simple, fresh sauce made from quality tomatoes like it should be.  The cheese is tasty and the garlic and basil definitely step it up.  I had my pizza drizzled with a bit of olive oil which was a nice touch as well.  One minor nitpick would be that the pizza I got was slightly undercooked - it was just a bit too soft right in the center and some of the cheese could have melted more.  

Everyone's talked about how great the pizza is but the pastries here are a force to be reckoned with as well and shouldn't be passed up.  I had a sfogliatella and 2 cannoli (1 nuts/1 sprinkles).  The cannoli were very good - the ricotta filling was solid and the shells were nice and crisp with a hint of (cinnamon?) to them.  I had never had sfogliatelle before but was always curious about them when seeing them so it didn't take much convincing from Luca.  And he was right - these are amazing.  Lots of great textures (flaky, crunchy, chewy, slightly gooey?) and flavors (ricotta, orange, nut) going on in that pastry.  It was a great combination and the balance of flavors was fantastic - all the flavors worked subtly together and the whole thing wasn't too sweet.  I'm hooked.     

Anyway, I was totally satisfied despite my high expectations.  It is definitely a couple notches above Varasano's and a notch above Fritti in my book.  I'm definitely going to be back soon.  

Forza Napoli!

5
5 - Alexa g.: Okay to quote the infamous Drake song.... "You the F*$&n' best!!!"

Yup people, believe all the hype! Trust me you know it's good when you arrive and you see 4 other yelpers already  there!

Margherita pizza was excellent: Fresh basil, pepperoni, just enough sauce and not overbearing with the cheese. 
In addition we ordered the cannoli with a hint of lemon zest!!!

 I can't say nearly enough about this place that hasn't already been said!
5 - Jason R.: The food, the enthusiasm, the pure joy in the making of pizza...  What else is there?  You walk in, and you feel like family.  You eat, and you feel like heaven.

There are so many little things that are so, so right, but the big one is this: Amazing pizza.
5 - Carrie Neal W.: So, it's been what? A week-ish since they opened?? Well, all of my fabulous Yelp foodie friends have already said pretty much all I could say about this place.

I will just say this:

You know the expression, "pizza's like sex"? As in, even when it's bad, it's good. 

Well . . . Best I've had. Use your imagination.
4 - brad k.: Am I the fist non 5 star review? Forgive me father... Antico certainly rocks. The ingredients are perfection. The passion and Italian spirit is overflowing. The pizza, when eaten on the spot, is also close to perfect. So why not 5 stars? I have to say that the pizza goes from a 9.9/10 to about a 9/10 on the 15 minute ride home. Still very very good, but the time in the takeout box is not kind to the pizza. If they were a sitdown joint, that would be OK, but they are really positioning themselves as takeout pizza. I'd probably give 4.5 stars if I could, but the best advice I can offer is... eat your pizza on the spot!
5 - Tracey R.: I think their tomato sauce is infused with clarified butter but overall - some of the best pizza I've ever eaten bar none!!
5 - Broderick S.: The pizza is great and definitely worth the trip from around the area. They now have a table in the dough room so if you don't mind standing you can get your grub on with other pizza lovers. Even moreso than the food almost, is the people who work there and the love they have for the pizza that they're serving. Piles of ingredients from Italy and their prized pizza ovens & their epic trip from Naples. They're happy to show you the back room and give you a grand tour. The whole experience is great and makes you want to come back for more. Oh yeah, and the pizza is damn good too.
5 - Katie W.: Great pizza.  Perfect crust.  Fresh tomato flavor.  Tasty bufala cheese.  What everyone else said.

I also love the free espresso while you wait and I loved practicing my Italian while waiting (2 minutes) and discussing the virtues of Naples (I love Naples, as do they).  We talked so much that my pizza almost cooled down before I went and ate it in my car.  Well, not all of it - I had leftovers.  I will add that the leftovers reheat really well - this pizza was delicious the next day, too.  However, the first pie I had from here was taken out and brought home before it was eaten at all and I do have to highly recommend eating it as hot and fresh as possible (i.e. do not wait until you get home).

Honestly, I'm gonna have to give the sfogliatella another try.  It was not as light and crispy as I'm used to, although it had a great flavor.  But, where else in Atlanta can you get sfogliatella?  I'm sure I'll get it again here soon.

This place is great.  Despite the limited seating, I can see myself just hanging out here.  I love the lack of pretension and hassle.  It's just so fast and easy, too.  Bravo!
5 - M L.: I am a new yorker and I love pizza.  Lets get one thing straight, there is no true NY pizza here (Atlanta) and Antico is not NY pizza, its better.  As Giovanni described " this is street food from Naples".  This also is the reason there are no places to sit, its is supposed to be quick, which is why it only takes 3 minutes to make a pie.  All of the ingredients are imported from Italy (minus the water), in fact while I was there a random dude walked in with 2 boxes of Buffalo Mozz, right from Italy!  

We ordered the Margarita and the Pomodorini (very similar), and they were both amazing.  If you hang there to eat, they have minced fresh garlic, cheese, oregano, and great little hot peppers ( I found them sweet).  The pizza was perfect, all of the flavors melded together like a bit of heaven!  Definitely stay there and eat and enjoy the great hospitality.
5 - Michael H.: This is the real deal. Had the Margherita with pepperoni and it had just the right amount of char, great flavor, top notch all the way around. Giovanni's very accommodating, gave us a tour of the kitchen and we talked a bit about finding/buying the space, the ovens, how he won't cut corners, the dining table, and his philosophy on pizza. I gave him a chance to bad mouth a certain hyped pizza maker in town but he wouldn't take the bait. Class act. 
Enrico hooked us up with cafe and wine and his background. 
Run, don't walk to Antico Pizza Napoletana!
5 - Dru J.: While I inhale Margherita pizza in the communal dining area, proprietor Giovanni recounts how he went to Naples to order his pizza ovens specially made.  Armed with all the dimensions necessary to ensure a safe trip back to Atlanta and a custom fit, he booked passage for his "Ferraris" on ship, then rail, then truck.  Upon arrival at the restaurant it is soon discovered the ovens are one quarter inch too large to fit through the rear delivery entrance.  Its eleven o'clock at night, a small fortune has been expended to ensure just the right textured crust will crown his masterpiece and he is suddenly met with a disaster of LiIliputian proportions.  Undeterred, Giovanni grabs a homeless guy from across the street, secures a jackhammer, lowers the floor and positions the ovens.  The rest is, well, history, in the making. The homeless man is no longer homeless thanks to Giovanni, and a great pizza joint is born. Me?  I'm invited to return to eat at the family table.  An honor. As I leave, I realize that I have  discovered more than the usual food and banter, here I find an exceptional man making exceptional pizza.
5 - Adam R.: This place reminds me of the Seinfeld episode about the non-fat yogurt. To quote Jerry: "This is so f'n good!"

No claims of non-fat here. If I still lived in my old house, pretty much across the street, I would be even more obese than I already am. I would be able to put slices of pizza in orbit around me to eat at will thanks to my gravitational pull.

I cannot even count how many times I have been back. Well I can, but I am still in a pizza coma from tonight. Did the Margherita go up in price from $15 to $17? Still worth it! Tried the San Gennero a couple times now and love it. Sausage is awesome. Tried the Pomodorini too. I am making myself get the Gigiotto Calzoni next. I am going to try and eat that by hand too, no utensils for me. Who eats pizza with a fork? Can you say cram the wad?

I am thinking I should bring them some bacon and see if they will throw some on for me. Mmm. Not like I am anyone to say their pizzas need improvement, because they do not. I just like bacon.

No loss in quality from the massively increased foot traffic. We still get treated like family. Giovanni still takes time to talk to us when we are there and still is able to make delicious pies.

Like Arnold said in Terminator 2: "GO...NOW." It also reminds me of Speed. If your pizza is not cooked in under 55 seconds it will explode. Explode in your mouth that is.

And for those of you complaining about lack of tables, they have one now. They always had a couple counters set up by the windows for you to eat at anyway. Is pizza a sit down food now? I like the atmosphere here. You and other patrons are all standing around one big table enjoying and sharing the experience. Much better than just sitting at a little table. There are also plans to extend the eating areas into the parking lot and the parking lot behind the place. It is amazing how much they listen to their customers. They know most people want to eat it right out of the 1000 degree oven. Sitting is for suckers. Ivan and Kit's moms sit on me all the time and believe me, they are suckers.

Time to roll myself home and plop into bed to dream of going back tomorrow. Stick a fork in me I am done, since you will not be needing it to eat pizza with anyway;)
5 - Kathleen M.: God, I feel so lame being one of the sheep, but... baaa. 

When I read the first few Antico reviews I was hoping for a long lost DC friend of mine: Two Amy's. It is undoubtedly one of the best Neopolitan pizza joints in the country, even approved by the folks in Naples with some crazy DOC seal. Yeah, it's that good. And it was a mile from my house. Oh, the memories.

So, needless to say, NOTHING in Atlanta has lived up to Two Amy's. Not Fritti, not Varasano's, nothing. So I was hoping with all hope that Antico was the answer to my prayers.

I have to say that it was good. Really f'ing good. Just not Two Amy's good. (whomp whomp) Certainly the best pizza in Atlanta, without a doubt, though!

Also, a huge extra star (maybe even a star and a half) goes to the atmosphere of this place. When I arrived well before dinner hour to pick up a pie to go, I was the only non-Italian speaker in the joint. Even the owner's son behind the counter was speaking Italian to one of the other customers. We were offered espresso or coffee while we waited, and I just loved the genial community vibe this place gives off. Wonderfully Italian in every way, and certainly something my most favorite Two Amy's was lacking. 

5 stars for Antico. You can bet I'll be back.
5 - Alain L.: I've had the pleasure of coming here twice in the last several days. Of course, we all know that Antico has been getting otherworldly positive feedback from the Atlanta Yelp crowd.

I say this, if pizza is not your thing or you're tired of the standard fare currently available; give Antico a try. If you're disappointed, I'll be shocked.

A few tips: try the margherita. It's the basic pie and it's full of flavor.
Also, be prepared to eat at the communal table if you decide to eat there. The space is good and the conversations about what other patrons have can be helpful.

My personal favorite is the San Gennaro, it's also the priciest. The Diavaola was probably my least favorite because of the spiciness, but still a decent pie.

The openness of the kitchen and the friendly staff make Antico a total win.
5 - Wallace S.: I'm not a pizza snob, so I can't discuss the sourness of the dough, or whether the char is at the acceptable level.  The pizza's damn good- to the point where it makes other good pizza seem boring.

As mentioned, I love that this place is without pretense.  You come in, get your pizza and split.  You might chat up the (admittedly attractive) hostess or proprietors, but you don't come here to be seen in the hottest Buckhead location.  This is a great addition to the Atlanta restaurant scene.
5 - Joel D.: Yep. Great pie.

Friendly staff. Super quick service. Not crazy expensive.

I'm not sure if I like or don't like the lack of seating. While I wish I could have dug in a bit sooner, the take out only concept keeps it casual, which is a good thing.
5 - Julie Y.: I love a great magherita pizza, and those cannolis were delish as well!  I'm sad that this place didn't open up until after I graduated from Tech. I was in a rush, so I ate in the car. What a mess of char bits and powdered sugar but it was worth it! Though it's true, this pizza does not travel well. Eat it walking to your car if you have to or reheating it later actually works well. 

Super seniors and other Techies, enjoy this magnificent pizza joint that is within walking distance. I'm jealous.
5 - Jamie C.: Pizza is outstanding-probably the best I have had. 
It would be nice if they had tap water or stools/chairs of some kind for the table. But the 5 star ranking is for the food.
5 - Laura W.: With 33/34 5-star reviews in a mere two weeks, expectations were high going in.  Antico's is everything everyone has already said about it, so I'll stick to the few things that haven't been repeated ad-nauseum:

There are no chairs.  If you want to eat your pizza there, you can either stand at the oversized family table in the outer area of the kitchen, or at one of the two small benchtops.

The pizza's still tasty as it cools off, but you probably do want to eat your pizza there.  We took ours home - all of a brief trip across 75/85 on 14th street - and regretted it.

Antico's also sells par-cooked pizzas that can be cooked in your home oven for 10'.  Are they good?  Hell if I know, but I've had success with this method in the past with a treasured Maryland pizza establishment.  Totally different style, though.

Haven't tried a cannoli yet, but since they're filled to order (and rumor has it, come with free espresso if enjoyed in-house), that's next on my agenda.

Great little place.  Thanks Yelp (and Kit especially, it sounds like) for putting this on my radar.
5 - Valerie O.: Well, need I say more?  All the Atlanta Yelpers here already spoke my mind.  

Mama mia!  Spank me good!!  This is really the best pizza I've EVER tasted in my life!  Not even when I was in Italy!   

We ordered Margherita DOP + pepperoni and it was one of da bombs!  The juice was flowing through my fingers.... if you are brave enough, add in some of their homemade red chili pepper and its red sauce... OH WAIT!  don't forget to put freshly cut/crushed/minced garlic on the pizza either, and  I guarantee you will find fire-breathing dragon is your long lost brother!  :D

Dang, insanely-dangerously-addictively GOOD!

p.s. they don't have chairs or bar stools in the restaurant, you eat standing up, but that is not the problem.  STILL 5 STARS!  :D
4 - Louise B.: Okay, I've been twice in the last week & I'm ready to render my verdict. 4 stars, which for me is really good. The crust is out of this world... if I could go here & just buy crust, I would. The first time I had the Margherita which was oh soooo good, tomato juice dripping down my arms & all. The only problem was that I live 1.25 miles away & by the time I got home the center of the crust was a bit soggy. This was easily remedied by putting it on a baking rack & popping it in the oven  (425 deg) for a few minutes & I was back to crispy perfection. Umm Umm Umm, on my second trip I got the white pizza & I have to say that of the 2 this was my favorite (I LOVE cheese). I have to thank you Antico because before you came along, after several bad pizza experiences here in Atlanta, I was on a pizza sabbatical! My new dilemma is trying to justify buying a whole LARGE pizza for one person everytime I need a pizza fix :-\ &$(@&!!@#!

P.S. for 5 stars, I gotta get that "special" feeling. I'm talkin When Harry Met Sally special.
5 - Rebecca S.: Holy. Crap.

I mean, really. Can you say anything else about this?

We ate at a cafeteria table in the kitchen. Eric S made friends with the other people at the table. We conversed. The 4 of us snarfed down our pizza in approximately 7 minutes. While we watched 2 cops chow down by the back door, and at least 4 other pizzas get made, and pepperoni get sliced fresh, and dough being made... I could have easily been convinced that I wasn't in Atlanta, but in fact in Italy.

I see what the hype is about. I want to go back. Its a bit pricey, but completely worth it as far as I'm concerned. 

By far the best pizza in Atlanta.
5 - Alicia L.: So Yes I am jumping on the next greatest pizza spot bandwagon... but why knock something if it is great right?? 

First let me start with the obvious... the atmosphere was great. I went for a private event and ate at the family table that was actually in the kitchen right next to the pizza ovens. And the Antico family would not stop making pizza's for us! They treated us like family! Then to top it off we had Lemon Chello for an after pizza drink. Mmmmm good. 

Need I say more... if you want to feel like your in Naples & want to embrace your Italian culture then going to Antico Pizza is a must!
3 - Nancy R.: This place is ok!   It's a eat-as-you-stand kind of place, but there's one table inside the kitchen area(you get to watch them make the pizzas).  Seats limited.  My friend and I were eating our pizza there, and a couple of people came in so we got up to leave.  The owner (or one of the chefs) yelled over to make sure we were finished eating and not being run off.  

FOOD:  Since I love pizza crust, I really like the soft, bready crust.  We ordered the Capricciosa pizza that has mushroom, artichoke, and prosciutto with bufala cheese.   The standing table has fresh chopped garlic, fresh grated cheese, and hot peppers.  It's a nice addition to the pizza.  The sauce may have been a tad runny and bland.  Also, they may not have a large variety of drinks, but I think you can bring your own alcohol.

TIP: Parking may be limited but there's street parking.  Go early to beat the dinner rush cuz' if they run out of pizza dough, there closed.
5 - Ron K.: Wow. 
Pinch me.  
I must be dreaming.

As soon as I took a bite of the margherita pizza slice, I was in heaven!  The perfect amount of fresh tangy sauce, melted cheese, minced garlic, and by the far the best tasting crust I've had in years.  All of these textures and flavors mesh together so perfectly,  that my taste buds are now spoiled!  The last time I had a pizza this good I was in Italy 4 summers ago.  

Best pizza in Atlanta, hands down.
5 - Hannah C.: Simply put:  
I don't know much, but I know I love you!  And that may be all I need to know!

Be sure to add the minced garlic and hot pepper.  You'll smell...and it will be worth it.

Best. EVER.

(Yes, it IS that good).
4 - Michael L.: Since when does "Yay! I'm a fan." = blasphemy against a joint/negative rating? I don't think it does, so that's what I'm going to rate this place. 

We came here last night as a group of 13- and since my buddy actually called ahead (not knowing that it wasn't a sit-down place) to reserve, they managed to seat us all at a rectangular dinner table that was was placed in the spacious kitchen area. Friendly, no-nonsense service. 

I echo everyone in regards to the great ingredients- you could definitely taste the difference in the flavors due to fresh ingredients not taken out of a Prego jar. We ordered 5 different pizzas, but I can't remember all the names. 

Margherita- Just plain as it is, was very good. Hints of garlic percolated through in the sauce, and the basil gave a wonderful fragrance. (4.25) 

Marinara- basically marinara and anchovies with some Parmesan- anchovies aren't for everyone, but I liked it ok. (3.5) 

San Gennaro- I really liked the hint of kick that came with the sweet red peppers, and the sausage tasted great as a complement. Probably my favorite one of the 5 we ordered (4.5), just a bit more than the Margherita. 

Lasagna- Not bad, nothing mind-blowing, fresh ricotta along with 'meatballs' reminded me of (good) lasagna from better Italian joints I've had. (3.5) 

Last one which I don't remember the name: One with artichokes, ham, and olives. It was alright. I appreciated the good amount of toppings on the pizza, and they all went together very well- but besides that, I didn't remember much. (3.25) 

I'm no pizza connoisseur, and I think all the (5) ratings unreasonably elevated my expectations.  What would've given me reason to give this place a 5?  A perfectly crisp (all the way from outside to inside) crust that would not go soggy even before we could eat it.  And yes, I've had that kind of crust before (even from sub 1000 degree ovens), so it's possible.  Maybe I'm being unreasonable.  Whatever.  A solid 4 it is.
5 - Christian N.: Yeah it's that good. I can't speak to consistency yet as I've only been once but I did get three different pizzas and all were excellent. You will want to eat it there. The ride home in the car will take away a bit of the magic, but it reheats quite well. Eat it there standing up or in your car.
4 - Andrew N.: Need to jump on that review train.  

Yes the pizza is best in town, but you should consider your circumstances when coming here.  No place to sit, pricing seems to inflate beyond the menu, and some things will likely be changing soon due to health regulations.  Not saying you are risking anything, just think of it like eating in a friends kitchen.

Still, I will easily go there again.

Welcome to the scene Antico.  I can't wait for you to stabilize.
5 - Walter R.: Serious pizza being made by real Italians from Naples. I looked at their pantry items and every item I saw, including the salt, was imported from Italy - specifically Naples. Definitely the most beautiful, and tastiest, Italian Neopolitan pizza that I have ever seen or tasted. The pizza just looks so gorgeous when you get it. Note that you eat at a communal table, no table service. Many people prefer take-out. A rare gem of a place for our city, and a good place to brush up on your Italian! I'm giving it 5 stars for authentic, quality prepared food. Cheaper than a flight to Naples.
5 - Mary B.: incredible and absolutely worth the hype.  one of the best pizzas i have ever had.  it's a bit too expensive to eat there often but it is def on my short list now.  love the punch of garlic and oregano in the pie, perfect chewiness and char to the crust and obviously high end quality ingredients.  

god i ate so much of it and writing about it is making me hungry all over again!  i'll skip further details since there are already so many reviews, but for the love of god, get over there and eat one already!
5 - Taylor A.: Finally, a pizza place that warrants the hype!

This place is so italian you'd assume the dudes behind the counter would be plumbers wearing red and green overalls.

Very simple. All they have are cannolis, pizzas, and calzones. 

The crust is perfectly crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside with great fresh ingredients. None of that soupy-ness that I've got every time at Varrasannos. 

Go here. Get a pizza. Eat it at the table they have in there. Love it, and then pick up a N2 Milkshake from Flip for your drive home. Perfect meal!
5 - Kara M.: This place has only been open a hot minute and already has a ton of positive reviews so...

Do I have anything new and fascinating info on the place... no, 
was is absolutely delicious? YES
Awesome, thin delicious crust and the freshest sauce and toppings ever. 
This pizza made my friend and I almost have to go back an order an additional pizza because we nearly ate her husband's share, thank the lord for the cannoli!  
Go and eat it!
5 - Bobbin W.: Antico Pizza's ringing Yelp endorsements are true: this place serves incredible pizza. My fellow diners and I crept down Hemphill until we spotted this ostensible hole-in-the-wall, surprised by the unassuming interior. The woman who took our order didn't speak the best English, but my having to repeat myself at least three times allowed me to enjoy her soothing Italian accent. 

We ordered two pies: a margherita with pepperoni and the bianca. After sitting at the end of a large table in the adjacent room, already occupied at the other end by another dining party, one of the staff members slid two huge trays in front of us--after literally 5 minutes had passed. The pizza was amazing. The pepperoni on the margherita, sliced in thin strips, crisped into my drooling mouth, the crust's char settling into my fingernails. The bianca was equally amazing: light and CHEESY. 

Antico seems more like a pizzeria that supports take-out orders, although I enjoyed sitting at the huge table and dousing my last margherita slice with the available fresh oregano and EVOO. 

I will be back, as visions of mozz and oregano have been dancing in my head.
5 - Sean P.: Words just can't do justice to these delicious pizzas. While they are really freaking good, they do come with a caveat.

These pizzas are meant to be eaten when they come out. The center will get soggy by the time you get home so do eat a slice or two at the premises.

Definitely worth your time (and a detour) to go check this place out. Keep an eye out for the Italian flag because the building is rather easy to miss.
5 - Tressi J.: I'm gonna keep this one plain and simple--hands down, BEST PIZZA IN ATLANTA. Superbly fresh ingredients make for one delicious pie. I didn't think good pizza existed in Atlanta, and after many tries this is the only one I have given the "Tressi Seal of Approval"....haha! One suggestion---eat it there, hot....and order dessert so you can try a cup of their stovetop espresso! Heaven!
5 - Michael B.: As everyone has said, the pizza is fantastic. The most authentic and delicious Italian style pizza I've had in Atlanta. Simply delicious, everything fresh, and amazing pistachio cannoli for dessert.
4 - Dylan N.: Based on the reviews, I went to experience the bliss that is Antico Pizza.  The food definitely lived up to the hype. Everything about the pizza (sauce, crust, toppings) was incredible.

Why not five stars?  I wasn't able to get single slices.  Also, the seating at the store is very limited.  Also, the pizza, while good on re-heating, had a good bit of moisture in it causing the crust near the center of the pie to be soggy.

If you're in the area and have at least a couple of friends to share a pie with, I highly suggest picking one up.  Even better, if you've got a group of friends, order several pies and mix and match pieces from the various pies.
5 - Felix C.: This place is freaking fantastic! 

With all the chatter about pizza in Atlanta, this is how you do it.
5 - Michael T.: Outstanding pizza, even though it's a bit on the fluffy side. Prepare yourself for a communal dining table and no beer or wine license. But you can't argue with the authenticity of the Napolitan pizza produced. Truly excellent.
5 - Dio S.: Casual eating of simple, perfectly baked pizza every time I visited.  Eating the Margherita for the first time was one of the happiest dining experiences I'd had in Atlanta...like eating at Tasty China for the first time back when the original chef cooked there.  

I was neither particularly charmed nor annoyed by the unique dining situation, standing up and eating from a large table often shared by multiple parties.  It was comfortable enough to eat and that's fine for me.  Probably I would have been slightly annoyed if you could only get to-go (which was apparently the case for a couple weeks), especially since the point of walking while munching doesn't work out very well in this area.  

The oven is magnificent, and I usually watch the pizzaiola (usually Giovanni) working on my pie with gleeful anticipation.  The high quality and freshness of all the ingredients (especially the dough itself) are very evident.  The pizzas are very large with puffy edges and not really expensive for the price, plenty of places do very small $12 pies.  The most magical thing about these pizzas is without a doubt the bread-like dough.  There is a singular texture, chewiness, stickiness, slight saltiness, and ridiculous wheaty aroma.  The oven is so damn hot and the pizza constructed so well the crust itself is extremely thin and does not crack collectively as you bite into it.  Basically it's a different kind of beast compared to the nice crackly thin American styles like New York (which is itself much better than the limp, underbaked, tasteless chain styles).  The dough reminds me a lot of the best of breads; I can't get enough of it.  

My favorites are the Margherita and San Gennaro.  There are some misses among the other options, but those two are always perfect.  If I haven't tried almost all the famous pizza places in Atlanta so far (I haven't written reviews for a few of them yet), possibly I would have gone for a 4 star, at least until I get a more complete set of references.  But I have pretty much tried them all, even some of the mythical OTP places, and Antico is simply the best.
5 - James H.: Part of me hates Antico.  How can I hate this place, you ask? 

Paraphrasing the immortal words of Mike Myers: Because they put an addictive chemical in their pizza crust that makes you crave it nightly, smartass! 

The power of crust compels me.
5 - jimmy s.: The hot calabrese peppers on the diavolo have a similar effect to viagra. At least on me. That pizza is my fave. 

Beyond that...ditto on everyone's comments.
5 - Stephen H.: Pizza Napoletana!  Oh man, so good.  Like the other Yelpers, this took me back to my travels through Italy, even though I was only able to check out the pizza in Rome.  And that's all a good thing.

I really liked the simplicity of this place, the friendly and jovial nature of the Italian hosts, and of course the quality of the pizza.  This isn't the type of pizza you take home with you - you've got to eat it here at the communal table, smiling at all the other patrons as you experience the shared ecstacy of pizza heaven.  Not only that, but you'd miss out on the diced garlic, hot peppers in oil, and grated cheese you can spread across your mouthwatering pizza.

Antico Pizza is really just a nice pizza place, perhaps the ONLY nice pizza place in Atlanta with a certain authentic charm to it.  Go with friends, meet other customers, hang out a bit, get to know the people who work here, and enjoy the different pizzas they have.  The only thing missing from my visit was a bottle of beer, but hey, that'd just be a bonus.
5 - Ryan F.: This just in... Antico is now a full blown Italian bakery. Went tonight and they had tons of new items. There were about 5 different cakes/tarts including a cheesecake, a chocolate tort, and a fruit-based cheesecake? Today was also their first day making about 5 varieties of biscotti and an Italian-style croissant with creme filling. Additionally they have tiramisu and a chocolate, Roman rendition of tiramisu which I ordered. The dessert was fantastic but pricey at 5 bucks. It had hints of Amaretto and lovely thin layers of flour-less chocolate cake. Go get you some!
4 - Emily R.: I recently went back and got another Margherita just to see if it was as good as I remembered, but was a little disappointed. It just wasn't the same, it didn't seem like the flavors were as bright, I barely tasted the garlic and didn't taste the basil at all. Maybe that was because Luca didn't offer to fix it  "his way" as he had before, so it didn't have the fresh basil as well as the baked basil.

I also made the mistake of eating one slice in the car before taking it home. By the time I got home, I pretty much had to eat it with a spoon as it had the consistency of soup from all of the sauce and cheese soaking through the crust and box. In the future, if I don't plan to eat it there, I will definitely ask them not to cut it and do it myself to see if that helps maintain the integrity of the crust. 

I guess now I need to go back again to see which experience was the fluke. Wish me luck.
5 - Zack E.: They're closed on Sundays, by the way.  Do you know what today is?  That's right.  Today is a Sunday.
4 - Corinne T.: Really good pizza for Atlanta, a place with very few good pizza restaurants. I really liked the location, blocks from my house, and I really liked the ambiance. It was very small, very clean but divish. Lots of italians which is a good sign. The only gripe I have is the crush. I prefer thin crispy crusts. The pizza was very soggy in the middle and I didn't care for the edge, too doughy. Oh - and they didn't put enough basil on the pizza, just one big piece in the middle which ended up on only 2 of the slices.
5 - Diane B.: Ok! This place is awesome.    I was actually sad when we were done eating our Pomodorini pizza!  I wanted there to be more and I had already eaten half of it by myself.  We sincerely considered going back the next day to get another one.  Fresh whole cherry tomatoes and fresh basil with awesome garlic and olive oil sauce.  We tried it again the next week and got the lasagna pizza.  It was also very good but still prefer the Pomodorini.
4 - Danielle J.: Decided to venture out for a little pizza...I love pizza. I'm from NJ so crust, cheese, and sauce are in my veins!!!

I decided to try Antico Pizza, I first called to see what time they closed and they told me....."when we run out of dough miss." We tried the Margarita pizza, I went with a New Yorker so I think we were already a bit  testy, lol. My verdict...it is truly authentic and super fresh! I will try it again, the New Yorker will pass, it wasn't his fav. 

Remember there is no bar, or soda. You have  your pick of waters, peach tea, and other Italian beverages. I did see people with wine, but not sure if it was BYOB!!! lol
4 - Kyle J.: By far the best pizza I have had in Atlanta.  

I am deducting a star since I was disappointed by the lack of basil on my Margherita.  There were maybe three pieces all bunched in one area.  One was actually burned.  I do blame myself for not trying this on a weekday.  It was the weekend and the place was pretty busy.  I'm sure it's hard to produce your best end product under those circumstances.

The flavor was outstanding and the crust was just incredibly perfect.  I will become a regular.

I also bought some of the salt.  I dig it.
4 - Kelly S.: I'm departing from the crowd a bit on this one, but please believe me when I say it's very, very good.  There's no doubt about that.  Here are the positives and negatives as I see them:

Positives:
1. This sounds like a negative, but it's not.  They don't speak English very well in there. It's just really cool to go to a pizza place where everyone actually speaks Italian - and they certainly speak English well enough to get by.  But if you're looking for a place to practice your Italian, go here.  I just don't know anything beyong "grazzi".
2. The crust is absolutely perfect. Period.
3. The consistency of the sauce is my favorite kind - chunky and kind of runny.
4. The cheese is delicious. 
5. The decor is nice, which is surprising to find as you're driving up to it, since it sits right next to a kinda run-down brown brick building.

Negatives:
1. I personally found that the sauce was a little bit lacking in flavor.  The bites of my margarita pizza that had basil on them were amazing, but when I got bites without basil, I would say it was a teeny bit bland.
2. It's LOUD in there.  The music was cranked up so high that I couldn't bear the thought of eating in the room with the big communal table, so Mike and I ate at the bar-type seating up against the front window. 
3. I am, unfortunately, a soda addict (which I know is my own issue, but I just thought I'd mention this anyway), and they don't have any kind of Coke, Diet Coke, etc. Oh, and no booze. (Gah!!!)  

But I will DEFINITELY go back here.  I might just need to get a pizza with pepperoni or some kind of more flavorful topping(s) next time, and I can live without soda and booze for the duration of one meal.

So there you have it.  That's as honest as I can possibly be about it.

Grazzi, my fellow Yelpers, for educating me about this place!
5 - Jim C.: Yeah, they have added stools. I wish they would remove them. They encourage fat, lazy, slug patrons to park their asses for way too long at the communal table. Without the stools, customers would stand, eat and get the fuck out. Now it's getting pretty damn crowed. Still, the pizza is better than ever.

*BTW, I think the little kid makes the best pies. He adds a lot of basil, and they come out slightly irregular, which is cool.
5 - Leah T.: What can I say that hasn't already been said?  Yep.  It's that good.  I want more.  Sean M. was underwhelmed this last time, but I thoroughly enjoyed my Antico experience.  If it's been even better than that, that might be something I would prefer to enjoy in private.  Sometimes food has a funny effect on me.  Kinda like the warm, happy feeling I get from Naoya's awesome Japanese toilet, y'know?  I'm sure you Yelpers can relate.
4 - Jason W.: Ok, so, I'm not a huge pizza fan. I mean, I like pizza, but it's not one of my favorite foods. BUT, Antico's excelled. The only reason it loses a star is because of the price. For a pepperoni pizza and a big bottle of water, it was almost 28 dollars. But Antico's is the heart of Naples in Homepark. If this place keeps excelling it will have to expand and rather quickly, as there is almost no seating in this restaurant.

The pizza, wow, it's good. It's saucy, with yummy cheese, and it's messy. Just how I like my pizza. It radiates Italy. The pizza and the restaurant. Big basil leaves on the pizza add a great ambiance to the pizza, and the fact that this restaurant only serves little bottles of italian beverages, and bottles of  Italian spring water, with gas or without. Antico's is definitely worth checking out!
5 - Vishal V.: Giovanni,

Grazie, Grazie and more Grazie!!!!!! Need I say more.
5 - Jeff Z.: Ringraziarla molto! i gusti di cibo come a casa!!
Non ho mai provato niente ama questo. È il cibo reale italiano. Sostenere in a casa, la madre fa sempre la pizza con la crosta bruciata. Questo è giusto come esso!
4 - Dorothy P.: If you like Lombardi's in NYC, you'll luv this place. I'm not a big fan of wet pizza (when the tomatoes perspire and the juice starts getting allover your slice), but fortunately this place was not as wet as Lombardi's. I luvved the crust and I can't remember what we ordered b/c I didn't order but one of the slices had sausage on it and it was great. It definitely tasted very authentic. It reminded me of a slice I had on Campo de Flora in Rome, Italy where they served it in small squares...the mozarrella here was just as fresh! (I guess it's true that they fly it in from Naples) We dined in the kitchen b/c the place was packed. And this made the meal so much more enjoyable. highly recommend getting a table in the kitchen w/ full view of the 900 degree ovens...very cool.
5 - J H.: Best Pizza in Atlanta.. They are gonna have to expand. BOMB
5 - Jeremy A.: Ive had Neopolitan pizza all over the place and my favorite was in NYC till now. This pizza is the real deal its superior ingredients are what sets this place apart. 

You pay more for your pie but oh man is it worth it. They also make some delicious desserts from scratch. 

If you get a chance to go here make sure you do, but also be prepared for takeout on a busy day, they don't have much room to eat here. 

Hands down my favorite Pizza in the country.
5 - Timber W.: I think this is the best pizza I've ever tasted.  

My favorite was the margherita with pepperoni.  The pizza was huge, but that didn't stop us from devouring it shortly after it arrived.  Because the interior of Antico is so small, I might suggest ordering your pizza to go, but I had a great experience just sitting at the family-style wooden table and eating my meal off a flat pan.
5 - Naveen D.: Besides Luzzo's in Manhattan I have had nothing better than Antico. I've been 6 times so far (and am still not the Foursquare mayor) that tells you how many regulars there are here now. It is worth the 25 mile/40 minute commute from Alpharetta for this superb pie.

There is a serious attention to ingredient quality here that keeps me coming back.

On my last trip I shared their tiramisu. It was divine.
5 - Live To Feast I.: Given that this new West Midtown pizzeria has been absolutely bombarded with praise by the foodie/blogger crowd in Atlanta in the last few weeks, I will keep my synopsis brief. The few of you who have read my other reviews should know that brevity isn't exactly my strong suit.

   The pizza is the obvious draw here, and the menu is essentially nothing but pies and calzones (no side salads here). But, while waiting for my pizza to come out of their 1000 degree oven I found myself irresistibly drawn to the dessert display.

In true authentic Italian form, they have a wide variety of cannolis available. The unique toppings include everything from pine nuts to coconut and graham cracker. I couldn't resist the graham cracker topping, nor could I even wait until I got through my pizza to break into it. As you can barely see from my iPhone picture above, they do not pipe in the filling until you order your pastry, to keep it from getting soggy. These were fantastic...one of the best I have had in a long time. Highly recommended.
  
   Because Antico was originally intended to be a take-out only place, and that the crust has a tendency to get soggy on the drive home, it was strongly recommended to me that I make a point to put down a couple of slices at the standing room only table.

After getting my Diavaola pie (spicy sopressata, pepperonata, and buffala) I proceeded to dump about 15 of the red peppers, fresh garlic, and some parmigiano cheese on top and dig in. If you can't handle a little heat, I wouldn't recommend the peppers, but I like a little pain with my meals, so I loved it.

As expected, the pizza was amazing. I don't know that I can say that it is the best I have EVER had, but without a doubt it was in the top 3. The crust was a little thicker than Varasano's and Fritti's, but given that it had to survive the trip home without becoming a sloppy mess, I think it was just right. The char was great and the flavor was on point. As many others have pointed out, I found the toppings to be far-and-away superior to some of the other Atlanta pizza powerhouses. Though I have never been to Italy, and therefore never had "authentic Italian pizza" myself, my girlfriend has and her first reaction was "this taste more like real Italian pizza than anything I have had in Atlanta before."

   After getting home, I took a que from Jimmy's post at Eat It Atlanta, and threw it in the oven for 3 minutes at 400 degrees. I have to say, he was spot on. After the drive home and waiting 20 more minutes for my dining companion to get home, the crust quickly returned to its original crunchy goodness. I would say this re-heating move is a must for anyone that lives further than 5 minutes from Antico.

    All in all, I would highly recommend this, the hot-new-pizzeria-du-jour, to anyone that appreciates a good slice. Given that I work all of 10 minutes from here, I intend to go back as often as my wallet will allow.
5 - Carrie B.: Seriously not living up to my Eilte potential with the lack of recent reviews. I cannot believe that I didn't yelp Antico the second I saw the margherita pizza at a friends place and then off of the smell alone when I walked into the joint!

This place has the best pizza ever, even short of NYC! The San Gennaro with the sausage and those sweet red peppers was pure heaven. Everyone is so friendly and while the place isn't big most times I'm taking it back for others to enjoy so it's not much of a concern. A nice light Italian beer and this pizza is what I would order when asked for my final meal...yes, it's that good!

Oh...did I mention the freshly-filled canoli? Make me wanna slap my mamma they're so good! Salud!
5 - Joel C.: Absolutely the BEST PIZZA in Atlanta!  Thank you, thank you, thank you Giovanni for coming to Atlanta via Italy and bringing your pies of heaven to the South!

The pizza here is seriously like ambrosia!  I had the opportunity to come here with Patricia and a few of her fantastic food columnist for a private luncheon tasting.  We were able to sample almost half of the menu and each pie was so amazing that you cannot go wrong with anything you choose!  Everything...from the ovens to the flour to the employees have been imported from Italy!  My two favorite pizzas are the Diavaola (spicy peppers and sopressata) and the San Gennarro (sausage with sweet peppers).

The desserts are really good as well and from what I hear from my boss, they serve the cannoli exactly like his grandmothers, where the filling is put into the cannoli when you order or serve!

The staff should be voted BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE!  Restaurant owners should visit and see how they do it!  Seriously, every time I come here, they make me feel like it's home!

Best pizza ever and worth the trip, money and wait!
5 - Nick R.: Im from NY and Ive been eating pizza since I could walk, probably too much,lol!   This place is hands down some of the best pizza I have had. The owner Giovanni is pretty cool too. The sausage is excellent, and the red peppers are sweet and tangy. Try this place if you get a chance, caus e the secret will be out soon.
2 - Mark B.: Good lord, either you all need to get a grip or I just am really unlucky that I got the only bad pizza at Antico. Got a take-away last night and am rating on it because let's face it, its a take-away joint, not a proper restaurant at all. So I was expecting a good pizza when I got home about 10 minutes after receiving the pizza. Don't you love the new 14th Street Bridge? My roomie was waiting to use my car to take a date out and they both really complained about the smell. It was in fact very strong of garlic. Now I love me some garlic, but this pizza had fairly large and fairly raw bits all over. Shouldn't that 1000 degree oven have cooked it a bit? As for the crust, again I normally eat the entire crust on a good pizza, but the edgy bit that should have been bready was really hard. Not like stone, but not like bread either, more like 'clamp your teeth down hard on one end and pull real hard on the other to get a bite' hard. As for flavor, I think the two stars says it all: "meh".
Worst of all, I have had Columbus' Revenge all day and it was either that pizza or a bowl of pasta I had for lunch. Now, I'm not saying it was, but it was. The 2 pieces I saved for lunch went in the bin. Its really expensive pizza and I was going to try to get my moneys worth. As long as I am on a roll here, the girl that tried to claim my pizza because she couldn't remember what she ordered really annoyed me. And did anyone else notice the suits that screamed The Godfather and made me very nervous? (Suits meaning older, thicker-set Italian guys in suits.) Yikes!
5 - Anthony B.: Easily the  best pizza in Atlanta.  We recently moved from NY to Atlanta about a year ago-- the pizza at Antico Pizza rivals Grimaldi's and Patsy's in NY.

Hands down the best pizza in Atlanta.
4 - David Z.: In short:

Though you have to wait in line for a while before you order, the pizza is cooked in no time.

Delicious cannoli that are filled when you order them.

Marinara pizza was good, but not recommended (few anchovies, garlic is in in full, nearly raw cloves, very little cheese). But the crust is quite tasty. 

Cool communal eating tables with bowls of parmesan and garlic to pass around.
3 - Jennie K.: The pizza decent, fast, and fresh.  I had the Capricciosa and the combination was a bit off.  The artichokes were so big they weren't hot all the way through, and some of the crust was good and some was inedible.  It was pricey even for the quality of the pizza, it should be more than chains yes, but not quite as high as it is.

Sitting in the kitchen however, is fascinating and great fun.  Don't go here expecting to have a good sit down conversation with your family, it's organized chaos in there.  They'll most likely be packed and/or you'll be sitting with strangers.
3 - angela y.: Came to Antico... Yes, It was good pizza...was it the best pizza I've ever eaten...NO. The crust was too doughy. I usually like my pizza dough a little crispier and more flavorful ...basically  the entire pizza had no flavor. Just lots of gooey cheese and dough.

They say you have to eat the pizza HOT to enjoy it...but when it was HOT it was a gooey mess. Everyone says that this pizza is AUTHENTIC ITALIAN pizza like it's eaten in Italy.... I would love to visit Italy one day BUT for now my taste is more accustom to affordable pizza, with more flavor and not so doughy crust, that I can sit down and enjoy.
2 - Lisa B.: I am preparing myself to be tar and feathered as we speak....Antico just didn't do it for me. 

The expectations were high for Antico based on all the 5 Star reviews and numerous talk threads about this place. Charisse M. and I went together to try this place out. First impressions were this place is DEAD - are they even open? I figured with all the hoopla it'd be gang busters. I even said "Did they run out of dough?" But I pulled into the parking lot and saw that they were in fact open. We went in, ordered our Margherita pizza and waited the 30 seconds it took for it to be cooked. 

Since we were the only two people there, we opted to stand at the "counter" instead of around the large family table just outside of the kitchen. First impression of the pizza was it looks alright. It is not an aesthetic masterpiece or anything. We pulled out our respective slices and to my shock I realized that this pizza was a soggy mess. Despite it's appearance I went into consumption mode with an open mind because of all the foodgasms Antico has incited for others. First bite, eh, pretty good; second bite, eh pretty good; third bite, FRICK!!! I just ruined my shirt!!! I am a messy eater already (remember my incident with the Sublime donut on white shirt at the Yelp Thang event) and when you give me messy food its a nightmare. Had I known the consistency of this pie I would have brought a bib or worn an old college t-shirt over my clothes for protection against the saucy mess. Anyway, by the time I was done consuming my shirt was ridiculously splattered with pizza runoff. It was then that I thought to myself, was the pizza even worth messing up my shirt? And the answer was "No." I really prefer a pizza with a more stable crust and thicker sauce. I don't like soupy pizza.

If I were a man I'd be protecting myself against castration right about now because I know the Anticoians out number lil ol' me, but anyway, it just didn't do it for me. It was decent, the ingredients seemed to be good quality, it was something new and different for pizza in Atlanta, but it just didn't rock my face off. I will go back and try other menu items if I'm in the neighborhood. This place is just alright in my book. It's just not one of those places I would go out of my way to get to. Here is a run down of the good and bad: 

Good: 

- The atmosphere is cool. I actually don't think they should put in stools or seating unless it's outdoor (which is pretty useless right now that winter is approaching). 
- People who work here are super nice. 
- Papa Ole (Giovanni's neighbor) bought cannolis for practically everyone who was there. He was a very sweet guy and I'd probably go back just to talk to him. The cannoli was super delish! 
- The pizza did have a unique flavor. I appreciated the charred pieces on the crust 
- Fresh ingredients: you can really tell that this stuff is fresh and high quality. 
- BYOB? Everyone seemed to bring their own drinks. I brought my Diet Coke while others brought beer. A few wine glasses were also spotted. I'd give this place an additional star if they had Diet Coke on tap. 

Bad: 
- You basically have to eat this pizza there. I am assuming the pizza would be a disaster for carry out if you live more than 50 feet away based on the dining in experience. It is messy and gets soggier with time. 
- This is not the reheat-able kind of pizza. Sometimes you just want some cold pizza in the morning after a late night or you want to have leftovers for lunch. Antico isn't going to be able to help ya out there. Must eat immediately. 
- If you are a messy eater come prepared. Bring a roll of paper towels. Prepare to get down and dirty with your pizza pie. 
- This pizza was not foldable but it was rollable. I had to roll my pizza up into a little wrap to consume it.  Too much effort and too much mess!
2 - Matthew C.: Since I live in the neigbhorhood, I tried swinging by for late dinner (9pm), no dice.  

However, the 5-star reviews for an Atlanta pizza joint were hard to ignore, so I made time to get there for lunch.  The Hemphill location was easy to find, but the bar stool setup along the walls seemed really awkward.  

I ordered a Diavola pizza and a cannoli.  The cannoli was the best I ever had.  The thought of not filling the pastry until sale is brilliant - apparently I have been eating unnecessarily soggy cannolis all along.  The creamy and and crunchy sweet goodness is worth a return on its own.  The pizza went the other direction on the soggy scale.  Don't get me wrong, the flavor was great - the ingredients were fresh and yummy, and the parts of the crust that remained crisp tasted awesome.  However, the crust in the center of the pizza is a soft, almost mushy mess.  Perhaps getting it sliced was a mistake - keeping it whole and tearing it later would have kept the juices on top of the pie.  Even so, I've had similar style pizzas in other cities (Il Vicino in St. Louis is one example) where they slice the pie but don't run into the sogginess problem.  The sogginess problem is not just a flavor/texture problem, you will have evidence of being at Antico on your clothes.

All that said - it is not a bad pizza, but I'd only recommend it for a lazy afternoon with friends (parents with kids are asking for disaster).  But the cannolis are worth making it a regular stop.
5 - Librarian F.: Can't help it--this place is top notch!  

I was kind of confused when we first walked in--there are some benches along the wall and one big table in a glassed in area, but this is set up more for take out rather than a sit-down restaurant.  That said, if it isn't too crowded, go ahead and sit down at the big table with everyone.

Pizza was excellent--great dough, great sauce--it was huge, too.  I had read reviews implying that a pizza just feeds one or two?  These are pretty large pizzas--we each had a couple slices and were stuffed.

I love the family feel of this restaurant and can't wait to go again.  Very impressed!
5 - Brandon G.: This place is BY FAR the best restaurant experience I've ever had! We ate in the KITCHEN with the true Italian chefs. The pizza is TRUE Italian with all the ingredients imported. I loved it so much that I've decided that this is going to be my Friday night tradition. You'll love it! You're missing out if you haven't tried it for yourself!

The only downside is that it is a bit pricey...however, the energy of this place combined with the food, people and atmosphere is priceless! I think this was my BEST restaurant experience yet.
3 - J. B.: We went here because we heard nothing but AMAZING things about Antico.  I was so excited they opened, since the owners were from Italy.  When we went to Italy I was obsessed with the pizza there.  (I don't think I ate any pasta the whole time!)  My husband went to Antico without me when it opened (aw shucks..) with some friends and said it was absolutely delicious! He said the owner came out and talked to them while they ate, which is always nice to know they care.  They even got a tour of the kitchen! Wow!  Now I was really looking forward to my visit...!

When I finally made my way over, we went there early before the rush around 5:30pm.  There was no one in there eating. Whewhoo.  I heard there was only one table and I really didn't want to stand with a 1 year old.  I LOVE the old family style table that you can choose to eat at.  Other than the family style table,  you only have the eat and run style bar located along the walls.  I do wish they had a couple of more small tables, but not sure where they would put them? 

When you walk in the design makes you feel like you walked in someone's Italian kitchen. It doesn't take long after you order  to whip up your pizza.  The owner's son (who is super adorable and about 10?) was walking around with a chef's apron on.  He checked on us a couple of time. (wink)

We sat at the family style table, but unfortunately they had no highchairs.  My 1 year old was  standing in her own chair, um.... Not very convenient for me to eat.  One hand holding my little one and the other to hold a slice? Not so good. The pizza looked amazing when it came out!  We got the margarita (and added pepperoni). The taste was really delicious, just like I remembered.  I was disappointed though, because for some reason our pizza was like soup in the middle?  We couldn't pick up the slice because the fresh tomato sauce was making the dough soggy and fall apart. I can tell by the other reviews that this might have just been a random thing, but it wasn't that enjoyable. Man....I wanted to experience what everyone else had!  

We will for sure go back again, since my husband had a better experience.  Not sure what we will do with the little one though.  It might have to be a meal without the kid.
5 - luis m.: pain in the neck "seating" arrangements
pain in the neck ordering and paying system...

but when it quickly arrives it is quite simply the most sublime pizza ever made in this city..
this pizza does not travel well, it will get soggy quick..
SO
eat it as promptly as you can
eat it in the corner,, in your car, in their kitchen ,,,wherever, but
eat it quick and enjoy the best pizza in the ATL
3 - Bill S.: EDIT: LOL I said "calzone" when I meant "cannoli" oops!


Very good pizza, I will say, but I guess I expected a little more. We got a Margherita, and since I don't live very far, I decided to go in and order one to go. 

The staff were all very friendly, and when my pizza came, the cook brought it out and showed it to me before putting it into the box. From the descriptions of the pizza from other people I was paranoid it would be cold by the time I got it home. I live 10 minutes at the most from Antico, and that's WITH lunchtime traffic... when I did get home, yeah, it certainly could have been hotter. This is a problem with this style of pizza because the mozzarella is not shredded as you would see on a typical American pizza, but rather its sliced fresh mozzarella melted (and in my case, slightly re-hardened due to cooling on the ride home) I would have liked a little more basil than two leaves in the middle of the pizza though.

While I was there, I picked up two cannolis and they were REALLY FUCKING DELICIOUS. Get some. Now.

I definitely will give this place another chance, but when I do, I'll not make the mistake of trying to take the pizza anywhere, and I will be trying one of their other pizzas.
4 - Shica B.: I love this place!  Its one of my new faves.  They have an extremely abbreviated menu that allows for nearly no alteration (which is why I didn't do the full 5 stars, what can I say, I'm picky???).  We went this past Saturday early evening.  
We were waiting on another person in our party, so we got to sit back and peep the scene.  You have to be aggressive when it is time to get yourself a place to eat.  But, it isn't as bad as it seems that it would be.  The pizza comes out, the group of folks devour it, then they go on about their way!  
We finally get our group together, make our order after being offered a 'sample'.  (the sample was a whole slice of pizza that the 3 of us tried out in 30 seconds flat)  We looked around to see what folks were drinking, mostly nothing.  Hmm... can't have that, I'm THIRSTY.  We happened to have a bottle of grape juice in the car, so we whipped it out and that was our beverage, it was pretty cool that they are that laid back that they don't care if you bring in your own complement.  Some folks bought six packs of beer.  Others had their own bottle of wine.  Great times.
The pizza was pretty good.  We had a pretty intense discussion afterwards about it and surmised that the person who is used to store - brand pizza is not typically going to go for this.  The meat was a little sloppily laid on the pizza, not so evenly disbursed.  The slight browning on the crust was absolutely fantastic, I am in love!  
I will definitely be back.  I'm bringing some pals, but not too many, we may not all be able to fit at the tables.
Lastly, I don't think that it is as expensive as everyone says that it is.  One pizza is ~$20-22.  If you share it with 2 other people (which we did), the cost is around $7 per person.
5 - Jacquelyn S.: i will come here every time i visit atlanta!!!! yes, the pizza was THAT GOOD. 

pomodorini pizza was heavenly: plump, dribbly cherry tomatoes, gooey slices of buffalo mozzarella, basil permeating the pie...  everything's fresh and simple, letting each element shine through! i couldn't get enough of the crust -- it was thick enough to not get soggy, but so soft and chewy with nice slightly charred edges. a girl across from me ate half a pie on her own, but wasted all that beautiful crust... i seriously thought about snagging them from her.

as with any handmade pie, the toppings are pretty haphazardly scattered... so every slice might not be perfectly uniform, but i feel like that adds to the authenticity. less fuss + more heart = better taste! 

the space itself has an industrial feel, and very limited seating -- plenty of standing room tho. despite that, i'd definitely stay to eat rather than get it to-go; keeping it as hot and fresh as possible is key... and adding plenty of the hot chili oil they offer (one of the condiments on the kitchen table). can't wait for a return visit!!!
4 - Pat R.: Delicious! It's a nice place, fun environment, love the desserts and the pizza crust is marvelous! The patrons are awesome too, funny and so Italian! Must go.
5 - Jeremy J.: Guess what people, you roll the slice up and consume, did you see the illustrations on the wall above the order counter?  I guess when in Rome, some people like to think they are still at home.  

We ate at Antico tonight for the first time.  My wife and daughter were there waiting at the community table having already ordered.  Probably around 6:30pm when I arrived and joined them.  I was immediately struck by the interior.  Lots of great things to look at everywhere.  San Marzano's stacked in one corner, huge pizza ovens in the back, delicious desserts in the front, etc.  I was completely ready for this experience.  I knew that this place was not going to be "hand and foot" and I was going to have to do some work, no problem for me.  

The pizza arrived as we enjoyed conversations with other patrons at the large community table.  Everyone was interested in helping each other enjoy their experience offering tid-bits of knowledge and advice.  We got the sausage and sweet hot peppers pizza (name escapes me at the moment) and let me say from dough to tomato, HANDS DOWN THE BEST PIZZA I have had in a long while.  To boot, there are little bowls of goodness all around the table: fresh chopped garlic, shredded parm, whole peppers (hot and sweet), etc.  I would say the dough was delicious down to the last bite.  I yearned for each bite, eating like an animal, only stopping to breathe and smile.

Bring your own booze.  They are a work in progress and when my wife asked about salads they mentioned that they might have something in the near future.  I can only wait and see.
4 - Ryan M.: Great ingredients
near perfect crust
traditional italian za. 

Must eat right away though because the crust goes limp quickly as it cools.

Seating in the kitchen is cool.
5 - Meghan T.: This place is fantastic. I went with my boyfriend and we ordered a margharita pizza. It was fantastic. I think the words were "this pizza is the bomb", as spoken three times during our meal by my man (please note, "the bomb" is not normally part of his vocabiulary). The piza was hot and tasty. It came out super fast too. 

I spent six months living in Italy and could attest to this place being as authentic as it gets.
2 - Pat S.: Was totally excited about the reviews on Yelp!  Could not wait!   Had been a little 'put-off' by the photos of the pizzas, as, being a true pizza queen with roots in Chicago and New York, taste, and quality ingredients (not mystery meat or pre-fab cheese) is quickly followed by presentation.  All of the photos posted by my fellow yelpers showed pizzas with the ingredients tossed haphazardly around the pie.  Who wants to bite into a section that may only have cheese, but no meat, for example?  Most of us want to savor the taste in almost every bite of the ingredients we ordered.  So, I ultimately found this to be a sad experience.  Come on Antico, opportunity awaits!

Some of the best pizza I have had has been at 'Bambinelli's' located behind Northlake Mall in Tucker.  Bonnie Bambinelli has presided over this little family owned Italian gem for years.  When there, also try their eggplant parm or the spaghetti and meatballs or spaghetti marinara.  I always ask for a little extra marina to sauce up my take-outs. 

Second up would be 'Gondolier's.'  I loved the location on Barrett Parkway in the Dick's/J.C. Penney shopping plaza, but it recently closed - I'm assuming due to the economy.  They have one other location still open in Woodstock.  The crust is so-o-o good you actually want to eat every bit.  Normally I never eat the edges, unless they are perfect and needless to say, these are divine.  

My other top choice is in Fayetteville.  'Pies On.'  They only offer a pan crust, but trust me, the toppings and the crust again, are superb.  Try the Grandpa Joe's with sweep rope Italian sausage (real meat not pre-fab!) roasted red peppers, black olives, crushed red peppers and cheddar.  I sometimes add onions all over and pepperoni on one half.  You can never get home before opening the box, but each hot slice demands two-handed attention.  So if you have a nice car, just wait until you get home!  They have a full menu of Italian and Greek dishes.  The Greek salad is flawless.  They will customize, as well. During the summer months you will always see a line on the small outside patio awaiting  take-out.  They offer inside dining, as well.  Yum!
2 - Scott M.: Overrated.  Overrated.  Overrated.  Antico's Pizza is revered like well, umm Paul Revere for some strange reason.  When I read the reviews of this place, I got excited.  In fact, I pined for weeks about how soon I would be able to put this beautiful combination of meat and cheese into my mouth.

So finally it happened.  A Friday movie night.  I couldnt stop thinking about the damn pizza, and the aroma in the car was so yummy.

However, I quickly noticed how light the box was.  For an omnivore like myself, this means trouble.  Big trouble.  But I can recognize quality, and sometimes it comes in small packages (thats not what she said...) or boxes for that matter.

The unveiling of the pizza left me with a crinkled up face, and i immediately thought to myself, this doesnt really look that good.

But I have had UGLY pizza before and that means nothing.  Especially if you have 150 yelpers telling you that this shit is the best thing since sliced bread.  So ignored my instinct yet again, and dived in.

2 slices later, as well as a bit of musing, i realized that I had been duped by the viral marketing machine that is Yelp.  Duped bad sir..really bad.

I am actually going to give this place one more shot (at 20 bucks a pop), thats pretty much my limit on 2nd chances...
4 - Michele G.: My boyfriend is from NY. We are foodies. And we are not afraid to get out there and try something new so here's what we experienced this past Friday evening. 
First steps: 
-Think you can bring you own wine? A cooler with limited beverage choices was a bit of a surprise. 
-The flow of the front counter is a nightmare. Be patient, it moves quickly but when they are busy it's an unorganized mess. Rethink the setup for busy nights guys! 
-This is not a dining establishment created to impress you with their decor. There were a few tables set up in the main kitchen, no open chairs that night. So we stood there and dove in to our pizza (had to grab "napkins" off a roll of paper towels on another table if you get my drift). Note to the owners, remember the customers are curious, so don't make any mistakes you don't want the customers to witness as you create your masterpieces. We witnessed a serious cross contamination issue (don't drop it on the floor ...) but because the pizza was so darn good we chalked it up. 
The food: 
-The presentation is simple- a metal pan with piping hot perfection 
-quality sauce and tasty bubbly dough 
-the basil came through in every bit and the generous portion of sausage- WOW! 
-I had no idea the caramelized onions would stand out with the other heavy ingredients- but they completed the pizza 
-the quality of the cheese and the balance of the ingredients- yes, we'll be back. 
-only tried the cannoli but know we will be back for more- 2nd favorite cannoli in ATL, good stuff 
The bad: 
-parking was dicey on a busy Friday evening 
-the flow of the ordering process was a debacle 
-the open kitchen experience was very fun but could be seen as an obstacle if you aren't prepared for it 
-the price was a little high for pizza, quality negated this for us 
-the pizza cools quickly so you better eat it fast!
4 - J D.: Antico Pizza is the latest entry in the pizza "Char Wars."  (Sorry if it's been used a million times before)   They make traditional Italian pies.  Thin crust with a bit of burnt "char,"  few topping options, kind of gooey in the center.  Best to eat them by the slice, folded over in the middle, and hot out of the oven.  They do not travel well, and get cold quickly.   Fritti has been doing them for years, Varasano's came in with pizza geek hype, followed by Antico Pizza.  I've been to all three, recently, and I like Antico the best.   We inhaled their Margherita.  Loved the fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce and garlic.  If another would have magically appeared before us, we would have eaten that one too, full stomach be damned.  The pizza was great, but I liked the atmosphere even more.  There are a few tables in the back where the ovens are, with an iPod cranking out operatic favorites.  (I assume that's what was playing.)   It felt like being in my Italian grandmothers basement on Sunday afternoons.   I will yell the next line.  BRING YOUR OWN BEER OR WINE.  They don't serve, at least at this writing.  It adds to the fun.  Save room, or create new room for a cannoli too, for they are awesome.  It's important to have your expectations set prior to going though.  It's not thick crust, deep dish nor even a traditional pizza.  They are not cheap, but neither are quality ingredients.  Taking the kids soccer team here after the game is probably not the best idea.
But I will be going back, soon.  Kids get their own pie, me and my wife get another.  And if they reach for one of our slices they will get a hard slap on the fingers.
5 - J. D.: Quality ingredients, amazing recipes and techniques all make up for extremely strange seating arrangements and service (or lack thereof) but with pizza his good I would put up with a table outside, in the rain, with no chair.
4 - J. S.: I've gone to Antico Pizza several times and have to admit, I really enjoy their pizzas. The ingredients are very fresh and the pizzas are made to order. The Margherita D.O.P and Diavaola are my favorites.

On the downside, the space is tiny with very little practical seating. You're almost forced to carry out the pizza, especially during the lunch rush. Due to the piping hot, thin crust, the pizza steams in the box pretty quickly. The sooner you eat it; the better. If you're lucky, you can get a seat at the large, communal butcher block or stand at one of the counters.
5 - Anthony C.: Takes me back to my college days in Italy.  Huge wood fired slices that drip mozzarella water instead of grease like New York city knockoffs. Authentic cannoli as well - all together a great experience.
5 - Dave S.: Been to NYC, done the 'za thing there. Had great Chicago pies. Love all around. Antico, though, is right up there with the best of them. Try the simple Margherita (no pepperoni, please). Go stand in the kitchen , watch your pie being made, and then eat it at a butcher block fifteen feet from the oven where it was born. 

Will the pie be a little runny at first - yes indeed, it's about 500 degrees when you get it. Let the cheese firm up for a minute or two if you like the crust firmer - or just flip up the end, fold it over, and eat it like it was meant to be. Yes, you're gonna have water dripping down your arm from the amazing bufala. Grab a paper towel and keep on eating, the allure of sweet and sour tomato, savory garlic, and fresh-plucked basil will make you forget your damp wrists. Promise.

Send a satisfied "grazie!" the way of the chefs (along with a cash tip - no credit card tipping allowed) and go buy a box of fresh cannoli - just like my best friend's Italian grandmother makes (maybe even better). Leave spoiled for life - you'll never want delivery again.
2 - Scott C.: Well I've not tried it yet, but this review is based on one phone call.

Friday 12/11 I called to order a pizza and was informed they do not do call ahead orders.  

I'm sure you have a reason behind it, but why would I drive 10/15 minutes only to order a pie and wait another 15/20 minutes.  

Max's got my money on Friday.
5 - Amanda W.: This place lived up to the hype for us.  This is the closest I've had to pizza made in Italy anywhere in the States.  I did a take-out order last week and it took them about 10 minutes to make it.  

The smell of the pizza was amazing - it was almost impossible not to have a slice on the ride home.  We got the margherita pizza - it had chunks of fresh mozzarella on it.  The crust was so light and it wasn't greasy. Just the way it felt when you held a slice told you this was not a normal slice of pizza.  They import their flour from Italy and that must really be what sets it apart.  Being cooked in a wood fire oven also gave it a great flavor.  The sauce had a unique, light flavor to it as well.   It was hard to stop at 2 slices, but I wanted to save some for later.  I look forward to trying some different types.

The only downside is the neighborhood.  I came by when it was dark, parked in the back and had to race to my car afterwards because there were some sketchy homeless people wandering around the building.  Hopefully I can get by next time when it's light outside.
2 - Bee N.: Ok, well, I think everything is overrated and this is no exception!  I have decided to implement a new rule; when everybody seems to be raving over a place, I will not set my expectations high as I will be surely (and sorely) be disappointed.  I was expecting this to be amazing, but it was average at best.  The crust was great, but the rest of the pizza was not striking in any way.  The service was fast, but it was the not the small quaint and warm place I envisioned with warm Italian folks speaking Italian.  Like I said, average at best.  Go to Fellinis.  Or Jac's pizza in Inman Park.  Or order it from Pizza Hut.  They deliver.
5 - Stephen M.: Look, pizza is one of those things that you are never going to get people to agree on, like the perfect burger or the best barbeque. Having said that (Curb fans!), this is the best pizza I've had the pleasure of consuming. Period. The crust is what really makes this pie. Yes, at times the center is a bit soggy from the amazing ingredients used on top of the pizza, but that can really be forgiven, in my mind, when the balance of the crust is this good and the ingredients are this awesome. I do often worry about writing reviews that are too glowing, as it may build up the experience too much for some people and lead to disappointment. But hey, if you appreciate true Neopolitan pizza, you won't be let down. Try the Diavola, it's nice and spicy!!
4 - Peter Y.: I guess I'll add my 2 cents. I've only been here twice but I'm a fan. Like some people have mentioned, I have on occasion, gotten a soggy pizza. Overall I still enjoy their pizzas, my favorite being the Diavaola. Soggy or not, the pizza's are flavorful and the crust is a perfect consistency. 

I don't know if that dining area is for everyone but I liked eating on that large wooden table. I enjoy seeing what other people get and maybe chatting up a few strangers. The only negative I could think of was that I once ate in the kitchen in a party of 6 or 7 during one of their busier times and I felt they were rushing me to leave.

I have to admit.....although I'm a fan, Antico is a bit out of the way for me. I would probably only go back if I was in the neighborhood.
1 - Matt R.: Attitude.  It rushes over you like a wave as soon as you open the door.  Finally figure out how the lines are supposed to work, placed our order, and I asked that mushrooms not be placed on half of the pizza.  No, they don't do special orders.  One would think with a menu as limited as theirs might allow some accommodation for personal taste, but no.  If I don't like their choices, I can go elsewhere.  That was implicit, and I'm pretty sure if I pushed the issue a bit, they would have said it outright.

But, I'd heard good things about this place so I just figured I'd pull the mushrooms off.  I'll excuse the fact I was sitting in the kitchen and it was far too loud to carry on a conversation as their attempt at quirky ambiance.  Then the pizza arrived.  I can only describe the taste of it as watery.  Now that's normally a pretty good descriptor of soup, but their pizza was truly thin, tasteless, and generally pointless.

There's a lot of very good (better!) pizza in this world, served with 1/10th the attitude.  Go find it.
5 - Neal C.: They've got it!

Went to Antico for weekday lunch after hearing much hype. A little chaotic upon entry with disorganized line for ordering at the counter but moved rather quickly. I like the informality of this place like you've just pulled up a chair at a prep table in a pizza kitchen. The seating in the actual kitchen is a nice touch as you get a glimpse at the fresh dough being made, prep of pizzas, and large pizza ovens. In an age of so much premade food and detachment from it's preparation I think people enjoy being exposed to the overall process that goes into their food. Transparency being a key word. A look around at the shelves makes it apparent that most ingredients are imported from Italy and clearly much care taken into their selection.

Went pretty straightforward with a Margherita pizza which was very tasty. Buffalo mozzarella perfectly melted. Good char flavor and the actual crust a bit chewier than expected. We also had a pizza with broccoli rabe and mushrooms on it. Again, great care shown for fresh ingredients and good execution. The imported peppers on the table give good flavor and a nice kick that made up for the lack of crushed dried pepper.

Each pizza was around $16-18 and can feed 2 people which I think is pretty reasonable for the quality you receive in this food. Was quick and although they take what they do seriously it's a very unpretentious place. This is best displayed by the pizza arriving atop a metal tray with butcher paper on it - a nice informal touch!

On the way out I picked up 2 cannoli - pistacchio and walnut. Both were very good - filling was creamy, pastry had the right fresh crunch I wanted making this damn near perfect. I think I can put this on the regular stop list and may be a new craving . . .

I highly suggest grabbing your pizza-lovin friends (who doesn't like pizza?) and checking this place out.

On a side note, one of my dining companions used to be in the baking supplies business and is pretty particular and critical of pizza dough/crust. He walked away very pleased and that counts for a lot in my book! So I awarded this place 5 stars b/c with all the pizza hype around town I think this place delivers on their product most effectively
3 - J D.: I hate the fact that I have to give this place 3 stars - but it's really more due to my disappointment. When something is rated 4.5 stars on Yelp, I feel like I go in and expect my socks to be rocked off. They weren't. 

The dough. It just needed to be crispier. :(

I would probably give it 4 stars if it weren't for the hype. I think I'm going to have to come back and reassess. It was good, but not the awesome pizza I was expecting. The ingredients were really fresh and all  but that dough... crispier please.  Better than Fellini's, but not by much.
2 - Hardy W.: After watching all of the ATL excitement surrounding this spot from the West Coast, it was a must-visit on my holiday break.

Ordered the margherita and bianco (girlfriend is veggie).  

Thick, doughy, hefty pies dropped on our table...  The bianco lacked anything but weight- No snap, bite, seemingly lacking in salt.  

The margherita- tasty sauce, nice cheese, but to me, all the flavor was just lost in a sea of doughy crust.  Tried them both reheated the next day (as was advised by a pizza nerd friend) and still not my style.

I'll prefer Varasano's and Fritti (pre-antico).
3 - jane s.: I can't add too much to Bill's review, because obviously we shared the same experience. I really really loved the pizza. 

However, I'm only giving three stars, because when we finally did go to Antico to eat in with some friends, seating was impossible. It's just way too limited, and I find that highly frustrating. A place with the style of cooking that Antico provides, should really have dine in - other than two tables and some counters.
5 - Matt Y.: To steal a phrase "Mmm, mmm, good!"
4 - Gino M.: With over a hundred previous reviews, there's not much that I can add so I'll keep this short.

The Bad: 

- don't expect to come here with a large group of friends and sit down and enjoy some pizzas; the seating is limited ... as long as there's not another group there before you, you'll be fine, but if there IS a group there, you might as well get everything 'to go'

- as this place is obviously intended solely for takeout, parking is very limited ... the lot has maybe five spaces, the rest of y'all will have to park on the streets of the nearby Home Park community and hope you don't get mugged (it's open season on Tech students)

- price ... let's not be coy, this place is EXPENSIVE.  Well, look - I wouldn't mind the expense if the toppings were more plentiful.  The only time I have a problem paying $23 for a sausage pizza is when there are EIGHT pieces of sausage on the entire pizza.  Eight.  That's it, I counted them.  When I order a $25 pizza from my other favourite joint the toppings are plentiful.

The Good:

- the pizza is cooked in an oven of insane hotness.  What this means is that this place is designed for quick turnover of customers.  You get in, order your pizza and you're out within ten minutes.  I can stop by Antico after leaving work, pick up a pie and head home.  Can't think of any other pizza joint where I could do this.  Even the crap pizza from Papa Johns takes 20 minutes.

- the taste is unbelievable.  It's just the perfect combination of spices, sauce and crust.  

Summary: The taste keeps this place at four stars.  If it weren't for the quality of the goods, the sparsity of the toppings and the price of the pie would downgrade this to a three star review.  But, wow.  The taste is the best. This isn't a New York pizza.  For that, try Paizano's in Norcross.  This is pizza straight from the boot.

Lastly -- try the Diavolo pizza.  Especially if you don't like yourself and you enjoy pain.
5 - Insider L.: I've had a lot of pizza in this city, i even worked at an amazing pizza place for 3 years, and ive got to say no one comes close to this stuff. the dough is perfectly hand rolled, delicately stretched to an even consistency, and the toppings...fuh-get about it!!

on another note, people like gino and jane, this isnt ci-ci's or dominos, and its not lawrenceville. sorry there isnt 60 car parking lots or giant dinnig rooms with cushy booths to sit it. its a city..well sort of. writing a review on a resturaunt and complaing about parking is absurd.  you should be ashamed. learn a little class and stop pretend you are a food critic. the world isnt built for you.
4 - Karl H.: Thanks to all you Yelpers for getting me psyched about this place -- I finally made it over there tonight.

Excellent pizza, and super-fast turn-around since the ovens are so incredibly hot.  Standing around and taking in the baking process for 10 minutes was worth it.  I didn't even think about trying to grab a seat given the crowd and all...

Not knowing the "ins and outs" of pizza and relying soley on taste + texture, I think Max's Coal Oven pizza is just as good.  That said, I'm giving it the same rating I gave Max's.  (note -- you can actually sit at Max's and it's less expensive)
5 - Melonie T.: I visited Antico again. This place is a hassle, but in a good way. We came here on a very busy night and had to eat our pizza standing up. We were crammed into the kitchen-seating area with half of Atlanta, stuffing our faces with warm, melting pizza goo while cooks and small children ran past us (this is a family friendly joint). 

This place is not for everyone. If you like sitting down to eat, having ample elbow room, having servers come to your table and the like, you should just keep driving. If you like adventuresome eating and a *cozy*, ie packed, atmosphere filled with yelling Italians, this is the place for you.
5 - Johnny W.: This is the best pizza in Atlanta.  As with any popular spot, you have "reviewers" on here who have visited the place once and are suddenly an expert, or who are natural born haters and just want to give the place a bad review to make a point or make themselves feel large.  But here's the truth.

I have eaten here close to 20 times, and there is no better pizza in Atlanta.  Does it get crowded?  It sure does.  Does the pizza suffer if you take it "to go?"  Of course it does - for the love of God, eat the pizza there.  Is parking a hassle and can seating be a hassle and is the fact that they don't have a wine/beer license a hassle?  Yes, yes and yes.  And has the pizza been perfect every single time I have been there?  No, once the crust was overly bready and the middle of the pizza was soggy but hey, we are talking about a $20 pizza here, we're not talking about bellying up to the sushi bar at Masa in New York for a $500 sushi dinner - maintaining some sense of perspective is a virtue - and in any event, it is way way way more consistent that other places like Varasanos where the pizza has been less than great about half the times I have been there. 

You go here with full knowledge of, and despite, the inconveniences because they have the best pizza in Atlanta.
5 - rebecca f.: The best pizza I have ever had anywhere in the world. No hyperbole.  Not the best place to go with a large party.  Go with one other, or just a few people and order anything.  The owner is nice and funny, walking around making sure everyone is enjoying themselves.  If you eat in the kitchen, where there is additional seating, it feels less like an establishment and more like you are the guest of a super great Italian family!  Also, if you like cheese, fresh chopped garlic, or fresh red chile on your pizza- Don't forget to ask for it!  You will get little bowls of each to spoon on yourself.
5 - Ken L.: After my first time there, I went back twice within a week.

It is pricey, but this place is well worth your money if you want authentic pizza.  Everyone has their own idea of what pizza is and what pizza should be.  This is not American/fast-food style pizza that will keep in the box for very long.  With that being said, if you taste this pizza fresh from the oven (they are very fast) it is very delicious.  The crust is thin and tastes a bit like fresh na'an (which is good!) and the toppings and cheese often ends up a hot mess on my fingers and settles into my stomach well without any feeling sick or bloated from grease overload that I usually get with other pizzas.

I love the San Gennaro (Sweet Red Peppers FTW!)
The desserts are very tasty as well (Tiramisu... Cannolis... and other cakes that come in small cups)

The son of the owner (the kid whose picture is drawn up on the wall behind the cashier on how to eat the pizza) wanders around there sometimes, and is a veritable mackdaddy.  When I went with some friends the first time I went there, he was taking pictures and schmoozing with all the ladies and even went to the kitchen to bring us a lasagne pizza he made himself!

It does get kind of crowded and at nighttime, the neighborhood surrounding the place looks a bit sketchy but every time I am around that area, I end up getting craving pizza...and find myself forking over some dough to taste their sweet dough (with other essential pizza parts) that has been heated up in a clay oven that reaches 1000°F...!
5 - Alan P.: Giving five stars based on pizza taste, not atmoshphere/service.

The pizza is delicious. If you like Neapolitan pizza you must try this place.  

There isn't much room to eat and it gets packed around lunch, but the pizzas still come out really quickly. Not a great date place, but definitely a great pizza place.
5 - Becky S.: mmm, I haven't had pizza this good in a long time. We ordered the pizza with cherry tomatoes and basil on it. You could tell all the ingredients were super fresh and the crust was crispy and smoky from the woodburning oven. It was a little awkward to eat since the cherry tomatoes kept falling off, but if you follow the eating instructions painted on the wall you will be fine. Someday I want to come back and try the cannoli. They fill them to order and they look sooooo good.
5 - Ravi T.: the pizza here is heavenly...went last night, and will go again.
i'm a pizza fanatic, and this one is definitely on the list of all time favs..

here is how it goes....

walk in.  order at the counter.  find the first seat available.  watch your pizza get made under five minutes.  stuff your face before the pizza gets cold.  don't forget to say grazie on your way out.

its byob or wine so take advantage of that.
4 - Amrita R.: I had high hopes for this place after all the reviews, and I did end up liking it quite a bit.

I'm not much of a pizza person, nor have I tasted authentic Italian pizza. However, there is a significant difference between this and Pizza Hut, for sure (and for the price, there better be!)

I went here with my boyfriend and his younger sister, and I really liked how we could watch them make the pizza... not to mention ours (margherita with sausage) was ready in about 5 minutes, maybe even less! 

We went on a Monday for lunch so there weren't any problems with a crowd or not finding a seat.

We devoured our pizza in minutes and thought about buying a second one but since we knew we couldn't finish it and considering the price, we decided to get snacks after lunch elsewhere.

All in all, I'm glad I finally tried it. I don't know how often I can afford this place, but it was definitely tasty.

My sister and brother-in-law insist that Verasano's is better than Antico and I have yet to go there to see if they're right. 
That'll be my next pizza outing and I will keep you posted!
5 - Rickelle W.: Best pizza of my life so far! Very cool atmosphere with diverse, interesting people. Get there early if you go on a weekend so they don't run out of pizza before you get in!
5 - Donny A.: The pizza was phenomenal. Every person in our party of 6 agreed it was the best pizza they'd ever had. The next day as we were driving back through Atlanta my wife and sister (neither of whom are big pizza fans) asked if we could stop and have lunch there. 

Warning: It is BYOB and seating is limited to a communal table.
5 - David H.: So since my last review of Antico, the hype has peaked and subsided a little.  Around Thanksgiving, the AJC ran a couple of pieces on Antico.  I walked over there one day and the parking lot was full of SUVs and there was a line out the door, and the place was full of couples with baby carriers.  The suburbs had descended upon Antico.   Luckily now I can go and get a pizza without waiting in a 45 minute line backed out the door.  

As before, the pizza still gets soggy quickly and it's best to eat on premises.  You generally need to fold these slices or the toppings won't stay on well.  The ingredients are still great quality, and IMO Antico still makes one of the best Neapolitan style pizzas you can get in the city.  It has changed my mind on Neapolitan style pizza.  They've added some more seating, and they also have non-sparking water and some sodas now, so it's a little less inconvenient these days.   I'll keep coming back, at least.
5 - Chef Invisible T.: To make a long story short. 

Limited Seats-Love it 

Top Quality Ingredients--LOve it 

Friendly Attitude--LOVe it 

Desserts--LOVE it 

Being in Atlanta--LOVE It 

Pizza Done Right--LOVE IT! 

And the F"""" fire hydrant is painted like the Italian Flag.

We are lucky now that the(pizza) war is over. Long Live The Italians!

Chef Invisible--OUT
4 - Stephie Z.: Been back a couple more times so I wanted to report in on my findings. 

The latest from the news desk is that yuppies have taken over. On my last visit, this old dude with his chinos and trophy wife asked about his 6 o'clock reservation to the women working the register. He walked back out to his sweet ride- a nice Acura SUV with Cobb plates. Sheesh.. drives me mad. I dug the informal vibe the place had when they first opened. Take your pizza and eat it out side or eat standing up at the counter. Much better for me- no resi's for the old suburbanites (sorry old suburbanites- I am speaking of all other old suburbanites- not you). Wow, I sound elitist now. Actually I think it's more an issue of reservations in general than the cobb snobs coming to eat their little pizza loving hearts out. 

Got pizza to go the last couple times. One of the visits I was with my Baltimore friend. "More char" she asked and they provided. Giovanni tried to woo us into eating there despite us saying we had to bring pizza back for the menfolk. The most that sticks out from me from this experience was the incredibly long line. The computers were crashing and with one guy at the register hand writing, shit took forever. On my last visit I had no problems. They now have 2 cash registers and 2 really nice cash register people. They also are inputting orders on a computer so things move faster. The pizza was good. It seemed smaller than all my past guys but the taste was the same. It wasn't near as watery as the dreaded trash pizza but it still had some definite soupiness that slightly annoyed me. I think I just have to stop getting pizza's to go. No cannoli's, I'm on a diet (says the girl who ate her pizza in a evening- if it makes you feel better it was smaller than usual;)). 

Over and out
4 - j l.: nom nom nom nom nom
what else is there to say?
limited seating gives way to a fun community face-stuffing, please-pass-the-hot-peppers mealtime experience. i don't mind it...then again, i've somehow gotten lucky every visit to get a seat.
service is speedy, but there have been a couple visits where i thought they could have kept us waiting just a minute longer, as the pizza seemed a l'il on the undercooked side...but when it's good, it's very, very good. the folks manning the counter have always been sweet and friendly--i've never been led to believe the popularity might be getting to their heads.

and the cannolis didn't stand a chance--we got them 'to go', but they were gone before we started the car! mmmmmmmm. cannoli.

these days, when i'm with enough folks to warrant a whole-pie kind of pizza night, antico has become my go-to. yum.
5 - Nick W.: Wow. Holy Moley. I've never been blown away by pizza before. If I didn't live so far away, I'd make this one of my regular haunts.

Calling this pizza "gourmet" sullies the experience - it belongs in its own category, away from the same category as other name-only gourmet joints.

We got the San Gennaro, with the sausage and the peppers. Easily the best sausage I've had. In fact, I had the misfortune of dropping one of the chunks of sausage onto the floor. I stared at it for a good minute, contemplating the five-second rule, twelve times over. Oh, the agony. Fighting latent regret, I finished the rest of my pizza. Lord, it was heavenly.

The place has limited seating, and be sure to bring your own bottle of wine!

Oh! The pies tend to be a little on the juicy side, so when they serve it to you, pull the slices apart as it cools so the juice drains. The crust gets a little wet, but this still prevents you from getting juice all over yourselves later!
5 - jason d.: Awesome pie. This is the closest I've come to Di Fara's in Brooklyn http://www.yelp.com/biz/di-fara-pizza-brooklyn which is just the most amazing thing I've ever put into my mouth.
5 - Greg A.: They definitely have the best pizza in Atlanta (I'm from NJ, I've eaten a lot of pizza), its not to expensive and its a great atmosphere.

You have to stand up while you eat, which might bother some people, but I actually enjoyed it.

My only criticism is that their style of pizza is vastly different from the traditional thin crust NYC pizza that I'm used to but it was a good change.

I fully recommend this to anyone that likes pizza.
5 - al p.: BELLAMISSAMO.. more that wonderful,  Way different that my other favorite pizza place, Baronda,, they are Northern and this is Southern Italian.. both are amazing.. DON'T  DARE MISS the WHITE pizza, or the SAN GENERRO, based on the sausage, peppers, and onions found at the Feast of San Gennero.. WOW..  great crust, great meat, great flavor..

NOTE: if you think you must have thin crispy crust GO TO BARONDA, If you are open to more than one kind of pizza this is amazing, If you like Pizza Slut, Or Dominos this is not your kinda place.
5 - Amanda T.: As a native New Yorker, I'm a pizza expert.  I'm a guidette and worked in a pizza place for 2 years during high school.  If you think what they make at Papa Johns and Little Ceasers is a pizza then you're sorely mistaken.  

What makes Antico so unique is the atmosphere and the ingredients (which are helpfully translated by the wonderful staff).  Where else can you sit at long industrial tables with people you don't even know and WATCH your pizza go from toss to toppings to fire to table??  It's like being back in my Aunt Noni's kitchen salivating while she stirred the risotto.  You feel like you're a pizza voyeur!  Everything about Antico is simple and efficient.  The silverware is plastic, the napkins come from brown paper rolls on the table, and the pizza is served on big trays.  People share with strangers, stand and eat if there's no space, and everyone is so happy with their meals they don't mind the (now) long lines and slightly high prices.

The San Gennero is my favorite. Who knew those peppers could be so darn delicious!  The cannolis are impeccable and authentic.  Although the drink selection is severely limited, stick to water so you don't taint the amazing flavors of the pizzas and calzones.  You might not find the traditional pizza you're used to but your whole outlook on pizza will change.  Be brave...avoid chain pizzarias and you'll be as enamored with Antico as the rest of the 150+ reviewers here!
4 - Terry F.: Yes, it's good. But not so good as to deserve all the rave reviews. So you can eat in the kitchen. I can do that at home. Doesn't make the food taste better. In summary. Good pizza. High prices. You decide.
4 - Henrik C.: Had pizza here as take-out, so I can only comment on the food. We had the "devils pizza" and "magarita with sausage". The devils pizza is HOT! and the magarita with sausage is really good. We had cannolis for desert. 

They will not prepare the pizza until you arrive (what up with that?). Irrespective, we finally got the pizzas. They are great. The pizzas are 18" and there is plenty of food to go around. The crust might not be unevenly baked and it could be a bit charred, but other than this great stuff. 

The cannolis are fairly big and appear to have a lot of filling. In reality they are hollow inside - talk about an anti-climax. I want filled things!

Overall a great food experience. We are certainly going to do this again.
3 - Nathan S.: Okay, so you walk into this place thinking wow this is what Italy is like: There pretty Italian music playing in the kitchen, the chef's son is in the kitchen helping make the pizza, its a great experience until you get the food.
When I think of authentic Italian pizza, I imagine a nice crispy crust that is thin, and just is perfectly balanced. Now when i got my pizza, its looked pretty good. I try picking up a piece and it falls the crust was way to thin and floppy all my toppings fell off. Also the pizza I ordered was dripping with grease which was just a complete turnoff. The pizza was nothing close to an Italian pizza, Hearth Pizza Tavern in Sandy Springs was more Italian and just a nicer place.
Not worth your time if you ask me.
2 - Heather D.: We drove all the way downtown for a nice pizza experience!  What we got was lunch in someones kitchen with beautiful Italian ovens and mediocre pizza.  I have had better pizza at Pizza Hut but loved being in the middle of it all and watching our pizza being cooked.  28 dollars for 2 cokes and a pizza...not worth it!
5 - Zellyn H.: From the opera music to the testy pizza chef telling you where to queue, from the crowded shared tables in the cooking area to the stacks of imported Italian ingredients, Antico is the perfect pizza experience. With the perfect pizza. We'll be back, probably with a large group and a couple of bottles of wine.
4 - kristy j.: The pizza is great and I would imagine it's pretty authentic, seeing as how the owner is from Napoli. I've only been to Northern Italy, where the crust is a little thinner. Regardless, it will make your stomach smile. The service is counter and once you've ordered you can sit in the small farm table up front or sit in the open kitchen where the chefs are cooking your delicious dinner. I don't believe that they have a liquor license yet so for now the policy is bring your own. Did I mention, there is Italian music in the back ground and the chefs speak very little English? While some may not appreciate this, it makes for an authentic experience. I say it's multo buono!
5 - Jeremy H.: Antico is one of my favorite pizza places in Atlanta.  They serve large Neopolitan-style pizzas, and the people and restaurant feel authentically Italian.  There isn't a ton of room - you basically eat in the kitchen at a large shared wooden table or stand up to eat, but that's really just part of the experience.

The pizza itself comes out quickly (in about 60 seconds) from large pizza ovens that were imported from Naples.  The crust is slightly charred yet chewy and the ingredients taste really fresh.  The crust is floppy, so you'll probably have to fold it in half to eat it.  The desserts are all made in-house, and although I haven't tried it yet, my friend said the cannoli was excellent.

After finishing my meal there, I was offered an espresso - probably the first time that's happened at a pizza place in Atlanta.  Highly recommended!
5 - Mark N.: This pizza is FABULOUS !!! We drive 2  hours from home just to get our 'fix' of this truly authentic pizza... What fun to be invited into the kitchen to eat at a community table and sample as our pizza's a made, .PLUS, on a cold day, it's nice to get close  to one of the two  wood fired ovens..(imported from Tuscany no less)...!!!
The 4 cheese calzone is to die for..Trust me!
Awesome!!!
2 - Todd D.: I must admit that the experience was great. Sitting in the kitchen watching them work was great. People watching is a lot of fun but 
you can't eat the experience. Oh the pizza I feel like somebody played a joke on me. After reading these reviews and then sampling the pizza for myself im left wondering did I just get played? Im not sure what it was the pizza just did not have a good taste to it. Im not sure what went wrong.
We ordered a margirihta with peperoni. The pizza just did not impress me. The crust was burnt badly and had bitter flavor to it, even drowning it with olive oil it still was not appealing. So what to do. I have to try it again every body gets a second chance. I will update my review when I get back to antico.
5 - K B.: I think we did this one just right. Reading the reviews (highlights and the low-lights; 'pizza get soggy if not eaten immediately', 'eating in the kitchen is loud and bustling'  , 'there' nowhere to put my SUV or my two rug-rats.' and so on...) my in-and-out lunch experience where all of us left the kids at home and passed on the cool metallic Coke bottles for sparkling spring water was pretty excellent. 

I don't remember the name of the pizza we ordered (it had mushrooms and artichoke hearts, that I do remember), but it was completely excellent. Not too much garlic, not too little good-quality tomatoeyness, and, though others may disagree, the char, for me, is what tells you it's from a high-temperature brick oven, and not an industrial pass-through like your typical pizza joint. 

We jockeyed for a table (and, to be honest, some of my dining partners would have preferred one), but ended up standing at one of the high-tops in the back. Great for lunch. Had I anticipated a leisurely sit-down dinner, Iwould have been disappointed, but knowing what the space is like, I kind of feel like that's not what Antico is selling here. 

This is no white-checkered tablecloth-linger around the cappuccino type of place.This is a raucous Italian immersion course full of fire and blaring arias that's all dodging elbows and jostling for position with your stranger-table mates. It's lightening-quick and messy and fun, and really, really tasty. Highly recommended.
5 - Patrick s.: The new kid in town...well not as I'm writing but relatively new anyway. Simply put, the best pizza I have ever had in Atlanta. The Italian owners ship almost everything from the flour to the San Marzano tomatoes from Italy and the quality shows. Beware however, there is limited parking, seating (communal table, two benches) and the hours can be funky but that's part of the charm isn't it? The Pepperoni is thick cut, the Bufala Mozzarella( made from the domestic water buffalo) sweet and mild and the combination of fresh basil and crushed tomatoes is a perfect balance. Oh and the crust, I am not a crust eater. At least not until I came here.

Pros: Best pizza in Atlanta. Bar none.

Cons: Limited seating, limited parking, pricey.
5 - Elisheba I.: Oh dear Lord, this was amazing.

The three of us ordered a mushroom/artichoke/prosciutto pizza and it was more than enough for us.  The atmosphere was great, a good Italian family feel.  You order your pizza, and then head to the kitchen where you watch them make your food at lightning speed.  I had to avoid getting tackled by all the kids running around, a couple of them in the kitchen workers' aprons!  

We sat down at a family-style table and DEVOURED.  I don't think we had a real conversation until that bad boy was eaten.  Good God, I will be dreaming about that pizza tonight . . . perfect consistency, heavenly toppings, just amazing.

I am definitely coming back here next time I am working in Atlanta.
5 - Kevin F.: Two words can sum up what makes Antico's so wonderful: Crust and Toppings.

A co-worker and I went here for lunch yesterday to see what all the hype was about.  We got there about 12 and the place was crazy packed.  It only took a few minutes to order, and a few minutes later a dude hands us a sheet pan with our pie.  Perfect timing since we just found a place to stand too.

Tip # 1 - Get water, not a soft drink.  Not sure why, but soft drinks are like $2.50 or something and they are small.  I read the reviews ahead of time and ordered water.

Tip # 2 - Eat in!  The pizza comes out piping hot and can be a little watery in the middle depending on what you order.  We ordered the Diavaola which has some peppers which pack a nice kick.  I'm pretty sure the high heat from the cooking was releasing some of the water from the peppers and giving our pizza a little water in the center.  No matter, once you pulled a slice off you could hardly tell.

The crust is like a cross between a yeast roll and pizza dough.  So light, cooked perfectly, a little char on the bottom, and it almost melts in your mouth.

The spicy sopressata on the Diavaola is like pepperoni's older hotter sister.  Better in every way when compared to pepperoni.  It's like the first time you ate non-boxed Mac and Cheese.  You think to yourself, why would I ever go back to that crap?

My co-worker and I managed to throwdown the entire pie ourselves.  There was a split second when we thought about taking two pieces to go, but we knew it wouldn't get any better than it was right then.  Good thing we paid attention to Tip # 2.

One the way out I managed to snag a cannoli to go.  The folks in front of me were taking forever to actually order, so they gave it to me for free!  Awesome way to end a meal.  If you see me with a pizza gut in 6 months, you'll know why.  Love this place!
5 - Susan D.: Pizza is so authentic and fantastic, I can't wait to go back.  The line was daunting, but it moves faster than you think, and your pizza is made in front of you at lightening speed.  You can bring your own drinks (soft, wine, beer, whatever), and they don't charge you a corking fee, and there are bottle openers at the tables, along with big rolls of paper towels.  Be prepared to stand at times to eat, it gets crowded, you'll be sharing tables with strangers, and seating is very limited.  And when the dough runs out, they close, so get there early!  Fantastic, authentic pizza.  We had the diavaola, and it was spicy and wonderful, and the BEST crust.  You must go!
5 - Mike K.: Fresh ingredients, the mozzarella, the basil, the sauce, the dough, how can you possibly make this experience any better?  Well lets throw in a hip atmosphere, people that genuinely seem excited about food and working, and friends to share in the experience.

From the outside this subdue little building opens up into quite the dining experience.  Fresh gelatos and other baked pastries greet you at the entrance.  And from the background you can hear the buzzing of a busy kitchen.  Turn the corner and the diners are sitting in the kitchen.  An "in the kitchen" dining experience, just enhances the ambiance and give this a very "home" feel.  

People taking the opportunity to cook their own pizza, mix-matched stools and chairs, metal prep tables, and a brick wall.  This just feels like cooking for family.

Only two downsides to this place, very limited parking and small overpriced sodas.  The slightly higher price on the pizza is worth the quality.

If you are in the area, get there early and stop by before they run out of dough.  Bring friends as always it amplifies the experience, and enjoy; I'm sure you will.
3 - Alberto V.: Stopped here for lunch on a Saturday. Pretty interesting place but the pizza did not live up to expectations. It was still decent but not cooked all the way through which made the sauce runny and the crust very chewy.  Margherita was the best we had.  Would try it again though
5 - Megan B.: This. is. the. best. pizza. ever. 

San Gennaro, with its chewy, doughy, charred crust and sweet spicy peppers, melty bufala mozzarella and succulent sausage, is incredible. 

The lasagna pizza is also delicious. 

We've been several times, and it seems each time there is a little more seating. The process seems to be getting more efficient. The pizza is expensive, but it is worth it. This restaurant is also BYOB, so you can save money there... Even though every time I eat my fill of pizza, I seem to be able to find room to try one of their many varieties of cannoli. My favorite is the bianca, with white chocolate chips. . . Delicious!
5 - Lauren H.: In my search for the best pizza in Atlanta, I recently visited Antico Pizza. Let me say this, I was absolutely blown away. Antico Pizza will definitely be placed at the top of my Atlanta pizza list!

First of all the experience itself was great. The staff at Antico is really friendly and helpful when choosing your pizza. After you order you can sit in the kitchen while you wait for your pizza. They bring it out to you fresh from the oven and you can eat in the kitchen too! While the parking and the menu are somewhat limited, there are only 9 types of pies you can order, the flavors and the experience are well worth the trip. 

On to the pizza - like I said this is definitely on the top of my Atlanta pizza list. The flavors are extreme due to the fresh ingredients they use at Antico. We ordered the Margherita pizza which has on it san marzano tomatoes, bufala cheese, basil, and garlic. Not only were the toppings very intense and flavorful, the dough itself was also extremely delicious. The pizza is neopolitan style so it has a crispy but tender crust. The crust was also slightly charred on the bottom (due to the way they cook it in stone oven) which added a little smoky-ness to the flavor as well. 

Overall this pizza was amazing and the experience was great. I will definitely be going to Antico again soon!
5 - Bryan A.: As I sit at my desk this morning I couldn't stop thinking about my inverted generic pizza box sitting in the shop's refrigerator. Someone better not even glance in it's direction much less try to swipe a sample from inside. I couldn't even wait long enough for my normal lunch time.
Two days ago I had hands down the best pizza in the entire metro Atlanta area at Antico. I spent much of my youth slinging pizza for both a local legendary pizzaria and a horrible corporate giant. There are a lot of people with their head's up their arse when it comes to the pizza pie constantly trying to reinvent the wheel. Giovanni obviously takes special care and attention to what he is doing here. 
I truly don't even know what to say anymore so I'm done.
It's probably the best pizza there is - take that NYC!
5 - Mandy P.: Oh yummy!!! After reading about this place and seeing on every list made of best places in atl... We finally made the trip down to midtown to try it... And we were so glad we did!

Had to park on the street because the place was busy, but didn't have to wait long for our food.  So you order at the counter inside, then go to the back to get your food, then find a place to sit (or in our case stand..) We stood at a tall table so we could watch them make pizzas in their big fire burning brick ovens.  

A very cool experience, freaking delicious pizza (we got the capricciosa and it was the perfect amount for my fiancé and I to share) and yummy canolis too!! (got those to go because they looked too good to resist but we were so full!)

Can't wait to go back!
4 - Vy A.: I don't think that Yelp needs my review with the 170+ reviews this place has had in 4 months.  Still, I'll add...  Delicious! I'm a fan and would recommend this place.  The ingredients are fresh and it is a really different concept for Atlanta.  

It really wasn't what I was expecting, which made the experience quite fun.  It is BYOB so come prepared if you want some wine or beer to accompany your pizza. There didn't seem to be much seating when we walked in...and there isn't.  We somehow found ourselves eating in the kitchen area, surrounded by lively Italian music and a large group of men making pizza after pizza.  They were preparing for some large event.  

We were pretty lucky because we came at a time where there weren't large crowds, so the environment was lively yet relaxing enough.  
Our steaming pizza came out very quickly, served by the owner (I believe?), and was cut in front of us.  I really recommend eating it right there and then.  It was crispy where it needed to be and the crust was quite good.  The ingredients and sauce were on fresh and on point.  We ate most of it there and took the rest back.  The pizza doesn't hold up once you bring it back so come hungry.

My favorite of the pizzas is the one with the prosciutto and artichokes.
4 - Andy S.: 60 seconds -- that's all it took.  To cook, that is.  I won't mess with the margherita pizza anymore.  I will go straight to the San Gennarro and the pisachio .   I will say I would never take this pizza home.  It's eaten there as hot and great as it is, but I would not have it for left overs.  Which isn't a problem.  We ate both pizzas.  Four of us had no problems devouring what we were given.  We added nothing to it, it is such a great pizza!  I will be back! ....

That is, once I get past the shell-shock of how to deal with seating.  This would  be a five star review, except for the music and the "find your own way" seating experience.  Not pleasant during their crunch time.  I also want to say it isn't a great kid place because of that.  We watched kids yelling over the loud music in the "kitchen" area.  You almost have to be rude to get people to get out so the next round (20 minute rounds here) in and seated.  With food coming out faster than you can find a seat, perhaps there should be a way to stop people from ordering in until seating is available?  Just a suggestion.  Of course, if you stop people from ordering, there's no where for them to wait.  Oh wait, I'm not trying to solve their problem here .. 

What I *AM* happy about is the quality of the food.  The extra care given to talk with us about why this pizza place is different.   I only wish I had more time to enjoy my pizza!
2 - Joseph B.: I had really high hopes when I visited Antico tonight after all of the rave reviews that I've read but unfortunately I was let down.

I ordered a Capricciosa pizza for the sum of $22 + tax.  I noticed that when the person took the pie out of the oven it folded over but I didn't think much about since he folded it right back & threw it into a box.
It wasn't until I got home that I realized that when the pie folded, all of the ingredients had moved other to the other side, leaving that side empty.   The person had also forgotten to add prosciutto which may explain why the pie didn't have any real flavor.   I really hope that this was an isolated incident & that they generally do a better job with quality control.  That being said, I don't think that I will be going back & I can't see myself recommending this place to friends.
3 - lenore c.: The ingredients used are absolutely tops and their sauce is delicious. The whole place seems truly authentic and obviously the wood fired pizza oven is what distinguishes it from most other pizza places in Atlanta. 
Unfortunately, our two pizzas were too doughy and not crisp at all, so that was  really disappointing. Maybe because we came at an off hour?  2:30 p.m.. I don't know. But we were expecting thin, crispy pizza; the kind we had been hearing about and longing for.
2 - Eva T.: They truly are pizza nazis here. 

I can't rate this place because I actually haven't eaten a bite of their food, so ignore the rating. 

I really really want to say that I like this place since it's gotten lots of publicity. Unfortunately, I can't eat cheese. The nice lady told me over the phone that the guys making pizzas don't like to change the way they make them. They don't custom ANY pizzas here was what I was told, which means no cheese and no substitutes. Come on!! It's funny because cheeseless pizzas are all over Italy including the famous pizzerias in Naples. If this place claims to be authentic Neopolitan, they need to include cheeseless pizzas on their menu. 

The last time I was here, I watched my husband gobble down an entire pie by himself. He said it's as good as the ones we had in Naples. I, unfortunately, only had a taste of the crust, so I can't comment on the pizza. 

They need to flexible!!
5 - Rilindo F.: I was reminded of this scripture as I was eating the Margherita for the first time.

James 1:14,15:

But each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his own desire. Then the desire, when it has become fertile, gives birth to sin; in turn, sin, when it has been accomplished, brings forth *BURP*.

And then I had the cannoli. . .  . .
4 - Jay G.: Absolutely fantastic pizza. I like Fritti & Verasanos but this might be the best pizza I have ever had. The owner was really pretty cool and really seemed to enjoy what he was doing. They make pizza till they run out of dough-sort of like the way I drink.

FYI there are mostly communal tables, no reservations, bring your own booze. Great place to go with a group but don't forget something to drink.
1 - Francois G.: Classic example of over-hype. The pizza is good, but nothing out of the ordinary, and a little on the greasy side. The one star rating comes from the attitude and the vibe of the place. The owner and the staff, all italian, clearly think they are hot shit. They will not accommodate any request to tweak ingredients on any pie ("who are you, the paying customer, to decide what should go on your pizza? lactose intolerant? tough shit, eat this cheese!"). They don't have plates or utensils either. Just rolls of cheap paper. A couple of tables in the kitchen, not enough chairs and super loud music just to make the experience even more miserable. If you have to go, do take out only, but frankly, why bother when you could go to Fritti instead? You will save money and eat much better pizza in a real restaurant.
4 - Jillian F.: Updated 10/10/11:
I went back to Antico for the 2nd time and I am upping my review. The pizza we ordered was not "droopy" this time were very tasty! We went on a busy Friday night and the atmosphere was totally different and we loved that it's BYOB. We met the owner and his son and definitely have a different perspective of this place now.

Old review:
Today I went to Antico Pizza for lunch with three of my coworkers. We got there right as it opened since we heard it can get very busy. We ordered right away and sat down at one of the few tables. They gave us cups for water and we asked where we could get water and they pointed to a sink. Kinda weird getting your water from a sink. There were no soda machines or ice.

The atmosphere was pretty unique. It felt like you were literally in the kitchen where they were preparing food. You can sit at the tables and watch as the make the pizza. Pretty neat!

About 5 minutes after we ordered, our first pizza was brought to the table. It was a Bianca Pizza - all white with a couple different cheeses. Our second pizza came a couple minutes later, a Margherita Pizza.

Both of the pizzas had good tasting, fresh ingredients (sauce, cheese, dough. basil), however, I did not like the texture. My favorite pizza is NY style pizza, the kind where it's thin, crusty and you can hold it up in your hand and take bites. This pizza was one of the most soggy I have ever had. There was so much moisture that came out of the tomatoes and cheese that there was literally liquid falling off my pizza into a pool on my napkin. Yes, I said napkin because they don't have plates there. It was a drippy, watery, gooey mess and I needed a handful of paper towels to dry it up.

I will say again that the ingredients did taste fresh but overall I did not enjoy the food. I also think it's overpriced. It was about $10 per person for an equivalent of maybe 2 NY style pieces of pizza and they do not provide you with what you'd expect in a restaurant - plates, napkins, ice, etc. A lot of people do love it, so try it out for yourself.
4 - Kristian W.: Went here on a Friday night and took no more than 15 minutes from walking in the door until I had my Diavola Pizza.  The mozarella, sauce and all other ingredients are top notch.  The dough could use some work since the pizza seemed more soggy than I would have expected.  All in all though one of the best pizzas in town.  if you like Fritti you will love Antico.
5 - Tom P.: I think this place is great, but it is what it is, if you only like new york style pizza, don't come here, if you don't like pizza with char, don't come here, if you don't eat cheeze, don't come here.

Let's save this place for those of us that appreciate great food however it comes.
5 - Andrew H.: Came here a few fridays ago after work. It was dead, much to my suprise. We ordered the San Gennaro and it was done in about 5 minutes. We opted to bring it home because there was a bottle of wine calling my name. I've read many reviews saying that you MUST eat it there because it sucks after it has sat for a while. Thats not true. (I did take a bite in the car though....that thing was so damn beautiful I couldnt resist) We ate the pie about and hour and a half later. It was AMAZING...even cold. I don't want to sound like a broken record but it was in the top 2 or 3 pizzas I've ever eaten.
5 - Stephanie V.: When I heard about the glory of Antico's pizza, I was excited.  When I heard about the atmosphere, I was REALLY excited.  Then, I heard you could bring your own alcohol, so I got in the car with a few bottles of wine and went immediately.  

This place is AWESOME.  I loved sitting in the kitchen.  I watched them open a can of peeled tomatoes, straight form Italy, and blend em up to make the sauce.  I'm not sure it'd look much different if I did it, but watching them cook made me giddy like a 6 year old.  It probably helped that all the cooks are Italian, and Italians are sexy.  Even the ones that aren't good looking at all, they're still sexy because they're Italian.  Watching them cook is fascinating, and every time they threw the pizza dough up in the air, I had to stop myself from clapping and hooting.  So, the atmosphere gets two thumbs way, way up.   

I was weary of paying $22 for pizza, but my god, it was worth every penny.  I cursed myself for picking that day to go on a diet, because honestly, I could have eaten an entire pizza myself.  We all got different pizzas, and there wasn't a slice to spare.  I don't remember the names of all the pizzas, but there was one with sausage and peppers that blew my socks off.  If there hadn't have been children around, I might have had a Meg Ryan moment right there after the first bite.  The pizza is soggy at the ends, probably because of the fresh sauce they use, but it's delicious none the less.  Food also gets two thumbs right the hell up.

The pizza was great.  The people were great.   You can't go wrong with Antico.
5 - Robert C.: Third time, still great.  This place is a busy during lunch!
5 - Maxine C.: Went here the other night with the wife of one of the guys who wears the red bandanna and operates those ovens. We got to sneak in through the back door and be right in the midst of the chaos. 

This place was a former bakery, I"m told, which might explain the dishes the pizza is served on (giant jelly roll pans). It was also, I"m told, not set up initially to be an eat in place and I think they're still working that out. The desire is obviously there from the crowds. 

Three huge wood fired ovens keep a steady rotation of true neopolitan pizza coming out. You should go just to watch them. Really. 

We had the pizza Diavola - Oh dear. That's good stuff. Those spicy little peppers will light you up and the meat? I don't know what it is but it is gooooooood. Sauce was super fresh and I thought the dough to sauce ratio was perfect. No gumminess at all. Takes all of about 2 minutes for your pizza to cook. I wandered to the front to check it out - the desserts will blow you away.

I would recommend this place. I know it gets really busy but if you can get in there get you some.  Best pizza I've had in town. I look forward to going to Italy in a few months and comparing notes. And the cannoli? Yeah.
5 - Julie M.: I went here Saturday night for a friend's birthday dinner and it was off the charts!  The ambiance was really unique - minimal, a lot of table sharing with strangers, Italian pizza artists baking the pizzas in these huge ovens.  A lot of different people there - families, friends, Georgia Tech students, professionals.  I liked that it felt just really open to anyone.  Everyone that was there just wanted good pizza.  It was soooo good.  I can honestly say this was the best pizza I have ever had.  I would say it even beats Lombardi's famous pizza in New York City.  My friend and I ordered a simple pizza - cheese, tomato sauce, basil - but it was outstanding.  I highly recommend this pizza.  Note that it was very crowded on a Saturday night so get there early or expect crowds. Also, the place doesn't seem very handicap friendly since it's an older building.  Hats off to Antico.  Best pizza I have ever had!
5 - Rick F.: One thing has changed, it's frickin busy now that the secret is out! The best Pizza I've ever had! I love the atmosphere, the people the owners son is great! They have since added more tables in the kitchen. Fantastic. I sat next to a guy traveling from out of town on business, he was by himself and thoroughly enjoying his pizza, then he had to catch a plane to DC. This place will change your life! LOL!
2 - Bruce J.: You can tell a lot about the charachter of a person by the way they treat others after they achieve success.  

When I explained to the owner that my family does not eat pork, he pretty much read me the riot act before agreeing to alter one of his "michaelangelo masterpieces".  Yes he went there.  Had I not been so curious to try the sacred pie that everyone is raving about, and had 2 hungry kids with me, I would have left before ordering.  As it stands, I will not be back, even if the pizza had lived up to the hype.

To rate the food fairly,  I will say that it deserves 3 stars on it's own merit, but with the 1 star for customer service, the average is 2 stars.  We had the Margherita pie and another with spinach, artichoke, and mushrooms minus the Priscutto.  The highlight was the crust, even with slight blackening on parts.  The cheese was fine - I actually prefer Fellini's which is also cheaper.  I was not satisfied with the fusion of cheese, crust, sauce and toppings -  everything kind of slid off and fell apart.  If you can't get to a Fellini's, go for the Mellow Mushroom in Atlanta, but in all cases, avoid the attitude of Antico.
5 - Chris P.: The pizza is great and is better than any I've had in Atlanta. The space is cool and its interesting that you can sit in the kitchen. Would give it 4.5 stars if I could only because I'd prefer that it was a little more of a sit down place. But if your close enough for this to be takeout then 5 stars for sure.
5 - Boris Y.: I'm about the 1,000th person to review, so what can I add other than a 5* to get the number up?
4 - Winston G.: This is not the best pizza I've ever had, but it's pretty good for what it is.  One pizza should be more than enough food for 2 people, so the portions are decent, although the pizza with a topping is about $20.  A bit pricey.

I would say this place and Mellow Mushroom are two of the best pizza places in Atlanta.  Styles are different for sure -- I prefer a more New York style, but this is probably close to what a true Italian slice of pizza is like.   However, with that said, it is still very different -- crust seems to be pretty thick, and there is not enough cheese.
5 - Kim V.: This is the best pizza in Atlanta.  My favorite is the San Gennaro.  The crust is just incredible and the pizzas come out fast.  The weekend evenings are totally busy but the service is still fast and efficient.  Don't forget the desserts...I really loved the chocolate mousse.  Get there early because they close when they run out of dough.
5 - I I.: Before eat at Antico Pizza I thought the best pizza in the US was at Lombardi's in NYC. Now i am torn between the two....this is the only real pizza place in Atlanta and maybe the southeast.


So amazingly good! Thanks  you Antico
5 - Kevin G.: The best authentic pizza in the city. Hands Down. 

Don't think you are going to get a seat or have the best decor. Just come for the best pizza in Atlanta. This place is a god send for people who like really good pizza without all the bs.

I love the back room and kitchen feel. Makes the food come alive.


Not the cheapest, but the best. Plus BYOB is always a plus in my book.
5 - Brenna S.: Incredible pizza, BYOB.  Nuff said.  We ate there really early (5:30) on a Monday night and we had no trouble finding seats, but it was really full by the time we left at 6:15.
4 - Cherry L.: more like 3.8 pizza now
im still a fan........but.......not as much as before

the ingredients are still great! pizza still TASTES great....the pies are substantially smaller. i suspect that the dough is still the same 'weight' or w/e....but theyve made the crust all around thicker so they hold up to the sauce/toppings w/o being droopy/soggy. however, i think theyve decreased the amount of toppings, so the topping to dough ratio just isnt that great anymore imo. 

tried the San Gennaro pizza this time with meatballs and sweet peppers and holy moly, those pepper were....SWEET! haha and the meatballs were yums too.

and omg, we got the amaretti cannoli for dessert and it. was. so. freakin. good. YUM. each one is made to order so the pastry shell stays crisp. the filling is creamy and not overly sweet with great great flavor. i DEF would get this again.

ps. byo-drinks pls. no alcohol there, which is fine. but aluminum bottled coke/diet coke at $2.50 a pop......NO THANKS!
5 - I'mSo L.: I love this place.  They leave me alone and I get to stuff an entire San Gennaro into my gaping maw without anyone bothering me.

The sausage is awesome.  I love sausage.  Wish they had a booze license.  Until then, I just bring some beer to wash it down.

May be headed there again tomorrow for lunch or dinner if anyone is interested.

Anyone?
5 - Jeff W.: Easily some of the best pizza ive ever had!  DEFINATLY best in Atlanta.  

GREAT ingredients.  Had the Diablo, be warned its very hot.  It was nice to be able to bring in your own wine or beer.  

Great date night place.  Pretty fun environment.  

This is not american pizza, this is Italian pizza.  Dont count on alot of toppings, or even thing about hot wings.  If you think Pizza Hut is the best pizza, stay home and dont go here.
4 - Tony R.: Born and bred NYer. 

Best pizza in Atlanta. Pizza and pastries only. 

Great staff, fun place to eat. Don't be put off by the lack of tables and chairs...stand at one of the counters by the pizza makers and be prepared to interact. You can reserve a large table (only one) for a large group or party. 

BYOB. 
I am going back whenever I'm in ATL.
5 - Stephen M.: The only problem I have is it's too hard to stop eating.  Is three, four, five slices too many?
2 - Ebony S.: NOT FOR PEOPLE SET IN AMERICANIZE FOOD!!!

I will have to agree with Thom P. on this one. I, as well, read the CNN article about the little boy making pizzas and also saw rave reviews on multiple sites, but I just was not impressed. I guess my taste is not sophisticated enough for this type of pizza, but I was truly dissapointed. Especially since I spent $20 on a large (but is usually considered a medium). The pizza I had was the Diavaola, the crust was great and soft, but the pizza sauce and meats were just too salty and different to what I'm used to. I love Mellow Mushroom, and Bluemoon Pizza, but this is in a different catergory. Also if you are going on a busy night, be prepared to be waiting a couple of minutes for a parking space. The dining in is not ideal. There are only a few tables in a small space that doesn't make this place inviting for people to come, sit, eat and enjoy. On the bright side though the people was nice and the location isn't too bad to find, but for us Americans that have been set in our Americanize food, I would not recommend this place to anyone.
4 - Telin B.: Very fresh, tasty pizza.  I hate communal seating and "mingling", so I opted for one of the stools along the small wall counters.  I got a little nervous when I sat down, because each stool has a note taped on the seat that reads "Do not move this stool or you'll be asked to leave".  Hmmm...can it move it to sit down?  Is it here for decoration only?  I decided it just meant I could not move it to another table - few that there are.  My $21 San Gennaro pizza arrived quickly.  The huge pan it is served on barely fit the counter and took up two spaces.  I ended up having to stand and eat, hunched over the pan.  I don't mind things like this.  It was piping hot and a nice party in my mouth.  Nicely flavored italian sausage hunks, tasty sweet cherry peppers, tangy sauce & buffalo mozzarella melding together on a somewhat crispy/somewhat limpy crust.  You must eat with both hands once beginning a new piece.  I tossed it all back with a $2.25 aluminum bottle of coke (they have a refrigerator with cokes, water, and Italian sodas).  There are no condiments on the counter seats.  Just a roll of brown paper for "napkins".  I think i did spot some olive oil, garlic & parmesean on one of the big tables.  All-in-all, a pleasant experience.  I wasn't blown away like lots of folks, but still enjoyed it, and may go back with friends.  The cannoli looked great, and I'd like to try on the next visit.  Will be interested to see how the leftovers reheat tonight....I hope my oven will help crisp up the crust.
5 - Mike M.: Perfect pizzas.
Brilliant pastries.
Smart sodas.
No attitude.

Gorgeous food. Get it and eat it in your car with a bottle of Sangiovese and risk the ticket.

Now, if there were just a means to add a douchebag-filter to the clientele in Dockers and Banana Republic it'd be perfect.
4 - Chris L.: I felt like I was eating an authentic Italian dish served as a pizza. It's byob and we did just that. Oh and don't forget to grab the free espresso that they offer. It's 20 bucks per pie but it's totally worth it.
5 - Sean S.: This is it. I died. This is heaven. More salt, garlic and cheese, please. (Except for one thing: It's BYOB on beer and wine. Which, I guess you could argue, is still kind of heavenly ...) My only regret is that this took over the place of another restaurant (owned by a wonderful French woman) I loved. Well, that's Atlanta for you.
4 - Joi M.: I like this pizza.  All the ingredients tasted fresh and light.  It was not as heavy as the pizza I'm used to eating from national chains.  The crust was crispy, and burnt around the edges.I prefer a softer crust.I did not try any of the desserts but the cannolis looked good.It was interesting sitting at the table with a group of men who ate two pizzas between them and a man who sat solo at the edge of the table and ate the entire pie but the crust. With one pizza pan on the table and two boxes, there was very little room at the table. The pizza was expensive but my brother treated so I enjoyed every bite!
5 - David Y.: I had it few days ago and decided to write about it.  

I think this was the best tasting pizza I ever had.  I had Margarita version and it was best ever.  I kept thinking why it's tasted so good...dough and ingredient.   It wasn't cheap but I can clearly see why it was $19 with 6 slices.  If you are used to cheap pizza you are in it for a surprise.  I was looking for good pizza joint in ATL and finally found it.  

Go there ASAP and live your life as it was meant to be.  You will have problem parking as there was only 6 parking spaces.
5 - Michael H.: Antico is one of the few places that lives up to the hype. I am from New York City, so good pizza is in my blood. I haven't had real pizza in Atlanta, and Antico is it!
3 - Emily O.: I went to Antico a few months ago and have been waiting to share my experience!  While the pizza is undoubtedly delicious, the service here just doesn't cut it.  

I ordered the Margherita pizza with salsiccia and did not recieve what I ordered, and having had paid extra for the salsiccia I asked for the correct pizza.  A lady came out and told me our salsiccia pizza was on it's way out quickly and we could either continue to eat the wrong pizza or she could wrap it up for us and we could take it home.  That was a fantastic idea!  So a few minutes after she took the wrong pizza away the salsiccia came out and it was delicious, no surprise here.

As I went to the lady on the way out to pick up the other pizza, she lied to my face saying she had to throw it away, a simple sorry, and no other explanation.  She could have taken the incorrect pizza away from the beginning without saying we could take it home,she lied to keep us there and I want others to know.  Service like this doesn't completely undermine the restaurant but I have not been back since and it will take awhile before I do.
4 - Vanessa r.: great pizza.....tastes great ...less feeling. You actually feel good and light on your feet when you finish eating this pizza.

I insist that you eat it on the community farm tables. After 10 minutes this pizza is toast. It must be eaten hot as soon as it arrives out of the oven.

Anticos leaves you with a unique flavor inside your mouth - that is mmm mmm delicious.

I would recommend sneaking in your own soft drinks the italian soft drinks just didnt do it for me.

Also they are pizza nazis you cannot make your own pie. You have to stick with the creations as they are on the menu.

Worth a try - its pricey but worth it at least once.
5 - Tara H.: First let me say that I do not eat red meat... however I had the Divaola and it was fantastic! I removed the large chunks of meatballs that looked delicious and almost bit my hand off. LOL. 

What makes this the best pizza place in Atlanta (hands down) is the freshness of ingredients: the sauce, the cheese, the herbs! I love that it's small and the parking is pretty bad but overall, tons of character and worth the wait. Bring in your own bottle of wine or beer and I suggest going with a group of friends. This way you won't be so taken aback by the $20 pizzas. They are large and worth every penny if you ask me. 

I wish I could keep this place a secret but it's too good not to share. Cheers!
5 - Marlo P.: Hands down best pizza I've had in the US! The ingredients and pizza ovens are imported from Naples. The atmosphere is not typical. You order and pay, then head to the kitchen! You can watch your pizza be made and watch it cook. The ovens are SO hot, that most pizzas cook for approximately 90 seconds. The dough is soft and slightly chewy. Everything tastes so fresh. Limited menu, but when you you've got it, you've got it, and don't need a huge menu. Antico = amazing! Oh! And it's byob!
4 - Thomas S.: Antico Pizza = Crazy Good. Antico Pizza + 12-pack of Bud Light = Classy

I really enjoyed my first experience. The atmosphere is something like I've never seen and is very inviting. Some may think it's a gimmick but it's kinda fun. Unfortunately for me it was lent and I was not able to experience the pizza's as they were meant to be eaten (i.e., meats), hence the 4-stars. One-half of the pizza was burnt and the dough didn't blow me away. What did thrill me away was the sauce and the cheese. 

Here's to going back and maybe upping the class a notch to Bud diesel.
5 - ray s.: This is the best pizza and atmosphere. Fresh ingredients and its very obvious.  If you're dining in be prepared to drink water. Sodas are very small and expensive.
5 - Drew J.: Best pizza I've had in Atlanta. The place is a lol hard to see coming from 10th street and parking is limited. You can tell this building wasn't made for a family dining experience, but I think that's part of what I enjoyed about it. Sitting in the back, watching them make my pizza made it even more authentic feeling. Also, i would advise getting there early. When my friend and i went, we got lucky and had a seat right away. 5 mins later there was a line out the door.

The pizza itself was amazing. Fresh and natural ingredients and the most flavorful chilies(i think?) i've ever had. We had the Divaola, which was amazing, and the group next to us insisted we try their San Gennaro, which i think may have been even better. There is also a monster pizza, which is four pizzas in one. Cant wait to bring a group to tackle that one.

Oh, i forgot the best part....BYOB!!! Yes, bring in your favorite wine or beer and add that extra something awesome to the experience!

The only thing i didnt like about this place? No ice to put my beer in! haha but i think ill live
5 - Stephen B.: Excellent Pie!
5 - Jeffrey M.: Best Pizza I have every had and I have had a lot having lived in Boston,Chicago, NY and traveled to other major cities around the world including cities in Italy...I thought Regina's Pizza in the Northend of Boston was the best - no more - Antico is the real deal...space feels like you are Verona, Italy with Ilalian music blarring...Pizza is soft with great texture...Flavors are ourstanding. Antico puts Varasano's to shame...Not even in the same leauge as Antico
5 - pete b.: The parking situation is not good, it's a bit pricey, the location is a little shady, it can be very crowded, and you may have to stand up to eat.  All of these negatives and I still easily rate Antico Pizza 5 stars, simply because of the pizza.  

I believe I've tried all the pizzas on the menu at this point and I honestly love them all.  I love the fresh tomatoes, basil, the various meats and DELICIOUS sweet and hot peppers.  

I have lived in/around Philly for 26 years before I came to Atlanta.  I've complained and complained about the pizza and Italian food in Atlanta.  I have NO complaints about Antico.  One of the big problems I used to have with all the pizza places in Atlanta was the sauce.  I can't say why it was always sub par, but it just always seemed bland.  Antico's sauce is quite different than any I've had on a pie in Philly, but it is wonderful.  Antico is my favorite pizza place that I have ever had the pleasure of patronizing (Atlanta or Philly).  

Food preference is certainly subjective.  I cannot tell someone they are wrong for liking a steak at Chili's more than one from New York Prime, for example.  But, we know, they are wrong.  That is how I feel when I hear people saying they like Felini's or Mellow Mushroom better than Antico.  They are entitled to their opinion, but it's a wrong opinion.  :)
5 - Theodore L.: Woody Allen once said, "Pizza is a lot like sex. When it's good, it's really good. When it's bad, it's still pretty good." 

The man who married his stepdaughter is right: When it comes to pizza, even the most uninspiring slabs of cardboard painted with ketchup and processed cheese food (I'm lookin' at you, Papa John's) leave us hankering for more. This queer fact is especially true in the Dirty South, where authentic, jaw-dropping pizza can be as easy to score as unobtanium.*

Rejoice, pizza fiends, because manna from the gods hath arrived! You've no doubt been regaled with stories of Antico and their amazing pies. Well, worry not, Flava Flav: BELIEVE THE HYPE.

Nestled on the corner of Hemphill Ave. (so named after the divine Shirley Hemphill of "What's Happening" fame), Antico was teeming with diners the night I waddled in. What's novel about Antico is that you order in front, and dine in either the small room to the side, or back in the kitchen. Given my parameters, I chose a community table in the kitchen, and discovered with joy that they pipe in Italian opera over the PA. I watched as sweaty men thrust their obscenely long pie turners into giant ovens. Delightful! All that was missing was Joe Pesci becoming irate and stabbing someone with a pen.

I planned on downing a slice or two. Once the steaming pie arrived, however, I knew I was in trouble. The Margherita pizza was a marvel of restraint, its ingredients, few, but top-notch: San-Marsano Tomato, Bufala Mozzarella, Basil, Garlic, and Dough. That's it. 
'Where's the high fructose corn syrup," you ask? "Is there crazy bread," you also ask? Sorry. Antico keeps it simple and the result is perfection.

From the first bite, I experienced a sort of transubstantiation; the pizza turned into something mythic and holy, and at once I regretted the nights spent grazing Pizza Hut while watching Stargate SG-1. Nubile cheese, gurgling sauce, and dough boasting the purity of Justin Bieber meshed into a symphony of delight.

I finished the first slice, polished a second, inhaled a third, mainlined a fourth, crammed a fifth, and soldiered through a sixth, leaving two slices and a table of strangers worried I'd detonate. I started wrapping the remaining slices up, but, NO LIE, they began to coo, "Eeeeeat us. Eeeeeeat us NOW." 

It was the Tell-Tale Pizza, and I was weak. So I ate the whole thing. By myself. In Barack Obama's America. Such is the power of Antico.

So, by all means, GO, but PLEASE use caution. As much as I enjoyed plunging into an cheese laden K-hole, no man should eat an entire pie by his lonesome. Power eating is a sad spectacle, no matter how delish. Use the buddy system, and spread the wealth.

* He-llooooo nerds!
5 - Jose M.: I tried out Antico Pizza based upon an article I read on Sky Miles magazine wherein Antico was highlighted. Upon my first bite of this pizza, I was hooked and wanted to come back again for every single meal I had while at Atlanta. 

Never in my wildest dreams I would have the best and most authentic Italian pizza in Southern America. I highly recommended anyone visitng or living in the Atlanta area and farther out to come to Anitco Pizza. It's only a matter of time before Antico will be shown on those tourists shows on the Travel Channel and the Food Network.
5 - Delaine R.: Supposedly all of the ingredients are imported from Naples.  I dont know if that's true but it sure tastes like it is.  The family style dining took a little getting used to but we always seem to make friends there.  The BYOB aspect is an added treat... I just wish it was in walking distance!
5 - Anita C.: This is by far the best pizza I have ever had!  The ingredients were extremely fresh and I didn't feel disgusting after eating it.  I usually stay away from eating pizza because it's usually extremely greasy and heavy, but this was light and fresh.  I didn't feel like I needed to run a 5K immediately after.

We ordered the giant pizza with 4 different types and shared amongst 6 people.  It was a perfect amount of food.
5 - Eden M.: This place has the pizza I dream about from trips to Italy.  Admittedly it's a little wet and sloppy, but then, so am I.  No, wait.  But anyway, unbelievably good ingredients in a great oven make for outstanding pizza, worth a trip, passing by Mellow Mushroom and Savage on the way, yelling "You don't know about pizza.... THEY know about pizza!".  Am I being pretentious?  Yes.  This pizza brings out the unpleasant rooter and gnasher in me.  Woot!
3 - Devon O.: Yeah, yeah, yeah.  It's really good pizza.  The San Gennaro is the best pizza I've ever had.  Too bad it's so fucking hard to enjoy it on premises due to the sheer volume of people riding the hype.  And don't take it home: their pizzas turn to a soggy, gluey mess within ten minutes of departure.  So your best bet is to go at lunch or a weeknight.   Even then you will feel rushed and like you're on your twenty minute lunch break from your adolescent summer warehouse job.  Ambiance?   uh, no.  I mean I get it but......no.

It's BYOB-  somehow I missed that and was pissed when I had to drink a diet coke after 630pm.   

I also suggest that you only take folks capable of appreciating non-Papa John's pizza.  I had a relative mutiny on my hands when my companions were flicking off the sweet and spicy red peppers and leaving the large succulent chunks of sausage on the wax paper.  Infidels!

And since I just can't take a lesson I strolled in one evening with 4 children in tow and the three girls were fighting over the little boy that works there.  They wouldn't even eat their pizza trying to figure out how to talk to him- this post-millenial Ralph Macchio with a long apron and a cell phone.  "He's mine!," my daughter chirped.  "That's what you think, he winked at me," my step-daughter said.  "I think his name is Antico, he owns this place."  Dinner was abandoned for rivalry.  

It's amazing pizza, it just happens to be a stultifying process to enjoyment.
4 - Kristin F.: This is really fantastic, authentic pizza. But not overly fantastic. I hate to burst anyone's bubble here, but I just didn't feel it was worth the money. Especially if you're averse to eating while standing, then scrambling to take over seats at a table where people have just gotten up to leave, and there are still trays and plates and paper towels everywhere. It's a fun, unique atmosphere, but try to get in line before they open or you'll be sorry.
3 - Lucy W.: Tasty tomato sauce, good mozzarella, and chewy dough on the margarita pizza= good. However, I think my expectations were too high due to the raves & recommendations from friends.  I found the pizza & dough in need of salt and the dough & crust way too thick.  I liked the simple margarita ingredients but wish there was more basil and that it was spread out more.  Fast service, from ordering at the cashier to watching the cooks make the pizza quickly and bake in the brick oven (in only a few minutes!).  The unique seating right in the kitchen was fun but the large metal trays were too big and made for lots of plate and tray juggling on the communal tables.  If Antico were closer to where I live, than I might come here more.  3.5 stars.
5 - Michelle K.: Wow, this place does rock.  We were referred to this place by a friend of ours and to our surprise, it was ridiculously tasty and have visited this fine pizza joint twice in two months!

The soft, chewy crust and perfectly cooked thin pizza just melted in our mouths.  I'm sure it's just as good when you order it for take out but if there's seating at the restaurant, you must eat the pies when they're still HOT.

Yummy in our tummies...that's for sure!  My guy and I really enjoyed our pizzas here and will probably return if craving pizza again.

They allow BYOB and you can't help but feel that ITALIAN vibe with the authentic music blasting in the background.

Love it!  A definite two thumbs up!
5 - Gena P.: I first went to Antico Pizza a few months ago for a friend's birthday, and thought it was excellent. I had the standard Margharita pizza and nibbled on some others. The soft chewy crust and the sweet tangy sauce is what makes their pizza unlike anything in the states.

I just went to Naples last week and my main goal was to test out their pizza since its pizza's birthplace (i think). I also wanted to compare it to Antico's pies. To my astonishment, Antico is right on the money :)  Since I probably won't be back to Naples anytime soon, I'm happy to get my fix at Antico!
5 - Jerry C.: Can the world suffer another opinion about Antico?  I probably would not even bother except to take the minority view that Fritti serves up a better Pizza Napoletana. 

We made it there for a late lunch hoping to avoid the well documented crowds.  It was far from slow.  Antico has a good  vibe inside and we found that we didn't mind eating while standing up.  Also, we can save a fortune by bringing our own alcohol.   The pie came fast- lava hot!  

The ingredients were top shelf on the San Gennaro.   Perfect buffala mozz, big hunks of sausage and a well crafted sauce along with tasty red peppers make this an exceptional pie.  Our only complaint was the crust.

I was surprised that the crust rises so high on this pizza.  Although it had a nice char it was a bit doughy inside.  In the center, it completely disintegrated.  .This would have been a major disappointment if the ingredients on top had not been exceptional. 

Lets face it, comparisons are fun and there is a lot of room for discussion.  The Atlanta pizza wars have resulted in a much improved range of choices from which we all benefit.   I can understand why many think this pie is the best in town; there is much  to love about Antico.

4.5
5 - Gerald S.: Unique idea and probably in the running for the best pizza in Atlanta - if not already considered the best pizza in the city.  The ingredients are fresh and flavorful (cheese, tomatoes, and flour come from Italy).  The ambiance is also very chill.  I like the fact that they have more lower wood tables in the kitchen since my last visit -- yes, you can eat in the kitchen.

One of the highlights for me is that you can bring your own alcohol - yes, and there is no silly corkage fee.  Downside is that you don't get to make your own pizza - there are no substitutes, but on the upside there are vegetarian options. 

And, to top off the great food - the owner is very nice and always willing to chat about anything from pizza to the upcoming World Cup.
5 - Logan V.: Hands down one of the best pizzas Ive had in Atlanta the 3 years I've lived here. Its a block from IKEA and they welcome you to bring your own alcohol. The place itself looks like a small warehouse with makeshift tables inside and the kitchen fully exposed. Oddly enough it adds to the appeal, like a well kept secret trying to stay off the grid.
5 - Diana D.: THE BEST!!! I'm talking TASTY, tasty stuff here. Extremely quality ingredients. It's one of those places that you stand and eat on whatever surface is available- you know, a big table w/ a bunch of strangers, on a prep table in the kitchen, or wherever you can squeeze in.

Best part... YOU CAN BRING YOUR OWN WINE AND BEER (no corkage fees or anything like that)!!!!

Go. You will not regret it.
4 - nemil s.: I am jealous.  I am jealous because Antico pizza was not around when I attended Georgia Tech!  

Although a bit out of the price range of an average college student, the extra penny is well worth it.  Upon entering the establishment you know it is true to its country of origin.  The authentic pizza, desserts, and sodas are delicious.  I have been to Antico Pizza three or four times now and have been satisfied every time.

It is definitely a "family style" place, where there are two or three big tables (some setup in the kitchen even!) where you grab a few seats and all the customers sit and eat.  The center has parm cheese, garlic, herbs, peppers, etc. that everyone shares.  Very nice ambiance and environment.  Also, love the music they play!

The first few times I ordered the Diavaola, very yummy.  I love spicy foods (even though I suffer for it later!), and this is nice because you can make it as spicy as you want.  They put whole peppers on as toppings, so you can easily take them off if there is too much heat--or put more if you are adventurous.

I have been noticing that over my last few visits the number of toppings on the pizza has been decreasing.  Furthermore, it seems that the crust is getting a bit thicker/more doughy.  Overall the pizza is still spectacular.  At the end of my last visit, the owner was nice enough to give my party espressos while I ordered their SUPER DELICIOUS amaretto cannoli. 

The major downside to this place is the drinks.  They are expensive and they do not have fountain drinks.  They sell water bottles, aluminum bottle sodas, and Italian sodas.  You can bring your own alcohol though!
5 - helen h.: I had heard about Pizza Antico for months and hadn't been until last week.  We showed up on Saturday at about 11:45 (they don't open on Saturday until 12) and there was already a wait of about a dozen people.  The owner came to the door, joked with some of the kids that were waiting and let us in.  It's so neat being able to not only see them make your pizza but actually eat in the kitchen where it was made.  I think my hub said it best when he said, "I don't think that I've ever really eaten pizza until now".  It's true, you've never really eaten a pizza until you go here.  All others may be fine, but this is the only REAL pizza.  
Go here.  You'll thank me.
4 - Lydia L.: I had to add.  

Fantastic.  Small space, small menu, big, delicious food.

I'll stop there.
5 - scott b.: I grew up in Queens, NY with a pizza place every few blocks.  They were good because they had to be due to harsh competition.  Still, everybody had their "best" and we often travelled to brooklyn and manhattan in search of the perfect slice.  Little did I know I would find it in Atlanta.  Seriously, this is as close to the perfect slice of pizza I have encountered.

Atmosphere is fine for a pizza place.  As good or better than the places I grew up with serving slices on wax paper.  But, it is not a restaurant in the traditional sense.  Don't go looking for atmosphere.  Go for pizza and then head over to any one of the cools bars (JCT, Abbattoir, Ormsby's, Northside Tavern) for atmosphere.

Oh, and Antico is BYOB.  Do share with the pizza makers.
4 - Kristine M.: I don't know where to start, so being a tool, I'll use bullet points.  Only since Yelp doesn't use bullet points, I'll use asterisks, but please don't think of them as stars.

* My margherita pizza from last night was so charred that I consider the crust burnt.  A little char is fine.  Inedible crust is not fine.
* The few times I tried the San Gennaro pizza, the center of the pizza was pretty watery.  (This was a while back, and may be why they are overcooking things now.)
* The place is disorganized when it's not busy.  It's complete chaos when they're slammed.  I once had to stand in line to order my food at the right register, then get back in line to pay at the left register.  And the two lines were merged a few feet away from the registers.  No one seemed to know what was going on.
* The original idea was for the place to be a takeout place, but the pizza is best eaten straightaway while it's still hot, so everyone understandably wants to eat at the restaurant.  (See note 1.)  You're lucky to get a seat, or even a place to stand and eat.
* This is a horrible place to have a party.  This isn't directed at Adam so much as every OTP tool who thought this place was the new Chucky Cheese and wants to have their kid's 7th birthday shindig in the Antico kitchen.
* Part of me is a little dismayed at eating in the kitchen.  On the one hand, I want to eat my pizza while it's fresh and hot.  On the other hand, I worry that they're violating some health regulation.  Well, this is less of a worry now that they have counters separating the ovens from the dining area, but still.  I remember eating pizza at the front communal table while someone was making dough at the worktable in the room.  That's just weird.
* Parking has historically sucked, but somehow they are now using the lot across the street.  Definite improvement.
* Prices are a bit high, though I understanding they are importing everything from Italy (including flour, salt, tomato sauce, and other exotic ingredients not found in America).  I know the Euro was pretty high, so I'll get over it if they make an effort to keep the quality up.   
* I'm not a Coke drinker, but I suspect the bottled Cokes are imported from Italy given their 8 oz size and $3 price.  (See note 2.)  If so, I'm kind of amused since Antico is like a mile from Coke's world HQ, but if that's what it takes to avoid HFCS nastiness, so be it.  Can anyone confirm?  
 
All that said, they've still served the best damn pizza I've had in my sad pathetic life.  Everyone who works there is friendly, and back before they got famous, I got to try their homemade limoncello at closing time.  3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

Note 1 - If you don't live too far away, you might consider getting your pizza to go, and then taking it home and broiling it in the oven for a minute or two or three.  It's not quite the same, but it'll do if the crowd is overwhelming.
Note 2 - Beverages at Antico are small and expensive.  Consider bringing a bottle of wine.  They have corkscrews and plastic cups floating around, but you might have to hunt for them.  (Though bringing your own corkscrew and glasses isn't a bad idea, if that's how you roll.)
3 - Mathan G.: 4.5/5 average rating on 247 reviews, that's formidable. I was really excited about finally having an excellent pizza place in Atlanta, so, pardon the yelp cliche, I wanted to love this place. I left satisfied, but wondering if the pizza justified the cross-town drive. Don't get me wrong--the pizza is very good, and it's both better and way less pretentious than Varasano.

But, this is not Neapolitan-stye pizza. I wouldn't otherwise care, but this place has "Napoletana" in its name. I've been to Pizzeria Trianon in Naples and Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix (arguably the best in the US), and the differences are clear cut. Rather than the airy, bubbly crust that rings true Neapolitan pizza, Antico's crust is very heavy and doughy (two of our pizzas weren't entirely cooked through--an excessively high temperature was probably the culprit). Also, and I know a lot of people are going to have beef with this, but I wasn't a fan of the peppers on the san gennaro--they were pickled red peppers, which I thought were a little out of place and distracted from the delicious sausage, caramelized onion and smoky, slightly charred crust. Also, I thought the anchovies on the marinara were kind of weird and unnecessary.

On the plus side, it was really quick, and a pretty good value--we had plenty of leftovers. If I were a Tech student I would be going here all of the time--but this place isn't ready just yet to enter the pantheon of the pizza gods. They'll have to overtake Fritti first.
5 - Mike J.: Simply put.  BEST. PIZZA. IN. ATLANTA.
3 - Candace H.: After reading and hearing absolutely rave reviews for Antico I thought I would seek out this holy grail of pizza joints.

After passing it twice I finally end my quest in their parking lot.  I was amazed at how tiny Antico is, but hey we've all heard great things come in small packages. 

I pick up one of the gloss laminated menus and after a few minutes of explaining to my husband what some of these toppings are we settle for the San Gennaro pay $2.50 each for the tiniest coke bottles I've ever seen and park it at the table.  

20 minutes later I was biting into the best pizza I have ever tasted.  I'm not a huge pizza fan because of the standard American way it's prepared but my dear god Antico makes a tasty pizza.  If you are expecting mountains of cheese covering little tiny pieces of meat you're going to be disappointed.  Expect huge chunks of meat, chunks of fresh cheeses and hugely visible veggies all fresh, and all prepared to order. 

So the pizza is orgasmic...but I gave them three stars.  Why?  It's obvious that the staff knows they make a damn good pizza and they are snotty and stuck up for it.  After drinking his baby Coke which where horribly over priced my husband asked at the counter how he would get water.  The girl, whom I think was faking and accent, looked at him like he was stupid, pointed at a little row of plastic cups and said "There are cups and the spigot is over there" with a very dismissing hand motion.  It was like the bad chef that gets upset when someone asks for ketchup to put on his food....her attitude was how dare you drink a beverage with your pizza.  

All in all go....grab it to go and either eat it in the parking lot or head to a park and have a picnic, you'll have a five star experience, but dealing with staff for more than order and pickup, you'll be lucky if you have a three star day.
5 - Christine H.: margherita pizza = PERFECTION

there are enough good descriptions about this place. i am ditto-ing all other 5 star ratings. you HAVE to come here.
5 - Vivien P.: I had a great experience at Antico.
It's small and crowded. You eat your pizza off of brown paper napkins while sitting (or standing) in a noisy cafeteria-style seating area. The atmosphere is very friendly and they play loud Italian music in the background. 
I came with another friend of mine and we recommended the San Gennaro by a very friendly frequent customer of theirs whom we met upon entering. 
The pizza came out fast, all hot and bubbling bursting with amazing flavors.
I'm getting hungry just thinking about it now.
I'm def. coming back soon and i'll make sure to bring my own drinks next time.
5 - Shalin P.: Finally made to Antico this past Saturday night.  We got there at 6:30 pm, which you would expect to be prime time.  While it was crowded, it wasn't a total mob scene or anything.  Parking was pretty easy- there is a big lot across the street which is free.

Between six of us, we ordered one diavolo and two margherita pizzas.  I think one pizza for every two people in the group is a good portion size.  I ate the diavolo, which was flavorful and excellent.  I love spicy food, and found the red peppers to be very spicy.  I also tried a slice of the margherita, which was tasty but was bland compared to the diavolo.

I'm a huge cannoli fan, so I had to try the chocolate chip one (they have 5 different flavors).  While it's certainly no Mike's Pastry, it's pretty good for Atlanta standards.  The shell isn't soggy like you get at a lot of places.

The set-up of the place adds to the charm too.  It sounds like a pain in the ass, but it's actually pretty funny to see everyone in the kitchen jostling over empty seats at the tables.  It's hot in there too, so don't come here dressed in jeans and a long sleeved shirt.

They definitely draw a yuppie crowd- the parking lot was filled with luxury cars.  I was expecting a lot of twentysomethings, but it was a lot of older couples.  Quite a few small kids too.  

The BYOB is great- there is a gas station a block away so pick up your beer there and it won't get warm.  Some people take BYOB too far though...I saw one older dude walk in with two huge picnic baskets.  One filled with 4 wine bottles and the other filled with wine glasses.  Just drink out of a plastic cup.
2 - Olga M.: This place doesn't need more of the 5-star reviews. We all know that the pizza there is good, although remember, folks, this is Atlanta pizza scene, and should we discuss New York (for example) pizzerias, it would be one of the hundreds. Still, what they make is very very decent. 

I've made a huge transition in my opinion about Antico between fall of last year, when I first started going there, to summer of this year. My first visit there was right before the Yelp-created hype, and I absolutely loved the pizza and the ambiance. Easy 5+ stars. After 20+ visits, I'm rating them at 2 tops, and not for the product but for the atmosphere. If they keep going at the same rate, a short time from now they'll be left without patrons. I personally have slowed down on my visits. It  just doesn't seem too inviting. Starting from that girl at the register and finishing with an offer to pour drinking water from a questionably clean sink. Don't get me wrong, I'd take a tap water in a heart beat, but this is a tad much. Many reviewers rave how "Italian" this place feels....but it doesn't. Far from it. 

Since we don't have that much choice of eateable pizzas in Atl, I truly hope they'll stick around, but will take a break from this joint for now...til I stop seeing "soup nazi" type of reviews.
5 - Caitlin S.: There's nothing I can say that hasn't already been said.

Yum.
5 - Bri C.: Simply incredible. Any pizza.  Just awesome.  I really like the spicy peppers.  I think i've tried about 5 of the pizzas.  The lasagna one is great, as well as the one with sausage and the peppers.  

Just go and try it for yourself.
5 - Evan L.: Antico is absolutely the best pizza effort to date in Atlanta.

Food: I have only had the pizzas so far, and they are outstanding. Most of the ingredients are brought in from Italy, as is most of the staff, it seems. So hopefully they're buying some carbon credits along with the work visas.

Atmosphere: well it is true that seating is limited, but deal with it, people. They have created something unique.  You sit in the kitchen or at a large table in their more finished front, and it's a great community experience. Atlantans are so insulated and this is a refreshing change. I meet someone new and have a real conversation with a total stranger every time I go, and I love that. So go ahead and park it next to those people and relearn your social skills. You just might enjoy it. It's a little taste of Italy, and a welcome one for me.
5 - Colleen M.: Antico is the best pizza place in the US. I don't want to call myself a pizza    connoisseur but I kind of am. I've had pizza from some of the best the US has to offer, including pizzeria bianco in Phoenix Az. Antico is better than any of them.  The pizza from Antico is perfect. The crust is slightly blistered and has a nice char, but not too much so it becomes overpowering and tastes burned like some I've had. The creamy mozzarella melts in your mouth and  the slightly garlicy sauce creates just the right balance-perfect amount and not overly sauced. You can't go 
wrong with any pizza you choose. The first times I went there I kept it 
basic with the Margherita because I usually like to keep it nice and 
simple. On subsequent visits I decided to branch out a bit and was not dissappointed- ok maybe 1 time. The pomodorini was ok-the vesuvio tomatoes should have been halved because they overpowered the pizza. The San Gennaro and Lasagna are pure heaven. The small sweet red peppers were incredible-don't normally like peppers on ny pizza but these are so sweet the taste blew me away. I live caramelized onions only made a great pizza better. The ricotta and meatball combo on the lasagna one was equally fabulous and it still had the same great margherita base with the creamy mozzarella and sauce. I know Antico has gotten great reviews and all are well deserved. I'm so fortunate to be so close to the best pizza in the world!! Oh if Antico would start making sandwiched like a caprese one that pane bianco in Phoenix makes that would be great!!
5 - John W.: Best in Atlanta, hands down.  Comparing this place to anything else in Atlanta is a joke.  Would recommend to stay and eat the pizza at the location, hot out of the oven, it does not travel very well.  But even on takeout better than anything else in the metro area.  The reviews about the service and surroundings are a joke, come and eat the pizza and enjoy.  Get a life to the whiney morons and dimwhits that bitch about the service.
3 - Tim V.: Having grown up in NYC, I can confidently state that Antico Pizza is not even close to the best pizza I've ever tasted. That said, the fresh ingredients and flavorful combinations of toppings is a welcome respite from the glut of franchise pizza a la Papa Johns, Pizza Hut, Dominos, Marcos, Cicis, etc, etc, etc.

That said about the food, the aspect of Antico that makes it unique (love it or hate it) is the dining atmosphere. The restaurant is an unassuming little building. When you walk in the front door you see only one table and one counter to eat at with 10 people in line to order, and think, great, I'm going to be eating my pizza standing up! Upon being told that the main seating area is in the kitchen, you are a bit relieved thinking, there is a place for my family to sit after all. Then you turn the corner into the kitchen to see the 6 or so bench tables full of people with 20 more standing around waiting to pounce on one when it comes open and realize, great, you will likely be eating this pizza standing up after all.

The BYOB and family-style ambience is charming and unique, but it definitely fosters a sit and linger while you finish your bottles of wine approach to dining. In a restaurant with woefully inadequate seating this makes dining here a bit of a gamble and a bit annoying truth be told. As stated above, the pizza is good, but not incredible.  So, if I were just hanging with a friend or two and wanted to bring our own wine or beer it would be cool to squeeze into a table and meet some new folks; however, with 2 young hungry kids who can't really stand at a counter to eat, not the best set-up. Take this info and judge for yourself if it will be the right thing for you. I think this place would surely be more family-friendly off-peak, because it really feels more like a crowded bar during peak hours. I do admit that the kids liked watching the pizza dough being tossed.

Oh, and one more thing. Given the limitations of the establishment, I do think the food is overpriced. The drinks (nonalcoholic) are DEFINITELY overpriced so if you go make sure you do bring your own.
3 - Laura R.: This place has good pizza but the atmosphere is so loud and crowded you can't really enjoy your meal.
4 - Jumi Y.: Yay for Antico!! Finally a good pizza joint in Atlanta.  

Not the greatest I've ever had, but probably the best in Atlanta.  The ingredients are fresh and delicious.  

When you first arrive, you order your pizza (prices listed in dollars and Euros... cute) and sit down at one of the picnic benches inside.  Drinks come at a premium here, so it's a better idea to bring your own (which you can!).  

Then a dude walks around and asks if you've ordered any one of the pizzas that have come out fresh from their imported oven until he finds the right person.  

And then you tear up the delicious circle of goodness filled with fresh tomato, sauce, mozzarella, and whatever other goodies you're decided to put on your pizza.

The excitement doesn't end there.  There are hot peppers in oil, freshly minced garlic, and olive oil that you can add to your heart's desire.  

I left very full and very satisfied.  I will definitely head there again the next time I'm in ATL
3 - Dave A.: It was a novel and fun experience eating in the kitchen, but for all the hype, the pizza was just okay.
5 - Alex K.: Somewhat reminiscent of the soup Nazi from Seinfeld, only the Italian version and less extreme, yet just as in the Seinfeld episode, it's well worth standing in line for. Simply amazing. Be aware it's not your traditional sit down restaurant, it is an experience in and of itself, sitting in the kitchen listening to Italian radio, and watching the kitchen staff shout at it other in Italian. In the end it is amazing authentic Pizza, not that stuff they feed you at Mellow Mushrooms, or Felini's.
3 - Jason B.: I made the mistake of trying this place based on the star rating and not reading the actual reviews. The pizza itself deserves a solid 4 stars but I'm giving it a 3 based on a total lack of customer service. The outside of the restaurant has little appeal and the word "pizza" isn't visible from the road on any of their outdoor signage, yet somehow they were packed on a Monday night. It's obvious to me that Antico survives by making every first-timer feel like an outsider with the expectation that you'll bring friends in for the same bizarre experience. The ingredients on the menu are tiny and hard to read, the cashier was reluctant to answer any questions I had about the pizzas and when I asked her about non-bottled water there was a smug indifference in her voice when she replied, "you can get it from the sink, but we don't provide ice". Having dined at pizza dives in Italy, I can see where they are drawing their elitist attitude, it's part of the culture. In a city smaller than Atlanta though, this place wouldn't last a year. 

In summary: Give it a try, but read a few more reviews so you know what you're in for. If you can ignore the hype machine that is Antico, you're in for some pretty decent pie.
4 - Oscar G.: worst thing about this place is the location. 75/85 to the west side may as well be the perimeter for me. 

that said, the pizza is really really good. the pizza part is really good and the crust is just plain phenomenal.
3 - Brandon R.: My wife and I are now Antico's regulars, since a BYOB-friendly establishment within walking distance of our house is often an irresistible opportunity -- even though we have to plan our arrival at an unpopular hour to guarantee the opportunity to stand or, occasionally, to actually sit, at one of their few tables. We are also able to get carry-out for a party with friends, as we did last night, and get the pizzas home while they are still quite hot.

But I am downgrading to three stars because, despite the laudably high pretensions of the establishment, the quality control remains shaky. Sometimes our expensive pizza is great; sometimes (less often than in the past!) a bit wet and soupy; and, frequently, at least one of its edges has been reduced to quite bitter cinders. The distribution of toppings across the pizza can be rather lopsided as well.

I still sometimes find the experience worth paying a premium for: the pizza is vastly better than anything else on offer in the neighborhood, and by timing our visit we can get a seat and enjoy a home-brought bottle of wine for something like a third the cost of what a restaurant would charge us for the same bottle. But I still find I need to knock two stars off: one for the uneven quality of the pizzas themselves, and the other for the stress of showing up somewhere where you never really know for sure if you and the friends you brought with you are going to be able to actually sit down to eat.
5 - Alex C.: I have been wanting to go, and had yet to take the time to go. But, I was so happy I waited, because I went with someone who LOVES pizza! We got Vendura, and a Margherita and both were delicious! I love the peepers that they offer, that added just the right kick. As opposed to the sad pepperoncinis that are the usual fair. I know I will have to come back, and with the owner offering  me "the keys to the place" and "whatever you want". I have a feeling it will be sooner than later.....:0)
3 - Isabel E.: Review Part A: The food
In two words, Excellent Pizza! Could not have asked for anything more-- delicious, tasty, and filling. Expensive though, and what do you mean you can't get a slice?? Especially when their seating does not not lend itself to big groups to share pizza with... but on to Part B.

Review Part B: The restaurant
Antico is not my favorite part of town, but it is in a cute house and the inside is decorated authentically Neapolitan. My problem with it? You know that little high school throwback anxiety about where to sit in the cafeteria (or at La Madeleine at lunchtime)? Or that feeling at Benihana where you have to sit by strangers (danger)? Antico brings those two dislikes in my life together. Thankfully we got decent seating in the front table (I was with a party of 4) but it took subtly saving seats and pouncing on still-warm seats from leaving customers which I stress out about. But once everyone was seated, I did enjoy the feel of the restaurant and the yummy pizza.

I forgot to BYOB when I came but I guess that's cool...?
5 - Jon C.: The pizza is great...environment is great...the owner personally took our order and made our pizza. We were taking it to go and he wouldn't let us leave until we tasted the pizza.....then he tried to hit on my wife..it was slick because I was preoccupied with the great tasting pizza...my wife thought it was cute we are definitely going back...
4 - Corey J.: What else can be said that hasn't been said? 

Oh wait, here's one...and maybe this is new because I read at least 3 pages of reviews and saw not one mention of this...but how bout you can't add ANYTHING  to your pizza! Like every pizza selection was meticulously crafted to where it need not one thing added.

Fuck that! 

I want broccoli, onions, buffalo mozzarella, and maybe a little meat on there...is that so hard to axe? Evidently yes.

Luckily for them, they can afford to be pretentious. That goddamn Lasagna pizza was nothing like I've ever tasted before. The crust is crispy on the outside, melts on the inside, tomatoes taste fresh from Italy, because they are! That was about the juiciest, yes juiciest pizza I've ever seen/tasted and I'm completely okay with that.
5 - Canyouwoowoo W.: "Damn."

That was the entirety of my original review for this place, before a  staffer at Yelp sent me a message stating that it was "insufficient" and that I needed to show that I actually "experienced" the place. (Evidently, a "peer" had reported me. Seriously).

So here's my 2nd go around... The San Gennaro was SO good, that my bros (Jason and Freddie -- no joke) literally sat in silence for 10 minutes stuffing their faces. This is no small task, as Freddie is one of those dudes that has his Fidel Castro-like moments... (which is why we'll be meeting for coffee more often).

Anyways, back to the "experience." You go in, and order at the register in front of you. There is very limited seating along the windows. It fills up quickly in the evening, as there are people waiting to go to the back to eat... 

Two dining areas, one outside of the kitchen, and one inside. The one outside feels cooler, since you're not near the ovens. However, the one inside is what gives this spot its charm... There are about 6 rectangular wooden tables (like the ones you see in outdoor picnic areas) in front of where a busy staff of about 6 are laboring away at your pizza. Once they're done, one of them will bring them out to you... You'll be sitting next to another party, who is also stuffing their faces and in awe of the pizza (and probably thinking... "Damn").

Okay, back to the pizza. The San Genaro is the one that everyone raves about so we got that plus one more (can't remember its name)... It is the best pizza I've had since coming back to Atlanta. The sausages, the sweet peppers, the cheese... (It'll have you saying about other places "Yeah, but it ain't Antico").

We didn't know that it was a BYOB, so I made a run down to the gas station (BP?) about two blocks away, to grab a six of 420s... Other people brought wine. If you don't have an opener, the friendly staff will provide you with one. 

All this could have been said with one simple word, and at first, I did. But anyhow, if you're not on the bandwagon, then climb aboad. One bite, and you'll be left with that all encompassing, ever immortal...

"Damn."
3 - Gary G.: I can see why people dig it, the ingredients are actually really good.  However, one star off for the crazy price; I've been to the NE and I know how much this stuff goes for in an Italian market, and who knows what price they get in bulk.  Another star off for the size, if I down three slices I don't expect to still be hungry.  Having said that, if price is no object and you're prepared to get a whole pizza per couple, then by all means.  Me?  I'm going to Nancy's where one slice of their deep dish can fill you up!
3 - Christopher P.: I like what they are doing.  But for fuck's sakes sweep the oven floor!!!!  The pizza would taste much better if it didn't have cigarette tasting ash on the bottom.....

Antico.... check yourself before you wreck yourself!
3 - Julie S.: We decided to give them a second try, but if anything the experience was a little worse.  Had to wait a long time to get a seat, and the pizza was pretty much the same.  There are too many other reliably good pizza places - whether "authentic" or not - that just have better tasting pizza and that isn't so wet and runny.
3 - Brett H.: It isn't a bad pizza.  
I liked it enough, not my favorite in town, but it didn't live up to the hype.  Too doughy for me, but I am a Jersey/New York Kid.  Keep it thin and crisp for me!  Also, I had the San Gennaro and I just like my peppers to be peppers not so sweet.  But the pizza is well made, just not my kind of pizza.

I have to say, the interior is pretty darn cool!  I enjoyed watching the pizza being made.
3 - Justin H.: Pretty good pizza.  But the concept is pretentious and annoying.  Why can't I add pepperoni to any pizza?  I don't like margherita pizza, but I had to get it because it is the only one you can add pepperoni to.  LAME.  Authenticity isn't nearly as important to me as having pepperoni.  Call me a "philistine" if you must, but that's just how a roll when it comes to 'za, bro.  You can't get tap water either, you have to pay for their dumb bottled water. EXTRA LAME. The worst part, you have to eat in their noisy and uncomfortable prep area.  I don't get this at all.  Why would I want to see a bunch of sweaty dudes slice meats and roll dough?  Oh wait... 


Pizza is pretty good, but everything else is dumb.  Yet another overrated hip joint in ATL.
5 - Joshua P.: Yeah, its still that damn good. Went back Friday with 4 friends. We ordered 2 pizzas and gobbled them down - along with 2 fine bottles of vino rosso. We were all full, but the 3 guys in the group decided to go back for one more. Not a mistake, it was the best of the night. The guy next to us at one of the communal tables was from somewhere like Philly or New York (we drank a 3rd bottle during the 3rd pizza) said that it was the best pizza he'd ever had - and this dude looked like he had eaten a few pies....

Oh yeah, they passed out free limoncello too. Bonus.
4 - Jessica O.: Best pizza in Atlanta.  The ingredients are SUPER fresh and delish.  Be forewarned, it's not cheap, and the you can't substitute or choose toppings unless you order a plan margherita with one of a few optional added toppings - and that's the best option we've found  so far, with just pepperoni added - YUM.  One of the pizzas has fresh cheese and basil on it (great), but also has whole cherry tomatoes (hard to eat and not my fave).  The pizza with spicy sausage is mega spicy, beware, but yummy.

I am not a huge fan of their drink options - small bottles (not fountain) or bottled water, period, and the small Cokes in those bottles are $2.50 each!  Do yourself a favor and bring your own beverage - including wine or beer, you can bring your own.

The tables are communal, FYI, and all but one in the area where the kitchen is.  You watch them making the pizza, which is sort of fun.

Overall, I think this is a tad too pricey to eat often, yes, but it's the best pizza in Atlanta and is worth going to get occasionally.
5 - Robert M.: Well, I guess it was bound to happen. My last 3-4 visits to Antico have been very inconsistent. 

This hasn't changed:  it's still not the 'best pizza in the U.S.', it doesn't compare to pies I've had in Italy...but it is still the best pizza in Atlanta, even on its bad days the pizza outclasses all other Atlanta pizza joints by a country mile. 

2 pies ago: this baby wasn't charred, it was burned. Even the basil was burned. Badly burned...and they still plopped it down in front of me without blinking an eye.  I was surprised to say the least.  

Last pie: undercooked crust yet the cheese was browned to hardness. Huh? What a shame. The sauce was still killer though. 

Is the inconsistent oven work due to the fact that Enrico isn't there anymore?  Who knows...

The customer service problems that are well noted are all true. The girl in front couldn't be ruder. Also, a month or two ago I left 4 messages to reserve a table and nobody bothered to return my calls. 

I was one of their first regular customers and have been there once a week since.  The expectation was set up by Giovanni himself when they first opened. "This is going to be like Italy, you are eating as a guest in my kitchen and that's the way you will be treated". He was right about that comment, I was treated like a guest in many restaurants in Italy, especially in Tuscany.  Unfortunately....this thought didn't quite translate here at Antico.

However...if I love the pizza, I don't care about any of that.  So customer service problems aside, I'm still rating this place based on the food, and it's still the best pizza in Atlanta although slipping a bit. Somebody show me otherwise.  This is the only 5 star pizza in Atlanta.

If you want the best in the U.S., you are going to have to venture to Bianco in Phoenix, Luzzo's or Patsy's in NY, or Sally's, Modern or Pepes in New Haven.
4 - Michelle A.: Why hello there, Italian-style pizza. You were so tasty that 20 of us demolished five of you in under a few minutes. Nom nom indeed.

Been wanting to try this spot for awhile but also enjoy not being crammed into a tiny dining area, I took this experience to go out to the park. I also wanted to test the pizza consistency after a period... passed on all accounts. Granted it was only 15 minutes before it was consumed, but it was still warm and gooey and crispy all at the same time. They allowed me to order 4 pizzas max for take out and were very quick about finishing them up in the oven when we arrived to pick them up. I liked that touch. That means they don't make your pizza and let it sit there until you can get it; they tell you come when you can, hand over the order number, we finish firing the pizza and give it to you hot and fresh out of the oven.

I only tried some of the toppings that fell off of one pizza and had a large slice of the bianca and both were incredible. Tons of flavor, not greasy at all, and certainly delicious. I was impressed. I'd love to come back and try another pie, but that white pizza... I don't know if I can stray from it. That's like telling you dog you can't love it anymore because you want to try out a new dog in the house instead...

Overall, 4.5 stars. I am only unimpressed by the lack of proper hours posted on the website (it's NOON on the weekends - not 11:30!) and that you can only order 4 pizzas to-go max, something also not stated on the website. Keep it up to date, guys! Other than that, great job and I know where to go for quality Italian-style pizza in the city now!
4 - gabriel m.: 1. Get a canoli. I have been to many places and tried substandard or barely passing canolies. These guys make AWESOME canolies. 

2. Pizza. When I eat here my pizza should have been amazing, the ingredients were, the method it was cooked was, but my pie was undercooked and doughy. Even being undercooked in parts, I still enjoyed it. They use a brick oven and all their ingredients are imported from Italy. 

3. Coke- usually I don't review coke, but it is worth noting that coke was sold by the bottle, the bottles were small and expensive. NO REFILLS 

4. atmosphere. The lady taking our order was not friendly. The guy who delivered our pie was. Perhaps they should put him up front. I wasn't a fan of the communal table concept either. I prefer to dine alone. Seating yourself at a communal table also means that if they are busy, you might have trouble finding a seat (especially if you are a larger group). 

All in all I gave it 4 stars b/c the overall product is great. I would suggest order a pick up and GET A CANOLI
5 - Jim S.: This pizza joint is ridiculously delicious. I'm enamored by their pickled red chilies... I could eat those on pretty much anything.

Pizza doesn't hold up well over time, so I recommend eating it all in the restaurant... it doesn't matter if you are full or over-full.

I've only ever been for lunch, and parking hasn't been a problem... however, they have only a tiny lot and I can see it filling up fast at peak hours (not to mention the limited amount of tables / seating.

Make sure to get your free cup of espresso afterwards.
4 - Kelly W.: This is some decent pizza. Not serious NYC-style and not authentic Italian, but a sort of cross between that sweet dough/ Mellow Mushroom/ southern pizza thing and the classic toppings of some place with a Little (or normal-sized) Italy. So take a sweet dough pizza, flatten out the middle but leave the puffy crust, then randomly scatter ricotta, red chilies, and some extremely tasty sausage, and get a couple of those char marks on the bottom. That's the deal, and it is very good.

My crust was chewy & a bit soggy, but I blame this on the drive my gracious personal delivery man made on my behalf.
5 - Ryan W.: Antico was incredible!  We went on a Tuesday evening after a recommendation from my roommate, and had no problem getting a seat at a table and had our pizza incredibly fast!  Fastest I've ever received a pizza made fresh to order.  Sitting in the kitchen watching them make the pizzas was a lot of fun too.  The pizza was so fantastically good! I wanted to keep eating but was too full.  The fact that you can bring your own beer and wine made it even better.  We finished our meal with a cannoli that was almost as good as the pizza!
Would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who likes great pizza in a fun environment, that is super fast and (in my opinion) reasonably priced for the quality food you get.
5 - Bryan L.: OMG this place really is amazing.  It brings me back to the old country.  The staff is super friendly, and It's just an all around fun place, and the pizza is pretty darn good too.  My wife and I stopped by Monday night and had the bianca, it was def the best white pizza we ever had can't wait to get into the last few slices for breakfast in the A.M.

I'll keep coming bacK
5 - Christian B.: What can I say that hasn't already be said? Believe the hype, I guess. 

The pizzas were amazingly good (my table tried three). We ordered the Margherita, Lasagna and San Gennaro pies. The first was strong with basil and garlic, the second tasted exactly like it sounds and the third was both sweet and spicy. Honestly, there wasn't a dud in the bunch.

It was pretty crowded for an early lunchtime visit, but we were able to score a table in the kitchen. The food comes so quickly, which actually had our pizzas before we had a place to sit. A table came open pretty soon though and we had a great view of the crew whipping out pie after pie.

I didn't get a calzone or cannoli this visit, but both looked delicious. Like I didn't already need a reason to come back...
4 - Emilia L.: Antico does have a good pizza, I'll say that. A group of 5 of us split the Margherita. I loved the buffalo mozzarella and the thin crust that was slightly burnt. It was a delicious pizza slice. The toppings slid off so I had to fold my slice in order to eat it. But for the size (smaller than I thought) and the price ($17) I didn't think it was worth it.
4 - Lindsay W.: I went here for a team lunch, and it was so much fun.  You sit in the kitchen on long communial tables (we took up 1 table).  The pizza comes out cookie sheets and you have just rolls of napkins on the table to use as plates and napkins.  Very simple calzone and pizza menu.  You eat and listen to Italian music.  To drink they have water and cans of coke.  For dessert, they make cannolis and another Italian pastry.  Everything is fresh and tasty.  It is a bit pricey though.  I am sure it gets pack at night and on weekends and seating is limited.
4 - Katherine W.: Yes, it's that good. You should believe the hype and go here.

I grew up in the DC area and lived in NYC for 5 years and had all the classic local "za" and I have to say this was on par and the ingredients were actually better and seemed more fresh than your usual pizzeria. I wish the crust was a bit crispier and less charred but it was pretty good. The service was very fast, and the pizza delicious.  We ordered the San Gennaro with salsiccia, sweet red pepper, bufala and cipolline. So good I kind of wanted to put my face in it.

I went with my two friends on a Tuesday night before a 7:40 movie and happened to hit the place a the perfect turnover time around 6:45. We ordered, waited about 2 minutes to sit at the table in the front room, after another 5 minutes the pizza arrived and we uncorked our wine. It was seamless and perfect. We even made the movie at Midtown in perfect time. When we left at 7:30, the place was slammed and people we waiting for our seats and our parking space.

Go early, on a weeknight and BYOB. Love it.
5 - Peter M.: I'm surprised by the number of less than-glowing reviews of this place. I'm inclined to think that those reviewers just want to bring the place down a notch.

Everything that can be said about this place, good or bad, has been said dozens of times. No, it's not the best pizza ever, but guess what? What you think is the best pizza isn't really. Yeah, not every pizza that comes out of Antico ovens is equally good, but guess what? That's true at every pizzeria that doesn't standardize their product to an achievable lowest common denominator.. Yeah, in New York it would be one of a hundred places, but guess what? So would the other ninety-nine places.

The idea that Antico is not "authentically New York" or "authentically Italian" is equally absurd. Not all New Yorkers or Italians make food the same way. Anyone who has been to either place knows this. (There isn't even one officially recognized style in either place, either. New York has at least two "New York Styles" and Naples has two as well, one of which has no cheese.)

In short, GTF over yourselves and your pretensions of delicate culinary sensibility. It's a pizza, not a painting of your gold-plated ziz on the ceiling of the freaking Sistine Chapel.

Let's address a hard cold fact: Atlanta has no right or reason to expect any good pizza. You'd need both hands to count the number of very good pizzerias that Atlantans have let die on the vine during just the 15 years I've lived here. Not one of them was measurably superior to Antico. So even if your hipster self-loathing complex feels the need to denigrate all the Antico hype, you'd better hold onto this place like grim death. Because even if Antico isn't perfect, it's probably as good a pizzeria as Atlantans will ever have within their borders. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying to you, and tearing down Antico to build themselves up. 

What Atlanta needs is not someplace better than Antico - it needs MORE places that are as good. If you really care about good pizza, and want Atlanta to be a better pizza town, you'll pack up your ego, tolerate the hype and support places like Antico, Varasano's and others. All you achieve by trashing what you KNOW is very good pizza (just to work out your resentment of hype) is to make it harder for other good pizzerias to flourish in this town.

Sorry for this rant. I'm a little bummed that Vic's shut down last month.
4 - Josephine I.: Interesting dining concept. It is either a hit or a miss for diners. Either you hate it or you love it.

I love it. The pizza is really good. I got the San Gennaro Pizza. However, it is a bit pricey. I am not sure why. The ingredients are fresh, but it doesnt mean you could charge 20 dollars something for a 14" or 13" pizza right?

The price is a 3 star. The pizza a 4.5. I really think that they're dough is a little bit too charry for my taste, but that could just be my pizza.

Maybe I'll come to Antico again when I'm in atlanta again.
3 - Alejandra V.: the pizza was just okay.
1 - Katie M.: It looked like it would be a cool place and we'd heard good things about it, so we grabbed a bottle of wine and off we went. Parking was a disaster, seating was a disaster and the papa johns-like crust was burned. After ordering our pizza, we waited by a foursome that was about finished. They ran into friends and let the friends slide into their seats. 

Great. Lets try again.

Over in the corner, there was a guy with two empty seats next to him. We asked if we could have them. He said, "My kids will be here in just a second." The other half hour we were there in the chaos? His 2 kids under the age of 10 played outside and never sat down.

Once we finally got our pizza, it was so hot and stuffy in there that I wanted to leave. We waited it out and never got a seat, but I go to a restaurant for a nice evening out- not to fight for seating from rude patrons. It was worth a shot, but I won't be going back. I'll be heading back to Varasano's where the pizza is better and I can actually sit and enjoy my meal. m
5 - Josh K.: Go. Just go, right now. You know how smell can bring back memories? Well taste does too. And when i had Antico's pizza for the first time I swear my mind jumped to the pizza I had while studying in Italy. Exactly the same. Whenever we have guests from out of town, this is where we go.

Why are you still reading? Go order a pizza and fight for a spot in the kitchen already!
2 - Dave F.: I love authentic italian and NYC pizza, I even consider myself a connoisseur and I DO NOT get the hype over this pizza.  It was very average.  I would definitely recommend Varasano's and Urban Pie over this place.  The pizza was not special and the multiple flies in the bakery case landing on all of the cannoli was disgusting...especially because we wanted dessert to take with us :(
5 - Andrew M.: Ah pizza. It is one of the most popular foods in America. But as there are many pizza joints across Atlanta, this one definitely stood out among the rest. Hearing about this place and how it is owned by an Italian family who moved here a few years back from Naples, I knew it couldn't get any better. We arrived at Antico's at 3:24 pm on Monday, September 06, 2010:

From the outside, this restaurant looks like a mere corner restaurant. An Italian flag hangs from the roof and the outer walls looked a bit old, but not beaten down. But once you walk in, expect the unexpected.

You walk in and two women are busy at the counter filling out orders. They are not quite Italian so this was a surprise after what I had heard about this place. People are waiting for their pizzas to be ready in the lobby of the place and cannoli's are being made by hand at the counter . Once the lady was finished on the phone, I stepped up to place my order. The friend I was with ordered a Margharita pizza. The classic. I am not one to finish off a whole pizza by myself, but I knew leftovers would be a plus for another meal. So two different pizzas it is.

I went ahead and order the Margharita as well but without the cheese on it. The cashier kind of looked at me as if I were crazy and politely told me she had no way of ringing it up as no cheese. I told her I was a vegan, and all things changed. She was incredibly polite and told me that she could ring it up as a Margharita but that I should run to the back, tell the chef not to put cheese on that order number, and everything would be good.

So I walked into the back and that is where the whole experience began to just get better and better. You walk back to where the tables are and you suddenly feel like you are in an Italian kitchen. A few men are tossing dough while others are chopping artichoke. Music with Italian lyrics is playing from a small radio as an eight year old Italian boy is helping to set the tables for customers. Amazing!

I told the chef whom they had called Luca about the no cheese ordeal. Though he kept a serious expression, he was very polite about it. So my friend and I took a seat at what looked to be a park bench in the kitchen and watched them cook. Tossing the dough. Placing the ingredients carefully on the crust. Putting it into a 1000 degree oven. The whole show was worth the $20 pizzas (yeah. I know. Pretty expensive stuff).

Once the pizza came out, I was amazed. It was just how I ordered it and had a delicate char on the crust that was to die for. I had only decided to eat maybe two slices but after tasting that first amazing slice, only two ended up remaining. It was that good!

 I must say, this is probably the most authentic pizza I have ever had and I will definitely be back for more from Atlanta's hidden away little shop. So whether you may be in the mood for a whole new experience or if you just want some delicious pizza done right, I would definitely recommend this place.

-Andrew "VegMuffinMan" Morrison-

For more, check out  http://healthfreax.wordpress.com/2010/09/07/402/
5 - Michael H.: If you want AUTHENTIC italian pizza - look no further. My wife and I love this place. I have been to Italy a few times and this is as close as you will get anywhere in Atlanta.
5 - Azad T.: I am from Brazil... and who went to Sao Paulo knows that there you can find pizzas as good as in Italy (maybe better)... So I can tell you:
As a Pizza addict, I know a lot of pizzerias all around world: Italy, France, Brazil, US and can tell you that Antico Pizza is far the best pizza in USA.
Real raw tomato sauce (not cooked as most pizza stores), real cheese, and real Italian style dough.... 
If you are in Atlanta area and like pizza, GO TRY and then let me know!
5 - Christian X.: THIS IS THE BEST PIZZA IN THE WORLD.

I am a pizza fanatic.  My mother's family is Italian.  I have been all over Italy 15+ times.  Antico Pizza is better than any place in Napoli, Roma, or the other well-respected pizza making cities of Italy.  This place is better than anything in NYC, San Francisco, LA, etc.  I have traveled the world over and nothing compares to Antico Pizza.

The owner Giovanni worked in a pizzeria in Napoli.  He and his son have been featured on CNN.  They employ real Italian, dough-twirling, pizza-making compatriots.

My favorites are the margherita and diavola.  They also make fresh bread, calzones, and the kicker...FRESH Cannoli.  These Cannoli are so fresh they do not fill them until you pick your cone.

Be prepared for a busy, packed ambience with family style seating.  It is fun though.
3 - Fernando M.: It's more the experience that the pizza. LOVED the idea of the ovens in the back and the shared tables, and the BYOB it's a big plus. When it comes to the pizza: It's OK, not four, not five, NOT ITALY! as some mention ha ha. The dough is maybe the best feature, but the sauce, nah. They also play crisis on the ingredients. I barely could see the artichokes on my capriciossa.  

Well, you go and expect to have a good time!
4 - Alyssa C.: Great authentic Italian pizza! Reminded me of being in Italy, minus the drawbacks - about $20 per pizza and no outdoor seating. For the already small space and location a patio would be great. You order at the counter and find a picnic table/place to stand by the kitchen. Avoid the 8 o'clock crowd on the weekends.
4 - Sarah E.: Today, I finally had an experience at Antico that made me understand why people rave about it.

I tried the Diavaola pizza, which I should have just tried the first time instead of listening to other people's recommendations.  Because holy crap, that was The Pizza for me.  Maybe that's the issue here - everyone has their own Antico Pizza soulmate, and I have just found mine.

Because seriously, almost everything about my pizza was perfect this time.  The only slight issue I had was that half of it was a little too charred, but not like the first time I visited where it was burnt to a crisp.  This time, half the pizza had a good char and half had more than I would prefer, but it was still okay.  The crust on that side just wasn't as tasty but the burnt taste didn't overpower the pizza.

The toppings and the flavors on the Diavaola pizza were phenomenal.  I've complained in the past that toppings weren't generous or well-distributed enough, but they must have had a new pizza baker today because there was plenty of pepperoni and more cheese than I remembered having on my other pizzas at Antico.  I was also happy with the amount of tomato.

My pizza was VERY oily, but trust me, that's not a bad thing.  The flavor of the oil married harmoniously with the hot peppers and garlic and tomatoes and it was a thing of beauty.  I really loved those peppers.

The only reason I'm withholding a fifth star at this point is that I still feel like the pizzas are inconsistent.  You can go one time and get a pizza that's unrecognizably burnt, and then go the next time and have a pizza that's a borderline religious experience.  If I have a few more great pizzas in a row, I'll consider upping my score.

I'm just glad I finally understand what all the fuss has been about.  When it's good, it's REALLY good.
3 - Anjali S.: I haven't written a review of this place til now because honestly I don't really feel one way or another about it. . .

My husband and I tried it for the first time several months ago- He definitely loved it more than I did. We got it to go since there was no hope of finding anywhere to sit. It's definitely fresh and different than your average pizza. Miles ahead in that respect. I mean it's served super piping hot with really fresh tasting simple ingredients. . .

I am really just not a huge fan of the whole pushy eating experience. There's crowds of people, limited seating, not so nice people taking your order, rush rush, squeeze, bump blah blah. If you do find a place to sit (which we did the second time) it's super tight with people bumping into you and leering at you waiting for your spot. 

And at the risk of sounding like a heretic- mind you I never claimed to be a gourmand- I don't actually like my pizza smoky tasting and charred. That's actually what my husband likes about it though. His parents think it's the best pizza they've ever tasted too- So my average rating is probably in the minority.
4 - Shyam S.: I decided to follow the advice of some of my fellow Yelpers and wait until I ate more than once at Antico (or any restaurant for that matter) before writing a review. After going to Antico twice in the last two weeks, I think I have a pretty good grasp of the place.

There is no doubt that this is the freshest, healthiest pizza in the city (especially if you get the vegetarian options). These pizzas have thin, charred crusts, lots of sauce, light cheese and a smattering of toppings depending on your choice (basil, tomatoes, spicy sausage, etc.) From what I have read, this is pizza the way the Italians intended it to be served.

My problem is giving Antico the label of the best pizza in Atlanta because, well, I have a soft spot for the humungous slices that the city is known for (a la Fellini's, Camelli's, etc.) Sometimes Fellini's just hits the spot in a way that Antico's cant because it's such a trendy spot to be seen with your friends and your six-pack of Sierra Nevada or bottle of wine. For that matter, Domino's or Pizza Hut or some variation of college pizza just feels good.

I can't imagine eating at Antico's all the time - maybe once every couple of months - because it is not cheap and the experience is kind of rushed, especially if you eat during lunch or dinner. But the experience of sitting around a picnic table with five or six of your best friends and enjoying hot, bubbly pizzas from giant metal trays with only your hands, paper towels and little cups of hot peppers and fresh garlic as condiments ... well, it's the pizza equivalent of a low-maintenance, high flavor, low country boil.
2 - Samantha L.: What can I say?? I came in with an open mind as my friend suggested.  I wish I knew it was a BYOB, so I was stuck with buying their bottled water instead :(  I got there about 7:15pm on a Thursday and there was a line of about 6 to 8 people to order food.  I tried the Diavaola pizza along with the vegetarian pizza my friend ordered, I am sorry to say that I'm not a fan.  The Diavaola pizza was super hot as in spicy hot because of the peppers they put on it and the flavor was not what I thought it would be.  The vegetarian pizza I thought was just bland.  I know many of you will not agree with me, but I'm entitled to my opinion.  

I also agree with another review I read on here.  I'm also not a real huge fan of the pushy eating feeling experience. There's crowds of people, it's very loud, has limited seating, and you get that rush rush feeling of eating because you have people looking at your table to see how much food you have left so they can move in once you are done eating.  All that rushing, bumping other people is just too much for me.  If you do find a place to sit consider yourself lucky.   If you like to take your time eating and enjoying the company of your friends without that "rush" feeling, this is not a place to go.
5 - Sarah B.: It's difficult to find things to add to the conversation about Antico that haven't already been said.  However, I have a pretty severe nut allergy which matches poorly with my love of pastries/baked goods.  I walked in here to get some pizza and saw the cannoli - and HAD to try some.  All too often when I ask if a pastry has nuts in it I am told that it is made in the same kitchen as nuts or might have nuts etc - I understand that by saying this people are covering their butts, but I can eat things made in the same kitchen and don't like being deprived of awesome desserts because of allergy fears.

Well, at Antico, they carefully told me which cannoli to avoid and suggested the original as they said it was the tastiest of all the varieties they make.  The cannoli was totally awesome and I really appreciated that they took the time to safely accommodate my allergy.

Also the San Gennaro pizza is out-of-this world.  What a perfect balance of flavors!  Those sweet peppers really elevated it to an extraordinary pizza experience.

I will be back here - probably more often than is decent if I want to continue to fit into my pants.  Absolutely awesome.
4 - Charisse M.: I recently went here for the second time last week and had a much better experience. It may have been an off-night that time, but I was ready to cross Antico off my list forever and slap a VERY generous 2 stars on it. Luckily, I believe in second chances. 

Although I am a deep dish girl at heart, I think what makes this pizza good are the ingredients. They are nothing like you'd find in a pizza chain and although they may seem run-of-the-mill, they taste pretty unique (especially the red peppers). 

They also now have seats (you previously had to stand and eat) and picnic tables in the kitchen where you can eat as well. I went on a Saturday and it was a full house-- difficult to find seating and kind of crowded and hot-- but being able to drink your own booze makes you forget all of that very quickly. 

All in all, I will actually be going back and trying another pizza combination. I hope Antico continues to satisfy me :)
4 - Todd P.: I came. I battled the crowd. I ate a whole pie (margarita). I burped, then smiled.

Another local "must try" knocked out. Onward!
5 - eva w.: Pizza gets 5 stars, service 1
the girl behind the counter has an attitude like she's doing you a favor taking your order - our party spent $60 on 3 pizzas, have some freakin' appreciation for your customers!
I like good food, so I don't care that you don't have wait staff and you sit basically in the kitchen and eat off paper- that's the whole charm of the place.
And how can you not love the BYOB option!!!
My favorite is the capricciosa, the pomodori is good, the white is a bit bland, but you can spice it up yourself with the minced garlic and hot peppers provided on the side
Enjoy!
5 - Sean W.: I went in with big expectations and they've been met.  This is great pizza - right up there with the best I've ever had.  Even though it's crowded all the time, your pizza comes out fast & hot.

I love that it's BYOB because I'm a beer snob - we pick up a six-pack on the way, and that makes it a pretty inexpensive meal... as does the fact that there's no server to tip.  You pay for the pizza and that's it.

I go every couple weeks, and have never been disappointed.

Love it.
5 - Adam S.: The pizza here is really flavorful. We got the one that has mushrooms, artichokes, and ham on it. It all had a very fresh taste to it. The pizza with the spicy peppers is out of this world delicious!  The seating is communal (which I'm not a huge fan of). Prices are reasonable. I would recommend a stop at this place if you're in the area.
4 - Steve V.: Of course, everyone has been talking about this place.  This was my first time here...finally..and it was well worth the visit.

Kind of randomly placed in the middle of GA Tech-ville, this small-appearing building opens up into a second Naples.  I can't comment if this is how a pizza parlor in Italy really looks, but they sure go a long way to make you think so.  

Ambiance: when you enter the front door, you order at the counter.  There is a large menu on the wall above the cashier.  A little deceiving - the prices are in Euros with the "Atlanta price" in dollars to the right.  We thought we were ordering a pizza for like $14, but when the cashier told us $21, we quickly realized where we went wrong.  After paying, we moved through the crowd to the backroom.  It's a large room with about 8 family-style picnic tables.  You grab a seat wherever you can find one.  In the back, you can watch the Italians make the pizza from scratch.  There are three fireplace ovens for baking the pies.  Italian music is blasting in the background with chatter from couples and families throughout the room.  Pictures of Italy and Italian food adorn the walls.

Food: In short, great!  We were hoping we could order a slice or two, but the pizzas only come in one size - large.  There were about 8 slices.  We ordered the Pomodorini which had bufala cheese, cherry tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil.  The pizza came out on a large baking sheet.  It was cooked perfectly - not too oily, good temperature, and just messy enough without spilling sauce on your shirt.  A nice touch is that at the back counter where they make the pizza, there are little dishes where you can grab some freshly grated parmesean cheese, red pepper, freshly minced garlic and marinated red hot peppers (the same ones used on the Diavola pizza).  There were boxes available for your leftovers.  I haven't tried their calzones, but they sounded good.  Also didn't try their various types of cannolis, but they looked mouth-watering as well.    

Drinks: when you order at the front, there were a couple of refrigerators with bottled beverages: small coke products (maybe 8oz bottles instead of 12oz), sparkling water, etc.  If you want tap water, they give you a small plastic cup and direct you to the sink.  No ice.  No straws.  Get up if you want refills and get it yourself.  I think this could be improved.  A simple fountain drink would be more customer-friendly.  I think you can bring your own wine bottle too.

Parking: a little tough because the restaurant is so busy.  There are a couple of lots though and there was a nice guy directing cars into open spots.  He found us a spot in seconds right across the street.  It looked like there was some street parking further up the block too.  

Overall, I think this place was great!  Having an Italian grandmother who makes pizza from scratch and being from New York, I can't say it was the best I have ever had, but it is pretty darn authentic for the South.  I would definitely go back.  With regard to the food, I would give this place a 5, but I dock a star because this place is unnecessarily  pricey, especially for lunch.  If you don't know, pizza is extremely cheap to make.  I appreciate the atmosphere the owners aim to create, but I think there are ways to make it more customer-friendly - pizza by the slice, seating rather than find an open spot at the table on our own, fountain drinks.  Still, I would definitely recommend you try this hidden Italian gem and prepare yourself for a unique culinary experience.
4 - Lee B.: Several of my friends raved about Antico Pizza so my husband and I decided to try it out.  

Definitely not your typical restaurant.  You order at a counter in a small room.  Then you are directed to go back into the kitchen and wait for your pizza to be cooked.  The kitchen area has some huge pizza ovens and several picnic tables.   There were a lot of people standing, but we managed to score a table.  

The pizza was delicious.  We got some sort of tomato pizza, I forget the name.  My husband was eying our table-mate's sausage pizza though so we might go back to try it.  It was cooked pretty quickly too.  Guess that's what happens with 500 degree ovens.

The place is BYOB which we didn't know coming in.  It's right near GA Tech, so you see a lot of Tech kids eating pizza and drinking Natural Light.  It kind of adds to the unique ambiance of the place.  

The only negative is that since seating is limited, it's not really a place to leisurely sip on the bottle of wine that you brought and talk to your friends.  Other people are watching your seat like a hawk, so there is some pressure to eat and get out quick.
5 - Eric M.: We've been hearing the rave review for Antico Pizza ever since they opened up.  Although it's just down the road from us, we've never been able to get there.  If this place is open, it's packed! There's a good reason for that; this is simply the best pizza I've ever had outside of Italy!  Everything I had heard about this place was word of mouth, and all the rumors were true.  This is truly authentic pizza. Giovanni, the owner/chef brought his ovens from Naples, and makes his own dough with imported ingredients, and it shows.

If you've never been here, be aware, the place is small with very little seating. It is very common to see people standing in the parking lot eating pizza. Which leads me to another thought, the parking lot is tiny!  You'll probably need to park on the street. The dining room is comprised of a few tables in the kitchen.  It's also important to note that this restaurant is BYO Alcohol.

We had the Diavola, which was so delicious.  It has roasted red peppers, pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese. Of course, the proper way to describe these toppings is spicy sopressata, pepperonata, and bufala.  The dough here is simply the best.  This is pizza done right.  Cheese is not supposed to dominate a slice of pizza, it should be just topping like everything else, and it's just right at Antico. The crust is thin and but the edges have just the right amount of texture thanks to the stone ovens.

My only complaint is the service.  Maybe it's just because they are also so busy, but the girls at the counter seem a bit arrogant.  It almost felt Soup-Nazi like ordering here.  Once, I tried to call in an order and they were so busy they just eventually hung up on me. Overall, the service isn't a major problem because the food makes up for it, and obviously they know this.
5 - Jacob P.: I went back tonight and brought family. You always know you like a place when you go back and you just have to confirm it with your loved family members. My brother was in town for a conference so I was like, what place is unique, great food and great service, as well as known for being speedy?..........Antico!!! We were lucky enough to get a table in the kitchen area. My brother loved it and I think he will go back. He loved how simple it was and how different it was, yet it looked like an ordinary place from outside. 

We got the margherita with pepperoni and the other one we got was called Pomodorini. Both were spot on. Fresh tasting, hot, and delicious!!!! We are forever a fan of Antico and look to bring more people with us next time. 

They do take reservations for all of those interested.
5 - Ana J.: umm this place is awesome.

their pizza is the type of stuff people crave even when they are full..

their pizza is the best I've had in Atlanta (but I can't say I've had all the pizza the A has to offer)

They have this meatball pizza that makes me want to slap my mama.. or is it lasagna pizza? not sure right now but it's delicious.. 

delicious.. SO DELICOUS!!!!!!!
5 - Howard F.: For the first time in Atlanta there's real great...not just good NY pizza
2 - Andrea R.: I hate to sound cranky but this place didn't do it for me. We sat near the kitchen and it was overwhelmingly hot. The music was cranked to a really unpleasant level. When we arrived it was some sort of martial music and it played for at least 5 minutes or so.

Lots of little kids, which is fine, but you'll be surprised if you're expecting a quiet place for adult conversation.  BYOB, which I like; although the only glasses are little plastic cups. Plastic forks and no plates, which again is okay, but just be prepared for an ultra minimalist service setup.  There's a roll of coarse, industrial style paper towels on the table and that's it.  I asked the cashier if I could get some water and she said I could use the sink in the corner, which is the type they use for dish washing.

Still, all that being said, I was excited to be part of the buzz and was looking forward to a great pizza. To me, it turned out to be just "okay."  One side was slightly overcooked, and there was a piece of sun dried tomato (or something similar) that I chomped on for a couple of minutes but was unable to make headway with.  Ultimately had to dispose of it by other means.

I'm going to give it another try but on a first outing this place did not rock my world.  My friends liked it so maybe I'm just being an old codger.
5 - Michael O.: Antico....I've been to Sally's Apizza, Frank Pepe's (both in New Haven), and Pizza Bianco(Phoenix), and Antico beats all of them hands down.  Atmosphere, staff are excellent but the pizza....that is something special.  The Diavalo pizza is second to none.  Top with a little of the chopped garlic that's on the table and you will never forget this meal.

If there are any downside to Antico is that I wouldn't recommend taking the pizza away.  I think that the fresh ingredients can sometime make the crust a little wet depending on the pie you get.   

Just a matter of time before this is considered in the top 5 pizza places in the country.
3 - Jimbo B.: Antico Pizza has won all kinds of accolades in the short time it's been open in Atlanta. CNN has reported on it, real Italian people have said it's "Top In Class".  And while it's good, I simply do not understand the hype.

Antico's website (super annoying, please get rid of the typical Dean Martin music) is about as self-aggrandizing at it gets. Italian dude inspired by pizza is sharing his gift for making pizza with us! Aren't we so grateful! Like Holeman & Finch, I don't like places that are full of themselves. This is one of those places.  Yes, your authentic Italian ovens are nice. Yes, the flour you use is top quality. Yes, I know you think it's cool to say "we are open until we run out of dough." But I don't think that's cool.  I think it's pretentious: you're a pizza place, not a restaurant flying in fish from New England.

Check out the rest of my review on my blog (the link is on my profile).
4 - Cameron L.: Some friends brought me here, and I was glad I came. This place is better than the pizza I make from scratch at home, and I make some pretty f'ing good pizza.

Our pizza wound up being ready about five minutes before there was anywhere to sit, which was kind of cruel. There was also a guy running around with a carafe of limoncello who was pouring little splashes for some of the patrons while we were waiting for a table. I totally wanted some postprandial limoncello with which to celebrate my victory in having gotten to sit down and eat, but *no*.

So, some annoying operational issues that prevent me from giving the place five stars. But the food is good enough for the place to merit a solid four! I see some carryout pies from here in the future.
5 - Michelle S.: Dear Antico, 

I am in love. Really. I loved that when I walked in there was a happy group of people sitting at that main table being friends, eating pizza with an aroma that made my mouth water. I loved the case of cannoli's to the side of the cash register. I loved the italian menu. 

And then there's the kitchen. Communal style seating. Watching your pizza being made right in front of you. BYOB. It's all perfection. I love the simpleness, I love that they aren't trying to be something other than what they are. A pizza place that makes incredible pizza. 

Like I said. Bring your wine, bring your friends and if you have a large party, call ahead. They will reserve a table for you so that you aren't scattered across the restaurant standing to eat your pizza. 

I think that this is a love affair that will last for years to come.
5 - George H.: W-I-N.

Thought this place was all hype, I mean the explosion of Yelp reviews alone should have been a good a sign. The pizzas here are really better than anything I even had in Italy. The margherita d.o.p. with pepperoni was epic. Like that they have sparkling water in the giant liters and I was lucky enough to come during a not so busy time. 

Can not wait to come back, mouth is watering and I left stuffed.
5 - Han L.: When I first heard about Antico, it received 5 stars on all of its reviews. I really thought to myself this place has to be overrated. Plus, because of its location, I was betting it was a "trendy" eatery. It took me 6 mos before I finally decided to eat there. Holy shite, my friend and I finished the whole entire pizza (almost...I saved a slice). We had the margharita pizza with sausage (bc its my fav), basil, and sweet peppers. I loved how this place has fresh minced garlic. Garlic breath is hawt (jk)! This sets this place apart from its competitor, whom offered me a whole garlic clove when I asked them for garlic. Were they serious?!! 

True the place is cramped at times. True there's no official closing time, but holy guacamole, the pizza is so good. So fresh and yum yum. The crust is awesome. Gobble that shite up while it's still hot!

The pizza here is good, accept it!
4 - Teri S.: Ok, so the pizza is good. But the cannoli is to die for. I had the pistachio and could not put it down. Be sure to bring your own beer or wine. We did not know to do that. Oh, well there's always next time.
4 - Katie K.: Fact: pizza is my most favorite food in the entire world. I could eat pizza everyday. It's kind of gross.

That being said, I've also experienced "real" pizza - pizza in Italy, the type that you use a knife and fork to eat. So when I heard that Antico is about as close as you can get to the real deal, I knew I had to check this place out. Came on a Saturday, at about 11:53 (they open at noon on Saturdays), and there was already a line of people waiting to go in. Ordered a couple of pies at the front register - Verdura, and a Margharita. Went to the main kitchen area, snagged a table, and waited probably only about 15 minutes or before the pies came out, piping hot! Really, it turns out that what makes these pizzas phenomenal is the DOUGH. Something about the dough - chewy, fresh, and oh so delicious! 

So obviously, they have food of a 5 star variety here - what's with the 4 stars? I'd have to say, considering the price that they charge here (although the prices makes sense when you consider the demand for these pies - people are going to come regardless), they really give you bare bones sort of service. Bleh. Plus the girls at the cash register are less than friendly, which was annoying. 

I'd definitely come back here, though... I ended up taking the leftovers home, and ate them the next day... pizza was still delicious, yummy in my tummy (especially when topped with the raw garlic!).
4 - Elisa K.: i liked it. it was a little salty for me and i could taste the burnt crust... and it was difficult to find seats on a tuesday night. but the toppings were delicious and the atmosphere was super light. i would definitely re-visit!
3 - Patrick C.: I'm updating this review. It's just not in me to give a "pan" to an organization that delivers such good food. Ultimately, it's about the food, isn't it?
4 - Em P.: Very delicious!  Ingredients were very fresh and authentic.  I have been to Italy and have engorged on many a pizza there.  Thus far this is the closest I have found in America.  (The mozzerella.....  I can't even find the word).  Now, this was my first trip to Antico so I was not aware to bring my own wine.  That was dissappointing, but I should have done my home work.  

There are a couple of points that take away from this being THE BEST.  Brown paper towels, although cute and rustic, do not really serve as a plate nor a proper way to wipe grease and cooked flour from my face.  I would suggest people bring there own napkins along with their drink choice.  Also, the price is a bit high for what is provided - even concidering the quality and authenticity of the ingredients.   Our pizza came with a thick edge of crust ( at least two inches all around) which I concider a waste of pizza space.

Both sides concidered I will definately be coming back and I'm proud to have you in Atlanta Antico!!
4 - Blair S.: By far the best pizza in Atlanta. It's very authentic - made with Italian ingredients by Italian cooks in Italian ovens. The deserts look yummy and authentic too, but I always eat so much pizza I can't even think about desert when I'm done.

I have to ding Antico Pizza a star though because of the seating situation. The pizza is awesome in part because it comes hot out of the oven, sometimes pretty quickly (5-10 minutes). There is limited seating, so you might find yourself holding a hot pizza tray, giving hungry looks to induce guilt in lingering diners so you can sit. If you wait for the table to get cleaned, you'll lose your seat. Once seated, you'll be using cheap brown paper towels as napkins - you know, the ones you used in public school bathrooms as a kid. All told, the family style seating can be fun, just not when you and your group are observing from the sidelines.
5 - sultan w.: Might just be the best pizza in the A!!! Love that you can bring your own bottle of wine. Come early cause this place gets get crowd quick!
5 - Nidhi B.: I LOVE pizza.  I live in New York, and have purposefully searched out the "best" pizza places this town can offer.  I just went on vacation to Rome and Florence - did the same thing there.  Conclusion?  Antico makes the best pizza I've ever had.  

My sister and my very adorable nephew live in Atlanta, and I look forward to eating this pizza just as much (if not more - shh, don't tell!) as seeing them whenever I visit.  My entire family will make multiple trips during a two day visit to ATL to eat this stuff.  My father has befriended the owner out of pure, unadulterated love for these pies.  Even my sister's grandfather-in-law, a notoriously picky, bird-like eater, loved the the pizza at Antico.  And ate two slices!  And totally would have had more if there were any left.  

Go, get the Diavola or the San Gennaro (or the Pomodorini if you're vegetarian) and prepare for your taste buds to experience pure magic.
1 - Achille Y.: If you like eating overrated overpriced pizza while standing in a MOSH PIT and fighting for parking then this place is for you. The pizza is way overrated, overpriced, parking is dismal and there is no seating. Did I mention the seating is communal? You're sitting in a table surrounded by strangers.
5 - Shaun L.: Absolutely the best pizza I've had in Atlanta.  On of the top three I've had in the world.  One pizza will easily feed two people.  Or it can feed four and leave room for desert.  BYO wine or beer, which is actually really nice because you can bring whatever you like and it saves money.
4 - Sherry B.: New to Yelp and this restaurant was on the Hot Topics.  I happened to eat here about a week ago for the first time.  
It was wonderful pizza and I loved watching it be cooked right in front of you in the kitchen.  It was hard to get a seat but the atmosphere was fun.  Definitely would like to come back.
5 - Melissa P.: Oh, Antico! How you have ruined other pizza for me. No other pie shall ever be good enough for me (at least in Atlanta) again. While I lament how continuously crowded you are, I can only hope that one day you will open a second location (Eastside, baby!) and expand your hours to cover Sundays.

If you must have a brew or vino (or Dr. Pepper) with your pie, be prepared to bring you own. Carry-out is an option, but this pizza is best consumed straight from the oven, promise. Desserts are available, but I am generally so stuffed with Diavaola that I can't even think of such things.

Come hungry and prepared to wait/stand while eating. Leave knowing that it's all downhill pizza-wise from there.
5 - Heewon Y.: BEST PIZZA EVER!!  I don't think I've truly enjoyed pizza until I had it here. 

Margherita pizza with pepperoni - TRUST ME!  Don't be scared to load on the freshly chopped garlic and pickled red peppers.  

Depending on what time you get there, it can get really crowded and difficult to find seating but it's worth the wait!
5 - Brett C.: This is the best pizza I have every had ( and i eat pizza a lot).  I hate to sound like a homer, but after spending half of my year in NYC I can't wait to get to back to ATL to grab a pie at Antico.   

My suggestions:  bring your own bottle of wine, be prepared for a bit of a crowd, and be prepared for fantastic pizza.
5 - Jessica M.: What a fun place!

BYOB, so come prepared.  Also, getting a seat for a group can be tough, so send one person to order, and another to get a seat.

Food is great!  I love garlic, so the cups full of garlic to top your pizza are yummy!  My husband loves the spicy peppers, but they are a bit too hot for me.

Fun atmosphere!  Nice people!  Great food!
2 - Alex H.: I'll start with the pizza being fantastic. It's cooked perfectly and promptly. The cannoli is also quite worthy. That takes my review from a one to a two, as there is redeeming value in visiting. My enjoyment of the place ends there.

The environment is nice, but some simple adjustments could really make a difference. Add coat hooks, paper plates, and paper towel holders like you'd find at any barbecue joint in town.

The drinks available on site are gloriously overpriced. Almost $3 for 10 oz Cokes? I don't like to have to plan for being able to drink at a restaurant. I also don't like being gouged. A big urn of tea for a reasonable price for a glass or even a big urn of ice water with cups larger than shot glasses would solve this problem.

"Good for kids" in the info for this place needs to be changed from "yes" to "no". This place doesn't have a single high chair or booster seat, and there isn't a seat that could accomodate a booster seat even if there were any. The cluttered environment is not favorable to anyone under six or eight, particularly if they're high energy.

I won't ding the place for parking, but others might. I know what parking in the Home park area is like, so I was expecting the cluttered frantic space. 

This place is great if you're a Tech student and can walk here, or if you live in Home Park. I wouldn't recommend coming in a group larger than four, as space for more is challenging and the noise in the place makes it difficult to hear someone that you're not adjacent to. If you have to travel any distance, you have to plan ahead, hope you crystal ball a good uncluttered time, or be willing to chill out and take the adventure as it happens.
5 - nikhil b.: Antico's easily has the greatest pizza I have ever had. It has an amazing concept of eating in the kitchen and its BYOB. It is mad expensive but had really good tasting pizza. I would say that do not treat this like a regular pizza joint where you expect it to cost 12 dollars like pizza hut or papa johns. It is better pizza and is more authentic. It should be considered an expensive meal and is worth it. The drinks are very expensive, thats why its smarter to buy your own alcohol and bring it with.

If you want to try the best Pizza in Atlanta and are willing to spend 20-25 dollars for it, go to Antico's.

Also do take note that they don't sell alcohol, but you can bring your own.
5 - Katy M.: Best pizza and cannoli in Atlanta!
5 - Gavin R.: Yum

The owner has given us free drinks, free food and recipes. He usually walks around and talks to the people making them feel at home. The pizza is easily the best pizza in the US. The ovens, flour, tomatoes, everything is imported from Italy - make a trip out and see it. Highest recommendation
5 - Kat S.: I can't wait to go back to Antico.  I went with a large party and we ordered 5 pizzas and cannoli.  All of the pizzas were great and the dough was light and airy.  My favorites were the bianca, margherita and sausage.  We arrived early to make sure that we could secure a table.  By noon, the restaurant was packed and people were standing along the wall eating their pizza.
5 - Edgar R.: My brother took me here, didn't know what to expect. But had the best Pizza I have had in a while. Highly recommend it!
4 - hary n.: Great Pizza! 4 star food, 5 star atmosphere.  Actually if you order the right pies it  is 5 stars,  5 stars, all the way.  Simple is better.  I hail from bay area(san francisco) and was visiting one of my brothers from atlanta and he brought me here to "throw down" basically with some of the places i've taken him in sf.  bottom line... i have to say, authenticity wise this place is the bomb and kicks the shi** out of anything in sf.  (seriously ) but order simple.  do not order some crazy sausage pizza because at least when i had it it was very heavy and the crust was ruined and soggy off the bat.  on a high note, staff is exceptional and atmos[here is casual and awesome.  go there!
5 - Tommy K.: This pizza is the best pizza I've ever had, and to be clear, I've had a *lot* of pizza.  I have to think with the extremely well balanced flavors that he must only use fresh ingredients.  the crust was crisp and yet still a bit chewy and pliable on the inside.  If you're in Atlanta and only have one place to stop to eat, this is the place I would go.

Be aware though that I got the Diavola, and while it was extremely good, it was very very spicy.
3 - Ernie M.: The pizza is the best, hands down.

Unfortunately, the girls at the register are probably some of the most miserable people you will ever meet.  So much so that you get the feeling they are deliberately treating you as poorly as possible.  Just one example, after another fantastic pizza we went back to the cashier to order canoli's.  I asked the girl if she could tell me the flavors of a couple of them, she looked at me as if I just called her a terrible name and said angrily, "the names are right there." (they're in italian).  Ok... so we skipped the 10 seconds it would have taken her to explain the flavors and just ordered the traditionals.  After I gave her my card she said absolutely nothing to me about the process so I just stood back and waited.  I quickly realize they make each one fresh, Awesome!  After about 5 minutes I walked up and asked if the canoli's were done.  She walked over grabbed the box and handed them to me.  They'd been done for 5 minutes and we were the only ones in the area and she didn't have the decency as she stood there staring at us not waiting on a single other customer to say "your canolis are done".  I have the feeling she would have let us stand there for hours.

I'd come back for the pizza's everyday but the cashiers need to go.
5 - Cooper G.: Two words: Cmon Son.

It doesn't get much better in terms of pizza quality, bringing your own alcohol, and general communal setup.  

It's the best in ATL. Antico beats Varsanos to me.
5 - Mike C.: Fantastic, but don't expect to be pampered.  Authentic Italian from the employees to the imported ovens to the pizza.  Italian music blares and rolls of brown bathroom hand towel paper serve as napkins on the shared tables.  I felt like I was in Naples here and the pizza was magnifico!
5 - Molly K.: Best. Pizza. EVER. 

I can't afford to go to Italy right now so this will definitely do! The ovens are shipped from Naples, Italy and the neopolitan style pizzas are to die for! It seriously is.... HEAVEN IN YOUR MOUTH. Never thought pizza was that good, right?!

First off. Be prepared to walk into a pick up station, because Antico is NOT meant to be a restaurant. It got popular and people just started eating there. They put together some tables and chairs and made room for people to eat in the kitchen. You get to wine and dine in the little heart of Italy right inside Atlanta. Turn up that fancy Italian music!! *does the pizza swirl*

Second, you can bring your own alcohol. No corkage fee or anything. There's no free water... so either buy yourself a bottle of water or coke up front or just bring free booze. You will see your neighbors in the table next to you with a six pack of beer or bottles of wine-- and they provide cups at least.

1 extra topping per pizza. Pizza comes out in about 5-10 minutes. (900 degree ovens!!!) The cannolis are also superrrrrr yummy. Right amount of crunch and cream.

Be ready to rub elbows with people at your table as you chow down on this local favorite.
5 - Jinny Y.: Antico can be a bit confusing if you're an Antico virgin, but trust me it's worth it.  Just order, fight for a seat ,and you're good to go!

Margherita pizza with pepperoni is my fav!!  Absolutely the best pizza in town.  I've tried one more, I don't remember the name, but it had ham, artichokes, and mushrooms on it.  I liked the margherita better.

Oh and how could I forget? it's BYOB!  I went with a small group of friends for my bachelorette party.  We started off the night with great pizza and a most awesome $15 bottle of wine.  ;)  The owner/chef? even gave us two free cannolis that night.  Love it.
5 - Ericka A.: So glad a friend told me about this place. Wow, I mean WOW!!!! It's amazing how good pizza can be and this place gets ALL of it RIGHT!! Their sauce is slightly sweet and the freshness and tanginess of the tomatoes are intoxicating. Their cheese is creamy with just enough salt and not too greasy. One piece of their sausage is the size of a meatball and I didn't try to bogart all of the meat since each piece and every aspect of this pizza is delectable, not just the toppings. You want to savor each and every bite!
5 - Tom V.: Food: The pizzas are as good as everyone says they are. Dough is light, crunchy, chewy; the perfect trifecta. Toppings are fresh and in perfect proportion to the pizza. I'm getting hungry again just writing this review!

Value: A bit pricey for pizza, but it's totally worth the price of admission. A pizza should easily feed two normal sized humans... so $20ish for a meal for two is really quite a bargain.

Ambiance: if you get there right before it opens, you'll likely encounter a line. No worries, the orders are taken when you walk in and pizzas take about 3 minutes to cook in those beautiful brick ovens. Sitting in the communal kitchen area is fun and probably the best seat in the house. 

Service: Very good

Recommended for any true pizza lover and everyone else too!
1 - Erna M.: Only in Atlanta.this is not only the most expensive pizza which doesn't really bother me but it is so lacking in flavor and the amount of ingredients is insulting. All hype ,,,,, great sfugs but the pizza is lacking in every way
4 - Madeline C.: I've been wanting to try this place for months and finally convinced the boyfriend to go for lunch today.

Yes, it's an expensive pizza. But the ingredients are clearly well above par so I believe it was more than worth the extra few dollars. Plus you can BYOA. And who can complain about a BYOA restaurant with no corkage fee?

We ordered the  Margarita with sausage and proceeded into the kitchen, got a table front row and watched them make it. Please eat in the kitchen, that's half the fun of this place. I promise, it's really, really cool.

The pizza was fantastic. Beyond fantastic. As others have mentioned, the dough is chewy and crispy and light and perfect. I could eat about 10lbs of just dough. Well, probably not, but seriously, so good. The tomato sauce was good, the basil was delicious and so fresh, and the cheese was scrumptious. There is a little self-service station to the right of the dough-tossing station in the kitchen with containers of fresh parmesan cheese, peppers, fresh garlic, salt, and pepper flakes. I didn't try any of the peppers, but Matthew assured me that they were very, very hot. Good for those with colds this time of year.

I cannot wait to go back to try more of the pizza! The next one on my list was the one that our neighbors had with little grape tomatoes and lots of cheese (I think it's the Pomodorini). My one complaint is that the front service girls are seemed to be very short. We waited at the counter for quite a bit of time before they acknowledged us, which always irks me, especially when getting a $23 pizza! Other than that, everyone we interacted with was very personable and more than accommodating. 

A warning: if you don't like Naples-style pizza, you won't like this place. It's not at all Americanized Pappa Johns style stuff. The dough in the center is going to be a little more underdone, the sauce will not be as thick as you're used to (unless your mom is Italian), and the ingredients will probably make a run for it when you pick it up. It's not undercooked or anything like that, that's just how they do it in Naples.
4 - Tramaine W.: Its as good as it gets in ATLANTA.The best pizza in america lives under the brooklyn bridge in a place called grimaldi's.Because i have tasted this greatness my tongue has been cursed to like no other.The pizza at antico was good, the toppings were great but the dough needs to be reworked.I mean come on folks the dough is half the dish.It was tasteless except for a burnt flavor peckered in and too much salt was added.Like i said before best in atlanta.I had the san grandad(sp?) btw.The one with sausage and peppers.
5 - Mb C.: This is as good as pizza gets.  Anywhere.
5 - Jamila M.: Great pizza, great atmosphere.  It definitely lives up to the hype.  Worth the trip and a return and a return and . . .

We can't wait to go back.

From a New York pizza snob
5 - Stacey E.: Simply put: This place rocks. 

Get your friends together, bring a bottle of wine to share and order a margherita pizza or two. This is the only place I'll eat pizza and enjoy it. 

This isn't fancy nonsense. This is all about the pizza and it's worth it. The atmosphere is lovely and loud. GO NOW!
5 - A D.: Antico has a very relaxed atmosphere, to say the least. Large tables that you share with others, coolers on one side, dough machines on the other, and the great wood fired ovens right in front. BYOB if you want any.
You can see basil growing outside the building...and Ikea is close for a post meal stroll.
From the first taste, you know this pizza is something  special. Flavorful &  crispy with the right amount of char on the edges, it is simply delicious.
Compared to our other fave Varassano's , it was equal in taste, though a little thicker. Totally different atmosphere in the two restaurants. 
We will be back, and more than once.
5 - Monica S.: I visited this charming (but crowded and loud) pizzeria on a Friday afternoon...after the lunch rush and it was still hoppin'.  Came around 1pm and managed to snag four available seats at a picnic table in the back with a couple set on having a romantic lunch for two (surprise!).  Aside from the loud Italiano opera music and the conversations from chatty kathys surrounding me, the pizza made up for the bleeding eardrums.

Among my colleagues (one of them, a French trained chef himself, who recommended the restaurant) we ordered three pizzas: 1) the Capricciosa 2) the Diavola and 3) the Lasagna.  While all three were pretty freaking amazing -- hands down, the meatballs on the Lasagna were to die for.  Mixed in with their ricotta cheese and delicious dough -- I ate...and ate...and ate.  

Needless to say, our eyes were bigger than our stomachs and unfortunately these kind of pizzas do not hold well as leftovers, so I would recommend 2-3 ppl per pizza.  BYOB with NO corkage fee (who doesn't LOVE that?).  Parking -- minimal  -- so carpool!  While a bit pricey,  the fresh ingredients and overall taste is well worth the cost.
5 - TJ M.: Finally went and got a pizza from Antico's.  I ordered the Margherita since simple should make the ingredients shine.  And yeah, it's as good as the reputation.

I'll wimp out and say it's a tie with Varasano's.  It mostly depends on which type of crust you prefer. Also, Antico's selection is better, IMHO, as I'm getting a little tired of Varasano's more limited menu.

Antico's crust is soft with a little bit of chew and some nice char.  The amount of salt was a bit on the aggressive side.  The tomato sauce was generous as well, and made the pizza pretty juicy, to the point where some was sliding off onto my plate.  I think they could've put more basil, as there were several slices without any basil on them.  I don't require a lot, but more than 3-4 leaves would've been better.  Prices are more than a pizza chain, but to be expected considering the quality of the ingredients.

I got bad service from one of the women working behind the counter, but the other one was much more helpful.  Maybe the first one was just having a bad day, which can unfortunately be common around the holidays.  (updated note - nah, the service staff has an attitude.  lol!)

I can see how parking could be an issue for this place.  I went on a Wednesday at 2pm, and both lots were almost completely full.  There did seem to be plenty of street parking available at least, and there also seems to be plenty of seating available.

Another point of note:  you aren't really saving any time by calling ahead in case of wanting take-out.  They won't fire up your pizza order until you show up, the excuse being that your pizza will be cold by the time you get home if they did.  But the thing is, my pizza is mostly lukewarm anyway, and leftovers will be cold, too.  It'd be my preference for them to go ahead and start cooking it when I ordered, but hey, those are the current rules, I guess.
3 - Ann S.: The pizza was good and the atmosphere was just like sitting in the kitchen area of a crowded restaurant.  
Bring your own beverage.
4 - Maria S.: If you're looking for authentic Napoletana pizza, Antico Pizza has the best in Atlanta. Seriously. The best. But you have to brave the crowds, fight for a communal seat, and clean up after messy patrons before you can relax and stuff your face with their delicious pies. (The sausage is a personal favorite.)

Eating on the premises is a must--the pizzas do not travel well at all. However, the calzones hold up better, so if you're a tad claustrophobic or don't want to be elbow to elbow with strangers, pick up one of those for the road.

Drinks are limited to small bottles at inflated prices. Better to bring your own water, or best, a bottle of Italian red wine to share while you enjoy Antico's amazing pizzas.
4 - Cindy W.: Pizza is delicious, you must try the San Grennaro (the sweet peppers are to DIE for).

-1 pt for the price & initial scornful service (warmed up later...but hardly).

It's BYOB, and since it was my first time....I'm still not sure what happened after we walked out....
5 - Chris R.: Best Pizza in the city!

Okay, so I have been to Antico several times now and am just now getting around to writing a review.  This place has all the charm, personality, and quality that is missing at many of Atlanta's fine eateries.  There  is very little pretentiousness.  All of the ingredients are flown in weekly fresh from Naples.  Fun fact, Giovanni is now the #1 importer of buffalo mozzarella in the southeast.  

They make the dough fresh daily and they make a finite amount so when they sell out, they shut down.  If you are there on a special occasion try to pin down Giovanni and ask him to try his homemade lemon cello (its uh-mazing).

Pizza selection is limited, so don't go expecting to name your toppings.  The place is small, and seating is limited, but all this ads to the charm.  If you are expecting a long, drawn out dinner with multiple courses this isn't the place for you.  Pies come out fast, and they are served on the baking sheet they come out of the oven on.  

They don't serve beer or wine, but they will allow you to bring your own.    Bring a bottle of red, be prepared to wait a few minutes, and when you're done you'll want to tell people all about it!
5 - Patrick Q.: Amazing. After living in Atlanta for a decade, I was convinced this was just not a pizza town. Antico has done a great job of bringing Italy to the west side. Everything is fresh, authentic, and melt in your mouth tasty. Love the "eat in kitchen" concept, and I love any place that knows that cannolis should always be filled on order. Can't wait to go back.
5 - Pamela B.: I was spoiled with pizza in New York that I didn't want to eat any if it's not brick oven pizza. Thanks to Antico, Atlanta has had a great pizza place. The sweet red peppers make the pizza even more delicious.
5 - Caroline C.: Wow. So incredibly good. We tried a few different kinds and my favorite was the white. It had gobs of delicious gooey ricotta. Yummy. I found the experience and pizza much better than Varasanos, for what it's worth. 

And the best part? It's quite affordable. Bring a little vino and $20 and you've got your self a little party!
4 - Dionne G.: What is amazing about this place is not the pizza, it's their ability to instantly take you to Napoli, Italy.  Everything is imported from Italy and guests enjoy the European tradition of BYOB. The communal seating area is located in the kitchen and will make you feel like you've been transported to a small restaurant just off an Italian piazza.The menu is simple in this pizza-only establishment: that's right, no pasta, no panini's, just some cannolis and pudding to accompany your $20 pizza.
3 - E M.: It's just OK, and yes, I understand that puts me at odds with the rest of the civilized city. I have been there a few times, and while the first couple bites of each slice is tasty, the amount of crust after that is preposterous. A dude there told me this is how it's done in Italy. Well, with all due respect to the gentleman's Italian accent, I've been to Italy. I ate pizza twice in Florence. Neither time was I served a few nibbles of pizza ensconced in a pillow of bread so soft and warm that I wanted to take it home and sleep on it. Is it yummy crust? Certainly, and those ovens put a nice char on it, but it's crust, and I demand to know the Italian tradition prohibiting a few more toppings and cheese (which, by the way, are top shelf at Antico). Let me note that I realize overloading a pizza with toppings can be calamitous, but that's not what I'm talking about here. I'm talking about a quarter to a third of your pizza making it back to the tray because you... couldn't.... take.... more ..... bread. I say all this emphasizing that they are charging a tidy sum for pizza that, on a busy night, I might have to wedge myself into a corner and eat standing. If this were based on taste alone, I would give it a 4, but the price, crust and refusal to accommodate more than a handful of sitting diners just turns me off, I guess.
5 - Scott W.: Antico has one of the finest pizzas I've ever eaten. We ordered the San Gennero.  My mouth waters just thinking about it. Everything was SO FRESH. The owner, Giovanni, came to our table and chatted for a while.
What a wonderful experience.  While Atlanta has many very good pizza houses, Antico is in a league by itself.
4 - Dina C.: Just the mere thought of Antico's Pizza Bianca or Diavlo makes me want to eat my desk to curb the insatiable craving.  I am from the north of Boston, where pizza is very good.  I am not a native Atlantan that thinks that Dominos or Papa Johns is edible or "decent" pizza. No offense to the Atlanta natives.  We sure don't know how to make fried chicken in the Northeast, so you have one over us.

I absolutely love Antico! It is not a sitdown place, especially on the weekends due to the crowds and lack of tables.  It is best to get the pizza and head home.  While the ambiance at Varasanos is pretty cool and ideal for a dinner with friends, Antico's pizza is a national gem!
5 - Chris T.: I am going to keep this short, because I could easily go off on tangents as to why this place deserves five stars.  

Simply put, if you appreciate a truly authentic experience, don't miss out on this place.  From the atmosphere to the ingredients on the pies, nothing screams Italy like Antico.  To get the full experience, make sure to make your way back to the kitchen where you will dine in a community style setting in front of the three custom built wood ovens.  I recommend standing at one of the butcher-blocks just in front of the cooks, there you can watch then work there magic and soak in the wonder that is Antico Pizza Napoletana.

Oh yeah, don't forget to bring your vino with you, they do not serve alcohol and it BYOB.

ciao
5 - Cara B.: I can't believe I haven't written a review for here yet, but here we go!

This is a great place to bring out of town guests for a fun, delicious, and relatively inexpensive meal.  Everyone I have brought here continues to talk about it.  I've even heard some people say, "this is just as good if not better than what you get in Italy."  

With that said, I have had amazing pizzas here and on occasion just good pizzas.  Just good is still better than everything else around here!  This place is by no means local (which rubs me slightly the wrong way) and you pay for it in the price.  It's not crazy expensive, but if you compare it to the concoctions from papa johns, you might be a little upset with the cost.  It's worth it, I promise!

Parking can be a pain, but if you keep driving up that side street, you'll eventually find something!

The biggest piece of advice I can give you: If you live more than 5 minutes away, don't get it to go.  You'll be disappointed by the time you get home.
5 - Jim O.: I'll keep this one short and let the place and the pizza speak for itself when you go.

Awesome, authentic pies.  Superb crust.  So good.

Sweet cannolis and tasty espresso too.

Remember... BYOB.
5 - Lauren S.: It's SO GOOD!! Words to not describe! And such a fun atmosphere! Just go and see for yourself.  But don't forget to bring your patience (on finding a table, the pizza is ready in minutes) and alcohol!
5 - Brooke B.: Antico is like a sultry bad boy in an Italian suit who waltzes in the bar and takes you home with him before you know what's happened. Ever since I tried this slice of heaven - I mean, pizza, I have been consciously trying to stay away from it... After all, something that good must be bad for you.

I don't even care that they don't accommodate changes to the menu. Or that seating is probably a major issue after 6 p.m. I am just there for the pizza, baby!
4 - Micah W.: Amazing pizza- prob some of the best I have ever had. The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is because the environment might not be right for everyone. Basically, you order your pizza at the counter by the door when you come in. Then you enter a fairly big room with long tables and the kitchen and ovens in the back. It's all open, so you basically eat right there where they are making the pizza. It's crowded. This is why some people may prefer to just get the pizza to go. It's family style tables and you have to hover over people while they eat so you can grab a place to sit as soon as they get up. It's also BYOB, so don't forget your wine opener!

We went after the huge snowstorm in Jan, so figured it would be a little less crowded. No such luck. There were people standing everywhere, all the tables were full, and people were standing against the walls eating their pizza out of the box. It's a fun environment, but you have to be pushy! Don't feel bad standing over people while they eat to stake out your table, otherwise you will never get a seat. 

My recommendation- DONT order your pizza first. Go in and wait for a spot to sit, then once you get a spot at a table send someone to order your pizza. This is because the pizza comes out super fast (we ordered two pizzas and it took 5 mins), so if you order first and try to wait for a spot to sit, your pizza will most likely be cold by the time you get a seat.
5 - Adam M.: Antico Pizza... what a ride.

I showed up tonight, a rainy Tuesday, with high expectations due to the plethora of fine reviews.  I brought a bottle of light Chianti, and entered a bustling restaurant.  There wasnt a seat in the house, and it was 8:30pm!  After ordering, we had to hustle to find a spot to sit.  This process took us 5-10 uncomfortable minutes.  3 stars.

Per the other yelp reviews, we ordered a Margharita Pizza con Pepperoni.  I was immediately let down when it first came.  The crust looked like they had left it in the oven too long, and the pizza looked average in every way.  3.5 stars.

Then, the magic started.  I began to eat.  The first bite was good, and the second bite was far better.  I could taste the fresh basil, the fresh cheese, and the crust did not taste the way it looked.  It was so soft and perfect.  4 stars.

After the first piece I knew I was onto something, and started in for more.  God is that cheese fresh, and everything is so well proportioned.  This is a very special pizza.  4.5 stars.

After a few glasses of vino and 2 pieces of pizza, it dawned on me.  This is the 8th 5 star restaurant I've been to in America.  I knew it the moment that my girl and I realized that there were 3 pieces left and I had to lie about how many pieces I had consumed to garner 2 of the remaining 3.  Thus, I was able to garner 5 of the 8 slices, and the white lie was well worth ti.

This is not my first choice of style when it comes to pizza, but I can honestly say without a doubt that the quality of the food is 5 stars.  Fresh, fun, different, Italy, devine, and "why didn't I think of this concept" are all adjectives that come to mind.  You are insane if you a) don't enjoy this place OR b) don't give this place a try.  This is one hell of a restaurant.
5 - david w.: I am going to give this 5 stars as I feel 4 would not be fair. I will explain why I would give them 4 stars below. I have been so many times that I never thought of reviewing it.

Antico is simply put: the best pizza in Atlanta, and one of the best experiences you can have eating food in this city. 

The buzz in there is tremendous. The music, Giovanni, the crowd, the limoncello. It feels as though you are transported to a different country. I love being able to bring my own vino and last week was the first time I actually sat down at a table. Yes, it is always that busy!

My only gripe is that I have noticed a decline in the quality of what comes out of the oven. I think they have gotten too busy and too big to keep the consistency there. The ingredients are still the same, but I do not feel they are quite to par with their pizzas in the past.
5 - Luis R.: Great restaurant! I have lived in Atlanta for over 20 years and I must say this pizza is bar none I have had in Atlanta so far.  The atmosphere is relaxed and you can bring your own bottle of wine.  Great place to gather with friends and enjoy a really great meal.  Be prepared to lick your fingers!
5 - Mary L.: This is one of my favorite places in Atlanta! I am always converting people to it, and I cannot visit enough. The pies are fantastic, but I think what really makes it so great is the overall experience. They ran out of dough when I was finishing my 4th slice of pizza (ahem), and the cooks stared singing and dancing to Dean Martin. Glorious day.

You get quite a mixed crowd (great people watching) and it's BYOB!

Parking can be tough, and be prepared to wait. Worth it!
2 - lee y.: I tried to wait until the buzz had worn off this place before venturing over. I'm not a huge fan of pizza to start with and I loathe trendy food destinations. so there was never any hurry. 
To start the parking is clearly too complicated.  I pulled in to find a half dozen cars in a complete clusterfuck trying to navigate the tiny lot. 
Luckily there wasn't a line at the counter. I found the place as well as the staff cold and unwelcoming immediately,. I expect that the counter people deal with a ton of douche bags ,so that's understandable.   
The price for pie is insane. I know its an experience but so is a rub and tug. I'll bet I'd be more satisfied for less.  
 Also, pizza without soda pop is a crime. Water, fizzy water or oranjina? LAME! I also think communal seating sucks.  Asses at food level I just cannot abide. 
Our pie came out so quick that i barely had time to complain. No wonder, ITS TOTALLY UNDERCOOKED. The inedible ring of char aside. The sauce is too thin, the cheese was barely melted. And where either meets the 'crust' its so doughy that it sticks to the roof of your mouth. BLECK.  I managed to choke down two slices and called it quits. 
People this is not a thin crust pizza.  
I had hopes of saving the experience ridding on the cannolli. Unfortunately we didn't get them on the way in and on the way out there was a line out the door. Atlanta LOVES waiting in line for overpriced food.  So we skipped it. 
 
I can get an entire meal with my choice of beverage at Camelli's and not leave hungry. 
I found the entire experience VASTLY UNDERWHELMING.
5 - Christine K.: This. Is. The. Best. Pizza place I have ever had in Georgia. I thought I would be forever doomed to sad, mediocre, pizza chain spots, but then, this place walks into my life. Hurray. Everything is just amazing here - the atmosphere (you get to watch them make the pizza, the seating arrangement, and oh my gosh, it smells awesome) and the taste is just to die for. I love eating the crusts, but honestly, there aren't that many pizzas in the world that make edible crusts, so just for that, this place won me over. And, I have to say that since my trip to Italy a couple years ago, this is the closest I've had to real pizza - you can say that it is the least "Americanized."

There are two downsides, but for the wonderful taste explosions that went off in my mouth, I'm willing to compromise. One: the price is kind of insane and eye-boggling and overwhelming at first, BUT after you sit down and eat, you start to understand why the prices are so high. However, I still think they can knock down $1 or so. Two: no places to sit! Considering just how popular it is and how many people wait outside for the doors to open, there simply aren't enough tables. So, when you do find a table, it's almost like you won the lottery...kind of. That's why you need to come early! 

I'm hungry now. I could really use some pizza.
3 - SAJJAN S.: This is the best pizza in Atlanta. Great flavors,very fresh and the red peppers in oil is just out of this world.My favourite was the San Gennaro.So why the 3-stars? Ok, I came in on a Sat night at 7.30 pm, I got my pizza at 8.30pm. And all this time i had to STAND in a tiny space with a hundred jostling people.It was SO ANNOYING. I dont think any food is worth waiting ONE hour, AFTER waiting 30 minutes in line to get to the head of the queue. I hate the ambience of shoving,pushing people just looking at you to see when ur gonna leave ur seat so they can grab it.Terrible.Add to this a ridiculously small parking space.
Suggestions to Antico:
1. Please increase your parking lot size.
2. Please add more tables/seating space.PLEASE.
3. Increase waiting area for to-go customers or provide buzzers so we can wait outside.
4. Please provide food faster.

Sugestions to Customers:
Avoid this place on weekends. It is just NOT worth the hassle.Weekdays,no problems at all.

As you can see I have NO complaintsa about the food itself.If these problems can be fixed I will gladly give it 5 stars.
4 - Claire S.: This is italian style pizza.  I went here last week or 2 weeks ago for lunch, can't remember which, but also went in september.  Both times I enjoyed the pizza.  A couple things are strange about this restaurant-- they were out of coke last time we went which is stupid, you can't order by the slice and its a one size fits all pizza so we always end up throwing some out overeating and throwing some out, and finally and most annoyingly it is communal seating so if you go at lunch time (which is very busy) you will probably have to sit next to funny smelling old people like we did.  If they try to talk to you while your boyfriend is in the restroom just say something snobby or pretend they don't exist.  There was no place to put my jacket or purse which ended up on the floor under our picnic table.  That said, this place still gets four stars because the pizza is really great, it isn't new york style which is usually the only pizza I go by, but it is really delicious and the ingredients are fresh and I love this pizza!!!
5 - TurboFerret S.: Best restaurant in Atlanta! Amazing pizza and great atmosphere.
5 - Lee T.: Wow, what a surprise in home park!  I truly admire these delicious pizzas, baking in ovens shipped all the way from Italy. If only they had delivery, huh? 

I actually met up with friends at this pizza place, and was surprised at how delicious it was. Ranging about 20ish dollars a pizza, our group shared a few and had some wine, also. 

Ditto on the great italian family restaurant. I've never seen more kids love to gorge themselves in my life. Except that was me, sorry guyz. 

So delicious, so go there.
5 - Phillip C.: Woohoo! As good as it gets! is right on. I am so happy we found this place. BYOB too, love it!

The best the ATL has, bar none. The San Gennero is fantastic and the cannolis, yum, yum, yum. I didn't think you could get good cannolis outside of NY or NJ but here they are.

If you want to eat in bring a bottle and patience. Get your seat first, then order.
5 - Michael W.: This is the pizza place to go to.  I found this place via the Yelp application on my phone and was not disappointed.  My girlfriend and I went Saturday afternoon and it was not to packed.  As others have noted I would go find a seat first next time then order. Although we did not have an issue seating.  This is communal seating but this only adds to the experience. In this environment you speak to your follow table mates and enjoy the pizza together.  Antico is definitely on my rotation list and I am sure you will add it to yours.
2 - Dustin H.: This seemed to be the highest and most rated pizza place in Atlanta, so I decided to give it a try. The first problem I experienced is when I decided to order a certain pizza, I was told I couldn't add anything to it. When I got the Margherita that you can get whatever you want on it (I wanted pepperoni and sausage) they said I could only get one meat! What's with all the rules!?!?! The place was very crowded for a Thursday night. They do not have fountain drinks.
The biggest problem however, which seems to be one that has been pointed out by others on here, is the unfriendly, hateful, and rude female staff.
The pizza was pretty good, but certainly nothing to write home about. I give the actual pizza maybe a 3.5/5.0
2 - James B.: 5 star pizza places should NOT be hit or miss.  I was very disappointed with the pizza at this joint after reading these reviews.  We ordered a whole pie which was mangled and burned.  It was sad because you could tell that the pizza had potential.  The ingredients were obviously good, but their poor preparation killed the taste.  They served us burned pizza with lackluster preparation.  The toppings were clustered, the cheese pooled in the middle, and the crust bubbled in two to three inches from the sides.  Good luck eating the pieces without flatware.
2 - Emily C.: Ugh--
The atmosphere was terrible.  We waited 2 hours to even sit down after ordering.  The pizza was decent, but not so good as to override the wait time and the loud, shared tables, which are in the kitchen.  It's authentic, but there are other pizza places that are authentic too, and they're significantly better in terms of the overall experience.
3 - ML T.: Absolutely Great Pizza!!
Absolutely horrible service and eating environment.
A good friend of mine also ordered takeout and was told by one of the girls who worked there..." I told you t obe here in 10 minutes and you are 2 minutes late...so now you CANNOT have your pizza!" 
I mean WTH!!! I was ticked that she was told that!
I will be honest...I may go back but NO TIME SOON!!!!
5 - Brian B.: By far the best pizza I have ever had!  From the crust, to the tomato sauce to the Buffala cheese to the fresh basil, garlic and olive it was incredible.  I don't even know of a close second.  Antico's is beyond compare in my opinion.  Those that have complained about the atmosphere don't get it.  It is what it is.  If I want a nice private booth in a candle light setting with table service then I'll go elsewhere.  When you go here, you go for the pie.  Still, the open setting with large community tables is really neat.  The place is truly genuine.    If you want a $10 pizza, call Papa Johns.  You're not their target market.
4 - Kelly T.: I had been putting off going here for a while now because of all the not so nice things I kept hearing about the folks that worked at the counter.. but glad I finally did because it was great and the ladies up front were super nice! The pizza was great, very fast! we found a place to sit -we were totally pushed out by some people trying to take our spots but other than that it was great! We even got some cannolis to go on our way out and they made them right there fresh for us!
5 - Valerie N.: Best pizza in Atlanta, hands down.

The capriciossa is perfection, but the diavola is my fave.  Such a beautiful spicy pizza with fantastic chewy burnt crust.  I bet the calzones are divine too.  Yes, its a $20 pizza, but it easily feeds 4 and is made from the best ingredients - splurge!

The cannolis are absolutely beautiful and worth trying, especially if you've never had one.  Its fun to watch them make them!

Note:
It will be crowded on the weekends with students.  There are not many places to sit down.  It will get crowded so be prepared to stand or carry out.  I'm really not sure when the best day of the week would be or the time of day.  Regardless, its worth the wait, but if you go with a group, just ask for their patience ahead of time.  You will all be rewarded.

You can BYOB to save some bucks (and bide the waiting time - haha)!  Definitely worth it!

You may want to pack your own napkins and/or moist towelettes for your hands - this pizza gets gooey!
3 - Anna S.: Two things I recently learned about this place:

1) The pizza is like a hippie: never go with it to a second location.  It does NOT travel well -- turns limp and nas-T.  Seriously -- don't even think about taking this pizza to-go.  It goes from five stars to one star when it's not fresh out of the oven...

2) Do not come here if you're not down with the communal seating, or eating while standing up around more tech students and yuppie businessmen and businesswomen than you can imagine.  You WILL have to ask a sweaty underaged Italian busboy for a paper bag to breathe out of until you calm down.
5 - Wendy R.: Real, delicious, authentic, and mouth-explosion worthy pizza!!

I couldn't believe that Antico Pizza is tucked away in an almost residential neighborhood in Midtown.

During the famous snow week in Atlanta, I was going stir crazy and had to get out. Made it into work and decided as a treat, I would stop by Antico on the way home. I ordered the San Gennaro, which I heard was their most popular.

So good!! Seriously, this pizza wasn't like any I'd had before. It was truly incredible. I was eating it for a week, since they have one size (which is huge) and they start at $18 - but so worth it.

Next time I'm going with a friend and staying to enjoy a sit down love-fest with their pizza at the big wooden table you share with other patrons.
1 - Barrett C.: I had been looking forward to trying Antico's pizza ever since a coworker told me about it.  Unfortunately, the whole experience was a let-down.  I went a couple of weeks ago on a rainy Wednesday.  It was raining so hard, I didn't expect the place to be so full!  

The whole experience started off badly with having trouble finding the place.  It wasn't well lit at night.  Also, parking was really difficult to find.  On a day when the mud puddles reached halfway up my legs, nobody wanted to park far away.  

Once I entered the place, the cashier was very rude about taking my order.  Since it was my first visit, I didn't know the process or what was on the menu.  When I tried to ask how much the desserts cost, she repeatedly told me some other information that was inaudible due to how loud it was in there.  It definitely wasn't about the price, though.  She also completely ignored me when I wanted to place my order and only offered me service after another customer came up to the counter.  

After the ordering process, trying to find seating was an absolute nightmare!  The restaurant management should control the dining area--at the very least, give people assigned tickets like at a deli line because other patrons are very rude.  Any place where you have to fight over space makes for a bad experience in my book.  

As for the pizza itself, I thought it was good, but too expensive--over $20.  I've had better pizza for about half the price.  The peppers are verrrry hot!  I couldn't eat all of them and started picking some off.  My wife disliked it for the following reasons:  part of the dough was burnt, the sauce was too sour for her, and overall it was too salty.  I think her salt complaint was because I ordered the one with ham, which is a typically salty item.  She thought the white pizza our friend ordered was better, but it wasn't her favorite.

All in all, it was a miserable experience and I wouldn't recommend going here to anybody.  It might be fine to order a pizza to go, but DON"T dine in!  If you do decide to try it, you should know that there's more seating than just the front room; you have to walk down a tiny hallway to find it.
5 - Angela M.: As soon as it was decided that my entire family would be joining us for the weekend, I knew that I wanted to take them to Antico - my 2 y.o. nephew would love watching them toss the dough and put it in the big wood-fired ovens, my pseudo-foodie brother would love all the fresh and fancy ingredients, and my dad would love that the guys are real Italians who listen to opera while they work.

All that, and the pizza is delicious, too.

The first car went ahead, and got in line so that we were towards the front when it opened at noon on Saturday.  I don't know if it's every Saturday, but this Saturday, they opened with a confetti explosion to delight the children.  While J went inside and ordered the Lasagna, Diavola, San Gennaro, and Margherita with Pepperoni, I led my brother's family up the back, where they were gracious enough to let us walk through so that we could see the action (and avoid the crowded front entrance).  

Since the tables were already filling up, and my nephew can't be still for more than 2 minutes, we got the pizzas to go, along with fresh garlic, freshly grated parmesan, and plenty of crushed red pepper.  Interestingly, the to-go boxes were turned inside out, showing the plain cardboard instead of the generic "Hot Fresh Pizza" on the outside.  The 6.5 of us managed to eat enough to get all the leftovers into one box, each having at least one piece of each of the pizzas.  All the flavors were amazing and indicative of the high-quality ingredients used.  My favorite has always been the Diavola, and this time was no exception, with it's slightly spicy red peppers and spicy sopressata.  I recommend asking for extra crispy, since the tomato goodness and grease of the meats can make the center a little soft.  But that makes it easier to eat the recommended way - fold the center up, then fold in half, so that you can eat with one hand.  This is extremely useful when carrying an infant.

Nothing but smiles all around.

#Yelp365 - 51/365
4 - Emily E.: I've now been to Antico pizza twice, and it's just too good to not write a review. I will say, when my friend told me about it and said it was the most classic of Italian pizza, I couldn't wait. On a study abroad a few years ago, I went to Italy, and that thin crust pizza in Florence has been unmatched by any place I can find in Atlanta. So, with that said, I bought a bottle of wine and headed to Antico on a double date. 

When the pizza first came out, I was disappointed. There was a thick crust at the end! That's not traditional Italian. However, my whining stopped when I took my first bite. They use the most fabulous cheese, sauce, and toppings. They're so fresh. Needless to say, I wasn't disappointed by the time I reached the thick crust at the end, but rather than waste valuable stomach space on the thick crust, I grabbed another slice. 

This place really should get 5 stars, but my initial disappointment at the lack of thin crust has jaded my view. However, the pizza is still the best I've had in Atlanta. 

Be ready to fight for your seat and have others hover over you while you eat. This place is always packed, especially on weekends, so be prepared to be aggressive on finding a seat at the picnic tables. It's BYOB, so drink away while you scout your spot. :)
2 - TheEatist K.: Maybe I made a mistake when I ordered - I got the Capricciosa (mushroom, artichoke, prosciutto cotto and bufala). It was very "Meh".  Just ordinary, kind of boring, and not yummy at all.  So sad!
Maybe it was because they put cooked prosciutto on it, but I swear, there was so very little on it (and teeeeeny tiny pieces), when I picked it up to taste a piece, I would argue that it was just straight up packaged deli ham. And - there was so little tomato on it I couldn't even taste it.  The only indication that it was actually there is because I saw red. Not to mention the lack of flavor from the bufala. Where is that rich salty/creamy goodness I am so familiar with?  *Sigh.*


Giovanni, one of the owners is super nice and passionate about his business. While I can see that he is very popular, with a long wait every night, in my book, being busy does not indicate deliciousness. 

I was very sad when I ate my pizza because it just wasn't what I had expected.  The "style" in which they make their pizza is better than most places but where the heck is that flavor?? Maybe they are cutting costs and using cheap ham instead of real prosciutto. Maybe they just don't care because the general public is clueless about quality since we have been stuck eating cruddy pizza for so long.  

I tried them for the first time in Nov 2009 and thought the flavor was really good but the pizza was a bit watery. This time, no water, but no flavor.
5 - Chip P.: Ordered our pizza at the front and then proceeded to the kitchen to find a seat. Frank Sinatra was playing on the boom box and all of the guys working are singing to it while throwing pizza dough into the air. It's a BYOB situation however, they sell fancy bottled waters and sodas. Now you can have all the Italian fan fare you want but if the pizza is not good then loose it until you do. Our pizza arrived on a big ass rectangular baking pan. Every bite was like being back in Sorrento, Italy sitting in a small family run business with the freshest of ingredients piled up to create a great piece of pizza. I will be going back.
5 - Brett H.: Best Pizza I've ever had. I have visited NY a lot and do agree that NY has the best pizza on the planet. That being said, I've haven't had pizza in NY like this. Favorite pie of my life. 

On top of that, its BYOB...whats not to like?
5 - Ray D.: Well . . . . . after "talking" about going for months, I finally made it to Antico Pizza . . . and all I can say is . . . . it was well worth the wait!  Incredible pizza and a very fun experience!!  We ordered two pizzas - one sausage and one mushroom . . . . and they were as good as any pizza I've ever had in NYC (I might dare say, better, in fact!!).  If you haven't gone there yet, RUN there immediately!  Not a very "posh" place . . . . but, if you crave real Naples or New York Pizza, this is the spot!
1 - Jadzia W.: Wish I could give it zero stars.  Go and read the one star reviews - everything they say is true.  To me, I could have looked past the multitude of negatives if not for the bitter burnt crust.  I actually don't mind a lightly burnt crust.  Love coal oven pizza when the bottom is a little charred, a smokey-sweet olive oily taste.  The problem is the quality of the dough is...well it may look great but it tastes like crap and then when it gets burnt it adds an overwhelming bitter taste.
5 - Jason L.: food doesn't get better than this.  this stuff is truly amazing.
4 - Cary W.: A favorite.  Love the pizza and the atmosphere.  Several things to know before you go:
- It is not Pizza Hut.  Order the way the it is on the menu.
- Beware the Diablo.  It is SPICY.
- If you want a table, go early.
- If you don't go early, be prepared to stand at the counter to eat.

But don't let any of that keep you from going - love this place.
4 - CHRISTY L.: I'm very late to the Antico party but I'm glad I finally joined. I've wanted to go since all the YELP HYPE started. But, I always found myself in the area when I was alone and I didn't want to scarf down a pie by myself. I finally had an afternoon off with my sweetie and we went here around 2:30 on a Friday. We walked right up to the counter, ordered, paid, and found a seat without any problem. I'm guessing that we arrived at THE PERFECT TIME to not have to wait in line or fight for a seat. 
The pizza (the Pomodorini) was the pizza of my dreams. We chowed down while enjoying the loud music (I think they keep it that loud so the kitchen can still talk about the patrons without being heard) and watching a replay of an AC Milan match. It's fun to stuff your face and wonder if you'll get to see Gattuso have another melt down all at the same time.

Can't wait to go back!
5 - David C.: Best pizza I've ever had. Although I'll admit that I don't have that much experience with many different authentic pizzerias.
I believe I went early because I don't remember waiting a lot and I found a table easily. From there you choose the pizza that you want and they bring it to you. The pizza was absolutely delicious. I don't remember exactly which one I ordered, but it was great. One of the pizzas fed me and the 3 other people I was with (but, fyi, the other 3 people I was with do not eat a lot).
I thought it was a liiiiitle pricey but not enough to keep me from wanting to go back.
5 - Stephen P.: Best Pizza in Atlanta.  Authentic Cannoli's are a must.
4 - Ray L.: I really don't know much about pizza. I mean, I know what tastes good, but having lived in NY and having family in Chicago... I'm at a loss in the whole pizza war. Antico's pizza was really good. The sauce has a good balance between spice and sweet. We got the San Gennaro per the hostess's recommendation. Delicious mozz, basil, tomatoes, sweet peppers, and sausage. 

I love the atmosphere too... informal, but nice and right in the middle of the "kitchen." You may have to make friends when looking for seating; tables are the long, shareable type.
5 - Chad B.: Great pie.
5 - Butters S.: I think Antico is the best pizza I have ever had.  Fly to Italy if you want to look for better.

They do things a little different than other restaurants.  First, it is BYOB, which is great for bringing a bottle of wine.  The seating is first come first serve on a bunch of big, shared tables and it is loud.  But it is delightful!
5 - Snouter J.: Deserving of the hype? Yes.

I read a few of the 1 star reviews and those sound like people I never want to meet in my life (Barret C., Jessica L.) just stay far away from me, or better yet, just stay home.
4 - Anna W.: Bring your own bottle of wine (and an opener). Be prepared to stand. But you'll have the best pizza in Atlanta. 

I make pizza at home so it was great to watch their technique: first cheese (surprising to me), then sauce (but just a splash here and there), toppings, last and most importantly, buffalo mozzarella. 

It's the simplicity and authenticity of this restaurant that keeps you returning for more.
3 - Yuan F.: Authentic pizza, but a bit salty. VERY loud on a rainy Saturday! Waited at least 40 minutes for a table so I can sit with 50 people and eat together. If you are cluster phobic - definitely avoid this place. Do NOT order to-go: pizza won't be good unless they are fresh out of the oven. Any pizza with san marzano tomatoes is good. Margarita isn't that impressive.
4 - Drew D.: Very good pizza.  Amazing?  Close, but not quite.

It is very soft crust (which I am OK with), but you cannot add any toppings to it.  You are stuck with what they offer.  And it is pretty expensive, too.  It gets really busy around dinner time, so be aware.  If the parking lot is full, you have to park on the street which can be a pain.  

With the negativity out of the way, it is great pizza.  Made very quickly.  You need to eat in the restaurant to fully enjoy it. This pizza not piping hot gets soggy and is average.  They offer drinks now, too, so that helps.  

San Gennaro and Diavaolo are my picks.
5 - Eric L.: Awesome pizza and great atmosphere.  Bring your own wine or beer though as they don't have any.  And prepare for eating close to your neighbor on a huge farm style table.  Some people complain about this, but I think it adds to the atmosphere.
5 - Annie G.: On a trip to Atlanta we decided we had to try this place just because of how many Yelp reviews there were. Yelpers did it again! Great, authentic pizza! We heard that it is one of the only places in the US that have been granted the privilege of being able to call themselves an authentic Nepalese pizza place outside of Naples. Also, all the ingredients, even the flour, are from Italy.  

I guess we went at a great time, (Tues 630pm) because we got a seat right away and there was only a short line. The place was still packed and the line grew throughout the night. We took the suggestion of a regular patron and ordered a pizza with mushrooms, artichokes, fresh mozzarella and ham. It was amazing and the mozzarella was out of this world. The crust was sort of sourdoughy and was thin and not greasy at all. Perfect crust! It was made in a wood burning oven so you had the nice char marks all over the crust. 

The place is also BYOB, so we brought a bottle of wine (twist top) and really enjoyed ourselves. They bring the pizza straight from the oven to your table and the staff is really friendly. Before we left, we had to order one of the amazing looking cannellonis to go. We got the one with chocolate and hazelnut and it was just as we expected... Scrumptious!
4 - Jennifer P.: Not only does this place have great pizza... eating here is an experience in itself. On busy nights, seating is very limited so be ready to stand and to wait for a chance to grab a table (first come, first grab.) The pizza is made fresh to order and makes for a nice show as you can watch them while they toss and work the dough. Simple and fresh ingredients make a great combo for good eats.

BYOB!
5 - John F.: Wow...just wow!  Who would have thunk that the best pizza I've had in a long time would be in Atlanta.  I was told about this place when someone suggested it to me when I was eating brunch when I first arrived in Atlanta.  I was told that they make really good pizza there.  But I didn't come to Atlanta to eat Pizza, I thought.  Flash forward to a few days later.  I'm driving around lost and looking for something to eat and then drive past Antico.  Suddenly, my mind is recalling what I heard about Antico and I turn around.  There is a gravel parking lot with limited spaces for Antico.  It closes at 9 but they still allowed me to order pizza.  They really don't do pizza slices or small orders of pizza.  It comes in only one size and if you can't finish it, at least you have leftovers for tomorrow.  It didn't take very long for the pizza to be ready and I ate a few slices in the kitchen with other strangers enjoying their pizza at a communal table.
2 - Christopher W.: Yes, the pizza itself lived up to all the hype, however, the experience itself definitely did not.  

For me, good service can make even a blah meal great... and vice-versa, horrible service can ruin what would otherwise be great food.  

When my first impression from the employees who are supposed to greet you is bad it sets the tone for the rest of my experience.  Not only did I have to interrupt the two female employees at the counter just to place my order, they basically provided no feedback to the questions I had about the menu.

After placing my order and stating that I would drink water with my meal, the lady at the counter handed me a cup slightly larger than a dixie-cup and pointed to the sink where another patron was washing his hands.

Antico knows that they can provide this type of service to their patrons simply because they serve a good pizza, knowing that for this particular minute they are the "it" restaurant in Atlanta.  

Needless to say, I won't be returning.
2 - Matt W.: I was so excited to try the "best pizza in Atlanta" but was very disappointed with the overall experience.  Let me say that the pizza was excellent but the service was horrible.  The cashier taking orders was extremely rude.  I ordered 2 cannoli and she only got one of them--I repeated the order twice.  

So here is why they get 2 stars--I would give the pizza 4--not the best pizza I've had but still very good.  As I'm sitting down enjoying my pizza, I notice the cashier FLOSSING HER TEETH behind the register where pizzas and cannoli are handed to customers.  To make matters worse, the second girl behind the counter also flossed her teeth--in plain view of customers.  That's just plain ghetto, not to mention unclean when you are serving food.  Needless to say, I hadn't received my cannoli yet and told them to just keep it and refund my money for that.  

My partner tried to find the manager to tell him about it but he couldn't be found.  He told another employee in the back for what it's worth.  

I tried to ignore the open tooth flossing and enjoy my pizza but I had pretty much lost my appetite at that point.  I don't think I'll even be giving this place a second chance.  Especially when there are other good pizza options in Atlanta.
4 - Jeff L.: Went here one afternoon with the wife before hitting up a show at the Fox. With all of the rave reviews, Antico has been on my 'must try' list for quite some time now. After having some of their pizza, I have to say that the pizza was great, but probably not as good as all the hype suggests it should be.

The service, as others have noted, is not their strong suit. Being our first time, we didn't know what to do, and the girl behind the counter barely said anything in response to questions. But whatever, I'm here for the pizza ... This place is BUSY, and seating is quite limited inside. And when they're busy, expect a long wait for your pie to arrive.

After 20+ minutes, it finally came. So was it worth the wait? Definitely. Was it worth the hype? Close, but no cigar.

The good: It had a ton of flavor, and I loved the fact that some bits were a bit charred. The crust had a magnificent flavor to it, as did their sauce. It was also clear that the ingredients they were using were top-notch. Easily among the best tasting pizzas I've had in the area.

The Bad: Once you got passed the outer few inches the pizza was quite soggy. Whatever the reason, nothing changes the fact that the pizza was soggy. I don't know if it's good or bad to say that the next day, the pizza was better because the sogginess had a chance to abate quite a bit.

We do plan on going back because the pizza was really good. Maybe we had one of the rare pizzas that didn't come out as expertly as so many others have raved about. Either way, it didn't quite hit the pinnacle that so many others promised it would.
4 - Crestan M.: Great atmosphere, though a tat small. Nice environment that made you feel like you were in Italy, right down to the fresh Italian-imported ingredents and the giedo-style owners (compliment) mingling with the tourist-infested crowd. Price was alittle high, but you pay for quality and atmosphere, and the small sodas they offer (BYOB)... Good spot, all-in-all- well done fellas!
5 - Chad H.: So I think I hear "this is the best pizza ever" about a dozen different places every year so naturally I was skeptical...

GREAT GOOGLY MOOGLY... this is the best pizza ever

There are no bad selections and I could care less that my plate is a napkin, I'm sitting next to a total stranger and my water cup holds about 3.5 oz of luke warm tap water... ok I could use a few extra oz's of water after some of those italian peppers.
4 - Jason N.: Its the best pizza I've ever had in Georgia. No, its not the best pizze I've ever had. That honor still belongs to some hole in the wall restaurant in Finland. I suspect there is far better in Italy and other places, but in Georgia it just doesn't get better than this.

I had a pizza margherita and added pepperoni. People will tell you that a perfect pizza is made of great ingredients but they leave off a very important fact. The ingredients have to go together too. Thats what this place does the best. Every flavor plays off another and melds together perfectly. Im sure this crust by itself would be mediocre but this crust goes excellently with this sauce and this cheese. That is what places this pizza well beyond any other in Georgia. 

Pizza this good should garner five stars and nothing about the food held back my rating. It was the ambiance that pulled back that one star. When I get food this good I want to sit back and enjoy it. I want to savor it and take my time a bit. I would of done that here if it weren't for the crowd lined up against the wall waiting on me to finish so they could have my table. The staff never made me feel rushed at all but its a bit difficult not to feel rushed when people are lined up like that. I'm a firm believer that communal tables in restaurants are a mistake and there is pretty much no other option if you plan to eat inside Antico other than the communal table. The blaring Italian music could be turned down a bit, and they could have a far better ordering system than yelling out order numbers in a loud restaurant. 

The one thing about the ambiance that they get right is the ability to see the pizza ovens and to watch the pizza get made. Its clear that care goes into every pie and thats what this place is about -- excellent pizza. If you live in Georgia you absolutely have to try this place at least once. Its worth the line, the communal table, and everything else just to taste what is near pizza perfection.
3 - Lee L.: I came here a few months ago... I feel like the quality has gone down compared to when it first opened. The crust wasn't as thin, and the flavors aren't as potent (WOW factor) as before... 

I feel like it's expensive to pay about $20 a pie when the quality is only so-so... sad.
5 - Nadeem P.: It doesn't get much better than this. I dream of the pizza here on a regular basis, fresh ingredients, coal fired ovens, BYOB, it doesn't get much better than this. The ovens are at a true ~900 degrees, meaning your pizza will be done faster than you can say superfragilisticallyespealodocious...

Seriously though, if you're in the area and haven't been here, GO HERE NOW!!
5 - Michael S.: There are a lot of different types of pizza out there, but if you want to know what REAL Italian thin crust pizza is supposed to be, check out Antico's. Their owners are from Naples, and use their original recipe to create one of the best Pizza's in Atlanta. The best thing however, is the atmosphere. Communal dining on large picnic tables, in the kitchen creates a friendly environment to interact with strangers. And if that doesn't work, you are allowed to bring your own Wine or Beer, while you listen to Frank Sinatra and dine in their open Kitchen! This is a great date place! Relatively cheap, creative and a guaranteed good time! The only downside is they don't have a lot of seating, so they can not take reservations. But don't let that stop you, a lot of people have found out about Antico, and there is a reason why there is usually a line after 7!
4 - Tamera B.: I love Antico for their authentic Italian style pizza.  I haven't had pizza like this, stateside, since living in Europe.   I don't know who Atlanta slept with to score this one but good job, girl!

Get there early or after the 6:30-8pm rush.   I've gone and walked out twice because it was insanely crowded and sitting seemed impossible.

The only reason it will not get 5 stars - and almost got 3 but my mouth started watering at the thought of Antico - is because of the rude staff at the register.

My last attempt at dining, I called ahead to inquire about placing an order, in hopes of it being ready by the time we got there.  We were literally 5 minutes away. (pizzas are out quick)  The "lady" on the phone let me know that there was no need to call ahead, there was no line and a bit of dough left.   She asked how far away I was and when I told her 5 minutes, she insisted that I did not need to call ahead - just come on in.

I get there and a different girl helps me at the register, when I tell her the pizza I wanted, she replies with: "you're going to be mad."  Huh?  "they turned the ovens off". 

whatchutalkinboutwillis?! 

She said I could go ask/talk to "the owner in the red shirt back in the kitchen".  I peek back there and ingredients are being put away, staff is cleaning up but plenty of people are still in there eating.  Pick and choose....I chose to leave that battle alone.

But my level of Pissitude was at RED.  Especially at the RUDE and short girl on the phone - you know who you are.  They really need to do something about her.  

Antico, you're lucky I'm an addicted foodie/wino for the moment.
5 - Ashley B.: I am not going to lie to you: this place stresses the eff out of me.  I've been there on a Friday night, on a Wednesday night, on a Sunday night, and on a Monday night and every time the place has been just as crazy and packed.  

The very first time we went, we were unprepared.  I had tried to look at Yelp beforehand, and while many reviews mentioned it was BYOB, I had a bad experience once back in San Francisco when we brought beers into a place we thought was BYOB and were told we couldn't drink them (it was TRAUMATIC I tell you!)  Anyway, so we didn't bring booze to Antico.  And of course saw that EVERYONE had come with booze.  Plus, the place was a MADHOUSE and I was worried that I'd have to eat standing up, and all this without any alcohol.  AND we accidentally ordered the Bianca (which does not have red sauce and which my rudimentary Italian skills should have tipped me off to but oh well) and while we could tell that the pizza was objectively delicious - the crust was perfection, with a little bit of yeastiness, a little bit of toothesome chewiness, and one look at the ridiculously legit looking Italians making the pizza and you know this shit is gonna be authentic - we just didn't like the toppings we'd ordered.  No red sauce on pizza makes my husband feel stabby.  And did I mention we forgot alcohol?

The next time we went, we were smarter.  We got a bottle of wine and ordered a pizza with red sauce and anchovies.  The red sauce was fresh and tangy and perfect.  And I was more mentally prepared for the free-for-all that is the table situation, so I didn't have a panic attack (only a mild fluttering of the heartbeat.)

The third and fourth times, we brought out of town guests.  The third was with my parents and we made friends with the people sharing our table and at some point (for someone's birthday, I can only assume) multiple poppers went off and streamers got all up on my pizza and in my wine and it was great.  The fourth time, we lucked out and got a corner of the one nice-ish communal table in the front part and were intelligent enough to order the Fra Diavola, perhaps the best thing that's ever been put on a plate, set in front of me, and put in my face.  

So here are the essential things to know:
*Bring alcohol.  Preferably red wine.
*Know that it will be crazycrowded.
*Know that a spot to eat will most likely not immediately present itself.  But keep heart - I've never not been able to sit down when I've eaten there.  And even if you have to stand, there are many surface on which to place your pizza.
*Which brings me to the most important thing: this will be some of the best, most authentic pizza you will have outside of Italy.  

Bottom-line: It will be worth it.  And hell, if you're prepared for it, the lively, convivial atmosphere can even be super fun.  And BYOB is always friendly for the wallet.  

Plus, I think it's probably a great place to bring a date to see if he or she is going to be mega rad and fun, or mega lame.  Which is always good to determine as quickly as possible.
2 - Ruchir P.: There seem to be two extreme ends of the spectrum when it comes to Antico - the die hard majority that will vouch that Antico is the finest pizza in the Atlanta area, and the much much smaller minority that complain of its overrated, snobby attitude. 

Sadly, I must side with the later. I've been here a handful of times, and each time I have mixed feelings about Antico. I have really, really tried to love this place! Please believe me! I wanted nothing more to consider myself of the in-crowd, foodie group that saw Antico as a savior to Americanized pizza. I wanted to believe that Antico was a place of authenticity to the true Italian art form of pizza making, and to a certain degree I was able to come to term with these views, however, the glaring negatives seem to hold me at bay from truly becoming a fan.

The age old Pros and Cons list will have to suffice...

Pros...
- Simple, high quality ingredients
- Authentic, traditional pizza (the Italian way)
- Amazing experience (for those who don't know you sit right inside the kitchen on giant family sized tables, where it's a BYOB friendly environment)

Cons...
- Attitude 
- Price

There are other cons that I failed to mention such as the lack of parking and almost sardine like nature of the always busy restaurant, but personally I don't mind these qualities and if the food is worthwhile I am willing to go through a lot. This being said, I enjoy my Americanized Pizza. The traditional style of pizza is definitely something I believe everyone should experience, but I'm not that big of a fan. 

I will highlight the two negatives I listed, as the positives I mentioned are mimicked in almost every other Yelp review. The staff attitude here is just off. You would think a restaurant that prides itself on sticking to traditional ways of cooking and elevates pizza making to an art-form would be proud and willing to welcome individuals to experience the truly tasty creations they have to offer - this is not the case. The menu printed in Italian is one of the main 'authentic' features of Antico, but when asked for clarification of any of the menu offerings the staff seems almost upset and frustrated. I can understand how it may become annoying to be continually asked by patrons for specifics, but then again not everyone can read Italian. The mood from the owner, chefs, and other staff is almost the same. I could never shake the feeling that they were always upset, or looking down at you when I visited Antico (every time! i can understand once, but come on every time!) 

Second, in my con list is price. There prices are fairly steep, and I understand paying for quality and authenticity but there is a fine line between high-end and price gouging because you know your an 'in' restaurant that can charge what it wants and get away with it. 


Summary:
The snobbish attitude, coupled with the exorbitant price was too much for me swallow. I've been here a few times, and will probably frequent it again (begrudgingly) due to a few of my friends who are part of the die-hard fan base, but I really wish Antico would change. They have an amazing product that if priced more reasonable, and served with a happy outlook could truly be an experience for all.
4 - David C.: I've been here a couple times now, and since the day it opened, when they had barely any seating, the way they make their pizza has changed.  A bit of Papa John's taste is infiltrating their original vision.  The crust is alarmingly starting to taste like Papa John's.  Though, there is a familiar freshness to ingredients, as a whole, the food is inching toward's the lackluster experience of so many other joints.  Still creating my favorite pizzas in ATL, I am slightly bracing myself for the day I end up just tolerating the food.  I just hope that with another full circle through the seasons, it won't come to that point.  Down from 4 to 3.5 stars.
5 - brad p.: First let me say I am a little boring.
I love a plain cheese pizza.
AND ANTICO HAS THE BEST PLAIN CHEESE PIZZA IN TOWN.
A LITTLE LOUD. BUT I LOVE THE PLACE.
5 - Joshua M.: First I must say that my experience at Antico has been different than any other persons who have visited their restaurant since their opening.  And only a handful, about 20 people or so, can say the same as me.  Last night marked a great day for the future of Antico pizza and I will breifly tell you the story now.
My wife and some friends arrived at Antico about 9:30 at night.  When we arrived we were greated by a cop guarding the front door.  When we started to walk toward the front door the cop told us that the restaurant was closed.  Closed! I heard this before because when they run out of ingredients they stop serving or close because they do not want to substitute anything for the delicouse italian ingredients.  Ok, so its closed, but the cop then ased us however, "if you want free pizza just walk around the back door."  What the hell? Just walk around back for free pizza, sure thing Mr. Cop.  
So as we walked around back there were about 20 or some odd people standing around with solo cups filled with champagne, and a wooden table stacked high with sheet trays of pizza.  We were not sure what to think of this so we whent inside to find out what was going on.  Here we found the owner walking around with a bottle of wine and fat cigar in his mouth, there was party conffeetti everywhere and it was loud.  I wasnt sure what to do so i wakled up to the counter and asked "how can i pay, or can i just have a pizza", the Honduran cook told me to take this, as he handed me a sheet tray of pizza and to walk out side.  Like crows on a decade rabbit, people started flawking to the pizza, I was able to grab a slice, but litterly within 30 seconds it was gone. 
So more pizza came and so did the champagne, so finally I asked the cook what was going on.  In broken  english he said they were celebrating being the number 1 pizzaria in atlanta.  But not just that, after about half an hour the owner, his brother, his son, a georgia congressman, and a restaupaneour were standing in front of us 15 or 20 people and started talking about why tonight was so special.  The owner stated that he had a new business partner, but not just any business partner, he was the man who started such restaurants as LongHorn Steakhouse, Hooters, and Outback.  He was there to say that he was glad to come out of retirement to start franchising Antico and to make sure that the WORLD knows how special Antico is.  After a 30 minute speech from both the owner and this business man, the owner was in tears and the few of us fortunate enough to be there were applauding as he shot conffetti across the room and into the crowd.  
So let the rest be history.  The future is very bright for Antico.  Im giving Antico 5 stars for not only the best pizza because of its soft dough, fresh ingredients, but for its family like atmosphere and my own personal expereince.
5 - Seth R.: Everything was absolutely delicious. Fun atmosphere, great that you can BYOB, and all the ingredients taste fresh and light. Can't imagine how it could have been better.
5 - Sonya S.: Hands down the best pizza I've eaten. This isn't just a pizza joint, it's an experience.  The experience involves eating (I'll get to that in a minute) in the kitchen sitting at tables with strangers with one thing in common: Pizza and the bottle of beer or wine they've brought for themselves.  Oh, this isn't just any pizza.  Slap yourself and wake up. You've been transported to another time and place.  Try the Diavolo.  The camaraderie will come naturally.
5 - Alex R.: this is BEST PIZZA I'VE EVER HAD!!

It should be noted that before stepping inside Antico, I was not a pizza lover.
I never understood why anyone would crave for pizza until I tried Antico Pizza. They're unbelievably yummilicious.
2 - A. D.: Antico makes a good pizza, but is it authentic Pizza Napolitana? I think not. My last visit I ordered two pizza and both were charred. Quality is a hit or miss.
5 - Marty J.: I'm not a pizza snob nor have I ever been to Italy.  Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with Domino's.  That being said, Antico is the most delectable pizza I've ever put in my mouth.  Pizza wise, it's a notch above Fritti.  I also enjoy the vibe (other reviews speak to this) that the place is spittin at you.  Personally, I love the Italian opera blaring in the kitchen and Serie A (Italian soccer) on the TV.  BYOB is pretty cool, but it has no impact on the 5 star rating.

My personal favorite is the Diavola (spicy), but I've also had several of their other pizzas.  All are amazing so you really can't go wrong.

Only a couple of negatives (nothing is perfect) that I don't feel truly take away from the Antico experience:
* Seating is limited and its somewhat of guerrilla warfare to get a seat.  I recommend going with a small party or going at an odd time.
* Parking can be a pain.
5 - Daniel R.: Okay... the Margherita at Antico was the best pizza I had ever tasted. Then I had the San Gennaro that has incredibly sweet red peppers, bufala, cipolline, and salsiccia. Remarkable pizza.
5 - Allison K.: The pizza is fabulous!  This place reminds me of a pizza place my family used to frequent when we lived in Pittsburgh, so it brought up fond memories.   The pizza is pricey - don't think you're paying Pizza Hut or Pappa John Prices here, but its totally worth it!  The location leaves a little to be desired and the parking can be pretty annoying, but the pizza is so good!  The atmosphere is great, you're basically in the kitchen where they're cooking the pizza!  They have communal tables, so you never know who you're going to end up sitting with.   And best thing is there is freshly grated parmesean to put on your pizza - you can't beat that!
4 - Tashia Z.: Absolutely delicious.  Antico and Pizzeria Vesuvius are my two favorite pizzerias in Atlanta.  The atmosphere and the food - simply great.  I highly recommend this restaurant.
5 - Rosanna M.: "It is truly the best pizza in Atlanta GA"
We want to know if the Antico!s would open a pizza place  in the  Orange County, CA, area. 
Forza Napoli!!! ..... Viva  alla bella Italia!!!!!!!!
4 - Ginger W.: Amazing pizza.  Please read the reviews before you go.  I thought it was white table cloth.  It's people standing around eating pizza and its BYOB. 

I wish I could say it's better than italy, but I can't.  they are still on 14th street :) 

I love this business model!!!!
5 - John L.: The ATL for pizza.. who knew? Definitely one of the best pizzas I've had and the vibe of the place is fantastic. To top it off it's BYOB! do yourself a favor and "go to there".
5 - Bindi N.: At the risk of sounding repetitious, I want to meet the people who are responsible for this place and thank them for making the best pizza I have ever put into my mouth. My god, it's so good. I am not a pizza fan, and always think...Meh...pizza? I guess, if that's the only option.  Oh, no more...I think about Antico even when I'm not hungry. 

Yes, it's crowded, but you get to bring your own wine which you can drink standing up while waiting for your table, so what's not to love? 

Please don't go when you are irritable, or if you expect some level of service... cause it ain't gonna happen.  But the guys who work in the "kitchen" (which is actually right next to where you will be sitting/eating) are really friendly, and will hook you up with little bowls of olive oil, parmesan cheese, and chili pepper.  I swear, the olive oil has crack in it...

Just go...just go and eat pizza and be happy.
5 - Brenna S.: Wait, wait, waitwaitwait.....
This place has like a bajillion 5 star reviews and you're still on here reading? Go get some pizza, you fool! ;)
The people who rate this place anything less probably write critiques on their mom's home-cooked meals. So unless you're that guy, buckle up! and ride on over to heaven! otherwise known as "Antico Pizza"... 
Sure, entry isn't exactly "cheap", but let's put it into perspective.... 
I mean a large dinner anywhere else will cost you about the same (pizzas start around 20 bucks, and definitely split-able between two people). And I'm not sure it will be anywhere near the experience that you get here. Yeah, there's lines, get over it. It's a fact of life, like death and taxes and Atlanta traffic.
And sure the chics who take your order are rude, but do you *really* care? (also, apparently the secret to cracking their tough exterior is to wear a cute purse, but really you only talk to them for five seconds, so guys just leave your murses at home) 
Anyway come here and be prepared to make friends with your lovely neighbors, perhaps share a glass of wine or two, swap a few beers (BYOB!), or maybe even trade slices of pizza since you'll wish you could eat them all. With the freshest ingredients this side of the Mississippi, the soothing Italian music that brings you through each bite, and the glorious homeliness of it all, there's really nothing to hate about this place, unless you get stuck sitting next to Sloth from the Goonies. Which would actually still be pretty cool. 
For the love of pizza just stop reading and start eating... and take me with you...
4 - Ron B.: Great pizza. Just wish the place wasn't so crowed.
4 - Tom C.: No need to beat a dead horse. No need to repeat what other people have said about Antico's.

Antico's pizza is good. What stands out to me are the toppings. Their toppings are sooooo quality!!! I had their sausage and red pepper pizza and I was shocked by how good the toppings they used. The sausage you could taste the seasoning in them and they are huge like meatballs that if you are not careful, they will fall off your pizza. I loved the red peppers because they were pickled and sweet. I never had peppers like that before on my pizza. I also had the spicy pepperoni pizza. I'm not a fan of their pepperoni but I could tell that they were quality. Be careful with the pepperoni because after awhile of eating it, it will get really salty.

Additional notes:

I loved how you can byob (or wine), I'll have to bring it next time.

Btw I ate my pizza cold and it was still good. I wonder how good it is when you eat it fresh out of the oven.

It was really busy and wait for table was long so we ate outside on our cars.
4 - B T.: After all of the great Yelp reviews, my boyfriend thought this would be a great place to try some pizza. When we first walked in, I was a bit disturbed at all of the people standing around. There didn't seem to be much order. The lady took our order and we fought for a seat in the back room. Which was noisy and a little too close for comfort. The pizza made up for it all. It was absolutely delicious and one of the best pizzas I've ever had. So no, the atmosphere wasn't up my alley but the pizza is outstanding.
5 - Greg S.: RED ALERT.  The best in Atlanta and really right at the top nationally aside Grimaldi's in NY and Capiello's in Naples, FL. )To be clear, nothing tops Grimaldi's - there are in a league of their own and worth a plane ticket). Haters of Antico, get a life.  Obviously nothing is good enough for you and you find fault in everything.  And those that think the pizza is just o.k. or worse, stop yelping you have no taste, call Dominos down the street.  Yes, the pies are $18, but is BYOB or wine so who cares.  Even without BYOB, this is the typical price for great pies.
5 - Caesar M.: I know, I know! you guys have been waiting for this review for a while now. I have finally, FINALLY! made it out to west midtown and into this praised pizza parlor. I (insert curse word here) loved it! I loved the italian environment and I loved how this restaurant operates. The pizza (margharita) was delicious! I ordered a whole pie and ate more than half of it. I am not going to repeat the praise that others have given this place but know that I completely agree with all the 5 star reviews! with good reason this place is yummy!
5 - Bronc M.: Really, really, REALLY good.  A complete no brainer.  Go.  NOW.

That is all.
5 - Howard C.: + The pizza is fantastic.  Hands down the best in Atlanta.  Get the margherita pizza and be sure to BYOB.

- A word of advice- if you're the type of person where you demand good service, then please, don't bother coming.

It'll make more room for people who are here for the food and don't mind the so called 'bad' or 'so-so' service (European service really) that many other Yelpers have complained about.  

This is an authentic ITALIAN pizzeria after all!
5 - Chris L.: I've been to New York and I searched the place to a traditional Italian pizza and I failed...
I wonder what I was doing because I had an amazing pizza place right next door!
This place is amazing and the atmosphere of the place makes you feel like you've left Atlanta for this meal. The place is located in a bit shady place, but don't be fooled! 
And!!! Make sure you go early... because they close when the dough runs out! (We got turned back before T_T)
5 - Jay R.: Nothing I can say about Antico that hasn't been said already.  I've had pizza in Tuscany, that's the style - this is BETTER.  5-star, phenomenal.
5 - Ice M.: Best pizza in Atlanta to me. It's VERY difficult to please everyone, but everyone I've taken here has left HAPPY with a smile on their face!  I'm from the Midwest, and every chance I get to visit Atlanta, this is my first choice for lunch!
3 - Chris R.: Went to Antico this past Wednesday and now I'm going to try and give a candid review.

We got the Bianca pizza which was probably my first mistake.  It was good, but they overcooked it and the spinach was charred over 90% of the leaves.  Also...the crust was a bit charred all around the outside.  Also, the pizza is not huge by any means.  It might be a 16" pizza or oven maybe a 15" pizza.  So, there won't be much in the way of leftovers if you bring your appetite.

It's extremely crowded (which I anticipated), but it was also very hot in there.  I mean, after maybe 5 minutes sweat was running down my face.  Of course, the BYOB aspect is awesome and I wish more ATL places would do that.  However, the fact that it was so hot in there, it's quite difficult to get a table (and you will be sitting with total strangers), and they burned the pizza...means they've got room for improvements.

I'd certainly be willing to give it another try, but may have to wait until the weather cools down.  You shouldn't be sweating when you're trying to eat.
5 - Claire S.: I don't have a bad thing to say about Antico except that parking and seating get tough during lunch and dinner crowds - and for good reason. On a few different visits I've tried the San Gennaro, the Margharita, the Bianca, and the Pomodorini, and I'm not sure I could pick a favorite. Highly recommended.
4 - Sean S.: GREAT Authentic Italian style pizza....Not NYC style....It was my girlfriends and my first time there. Until now, Fellini's was our favorite. We are both from NYC and Fellini's is closest to the pizza there. I have been to Italy and can say this is the closest to true Italian pizza that I have ever had . The ingredients were fresh and tasy and the crust was soft (except for a bit of scorching around the outside)...Brick oven style baking!!!...Loved it ....My only complaints are the selection of beverages, the limit on toppings( I couldn't add sausage to my pepperoni pie) and they didn't sell by the slice....Oh....the girl at the register could have been a bit friendlier. If you haven't been there, you MUST at least try it.
5 - Wanda J.: I can't emphasize enough how much I love this place.  This was my "last supper" before I went into labor, and it was the perfect meal to have before entering into excruciating pain.  Also, I was fortunate enough to be able to meet the owner's brother at this last visit.  He looked at my big belly and was so kind to give me complimentary cannolis to go with my "last  supper."  This was the only time that my pregnancy got me anything.  I never got to park in a "mother to be" parking space. No one ever gave up their seat for me in the waiting area of restaurants when I was clearly uncomfortably pregnant.  I never got to move up in waiting lines... However, the cannoli's made up for all of that.  Thank you, Antico!  I love this place!
3 - Michelle W.: I had very high expectations after constantly hearing "best pizza in Atlanta" about this place. I've had Rosa's, Shorty's, etc, so I figured it was time to hit Antico. 
We got there on a Saturday at lunch time, right as they opened. I have to say, I was a little overwhelmed by the menu and trying to figure out what to order and how much it cost. I feel like so many places in Atlanta, in an attempt to be cool or different, end up being weird and pretentious. But maybe that is just the small-town girl in me coming out. I don't let her our often, so don't hate! Anyway, I got that vibe here. I really despise the family-style seating, so luckily the man and I were able to grab 2 seats away from the madness. 
So the pizza comes, and while it is much different from any pizza I've ever had, it was pretty much amazing. We had just a regular with pepperoni, whatever. The soft spots in the middle were the best part. I think that was grease soaking through the dough. Whatever it was, it tasted great.
The reason I gave only 3 stars is because we both got sick, like have to stay at home sick, right after eating the pizza. Yes, I realize there are many explanations for being ill, but it's hard to get past the fact that we ate it right beforehand. Not to say I'll never go back, but I'm going to have to forget how I felt that afternoon first!
5 - Bernard A.: This pizza was soooo good, I felt like slapping the person sitting next to me! The flavor is fantastic even while  the sauce, bread and cheese are so light and understated.  You know how you leave a restaurant and the taste of the food lingers for hours afterward? Doesn't happen here. You have a full sensation in your gut but no after taste in your mouth  - I'm talking about fresh ingredients!
5 - Reed J.: With so many reviews already written, what more can be said?  I agree, this is great pizza!
5 - erin j.: I don't even order pizza but this place made me change that.

It is the best pizza I have tasted in Atlanta.
5 - Kurt L.: While I maintain that southerners don't know shit about good pizza, the purveyors of this place are clearly not your typical southerners.  I guess the story is that the owners went to Naples and studied pizza until they perfected their technique and then they brought three ovens back with them.  More on that later.

Everything about this place is great.  There is no "dining room", per se.  All of the seating is scattered around a giant "kitchen", so you're right in between all of the ovens and sinks and sacks of flour.  The actual process of seating is kind of a free-for-all and can get messy, but there are just enough seats that open up at the right times to prevent chaos from breaking out.

The real star here, of course, is the pizza.  Oh god, the pizza.  I had the Diavola (spicy, spicy, spicy) and the San Gennaro (sausage and sweet, sweet peppers).  Both were incredible.  The crust is chewy and has just the right flavor, the sauce is delicious and not too sweet, and the cheese is simply awesome.  The sausage and sweet peppers on the San Gennaro were both crazy delicious.  I wish I could eat that combo every day.  Some people complain about "burnt" crust, but dammit, it's wood-fired pizza.  What the hell do you expect?  The burnt parts are what makes it so good!  To the contrary, I thought the crust at the center of the pizza was a little thin and got soggy, making the cheese and toppings fall off when I tried to pick up the slices.  It was nothing a little finger-picking couldn't fix, though.

Anyways, despite being a guy from Chicago who firmly believes that our stuffed pizza is the end-all-be-all, I can appreciate the different styles and Antico is right up there at the top of theirs.  

Highly recommended for in between courses of fried chicken and shrimp and grits.
5 - Gabriel N.: The first time I had their pizza someone had picked it up and brought it to us while we were pulling an all-nighter.  It was good, better than most delivery, but not slap your mama awesome like everyone said it was.  Today, I went to Antico's for lunch and now I have seen the light.

The difference in flavor is so great that I wouldn't have believed those soggy slices of delivery pizza came from the same place.  The char from the brick ovens combined with the fantastic ingredients and killer dough make for an incredibly complex flavor.

We had a group of six so 3 pizzas were ordered.  Diavola, San Gennaro & the Capricciosa were summoned to slay our hunger.  Damn did they do a fine job.  The Diavola had a nice spice which complimented the pepperoni perfectly.  The San Gennaro was a great balance of sweet and salty.  The star of the show was the Capricciosa with its slightly charred artichoke and mouth watering prosciutto.

You can't go wrong with this place.  Well you can, if you don't eat it right then and there, but otherwise there's a flavor for everyone on their menu.  When I visit them again I'm DEFINITELY trying one of the delicious looking cannolis.
5 - Yaanik D.: Fuck it, I was wrong. This is the best pizza in Atlanta.
4 - Adam B.: Great pizza.  I should totally point that out first.  Hipster crowd, but that is to be expected at a noteworthy midtown joint.  Went with friends, one of whom's father is a native Italian.  Later she would confirm this place's authenticity.  It was Friday evening and I was surprised at the small size of the dining area.  I wasn't prepared to stand at a butcher block fifteen feet from an 800 degree woodburning brick oven to eat but it didn't really take away from the experience. It actually added to it.  Oh yeah, this place scores major bonus points for BYOB rules.  I'll be returning.
5 - Shannon H.: Seriously good pizzas and cannolis, conveniently located but parking can be tough.
5 - Britt C.: Hands down the best pizza I've ever had in Atlanta. The menu is mostly in Italian, so we picked a pizza from a giant picture of the wall - the San Gennaro with fresh italian sausage balls and sliced, hollowed cherry tomatoes. I think it was around $18 - perfect for 2 hungry guys and 1 hungry lady. The sausage was fresh and peppery, the cherry tomatoes tasted like they'd been picked fresh that day, and the mozzarella was ....it was chewy and smoky and delicious. I've never been to Italy, but I hope the pizza in Naples taste something like this.

Parking was a mess it seemed from the start of the dinner rush until 8:30-9:00PM. And finding a table can be daunting if you're not used to fighting for a seat or don't like sitting elbow-to-elbow with strangers. It is imperative that you dine-in at this place - I don't think it would hold up for the ride home.
5 - Shayne H.: I've been to Antico a handful of times and every time I'm impressed. I travel a fair amount and have eaten pizza all over the world....yes, even Italy and these guys are the real deal. Are they the best in Atlanta? Quite possibly. For me they rank in the top three (with each being the best of their style/type of pizza.)
These guys do thick-crust in a wood-fired brick oven and they do it well. Take a minute to study the menu though because they don't make substitutions. We actually had a cashier tell us "please don't change that...they'll yell at me if I put in the order like that..."
They use brick ovens which are very hot so the cooking time is super fast. Generally you'll get your food pretty fast even during a rush....although you have to pay attention to the numbers they call out or someone might inadvertently "steal" your pizza (which happened to me last night.)

This is Italian pizza with fresh ingredients cooked in a brick oven....by Italians. THIS is pizza. GOOD pizza! I don't care where you're from, you're going to love Antico!
5 - David K.: Possibly the best pizza in Atlanta.

Tried their Diavola, with pepperoni, spicy red peppers and mozzarella. Don't know what it is, but these pies are absolutely fantastic! There's little to no sauce and not much cheese either but each bite packs a savory taste. Our pizza looked like it was brushed with some sort of oil, just too good. Breading is a little crispy but chewy as well. Beware, the peppers are spicy! Ate about 7 until I gave up. =S But seriously, the peppers were just so good too! Each bite just oozed out juicy tastiness. The pepperoni had a salty flavor but was so delicate and scrumptious--could really tell high quality ingredients were used. You can also bring your own wine/beer!

I would definitely come again to check out their other pies. 

As for the dining area. I seriously felt like I was in another country or in some movie like The Lady and the Tramp. They play Italian music LOUD and proud. They also have a Ferrari flag. It's also just a loud place with community tables and a kitchen area right next to you. It gets a little warm in there so wear lightly! 

It's a bit pricey, but it seems as if they know they make the best pizza to justify the price.
5 - David P.: This place is one of the best things going in Atlanta right now, it is cooler than the other side of the pillow.  You feel like you've been transported to Italy in this authentic pizza place.  The menu is limited but don't worry about it.  Get a pizza, it will rock and you will love it if you have any worth as a human.  The Davola is my favorite with pepperoni, and spicy/sweet red peppers.  You can go up to the front and get little plastic cups of these delicious peppers, parmesan cheese, basil, whatever non-meat fixins they have.  

The place oozes character and Italian culture. By the way, the place opens at Noon, not 11:30 am.  We learned that the hard way, but it got us to the front of the line on Saturday.  

90% of the seating is in the kitchen, where you watch the guys make the pizzas by hand and flip them around.  Kids love this.  Heck, I love this.  They have the three ovens behind them heated to 1,000 degrees. Look closely and you will see that each oven is blessed with its own icon on top.  It is warm in the kitchen but if you want to eat in 72 degrees go to Papajohn's you freakin sissy.  Seating is cafeteria style on park benches and there are no frills.  

Their pizza won a gold medal at a festival in NAPLES, Italy, where pizza is a religion.  So, the evidence is overwhelming, if you don't like Antico you are a loser, period.  There is no room for debate.
4 - Addy C.: Almost two years later and I finally made my first trip last week - and usually I like to be one of the first ones to try a new place esp. after hearing all the hype how it's the #1 pizza in Atlanta. I agree, it's very good - but maybe a little overhyped. And I didn't particularly enjoy the super hot temperature in the kitchen dining area - hot temperatures outside combined w/ hot ovens and crowded tables and people standing waiting for tables ... I'd strongly recommend coming during a non-peak time and maybe when the weather gets a little cooler. 

Pizzas come in just one size, and can probably feed 2-3 people. Crust was thicker than expected ... not sure why I was expecting Napoletana to be thin crispy pizza. We came for a birthday party so I got to try a few different pizzas. 

SAN GENNARO - $21
My favorite, esp. loved the sweet red peppers. Pizza also had sausage, bufala mozzarella, and cipollini.

MARGHERITA - $18 
Added pepperoni for an extra $4 since the reviews recommended this. I liked this pizza too but I liked the San Gennaro better. Pizza had San Marzano tomatoes, bufala mozzarella, basil, and garlic. 

CAPRICCIOSA - $21
Least interesting of the 3. Mushroom, artichokes (not much), prosciutto (friend thought it tasted more like deli ham), and bufala mozzarella. 

CANNOLI - $3.50
Reviews raved about the homemade cannoli so how could i resist. They have different kinds - I got the traditional. It's pretty big and worth sharing. Honestly I like Ecco's cannoli's better. 

I'll definitely be back - hopefully under cooler & more comfortable conditions :) I'll be better prepared too - it's BYOB :) Next time I'd like to try the Diavola pizza. 

FYI - a few parking spaces are available in front of the resto, next door, and along the street. Again, coming during non-peak time will guarantee good parking too :)
2 - Caroline L.: You might hear someone say "The ambiance is cool, and it's such an authentic experience to eat here!"  But lest you fall victim to this marketing ploy, let's decode: ambiance = crowded, authentic = limited, and cool = hot as hell.

You walk in to a line- a long line. "I'm a foodie!" you think. "I'll wait it out!" ... only to realize that this long line is just to order at the register! You have to wait in a mass of people off to the side until one of about 6 or 7 group dining tables opens up. Then, you must race to grab a seat in this dog-eat-dog "queue" they have going. All the while, music is blaring, people are bumping into you, and the air conditioning seems to have gone out. 

But the pizza is good- really good. Worth the line? Worth the crowd?! Worth the guy who knocked over my beer and never apologized?!! No.

Moral of the story: GET IT TO GO!
5 - JH P.: Antico is by far the best pizza in Atlanta! The dough is just right and the ingredients are fresh. If you like deep dish Chicago-style pizza this isn't the place for you. The seating for this place can be challenging (it's a communal area). But with some patience, you can sit with some fun people or find a small corner to devour the tasty pizza. Oh and make sure you get a cannoli too! The place is also BYOB. So be sure and bring your favorite bottle of wine or six pack of beer.
5 - Karen G.: You know what they say.."Once you go ANTICO you never go  back!!"...that has been the catch phrase for the past month  among my friends and I. Ever since I experienced PURE PIZZA BliSS for my best friend's bday I have been spoiled rotten. 

I have since visited other pizza joints (not going to throw anyone under the bus) and they ALL have  fallen short. Giovanni (senior) the owner was amazing! He looked outside and saw a party of "10" and immediately went to work. Since I was the organizer he grabbed me and showed me where our party would be sitting. It all worked out great. Thanks Big G!

Atlanta has been ready for a place like this. After all, great pizza doesn't need all of the "bells and whistles" of some fancy decour. This pizza is sooooo good people don't mind "sweating it out" in the Summer while they eat. We had the Margherita Pizza with sausage..YUMMMM!! Truly AMAZZZZING. The ingredients were SO fresh and the crust was cooked to perfection. The Lasanga pizza was pretty darn good! They ALL were. When you use "the best of the best' it's truly an incredible experience. Pizza Euphoria! Plus..it's BYOB. I mean, what better than to bring your own VINO or Cerveza?? I brought a reliable bottle of 2007 J Lohr and found it to pair nicely with my pie.

Ok so I don't want to sound "over the top" because I do hope that Antico Pizza keep their "down to Earth vibe and family style ambience". Being from a big city (Miami) I know that when some places become "trendy" or "hip" staff or vibe of the place changes. I hope Antico Pizza stays as true to its customers as the ingredients they use to make those FANTASTIC PIES!!!!!

PREGO!!!
4 - Jack H.: Best pizza in Atlanta. Hands down. I will argue with anyone who claims otherwise . . . or ask for the address ;-).  

Bring your own wine (and a corkscrew just in case that day had seen a lot of sticky-fingered patrons). 

Perfect late lunch (to avoid the crowd) would be pizza and wine at Antico followed by desserts and coffee at Star Provisions just up the street. 

Umm, would have given it 5 stars if the staff at the register weren't ALWAYS so rude. I've been maybe 6 or 7 times and have never had a pleasant interaction with them. Maybe that's their thing (shrug).
4 - Jeff M.: FINALLY! I use FINALLY in two ways: (1) as in, I FINALLY made it here, and (2) FINALLY a great pizza in Atlanta. This is a great pizza. I got out of work early today, and thought, "Hmmm, 4 PM, off peak dining time," so I headed towards Antico. I'll admit, I drove past it like three times, I couldn't quite pick it out fast enough; either my mind is slow or I drove too fast. First good sign: you can only get full pies, like what I'm used to in some places in NYC. Fresh ingredients, good crisp, and really darn tasty. I gave up a long time ago on pizza in Atlanta. But ... FINALLY! You can taste the difference in quality from this and other pizza places in Atlanta. This is the best pizza place in Atlanta. As a New Yorker, on a first visit, I can't quite put it at *****, a level I'd equate with all the NY legends (Grimaldi's, Lombardi's, Di Fara's, Artichoke, and John's). Can't do it just yet. ***** means "Woohoo! As good as it gets!" If I could add a parenthetical "Woohoo! As good as it gets (in Atlanta)!" than yes ***** all the way! If anyone can explain the inside-out pizza boxes they use there, please let me know.
5 - Rashar d.: This place is solid! I love it I can't wait to go back the pizza was wonderful and the environment is very pleasant. Eating with strangers is cool.
5 - Julie N.: This place is AMAZING!!!  The pizza is fantastic and the whole experience is truly authentic.  It's wonderful to be able to watch the pizza being made right in front of your eyes.  The only downside to that is the temperature in the restaurant - the ovens keep it really toasty in there.  Perhaps now I'll just take out.  But, it's definitely worth experiencing at least once.  The pizza is for sure the best I've had here and I can't wait to try a calzone next time.  Definitely a favorite in Atlanta.
4 - azileretsis Y.: The pizza here remains amazing. I generally do not like a thick crust, greasy pizza but here the grease, crust, and fresh ingredients works. Like other reviewers, I need to mention the family-style dining which isn't for everyone, lines (after 5PM), lack of A/C, and unfriendly counter staff. 

The place looks like it is run by a family and family-run businesses are  not the most efficient running restaurants. If you want efficiency, try Dominoes. If you want a great pizza that is not found anywhere else, try this place. 

BYOB is a good option since their drinks are definitely overpriced. My advice would also be to eat the pizza there, it's better right out of the oven. I would also suggest knowing what you want to order beforehand, minimizing your experience w/ the counter staff would be best. 

I had this and Metrotainment bakery (a mile away) and the combination made for a great evening.
5 - Alexis R.: Come on. This pizza is just amazing, there's no doubt about it. All the other reviews will tout the pizza, maybe complain about the wait time, and the authentic atmosphere. Some will mention the BYOB aspect of Antico (hurray!). I'm here to expand on that and bring a little something new to your table...

A growler.

Now, hear me out. Hop City is a 3-minute drive away from Antico, making it an easy stop on your way in. For somewhere between $10-$20, you can fill your 64-ounce jug up with the beer of your choice and take 'er on in to Antico Pizza (bring a couple friends). I even got a reco from the growler guy on which beer to get - apparently, you'll want a pilsner for Antico's pizza, as the sauce is a little spicy and a stronger beer would conflict with the taste. A brewing lesson AND the best pizza in Atlanta? That was a good night.

The pizza is soft, hot, doughy, just spicy enough, and melty. You may have thought it was the gooey mozzarella cheese that sold you on your first slice; in fact, it was the love they clearly put into every pizza at Antico. You can see the love they bake into it with your own eyes, especially if you're lucky enough to nab a spot at the "VIP" table (basically standing in the kitchen). 

Yum!
5 - Mike O.: The South knows how to do New York pizza. Well done, well done!

This place is BYOB as well. The only drawback is the music was a little inordinately loud. But when I move to Atlanta, I will frequent this place.
5 - Kirk L.: Simply put, there's a reason it's considered the gold standard by which other pizza places in Atlanta are compared.  All the pizzas are great - you just can't go wrong.  I will say, I generally wouldn't order a white pizza, but our group did yesterday, and it was seriously awesome.  

If you don't want to wait for a table at lunch, get there by 11:45 at the latest (probably 11:30). 

One criticism - the counter staff could be a bit more friendly.  I kind of wanted to apologize for bothering them by ordering (ok, not really).  Not even the slightest glimpse of a smile from either of the girls.
5 - Erica M.: (Visited: June 2011)

Fortunately a dear friend referred me to ANTICO'S.  My friend told me to get there and get there FAST!  I have never in my life experienced a better dining experience than the one I experienced at ANTICO'S PIZZA.  The owner is soooo hospitable and actually spent individual one on one time with me.  He greeted me, spoke with me, cooked in front of me and snapped photos with me.  With ovens imported from Sicily, and fresh ingredients baked on warm crispy tossed dough.... YOU NEED EXPECT NOTHING but the BEST!  This theme is so authentic!  Like Anthony Bourdain, There are NOooo Reservations.  Patrons walk into ANTICO'S and find seating among others in search of REAL ITALIAN PIZZA.  Strangers surround you at any dining table you select.  However you all share one commonality : Immersing your taste buds with flavors of garlic, prosciutto, parsley, fresh tomato sauce, delicious rich mozzerella and more...  Mmmmmmm, I know you guys wanna know... Did I have my famous F.O.? Indeed, YES!!!!!  I was impressed!!!  Sad, the location serves this place NO justice, It is easy to miss in traffic.  I personally wish ANTICO'S was located in the beautiful VININGS neighborhood.   Vinings would compliment ANTICO'S wonderfully!  This is definitely a touristy spot, which in my case I will be bringing my long-distanced family to (when they are visiting from San Fran).  I am impressed with the warm, pleasant vibe of ANTICO'S ... Anything less than a very well-deserved 5 stars would be uncivilized. 

No Smacking Allowed (LOL), 

Ms. FO
2 - Andy R.: Locals recommendation.  Try this place once.

Go on a weekday or experience insanity.  Order your pizza for dine in (the to-go pies are significantly smaller) however the cafeteria style dining will make you feel like you're back in 3rd grade. Even comes with in house bullies(aka the staff)  So eat one slice, ask for a to go box (which will not fit the rest of your pizza) and run away!

The pizza is amazing... But the experience is so so bad that it is intolerable to make this place a regular dine. 

The front of the house staff is rude beyond belief. Especially the Snooky look alike.  I thought she was going to literally attack a fellow patron one day.  The kitchen staff appears to work hard, but if you go after 8 or 9 there is a large chance you will only be able to buy a margherita pizza because they are to lazy to add toppings.

To sum everything up.  I heard a new term people in the surrounding areas have coined to describe Antico.
                                                  " The Shittalians"
5 - Candice M.: Absolutely the best pizze in Atlanta, perhaps even the best pizza I have ever eaten. I won't rewrite the raving comments of my fellow Yelpers, however, I will offer some seating advice. When I arrived with my husband we were shocked at the lack of seating and  couldn't figure out where all of the pictures of the kitchen came from. At last, walk through the room with glass windows with the big table, and bam, plenty of seating and the big pizza kitchen! Yay!
5 - Ellen L.: Freaking amazing is what Anticos pizza is. It gets very crowded but the atmosphere is festive. I loved this place.
1 - A M.: This place is a dump.  WAY over priced.  For example, they charge $2.50ea for tiny aluminum coke bottles (which were in a broken refrigerator when I went and were therefore hot).  
The hype is that Antico is an "experience."  Being seated INSIDE the hot kitchen at cafeteria style tables with stacks of plastic cups and rolls of brown paper towels, with bug zappers hanging on the walls...this is not an experience, it is a scam.  They have invested the absolute least possible amount of capital into the space and put zero energy in to making the customer feel comfortable....then they charge premiums for their pizzas and beverages.  The pizza is pretty good, but it is not worth the price + experience combination.  I'm happy to pay if something is worth it, but Antico Pizza is NOT worth it.  
Oh, and lets talk service.  The girl working the cash register was incredibly RUDE.  
I won't be going back.  Varasano's Pizzeria is a MUCH better alternative.
5 - Katie L.: As good as it gets. Taste the San Gennaro (spicy meat, sweet peppers, cipollini onions) and you'll see.

Authentic Neapolitan pizza, the best in town, in a BYOB restaurant with family-style seating. And by family style, I mean that there's a room full of school cafeteria tables if there's no space at the giant wooden table in the windowed entrance.

I took a date on my first visit of many, and we put our pizza on top of a pile of cardboard boxes while leaning on the wall and splitting a bottle of $10 wine. It was crowded and loud and joyful -- adult birthdays, families with kids, dates like mine. Always, the yelling of orders and the fun of watching people work those giant pizza ovens. A sink with plenty of soap for your wonderfully happy, greasy hands.
1 - Rachel H.: I don't understand what the hype is about.  One visit and I wanted to burn this place down I was so disappointed.  Pizza Napoletana is one of my favorite things to eat, and this place was supposed to be the best in town.  Our pie was still raw in the middle, and service was so scarce/rude that there was nothing we could do about it.  Gross.
1 - Cousin D.: Well, I tried this place for takout and the rude jerks (I mean girls) at the front are awful.
They decide to cut the pizza and the whole topping just pushed all the way to the side.  I asked for a new one and they said "it's pizza".  they then pushed it back over and made Globs of pizza toppings all over it.  How are you going to serve that to friends???

DONE!
5 - robyn p.: If you're looking for somewhere laid back, open seating and with delicious fresh food then this place is great choice! Went here last night for a friend's birthday - we got there at around 6:30 and all the tables were all already taken. We stood around and drank some wine waiting for a table to clear (BYOB). We eventually got a table to accommodate our group of 9. Our group had a lot of fun - this is a good place for groups. Definitely reminds me of Italy and Spain. We had the margherita, san gernard and diablo - all were delicious! I don't know why I hear a lot of people compare this place to Vesuvius - Antico is spot on.
5 - Rachel H.: This pizza is just as good, if not better, than any I've had in Italy or otherwise. Went here with my brother and we just dramatically stared at each other after stuffing our faces because we both knew how good the pizza was. One pie with artichoke, ham and mushroom and one pie with spicy sausage and peppers. No words were spoken at the table, we just ATE. I'm beyond satisfied because I didn't expect Antico to live up to the hype. We went early and there was no wait and our food came out in less than 5 minutes. 

Can't wait to break out the leftovers!
4 - Juan M.: Cha ching!
That's what I heard when I walked in here.
In addition to having the best pizza that I've had in this country, the concept is simple - if you want to come, have pizza, hang out, relax and linger over your food, you've come to the wrong place.
The business model is simple - make really good food, have a high rotation of your tables and get repeat customers.  I can't take my family here because of the gluten, but if I am with glutinous folks, I'll come by.

Note: he is exploring opening up additional space across the way where there was a food truck in a little plaza.

Oh, why not 5 stars?  Dunno - maybe it was the approach that I cite as an advantage above?  I guess I like going places where the experience is part of it, too?
5 - Anthony J.: This was the first stop on my "best pizza in Atlanta" tour.  I haven't gone anywhere else and have only though of returning for more.  I took my wife on a date night Friday.  The line was out the door.  She kind of gave me a look of "are you serious, we can go somewhere else".  I told her it's suppose to be the best.  We get to the counter and finally decide on the Capricciosa (wife pick).  And grab a few sodas.  Yeah, sodas.  I did not read anything about this place being BYOB.  I mean, that is a major miss by me.  We line up and wait about 15 minutes for a seat.  The wait is not so bad, you truly are jockeying for a spot.  We were 2 of 8 at this table.  It was hard to have one on one conversation over the music.  The pizza showed up and I attacked it.  I love the crust feel and overall great pizza.  So I suggest to go with your loud friends and BYOB.
5 - Adam G.: I'm usually a lengthy writer so I needed to eleborate on this one with some tips. 

Bring Alcohol - this is the one of the best parts about Antico. It makes for a cheap dinner when you add in you can bring your own booze.

Be Friendly - The best part about Antico is eating at the community tables with the loads of people. To get the full experience make an effort to chat to someone else besides those in your group. The atmosphere makes everyone more open and friendly.

The Best Pizza - I've had atleast five of their pizzas and the best one is Lasagna no lie. I thought my friend was an idiot at first when we got this pizza, and it was like god touched my toungue. The lumps of ricotta while kind of gross looking make the pizza extra heavenly.

This is a great date spot - Okay not for your romantic date spots, but its for that fun date. Everyone loves to have fun, and this would be a fun spot for a first date or seasoned vets like myself. Bring a bottle of wine for the extra fun!
1 - Naz K.: Great vibe and decent pizza, but 2 hours for a $25 pizza? Is atlanta this desperate for big city scenes? This would be a hole in the wall in Chicago, N.YC, L.A., etc. Crappy service and wait times. Would not recommend unless you are just simply people watching,..
4 - Alexander B.: Great Authentic Italian pizza, plus it is BYOB which saves a few bucks.  A great place to hang out with friends, just make sure and grab a table fast in the back!
4 - Demetria M.: I love Italian food but I can't claim to know authentic Italian pizza, however I do know when pizza is darn good and this is it ....at least the Margherita is.  I can't recall ever having a pizza that wasn't greasy, well this was juicy but definitely not greasy...yum!  There may be a line but they get the pizza out pretty quick........and it's byob.....what's not to love?  The service was great and so was the homemade desserts!  I can't crown them best pizza as there are just too many more to try!
5 - Xi L.: Hands down the best pizza in ATL.  Authentic Italian pizza. BYOB.

Be prepared for a long line especially evenings and weekends.

They'll take your order over the phone, but they won't start making it until you show up and check in at the counter.

Must-go if you're visiting town.
5 - Aaron A.: I really like this place for two great reasons; the delicious pizzas and the unique setting. 
The pizzas are a good value. Not cheap but consist of fresh ingredients and made to order. The speed as to which they are made is wonderful. We barely had to wait but several minutes before it was coming to us straight from the oven. 

Everyone packs into the seating here. You'll most likely be sitting elbow-to-elbow with who you're eating with or other parties. It's loud and very informal but fun to be apart of. You can bring your own outside drinks as well.
4 - Kelly M.: As another reviewer suggested:  Hands down the best pizza in ATL!!  My husband is from Italian family & descent, so he knows (and so do I after having eaten here many times)!  NEVER a disappointing pizza (even if the crust comes out looking slightly burnt, it still TASTES amazing)!.  Authentic and tasty, definitely!  And all those incredible (tho very hot) spicy little red peppers you can help yourself to at the counter while you wait...can't get enough of those!  

The only negative or frustrating things would be:

1) The extremely LOUD music playing, SO loud you can barely talk to others (or even hear your self think)!  FRUSTRATING!  Can't they turn it down a few notches - geez?!

2) The ATTITUDES and lack of quality, FRIENDLY Customer Service by both the gals at the front taking your order (well, most of them, not all of them).  Also/mainly the very arrogant, short-with-you owners if/when you must deal with them.

3)  Having to (sometimes, not always) fight for a table (or for several spots at a table).  Like someone else mentioned, it's almost like an Olympic Sport trying to fight for a spot to sit (depending on day of week or time of day/night you decide to go).  Hint:  Go on Sunday thru Wed/Thurs. for dinner / not too crowded, or during lunch time most days.  Worst days/times to go are Fri. & Sat. nites during dinner time (or go early, or very late, to easily get seated).

Whatever the case, DO try this place at least once.  You shouldn't be too disappointed by the PIZZA at least (maybe just everything else).  The house itself is quaint and fun, tho crowded most of the time.  Good luck, and enjoy!
5 - Kevin S.: Best pizza in the world.  IN. THE. F-ING. WORLD.
1 - Diane B.: Our first experience at this place a year ago was just so so. We decided to give it another chance on a Sat for an early lunch.  Their website says they open at 11:30  am on Saturdays.  We show up today at 11:30 am and there are several other people standing outside.  We look on the door and it says they don't open until noon.  Two of the men in front of us said they went in because the door was open and they were told they "need to wait outside."  It's a cold, breezy day here and ridiculous that they would expect us to wait outside.  I went in and nicely said to the girl behind the counter "hi, your website says you open at 11:30."  She rudely said "it's wrong." And then she turned away.  I hated their attitude on our first visit and this just confirms that I will NEVER go back there.  I don't care how good the food is, if you are going to treat your customers like crap I will go elsewhere. She could have just said "I am sorry the website is wrong, but you are welcome to come inside and wait until we open, since it's so cold outside."  Then I would have waited.  Instead we went to Fritti which has the nicest staff and amazing pizza.
5 - Treasure A.: I'm eating a slice as I write this now. Other pizza doesn't even taste the same. I will never look at Domino's or Papa John's in the same light. 

I first had the San Gennaro, which my roommate brought home, and it instantly made me feel so much better. Literally, changed my whole day. I was in a funk, but I felt so much better! I eat beef sparingly, but my roommate said I had to try the sausage or it wouldn't be the same experience. She was right! I only ate one but I wanted more! Unfortunately, I have trained myself to not like beef.

I loved the sweet with a little hint of spicy taste. And, it was so savory. You could still taste it well after you had a slice.

We went again yesterday, on Saturday, at 2PM. I had the margharita with the peppers. It wasn't as good as the San Gennaro, but it's really good cold. I had the spicy peppers, but they weren't that spicy to me. Hey, I love cold pizza and really spicy food. 

The waitresses were okay. I wasn't really worried about service because I was hungry. I think the only thing I didn't like was that the music was so loud. If it was any lower though, since the seating is so close, you would probably be able to hear every word of your neighbor's conversation. 

I probably would have liked to stay longer, but I couldn't stand the music. Still 5 stars because this pizza is giving me life right now.
4 - Richard R.: Today I am filled with gratitude for my Yelp family. My wife and I went on a total pig-out of places we've heard many good things about from fellow Yelpers. We started with Small Cakes, then Cami Cakes, and on our third stop we checked into Antico. I WANT TO BE BLUNT HERE. I have NEVER trusted a Southerner to give me any advice on pizza!!! Not to sound arrogant, but I'm a Chicagoan and think the world revolves around Chicago Pizza. If aliens came down to destroy the Earth, I'm am certain they would save Chicago pizzeria's. But today I must eat all the words I have ever uttered about Atlanta pizza, because it was a banner day!!! TODAY, I fell in love with a pizza that is not from Chicago, but from right here in the deep south. 

I can't rave enough about the entire experience. We got there @ noon, so parking (although pretty full) was still available. Walking in I got the sense immediately of this place being a great gathering spot for friends. The ladies behind the registers were so cute (ooops I meant to say friendly) and patient with us as we didn't know exactly what to order. They recommended the SAN GENNARO but also informed us (after hearing our conversation) they do not allow half & half pizzas, which created a dilemma. You see, my wife doesn't like meat on her pizza and didn't want even the hint of meat flavor, but these pizzas are way to big for just one person. So after a few minutes of careful negotiations we agreed to try it and I would make the ultimate sacrifice of eating ALL of this delicious sausage off her half. We pay for our order and look to find a table. We settled at the large table closest to the cashiers not realizing there was another dining space just behind the wall (duh). Soon after we sat down we heard our number being called and our order arrived. I don't even think 8 minutes had passed. They bring it to your table on a metal cookie tray, with no plate (which I thought was very cool). Can I say how much I loved the Sinatra-type music playing and the down to earth decor!!! It has such a good vibe here.

Now for the pizza: From the pictures on Yelp, I was not impressed with the crust because MOST of them looked burnt to me. But our pizza came out perfectly cooked with just the smallest hint of charing, which made me very happy. Then we got a chance to taste... MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!! LOVE IT. The cheese, sauce and sausage were everything I was hoping for in a pizza... but the big and most pleasant surprise came after biting into the sweet (but HOT) red peppers. What a great topping, it totally took this pie to another level for me. There is no doubt Chicago Pizza is still my favorite, but this is the best pizza outside of Chicago I have tasted anywhere. I don't wanna go all Gun-ho in my ratings, so I will need to check-in once more to verify this from a 4 to a 5. But I have FINALLY found a pizza I love in Atlanta. Thanks Adam G & Addy C for the recommendation!!! 


PS
Our final stop was the Crazy Cuban... but that's another review :-)
5 - Lora L.: Best. Pizza. Ever.  Simple, flavorful, bubbly salty crust slightly charred...  Get the Pomodorini or the spicy meat one (can't remember the name).  Bring your own beer or wine to drink and enjoy!  This is the kind of neighborhood gem that makes me glad to be in Atlanta...  I like to take out of towners here because seriously, you'd never think pizza this perfect would be here but so glad it is!!!
1 - Andrew G.: I pretty much second everyone's reviews on how great the pizza is. However, the service at this place SUCKS. The girls at the front counter are so rude. After they hung up on me once while I was trying to order, they kept putting me off for "10 minutes", even after I had spoken with the owner or manager about us ordering from there in the future. Giuseppe was extremely rude on the phone, to the point where I ended up just cancelling my order. The pizza is phenomenal, but there are many days where it's just not worth dealing with uppity pizza nazi's to eat it.
3 - SS H.: Meh. The pizzas are pretty good.  However, I do prefer Varasano's by a large margin.  sometimes I wonder of people who like this place has ever been to Varasano's.  The atmospheres here is, well,lively.  If you want to sit at a large communal table shouting at your companions in order to hear each other, then I guess this place is fine.  But if you just want a nice, comfortable dining experience, where you can relax and leisurely enjoy your food, then this is not the place.
5 - Jacky F.: Oh my Goodness!! From the outside you might be deceived but once you step out of the car you can smell the deliciousness going on inside.   Pizza and Calzones are amazing.  It's communal dining so be prepared to share a table but not to worry everyone is super friendly. We ended up sharing pizza with our neighbors.  Ovens and ingredients straight from Italy. You can't go wrong here.  FYI, take your own adult beverages. They only sell soft drinks.
4 - Amy C.: MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, this pizzeria is probably the closest thing to tasting how a real Italian would make a pizza in Italy. Any and all of their pizzas are fantastic--as a matter of fact, I promise if you closed your eyes and randomly chose based on "eeny meeny miney mo" and went with the pizza that "mo" landed on, you'll leave quite satisfied. That being said, it is a fairly small restaurant with no A/C, first come first grab seating, and noise so loud, you can barely hear yourself think. Thus, I recommend take-out; as a result, you can enjoy this delicious creation in the comforts of your own home, sneak it into the theater, chow it down on your way home, or take it to Piedmont for the perfect sunset dinner!
5 - Sara J.: BEST PIZZA ever!!!  Most authentic pizza you will get outside of Naples. Crust is perfectly charred...and the simple toppings of fresh basil, san marzano tomatos and buffalo mozz make this the quintessential  Neapolitan pizza.
5 - Joe K.: Amazing.  I do have to say it was hyped up pretty high, and it lived up to the standards.  I've tried other pizzas around Atlanta and they've been good and Antico steps up their game.

Parking is always tough, small lot out front and small lot to the side and back.  Otherwise you'll have to park in the Home Park area, which can be shady late at night, so watch out for that.

The food itself is excellent.  The pizzas are relatively large, one can feed two folks.  The inside has great ambiance, although you'll probably be sitting with other folks, as it is picnic style seating.  The main room showcases it's three ovens brought over straight from Italy.  Bettet yet, it's BYOB or BYOW, so it's a great place to bring over the red and eat some slices.  The air conditioning I believe in non existent, so if you bring a date during the summer, make sure you throw on the deoderant or else you'll be sweating like Patrick Ewing in the 1st.

Overall, one of ATL's best.
4 - Diana L.: I think I go here several times a month... 

Here's my order of pizzas, dependent on how many people I bring in tow: 
- pomodorini
- san gennaro
- diavolo

Love those little red peppers you get at the side bar. And, love heaping on the raw garlic. My coworkers can smell me before they see me. Muhahahaha!
5 - Jon W.: Well, I love going to Antico pizza any night of the week. I love the atmosphere here and enjoy the fact you have to sit by strangers while you are eating their delicious pizza and downing the beer, wine, or liquor you brought yourself. 

My Italian friend who is an exchange student from Italy in MBA program at GSU swears by this place and says it is the tastiest pizza in Atlanta... she can't be wrong, right?
5 - Lucas D.: I've always taken my pies to go, but plan on doing the B.Y.O.B. with the family soon. My 4 year called it "Magic Pizza". Yes honey it is magic. We had pizza from somewhere else, and she refused to eat it 2 days ago, saying "i want the magic pizza dad." I'm sorry I failed her, it will never happen again. Go here now, and often
5 - Andrew S.: Context: I've had pizza all over the world and never had one I didn't like. That said, I've give Pizza Hut a 2.5-3 and a Domino's a 2. Ha!

Antico, however, is up there with the best in Naples and New York City. 

Food: Best pizza in Atlanta, hands down
Atmosphere: Unique, communal, loud, casual
Service: Below average
5 - Wayne W.: Yes, everything is imported from Italy, even the flour (so I've heard).  And I don't care if that's why everything is delicious but it is. 

They have these great hot peppers in olive oil that are just a bit spicy but not too much so and a bit sweet.  

And the seating area is basically in the kitchen which is very neat.  Last time we were there they were showing off the new Bose iPod dock and playing some great music (a mix of old world and pop), while the owner and his son demonstrated their pizza dough tossing skills.  

Very tasty pizza, fresh and real-tasting ingredients.  Doesn't get better than this for pizza that's different and amazing.
5 - Stephanie E.: Thank you Antico for bringing Italy to the U.S. in true style. Must visit.
4 - Pavan B.: I havent had a better Pizza than this ....everything is great @ just wish they had some Service
3 - Juichia C.: It's okay. If you've ever had Lombardi's in NYC, this is just okay. I didn't like the canolis. The pudding was pretty good though! Ingredients are fresh, they feature a thinner crust than usual. The dough is nice and chewy.
5 - Sarah T.: The best pizza I've had in a LONG time, maybe EVER! 
How did I not realize this place existed until this past Thursday!??!?!?!? 

We lucked out & found a parking spot right next to Antico. The popularity of this place + a super small parking lot = patience & some comfy shoes. 
Met a hand-full of friends at Antico to celebrate a birthday; it is the birthday boy's favorite spot. We had heard it was BYOB so we arrived with a 6-pack & broke them open as we waited in line. It was super crowded, but everyone seemed joyous as they drank their own beers or shared wine. You can get soda or an expensive glass bottle of water or just get a glass & refill at the faucet. Very ruggid. I liked it. 

You eat IN the kitchen. Yeah IN the kitchen. It's awesome to see the cooks at work, throwing the dough, creating their masterpieces. Now there's like three LONG tables & some highboys + a big square table near the ordering counter. All of this seating is free-for-all. So, you have to carefully examine the entire room, stalk your perspective seating, then hover, before pouncing. I ended-up making friends with my prey before pouncing; so it made what could've been confrontational, a very smooth & fun process. 

The best part about this place is the pizza. OMFG. 
Since there was 8 of us, we ordered 4 pies. They are HUGE & may have been one too many for our group BUT surprisingly every last slice was eaten. Granted we all stuffed ourselves. My two favorites San Gennard and Lasagna; but I don't really think you can go wrong. My husband & I actually fought over the crust. 

If you're in a hurry or claustrophobic or in a bad mood; get yours to-go. Just don't ever let anything stop you from this super delicious pizza.
5 - Lynette S.: Yup...this is some good pizza! I am always looking for the best pizza wherever i go. I found this restaurant on yelp, called in an order on my way out of town. Good thing I did because this place was packed on that Wed night. A lot of people were bringing in their own wine which looked fun. The wait is pretty long, menu is pretty much pizza only. Which is fine, because it's delicious!!
3 - Dustin W.: I've been wanting to visit Antico for a while since I moved out of midtown I don't venture to the area often. The first I tried to visit unbeknownst to myself I didn't realize they had seating in back where they prepare the pizza. 

This round was different I knew where to sit ! From ordering to sitting the pizza was on the table in 15 mins or so which was nice. I kept it simple and ordered a pepperoni pizza which had some nice burnt edges around the corner quite good. A few of my complaints; the loud annoying music, and the price point it's a little high in my opinion. All these things won't keep me from coming back but next time I'm bringing wine and ear plugs.
5 - Matthew L.: Freshest most authentic Neapolitan style pizza you'll find.  Antico has brought Naples to Atlanta--literally.  The ingredients apparently come right from the motherland.  If you've always claimed to love "pizza" having grown up on Pizza Hut and the like, you're in for a shock.  The real thing tastes, well--different.  The components are simple yet so flavorful.  Instead of processed cheese and meat you'll taste olive oil, fresh tomatoes, basil and garlic.  Probably not what little Johnny and his cheese-pizza-loving friends are used to.  Bring your own six pack and be prepared to stand, squat, bend or cram at a picnic table.  That's if there's even room!  A real treat for those seeking an authentic experience.
5 - Leiana J.: Antico has some of the best pizza in town. It's also got a unique style that makes dining an experience, rather than just a necessity. 
their seating us not "comfortable," but it gives you the feeling that you are sitting in the kitchen, as you watch the pizzas being made. There are few pizza shops where you can still see your pizza dough being tossed!
Best part is that it's BYOB (so bring a cooler and have a picnic!). This always saves us money (so you can indulge in their cannoli's and gelato, yeah!).
5 - Robin F.: Amazing and so happy our friends took us here when we were in town visiting.  Be prepared though, there can be a wait, but it's worth it - so bring some wine/beer and patience.

Authentic and delicious - we had the lasagna (basically meatball pizza with some ricotta added) and the margherita pizza.  I can't say enough except by saying I think I gobbled down 5 slices and couldn't stop thinking about it the next day.

The desserts are pretty solid as well, we tried the cannoli and tiramisu- both tasty.

Antico Pizza why weren't you open when we lived in Atlanta :)
5 - Mister A.: If you do not like the pizza here,  you will not like the pizza in Italy either.


I had the pleasure of eating here shortly after a trip to Italy and without question, this is as close to authentic Italian pizza as you will find in the US. Other than that, there's not much to add that hasn't already been said, except:

Yes, it is as good as the reviews say. 

Yes, it can be difficult to find a table during peak times. 

As with any restaurant, there will be times when the management and staff do not give the customer service they should. 

But it is worth your time to try this place if you are craving authentic Italian pizza.
5 - Kristen M.: Best pizza I have ever had anywhere.  It shouldn't even be called pizza, it should have a food category all its own.  If you go for lunch, get there at 11:15 and you'll be first in line when they open at 11:30...and there is always a line.  Would recommend the San Genaro for your first time, the Pomodorini if you're getting 2 pizzas.  Would recommend 2 ppl per pizza --- very reasonable price for the pizzas $20-$24.  Go there!
5 - Santiago S.: Best pizza I've had in my life. Let me repeat that, in my life. 

I have been to Italy, more specifically, to Naples with a really knowledgeable local who gave me what he considered to be really great pizza. And it was, it was great. But so is Antico. 

I always order the Vesuvius calzone and I have bribed one of the girls who cleans the tables to bring me extra sauce. You NEED that extra sauce. It's imperative.

This place is just perfect. You order from a small, but solid menu. You can't change the ingredients (this isn't dominos). You pay for the pizza, then you pick it up in the back where the ovens and most of the communal tables are. You can B.Y.O.Booze. You don't have to tip a waitress for essentially bringing you a tray. 

Small tangent. It sends me through the roof when I have to pay 15 dollars for a mediocre plate of food because of the "convenience" of having waiters. Nothing against waiters. I love tipping good service, but I hate paying for an unnecessary convenience. 

In any case, this place just pushes all my good buttons. My parents lived in Italy for 3 years and my mom is a phenomenal cook: they wholeheartedly agree that this place is as good as it gets.

Oh yeah, the canolis. Unreal. They pipe the mascarpone when you order it. They get it (never, ever order a canoli that has been pre-filled, unless you like soggy canoli). Get the pistachio, not too sweet, just right.

Man I want Antico right now.
5 - Alex D.: Best Pizza in the world. Order the Diavola if you dont mind spicy peppers and delicious cured meats on your pizza.

This place is BYOB and seating most of the times is impossible especially on a friday and saturday.
4 - Annie T.: Definitely one of the best pizza places I've eaten. 
The atmosphere is great.
The people there are really cool.
5 - Jessica T.: Best. Pizza. Ever.
5 - Dante B.: Lives up to the hype. I have had the pizza in the dining room and carried out. Consistently good, great quality ingredients. Stop by and be sure to BYOB. Be in a mood to enjoy close company!
4 - Izzat A.: This place is pretty good. It only has a few options but what they do, they do well. I wish they had chicken instead of almost all pork. Me and a friend got the vegtable pizza and it was good. This might be the most authentic pizza I've ever had. A pie is $18 but they are huge. Me and my frend were barely able to finish it. Crust is very good. We got some canollis and they were pretty decent. I'd recommend this place to try for sure.
5 - Erich C.: Thank you for having a pizza that finally reminds me of pizza in New York! I ate an entire pie by myself and thought I was going to die but die happy for certain. The toppings are authentic and so full of flavor and each pizza is so incredibly good. I can't gush enough about these pies!
2 - Ira M.: Will I come back? Hell-to-the-N-O.  Complete ripoff.
5 - Yasmin L.: Having visited Italy several times and a resident New Yorker Transplant- this is the best you are going to get in ATL! fresh ingredients- awesome sauce!

definately a visit is waranted- you get quality for the price and its worth every last calorie!
5 - Belle E.: I travel to Italy frequently. I have never tasted pizza this good. The pizza at Antico has put me off all other Atlanta pizzarias. Since my first visit to Antico Pizza (a year ago) I have refused to eat pizza elsewhere. It is hands down The Best.
4 - Rob P.: Really good pizza.  Wouldn't say the best I've ever had.
3 - David M.: The pizza was great, but having to stand while eating reduces this rating.  The staff did nothing to encourage those who had finished eating to make room for those whose pizza had arrived.
1 - Emily L.: Wow!!!! Not a good wow either! This place was CRAZY packed when I came to pick up my order! I had called ahead because I knew that it would be busy there so I figure if I ordered to go it would be quicker! Nope! I was wrong!!!!!!! It took the same amount of  time as if I had came to order inside of the restaraunt. I came on a friday evening after work and it was really crowded in there. I kind of felt like I was in the club! I mean I literally had to push my way through to get my order when it was done. The line was backed up from front the entrance! I thought it was weird that I called to order and they gave me a number to give to them when I get there so that they would know what my order was. I didn't see the point of that because they cooked my order when I finally got to the register to pay. Wth!!!! The pizza was ok! Not really worth standing there forever and dealing with the noise and craziness. Not really sure if I would go back but my hubby seems to really like the pizza!
5 - Frank B.: Great pizza and even better atmosphere- communal style seating with a open kitchen. and its byob- even better
5 - Drew V.: Best pizza in Atlanta, hands down. We took others advice and went around 4 PM to beat the crowd. Still a decent crowd there. We enjoyed the atmosphere and food. Would have been nice to know it is BYOB but we will definitely be returning.

I rarely give a 5 star review but Antico deserves it. Do yourself a favor and go and try their authentic pizza.
5 - Kelly C.: Great, from the pizza to the atmosphere. They added more seats since my last visit & my out of town guests loved it, not a place to linger as seats are limited, so everyone pays it forward in kind.
5 - Jen C.: Small Italian pizzeria serving up the best handmade pizza and cannolis in the ATL.  Pizza is freshly made with all the best ingredients.  In the back room you can see the chefs slicing the sweet peppers, rolling the dough, picking the basil, you name it.  The pizza is also the perfect balance between soft and chewy yet crispy.  We had the San Gennaro and it was out of this world.  Sausage was tasty and flavorful, peppers were bursting with flavor, bufala you could only imagine. Since the pizza is so fresh, you don't feel stuffed and bloated when you're done with it.  They don't serve beer or wine but I've heard you can bring them in, not sure about the corkage fee though.  And the cannolis - you can't leave without trying one.  We bought the vanilla with chocolate chip, pistachio, and chocolate.  Chocolate was too rich; pistachio was very good but I think the chocolate chip was my favorite.   Wish I had an Antico in DC!
5 - Marc K.: Best pizza I've ever had. As good as it gets. What more can I say? Only problem is that a lot of other people know it, too, and the crowds on the weekends are crazy. Go early in the week unless you don't mind standing and eating.
4 - Asim K.: love this place, love the bianca, love the cannolis. i just wish they sold by the slice.
3 - sK B.: My overall impression: Meh for pizza, the cannolis are great though.  It is better than crap pizza (Little Caesar's & Papa John's) by far, but I am not really impressed.  

I have eaten at Antico twice and tried 3 different pizzas.  All the pizzas have similar qualities.  First, the ingredients are top notch and full of flavor.  2nd, the crust's underwhelming, cardboard-y flavor is completely subdued by the fact that is burnt and blackened everywhere.  So the crust ends up tasting like the smoke of wood chips.  This would be OK if the pizza wasn't 80% crust by volume.  If I could scrape the toppings on practically any other pizza crust, it would make a mighty fine pizza.  

I would eat there again if I had a pizza craving, but I wouldn't take anyone there to impress them.  Definitely try the cannolis though.
4 - Ron R.: Awesome pizza had 2 pizzas and beer...delic... probably the best pizza in Atl
5 - Tom B.: OK this place is the absolute best pizza on the planet west of Naples Italy, Its got all the love and charm of Italy and they play Italian music on the radio. Now you dont get to substitute any toppings, you order it the way they make it. Trust me, trust them they know what they are doing and if you have an issue like that like my friend Charlie Rigby does, I will tel you the same thing, get over it and go with the flow. 

I love the fact that you can bring you own vino or bubbly, they have no liquor licence, but who cares. I prefer a dry prosecco and so did my date. She had never been and all though we had to stand. She loved it. Gessepie even snuck me some anchovies. Let me tell you these are like nothing you have her had before in you life. So if your in midtown go get you some great pizza, but get there early cause it gets slammed and once they are out of dough, its bye bye il mio amore. I feel so inspired here is my review in Italian.


Clic su OK questo posto è la pizza migliore in assoluto sul pianeta ovest di Napoli Italia, il suo ha tutto l'amore e il fascino di Italia e suonano musica italiana alla radio. Ora tu non arriva a sostituire qualsiasi guarnizioni, si ordina il loro modo di farcela. Fidati di me, di loro fiducia sanno cosa stanno facendo e se avete un problema come quello come il mio amico Charlie Rigby fa, io tel voi la stessa cosa, passarci sopra e andare con il flusso.

Mi piace il fatto che si può portare solo o vino frizzante, non hanno licenza per gli alcolici, ma che importa. Io preferisco un prosecco a secco e così ha fatto la mia data. Non era mai stata e tutti anche se abbiamo dovuto stare in piedi. Lei lo amava. Gessepie anche me furtivamente alcune acciughe. Lasciate che vi dica queste sono come nulla avete avuta prima in voi la vita. Quindi se il vostro nel centro di andare a prendere qualche pizza, ma arrivare presto causa diventa sbattuto e una volta che sono fuori di pasta, il suo bye bye il mio amore.
5 - Juliet C.: Most delicious pizza ever. Period.
4 - Stephanie T.: This was our date night plan: Pick up a pizza at Antico and eat at Piedmont Park.

Parking isn't the best- we decided to park in a neighborhood nearby and walked. A little walking never hurts, but plan accordingly if you have different needs. Going with a group to eat in could be tough- probably better off choosing one person to pick up the pizza(s) and eat elsewhere?

We walked in and it was pretty packed. They have a giant family style table where you can eat your pizza and meet other people. Oh and it's BYOB- pretty neat! The canollis looked very appetizing, but we decided just a lasagna pizza would be enough for the two of us, so we got that to go (took 10-15 min) and left.  

Goodness gracious. Our date plan didn't quite go as planned.. we didn't make it to the park, which is 5-10 min away. We couldn't take being in a car with that cruel, cruel smell and ended up pulling over and tore into our pizza. Toppings were top notch. Fresh cheese, delicious meat, perfect sauce, all in the right proportion and well-distributed on top. On top of a disappointing, mediocre crust though.. Sad. 

I can see the possibility of some people getting a little peeved by the pretentious pizza names or not knowing what certain ingredients are. Maybe to control their clientele? Not sure. 

Overall, this place has an interesting atmosphere- kinda yuppy. Unbelievable pizza topping quality with a mismatched crust. Was expecting better considering the price, but oh well. Still had a delicious pizza dinner!
4 - Sarita S.: The only thing that made this place 4/5 stars instead of a 5/5 is the atmosphere...it's not really my style, but the food is beyond excellent. I've never been to Italy, but I imagine that Antico is as close as it gets to authentic. Give it a try!
5 - Ashley W.: The pizza was awesome! OMG!! Can I say heaven in my mouth. Yumm!!!! I hated that it was so crowded, but everyone was so friendly so it did make the experience that much more better. My friend and I got the margarita pizza. Next time we'll try the white pizza and it's BYOB!!! Score.
5 - Vladimir K.: Wow!!!  Fun atmosphere with great pizza.  BYOB.  Desserts are worth every calorie.  Seating is first come first serve and not intimate.  That is not why you come here.  This is the real deal.
5 - Cristina S.: This restaurant needs little introduction. 

Well-known as the pizzeria that uses the highest of quality ingredients and baked in its one-of-a-kind ovens, this place is the "it" place when you're craving a healthy dosage of Italian pizza.

And how can you not love a BYOB place.
5 - Paul S.: Year and a half later from my first visit and nothing has changed.  Antico's is still the best pizza in Atlanta.  It's great that other than the aesthetics improving, the pizza is just the same.  The food here is simply amazing.  

Definitely one my favorite restaurants in the city!
5 - Cristal W.: My absolute favorite pizza place. So much better than the chains--authentic sauce, thin light dough, cheese that doesn't taste like rubber and I don't leave feeling weighed down & miserable like when you eat at other places. The downside-pizza here is pricey, no splitting toppings on pies, seating can be tight. BYOB is cool, so at least you can enjoy beer or wine that you like.
5 - J A.: With closed eyes, it would seem a boisterous crowd, a happy family, that inhabits this over-sized pizza kitchen amidst enormous wooden tables (shared by several), sacks of soft, powdery flour, cans of positively delicious tomatoes, boxes, odds, and ends. 

There is a low counter to one end, and behind this, the enviable hands of an elite pizza chef crew manufacture magic. The mouth waters after an order, and in this space, both driven by a ravenous tummy at the sight of the prodigious pies, and by an eagerness for just the tiniest slab to rest one's bottom on at the sight of a rare square inch in a tightly packed, dedicated crowd. 

Every so often, negotiating the aisles, a pizza travels on a large, rectangular metal plate accoutered with the optimum embellishments (such as cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil). It is light, thin, malleable, and slightly charred by the logs upon logs of glowing wood that have laid claim to the ovens in the corner. Fresh, delicious and distinctly Italian, every bite (including those that result in a cherry tomato bursting to engulf all else in your mouth with its warmth) is remarkably satisfying. 

The word on the street is that it is best enjoyed with company, a wonderful full-bodied red wine (brought by you, reader), periodic groans of pleasure and much laughter. 

Jolly.
5 - Kevin H.: Ridiculously good pizza.

The environment is really neat as well. You walk in and order your pizza at the counter. Then you get a ticket and take a seat on long, elevated bar-style tables. You'll be sitting community style with other people. It's actually an open area kitchen / dining room combo. There are no counters separating the dining area from the pizza ovens and area where the chefs work.

Your pizza is brought out to you on a big cookie sheet, and everyone eats off the cookie sheet. It really is cooked to perfection.

We went there for lunch during the middle of the week. I cannot imagine how crowded this place must get on weekends, but it was amazing during the week. Highly recommended!!
2 - Emily G.: Dear Antico,

You broke my heart. Not the douchey-hot guy heart-break, the wine and dine, make me feel special and then kick me when i'm down sort of heart break, the worst there is.

I've come here so many times and given you countless 4 and 5 star reviews. I spent my birthday here and recommended you to more people than I know. I loved you. I even corrected all the countless people that whined about the crowded area, the seating and the paper utensils. I was defending you!!

Then, one day, I come here on a regular busy day with my family from Peru. After not finding any seating, I approach the owner (Gisseppe) and ask him if I could use his empty dough room for my party of 7. He happily says 'yes' and congratulates me on my graduation. What an awesome man, he just saved my ass big time.

As my party is seating down, someone who looks like Giseppe's douchey relative tells me that he has to sit 3 "very important people". "well, I have 7 people in  this room." i say, and so he leaves. As my party is eating, the dude sends a server to our room and asks us "how much longer are you guys goinjg to be here?" well, since we just got our pizzas, we say "i dont know, why".  She then continues that this room is reserved and we need to leave soon. I explain to her that Giseppe, the OWNER, gave me this room, and that I am not leaving until we finish eating, because there is no other place to sit. She leaves fuming.

Douchey dude returns once again, this time pretending like we are actually welcome (no dude, the damage is already done with the server that you sent to our table). He is now asking us about our food and approaching my mom, who doesn't know a spec about pop culture and telling her, "you know who was in this room last week? Jay Z, last month? Jennifer Aniston, Mariah Carey, this place is for very important people". He sees how much pizza we are eating, and leaves.

Returns once again, this time we are pretty much finished and then he continues to say "this room is reserved for very importtant people, so thanks for understanding and leaving". We are basically kicked out as soon as we swallow the last bite of pizza. Hey, remember when Antico was all about hanging out and drinking without any pressure from servers or management? No? Yeah, me neither.

My party is horrified, my boyfriend is annoyed and I am completely embarrased and heart broken. How could they have been so utterly rude? If the owner says something, the staff should not do the opposite thing, did they forget about customer service? 

The way to my heart is food, and you Antico, have broken it.
5 - Emily W.: went here for lunch today with some co-workers..we got there before noon and it was already packed out. you order from the counter where they give you a number and then find your seat. luckily we were able to squeeze into a table with 4 seats open. the seating are long picnic tables where you are forced to get close with complete strangers so if you aren't into that thing, get it to-go. it's also BYO, so feel free to bring a bottle of wine or beer into the place. they sell pizzas and they sell them fast! we ordered and in 5-7 mins. both our pizzas were brought to us on a large cookie sheet where you eat your pizza from...there are no plates, just brown paper towel rolls on the tables and plastic ware if you don't want to eat it with your hands. it's pretty noisy with the mix of music and kitchen noise. you're literally sitting in the kitchen watching them making the pizzas and toss them into the wood fire ovens. it's quite a site to see! would definitely return and this time i would get a cannoli as well.
4 - Christine K.: EDIT

So as I mentioned previously, I've had Antico Pizza before, but I've never had the full experience of actually going to the restaurant. Well, I finally hit it up with my boyfriend and thoroughly enjoyed the pizza AND the experience.

We got there right before the dinner rush so the wait to order was not bad at all. We ordered a Diavola. This one has pepperoni and some sort of small spicy red chili peppers. All the pizzas come in one size so no need to decide how much you can eat. :) They wrote a number on your receipt and later, they'll find you based on that number. The seating is done in a communal way. The have a couple of bar like seating and a couple of large cafeteria style seating. I found this really great since it meant you ended up fraternizing with complete strangers! Also, some of the seating is right in the kitchen and you can see them actually making the pizza! We had been sitting for no more than 10 minutes when our pizza came out. It was pretty spicy to me, but that didn't stop me from dousing it with hot pepper flakes.  My boyfriend and I absolutely loved the pizza and the experience. The people sitting near us had the San Janero. I've had that one before and it is absolutely my favorite.

Here are some facts to keep in mind when coming to Antico Pizza...

- The pizza here is a lot more Italian. By this, I mean the crust is fairly thin and it isn't doused with mozzarella. It is nothing like the pizza you would expect from Mellow Mushroom.
- Parking is very limited. There are free lots near there and most people just end up parking on the street.
- Normally, the wait to order is crazy.
- There is limited seating and it is first come first serve.
- Air conditioning isn't that great and can get pretty hot during the summer times.
- They ask you not to bring in outside drinks, but pretty much everyone seemed to have sneaked in beer and bottles of wine.
- They also have cannolis that are made on site.
________________________________________________________________
This is one of the best places for pizza.

Papa Johns is still my favorite Pizza Chain, but for that special pizza occasion, I would definitely recommend Antico.

My company sometimes treats us with Antico Pizza now and then. I haven't come across one that I haven't liked. There are so many topping combinations. You'll be sure to find something you like. I am not a big cheese person, so I really appreciate them not overdoing the cheese.
5 - Kelly T.: Sometimes I think of moving to Atlanta so I can eat this pizza more often. I am normally a 2-3 slice kind of gal when a pizza is set in front of me. 

I was a 7 (yes, SEVEN) slice eater when three of the pizzas here were set in front of me on a recent trip to Atlanta to visit family.

There were ingedients on some of the pizzas that I am just not normally fond of, but for some reason with all the other ingedients and the sauce and the dough, they were yummy in my tummy.

We went at around 3 in the afternoon and the place was dead. I hear it gets crazy at night and lunchtime, but 3 in the afternoon was awesome! We sat in the back room where you can see them making the pizza and it came out super fast which was good because I was so hungry. 

I think I pushed my stomach to it's limits this day, but I would do it again and again and again. Maybe 8 slices next time! 

Oh and even after my stomach was saying "no more!",  I managed to take in a DELICIOUS cannoli made fresh right in front of my eyes.
4 - Eric Douglas S.: What a cool spot and a killer pie! I visited with some great friends last night for the first time and I am not a novice pizza eater, I have had some of the best! Antico will slide in to one of the top spots on my list of best pizzas. As for the restaurant, I loved it. I love how it's seat yourself, cram in, get in where you can, or stand, eat, and deal with it. 

I was with 8 people and we were fortunate enough to find a great spot after hawk-eyeing the room for a good 15 minutes, and just in time, our pie was whipped up pretty quickly. There was a good vibe in this place, happy people, good music, and great pizza, it's a done deal.

Cannot forget to mention it's BYBO, which is always fun. No cork fee, no overpriced booze, just walk in, grab a pie, pop a bottle or bottles, and enjoy. Of course there are a few things that I could imagine making this place slightly better, paper plates being one. But it seems like they've got it going on, so what's the use in changing anything now? Rock on Antico!
3 - K B.: Cool little place, though the bench seating arrangements make it hard to have an intimate meal. Pizza is quite good, food came out super quick. Strange mix of music. Pizza a little too crusty and the crust wasn't outstanding.
2 - Alice J.: Love the pizza and the ambiance. But the cokes are way over-priced and the front of house staff are real BITCHES. Crack a smile. You work with people. It wasn't even busy. I made a special trip to bring a soldier home from Afghanistan to show him this cool pizza place, and the lady at the register couldn't have been more rude. It's pizza. Your staff is killing your vibe. No need to go back.
5 - Iza P.: As a NYC transplant, this pizza is as good as it gets.

While living in New York, I was never a pizza snob.  I mean, I still ordered thin crust pizza from Domino's and would get a personal pan supreme pizza from Pizza Hut (via Target), whenever I had a craving.  So moving down to Atlanta, I was okay with these franchises as my pizza places of choice.  Until I discovered Antico's.

The pizza is always warm (particularly if you pick-up), the cheese nice and creamy, and there is just something about their sauce.  If you're looking for some real good (New York-kind of pizza) Antico is your spot.  Oh yeah, if you're also looking for good wood-fired pizza, Antico is it as well ;-)

Parking is tricky = hard.  Especially from Thursday-Saturday night.  They usually have a cop outside to help direct traffic....which is why I usually do pick-up.  A note about pick-up...apparently you can just walk straight up to the next available register.  They don't make your pizza until you pay for it, so I guess this is the courtesy they extend to you for calling in.

If you didn't call in beforehand or are dining in, you have to wait in the cashier line to order.  (Those dining in would head to the main dining area to stand in another line until their number is call.  It's at that point you can go get a table/seat.  And FYI, the tables are set-up picnic style, so you might end up sharing a space with another party).

I've tried the margherita pizza (my favorite) and the one with mushrooms and artichokes and pepperoni, which is also a good choice.  One thing I don't really recommend is the dessert.  They seem more sour than sweet, and this also goes for the tiramisu and cannolis.  Stick to what they do best...pizza.

If there was anything else I would recommend (aside from better desserts), is a smile on some of the cashier's faces.  Although most of the times I've been there they were nice, don't be alarmed or caught of guard if you experience "the mean girl".  Maybe it's a language barrier or something, but this is also why I don't mind/prefer take-out than dine in.  Oh yeah, and it would be great if they do a pay-per-slice thing.  I guess it might take away from the freshness of their pizza, but this is definitely one thing I miss about New York "style" pizza.
5 - Stephany V.: Having eaten pizza all over Italy, I find Antico's to be the closest thing to real Italian pizza in the US thus far. There is nothing but goodness here, although parking is a pain in the arse on weekend nights. Bring your favorite bottle of vino or a sixer, stand in line with the rest of the devotees and savor the anticipation of pizza heaven! On busy services be prepared to rub elbows with strangers as you dine, but no one will notice once they sink their teeth into their heavenly pie. Molto Bene!!
5 - Jennifer C.: As a food lover, every time I am back in town I always like to hit my usual spots and a few new places. Antico seemed to be on everyones list so I definitely had to try it out.

I came here on a Thursday night around 8, I was really nervous that it was going to be a long line and a lot of waiting for some pizza but to my delight the line was short and the pizza came out fast and hot.

Between the three of us we devoured the {MARGARITA PIZZA} and the {DIABLO} both were so amazing in very different ways. Both came out pipping hot but the {DIABLO} seemed to stay hotter longer - and its a spicy pizza, which I loved. The {MARGARITA} was so simple yet so flavorful, and it wasn't super greasy!

Antico's is definitely not a place to miss in Atlanta, dare I say it might be one of the best slices of pizza I've had!
5 - Lauren C.: Absolutely love this place for pizza; we go every time we visit Atlanta. Our go-to order is the margherita first, and then the one with prosciutto and artichokes. They are one of the only few places in Georgia that have these authentic brick-oven Nepolitan pizza ovens. The pizza is thin and delicious with super fresh ingredients. Seating can be a bit of a cluster when it's crowded, it's first come, first serve and kind of a zoo....but it all adds to the experience.

They have buckets o fresh toppings - basil, crushed red pepper, sea salt, and fresh garlic - grab these and it takes your pizza to the next level. Tip: It's also BYOB, you can't order wine there, so be sure to bring your own! Cannolis are delish, too, try the coconut or pistachio flavors. The owner is super friendly and when he saw us eyeing the Vesuvio pizza (super spicy) he grabbed a few slices and tossed them on our table, on the house.
5 - Tom N.: This is the best pizza I have ever eaten.  You get a nostalgic feeling when you're in the joint.  I thought I was going in to an upscale pizza joint, but it was quite the opposite.  It was very casual with a bunch of picnic tables.  You see the staff cooking the pizza in front of you.  

My girlfriend and I came here on our one year anniversary, and we were not disappointed.  The ovens get so hot that your pizza is ready in less than 10 minutes.  It's not junk pizza like Domino's, it's quality pizza.  The dough is soft and delicious, and so are there condiment peppers.
4 - Alex L.: My sister brought me here a while back for the "best pizza in Atlanta".

No idea what to expect, but we got two pizzas - the names of which I don't remember anymore. As everyone else writes, the pizza with the sweet chili peppers and sausage was amazing. If you're a pizza virgin here, that is THE pizza to try. 

The brick-oven style pizza combined with fresh ingredients can't be beat in Atlanta.
5 - Rob R.: Wow. Perhaps the best pizza I have had in Atlanta. Have been twice. Both times crowded. Ate in the 'kitchen' with the masses, sharing a table and scrounging for a stool to sit on. Sounds strange, but only adds to the ambiance. And the authentic Naples-style pizza is outstanding. Warning: Eating pizza of this caliber may tend to spoil you taste buds vis-a-vis more pedestrian fare. ;)
5 - Ann L.: BYOB!!!! (I didn't know this, wish I did)

San Gennaro pizza = awesome.

snatching the back storage room to eat in for a bit of privacy = even better.
5 - sarah p.: There's not much to say that hasn't been said. Antico is worth all of the hype, and never disappoints. 

For a cheap friday night, swing by Green's, pick up a few bottles of your favorite red, grab your love, your friends, your neighbors, and head to antico and get ready to people watch, drink wine in line, and then tear voraciously into one of the best pies outside of the boot. 

I love antico with a group, I love taking someone there who lives in a state that would never have a byob, sit in the kitchen experience. I love to flirt shamelessly with the pizza makers. I love to tear fresh basil off and take it back to my seat, and I adore the spicy peppers and their spicy oil.

It's always packed, but it always delivers, and the people watching/table hovering/corkscrew hunts are part of the fun.

Diavola is the best pizza, as long as you like spicy. 

I loved when the gelato truck was parked out front - why did that end?
4 - Randy T.: The pizza was ok. I like fellini's better. Get there early or u will be eating standing up. It's more of a trendy spot in my opinion. Kinda like flip burger.
5 - Shilvi L.: Antico Pizza is the best pizza hands down. We went to Italy this past summer and had to come to Antico a week after returning home for some real delicious Italian wood fired pizza. It's a total logistical pain. You have to wait to find seats at these big tables and then you feel like you're rushed to eat since everyone is waiting for your seat. It still doesn't matter because the pizza is that amazing. Its BYOB which is always fun and the pizzas and desserts are delicious. Everyone should go here and pay the almost $20 for a pie. Totally WORTH it.
5 - Fidela C.: Did I mention this place encourages BYOB/W? (beer/wine for the acronym-challenged) With the picnic-style tables, this place can force us modern-day anti-socialites to sit down with (gasp!) strangers with its limited seating. Alas, what brings people together more than food? I also have to add that I've been able to try the cannolis. All are fantastic, but the pistachio goes above and beyond the taste of the others. Every out-of-town visitor I've taken here is blown away.
5 - kate b.: Sometimes I wonder what heaven will be like. I have a good idea that Antico will cater it. 

If at any point in time I decide to commit a real splashy crime in a place that has the death penalty, I'm going to order the San Gennaro. 

Also, I know a lot of people have been complaining about the women at the front being real bitchy, but honestly, having been in line there so many times hearing people ask if they have spaghetti or something that's not pizza (it's got pizza in the name, y'all) I'd be bitchy too. Also, the self control needed to not lick every pizza that walks past you would make you kind of bitchy. 

I love this place, it's frantic and delicious.
5 - Christina J.: I've been here a few times and loved every bit of it. The best part about it? BYOB. Just bring a few screw top bottles of wine and enjoy the delicious pizza and open kitchen atmosphere. The cannolis are also great! 

Heads up: If you park on the street outside of Antico, make sure you face your car to the correct side of the street. On my last visit my friend got a ticket for parking in the wrong direction.
4 - Bo B.: I guess third time is the charm.  I really didn't like this place at first, but after my third try, I am a fan.  Good dough (chewy around the pie and crunchy on the crust).  You can tell the pizza is made from quality ingredients, because you body doesn't feel like it has to spend the next few hours at a restroom.  

My only advice, pick the time to visit here wisely, as it gets really crowded.
5 - Amol K.: I recently moved away from Atlanta and was upset that I found out about this place so late. If you're reading Yelp reviews to see if all the hype surrounding this place is real, trust me ... it is, and it's fun with a lot of friends.

Before you go, swing by and grab some beer and/or wine, whatever your preference. They don't serve it here, but you're allowed to bring your own. 

I usually just go with a margherita, I like 'em plain and simple. But it's fun to watch the pizza makers make the pizza literally a few yards from you in the kitchen. There's seating in the kitchen as well as in the back.
5 - Jason G.: We in Atlanta are lucky to have a number of really good pizza choices--and at the top is Antico.  The San Gennaro is without peer and one of best things I have ever eaten.  The quality of the ingredients is amazing and they all work in harmony to deliver pure tastiness.  Eating in the kitchen and watching the cooks adds to the atmosphere and the fun--and, considering it was never originally intended to be a dining area, they have a done a great job transforming the space.
5 - Robert M.: I went here today with a coworker. It was my first time eating here and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Once you get past the "sticker shock" of paying 25 bucks for a small pizza (you pay up front at the counter by the door) the experience is quite a nice one indeed.

I got the Margherita pizza with fungi (mushrooms); it was fantastic. My coworker got the Margherita pizza with pepperoni; equally fantastic.

I don't feel that I can add anything significant or new about The Antico Pizza Experience (that others have not already written about or mentioned).

Antico richly deserves the consensus vote of being The Best Pizza In Atlanta (blah, blah, blah). Perhaps even the best in all the Southeast region. 

I have been told that (outside of NYC) DC and Miami also have their versions of this kind of pizza joint; I don't know about that.

What I do know is that I am not sure if my desire for this kind of pizza offsets my disdain / aversion for all the horrible pizza places out there in the world (the kind that is far more accessible to the masses; like the type of pizza one might find at all the national corporate delivery-driven chains).

I do, however, know that I still appreciate all the many good / quality pizzerias out there in the world - especially those run by New Yorkers or Italians. Granted many of  the pizza joints in this category aren't as good as Antico; however, they are still very good in their own right and aren't so prohibitively damn expensive.
3 - Raymond L.: I thought about giving this place 4 stars when I was eating their pizza, but looking back it was probably just my famished stomach talking. While it may very well be true that this is the best pizza in Atlanta, that's nothing to write home about. Atlanta is pretty much the Special Olympics for pizza. You would have better luck robbing a bank with an unsharpened pencil than finding a truly satisfying pizza here.

I understand that context is required here and that many people have only tasted Atlanta pizza which makes the ratings understandable. However, my experience was extremely mediocre. For $21 I got a small round pie with a couple mushrooms and slices of ham on each slice. The crust was soggy and unsatisfying. The slices were so small that I was able to share the whole pie with a rather skinny friend who had already eaten before. While I cannot suggest a better pizza in Atlanta, I would honestly recommend saving some money and ordering from chains like Papa Johns as the quality difference is marginal at best. 

I may come back to Antico's but my expectations will definitely be more in check.
5 - Becky F.: I had my first experience here last night and felt compelled to add another review, as if this place needed one more. 

I am not some very sophisticated foodie, but I do enjoy eating (a lot). And this is the best pizza I have ever eaten. I've realized that I've never really had great pizza until eating here. 

The actual experience of dining there was almost so overwhelming that I would caution you not to go for the first time on a busy Saturday night. It was crazy, but fun at the same time. Don't expect top of the line customer service and a relaxing dinner, but expect to make friends with strangers and have the most kick ass pizza ever. 

Looking forward to eating the leftovers today, though nowhere near as good as it was fresh out of the oven are still better than anything out of the freezer or delivered.
5 - tania C.: I cant even begin to describe! Ok yes it was Saturday night and it was CRAZY not a sit down quiet dinner, but hey I am Cuban we never have a quiet sit down dinner! BYOB which I did not know---we ordered 2 pies San Gennaro and Lasagna---awesome crust which you can dip the edge in the delicious olive oil. Will be back! The cannoli was delicious! I don't know where they get their San Pelligrino but it was better than the one I buy at Publix---more bubbly!
4 - Scott J.: Great pizza and a unique atmosphere. The line moves quickly and is well worth the wait. 

The sausage and sweet chili pizza was outstanding.
4 - O K.: being from ny and having a pizza palate.. I agree with others in this is the best pizza in atl.. alil overpriced though..decent canolis also.. register girls are a lil slow though... how hard is it to find decent help ?lol
4 - ATL n.: No doubt, the pizza is incredible. And pizza is one of god's gift to human kind. This pizza is also significantly better than the rest in ATL. The one way they could make the experience better tho -- is to have some sort of moderator that police the crowds. Far too make people stalking around tables and then sitting, pizza finished, with zero self-awareness. The experience of Antico would be perfect if there was a bit more policing re: table etiquette so you don't have to stand over a pile canned tomatoes to eat your pizza.
5 - Bridget A.: The BEST PIZZA and atmosphere!!! Bring your own booze...total plus!!! If it is your first time trying this place out know that it family seating and typically very busy...Just find a spot (even standing) and enjoy yourself!!! So DELICIOUS!!!
5 - Lyndi S.: How can you beat BYOB and a perfected Neopolitan pizza?  Well, you can't.

Antico ended up on my radar on due to a quick trip to the ATL with boyfriend.  We are the thin, fluffy crust type, and I insist on always getting the margherita, because F&*# everything else, that's why!  Seriously though, if you can't perfect the basics, you can't really call yourself the best.  And, well, Antico's is definitely one of the best.

That pizza had me wishing Antico's was in Nashville!  I am a sucker for the slightly burnt crust, for that wood burning stove flavor, and for the fresh mozzarella.  Yum.  All of it.  Well, almost all of it.  I was a little disappointed that the basil was burnt.  Couldn't really taste it, and honestly, it didn't really look appetizing.  But it was still a completely and utterly delicious pizza!

Also, they have a great set up at Antico.  I absolutely loved the big, family style tables, and the BYOB.  And if I hadn't shoveled 3 huge pieces of pizza down my gullet, I probably would've gotten one of those bomb-lookin cannolis.

I'll admit you pay for what you get here.  We were down $25 after a pizza and two cokes.  Steep, but I'd pay it again without a wince.

In short: I'd fill my belly with Antico's every single day if I could.  Every. Single. Day.
5 - Bianca W.: Best pizza in town hands down!!! It's BYOB to boot. what else could you ask for? I had an orgasm in my mouth the first time I came here.
4 - Stephen B.: Not my Platonic ideal of perfect pizza ( I would prefer the crust be a bit thinner, a bit less salty, a bit more fully baked, and with a bit less cheese) but the ingredients are top quality and bursting with authentic flavor, and it has a personality. I would definitely go back for more.
5 - Brian K.: I'm not generally a fan of Neapolitan pizza, but when it's on the dining agenda, I wouldn't go anywhere else in Atlanta except Antico. It's certainly the best Neapolitan pizza in the city, bar none. However, many would contend that it's the best in the country. Antico was named best pizza in the United States by the Festa Della Pizza in Naples in 2010.

Food: Antico offers approximately a dozen different pizzas, all of which are sizable enough to feed at least 2-3 people. My personal favorite is the Fromaggio, which includes four different cheeses, fresh garlic, and basil. The Margherita is another favorite when I'm accompanied by guests with more traditional palates. Antico uses san marzano tomatoes, which are considered by many chefs to be the very best in the world. Although they get less attention on Yelp, Antico also sells some of the best cannoli that I've ever ingested; both the shells and filling are made fresh daily. They do not have a liquor license, so all alcohol is BYOB and the vast majority of customers take full advantage of the opportunity. 

Service: Contrary to some of the other reviewers, I've never had an issue with service at Antico. In particular, the girls that work the front counter have always been pleasant and willing to answer any questions. Yes, they may appear inpatient at times, but so would I if there was a line out the door. If you're looking for preferential treatment, then I'd recommend dining elsewhere. Antico has no shortage of customers and the management really has no qualms about offending an occasional customer. It's just the nature of the beast, folks.

Atmosphere: A visit to Antico is a chaotic but completely unique experience. Once your order is placed, you're responsible for finding a seat at one of a handful of communal tables, which are located in the actual kitchen. Clientele is eclectic and the mood is incredibly lively. 

Cost: Moderately pricey, but fully commensurate with the food quality. Pizzas range between $18 and $21.

Other: As others have noted, Antico does not allow any substitutions. I personally don't have a problem with this, particularly considering that they make this perfectly clear on the menu. Also, they do run out of dough on most days, so you should consider calling beforehand if you plan to dine after 9 PM.
4 - Tom E.: I will make this short and sweet.

People in Atlanta are always battling about how this is the best pizza in town.  They have a good arguement.  

Like most popular places, if you are not there at a decent time, you will stand and wait for a long time.  Thankfully I have found a time where I can go in and get my pizza before I am done drinking my first beer (because yes, it is BYOB)- and no I will not tell you when that time is, because I like to park in the actual lot and not in the back of McDonald's on Northside.

A simple menu, offering Napoli-style pizza and calzones.  One size (note the prices on the menu compare Euros to USD, a common misconeption on the sizes) and usually run around $17-22 a pop.  One item can fill up 2 large guys (but still hungry for some cannolis!).  You order and sit down, they do a good job of finding you (if you can find a seat, which is scattered throughout 3 rooms).  When I go, my pizza is usually done within 5 minutes- the quickest turnaround I have seen in the city (thank you to the 3X ovens in the back cranking out 850F+!!!).

The ingredients are fresh, and true to the Napoli style.

They also have some amazing desserts, check those out- and also they have fresh pizzas you can take home and cook yourself!  

The drinks are bottle only, so if you are thirsty, I suggest a 12er or something along those lines.

This place is small and fills up quickly, so be wise!  It is worth the wait!
4 - Claudia R.: Oh. My.  This is some truly excellent pizza!  I haven't been to the restaurant yet, so I cannot speak to ambience and service (that's why I held off on the 5th star).  Some coworkers brought several pies in for a meeting, and I was lucky enough to snag a piece each of the San Gennaro and Lasagna.  AH-MAY-ZING!  Fresh toppings, perfect flavor combinations, and the best pizza crust I've had in Atlanta so far.  Mind you, these were slightly reheated, so I can only imagine the yumminess when you eat it fresh out of the oven.  Can't wait to go.
5 - Alex O.: it's stupid how good this pizza is. just stupid.
4 - Maureen D.: Decent pizza! I split one of their pizzas with three other friends and it was enough to keep me full. well actually...I take that back because I got a chocolate chip cannoli afterwards because I just couldn't resist, and it was delicious. After that, I was extremely full. 

I wasn't a fan of the particular pizza we got just because it had broccoli rabe on it, and I had never had that before and had no idea it was so bitter, so it ruined my pizza eating experience a little bit, but otherwise everything else was good.

The seating area is pretty cool too. You get to see the kitchen with them making the pizzas and the fire brick oven. Wooden benches make up the dining area with no real dividers between you and the people sitting next to you, but it works.
4 - Jamie L.: We stopped here for dinner while passing through Atlanta.  My husband and I ordered the Diavolo and I loved it!  He didn't care for the peppers with the stems still on them.  We ordered the Bianco for the kids and it came out with black basil that tasted terrible.  Aside from the burnt basil, the pizza was good.  I thought there was a bit too much ricotta, but that's just personal preference.  I thought the layout was kind of crazy.  It looked almost like a cafeteria.  Yelp says it is good for kids, but I disagree.  If your child is even slightly picky, I'm not sure they would approve this pizza.  My 5 year old was disgusted by it while my 2 year old was on seconds.
5 - Adam B.: What can I say that 600+ other reviews haven't.

I love meeting friends at Antico, but it sure gets hot in the summer! Winter dining in the "dining room" (if you want to call it that!) is much more pleasant.

BYOB is a nice touch as well. Antico is my favorite pizza joint by a mile!
5 - Shannon H.: One of my favorite pizza places.... EVER! Get the Diavola (it has these amazing little Calabrian hot peppers on it, spicy deliciousness) or order the Margherita, or the San Gennaro (the sweet red peppers are out of this world!) or maybe even the Pomodorini.  

The restaurant itself is small - the family style tables are great! Meet a new friend over dinner, get cozy. It is a bit loud so hard to carry on a conversation... but why would you want to talk too much while there is pizza to be eaten?! 

It is order at the counter, but they do bring it out to you (hopefully you will find a place to sit before this happens) bring in your own bottle of wine or beer (who doesn't love a place that allows that) 

Oh, and when you are done with the fantastic pizza that cooks for only 90 seconds in these amazing stoves made out of the volcanic rock from Mt. Vesuvius. (You can watch your za being prepared) order one of the many amazing cannolis - or better yet my favorite the tiramisu mousse! I almost forgot a bout the sfogliatelle (its this lemon ricotta dessert pastry thing, wow)

So can you tell I come here a lot? And LOVE it? 

Who wants to go out for pizza?
5 - Aaron P.: Hands down best pizza in town!
5 - Justin R.: People of Nashville...rejoice. Antico Pizza is opening a location here. I cant wait till this summer when they are up and running. After you read the reviews on this place, you will see why I am so excited. 

On a recent pit stop in the ATL, my girlfriend and I ended up at Antico on a whim. What a great last minute decision it was to make a stop here. This pizza is not your ordinary pizza, it's something sent down from the heavens. 

Oh, and before I forget to tell you, this place is BYOB. Yep, BYOB. Whatever your beer or wine of choice is, bring some with you and drink it while you nosh some some cheesy goodness. The whole idea of bringing your own booze to a restaurant, is great. No more disappointment when the dining establishment of your choosing, does not have what you want. 

Okay, now back to that cheesy good stuff. The dough really has to be the best part of this delicious package. Just the right amount of cheese and sauce, the only disappointment was that some of the basil was burnt. But, other than that, it was spot on. It was so good that the two of us ate that entire thing.
5 - P S.: Great pizza!  Menu is limited, but the pizza is really good.

We ordered the San Gennaro and Margherita.  Both were excellent.  The crust was slightly charred - adding to the flavor.  

The ambiance of the place was great.  A bit loud, but you end up enjoying dinner with the folks sitting next to you.
4 - P R.: 5 stars for the pizza; 4 stars including the restaurant.  The seating is difficult at best which doesn't make it easy to have a conversation without everyone else listening in.  But the pizza itself is excellent. Had the Margherita.  You can really taste the fresh ingredients.  We also tried the cannoli's which are made fresh for you - very good.
5 - Dekun P.: Ok, where do I start? The menu is in Italian. You order up front, sit in its cantine right by the kitchen. This is not the wimpy cooked in electric oven pizza. This is no BS, straight up wood oven pizza. The flavors are incredible as the ingredients they use are authentic Italian, not water down stuff you'd find from a pizza chain or such. 

For about $20, I ordered the Diavola, which basically a meat lover. It is just enough to stuff two of us well. I think three people sharing one may be a bit tight. So yea, the price is a bit steep, but it is well worth it.
4 - Michael O.: I liked it! Didn't really understand what all the hype is about though! LOL! We had the Lasagna Pizza & 2 Bottleed Waters which totaled $24.84. The pizza was good, the ingredients were rich and the p;ace was jam packed at 6pm on a Saturday! I mean, it was DEEP AS FUCK!!! We had to eat in the "Dough Room!" It's not your typical "seated restaurant"...once you get you ticket with a number on it, you're pretty much on your own as far as finding a place to sit! Literally! Survival of the fittest when it comes to finding a seat. Would I come back? Yes! The ambiance is very different but unique! It's a cultural diverse place and I like that shit! I love diversity! And yes..You can Bring Your Own Bottle...
3 - Vania H.: i'm giving antico 3 stars only because i had one horrid experience, and one mediocre experience.

my first time at antico was when it first opened.  it was probably only open for a month or so, and i had already been hearing good things about it.  people were raving about how it was the BEST pizza they'd ever had, and so on and so forth.  

my friend and i came here one night for dinner and ordered the margherita pizza. first of all, the cashier helping us did not understand english very well, so when we had questions for her regarding the menu, communication was limited and slow, and required a lot of patience on both ends.  the ingredients on the pizza were definitely fresh - the best part being the mozzarella.  however, the rest of the pizza (and our experience there) was difficult to enjoy.   the crust of our pizza was completely burnt  - and although i've heard from some sources that this is the way it's supposed to be, i did not particularly like my pizza this way.  there was waaaaaay too much sauce on the pizza, and it really overpowered the ingredients.  the key words to sum up this pizza are: soggy and burnt.  not my favorite combination.

after the dismal dinner, we decided to try the tiramisu, since it looked good and would hopefully be a happy ending to an otherwise disappointing meal.  we asked the cashier for a slice of the tiramisu, she took our order and our money, and continued to help the customers behind us.  granted, since she was the only person at the front, we understood that she could not get a slice of tiramisu for us while the line went out the door - but at the same time, we were in a bit of a hurry and she didn't ask for anyone from the kitchen to come out and help.  we ended up waiting almost 20 or 25 minutes for our tiramisu - and when she came to the fridge to cut us a slice, she had a difficult time getting it out, and REACHED INTO THE PAN WITH HER FINGERS to grab it.  needless to say, neither of us really were excited to eat the tiramisu after that.  i'm sure her hands were clean, but i'm also positive that this probably violates some kind of food safety code.  gross.

a few weeks ago, we had antico catered to our office for lunch, and the pizza ended up being better than i remembered (and sans the cancerous burnt crusts!)  so, another friend and i decided to give it a go for dinner last week.  this time, the cashier spoke and understood english, but was not friendly at all.  our pizza wasn't burnt (definitely a plus) and there was just the right amount of sauce on there.  afterwards, i got a cannoli (which they make fresh - bonus points for that!) and my friend ordered the tiramisu (which, thankfully, they sell in serving-sized cups now).  overall, this was a much better experience than the first time i went - but it still gets three stars for inconsistency.
5 - Jeremy S.: Take everything you thought you knew about pizza and forget it.  This place is it.  Bring your own beer.
5 - Shawn J.: Killer pizza and fun atmosphere.  Nothing like sitting in the kitchen and enjoying the show.
These guys import most of their ingredients so you cant get more authentic Italian without being in Italy.
5 - Jana H.: After reading review after review for years (literally years), I had a good idea of what to expect. I have been twice in the past month, and I'm craving a Margherita Pizza as I type.   

Here are the must know basics for Antico newbies:
1. There will be a line (sometimes out the door) 
     --Don't worry, it moves steadily (plus, you can drink the beer or wine you brought to ease the stress of waiting in line)
2. Communal Seating (that you have to find yourself)
      --Once you order, start scoping out the tables & something will open up (this  isn't as scary as it sounds, actually it's a breath of fresh air to sit at a table with strangers, share your wine opener and enjoy a meal together)
3. No Plates
      -- There are rolls or paper towels and the pizza is served on a metal pan which you can use in place of a plate (this isn't as awkward as it sounds, pizza is easy to eat )
4. Toppings are by the ovens  
     -- Head towards where the magic happens (aka - men making pizza) and you'll notice a few silver tins with grated Parmesan cheese (this ain't your average Kraft Grated Parmesan cheese), olive oil, salt, fresh ground pepper, red pepper flakes, etc. and they are a delicious addition to customize your pizza! 
5. Pick up your cannoli by the register
     --If you order cannoli, you can pick it up by the register (they make it right there when you ask for it). 

Overall, Antico is a little confusing, but the pizza is out of this world!
5 - Mark H.: Let me just preface this review by saying that Antico is as much about the experience as it is the pizza.  This was my first visit and it will certainly not be my last.  After getting a quick briefing from.the efficient and friendly young woman at the counter I ordered a sausage, red pepper, onion pizza.  By the time I sat down at a long table and got my "sides" of hot peppers, garlic and parmesan ... My pizza arrived.  It was served "Frank Pepe style" on a cookie sheet.

The ambiance was very cool ... Three brick ovens open to see were churning out pies, a couple guys in the "Dough Room" were constantly turning out fresh dough for the crusts, and young men and women were flying around the dining room handing out pies.

The quality of this pizza was fantastic.  Bursting with flavor it was a joy to eat.  I tend to like a thin and crisp crust, and Antico delivered on the thin, but the crust was a bit chewy.  Having said that, it is clear that the pizza is exactly what they are shooting for.  I loved it.  When a chef can make you rethink what you "thought" you liked ... They are at the top of their game.

I went to grab a second diet coke and they cleared my pizza ... When I asked what happened, they immediately made me another pie.  Great service.  So I had breakfast for the next week.

On the way out I grabbed a lemon Italian seashell pastry.  I cannot remember the name but it started with "sf" ... Take my advice and grab one, you will not regret it.

Lastly, the pies are one size .... Bring a friend.
5 - Cameron C.: San Gennaro was what I had, and it was quite delicious. When it comes out, it'll be hot--wait a second to cool down so you don't burn your tongue and then dig in with what restraint you can muster.
4 - Shelly G.: Just stepping into this place makes me feel hip and cool (something I don't feel often). The ambience is great during off-peak hours when you don't have to fight to the death for a seat. However, the dining room can get pretty toasty because of the ovens, so if you sweat easily then mentally prepare yourself for possible pit stains. The dining and kitchen/oven area is really just one room, so it can get a little awkward when the sweaty pizza bakers are just watching you eat. I actually feel pretty bad for them...they must feel like they're working in a sauna. 

Anyway, the margherita pizza is just under $20. Not cheap, but not expensive, either. 

I gave the place 4 stars because even though the simple margherita pizzas are delicious and taste fairly healthy (as far as pizzas go), the bottom is usually soggy or charred black. I don't know if Antico is merely emphasizing the "authentic, oven" experience or just really bad at taking them out of the oven in time, but if I want burnt food then I could just stay at home and eat my own cooking.  

Overall, this place has a lot of hype, and I can see where it comes from. Lack of service and seating aside, their pizzas are good, the ingredients are fresh, and I get to dump all the parmesan I want onto each slice, which is most excellent.
5 - Christina G.: We order Antico pizza about twice a month. We always get it to go as we prefer to eat in the comfort of our own apartment (we live less than half a mile away, so the pizza is still fresh when we get home). I typically go right around when they open so it is less crowded. Contrary to what I have read in some posts, the staff has always been friendly and helpful when I have been there. My favorite pizzas are the margherita (I add calabrian peppers) and the Diavola. I have tried the Pomodorini as well which was good, but I prefer the other two. I plan on branching out and trying more, I'm just prone to sticking with what I already know I love. It's an issue. Their pizzas are kind of pricey, but to me it is worth it for the quality of food you are getting. Their ingredients taste fresh and their dough is thin with a nice slightly charred crust. It does have a tendency to get soggy if you let it sit too long though. I wish I could have a bowl of their tomato sauce just to dip bread in or eat plain...it's so very tasty.  I always order one of the desserts in the fridge and a cannoli as well. Antico days are not my healthiest ones, but they are among the tastiest...
5 - theron t.: Not much more to be said about how great this place is, so instead I'd like to give some pointers for this often times, very busy place.  That way you're not standing around in the back room holding a gigantic sheet pan full of pizza and wondering where the hell you're going to sit and eat it.

1. If you have to go on the weekend, try to go after 2pm and before 5pm.  This is the sweet window of seat grabbing availability.  During the week, stay away from lunch time and post 5pm dinner rush.

2. This place is B.Y.O.B/W.  Although they do serve Peroni.  Your best bet is to grab a bottle of you favorite wine or beer if you want to have alcohol with your pizza.

3.Condiments like sweet/hot peppers, cheese, fresh garlic, etc. are up by the pizza ovens.  Don't be scurred and experiment with some different condiment combos on your pie.

4. Listen for your number.  Your going to be all excited, confused, and happy for your first trip.  Try and pay attention.

5. Yes, that's how much it is for a whole pie.  No, you can't get a slice.

6. You might think that the guys in the back making pizzas are smirking and laughing at the customers.  Almost in a "I can't believe these people pay that much for pizza or look at the goofy SOB".  They are.  Who cares.  The pizza is that good, just never look one of them in the eye for longer than 2 seconds. jk

7. The San Genarro is the truth.  Start here if you don't have the palate of a hamster.

8. It might appear that the front little parking lot is the money spot, but it's not.  Difficult to get in and out of.  Check of the gravel lot caddy corner across the side street.

9.  Try to save some pizza to take home.  Antico cold pizza is the best cold pizza you can have.

10. Don't be nervous about the potential to be elbow to elbow with someone you might not know.  We're all here for the same thing, the pie man!  Just don't eat too fast and enjoy yourself.
2 - mike s.: The pizza is no where near NY pizza, also the pies appear to be pre made
you can't add extra toppings or have the pie made to your liking, when I asked for extra cheese they said they could not do it, the place is mediocre at best, the pies are real light,  toppings are real small. when compared to other places it's better, but that's not saying much since all the other place's suck any way, also I see all these stella reviews which has me scratching my head.
2 - Heejoo J.: Finally got a chance to get some pizza here and I have to say the pizza was just mediocre. Honestly, I'm not really sure what all the hype is about this place. The "hip" atmosphere? Big crowds of people packed into a room with hot brick ovens, workers yelling out order numbers, piles of trash on the tables from previous diners, those looking for a place to sit waiting awkwardly at the side and staring at the people eating? I don't know... Security guards standing outside the restaurant also doesn't help with the vibe of this place. The only cool thing was that this place is BYOB.
4 - Daniel M.: San Genaro is one of their best, but all of the pizza's are worth trying. The wait can be significant, but definitely worth it. Authentic atmosphere, nice staff and BYOB. The cannolis are already excellent, especially the pistachio.
4 - Angela H.: I heard about Antico Pizza for the first time last year but never actually took the time to check it out for myself until recently.  As we were thinking of a place to have dinner, my friend suggested Antico, to which I quickly agreed.  We arrived at the restaurant around 9 pm on a Monday night and were excited to find a parking spot open up just as we were pulling into the lot.

Since my friend and I hadn't looked at the menu ahead of time as I usually like to do, we stared at the menu and were baffled because the some of the names of the pizza toppings are written in Italian.  Fortunately, the cashier was super friendly and patient and she described some of their popular pizzas' toppings.  She told us that the San Gennaro was their most popular pizza, but we thought the Vesuvio (spicy sopressata & prosciutto cotto, pepperonata) also sounded really good.  After some deliberation, we agreed to try the San Gennaro for our first visit to Antico.

The place was as busy as we had anticipated, but we were super lucky to get a table to ourselves in the room directly in front of the cashier.  Less than 10 minutes after we ordered, a server brought our pizza straight over to us, and we confirmed that it was ours by the order number.  This was wonderful because we were starving!

* San Gennaro ($21) - Antico's most popular pizza's toppings are salsiccia (sausage), sweet red pepper, bufala (mozzarella cheese), and cipolline (caramelized onions). The pizza was served perfectly baked with a slightly burnt crust, which is to be expected.  Although I prefer pan pizza (yeah, thanks to Pizza Hut) and deep-dish (Chicago style!) over the traditional Italian crust, I thought the pizza was very good.  I enjoyed the sausages, but I wished there were more of them because there were maybe 1 or 2 pieces on most slices and none on a few of them.  I also ate the onions (*GASP*) since they were caramelized (not raw, which I hate), but my favorite topping was surprisingly the sweet red peppers!  These were the sweetest, freshest, most delicious red peppers I have ever tasted!  I continued raving about the sweet red peppers as I ate two large slices.  Then, I was stuffed and satisfied.  In my opinion, one pizza is more than enough for two people.

Although I had read a lot of the reviews for Antico Pizza on Yelp, I had completely forgotten about the BYOB factor.  Darn!  It would've been nice to bring a bottle of red wine to compliment the delicious pizza.

Overall, Antico Pizza gets 4 stars for their friendly employees, quick service, and very good Italian style pizza.  Although it is on the pricey side for pizza at $18 to $21 per pizza, I think it's well worth it.  I will definitely return to try some of their other pizzas, such as the Vesuvio, and will be sure to bring my own beverages next time!  =)

[Review 104 of 366]
2 - Pam H.: Don't go near this place on Saturday night.  Totally inadequate seating and poor crowd control.  While standing waiting for a seat to open up, the waitress wanted me to either a) hold my pizza she was delivering or b) put it in a go box just to get me out of the way and move on to the next patron.  We had driven 30 minutes to get there and arrived to total pandemonium at 6:15 pm.  I still can get over the waitresses surly attitude.  The pizza was pretty good, not fabulous, and I think it was the 'fight or flee' crowd reaction that made us chow down.  Honestly think there has to be comparable pizza with better atmosphere.  Hope they rake in the bucks before somebody besides me figures this out and the pizza lemmings go elsewhere...
3 - Erin G.: What I ate: Pizza Verduro
Visit date: March 14, 2012
First time? Yes.

Yum! In honor of pie day, my friend and I hit up this pizza PIE place. The pizza verduro was delicious! It had broccoli rabe, pomodorini, garlic and mushroom -- all of the toppings tasted so fresh! There's a back room where you can watch them make pizzas (they toss dough and everything!) so make sure you head back there even if you're taking your pie to go.
4 - Robert A.: I am shamed into writing this review from all the peer pressure of my follow Yelpers. I only had the San Gennaro pizza so this review is a bit shallow. I will state that this  is every bit as good as others have said it is. The crust was perfectly lightly charred. The ingredients tasted fresh and the overall taste and appearance was excellent. The place had a nice vibe to it although not upscale but very relaxed. Probably the best pizza I had in all of Georgia and if I'm in the area this place is worth the time and effort to return.
5 - John F.: Sick of giving Atlanta restaurants 5 stars! Gourmet pizza.  Weird seating arrangements- I carried out.  Had the spicy Diavola.  Truly fantastic.  Fold it, eat it- save room for the crust.  Buffalo mozzarella could stand on its own. Like Mr. Pibb and Red Vines: Crazy delicious!
5 - The Foodie A.: My favorite pizza place in ATL, Antico Pizza, is doing everything right.  Their Neapolitan style pizzas are simply amazing.  I've had the Margherita D.O.P., Capricciosa, and Diavola.  The Diavola is one of my favorites and a standard whenever I go.  It is on the spicy side so avoid if you suffer from acid reflux disease or chronic heartburn.  During my latest visit I tried the Capricciosa and it instantly became my other favorite.  It is a mushroom, artichoke, prosciutto, and bufala aphrodisiac and it is all sits atop of their perfectly charred oven baked dough.

The atmosphere is what puts Antico over the top.  Family style dining is an understatement.  Once you make it thru the line and place your order, you need to try to find a seat at one of the community tables in the kitchen.  If a seat doesn't open up by the time your pizza is ready, don't worry... there are plenty of places to enjoy your pie while standing.  

Antico is the perfect place to enjoy some pizza deliziosa with a box of wine and good friends.
3 - Pam A.: I've been to Antico twice. The first experience was great. The most recent was a bummer. 

The first time we went I felt like I was transported to someone's Italian kitchen. We sat at the big table in the first room, had fun discovering the toppings that were laid out on the table, and had a great conversation with the two other couples that were also sitting at the table. Very unique, very awesome .

The second time, which was this last Saturday, it was pretty hectic. There were people everywhere, and they even had a police officer out in the street helping direct traffic in this area. We didn't have to wait in line to order pizza but because of that (and because there aren't pizza descriptions anywhere but on small, laminated menus) I did feel a little rushed on choosing a pizza. Our cashier definitely seemed annoyed that we were having trouble putting our order for 4 together. 

After that, my group stood awkwardly near the beverage coolers since there was no where to sit. I headed to the kitchen area to try to find a place for us, but it was completely packed. It reminded me of going into the cafeteria for school lunch in 6th grade. I don't know about you, but sauntering around like a hawk and clamoring for a seat is not my idea of a great night out to eat. 

Our pies were delivered fairly quickly, maybe a 5-10 minute wait. They didn't have plates so we had to eat off of brown paper napkins; I can do better than that at home. The pizza was pretty good, although the center of the pie got soggy and soupy. 

Overall while the pizza was better than average, it's not worth the parking situation, feeling like sardines, and not being able to have a conversation with your friends because it's so freakin' loud.  And certainly not when you're paying $18 for a cheese pizza.
5 - Tiff H.: Went on a Friday night around 6 and the place was packed. My friend ordered some Italian word I can't remember, just remembered there were 4 cheeses, tomato, and basil. And it was heavenly... Although it was awkward sitting on long benches wedged between two families... The pizza was good enough to drown out that awkwardness :) definitely plan to visit again soon!
2 - David D.: I ate there last night and I have to say, I was disappointed.  I have heard good things about this place but it was a let down.  The people working there have no personality.  They will not let you remove topping off your pizza and customize it.  The pizza does taste pretty good, but the crust was over cooked and burnt on the bottom. 

 I spoke with the owner about my experience and he said that's the way they do there pizza (no subs on the pizza) and they are not changing.  He could careless about my concerns and you can't even get a glass of water unless you pay for bottled water or get it out the sink.

PIZZA IS OVER PRICED AND I RECOMMEND FUOCO DI NAPOLI IN BUCKHEAD!!
3 - Atiyah T.: Well a co-worker swore that Antico made the best pizza ever so I went. Pizza was great, it didn't blow me away.  I mean I'm from New York city, and that state has the best PIZZA! Antico was over-hyped.

I kinda felt like they were using the cheese sparingly, and the sauce was nothing special. Did I mention the seating is horrible it was like a cafeteria for first come, first serve. Me and my group waited  until seats were available.
2 - Barry W.: So after reading all the reviews about this place I decided to take a trip there this past Monday around 4pm. I was expecting a line but to my surprise the place was pretty empty. No line just walked to the counter and ordered the San Gennaro to go. 
Go home and tried the pizza. It was okay but I was really expecting a lot more. The crust was very chewy and like the other reviewer they really skimped on the cheese and the sausage. For $21 bucks I really thought they would load you up with toppings.  But, they did load the pizza up with red peppers to the point where I actually took some off.

This may be a lot of people's go to pizza but I think it is more hyped. Will I be back anytime soon....probably not.
4 - Doug C.: I am a huge fan of this place.  I highly recommend the Diavola pizza and the Vesuvio Calzone.  


This is my favorite pizza place in town though I have not made it to Verrazano's yet.
5 - Alistair T.: Without doubt the best pizza I have ever eaten - absolutely delicious. Loved the family dining (you better be ready for it) and you also need to be willing to accept the no substitutions - honestly they do know best.

Every time I end up in Atlanta I wind up at Antico
5 - Rachel N.: OMG, I did not know that pizza this good existed outside of New York, let alone outside of Italy. It's no frills godliness in dough format -- we went for the Margherita (no additions) and it was unreal -- really, the crust was chewy, light, charred, and magnificant -- and the sauce was bright and vibrant -- oh MAN I am dreaming of this right now and want it in my tum. We also went for the verdura (broc rabe, tomatoes, cheese), which was fine, not quite as fantastico, but still, the crust is alone is worth taking a trip to ATL. 

Seriously. If you love yourself, as well as carbohydrates, even a little bit, you will get yourself to Antico ASAP. For 3 eaters, 2 pizzas is perfect -- they aren't leaden with cheese, so you can power through it and still walk afterwards. Oh, pizzas are $18-22 each. Oh, they now serve beer too!
5 - Kristin G.: I have to give this restaurant 5 stars on 2 fronts.  1st, the food is amazing.  Hands down the best pizza i have ever had.  The capricciosa and the lasagne are delicious.  2nd, I left my phone at the restaurant by accident.  The staff actually prevented a dishonest customer from taking the phone because she could not call it.  
Thank you Antico for delicious food and preventing an out-of-towner from returning home with no phone!!
5 - dannie k.: The best pizza Ive had outside of Florence.   I love pizza, didnt realize how much til I was turned on to Antico's, I have been dreaming about about the spicy Diavolo Pizza!!  Cant wait to go back and try more.  And it's BYOB!!
5 - Matt S.: This has to be my favorite pizza in the United States. Iv'e eaten pizza all over the country. Antico's is just simply superlative. 

The ingredients are super fresh, and delicious. They cook the pizzas for 1.5mins in wood fired ovens. Supposedly, the rock used to form the ovens comes from Mount Vesuvius. 

The calabrian peppers they serve on the side, are amazing. Watch out though, after a few the heat sneaks up on you. 

The interior is small and normally packed with people, eating family style at big tables. I highly recommend Antico's. Anytime we drive into the city, we head there.

Lastly, the pastries are equally excellant.
4 - Dynomutt F.: I've been to Antico twice so far, and for the most part find it wonderful. The ingredients are superb and crust - the weak link for many a pizza joint (chain or otherwise) - is near-perfect.

A few notes:
-Loved the San Gennaro
-Pizzas are abnormally expensive. Yes, the ingredients are superior to most others', but certainly not worth this premium. Expect to spend more than $20 on the pizza alone! Pies are large enough to serve 2-3 people.
-Desserts are decent. Neither spectacular nor authentic, but pretty good.
-They also sell pre-made sauces, soups and pastas from a refrigerated case.
-Sopressata is abnormally savory.
-Drink options are limited. Expensive, tiny bottles of sodas or waters, or water from the tap. Though a sign on the door clearly commands, "No outside beverages," many bring bottles of wine with them.
-Seating is quite limited. There is one table, around which perhaps 10-12 may sit, as well as space for another 5-10 on stools, so you'll be sharing a table with other clientele. Keep that in mind if you have an aversion to fedoras, facial hair and flip-flops, or those who sport such stylings... who might also be intoxicated and loudly discussing at length world affairs about which they know absolutely nothing beyond what Zooey Deschanel has told them to believe.

Overall, 7/10
2 - Katie R.: I know some people swear by this place, but I find it meh.
Thought I would give it a second try after the huge line and stress of last time. Got there right before the rush (starts about 8pm) on a week night. However, the pizza was burnt on the bottom and sides and gooey and undercooked in the middle. They must have been rushing and had the ovens too hot. Awful.
Will not be giving it a third try.
4 - Mick D.: Let there be no doubt: I still love the pizza.  But the chaos of trying to find a place to sit and eat it with friends is starting to wear my appreciation a little thin.
5 - Joe L.: When your friends from China are bugging you to take them here, you know it must be good. 

By the way this is a followup review now that Antico has been open almost 2 years since I first reviewed it (Thanks btw to all the people who gave me complements on that review). 

So again, I've spent the last year working in CT, and commuting to NYC, eating tons of pizza along the way. Sally's, Pepe's, w.e. The list goes on. But Antico, despite it all is still my favorite pizza place. AND on top of that, the have the SECOND best cannolli that I have ever had (the best is at Modern Bakery in Hartford, CT).

I've now tried the Lasagna, Margerita, Diavalo and San Gennaro. If anything, the pizza has gotten better since I've first come here. And to all the people giving it less than 4 stars, please tell me a better pizza place in Atlanta. 

The crust now holds its crunchy integrity throughout the meal, resisting the plentify juices from the meat and the sauce. The crust is still delicious, with a unique saltiness that makes you come back and take bite after bite of empty carbs. 

The ingredients are still top full of flavor. Especially the sausage. Man, I wish Krogers sold Italian sausage that tasted like that. My favorite would have to be the San Gennaro pizza. Lots of meat, lots of flavor. 

And to be honest, the last few times that I have been here, I have never been lacking for a seat (I come with groups of 2 or 3) and have never waited more than 10 minutes for a pizza (probably around 5 minutes). I don't find the lunch room to be extremely loud, and if you think it's too crowded, you can always sit out front where the sole table used to be.  

And the cannoli, let me tell you, this cannoli is better than any that I have tried in NYC's or Boston's Little Italy. The cannoli is filled on order, and the crust isn't overly thick (like how it is in the big cities).  The crust is the perfect texture, crisp, shattering when you bite into it. The only possible downside is that the ricotta filling has a slight pepperminty taste to it. I sure don't remember that being traditional.

Anyway, 5 stars goes to the best of it's kind. And Antico is the best of its kind in Atlanta.
5 - Matthew D.: After a great afternoon at the East Atlanta Beer Festival I and my merry band of followers decide to complete our trip down college memory lane by finding some pizza after an afternoon of day drinking.  Unlike college we did not order from some local chain, we stepped up, WAY up to Antico Pizza.  It was my first time and it won't be my last.  

The sitting is communal, large wood tables that hold multiple parties at the same time.  It reminded me of a brunch place I used to drag myself to on Sunday morning's in San Francisco and I love the concept.  We were in a party of four and had no trouble grabbing a table in the front room.  Which turned out to be a blessing, since the entire restaurant had the thermometer set at Blast Furnace, but the front room occasionally got a little breeze from the front door, allowing you to breathe.  Seriously, they aren't losing any money on the A/C bill, but I digress.  They only have one bathroom for the entire place, so don't drink a lot of water before you go.  It is BYOB without a corkage fee though, so I consider that a more than equitable trade.

My girlfriend and I shared two pizzas, the Fromaggio, which is four cheeses, garlic and basil.  Confession:  me and the girl have an unhealthy obsession with basil, so that disclosure aside, it was amazing.  Like a 4 year-old acting up in public, it had a charred bottom.  Not burnt, just right.  The basil was on top of the pizza, fresh and in large chunks, like taking a breath of fresh air on a mountain top.

The second pie we devoured was the San Gennaro, which is salsiccia, sweet red pepper, bufala, cipolline.  Now I am from the midwest, so I only recognized one of those items, but all together, it was a fine pie.

As a little added bonus, as we were leaving, they gave us a free pizza to go, the place was closing, they had an extra and we gladly accepted it.  We had it for lunch (ok, that is a lie, we had it for breakfast, sorry mom) the next day.  And it had some type of pepperoni maybe on it?  Whatever it was, it was the best of the three.  We are going back just to find out what it was and get it again, A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

To Recap:

The Good:  The pizza is the best in the city and I would know, I have eaten at all 476 places that serve it here.  The setup with the communal tables is fun and any staff that gives me a free pizza as I am walking out the door, is second on my favorite person list only to Santa Claus.

The Bad:  I am in my mid 30's and I felt like I was chaperoning a middle school dance.  Come on Gen X'ers, let's take this place back from those damn kids!  And let's get them to stay off my lawn while we are at it!  Also, one bathroom is tough, one waste backet with a monutain of used paper towels is tougher.  Empty that thing from time to time, you only have one to check on.

The Band This Restaurant Most Resembles: Luciano Pavarotti.  The best there ever was.
5 - Lauren B.: We tried the Diavola pizza and it was absolutely delicious!! Very fresh ingredients. They have fresh chopped garlic you can add to your pizza along with these delicious hot peppers. Huge fan! They have long tables where you find your own spot and is also BYOB which is fun. It has a very Authentic Italian feel. It is a little pricey, but overall the food was FANTASTIC and came out very quickly! Highly recommened checking this place out.
5 - Clara C.: Best pizza in Atlanta. When a place closes when the dough runs out, you know it's good. BYOB, fast service, and fresh ingredients make this place a stand-out. Parking is a bit tough to find during busy hours and there is almost always a line to order, but once you get your order in, the wait for your pizza is almost nonexistent. Pizzas are a bit on the pricey side but I feel like it's well worth it for the quality. As far as the seating area goes, it can get packed and noisy. Maybe not a great place for a first date, but excellent for group get togethers.
5 - Laura J.: Best pizza in all of Atlanta. Very fun atmosphere, delicious food, and a unique set up.  One of my favorites in ATL!
3 - Angela Z.: Honestly, I don't know what the hype is about this place.  Yes, it's run by authentic italians who know their pizza, but everytime I go, the crust is so soggy.  The flavors on their pizzas are really good, which is a positive component, but I just do not like my pizza with soggy center crusts.  Plus, you have to be aggressive with finding a place to sit (the problem is too many people, not too few seats) it can get kind of annoying.
2 - Brian G.: Best pizza in Atlanta, but I cannot go back and support and owner who does not recycle and throws all wine, water and beer bottles in with the rest of the trash. It's absolutely immoral!
5 - Shaun M.: The best thing about Atlanta are the culinary gems that are hidden in plain sight. Antico is one of those hidden gems because the pizza is nothing short of amazing. The open kitchen shows off the massive authentic Italian pizza oven that are rumored to be flown here from Italy. The cooks utilize freshly made in-house mozzerella, fresh basil and olive oil on hand tossed dough, creating the perfect pizza. The pepperoni and sausage are the best I've ever had on a pizza, not to mention the crust is light and chewy. Another great thing about Antico is the community seating and it allows the customer to bring in his or her own beer or wine. The place is always packed with smiling faces and people having a great time. If you want good pizza go to any one of the 100's of places that Atlanta has to offer. If you want Superb pizza, Antico is your place to go! Enjoy!
4 - Charlie H.: Ok Italians I get it now.  Neapolitan pizza is the best.  While your pizza is amazingly good "the hurry up eat it already" rush and crowded space I think hurts the overall experience.  I've been and was nothing short of being blown away, but I find it hard to return because it's such a production.  It's not a place that you can just pop in because of the crowds so unfortunately my pizza dollars don't return as often as they should.
5 - Jordan S.: This place is amazing.  The pizza and atmosphere is second to none.  I went with a group of about 6 friends on a Friday night, and there was a line out the door.  The place is BYOB so we kept ourselves entertained while we waited outside :-)  It's a unique place that feels like a slice of Italy, and the table seating creates a casual and relaxed experience as you dine with all sorts of folks including Georgia Tech students and faculty, dates, parties, families and everyone in between.

Did I mention it's BYOB?  Yeah...I love this restaurant.
5 - Virginia R.: This is the best pizza I have ever had, without doubt.  If you are questioning dining here, stop doubting and just do it.
I was around the corner at Sublime Donuts, having procured some wonderful treats, but having walked several miles, I couldn't dream of consuming something so sweet and indulgent without first consuming something substantial.  I needed pizza.
A quick search of yelp yielded Antico... right around the corner.
I walked in the door and fell in love. A simple menu full of real ingredients, a case full of unfilled cannoli shells (filled upon purchase) and a minimalist appearance.  While my friends were ordering I scoped the place out.  Upon viewing the long communal tables IN THE KITCHEN (!!) I was so sold.  I knew this was gonna be good.
The fresh ingredients cooked in those imported ovens imparted some kind of magic that exceeded my high expectations.  Watching the guys toss the crust I just heard "Iiiiiiii neeeeeed yooooourrrr loooooove...  God speeeeed yooooooour looooove..." 
Only downer... limited beverage choices.  But after I started eating that pizza, I did not care.
5 - Reba Jean B.: I am totally aware of the other hundreds of reviews Antico has. And, I don't know if I really have anything to add with all that's already been said. I have always come here between 3 and 5 o'clock. I've never experienced a crowd. Usually, we're the only ones in the place. The service? Sometimes, can be just down right rude. 

But lemme get right down to why I am giving Antico 5 stars.

It's so stupid addicting.

*** I blame Antico for my recent massive weight gain. 

~It's all your fault, damnit. 

~I love you. 

~I dream of you. 

~I can never have enough of you.
5 - Jie Y.: Great experience
Food: 5 stars, best pizza
service:average
atmosphere: 4
5 - Melanie T.: This is some seriously amazing pizza. I loved the shabby chic atmosphere as well as the simplicity. The service is speedy and the employees are pretty nice. 

I came here with my cousin and we shared a Pomodorini. The Pomodorini is topped with bufala mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, garlic and basil. The pizza itself is very simple, but the simplicity is what allows the ingredients to shine, the essence of the ingredients remains. The cherry tomatoes are blistered and sweet due to the high heat of the pizza oven. The cheese was gooey and melty, and there sure was lots of it. Now this is a white pizza so the amount of cheese makes sense. The crust was to die for. I could have eaten the crust plain that's how good it was. I love my crusts chewy, soft, and puffy. This crust delivered on all three of these standards. There was also a nice char as well. Great pizza with fresh ingredients, yum. My only regret was that I wasn't able to try more of their pizza, but I will hopefully be coming back. No, make that definitely.
5 - Passionforfood P.: I have been to Antico a few times now and I love this place.
The pizza is consistently good and the best pizza in Atlanta. I love that they are not concerned about frills and it reminds me of the places in NY and NJ that I used to frequent. If you love great pizza with the freshest ingredients around I highly recommend this place. The restrooms although not fancy are clean and acceptable by my standards. Great place to people watch and better yet you can bring your own wine and beer. If only they were open on Sundays I would make it a Sunday tradition.
3 - Alex M.: I've heard a lot about this place and thought to give it a try one Saturday night. 

The pizza itself was very good...it was ready in less than 5 minutes. Pretty expensive averaging $20 for a small/medium pizza in the menu. They didn't have much of a selection..heck, there was no selection....of beverages. That's probably why everyone brought their own wine and beer...although the door had a sign, "No Outside Drinks". Don't ask...

You place your order, they write a number on your receipt, then you walk to the cooking kitchen in the back, grab a seat (if you can...if you're not into communal seating...find a corner to munch down your pizza)...wait till your number is called (if you could hear it through all the screaming as everyone is attempting to have a conversation over one another) and have your pizza brought to you.

The bad...so bad...don't bring anyone here for a conversation. The place is drowning with college students and the ones that just can't seem to let go of their college years in fear of growing up. Lots of screaming as everyone is trying to scream above everyone else to be heard..and those that just love to scream.

I couldn't get my food down any faster and get the heck out. So I boxed whatever pizza was left, got up to get some more parmasan cheese to go (mind you...10ft. away)...and my box of leftover pizza was gone and there sits another set of roudy wanna-be-in-college-again-twenty-somethings.

As I said, the pizza was good...but next time, it's an order to go where I can sit and enjoy the evening with friends, nice conversation over a bottle of wine... in the peace of my backyard!
3 - Steven H.: The pizza itself is good, but I am not sure if I would call it great. The crust is good enough to eat by itself, it's probably the best crust that I have ever had. As far as the other ingredients go, they were good, but maybe a little over-hyped. I got their most basic pizza, the margherita, with pepperoni on it. The pizza didn't have that much cheese on it. It was also greasy, but that's probably because of the pepperoni.

The pizza was about $20. I understand why it's so expensive, but I think that I am happier getting pizza from a chain place and paying half that price. Their selection of beverages is not very good. It was $2 for a bottled water, but it was plenty to get me through my meal.

The atmosphere was good and bad. The ambiance was cool, but if I hadn't been one of the first people in line when they opened then I wouldn't have had a place to sit. It said on their website that they open at 11:30, but on Saturdays they actually open at noon. It's a good thing that I got there a half hour before they opened and was the fourth party in line. My pizza was ready probably 5 minutes after I ordered, so they are quick.

I may go back at some point, and I'll make sure not to get pepperoni on my pizza next time!
5 - Christina W.: We got there at 11:45 am on a Saturday, and there was already a line of people waiting for it to open at 12. THEY BROUGHT OUT A PIZZA cut in pieces for us to try! The owner also came out and said hi, and in a strong Italian accent said that if the pizza wasn't good, he wasn't gonna open. (He is, of course, a friendly, warm, authentic Italian.) Of course everyone cheered that it was sensational pizza and all we could think was we wanted MORE. He even took a video of us saying Happy Birthday to the Mayor of Atlanta, who was apparently going to be there for a ground-breaking the next day.

So, we go in and order our pizza. The menu is in euros as well as dollars! They have about 10 choices of pizzas, but you can't go wrong with any of them. Between 5 of us we split 3 pizzas with two slices left over.

I'm...I'm not even sure that I can adequately describe how amazing these pizzas were, and I have studied the art of Andrew Zimmern food description and studied art in college. Beyond delicious, and the ingredients are so fresh! The thin crust is crisp and soft at the same time, and the sauces and toppings are to die for. My favorite was the Margherita! They also sell Italian bottled drinks, some sort of dessert parfaits and cannolis! Oh gracious, we must come back for the cannolis at some point!

We didn't do this, but it's BYOB! They also sell individually-sized wine bottles that serve about a glass each. But if you bring your own, they don't sell bottle openers, so don't forget your own! Still, you can probably borrow one from some friendly neighbors!

And here's the biggest tip! SIT IN THE KITCHEN! It's all family-style seating, and most of the seats are actually in the kitchen, but you can see them making the dough and putting the pizzas together. And they're always playing awesome classic Italian favorites, and we even got to see one of the pizza guys dancing while he slipped pies into the oven. They have 3 stone ovens, and they're all named after Catholic saints, and have little saint statues perched on top of them. They have a widescreen TV on the wall so the cooks can watch soccer (FUTBOL!) all day, and the decor is camp, though sparse, but very Italiano. To be there is to love it!

Some kids went up to watch them working, and one of them said, "Are you ready?" and just threw a round of spinning pizza dough at them! They went back to the table, and I saw them playing with it. :D

Amazing food and a relaxed family atmosphere? It made me proud to be Mediterranean. DEFINITELY must go back again!
4 - Nicole A.: I'm a Chicagoan and I have to admit this pizza, although on the opposite side of the spectrum from Lou Malnati's Stuffed pizza....is délicieux...yes I used French.

The Good!
1. San Gennaro - the Sweet Red Peppers are a gift from Zeus and the cipolline-onions are unbelievable. How can I make those peppers
2. Peach tea - Bottled bit of love juice. Rare brand that I can't locate anywhere else in the city.

The Bad?!
1. The Owner is a Pretentious Prick! Must think he has a drop of the tiger blood. But then I think...hey 90% of people would act that way if they served the Best Pizza???
2.  The women at the counter don't fair much better than the owner. Where did he find a group of worthless, impatient, rude, and ridiculous employees? 

They have all mastered the "Soup Nazi" routine from Seinfeld.

I recommend calling ahead to receive a code......they run out of dough every weekend.
5 - Carrie S.: Excellent pizza and the best we have had in Atlanta. This definitely lives up to the hype.  The interior looks like Costco and there are shared tables, but the pizza is so great, you don't even notice that you may have to wait for a seat.  My husband and I like the fact that you can BYOB and save some money on beer or wine by bringing your own.  Make sure and go early Before the crowds!
5 - Joe H.: One of very few things in life that lived up to the absurd hype.  Just fantastic-effing-pizza.  Go early, wait patiently in line, then enjoy it slowly.  It's all worth it.
5 - Joe D.: This place is incredible. Hands down the best pizza I've ever had. Just be willing to spend some dough to eat some delicious dough. You will not regret it.
3 - Carolina M.: I've heard people rave about this place, but it seemed just ok to me. OMG, please-dun-hurt-me. 

My date and I agreed on getting the margherita pizza - simple, right? That's exactly what it was. I appreciate the fresh ingredients put into the pizza and watching the pizza bake in the brick ovens. The crust had a good chew to it, but let's face it: when you get to the outer edge (you know, beyond the point of sauce and cheese), the crust gets flavorless and dry, and you get kinda thirsty. 

Perhaps this is why there's that condiment bar of peppers, parmesan, herbs and oils? My date and I thought we'd eat the pizza the way it was supposed to be, but now I know I should've gotten the extra fixings to give our margherita more flavor. 

Back room can get rowdy, packed and hot. This can be a fun place to go with friends, but probably not a good date place unless it's a really casual date. A seat would be preferred, but if you can't sit, you might as well stand near the where they're making the pizzas. At least you know what's going into the pies, right? :) 

I feel like I need to give this place another try to see if it really is hype.
5 - G A.: This was my second visit and I liked it even more this time. This is a great place to go with friends or family. My 7 yr old loved watching them making the pizza and it was a nice change of pace from the usual restaurant scene. We had the San gennaro and then desserts. Everything was awesome!
4 - Dana C.: Update: Pizza is great overall.  Wasn't too fond of the Napolitana.  Could have used more flavor.  The sausage was delicious. The broccoli rabe was bitter. Cannoli were superb, and the crust is the most delicious and perfectly textured I have ever had. Prices are still ridiculous.
5 - Krud D.: Random rainy Tuesday night at 8:00pm... Place is packed... But for good reason..

Always wanted to go here and made the trip tonight.. 

WOW! I get it Atlanta! I know why people freak over this pizza! 

I am going back and trying every different kind they had just to experience their unique goodness. 

And the Pizza comes out SOOOOOO quick.. 

Also.. FYI it is BYOB/W which is great. 


So I had a large Margarita pizza and brought a bottle of wine and me and my lady got out of there for under $20.00!

Check it out ATLANTA!
5 - Will F.: By far the best pizza I've ever had in the Atlanta area. You can watch them make it fresh directly in the ovens behind the counter, and serve you the hot, delicious pizza on a big metal tray. I've been several times, and during peak hours, it's often standing room only, until a space opens up at one of the long tables (ala cafeterias). 

Intimate environment, incredibly delicious food; Antico is a must.
4 - Jen W.: Some of the BEST pizza ever - you will not be disappointed!  It is worth the traffic, traffic in the rain, anything!  It is also worth the money - about ~$19 per two people.  Bring your own drink, but I think they are phasing that out because a sign on the door said something about no outside drinks.

The ingredients are superb - sweet peppers, savory sausage, mmmm.  Your pizza may or may not be charred!!  But wow, what a delightful pizza!  Sometimes you may be rushed because of lack of seating and you may be sharing a small table with other people.  But you even forgot about even wanting to have an intimate conversation because the pizza is so delicious.  The ingredients are a highlight but they may even be better eaten separately than combined together if that makes sense.  Make sure to try a bit of the olive oil - I had never had such good olive oil before!  Mix a little garlic and voila - I mean, presto! :)
5 - Franklin M.: Oh really?  You have already had the best pizza in the world?  Nothing will ever compare to the pizza you had in Italy?  Why don't you shut your pie hole, or open it rather, for some Antico.  Antico is the best pizza.  Not the best pizza in the area, not the best pizza in Atlanta, not the best pizza in the USA, just simply THE best pizza.  I sent an obnoxious friend of mine there who always wants to be disappointed by my suggestions and who travels to Italy every couple of years.  He has always talked about how no pizza will ever compare to this city's or that city's, until he went there.  Not only was it the first time he has ever been pleased by somewhere I sent him, he agreed it was the best pizza.  

So you want to get one with crazy topping?  It appears that you are still an ignorant child.  Don't get me wrong, the toppings are great, but don't mess with perfection.  Split a margarita with one other person, bring your own wine and throw bows to get a seat.  That is the only way to do Antico.  Oooo oooo and hit up the oil bar to make a concoction of peppers, olive oil, garlic and parm for your crust.

Awesome- Atmosphere, pizza, desserts, bring your own alcohol with no corking fees.

Minor downsides- Can be hard to find a seat so don't go with large groups during primetime, parking can be difficult (but where isn't?), they aren't open Sunday and are just open until they run out of dough so there is no exact time.
5 - Jason F.: I just came bacK from Italy and this is still some of the best Pizza I have ever had. It doesn't get better than a decent bottle of your favorite red and the Margarita Pizza. Yea its a simple pizza but why mess with perfection. This place is VERY popular though so be prepared to wait in line to order and don't be surprised if you have to stand and eat. Still worth it though.
5 - Sara G.: Fresh and delicious pizza- quality ingredients. They serve beer now (Peroni) but I'm looking forward to them offering some wine! We made some new friends while sitting at the family style tables and got a close up view of the other pizzas on the tables and the ones being made. YUM.
5 - Akash M.: its hands down the best pizza I have had in US. Been to Italy / Naples and it felt like going to Italy and eating the Pizza there.

their desserts are delish too. coming from a foodie, you can not go wrong with this place. the owner suggested we try the magherita and by far it was the best every.
4 - Jackie H.: Went to Antico last night and wowsers, this is some good pizza.  

We ordered two pizzas to go.  The San Gennaro and the Bianca.  The Bianca is a four cheese pizza and it was yummy.  However, the star of the show was that San Gennaro!  Carmelized onions, sweet and spicy red peppers, ridiculously delicious  sausage and some cheese.  It was bangin!  Bang, bang, bang! Whew!

Yo, would you believe that it was even better the next day (today) after being warmed up in the oven?  I promise, it was so.  

Our pizza was ready five to seven minutes after we ordered it.  Lightening speed preparation.  I liked that.  Also, I like the open space where you can see the pizzas being made and the wood stoves going to work.  I'm not crazy about the seating situation though.  Looked like hard picnic benches and it was incredibly loud in that place.  

Parking is a mf nightmare and make no mistake about it.  And this on a Tuesday! 

This is some good pizza and I will be back for more because I won't be able to help it.  #fatgreedydance
4 - Meg A.: Pizza was authentic and delicious straight from Italy. Seating is limited, but did not have to wait long for a table. Would love to have outside seating on a beautiful afternoon. The cannoli was incredible as was the tiramiasu. The only real criticism is that the pizza and deserts were rather expensive. $51 for two pies and two cokes. Food was very good though, so a definite must if you love pizza.
2 - Caroline C.: After living in Italy for three months, I was CRAVING the real stuff. I came here with great expectations and it was nothing but American thin crust pizza. They try, but just don't execute well. Also, you can't BYOB anymore.
5 - Ruth L.: Love at first bite! Fun atmosphere, lightning fast service, amazing pizza. BYOB to top it off! 

Excellent!

P.S. Please do me a favor and try the Lasagna Pizza. You will not be disappointed. =)
1 - Stephanie A.: I am always in the minority when I express my views on this restaurant.  The pizza is good as far as pizza goes (well, at least my husband likes it, but I think the crust is tasteless and usually on the charred side), but there is no way I am going to wait in line (the restaurant is REALLY small), then fight for a place to sit (there is no organized system or waiting list - it's just whoever can elbow her way in) with a bunch of people I don't know (large common tables seat 10 or 12 people each) and if that isn't enough of an insult, they don't serve alcohol (although I think you can BYOB).  Atlanta has far better dining experiences.
4 - Marcus O.: man, the pizza is excellent!

...but good grief? who designed the logistics here? they must have picked some flunky industrial engineer to come up with this thing. it might be "unique", but it is damn annoying.

when you walk in, you have to order your food at the counter -- but make sure you grab a drink to go with it, unless you want to swim back upstream through the line like an annoying suburbanite who doesn't know the "local" way.

just when you think you're done and turn the corner to go to the dining area, be prepared to face yet another line. when you finally get through the door, you face yet another line. this time, you're in the kitchen with less than ample seating area. think picnic style. btw, if you want alcohol, bring your own.

when you finally get seated, be prepared to have a thousand eyeballs staring at you with the subconscious message "EAT! MOVE!" being carried with it. such a riot...

don't believe me? check out this street view of the inside of this joint before you decide to crate your entire family and drive down for it. apparently it's popular enough that google maps did a street view of it: http://bit.ly/S4rRIq
3 - Steve B.: I'm kinda torn.  There is no doubt that the pizza is at least good.  It has a unique taste.  The service is excellente, magnificiento, bueno and all that good stuff.  My gripe, my beef, my issue.... - the price.  At face value, the pizza is very good but $23??  Did I just type that out right..- $23???  When I think of 23 - I think of Michael Jordan.  When I think of 23 - I think of the famous soccer player David Beckham.  When I think of 23, I think of it as a powerful prime number.  There's nothing powerful about buying a $23 pie except the damage it does to your wallet.  When I think of 23, I think of that Jim Carrey film from 2007 (or 2008), i can't remember exactly the year while writing this review.  When I think of 23 - I think of Lebron James Number he wore in Cleveland.  But just like his #23, makes me wanna arson that pizza box for the price.

That's not even the half of it.  The parking situation is TERRIBLE!  I mean no where to park on the street.  Most neighborhood's driveways is larger than their parking lot across the street or behind the building.  It is an absolute joke.  No one is knocking the service - that staff is friendly.  A little too friendly.  They do a good job, very good workers.  

I guess in Atlanta's terms as far as quality of pizza, I can see why most people would at least put 4 stars (which is reasonable) and those who put 5 stars on their reviews are probably on that narcotic or bath salts.  When it comes to pizza pies, my advice is to review users who are originally from the Chicago area or the NYC area.  I have read reviews over the years from different people and the up north are most honest when it comes to pizza than any other food that exists.  So whoever rates Antico a 4/5 more than likely is not from Chicago or NY area.  They kinda over appraise the experience.  Put extras and accessories on it. That's the thing about Yelp, as much as I trust the reviews before I deep sea dive into an establishment I a) evaluate "who" is doing the review b) "where" that review person is originally from.  No offense to my Yelpers that grade pizza but lot of ppl overrate the turkey stuffing out of these pizza reviews. I mean $23 shouldn't be the cost of a medium pizza (as far as up north standards).  A larger pizza at better quality is almost $10 less - easily!!!  My bad, I'm still stuck on that twenty three theme!  If Yelp ever went to subjects for reviews, the title of this review would be 23.  

Pizza comes out in 5 minutes.  Pretty quick for a pie.  Potential red flag.  I would have to see what the hell they doing back there for a pizza to come out that fast.  I will say that it is a nice crowd.  Good looking people come to the spot.  Very diverse group of people come here to get their pie on!

Grade: C (it's not because of the food or the service, it's because of the totality of everything around that)
3 - David M.: Oi, I have a feeling I'm gonna get a smack down or tell me how I did it wrong!  Sorry, just was an okay pizza to me!

I went there for the first time Thursday, long after all my friends have raved about it.  My pizza mainstays have been Baraonda or Fritti.  Westside pi maybe...  But I had to check it out.

The space was nice, I was there early so got plenty of attention and I certainly wanted to try the stuff in the dessert case.   Ordering the pizza I was disappointed that I couldn't adjust the toppings by adding meat.  I love white pizzas but seemed like there was only one pizzeria you were allowed to chance and it was a tomato based.   My dreams and craving for a Bianca with some prociutto di parma to my pizza.  Alas, not allowed even for an upcharge.   So that w I'll probably keep me from coming back.  I get moods, I get cravings and what they have there, it isn't it.

They do get the pizzas out fast.  Props to them for that, at least
5 - Gaurav M.: Amazing Italian style pizza, on par with some of the most authentic in the  US! And the European cafe like atmosphere another plus.
4 - David O.: We were not able to celebrate my wife's birthday close to her actual birthday, so we set up a dinner and game night.  She wanted to try Antico, so two of the ladies that had been before suggested that if we go on a Saturday, then we need to:

1. Get there at 5pm:  It didn't help, the line was out the door and all the seating was taken up.  

2. Bring our own drinks:  We brought wine, water and soft drinks.  There was a sign on the door that no outside drinks were allowed, but they didn't say anything anyone.  I think this is a new policy and they are slowly implementing it.  Personally, I enjoyed bringing my own wine and drinks. 

3. Carpool:  Great advice because the small parking lot was full, the gravel parking lot was full and the street parking was packed.  Still was able to park close on the street.  A quick note that while leaving, we got to was a very optimistic Prius owner trying to park in the parking lot between a tree and a car.  They got into the area (not a parking space), but couldn't open the doors. 

We did all three, but Antico was still very busy.

The line moves quickly, but finding community seating for a large group on picnic tables was a bit challenging.  A group of four left as we walked up, so some of the group grabbed the spot and broke out the wine.  While waiting for the pies, we enjoyed taking in much of the Italian culture.  The soccer game on the TV, Italian pop music on the iPod, scents of the basil, wine, etc. and a clean open kitchen where you can watch dough being hurled across the room to the guys making the pizza.

As our number was called, we still only had enough seats for half the group.  Our group may have started a new sport as we ate.  Picture a combination between WWF and pizza eating.  As a person ate a slice, they would tag a group member to switch out so they could eat a slice.  While it was not us all sitting down together, it was a fun experience.

We ordered:

MARGHERITA D.O.P ($22)
This was my favorite pizza that we tried.  It had tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and garlic.  We added sausage for an additional charge and apparently, this is the only pizza you can have different toppings.

POMODORINI ($20)
This pizza was very good as well.  It had cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and garlic.  

CAPRICCIOSA ($21)
I did not try this pizza because of the mushrooms, but it also had ham, artichoke and mozzarella.  While I didn't try it, it was the first to be finished, so it must have been good.

Overall, it was fun and great pizza.  We then hurried home for games and keeping with the Italian theme, we had slices of a home made Italian Cream Cake that one of the ladies made.

I would go back.
5 - Candace S.: Best non chain pizza I have ever had!! Wine was excellent and it's also BYOB! Great service. Only issue I had was the seating. They could use more seating. Overall a wonderful experience!
5 - Jonathan L.: Obviously being a New Yorker, one of the first things we looked for when we moved down here a few months ago was a decent pizza place.  We tried a few places and was pretty disappointed each time.  Several people suggested Antico's and we were like, really? Is this place that good?  We looked at the reviews and they were all consistently highly rated out of several hundred reviewers.  

The first time we went there, the place was packed - so packed that we ended up bringing our pizza back home.  We were starving and it smelled extremely good and I kid you not, we devoured a whole pie in less than 9-11 minutes.  Whoa!  

Now, they are a little pricey - $25 for a pie and they only allow you to put one topping per pie (no exceptions) at $5 per topping but our pizza to go, ordered on the spot, was out in less than 10 minutes - freshly made.  They have a community dining room set up and parking is a bit rough because of all the people waiting to get in.  The owner came out and said - 'You eating here right? - just park in the employee lot - don't worry about it'.  

I had to ask - 'You sound like a New Yorker'.  'Brooklyn'.  That's a good sign.  We parked and waited on line for about 15 minutes and were on our way.  

This pizza was worth the wait, worth the price, and was so good, we wil not go anywhere else.  Three weeks later, we decided to head back over there with some friends on a Sunday.  Fail!!! They are closed on Sundays.  Seriously?  If you are a pizza joint and don't open on Sundays - even during football season - then you are making enough money during the week that giving your employees the day off is more important than making even more.  Or they take enough business during the week that they decided to give Domino's, Pizza Hut, and Papa John's, all within a 3 block radius the chance to take some business at least one day out of the week.  Even with a 30 - 45 minute wait consistently, the other national pizza joints, with all the promotional prices they are pushing, and all the commercials they are paying for, these other guys are hearing crickets for 6 days out of the week.  

Antico's is the place to go and we will not go anywhere else.
5 - Paul N.: Antico Pizza is located in Midtown of Atlanta. It specializes in authentic Italian pizza. There is an adequate amount of free parking, and it is open to all sorts of age groups. The restaurant can hold a large group. One down side to the setting is that the restaurant is quite loud with the restaurant music. It can be disturbing when you are trying to talk to someone across the table from you. The restaurant allows BYOB/drinks. 

First starting off, the pizza is not your typical Papa Johns pizza. The pizza is made from scratch unlike other chain pizzerias. The restaurant's ingredients are freshly made by the cooks, and the customers can see the employee make them. The production speed is fast and efficient. A customer must order first when you enter the restaurant and has to find his or her own seat. 

I had the pleasure of trying out multiple kinds of pizza in this restaurant. Two facts stick out the most for me: First, fresh ingredients with authentic style of toppings, and second, the pizza does not leave you feeling bloated or greased out. A lot at times, chain pizza places use butter brushes and drench the dough and crusts with melted butter, but in Antico Pizza, you're not going to find that. No matter how much cheese the restaurant smothers, it's still not oily or greasy like other pizza chains in town. 

The Margherita Pizza is very simple, and this is the only pizza where you can pick a protein topping. Other pizzas on the menu cannot be modified. I had mine with sausages and it was very flavorful. The tomato sauce was not too sweet or dominant, and it balanced very well with the garlic and the basil. It's one of the most popular pizzas in the restaurant. 

My favorite pizza is the Capricciosa. The flavor on this pizza is very diverse. The acidity from the artichoke goes very well with the cheese and the tomato sauce. The mushroom is very fresh, and the restaurant uses the "good" kind of mushrooms. A lot at times, pizza places like to use the cheap mushrooms, but this pizza did not have those type of mushroom. The prosciutto cotto was beautifully placed with a well balanced portion on the pie. What so good about this pizza is that it has a melody of acidity and the base of cheese playing against each other creating a great harmony. It has multiple flavors and that's what I love the best about this one. 

The Calzoni Napoletana are great, but I am not a huge fan of calozones in the first place. I can't comment too much about them, but some people describe them as folded pizza with marina sauce on the side to dip in. If you love calzones, I recommend trying them here because the people that like calzones overall like the Antico calzones. 

Overall, I want to say that this is the best pizza place that Atlanta can offer. I know some people love Mellow Mushrooms and other bar pizza places, but Antico Pizza offers an unique flavor and combination of ingredients that leaves you wanting more.
5 - Melanie D.: This was one of the most amazing experiences, I had 9 family members in town for a "Girl's Weekend" and this was definitely a highlight of the trip!  The owner is just as charming as it gets, they handed out pizza before the doors opened for lunch and the food was to die for!  Love this place and will be back again and again!!! Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, it's BYOB...wine from home!
4 - Judy L.: Delicious pizza in an interesting venue. I was told that all the ingredients are from Italy. We ordered the cherry tomatoes option. It was great. We were surprised that the pizza didn't have any tomato sauce. 

They don't provide plates or napkins. Instead, find yourself in the kitchen on cafeteria tables with big rolls of brown paper towels. Dig in!
5 - Diana X.: The pizza here is truly fantastic, but don't come in with ridiculously high expectations, which I was in danger of doing after hearing so many raves about this place. Me and my friend shared a pizza with mushrooms, artichokes, and mozzarella, and I have to say that it was the most delicious pizza I have ever tasted! The tomato sauce really shone through and the bread of the pizza was the perfect thickness and texture. It's really the small things about pizza that this place spot-on, which makes the food here so good. 

Even though this place is, unsurprisingly, crowded, it is remarkable how fast you will receive your pizza. I guess they have perfected the speed that has been necessary to keep this place functioning with so many customers rolling in non-stop. Still, I recommend getting takeout because this place is so packed. We also had a cannoli, which was alright but not fantastic. 

Definitely going to become a regular here!
2 - Mike T.: Wow... Lots of reviews on this place so I decided to try it. 

All I can say is ,"Forgetta bout it!" burnt pizza.... Decent taste on spots that wasn't burnt. Crowded blockhead layout, rude workers... I'm from NY but you have to be kidding me!! And $23 for a PIZZA...whatever...Lol 

To each their own, but I won't go here again....
5 - Sherry W.: Dining at Antico is like eating in a legit kitchen in Italy. We came on a weekday to avoid the long weekend wait, and we were able to find seats easily and quickly. Each Napoli-style pizza is literally served fresh out of the oven, and costs around $20, feeding about 3 people. I tried the Diavola, which consists of buffalo mozzarella, spicy Italian salami, and pepperoni on a very thin stone-cooked crust. I like the extras condiments that they provide, especially the small hot peppers. 

The people that work there were super sweet and helped us uncork our self-brought wine bottle. Good food, good service, great ambiance, which overall makes a great experience.
3 - Stacy K.: Reading some of the other reviews of Antico, I am happy to note I am not the only one who just wasn't blown away by this place.

We went at an odd hour (4PM) on a Saturday afternoon. There were three girls at the front counter to take orders, but only one seemed to be actually working. Not sure what the other two were there for--it certainly wasn't for looks. So we stood behind a large group who were ordering while the other two register-watchers just looked at us. When the only one that seemed to be actually working got finished, she took our order. She defintely wasn't friendly, but at least she took our order for a margherita pizza with sausage. Don 't even try to order an additional topping. Apparently, that's a major no-no. And you should know that, her look seemed to say.

The front room was filled, so we opted for the back area (even though it was hotter there). Pizza arrived very quickly but, unlike some of the others here that think that's so cool, we could see the pizzas were basically ready to go and just had toppings added as almost an afterthought. The additional $5 for sausage was one of the biggest rip-offs in this city. Each slice had one, yes one, lone piece of sausage on it. 

The pizza shows up in an overly-large baking pan. No plates, silverware, nothing. If you want a drink, you can buy one of those teeny-tiny cokes or an even tinier orangina for over $2 each . Because the place is so crowded, so hot, and the pizza add-ons like red pepper flakes are so spicy, you definitely need something to drink. Not knowing this, we just said we wanted water (not bottled). What we got was a small plastic cup, stacked on the table, and access to a sink, which had lukewarm water. Yuck.

The pizza was okay. We've had better. The outrageous price made it even less desirable.

Eyeing the homemade desserts in the front case, I decided I'd take some home. Hoping for something reminiscent of Little Italy, I approached the now-customerless front counter where my three favorite girls waited. As I stood there, alone, two of them opted to continue their conversation and totally ignored me (which is hard to do, as I was standing directly in front of them). I patiently waited. They continued to ignore me. The third one (again, the only one that seemed to be working that day) looked at me but pretended to be busy. Meanwhile,out of nowhere a customer walked up to Girl #3 and immediately ordered a pizza. I guess I just wasn't pushy enough. Seeing my disbelief, Girl #3 said, "I'll be right with you." At least she acknowledged me. The other two still couldn't be bothered to end their titillating conversation. 

I ordered three items from the dessert case: one cannolli, one nutella biscotti, and one fanlike cookie w/creme inside. After charging an incredible $9.50 to my credit card, I went home with some blech desserts that weren't large enough to share. Don't bother wasting your hard-earned money.

I am just not sure that it's worth the hassle, horrible service, ridiculous prices, etc., for this pizza. And I sure wish the owner(s) would hire some friendlier people.
5 - Tony Y.: Antico, thank you for making Atlanta your home!!!  As a kid in Brooklyn, I used to love pizza, as a matter of fact, I have to have it every Saturday for lunch.  As I grew older, my tastes changed (for the better) and I just could not stand most of the pizzas tried until I found you.  Flavors are strong and VERY appetizing.  People who complain about the $20 per pie, grow up.  The ovens costs over $25k each alone, and the ingredients are imported from Italy, not some junk from the typical food chain distributor here in U.S. that's full of harmful substance that will land you in the emergency room at age 35 or something.  The communal cafeteria like setting, I can see why some people are turned off by that, it took me a few mins to get used to it as well.  But you know what I enjoyed more at Antico than their pizza?  It's their CALZONE!!!!!   That's a platinum level Calzone, even with a little burn on the edges, wolfed it down like my life depended on it, it was that good.  When in Atlanta, everyone should make a note to stop by and see what a real pizza should tastes like.
2 - Jessica G.: Not what I was expecting. Defiantly didn't win the "Best of Atlanta" food reward to me. The layout is weird, you have to wait for a table, then when their is finally one it's in the hot kitchen. (Not ideal for summer months) Or your pizza comes before there's a spot to eat. So you have to hold this huge metal try that your pizza is on. Awkward! 

I imagined tons of great fresh toppings, fresh and authentic but it wasn't like this at all. Could have had more sauce, cheese, etc. I ordered the calzone filled with cheese and it just didn't do it for me. :( Poo....

Wanted to like this place but wont be back. Too pricey for me having to stand up with a giant tray of pizza and no where to eat it.
4 - Derek B.: It's good. Really good.  A little overhyped? Absolutely, but its pretty good.

Try to go during a not so busy time because this place gets PACKED!

Cannolis are not as good as advertized, just skip dessert and eat more pizza.
4 - Scott B.: Pizza gets six stars. Simply the best and most Italian pizza in Atlanta. Would love larger seating area, only reason for four stars. Been there a few times, have yet to try the tasty looking desserts.
4 - Lindsay H.: Incredible pizza, so-so setting/ambiance. The ingredients and ovens are imported from Italy, and you can definitely tell the difference... Slightly sweet dough and flavorful sausage and peppers with a teeny spice. Fresh basil and parmesan we're the perfect toppers, and I love the BYOB idea. 
Two potential inconveniences are (1) the limited # of tables and (2) the incredibly loud music, both of which could be annoying during a busy lunch or dinner time.
Would definitely return for the incredible San Genarro pie!!
4 - Misty M.: Not a huge fan of the communal seating and cramped space (feels especially cramped at lunch time), but the pizza is excellent. You can't go wrong, no matter which one you order.
5 - Erika L.: As a first timer to Antico, I will jump on that band wagon - hands down, the best pizza I have ever tasted in my life. I haven't traveled the world, but I have traveled and lived all over the United States - and nothing compares to this pizza.

You know, the flavor doesn't jump up and slap you in the face and you're not so impressed at first by the presentation... But the reason everyone raves about this place is because of the perfect simplicity. 

This pizza is the way pizza is SUPPOSED to taste.

I took my son, for his birthday today, we went in at 5pm - and there was plenty of parking and absolutely no line. I was terrified that it would be too packed and a hassle to order and find seating from previous reviews - but nope.

We walked in, looked around, and I said "only ones here, what the hell?"
We go to the counter and since we have no idea how this process works exactly, I just tell the cashier we want something without meat. She recommends the Marghertia pie and I say sure. Grab a coke and we sit down at this huge community table alone. I had no idea there was a backroom until I heard someone calling our number.

We had been sitting down for less that 2 minutes - and our pizza was ready?
Alright, so we walk to the back, sit down at an empty table (I'm so relieved I don't have to fight for seating) and our pizza is put down, right in from of us.

No plates, just napkins. 
Hell yes.
I look at it.... Looks a little floppy.
What the hell is that?
Best in Atlanta? Yea, we will see.. 

ONE BITE. SOLD.

I guess I had built up these expectations that I would spontaneously have a foodgasm after biting into a pie from Antico - and it wasn't fireworks or lightening - it was just right. Like after you eat here, you're thinking "THAT'S WHAT PIZZA IS SUPPOSED TO TASTE LIKE!!!!"

The ovens are imported, the ingredients are imported, maybe the kitchen staff is imported? I have no idea - but they were wonderful too. Came and joked with my son and I. Extremely polite, friendly and helpful.

It's roughly $20 a pie - but the ingredients are flown in from Italy!! Totally legit! Why not have fresh produce and herbs? Hand tossed dough? 


The communal tables? I see and have heard complaints about that.... But, really, who cares? Don't you go out to eat to be social? If you didn't want to socialize you should order take out or delivery and leave more room for people who enjoy society. lol - it's an entire experience. Sitting next to people, enjoying great food, maybe sparking a conversation or a new friendship? Cheering for a game or having a debate? Eating at Antico was a wonderful experience!
5 - Lauren M.: Excellent wood-fired pizza, and actually quick if you don't hit a big line to wait!
5 - Mark S.: Great tasting Pizza made with quality ingredients.  Rustic dining as you place your order, then try to hunt for an open table to sit.  Pizza comes out fast as they have 3 ovens working.   We will definitely be back!
5 - Daniel S.: Loved Antico on a recent trip to Atlanta. Kind of off the main drag but well worth the trip, nearby Georgia Tech. Pies couldn't have come out fresher, with amazing ingredients. There is even a condiment bar which has all the fresh garlic, red pepper and parmesan cheese you can stomach. Laid back atmosphere, don't even second guess.  I've realized that the best pizza is simply about great ingredients and trained pizzaolas.

As a cynical New Yorker I've had the cream of the crop when it comes to pizza (Patsy's, Nick's, Lucali, Tottonos), this pizza can standout with the heavy hitters. Can't wait for my next trip back. The pizza is just Ludacris.
5 - Noel D.: Best pizza I've ever had. How have I missed this place for over a year? Service is super fast, its fun to watch the pizzas being made and its nice to be able to get some fresh basil leaves for your pizza! My favs are the Margherita with pepperoni , Lasagna and Diavolo (spicy hot with whole hot peppers). Been here 4 times in the past 2 weeks and will be going often!
4 - Idrinkcha I.: Had to see what all the fuss was about. Picked up my date, grabbed a bottle of Malbec and headed over to Anticos. Luckily i found a parking spot adjacent to Anticos. My first thought was WTF where am i going to sit? But we found a spot in the kitchen. To be honest i thought it was pretty cool eating in the kitchen. I got the classic margherita pizza, nice char and what not, but the pizza was lacking a certain  dimension...SPICE. Luckily they have a little condiment area and i showered my pizza with red peppers and some oil soaked chillis. Those chillies were sooo good!
Me and the date couldn't finish the pizza. 
But yeah i'll be coming back here. I think BYOB just adds to the nostalgia.
5 - Daniel B.: A lot has changed since my first review of Antico.  I reviewed the restaurant in October 2009, shortly after it opened.  Since that time, over 700 more reviews have been written for this neighborhood pizza joint.  A few things have changed at the restaurant too, so it's time for an update.

This place has become extremely popular.  It seems to be busy around the clock now: dinner, lunch, weekends, weekdays.  Expect a full parking lot and full restaurant.  The restaurant isn't very big to begin with, but at least more seating has been added in the kitchen area.  Designated the "Dough Room," it has three picnic-style communal tables and one high-top table (with TV tuned to sports).  This seating is in addition to the large communal table outside and the countertop-style seating along the wall and windows.

If you choose to dine-in, the eating experience here is unique.  You'll be dining in the company of others.  This place has an energetic feel and buzz about it.  In the Dough Room, you can see the giant woodfire ovens owner Giovanni Di Palma imported from Italy and all of the pizzas being made by hand.  The room is warm because of the ovens.

The pizzas come out fast, no matter how busy the restaurant is.  All of the pizzas come in one size and cost about $20 each.  Don't let the Euro pricing on the menu confuse you - there is only one price and one size for each pizza.  They're all authentic Neapolitan pizzas.

My favorite pizzas are the Margherita D.O.P. ($18) and the San Gennaro ($21).  The Margherita D.O.P. is a great basic pizza that everyone can like.  D.O.P. stands for "Denominazione di Origine Protetta," which means the pizza uses real San Marzano tomatoes, grown in Italy.  In addition to the tomatoes, the Margherita uses buffalo mozzarella, basil, and garlic.

The San Gennaro comes with sausage (salsiccia), sweet red pepper, buffalo mozzarella, and small onions (cipolline).  This is my favorite among their pizzas served with meat.  The pieces of sausage of big and hearty.

The pizzas come out hot from the oven and are served on a baking tray.  The crust varies from slightly charred to very charred and is super soft and deliciously chewy.  The slices themselves can be quite floppy and messy to eat.  You may want to consider eating with fork and knife.  In the Dough Room, you can pick up some complimentary cheeses and seasonings to add to your pie, such as freshly crushed red pepper and black pepper and whole red chilis.

Drinks are of the refrigerated, bottled variety.  Cokes and Sprites ($2.50 each) come in small 8.5 oz. bottles.  I've seen several customers BYOB (beer, wine) even though a sign on the front door says "No Outside Drink."

It's interesting to note the sinks located near the big communal table and one in the Dough Room.  If your hands get messy, you can wash them in the middle of the restaurant.  These sinks are good for drinking (free tap) water too.

Service is fast and efficient.

Parking space has expanded to include two additional private, marked lots.  Oftentimes, even those are full.  In those cases, park along Ethel, where you shouldn't have a problem finding a spot.

There's only one restroom, which is unisex.  Outside the restroom are some autographed wooden pizza peels signed by various "celebrity" visitors to Antico, such as Arthur Blank, Kasim Reed, Andrew Bynum, Chris Rock, and Alton Brown.

Antico is open Monday-Saturday from 11:30am until the dough runs out.  Closed Sundays.
5 - Amanda H.: As much good hype as I've heard about this place, I was wary. I was worried all the talk was going to result in yet another mediocre meal as it did for an overrated burger place not terrible far from this spot. I needn't have worried. 

We entered and got in the relatively short line around 7pm on a Friday night. The line moved quickly, and we ordered my eternal favorite: a Margherita at $18. The cokes were in the small aluminum bottles, and at $2.50 a pop I think we'll bring our own next time. We got our number and went into the kitchen to sit, choosing a spot directly in front of the table where the pizzas are put together. My 3 yr old loved watching them throw the dough in the air and was mesmerized by the cheese and the basil that was on the front of the table. 

As soon as we sat, we watched them put together our pizza and slide it in the oven. The ovens are massive and authentic. We had our pizza in only a couple of minutes and dived right in. Even my little guy gulped down his slice in record time. It was perfection. I've had NYC pizza from all the supposedly best NYC spots and was sorely disappointed. I've had Chicago style in Chicago and it was ok. We even had pizza when we went to Italy, in Naples. And this blew it all out of the water. I have a feeling that anytime I have pizza anywhere else I will be incredibly disappointed. 

This is how pizza should always taste. We ate the whole thing quickly. Then picked up some cannoli, biscotti, and sfogliatelle for dessert on our way out. The cannoli are amazing. I waited while they filled them and it was worth every minute. Our  little guy enjoyed the biscotti and the sfogliatelle were ok.  We'll be back, many times. I cannot wait to try more toppings.
5 - Andrew D.: I've been here many times now and must say this place is better than most of the pizza places I've been to in NY. The Margherita and San Gennaro are my favorites on the menu.

BYOB adds to the Nostalgia.
3 - Ali L.: Good pizza, but by no means the most amazing pizza I've ever had.  It comes out quick enough, but after it sits on the table (or in our case on the sheet pan) the crust becomes soggy and the texture begins to feel less like a good pizza crust and more like a soggy wet tube sock.  

That said, we got the Diavola pizza and the Gigiotto calzone and they were...you know, bread and cheese and such.  I definitely liked the ambiance and the "authentic" Italian vibe of the scores of hispanic-american men manning the ovens.  

Thank goodness for Chianti and good company---which made this experience all the palpable.
4 - Eric S.: Great pizza and fun atmosphere.  I've been there twice now and both times we got lucky and had the back private room.  It is a standing only room for a group of around 6 or more.  The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that you never know if you're going to get a seat, but we've been pretty lucky.
5 - Laura N.: After dining at Antico several times this year, I am once again convinced that it makes the best pizza in Atlanta.

Antique Bar - Houston, TX (29.725228, -95.417392) (West University)
2 - Danielle G.: Maybe it was my mood, but I really wasn't feeling this place. Mind you when I used to go to the Gallant Knight back in the day, I was in my early 20's and we used to get down and boogie in that old little love shack on Holcombe... oh good times. So to come here now hoping for the same funky/coolness of the Gallant Knight, but with more mature but cool people and minus the young ones, was a silly wish. Ok, I felt a little more "senior" than most of the crowd, at least  more than half. That is fine with me of course, I'm not prehistoric, but I was expecting something more funky and cool, and less "sophmorish" I suppose. Maybe if I would have gotten the memo about wearing argyle knee-high socks and hot-pants and florescent visors than I would have been more prepared, or just never bothered in the first place. 
For a Saturday night, it was not very crowded at all... not good. The band didn't play as much as I would have liked, so we left once the radio music came on. Positive is there isn't a cover charge, but a Lonestar beer is $4. 
Ehh.
5 - jessica s.: The owner of Antique bar is extremely generous: they were the sponsor for both our kickball league for the after parties each Wednesday, and for the Alzheimer's Association BvB football game. I'll definitely come here more because of their charitable giving.
1 - Cameron B.: I have gone by this place 2 other times since my first review and it is always the same. Empty as hell, bored staff, and a crappy DJ playing techno. Obviously this concept is not working! Change it up or this place is just going to fail like all of the other bars that have been in this building before!
3 - SomeGu Y.: Expensive, $4 Lonestars!  Other than that it was ok.  Indoor = loud dance music, outside = lots of tables & seating.  Overall I'd say it was a win.
5 - Chuck C.: I've been hearing about this place for months, finally made it out to a Friday night and had a blast. 

They must have changed something, because I found excellent drink specials and some of the best music in town to dance to. If you're into some of the stuff clubs play in NYC, LA, San Francisco and Chicago, you will enjoy this music. If you're into top 40 pop, hip hop and rap, or, if you are looking for a quiet place to enjoy a cocktail and chat with friends, it might not be your place. I'm definitely going back.
5 - Amy n.: Everyone "complaining" must not have a lot of friends. At first it was slow now it's the Friday place to be. Drink specials are great and all my friends who are DJ's play there. And stuff that is not on the radio, REAL dance music and pumper ups! Everyone I know comes out on Friday and y'all should too. Especially since word has been spread along the grapevine it's more packed than when it first opened. But every place is slow at first until the customers get the feel and come back more than twice.
1 - Singapore R.: The place has a great set up. When walking in I noticed the crowd, total douchey midtown/Washington Ave types every where. Same kind of people who ruined Poison Girl. A friend of mine was djing and the music was good. Booze was decently priced but the atmosphere reeked of plastic and Lysol. I would never recommend to a friend.
4 - Ben F.: 50 cent beers, 4 star experience with the outdoor patio area. The loud music inside is fine if you're into that scene but you can just as easily sit outside and drink cheap beer from 7-12 on Fridays which i plan to do again tonight.
4 - Vinh N.: I actually liked this place, which surprised me.  I went on a week day so can't say much for the weekend crowd.  The decor is nice, much fancier than you would expect looking at it from the outside.  The patio is pretty big with plenty of seating.  They have drink specials and the service is nice.  It has a parking lot which is always a plus.  I think if they had a good buzz going around, the place would catch up quickly. I guess they have the wrong promotors or something cause I think the place could be really happening.
2 - Victoria D.: 1. I'm glad they played hip hop the night that I went.
2. It seems like the floors will collapse one day. 
3. The pineapple juice tasted extremely weird so it threw my drink off.

I did not stay here long. I just went here with my boyfriend for a friend's gathering. It was an interesting experience. It wasnt extremely pack so others will not touch you...so that was good. BUT....you see weird things like people rolling on the floor dancing because there's so much room. It was a good try, but it's not my kind of place. It's pretty chill though.
3 - Tiffany W.: Came here for a NYE celebration. It was quite the experience.

This bar is definitely not hard to miss. It stands out on your right hand side as you drive down Bissonnet from Kirby. The lot is pretty smallll, so my friends and I were lucky  that we got there around 10pm (which is clearly way too early for everyone else). There's a HUGE patio in front of the bar, but it's sort of sad on the eyes considering barely anybody makes use of it. (It's a great area to take pictures though... lol) Inside is really pretty. The owners must have put a lot of work and thought into decorating the entire space starting from the tiles to the chairs. The bar is lined with booths, tables, and extremely comfy and cute chairs around the perimeters (except for where the bar stands and the DJ booth is).

NYE got pretty crazy towards the end of the night. We reserved 3 tables, which comes with a bottle each, and ended up getting Goose, Hennessy, and Patron. For each table, they brought out an unlimited amount of different mixers such as Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice, Cranberry Juice, Coke, etc. One of the workers (Andrea, I think) was extremely helpful and super nice despite how annoying everyone was getting. I definitely appreciated her the entire night.

I'm not sure if I'll ever come back or if Antique Bar will ever cross my mind when I feel like going out, but like I said, it was quite the experience. I think due to its vast openness (and slight emptiness), it's a great place to hold a celebration party, birthday party, or just to kick back without having to fight a crowd.
1 - dereck a.: Place was a dump, service was horrible. ill never return or reccomend anyone here
1 - Zach M.: Bring back the knight

Antique Center Mall the - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2838183, -120.6577524) ()
5 - Gourmet G.: Serious buyers and casual browsers will find quality furniture and lamps, glassware and china, handmade quilts, pottery, vintage jewelry, knickknacks, tchotchkes, and every type of collectible imaginable, displayed by a number of Central Coast-based dealers. Prices range from easily affordable to exactly what you would expect for a circa 1920s mahogany bedroom set in mint condition. If the weather isn't cooperating, this is a great place to kill a couple of hours.
5 - Jeremy G.: Easily the best antique mall in SLO (and one of the best on the Central Coast), the Antique Center Mall has an enormous variety of inventory (very well described by "Gourmet G" below). 

And they have a bathroom! It's located on the right wall of the store, (purposely?) obscured by several booths. It's long and narrow, and the door faces the back of the store, so it's easy to miss. I've never known if customers are allowed to use it - many States are really cracking down on non-ADA accessible public restrooms. When it comes to antique store bathrooms, my attitude is, "ask for forgiveness, not permission." (However, I've also found that, if you're purchasing a boatload of loot, most antique shops will let you potty to your heart's desire in their lavatory.)

Note that they also have a secret parking lot. Well, it wasn't a secret after they told me (or now to you). But it isn't remotely obvious, either. If you drive down the alley to the right of the building, you'll come across several parking spaces belonging to them. But the drive is only one-car wide, so good luck getting out. There's also two-hour parking out front; however, the parking on the other side of the street is 30 minutes only - WTF?!?! (Note: if you shop at SLO Antique Treasures, across the street, they'll usually let you stay parked in their lot while you shop here. And vice versa.)
4 - Heather W.: As far as antiques shop go, this is one of the better ones. It is pretty big and has all kinds of unique items. If you happen to be walking by and see the sign outside advertising "Live Music" be sure to stop in! You will find the sweetest lady playing her electric keyboard and she'll even let you sing with her!

Antiques of Shadyside - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4603365, -79.9468513) (Bloomfield)
5 - mister k.: I insisted my whole life, up until the day I got engaged, that I would never get married. My wife felt exactly the same, so there we were, a couple of people who had no idea what we were doing, trying to figure out all the details of a wedding. Neither of us knew anything about jewelry, and we had decided to elope so we were pretty much on our own to figure it out. It was intimidating to say the least, and with the added fear that we might encounter some homophobia in the ring shopping process, I dreaded it.

Antiques of Shadyside was the very first jewelry store we walked into, simply picked for the fact that there was an adorable neon diamond out front and the one thing we did know was that we wanted antique rings. The owners, a married couple, were both there and instantly put us at ease. Both were helpful in educating us on all the decisions we had to make about what we each wanted in a ring, and showed us numerous rings behind the glass case and pulled out boxes of more from the back. They didn't bat an eye at a couple of ladies marrying each other. Quite the opposite, they were very welcoming and treated us like friends, pulling out photos of their adorable grandson to share with us. 

We must have been there over an hour, and in that time my wife fell in love with a ring. We left the store without it, thinking it was ridiculous to buy a ring at the first place we walked into, but only drove down the street before realizing it was just right and turning back. We then spent months looking for my ring in over a dozen other stores in different cities. Once I had a better idea what I wanted, we came back to Antiques of Shadyside and they pulled out even more boxes of rings from the back until I found my ring. 

Of all the stores we visited, nobody was anywhere near as kind and helpful, and nobody had as good a selection of antiques or such fair prices. And in all the time we spent there, we never once felt pressured to buy. I probably couldn't recommend anyone more highly.
5 - Della S.: I heard about the Swetts, who own Antiques of Shadyside, from a friend who said they had the best prices in town for both buying and selling. Could not have been more true. They have a fabulous selection of high-end antique watches and rings, all very reasonably priced. 

And they are also incredibly nice people -- they take the time to explain everything to you, which I really appreciated and enjoyed. I will definitely be a repeat customer.

Antone's Import Co. Original - Houston, TX (29.7191537, -95.4166091) (West University)
4 - Rebekah K.: The tabouleh was pretty good & pretty cheap [$6 for a quart] I have high standards for tabouleh as a Middle Easterner. 

The falafel wrap I had was OK, kind of dry, but decent. To be honest I was so smitten by the tabouleh that the sandwich was secondary. 

I also love that they have wireless internet, an incredible selection of olives & are a full fledged specialty foods market. A definite choice if you're in the area & want something healthy.
4 - Steve C.: Antone's was one of my favorite Houston hangouts when I lived here over 20 years ago. So when I moved back, and AT&T took 3 weeks to install DSL, I was here frequently for free wi-fi and sandwiches. The sandwiches and salads are just as good as they were back then. I like the felafel wrap for a change of pace, though the super with its awesome chow chow relish and the turkey are my top choices.
5 - Mark H.: Beware - this is a review of the genuine "Original" Antone's Imports, home of the BEST little po-boy sandwich in Texas! NOT to be confused with the evil, faux "Antone's Market" corporate spin-offs that lurk around Houston, confusing and misleading the public (who rely on the high quality goodness of the "Original").

I spent many a lunch in high school at the Antone's shop in my neighborhood, after taking a drive off-campus in my best friend's orange Saab 99. It sure beat the nastiness that was served in our cafeteria. Antone's po-boys are still reasonably priced in toothsome French bread with true deli meats cut in-store. You can have the red or green wrap originals (with chou-chou relish - yum) or go exotic with 'smoked turkey' and 'piggy' (a.k.a. ham) po-boys. Delicious!!

Antone's Imports stocks deli meats and cheeses along with a lot of Mediterranean stuff (baklava and stuffed grape leaves). Even though I don't live in Houston now, I still have my Antone's "Po-Boy Club" card. And I DO make a habit of stopping by when I visit. 5 star goodness. Major fu interior. Good prices. Can't be beat.
4 - Farrah A.: It was nearly 3 o'clock when I realized I hadn't had a bite to eat all day. Since I was in the area doing Yelp Eats errands, I pulled into Antone's for a quick sammy.

Quick sammy indeed. I walked in, grabbed a Diet Coke from the cooler, walked over to the pre-made sandwiches and snagged a tuna po-boy, paid and was out the door. 

This tuna was rockin': pickles, spiced up tuna with a cajun kick, and no overload of mayo. It had a slice a cheese, which threw me off (fish and cheese freak me out), but I was so hungry, I ate it any way. And you know what? It wasn't bad at all.

I want to stop by another time and take look at their cheeses, hummus, and creative wraps. Thanks for feeding my belly, Antone's.
4 - Melissa M.: I love chow chow!!! CHOW CHOW!!! It's this yummy sweet relish.  I have no idea what it's made of really and I don't care!  It's D*E*L*I*C*I*O*U*S (think Fergie's song in the background). When I go to Antone's (which is not often enough because there isn't one in SL!), I get the turkey po-boy with extra extra chow chow!!  They have little to go cups of the stuff to. They must put some type of addictive drug in it to make you crave it.  

Antone's is so cute and old fashioned, it hasn't changed in decades. The ladies make the po-boys in the middle of the room and you can watch them from all sides.  It's an interesting kitchen/deli counter set up.  There are some tables inside but many people take their orders to go.  The food travels well and is filling.  It's the perfect quick lunch stop!
5 - Chad S.: This is a regular stop for me, not only because it is within walking distance of my house, but because the sandwiches are so consistently and classically good. 

I usually go for the poboys, but also often get the falafel wrap. The falafel isn't the greatest I've ever had, but it's tasty and Antone's is the only place I know of in my neighborhood that serves anything like it. In NYC, these falafel sandwiches are simply referred to as "falafels" and you can buy them from street carts all over town. I miss that sometimes, and this helps to ease my pain.

This, the original location, I believe, really beats the pants off any of the franchised chain locations around town. I mean, either you know how to make a proper sandwich, or you don't. It's like understanding jazz. If you don't get it, you're just wasting everybody's time. The original Antone's gets it right.

The store hasn't changed much over the years and still has an old-fashioned feel about it. It makes me feel a little better that Alfred's, the other legendary Rice Village deli that once graced Rice Boulevard, did not survive my childhood.
1 - Ryan L.: Some of the most unfriendly sandwich people in all of Houston, seriously. If you don't know how the shop works, forget asking them. If you want a sandwich, forget it, just pray they have what you want in their cooler. Asking anyone anything here would get a glare as if you insulted their mother, their country, and kicked their dog.

No sandwich is worth this.

Antone's Record Shop - Austin, TX (30.2961972, -97.7424529) (University of Texas)
4 - Clarisa R.: This is the ultimate place for record collectors. Its selection of records far exceeds Waterloo's and it reminds me of the kind of record store you'd find in New York or Providence, RI back in the 70's.
One of my roommates is an avid record collector and he was in heaven when he walked in, mostly because they started playing some really old blues he really liked. The sales associates are also really friendly and there are pretty cool posters for sale throughout the store. Actually, that's the best thing about this place because I've met a lot of pompous people working in record stores.
4 - Jackson R.: I'm going to be the first to admit I'm a vinyl snob.  Cd's only sound good to people because the record industry had us listening to cassettes before.  So when you played your CD of "Back in Black", you were thunderstruck compared to listening to a third generation copy on a 90 minute Maxell.  OK, enough snobbing.

Antone's Records specializes in vinyl, specifically vintage blues, R & B and soul.  If you want to learn about the early days of rock n roll and find out where the music you grew up listening to came from, this is a good place to start learning.  If you are already educated in those styles, they have a great selection and you probably will find something that has been missing from your collection.  If you collect 45's they have plenty of those as well.

Being a big fan of soul and blues, I have to be careful every time I come here so that I'm not spending all the money I owe the electric company.  No electricity, no turntable.
5 - Justin S.: Antone's is one of the best record stores in Austin. Period. 

Let's make one thing clear from the start: their selection of jazz, blues, soul & garage rock records is unsurpassed in the whole city. But this is not where you go to find that Organized Konfusion original press or a Napalm Death 7". If you're looking for punk, rap, or variants thereon, Antone's has it, but you're not gonna find the best selection here. 

This is the spot when you realize you only have one Thelonious Monk album (you really do need them all), or that you don't have any Muddy Waters (for shame!). Everything is remarkably well-priced; you've really got to dig to find something higher than $25.

Even their dollar bin is full of beat-up-looking but great-sounding stuff. Last summer I spent a week on the floor just digging through those tasty dollar crates and walked away with my collection significantly increased at a ridiculously low price.

There's a massive reference shelf behind the counter, but the staff doesn't need to consult it very often: they seem to know damn near everything. Spend enough time here and you might pick up some knowledge along with yer vinyl.
5 - Record Lovin' Ben N.: Stepping in this place and knowing it's association with the club of the same name, I figured it was going to only be a place for jazz/blues/soul aficionados, and the Cro-Magnon rock that I generally dig wouldn't be represented. Certainly, this place has a huge selection of those styles, if you're into them you need to visit. But I was more than pleased with the rock section in the back, it's pretty deep and all quality stuff very reasonably priced. They have a large dollar selection running around the floor and though I didn't have time to look through it much, I my dollar bin sixth sense told me there's probably some decent stuff to be found. Probably my most satisfying single record store in Austin.
5 - James H.: Stopped by Antone's because I needed to by a empty CD jewel case.  Cool vibe, lots of old records, lots of character.  The owner(?) was talking to a customer when I came in and having an in-depth discussion about music.

They don't sell CD jewel cases, but he gave me one for free, and said "come back and buy a CD from us sometime."  I am moving out of Austin in a week but I figured a Yelp review is probably a good way to thank them!

So, five stars for a great atmosphere and a damn helpful customer attitude!
4 - Shane H.: Antone's is a cool, hip place to pick up some rare or hard to find CD's, vinyl and other cool stuff.  They have large collections of jazz, country and even local stuff.  They do have some new rock/pop albums but they keep it pretty limited and try to stick to their roots.

They do buy and sell used CD's so you can  get rid of some of the junk you don't need anymore and you can pick up some decent selections pretty damn cheap.  

The staff is very knowledgeable when it comes to their bread and butter (Jazz, Americana, country, local, etc.) but they can be kind of stumped if you ask them about too much of the new stuff.  

The location is convenient to those shopping on the Drag and there are a lot of great places to eat nearby to satisfy your hunger once you are done shopping.
4 - J. D.: More than any other record shop I've been to, Antone's affects a selectivity in what they carry with the knowledge of what they carry to back it up.  That's not to say that any snobbery is involved--in fact, the staff is very approachable and super nice.  Rather, their operation is the rare alternative that the hard core, but deliberate and parsimonious record buying crowd needs.   Thrift store finds belong in thrift stores, after all.

That Greatest Hits record that sold three trillion copies with three trillion cut-outs left?  It's clogging the bins en masse at the dusty fleamarket or the disorganized Goodwill.  Save the space at the record store for the stuff that's harder to get.

Antone's is a great asset because they have a solid selection without the often fabricated collectibility factor looming that keeps a po' boy like me walking away disappointed (though they do have a "rare/collectible/shit I can't afford" selection behind the counter).  

I only went as a buyer, not a seller.  So I have no knowledge of how fair they are when it comes to buying.  They certainly seem like good peeps, though. They even let me keep my purchases there overnight since I was on foot and it was hotter than a fresh cat shit omelette outside.
5 - Brent W.: This is my favorite place to buy vinyl in Austin.  The staff is knowledgeable, but they never talk down to me (I'm relatively new to vinyl).  I find their prices to be extremely reasonable.  

I tend to buy used LPs here, but they do have a small section of new albums, reissues, compilations, etc.

I usually buy jazz, classic rock, country or soul.  I'm always happy with their selection.  However, I can't say anything about their punk, new-wave, hip-hop selection as I've never looked at them.

All in all, it's a great place to look for some used vinyl.  They also seem to have a decent amount of CDs, although I've never really looked at them.
3 - Tyler B.: If you're into country/rockabilly/Texas music, you can't do better than Antones.  If you're into new releases, don't waste your time.

Unfortunately for Antones, I'm in the latter category.  I enjoyed browsing what they did have in my preferred genres, but I found the general organization somewhat confusing, and as a savvy veteran of combing through used vinyl, that shouldn't happen.

I'm sure there's plenty of people who love and adore this place, but as an indie rock loving music snob, it wasn't what I was looking for in a vacation record store.
4 - Kurt A.: I shopped at four records stores in Austin during a recent visit, and Antone's was one of the best. The staff was helpful - they played an LP for me on the store system when the listening center was occupied. The selection was second only to Friends of Sound. Prices were good, at least on the record I bought. Go.
4 - Adrian V.: The long awaited visit to Antone's! I came in to trade some of my old records and I ended up getting credit which is nice. The prices are fairly moderate I should say. I did find the gentleman and the girl who assisted to be very kind. Will be back and encourage everyone to come by if in Austin, TX.
2 - Adam S.: I think I finally figured out why most record stores are going down the financial tubes. Lack of decent fucking customer service! I have first hand knowledge of what kind of attitude is permissible for working at a record store. Basically you don't have to acknowledge the customer and if you do, it is at your discretion whether or not you would like to be condescending to them and judge their musical tastes. I walked into this store and didn't even get looked in the eye. They have just O.K. selection and they're a bit pricey, considering the condition most of these records are in. I'm not paying seven dollars for a scuffed, written on copy of a Crystals 45, don't care if its original or not. This record store was full of scuffs. And scoffs. Scoffed at when we asked if they sold cassette deck cleaners. " Just use some alcohol and q-tips." Whatever dude, just trying to bring you some badly needed business. The only thing more bitter and jaded than a record store employee is an old-as-fuck record store employee.
5 - gary f.: This is exactly what I was hoping to find in Austin! A shop that stocks tons of records with fair prices and a great selection. All genres are well stocked and you are stoked if you are a blues or jazz fan or into 45's cuz they have loads of 'em! Well organized and inviting. Cool decour and nice welcoming staff. This was a breath of fresh air. Lots of new releases too! Can't wait to get back to Antone's!! The best thing about this shop is they have a large section of bands that came from Texas. Very cool to see that!! Can't say enough good things about this place. Support awesome independent record shops!
3 - Sam A.: OK, I am REALLY not a fan of country, blues, or jazz music...  With that said, I did see some incredible collectible surf rock and 60's, 70's, and 80's rock at Antone's.  I was pretty disappointed that there was very minimal punk records on display, but did manage to find a decent selection of punk music in the 7" 45 section.  I walked away after paying over $50 for some decent records that I couldn't find anywhere else, so kudos to Antone's for that...  I probably won't go back tho...
2 - T S.: Sadly, the selection is picked over and there is very little to get excited about.  Every artist I tried to find had a name marker, but it was empty.  The "New Arrivals" were all "meh."  I have a feeling that the staff gets first pick...I heard them talking about the newest albums that just came in, and the ones they got.  I know it's part of the "employee rights" thing...I'm not against it.  I'm just passing along that if you want Jefferson Starship or Olivia Newton John, the employees won't be picking through those, and this is your place.

There are so many other amazing vinyl stores in Austin, and with better prices.

And it's nice that the owner cares enough to respond...that's a rare gift.  However, I know what I heard, and the discussion took place at the "New Arrivals" display, and the employees were discussing buying an album for themselves from the display...and the extended conversation left no doubt in my mind that they cherry pick.  Still have nothing against it...employees should own the merch they sell.  It's just fair warning to those of us "not in the loop."  But fair dues on the sale...that might be why there was little to choose from.
5 - Eric M.: This is hands down the best record shop in all of Texas.

Before you dispute me, consider this.

Most folks who collect records are not interested in new release's. That's not say that collectors are snobby, it's just that many have a deep understanding of the wealth of good music that was ONLY PRESSED ON VINYL and long out of print.

Think about it....... 

Up until 2010 iTunes did not have any songs or albums from The Beatles who are easily one the top selling bands of all time.

If it took all that time just to get reissued in mono, on mp3, and on CD imagine all of the other great albums out there that still haven't made it!

That is not say that Antone's does not keep any new release's in stock(which they totally do) it's simply that they focus on music that is a little more difficult to find.

Anyone who is fan of blues will easily be impressed by the largest selection of which I have seen available ANYWHERE, neatly organized by name, and even region!

Fans of soul have a slightly smaller but equally impressive selection, especially when it comes to 7 inch singles!

Local Music,Rock-A-Billy, Garage, Punk, Funk(also organized by region) Jazz, rNb, Surf, Folk, Classic Rock,Tejano,Metal, and more can all be found here.

If you can't find it, they will often order it just for you!

The staff is very knowledgeable and have often recommended things to me that I would have NEVER FOUND OR EVEN HEARD OF WITHOUT THEM. I feel the need to note that they only made suggestions when I asked them too, and never once pressured me to buy something.

Prices are very reasonable and the shop is clean.

I don't think you could ask for anything more.........

Antonio's - Amherst, MA (42.376188, -72.519611) ()
5 - Arik C.: Its a shame there isn't pizza like this in Boston.  Best pizza by the slice I have ever had.  Chick and blue cheese, tortollini, quesidilla pizza.  Its awesome.  I don't miss school but I miss Antonio's and always stop by if I am in the area.  The ebst to go after the bars close or when you want to experience Amherst.
5 - Andrew K.: Best pizza ever. Gave me the idea of putting avocado on my pizza, which isn't even big in California. This place is packed and deserves to be. The crust and sauce are delicious.
5 - John F.: Amazing pizza, mostly for the toppings. This is not the place to go for plain cheese. Tortellini pesto pizza? Yes please.
4 - Mats K.: Somewhat of a local staple, Antonios has been around as long as I knew about Umass.

The pizza is tasty, but stands out mostly in the amount of unusual toppings that can be had.

It's not particularly wuthentic italian, but its not trying to be.

It's just good pizza with unusual toppings.
5 - Nick B.: An Amherst institution.  Whenever anyone finds out that you've lived in Amherst, the second question is inevitably "did you eat at that pizza place there?"  Antonio's, of course, is that pizza place.

While the pizza is definitely good (Mexicana, Chicken Blue Cheese and Potato-Bacon are my favorites) the real selling point of Antonio's is the atmosphere.  If you show up at 1am on a Saturday, you'll feel like you've stepped on to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, in a midst of a huge crowd with orders being shouted and money flying everywhere.

Plus, there'salways a good chance that you can have your drunken sidewalk booting captured for all posterity on the Mass Live Webcam (http://www.masslive.com/campuscam/).
4 - Elaine C.: Was it the best pizza I ever had?  No.   In fairness, I only had cheese.  Next time, I will be  a bit more adventurous and have one of the largest selection of slices I have ever seen.  By the size of the crowd and the amount of people working there, they are definitely doing something right.  Every college town should have a place like this that students will always remember.  It is where memories are made and a pretty good slice.
5 - Jenny N.: Honest to god, this is the best pizza I've ever had in my life.  Ok, so I could be a bit biased because I grew up eating this pie, but really--how could you NOT love this delicious crisp crust topped with inventive ingredients such as tortilla chips, black beans, and avocado or mac n' cheese?!  It might not be your typical pizza shop, but it sure is delicious!  Antonio's is always fresh from the oven--no greasy or soggy pizza here.  I love this place so much that everytime I go home to Amherst I have to stop here for a slice.  Oh, and they stay open very late, so on weekends you'll find a drunken line of college kids out the door...but no worries, the service here is always quick and friendly!
1 - Patrick M.: Crust tastes like baked cardboard paste.   If all you've known is Pizza Hut and Domino's, you'll be alright. If you've ever had a real New York slice, you will be severely disappointed.
4 - Daphne M.: How I miss Antonio's now that I have no one left at UMass. Such fun to get the crazy variety of pizzas they had there - the tomato pesto, the avocado quesadilla, the potato...all such finely combined ingredients, so very delicious. I wouldn't say their simple pizzas are the best, but that's not what Antonio's is about. It's about putting freaking tortellini on your pizza, and they do it right! It's massively crowded at the lunch hour but they are adorably efficient and systematic about it. Totally a fun experience.
5 - Amy ..: Perhaps I'm nostalgic... Perhaps I just love cheese.  I visited my old stomping grounds this past weekend for Homecoming at UMass, which for my friends inevitably means getting together for a pseudo pub/food crawl of Amherst Center (which also inevitably ends up in someone actually crawling at some point...but I digress).  Plain cheese?  Eh.  Taco Pizza?  OK.  Buffalo Bleu?  Oh yes please.  Sicilian Honey Mustard Chicken?  Big Ooooo..definitely.  I treat my waistline once a year to one of these puppies and it never disappoints.  I will perhaps never understand the weird line that forms at the back and how everyone smooshes in that little hallway, but the mosh pit atmosphere and the balancing of the giant slice in the palm of your buzzed little hand gives it a little somethin' extra.  

Go for the tomato, spinach and feta.... Enjoy!
5 - Tracee D.: Where for art though Antonio? How am I supposed to live without your perfect pizza slices? Antonio's offers the best selection ever. Black bean and Avocado, buffalo chicken, tomato basil fresh mozz and even their plain is terrific. My mom used to make my bring her a slice when I came home from college. Even though I was trapped in the line, whilst 2 frat boys threw fists at 2 am, I still think this place is the best.
3 - Dan B.: Antonio's is an Amherst tradition and everyone who goes to school in the area ends up trying it at least once. Despite this, I was disappointed with the pizza.  The cheese lacked real flavor and neither the sauce or the crust stood out. On the bright side, they are very inventive with their toppings, from tortellini and chicken to black bean quesadilla. Most of the flavor came from the topping, so choose wisely.  The problem with this is that because they have so many different kinds of pizza, almost everything has been sitting out for a while and has a slightly stale flavor.

If you get the right flavor, like BBQ chicken, its not bad; and, to be fair, I can be a snob about pizza that's not up to New York standards. If you're in the area and have a craving for pizza, you can't do much better than this, just don't go in expecting John's.
4 - Amy C.: There are so many different types of pizza.  My favorite is the honey mustard chicken, althought it's close to 3 dollars a slice, i think it's very well worth the price.  the lines get super long at night, so be smart and go early.  i've been there a few times, i wouldn't say it's the best pizza, but much better than many other places.  it is one of the must go places when you're around the amherst area.
5 - Mod S.: I doubted the pizza based on the looks. man was i wrong. I got the qusadilla pizza which was above and beyond amazing. this place really  left a mark in my palate. i wish i could live here to enjoy the wonders of antonios pizza.
4 - Megan M.: Great staple pizza, as another poster mentioned, "An Amherst Institution". Another one we make a point to stop in when we're back visiting our old college town. My faves were the grilled chicken pizza, and chicken blue cheese. YUM. There are countless other combinations, and new ones being created daily. 

The atmosphere is like none other in the area. "Hot cheese up front!" became a favorite quote for many, as it was so often shouted late-night on the weekends.
4 - Abby M.: Well, the atmosphere it's self is totally awesome, all the rush, and the tight corners. And the unique flavors of the pizza are what makes it taste SOOO good. Qudesdia, Honey BBQ Chicken, etc. The acutal crust, isn't, and I'm sure if I ordered something like Pepperoni or Cheese, it wouldn't be so good, if your are looking for,  New York style pizza, and this far from it, for all your newyorkers up in Amherst. Still, the unique flavors, and the by the slice deal is awesome. Also the slices are HUGE, and range from 2-3.50, if I remember correctly
5 - Amy B.: Sometimes I dream about Antonio's.  

It isn't traditional from Italy, Chicago, or New York pizza - but it is delicious.  If you think of it as fusion cuisine you'll be much happier.

Antonio's is open late and sells pizza by the slice - perfect for anyone on a budget.  During the school-year and particularly Thursday-Saturday (or during TAP) the police department cordons the area off so that students can stand in front while enjoying their slices.

Some of my favorite creations are the Buffalo chicken, black bean avocado, and portabella pesto fresh mozzarella tomato...

If only they would deliver to Seattle!
5 - Eric S.: This is the best pizza shop I have ever been to.

There's a lot of grumbling in the reviews below about how it's not as good as "New York" pizza.  Whatever.  

Even though Copernicus died nearly 500 years ago, it's still news to many New Yorkers that the sun, not Manhattan, is at the center of the solar system.
2 - Tiffany W.: All the college kids rave about Antonio's for hours on end and this place is ALWAYS packed until the wee hours of the night (in fact, it is THE hangout spot after the bars all close at 1am).  But my own personal opinion (although many may disagree with me) is that the pizza here is not amazing.  I've tasted better at Amici's (in Cali) and at Bruno's (right nearby).  Although I've got to give props to the place for its unique toppings, I myself prefer to stick with cheese or mushroom.  Perhaps Antonio's is just not for me...but really, I do think it's overrated.
5 - Ilya Jacob R.: I think I've made a mistake. I moved away from Amherst and by doing so moved away from Antonio's.

What was I thinking? 

Antonio's is a great pizza joint w/ great if not odd toppings. But what's odd to some is great for others. Throughout my years over there - I always got the buffalo chicken/blue cheese pizza. Man how I miss it. I'd usually get 2 slices of it and another miscellaneous slice depending on what my alternate mood was like. 

It's definitely a bit on the pricey side - but where else can you get pizza like this?
4 - Victoria S.: OK this is what Amherst is about. I can't imagine UMass without Antonio's and it is one of the first places in town I visited the first time I was on campus (during my orientation). These guys are crazy, because they put pretty much anything on a pizza that you can think of - and come out with a great slice!
If you are in the area you have to try Antonio's! And be sure you'll always see a crowd of hungry college students in this place, especially in the dark hours.
5 - Adam P.: Writing this review would be the only reason I joined this site. Anyone who gave Antonio's less than 5 stars should be permanently locked away and under constant supervision by a team of trained psychologists.  I'm originally from new haven and still rate Antonio's as the #1 place to get pizza on the planet. While attending umass, I ate here a minimum of 4 times a week. I could eat here for at least one meal a day for the rest of my life and never get tired of it. First rate ingredients, creative slices, great service, open almost all the time. 2 slices is enough for a full meal. The problem is deciding which 2 to go with. My favorites back in the day included steak bomb, chicken broccoli, chicken bacon, spicy chicken, beef taco, the list goes on. Oh how I miss thee.
4 - estelle s.: if you are looking for crazy combo pizzas this is the place to go.  if you are really hungry, the kind where you're so hungry that you actually think you'll feel absolutely fine eating a bbq chicken wing pizza, then yes go for it.  you probably wont feel amazing afterwards, but in the moment you feel prettttty good.
5 - Frau W.: OK... here's your must-list for Antonio's:

Potato, potato-bacon, tortellini, artichoke, chicken 'n' broccoli, Greek/feta, Sicillian (classic!), potato, potato-bacon, and, oh yeah, potato.

Being a UMass grad, I totally miss those late nights after the bars got out, hanging out right in front of Antonio's, and squeezing ourselves into line to grab a slice. I, too, need to head back to the Happy Valley for a slice of -- what else -- potato! I love it! Throw some extra salt on there, and you're golden! Mmmmmmmmmmm!
5 - Casey F.: I loved Antonio's so much, that I actually went as far as to go on a few dates the manager. I know. My dedication to pizza cannot be matched by many others.

Back when I lived behind this joint (above Thai Corner), all the pizza people knew me by name. I literally lived on pizza, toast, popcorn, and hot chocolate for a semester - not because I was cheap, but because I loved them all so much! 

Antonio's has a slice for anyone. Toppings are creative - my favorite is avocado quesadilla, the crust is chewy but not too thin, and the sauce is perfect. For me, Antonio's really is a slice of heaven. 

For you first timers - don't bother looking at the list of pizzas on their menu. Just look at the pizza in front of you and point at what looks good. Indecision is not tolerated. A sense of humor is. 

Dang, I gotta get back out to Amherst ASAP to get my fix!
5 - Charmaine J.: Oh I miss Antonio's! That's one of the things I really miss about Western Mass. They have delicious pizzas in here - the slices are big, and the prices are cheap. The toppings are very creative and different. Where else would I have tasted my absolute favorite pesto tortellini if not for Antonio's? Apparently I'm not the only one who loves pesto tortellini because this pizza sells out fast and if you're not quick, you'll have to find a different kind of pizza. Picking your pizza is not an easy task, either. There are so many to choose from! They have potato bacon, chicken parmesan, black bean avocado, and so much more. I'm drooling just thinking about it.
5 - Mike H.: If you were to ever stop by amherst this is the place to get a snack.  Their pizza is different and creative.  You can have any type of toppings on  your pizza.  My favorite is the buffalo chicken with blue cheese.  

Many students around the area love hitting this joint after the bars are out.  It is one of the only places that are open at that time of the hour.

Antonio's = Cheap and Fast
5 - Diana F.: Avocado Quesadilla.  Can't even explain how tasty it is.  Topped with warm slices of avocado, tortilla chips, salsa, sour cream... words don't even do it justice.  

Like someone said before, it's quick and cheap.  The employees are out of their mind, flying around the counter flipping pizza.  They tend to give their customer's a hard time, especially the ladies, but it's all for fun.  Oooh I'm going to miss Antonio's when i graduate this spring!  Love hot cheese up front late night, too!
4 - Jonathan R.: A staple, enough said.
5 - Kris C.: There's probably not much more to say about this place after 35 great reviews, but I totally agree with all of them.  Antonio's has so many different varieties of pizza's at cheap prices, and most importantly, open sooo late!  Its an absolute past time after a good Amherst bar crawl to land at Antonio's for a slice.  Its definitely a must.

For the crowd they get, they certainly work through it quickly.  They get people in and out of here in no time.
4 - Bill M.: New York type atmosphere.  The pizza is put in the oven right there on the spot, comes out fresh and tasty.  But the price ain't worth the slice since this is just a college town.
5 - Pat L.: I think I'll retire in Amherst just to be close to Antonio's.  I miss UMass, but I miss Antonio's way more - I've made the two hour drive a few times for a slice of their chicken pesto and sicilian and buffalo chicken and....well, it's all good.

If you're going for the first time, you have to figure out the line so you don't look too silly...head for the right, back corner, even if you have to squirm your way between the masses, which is probable...the line starts at the back of the restaurant, not the front (except when it's really crowded, and the line doubles back on itself, creating this knot of confused, starving college kids...ugly situation).  Enjoy the fifteen-foot vista of beautiful pizzas, but not for too long, because someone's waiting to take your order, and you're already holding things up.  You won't know what anything's called, so point out a few slices (they're all good), watch the dude behind the counter throw things in the air and perform some odd pizza-juggling, and know that tastebud bliss is on the way.
5 - John L.: I lived off of this stuff during grad school:  good pizza, and a lot of variety as well.

Their ordering setup is quite interesting:  the possibilities are laid out behind the glass, you pick it, and they cook it.  They've got sicilian style (honey mustard chicken... mmmmmm) and regular (buffalo, and other good possibilities... mmmmm)

I miss this place greatly now that I'm in Boston:  sure, there are a lot of great pizza places in Boston, and my pizza hunger is satiated by their wares.  However, there's only one Antonio's.
5 - Peter G.: The best pizza in the valley. No contest.

It can be a little crowded and daunting, but don't be afraid, step forward and get prepared to enjoy some excellent and creatively adorned thin crust pizza. They have pizzas for every palate and every one of them I have thoroughly enjoyed eating.

Like John L I miss this place from the far away land in Boston. Not because there isn't perfectly good pizza here too. But because there's just something wonderful about Antonio's.
5 - Huan z.: One of the best Pizza I ever had! Better than Regina's In Boston. The Owner use to own Brono's Pizza. They have so many choices. Each pizza slice are so tasty. You can eat out side and enjoy downtown Amherst in a sunny day.Great cheap eat spot! Five College students love to hang out there..
5 - B L.: The best pizza place, period.

You can (and I did) eat Antonio's pizza for lunch and dinner every day and not get tired of it.  The variety and quality is amazing.

Black bean avocado, pesto-based pizzas, salad pizza, fresh mozz, ravioli, etc.
4 - Julie P.: This place is fantastic - not my all time favorite pizza place but it is close.  They have so many different types of pizza you really won't ever get tired of eating there.  I love the black bean avocado and because I find myself in Amherst so rarely, it is generally the one I go with.  Definitely worth a detour off of 1-91 when driving north.
3 - Andy T.: This is not really "great pizza" per se, the crust is a little cardboard-y and the toppings are not the highest quality.  That said, they do what they do well.  A quick slice or two when you are hungry, even (especially) late at night, and some truly inventive topping combos that they pull off surprisingly well.  While you will never see a fig and proscuitto pizza here, or a butternut squash, blue cheese, and rosemary, they are pretty inventive in a college kid kinda way - avocados and black beans, buffalo chicken, tortellini, etc.  It's not a gourmet spot, not a traditional Italian pizzeria, and not a high quality pie place like Regina's or Santarpio's in Boston, or Pepe's or Sally's in New Haven, but it's really a great spot to grab a slice.  When I am living in the Pioneer Valley they are kinda the place I love to hate - it's easy to eat there too often, to be sick of the mediocre crust and the Frankenstein topping combos, but when I am not in town I miss them.
4 - Dani G.: yummy. I often explored this spot while in highschool when we were trying to find the all age scene and needed a food source when the all age clubs closed....at 10 (haha) and then in college when we would come home for break and enjoy crawling the pub scene. 

Where we came from (rural western mass) Amherst was our hot spot...i know...i know. Antonios was a place where all of my friends could come together in culinary unity. there was the one who was a strict vegetarian (not me) who liked pesto, artichokes. there was the constant dieter who preferred cheeseless pizza, there was the adventurous one who would explore avocado and various dressing toppings and then there was me, the italian girl who was constantly baffled that anyone would put chicken on pizza???.....

As I am now a far more cultured adult...hahahahahaha I still firmly believe that antonios is the kind of place where everyone can find satisfaction for their palate.
3 - Natty B.: Who knew a NYer like me could enjoy something as unholy as buffalo chicken pizza?

The good old boys at Antonio's...that's who!
4 - Rue B.: The fourth best pizza ever in the universe (in my limited experience).

1) New Haven pizza (Pepe's, or Sally's)

2) Moose's Tooth (in Anchorage Alaska, WTF?)

3) Red Rose, Springfield MA

4) Antonio's (wins for most satisfying by far!!)

Try the chicken bacon ranch or potato bacon, or black bean avocado.  So good!  And damn inventive all round!  And where the hell else are you gonna go in Amherst when the bars close?
4 - Olivia S.: Antonio's is absolutely amazing. The hours are amazing for a college student like myself. Most nights they stay open until 2 in the morning, though the selection begins to wane as it gets later. The people who work there are incredibly friendly, too and help you pick out what to get when all of the choices seem overwhelming.
5 - Float On N.: This is my all time favorite place for pizza.  I don't think I could ever love a place more.  Drunk at 2am and hungry?  No problem.  This place fills up fast on weekend nights.  

My favorite is the Chicken Quesadilla pizza.  Soooo yummy.
4 - Michael F.: I'm a simple man, so I go for simple pizza.  Pepperoni only.  Boring and dull, I know, but that's life.

I haven't tried the numerous flavours available from Antonio's obviously, but I did go for the first time this evening and really enjoyed it.  It seems to be populated (at least from my singular experience) by college students; in fact, that seems to be its target audience.

I wouldn't say the pizza is the greatest ever - but it's definitely good and makes for a quick, cheap meal on the go, especially for one person or a small group.

Tonight was rainy and dreary, so there was no-one really outside, but I regularly see students sitting around on benches outside of the place with slices in their hands when the weather is more agreeable.

As for the wheelchair factor, it isn't the most accessible place in the world, but one can get inside if another holds the door open (a couple of young women opened the door for me this evening) and one can order and get pizza fairly easily, although it can be a bit of a chore (which is why I am docking a point) - that hardly means that it is impossible, and the place is set up inside to be accessible, but the counter-top is a bit *too* high in my estimation.  Nevertheless, I recommend it greatly to anyone interested in grabbing a slice or two for a cheap, quick bite.  I'm definitely going back.
5 - Kelly E.: yummmmmmmmmmmmmm. i was easily convinced to vacation in providence earlier this year just because i knew it would bring me to the only other branch of antonio's in the worldddd. so delicious, so cheap, especially coming from new york. the buffalo bleu cheese is to die for, but so is everything else. you can't go wrong with antonio's and for about $3.50 for a heaping slice with all the toppings dough can hold, it's definitely a bargain.
5 - Kristina D.: It's so good. It's hot. It's fresh. It's cheap. It's relatively nourishing. There are lots of choices. This place is very, very good.
5 - El Keter B.: By far my favorite pizza shop in the Pioneer Valley.

Where else can I find chicken parm, beef taco, chicken burrito, honey mustard chicken, buffalo chicken, pesto tortellini and other fancifully topped pizza?

By the slice or by the whole pie Antonio's pizzas are always generously topped and portioned.

Service is always fast and almost always friendly...On the occasions its not they can be forgiven because the place can get really hectic.

A table, the window seat or a bench outside always offers entertaining people-watching too...After all, college kids are asinine, especially when they're drunk.

Which brings me to the fact that they're open nice and late, so if you're hungry and don't mind trekking out to Amherst for some slices they're there when you need them. 

I wish I was there right now...
5 - Arielle F.: black bean avocado pizza. 

this is the stuff dreams are made of. 

I can attest, through all my travels ( from new york to rome and places beyond) this pizza is my all time favorite. that might not mean all that much to you, but this is the pizza that we always secretly wanted when dinner didn't go as planned, or when you were a ratty high-schooler who had spanged just enough to get a single slice of cheese and that was enough. this was the pizza that had sorority girls on their boyfriend's shoulders shouting orders to the guys behind the counter when the place was so crowded you couldn't move to save your life.

this is the best in amherst. the best in the valley, the best in the whole freakin' world and it's right here at Antonio's.
5 - Emeyes i.: I've been going here forever...and in all my travels I've yet to find a better pizza spot. One of the great things about Antonio's is that when you are a frequent visitor you end up having 4 or 5 "favorite" slices, and I've yet to show up and NOT have one of them on the menu.
5 - Rachelle H.: this place will ruin you for all other pizza.

steak and bacon, spicy chicken and blue... i miss you dearly. you make me want to come back to amherst and get my masters in anything. i don't even care what, as long as i can eat you forever.
5 - Deb K.: I remember when Antonio's first opened and you could get a slice of Sicilian for 75 cents.  It costs more now, but is still more than worth it.  Chicken and broccoli, Mexican, buffalo chicken, spinach pie, a "hot cheese up front," or anything else, you can't go wrong, you just want to go back for more.

On another note: I grew up in Amherst and Antonio's always seemed to be sponsoring or donating something to numerous causes.  You gotta love a place that not only has good product, but is local, and supports its community.
4 - ronald s.: 4 stars, but in the scheme of things its really a solid 5 for the area - its good pizza, and worth checking out. 

I first had Antonio's in the late 90's, and I think it's seriously one of the best pizzerias in the Pioneer Valley .. a nice crust, good tasting tomato sauce and cheese that goes on and on .. always predictable, good food - even super-late, they are open .. (and its loaded with drunks..) the floor plan kinda sucked last time i was there, but who cares - the pizza kicks ass. 

I usually just get cheese slices here - but its hard to not look at the other options - they have pies lined up and too many options (black bean avocado pizza??). It's more like new york pizza than new haven, and stands up against anything else around here .. GOOD PIE!

(im surprised they dont have a website .. do they?? i thought they had a webcam at one point and you could see the pizzas  ... my memory, not so good ..)
5 - Joy E.: Nostalgic?  Yes!  Sentimental?  Yes!  But this is absolutely the most delicious pizza I have ever eaten - which is great because I may have starved in college if Antonio's weren't around...   The varieties are endless and each one is delicious.  Fresh mozz and basil, Taco and tortellini pesto were a few favorties (YUM).   

It has been too long since I last visited Antonios and I think I'll always miss the 1 AM "post bar / pre-after hours" slices with 500 other drunk college students... Ahh memories...
2 - Hanna S.: As I read all the raves about Antonio's, I can't believe that people think this is good, let alone real, pizza! Way too many places think that putting any weird and unseemly combination of ingredients on top of pizza qualifies it as such, with no regard to quality of ingredients. While I will admit that a piece of bbq chicken pizza tastes really good at 2am after a night of partying, the poor quality of ingredients and often nauseating combinations of toppings is quite off-putting.
5 - ron k.: My staple in college, how I miss thou so much.
5 - Michael K.: Some of the best pizza that i've ever had. taco pizza, steak burrito and of course the buffalo chicken pizza. Great for after hours slices and to hang out at club sidewalk. Every time I visit Amherst, I always order a couple of pizzas to take back home to share the goodness. Unfortunately, you can't find pizza like these guys around Boston.
4 - Josh K.: Having lived in San Francisco the past five years, you can get the multiple topping pizza fix from Escape of New York Pizza but don't waste your time as that pizza isn't that good. Fly cross country and get a slice from Antonio's Pizza. Grab a slice or two of Buffalo Chicken Pizza or Chicken Quesadilla Pizza, and you can't go wrong.  For $6.25 you are pretty full after two of those slices.
4 - Ryan B.: My date took me here last night. I thought it was great. The best thing this place has going for it is the variety of slices you can get. They have some crazy crazy toppings. It's pretty cheap too. We got three slices and two drinks for $10 even! I was shocked by that. 

It loses a point for having a terrible set up. The ordering line is cramped between the wall and counter and the paying line cuts into the seating area, which is extremely limited. I've been to the one in Providence a bunch of times and they have a much better set up.
5 - Lindsay B.: OMFG. 

Chicken quesadilla pizza. Buffalo chicken pizza. Potato-bacon pizza. Some kind of steak pizza.

Don't look at the menu. I'm not even sure there is a menu. Just look at the pizza in front of you and say "two slices of that." They'll heat it up, you'll get used to it, and you will never stop coming back. Possibly the greatest drunk/hungover food ever.

Yes, the line is stressful and teeming with UMass bros, the setup is awful and the dudes behind the counter are rude to the point of absurdity. I hate to go all east coast on yo ass, but it's Massachusetts. If we don't have bad setups and rude service, what can we call our own?
2 - N. P.: Some things should never be put on a slice of pizza. I might be a bit conservative with my pizza but a good slice can stand on its own without having to become some mutant funk of Americana excess.
4 - Nick M.: If you're in Amherst (or Providence) then you owe it to yourself to try this pizza place once.  The pizza is 5 stars, the service is 5 stars, but the venue itself is hard to order and pay, especially when there's a crowd.  4 stars!  

My favorite is their Sicilian slices, as well as the Tomato Basil with pesto base.  The best selection of by-the-slice pizza around.  It isn't official Neapolitan pizza, so you die hard Italians  may be disappointed but I doubt it.  

Some of the most unique pizza toppings around.  If you're over 21 and into the bar scene, I remember cheap $5 cheese pizzas past 1am.  Best deal in town.  I would seriously order from this place every week when I lived downtown.  

Boston does not have pizza this good.  UMass students, rejoice.  You have found pizza nirvana.
4 - John R.: Like it or not, some of the rating you have to give to this place is because of the fact it's open late and it satisfies that problem we all seem to have these days...the need for instant gratification. We are not always willing to wait for the things we want and when we crave pizza, we go here. As luck would have it, the pizza ain't half bad. I'm a traditionalist so some of the pizza, is not even on my consider list but what I've tried is great. Here are a few tips when it's crowded. Stick to the right when you go in and try and weasel your way all the way back taking notes of the slices along the way. Once you order, pay and get out of the way. This keeps things moving much faster, trust me.
5 - Meghan D.: Absolutely amazing.  

Be it 2 a.m. or 2 p.m. and everytime between Antonios has the best pizza you will ever have.  And its great for people with different tastes - you truly satisfy whatever craving you might have.

Try one of the amazing concoctions - or just go for "hot cheese up front!"
5 - Aidan A.: I've tried them all but keep going back to the Sicilian - it's amazing.

I'll skip writing my own review and let the words of others speak for me: I've traveled the world, and run into dozens of people that have gone to college in the Valley, visited on a college tour, or for some other reason passed through Amherst.  Without a doubt, 100% of the time, the first thing they mention - and often the only detail that they can recall - is Antonio's.
5 - Adam P.: I lived in Amherst from 1999 - 2004.  My nickname growing up was AJ, and during this time of my life my friends had a new reason for AJ - the Antonio's Junkie.  I had a few favorites, but my mainstays were the Avocado Quesadilla, Tomato Basil, Tortellini Pesto and of course the Buffalo Chicken Blue Cheese Sicilian.  What is not to like?  Yeah the lines can be long, but it moves quickly during normal hours and when it's mobbed on the weekends you're too drunk to care!  I'm glad I don't live there anymore because I'd weigh 400 pounds!!!
5 - Fauzia I.: What can I say? Best pizza? Open latest? Only place I've seen tortellini ON pizza? All of the above. Having not lived in Amherst for more years than I want to remember, this place is one you don't forget. And always go back to. 

Just FYI, we were starving on the night of our wedding after all the guests had left. Too many photos and no chance of food. To this day people tell me how wonderful it was ... anyway, long story - but the first place I thought of going for food (without taking time to change - in my wedding dress) was Antonio's. Unfortunately it was too late (2 am) even for them but the wish was memorable. 

They used to have a webcam by the entrance so you could watch from far away. People always on the benches right outside, holding their paper plates - some things never change. :-) I hope it's still operational. It's quintessential.
4 - Shane F.: Overall:
You can't say you've attended UMass Amherst or Amherst College without having a slice of Antonio's Pizza. The varieties are crazy, the prices are cheap (around $2 per slice), and it's served New York style.

Food:
Delicious variety. However, very very very salty. So if you do happen to eat this after a long night of...um...libations, then you are gonna wake up in the middle of the night to drink a ton of water. 

Cost:
Cheap. Very. Cheap. 

Ambiance:
Um, does eating while standing on the sidewalk count? No, seriously this place is meant for a quick bite, not a place to stare longingly into your partner's eyes...

Service:
Yelling guys behind a glass counter. Doesn't get better than that.
4 - James B.: It's a little shticky: tortellini pizza, avocado quesadilla pizza (with tortilla chips inside), seafood, etc, etc
however, there's nothing outright wrong about the selections; no peanut butter, no hot dogs in the crust, no mayo (i think).  the crust is really dense and tasty.  the combinations of toppings generally work really well together, even if they're unorthodox.  
be prepared for long lines of kids at all hours.
4 - Jake B.: Antonio's makes the most unique and delicious pizza I've ever had. My favorites are the buffalo chicken, bacon chicken ranch, honey mustard, and mac attack. However, it's not really fair for me to say that, because there are dozens of types I haven't tried yet. Simply put, every type I've tried has been amazing, and I wish I still lived in Amherst so I could try more. If everything about Antonio's was as good as the food, it would be the most resounding five-star review I've given.

Unfortunately, there are two problems with Antonio's. The first (and less important) is the size of the place. It's extremely tiny; you have to squeeze through people to get in line, and you will NOT have a place to sit unless you come during weird hours on an off day. Of course, I understand why it has to be this way, and I'm not upset with the owners or anything, but it does make it a less enjoyable experience.

Second (and much more important): the people you order from and pay are extremely rude on a consistent basis. I've mentioned this to people, and their responses are always along the lines of "Oh please, that's part of the allure of the place." I strongly disagree. There are rude people all over the place, and in most situations, dealing with them is not enjoyable or part of any "allure". I don't see why a restaurant is any different.

Now, don't get me wrong; some of the employees just playfully rib you when you order, and I do enjoy that. I definitely prefer a place with personality over mechanical politeness. However, I think the line between playful ribbing and rudeness is pretty clear, and many of the employees frequently cross it. It's not going to make me skip Antonio's (as you can see by the high review score), but it definitely makes me like the place less, and I know a few people who won't go inside because of it.

Overall, Antonio's is a fantastic pizza place. The size is a small minus, and the attitude of many of the employees is a large one, but the pizza is so good, it's more than worth it.
4 - kevin k.: The best pizza  I have found in the area (for whatever that is worth).  Something for everyone here and some unusual combinations.
5 - Chizlum M.: Based on Yelp and some friends who went to school in the area, we had to check this place out.  Glad that we did.  Great pizza with an amazing selection of toppings.  Wish we would have eaten here the night before instead of our other diner choice.
5 - Eva W.: Antonio's has the best pizza ever!!! 

The dough is perfect, not too thick or thin.  The crust is crispy but also has a softer, slightly chewy center.  They have the most creative and tasty toppings like Pesto, Chicken, Taco, Pineapple, Seafood, etc...

Steak and Cheese with Mushroom, Seafood (baby shrimp & imitation crab meat) with light white sauce and dill are my favorite.
5 - Ben A.: This has to be one of the best Pizza shops in Massachusetts if not one of the best ever.  They use a wide variety of all the fresh ingredients that you can think of to make some of the most delicious slices known to man. 

Upon entering you're presented with a case of various slices and pies of every sort imaginable.  Some of my favorites: A black-bean/avocado/spicy chicken/ranch, Buffalo-chicken/blue cheese, Honey-mustard chicken, Chicken quesadilla, Tomato-basil, Hawaiian, Avocado-...  I could keep going forever because it's all great.  And yes, for you conventional-pizza-only people they do have a good Sicilian cheese and pepperoni.  I make sure to stop here at least once every time I come through Amherst and I recommend you do the same!
3 - Mitch F.: Antonio's is good. I like it...

The pizza, THANK GOD, is not bar pies. It's like a neapolitan pizza and it's good. 

I had their pepperoni, and other meats pizza. I was looking for a good sauce and good crust, but unfortunately I didn't find this. The sauce was very bland, not something that I expect from this type of pizza.

Also, the crust was rock hard. Don't get me wrong, hard crust (that's what she said) is good, if cooked properly, but so hard as to not be able to eat it without pulverizing it in a blender or food processor is not good. 

The meats tasted good and the cheese was nice. I go to school in Amherst, and I haven't been back. I'm not sure I will go back, but maybe it was a fluke. 

Just ok.
4 - Kevin L.: Best pizza shop in Western Mass maybe even the entire state.  Antonio's is always packed especially around 1 - 2 am.  

Many kinds of pizza to choose from.  My favorite is the steak bomb and honey mustard chicken.  Two slices will definitely fill you up.  The place is not heated and it does get cold in the winter but who cares when you're drunk and with your buddies.  Definitely going to miss this place when I graduate.
5 - Meghan B.: Awesome unique pizza flavors for a reasonable price.

When you go, pick the craziest-sounding pizza in the case, or one of the specials on the board.  It's been worth it every time for me; even combinations that sounded like they couldn't possibly be good turned out fantastic.

The only downside is the size & layout -- the shop is very small, and gets very crowded.  More than once when I've stopped in for lunch there's been a woman with a stroller, and, because of the layout of the small shop, it wasn't possible to walk around inside.  It's too bad that the shop isn't a little wider.
4 - Deena D.: "HOT CHEESE uppp front"

Music to your ears after a night at the bars uptown. Once the bars get out it's packed and you find yourself in the midst of Club Sidewalk aka drunken students of UMass trying to find someone to take them home. 

My favs have always been chicken or avocado quesadilla and chicken, bacon, ranch.

PS Crazy fact from my old Mgmt class. There used to be a Mickey D's next door and Antonio's drove them out of business.
5 - Ron M.: This place is an institution.  You have to go here if you are a college student.  The pizzas are not 'traditional' but they are delicious and awesome when you have been drinking all night.
5 - Ebad R.: Woohoo! As good as it gets!, good variety, unique
5 - Courtney P.: BOMB pizza. Avacado quesadilla. Chicken Bacon Ranch. You will never regret eating this at 2 AM.
5 - Michelle T.: Let's get right to it: Antonio's is a hole in the wall and no one cares because their pizza is the best there is. With virtually no seating inside or outside, this is a place to grab your pizza and head outside on a nice day or somewhere warm on a yucky day. It gets crowded and the lines often get confused but the amazing staff behind the counter keep everything in check. There are more choices of pizza here than I've ever seen anywhere else: spicy chicken bleu cheese, chicken bacon ranch, potato and bacon, tortellini, chicken pesto, tomato garlic, quesadilla, barbecue ranch, cheese, steak, artichoke, avocado...I'm getting a sensory overload just typing about it. My personal favorite is the potato and cheddar (sadly, no bacon) which comes without sauce. Delicious. Have kids? They'll cut their insanely large pizza triangles into small pieces for them. The employees are efficient, funny, and eager to please. Also, Antonio's is open late (well, late for Amherst) so it's a good place to hit after the bars close or the party you're at breaks up. You can't be in Amherst and not go here. I mean it.
4 - Daisy R.: Awesome!  The pizza is the real thing, never disappoints, and the ambiance is real.  We grab a slice - or two - any chance we get and definitely recommend it.
5 - amy m.: Where to begin with Antonios... 
We all know that after a night out on the town the 'drunchies' might set in around midnight, and for those who love a fresh slice of pizza, between 12 and 1 on Fridays, it's dollar slices of cheese. How can you beat that deal!

Also, their everyday selection is one that leaves you questioning your usual favorite when trying to decide. Try a different kind every time you go in, you won't be disappointed!

Convenient location and fast service!
4 - Ashley P.: The best pizza you will find in this area - my favorites include the white pizza, potato bacon, and avocado quesadilla. You also can't go wrong with a hot cheese up front.
4 - Niki M.: My companions were raving about this place, but I'm such a pizza snob, I didn't feel convinced.  And then, I went.  And now, I'm a converted evangelist (antoniogelist?).

I have such a deep appreciation for creativity, especially where pizza is concerned.  Avocado-nacho pizza? SAY WHAT? The unorthodoxy is alluring; my gustatory senses incredibly (joyfully) stimulated. It is as delicious (and beautiful-looking) as it sounds.  I love thin pizza with a slight crunch throughout and this combo took that notion to the next level; nacho chips and pizza dough are long lost cousins, and/or passionate bedfellows for sure.

Mad kudos to the tasty crust; definitely a top 5 favorite crust.

I'm giving this place a four only because I don't want to love with wild abandon, prematurely, based on one perfect slice (though, I love this place, instant love, here, for this place, me).  I look forward to exploring additional, mindblowing slice combinations; if only it were closer (I hear there is one in Rhode Island too, so maybe I'll check that one out as well).
5 - Nicole B.: I love that whenever I meet someone who went to UMass or some other school in the area, the first thing that we talk about is the food.  Particularly Antonio's.  It's that good.  And it's been quite some time since I've graduated, and have yet to find a pizza place as good, in either Boston or New York.  

Of course my memories are of the crowd at 1am after the bars, and standing in line for my chicken mexican or chicken bleu cheese.  or maybe some hot cheese up front.  ah, to reminisce.

Whenever I go back to western ma, I bring 4-5 slices home to freeze and give out to friends.  Seriously.
5 - M. M.: Simply the best pizza I have had in Massachusetts.  Spicy Chicken Pepper Onion is my favorite.  I also love their taco and Chicken Parm Pizza:).

Outside of NY, this is the best.  Certainly the most variety inclucing NY.
5 - Robert D.: People who compare this place unfavorably with nyc places make me want to cry. I actually think this pizza holds its own in new york or naples or wherever the hell you want to pull rank on us because you lived/ate pizza/whined there. We DON"T live in those places, and we are extremely lucky to have antonio's. W hat small town has better pizza than this, anywhere?! The pizza is great, and they have slices. 


Yeah, I guess it  could be better.... they could have beer, and deliver, and they could deliver beer.   No! it won't get any better.  We are lucky. Thank God Antonio's is here.
5 - Shay H.: Oh, honey mustard chicken, how i miss thou!
What more is there to say that hasn't already been said? Nothing else compares.
5 - James M.: Once every couple of months, I drive out to visit my friends at uMass for the weekend.

For the first couple years, all I cared about was honey mustard chicken from Wingz. On my final visit to uMass, it was suggested to me that we go to Antonio's for pizza. Although reluctant, I went along.

As I walked through the door I couldn't believe my eyes while looking through the glass counter at all the strange/unique varieties of gourmet pizza. The spinach and artichoke looked to-die-for. As we had already called ahead, we grabbed our chicken bacon ranch, got in the car and headed home.

All I can say confidently is that I have never been more satisfied by every aspect of a pizza in my life. Perfectly cooked ingredients, crispy crust, a cool drizzle of ranch around the entire pizza.... I couldn't believe it.

Bar-none the best pizza I have ever had, and if it were closer to me I would likely eat there multiple times a week.
5 - Casey C.: The seafood pizza is the best! My son had the cheese pizza and said it was his favorite by far. Every time I travel to Amherst a stop at Antonio's is a must. Why does it have to be 3,000 miles away from me??
5 - Kevin J.: By FAR the best pizza in the A-10!  No trip to Amherst/UMass is complete without their buffalo chicken pizza, and wide variety of other specialties. It has long been a signature of Amherst, even getting their own webcam installed to monitor what kind of a crowd you can find outside. 

I recommend getting pizza to go, or eating outside in nice weather. There is not guaranteed to be adequate seating in the place to consistently keep up with their popularity, and the tables are very close together and without any modern comforts such as a cell phone charger or a cushiony seat. But it is a worthwhile destination when you are hungry, one which I never pass up when I am in the town of Amherst!
5 - Theo B.: I am from New Jersey where Italian food is king.  When I moved here I was shocked at how good the pizza was at this place.  It's amazing!  The chefs get creative and make some really cool stuff and it's open really late.  I love this place.
5 - Carl L.: Not only is it the best pizza I've ever had, the Buffalo Chicken & Blue Cheese slice is my most favorite single food item I've ever eaten.  It's an almost 3-hour round trip from where I live and I've made the commute simply to go to Antonio's and come back home more than once.  I've been spreading the gospel to quite literally anyone who would listen for going on 20 years.  Impossible to overrate.
5 - Andrew D.: There is no better by-the-slice place anywhere in the world. 

It's great for lunch on Tuesday ... it's great when you're so wasted all you can do is point.
5 - Matt C.: Most of UMass has been to Antonio's at one point or another, and they were probably drunk at the time. And I bet it was delicious (but then again, there isn't a whole lot that isn't tasty drunk). I was one of those people. But please let me urge you to go back in stone cold sober, because Antonio's is the bee's knee's. 
I went in searching for a quick lunch on a weekday afternoon because everything on the UMass campus is overpriced garbage. The guy working there (the owner or manager I assume OMFG MAYBE IT WAS ANTONIO) was super nice and helpful about my indecision (it was justified, their menu is HUGE). I ended up being talked into a steak and cheese pizza.
It was immaculate. Its hard to describe why their pizza is so good because almost everyone has had both good and bad pizza and they compare what pizza is based on those experiences. This pizza was on a whole different level. It was like drinking from the purest spring on earth as I had a revelation while eating it like "oh, this is what pizza is" 
I ended up getting a pepperoni slice to make sure it was real, oh yes, the feeling is real. 

The conclusion: eat at Antonio's, no matter your BAC
5 - Ralph R.: I have been coming here  since 2001.  I have always found the pizza excellent.  My son has been at UMass the past 3 years. Always find time for a slice when in the area. After he graduates it will have to be a special trip.
4 - ChristinA S.: What a perfect little joint in the college town. The pizza there really are amazing, and they have so many different varieties. man. Just think about those honey mustard chicken bits is making my mouth water...

Do remember that good things come in small portions. I ordered two pieces and was left feeling a bit disgusted. It is a bit on the salty and dry side*
5 - Derek C.: Best. Slices. Ever.

I've had slices all across the galaxy and every time they're compared against Antonio's.   Ain't a one that's held up against them.   

Fantastic crust?  check.
Original AND delicious toppings?  check and check.
Reasonable price?  check.
The kind of place you'd take 100 mile road trips just to get a slice?  Double check!

Anyone that's gone to The Zoo knows and loves this place.  If they don't, either dump them or stop being their friend, because out of the few assurances in life, Antonio's is one of them!
5 - Mickey M.: HOT CHEESE UP FRONT!!!

Stumbling up the block from any number of the Amherst watering holes, these words ring out on a Friday night in Antonio's. Home of a million different topping options, I've always gone for the classic slice of cheese or maybe pepperoni. 

I don't ever want to wait in line and look at the many options, I just want some pizza.  So, I always went to the front of the cash register and got some HOT CHEESE UP FRONT!

11 years after the first taste, Antonio's has still got it going on.
5 - Derek W.: What's one more five star rating gonna do for this place? Anyway here's a tip: if you are going to indulge in the deliciousness that is Antonio's pizza, go all in. Get some ridiculous flavor. Or at least something fairly inventive like bbq chicken bacon ranch. Don't go with the standard flavors, you will probably be disappointed. Not that the standard flavors at Antonio's aren't delicious, they just aren't as amazing as some of the more out there flavors they offer.  BTW, the only bad slice I've ever had at Antonio's was a Hawaiian, which I would not recommend.
4 - Bryan K.: The pizza are the best here. Nuff said.
5 - Max B.: Never had a bad experience at Antonio's in four years at the Zoo. Never.

I've been away from Amherst in Florida for the last six months. I've had a couple of the UMiami area's pizza joints' offerings. Hell, I've had the pizza at Disney's new pizzeria Via Napoli, freshly made with real Italian water by real Italians, and raved about it for the entire day.

And you know what? I'd still rather have a slice of the honey mustard chicken at Antonio's. If that's not a rave review, I don't know what is.

My first return to Amherst as an alum will include an Antonio's visit without question.
5 - Samantha S.: Anywhere else, the complicated toppings would be a disappointing gimmick. Here, they're pizza perfection.

The guy behind the counter seemed gruff but warmed up quickly. Being a newbie, I asked for recommendations, and he got all serious on me. Obviously, I wanted the honey mustard chicken, but it was in the oven. Apologetic, he steered me toward the chicken/ranch and the alfredo/broccoli. 

Wow, a revelation. The crust is just crispy enough to support the crazy array of stuff on top. And the toppings have just the right proportions. This stuff is even good cold--which, considering the weather around here, might come in handy.
5 - Nell B.: Nothing says homecoming like a piece of Antonio's pizza.
4 - Amanda A.: Antonio's is one of those places that inspires a cult-like slavish devotion from its fans. My husband is one of those fans.

I've been a few times now and Antonio's is solid. They have a million "gourmet' varieties in a traditional round pie or a sicilian slice. Gordon's favorites are Mac n' Cheesburger, Potato Bacon, Chicken Bleu Cheese, Nacho, Steak Burrito and anything with creme fraiche. 

The specials are usually a great choice, too. I got the Spinach Pie on my last visit which was a round pie slice that was basically a giant spanokopita. Yum. Very filling, though. Took me three tries to finish it.

My only beef with Antonio's is that they move FAST behind the counter. They want you to order and move on. There's no taking your time or asking questions. They will answer your questions, but with a foot tapping and barely containing an eye roll. They want to move you right along; in and out. For someone who's not a local, that's not easy!!

Worth checking out when in you're in Amherst.
4 - Giselle E.: Antonio's is nice. They have a lot of different pizzas and crazy ideas, but that's one of the things that makes this establishment special.

That said, I do not think I could come to Antonio's as my "usual place" to get a slice of pizza, because every time I come, their pizza is fancy even though I may not necessarily want a crazy wild slice of potato skin pizza, chicken quesadilla, etc...

I don't think their plain cheese pizza, triangle or sicilian, is that great. It's pretty average and I have had better slices elsewhere. And with that said, that's how I judge pizza places-by first looking at their originals.

Lots of different slices to look towards and experiment with. Place gets packed and crazy during the after party hours!
5 - Clif P.: Whenever I visit my hometown area of Western Mass, I HAVE to visit Antonio's.  
The pizza is great, the employees are great characters, and its reasonably priced.

Chicken Tortellini and Spicy Chicken are my favorites.
4 - Joe D.: Good pizza. Their claim to fame is the myriad of slices that they have on display for you to indulge in. I have been here a few times and gone mostly the traditional route, pepperoni, cheese, and tomato. This is good pizza, much better than average heat lamp pizza, but not New York coal oven pizza. The crust is cooked just right, and the toppings are fresh. The atmosphere is excellent, it's a whole in the wall with very limited seating so be prepared to eat outside at rush hour. The service is fast, and deliberately sarchastically rude. The prices are fine, 2 bucks for a pepperoni slice, a little more for the loaded slices. Overall this is a must for people who like pizza.
4 - John R.: King of a region that makes mediocre pizza. As mentioned, if you're just looking for a "regular" piece of pizza, Antonio's is solid, but not amazing. Their specialty pizza is what keeps people coming. Busy as hale, so prepare to possibly get annoyed, but that just comes with the territory.
4 - Austin J. A.: The pizza is awesome, but the customer-created atmosphere often sucks. The small venue is a fishbowl. Watch out for frat boys in various states of sobriety; I've been harassed on the sidewalk just outside of Antonio's more times than I care to count.
4 - Chris W.: Some of the best pizza in the area. Many options when you walk in the door. always go for the specialty slices until after 1AM when hot cheese upfront kicks in (cheese slices only) this is where once the bars get out everyone fills the sidewalk outside so be prepared for a line. 
I would suggest getting the daily specials and honey mustard chicken and ask for extra honey mustard.
Not a place for keeping your healthy diet intact. however a great cure for a morning after the bars.
Def check this place out if your visiting!
5 - Doris T.: They have the most amazing pizzas!  The combination they offer are often outlandish but definitely delicious!  The place is super cheap and quite crowded with college students and people from the area.  But I would definitely recommending stopping by for an interesting hot slice of  unusual pizza.
2 - Mad D.: the people who work here are punk-asses with bad attitudes. the original Antonio's in Providence, RI is better.  The people who work at that one don't act like you're doing them a disservice by ordering a slice of overpriced pizza.
4 - Emma H.: The first time I visited a friend at Amherst College, this is the first place we went. Ever since, I like to stop by when I am in the New England area. It has a great atmosphere and is always crowded. The summer is the best time to go though. There are reasonable amounts of seats inside, more than a normal pizza place, but still very limited. Amherst is filled with benches and garbage outlets throughout the town; so you can just hang outside with a group of people. The only reason I am giving it 4 stars is that it is a little overpriced.
5 - Sheila T.: Greatest place on earth. And if you dont get that, then you didnt go to UMASS, and sorry, dudes. You missed out. 

HOT CHEESE UP FRONT

Get any of the following: 

Pesto tortellini 
Potato and cheddar 
Black Bean Avacado 
Buffalo Chicken 
Tomato Pesto
Anything Antonios makes
5 - Loren B.: If you don't know Antonio's you didn't go to UMass, or any other school in the five college area for that matter.

This place will always have certain sentimental value to as it was the most popular late spot for me in college. For this reason, it's hard to give an unbiased review. That said, this may be one of the greatest by-the-slice pizza places in the country. A bold claim, I know, but I have lived in boston for several years and have yet to find a places that definitively beats it. And yes I know Boston is not the entire country, however, my  UMass friends living in different cities have had simular experiences. 

What really sets Antonio's apart from the competition is selection! I doubt I have ever been there when they were offering less than 10 varieties of pizza by the slice. Many of the flavor combinations seemed counterintuitive or overly ambitious, but over the years I learned to ignore my intuition and go for it - and so far I have not yet regretted it.

Why this magical winning formula is not more broadly copied I really don't know. There is a place in Harvard Square called Crazy Doughs is based on simular concept... alas, the selection is never nearly as ambitious or as well executed.
5 - Stephan M.: Antonio repeatedly reminds us with multo gusto: hot cheese up front!  For those who embrace the patience required to order anything other than cheese, I salute you.  Here are two of my favorites.  Among signore Antonio's (of Amherst) finest, I'd recommend the always delectable steak and cheese and the fresh margarita pizzas.  My consort, something of a connoisseur in this region's cuisine, suggests the tortellini pizza.  As incestuous as pizza topped with pasta may seem (and frankly is) - it is a delight nonetheless.  The pizza, that is.
4 - Minh L.: Not from this area and was led here by a friend thats goes to Amherst and an old swim coach that went to UMass.  It delicious!

I don't normally like pizza but this nearly blew me out.  I had the bacon, chicken, ranch... sublime.  Quality toppings coupled with a delicious dough, and the prices cannot be beat coming from NYC.

****
5 - Audrey K.: Good crust + "California-style" toppings + Good price per slice + Fast service = Win for anyone in the 5-College area.

I could be wrong, but I seem to remember cash only. Either that, or I only paid in crash.

Food - 5
Get any of the following: Bacon/chicken/ranch, Avocado Quesadilla (tortilla chip crisps for the tortilla, everything else is what you'd expect), Chicken Quesadilla, Buffalo Chicken, Pesto tortellini (yes it actually works), and anything else special. However, if you're just getting a classic like cheese or pepperoni, get cheaper pizza someplace else (Bruno's!). Antonio's is only really worth it if you're getting a specialty pizza. With that said, I've never seen some of these topping combos anywhere else. This is a one-of-a-kind place.

Seating - 2
The seating is limited and people can get... territorial. If it's colder than 40, order a few slices and prepare to walk back to your dorm room. Otherwise, you'll be standing (huddled with your friends, as far away from the frequently-opening door as possible) when you eat your pizza. If it's a warm spring day, definitely take your slices outside and eat in the town common or on a nearby bench.

Service - 3
Let me put it this way: If your parents are super conservative or uptight, they might find the server's informality-bordering-on-rudeness the wrong way. But that's what you get - great pizza at a great price means you shouldn't expect fancy French restaurant service.

Yeah, I gave a 5-star review. This isn't math class, people, it's Yelp.
4 - Madeleine H.: Tasty, tasty slices in Amherst. The shop is very small and getting a table is difficult. The slices themselves are a bit pricey but one is more than enough to feed me.

Antonio's reminds me of Sam's in Northampton, but smaller, louder, more crowded, and slightly more expensive. So I'll stick to the one in my own backyard.
5 - Alex Z.: This is my hometown variety shop when it comes to pizza by the slice. It's become a tourist attraction, which is a good and bad thing because there's always people in there. You gotta go while the kids are in school to get yourself a decent slice in record time. 

Fact remains, you really haven't had a wholesome experience in Amherst until you get a slice from here. They offer slices of the day, which is great for people who like to explore toppings on their pizza. They also have cherry coke (my favorite fountain beverage), and a copious amounts of shake-on ingredients for people who like their pizza extra herbal, spicy, cheese, whatever. 

Personal Favorites - BBQ Chicken/Bacon, Pepperoni/Sausage, Chicken-Parm, Potato-Bacon
5 - Jennifer R.: Antonio's is one of my favorite places in the world. When I worked at UMass Catering, a bride and groom brought in Antonio's to serve during their cocktail hour, and I think they are two of the smartest people ever for doing that, as I'm very sad that Antonio's is too far from me now to be a part of my wedding (when the time comes). Anyways, I don't even know where to begin with what an amazing pizza establishment Antonio's is. Not only are the slices different and inventive, but most importantly, they are delicious. Since I've graduated, any time I've made a trip back to the 413, I've made it a point not only to stop and treat myself to a slice, but also to bring the best pizza ever back to NJ with me (NJ!! Who would ever guess that a pizza place in Western MA would top any and all pizza places I've ever been to in NJ?!?) My favorite slices are the potato bacon, pesto tortellini, spicy buffalo chicken, and of course your basic "hot cheese up front!" Such wonderful memories and a true staple of the post bar Club Sidewalk scene.  Seriously, I could write about Antonio's forever, but I'm going to stop because I'm starting to get sad that I can't have any right now.
4 - Kelly M.: I've only been here once because I'm not a big pizza person, but the slice I had was delicious.  I can see why everyone in the area raves about it.
4 - Maria C.: before going to umass EVERYONE i knew told me i have to go to antonios cause its the best place ever. 
i couldnt wait to try one of the 56(?) slices they have.
when i saw it, i was not impressed, its TINY, 4 tables, and a ledge with 3 chairs against the window.
the employees are fun and friendly all the time, and its always always always busy, especially on friday nights where its $1 slice of cheese. thats when you can never get into the store. it gets PACKED. half of umass amherst is standing outside eating pizza, and the other half is inside ordering it. 
i cant say i LOVE the pizza... its not the best, but its definitely good. its the best pizza in the area, and the slices are really big and filling, so you really only need one. 
i thought it would be more creative when i first heard about it, it wasnt really, but it was good.
my favorite slices are buffalo chicken, chicken parm, and the cucumber, tomato and feta is great. i've never tried their cheese.. i will next year though.

BEST DRUNK FOOD EVER THOUGH....
the more i go the more i like
5 - Elisabeth Y.: YUM! I just had two delicious slices of Antonio's pizza. Boy am I glad to be here in Amherst for the next month, because that will mean several trips to Antonio's to eat my way through their menu!

Slice 1: fresh mozzarella with tomato and basil. 

Slice 2: one of the three daily specials, a black bean quesadilla slice that had black bean puree, salsa, avocado, sour cream, cheese, and crushed tortilla chips. WOW.

Go there.
5 - Jennifer B.: I've just returned from a few years in the pizza desert of Arkansas, and there's NOTHING like Antonio's out there.  It's the most brilliant pizza I've ever had, and their flavor combos are delicious.  Black Bean Avocado, Honey Mustard Chicken, Spicy Beef Taco...They used to have a slice with calamari and banana peppers, too.  And, yes, it gets crazy on weekend nights because every drunk kid in Amherst wants a slice.  I don't blame them.
5 - Terra N.: I feel like I don't have to review how overall great they are because after 136 reviews, they're still at 4 stars and a half.

Seriously though amazing deep fried cheesecake and I don't have just one favorite slice of pie!

Their staff is always really friendly and prompt.
5 - Adventurous J.: My favorite slice of pizza? Avocado quesadilla. TRY IT! Antonio's in Amherst is unquestionably, one of my top places to grab pizza.

When it gets busy (i.e. Saturday night after the bars close), it can get a bit hectic with a line out the door. In general, the employees are laid back, but when it gets busy and stressful, some of them may be rude. Ignore it. The pizza is worth it.
5 - Samantha T.: We come up from Worcester just to get the pizza here.  Awesome selection and every slice I've ever eaten has been awesome!
2 - John B.: Funny story, a family ordered a whole pie to go, but then ate in the restaurant...when they got the pie, the dolt behind the counter asked them to RETURN THE BOX when they were done SO THEY COULD REUSE IT.  All in the name of not wasting trees...I think the health department would have something to say about that.

Whatever...if you like nacho chips, black beans, and other assorted crap on your pie...go for it.
4 - Andrea B.: Considering I lived in Amherst for almost 5 years, it is really a crime that I didn't eat here more often.  My absolute favorite is the avocado quesadilla.  Pizza with sour cream on it??  Heavenly.  The potato pizza is also absolutely delicious, but may be a little too bland for some people's taste.  There is very little seating - I only ever managed to get a seat inside once.  More often than not, I ended up eating my pizza on a bench outside - which isn't really all that bad on a nice day.

The only real complaint I can think of is that none of the pizzas are labeled, so I never know for sure what anything is.  I always have to ask "what's this?" at least 4-5 times before I order.
5 - Tim M.: By far one of the best places to get a slice of pizza. You know a place is good if its packed from when it opens at like 10 am to when it closes at 2 AM. There are so many unique pizzas that you can go for years and never have the same slice. A couple of my favorite slices are the buffalo chicken, potato bacon, and the quesadilla. If your in a rush can always walk in and yell "hot cheese up front"
5 - Zach B.: I want you like a slice of Antonio's Pizza, and girl you know that type of love is real....!
4 - Saba N.: I'm really embarrassed that as a UMass Alum, I have yet to review Amherst joints... it didn't occur to me.. until now: 

Antonio's... sweet Antonio's. I love you and your infinite combinations of pizza... buff chick, taco, ravioli, you name it... Antonio's has done it, and probably better than anyone else in the country. 

I love this place so much. I especially miss the long lines at 2am.. where all you can hear is "HOT CHEESE UP FRONT!" I used to beeline it for the front, and then flirt with the guys to let me have something else for slice two. glory days. 

In all seriousness, Antonio's rocks. really great pizza.. awful for sit-down meals, but all in all, the perfect UMass spot. It's really quite legendary - it drove McDonald's out of business! (I believe this is the only restaurant in the country to accomplish that). amazing. epic. delicious. 

god I miss college.
4 - Rene' Y.: Very good pizza and lots of lots of selection-- just use your imagination, Antonion's probably has it on their menu. This is not a place to sit down and the service could be little better OR friendlier. I felt like I was in the meat market of pizzas because of the limited space and fast ( it was very rushed) But hey who could ever thought of Beef tacos as pizza?
4 - Rocky H.: Slices of Heaven!

My friend who went to Smith College for her grad school raved about this place so I drove down to downtown Amherst to see what all the hype was about.....    
I can tell you Antonio's lived up to the hype.  I never saw as many cool slice options in one place.  I tried a spicy chicken slice, and potato style slice, and a standard slice of cheese.  The slices were good size, piping hot, and I ate outside on the bench and watched the sights and sounds of downtown Amherst.

This place is really as good as my friend said it was.  Big Fan!
3 - Jack M.: Antonio's, you've changed, but, you're still OK pizza.
-
Holy moly.  Back in the day, this place used to make the BEST pizza around.  And I mean the best - that wonderful crunchy crust (even the underside), lots of wonderful cheese, and a tangy sauce. 
-
Today, it's still pretty good, but not as good as I rememeber it.  It still has that wonderful crunchy crust, and it still has that awesome cheese loaded on top, but that sauce is awfully weak.  Not much in the flavor department there.  They still make cheap slices to churn out to the college students, which is good, but the flavor is lacking.  Or maybe this stuff just tastes better when you're loaded?
4 - M E.: Slightly pricey for pizza but some wild slices that will always get you coming back.  Chicken quesadilla is where its at.
4 - Dhruv K.: 5 stars for pizza. Very very good slices at reasonable prices. My favorite is the spinach+mushroom combo.

The service is quick, and often rude. Don't be put off by it. Go in, get your pizza, and get the hell out. If you stay inside on the Th, Fri or Sat after 11:00pm, be prepared witness the most amusing Zoomass crowd.
4 - Cody S.: This place is a Amherst must , yes it is divey and dirty . Yet not the best pizza but you just have to eat there .  Service can be gruff but it is quick.
2 - Jess W.: Transitioning from New Haven apizza to this was definitely a culture shock, though nothing cures a hangover like buffalo chicken pizza. At least the service is better than the surly jerks at Sally's, but the thick, bready slabs are tough to get down sober.
5 - The W.: I haven't been here in a long while but the pizza was freakin' awesome.  I was in town for work for 2 months and I think I ate at Antonio's every day, sometimes twice.  I wish I could get a slice right now, one had someone deliver a pie to me 400 miles away.
5 - Steph L.: HOLY FUDGERY! 
If i wasn't a super health freak, i could eat this every night!
I went tonight and watched my boyfriend gobble down three slices of pizza, while i ate his itty bitty crusts. HAHA
The avocado taco pizza was probably the best i have ever had, even though i only had a small bite. 
It amazes me, cause every slice i have tried prior to tonight has been outstanding! 
Their creations are so unique. I mean come on, theres a reason why this place is always bumping.
4 - Dustin O.: If you are at UMass or in the surrounding area, so worth the trip. 

Piece of advise - If this is your first time there, act like you know what you're doing even if you don't. They will chew you up and spit you out. 

Lived off this stuff at school. 

Go to Slices
1. Chicken Quesadilla
2. Buffalo Chicken
3. Pan Style

"HOT CHEESE UP FRONT"
5 - Edwin C.: I've had this years ago back when I used to come to the zoo to party and I remember with every trip an Antonio's pit stop was a must.  Recently I've been reunited with this delicious spot because now, I actually have a good reason to come out there.  Also, the gf surprised me with my favorite slice when she came home. Anyways, I think they have the most creative and best pizza I'd ever had. I mean they slices with tortellini and chips on them!  If there creations are too out there for you, they do have the traditional option as well.  Sauce is sweet, plenty of cheese, and crispy crust, what's not to love? My personal favorite is the steak burrito, cheesy beefy and crispy (damn I sound like a taco bell commercial). 

The place gets crowded and the line is pretty awkward, makes you just want to get in, get out, and get to grubbin. If every pizza shop would leave the slice in the oven, when reheating a little longer, they can probably have that crispier slice, not a sad droopy mess (learn something from this place). Anyways no doubt about it, this place is a must if you're in the area.
5 - Rich K.: All the special slices here are SUPER DELICIOUS especially CHICKEN BACON RANCH which is my favorite!!! So goooood, I feel it in my mouth, I want to go there right now!! Damm, I wish I was still there for school so I can eat there!!!
5 - John P.: Staple while going to UMass. Best margherita pizza slice u can get. Fresh mozarella fresh basil good sauce and crust. I wish they would open a good pizza place in ca... This is a must drive every time I go to the east coast. Good luck!
2 - Andrea C.: Only worth your while for the "hot cheese up front" deal when the slices are fresh and cheap. Otherwise, it's ever so over-rated. But it's the best thing ever when you are shattered beyond oblivion! 2 stars for keeping us messy hordes fed!
5 - Adam P.: Wow, incredible pizza, so many interesting toppings to choose from. Had the steak and mushroom slice today, it was excellent. If you are looking for a cheap, good slice go to Antonio's.
5 - Christian P.: Antonio's is the crack of pizza. In college I abused it and it destroyed my life (financially). After leaving Amherst, I had several relapses, sometimes driving an hour or more to grab a black bean, avocado and feta or chicken bacon which I'd eat in the parking lot around back. It made me feel dirty and weak. But I HAD to do it. I NEEDED it and there was no substitute.

Please, don't eat here. Think about your future...
5 - Ana Maria G.: I came here with my husband who is an Amherst College alum after a late night flight in from Austin, Texas. It was the only food place open at midnight, and it was SLAMMIN. I had the black bean and avocado, and it changed my life. It was pretty filthy, but what do you expect from a college pizza place at midnight located next to a bar? I will definitely visit Antonio's on my next trip to Amherst!
4 - John F.: I am a pizza snob.

I was in Amherst on the 7th.

Got a cheese slice, which is standard for all my pizza reviews.

Staff left it in the oven to long but I will not deduct points.

Crust: A thick for my taste but the dough was fresh!  And dough held the slice together nicely.

Sauce:  Fresh with nice zing from the garlic and basil.  Very nice.

Cheese:  Nice amount for a high end slice.

All in all very good!

Not one of my all time top five but I could grow on me!

8.5
4 - Ethan T.: I pass by Antonios a lot and love stopping by to grab a slice.
I love their spicy chicken and their buffalo chicken but not a fan of their white pizza.
I also love their late hours
5 - Brett A.: This place is amazing. 50 different kinds of slices. Spicy Chicken was amazing. Tortellini with Red Sauce... amazing. I hear the honey mustard chicken is to die for - i'm trying that one next. 

This place is a pure gem.
4 - Donny F.: Great grab and go pizza . huge selections and quick service.. Eat there about 1 a month and i have never had a complaint. I get buffalo chicken pizza and usuallu browse for somthing diffrent and my wife always gets cheese.. There is better pizza out there but not for the price and quickness of getting something diffrent.
2 - Jason L.: I guess every college town must have it's favorite pizza slice place.  I just don't think it's much of a standout compared to similar places in other college towns.  It does the job, though.  But let's be honest--if you're there on a busy weekend night, the service leaves much to be desired (the adolescent attitude gets old fast).
5 - Lauren C.: I usually don't like the doughy type of pizza... I'm a new Haven thin crust snob.  I was hesitant to get a slice, but heard I had to try it.  First off, they have an incredible selection.  There are specials every day.  They have some cool mexican style slices like black bean avocado.  The crust is better than it looks.  It's also open late if you're looking for a quick bite after a late movie or drink.  The people who work there can be annoying sometimes and they don't wipe the tables frequently enough, but it's easy enough to take it to go or just deal with the crumbs.
5 - Chris M.: Very fresh. 

I got a slice with portabella mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and topped with basil leaves. 

Melt in your mouth.
5 - Rebecca D.: Antonios is a staple in the Amherst memory collection of every UMass college graduate, like me!. Almost every good night out in Amherst ended with a stop to Antonios, and those are memories worth having. Not only does Antonios fill the hunger hole at the end of the night, but it is also a perfect place to grab a slice to go while walking around Amherst center on a spring day. 

The creative pizza slices are so delicious and innovative, it would be hard pressed to  find something that DIDNT make your belly jump with excitement. I dont care how much of a pizza snob you are, you are going to find something at Antonios that makes you go "mmmm". Despite the semi-small space, the staff knows how to handle the heat, and the line moves pretty fast. Plus the time waiting doesnt seem so bad when your moving right next to their delicious pies.They can hold my attention for a while before I get agitated (which I dont).  

Whether its your first stop after the bars close, or your last stop on your way home (most nights these are one in the same) Antonios is the best . Ive yet to find another pizza place that satisfies like here.
5 - Stephen T.: Great pizza and every kind to choose from!
You will have to try what you like, but had the tomato basil twice.
5 - Hana T.: This place is what it means to be a Five College student. 'Nuff said.
5 - Anna L.: Antonio's pizza is the best!! I never thought that pizza could get any better, but it does! The creative varieties that they have and the range of choices is what makes this place so memorable and crave-able!!! Sometimes I dream of going back to Amherst just to get a slice.. or better yet, if they opened a place in Boston. The chicken & bacon ranch is my favorite, or any one that has good sauce on it, or just a plain cheeseee. I never liked any pizza besides cheese because I thought that's how pizza is MEANT to be EATEN, until I found antonio's, which opened new doors for meee.
5 - Laura P.: I love their pizza! Fun, creative topping combos (my favorite is the Pesto and Tri-Color Tortellini) and their crust is always right on. Friendly dudes working the counter, fun place to go, and budget-friendly :)
3 - Cal F.: While it has a great selection, the size and quality of the ingredients has diminished! It doesn't seem to be as popular with locals anymore, more of just college student crowd. If this was my first time eating here I'd rate it higher - but I know Antonio's used to be noticeably BETTER. 

The staff has gotten friendlier (used to be a bit overly sarcastic), but the pizza has gone down hill. The Honey Mustard Chicken used to be my favorite, but in the past couple years it definitely doesn't taste nearly as good. :(
4 - William M.: OUTSTANDING pizza by the slice in Amherst.  This place is awesome - it's a great all around experience.  It's open really late too.  

It's better to buy individual slices rather than order a full pie.  There are so many different styles and toppings that you'll want to try them all!  Some hits: Mexican with black bean (sometimes even tortilla chips!), white pizza with garlic and oregano, tomato/basil/fresh mozzarella.  But really, you don't go wrong here.  Check it out!
5 - Ruchita T.: Awesome is the word. The only place where I have seen such a huge variety of unique pizza topping. The black bean avacado , eggplant and potato pizza are our favorites!

Antonio's Pizza - Champaign, IL (40.110082, -88.229611) ()
3 - Melissa M.: I thought Za's had the most diverse pizza choices until I can here. Za's offers nearly infinite permutations of toppings, but Antonios offers other forms of diversity in the form of quirky crusts and toppings. There is tortellini pizza covered with surprise!-oodles of tortellini or the chicken blue pizza, which is basically a chicken wing on a crust. Personally, I like the sicilian cheese pizza, which has a buttery flaky crust that beats out any other pizza in the area. However, I do think freshness and ingredient quality is a problem here, as well as typical American-pizza greasiness. It's better than many of the pizza places on Green st., but still suffers from college-pizza syndrome.
5 - aaron r.: This is hands down my favorite pizza place for lunch.  They sell pizza by the slice and tons of it.  The slices are huge, two is definitely too much food for me.  My favorites are the Eggplant Parmesan, the potato and the Tomato Basil with fresh Mozzarella.  The selection of vegetarian pizzas they serve is amazing. True the Sicilian that everyone loves is greasy, but the normal crust vegetarian pizzas are rarely greasy at all.  The average price for a slice in 2.50 to 3.50 I think, I usually ate there for $5.  Great place to run in and grab a slice to go before class.
4 - Kathryn M.: Love Antonio's! It's the perfect late night craving spot. The tortellini pizza is yum-o! The staff is super fun, the music is always loud, and the staff are singing/dancing away, totally enjoying themselves. It's the most crowded around 2, when the bars close, but the wait is never more than a few minutes. I've never eaten it before 1 am, but it's a great after bar place. And cheap too!
3 - Anne W.: Antonio's is a good deal.  I don't go here too often for lunch or dinner because I try to be more healthy with my food options.  For me.. it's not quite enough for me to eat one slice.. but two slices is too much.  But definetely a great place to go when you're hungry and been out drinking all night.  Great drunk food.. that's affordable.  But the place is packed then.

The Beef Taco pizza is delicious.. and so is their potato bacon pizza.  

Not crazy about the lack of decor... or the fact that their water comes from a plastic water tank.
5 - Chelsea V.: This is probably my favorite pizza place on campus. The toppings are always unique and you have about a bazillion to choose from, the slices are huge, and the price is good. I never get the same toppings twice, and I've never had a bad experience. 

Usually I go here after a night out, but it's not your typical disgusting-unless-you're-drunk food. You can happily eat Antonio's at any time of the day. The staff are saints for dealing with the belligerent drunks that yell slurred pizza flavors at them, and the jug of water at the front is exactly appropriate. I absolutely believe that their pizza and numerous glasses of water has saved me from hangovers.

I have no idea what people are talking about regarding decor or water presentation. Have you been to a pizza place before? Antonio's is fantastic, end of story.
4 - Walter P.: Antonio's is just one of the many pizza places in Champaign Urbana and they do a relatively good job. 

Antonio's sells thin New York style slices and whole pies if you want them and their menu is very expansive from tex-mex to chicken-pesto. They always have a something different everyday.

For me, I usually stick to a slice of mushroom and a slice of Sicilian pizza. The Sicilian is a thick crust pizza with a sweet sauce, it's really delicious. The are vegetarian options galore from artichoke pizza to pasta pizza. The food overall is definitely food on the go I'd say catering to the student lunch and drunk 1am crowd. Antonio's would definitely hit the spot to satisfy that hunger while you're drunk. Prepare for some clogged arteries because their pizza is pretty greasy, but I don't complain. The flavors aren't complex, but we're talking pizza here folks.  

2 slices of pizza will probably run you from $4 to $6 so you definitely get full.

Note: Their water is free, but the temperature in the sports looking water cooler is usually tepid. Pop is $1 and refills are 50 cents.

I've never ordered delivery, but I image that would be a nightmare (I've only seen one Antonio's car in their lot) so stick to dine in or carry out.

Looking for cheap, greasy, satisfying food? Look no further than Antonio's.
4 - N A.: Pretty good pizza, really great prices.  A very filling meal for two is under $10.  The pizza is best if you go when it's crazy busy so that your slices are fresh.  A visit on a slow evening during the summer will net you luke warm slices (even after their trip through the little oven), which are not quite as good but still better than most of the other pizza places on campus and still a great bargain.
5 - Andy L.: I'm a sucker for a few slices of Antonio's after a bar. Not bad prices and its never let me down.
5 - Andrew T.: If Antonio's delivered, they would probably rule the world by now. Let me mention that I'm not reviewing this through a post-bar drunken point of view - I don't drink, and all my drunk buddies and sober me are drawn to this place like it has a tractor beam, as soon as 2am rolls around. We talk about how we can't wait to go to Antonio's in the afternoon before we get ready, as we're walking to the bars, and while we're at the bars.

I recommend the barbecue steak and bacon, although the steak has been tough for me once. There's also a steak and bacon ranch, subbing ranch for BBQ, obviously. Buffalo chicken bleu is spectacular, with lots of blue cheese and good vinegar hot sauce. The tortellini is good, but I've had the shells be undercooked before, and if they have the gyro pizza, you should not miss it. SOOOOO good. And it's $3 a slice for a massive slice. At 2am, I'm usually pretty hungry, but even then two slices is a lot for me. This never stops me from getting two, though.

OK - it's not ultra gourmet, wood oven pizza. and yes, it's kinda greasy. But guess what. It's in freaking Champaign, IL - not even the cultural flower of the C-U area. And I don't eat pizza as a health food.

Fight the post bar crowd, and do it. Or, even better, go every day for lunch, and accelerate their inevitable domination of this planet.
4 - Michael M.: Now if you had told me before Antonio's opened that there was going to be a pizza by the slice place on Green Street, I know I would have said "you know it is going to be garbage that only the drunk kids coming out of the bars will eat." I was so happy that Antonio's proved me flat out wrong. They make some of the best gourmet pizzas that I have ever had with topping combinations that I would never have thought of. Potato on a pizza!? Hell yeah! Antonio's rules, and for the price, I don't think you can find a better deal close to campus.
2 - Sunshine M.: I applaud their creativity with the slices.  I was excited to see a place like this open on Green street, but damn, can you heat your slices?!  They sit there for hours and then they throw it a lukewarm oven for 30 seconds.  I'll eat cold pizza, but I'm not paying $2.50-$3 a slice for it!
4 - Paige D.: It's amazing how much variety Antonio's has in their pizza.  I usually get a slice of avocado enchilada and a slice of buffalo chicken.  The people working are generally quite nice, and the food is cheap and delicious.  Once they didn't have any avocado enchilada, so they made it for me on a slice of cheese-- they were so accommodating, it was wonderful.
3 - Andrea T.: I really like this style of pizza, they don't do the best job in the world but it's hard to complain.  They always have a big selection of classic/veg/weird toppings on the slices to pick from and the crust is way way better than any of the standard cardboard chain stuff you might find down the street.  I wish I knew when the slices were freshest, like a krispy kreme hot light or something.  Either way it's still an extremely cheap, pretty yummy Green St option.  

It's not really the kind of place people stay for more than 15 min and I sometimes wonder if part of it is that they always have a really cheesy 80's/pop station playing loudly in the background.
4 - Dannette D.: College food. Cheap, decent for the price, lots of interesting pizza toppings ready to go. I like the chicken and pineapple.
5 - D A.: They have a variety of slices and a frequent slice card!  Buy 11 slices and the 12th one is on them.  And you could eat for under $5 (slice and a coke)

KYLE rocks! He is super friendly, and is always willing to tell you what is on the slices or what he recommends! Arturo is friendly too!

P.S.
Grew up with NY slices so
I think Papa Del's is overrated, and the wait there is ridiculous..
5 - Arpan S.: The mexican/avocado pizza is to die for.  You must try it now!  If not that, they have tons of variety to suit any kind of taste.
5 - Ari C.: This is one of my favorite places to get a quick bite to eat on campus.  The variety of different slices is outstanding and constantly changing depending on the day and the time.  The pizza is delicious, and the guys who work there are a riot and super-friendly.  A quick lunch, after the bars, or really any time, Antonio's has always hit the spot for me.
3 - Michelle K.: I love the creative pizza options this place comes up with!  One time I had a chicken burrito pizza.  Sounds terrifying, right?  Somehow, it was magical.  I'm a little underwhelmed by their "regular" pizza toppings, though.  The whole point is to try something inventive, so take chances!  

Also, I wish the slices weren't sitting under a heat lamp for hours, but that's pizza-by-the-slice for you.  Oh well, it still tastes good.
3 - Laura N.: As my friend put it, "this is great drunk food."  The large $2 slices are great for a quick bite before or after drinking/studying/whatnot but not for an actual MEAL. I do like to stop by this place on most of my visits to Champaign, though.
1 - ian m.: Look, I don't live here, and I know nothing about Antonio's Pizza.  I was interested in learning about their pizza, and so I ordered some.  Thing is, it never arrived.  About an hour after ordering, we called.  We were assured it was running behind and the driver had left 40 min ago.  Well, at this point we were looking forward to the prospect of 40 minute old pizza, but, not to worry, it never showed up.  We tried calling several times afterwards and no one answered.
I sincerely hope everyone at Antonio's is well, and that some tragic incident didn't interrupt our pizza, but never before has pizza just not showed up.  At least the courtesy of a phone call, you ask?  Nothing.
4 - tony b.: It's good for a quick lunch. Nothing too special, but its walkable from my office and a slice is less than $4.  Thus, I can eat more cheaply than any of the nearby sandwich places.
5 - Stan I.: LOVE Antonio's. Their slices are large and often available in any variety. Chicken Bacon Ranch is by far one of my top pizzas on campus, I order it every time and it never fails to satisfy.
5 - Jon P.: I haven't been here since I graduated a couple of years ago, but I was around when it opened and ate there almost every week until I left UIUC. Super fast and super cheap is the name of Antonio's game. Not to mention the very interesting pizzas you can try by the slice. 

Make no mistake, this place is NOT fancy (e.g. patrons can get water out of a big orange cooler). But it doesn't need to be. Antonio's is great for a quick lunch/dinner and it is really, really great for as post-bar food stop.

The bottom line here is: If you are interested in weird shit on your pizza, if you want a quick meal with zero frills or if you are more than a little tipsy, check this place out.
2 - Ali A.: When I first came to U of I, I liked this place.  It is close to the main quad (as opposed to many places that are past  6th or 5th street) and it is convenient if you need a quick bite

Pizza quality is "meh", pretty oily, crust is lacking with regard to flavor. 

They have daily specials such as "buy 2 slices get a free drink" and "buy 2 slices and get a 3rd slice free", but I have not had good experience with these.  The first time I went, I bought 2 slices and as the person was ringing me up, I saw the sign on the side and inquired about my free drink (it was during the free drink time), she responded, with much attitude "you could have told me!", but she did give me my drink.  

Another time I went during the "buy 2 get a 3rd free" time, and asked for 2 slices of cheese pizza.  As they were being reheated, I was asked to pay, so I did.  Still waiting for my pizza to be reheated, I noticed the sign.  I inquired about the 3rd slice but was told that I had to have asked before paying.  I asked if I could be refunded and then they could reprocess my order, but the guy said he couldn't do that.  He said he had to "keep track" of the pizzas, otherwise he would get fired (mind you I have seen them throw away old pizza slices when they are running out of room for their new pizzas).  He then went on about the various signs everywhere displaying the deals (which by the way are small) and how his outdoor sign kept falling over.   I didn't feel the need to argue any further, so I waited for my pizza.  The guy then stepped back and whispered to the other guys behind the counter, after which they "just happened" to say the same things he did, pointing out the same outdoor sign and all.  

I took my pizza and left, and don't really feel like going there again.
4 - Shelly A.: Great New York style pizza with the craziest toppings you've ever seen! This place always hits the spot, whether it's for lunch or at 2am after a night out. By the way, check out the TIS coupon books for the buy one get one free coupons! Hopefully they haven't stopped doing that.
5 - therealcheesecake s.: If you're at the U of I and want a slice of pizza, go here. If you've been drinking, it only makes it better. The line always looks huge at night but they serve everyone really fast. Every now and then the cashier will give a free drink to someone for no real reason at all. Everyone can find a reason to love Antonio's. 

All in all, Antonio's is amazing- if you're on green street, this is the place to go.
5 - Teej T.: Let's be honest, graduate school is hard and often horrible.  There are times when you are reading nine hundred pages, writing a ridiculous paper or four, and teaching classes.  Sometimes life becomes simply unbearable.  This is why there is Antonio's.  

Antonio's is a tiny space of joy in a world that can be excessively painful.  I imagine it as an island of tranquility, if that tranquility comes equipped with some of the most ridiculous pizza ideas ever and a host of smooth nineties slow jams.  And that is what I need every Monday afternoon, when Antonio's has a buy one slice get one free special.  So I pay about $3 for two huge slices of pizza and a half hour of belting out Toni Braxton, Babyface, maybe if I'm lucky a little Alicia Keys?  Hell yes.

The slices themselves range from inspired to bizarre to terrifying, but they generally mange to pull of the crazy flavour combinations.  They have gyro, nachos, fresh mozzarella with pesto, potato wedges and bacon, and any number of other combinations.

So on a Monday afternoon, you can find me sitting over a double slice of heaven, singing "You'll Always Be My Baby."  And I wouldn't have it any other way, Antonio's.
4 - mark b.: I can honestly say this is the best thin crust pizza in Champaign. It's comparable to Chicago style pizzas. They have a huge variety and it's very cheap. Restaurant is clean too.
3 - Tristan R.: At last! Thin crust pizza! Portlandians, if you are cravings Hot Lips and you are somehow stuck in C-U, this is probably your best option. I go to Antonio's when I want pizza and I don't have time to wait 45 minutes to an hour for pizza at Dells. I am a pepperoni man but the other custom pizzas have looked tempting. Comparing the price to quality, the quality slightly outweighs the costs. The staff is friendly and I like that they have copies of the Daily Illini to read in case you did not bring friends with you to socialize.
4 - Grimace B.: Loved it.  Very inexpensive pizza.  $14 for two Large pizzas (16 inch!)  Was fast and a very excellent tasting East coast pizza.  (New York Style).  Would definitely go here again.  Not sure how eating in is, but the inside is really small and it seems they only offer slices of a few types of pizza.  

Only downside was that one of our pizzas was barely cooked.  We threw it in the oven for a few minutes though once we got home and it was as good as ever.  All and all, really delicious pizza for very cheap prices!
4 - Emily M.: Unless they've changed it, you can get a huge slice of pizza and a drink for $5.  Pretty sweet deal.  They have a huge variety (although they dont always have their large variety available).  My favorite though is white pizza.  Delicious.. I could totally go for one now.  They serve you pretty fast also, as they are used to impatient drunk kids at 2am.  Wonderful.
5 - kate c.: Best pizza in CU.

White pizza is excellent. 

They do have odd closings at times.
5 - Matt N.: One of my favorite places to go in Chambana land. Big New York style pizza slices and man do they have options. They have so many different kinds of pizzas with combinations you would never even think of - from putting pasta tortellini on there, Mexican pizzas with actual tortilla chips, baked potatoes, and they all taste awesome! 

My all time favorite though is the Chicken Bacon Ranch SICILIAN slices, I could seriously have that be the only thing I eat for the rest of my life. Great place to come for the drunken munchies after the bars or at any other time of the day. Be warned though, if you go after the bars close or near that time you will be standing around for quite a while...but so worth it!
5 - Erick Y.: Antonio's Pizza distinguishes itself from the pizza pack the moment you step inside.

Antonio's has an incredibly large selection to choose from. They not only have the standards - pepperoni, sausage, cheese - but also radical combinations such as tortellini, tacos, or macaroni n' cheese, just to name a few. My personal favorites are the White (white cheeses, basil, oregano, olive oil), BBQ Steak n' Bacon, and Buffalo Chicken Ranch.

Slices are New York style and smothered with toppings. No excess grease and the crust is done to perfection.
5 - Megan M.: Every year, I take as many T.I.S. coupon books as I can, tear out all of the Antonio's buy on get one free's, and stash them in my room. Haha, sorry roomie! It's just THAT good. 

Quick service, free delivery, hilaaarious staff. Don't leave campus without stopping into Antonio's.
3 - Steve M.: Antonio's had solid, greasy New york style pizza by the slice.  If I was going for that style pizza and I wasn't just eating there because it was on campus, however, I would head out on Neil and Kirby to hit Vinny's.

Antonio's Pizza - Providence, RI (41.828916, -71.400915) (College Hill)
4 - John J.: A huge selection of pizzas with all sorts of toppings.  I usually stick to the plain (mixing it up only with the occasional Sicilian).  Of the various pizza places on or near Thayer St, they're the "standard fare".  Probably the thickest and cheesiest.

I guess they somehow got slapped in the "Mexican" category because they and Gordito Burrito share a front door.
4 - Mats K.: Antonios is a chain these days..

Hard to believe sine there was only one restaurant, in Amherst, when I went to Umass there.

The pizza was (and still is) a local staple around Umass, but stands out mainly because of the many non-traditional toppings they offer.
2 - Erin C.: Antonio's has a wide selection of neither too-thick nor too-thin crust pizzas available by the huge and cheap slice. The three cheese pizza is particularly nice, if a bit salty. However, the atmosphere leaves something to be desired: it's usually crowded, the stools are uncomfortable and just looking inside the bathroom makes you feel like you need a shower. It's really a toss-up between this place and Nice Slice across the street; I suggest eating at Nice Slice if you feel like sitting with your pizza for awhile and hitting up Antonio's for takeout. Or just go to Wickenden Street for a superior slice at Fellini's.
4 - Jon F.: There are so many toppings to choose from that Antonio's begs for multiple visits. The pizza isn't particularly phenomenal itself, but once you try their signature pizzas, like the chichen and broccoli (personal fave) you'll be wishing you went to college near there.
4 - Carrie U.: Good god, I will never forget the first time I ordered and ate my taste of heaven here. Not only for the food and great deal, but because a drunken, hairy fatty walked up to me (sitting at the window counter) and pressed his man boobs against the glass. He rubbed his nipples. Then he proceeded to start pulling down his pants. At this point his friends pulled him away. 
Make no mistake, during fourth meal this place was packed !! I ordered a medium pizza to share with friends, which came fast, fresh, and tasty. There is nothing I can say to describe the pizza here except that it was good, down to the last crumb. Greasy, as most pizza is, but that was easily taken care of with a napkin. The guy working the register was nothing but efficient while friendly. 
Stop here for cheap, good pizza. There is nothing they can do wrong, except maybe run out of food for a minute. Who knows, maybe it will be so packed that you bump into someone special and laugh about the fat guy with hairy boobs.
4 - Bridget B.: Chicken quesadilla, sicilian, buff chick....such solid slices.  The basic cheese/one toppings are great too.  The service is focused on getting you in and out ASAP, but they are funny and friendly guys while they hustle you along.  The food is fast, delicious, more than just dough and sauce, and affordable on top of it.  Since leaving Prov the Mini City, I miss it greatly.
5 - Alicia Y.: This place got me through many a late night at Brown.  Their Hawaiian pizza is amazing, as are the BBQ chicken and the pesto slices.  I wasn't crazy about it when their prices started to climb, but even still, the place is wonderful and their portions are really generous.
4 - Andrew B.: Whether you just want a slice of cheese or you're craving some quesadilla pizza with chicken and corn chips or some potato and bacon this place is great. They have something like 30 different pizzas on the menu and everything I've tried is great. It's a great place to end a night out drinking on Theyer.

Antonio's wins out over Nice Slice (across the street) for the variety and the available seating inside.
4 - Kapua P.: there's tons of different kinds of pizza and they are absolutely wonderful.
4 - Tommy A.: Antonio's is a creative pizza lover's dream.  If memory serves, the menu says they can make something insane like 400 different pizzas.  Really, though, imagination is the only limit.  The slices are generously sized, the toppings range from the traditional to the totally far out, and everything I've tried there has been delicious.  

The staff can be a little "zonked out," but they are friendly.  I left my bag there once and when I called a few hours later to ask if they had it I felt a little like I was in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, but they did find it and saved it for me and were cool about it.

I heard a rumor that there is another branch of Antonio's in Champaign, Illinois, and I will be checking that out next time I am there.  And when I return to Providence, lunch at Antonio's will be a MUST!
3 - Jonny C.: It's drunken pizza, and it's pretty good. Best drunk people watching in the city, which almost bumps it  from a 3 to a 4.  Nice slice is better and you can still watch the peeps across the street through the window.
4 - all seeing E.: Pretty good pizza.  Lots of different options by the slice.  Cool counter help too.  Why it is sharing the space with the worst mexican food imaginable is a question that begs to asked.
4 - Sean C.: "Choco Loco," also known as "Beaurider," also known as breaded chicken and tortellini pasta pizza ($3) is also what they used to call me when I was a grad student and ate there almost every weekday for lunch, enough so that they gave me an Antonio's T-shirt that I have still never worn.

I stopped by recently on a trip to Providence, and it was pretty much the same as I'd left it 4 years ago. In fact, I actually recognized one of the guys working there, which in one way temporarily provided the comforting illusion that nothing had changed and in another way felt creepy like Groundhog Day.

The main draw is an impressive slice selection of 30+ varieties that is even enjoyable sober, ranging from basic cheese ($1.75; the days of $1 slices are long gone) to specialty slices ($2.75-$3) including pesto portobello with fresh mozzarella and basil, barbecue chicken, pepperoni, pesto chicken, mexican, the aforementioned and many others. 

Gordito Burrito is also in the same establishment, so if you have companions who are intimidated by the pizza selection, there's always a simpler option.

The Antonio's side of the house keeps it focused, and I will too: If you like New York style pizza, you can't really go wrong here.
4 - Earl C.: this place is just a great place to relax and unwind when you're starving at 12AM. great pizza and it reminds you of a pizza parlor in NYC as Sinnae C stated. the prices are reasonable and service is fast. the people their are friendly.

i do have a problem with their bathroom though, the last time i went in their it was filthy and the floor was wet do to some overflowing of the toilet. eeww!
5 - Vilay S.: If you go there after 10pm on a weekend, there is a a 70% chance that you will get harassed by a man with gelled hair, tribal tattoo, and an Affliction brand graphic t-shirt. Try not to make eye contact!
3 - Andrew W.: Big slices. Creative pizzas. Open late night. Convenient location to Brown. What's not to love?
3 - Paul L.: Antonio's serves large single-slices of everything from your average cheese + pepperoni pizza to a whole host of gourmet combinations. The pizza is cheap, service is fast, and the pizza is delicious.
3 - Michael A.: Yummy pizza, a ton of different pies, kinda expensive for by-the-slice, friendly staff, lots of hipsters, great for late night.  Also, good luck finding place on a weekend.
4 - Renee M.: The staff is either nice and flirty or full of youthful angst. The pizza is good once they heat it up in the oven for you but it has a tendency to look petrified on the counter. They really shine in their pizza with gourmet toppings like gorgonzola and spinach. Items like meat lovers you could find anywhere. It would be great if they added combos to their menu, maybe then people would be more inclined to buy more than one slice.
1 - Sushi X.: Yeah, I've eaten a few slices from this trashy place. The people who work there are sloppy idiots and the food is just as sloppy. The worst of Providence ends up eating there after 9-10PM. You'll be eating dry & tasteless pizza while listening to Brown drunks hit on cute girls. Awesome! Oh, and if you're ever so lucky as to get some hair in your pizza from "Dred Guy" at the cashier he won't charge extra for that topping, either!
4 - Nicholette P.: Best pizza on Thayer st. Everyone is nice that works here, and the pizza is great! Crazy toppings on anything you can imagine, great for late night too when you get outa the bars! College students love it, I mean dont come here late night unless you want to be eating with college kids, DUH its thayer st. and BROWN after all. Camon ppl, college kids are not that bad! The pizza is fresh all night, after they heat it up!
3 - Rebecca F.: 4 points for the veggie selection.
1 point for the pizza slice being reheated.
3 points for speed.
1 point for the ambience.
3 points for the price.
1 point for no refills on a crappy fountain drink.
3 points for only having to buy a slice.
1 point for the shared burrito space.

2.5 to 3.  You be the judge.
5 - Nick M.: EVERYTHING a college town pizza shop should be.  Cheap pizza by the slice, wide selection of toppings, open late.  Call ahead and they'll make a fresh pie with your name on it.  

If you're in Amherst, MA hit up the original Antonio's.  Thanks to the owners in Providence for opening up another shop.
2 - Bailey M.: If you stand in front of this store and look out you can see three or four other restaurants that also sell pizza. 

This place is great for cheap college students, but the ingredients are pretty bland and industrial tasting. The one thing they have going for them is a selection of like 20 different pizzas.
4 - c h.: The thin crust is alright, a bit soggy for my tastes, but I really like their "sicilian" style. It's got about a half inch of crust which is usually crunchy on bottom and a bit breadier towards the top, which is covered in sauce/cheese. A lot of places make this style of pizza and end up making bread that has sauce and cheese on it, which is by no means pizza. Antonio's does it better than most. $2.00 per slice.
4 - Chris K.: Creative Pizza.  Sometimes they get a little ahead of themselves with the combinations which can get sloppy.  This place serves its purpose well-   late night pizza usually when intoxicated and in need of a greasy moderately cheap slice.  For its price and delicious drunk pizza I give 4 stars.
4 - Elissa P.: three words: steak burrito pizza.

as a RISD kid, I am breaking the rule by liking antonio's more than nice slice. but, I'm sorry. Nice slice doesn't have a steak burrito pizza. 

enough said
3 - Lou P.: Great slice selection
A sidewalk stalker's haven
College nostalgia

It's relatively inexpensive, they don't wipe the tables enough, there's usually a line, there's no decorations just cheap food and it's open late. In a phrase, this place makes me miss college.

I like Antonio's because the pizza isn't greasy, but yet it's not made of cardboard. There are a ton of options, including Sicilian slices and the normal cheese. I usually opt for whatever has the most vegetables piled on top. The sauce could be a little better, as occasionally I find my slice a little barren under the cheese. I'm not asking for a ton, just a little bit more stashed under there would be great. Because of the diverse selection of slices, the pizza is sometimes a bit cool, but they warm it up for you upon ordering.

As most folks have said, it's a great place to get a cheap slice and do a little people watching. It can be hard to find a seat, especially at lunchtime or late night, but in general I've had success. Just be sure to look at the table before sitting. Chances are you'll need to give it a cursory wipe with a napkin.
4 - Alex R.: Definitely one of the better pizza locations in Providence.  The menu is overwhelming with unique pizza toppings, as previously mentioned the Steak Burrito Pizza is bomb, as is the Tomato Pesto.  I can't speak for any other slice but those two are my favorite so far.  Located right on Thayer Street near Brown, I recommend heading up here to try it.  Antonio's is located across the street from Nice Slice, which is comparable.
4 - Ainsley D.: While visiting Boston, it seemed as if everyone knew about and loved going to Antonio's in Providence, Rhode Island, so we ventured out for a night so I could see what the hype was about. I was ecstatic to try the cheddar potato pizza. Up until this point of my life I hadn't tried anything unique on my pizza... Antonio's had so many options to choose from! I got the cheddar potato, red sauce tortellini and the pesto tortellini. All were fabulous! I will definitely go back if I am ever in Providence again!
5 - Kait M.: people can talk about nothing comparing to "New York" pizza but I've eaten it and it doesn't stack up to Antonio's. So many options and Thayer street offers an excellent backdrop for some people watching while you eat your pizza.

Staff is always friendly and wiling to answer questions...

The potato pizza is my favorite. Big fan of the roasted red pepper and eggplant too!

Don't overlook classic cheese though it's awesome!!!

If you're expecting some great atmosphere - it's not here. all of the energy has been focused on the pizza - and thats how it should be in my opinion!
5 - Liz M.: I eat a ton of pizza and this is hands down my most favorite pizza out there.  The staff are all pretty cool, always friendly.  The pesto tortellini is by far my favorite, but I usually get that and try another outlandish piece along with it.  YUM!
4 - lindsay w.: Just about anything you can dream up for a pizza, Antonio's has got. Busy little joint on Thames, often packed with the college crowd. Be sure to get a frequent customer card to earn free slices.
5 - Jason B.: Mmmm, I love Antonio's.  I would have to rate this the best pizza in Providence....  Each time I'm in the area, I just get that craving to stop in and see what's cooking on the menu.  If you are a pizza lover (like me!), this is a great place to try new combos on pizza.  Great location, especially if you just wanna sit down, grab a slice, do a little people watching, and relax before venturing back to the real world.  

It's a big college hangout, especially since they stay open till like 2am on weekends, and let me tell you they stay busy!!  So good, I might just have to drive over and grab a slice now! :)
4 - Vinny G.: Great selection of slices, reasonable prices and a special on Fridays for buy one slice and get one free.  

Here's a tip - to avoid looking like an idiot remember some descriptive words about the slice you pick...different slices = different prices and the slices are in the oven when you go to pay... so if you brain fart you'll hold up the line and people will mock you...
4 - Peter R.: Antonio's never struck me as a take out place but it does sound like a very good idea. Thanks, Cherie M.!

If you can imagine it on a pizza, it's here. I love the Mexican-style pizzas with avocado, black bean, taco beef, tomatoes and sour cream.

I haven't tried a slice here that I don't like.
5 - Abby M.: Delicious gourmet slices!  Great assortment!  I love the fresh tom, basil, mozz and also the tortellini pizza!  You can even get a taco on a pizza!  The place is always packed and this means that the pizza just keeps coming out and is continuously fresh!  You really can't make a bad pick with any of the slices... the issue is not picking them all!

The line is tight and you do not want to be "that" person holding people up from getting the fix for their pizza craving!  Just follow the person in front of you...scan the pizzas while you are in line... remember what you ordered... or at least what was on it... and move down the line, pay, and enjoy!

Yum!
4 - christine c.: Some of the best gourmet pizza I've ever had. Ever.
Seriously, the buffalo chicken is so good, but you can hardly eat a whole slice never mind two. It is so filling and rich, but it is wonderful. There's a little taco joint in the same space, so if you're feeling adventurous you can hit them both us for a Mexi-talian meal but honestly, the pizza is good enough.
2 - Paul M.: Adequate pizza would be OK or even welcome if there weren't already a large number of pizza places on Thayer, and it's right across the street from the sublime and marginally more expensive Nice Slice. 

Best thing I've heard said about it is some people like some things they serve which dubiously fit the definition of pizza. That doesn't interest me, so I've got no reason to go.
3 - Sebastian W.: With so many dining options on Thayer Street, Antonio's Pizza does not live up to the hype. While studying at Brown University a few years ago my friends and I frequently went here for late night pizzas. They display a large assortment of different pizzas on the counter and if you choose a slice or two from these display pizzas they place your selections into an oven for re-cooking. Expect the taste of these single slices to be old and dried out. The price per slice is also ridiculous, especially if the toppings are not your standard pepperoni and cheese. 

I recommend ordering a pizza for pick-up. You avoid the often loud and cramped seating environment, the taste is fresh, and the price is more reasonable per slice.
3 - Angela d.: Came here for a 2nd slice of za after hitting up nice slice across the street =) 

First off, I was overwhelmed by the variety of pizza they offered.  They had some crazy combos such as tortellini pizza and za with tortilla chips on top?!?! I went with the pesto, spinach, and mushroom slice.  I was afraid it would be bland because of the spinach, but it had a nice flavor to it.

As for the nice slice/antonio's comparison? Nice slice edges out antonio's.  And if you see the overall yelp star rating for each place, you'll see that my fellow yelpers agree.  However, I AM intrigued about the burritos here at Antonio's.  That's gotta be some good drunk food.
4 - Kitty G.: Love it, just wish that they would forget myfirst name as it has been well over 5 but not quit 10 years since I use to frequent Antonios for a slice of cheese at $1.25 (not sure the cost now that i am not scraping up change after A night at Olivers -R.I.P-) and a 2nd slice of spicey chicken. Despite my eagerness the slices are large and impossible to finish so each morning i would wake to the reminder if a 1/2 eaten slice.
4 - Alison F.: I first had this pizza back when I was in college in Providence and was a frequent visitor. It was an easy, tasty option. I recently revisited and still like it just as much. I love having so many options for a single slice of pizza. My favorite will always be the one with guacamole and tortilla chips. Seriously, it's yummy.
4 - Liz T.: Okay come on guys. Who doesn't like Antonio's?? It's a college town STAPLE and never ceases to serve up a quality specialty pizza at super affordable prices. 

Even the pizza guys behind the counter are SUPER quick, amazingly nice, and really great listeners. You shout out an order and think they didn't hear but before you know it, the slice is being served up hot at the cash register.

Sure, you could go to Nice Slice or Fellini's for something comparable, but you can't beat Antonio in the price, style, and regular-joe friendly atmosphere.

If given the option, I'll always be defaulting to Antonio's.
Get the tomato basil mozerella slice. They take all the basil off before they cook it and put the basil back on before they serve it. Locks in the raw basil freshness and keeps the nutrients thick in the leaf.  Enough said.
4 - Jazmin I.: I like the variety found at Antonio's. They certainly don't make it easy for you to choose. That being said, the pizza itself is decent. I don't think its expensive, in fact, it's reasonably priced considering all they are topped with. Given the choices on Thayer, I always come to Antonio's. Mostly because I prefer the lively ambiance (even though the one girl who was working the cash register was hit on by the most annoying guy that kept try to force me to tip her). The staff is friendly as well. So yes, I will always return.
5 - Stephanie M.: Have been here 2x and tried 3 different kinds of pizzas, all were great! I loved sitting outside and people watching. My friend asked the guy behind the counter to give her 2 of his favorite and without a pause he picked them out and put them in the oven. Our slices came out hot and gooey just like I like it. Also I was happy to find they have shakers of pepper flakes, cheese, and my fav oregano.
They have so many different kinds of pizza it may be hard to decide what to try....the prices are so great why not order a wild card and split with your friends?
3 - Liz M.: Stopped here for lunch today. The place was packed with college kids (like everywhere else in Providence).  I got 2 slices of the pesto tortellini pizza.  It was good, although not worth the $7 I paid for 2 slices and no drink.
I might go back if I'm on thayer and starving but I'd rather spend my money someplace else.
5 - Jon K.: Lunchtime, dinnertime, late-night staple on Thayer Street.  These guys have the best array of different pizzas heavily loaded with all sorts of crazy combinations of delicious toppings.  

OK, if you are looking for a light, refined slice of pizza you go across the street for Nice Slice.  I will admit Nice Slice has nicer-looking and classier-looking pizza, and it tastes great.  But if you are truly, truly hungry, if you NEED to fill that groaning belly, there's only one place that can give you that BBQ Chicken Bacon & Ranch slice and that Spicy Chicken Quesadilla slice that you're craving.  Generally, if I'm looking for Pizza with toppings, I go to Antonios.  If I just want a slice of cheese or margarita, I'd pick Nice Slice.

Seriously though, the BBQ Chicken Bacon & Ranch pizza is might just be the greatest creation to come out of Brown's campus since Andy Van Dam invented hypertext.  No barbeque chicken pizza I've had since even compares.
4 - Jackie V.: Love Antonio's!!! I love all the different types of pizza they have.  Its pretty crazy late night and it feels like everyone in Providence is there.  
I went there the other night to get take out. I ordered the honey mustard pizza and a bbq steak pizza.My favorite is the honey mustard pizza, but that night I tried an avocado pizza that my friend ordered, and  it is to die for!!  
It was a bit confusing as to who was being served and when the food would be ready.  it is a small place, and I truly wish there was more seating space.However, while I usually be annoyed with this, I understand it is completely catered for the college students. The late night food for after the bars, the quick and easy customer who is in and out. The pizza is worth the chaos I promise!!!
4 - Sarah E.: Fantastic pizza day, night or late night! Service is great and I love all the topping options. 

The crust is thin, there's the right combination of cheese and sauce. Despite their many interesting creations, the basics are just perfect.
4 - Annamarie T.: Okay first off I have to say Antonio's  was playing z100 (my favorite radio station in NYC) when i stopped which automatically makes them awesome. 

Second off I am a native New Yorker and like to think I know a thing or two about pizza. I'm not gonna lie the pizza here was delicious and for pizza from RI I approve, almost as good as pizza from  NYC.

They did have a great selection of pizzas, and they are open late and is a great way to end you night on Thayer street.
5 - Douglas H.: Without a doubt, Antonio's serves THE BEST, MOST AUTHENTIC New York-style pizza in Rhode Island.  Their menu is filled with a mind-boggling array of toppings and combinations and, best of all, is offered by the slice.  You can try a few different kinds of pizza without having to commit to an entire pie.  Despite the selection, a purist like myself is equally delighted with the simple beauty of a proper slice of plain cheese or pepperoni. 

The restaurant is filled with students, and there is no liquor license, but OUTSTANDING nonetheless.  It's fun to sit in the window and watch the world go by on Thayer Street.  People-watching in this corner of the East Side of Providence doesn't get any better!
5 - Michael R.: Is it a five-star location?  Nope.  Is it five-star service?  Not really.  Simply put, absolutely amazing pizza at completely reasonable prices and super-convenient hours (open till 2 on the weekends).  Antonio's has a real imagination when it comes to pizza, and their creations really take the bread-tomato sauce-cheese-thing to a new level.  They always have a huge variety ready for you to choose from, and when they pull it from the oven, it's hot, tasty and the crust has just the right amount of crust to it.  Antonio's is easily one of my favorite pizza joints - I just wish they had one closer to Boston.
4 - Michael M.: I know this place strikes you as strictly for the college kids, but I maintain that this a damn good slice. This is generally traditional Italian slide, thin crust pizza,

Ignore the wacky, late night stoner combinations and go for the basics, i.e. mushroom (you have to ask for it), pepperoni, sausage and plain. Get yerself a Barq's and you have hot lunch for under $7. Add some red pepper flakes to taste and set yourself at the counter so you can watch the meter maid giving out tickets.

Lunch or before the collegiate crowd's munchies kick in are the best times.
3 - Becky M.: Totally casual place where you can order a slice from what's on the line or even a whole pie. Thin crust abounds, but there's an occasion thick crust to be found. 

It's not knock-your-socks-off good, but definitely an "old reliable". I like being able to get 2 different slices and flavors in the same sitting.   

Delicious, not too oily pesto is always a bonus in my book.
5 - Jess F.: Best pizza in Prov!! Its always full of drunk college kids, but lets be real... I feel like all of Providence always is.

After a night out on the town, Antonio's hits the spot! Affordable and delish! There's always a line, but don't worry... it moves quickly.

I recommend any of the veggies slices- onions, peppers and mushrooms or eggplant parm pizza is heaven. 

Now if only they could remove some of the calories...
3 - Marisol H.: Came here for lunch during a conference I attended at Brown. Pretty decent by-the-slice joint (and I love me my pizza joints of all shapes & sizes!) It was very  clean, not terribly busy for a Saturday noon lunch, plenty of seats and counter space to eat, reasonably priced (got 2 large slices and a large soda for $8), and a good selection of toppings. The ordering line allows you to see all the pizzas available pretty clearly behind glass- got myself a mozzarella/tomato/basil and ham/bacon/hamburger. Overall pretty good, my only complaint was that the slices were only tepid, not melty hot like I usually like it.  If I'm ever in Providence again, I may stop by for another go.
5 - Chris M.: I love Antonio's. Can't beat their variety of pizzas. But maybe not the place to go for a pepperoni pizza.
4 - Aly K.: How have I not written about Antonio's yet??

Oh, How I love Thee Antonio's!!!

Totally casual pizza place on Thayer St. They serve everything from your standard pepperoni to the not so standard taco pizza. There is a daily special or two which always look delicious! My favorites are the baked potato and bbq chicken. Tons of options, they typically have 30 different kinds to choose from. You can order by the slice, or order a whole pizza. 

It can be crazy around lunch time, but it is worth the wait!
5 - Mia N.: this place hits the spot every time. i've never been disappointed with the quality of their pizza.
5 - J R.: Order by the slice or a whole pizza.Until I had pizza here I never tryed anything but the basics. Their pizza is delicious. Prices are reasonable and get your frequent flyer card. Always something new on the menu. Dollar slices late night. Nice setting and attached to a burito place. Free water!
3 - Liza M.: Pizza smack down... Ugh, I got drunk Saturday. Totally off the wagon :( 

Saw dude and his kids walking down the street and he told us the nice slice (I'll get to YOU, later, "Nice Slice") that he had was from 'ANTONIO'S...' After splitting a Scorpion bowl at Shanghai (I'll also get to YOU later, Shanghai...) I was lolling around all sloshy and still hungry (what good is sushi after you've a shot of this that and whatever else topped by the frightening 151 all out of two looooong straws?) and I was pointing across the street (while eating pizza from Nice Slice) saying I WANT ANTHONY'S....ANTHONY'SSSSSISSSSWHERETHATGUYYYYY.... went. Right. 

ANTONIO'S. 

I mean, as a side note - Nice Slice has got the outdoor seating (though, not much of it, make sure you're with less than four friends) and the sun hitting it just so at that time of the late afternoon. Nice Slice also does VEGAN pizza... which is rad. Wait, I need to talk about ANTONIO'S in this review. Sorry, readers! I suck. I know. But most people don't mind... 

Anyways. This place is stuck next to a burrito joint, and is CHEAPER than it's neighbor, Nice Slice. It's more classically New York style. I only got a slice of plain cheese. It was pretty damn good. It had the disadvantage of being the second pizza place I was eating in after also having a full on sushi lunch and two slices at Nice Slice. SO, given that gastric.... umm.... gastric plasticity? Un-necessity? Whatever, slice 3 of large pizza and it was STILL yummy. Not amazing, but delicious enough to devour after all the goodies preceding it: sealing the deal and putting a lid on my drunkenness, replacing the feeling of sloshed with the feeling of nauseas. In a good way, I suppose. 

Ordering is AWKWARD... It would be an awesome way to meet your future husband or wife cuz you get to like, brush up against whoever in order to get in the back of the line. It's so crammed! I've never seen anything like it. It is some heinous interior design. And that's saying a lot because, well... you know: I'm comparing you to New York, where everything is crammed. But this place has a new-ish/gymboree feel to it - so you'd think they'd think about it a little more before making the ordering like THAT. 

Antonio's, you're ok. Next time, I'll give you a sober shot - on a more empty stomach. Yelp, I'm sorry for my reviews. I suck/they suck/I don't know who made me 'elite' but I love you all....
4 - Brandon R.: "Variety is the spice of life."
That is what I love about Antonio's Pizza.

I said it in another review I just wrote (and I'll probably say it in many more), I love toppings! This can make my time at Antonio's a little difficult as there are so many choices! What do I pick? Who cares! Whatever 2 slices I choose to consume, I leave happy.

While I'll save 5 stars for the best of the best, Antonio's is still one of my favorites. 4 stars seems fitting for their cheap eats that I enjoy.

If you love interesting toppings on pizza, definitely check this place out!
3 - Christopher C.: Pizza by the slice for the college crowd.  Prices are reasonable, and the line moves super fast.

Nothing special about the quality or taste, but they keep a  huge selection of pizzas on hand, so I give them three stars for variety.

Tried a couple of different combos over the course of the gf's 5 year reunion at Brown.  She recommended the Avocado Quesadilla, which I was a fan of.
5 - Cato M.: The best pizza on Thayer Street (tortellini and otherwise), whatever those lunatic fans of Nice Slice say. ;)
2 - Kel S.: I was looking for "nice slice" and didn't locate it so thought to myself, I could give this place a shot. It had bee a suggestion of one of my friends who says she is a foodie. I now question that assertion. Now, they certainly had a large quantity of "gourmet-looking" pizzas on display. I chose one with avocado, sour cream and a host of other Mexican-inspired toppings as well as a slice of their "veggie-special" which included spinach, broccoli, artichoke, peppers. These both "sounded" great - however the taste left something to be desired. It looked SO MUCH BETTER than it tasted. I was truly disappointed, especially after being on a pizza hiatus for the past 2 months. I will say however that my dogs loved their ground beef and pepperoni and ground beef and bacon slices. It was dog heaven for them. I debated getting the margherita, and if I go back, may try that type, but I was not impressed overall. I will say the crust was decent. I'm sure the college kids out after the bars close enjoy this joint, but I did not.
5 - Jason S.: Basically the best place for late night drunken snack i have been to yet!!!!!! every time i am in there is a wide array of pizzas to choose from, so no matter what your style is you will find at least one thing to enjoy, quick, kind, fun staff
5 - Kristine P.: I once gave up Antonio's avocado quesadilla pizza for Lent.... just to see if I could. (I failed early, embarrassingly early.)

I've tried their others (eggplant with peppers is a second favorite and their popular bacon-chicken-ranch made me feel like an adolescent boy), but I keep going back to my favorite. I actually daydream about it at work. I like getting a slice before I head into Avon for some subtitled movie. I like grabbing one on the way home from the post office. Mostly, if there's room, I'll order.  It's THAT good.
5 - Scottie M.: Great atmosphere.  Selection of pizza that I NEVER would have expected and enjoyed.  Perfect for a cozy little college social gathering.  Yum!
5 - Ettya F.: I credit Antonio's to my love affair with White slices - essentially slices of crust oozing with a combination of three creamy, salty and sweet cheeses - that kept me nourished through grad school. 

But a few years later, I had to grow up. And now that I'm an adult and allegedly eating healthier, I found myself drawn to the black bean pizza - possibly the most creative, delicious slice of "pizza" in America. A slightly sweet, thin, yet doughy crust piled with a centimeter of black beans, feta and avocado - you'll have a guilt free meal in a slice...perfect for us oldies with slowing metabolisms.

Antonio's Pizza - Champaign, IL (40.110082, -88.229611) ()
2 - Sarah L.: Sigh why does everyone like Antonio's so much?  Thin crust = yuck.  Toppings = all oil.  Ingredient freshness = questionable.  Price = (2)*(As expensive as it should be considering the previously implied high oil:crust thickness ratio).  Maybe I just enjoy getting sleazed on by the pizza slicers less than the average Antonio's patron?

The only redeeming quality of this place is the outlandish variety of toppings:  tortellini, tortilla chips, blue cheese, steak, bacon, you name it, they will cover it in oil and leer at you while they slice it up for you.
3 - Jason P.: This place is great for a slice (or 3) on the run.  They have lots of crazy combos.  My only complaint is that it is somewhat of a tease to look at the menu since some of the more interesting sounding pizzas do not come in slices.
1 - Edward M.: RATINGS CHANGE?!?!?
I may have to change the rating for this place.  I think that their loyal customers deserve more than a sign on the door saying "Closed Today" for the last month and a half.  Do they plan to ever reopen?  Anyway, the rating below reflects when they were in business.  I'd give them only one star now for the way they've handled whatever is going on.  
-------------------------
WHAT HAPPENED TO MY PIZZA PLACE???  I went there to get my daily fix and they were closed for cleaning.  That was May 9th and they still haven't reopened.  Anyone know what's going on???  I NEED MY PIZZA!!!
-------------------------
Pizza by the slice.  That alone rates raves.  Good pizza by the slice.  Now that's awesome.  Good, very-much-like-Brooklyn pizza by the slice.  Can't top that.   I stick to the traditional Italian toppings.   Antonio's comes very close to the Brooklyn pizza I grew up with and I like stopping by for a slice or two or three.  Staff is very friendly, too.  Fun guys who seem to enjoy their work.  My only complaint is its location and the lack of parking.  I work nearby, so it's not a problem during the week, but over the weekend, when I'd really like some slices, it's not very convenient.  Open another in Urbana!!!  Maybe the Godfather can make them an offer they can't refuse.

Antoon's Pizza - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4400776, -79.9562349) (Oakland)
5 - Jessica M.: Best $5 pizza money can buy!!!
1 - Louis P.: You only come here for one reason....the $5 large cheese pizza. It's carry out only and anyone who lives within a 4 block radius of this place knows all about this. 

The pizza isn't that great but if it's midnight, you're piss drunk and need some food....this is where you come.
3 - Ingrid K.: 10pm-2am   best pizza of my pittsburgh life
6pm-10pm   pour garlic powder generously and its still good.
at any hour, the guys that work there are some of the nicest people I've met in oakland.

tip: ask them to cut the pizza into just two pieces, cover it in garlic powder, then eat it like there's no tomorrow.
2 - October R.: Not the best pizza in the world (it's also not the worst but at $5,  why complain.
2 - Justin E.: For $5 a pie, how bad can it be?  Great for the price, although I think it's not as good as Domino's or Papa John's.  I used to order mass amounts from this place for Student Dorm Council meetings at CMU.
3 - Tyler L.: Speaking truthfully, I have never been here sober, but they do have great, cheap pizza ($4.90 for a large cheese pizza!!!!) - while it is hot that is. Like a hangover, this pizza is not something you want to deal with the next morning. It curls up and is not really edible. But great pizza when you are wasted.
2 - John C.: If it isn't past midnight, don't come to Antoon's. A $4.90 large cheese pizza is great at 3 AM after a night of fun but there are much better pizza options during the day. It's a small establishment and it's carry out and cash only.
5 - John B.: This place doesn't pretend to be some fancy Italian restaurant. Rate it for what it is - drunk food. As far as drunk food, this is as good as it gets. $4.90 for a large cheese pizza is a steal. It is as good as chain pizza (Domino's, Pizza Hut, Papa John's) and much less expensive. They leave out shakers of oregano, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese to put on your pizza. They're open until 3am on the weekends which is a plus. You will need to call ahead if you want any hope of getting a pizza that late at night.
5 - Steven D.: Go in late night, tell them you already ordered and they will sling you a pizza on the spot.  These guys are solid, it's a shame nobody tips them more than their spare change.  Don't recommend while sober, but take it home late night with some ranch and hot sauce.

Any Assembly - College Park, MD (39.022201, -76.927149) ()
4 - K M.: This company was a very good choice. I had an entertainment center that was put up incorrectly and they came and took it apart and put it back together correctly for a fairly reasonable price, all in little to no time :-) Thanks guys!!!
5 - Mercy M.: This company was absolutely awesome.  I had four pieces of exercise equipment that needed to be put together--I would have never gotten around to it.  They gave me a quote online.  They showed up on time.  They did a fantastic job.  Aziz, the owner showed me how to use the equipment.  I would recommend them any day.  Loved them!!
5 - Maureen L.: I love AnyAssembly! They arrived on time and got straight to work. The gentleman was concerned about protecting my floor so he used a piece of carpet to make sure there was no scratches. Wonderfully considerate of him! They put together my
heavy duty treadmill within an hour and that includes hauling it up 3 flights of stairs! I am so happy with the service that I will use them and recommend them to my friends. Great rates, great service, great people!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH ANY ASSEMBLY!!
5 - Darin F.: These guys are great. Very prompt with communications and price estimates, even over the weekend. They moved a beast of a children's play set for us up several steps (~30) and into our hard-to-access back yard. 
They were punctual, communicative, efficient, and strong!
Reasonable price as well. You'll do well to hire them.

Any Lab Test Now - Houston, TX (29.7063089, -95.4121127) (Braeswood Place, West University)
5 - dorian n.: I found this place when in search of somewhere to get a B12 shot. I didn't want to have to trek to my primary care physician, pay a co-pay and risk that they not have it available. Here you an get a B12 shot for $25 and then $10 after that. The lab is clean and the guy normally working is incredible. He's friendly, approachable and gives a pain free injection (BONUS!). 

Parking at the facility can be a little crazy when 24 hour fitness is busy, but you can just park in the lot at CVS and walk by the other stores to get to the lab. I would highly recommend this lab to a friend, and have even been able to get my needle-phobic husband going in for B12.
5 - Eileen T.: This place is great! I needed some titers done for school but don't have health insurance, so I called around and found Any Lab Test Now! You can get your tests done here without having a prescription from a doctor. They do a lot of the basic blood work for $49. Plus, the guy who works here, Nelson, is really nice.
5 - Wesley G.: I have used this location a few times for my biannual blood tests and I just had it done again this week and it was the easiest draw of blood I have ever had. There was practically no sign that blood had been taken. The guy that works is great and there was no wait. I started using Any Lab Test Now after getting tired of being gouged for 1000 dollars from St. Joseph for tests I can have done here for less than 200 dollars. It is next to 24 hour fitness but I have luckily always been able to park right out front and the whole process usually takes under 30 minutes. The most recent visit was only about 15 minutes from arrival to departure.

Any Occasion - Austin, TX (30.2934127, -97.7429201) (University of Texas, West Campus)
5 - Ashley Y.: Great gift boutique!  Have so many unique items you can't find other places on campus...sorority gifts or general gifts...and you can get awesome personalized items.
5 - Victoria D.: Any Occasion is adorable! They have the cutest gifts! I received a picture frame that was hand painted and it was absolutely adorable. The letters were super cute and girly and it looks great hanging on my wall. I ordered gifts from there today and I'm super excited for it to be done! The owner is very nice and helped me decide what I wanted on my gifts. It is a perfect place for sororities to go and get gifts with their letters on it!

Anya Salon - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4262562, -79.9398837) (Greenfield)
4 - Tatyana K.: First I was afraid
I was petrified
Kept thinking I could never get 
a decent hair cut!
But I spent so many days
searching through all yelp reviews
I wrote a first
I learned a new salon

Fab haircut courtesy of Tiniece! I came here on a Saturday without an appointment (always a plus when I can just walk in on a whim!) and was seated in a chair, ready to get my hair chopped off, in less than 10 minutes. The salon is much bigger than it looks from the outside - 3 stations and plenty of room to go around. The prices don't bite - my cut with styling was $35+tip. I'd definitely recommend you check this place out!
4 - October R.: I hate getting my hair cut because no one ever seems to get it right, it's not like I ask for some outrageous 'do, I just want something basic and easy to do on my own...this is one girl that does not enjoy spending hours getting ready. So I always dread new places. On a whim, I decided to call Anya to see if I could get in that day, lucky for me there was an opening one hour from when I called. I told Christy what I wanted and she got started. 

First off, the shampoo was amazing, she massaged my scalp and almost put me to sleep, the products had an invigorating scent...and she didn't try to shove the products in my face for me to buy. Next came the cut and to be perfectly honest, I was a bit scared it was going to turn out too short, but when all was said and done, it came out just the way I wanted it to. Another great thing about Christy is that she didn't try to make useless small talk, she just did her thing and left me to relax.   

I think i have finally found a salon I will return to!

FYI gratuity can not be applied to your credit/debit card...so bring a little extra cash with you.

Anytime Fitness - Blacksburg, VA (37.2157379, -80.4020719) ()
5 - Bonnie B.: Loving this place. Its small but not crowded typically. All new machines. Great facility.
4 - Jessica L.: I'm trying out my free 14-day pass (thanks to Yelp!) and I'm a fan so far. It's a little small and there's no track, but all the machines are new and it's a really nice facility. I wish the staff showed me around a little more, but I don't mind exploring these next couple weeks. It's a plus that the facility is 24-hours, but that doesn't apply for people using the 7 or 14-day free pass, only for registered members! I like the location as well, it's located in the new shopping center on South Main with the Ann Taylor and Sake House.

Apache Café - Atlanta, GA (33.7738034, -84.3894159) (Midtown)
3 - Erin W.: The Apache Cafe is a great place for spoken word, jazz and the arts.  Although it looks like a dump from the outside and the parking lot is kind of shady, this whole in the wall club has a very urban and jazzy feel.  Recently I attended a concert there and the bands were pretty good. The Apache Cafe plays hosts to local musicians as well as world renowned musicians like Roy Ayers. Everyday of the week the Apache Cafe has events like jam sessions, open mic, jazz acts, concerts and more.  For an extensive calendar of events go to www.apachecafe.info.
3 - Coley W.: I went to the Apache Cafe a couple of times to hear my roommate spin records at "open turntable night". Like most open to the public events, open turntable night can be good or bad, depending on who's playing the records and which records he or she plays.

While I was at Apache, I ran into a friend of mine, who was naked. It turns out that on the same night they have open turntable night, they have nude drawing class. What are the odds?
5 - Blu M.: Artsy vibe, for lack of a better description, it's a hip place to be. Diply lit, art work in the back, candles at the bar. Hard to find a table so share a chair place in midtown

I went on a Monday night not knowing what was in store. The cover was $3 a person. That night was art night and they were all painting a nude girl on a table. She kept staring at us giving an evil eye. I think she liked me.

They also were playing a movie in the front but NOBODY was watching the movie..except for a few occasional glances. The vibe of this place was refreshing. The art already hanging on the walls was very red and very strong. There was a painting of what looked to be a baby dinosaur in the womb with a thunder storm around him.
3 - Julia H.: I saw a super-long poetry reading at the Apache. 

I was looking forward to some fried green tomatoes, but after I had ordered and paid, the bartender told me they were out. I ended up with a very tasty salad instead. It took almost an hour to appear, but the bartenders were sweet about it.

There is a back patio at the Apache that seems like a secret Garden of Eden, and it was nice to escape the performance for some fresh air.

This was a good, artsy spot. I wish it had been a bit easier to find (our cab driver spent at least 15 minutes and three phone calls to his dispatcher trying to find the place), but I would go back there for a taste of culture any day.
4 - Blake B.: Apache Cafe has held a variety of art related events in the last several years. Among them I've been to a couple of poetry readings, some live shows, and an art show. All were well put together and tastefully executed. 

This space is nicely decorated and has a good vibe to it-- low lit with brick and art hung on the walls. They have a small stage and sound system for the shows/readings.

The bar has a decent stock of drinks for regular prices and a small array of bar food that you can order. I got quesadillas and was happy.

All around, no complaints. If there's an event here that you're interested in, you should be happy you're heading here.
5 - Brittany W.: Some of the best fun ive had sober...

my friend is a bartender here, so i got in free
but as far as cover is concerned its not had at all..

such a cool chill space to be in ..

lots of different things going on throughout the week

open mic nights
MC battles
nude drawing nite
spoken word

and much more...
good crowd....

as for parking... PAY to park around back and
dont try your luck parking at the Varsity OR the BP across the street from the Varsity... YOU WILL GET TOWED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ps. i cant say anything about the drink quality or prices.. i didnt drink..
4 - Keith H.: Soul Music Lives!

I miss Yin Yang, but I'm satisfied with the Apache Cafe. An intimate gathering of new, upcoming artists and well established artists too. Just the right amount of space, you can view artwork, sip on a drink, vibe to Neo-soul, House, World Music and more. One of my favorite venues to chill!
. Pros: great location!
. Overall user rating: Recommended
4 - Falicia G.: I am in love with Apache Cafe.  When I first moved to Atlanta, I would come down to Apache, which used to be Yin Yang, to experience Open Mic Night, which is an experience.  So much talent would flow through that microphone that you couldn't help but to move with the rhythm.

My favorite performer was Malachi who sang the same song every Wednesday which always moved the crowd.  But, the best were amateurs who would get up on stage, Apollo style, and sing their hearts out!  Love it!  This is the best local soul music scene that I've experienced.

Go to Apache Cafe!  It's worth it!  The only drawback is that the parking lot is very small.
4 - J C.: Yes, this place is grungy.  Yes, you will get a boot if you give your parking fee to the homeless guy in the parking lot.  Yes you will get broken into if you DON'T give your parking fee to the homeless guy in the parking lot.  And yes...on Halloween night, those weren't 'girls' going into that club on the corner...

...Nevertheless, Apache is a great 'underground' cultural spot in Atlanta.

Being that I've only been in ATL for 6 years, I never experienced Apache Cafe as the legendary Yin Yang Cafe.  What I *have* come to recognize is how Apache works hard to carry that torch.

From live jazz, house, soul and indie hip-hop to nude figure drawing...it's all here if you want it.

The loyal audiences vary in flavor depending on what's being presented...you'll get a different crowd on Sunday's spoken word sessions than you will during a rugged Beat or MC Battle.  However the basics remain the same, dim lights, intimacy with the artists, cheap admission, a friendly staff and a respectful, peaceful crowd.

The Wednesday open mic sessions are a good get-away for me when in need.  The crowd is very forgiving, so the quality can be hit or miss at times.  I'm sorry Falicia...I can't stand Malachi ; )  But with all the talent locked up within Atlanta souls you're never often disappointed.  The Weekend shows are usually the gems...many times you'll get to see ground-breaking artists before the rest of the world gets to exploit them.  The result is true, honest artistry that uplifts the soul.

All in all, I really appreciate Apache Cafe and the role it accomplishes in the indie music scene here in Atlanta.  Go check out apachecafe.info, pick an act that sounds good to you and do your soul a favor...

P.S.
If you're planning a date, call ahead to reserve a table, so your lady won't have to be on her feet all night and she won't get hit on at the bar.

P.P.S.
Parking...ATL...how many times must I tell you?  WALK.  The area around Apache, clearly is not safe (although I don't have any issues with my Ford Focus SE with a broken mirror...wonder why?).  So park on the other side of Spring on 4th or even 3rd and walk down.  It doesn't look it but cars don't get harassed over there and you avoid the 'everybody trying to leave at once' drama around the venue.

Peace.
4 - Kim D.: Apache may be in a scary location, with a weird tunnel that goes to god knows where, but I still love them. I have listened to some great music there. Cheap drinks and eats, and good eats too. The wed jam session is off the chain. 

Good variety of art related events and always good people. Great for a date or intimate gathering of folks
4 - Dee H.: this was a nice friday nite standby when you wanna get out and jus chill wit a date at a cool spot.  just don't try to go in after 10 and stand all nite while your date is in her 3 inch heels... you can't beat the atmosphere, the food/drinks are good, but i would not make this a restaurant destination...jus go enjoy the music and eat elsewhere and make a nite of it...

I still miss Yin-Yang... marinate on that for a minute...
4 - Sha A.: The Apache Cafe is a cool chill spot!  We had a girls night out to go and see one of my favorite local groups perform live, Waterseed.  The band was great!  The seating is limited, but you may also find that you are just as content standing and mingling.  We ordered from their menu during or visit, and I had the potato and spinach quesadilla, and all I can say is "OH MY GOODNESS!".  It was absolutely mouth watering!... so, so good!.... oh sorry, did I mention that it was good?!... :o) LOL.  I let my friends taste it as well, and they were just as pleased with the taste.  We were trying to figure out how we could make this quesadilla at home and still have it taste the same!... LOL
4 - Toni V M.: I have an attraction/repulsion thing going on with Spoken Word, Poetry Night, Open Mics, alla that. It SEEMS like I should like them, because I consider myself artistic, creative and eclectic in my tastes. And I have natural hair. But for the most part, so do all the poets, and it's tiring listening to so many people take themselves so seriously for such a long time. 

BUT. I had to overcome my aversion this weekend when a friend from Detroit wanted to go to an authentic Atlanta Poetry Night. I learned my lesson--stay open to the new. I loved the joint! The talent ranged from conscious poets, to silly singers, and even a crunk-tastic rapper from Decatur thrown in--and I loved them all. An added bonus was the ragga selector (DJ) spinning on the back patio. Until it got a little too "fragrant" for those of us who need to keep a clean drug test. 

The highlight of the night was an impromptu performance from N'Dambi, the soul sista who sang backup for Erykah Badu and has two solo albums. It was a magical, mesmerizing night. I will be back.
4 - Faridah S.: As shown with my love for mjq, i have an affinity for grungy, hole-in-the-wall type places, and apache is one of my favorites in the city. i enjoy being able to go out and chill with laid-back people, and i feel this is the type of crowd apache attracts. on any given open mic/battle night, classy and trashy hip hoppers alike can be found swaying, cheering, and booing fellow artists off stage. even the bartenders share this laid back vibe, making me feel like i'm in the presence of good people everytime i'm there.
i'm particularly fond of the patio, and those that have been out there probably can figure out why...
5 - Tara H.: Ok, so I'm a HUGE fan! I love this place. Really because of the people, from the patrons, to the servers, to the homeless guys outside trying to help you park your car (like I didn't already know how to do that) LMAO.

The vibe is AWESOME, I tend to go there alone because I know I will run into to some cool people, and ultimately just have a wonderful time vibe-ing off the tunes.  I love the small intimate setting this place gives you. I've seen some wonderful concerts at this place. The sound-Awesome, the food- Good, the drinks-Superb and the people-RADIANT. 

Every night is a different night, appealing to various crowds. 

Apache Cafe~  a place to visit! ! !
4 - Talib K.: "Dread locks fallin' all over me...Ain't you that guy?  Ain't you that girl?  De La Soul right....no Tracy Chapman."  Apache has the same vibe it has had for years and years; raw talent on stage and off.  No pretension here; people go to hear "underground" artists doing mostly original music and arrangements.  Be warned though, you may have to sit through some amateur night-like acts before getting to some of the best and unique talent the city has to offer.  The look and feel of the place reminds me of some of the old rhythm and blues clubs in the late 60s and 70s.  Apache has a kind of 'pass the peas like they used to say' feel to it.  You won't even notice that it is steamy and cramped, well, at least until the low-end amateurs take the stage.
4 - Andre M.: I go on Monday nights and sometimes on Sundays for poetry nights. Great vibe and the owner is really cool with great music. The jerk chicken is really good.
4 - Kelly H.: I went a couple nights ago with Deandre L. to Al's midtown jam session.  The location is a bit creepy but needless to say once your inside you are captured by the soulful sounds played by the band (ambiance productions...amazing) and the up and coming singers who flood the stage during the 3 hour event. There aren't a bunch so I would suggest you get there early. We arrived at 9:59 and it started at 10. So we had to stand THE WHOLE TIME which sucked. It was also very hot, but I know if I would of had a seat I would have been able to throughly enjoy the plethora of people that took the stage.  I am intrigued and would go again to see what Apache has to offer on other days.
5 - Drew A.: First visit was on a Monday, the Figure Drawing night.  Damn, don't think I've tried to draw anything other than a straight line since high school, but LOVED sitting there with a glass of wine, trying.  Can't begin to say how much fun I had...drinking and drawing, not caring about the results, but having just a great time trying!

This is just a GREAT night out!  Definitely something different than sitting in a bar.  Bartender Eric was a true gem---was as helpful and hospitable as can be.  We'll definitely be back!
3 - Bobbin W.: I hit up the Apache Cafe on a Saturday night for a friend's Birthday gathering. Based on the word "Cafe" in the establishment's name, I envisioned myself sipping a cup of coffee on a sofa while engaging in cushioned conversation. But the place was super-loud, requiring me to scream my sentences. While I was pleasantly shocked by the lack of a cover charge, the bar situation left me agape. I had to wait about 20 minutes to order a drink, confused as the bartender helped many flocks of customers that floated up to the counter well after my companion and me. Once I scored my Jack and Coke, both friends and strangers alike bowed at me in awe, asking, "Oh my gosh! How did you get that drink?!?!"

I managed to say hello to a few friends before ducking out, ears ringing, nostrils flaring at the stench of marijuana.

I've never been the cacophonous clubber type, so the Apache Cafe just isn't my thing. I prefer quiet cafes (true cafes) and intimate house gatherings.
4 - Leah J.: SO...i saw an AMAZING show here and without a doubt had a DOPE time. This is a mandatory place to come and check @ least once before you die.The crowd is diverse, the atmosphere is chill, and everybody is just in vibe mode letting the music take them away. The drinks are not the cheapest but with that, they are pretty strong. So you pay for what you get! Every night is something different. I heard they have spoken word on Sunday but have ever been on that night. Apache is def. the place to be!!!
3 - Rachel C.: I have kind of developed a love/hate relationship for Apache. I've been to some of their live shows, open mics, and producer swap-meets. The vibe in the place is very inviting, and they usually have some cool art on the walls. But, if you don't get there early, you will be standing, Also, if you sit at a table, you HAVE to order food and/or drinks. Otherwise, you will be asked to get up. 

As an artist, their audio engineer is AMAZINGGGGG! He truly knows his craft and knows how to mix well to make everything sound it's best. The food is quite tasty, although I have hit a few bumps in the road as far as actually getting my food or drinks. The bathrooms are a bit shady though. 

Not a big fan of their open mic poetry on Sunday's at all. The list is hell a long, and if you plan on going up, if the MC doesn't know you, prepare to get bumped WAY down the list. Plus, the crowd can be a bit rude. I have never understood why people go to hear poetry and artists, but talk through the whole thing. The MC shouldn't have to come to the stage repetitiously throughout the night to tell people to quiet down and be respectful. C'mon people...

Parking can be a bit shady too. If you park out back, make sure you pay or you will get towed. 

They do bring some good artists to the place though, so for that they get my kudos.
3 - Cynthia N.: I visited Apache Cafe for the first time a week or so ago as it was the venue for the Atlanta Comedy Festival.  On a normal day, I don't believe I'm hip enough for this place - afro chic or no!  But when it comes to comedy, I'm fearless, so that Saturday night, I headed to Apache to see the show.  

I easily found parking on the street in front of the building, so I didn't park in the lot.  There were signs on the door at Apache stating that if you didn't pay, you'd be towed, so at least they give you warning.  But there is street parking on the cross streets nearby. (I don't like to pay for parking - EVER.)

I didn't buy a ticket online, so I wasn't sure if the venue had sold out.  When the line began moving and I was closer to the door, someone put up a sign in the window stating "Limited Seating - Standing Room Only."  A couple of minutes later I was at the door and asked the guy up front if there were any seats left. He said no.  And I said, "Not even a stool." And he said, "You can have mine."  And handed me his stool.  I fell in love with him.  I did.  It takes so little to sucker me.  (And he was physically beautiful, too!)

Anyhow, I carried my stool to the area in front of the DJ booth and settled in.  From where I was sitting, I could see how limited the seating was, and I really wish the promoter or Apache management would have limited patrons to the ones they could seat.  It got nasty for a little bit as people who'd purchased tickets in advance realized they wouldn't have a place to sit and would have to stand for two hours.  But people did stand, and it was awkward.  

The show itself was okay.  The host was funny, and there were a couple of comedians I really enjoyed. Being a new comic myself, I view shows differently than the other audience members.  If I'd known it was going to showcase the level of talent I saw, I would have signed up.  Next time for sure! 

I smelled the food as it was carried past me to the people sitting at the tables.  It smelled good, but on my little stool, food wasn't an option.  I knew from looking online that it was $25 to reserve a table.  This price did not go to the ticket cost or food items.  It was merely to assure you have a seat at a table.  I don't think it's worth it to reserve a table.  I'd rather arrive early and grab a seat at the bar near the door.  

I've given Apache three stars because I think that if it had been a different event that wasn't so crowded, I would have enjoyed it.  And a member of their staff gave me his seat when he could have said I was out of luck.

So now that I've been inside Apache I feel less intimidated and will try another event on another night.  Crossing fingers that the food is yummy and I get a real seat!  And that the cute door guy is there for me to gaze upon...
4 - J P.: The Apache was the highlight of my visit when i went to its open mic on Saturday.

Sucks I couldn't find a seat but thats on me for not coming way earlier.

I can't rate the drinks cause all I had was a bottled beer so I guess I'll give a true rating when I return. But the host of the event was great, and funny as hell. I forgot his name but I give it up to him, he shot jokes off the fly.

The sound quality was the best I've ever heard in any establishment I went to so a big thumbs up for that.

I'll definitely be coming here again and will perform something as well... this is a must
5 - Quinton D.: I don't think you can go to many cities and enjoy every singer at an open mic event.  If you want to hear incredible talent in Atlanta this is the spot.  Expect standing room only (Butt to front), it's worth it.
5 - Anna G.: I went to Apache for a friends bday a few months ago. It was our first time there but it was alot of fun. 
We went for the Midtown Jam Session and the band was fantastic. 
We had a table reserved but we got there so early we probably didn't need one (there were a few open tables). 
The food was pretty good. The service was good. 
The table/seating was pretty tight but it was OK. 
There was like an art gallery inside, so you can buy some art while you listen. 
The MC was great, he was cracking jokes all night. 
But the best part was the singers. There were so many good singers that went on stage (it was kinda like karaoke only there is a live band and no screen with the lyrics). 
Overall it was a great experience.
5 - Shaggy S.: I heard from a few locals that this was the place to go if you wanted to see raw and amazing talent. Being a poet myself this place was a must see as I entered the weekend. The Apache Cafe was hidden behind a few parking lots and large buildings and if you were driving to fast you would miss it.  The fact that its tucked away lets you know that this is something that you have to hear about on the low to be familiar with. The vibe of this place takes away from the flashing lights that makes up most of Atlanta, If  you are looking for a place to hang out and mingle with like minds of spoken word then this is your spot. The acts that went on that night were amazing. The people that performed ranged in many backgrounds and what they talked about. They have different events for each day of the week. Sundays are open mic and poetry performances. I look forward to seeing what events they have on other days. I highly recommend this spot.
4 - Neisha F.: I've been here twice in a row on Wednesday Night.   Had a blast with my friends listening to live music.  Diverse group of  talents.  The MC is funny and an incredible painter.  Get there by 9 to get a table.  $10 min order at the table which is easy cause drinks are about $6 and up.  I ordered their jerk wings and shrimp quesadilla it was really good and I don't usually eat "jerk" anything.  I think I'll become a hump day regular here.  Door man is super cute too!

Parking lot gets negative two stars.  SO make absolute sure you pay to park in the box and PUT THE TICKET IN THE WINDOW even if you pay they will boot your car if the ticket isn't in the window .  I learned this the hard way and had to look for my ticket in the pouring down rain.  I was pissed at the parking lot guy but that isn't the clubs fault just a lessoned learned.
4 - Tai D.: Great atmosphere. There is not enough space for people to sit down and it's a little too close for comfort but the atmosphere is nice and talent is great. The space wouldn't be an issue but it is because it's always packed which is a good thing!
5 - Derrick B.: I finally made it on Monday night.  I've been trying for quite awhile.  Monday nights are not friendly to working class folks.  If you're not familiar with Apache's offerings, Mondays feature a live model for drawing and photography.  It's quite the scene.  There's a diverse group of patrons from all walks of life drawing with charcoal and pencils on medium sized to small pads and photographers buzzing about taking an endless stream of photos.  I planned this trip so that I could experience the artist reception.    At the beginning of the month, if a new artist's work is on display, you have the opportunity to meet them and discuss the work.  Nice beats were going on in the background; the joint was relaxing; and they offer a killer Irish Coffee which was perfect for the frigid night.

If you can't get a parking meter, you shouldn't park in the spaces immediately adjacent to the Cafe.  Go one block down and pay your $4 and not get booted.  There was no cover.  The drink prices were acceptable and the bartender is a great guy.    

So if you like to draw or want to draw or used to draw and need to knock the dust of your skills, you should get your graphite pencils and pad and pay them a visit on Monday.  It's a welcoming, and warm environment for first timers.
1 - Michael V.: Just wanted to publicly lash out at the management of the Apache for something that happened a while back.  I'm still angry enough to write this so I suppose it deserves to be written.  I went to the Apache to see Devin The Dude several months ago with my girlfriend, brother and a group of friends.  The place was WAY oversold to the point that is was very uncomfortable to be there.  We were out on the back patio before the show started as it was one of the only places to comfortably wait for Devin to hit the stage and my girlfriend passed out.  Hit the ground while I was gone to get her a bottle of water.  When I returned I found my friends sitting her up and making sure she was alright and I was of course concerned.  She told me she thought she was fine, but should probably go home and rest.  Just about then a girl claiming to be the manager walked up and I thought "great, she can help us get out of here so I can get her home."  Oh how wrong I was.  She was unbelievably rude and did not seem to give a shit about the fact that my girlfriend had just passed out.  I told her I wanted to leave to take her home and then I'd probably come back once I got her settled and she told me if I left I could not return because they would just let more people in once I was out.  I told her I was coming back so just let one less person in, plus the place was already oversold and she basically told me she didn't care.  We luckily found a place in the club directly under an air vent where we watched about half the show and then left, but I have vowed never to return to the Apache again.  Thank you Apache management for your complete disregard for the experience of your customers.  Maybe if she'd had a seizure someone would have cared.
3 - andy m.: This is a neat little place but definitely not my scene haha.. but here is what I will say:

GREAT sound system. And GREAT drinks.

SUPER short review I know but you kinda gotta just go and see for yourself.

31/365
#Yelp365
5 - Candy L.: I love this place! For a first timer and a novice writer, this places offers an amazing genre of talent. The eclectic vibe  allows your mind to take in each word that is spoken. I'm definitely looking foward to coming here again on Open Mic night.
1 - Alina M.: Wow, this was a baaaddd  night.  Stopped by with my best friend for the so-billed "Atlanta Comedy Festival."  This event was a joke.  How so, you ask?  Let me count the ways:

1)  Broken chairs.  When I pointed this out to a manager who came by to ask me something or other, he told me it would be kinda funny if someone fell down during the show.  I'm sure my face said, "funny ha-ha?" or "funny, see your ass in a settlement conference?"  That was just the beginning of the madness.

2)  Racist bullshit directed at customers.  Let's get a few things straight when it comes to live comedy.  Go on, Mr. Comedy Man, get your little chuckles from making fun of "them" and "them" and "them."  That's fine.  Just don't pick out ME, look at no one but ME and proceed to berate ME for what-the-fuck-ever.  Not exactly the thrills I'm paying for.  Keep it general and scan the crowd but don't get down to specifics of what you think is wrong with me and just stand there and harass me.  So you announced to the whole crowd that I wasn't laughing because you weren't Seinfeld enough for me.  Har, har, har, you struck comedy gold!!!!  Honestly, it was more embarrassing for the two comics who did this than it was for me or my friend.  Sad and sad.

3)  The bathrooms were atrocious.  Not bad, BAAADDD.  It was fucking disgusting.  You seriously can't take care of this, Apache Cafe?  

4)  They had one comic that uhmmmm.....I seriously don't know how to say this politely, but I'm sure anyone who reads this who was there that night can confirm.......was....deranged?  How can you put that woman on in full earnest and not feel a little sick about it inside?  This was an elderly lady who proceeded to hump around on the stage like she was *copulating* several invisible dudes and was using the mike as a vibrator.  When EVERYBODY stopped laughing, that was your cue, Apache, to get her off stage.  No way should you let that go on for a long, long time.  Unbelievable.

5) The show let out waay late, especially when you consider the many comics who stayed up on stage, actually bragging about how they had no material.

Unfortunately for the chef of the Apache, his food was fantastic.  How insulting to him, then, to have it served alongside all that was going up on stage.  Also, the wheelchair bit by Mike Combs (???? hope I got that right) was ridiculous.  The one funny moment I apparently drove to Atlanta for.

Glad I now know where not to go in Georgia.  See you never, Apache!
4 - Tilia M.: *sigh*

I really hadn't been to this venue in literally forever. I used to come on Tuesday for the hip hop or beat battle, which was always very good. I also have been here for more concerts than I can count.

Its a great venue for what it is - a bare-bones, concrete floor event space for mostly urban and indie artists. On nights like these, please don't come here wanting to sit down or be comfortable, or like, elbow room, because you WILL be disappointed. Its hot, its sticky, its smoky, and its pretty grimy when at full capacity - I wouldn't dare enter the bathroom. bleck.

Anyway, I went here Monday with some friends and stumbled upon some sub-par jazz, and nudity....er life artwork classes. Can't say I'd return for either, but, I'd definitely recommend for that other stuff I mentioned before.
4 - Ebony J.: If you are looking for great raw talent check out Apache Cafe. Very intimate setting, great people, very good food and drinks. Spoken word and live musicians were great. Its a must see!!!! You will enjoy your night, trust me!
3 - Erica M.: Great Parking (although you must pay). Great private/dead-end location. (gives it a hide-out type of feel)  Watch your step though as you step in what appears to be a 2x2 garage space. ;0)  Apache'... a small cafe serving up jazz sounds and artistic events.  On this particular night I visited ( 7/18), the Bohemian Circus was taking place.  I was highly confused and puzzled at the zero excitement the so-called circus offered.  Several attendees drawing various poses of a young lady nearly nude.  Very strange!  I redirected my attention to the stage (opposite of the obfuscation behind me) the entire night.  "Thank God" I thought of these 3 gentlemen gracing the stage on this evening.  I ordered 2 cosmopolitans and closed my eyes... zoning off into the sounds of the pleasing bass guitar & sax.  I was very pleased with the drinks ( nice, stiff and sweet).    The staff I must say are very hospitable and sincere.  The ambiance in this place is very nice.  A great place for a 2nd or 3rd date.  A young lady later graced the stage singing songs by Erykah Badu "Next Lifetime" and Rihanna "Russian Roulette".  With the lights dimmed for her set, I began having beautiful thoughts about LOVE!  I was definitely in the moment.  I felt like I was in a scene of LOVE JONES! ;0)   Her sound, somewhat amateur made me restless however. After my two hour visit to Apache' Cafe' I departed.  I will visit Apache' Cafe' again in the near future.  Definitely a nice hideout after a long day and you just need a place to chill and unwind. I must say I enjoyed the vibe, and the down to earth people this place draws in.  Until we meet again Apache'... Cheers!
2 - Erica L.: This place...smh. Ok, so I can't TOTALLY knock it because it is somewhere for up-and-coming artists to express themselves in hopes of a breakthrough. So two stars for that alone.

BUT...

Either they need to switch to a bigger venue, or remodel the place. Went there one Sunday for spoken word where I had to pay to get in. Not only was it at capacity, but on a hot summer afternoon it seemed like the AC was probably broken. People were brushing against me with their sweaty clammy skin and I just about had it. I had to leave. Mind you, the people who were sitting down, were probably more comfortable and enjoyed the show better. 

I like the concept of this cafe, I just think it needs to be upgraded to somewhere more comfortable. The host was not to my liking either, calling the guests motherf***ers and telling them to get out the walkway in a rude manner. meh!
4 - Celina L.: I met up with someone at the Apache a few months back. I had no idea what to expect. All I knew is that they had some hip hop artist come in that night. Drinks were ok, not too strong. Wasn't too pricey. I had fun. I liked the crowd. Ever since then, i've had an appreciation for underground hip hop.

A few weeks ago I discovered that it was OFWGKTA. I remember seeing Earl Sweatshirt and Left Brain.
4 - Jeremy G.: I don't remember much about Apache. Usually, by the time I got here, I was somewhat inebriated. And by the time I left.... (and this is a Puritan getting his freak on, so I can only imagine what everyone else was doing.)

But I did hear - through the haze - some great underground music here. I appreciate what it offers to the community. But it's also a bit shady (or at least very dive-y) - that's part of its charm, but be sure to go with friends.

And for heaven's sake, just WALK here!! Stop trying to park in this area. Sheesh. (Actually, it's better than it used to be, but still...)
2 - Slimmy B.: First we get to the door and they didn't take cards only cash...it was my first time going so I didn't realize the importance of getting a table so if u didn't reserve a table you had to stand up or sit in a chair which was an inconvenience if u wanted to order something...Also they didn't have two drinks I wanted and no tilapia.Most of everything ob the menu included tilapia. Nevertheless, the host was cool a little too much cussing and talking.The DJ was nice! The performers were horrible. I've Been to a few open mice in my life and these cats didn't have any real talents. It was only a few good people. Overall it was way to Kong got there at 830 and left after 11 and they still had like 10 more performers. If they have better performers despite the inconvenience I could rate this a 4. I wasn't impress. Also, they don't take American Express.
2 - Kyra M.: I know this place is a staple in the A, but I can say it's mediocre.  Hard to find if you don't know that it's behind Varsity practically.  At least there is plenty of parking, but know u gotta pay and put tix in ur windshield or else.

I rolled with six ppl and it cost 25 to reserve table.  They were small, 3 at each table.  Place is cozy and small.  Standing room only for later ones.  Entertainment is raw as hell.  I like the painting on stage and comedy between acts.  The talent can be deep as a kiddie pool sometimes.  I went outside to smoke briefly and ran back in after seeing these scary reggae heads high as a kite zombie to their music.  I cannot say I will be back for sure.  Maybe I am not afro-centric enough for this crap
4 - Captain E.: This place may not be an extravagant or extremely fancy ( though they put curtains up) , but  for a whole in the wall that's really a gem in the rough it is amazing. The food is delicious and so are the drinks. What really makes the place are the servers and the rest of the front of house staff. The times I've attended a show there, they not only navigated the crowd to give me my food or beverage, but they are pretty cool to have conversations with. It may be cramped damp, and dark, but it is in it's own right one of the staples in Atlanta for entertainment. My advice, find the night you like on their calender and check it out.
5 - Jason B.: I had a blast at the Saturday hip  hop show. My boy Yung P killed the stage. It was my first time going to Apache but I've heard about it for years. The crowd was nice. The DJ was playing classic "Dirty South" music. He played songs from Outkast to 8ball & MJG.  The drinks were priced good. I would go there again.
3 - Amadi J.: Apache Cafe is the hidden treasure in Atlanta. I've attended their Wednesday Jam Sessions faithfully for years and have even hit the stage a few times. Once you become a regular, it feels like family because everyone knows you. If you are new to this place be prepared for the chill ambiance and free spirits roaming around. The only thing that annoys me when attending this location is there is not a lot of seating and when crowded it could be a chore attempting to walk from the back to the door but all and all this place rocks!!!

Apartment Finders Service - Austin, TX (30.2934127, -97.7429201) (University of Texas, West Campus)
5 - Rebecca L.: I thought this service was great, partly because it was free, and partly because I don't have time to run around to a bunch of different apartments to see how much they are, and if they're nice, etc. AFS has a database of apartments that they can search through for you, to find you whatever you need. My agent was Terri, and she was really friendly. She drove us around to see apartments that we were interested in, and even showed us apartments on a weekend. I would definitely use them again to find a place to live.
5 - Alex S.: I have little basis for comparison but it's hard to imagine such a service being any better:

-- It's FREE
-- They drive you to see the different apartments
-- They go over the criteria most important to you and then make great suggestions
-- They will steer you away from places they wouldn't want to live
-- More options than craigslist, newspaper listings, etc.
-- They're extremely nice and helpful

My agent, Marion, was especially helpful; she showed me around ten different apartments and was still cheerful when I'd find some small deal breaker which she never could have anticipated. She really worked for her commission.

I would, and have, recommended them to someone looking for an apartment in Austin.
5 - Gayle S.: I've used them twice and loved both places.  Both times, I was certain by the end of the day where I would soon be living.  Trying to find a place to rent can be extremely stressful.  Back in 2000, I moved out of an old garage apartment.  I rented it from a little old lady in west Austin, but she sold it to Campus & Central Properties.  Nick the Dick was a terrible landlord and had a special way of screwing people who gave him money.  I didn't have high hopes of having a good referral from him, but the agent at Apartment Finders was extremely helpful.  I told them what I needed and that's what I got -- not shown a bunch of stuff I couldn't afford.
1 - Josh B.: These positive reviews are shocking. There are several apartment locators that service the West Campus area. I used three of them: Campus Condos, UT Home Search, and, unfortunately, Apartment Finders Service.

The guy from UT Home Search wasn't exactly friendly and seemed to believe he was wasting his time helping four college students. The woman with Campus Condos was the best out of all three. She was nice, kept us updated on all the properties, and best of all, she wasn't awkward to ride around with. But because we still hadn't found anything we liked, we went to Apartment Finders Service.

Very quickly, we found a place that had just dropped their prices. It was exactly what we wanted, so the four of us signed immediately, for two different apartments right next door to each other. One day before we move in, we go to get the keys to our new apartments. That's when we found out how exactly Apartment Finders Service had screwed us over. We told them from the beginning that parking was an important issue for us. We all wanted to have our own parking spots in West Campus, which is why the other locators had trouble finding us a place and why we immediately signed when one was available. So, we get the keys and ask them where we park. They tell us there is only one parking space per apartment. I flipped out. I called AFS to see what they were willing to do correct their mistake. "We told you there was one spot for you," they said. "You said that when two of us were in the room, meaning one for each of us. We told you that we all had cars, and all needed parking spaces," I argued. After screaming over the phone at Sunday, the woman who mislead us into signing a lease, the owner of the company was finally put on the phone. Almost immediately he said "Are you stupid and can't understand what Sunday told you?"

Yes, he said that. To me. His customer. So, when you're looking for someone to help you find an apartment in West Campus, keep those words in mind. Preferably as you go to another company.
4 - Camellia O.: I am writing this based on my experience looking for an apartment for 2012/2013. This year was a crazy year as all the good places were already snapped up. Students are coming in droves to live off campus and most agent's don't need advertising anymore. Most things go by word of mouth I believe. I tried two. West Campus Living and AFS. Both were very good. AFS was wonderful in that they really help you look for places based on what you wanted. However, I did wish that they update the list daily as leases go by daily. This same issue happened with WCL, but I don't blame them, the situation was crazy. However, to stand above the rest, it would be great if they kept the inventory updated. AFS also doesn't try to sell you with the more expensive places. They showed me a good deal of decent places and really communicate well. I like how Terri texted me and checked up with me to see if I  needed anything. She was also quick to respond to emails, calls, texts and she's such a sweet lady!  I have given several referrals to this lady and I trust that she will help them find ideal places!
3 - Alyssa H.: Marion is no longer with AFS. Sad panda.
2 - Laura A.: I cancelled my appointment before even using this service because of the lack of communication and professionalism. Two stars only because there is an actual human being answering their phone, not an automated message.

I first submitted a contact form -- no one called me back. I then called the office and was told I'd receive an email with additional info about some properties -- that didn't happen either. Then, I called back to make an appointment, and the agent rather rudely told me that it's impossible to find an apartment in the neighborhoods I like for the budget that I gave her. 

My friend Craig and his handy list beg to differ. So did several other apartment finding services in Austin.
5 - Josh F.: I would highly recommend this service. I am giving them an excellent rating because I went around with Noah, a locator in their office, and he exhibited a lot of professionalism, really wanted to help me find what I was looking for. He wasn't a pressure-oriented salesman and was very patient with me, showing me as many places as I was ready to see.  I really appreciated my experience with Apartment Finders Service and would recommend them to anyone else looking for an apartment in Austin.

Apollo Dental Assoc - Cambridge, MA (42.3635575, -71.1006337) (Central Square)
2 - Amy L.: Not recommended. It was difficult to schedule appointments and the next dentist I had thought that Apollo suggested a filling when I didn't need it.
3 - Samuel F.: This place provides my dental services, and they're just fine in my book.  Never had much trouble with scheduling, they do a very quick job with my biannual cleanings.  So quick, actually, that I wonder if they're doing as thorough a job as my last dentist, but on the other hand, it's much less of a pain, especially since they use a water pick instead of a metal tool for the plaque removal.
5 - Darlene F.: After bad experiences as a child, I had extensive dental problems. Apollo's dentist was very understanding, frank, and accommodating to my needs. I never had trouble getting an appointment, and they were very gentle with cleanings and dental work. They really took an interest in fixing my dental problems and working with me to make sure I was satisfied. All in all, a wonderful experience for the 3 years I had this dentist.

Apollo Restaurant - Ithaca, NY (42.441944, -76.484955) ()
3 - Jason S.: This place barely makes three stars.  It gets the free star for being in Ithaca, which is like a culinary desert.

The food is basic fast counter style Chinese, you know "two item combo" Chinese.  Its pretty uninspiring.  And i like cheep Chinese food.  How do you mess up general's chicken?  really?  Anyway its strange because there are always people inside.  The only positives i can think of is they are they are cheep and their hot and sour soup is OK.
4 - Andy L.: Not the greatest place but four stars for cheap food and great location.  I'm not expecting the greatest Chinese food considering that it is in Ithaca but the food is still pretty good.  They also have a large menu and if you are craving for something not on the menu, just go ahead and ask them.  Also, the two item combo fed me through my days in Cornell.
3 - Irene L.: Not the best Chinese food I've ever had, but I think Apollo deserves a solid three stars, especially for the price.

Apollo is my boyfriend's go-to place for Chinese food in Collegetown. It's classic Chinese take-out, nothing particularly special. Their combo plates are pretty cheap, and they sometimes have good items to choose from. I've only ordered off their full menu once. I always look forward to their eggs and tomatoes, which are spot-on, and I like their shifan/jook (rice porridge) too.
3 - Rach K.: Yum!

When I first got to school, this place was called "Peace," and prices were soooo cheap ($2 for 3 items) but things have changed in the economy and whatnot, inflation, blahblahblah, but it's still cheap and easy.

If you're in the mood for some greasy Chinese, this place will do it. They have 8 to 10 items in their hot tray table thing and you can ask for 1, 2, 3, or however many items on top of rice. The dishes vary sometimes but the staples are usually the lo-mein and General Tso's chicken.

There's free soup in a giant thermos on the side and a few different sauces on the table: sriracha, Thai chili garlic sauce, and this soy sauce mixture with chunks in it (not sure what they are but it's good, haha).

It's not super great quality or anything, but it's easy and quick and yummy and it's open pretty late (I think until 3am).

There's seating inside, but the tables are always sort of sticky. They serve you in the takeout container anyway, so I usually pile some of the sauces on top of my meal and take it to go.
5 - Nick K.: Apollo and Cafe Pacific are THE Absolute Zero hangout spots.  From a typical transient standpoint, you might think, "Oh just some cheap chinese food".  But if you understand asians at all, that's the reason this place gets 5 stars.  It's great for filling yourself with decent food for cheap.

Of course it's not top notch, but for the price, it might as well be filet mignon.  Service is relatively impersonal, but so are most cheap chinese joints.  It's really all about expectations.

Key dishes: beef and egg over rice, beef with broccoli, yang zhou fried rice.  The free egg drop soup they always have on hand is nice bonus too =P

Oh and did I mention, after you get smashed at some apartment on a friday night, you should make a beeline for this place if CTP is too packed.
3 - Gina K.: This used to be my go-to spot for cheap take-out Chinese food. I'd always get two items with rice. They set everything up buffet style behind a glass and you tell the servers what you want.  The portions vary depending on who's serving you.

After you get your food, you can make your way to the side table, where they have a big vat of free egg drop soup (it's usually egg drop, though sometimes they may change it up). I used to love the soy sauce mixture they had here and got it all the time with my tofu (best combo ever!). They have other good dishes here.  I liked the variety, so whatever you were craving specifically was usually met.  You can also order something off of their menu, too.
1 - a n.: I have ordered from this place a handful of times. I am always disappointed at how greasy the food is, but this time they have gone too far. I ordered Lo Mein, and I specified "spicy"... they sent me very bland Lo Mein, and 5 packets of really nasty hot sauce. 

I have finally learned my lesson; I will not be ordering from them again. For reference, here is a specific list of items I recall trying: 

Crab Rangoon - fine, just like everywhere else
Scallion Pancakes - good
Pork buns - bad, microwaved, dough hard.
Lo Mein - bad, flavorless, greasy

I've tried other things, but can't recall specifically what I did and did not like about them. Good luck finding good Chinese food in Ithaca. Hai Hong does not deliver.
2 - Joel N.: If you are in College Town and must have general Tso's chicken immediately Apollo is the only viable solution, though you would be better off ordering an entree off the full menu and waiting 10 mins than going with the steam trays.
5 - Paul Y.: The soup is awesome. Did I mention that it's free?
Food here is pretty good. Definitely the same quality (even better) compared to the other few Asian restaurants nearby. It's just not a good place for a nice dinner. But if you don't feel like eating with anybody and just wanna get something tasty and cheap and fast, come here for sure.
4 - matt h.: After Coming here for a while. Let me do the work of tasting a ton of terrible dishes to let you know about the good ones I discovered, most of which go unnoticed because they looks unfamiliar.

My favorites:
*Cold noodles in hot sesame sauce $5.25 - You wouldn't be able to tell by the description but this is a refreshing penutbutter noodle salad. Perfect when its hot outside.
*Szechuan Spicy Chicken $10.50 - really flavorful.
*Diced Pork with Black Mushroom Noodle Soup $6.75 - If you ever go here when its busy there is always at least one Chinese student eating a noodle soup, and for good reason they are perhaps the best thing done here. I like this one because of the yummy mushrooms.
*spicy pork noodle soup $6.75
*Steamed Dumplings $4.75 - standard but they do them well
*Stuffed hot pepper $7ish- This is a special on the white board. Its mild chili peppers (Anaheim perhaps) stuffed with ground pork and shrimp served over rice topped with a black bean sauce.
*Eggplant with garlic sauce $7.95
*Red Cooked Pork over rice $6.95 - only if you like really fatty meat. This is definitely not for everyone.
3 - Peter B.: It is what it is and you get what you pay for.   I go often for the cheap eggrolls and free soup, but it's not exactly a place you'd take a date to unless you like cafeterias and fluorescent lighting.  

Very popular among Cornell's Chinese students who often seem to simply ask for whatever they want whether it's on the menu or not.    Best to go on busy days when the steam table is being refreshed often.  For under $10, you can get at least two meals out of your options.  One time I had the Lo Mein, which was obviously made from overcooked spaghetti and greasy, but hopefully they have change that.  

I would say at any given time, 90% of the customers are exchange students.   Great option when you are short on cash.

Apparel Candy - Los Angeles, CA (34.0226929, -118.274234) (South Los Angeles)
5 - Simon M.: I buy from them every week. Everything I get from them flies off the shelf! Great customer service too.
5 - Alan D.: I purchased several items from them recently and their products were high quality. Their designs were very popular with my customers and I will definitely order more items from them in the future. 

Customer service was also very good. I was able to get a representative on the phone immediately to answer all questions. Its nice to deal with companies that don't outsource their customer service to India!

Apparel Design Studio - Providence, RI (41.8261235, -71.3904375) ()
4 - Sabrina F.: Left Cardinale's to have Apparel Design - an alterations and dress making shop run by two very bubbly S.E. Asian ladies - handle all of Rocky's and my tailoring. They are much friendlier, more talented and (for the most part) inexpensive. They are also very accommodating. It's never been an issue for me to get something rushed for same day.
1 - Bryant F.: Wanted me to wait 3 weeks to get 2 pairs of jeans patched. Also wanted me to pay $21 per patch. Ridiculous! 

I went to Cardinale's, paid $12 total, and was able to pick up the next day.
5 - Diane C.: I had an expensive, yet ill fitting black shearling coat that I received as a gift.  I brought it to these wonderful and nice ladies, who completely refit it to me, and actually changed the design of it to something I liked much better!  Their work is beautiful, and for the amount of work they had to do on this coat, the price was very reasonable.  I would definitely recommend them to anyone who wants great quality at a good price!
4 - Katie A.: I gave Apparel Design another try and brought in two pairs of jeans and some curtains to be hemmed.  

I really appreciate that they called me to discuss the length I wanted my curtains hemmed to - they had noticed that my chosen length would have chopped up the embroidered designs, and we were able to figure out a better solution over the phone.  

The workmanship is top-notch. I'm not sure how they compare price-wise to other places, but hemming a pair of jeans was $14.   

They only accept cash or check, and turnaround time is 1-2 weeks unless you ask for a rush order.

Appethai - Seattle, WA (47.6589741, -122.3131056) (University District)
3 - Melanie D.: As my first stab at Thai food, I thought Appethai was only okay.  I didn't know what to expect really so I ordered pad thai since that seems to be one of the popular Thai dishes.  I also sampled the chicken satays and the crab wontons as appetizers.

The crab wontons were bite-sized, served HOT and very creamy with a nice crisp outer shell.  The chicken satays had a nice peanut sauce accompaniment.  I was less thrilled with my pad thai - a noodle dish that they served with RICE?  I don't think I really liked it - it was sweet and sticky.  My more experienced Thai food friends assured me that it's not really that sweet or sticky, so I should try it again elsewhere.  

Courtesy of my dinner companions, I did try their prik king, which had perfectly cooked green beens (crisp but tender) and too many peppers and was overall bright and colorful, and the pineapple curry, which was creamy and delightfully spicy, and the summer rolls which were incredibly light and delicious.  I think I might try that next time, as they were tasty.

Overall, the place seemed pretty good - just not my meal.   I feel like I can't give it 4 stars, as I didn't like my dish at all, but from what I sampled elsewhere, it seems like it's a pretty good place.  I wish I could give it a half star more though.

The atmosphere was clean and simple and the waiter was attentive and discreet.  There were a lot of Asians in the seats, which seems like a good sign for an Asian cuisine restaurant.
3 - Dario B.: Clean and fast, cheap and good, but like many others, nothing to die for. I had a green curry combo and had the feeling that I won't cross the city to go and eat over there, but if I'm already there, they'll be the perfect choice...also because Thai Tom always has the longest lines.
4 - kristin b.: Fast service, good food, and they even ask if I want fresh or fried tofu.  My only complaint is that they serve rice with their noodle dishes.
3 - Kimberly K.: not bad, but not great either.  i happenned to be hit by hunger pains as i was literally outside their door, so i went in.  it was just after lunch and i was the only other person in there except one other man.   that was a bit odd.  but the food wasn't horrible.  it hit the spot for a craving for thai food.
but..i've had better.
4 - Anna P.: This is probably my favourite Thai place on the Ave, because 1) it's a two-minute walk from my house, and 2) I usually crave Thai on an impulse and when I do want it, I don't want to wait 45 minutes for Thai Tom. That's why AppeThai is usually my establishment of choice. The food is pretty good, the staff is extremely nice each and every time, and service is fast. I like the restaurant's interior a lot, as well: colourful, modern, straight out of an IKEA catalogue, which is a nice change from the sometimes cheesy nature of Thai restaurant decor.

Also, as an avid apple lover, I spent almost a year thinking this place was called AppleThai, which added to its appeal, I suppose. :)
4 - Geoffrey R.: I work in the U district, and have a 1/2 and hour for lunch. When I want Thai food Appethai gets the job done. The food is good, the staff is super friendly, and the service is QUICK!  It's not, by far, the best thai food in the area, but it's really good, and like I said fast.. If you don't have the time for Thai Tom,  hit this place up!  But don't hit your domestic partner! Talk things out!!
4 - ben j.: The food is fine, and it's a pretty good deal.
4 - C L.: I love AppeThai. I've sampled a good handful of Thai places in the U-district during my grad school years, and this one by far is the best. I was skeptical when it first open and then saw one of my classmates eating this delicious-looking Thai food for lunch. Once I found out where it came from I checked out it. The biggest difference in this place (aside from the fast service) is the freshness of their food. Sometimes Thai food can have a stale taste to it. It always tastes great at AppeThai!
3 - Jfo L.: The food is good and the prices are pretty much expected. It's a clean place and the service is pretty diligent. 

Why 3 stars? Well, it's one of the better Thai places on the Ave,  however, I've had better Thai food/service at places elsewhere. So if you're sticking to places on the Ave, this is a good place to hit up.
5 - Jenny W.: Five stars compared to all the other restaurants on the ave.

Food: Very good. The green curry was nice and buttery (though not green...), the pad thai was a little dry but still good, the garlic fried rice was a little sticky but still delicious. I was impressed by the beef in my rice - it was amazingly tender - it didn't take five minutes to chew through a piece! The chicken was dry, but so are all the other places. This place as the best combo hands down, since all you really want is curry + pad thai, none of that crispy chicken Thaiger room gives you. 

Drinks: I have a CSA membership so I get free drinks here, and I got a great Thai Iced Coffee. Not enough condensed milk, a bit too much sugar, but very good compared to the shiiit you find elsewhere on the same block.

Service: Mediocre, but they never yell at you for tip.

Ambiance: Amazingly clean, no greasy smell, nicely lit & decorated. Made me feel I was eating somewhere upscale! Great escape from the din and dim of the Udistrict.

All in all a great place to visit for lunch. The prices are very reasonable.
4 - Raven D.: Clean environment (on the Ave even!), fast service, tasty menu choices.  Great Yellow Curry Fried Rice and Pud Kee Mao.  Don't bother with the soups, they never seem to turn out right--their Tum Kha Gai is very sweet and bland otherwise.  We go here often because it's near the UW, and rather inexpensive for the quality and service received.
2 - Izzy H.: Everything tastes like ketchup. :(
5 - heather s.: keep going back. i keep getting the tofu cashew, but have taken a few people that get a variety of dishes they all love. if u want hot, go 5. noodle dishes are good, and all their chicken seems to be good quality.
2 - laura m.: pretty clean, decent food. not great.
they didnt screw anything up but nothing has been very memorable

i initially tried it on a busy night when thaiger room and thai65 were too crowded and loud.  but appethai was EMPTY. we were the only people there and it was horribly awkward.  im not exactly a polite conversationalist over dinner when catching up with old friends and everything virtually echoed.  

but maybe its picked up since then?
3 - Peter A.: I did not set out to go to Appe Thai today but I forgot my lunch and a friend of a friend of a friend recommended I eat there because a friend of their friend was a waitress.  Kind of Ferris Buelleresque.    

The inside is very nice, modern and clean.  The wait staff was quick and attentive.  You will definitely get as much water as you can drink. 

I ordered the spring rolls and the Beef Pad Thai. It was about average or a little better but it did not blow my socks off.   There was not a lot of beef in the pad thai and the flavoring was a bit bland.   The spring rolls were solid as a rock.   After wrestling with it for a while I was finally able to stab it (crumbs going everywhere) and it was down for the count.  

As for Thai places on the Ave it is a little better than average, but then again that is not saying much.
4 - Holly G.: Definitely the best Thai place on the Ave. My friend and I always get the Chicken Fried Rice and Chicken Phad See-Ew and split them. I recently tried the Garlic Chicken for lunch and it was great, too. Clean and simple decor, quick and friendly service, and delicious Thai food. Plus, it's not infested with cockroaches and other bugs like a lot of the other Thai places on the Ave.
3 - b r.: went here for lunch the other day. i ordered the pad see ew with beef, my friend ordered kee mao noodles. both were pretty tasty, and good portions. it seemed like fried rice was the most popular dish?
service was relatively fast, but they were apologetic for the slow service so maybe its usually faster?
4 - Colin S.: Compared to other thai food places on the ave, this is probably the cleanest and the least loud (music, other patrons). The pad thai was excellent and the spiciness scale actually goes up to a level that I can recognize. Definitely a decent place to eat and you get free egg rolls.
4 - Natalie W.: Open until 10... when you work until late this is very convenient. Takeout is quick- under 10 minutes quoted and available earlier. The menu has variety. 

I ordered the oyster sauce veggies- three stars. The large variety of veggies were crisp tender and tasted great. The spice was a true three stars and could considered a 4 star by some people. 

Fyi's~ 
* My order came with a scoop of rice for free 
* Many new menu options that are/ can be tofu based 
* The inside of the restaurant looks very clean and modern compared to many other places on the Ave
4 - Inna B.: So what I've learned is that, as long as I avoid the veggie phad thai that comes in the combo lunches, I really enjoy the food this restaurant has to offer.

The service seems to have improved since I last reviewed this place, and I'm glad about that. I generally go in during slow times, so perhaps that's why it seems like it's improved? Or maybe he just remembers me now? 

In any case...

I'm a fan of their AppeThai Salad b/c I think the peanut sauce is a wonderful addition to the lettuce, tomato slices, cucumber slices, and tofu. I've heard someone say that it's an interesting (and good) combination of light and heavy food.

The Thom Kha I've had there and all the entrees I've tried have been good. I like going there with one friend because most of the tables are meant for two people and b/c that allows us to try a couple different menu items. 

I just don't recommend getting the combos...
4 - Ariel A.: In my unofficial quest to try all the Thai places on the Ave, I wandered into AppeThai for lunch.

First off, I have to say that the service was great.  Really great.  I was seated immediately, brought a menu and water, and when I asked for Thai iced tea it came very quickly.  The two employees I interacted with were both really friendly.

I'm a vegetarian and asked about the combo and whether everything in it was vegetarian - i.e. no fish sauce etc.   The waiter was extremely nice about it, knew what I was asking (which has been an issue at other places), and even asked to make sure the eggs in the Phad Thai would be ok.

My food came quickly and was good.  Not the most amazing Thai food ever, but for a fairly cheap combo on the Ave it was quite good.  I got the Swimming Rama with tofu and found the peanut sauce to be nice and creamy, so maybe they've changed it since the earlier review.

With the proximity to work, the amazing service, and the pretty yummy food, I'll definitely be back.
1 - Jon S.: I made the mistake of going here once. I got the chicken phad thai which was served lukewarm. It tasted like Spaghetti-Os. While that's nice if you're looking to relive the crappy food you ate as a child, I was looking for a decent Thai meal. This place didn't have it.
5 - Kellie C.: I loved this place, I'm sad it's closed. They had the best crab rangoons and sweet and sour tofu.

Apple Boutique - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9135697, -79.0546851) ()
4 - Caroline Z.: Another chic Chapel Hill boutique, and this one's got cool clothes and jeans in some of the really big names - like Marc Jacobs and Tory Burch - as well as some cool lesser-known brands, like Love by Yaya and Erotokritos. One thing that's really cool about this store is that they've got little framed printouts with information about the featured designers, in case you're not familiar with the products.
5 - Kianna M.: This is  a sexy botique tucked in the University Square strip mall on Franklin.  The dresses are sassy and others are elegant-- they have gorgeous scarves and bocas, belts and pins, as well as, those sweet expensive jeans we all love to have next to our skin.  The owner, as well as , her staff  are very approachable and helpful with any items you might be looking for in the event of a special occassion or night on the town.
4 - Christina G.: This boutique may seem a little intimidating from the outside. It's got white-painted hardwood floors and stark white walls, with a wide open floorplan, bright track lighting, and ultra-clean feel (not to mention a Balenciaga bag on display peering out of the storefront window). Well, don't be afraid to step inside! As another reviewer mentioned, the staff is warm and friendly. They carry many labels (ranging from the pretty high-end to lux contemporary), and (intentionally or no) provide a great variety to the stock down the road at Uniquities. And if for nothing else, go inside simply to fondle the B-bag. :drool:
3 - William J.: I walked in here under a guise that I don't care to mention and had the staff show me various items.  I think I should get credit just for doing that; don't expect me to buy anything.

This place kind of looks like the opening from Superman, when Jor-el loads his kid into the spiny space ship (watch the movie again, you'll see what I mean).  It's very sterile and over-posh.  To go with the image, everything is hideously overpriced.  I might be showing my masculinity here, but paying $600 for a handbag (I thought they were called "purses") is ridiculous.

On the plus side, the staff is incredibly nice and very helpful.  The merchandise is also pretty attractive, which I judge by whether I would want a girl to be wearing it when I pick her up for our first date.  There's a good variety, too, from fairly elegant to downright funky.

Rich girls, attack!
4 - Natalie F.: I worked at Apple Boutique for a few months in college, and ended up spending all of my money on their awesome clothes.  Yes, it's pricey, but this boutique fills a void by offering up a great selection of high-end brands and up-and comming designers otherwise unavailable in the area.

A must stop shopping destination for resident fashionastas.

Apple Cleaners - Los Angeles, CA (34.0626134, -118.4482145) (Westwood)
1 - Greeny B.: I work at UCLA and have to dress business professional to work which means lots and lots of "dry clean only." I went to Apple Cleaners about 3 times over the last year because I'm lazy and can pick up and drop off my dry cleaning during my lunch break with only a short walk from my office. My first two experiences with them were fine, nothing special. However, in my last order, they pretty much ruined a silk sweater, broke a clasp on a skirt, and tore an angora sweater, so I'm not going to be going back to them. Be warned.
1 - Sarah A.: Do not go here for alterations.  She tried to do an original alteration and cut too high on both pairs of jeans.  Drycleaning is fine, but the prices aren't competitive enough to make it worth it.  Also I appreciate when people are friendly to their customer, and at Apple they don't even smile.
4 - Marissa L.: I live in the area and have been taking my dry cleaning here for 3 years (5 - 10 pieces a month).  I've also had them do countless alterations for me, including "original" pants shortening.  I've never, ever had a problem.  Their alterations are always accurate and well done, if a little pricey.  I think the people who work there are just lovely.  They greet me by name, which is probably because they love my 2.5 year old son who gets showered with attention every time we stop in.  I'm really happy with Apple Cleaners and am grateful it's in my neighborhood.  Sorry the other reviewers were so displeased, but I'm a perfectly satisfied customer.
1 - kshama a.: I am extremely disgusted by the level of service at this establishment.  First of all, they don't do the cleaning on location. They send it to someone else, so you can imagine things going awry with that.  

Secondly, they absolutely ruined my fiance's sweater.  It was a new silk/ wool blend from Banana Republic and it was returned to us completely shabby.  When we told them about it, they said it could be a material defect.  They claimed to have even called Banana Republic to find out if they have material defects in their clothing.  After all of this, they were unwilling to give me any sort of compensation for my sweater.  I've been going there for over a year since I've moved to Brentwood and this not the type of service I expect.  When I've spent over a $1000 (my bill each month is around $100) at this place, I can't believe they can't even do the courtesy of correcting their mistake.  They probably put the sweater in the wash and charge me a laundry fee for it. 

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE AT ALL!!!!!!
4 - Barry C.: I've gone here to get shirts cleaned... I dropped them off on a Friday and needed them by Monday... The owner and his wife (who also works there) were both very accommodating...  On Monday, they stayed open late just to wait for me to pick my shirts up because I told them I was going to be there around 7pm..

Excellent for cleaning services and very friendly.
2 - Shelley H.: I took a formal dress to be cleaned.  It was $15-20 (cant remember exact price).  i regret not taking a close look at the dress when i picked it up, it looked clean on the outside.  but when I unwrapped the plastic to wear it again 6+mos later, i noticed that the shirred stitching on one side of the dress had come completely loose.  and several sequins were missing.  now i have to either retire the dress or take it to an alteration place to get it fixed :(  the lady who works here is very nice, but i will choose high quality work over nice any day.

Apple Cleaners - Lawrence Township, NJ (40.294586, -74.68293) ()
1 - Sev O.: Very disappointed that they suddenly raised their prices from $2.00 (with a 20% discount, so really $1.60) for a shirt to $2.50 (with no discount.  That's a 90 cents price increase, or 56%.  Even the Government doesn't increase spending that quickly.  

I've gone from 5 star to 1 star.  Raspberries!

Apple Farm & Trellis Court - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.290373, -120.6495658) ()
4 - Gil S.: Quaint and romantic (though modern and clean) in a freakish Disney meets little-house-on-the-prarie way.  Setting is in a large wooded parking lot between SLO's main motel strip and a scrawny creek.  The outside looks in between a large millhouse and an upscale motel.  Inside everything is over-the-top farmhouse decor.  Flower prints, crystal, ceramic fruits, potpouri, knicknacks for sale.  Rooms are oversized with couches, tables and decent desks, individually but similarly decorated -- and scented too!  Good linnens.  They leave a CD for you to play.  Staff is professional and friendly, with a concierge (unusual for a place of its ilk).  In the lobby they have free cookies, apples, and other goodies for guests and in the millhouse they sell yet more kitch items, apple ice cream, and of course, cider.  Outdoor hot tub and a small lap pool.  As heavily themed as it is, this place can't hold a candle to nearby Casa Madona. . . but it's a lot less scary.
4 - Gourmet G.: Apple Farm encompasses a Victorian bed-and-breakfast inn, a shop that sells more country kitsch than Laura Ashley could create in a lifetime, and this restaurant that specializes in hearty, rib-sticking favorites like chicken and dumplings, turkey pot pie, and biscuits and gravy. Also on the menu are healthier options like slow-roasted prime rib and grilled fresh seafood. The signature dessert is a hot apple dumpling, and if you're going to have one, you may as well go whole hog and order it a la mode. A retail bakery sells tempting and tantalizing treats to go.
1 - Caroline C.: This place is so touristy and cheesy and awful. Everything is way overpriced because the people who shop here and stay here and eat here do so to make themselves feel good about how fancy they are. 

Well you're not.

Sorry.


The breakfast is OK but if we're going to be cheesy can we just suck it up and go to the Madonna???
4 - Garett T.: Overpriced, but for goodness sakes, don't order the most expensive stuff!  I ordered a shrimp cocktail, and it was delicious and inexpensive.  Tons'-o-shrimp in a martini glass, essentially, with, well, cocktail sauce.  Perfectly delectable.

And you might as well get something apple-themed for dessert, too, but you don't have to eat it right there; get a pie to go!

The whole place is way overthemed, restaurant, gift shop, inn and all (the yuppies will love it), and the restaurant service was a tad slow on the busy night I attended, but the food I had was great.
4 - Ken N.: Well, I wanted to give this place four stars, but it's such an obvious tourist trap that I thought that would make me look like a rube.  Is that chicken shit or what?  Judges say:  Chicken shit.  OK.  It's really not that bad.  Here's why it doesn't get four stars:  My daughter went here in 2005 the night before a state-wide cross-country meet and it literally took them three hours to get served.  One star off.  We came here about a year ago because I-5 was so friggin' clogged up, we took the 101 and we waited an hour to get served, and it was three stars good.  Another star off.  We came here today, because it was the Sunday after Thanksgiving and we left Marin County at 6:45 am and hit San Luis Obispo at 11:45 am for lunch and...NOT BAD AT ALL.  Our waitress was great, our food was great, and the atmosphere was great.  I got the California Scramble, and everything that ought to have been fresh, including the tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, and green onion?  Really fresh.  My wife got the Farmer's Omelette...tasted like it was made by the Farmer's wife.  My daughter got the Belgian waffle...light, fluffy, tasted Belgian.  Mmm, again...not bad at all.  Total tourist trap, but sometimes?  Tourist trap for a good reason (hey, tourists aren't always dumb).  OK, one more extra star, just because it was so good today.  Judges say:  Four stars after all!
3 - CHERiE Y.: I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars. I'll settle at a 3.5. 

Apple Farm triggers a sense of nostalgia. On road trips up to SF to see the relatives, my family would always stop here (halfway point between LA & Bay Area). We'd make our routine bathroom break, browse the overwhelmingly Victorian gift shop, take a trip to the Millhouse and snack on fresh apple cider and vanilla ice cream. 

Nothing has changed! The brochures still look the same, and the candy canes near the front window of the bakery are still 10cents! 

As far as food goes, the wait is way too long, service is slow, food is overpriced and nothing special. Maybe it's not apple-y enough. 

Apple Farm is still my #1 rest stop for those trips up and down the 101, but I think I'll satisfy my hunger pangs elsewhere.
3 - Laurin A.: It's close enough to the downtown SLO to be considered a decent quick place to stay.  You can find some decent deals online that are definitely better than calling them for a room.
 It's definitely not a hotel that's worth going out of your way for, but if you happen to be in the area, it's nice  They did have one of the best gift shops  that I've seen in a hotel.  Very eclectic needless to say.  Also, every day they pick a certain color, and anything in the gift shop with that color on it gets and extra 20% off.   Nifty!
The rooms are nothing fancy, but they're nice and they have nice toiletries.  The front desk area has a whole array of cookies, coffee, tea, and cider.  Nice touch!
1 - Brian B.: Food is ok, kind of expensive. Last time we ate there my wife got terribly ill, so we will not likely stop and eat there again.
1 - Winter Lee S.: over priced, over rated and....well, nothing special.
4 - Evann G.: I have to admit right off the bat that my 4-star rating is partially attributable to an overly developed sense of nostalgia. I've been eating here since I was a little girl, since it is the halfway point for family road trips up to the Bay area; then, when I attended Cal Poly SLO for college, this was a popular spot for dinner on family visit days. 

The food, to be honest, seems to have gone downhill since my first visits here, but it's still pretty good. If you come for lunch or dinner, stick with the "comfort food" options like pot roast or the beef stroganoff. The cornbread is usually pretty good, too.

My bf and I had breakfast here on our recent weekend in SLO ($5 off if you charge it to your room!) and I thought it was decent. I always love their applewood smoked bacon. That and the apple muffin were the best part of the meal. The potatoes were just so-so and the eggs were undercooked (same with my bf's eggs). 

You CANNOT BEAT their bakery, though. That's really what it's all about. The muffins, cookies, pastry, pies, etc. are all to die for. They have the ABSOLUTE BEST cream cheese pie I've ever had, so for that alone I have a hard time giving them fewer than four stars.

Also, I love the ambiance of the place. It's cute and cozy and the gift shop that's attached is fun to browse if you have a long wait (which you probably will... make reservations!) We bought two varieties of apple wine to bring back to Chicago, so maybe I'll update this review when we try those.
4 - Janine E.: Yes this is a tourist trap, and yes you most likely will encounter long wait times during the holidays and tourist season.  And yes, there is a disney-esque vibe here.  But I am willing to overlook all that because, like many reviewers before me, this place evokes memories of my childhood.  Stopping at the Apple Farm was a treat on our return trip from another long Thanksgiving weekend at grandma's in Contra Costa.  I would spend all weekend fantasizing about feasting on Apple Farm's famous corn chowder and cornbread with honey butter rather than dry stuffing and turkey.  

On a recent visit, the corn chowder and cornbread were just as tasty and filling as I remembered them.  However, the salad greens at the self-serve salad bar were wilted and old.  I also scored free cookies for filling out a survey at the culmination of my dining experience - sweet!  My advice is just skip the greens and go straight to the carbs!  You know that's what you really want.....
4 - Miki N.: I've only eaten here once but what I had was very good.  

My husband and I wanted a break from our driving but wanted to stay close to the FWY so we stopped by here for a quick lunch.  We shared a veggie burger with avocado which came with a hearty portion of french fries.  The burger was cooked perfect and the veggies were very fresh and tasty.  The whole wheat buns were good, also.  Fries tasted extra good after a long drive from Carmel.  We shared a key lime pie which was also very good!  

Our waitress was very attentive and friendly.  Servers seem to know the regulars (mainly older people) and treated them like family which was a nice thing to see.  

I'm not sure if they are truely 4 star quality joint but given the quality of food and service I received, I will give it 4 stars!  

I ended up taking their famous apple pie home which was very good!
3 - Alicia K.: This place instantly reminded me of a place my mom would have loved.  It is attached to the Apple Farms Inn, which I have decided is where I want to stay next time we are in town.  

The gift shop outside the restaurant oozes "Country". You know knick knacks with apples or houses on them. When we were there it was all decked out with Halloween themed gift.  Kinda kitchy, kinda cute only slightly tacky.

The food was good. I got the potatoe pancakes. They were decesnt but didnt compare to my boyfriends omlette. One thing I can always trust is that my man will always pick out the best thing on a breakfast menu.  So he recommends the Farmers Omlette, and I agree. 

If you wanna splurge go for the pull and peel Cinnamon Roll, it looked AWESOME!
4 - C D.: This hotel  hosted our annual car club trip. While I didn't personally stay the night here (too expensive even with the club rate) It was a very cute hotel and the staff were all very nice. And club memebr who did stay there had nothing but good things to say about it(well there was one exception - someone door was squeeky)
5 - Lisa S.: Let's start this again (*see my Apple Farm Restaurant review too)

Call me hokey - but I LOVE the Apple Farm.  I love everything about it.  It's cutesy and girly and country and cluttered.  But I love it.  I love the gift shop, I love the restaurant, I love getting complimentary cider in the lobby and complimentary ice cream and popcorn in the Mill.  I LOVE it at Christmas-time. 

So now we've established that I am a huge dork...

But this isn't a review about me - so let's move on!

Apple Farm feels like a large Bed & Breakfast.  Women will flock to it.  Men will run from it.  Screaming.  Except a man like my boyfriend who must make his Chinese mother proud in his never-ending quest for "the deal".  Free samples, coupons, BOGO, get 50% off your 2nd purchase, save 5% when you buy 4 and stand on your head while juggling... he thrives on it all and doesn't hesitate to cash in.  So all the free samples at the Apple Farm make it worth his while to stroll around!  Cake at the bakery counter outside the restaurant, apple cider in the lobby, ice cream, jams, olive oils and popcorn in the Mill.  It's not quite Costco - but it's still fun!

The cutesy-ness of it all drives me crazy in the same way a puppy falling all over herself makes me crazy.  I just want to eat it all up!

The gift shop is jam-packed full of trinkets and candles and books and decorations and teas and jams and note-papers and there's more of it than the eye will ever catch.  Everything feels cozy and comfortable and inviting.  There are flowers all over at all times of year.  It really is fun to come and just wander around even if you're not staying at the hotel.

I've stayed here only once years ago (on someone else's bill) and loved it.  Loved the canopy bed, loved the flowery fabrics all over the place, loved the fireplace in the room.  (How many times have I used the word "love" in this review?  Gosh why don't I MARRY it!)

Other reviewers have stated similar sentiments: while a poor little student at Poly I used to dream of the day I could afford to stay here.  I've now been a professional at a Fortune 100 company (yes, 100 - not 500) for the past 7 years... own a home loan and a fully paid BMW and I still can't afford it.  ;)  Or perhaps Boyfriend is just rubbing off on me a little too much...  Here's to hoping we someday fall on an Apple Farm "deal".  So that we can stroll from our room in the hotel... down to the free samples in the Mill.  Oh how happy Boyfriend and I would be...
3 - Aliza K.: Food is fine but the waiter dropped a knife on my husband's pants and nearly vasectomized him.  Hmmph.

Touch kitschy.  And a "touch," I mean "very."
3 - TWOdMa X.: As others have said, this place is a tour-isty and it does get crowded but we keep coming back because the charm this place has.

Walking inside the attached gift shop make you feel like you walked into grandma's house.  Walk across the parking lot and you can visit the gift shop by the hotel rooms.  Here you'll see a water mill and a beautiful garden appealing to my botanical side.  If available, try a sample of apple cider and fresh ice cream.

The food I would say is better than average.  I've had the roast beef sandwich, pancakes and hamburger over my many visits.  All were good and prepared with quality ingredients.

I would rate this place higher, but the parking is limited when busy and sometime we had to wait over 30 mins to get a table.  To say the wait is worth it is questionable.

I've always experienced good service even when it has been busy.  I wouldn't say their apple pie is the best I've ever tasted, but I can't leave without having a piece now or to go.
1 - Adrienne G.: Best trip we ever had ended w/ the worst experience at Apple Farm Inn & I'll never darken their doors again.

I had stayed here a yr or so back & had the best time ever - sis & I took Mom down to visit Hearst Castle & stopped over for the night & it was such a treat.  The room was spacious w/ a couch & little fireplace.  We were also greeted w/ this huge, personally-addressed, welcome-gift basket containing all kinds of apple goodness ranging from apple scented lotion to homemade jams & apple butter.  Service was impeccable; free cider & cookies in the lobby - I left thinking, man, I can't wait to stay here again!

Flash forward to a group of friends going out for a day of wine tasting in Paso Robles.  I made our reservation MONTHS in advance & bragged & bragged on how happy they would be at Apple Farm Inn.  Talk about eating my words!

Towards the end of our outing, it starts raining like nobody's business - torrential rain where you can barely see the road.  We checked into Apple Farm, drenched, tired, & absolutely starving for a good hot meal, only to discover that we had been placed in this super-small room, right next to & I mean RIGHT NEXT TO the highway.  It was so incredibly loud & when we called the front desk to inquire about our room - we were told that it was room I had signed up for.  Compared to the room I previously had, this was like a Super 8 hotel w/ nothing but 2 double beds - no kitsch at all.  

THEN we come upon the super-small gift basket left for us, it's addressed to SOMEONE ELSE.  I had my confirmation that this was not our intended room - so went back out in the pouring rain, over to the lobby & busted them on the room deal & they reluctantly admit they gave our room away, placed me in a cheaper room but were charging me the price I had originally been charged for, the "better" room.....oh, and now they were completely booked & that was the only room they had.  Needless to say we left immediately & drove back to SF - 4 hours in the torrential rain.

You might think the saga ends here - but it doesn't.  I wrote a letter to the management staff to tell them about my experience & instead of writing back to apologize, they called me to say it was not their fault b/c there were "extenuating" circumstances.  I had not left my phone number in my letter & actually asked they not call but call me they did.  I never spoke to them but the lady left about 2 messages & the 2nd was even snippier than the 1st; only saying it was not their fault.....NEVER an apology, but actual anger that I was not there to hear their excuse.  I mean, what customer service management school did you go to - no apology?!

I couldn't believe the service I received the night I was there & was absolutely appalled by the treatment I received from their management after the fact.  Needless to say, I'll never stay there again & warn all my friends not to book there either.
5 - Ian M.: The Apple Farm is a mainstay of San Luis Obispo and one of those fun places that everyone should stop at.  The restaurant is always nice, although be prepared to wait for a while during peak seasons.  The decor is fantastic and reminds me of a small cottage.  The adjoining gift shop is also fantastic and the mill is always a delight to visit.  Fantastic stop all around!
3 - ML ..: i came here once or maybe  twice during the college years with my friends.   i remember absolutely loving their pot roast.   i had forgotten about it but my gf suggested we come here to eat since the downtown SLO area was packed.  i of course ordered the pot roast.  it is still pretty good.  the service is friendly, we didn't encounter any waits on a saturday night and it might be a tad bit over priced, but i wouldn't say it was drastic or anything....it is priced for tourists after all.

their menu is definitely geared towards american comfort foods and their wine list consists of all local wines from the area -- paso robles, arroyo grande, santa barbara, etc.

i would say if you're in the area, it's definitely worth a stop...but it's not a destination restaurant.
5 - jennie k.: We had Breakfast here last weekend...it was sooo amazing! I had the Mediterranean omelette and my bf had the crabcake benedict... both were drizzled with Hollandaise sauce and were both sooo freakin' amazing! Service was awesome and the price was pretty decent! Oh yeah, their blueberry muffin and the cranberry scone was just heavenly!!  I loved the cute apple gift shops too!! LOVE IT, LOVE IT!! It's a must try!
3 - Angela S.: I had breakfast here while visiting my sister and cousins a few weekends ago.  It was a big family brunch with my cousins.  The food/ambiance is pretty cheesy but the company was amazing.  I had  the french toast which was good, but not that great.  Pretty standard French toast.  The oatmeal looks pretty good and the potato pancakes were good too.  The price is right.  The staff is bleh.  Mostly college kids who don't really care too much about their customers.  Kinda slow too.
5 - Janney B.: There are a few luxuries in my life that I am unable to sacrifice:  saturday afternoon siestas, Haagen Daaz vanilla bean ice cream, manis & pedis, AND...

Apple Butter!  OMFG.  Apple butter on cornbread with a side of chili.  Actually, hold the chili or the corn chowder, or [W]hatever nourishing food you order to avo[I]d [L]ooking [L]ike a butter-freak, and just [P]resent me with a h[U]ge effing pla[T]e of cornbread and a bowl of apple butter f[O]r me to d[U]nk my face in[T]o until I emerge, sated and resembling the title character in Mrs. Doubtfire.  

This is located on the 101, just north of San Luis Obispo.

Nothing to [D][O] this weeke[N]d?  [T]a-da! [D]rive h[E]re and get me some app[L]e butter!  You c[A]n have some for [Y]ourself, but if you return empty-handed there will be no groping for you on our "give the girl apple butter" date.  

You hear me?  No gropage if apple butter is not in hand.

Side note: (not intended to detract from urgency of butter request) their ho[M]emad[E] App[L]e Dumpl[I]ngs are to [K]ill for, th[E]re's a huge wait - [B]ut it's worth it, their gift shop is c[U]te, and [T]heir cookies are [T]rem[E]ndous. 

No wonde[R] I gained 40 pounds when I went away to college.  

BUTTER!!!!!

I think this review just clogged my arteries.
1 - E M.: I should have known that this was not the place to eat when upon being seated, my party was overwhelmed by the smell of bad fish. Fish should never stink but someone in that room was served some stinky fish. The staff was accomodating and moved us to another room. No complaints against the service, but the food is on par with Denny's. Marie Callendar's is a better choice. For about $20 I had the Santa Maria Tri-tip. This grey slice of meat must have been microwaved.  It had no resemblance to Santa Maria style tri-tip. My potatoes tasted like they had come out of a box. My cheesecake still had frost on it. Enough said.
3 - Jan P.: Appetizers and desserts were pretty scrumptious, however, it took almost an hour to get our full order out. Service was incredibly slow (though friendly) during graduation weekend. Seriously, one should be staffed to accommodate special occasions.
The shrimp cocktail was delish--who knew avocado slices would marry so well with shrimp??
The potato skins were a bit too greasy for my taste.
The calamari was standard and a bit small in portion in relation to price.
However, desserts were humongous and soo good.
The strawberry shortcake really hit the spot, as did the warm peach cobbler.
Above the restaurant is a shop with weird knickknacks for the home. Attached to the restaurant on the same level is general store with more food-related items, including some foodnetwork lines--barefoot contessa, paula deen. 
Good for desserts, and for historical relevance. There is a water wheel on the "farm" along with homemade icecream and a hotel.
5 - Lizzie B.: I've only been here twice for breakfast, but those were some daaaamn good breakfasts, I must say... The eggs benedict is amazing and the side dishes are just as good, wowww :] and the apple sausage is to die for, mmmmmm.... oh man haha I could go on and on forever... (I'm a huuge breakfast person, hehhe)
4 - John P.: this is sorta a boutique-ish hotel, country-ish place with b&b charm, if that's what you're after.  they've got flower papered walls, a bed with overhead frame, a fireplace and tv.  the rooms themselves are not fabulous and you get this little window unit air conditioner.  if you don't want to stay in the suites by the 101 freeway, stay away from 21-35.  but i stayed there and it was acceptable.  

the place has got a restaurant, a cluttered little shop that has nothing anyone will ever really need, but a nicely gardened area.  the hotel reception are is stocked with coffee, tea, and when you're there at the right time, these huge cookies.  they've also got a pool, and a watermill sorta thing in the back.  

supposedly inspired by the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, if that matters to you.  room i paid for: $175/night.  i'm sure you can find cheaper.   but they give you a $5 off for their restaurant....and host a guest reception with drinks and all (i think in the afternoon, but i missed it all 4 days i was there).
3 - Heather S.: After living in SLO for four years, I think I only went to this place twice. The first time I went, I went with a group of 12 maybe and it took them what seemed like forever for our food to come out. My overall dish was ehh, not something to brag about, but also not something to complain about. What I did enjoy was their warm fresh scones. I usually dont eat scones, but these were absolutely AMAZING and the butter and preserves that come with them were just as good. If I came here again, it would be for that reason only.
3 - Michelle N.: The Apple Farm.  Really, I didn't know what to expect when we ventured to the apple farm for brunch.  The food isn't for the typical "Californian" who insists on bottled water, salad, and fruit - this place definitely gives you the down home grub! I'd definitely classify this place as a few steps above your average Dennys, but you can definitely expect to see that type of food here.  When you arrive at the Apple Farm you are bombarded by "stuff".  Just about everywhere you turn, there's something on the wall or something on a shelf that just screams buy me.  The down home-country style restaurant is definitely "quaint" ... The food was pretty good, but definitely nothing FANTASTIC about it.  It does leave you feeling full and greasy! Who doesn't love that!

After eating, you can even go and check out the mill... nothing too fantastic, but they give you samples of the homemade cider as well as the homemade ice cream!
5 - Patty W.: Apple Farm was the last stop of our camp trip before the long ride home.  I have to admit that our camp trip was not strenuous enough to deserve this deliciousness as a final reward, but I'm not complaining.  I ordered the corn beef hash w/ eggs (which is my normal breakfast of choice).  YUM!  

But the best part was that it came with a muffin, a biscuit, or a scone.  I chose the orange and cranberry scone.  Wow, that alone w/ my cup of coffee could have totally left me satisfied!  It was the BEST scone I've ever had.  So, although my corn beef hash was excellent, the scone stole the show.

Not a bad way to wrap up the camp trip, I have to say.
4 - Kim-van T.: i came here on a recommendation of a coworker and he was SO RIGHT about how good the food is here...

the fare is basically some good ol home cooking, comfort food - check out the menu you'll see what i mean..

it's really all about the cornbread with the apple butter.. ohh man it's SO GOOD. i had the trip tip with chipotle butter, mashed potatoes, veggies, and a salad. everything was very fresh tasting and really yummy.  the steak was so big i couldn't finish it.  i really really really wanted to try an apple desert because i mean, it is the apple farm, but i had NO SPACE. that just means i'll have to come back .... =D
5 - Ed L.: I'll make this short, sweet and to the point... 

The muffins are the best I've ever had... DELICIOUS!!!!!  

Dunking your muffins in raspberry jam?? Who does that??? I dunno but I love it!! I had to order a dozen to take home and share with the family...  : )
4 - Nicola V.: Apple Farm is a cute place.  Don't ever go in the actual hotel rooms though, they are kind of creepy and reminds me of the the Shining.  But anyways, the food is pretty damn good.  I always came for breakfast and their raspberry jam is so freaking good.  It might be to die for.  Their scones are pretty damn good as well.  

Their portions are alright.  I do think the pricing is a little bit over priced. They have unique selections of omelets however and and a good overall well rounded menu.  I would come back here again if i had enough money.
4 - Lynn N.: The gift shop is just as quaint and welcoming as the restaurant itself. The staff is always friendly, the food is very delicious, and there is something on the menu for everyone. But its attraction is also its biggest drawback - get here very early, otherwise you could easily be waiting for over an hour just to be seated.
4 - Alisha E.: Staying at Apple Farm was a delight! I stayed there a couple times while recruiting at Cal Poly. The rooms are incredibly cute and girlie.  While the men in our party didn't quite enjoy these feminine rooms (as they put it, "it doesn't jive with our masculinity"), I thought the rooms were adorable. Upon my arrival, I found my room nice and clean, the scent refreshing, the towels plush, the bedding comfy and the décor flowery. Best of all and to my great delight, there were chocolate treats scattered about the room! I would definitely stay here again!

If you haven't done so already, pick up some jam from the gift shop. My favorite is the Apple Butter Spread. It's absolutely delicious with homemade biscuits.
3 - itl c.: This food was pretty good.  The baked macaroni and cheese was delicious.  The atmosphere is a little stuffy though.  And I wouldn't say it's a great deal (price-wise).  But especially if you want comfort food, this is the place to go.

They also have a store attached with a lot of cute stuff.  Cute, overpriced stuff.
4 - D W.: The rooms here are very cute, very feminine, and very PINK.  Nice, clean, cozy, with a country / Victorian feel.  I didn't stay in the main hotel but was in the less expensive rooms.  However, I was told that the rooms in the main building also have the same decor.  There were chocolate candies in the room next to the queen bed with full canopy.  I ordered the continental breakfast to be brought to my room, which was absolutely wonderful!  I think those were the best pastries I've ever gotten in a continental breakfast, and there were way too many for one person.  I saved half of the breakfast and ate it the next morning.

I like browsing around in the gift shop - it's one of those places that's cluttered with a ton of stuff, and you'll find something different every time you walk in.  

The baked goods here are wonderful.  I always bring something back to the office whenever I stay at Apple Farm, and my co-workers have raved about everything.  

The one thing I've noticed, though, (no offense to anyone here), is that every time I stay here, I seem to be surrounded by old people.... Seems like grandparents really like this place.  I mostly stay here whenever I'm in SLO on business, but I think my colleagues must opt for a less pink place.... :-)
4 - Catherine M.: Breakfast is pretty much to die for.
Get the chorizo and eggs.
Garlic cheese toast.
Warm, gooey cinnamon rolls..etc!! 
Large portions and hearty (fatty) meals!
4 - Sara W.: The Apple Farm was voted by the local college, Cal Poly, as the top place to bring parents. It's a nice, homey restaurant with rich, great foods. I've gone there for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and just dessert, and am happy all the time (though the prices prevent me from going too often). I love their breakfasts because you get a lot of food; omelets are great there, as are potato pancakes. Soups are great, and for dessert, you have to get something with apples! Service is good, and the interior decoration makes it feel like your grandma's.
3 - Timbo H.: the atmosphere was nice, it gave you a good, warm feeling especially in the winter. i got the soup and sandwich combination platter. the soup was good, but the sandwiches were really plain! to make the sandwich taste half decent, i had to add lots of condiments. the service was nice, though.
3 - Dave C.: It seems very popular -- we had to wait more than 10 minutes to get seated. We've had breakfast and lunch a couple of times. My wife thinks it deserves 4 stars, I think it deserves 2 stars. Most of the patrons seem to be "college parent" rather than "college student".
5 - Joyce M.: I love this restaurant and I should say this is the first time ever that I ordered a scone. For me, scones are hard and dry that's why I never ordered it but I'm glad that I ordered it from this place. Their scone was good and freshly baked. I think I'll start eating scones from now on :) 

I ordered the crab eggs benedict and my bf ordered the special omelette...both items were good and yummy! i think i gained five lbs after eating it...I'll surely go back to this place when we do another road trip to socal...
4 - Steve K.: Five of us sat in a booth comfortably and all ate well. Large portions on some dishes, others were just right. I had the meat-loaf, which was a rather simple recipe, but enjoyable.
5 - Jorge B.: Stayed in one of the King Suites with the Jacuzzi.  It was completely awesome.  Loved the stay.  The room was nice and big, cozy, very clean and just romantic with the fireplace.  It makes for a great get-a-way weekend.  You can head down the road a bit to this street fair they have, its fun.  I completely recommend this place.
4 - Dung N.: I came here for dessert. My friend and I ordered 'apple fritters' and the 'apple dumpling'. Both were laying in this sweet, cinnamon sauce with vanilla ice cream. The 'apple fritters' was an apple cut into slices and FRIED! I never had apple in such a way, but I'm glad I did! It's definitely worth a try.
2 - Raquel R.: this place is so blah. I've ate here three times and all three has been a disappointment. The only reason it gets more than one star is that the corn chowder is pretty good.
3 - My Tu D.: I've had dinner and breakfast here. Dinner was too long ago to remember. If it was that good, I would of remember. This place is like a grandma's home. Tons of cutesy country things/decor. We reserved a huge party, and were sat in the middle of the room. We got lots of stares since were were a group of diverse alumnis *Sigh* When will SLO ever get diversify? 

Anyways, service was great. Their fresh orange juice was delicious. I ordered the Eggs Benedict w/ Artichoke + Avocado. That was not impressive at all. It tasted like I could of gotten elsewhere for a cheaper price. Yes, I do feel their food is over priced. They do give a large portion. All of us did not finish our food. I do give them props for their scones. Very moist and tender. It was better than I had expected. I spread my scones with butter. It was delicioux. 

Come on I was hung over, and these greasy food wasn't really helping at all. I didn't even crave it. I was craving for Pho, but we all know there ain't a Pho place in SLO. Though I did get something soupy on the way back to SF in San Jo though. I wouldn't go back to this place, just because there was nothing really calling me back. Expensive and ordinary food. I'd rather spend that money and have left over at Margie's. Huge portion and greasy food! That  I can feed 2-3 people per entree.
3 - Shannon N.: Picked up a jar of apple butter here - tasty stuff, got the no-sugar-added variety and it's good.

Also got a toffee chip cookie from the bakery and it was good.  The restaurant was a bit pricier than we wanted, so we skipped it and headed back "downtown"
4 - Ham R.: The advantage to the Apple Farm Restaurant is an in-house bakery and a well-trained, friendly staff.  

We were hotel guests at the Inn and had both dinner and breakfast the next morning.

For dinner I had a specal Mixed Grill, 1/2 chicken breast grilled and topped with homemade BBQ sauce, a small flat iron steak and cajun shrimp (wonderfully spicy), scalloped potatoes and sauteed veggies.  A nice dinner garden salad, fresh piece of cornbread with honey butter.

My wife had the stuffed chicken, rice pilaf, a cup of basil rice soup she raved about, cornbread.  Neither one of us had room for dessert.

The next day at breakfast, I ordered the Country Breakfast which was so big I happily couldn't finish it.   Honey-bran muffin,  two scrambled eggs, 4 strips bacon, one apple smoked sausage link, two buttermilk pancakes, seasoned fried potatoes, a glass of freshly squeezed OJ and coffee.

My wife had two eggs and bacon, came with seasoned fried potatoes and a fluffy homemade biscuit and killer boysenberry spread on the side (available for purchase in the gift shop - BUY IT).  

We were very happy with the fare and the very gracious service.
1 - Helen K.: I was on a business trip and wanted to stay an extra night to relax and unwind in San Luis Obispo. I was seven months pregnant and thought it would be great to have a bit of time for myself. I had never stayed at The Apple Farm Inn before but on few prior occasions visited the Apple Farm Restaurant with my husband. I always admired the landscape and the grounds of the inn. Therefore, I was looking forward to my upcoming stay there after my business meeting was done.

My stay ended up being anything but pleasant. I have stayed at many hotels and inns at different price ranges and have never had such an uncomfortable stay anywhere before. I would of been better off sleeping in my car or booking a room at Motel 6. At least there, I could of gotten better value for my money and probably better sleep.

I discovered that the Apple Farm room that I booked for $150 was a complete scam. The room was tiny and there was barely any room to move.  The little TV had a barely visible picture. The bathroom was tiny as well and the bathroom had a shower but didn't even have a tub. Those were the positive highlights of the room as I soon discovered. 

I decided that the size of the room and the bathroom were not that significant and retired to bed. As soon as I laid on the mattress, I felt like I had hard rocks underneath by back. The mattress was so hard that I think the floor might of been softer to sleep on. The sheets felt like sand paper and the material was of the cheapest quality. The pillows must have been bought at a 99 Cents Store and felt like they were filled with rocks. There were no blankets on the bed (except for the cheap dirty bed cover) and for half of the night, I was freezing. The frame of the bed was made of copper and metal and because I was next to the stairway, anytime a guest would go up the stairs, the bed frame would rattle, shake and scratch against the wall. I did everything in my power to fall asleep but by 4 am, there no shuteye to be had between the uncomfortable bed and constant screeching from the bed frame. So I called the front desk to ask if they had more comfortable accommodations. The clerk informed me that the mattresses are all different quality but he had no idea which were softer. In short, he could not help me. 

After getting a few hours of sleep, I woke up with aches and pains all over my body. I could not wait to get out of the hotel. As I checked out, the front clerk asked me how my stay was and I nicely informed her the that my stay was very disappointing and explained why. Her response was " Would you like to leave the charges on your credit card or do you want to use another credit card." She was as helpful as the other clerk that I asked for assistance at 4 am in the morning.

As I was driving away from hotel and was admiring the beautiful outside grounds of the inn, I realized that the management of the hotel does everything they can to make the outside of the inn as attractive as possible so that they can trap their guests into thinking that the inside of the rooms will be just as well cared for and comfortable. Unfortunately that is so not the case. I will never stay at this inn again and will always remember my stay at the Apple Farm Inn as the worst hotel choice ever made. I hope that you don't make the same mistake I did.
3 - Isaiah N.: The place overall feels like a down-home, "picture the past" type of place out in the countryside, only it's more like a tourist trap. In addition to the restaurant, there's also a hotel, a gift shop inside the restaurant, and an old mill. If you are lucky enough to go inside the old mill when it's open, you could try out their homemade ice cream and buy it too.

I've been here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (not all in one day though). For breakfast, the muffins and scones (both come with the main dish, if you choose it) are pretty good, especially with the jam. I ordered different omelet dishes here, especially the vegetable omelet, which was quite tasty. 

If you go here for lunch, the menu is limited to four main dishes -- appetizers, soup, salad, and sandwiches. I remember when Apple Farm used to have riblets (which were better than Applebee's, by the way) and calamari (the tubes and tentacles). However, when I went there again (April 2009), the riblets have disappeared and the calamari is now "fritters" (meaning sliced cuttlefish filets). Not as tasty as the original tubes and tentacles, but it was ok overall. 

Dinner (which starts at 5 p.m.) is when you can order items such as pot roast and tri-tip. I've had the tri-tip, which comes with beans and salsa and was a delight to eat. However, while everything on the menu has increased in price (for example, the tri-tip I ordered in 2004 was around $17. Now the same dish is almost $22), at least the portion sizes will fill your stomach. 

If you want baked goods and have a sweet tooth, then you should go to Apple Farm as well. They have baked loaves (banana nut, apple, and zucchini last time I went there), brownies, pies, and cookies. In my opinion, the toffee cookies and the baked loaves are excellent and paired best with milk.

Overall, if your budget is tight, try the baked goods here. If you have money to burn, sit down and try the food. Better yet, stimulate the local economy and spend the night at the Apple Farm.
2 - E. S.: We stayed at one of the the Trellis Court rooms at the Apple Farm this past weekend.   The warm cookies, cider and coffee are great complimentary treats.  The size of the room we had was excellent and overall very clean with the exception of the carpet, which was pretty dirty.  This might have something to do with the smell.  The rooms are decorated in frilly, victorian themes with LOTS of wallpaper and LOTS of prints.  I have to admit it was sensory overload and felt a bit overwhelmed by so much gingham!  The thing that got me about this place is the strong awful smell in the hallways and to a lesser degree, the room we stayed in.  We had a window open all weekend just to try and clear it out.  The smell was of cat or dog urine and it wasn't a temporary thing.  The strong smell persisted throughout the weekend.  For this reason, I will not return.
4 - Tawny A.: Apple Farm is pretty campy and not really my type of setting, but thank god my local friends took me here for breakfast!! Ladies and Gentleman, may I introduce....(drum roll)......Cinnamon Roll French Toast! Great Scott, this dish is amazing. Perhaps the most decadent breakfast I have ever had. I thought my friends were going to have to roll me back to the car Veruca Salt style! The only downside was that I felt disgustingly full for the whole day!
1 - Michael O.: I'm going to give you two reviews one on the restaurant and one on the inn....as you move onto the next less complicated review please take five more seconds:

Breakfast...I'm hungry and NEED coffee in the mornings.  After waiting five minutes the waitress finally came over and I got one of the two food groups.  The breakfast was okay, not great...sorry all of you who rave about it here.  Potato pancakes had zero flavor even with the side of apples.  Then while we are eating the waitresses kept running...yes running past our table....what the...!!!! I need quiet time on Sunday mornings please.  So if I had to rate the restaurant on its own I would give it a 2 out of 10 points.

The Inn was okay, but I live in this century and obviously the 80s are alive and well and living in the decorations of the Apple Farm Inn still.  You can update to country casual and still be in this time period people.

Next DON'T get a massage from there!!! I paid $75 for a deep tissue and the masseuse was about 75 years old, she spent more time trying to relax me than give me a deep tissue massage.  Do I sound stressed? I'm not, but I really am a big guy and need some hard pounding every once in a while and Grandma Edwina ain't going to do it. 

So stay here if you want, but I won't again.
3 - Lauren H.: never been for anything but breakfast while traveling along the 101. The blueberry muffins are the best I ever had and the gift shop is adorable.
5 - Sarah D.: What a perfectly lovely surprise!  This place is a gem.  It's kitschy, yes...but in a really wonderful sort of way.

My boyfriend took me here for a romantic mini-vacation.  Between the hot cider, in-room fireplace, four-poster bed, and sounds of the stream bubbling past our open windows, it was absolutely perfect.

The hotel leaves a commemorative apple in your room as a takeaway gift.  Every time I look at it sitting on my dresser, it makes me want to go back.

Oh, I almost forgot.  Their restaurant's breakfast is out of this world.  (And when *I* say they have terrific pancakes and scones, you know it's true.)  Yum!!!
4 - Anonymous S.: I stayed here last month and can't wait to go back.  What is it about San Luis Obispo that makes hotels go all nutty?  That Madonna Inn looks like it was designed by John Waters.  At least the Apple Farm is less kitchy - if my grandma had a million dollars , she'd have built this place.  Lots of flower prints, more throw pillows than you can imagine, unless you are my grandma.  It was a fun weekend,though it might raise the estrogen level in men. Leave your man at home and bring your sister, mom or girlfriends!  They keep hot coffee, tea and cider in the hotel lobby.  The restaurant and bakery have lots of goodies.  It's a 24 hour tea party. The gift shop has all kinds of things encrusted with lilacs, apples or roses.  Occasionally a daisy or a kitten , just to be different.

The motel rooms and small and noisy because of the highway, spend the extra $ for the real hotel on the hill.  The staff in the hotel and restaurant were all really nice, and directed me to some tourist things and antique stores in the area.Just down the street are a clump of garden and antique stores along both sides of Monterray.  Prices vary wildly, so check them all or drive out to Cuyacos for the 5 or 6 antique stores there.

The mattress and sheets were very comfortable, I hate cheap scratchy sheets.  

Don't be shy about asking for discounts, they give AAA, senior discounts, and I think a student one also.
2 - Delphine D.: Thought it would be much nicer from the internet and the pricing - way over priced for what you get - very hokey, nice service - that was the best part - as good a service as I have had anywhere 
NO WORKOUT facility - and the pool is TINY!
Restaurant is all american junk - you could be at applebee's - extrmely unhealthy - and dirty - again service was good.  
example: i was travelling with a child with severe allergies, he asked if the french fries were fried with any fish - i.e. same oil 
they came back and said everything - that night was fried with the fried fish special - kind of gross
basically a motel dandied up with TONS of fake flowers
4 - Charis C.: So out of the four years going to Cal Poly, I never went here till my graduation dinner with my family. I had the Prime Rib (done medium rare of course) and it was deeeeeeelicious. Yay for meals paid for by my family. 

I also got a shrimp cocktail, it was alright. The cocktail sauce was average but I think they put too much vegetables in it.

My mom and sister in law got the salad bar, which looked alright. My dad had some kind of fish, it was pretty good too. 

Service was great, the place was really home-y. I only went to the restaurant and not the inn tho, I'm sure it was nice.
3 - Carrie S.: We hadn't been here in a while, and stopped to have breakfast on a recent trip. The service was fast and attentive, the food delicious and the servings LARGE! Would come back in a heartbeat!
4 - Toni C.: I'm typically not a shabby-chic kind of gal, but up until recently decent hotel options were somewhat limited in the SLO area.  We've stayed here twice and it is definitely a step above the ubiquitous motels that thrive in the area.  Both times we have stayed in the main building and in the same room (rm. 116)  The reason for the same room...some have been updated and others not.  The updated room is still country-cottagey, but doesn't look like someone threw up flowers all over your room.  The rooms are spacious, ours had a seating area with sofa and coffee table, fireplace, two queens, and a desk.  More than enough space for my little monkeys to roam.  The kids also ate enough of the free apples to fulfill their recommended fiber servings for a year.  The tea, cookies, ice cream, and other goodies were also nice.  

For this trip, we got a package that included drive in movie tickets, popcorn, candy, box lunches, and tickets to the Charles Paddock Zoo.  We were slightly amused and annoyed at the guy who burnt both our microwave popcorn and our friends, blaming the too small microwave.  The box lunches were great and huge, but they messed up our order.  

They also got rid of the little apple knick-knacks that they used to have in each room for the guests and there is now a single guest book, instead of one in each room.  All minor issues, we'll probably be back.
4 - Mal C.: I'm also not typically a shabby-chic kind of girl, but for some reason, I love the Apple Farm! I find it charming! As grad students, we usually end up staying in the cheaper rooms, but I love the atmosphere and the amenities - esp. the fireplace, delicious cup of hot cider, and I have to say they have great toiletries in the room! I always have to scope out the gift shop, and the food at the Apple Farm was pretty good, country food. I also love that it's next to the first motel in the world. Make sure you go around back and scope it out!
5 - Nao O.: BEST PANCAKES ALERT!!!!!! 

Friends and I named our trip to SLO, "Pancake Quest," made a poster of it, pasted inside my car, and headed up north for stacks o' pancakes. 

After 3 hours and dying from hunger, we were finally at Apple Farm. The staff told us to wait 1 hr. 

When I bit into their pancakes, I was able to forgive all the imperfections that exist in this world.
3 - Matt H.: The operative words at Apple Farm seem to be "wretched excess." We were there with a group of seven. Diners had the vegetable soup, corn chowder, chili size and everybody tried dessert. They are famous for their "apple dumpling," which is a baked apple in pastry, served with vanilla ice cream and lots of cinnamon sauce. It's very good, and very large. Most of us shared the dish between two diners.  Chili size was enormous. The person who selected it is a big eater, and he couldn't finish.
3 - Paul S.: Although they do have an "apple" theme, there is nothing special about the Apple Farm.  It is your basic "comfort" food.  The recipes seem to be very standard.  I had a "Farmer's Omelette" and it did have their signature "apple sausage" in it, but it did not seem special.  Plus, the screwed up the order and it came late (a supposed mix up with the chefs).  I'm not going to hold that against them, but when they did finally deliver it, it was not even warm (what gives?).  There have got to be other great places in SLO. I wouldn't make a special trip here.  But if you're at one of the nearby motels, it could be worth a try.
3 - Robert S.: This is a quaint restaurant that is attached to a local hotel (with the same name) near the Cal Poly campus. The complex includes not just the restaurant and hotel but also a couple of gift shops and a bakery. The gift shops include home made ice cream and caramel apples. 

Ice cream review: They offer very small containers of vanilla and apple flavor ice cream. The ice cream is good to very good quality (creamy) but neither the vanilla nor the apple flavors taste fresh. the Ice cream is ridiculously expensive for a very small container. 

Restaurant review: This is a very traditional, country themed restaurant with a few updated menu items. They have an unimaginative salad bar and predominantly meat entrees. Their dessert menu is better with some bakery and ice cream specialties. 

Their gourmet macaroni and cheese was horribly bland, tasting (and looking) pretty much like macaroni and half and half in spite of being advertised as having a gourmet combination of cheeses. Their salad, unfortunately used bagged (not fresh) field greens and an unimaginative dressing but at least was large. They made surprisingly good french fries that were crispy and flavorful with skin. 

Hotel Review: Our room was heavily decorated with country touches and nick knacks but was also large and had a fireplace and a sofa. Amenities like top quality soaps were a nice touch and especially the apples and apple cider/tea/coffee/hot cocoa available at the front lobby. I enjoyed all of the effort they had put into the holiday decorations. The beds were comfortable but did not have the fluffy down comforters of higher end hotel rooms. The pool was small but still heated during the winter and the grounds had an interesting water powered mill/gift shop to explore with lots of gardens 
.
2 - Chantal D.: Tourist trap. But this is actually a review for the restaurant.

Lunch here was not to my taste. I usually require something hearty AND tasty, but the sandwiches that lunch date and I had were tasteless. The employees we encountered were sweet and prompt, adding to the homey atmosphere but I'm not sure if I want to come back.... ok I take that back. If anything, I will come back to try some breakfast. 

Living in SLO, there are plenty of other options for me to pick up a more satisfying meal at the same price.
4 - Topo G.: this was a nice stop on the way back to orange county. the grandma vibe that the place has kinda turned me off initially to be honest. i thought i was going to get yelled at for touching stuff in the doily city that is the gift shop that's attached to the restaurant. once we got our table, i was very pleased to see a menu with more variety than I'm used to-I'm easy to impress, i don't get out much. i ordered the open face meatloaf sandwich with gravy and mashed potatoes. I really enjoyed it-big fluffy slices of bread, two big slices of meatloaf-it was quite a site to behold before i wolfed it down. my wife ordered a sandwich-can't remember what kind to be honest, i was too busy eating my food. for desert, we shared a slice of apple pie, also delicious. our server was a bit slow with our check, but it was pretty busy, so we understood. It was very modestly priced in comparison with the quality and amount of food that we ate. if you are coming down the 101 south through san luis obispo, look for the billboard and exit accordingly. nice change from the applebees/denny's/chili's/fudrucker's/red robin choices that you have while traveling.
3 - Mari C.: I haven't been here in at least 5 years, but I'll just make this about the restaurant as my family would usually stay at one of the cheaper hotel or motels down the street.  

When you first walk in to the restaurant there is a whole gift shop/trap where you can buy all the crap you need but didn't know you needed.
From the menu, you can see things are pretty basic here.  Food is usually decent though and I do hold fond memories of the potato pancakes (nice texture & no onions that I can remember) which are or were served with apple sauce & sour cream.  There'll always be room in my stomach for some comforting potato pancakes, so even though the theme at this place is cheesy I'll just take my food and enjoy.
4 - Rick N.: Ate at the restaurant while taking the kids to see the Cal Poly campus. Great place for comfort food. I had the pot roast with mashed potatos. It had good flavor and was tender. The girls had soup and salad - hard to go wrong with that. My son loved his mac and cheese. We should have asked for some of their apple butter to eat with their cornbread. I'd go again.
5 - rosie m.: Oh my, I had the best chicken pot pie, corn bread and iced tea here!  It's a good thing I don't live nearby ... I would surely become an addict.

I didn't stay at the inn, but enjoyed the grounds and gift shop.  It's a totally cute place to stop if you're on a road trip.
2 - Saturday night a to Z.: So sad!!  Apple Farm used to be a casual restaurant with good food--great to take the out-of-towners or stop by for dinner on a busy night.   Seven years ago was the last time we ate here and the food was so bad then that we've been reluctant to go back.  The bad news is that it hasn't  gotten any better.

I got a chef salad with vinaigrette--how can you screw that up?  Well, the vinaigrette was the consistency of rubber cement.  Really gross.  I asked the waitress if there was anything else made with oil and vinegar that I could have instead.  She was very nice and brought me a balsamic dressing right away.  It was just as bad!!

At some point in the past seven years Apple Farm has gotten a liquor license.  The menu says that they offer a small selection of cocktails.  We got margaritas that were obviously canned.  Yuck!  No wonder they have such a small selection.
4 - Shannel G.: My sister, a friend and I went here for dessert ALONE when I was visiting her at CP... nom.nom.nom.

The three of us split the baked apple dumpling a la mode. Hallelujah. 

It was so delish. The apple is peeled and cored, then they pour cinnamon sugar goodness into the core, then they wrap it in pastry dough and bake it, and top it off with a side of vanilla ice cream. yup... a delish, comforting dessert (I guess that's redundant) at it's best.
5 - D C.: We stopped by here on our way back from Santa Barbara.  The potato pancakes were more moist than I expected, but delicious regardless.  I didn't eat much of the stewed cinnamon apples and sour cream that came with it. I liked the pancakes plain, but hubby liked the accompaniments. 

Hubby ordered the chicken sausage omlette and homemade pumpkin muffin with pecans.  The omlette was the best we've tasted since we embarked on our search for great brunch places a year ago.   The homemade pumkin muffin was moist and the flavor of the spice was just right.  I don't think we left one crumb behind!  Oh, and we love the potatoes that came with the omlette.  

Tourist trap or not, this is a great place for breakfast!
4 - Tony C.: --------Comfort Food------------

Food: Large portions and tasty
           I go the Blue Plate Special. 
           -Clam chowder and two scoops of icecream at the end

Service: More than I could ask for!
               Her name was Mitzy. She was very nice and repetitly introduced the new server. In addition, the workers seem to be enjoying themselves when working there. Great environment!

Decor: The decorations were very homey and comforting. I felt like I was back in Alabama again! So excited.

Overall! I will definitely come back for more!
1 - Fred S.: Stopped in on the way south from San Francisco, about 2PM for lunch.
about 2/3 full some empty tables.  Got seated at once, ordered water and looked at the menu.  Had to ask twice for a refill on the water, when the food arrived we ordered Apple Pie (what they are known for). we ate our lunch and the table was cleared.  We waited about 15 minutes after the dishes were cleared and asked if someone could find our waitress we wanted the pie we had ordered.  They came back and said she was "working on it now", we waited another 10 minutes and went to the hostess and asked her to find out what was taking so long to get the pie we had order about a half hour earlier?  The hostess told us she was "working on it now".  It took about another  10 minutes for us to get it.  The waitress put it down and said "I didn't know you were in such a hurry!"  
Very poor service and very poor attitude from the employees.  I will not go back there.
4 - crystal M.: Apple Farm is a nice cozy place that reminds you of your grandmas house!! I had breakfast there and thought it was delicious. I had a wonderful server name Mitzy who brightened our morning with her cheerful attitude. I ordered the biscuits and gravy and my husband ordered the potato pancakes. i enjoyed the biscuits but would have liked a bit more gravy on top. I was scraping the plate on the last few bites of my biscuit. My husband enjoyed the potato pancakes as well. I thought the food was slightly overpriced for the portions (at least of the items we ordered) but the taste over rid the price. The atmosphere here is half of what makes me such a fan of this restaurant. It is very convenient off the freeway so even out of towners such as myself didn't get lost. I will come back here again if back in the area.
4 - Cindy M.: This is the first time I have written a review, but we had such a great experience here that I just have to share it! The rooms were very clean, decorated tastefully more like an old fashioned B&B, very cute! Everyone working there is so friendly and helpful. We stayed for 4 nights and this was our first time in the area for any length of time, and they gave us ideas for things to do, directions, dinner suggestions, etc. They even stored our bikes for us when we weren't using them. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars, is the carpets were a lilttle worn in the halls and the rooms were a tad dark, but plenty of lamps to light it, actually was great for sleeping in!
2 - John C.: Went here for breakfast.
Food: OK, nothing great. I got the Chorizo and Eggs. The Tortillas were hard. Their bacon is very good. Not overcooked, and very flavorful. Everything else was fairly standard.

Service: This is where things took a turn for the worse. I would have to say this came very close to the worst service I've ever experienced. I have A LOT of friends who were waitresses, I am usually more than understanding, and usually leave at least 20% if not more for a tip.
Our waitresses name was Michelle. If you get her, move to another seat.
1) I had to ask for water...not a big deal, but I usually expect it to be brought without asking.
2) She brought me my water, but didn't ask anyone else at the table if they wanted any...and didn't bring them any.
3) After both my water and coffee were empty, I left them at the edge of the table where she could clearly see them (we were in a booth). She must've looked right at my empty glass at least 4 times from a distance...and never came to refill it. Finally when she dropped off the check, I asked for refills of both. She refilled my glasses and again, before anyone could say anything, walked away without refilling anyone elses.
4) When she picked up the check (in one of those card holders) she asked if there was a card in there, or if we needed change. I usually expect something like "I'll be right back with your change" or "I'll go take care of this and be right back". I told her I needed change, and she brought back a $10 and a $1. I assume she was looking for a $1 tip. 

Decor: The place is very pretty, looks like they have a nice outdoor seating area.

I might give it another try someday, but for now...I'lll stick with Margies for breakfast.
3 - Simon P.: Apple Farm was a pretty good place to have breakfast. We were seated promptly, our waitress was friendly and nice.

I had an omelet and the portions were pretty good. The food itself was pretty good, I believe my omelete had the apple sausage which was quite tasty. The spread served with my toast was pretty good and I'd consider coming back for some more.

Their design motiff of 'countryhome' was somewhat overwhelming. It wasn't done to the point of feeling like you were in a cheesy chain restaurant - but it flirted with that line.
3 - Victor G.: Apple Farm is conveniently right off the monterey exit on 101. my son, who began attending slo, introduced us to this place years ago. this may be our last visit as he's  FINALLLY graduating in business (finance). kicked out? actually,  lots of business classes were cut recently and double majors were discouraged/disabled.

the trek into the restaurant is unusual. one must go thru a seemlessly endless  maze of souvenir shops, past the bakery goods stand, to the host station, get  a number and wait for a table. this time, though being told of a 15 minute wait, we were seating almost  immediately.

the dining room is lined with comfy booths and a see thru window allows you to see who dining on the other side. the lighting is a little dimmed and the decor on the wall is old time advertising posters. .

sampling:
-california benedict (14.95) looked nice but 14.95?
(two poached eggs, with artichoke bottoms, tomato, avocado, and garlic on toasted english muffins topped with homemade hollandaise sauce)
portion looked small so didn't sample any.
-farmers omlette (11.95)
(apple sausage, smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, mushrooms, green onions & fresh tomatoes.
*omlette tasted deliz, the ingredients didn't clash and it wasn't big enough.
*country fried potatoes-absolutely loved this years ago, but everyone does this now. the novelty has worn off but apple farm does it best!
*blueberry muffin-very rich texture, small, and dense unlike costco's gigantic, airy, light texture.
*scone-very light and filling, also the best
*boysenberry jam, homemade..yummy.

leftovers
-we were the youngest patrons here, everyone seem seniors members of aarp.
-excellent service by slo attendees no less
-louise's cafe omelettes  downtown are $2- $3 less, voted slo best for last 3 years.
-apple didn't seem that busy as we left. no lines. (found out later another grad ceremony was held in the morning.).
1 - Geary L.: Breakfast comments only.....go elsewhere!  Poor, inattentive service coupled with, likely, one of the worst breakfasts I have ever had.  Perhaps we just hit it wrong, but there was just nothing right about our meals.  The eggs were overcooked. The biscuit tasted as if it were the canned grocery store variety. The potato chunks were watery, crunchy, raw and flavorless. I mean the potatoes could not have been anywhere near the griddle. How could they have left the kitchen?  

I try to avoid factory food restaurants and go to the locally owned businesses. Usually the experience is great, but not at the Apple Farm, expensive, poor service and bad food is not a good combination.

If you want an expensive breakfast with good food, exemplary service and atmosphere, by all means, head to the Madonna Inn. We did both and the contrast could not be more stark.  

If you just want a decent breakfast go elsewhere.  Unfortunately, for the Apple Farm, almost anywhere else would be a huge improvement.
3 - Courtney J.: You gotta admit, the place is cute. More like the awww my grandma and mom would probably like this place cute. 

I've had breakfast here...once. It was once upon a four years ago sort of timeline - and I will say that the most memorable thing were the bisquits and gravy my brother had. Other than that, this review is mostly about my recent visit to the hotel section.

My brother still attends SLO, and so to avoid another night sleeping on his mysterious extra mattress in his room, the boy and I decided to get a place at the Madonna. Sad that it was about $400+ for a room we decided on the second option which was right down the street from him. Convenient yes. Cute, sure. Price, decent (It was $143 on hotels.com for a queen bed room) 

Anyhow, after walking around a bit we find the check-in, get our keys and walk ourselves over to our room. We had room 30 - and it was very how do you say, pink. I felt like strawberry shortcake - but really what was I expecting? Apple Farm already has that quaint country-esque kind of feel. After all, it had a fireplace, so I was stoked. 

I really had no complaints about the place until about 1am as we rolled in from the Kilt, which was a nice 5-10 minute walk from the place. After getting tired from watching Food Network we clicked off the tube, took care of some business and then there it was. 

At first I thought it had to be the tv. Nope good ol college noises. 

cre CREAK cre CREAK cre CREAK
CREAK CREAK CREAK
cre CREAAAK.

Yup, there was Mother Nature herself taking place in room 29. We couldn't help ourselves but listen and let out a slight chuckle of the guys' obviously sporatic pattern. Half an hour into it, they stopped and we closed our eyes. Or at least tried to until yes, round two. I was naturally envious, and right when we were about to have a throw down battle they stopped. 

Yes, I was sad. 

But for the rest of the night I couldn't sleep. And it made it worse that the images in my head kept pointing to a much older couple. Talk about bad times. 

In the morning as we checked out I took a look at the positioning of each of the rooms. Who puts two headboards sharing the same wall? Who?! We scurried to our car in sheer fear that we would see the occupants to be over 50. 

Next time definitely going for the Madonna.
2 - Mishael K.: I'm reviewing this place to try and give myself some more Yelp cred.  Most of the places that I remember to review are the places that I love to eat at, but my star ratings would soon become worthless if I gave every place 4 and 5 stars right?  Here comes my balancer.

I don't know why a couple people recommended this place to me.  I am one of those people that can order breakfast food for lunch, dinner, and as a late night snack, and Apple Farm was just whatever.  Maybe even a step below whatever.  Nothing special, overpriced, and it actually felt like a tourist trap with the little shop in the lobby.  Most importantly, my glass of orange juice was tiny!
3 - Trevor T.: meh, the lunch I had at the apple farm was OK at best. Sandwich was bland and the service was mediocre at best.  I remember eating at the Apple farm years ago and it was much better.
Not the worst lunch I have eaten in SLO, but not the best by a long shot.
5 - Di R.: This is a nostalgic Spot. A kind of touristy place you might take your visiting relatives or out of town company to. The memory maker kind of place that you don't always just choose to go to on a Tuesday for lunch but since my baby was home for summer break and had gift certificates to Lucky Lulus from her birthday we thought we would splurge and go to San Luis Obispo to finally use her gift certificates at one of her favorite stores and treat ourselves to The Apple Farm for lunch and a few hours of mother daughter  bonding. And once again, they did not disappoint us.

Apple Farm is centered around all things apple. So you will find Apple pancakes right down to apple saurkraut. They have a nice salad bar. Nothing special but nice. They are known for their bakery items. Their comfort foods and all things not dietetic. Though I am sure I could have found something less fattening if I had really looked....

You can expect to pay about $12 a plate on the average. Split a dessert, add a drink and you might get out of Apple Farm for around $40 something including tip for two. Worth it for me for the memory... but a little pricey for lunch if you are just looking for a quick bite.
Mitzy was our server and even though she was juggling a few tables,. she was bubbly and friendly and we felt totally taken care of every time she was at our table. We will definitely request her section again if she is there when we go. She made our time even more enjoyable.

Apple Farm was just the place to catch up and eat the always great and not un-fattening comfort food kind of great food you can always count on finding there!

My daughter ordered the Reuben with a side of apple saurkraut! (she does not like coleslaw so I was surprised but she tried it like a trooper and liked it!) and I ordered the Meat loaf sandwich.. Which was good. I have recently lost 30 pounds and this was not the place to go for keeping on track. I left half my sandwich but then defeated the purpose when we splurged and had the apple cobbler and brownie ala mode and brought more than half of each home. Not because it wasn't delicious! I am going to have to remember The Farm for just dessert after shopping! That would have been fun too! Mitzy brought us our desserts piping hot and did not keep us waiting, even after we added the cobbler! (we were reeeally bad that day!)

The shopping experience after was more memory making. The buyer at Apple Farm reminds me a lot of my own shop that I used to own so we love to see the things that they have there when we go there. So I must say that Apple Farm did just want it promised to do... made a special memory!
4 - ChickaPea P.: Stopped here during a road trip to the bay! LOVED IT...well loved the apple dumplings...the rest I am sure was good but all I recall were the YUMMY apple dumplings! STOP STOP..pull over and eat!
5 - Jason R.: Note: This review is only for the restaurant.

The Apple Farm is probably in the top 5 breakfast spots in California.  I first went there 20 years ago and remembered it as an incredible.  Went there last week, and it still holds up.

If you're trying to impress a date, or just trying to get fat, pull off the freeway and order.

I recommend the bisquits and gravy, blueberry muffin, and any breakfast.  You wont have to eat the remainder of the day.
3 - David G.: Good, solid breakfast.  Very popular and touristy, but we still like going there.  Portions are enormous, breaks my heart to see all the food left on the tables - you can easily share.  Wish they had an option for real maple syrup (yes, I'm a syrup snob).
2 - Jane B.: NOTE: This review is only for the restaurant.
It pains me to write this review.  For all the years that we've been stopping by the Apple Farm Restaurant on trips to the central Coast, this was without a doubt, our last time there.  We made the mistake last year of coming to the Apple Farm on Thanksgiving.  Even with a reservation, the wait was crazy and the food tasted like cafeteria food.  Nothing fresh, nothing special, nothing memorable.  We figured it was a holiday and wrote it off as a one time fluke experience.  When visiting up that way last weekend, we decided to give it another try for  lunch.  I sadly have to say, it wasn't any better than our Thanksgiving experience.  Though it wasn't busy and we were seated right way, the food wasn't anything great.  If you closed your eyes and forgot about all the cute decor and the surroundings, you would have thought it was coffee shop food.  For a family of four with beverages, the meal was $75 and that's expensive for coffee shop food.  The salad bar wasn't anything special and I heard grumblings from other diners that they didn't like the fact they only served European greens (no iceberg or romaine).  As cute as this place is, I don't think we will be back.  Other reviewers have raved about the breakfast here, and that's the one meal we haven't had here...maybe, just maybe we'll try it for breakfast if we find ourselves up this way again.
1 - Marina R.: This review is only for the hotel (the restaurant was bad too but I'm not even gonna waste my time reviewing it).

I paid a lot of money for a weekend get away to SLO.  I had heard about this place at a travel show. It looked cute and like a good getaway to relax not too far from LA.  We stayed in one of the two Millhouse suites (the most expensive place to stay with the private outdoor hot tub).  Lets just say the room was like you see int he pics, victorian style, wallpapered, old bathroom...but it had charm.  The bed was about 5 feet high and I needed to pole vault myself on it.  A flat screen tv would''ve been nice but it wasn't that big of a deal.

When we got there, i checked the hot tub on the outdoor balcony.  It was private (trees hovered) and ready to go.  I got naked and jumped in...this was nice...for about 5 mins.  We could see the pool area and there were some drunk people acting like fools...oh well, we tried.  The people in the next suite were so loud.  I don't know if they had kids or they just like it rough.  Lots of doors/drawers slamming and we could hear their bathroom fan.  Not the quiet weekend away I was looking forward to.

The next morning we were woken up by the front desk at 730am...No I tell them, we didn't call you, try next door....must've been because they were up and yelling and slamming doors....

The second night we asked for pillows that were not 5 feet high (they were horrible), 45 mins later, I called again to ask if they got lost on the way, finally got the low pillows...and our neighbors continued with the slamming....this sucks.  At least I had a hot tub.

Wait a sec, the hot tub isn't working...but it's almost midnight.  i'm so over this place I just decide to go to sleep and forget about how much I paid to stay here.

We think that next door's hot tub was broken and when they fixed it, it messed up the hot water to ours...or something. I didn't care, I just wanted out.  I will never recommend this place to anyone.  It needs to shut down.  The service sucks, the room sucked, the hot tub on a private balcony is a good idea but only when it worked.

This deserves .25 of a star...and that's only for the hot tub.
2 - J R.: Both Hotel and Restaurant review:

Hotel: The rooms were big ... that's about all I can say.  Everything else seemed like a standard low-end hotel.  It's not near the town center and I didn't like we were unable to walk anywhere.  I never stayed at the Super 8 or Days Inn down the street, but I'd give them a look if you don't spend much time in the room besides sleeping.

Restaurant:  Your standard road-side restaurant.  I'd drive the extra 5 miles to downtown SLO for other options. The muffins and scones were "cake-like" in that sweet not too good way ... bacon wasn't crunchy ... and pancakes just ok.
5 - D S.: Friend and I went for our annual girl's getaway wine tasting weekend. Was lucky to find a great rate at the Apple Farm. What a lovely place! Comfy beds, big room and how can you go wrong with apple cider and cookies before bed? We will definitely be back!
5 - Lu V.: For the restaurant...never stayed at hotel.

The Apple Farm has freshly baked goods and homemade boysenberry jam. 

The breakfast was very good and filling. We didn't need to eat again until 8pm!

Service was awesome. Our server made sure our 5 month old was ok. My husband spilled coffee and he came right over with napkins, he gave us recommendations and double checked to see if my favorite muffin (pumpkin) was available. 

Next time we are in the area, we will try to make it for lunch and dinner...it looked good too!
4 - Henry S.: The Apple Farm Restaurant- 

We've driven past the Apple Farm many times on our way to Monterey. This time we decided to stop and try the food. While waiting to be seated they had a demo on how to make apple dumplings in their outdoor patio. That was very interesting and surprisingly simple.

My wife started with the strawberry lemonade and really liked it. It even had fresh strawberries in it. She also had the bowl of chili and thought that was very good. I ordered the Monterey hamburger - 1/2 lb of beef, avocadoes, thick sliced bacon! It was delicious.

The best part of our dining experience there was our waiter, Wes. He was very friendly, professional and attentive. One of the best waiters I've had and would definitely fit right in in a 5 star restaurant.

The next time we head up that way I want to stop by again and try their walnut brownies. They look very delicioius!
3 - Jack H.: I like the food here although it's a little pricey. We had both a dinner and breakfast. We also had a continental breakfast, which is included when you stay at the hotel.
4 - Emily M.: Road trip!!

Not such an extraordinary restaurant in hindsight, but the Apple Farm was always the highlight of my exodus from Monterey to LA as a kid.  It is such a colorful and fun place to stop.  The toy store had so many cute dollies.

The one treat that stands out are their apple dumplings.  A perfect way to initiate my road trip food coma.
4 - Naoki S.: On my way from San Francisco to San Diego, I decided to stay a night in San Luis Obispo on a whim, and I found the Apple Farm Inn.  I'm very glad I did.

On top of being a charming country inn, my stay included:
* a free wine tasting at the Inn
* free breakfast
* free wine tasting at 3 local wineries

Also, I got a great deal on my room at hotels.com.  Check it out!  I would not hesitate to stay here again.
3 - Michele W.: This place has a little place in my heart as a nostalgic stop for me in SLO.

The cornbread is pretty awesome and I love their Cinnamon buttercream.

the food is pretty good comfort food, but its a bit on the pricer side /

overall i'd give it a 3.5 stars.

the shortribs are amazing and virtually melt off of the bone.
4 - John G.: Great place for breakfast.  Try the Belgian Waffles with the warm boysenberry preserves..KILLER!  Also, the omelets are good too, but beware, they're huge, so if you have someone to share it with be sure to do a split!
4 - L D.: I live in SLO and we go to Apple Farm mainly for breakfast. They serve a really good breakfast and have great coffee. Prices are a tad pricey and the wait can be long. I have had dinner here but prefer their breakfast or lunch. Try their scones with the berry preserves or the smoked salmon & cream cheese omelette..yummmmm
4 - Chili B.: Nice place. Good place for breakfast.

The SLO omelet was very good - a good amount of filling and the home fries were tasty. The servings were fairly big. Breakfasts come with a bread choice. The blueberry muffin was really good - tasted fresh and homemade. The jam is really good.

The cinnamon roll was ok - it tasted like a croissant with some cinnamon and sugar and frosting. It tasted ok - but not my style of cinnamon roll.

The wait time for a party of 6 was 45 minutes. This is a popular place. But there's plenty to check out at the hotel.
3 - Perlie p.: Ate at the restaurant on a rainy Monday afternoon. The building was cute and inviting. They had desserts on display and they all looked SO good....I thought for sure the food would be great! Man was I disappointed! The wait was 25 min even though there were plenty of empty tables (perhaps they were short staffed). I don't mind a short wait. The menu was decent and seemed to have plenty of variety. 
I am always a sucker for a good burger and seeing as I am only in central cali twice a year I went for the Hearst burger ( beef raised at the Hearst castle farm). I added it cooked medium with cheese and bacon added. 
The burger looked great on arrival but upon the first bit there was no pink! The burger was cooked more well then medium! I was so sad. The bacon was ok. 
My son had their classic burger which he said was "ok". 
The house ice tea tasted like just your normal black  tea.
So it looks like everything here is "ok".
Would not eat here again, as I would rather spend my time and money looking for something that will "wow" me!
3 - Chuckin B.: Tried the turkey pot pie... It was nice a little under seasoned. But nice quality of ingredients. 

They have the best cookies around. My favorite are the toffee cookies. Fantastic.
5 - Sharon V.: My husband and I have been coming here for over a decade. While it isn't a fancy joint, it as as charming as it gets. My favorite time of the year to come is during the holidays. The hotel, shops and the restaurant is decorated beautifully with everything Christmas and it just makes me giddy. 

If you love to decorate for the holidays and pick up holiday treasures, this is a place you must visit. I'll walk through the hotel and its' hallways to seek out anything and everything. I ALWAYS find something. If you plan your visit after the holidays, you will find the bargain of a lifetime. 50-75% off.  I can't tell you how many great things I've found over the years. 

The hot apple cider they serve in the morning and evenings is the best! I love the Apple Farm and look forward to continuing to come here in the future. 

Hints. Stay in the main hotel and not the trellis court. While the restaurant is enticing, the food is just ok. Nothing special. There are plenty of great restaurants that are much better so if you decide to skip, you're not missing out.
1 - T D.: This review is for the restaurant. 

Lets start with the staff.  We made a reservation, because we were on a time table, and we showed up early. They put us on the WAITING LIST???? when we checked in at the desk. REALLY?!?!?! The waiting list?!?!? Why the hell did we make a reservation?  When they finally called us we went to the table in the gazebo shaped room and sat down. 
The floors were filthy and looked like they hadn't been vacuumed in days and we were sitting next to the server station where we heard dishes clanking through the entire meal. 

Someone recommended this place as having FABULOUS food. 
That was one hell of a stretch, the menu prices were high and the food quality was shit.  $27.95 for a new york strip steak with chipotle butter AND THEY FORGET THE CHIPOTLE BUTTER??? The food was priced at Ruth's Chris steakhouse prices but we got Denny's quality. What a freaking dump.  I should have known we were in for trouble when I noticed that the gift shop was bigger that the restaurant. 

If you want to visit a tourist trap with bad food, have at it. If you value peoples reviews on Yelp do yourself a favor and travel farther down Monterey and get a FREAKING AWESOME bowl of clam chowder at Splash (right next door to le petite soleil bed and breakfast.
5 - Jon K.: The staff is extremely friendly and willing to accomodate you to make your stay great! I was very impressed with the level of service here.  The place is one of a kind and very beautiful.  It is unique, and every room is different.  They gladly let us pick our favorite! Of Coarse, the restaurant is great, and the proximity to downtown and Cal Poly is great as Well.
4 - Robert H.: We stop here on the way to or home from Carmel or San Fran. We have never stayed at the hotel, so this is for the restaurant portion only. 

Very cozy place with friendly service. I have always been seated immediately. They offer a very nice menu with great options. The past 2 visits ive had awesome omeletes and an amazing chili. 

I will continue to come here for lunch or breakfast whenever im on a road trip to this area.
4 - Ben S.: This is for the trellis court part of the hotel. We stayed in a queen room with a hot tub and the room was quaint and decorated in a very nice fashion.  The Room was comfortable and the hot tub was very nice on a cool SLO evening.  I would stay here again.  The lobby has coffee and tea in the morning and cookies, cocoa, and Apple cider in the evening.  I would stay here again.  Easy to book online.
4 - Alysha M.: I was very satisfied during my stay here. Apple Farm is technically a hotel but has a bed & breakfast type of feel. It was cute, cozy, & vintagy. All the decor was way over-flowered but that's what gave it the "right" feel. 

The free warm apple cider & cookies at reception was a nice added bonus. The $5 worth of vouchers you can use towards the bakery/restaurant was a plus too. I didn't end up eating there but used it to get a bunch of goodies - rice krispy treats, muffin, caramel apple, & cookies.

The service was really friendly & helpful. The location is good too - about a mile from downtown.
4 - Taryn M.: If I have any advice that is unique and valuable for this place it is this:

Go after dinner and buy a jam thumb print cookie and a togo cup of milk.  What can be better than milk and cookies at night?  Ummm...nada.  Trust me.  The other cookies are quite good too but the jam thumbprints are something special.  

Dinner and breakfast are good here but definitely pricey.  I like the potato pancakes.  Mmmmm
2 - Osvaldo D.: Not very impressed.  My waitress comported herself like she'd rather be somewhere else.  My cappuccino was served in a tall glass, who's ever heard of that?  It also had steamed milk.  It tasted like hot milk.  A cappuccino is a shot of espresso with a dulop of steamed foam; that's it.  

Otherwise, the apple sausage was pretty tasty.  Overall, meh.
4 - Jojo L.: I have just tried the restaurant, so here the review is based only on restaurant. 
Great potato pancakes, this is a must must try, for sure! The apple sauce goes with the pancakes are just amazing!! Apart from that, their pancakes are good in general. I order blueberry pancakes as well, it taste great. 
I would not recommend the salmon and scrambled eggs. They are really just A-OK. 
Here I give 4 stars because they are very generous with their portion and the pancakes do taste great. Also good coffee latte and apple cider. The restaurant is really big and busy. We waited there for 15 minutes before finally getting in for brunch. The place is really cute though, worth the wait! :)
5 - Alexandra S.: Came up to SLO with 4 girlfriends for a weekend of wine tasting for the Zinfandel Festival in Paso and for my 25th birthday.

We had a lovely stay at the Apple Farm Inn.  Homey, cozy, warm, friendly--all we could ask for for a weekend getaway.  The staff was particularly helpful (can't remember the brunette woman at the front desk but she was great).  Gustavo was exceptional as well.

Would definitely came back and/or recommend the Apple Farm Inn in the future.
4 - Jackie F.: Pro: it's a restaurant and a hotel! awesome decor, great service, cute cottage look/feel, down to earth gift store. 

Con: parking could be insane during peak season and visiting week for cal poly. 

I have never stayed here, only ate here for a few times, once only of desert. This place is a great place for their comfort food and of course, apple dishes. The dining area is split into two areas, the front is for the special events and older folks, the back for crazy college kids and families. This works out well, simply due to the fact that the apple sweets here are a favored thing for local drunks. 

This is an oversized comfort food shop, stick to their specials and do ask for their specials based on the season.
1 - V B.: Restaurant:  Absolutely horrible service.  When we spoke to the manager, instead of listening he yelled at our family.  The customer deserves to be treated much, much better at these prices.
5 - Laurie L.: I've been coming here for years and not once have I had a bad experience or any form of disappointment.  From the outside to the inside of the restaurant, hotel, garden, watermill house, all very charming and kept impeccable. 

The service is topnotch and the food is so comforting it's hard not to take a nap after each meal!  The apple sausage is to die for, I can NEVER resist the apple dumplings, the biscuits and gravy kill me, and I always grab two jars of apple butter on the way out.

The cider and ice cream at the water wheel house are something I can't seem to pass up either!!!!

Photos to come, later
3 - Melanie R.: My review is for the restaurant-- I've eaten there twice.  And that's about all there is to say.  The food was good, but it wasn't that good.  Most recently I had the Asian chicken salad, and it was okay, but I felt like I had eaten a heavy meal afterwards because there are a lot of fried wontons on it, and it's loaded down with dressing.  The prices and size of their portions seem to run the full gamut, so at least you've got options.  The tables and decor are pretty cheesy, in my book-- basically a glorified diner.  But the garden area is really pretty, as is the watermill.  The service wasn't great, but we were there on Mother's Day, so I'm sure they were busy.  A smile from the hostess up front would have been great, but she was much more interested in saying hello to her friends behind us.
4 - Rajiv S.: Cute hotel. Stayed here over the weekend to celebrate my mothers birthday and it was a great place. Cozy, friendly, and a great breakfast is served in their restaurant. The muffins are oh so warm and moist, and the pancakes were great as well.
4 - Selina C.: The wait for breakfast was long but the potato pancake was delicious. Great view of the city, service excellent. Bring your family or loved ones here, it's special for sure.
2 - Kevin B.: (for the restaurant)

The short of it....  
If you plan to try the potato pancakes for the first time, don't bother!

The long of it....
I have been to the Apple Farm twice before for breakfast and what I've ordered was pretty tasty.    But this time I choose to ignore our servers suggestions (warning) and I order the potato pancakes anyway.  Not the smartest move on my part!   They've changed the recipe and they are not as good AND not worth ordering.... especially IF you are a fan of potato pancakes.

Bottom line?  if you want HUGE portions of pretty good food in your grandma's very homey and very country kitchen, this is the place to go (just avoid the potato pancakes!).
5 - Mandy M.: Thank you Apple Farm! We got married in SLO this last weekend and had a huge group stay with you including us and you guys WERE SO AWESOME!!!! The front desk was so on top of everything! Anything I needed help with they were right there. I have been working with their guest reservation staff for almost a year and they also will do anything to help.
I stayed my pre wedding nights in the Millroom...AMAZING!! Beautiful. And our honeymoon suite was even more beautiful. We will always come back to the Apple Farm....if not just for the cookies and apple cider at 7pm in the lobby :o)
4 - Samuel G.: One of the "meal options" we took advantage of was to stop by Apple Farm's famed restaurant...for one reason, because we were staying directly across the street at the La Cuesta Inn, and as nice as it was to have a great (and FREE!) continental breakfast at our disposal, you know what they say about variety, kids! For the other reason, a very eye-catching (and mouth-watering) billboard we saw on the way to Avila Beach helped seal the deal. Breakfast it was!

The morning we dashed across the street was pretty soggy (as every morning had been for about the past three days!) Even so, the Farm's parking lot was full, and the waiting area was just about as populated. However, the friendly-yet-VERY-businesslike staff had this thing down to a science, and when they told us the wait would be about 10-15 minutes, they weren't kidding! We took the time to browse around the up-and downstairs gift shop areas - both nicely appointed and decked out with a lot of cool, homey-looking (and tres EXPENSIVE!!!!) wares. What caught my eye, of course, was the bakery out front, with enough deadly-delicious looking desserts to put extra saddlebags on your caboose just by LOOKING at them. 

We heard our party name called and were hustled immediately to a booth, and the place was JAMMIN'. I didn't expect the service to be about much, but our waitress got us situated with coffee and O.J. pretty quickly, while we rummaged over the medium-vast menu to try and decide what to go with.

I knew this was the LAST place I wanted to destroy my diet, so I led with my chin...and a big bowl of the Old Fashioned Oatmeal (a good choice as it turned out) with all the fixin's.  I followed that up with the Chocolate Chip Pancakes and a side order of sausage and hash browns. Everything came in pretty short order, and was as delicious (and generously portioned) as we'd hoped for...so much so, that I couldn't finish it all, (and unfortunately not having anywhere back in the room to keep it, meant that we couldn't take any doggie bags back with us. The GOOD news is that we couldn't bring back any baked stuff, either!) 

So just from a casual tourist's POV, to recap: great breakfast, a tad overpriced tchotchkes (unless you do have the extra money to blow on a $50 Apple Farms sweatshirt), and great goodies - if you plan on scarfing them down soon after purchase, or you're local to SLO and can just take them home with you.
5 - Claudia B.: I love this place.  If you want the BEST in comfort food, this is it.  The ambience is lovely, whether you dine on their outdoor patio or inside.  Whether you order a turkey dinner or a roast beef sandwich or a salad, everything is prepared with quality ingredients and bursting with flavor.  Their bakery items are to-die-for.  I LOVE THEIR COOKIES.  YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMY.  It's worth the 3 hour drive to eat there.... maybe not every day, but yes, once in awhile, it's definitely worth the drive.  Plus, there's a great little shop you can wander through as you're waiting to get seated......or just after you've eaten.
4 - Truth X.: We've been fans of the Apple Farm for more than a decade. 

Our raving faves are the Country Pot Roast...the Butter Nut Squash ravioli...The Reuben sandwich...and the macaroni & cheese is like a loving, warm hug from your mother.

For dessert...a red-velvet cheesecake that is creamy and delicious!!!
4 - Robert K.: Came to SLO for work this week and remembered this restaurant. I missed it the last time here. Remember from previous visits the food was real good and it still is.  Last time was a couple of years ago and we ate here 3-4 nights that week. Whatever i Had i Can't any more because I watch what I eat. This time I had the rotisserie chicken and vegs and it was very good! Service was fast and the waiter was very friendly and attentive. Probably will come back tomorrow.
2 - Brian Y.: Nice server but terrible service. Came with a group of 8. Most of our dishes came out stoned cold after a 45 minute wait. that's after 20 minutes to take our order. I always can tell a good breakfast place if they can fry an egg. They fry eggs just like my mother. Scorched on the outside runny whites in the center (over easy) or cooked all the way through (almost solid yoke) if you order over medium. Must of trained at Denney's. Burned omelets. Bakery items were good and came out first - a half hour before our main dishes. It was not crowded so no excuse there.
5 - Jason W.: This place is great.  We rolled into SLO last week about 9:30 at night , needed a room, and took a chance on the Apple Farm.  The initial nightly rate was $199, which they dropped to $159.  I indicated that I didn't want to pay more than $119, they agreed to the discounted rate and handed me the keys.  Perfect.  The over-the-top country decor is hilarious and charming.  Our room was clean, the staff was gracious, and the bakery was great the next morning for breakfast.  I will certainly be back next time I visit the central coast.
3 - Danielle J.: I had only been to the apple farm once before I went this past weekend. I remembered a friendly staff and this time a guy just walked up and took our order, I was very disappointed.  The food was ok, but the apple cider iced tea was to die for!
2 - J. S.: Ridiculous prices for sub-par food. BLT had a single tiny slice if tomato and smidge of lettuce. More of a 'B sandwich.' The club sandwiches were just mediocre on bread that wasn't even toasted. Being slim people we usually appreciate normal size or small sized portions but these were significantly small. Even the sides were dinky. The food in general reminded all of us of something you'd find at a "side if the road" diner. 

The only thing we did enjoy was the great patio. The view and gorgeous plants almost made up for the 'meh' food. There are much better dining experiences than this for the money.
1 - Dennis B.: We stayed two nights in June,2011. We arrived at 2:15p.m. Front desk said to wait 30 minutes or so.  30 minutes later they said your room will not be ready until 4:00 p.m. Our room was a double bed, although we paid for a queen bed. Dave, front desk manager, when we checked out said the bed was queen, however we sleep on a queen and this was certainly not a queen.  Front desk provided no help whatsoever. Would never stay at apple farm again. Very old rooms and even worse service.
Look any where else for a room.
4 - Wayne H.: Zoe was a great waitress.  Food was good
Atmosphere great!
4 - Sindie Y.: I had never stay @ this place, but I always make sure I stopped @ this place when I pass through SLO.  My friend took me here in the mid 90s, nothing has change over the years, it is still a fun place for me to stop when I pass by.  

The staffs are friendly, love their jam, especially apple cider (always make sure I grab a gallon or two), there are always fun things to discover in the gift shop (kinda pricy tho). 

The bottom line is, even if you're not staying here, it is still worth to stop here just to check it out.
3 - katie r.: stayed here on our way back to sac town....nice rooms and staff,
EXCEPT when they made  an unauthorized withdrawal from my atm card,
and didn't seemed concerned for 6 days!
just make sure you get paperwork when you checkout....they don't give you anything, when you book through hotels.com.
i'm just glad i checked my bank online when i got home!
3 - Jeremy G.: This review is for the restaurant only.

For me, this place is more about ambiance and nostalgia than it is about food. And the gift shop, which is great. In a way, this is like the Pea Soup Andersen's of San Luis Obispo. But with apples.

As for the food, I would say it's on par with Marie Callender's. Except for the desserts, which are decidedly inferior compared to that chain. Everything is overpriced, too. The coffee is good, though. 

Still, it's always very pleasant to eat here. Very picturesque.
5 - Steve H.: Loved it!!  My husband and I enjoyed this restaurant so much we had lunch there two times while staying in AvilaBeach for one week.  The vegetable soup was delicious and tasted homemade.  We also would recommend the potato pancakes that were amazing.  We enjoyed sitting in the side porch area with the pretty hanging baskets and lovely flowers.  Service was good and everyone involved was so nice.  We also enjoyed shopping on the way out in the gift shop.  I bought a beautiful scarf and bracelet.
4 - Andrew P.: 4.33 stars.  :)

Yeah, it's "frilly, fruity, country-homey" whatever.  I'm a guy with tattoos, a potty mouth and a predilection for films with gore and senseless violence, and I can appreciate the fact that this place is to look like a doll house.  So what?  Enjoy it, don't get rubbed the wrong way by it, just get caught up in it and enjoy it for what it is.

Staff is super friendly across the board.  We loved the free cookies at 7PM (Heath bar chip.... stomach orgasm....), the afternoon wine/hors d' oeveurs at 3:30 in the Garden Room- the host was the most awesome individual ever, thanks for the six full glasses of wine and tips on where to find it for $4- the wait staff in the restaurant (get the cinnamon roll french toast and the country breakfast- will feed your family of 4 easily.....)

Kids loved the pool and grounds.  

Only down sides- super early room tidying staff (we didn't put a sign on the door and they were in there at 9AM upon our return from breakfast, making it a bitch to pack up for the day for our kids and get out ok), low shower pressure in shower, and an air conditioner that only seemed to make the surrounding 6-foot radius cool, not the entire room.

We thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it highly.
4 - Ismael M.: The place is very nostalgic and gives a very historic feeling when you walk on the grounds. It is a restaurant, a gift shop, and a hotel. The only thing that I have tried about this place is their Apple Pie, which is to die for. Other than that, a decent place to visit and get a historic feeling about the site.
3 - Joey H.: Well, as they used to say, "a smile is a wish fulfilled with your lips!" WELLLLLL, I was only grinning a little after this place. Nice entrees (try the goose) and decently stiff drinks. Walked in on a bellhop washing his balls in the sink, but not all unpleasant. Took two stars off for the garnish (parsley? please) and the commute. Would bring the wifey back, but only if the dennys is closed!
3 - Krista F.: I get the appeal of this place, I really do. It's got character, country charm and kitch coming out of its ears. Don't even get me started on the flowers. Yes, it's got plenty of those. I'm sure someone's grandmother would walk into this place and throw her hands, knitting and tea cozies up in the air in jubilation...but i'm not a grandmother.

The room was nice. Very flowery. Did I mention there were a lot of flowers here? The restaurant was itself was so-so. I enjoyed my apple iced tea.  The free cookies in the lounge were tempting and looked delicious. I wonder if they were baked by a grandmother?  The little gift shops near the lobby and the restaurant were also full of country randomness and grandmothers' treasures.  

Did I mention there were lots of flowers?
4 - Thomas O.: I Stayed here for the Hotel. WOW not my style but really cool. This is a great place for a romantic get away. 

For a person that is use to modern style this was a break from my normal. My wife loved it too. We are both really into modern style but this place was so cute county there is now way not to love it! 

If you do not love your grandma don't bother going here......in reference to  Krista F. review.

STAY THERE AND EAT THERE YOU WILL LOVE IT!
IF YOU ARE REALLY YOUNG KEEP AN OPEN MIND!
5 - Karen W.: This was our last stop on our honeymoon after having traveled up to Monterey and the Napa area.  We found a great deal through Travelzoo. We arrived late and the woman at the front desk was very friendly, especially for 10:30 at night.  I thought the decor of the Inn was very girly and like that of a dollhouse.  I happened to love it, and my husband was just happy that I was happy. :)  If you're not into flowers and country decor, it's probably not the place for you. While it's not our normal type of hotel, there was something very welcoming about it. We stayed in the main building in one of their king specialty rooms. It was wonderful! The canopy bed, sitting area, fireplace, and special touches throughout the room, all made it very appealing to me.  I particularly enjoyed reading through the journal that was left in the room for each guest to sign.  We walked around the property the next day, and it is filled with flowers (another plus for me!).  We also ate lunch at their restaurant.  The restaurant was fine but their baked goods were better.  We would definitely stay here again but only if we could be in one of their newly-renovated specialty rooms.  It was a great way to end our honeymoon!
5 - brenna O.: OMG the Apple Farm Omelet is to DIE FOR! I could taste every single veggie in it with every bite and it was melt in your mouth good. We went back the next day for lunch and I had a shrimp salad which was also delicious. Great for gluten free options, they were really accommodating. The staff was friendly and the atmosphere is so fabulous. The restaurant is inside an old victorian style house. Very cute, romantic and delicious!
3 - Chris B.: I think if I was staying at the hotel I would have enjoyed the simple convience of the restaurant.  Our service was good, and now that I am older I appreciate the decor and ambiance of this place.  However, the food is just o.k.  I got a turkey pot-pie that I thought would be like Claim Jumper's (before Claim Jumpers changed owners) loaded with a ton of turkey, veggies, and gravy in a big bowl topped with flakey pie crust.  I did get the good flakey pie crust here, but the bowl was more like a super shallow saucer making it look big.  It wasn't.....Just o.k. too with a little bit of fresh fruit on the side for $13.00.  

The wife's burger was decent served with locally grown produce.  Kids hot dogs were good too.  Like other reviewers say, everything is Marie Callender's quality with higher prices.  

I think the best part about coming here was the bakery.  We got some pretty good cookies on the way out, and I picked up a 22oz Apple Farm Pale Ale that was much better than expected.  Nice hop flavor.  

I think next time I'd rather spend $50 on good fruit preserves, and some other things from the gift shop and bakery.  Man, 15 years ago I would never have written that last sentence.
3 - Steve V.: Food is okay, prices are a little high.
4 - Jennifer S.: My mom and I stayed here with my 3 boys and I LOVE this place. The location is a little odd, right off the freeway, but you would never know the 101 was right next door. The only negative I have to say is the restaurant. The service was consistently terrible. We ate dinner and breakfast there. The local hamburger was awesome and breakfast was really good. BUT, with 3 kids, we don't have hours to sit around waiting for drinks, refills, food and anything else that required the wait staff to bring us. It really put a damper on things since the food was good.  They didn't even come by to see if we needed anything. It was very frustrating to try to track someone down for things we needed. It was too bad.
4 - BRIAN s.: Review of restaurant and gift shop area.  They actually have a large variety  of things in the gift store.  I bought some Halloween stuff and wanted to buy more but held back.  It took a long time to find a cashier though to buy our things.  We headed over to the restaurant then for dinner.  I had the turkey pot pie, my friend the nachos.  My turkey pot pie the crust was delicious and flaky.  Filled with a very light sauce that went well with the chunks of turkey and veggies.  My friend enjoyed her nachos, with some very fresh guacamole on it and the usual fixings.  They have some of their own wines also which are quite tasty.  The service was good, our waitress was upbeat and answered all our questions with ease.   A good experience worth going back for.
2 - Ron Q.: My wife and I stopped by for a cup of coffee and dessert. The waitress asked me to fill my coffee that I was having. I didn't really need it and then when I got my bill I  found out that they charge for all refills.  Where in the hell do they do that? 
I just think that it was the waitresses responsibilty to me the customer to advise me of the policy when offering a refill, especially when it wasn't needed.  Hey waitresses always offer ,...but there's no charge.  This was the bad.
The good was that the chichen quesedilla was excllent and so was the peanut butter cookie w/M&M's.
I would come back again for the patio and treats.
5 - Dawn B.: I absolutely love apple farm, especially during Christmas time. I have had the basic bacon and eggs with a biscuit and boysenberry jam, soooo yummy!! I have also had their meatloaf sandwich and salad bar. They have an amazing salad bar, the sandwich could use some work though. Maybe make it a hot one??
4 - Bill H.: Good homestyle food and they serve wine.
4 - Jamie T.: The hotel rooms and atmosphere when staying there is great! I wouldn't recommend eating dinner here; go somewhere else in SLO. The restaurant has an older vibe to it and is always filled with elderly people. I do advise going to the bakery and picking up a slice of pie though; all of their baked goods are delicious!
4 - Guy C.: Had breakfast here, would say the food compares to a Denny's but a really nice bakery and it is a real destination style breakfast establishment. Large portions so beware :-)
5 - Brandi G.: Review is for Restaurant and Hotel....
I love this place.  Parents used to bring us here to stay the night often when we were growing up, even though it's only 20 minutes away from home.  My mom loved it there and now I know why.  As kids you're just excited to go stay in a hotel but now that I'm older I appreciate it.  I love that you get a wooden apple to take home after your stay.  I love the wine reception even though I don't particularly love wine.  The only bad things about the room is the small, needs to be updated tv's.  but I guess you're not supposed to go there to watch tv. and it would be nice if there were refridgerators.
Room 100 is my favorite.  I love the big tub and the fact that you have your own private entrance to the pool.  It is a bit louder because it's right by the elevator.  but it's okay.  I always request room 100.  

The restaurant is delicious.  I usually order the meatloaf, it's very delicious.  The side of cornbread is very, very good.  I really like the salad bar, but to add a trip it's quite expensive so I usually don't.  
I ALWAYS order the apple brown betty for dessert and take it back to my room with me, since I'm usually quite full to eat it right away.  Make sure they warm it up for you though.  They make the vanilla ice cream there and it is amazing!  
I love the free apple cider in the lobby and the decorations and smells of the whole place.
Stay here as often as my bank account will allow.  Look for specials and deals.  Sign up for the email list to receive specials.  This place isn't cheap, but it's worth it.
4 - Steve S.: Restaurant review:  We were lucky to be seated up in the round room, with windows all around.  I would request being seated there if we go again.  My family had the turkey dinners and a veggie burger, which they said were excellent with large portions.  My French Dip was so-so.  Not much flavor.  I was hoping for the taste of the excellent local beef, but it didn't have much flavor.  The dinner salad was huge.  The service was excellent.  My party also loved the gift shop.
4 - Janelle B.: I used to come here all the time with m family but since I am never in the area anymore I totally forgot about it until recently. I saw that they just joined Open Table and so yesterday when my friend and I went to Hearst Castle we drove an hour south out of our way just to go there. I was so happy to see that nothing had changed and was extremely happy that the apple dumpling a la mode hadn't changed either. 
The decor is a bit outdated and smells musty, but what do you expect for a place that is as old as it is? The decor just adds to the charm. 
I can't wait for the excuse to go back again!!!
3 - Stefanie L.: A few years ago, I would have given this place five stars hands-down. Back then, I was a college student, and so I noticed other college students more readily. The Apple Farm was swarming with them, because most of the employees were Cal Poly kids earning their keep and making small talk with tourists, and this pleased me greatly. But I feel like the restaurant just ain't what it used to be. 

Granted, the Apple Farm is very dependable if you want a better-than-Applebees hearty American meal. You will find something on the menu that you'll be able to eat, and you'll leave full. I just feel like this place has lost its charm. It used to be kitschy and cute, with its trinkets and candles and candies all available for purchase before you even set foot inside the dining room. Now it just seems like a battle between you and the Christmas tchotchkes, and you will lose every time. There is too much glitter everywhere. It's frightening. I'm not knocking the service or the food, but this place is sort of stuck in the mid-80s Midwest--it has a salad bar, for Christ's sake--and it shows no signs of escaping. If you have kids, come here. If you don't, eat somewhere on Higuera Street.
4 - Timmy S.: This place is an institution in San Luis Obispo. I went here for Thanksgiving dinner so my meal is most likely not normally on their menu.

Farm decor is the theme. Hearty food (and plenty of it) is what is served.
I was wary of what I was in store for when my salad arrived. Just some lettuce with one cherry tomato, one cucumber slice and a single crouton. It left a lot to be desired. But then came a chunk of cornbread that was to die for. It was enormous and delicious - I wanted to carve a doorway in it and move in. Then came the dinner: honey glazed ham with a side of honey mustard, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beens and sweet potatoes. I wasn't a fan of the sweet potatoes but everything else was fantastic. The stuffing had (I think) sausage and apples in it - tasty stuff.  I wasn't able to finish everything on my plate before I was full. But then our server told us that a slice of pie came with the meal. Yelp rule #8: There is always room for pie. My slice of boysenberry pie was simply the best. The crust was perfection and the berries were equally perfect. 

It was a great meal albeit a bit overpriced. But it WAS Thanksgiving and I didn't have to cook or do the dishes!
4 - Theresa L.: The review is for the restaurant and baked their baked goods.

Every time my friends and I go to SLO, we always stop by Apple Farm to get their delicious cookies. We decided to have breakfast here one day. The decor of the restaurant had decor of apples and farm animals all over the place. 

I had ordered the eggs and bacon. It was a good portion of food. It came with three eggs, three thick slices of bacon, hashbrowns and your choice of muffin, toast, english muffin or scone and boysenberry jelly. I chose the pumpkin muffin, it was warm and yummy. My friend got the apple muffin and that was heaven! it had a streusel topping and small chunks of apple inside. 

Overall the service was good, got the food in a timely manner and prices are fair. I can't wait to go back! Only bummer was the bakery didn't have much options left at that time and it was only the afternoon! I really wanted to buy apple muffins togo. But I did buy their English toffee cookies which are the best!!
2 - bebelyn K.: I took my Fiance to breakfast here, and this place deserves 4 stars BUT the hostesses at the front stole 2 stars due to their rudness. We walk in and are looked at up and down from the group of 3 galsstanding behind the Hostess desk having a 5 minute personal conversation, we are hopeing to be properly and promply attended.We felt ignored and are left feeling how should i say judged... WAIT we are paying to be here!! We give the old EHEM and are finally "put on the waiting list" and not in a friendly manner. There was no reason to be looked at like a highschool girl in pajamas, we both looked nice and smelled nice too, so I dont understand the rude body language towards us by the hostess.
4 - Robert Z.: Good food. Great service, our waitress was on top if it. You'll probably have to wait so make sure you make a reservation.
1 - Tommy G.: I decided to stop here for breakfast this morning with my girlfriend after a long day of driving. When we pulled up it was adorable, all decorated for Christmas. Once we got in it was beautiful very warm and inviting. After the hostess sat us our whole experience took a turn. Our server was a young man that seemed utterly disinterested in serving us, he was rude and gave us no updates. 

The food came out rather quickly. The coffee was good, the cider was awful, Just warm apple juice and cinnamon sticks. The potatoes were under cooked and crunchy. My apple sausage omelet was mushy and tasted like fish, couldn't eat more than one bite. My girlfriend's eggs were real bad too, either they were rotten or something else that didn't belong got into the recipe. Then to top it all off the toilet in the bathroom was overflowing with fecal matter when I left. I will never return the this place.

Over all it seemed far too laid back, wait staff standing around talking, no one greeted us when we got in and nothing was done to correct or make up for awful and over priced so called food. Denny's has a better omelet.

$40 down the drain.
5 - Tina C.: Their blueberry scone is to die for! everything in their bakery is delicious.
5 - Dennis S.: We stayed at the Apple Farm for the second time recently and had a wonderful time. If your up for the ultimate romantic stay ask for the Mill House. The Mill House has two rooms both with private spa tubs on there balconies. A free wine reception every evening and free bakery fresh cookies. The grounds are are impeccable kept gardens and the staff is attentive.
2 - Nilkamal S.: Stayed at Apple Inn for one night on December 20 and I'm happy it was only one night. The room was cold, it was practically the same temperature inside as it was outside and the heater wasn't working. After calling the desk about it, they quickly sent someone who put us in another room. The heater here was working but stops intermittently. When we called the front desk, he admitted that the facilities heaters are really old and just don't do a good job. We just had to wear all our warm clothes and cover up all night. It was definitely a waste of money as I paid an extra $30 for a room with a hot tub and was unable to use it as we didn't want to be in a cold room after getting wet.

Apart from that facility issue, the staff was very responsive and pleasant. I was happy with the customer service and cleanliness of the room but not with the room and most specifically the temperature.

There are many inns and hotels right around this one and I would stay at one of the newer ones with better heating when it is cold.
5 - C W.: Wow!  This place was great.  I travel 50% of the year and this place was the best hotel I have stayed at this year.  The rooms are huge and have a fireplace, at least the ones I stayed in.  For someone who stays at the major hotel chains (platinum member) this was a nice change from your boring run of the mill franchise hotels.  Thank you for the wonderful and relaxed stay.  Oh, and they had a govt. rate!
1 - Kevin H.: This review is for the restaurant only.. 

Awful.. 
I usually can understand why people leave good reviews for places that I hate.. but I have no idea on how you could leave a good review for this restaurant.. I've eaten better food in army mess halls.. i've eaten better food prepared for me by my 7 year old. 
cold
bland
awful
eh service
dirty seating
again i must stress.. the food was awful.. awful awful awful. I had the tri-tip with the scalloped potatoes.. and some cold boiled veg.. i have nothing nice to say about anything on that plate..

I get that, based on the look of the place, it's more of a place for kitsch, then for food, but given they are charging $15-25 for these plates of slop, shouldn't they at least try to make it edible?
5 - Ralph W.: Was brought here by our central coast road trip partners in crime : Andy and DAPH! 

Very unique intercontinental style restaurant. definitely reminds me of the hotel del in our hometown of SD and/or an upscale OG version of Marie calendars. 

We were seated very promptly, service was on point and the food was all good.. We got the early bird special (2:30-4:30) $13.95 comes w/ your choice of soup or salad main entree and dessert. 

The must get here is the open faced sandwich. Pick from roast beef, turkey or meatloaf. Definitely a winner! 

please be aware that the half sandwich, half soup/salad menu item doesnt refer to the open face sandwiches. 

Top it all off w/ the apple pie ala mode.

I'll be back apple farms! thanks!
3 - Cindy H.: The fried sliced apples with vanilla ice cream was okay.  It was nicely fried, but I couldn't eat too much because of the oil.  My friend and I also ordered the chocolate bread pudding, which was overly sweet.
4 - Tyrenda P.: Me and my hubby decided on a quick weekend get away and someone recommended us to the Apple Farm. We did not get a room in the inn, but in the more motelish end. Our room was a little smaller, however it had a fireplace and a personal secluded hot tub, which was really one of those massage therapy tubs, where the jets really don't go very hard. Even with that I have to say the atmosphere and decor was so cute and country style. We enjoyed our room as it was quaint, and we were really not looking for extravegant, we liked soaking in the hot tob with the trees all around and nature. It was pretty. We ate breakfast in the restaurant and both times really enjoyed out meals. We would for sure stay there again. Again we are not razzle dazzle folks and just enjoyed the simplicity and cute decor.
4 - Zach P.: The Apple Farm definitely has some of the best character and charm out of all the hotels/motels in SLO.  Although the name is the Apple Farm, it's not located on an apple farm, so don't expect any apple trees.  

The property has a country Victorian look and the rooms in the inn section of the hotel are spacious and comfortable.  The rooms have a fireplace and they provide you with complimentary apple juice.  They keep hot coffee, tea and apple cider stocked in the lobby.  In the afternoon they have a complimentary wine hour with snacks.  The wine comes from a bag, but it's still good considering.  The service was excellent.

There is also the Apple Farm Restaurant which we thought was very good.  We had breakfast here twice and both times the food tasted fresh with a home cooked feel.  There are rumors that they are converting to a wine and steakhouse.  I think that would be unfortunate.  Make sure to pick up some apple butter on your way out.

The only downer is that it is located far from town, about a mile.  They don't offer any sort of shuttle service even though they had a bus in their parking lot.
4 - Jessica L.: Awesome staff, romantic atmosphere (at night), great food! I came here for the first time on a Valentine's date with my guy.
Our server, Caleb, was friendly and professional.
My boyfriend had the New York Steak. It was unbelievable. He ordered it medium-well and it was cooked perfectly. Most places would have cooked the hell out of it. Anyway, it was so juicy and flavourful, we were really surprised.
I had ordered the salmon with mashed potatoes. The salmon was....salmon. Haha there's not much you can do to make it phenomenal. The mashed potatoes, however......h.o.l.y. g.o.d! I took one bite of those babies and was instantly transported to my grandma's kitchen. They were probably the best taters I've ever had. And the gravy....*drool*! Soooo tasty! Talk about homemade cookin'!
The cornbread was delicious too. It's served with homemade honey butter that melts in your mouth. You get so much food here, it's well worth the price (which isn't bad!).
I ordered a glass of the Apple Farm cabernet, just for kicks, and it was pretty good. It was very smooth and didn't have that bitter bite at the end like lots of cabs I've tried. It went well with salmon too!
We were fortunate enough to save about an inch of room in our stomachs for dessert. We ordered the apple dumpling. There are no words to describe this thing other than gooey, cinnamony, apple crunchy, ice creamy goodness. We wanted something comparable to apple pie with ice cream, and Caleb recommended this. It's a whole apple, cored and baked (I think) with a cinnamon sugar crust. You get 2 scoops of ice cream with it. Honestly....this thing is massive. It's big enough to be shared between 2-3 people, and we were sad we couldn't finish it all. Get it, you will not be disappointed.
We just loved this place so much. The gift and wine shops were cool. We've decided to make this our Valentine's tradition.
3 - Nickoli H.: getting past the foo foo decor was tough for me( as well as for my GF). Immpecably clean !!! Like Disneyland...Bring the Grandparents...
2 - Robert R.: The kid at the front desk was super nice. They brought out cookies that were amazing! My gf and I got the room with the private jacuzzi. The jacuzzi was ok. It wasn't great but it did the job. The room was weird! The whole room was styled with flowers....seriously the wallpaper, bed, curtains, everything was flowers!.it was kind of creepy. There was definitely dust in the room...I felt like I didn't want to take a deep breathe. It was not worth the $139. We went to there restaurant too, and the waitress had a serious attitude. Maybe it was because it was a little busy in get section but still that's no excuse. I'm a pleasant positive person so there would be no reason for someone to give an attitude like that. I ordered the salmon and it was very good. I got it with rice pilaf and broccoli. The cornbread was really good too. Overall the stay was bad the food was good and the service was terrible. I might have given two stars but the fact that it was pricey made me only give it one. UPDATE: The reply that I received on Yelp from Apple Farms was very friendly and seemed very real. This person tool the time out to specifically reply to my statements unlike Sycamore spa who replied to me with a standard "PC" reply. Apple farms was not a horrible place for me to stay but those rooms def weren't for me. i appreciate the reply. Again i would have given it three stars but the fact that the room was also very pricey held me back from doing that.
5 - AJ R.: This place is pretty tough to beat for a kick-ass traditional American breakfast.....
     Big Sur is one of my favorite places in the world and whenever I have three days to rub together, I run up there and Apple Farm is invariably the springboard for such trips.  
     I usually stroll through the door will about 50 lbs. of extra gear on, cold and hungry with my helmet in one hand and a map in the other.  It's very satisfying to sit in one of their little booths there and pour over the map as I plan the rest of my day and just as I start to make a decesion, a great plate of food hits the table and Im a happy man. 
    I have been going here for years and I cant seem to remember a bad experience I have ever had going to this place.
    No wait - I take that back.  One time on the way up there, my buddy crashed his bike in a turnout and we missed the cutoff for breakfast.  I was so angry with him - I cant believe he made me miss breakfast.
1 - Diane B.: I used to LOVE this place, but over the years the building has become ran down, the service isn't great, the food is very expensive for what you get, and management was super rude when I voiced my concerns. He said he was more concerned with getting customers "in and out". 
Save some money and go to Carl's instead!
1 - Diane D.: I always looked forward to our stop at apple farm inn restaurant on our drives to and from l.a.  I don't know what has happened.  Prices have gone up as fast as the quality of food has gone down.  The chicken in our chunky chicken salad tasted like it came out of a previously frozen, pre-diced bag of chicken they picked up at luckys grocery store.  The orange slices looked previously frozen as well.  The dressing was, at best, harmless but nothing interesting.  The salad was $13 before tax or tip. Way too much for mediocre food.  It was raining outside and they turned on the air conditioner.  I will never go back. I doubt I'll even return to the hotel since, I assume, whatever management change has happened will affect it as well.
3 - Rox R.: I would honestly give this place 2 1/2 stars.
Front desk - check in was fine for me. I found the check in lady a little condescending in tone though to the person in front of me that was just asking a few questions. A really nice guy we met later but I felt bad for how he was being talked to during his check in.
Lobby- very cute and welcoming. 
Welcome reception- very very lovely! Scones, or biscuits were amazing. Our server of wine and goodies was soo very friendly and helpful. She helped us find a nice place to eat in town and went above and beyond helpful. 
Restaurant for dinner was just ok- I wouldn't eat there again for dinner. The meatloaf was bland- I prefer a better sauce for the meatloaf- the gravy didn't add anything for us. 
If I stayed here again, forget the court, stay in the Inn. The court was just fine but the bed was cramped and not too comfortable. The Inn rooms looks way above amazing in comparison. 
Evening cookies- better than dessert at the restaurant. Oh my goodness good. Apple cider is a must at this place. Don't miss it. 
Checked out early. No one was at the desk and I rang the bell 3 times. I had to go because we had a race to get to down south.
The $5 voucher for food is cool- wish I had remembered to bring it to dinner.
1 - Susan N.: This was a highly reccommended restaurant for breakfast but was a huge.dissapointment!!!! The scrambled smoked salmon was scrambled eggs with cold locks (not smoked salmon) and.cold cream cheese on top of the eggs. Ummmmm....not scrambled not smoked salmon. Manager basically wouldn't talk to us and just offered to order something else. We also ordered basic breakfast of eggs and bacon.  If u like tooth breaking meat and under cooked eggs then maybe try this place. We won't be back and we both work at local hotels and won't ever reccommended...
4 - Wes F.: Love to eat the traditional American comfort food at the Apple Farm.  We always visit whenever we are vacationing in SLO.  The store you mill around in until you have a table is a quaint Americana decor store, and smells wonderful.  The food is always delicious, I have had the dumplings, the tritip, and the meatloaf, and loved them all.  Desserts are good too.
5 - John B.: Apple farm is a quaint, relaxing hotel that makes a wonderful stay if you are in the area.  The staff is friendly and helpful. The reception with wine and scones and the evening cookies are not to be missed.  The rooms are clean and cozy and have a wonderful feel to them, not typical hotel room style.  There are paths to walk and it is close enough to San Luis to explore the town.  The resturant is better than average and has some excellent selections, the baked apple is not to be missed, with two huge scoops of homemade icecream and cinnimon sauce over the top.
4 - Jeff H.: This restaurant was recommended to me by a co-worker and I'm glad I decided to take the recommendation. The food was very good. We ordered the Mac n Cheese and the rock fish I believe it was. They were great. The mac n cheese had great flavor. The fish was flaky like it should have been. We even ordered the Chicken Ratatouille to have at home. 

I recommend this place. The reason I did not give them a 5 star is as other's have said parking is horrible. I will return on my next visit!
4 - Julie M.: Delicious!  Comfort food at its best. Had the prime rib. It was very good. Prices are comparable to a steak house.
5 - Dixon S.: The Apple Farm Inn in San Luis Obispo is without a doubt one of the best , most down home, relaxing places we have ever been. Not only is it scenic with the classic decor and the working water mill, but the employees have always gone out of their way to make us feel welcome and at home. We usually come here every other year for our anniversary and the location makes this a great starting point to adventures locally in San Luis Obispo or over in Morro Bay or up the 101 into wine country. The accomodations are beautiful and the whole inn is done up in classic country style decor and what can you say about a place that has warm, fresh squeezed apple cider available free all of the time and the cookies they put out in the evening are also very yummy (love the toffee cookies). The grounds are well kept and full of very colorful plants and flowers. They have a cool little gift shop with all kinds of things and the on site restaurant has some of the best breakfast available in SLO county. I would recommend The Apple Farm Inn to anyone wanting a relaxing and restful stay in some of the central coasts most beautiful and scenic area.
3 - Katie W.: Upon check in to the hotel, we were given a $5 off restaurant voucher that we decided we would use the next day for breakfast. 
We made a reservation for 8:30AM on a Monday and obviously, we were seated immediately upon arrival. 

Our server was very friendly, albeit a bit spacey at times (he went to go get me ketchup, but brought back syrup and then it took him another few mins. to get the ketchup & by that time I was half way through my meal). 

My mom got the biscuits and gravy and coffee. I tried her dish and it was just average to me, I've had far better, but it wasn't bad. It should be noted that the creamer they gave her for her coffee curdled upon pour. Not a HUGE deal b/c I've seen that happen a lot, but to be mentioned in a review.

I had the huevos rancheros and I was surprised when I got it because it was with a green verde sauce which I've never had before...usually it's always with a red sauce. After the initial surprise, I decided that I liked it b/c it made it a bit spicier, but it is again, worth noting that it was IMPOSSIBLE to cut my meal b/c the tortillas were so hard. I had to rip it apart with my fingers (not cute). It came with a side of potatoes which were fine, and also an apple strussel muffin that was delicious! They served it with a warm boysenberry preserve that was great. I enjoyed my breakfast, but did not LOVE it. 

My fiance ordered the Belgium waffle with apple sauce on it. He says it was delicious and I can attest to that when it comes to the apple sauce b/c I made him share it. It was just like apple pie filling...really yummy. He also ordered the apple cider which he was bummed about b/c it didn't look like the picture he saw on Yelp (but upon closer inspection, I think that was his fault b/c I don't think it was the same thing). The cider  was 4 bucks which I thought was a rip seeing as though I didn't think the cider was any better than any other cider and this place IS called the APPLE farm. Starbucks carmel apple cider is better. 

To end with, I'd like to say that I think it is really dumb they don't serve the freakin' apple butter in the restaurant, but they SELL it in the gift shop. Really?! You don't serve your apple butter in the APPLE farm restaurant, but you do offer boysenberry preserves...weak sauce. However, being an apple butter lover, I took a chance and bought a jar of it. I ate it a few hours ago and it IS some of the best I've ever had, so all was not lost. 

I'd go again if in the area, but maybe try something different.
4 - Alex A.: get the strawbeyy pie!! love the crust
5 - Daryl T.: I highly recommend this place. The hotel is very nice, with a friendly and helpful staff. And the restaurant is upstanding!
3 - Heather W.: A standard American restaurant. Good food, good service, nice atmosphere. Nothing's gonna knock your socks off, but it is all fresh.
The real treasure is their drinks- both the apple cider and the root beer are delicious.
3 - Shae L.: Ok, so I have mixed feelings.  I would actually give this place 2 1/2 stars.  When I called to make my reservation they were super friendly and tried to do everything they could to get me the best room at the best rate.  We stayed here 5 years ago on our wedding night and had a decent room in the court.  Good size cute decor and it was supposed to have a hot tub, but it was broken.  I think it was room 3.  I was fine with that because I don't think we were charged for it.  Fast forward 5 years, we decided to go back for our anniversary.  While I love the grounds, our room was horrible.  We were in room 25.  First problem I noticed was the lack of lighting.  The only lights were the little bedside lamps and one that lit up a painting.  At night we could hardly see anything.  The next problem was with regards to the seating in the room.  There was a little tiny wicker bench and chair that were so uncomfortable and the proportions were all wrong so you couldn't actually sit on them, so we ended up having to just sit on the floor or the bed.  I also had a problem with the bathroom shower.  It was so tiny that it was impossible to bend over and pick up shampoo bottles and there was no ledge to put them on so I had to put them on the counter and open the shower door every time I needed something.  The decor was meh, but I know it's just old and outdated.  Hopefully they start redoing the rooms like they have done for the inn rooms.  One of the biggest problems I had with the room was the location.  It was right next to where the maids stored all their stuff so we were woken up each morning to REALLY loud talking right outside our door super early in the morning.  This trip was meant to be a get away from the kids so we could sleep in, but that just doesn't happen here.

We used to go the the restaurant every year when we were in college, so we pretty much knew what to expect.  I have always liked the decor and atmosphere and we have always had great service.  This trip was no exception.  I ordered the pork chop special and it was super dry and over cooked!  I should have just stuck with the chicken and dumplings.  We also always order the hot apple dumpling to split, but this time the apple wasn't cooked.  It was too hard to cut into so we just at the crust and the ice cream.  

We plan on going back on our 10 year anniversary, but we will need to save up because I will only stay there again if we can get one of the mill rooms where I know we can sleep in without rude maids yelling outside my door.
4 - Enea O.: My husband and I both had beef bbq sandwiches, except I had the half one with soup and he had salad with it instead.  It was meaty and enough sauce (not too much, just enough).  The cappucino came in this gorgeous and humongous mugs--loved it! We did have a bit of a wait, but you gotta expect it at places that are right in the same name hotel place.  It is a touristy spot, but unlike Anderson's, it doesn't have a bus load of people waiting in front--at least not at the time we were there at night! :)  (was there 5/29/2012)
2 - Lawrence T.: I really wanted to like staying here for the first time; after graduating from Cal Poly and only eating breakfast here, I thought for sure the hotel would be stellar.
Reception was quick and prompt no problems and our room was close to everything.
Our postage stamp room had the basics queen bed, armoire, TV, AC, etc.
The room with the queen bed had just enough room to walk around the bed. If the armoire doors are open you really couldn't walk by with out closing the doors and blocking the TV.
The WiFi in our room was about 3 bars on my laptop but slow.
The hot tub was filthy with debris floating on top. the skimmer was not skimming. dead flies and bees floating on the water looked like a bad witches brew.
Happy hour was a joke. They should serve the cookies they give out at reception and get rid of the "house" chex mix. The packaged stuff is better. The little cheese puff and bread is tasty but I was hoping for more "country" style fix'ins.
They should also serve fresh pressed cold cider as well. The Martinelli's is nice but the fresh stuff would be more authentic.
I knew one day I would have the chance to stay at Apple Farm and enjoy all the country hospitality and fluff but after this stay, I am going back to Quality Suites for the barebones space yet more modern amenities and cleaner facilities.

Overall the stay was ok... kinda Motel 8 with a lot of floral patterns. I will wait for the next major renovation to bring this barn up to modern standards.
5 - AJ R.: OMG! Incredible!
4 - Chloe J.: Darn good breakfast food! And adorable atmosphere, definitely a unique place everyone should experience. The food is pretty heavy because, well, thats the point, so you usually leave feeling kinda tired and heavy but the flavors make it worth it. The french toast is something to die for, but basically everything is delish!
1 - Rick B.: We wanted to like the Apple Farm, we really did.  But when I have to wait almost an hour in a half-deserted restaurant for an $11 plate of bacon and eggs, I just can't muster anything more than one star.  Judging from the complaining coming from the tables around us, I'm probably not alone.

The Apple Farm has been in SLO since the mid-70's, I believe, so it is sort of a local institution.  We've known people who have stayed in their Country/Victorian style rooms and not heard any raves or rips other than comments about their rates being overly high.  Through the years we've visited their gift shop on occasion and we've dined there once or twice in the pre-YELP days, with nothing particularly memorable to report.

So it was Saturday morning, we wanted a decent breakfast and the Apple Farm was very near our hotel.  

First it took forever for wait staff to arrive - STRIKE ONE.  Then it took forever for our meal to come, with no explanation whatsoever - STRIKE TWO.  Finally, Karla's eggs were hard as rocks and it took forever for fresh ones to be cooked.  By then the waitress was starting to realize that customers were not happy.  She became very attentive and even brought us a muffin as consolation for the slow kitchen.  We appreciated that but the damage had already been done.  Overall the meal was lackluster at best.  

Since the Apple Farm probably makes most of its money on tourists and not on locals, who undoubtedly know better values can be found elsewhere, my guess is this place will continue getting away with serving Yugo-style food at Mercedes-like prices.  What do they care if a tourist passing through never comes back?  Well, maybe the power of YELP will make a difference.

In the meantime, I've not been to a Denny's in years, but you'd be better off finding one of those than going to the Apple Farm.
3 - Fiona J.: We decided to make SLO a stop along our driving trip up the PCH.  I'm glad we did, as we really liked the town and the people.  The Apple Farm is a cute, country style inn right off the highway.  We were greeted by a very nice gentleman at the front desk, who got us our room promptly and offered us cookies from their on-site bakery.  They were really good.  We asked him where we could go for a great dinner.  He not only made the suggestion, but also called and made reservations for us.  And the suggestion turned out to be very good.  We got to our room (queen room with a private hot tub) and, while charming, was very tiny.  We hardly had room for all our luggage (we were on a 2 week + trip so we had lots of stuff).  The TV is old and outdated and the bathroom is barely bigger than a closet.  I actually liked the country style decor even though I wouldn't' have it in my house.  Once we managed to get everything situated so we could actually be able to walk around the room, it worked out ok.  We were just there for 1 night, but I honestly couldn't have stayed longer than that.  It really is that small.  The grounds of the inn are adorable.  The old working mill is great, and at night they have white Christmas lights on all the trees.  There is an outdoor pool, which looked really nice but we didn't have time to use it.  We did use the hot tub, which was clean and the water was nice and hot.  I do wish the jets were stronger, though.  The free wifi was ok.  The next morning we had breakfast at the on site restaurant.  We had really high hopes for it.  My husband had a cinnamon roll pull apart which he said was pretty good.  I just had bacon, eggs, and a biscuit and the biscuit was one of the best I'd ever had.  The service, however, really is not that great.  Now the hostess and the ladies at the front counter were great, but our server was ok at best.  She took a long time to greet us and take our order.  She didn't check on us after we got our food.  And when it came time to pay (which took forever also), she took our card and brought it back, but didn't bring the actual check for us to sign.  By this time, we went up to the cashier ourselves because we had to check out by noon.  We explained what happened and that we were in a hurry so they got us our check to sign.  And the very kind lady at the counter was very upset that we had to come up ourselves to straighten everything out.  She even went to find our server and couldn't locate her at all!  She even offered to comp our breakfast.  We told her that was unnecessary, since we actually did enjoy the food.  So....here's my suggestion.  If you like a quaint, SMALL, inn then this is definitely for you.  You may want to skip the restaurant if you are in a hurry.
4 - W M.: Wow! Really happy with our visit! Nice change from your typical hotel room. Loved the fireplace and jacuzzi on our private patio!  A little slice of Americana, and very reasonable ($99).  Didn't get a four poster bed, but happy with our room - except for (what i thought was) an uncomfortable mattress (room 9). 

Restaurant ok - are they ever that good? But downtown SLO is charming and close by.

RIGHT OFF the freeway, so convenient if that's a priority. We would come back.
3 - Linda T.: Nice breakfast if you are starving, but if you want a light bite, say a bowl of oatmeal, you are out of luck.  Oatmeal here consists of an average sized bowl of steel cut oats, a muffin and jam, juice and fruit- way more than I can comfortably eat.  No ala carte, so at $10, a pricey bowl of mush!
Service only so- so, but the garden and view from the restaurant is still beautiful.  With the many great family friendly restaurants in SLO, it might be awhile until we try this place again.
2 - James D.: After seeing the signs along 101, we decided to try this restaurant.  We dreamed that it would have home like cooking and reasonable prices.  We should have taken the hint that something was amiss as the restaurant was almost empty at the time we arrived.  By the time we finished our slow to be delivered, moderate to high priced, under flavored and boring meal, we were the only patrons in the place.  We will not be going back simply because it did not offer reasonable value and the service and meal preparation was far too slow.
5 - Claire F.: Great half meatloaf with BBQ apple beans; corn chowder too thick & cheesy. Kids' meals good selection & hubby had chicken ratatouille. Looking forward to home-made apple pie a la mode!!
5 - Jeff D.: Food is like grandma home cooked it for you. Breakfast was delicious and dinner we had was pot roast -- and it was even better. So much food we split dinner.
5 - Michael H.: My family has been eating here for at least 35 years. It is like a fancy Marie Calendars, and so order appropriately. This is straight forward American food. The truth is that I can't say too much about the food because for the past 20 years all we have eaten is the bowl of chili with cornbread with the apple streusel pie a la mode. We can order anything we want, but it is too good to get anything else. It is a bit pricey, so I wouldn't spend the money for breakfast. This is a great place for dinner. We always walk away hurting from eating so much.
3 - Jennifer D.: This is a cute little B&B that has a very country feel to it.  My boyfriend and I came here for breakfast.  The entrance is very cute with tons of potted plants and a very cute (and large - it is two stories) gift shop.  When you walk in there is a large pastry display with everything from M&M cookies, raspberry bars, and different types of crisps!  We made a reservation, and while we were a little early they still seated us right away.  I ordered a short stack of chocolate chip pancakes and a side of bacon, while my boyfriend ordered a short stack of banana pancakes without the walnuts and a side of 2 eggs scrambled and bacon.  We also each ordered a small glass of orange juice.  The orange juice seemed fresh squeezed, and for the price it should be, but you really don't get much juice at all.  Next time I would just splurge the extra $1 to get the large.  Then we waited at least 15 minutes for our food, and a couple that came in after us and ordered after us got their food at least 5 minutes before us!!  The chocolate chip pancakes were ok, with most of the chocolate chips in the middle of the pancake instead of evenly spread out.  We asked for a side of whipped cream, which was just what the pancakes needed.  The banana pancakes were very good, with ripe mashed bananas spread throughout.  The bacon was mostly fat, came out cold, and was not crispy at all, not to mention it was almost $5 for one side of bacon!  We definitely ordered too much food and could have just shared a side of bacon instead.  We were slightly disappointed in the fact that there were no pancake meals (meaning pancakes with a side of eggs or a side of bacon/sausage, or both), and when my boyfriend asked if he could get the sides, the waitress said of course making us think that we could get some kind of meal deal, but when the receipt came out we were charged a la carte for every item, making it an expensive breakfast.  The server was very nice, but the service was a little slow.  Overall, the food was ok, but the ambiance was very cute!
4 - Stacey W.: I've been coming here for twenty years and it's still the same good food and fun place to visit!
4 - Eric M.: It has been a while since I've been here and the charm has disappeared amid the outrageous prices for food. However, when the side salad appeared, I noticed the large portion next to a large piece of cornbread. My anticipation was mounting for the same with the entree and it was also a take home portion.

Might earn a star for the free Wi-fi but also the cherry cobbler.
3 - Erin B.: Local, tourist trap that serves decent food and caters to those who are interested in a traditional and rarely changing menu.  I would NOT categorize it as "youthful."  

There are a few highlights on this menu if you're looking for an "old standard" kind of night.  I adore their potato pancakes, they serve them right and you get a pretty big portion.  Also, their corn chowder is a family favorite, with a side of corn bread, you can't go wrong. 

Also, if you're looking for a sugar fix, their desserts are pretty yummy and reminiscent of mom's kitchen.  

Their gift shop is rocking and they actually have a ton of neat things and they change seasonally.  If you're looking for a gift for mom or maybe something neat for Christmas, this is a good spot to stop. 

Apple Farm is not a place I could or would want to be a local, but it is good if you have a group or you're looking for a warm place to go on a cold night or morning.
5 - Irene S.: As a kid, my family often came to the Apple Farm to visit the gift shops and occasionally eat a meal there,  When I come down to San Luis Obispo, I still enjoy coming here to eat at the restaurant.  The food there is absolutely tasty.  The whole place has kind of an old cottage like feel to it.  It is very cozy and endearing.  The gift shop sells mostly country themed items.  They make their own apple juice and it is amazingly sweet and delicious! 

I have never stayed in the hotel there but someday I do want to.  I have had the chance to walk through there and I love the old world Victorian theme.  I also love the fact that this place has an actual working water wheel that continuously brings water into a moat.  It is a very cute place to visit and very much worth seeing!
2 - Jeanie S.: This review is for the restaurant only.

If you like Victorian buildings, cute and kitchy surroundings (think "utter decor emasculation"), and undistinguished food, this is your ticket to ride. Portions are large, food is prepared with a lack of any creativity, and prices are high for what you get. My plate of stir fried vegetables was drowning in soy sauce and lacking any resemblance of flavor balance. Was that Uncle Ben's white rice in the middle? Sure tasted like it. How about letting those "local farmer's market fresh vegetables" shine instead of obliterating them in marinade? How about offering brown rice for some texture? Hint: vegetarian isn't code for "my tastebuds have been conveniently amputated for your food preparation ease."

On the plus side, the place is the epitome of family-friendly, the service is warm and enthusiastic, and the display of baked goods in the lobby cold case will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside (and soft and plump outside). 

So pull your potbelly up to the dining table and enjoy. Be sure to order the apple dumpling a la mode for dessert. It was the best part of the meal (seriously, it was delicious). I'd stop in for the baked goods, but skip the meal.
1 - C B.: We should have listened to recent Yelp reviews.   Service was extremely slow, the food was average and cold (when it finally arrived you could tell it had been sitting complete for quite some time), parts of the order were missing (when the toast arrived it was half burnt and half untoasted- classic), and finally there were no apologies.  My strong reco is to go somewhere else, anywhere else!
4 - Kathy B.: Love this place. The shop is phenomenal!                                                                     Love the warm scones and fresh preserves. And the sausage is to due for! We go each time we can get that direction.
It's worth the wait
2 - Justin P.: Mediocre at best! Went here with high hopes and was let down in every way. Never will be back! Even had a hair lying across my bacon, and all they did was replace it.
3 - J W.: Lemon Merengue Pie was yummy but $6 so kind of expensive.  Burger wasn't done to my liking.  Beans were a bit too sweet.  Not crazy about the sausage sampler.  I would come back for pies and probably other menu items.
5 - Lauren A.: We ate here twice during a recent road trip to Morro Bay and yummy, is it good or what?  The big bummer is that the Mill House was closed.  Always a SLO favorite!
1 - Chloe C.: Went here for breakfast, waited for 45 mins for the food, finally our order came but it was the wrong one, so we have to wait again, i think pancake, bacon and egg is not that hard to prepare, will never go back here. I feel embarrassed for recommending this place for breakfast :(
2 - Mia P.: I grew up eating Apple Farm breakfasts with my family on special occasions. My husband and I ate here on our honeymoon. So it holds a special place in my heart, and I've always had tasty, filling breakfasts and good service in the past.
However, the past two times we've been here it's been really disappointing. A couple months ago we came here with some out of town relatives and assured them it would be great- and it wasn't. Our food was good, the service was ok, but once we were served, our waitress seemed to think we didn't need anything. Ever again. She continued to serve the tables around us but apparently we were invisible to her. I don't think we were rude or offensive at all, so I don't know what the deal was. We eventually flagged down a waitress from a different section who helped us for the rest of our meal. We made sure to indicate our tip was for her! 
Then, this last weekend, my husband and I were celebrating our anniversary and decided to stop by in the name of tradition. We were seated very promptly. Apparently too promptly, because our waiter didn't show up for about 10 minutes. He was pretty cold towards us the whole time. We placed our drink and food orders and were brought our biscuits shortly afterward. This is usually my favorite part. This time, the biscuit was crunchy around the edges and lukewarm. It seemed like they were trying to get rid of yesterday's microwaved leftovers. Our waiter walked away before we could ask him for silverware. We got the attention of a different waiter who brought us table settings right away. I wish we could have traded waiters. Our food came and it was bleh. My husband's meal was lukewarm and flavorless. Mine was ok- I tried Eggs Benedict for the first time. I mostly enjoyed it, but it was also lukewarm and the eggs were poached to death- aren't the yolks supposed to be runny?
Places like the Apple Farm are enjoyable when they're done right- rich, heavy, American comfort food. When they're not, they're laughable, kitschy, and touristy. I know you've got the magic AF. Bring it back!
4 - Wendy B.: We heard about Apple Farm from it's manager, who just happened to be on a tour of the local abalone farm with us.  So, we figured we should give it a shot while in town.

And I am glad we did.

You should know, we asked this manager, John (I think), what were his favorite meals.  And he recommended the meatloaf, pork chop, and turkey pot pie.  All comfort foods.  So, there you go.  From the expert.

We did the meatloaf and the pot pie, and here is our low down.

The meatloaf was wonderfully seasoned with a beautiful combination of herbs and seasonings.  And even though I usually find meatloaf to be bland and mushy from too many bread crumbs in the mix, this one I would come back for.  The mashed potatoes and gravy were excellent.  Mr. B was privately awarded a Clean Plate Club award for his well practiced scraping techniques used on that poor plate.

The pot pie was almost great.  I loved the flakey crust (I am so hard to please in that department) and the lightly herbed, cream filling.  The filling had lots of chunks of turkey breast, carrots and peas, and maybe some potato. My only regret was they had overcooked the turkey.  The flavor was delicious and I could hardly keep from licking that dish.  I hope they figure out how to fix their problem with the turkey.

The ambiance was cute, Victorian themed, busy with lots of flowers, glitz, and glam.  This is a magical place to bring your cute little old granny and the kids. And quite close to Cal Poly.
4 - Michael Y.: Breakfast, omelette, biscuit n' gravy, and dinner were very good! I'd come back again! Staff were friendly too! Very country and homey feeling! I loved the atmosphere, the whole setup, and all!
5 - MARISSA H.: My husband I have never heard of Apply Farm Inn until we researched a romantic Inn to celebrate our anniversary. We were in love from the moment we checked in. Elena was very friendly and offered us cookies and coffee. We were then offered a glass of wine to take to our room.

If you're looking for a romantic room simply request Room #100. By luck we were in Rm #100. This is the only room that has 24 hour access to the heated pool. It was a bit noisy from the elevator and upper floor but was worth it! 

We had a great experience in the restaurant. I would recommend making reservations for breakfast. We were too full for deserts but we were told by the locals the deserts are amazing.

We plan on making it an annual trip!
1 - Kristy D.: I have stayed at the Inn and it was so romantic. However, years later we went to the restaurant and it was awful. Expensive, we ordered three items before they had something on the menu, the vegetable was green onions! what?? Seriously, it was a one compared to a 5 at splash cafe or Firestone and 1/4 of the cost.
3 - Sam H.: The food was ok. It was good comfort food, but for the price I could be REALLY comfortable at home.
4 - C S.: applefarm was recommended by our boss so we went thre for our anniversary after a 4 hour drive on PCH and we initially htought it was different but we eventually had a pleasant experience at the place .. Even though we stayed one night ,,it was very good ,, rooms were clean and staff was frendly and the food at the restaurent was tasty as well but a little expensive,, if ur spending that much for a room,, prices in the resturent shldnt be an issue ...san luis is college town so we can spend some quality time for a day... okies,, go have fun..

Apple Store - Pittsburgh, PA (40.451159, -79.933407) (Shadyside)
5 - D T.: Awesome service. Friendly, knowledgable staff. Always someone ready to help. Make an online appt. for even quicker repair or troubleshooting.
5 - Jr A.: Customer service is top notch . I had a problem with my iPhone and employee Jeremy was very helpful . He went out of his way to fix the problem and sought advice from other employees who were just as polite and professional Thanks apple  for great employees.
3 - David K.: Okay, some Apple products (::cough:: iPad ::cough::) are a special kind of tacky, but anyone who's used OSX for a while knows that Apple makes a mean computer.  So, when my old Powerbook (now no longer with us, unfortunately, and now I'm a Linux user,) lost its screen because of an unfortunate tripping-over-the-screen-like-an-idiot accident, I had to call these folks.

Now, for some context, back then I lived in Greensburg, which is a bit of a haul from Shadyside.  This becomes important.

I call them up to ask about what the price might be to replace the screen.  Pretty common question, and it's pretty obvious that the screen needs to be replaced.  I used to build computers, so I have some idea of what's going on.  What do they tell me over the phone?

"You need to bring it in and have our 'Geniuses' look at it before we can price anything."

"...but... I need a new screen.  I know I need a new screen.  Give me an idea of what it costs."

"No, you need to bring it in."

Really, Apple store? That's not customer service, that's just idiotic.  I understand that you deal with a bunch of people who know nothing about their products and have their lawyers on speed dial, but please, be willing to work with me.

Anyway, I make the haul from Greensburg to Shadyside, broken laptop in tow.  Take the laptop in, and go to the "Genius bar." (y'know, why don't we just call it "support desk" instead? Come on.)  Wait for a while, and then a while more, and then the Apple Store saved itself.

I don't want to get anyone in trouble, but the fellah who helped me out proved that even Apple's monstrous support department can have a soul.  He looked at the computer, and told me "Do not get this fixed here.  It will cost you $1200.  You can get it done for $500 at this website that isn't affiliated with Apple."

So, after some tribulation, the Apple Store ended up being a pleasant experience.  That guy saved me $700! And he really could have just towed the party line and let Apple ream me.  That was pretty cool.

Still, only three stars.  If I tell you I know what's wrong over the phone, believe me.
5 - Mackenzie C.: The employees at the Genius Bar were extremely friendly and helpful. I spilled something on my laptop less than a month after I purchased it and they felt really bad.They didn't charge me the $755 that it was supposed to cost as a one time exception!
5 - Rachel C.: I must say you never know what kind of service you'll receive when you walk in a retail store.  What's fantastic about this store (and I hope other Apple stores) is that the costumer service is fantastic!

It goes just beyond ringing you up for your fancy new Apple product.  It's actually taking the time to talk to you and see what you need or what product would work best for you.  They don't work on commission and that takes a lot of pressure off them.  The sales people actually seem like the ENJOY their job!  How novel!  It's rare to find that in a retail store.

And even though this place is always packed to the gills you're never left standing there for even 1 minute without someone asking you if you need help.  They're always well staffed and eager to help you out.  Again, it's just very rare these days to have such great costumer service, Good company, good product, good costumer service...it just trickles down.

I'm an Apple convert fo sho!
2 - David B.: I was expecting better service than I received here. They have a lot of employees in the store and they try hard, but I fell through the cracks.  I showed up for an appointment, but had to wait 30 minutes. What they told me would take 15 minutes ended up 90 minutes... I think my iPhone was ready, but I suppose he forgot to get back to me. You can download a store app, but it was useless for me...I advanced in in the queue, then fell behind again. The service is very uneven. I do like the displays, you can try a lot of new devices here, but wish they would improve on service.
4 - I.E. C.: Always super helpful staff that go out of their way to try and help.  The geniuses really can be geniuses in that they know the warranty policies fairly well and will try to get everything free for you under any warranty or product malfunction.  

Besides the service... love my Apple products.
5 - Amy R.: A huge plus to having a mac is being able to take your computer to someone who works at a place you can go and have a conversation in person.  Always superior service by people who really know what they are talking about and really value you as a customer.  I love the apple store.
5 - Peter D.: I am what some might refer to as a "mental midget." I can see you nodding already, but I'm going to explain anyway. 

I lost the power cord for my MacBook. 

Since I can't even wipe my ass without said MacBook, it was an itchy, irritating problem. This Apple Store was the wonderfully quick solution. I walked in. Some guy asked me what I needed, found it for me, sold it to me, and sent me on my way. Two minutes, tops. And my receipt was e-mailed to me as I was walking out the door.

I found the power cord for my MacBook.

So now I had two, and I was out $80. I figured I'd drop by the Apple Store to see if I could return the extra. I walked in. Some guy asked me what I needed, took my e-mail address and the extra charger, and sent me on my way. One minute, tops. And my refund for the full price was e-mailed to me as I was walking out the door. 

Now that I think about it, I essentially borrowed a power cord from the Shadyside Apple Store for a couple days, at no charge. If I had friends, I would want them to be this reliable, friendly, and easy to deal with.
5 - Vanessa V.: Came in with a Mophie case for my iPhone that had stopped working. Walked in and the check-in guy had no idea what I was talking about. And as I was about to get turned away, a genius came right up to the front and said he could take care of me. He grabbed another Mophie off the shelf (in a new color, woo), tested it, and even gave me the extra cord just in case I needed it. 

While we were troubleshooting, we had a conversation about how he's from NY and only here taking care of a family member. When I asked which Apple store he worked at back home (hey, it would be nice to have a connection there!) he laughed and said there is no way he would ever do such a thing. 

Well, I tried at least. And I got my Mophie fixed in under 10 minutes, so that's a win.
3 - Jessica D.: So I really hate going into Apple stores, and this one is no different.  Completely packed on a Sunday at 11 in the morning. Made an appointment at the Genius Bar-  an hour after my appointment was scheduled, I finally got service.  Ben was kind enough to help me with a really dumb problem.  I'm sure I'll be back, only because I have to since I'm a Mac user.
5 - Tessa M.: after hearing so many horror stories about how long people had to wait for the "blue shirts" to give them service at apple stores i was not looking forward to having to go to one. but i had a fantastic experience. i was taken care of as soon as i walked in, my problem was assessed, and sure i had to wait maybe a total of ten minutes, if that, for an apple genius to help me with my specific problem, but i didn't mind with all the toys around the store to play with!
let me tell you more about my specific adventure: i went in, with a busted ipod, not knowing if they'd sell me a new battery or if i'd have to pay hundreds for a new device. turns out, they have this system now where you turn in your old device and they replace it with the same model for the cost of the part. so in my case, i got a brand new ipod classic (which had even more GB than mine since they make them differently now) for the price of a new battery. (brand spankin new ipod for $63??? i'll take it!!!) and i have to mention the genius member i spoke to, john l., who was super friendly and helpful. unfortunately i can't remember the names of the first two gentlemen i spoke to, but they were both also excellent employees.
4 - Evan S.: Outside of the great products, the associates are incredibly well informed and helpful.

Apple Store - Seattle, WA (47.6633044, -122.2991259) (University District)
5 - Zarah M.: What a fun store!  Plenty of employees to help, plenty of toys to try out.  I love apple!  I recommend checking out this store if you want to try out software or systems.  I just bought Photoshop Elements v3.0 after being at the store for probably 2hrs just trying it out without being bothered, on a busy Sunday!  There's plenty of room at this store.  Have fun playing!  Photos soon.
4 - bonne b.: So Great!!!  I just love the Genius Bar. They'll solve any mac problems you're having...or point you in the right direction to get them solved.
Helpful, knowledgeable crew.
4 - Mallory P.: Very helpful staff - this is where I bought my computer!  You can check out all the technology before you buy it and they have nice accessories for your iPod.
4 - sam k.: Apple computers. The stuff dreams are made of.  What more can you possibly want?  They have top of the line components.  The latest processor in a 1" thick laptop with blazing speeds..(literally, it's blazing...like fire hot.  Burns a hole in your lap while you're fiddling with it type of hot)  
    Oh wait, I just thought of something I could possibly want more....  How about some LOWER PRICES?!? Good grief! Oh how I love the company, but how I hate the holes in my wallet they have placed upon it (it's like swiss cheese I swear it).  I just shelled out enought to pay rent for 4 months on a computer there a couple of days ago.  I suppose it was worth it...It's hard sharing a single computer with my girlfriend...aka the computer hog. Geez.
5 - Lori M.: I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get my laptop serviced here since it was the only Apple store in Seattle (I thought they'd be too busy to take me). I used the online Genius Bar reservation tool for the University Village location (find it through the apple website). I checked in the morning, and I was able to get an appointment in the evening that worked with my schedule. 

I arrived 10 minutes before my scheduled appointment. The screens above the genius bar let me know they were expecting me by flashing list of people in the order they would be helping them. They called out my name when it was my designated time (make sure you're near the Genius bar, because they don't call out that loudly). I told the 'genius' my problem (harddrive had to be replaced). I had already backed up my data and gave the 'genius' a list of symptoms my computer was exhibiting. Within' 10 more minutes I was out of there. My computer is still under its 3 yr warranty, so there was no fuss. And they replaced the harddrive by the next day.

Very good, easy service.
2 - Derek P.: I love me some shiny Apple hardware, but it's hard to ignore the fact that Apple service is not what it used to be. Don't believe me? I can turn this mini-review into a full blown soap complete with a picturesque opening, tyrannical rage climax, sappy fall-out, and a semi-elated ending.

It all started with a white MacBook that turned yellow. The Genius Bar accepted the computer for repair only to return the computer with an unusable trackpad (oops, repair tech broke something on the first repair). Immediately after picking up the machine, I sent it back in for a second in-store repair to alleviate the previous mistake. One week later the machine began shutting down randomly. Due to resource limitations, I was told the machine would have to be sent to the Apple repair depot. Not big deal right? It wouldn't have been if the Genius Rep had actually noted my account that I had maxed out the configurations on the machine. To make a longer story short, I was without my machine for a total of 45 days. 

Apple tried to send me a machine of lesser value than my previous missing-for-45-days machine but that didn't happen. I'd love to spill the beans, but I've been slapped with one of these pretty non-disclosure agreements that the Apple legal team loves handing out. No way for me to share the true outcome of the situation.

If you want hip Apple sales reps - with their Nano's strapped to their arms (wth are you jogging around the store?), digital cameras clipped to their hips (oh snap a 30" display! Kodak moment!), or iPod videos hanging out of their back pockets (first the Nano, now a video iPod?) - by all means, check out this Apple Store. When an in-store rep needs to check the Apple.com website for computer specs after being drilled with basic configuration questions, something is definitely not up to snuff. I can browse through the Apple.com Store myself at home while sitting on the toilet. I would expect Apple employees to be a little more motivated to memorize the hardware and company that they're paid to represent.

If, on the other hand, you yearn for true sales service with reps who know what they're talking about, check out The Mac Store. These guys talk Apple geek speak like teenie boppers chatter about Justin Timberlake. "Oh, Macworld this, Apple Expo that..." 

I still love you Apple... There just needs to be a little more work done in the customer service / quality assurance dept.
2 - Naurry K.: Take carefully and well developed technology mated with clean forms of Bauhaus design and contrast it with the pompous and often-arrogant, greasy-haired twits to present the perfect example of contradiction in real life.

As a connoisseur all electronics (mediocre or not) I find the very essence of the Apple Store pleasing and revolting at the same time; stocked with goodies from Cupertino and also populated with hipster-esque "Mac Geniuses". How can I be expected to listen to a twibbling idiot explain bits-and-bytes of the latest "iObject" if all I can concentrate on is, "Has he showered in the past week?"

Am I being harsh? Maybe. Snarky? Definitely! I may be picky but at least the Best Buy guy has some sense of hygiene.
3 - Jordan C.: If only some of the salespeople were adept at showing people how to get the most out of the Macs instead of gushing about their aesthetics, -sarcasm- 'exclusivity' and the 'instant hipness' -/sarcasm- gained by owning one...

Thank God Apple has instilled a store-wide ban on using Myspace on the Macs, maybe now people will actually get to try the rigs out.
4 - Katie G.: Went here yesterday to buy a computer for work. Knew exactly what I wanted/needed, and after being greeted by two folks at the door who took my name, I waited about 7-8 minutes for my name to be called. During that time, I wandered around in a lovely little haze of apple glory. The new nano's and video ipods are really unbelievable. The store couldn't be laid out any nicer... it makes me want to buy... buy ... buy!

A sales rep came and started to try to upsell me... however, when he realized I wasn't interested, he quickly said, "Great, I'll go grab this for you" and off he went. Precisely 4 minutes later, I was all checked out, complete with the student discount thanks to my little bro who's a UW student, and a free printer. Sadly... I didn't get my free ipod (the promotion stopped one day previously), however, the staff was courteous, knowledgeable and really... could apple products be much cuter? I shouldn't base so much of my review just on cuteness, but in actually, all of the apple gear is down right sexy... thus, I'm giving this store 4 stars for good customer service, great products and an unbelievably efficient way of getting people the things they need in a ridiculously short period of time.
4 - Carrie H.: So here's a little story as to why I needed to go here (like you need a reason, amiright?).

I was waiting for the bus at Queen Anne and Mercer when lo and behold, an iPod nano (2nd generation) is laying on the ground!  It appeared someone had dropped it when running for the bus (it was still in it's protective slipcover and had headphones attached to it), and was in working order as I examined this find.

I posted a lost and found on Craigslist, and after a week, I called finders keepers and called it my own.  

Are you jealous now?  I thought so.

I never had one before, so I needed to get the USB connector thing so I can start loading the music, and photos, and my soul into this thing.  Hubby and I always loved looking through this store, but had, prior to now, never purchased anything.  I found the connector, and a rep asked if I needed any help... who knew, Tuesday afternoon is a good time to shop and get help, too!

I thanked him and said no, I had what I came for.  I was searching around for the register... it was the first time I realized they didn't have any!  The guy told me he could ring me up.

WHERE?!

He pulls this mini computer thing out of his back pocket, and within a minute he asks if I want the receipt printed out, or emailed to me.  I said printed out (Where the fuck is the printer?), and he reaches underneath the nearest table to him and out spits a receipt!

Thanks for making it way easy for me... minus one star for the ditzy girl working there that didn't seem to know anything.  I kept away from her like the plague.
5 - Killorn O.: I love Apple customer service.  I took my iPhone in last weekend because it was acting wonky.  I waited all of 5 minutes while they looked at the phone.  Once they established that I hadn't ran over it with my car or hucked it against the wall, they just handed me a new iPhone.  This is the way customer service should be.

Everyone who works at this store is upbeat and cheery without the boogly eyes and strained neck cords of a typical hip retail environment, and geek-knowledgeable without trying to show me their die-cast pewter figurines.

This might be a review of Apple in general, but after years of dealing with the near slave-labor employed by Dell, Sprint and the like, Apple customer service is like the freakin' sunshine after the rain.  And that's the only time the rock band Nelson was ever quoted as simile for quality.

It is also hilarious that they use Windows Mobile for their POS system, but that's just me being a nerd.
5 - Kelsey F.: My parents are laughing at me right now.

My parents are laughing because I am not an Apple fan.  I never have been.  I grew up on a PC and use the Microsoft products.  All previous MP3 players have been decidedly non-iPod.  Sadly, nothing lasts forever (not even Rios or iRivers), so around Christmas time I went into the market for something new.  It was between the iPod Touch and the Zune, and as I already used iTunes to store my music (I don't buy through iTunes, don't start me there), I figured it'd be easier to go with the iPod Touch. 

Plus, they're shiny.

I was the last member of the family to hop on the Apple bandwagon (though my brother has a Zune, he's a graphic arts type who appreciates the Apple systems), and I wasn't going full-tilt at it right away.  I'm cautious, you know?

But damn if this thing didn't work like a dream.  At least until yesterday afternoon, when it suddenly stopped playing.  And then apparently died, and then came back to life and flickered and then acted like it'd been possessed by the undead.  

Fortunately, I was at the U. Village, so I hauled it over to the Apple store, approached the guy that was doing meet and greets at the front desk, practically in tears, and said "my iPod isn't working."

He fiddled with it, showed me how to reset it as a beginning precaution, and then gave me some suggestions.  Resetting it stopped the obnoxious flickering, but still no sound.  He helped me set up an "appointment" with the "Genius bar" (where does Apple get this stuff?!) for the next afternoon, and I sadly went on my way.

Interestingly, that night, I tried one of his tricks and lo and behold, my iPod is working JUST FINE now.  I've got sound, I've got no more "turning itself on when it feels like it"...I've got my iPod back.

So while I won't blame the store for the things I disagree with in the way Apple is managing things like firmware upgrades (snarl), I will say that they helped me out and I walked away feeling like someone had taken the time to help me out.  And my baby is working again!  Thanks, Apple Store!
5 - Quinn R.: I hate apple.  

I hate them for making a great music device, the original ipod, that I had to have.  Then I hate them for making an even better one..that I had to have.  THEN an event better one.  Noticing a patten? 

Yes, I'm pathetic every new "cool" device they make I have to get.  I'm hoping the madness can stop with the iphone but I know it won't. Help me God, I know it wont.
5 - Thomas P.: I hate apple too, The iphone has ruined my life......I can't function without it. Are there groups for this...AA (Apple Anonymous)?

:)
5 - Danielle B.: I love the thought of mac products but the actual tangible items always seem to fall short of my expectations... meaning they break or spaz out.  But that is neither here nor there since this review is about the Apple Store.

My slightly less/over a year mac laptop and my roommates way less than a year mac laptop happen to chip in the exact same spot which really ticked us off but we decided not to panic and just go down to the Apple Store to get some insight after we made appointments online with the Genius Bar.

When we entered the brightly lit store we were greeted by a polite man who took our names and checked us in and told us to have a look around while we waited.  So we browsed the iPhones longing to be rich enough to purchase one and to pay the monthly phone bills then over to the new mac book air's which I had no idea didn't take disks, good to know.

We waited less than ten minus and were helped by two very nice guys by the names of Markus and Trevor who tolerated my annoying humor and too many to count questions.

I was really sad that I had to leave my computer with them and felt naked with out my laptop.  *I literally sleep with mine, seriously*  They said it'd take 1-3 days and I expected the worse.

I'm happy to report that the very next morning, around 9 I got a call saying it's done!!!  I was suddenly a happy girl and no longer had to sleep by myself.
4 - Craig H.: I'm not an Apple fanboy; nor am I (contrary to what *some* people might think -- hi Jim!) a Microsoft hater. I grew into the computer age using both Apple and MS, and each one gets the job done -- welcome to the 21st Century, folks! I think it's useful to consider this: MS is (primarily) a software company, and Apple is (primarily) a hardware company. Just think about that for a while, and I believe you'll find it explains a great many things.

Now to the business at hand: I upgraded the optical drive in the nifty little MacBook that I use at home, and in the process somehow fried my keyboard. Since I have a long history w/ Apple I was smart enough to have the AppleCare Protection Plan, so I knew it would be covered but I still was dreading being w/o it for over a week while it got mailed in for repairs. After futzing around w/ an external keyboard and mouse for a couple weeks I finally got fed up with that, bit the bullet and called Apple support.

We went through all of the requisite troubleshooting steps (the Apple equivalent of "Okay, first you need to reboot...") and finally got to where the support guy was ready to admit it was a hardware problem. When he started to go into the "mailing in" process I stopped him and said "There's an Apple Store here -- can't I just take it in there and have them look at it?" Sure enough, I could -- he didn't make the appointment for me, but he gave me the website for the store's online appointment reservation system, and I signed up for a convenient time the next morning.

Next day I pack everything up and head over to University Village with some trepidation as you might imagine. Walk in -- the place is packed! It's 10:30 on a Sunday morning, what the frak are all these people doing here?! Walk back to the "Genius Bar" and after 10 seconds of looking around in bewilderment one of their "Geniuses" calls my name -- b/c, as it turns out, their reservation system actually works! I give him my service call number and he pulls up my call record from the day before, looks at it for a minute, and says "Oh yeah... that actually happens a lot. I think we have the part in stock, and if we do we can have that fixed for you in half an hour."

Okay, "that happens a lot" = bad. OTOH, I'm out the door in a little over half an hour, just like he said, and I didn't have to pay a cent! And here I am writing this review on my nifty little MacBook.

p.s. All those people in the Apple Store at 10:30 on a Sunday morning? Yeah -- half of them are employees. At least most of them look like they're happy to be there.
5 - Grant P.: I switched over to Apple going on 2 years ago and to be totally honest I am more than pleased with my decision. 

I was forced to use one while in Europe for a month and began to understand what all the fuss was about. Before this point, I was a hardcore PC guy in the sense that I grew up on them and would have never thought about buying or even looking at a Mac. 

I truly believe that their products are a better option for most people. Call me a fan boy all you want but there is no way I am going back to using Windows on some bulky Dell.
5 - Cortney A.: The genius bar is great, despite the silly name.   My ibook wouldn't boot, and while I tried a bevy of things to fix/diagnose the problem myself, nothing seemed to work.  I made an appointment (http://concierge.apple.com/store/R072) at the genius bar...which is apparently a great idea...as the place is super busy and walk-in appointments are difficult to nab.  I was seen promptly upon arriving.  A super great guy named Chris fixed my ibook without being condescending, and he never tried to push any products on me.  We chatted and laughed and he fixed my ibook in about 15 minutes.  And it was free.  Awesome.

Thanks again, Chris!  You rock.
4 - Brian W.: I think I'll lend some complimentary musings to the ever-growing Apple Store thread.  So the iPhone 3G launched last week and in a poor coincidence of timing, this particular store is being remodeled (for the second time in the past year).  

I call it the "Apple Core"  (get it, store inside a store... anyway...)

During the days preceding and following Friday "launch day" the 11th, Apple staffers in multi-colored american apparel uniforms were enthusiastic, friendly, and helpful... I'm not sure how they can enjoy their jobs after being in a pressure cooker of "I want an iPhone 3G now and I don't want to wait in line" simmered amongst OSHA-unsafe levels of conversation in the echo-chamber.  But they do.

I've had my MacBook Air replaced under warranty, helped a few friends wait in line for the coveted 3G, and wandered aimlessly for no particular reason. 

If there were an Academy Award for Performance in a loud, tight, space -- I'd have to nominate the boys and girls in brightly colored t-shirts.

PS - have you downloaded the Yelp iPhone app yet?
3 - lisa a.: First of all, I am a loyal Apple fan, and can't imagine using any other system.

BUT...A major remodel right before the new IPhone release!!?  
The staff is very kind and attentive, and to their credit never seem overwhelmed  in this mad beehive of activity, but the mistakes that are being made in this chaotic environment are unacceptable.

 Took my computer in to repair a cracked case. A simple external fix. 
I went into the store when the automated system indicated my computer was ready. After a LONG wait while staff looked for my computer in every random cabinet, they told me it wasn't there.WHAT!?

I contacted customer service, who had to research what had happened. They said it was just sitting on HOLD in Tennessee, due to repeated mistakes! Wrong order type, two orders, put on hold, cancelled, on hold again.

My computer has been in repair limbo for 15 days now. 

  I now wait for a supervisor to arrive on Monday to "take a look" at the issue.

I feel so powerless and furious at the same time. What can a customer even do? My business  depends on communication, and having my computer gone for 2 weeks for a twenty minute fix is a real problem . Aargh!
1 - sally B.: I hope they finish up the store remodel- right now going to the apple store is like going to the dentist in the middle of a dance club.
Also if you make an appointment at the genius bar- DON'T BE LATE- not even 5 minutes or they'll cancel in your face. Just like when you're getting a parking ticket and you see them giving it to you, and you run up and say- NO!! I'm right here! But you get the ticket anyway because "they've already typed it in". It's just like that. I'm not bitter, and I'm not naming no names, Evan.
4 - Kandice K.: I don't know what it is, but sometimes I just have to stop what I'm doing and walk to the Apple store.  It's like a homing beacon has been turned on.  The staff are great, smart, and on it.  I've renamed the Genius bar the "Bar where some really smart and helpful guys work".  I've never had a bad experience there, just some bad advice that ended up costing me a whole lotta money I shouldn't have had to spend.  But I still go back.  Whenever that beacon gets switched on.
1 - Jeremy K.: yea, these heathens get one star and thats again cause there isnt zero function.

so i will say this, the university place thing is nice, not this store, its cramped and dank, which you wouldnt hope to see in a tech store, well here you go.

my main concern is this.  we went in after out very long flight as wifey's ipod stopped working.  usually when this happens, which isnt often, but it does from time to time, the helpful peeps @ the AS hold down the secret button, chant the secret words and poof! it comes back to life. this time, the jerkface (and i should know) looks at it, smiles and says, nope, its totally broken.  you can either leave it for a diagnostic (i think a hundred bucks) or get 10% off a new one!

hey thanks, the battery died and needed charging. 

shysters.
2 - Alexis A.: What an unimaginative store.  Quite frankly, boring.  Shame shame apple.  Whatever, some kid was at the entrance - told him immediately what I wanted to buy - yes buy not shop.  Got it, paid for it, gone.
3 - Eric M.: Y'know, I love my Macbook Pro and my iPhone (and my 2-year-old, now ancient iPod).  Part of it has to do with a Palo Alto boy shoutin' to his homeys  (Cupertino in da hizzy!), partly because everything Msoft touches turns to consumer-unfriendly shit.  But, I gotta say, you can achieve the Trying-Too-Hard-to-be Hip level ("Pretty Fly for a White Guy" - Offspring).

Thusly, I bring you the Apple Store.  Sometimes, having someone actually wait on you without speaking into those silly little headphones is somewhat cool.  Sometimes, going the the Genius Bar and not feeling like a Luddite because some smarmy turd confirms what you already know is wrong with your Macbook (faulty Airport card) is cool.

And Sally B., you're right about The Genius Bar...I show up at 12:05 for a noon appt on a day that it's raining like Noah's bidet with Seattleites driving as if they're inside of one and they tell me the earliest they can accommodate me is 1:45.  Ohhhhh....future karma.

I love the products though, but Apple, be warned, Microsoft used to be hip and cool too before they started lording it over people.

Shhhh.....the G1 approacheth!
1 - Alli D.: Introducing.....The Apple iRoll! This is a product that's absolutely free, but available to Apple employees, since the absurdity that is this store causes all of its patrons to have seizure-like eye rolls!

I don't want to waste any more of my life with this store, so here's what happened as briefly as possible:

1. laptop faceplate cracked
2. set up appointment at genius bar
3. arrived 6.5 minutes late for appointment
4. was told with attitude: 'we cancel appointments after about 6 minutes'.
5. rescheduled for next day.
6. arrived 5 minutes early.
7. waited 10 minutes *past* my scheduled time to be seen. even though it wasn't nearly as busy as it had been the day before. 
8. commence eye seizures. 

Don't get me wrong. I like my laptop and my iPod. I just hate the Apple Store.
3 - Just Y.: (2.5 stars | C-) I love walking by this store - always clean, well lit, spacious, full of gadgets that I either might want or can imagine giving as gifts.  I can't speak for the prices - It is what it is and I don't shop around for Apple products enough to know the difference.

Notice I started the review by saying I love walking by - not stopping in.  I hate stopping in.  My detest is almost Pavlovian now: Walk in, "greeted" by some smug shop clerk, eventually talk to someone on the floor who either treats me like I'm an idiot for not already being an Apple convert or stares blankly at me when I ask any question more technical than "does this come in yellow?"  before disappearing to go ask someone else - leave with angry little knot in my stomach.  Beyond being somewhat bitchy, why are you dressed like a skate rat?  Have you been across the way to Sony to see how they dress and treat customers?
1 - David P.: Apples don't have a brain (thereby making the term "genius" that much more ironic), and this store drives that point home completely.

DISCLAIMER: This review is intended to be about this specific Apple store, and not about the quality of the hardware/software (or even other  store locations):

Apparently the fine print on the Apple Care warranty says that smoke damage via cigarettes will void a warranty, as in they won't touch it even if you want superficial work done to it that the warranty should cover (or you're willing to PAY for the part).  That is, the "FOR APPLE EYES ONLY" print out (that they only provided after prodding and waiting 40 or so minutes to an hour) that I couldn't take with me (other than a ripped piece of the print out with a partial paragraph - which means about as much as it sounds) did state something along those lines, but they were unable to produce either something I could take with me, or a copy of the actual agreement. 

But eh... OK. If that was it, or even applied to me, I could have let it go. I'm not a huge fan of dust either, but I figured that some comes with the territory. Instead, what I got was similar to something such as... a car mechanic with an oil phobia.

Seeing some minor discoloration on the bottom of my laptop, they decided that it would be a major health risk to their technicians to simply blow some (non-existent) dust out and replace one fan... even though it's a dog friendly store (nothing against dogs - I like them better than these Apple people, but do they screen other customers for allergies?), not to mention the computers from people that don't wash their hands after doing whatever it is that people do, or eat over them, etc., etc. 

I might have been OK with letting it go completely (even though I still think misquoting OSHA standards to me is asinine, as it (in this case) was no way an ACTUAL health risk to anyone other than perhaps say... the "Boy in the Bubble"... and only potentially). If they didn't say to me, "you can leave it here overnight, but we still may refuse to work on it"... or if the "hazardous" case wasn't taken OPEN across their showroom to show me the discoloration I was already aware of - while the store was full of customers, or if there was actual caked dust inside... fine, then it's my problem and I'll deal with it (but that was not the case as I said). 

Anyhow, having opened it after leaving the store (and canceling my Apple Care agreement), I saw little to *no* dust inside, and a *slight* build up on one side of one fan - hence, noise - the culprit and reason for wanting to replace the fan at the store initially (as opening it voids a warranty). Two minutes of unscrewing the case and blowing it out with a can of air... putting it back together... and it's back to normal. HOLY SHINOLA! CAN I BE A MAC GENIUS TOO?! (Sadly, no. I failed at being a genius long before I thought that an Apple Store might honor an Apple Care agreement... but at least I can admit it. Plus... turtlenecks or t-shirts that don't fit are incredibly uncomfortable.)

Long to short: This is such a great shop that does such amazing business that they're willing to piss a good customer off over what would have been literally 5-10 minutes of actual work and a cheap plastic internal laptop fan. If any of those people are an actual genius, then I'd wager that there's about to be a storm that will rain literal cats and dogs, and pigs will suddenly sprout wings and get caught in power lines.

If you're new to this store... I'd save the headache and try another Apple store, or the Mac store on 45th.


EDIT: I talked to an OSHA representative who validated what I had thought about their standards for tobacco (or smoke of any sort) stains. That is, there aren't any (other than smoking laws which have nothing to do with this incident). So, I guess I'll find out what our Attorney General's office and Apple customer relations have to say about this...

The bottom line is that these misanthropic "genius" folks at the U Village Apple Store don't care about their customers at all... and *really* don't care that I've spent a few grand in there over the last couple of years. Maybe I'm out of line here, but when I spend that much money at a store I expect to be at least treated like a paying customer... especially when I didn't approach them (initially) with any sort of attitude or vitriol.

EDIT 2: Well, after many phone calls, and emails... the call center agreed with me after sending photos of the 'smoke damaged' computer, and has offered to cover any repair expenses sans Apple Care because of the inconvenience, which restores *some* of my loyalty to their brand. 

So, is this store is still... this store... but if you run into a problem like mine there, at least the company cares about it's users enough to attempt to rectify these sorts of situations - if you're willing to talk to multiple people and deal with email trails... and wait a few weeks for a response.
1 - Evan C.: After spending $5,500 last year you would think that the store manager, Angie, would actually spend some time to read her own companie's tech bulletins to make me happy and get my brand new computer fixed!   She instead told me that she could not help me, so I took it to an independant direct repair facility and watched them hit a home run in the game of customer service.  The u-village store is a joke, and should be avoided unless you want to walk up to their genius bar to get judged by a "genius."  If I owned a business and Angie worked for me I would fire her, but instead I spent the last two weeks day trading apple... my own little revenge ;)
4 - Will L.: I've been a Mac weenie for a long time, reinforced by enough lost hours on a Dell that, after adding up the recorded down hours, totaled over $10k in losses over a year. (Dude! You got a ... piece of shit!). I have been pretty loyal to the Mac Store on 45th, but had to walk into this place whilst walking by on my way to someplace from someplace else.

I dig the architecture of the Apple Stores, as well as the layout, and the ability to play with all the gadgets. I have tried out several items before buying, though I usually buy the really expensive stuff online.

However, I have gotten good info on how to solve a couple wiring and networking problems from the sales folk. I also dig that they can ring me up from their weird gadgets around their neck. However, I have thought it was weird for quite a while that the gadgets aren't Apple products... strange that a company who pays so much attention to detail and has two of the best selling hand held gadgets ever (iPod/iPhone) doesn't have a portable POS system.

Or at least didn't last time I was in.

I haven't dealt with the Genius Bar, so I have no idea how that whole system works.

I have, however, dealt with the nifty little bags they put your new stuff in, and I like them almost as much as the stuff that goes in them.
2 - Erik M.: If Apple spent half the effort designing their retail stores as they do their products, this review would read a lot differently.  My wife and I recently bought an iMac from the U-Village location and after two visits (one to shop, one to purchase), we're decidedly unimpressed.

First of all, what's up with the "Genius Bar?"  Three service stations with  a single, unmarked point of sale tucked away in the corner suggests they spend three times the effort fixing computers as they do selling them.   Not a great first impression.

On the shopping visit, we were not greeted by the person who's job it is to greet you and put on you the list, so we spent 20 minutes wandering around the store trying to flag someone down who could answer some questions for us.  By the time we realized there was a system and got into the queue, we met with a very friendly, knowledgeable product expert who answered all of our product questions and suggested several hardware and software options, this being our first Mac.

When we returned to the store a few days later to buy the computer, we thought we were golden.  We marched up to the greeter and let her know we were ready to buy a machine.  She directed us to the POS station, and here is where things went sideways.  Rather than detail the entire experience, here are the highlights of the over one-hour ordeal that should have taken about 10 minutes:
- Wrong computer pulled from storeroom and rung up
- Right computer pulled, but wrong discount applied (found this out later)
- Discovered limited-time discount on printers when bundled with a new Mac on the way out of the store, not at suggestion by sales associate.
- Had to return computer we just bought and re-buy it with the printer to qualify for the printer rebate.
- Couldn't find receipt to process the above-mentioned return, and it wasn't until we had spent 10 minutes hunting for it that someone suggested it had been emailed to us (it had been), and that they only give paper receipts on request (not given as an option at time of original purchase).
- Spent 20 more minutes standing around waiting around to process the return, this time with the correct discount and bundled printer, but we left wondering what else we were missing.

In all, we wound up dealing with no less than seven different people over the two visits (who were all generally very pleasant), and the overall lack of coordination in the store, in particular at the point of sale, made for a very lackluster experience, especially when we tried to actually buy more gear.  The application of the most fundamental suggestive selling by the original sales associate would have easily eliminated most of the hassle.

One star for the product expert who helped us on our first visit, and one star for the store's proximity to the Ram Brewery.
5 - Rob k.: After days of researching on what to expect at an Apple Genius Bar appointment, i was not looking forward to going.  BUT i must say, the staff was very courteous.  I was advised to purchase cheaper ram online (and was even given the web address).  I have to be back for the second diagnostic session and will review that part of my Apple store experience at a later time.  This review was for the kick ass mr. friendly staff guy that saved me a shit load of money.
4 - Thomas J.: Alright, so I've got this white Macbook I've been using, and I think the thing was made in 2006 or something.  It's been pretty reliable, but at some point the white plastic where the palmrest is developed a crack, and broke off, exposing the inside of the computer.  Not a big deal - I read on Gizmodo that they are now fixing these issues, free of charge, regardless of warranty status.

I was skeptical.

After making my Genius appointment, I went in, gave them my computer, came back an hour later, and BAM - new keyboard, new trackpad, new top-palmrest-area, no charge.

Super friendly, super fast.  Great work, Apple Store.
1 - Zachary D.: LOVE MAC... HATE THE U-VILLAGE APPLE STORE!!!!!!! 

So, I love MAC products! I think that they are top of the line and wouldnt dream of using anything else! However, I must tell you that the snivelling little twats that work at the Apple Store at the UV are simply some of the rudest people that I have ever dealt with! PERIOD! 

I was having trouble with my I-Pod, it was giving me a "Sick" face and wouldnt let me restart it. So I make my appointment and show up ten mins early. I let the gal know that I was there and to let them know where I would be waiting. She looked at me like I had the plague and then rather rudely reminded me that my appointment wasnt for another "TEN" minutes. I was caught off guard to say the least! I let her know that I understood that, I was just letting her know that I was here! She rolled her eyes and told me to wait.... And so I did.... 25 minutes later (thats 15 mins past my appointment time) I was called up. The guy at the Genius Bar didnt say more then two words to me (which at the time was fine cause I was mad anyway... But in retrospect was not really good customer service) and then went to the back. He came back a few minutes later and handed me a new I-Pod. He never explained what was wrong and just had me fill out some paperwork. I left feeling a little more then discouraged by the whole situation! Here I am spending money with your company and you make me feel like I am not worthy somehow of your business! Well, I can assure you... I WILL NEVER GO TO THE U-VILLAGE APPLE STORE EVER AGAIN!!! 

Sidebar: I had another issue (unrelated) about a month later and decided to head down to the Southcenter Apple store... They were kind and listened to me! That is a great store! And my friend just went through a similar... albeit FAR more traumatic and horrific experience with the UV Apple Store... I told her to go to Southcenter... Where her issues were again resolved in a kind and calm manner.... Just saying...
3 - Ian S.: It's an Apple store.  If you want what they've got, you have to go here or maybe the University Bookstore if you have a student discount angle to swing.

I've come to the realization that I really hate most Apple enthusiasts.  They're loud fanboys.  They're twitter-shitters.  They're ignorant about how things work and demand that they "just work" when they click things randomly like a chicken with a head injury.

One might think that they would be an ideal customer to sell things to, but that's not the case either.  They're penny stingy and multi-thousand dollar foolish.

Just like most people.  They'll stay in a $500 a night hotel with bad service, but not order the $20 sandwich off of the room service menu.

What a sad state of affairs.

So if you have to go to the "Genius Bar" here like I had to for warranty support for a hardware failure and listen to these dips talk out their ass about how things are, you have my sympathy.  I also deserve yours.

Never have I pined for the days of Dell outsourced engrish error-code-or-no-replacement-hardware jerks until this day.  Now I miss them.
1 - Charlie H.: I do like some Apple products, but the service at this store is terrible. I walked in with a malfunctioning Mac mini (midday on a weekday), and was told that I had to make an appointment an hour later just to drop it off! When I went to pick it up three days later, I was chewed out for having installed a non-Apple-branded memory chip, and was told that they would refuse to do any further work on the machine (for which I have a service contract) unless I replaced the chip with one costing three times as much, even though it was not the cause of the problem. In fact, they put the computer back together incorrectly, and the fan now runs continuously. But I'm not going back.
3 - Marissa S.: OK, so they figured out the problem...but I had to make an appointment with the geniuses at the "genius bar" for them to do so. I had to wait 2 hours for said appointment to boot. Kind of annoying. 

It took all of 5 minutes to figure out that the problem was with my black market ebay cord,  so I just had to shell out $20 for a real one. Neat.

They were friendly, no complaints there. The store itself is irritating though. I cannot put my finger on it but I think it has something to do with the fact that I am not exactly computer savvy and much like the Apple website, it is confusing for someone who isn't an Apple user. 

While waiting for the geniuses to help me, I perused the wall of ipod/phone accessories...and proceeded to get a headache. 

I couldn't help but wonder why there were so many salespeople and so few "geniuses". 

I learned my lesson. I will not buy cheap knockoff accessories. Not only is it a waste of money but it is a waste of time when it forces me into an Apple store.
5 - guy r.: had to return a ipod speaker set that quit working.in my mind i went through all the nasty things i was going to say to get them to take it back.the guy at the genus bar asked me for a receipt  i did not have,he checked the computer and found out i didn't boy it at apple{pretty dumb}.he messed with it for about 15 min.and fixed the dam thing.they killed me with kindness
2 - Doug C.: To begin my latest quest to the Apple Store, I started out grabbing a coffee and hit the road to vainly try and beat the infamous crowds. At one of the intersections near the store, a homeless man wandered up and peered in the window, mutely holding a sign: "Homeless, Please Help. God Bless!" I looked away and instead made awkward eye contact with the radio and sipped my latte. I mused on how much of the coffee sales tax went toward feeding the homeless. Probably not much. I mentally resolved to start drinking more expensive coffee.

Eventually I made my way to the University Village parking lots. If you've never been here, you can consider it as a training ground for all the lines that you'll have to wait for in life. Standing in line for concert tickets, the DMV, free public health clinics (or so I've heard) all have nothing on this. It will teach you valuable coping skills and eventually enlighten you on multi-tasking. For example, I was able to finally finish the Saturday NY Times crossword puzzle while looking for a parking spot.

Which brings me to the store itself. Sadly, I wasn't the only person who tried to get there early and the inside was a blizzard of moving bodies and noise. But through tenacity and patience, I was able to work my way to a table and check out the item I sought. After playing with it a while, I did have a question or two and sought out a staff member for assistance. Now, there are at least four universally accepted methods of gaining the help of a staff member. These include: a) making eye contact, b) making eye contact and waving, c) stripping to thong and pasties and doing the dance of the Seven Veils, d) walking up and asking "Hello, can you help me?" I tried three of these methods and was rebuffed on all three. Horrified at the ghastly service, I eventually left and went home to order the product on line. I found that I would rather wait for delivery and pay for shipping and handling than order in person from the store.

Now in fairness to the staff here, it's probably a fairly hard place to stay level headed. The continuous barking of dogs, yelling of children and the cries of the damned can break even the most stoic individual. It doesn't excuse bad service, but I do understand it. 

On a more positive note, this probably is a decent place to at least check out the item that you're looking for. As you might expect from Apples' reputation, the items are neatly organized by table and spread out with a paucity of advertisements in the way. The walls of the store are lined with the accessories and the Genius bar is in the back (and I like how they call it a bar:  by the time you make it back there, you probably do need a drink). Once you find an open spot, you can pretty much play with the items to your hearts content.

Overall, it's worth coming here to check out items but not to actually buy them here. And so this review also serves as the eulogy for the death of traditional brick and mortar retail stores to internet shopping.
5 - Dan L.: I love apple.  I am a fanboy per say.  I want just about everything they have, but own only a few things.  It's an expensive addiction.

I also love marketing, and dammit... apple is the king of marketing. And these stores are right in the center of it.

I walked in there today after convincing myself that I HAD to have the ilife '09 suite.  When you walk in you are greeted by friendly people who can direct a wandering shopper where to go.  All the shiny products are sitting there screaming "touch me"

One of the coolest things- you can be checked out anywhere in the store, by any employee.  

Also, I hate receipts... so I always take advantage of the email reciept.  Couple that with never having to delete mail on a gmail account and you will never again loose a receipt from this store!

If you are a mac newB you can attend one of their free workshops, check the website for times.
1 - Meighan D.: I bought my Macbook Air on March 1st of this year at The Mac Store on 45th in the University District.  This machine did not come with the required iLife 09 that all other Macs purchased this year should have come with, unbeknownst to me.  I had a lot of trouble learning to use the Mac which was frustrating since I have never had a problem with computers.  I looked online and found that the Mac Store in the University Village had more classes and services for learning to use a Mac so I went there one day with the laptop to get some help.  Upon entering the store the greeter said someone would be right with me.  I talked to a sales rep who showed me only a couple of things before saying, "OK I have to go now." I explained that I was not done and had more questions.  She said she would send someone over to help me further.  20 minutes later no one came.  I went over to two sales reps who were standing around talking and asked to speak to a manager about how I was being treated.  Suddenly the sales reps had all the time in the world for me, but would not ge a manager until I asked for one multiple times.  One was kind enough to tell me that they had various training programs including the One to One, Genius bar and sales reps (remember that, they said that the genius bar could help train me).  I then spoke to AM Pete Zibelli who told me about the One to One program.  When I explained that I did not have the money for that at the moment, he did not seem interested in helping me.  He seemed even more disinterested in helping me when I told him that I did not purchase the laptop at his store but a different one.  He finally showed me how to detach the power chord and the dashboard but no real useful information about iMovie or making videos with the editing which was my main issue.  
 
My second and third visits to the U Village Mac store happened on the same day.  I went in one morning because my Sony camera would not upload any footage to the computer.  I figured this was a genius bar problem so I made a reservation and came in for help.  The genius bar guy told me that I needed an external DVD hard drive to use the disks that record the footage on my camera but I needed to re-format my camera to make the disks work in the drive.  Susicious of this answer, I made another genius bar appointment for that evening and I went to the Sony store next door to inquire about what they had said.  The sales rep at the Sony store told me that the information I got was wrong and showed me a much easier and free way of uploading my footage.  I went back to the Mac store upset that I had received the wrong information but hoping that I could at least get some help using the machine. The genuis bar guy I spoke to was rude, condescending and could not answer my questions.  I asked about keyboard shortcuts.  He didn't know how to use them.  I asked why I did not have iLie 09.  He said it's not their problem because I did not buy it there.  I asked how to use the trackpad.  He said, "Well it's just like a normal mouse.  It's not that hard."  I then told him that the previous genius bar person had been incorrect about his advice regarding my camera.  The genius bar guy said, "Well that's a specific problem" - whatever that means.  Fed up I left the table and asked for help from somene else.  I got two sales reps Steven and David who sat with me for an hour answering questions and basically saying that because I did not buy my laptop at the U Village store there was little anyone could do.  From 3:30 to 7:30 I was in the store and got nowhere.  I asked for a manager.  Again I got Pete Zibelli who luckily remembered me.  He said that he would talk to his GM Robert and have him call me.  I got to talk to Robert the next day who said that even though I was supposed to get iLife 09 I didn't and that was not their problem.  He then said that my expectations of the genius bar were unrealistic.  I told him that a sales rep said that the genius bar could train me and that if that was not the case I should have have been led to believe that they could help.  He continued to blame me for the problems saying I was unrealistic and not willing to work with their schedule or availablility.  Then he said that he would let me come in the following Saturday for a one on one session.  While the session was great I could not purchase the One to One as the program had changed. At this point I was furious.  The manager again told me there was nothing they could do, blamed me for my expectations of the genius bar and was very rude.  I then told him that I would never come into his store again to which he hung up on me.  
DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM HERE! If there was a raiting lower than one star I would give it to them.  Horrible people.  Horrible service.  Horrible company.
4 - Katie S.: Before I took my Mac to visit to the Genius Bar this afternoon:

"Saturdays are bbbbbbadass. I bbbbbbbet you enjoy your weekends as much as I do. What am I going to do today, you ask? Maybe I'll get a bbbbbbburger or a bbbbbbbeer. Not sure.. one thing's for sure, my bbbbbbb key is bbbbbbbusted on my keyboard. Time to hit the genius bbbbbbar."

After my visit to the Genius Bar this afternoon:

"Saturdays are badass. I bet you enjoy your weekends as much as I do. What am I going to do today, you ask? Maybe I'll get a burger or a beer. Not sure.. one thing's for sure, my b key has been fixed by Steve at the Genius Bar. Thank the bbbbbaby (kidding) Jesus for tech support and helpful peeps!"
5 - S C.: This review is only for the genius bar.  The other blue & orange t-shirts don't seem to have gotten a whole lot better since my last review, except for one person who helped me during check out.

My Macbook refused to start.... 2 months ago.  I was busy, so I just left it alone, turning it on from time to time to see if it changed mind and would start.  Finally, I give up, and make an appoitment at the genius bar.  Lewis was nice, patient, and understood my not-so-technically-correct questions.  He was going to "try" something and told me to come back in 20 min.  That "something" worked.  Best part- I didn't have to pay anything!!!  Better than best part- as a result of that "something" I ended up saving about $150 on a new software upgrade.  Well, actually, the other guy who helped me check out also contributed to the saving part, because he asked me a bunch of questions and checked out the fixed laptop, and confirmed a few crucial details. 

I guess the kind of service I receive here will all depend upon my luck for the day.  Today, I was very lucky!
2 - E. M.: I'm a Mac user.  Apple's style is only surpassed by the reliability of their laptops.  I'm willing to spend more for quality.  But...Apple Stores make me sad.  They remind me of The Sharper Image stores around 1988.  And what's with having a few dozen employees working at one time?  Somebody grab a broom and put down your damn iPhone, will ya?
2 - Lily And Tom H.: As a general rule, I don't yelp companies like Apple- they don't need my help selling their products, but every time I've come into this store, I walk away disappointed in the customer service. 

The first time, I brought my laptop in to the Genius bar. It was diagnosed and sent in for repairs and three days later I got a call informing me that it was ready to be picked up- all par for the course. The geniuses at other Apple stores will usually explain to you what was done to fix your item. I had to prod this gentleman for information, who wanted me to just sign the papers and walk away. Maybe if he hadn't been about to go on his lunch break, he would have been more helpful, but I wasn't impressed.

More recently, I had to go in to get a power adapter replaced, and was told that I would have to wait an hour and a half for the next available appointment- just to get a power adapter replaced, mind! Only when I got to the bar I did I learn that I had to have my laptop's serial number with me. Granted, in retrospect this should have been common sense, but I had to go to two different people before finally meeting the geniuses at the bar- so, two separate chances for the information to have been passed along to me. 

Oh- and how could I forget the alarm that kept going off every thirty seconds from one of the display tables? 

I'm sure they know their stuff, but their customer service definitely needs some work.
4 - Chad Y.: Holy sweet mother of all technological things that are good in this world! Sorry, just had to say something like that for once! I have been to quite a few Apple stores and I have to say the University Village store is a perfectly sized store and arranged to make it a pleasure to shop!

I recently stopped by at this location to figure out a way to clean my laptop's keyboard since it has started to show its wear and tear from typing up all my Yelp reviews. Came across a great associate and explained my problem and he said we have these great sanitizing wipes that will do the job. I immediately cringed at the $18.99 price tag but figured it would get my laptop clean! Noticing my brief moment of hesitation, he told me of a little trick he uses....Lightly moisten a microfiber cloth (keyword: LIGHTLY) and then wipe down your powered off macbook! VOILA! it worked!

I have yet to be disappointed at this store, they have always had what I have been looking for and in stock. I've bought my mac book, a printer, and my phone here and the service has always been outstanding!
5 - Sweetp G.: I really didn't have any problems with the salesfolk, though signif. other was annoyed.  

My iPhone didn't work very well though - couldn't hold a charge. I knew this wasn't their fault and took it back within the required window, got all my moola back with nary a hassle and they didn't charge the usual 10% restocking fee, so I'm happy.
4 - Laura B.: I went in here this past weekend with my sister because her iPhone kept dropping calls.  Made an appointment online for an hour later then headed over.  It is imperative that you make an appointment--just go online and do it.  They usually have appointments that are only an hour or two later so if you do it before you head over there it is perfect.  

We didn't have to wait long to see a "genius" even though we were early.  But the guy who helped seemed confused by the concept of a sim card.  He asked if she had everything backed up.  She said yes and that additionally her contacts were on the sim card.  He blankly stared at her.  She repeated.  He blankly stared and repeated his question.  I cut this off by firmly repeating the first half of her response.  Whew!  Not sure I would call that conversation intelligent, let alone genius, but marketing aside my sister walked out with a (free) new iphone.  Yay!   

We also perused the gigantic wall-o-iphone accessories.  We both found cute new covers and got the new matte screen protectors.  She looked at getting a new laptop but decided to wait.  Nobody really tried to help us look at computers (which is a plus in my book) but we had no trouble finding someone to answer a specific question when one came up.  

On a sour note, they used to have a kickass educational discount...not so much anymore.  Fifty bucks off a thousand dollar laptop is a joke.  It used to be 200.  Boooooo!  But there stuff is still awesome so what can do?
1 - Jon C.: iDon't like this store.  See what I did there?

First of all: "Mac Genius"?  "Genius Bar"?  Really?  Really, now?  How pretentious can you possibly be?

I've been a Mac user for over a decade.  I've spent an obscene amount of my money on Apple's overpriced computers, accessories and so forth.  When I have a problem, I'd like a simple, honest solution.  I am not an idiot when it comes to technology, and I am not a fanboy when it comes to any company.  I want to get in, get out and go on about my day.

Well, good luck, at the Apple Store.  If you're like me, this place will drive you nuts.

Are you coming in to buy an iPhone accessory, but you had a simple question about it?  Good luck.  You know exactly what you want, and you want to be in and out -- purchasing and leaving within fifteen minutes?  Good luck (no registers and not enough free staff to help you).  You have a problem with your device, but you forgot to "schedule a Genius appointment"?  Figured you'd just pop in and ask?  Good luck.

These stores are understaffed and obnoxiously designed to herd you into 'zones' (there are three of them, if you were interested -- I've seen their obnoxious training films).  If the employees can't help you (they often maintain about the knowledge of a Best Buy employee), then they will lie through their teeth, with confidence.  Managers are almost always ex-GAP managers, if that tells you anything.

Smarmy douchebags with a cult-like, hipster atmosphere.

This is not your friendly, honest, neighborhood computer store.  This is a judgmental environment, where employees talk down to you and treat you like an asshole, because they're so enchanted by the fact that Steve Jobs pays their bills.  

This store is designed to maximize the 'Apple Tax'.  What I mean is: Well, let's have a scenario...

You've just ordered a brand new iMac.  It cost you $2k.  You say, "Now, I think I'd be interested in adding more RAM to this, later down the line.  Is that something I could do myself?"

Well, if it were me, I'd say, "Yes, you can.  There's a little expansion module door on the bottom, let me show you."  And if you asked me, "Can I used non-Apple or non-Mac-specific RAM?", I would tell you "Yes, you can -- and here's where you could go to get it for cheap."

That's honesty.  And in my experience, it goes a long way.  So, we lost an overpriced RAM module sale that we marked up by 600%.  But we gained the respect of a customer through our honesty -- a customer who just dropped two paychecks on a computer.  No negative reviews -- positive word-of-mouth.  They'll be back.  Those are the types of businesses I support.

But that's not how your Apple retail overlords (ex-GAP people) want you to behave.


Here's how it would actually go down:

"Could I add my own, non-Apple RAM?"

"Well, we recommend Apple RAM, because it's designed to work with these computers.  And if you want, you can order it right now, and we could have a Genius install it for you.  You could wait, or take a walk here at the mall, and we'd call you once it's done!  Should I go ahead and setup the appointment?"

Always the up-sell.  Never to the point.

The people that work at these stores, in the upper tiers (assistant managers, 'Geniuses'), are the 'fake happiness'-equipped, obnoxious retail elite.  These people have decided to make boring, lazy, retail jobs their careers.  These people honestly wake up in the morning and say, "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and dog-gone it, people like me!"  They take pride in Apple financial figures, despite the fact that those profits go straight to the top.

Not a pleasant experience, at all.  Overpriced, obnoxious and dishonest.  And again, this is coming from an Apple customer.

I hear 'the Mac Store' is a much better experience.
1 - Ireina B.: for years i went to the apple store for whatever my needs were. but since they remodeld 2 years ago, and i have not been satisfied since. The store atmosphere became really hectic and it seemed that the employees stopped carring. My first negative experience was about a year and a half ago. I had come to buy the same laptop my family and I bought 2 days earlier under our small business tax exemption. They refused to let us use our tax excemption that we had used just days before stating that they didn't follow procdure before ( you have to wait days to purchase and meet with their business dept so they can pressure you into buying more and at higher modes). I said it was ridiculous that I have to meet with your people so you can tell me what I need. I already know.... I am a certified mac technician as well. FYI, at the Seattle mac store on 45th and 8th you just have to give them your tax exemption number and not to through apples headache. The second and last AWFUL experience  was the other day when i brought in my MacBook pro to have the SuperDrive replaced. Well... I was really happy when I got a call the next day telling me it was done. I went over to the genius bar and was handed my laptop. I looked at my bottom case and they scratched it AND dented above the latch. I kept this thing in a speck hard case so there was obviously no damage from me.  I told them this was unacceptable and shotty work. Their "solution" was to send this off to the depot (about 1-2 weeks turnaround).  I was pretty upset because the only reason I had taken it there and not the mac store was because the part was in stock and would be a very fast turn around. Ha! Screw you apple store.
4 - Wesh W.: Chaotic, but curiously under control. I was in and out in twenty minutes with a fatal iPhone error. The worst thing about my visit were all the addlebrained nitwits heedlessly piloting outsized SUVs through stop signs, crosswalks, and the path of my legally-operated vehicle.
1 - Heather D.: The first time I took my MacBook in, I just needed the white thing on the keyboard to be replaced because it had chipped off. They did a beautiful job of that! But then! I had the Red Light of Death coming out from the headphone jack! That means I had to get the logic board replaced. So I took it in and they replaced it. So when I first took it back home, it wouldn't start up... apparently the RAM had come loose? So I had to take it back and they fixed that. Now Firefox and Adium crash and my computer freezes a lot.... so I took it back to them and they "ran diagnostics all night" and "couldn't find anything wrong with it." So I took it back and seriously, it's still messed up. I gave up on going back. I'm just going to wait until I can afford a new computer, put all my infos on it from my macbook, clean it out, and make them fix it for reals or refurbish it. So annoying. One of my friends salvaged an old Dell laptop for me to use for school that was going to be thrown out and it crashes and freezes WAY less than my macbook.
5 - Laura G.: My iphone was 15 days outside of the warranty when the screen broke. The price to put a new screen on is $199+tax. The apple associate gave me a "one time" break and put a new screen on my phone for free! Within minutes I walked out of the store with a fully functioning phone. 

Every time I have gone into the U Village Apple store the associates are helpful, knowledgeable, quick, and upbeat. I own an iphone, MacBook Pro, and software from Apple and will continue to support this store.
3 - Tony G.: Lots of great toys to play around with here, knowledgeable staff, no lines. Pretty cool place to get lost in. All the items are a bit on the expensive side, but they are quality items that will last. Why it should be a four star.

I have an iphone, bought some music from itunes on my iphone and want to transfer that music onto my computer. I am afraid if I were to sync my iphone to my computer then I would lose everything. So I asked one of the ladies who worked there if there was a program to transfer music from iphone to my computer. Instead of just saying no, she asked if it was music I stole from a friend or music I bought off itunes. WTF? You are going to accuse a customer of that shit? I felt like an asshole having to explain that I didn't know how to save the music I bought off itunes onto my computer because maybe I would like to listen to that music somewhere different from my iphone. 

I am tempted to give the Apple Store two stars but I am sure that was an isolated incident and most of the employees are not there to make you feel like a piece of shit. 

Zipzap Zubidy Bop!
5 - Daniel Z.: Several weeks ago, my Time Capsule dies.  I searched for support on Apple website and found none.  Did a Google search and found out the Time Capsule batch I bought was a bad one, power supply issue.  I brought it in at this Apple Store.  They looked at it and tested.  Once they knew it was defective, they ordered a replacement.  This is without Apple Care warranty.
I've never had a bad experience with Apple in general.  Keep up the great job!
4 - Barry F.: Stop hiring cute, shiny boys!! I can't go in this store anymore. Everytime I do I walk out with something that I was on the fence about.... all because someone bats their cute eyes at me!! 

I love playing with toys so this is my fun place.
5 - Julia A.: This store is beautiful, always busy, full of products to try, and helpful helpful helpful!  The staff couldn't be more knowledgeable, more patient, and friendlier.  

The return policy is amazing, and of course the products are as well.  Unlike other technology stores, they'll always be there as that safety net in case you should need them.
2 - Anna I.: I was given an iPod as a high school graduation gift roughly four years ago. It was top of the line at the time, an 80 gig classic. I put all my music on it and became roughly the tech version of a meth addict. I couldn't go anywhere without it. Five minute walk to class? Needed my iPod. Working out? iPod needed. So you can understand why when I tried to sync it one afternoon and it wiped all of the music on my iPod I started freaking out. I tried everything I could think of. I hard reset it, I tried syncing it to two other computers, I tried running diagnostics through iTunes. No dice. I called Apple (not the store, just the main help center) and the guy told me to try re-installing iTunes despite the problem clearly being with my iPod. I tried it anyway (what could it hurt?) and...nothing. So I called the University Village Apple store and made a genius bar appointment. (Geniuses? No. But I guess "people of basic intelligence who will look down their noses at you in all their hipster smugness bar" was too much of a mouthful.) Brought it in and the guy plugged it into a computer and thirty seconds later proceeded to tell me the thing wasn't salvageable and I could turn it in and get a refurbished model for $179. A brand-new model would run me about $250. (Tax and the 10% discount for turning in my busted iPod pretty much would have canceled each other out.) I asked him to tell me what was wrong and he told me it was a "hard drive problem." I asked him to be more specific and he sighed like he couldn't believe I was asking him. He proceeded to launch into an explanation of what a hard drive does and how it had probably come loose which is a "standard problem in iPods of this age that have physical hard drives instead of computer chips." Now I'm no computer genius and I know that electronics have a relatively short lifespan, but I also know that very few of my friends have seen their iPods DFO after four years because of normal wear and tear. I could tell the guy didn't really know what he was talking about and I wasn't about to spend $250-300 bucks for a new iPod when I wasn't absolutely clear-headed, so I grabbed my stuff and left. Fortunately a family member had a spare nano that I'm borrowing until I figure out if I want to take a risk on Apple again or if I want to get an mp3 player from somewhere else. 

In short, if you don't feel like being looked down on and being in a store that feels like a nightclub right down to not being able to hear yourself think, then skip the Apple Store and go somewhere else.
5 - Don M.: I like this place alot the customer service is the best. You don't have to look for a salesperson because they bum rush you at the door. And if you need help with your apple products they help you for free without making you feel stupid.
3 - Alex D.: Funny story: Went in here to buy a couple of accessories and had to track down one of the employees to ring up my goods. He had an IPad, tried for about a minute to do an inventory check or something, and finally gave up saying "ugh, let me just go on one of the computers." LOL.

I could care less about how hip the place is, and I have surely met a couple of morons working there. The simple fact is that it's nice to have a place to try out Apple products and if you can't wait for the online shipping it really can't be beat.
1 - Seunghun L.: i am going to have to echo other people's sentiment.

the service sucks here. go to bellevue apple store or "the mac store" or find another apple store.

i am a supporter of apple products and usually i have had great service at their stores in southern and northern california. but for the first time today, i was accused of lying to my face.

i've bought the apple care extended warranties on all of my mac laptops because their service was so great. used to be that they would overnight you replacement parts on DHS with free return labels. wow. that was worth $250 extra.

now i have to be called a liar because the genius has determined that i have "abused and misused" my power cable. maybe my genius was a bad apple, because i could clearly see that the guy next to me had exact same problem. it was exasperating to see the guy next to me walk away with a new power cable just as i was demanding to talk to a manager.

my genius folded when i demanded to see the manager and gave me a "one time exception."

i've had similar interactions with talking to genius about my iphone.

i think i'll stick to the bellevue apple store, even though it's out of my way.
1 - Jerry G.: I received an email for Apple that stated: Congratulations, your iPhone 4 has arrived.
Please select a time to come in and pick up your iPhone. We'll have a Specialist ready to transfer your contacts, set up email, and help you get apps so your iPhone is just the way you like it. We can't wait to see you at the store.

Sincerely,
The Apple Retail Store team
Pickup Date
Thursday, July 19
Select a time
Pickup Location
Apple Store, University Village. 

Since I don't drive, I took a bus from downtown Seattle to go pick up my new iphone which was way too long of a bus ride.  To my surprise they didn't have the phone and all they could do was apologized and ask if I wanted to be put me back on the waiting list. This is the second time I had a problem with this store. The first time being when I ordered a custom  Mac book and when it came in it was not what I ordered. I don't know what's going with this store these days but I am done with it.
5 - Eugene W.: I took my iphone to the U-Village store the next day after my Apple store visit in Bellevue. (see my previous review for the Bellevue location).

The staff and genius bar guys were extremely helpful and polite.  They got my LCD screen replaced with no problems and didn't cost me anything even though i went slightly passed my one year warranty mark.  They went above and beyond to help a loyal customer of Apple.
5 - Emma W.: I just can't get over this store.  I went in this morning to get a pair of running headphones for my iPod, I was overwhelmed of course when I walked in but was instantly greeted and led to the headphone section.  After a bit of time checking out my options (not so short that I felt rushed but not so long I was impatient), a lady came and asked if I needed any help making a decision.  She walked me through the running choices and I picked a pair (in-ear buds with an around-ear band thingy), she rang me up right there and emailed the receipt to my inbox (no paper!).  I went straight on a run, but found that the right headphone just didn't stay in my ear!  I know, I'm a freak; regardless, I was very disappointed because I was super pumped about the headphones.  After the run (I had to hold the headphones in my hand the whole time :( !) I went straight back to the store to see if there was any way to exchange them.  Ben helped me out, didn't even laugh too much that one of my ears was weird, and exchanged the headphones for a pair that did NOT go in my ears...  Awesome, awesome service for two visits in one day!!!!!
1 - Rolland L.: Wow, bad service at apple.

So today I stopped by to see if by chance apple might have gotten a case (any case) in for the iPhone 4. Of course they haven't and the reason why you ask?  Well one of those "specialist" explained to me that the "bumper program" is still going on and when it ends they will get cases for the iPhone 4. Really?  That is what apple is waiting for, I think not but hey what do I know.  He went further on to ask if I got my bumper case for my iphone 4 since today was the last day. (which only made me want to say I would ge back thus weekend and see all the new cases, but I bite my lip and kept my expectations in check ... Low, very low.)

He said I had to download the app to get it.  Of course, I took the bait and ran.  Downloaded the app as I stood in the middle of the store.  Which popped up to tell me, :p no case for me.  No reason of course, but a 800# to call if I had questions. HINT: here comes the bad service thing.  

Like the DA (dumb a$$) I am I walked up to one of those people with a tshirt that said "ask me anything, I'm here to help you.". (NOTE TO APPLE, GET RID OF THESE, THE PEEPS AND THEIR SHIRTS.). They had to be smart because they carried a iPad, a radio, one of those secret service radio curly headsets, and a paper schedule.  (YALL KNOW THAT THERE IS ICAL ON THAT IPAD THAT IS IN YOUR HAND.). Now I didn't ask one, I got two of these "specialist"  ...  why does it say I'm not eligible for one of these free cases that the guy over there said I better hurry up and get mine.  Both of thrum looked at me with such a deep conviction that they had never, ever, never, ever, never, seen such a thing in all the time they have been with apple.  That there is no reason at all why I should get such a message.  But, with a flash of light like a signal from above ... She heard the steve say, "did you call the 800#?". 

I could go into the smack of stupid I felt at that moment but let's move forward.  I DID call the number and finally spoke someone that got a bit flabbergasted because he couldn't tell me how many times everyday he gets these calls and how it has been put out on more then one occasion that the free bumper case is good for only 30 days of original purchase. 

All of this time to find out something so simple.  How is it that ....  oh never mind.
2 - Rebecca S.: a. Everything in this store can be found cheaper online. 

b. If you buy items from Apple.com, they cannot be returned to the Apple Store unless you want store credit.

c. I don't get great customer service here. There are so many employees standing around, but they don't seem to be doing much. When I want to buy something, I have to ask three different people where to purchase it as the cash registers are people and they move around the store. 

d. WHY are they called geniuses? That's so pretentious and irritating.

Overall, I like and own many Apple products but I just don't like their stores. I'd rather buy online at a cheaper source where I don't have to deal with their lack of customer service.
1 - Lady W.: Love all my Apple stuff but service sucks here.  Either someone says hi then you can't find anyone again or you're totally ignored completely.  Why do I have to work so hard just to find someone to pay for my stuff!?  Yeah, having a 'few' of your guys (& women) with the capability to take customer's money just either roaming around, not paying attention, or off in their own little happy corners is not cool.  When you finally get to pay, you probably have to awkwardly help him/her balance everything in his/her hands.
For phone products or accessories, I'd rather go to the AT&T store @ Northgate.
5 - Robert S.: This place went over the top to try to fix my iphone late at night when I had no appointment.  Then when they couldn't fix it they even replaced it even thought it was after warranty!

I like the customer centered hands on approach and innovation.

But now I really love this store and APPLE !!
4 - Peter H.: Must have 40 red shirted employees on this Black Friday. No employment problems here at U village. I overheard three shoppers dropping $3,210, $2,987 and $3,000 on the shopping day. Buy Apple stock.
4 - Joshua B.: First, let's get this out of the way. I am partially rating this store positively because I am a big Apple fan-boy. I like their products, I think their user-interfaces are da' bomb and I secretly want to have Steve Jobs' baby.

But that's not the only reason - this is a nice electronics buying experience, even if I've only bought a few things here (I buy a lot online). Knowledgable staff that don't try to scam you with extended warranties or zillion-dollar cables infused with baby zebra breath for extra performance.  Tons of the latest Mac toys/gadgets to play with (do I get a free iPad for writing this review? That's what I want to know) and they don't bug you when your kid is cracking up while playing Angry Birds demo on the iPad for an hour.

And the Genius Bar and the Apple store tech support folks have saved my bacon at least once - letting me borrow an external hard drive to perform an emergency backup before they replaced my laptop hard drive (yeah yeah, shame on me for not having an external hard drive, I won't make the mistake again).

My only complaints are that the prices for accessories aren't that great (sadly expected in an electronics store) and that when this store gets crowded, it's nuts - I just walk on by. They seriously need to expand, add a second floor, and stuff the Genius Bar up there.
2 - Mary M.: So I took in my iPhone 4 to the genius bar twice the past week to get my phone fixed. Speaker and frozen screen problems. No idea what they did in the back but my problem wasn't fixed. They just kept restoring my phone. Later on that night when I plugged it in my computer to sync, my screen just went black and froze with the Apple logo in the center. Decided to go to the Apple store in southcenter instead. And they took a look at my phone and just replaced it for a new one. So I would recommend going to southcenter Apple than UVillage. Less people and quicker service.
4 - Ryan M.: The service was great and check-out was quick.  It was crowded, but you could always find a device to play with, so not a huge deal.  The rep I talked to was knowledgable, able to answer my questions and demo capabilities across devices (iPhone to iPad), and answer questions about future device upgrades.

Didn't love the upsell portion of my check-out experience, but was mostly pressure free.
4 - Katy H.: Apple rules. This store (or any other Apple store for that matter) runs in the exact opposite manner as Wal-Mart, Home Depot, or even Target. You walk in and not only are you greeted by an attractive geek, you're offered help. You don't have to look for it and better yet, EVERYONE knows what the hell you're talking about.

Customer service is key here and I've never been made to feel dumb, I've never felt pressured or scammed into buying unnecessary accessories, and if I just want to look around and play with iPads, no one cares!

Once I was almost sold an item that was for an iPhone 3 but a second customer service rep caught the error. Phew! The whole reason I was there was because an accessory I had used for my iPhone 3 was causing my 1Phone 4 to shut off. Good thing I didn't have to go through the whole return process. I was shown the correct device, paid for it by card and the receipt was sent to me via email. Quick, easy and paperless! BTW - why isn't there a Mac store downtown? My only complaint about this store is it's location!
5 - Brendan M.: When my iPod touch failed to show up in my iTunes source list, and I couldn't fix the problem using the online support, I made an appointment with the "Genius Bar" to see if they could help. The check-in process went smoothly. The man at the bar wasn't able to fix the problem on the spot, but he showed me a special section of the Apple website with some troubleshooting guides I hadn't seen before. It worked! Later that day, my iPod was back to normal. 

Sometimes even Apple products malfunction, and when they do, it's nice to know that the company will stand by its products and offer real, honest-to-goodness support (even if you sometimes have to pay for it).
4 - Aunt B.: Although reading positive reviews is not that entertaining (and not something I do that often), I have to give props to this place. As much as the atmosphere is chaotic and a little mac-crazy, they are extremely efficient and will bend over backwards to help you with your mac. They repaired mine even though it was out of warranty and then spent extra time with me when there were still some remaining problems. The parking can be a bit of a pain as you generally have to stalk people walking to their cars to get a spot, but eventually you get one. If you have an appointment at the "Genius Bar" give yourself extra time to park.
4 - Cheryl R.: This is my favorite Apple store in Seattle. It's open, light-filled, has super friendly staff, and a great seating area right outside the doors so you can take your new Apple gadget out into the sunshine and set it up before you ever leave the mall. If you schedule a one-on-one appointment here and it's a sunny day, you can take your laptop or iPhone outside for that as well. Not too shabby!

I hate the parking situation at U Village (what a mess, especially on weekends), but once you've parked, it's a lovely "mall" to shop at -- with a nice play area for the kids near the restaurants and toy stores.

Can't go wrong IMO at most Apple stores, but this one just goes that extra mile, which I appreciate and enjoy. And it makes driving over to the north side worth it for me in the long run (despite the Southcenter store being much closer to my house).
3 - Jeff S.: Mixed reviews on this location. I've purchased several iMacs and iPods here, plus many accessories. My experience with the Genius Bar when I had a dead iMac was good. They had the machine fixed and turned around within 36 hours, not bad. There have been many occasions, especially on crowded weekends, where the service has been horrible. I had a $100 pair of ear buds in my hands for 10 minutes. I finally had to track some one down and ask "hey, could I please give you my money?" 

I'm a big fan of Apple (and a happy shareholder too), but I don't succumb to the mania of their products and services. This place must rake it in on the weekends, so it would help if they staffed it adequately.
3 - Laura B.: Much better experience the second visit.   We knew what we wanted and knew how to avoid any personal conversations.

I recommend you do your homework and know what you want before you walk in... otherwise it seems that a 'sales' technique is to be awkward and unprofessional in order to build a fake personal relationship and to establish trust.
5 - David A.: After my 120gb iPod decided to bite the dust ~50 days past warranty (hard drive crapped out) , I was extremely close to going into hulk mode and destroying property that didn't belong to me.

Luckily, I let that feeling fall by the wayside and made a 6:30pm appointment with the Genius Bar on the slim hope they might be able to do something. I previously had tried every little trick found on the internet to no avail, so I was fully prepared to leave empty handed after my visit.

Got there a wee bit before 6:30, put my name down and a short 5-10 minute wait ended with the greeting of a Genius ready to help me. Gave him the iPod, told him what was going on and then he proceeded to run to the little Apple cave behind the counter - never to be seen for the next 20 minutes.

He came back, told me the hard drive was beyond repair but even though I was almost two months past warranty... he handed me a BRAND NEW iPod and sent me on my way.

Fantastic! Dare I say that I might slowly be developing into an Apple fanboy? Scary...
5 - Bryce L.: This is why you buy anything with an Apple logo.
1 - Hai Yen N.: Atrocious service!  This store is staffed by Apple fanboys who are paid to play with Apple products all day and ignore customers.  I was shopping for an iPod and could see at least five staff members standing around intent on ignoring me.  Even after I motioned one over to help me, my experience still sucked.  He acted holier than thou and didn't greet me or ask how I was doing.  

When I was waiting for the iPod to be brought out from the back, he didn't even try to make conversation with me so I just stood there.  Awkward!  I will probably buy Apple products online from now on to avoid crap like this.  Get over yourselves Apple people! 

I am still mad if you couldn't tell.
1 - Arry Y.: Someone just reminded fo me of how displeased and disappointed we were with the whole Apple store experience.  Came here with the biggest Apple fanboi that exists known to man with major plans of buying some Apple products.  Knew exactly what we were going to get.  Knew that we were definitely going to buy it.

1. No greeting when we walked into store.  Walked towards the area where they have the product we wanted.
2. No one came to help.  10 minutes.
3. Fanboi walked over to get help.  Told us to go back to where we were and continue waiting.  10 minutes.  Staff standing around and hanging out... 
4. Fanboi walked over to another person.  They asked if we had put our name on the list.  What list?  No we didn't.  Ok - go back to area and wait.  ...  We waited.  10 minutes.  
5. Fanboi reminded said person that we were still waiting. 5-10 minutes.  Staff guy is chit-chatting away with other staff.  

Finally someone comes over.  
WTF!?!?!???????
Get over yourselves.  If you're working... WORK.  If you're not working, get out of the store, because you're pissing off customers who want to buy what they want/need to and get out.
2 - Frances A.: 1.) Apple products + PC = frustrating experience (poor customer service + truckloads of excuses why Apple can't help me resolve Apple issues). 
2.) Apple is brilliant. Is there really any reason why there can't be a compatibility packet for Apple products to work w/ PC software?
3.) They spent a lot of energy telling me why they can't help me. Twice I did get someone to at least look at my Iphone before telling me they couldn't help me b/c they don't know how to make Apple products work w/ PCs. No one would look at my Ipod (poor thing developed a complex). One employee actually replaced my Iphone (rather than helping me sync it w/ my PC), but the problem still persists b/c my PC software doesn't sync properly w/ Apple software.
4.) I feel like I'm trapped on a deserted island with two paddles and no boat. The rescuers (Apple) float by, waving and saying, "Good luck! Wish we could help you get off that island!"

Apple, you break my heart.
.
5 - Niki D.: I've been an Mac user for years but a customer service experience recently made me a loyal customer for life!  I was having problems with a piece of software made for macs, the software company flat out refused to help me with the problem, so I went into the apple store to see if one of their experts could help, or see if they could appeal to the software company or something.  

Within five minutes of explaining my story the store manager brought me a new, updated version of the software and traded it for my old one.  No hassle, no fuss, and it wasn't even Apple software.  They saved my day!

Gotta love a big, successful company that still cares about the customer.
2 - Brad A.: CROWDED, GET YOU IN-GET YOU OUT!  Systemetatic shopping.  

If you want to look at the new iPad or any other new items, GET IN LINE! 

It's very much like a factory...cold...calculating...YOU ARE AN OBJECT. 

It's helpful to know what you want.  The frenzy of people...hustle...and bustle with all the people...is like a Christmas rush.     

They are in the U-Village, so there's crowded Christmas-shopping-like parking.  Drive around a few times to find a spot close.
5 - Liz T.: Warning: This post is not suitable for all ages.
This post is Rated: R.
It contains: sexual references, violence, and Eazy E.
Mom & Dad: close your eyes.

Scene: One night I was happily packing my suitcase because the next day I was taking off for a 10 day trek through South America. I'm talking, one notch shy of giddy.

But that rapidly came to a halt when I started going through my "what I need to entertain myself" checklist and my ipod turned on, did some crazy weird glitch, turned off, and refused to turn back on again. In a quick panic, I plugged it into the charger, did my hail mary's and prayed to baby Jesus that my ipod be resurrected for an upcoming 21 hour flight. Well, turns out Jesus is not a genie and since my prayers were really wishes, my request was not granted. Thus, set in the real panic. It was 2 AM before I had to take off for an early flight and the only thing that could be worse than this scenario, according to my friends, is herpes (note: that was what my friends said - I usually don't talk like that, but it was amusing enough to throw in here).

I looked up the Apple Store hours and found I had enough time to get there so that I could walk in the moment they opened their doors, give them 10 minutes to take a quick look over and fix it as I wouldn't even have time to buy a new one and download all my music , and still catch my flight. Risky business.

I did as planned, stood at the doors, got in right at 9 AM and apparently the extreme look of panic was painted across my entire face because I think I startled and honestly scared some of the employees. Some store person built up enough courage to ask me what I needed help with when I started sputtering as quickly as possible how my ipod malfunctioned and was literally just one notch away from a hysterical breakdown because of my upcoming 21 hour flight. They were very patient and understanding, passed me off to some mac genuis ASAP and he did his magic as quickly as possible. I saw him working, sweating like MacGuyver with a customer as a ticking time bomb - and after a couple things here, a couple things there - he came to me with a smile on his face and revived ipod.

When I asked him what the issue was, he chuckled, scrolled through my ipod and showed me - "Must've been the Eazy E. Can't say I thought I'd find that on your ipod".  That's when I laughed, pushed him down while yelling, "Geek! Eazy Duz It!" OR what really happened...I just chuckled back and said, "well sometimes the Kenny G on your ipod just doesn't quite do it for me". He laughed, we high fived, I told him in my mind he was elevated to God-like status, and I was on my way.

Thank you, Apple Store - for saving me from a treacherous 21 hour flight. Your quick customer service, sense of humor, and calm nature when I was at nuclear meltdown - made my entire day.
2 - Jenn D.: A mixed bag.  If you go here more than once, guaranteed you'll leave with a bad taste in your mouth. 

There's an odd Purgatory vibe--feels like an overcrowded Disney exhibit; you kind of instantly become an anonymous face among a morass of anonymous faces ambling about.

A strange mix of being greeted (pounced on) the instant you walk in the door with no one wanting to actually help you.  One time I actually had a greeter interrupt my simple "Hi, where do I find...?" question twice to greet other customers AS she was in the middle of still greeting me.

I wouldn't say don't ever go, just don't unless you really have to.
5 - Paul F.: Mac G5 tower not starting up sometimes.  Genius bar worked we me big time!  This is the store I bought it from many years ago.  Problem solved (of course).  Bad hard drive rendering my bus inoperable.  Put new HD on system and old G5 up and running one more time.

Highly recommend this store and Apple Computer.  I've had great luck with Apple computers for over 20 years.
1 - Richard B.: This place blows.  Staff is incompetent, unprofessional, and cold.  We even spoke with a manager to complain and his response: "If I ever get a chance to speak with corporate, I will pass on your concerns."  WTF?!?!  Go to The Mac Store instead.  They actually treat you like a human being instead of another carcass to bleed dry.
5 - Sean N.: Best store ever!!
1 - Samantha E.: On the phone:
Me:  Do you carry iPad camera connection kits?
"Genius" #1: Yeah, sure.

After battling U Village traffic, with extra parking difficulties because of the sidewalk sale:

Me:  Where are the iPad camera connection kits?
"Genius" #2:  Ummm... I don't know if we have those.  I think they're buy the iPad cases.
Me:  I can't find the iPad camera connection kits, can you help me?
"Genius" #3:  Let me look... maybe it's in the back...
Me:  The guy that was helping me disappeared, can you tell me if you have iPad camera connection kits?
"Genius" #4:  Oh, we've been out of those for weeks!

Way to lie to me, "Genius" #1.

I am a fan of iProducts.
I am NOT a fan of the Apple Store.
5 - Roger D.: I'm an Apple Store rookie and had never visited the Genius Bar until now. The people there were more helpful than I could ever imagine. They were also compassionate about my issue (shattered phone screen) and got the problem resolved immediately. I also showed up a few minutes before closing on a Sunday, and they squeezed me in immediately without any fuss. At a time when I was very frustrated, they gave me the best retail experience I have ever had. Pass me the Apple Kool-Aid because I'm a believer now.
5 - A.J. S.: Visiting the apple store reminded me why I bought a Mac in the first place The people were really nice, they were really helpful, and they provided really good service. MacBooks are more expensive than other laptops, however they are easy to use and they let you get help at the  Mac store, this is a hassle free addition which makes owning a mac worth it. These guys were great.
4 - Kristine H.: Every bloody time I venture to University Village, this place is packed. If it's not people looking to purchase, it's teenagers swarming around the equipment checking their e-mail accounts and various social networks. That said, the folks who work here have generally been pleasant and helpful. My one incident with a surly employee was addressed immediately by management and I haven't seen him back at that store.

I've had two disc drives replaced in my current MacBook Pro with zero fuss. The first one was jammed up because of the labels on a library DVD and the second one was just persnickety. Get Apple Care if you buy a laptop, seriously... the first time you need it, it's worth it.

I'd recommend going during the week and leave the weekends for other shoppers. Fair warning though, it's a zoo on Saturdays and parking is a definite premium.
4 - Dan M.: Don't drop in for a repair or significant technical issue without making a reservation online with the "Genius Bar". The help is tip-top, and they have saved my bacon several times, but if you stop in on a busy day, they may not be able to provide drop-in service. I see how this frustrates noobs time and time again.
3 - Alice B.: Don't get me wrong, I love Apple products. I went in yesterday to see if I could get the screen on my iphone4 replaced since I dropped it and cracked the screen. I made an appointment in 30 minutes time, yet had to wait another 20 minutes past that only to realize I didn't sync my phone up beforehand. So I had to return today after syncing, only to wait another 35 minutes past my scheduled appointment. Luckily there were plenty of toys to play with in the store.

In the end though, the people I interacted with at the genius bar were super nice and friendly. Also, Apple completely replaced my iphone4 without charge and even gave me a new protective bumper free since my old one was loose even though it was totally my fault for the damages.

Thanks Apple, I'll be back soon to buy a new Macbook Air.
4 - Inna B.: Hello, iPad 2! (My preciousssssss...)

So I wanted an iPad, I wanted it immediately, and I wanted to have the "real" Apple Store experience. So I called up the nearest shop to make sure they had the exact one I wanted (16gb, wi-fi only) and then headed there.

When I arrived, the greeter took me an iPad at one of the tables (to "play"), and pushed the button requesting an employee. So I played with one of the display iPads, took a moment to figure out that I had to press a button to agree that I was ready for the available help, and then told her what I wanted (when she arrived, obviously).

She walked away to grab the iPad I wanted, and I walked over to the Smart Cover wall to pick one I wanted. I liked the colors of the leather ones more than the colors of the Polyurethane covers, but I wasn't interested in spending the extra $20-30 for a leather one, so I got a gray Polyurethane cover. Now I kind of wish I had waited to purchase one of the slightly bulkier cases that I've seen online that cover the back as well as the front, but... oh, well. Maybe I will later. I didn't want my screen to spend any days without protection.

When the employee returned, she opened up my iPad and set everything up. She swiped my CC on her bulky iPhone attachment device and emailed me my receipt. We were done at that point and I had no more questions, so I ran off to the car so I could go to a wi-fi hotspot and play with my new toy.

Odd... maybe. - There was a protest going on outside because Apple is giving away some computers or iPads or something to some temporary teachers. There was extra security because of that, but everyone seemed peaceful, and the store was still very busy.

It's about one month later, and.... I love my iPad!!!! So glad I made up my mind to buy one.

Also: Yelp app for iPad is super cool for browsing photos and reviews. Not so good for much else, yet. I'm looking forward to some extra features! Thankfully I can still use most of the features by using the web browser, though. The only issue I've encountered so far is that I can't really edit my lists because I haven't found a way to drag the businesses from one column to the other.
1 - Mackenzie F.: Nope. the only thing they ever say is "let's try resetting your phone/computer to factory settings and see if that works"

guess what? it doesn't.
3 - Jarrod L.: It's an Apple Store. They are all nearly identical with almost always good service. I went in, asked where I could get the accessory I wanted, grabbed it, and paid. In and out in under 3 minutes.
5 - Ken G.: Went in with my week old iPhone. Explained that the battery was discharging fast and it was dropping calls excessively. They looked at it, gave me a new one and set it up for me. Probably took fifteen minutes and they were busy that night. They are always busy. These guys are fast, knowledgable, friendly and efficient. Parking can be a hassle at peak times.
5 - Norris B.: Steve Jobs rocks!  I recently received the iTV as a gift.  The staff here is quite knowledgable and the Genius Bar personnel will take whatever time you need with them to resolve your technical or operational issues with your Apple products.
4 - Tom J.: If you are an Apple person, there are only so many places you can go. So I went this U Village store and got a replacement of the power cord and Microsoft Office 2011. People are nice and informative.
5 - Jerry M.: Great customer service.Really busy and got in and out quickly.
1 - Joey m.: First of all, let me prelude with the fact that I have to have a really negative experience to actually write a bad review. 
I live closest to the University Apple, then any others... so have most often gone to that one.
We are proud owners of 2 iPad's, 4 iPhones, 5 mac desktops... etc. so are not new to the Apple store.
I always set my appointment for the Genius Bar online. Only ONE time have they been within 45 minutes of it. Generally more than an hour late.
The customer service at this store is not at all what I have received at other stores, and the knowledge of the Genius staff pales in comparison.
I made an appointment last night for my iPhone (i run a business off of it) and randomly, no one could hear me. Nothing is more frustrating then suddenly not being able to use your phone for work. 
My appointment was set for 7:00pm. They didn't get to me until 8:20. Many other customers were angry and making a fuss as well. They didn't seem to really care about my issues, or apologize for being late. They cleared the phone and did a hard reset with the software and said it was fixed.
The store was closing, so i walked outside and called home.
The phone still didn't work.
The store was closed.
I was pissed.
I made another appointment first thing this morning. 
Again, they were 45 minutes late. Again, they determined the problem and could not fix it. 

I then drove to the Southcenter store--- they were on time, and dealt with my issue as well as others.
I was in and out in a half an hour. 

The Genius Bar at U Village-- was not very Genius.
Super frustrating.
4 - Kris R.: I've been here on four separate occasions for three purchases, so it's about time I write a review. Full disclosure: I am a PC user with zero knowledge of Mac's, but usually can get by with a lot of swearing and a "HULK MASH" approach to hot keys on the keyboard until it does what I want.

The first time I was in there, I needed to get my girlfiend's laptop software "glitch" fixed. We just walked in, they fixed it on the spot and we were on our way in about 5 minutes. 5/5.

Second time I was in there, I was looking for a replacement power cable. I found something pretty similar to what I needed, and the tech help confirmed that it would work just fine with the existing hardware. Sure enough, got home, and the power cable worked. I guess it helped that I brought in the old cable. The sale computers were down when I went in, so the sales clerk processed the sale on his phone, which impressed me. 4/5

Third and fourth time - I was being all sneaky like to get a iPad-2 for my girlfriend. The little "call an assistant over" button was useless; what was more useful was looking helpless and eyeballing anyone that was standing around until they came over. The guy that came over was pretty knowledgeable in the product itself but not compatibility with some major, well known programs, which seemed a little weird. Still, he gave me some good advice, and showed me how to find out other bits of information myself. I came back the next day, found a cover I liked and walked right up to the counter. Everything went pretty smoothly, although the computers crashed while I was there and the sales clerk ended up using his phone to do the order. I find it more telling of a company who responds well when things go badly, and in this instance Apple continues to shine by being able to respond to their apparently buggy sales system. 4/5

Every time I walk in there, it's both a little concerning and surprising that Apple looks up my email based on my credit card. However, it's nice to have an option of an electronic receipt. One thing I'd like to see them do is attempt to be a little more green to tailor more to the local area - the plastic bags they offer are weak and horrible to use, and offer zero re-use value. Anything would be better - a paper bag, or even better, a distinctive canvas tote would allow re-use and create free advertising amongst people inclined to reuse well designed tote bags.
1 - Randolph F.: Several years ago, at this store, I was as angry at their customer service as I have ever been in my life. 

Before I talk about my experience here, a word on how I rank stores, as opposed to Yelp's system. If a store does a basic good job, I would give it a three. Extra-ordinary service or pricing rates a four, and both together rate five. Two  means a serious deficiency in service or over-pricing. One means either near-illegal or illegal activity: egregious lying to sell, fraud, cheating, something like that.

In my personal rating this, this store rates a two. I got out with what I needed, but I had a really bad experience. If this store was a student, I'd give it a "D."

My bad customer service experience in this store was this: I wanted a warranty replacement of a failed iPod cable. It was the day before the warranty expired. Apple, being Apple, forbids the University Bookstore, where I had bought the iPod, from replacing the part. So, off to the Apple Store. It was a busy time in my life. I did not want to make a second trip. When I got to the store there was a very long line. Apple had just released a new iPhone. I caught they eye of a service representative, and asked for help. The service representative was led me to a computer to type in my own service request and started to walk away. I was told to come back tomorrow--remember, this was for the day before warranty expired and I did not have time to make a second trip.

The store is, like all Apple stores, well turned out. The staff is obviously trained to greet every customer. But when it came to the clinch, their service person dropped me during an interaction. I have literally never been so angry with a customer service person in my life. I've dealt with worse--I've been cheated and lied to. But nothing is going to erase my memory of that service person just walking away. I shouted for and got help, and I did get my cable that day, but I hope I never find a reason to return here.
4 - Evelyn F.: Got my 4S here and had a very good experience. I called around and Verizon stores were all out of the phone I wanted, while the Apple store had everything in stock. Customer service was very attentive, I was having problems with Verizon because they weren't giving me proper access to upgrade a phone but my Apple agent called them and stayed with me and made sure everything worked. I appreciated them helping me load my contacts, email, etc. onto the new phone too.
1 - Anthony S.: I don't get why this place is so popular.  Maybe its because the (male) workers do not shave.  Maybe they are giving away free Valium and I just do not know it.  Some shoppers here seem to have this intense euphoric feeling like they have been taking bong hits of fermented Real Simple Magazine pages. Also don't understand how, with such a high employee to customer ratio they can give such poor service.  

But I do not feel bad for the Microsoft Store across the parking lot that looks like somebody lit off a stink bomb its so empty.  Competition is key to a free society.  I just can't figure out what the Apple Store is selling.
4 - Jennifer T.: SUPER packed all the time. Every time I come in here it is always crowed. The employees are hit and miss with customer service. One time I was standing there looking at a MacBook Air for about 15 minutes and 4-5 employees walked by and didn't bother to ask me if i needed help. I do like the Genius bar employees they are very helpful and knowledgeable.
1 - Ray S.: I used to like this place until my scheduled genius bar appointment today. 

I was having trouble with my phone (speakers were not functioning properly) and went in to get a quick device fix or swap. Some kid named Michael (fuck you btw) was assigned to help me and immediately determined he device had "water damage" after running to the back for a good 1 minute. Without hesitation he says I did not have the apple care plan ($50) and said I would have to pay another $199 for a replacement phone. He did not offer any other alternatives or repair options and even had the nerve to say they would offer me a "discount" apple protection plan the next time I had a problem. At this point I was furious because I had never had a problem swapping a phone out at an apple store since the first iPhone I had, an iPhone 3GS. This kid talks to me like I am technologically inept and uses (my assumption) their "catch-all" diagnosis of "water-damage," which, conveniently isn't covered in Apple's device warranty. I have had the 4s since launch date and have kept it in a case, away from water or any type of moisture, thank you very much and I'm not stupid enough to believe that you could have easily just swapped the device out, no problem. I have seen people take shattered macbooks and iPhones back to Apple stores for device swaps, don't tell me you can't just as easily swap a phone an actual hardware defect.

I said thanks and immediately drove to the Southcenter store where, WITHOUT an appointment, an employee named Damon (GREAT EMPLOYEE, ACTUALLY DESERVES TO BE CALLED A "GENIUS") helped me out and actually took my phone to the back to do diagnostic testing on. He comes back out and determines that it was indeed a hardware defect and that there was NO water damage at all. He also states that another customer was having the same issue I was and ends up swapping my device (iPhone 4s) for a new one, no questions asked. 

I explained to him my situation at the u village store and he, too is amazed at how Michael came up with water damage as the cause of my problem. 
I feel like the u village apple store is either understaffed or have poorly trained their so called "geniuses" because, in this case, the phone is either water damaged or it's not. 

One more thing is that there are indicators on the iPhone that specify whether a phone is or is not water damaged. I have no idea how you would confuse the two and try to scam me a customer out of another $200-300 dollars. 
I ended up speaking with the south center manager (also extremely helpful) and said she would touch base with the u village manager. So, in regards to the u village apple store, you have lost another customer due to inexperienced employees and terrible customer service. Thanks but no thanks. If you are in the area and HAVE to go to an apple store, avoid the U-Village location by all means and take the extra 20 minutes to drive down to the South Center location. You'll save yourself a potential argument, headache and you'll speak with an actual "genius" that knows that they are doing.

Also, i'm pretty positive apple geniuses are supposed to document and make note of what transpired during a visit but after Damon checked to see the notes from my visit at the U-Village store it turns out Michael failed to document ANY record of my issue or what he recommended during my visit, (the genius bar appointment was in the system, he took no notes whatsoever). 

Some "genius" smh
3 - Alice C.: Avoid this store immediately after a new product is released or around any major holiday shopping. This store is seemingly hit or miss: it seems whenever I come in here, I get greeted by a million people, but when I eventually need to check out and pay or get something figured out, nobody can tell me where exactly to go to get what I need. There are a lot of employees hanging around, but despite my attempts to actually get their attention, I've been ignored more often than not. I literally have had to stop employee's in their tracks so I could get a question answered or get someone who could help me with what I needed. I've bought both my iMac and Macbook Pro here, and while I had no difficulties in purchasing either one of those items, whenever I've come in for something minor, such as buying an iTubes gift card or to make an exchange, it's been harry. Most everything you may need can be found online for cheaper, and when I've done this I've gotten free shipping most of the time. Products I've ordered from the online Apple store that were selected for two day shipping still took over a week to arrive, without any offer for a shipping refund. 

I'll jack one of my stepsisters Juicy bags next time I come here, maybe I'll actually get my questions answered without having to look like I'm about to turn green and go into Hulk Smash mode.
5 - Kimberly A.: I'm really pleased with my first experience at this store. Like, giddy pleased.

I bought an iPhone up in Alaska last year, and was well into month 11 of my 12-month warranty when the home button (aka the main button on the iPhone) stopped functioning, along with a number of other weird little oddities that weren't supposed to be happening. I called AT&T, and they told me to go to the Apple Store and get it checked out. I made a genius bar appointment and was on my way.

Yes, U-Village parking sucks, but that in no way reflects on this store. I was greeted immediately, given directions where to go, and was treated with friendliness and care from the second I walked in the door. My 'genius,' Chuck, was incredibly helpful, and it took less than 2 minutes to determine that my phone was under warranty and malfunctioning. Without a moment's hesitation, he grabbed a brand new phone and replaced it for me at no cost, told me how to restore it from a back-up, and all the while making friendly conversation with me and just being plain awesome.

After all that, I decided to buy a new case - and while it was a little tricky to figure out where to check out, I was guided by another friendly store employee to a young lady who chatted with me about the Apple Store app and rang me through in another couple of minutes.

Total time in the store? Less than 10 minutes. I would absolutely come back here, and would absolutely purchase products from them again. Thanks, Apple!
4 - Ashley D.: I've been here many times to browse the computers, ipods, etc. However, I finally realized it was time to buy a Mac instead of looking like a lost puppy in my Biology classes (I'm a Biology major) when it comes to doing lab reports, etc. on the Macs provided by the Biology department. I decided on a Macbook Air since I need something lightweight that is easy to carry to class instead of trying to lug my 17" brick of a computer around (it doesn't even fit on the desks in the classroom and dies after 45 minutes to an hour). The first time I came to make my purchase I figured it would be a quick and easy process; however, that turned out not to be the case. After signing up for the Barclay card (Apple's credit card with no interest for 12 months) they told me to wait for them to print the confirmation. However, their printer wasn't working and after multiple attempts the webpage timed out. "Oh. Your credit card number is gone now, so there isn't any way for you to make the purchase now," they told me. Ummmm what? After an hour of calling the credit card company, searching online, and looking confused (both me and the Apple specialist) we finally gave up for the night. While this was an extreme hassle, I did end up staying after hours and my specialist was extremely nice even though I'm sure they wanted me to get the heck out. I came back two days later, and a different specialist called the card company on the phone where he got the card number, and processed my order quickly using his iPhone. I was even able to use two credit cards to split the bill so it would not all be on the Barclay card (it's a family effort to buy this expensive thing). They even brought out my laptop right then and there even though they told me when I was there previously that it would have to be specially ordered and would take a few days to arrive. I was pleasantly surprised and walked out a very happy customer. Now I just have to figure out how to use this thing....
5 - Chen H.: All my tech stuff is starting to have issues.  Here to get my iPhone 4s Internet fixed.  Service was quick and simple without any hassle.
1 - Senait G.: I made an appointment for the "genius" bar because I've been experiencing problems with my phone, I didn't know if it was the hardware or the firmware so I took it in. First of all there are way TOO MANY freaking employees at this store, you would think with that customer to employee ratio, everyone would be getting BOMB ASS CUSTOMER SERVICE right? Wrong. They blatantly disregarded my existence, as I was skipped over 2x while waiting to check in for my my appointment. I guess I have to look like money to be noticed at this stupid store. When I finally did get checked in I waited like 15 mins for someone to finally come around. Nice, so much for an appointment. 

The guy helping me was very short with me. Why not? Everyone else is doing it. 

He was like "blah blah blah firmware, blah blah blah hardware, blah blah warranty, blah blah blah new phone." 

He asked me about iCloud I told him I don't know much about it and so I don't mess with it,  he took a look at my settings and noticed that my iCloud was on, I'm guessing that was an indicator that all my stuff was backed up on it. Im not a genius or anything but if a customer comes up to me and tells me she has no idea about how iCloud works and I'm about to reset her phone, you bet your ass I'm going to log onto my fancy MAC and check her iCloud just to be sure. Nope. Not here, apparently they only provide customer service to a select group of individuals. 

He gave me a replacement phone, took my old phone and "helped" to set up my new phone. GUESS WHAT! there was NOTHING saved on my iCloud account. I lost all my contacts, music, photos, apps, etc. Thanks a lot genius.
1 - Joseph R.: Bought an iPhone 4S from here. The customer service started off great. Then they asked if I wanted Apple care on my iPhone. I asked them whats the difference between apple care and the monthly insurance through ATT. They told me no difference except I save $140 dollars after two years compared to paying for the monthly. I specifically asked if it covers theft... twice because i've had phones stolen from me before. They said i would just have to pay 50 bucks to get another one (just like ATT). a few months later my phone gets stolen. I called this apple store telling them my phone was stolen and the guy told me that apple care doesnt cover theft.... so now i am out a iphone 4s. Im a college student so i cant buy any other good phone. I am a little pissed off and upset with this store.
3 - Liana R.: Beginning with 5 stars.
Subtract one for having to wait over an hour for my scheduled appointment because someone took an extraordinary amount of time during their appointment, which pushed everyone else back.  I felt like I was in a doctor's office.
Plus one for the friendly greetings at the entrance and the no-hassle attitude...if you need help, great, but you won't have someone hovering all over you when you don't.
Minus one for having to make two separate appointments 50 minutes apart because I had a question about my other device.
Minus one for someone finally meeting me for the appointment at almost 745 for a 650 date then telling me there was nothing I could do but spend almost $500 on a new phone.
Minus one for them telling me that the reason my disk space was empty was because of a Microsoft problem that they couldn't fix with my Entourage because they "don't touch Microsoft products"
Plus one for Microsoft being right across the parking lot.
Total: 3 stars. And I'm giving that 3 stars because A. I have a new keyboard for free and B. You're Apple!
1 - Patricia H.: Took my new iPad in as problems with very slow video loading - jerky with constant buffering.   Was treated as if I was stupid - told it was normal; fault of the videos; problem with uTube or the app I was using etc etc.   
When I got home went to the Apple discussion boards, learned my problem  is common.   Changed  a setting on my router.  My download speed went from 1.60 Mbps to 23.58 Mbps - nearly the same as my computer. No more choppy videos.
Very condescending staff and offered no solutions.
5 - Michelle D.: Easy as pie. Busy as all hell.... but still easy. That's how you know a location is a winner. 

Every time I come in here it is crawling with people, but it never takes long for an employee to be at my side asking me what Apple device I would like to add to my collection or what I need to make my existing gadgets work better. They are helpful, knowledgable, and efficient. The other day I bought my iPad 3 here and it was no different! When you're making a major purchase you want that kind of service. 

If you know you have a technical problem just make an appointment for the Genius Bar online and you won't wait for that either. But if you don't make an appointment expect to wait (especially at this store) and don't complain.

I also LOVE that there is ZERO waiting in line at Apple stores. You get one on one service all the way. You work with someone to figure out what you want, including accessories. They go get your prodicts. They bring them to you in a bag all ready to go. They check you out right there and even email you the receipt if you want (double like). You're in, out, hello, goodbye, gooodnight, and good luck. 

Perfection.
2 - Vanessa J.: I've been here 3 times this year to get my MacBook Pro fixed. A bad logic board was replaced with another bad logic board, and the "geniuses" couldn't find me in the system when I went to pick it up. Instead of taking another look, they just told me "Oh, it must not be done yet, you should come back tomorrow" even though I had specifically been called to be told it was done.

Listen, children, I don't want to have to swear at you to get my computer back, BUT I WILL. 
And I did. 
Just do your damn job, ok?
1 - Dan B.: "I'm so very sorry" is a statement I'd expect from a surgeon whose done everything he or she knows and there's no hope. This is an exact quote from my Apple store technician,  Clinton,  whose one of those geaky, hippy types that we all generally trust.     My I-phone 4 contained nearly 2 years of priceless photos and videos that I was being told by Clinton, would be gone forever after it suddenly stopped charging and was down to 10% battery.  The battery charger dock was malfunctioning  and this meant I had to get a whole new phone losing everything.   Yes, I know I should have backed up my phone but never expected so few options with a world class product like an Apple I-phone.      I was devastated and did my best to keep my composure but my trustworthy Apple technician made it clear that my options were very limited.    There was only one option actually :    Give Clinton my phone, pay $149 replacement fee and get a new, likely  refurbished phone without any of my photos, videos, contacts, etc..  In other words repair was not an option.  As 10% decreased to 5 % to 3% I looked thru my photos and videos,  coming to the realization that my last view of these would be right here and now.  

Warning,  don't trust these people.    

After seeing me turn a few odd shades of red and a perhaps noticing a bead of sweat form,  my technician Clinton  at least indicated that private companies that can help do exist but admitted his company, Apple, does not allow him to help further.   That just sucks.    

Happy Ending :   I found a private, non Apple authorized company who has a perfect 5 star Yelp rating and $80 and 45 minutes  later my phone is cured.     Thanks Apple!
4 - Tony S.: I lucked out, or at least followed every bit of advice and on-line help from Apple, FIRST. 

Ordered a memory upgrade for my MacBook Pro; had it shipped direct to this store for eventual installation; booked my genius appointment in advance.

I arrived on-time for my morning appointment, was welcomed immediately; introduced to my 'genius. Installation was performed within 20 minutes while I whiled away my time wi-fi-ing the world using the complimentary platforms.

THANK you all at University Village!

FYI, further, as others have yelped: free parking lot parking surrounds this very convenient mall - approximately 15 minutes from DT SEA.

If ever in need, I'll be back! Again, muchas gracias.
5 - Apoorv B.: Great store, friendly staff. My iphone4 stopped charging all of a sudden, nothing wrong with the charger because I tried many, so definitely something wrong with the phone. I went to the U District Apple store: 
-Took less than 10 minutes to get a Genuis Bar appointment
- Genius guy looked at the phone and in 2 minutes decided to give me a new replacement for my old iphone4
5 - Sidney B.: Appointment with the Genius Bar. Courteousness throughout. A Macbook which my very existence depends on had been wrecking havoc for the last few weeks. Turned out to be a swollen battery putting pressure on the tracking pad. Simple solution -- don't use the battery and save the money for the IPad I'm buying. 

But here is where the customer service gets exceptional. My "Genius" a wonderful kid named Matt, noted the blobs of white on at least five of the keys on my keyboard from extended use, as well as the splintering of the board around the edges. Like I said, this laptop gets a workout repeatedly. Without a word from me on its rather shoddy-looking condition, he said the laptop could use a new keyboard. And just like that, it was sent to the back. An hour later I returned to find a beautiful new keyboard -- free of charge!

This is what is called exceptional service. I got so much more than a problem solved. I got real value added, not because of a complaint, but because this guy knew how to keep a customer coming back. Apple made me a believer all over again.
1 - Kianni C.: Whatever you do dont trust store manager Lindsy to help you she is so RUDE!!!  As a business owner I would never allow unprofessional poorly trained bad apples like Lindsy to work for my business and represent me with such a bad attitude.
I went in to make a super simple headphone return in the middle of the day the store was not busy there were employees hanging around doing nothing, after I explained I was in a hurry I was told to wait in a corner and then I was neglected for 15 minutes while I overheard employees saying how thier appointments didnt arrive so they had nothing to do they ignored me so I went to ask why I was waiting for so long for something so simple, I was immediatly given attitude by store manager lindsy who has a smerk on her face then she told me i would have to wait another hour and a half!!!! She was completely unreasonable and was not only not trying to help a customer but she was trying to antagonize me and anger me in every fashion imaginable! This is not my first time at an apple store and I have never been so mistreated by anyone as I was with store manager Lindsy, I think it is crazy that a gm at Apple would hire such an unprofessional rude little wench as a manager! After getting the attention of a real employee I was helped with my exchange but there was clearly no reason for Lindsy not to help me in the first place and it is unnacceptable that she antagonized and provoked me to anger and then laughed at me!
I was embarrassed and put in a very awkward position by this idiot Lindsy and in front of other customers...
I will be complaining to as many venues as possible about this phony manager Lindsy! 
This jerk has no business working for Apple or anyone in customer service!
5 - Beth G.: When I went in to replace my Iphone Chris gave me the best customer service I have ever received. Chris completely blew me away with his level of comprehension, compassion, respect, accuracy, efficiency and attention to detail. It's great to know Apple hires people who not only go above and beyond their job description but most importantly, genuinely care about their customers.
1 - Christina S.: Called to ask if they have a computer case available. They specialist was really nice and checked for me, he told me they have plenty of the case that I'm looking for. 

I arrived at the store within 30 minutes, but the computer case wasn't on the shelf. They had other sizes and colors but not the one I was looking for, so I asked one of the retail staff. He, without even checking the system or the back, told me no they don't have any. I asked him to check because I already called before I came here. Then starting at the point, he had this cranky face and attitude. He went to the back of the store, came back with 2 cases with him, put one on the shelf, and gave me the other one that's all dirty looking. The service was horrible. He was rude and didn't want to do any customer service at all. 

Unfortunately this wasn't the first time. Mid-last year, I went to the same store to get my white iPhone 4S. I also called before I went to the store and the person told me they have plenty. When I arrived at the store, the sales staff told me that they didn't have any - without checking the system. But that experience was okay because he apologized afterward and was a big helper after that point.

I really wished that I had memorized the name of the retail staff from yesterday... They need to work on staff training and eliminate the few that don't deserve to wear the uniform. A great product should come with a great service!
2 - Charlie W.: A slick looking operation--really nothing seems to compare, certainly not the Mac store or even the Microsoft store--which is possibly why it's so hard to get a handle on what's wrong with this place.  But bear with me while I tell you about my last experience there.  

My wife went to the store to replace an iMac that she bought at the same store about 7 years ago. We've bought other Apple products--e.g., a Mac Book Pro and two iPhones.  Sure, I have some reservations and even a complaint or two, but overall I have a good opinion of these products.

After plunking down our money for another iMac and relying upon the advice of the knowledgeable staff member we brought in the old machine to have a "data migration" performed. A second knowledgeable staff warned us that this might take 24 hrs.  I thought they were hedging, because I performed the same "data migration" on a couple of my PCs last year, and it only took a few hours.  But, of course, I'm no expert, least of all a knowledgeable Apple Store staff member.

Because my wife's business is run out of that machine, everything was on hold.  So she called the store every day for the next three days and each time was assured by yet another knowledgeable staff member that the machine would be ready shortly and that they (most likely another knowledgeable staff member) would call us.  

No calls came.  Finally, late on fourth day, after calling the store twice, it was ready.  When we got there, the two knowledgeable staff members advised my wife to undergo a short one-half hour clinic, which wouldn't start for twenty minutes.  So we left, leaving the machine in their custody, and went shopping.  We came back on time but yet another knowledgeable staff member was unable to find our machine.  Ten minutes passed until I spotted the knowledgeable staff member who supposedly had the machine and told him about the difficulty other knowledgeable staff had finding it.

The machine then appeared, and after it was set up and turned on, we realized that none of the non-Apple programs had transferred.  Yes, the data files were--or at least seemed--intact, but jumbled up in an unrecognizable way.  We couldn't even retrieve her email. I made the mistake of complaining about this state of affairs to the knowledgeable staff member.  After asserting that the machine worked fine as far as he was concerned, the knowledgeable staff member looked at his watch and told us that our time was up.

So, long story shortened, my wife is still using her old iMac, until we can locate someone to fix the new machine.  My confidence in the knowledgeable staff of the Apple Store has undergone an appropriate adjustment.  It has plummeted to the level that it probably should always have been at.
5 - Nate B.: I've purchased many items here without any issues, but most of all have had a handful of occurrences where I needed something fixed at the Genius Bar. They have always been swift and reasonable in their repairs. Hands down the best place to buy an Apple product!
3 - Kellie C.: Not the best service, you really have to hunt someone down if you want to buy something.

Apple Store - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.280024, -120.66172) ()
5 - Curtis W.: I have been attending workshops at the Apple Store on Higuera Street over the past couple of months.  The workshops are outstanding and the Apple employees are really knowledgeable and helpful.  The Apple Store is a great resource for anyone who owns an Apple product.  Check out their schedule of workshops on their website.
5 - Joe G.: So glad to see Apple open up in SLO.

The support staff is friendly and solicitous, so the daunting task of choosing a computer application for your needs is a lot less stressful.

As I run a business (and use Macs), they have gone the extra mile to help me with business-specific contacts who may be able to help me better utilize my computers.

Sweet.
5 - Tony A.: Took my two Macs in yesterday expecting to spend big money to get them both back to maximum potential. (They had both slowed down and had been timing out while online.)  It was determined that my year old Mac was having issues with my router. I was sold a $15 cable to bypass my wi-fi.  My 6 year old Mac was crashing, so they formatted my hard drive and reinstalled some programs while I waited. For this they charged me zero.

 I got home and hooked up both Macs which now run faster than ever.
Total charge was $15 plus tax. 

 This is the reason I switched from "the other place" as soon as The Apple Store opened in SLO. In addition to my Mac, I also purchased my Iphone and Ipods through The Apple Store and have always been impressed by the helpful, friendly staff.

 A terrific place to shop or just hang out to play with the toys.
5 - Jeff B.: Just amazing. Really helpful staff who seem like they completely enjoy what they are doing! The genius bar is the best thing that ever happened to this town. Before it took a week or more to get something repaired. I have had hard drives replaced over night here! Great employees, great managers and great service. Thanks Apple for coming to town!
1 - Lindsey D.: Had a HORRIBLE experience here. Went here very excited to buy my first iPhone, and thought it would be pretty straight forward. I got a new job and was finally going to be able to afford the plan, and was looking forward to how organized and savvy I could be with my new phone. THREE HOURS later I walked out of the store with the phone, but all my excitement was gone from the absolutely horrible experience :o(

The sales person who helped us ended up being very inexperienced. I wanted to check and see if I could be put on my moms friends and family plan, but there was a problem so the associate had to call AT&T directly, and had AT&T activate my phone # from Verizon to an un-purchased iPhone. The manager said that the person from AT&T should have known better than to do this, but all the other people working at the Apple store seemed to know this shouldn't have been done (someone even pulled out a memo that was sent to all the staff).  This started a long process of trying to get my "port number" back, so they could start the process from scratch. I ended up having to call AT&T and Verizon myself,  but the associates at the Apple store had to talk to them FOR AGES using MY MINUTES from my Verizon plan, which I didn't even think about until I got my last bill. 

Anyway, we finally got my number back after THREE HOURS and started the process over and I was able to purchase the phone. However, this experience keeps coming back to haunt me! When I tried to put myself on my moms friends and family plan (but was not able to), her plan was deactivated and her and everyone on her plan was being charged per text and per minute. That finally got resolved. However, the reason I bought the phone when I did was bec. it would be about a month before my first paycheck, and the associate assured me I wouldn't have to pay the bill for the plan until at least a month after the day I purchased it (the actual iPhone was a gift). Just got my bill and that was not true.  I have never had such a bad sales experience in my life!!

Admittedly, this was not all the fault of the person at the Apple Store. AT&T has a pretty inefficient system that made any mistake hard to fix. But I keep wishing we had encountered a different sales associate who knew what heck they were doing. 

What did I learn? If you want to get an iPhone w/ AT&T  it is probably just a whole lot easier to buy it at the AT&T store. They know more about the plans, and have more access to their system. 

Did I mention this took THREE HOURS???
4 - Christian P.: For everything Apple. ~ www.christianperez.bravehost.com/
4 - Chuckin B.: Amazing and helpful staff,  really great vibe and energy from the employees. Never had an off experience.
5 - Eric S.: All of the people working here are super helpful and there are always a ton of them working at a time.  I was having trouble with my iphone so i took it in and they just gave me a new one that day which was awesome.  The people here always know what they are talking about.
2 - Janelle T.: I love Apple's products, and I bought my macbook at the downtown apple store, but the staff is pretty vapid and lazy. I'd recommend going to the Mac Superstore down the street... plus they are locally owned and operated. The people at the Mac Superstore know about apple products, and they are friendly.
2 - Adam M.: Geniuses are generally helpful... once I make an appointment; which means going ONLINE, which may be difficult, if it is my computer than needs repairing.  

Purchased my g/f her first MacBook here.  Had the ask the sales guy THREE (3) times to go and get the computer.  He kept pointing out the demo model and asked if we wanted to try using the computer.  "No.  I own one, she needs one with AppleCare, she's a student, could we get the printer as well."  Well, the MacBook is our most popular laptop computer and we do have discounts for students..... On and on.  We walked in to purchase, hoping to be in and out in under 10 minutes.  Took 10 minutes just to get helped and another 10 to convince the sales jerk off to go get the computer.  Then ring up, student ID, etc.  I purchased my first Mac systems (that's right, more than one) in a VERY busy store in Palo Alto, CA a few years back and dropped a hell of a lot of cash and that took me 15 minutes from parking, to payment, to car with a desk and laptop system, plus goodies.  In SLO, I guess things are SLO, because it took 45 min once INSIDE the store.  Slow, stupid, bad customer service and sales support.  If I would have known about  MacSuper Store at the time, we would have bailed.

All in all, it's Apple.  Very corporate, very hip, very shiny... Just not the greatest staff in the world.
1 - Loving S.: I went into the Apple Store in DT San Luis Obispo today and was disappointed with the customer service. The reason for my visit was that my delete key on my MacBook Pro had come off. I still had both the plastic nipple piece as well as the delete key itself. The "genius" was far from genius. More like an angry man who has not been laid in over a year feeling like he's "the man" at work. He told me that my warranty was expired and there was NO way that he could possibly get the delete key back on...NO WAY. Not only was he rude and sarcastic, but he made feel stupid for asking if there was another alternative to purchasing a brand new keyboard for my Mac. He told me a replacement keyboard for my computer was "only $87". Only $87?!?!?! We're in a recession, people! Plus it was just the ONE KEY...Not my entire keyboard! Bottom line: I took my MacBook down to MAC SUPERSTORE and not only did they repair my delete key but they replaced the key itself as it had a small crack in it....ALL FOR FREE and with a SMILE. Thank you MacSuperstore. I will not be returning to the Apple Store.
1 - Olivia M.: Today I went to the apple store to buy a case for my new iPod 4. I currently have it in my old iPod case. I searched two different walls looking for a case with a clip. After 10 minutes without anyone asking me if I needed help or even a hello, I left. I will get my case at AT&T. They are friendly the second I walk in the door.
4 - Steve E.: The Apple Store is such a huge resource for computer rookies like me who need all the help that we can get.  After a lot of debating (in my head) I've decided to jump from the PC World to the dark side and get a MacBook Pro 15".  It's going to be our new "family computer" after Brie and I get married in June.  We're going to purchase the One on One sessions from the store so that we can transfer all of the data from our old computers as well as figure out how to maximize the use of this new computer.  The thing that I am most excited about is that now I can load up my iPod Shuffle once again for my races and I can finally back up my iPhone...
5 - Osvaldo D.: The Mac specialists and Geniuses are well knowledgeable and helpful.
5 - Dean M.: All of the sudden Friday afternoon the mouse pad on my MacBook Pro gets a mind of it's own. I take it into the Apple Store and they recommend sending it to Apple. This morning FedEx delivers my mac as good as new... repaired and shipped in one business day for free! Wow! PC products...you are dead to me.
5 - Jared G.: Went into the Apple store on 7/11/11 with a mysteriously broken iPhone 4 2 weeks out of the warranty.  I was assisted by Chris the Genius and he overlooked the 2 weeks and gave me a replacement.  I have an iPad, iMac and AppleTV so it was nice to see my customer loyalty rewarded.  MAC FOR LIFE. 

You're the bomb Chris!
4 - Jennifer C.: Resolved my problem quickly.
5 - John H.: Possibly the nicest, most helpful staff in the Apple corporation at this store. My wife has had several "problems" with her iPhone, many of which were independent of the product, and this staff has always gone above and beyond to make sure we leave WoW'ed. The service here is obviously why Apple is doing so well. Thanks again.
1 - Roberto L.: Worst customer service.  Great products waited 30 min by a ipad playing then by a laptop and in 1 hr there not a single person bothered. To ask if i needed help
5 - Diana G.: Although a zoo, excellent customer service...

Once my father finally decided what to do with his company monies we were able to quickly get him set up with and iPAD and a grrrreat desktop- awesome!! Our first visit was all about ciphering the options. It was grand how you simply log-in to their system and then wait to be seen - especially considering there seemed to be hundreds roaming around the place two days after Christmas. Within minutes of being seen, the very knowledgeable employee helped us tremendously by simply answering either yes or no, we didn't need details, etc. - thank you for sparing us. Round 2 same experience. Fast service, and within one hour walked out with the new items, along with the excitement of adding the plan that will allow them to teach my dad everything about his new toys, rather than me having to be tortured by extensive explanations - whoohoo!! 

Loved the fact that the "special people who reside behind the 'secret' back door" came out with our items, shook Dad's hand, and gave him a "Congrats on your purchase Mr. G. We hope you enjoy your purchase." Ohhh, wow. Now where's the red carpet? 

Thank you Apple Store for making my life simpler by taking care of my father for me!!
5 - Velanche S.: Thank goodness for an Apple Store that's in the heart of downtown. Service was fine and good, whether or not I make a reservation, but I would highly recommend that you do so if you plan to visit the Genius Bar or take one of its workshops. 

I've taken both iPad and iPhone workshops there and mingled with other users there. I had a few replacements for faulty equipment there, too. The (mostly) young employees are helpful and friendly, even if they aren't always able to answer questions (I am a techie, myself). 

Great service, nice location, attractive store for our attractive toys!
5 - Paula H.: On vacation and my iPhone died - what an awful feeling. Hit the Verizon store first and they had never seen a problem like this. Fortunately still in warranty, so they scheduled me in at the Apple store 2 blocks away.  One look at the problem and Chris readily pulled a replacement which he graciously held for me until I could get my company to OK the change of service. The Apple folks couldn't have been more helpful the next day getting me set up and back in business. Yeah!
2 - Constance D.: Bought an iPhone on Sunday at ATT store.  Didn't work right.  Went to this Apple store for appointment at 9:50am Wednesday.  Guy helped my by 10am but I didn't walk out of there until 11:25am.  He kept helping other people in between helping me and it took more than twice as long as it should have.  He just had to determine that it was a hardware problem and tthat I needed a replacement and I would have been on my way.  I was very frustrated and felt like minimized by them.  I did not like the culture of this store.
2 - Skip H.: when you buy into apple products make sure you do all of your homework! the first impression of this store is exciting, employees (geniuses) as far as the eye can see moving about! not having an appointment, our issues were halted at the door ,with a woman who insisted we needed a scheduled appointment time .never mind we drove in and paid to park the soonest was 50 minutes later not only that, we needed 2 seperate appointments if we had another question on a different device! ....mind you a store full of wandering employees with limited customers...,  waiting  and observing right outside the glass windows for our now newely scheduled appointment. we couldn't get back to back appointments!  after going through 6 different staff members we are now dealing with one of 7 managers, who is speaking in riddles. we did learn that when purchasing your apple devices make sure you are completely clear on what you are buying.  we have invested in the apple iphones and ipads with what we thought at the time of sale, the best apple care.....unknown to us and all former i pad users, apple now has a super deluxe care plan that is of no use to former purchases. with all the advanced updating apple does, it seems odd that when a new apple care plan is implemented its not extended to current customers! the product is decent but there policies are ambiguous.
5 - Larry H.: This store is always busy but is also well staffed. All of the staff are always super friendly and eager to help.

Apple Tree Supermarket - New York, NY (40.809492, -73.9589077) (Morningside Heights)
4 - Diana N.: 4 stars for convenience, fast service and variety.  if you live on columbia's campus, apple tree is most conveniently located near the school of social work, teachers college, and sipa.  i often stopped by to grab a snack or meal-food before class or a group meeting.  they offer a variety of sandwiches, cold cuts and subs; soups; the usual variety of chips, candy, sodas and bottled water; but also fruit, candy, cookies, detergent, and other dorm necessities.
3 - Heather H.: Ahhh, sweet Apple Tree, the site of many a late night munchy run when I was at Barnard.  And after college, I hit it for the delicious tapioca pudding.
4 - Emile N.: A solid market. They have a good selection of normal grocery things, also they have a pretty good deli AND, if you want to, you can rent movies from there.

Just think of it! You can get a corned beef sandwich, some Gala apples, a box of Trix, a pack of napkins, Return of the Jedi and call it a night!
4 - Nathaniel B.: General grocery fare is no more pricey than any other standard Manhattan supermarket, which is to say, somewhat pricey.  The ice cream is perpetually freezer-burned.  And if you're looking for produce, the selection is somewhat thin and not all that great.  You could probably do better for yourself at Morton Williams on 116th/Bway....or, even better, at Fairway.

Apple Tree has plenty of high points, however.  Open 24 hours...and that includes the deli, which is pretty solid.  I actually prefer their sandwiches to the Hamilton Deli (down the street at 116th/Amst.)  I have made many a late night run to the deli here.  You can rent movies at $3, too, although they have NO orgainziation method whatsoever, so you spend 25 minutes looking for the movie you want.
3 - Natalie W.: Three stars because while they charge as much as Morton Williams or Westside Market, the store looks decidedly crappy.  One huge plus, though, they carry a large amount of kitchen supplies that are cheap by anyone's standards.  For example I bought a rolling pin and a box grater each for $3.99.  Those are things I usually get stuck paying over $10 for.  The supplies aren't super high quality, but they totally work in a pinch and last for a while.
5 - Laura Z.: I am enthusiastically in love with appletree. It is a bit pricier than some of the larger stores - but has so much charm it's worth it. Movie rentals have gone up in price (3.99) - but for a three day rental without any membership, it's not bad. Also, they make delicious cheeseburgers at 4am, and about once a month you can find a good avocado.
4 - Frances W.: Apple Tree has been a life saver at times. I like how they don't take complete advantage of lazy Columbia students. Or maybe the few grocery stores in the area provide enough competition to keep prices reasonable. While there isn't a lot of brand selection, they have just about one type of anything you're looking for.  In addition to normal grocery shopping needs, trusty Apple Tree has been there for me for the (fortunately) few TP emergencies and late-night cold medicine buying. I'm not a rice pudding connoisseur, but I really enjoy their rice pudding.
4 - Meg D.: Apple Tree is a big deal. When I meet people who used to live in my neighborhood and I want to explain my current location, it's the siren I reference first. Not "near Columbia," but "around the corner from Apple Tree." They've got everything and then some; it's the only place in the neighborhood that reliably stocks Morningstar crumbles (the Met supermarket down the street, meanwhile, is the only place that reliably stocks Morningstar bacon). You can take care of your staples here and dress it up with some of the pretty extras; they also take care of anyone shopping Kosher. The produce selection is uneven but the hummus, spice rack, & fancy cheese selection is a strong. They also have all sorts of odd household goods tucked around, so if you're in need of a paring knife you can get that. 

Prices are no worse than Morton Williams, actually they can be slightly better. If you're bargain-hunting, though, walk over to Met. 

Apple Tree recently knocked out a wall (the one that used to divide them from the dry cleaner that moved up the block a couple years ago) and they've expanded the deli area. There's now a huge amount of space to stand while you wait for your veggie burger (or: a huge amount of space to maneuver around people waiting for their veggie burgers) and today I noticed they've even added stools and a shelf-like counter. Apple Tree has been growing steadily for years (remember when it wasn't 24-hours? me either! but it wasn't!) and I'd go so far as to call them a neighborhood fixture. In a neighborhood defined by waves of temporary residents, that's a big deal.
2 - Ben C.: Convenience is about all.  Produce tends to be iffy.  Prices are nutty.  This isn't unique to Apple Tree, but almost $4 for a grilled cheese?  Are you SERIOUS?  I could make it myse ... never mind.

Anyway, they have a little movie rental thing going on, which is cool, but they fail to alphabetize, which is uncool.  Recent remodeling looks nice, but I'm not sure they've grown into the additional space quite yet.

So, yeah.  Like I said, convenience is about all.
4 - kathleen c.: I walked into Apple Tree for the first time this past summer to pick up sausages.  I know, a weird thing to pick up at a tiny corner market.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that their prices (at least for sausage) were exactly the same as Trader Joe's, which is my gauge for all cheap fine foods. 

Their other stuff isn't bad either!  A fully stocked deli, a wide variety of cold drinks, and quite possibly the BEST Swedish cookies I've ever put in my mouth--try the Almond Cinnamon.  They're really something!  Other grocery items are a bit on the pricey side, but in a pinch, a great place to pick up last minute food!  Also great for picking up a baggie of snacks before you hunker down for a hard core study session at the library at Columbia.
3 - Meredith U.: Appletree is a block away from my apartment, so it gets major points for convenience. If I'm looking for selection, or fresher veggies, I'll hike down to Morton Williams or Westside. But if I just need some Morningstar Farms Veggie Crumbles, some hummus, or some rice cakes, I'll hit Appletree. They have a varied, and sometimes random selection. Also, the deli is every bit as good as Hamilton Deli, which people here swoon over. They are in the midst of an expansion/renovation.

Also, they're open 24 hours, which is a huge plus. Whether I need a Red Bull and some snacks during a late night study session or some post-bar grub at 3am, Appletree is always there for me.
4 - Queenie W.: My dear lovely sweet home - Apple tree.

Whenever I need you, you are always there. Even though I just need a coke or a fruit salad, you could always satisfy my little requests.

BTW, this week it is experiencing a little renovation and next week it will come back to normal status.
3 - Joni K.: We lived down the street from this place for a year and it was our place to go for ingredients for last minute cooking. Their chicken parmesan sandwich is the best I've had from a deli in the city and the turkey wasn't too shabby either. 

However, they are a little pricey for produce and even boxed mac n' cheese is twice the price of Fairway. I also hate how their register line works. You never know whether you are in the correct line or not and standing with a backpack there is impossible without hitting the shelves and other people.
3 - Nada O.: It's too expensive, but it's open all the time, and it has a reasonable selection of produce and other ready-to-eat foodstuffs. I would just recommend double-checking the price of anything before you buy - the pricing seems really inconsistent.
3 - Pearl O.: oh teachers college, i miss you so.
oh wait..
let me rephrase - oh student life, i miss you so!  
[i feel a bout of nostalgia coming on, but i digress..]

what's grad school life without a 24 hour bodega with deli across the street?  surprisingly a large selection despite a fairly small space with decent sandwiches and good soup, though a bit pricey.  

good for late night eats during late night work sessions during my grad school year, though id not shop here otherwise.
3 - Andrew M.: Nice people, just a little too pricey for what it is.

That they're always open is nice, and the produce is reasonable quality. Also, the drink selection seems to come and go; they're out of diet ginger ale about half of the time, and the varieties of vitamin water they have is a total grab-bag.
3 - Erin L.: A little deli thats a bit more expensive (because they can) but it's right down the street from me if I ever need anything last minute or late night. Has its perks and attracts the people who lives within one block from it.
5 - MARY E.: appletree is open 24 hours and has everything you have ever needed from a supermarket (or florist) in your life. looks deceivingly small, but goes on and on inside, and is brilliantly stocked with great produce, artisanal cheeses, chocolates, carry out, salad bar. all frozen, canned etc food and all household supplies.  Lots of prepared foods of every description, good rotisserie chicken, deli, main courses, sandwiches, fresh everything, terrific greens, fruit, grapes, berries etc, ice cream, all that a grocery store should have and more --they deliver - you can order by phone, pay by credit card over the phone -- the whole operation is extraordinarily efficient.
4 - Steven P.: Convenient with a good dessert selection.  When I cant walk down to the Hungarian Pastry Shop on 110th & Amsterdam I'll head to Appletree for a delicious cookie or muffin. Of note are the blondies, oatmeal raisin cookies, and French vanilla chip yogurt muffins. Loses a star for poor grocery selection and long lines at mealtimes.  Occasionally very crowded, although they expanded the width of their isles in spring of '09. While not a gourmet patisserie, it's a solid stop to satisfy a sweet craving on the way back from class or the bar.
3 - Eddie S.: This place is convenient if you're at Columbia. But the price of that convenience is the irritating feeling of knowing you're getting ripped off on a lot of grocery items. The deli is pretty good and recently remodeled. $1.25 coffee is a decent deal, and they put a LOT of sugar in if you ask for it. That sugar is carrying me through grad school.
4 - Liz B.: This is a great little deli/market right by Teacher's College. Its been my staple lunch place since I've been in classes full time the past few weeks. Its a sort of a grocery store, but also a soup/salad/sandwich deli on one side. They have a great salad station, and if you don't overdo it with your toppings, its pretty affordable and they have great selection. It is ALWAYS crowded during lunchtime but they are super fast, which is awesome since I only have about 35 minutes to eat.

Another cool thing is they usually have something being sampled during lunch hours. Sometimes it actually gets me to buy some sort of new organic drink/granola bar/chip (But usually I just take the free treat and my salad and leave) :-)

Just found out today they also have pretty good sushi, woo!
4 - April N.: This is one of the things that make me dislike living in SoCal...amazing deli/grocery stores that are open really late. This place has everything you want at 11 pm or 11 am.
  I came here every morning to get an egg sandwich on a bagel or roll with avocado, tomato, cream cheese, onion, and tabasco. Simply awesome. Fresh, made exactly how you want and oozing with goodness and make me wanna say...I love NY!
1 - Jessica L.: Honestly, i can't understand for the life of me how so many people have given this place a positive review. 

I'll admit that the location and hours are totally awesome if you live in the area, but that hardly makes up for the terrible customer service. When i first moved nearby i would stop in to get groceries or grab something to eat, and always tried to be friendly to everyone who worked there. I'm not hard to please, just a simple smile from someone would have done. But i finally gave up hope, being faced time and time again with negative, awful service. It's like the guy who runs the place TOLD his employees to make customers feel worse by the time they are rung up. 

Aside from the complete lack of kindness, the store's prices are outrageously overpriced. It's worth it for both your pocket book and your mood to walk or take the subway someplace else.
3 - Janny C.: I really like their assortment of vegan foods. What's great about New York is that grocery stores like Appletree are everywhere! I haven't really had an problems with Appletree, besides the customer service. In general, people who work here are very unfriendly, and not too helpful. However, I do enjoy the convenience of the location, the variety of ready-made foods, and cheap and delicious omelettes. For  $4.95, you can get a huge omelette, stuffed with cheese, and some homefries and toast on the side. I really appreciate that they give you a generous portion. I would say overall, decent market, and pretty delicious warm food. (The ready-made food is tasty too, but I've recently been a bit suspicious about its freshness...)
3 - Brice P.: This place is a dime a dozen in college areas but unique to the north part of Columbia. It's your standard college-area grocery store combined with your standard college-area deli. Which is to say that it's decent with slightly inflated prices. 

When looking for a deli sandwich or a fresh salad you might as well flip a coin between Apple Tree and Subsconscious. They're the two best in the area even though they're essentially average NY delis. When looking for a grocery store, you're better off going to a real one. This place is overpriced and only worth a last-minute shop. 
(Deli 3-star; Grocery 2.5-star)
4 - Adjoa T.: I'm still a huge fan, but I have to clarify and say that all their sandwiches are NOT delicious. I had The Cowboy the other day (BBQ chicken, cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes on a hero) and it was pretty blah. I almost didn't want to finish eating it. The Badabing (my usual) owns that sandwich like whoa. 

Will maybe try another next time, or.....I may just stick with what works.
3 - Dan T.: Good selection, prices are eh
2 - Ella G.: The good: it's close to the Teachers College campus, open 24 hours, convenient for grabbing groceries in a pinch

The bad: the employees are rude, the prices are inflated, the produce isn't great, $10 minimum for credit/debit cards, basic items are commonly out of stock
4 - Sue Y.: Supermarket with decent (though relatively expensive) produce and great location. It's literally around the corner and I come here at least once a week, sometimes twice a day. 

Their deli is amazing (for the area). Huge selection and really good friendly service. Beware that they won't let you charge less than $10 on your credit card.
3 - Katie N.: - great that its open late
- love the deli and soup/oatmeal (!) bar
- perfect location

- not a great produce selection
- inflated prices
- 10 dollar minimum on cards... isn't this illegal? 

I've started going to Met for my groceries but will occasionally run to Appletree for a hot cup of soup or a sandwich
3 - Amy D.: This isn't a place where you should do grocery shopping, but it's good if you are looking for a sandwich for take-out.  There are a few chairs and tables where you can eat inside, but I wouldn't count on getting a table--especially during the lunch rush hour.
3 - Devin L.: Really good deli with salads, sandwiches, and other foods. The soup is fantastic. The overnight deli Guy is awesome.
The place however is super expensive. 3 bucks for some of the bottle drinks is awful. The market area is also way overpriced.  The counter help isn't that great either.
3 - Darina H.: EXQUISITE DELI! They prepare the best bagels here! I brought my girlfriends from Los Angeles to this deli to have them try the bagels...I think my girlfriends thought this sold the BEST bagels. Anyway, I love their deli because they have new items everyday...although I wish the people behind the counter didn't talk about me as if I didn't understand their Spanish (RUDE and probably why they didn't get a 4 star).

The store is TINY and the aisles are not very spacious. Apple Tree is close to campus and a great place to stop if you need a few things. Not sure if I'd actually recommend buying a full week's of groceries here because it is a little pricey. They do sell a good amount of fresh produce, basic food necessities for the home and their CHEESE/HUMMUS section is pretty impressive. A good number of organic items as well. Open late and I love that their lines go by pretty quickly. Yes, be mindful of their $10 credit card minimum before entering.
4 - Melissa S.: I might be giving Apple Tree four stars because I live a block away and come in several times a week, but I've really grown to love this place. The deli really is the best you can do for the CU area, and I've personally found the counter help to be pretty warm--I'm on a first-name basis with most everyone there, so I guess it depends on the person.

Besides the deli, selection is pretty good for a small store. I've picked up basics from there when I had no time for a bigger store visit to Fairway, and the prices are about average for the area. In their defense, they almost always have generic alternatives to the more expensive brand names, so you're not stuck paying $5 for a box of Kellogg's Raisin Bran if you'd prefer an off-brand box for $2.29. I agree that the produce is a bit sketch sometimes, so I'd be wary in just grabbing something without looking it over. Otherwise, a really great convenience store for the area, my favorite in fact.
3 - Anne G.: I like their selection of candy and cookies (yumm), but have never been a fan of their sandwiches. I really do like the bread they use, but... I just got a hero for lunch and turns out the girl at the deli packed it with feta cheese instead of fresh mozzarella! Hello?! I don't want to criticize the entire deli for this, but the result was simply disgusting. Will try a soup next time; will not risk a sandwich anymore.
2 - Richard P.: we like to call it ripoff tree because the prices for groceries are beyond unreasonable. The deli is not bad and is in the middle of a food desert of sorts. There are other options that are slower and more expensive. In conclusion: groceries: too damn expensive. Deli: location location location.
5 - Jesse N.: What a great variety! Although I never deviate from my usual twice baked potatoe and raspberry crumb cake! A tiny bit on the expensive side but not egregiously so.
2 - Esque A.: Overpriced and the people aren't so mice.  Go to Sub Conscious or Hamilton Deli for better service.  

They also can't decide what their credit card minimum.  $5? $10? Make your mind up already.
3 - Lydia N.: Pros: 
Well priced sandwiches.
Good variety
Sesame seed hero rolls(!!)

Cons:
Curt service
Everything else is ridiculously over priced

They also have a customer loyalty card (buy 10, get 1 free) but you have to ask them for it.
3 - Irene W.: this is place serves its purpose as a great place to grab a bite in between classes.  they have a lot of snack and lunch items from cookies and brownies to sandwiches and salads. i like to run in to grab some potato salad or macaroni salad.  it's amazing how much they can fit into such a small supermarket, especially with both the name brand and organic varieties.  you have food resting on every corner of this store.

unfortunately, everything is on the rather pricier side.  i do not expect any great deals or coming here to stock up on groceries.
3 - Irene Y.: Right across the street from Teachers College, Columbia University I rush out to this shop when I am in dire need of onions or whatever other produce ingredient that I lack (ie. lemons, apples, potatoes). Prices are fair, but you can do better if you go up a few blocks at The Met.

However, with harsh winters and frequent storms, this store keeps me relatively dry.  Can't really complain because of it's convenient location.
3 - Bryce A.: If this place wasn't next to Columbia's Mudd building, I wouldn't go. 


~Chicken Fajita is GREAT, order 2!
3 - jennifer l.: the only reason i like this place is because it's opened 24-hours and they keep me fed. 

a decent selection of groceries... not a large produce section tough. the prices are fairly high compared to other markets in the area.

i come here for the deli section mostly. a variety of sandwiches to choose from or create your own. salads are also available. if you buy heroes a lot, ask for the customer loyalty card (buy 10 get 1 free).

also i find that the staff at night are more friendly than those during the day.
2 - Megan C.: Appletree is located a few doors down from the social work school at Columbia, which means that I'm a regular. However, if I didn't go to school a stone's throw away, I wouldn't come here. 

For one, it's ridiculously crowded and hard to find anything. Add in the fact that it's overpriced ($5.99 for essentially a travel-sized deodorant--I forgot to put some on in the morning, no big deal), and I'm not a fan. 

However, I must say that their salads (toss-in variety) are pretty good, if overpriced, and they have quite a selection of prepared foods for a quick meal.
3 - Jaimie M.: Apple Tree is ok for it's purpose. It is a 24 hour grocery store and it is nice to have something that close by for last minute needs.

However, it is very small, expensive and doesn't have a wide array of products. They do have hot food there as well, but it doesn't really taste very good..

Apple Tree is really not the place to go to do your weekly grocery shoppig, but rather to get bits and bobs that you may have forgotten.
4 - Kim D.: appletree is in one word: convenient.  it's 24/7 so it meets all of my grocery/sandwich needs, even during finals.  the prices aren't THAT bad for the quality considering the nearby alternatives like west side, ctown, associated...

i usually only go here for the basics in terms of groceries and for the sandwiches.  the bagel with hummus, tomatoes, and lettuce is a pretty good deal as it's both filling and semi-healthy.  but if you don't mind the extra calories and fat like me, you should go for the amsterdam hero (turkey, bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and russian dressing).  Mmm!!!
4 - Nadia K.: If you're not a social work or Teachers College student, consider yourself lucky. Oh wait, I mean, then you probably don't know about Appletree. This place is so adorable. They have great coffee, good muffins, standard groceries, and a really cute DVD rental system. I hope they stay in business forever.
3 - Zach S.: Pretty good. Has what you need when you need it. Fresh sandwiches.

Because of the Columbia proximity it is overpriced.
5 - Lily G.: I've probably spent as much here as I did on my tuition at CU, and it's well worth it.  It's actually quite affordable for NYC standards, and conveniently located a block away from TC.

This is your ONLY choice in good fresh food in the area! Coffee is Delish :)
2 - Matt G.: Be sure to check expiration dates before you buy.  Also, something like 48% of city markets don't have all the items priced, and this is one of them.  The checkout staff does a bit of guessing throughout the day and the customer always loses.  I live extremely close to Appletree and used to shop here frequently, but now I make the walk to Fairway or Garden of Eden for groceries because I don't like being ripped off.  Second star because it is 24 hours, I live really close, and some of the added expense is due to the "hey, it's NYC, everything is more expensive" factor.
3 - Dimitrios D.: Decent Italian sub. 

I'm pleased that they have Maui onion potato chips.  Exquisite (I'm referring to this flavor of chips, not this deli).
3 - Jia J.: You only have to get stuck once overnight in Columbia Teacher's College territory to become eternally grateful that you can "shake something down" from this "tree" of goods when everything else is closed. 

The range of merchandise at this store is oddly huge - airport convenience store (floss, feminine products, lotion) meets Bristol Farms luxury grocery (deli meats, fancy cheeses, organic milk, and prepared foods) meets neglected bodega (packs of ramen - the cheapest kind).

I'm sure everyone finds something to fit their needs. For me, it was a large, dusty, possibly antique box of white cheddar Cheez-its balancing precariously atop the usual small, dusty, Coke syrup and floor cleaner splattered boxes of regular yellow cheddar Cheez-its, and a $2-something tub of shell pasta with marinara, spinach, and fresh mozzarella balls. 

You can take plastic utensils from the cash register area. Sometimes-to-usually, these snap off as you try to mix the pasta for microwaving in the semi-meltable container, but then you can default to a metal fork with bent tines drying in the common area dish rack and munch on a handful of Cheez-its and tap water while staring at the food as it rotates for the rest of its nuking session. Nevermind how it tastes; what else were you going to eat? If you're not a student, you're too old to raid students' refridgerators in a drunk, hungry frenzy, so forget about it.

Sleep without brushing your teeth or removing your makeup...no pajamas......In the morning, there will be just enough left over to eat cold and summon the energies to return to The Rest of Manhattan.
3 - Janine C.: Good fruit, nice salad bar, decent prepared sandwiches/wraps all of which are reasonably priced.

Terrible checkout system. Conveniently located right near the park and Columbia university, which also means that it's nutso in between classes at lunch time.
1 - alice s.: There is NO reason for me to ever return here.

-Rude employees at the salad and sandwich bar.
-EXTREMELY OVERPRICED (Read: RIPOFF): curious to try the food? How is $11 for a very small mediocre non-fancy salad, or $8 for a GRAY, DEFROSTED, RUBBERY burger patty sandwiched between Wonder Bread.
-Did I mention my burger was GRAY DEFROSTED and RUBBERY? I would have rather spent $8 at McDonalds. Then I probably would have gotten fries too for that price.
-Be prepared to wait an eternity for your food to be "made". 
-Be prepared to wait an eternity in the most idiotic queue you've ever seen for a cashier, wedged between other customers, their food, and the wall.
-Expired foods being sold at expensive prices.

Nothing to recommend about this place. This area is a sad place for eating. If you need a quick bite to go, go to M2M instead, folks.
1 - Jeff K.: ugh...i stopped eating here after the food literally made me puke a couple hours later.  the food from their bar is old and awful...the only reason to come to this place is bc its are near columbia, but its the most expensive supermarket in the area, cramped, and nasty.  Take the longer walk and save yourself from paying $11 for a small plate of sickness.
2 - Chantal D.: while they have a convenient location and a pretty good selection for a small supermarket, they really mark things up if you compare to trader joes or fairway... and on top of this, i've been sick off one of their pre-made to go things twice and the food they have at the deli section isn't great. if you live nearby its a nice option because it is open 24 hrs but otherwise wouldn't go
3 - Jess L.: Overpriced but definitely with some great fresh, pre-made items. It can be a bit of a squeeze when there are a lot of people in the store, making checkout maddening.
4 - Aili W.: Pretty good selection of groceries, reasonable prices!
4 - Michael C.: If there were at least one thing I envy about NYC, well two things actually besides the ny phil, it's corner markets and food carts.

I've dropped in almost everyday for a week here and I love how I can just walk in on the way back to where I'm staying. It's not hard to find what I'm looking for in here and the workers get me checked out pretty fast. 

I have had some of their prepared food, the texmex hero was huge and a good deal for six and some change; although, not the best sandwich I've ever had but it was decent. It had turkey, chipotle spread and a minimal amount of avocado spread. The vegetable samosas are delicious but avoid the baked salmon and crab cakes.

They also have a couple tables and some seats which I havent utilized but a convenient touch. The prices here are reasonable, at least by manhattan standards.
3 - Alex F.: Pretty average neighborhood grocery store.  

I did accidently buy moldy fontina cheese here when I first moved to New York (I took Publix Supermarkets for granted).  So just make sure you check your perishables before you check out.
4 - Mike O.: As a grocery store, this place is overpriced, narrow and crowded. My five-star review is reserved simply for the best thing you can get here: the bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on a roll. Best in the city. The eggs are perfectly cooked on the frying surface, you have your choice of cheeses (I prefer cheddar or pepper jack), the bacon isn't over- or undercooked, not too salty, just the right amount of grease. Top with a slice or two of tomato with the perfect amount of sweet and acid, and sandwich between a lightly toasted roll, and then you have the best bacon, egg and cheese on a roll in the city.
1 - Elbee M.: This place sucks.  Drinks are overpriced (compared to similar markets around).  Food is mediocre to gross.
4 - Tiffany C.: Go here all the time to pick up milk and odd and ends. There milk is reasonable, but other stuff seems over priced, but it is the city i guess. 

People are nice. The deli is great! the subs are great and tasty!
3 - andrea c.: This is my go-to neighborhood store.  

The vegan selections are quite excellent.  They sell a lot of local food as well as veggie sushi.  They tend to sell out of these items and the gluten-free beers and cider, so the earlier you go the better.  

Some things seem overpriced, but its a local store, so you can pick and choose what you'll get.  The ground coffee is cheaper than Whole Foods, but a lot of the items aren't.   

My boyfriend loves the sandwiches.  They're about $6.50 and could almost feed two, so for value, they're okay, but there aren't many fresh items that are vegetarian or vegan.  I tried the vegetarian burger, but it wasn't so great.
4 - Anonymous R.: They have every sandwich you can think of. They're open 24 hours, and the prepared foods are fresh. The food is overpriced, but the quality is good. There's often a bum sitting outside for handouts, asking the same question: "Can you give me something to eat on the way out." If I were a bum, I would sit outside this place too.
4 - Maressa T.: This review is for the sandwiches from the deli counter, which I buy more often than I care to admit. 

1 star- price $6.50
1 star- quantity- solid footlong with plenty of meat-n-fixings
1 star- the staff let me sub shredded iceberg for spinach! 
1 star- don't forget to ask for a sandwich stamp card at the cashier.
1 - Hibah H.: I've lived across the street from this place for almost two years now and have put off writing a review because it honestly makes my blood boil. 

Do you like paying 4x market price for your groceries? Do you prefer that these groceries be stale and dusty? Do you enjoy being mistakenly charged $11 for milk and not even receiving an apology for it?

If so, this is your place. If not, avoid it like the plague. Yeah, the deli sandwiches are decent. But it's NYC...walk a few blocks and you'll find another place that can roll cold cuts in a wrap just as effectively. Ugh.
4 - Hedan Z.: Being a college student, I prefer the sandwiches at this place over any other place's sandwiches in the area (even Subsconcious!). Apple Tree offers a fantastic variety of tasty sandwiches that will no doubt fill you up for 1-2 meals (depending on how hungry you are). I typically go with the Jack Jack sandwich (Chicken cutlet, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and cheese) but you pretty much can't go too wrong with any of the choices on the sandwich menu. This is the perfect place to go during lunch time, especially if you're in a rush. You'll be in and out within about 5 minutes. :)

As far as everything else there, it's probably best to skip it because it's pretty overpriced.
3 - Andy S.: There is only one reason I ever go to Apple Tree: the chipotle chicken. Strokos, Milano's, Subsconscious, Westside, and HamDel all have salad bars. And while you'll probably get more food at Westside and better value at Milano's, the chipotle chicken just makes my salad so much better than the surrounding delis that I'll always pick Apple Tree first. Everything else about it is average -- typical NY corner market. The lines for the cash register could be less awkwardly structured, but that's a small gripe. (Story: one time I dumped my entire salad on the floor of my friend's apartment. He picked through it and ate the chipotle chicken off the floor. The chicken is that good. Or I need new friends.)
1 - Jon F.: Fuck this place, I've been holding off the list fucktard customer service experiences I've had with the guys that work here b/c this place is conveniently right across the street from my school.

In the past month, I've experienced:

1.) Ordering a shrimp salad on a hero with everything, and the guy just standing behind the counter staring at me like I'm a complete idiot without even acknowledging the fact that I ordered.  After repeating my order two more times as he blankly stares at me, it turns out he needs me to clarify  what "everything" means.  

2.) The guy behind the counter demanding that I bring him the bread for the order that I put in.

3.) The cashier shorting me money for a total that he repeatedly says is $9.16.  In which I give him $20.26 and he gives me $10.10 change back.  When I suggest to him that he may have shorted me a dollar, he looks at me like I'm the biggest idiot in the world and repeatedly insists that $20.26 - 9.16 = 10.10.  After a couple mins of back and forth it turns out he meant to say that the total was $10.16, yet still defiantly looks at me like I'm the idiot.  

You know there's a problem when the homeless guy outside is way more polite than the guys that work here.

Food here is mediocre at best.  Twice when I bought beer here, it still had ice chunks floating in the beer.  

Go down the street to Hamilton Deli for way better service and food, or up the street to Columbia Deli for better prices and non-shit service.
3 - Celia Y.: Super convenient and perfect for picking up a quick lunch! They have a good selection of choices for pre packaged food. Prices are very fair. But the groceries, snacks, and etc are overpriced.

Service is not always the friendliest and the cashiers tend to ignore you when you say something to them.
4 - Tara D.: I go here to pick up lunch since it's just 1 block from my office, and so far I've been really pleased with their deli offerings.  The organic yogurt parfaits are wonderful and filling, and the pre-made sushi is very cheap compared to other sushi places.  They seem to skimp on the lettuce on their salads, I've found mine to be more croutons then greens, so you have to spring for the add-ins.  As for the hot sandwiches, I got a meatball parm there once and it lasted me two lunches.
5 - Courtney S.: This is a neighborhood favorite for Morningside heights families, Columbia students, and Columbia staff. It is a great deli/food store, that makes fresh salads, sandwiches, and hot food. It has a selection of prepared food/meals like at whole foods, that you can get packaged and eat as a meal there or bring home. They have a varied of health choices and since it is also a food store, they have fresh fruit and vegetables. They have a great cheese selection with very responsible prices (I personally recommend the brie). They have a wide variety of hot food to order (from Middle Eastern to Spanish to Italian).   The staff is really nice and friendly there and they know how to handle a crowd (since lunch time can get pretty busy). There is a couple tables you can eat at, but if the weather is nice, you can just grab some food and head to Morningside park or the lawn at Columbia. They are open 24 hours a day and the kitchen/deli counter is open at that time too. So matter what you are craving or what time of night, you can find it at Apple Tree.
4 - Sean And McKinze F.: Nice little market. Not overly pricey. Sub-par beer selection. Great selection of custom sandwiches, burgers and salads.
3 - Keith L.: Apple Tree is directly across the street from my office, so I often run in to grab a quick lunch. Be forewarned: it's an actual supermarket and gets super busy during lunch hours. 

The sandwiches are OK, the salad bar could have a few more options, but all-in-all the offerings are fine.

If you're looking for something a little cheaper or heartier, I suggest you try Interchurch, which is only a few blocks away.
1 - Yahoo S.: Small market near Columbia U, decent selection, but discovered my pita bread was moldy upon returning home.  When I went back to return it, I was asked if I wanted another one.  After nearly ingesting several ounces of grayish mold, I said, "not after that one." The clerk proceeds to mention to the other clerk why do people have to make things so complicated.  Seriously?  I will be taking my business to the market up the street on 123rd, or Fairway, or the other one around 110th and Broadway rather than deal with the poor customer service and the occasional moldy item.
4 - Ken M.: This place is convenient for Columbia students and staff and has good service. The employees are helpful whenever I needed to look for something and good service is pretty important here since it is so cramped and it is often difficult to find what I'm looking for. The sandwiches and snacks are fresh and delicious. The only problem I have with this place are the prices but everything in this neighborhood is a little overpriced due to proximity to Columbia.
2 - Ben E.: Got a chicken hero sandwich.  It was pretty good, but the service was pretty slow, it took a while waiting in line to pay, and it cost just over $7.  Hamdel is probably the better choice.

Applebee's - College Park, MD (38.9790753, -76.9381296) ()
3 - laura w.: The only reason I go to Applebee's in CP is because it is the only place on Route 1 that you can go to for a beer that isn't totally overrun by undergrads. 

Other than that, it's your average applebee's, with tacky decorations on the wall and so-so food.
1 - aaron f.: If i could give less than one star i would.
Short story: Took a date here and couldn't tell if everyone standing around was at the bar or waiting for a table so i asked what the wait was - response was (not exagerating) well you see people in front of you right? my reaction- yea that pretty obvious but why don't YOU tell me how long the wait is since i can't tell how many are here for the bar  or not)   they said 20 min, it ended up being 1/2 hour 

nice waitress took our order - and forgot to put it in. - i waited an hour for my food. 

the steak i ordered finally arrived and on one side it was dry the other side was covered in cheese- LOW AND BEHOLD - the melted cheese   was covering  up the charcol black burned steak.  The manager came over (after i dind't get the sides i ordered)  and offered to get me another steak - i had lost my appitite after seeing some flies on other peoples food after they'd gotten up so decided i had enough and left. never to return. 

tacky and dirty with bad service - but a nice waitress only perk
1 - Allison M.: I'm not normally a big fan of chain restaurants, but Applebee's in College Park is hands-down one of the worst I've ever been to in PG County.  A close friend of mine picked this place for all of us to meet on her birthday.  It was all downhill from there.

1.)  They forgot our reservation for a party of 8 and thus forced us to wait 15 minutes to be seated at 7:30 on a Saturday night.

2.)  Nearly all of the alcoholic drinks were either forgotten or delivered incorrectly.

3.)  After the waitress FINALLY came around to take our food orders, it took nearly 40 minutes for the food to come out.

4.)  My chicken quesadilla came out as a quesadilla burger.  It took HALF AN HOUR for the correct item to come out and they had forgotten the guacomole I ordered.  Thankfully, Rachel's UMCP pals were nice enough to share some of their food as I waited... and waited... and waited for my own meal to arrive.

I told the manager that he could either take the food back or take the item off my check, but either way, I wasn't touching the food until he had agreed that I wouldn't be paying for it.

I felt so bad for my friend because she was patient and had really tried to work with them, but this was just the worst possible service.  To top it off, the waitress frequently disappeared without so much as an explanation of why everything was going wrong.  Other waiters came by and tried to help, but they had their own work to do.

Don't waste your time at this dump.  If you're looking for American food on the cheap while cruising Route 1, go to the MUCH BETTER Plato's Diner next door.
2 - James B.: This joint gets an extra star for being (1) hilarious and (2) useful.  Long story short, I did some contract work over the past few years for an employer who sent out rather generous Applebee's gift certificates to his employees for Christmas.  Since my employer is located across the country, he is unaware that, unlike most of the rest of the country, there are very few Applebee's in the DC area.  But a nice gesture nonetheless, so my gf and I consequently have a standing date here every January.

Now, being located on Route 1, this Applebee's is relatively close to IKEA.  Being as IKEA is about the only DC area place I go regularly that's not Metro accessible, this Applebee's is USEFUL because it makes the drive out to IKEA for 6 jars of lingonberries and a Prinsesstarta seem less wasteful.  The drive from IKEA to Applebee's also takes you down the main drag of the University of Maryland's strip of bars/stores, which is FUNNY, because that area is never not an absolute characature of college.  

Service at the restaurant itself is bad, but in a tragicomic way, kind of like watching a baby giraffe try to stand up.  During my first visit, the hostess informed me that, because a number of staff had failed to report for work, the wait to be seated would be close to an hour, despite the considerable number of open tables in plain view.  I will say that she was accurate in her time estimate.  What can one do in such situation but laugh?  On my next annual visit, the power went out for around 30 seconds (blown fuse, I believe), resulting in everyone's order being lost.  Cue pandemonium.  Our order wasn't substantially delayed, and we did get to see the couple across the aisle harrass the general manager for a free meal for upwards of 10 minutes.  That was FUNNY.  

The experience transitions from tragicomic to tragic once your food arrives.  But this part of the experience is USEFUL.  No longer will you wonder at the source of America's obesity epidemic, and you may even find the true cause of America's declining standing in the world.  Truly, when you stare into that titanic bowl of three-cheese chicken penne long enough, does it not stare into you as well?  My point is that eating here will make you think deeply about how your views on portion size, ingredient quality, agricultural subsidies, and many other food-related issues.  Or at least it should.  If nothing else, you can gauge your long-term success at controlling your own portion sizes by just how much of an Applebee's "serving" you can finish.  Also, the margaritas were weak and sugary, and parking was ample.

P.S. Aaron F.: you took a date to Applebee's?  I'm guessing more than just the restaurant itself received a one-star rating that night.
2 - Patricia B.: Why is there nothing on this menu for a small appetite?  Everything is big plates.  Sure there are appetizers, but there's nothing on that list but oily meat, oily cheese, deep fried stuff, etc.  The closest you come to light is a turkey club.  And I do not consider half a chicken breast on a bun as light.

Also, a word of warning: DO NOT ORDER NACHOS IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR CHEESE.  There was no cheese in evidence on our nachos this past visit.  Nachos without cheese?  At first we thought the stuff dripped over them was some combo of tomato-something and maybe cheese, but the more we tasted, it just seemed like salty tomato-something in a sort of creamy base.
3 - Gregory O.: Frankly, I was pleasantly surprised after reading the awful reviews. It's not fine dining, but the menu seemed to have been recently updated and featured a lot of interesting choices. My girlfriend and I both got the new sliders, which were pretty good. We didn't have any problems with the service -- in fact, the restaurant was not crowded at all even on a Friday night. 

Tip: Don't forget change for the parking meter!
3 - Jen C.: I had one of the worst experiences at Applebee's in Delaware, and vowed never to go again. However, hunger struck and my friends wanted something local so we came here. 

Unimpressed by the Yelp reviews, blaring hip hop oldies, and loud silly conversations by undergrads, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the menus seemed new and updated, and had some budget friendly deals (i.e. 2 for $20 + appetizer), and the dessert shooters ($1.99). 

Oh god, please not mediocre service, I hoped--and hope pulled through! Our server was really nice with an awesome sense of humor. The waiter at the front was also super friendly and fast. Seems like there's a lot of fun events that go on; a full calendar is located at the entrance that includes karaoke and giveaways. Not my thing for a chain restaurant, but I'm sure many college students would find this a plus. Also, we went when it wasn't too packed, so we got our food and drinks very quickly. 

FOOD:
-sirloin with potatoes and vegetables -- standard, good stuff. Came out medium rare just like we asked for.
-penne pasta chicken 3 cheeses -- nothing wow, but standard like Lean Cuisine. Garlic bread was good. 
-artichoke & spinach dip with chips -- delicious

Overall, this is a good place to go if you're not looking for a super awesome meal but rather something college friendly.
2 - Happiness H.: We went on a Saturday night and they only have meter parking. Luckily, the free parking started at 8pm so we parked for free. The wait time wasn't long considering this is a college town. I haven't been to Applebee's in a very long time and my husband never went at all. I ordered the three appetizer meal which consisted of sliders, chips and spinach dip and hot wings. My husband ordered the ribs. As always, he liked his food...I don't think he ever says otherwise. My food must of been ready 20 minutes before his because it was obvious that it was sitting under the heat lamp. The buns on the sliders were hard as a brick! The hot wings were dry. The spinach dip was good. At least I don't ever waste food or money because my husband always eats his food and mine. And he thought the brick buns were good on the overcooked meat. The service wasn't great. Our waiter didn't ask us if we needed anything or refill our drinks. I won't be going there again.
2 - M B.: I eat her for lunch with my coworkers from time to time.  The service isn't the best but its ok.  Today was a different story.....

Me and my coworker were eating lunch at this location and she found a roach in her food.  We took pictures and notified the manager.  He was very apologetic and offered to pay for our meals and offer us a free meal whenever we decided to come back.  Thanks but no thanks, we will not go back to this location again
1 - Phillip Y.: I was at a training/workshop at Univ of Md-College Park and we decided to find something closeby.  We were already discouraged by all the parking signs and meters.  Parking should be not be a hassle with worrying about time running out on your meter when you are waiting for a table and then eating.  I guess since this is fairly close to campus and it makes it difficult.  We circled a couple times around and gave up since there was pretty much no available parking.  We ended up driving out a bit further near a shopping plaza for local restaurant.
4 - K S.: Heeeyyyy....I really like this Applebee's!

Every time I've been there, it's been a pretty normal experience.  Like a Friday's or something regular like that. My friends and I usually go for the happy hour [from 3-7] and the late night happy hour [from 9-close]. Happy hour is pretty good, a lot of half off appetizers and 3 & 4 dollar drinks. They usually make them pretty strong too.

The food is good, like what you would expect from an Applebee's.  I absolutely love the boneless buffalo wings and my friends crave their quesadillas all the time. The service is pretty consistent, sometimes you have a waiter or waitress that is a little off, but there's never a problem. Most of the people working there are really nice.

Thursdays are karaoke that I think starts at 9. Those nights are always fun. The djs have all types of music. Some people can sing and others, like myself, just want to have some fun... With that being said, if you're looking for quiet, don't go on a Thursday night.

I mean if you're looking for a 5 star restaurant to have the best dining experience of your life.....I'm preeettty sure Applebee's wouldn't be the place for that anyway. But, if you want to grab a bite to eat, relax, have some drinks, talk with friends, have some fun at karaoke, maybe watch game...then check out this Applebee's!
1 - Bradley T.: I went here once with my family. I'm not the biggest fan of chain restaurants cause they're simply inferior to smaller joints, and my experience at this one just made it worse. I've been to other applebees before and usually it's a pretty good experience. Decent food and nice service. However this one was just terrible! They got two of our orders wrong and the food was very dissapointing. Furthermore it took nearly an hour and a half for our food to come out! Never again will I go to this applebees
2 - D. S. N.: I have trouble understanding why anyone likes the food here. I suppose it's OK if you're into quantity rather than quality -- but to me, it tastes relentlessly one-dimensional.
1 - Anthony R.: I decided to finally go to the Applebees located in College Park since I had been holding on to a gift card since christmas. I ordered  the Ultimate Trios to go which is three different items. The boneless wing were very small, thec pork wonton tacos were very salty and only item that was good was the steak quesadilla towers. That was my first and last time going to Applebees.
1 - Jerry A.: The only positive thing about this location is the happy hour (half-off appetizers).
Other then that, the food is meh. But what else would you expect from the most generic restaurant this side of the Mississippi?!
1 - Daisy L.: Service is shit. Sat down, studied the menu, decided what to order, waited, waited, waited. Servers walked by many times, no one bothered. We left. 

I've eaten here before, and those dinners were okay, but this last time was unacceptable. Hence, the one star. 

Also, metered parking?!
3 - Pat K.: It's an Applebee's in a college town. Frequently packed, so-so food, but a friendly staff. 

I could really do without late night karaoke though. You're Applebees, stop it.
1 - Stuart M.: Bottom line up front:  Unpleasant and got sick.  Also, metered parking now.

The girlfriend and I stopped in for dinner.

You know it's going to be bad when there's no students at a restaurant in a college town on a saturday night.

The place wasn't close to being full, but it was pretty loud.  This was in part due to the speaker system blaring a football game at full volume and the customers shouting every few minutes.  It wasn't just the drunk folks at the bar, it was everybody.

We ordered a half chicken caesar salad (me) and a quesadilla (girlfriend).  She asked for no meat or toppings, which is to say just cheese and a tortilla.  We also ordered a strawberry mojito.  The waitress had a tough time finding her pen.  Kinda strange, but nothing to write home about.

The waitress brought by my water after a few minutes, and fifteen minutes or so later some guy brought the salad to the table.  Nobody mentioned anything about the mojito or the quesadilla.  After another fifteen minutes our waitress shows up with the mojito and mentions that she'd put in the order for the quesadilla and that she'd made sure to tell the kitchen to leave off everything but the cheese and tortilla.

Judging by the taste, the mojito was one part strawberry syrup, two parts sprite, one part windex, and assorted strawberry bits and leaves that were something other than mint.  The water was just fine.

When the quesadilla showed up, the waitress asks if it's what we ordered (just cheese and tortilla), and mentioned that she'd been sure to tell the kitchen it was a special order.  No only was there lots of bacon in the quesadilla, there was a mountain of lettuce on top.  On the one hand, the kitchen did leave out the cheese and most of the toppings, on the other hand, the waitress either didn't check the plate before she left or she was hoping it'd be good enough and we'd not notice the bacon.  Either way, not so great.

Half a mojito and half a quesadilla into the meal, the girlfriend suddenly got sick.  It's possible she'd eaten something earlier (we shared a couple of mozzarella sticks earlier), but since meat makes her ill, it's more likely that there was something else in the quesadilla.  As I'm writing this, she's pointing out that the floor of the bathroom was sticky.

The salad was so-so.  The lettuce was limp by the time they managed to get her the quesadilla.  Also, the cheese on top was in thin slices.  Not bad, but not wonderful either.  The rest of the meal (all five minutes of it) went ok.  We were in just under an hour, of which we spent about 10 minutes eating.  When the waitress brought the check, she asked if she could remove my plate and simultaneously reached for it, which would have been great had I not been hunched over my plate at that time.  It was a bit strange finding a hand in my face asking if it could take my plate.  Also, she managed to spill water on the little book the check was in, and instead of making some attempt to wipe off the water, she shook it a bit (about as hard as, say, a magician waving a magic wand) and handed it to me.  Maybe she was hoping a rabbit would appear or something.  Nothing horrible, but not so great either.  We didn't find a rabbit in the check, for the record.

I wrote on the check that I'd be writing a review, so if you're the waitress looking for it, this is it.

By the way, the parking lot now has meters.  Bring change.  They were checking cars at 9pm or so.  According to the girlfriend (sick and in the car for 15 minutes before I got there) the meter checker was walking around diligently handing out tickets.  A lot of cars got ticketed.  We lucked out and found a meter with time on it (and saved a whopping 75 cents).

Also, the wifi didn't work.

Summary:
Service varied from strange to lousy, the food was literally sickening, and the drink tasted like something I put together in a janitor's closet once.  We'll not be going back.

Also, the parking lot is metered.  Bring change.
1 - Jasmin D.: Staff was friendly but seemed very unorganized. My boyfriend and i went on a Monday night and had to wait about 25 mins along with alot of others while we looked around at what seemed to be more than enough tables available for everyone.  When we were finally seated i ordered a sirloin steak (medium) and my boyfriend ordered the chicken tenders basket, along with a spinach dip appetizer. When our food arrived, i had no idea that the spinach dip wouldve been the only acceptable dish. My steak was cooked well done, the vegetables on the side looked stale. The chicken tenders looked re fried and not fresh at all.   i didnt have a good experience at all with the food or the amount of yelling and loud game and i will never go to another applebees.
1 - Lahman E.: The plates were FILTHY! This was just the start of a bad visit.  We showed the young lady the stuck on food and she went to get others, but came back with the news that they ran out of the barbecue sauce.. Not even worth going into the bathroom! Sad even when the waitress says" oh I have heard worse"  I ended up cancelling our order, and just paid for the drinks. We went to another establishment,and the manager came over to our  table several times, asked how everything was. I would say the name of the other place we went to, but this place needs to FIRE the management and clean the place up.
1 - Pinki P.: This location is dirty and the food simply sucks.  The booths had stains and dried up residue on them.  The window blinds were super dusty like they haven't been cleaned in ages.  Low quality food and it lacks good service.  This deters me from ever going to another Applebee's.
2 - Martin B.: "Meh. I've experienced better." sums up my experience here perfectly. Applebee's and its ilk always seem to come up short for me. I go in and everything on the menu sounds pretty good. I order it, receive it, and end up incredibly disappointed. 

Two of my housemates and I decided to come here for dinner. They ordered some drinks that weren't bad, and I ordered a sweet tea. The tea tasted fine, but you could probably find sweeter tea at a diabetics convention. Then again what could one expect? This isn't a small family-owned grill in the South. 

One of my friends ordered the chicken tender basket and she found it perfectly adequate. The other ordered the appetizer sampler and found it similarly uninspiring but unoffensive. I got us a bowl of mozzarella sticks to share and the fish 'n' chips for myself. The mozzarella sticks tasted pretty plain, they could have a bit more seasoning in the batter. Then again they probably arrive in frozen packs from ConAgra headquarters, so I wasn't expecting much better. The fish 'n' chips also let me down. The haddock comes fried in a thick batter that will make your arteries clogged but without delivering on taste. The fries were fine.

I paid $22 for what I ordered. Definitely not worth it. I recommend just getting an appetizer or a small entree and a cheap drink (I hear there are $3 Long Islands on certain days). Come with zero expectations and you'll walk away satisfied. On the bright side, our waitress was very friendly and attentive as was the hostess.
3 - Elaine S.: We had to sit at the bar because they were short staff?.. for weekday lunch?!  Okay so good that bartender was attentive and very fast with her customers at the bar.  We ordered the spinach and artichoke dip for starters and my friend wanted the oriental chicken salad (which is her favorite) and the birthday boy, Fr. Russel and I ordered the soup and salad combo: tomato bisque and grilled shrimp and spinach salad.  It was pretty good - I can't complain about the food; I would have just prefered being able to get seated at a table.
3 - Mike S.: Everyone and their mother goes here for a (slightly) better quality meal... Literally. A lot of parents take their kids here when they are visiting the university. Family friendly, and pretty standard Applebee's food. It's all a chain, so there's nothing absolutely surprising here that you won't see in the Applebee's commercials on TV during your Law and Order programming. Half price appetizers after 9 PM are a great deal.
3 - Laura P.: I attended a birthday dinner at this Applebee's the other night and let's just say my Yelper instincts were in full swing. 

Our waitresses, Sarah and Sarah, were on point with delivering drink refills. They must have aced their math classes back in high school because they totally nailed it with giving all sixteen of us separate checks. Sarah and Sarah managed our large party very well. 

I have a problem with the fact that many of the items on the menu are pre-made and thus can't be customized. This problem is an Applebee's-in-general problem and not a Baltimore-Avenue-College-Park-Applebee's problem. I don't know which is more of a problem for me, the fact that I can't tell them to leave things off of the food item or the fact that the food isn't entirely fresh. I ordered the chicken quesadilla appetizer as my meal and I didn't want the pico de gallo included. Sarah (waitress) said that the quesadilla is pre-made and they can't remove the pico de gallo. The quesadilla was enjoyable but did not taste super fresh, and it had the unfortunate pico de gallo all throughout it. 

The dishes my friends ordered looked good. The food served at Applebee's is better than what we get at our campus dining halls but not as good as pretty much everything else. 

I'm all about lemonade, and maybe I'm too critical because of my vast experience with the drink, but the lemonade at this particular Applebee's was jank*.

The decor around the place, as someone at our table described it, would have been cool when we were in high school. The decor contains high school memorabilia, odd portraits of men wearing sombreros, a pop art painting of a roulette table, et al. 

You have to view the Applebee's experience in context: we're college kids and Applebee's is a cheap meal. We're used to food from a dining hall, so anything other than that is considered 5-stars. We all had a swell time celebrating birthdays, friendship and life. 

*jank: a word that negatively describes anything you want it to. I.e. "Having a broken ankle is jank."

Applebee's - Lawrence, NJ (40.293978, -74.682566) ()
1 - David G.: I normally like eating at Applebee's. We were out Christmas shopping today and needed to stop for lunch. I figured I enjoy the Applebee's by me so why not stop here. We get seated and there is a pitcher on the table to promote some beer special. This thing was so dirty I am surprised it didn't walk away! We order our food and are starving at this point. I got the Fettuccine and provolone stuffed meatballs. It arrived and looked great, but while eating the pasta, it was crunchy. Like how do you screw up pasta? Really? The pasta was COMPLETELY UNDER COOKED! I'm not a cook, but even I know how to make pasta, it's not hard! So, then I cut my meatballs to discover some of them were missing their provolone stuffing! argh. I don't remember what my sister had gotten to eat, but it was an oriental type dish with a Spanish vegetable in it that didn't belong there, and she said it was not very impressive. Now me and my sister both are sick because they probably don't wash their hands to boot. They had Christmas music on the radio, it was blasting! And it SUCKED! It was the worst Christmas music I had ever heard! Then just as a song came to an end and you could actually hear, an employee by the kitchen yells out "WHO THE F*CK WAS MESSING WITH THIS THING!?" I mean really? Completely unprofessional. I normally don't bitch about my food when I go out, but this was that bad! I won't be going back to this particular Applebee's and will stick to the one I enjoy in Middletown.
3 - Marianne S.: This Applebee's was my first experience with their food, I do not eat there so much anymore however this particular experience was very good for a first timer. Food was pretty good, not over or uncooked. This was several years ago.The atmosphere was welcoming and the waitress was very attentive and helpful. I have visited other Applebee's locations with the same positive experience.
3 - Peter O.: Got a hamburger and onion rings for lunch at the bar. It was cooked right and tasted good.
2 - Arthur P.: This is the one on Route 1 outside the Quakerbridge Mall.  I noticed there are 2 yelp postings for this location FYI.  

Overall, its just ok..  Quality of service has definitely deteriorated over the next couple of years.  I feel sorry for them when Cheesecake Factory moves in next door in the mall. 

Very, very disappointing happy hour.  Needs cheap early apps too on Saturday and Sunday.
1 - Daniel L.: i don't know what to rate this place. 1 for food or 5 for people watching.
the only satisfaction that you will get out of this place is knowing that you will always come out disappointed by their service.

but if you desire to come here for the pure reason of people watching, this is THE place to go. you will never be disappointed with the different types of people you will meet! 

for example, if you ever desire to make new friends with white noses, just excuse yourself to the bathroom, as you will hear them sniffing in the stalls.

but in terms of food and service, your servers will forget the late night specials (seriously? it's the same stuff every night) along with your orders. then they'll rush the order. the food will be over fried or undercooked. pick your poison. service is so lackadaisical that i swear you could probably play a game counting how long you could dine and dash from this establishment. oh and yea, they'll "accidentally" charge you regular price for them. sleezy bums.

this happens every time.. wish there were more places opened past midnight in the princeton area.

but if you are feeling adventurous, then your ADVENTURE AND CRACK ADDICTION AWAITS!
2 - Constance A.: What a bad experience my boyfriend and I had here in September. Flies, flies everywhere. My boyfriend and I sat on the restaurant side (opposite of the bar), near the window. There were so many flies flying around. My boyfriend made a comment that "imagine what the kitchen is like". We got the 2 for $20 deal (one appetizer, two entrees). The food was okay. No wow factor. They filled us up so that was good. We had a really nice waitress. I used to come here for half off appetizers during my undergrad years. But don't think I will be taking advantage of that anymore.

Applebee's - Hadley, MA (42.3614777, -72.5425321) ()
2 - Shashi B.: Very friendly service but my orange chicken was way off the mark. I have eaten the same dish in GermanTown Maryland and NJ Applebees but here it was full of sugar and no spice. Being a Sunday evening I wonder if it was cooked by an apprentice. Mentioned it to the wait staff and got an apology - would have loved it if the manager had come over and asked me about my experience.
1 - Giselle E.: I just want to start off by first saying, I feel really terrible about only leaving you a $3 tip, but you deserved it. I hate leaving bad tips.

I'm not trying to compare, but I've been a waitress for about 4 years of my life, and my friend and I definitely received terrible service at this Applebees on a Tuesday evening (~9PM).

Our waitress was quick to get our drink orders (WATER), but after she took our appetizer orders, we waited more than 20 minutes to get them before she put in our meal orders. She didn't write down any part of our order and ended up not putting in a soup that my friend ordered and never received. I ordered some Asian tangy salad with no apples, which cost ~$10 but looked like sh!t. There were maybe 3 broken mandarin oranges in there tossed with wayyyy too much dressing and salad that looks like its been chilling outside the fridge since 1997.

Poor experience. A lot of waiting. Whole dining experience was about 2 hours. Waitress overlooked us a lot because she was so worked up on her party of 7 college kids that came in 45 minutes after us.

The sad part is, I'll probably come back here just because it's an upgrade form McDonalds/Burger King/Taco Bell because they have their 2/$20 deal.
1 - Brittany W.: This was the spot my first year. Then the racist bar tender told the police my friend was a criminal, they nearly kicked his door in, and proceeded to hold him and his fiancé hostage only to realize they had the wrong people. What caused the mix up: the men were both Black.  Needless to say since this incident I've never given this place a penny. 

The service was subpar this year anyway. Before this incident, my friends and I used to hang out here for a nice meal since the fool at our schools DC is subpar at best. Once thisone Umass kid (can't think of his name) left, it's been downhill ever since as far as service goes. We always left him a 20% or better tip-- I hoped it helped. 

The food used to be amazing but earlier this year prior to the whole race debacle, I had some ribs that taste like they were never barbecued and were cold in the middle as if they were half cooked- Yuck. 

I'm never going here again.

Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar - West Lafayette, IN (40.4603904, -86.9333271) ()
2 - Mike B.: In the past I have enjoyed Applebees including this one. Not very good this time. Come to think of it, the last time was about a year ago at this locale and it was marginal. The thing that makes these chain type of restaurant enjoyable is that you can go into any one multiple times and you will get the same taste. You know what to expect. Not this time.

We were in a party of about 15. No one loved the meal. A few said it was ok. My wife ate none of hers and I ate about half out of hunger. Service was terrible, but he was new and was trying. I will give them a pass for that. I think the management did give him to much as he had several tables.

I'll give them one more shot for all the previous years of enjoyment. Heck applebees is where I toke my wonderful wife on our first date almost 20 years ago. 

Maybe we are getting more or too picky? We have been travel living for about 6 years and had the opportunity to dine from some of the best chefs. Our old favorites in Lafayette are not so favorite anymore. I feel the quality has fallen. Most just dont give a shit what they serve. Pepe's used to be a favorite. I practically lived their during college. Last 3 meals were not good and it will be a long time before we go back. There are several places that used to be favorites, but now cant even hit the ok mark.
5 - Zoie H.: I am such a huge unbelieveable fan of Applebee's now just because of this place. The boyfriend, his friend, and I were looking for somewhere to go a few nights ago because we were bored, wanting alcohol, and knew there was not much to do in Otterbein. We come to Applebees and had some of the most amazing service ever (I emailed Applebees about it yo!).

Our waitress - Susan was kind, suggestive of menu items, attentive, and always had refills coming for us. The prices of the late night happy hour were awesome (1/2 price apps with a 1/2 price drink purchase) - for $8 (not including tip) you could get some very filling potato wedges and a Long Island ice tea. 

I sampled plenty of drinks here (haha) and was a fan of the Long Island Ice Tea, Pomegranate Margarita (on the rocks), Strawberry Margarita (blended). The Sliders on the appetizer menu were also delicious, but only if you're a fan of onions. They came with diced onions so my boyfriends little brother was not a fan. The potato wedges and the teriyaki wings were both also really good. 

In the span of a week I visited this Applebees several times and always had fantastic service and a very good bill. I'm a big fan.

Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar - Montclair, CA (34.086337, -117.697884) ()
3 - Anthony S.: Normally, a Sunday for me consists of being on my knees praying for lost souls, but tonight is special: the last night I see Alison. After saging Kristen's abode and wearing peace oil, we head out to get krunked. Our investigation to the ghost town haunts for drinks is a failure, so we drag ourselves into this place.

Back in my day, Applebee's was the best place to get a decent dessert at a late hour. It's either that or Denny's. Yah, that's what I thought.

My spiritually cleansed trio waltzes to a bouyant bartender. I explain that I am unfamiliar with alcholic beverages and ask for her name so I can pray for her soul later that night. She helps me order the strongest spirit, not a holy one either, nah, a Perfect Margarita. Oh! I'm seeing the lord now!!!

I sit to the side listening to my sisters in the lord talk about being mothers. Turns out some women aren't fit to be mothers. Praise the lord. Burn the witches who leave their children at home while they are out drinking at the bars. Oh... this drink is strong. And this yelp is my confession.
2 - Krystal R.: My friends and I decided to spend election night here so we could have a few drinks and a decent dinner while we watched the results come in at the bar.  Our waitress seemed nice and appeared to have some serious people skillz. It was going well until our homie Obama won. Apparently our waitress was republican! Which is fine, so long as when I ask for my celebratory shot of whiskey she makes it snappy. Well she didn't. Instead she seemed to have a rather sour attitude the rest of the night with us. She didn't seem appreciative of our cheering and clapping during his speech either. She wasn't the least bit attentive after that. In fact I felt like she wanted us to leave. I suppose I don't blame her. If I had been in her place I would have probably reacted worse. Fact is though, I wasn't in her place and I wanted proper service! And if you're working for a tip, then damn it don't spoil my fun. She still got tipped regardless, but that has more to do with the fact that my friends and I work for tips ourselves. The food was good. There were some pretty good deals. They have just okay drinks though. I'll always love the ambiance. But jeez work on upping the service. Snooty brat. You're lucky I didn't catch your name or else it be posted up all over this bitch!
4 - Allison J.: I'm not usually a fan of commercialized restaurants, like Applebees, but my friend was craving the special: 2 meals and an appetizer for $20.  So 5 of us went and I shared a special with one of my friends and ordered the lime chicken; she had the pasta.  The appetizer we chose was the boneless buffalo wings.  Our other set of friends had the same meal, but chose the spinach dip as their app.  And the 5th person had nachos.  The nachos were lacking of meat and flavor, but the other 2 apps were good and in abundant portions.  The lime chicken was soft and actually really enjoyable.  2 friends ordered dessert after which I thought was too sweet.  And if you've been to one applebees, I'm sure it's the same as any other as far as food goes.. But the service here was excellent the day we went.  I forget her name, but she was awesome - she constantly filled our waters, engaged in small talk, and was very friendly and efficient.  Although I probably wouldn't rush back to Applebees unless for an occasion or if another friend wanted to go, this place dsid a great job while i was there.
3 - MeChan W.: I love this place i just recently went back after a year or so and i like the atmosphere, the waitress Maria was wonderful the best I've ever had. My only complaint is the new trio (steak casadilla, shrimp, mini burgers) looks nothing like the picture and was not that great at all, i only ate it because i had ordered it but ,if someone else would of gotten it at my table i would not have ordered it. But Maria mad up for the night.
5 - Joshua S.: 9 o'clock happy hour!!! How can you go wrong!!!! 3 dollar domestics and 3 dollar mixed drinks(they have like 6 for you to chose). well worth it.. and honey bbq wings uber bomb
1 - Danielle F.: Ive had a bad experience before with Applebees but i decided why not give this one a try. We decided to get the two for $20 and we had the Spinach and artichoke dip to start off which tasted like heat lamp and microwave oven. Then the three cheese chicken penne and riblet basket. As expected both meals were disgusting and a waste of my money and time. Our waitress was nice, but nice doesn't always cut it. She was slow on all of our food and drinks and no they weren't busy. I'm happy i went back to Applebees so they could remind me why i will never waste my money there again!
3 - Victoria G.: I don't expect AMAZING food when I go here but on I expect them to do a great job on the easy dishes like the club sandwhich and the pastas and salads. The price is good too. The service always depends on the night but usually the overrall service is good.
4 - Judy a.: Good food .. Good price for the 2 for twenty...
2 - Koko T.: 4
2 - Stephanie P.: #397 Call me stupid, but I always have high expectations for Applebee's. Why? Chock it up to their fantastic adverts where everybody is having a gay ole time, chomping down on mounds of calories and fat. Anyhow, the service at this location during the daytime isn't so bad. However, whenever friends and I come around dinner or late evening times, the servers immediately turn their noses up at us once they realize that we're not going to indulge in any alcohol. I suppose they're pushed to encourage alcohol sales? Who knows. The food, however, is undoubtedly bad. There has yet to be a single appetizer, entree, or dessert that I've been satisfied with. To be honest, I've only ever shown up here because I'm lazy and don't want to make the drive out to a BJ's. But, with the Back Abbey, Union on Yale, and Hotel Casa in the Village now, there's no excuse for me to return to Applebee's for a very long time.
4 - Cris G.: Good place for Happy Hour good selection of Beers good appetizers as well. Best night would be Wensday karaoke Nights
1 - Katie N.: HORRIBLE SERVICE. Was seated right away, but took server 15 minutes just to come acknowledge he had a new table and another 10 minutes to get our drinks, which were all non-alcoholic. Will never go back to this Applebee's.
4 - Bakari C.: they have 3 dollar beers after ten and half off appitizers .The service at this Applebees is really good . Good place to go after a softball game
1 - Sam G.: Dear Waitress,

You ask yourself "What happened to that couple I just took an order for?"

Maybe,

That couple noticed the hostess (with his head sticking outside the door) was too busy talking to a friend to greet the couple when they walked in. 

You took a while to get their drink orders,

You were too busy talking to your employee friend at the bar when the couple was ready to order.

One of the members of the couple ordered the cheapest item on the menu out of frustration of not being promptly served. 

You served their order only to notice the couple left the premises. 

THE FACT is the couple walked out of Applebees because the hostess and waitress were more concerned with their friends instead of providing the customer service required in any eatery.

Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar - Lafayette, IN (40.3936266, -86.8518913) ()
1 - Russ R.: My last 2 or 3 Applebee's experiences have not been so great. This one was the last straw. I remember going here when I was in college and enjoyed it a lot more then. On this visit, the server was barely interested in keeping our drinks refilled, didn't ask us how the food was, and had to be prodded to bring us the check. I know it's slow on a Saturday afternoon, but that means there's no excuse not to keep up on things.

The spinach artichoke appetizer lacked flavor and tasted like it was made from canned spinach. The accompanying salsa was better than the dip. My pasta dish did not come out looking like the picture... the sauce was supposed to be creamy, not clear and watery. I ate the shrimp out of it and that was about it.

I was so disgusted with this experience that I've had enough of this chain... 3 strikes and you're out. This last one was the worst. Why not just serve it to me in a dog's bowl? Tastes just about the same...
2 - Jessica K.: In general, I don't mind this type of restaurant for a meal.  The only appetizer worth ordering is the Queso and Chips.

I've learned that some of their menu items can be deceiving though.  For example, I loved their Shrimp and Spinach Salad....until I found out it was a whopping 1,100 calories.  it's amazing how you can take something that appears to be pretty healthy and spin it in such a way that it amounts to that many calories and that much saturated fat.  

If you're at all conscious about your diet, I'd recommend asking for dietary information or looking it up on your phone before you order.

Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar - Ithaca, NY (42.4819501, -76.4845841) ()
1 - Ronda J.: I used to eat here a lot with my friends back in high school.. Last week, my mom and I ate here for dinner, and it was A LOT worse than I ever remembered it. I ordered a salad with pecan crusted chicken, which tasted good, but when I got home about an hour later, I had really bad stomach pains and I was sick.....can anyone say, food poisoning? I think Applebee's is generally overpriced and has only mediocre food. The salads used to be my favorite thing to order, but now that I got sick from one of them, I won't be going back!! Yuck.
3 - Vinny N.: And here we are.  I was visited for work and thought what the heck, its been years and years since I visited and I'm curious.  The menu is still as nuts as ever; layers of stuff on top of each other like Shrimp & Parmesan on top of Steak; why? what good can come of that flavor?


B    Mozzarella Sticks -  the sauce is very ketchupy.  


B+   Beef Sandwich - Surprisingly good.  I would actually order this again.  It's a total safe bet.  It's just like a brisket with barbecue sauce and the onion strings on top where great!


Something weird about the food in general here was that nothing was completely hot.  Some of the mozzarella sticks where half hard and the fries with the sandwich were luke-warm.  There weren't that many people in the place... Do they make everything on the menu and just keep it out under heat-lamps?

If this was any other restuarant I'd give it a 2... but its Applebee's I knew what I was walking into.
3 - Kevin Jiseup K.: Although there's nothing amazing about Applebee's, we all know that Applebee's is always dependable. I usually try to avoid coming here for any form of dinner because I don't think it's worth the price, however the happy hour appetizers from 11am to 7pm and 10pm to until closing (usually midnight) are totally worth it when you're feeling the munchies. At night, those half-off boneless wings and the spinach & artichoke dip totally hit the spot. I do admit though, I'm speaking from the point of view of a starving college kid. Service has never been horrible here, even when i go with big parties. 

Conclusion: You know what you're getting with Applebee's, but I don't think that's always a bad thing.
3 - Mick B.: I've only ever used the car-side to-go service, and I've never had to wait. Sometimes the food wasn't that warm, but I'd gladly take cold food over walking into the restaurant and seeing the knickknacks of local high school memorabilia littered on the wall.
2 - Greg S.: OK, so I hate to sound so negative right out of the gate, so I'll say it first; This Applebee's is consistent.  Unfortunately, it's consistently disappointing.  Consistently slow.  Consistently making me wish that I ate elsewhere.  
I had a gift card for Applebee's, so my wife and I went to this location for lunch in early May, 2012, only to discover that they were "renovating" for two days, but offered us coupons for free appetizers upon our return.  Turns out there's an awful lot of tiny print on those freebies, including an expiration date just a hair over a month from the date they were given to us.  Needless to say, we didn't get appetizer's....on the house, or otherwise.
We went on to order our lunch, and I ordered a Reuben sandwich with a side of onion rings.  The food took a long time to arrive, and I recall that from a previous visit.  The food was OK.  Not bad, but underwhelming for sure.  Not that I expected gourmet dining.....I knew where we were.  I just wish it was as good as it could be.  And offering customers who are turned away and cheap appetizer that they end up beating you out of anyway just leaves a crappy taste in my mouth.  So much so that I will make a point of telling my father to please not buy me any more Applebee's gift cards.  They are virtually worthless to me.  I'll sell them on line, or re-gift them to someone I don't necessarily care for!  Pass on this place......life is too short to eat here, and there are other, better places nearby.

Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar - Christiansburg, VA (37.1679, -80.4213) ()
2 - Patrick M.: Applebee's is the most average place in the world. People who go there are the opposite of adventurous, or have received a gift card from someone else. I am in the second category.
1 - Kevin O.: This place gets worse with every visit. The menu changes don't help.

Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar - Latham, NY (42.75123, -73.765325) ()
2 - Amanda M.: I'm really not a fan of this restaurant. I've tried their Ruben and Roast Beef sliders and I couldn't finish either. Not because of the portion, which lacked, but because of the taste. The service however wasn't bad.
3 - Daniel Z.: The "1 appetizer and 2 entrees for $20" is still there in the menu, that's a very good deal.

Applied Ballistics Systems, Inc. - Lafayette, IN (40.3768323, -86.8617222) ()
4 - Trevor F.: Tim and I were a little bored and need to do something so we started looking for a shooting range and the only place we found in the area was an indoor range. 
We found ABSI went inside and were greeted by a couple guys. The guy be hind the counter asked us if we had been there before and explained how they do things there, there is a short 10 minute video on there safety polices and procedures after we were finished with that we got two lanes for a half hour. 
This is a Indoor Range with 15 lanes, 5 rated for rifle calibers 
All guns must have ECI's (Empty Chamber Indicator) in them unless your firing them. They have fully automatic machine guns that you can rent and other guns and some guns for sell. 
As far as going downstairs to or lanes (rifle) it was pretty small not a lot of room to load your guns or set your guns. One of the lanes was closed because someone had shoot the motor that runs the targets out. We had all of out PPE on, I was shooting my AK-47 and Tim was shooting one of his hand guns. Every time we fired our guns the sound was way louder then it would have been if we were outside and the empty shells kept ricocheting off the wall and hitting me. 
We were just about done and then I let Tim shoot my AK and he hit the string that takes the target out hahaha, so we packed up went upstairs and told them what Tim had pulled off and they said no problem, and thanked us for telling them about it instead of just leaving like the guy that shot the motor did. We had offered to pay for the damage but they declined and were really nice about the whole ordeal. 
If your ever in this area and want to shot a gun this is the place to go! The Fully Automatic Machine Guns are about $50 to $100 an hour. Try it out it's fun!
They are not open Mondays or Tuesdays.
5 - Jessica S.: Made a family trip from Noblesville to Lafayette to this shooting range, and we had a great time.  So much brighter and cleaner than PopGuns in Indy, and with 15 lanes, there was no waiting for us on a Saturday afternoon!  We rented their MP5 automatic and had a lot of fun with it.  The staff was friendly and helpful.  It was well worth the drive, and I'm sure we'll be back.
5 - Paul L.: Being from Chicago, the normal gun laws of Indiana made shooting in the range fun without all the nit-picky restrictions from over the border.  Semi-auto or automatic, range ammo or bring-your-own.  It's all good.  It's all about the education of the shooter.  I will be back.

Aprie - Seattle, WA (47.6616872, -122.3130034) (University District)
5 - Michelle B.: It's one of my favorite stores on Broadway and it's one of my favorite stores on The Ave. Or so says Visa. 

Again, I have to give kudos to the buyer at this store because they seem to have a knack for picking out exactly what I want. You know, fashionable, not trendy. 

The accessories are amazing, the shoes make me wish I worked in an office that required shoes, and they don't run out of small sizes!

Everything here is affordable for the quality and selection you are getting. Plus, they have really awesome sales all the time...so really, it would be stupid of me to not buy that sweater.
5 - Carly L.: This store rocks! I bought a sweatshirt there last year on the cheap, and everytime I wear it, I get compliments. Plus they were rocking out with old No Doubt so I had to have my ups to my fellow OC girl, Gwen. It was fun rocking out with my friends 6 month old baby. :) They do have an amazing selection of brands and I find it very shoppable.
4 - abigail l.: If I ever have a hope of one day being as darling as the irresistible Morton Salt umbrella girl, circas 1914, '21, '33, '41, '56,  or '68, I need to keep shopping at Aprie.

Morton salt "supplies iodide, a necessary nutrient." Aprie supplies timeless frocks, necessary fashion staples. Tip top spot for salting your closet with charm and flavor.
4 - Katie S.: Goin' 5 for 7 ain't bad when we're talkin':

1.) Number of dances attended by a student during their 4 years in HS 
2.) Baseball statistics

and most importantly

3.) Clothes purchased after trying them on!

Yes indeed! The Shopping Gods were smiling down upon me as I went 5 for 7 last night at Aprie. I skeptically strode in and not 20 minutes later, walked outta there as happy as a well dressed clam! I purchased 4 tops and a dress for under two hundo.. and they all look like things I bought at Anthropologie!

Most of the time, this location is very 'miss' for me, so I don't know if the buyers have changed, or maybe they've just wizened up. The selection and the prices of this location are far superior to it's big sister up on Broadway.

Great selection of dresses, tops, shoes, handbags, jewelry, pants, denim, skirts, etc, etc, etc and great prices!

One ding (or minus star) for me having to ask where I could put my load of clothes before I tried them on, never being acknowledged, or even smiling at me once. There were three associates working and each of them seemed a bit put out by the thought of helping a customer.

S 'all good though. I got me some hot new duds. Give and take, ya know? Besides, I can totally handle the 'I'm soo over this' 'tude once in a while when the pay off is loads of super cute cheap clothes!
3 - Miranda B.: The merch is so so adorable! Amazing brands like Free People and Harajuku Lovers... reasonably priced as well. The lay-out is cute too! I really love the shoes and the accesories are so awesome!

The only downside: the staff... I've shopped here MANY times, and have yet to be greeted by any of th employees, and on one occasion, a half an hour before closing they actually told customers they had already closed the register.  I understand you want to get home, but really, you close at 8, so telling people around 7:30 that the register is closed and you can't purchase anything can't be good for business.
5 - Mihae J.: Aprie is amazing. Everything from the staff, the shirts, the shoes, the jackets, the recommended ensemble put together by the fabulous employees, etc. 

If you are a girl, and you dig sort of the urban femininity style (urban outfitters esq) this is the store to go to. Everything from this store will create a look that is both sexy and cool. Best part of it is that the forced look of vintage that is so rampant in urban outfitters does not exist in this store.

First off, they have new clothes ALL THE TIME. The owner there brings new stuff all the time, moving many clothes to the sale section.

When I used to live in the U-district, I would go check it out 3-4 times a week. They would always have something fresh, from Free people, Bench, and other brands less well known. They have an excellent jacket collection especially during fall/winter, and their shoe selection is equally impressive. There was never a day that I'd walk in this store and didn't walk out with something that I really loved.

I recommend Delanie ( I don't actually know if this is how to spell her name) as s stylist and just a general pal at this store. She always has a beautiful smile on her face, great new tattoos, and a genuine excitement to help you out to find the clothes that YOU would want!
4 - Gretchen B.: I am not in the U neighborhood very often, but I will be now.  I wandered into this place while waiting for a movie and was amazed at what a great store this was.  They had the most adorable clothes at great prices.  And the store is surprisingly big with a great selection.  I can't say much about the service, as I am more of a "help myself" kind of a girl, but I will definitely be stopping back here often to do some shopping!  What a great surprise!
3 - Tricia L.: Trendy, chic, and quirky.  Aprie had quite a few sale racks too, but check out the shoe selection!  There are some good steals there, even on the full priced shoes.

If you're a student, you get a 10% discount on full priced items.  Woot!
1 - Angela M.: This place is utter crap.  All of their clothes are over priced and fall apart.  That's why they always have so much sale, NEVER buy anything full priced here!  I recently bought a dress and wore it twice, never even washed it and it fell apart on me, over 10 tiny holes in it.  There manager Yuki would not even consider taking it back because the merchandise had been worn.  I will never shop here again and neither will any off my friends.  Go down the street to Pataya if you want something affordable and fashionable.  There associate actually know how to treat their customers and their merchandise although lower priced does not fall apart.
3 - Heather H.: I love this little shop. Sometimes it can be a hit or miss but it defiantly carries alto of sweet little pieces from such as Kensie girl. 
Prices are fairly moderate considering one is getting some decent style here. 
I usually end up falling for the skirts and dresses in this shop. What draws me in usually is that most of carried clothing has lots of color! Who the crap wants to wear more black in cloudy Seattle?! Get your pops of color from this neat little shop on the ave.
4 - Mele Y.: This store was the bane of my existence when I  was a poor college student. 

Why go to Urban walking out buying something that every girl is wearing when you can head two doors over to Aprie finding something chic and distinct?

I love their jewelry and have received numerous compliments on earrings and necklaces purchased from here.

Their dresses are also to die for and come at a reasonable price.

If you're looking for something in particular you might have a hard time finding it here, but if you are looking for a unique piece for your closet or that special necklace I highly recommend this store.

My bank account thanks me every day I don't come here.
4 - Tiffany N.: I love this place!  They have great clothing and prices are very reasonable.  I will definitely be frequenting this place.
5 - Marjan N.: This store is a gem in the University District-- carries a little bit younger and trendier options than the Capitol Hill location.  Very great selection-- I just went in last week to see all of the great summer options. They thing I love most is how consistently high quality and unique the clothes are.  Also, when I shop at Nordstrom or Banana Republic for work or weekend clothing, I know others will have the same thing.  With clothing from Aprie, people always ask "WHERE did you get that? I love it!".  I also think the prices are very reasonable and it's finally getting good to go the U-District as a shopping destination with all of the cute stores.  Aprie is a stand out though, don't miss it.  They also have a 10% student discount, which is great.  

Have fun shopping!
3 - Jennifer B.: I like clothing boutiques and I usually go to their other site in Capitol Hill. I've found some cute dresses and clothes there. The staff are nice and usually helpful. This site I didn't get any help but I was doing a quick browse. Sometimes it's a hit or miss but I like to see what they have from time to time. They give 10% off to students and teachers, which is pretty cool.
3 - Amanda B.: So, they had really cute stuff. I am a big girl, so I was only able to look at the accessories. I fell in love with the purses. Probably a bad thing. The more expensive purse is cheaply made. It was the larger of the two purses as well. I'll only be able to use it on days when all I am am carrying are keys and a wallet. Sucks big time. 

Something I like is that they offer a discount to students.
4 - Maria N.: I've found a lot of cute clothes here, including a couple tea-length dresses that people always compliment me on.  Their items are more unique than a lot of the stuff you find in department stores, and they they have a great mix of classic wardrobe staples and trendier items. 

You have to be careful with some of the items, though, as they are rather cheaply made and can fall apart more quickly than they should (yes, it's more pricier that Forever 21, but it still made in China/ Vietnam /Indonesia).  

They do have some AMAZING deals every once and a while though!  I snagged a pair of yellow ballet flats for $20 ($50 originally), because they were the last pair left and (magically) in my size.  They are one of my favorite pairs of shoes.
4 - Angeline B.: I've always avoided going in here because I usually can't afford to shop at little boutiques. I got some nice fake leather boots, they had a lot of colors and styles and the prices were amazing. Probably comparable quality with the boots you get for 200 dollars or whatever at trendy places and much cuter. The ample student discount made it even better! But the shoes had wierd sizes, the first time I went in they didn't have anything higher than a 7 in any color and style, the next time they actually had my size (8) but only in one color and style out of like 10 that I wanted which I found a little strange. There were some clothes I liked too but I didn't get any.

Apropos - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2810436, -120.662104) ()
3 - Kat H.: Good for women in their 50s. A lot of clothing in a small space. Some formal wear but mostly casual.
4 - Saralee S.: The owners of this store used to have a boutique called "Up Your Alley," which was one of the most imaginative stores in town.  Apropos follows that trend by featuring lavishly embroidered clothes  with a romantic and retro vibe.  The mother-daughter team who are often present, are fun and full of information on the clothing lines, which no other store in town carry.  There is a full range of sizes here.  I often buy what become my most basic staples for my wardrobe here, and thanks to the little pink sales notices that appear in my mail box, I often score a sale.  I am currently sporting a pair of perfectly fitting jeans with black embroidery and "jewels" up the side that mimic a pair of Versace jeans I flirted with in Las Vegas.  These are much more practical and will survive many seasons.  I have also gotten black stretch jeans that fit like a glove and lasted forever, or at least more than one year.  
One of my pals got what became her "go-to" shirt, a navy blue silk smock with a deep V neck, embroidered with flowers and fruit.  
Apropos also has perhaps the best stock of bridesmaid or mother of the bride type dresses in town.  These romantic gowns range flirty to fabulous and are sure to flatter.
These are practical clothes with a touch of glamour.  My most recent purchase is a "costume fur" chinchilla vest that reverses to a sport vest with a reversable zipper.  This has been by constant companion this cold, wet winter.  
If you are in town, be sure to peruse their lovely and romantic merchandise.
5 - Wendy S.: Why isn't this business 5 star???  They have the best, most comfortable and fashionable clothes.  And they are marked down.  That includes great accessories like jewelry and scarves.  Don't let the storefront mislead you.  Upscale fashion.

Aqua Courtyard Suites - Pasadena, CA (34.1446304, -118.1231806) (Pasadena)
4 - Lena K.: A relatively new apartment complex.
Four stories, I believe there are 89 units.
These units are studios only.

The missing star is due to:

- THE SIZE, 220 sq ft. These are bachelor-style studios, but even so, it can feel a bit crowded. If you have a ton of belongings and furniture, this really may not be the place for you.

- THE RENT, prices range. The rent goes higher as you go up in levels. For instance, the first floor is the least, and the fourth floor is the most expensive. Not a dramatic difference, but it depends on your budget. Overall, it's a relatively reasonable price for its location. Conveniently located next to PCC, and Caltech. But for its size, it's a tad bit expensive. So, depending on your circumstances and situation, you may prefer location over size. If not, again, may not be the place for you.

Other than these two downsides, it's a nice apartment!

The on-site manager Roxana, who is quite new to the complex, gets her job done. She takes care of unruly tenants, your service/repair needs, and of course, collects rent.

The property manager, Joel, answers any of your questions, and tries to meet your needs.

Important note: This complex has different leases. I believe month-to-month, and 6-month leases are available for a higher rent; otherwise, it's usually a one-year lease. The year lease is a contract, if you can't commit, I recommend looking elsewhere.

There is a decent-size, well-kept pool and jacuzzi. A "gym", which did not exist according to their website when I first moved in, but now there is one! Well... Kind of. They've converted a unit into a small, almost personal gym that has four machines. There is a laundry room consisting of three washers and three dryers. There is also a recreational room that has internet available, and room to study. These spaces shared by tenants are well-cared for. There are maintenance workers here weekly who keep the complex looking tidy and clean!

Hardwood flooring, garbage disposal, a fridge, a microwave, a cable-ready television, air-conditioning and heating, and a twin-size bed is usually provided in each unit. Water and Trash is paid for, and the complex is gated!

If you're a fro-yo fan, Cherry on Top is right at your feet! Conveniently located near the leasing office, you can treat yourself to a refreshing snack.

To sum it up: 220 sq ft bachelor studio. Reasonable rent for its location, not for its size, responsible and communicative managers, clean and well-kept complex, pet-friendly, some paid utilities, electronic keys, and gated complex.

As easily as I can put it, this apartment is probably ideal for students or singles!
1 - Sanora A.: Service is disgustingly sad, its slow and just not there! The previous ad sounds like a paid advertorial of the place. The internet in the game room is slow, doesn't work half the time. The gym is stuffy and small but does have limited cable. The jacuzzi water is brown! And there hours on all amenities so if you work or go to school you can't enjoy them. The stoves and fans in the rooms are very cheap and don't work well. 
There's only one key per "room" no matter how many people you pay for. The manager is really mean and can be really lazy, she has her favorites so she will take care of your problem if she likes you. . . so try to be on her good side. The really stupid thing about the on-site manager too is that  she will sign for a package and keep it for 3 weeks plus till you look for it. Its a very small space for the price they charge and the previous writers comments are the opposite of what she says, of what I experienced.

Aqua-Life Aquarium - Providence, RI (41.819688, -71.395431) (Fox Point)
5 - Eric S.: We've been loyal fans of Aqua-Life for about 4 years now.  We found this place online and have never been happier.  George and Irene, the owners are true fish enthusiasts and know anything and everything about keeping a healthy, happy aquarium.    And, the fish they stock are much higher quality than the big box stores.   

They also sell cat litter (for cheaper than Petco!) and all sorts of food, toys, etc.  It's a great place to go for your pet needs, and they're a small local business, so how can you go wrong.  

Definitely a great shop!
1 - Delia D.: OH MY LORD. First experience there, I had to deal with a crabby owner. He was such a jerk. He then went on to try to put me down when I asked too many (intelligent) questions. Then out of my better judgement I decided to go again. THANK GOD I went with someone who noticed 3 tanks with FLATWORM INFESTATION.

What a disgrace. Ended up going to "Something Fishy" in Warwick, and the service there was amazing and the fish were just the healthiest stock I've ever seen. 

Don't go here!!! EWWW!!!!! Flatworm infestation is the worst!
5 - GARY-SOUSA G.: I get my pet food here..........cheaper than petco...........Irene and George (Portuguese-American)  are beautiful people.......support this store......

Aqua-Life Central Pet Store - Providence, RI (41.819688, -71.395431) (Fox Point)
4 - Rebecca F.: Nico and Bowie would have a cat-gasm.  A million fish swirling above their hungry eyes?  Walls of their favorite vet-approved cat food? Cat brushes?  The Nip?  It'd be like Christmas every day. Too bad I'm not the kind of crazy lady who walks her cats down the street...  
Seriously though, this pet store is a neighborhood gem.  You recognize the aqua-marine life mural store front, way up the Wickenden hill, but if you haven't been inside it's true to life.  Fish everywhere.  Beta fish, gold fish, fighting fish, show fish. Fish food, fish tanks, fish cleaner, fish toys.  Everything fish.   You may have won one of these fish from Wickenden Pub raffle (that's how I became an unsuspecting fish owner) and this is the place to go for Fish 101.
While the main room is fish-focused, the back room has your other pet needs - cats, dogs, rodents.  (+ Science Diet, my vet recommended cat food). And it's the kind of neighborhood place where the owners know your name and your pets' name.  Smaller selection than a big Pet Store chain, but I've never been unable to find what I was looking for.  Decent prices, nice people, and in walking distance.  The kind of store that keeps Wickenden honest.
5 - Brian P.: I've been dealing with Aqua-Life for over 2 years now & every experience is a learning one.  George & Irene are the owners & they both are very knowledgeable whether it fresh water Tropical Fish or Marine Salt Water Fish.  They have provided me with the answers to my questions & provided more information than I had expected, they go the extra mile to make their customers more informed so to make the proper decision & not mistakes.  In-Other-Words - They don't sell you anything unless you know what & why your buying it.  They know their client & the type fish they have & will not sell you a fish that they knowingly won't do well in your particular aquarium.  I am very happy with Aqua-Life & will continue to frequent the store for all my aquatic needs.  
Now, another person described George as Grumpy - George is NOT Grumpy, he's kind of like an Archie Bunker type of guy.  If you know Archie, then you know George, he tells it like it is, holds no punches, he's direct & straight forward.  I think the other Reviewer was just sensitive that day.  Hey,  There's a reason they've been in business so long (I think over 35 years now), because George & Irene are real people who HONESTLY CARE.   I suggest you make the trip to their store & see for yourself.  You will not be disappointed.   Brian

Aquilonia Comics - Troy, NY (42.7324366, -73.6882106) ()
4 - Christine S.: Nice locally owned place.  The owner and employees are very friendly and helpful.  Good selection, and they will order you anything they don't have.
4 - Rich L.: First visit was on Free Comic Book Day and thought it was great. Went back a week or so later with a friend close to closing time and the owner stayed open for me when I was running late and didn't make me feel rushed. It was awesome! He didn't have to do it, but he did and that made him my first choice for everything. Magic,comics,etc.
4 - N N.: Nice people.  Gaming & comics, local vibe.

Arab Cowboy Cafe & Hookah Lounge - Austin, TX (30.28788, -97.746996) (University of Texas, West Campus)
2 - Aly S.: Living in West Campus, I was excited to see that a new Hookah place was opening up. "Finally", I thought, "this could be a chance to redeem the hookah seen in Austin." Well, I was wrong. The inside is cool, even though seating is kind of slim, but that's about it. The Hookah was over priced (it's a bad sign when Starbuzz is the "premium" shisha. I mean really? How American can we get), and I was completely let down when the coal was sitting on foil. (I could have just done to my neighbor's place to smoke hookah like that) I got the Jasmine and Rose mixed, which is  a favorite of mine, and it tasted like liquorish. I asked the kid helping us if we could have gotten the wrong one on mistake, and he looked at me and said "Um, no, I mixed it myself" in a rude way. After that it went even further down hill, fast. We then got Strawberry and it was worse than the first, the completely ignored us, never moved the coals, and at one time we had to get up and ask for a new coal. Maybe if the people who were "working" there would actually work and not just sit behind the counter and smoke hookah themselves, then they would have gotten three stars. However, they bombed, and I'm still left searching for a hookah place.
5 - Emily M.: The owner and his wife are a constant presence in the FOH - both are so so kind. And I recently discovered that can you can ask for natural coals ... fo' free. Booyah! Parking is still a biyatch, but the addition of natural coals bumps Arab Cowboy up a star.
5 - sarah p.: I love this place. The paint inside is very quaint-- not perfect but beautiful nonetheless. It's refreshingly modern with simple, comfy sofas and modular end tables. I love the vibe i get there. The hookah is pretty good (what else do you expect from a hookah place?). Ice seems to make it smoother (placebo? its working). Price is OK. Cheaper during happy hour ($10 between 4 and 8 pm). 

There is a private lot but it is pretty small, so if more than one of your party is taking a car I URGE you to carpool. Save yourself and others a lot of trouble.
4 - Tosha M.: Went here last night with my group of friends and we all thought it was such a chill place. After spending all day criticizing the "art" at Blanton, we appreciated the very tasteful decor inside. I enjoyed sitting next to the windows and watching all the undergrads stumble by on their way to random hookups and more binge drinking as I lazily reclined on a sofa surrounded by pillows. Much better. 
It was pretty busy, but no matter how many people came in, chairs always magically appeared to provide more seating. The service was very good and there was always someone walking around to check the coals.
There are clearly regulars who frequent this place, but they were very entertaining singing the Bollywood-esque songs at the top of their voices, displaying their great smoking prowess by blowing perfect "O's", and eventually rapping, which wasn't as skilled as the smoke-blowing =) 
It's a little pricey for this to be a regular thing on my small student budget, but a great place to hang with friends and just relax.
1 - Yousof M.: Arab Cowboy SUCKS.

Why? Go there for the 4th week in a row. If you don't know about their 4 people/hookah law, they try to make you pay another $18 for the extra person in your group. When you tell them no one told you, and you've had enough to smoke tonight promising to get 2 hookahs next week, they tell you you have to leave and can't even start to consume the 2nd pot of tea you just got after 30 min of paying for it.

And it was the owner "Anwar" who did this. The employees are actually very nice.
5 - Michael R.: I'm not gonna lie; I signed up for a Yelp account just to make this review. I'm sure I'll stick around, but Arab Cowboy is the first place that's impressed me enough to convince me that I need to go through the "effort" of signing up to share my experience.

First, I've been coming here almost weekly since they've opened. Frequently biweekly, even. I've moved from West to North Campus, but I still keep coming back because the service and atmosphere here is excellent. The owners and staff are very friendly and are happy to meet patrons' requests. They make regular trips around the establishment to make sure everyone's coals are staying fresh, and as previously mentioned happily provide natural coals and ice for your hookah free of charge.

I'm looking forward to the extension of hours when they finally open in the morning for coffee so that I have a better place to study between classes.

Essentially, if you're looking for a hookah place, this is the spot to go. There's nothing anywhere near campus that can compare.
5 - James L.: I went to this place since it was the only place open early for hookah. The 3-7 happy hour deal is awesome. I dunno about Aly's experience, but most of the hookah places I've been have been more than or equal to the 16.99 price that they charge normally. Not to mention, most places use foil too... although I'm sad that Aly's service sucked, but my service was awesome!

There was a girl who resembled a blond Emma Stone. Totally cute. The staff were very nice to us and came by to give us another coal as we were dimming down. The hookahs themselves, I thought, were really good. They put ice under the tobacco, not in the water, which gave the smoke a nice cool feel. 

The decor was actually pretty chill. In fact, most of the furniture was chill and relaxing. I am sure that once it gets busy, it can be kinda annoying trying to find a good spot because most of the seating areas are spaced out for comfort. That is a nice thing, but I feel like the amount of seating is low. But that is not a bad thing... just if it's crowded.

They also have their own parking! so that's very awesome. You don't have to try to snag west campus parking. That shit sucks yo.

Oh btw, 4 people = 1 hookah. So you may wanna remember that. Kinda reminds me of the old Kasbah...without assholes.
5 - Karar H.: Arab Cowboy is a great place for hanging out, Smoking Hookah, or doing homework and smoking Hookah; its fun and I love going there. Their service is great; I give them 5 stars for that. Their Hookah is yummy, and their smoothies are delicious.  

Thanks,
4 - Grace Y.: Not your typical hookah joint interior. Cute and comfortable seating areas consisting of differently styled sofa, couches and chairs. However the lighting was on the bright side for me. (Personally I prefer darker/moodier lighting.)

Good range of flavors and staff was friendly and helpful with coal being changed out without having to ask. Will come again!
5 - Ela B.: Cheap happy hour ($10 hookah? I'm there), chill atmosphere, nice couches and nooks.  They also replaced the coal while we were there, which I've never had anyone do before.  I love the name, too.
5 - William L.: I came to this place only expecting a simply hookah but got soo much more. 

The atmosphere is soo relaxing. There are tons of couches and the music is great. The staff is friendly and very good on changing out the coals. 

I think the best way to some this place up is like a star bucks that serves hookah. 

My only dislike about this place is the price. However, I enjoyed it soo much I would gladly pay it again.
3 - Travis S.: I haven't tried the hookah and I know that's what the place is known for... I had a cup of coffee there while I was studying and wasn't terribly impressed. The ambiance is great, well furnished and a good place to sit and read (unless there's soccer on). If you're not smoking hookah then you still get to enjoy the scent of strawberries wafting in the air...
1 - Henry P.: Haha 20 dollars for a hookah?! You must be joking, this isn't Chicago, LA, or New York! Yes the atmosphere is relaxing but the service was awful, the chick had no idea how to fix a hookah that was too ashy, and of course the parking was bad. Better atmosphere and SUPERIOR service just a 7 min drive away at Pharas! Now that is how a hookah bar should be run. This place is overrated and over hyped! However if you like being overcharged and not helped when asking for help then by all means come here
2 - Taylor M.: This is my first hookah experience in Austin. Compared to Houston I am NOT impressed. A group of myself and 4 of my friends came here Saturday night. Two of us forgot our id's and were told that we needed them to enter. Out of 4 people who had their IDs... not used to that. So we had to walk back to our apartment and get our ids. Then we were told we needed to get 1 hookah per 4 people. Whaa? It ended up being way too much hookah and they hassled us until we ordered our second. They also don't give you your own tongs to stir coals? And they don't serve food, just tea. I was underwhelmed and annoyed and won't be coming here again.
4 - Deirdre C.: This place is super chill to hang out ...awesome music... nothing loud. Good place to sit and chat with friends while enjoying Hookah. I just wish Skii Ball was cheaper!
4 - Red N.: I LOVE this place! Its the only place in town I can go to work outside the office with a cup of latte and a hookah. This joint is great to get some serious work done during a weekday, or just chill with friends. Hookah prices are higher than normal, but I'll pay it because it's worth it. The folks here are very friendly, always refreshing the coals, always smiling and nice. Here's a tip - ask them for bubbles. You can blow bubbles with hookah smoke in them - it's a ton of fun and will get you buzzed really fast too :o)

-1 star because they are working on getting their liquor license (if they don't have it already) so they can be more of a wine bar/lounge. I love that idea - except that to accommodate this, they will no longer be able to serve hookah indoors. If you want hookah, you gotta sit out back in their patio - not cool! Sacrificing their main attraction (hookah lounge) to become another wine/bar/lounge is like if an Indian restaurant started serving TexMex because the TexMex joint next door does good business. There are plenty of bars and lounges in the area - so I'm not sure why this is a good idea.

In any case, I'll continue going here for my first points above - still great people and good hookah. But probably go there half as much because I don't feel like sitting outside in July so I can smoke hookah.
4 - Stephanie B.: Very great service.  I met a friend to check it out for the first time.  I was surprised to find they had no beer.  I went for  a fruit smoothie which was great.  Some of the chairs are very old and uncomfortable.  Lots of students in and out. A great place to catch up though if your a hookah person.   The parking is minimal plan on searching round the block for spots.
3 - Stephanie R.: This was my favorite place to hookah in all of Austin...until they began serving food and wine. Because of this, all hookah smoking must be done outside. Their patio is pretty and very spacious but fills up quickly. 

AC has such a cool feeling indoors and it's a shame that they are wasting it. I went the other night and the patio was full, but indoors was entirely empty. The patio was so full, actually, that my friend and I weren't able to sit down to hookah. We left disappointed. 

The remodel and bar menu are nice... but I come here for the hookah. Just wish they would have dedicated more space for smoking, because their indoor space is getting absolutely no use while longtime loyal customers are unable to frequent this place due to space issues.
5 - Allen C.: I'm a regular at Arab Cowboy and always came here several times a week to get my hookah fix. The atmosphere was pretty chill, and the staff are all great people. Recently Arab Cowboy has renovated to serve alcohol and food, but you can no longer hookah indoors. 

I was a fan of the remodeling, but I was unaware that I wouldn't be allowed to hookah indoors now. It's too hot in Texas for me to hookah outdoors. Usually I came here during happy hour, but it's not really an option for me anymore because 3pm-7pm is too hot to hookah outdoors.

Other than that, the food and alcohol are great.

BTW parking is a nightmare here
2 - Erica W.: My friends and I used to love Arab Cowboy until recently. They've become more of a cafe/bar (which is virtually empty) and everyone who wants to smoke hookah has to go on the patio. The way they operate now is also confusing. It used to be that you pay up front and leave when you please, but this past visit we were confused as to if we wait for a check or pay inside. At least they provide free water now...! Lastly, parking is a bare. Is anyone really comfortable BACKING OUT onto 24th? Anyone who's been here before knows it, but in Arab's defense, there's not much they can do about that. Overall, I don't think we'll be coming here again for hookah, but maybe coffee or food if I'm in the area.
1 - Warner B.: I just came back to this place for the first time since the renovation. We stopped in to grab a quick drink before going to the fed. I wanted the house tea but they were out. So my girlfriend and I ordered a latte. It was so watery that I only drank a few sips before abandoning it. To top it off the service was beyond slow. I won't be returning again.
3 - Saul T.: Good happy hour special.  I'm not much of a hookah person, only went to hangout so I can't really compare to other hookah places.
3 - Estephany C.: Arab Cowboy, I wanted to like you but I was disappointed.

So I knew going into this place that parking was a nightmare, but goodness I thought I saw an empty space, nope...it was someone who double parked into a space, ugh so awkwardly I had to reverse back out onto 24th and park at the bicycle shop across the street. 

So whoever you are, if you're reading this, it's advisable to park at the bicycle shop after business hours. So my small group (3 of us) go to the back patio, are served water, and place our order for hookah. 

Btw, hookah for one flavor is $15.99... more than saya redline and maybe kasbah.

Seriously, I am not a pushy person but we received our hookah 15mins later. Why? The coal wasn't placed on right so we asked for someone to fix it, we're told that they would be right out to fix it. Nope 10 mins go by and finally we get someone to fix the coal. The fan was spraying mist that was getting my friends hair wet, she asked for the mist to be turned off and the patron there said that we could move if we liked, alright so we moved although we liked our table. 

I am not sure but the overall experience was just eh. I guess having to wait so long for someone to help us and not only that but our server gave us two tips not three... 

Hopefully you fellow Yelpers have a better time at Arab Cowboy.
3 - Takashi K.: A good place to smoke hookah and use wireless internet to do your homework.  Most of the patrons are students so if you are an older person this is probably not the place for you unless you like seeing fresh young faces.  

However, the service was extremely slow on the night I went and I constantly had to harass the waiters to get our orders out.  I waited about 30 minutes for our hookah to come out...  The good part was that *most* of the people there were extremely apologetic about the slow service.  This would be a four star review if the service was improved.  They could use some sort of organized system to make sure that everyone is being helped on time.  

Like many reviewers have mentioned, the parking lot is small and if you park in one of the spots you have to back yourself out of the lot onto the street.  And what is up with not being allowed sit indoors does anyone have an answer to this?
3 - Christopher N.: I hate to give this place a 3, but since they got their liquor license, you can only smoke outside!  It's fucking hot out there!   The whole mood is a bit ruined when you are forced to sit in clothes drenched in your own sweat thanks to our 103 degree Texas summer.

It's a shame because the shisha is very good.  They have a molasses based and honey/molasses based tobacco - the choice is yours.  I prefer the honey/molasses because it is completely washed and cleaner.  It's always smooth.  Hookahs are large, ornate, and clean.  Mouth pieces are not the cheap cone type, but the duck bill type made with thick plastic.

Just tried their food yesterday, and it's pretty limited.  They have.. grilled cheese sandwiches?  For $5 you get a normal sized grilled cheese with meat or w/e you order inside and chips or tomato soup.

Sandwiches taste alright, but they're small.  Soup is straight up the tomato sauce from Chef Boy RD.

They also have some skee ball machines in there now... might as well put a sign outside saying "HEY FRAT BRO DUDES, YOU CAN MAKE A LOT OF NOISE HERE TOO!"
5 - Randy M.: Wow, that last review has been a while, hasn't it?! 

I moved back into town recently, and I'm quickly becoming a regular once more. They've done some remodeling to the place. There's a bar at the front you can sit at now, and what used to be a little nook in the back is now employees only. There's a patio as well which is nice since the temps are FINALLY dropping. 

Nice to see the owner (at least I think it's him) hanging out and conversing with customers as well. Yeah, this place is a wee bit pricier than some other establishments, but there are a lot of outlets for computer usage, good service (the times I've been, some people may get unlucky or it just isn't their thing), and a nice atmosphere. I'm going to keep coming back until I'm pulled out of Austin again, which hopefully will be never.
5 - Gerald M.: As far as any hookah lounge in Austin, this is the best.  I used to live in Austin for two years and frequented quite a few hookah lounges around here.  Then, I moved to Houston because of grad school and started working at a hookah lounge out there.  Comparing between Houston and Austin, Arab Cowboy (and my place of work- because I can be biased on my place of work) is the cleanest, friendliest, most comfortable place to smoke hookah.  And the prices are perfect for the shisha they use for their hookahs.

The owners are great people and Nathan, a long time worker and family of the owners, is always there to help.  I know the place went through a lot of changes this past year, but they still have the atmosphere I fell in love with 3 years ago.  Even though they stopped the food and alcohol, this place has a lot of character.  If you have never been, you have to go at least once.
4 - Slevin S.: Update!! The hookahs are back inside!
4 - Steven R.: They do a good job here. Hookahs are very clean. Service is friendly. Really cool mouthpieces. Unbeatable ambience. Nice variety of flavors. BYOB allowed (small surcharge). Quiet crowd. Chill (non-invasive) background music. Prices moderate ($18 to smoke a Starbuzz).

Arabesque Cafe - Kitchener, ON (43.4635698, -80.4664499) ()
4 - Mike S.: I am happy that KW now has a *nice* place to get some great Lebanese food. 

I tried both take-out and dining in at Arabesque Cafe.  My first experience was sour - instead of giving us fresh fries to accompany our falafels, they took some old ones an reheated them in a microwave.  Gross!

The second trip was much better.  The food was fantastic and presented nicely on our plates...but there was only one server working at the time so the meal progressed slowly.

Try this place. I will be going back.
4 - Sarah B.: I went there for lunch and breakfast recently.   The service was excellent and the menu varied.     As a vegetarian, I often struggle to find variety menus at restaurants and I had no problem here.   The hummus was very smooth and the pita bread was freshly made.  Portion sizes were perfect.   

I would definitely go back.
3 - Ann W.: I had their chicken and gyro takeout. It was tasty, but we had to wait a while for our food. The waiter was an older woman, and she did not look too happy when she was serving us. I guess I'm not going back there again in a while.l
3 - Arsalan M.: Not entirely sure how to review this place, also this review is from memory (over 6 months) so take it with a grain of salt. In summary this place is mediocre quality but gigantic quantity

You can plan to spend anywhere between $10-$20 dollars and get one of the largest meals and drinks you've ever had. I think I had a quarter chicken plate, which came with rice, salad, pita, hummus. I also ordered a medium size mango drink which came in very big glass. It was definitely a challenge to finish all the food.

The quality of the food was 3-star, it wasn't bad but it wasn't great, The rice tasted a big stale but the pita was fresh. The chicken was also fresh and tasty. The hummus was mediocre.

The place itself is quite large and was not busy, they also offer hookah (shisha/ nargile) smoking inside which might make it a no-go for some people. I will mention that the place is large enough that you won't notice the smoke.

Araya's Place - Seattle, WA (47.661041, -122.315781) (University District)
5 - laura b.: OUTSTANDING all vegan thai place (been in business since 1987!) with an extensive menu and an awesome, affordable lunch buffet.  the place is clean and cute and would be a totally respectable place to bring your parents or a date.  or your good for nothing friend who talks on her cell phone to business associates all during lunch!!!!
4 - Kimberley D.: Good prices, tasty, and tons of food for the money (split it, or else you'll have a ton of leftovers.)
5 - Jeremy C.: Arayas has a well deserved reputation.  I am not a vegetarian, but this is still one of my favorite Thai restaraunts in Seattle.  Unlike Bamboo Garden, Araya's not only caters to vegetarians but is also competitive with non-vegetarian restaraunts for Thai food; their dishes are unique and tasty.  Their red and green curries are particularly good.
5 - Brenna F.: Their lunch buffet is ULTRATASTY and very reasonably priced.
5 - Silvia A.: Everyone has that one friend who is a die-hard meat eater and refuses to eat anywhere that has "vegetarian" in the name. Well, this is the place to take that person to show them how truly tasty veggie food can be. I promise you won't miss the meat in your meal. Their lunch buffet is legendary for being cheap and downright delicious, and the sticky black rice pudding is the best in town.
5 - Katie O.: Food so good even carnivores will love it! 

My only complaints is that the speciality dishes seem to be over-priced compared to the regular menu items, and don't seem to be *that* special when compared to the very tasty regular menu items.
5 - Wayne B.: I love me some meat but when I'm fantasizing about great meals I often find myself dreaming of Araya's lunch buffet.  Soooo good.  I need to visit the friend who introduced me to this perfect restaurant, if only to eat here again...and again.
4 - kristin b.: Great vegetarian thai food.
5 - megan d.: The buffet I feel is a little disappointing compared to how  AMAZING everything on the actual menu is. Ive eaten here at least 20 times and have always floored by the menu food. I wish i could remember the names of dishes but I have fallen in love with their red curry. i would also suggest trying the mango salad.I love the fact they dont do the whole "fake meat thing" instead they just focus  on making amazing sauces and cooking everything to perfection. you'll never miss the meat just because everything is so good with out it.
4 - Sheryl S.: This place is pretty arroi. I don't recommend the buffet because it's a little bland, but I do recommend just about everything else on the menu. Just ask if you want it to be authentic. Otherwise they'll tone it down for American tastes (unless you're Asian; then they'll assume you'll really know what you want). They use a great short-grained brown rice that is really delicious and nutritious. Just ask for it.
2 - Kristin S.: I'm a vegetarian so I was excited to hear about having so many options but everytime Araya disappoints (I've been here about 4 times). The curries are very watery and have a really weird almost sour taste (soymilk?). I do enjoy the noodle dishes a bit more.  I also really despise some of the tofus that they use in the curries. Don't get the pineapple curry as it is one of the worst. The service has also been very bad. One time we didn't get to eat until about 9 or 10 (we came in at 8) because the kitchen sort of decided to shut down.
5 - katie j.: Sometimes I just want to eat a bunch of spring rolls and peanut sauce. . . .and where else can you do that in such a fantastic way as the lunch buffet??
Everything seems very fresh and new food is always coming out to the buffet. . .I highly recommend !!!!
5 - Liz A.: Even you bloodthirsty meat lovers will fall madly in love with the vegan Thai cuisine at Araya's. If you show up before 3:30 in the afternoon you can partake in the buffet, which features vegetable curry, fried rice, phad thai, stir fried veggies and tofu, salad, fresh fruit, and the most incredible spring rolls you will ever have ...ever. (this is no hyperbole, my friends, I am dead frickin' serious.) If you are cool with spending a little more than 7 bucks on a meal, and you are ready to experience some of the best Thai food in Seattle, check out their dinner menu. Don't feel shy about asking your server what they recommend, everyone at Araya's is very friendly and helpful. Oh and don't bother ordering anything to drink, the Araya's water comes straight from heaven, I swear... best water ever.
5 - Mari J.: Some of the best Thai I've ever had, vegetarian or not.  A wide variety of dishes, everything reasonable priced.  The atmosphere is very nice, as are the employees.  All around great food.
4 - Kandi B.: Can't add much to the other reviews except to note:

They don't serve beer or alcohol of any kind. I personally enjoy a good Singha to wash down my four+ stars, so that was disappointing. I had a choice of pop, water, juices, or hot tea. 

If you order the tea (because there's no beer to be found), watch what you order. We didn't notice till getting the bill that most of them are SIX DOLLARS a piece! I'm not a tea connoisseur, so although the brown rice green tea I ordered was good, I probably would have enjoyed an extra fresh roll app.
5 - Emma N.: When I die and go to heaven (if that is what happens) there will be Araya's Peanut Sauce.
5 - Jamie F.: Wait a minute, a Thai place that's 100% vegan? Nuh uh! YUH HUH.

For reals. Great curry, great vegan drinks from Nanung Cafe next door, lovely presentation and classy decor. The wife (vegan) was practically in tears due to the overwhelming selection of tasty sounding options. Pineapple? Asparagus? Pumpkin? What to do?

P.S. veggie ham that TASTES LIKE ACTUAL HAM! Oh, snap!
5 - Charlie T.: This place has been around forever and has never been a disappointment. Family owned and offers an amazing buffet. 

Yes, it's vegan, but I promise if you dragged any meat eater in to dine they wouldn't miss the absence of flesh on their plate. 

They have got a great menu with lots of options. If it's your first time go to the buffet.
5 - Sheri N.: UPDATE: 7.07.07
came back here last month and had the avocado curry! WTF*#$(*#($*#($*#!  dude i must have died and gone to heaven.  it was so good i wasn't inhaling my food, but savoring the taste, flavors, textures of the all the fake meat, tofu, veggies, avocado and curry goodness.  my bf said i was making fuck faces to my food.  i didn't realize i was doing it, but i guess it was that good!

why can't they have something like this in sf?!?  :(
___
the first time i came here the bf and i had a late brunch, which i guess extended to dinner... the kinda meal that feeds you all day, but then again when we get together it seems we never eat unless it's past 1pm... [this i think is due to his eating habits, and not mine, because i am ready to eat an hour into my day... :D ::: ]

duuuuuuuuuude!  vegan thai!?!?  everything on the menu?!?  this is a vegetarian's dream, and also becomes an envy when you don't have this in san francisco...  sure there are veggie options @ any thai place, but when the menu is a colorful palette of endless choices,  this is when i see and i am thankful that people do care about vegetarians!  and these people make a difference by catering only to US!

i dream about this place...  i thank my  bf for taking me here whenever i visit him in seattle.  i look forward to going to seattle for their food, errr... i mean seeing my bf and enjoying this yummy food w/him, which he introduced me to.  ;)

went to the lunch buffet last month, it was tasty, but crowded too.. can u blame them @ $6.99 ?   i think i prefer ordering select dishes...  w/the buffet i overstuff myself because i cannot contain my inner food demons..  plus they didn't have fresh spring rolls and this dish that had asparagus and some mock meat that i loved...

the wait staff is real kind too!  that always makes the meal much tastier!

hip hip, hooray to araya's!

hmmm... when am i coming back... oh the hunger pangs..
5 - Miss O.: great if you are on a budget or not, if you are vegan or not!~ Highly recommended
2 - Bonfire P.: Oh Araya's. What happened to you? Your food used to be so good. Sure, I knew that if I wanted to order off the menu during the buffet hours I'd get dagger eyes from the staff and be generally ignored to the point of having to hunt them down to pay the bill or get more water, even when the restaurant was almost empty, but the food was worth it.  Then I visited you for the buffet again. Your curries were watery and flavorless, your peanut sauce so sweet as to induce diabetes, the pans of food poorly stocked and in disarray.

Despite complying with the almighty power of the buffet, your staff still ignored me pointedly. 

What's up, Araya's my dear? I really want this relationship to work. I'm holding up my end, won't you hold up yours?
5 - Billy A.: Simply amazing!  Vegans rejoice: Araya's is 100% vegetarian and vegan.  This is best Thai I've ever had.  Vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike agree that this place rocks.

I recommend the Veggie Beef with Peanut Sauce.  Soooo good.
5 - natasha t.: mmm thai buffet for $7 some dollars. enough said.
5 - Christian V.: Vegetarian? Vegan? AND Thai food???

Admittedly @ 1st, I was hesitant to go there (about 2 years ago)....if you love Thai food and haven't been to this place yet...Have you been hiding under a rock? (I know I was)

I will say it right now, this is "Pound for pound" THE BEST overall Thai restaurant in Seattle...and I'm not even vegetarian (I'm a happy omnivore).

Amazing Phad Thai? Big time.  One of the best Phad Thai's I've ever had can be found here, but the biggest secret this restaurant has to offer comes in the form of their lunch buffet...and a very very unique and special Curry Dish.

Oh you've had the panangs, the yellow curry and green curry...but Araya's offers a curry dish found only within the confines of their kitchen and dining room...Avocado Curry.

AVOCADO curry?! Their spiciness on their curry dishes goes up to five (4 for their non-curry dishes) and that Spicy Star level is among the most realistic in the city.  Never again will you order a 3 or 4 spicy level and get a weak tasting dish.  

However, thats not to say this place is without it's problems or inconsistencies.  Often times the wait is rather long to get a table for a group of 4+, and the parking is minimal at best.  The "serving sizes" for their dishes are inconsistent as well.  One day you'll find yourself sitting with a very large heap of rice noodles in your Phad Thai, then the next time you get about 1/3rd less (same goes for some of their curry dishes)  Being a vegetarian restaurant, if you're used to chicken in your Phad Thai, you may be turned off, but after tasting their Avocado curry, you'll come back...believe me.  

Service has been great each time I've been there save for 1 instance where they gave me my food with NO Spicy Stars what so ever....but believe me, if you want to have, possibly,  the best Thai food in Seattle, come out to U-District, you will NOT be disappointed.

Eat well, tip well...remember karma remembers the bad and good tippers ;)
5 - sara r.: Araya's has long been a friend to the animal rights community, the broke punks, and the university district in general. I wouldn't go to any other thai place in the ud because I have such fierce loyalty to araya. Good thing they are also overall the best thai in the city. Yeah, there may be a few places that have one or two specialty dishes that may beat the araya version but for the most part araya always wins.
Things that can't be beat:
1. The staff. This family run business is very dedicated to their customers. They really care about you. To the point where if you cut your hair they notice. They work very hard and close on sunday so they have one day a week off. 
2. The spring rolls... and SAUCE! In my opinion the best spring rolls EVER. And the sauce is so good you want to pour it on all of your food.
3. Avacado curry. Yes, its true. The most sacred of curries.
4. Red curry. Although a little heavy on the bamboo shoots, still the best curry in the city.
5. Pad thai. Although I realize everyone perfers dif flavor to their pad thai. This is my favorite pad thai taste.
6. The tom kah and tom yum soups are not to be missed! And they come on a little burner which is cute.
They do have a lunch buffet. 12-4 I think. Its priced to move at $7 but honestly not for me. I am small and can't eat huge quantities at a time. Plus this isn't their best food and its made in huge quantities so the quality is not as good as the evening made to order dishes. It sits, and everyone picks out the tofu and veggies they like and leaves the noodles. You can order off the menu during buffet hours and that's usually what I do. One thing about the buffet though is that its pretty much all the spring rolls you can eat, and I dip them in soup and sauce. Yum. As long as all the spring roll vultures (like me) don't get them before you do!
I recomend first timers to go to dinner, then try the buffet later. If you are a big eater the buffet can't be beat, its also a great way to sample a lot of different dishes- but go to buffet the second time you visit.
5 - Quinn R.: I had been invited to this place on more occasions than I can remember.  My response to each invite upon hearing this was not only a vegetarian restaurant but a vegan one was an adamant "no thanks." 

finally a pretty enough girl invited me along (thank you Gamze) and I could not say no.  

My eyes my friends were opened that day...scream it from the rooftops VEGAN FOOD CAN BE GOOD....not only good but FREAKIN incredible.  I love this place the food was so amazing I instantly forgot I wasnt eating meat...didnt even cross my mind that 'hey there is not meat in this dish' just straight up amazing food.  

as Katie O. says..."food so good even carnivores will love it" ...
I'll drink to that.
3 - Chiu L.: Fancy-like Thai Food, it seems like they put a lot of thought to it.  But I found the over-use of vegetables on their basil fried rice to be over-kill.  The price was decent, 8 dollars.  But since I'm not a vegetarian, it's not my cup of tea.  Brocolli in any asian-claimed dish is just plain wrong.

My friend who came with me, had their drunkin' mushroom, he, being a Thai aficionado left hating the food.  He feels, the vegetarian way just loses the "oomph".  

I definitely would not come back.  I'm happy with my Thai Tom on University.
4 - Shoshanna L.: Ooooh, a Thai place where I can order anything on the menu!  Luxuriant!

I do miss the old building, which I thought had a nicer ambience.  I think they had to move, though, so it's not their fault.

Seattle is blessed with lots of vegetarian-oriented Asian places, and Araya is at the top of my list.
5 - Todd B.: Just an update: they have received their licence so now you CAN have a Singha with your wonderful meal.
5 - John E.: Wow.  I am a huge fan of Thai Tom, but I am beginning to think this place is more my speed overall.  Any group over 3, maybe 4 people is a Bad Idea at TT, so Araya wins there, too.

Next time, I think I will cull some of the meat substitutes to just tofu...I don't need fake ham and meatballs.  The pineapple curry has 4 (!) different meat substitutes.  There is no need for that...it'd be just fine and less strange with familiar ol' raw and grilled tofu. 

Favorites:

Avocado curry - at 4 stars spicy, the flavors blend and complement so well that my bland-food-lovin' Mom went for seconds.

Tom Kha soup - awesome, and serves four:  Bargain!
3 - Juliann B.: I have to admit after all the raves I was a little disappointed.  Not to say I didn't eat large portions of everything.  But I still found myself unsatisfied.  The dishes needed more spices, more kick, more something.  

Things I did like about the place: the rice was very good, the lunch buffet is open til 4 (I'm a late eater), the ambiance is pretty cool, and the price can't be beat.  Too bad most of the food is just so-so.
2 - Deborah S.: Not impressed. I've eaten there twice,  and won't go back

once I had a  a curry that involved their "bean mix"  this bean mix included something that looked and tasted like a slice of bologna floating in my curry.

The second time  they didnt want to serve me what i wanted off the menu because the item was on the buffet. I wasn't asking  for the buffet i just wanted a bowl of soup all to myself.

I won't go back.  While i appreciate the fact that they are a vegan restaurant the  poster on the front door   just turns me off.  I've been vegetarian in the past and do believe in animal rights, I just don't appreciate  it in my face when i choose to go to lunch. If I choose to eat vegetarian for lunch its because thats what i wish to eat, it's not a political move.
4 - Amanda K.: I would like to start this off by saying, I am not a vegetarian, just a vegatarian supporter, and relative to vegetarians.  My brother, a vegatarian, is visiting me and we met my cousin, another vegetarian, at araya.  I like vegatarian food, but I was nervous for my boyfriend a huge carnivore.  However, we were both easily able to find some good food and both enjoyed what we ordered. like was said before it is a thai restaurant and so I ordered some veggie pad thai. The tofu was cooked very well and it was delicious.  I also like how you can order smoothies from next door, my smoothie was delicious as well. My boyfriend had the drunken mushroom, and he cleaned his plate. Our waitress was pretty good, and they did not mind us staying for awhile after paying for our meal. So like Katie O said, this food is good enough where if you eat meat you would still want to go and if you are a vegetarian you will have tons of options (huge menu!)
4 - Haroun K.: The ambiance is quite pleasant and cozy, and seemed really conducive for groups, at their big round tables.  I would agree with Angela V.: the food seemed rather sweet, but was still tasty.  I was not a huge fan of the spring rolls, but the entrees seemed to go over pretty well at our table.   I haven't had any other Thai in Seattle, but I think that if you're in the U-district and want to relax and eat a not too expensive, somewhat hearty meal, this place would be a good option.
4 - Diana S.: Anyone who loves avocado and Thai food ought to check out Araya's, whether they're vegetarian or not. The addition of luscious chunks of avocado to creamy green curry is so perfect you'll wonder why everyone doesn't do it. It's not on the main menu, but look at the two other menu cards they pass out (one is "customer favorites" and one is "specialties") and you'll find it one of of those. Sorry I can't remember which one. We've also enjoyed their salads and soups very much. The one disappointment was an over-fried tofu and cream cheese wanton appetizer that was too greasy without enough flavor to make it worth it. Wait staff is friendly and quick to deliver food, and I've finally learned that you can eliminate a long delay to pay your bill by simply walking up to the counter at meal's end.
5 - Bryan M.: When friends come to town to visit I always take them to Araya's. It's my #1 'sit down for dinner' restaurant. If I'm hankering for curry it's also where I go. 

Be sure to check the small menu as well if you're looking for curries. The pumpkin and the avocado curries are definitely work trying if you're into such dish types.

They recently started serving more alcohol and teamed up with a smoothy establishment of some sort next door.
5 - Tori B.: This is, by far, the best Vegan restaurant in Seattle. As a bonus, it has a really nice atmosphere, and is a great place to take your parents or out of town guests, or for big groups. I've always had the friendliest wait staff as well.

The have a very affordable lunch buffet, and as a side bonus, they've been known to let local broke folk come in at the end of the lunch buffet and help clean up in return for as much food as they can carry away, which makes me feel all morally warm and fuzzy.

It's also now the favorite place for our company to order food when we are entertaining clients, and all sorts of folk have fallen in love with it. I've also heard, but cannot confirm, that it is the only all vegan Thai resturant in the country?? Anyone know about that?

Plus, where else in the world could you find avacado curry with about 4 different types of fake meat???

The last few Saturday night's I've been their, they've also had some very mellow live music, and it looks like they are trying to expand the back of the restaurant into a lounge.
5 - melody r.: oh boy, a vegetarian place with a lunch buffet. get there before 3:30, because it does close early!
the buffet is only $7.99 and has selection. veggie fried rice, veggie pad thai, yellow curry, soup, tofu and veggies, spring rolls with sweet sauce and peanut sauce. what more can a gal ask for?
the yellow curry is the best. hands down.
i always end up eating too much, because i can. the waitress i've had is talkative and funny and doesn't make me feel bad about stuffing my face  and being all alone while i do so. there's lots of mirrors which make people watching easy. i love araya. thanks, araya!
4 - Urban L.: Although most Thai restaurants say that they can make vegetarian Phad Thai and curries, it's hard to really believe them. At Araya's, the best aspect is that there's no need to grill the wait staff with questions. 

Similar to other reviews, I prefer to stick to the tofu dishes. I don't like having 4 different mock meats in one dish.  

Definitely worth a visit!
5 - Michelle G.: I've been eating at Araya's for over 6 years now and it is always awesome.  I have nothing bad to say about this place.  Araya's has seen me through my meat stage, my hardcore vegan stage, my vegetarian stage, and back to the meat stage again, and still it continues to be delicious!  The ingredients are fresh, the dishes are well flavored, the spice is consistent, the service is always pleasant and fast, and now you can even order fresh juice from the juice bar next door with your meal.  I bring my family here when they visit from out of town, and they rave about it every time and always ask to come back.  A definite crowd-pleaser!  Perfect for any occasion or non-occasion ...
3 - Krishna V.: I eat meat. The rest of my family, however, does not. Since I don't really know how extensive or good the vegetarian options are at any restaurants (next time I'm with a vegetarian who says they'll go "wherever," I'm just taking them to Ipanema Grill or something. Why do people with dietary restrictions think this acceptable behavior?), I just bring them here. I can deal with it for one meal, and they seem to love it.
The service has always been great.

It's a high three.
5 - Bhawna A.: Best thai food. Worth every penny. Love it
5 - JC R.: Delicious!

Lunch Buffet!!!

Go here instead of Bamboo Garden(yes I know this is Thai, and not Chinese). Trust me.
5 - Delilah R.: A vegetarian friend of mine insisted on going to Araya's for the said fresh and well flavored Tai food.  None of us had frequented before and were delighted in the taste of every dish we consumed.  I had not been looking forward to the dinner and was shockingly surprised at my insistence at the end of the meal to make this a tradition.  The service was quick, my glass was continually full, and seeing as how there were 15 people and no ones bill was screwed up I was genuinely impressed.  The curry was awesome and was the turning point of my favor in curry as I had not been a previous fan!  I would recommend this place to anyone who loves Tai, is a vegetarian, or even the most cynical meat eater.  This place is fabulous!!
4 - Benjamin J.: Maybe it's because I'm an American.  They could put anything on my plate, call it a Thai dish, and I'd fall for it.  Good luck for me, then, that Araya's is nice enough not to trick me.  Everything here is delicious.

Confession:  This is the first time I've enjoyed a peanut sauce.  It's a little on the sweet side, but if you browse the menu wisely, you can find something that gravitates savory or spicy.

Although it's located in a pretty dour part of the U-District, the interior at Araya's is serene and pleasant.  Service was very good.  My lone complaint there is that I got no spontaneous offers to re-fill my soda.

I always like when an Asian restaurant has distinct dishes instead of the same repeated time after time with minor differences.  Everything on the menu was interesting, definitely enough so for me to go back.

Recommended.
3 - Misty T.: This was quite a bit more impressive looking on the inside than the exterior would indicate.  Went there for a quick meal and got the potstickers (really good with the sauce and there were 6 on the plate), My husband had a tofu dish that he asked for a "3" in spice level and he said it was just on the edge to too spicy for him. So, spice wimps, be warned. 
I had another tofu noodle dish (Rad something) and that meal came in a HUGE BOWL. My noodles and veggies and tofu were swimming in sauce. Like..it was soup. It was good but I'd actually prefer a little less sauce. They made me a vegan thai iced tea..and the iced tea had this strange tang to it. It was not bad...just ...different. 
Overall for a veg restaurant, this place was really really good. My carni-husband said it was just 'ok'.
5 - Tams H.: This is the best Thai in Seattle, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a vegetarian. Of all foods, Thai is the least necessary to have a restaurant devoted to being vegetarian as veggie options are abundant at most. The food here is always so fresh and tasty. We decided to splurge this last time and get some of their special entrees - the pumpkin curry and the drunken mushrooms. The pumpkin curry had kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkin) with other veggies and tofu/veggie beef. The drunken mushrooms is a wide noodle dish with asparagus, tofu, peppers, and portobello, shitake, and other mushrooms. These dishes were a little pricier than some of the others but they were well worth it in deliciousness. They like to spice it up here so you may need to knock it down a star from your normal order. Yum.
2 - Janelle M.: I wanted to love this place too.  Really, I did.  We were seated immediately upon arrival; however, no one came to take our order for quite some time.

Our waitress was sweet, but our order came out incorrectly.  We asked the guy that brought the food to the table to please correct the error and to please bring some rice for our Red Curry w. Tofu while we waited for the return of the Spicy Noodles.   He forgot, so we asked again.  He then returned with a bowl of brown rice in which he slammed on the table - oh yes, literally, he slammed the bowl down on the table.

The food was decent, but the slow service, the mixed-up order, and the slamming of the bowl by the angry food runner, I think, are good enough reasons for our decision, both not to return or to recommend to others.
5 - Calana M.: I went here for the first time and it was absolutely wonderful. 
The service was a bit slow, but I'm going to give them a break because it was a bit busy, and the food is so delicious.

Everyone I was with got  the lunch buffet, which is such a great deal. $7.95 for all you can eat vegetarian Thai food? I'm used to paying that just for a plate of Pad Thai.

The Pad Thai was delicious. Usually I like mine pretty spicy, but it was so flavorful that I barely had to add any heat. The tofu in it was also some of the best I've ever had. It was cooked to tofu perfection ;]

The fried rice was great as well, but it could've used a little more flavor.

The spring rolls are to die for, I couldn't get enough.

Overall, it was a great meal in a fabulous location for a super good price :]
5 - Anne P.: I was never a Thai food enthusiast until I dined at Araya's. It is now one of my favorite restaurants in the world. Yes, the world. Not that I am a huge traveller, but regardless, the best. I have tried several different menu items and still haven't found one that I don't love. My personal favorites are: Rad Na, Pineapple Curry, Avocado Curry, Drunken Mushroom, etc., etc., etc. Their portions are large, and I've always ended up with about half of my meal left over for my lunch the next day...two meals for the price of one! Ahhh Araya's....I think I might have an addiction. I think about it too much. I'm smitten. I want to go there right now and overeat from the buffet. Maybe ...
5 - Sean F.: As if I need to write another glowing review for Araya's. This is almost ridiculous. I love Thai food. They make it good. I like. A lot. Try the Pineapple Curry, the Avocado Curry, The Rad Na, The Drunken Mushroom .... and a Singha, especially if you ask for the five stars. You might need two. Or three. Hell, get drunk. I always take stuff home from there, so the price doesn't seem so steep. I get it for lunch the next day. Well, that's a review.
4 - Anna A.: As a vegeterian is nice to go to a restaurant that you can order anything on the menu without double checking the ingredients.
And its pretty nice when everything you order is tasty too. Big portions in funky dishes. Staff is ok but sometimes not paying attention. Big minus is the bathrooms.
5 - Ashley B.: Oh holy hell, I sometimes wake up in the night in the middle of a cold sweat thinking about mock meat, noodles, curries, and Vegan Thai iced teas from Araya.

Nothing that I've found in SF even comes close.

If I move back to Seattle any time soon, I won't be embarrassed to admit that Araya is partially responsible.
5 - Christy T.: Oh my goodness.

On my first trip to Seattle, my friends took me here, claiming it was the BEST vegetarian Thai buffet I'd ever eat.  I'm not a huge buffet person, so I was a bit skeptical.  But since I'm vegetarian and am grateful any time I'm guaranteed a filling vegetarian meal someplace, I was willing to give it a try.  Plus, I wasn't paying for it (work trip).

Wow.  I was really impressed.

Some of the dishes were better than others (not the best Pad Thai I've ever eaten), but overall it was really quality food.  I loved the selection and, as I mentioned, was elated that I could have whatever I wanted since all of it was veggie!  Along with my group, we ate lunch here three times during the week we were in Seattle, and because they change up the lunch selections, I never got sick of the food.

I wish they served beer, but I will definitely be back when I'm next in Seattle.  And I make sure to talk this place up to anyone I know traveling there, veggie or not.
5 - Pradeep H.: Amazing...Too bad there is no place like this on the east coast.
4 - Kristina D.: I love Araya's.  A classic vegan pitstop.

The lunch buffet is a good price, particularly if you're a big eater.  The selection is really decent and they keep it pretty well-stocked most of the time.  Try the salads!

Ordering from the menu is a different experience from the buffet entirely.  I like a lot of their choices, but their fried rices are my favourites (as is always the case with thai food).  Pineapple fried rice and vegetable fried rice are de-lic-ious.  These are excellent things for the skeptical meat-eater to order, too.  There is fried tofu in it rather than faux meat, but it's still delicious.  

The Phad Thai is also a great option for those who are noodle lovers.

I recommend anything with cashews.  

Wait staff are always really sweet and try to be attentive even when they get busy (which is often).

You'll probably leave with a food-baby.
2 - Elizabeth D.: I love the food here, BUT they have the most terrible service.  Almost every time I eat at Araya, I'm seated, and then ignored for 10 or 15 minutes.  My order is usually right, but often in groups one person doesn't get their meal until the group gets the bill and everyone else is done. 

Two or three times when I ate there, the two waitresses sat talking, to each other or on the telephone, and were obviously gossiping.  I finally got up and left, after waiting 20 minutes for my order to be taken.

I wish I could recommend this place, as it really is hard to find good vegetarian food, but if you want veggie Thai, try Veggie Veggie just a few blocks away instead.  They may not be as snazzy, but their service is good.
3 - Victor H.: the food is not that good, and there are not many choice for the buffet lunch. the waiter is nice, but seems to be very busy, i have to wait for a few minutes until they fill my empty glass.
but the price is quite cheap, i wonder why people put $$ for it, it should be just $
5 - Wesh W.: One of my top three vegetarian (well, vegan) restaurants in Seattle. The food is heavenly. The staff are wonderful. The prices are low. The ambiance is eclectic and funky. There's a great, inexpensive lunch buffet where warm peanut sauce just languishes steamily there in a pan on the hot table, waiting for you to endeliciousify everything on your plate. You've never seen so many skinny vegans with stuffed bellies as Araya's buffet. Everything else (I've had just about everything else, it seems) is delicious, but I recommend the pumpkin curry, 'veggies beef,' or my personal favorite: a four-star pad prik khring with a side of brown rice. The black rice pudding dessert is a winner, too. Salud!
4 - Kim B.: Their buffet is great -- I can make a whole lunch out of soup and the great salads (and watch while friends fill bowls full of peanut sauce).

Although I like the buffet, I prefer the dinner menu. Their spicy noodles are actually spicy (as long as you tell them that you actually mean spicy) and their avocado curry is scrumptious.
5 - Fumi S.: Their dinner is great and I'm glad that they serve great vegetarian food! I sometimes go there for buffet and it's ok. I recommend going there for dinner.
4 - Adam M.: I love Araya for it's fresh food, and buffet. My girlfriend usually goes for the menu to have it made on the spot, and I go for the buffet. They have my favorite spring rolls in town by the buckets, and the black rice and coconut hot dessert is really tasty, and doesn't put you in a food coma (as long as you don't binge on it)!  In the buffet you have plenty to choose from, from kim Chi, to curry, to fried rice, and veggies! Watch out for the fake chicken "bean composition" though, it is a little dodgey!! Tastes a little too spongey! That is the only complaint so far. The waitstaff get the job done!
4 - sarah c.: totally yummy, completely vegetarian thai food. thai food at a regular restaurant can be tricky cos of their love of fish sauce. so, this place is completely safe. loved the buffet. i left stuffed and i didn't even get to try everything! the black rice pudding with coconut milk is amazing!
4 - Amanda S.: 4 stars were given for the vegetarian buffet during lunch, everything is so yummy and plentiful.  Only giving 4 stars based on lack of service (ie. refilling water glasses).  Other than that, buffet is cheap and satisifying.
4 - Marina M.: They have an all-you-can-eat vegetarian buffet Monday through Saturday until 3:30pm. With tax, it ends up being just under $9 per person. The buffet includes basic tossed salad, fruit (usually orange slices), tofu stir fry, various vegetables soups/curries/mixes, pad thai (with tiny noodles that I love), fried rice, spring rolls, and dessert.

The featured dessert is hot black beans, with coconut milk to pour over it. I was unfamiliar with this dish and admittedly horrified the first time I saw it. Then I took a bit. YUM YUM YUM. Be brave, it's well worth it! Delicious.

The buffet food is satisfying and not too heavy or rich. The spring rolls are particularly well done -- most places they are greasy and stringy, but here they are fresh and crisp.

My only real complaint is that the chopsticks they provide are very low-quality. They splinter and don't hold your food very well. I wish they had sturdy plastic chopsticks like most of the Pho places in town.
4 - Emily F.: Two words: lunch buffet. Araya's has good food at a good price with good service.
3 - jay j.: Recently stopped by for quick lunch.

My second Vegetarian restaurant since Cafe Flora. BTW I didn't find out Cafe Flora was a Vegetarian restaurant months after the visit. CF serves some awesome food in my mind and their breakfast/brunch is wonderful, too.

I'm a meat eater and seldom order vege only dish except for some greens with oyster sauce for dim sum.

I was expecting a genuine approach to vegetable when an acquaintance recommended it and decided to try out.

The food overall was plain and dull; just everyday vege thrown together with Thai seasoning to suggest that it's Thai food. The Pad Thai was below avg quality in my mind as well. The pineapple fried rice was stir fried in over size batch so some pieces of rice were stuck together, a huge no no in any proper Asian fried rice.

For lunch buffet 8.75 including tax, it does have its value but I could probably spend that amount for lunch at most decent restaurant in U. Dist.

I'd probably give 2 stars for the food but given availability of parking in "U Distt" and fairly quick service (sitting and bill paying only as I served myself) 3 stars overall.
4 - Jacqueline L.: To be blunt, their buffet blows pretty bad.  Or I guess it blows well.  Translation: Stay away from the buffet option.  However, I honestly can't think of a single buffet in the barrage of buffets offered in this big buffet-obsessed world that is even decent at all.  So it's a moot point, because during buffet hours you can order from their menu and the menu is pretty darn tasty.

I mostly just rock the curry but it's always satisfactory and way more in serving size that I can handle.  Awesome appetizers too, especially their fried cream cheese and tofu rolls.  Holy crap of godliness, I say.  

They are also connected to a little cafe called Nanung, which is convenient for the delightful post-dinner espresso.  The servers here are sweet, sweet ladies and oh, guess what--their is parking.
5 - adrian e.: you've grown so big since you moved down the street little fella.. and additionally, your growth spurt has brought on a new found appreciation for cleansliness, how very adult of you. your buffet with its disgustingly good spring rolls, peanut sauce, and tofu makes me so f'in proud.

love, 
dad.
5 - Marissa S.: If my taste buds could sing, they would be belting Hallelujah for Araya's.

By far my favorite Thai place in the city. For one very specific reason. They are the ONLY place that consistently gives me the spice level that I ask for. If you want 15 stars, they will give you 15 stars. I choose 7 myself, and that last time was *almost* too much. But not quite ;-)

The Pineapple curry is sinful. If I was still a (practicing)Catholic I would go to confession after that one. It is creamy, full of faux-meats (which are divine) and the pineapple is just the right amount of sweet to compliment the curry. Plus it comes in a pineapple shaped serving dish, which just makes everything a party. 

In addition, they use FRESH chilies to spice their dishes. 

!!!

(that is me jumping up and down excitedly)
5 - marquita f.: WOW. Fantastic food.  Even for the meat-eating types. I take my carnivorous friends here and even they like it.
4 - Drew G.: The food here is very tasty. While it is very vegetarian, it still tastes incredibly good to meat eaters as well. I love a steak like anyone else, but the phad thai is to die for.

The super slow service is why 4/5. The servers are always having a little chit chat party in the back and you always have to flag them down when you want something.
5 - Dante M.: YUM!! So let's just say that I am a VERY proud carnivore, and this vegetarian restaurant was GOOD!!

So I came in for the lunch buffet, promptly at 11:30. Everything was very fresh, tasty, and I of course ate until I was very uncomfortable. The red curry was stellar, as was the Pad Thai, and the egg rolls, and... well everything. (Except for maybe the soup) I've already come here twice in one week. Oh, and this buffet is right around 9 dollars!!
5 - Jess S.: the food at Araya's is always delish. from the papaya salad to the fresh rolls to the avocado curry or the pad thai you can't go wrong. the servers are awesome too.
5 - mister k.: I made a horrible mistake. I got in a rut, and kept ordering the same thing over and over again at Araya's. It is easy to do. You taste a dish like the pineapple curry, and you want to eat it everyday for the rest of your life.  I am used to eating at restaurants where you can't just pick something willy-nilly off the menu. I believe Araya's may be that rare restaurant where you could order just about anything off the menu and be deeply satisfied. Everything is vegan, but I would not hesitate to take a meat eater who appreciates fresh veggies. They are perfectly cooked and combined here, in a way both your mouth and eyes will appreciate.

Recently, I got a hankering for some asparagus and broke free of my pineapple curry rut. There are a couple dishes featuring asparagus, and I talked my wife into the one featuring their "vegies beef," which tastes kind of like a ham and is the epitome of their protein selections. This curry was so incredible we completely shoved aside the delicious noodles that had beaten it to the table and cleaned the plate. No seriously, we put extra rice on the plate just so we could soak up the last bits of coconutty-goodness. 

The result is #1: as much as I'd like to get into an asparagus curry rut, I realize now I have been eating here for years and I need to try a lot more of their menu. And #2: although I will continue to be appalled when I catch my pre-teen son picking up a plate in a public place and licking it clean, I finally understand what is going through his mind when he does it.

One thing to be sure not to miss: vegan thai iced coffee done with coconut milk.
2 - Jennifer G.: I really feel guilty about giving this place 2 stars, but I didn't really think it was all that great! I read a bunch of reviews before I went and was also urged by a fellow yelper to eat here...but I just didn't see what all the hype was all about! The food was ok...I've had MUCH better. :(
4 - Jocelyn T.: I used to go to Araya a lot while I was still a UW student. Yes, I'm a big fan of Araya and I even brought my mom who lives in Puyallup to Araya once for their lunch buffet. Glad my mom loved it as well. 

Spring rolls were crunchy and crispy. The soup (tom yum??) also tasted good. Phad Thai was to die for and I couldn't stop getting more. Yeah yeah, I know I need to learn how to control myself......maybe next time, lol. 

Parking convenience is a big plus. Overall, Araya is an excellent Thai vegetarian restaurant. I'm giving 4 stars without any doubts.
5 - Vaishali B.: I love Thai food and I'm a vegetarian, so this place was amazing. There were so many choices, I wanted to try them all. I went with a big group of 10 people, so we ordered a pretty good spread. Every dish was so different and extremely flavorful!

Although I prefer the tom kha soup (coconut based) to the tom yum (clear soup with strong flavor of lemongrass), both were so good, it was really hard to decide what was best. 

Other than the two soups, the papaya salad and the panang curry were very memorable. 

Also, although I'm a vegetarian, some of the people I went with were non-vegetarian, and they loved it just as much!
4 - Alexis P.: yay!!!
lunch buffet is soo cheap!
and soo yummy!
i loved their eggrolls and salads..
they were so fresh and just.. ahh!! : ):)  yum yum yum
5 - fiona b.: ummmm. what the hell. 

this place defies all rules of logic and rationality. 

first of all, NO all you can eat buffet is ever decent, let alone 'good' or even 'delicious'. 

second, thai food is not usually vegan, and vegan thai food always seems like it's trying too hard. 

THIRD, buffet places always have crappy service. the people are always rude and annoyed, and don't really give a crap about how lousy their all you can eat garbage pail food is. 

so, all in all, this place gets 5 stars for being delicious, affordable, friendly, and accessible, as well as for being a huge f*ck you to every other buffet in the universe.... except for flowers.
5 - Cassie B.: I've been going to Arayas longer than almost any other restaurant in Seattle, and it rarely disappoints. Solid Thai food, my favorite peanut sauce (it's definitely on the sweet side) and it's ALL vegan--though I think they offer half & half or coconut milk for Thai iced tea. 

There are a couple dishes here I wouldn't order again, had the How Mok the other day and found it rather odd and a bit bland. But in general everything is very good. Great spring rolls, delish tofu satay, the curries are my personal favorite, good phad thai...I'm getting really hungry. They also have a killer weekend lunch buffet. I've only gone once, but I completely stuffed myself for a decent price. OH LORDY there was so much delicious Thai food in my belly.

Arayas has parking, which is awesome in this busy area, and they're now connected to a coffee/smoothie joint. I've never ordered anything, but they bring you both menus and I believe it's all on the same bill.
4 - Amy W.: My brother is vegetarian so we decided to try this restaurant during a recent visit to Seattle.  It was a good choice.  The dishes were very tasty though a bit salty for Grandma's taste.  We liked the spring rolls, the mango salad, and the curries.
4 - bobby d.: This is a vegetarian buffet near the university. It has a private parking lot accessed of of 45th street.

I went here recently for lunch. The service was ok and the server was really nice. Since it's a buffet, i sort of tried everything!!! I really like the concept, since i get to try dishes i wouldn't likely order at a regular thai restaurant. My favorite was the pad thai and spring rolls. The different rice dishes were also good. 

It did take them a little while to replace some of the empty dishes on the buffet table. Overall the experience and price was good.
3 - Amanda D.: I would probably give this place a 3.5 rating. The ambiance was nice, a surprisingly large restaurant with big tables and not overly gaudy Thai decor. The menu was extensive - I opted for an all time favorite, Pa-Nang Curry and my boyfriend got a Tarot Root dish, which was pretty interesting. Although we both ordered 5 stars the food wasn't necessarily spicy. The veggies were fresh and the portions pretty large. The service was okay - I stared down the wait staff for about 5 minutes before we got our check (we were in a hurry to get to a movie, which was the reason for my impatience). Overall, I'd say it was pretty good, I'll go back sometime.
3 - Susan L.: I found Araya's to be pretty average but my friend in Seattle absolutely loves it. Whenever I eat at purely vegetarian restaurants, I take a stab at the fake meat, more out of fascination of what the hell it's made out of. Araya's fake meat was a bit funky. I had two types in my pineapple curry dish - flat fake meat and round, chunky fake meat. The chunky pieces were funkier than the flat ones. Other than that, the two types of tofu (soft and fried) were delish. The spring rolls were fine but oil was literally dripping from them! Maybe that's hard to avoid but I feel like I don't notice it as much at other places. Ambiance was average, as well as service. Overall, average.
4 - Eytan B.: The food is great, the ambience also. Friday nights they have acoustic music The luncheon buffet, while full of options, is rather light on veggies and heavy on carbs.
Portions are humungous, and sauces are the best - but I do not give them 5 stars because other then the tofu, their proteins are poor. They have a bunch of different options for fake meat, but none of them appear to be made by them. Instead, they all appear to be store bought imported from China blocks of frozen gluten/meat type substances. It is bad enough that I am unwilling to trust any "protein" from China given the ongoing melamine scare, but they are just so not tasty and unappetizing looking it is sad. I think I am spoiled by Grasshopper in Boston - they made all their own gluten fake meats, and they were awesome and full of variety.
Take out can be kind of slow (because they are always so busy), but as I said, the food is awesome!
For appetizers, the fresh rolls are different than any one else's, with a different sauce than most do (most give you Hoisen sauce). The "Tofu Cream Cheese" tofu and baby corn wrapped in rice paper and deep fried - is just out of this world. The Soups are awesome, as is the basil. As I said, every sauce they make is top notch - I will often order fake meat dishes of theirs and just say "Tofu only"
This is a must try, and definitely one of my favorite restaurants. It would be my national holy grail if they put any effort into making their own fake meats...
5 - Katie S.: Ive been to Arayas a number of times with friends and each time I always leave very happy.

The wait staff is very attentive to my needs and I rarely have my water glass half empty.

My favorite dish is either the Pineapple Curry or the Tom Yum soup. 

Last time we went as a group the table was groaning under all the plates we ordered to share. I cant recall everything we got since it was months ago but we ordered the spring rolls were drool worthy and perfectly crisp and fresh, we wished later we had ordered more. The Thai iced tea washed them down nicely. My main dish was the phad thai, and the flavors were great. I also recall trying the green curry which seemed good.

I really have nothing bad to say about this place and I wish I lived closer. The place looks really nice, the wait staff attentive and the prices very reasonable.

I think next time ill make a special trip out for the buffet I keep hearign so many things about from friends.
5 - T H.: I love you Araya. For over 10 years, I've loved you and never have you failed me.
3 - Justin S.: Very good not the best but they don't use fish sauce in there food like some other places.
4 - steve c.: If my taste buds could talk, thanks for the opener, Marissa, (oh, did you know the life span of a taste bud is 10 days?), they would say.............."rightie-oh, that's pretty tasty!"

I'm not a Vegetarian, but my girlfriend is. We went to Araya last night for dinner. The thing that impressed me the most about Araya was that it was a really nice if not swanky feeling place, with fast casual (i.e. Chili's, Cheesecake Factory) prices. Sure the service was spotty-our waitress was great but the person who took our food and gave us the check was too brash for my liking-, but the ambiance and food quality won me over.

I had the avocado curry, four stars in heat. It was hot, but not so hot that it burned my mouth all to hell. Avocados, red peppers, tofu, gluten (the only 'yuck part' for me), bean compostion (I know, kind of weird for a "non-veggie") all swimming in a delicious green curry.
4 - Jessica S.: I am not vegetarian, but I LOVE Araya's. It is a place I enjoy every time I go-no matter what mood I am in. The Tom Yum Soup is amazing. I usually get yellow curry because I am boring and in love with it-but I skip on the "bean composition." It's not my favorite. I find the curry is even more pleasing with just steamed tofu. 

I always see the same faces working when I go, which is nice. They are  super friendly and the service is superb. I also always get a to go box-I can never finish their portions in one sitting. 

Overall, I highly recommend the place.
5 - Eric J.: Despite years of coming at random times (except for a few planned lunch-buffet moments), I have yet to sample most of the entrees on the menu, but occasionally avoiding favorites like the Pineapple Curry to try something new is a treat.  Instead of the usual few vegetarian items or occasional veggie menu section, and the difficulty of finding Thai food elsewhere without the ever-present fish sauce, their entire menu is nearly exclusively vegan (a rare non-vegan choice is the Thai iced tea: normal is with milk, specify 'vegan' for coconut milk).  Plenty of omnivorous friends have enjoyed the meals there as well; the "meat"s listed in the menu are various substitutes of tofu, tempeh, and seitan.

The interior is decorated with many displays of vegetarian patron-Buddha Guanyin, and I've always found the staff and service pleasant.  I look forward to my next visit.
5 - pongo p.: pumpkin curry is one of the best dishes anywhere!  so good that we now live in california and when we visit soon this is one of two restaurants that we absolutely must go to while we are in the NW.
5 - Sarah D.: When my friend was on a vegan kick this was one of the few places we could actually go. I am a vegetarian, but our other friend is a meatatarian and we all found amazing things to nosh on. Their lunch buffet is cheap, but not typical buffet quality. Some really good restaurants do a cheaper, lower quality buffet. This is not the case here. The quality is just as good as the regular entrees - simply gorgeous, tasty food. Enjoy the rice pudding :)
5 - Lisa H.: We get takeout from here regularly and their buffet is amazing as well! The peanut sauce is delicate yet flavorful and the salads, spring rolls, rice and noodle dishes are all delicious. The prices are affordable too, which makes it all the better! Even my meat loving people dig this spot! I also adore the friendly staff- my husband and I started coming here here years ago when we first started dating, and they always remember that and take the time to come over and chat with us, even when it's busy. The atmosphere is chill with jazz music floating in the air on top of the mouthwatering aromas coming from the bustling yet spotlessly clean kitchen. This is the best Thai in Seattle, hands down. Check it out and you won't be disappointed.
4 - Sarah B.: I like spicy. Spicy is awesome. However, I do demand at least a bit of flavor to my heat... there's no sense in loading your food up with enough happy pepper goodness to check you out of reality momentarily if you can't enjoy the scenery on the way there. Thankfully Araya delivers both sides of the heat-flavor equation with excellency. 

My first trip to this Araya location was with a slew of Yelpers for Spicy Spicy Dinner. I'm not nearly as much of a chili-head as some of my companions, so I erred on the side of caution and ordered a 3 as I was told the dishes tend to run hotter than most. Either my tastebuds are all burnt out or the chef was gentle - while my curry was delicious, it barely had any bite. The delicious fresh chili condiment fixed it right up quick, however. A couple small spoonfuls and I was well on my way to spicy, fragrant bliss. 

If they sold that chili stuff by the jar, I'd be a happy lady. However, being as you can only get it here... I'll just have to keep coming back. Heaven forbid!
5 - Christine P.: We brought my mom here last night (we are all omnivores).  I haven't been here for about 2 years.  Everything we had was excellent.  The staff was incredibly busy - but our server was very nice and the kitchen did a great job keeping up.  The fresh rolls were perfect with a spicy soy peanut sauce.  Our second favorite was the Avocado curry  - it had a spice I could not identify which gave the dish depth.  We also enjoyed the Pad See-ewe with an array of fresh veggies.  The tofu over spinach was also very good - very fresh veggies, wonderful sauce.  Reasonably priced.  Casual.  Solid food.  Extensive menu.  We look forward to returning.
4 - Alison K.: Heaven to me is an all-you-can-eat vegetarian Thai lunch buffet. This really rocks my world. If only it was available on the weekends too!

I'm not a huge fan of the decor, but parking is usually decent and the service is quick. I like the food (at non-buffet times too). Yum.
4 - laura m.: i started going to araya's when i first moved to seattle five years ago when it was still on the ave. though i think i preferred it then, its still SO good.  i have distinct memories in each relationship where the other person finally tries araya's despite their overwhelming carnivory.  its a fond landmark in my seattle life.  

their fried tofu has always been perfect and i love their spices/flavors/veggies.  the last time i went i remember it not being as notable as it was in the past but the details escape me.

since they have moved to their new location, i have had a few subpar visits, the two that come to mind:
-my order came without any tofu at all. an easy mistake in the kitchen i suppose but kinda a significant part of the dish
-i went with a friend once and i got my food more than twenty minutes before she did.  we both had regular entrees, and it was really awkward to wait for her food with a giant plate of cooling food in front of me
4 - Alan F.: Araya wins points for being entirely vegeterian (vegan?!) and having an affordable and varied Indian buffet.

They lose points for their muzak (I picked out elevator music covers of Backstreet Boys, Stairway to Heaven and Hey Jude in a single lunch).

Also I realize the impracticality of having spicy food available in buffet form but I wish there was an "Eat at your own risk" spicy food section since I can never properly add heating after the fact. I really enjoy spicy Indian food and there is an intentional "0 star" level of spice by default for obvious practical reasons. 

The bottom line is that all you can eat veggie Indian food is here for less than 11 bucks after tax, tip etc. so unless you are an undying carnivore check out the lunch buffet.
5 - Matthias B.: I eat at Araya every couple of weeks and absolutely love it. The menu is pretty big (vegan Thai), and everybody can find something that they'll love. The Rice Noodle Soup is excellent.
What I like as much as the food is the atmosphere - very relaxing, easy to have a conversation, and feels much classier than the prices would suggest.
I've only gone to the lunch buffet a couple of times and wasn't as impressed as with the dinner menu.
5 - L B.: Get the Tofu Satay app. The flavors are do delicate and sensual, it is almost embarrassing to eat it in public. Well, unless you are into that sort of thing. No shit, it is THAT good. I've been here for dinner a lot, and it is totally consistent, and the prices are not bad at all given the portions and quality. Totally vegan, but even your most carnivorous friend will be satisfied.
4 - Lisa K.: Being a non-vegetarian and Thai, I was quite skeptical that my tastes buds would find harmony with the selection at Araya's.  However, I decided to go to the lunch buffet with a friend.

I was first excited about the price of the lunch buffet, $7.99, and then saw that there were multiple options to choose from.  Everything looked appealing and I quickly forgot there was no meat for me to chow down on.  As I got closer to the buffet, the wonderful aroma of the food made my stomach growl.  I sat down with my first round of food and immediately started eating.  The first few options had good flavor, especially the spinach salad.  Then I bit into a piece of broccoli from one dish (man I wish I knew the name of it).  I was instantly reminded of a dish that my mom makes and at that point was sold on Araya's.  The tofu was yummy too.

I wasn't too thrilled with the curry (which also had subtle hints of something my mom cooks, which I also am not a fan of) and the pad thai was just average.  After leaving Araya's I found myself hungry again rather quickly, but that is not going to stop me from going back.  I'll just have to eat even more next time!
4 - Mike B.: I am a big carnivore. But love this place.

This place is perfect for those who are in a relationship where one person is a veggie and the other can't live without meats. The meat eater wont even notice they're missing anything with how good the food is.

Service is good and dinner is quiet, making it a great spot to take a veggie date to and not get out of your meatless comfort zone.
2 - Joshua G.: so you're from the midwest and you're new to seattle?  this might be a good starting place.

if you know what thai food is supposed to taste like, you might have better luck elsewhere.
4 - Anna B.: It is always, always nice to find a place that only does veggie food, and it's even nicer when it's food of a variety that I like (in this case, thai.) I've personally only ever had the Cashew (why change when you've found perfections?) and it has been delightful, but my SO and friends have tasted their way around the menu and found it all high quality, well made stuff that allows meat eaters to forget that they're supposed to be missing something. Another plus is the consistency in spiciness labels - a 3 is always a 3, and I can predict what I want. 
I didn't give it a 5-star-rating because service has been a bit slow/nonchalant some of the times we've been there.
5 - Christina B.: Don't go here with me more than a few times in a row because everytime I go I end up gushing, aloud, about the same two things: "oh my gosh, the food is so good, there are so many fresh veggies." and "Our server is amazing!"

They do amazing vegetarian food, really embracing the vegan things and not trying to cover it up with fake this and fake that.  I don't need fake meat, veggies are good!  The waitstaff is great and very aware of allergies.  I am gluten free and our server always knows off hand, right way, what I can and cannot have.  Our server last night even let me know when she brought my husband's dish that his was gluten free (just happened to be) just in case I wanted to steal a bite.  To top it off, they have the most amazing thai iced tea made with coconut milk.  A dream come true for anyone with a dairy allergy.
3 - Matt N.: Mad props for fairly extensive vegetarian (vegan?) selection.  However - currys here are pretty bad in my opinion.  Very watery and unappealing.  I have liked their noodle dishes and appetizers.   A bit pricey, however, considering the portion size & overall quality.

Nevertheless, I say give it a whirl - it's on my list of dining options.
5 - Gwen C.: I tend to have a pretty broad bias against vegan restaurants, partially because i'm one hell of a vegan cook (even though i am omnivorous), and partially because too often they rely on their niche as a way of excusing their failings.

Araya's, not so. 

Yes, the lunch buffet is underspiced. I wish for that "eat at your own risk" section, too. It's still pretty darn tasty and you can eat a mess of tasty vegan food for 8 bucks. Sorry, but i can learn to live with that. Also, their phad thai kicks booty.

The servers are the good kind of weird; they're not fake or overbearing or stuffy or preachy. They have an encyclopedic knowledge of their food and their customers; they remember you and yours in a way that's comforting and not scary. 

Their red curry, though, is where they really shine. As hot as you want it, with that "bean compostion" which really is indistinguishable from meat, and, oh yeah, lotsa basil. The Bangkok and green curries are good, too, but the red curry's great. Don't miss the how mak, either.
5 - Meg A.: I am not vegan or vegetarian, but I adore Araya's.  I used to go fairly frequently, to the point that the servers knew me and warned me when they were all going to Thailand to visit family so I wouldn't be put off by the replacement staff.  I don't go that often any more, but I can still say I have never been disappointed by a meal at Araya's.  I tend to stick to curries (especially green curry), but everything I have tried has been flavorful, complex, and full of delicous fresh vegetables.  And, though I don't usually care for tempura anything, their tempura vegetables got me snatching them off the plate one after another.  This is definitely not your average Thai place; it's way better.
5 - Megan O.: Araya's is my favorite Thai place in Seattle. For me, no one can match the taste and quality of their food. The dishes are always loaded down with fresh veggies. My all time favorites are Pad See Iew, Red Curry and Tom Kha soup. The Tom Kha is seriously the best, I don't even order it at other places because it's disappointing. They also have badass mushroom soup. I also find their spice meter to be consistent.

This is a great place to take your vegan/vege friends and family (even the meat eaters won't miss the meat!). Last year I brought 3 carnivores here and afterwards they all commented on how good their food was. One of my friends doesn't even like tofu, but she ate every bit of it. And that's another thing, I love the way they cook their tofu! I'm not sure how they do it but it has a great texture, not mushy at all. God I really wish I had some right now!
3 - Ripley W.: OK Vegetarians - this is a FULL Vegetarian Thai Restaurant located in the University District.  I use frequent this place when I went to UW.  What a relief that I didn't have to monitor if the cooks washed the wok before cooking my entree  or worry if bits of meat were intertwined with my food.

Everything is vegetarian and that's a good thing!  The reason why I left 3 stars is due to a couple of reasons.  1st - Since we frequent a lot of different Thai restaurants - we noticed that many of the dishes at  Araya started to taste the same.   I'm not sure what it is but the sweetness factor tasted the same for all the entrees.  

The other reason why it's only 3 stars - The cleanliness needs to step up.   My colleague ordered a noodle soup and found a ROACH in her soup.  We were mortified!!!  To say the least!   This was a roach that was 0.5 inch long!!  Not those small roaches by any means...  The waitress was mortified as well and they handled it well.   I'm hoping this was a fluke and not a common occurrence (based on the reviews), which is a relief bc Araya is a nice vegetarian restaurant. 

Other than that - if Araya steps up their cleanliness -  I think its great to have a Thai restaurant dedicated to Vegetarian cuisine.


Food 4
Service 4
Decor and Ambience  4
Cleanliness  1
4 - Quinn D.: Tasty! Layers of perfect seasoning! I disregarded the piece of red pepper; still stickered with the produce # we found in our entree.  I did not miss the meat in our meal. I love thai food!  I cannot believe I waited so long to try Araya.
5 - Rob N.: 5 stars for there lunch buffet!! Quality food served hot and fresh for cheap.. 

5 stars for the awesome service!

5 stars for having a parking lot in the U-District!!
5 - Brooke T.: You won't miss the meat... I promise.

This place is so good.  Every time I go here I leave about five pounds heavier.  I just love drenching my whole plate with their delicious peanut sauce!  The only downside?  This must be THE place to bring your kids because little rascals are running around wild everywhere.  I mean rice... everywhere.
5 - Sim M.: Very good buffet, lots of veggies and tofu and everything is wonderful
5 - vanessa c.: I went at lunch but, not for the buffet! I had several dishes in mind and could not be swayed! I think anyone could visit this restaurant and think "Wow! That was great Thai food." I went with my father who was pretty sure he HATED Thai food and he REALLY enjoyed everything! I was even rear-ended on the way home and it didn't dim my views. They have a parking lot but, it the U district so, be real. You can find parking for about $2 a few blocks away. The buffet did look very good and I will definitely go back to try it.
4 - Sean C.: Araya has proven that if I had to go vegan due to new animal abolitionist overlords, I wouldn't have to be depressed for the rest of my life (just broke, more on that later.) 

The mandatory meat-free curries, especially the pineapple and the seasonal pumpkin, are among the best Thai in the city in terms of overall flavor, and while spice levels above 5 supplied here (up to 15+) recall a scene from This is Spinal Tap, it means one can order 5, feel heat macho and live another day while partaking with an Araya novice.

This sounds like a glowing commendation so far, but there are two major drawbacks:

- The lunch buffet is a diverse, unseasoned and uninspired disappointment. I avoided returning after a great dinner experience in their old location 7 years ago due to two trips to the lunch buffet until a gathering organized by a friend when I realized that Araya had in fact not gone downhill, it's just lunch. Variety of mediocre is just more mediocre.
- Overly expensive in ways that don't make sense. I see no viable explanation for $11 pineapple curry and $13 pumpkin curry (rice extra) when standard curry costs $8. $9? $10? OK. $13 is baffling unless they know something I don't about pumpkin futures.

Go to Araya for dinner bearing a full wallet and you will leave satisfied and spiced, especially if you need to impress that cute vegetarian you've long fancied (who somehow has never heard of it before, but hey, this whole scenario is hypothetical.)
5 - Nicole P.: i guess i can understand vegans better after eating here... if i could eat like THIS every meal of the day i probably wouldn't be dying to eat animal product either. that being said, i'm certainly NOT a vegan by any means- pigs, cows, chickens and ducks are some of my favorite animals... to eat...

i have a close friend that is a vegan who insisted that we go out to dinner- i wasn't exactly excited at the prospect of a dinner that did even envolve butter (can you imagine?), but i agreed. my feelings didn't last long... to say that i was impressed by araya's food would be a gross understatement- to say that i was freaking blown away would be more correct. everything was wonderful, and we ate a LOT of food. the avocado curry is the stuff that thai food dreams are made of, spicy, rich, sweet, and perfect with brown rice. great rama, peanut sauce was to die for as was the taro root... i can't wait to eat here again- i hear that the buffet is the best, so next time it will probably be for lunch.

maybe i did have ribs the day after eating here, but it dosen't change the fact that i learned a lot by eating here. everyone can enjoy a good vegan meal, weather it is part of your daily life style or not, here at araya. thank you, guys.
2 - MIKO X.: You'll see a ton of great reviews from vegetarians and others because this is the only Thai Vegetarian buffer and one of only a FEW Thai buffets period.  I give this place points for that.  Also a lot of overexuberant reviews seem to be coming from 18 and 19 year old boys and girls who just moved here from East Washington to go to UW and so for the next few years they're still dazzled by all the "different, exotic and new" possibilities for food in the U District.  Read the other reviews and it's a bunch of surprised students finally thinking they have a safe way to act politically correct for a moment and sympathize with vegans.  However:

1.  The people who run this place don't do ANYTHING.  They sit and surf the net.  And they don't let you surf their net!

2.  The buffet selections are always EXACTLY the same.

3.  The buffet selections are a bit weird.  There is peanut sauce served but NO spinach!  And actually I have no idea why they serve peanut sauce- they serve nothing that goes with it.  Several of the prepared salads contain too much vinegar.  There's only ONE thing with coconut mlik in it and it's too watered down.  A nice traditional green or red curry would be nice.  The only thing traditional that's offered in pad thai.  The weird hot berry good that everyone "loves" for dessert just freaks me out.

A lot of Americans have no concept of Thai food so just finding a Thai BUFFET and a VEGAN-compatible one- it makes them CRAZY excited- but this place is NOT authentic Thai really, and NOTHING different is ever placed on the buffet, and there's NO service, during the day at least.  Very AVERAGE palates will like this on first visit, but not on any regular basis.
4 - Yaniv G.: Everything I've ever eaten here has been delicious. 

The staff is friendly as well.

I was a little disappointed with the buffet, not sure what I was expecting, but it really doesn't do the rest of the menu justice... I especially liked the asparagus entree they serve. I wouldn't normally order it, but I asked the waiter to bring me their best dish, and loved it.
4 - Casey W.: Yumm. Pineapple curry might be one of their most fantastic items on the menu. I went here once with a group of friends, we all ordered something different and ate family style. Worked out great that way and ended up being really reasonably priced when we split the check.
5 - Travis B.: I would rate this as one of Seattle's most affordable Vegetarian restaurants.  We came here when my family was in town and had about 9 guests.  They accommodated us with no problems for a lunch time buffet.  The food was plentiful, fresh and consistent with every other time my wife and I had come here.  It's unique in it's affordability and cleanliness.  I will always come back!
4 - Alex Z.: Great place for Thai themed vegetarian food, attached to a nice cafe next door which is operated by the same people.  The lunch buffet isn't quite as good as the other meals, since everything seems a little dry or stale at lunchtime.  None of their food really "stands out" to me as exceptionally authentic Thai, or especially flavorful.  It reminds me of more of a buddhist style, lighter version of what you typically find in asian fare, with more emphasis on steamed and boiled foods than fried or sauteed foods.  If you're really into spicy or heavily-seasoned Thai food you will have to add some sauces.
4 - Mona N.: This review is for their lunch buffet.  Their salads are fresh, crisp and delicious and I don't know how they manage to have so much flavor without the usual Thai fish sauce.  The pineapple curry is very flavorful, with lots of veggies, fresh pineapple and soft tofu.  The spring rolls were crisp and not overly greasy.  Pad thai was ok - rather sweet.  The tom yum was delicious - lots of mushrooms and tofu.  The black sticky rice dessert with coconut milk was yummy though it would be nice if they lessened the sweetness a tad.  The buffet with tax came to under $9.  Amazing!!!  I was very pleased with the decor and ambiance of the restaurant - so unassuming on the outside but elegant on the inside.  A bonus is they have their own parking lot for customers.
5 - Carolyn W.: Araya serves delightful vegetarian Thai food. There are also seasonal specials like pumpkin dishes. I've been here with meat eaters who have been happy with the food in general. All the dishes I've had have been super yummy. Curries, Pad Thai (of course), fresh vegetable dishes. Don't miss the Tom Yum soup... 

Avoid the lunch buffet. It has a good mix of food if you want to sample their overall offerings, but it's just not as tasty as the dishes off the menu.
5 - Bonnie C.: Yummy Thai food, a great space that's convenient to the UW, no one asking "do you want that with chicken, beef or pork?" and an awesome lunch buffet? Sign me up! 

I really like Araya's, and even though turning Thai vegan doesn't mean much more than no egg in your pad thai, if you avoid meat, or you're vegetarian or vegan or something in between, you certainly feel like you're in "friendly territory" here.  AND it absolutely gives Thai Tom a run for it's money in the Best Thai in the U District category. 

Going to the expansive and cheap lunch buffet is a rare weekday treat that my officemates and I always looking forward to!
4 - Meggles C.: Delicious! I love this place, I wish I lived closer.
4 - Sara A.: Mmm Mmm Mmmmmm. So good. This is a must try for vegetarians.
Its true that the regular menu items are better than the buffet, but both are great. Everything I have ordered on the menu is simple, fresh, and flavorful. The buffet is a great deal for a very big selection of tasty vegetarian choices. The soup is soooo good.
I highly recommend this place. The evening atmosphere is nicer than the lunch buffet crowd - good for a casual date.
5 - Tyler L.: I can't resist Araya's. We get takeout 2-3 x/month -- it's absolutely delicious. The Thom Ka soup is like crack -- so addictive. I also drool over the Drunken Mushroom and the Cafe Red Curry. I also enjoy the pumpkin curry, but my partner doesn't care for that one as much.

The staff is also super nice and the few times we've eating at the restaurant, the service is terrific.

My only complaint is that it's closed on Sundays and that's when I often want Thai food! Oh well, the anticipation makes it even more mouth-watering.
4 - Lilly T.: For a buffet in the University District, it is pretty darn good. At $8.79 (tax included) / person, you can try many of the dishes they generally offer for lunch & dinner. 

Everything is really delicious for vegetarian thai food! My favorite here is the black rice dessert with coconut milk. Even if I am full beyond relief, I will still go and get myself a generous scoop of it because it is that good!
5 - Kristi F.: One of my very favorite places to eat.  The lunch buffett is fantastic, I eat about three times my body weight in spring rolls every time.  The buffet has a lot of choice and the food is always fresh.

I'm not a vegetarian, but I've tried many of the dishes and always liked what I've had.  The avocado curry is a standout.  The Thom Ka soup is also very tasty, especially on those cold winter days.  

The service has always been quick and friendly and it's a family run business, something I always like to support. 

Parking can be a pain, especially on a weekend-plan ahead.
3 - S R.: I like the fact that its veggie friendly.
The food is decent, the phad thai not so much.  I do like the variety, as well as a very clean atmosphere.  Overall pretty good for lunch.
Dinner is a little better than lunch.  The curries are really amazing, and I think that if you're in a big group, it really gives an opportunity to share your dish with everyone else.
4 - Karl P.: There is a lot of Thai food to be found in the U-district, but few that cater specifically to the needs of vegetarians and their vegan partners. We've been to Araya several times now and have enjoyed ourselves immensely. The staff is both friendly and knowledgeable, and the premises is clean.

You know the food is good when you take that first bite of your pineapple curry and all of your problems and stress magically dissipate for a few seconds. The kitchen is not connected to the dining area (think Thai Tom's or Thai 65) so the lack wait staff chatter and clattering culinary cookery concerto lends to a quieter, more relaxed environ.

The only reason we didn't give Araya five stars is the price. As far as Thai food goes, it is a bit pricey. It must be understood that one gets for what one pays. The food is of a higher quality than your average Ave Thai food. I recommend this place for a quick quiet lunch or a romantic date night (if you're doing a movie and dinner, it is just down the street from the metro, varsity, and neptune). Tell your friends.
5 - Philip L.: Just went in for lunch last Friday and the restaurant was packed with people enjoying a buffet.  The price was very good and the food was excellent, especially for a buffet.  Yet another reason to go here.
3 - Angie K.: Araya Vegetarian Place is fine, and I guess if you are a vegetarian (which I am not) it could be worth the super high rating here on Yelp, considering a lot of vegetarian restaurants completely suck and this one is pretty good -- although, as an aside, I think a lot of places in the U District are rated too high on Yelp. (college kids on a budget don't know good restaurants? not sure)

The vegetables were fresh and the tofu was yummy . . . I asked for 3 stars, though, and there wasn't really any kick to my meal at all, and we weren't given any condiments or anything. Also, the sauce itself was a little anemic.

One small complaint is that they brought us a menu for the juice place next door, then when my husband tried to order a juice, he was told they were closed. If they were closing, why did you bring us a menu?

I work nearby so I might go there for lunch buffet sometimes, and if someone else wanted to go I would definitely join them, but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat there again when there are so many good Thai places around. (since I am not a vegetarian.) They do have a parking lot, which is a big plus in the U district.
4 - Chris M.: I suppose I should disclose that I have been eating at Araya's with some regularity for 17 years...oh my God! Also, that I have considered Araya and her family that helps her run the place as friends. So this may be more of a love letter than a true review. I have followed the restaurant through its location changes like a hungry love struck puppy. 

Its current location has many advantages, not the least of which is the fact that it boasts a parking lot. No small feat in the U District. The dining room is accommodating to groups both large and intimate with tables and booths. The atmosphere is conducive to casual dining and as well suited to a date night. The location is great as it is very close to all the movie theaters in the area, and lends itself to a pre or post movie meal. But be warned, this food can fill you up and knock you into the oh-so familiar "food coma". 

Araya's offers a daily lunch buffet for under $9.00 and is well worth the trip for any Thai craving, budget conscious person. The buffet offers the opportunity to sample a number of salads, soup, phad tai, dessert, etc. Oh yeah, and the spring rolls which, for both young and old, seem to have an effect like deep fried crack that you can ladle sweet and sour sauce on! People will grab hand fulls of these rolls and hiss "my precious" as they scurry back to their table. 

I think the way to get the best of the entrees offered, is to order a few and share among a small group. Even then you may find yourself leaving with a to-go box or two. The Kaeng Ka-Ri, the How Mok and the Green Curry are all favorites of mine. When it's hitting its mark, and that is more often than not, I feel like their peanut sauce is some of the best. Try it and see if you don't want to just rub it all over yourself...or maybe a loved one! 

However, the real stand outs on this family run restaurant's menu fall under the heading of Araya's House Specials. Everything I've ordered from this section has never failed to impress my jaded meat eating guests. I have taken people here in the past, ordered for everyone and not even mentioned that it was all vegan. The flavors are more than enough to make them forget that there wasn't any meat in the dishes. Araya's Asparagus, the Asparagus Hunsa, Veggies Beef with Peanut Sauce, and the Pineapple Curry are all well worth the time you will spend rubbing your swollen belly after they are gone. 

Araya herself is one of the most gracious and genuinely nice hostess you will be glad to know. You are likely to see her handing out hugs as well as samples of things she is trying to both her familiar and loyal regulars, and as likely to first time diners. Check it out and see for yourself. My guess is that you will leave with a smile and the top button of your pants undone.
4 - Jennifer C.: Our original plan to have vegetarian brunch at Flowers today was foiled when we found the establishment closed for lunch until Labor Day. Undeterred in our quest for a veggie meal, we walked a few blocks to Araya where we were met by a lovely spread of Thai vegetarian/vegan delights. In addition to several fresh salads, Araya's buffet featured fried rice, tasty phad thai, and a very nice stir-fry including baby corn, mushrooms and broccoli. Not to be overlooked is the rice, which pairs perfectly with steamed tofu and Araya's fantastic peanut sauce. I couldn't pass up a bowl of Tom Kha soup...delish.  The only item I was little underwhelmed by was the spring rolls, which seemed to need a few more ingredients to flavor the filling. 

As we went with the buffet (which, I should add, is only $7.99 for all you can eat!) we didn't interact a great deal with the server, but when we did she was very pleasant. The rest of the waitstaff was prompt in clearing our plates, and the atmosphere was very pleasant. I just purchased a $25 Araya gift certificate for $12.50 via StrangerMart and I'm glad I did...I can't wait to get back there for brunch!
5 - Kristina L.: I love Araya's.  I've been here many times, although not recently in the past few months.  I go for the lunch buffet which I think is detrimental to my calorie counting, but it is tasty delicious.  By the way, I am a meat eater, actually, I like to think of myself as a lessameatatarian.

Last time, I had a mango salad.  It was super delicious.  It was mango, cilantro, red onion and a light dressing which I think was lemon/lime and an olive oil.  I also get their tea.  The pad thai is always great.  But my absolute favorite is the sticy rice with coconut milk. :) The lemon grass soup is great, and I just love their spring (or egg) rolls.
4 - Brendan M.: It's actually called Araya's Vegetarian Place, so this listing is not quite accurate, but I'll let it slide. 

The moment we walked in the door, a waitress greeted us from several feet away and asked if we wanted the buffet. (We did.) As soon as she seated us, she walked away. I was hoping she'd ask if we wanted something other than water to drink, but the only time she returned to our table was to collect empty plates, and she was gone again before I could get her attention. Subtract one star for that. 

But the food was fantastic! I started with an egg roll, which was somewhat oily and bland, and some vermicelli noodles stir-fried with vegetables and tofu. I was hoping for more tofu and vegetables, but the noodles were nearly perfect. They were flavorful without being spicy, and moist without being slippery. I also had some of the vegetable curry, but it had too much coconut milk for my tastes. I ended up having another plate of the vermicelli and vegetables and pretty much stopped after that. Once you find what buffet items you like, a near-perfect lunch is just a couple plates away!

Some buffet restaurants lack quality and cleanliness, but Araya's is not among them! I've heard that some of the menu items are really good, so Araya's could be a good supper spot. I can't wait to find out.
4 - Rachel P.: I got the buffet which really was about the same or even cheaper than most of the entrees. There was some delicious soup and the fried rice was fantastic. And it's all vegan! The spring rolls were super crunchy, too. A great place if you're vegetarian or if you just like Thai in general!
4 - Michelle C.: This is a very nice Thai vegetarian restaurant, decor is unique, service is good and food is awesome!  We had the famous Avocado curry, it's very similar to the usual green curry but with avocados in it.  The mango salad was ok, it was a bit too sour for me.  I've had better ones here in Palo Alto.  The fried egg rolls were really good too, even better than the real meat ones I've had, but it was bit greasy.  The finale, the mushroom frenzy chef specialty dish was super delicious, that dish alone deserved a 5 star!  This dish happened to come in really late and we were already full, but once you had bite, it was just so flavorful and irresistable to keep digging in!  It has an array of mushrooms, plus they stir fry them with those wide chow fun noodles, yum yum!  Would definitely come here again the next time I visit Seattle.
5 - Trisha B.: Love this place!!!  The food is wonderful and the atmosphere is great.  The Tom Kha soup is to die for.  I've also tried the Phad Thai, which is yummy.  Check this place out for sure!
4 - Sophia C.: The lunch buffet is great! It offers a wide array of vegetarian Thai dishes in which you don't even miss the meat. It's that good. For dessert, you've got to try the black rice pudding with coconut milk. Absolutely delicious! The decor is one of a kind, and the atmosphere is relaxing.
4 - Suma K.: Pretty good food. I went with a group and we ended up ordering a bunch of stuff and splitting it. 3 appetizers + 3 entrees = 4 very full people. I was the only vegetarian out of the group, but everyone seemed to really like the food. Good flavors and they made it just the perfect spice level. Being that I could eat pretty much anything on the menu, I'll definitely be back to try the rest of the menu (which could take a few trips given how large the selection is). Highly recommend it for thai food lovers!
3 - Bobo J.: I go for the Thai lunch buffet.  The food is good, and the ambiance is better than Flowers (in the same neighborhood).  Less grimy.  This is not the best Thai food I've ever eaten.  Not even close!  But I love buffets, and I love vegetarian buffets even more.
4 - Philip J.: I went here for the first time today with a friend for the lunch buffet.  I'm not usually a big fan of 'buffets' but this was not bad.  There was a nice variety of dishes and they seemed to keep the serving trays well stocked with hot, fresh food.  I'd go back for sure.
4 - Jason S.: Arayas is tasty food at a good price. 

Everytime I go there, I come out feeling like I just had a quality dining experience and the average cost for my wife and I is around thirty dollars...hardly more than slumming it at a Dennys. 

You can order a couple sides of brown rice (like a buck a piece, seriously) and one good main dish (most are enough for two, you can't go wrong with anything we have tried... excellent curry dishes!!) and an order of spring rolls (you get 6 per order)  and a couple of drinks and viola! Dinner is served. 

The staff is friendly and professional.

This is a solid choice on any U district afternoon/evening for carnivores, vegetarians and vegans alike!
5 - Happy R.: I just recently moved down to the Bay Area after living in Seattle for years and must say that one of the things I miss the most is Araya's.  The lunch buffet is filling, amazing, and always nice and hot!  The service is good and the atmosphere is nice.  The pineapple curry is one of a kind and a must have!  I love Thai food, and spent years trying lots of different places but always make it back to Araya's because none other could compete.  It's well worth the walk off The Ave.
5 - Linh H.: This is an awesome place to go for great Thai food if you're a vegetarian or even if you're not! I love the lunch buffet. They serve the regular old dishes like curry and pad thai, but all of the food is delicious and the price is very reasonable.

I've had multiple fried rice plates, multiple curry dishes, and other stir fried plates and I can't complain on any of them yet.

The spiciness is pretty much in the air. I requested 2/5 stars for my fried rice and it was somewhat too spicy for me (I can't handle much spice). My friend requested 3/5 stars for his curry, but it tasted almost like they didn't put in any pepper at all.

I like the ambiance, service, and food here a lot. I would suggest coming here if you're sick of bad service at Thai 65 on the Ave or if you're simply looking for a cheap and delicious lunch/dinner.
3 - Matthew M.: this place is a good thai place.  cant say it is super authentic, super flavorful...but if i am hungry and dont want to think about it for too long, a great all around fall back kind of place to eat.  not too pricey, pretty decent buffet for lunch.

im not huge on fake meat, but this place does it better than most.
3 - Helen K.: It's not authentic, but good enough. I constantly have to remind myself that no where will be really authentic authentic, sad but true! Beautiful restaurant, nice ambiance also.

We asked the server to make it " Southeast Asian spicy," sadly it was not spicy enough- we still had to pile on the hot sauces! 
The brown rice is superb! I like the mango salad, but it's strange how they don't use green mango- it was good enough. 
The Spicy noodles are tasty, nothing special- but  better than the red curry. I'm sure the broccoli was fresh, but it tasted like a previously frozen broccoli- not so good.
I don't recommend the Red curry, but I do recommend the mango w/tofu salad, and the noodles, and do yourself a favor- get the brown rice.
5 - Brian D.: This is literally my favorite restaurant ever, I'm not kidding. Huge menu.  Paradise for vegan fans of thai food.  Fantastic buffet.  Great service.  I really, really miss this place.  I'll say again, this is my favorite restaurant ever.  If I ever get married in the Seattle area their food will be at my wedding. Don't know what else to say, just go there, trust me
5 - Coadey F.: Araya's has been a Seattle Thai landmark for years and has always been a great experience!  Their vegetables seem so fresh and every dish is vegan, served by a friendly staff in a welcome atmosphere.  Araya's Salad and the Veggies "Beef" are two of my favorites, both creamy lovely peanut dishes, but I'd recommend trying the buffet at least once to get a good sampling of their variety.  You can also find specialty drinks served from the Nanung Cafe next door.  Enjoy!
5 - Laura B.: Lunch Buffet!  Lunch Buffet!  Lunch Buffet!


 (everyone)


Lunch Buffet!  Lunch Buffet!  Lunch Buffet!
5 - TeTeDaMouse C.: If I didn't want to be in a committed relationship, I would ponder the logistics of a love affair with a restaurant.  Or more specifically, the daily lunch buffet at $7.95.  It doesn't just buy you food; it buys you an experience.  My co-worker and I went to Araya's and I am so, so glad we went.

Here is what they had: at least three different raw vegetable dishes, spring rolls with peanut sauce, glutinous black sticky rice, tofu pad thai, a tofu and vegetable curry dish, a savory tofu and vegetable dish, brown rice, and a mushroom lemongrass soup.  My co-worker and I savored the food.  It was colorful, fresh, delicious, and had an array of spices.  In my head, I wanted to eat more pad thai among other things, but I told my co-worker I was going to stick to the dessert.  However, when I went up to the table, they had two new noodle dishes that were also begging to be eaten.  So, I tried them on top of an eggroll and the dessert.  The noodle dishes were amazing as well; both were on the sweeter side; one had thin rice noodles while the other had small, light, and fried piece of noodles.  So, so delicious.  Also, can we talk the dessert?  Great texture, color, and taste-coconut.  My co-worker aptly described the experience; it gets better with each bite, which can be dangerous. Araya, I'll definitely be back to visit you.  Plus, as an added bonus, I'm confident you'll at a minimum get close to your daily serving of vegetables.
5 - Kimber R.: My little monthly dinner group came here again last night. I think I've been here maybe 5-6 times so I'm ready to say something. I really do love the food here. My friend ordered a dish that I adored! I had to steal about half of it;  Som Tum...papaya salad. The spring rolls are average but fried well and not greasy. All the entrees are great!
5 - Robert B.: Forget everything you think you know about vegan restaurants and cuisine.

What makes this review even more amazing is my background.  I am not by any means vegan/vegetarian.  I am a middle-aged, martini-swilling, steak-chomping traditionalist who normally considers a perfect meal to be bistecca alla fiorentina and a bottle of good Chianti all for myself.  My wife (who, thanks to this cuisine, easily stays a size 2) is a big fan of this establishment, and suggested I try it.

My past experiences with vegan/vegetarian cuisine left me convinced it was bland and unsatisfying, and the exclusive province of Birkenstock-shod, insufferably self-righteous, aging hippies.  Entering Araya's, I wondered if we were at the right place, as the dining room was well-appointed in the decor you'd expect in a nice Thai restaurant, and nary a hippie or a pair of Birkenstocks in sight.

The food was nothing less than a revelation!  Our fresh roll appetizer was a delight, with crisp veggies and tofu, with a dipping sauce that expertly balanced sweet and heat.  The entrees were delicious and hearty.  I was full but dearly wanting to just nibble a little more, it was so good!  Who knew an unrepentant carnivore could be so totally satisfied by vegan cuisine?!!

The staff is attentive and efficient, and as I mentioned before, the clientele is mostly young and attractive, but not pretentious.

So no matter where on the food chain you prefer to dine, you owe it to yourself to give Araya's a try; you'll thank me for it!
5 - Chelsea N.: It's hard to say more about Araya's amazing vegan thai food than has already been said, but I'll just throw in my two cents because I LOVE IT so much.

All that I've ever had is the lunch buffet but I think that must cover their repertoire pretty well. I trek here on the bus on Saturdays from Queen Anne whenever I'm able - I'd go twice as far if I had to - it's that good. 

Vegan + Thai food + all you can eat buffet + deliciousness = 5 stars for Araya's. Bless them.
3 - Rebecca L.: Araya, i don't get you.

yes, you are tasty to a meat eater like me-self, but what i don't understand is why you're so dang expensive!  my goodness! three dishes, a diet coke, a beer and coconut juice equals.. 70 bux? wait, what?  

you were good, but not that good.  

i say get one dish, split it then maybe it's cost justifiable, but even then it's a stretch.  you're tasty, but your 11 star dish wasn't as spicy as i would have liked.  

The best thing about your place has to be your service.  i do think that if I were to bring a big group of people to eat, then this would be on my list.  As for everything else... meh.  you're a ok, but not spectacular.
5 - Lorelei H.: Araya's has pretty much ruined other Thai restaurants for me!....Which is fine, because Araya's is so close to my house. :D 

I'm not a huge lunch buffet fan, mostly because I don't like buffets in general. Not my thing, I dunno. 

So I always order off the menu. All of the curries are great--the green and red and yellow, I've tried all of them and they're all delicious. (I am a curry fiend.) The gaeng kaeri is really good; it's lighter than the panang, and has the bean constitution stuff that is good, I like the texture. Oh, definitely get rice with curries, because otherwise you'll have delicious curry sauce left over, which is fine, but a bit too rich to just eat by itself like a soup, in my opinion. 

But as for my favourite...I loooooove their panang curry! (If they read their yelp page, they're probably laughing at me because they know who I am right after that sentence.) I've gotten it for the past most-of-the-times I've been there. I just ask for no lime leaves on the panang curry, because lime leaves taste like ants, and it weirds me out. 

Speaking of....eating living things(??), I truly think that meat lovers would not feel like there was something lacking from the dishes here. Everything I've ordered is really robust and filling; it's not like what my Midwestern dad might have imagined vegetarian or vegan food to be (he thinks that vegetarians eat like...salads of wilted lettuce and flavourless tofu with no type of dressing, or something). I think if I took him to Araya's and didn't mention that it's vegetarian (and didn't let him put on his reading glasses and see the "Araya's Vegetarian Place" or whatnot on the menu), he wouldn't notice. 

Anyway. Araya's has become the place I *need* to go before I leave Seattle for any extended period. It's one of my faves!
5 - Ryan C.: Yes indeed, this place lives up to all the expectations. Vegetarian is the way to go. We came for dinner on a rainy night. The service was great, and the vegetables were amazingly fresh and tasty. Where do they get such great vegetables? Many of the dishes on the menu seem plain, but they are quite good. Service was good too.
5 - Pierre Trudeau I.: Best Thai restaurant I've ever been to. Granted, that's not saying much since I come from the decidedly non-Asian food oasis of Phoenix. (We do have a a handful of fantastic Thai and Japanese spots though. Check Yelp.)  The Tom Kha was to die for. I had a mix of other dishes our party of 4 selected and I don't remember any of their names. All were ordered at a spice level of 5 stars, which was actually not all that hot by my spice standards, but still very good. We finished with some Thai coffee. Yum.
4 - Nina H.: This may be the cheapest buffet I've ever eaten at! It's also the first and only Thai buffet, come to think of it.

It's pretty packed during lunch hours which isn't surprising due to the affordable lunch deal. I really enjoyed the fried rice and pad thai and the spinach and bean sprouts. They were so delicious! I usually can't eat that much anyway but all that tofu and veggies really filled me up so it was worth it.

I really want to try to avocado curry next time, it's a bit pricier (I think $13.99) but I think it'd be worth it if I came for dinner.
5 - Huan L.: So umm... this place is DIVINE.

End of story.

The tofu here kicks meat's ass. The pad thai here is like an orgasm in your mouth.

The lunch buffets are a treat for both your wallet and your stomach. 

Basically, if you ever live in the Seattle area and don't visit here, you've pretty much been missing out BIG TIME.
5 - alex r.: I can't tell you how many times i've had the lunch buffet here. 11 to 3:30 every day except I believe Sunday. Its like $8, all you can eat pad thai, curry, fried rice, spring rolls, salads, and vegetables and you can smother it in peanut sauce if you wish, or hot sauce. It never gets old, and i've taken meat eaters here who keep asking to go back.
Its entirely vegan, despite the vegetarian name, and the thai ice tea is so good.
5 - Brad A.: Ya, I like this place in the U-District.  The staff there treat me great. The lunch all-you-can-eat buffet is great for me, because I'm not real familiar with all the Asian foods; and, I can try things that I like, and go back and get more.  I like that it's a vegetarian place.  On my way to school, I saw they had a crowd there in the morning.  I found out later that week, that it was a Buddhist blessing that was happening.  Not that I know anything thing about religion, but it made me feel good that they did that for the building's spirits.  I like that place.  Good food.  Good service. Vegetarian food.
1 - sunny d.: I consider myself a Thai cuisine connoisseur. I've been to Thailand a number of times and cook thai dishes at home.
I checked out the buffet here based on recommendations here. To be honest it was one of the worst meals I've had in my life. So please read this as a review of the buffet offered on Saturdays. Here's why I give it one star.

Dishes are overly-Americanized (sweet, saucy)
Pathetic selection of lunch foods (one rice, one noodles, 2 veggies dishes) and a soup that consisted of mushrooms floating in oil.
Extremely greasy food. The Pad Thai had almost no veggies/proteins, just a lot of greasy saucy noodles. It was also way too sweet and sticky.
There was a fried-rice that was more of the same.
Tofu in coconut curry had hardly any tofu or for that matter anything in it, it was a lot of curry ruined by copious amounts of cheap coconut cream.
The spring rolls were good but overly oily.

Honestly I'm surprised by the rankings here and wonder if some of these are fakes. I'm also guessing a significant percentage of ratings here are from Eastern WA students in the U who haven't had Thai food before. 

Finally, it's also not cheap. I spent 17.50 without tip for two here, this may sound cheap when compared to decent buffets but keep in mind the selection of items and the quality make it a bad deal.
4 - Rachael L.: Loved it! Didn't even miss the meat. The curry was spicy, thick and amazing. Came here for a birthday dinner and our party of 8 was well attended to. Waters were constantly full, extra dishes cleared away promptly. Shared 2 dishes with the boyfriend, and he paid so I can't comment about the price. But I liked the food and I'll put it in the thai food rotation.
4 - katya l.: SO. GOOD.

I used to work a block away from this place so I'd stop by for lunch sometime when the Thai food craving hit... which it did quite often. For some reason, eating vegetarian makes me feel more healthy, which I don't think is really the case, but hey, it's all psychological. And if Araya makes me feel healthier AND so satisfied I could burst, then I'm a fan.

It's cheap and good. Especially the lunch buffet, which you can take to go (how many other buffets do that?) and if you pack your to-go box really full, you can get at least two meals out of it. I usually get pad thai, some of the yellow veggie curry, some kimchi (or whatever that spicy cabbage thing is - delicious) and a couple of the egg rolls along with a bowl of soup. It's all flavorful and happy-making. I've had their pad see ew for dinner too, and it's delicious as well. 

So sad I work on the East side now, and can't run across the street to Araya for lunch.
5 - Madey A.: Amazing amazing food. I'm definitely a regular customer here. Their food is so authentic and delicious. Everything on the menu is tasty.  I love this place because it's all vegan, AND it's cheap and good. Can't beat that. 

I hope this place stays in business forever.
5 - Alex M.: Someone else reviewed Araya's and said that it ruined all other Thai restaurants for them. I have to agree. This place is wonderful. But you know what's even more wonderful? THAI LUNCH BUFFET. Who knew such a concept could be executed so well. A friend of mine was up from Phoenix and visiting Seattle for the first time. I insisted that Araya's and Beth's Cafe were the two places in Seattle that were necessary stops. I still believe this. Drop what you're doing and go there now.
5 - Kiera H.: I agree with what others have said- Araya's has ruined other thai places for me.  

The food is organic, vegan, very tasty, large portions, and cheap (my dish was under 8 bucks for dinner!).  And this isn't just for vegans folks... My avid meat eating friends love it and were the one's that initially introduced me to it.  

If you haven't had it... you should probably do it now.

Oh, and a note on spice- I like things HOT and I only get three stars there.  The Pad Thai burned off my ex-bf's mouth at 2 stars but he doesn't handle spice well.
5 - Mydao H.: Two Thumbs up for Araya! 
I came here for the lunch buffet and I'd have to say everything that they offered was fresh and delicious. I'm not a vegetarian, but I can dig vegetarian food. It makes me feel good to not eat an animal. I can't wait to go back here again. I miss it. It's a very nice and big restaurant with nice decor. The waitresses are super nice. Full of NICENESS!
4 - Alex G.: One of the best vegetarian/vegan restaurants in Seattle.. maybe the best.  Definitely better than the pricey places.  

They always have great food on the buffet.  The atmosphere is laid back.  My vegetarian husband never has to ask if there is meat in anything.. they make me thai iced tea with coconut milk...

Really, what is not to love?
4 - Jessica S.: Yum! After a co-worker recommended Araya I have a hard time eating Thai elsewhere! The service is prompt, the food delish and authentic, and the prices are reasonable. Although completely out of way from my work and home, when Thai's on the menu for a meal this is my new go-to!
5 - Anni A.: Yummy!  A vegan's paradise!

The only problem is deciding on a dish from the extensive & delicious menu.  The staff is friendly & attentive, the space is large enough for big parties & there is a convenient parking lot!

We ordered fresh rolls, green curry w/ "bean composition" & pad see iew.  Everything was delish!

Thanks :)
5 - ran y.: This place is a #1 stunner.  I like that the food has excellent flavor, but that the spices are left to the side.  I like spicy, but I enjoyed learning what spices, pastes and sauces affect the food and how.  And the staff is top notch.  Not only did they school me on the spices, they are really wonderful people.  Vegan can be yummy!
4 - Michael K.: I love meat!  That said, a couple of years ago, I probably wouldn't even have been willing to try a restaurant that only served vegetarian dishes, but luckily for my taste buds, I have since learned that meat is not necessary in the making of a delicious meal.  Plus, with an ever growing population of attractive vegetarian/vegan girls, I figure it's time to adjust with the times. 

The veggie spring rolls and veggie tempura were downright awesome.  I will always give a positive review to a restaurant that can deep fry something without making it taste greasy and fatty.  The sweet and sour was a bit too much of the former, but we added chili paste and solved that issue quickly.  

My only complaint, and it isn't even really a complaint, is that the main course was out before we were even halfway through the appetizer.  Again, this isn't really a complaint, as there are certainly worse scenarios, but I do tend to prefer a slightly more drawn out meal.  C'est la vie.

For the main event, I left my comfort zone a bit and ordered the Phad Phak.  To be honest, I ordered it because I'm a child and the name made me laugh.  It was delicious, though, and I was reminded that tofu is a very good substitute for actual meat if the sauce is yummy, which in this case it was.  She had the red curry, also delicious, although I got my hand smacked when I tried to get a little to liberal with how much I wanted to try.  In the end, I bribed her with a trip to Coldstone and all was well.  

I think I liked this place the most because it was very calm and casual.  Even though the food was delivered a bit on the hasty side, everything else felt very relaxed and easy-going.  I am glad I have come to appreciate vegetables, and I will certainly return here someday, after I have tried a few hundred more restaurants that Seattle has to offer!
4 - Jeff S.: Enthusiastic 4 stars for Araya. Delicious vegetarian thai food with a great variety of non-meat proteins like tofu, seitan, etc. I love some of the rich curry dishes, such as the pineapple curry. The lunchtime buffet is vast, healthy and a great value. Extremely friendly staff and a very well run business.
4 - Angel I.: It's great that there are vegan options here.

Their lunch buffet is extremely worth it for price and value.

I do wish that they were better about water refills. Otherwise, the food here is yummy! I've only been here for their lunch buffet so I'll have to update my review again for their regular menu options!
5 - Sambucus R.: Oh man, it's such a relief to not have to search the entire menu for the one or two things I can eat.  Everything is amazing and everything can be eaten by me.  I never ever go without eating the tom kha soup, which is one of my favorite foods anywhere ever.  It's better here than anywhere else I"ve had it ever.  Any vegans, vegetarians, and even lactose intolerant folks would be well served by spending many of their lunchtimes and dinnertimes here.
2 - T R.: Overrated! Limited selection of items that are not very good. Flowers in U District is a much better vegetarian buffet.
4 - Christy A.: Araya used to be located on the Ave back in the dark ages...er...my college student days.  I remember the lunch buffet and particularly the Phad Thai being mediocre at best.  I was thus surprised when my significant other, who is an old-school Yelper and Seattle food nerd, not only sang its praises but suggested that is is one of the better Thai places in Seattle proper (somehow the Eastside seems to have us beat in the Thai food arena).  We decided to meet some friends here for a spicy dinner, which seems to be a tradition among a few members (and dropouts) of the Yelp class of 2007.  A heated discussion (pun intended) revealed that Araya was pretty lame before, but it improved considerably when it changed location, and that even now, dinner is far superior to the lunch buffet.

I've been here twice with large groups, the first time with some die-hard spice-loving vegans, plus a few spice-positive non-vegans,  and the second time with some former co-workers after an excursion to the mountains.  Both times I left feeling satisfied, happy, and a bit poorer (some of the best dishes at Araya are a bit more expensive than other Thai places in the area).  Araya has the distinction of having a spice scale that goes up to 15, and legend has it that if heat seekers ask to "Kiss The Sun" they won't be disappointed.  With regard to the 15, I don't think it's an interval scale here, and the experience calls to mind the classic line from This Is Spinal Tap:  "this one goes to 11."  Nevertheless, they will spice it up proper for you, and I probably wouldn't be able to stomach anything above 4 anyway, so I figured I should check my statistics nerd judgments at the door and enjoy the hot, meat-free fare.   Here's the breakdown:

-Tom Yum with tofu- VERY spicy at four stars.  Probably because it has clear broth and the spice isn't tempered by coconut milk as with the Tom Kah.  Not my favorite, though I love the dish at other places.  $7.95
-Tom Kah with tofu- Delicous, but four stars wasn't quite spicy enough (spice inflation at work).  It was chock full of mushrooms, tofu and other veggies with a very generous portion. $7.95
-Pumpkin curry-  Expensive at $13 but very worth it.  Rich curry sauce with beautifully cooked  vegetables and rice (you can get brown rice, which we did).  It was a seasonal special.
-Pineapple curry- YUM my favorite.  Veggies aplenty and tons of pineapple and tofu chunks- $10.95
-Som Tum- Green papaya salad with peanuts, carrots lime and chili- deliciously crunchy and sweet/tart, a winner as a starter or light entree. 7.95
-Fresh rolls- my favorite!  A riot of exotic flavors and fresh vegetables with tofu for $7.25

They have all kinds of faux meat, but I much preferred the fresh tofu to anything else.  I'm impressed that they can pull off Thai cuisine this well without fish sauce.  I'll definitely be back, and you should check it out, provided you can live without prawns in your green papaya salad and chicken satay.  (Re)watch This Is Spinal Tap first.
4 - John K.: Awesome. I really enjoyed the meal. There was absolutely nothing wrong with anything, and the wait staff was perfect. I rarely give 5-stars and this place could easily deserve it, but nothing blew me away enough to warrant that. I saw MacGruber after dinner.  It was pretty funny.
4 - Cathy G.: My food was excellent. The service was ok- a bit closed-mouthed. While I like the buffet idea, I also question the many people whose hands pass over the trays and the waste of food.

I question if they use MSG or not. I will find out.
5 - Faith K.: I've been to Araya's about three times and I am convinced that it is the best Thai food I have eaten so far. The food is so delicious that I forget there's no meat it in whatsoever. I'm an Asian girl who loves her meat, but Araya's does such a beautiful job of making mouth-watering food that I am lost in all of its flavor :)

I might be exaggerating just a little, but it IS really good. Compared to places on the Ave, I would definitely recommend walking the extra block down to Araya's to try their menu. The servers and hostesses have always been very pleasant and helpful. I'm pretty indecisive so I always ask for recommendations. Instead of naming of everything on the menu, like many places, they give me specific names and descriptions. 

I've tried a few appetizers, several noodle dishes, and 2 different curries. I wish I could remember which ones they were. All I know is that they were very yummy!

I recommend you check this place out. I have only heard positive comments about Araya's from anyone who has been there! :)
4 - Nicole C.: Birthday dinner #2: Lots of buddhism up in here, don't let it bother you, though. The waitress was super nice, I told her I had no idea what to order, but that I wanted something "with lots of veggies + no garlic" (to spare the hubby having to smell it on my all week) she immediately recommended the Cashew Delight. Hubby said he wanted a spicy soup - she recommended Tom Yum - it was delicious. Loads of mushrooms, tofu, onion. & The Cashew Delight? FABULOUS! A little heavy on the oily-ness, but the veggies were cooked just right (not too long, but nice + tender) and the tofu was AMAZING! I fell in love.

Food: Fantastico, but greasy-ish. C'mon, chill out with my veggies, don't drown 'em!
Service: friendly, happy to help when you don't know what to order
Price: very reasonable, not too pricey + not dirt cheap
Decor: buddha buddha (Can we tell people about Jesus in that place? We should have)

Return? nah, we prefer Cafe Flora and their wholesome, less "yo I'm all covered in oil" eats. But hey, maybe Araya's had some bomb salads I missed out on. Who knows.

:)

PS: Cashew Delight could've easily been split between 2 people, as the soup, and my hubby's thai fried rice. Doo it!
5 - Molly G.: Ignore the slightly tacky decor! This place is yummy! And FAST!

We got a #30, some noodles, rice, egg role app, and split a thai tea.



We were full and everything was really tasty! Service was good too, even while they were really busy. 

$23.32 plus tip. Awesome
5 - Smar t.: Vegan Thai food, great location, has some private parking... in the U district (big deal) and doesn't have customarily poor "U District quality" food. What can I say, this place is awesome. That's why it's been around for ~27 years in the same spot! That's over a 1/4 century people!

The food here is great, though their curries at dinner (for instance, my favorite pumpkin curry when it's autumn) is always a bit salty. I was advised after by the waiter (I forget her name, she's ALWAYS there... and super friendly / knowledgeable) that I could get it less salty next time.

I ordered it less salty next time, and it was just as salty - whatever. This place is still tasty, and is a vegan staple restaurant for myself and many friends. The ingredients are fresh, most stuff is house-made, and their selection is great.

Note: Their buffet should not be missed. This is one of those reare places that does a consistent, great buffet AND does a great à la carte dinner.

Closed Sunday, which annoys me, but I also respect their reasoning.
5 - KAI S.: I gotta say, I really liked AVP.

Aside from the bomb interior look/feel, the friendly Thai service, and the delicious, reasonably priced food, I definitely felt the full extend of the "vegetarian vibe" inside (take a walk through the bathroom hallway and you'll see what I mean!).

i went for the lunch buffet and was thoroughly pleased. YUMTASTIC! No complaints whatsoever.

I definitely wish I lived in range to be return customers but living 800 miles away may put a damper on things. Still, Araya's will be a place to remember to hit up the next time I'm around.

5 big ones, baby.

P.S. Be sure to try the spring rolls w/ accompanying sauce, they're the best!
4 - Henry Y.: Really nice spiritual place to pig out in...their tofu curry was great and the tom yum too. cheap prices and a pleasant place to hang out.
5 - Michelle F.: SO GOOD. I Heart Araya.

You would never miss meat if your food was as well seasoned as it is at Araya. I don't even order the meat-substitute foods, I just go full veg. I adore their curry and stir fry, and their Tom Khah and Tom Yum soups are just to die for!

Even when I bring meatatarian friends in to Araya, they enjoy their food immensely. Yum yum yum.

Ah drats, I just gave myself a serious dose of the hunger.
4 - Tyler H.: Great veggie buffet. Quite dangerous in the middle of the day unless you're okay with entering Thai coma at work. I love the unending spring rolls and the bean dessert. The curries and pad thai are okay for being meatless, and the brown rice is a plus.
5 - Josh H.: I have been eating at Araya's for more than 10 years now, often several times a week, and I still haven't gotten bored. The menu is large and the food is flavorful, the staff is friendly, and I know that my plant based diet is respected there. I love this place so much that I choose where I live based on how long the walk to Araya's is- no joke!

I highly recommend the pumpkin curry, the fresh rolls, the tofu-satay, the thom-kah soup, the vegetable tempura, and the iced tea with coconut milk. Other favorites are the Phad Thai and the noodle curry.

Finally, I work in the food service business and can say that the staff here really do their utmost to make sure that I am taken care of even when they are absurdly busy. Arayas is popular and sometimes crowded, but no one has ever let my water glass run dry or failed to ask how I was enjoying my meal. I love this place and look forward to eating there for many, many more years.
2 - Max B.: Came for the buffet, left disappointed.  The pad Thai tasted like they just added ketchup and called it good. I also somehow leave feeling bloated, I think it's the sugar they add to everything. In saying that their spring rolls are ok. Just can't recommend it with so many delicious Thai around...
4 - Ken N.: I like it. I eat here every time i'm in Seattle. Great service, delicious food, and not too spendy.  Spicy means spicy here too. You can ask for a 1 - 5 in spiciness. I like spicy food and 3 was a little much for me. 

I wish they had a Portland location
4 - Anne K.: Delicious!  Tom lah soup, bamboo salad & pumpkin curry all delicious but I could do without the veggie meat
5 - Abbey G.: We stopped at Araya because it was withing walking distance of our hotel. So glad we found it! They have really great basics and some awesome unique things (avocado curry?!). We went it right before closing time with a large group of people and they were very accommodating and didn't rush us at all.
5 - Kira I.: Skeptical of any "vegetarian" buffet, I was meandering around 45th street and came across this lovely establishment.  First of all, the inside decor creates a smooth ambient surrounding, and not what I would expect in a "buffet-style" anything.  It feels very calm and collected inside even though it gets crazy busy during their lunch time.  I love how they give every table a big pitcher of water and a glass,  because sometimes there is nothing more annoying than having to ask for water a bajillion times.  And then it is off to try the food.  I tend to try a little bit of everything and go back for the real kickers later.  They had kim chi which surprised me a little, but it tasted very legit, as if there was a korean gnome in the kitchen helping them out.  And the had all the traditional thai favorites like phad thai, peanut sauce, thai-style salad, thai fried rice, hot & sour soup, and various curries up the wazzo.  They even had my favorite dessert:  black sticky rice with sweetened condensed milk.   Oh goodness, this was a great find and if you ever are in the mood for a Thai-infused adventure, with no lack of water, I recommend this place in a heartbeat.  Also to note was the incredible service.  I was neither ignored nor bugged by the waitstaff and they were all uber friendly and fast.
5 - Jaime C.: I want to give Araya more stars.  I wish there was an add on.  Because I am beginning to drool just thinking about all of their wonderful foods...that I can have ALL of if I want.  As a vegetarian, this place is a freggin paradise...if I were stranded on a desert aisle, I want Araya with me.  And the service.  Always smiley and superb.  Wonderful!!!!
4 - heather j.: This is a great place for a delicious all you can eat vegan thai lunch buffett for only 7.95$ even on saturdays. It opens at 11 and there are usually people waiting by the door to get in. Its such a great deal. If by some chance you dont like the lunch buffett choices you can order off the regular menu too, I recently tried the lemon tofu and it was delicious, I don't think I have ever had lemon tofu before anywhere. Its got a very tangy flavor that I quite enjoyed. My favorite part of the buffett is the soup so flavorful, but there are also many dishes, including rice, dessert, salad, egg rolls, etc. My non veg boyfriend loves the egg rolls and usually eats most of his fill solely on these. Recently made it to dinner, but I am always called by the buffett and think I will stick to that in the future, such a great deal, wish I worked in the area.  Menu items sound just as deliciou but its hard to pick just one or two. Closed on Sundays.
4 - Swetha N.: I have been here twice for dinner. We had a Kraprao and two orders of rice the first time and we asked for a medium spicy Kraprao. But when we tasted the curry, it was spicier than we expected it to be, especially for my husband who I shared the curry with. The portions were very generous and were quite sufficient for the two of us. 

We ordered more rice later because we were very hungry and the kraprao was ssssssoooooooooooo good!!!!

My second visit was also for dinner this time we ordered  fried tofu            (appetiser) - it was splendid. And a mild - spicy thai fried rice. But this time, our fried rice was kind of bland. I do not know why there was a big difference in the spice level.

Also we were never asked if we would like to have anything else.( dessert, etc., )  which was weird.

I'll definitely go back... I really wanna try their lunch buffet. There are very few vegan/ vegetarian places in this part of the world and I am weary of ordering 'vegetarian' dishes from Thai restaurants and finding out later that they use shrimp sauce in their spices. Plus, this is value for money. 

I am taking off a star because of the half-hearted service during our second visit and the discrepany in the spice level.
2 - Oliver S.: Disclaimer: My review is more about the buffet experience rather than the traditional sit down and dine experience. I have yet to try menu items from Araya.

I have a special place in my heart/stomach for buffets, but at the end of my vegetarian thai buffet at Araya, Araya was not included in that special place.

This maybe due to the fact that I went here at 2pm in the afternoon, but the buffet was shabby. It was hard spooning the fried rice because much of it was stuck to the tray and a lot of the tofu entrees lacked any tofu. The presentation of the buffet items was haphazard, and it felt kind of dirty. A lot of the offerings, no all of the offerings, looked like they were picked over.

Although the setup needed a lot of work, the food was slightly better. In the end, the flavors were overly generic, even for a buffet. Like what usually happens at a buffet, the dishes tasted like mass produced versions of their plated counterparts. It's to be expected and it's the best part of the buffet experience! Quantity over quality, the American way. While Araya fulfills this aspect of the buffet experience, the flavors just didn't deliver. Some dishes tasted almost identical.

One great treat you can get at the buffet counter: the Bean dessert with coconut milk! It was very delicious. I ended up having three servings.

If I was a vegetarian, I would probably appreciate this place more, but I'm not, so I don't. Overall, I would eat at Arraya's veggie buffet again, but it's not something I would particular seek out.
4 - Tricia M.: I start with the spring rolls, which are hot and crispy. They come with a gorgeous sweet and sour dip (mouth watering). Next are the spicy noodles, which you can get 1 star and have no "spicy" to them. They are scrumptious. I go there at least once a month. Servings here are HUGE, so bring a hungry tummy. Minus one star (considered taking away 2 stars, but love the food too much) because the service here is not good at all. Never a check back after meals are served, in fact don't see them sometimes until flagging for the check. Considering the fact that the spicy noodles I order are inconsistently dry and bland or so spicy my eyes water (at 1 star), this is an issue with me.
2 - Victoria C.: Honestly, it boggles my mind that this place has an average of 4.5 stars, because my experience at Araya's was definitely a sub-par experience.

PROS:
1. Low-price. Good for the college kid's budget.

CONS:
1. Horrible service. My bf ordered a side of brown rice to go with the tom yum soup. The waitress knew this. She asked us if we wanted a side of rice to go with the soup. So why didn't we get the rice at the same time as the soup? We kept looking out for our waitress to ask her for our rice, but by the time she finally came out with the rice (15-20 minutes after the soup), we had already eaten the soup. I told her, "No thanks. We wanted the rice with the soup. Take it back."

Like, really? Were they boiling a new pot of rice? I imagine they have the rice ready to go and scoop out into bowls. There is NO excuse whatsoever for the rice being so late.

Our pad see ew took forever to come out as well. Come on, it's nothing but some wide rice noodles, veggies, and sweet soy sauce. So why did it take another 15 minutes after the soup for them to bring it out?

2. Super bland food. And it's not cause it's vegetarian. I've been to plenty of veggie places and have had delicious, savory dishes. The soup was bland and unimpressive. Likewise, the pad see ew was mediocre.

I'm never going here again. Take my advice, people. If you want good veggie Thai food, go to Jhanjay.
5 - Yola L.: Araya's is a friendly neighborhood restaurant that serves probably the best Thai food around the area. When I bring my non-vegetarian friends there, they forget that the food doesn't even have meat because it's that good. The servers are very friendly, and the décor looks very authentic. Definitely has a good feel to the place. Their drinks are delicious by the way, and very good priced. We usually get a soup, and two entrees and even a drink and its about $30 or a little under. Great deal!
5 - Natascha Z.: Expensive, but worth it.
3 - C A.: Not the best service in town and not the best food, but reliably decent on both counts and the price-to-quality ratio for the lunch buffet is hard to beat.
3 - Meg V.: i'm a pretty jingoistic meat-eater, and i'm down with araya's vegetarian stylings.  it should be said that i'm also a sucker for buffets, and also that i have ONLY tried their buffet, but i still think it stands up to food that isn't in a buffet.  i don't know, i daydream about it sometimes, but i don't know if i'm daydreaming about the actual food or just about eating food in a buffet format.  the act of pouring the coconut milk over the black rice is particularly appealing to me.  eating it was OK too.

i just want to make sure you guys have all the facts here.

moving right along, it's not the best thai on earth to be sure, but it's serviceable, it's cheap, it's aesthetically pleasant inside, and they're good at tofu.  you have to like tofu.  i don't know about you, but i like tofu.
5 - Jennifer M.: I love this place. Not only is it vegan but the food is amazing. I have taken many a meat eater there and they also quite liked it. The food is really fresh with lots of veggies. Veggies are never overcooked and the flavors are amazing. I could swear they were using fish sauce but no, just veggie flavoring. The family that runs it is wonderful and they know how to take care of their customers. The buffet is quite good but the made to order food is the best. Over the years the prices have gone up a bit but still a great deal!
4 - Mary T.: First off, I am not a die-hard vegetarian.  I eat fish and sometimes chicken or turkey.  Second, I have been to my share of thai restaurants growing up on a tiny island in the pacific.  Third, my first and only meal here was for the lunch buffet with one of my friends (who happens to be vegan).  That all being said, I was happy with the quality of food.  They used a lot of vegetables (like zucchini and radish) I haven't had in thai food very often.  The ingredients were fresh, the variety for the buffet was there, and they had my favorite Tom Yum soup!  With tofu!!  Some of the hot dishes tasted very similar with the differences being mainly the veggies used.  All in all, for less than $10 for a lunch-time buffet in the Seattle area AND being vegetarian so I didn't have to ask "what kind of meat is that?", it was great.
5 - Madelyn M.: We've been here 4 times since we moved to Seattle from NYC and we like it - a lot.

The lunch buffet has a wide variety of items, and it's a great price.

The dinner menu is also excellent, and we've found multiple items that we really like. The menu is huge, with tons of vegetarian/vegan options.

The only complaint is that occasionally the service can be a little slow and/or inattentive. This is fixed by just getting their attention, and isn't enough to bother us for some reason. Even when we've gone for the buffet we've been able to order extra items and get drinks refilled - but yeah, sometimes you do need to get their attention. Would love to see that improve.

Still, we will be back many times in the future.
5 - Lindsay J.: This is maybe my favorite restaurant at the moment! I am a strict vegetarian, and it is awesome to be able to come to a place where I don't have to worry about what is in what dish.

The servers are always super friendly and knowledgeable about the food and drinks. Service can sometimes be hindered by how busy this place can get, but the food is so good that it completely makes up for it.

As far as food goes, their Tom Kha soup and pumpkin curry are by far my favorites.
3 - Tarah M.: I was SO prepared to give this place 2 stars or even the dreaded 1-star for crappy service.  Walked in and stood around with a couple of other famished folks for several minutes while staff walked right past us without so much as batting a lash.  When finally seated, waitress asked in monotonous tone whether we wanted buffet or something from the menu.  We initially wanted a couple menu items, but after waiting a lifetime and a half to get her to come back, we decided on the $8.99 buffet and ventured in line with slight trepidation.

But, when we finally ate the buffet offerings, my experience with Araya's went from dreadful to delightful in the mere seconds that I tasted their curry, tom kah soup, and other scrumptious items.  I have never enjoyed vegetarian Thai food as much as I did at Araya's.  The flavor of their seasoned veggies and tofu was so delicious that I seriously think my omnivore husband didn't mind a bit that he was eating completely meat-free dishes. This apparently was made evident as he downed about 4 of their fabulous spring rolls which were perfectly fried.  I was extremely disappointed that I couldn't try their black sticky rice w/coconut because alas! They were out and after waiting for over 20 min for them to replenish, I, along with about 5 other folks, gave up and took our dessert-craving selves somewhere else.

If only I could rate this place 4 stars because of their superb food!!  But, with shotty service and missing of dessert (my favorite meal!), I had to settle for a mediocre average.  

Such a shame because this place has so much potential...
5 - Inna B.: My last experience pushed Araya towards the "bottom" of my mental list of places to go for Thai. Why? My last several visits had been for the buffet, which... well, buffet food usually doesn't impress me much. Then that last visit where they offered the buffet even though it was 10 minutes from being over... that made me sad enough to go elsewhere every time I wanted to grab some Thai near the UW campus.

A few weeks ago my friend and I found ourselves very hungry and with no desire to cook. Thai food sounded good and Araya's was just down the street, so we went there.

Did we have a good experience? Oh heck yes! The food was fantastic and the server was great at helping us pick out what to have for dinner.

Some quotes from my dining partner:
"The only bad thing about the food is that my belly isn't big enough to eat it all!"
"I don't even like Thai food, and I enjoyed this!"
"I try to avoid meat and dairy, so it was nice not having to make sure it wasn't in something I ordered."

Favorite quote from the waitress:
"Coconut juice from a can? No, no. We've got the GOOD stuff. Let me get you some."
And good stuff it was!!!! The juice was tasty and the coconut meat was the softest and most delicious I have ever had (from a coconut). I still like canned coconut juice, but now understand that they've got something that is much, much better. (And that I must get coconut juice at Araya's frequently.)

Lessons learned: 
Araya's dinner and menu lunch - fantastic. 
Araya's lunch buffet is a great deal, but not nearly as good.
Araya's fresh coconut juice/meat in a coconut - PERFECTION.
4 - A.J. S.: I love Thai food. I like vegetarian food. So, I have had this place on my list to check out for a while. We went in for dinner, it was snowing in Seattle (supposed end of the world, oh noes 2 inches). There was available parking which was a bonus, and we got a seat pretty easily. 

The place passed my first test of Thai restaurants. After ordering, they asked how hot I wanted the food out of 5 stars. Always a good sign. The major peeve I had about this place was we ordered soup and Pad Thai. Normally a restaurant will serve meals in courses, in other words one at a time. These guys pushed them both out at the same time, then when we paused for two seconds to talk over our meal, raced up to ask if we wanted to get our meals packed and pay the bill. I don't like being hustled out the door. I suppose they are normally busy and want to make tables available, but they were pretty empty. I might be being too pick, but it's a peeve.

The food was very good, the soup came in this interesting dish with a flame in the middle. However, we asked for 3/5 stars spiciness on the soup, if that is their 3, I shudder to think what their 4 or 5 is. It was a little too spicy.

The Pad Thai was excellent, I always wonder how they do it vegetarian since Pad Thai usually has fish sauce in it. But, I guess that is their trade secret? Either way it was excellent. It was plated well, and tasted worth it. for 8 bucks it was totally worth it.

I am giving four because I am allowing for the possibility that I am just too finicky about the service, and we didn't specify we wanted it in courses. However, it does hold them back from a 5 for not having the attention to detail to ask in the very least.
5 - Sara L.: Just updated from 4 to 5...  because actually this is by far my favorite place again lately. Every time I go I love it more and can't wait to go back. I think I am gaining weight from this place alone... this is so much better than going to any other Thai place in Seattle.  Sooo good.
3 - Opal D.: Cluttered interior and there was a dog in the restaurant barking while we were eating. 
Buffet selection was small and the temperature for the hot stuff wasn't hot enough, cold stuff not cold enough. Flavour was good. 
I would come back for lunch and try ordering from the menu instead of the buffet. 
I do wonder about the cleanliness and the health codes re: the dog though.
4 - Reesa T.: Okay, so Araya has been on my list of places to check out for the LONGEST time, but for one reason or another I never seemed to make it.  It was annoying me so I set a goal, by the end of 2010 I would hit up Araya.  Thankfully I made it!

Cute enough inside, it feels clean and the dim lighting is nice for the ambience.  The service I felt was attentive, they kept my water full which was good... see below.   Also in the bathroom (too much water!) there were rocks (like nice tumbled stone) in the bottom of this sink.  Huh.  I wasn't sure what to make of it exactly, but it was different.  Something that stood out anyway.  

Menu was varied and there are some house specialties that I very much want to try out sometime!  Some seriously yummy and interesting sounding dishes that seem to play more to their strengths (vegan) than trying to hide it with "normal" meaty dishes.  Also in this respect they use not just tofu but also other veggie matter protein substitutes to add variation.  Sometimes even within the same dish- which I thought was awesome.  
I cannot speak to the lunch buffet and the level of spice that is used in it- but I can say these people know how to use their spices!!!  Phad Thai that you can actually not only taste the peanut, but the flavor is complementary in the dish... win.  Tom Yum Soup... not always my favorite- but here it was AMAZING.  OMG SO SPICEY, but AMAZING.  The combination of spices and flavors was blended masterfully.  This alone would bring me back- for sure.  That the other food was great and the menu was intriguing was icing.    I honestly think this is a good place to bring your omnivore friends and tell them to deal.  You'll be happy to order anything you want on the menu (or at least I was) and they're not going to be disappointed.  

And... even their tea was extra flavorful compared to the tea you get a lot of places.  So bonus!
4 - Meghan K.: I went here for lunch with my boyfriend and since we both aren't normally fans of lunch buffets we decided to look at the menu. Well everything looked so good we couldn't decide, then we looked at the lunch buffet and everything looked so good that we decided to go for it anyway. We were not disappointed. The food was so good! Loved the pad thai, loved the vegetables and the peanut sauce. I got stuffed! My boyfriend the carnivore said he didn't even miss eating meat. Nothing tasted like it had been sitting on the buffet for too long. And they have black sticky rice at the buffet too which is a plus. 

The service was not very attentive, I wish that wasn't the case. My boyfriend wanted to get a drink but the waitress never came around so that never happened. We ended up sitting around for a while then going up to the counter to get our check/pay for our meal. I definitely want to come back and try the mushroom soup I spied on the menu but hope the service improves.
5 - Joyce T.: It is amazing that all this food is vegetarian!  I love it here, especially their everyday lunch buffet.  Everything I have gotten here is so delicious!
4 - RowerRob C.: Update:
This update review is long overdue.  I've been to this place several times in the past year and always enjoyed the food.  Inexpensive and yummy.  My favorite is #52 Pineapple Curry -- it has 4 different types of proteins (different meat substitutes) and all are delicious.  That and add the spicy noodle dish,  you can't go wrong.
5 - Sarah M.: I love, love, love Araya's. Their vegetarian buffet is the best thing ever, and for under $10 is a seriously amazing deal. I would eat here every single day if I had my way. Their lemongrass soup is unbelievably flavorful and not to be missed.
4 - Akvile H.: Excellent vegetarian restaurant! My husband and I were craving some thai food and we had a Groupon, so we decided to check it out.  He had been there before but it was my first time. We are not vegetarian but enjoy vegetarian food very much and we have many vegetarian friends who have introduced us to some super yummy dishes. 

Their veggie beef is very very good! We got three dishes because everything was so good and we couldn't decide on just one item each. We ended up splitting up the veggie beef with peanut sauce, some phad thai, and some other noodle dish with tofu. Their tofu is amazing! It's not overly fried like other places and it is very soft and delicious. 

The food was prepared quickly, the server was very friendly, and we loved the atmosphere. We got a booth and it was very comfortable. I hear that their lunch and buffet is really good. I look forward to coming back and trying other dishes, I was very pleased with Araya's. Awesome place to check out!
5 - Sonya L.: I have returned and experienced the lunch buffet.  It is incredible.  So many different choices, so many delicious items!  And it is really inexpensive for the amount of food that you get to eat!  

The service is very good - especially with keeping water glasses refilled.  Everyone is friendly and smiling.  It's just a great atmosphere in which to eat.

I highly recommend the lunch buffet.  And the regular menu as well - everything I've tried here has been excellent.
4 - Adam N.: Good buffet options. Fun atmosphere.

Buffet was quite delicious! Good options to choose from--and I'm a huge fan that it's all vegetarian! 

I don't recommend reading their "go vegan"-style pamphlets while you eat--the photos of dying animals are not very visually appealing while eating.

Anyway, overall, this place is great! I would come here again!
2 - Linda C.: Was a little disappointed in their lunch buffet.

Had gone in really wanting to like it.

I mean, vegetarian Thai food...
Good reviews on Yelp...
What's not to like?

There was pad thai (so-so), some sort of fried rice dish, a curry vegetable dish (pretty good), a peanut buttery kind of thicker sauce.  On the side were some salad mixes.  Soup looked like hot &amp; sour soup.  Brown rice was pretty good.

The buffet was fine, just nothing to write home about.

Will have to try ordering off the menu.  Seems like that's where the money's at.
1 - S K.: Was seated immediately, but got no attention from them for 25 minutes once seated. So we left the menus at the table and left. It was not even busy. Poor service. I was very excited about this place, but there are plenty other awesome vegetarian thai places in Seattle.
4 - Tina H.: This place is actually vegan.  The first time I went I ordered take out and  they got my order wrong; I got the swimming/bathing rama thing and noodle curry which didn't even have noodles in them --  weird.  It only tasted ok.  The second time I went with a big ol' group of family members and I got to sample a ton of dishes.  This is the way to go.  The drunken mushrooms and avocado curry are SO SO good.
4 - a a.: try their pumpkin curry. it's really good. good service.
3 - Holly T.: this last time i went to arayas i was a bit disappointed. The service was incredibly slow. Also the water they served was just gross. When i got my  dish, there was no tofu (when it should have). It was impossible to get my servers attention about this. I told them and they brought me some but it was just too late. The food was still good but still.
5 - Hai Yen N.: I don't care that they don't have meat.  They do what they do so damn well that the fact of it being a vegetarian spot doesn't even come into play.  When I crave Thai food I constantly want Araya's because it's that good.  

Everything is well done, I haven't had a single bad dish here.  The noodles are always the right amount of toothsomeness, the vegetables always fresh and the sauces just the right balance of salty, spicy and sweet.  I recommend the tom kah soup a.k.a. the most amazing soup you will ever eat.  It's served in a traditional Chinese hot pot heated in the middle using coals and comes to the table literally on fire.  I dream about this soup.  Savory coconut broth with cubes of soft tofu, mushrooms, scallions, chilies and lemongrass.  Spoon it over some brown rice.  You will die happy.

The atmosphere here is also wonderful.  Lots of authentic Thai decorations, nice wood tables and a spacious floor plan.  One of my favorite restaurants to be sure!
4 - Tomi Y.: I am a carnivore but the food from Araya is so good that I don't mind not having meat at all! The service is great at this place and the food is very delicious! Highly recommended. They also have a great lunch buffet.

More about the dish I ordered on my blog: http://www.ricendine.com/2011/01/taro-root-la-bangkok-arayas-vegetarian.html
4 - Geanna M.: I wanted vegan Thai food and was in the Wallingford neighborhood today, so I decided to walk up to Araya's. I was in for a treat. I got seated immediately, even though it was fairly busy during the lunch hour. When I didn't receive a menu right away, I looked inquiringly at the waiter, who asked if I wanted to eat from the buffet or order from the menu. 

I told him I was gluten-intolerant, and wasn't sure how much I could eat at the buffet, but he offered to show me, so I followed him. There was quite a selection of dishes on the buffet, and he carefully and patiently described everything I was able to eat, even as I asked him questions and prodded him further about certain ingredients.

Knowing I didn't have to worry about hidden fish sauces was a plus, and, after being reassured that all the dishes I chose were gluten-free, made the dining experience extremely delicious and pleasurable. I went back for seconds and enjoyed every bite.

As I left, I was reassured by the waiter that anything on the menu could, subsequently, be made gluten-free, if I asked ahead of time, so next time, I might just go with something off the menu instead of the buffet.
4 - Samantha E.: I'm not a vegetarian and my inner health inspector is scared of buffets, so I was really surprised by how much I like this place!  I've been twice-- one with a friend for the regular lunch menu and once with coworkers for the buffet.  Both times it was delicious!  I had the spicy noodle off of their regular menu, and it had the perfect amount of heat.  The crunchy tofu is good even if you're not a big tofu person, and they were happy about giving me no broccoli and extra other veggies.  As far as the buffet goes, most everything I tried was good.  The phad thai was delicious, the fried rice was great, the soup was yummy, and the spring rolls were the best I think I've ever had.

One warning:  the parking lot is seriously cramped.  If you live/work anywhere close, walking is easier.  Other than that, I'd definitely recommend this place and will be back.
5 - Shantala A.: Love the lunch buffet. The fresh crispy spring rolls are to die for. Variety of curries, fried rice, phad thai, salads, and much more. Totally worth the $8.95!
4 - Nikhil A.: The food is great! I love all the dishes I have tried so far except for the green curry.
2 - Cindy C.: I'd been curious about Araya for years, and finally - thanks to the lure of a Living Social deal - my daughter and I popped in on Sunday afternoon a couple of months ago. At first, I thought I was in heaven. An entire buffet of vegetarian cuisine - and Thai, no less? Does it get any better than that? Flash forward twenty minutes. Everything was entirely edible, but I found nothing special about any of it, nor the atmosphere in which it was served. To top things off, I visited the ladies' room before leaving, where entered I a different world; I found plumbing out of order (a bucket caught dirty water from the sink) and an overall ambiance that screamed through its ickiness, "Open all night!" On the upside, the service - what little we experienced because we happened to go during the buffet-only part of the day - was friendly.

Truly, the experience was so disappointing overall that I used my voucher even though it was worth far more than our accrued charges... because I couldn't imagine ever going back.

Definitely parted ways with my valued fellow Yelpers on this one!
4 - Nikki B.: I haven't been here in a while but last couple times that I've gone, it's been good. Their lunch buffet is a good deal for the price, but it's nothing super spectacular. However, the Hot and Sour soup is the best I've had and I can't seem to find any other thai place that makes it so well. The staff are very friendly there but the restaurant does have some wacky hours for when it's open and when it's closed.
5 - Emma G.: i love meat and cheese, but oh boy do i love araya's. any time i have a weekday off (i.e. banker's holidays), i gather as many lady friends together as possible so we can go have araya's lunch buffet. 

i love EVERYTHING they serve at the buffet. 

let's start with the pad thai. oh how i love their pad thai, especially with little bits of tofu. om nom nom.

the veggie stir fry... not quite sure what it's called. lots of baby corn (MMMMMM), mushrooms, zucchini, and sometimes even fried tofu. 

the red curry. coconut milk. red curry. what more is there to say? soooo tasty.

pineapple fried rice. o. m. g.

regular sides and sweets like mushroom soup, kim chee, peanut sauce... and VEGGIE SPRING ROLLS. actually, i'm not sure if they can be called spring rolls since they're fried, but who cares? they are AMAZING, especially with the sweet plum dipping sauce.

also, when i am sick, I MUST get a to-go order of the garden soup (veggies & tofu in clear veggie broth) w/ a side of brown rice. some of that and some sri racha never fails to make me feel better real quick.
2 - Karyn G.: The service has been consistently lacking each time I've been in. I always try to go at least twice, to give them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe it's different earlier in the evenings, but if you go in around 8 or 8:30, be prepared to wait almost 30-45min for food and that's after waiting almost 15min for water or to order. The night shift only seems to care about cleaning so they can close early--no consideration for their actual customers!
4 - Brian C.: This place has some of the best Thai food for vegetarian's and vegans in Seattle. The soups and salads are better than the curry's if you ask me - not sure if the curry is always fresh. I eat here about once a month and have a great experience at least 4 times out of 5 - hence the rating...

Glad to have this as a great vegan option to eat out!
5 - Joey M.: "I would take a vegetarian here and not feel like my meal was being slighted in the least" -quote my brother, who considers this among the top Thai restaurants in Seattle, even though he eats meat.

Nice decor, reasonable prices, intelligent efficient staff. They were quick to bring the order and all the food looks gorgeous. 

Vegan or not, you should try out this place for yourself.
4 - Vanessa G.: Thai and vegetarian = heaven on earth to me. It's not often that i can get a Thai vegetarian broth soup but today was my lucky day. I picked up there groupon a while ago and finally got to use it all by myself. I ordered the Tom Yung soup, and it was HUGE, but delicious. I ordered the Tom Yuk red curry as well, and it was really great but also HUGE! These dishes are meant to be shared. I will be having this for dinner as well, and i am pretty excited. The place was busy, mainly for people hitting up the buffet which seems like a good price for the options you get. I had some ginger tea to finish it off, it is also meant to be shared. Service was great, and friendly, and included some Thai chatter. My bill was $20 for the food and that could feed me for a couple of days.
4 - Alysse M.: I'm not a vegetarian, but I love this place and have been going for years. I stay away from their "veggie's beef" because it is like weird bologna, but everything else with tofu is great. I love their veggie tempura and spring roll appetizers and their Phad Phak, Pa-Nang curry, and Green curry are to die for.

Only drawbacks are their staff can be a bit slow and even though I think the lunch buffet is an amazing idea, the couple times I've done that the food has been dry.
5 - Eden W.: is is hands down my favorite restaurant! 
Araya and her family are gracious and generous and their food is absolutely delicious! I've been going here for about 10 years, had my graduation dinner from my undergrad, from my masters program, and then had them cater my wedding! Now we bring my daughter here. 
The spring rolls are amazing and I could pretty much drench anything in the sweet and sour sauce that comes with them. For soups, the tom kha is amazing, creamy coconut broth with tangy lemongrass and tasty vegetables and tofu. 
The daily buffet is always amazing and gives you an inexpensive way to try multiple tasty treats. However, if you go during a non-buffet time I would highly recommend the pineapple or pumpkin curry. 
Araya made them for my wedding and the guests still tell us about how it was the most delicious food they've had at a wedding. Don't forget to top it off with a mango sticky rice or a black sticky rice for dessert and/ or a Thai iced tea with coconut milk.
It's sure to become a favorite!
5 - Stephanie C.: For $8.99, I was able to eat a delicious vegetarian buffet-style Thai lunch! There was steamed vegetables, spinach salad, soup, steamed brown rice, pad thai, fried rice, curry, egg rolls, red bean dessert with coconut milk. I'm usually not a big fan of buffets but for that price, I got to pay for the price of one entree for under $10 and got to have a bite of different types of dishes.

The workers were also really friendly and helpful. When my boyfriend told them how we were visiting from out of state, they gave us some suggestions on places we could visit near the area. That's how we were able to see the cherry blossoms at UW!
4 - J J.: I love that this place is completely vegan. I've eaten here many times and almost always left very happy. Their buffet is an excellent value and a good way to o sample lots of different dishes. The peanut sauce is great and goes very well with the nothing-special spring rolls. The pad thai is one of my favorites because it's not overly sweet. 

Check it out!
3 - Sarah F.: I'm only judging the lunch buffet. And well, it's damn good for the price!

Pros?
-Very cheap
-Soup is a buffet item (unusual for Thai buffets)
-No need to wait

Cons?
-Everything is sweet and simply adding spices they have on the side doesn't give it as good of a spicy flavor as cooking them in
-Could be more options
4 - Tristyn T.: I love the food here! VERY tasty! 
I gave it four stars because the service is usually hit or miss. They always screw up my order and bring something I didn't order. For example, I ordered the tofu lemon and get the tofu orange. I eat whatever they bring me though because everything tastes awesome. 

Get the mushroom soup to share!
4 - Clarke W.: Vegan Thai. Every dish in the lunch buffet had depth and complexity, so many dishes to choose from with great opposing flavors ranging from spiciness and creaminess, sweet and sour, fresh and pickled. I would come back again just for the spring rolls alone, they were crispy, light and fresh, perfect!

Tip:
- Stop in for the Lunch Buffet, Mon-Thur 11:30am-3:30pm, Fri-Sun 11:30am-4pm.
4 - Daniel W.: When my friend suggested a vegetarian restaurant for lunch I must admit that I was skeptical. I am a carnivore and usually do not eat a lot of vegetables.  When he also mentioned that it had a buffet my skepticism increased. I have never eaten at a buffet and left feeling at all happy with the decision to do so. What a pleasant surprise to find that there were enough delicious options here that I did not miss the meat at all and had plenty delicious things  eat. The best part was that when I left I did not feel sick and the need to crawl in bed and rub my belly for 2 hours.
5 - Angie A.: Love their spring roll with peanut sauce,
also the green curry is tasty.

Overall it's a great buffet, i'll definitely will go here again.
4 - Yuri S.: Really good! And all vege! Yay!
5 - Kelsey T.: This place is a favorite, and we've tried nearly everything on the menu. 

It is awesome on a date night for people watching (lots of awkward dates) and the selection is awesome (especially if you're a veggie-- it's so fun being able to eat everything on the menu!). The portion sizes tend to vary a bit, which is interesting. I'm not sure why. It's never skimpy, just some times it's a TON and others its a fair amount.

I especially love the noodle curry-- it's perfect for when I'm not sure whether to go noodles or curry. Brilliant! 

The lunch buffet is an awesome value and good if you want to try a bit of everything. It's a bit bland/tame, but you can spice it up with things on the side. 

Yum!
5 - Megan J.: I am addicted to the avocado curry and love that they offer Thai iced tea with coconut milk.  Be still my vegan heart (or is that my stomach?).
5 - Farzeen J.: best thai vegan restaurant in the world. 
yes they have a lunch buffet, but if you're a real foodie, go for dinner and order off the menu. :D 

things to get: drunken mushroom, avacado curry, panang curry, cashew delight, pad phet makhua (eggplant dish) and pad thai. In fact, all their dishes are excellent, and can me made to accomodate wheat free/soy free/ nut free eaters. 

service is always friendly. Also, the portions are big, and made to share. so if you want to go there, go with a friend and share you food!
4 - Jessica B.: Vegetarian only with huge amount of options! Yay!!

I've been here for dinner and the lunch buffet and have been very pleased with both!

Dinner- it's usually packed, but I've never had to wait more than a couple of minutes. Lots of good options for all pallets. Thai iced tea with coconut milk = happiness.

Lunch buffet- Good amount of options, but check it out before you sit down (as you should always do with a buffet). There is an extensive spice bar! And black rice with coconut milk for desert, they hide the milk off to the corner so keep your eye out! It's there.

I take away a star for slow service, but it's not tooooo slow.

They have their own reserved parking lot, so that's a plus in that area!
5 - Tommy T.: The buffet is amazing and decently priced! Wow I eat so much when I go to Araya, I am a total sucker for vegan buffets and this one is top notch. It is definitely one of my usual stops when I head up to Seattle!
2 - Mailani w.: This review pertains to the lunch buffet.

I don't mean to offend the delicate sensibility of the vegan palette, but I must say the peculiar high ratings for Araya's is more pumped up than Lindsey Lohan's overripe trout lips.  Let's be fair, this could be like a category of a subcategory like "hottest female, Indycar series, race driver-- Danica Patrick."  It basically translates to "best Thai, vegan, gluten free restaurant on 45th street that takes debit cards with a husky discount!"

If that slogan answers your every desire then the buffet is whispering your name.  For the rest of us, the whole spread is pretty lackluster.  The first thing I noticed when trying all the 5+ items with soup is how sweet everything was.  From the soup, the curry, phad thai, veggie stir fry all taste similar like a bottle of bad sweet-chili-soy sauce.  The fried rice was more pathetic than Panda Express with a sad bag of frozen mixed vegetables, dried up cubes of tofu and seasoned with the very same phad thai sauce.  It was mushy, and even the serving spoon cloaked with the stuff was embarrassed.

I prefer the Whole Food's buffet set up.  Clean, labeled, ingredients listed and meticulously maintained.  Araya does none of those things.  How am I supposed to know what the light brown gravy-ish pan is without piercing the pleather hymen on top?!  What the hell is this thing that looks like blackberry compote next to the steamed tofu???  WHY would you set up the buffet in the most inconvenient way, forcing diners to reach across the long pan inviting pet hair, my hair that sheds, bracelets, that will inevitably fall or glide in the food.  Stupid. 

There was one nice touch which was their hot Jasmine tea which arrives in a Bodum french press.  Very classy, I give props for that.
4 - Kris L.: Green curry 2 stars with ginger tea was very yummy!  I loved the atmosphere and the service was quite good as well!
2 - C C.: Nothing terribly exciting about the buffet lunch. I couldn't eat half the dishes due to allergies, but the waitress was so enthusiastic about it I gave up and tried the buffet. I should of just order off the menu. Oh well, lesson learned.
4 - Dan M.: Though the service can be a bit slow now and then, the place has great food, particularly the ginger-based dishes and the fresh papaya salad.  I may be biased since I'm pesco-vegan.
5 - Mia l.: The BEST buffet. Ever. I dont even know what half the things I ate today even are, but hot damn, delicious. Hands down my favorite coconut curry soup anywhere. The veggies are always perfectly cooked, never mushy. The spring rolls....... I could eat here everyday. The ADORABLE gals up front crack me up. They are very personable and I always end up chatting with them for a bit. Yes.
5 - Ann L.: there are too many wonderful things to say about Arayas. I am a huge fan of their lunch buffet. The curry and phad thai is consistently delicious and I find myself craving their peanut sauce all the time. If you miss the lunch buffet be sure that you do not miss the avocado curry dish! The staff are some of the nicest people around so whether you are vegetarian or not be sure to eat here!
5 - Young S.: My husband and I ate here tonight and everything we got was DELICIOUS!  We ordered the Arayas Salad, Tom Kah soup & How Mok.  Everything was fresh, the vegetables were crisp and not overcooked and all of our dishes were super tasty.  We loved the affordable wine selection, we didn't have to wait long for our food to come out, it was a good value, and the service was great.  Vegan or not, the food here is very good and I highly recommend this restaurant!  YUM!
5 - Jennifer G.: Don't understand the criticism about the lunch buffet at all. It's vegetarian nirvana for me. My daughters and I go here often for lunch and have always found it to be fresh and well-stocked with a nice variety of very yummy choices. I love their brown rice, spring rolls, black rice pudding. I could go on. If you're vegetarian, I don't know any place in town that can beat this and at this price.
Above and beyond this, the family that owns Araya's REALLY understands the value of a warm greeting and customer service. No complaints whatsoever. Keep on keepin' on, Araya's!
3 - Jennifer C.: I went with my three girlfriends on a Friday early evening, and it wasn't busy yet (by the time we left, the restaurant was more than half full). Although I'm not a vegetarian, I love vegetarian foods as long as the food is fresh, of good quality, and delicious. That's pretty much my criteria for any restaurant. This restaurant fell flat in its salads - lots of iceberg lettuce and large flavorless tomatoes that had been clearly refrigerated. A salad can't be good when the ingredients are tasteless and not fresh (the sauce was ok, but it didn't make up for the rest). We also ordered a drunken noodles dish that was pretty tasty. However, there's something in the sauce (MSG perhaps) that made my mouth very dry later. The portion sizes are very large, so I'm glad we ordered family style. The service is great, and the people are nice. I just wish the food was better quality.
4 - Thais G.: I had never been to an all-vegetarian asian restaurant, but Araya's offered a vegetarian lunch buffett and the spring rolls were deep-fried perfection! The fried rice was fresh and buttery and the tofu was cooked just right. I didn't.care too much for the soup (I'm not a huge cilantro fan) or the black sticky rice (it tasted like bland mush with a hint of sweetness). But I am definitely interested to go back and check out the dinner selection!
3 - cara c.: Sometimes it is hard to find a comfortable place to sit here. Food is good but i have had some of their dishes prepared better at other locations. All in all its a good place to eat. love that its all veggie!
4 - John J.: Lunch buffet is Ayyyyyy OK.   For a carnivore like myself, didn't miss not animal in my meal one bit.
5 - Samantha G.: The lunch buffet is such a great deal! For only $8.99, you can get yourself filled on various vegetarian dishes ranging from egg rolls to soup and phad thai.  I'm not a vegetarian but I really enjoy having lunch here.  I highly recommend giving their peanut sauce a shot.  I thought it went well with most of the dishes I ate it with. 

I personally think this is the perfect place to have a meal with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian friends.  Give it a shot when you have time!
4 - J D M.: Vegan Thai Buffet!!!!!!!!!!!!  Mostly bland food until you slather on the peanut sauce.  Unlimited spring rolls are what good dreams are made of.
2 - Jyoti P.: This place gets points for ambiance and surrounding but the food missed out on all fronts. The Tom Yum soup didn't have vegetables, just tofu. The vegetables in all dishes could have been cooked more and the tofu satay was soggy and greasy. The pad see eew had twice as many vegetables than noodle. They also messed up two out the three dishes bringing us something we didn't order. Probably our fifth time here but also our last.
5 - Iestyn B.: Based on the lunch buffet, this place has the most delicious vegetarian/vegan food around. They also proudly display many activist leaflets and posters, which a lot of similar restaurants seem scared of doing. They are currently looking for a Bellevue location, and I for one will be over the moon if that comes to fruition!
4 - Jennily D.: Wonderful service!!!  Was in the area and have been meaning to check out this place. 

Everyone was very friendly and helpful.  I got lots of attention especially for having a to-go order.  Great touches was when one nice server asked about which yoga studio I came from, and conversed with me,recommending another studio I should check out.  Another male server went above and beyond to carve the meat out of a fresh coconut so I could take it to-go.  It's been a long time since I've had genuinely good service especially on a Friday night.

I ordered the pad thai and basil fried rice.  I should have remembered my cardinal rule:  If you've never been to a particular restaurant before, order below your spice level because you don't know how spicy they are!

So let's say their spicy #3 is quite hot-often the #4 in other restaurants so keep that in mind.

Food came out piping hot in a very generous portion ( yay lunch and dinner for tomorrow!), but one less star for the flavors.

Pad thai was instantly too sweet for my preference, however noodles were cooked well and I liked how they cooked and cut the tofu.

Basil fried rice had a unique smell to it, to which I accredit the thin strips of bamboo shoots.  The texture of the rice was beyond amazing, however I added my own soy sauce because I didn't get too much flavor coming out.  I really liked all the vegetables including cabbage, which I typically do not enjoy in a fried rice.

Major kudos for having gluten free dessert options.  Didn't have a sweet tooth at the moment, but I am excited to try them in the future.

I think I'll order something different next time, but will definitely return for the great ambiance and service.
1 - S W.: YUCK. I went to this place for lunch today and it was so disgusting. I got a Thai iced coffee with coconut milk and it was so sugary I couldn't drink more than a few sips. What a waste.

I ordered the Sweet and Sour Tofu with brown rice and my friend got the Pa-nang Tofu. The sweet and sour sauce was like candy, it was so gross. It wasn't sour or tangy at all, and the vegetables were swimming in the red goo. My friend's curry was so bland it was like steamed vegetables thrown into an entire can of coconut milk with some curry paste. There was just way too much sauce. 

Service was mediocre- we were checked on for our order, once during the meal, and for our check.

This place is way overpriced and the food is just terrible.
5 - Caroline H.: Who says only vegetables are not good enough to satisfy our taste??? Araya's Place is THE ONE PLACE you want to go when you are craving for Thai food, and really want to eat healthy. This place is very spacious, and the decoration is extrodinary, brings out the Thai culture and made me feel cozy and comfortable while enjoying the tasty food of Araya's. You don't need to be a vegan to eat here ! For one dish that I reccoment the most is the Tom-Yom Soup, which was my first choice for my hang over !!!!! The service was extrodinary, the wait staff were always very friendly and nice !  Thank you for being there, Araya's !!!
4 - Ninette C.: I really like vegetarian thai food and this place does not disappoint. It was definitely a good lunch spot back when I was a college student. They have good all you can eat soup, phad Thai and rice pudding for a great price!
4 - s z.: this place is DELICIOUS.  well most of the items on the menu.

i normally don't do vegetarian cuisine because i'm a full-blown carnivore.  when i get a little cilantro as garnish, i'll eat that and consider my mission accomplished in terms of veggie consumption.  i must say, this place is really pretty good.  the prices aren't much to cheer or complain about, but that's whatever if you're getting yummy food.  

i've had all their curries at least 3 times and i've never had a bad batch.  i don't recommend the fried rice, however.  it's just not as good as the fried rice you'd get a chinese place (but that could be my chinese side speaking).  their buffet is what really gets me.  i love it.  it's never really that crowded, the food is rotated so it's fresh, and it's $9 or something.  amazing.  

araya's is consistent.  that's the most important thing to me.  if you get the pad thai and you like it, it'll be that same pad thai you liked next time.  if you didn't like it, you know what to avoid.
5 - Lisa N.: I really never thought I'd like fake meat. I'd previously only been to the awesome lunch buffet (and I mean awesome), but came for dinner last night with a friend. I ordered the drunken mushrooms which is essentially vegan pad kee mao with lots of mushrooms and fake meat. Honestly if you hadn't told me that I was eating no animal products I wouldn't have realized it at all-- if this is what being vegan is like maybe I should stop knocking it, eh? The noodles were flavourful and soft without being too gooey or chewy (a mistake easily made by most Thai places) and the peppers were wonderfully crunchy and juicy. You can put mushrooms into any dish and I'll probably love it and this was no exception. Huge chunks of delicious earthy goodness acted like sponges for the spicy Thai flavours-- super amazing. Also! A pot of tea to share (or to hoard if you're that type) is only $3.50. Yes? Yes. Totally perfect :)
4 - Rachel P.: HOLY MOLY!!! This place was super tasty! I went today for lunch thanks to a groupon from a friend, but I pass by every day on my way to work. I hate to say I've been narrow minded about it because it says Vegetarian on the sign ... I learned today just try it and enjoy. 

 I tried the Pad Thai with 2 stars ... definitely could use more spice so next time I will do 4 stars. My FAVE of the day was the Asparagus Hunsa ... WOW! Loved it! Yet again I should have added a little more spice, but this was my first time here and I didn't know just how spicy their stars were. 

Will definitely go back!!!
5 - Jordon S.: Friend 1: Do you want thai for lunch? 

Me: Yes, Let's get Thai Tom. 

Friend 2: How about Araya's?

Friend 1: Yes, ARAYA"S NOM NOM NOM. 

Me: The vegetarian place? 

Friend 1: Yep. So good. 

Me: No thanks. 

Friend 2: We're going with or without you. 

Me: But I'm a carnivore.......(As I get in the car with them)

---- Arrival at what is a packed dining area on a Saturday ---- 

Me: This is going to be a while, let's go to thai tom. Look at that 20 person line. 

Friend 1: It will move fast 

--- And it did. Very quickly. Fresh thai brought out every 20. 

Friend 2: Alright, the line died down. Let's get in there. 

Me: Ok. Since we're here. 

---As I look around and the delicious, sweet smell of curry, and distinct blend of spices hits my nose, I realize this is no ordinary vegetarian food. ---

Fastforward 2 hours and 4 plates later. 

Me: It was ok. 

Server: You need to leave, you've been eating foreverrrrrrr. 

Friend 1: See I knew you'd like it. 










It is fantastic and I am a self - proclaimed neanderthal meat eater. Most of my meals revolve around a protein. In this instance at this wonderful restaurant I realize you can have incredible flavor without killing animals. It won't make me vegetarian for more than a meal at a time when I get to enjoy this buffet indulgence, But I will not be so hesitant in the future.
5 - Alan N.: Myself and two other members of BBN9K decided to try the wares that Araya's had to offer. On all accounts of the 5 people that came, we all came away thoroughly pleased; impressed even. 

This is the first establishment that I have tried to eat strictly vegetarian and had thoughts of running for a burger at times but pushed through. We ordered the Drunken Mushrooms, Tom Yum Soup, Spicy Noodle, Avocado Curry and the Asparagus Hunsa. To varying degrees, all the dishes were quite delicious. My personal favorite was the Drunken Mushrooms and the Avocado Curry was surprisingly good as well. 

Nom nom nom. I mean, what can I say? Fast, friendly service, delicious food and good company made for a scrumptulescent experience. They even have their own private parking lot! I am already fiending for another excursion.
4 - Jamie B.: After giving Araya's a second chance I must say that it has become one of my favorite veggie Seattle restaurants.  The drunken mushroom dish is wonderful! The service is much better (perhaps it was a one-time fluke).
5 - Sara H.: This is an awesome vegetarian place!! I think that the best deal is the lunch buffet.  The buffet has usually 6 - 7 different entrees and dessert.  If you don't have time to eat in you can get a takeout container of the lunch buffet stuff.  The dinner is usually pretty crowded... definitely try the spring rolls they are served with sesame seed honey which is an awesome twist.  Overall everything tastes good.  Don't forget to get a Thai iced tea you can even get it with soy milk and the glass is huge!!
4 - Veronica D.: We were excited to try vegan Thai food at a place that knows how to make Thai food truly vegan. 

We had no idea there was a lunch buffet so at $8.99 for all you can eat it was very surprising. 

We decided to try it. For the money it's a good deal. They have a bunch of dishes.  Yellow Curry, Tom Yum Soup, stir fried vegetables, steamed vegetables, vegetable spring rolls, pad thai, salad and some other dishes I don't know. 

I wished they had had more than 1 curry, but that's ok, yellow curry is still good. 

The pad thai was a little greasy, but still ok. 

They also have a bunch of different vegan desserts, but by then we were so stuffed there was no way we could get some. I took some photos of it though.  They have some gluten free ones as well. 

I wish we had stayed longer so we could come for dinner and order off the menu.  I would come back, it's run by friendly people and was nice to find a vegan Thai place.
5 - Ema N.: I've been eating at Araya's for over 10 years (waay back when they were on the Ave) and I still love it. 

I had my UW graduation dinner here with a small group of friends/family and the service was quick, food was shared family-style, and everyone loved it.

The Tofu Larb salad is really good (it's better than Larb Gai!) and the kitchen was able to make it for me without raw onion. Even though it's a salad, I still have to eat it with rice and it's sufficient for a meal (cold or warm). 

The portions of the main menu items (curry, noodles, etc.) are large enough to share between 2 people. The soups can probably easily feed 3-4 people for one order (at least for me, I've always shared it and still had enough for take home). 

There's no worry for me to eat here since everything is vegan and I don't have to worry about any seafood/shellfish allergy reactions. The kitchen staff are also really helpful about other types of food allergies, spiciness levels and answering any questions about recommended menu items. I've brought many non-vegan friends here, and all were impressed!
3 - erica r.: Mostly I've been there for their lunch buffet. While it's exciting to have so many vegan options at once, I always feel like they're not all that great. Worth going to once in awhile, but not really amazing food.

I'd always heard that the food is so much better when you order off the menu, so I went for dinner. While the menu definitely offers more interesting variety than I am used to in veg. Thai restaurants, the food was again disappointing. Maybe I just didn't order the best things. I imagine that there are some things there that are just incredible...I just think everything on the menu should be...
2 - Nicole B.: I can only speak to the lunchtime buffet. All you can eat for $8.99, with tax $9.89. The experience was awkward at first, since the entrance opens to (what feels like) the middle of the dining room. There is no hostess stand, and I stood there for about a minute (in all my awkward glory) and wasn't helped. I then went to what looked like a cashier stand next to where they sell baked goods, and stood in line there while people paid for their meals. Once I got to the front of the line, I was seated. So, to review, if you want to be seated, you need to walk through the dining room, wait in line behind people trying to buy pastries and people paying for their meal, and then get seated. I thought that this was a strange method of seating guests.

Once I was seated, I went over to the buffet and tried a little of about everything. I thought everything tasted somewhat the same, kind of the same basic spices, sweetness, and veggies with a different starch (rice, noodles, etc) and maybe a curry sauce over what looked like curry. It was frustrating that there were no labels on the food, not an ingredients list or so much as the name of the dish, so I couldn't really tell what I was eating. It was helpful when a fellow customer (probably a regular) noted my confusion and started telling me which dish was which, but really? Would it be so difficult to have mini signs and descriptions so that the guests don't have to resort to seeking help from other guests? I have to say though that the flavors of the dishes, although fairly indiscriminate from each other, were pretty good, with the exception of what I think was the Pad Thai. It definitely tasted like a store bought Pad Thai sauce, and in my humble opinion, did not taste authentic. That was disappointing, because I always thought that, if all else fails in a Thai restaurant, Pad Thai is a consistent go-to meal. Not in this case.

The service was fairly good, given that two girls were running the entire front of house (bravo!), and the place was busy as well.

I think the price fits the quality of food. As a vegan, this place agreed with my vegan side, but the buffet didn't really impress my palate. I hope non-vegans don't think that this is the best vegan food can do. However, for a quick, affordable meal, this place does the job.
2 - Kerry S.: The last couple of times I have gone to Araya's for the buffet, I have been sorely disappointed. The buffet pad thai tastes weird and there is never a good curry option.

The soup and spring rolls still don't disappoint, but I would rather go elsewhere and just get a good main dish.
5 - Andre R.: Very good even though I usually don't eat vegitarian nor do I ever spell it lol. Accidentally went on the day of all you can eat buffet and it was a extremely satisfying meal I recommend to anyone
4 - Kim H.: The buffet is great, but the dinner menu is fantastic.
5 - Sharon C.: This is review for the lunch buffet. It was awesome! The black sticky rice pudding was mouthwatering but after stuffing myself with pad thai and curry as well as the ever famous crispy spring rolls and steamed veggies drenched in peanut sauce.  Amazing and totally worth it since most thai places charge you more than $8.99 for one entree. Too bad there's no discount for kids or seniors. Oh well...
4 - Linda L.: I love the atmosphere and food at this place.  The only turn off is the price, which is why I come here rarely.  

Pretty much everything on the menu is good, and I (an avid  meat eater) didn't even miss the meat because the dishes are filling and hearty.  My favorite thing is the hot and sour soup.  While I personally love hot and sour soup even when it's crappy with thin broth and throwaway meats and vegetables, I must say that the soup here is brilliant.  It's very thick, flavorful, and every component is of very high quality.
4 - Kim S.: Love the buffet.  Have been there for dinner and it is just ok. Good selection on the buffet and great that it is all veggie.
5 - Martin R.: Excellent Thai food. I hadn't been there since they were on the Ave, but my wife and I stopped there the other day.  It's only gotten better.  Neither of us are vegetarian, yet we both thought it was the best Thai we've had in years.
4 - Jen D.: Really tasty food, great service, very nice restaurant. I would absolutely suggest this for any vegetarian who is looking for a new place to try. Parking is a pain - I wanted to rage on this man who parked in 2 parking spots when the parking was clearly packed.
3 - Regina D.: Service leaves you to yourself ... but it ends up being okay because the food is so good. Try the Pa-Nang curry, beautifully presented Araya's Asparagus, Drunken Mushrooms, and Phad Phet Makhua with brown rice. Also try the brown rice tea!
4 - Nate W.: Araya's is a restaurant that has been around for decades and will continue to be.  They have what I would describe as a cult following, encompassing a wide range of the community. 

The food is very good.  I've eaten off of the menu as well as the buffet at least 10 times each.  The only knock against it would be their price.  It is slightly too expensive to compete for 5 stars with the other Thai restaurants on the ave.  The price isn't shocking though.  Everyone knows it comes with the territory in regards to vegetarian restaurants.  I would highly recommend the bean thread noodles as well as the infamous spring rolls.  

In terms of the atmosphere the staff keeps its awfully consistent.  I've been going here for over 4 years and its always been the same.  You can count on a relaxed setting with friendly and helpful staff.  

Be sure to bring your friends, they certainly have the seating to accommodate!
5 - Angeline B.: def. one of my favorite places in the u district, if I could cook like this I would be vegan, I'll just have to stick with vegetarian.
4 - Rye D.: While Visiting Seattle. I came here with a friend. I was surprised by all the vegan options. We had pot stickers which were fabulous crispy and not soggy.
I enjoyed a noodle dish vague I know. But I can't remember the name. One thing I do remember it was fabulous. I love that you can pick how hot you
Want your spices to be , Huge plus. The waitress was nice and helpful. She wasn't overbearing and left us alone to eat. The atmosphere was quite , 
The decorations and style of the restaurant was very interesting cool dragons, plants and little figurines all over the place.
4 - Wendy M.: $8.99 Thai Buffet!
What an awesome find!
There are a lot of Thai Restaurants in Seattle, but not many Buffet's.  

My usual Thai order would consist either something with tofu,vegetables and/or peanut sauce and my fiance's, "Chicken" Pad Thai.  We are not a vegans and Araya is a Vegan Friendly Restaurant.  I do however, love my veggies and felt like a kid in a candy store! My fiancé on the other hand, enjoyed the Pad Thai and the "pancit" like version, but had to ask, "where's the chicken?" The tofu just didn't cut it for him! lol He would rather eat at or take out Thai, where as I, loved the endless vegan!

Outcome: We left full and happy! 
Thank you my fellow Yelpers, for guiding me to this great place!

TIPS: 
- Private Lot with Limited Parking.
- Vegan 
- Vegan / Gluten Free Bakery

Hours Vary:
- Lunch Buffet Everyday: 11:30am - 3:30pm
- Breakfast Served Monday - Friday: 7:00am - 11:00am
- Lunch / Dinner: Monday - Thursday: 11:30am - 9:30pm
- Lunch / Dinner: Friday and Saturday: 11:30am - 10:00pm
5 - Tom H.: The lunch buffet is amazing, I bring people here all the time and it is instantly their favorite restaurant.
5 - Adrienne S.: Soo I'm at the consensus now after much intricate and detailed research (I eat, I feel bad or good afterwards, I take notice) that I generally feel better the more vegetables I eat. You may believe this is all perhaps TMI and has nothing to do with Araya, but I'm getting there. 

While I am sooo down with some bombastic Mexican carnitas piled high with guac, sweet n tangy BBQed pulled pork, Paseo's slices of puercos heaven on french bread, or a juicy little steakhouse baseball fillet once in a while, I love finding vegetarian restaurants that feature flavors so delicious you don't miss the meat. Araya is one of them, and their lunch buffet is a real winner. My stomach thanks me, and at Araya, my wallet does too. 

Traveler's Thali in Beacon Hill is also a great inexpensive veggie option that you may forget you're skipping the meats:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/travelers-thali-house-seattle#hrid:AZknhtE3kPv4iGSOW_5W2Q

The buffet has delicious brown rice, stewed veggies curries, rice noodles, steamed veggies and tofu, tom ka, and my favorite Thai desserts. Thai iced teas come to the table in large, elegant glasses. Get yours with coconut milk to boost your good fats many veggie purists may lack. 

Hit up the U District farmer's market like a good psuedo-veggie like myself and treat yourself here afterwards.
3 - Samara S.: I've been here several times, and except for once the lunch buffet has always satisfied (one time everything seemed bland and boring). I do use a fair amount of hot chili sauce to kick it up.  Spring rolls perfectly crispy.  Guilt-free vegan food, yay!!  I also dig their lemongrass soup, but not fond of the sweet and sour.
4 - ida j.: Yum! The daily lunch buffet is awesome. The egg rolls are amazing. The avocado curry is really good, and their Tom Kha soup is also really good. Super friendly service and reasonably priced.
5 - Christine S.: I hosted about 20 people for a birthday party here. It was wonderful. The food? Great. Their patience with the crowd? Even better. They went out of their way to accommodate us. I had the cashew delight, and it was wonderful. The veggies were perfectly cooked and the sauce was very flavorful. After four of my friends ordered the Thai iced coffeee, I did too. Again, fabulous. I am vegan, but most of my friends are not, and some need to eat gluten free diets, and all found something to eat. The food, atmosphere, and service was great. I am so glad that I chose this restaurant! 

I will say that this is probably the most professional of the vegan restaurants that I have been to so far in Seattle. I could not have imagined doing this in any of the other ones.  It's vegan, but not in an overbearing way ideologically. The prices are also very fair.
4 - Rachana S.: As a vegetarian, I really appreciate this place.  As a completely vegetarian restaurant, I actually get stressed out trying to figure out what to choose to eat here.  And, it's a great place to take my family because we can order so much more and have so many more options!  Everything is really good - although I think the one dish that was a little disappointing was the eggplant dish.  Besides that, everything I've tried has been extremely tasty - ranging from the pumpkin, avocado, and panang curries, to the noodles, soups, and appetizers.  One thing that's also nice is that they have weekend buffets!  And as a vegetarian, it's exciting to actually be able to eat everything out of the buffet (though if you like spicy food, like me, the buffet food is a bit too mild, so I'd recommend just paying for a real meal)
4 - Whitney B.: I live pretty much a mile away from this establishment, and when I am on a vegetable craze (pretty much 24/7), I am always craving Araya's. They do not get 5 stars from me because of their incredibly slow service. I usually get their green curry with asparagus here, and it came out lukewarm once. The place wasn't even that packed, so this was a disappointment. They are just generally slow around here. 

Regardless, their food is so good here. They know how to treat their vegetables. Vegetables need to be nurtured in a specific way--let them be their natural, sexy selves. Do not try to dress them in five different oils and hundreds of spices and allow them to be soggy/upset-looking. A lot of vegetarian places around the U-District offer your run-of-the-mill, cheap vegetables like broccoli and canned mushrooms. That is just blasphemy. 

I thoroughly enjoy that Araya's offer a variety of vegetables like bamboo shoots, asparagus, bell peppers, snow peas, etc. Their vegetables are not soggy and overcooked, and they do not try to cover up its natural taste with a convoluted mess of flavors and spices. At the same time, their dishes are far from bland. Phad thai and the curries are all good across the table.
4 - Beau P.: Continues to be a great vegan Thai restaurant. You have to try the pumpkin curry!
4 - Peter T.: I've been to Araya's a lot, so it's probably time to write a review. In the interests of full disclosure, I am a complete germophobe and I have absolutely no faith in the personal hygiene habits of just about every other human on the face of the Earth which means that my personal rule is that a) I don't eat samples in the grocery store that are just sitting on a platter in the middle of the aisle, and b) I don't eat from buffet restaurants. Yes, I have seen the sneeze guards, and no, I don't think they are effective. I've seen more than one person stick their head under the sneeze guard to get a good look and/or sniff of the food. 

So, with all that preamble out of the way, the weekend buffet at Araya's is so good that I am able to supress my innate aversion to buffets and just enjoy everything. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the food is all vegan and the wait staff at Araya's are just so nice.

The wife and I have also dined at Araya's when the buffet is not on, and their a la carte items are wonderful. The last time we were there for dinner, one of the chefs came out and gave us a sample of the evening's special appetizer (a delicious corn fritter). 

Araya's is a little rough around the edges - it is in the U District after all - but if you look past that you will see this place for the little vegan jewel that it is.
4 - Tiana P.: Got take out, but wanted to stay for the buffet. It looked and smelled awesome. The tom yum soup was excellent, as were the fresh rolls. I've been dying to go back for thai buffet.
1 - Jeremy Y.: I really wanted to like this place so I could give a better review since I don't know of any other all-you-can-eat vegan restaurants in Seattle, but sadly I can't.

I really like the ambiance inside (lots of Buddha's and such) and at first glance the buffet looked promising.  They have quite a bit of options but they are all noodles or salads.  The noodles were good but I can only eat so many noodles without wanting something else.  They did have a good soup however. And unlike the amazing Bamboo Garden, they had no "meat" dishes. All the noodles had in them were onions and a few pieces of tofu.  

The service was pretty bad as well.  I know it is a buffet, but you shouldn't have to track down wait staff for a beverage.  I saw other tables have the same bad service and they were NOT eating from the buffet.

The price and ambiance were good, but sadly I will never go back unless I want an endless supply of noodles.  Perhaps the regular menu items are better.  Oh, bonus points an hour after we left (me and my Aunt), we both developed painful stomach issues.  Lets just say I am thankful for the bathroom at the Northgate Best Buy!

PS: They do have their own tiny free parking lot which was a PLUS!
2 - Carly S.: Overall, I'm petty disappointed with our experience. We've been trying to find some good new vegan/vegetarian spots to go to. Having driven past Araya's Place countless times over the years I was excited to finally try it out! I ordered the pad-si-ew and emphatically asked for no spice. When my dish arrived it was so hot  and spicy that I could only take a few bites and had to give it to my husband. His salad dish was okay but not what he had expected. The only positive note was that the vegetable spring rolls were fresh and perfectly crispy. I left hungry and dissatisfied. Not only was the food a let down our server never once came back to check in to see how our meal was. I really did want to like this place but I'm sad to say that I will never waste my money there again.
5 - Juli-ann W.: Tried the lunch buffet and loved it.  They have wonderful, fresh food with a large variety.  I loved the pad thai and the green beans.  I also loved that they had a spice station to increase the spices to your desired level.  The spring rolls were to die for and the peanut sauce was some of the best I've ever had.  It was so satisfying.
3 - Valerie K.: I did not come here for the lunch buffet, because I didn't know about it until I checked Yelp AFTER dinner, and instead came for dinner. The three stars are for my review of dinner.

 I ordered Tofu Tod Gatiam with a side of brown rice. It was pretty good, although a bit on the salty side.... I wish there was more curry flavor as well. Their fried tofu is definitely of the better kind I've had. sometimes they can be airy and spongy inside, but their fried tofu was nice and soft on the inside. The portion was not really worth 8.95 in my opinion. It looks like a lot but afterall it's mostly vegetables and I ended up finishing the whole plate easily.

My friend ordered the Thai fried rice which was alright. I'm not much of a fried rice person so I don't have much to say about it.

Overall, it's a nice vegetarian place if you like vegetarian, although I can't comment on how Thai it really is. I wouldn't recommend coming for dinner, but I would recommend coming for the lunch buffet instead, as it seems very few people complain about it.
4 - Loon E.: Very solid food, service is exceptional every single time here.  Love the Tom Kha soup at the spiciest level.  Also a fan of their avocado and pumpkin curries.  Good deals for lunch supposedly, but I've only been here for dinners.
5 - Amber L.: Delish! Such an amazing lunch buffet and even though it's pretty normal priced for a buffet, the fact that it's all vegetarian/vegan makes it even more worth it. Definitely hit Araya's whenever you are in the city!
5 - Sam O.: I've LOVED Araya's for years. Amazing food and friendly service. Vegan Thai food highlights delicious veggies and homemade sauces and seasonings. Staff is always very friendly and efficient and happy to accomodate special requests.

I recommend the lunch buffett to taste new dishes or introduce someone to Thai for the first time.

My favorittes:
Noodle Curry
Tom Kah Soup
Araya's Asparagus
Veggie Tempura is absolutely THE BEST tempura

They have a selection of vegan desserts as well, though I prefer vegan cookies for a dessert-y treat.

Small private parking lot is a plus in the U-District, though it fills up fast on busy nights.
2 - Stephanie K.: I've come here for the lunch buffet a handful of times because it's a convenient spot for meeting up with one of my vegan friends...but the food just isn't good. I know that the food isn't done any favors by being served buffet-style, but I always take that into account and lower my expectations accordingly. And even then I'm underwhelmed.

I love Thai food--even vegan/vegetarian Thai food (though I am neither, myself). Jhanjay is one of my absolute favorite places to eat. Araya's isn't even close to being in the same league. I find the food at Araya's heavy, greasy, unimaginative and bland (everything needs extra condiments, which they do offer). I think vegetables can shine when well done, but here I've only had veggies that were overdone--overcooked, that is. Also, one of the usual pluses for me to eating a meat-free meal is that I feel better afterwards. But eating here makes me feel the same as when I eat Taco Bell. 

It's inexpensive. And though it's tiny, they do get bonus points for having a parking lot. I have a hard time picturing anyone other than broke college students liking this place, so at least the location is perfect for that customer base.
5 - G G.: Girlfriend's a vegan, I'm not. This is my fav Thai place in all of SEA and I never miss the meat here. They take vegetables to a whole new level and the curries.............

Also, really reasonable and nice ambiance/service/etc. too!

OH! And if you don't do gluten--they can do almost everything on the menu gf and delicious. Impressive.
4 - Ked D.: All of their food is great.  The lunch buffet is amazing and provides a lot of food for a great price.  The service is pleasant and quick.
4 - Josh B.: the price went up a little, but the quality of the food for the buffet is

SO

MUCH

BETTER

!!
5 - scooter k.: Great Vegan Buffet.  I still remember being blown away by the selections the first time I went here.  There are so many options! And I can eat all of them!

Highlights, the Tom Ka soup (I usually get at least wo bowls every time), spring rolls with peanut sauce (all you can eat!) and the sticky rice with coconut sauce (it doesn't look that great but it tastes delicious, especially if you go 1:1 with the coconut sauce.  There is also a good selection of salads (including delicious oranges) and a decent array of pad thai/curries and crispy noodles.

All in all a great place to eat enough for the whole day.  Buffet's open till three and I  never feel uncomfortable eating here with a book alone.
5 - Leah C.: I can't believe I haven't reviewed Araya's yet!

Araya's was the very first Seattle restaurant I visited after moving to Tacoma.  I had heard rave reviews from friends and was not disappointed.  I am always scared to tell people it's a buffet because let's face it buffets are often soggy, heat lamp scorched, rubberized, no-good very-bad deals.  Araya is nothing like that!  Their food is hot and fresh and the veggies are tender crisp.  

I highly recommend the peanut sauce (you must use a ladle -- you're welcome), the noodles, the sauteed mushrooms, the hot and sour soup, the cucumber salad, the crispy noodles...hell, it's all good.  I take omnivores here all the time and they are blown away by the spring rolls and the bright, lovely flavors.  I always end up with two plates plus some fruit -- it's hard to do more even though I really want to.  It's still a great value even for one heaping plate.

I've only done dinner (plate service, not buffet) once and it was just okay.  I am all about the buffet.

A great place for those new to Thai food, children, and picky eaters since it's all yummy and they can choose just what they like the look of.
5 - L M.: AMAZING, whether you're a meat-eater or not (and I am). This place had a beautiful buffet that was healthy and loaded with all my favorite things - Tom Ka soup. green curry, sweet black rice with coconut milk goodness to pour over it for dessert (I could have eaten several bowls of this if I'd have saved room, go 50/50 each rice/coconut), peanut sauce for whatever you want to put it on (and it's good enough to eat by itself - I was tempted). Not only that, but all of the gluten-free option were labeled GF below each name. Atmosphere was lovely and laid-back, waitress was funny and friendly, and lunch buffet was around $9. Go or miss out.
1 - Kimberly H.: We were pleasantly surprised the first time we ate there and overlooked the obvious issue of cleanliness...my tea was served in a filthy french press and the utensils were dirty...We really enjoyed our meal and returned with high hopes. Sorry to say, we ordered the same items (soup, won tons, etc), and the food was awful.  Consistency and cleanliness are pretty important and lacking.  Plus, my stomach was having fits all night, not a good sign.
5 - James B.: So, this review is a little out of the ordinary..
I lived in Seattle, in the U-District for years, but left there in 1998.
I spent more nights than not in Arayas Place, and the food is AWESOME!
The buffet, never failed to leave me satisfied.
I an glad to see they are still open after all this time (A testimony to the intrinsic awesomeness and expertise of Araya).
I will definately be making a trip to Seattle with my wife for the beauty of the city, and will definately eat at Araya's Place.
5 - Bhavesh C.: Excellent
5 - Lisa L.: They make the best tasting vegan foods.  This is the only place I'd go to for yummy tasting veggies!

Arbor Brewing Company - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2804754, -83.7483644) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
4 - Bjorn G.: The best beer in town can be found at ABC. They have rotating selections, with some seasonal brews and others that are more or less regulars. My personal favorites include Terminator, their ESB, and the Rye. The menu selection is decent pub food, usually with an unusual twist. When they first opened the food was mostly unpalatable, now it has improved to where it's mostly unremarkable with an occasional gem. The pierogies are usually pretty good. I'm fond of their soups, though the cup portion is a little small. Despite the drab food, this is a good place to hang out, especially since the main bar area is non-smoking. When I lived nearby, this was one of my regular haunts.
4 - erik s.: The fish n' chips and the IPA's will tickle your bottom with joy...
5 - Margot F.: I follow the crowd on this one: ABC has the best beer brewed in Ann Arbor.  The Red Snapper is perfectly bitter and wonderfully hoppy, but smoother than most and gently floral.  The hefeweizen is sweeter than most and lingers, but still clean and light and summery.  The IPA is dry and intense, and frequently a fun contrast to whatever beer #1 was that night.  Even the standard golden ale, the Big Ben, is a rich and flavorful brew.  

There are dozens more, all distinct and masterfully executed, available in a rotating schedule so be adventurous.  I have yet to be disappointed. 

As if that weren't enough, the menu is crawling with vegetarian options and healthy and sustainable choices like locally-raised free range beef and fair trade coffee.  The "late night  menu," the very slightly pared-down version of the full menu, is available until midnight.  Cajun fries, catfish tacos, their homemade black bean burger (in any of its incarnations: on a bun or crumbled on nachos or taco salad), and the fish n'chips are favorites.  Nothing to go wild over, but tasty and reasonably priced standard pub fare: shepherd's pie, salads, sandwiches, burgers.  

A host will seat you, a server will fetch your beer, and the non-smoking section is twice the size of the smoking part, making  ABC feel much more like a restaurant than a bar.  Uninspired juke box, condiments on the tables, it's absolutely the kind of place you take your parents to for lunch.  For a special treat on the first Thursday of every month, you can even attend a beer  tasting for $25/person, and then you too can spout off about how floral or citrusy or hoppy this or that monthly feature is.

Fair warning: many of the brews have a higher alcohol content than you may be used to, so be careful--or don't.   If you choose the latter, I'd be happy to challenge you to a game of darts or shuffleboard in the smoking room, pink-lunged crowd be damned.
4 - Dave M.: I am a big fan of the stout.  I once had an entire glass of a red spilled on my crotch by a stoned waitress.  On a previous trip, a waiter yelled at our group for stiffing him on the tip because he couldn't do math properly.  I usually try to tip pretty well but if you are going to be slow, stupid, *and* mess up the bill I am not going to tip you above 15%, sorry bro.  Anyway, the beer is very good (yes, it is the best brewed in AA) and the food is better than you would expect.  It can get a little noisy sometimes.  Weak 4 stars.
5 - Suman G.: We spent only 3 hours in Ann Arbor on Friday afternoon, and 2.5 of them we spent here.  It was quieter than usual, being mid-afternoon of Black Friday.  We had some beers and some lunch, reliving our days of residing in AA.  Alas, we didn't make it over to the shuffleboard table. But the beer was good, and the food decent.  ABC..one of the few things I miss about AA.
4 - Jeff F.: "No Smoking at the bar with great beer, this place rocks!"

I think the quality and variety of their beer really sets the Arbor Brewing Company apart.  Bitters, Stouts, IPA and Doppelbocks...they have it all.  It varies with the season, so you can always try something new.  Some of the beers are actually limited to 3 pints per customer due to alcohol content.  Bring a designate driver!

Their menu is unique.  My favorite is the roasted garlic plate appetizer.  It comes with olives, peppers and cloves of soft garlic that spread easily on the warm baguettes.  They also have food for kids and vegetarians along with standard pub fair.

The atmosphere is friendly and they have both local music and bar games.  It really makes for a great night out.
4 - Corey H.: Great atmosphere.  Food and drinks are generally excellent, but the Cajun fries have never impressed.  Big fan of their porter.
3 - Margot L.: Yeah, the beer is good (a la review below) and...the food is great!  Consistent and reasonably priced, I can always count on Arbor Brewing Co. to serve up the goods in a timely and friendly way.  My favorites are the fish tacos and the pierogies (even though they have cheese on them - much to the chagrin of true Poles around the world) - all ingredients are fresh and portions are correctly-sized.
4 - Arun C.: I started off a bachelor party here and all 12 of us were impressed. I called ahead to make sure we had a table so we were seated quickly. Not only was the beer a good way to start off the night, but the service was great too. The waitress made sure the groom had a drink in his hand all night. Considering how many of us there were, she did a great job. It was my first time checking out Ann Arbor, and I would love to come back and see some more.
4 - Susan L.: Get the Phat Abbott Dubbel. You'll be happy after just one.
4 - Chris S.: The beer and food here is good. The other reviews do a good job of describing that so I digress. I like this place for throwing darts but I don't like it as a bar. Feels more like a restaurant. The bar itself is a nice copper-top but it's not the kind of bar I want to kick it at. I prefer Grizzley Peak..
4 - Michael L.: Great food, good beers. seasonal flavors are always in style. good staff. nice location for hopping. flights available. go now!
4 - Amy W.: nice bar, and the old #22 beer is great.
3 - Josh W.: Ann Arbor Brewing Company is a true maker of fine beers. The only thing holding this place down is Ann Arbor! Just sit at the bar for an hour and listen to people come in and try and order a Michelob Ultra or a tray full of mixed drinks. THESE PEOPLE MAKE GREAT AWARD WINNING BEER!

If you are a beer connoisseur they have an excellent monthly tasting of theirs and other great brews from around Michigan and the US. They also include a great snack bar for the $25 price. The event food is vegetarian friendly with a nice veggie tray, cheese tray, pirogies and hardy hot pretzels. 

If you want the beer with out the rich yuppies head out the the actual brewery of the Ann Arbor Brewing Company called the Corner Brewery located near Depot Town in Ypsilanti less then 30 min away. Free parking and a much much better crowd.

Main benefit of ABC in down town is that they have twice the number of beers on tap then the Corner Brewery which only pours what they are currently brewing.
4 - Mae S.: The extensive beer list requires as much attention as the lists of burgers, entrees, salads, sandwiches or appetizers. There are even several choices of fries/chips. So leave lots of time to order! Pizza makes a tasty appetizer. Good burgers. Nice taco salad which you can have your way (e.g., with or without beans, beef, or chicken) .Tempting Reubens -- another choice: corned beef or turkey.

They get creative with using various kinds of beer in the food -- try the pecan-porter pie -- it's cinnamony.

I've had good service for several meals there, with varying size groups, so I think they have this area right too. 

Whoops -- one bad experience: don't accept a seat in the all-smoking room on the east side of the bar area! It's not kept clean and it's really unpleasant.
5 - Theresa F.: ABC is fantastic--unpretentious, with deliciously tasty beer and pretty good food.  Prices are reasonable as well.  I'm from Portland, OR (a staple location for hefeweizen microbrews) and I have to say that their hefeweizen rivals many of the best in the Portland area.

My favorite beers is their hefeweizen, red snapper, german alt, and ultimate favorite, their tree fort beer (which is only available spring and summer I think).

Not only are owners Matt and Rene passionate about their beer, they are also active in non-profit and social activist work and support a lot of important local charities.  

A true representation of the Ann Arbor community and feel -- a staple if you are coming through town and want a taste of our liberal local town.
4 - Haroun K.: I've been here twice: once for dinner, and once for drinks.  The dinner menu is very much that of a basic Bar & Grille.  I had the black bean burger, which was passable.  It wasn't great, but with french fries, it was filling and not horribly expensive.  The ambiance was pretty relaxed, which made it worth the walk down there.  My fellow diners ordered a plate of Pierogies (enjoyed and eaten very very quickly) and a Chicken Sandwich (not enjoyed and mostly uneaten).  We all shared some Cajun fries, which had a nice kick, and did the trick.  My second time here, on St. Patrick's Day,  I ordered a sweet dark beer, small sized.  It was really good, and cost just $2.50.  The portion size was really adequate, and the cost was just 50 cents more than a coke!  The St. Patrick's Day ambiance was really lively and fun, while still relaxed.   I think this place is akin to Ashley's, but less smokey, and with better food.
2 - Coco C.: The food sucks, and after awhile I get soooo tired of drinking fancy home-brewed ber-taste-filled beer (my dark dark secret - I actually *like* PBR) hour after hour. Maybe I shouldn't be going to ABC (as the kids call it) to drink heavily, but at any rate, I can't drink more than one of their beers without getting tired of it. 

Oh, aaaand this place has NO atmosphere as a bar, it's loud and not dark enough and badly decorated. 

If I have to choose a self-brewing bar, I'd go with Grizzly Peak (aka bear Crossing).
5 - Kenny P.: I enjoyed the food (bratwurst and perogies) and beer. Much better than expected. Lots of other traditional bar food on the menu (fish and chips, Shepherd's pie, etc). Highly recommended.
2 - Marc K.: Read a few of the reviews here on yelp and I was really excited to go here.  I only eat sustainable meat, so I'm always excited when somewhere is billed as using responsible ingredients.  The chicken sounds like it's sustainable, but the beef is "raised on an all grain diet and not fed antibiotics for the last 320 days of it's life"  Grain is not grass, and I want my cow the sickest it can be for the last part of its life, right before I eat it.  Thanks.  Needless to say we didn't eat dinner here.

Beyond that, the beer was mediocre.  We ordered some sweet potato fries that were horribly cooked, horribly god-when-did-they-change-that-oil oily and sadly limp.
5 - Katy W.: Yum beer.  Yum food.  Yum ABC.  

I'd give this place 4.5 stars if I could, but since I can't, I'll just round up.  

The food is great - for bar food.  I'm not judging on a gourmet scale here.  But as bar food goes it's pretty close to top of the line.  The roasted garlic appetizer with bread and roasted peppers and onions?  Dear god I love that stuff.  

The beer is damn fine too.  They're all solid, some better than others.  Brasserie Blond is quite tasty (this coming from someone who typically goes for darker beers), Sacred Cow is a fabulous IPA, and you really can't miss with any of their stouts or porters.  

Atmosphere is more that of a restaurant than a bar, though it varies by what room you're in.  Seating is mostly booths with a few tables, and some seating at the bar.  2 or 3 dart boards (can't recall exactly at the moment).  Table shuffleboard.  Monthly beer tastings (FANTASTIC).
4 - sarah c.: the food isn't that great, but it hands down has the best beer in ann arbor. my personal favorites are the red snapper and the sacred cow IPA.
4 - Kristina B.: Like almost everyone else, I go here for the beer. I've never had a bad meal here either. Love those garlic fries (even though nobody loves being near me afterward).
4 - Melanie A.: I was pleasantly surprised by the food when I had dinner at ABC for the first time, during a recent trip to Ann Arbor.

If you are not a big fan of "bar food", like me, because it usually consists of meat and fried food, then you will appreciate the food options at ABC.  

If you think meat is nasty, most of their dishes can be substituted with yummy fake meat!  I had a delicious taco salad with fake meat and I was very happy, while my friends got to eat their real burgers and drink their beer.

Also, their garlic fries are very good, but you will smell like garlic for at least a day.  But they are worth it.

We went here on a busy evening, and the food was a little slow, but we stayed for hours and had a nice time after finally getting our food.

No real strong opinions about the beer, but I would go here again for the food.
4 - Amber E.: The beer deserves 5 stars and the food three so I'll give it a 4 star rating! 

Despite the crowded and smoky (I'm a Californian) interior there is some delicious brews on tap. The food is decent (typical bar type meals) but sometimes tries to get too fancy, just serve me a cheeseburger with my delicious beer!
4 - Steve R.: Did a work gig in Ann Arbor for awhile expecting the worst, and actually came out of it with some love for this town.  In particular this joint really kept me coming back. Great food, great beers, and a lively scene.  hell, even though I was there by myself I always manage to chat with strangers and have a good time.  I still look forward to returning here sometime.
5 - Vi V.: One of my favorite ann arbor after-hour hangouts! its far enough from campus so that i can avoid the throngs of undergrads with fake IDs. very laid-back, it has space to accommodate large groups. However, it is highly recommended to call beforehand if you have a big party.
Whats fun about ABC is that they have a shuffle board. its free, easy and lots of fun! darts are available for $1 for as long as you want to play for.
4 - Will K.: I liked the ABC. I knew I'd feel welcome as soon as I saw the rainbow flag on the front door. At least there would be open minds inside.

I grabbed a couple of beers here after work when I first arrived in Ann Arbor. The seasonal brew was tasty and filling. The staff was friendly. The interior is a bit smoky. I didn't try the food, but people have told me it's not too bad. My friends also had a good time playing pool and shuffleboard.
4 - K M.: Beer's great.  Food is passable - burgers and other such bar fare, though not so much on the cheap end of the scale.  Always accommodating for going-away parties, which for whatever reason is the only time I'd end up here.  Service was passable as soon as you got your first beer, so that you had something to do (drink!) while you waited, and waited, and waited for them to come back with your food.
4 - Michelle C.: Arbor Brewing Company has got some great beer. One of the guys in our party ordered an Amstel Light... don't make his mistake! Definitely get one of their brews. I think the food is pretty good here, better than typical bar fare. I ordered the goat cheese pizza, which also had grilled onions on it and came on focaccia bread. This is a popular spot in town so it can get pretty busy. Our server was cool and came back around at just the right times.
3 - Clarence C.: Almost forgot what a great place to hang out with your buds. House was packed Thursday night and had to look around for a table. 

For Ann Arbor, it's pricey: $5 for a bottle of Bell's Explorer and more than $10 for a plate of nachos. Haven't had any memorable meals here, but the atmosphere is perfect when you're looking for a neighborhood pub to have a few pints.

The beer is hard to beat.
3 - Sophia G.: My friend and I were not impressed with the food - I figure the major selling point for the restaurant is the beer.  Good service but with it being so busy, you'll have to wait a while before the waiter takes your order.
4 - Sarah W.: If you like "healthy" bar food and good beer than this place is for you. I always feel better knowing my bar food is organic, natural, local, and made from scratch. No high fructose corn syrup in anything! Hey, if I have to be evil at least I know it's the best it can be for me.

I love the garlic fries here but you really shouldn't eat them unless your going home alone! The cheeseburgers are good too. One thing I liked alot that has recently been taken off the menu was the pesto sandwich. Maybe we can beg them to bring it back?

They have a good happy hour here. And there is the tap room that you can rent out for private parties. The tap room has its own private bar, private restroom and private entrance. I have been to two parties here, one was a birthday with catered food from ABC. And the other was an all out dance party with their own DJ. They were both alot of fun and you can really do any kind of event in here.
4 - Tyler B.: Here's really all you need to know about ABC to make it a worthwhile destination in my book: they have steel tip darts and shuffleboard.  Enough said.  End of story.  Move on? You're right.

OK, well maybe a bit more. The beer is pretty good.  You never know what's going to be on tap, but I can always find something tasty (not that I'm too picky).  And even though one of my good friends claims that chicken tenders here are the greatest on earth, I've found the food here to be middling to bland.

As for the atmosphere/clientelle - to me its quintessential Ann Arbor.  Eclectic, laid back, willing to be what you make of it. The bar always seem to be involved in some cool community thing too, which I like.  But really, they have free shuffleboard, I'd come here if the booze was awful and expensive.
4 - Lisa W.: The Faricy Feast (though I'm sorry if I've butchered the spelling), was my favorite brew from this pub in a long time.  It was my Guinness substitute, and it had chocolatey espresso-ish notes (sorry, not quite familiar with the beer lingo).  It never fails to be watery, however, during their Half-Off Mondays special, when their pints are half off.  They do have Crooked Tree bottled up, though, for those times when the tap isn't doing it for you.

The food is decent with a selection of free-range chickens (though their chicken tenders are not free-range), happy cows, organic choices, and healthy oil.  I've eaten here several times and I feel you can't go wrong with the pesto sandwich.  Stay away from the pierogis, though.

This is a great place to go to if you are lunching with the baby, but you still want to do something grown up -- like have a beer.  They have a cute changing table in the bathroom (it's vintage-looking!) and an entire non-smoking section completely separated from the smoking section.

You can rent out the Tap Room for parties if you want.  I went to a Critical Moment party there once and they had a DJ and there is a bar in the room, as well.  It is non-smoking.  They also have great outdoor seating.  I used to pass here all the time and run into my friends hanging out on a nice summer day.
4 - Jordan B.: I've been to Ann Arbor twice now, both times I've visited ABC. The brews on tap were tasty both times. Friendly service, good beer, I don't ask for much else.
3 - Andrew L.: I see a lot of people here raving about the beer. To be honest, it's alright at best and completely awful at worst (I mean, I've had some bad beers, but I haven't had a beer that was worse than the one I ordered from here; it's too bad I can't remember what it was called). 

The food is mad pricey for Ann Arbor standards as well, but i suppose ABC makes up for this with its accommodating tables, booths, and bar stools. Sure it can get crowded, but the wait is never too long. Then again, maybe that was because when I'm tired of waiting I go up the street to Cafe Habana. 

Self-contradictions aside, I have had fun times here (my birthday included). On top of all that, if you're down with some darts you can partake in that as well. 

ABC isn't a bad place, but it's never my first choice to get a brew. 

P.S. Seeing GSI's here during the weekdays is unsettling. 
P.P.S. How could I forget?! I had my first Irish car-bomb here too. Now that's a good time!
3 - Parisa K.: ABC is a nice little brew pub with good beer and good food.  A place you can have some good fun.  It's not a place that will wow you, but it's a solid choice for almost anyone.  For you environmentalists, you might be happy to hear that ABC is going green (the website has more details), which is pretty cool and a worthy reason to support the establishment.
5 - Dana C.: Best porter I have ever had.  Miss it very much.
4 - Alfred K.: A great brewery perfect for the beer connoisseur! Food is actually pretty good in my opinion - nothing spectacular, but good enough. The fries - garlic, cajun, sweet potato with horseradish - are all amazing. All the sandwiches are pretty good too. I wouldn't expect too much from the entree type things like pasta... this is a brewery after all. I actually find the prices quite reasonable - most sandwiches are under $10 with fries included. The fact that this place is environmentally conscious (biodegradable takeout boxes) and health conscious (organics and vegetarian friendly) is a big plus.
4 - Becki B.: We've had pleasant times hanging out here. The food was good and filling, and my husband said the beer was pretty good as well (I'm not a beer fan, myself, but love bars. Go figure).

The best thing for us here was the service. On our last visit, my husband left his credit card. He called and they confirmed that they had it and would put it somewhere safe until we made it back there later in the evening. Since he was on crutches and I was eight months pregnant, we just double parked and I ran in and asked for his card. The first woman I reached was helpful and quick and even remembered, "He said he'd send a pregnant woman in for it!" We both chuckled.
3 - Jonas L.: The beer is actually quite hit-or-miss for me. The hefeweizen is nice in the summer, and the Belgian triple is delicious, but winter beers are eh. The service quality is also very varied: some days you'll get the nice people, and some days your server will treat you like shit and refuse to split a check. Still, the shuffleboard is a big selling point. I suggest going on not-so-busy nights.

They do need to stop using Comic Sans on the back of their coasters though. Bummer.
4 - Maura F.: This place gets an extra star for supporting non proft groups, student groups, human-rights centric events, and all humans in general. Bravo! It makes me feel great to support a local business I know supports me!

I've enjoyed alot of the beer here, especially the hefeweizen and the german alts. If you ever get a chance to attend one of their beer tastings, I'd recommend it. Really fun way to try their stuff, munch on snacks, win prizes, and the money usually goes towards some kind of feel-good cause. 

Its a great place to go in a large group, or to host an event!
4 - Mei O.: I love their fries.  The Cajun fries are definitely my favorite, but I think I like all their variations on fried potato sticks. I have had a few dishes from their lunch and dinner menu, and haven't had a bad experience.  I think the food is better here than Grizzly Peak, and my fiance likes their beer, don't ask what kind, that's not my area of expertise.  But he worked a fundraiser, sampled everything he was pouring, and had good things to say about each one.
5 - mariah c.: ABC has mostly taken the place of the old Del Rio (RIP) in my social orbit, if not in my heart.  I have major love for ABC -- the beer (the Blonde and the Alt are favorites), the food, and the fact that I'll invariably run into at least half a dozen people that I know.

Most weeks, I'll wind up here at least once, but sometimes it'll be 3 times.  In Ann Arbor, a lot of restaurants (that are within my price range) seem to close on the early side, so ABC's grub is my late meal of choice. 

They've changed the taco salad set-up now that they're using Ann Arbor Tortilla Company (yum!) chips, but it's still delicious.  However, sometimes you'll get a normally sized portion, and sometimes (like my fella got last week), they'll give you such a giant mound of beans and fixins that it's really a salad for 2, or 3!

I love their tempeh burger with garlic fries, though I can never finish the whole thing.  The roasted garlic plate is a good option to split, too -- just make sure to pick up a handful of those mints on the way out!

The owners really seem to care about the community, and that's a big plus, too. They try to source much of the food locally, and that sort of care comes through. 

Service is generally really good.  Every once in awhile you'll get someone who's new and/or spacey, but for the most part, everyone's friendly and quick to please. One of my favorite spots around.
5 - Drew M.: My girlfriend took me to the brewpub and eatery two nights ago and I can say that it was wonderful. Many vegan options, good beer, and some ingrediants from Zingermann's. I had the  Zingerman's burger with cheese made from their creamery. It was awesome. I also took home a Growler of the imperial IPA, which was a very nice brew. I definetly recommend this cool spot right off main st. in Ann Arbor.
4 - Andrea M.: GENERAL INFO:
I've been going to ABC for about 7 years now and their beers are some of the best brewed in town, and probably even in Michigan.   They really have flavor ranges and styles to satisfy any pallet.  

BEERS, BEERS, BEERS - MY STYLE & THEIRS:
I happen to love the dark, Russian Imperial and other dark styles that are on the sour side.   I have noticed that many of their beers tend to have a sweet finish to them on some level.  Also, there are a few beers that will cater to the "I love hops" crowd, but maybe one or two.  The majority of their selection is well above par, and tends not to "over-hop".  (You won't get a Sam Adams type here- sorry hop lovers).  Although I love dark beers (the blacker the color the better), I tend to love Hefeweissen in the summer, as it's a nice clean, citrusy splash to any hot day.  

IMPORTANT TIP:
Overall, great place to get great beer.  You MUST try the Sour Blonde if they have it in their "special bottles" section when you go. They cellar a finite amount of that brew if/when they make it, but it is one of my favorites.  I also love the smoked beer that I have nicknamed "Bacon Beer" as it tastes like bacon in a glass. 

Enjoy!
4 - Devon A.: Arbor Brewing Company offers the best beer in town.  The food is standard bar fare, but the atmosphere is warm and congenial.  The brewpub is conveniently divided for smokers and nonsmokers, so if you don't feel like inhaling secondhand smoke this is your spot.  Additionally, I'll give Arbor big points for thinking both locally and sustainably.  

Beer aficionados, be sure to sign-up for the monthly beer tastings!  Also, be sure to visit ABC's sister bar in Ypsilanti, The Corner Brewery.
5 - Dharma A.: Arbor's beer is the best in town, hand's down.  I especially love the Sacred Cow IPA---it has hints of grapefruit.  The German Alt is also good. At happy hour you can get a pint for 2-3 bucks and happy hour is all day long on Mondays!  
I'm not crazy about their food but the garlic fries rock.  The other stuff on the menu is kinda boring bar food.  I have to give them credit though-they use a lot of local ingredients and have cut everything from the menu that has high fructose corn syrup.
The staff is stellar.
4 - Erica K.: Great beer. Affordable. Locally-focused menu. Do you really need anything other than that? Whenever I come back to A2 from Chicago we end up eating here because all my friends have different dietary preferences and there is something for everyone; vegan, vegetarian, omnivore, and carnivore alike!
4 - Dave Y.: abc makes pretty decent beers in general, and this restaurant is pretty nice, too. it's a nice dark cozy place to hang out w/ people, and the food- typical bar food- is pretty tasty. happy hour is decent, too
5 - Leslie R.: Exactly what everyone else has said!  I moved to Ann Arbor in August, and have gone to ABC at least once a week ever since.  At first I didn't realize that they change their brew selection as frequently as they do (a + in my book), so I was very disappointed when I went in and my what I thought was my favorite beer, the Smoked Lager, was off the menu!  

The food is amazing because they use local, and when possible, organic ingredients.  Unlike other restaurants, they don't mark-up their prices for this.  Because I am there so frequently, I particularly appreciate the fact that they always have different monthly food specials too.  They have  great vegetarian menu options, but sometimes I get bored with those and order a Georgia Reuben with tomato instead of turkey, or get the Taco Salad without a meat option...and they actually take $2 off the price.  In my experiences elsewhere, they add a charge on for a substitution, despite the fact that they are saving money!  

Bottom line, ABC is so awesome, I actually took its location into consideration while conducting my most recent apartment search
1 - Zach S.: I have to say that I'm shocked and disappointed to see the huge number of positive reviews for this terrible establishment. I must warn any loyalists that you are about to read a diatribe.

This place just sucks. The beer is exceedingly average, the food is not good and incredibly overpriced, and I've never been treated worse at a bar or restaurant.

First, my story. Last night five friends and I went to ABC for dinner and a few beers. Our bill came to $84. The service was mediocre - not great but certainly not bad. If I was paying the bill myself I would have tipped him about 15%. Due to a shuffle of people coming and going and a couple people in the group acting like the cheap, poor recent graduates that we are, our stack of cash and credit cards came to $92 and nobody was willing to budge. Fine, whatever - the guy wasn't that great, messed up a time or two and did the initial math wrong on our bill, and while a 9.5% tip is certainly not great, it's also not even close to stiffing the guy. I felt a little bad, but these things happen.

But no, this was not the end of it. As we were finishing our drinks and getting ready to go the manager comes and stands over our table and TELLS US THAT OUR TIP WAS TOO LOW. He demanded to know why, claiming to be interested in any poor service we received, but his attitude made it blatantly obvious that he was getting on us for being cheap. WHAT IS THAT? He seriously hovered over our table for a full minute while we stammered and looked at our table and felt incredibly awkward, because of course, we weren't trying to make a statement with our tip, it just happened to not be very good. I have never been so appalled at the behavior of a restaurant employee, and it was the manager no less. To make matters worse, my girlfriend has had the exact same thing happen after a $9 top on a $75 bill with her family, so this is actually a standard practice.

That, my friends, is the kind of thing that will make me not only swear off a restaurant for life, but also scream from the mountains about how terrible it is - hence this review.

I've been to ABC a number of other times that didn't end in disaster, and here are my more sober thoughts on the place:

The beer is not good, but it's much better than any of the other brewpubs in Ann Arbor - it generally tastes like the product a real brewery and not a trendy brewpub like Grizzly Peak or the Blue Tractor. Sacred Cow is a respectable IPA, although not amazing. Many of their specialty beers are quite good, but the rest of their normal brews are mediocre - usually bland and almost all with too little ABV for my tastes. They're also quite pricey when you're not getting happy hour prices. Still, you can do much worse at $3/20oz.

The food is not good at all, compared to any place. I find it quite amazing that ABC has the balls to charge $10 for a 1/3lb burger that doesn't come with fries ($1.50 extra). That's just highway robbery, even in Ann Arbor. There are many places in town that you can get a much better and larger burger with fries for much less, even made with fancy local beef. The Blue Tractor sells dramatically better burgers made with good beef and with fries for $8-9. Get over yourself, ABC. Every other dish I've had there is the same story - aggressively overpriced and mediocre. That's not a deal breaker for a place that's mostly about drinking, but for some reason ABC has picked up a reputation for good food and I just want to push back at that notion.

I dig the location, atmosphere, jukebox, and most of the crowd. But I'm not going to spend an arm and a leg on products of dubious quality and insulting treatment by the pretentious staff. Avoid this place at all costs.
4 - Alyssa R.: Well, I've been to ABC many many many times.  I will go many more times. I like going because the group of people that usually is there is super cool.  The wait staff is awesome, but I have to admit that some of them are my friends.  So, I'm a little biased.  That may mean I get better service ...or crappier service than most, I'm not sure. lol

Honestly, I'm not a fan of their beer.  That's just my opinion.  Most people like it though.  If you are unsure of what beer to get you can always get a sampler, which is really nice.  I think I like the Blonde? (not sure if that's the name) the best.  

The food is ok in my opinion.  I'll eat it.  It's not terrible.  It's not super great.  ABC is not my first choice for food.  Unless you go during off peak times it's generally pretty busy.  It's nice if you are going to drink with friends or play shuffle board.  You can meet some cool people there as well.  I tend to go to ABC for the overall environment and it's just a laid back place to hang out with friends.

I would say the serving might be slow during the evening because it's usually busy.  They are or have been always friendly.  You may get someone new and the service may not be incredibly speedy, but for the most part it's people who have been there for a long time.  You will usually see the same faces if you go often.  I personally like that because you actually get to know them.  

The crowd ranges from Twenty somethings to 50 somethings+.  It's a nice mix of people usually.  Definitely one of the most popular places in A2 to go to.  If you haven't checked it out I would suggest doing so.  People tend to go once and keep going back. Chances are you will see some of the people that have posted on here. lol
4 - Matthew D.: Heading out to Ann Arbor for the Top of the Park festival last weekend, my gal and I decided we wanted to try out some food in the area and having had a few of their beers at joints like Foran's, I had wanted to try out ABC for quite some time.
Parking was an adventure, we ended up at the top of the lot directly across the street. The very top was level 7b... which actually was level 14 (not sure why we're trying to hide that fact with As and Bs), but the good news is it only cost us $1.50 when we came back out.
I had the Sacred Cow IPA, a beer which I've had before and has never disappointed. And my girl had the Red Snapper bitter... also a great choice. My opinion is that you can't go wrong with any of the beers here, they've all got their own charm and taste.
We're on a vegetarian kick, going 30 days without meat is the goal in my house this month. We were 7 days into our experiment when we happened in here, mouth watering at the sight of the burgers and nachos. We got none of that.
Instead we started with chips and salsa and a black bean dip that tasted really good. It had chunks of tomatoes and jalapenos in it, and with the salsa started us out with a little kick. We were both feeling fish and fries so we went with the fish and chips. Everything they can they buy local and as close to home as possible (even using compostable carry out packaging) which is a huge bonus for us. I was slightly disappointed that I asked for cajun fries and didn't get them but decided not to make an issue of it. The service was pretty slow, I would have liked a second beer but she didn't make it back and the food took a bit longer than I would have liked. But they were busy, and to be honest I was having so much fun with the atmosphere and the feel of this place that it didn't really matter.
A great experience.... if I lived closer, this would definitely be a regular drinking hole.
3 - Dayna B.: I grabbed a bite at the Arbor Brewing Company the last time I was in Ann Arbor on the advice of the desk guy at my hotel who charmed me to no end and told me that the food was AMAZING.

Imagine my surprise when semantics got in the way: I ordered Roasted Vegetable Ravioli (served with spinach, said the menu) and received Tortellini (?) in a chunky tomato sauce with a few baby spinach leaves wilting compliantly.

Maybe the tomatoes were roasted? There were no other vegetables in evidence and, forgive me folks for bickering, but Tortellini isn't Ravioli. 

It was fine. Might stop by for a beer with friends but won't be seeking it out for a meal anytime soon.
1 - Nick H.: I went into ABC last week at about 10pm.  It had been a long day and I hadn't eaten anything since morning.  So, needless to say, I was famished and just craved some good food and a big beer.  When we went inside there was a very large, very obvious sign that said "Please Seat Yourself".  Okay, no problem!  Because it was Wednesday night, the place was not busy at all.  Just a few occupied tables with everyone else at the bar.  

My boyfriend and I sat for 17 minutes waiting for someone, anyone, to notice us.  A few servers and a busboy came by, but they were in such a rush they blew by us before I even had time to ask for a server or to inquiry what ABC's definition of "Please Seat Yourself" means.  Because, where I'm from, that means you sit down and someone will come take your order.  Or at least ask if you've been helped, or tell you someone else will be with you. Maybe I'm just out in left field on that one.  

Anyways, being neglected and then feeling ignored isn't my idea of a good time, especially when I'm starved and have money that I want to spend on them.  So we left...without anyone noticing that either.  But, I enjoyed my meal down the street at Grizzly Peak where I got great food and great service!  Until ABC gets some basic customer service skills, like, oh, having someone take my order or acknowledge I'm alive, they will not have the opportunity to score a new patron.  And, I like burgers and beer.  But if they ever do upgrade their service to actually having some, then I'd go back and re-review.
4 - John B.: Delicious beer, good crowd.  With a very separate and designated smoking area, and good bathrooms to accompany your finely brewed local beers you can't really go wrong.  Monday night for happy hour is the time to go.  Shuffleboard and darts in the smoking area, as well as TVs.  Significant amount of outdoor seating during those few warm months of summer in Michigan.  Decent food though I prefer other local brewpubs more so.  Beer is delicious, like I said, though again, I prefer the beer at other local brewpubs but that's just a personal preference and I can often be a little different, than others.  Smoking side does get VERY smoky but non-smoking side is pretty much a completely different bar.  It's more well-lit and the air definitely clear.  But you have to play some shuffleboard, so you have to go to the smoking side.  Staff is sometimes slow to get to you, but always very helpful when they do.  Other times they are there at the drop of a hat, it all depends.
4 - Chris P.: I would give this place a 3.5 if I could.
While Arbor Brewing Company's food and beer lack compared to Grizzly Peak (down the street), ABC is still a good place to go on Monday during their all day happy hour. Their beer is hit and miss: I loved their sweet stout when they had it, but I find their Hefeweizen and many other of their beers lack in flavor compared to other brew pubs in Michigan. The food here isn't bad, but isn't that good either. The food is priced too high for what you are getting (probably due to them using local/organic ingredients). If ABC wants to use the freshest local organic ingredients, they need to hire a chef that knows how to do them justice in a dish. The service here doesn't seem to be as personal as other brew pubs, and can be fairly slow overall -especially when ABC is packed.

EDIT: On my last few visits I find the service to have improved but the food to be worse than I remember. Maybe it got worse? Either way, I am keeping my rating at 4 stars because ABC is truly a must visit Ann Arbor institution.
5 - Melissa R.: Really a great local establishment. The fish and chips are out of this world (and that's coming from a Los Angeles native). Onion rings have great beer batter and it goes without saying you can't find better beer in the area. They really know beer so don't be afraid to ask for a personalized recommendation. Happy hour is $3 beers and you just can't beat that! Plus, they are smoke free now!! I can breathe! That is a huge plus and makes me want to come more often and stay longer!
4 - Frank M.: Arbor Brewing has become a new habit over the past few months.  The food is better than average bar food with some decent Mexican but we don't go for the food.  The atmosphere is great and so is the beer.

The beers rotate so you need to try some new ones which is usually good.  My wife likes dark beers and I go for the hefeweizens, pale ales or pilsners and we always find something great to drink.

The place is a true "Ann Arbor" establishment so if you like the local vibe you'll have a great time.
2 - barbara s.: I went here a few days ago for dinner, not for the beer or drinks.  While I like the atmosphere - nice outdoor eating area and cozy seating inside, I think the food quality is just okay.  The people who dined with me ate the nachos and caesar salad and I had a turkey club sandwich.  In all cases the food was okay, but nothing distinguished it.  My sandwich needed more flavor.  The soda was way too watered down.

I think this could be a good setting if you like beer and are looking for other alcoholic beverages.  To go there just for the food just isn't enough.
2 - Derek P.: They have some good beers, but I think they are overpriced. Overall, Grizzly Peak brews better beers. Their food is mediocre. I love the shuffleboard table--this is sometimes the only reason I go here. If you are with a large group, I would recommend this place. Otherwise, there are much better places to frequent.
3 - Christopher F.: This place has great beer and standard American bar food.  They lose some stars service and food no where near Grizzly Peak.  I ordered a burrito that you can pretty much get anywhere, my wife had a chicken salad all pretty average, they also offer some middle eastern stuff, like hummus, pita things of that sort but nothing special.  The only advantage this place has over grizzly peak are the darts and has more fun bar things to do!!!
3 - kevin s.: On a recent trip to A2 my group wanted to close out the night with some beers after a soccer game. Ashley's was slammed with a line out the door so our A2 guide decided ABC was the next best thing. 

   This place was also packed wall to wall (as was every single place we passed, Friday night in AA is really something else). The atmosphere is very... well it's a college bar with "sophisticated" beer, you can guess where the atmosphere is at. Lots of pea coats, scarves, glasses, fake laughs, messenger bags, and witty T-shirts.

   Non of these things matter though really. It is a bar, if you let the decor and the atmosphere sway your opinion you just don't belong in a bar. The important part is the beer and the food with the more important being the former. The beer as stated previously is just average. Their heavy hitter was quite decent a hop monster clocking in at 9.5% at a reasonable 4 bucks per 12oz. A note about this beer though, YOU CAN ONLY HAVE 3!!! What the deuce is that about!!! I am 5'11", 200lbs, and my drinking resume is quite impressive. Putting a 3 beer limit on me is quite absurd.

  Sorry for the rant. Their stout was decent, nothing special, just a stout. They lacked a Porter which was a big upset for me. How can you call your self a brewy and not even carry the standards! The pumpkin ale (the only 1 of 3 they had left) was quite odd. It was like a beer soda with a moderate amount of pumpkin taste, I wouldn't order another one. After trying all these brews that they produce, I switch over to things I knew ere wins (the dogfish heads they carried). 

    I can't really say much about the food as we only ordered the chips with salsa and black bean dip. The salsa lacked character, but made for it with heat. The black bean dip had a great texture and packed some big flavors. The chips were the big let down of it though. To give you an amazing dip and really bad chips is the biggest upset a group oof half drunks can go through. They had a fresh taste, but a stale texture... but I don't think they were stale, just cooked to seem that way :(

   The choice to go here was right though, and I urge anyone in A2 with beer on the head to go the same route. Check Ashley's first, and only go to ABC if Ashley's is too busy.
2 - Reesa T.: Well this one is a little more difficult to deal with. 
5 stars to work with, beer, service, ambience, food and beer!  It is a brewing company after all...

1) Beer was good.  My first trip in I was the only person that didn't order the German Alt- but I of course tried it.  It was good, rather good indeed- but not amazing.  I don't even remember what I had but I believe it was the seasonal Octoberfest- also a good solid beer.  Neither were terribly memorable however... a truly great beer leave a more lasting impression.  
Beer: 1 of 2 stars.

2) Service:  I'd like to give a negative star.  For real.  TERRIBLE!!!  Orders came late, wrong, delayed again and glasses sat about empty while we grew progressively thirsty.  It was TERRIBLE.  

3) Ambience:  Nice and cozy until you notice how amazingly loud it is.  Don't go with a friend or take a date in- unless you just really don't want to talk to them.  We couldn't hear one another yelling back and forth around are somewhat cramped table.  

4) Food was slow getting there and at first tragically wrong.  But we were feeling peckish and went for a shared snack.  It was rather tastey.  Which is good- cause Ann Arbor Brewing Company, you needed something for redemption.  

I probably won't go back...
5 - Tom F.: Fall break??? Gift certificate!!!! What the heck. 
I drove my daughter back to A squared after fall break. Since it was during the week and after work,  a gift certificate a friend gave me in my wallet burning a hole and saying 'Use me, I know you need a beer", it was time to relax. After dropping off a full closet full of winter clothes at my daughters apartment, it was time to chill. 
This being my first time the ABC I find it to be a very warm and welcoming atmosphere. I love the chatter of all the patrons, the hustle and bustle on Washington Street as we are sitting in a window booth. To top it all off, the room we sat in was non-smoking and perfect. 
Since this is a brewery I have to "sample" the beer.
Brew: Strawberry Blonde : Not bad....worth another sip or two.
It is a rich and flavorful medium bodied beer with a fresh, floral strawberry aroma.  Citrus, spice, and fruit are blended seamlessly for a subtle yet distinct flavor that never turns too sweet. - 4 Stars
Appetizer: Potatoe Pierogis - These little wonderful small pleasures to man are just fantastic. They are deep fried and sprinkled with cheese,bacon bits, and scallions on top to give them an american tradition of potatoe skins taste. 5 Stars
Meal: 1/3 Pound Burger - Prepared medium, topped with pepper jack cheese. Burger Boy loved this burger. Not the best ever but pretty good. On the side were some cajun fench fries, excellent. 5 Stars.
My daughter loved her dish as well. There was plenty of food left over for her to take back to her apartment for a few more meals.
There were so many different beers to choose from in so little time. I had to take home a six pack of three different varieties of their own brewing......I'll save that for my downriver tailgate party consisting of backing my car in the driveway, hooking up my 12" b&w television with rabbit ears and watching the wolverines kick some buckeye butt drinking my ABC brew....aahhhh Saturdays in the fall.
2 - Andy O.: The atmosphere wasn't bad.  The staff were friendly and did a nice job...and that's pretty much where my compliments end.  Although the prices were pretty reasonable too.  The beer was very meh.  I've had better at every brewery I've been to.  I would say it was my particular choice, but my wife's was worse than mine.  Maybe we just got unlucky.  The food was very average with an extra helping of pretentious.  I ordered the blackened chicken nachos.  The chicken was hardly 'blackened', and the overall taste/flavors/presentation/satisfaction would get a 1 out of 5.  I probably should have went with one of the sandwiches, as my wife had the portobello sandwich that looked pretty good.  

Not trying to be overly harsh, I just can't recommend this place...the first rule of a brewery has to be to have good beer, and this just didn't do it for me.
3 - Irene L.: I have mixed feelings about ABC: I'm neither impressed or completely disgusted with this place, but I can't really figure out why I keep going back...

The beer here is ok at best.  Some brews are pretty decent, but others lack balance/flavor and are just kind of mediocre.  Also, the last time I was here, both my friend and I wished that our beers were colder.  Their food is kinda hit or miss...and on the pricey side.  I was really disappointed with the burger I ordered once (and never again), which was not unlike a dry, flavorless hockey puck of meat. Ick.  However, the garlic fries that I ordered with it (an extra $1.50, grr) saved the meal.  The other night I tried their tacos and was pretty pleased with them.  My friend ordered the nachos, which he enjoyed as well.

I've never had a problem with service here.  (Although the hostess once told me there was a 25 minute wait when it was actually more like 5...)

The best reason to go here is for their happy hour special on Mondays... a large beer for a paltry $3!
3 - Rebecca W.: Started out here for a send-off party....the tap room was a good spot for lots of us to mix, mingle, and order beers by the pitcher.  We enjoyed lots of the blonde brasserie and the red snapper (which was apparently created as a goodbye gift--appropriate!)

The onion rings were decent, but a little salty and a little heavy on the breading.  (But I prefer my deep friend onions in little strings, so maybe I shouldn't pass judgment)

Chicken strips were also pretty good--but the most impressive part was the tasty, spicy honey mustard.  +2 points for the mustard, -1 point because the bartender didn't know what it was.  (Although he served all our other beer and food needs quite speedily). 

This was a great spot for a party with people coming and going, and I was happy with my beers and apps.  That said, I don't know that I'd go out of my way to come back just with SK or one friend...the best feature seemed to be the room to accommodate groups.
4 - Jon C.: What a great place. Sacred Cow is fantastic and the owners , Matt and Renee do so much for the community. So glad they helped make Ann Arbor a craft beer destination.
3 - Murray R.: We stopped in after record shopping around Ann Arbor a few years back. We were just going to have a quick one, then head to Detroit. We ended up ordering a giant red pepper hummus appetizer and getting way full. The later visit to Polish Village proved to be daunting in the waistline department. Rest of the night was spent trying to watch Stereolab at the Majestic with bloated guts.

As far as the brewery, the beer was excellent and so was the service. Nice location in Ann Arbor, too.
4 - Katherine G.: Incredible selection of brews, all of which I've heard great things about.  I was feeling wine when I went, which luckily for me they had a great Nero D'avola.  Of course the markup was high, but that's standard for wins.  (I bought a bottle from a local store for about $12 and paid $7/glass at ABC).

On a busy Saturday night, our waiter still made plenty of time to make us feel welcome and tend to our interesting requests.  It was packed full and the lively crowd made conversation a bit difficult, yet for a group just meeting each other, it kept things light and easy.  

Can't wait to go back and try food and do a beer sampling.
3 - Theresa T.: I like ABC!  

The food is ALWAYS good, and not that expensive.  The beer is good, not great, but very good.  The IPA is the best in town, but that's the only beer by ABC that I like.

The staff is excellent.  I've been going to ABC for years and I've never had bad service.  

The summer time is the best time at ABC.  The outdoor seating is great.
4 - David M.: Just wanted to update to say that the Pesto Ravioli and Strong Belgian beer are excellent!
4 - Kirsten F.: ABC is pretty good.  We went during Ann Arbor Restaurant Week and got a good deal on dinner and drinks.  Their food is really good bar food.  The beer is not my favorite, very bitter even the Brassiere Blonde.  But a great atmosphere and lots of space for a large group.
3 - Christina P.: I love their Sacred Cow IPA. I've only had their drinks in bottles, but would like a chance to actually visit and have their brews from tap.
4 - Johanna L.: Arbor Brewing Company was my introduction to shuffle puck and hefeweizen, both amazing discoveries. I haven't been here in awhile, but in college a few of my friends and I got into coming here to play shuffle puck. A competitive group, it was always fun and spirited... in addition to a great change of pace from the usual college student shenanigans. 

They also have a great selection of beer for the beer connoisseur, which I am not. What I do know is that I can always get a beer here that I actually enjoy, and I am a picky beer drinker. Do realize this pickiness has nothing to do with knowledge, but rather the fact that I really only like hefeweizen or similar type beers. However, I do know that here I will always find a good one. As for the food, I remember it being pretty good and reasonably priced. The highlights will always remain the beer and shuffle puck.
4 - Rachael N.: I'm not sure why the reviews were so low, but I like ABC. As I'm a fan to "unique" restaurants, specific to each city, ABC definitely hits the spot for Ann Arbor.

I usually get the brasserie blonde, but the other night, I decided to try their new flavor of the month: faricy fest irish stout. Mmmm. As I'm a huge fan of coffee, this hit the spot- dark, not too bitter, with a little hint of coffee. My friend, however, complained how her amber ale was too dark.

We both were craving pierogies. Mmmm. they were tasty- coming out with 5 on a plate, it hit our cravings instantly. So potatoe-y and creamy. My friend then ordered the tempeh burger, which was HUGE, and I got the bbq chicken sandwich. My chicken sandwich was good, due to the jalapeno slaw on it. Mmm.

I just like the ambience of the place too. A fave place I like to stop by after work, just to hang out and play some darts or shuffleboard. Although I do wish they would make it a tad brighter (it's SOOO dark), it's still just a great place to relax. Sure, the food is alright, but, if you're looking for a place distinctly Ann Arbor, go to ABC.
4 - Julia M.: Fantastic garlic fries, great black bean and tempeh burgers!
5 - Aaron C.: Give me a break.  I'm giving ABC a 5 star to offset some of the ridiculous reviews on here.

Everyone in Ann Arbor seems to judge their brewpubs by the food and the service.  I don't care about either.  When I go to a brewpub, I want good beer.  Sadly, it appears that most people don't care about the quality of beer at their local brewpub, but rather, base it on the quality of their vegetarian burger options.  And actually, on that note, ABC happens to have an excellent black bean burger.

The beer here is good.  Not great, but good.  The brewmasters are willing to try new things, and have experimented with a range of styles, from doppelbocks to imperial porters to weisses.  Generally, they come out well, and sometimes they come out alright.  But never bad.  ABC is a great option for drinking beer in Ann Arbor, and one of the better options in Southeast Michigan.
4 - Meredith F.: I really liked this place. Having gone to school in Ann Arbor and not gone here til my last year, I am a bit disappointed in myself. However, it was nice to be old enough to order a beer and relax with my dad. I got the Strawberry Blonde, which is probably my favorite. My dad actually had a gift certificate, so in order to fill it up, he got me a six-pack of their bottled beer to bring back to my friends. The others were nice, but I am not really a beer girl so I won't try to critique them. :)
We ordered potato pierogies, which were very delicious. I love pierogies, so I knew we had to try them when I saw them on the menu. I got some sort of pasta for my meal, I actually can't remember what it was, but I remember that it was good but not the best I've had.
The atmosphere was nice, not too loud. A bit dark, but I guess that sort of gives it a nice bar feel. All in all, a great place to relax and
5 - Patti S.: I have always loved ABC's beers.  I am a huge hophead and so I really enjoy their Sacred Cow IPA.  It is on a beer engine "hand pull" so it is not carbonated and it is smooth as silk.  

When we first starting going to ABC, I wasn't 100% in love with the food.  Some time ago though, they changed their menu to go to a more seasonal and local menu and they have hit the jackpot.  I love their black bean tacos and burritos.  The fish and chips are awesome and so are the burgers.  Knowing that much of the food is locally sourced also makes me happy.  They have monthly seasonal menus and I have enjoyed the food on these as well as the variety.

I've always had very good service there.  They also do A LOT for the community, which makes my heart sing :)
5 - Brian M.: Like this place a lot as it has a cool vibe. Beer is better than Grizzly Peak, and the wait staff is very helpful.
3 - mike w.: Best brewery in Ann Arbor for beer (better than Grizz, Tractor, JP).

The food is not as good as Grizz, but on par with the other two. 

The chips with black beans and salsa are really good though!
3 - Michelangelo S.: Overrated.  The beers are usually good in bottles, so if you get them in clean glasses, they ought to also be good.  I'll give them 2 stars for their beer.  The food scores a star for taste, but it's not nearly good enough to justify their prices, and the service is uniformly awful.  Couple that with an environment in which you have to yell to the person next to you to be heard- and if you have a group bigger than 6, forget about whatever they're talking about at the other end of the table- and you've got a sub-par experience that survived because it's become an institution, like Dominick's or Blimpy Burger.
3 - Dave D.: ABC used to be our de facto dinner/drinks stop prior to attending shows at the Ark. The beer, service, and ambiance remain fine, but we've had three straight sub-par meals there. I'll still stop by for the occasional beer, but no longer for food.
3 - Dan M.: Service matters. Sadly that's the main reason this restaurant doesn't earn a higher rating from me. 

My family and I were walking around town hungry looking for a place to eat and, since we'd never been inside before (I'm not a beer guy), elected to try ABC. 

We only waited a minute or so before being seated. That, unforutnately, was the high point of service for our trip. We took a few extra minutes to order because we were unfamiliar with the menu and this noticably irritated our server. My son discovered someone had spilled something in his seat and on the floor below it and when I mentioned it to the staff they did handle it but acted like they wondered why I cared. I had to search down a server and ask for every refill and even for a to go container. Even food reccomendations were given in a snotty manner. Very frustrating.

Now for the good---the FOOD! It was far better than expected for a brew pub and, despite our challenged service, we will likely return to sample the fare again. I had the special Cherry Barbecue pulled pork sandwich with sides of grilled zucchini and sweet potato fries. My wife had the Fiesta Taco Salad and my son had a burger. The burger was good and came on a whole grain bread of some sort. My wife really enjoyed her taco salad and was surprised at the large size of the portions. My meal took the cake though. The cherry in the sauce was tangible but not overly sweet and the whole grain roll kept everything well balanced and blended. The sweet potato fries were maybe the best I have ever had--crispy, salty, sweet bits of goodness. (Drools just remembering). Ummm...where was I? Oh, yeah, the zucchini. I am typically a fan of *fried* zucchini on the principle that if you have enough breading on something you might not taste the health. This had no breading and was amazing. Well seasoned, firm, and fresh it was a pleasure to finish the entire portion.
For dessert my wife had the Cherry cobbler with Calder's ice cream which was quite good. I had the bread pudding which is my one food complaint for the meal. It was dry and somewhat bland. They had the right idea to use multigrain bread to cut the cloying nature of most bread puddings, but needed more moisture and flavor.

In summary--Food good. Service bad. Pick what matters and go for it.
1 - Autumn R.: ABC is probably the worst place you can go for drinks... and service. The only time I ever go is when I'm forced into it and have no other way out, i.e. someone's birthday party. Actually this reminds me of the last time I was forced to go to this horrible place. It WAS for someone's birthday party. After ordering a couple rounds we were pretty much ready to go. So we politely told the waitress we were about to leave. This normally hints that one should get us the check. Nope, she pretty much ignored us and about 20 minutes later we were wondering where the check was. When we finally flagged her down, she took her sweet time and then when we finished pulling out our credit cards she was nowhere to be found. So we had to flag down another random guy to take care of our check. In conclusion, it took us about 40 minutes to get our check taken care of which is ridiculous. By that time I began to sober up which also ticked me off. If you like slow service and crappy beer, go to ABC! If you have higher standards, go to... well actually there are plenty of places that are way better than this one. Oh wait, I guess they have good garlic fries so that is why I gave them one star. That and you can't give ratings below one star anyways.
4 - Jon T.: Haven't ate here in quite some time but was back in Ann Arbor recently so hung out at the bar for a drink.  I've always enjoyed their beers and this time was no different.  In fact, tried the Sacred Cow IPA for the 1st time....ummm yummy.  Good flavor, nicely balanced, so there you go.

Other good beers...Phat Abbot Belgian Triple...and at 10%, enjoy the ride, Red Snapper Special Bitter, Breakfast Stout...

Place always seems to have activity and the seating ranges from bar, to a few tables that are more 'restaurant', to a more open area with billiards.
4 - Shane B.: Note that this four-star review is not, primarily, about the beer. The beer is pretty crappy, on the whole. I'm a huge beer fan. I drink a huge variety of it, I write reviews for it, I brew my own, and I can tell you in all honesty the beer at ABC is average at best. The occasional seasonal will be good, and stuff like their Blond is unoffensive, but that's about it. The major issue is that it somehow all tastes pretty watery, even if its a 7.5% beer, which should be full bodied! I have to think there are cost-cutting measures taking place that make for lackluster beer, but don't quote me on it. What truly ANGERS me about ABC is that they charge way too much for beer they don't have to package or distribute - why in the world would I want to pay more for a growler of average beer than I would for a sixer of, say, Founder's Centennial IPA from the corner store. Less money, more beer, better beer - and just as fresh, since you can get week-old Founder's beer at any good store.... Let's just say the beer part of this review is 3 stars, at best.

But there is plenty to like about ABC. It's big, it's open, they have darts and shufflepuck. You never have to wait for a table. The servers are attentive. The food is always good to near-great (I specifically recommend the nachos). It's not too expensive. You can sit outside. 

So, even though I really dislike the beer here, they are a local business, and it's a nice institution to have in your city. Plenty of people seem to enjoy the beer, so it's probably just me being picky. I just wish it was a place I'd want to take people to to have a beer instead of Ashley's, because it's certainly a lot nicer to go to.
2 - Jackie H.: I like the idea behind ABC. I really do. The atmosphere is pretty good here and service seems ok. I like the philosophy behind their local and organic food. It's just always pretty disappointing. The first time I was here I had a burger that was alright, not too greasy but the bun was too dry and chewy. Last night I had a turkey club sandwich that was mostly bread (even for a club). I have no complaints about the drunken chicken sandwich, and the nachos were good. I'm not a beer drinker so I can't attest to that. 

PROS
Free appetizer on your birthday. 
Can usually get a table even on busy nights

CONS
Pricey
Food execution lacking
4 - Amy V.: I have previously reviewed this spot, and would like to give it another star.  After the wedding I attended at the Michigan Theater, I headed here for a reception dinner.  It was delicious!  The staff was attentive and friendly, the set up was very nice (had the two side tap rooms where the darts and shuffle board are), and the food was really good.  I don't know who catered or if ABC did the food, but it was very good.

ABC provided a relaxed and super fun atmosphere for this celebration.  My brothers and husband had some beer, and enjoyed it more than last visit.
4 - Jay G.: This place is fun. It's really hard not to like coming here.

Walking in, it looks like a normal bar with dark wood, 3 sided bar, etc, etc.
Pretty standard stuff. Then you keep walking and go into the room on the left. That's where you will find the fun stuff. 3 dart boards, a shuffle board table, and enough room to stand around and socialize.

The service is fun and friendly and the beers on tap are a pretty good local choice. Drinks are decently priced.

I can't really comment on the food as we only ordered fries. But the fries were good and from the looks of other peoples meals, they looked great too.

Overall, a decent place for killing some time. Darts, shuffleboard, and beer. Good, somewhat, clean fun.
4 - Amar A.: My two favorite things about ABC:

1) Beer
2) Shuffleboard

ABC brews most (All?) of their own beer.  My favorite is the Olde Number 22 German Alt.   It's dark, but not too bitter, and still very full flavored.

The shuffleboard and beer definitely compliment each other, but my last piece of advice is do not set your beer down around the edges of the shuffleboard table.  

It may seem like the most convenient place to set down your beer, but don't forget shuffleboard is challenging because it's difficult to keep the puck on the table.  When the puck falls off the table, it has a tendency to shatter the glass your beer is in.

All in all, ABC provides great beer and a little friendly competition with friends (and maybe a small wager or two on who has to buy the next pitcher).  Highly recommended.
4 - Alan W.: I like their Beer and since it's a Brewing Company, that's what I'm judging on.  I think their food is pretty good.
4 - Laura J.: Met some friends here on a Friday night and it was packed.  The atmosphere is fun and the menu was creative.  

I had the tempeh beer battered sandwhich, it was great.  My husband had the black bean tacos.  I really appreciated the great vegetarian choices and will have to remember this place the next time I'm in the mood for a bar burger that doesn't have any meat.

This is not a place for a quiet dinner.
1 - Jason M.: Low rating for poor business practices.  I wanted to get my brother, who is living in Ann Arbor, a gift certificate for a restaurant with decent beer.  Man has been making beer since ancient times; apparently, Arbor Brewing is also still in the stone age, as they don't mail gift certificates or sell them online.  Oh well, I guess I'll have to take my money elsewhere.
5 - Shingo B.: my favorite bar in ann arbor. excellent and friendly bartenders. a good friend of mine, mike, is probably the most noticeable one. he's the lumberjack. the food is delicious and their seasonal brews are outstanding.
4 - Nick H.: I tend to think of ABC as the best example of what Ann Arbor has to offer:
1) Locally Brewed Beer (compare to Grizzly Peak, Jolly Pumpkin, et al.)
2)  A satisfying selection of veggie-friendly and carnivorous menu options
3) Laid back style.
Some people have mentioned that ABC is their 'default' Ann Arbor spot. Their fallback option when other choices aren't available or feasible. I would say that ABC occupies a higher position than that. Although the food has not always been consistently at the top of my list, ABC seems to always surpass this occasional shortcoming. The staff at ABC have always been accommodating and helpful. In the 18 months that I've lived in A2, I keep finding myself coming back to the Arbor Brewing Company for special occasions, as a place to show off to visitors, and a good relaxing spot downtown.
1 - J S.: OK, so, last night we went here because we had a Groupon...and I was seriously disappointed.  
I ordered a drunken chicken sandwich with onion rings, and both were cold.  Now, it could have been that my sandwich was just sitting out because they were busy, ok...I'll give them that.  BUT, for the onion rings, they only gave me THREE!  And wanted to charge me $1.50 for them!  Come on man!
And the other two ladies that I was with, wanted refills on their beverages, but we could not get the waitress to come over.

I know they MUST provide good food and service or else they still would not be in business.  But as far as I am concerned...life is to short to every go back to ABC again to find out.
4 - Molly S.: Went here after a choral performance...so did the other choristers!  It's DARK inside, but it adds to the ambiance.  Food was tasty pub grub (and they do use Calder Dairy Sour Cream...is it wrong that I want to eat that with a spoon?) but a little pricey.  I can see why people make this their "backup" spot...
4 - Amy B.: Arbor Brewing Company, or ABC, frustrates me. It combines some of the best beer in Ann Arbor with some of my least favorite food. It's got a great atmosphere, fantastic special events, and a shuffleboard. But then I look at the menu and I feel a sense of despair arising as I struggle to decide between my overpriced options. 

So, the beer. It's awesome. ABC brews its own beer and usually offers somewhere around 8 different draught options. My favorites include the Faricy Fest (stout) and the German Alt, but I have truly never had an ABC beer that I didn't like. A lot of my friends love the Sacred Cow IPA, too.

ABC has free shuffleboard and darts. These are bomb. It can be competitive to get access to the table on a weekend night, but if you go on a weeknight or in the afternoon you just might have a chance.

The special events at ABC tend to be pretty good. In particular, I am fond of the monthly beer tastings (though I will not complain about the outdoor beer garden during Art Fair and Taste of Ann Arbor). You buy a ticket in advance, usually for $20 or $25 (they say they're also offered at the door, but it almost always sells out beforehand). At the appointed time, you show up at the side room with your ticket, get a nametag, and grab a small glass. Tables with different beers are set up around the perimeter of the two side rooms and the basement room, and with the aid of the handy guide brochure, you can taste to your heart's content. ABC's staff mans the tables and will describe the different beers to you. Now, the beers at these events are not usually ABC's own beers, but bottled beers from around the country or world that fit within a particular theme. It's a great opportunity to taste new and/or unusual beers. There is also a buffet set up with a selection of ABC's appetizers--usually pierogies, soft pretzels, sausage and onions, meatballs, and wings, along with cheese and veggie platters.

Which brings me to ABC's food. ABC moved toward more fresh local ingredients in the last few years, which is good and has actually improved the food. That said, I always dread eating here. I find the menu limited and not very creative. I usually order the burrito, and it's fine--not good, not bad, just fine. But it's like $10 and I typically like my food to cross the line from mediocrity to deliciousness, so I consider it a disappointment. If you asked me what type of food ABC serves, I'd struggle to describe it. They've got a lot of Mexican-type stuff, but it's not really Mexican food. It's not really greasy bar food, either. It's just weird. And while many of my friends love the pierogies, I'm sorry, I have to disagree. They're heavy and oily and don't taste like much.

I still give ABC 4 stars, because I usually come here to drink, not to eat, and they're great for that. Also, ABC is an awesome place to have your private event. I've attended a few for either grad school or work, and I understand they're very easy to work with for planning. The events themselves are usually low key and feature delicious ABC beer (and yes, less delicious ABC food). I definitely recommend ABC for a beer.
4 - Brian P.: I look forward to heading to Ann Arbor for fresh local beer. They have great beer and a fun place to people watch. The bar is separated into two section, one with the bar and majority of tables and the other with tables and the highlight of the bar (real darts). They have three nice REAL dart boards that are free to play. I love stopping by, drinking a couple beers and throwing darts. So, if you want to spend your whole night there, or just bar hop, it is well worth the visit.
2 - Chad C.: In a downtown with options, the best microbrews can be found elsewhere.
1 - Erin H.: I have been here several times in the last 2 years, and the last time will be just that. This is not a place to go with children!  I have never felt so unwanted as a customer with my child.  Our waiter was fine, it was all about the host staff!  The food is fine but rather overpriced, but supports local items so I am fine with it.  Watch out if you take a 6 pack of beer home, some will be flat.  Overall, I was disappointed that both my husband and I felt like we were getting attitude and an extra wait time because of our child.  They actually told us a different time once he told them there was a child.  She did not sit in a high chair and was not in a car seat.
3 - Lauren I.: Apparently they have good beer here. Not being a beer fan, I can't appreciate this fact unfortunately, but ended up getting a rum and coke, which was very nice and at a reasonable price.

As for the food, I tried their Ar-Burger and sweet potato fries with chipolte sauce, both of which were pretty decent. Overall, nothing really special, but the sort of average that gets away with being neither satisfying or disappointing. What I didn't like though was that the burger came on this strange, doughy, onion bread that really ruined it for me. 

While it was decent, it definitely wasn't 13 dollar decent, which is what I ended up paying for it.

But the atmosphere was laid back and relaxing, and the staff were friendly and attentive considering how many costumers they had to work with. While it wouldn't be my first choice for a bar in Ann Arbor, it's certainly not the worst.
3 - P W.: The beer was alright. I met a cool dude who was a beer advocate and discussed some of the best beers available. We both agreed that Pliny the Elder was up there in the conversation. He told me where to go in this city and talked about how traveling alone is the way to do it. Some of his recommendations were ok. I asked the bartender what dressing is best for the house salad. He advised me to try the honey mustard. It was like wasabi or horseradish. This burned my nose. I want a crisp refreshing taste with greens, not some kind of burning sensation. Not happy with that. The chicken fingers were good and I enjoyed the jerk and blue cheese sauces. I wish the salad dressing would've been different. I wish my life would've been different too. These are the cards that I was dealt, and I must play them accordingly. The west coast style IPA was decent enough.
5 - Shane M.: The atmosphere at ABC is great, a lot of people just hanging out, having a good time, drinking some good beer and eating some good food. Food is always served in a timely fashion, and is delicious. I am partial to the Drunken Chicken myself. 

Parking is directly across the street in a  structure, you can walk a little ways to main street or be over to state in a few extra minutes. A few ice cream places a block down and coffee around the corner. 

I know there are other restaurants, heck even other pubs I should try in Ann Arbor, but I'm content with my ABC experience, why risk a bad night out somewhere else?
4 - Brian K.: ABC is a fun place to go. I like the atmosphere there a lot. The food isn't great, but it's not bad. The beers are pretty solid. The happy hour specials are great, and happy hour is all day Monday. I've found the service to be between good and great.
4 - Emily M.: The beer is GREAT. That is a no brainer. 

The food is generally lacking. They're okay for the price, but don't expect to be blown away by the food. 

The service is pretty standard. Sometimes a little slow. 

But if you do go, go for the beer! Red snapper--- YUM
3 - Jesse C.: I like their beer selection here and it is a great place to hang out and have a drink but the food is just plain awful. Their mains are thoughtlessly put together and look like they came straight from Krogers frozen food section. The mac and cheese isn't baked, nor is the cheese sauce anything special. Likewise, the gnocci that comes with the (also disappointing) chicken confit is mushy and bland. I've had a few meals here and if you can't avoid eating here, stick with the (adequate) burger or the (excellent) garlic plate.
4 - Aaron M.: I must have lucked out visiting ABC on Friday night - my service was great! The waitress was prompt, always kept our water full and kept the beer coming nonstop (without messing up an order the whole time). The beer? Their whole lineup is great. I think it's tough to regularly brew 8+ beers at a brewpub and have them ALL be good, but ABC does a pretty great job of having a wide variety of good beers (instead of one or two great beers and six duds). My favorites were the IPA and the stout.

The only reason I docked ABC a star was the food. It was good, but like other reviewers have noted, a bit overpriced for what it is. I tried the specialty southwest burger. It was fairly tasty, but nothing to write home about, especially not for $13. Maybe I should have gone with a local recommendation instead of the daily special.

Regardless, I'll be back for the beer soon!
3 - Suzanne S.: The Arbor Brewing Co. is a great bar to sit back with your friends and have a beer. I know it's got to be "only in Ann Arbor.." where you can go to a bar and be served by a waiter named "Mother"...who was the nicest and best waiter we've ever had!  He made that trip extra fun and then other trips too! Now we've not seen him around for awhile but we still enjoying going there for a beer and a burger. They also have awesome french fries with either garlic, cajun or plain flavors..you choose!
     The place has the great A2 feeling with loud people and noisy atmosphere...lots of U of M t-shirts too! ABC has this treat that you can get which is a little few sips of several different beers so that you can and are able to try and sample a few different ones at one time! Just for the person who can't make up their mind OR the persons who want to try all of them at once!! LOL
    You have to have the experience Of ABC when you visit Ann Arbor,MI because you can sit outside on the sidewalk while watching the cars and people go by. Or you can sit inside with the noise and the  A2 atmosphere and "groupies".  Either way don't expect the best food in the land...but just some pretty good beer and a ton of different choices for beers...OH and...they make it right there....right there at ABC they make it in the brewery! Enjoy...have fun and drive safely!
3 - Teeks L.: Go for the beer, not for the food. The food isn't bad - but overpriced for what it is, which is just pretty good bar food. Service is quick, but does need to be flagged down.
5 - Nancy K.: I love this place.  Love.  The beer is awesome, the staff is friendly and consistently good and the food is out of this world.  Kris and I have been coming here since the day after the job interview that made us pack up from Vermont and head to MI to set up residence.  We are regulars and have never been disappointed.  

I appreciate that they source most of their food locally and that they are crazy friendly to veg folk like me.  The new menu has some great additions like summer squash fritters, a cheese plate and some other new and exciting creations but their other fare is great, too.  There's really not a better brew-pub around.
4 - Joi B.: Finding good food after 10pm is often difficult in just about any city, but how awesome is it that we found it here in Ann Arbour (actually after 11!) Not to mention the fact that there are plenty of vegetarian options and a mention on the menu that they would alter the dishes (where possible) to allow for this. Hello, lifesaver! Between the good amount of comfort food options (nachos) and healthy (salads, two kinds of veg burgers) and unexpected (pierogies that looked positively divine), I became an immediate fan just looking at the simple menu. 

The grilled asparagus (seasonal veg) that accompanied my homemade black bean burger (for just a buck and a half more) were crispy, flavorful and didn't have too much oil ruining the mix. Olive tapanade, jack cheese and salsa verde atop the homemade veggie burger (list of add-ons is impressive and you get a choice of three) bumped it up a notch. Vegetarians rarely get so many great options as these, so allow me to gush a bit.

Now why can't this be located down the block from me (instead of a dive bar proudly serving "Shrimp All Day!" as per the sidewalk board)? Their respectable wine list even boasts a chianti and the beer list is even more impressive. Vibe: think rock & roll brewery. And yes, the music is good.
3 - matt r.: Good burgers, good beer (although I'm not sure how the draft pint was room temp), crummy service. We had high hopes but in the end it was like getting a half melted ice cream cone.
2 - A P.: I will start off by mentioning I didn't have any beer and only tried one entrée.  The salmon with mustard butter sauce and seasonal vegetables was disappointing. The sauce didn't taste like much and the salmon was bland and overcooked.  The vegetables (summer squash and zucchini) were good but swimming in oil.
2 - Justin D.: Bad food. Bad service. That was my experience at Arbor Brewing Company. 

I came here with two of my friends a while ago. My friend and I both ordered different sandwhiches. Neither of us got what we were supposed to get. Instead we got some weird pesto chicken sandwich that wasn't really even good. We joked afterwards that they just give that same sandwich to every customer no matter what they order. 

I also got a kamikaze shot. Amazingly enough they managed to mess up the shot. It tasted watered down, which I'm not sure how they managed to pull off since usually when a drink tastes watered down it is due to them letting it sit with ice for too long. 

Unfortunately I didn't get to try their beers, but even if their beers aren't bad, it wouldn't be worth the trip. They would have to be world class for it to make up for rest of the place.
3 - Sarah W.: Tragic.  I have 5 star memories of Arbor Brew, but had a 3 star evening on my most recent visit.

The service was a little slow, but that was fine since I was enjoying catching up with some old friends.  But what are you doing running out of beer?

Technically, they only ran out of the Olde Number 22, but if you run out of the beer that I wanted to order, that is the same as running out of beer.
3 - Fred H.: I love brewpubs, or more generally, casual food-centric spots with a good drink selection and preferably, a kitchen that stays open late. Though I wouldn't say that ABC blew me away in any way, it certainly met all of my requirements with an acceptable level of competence.
     The beer menu had half of the on-tap offerings crossed out, but I actually don't consider that to be completely a bad thing; I like the idea of small scale, hand-crafted product, as opposed to mass-produced for the purpose of economy of scale, and if it becomes popular, then it will sell out. I also dislike wastefulness, so I'd rather see a product sold-out than leftovers going down the drain.
     As far as the beer goes, I'd seen their beers is stores, but hadn't ever tried it, so the brewpub was a good introduction. I started with the Sacred Cow cask conditioned IPA. This type of beer probably will never be too popular with those who prefer an ice cold, crisp beer; it was more smooth and almost creamy, with little carbonation. I think my preference is a bit more American; I like my IPAs with a more lively citrus-y taste and more carbonation, (I know that's not what you get from cask conditioning) this was a bit more subdued and resin-y, perhaps more like an English Bitter. At 6.9% ABV, the alcohol is well hidden. Next I had the Milestone cask conditioned Porter. At this point, I was feeling that the cask conditioning process would be good for a creamy Stout, (and was also feeling the effects of the alcohol, though I really didn't taste it much in either beer) as I like my Porters with a more forward hop presence and a bit of bite w/carbonation to match. I guess in hindsight, cask-conditioned ales aren't necessarily my thing, though the styles that they offered in this manner definitely are. Again, it seemed more British, (on the warmer flat side, not a complaint, but an observation of style) while my taste tends towards the American.
     As for the food, no brewpub is complete without a kitchen to match the brews, IMO. I had 2 items off of the specials menu, a cup of chilled minty pea soup and a Chorizo Hero. I'm not necessarily into chilled vegetable soups, (here I go ordering things I might not like again), but being on the special menu implies that it's recommended, and I figured it would be a good way to savor the last days of our precious Summer season. I think despite the mint leaf garnish, more mint taste in the actual soup would have been even more refreshing. It has a slightly effervescent sensation that I've experienced in cold pureed veggie dishes before; not sure if that's desirable, but it makes me think that it's starting to ferment or STH, kinda weirds me out. There dollops of creme fraiche that added a nice contrast, but a little went a long way, and I left some in the bowl, and I usually finish EVERYTHING. The Chorizo sammie was also OK, a bit smallish for the price, but fries were included. The sausage was like something you'd find in a grocery store anywhere with a large Latino population. It was topped with arugula, which was crisp and tasty, and some cheese, on a French-style roll. I say "French -style" because I assume anyone in France would disown bread like that. Good bread makes or breaks a sandwich, and this bread tended to be "Wonder-like", not crusty outside and not particularly glutinous inside. A good French or Italian roll will leave scratches on the roof of your mouth, but I didn't get that. The fries were hot and crispy, and good w/the mayo that I requested on the side.
     Overall, the beer seemed potentially good, though I haven found a favorite yet. But now I might be willing to pick up a 6er in the grocery store. The food offerings were interesting and though not flawlessly executed, I did walk away feeling pretty sated. The service was cordial enough, though I overheard the bartender recommend a beer to another customer that wasn't on the menu that he hadn't mentioned to me, so I wasn't too impressed by that. I guess I'd probably be willing to come back, though I'll also keep my eye out for other similar types of establishments, hoping for a bit more...
3 - Kathryn L.: When we pulled up, we noticed it was easy to find and there was a parking structure just across the street - very convenient. The food here was delicious, though I think i was talked out of a burger and into a salad by the placards on the table proclaiming they only use locally-grown beef. Said placards included pictures of the cattle as well. With their sad eyes staring back at me, locally grown or not, I certainly wasn't going to eat one! I ordered a cocktail and my friend ordered a beer; we both liked our drinks. Overall a good experience. But poir cows..
2 - David S.: I've gone there a few times, but I never am that impressed.  The beer -- which is their specialty -- is alright, but it always irks me that it is never super cold.  The food is acceptable, but that's not what I'm looking for if I'm paying $12 for fish and chips or mac'n'cheese.  Service can be hit-or-miss.

What is most annoying is the dart boards and shuffleboard.  I like how they have these games and that you can play them (for free, I think), but they (shuffleboard especially) make a TON of noise.  And of course, they still choose to sit people in the same room as these games, even though there are TWO other rooms that always have empty tables.  You'll leave with a headache (unless you have enough warm beers).
2 - Aaron B.: I've been here several times over the years and it's always been pretty mediocre...it's Ann Arbor so mediocrity is expected.  But this place is frequently so damn loud that you can't talk to the person standing next to you without screaming.  So, it's more like a bar than a restaurant in that respect.  The food selection is very limited, not interesting or especially delicious, and rather overpriced for what you get...and there are many better places within a couple blocks of here.  So I plan to never, ever come back here. Ever.
3 - Hymae W.: This is not my first time here. It's good enough to come back multiple times and has a decent selection of vegetarian food. But just about every time i am here they are out of either the beer i want or the food i want. Sometimes even both! 

Appetizer: We got a dish of the roasted garlic. It was very good, the chive cream cheese was my favorite of the three dips. I will complain that our appetizer came out a whole 4 minutes before our meal though. 

My dinner: I got the fettucine aurora which was excellent. It was the perfect serving size and came with garlic bread. 

My Beer: I had the jackhammer (because they didn't have any stouts or porters). It was a strong beer but nothing unbearable. I liked it enough to order a second. 

Girlfriend's dinner: She is a vegetarian so her meals always are more interesting. She got the sloppy jill (because they were out of mediterranean vegetarian pie) which she did not like. She said it tasted way to sweet and didnt even come close to finishing it.  I tried it and didn't think i awful but I wouldn't have been happy with it 

Girlfriends beer: She had the hoptoberfest beer which she really liked. I tried it and and also approved. It wasn't even close to being too hoppy and was smooth.


I like ABC and think they have good food and decent service but am not happy with the avalibility of the items on their menu.
3 - tony m.: Beers always really good. Food is a bit overpriced and not that great. pretty average bar type food. the basement bathroom has a nice mural of trolls and fairies.
2 - Arlene A.: Stopped by for some beverages, have to say if you are going to be a brew pub, your staff should have a better idea of what beer is what.  I was surprised at the lack of knowledge by our waitress, while a nice enough girl, she didn't know a porter from a lager, and was completely useless during the ordering process.  

Also unfortunate was the minor eye roll when we didn't order food.  There were PLENTY of empty tables, so I don't understand what the problem was.  

Judging by the other reviews, we must be in the minority, so perhaps it's the employee, not the establishment.
3 - Jee D.: We met up with some old friends at ABC after a Michigan game.  ABC hasn't changed since the last time we were there, oh maybe 6 years ago.  It's still has a dive-like atmosphere, with an interesting mix of college kids, young families, middle-aged folks, and maybe some old timers at the bar.  Our server was super friendly, attentive when he needed to be, and helpful in selecting our beers.  While they have a decent selection, I had to order a couple different beers until they had one in stock.  Don't get too sloshed that you can't walk downstairs to get to the bathroom - that stairway is dark!
2 - Shayne D.: Food is mediocre and the place is not kept very clean. There are several restaurants nearby that do a much better job with American-style food and beer so I'm not sure how this place stays in business. Ambiance is nothing to write home about either!
3 - Jason W.: Went here before a show.  Their stout is awesome, this alone would bring me back.  Service was good, although our appetizer and main dish came out the same time which was pretty annoying.  My wife had the burger and complained it was too tough, server seemed to act liked this was not the first time this has been brought up.  Nachos were good with great salsa, chicken was questionable but otherwise decent food.  The Cask Ales are a nice change from the cold beers were normally use to.  The Stout is what gives this place 4 stars, try one if you visit Ann Arbor
4 - Katie R.: last visit was post a post-game nap (around 11pm on a saturday), and we didn't have to wait for a table for beers and snacks. wasn't too crowded.

great place for lunch, too. and tours.
3 - Stephanie C.: My boyfriend lives right next to Corner Brewery in Ypsi and the night before we went to Arbor Brewing Company for dinner for the first time, we went to Corner Brewery for a few beers. He warned me about the horrible beers and said something about them being under-attenuated...still not sure what that means...but I wanted to go anyway, just for something else to do. He was right about the beers, which is why we didn't get any when we went out to dinner the following night.

Since ABC is in downtown Ann Arbor, I really expected the atmosphere to be so much better than it was. It looked old and dingy, and not in a charming way. The service was decent. Our waiter was one of those guys who looks like he doesn't care too much about his job, but at least he did the bare minimum of what a waiter is supposed to do. I can't speak of the rest of the waitstaff, since I've only been there once.

I got the loaded nachos (if nachos are on the menu, expect me to get them), which sounded really great on the menu: "Spicy black beans, shredded chili-lime chicken, sharp cheddar, fiesta corn, sliced jalapenos, salsa verde and sour cream." That description would lead one to assume these nachos are very flavorful and spicy. Without the jalapenos, I feel these nachos would be very mild. I expected the chicken to be really flavorful, but it just wasn't. One good thing was the salsa. I'm not sure if it was made in-house, but it tasted as such. These nachos are $12, which I found a bit ridiculous for the portion size. For $12 nachos, I feel like I should have gone home with a doggy bag, but I was able to eat the whole plate's worth.

The nachos I had were still good, but definitely didn't live up to my expectations set by the menu's description, both in terms of the taste of the dish and the portion size. The atmosphere was mediocre, as was the service. 3 stars!
4 - Emma K.: I love ABC. True townie spot. Food is delicious, service is good ! Whether it's Summer out on the sidewalk or Winter belly to the bar you need ABC in your life :-D
5 - Wade D.: For locally sourced food and drink, this is about as good as it gets!

Yes, that means the menu (of beers and food) rotates and changes frequently, but I've never been unhappy with available choices.

Their Faricy Fest Irish Stout is among my favorites (especially in winter) and their Sacred Cow (IPA) is hand pulled from a cask in the basement -- a little warmer than most beers, but smooth and tasty.
4 - Mark S.: Up there for the best beer in AA (tied with Jolly Pumpkin in my opinion, beats Grizzly Peak and Blue Tractor). The food is just OK, but you should really be coming here for the beer. They take some chances, and I love their seasonal beers. 

They also have tasting nights and other events that keep the beer lovers like myself wanting to come back.
4 - Emily K.: Great food.  Great beer.  The service wasn't too bad considering it was slammed for a Saturday night.  They don't take reservations, but I did call ahead, since I had a large group (11) with me. Once I got there, I only had to wait about 30 minutes before a large table was cleared off.  

I would definitely go back there.  In fact, I right now am wondering when I can go back.
4 - Albert Y.: One of my favorite places in Ann Arbor! I enjoy the games (darts and shuffleboard,) the wide selection of beer, and the food is well cooked - the only complaint I have is that their chips are rather lackluster.
4 - Viet N.: nice atmosphere, service was good considering how busy the place was. really friendly staff as well.
4 - Matt M.: Great beer and a fun group of people working there.  We enjoy their seasonal and mostly local food menu.   This is a college-town bar, so don't expect anything fancy as for decor, but do expect cleanliness and friendliness.  The owners seem to be local philanthropists, I have noticed the brewery sponsoring activities/groups often.
3 - Becky H.: Gotta give credit where it's due... I have noticed a vast improvement in the service here. The last six or seven times I've been here have been relatively positive (definitely no traumatic or horrible experiences like the stories I recounted in my previous review).

My waiter tonight (Adam) was really exceptional, which prompted me to update my review and give this place another star. And it didn't hurt that he looks a bit like Breckin Meyer. In any case, he was friendly, checked back frequently, and was very accommodating to a member of my group who ordered a (beef) burger with only 8 minutes left before the kitchen staff was going to clean the grill for the night. Kudos to the kitchen staff too for making the last-minute burger!
5 - J K.: ABC is one of a kind... Unless the kind is Corner Brewery! 

They have great beers here and I love going to the bar and getting a few samples.  Working down the list at 4oz per serving is a great way to sample the beer while snacking on some food.

Good vegetarian choices and the pear & walnut salad is great.
4 - Sherri T.: Good beers. Good (slightly trendy) food. 
Strollers, babies crying, kids chattering, & a baby shower???
Yes, a baby shower.
I've been to many breweries and brew pubs around the world, and I have to tell you that I have never seen so many kids in a brew pub in my entire life as I did at Arbor Brewing Company. Also, I had never seen a baby shower in a brew pub before last Saturday afternoon.
The kids at the booth behind us were hitting the booth so hard that it rattled us. We started hitting the booth back. The kids (or perhaps their previously clueless parents) finally got the hint.
I think it's cool when people with kids go to places other than typical kid restaurants, and I love when kids eat anything other then typical kid menu foods. Therefore, I think it's great that Arbor Brewing Company is the kind of place that families can go and where parents can enjoy a couple of descent beers with their kids in tow. However, I don't think I should have to tolerate squealing kids or the vibrations of "clunk, clunk, clunk" against my booth in any restaurant, let alone an adult-oriented establishment. If I had kids, I would definitely bring them to Arbor Brewing Company. However, I would not allow them to treat the brew pub like a fast food chain's bounce house! 
Despite the small number of unruly kids, we enjoyed our beers and lunch. I had a salad with poached pears and a large slice of brie, a choice I didn't regret. They had me at "poached pears." Our server was attentive, but he had a laid back demeanor...PERFECT! I would definitely go back, but I might try going in the evening in the hopes of encountering fewer kids.
3 - Sam G.: ABC was the first place I ever ate in Ann Arbor because 1) I needed/wanted vegan fare and 2) my dad needed a micro-brew. The internets brought us here.

It was summer 2009 and the students were away so sitting outside was nice. The food was decent. The beer was ok. We walked away more or less satisfied. 

Then I moved here and it became the go-to place for us grads to grab a beer and talk. I'm not sure why. It was just the pub that was on the tip of everyone's tongue. There are two large rooms, one with darts and pool table, so it accommodated a fair group of people. And a lot of the other microbreweries weren't open yet (e.g. Jolly Pumpkin, Grizzly Peak, etc.)

I even liked one of their beers, their amber ale, before they got rid of it sometime in 2010. Boooooo! The same story for Corner Brewery - I adored their Arborealis and they got rid of that, too. Now I'm not crazy about any of their beers - they leave my mouth feeling soapy and blahzee. 

Their food is average and when in a bind, you can survive off of it. The service has always been ok - relatively efficient but not beamingly friendly. 

I like their queer-friendly flag sticker. I like that there aren't a lot of jocks here. But the beer, the food, and the general atmosphere don't have me coming back for more.
4 - Heather S.: After moving to Michigan and not knowing anything about the foodie/beer scene, I stumbled upon Arbor Brewing Co. through Yelp. And seeing how my sister was in town visiting in December, I decided we should give it a try.

We had a bit to wait before we could get a table so we ventured to the bar to see what beer choices we had available. The choices were good and if we both hadn't been in the mindset for some cider, I'm sure we would have tried one of the many microbrews they had on tap. The fact that they have so many seasonal beers makes me want to visit in the summer and just day drink outside.

We started with the Nachos (not the Loaded Nachos). Typical gastro-pub like nachos, but they hit the spot when you still haven't decided on what to have for dinner. Two more ciders later I ordered. I had the Fish Tacos and they were perfect in proportion and the fish wasn't overcooked and dry! There's a star there! The fact that they offer non-meat substitutes to myself (I'm a pescetarian) and other vegetarians is another added bonus.

Service was friendly, no complaints. Our server didn't seem to have a problem with us camping out and catching up. And she was quick to grab our refills! Had they not had a holiday party going on in the other room, I'm sure my sister and I would have ventured in there for some darts or shuffleboard. The atmosphere was lively, not too loud, but just enough noise to make me realize that everyone else was having a good time too.

The location in Ann Arbor is relatively easy to find and there is a parking lot across the street that costs no more than $5 to park in for a a few hours worth of drinking and chatting.

I've since been back late night on a Friday for a couple drinks and the atmosphere is different after 11pm. Most of the diners have cleared out and my view was that most of the crowd was trying to enjoy a few drinks with friends in a place they could hear themselves talk. 

Overall this is a place I'm sure I'll visit again (this time to sample some beers!) and would have no problem suggesting to others as a place for bite to eat or a few beers to throw down.
4 - Jared W.: Nice atmosphere to grab some drinks with your friends or coworkers.
1 - Matt C.: Incredibly displeased by the automatic addition of a 20% gratuity to my bill, the service was awful with a standoffish and dismissive waiter who took forever to get drinks (the bar was not busy.) Also, there was $1.50 "Rocks Pour" fee - yep, they charged me to pour my drink over ice. To prove they're ripping you off it shows up as "$$ROCKS POUR" on the bill.

I was incredibly unhappy with the establishment and will not be back.
5 - Bea G.: I'm surprised how low the reviews are! We love going to this place.

Highlights:
* Great range of beers and drinks, including hard cider and fruity beers
* The food is awesome. We've tried the fish and chips (super delish), michigan chicken cherry salad, and their burgers. All really tasty. Comes with a choice of garlic fries, regular fries, or sweet potato fries
* Fun bar area, and always a hopping atmosphere
* Decor is a lot of brick and copper -- great ambiance.

Lowlights:
* You do have to wait for a dinner table during the busy times, but you can just wait at the bar.
* They need more space!! For both eating and drinking.

Overall: One of our frequent places to visit for dinner and drinks.
4 - Funglin W.: Shuffleboards and darts! I can never ask for a better bar. 
Try the hard cider and the lion's strout! oh wait, the GARLIC FRIES.

PROs: loved all the uniqueness of their beers, loved the spaciness, and love the bar/restaurant feel. GARLIC FRIES, GET THE GARLIC FRIES. if you're ready for a night of garlic and you are as much of a garlic fan as me, i promise you this will not disappoint. BEST garlic fries ever.

CONs: uhm.. they should at least have some 'common' beers available like miller light or bud light for those who aren't as adventurous. 

Either way, fun times here!
3 - Linda S.: We visited after a few months of not going to this establishment after being dissapointed many different times.  We discovered that their happy hour goes until 7:00 pm on Friday night, so we went a couple of hours before happy hour ended after checking the website and seeing that some of our favorite beers were available, aas well as some new beers we have never had before that sounded interesting.  We had a lovely time!  Our server Don, could not have been more helpful!  He bought us a sample of a different beer to taste with out even asking for it.  It was the most thoughtful thing any server has ever done for us here! (We used to go here at least once a week for a very long time...)  We had some happy hour chicken nachos that were delicious and very reasonably priced-they seemed a bit smaller than the last time we had the nachos. (sometime at the beginning of summer.)We were not sure if it was a smaller portion for happy hour, or if the regular portion was just smaller now.  We love the chicken strips, even though we have had problems with them before, we had to have them.  We ordered them and asked them to be cooked lightly.  Don came back and asked us how they were, and when we told them they were overcooked, he fixed the problem.  Happy hour is a great time to go here with their delicious beers half price.  We give the service five stars-Great Job Don!
3 - Chelsea M.: This place is fine. The service always seems to have a bit of an attitude (at least at the bar) and if I'm going to drink Arbor Brewing Co beer, I'd rather drink it at Corner in Ypsilanti. If you don't feel like venturing to the dirty Y for your pint, this location will do.

On several occasions I've experienced the beer being flat. If you don't like your brew, be sure to send it back!
3 - Gaurav B.: They have very good beers. "Sacred Cow"  is my favorite. Food was not exceptional. Average burgers...

Its more of a beer place...
1 - Susan R.: HORRIBLE service. We came in, gave our name to the hostess who proceded to write something down (at the time I thought it was my name....silly me)was told it would be 5 minutes so we proceded to the bar to wait to be seated. After 10 minutes we finally recieved our drinks but we had not been called. I chalked this up to the fact that it was the A2 art fest so I was not terribly worried. 20 minutes later when checking back with the hostess she acted like we had never given her our name to be on the seating list even though we were only 10 feet away. A couple of minutes later she unapologetically told us that she wrote a completely different name down and when we were cashed out at the bar she would seat us. 5 minutes later after we finally flagged down the poor bartender who was hella busy with the bar AND tables we cashed out and went over to the hostess stand. She then proceded to seat us by the bar (with no hope of having a server). We waited 10 more minutes, grabbed our stuff and just left the table. Nobody ever came and introduced themselves/ came for our drink or food order even though I saw several servers coming and going. So negative stars for service, no stars for food,and the one star was for the beer cause according to my better half it was excellent.
3 - Erik H.: Stop #3, our final destination, on the Ann Arbor Sunday Afternoon Brewpub Crawl was unfortunately the most disappointing one as well.

I came here in May so their seasonal Üskratsch Mai Bock was on the menu, which I ordered.  Sweet, hoppy, and citrusy, it was almost overly so with all those. I enjoyed it, but it could have been better.  As for the actual atmosphere, it felt a bit neglected. Our table had a slight layering of dust and our server was inattentive at best.

Only came here for a beer and then left, but I don't think I would return. If I were to have another Arbor beer (there was certainly potential there), might as well get it somewhere else.
3 - Amanda B.: The beer was wonderful and though I ordered a small, I was given a large.  Even though we were there ten minutes before happy hour, our server counted it for us and gave me a large at the happy hour price!  Nice work, server, nice work!

We also ordered a half order of the nachos and were pleasantly surprised.  They almost had a sweet quality to them and was something we enjoyed.

The bar definitely seems to have a more small-town feel.  They clearly are not trying to be a bar they are not, opting instead for very basic tables, and lot of wooden paneling.  It seemed more laid back than some of the other breweries in the area, but it was still quite nice.  I tend to favor a microbrew that has a little more modernity to it, but I'd probably go back anyway, mainly because of the fabulous service and the nachos!
4 - Randy G.: Arbor Brewing is a brew pub with unique fare combinations and items that rarely make it onto a pub omnivorous menu, vegetarian options. Although, I'm not a vegetarian, I always like to point out restaurants that make an effort to offer options for others. They offer a variety of vegetarian options, be sure to check them out the next time you're here.

I tried their Bavarian Burger with Garlic Fries. They pleased my belly and more importantly my taste buds. The burger is topped with light red cabbage slaw to help add the crunch and necessary vinegar to cut through the burger's heaviness. The cheese sits on top of the burger covering hidden mushrooms as if they were concealed jewels.The mushrooms add the extra earthiness to the meat.

The real star of the dish was the garlic fries. Wow, were they garlicy and delicious. It's not just seasoned with garlic powder or garlic salt, its minced garlic.  It was the first time having garlic fries and they work so well. Why would I ever want any other fries again. Now I'm spoiled. I could go there and get a plate of just these, however, I'm sure my wife will love my breath afterwards.
5 - Jeremy D.: Great beer, great food, games to play, delicious monthly beer tastings, and the service is usually good too, just less so with larger groups.  ABC every day!
4 - Gregory P.: I love ABC!

Since this is a microbrew, let me comment on the beer. Simply put, it's very good. In addition to their yummy standards, there are usually several other rotating beers, all unique and flavorful. They frequently run out of drafts, but, hey, there's always something else to order. Hit up happy hour (see their website) when all large beers are half off. You can't really beat that for a quality microbrew.

The food is good, but not amazing. I've always liked what I've ordered, but I have yet to be blown away by an entree. Having said that, the last time I went, I had the bread pudding with vanilla ice cream and it was pretty damn scrumptious. Anyway, I'm usually going there for the atmosphere/beer and the food is good enough to satisfy me.

The staff has always provided me with excellent service and the patrons are a great mix of students and friendly locals. The place has a very laid-back, chill vibe. When you're at ABC, you just feel comfortable. Oh, and they have darts and shuffleboard, which sometimes can be a deciding factor when you're with friends and want to drink, chat, and have some fun.

Arbor Vitae - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2781636, -83.7408678) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
4 - Lisa W.: Arbor Vitae is a beautiful and hip loft right near Wazoo Records on State Street.  It's definitely a place to hit if you love the younger Ann Arbor townie circles -- you'll probably see the hot barista from Cafe Ambrosia there and maybe that kid you fought at the 8 Ball.  They host amazing shows for local musicians.  I've seen Fred Thomas, Actual Birds, and many others.  I've also been to hot dance parties as well.  They even host art openings.  They'll also probably have a New Year's Eve party if you want to skip the bar chaos -- this is a much better place to kick it.

The best thing:  if you creep out using the fire escape and climb onto the roof, you will get a spectacular view of the area.  You see a church rooftop as well as the brick from the ivy covered house next door, but also all the State Street businesses.  It is one of my favorite spots in the city to just sit late at night and chill with friends.

What I love about watching a show there is the intimacy.  You  can sit in a circle and watch the performance, but you can also see other people in the audience.  It takes the sound to another level.  In contrast to that, the dance parties are amazing.  I met my astro-physicist friend at one of their dance parties.

It can get crowded since it is a loft and a living space for people during the day, but you'll find your favorite (and possibly least favorite -- but that makes it more interesting!) people from around town during that late night.  He offered me a swig of his vodka from a bag. He recognized me from my job.  Then this absolutely FOINE guy recognized me from my job and asked me out.  Then this guy I actually detest recognized me from my job, and that sucked big time.  Intimate spaces have their pros and cons, definitely -- but if you hear about a show or party here, give it a try.
4 - Dil F.: All aces loft/performance/dance space. Poor or no A/C = inferno. Great people.

I spent a loooong Friday night last week at a performance extravaganza. Got to watch a shadow-puppet show accompanied by a soundtrack and using only "meow"s for dialogue, a lightning-round poetry reading by 7 or 8 people, a singer-songwriter-crooner in the vain of Cat Power, an electro-noise-punk-pop duo, and then a dance party! all in one night!

The space is entirely accommodating! Such a great venue for any kind of performance/act. And as Lisa W says in her review (to which I defer for everything I don't mention, cuz she covered great ground), if there's a chance to slip out back onto the fire-escape/ roof patio, omg do it! Such a great summer experience. It's a BYOB venue, so bring it.
4 - Sam G.: One of Ann Arbor's saving graces. 

The interior is most definitely designed by a slightly loopy and inspired architect from the 1960s after smoking a lot of weed and taking a few too many hits of LSD. That said, the space is remarkably cozy, earthy, and welcoming. Everything is made of dark wood with various little studio rooms strewn about and wonderful niches. 

For smaller intimate shows, this place is the cat's pajamas. The acoustics are actually pretty good and depending on the night, you can watch the show from various levels. Great dj'ing, wonderful post-punk and garage-psych bands, generally a good vibe. 

Be warned, however. The self-proclaimed overwrought-hipsters definitely come out in full force. Come laid back and ready to enjoy music, maybe with a flask or beer in hand, and the bright red lipstick and smug looks won't ruin the evening. 

Take those hands out of your pockets. Loosen up and shake your hips, bang your head, and pump those fists a little! BYOB, cash only, and don't smoke inside, kids.

Arbuckle Café - Stanford, CA (37.4281395, -122.1614915) ()
5 - Kristine D.: The best panini I've had --- hands down!!!  I met a friend here for lunch and tried their take on the popular sandwich for the first time.  You are encouraged to direct the staff to build your own sandwich.  I highly recommend the herbed chicken with brie and mixed greens with garlic aioli. YUMMY!!!
4 - Jackie D.: One of my favorite places to eat at Stanford. The salad bar has a very good selection and is very fresh and tasty!

I also like the fact how all the utensils, cups, bowls, etc are all compostable and biodegradable
3 - Jeanne S.: The burritos here are delicious!! I always get the whole wheat wrap with spicy pork, rice, beans, and the works. It always turns out to be a gigantic burrito...I try to save half of it but it is too much temptation and I usually end up eating the whole thing and then lapse into a food coma at work....
5 - terry h.: Back in 1999/2000, my startup company was getting funded by angel investors, the main one a Stanford MBA. He was a nice guy but changed his mind every week about how the company should go and what direction we should take. Literally, every Monday meeting was "we have been thinking and we are going to change things up a little for the time being." 

You could see pretty quickly that he was more interested in building a big company fast to show to the rest of his investor buddies than to play it smart and grow things slowly like other smarter companies did. He also wouldn't listen to anyone because he thought he was smarter than everyone else. Not a good combination for success. 

That was also very frustrating and demoralizing to everyone but when you sell out to the big money, you all have to do what the big money says. Lesson learned, never sell out again to anyone and run your own business, collect all the money for yourself and stay independent.

But the great thing about him was that we got to go to Stanford GSB all the time to recruit students and they ate at Arbuckle Cafe (an underground eaterie below the GSB building). Arbuckle has great food, excellent burritos and huge, cheap salads. Subsidized by google, yahoo and nike probably.

So if you are ever in the area and park on campus, head on over to Arbuckle and listen in to all of the grand plans of the brilliant graduate students. You might luck out and get in on the ground floor of the next big thing.
3 - Bradley N.: ABCD Season One, Episode Two: "Back to Business."
Conversation overheard here. Loosely translated.

B: Hmmm ... the Graduate School of Business cafeteria at Leland Stanford Jr. University, huh? In the basement, is it? How priceless! What a perfect metaphor for the current downtrodden state of the capitalist economy.

A: Can it, Castro! This is wholesome, free-market food served to order. Just the way I like it. I'm luvin' it, actually. Salads, sammies, soup, some hot entrees, and lots and lots of seats to choose from. Like Adam Smith intended it, plus vegan options, too, for all you socialists out there (smirks wryly). And they take credit. You've got plastic, right?

B: I cut up my cards to protest the bailout of the financial industry. If bankruptcy is good enough for Lehman Brothers, it's good enough for the rest.

A: But you've got to admit that there are lots of tasty food choices here. And you never have to wait. Ever. That's pretty cool. Try that at Ike's!

B: I would wait for hours for some truly revolutionary food on campus. Ike's is leading the way. Ike is SO vanguard. Maybe he'll even name a sandwich after Che Guevara. It would have red tomatoes, red peppers, red cabbage, and red radishes all mixed up with the tastes of ... freedom! It's dirty sauce or death!! Viva La Revolución!!!

C: Excuse me? What revolution? How will this affect my 401(k)? And I JUST switched to GEICO ...That gecko is just so convincing, you know.

D: Dear, please don't interrupt the student radicals when their mouths are full. Sorry! Our son (Class of 2014, so proud of him) is going to be a business major and then get his MBA and then found an Internet startup and then have a building named after him. And to think that he was once just a little boy running around the house in his Huggies pull-ups (sniffs).

A: (uncomfortable silence)

B: My mom didn't use plastic diapers. Only organic, free-range, sweatshop-free, not-for-profit cotton ones. She didn't shave, either. And look how I turned out!

D: (sips her Coke Zero long and hard. Says nothing). 

C: Hey, is that Condi Rice there in the corner eating a burrito?

B: (glances over). No, probably not. That must be the OTHER tall black woman with a power suit on campus (whipes the dripping sarcasm from his chin before proceeding). And no students are protesting at the next booth over. Plus, no guys with crew cuts, dark glasses, and Brooks Brothers suits are sitting beside her. Sorry. Try the Hoover!

D: But this place looks so clean!? Who needs to vacuum? Don't they have (lowers her voice) some low-wage workers to do that sort of thing? You know .... ¿Habla español and all?

B: (angry) OK ... nos vamos! We're outta here. Have a nice day, and enjoy your time at $tanford. And don't let the Marguerite shuttle drive over your lily-white a#@ on the way back to your Hummer H3 illegally double-parked in the A-permit section of Palm Drive! 

A: Excuse him. He's got issues. BIG ones. He needs to hug his Rosa Luxemburg Beanie Baby when he gets back to the Village. (as an aside to A:). I think I last saw her floating in the bathtub, you know 

B: (flips him the finger before getting up to leave).

D: Is your friend one of those "Village People," then? The ones they don't let into the military if they ask and tell?

B: ESCONDIDO Village, you freakin' idiots!!! (heads up the stairs, shaking visibly with rage).

C: (to D, under his breath) I think we just met one of those lefty nut jobs that Bill O'Reilly is always telling us to watch out for. Good riddance! And I'll bet his "roommate" is from Iran, too. I've heard tales ...

D: Mmmmmm ... this is one big burrito. What a great deal. Maybe we should tell our son about this place. Think outside the bun and all!

C: Sure, he loves authentic Mexican food. That's why he always wants to go to Tijuana to buy them in person. They sure seem expensive, though. He always is asking for money to support his habit, he always has the "munchies." Funny word, "munchies." But they ARE addictive, I'll give him that! 

D: Let's call him up, then. I can use my new G4. Once I figure out how to turn it on, sweetie (pecks C. mischievously on the cheek). But only after I finish this yummy fat-free burrito, that is!

And finish it she did.
4 - Lisa R.: The brand spanking new Arbuckle Cafe at the new Graduate School of Business, Knight Management Center JUST opened.  I work at the GSB and have for the past 6+ years, so having a modern, beautiful, organic, sustainable, large facility take the place of the OLD Arbuckle on Memorial Way was keenly anticipated!

This place is amazing for a lot of reasons.  The sheer architectural beauty of the joint is stunning.  It is a round building, with 30 foot ceilings, completely encase in glass and with retractable door/walls to make it a veritable indoor/outdoor establishment.

It is surrounded by a gorgeous, trellised pergola, redwood, I believe with wisteria planted at the bases.  In a few years it will be a refuge from the hot summer sun,

The cafe itself is open until 11pm Monday through Thursday and until 5 pm on Fridays.  They serve weekend brunch now (wacky) and I will be trying it this weekend or next.

Great picnic tables, outdoor wrought iron tables, adirondack chairs and tables.

Salads, wood fired pizza, made ot order grill.

Very expensive, too expensive but the location and setting is great.

Alcohol permit applied for folks.

I'll update soon with more info.
2 - Brandie M.: Arbuckle Cafe has moved to the new Knight Management Center at 655 Knight Way. The location is a very nice place. There is both indoor and out door facilities. The Indoor facility is full of light as opposed to the old location's cave like feel. They also have more to offer in the way of food. However, though they still seem to use fresh ingredients, most of the food is mediocre. In addition, their prices have become a little outrageous. I used to be able to buy a large salad for $5.29, now the charge for the same size is over $7, plus a 25 cent surcharge if you want to use a to-go container. It is understandable they may have new prices due to cost overhead for operating in the new location, but they have skimped on the offerings in the salad bar vs what they used to offer there, and the price has increased far too much. The same situation has happened with the deli sandwiches.
5 - Stephanie W.: Love the new Arbuckle! What an improvement. After three visits, I'm definitely a fan.  I've never seen a cafeteria with such style, selection, or quality. The food is super yummy and there's something for everyone.  I've tried a few of the pasta dishes, the pizza, and one of the daily mixed salad specials.  The setting is beautiful with ample seating and light. Yes, it's a little pricey, but what else doyou expect at the Stanford GSB? 

My only complaint is that the new Arbuckle doesn't have a fraction of the outlets of the old cafe (maybe they didn't intend this as a working space?) and most of the doors only open from the inside. 

Make sure you check out the newly installed art piece to the left of the cafe - it's brightly colored and it moves, so it's hard to miss. And gorgeous!
4 - Candace L.: A new building for the GSB and a brand new Arbuckle. Still has the items of the old cafe but a much larger location allows them to offer new items and more variety. They now serve hot breakfast made to order, burgers, pizza and usually a design your own pasta station. 

The cons: 
- $0.25 on the spot for a to-go container
- prices on everything have gone up about 30%
- a much larger space means people tend to stand wherever they want to talk/ponder their lunch choices/more or less just be in someone's way
- the prices of the make your own salad are ridic. $5 for a small salad...and I MEAN SMALL.
- no hot breakfast during the summer
- Closes early on Fridays in summer

The Pros
- Love the variety
- Longer hours in general (just not in the summer)
- Better seating inside
- the outdoor seating is wonderful and includes loungers 
- the checkout lanes are easier to maneuver
4 - Glaciala A.: New Arbuckle is 100 times better than the old Arbuckle, which used to feel like an airport eatery. However, the prices are a bit higher for certain foods. A lot of different options for food, the lines are pretty quick and they do have local produce/local foods. I favor the soups which change daily. Sometimes i feel the prices are $1 to a $1.50 a bit high, but quality is good.
2 - Adrienne M.: Way overrated.  I agree that it's a beautiful open-air space, and one of, if not the, nicest places to eat on the Stanford campus.   Since it's a food court, there's a great variety and I don't think the prices are that bad ($6-$8 is pretty standard for a lunch around here).   But the food is just not that good!   I came here for lunch today with my fiance.   He had the chicken chow mein ($7.75) and I had the beef fajitas burrito ($7.25).   My fiance didn't really like his chow mein and we both felt the portion was kind of small for the price.  The burrito was huge and overall it was decent, but the beef in the beef fajitas was so tough I could barely chew it.  After hurting my teeth several times trying to bite into it, I gave up and gave it to my fiance who ate it but agreed it was really tough.    I would gladly pay an extra dollar or two for them to use better quality beef, this was really inedible.   I think menu-wise this place is pretty similar to Nexus (burritos, pizza, sandwiches, a grill station) and the food is better there. While the atmosphere here is lovely, when I'm eating lunch I mostly care about what I'm eating and I would rather go just about anywhere else at Stanford.
3 - Kes D.: Often crowded, but nice seating and plenty of outdoor seating.  Quite nice when the weather is good.

The sushi is pretty good.  Nice selection of drinks, including aguas frescas.  The one time they had gazpacho it was really good.

They seem to run out of items...this has happened at the grill, the special entree section, and the sushi bar respectively during the five or so times I've been here.  

The salad bar is not as good as the old GSB.  They try to be too fancy and end up ignoring a lot of the basic ingredients people like in their salads.  Like different kinds of lettuce and maybe some cucumbers.  It's also not restocked fast enough, so things like cherry tomatoes tend to run out. 

They also have very weird pizza toppings.  There was one with beets?

Eh, overall I'd recommend going to Nexus instead if you have time.  I miss the old GSB with the tasty brie/pear/ham panini and great and affordable salad bar.  Now I'd have to go all the way across campus if I wanted to build myself a decent salad.  Guess I'll just pack lunch when I want salad.
2 - Phyllis G.: Love the food and location of the new Arbuckle Cafe but it's so expensive!!  I can only afford a small bowl of soup ($2.75 if you eat there) and yesterday was shocked to find out my half a sandwich cost almost $6, with no meat or cheese!  I'm in awe of the people who can eat there every day.  Bring your wallet and make sure it's stuffed with cash!  (Two stars for the food, minus three stars for the cost.)
2 - Ian S.: The prices are outrageous. There are no nutritional values listed. Portions are small and skimp on protein. The salad bar is constantly running out of things -- they're pretty much always out of chicken. The seating area is always messy, with garbage left sitting on the tables for long periods of time. Condiments, utensils,  water fountains, tray pickups, tray drop offs, etc. are all laid out in very inconvenient ways. 

Lines are extremely long during peak hours. They don't seem to have appropriate staffing, preparation, and processes to deal with these very predictable customer patterns, which is amazing given that this cafe is run by a business school. Some food items require complicated order forms which are thrown into messy piles and handled at random.

They give out annoying punch/discount cards which earn you a $10 discount after ~20 meal purchase. It's very frustrating to have to carry this flimsy paper card around and pull it out, over and over, and it slows down the long lines. This discount system is essentially a tax on everyone but the most devoted deal-seekers / card carriers among us.

There is a coffee shop located in the rear of the cafe. Good luck finding someone who mans it. It is almost always empty. You usually have to call someone from another place to tend to the station. The whole ordeal takes several minutes. I've pretty much given up, and so have most other Arbuckle patrons.

On Thursdays, they have outdoor barbecues. Strangely, you have to go inside, wait in line once to obtain a paper voucher, then go outside, and wait in once more to obtain your food. Surely, in Silicon Valley, at Stanford, there are some  mobile technologies that can better handle this.

On the positive side, I will say that the look-and-feel of the place is very nice. Arbuckle is spacious with high ceilings and abundant indoor and outdoor seating. The location is fantastic.
3 - Lusi F.: For a school cafeteria, really it's not bad.  It's not the most amazing restaurant, but it offers a wide selection of fresh foods, especially at lunch, and has pretty good deals on breakfast too.

for dinner - don't bother unless you have to

and it even sells wine!

no tax if you're a student (or look like one)
3 - Shubs K.: Major props for the spacious interior, nice deck that is especially sweet for Spring, and friendly staff. I had mixed expectations about this place (school dining commons vs. well, it is the b school), but I was pleasantly surprised by the delicious Saturday brunch fare. There are a couple stations here (all appropriately named for a b school) that serve different types of food depending on what you're in the mood for. One station was serving up special order omelets, another pancakes and sides, and others with drinks and to-go snacks. The prices are pretty steep, though, and the best spots outside are tough to get. A lot of things the boyfriend and I wanted to get were sold out, too, meaning buttermilk pancakes for me. The buckwheat wasn't bad, though! I'd probably give this place a solid 4 stars if it were a little cheaper, but until they build another brunch place closer to EV, I guess I'll have to come here for a quick pancake fix.
5 - William B.: Gorgeous space, lots of choices, and good food.  Yes, you pay for what you get, but I am often willing to pay an extra dollar or three for quality.  I had a canteloupe agua fresca (!), and an excellent salad-- duck, pickled shallots, green beans, and a few other things with some fresh and excellent greens.  If they were just a little closer to the law school, this would become a mainstay.
1 - Erica U.: I have come here on various occasions for work and had salads the other 2 times. This time, I decided to be adventurous and go for the Hawaiian plate special from the grill. The plate consisted of Kahlua pork (didn't even taste like Kahlua), rice, napa cabbage with some teriyaki sauce and macaroni salad for $9. 

When I got home and was eating dinner, I had these sharp pains in my stomach and I think I got food poisoning from the macaroni salad. I spent the following day in bed with sharp pains (kinda like cramps) in my abdomen area. I can't think of anything else I ate that would've triggered such a bad experience. 

From now on, I'm sticking to just salad or, going elsewhere on campus like the Alumni center!
2 - April T.: Chicken tacos today were really pretty good. I'm still pissed off that there is no plain iced tea (and don't you dare try to tell me that paradise tea is plain!). There was a male "manager" who I felt was rude to a customer today. It kind of made me question returning as I didn't appreciate that tone of voice.
2 - Matt M.: My wife is 4 months pregnant and eats here often since it is convenient to the GSB. She ate a salad there several days ago and has had stomach cramps ever since. She went to the doctor, fearing for the baby, and she said "it was something you ate". I'm not saying that they gave her food poisoning, I'm just giving them 2 stars. You can be the judge.
3 - Michael W.: Selection isn't that great... decent food though
4 - Diane A.: Large open cafeteria, with different stations - from pizza to stir fry to burgers to the popular salad bar. Lots of beverage options as well. Prices are slightly higher than elsewhere on campus. Dining area is very large plus there is a lot of seating outdoors for those warm California days. If I'm in the GSB area, I definitely try to eat here.

Arby's - Christiansburg, VA (37.1659999, -80.4223) ()
3 - Eric W.: In my opinion, this place used to be dirty and has really cleaned up.  The food is typical Arby's and pretty good.  The service has always been prompt and friendly.  My only real issue with the place is the actual layout of the building itself.  If you want to do drive-thru, you'll literally circle the building...twice!  When you pull in, you have to drive a complete circle to get to the spot where you can place an order.  Then, as you pull forward to pay and get your food, you're into your second circle and have to complete it if you want to get out of the parking lot.  Wild!
3 - Julia W.: Let me preface by saying when I want to eat 'healthy' fast food; Arby's is usually my healthy choice. 

After a long day of flying across country and being jet-lagged; I decided Arby's was the best choice for a late night meal. 

I was a bit confused at the drive-thru being around the side and unable to turn in. You had to loop around the building to get to the drive-thru. Then you had to loop again to 'exit' the parking area. 

I'm sure whoever thought this up to build there didn't think it all the way through. Decent food although the Arby's Jr. was a bit on the small side - even for a jr. roast beef.

Arby's Restaurant - Trenton, NJ (40.297187, -74.681393) ()
1 - Danan R.: I would give 0 stars if possible.  Doesn't accept coupons and the value menu is drastically overpriced.  I mean, seriously?  2.59 for.a jr. roast beef?  1.89 for a "value" shake?  Furthermore service s rude and tediously slow.  If you're looking for an Arby's head to to PA or Edison.
1 - Paul S.: For being in a seemingly semi-upscale shopping plaza, this is quite possibly the most ghetto Arby's I've ever been to, and I worked in Jamaica, Queens for a while.  The sandwiches taste good, but sent me running for the bathroom when I got home, and I've never had that reaction from an Arby's before.  Avoid this place like the plague.
1 - Arthur P.: Closed.  Thank god.

Arby's Roast Beef Restaurants - Atlanta, GA (33.7748903, -84.3890588) (Midtown)
5 - David K.: NPWH = Nice People Work Here

The day I drove up and found out they stopped offering my favorite sandwich could have been really bad for a lot of people. Fortunately, the super sweet people that work here were there to talk me down and suggested I try something else. It sounded like a good substitute, so I ordered and pulled up the window.

The $5.01 menu is gone and my new sandwich is served in a really fancy plastic container. I was surprised when the person who took my order told me that she has been telling all of her customers to get the sandwich she suggested. She was right on and even though I'm paying a dollar or so more I'm happy. Honestly, I would never have thought to substitute ranch dressing for mayo and I think that made all the difference.

It was a very thoughtful alternative and I appreciate it.

#Yelp365 - 11/365
3 - Andrew G.: This Arby's has food at the same quality as any other location and hasn't had issues with my orders or long waits.  The place is nice and is open late, so I'm usually running over here if I realize I'm hungry after other places have closed.
2 - Daniel B.: This Arby's location is next to Georgia Tech's Tech Square and next door to the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center.  At lunchtime, this place is buzzing with Tech students, faculty, and staff.  I ran into my Investments professor here once.

It was at this location I discovered I didn't like any of Arby's Roast Beef Sandwiches with cheddar, specifically the Beef 'n Cheddar and Arby's Melt.  I gave them both a chance.  The Arby's Melt is their roast beef sandwich topped with melted cheese.  The Beef 'n Cheddar is the same thing except the sesame seed bun is replaced with an onion roll.  The cheese is similar to the type of thick, gooey, melted cheddar you can pump out of the self-serve metal canisters at Fuddruckers.

I don't know what it is about their melted cheese, but it tastes cheap and disgusting.  It's got an odor and aftertaste that makes me want to hurl.  Maybe it's just this location, but my experiences here have been terrible enough to steer me away from any sandwich with cheese on the menu from every Arby's I go to now.

The other menu items are fine.  I've always liked the classic Roast Beef Sandwich and most of their Market Fresh deli-style sandwiches.  And the crispy curly fries are virtually a guaranteed win.  Great service and best of all, free parking, which is a rarity in this busy part of Midtown.
3 - David B.: On a trek into the downtown area, me and a friend decided to stop here along the way and grab lunch.  Service was relatively quick, no mistakes on the order either.

One glaring thing that I saw that really irked me was an electrical outlet literally hanging out of the wall near a table in the back of the restaurant.  One simple unattentive brush with your hand and you'd get zapped.

Arcade Barber - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2783584, -83.7415776) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - Marc W.: It takes me a long time to find a barber I trust and like. I have difficult hair and if it's not cut with care the cowlicks stick up everywhere. Tiffany and Joey know my hair and I have never had a bad haircut. The greatness of Arcade Barbers is not a secret and if you want a specific barber there's often a long wait but if you take the next available it goes pretty fast. They have a huge collection of Star Wars Lego models to view as you get your hair cut.
3 - Chris S.: I got my hair cut here yesterday. Best cut I've had in A2. I'll go back and that's saying a lot because I've yet to repeat visit a barber in this town. Cool little barber shop in the arcade. I dig the location. Stylists seemed chill, pleasant vibe inside.
2 - Haroun K.: The haircuts here seem kind of lazy, you know, the standard "take a variety of clipper settings" to the head.  I don't get my haircut here.  I go in from time to time, pay $4, for a little mid-haircut maintenance.  One time, the barber took the clippers to the back of my neck and made a German expressionist painting, I swear to god.  Well, almost.  The other guys I see getting their haircuts never walk out looking better than they did on their way in.  I guess you get what you pay for.  For a few more bucks go to Church and South U.  Ask for Jim.
4 - Andrew L.: Sorry Aaron K.. You might as well screw Jim and his South U and Church barber shop because Arcade Barber and James are 10 times better. 

What say we battle to the death? I choose you Jamesachu!

Now that I'm done battling pokemon style, how about we get to some reviewing?

My story with this place starts a couple of years ago when I decided to cut my hair after 7 years of growing it out. Being black, I got scared because I had no idea how I'd find a barber that could cater to my ethnic locks. I tried going to this place on State St. that had "ethnic" in their name, but that turned out to be a load of crap! Again, I thought all was lost. But then, I happened upon a place with a black barber, Arcade Barber!

Strangely enough, when I came back, he wasn't there and I had my hair cut by a white guy named James. I asked him if he knew what he was doing and he convinced me that he did. He wasn't that bad either. I gave him my $12 plus tip and I've been going there ever since. 

Everyone there is friendly and they always have cool stories to tell. And even if you find them to be boring, there's always a TV in the corner of the barber shop you can watch.

Short waits, great service, and a guy that knows how to cut my brown ethnic curls. Almost as good as being back in DC. Ann Arbor...who woulda thunk it?
5 - Matthew G.: yep this is the best barber shop
not just because the location is amazing and super convenient, but the proprietress [tiffany] and her gang of super cool cutters are fun-loving artists who take walk-ins, will change the music or tv channel if you ask, can cut little kids hair or snip out the grey, just about whatever you need.
free wireless while you wait if you end up having to cool your heels.
i have been going to this place exclusively for my grooming needs for over 15 years and the only time i ever had to go back was when i got a fauxhawk for danielle's graduation party and then went in the next day to clean up my act for work.
scissor cut - $15 plus $3 tip  best deal around.
4 - Marc M.: I swear Tiffany is the only person that knows how to cut my hair. In fact, I had so many bad experiences, that I took to cutting my own here since moving out of Michigan!
3 - J C.: Standard barbershop. Quick cuts, fast turnover, and decent prices. 

I like my hair about .5", and I got the trimmer treatment with scissor work afterwards. It works.
4 - Chris C.: So at the end of a seemingly endless search for the perfect haircut, I ended where great quests often do: right back where I started.  James and Joey have both given me a couple cuts now, all great.  Not that I want anything complicated, but simplicity is an art, ya' know?  I enjoy the very relaxed atmosphere; it feels more like hanging out than just taking care of your scraggly self.  Happy to have found a home for my hair.
5 - Hakeem J.: I am an African American guy and was looking for a good barber who could cut my hair when I moved to Ann Arbor. I got very lucky when I found Arcade Barber, located right across from Central Campus at the U of M. This place has customers of every racial and ethnic background and can do anything. James and Mel are my barbers but there are a number of other barbers who provide customers with awesome cuts. This place is awesome and they'll have my business for the next 5 or 6 years I'm in Ann Arbor.
5 - Lily K.: I take my one year old son here for haircuts. They are wonderful with him, never ruin his precious curls and he loves riding in the kiddie cars. He always looks adorable and they are fast, available and affordable.
5 - Nick D.: Whoa. Well, that was awesome. I decided to go there after recommendations from various people around the University of Michigan campus. I was hesitant at first, because I'd only gone to salons or chain haircut places like Boric's, and I didn't really trust a barber with my hair.
Now I do.
I'm caucasian, with medium dense, wavy hair. I went there, and saw men of various ages waiting to get their haircut. I took a number awkwardly and sat down. There were other college students there, and I soon noticed that the barber shop was very agreeable with their schedules if they had class soon, etc. 
So, I wanted the Mad Men style haircut, kinda like Donald Draper. I pretty much told my barber James as much, and mentioned a few other barber shop terms I knew (such as a tapered neck and natural arch), and he seemed to know exactly what I was talking about. I didn't mentioned length or anything.
My haircut came out perfect, and it only took 15 minutes at the most. And it was $15. Dannnnnnggggg. 
Serious praise to James - I will definitely be going back again.

Arcade UFO - Austin, TX (30.29529, -97.736607) (University of Texas)
4 - Phyllis K.: As much as I dislike being  bombarded with the smell of sweaty boy, sweaty, geeky, virginal boys, I love video games.  Arcade UFO is worth the assault on my olfactory. 
 
Modeled after a Japanese arcade, Arcade UFO offers the standard DDR, fighting games like Tekken 6 and Street Fighter 4, and classics, like Donkey Kong.  But it also houses a plethora of nostalgia games like Metal Slug and Dungeons and Dragons, and good but forgotten games like Mr. Driller, similar to Dig-Dug, if Dig-Dug  snorted Japanese fat lines of cuteness.  

And when you're feeling a little overstimulated you can always sit on the patio or visit the convenient store, hookah bar or deli, all next door. Open till 4 am, this place will satiate you arcade cravings deep into morning.  

My only complaint is that the fighting games are setup as one player per console/screen, instead of two players around one, butting elbows on and off-screen.
4 - Alberto N.: I have to say that I am very impressed with this place. They had a couple of machine malfunctions, so they don't have all their games up and running, but what they do have is very good. They've got some great old school games like metal slug and even the versus game from Super Mario. But the gems are really the fighting games and their machines. This is one of the few arcades in the United States ( That's right! ) that even has Street Fighter IV since Capcom is not likely to release the game in arcade form for the U.S.

Also, you gotta love the fact that they give you a nice little patio to go out and relax on so you won't die from the smell of the usual gamers who happen to forget deodorant everyday.    

You can tell that whoever opened this arcade is really like
4 - Andrew J.: Went here with my g/f to blow-off steam on pixels instead of each other.  We had a blast playing Time Crisis 4, the machine was in great shape.  Other big name games I saw were Initial-D 4, Street Fighter IV, and Tekken 6.  

Place is pretty small, could be a problem if there were a slight crowd.  I was there on a Sunday afternoon ~ 3-5pm, I'm curious as to whether the place builds lines on a Friday or Saturday night.  

Convenience store next door has energy drinks, thats worth 1/2 star at least.  I didn't notice any machines out-of-order.  Taking a star only because of the price ($1 coins can add up REAL quick - I blew $20 on TC4... even though we probably sucked) and because I wish they had a couple SEGA machines.  

Overall, I'm highly impressed and look forward to going back.
5 - Samantha W.: So many games!  So little space!

I like the cozy factor.  The crowds put me at ease somehow, where other arcades make me feel isolated and self-conscious of my playing skill.  Being crammed in with people watching and waiting and having a super time makes me feel like my poor street-fighting skills are all funny and worthwhile.

State-of-the-art games!  In addition to my all-time favorite, Ms. Pac-man, they have some of the newest most dazzling eye-candy games, apparently before anybody else gets them in Texas and sometimes the US.  They also host Street Fighter tournaments with top players in attendance.

Good variety, good vibes, awesome hangout, and an excellent date if you care to get cozy on Tetris Master or Puzzle Fighter (just make sure you go somewhere quiet to talk afterwards - it's super-loud).
5 - Ashley C.: I just met the owner of this place, completely by accident, and I have got to say she was incredibly friendly and informative. I just found out from her that they rotate their puzzle games every two weeks so expect me to be there more often for sure!

They care so much for their machines and the quality of the players experience that they replaced the dance game pad sensors that Tek Republik and Einstein's had sadly left in disrepair. IIRC she said that besides the ITG machine, those machines have actually been completely replaced as well.

I just wish I had taken better advantage of their location when I lived nearby!

Who wants to play Street Fighter 4 with me ;)?

Read my first review on this place for a run down of the interior and exterior instead of just the owners lovely demeanour and dedication.
4 - Charles M.: Great place to bike to after the bars kick everybody out.  It's always cold inside and they offer some great games, new arrivals are a buck to play- like Street Fighter IV.  I think I stumbled in around 3 a.m. one time.  Totally rocked my Joystick.
4 - Steve E.: Honestly, the first time I saw this place, I thought it was a front for some drug cartel: nondescript, small white building in an area better known for well-lived in student housing than a video game arcade. 

However, once you step foot inside and that somewhat dank musty air hits you in the face, you instantly are reminded of two things 1) you've just stepped back in to Einstein's Arcade on the Drag (RIP) and 2) video game arcades are a dying breed. 

Sad, but true. It seemed like not so long ago you could head down to the 7-11 or supermarket with a bunch of quarters jingling in your pocket on a Saturday afternoon.  Who was going to be the king of Street Fighter II that day? Was a new game in place? Which one of your friends or classmates would you run in to there?

Well, if you're in to that sort of communal experience you just can't get with an XBOX 360, or just want to relive some of your youth, I have to say that UFO is a fantastic place. They have a surprisingly large amount of games crammed inside that little building.  And it's games that Gen X'ers will recognize (like Street Fighter, Xevious, Pac-Man), but also some recent games available only in Japan (Initial D 4, anyone?) too.  The focus is pretty heavily on fighting games, though, so if that's not your cup of tea, you'll not have as many options.  

Still, this is a fantastic, local business and I'm proud to donate my quarters to them--and so should you!
1 - jeremy w.: Pinball Machines.  How can you be an arcade without pinball machines?  However, they do have all the latest shit that every kid already has on one of their sixteen game consoles that they have at home.

So you know.  If you sit at home all day playing games, and your mom tells you that you need to get out of the house, but you find our yellow sun singeing your translucent skin, stop in here.  In fact I think there's a pizza place next door that can take care of your dietary needs.
5 - Susi R.: HOLY SHIT THEY HAVE POP'N MUSIC!

This is the best place ever.
4 - Brian S.: First off, it's incredible to live within walking distance of an actual independent arcade. Thank you, Arcade UFO, for filling this void and satisfying my nostalgia for the late '80s decently. The fact that this place exists is worth 4 stars alone.

The downside is, I'm not a Japanese game fanatic, or an anime fan. Most of what you'll find here is targeted toward that crowd. Sure, I can get into a fighting game featuring a bunch of cute girls. But ultimately, I'm more of an American arcade gamer.

For people like me, you've still got some options. Time Crisis, some racing game, Metal Slug 6, some new Street Fighter game, and a multi-game console with Mega Man 2 and Marvel vs. Capcom 2 inside.

The rest ... ehh. I implore the owners of Arcade UFO to get an OG Pacman, Donkey Kong, pinball machine, etc. Quit screwing around and start raking in WAY more coins by appealing to a wider audience, while reviving the true sense of what an arcade should be. Eclectic, completely entertaining to anyone, and PACKED to the gills.

I'll keep going here and pumping quarters into games I don't really like to keep the place alive, but MAN I hope some old school games appear.
5 - Stu R.: LOVEEEEEEEEEEEE this place.  

This is one of the only places in the ENTIRE STATE to play Japanese style arcade games... specifically 2d fighters and bullet hell games.  They have melty blood and arcana heart 2!!!!!!!  

If you don't know what those are, you probably won't care.  If you do know what those are, you're probably stopped reading by this point to jump in your car and drive yourself down to the arcade to get in on that action.

The only downside to this place is that the locals are insanely good.  People are gonna whoop your ass.  It's all in good spirits though.  Fun times!
5 - Stephen S.: Save the arcade! Cool Japanese-style arcade. Recommend the DJ touch interface game or SF iv.
5 - Victor T.: Hands down the best arcade in the entire state of Texas or Gulf Coast for that matter. As others have already stated this place focuses on the Japanese anime street-fighter genre of games.

The game controls all work the way they should, and the equipment is kept mega clean.

It's like being in a mini-Japanese arcade without the annoying Pachinko audio assault. They even have DDR for those that like to use their feet.
3 - Christina L.: After watching "The King of Kong", I had a desire to go to an arcade, but I guess I was envisioning an arcade similar to the one in the documentary. This place has absolutely no classic games, not even Pac-Man.

If you can get over that fact, then you might enjoy it. We played some racing games, some shooting game, and others that weren't too memorable.

The place is small. Not really crowded (went on a Friday night).. Not a place that I am dying to go back to every weekend, but okay to try out.
5 - P R.: Arcade UFO is FANTASTIC. All of the games are great, regardless of what you came for. For instance, Street Fighter , Blaz Blue, and many other fighter games.  There are also puzzle games, like Puzzle Fighter and Mr. Driller, and Tetris... There is a racing game, Initial D... I really love that Pop'n'Music is here and also ITG.
5 - J Y.: There's a certain divide between arcades in people's minds. Arcades tend to send people back to a time in the 80s, where Pacman and Centipede were king. UFO is a new-age Japanese arcade, containing more or less the latest stuff, with little to cater to the rest of the public. With that in mind, UFO gets the job done well. The latest fighting games are always available to play almost a few days within release overseas, and the cabinets are authentic cabs and parts manufactured by R/S and Sanwa. Understandably, people are disappointed by the lack of known classic arcade games, but with the lack of space and competition from Pinballz, it's almost forgivable. The games may be majority fighting games, with a few shooters and puzzle games, but blame developers and publishers for that trend. Overall, ArcadeUFO is a great place to be if you're up for seeing the cutting edge of Japan arcades, but staying closer to home. Come play some street fighter, and join the community. 

(For anybody bringing kids, I highly advise bringing them in the daytime, when the rest of the arcade scene isn't present.)
5 - Dygo T.: old review stands. recently saw that their bank no longer provides change, so you'll need to buy tokens. but they give out bonus tokens every $10 you spend, so it's possibly a better good deal.
4 - adam c.: kool arcade, better then  Einstein's ever was but needs afew more classics.
5 - Andy T.: Am I seriously writing a review about the only Japanese Arcade in Austin at the moment?  There's no competition for UFO at all.  It's the only place you go to if you want to play some of the most updated arcades that Japan has.  Most of the regulars come at night time only.  So if you're going to bring your kids and let them enjoy the arcade without pressure in the air, I'd recommend bringing them during the daytime.
3 - Eric B.: Definitely a niche arcade. Come here if you used to go toe to toe with peeps at Einsteins and want to play the latest fighting games against other like minded gamers. Don't come here with a huge group or if you want to just mind your own business and mess around with a little SF4.

This place is SMALL. They do have all the latest fighting games and a few hard to find cabinets, which is nice. But it's pretty cramped. 

My main gripe? Some of the clientele need to use a little invention called DEODORANT. Jesus christ man. While I was there there was an employee walking around spraying Lysol all over the place because the smell was so dank. Come on dudes...just because you game all day doesn't mean you can't spend 3 seconds and put on some goddamn Speed Stick before you leave the house. Blecccccch.

I could see myself coming here every so often to see what's new and exciting in the arcade world. But I don't think I'd be a regular.
1 - justin d.: I was happy to see a new arcade go up near ut.  However, this place is more for hardcore gamer nerds than arcade dilettantes, and I am the latter.
5 - RICHARD K.: Pro: A very Japanese Arcade in north campus. Mostly fighting games like SF, BB and MvC. Good place to just kill some time. 

Con: Very small and lines for most games. Not good for large groups.
3 - Mark K.: "HISS!" was the greeting I received from the Unidentified Fluorescent Outcasts (UFOs) of Arcade UFO as daylight followed me into this dungeon of finger dexterity. The scathing onomatopoeias turned to sighs of relief once the door closed behind me. I stood motionless for several minutes, letting my senses adjust to the epilepsy triggering cartoons and pulsating techno beats emanating from the machines.

"Where's the token booth?" I asked a vampirical patron living vicariously through a first-person shooter.

A grunt of irritation and a swift head gesture towards the coin dispenser was as much kindness as this pseudo-cop could muster.

"Thanks." I replied, trying to be polite.

(Grunt), he responded. 

I slid a five spot into the bill slot and gathered my spacecraft adorned tokens.

"Now where are the Skee-Ball machines?" I asked myself, for fear of inciting the revenge of the nerds.

My favorite test of depth perception was as absent as natural lighting in this den of Japanese imports. (The games, not the gamers. Well, some of the gamers.) As a matter of fact, all ticket-dispensing amusements were nonexistent. The satisfaction of climbing the leader board or slaughtering your opponent in a rare version of Street Fighter 4 are the only prizes to be won at this all-business arcade.

Whenever I play a fighting game I'm like an infant playing the piano. I just giggle and haphazardly hit buttons with no rhyme or reason. I decided it would be in my best interest to save my tokens for a less complex challenge, however, that was nearly impossible. Despite their stereotypical aversion to athletic competition, gamers LOVE a virtual contest. Even the Pac-Man machine (Pac-Man Battle Royale) is made for a melee.  

Just as I was about to donate my coins to one of the non-blinking mouth breathers captivated by their screen, I spotted a relic from my adolescence, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Circa 1991). I was beckoned to the nostalgic machine like an abduction beam. For the first time in over a decade I was wielding Leonardo's sword and slicing through Shredder's foot soldiers like the second hand on the clock I was now ignoring. 

An hour and one disappointingly rusty performance later, I was down to a dollar. I pried myself away from the time sucking device and spent my final tokens on a melodious machine by the name of Pop'n Music 17 The Movie. My white-boy rhythm was no match for the "beginner" setting. No sooner did I hit the start button, I was mocked by an animated bunny grimacing beneath the words, "Game Over." My defeat signaled my departure from this peculiar land.

Hisses from the inhabitants of Arcade UFO chased me out the door as I returned to the UV rays of the real world. If I were still fifteen, this would easily be a five-star review. Unfortunately for Arcade UFO, the last decade has taught me that there's more to life than joysticks and jump kicks. It's called Skee-Ball.
4 - Lauren A.: Awesome new release arcade games, mostly Japanese.  I brought my 13 year old cousin, who is a gamer (I am not), and she had a fun time.  

I used to go to Einstein's with friends in high school, and Arcade UFO is pretty damn similar, down to the small space and that reeking smell.  But that's what makes places like Arcade UFO special...the community, the weirdness, even weird smells.  Also the sweet Ms. Pac Man four-player game.
4 - Nicholas S.: I spend entirely too much time at this arcade, giving them entirely too much of my money - hey, might as well promote them too.

If you're into fighting games, this is the place to be in central Texas. Currently, they have: SF3: Third Strike, Super Street Fighter 4 AE, BlazBlue, Marvel VS Capcom 3, Mortal Combat 9, Arcana Heart (3?), and Tekken 6.

Lots of other games for whatever genre you're into. The place, as noted by others, is small. But I like that, it gives it a cool atmosphere. It's cramped and dark; isn't that how an arcade should be? The place is kind of hard to find, as there's really no flashing or back-lit signs, and the windows are blacked out for the sake of keeping it dark inside. It's ALMOST as if they don't want to be found.

Which brings me to my next point, which I think is the reason a lot of people were not crazy about the place, it is, for the most part, for hardcore gamers. (Read: HARDCORE gamers) If you're not a hardcore gamer, you could be turned off. Some of the staff and patrons may turn their nose up at you because you've not mastered your character in Street Fighter. Other than Pac-Man there's really no casual games that anyone can pick up and learn. You really have to train like an Olympian to be competitive here.

That said, it's a great place with unique games you're not gonna find anywhere else outside of Japan, and for the most part people are very friendly and cool.
5 - Stef S.: Looking to blow a few hours in the great indoors with all kinds of wonderful noisemakers, some of which are straight out of Japan? This is your place. 

I'm a button masher at best but still enjoy an afternoon at this place. They've got a little bit of everything, from driving games to DDR to fighting games to stuff that isn't even in English. Go forth, my pretties, and nerd out to your heart's content. Now if they could just program unpredictable Austin drivers into the Wangan Midnight game so it'd be extra hilarious...ha! Having two seats for this game right next to each other is a great peril to your stack of coins, BTW.

This is perhaps the best maintained arcade I've ever seen--I don't think I've ever seen anything actually "out of order" here. If one does go out, it sure must not be for long.
3 - Andrew D.: A dark hole just north of UT, Arcade UFO has a run-down veneer but sparkles on the inside. A cacophony of computer beeps and boops accompanied by Japanese sound effects play background to rhythmically dancing multicolored lights. A variety of imported games line the walls of two small rooms giving the establishment the feel of a geek's basement from the Carter administration. The faint smell of mildew and random foodstuffs pollute the air and sting the nostrils. If you look hard enough you can find the remnants of Cheetos (or perhaps their similarly colored brother: Doritos) ground into the floor. 

Dance Dance Revolution is nestled in the back and waited noisily for me to humiliate myself. I humbly obliged and got my ass handed to me by a lithe and snarky blond girl. Clearly, I will not be part of this revolution as my oafish feet and uncoordinated limbs forbid it. 

The arcade is a great addition to the North Campus neighborhood but could use a little more style, a little more cleanliness, and a wider variety of games. However, it is a great place to kill some time, cops, and the occasional mutant.
3 - Andrew T.: I've been back recently and feel I was way too harsh in my initial review. I think the problem is that I'm just not the right audience for this arcade (this sounds like some kind of awkward breakup or something, doesn't it?). 

I just can't really get into any of the new arcade games. The only games I enjoy anymore at this point are fighting games but it's just not the same when you aren't standing right next to your friend drinking his sweet tears of defeat. 

This, along with the fact that I just don't have enough time anymore to get good at the new fighting games, is not an indictment against UFO more-so than it is a simple admission of the fact that I am not the Fittest Of The Arcade Species anymore and am relegating myself to extinction in the face of arcade evolution that I simply cannot keep up with. 

This place is a great at what it does, it is just not for me, so please do not let my reviews alter your decision on whether or not to come here. I have come to accept my fate, and perhaps someday thousands of years from now my corpse will be discovered in the tar pits of Pinballz.
4 - Mandy G.: I love the DJ game in the front room! My husband loves the street fighter games, so there was fun for both of us. A little different feel from your average arcade, but that makes it unique. Plus, where else are you going to go at 2am?! Will return, next time with plenty of energy drinks!
1 - Heather C.: One star for the awesome4-player PacMan. This place has some really neat games, the shame is that it is a dark, disgusting pit of a house.

-4 stars for how disgusting Arcade UFO is. This is not a family arcade, it isn't even really an arcade for most people. This is a place for hardcore fighting game gamers. 
Arcade UFO needs a few things. First would be a good cleaning. And second would be hand sanitizer dispensers.
 I don't know how a place gets that dirty, but it is more like someone's hobby than an actual business. Before leaving I wanted to wash my hands.
When I saw that bathroom... oh dear. A tiny closet, stinking of urine. Toilet seat up, covered in piss. Towels thrown on the floor, dust everywhere. It looked and smelled horrid. I guess if you're a guy and are okay with things like that, then good for you. I'm so glad that all I needed to do was wash my hands. 

Go if you are serious about your fighting games. If you just want to have some fun at an arcade and not feel gross afterwards, go someplace else.
4 - P J.: Tiny arcade joint for mostly fighting or rhythm game enthusiasts. Not the biggest fan of the former, so its appeal is limited to me, but I love and respect the design of the place and the community that supports it. It's definitely not for dudes like me who've fallen out of the gaming loop.

That being said, I really enjoyed the Azumanga Daioh Puzzle Bobble and Spica Adventure or any other platformer - some more (god I hate to use this word) casual games might add a good balance to the place. But if that means losing this little niche of hyper-nerds and adorable weeaboos, then nah, don't change it for us losers. This place is a fun little venue to plug in a few tokens to a katakana-filled screen and sensory overload your way into a good time. Critics be damned, Austin needs Arcade UFO.

Arch Realty Company - Ann Arbor, MI (42.274793, -83.73475) (South University Ann Arbor)
1 - C L.: I feel like it's my duty to give people fair warning about this company. I lived in a property managed by Arch for a year and couldn't stand the quality of the building and poor management, so I elected to pay more rent and move 15 minutes farther from campus. I experienced the following during my time with Arch:

1. Leasing agent kept sending me signature pages and asking for my signature, even though I told her I never got the actual lease in its entirety (they are massively disorganized.)
2. The laundry facilities were broken for weeks / months at a time. I asked them to fix it several times to no avail and had to drag my laundry across the street to a friend's place in the middle of winter. I was looking at another Arch property and cited this experience as a concern, the agent said something like: "Well this place only has 1 machine, so they're more likely to fix it... your other place had 2, so as long as 1 is working they probably won't fix it."
3. My closet doors were so shitty that during a storm, the door fell out. I had them come in to fix it several times but it was so old it kept breaking.
4. My bath tub started clogging and I asked the maintenance to fix it. They said that something had broken inside. I asked if they could fix it and they said "no we probably won't because it's just really old."
5. I've seen pizza and bottles of alcohol shoved into my neighbors' shoes that they'd left in the hallway. There was oftentimes sauce splashed across the foyer and vandalism on our mailboxes. Nobody would clean this for months.
6. The building would shake anytime a large vehicle passed by.
7. They charged me a full month's rent for my last month and wouldn't let me stay more than 2 weeks. This was because they said they needed time to "clean" the apartment for the next renter. To their credit, this was in the fine print. However, it would have been nice if they sent me my entire lease instead of in fragments so I could have caught this.
8. By the way - I had to pay extra to have my apartment "cleaned" before I moved in. There were still stains on the ceiling and hairs from the last tenant brushed into the paint on the wall. A blind person could've done a better job.
9. I got my security deposit back and it was missing $50. I had been charged because I asked the electricity company to end my account a few days before I moved. Apparently Arch got a bill for $1.xx. Why there would be a bill after the apartment is empty, I don't know. But they charged me $50 to "process" this $1.xx fee.

Overall, I'd liken the atmosphere in the building to that of a decrepit nursing home or psych ward and the treatment of renters to that of cattle being herded through a factory. They are inflexible and will treat you like a cash cow. The turnover rate is high and they have no incentive to generate customer loyalty.

Completely deplorable - avoid this company at all costs.
1 - Tyler B.: It's hard to stay away from Arch, as they gobble up all the student ghetto real estate. But here's the ways they will be sure to screw you over:

1. Keys - they have these special electronic keys.  I suppose it's under the guise of security, but in reality it's designed to charge you $35 goddamn dollars should you lose it, and make life difficult because they won't give you an extra key.  Not one.

2. Security Deposit - I've lived in at least half a dozen apartments in A2 over the last 15 years and I've never had a problem with getting my security deposit back.  Except with Arch, who dinged me $370 after living in a place for two years.  The carpet wasn't that nice to begin with a-holes

Those are guaranteed, as well as terrible and rude customer service should you ever need anything or have a basic question about the crappy way they conduct their business. For your next place in A2, take the time to avoid these people.  They suck.
1 - Ladybird t.: These people are the WORST, and yes all caps is needed!!! 

I wrote a longer review about a year ago, but the reviews must have expired, or Arch changed their yelp page or something, because my review and all the past reviews (which there were many of) have seemingly disappeared.

Just a warning, try your best to stay away, they are the absolute worst landlords.  And that is coming from me and I've lived in 6 cities in the USA, including New Orleans, the land of slumlords, and these guys are worse, by a country mile.

I could write a novel about how terrible it was to live in one of their units, how horrible everyday was, how it costed me literally thousands of dollars (not rent, just dealing with the terrible living situation) how rude, mean and unsympathetic their horrible staff was, how much I got ripped off, etc. etc.  But you all have heard it before.  The just treat people terribly and are horrible people.

Do yourself a favor and stay away!  Or rent from them, but be warned!

Archira Thai & Sushi - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9065643, -79.0221443) ()
3 - Jamil H.: I've tried various Thai restaurants in the triangle and I must say that each may have one unique dish but most offerings are very similar. This case holds true for Archira however, I'm not sure which is their stand out dish.  Archira is not only a Thai restaurant but also a Sushi restaurant as this seems to be the theme at several area restaurants. Now to the review if you can't already guess what I'm going to say. Thai food was on par with all the other "Thai" restaurants in the area. The  sushi was pretty much the same which leads me to the question....Why pay more ? Maybe because it's in a new, some may say trendy, mixed use development. Final comment: Service being excused because they are still in their grand opening phase, Archira needs to find a compelling reason to charge more for their food, paying for their highly priced lease is not reason enough for me to be a patron.
4 - Angela C.: I was very happy to see masaman curry on the lunch menu at Archira.  The staff is very friendly and the food is tasty.  I can get a good lunch for less than $10.
The bonus is a large, covered outdoor dining area.  I'm glad the East 54 plaza has a few restaurants with covered patios.
4 - Kristin W.: Trying out Archira for the first time, we got 3 apps and a dessert...who needs entrees?

The Healthy Rolls (summer rolls) were pretty standard with fresh ingredients and a good chunk of shrimp.  The Papaya Salad was sweet and refreshing.  The Tiger Tear had very tender beef with good flavor - beware of the occasional overload of spice that can be painfully spicy and consider asking for a milder version. The Mango Sticky Rice was delicious with the mango being ripe and the rice having a great, rich coconut flavor.

A point gets docked for the inclusion of cilantro despite our request to keep it out and the slightly slow refills on the water when our mouths were burning, but overall, a great place!
4 - Karla M.: Could it be?  Have I really found a decent sushi place in Chapel Hill?

I was apprehensive at first; the rolls are all Americanized, loaded with cream cheese or mayo.  This isn't a bad thing if you like that kind of roll, but it isn't my thing.  I also noticed that the sushi is pre-cut (but it didn't appear that the sashimi is) and that always makes me a bit worrisome.  

We started with appetizers of veggie tempura and chicken satay.  Both were tasty and well-prepared.  The tempura was light and not at all oily, with a great mix of vegetables.

I had sashimi and a roll.
The escolar was very good and tasted fresh.  The pieces were a bit thin (especially at the price of 3pc for $6) but that is my only complaint about the sashimi.  
The Fuji roll, which seemed the closest to being more traditional, had a nice assortment of fish topping a roll featuring tempura shrimp.  The crab salad on top of the roll had a lot of mayo in it, but was easily removed.  

My husband had the sweet and sour pork.  He thought the sauce was excellent, and would have been good with chicken as well.

The only downfall was that the tv in the bar was rather loud and annoying, distracting from the otherwise warm, modern atmosphere.

We will likely return.
4 - Kevin N.: Stopped in for a late lunch after a talk at UNC and the atmosphere really worked for me: quiet -- almost solemn -- with a menu split between sushi and Thai food. On this day I was more intrigued to try some Thai, and with a bit of a cool snap in there air outside, the spiciness provided a ready counter-balance. 

I started with an appetizer of pot stickers: served bathed in a warm peanut sauce, they proved a nice lead to the yellow curry with chicken that I downed as my main course. Generally speaking, Archira is friendly but not posh, service was regular but not like clockwork. I enjoyed my meal, and it didn't cost an arm and a leg, which is saying something. I'm not in this neck of the woods every week, but I'm glad to know that when I get back here I can find some Thai in a pinch.
2 - Thomas W.: Not recommended. When we went (valentine's day): slow service, only mediocre food. Interesting atmosphere, but, unfortunately, that was the only positive. Not returning, alas ...
5 - Russell A.: Great food and wonderful presentation.  The run-of-the-mill type sushi rolls are priced around the average $5-$7, the specialty rolls are a bit above average $10-$12.  All of the rolls I ordered were fresh and rich.  My friend tried the green curry and it was well done and presented with a star-shaped serving of rice, nice little touch.  We also tried the mango and sweet rice dessert and it was excellent.  The restaurant is situated in the corner of a plaza, but their outdoor seating is quiet and shady.  I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for sushi or thai.

*Edit* I went there after I purchased a Groupon , $15 for $35 worth of dinner, awesome deal.  During our meal the restaurant owner came over and talked to my group's table.  She asked how the food was, how we heard about the place, etc.  It was another nice touch.
4 - stacy W.: My first food Groupon purchase turned out to be a good buy! As I rolled away from the table, I thought, yeah... I'll be back.

We sat outside, it was a beautiful evening. There was also a guy jamming by himself on the stage and while I usually find that uncomfortable, I was a good distance away. It wasn't too loud, he wasn't to close, it was nice music to accompany my meal. I think they have entertainment there pretty often during the summer and Archira has a really nice patio space.

I STUFFED my face at Archira. We started with an appetizer (healthy rolls) and Tom Yum soup for myself and Jon had another very dellicious coconut related soup. These were enough to fill me - but I kept going... why? because it was REALLY good. before my main meal came out i had it in my mind to set aside half to take home... yeah....

I had Ka Prow Jae with tofu which was promised to be spicy, but it wasn't. No worries, i added some red pepper stuff and my face lit on fire. It was quite nice.

The presentation of the food was different - not in a bad way at all. I enjoyed eating their hard work on the garnishes.

My favorite was probably the Tom Yum Soup and the soup jon had. it was full of flavor, even for a warm evening I really enjoyed it.

I did not try the sushi - I just can't bring myself to try sushi that's priced so high and I know i can get the same thing at Shiki or Sushi Love for 1/2 that price.

This is a great space for an outside dinner if you're in the mood for some Thai food.
5 - Jude R.: One of the best meals in CH. Went there yesterday with 2 friends for an easly dinner and we literally exclaimed over the freshness and taste. Great service, quiet countyard type feeling way off  the road so makes it unusually peaceful for chatting, The guitarist was excellent but the sound system a little too  loud,  Suggest  you mention that when you go.
5 - Norma H.: Last night was my 3rd meal at Archira this week!  It's better than good.  The unagi (grilled eel) sushi was the BEST I've ever had anywhere and I've been eating sushi around the world for 30 years.  After living in Washington, DC, I never thought I would be able to get Green Papaya Salad equal to Sala Thai.  Well, Archira exceeds that.  The bonus is the outdoor patio right next to the music--and the guitar-playing of house musician Justin Johnson can't be beat--jazzy, blues-- a wonderful experience.  Oh, and the service is impeccable.
3 - nikki c.: We ate at Archira Thai & Sushi last night because we had a groupon, and the Yelp reviews were good. We arrived around 5:45/6pm, and found that it was surprisingly empty. This could be the location -we are new to the area, but this seems like a new development/business park. The area was really nice with a few restaurants and boutiques; there was an area that looks designed for summer and fall concert music on the weekends. If they really get some bands in there, it will be a nice place to spend the evening.

Back to Archira. We were seating immediately and there were only a few other diners. Regarding the decor - you know how much people today want all granite and mahogany kitchens, and so every kitchen looks the same, and when you see one that's different, it's refreshing? That's how Archira was. The decor was light wood and light blue with dark chairs, and was really beautiful. We also sat by a really cool model ship which was interesting.

So we really wanted sushi. Apparently the sushi on the menu is not the sushi served, so after we had tried to order we had to re-decide. This is my biggest complaint about the restaurant. Why not provide the appropriate menus when diners sit down? It seemed silly, and really wasted our time (and frustrated us when we realized we could not have miso soup). We orded the lettuce wraps, and four different sushi rolls (3 standards and 1 creative). All of the food was fantastic, and there was a lot of it! Between two of us, we ended up taking the food home. 

I'd really like to give Archira 4 stars, but in reality, it was just A-OK. The sushi was good, but nothing spectacular or unexpected. Perhaps other things on the thai side of the menu are better? The service was so-so (we often had time finding our waiter, and getting our waters refilled. Not having water is really frustrating on a hot day). I'm not sure how old they are, but maybe they'll hit their stride soon. I'm confident and optimistic they'll only go up from here.
3 - Mark A.: Heres the deal, the food is stellar and the service is lacking. From what I gather the owner knows Thai/ Japanese food and knows how to cook it very well. On both of my visits to this restaurant I have walked away satisfied with every dish. However, the owner seems to have no idea how to run a restaurant which results in some mishaps in customer service. For example, on our last visit on a slow night it took easily 10+ minutes to even be acknowledged by a host or server. Slow and inept service continued throughout the meal. I dont fault the individual servers for this but rather it doesnt seem like they were trained properly in service etiquette. 
Dont let this review dissuade you from trying this place out, just dont be short on time. 

+++ The management did just make some major adjustments and cleaned house so look for some of the service problems to work themselves out.
3 - Alison S.: I'm not really sure what the deal is with this place. I have gotten food here twice now--I ate at the restaurant once and got some take-out this weekend. Let's start with the positives: the food is really tasty and fresh, nice outdoor patio with live music on weekends (and maybe other nights too?), convenient parking. 

Now for the needs improvement: the service is awkward. The first time I went, my friends and I sat outside.  The waitstaff were pleasant, but not quite as attentive as I would have liked. And, the food seemed to take quite a while to arrive. But again, once it did, it was all delicious!  On my last visit, I called in my order (just one vegetarian dish) to pick up. When I got there, they brought me the check and the total was nearly double what I was expecting. Only after my shock, did they double check my order and what they brought out and charged me for, was not mine. So they apologized and no fewer than three people (including at least one manager) asked for my order again, said they would make it right away and that it would be free. So, I couldn't really argue with that. I ended up having to wait about 20 mins for my food (which was the whole point of calling ahead!), but once I got home, it was really good.

I'm not ready to completely write this place off because I really like the food, but unfortunately, I think they are still trying to figure out some of the service issues.
4 - John P.: Very pleasant setting.  Food was delicious and comparable to any great Thai place in DC or Northern Virginia.  Great service, we ate outside.  Definitely recommend both Thai and the sushi.  Their Archira Roll was fantastic.
1 - Ray L.: We had previously had relatively good experiences at Archira (3 to 4 star)- but maybe it was too early on a long weekend, or just something has gone wrong with the restaurant. Clue #1 should be the shredded menus...

Everything we had was disgusting. We have high standards for sushi and Thai food (don't get me started on the embarrassment Thai Palace caused me for visitors from the DOJ in DC a few years ago). 

The sushi we were served though visually appealing (and the fish was fresh), was made with some of the most disgusting rice I've ever tasted in sushi. Even Harris Teeter sat around all day rice is better tasting. Clearly, some kid mixed it up with his playdough; they had the same consistency. I felt sick for hours afterwards. 

Well, it doesn't end there. Next, insult to injury - the Tom Yum Kai tasted as if someone had simply used some store bought mix - actually, the majority of store bought mixes taste better. It had no of the breadth or subtleties that I would expect. 

Lettuce wraps? No sir, I didn't ask for a wedge. I want lettuce to WRAP things in. Too salty, etc. not even worth discussing. 

Thai Iced tea? Would you like some orange food color with your condensed milk? What tea flavor?

The waiter was at least trying to helpful - to his credit. But so is my son when he is serving his pretend playdough and plastic food.... and I still only pretend to eat it. Best part is, he knows the food he is serving is fake. Sorry Archira, we are never going back... maybe with a new front and back chef?
3 - Leela S.: We finally had the chance to dine in at Archira, and my verdict is... Stay on the couch and stick with their takeout. 

The food was uniformly strong. We focused on their Thai menu this time. I really enjoyed my "Ginger Lover Pork", which was aptly named, and the Archira Crispy Duckling received great reviews from my sister and my husband.

But if I'm grading this as an overall restaurant experience, I can only award 3 stars. Granted, we were in there late on a Sunday night, but this place reminded me of the bar at Pollack Halls in Edinburgh circa 1992, which we affectionately dubbed "The Moon Saloon" - because it had NO ATMOSPHERE (ba-dum-dum). The lighting was far too bright, the tables too stark. We could have been in a hotel lobby. Or on the set of a daytime soap in which the 'restaurant' is clearly fake. As a result, the dining experience fell flat.

Service was polite and prompt but steered us quite wrong on wine choice.

Thank you for being open on a Sunday night Archira, and I will continue to order your yummy food for delivery, but you need a character makeover before I pay you another in-person visit.
2 - Chas F.: First off it was very difficult to find. 
We ordered yellow curry with chicken,red curry with chicken,chicken satay,California rolls, the sushi appetizer and Thai fried rice with chicken. 
 The total for all was $76!!!
I was surprised to see that on a Saturday night there were only 2 couples there. 
The curries were alright but not the best by far. I've had better curry for much less! It was all white meat and there was a lot of chicken in all of our dishes. I was upset that I had forgotten to ask for my red to be spicy. Yes the menu says its spicy but it had a teeny tiny minuscule bite to it, not enough for me! I didn't eat the sushi but I was told it was "good." All of the food was good it's just the price was crazy! There are places in this area that are just as good if not better and wayyyy easier on your wallet!
2 - n k.: Yuck.

We came in for dinner on a weekend, and the first thing we noticed was that we were the only ones there. Some other people came in later, but it was a pretty odd feeling. We ordered a few sushi rolls and a pad thai.

The sushi was alright, but it was expensive in comparison to other places. All the Thai dishes were expensive too. The pad thai was flat out awful. The noodles were chewy, and the sauce was terrible. It tasted like it came from one of those packs you buy at the supermarket. Normally, we're not the type of people who send stuff back to the kitchen, but we had to do it this time. We ordered another dish as a replacement, and that was awful as well. We decided to just package it up, get the check, and head home $60 poorer and disappointed.

I'll give it 2 stars instead of 1 because the sushi isn't too bad. With the lack of customers coming into the restaurant in the evening, I have no idea how this place is going to survive.
2 - Kyle B.: Wow, so this is quite a change from my last review. Last time I came here the food was exceptional. They put out a groupon so I snatched up four of them. I had already eaten lunch here and got some sushi once before the groupon so I was stoked. Anyway, I used three of them in the first two months of receiving them and the food was awesome. 

However, I forgot about my fourth one and realized it was going to expire shortly. So my friend and I ventured over to Archira to exploit some groupon awesomeness. I eat family style (where we order a bunch of stuff and split everything) so we got the yellow curry,  fancy rainbow roll, and spicy tuna avocado handrolls. 

Curry came first. I am a curry fanatic and last time I ordered it here it was delicious. This time, meh; as my dad would say, menz a menz. I would stick with my own $5 homemade curry. 

Sushi came soon after. It was basically a shrimp tempera roll rainbow roll toppings. Sounds like a dream come true right? Not with this quality lacking fish. Same could be said about the handrolls. 

I will say this, the presentation of not just the food but of everything, the rose shaped straw wrappers, the wasabi shaped like a basil leaf, the decor,and atmosphere are still top notch and those little nuances make this place very fun and eclectic. 

It's very unfortunate because every time I came here before, the best part was the high quality of the sushi. The prices were a bit high but it was worth it. At this rate, the Harris Teeter sushi or Kurama express may be a better bet. I heard they changed ownership or head chef or something like that so it may be linked to that. 
It pains me deeply to write this review considering the delicious times I once had here, but, I probably will not be back unless I hear things have reverted back. 

Cheers
3 - Analisa P.: I eat at Archira on an occasional basis. Overall, I'd rate them as a "standard" Thai restaurant. The main reason they stay on my restaurant list is because they're convenient.

Pros: Unlike places on Franklin, you can park at the door and they also have free delivery service. Not to mention, they're also open until at least 10:00 each night, which is later than some of the other Thai restaurants in the area. Beyond that, the food is pretty average. I usually order a simple pad thai - pretty hard to mess up. They also have a pretty cool atmosphere

Cons: It's expensive at $15 for a noodle dish at dinner - and that's before factoring in a beverage or tip. Thai Palace is in the shopping center next door and serves a better tasting dish for two-thirds the cost.
2 - Zach Z.: Hit or miss! Place seems kinda empty most of the time. Might be location, but the restaurant sold sell itself. Chicken and beef are thin filets, take like paper.  Sushi on the other hand is decent, not great. Oddly enough, they serve American style breakfast. For BF, wait staff is great and the food is AWESOME. Wondering why the thai part do this Thai restaurant can't be more like that?!?
5 - Caitlin S.: I love Archira! I have gotten their food three times now. But, I HAVE ONLY PICKED-UP (so I cannot comment on the service, environment, etc). The food we have tried so far [thai spring rolls, spicy tuna roll w/avacado+extra spicy], a noodle dish, and the pineapple fried rice] has all been delicious. It is a little more expensive, but worth it. It would be great if their delivery range was larger than 3 miles. Delicious though. Can't believe I missed a groupon, lame.
3 - sarah j.: Just got takeout sushi from this spot. I had to call 3 times before I got a person - when I finally did, he was extremely nice and accommodating.

The food was ready fast and was fresh. It was also $20 for 3 basic rolls - maybe I'm spoiled to NYC where it would be $15 at most places - but that's too much money. And the spicy salmon and spicy tuna were almost inedible. Instead of normal spicy sauce or spicy mayo, there is this weird sort of spicy, sort of sweet drizzle, and the rolls have cucumber in them - sorry, I am a purist, but some things should just be prepared the simple, classic way. If I hadn't been starved and just paid $20, I would never have eaten these. I was and I did, so I ate half. Now I'm full and mad.
2 - Martin J.: This restaurant is now closed, according to a newspaper article today.  Disappointing that another restaurant in East 54 has closed, but I'm not surprised.

Archstone Kendall Square - Cambridge, MA (42.3661436, -71.0822135) (East Cambridge, Kendall Square/MIT)
2 - Ari S.: I lived at lovely Archstone for two years, when it was called Worthington Apartments.

The apartments were awesome - 14 foot ceilings, huge windows, lots of space.  The in-building laundry was also nice.  The trash rooms, however, were horrible - always packed with trash, not cleaned often, and constantly sprayed with a weird noxious agent that would give you a headache if you were in there for more than 5 minutes dropping off your junk.

The real issue was the management/ownership of the building.  Before I left, they tried to hoodwink me and my roommate into a $500 a month rent increase, which was completely outrageous.  Given the neighborhood (remote, not close to anything cool, boring, industrial), these apartments shouldn't be going for as much as they were ($2400ish for a two bed/two bath).  It seemed like they conned recent transplants and MIT students into taking the apartments when one could find cheaper/better digs elsewhere, like Central Square.

Also, it seemed at the time I left that the management sanctioned brokers putting up Craigslist ads saying the rent was much cheaper than it really is so that they could hook you into looking at the place.  The old bait and switch isn't very cool.

All in all, think carefully before you take an apartment here and make sure you look around for better deals.
4 - Ben S.: A lot of the reviews on other sites (and yelp) about bad management come from the old management company (when it was called Worthington Place).  When Archstone took over, the resulting changes were dramatic.  I can't judge a place based on if things go wrong or not - bad things happen everywhere.  The thing to judge on is how the landlord responds.

Every issue, large or small, is handled properly, quickly and competently.  The management from the office and up the chain at Archstone has been nothing but top notch. 

The only reason I can't give 5 stars is because of the location - you really have to be aware of which side of the complex you are on - the Binney St. side can be loud.  The only other downside is that there is a shared laundry facility which is very very far away from some of the apartments in the building.

The unique architecture and  huugggge apartments make this place a great deal.  You should check it out!  (and call the office directly - you don't need a broker to get anything special here!)
2 - Liz M.: I haven't lived here but I will say -- its a bait and switch game. 
My pricepoint was at the low end and I really would've appreciated it if the leasing agent just told me straight up I wouldn't get ANYTHING LIKE the pics on the website.  AND, I would've appreciated if I was explicitly told beforehand that the actual apt I wanted to see was available for viewing.  

Also, I drove by during the day and night..... uh, sketch? Next to smoke stacks? Really? 

Maybe living there is an awesome thing if you have $4000 to spend.  But in terms of value, I ran the numbers, not so much.
5 - Rachel F.: Love this place. Gorgeous lofts, tons of amenities, and it's only a few blocks from my workplace. Yeah, it's expensive and we're currently paying a little more than we'd planned to, but it's priced similarly to other apartment complexes in the area, even though it's the nicest of the options, and the ceilings are so high that we're considering building a split level area (you can make any modifications that are easily reversible upon move-out). Although our apartment is nicer than what we'd planned to get, it's well *worth* what we're paying.

Not sure if this is on the site, but the farther off cycle you move in (far from August), the cheaper it is. So perhaps we got an unusually good deal...

To address Liz M.'s review: I'm not sure if this feature was available when her review was posted, but you can check price and move-in date for all available apartments online. When we visited, the leasing agent who worked with us, Nate, was extremely informative and helpful about suggesting available apartments to fit our requirements (walk in closet and space for a recording booth and studio). He ended up finding us one we hadn't considered which had the perfect layout for us.

They handle issues really quickly here. We found a few crooked doors on move-in, and emailed management. A technician came in, removed the doors, took them to the in-house shop, sanded and painted them, and rehung them. Less than six hours after sending the email, everything was perfectly fixed.

Other amenities: indoor fitness center (I hardly have the motivation to go outside for groceries in the winter, let alone exercise), laundry, bike rooms, storage units and indoor parking available for a fee, mail and package handling.

You may not *need* all these nice things, but if you're a busy professional and don't have to make too many sacrifices to afford the rent, the convenience of the amenities adds up. It's a relief to know that our apartment is as safe as it could be, and that if the heating or an appliance breaks in the middle of winter, I won't have to wait months for the landlord to fix it.

p.s. If you visit, try to check out a top floor apartment. The wall-to-wall windows are amazing, and there's even a ledge wide enough for sitting.

Archstone La Jolla - La Jolla, CA (32.865683, -117.235725) (La Jolla)
3 - Ruby D.: My boyfriend and I lived in a one bedroom here for a year, and I'm glad we moved. 

The Good:The people working there were nice and there wasn't really a problem with noise. My apartment was moments from the 150 bus stop, and now they even have the 202 stop there too. 

The Bad:
There were two maintenance issues that were difficult to get fixed. It is true that they come check out your problem fairly quickly, but when they'd come and check, they would deny there was a problem completely!(Also, their "emergency number" doesnt really work). Our fridge used to turn off in the middle of the night for hours, we'd call maintenance the next day and miraculously the fridge would be on again and they'd basically say "so whats the problem?" HELLO it turns on AND OFF. It took several more times for them to come before I was lucky enough to get them in there at the same time the fridge HAPPENED to be off. Then they simply replaced our fridge with a fridge from another unit. 
We also had termites even though we had received a note saying they had treated the place. We told them about our problem, and they insisted we bring specimen as "proof" since they didnt see any upon inspection...ew! We actually put some aside, but my cat Charlie ate them! ewewew! We were about to move out anyway so I just said screw it. 
The month before we moved out, we received a letter from them basically saying "since you've lived here a year, we are nice enough to offer you another year at the same price!" I was pretty shocked by that and (kinda) considered staying because I had expected the price to increase a lot. Then I looked online and found that the price of 1 bedrooms had significantly DECREASED for the next month. Sigh..
Bottom line, as long as you are lucky enough to not have any significant problems, the place is ok to live in.
1 - Flora K.: I cannot wait to move out of here. The employees and manager are all assholes who just try to rip you off and squeeze more money out of you any way they can and are not helpful at all. If the idea of a "business center" sounds enticing, forget it. The printers are ALWAYS broken and there are only 2 computers (usually occuppied). The parking spaces are tiny and small. The gates are super annoying. My room is also next to a gate and it squeeks REALLY loud everytime it opens or closes. Someone from management called me and told me I had to remove the wine bottles I had by my window. I guess it didn't fit their vision of a perfect apartment complex. Yet they make no attempt at all to control the noise. A lady plays her flute all day (cannot take naps), I have even heard people on their balconies telling other people to "Shut-up." Real classy. I have also had drunk college boys knocking on my door around 10 pm. Yet I can't display my collection of fine wine bottles on my window? Also, on the website, it says pet-friendly and that they allow cats. However, after I got a cat, they THEN tell me it's an extra $300 deposit and an extra $30 a month although it says nothing like this on their website. Management is always unknowledgeable and unhelpful. Rent is super expensive, and they increase the price every year. Even if you renew a lease, they will increase your rent. They have no concern for their residents and all they care about is money. The toilets also flush really slow and sometimes you have to flush twice to get everything down. I also confirm what Ruby says. When you tell them about problems, they will come, but then deny there is a problem. My dishwasher does not drain, and my washer stops mid-cycle but of course as was Ruby's case. They would come, test it out, and it would work fine when they were here so they would do nothing about it. And yes, there are termites. It is gross. They are big and red and have wings. They just appear out of nowhere. After hearing what Ruby said though, I'm not even going to bother telling management. They'll probably just use it to cheat me out of my security deposit instead of trying to solve the problem.

It may seem nice and luxurious from the outside, but it's all a facade. It's not worth the price, live somewhere else.
2 - Jamie P.: ---the first 2 stars comes from the location of the proximity to the beach, ucsd, and everything else. that was the sole reason i lived here for 2 years as a ucsd student.  these apartments are nice. Luxury. There is a gym, covered parking, a pool, and in unit washers and dryers and multiple spas.  and the very very expensive price?? (1800/month for a 2 bed), and rising. maybe it's worth it. maybe it's not. HOWEVER, the fact of the matter is, management is INDEED assinine.  my roomate who lived there for 3 years, has mad major problems with them and i have not heard a different story from anyone else.  they are greedy, corporate, little vampires.  it look about 2 months to get them to agree to have new carpet installed (which was rightfully ours).  they never fix anything. they tried their hardest to convince me not to get the new tile installed when it was time for free upgrades.  
....and to top it off, there were multiple security guards patrolling the area.  guards that are always conveniently there to kick you out of the gym, pool, complain about noise, etc. but guards that are NOT there when my car windows (along with neighboring car windows) are smashed with the alarms going off, and the radios stolen.  how convenient.  and when my FATHER even brought it to their attention, managment refuesed to take responsibility for it.  im sensing a theme here.  

i think i can be a manager.  wear business clothes and tell people that it things are not my "fault" nor "responsibility."
1 - Lindsay B.: Transfered my lease from a property in Orlando florida in 2009, even though the rent was double and the apartment was significantly smaller we chalked it up to an increased cost of living moving to San Diego. However, when we moved in I noticed there were different colored paint strips across my ceiling, turns out it was to cover up water stains. Really attractive let me tell you. When we moved in we were without a dryer for almost 2weeks because maitenance never showed up, and missing a closet door because "it was on order".  Do they even inspect the apartments before they rent them out because this should have been something they noticed!!! I mean come on... missing a door??  Lets not forget to mention the terrible parking situation, the spots are so small and so close together my car has been hit 3x within 6 months living here, one time in particular totaling 1600$ worth of damage!! One night we had a get together of approx 6couples, for my husbands birthday. One of the Security guards came to our door at 11pm and said I needed to have everyone leave it was too loud. Now mind you, we are all adults there is no music on, we are sitting in the living room drinking wine and conversing. I told him no way I pay rent and If want all of these people to stay the night they will he cant force me to make them leave. He proceeded to call the police on speaker phone, they police couldnt understand a word the 70 yr old non speaking english rent a cop was saying and were getting frustrated and began asking him what was the problem if there was no music, tv, etc on... Finally after disrupting the party for a good 30-45min he left giving a warning to keep it down!! Lets see, oh there are these men who come to your door, say they are selling candy and really are casing your apartment to break in, I even spoke to another resident who said they tried rushing his wife and he scuffled with the guy till he ran off. One of these "candy men" knocked on my door for 15min!! (I was in the shower and could hear the incessant knocking) I got out the shower and still hear the knocking, I looked out the door and he is all thugged out and staring into my peephole! Where is the stupid security guards now who wanna call the police?!?!? Oh and the ammenities are supposedly brand new. Give me a break my oven doesnt even self clean its so old and one of the burners doesnt work either. Also they loveeee to charge you a 50$ late fee for there errors when rent is late. Due to 4th of July weekend apparently the banks hadnt realesed the auto draft to the office, so they leave a message on monday for me (july 5th which all the banks are still closed for the holiday) saying they still hadnt recieved the money and charged me a fee of 50$. I looked at the website, Im still on autopay so its not my fault the bank hasnt posted it to them yet!! Idiots!!! Ohhh and let me not forget the best part of living here, the yearly rent increase... our rent went up 400$ a month for a 2bd rm... 1900$ a month!! Give me a freakin break!! That is way more then a justifiable 10% increase! I asked the complex and they said they have no set amount and just increase it due to the need for those units!! Really?!?  Save yourself the money this place is trash!!
1 - Diego S.: This place is a true waste of prime real estate. Overpriced, staffed by morons, idiot security guards who probably struggled to "achieve" GED's, and the most annoying feature: A four foot tall "security" gate that doesn't keep anyone out, but keeps your friends from wanting to visit you because it won't open on the way out. Horrible, horrible, horrible company and so glad I don't live there!
1 - Power D.: Summary: 

PRO: You get the "La Jolla" instead of "San Diego" on your address. (Though you have to explain to people that La Jolla is a more affluent neighborhood in San Diego)

CON: EXPENSIVE, maintenance is slow. EXPENSIVE, management suck

Full Review

I lived here 2007-2008, my first year at UCSD. 

Thinking back, this place  was a horrible decision to live here. I had problems with them the day I moved in. Literally. my former roommate and I were told that we can move in the morning of xx/xx/07. The day we were suppose to move in, we arrived at 9am with all of our stuff and we went to the management office. Inside, we were told that it won't be ready until the next day. You know, that information would have been more useful the day before. They didn't call to notify us to not bring all of our stuff here. 

My former roommate's parents and my father were displeased and talked to management. They said that if we wanted to move in today, we would have to move into another unit. We had no problem with that.  That turned out to be a bad idea as well. The unit we moved into was the same price, same layout. They just had to re laminate the kitchen floor, replace some stuff while we moved in. I took a few days for them to finish everything because new stuff kept popping up. 

Nothing really happen after that until our kitchen sink was clogged by something. We told management immediately and this was 1 week before winter break. We kept going to the office and they said they try to get someone there right away. Well, that meant we didn't get it fixed till 3 days after we came back from winter break, which was about 3 weeks long. 

Parking for residents were great. I had no problem with that at all. I liked it better here than Costa Verde, were you have to pay 20 dollars to get sticker so you can park in your designated space. 

Don't expect to get your deposit back either. They took our deposit and charged us additional fees because the deposit wasn't enough to cover it. We didn't have anything in the living room and we clean the place up before we moved out. 

DON'T MOVE IN HERE
4 - Philip S.: I will be here a year in March. I lived in a single family home for twenty years and moving in to a complex was a big gamble. I have found the staff to be extraordinary in their friendliness and response. Whenever I send in a repair request, it is responded to within 24 hours.

The only drawbacks are (1). I can hear the "elephant trainers" upstairs. Very poor insulation!! I would move to a third floor, but the stairs would be my end. (2). The parking spaces are made for motorcycles!  The staff was helpful in moving me around to find a better spot. (3) No real response to calls to security for late night loud parties. I hear that is being resolved with a new security company. All in all, I would recommend Archstone La Jolla (especially if you are hard of hearing).
1 - Robert S.: I put one star merely because it was the worst rating allowed. Rest assured they do not deserve this solo gold star! I would like to give the management team the benefit of the doubt, for they all look like "Dancers":)
However, I can not based on the fact that they have the worst business/ personal skills I have ever experienced in any realm of society!
It's as if they are all put thru a rigorous training program to gain the necessary skills to be whole heartedly bad people! Hats off to corporate for providing you with a kaleidoscope of stilleto clad rookies.. You would normally want a familiar management team.. NOT HERE!! 
You can only stomach dealing with each team member once or twice! 
  To prevent this rant from becoming a manifesto.. I will simply give you an abridged list of things I dealt with from week 1-52:
1)Management.
2) PAPER THIN WALLS!! I would politely ask upstairs girl to keep it down! From my living room!!
3) Not Safe.. Gate either let's everybody in, or nobody in! 
- car windows smashed/ property stolen in underground parking! 
- renters insurance said "Apt"/ Apt said "Insurance"
- homeless people fight off raccoons to be the first to thumb thru trash ( that's not funny.. I know!) 
4) PLUMBING issues that were not resolved after repeated complaints:
 -Pressure problems caused shower area to shake like a 5.0 quake
 -Dishwasher often smelled like fire while "drying" with 6" of sitting water
 -Washer Machine leaked from day 1
- Stink of Tijuana coming from kitchen sink
- Dripping from upstairs when our neighbor showered. The handyman who we knew really well:( had to gut bathroom ceiling!! We asked to be moved!! They said NO!! Ceiling was ultimately painted wrong color!    Mngmt tried to charge me for discoloration
5) MOLD on everything.. Lived on ocean for years! Never experienced anything like this!!!!!!
6) Termites.. They spraypainted X's EVERYWHERE as if they would fix problem areas!! Ultimately they repainted entire complex with no fixing of rotten wood
7) Sauna does not work ( unless you're fortunate enough to meet the disgruntled 5year tenant.. He taught me to literally hot wire system
** FIRST TIME TO POST YELP!!! DONT SIGN LEASE HERE!!!!!!
3 - James H.: (I lived here in 2009.  Please take into account that I paid my roommate my part of the rent and did not deal with management.)

Pros: 

1.  Location!  (You can now have your mail sent to the LJ.  This place is also a stones throw away from TGI Fridays, Trader Joes, coffee shops, UCSD, etc.  

2.  Beautiful pool and barbecue area.  

3.  Security gate to protect vehicles.  

4.  All appliances in unit.  

Cons:

1.  Closets are very small.  

2.  No way to keep out random people from the complex.

Archstone La Jolla Colony - San Diego, CA (32.8626728, -117.2288911) (La Jolla, University City)
1 - Past R.: Archstone has got to be the worst run residential in the Nation. They absolutely do not abide by their contracts, nickel and dime their residents and definitely do not provide a safe environment. This facility routinely has vehicles stolen from their "locked garage" and in spite of a very inept security company.

Do not rent from them. And, if you have had a bad experience you can even find a social networking site dedicated to the cause of saving people from having the worst renting experience of their lives. It is located at http://archstonesucks.ning.com/ I heard there will be a page on Facebook as well.
5 - Steph M.: I have lived at this community in the past and found it to be quiet and cozy. A perk is the huge park next door and the underground parking. I like the quality of the apartments compared to some in the area. I recommend this place to anyone looking for a place with decent quality and price.
1 - J J.: Pros
1.  Maintenance people are responsive, however it might take them a couple of times to fix the problem.

2.  Grounds are kept nicely manicured (see cons).

3.  Management holds BBQs a couple times a year.

4.  Neighbors around the complex are quiet.

5.  Close to I-5 and 805.

Cons
1. If you like to live where the grass is always cut this is your place because you will listen and smell gas blowers from 8-3 PM Monday through Thursday.  Every week...no fail.  

2. Solicitors know when the management is not around and will knock on your door.  He looks to see if your lights are on and will knock on your door and keep knocking.  Management has said they "hired a security company from 6 am to 6 pm,"  but you never see them.   I contacted the security company as we were being threatened by the solicitor and they said they are 20 minutes away and would be on there way.  Management  was misleading as they never let us know the security company stops by to check the complex only two times a night.

3.  Silverfish, spiders, and mold everywhere in the apartment.

4.  Rent is increased when your lease is up and it can be as much as $200 a month.

5.  Walls and floor are thin.  In the bedrooms we can hear the guy upstairs talking on his phone and he is not yelling.

6.  Common area are washed and puddles of water are left, so be careful of the slipping hazards.

7.  Dogs urinate on the stairs.  Management does not have this cleaned and the stench is awful.

8.  Parking spots are tight.

8.  Windows and doors are drafty.

9.  Water pipes leak in the garage causing hard water stains which ruins the  finish of cars (some parking spots) only to be told by management to go get a quote.  It was made to seem that it was my fault, not theirs.  Time has passes and pipes are still leaking.


My suggestion is to live somewhere else.
4 - Elliott T.: The maintenance and leasing office staff are undoubtedly the highlight of this apartment complex. Amy, Melissa and Joaquin have all been immensely helpful during my time here--their professionalism and concern for tenants greatly exceeds that of other leasing offices.

The apartments are in a solid location with a park next door, dog park across the street, and trails throughout La Jolla Colony and Rose Canyon. Highly recommended.
5 - Audra B.: I searched for the perfect apartment for months.  Archstone La Jolla Colony is by far the best complex in the area.  Great Location, all apartments are upgraded, awesome amenities.  It's quiet and serene at all hours... the complex backs a huge park.  
All of this is reason enough to call Archstone LJC home but I can't even begin to describe the appreciation I have for the staff at Archstone La Jolla Colony.  From the beginning they have been very helpful and professional, made the moving process so much easier.  Last week my dog walker lost my dog and the staff went to great lengths to help me find him.  From calling Animal Control to Radio Stations, they went above and beyond their scope of responsibility in the matter and even comforted me when I was a crying mess.  I am still amazed by the kindness of their staff.   I couldn't be happier calling Archstone La Jolla Colony home
4 - Yasmin C.: I've been meaning to write up on ALJC for a loooong time. This 2-star cumulative over a grand total of three reviews is pretty much proof of what people already know: most people reviewing their apartment complexes do it so they can bitch and moan in a passive aggressive fashion.

I lived at Archstone by myself in a one-bedroom unit for over a year before getting married last summer. I'm pretty easygoing and don't expect too much from my apartment complex other than a nice, quiet place to live with a professional, responsive office staff. I kept to myself generally and didn't ask much from the staff other than to give me my packages, please :) Also, I was a first-year medical student and spent the majority of my time studying...at home.

Sooooo...here are some impartial comments I have after reading the other reviews and the anti-Archstone website that looks like it's been taken down:

- You can hear and smell the grass being cut from 8-3 every Monday-Thursday? Hmmm...I call bullshit. In fact I remember reading this review for the first time on a Tuesday at 1 pm...from my living room. And it was silent! I had to rack my brain to try and think of a single time that anyone's lawnmowing had disturbed me. I also couldn't even remember HEARING lawnmowers. Granted, I'm sure they were there, hence the beautiful grass, but they were definitely not loud enough to bug me. Perhaps that statement applies to people who live in different parts of the complex? In any case...not true for me.

- Bugs and mold all over the apartment? Again, I'm confused. Sure, I saw maybe three silverfish total in over a year, but that was it. No spiders. No mold. Maybe because I lived on the second floor? Or maybe because I normally clean my apartment. Not sure.

- I had no problems with management or maintenance. Whenever I put in a service request, the staff was quick to respond. I had ONE instance when they didn't call me back to schedule an appointment when they said they would...and you know what I did? I called them to remind them...and they sent someone immediately. No fuss, no grudge, no big deal.

- A few pros: The dog park across the street and the huge green park next to the complex are amazing. The grounds are well-kept and beautiful. And you can't complain about having a pool and hot tub. Also, one of my favorite things about Archstone is the fact that you can see exactly which units (down to the apartment number) are available in real time via their website...and you can start your lease on any day of the month and your rent will be prorated. Even cooler is the fact that you can get approved and get your lease going online too...I secured my apartment online from LA one weekend before I moved to SD.

- Cons: The parking spots are definitely a tight squeeze, that's for sure. Also, I did get solicitors occasionally, but it wasn't that often...and I wouldn't consider that the apartment's fault unless I lived in a gated community. And finally, for my 13th month, I did have a much higher rent since I was renewing for such a short period of time (longer lease = cheaper rent). However, it was prorated for the twenty-two days I was staying there, which was appreciated. 

I encourage everyone to review apartment complexes!! Otherwise you end up with very few reviews and mostly crappy ones. This place may not have been perfect, but it kept me comfortable and happy for a year. Period!
1 - Lynn G.: What's up wit this.....and this is a new review!


Common place clean BUT what up wit management don't review the permit for the pool before summer? Spa closed for maintenance, pool closed cause management don't have their act together? And now the exercise stuff???

Sure nough got plenty memos, emails, letters on parkin, how the balcony looks, and how to walk dogs but THEIR responsibility is just a flimsy posted paper sayin the pool can't be used cause of permits!

Rent is high and the laundry machines malfunction all the time. And the parkin spots are so close ya cant get outta the car after parkin. Dont cross the yellow line or ya get towed. Don't say hi to ur friend...they gotta get their ass to the office or their cars towed! Don't ask office staff for help or ya just get a s--t-y grin!

Its important ta think  ya get what ya pay for but the pool closed for permit is just rediculous. Sure do get dinged for nail holes in walls, $$$ towing cause ya parked over the line, but do ya get any $$$$ back when the things ur payin for are down? NOPE, and again...don't ask staff....THEY DON"T CARE!

Arco - Los Angeles, CA (34.0359267, -118.2839917) (South Los Angeles)
2 - Angela H.: On the rare occasion that ARCO's gas prices are more than 10 cents cheaper than Chevron, I'll come to this one.  However, it really ticks me off that ARCO stations charge 45 cents if you use a debit card.  You really aren't saving much money if you go to ARCO and use your debit card (unless, of course, you have an ARCO debit MasterCard).  You're really just getting low-quality gas for a couple cents less.

2-stars for this ARCO - mainly because of their debit card "convenience" fee.  =P
4 - John K.: There is a food stand in this gas station that has a really good vegetarian burrito.  I've been once and haven't been able to get back because it's the holiday season and there's plenty of food everywhere.

Arden Bronstein, DDS - Hyattsville, MD (38.969569, -76.953156) ()
4 - Brian R.: I went and had a chipped tooth fixed.  I was in and out in less than an hour.
1 - felicia f.: I had a very bad customer service experience with the Office Manager. First, I was scheduled for a 9:15 am appointment and the office didn't open until 10:00 am.  (My appointment was scheduled on a day that we had light snow - less than 1/2 inch) Secondly, as I mentioned my appointment was for 9:15 am, but my dentist wasn't scheduled to arrive until 1:30 pm. I didn't know this until I was asked to come sit in the chair of another dentist. I told the staff that I didn't want to go to that dentist and that I've never met with the other dentist. Also, in the past I was asked which dentist I preferred and I was assigned to my dentist of choice. I was asked if I wanted to reschedule for the afternoon. I told the staff that this was unacceptable and that I was called a couple days before to confirm that my appointment was at 9:15 am. Then, I asked to speak to the office manager about the scheduling conflicts. I asked her about the policy for contacting clients during inclement weather or rescheduling. She told me that I should have called the office to check to see if the office was opening on time. As I tried to explain to her that the Government was open and it didn't dawn on me that the offices would open late for this little amount of snow. She continued to tell me that she didn't have to call to inform me of the office hour changes. To add fuel to the fire she said that it was common sense for me to call the office. I told her that I wasn't the only person waiting outside of the office, so it wasn't common sense. She then told me that I couldn't return to the office because I was rude to her. To make matters worst she threatened to call the police because I told her that she was wrong. I told her that I needed my dentist number to call and speak to him about this incident. By now, I'm losing my patience, annoyed, and unhappy! I've never dealt with such ignorance. She told me that my dentist was only part owner and he had no say so in the matter. I told her to get out of my face and that I wasn't going to allow her to talk to me any kind of way. I told her that this matter didn't have to escalate, and all she had to say was that: it's the office policy not to contact the client if there is bad weather, etc. and offer an apology for my one hour wait. She then told me she was sorry and that it was still common sense for me to call the office to see if the office was open. The same day, I sent in a two page complaint letter requesting that management thoroughly investigate my complaints and take my concerns seriously.  My dentist called me stating that the Office Manager had no right to tell me that I couldn't return and he offered to make me an appointment. I made an appointment for the following week. When I returned to the office I was allowed to get serviced. No one mentioned the incident. After I paid, I was handed a letter by the head Dentist withdrawing me as a client. He never looked me in my eyes! As he walked away from me, he asked me not to return unless if was I was having a dental emergency. The letter stated that I was being withdrawn as a client because I was disrespectful to the Office Manager.  I was very confused because my dentist told me that the issue was resolved and that I was allowed to return. Obviously, it's their policy to treat clients in any matter that they see fit. I guess it's a good thing because I didn't feel comfortable around the Office Manager anymore. I expected a much higher level of service, and was quite disappointed. I do not have any complaints about the dental services provided.
1 - Lauren M.: This place might be ok if you have an emergency but is not where you should go for a routine checkup. I called to make an appointment which wasn't an issue. I wasn't told that the checkup is a 2 part process. I got x-rayed and had my gums checked. Then I was told I was done. When I said I wanted my teeth cleaned I was told to come back. I went to the reception area to make another appointment I was told that I'd have to pay for a full appointment again the next time I came in. 

When I spoke up about my disappointment in this process, one of the ladies immediately got on the defensive and with some serious attitude. She said it's their policy to have cleaning done on the second appointment and would not apologize or back down when I calmly explained I wasn't told this as I was making my appointment. 

I haven't ever experienced anything quite like this office, with me standing at reception getting chewed out for a mistake that their reception people made. This place is awful. Absolutely rude and inefficient employees. Avoid!

Arden's Garden - Atlanta, GA (33.7807979, -84.3846321) (Midtown)
5 - Felix H.: This new location is a welcome addition to the Midtown neighborhood. It's located a block from the Midtown MARTA Station and an even shorter block from Peachtree St (same block as the Margaret Mitchell House).

If you haven't been to an Arden's Garden before, you're in for a treat. What separates it from the competition (Smoothie King, Planet Smoothie, etc...) is that they use only fresh squeezed juices and fresh fruits- no sugars!  I repeat, no sugars. I cannot begin to express how awful it is when you're consuming a smoothie and all of a sudden you realize that your teeth are crunching on sugar crystals. You won't get that, here.

I won't go into the nutritional benefits of their products, but it's definitely a place where healthy is delicious.
5 - kristen s.: ardens garden is amazing. period.

ive been on the tracy anderson method and supposed to be on a mostly juice diet but not wanting to shell out for a juicer had hindered that till i got a job right up the st from ardens. i stop in every morning now, always opting for a smoothie or the veg-aholic...a suprisingly drinkable wheatgrass/spinach/parsley combo due to the apples mixed in as well. now my diet is working better than ever, and i feel i have more energy in the day and just all around healthier. and the prices are really not as horrible as one would think for a juice/smoothie place...no spending $8 on just a small drink. thank god.
4 - Gillian R.: Oh, Arden's Garden.  In a city of deep-fried everything, it's a pleasure to pop in, sit at the bar, and treat yourself to a Grand Slam, a series of shots of pure juices designed to help your body...in some way or another.  

Okay, so I've been to Arden's Garden, and I've been known to rave.  But at the end of the day, I still say the juice craze is just that...another craze.  A fad is a fad is a fad.  I like their smoothies because they're fresh, delicious, and not chock full of extra sugar.   

This location is tucked right in the middle of Midtown and is a lovely retreat from busy Peachtree.  While the Grand Slam is fun, in the "I quit drinking but still want to do shots!" sort of way, the real killer is the smoothies.  If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend the Spinach Slam.  It only comes in the large size, but is SO worth it.  Frozen mango, pineapple juice, and spinach all whipped into a frothy delicious green drink.  No sucking turbinado into your throat here...(*cough*looking at you Smoothie King).  

I'm ridiculously poor these days and have been making my own Spinach Slams at home lately.  Tasty, delightful, and a great way to get a serving of veggies before breakfast.  But let me tell you...when I get an extra $6, I will walk, not run, to Arden's Garden and let them pamper me.  They also sell some yummy soy jerky.  Isn't your mouth just a-waterin'?
4 - Jason R.: A squishy, bright juice is a nice treat after forcing myself past the less sugary libations that otherwise line this part of my commute.  So obviously I don't stop here often.

The juice is pretty good juice.  Ideally it's squeezed somewhat recently, so it shouldn't be re-flavored by "natural" flavor.  The prices aren't insane for squeezed juices.  I wish they had carrot juice in among the yums to add, but...  And remember that adding a shot of ginger is fine.  There's no soul in the drink to lose, and it's a nice spike of flavor.

The "fuel" and "cleanse" products make me twitch, but I don't need to worry about holding my tongue.  It's busy enjoying the bright blended nectar.
5 - Astrid G.: In a city of deep-fried goodness, Arden's Garden stands alone.  I juice everyday so when I found myself at a meeting in Atlanta, surrounded by crappy hotel food, Arden's Garden was exactly what I needed.  The staff is very helpful and enthusiastic about what they have to offer.  This is not Jamba Juice, so if you're looking for a calorie-laden sugar fix, this isn't the place.  This place is where you go to nourish your body with all the nutrients that come with freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices.  Stop in, say hello, order a juice and throw back a shot of wheatgrass for good measure.
5 - Sophia S.: I was craving a fruit smoothie and finding Arden's Garden was a dream come true. They have tons of frozen fruit of which you choose 3: cherries, bananas, mango, papaya, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and more. They also have many options for additions like protein, etc. My only complaint is that they don't have soy milk for the base, just fruit juice.

I'm so happy I found it, I might go back tomorrow! I have to try the Spinach Slam next time.

Area Four - Cambridge, MA (42.363443, -71.092379) (Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - Mason T.: My roommates and I were all walking down the street, heading back to our apartment, when one of us noticed a new cafe where an Italian restaurant used to be.

"Should we try it?"

That's when we all noticed the blonde woman excitedly beckoning us inside. We couldn't say no at that point.

The interior was beautiful, with a lot of natural light and plenty of interesting furnishings. They serve Barrington coffee, which is a local roaster, and had a modest selection of pastries (homemade, I believe) on display. On top of all of that, judging from the conversation I had with one of their employees, they really, really love coffee and espresso.

I got an iced coffee, which was delicious, with none of the acidity or bitterness that typically accompanies an iced coffee. The roommates got a regular latte (fruity and buttery, with a very pretty bit of latte art on the froth), and a lemonade.

I'm very excited to start patronizing this new cafe and trying out some of their other offerings.
5 - Erika G.: What is Area Four? A secret government mission? A name for Jupiter's fifth moon? Nope! Its my new favorite place to get coffee in a little neighborhood called... Area IV. (coincidence?- I think not) Most people just glaze over this area skipping straight from Kendall to Central Square- but if you walk along Main St. you will be happy to encounter this gem along the way.

Stopped in today for a coffee and treat after lunch. We were immediately greeted by the amazingly friendly staff. Seriously they are SO NICE. Definitely not the- I work in a coffee shop so I'm indie and cooler than you. More like "we are a local business and we love our customers!- Come sample some treats" :D 

The coffee was a very smooth flavorful blend- although the small was a little too small for me- will remember to get a medium next time. Now for the hard part- choosing my dessert. I learned that all of the goodies are baked in house, twice daily- so you know everything is fresh as could be. And they all look fabulous- whoopie pies, cream cheese brownies, NUTTAH BUTTAH,  I tried the cinnamon bun: a perfect balance of cinnamon sugar to soft buttery dough, with an amazing icing glaze. I heated it up a little when i got back to the office and everyone was SO JEALOUS when they smelled it. 

My only gripe is that the front door is really heavy.. but maybe its a good thing.. I certainly could use a little bit of a "workout" in preparation for stuffing my face with baked goods.
5 - Carolyn C.: Area Four opened for full lunch service this week - a little later than anticipated, but worth the wait!

The space is light and open, with just the right amount of "hip" for the Cambridge neighborhood from which it derives its name. We sat at a raised family-style table that was a little too cozy to accomodate all our plates, but that I'm sure will come in handy for large groups of co-workers out to lunch or after work drinks.

Service was quick and friendly and things seemed to be running smoothly, especially considering it was only the second day they were open and the place was packed.

The menu was fairly expansive, with "small" (tapas sized apps), "medium" (salads, etc) and "large" (full entrees) plates + wood grilled pizzas. Michael Leviton has clearly incorporated elements from his other restaurant Lumiere (sweet pea hummus, duck liver mousse, asparagus with sauce ravigote), but this menu is definitely lighter, less formal, and geared more towards the young Cambridge professionals it serves. 

We tried a bunch of the small plates - pea hummus, farro salad, mozzarella with roasted tomatoes, ceviche, and duck liver crostini, and a mushroom and fontina pizza. Everything was delicious and flavorful, especially the pea hummus and the mozzarella. We really enjoyed the small plates because we were able to have a couple bites of a bunch of things without completely stuffing ourselves or breaking the bank. The only thing I wasn't completely in love with was the farro - it could have used a little more seasoning or perhaps some more acid and a little less oil.

Overall, a great dining experience. Can't wait for them to open for dinner so we can check out the evening scene and sample from their well-appointed beer and wine list!
5 - Marisa D.: Oh, man: there is finally good coffee in Cambridge.  These people are the real deal.  The beans are from western mass; the milk for the impeccable lattes is from a farm where cows eat grass outdoors; the machine is a classic La Marzocco; the barristas are from.. well, I don't know where, actually, but I'm going to ask them the next time I go because they're that good at what they do.  Seriously, this is like New York or Portland level coffee in Area IV. Don't miss it.
5 - Misty S.: I was going to wait until I ate at the restaurant to review, but after what I had at the bakery yesterday I HAD to write a review. 

Nutter butter. Best thing I may have ever eaten. EVER. I almost can't even process it in my head. Other things there are also amazing- the whoopie pies, the coconut bars, the ginormous snickerdoodles the size of my head. The espresso is amazing. But the Nutter Butter. OH my GOD.
4 - Paula A.: hip & trendy.... this is where the cool kids go for iced coffee & snacks. 

3-words: nutter. butter. cookie. named for the cheap, pre-packaged version, but oh-so-much more. a smidge of salt on the outside of each perfectly crisped, yet chewy peanut butter cookie which are bonded together with fat smear of frosting. so good! 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPDATE: I've been informed that the nutter butter cookie, of which i spoke so fondly, the cookie that inspired me to walk to Area Four during 90 degree heat & humidity..... is no longer available. I think we should all have a moment of silence.
3 - Patrick M.: This review is for the restaurant and we're at maybe the second week.  I went at lunch for a `once and a while, it's ok to spend a bit` lunch day.  It is a nice, trendy, hip atmosphere with stainless steel, wood, and logs being the dominant decor with a blackboard for a menu.  It worked.  When we went we were seated at a high table.  The area is pretty dead in the evening so I would guess that the majority of its business will be for lunch and happy hour.  Given that, the food is pretty expensive.  There are small, medium, and large entrees and pizza.  The small are very small tapas with enough for three people to have a taste for $5.5 and you could get 5 for $23.  They were quite good, particularly the asparagus and the mozarella.  A pizza was about $15 for one that is about 12" round.  The mushroom pizza would be highly recommended.  Overall, I was very happy with the food but disappointed with the amount of food for the price.  For 3 people, we spent about $15 each and left still really hungry.  I'll have to try the bakery another day.
5 - Ella C.: I cried over La Molisana's untimely demise and passing of the owner, selfishly because I loved their breakfast sandwiches and was happy that there were cheap breakfast options near work.

THANK YOU, OWNERS OF AREA FOUR FOR FILLING THE BREAKFAST VOID IN TECHNOLOGY SQUARE.  

I know there's Beantowne, which I also adore, but it's not across from my building.  It's a bit of a further walk, and science doesn't always allow for walks. 7-11 Breakfast sandwiches?  Hurl.  

I've been in twice so far-- first for lunch, where I had a tuna sandwich, orange juice, and rice krispies treat.  Second was for breakfast of an almond croissant and lemonade.

The food has been EXCELLENT.  The baked goods have been awesome, and the sandwich was perfect.  I was skeptical when I was handed a pre-made sandwich, but it performed.  A friend got the asparagus (or was it artichoke?) soup and that was also fabulous.   

I also really like the service.  I agree totally on another Yelper's post that there isn't the "I make coffee, therefore I'm better than you" douchebaggery that exists in some of the local coffee shops.   The staff has been awesome with their recommendations, and I'm so excited to continue trying things.  I think the coffee is next on my list, despite the justification to never buy another coffee out somewhere if I bought the Keurig. 

I can't wait to try the full restaurant.
5 - Melissa T.: This place brought with it the best news (and the best coffee) since... well I don't know when since.  Possibly since Flour, although that establishment has more acclaim in the sandwich-and-sticky-bun domain.

The coffee is possibly the best in the area (saving perhaps that *one* coffee shop in the area which will always remain dearest to my heart), but the best news - well there are two "best" newses.  Number one: it has a bar/restaurant attached where there will be PIZZA.  Number two: it is right across the street from my building.  And also the conjunct: now there will be good coffee AND pizza right across the street from my building.

Everyone is friendly! Free wi-fi! Plugs for your pluggables! Scones for your scone-ables!  Errr... something like that :).
5 - Kalia C.: if this restaurant is any indicator, i need to fly up to boston more often. coffee/bakery/???/oven is what i recall was sprawled across the top of our menu. the more formal eatery part of the shop just opened a few weeks ago or something like that and i'm so fortunate to eat here on this trip. 

i went with three friends - bless their hearts, being older and working folks they paid for my lunch: 'when you're a student, you don't pay', 'but you're always paying!', 'that's cos you're still a student every time you're back here!'. we decided to go for their special, five small plates for 23$. we had:
1/ artichoke, potato, mint, green olives
2/ sweet pea hummus + pita
3/ shrooms, tomatoes, goodness
4/ barley salad + something else... 
5/ house-made moz cheese, smoked tomato, fennel and garlic topping

of the five, five were delicious. oh hey, 100%. and that's what i'm expecting from here, and what you should too, as it's excellent food. they also brought out unlimited portions of a sourdough like bread that's been lightly drizzled in olive oil or butter, this definitely helped fill us up as we split the five dishes among four adults. and smoked tomato is the new roasted tomato. that shiz is the awesome. 

we finished off our lunch with the macchiato sundae, topped with marshmallow sauce (what? where has this been all my life?) and chocolate jimmies. mmmm so tasty, so good, so creamy, so nicely homemade and dense. 

overall, the bill came out to something like $33 between four people - a fantastic price for a top-quality lunch. the decor is also cute and charming - predominantly wood + metal with black accents, and they definitely seem hip and ster and whatever else. i really loved the big metal ovens with roaring fires (smoked tomato sauce, if they serve over their pizzas i may consider moving back to boston permanently) and the transparency of the kitchen and stacks of porcelain white dishware. i hearted hardcore the stacks of firewood with 'AREA FOUR' branded at the butts of the logs and especially when they brought out the check bulldog-clipped on slices of branded butts (hah say that one quickly). and seriously, above all, i really loved the back doors with labels such as "dry room - not a bathroom"  and "office - also not a bathroom". for dorks like me, it keeps us focused on the food and not meandering around the place, looking for the potty room.
5 - Miriam L.: After two visits, I can safely say that this is the kind of establishment I'd like to open had I the funds. The interior is modern-homey in steel and shiny dark wood. A large chalkboard behind the menu displays drink and food prices, and through a glass panel, you can see copious tasty, in-house baked treats. Visit one: we sampled the red velvet whoopie pie which was amazingly comforting in a "I know who made this" kind of way and - much to my delight - sans overly sweet filling. The iced green tea is fresh and, well, green, and Area Four's coffee is as good as my home-brewed, Burr-grinder, French-pressed coffee snobbishness. (Which means it's pretty wonderful.) Today, they offered samples of a Mexican sweet bread dessert with a crunchy cocoa crust. 

We returned for lunch and had a wonderfully made tuna salad sandwich with olive oil aioli and their daily salad - a small tub of hummus, wonderful, amazing, brilliant, sparkling etc. etc. homemade pita bread, grilled veggies and a faro, asparagus and barley salad. For me, everything needed a little salt, but that's just because I"m crazy with low blood pressure. I put salt on salt if I can. Anyway, the food was fresh, light and delicious.

I am eagerly anticipating their liquor license coming into effect after peeking at the beer/wine lists. Finally! A place that offers more than one, very good $6-per-glass wine along with extremely good beers. Usually, it's one or the other and wine is jacked up to kingdom come.
5 - Colin L.: This place is a big win for Kendall. Check it out.
5 - Aviv K.: Excellent coffee and pastries in a block that has long been bereft of good options. I can see myself becoming a regular. Best of luck in the new venture!
5 - Mags L.: note: this review is specifically for the cafe

good peoples behind counter - yay!
prices include tax - yay!
discount for using your own mug - yay!
almond croissant - yowza!!!!!!!!!!

if you don't know, now you know.
5 - Chris O.: Only been to the cafe in front but great baked goods and the coffee is fantastic.  Excited to try the rest!
5 - H C.: I literally work right next door to this place and I love it. They have really awesome iced coffee. I also love the fact that this place includes taxes in their prices. I've had a few different of their bakery items. They have amazing croissants. I also had their cheese and jalapeño biscuit and it was delicious as well. They also have a great breakfast sandwich. The people are super friendly, which is a huge plus. I definitely like being recognized when I come to a place, everyone likes being a regular. I would recommend this to anyone who has not been to this amazing coffee shop and loves a good cup of Joe. It may be more than the average Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts but you get what you pay for. I have not tried the grille part yet but want to. I have only been to the cafe (front end) and all I have to say is amazing!
5 - Amanda C.: This place is amazing. It was only open for breakfast and lunch but it is open for dinner on select days. 

First off, the service is really great. Our server was Carlos, M and he was so nice. He presented everything in a professional manner. I do not think my water glass ever went empty. He also did a great job describing the menu. 

The inside is very modern. There is just something about coming into a dinning room and seeing perfectly shinny utensils on the table. The place made me feel like it was sleek, but not imposing. There were whimsical touches in the dinning room as well. A Craftsman Tool Storage box as a waiter's station was funny and the Dry goods and Office doors made me laugh. You have to love it when a door says, "Dry goods, not the bathroom and "Office, also not the bathroom". 

The food was excellent and the prices were reasonable for dinner. They have pizzas, small plates and large plates. I had a little kid moment and ordered the mac and cheese. It was SO GOOD. It came out in a cast iron skillet, filled with creamy cheese, shells and topped with croissant bread crumbles. My friend got the fennel sausage and banana pepper pizza. I also judge a place by crust and the crust here is light and crispy. My other friend got the sweat pea hummus and the squid salad. The hummus was perfectly seasoned and not overpowering. The squid on her salad was cooked to the T, not chewy at all. 

As a frozen diary lover, this place may be heaven to me. They make their own soft serve at this place. We got the cherry tart with vanilla buttermilk soft serve on top. So flippin good! The tang from the buttermilk was toned down by the sweet vanilla. 

The drink list is wide and covers a variety of price points. Beers start out at around $4 and glasses of wine start out at $6. I had a FingerLakes Riesling. It was light and refreshing. Our group split of liter of it for $32. Group drinking of wine is easy here because I believe they have wines on draft. If you like whiskey, I was impressed by their list. I hope to try some of their drinks soon. 

I cannot wait to try the cafe portion next!
5 - Stacy T.: Area Four is an amazing new cafe/restaurant that gives you that trendy yet comfortable feel, without breaking the bank.  Most new trendy cafe's that I've been to in the Cambridge area, I feel like I'm paying for the atmosphere as well as the food and drink.  At Area Four I feel like I'm just  paying for the actual food and drink and getting the cool atmosphere as a bonus!  The owners and staff here are amazing, friendly and inviting.  I highly recommend Area Four as the new hot spot for great cafe and dining experience.
2 - Vanessa O.: I have to say I'm a little confused by all the reviews below that call this cafe affordable and say that it "won't break the bank". That is my one and only complaint with this place, but it's big enough for me never to return.

I went for a late lunch and the service was great - they were even nice enough to feed us at 4pm (which i'm pretty sure was in between shifts). 

The food was everything we expected with rich flavors (especially the braised beef) and wonderful home-made touches like garlic bread croutons on the salad, which were exquisite, and house made pickles.

BUT BUT BUT. everything was just horrendously overpriced! 
We had: 
1) a braised beef sandwich - normal sized on a home made seeded bun         (NO side) ($14)
2) arugula salad with chicken which was teeny ($14)
3) a side of roasted potatoes - yummy ($5 or 6)
4) a coffee ($5)
grand total including tip: $54!

disclaimer: the coffee was french press and really really good, but I am not a coffee officianado or addict. I don't need french press and was not warned that i was ordering a $5 cup of coffee.

in sum: pretty standard gourmet food that is well executed, obnoxiously overpriced
2 - D B.: We went there for lunch. The atmosphere is cool and modern, and it smells wonderful in there due to the wood burning stoves. The wait staff was prompt and courteous.

So why 2 stars? Because the food is WAY OVERPRICED - $14 for a mediocre pulled pork sandwich that was only slightly larger than the sliders at Chili's. I found it humorous that the waitress just handed us desert menus without asking, as if she knew we would need desert to sate our hunger.

Perhaps this place would work in downtown Boston, but attached to a university campus ... I give it a "meh" at best...
5 - Dasha B.: Ending my Yelp hiatus to review Area Four for dinner this past Saturday night.

Everyone was kind and helpful, from the hostesses, who took care to seat us comfortably to the bartender, who offered samples of the wines on tap (!), to the waiter who chatted with us about olives, to the owner to ran out into the rain to grab a cab for me. 

I loved the decor of this place: urban rustic, which is on trend now, but still so lovely. Empty french presses, growlers and jars cover exposed hanging light bulbs, dark wood and iron pop up throughout the split-level space, and huge chalkboard menus with good handwriting (key!) look over the main dining room. 

I got three small plates for $15: smoked bluefish salad with scallion (SO delicious, if you liked smoked fish!), zucchini and farro salad (with basil, I think, and a substantial dressing that was not oily -- very tasty), and marinated mushrooms with sliced almonds, peppers and a dressing (again, not oily, but very flavorful). The foccacia is as another user described: very doughy, and a little sour -- I thought it could have used more flavor. Dipping oil infused with Parmesan and herbs.

My friend had the mussels, which she adored, and green and yellow bean salad. This salad had very mild olives.

The small plates are small, but three were plenty for me, as we also shared the olive oil chocolate cake with creme fraiche and cookie crumble. Delicious!! Quite rich and not what I was expecting: I thought this would be more like a pound cake, but it's a lot like ganache. No olive oil flavor. Creme fraiche was very mildly tangy. Cookie crumbles were gingery.

I honestly cannot wait to go back!
3 - Cecilia L.: This new place in Technology Square is really two places: there's a pretty serious-looking coffee shop, and then next door there's a restaurant and bar. This review is for the industrial-chic bar side, whose menu is creative enough to have a date or nice meal, but casual enough to just drop into for some drinks and snacks. Good job hitting that balance.

They have a good selection of local beers and wines, pizzas, and small, medium and large plates. The small plates are $5.50 each or three for $15, so we got smoked local bluefish salad, caponata with salted pistachios, and beef tongue crostini. The bluefish was seriously one of the best appetizers ever, with creamy, salty, unctuous pieces of fish accented by sharp pickled onions. I was raving over it. The beef tongue was a rich, mushy terrine studded with capers, which resembled fancy cat food just enough to turn me off. Husband loved it so he ate both. The pistachios in the caponata worked extremely well, but it was salty and also had capers, which didn't really work for me because we had a puttanesca pizza coming next.

The pizza, cooked in the restaurant's wood oven, was pretty solid. We had also ordered a salad of roasted squid and chickpeas, which was the dud of the night. It was way oversalted, and I felt the squid and chickpeas remained disparate elements rather than fusing into a cohesive salad.

All of our food was really salty, and many of the dishes also make use of olives and capers. I love olives and capers, but I don't want them to be a recurring flavor through the meal, especially if someone already has a heavy hand with the salt. If they could tone it down and let the natural flavors shine more, the food here would be excellent. Except don't touch the bluefish salad - that's already perfect.
4 - Joe J.: I've only been to the coffee shop so far, but that alone makes Area 4 a welcome addition to the Kendall Square scene. The coffee is great, baked goods are delicious, and the staff is friendly.
4 - Brian G.: Really nice meal - fennel sausage and banana pepper pizza was great, as was the pea hummus. Cool interior despite being in a strange location (at least for dinner time). Going back for a second visit in less than a week to try out some more options!
4 - Scott M.: I am diggin Area Four.  It is right in the heart of MIT.  I sat at the bar and the bartender Oliver was a great person to have as a server.  I ordered the Mac and Cheese.  The flavor was great but the portion was a bit small so I give it four stars.  I had a couple of the beers they have on tap.  They have a nice selection of micro-brews which Oliver tells me they will rotate.  

Next time I go I am going to try the soft serve ice cream they make there, the flavors the day I went did not excite that much.  The venue and location are worth five stars.  The service is five stars.  If the price to portion ratio were a little better I'd have given them five stars.
4 - adam s.: Highlights: 
The smoked bluefish salad was excellent. Creative and tasty. Order two, you'll be glad you did. Also, Area Four, if you are reading this, our waiter brought up the point that the smoked bluefish would be good served with cream cheese on a bagel from the cafe. I agree.

The Fennel sausage pickled banana pepper pizza was good. Excellent crust. Nice and chewy. 

Our waiter was pretty great. Not too in-your-face, but not too aloof. He and the bartender collaborated on some cocktail suggestions for us. The first one we tried was good, but not what we were looking for, so they graciously swapped it out for something different which was a winner. 

Needs Work: 
When I see something as plain-sounding as radishes and butter on the menu, it makes me think that there is a delicious surprise waiting for me if I just take the chance. Not this time. It really is just radishes and butter, folks. 

The green pea hummus was tasty, but it could use about 4 more pita wedges. Pro tip: If you ask for more pita, there is a good chance they will bring you some.
2 - Margaret C.: Really, this place has 4.5 stars out of 5, with more than 30 people reporting back so far? I went on a Thursday evening with a friend. Here's the deal:

FOOD: Not bad, but not great, and so overpriced. Small plates $5.50, or 3/$15? Sure! Except here's what we got: (1) beef tongue crostini, well-cooked tongue totally overpowered by capers, on crostini that was chewy (generally happens to microwaved bread...just saying); (2) green bean and potato salad with a tasty pesto and green olives, about a 3/4 c serving; (3) minted whole grain salad, mostly grain, and definitely less than 3/4 c serving. Five. Dollars. And. Fifty. Cents. For. A. Plate. The. Size. Of. My. Hand. I eat a lot of small plates/tapas--love the meal experience it provides--and this is way overpriced for what you get.

PIZZA: (Yes, I know this is also food.) The big draw of this place is the wood-fired oven pizza. The crust was nice, though not so thin nor crunchy as I expected from such a rig, and the $14 pie was barely enough for me and my friend even with our measly 3 small plates. We had the fennel sausage and hot pepper pie--sounded delicious, and it was okay, but was sooooooooooooo cheap with the main ingredients. Good (not too sweet) sauce.

DRINK: Area 4 in Cambridge is the most diverse section of the city. It is also the poorest. I find it *offensive* that not a beer on the tiny list  costs less than $6/pint. Also, when I ask you, Waiter, to describe one of those eight or so beers to me, I don't want to hear "I haven't tried it". I mean, I don't want you to lie. I want you to have tried it. Because there are literally fewer than TEN BEERS on your effing beer list. If for some reason you can't do this, offer me a sample. It's on tap. Seriously.

SERVICE: Inexplicably hostile hostess. Seated at a long "common table" when it soon became painfully obvious that most other, private, tables were empty. Nice waiter, but the beer issue bothered me. Also, when we made a comment about how totally capered-out the beef tongue was, he said, "Oh yeah, the chef really likes capers." Yeah? So do I. But I also like beef tongue, and I get peeved when I can't taste the $2.50 morsel I ordered. That would buy me a whole JAR of capers.

AMBIENCE: I love parts of the decor (the exposed kitchen passthrough that doubles as chopped wood storage is gorgeous), but at a high-top table that seats like 10 people, in a brand-new place with custom furniture, you couldn't swing bag/coat hooks anywhere? Really? With backless stools? Also definitely has a little personality disorder viz. cafe/bar. 

In sum: I may check it out again in a few months...but I may not. There's a lot of awesome places to eat around here, and they gave me zero reason to go back.
4 - Marianne C.: Beer + Mac n Cheese = Goodness.  

Stopped here twice during my recent stay in Cambridge.  
Had two types of beer - one an Allagash? black stoudt and the other some sort of coffeehouse porter that was AMAZING.

I ate at the bar, and there was an awesome, young bartender.  He was friendly, but not overbearing.  He was willing to try to make a Moscow Mule despite a lack of ginger beer.  The second bartender made a go of it, but I wonder if the first one would have been more successful.
2 - Patrick L.: I really wanted to like this place, so I've been back enough times that some of the waitstaff recognizes me. The service in general is quite good, but everything else is a bit off. 

The portion sizes are downright tiny, normally that would be okay if the flavor was spectacular, but nothing really was. Of all of the smalls that I had, the only one worth it was the tongue crostini, and even that was poorly executed in my opinion. Most dishes suffer from having one ingredient over power the rest. 

I found it unacceptable that the octopus medium dish was almost entirely parsley, almost laughable...

Even the "larges" are pretty darn small. 26+ bucks for a tiny ass plate of fish limp spinach with cream cheese on top? 

The beer and liquor selection is alright, they have Pretty Things Jack D'or on tap... but so do many places in this area. 

I've uploaded some pictures of dishes that I've had, but less than half of them since I don't really feel the need to glamorize food that I think is sub par.
5 - Derek W.: *disclosure - this is my old neighborhood where I began my career, I may be a bit partial to awesome places like area 4. Yes great name, the unknown area of cambridge is what I use to refer to it as. Checked this place out on a thursday night, was there a live hippie band in the courtyard right outside our window you're god damn right there was. I mean this is still Cambridge !!! 

Start to finish deliciousness... we had many apps, about 9 to be precise. smoked local blue fish, mozzarella / smoked tomato w/ spicy fennel vinaigrette, and eggplant caponata all were amazing...

Meals...so apparently this place was a coffee house or someshit prior ? Well glad they flipped the format because the pizzas were great. We had 3 but my favorite by far was the exotic mushroom I believe it was called. It's a white pie made with fontina cheese... I'm fat It's okay!!!

We ate like fat stoned kids for desert...we literally ended up with 4 of the 6 on the menu and annihilated them all. The cookie one was different and awesome !!! Oh the soft serve was great as well... I think it was blueberry.. Ice cream is my enemy !!!! 

Decor - cool trendy
People - It's cambridge I mean of course it's awesome !!

Servers - EXCEPTIONAL !!! well versed on the beers.... Oh I also learned this is some sort of (green) restaurant... Glad I didn't take my gas guzzling SUV that night.... yeah no bottles - Drafts only !!!

Um yeah it's close to MIT so you should be wicked smaht kid when you are done eating here, it's like Osmosis or some shit.... 

How you like them apples !!!!!!!
5 - Liz P.: Amazing! Let me start off by saying I have never been moved to write a review for a restaurant before and that I am (embarrassingly so) very critical of restaurant food. I actually go not expecting to like everything, just cuz I'm hard to please and don't want to be let down. 

Area Four was so delicious, every single thing we got was simple, yet so sophisticated. Even the beef tongue, YES - beef tongue was one of the best little appetizers I've ever had. The pizza is good enough that they could open their own pizza shop (and I haven't found many pizza shops ever that I truly love!). 

plus the services is great and the bartenders are adorable and friendly. Wines are really good too AND it's all incredibly reasonable. 

A MUST TRY 

Oh, did I mention you can sit OUTSIDE : )
4 - Gina M.: I seriously love this place. We've been twice and the food and space are completely fantastic. I am withholding the 5th star merely because I wish they had a bit of a wine program. The food deserves it. I understand that they buy wine in large barrels or something, which has environmental benefits, but I'd love to see them have a short, well curated bottle list as well, and actual stemware as opposed to flat bottom glasses. But anyway, I am going on too long about this one small problem. I love the way the menu is set up with smalls, mediums and larges. The bluefish salad we had there last night is to die for. Oh, and the olive oil chocolate cake is ungodly. Very very well composed with caramel and some sort of toffee crunchiness. Service is friendly and competent. I hope they are around for a long long time, as I plan to be back often.
5 - Amy L.: Best coffee in Cambridge, interesting lunch/dinner menu, great beverage selection and friendly bartenders-- what more could you ask for?  Outdoor seating, fun atmosphere, easy to park.  Will be back often.
4 - Julian G.: Went there for dinner. Had a bad experience (food not great; costly). Had been fans of Persephone, but was disappointed. But went again, for a second try, and they seemed to have the initial kinks worked out. Service was good; food was much better. Yah, I'm a fan.
3 - Sharee P.: Some co workers and I went to Area 4 earlier in the month for a friends going away party/lunch. From jump the menus were a little hard to understand- they just read: Small-Large- and  we couldn't figure out where the salad was LOL the service was very alert and almost a little too smothering, BUT I'm not complaining about that. The area itself is a pretty kool warehouse like set up and you can sit on these high stools. Once we figured out where the appetizers were we ordered the chic-pea, curry hummus whichwas deeelicious. one co-worker ordered a BBq sandwich which came with a TINY side of coleslaw?!? It was almost like they were be attempting to go w/ a kool gourmet plate prep, but it just ended up feeling like they skimped you a bit of the slaw ;-(  I ordered the bacon and clam pizza w/ the lime tea which was all very tasty. The clam, bacon pizza came out hot, and crispy. The prices were ok and the staff like a said did hover, but it's better than them not being around right? It's a super cute/trendy spot and would be kool for just grabbing a bite, or sitting down and hanging out.
4 - Charlie D.: After stopping by Area Four restaurant and having a beer and dessert at the bar a few nights ago, I finally made it back for dinner.

(Note that there is a coffee shop in front which is open during the day, and a restaurant behind it which is open later.)

The decor is very modern and clean looking, with a mix of metal and wood. It's got kind of a warm industrial feel to it, very appropriate for Kendall Square if you ask me.

The cocktail and beer selection is very good. They definitely have some unique cocktails, and the beer list is relatively small but contains very distinctive selections with a wide range of beer styles.

I had the beef tongue crustini, squid salad, and sausage and banana peppers pizza, followed by olive oil chocolate cake for dessert. Everything was very good in my opinion, not spectacular, but quite tasty. The beef tongue crustini was quite flavorful, although the bread was warm and the beef was cold, which as a bit odd since it is supposed to be a cold appetizer. The squid salad was tasty, and the flat parsley as the main green was unexpected but good. The pizza was quite flavorful. I really enjoyed that the crust was not greasy and a bit less dense than in many other places. I was debating dessert, but very glad I chose the olive oil chocolate cake. It was very dense and moist and super chocolatey. The crumbles and caramel sauce surrounding it only further enhanced the flavor.

The prior time I was here I had their sundae made with home made soft serve, which that day was raspberry. I would definitely recommend the soft serve, as it was rich and creamy.

Overall, Area Four is a solid choice for a meal out in Kendall Square. I would definitely go back, even if just for beer and dessert.
3 - Alexander C.: Came for dinner. First, I ordered the mac and cheese, which was WAY too buttery. Then the cheese pizza, which was amazing. They do take out pizza and I will be getting that soon. The roast chicken was pretty good, and the chocolate cake was incredible.

So, here's the wrapup:

Mac and cheese: 1/10
Cheese pizza: 10/10
Roast chicken: 6.5/10
Chocolate cake: 9/10

Average: 6.625

Okay place. If you desperately need dinner and are in the neighborhood then this is an OK joint.
1 - C. N.: The very first item I order, a twelve ounce glass of iced coffee, at a counter, is $3.50.  It was fine but not exceptional.

And you've lost me forever.
5 - J O.: The place is great-- beer AND wine on tap, friendly staff, great appetizers and pizza.  We will definitely be back.  Oliver on the bar is wonderful!!
5 - Monica C.: I'm going to have to give this place 5 solid stars.

The service was great and unexpectedly so. Half our party didn't even look at the menu, we just asked our server what she recommended and went with it.

We had this green hummus, a Mozzarella/tomato/fennel dish, and the most amazing smoked bluefish appetizer.  We actually ordered a second round of it.

We all had Beer and cocktails.  Their liquor list is impressive with rare organic booze choices you wouldn't find elsewhere.  But their draft beer list deserves accolade for going local, going organic, and going unique.    

Even if you only go for apps and drinks, go.  Totally worth trying.
3 - Angelos K.: I hate it when a place starts promising and then somehow loses its touch as time goes on... I hope this doesn't happen with Area four. The concept is great; small plates and pizza with fantastic beer and wine and cocktails in a modern environment. And before I say anything bad, their pizzas are fantastic. BUT:
- They used to offer a sampler of three small plates for $15. Not anymore.
- They used to offer bread. Not anymore (the waitress told me that it was too taxing for the kitchen (!!)).
- They charge you $1 for three slies of pita bread (not even a whole pita!).
- They seriously need to rethink portions as it almost embarassing to order a $8 bluefish and get literally two bites of it. Delicious, but two bites, really?

I have been there three times and enjoyed the food everytime, but my level of satisfaction with the place has deteriorated mainly for the reasons listed above. I will likely go back and just get pizza and beer or pizza to go and hope that they pizzas don't shrink with time :)
3 - Alexander R.: Hmmmmmm...

That's how I felt while trying to order off the menu - just plain old confused. It is not put together very well and each dish has about 5 adjectives before you find out what it is. For example, the "Lemon, Garlic & Rosemary Roasted Half Chicken, Arugula, Roasted Tomato & Bread Salad." Hmmmm.... 

Anyways, I am sure this place is good for breakfast, coffee, and drinks. Heck, the food was delicious as well. A little overpriced but you have limited options around Tech Square. Advice? Clean up the menu and make it easier to understand. I would give this place a 3.5 if I could, but of course I can't.

It will be interesting to see how business does when the new restaurant Catalyst opens next door?
5 - Tri U.: There's food  and....
There's coffee

Area 4 does both in two separate areas under the same name, but they really are distinct shops. So please make it more clear what you're rating here :)

I'm rating their coffee shop. I give it 5 solid stars because:

1. The espresso they use is superb and I've spent months in the past enjoying traditional cafes (espressos) in Italy. In other words, Starbucks' espresso doesn't even come close.

2. They use Jersey milk in their beverages, which very rich but no fatter than other milks. It's also slightly more expensive (you can imagine why) but evidently Area 4 has set a high standard for their coffees. This is not to say that it's the only place that uses Jersey milk (I know Flour also uses it).

3. The atmosphere is very.... European. I like that. The shop is very minimal and stylish. Also prices include tax and their espressos are always double-shot.

The only thing that's missing is a loyalty card so I don't have to use credit cards/cash every day and pay using their card instead. Because, I do have to visit them every day.
5 - Jon S.: This is a review of the cafe area, which I frequent daily, as opposed to the restaurant/bar, which I haven't tried yet.

The coffee is excellent - - uniquely sourced, well-roasted, expertly made.  The baristas know what they're doing.

The fresh orange juice is hidden in the fridge, but it is amazing - extremely fresh and pulpy.  Only three dollars for a large glass.

The baked goods are nicely petite.  I actually prefer this in comparison to the huge oversized things you get elsewhere which make you fat.  But in comparison to some places ( Flour), they don't charge you an arm and a leg for these things.  Also they have some unique stuff like the Mexican Concha (sweet bread)... and the mini cinnamon buns - very good.

The staff is very nice and helpful.

Two suggestion/criticisms:
1) The sandwiches are 90% bread; maybe a little more protein on them?
2) The salads are overpriced; perhaps 75 cents of stuff for 7 dollars.   Maybe a little better ratio there?

Great addition to the area.
4 - Gisele L.: Definitely a fan.  I came here for lunch on a sunny afternoon and sat outside, which was nice.  I shared a pizza with a salad with my friend and it was just enough.  The pizza was absolutely delicious and the arugula salad was very fresh.  Great service, great pizza, nice place.  Can't wait to go back. My favorite pizza was the pesto with capers...absolutely delicious.
4 - Olivia v.: Lunch:  Ordered the 5 small plates that were most recommended by the waiter- bluefish, mozzarella, beef tongue, pea hummus and mushrooms. Perfect meal for two light appetites.

Mozzarella: simplicity made hedonistic
Mushrooms: ideal for those who have a love affair with sesame oil
Bluefish: fresh, scalliony, delectable.
Pea hummus: good, not awe-inspiring
Beef tongue: ...meh, guess I'm not addicted to capers.

Dessert: olive oil chocolate cake: not noticeably olivey at all, but luxuriously dense/moist and paired quite well with unsweetened creme fraiche and caramel-cookie trimmings.

Drinks: 
Decaf latte was small but surprisingly yummy - I suspect it was actually caffeinated, but maybe they just make an outrageously good decaf :)
Fresh milk was just a decent glass of milk, nothing special.

Four stars for affordable and inhalable small plates.
2 - Adi H.: I have nothing bad to say about the food- just that the prices are OUTRAGEOUS. I got "three smalls" for $15. When they say small, they MEAN small. The diameter of each plate was no more than 4 inches- no exaggeration. I mean, it's fine, I know that they're supposed to be small plates, but its $5.50 each (or $15 for three) for such a miniscule amount of food. I'd expect that kind of thing at, say, Craigie on Main, but not at a cafe/pub. With that in mind, if you're willing to spend that extra dough, I'm sure you'd enjoy their food and varied beer list.
4 - Nick H.: Finally, a place that Cambridge eat-a-holics can have all to themselves. That spot that requires a culinary code name or pass phrase softly murmured between sips of Saison. 

Every foodie worth their high-end sea salt would of course be talking about Area 4 - a place for food nerds on the turf of science nerds. 

As the former, I must admit I've frequented this spot since it hit my food-dar and enjoyed every moment of each experience. 

Walk with me for a moment here...

*Delightful mussels in fragrant broth
*Oddly phallic but delicious house-made meat on milk bun
*Pizza, pizza, pizza. Rock the Clam and Bacon and sample from puttanesca, fennel sausage, and mushroom/fontina-stacked pies with a light, fluffy crust.

All of that and more washed down with stellar beers like Jack D'Or, Harpoon 100 Barrel Series, and a bias towards other locally-brewed beauties. 

Though I've only sampled the fare here on Friday nights with groups of friends, the adjoining café supposedly serves-up some bomb lattes - making Area Four theoretically possible to live in from opening to closing while satisfying every taste bud across all your daily meals.

The best part is - nobody knows it yet. That's right, you and your fellow food geeks or science jocks could be enjoying Area Four this Friday without long lines and love every minute of it.

So what are you waiting for - the password is...shhhh...
4 - Samuel F.: The cafe:  Is good.  Really, really good.   The coffee is _amazing_.  The food selections are quite tasty.  If I was rating this alone, four stars, but mainly because I'm annoyed they don't have longer hours.

The bar:  Decent beer selection, good (if a bit expensive food).  Still need to try the cocktails, but they look promising.  If I was rating this alone, three stars.
4 - Kenny C.: Had lunch at the restaurant section of Area Four. Big windows with tons of sunlight and high ceilings (the metal beams lacked some character though). Service was great (quirky girl at the front found us a table in between pirouetting).

The lunch menu wasn't very extensive. I wanted a full meal and needed my protein, and nothing really tickled my fancy. The menu was also a bit confusing (divided into cold, hot, and entrees). My friend ordered the mac and cheese and she thought it was great though she couldn't finish it.

I took a gamble on the pulled beef sandwich. Side note: I did not know you could pull beef the way you pull pork before this. Anyway, it was great. Very tender and juicy, and definitely hit the spot.

Luckily, I was there before school was in session. My friend told me that the place gets swamped by MIT students/staff during the school year, so good luck!
3 - Johnna M.: Dinner review-When in Kendall Square, keep it Kendall Squarian. Area Four follows this age old adage and this is where they succeed. Atmosphere is geek chic-sleek, simple, and...silver. Menus come on granite slabs with dorky puns litered everywhere. Definitely a unique atmosphere that works for the crowd and the area. My only complaint is I am never a fan of sharing tables with people not in your party. I'm in Kendall! I want to talk about computers or cell phones or whatever and not have to worry about being antisocial to the stranger in my lap. 

The food was completely average. While I have no real complaints, nothing really set me off either. I had both the mussels and the corn cakes. I enjoyed the corn cakes better than the mussels (tomato accompaniment was fantastic!) but neither would I make a point to try again. My friend said his gazpacho was so-so but he gulfed it down too quickly for me to try so that says something. Margarita pizza was well cooked but slightly boring-then again, it is margarita pizza. 

My favorite part of the experience was definitely my cocktail (how unusual for you, Johnna M.) I can not find mention of cocktails on either the website or yelp but the small selection is indeed interesting. I had a gin martini like thing with a tad of iced tea-delicious! I look forward to trying their bakery and coffee and hopefully that will prove to be a tad more innovative-big things are happening in this area.
4 - Alana H.: I love that I work in walking distance to this gem! 

Perfect fall weather aided in a wonderful lunch I had here today.  I ordered the mac and cheese which while some may argue was a small portion, it was just enough cheesy goodness for me.  It felt rich but not too overwhelming and the crunchy croissant bread on top was a nice touch.  I also loved that it came in a little skillet so I knew it just out of the oven when it came to my table.  The mac and cheese was enough for me and I didn't venture into dessert land but I will definitely do so the next time I come here (because let's be honest there will be a next time) 

Our server was pleasant and awesome.  She didn't breathe down our necks to order and there were moments when I realized she had refilled our water without ever having noticed she was there.  If ever there was a place to become a regular at this should be it.  Also you'll get to schmooze with really smart technology folk.
5 - Jeff M.: So I am writing an update to comment on the bakery/coffee shop. Best coffee in the area and the baked items are made on site and do not disappoint. Muffin doughnut, how can you go wrong with that ?! Oh, and they actually make a cappuccino - when your order a cappuccino some places just give you a latte.
4 - Michael C.: Area Four is a welcome addition to the growing surge of what I refer to as "West Coast Style" coffee shops. They have a fairly standard menu of coffee items, they offer their house blend coffee alongside a guest roaster for every brew. I have to say that their Iced Mocha is fantastic, just sweet enough, no need for me to add any extra sugar or milk, it had a very dark chocolate taste to it. They also offer a good selection of high quality baked good. We had a hard time deciding which to choose but went with an Almond Croissant, delicious. Area Four also has a full restaurant that I took a peek at, we'll definitely be back to check it out. If it is anything like their coffee shop then we'll be in for a treat.
4 - Morgan M.: Went on a thursday night and it was delightful.  Had a glass of pinot noir at the bar and it was delicious. the bartender was very friendly. Then sat down for dinner and shared three small plates with a friend and they were all great.  Our server couldn't have been better.  I will absolutely be going back.
4 - sage f.: I used to live in the Area Four (the neighborhood, not the coffee shop) and cannot believe how much it's changed/changing over the last few years.  Business is booming.  New coffee shops, restaurants, beer halls.  Love it.

How I wish that Area Four (the coffee shop, not the neighborhood) existed when I lived here.  I would have come here all the time for the good coffee, tasty treats, good music, funky atmosphere, and free wi-fi.  Makes me nostalgic for my graduate student days... 

An excellent addition to the neighborhood.
5 - Dave F.: Happily recommended after a comfortable and delicious evening meal at an  outside table.  Personal sized pizzas were tasty and quick to arrive - best pizza puttanesca I've had in a while.  Hummus app was rich and creamy-tasty.  Wine by the glass or 1/2 liter so two can share and not have to down a whole bottle. Waitstaff were very helpful and always within reach without hovering.  We are definitely coming back to continue thru the menu!
4 - Eric F.: Been here just once so far in the cafe area and I enjoyed my latte that came in a tall glass...nice change-up from the usual mug.  The design's modern and minimalist, almost hipster...almost.  Will update the next time I'm back to try the food!
4 - Megan H.: While living in France, I learned to simultaneously give in to two of MY life's greatest pleasures, wine and caffeine. Thus, when my friend, recommended a cafe that she knew, I was pleasantly surprised that I could get both of my fixes in one locale. 

Well, not exactly. The coffee shop, unfortunately, does not serve alcohol, but the dining section does. So, as it was only 4p.m. and two of my friends were short of time, we skipped the coffee and decided to get a drink and some quick bites right next door. I went with a Pretty Things ale and my friends shared a bottle of Rosé. The server was really accommodating (she gave me a small sample of the Pretty Things because I told her how I remember it being hoppy, but I couldn't remember just how hoppy) and she let my friends know that if the Rosé was too sweet, to just let her know. As I prefaced, two of my friends were short on time, so I can't say too much about the food, but we ordered the Baba Ganoush appetizer, a slow-cooked, smokey half hummus/half caponata textured stew, that was a fine garnish for the warm pita triangles. It went pretty quick, so we put in another order accompanied with two plates of olives and the marinated mushrooms. Sadly, after an hour of lively female chatter (and bantering I assume), my friends were ready to jet.

 However, I was quite satisfied with the ambiance. Therefore, I headed back over to the cafe for a cappucino. Having now lived with an ex-Starbucks barista (aka Jill F.) for over a year, I've become somewhat of a coffee snob (not pretentious, just snobby) and the cappucino was presented in a simple, white porcelain mug with the frothy leaf-like swirl on top. The best part is that it was not only really good coffee, but really reasonably priced and cheaper than Starbucks I might add.

I actually tried to go back yesterday, but they were closed. But I don't give up that easily, especially when I can read pages and pages for school on caffeine and end it with a little buzz.
3 - Mary R.: Went with a group for apps and drinks - it was pretty empty for dinner so the atmosphere could have been better. We got pizza, mussels and some small bites- the food was tasty but not outstanding. The portions were also pretty small so apps are good to share for 2 people -no more.
5 - Jenan A.: the place is a real hidden gem.

I go past it every day but never think to go there because they predominantly serve pizza

I shared an Arugula salad and a veggie pizza with a friend and I can you, both were done to perfection.

This was topped with apple cider "home made" ice cream - and despite not being an ice cream fan, it truly was delicious - subtle flavors of apple, creamy smooth texture - YUM
4 - Neva C.: The food is pricey but good.  The appetizers are really not big enough to share, but they are delicious, especially the pretzel-bacon nuggets with pimento cheese dip.  I like the ambiance though it's very bobo - wood logs stacked artfully and stamped with "Area Four", e.g.  But I have to say, there's not a lot of good food in Boston/Cambridge generally, and this fits into the medium price range nicely.
5 - Maureen M.: I had dinner with a friend here last week.  We really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere.  The waitstaff was great.  This is the perfect place to stop in after work to have drinks and sample a few dishes.  The food was fresh and delicious.  Will definitely come back soon!
5 - Alexa R.: I can definitely see this place becoming famous and a new hot spot! It is truly a hidden gem. It's located in technology square which I think is becoming more popular. I've lived in Cambridge for 2 months and have already been there several times. 

I love that everything is cooked in the brick oven, it's incredible! Of course the pizzas are to die for!! The menu changes almost everyday but the dishes are always incredible.

I recommend the chicken as well, it is the juciest, most flavorable chicken I have ever tasted in my life. The menu fits everyone's tastes, they have great options. 

The place has a modern, yet cozy atmosphere. It is not necessarily casual but not necessarily fancy, which is perfect! You can go with friends or on a date. The place is very eclectic which I think is perfect in these times.

The service was great! The servers were friendly, the cooks are always up for talking to the customers, and the manager, Mike, is super friendly. I've never seen a manager so involved in everything up front, he serves at the bar and talks to the customers. It's so great!

I recommend this to anyone and everyone. No doubt I will be back there very soon.
5 - Ana B.: Ate here yesterday and everything was off the charts excellent. The service was great. We were undecided between the smoked swordfish pate and the grilled squid salad, so we ordered the latter and our waiter brought us a taste of the pate - both were amazing. Then we ordered the Margherita pizza made in their wood-fired oven with homemade mozzarella. It was divine - best pizza in Boston, in my humble opinion. The draft beer is all locally brewed. What a great idea!

We will definitely be back to try more of this yummy pizza. Loved the atmosphere. Loved the food.
1 - Anne D.: Oh well. Here we have yet another disappointing new restaurant in Kendall Square. Considering the generic atmosphere, less-than-friendly service, and  the quality and quantity of the food, this restaurant is much, much too expensive. A miniature salad: $12.00. a small, unsatisfying gyro sandwich $14.00.  Nobody should be allowed to open a restaurant like that in this economy.  
 I will not be going back and will not recommend it to others.
5 - Nicole H.: I figured I'd list the things that I absolutely LOVE about area four and then you can go and see for yourself.  1.  The grass fed meatloaf cheese burger is by far (and I've had some killer burgers in my life) THE BEST BURGER I'VE EVER EATEN!  Holy crap I can't stop fantasizing about biting into it's ungodly goodness.  Phenomenal.  2.  I love that you can get a 9oz beer if you so choose.  I enjoy tasting many things and this gives you that luxury... plus it's 3 bucks!  Where can you pay 3 bucks for a beer!?!   You can also get a 64 oz jug of beer... sweet!  3.  The bacon pretzels w. pimento cheese is brilliant and heavenly... bacon makes EVERYTHING BETTER.  4.  The price is right!  It's the kind of place where you could easily become a weekly regular.. (or daily) delicious food for affordable prices!  Can you say heaven?!?  5.  Pizza, also delicious, thus far I've tried the mushroom fontina pizza, yum, the house made sausage, banana pepper and mozzarella... holla, the gorgonzola and caramelized onion pizza... divine but the game changer for me was the clam and bacon pizza... holy moly!  6.  Wood fired oven - my favorite part of this would be the smell of wood burning and the logs that have "Area four" branded on them.  Too cute!  7.  The desserts and coffee will blow your mind.  OMG!  8. Great tunes in the background 9. The space is fabulous, the vibe is hip, it's an awesome place to spend your lunch hour or the entire evening.  10.  Michael Levitons' commitment to serving sustainable and locally sourced food is something that should really be highlighted here.  Not only are you eating delicious food but you are eating it from purveyors who are environmentally conscious, who treat their animals humanely and who are likely local.  All this for a very affordable price... what more could you want in a restaurant.  STOP READING REVIEWS AND GO!
2 - Esther W.: A bunch of us came here for drinks and dinner a couple of months ago. All I remember from the night is how salty everything was. Not sure if it was just our one time experience, but I think all six of us were in agreement that (1) the mac and cheese was waaay too salty (2) the mussels were pretty good but the broth they were in was waaaay too salty (3) squid salad was salty (4) two pizzas were mediocre (i think we got one clam/bacon (salty) and maybe the sausage? don't remember but it was just okay). I'm miffed because this place seems to have gotten good reviews, so were they just having an off night? Lack of quality control on the salt shaker for just that one evening? Not sure, but don't think any of us will come back any time too soon.
5 - Amber M.: I have to give this five stars even though all I've had there is the breakfast sandwich, but I have to tell you they are EPIC. Literally, the best breakfast sandwich you will ever eat. A co-worker brought them in for an office birthday breakfast a few weeks back and everyone was in unanimous aggreement that it was incredible. We did a repeat office breakfast this week. You must try! I know I will be back for more and to try more delish bites!
4 - Damien S.: Oh, the daunting task of reviewing one-half of split personalities. And with an allegedly polar experience in the dining area, I'll obviously update with resto feedback when I indulge. Until then...

CAFÉ REVIEW

There's not much character to the quadrilateral that is A4's counter-service side. Walk in, sit communally (either next to a centrally static support structure or alongside the window wall), drink your drink and begone. Some places make this stark emptiness their own, wearing the monochromatic like Andrew WK (Kendall neighbor Voltage comes to mind) but there's no ferociousness to Area Four. It just feels... there.

Initial impression aside, I ushered past the post-morning display of baked goods and ordered while staring at the overhead menu. Don't you hate that? Everyone does it. You know what you want, but you just can't take your eyes off the menu - as if something, at the last minute, will convince you to change your mind. It's why we scan what else might be on when we find our favorite movie on cable, or scan other stations when that Pitbull hit starts up... I'll stop there.

The oolong (they haz it!) tea is served at the right temperature (if a bit hot) in a "go steep yourself" kettle, and adequately warmed the cockles of my heart. What a weird phrase. Cockles are actually clams. This tea warmed my heart clams. Quote that.

The star of the morning was the pistachio-orange scone with bits of white chocolate. Perfect consistency and sweetness, the right size and even the Swedish judge gave high marks on the "crumble factor" (she's tough). Honorable mention: my snacking buddy gushed coma-inducing praise upon the überdense breakfast sandwich, which I may have to order next time I'm in the hood/preparing for nuclear fallout.

Genuinely 3.5 stars, and in the spirit of the holidays, a round up to 4.
3 - Austin R.: I came here tonight with a few friends and kept it simple, ordering just a couple pizzas for the table and actually tasting only one of them. The wait was a bit longer than I had been told on the phone, but it was a Friday night so what can you do? We were seated right in front of the wood-burning ovens which was cool. The pizza that I tried was the caramelized onion with gorgonzola, walnuts, and scallions. It was tasty but I definitely thought it could have used some sort of sauce, just to add another dimension to the flavor. I liked the way the pizza was cooked though, some crispiness to it while still being very soft and chewy in the crust. Solid thin crust pizza. If I came back I'd definitely be more adventurous in my ordering, which from the looks of the place would probably pay off.
4 - John C.: Area Four is the best thing that happened to Kendall Square this year!

I really like both the bakery and the restaurant. Bakery has great selection of coffee cake, whoopie pies (mocha and red velvet), brownies etc. The coffee is pretty good and so is the atmosphere.

I have dined here quite a few times and the mushroom pizza is the best. Other things I have really enjoyed are the macaroni & cheese, baba ganoush (when it was on the menu), muhammara, a cauliflower small plate, and the olive oil chocolate cake. Every single one of those things were great! I hope they continue to one of the best in  Cambridge!
5 - Lore S.: Clam and bacon pizza was really tasty and the service was friendly and fast.  Definitely coming back.
4 - Michelle F.: Went here the other night with a friend to get a drink on our "tour de Kendall" as I'd never ventured out Here before. The chairs were the most uncomfortable things I've ever sat in! Other than that the atmosphere was great along with the food. It's a modern day take on a brick oven restaurant (minus the brick). Oliver the bartender was fabulous! Overall it was a nice time but they really need to do something about the chairs.
4 - Hayley M.: Two businesses in one? YES!

I went in yesterday for the first time, sampled both sides of the business, and am already kicking myself for letting this joint be open for eight whole months without a previous visit. The decor is hip and modern, but not off-putting for non-hipsters. It's the perfect blend of minimal and crisp. I went in with the owner/chef's cousin (to the restaurant side), and while the owner wasn't there, the wait staff certainly took care of us. We ordered drinks; a sangria for me and a beer for him, and a Margarita Pizza. Yes, it was a tad on the boring side, with so many outrageous pizzas to choose from, but being a non-pork eater has its disadvantages in pizza places. The waitress, who was so nice from the beginning AND was wearing an LSU t-shirt (LOVE!), told us that it really was the best.

The came the parade of insane apps. They brought us the house-made mozzerella. It had a golden raisin chutney and a lemon vinaigrette, and had the perfect blend of sweet and tasty. Then they brought the Goat Terrine, a liver with fruit blend on top of toast. Awesome, even though I usually don't care much for liver and my friend ate most of it. THEN they brought us the swordfish pate, which had chopped onions and came over crostini. Holy moly, I could barely believe how unique and tasty each dish was. While at first we thought they just do this to everyone, it turns out being with the chef's cousin was lucky. 

Then, after all the apps I could ever imagine eating, the pizza came out. Perfectly thin, with the perfect blend of pecorino and basil. I wasn't even hungry and I scarfed down two slices. 

After the amazing meal, we just had to see the bakery side. We picked a ginormous oatmeal, pecan, and chocolate chip cookie for later. The pecans were salted, and it was the perfect blend of sweet and salty. 

I have used the term "perfect blend" in this review a bunch of times... see a pattern? Perfect blend of bakery and restaurant, perfect blend of unique and tasty food, and perfect blend of decor, service, and affordable prices. I can't wait to go back!
4 - Lisa J.: We actually had New Year's Eve dinner here and really enjoyed it.  My husband and son got Pizza (very good) and I had a locally farmed roasted chicken which actually caused an eyeroll of happiness.  

The waitresses were adorable with my son and we really like the atmosphere, especially the lights, they're very cool.  

Would definitely go again, the only downside, it was chilly in the restaurant, those huge panes of glass keep it cold.
2 - Andy B.: Not a fan.  High prices and small portion sizes.  Maybe it's the lunch rush, but everything here felt small and informal, like it had come out of a microwave, even though I know it hadn't.  Over $50 for two for lunch wasn't really awesome either.  The food was good but it didn't blow my hair back.  I had breakfast another day and the sandwich seemed ridiculously high @ over $5, and came out just as greasy and unappetizing as something that sat under a heat lamp at 711.

The coffee is great, but I just can't see the appeal.  I can't see going for a cocktail or drink, either.
3 - Andy M.: Only been here once to meet friends and grab a pizza.  My pizza was great, but my lovely wife and pals were not impressed by the appetizers and salads.  Cool spot and trendy vibe, worth another visit in my book.
5 - T W.: Went here last night with my father for dinner and it was delicious!  They do not take reservations for parties that are less than 6 or something so that is sort of annoying, however if you called 15 minutes before than you can put your name down.  

We were seated immediately and our waitress Allegra was wonderful.  We ordered a small appetizer to start with the fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese and it was so yummy.  I had the monk fish for my dinner & father had the hamburger. The pizza is probably the best thing they offer here, however we are not big pizza people.  Regardless the food was FANTASTIC.  The portions were small which I like (no one wants to leave dinner thinking they need to unbutton a pant button) although we were perfectly full and had no room to try dessert.

POSITIVES:
-great parking in the area (all metered but does not need coins after 6pm)
-not very loud AT ALL (you would think it might but it is is not)
-unpretentious, everyone is very friendly when you arrive and when you are leaving (the beauty of coming to a new restaurant that is working hard to establish themselves.
-Has that San Francisco-hipster vibe which reminds me of when I lived there :-)  Great for anyone longing for the vibe of SoMa neighborhood in San Francisco.

NEGATIVES:
-expensive.  Our meal for 2 was 60 dollars.  The monk fish was a 25 dollar meal however if you order pizza, beer not cocktails, and ditch the dessert you can save yourself a lot of money and still get a wonderful meal.  In the future I'd suggest them have more options for entrees that were non-pizza and making them more reasonably priced.

Enjoy! 
~Tamara
4 - Julie F.: I like it here. The place has an industrial feel, like you're in a warehouse of sorts that just happens to have a brick oven in the middle of it, and I'm glad it does. They have a decent list of beers, and if you're there with friends who like the same beer you do (or if you're really thirsty and can swallow a lot of beer before it gets warm), you can get 64 oz for anywhere between $15-30, which is a pretty good deal for city beer-drinkers...

I very much enjoyed our hipster waitress, though I don't know her name. She was informative and pleasant, and actually seemed to enjoy her job.

We got the mussels, which were not my fave. They were a little fishier than I like my mussels, but the toasty bread they serve it with was fantastic to sop up the broth - which was decent - big chunks of tomato in it, but otherwise pretty standard.

We split a Puttanesca pizza, which I thought was really good - it's super anchovy-y, so don't order this unless you are a huge fan of the anchovy. Yes, that's right, the mussels were too fishy for me, and then I loved my super-fishy pizza. The crust is thin and crispy, and the toppings were all minced into tiny pieces, so every bite had ample olive, caper, and anchovy coverage.

The olive oil chocolate cake is sinful and amazing. You'd never know we were almost too full to order dessert by the record-setting pace at which we consumed this dessert.
4 - Meg R.: As a native New Yorker, I've been searching for brick oven pizza to satisfy my weekly pizza cravings.  After failed attempts at Cambridge 1 (too crunchy, bad service) and Posto (too much hype and techno music), I am so pleased to have found Area Four!

It was crowded when we arrived--always a good sign--and told that it would be a 30-40 minute wait.  So we squeezed in at the comfy oak bar, ordered some wine and beer which were both on tap and reasonably priced.  The beers were all from New England and they though the liquor selection was limited, they offered MA-distilled liquors including Berkshire Mountain and Bully Boy.  

My husband and I split a puttanesca pizza for dinner.  The crust was thin where it was supposed to be thin and pillowy-soft on the outer crust; the toppings were sufficiently flavorful without being heavy; and the large size was more than enough for both of us, so we had leftovers to take home.  

For dessert, we had the olive oil chocolate cake which was like a ganache--very rich, very delicious!  They offered a full array of decaf coffee drinks, which I appreciated.  

Overall--prices are consistent with other Cambridge eateries of comparable quality; the ambiance is pleasant (chill music, modern decor); and there are plenty more pizzas to try on subsequent visits!  Next time it'll have to be the caramelized onion and gorgonzola...There's also a weekday early bird special that may just pull me in sooner than later (pint & margherita for $12)!
3 - Dave E.: Disclaimer: i think it is a 2-star review however, because it is in Kendall square and we all know that they need way more "things-to-do" so it gets an extra star for setting up shop in an up-and-coming place.

Now comes my review. The staff was friendly,nice and attentive particularly the hostess and bartender.
 i ordered the pretzel bites and they were warm and good but nothing you wouldn't expect.

i then ordered a 10" pizza to share with my friend the pizza was good and a great consistency however, it was just on par with what you would expect from any decent pizza places.

The beer list was just way too short and unimpressive considering it is located in a place known for its hipsters, micro-brewed beer lovers and finally its wordly patrons.

i'll go there again but only because it is one of the few places in Kendall square
4 - Sanjeev B.: Compelled to write this review after one of the best brunches I've ever had in the Boston area.

I've been here many times for coffee and recently came a few times (with my family) for dinner & brunch. The decor is industrial but the vibe is kinda warm & comfortable, in contrast with the sterile nature of most industrial-style spaces. The service was efficient, if not warm. (It's not bad at all, just not notable.) The crowd is mixed in a way that really captures Cambridge -- hipsters, a few families, yuppies and people well into their 50s, 60s and beyond. The food + drink is really spot-on. The menus aren't vast but just seems very well put together and well-executed. The puttanesca pizza is just excellent, if a bit heavy on the anchovies (which is great for me but less so for my spouse). The clam+bacon pizza is also excellent. At brunch, the biscuits & gravy are simply memorable -- the best I've had north on the Mason-Dixon line. They are quite different from what I've had in, say, SC or NC (where I grew up) in that the flavors are more delicate but only slight less tasty overall. The French toast is also quite good and and the "hot mess" is solid. Lastly, the coffee (from Great Barrington roaster in Western MA) is also very, very good.
4 - Trishna R.: Delicious mac n cheese. My friend and I will return just for this dish. We go on a weeknight and find it nice and quiet. It's a great restaurant outside Boston. Easy parking and nice service. 

Can't wait to go back.
2 - Elizabeth F.: Four of my friends and I went this past Sunday for brunch. We waited almost an hour to be seated. We knew they didn't take reservations and expected to wait but they kept insisting it would only be 10 more minutes...10 minutes turned into an hour before we knew it. It just went down hill from there! The waitress forgot my coffee. Once I flagged her down she brought it over but didn't bring any milk/cream. Flagged her down again for milk. Almost 20 minutes went by before one of my friends had to get up to track her down to take our order. When she finally brought out our order they had forgotten my home fries and brought the entirely wrong meal for one of my friends. What was supposed to be a vegetarian dish was a meat filled, greasy mess. I would like to say the food was good after such a wait but it was utterly disappointing. The breakfast sandwich is worse than an egg mcmuffin! 

The whole experience was a waste. The only thing that made up for it was they ended up apologizing for the mess and discounting our meal.  While we all appreciated the gesture it was too little too late. None of us will be back.

Hoping there may be some better reviews after they have ironed out their service issue.
4 - Shaina P.: Kids. Don't do drugs.
What I call "crack" on the other hand ... 

for a special occasion or just because you're awesome.  No, you're awesome.  Craquelin (get it?  crack? no, i would not actually promote the consumption of crack like the drug).  Have you seen this muffin-looking item on the baked goods shelf at A4?  Wondering what this goodness is all about?  Please, let me describe this to you.

It's a brioche.  It's a sweet bun.  It's really not a muffin.  It's fluffy, warm, and sweetened just slightly with a thin pour of caramel-esque flavored syrup all baked and puffed perfectly.  And almond extract.  Is it?  It is 2.25.  Booo.  Paired with a large drip coffee to go  - total 5.50 - it's like a breakfast for someone that makes more money than me.  Someone with an American Express Corporate Card.  .......

My hypothalamus screams for nice bold flavorful coffee and an array of savory breakfast treat options (fat cheddar biscuits, savory croissants).  A4 Bakery delivers that satisfaction.
3 - mike y.: Parking : metered so that's kind of a pain

not good for groups. a better place for leisure lunch or small group / impromptu dinner.

don't like the seating setup..not very comfortable.

Ate:  chicken ...which was very good
meatloaf burger ...  was missing something ...lacked flavor

i think i will have to try it one more time..and this time the pizzas cuz i think that's what they are known for. or at least their focus. but looking at the menu..nothing really entices me.

We also went to the cafe part...  I don't see them lasting. 

I've had better cafe experiences elsewhere. Setup is not so great. 

Ate : lemon curd cupcake / muffin ...it was okay
ginger molasses cookie...  was okay..tons of ginger in it.
3 - Judy L.: The place seemed like a hip place. :) Servers were nice and the decor was nice. 

We ordered pita with hummus for appetizer, and 3 pizzas to share within the group. The pizza choices were: bacon and clam, mushroom, meatball

All the pizzas were pretty good. Flavorful, with a chewy and very delicious crust. My complaint would be that the pizzas were too oily. But that's probably what made it extra flavorful too.
4 - Robert A.: Three friends and I  came back to Area Four for a second time. We wanted t give it a proper review. 

Our first time was very good, and we wanted to see if it was consistent. I am happy to say that it is. The staff are friendly and professional. The menu is constantly changing. The atmosphere is very modern and airy. They have some communal seating. Being surround by MIT your bound to engage in some real interesting conversations. 

Today they had a special sticky bun with pecan nuts and extra frosting. It was a great dessert to start of lunch/brunch. It could easily be cut into fours. Yes it was that big!

Two friends ordered the Egg and Sausage sandwich. They were very accommodating with eliminating the sausage part for our vegetarian friend.  Our other friend order a small pizza with her choice of toppings. I stuck to the brunch menu and had the French Toast. Three of us agreed that it was a great brunch/lunch. My friend with the pizza said that she just chose the wrong combination of toppings and that was her fault, not theirs. 

The drink and liquids menu is small, but are clearly chosen that day to correspond with the menu. 

We loved our second experience and we will be back.

Thank you.
5 - Benjamin D.: Be sure to ask what thee sundae special is and save room for dessert.  The food is great but the desserts are better.
5 - Kathy A.: Had dinner here tonight.  The experience was great, different in a good way.  Great service, vibe and of course food.  Had the arugula salad, best salad I have had in a long time.  Friends splits pizza, I had a piece, very tasty, thin crust, well cooked.  The BEST were the pretzel nuggets and the garlic knots!  Hot, buttery, soft inside, flavorful, UNBELIEVABLE!   Really, get them and change your life.  We split a dessert, a few non alcoholic drinks and a caapacino and it was $25 a piece.  The cheapest meal out I have had in a while.  Metered parking is not a deal breaker, it s in the city, there are no free parking lots.  The area is mostly businesses so parking in that area is fine after work gets out.  Meters stop at 6, btw.
5 - Nick H.: One of my favorite places for coffee in the morning and certainly some of the best food in Cambridge.   

Coffee:
They have sugar syrup which is key for iced coffee unless you enjoy choking on a gritty granulated slurry (cough cough dunkin).  I don't eat much in the morning but the bakery stuff looks super tasty.  The people who work the coffee are friendly and not moody which I appreciate in the morning.  

Dinner:
Homemade pretzel nuggets fried in bacon fat with pimento cheese dip? YES SIR.
Solid salads and great entrees.  Portions aren't huge and the prices are about $5 per item more than I'd like to spend.

Dessert:
Olive oil chocolate cake is stupid good.  Honey panna cotta is the best thing I've tried. Don't skip desert or you will be crowned king idiot.
4 - Tammy K.: Four points to note about Area Four:

1. Lattes are good
2. Baristas are nice
3. Buy 10 get 1 free
4. Pay with your phone (LevelUp)
4 - Morgan P.: The staff is very friendly. The restaurant is split into two places, more of a coffee shop half and a restaurant half. 

The food is pretentiously priced and sized but the being local is great. The beer and wine are more than acceptable, and the bartenders are always very helpful. 

The coffee half of the places has A- coffee, one of the better in the area and the baked pastries are all tasty and very reasonably priced. I'd highly recommend it, not a ton of room to sit, but more than enough for a quick cup of coffee.
3 - Jeffrey C.: Love the industrial look of this place. Roaring ovens making pizze and foccacie.  I liked the wine selection too.  I'll have to try this place during the day and eat of the cafe.
1 - Alexandra G.: Atmosphere is nice, but food options are very limited. We had the veggie hot mess and regular hot mess - both were super greasy and left us feeling sick. Service was awful, they missed at least two orders. prices are reasonable for the area but I would have expected much better food and service. We will not be returning.
4 - Yan Z.: I made a catering order for 15 people, which was completely forgotten. I called about 10 minutes after the scheduled delivery time; they apologized, brought the food about 20 minutes later, AND DIDN'T CHARGE ME FOR IT. 

yay for customer service. 

Also, the pizzas were incredible: crisp, flavorful, and sophisticated without going too haywire with the toppings. I usually don't like cheese, but I was a huge fan of the mushroom & fontina and the caramelized onion pizzas.
4 - Wendy B.: I like Area Four. It's like three different eateries all rolled into one, but not entirely.  I keep telling myself I will be back to sample the cafe, but I always end up in the main restaurant for lunch or a late afternoon tea.  My recent lunch mate who was eating there yesterday for the first time said it best. What is this place?

So what is it? I don't know- the wine on tap, the pizza from their awesome pizza oven, the salads, light and tasty, the techno, but not skinny pants, hip feel of the place, the whole leaf tea? I can't decide, but know this, if you hang with me in Cambridge, you will be experiencing Area Four at some point in your life!
5 - Alex B.: This review is just for the coffee half of the restaurant: 

Whether you're getting espresso drinks or regular drip coffee, this is a great place to go. I would recommend getting the espresso drinks though. You could easily just buy the same coffee beans and brew drip coffee yourself, but unless you're willing to spend 5k+ on the espresso machine they use, you're not going to be able to replicate that amazing flavor. 

All their espresso drinks are one size, which is basically a "tall" at Starbucks, and come with two shots. You can get extra shots added to your drink if you need an extra jolt in the morning, however I wouldn't recommend it. Their drinks are designed for two shots and adding more throws off the balance of the coffee and the other ingredients. 

Just a warning to keep in mind... if you previously enjoyed going to Starbucks, this place will ruin it for you.
5 - Sheila B.: Came back for brunch long overdue and awesome service.. Brought a toddler and two gal friends and we were so impressed loved the hot vegetarian mess, delicious and presentation was great, the margarita pizza with fried egg on top yum, and friend got the meatloaf burger with delicious pickles and caramelized onions so ridiculous good as was our service.. Hands down the best bean buzz in Cambridge. I love you area 4 !
4 - Alexi K.: Only been to the cafe, but I love their coffee (although the choice between "house" and "guest" espresso might be a tad bit pretentious) and the croissant I had was great! Minus one star for the awful pecan sticky bun--bleh.
3 - Nadia S.: I think I set my expectations too high...but also if I pay $20 for lunch I'd like something semi-amazing. Their food is only good, esp for the $ value. That said, their pizza ($20 a pie for what we got) is pretty delicious. Get the gorgonzola caramelized onion one.
4 - Elise P.: Area 4 had been on my "List" of new restaurants I have been wanting to try.  I had been hearing really positive things about the restaurant, that it had a pretty casual vibe, good beer selection, and good pizza-does it get much better than that?  I was also in withdrawal from not having seen my good friend Jenn for a few weeks, so I asked her on a friend date to Area Four.  Jenn lives in Central Square, so Kendall Square is a good midpoint place for us to meet, as I'm coming from the South End.

We met at 8:00pm on Friday night.  We were a bit confused about where we were supposed to enter the restaurant, as there are two different entrances on Main Street.  We ended up entering through what I believe is the "main entrance", since the host stand was right there.  But I'm not sure what the purpose is of that other entrance, and the restaurant may want to consider putting some sort of sign on the doors indicating which door is the official entrance.  If they already have signs up my apologies, sometimes I have "blonde moments", but Jenn was confused too, which made me feel somewhat validated about the confusing nature of the entrances.

We put our names in at the host stand, and were told it would be about a 20 minute wait.  The place was definitely buzzing, but not annoyingly packed like some other restaurants that I frequent (ahem, Toro).  Jenn and I were able to find 2 seats at the bar with ease.  I was struck by the bar chairs.  More specifically the size of the actual seat, which was very small.  Like, maybe 12 by 12 with a very uncomfortable and small back attached.  They were metal, and if I remember correctly they were red in color.  These bar chairs were strikingly odd looking, and both Jenn and I looked at them with confusion as we went to sit down.  Once we had a seat at the bar we had a chance to look around.  The place has a cool industrial feel.  The beer list was written on a chalkboard above the bar.  The vibe reminded me of a bit of The Salty Pig in the South End/Back Bay.  Kind of a minimalist approach (hence the minimalist bar chairs), but still sheik.  Area Four is known for its beer selection, but truth be told I always feel lost when ordering beers that are not "well known" since I know so little about beer.  Area Four's beer selections hail from the New England region, primarily Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, and I can definitely appreciate the emphasis on the local beer scene.  We asked the bartender what he recommended for someone who likes a wheat beer, and he recommended the Slumbrew Happy Sol from MA.  I LOVED this beer, as did Jenn.

Soon after we ordered beers at the bar our table was ready.  Once we were seated Jenn made a comment that she was not a fan of the chairs at the table.  They were different than the bar chairs in that they were lower and the seat was bigger, but they were still uncomfortable metal.  But they definitely fit in with the decor of the place.  I suppose beauty is pain, form over function, etc.

We were both hungry, and as soon as we sat down we perused the menu and started to make decisions about what we wanted to order.  Jenn is a vegetarian and I definitely don't require meat in my meal for it to be satisfying.  We decided to start with the "Trio of Spreads":  Sweet Pea Hummus, Tzatziki, & Tahini Salata accompanied by pickles and pita bread.  The Tzatziki, a greek cucumber yogurt dip, was FANTASTIC, pita bread was not required to enjoy this.  It tasted like a sour cream dip only better and more awesome.  When we ran out of bread I wanted to lick the mini-skillet clean (I restrained myself).  I also enjoyed the Sweet Pea Hummus and the Tahini Salata, but the Tzatziki stole the show.  The pita bread was also really fantastic, doughy on the inside and crispy on the outside with a nice buttery taste to it.

For our main course we decided to order two different types of pizza, with the hopes that we could do halfsies with a larger pie.  Unfortunately this is forbidden at Area Four, so we ended up getting two small pies:  one Margherita pizza with "A4 Mozzarella, Tomato, Pecorino, & Basil", and one Mushroom & Fontina pizza with "Mushroom Sauce, Pecorino & Gremolata".  I will say that Area Four turns out some gorgeous and tasty woodfired pizzas.  I particularly enjoyed the Margherita pizza, but the Mushroom & Fontina was good as well.

I liked this place.  Good beer.  Good pizza.  Our bill totaled about $45 for the two of us for 2 beers, 1 appetizer, and 2 pizzas, not including tip.  I would definitely recommend it to friends if we're meeting up in the Cambridge area.
5 - Ginnette P.: love it! our workplace just moved near here and I love to go and get coffee, tea, pizza and the pastries! Especially monkey bread. Can't wait to try the dining room side!
4 - Vanessa P.: I went with a big group of about 12 colleagues. The restaurant has a very casual but modern feel with high ceilings and a lot of stainless steel. Even with so much space and metal they manage to make it feel comfortable and personal with their layout and details.

We got a couple orders of the Garlic Knots with pecorino & gremolata to share. These little orbs were soft, chewy puffs of garlicky heaven. They were smothered in garlic so I encouraged everyone at the table to try them as not to isolate any one person who would quickly feel like the only vampire at the table otherwise.

As the server went around the table taking orders everyone was trying to match up pizzas to share. Shockingly, no one wanted to share my Wellfleet Cherrystone Clam & Bacon pizza which came with clam sauce, pecorino, hot pepper, and parsley. Everyone seemed a little disturbed by the thought of clams on pizza but after having the memorable pizza with mussels at Trade I was up for it. The pizza was good! Not to sound surprised but everything worked really well together. It was fairly salty between the bacon, clams and cheese but the hot pepper, which wasn't overly hot, cut through the saltiness and the parsley added a layer of freshness. The dough was also very good - a thin crust with puffy soft pockets. It made me want to order a side of ranch or something fatty to dip it in to but then I reminded myself that I just ate an entire pizza by myself.

Overall, the service was great and I love the atmosphere. They know how to take care of a big group although I am sure it would be a great place to go to with a smaller group as well. The food was all above par, I'd definitely go back and likely will. Often.
2 - Daniel G.: I remember I was pumped when Area 4 opened, mainly because I didn't have travel to the north end for great pizza. The pizza was fresh, creative, and the service was on point. BUT Area 4 has been slipping. I no longer taste the love in the food and the service has gone way down hill. Each time I've gone back the experience has been worse and worse. To top it off they have changed the clam and bacon pizza recipe, such a shame it was a classic. Area 4 stop cutting corners and step up your game. You're on notice.
3 - Chas K.: Had a business lunch here last week and was underwhelmed by the portions and service, and surprised by the high prices. My host and I split a small Putanesca pizza, mozzarella appetizer, and arugula salad. Toss in a lemon soda for me and the total was $37. The mozz appie ($10) was very good. The pizza was tasty and I liked the doughiness, but it was tiny and, at $13.50, not exactly a value. The arugula salad was crisp and the Crimini mushrooms added a welcome earthy counterpoint to the spicy greens, but it was small for the $9 price tag. Add those numbers and the soda was expensive, too. 

Our sallow, disaffected youth of a server was slow and inattentive. His Morrissey demeanor was a downer. 

I wouldn't go out of my way to return, but when in Kendall again and with someone who wanted to go there, I'd tag along. 

Please let me know what you think of this review by clicking a button below. Thanks!
5 - a.c. b.: I have had dinner at Area Four several times, but this review is for a private party we had there in early May 2012, which was a HUGE success. Food was great and ample, service was excellent, and price was totally reasonable for a memorable meal to kick off a symposium we hosted at MIT. Details below, but in a nutshell, if you want a private party for up to 25 people with a more casual and hip atmosphere but refined food, look no further!

From start to finish, Meredith was a pleasure to work with. She offered us advice about the menu, accommodated the dietary restrictions of a few of our guests, and helped us pick wines that would keep us within our budget. 

We had the café / front room to ourselves, and the low lighting made for a lovely atmosphere. Dinner was served family-style at long tables, which worked very well for our group. The service was great -- new dishes were always coming around, glasses were filled promptly, and the staff were lovely. 

The food was terrific and was way more than we could eat! The pita and dipping sauces were delicious, the roasted vegetables wonderful, and the pizzas solid. We also had an arugula salad, which was good, but in retrospect overkill because both main dishes were served over salad. The mac and cheese also went over well (a more "refined" mac and cheese with peas in it and croissant crumble topping). 

Our main course, a deconstructed fish gyro (no pita to avoid a wheat allergy), was really delicious. It was served on an arugula salad and the fish was cooked perfectly. I would order it again in the restaurant. There was roasted chicken as well, which the group enjoyed.

The desserts were lovely -- cookies and bars. Simple and light, which was what we needed. The gingerbread cookies were fantastic, and the caramel-soaked rice crispy treats also were popular. The chef made a special dessert without eggs for one of our guests, which we greatly appreciated. Coffee and tea were available by request.

In the end, we were under budget and over-fed. They let us take home the leftovers, and we were very happy. I can't recommend this place enough for a private party!
4 - Stirling N.: Energetic staff and still gelling menu for dinner. Of the apps/comfort food/pizza zone for dinner but they have some good options. A bit too fond of salt in everything, but good preparation and cooking. Softshell crab ap/meal was perfectly made with an interesting sharp complementing vegetable compote. Still some rough edges but very much worth it the casual dining range. Crowded long tables, so harder for date intimacy.
4 - Nicole M.: I'm still getting used to the fact that Kendall Square is now an "it" place to be, and therefore I continue to be very impressed at what I find there.

We wanted to go for dinner here before heading down the street to catch a movie. So many places to choose from, but I wanted a new, on-the-casual-side spot as opposed to the fancier places that are on my list.

Area Four met the bill. Love the atmosphere - friendly staff, cool, industrialized decor, and lively, without an obnoxious wait time.  The cafe room looks like a great spot for breakfast and for daytime laptop working, as well as a place to hold a dinner for a large group. The bar area is cozy without being cramped, and I absolutely love all the piles of wood when you head upstairs to the dining area. Chalkboards are one of my favorite touches.

Small, but great beer selection. We got the Baxter and the Slumbrew. We ordered the trio of spreads for an app and a small cheese pizza for dinner. Everything was excellent. Next time, I might opt out of the spreads - not because they weren't enjoyable, but because it was too filling to have both, with all that delicious bread. The pizza crust was right up my alley, but I wish the sauce was more flavorful. Thankfully they give you fixins at your table to doctor it up to your liking.

Great first impression. I'll definitely be back!
4 - Erin C.: Cafe area:
This actually gets 5 stars! The service is always friendly and the coffee (even the decaf) is delicious!!! The decaf latte and decaf iced americano are really incredible--compares to the best caffeinated coffed I've had. Pastries are also really good and reasonably priced. There is always an interesting, changing variety of sweet and savory pastries.

The nice long work benches and the free wifi also make this the perfect place to do some work! (if you don't mind the chatter around you)

Lunch and dinner area:
This gets 4 stars. Some things are really delicious like the house smoked bluefish, pulled pork sandwiches, anything on the brunch menu with eggs, and their homemade sundae desserts. Their selection of local beers on tap is also good--not a huge selection but the perfect variety for every beer preference at the table.

Other things are pretty good but nothing special (pizza, salads, etc). They used to have a TON of appetizers on the menu and I always liked those more than the main entrees, but I've been back a couple times in the past few months and I don't see the tapas style menus anymore so I don't know what happened!

Btw, if you are deciding between going here or to Catalyst next door, I would say Area 4 has a more casual vibe while Catalyst is more stylish and loungey with good cocktails. I used to say that Area 4 has much better food than Catalyst but now I'm not so sure, now that the Area 4 menu seems dominated by pizza...
5 - Matt M.: I have had the pleasure of eating at Area Four twice and both experiences exceeded my expectations.  I highly recommend it as a great place for a casual dinner accompanied of course, by a beer or two.

Food: Overall, I found the food to be a great value, particularly in light of the quality this place delivers.  Appetizer and salad portions aren't huge, but done very well and definitely worth exploring.  The pizzas are fantastic.  Last time I went, a friend and I enjoyed the beat salad and the spring vegetable & bacon pizza, both of which were fantastic.  The beer selection, while again modest in size, is clearly well-thought out and is comprised entirely of New England brews.

Service: Service is what really sets this place apart.  On my most recent visit, Sam and the rest of the wait staff were fantastic.  They were friendly without being fake and answered my usual multitude of questions.  Everyone was very attentive and seemed to enjoy working there.

Ambiance:  The place is a nice facility and features the opportunity to dine outside, which I consider a plus.  It strikes a good balance between casual and slightly upscale.

Overall: Area Four is a great spot for a date or simply to catch some grub with a friend.  It's location down the street from the red line stop and near the growing list of cool things to do in Kendall makes for a compelling proposition.
5 - Zev X.: I wish this place was in Boston and not in Cambridge.  

*** I went here for a function/event and not for dinner.

We had the  Mushroom & Fontina  Mushroom Sauce, Pecorino & Gremolata Pizza and the Caramelized Onion & Gorgonzola Peppered Walnuts & Scallions Pizza.   This has to be some of the BEST pizza that I have ever had.  Seriously, I never thought about the quality of pizza dough before, however the dough was so fresh and so tasty.  It's definitely not store bought.  Everything was so fresh, flavorful and delicious.  

The Trio of Spreads - Sweet Pea Hummus, Tzatziki & Tahini Salata, Pickles & Pita is phenomenal!   The pita was homemade and just came out of the oven when it was put on our table. The spreads were filling and delicious. YUM, YUM , YUM!
5 - Katie K.: Always amazing food and brews.  Great place to bring a large group (they take reservations for parties of 8 and larger).
4 - Jeremy K.: I had lived in Kendall Square for over 5 years, patiently awaiting for a hotspot... a bar... a restaurant... for anything to open. This was 2+ years ago and since then many spots have open, making that neighborhood a new hotspot. Area Four was amongst the first few to open and I could hardly contain my excitement as I went there for the first time. Since my first visit, I've been a few times, to get a quick coffee or for a drink. I've even been for dinner.

The neat thing about Area Four is the space, which has three very distinctive areas: the cafe, the bar and the restaurant. Each is separated by walls, has it's own staff and seems to operate independently from the others. Having been to all three, I can honestly say that it somehow works and that the concept is neat. I'm surprised that no establishment has really tried that concept before in the Boston area. This enables them to adapt to the time of day and crowd. The cafe is open for breakfast and for lunch, through some of the afternoon but shut downs in late afternoon in order to focus on the cocktail and beer drinking, dinner eating crowd. 

I've had a few sandwiches from the cafe for lunch and each was pretty tasty although they were made in advance instead of to order. While there was nothing wrong with them, there also wasn't anything special about them either. My visit to the bar was pleasant and they have a decent selection of beer and spirits but again nothing too special. The cocktails were decent but far from impressive.

What really shined there though and what has made me come back was my meal there. I've had a few dishes there and each was pretty well fulfilled and affordable as well. They have this giant oven that they use, much like Posto in Somerville does, to cook up and finish off some of their dishes and they utilize it well in the menu's execution. 

I've had their baba ganouj appetizer which came with some .za'atar and house-made pita ($5) which I found to be tasty and a great, affordable way to start a meal. Great for sharing as well. The presentation is neat as well as it comes served in a small cast-iron dish. 

I've also had their chicken salad with arugula and tomatoes which came to around $11 if I can recall correctly (it is no longer listed on their site) and I've also had a bite of a few of their pizzas including the margherita and the caramelized onion and gorgonzola one. While the pizzas are good and decently priced, I didn't find them to be incredible. Posto has much better ones in my opinion. That being said, they are still good as was the rest of the food there.

One thing that I have not done is get brunch there. I need to at some point, their menu seems interesting and exciting enough. From bagels to breakfast sandwiches and even pastries which are baked daily at their cafe. 

All in all the place is solid and the staff friendly and adaptable; they were even able to whip up an Arnold Palmer per my request and it was delish. The decor is very modern, sleek and some of the tables will force you to bump elbows with strangers which isn't bad and a bit fun. But you could also get a regular table there although I'd recommend you make a reservation if possible because the place does get packed.
4 - Doris D.: Me and my co-workers went there for lunch.  We arrived a bit after 12:00 and were seated promptly (the place was packed).  The server was knowledgeable and attentive.

I ordered the mac and cheese which was served in a tiny iron skillet.  It came piping hot and a perfect size.  The cheese was creamy (small shell pasta was used) and very good and the dish was covered with bread crumbs (which appeared to be toasted).  For an extra $2:00 you could also get bacon crumbles but I passed.

Judging by not a scrap of good left on many of our plates, we all enjoyed a very good meal.

A bit pricy but a good choice for a nice lunch meal.  Although I did not order alcohol, they had a small but good variety of wine, beer, scotch and whisky.

Although the decor is a bit utilitarian, the five of us could carry on a nice conversation without anyone having to strain to hear.
4 - Qichen Z.: Went here for dinner and ordered the macaroni and cheese. It came in an iron skillet, so that was pretty cool. Tried two different types of beers, the Slumbrew and the Jack's Abbey, both excellent. Waitress was really nice and friendly, quick and excellent service.

Sat outside, the al fresco seating was nice given that there's a huge grassy expanse right next to the restaurant.

Overall, a great experience. A little pricey considering their food options aren't that expansive and innovative, but you're paying for the atmosphere and not a gourmet experience. Plus, I give them kudos on a unique foodservice, combinatory concept. Definitely looking forward to coming back here to try their bakery.
3 - Dan T.: Bakery/Coffee only:
The craquelin, as evil a creation as it sounds, is a hybrid of a croissant and a popover, courageously studded with divots of brown sugar.
The cinnamon pecan sticky bun unleashes just as diabolical an assault on the teeth (& hands, espec sans napkins&utensils).
The GF Almond Citrus Corn Cake encapsulated my unfounded assumptions about the cuisine, texturally offensive but acceptable flavor-wise, topped with an uncandied (or poorly candied) orange segment and packed with some very (i.e., unappealingly) moist berries/compote.
The chocolate croissant was far from pedestrian but nothing I'd grab again.

-1 since nothing in the morning incarnation* was craveable, and no pastry is a keeper if you don't find yourself thinking about it again.
-1 since the clientele skews snobby**, though the staff is pleasant enough.

*If in the area, I would strongly consider a return for the bar/oven section for the Neapolitan pizza, bacon & sea salt nuggets w/ pimento cheese dip for the companion, an ice cream sundae, and the olive-oil chocolate cake that's universally lauded.
**Rather than spring for a single $2.50/$3 pastry, I capitalized on the $10 Amex Foursquare checkin special and dropped $11.75 (aka $1.75 after the deal, not a bad haul for a buck-75).
5 - Stephen Y.: Lately this has been where I go when I want quality coffee.  They always have an interesting selection from local roasters like Barrington and Barismo.

The restaurant side is quite good as well, lots of interesting ideas using local food, plus some pretty good pizza.  When I need to take someone out for lunch in the Kendall area, I often go here.
4 - Julie B.: What a great spot in Kendall! I only wish my place of work was closer so I could eat at Area Four more often.

I went to Area Four with a few friends for Sunday brunch. We sat in the restaurant, the ambiance of which can only be described as "cool". The open kitchen sits in the center of the restaurant and huge chalkboards line the walls listing out the drink options and the idea behind the restaurant.

We were starving when we arrived so we decided to order the trio of special baked goods and the sticky bun. OMG the sticky bun. I'm not usually a huge fan of breakfast pastry but I would swim a bathtub of these sticky buns. No joke. Do yourself a favor and order one. This thing was large -- we easily split just one between 6 people. The other pastries weren't as memorable, but were baked fresh and tasty (albeit the banana bread was a bit dry for my liking).

For my entree I ordered the Kitchen Sink Salad. This baby was filled with lettuce, radicchio, thin sliced salami, fontina cheese, pickled banana peppers, roasted mushrooms, asparagus, chick peas and green olives. I loved it, but my friend who also ordered it picked around the banana peppers. Across the table people ordered a few different pizzas, the mac & cheese and "the hot mess" aka delicious breakfast items piled in a skillet. Everything was enjoyed although the mac & cheese was a bit too bread crumby and not cheesy enough.

Overall it's a great spot for the area! Certainly perfect for the 9-5ers or anyone who happens to be in Tech Square.
4 - Jason A.: Can't believe I have not been here yet!! Went here for a staff meeting, beer list was very tight and very local. Local is the whole point here right? Beers are priced to the area but it was great to see they offer 1/2 pours, perfect as our group rarely drinks beer to beer at the same pace. About 12 beers and a cider on tap / no bottles and all of the beers ordered were poured properly and to the top.

Ending up order some small bites, Garlic Knots were great ... all flavors meshed well together. Simple Margherita pizza was delicious. 

They have a full bar and have a 2am license!! Food stops at 11pm. 

Will be back more often for beers, cocktails and actually sit down for a meal.
4 - Traci K.: There was not enough room in my stomach for all the things I wanted to eat at Area Four. The menu wasn't huge - but everything on there looked amazing.

With four of us, we decided to try 3 appetizers, 2 small pizzas and 1 dessert for good measure. The apps were great! We had the garlic knots, the trio of dips and the smoked bluefish salad. 

The knots were a little pretzel-y and had a good amount of cheesy garlicy goodness going on. Very tasty. The trio of dips (hummus, olive tapanade and tzatziki) were also a delight. The accompanying pita was warm and soft and amazing. The dips come with 4 triangles of pita and extra pita will cost you ($3). The smoked bluefish salad didn't look like much but it was so, so, so tasty. In a light vinaigrette with pickled red onions - super tasty. The pita + tzatziki + bluefish salad = heaven. Most excellent combo.

The pizzas were equally as delicious. For variety we got the spring vegetable (spring onion sauce, arugula, asparagus and peas!) and the fennel sausage with banana peppers. The spring veggie was light and tasty. I loved the peas. The sausage pizza definitely had a kick to it and the banana peppers were the bomb. Serious good eats.

For dessert, we shared this crazy delicious peanut butter chocolate cake with cream cheese mousse, caramel sauce and pretzels. Serious heaven. The cake wasn't your typical floury cakey thing. It was dense, almost like a fudge.

Along with this awesome menu, Area Four also has a great selection of local brews, an impressive whiskey selection and really delicious cocktails. 

The space is really nice and the service was excellent. (PS: All the employees there are adorable. Seriously, please come home with me, all of you.)

All in all, a great space with great food. Can't wait to go back!
4 - Jen C.: so good I came here twice- in one day!
Started off the day before going off to the MIT swapfest and had an iced mocha and a lemon blueberry scone. Both were delicious. Ended the day back in the cafe for another mocha (this time hot) and an amazing s'mores bar. The chocolate was decadent, the mochas (both iced and hot) were awesome. The orange juice and lemonade were also big hits among my friends. Definitely a go to in the cambridge area for breakfast or lunch.
3 - Bos G.: By day Area Four serves people who work in the labs and technology offices in the neighborhood, but by night it attracts a young, hip crowd. 

Following a popular trend, Area Four strives to incorporate a sustainable model, serving locally grown food which causes it to change its menu regularly. However, the menu always includes a fair number of small plates, salads, and pizzas as well as a few main dishes.  Area Four has a full liquor license and beer drinkers will be happy to see a number of tempting locally crafted beers.

Dinner for two including two shared small plates / salad, pizza and a shared dessert will cost approximately $50 (drinks and tip not included). For our meal we started with the arugula salad with apples, beets, candied walnuts, and a cider vinaigrette, which was crisp and delicious. The meal followed with a decadently rich and creamy mac & cheese topped with croissant crumbs (mmm)...The two starters were my favorite part of the meal, but the thin crust pizza served from the restaurant's wood fired oven was delicious too. We opted for the mushroom and fontina pizza.

I normally skip dessert, preferring to imbibe my calories but on this visit we splurged and tried the sundae made from homemade soft serve ice cream with marshmallow and candied nuts as well as an olive oil chocolate cake with creme fraiche, salted caramel sauce and cookie crumble and some deliciously rich coffee, which comes from a local roasting company called Barrington Coffee.  Reservations only available for parties of 8 or more.
4 - Amy D.: Coffee, Bakery, Bar, and Oven are the components that make up Area Four.  We recently spent 36 hours in Boston, and didn't really want to venture out to Cambridge, but upon stumbling onto this restaurant, we changed our minds.  We came for breakfast and their menu isn't huge, but there are some tasty selections.  It seems that everyone these days including fast food restaurants are making breakfast sandwiches, so i was apprehensive ordering one here.  It was by far the best breakfast sandwich i have had, each individual component was hand made.  The homemade English muffin was pillowy and the perfect vehicle for this sammy.  There was melted old cheddar, a scrambled egg ring, and the most delicious sausage patty.  The sausage had wonderful spices and herbs, and had so much flavour without being greasy.

Overall if you are looking to eat at a restaurant where they take pride in their food and offer it to their customers at a fare price, then come on down to Area Four.  I cannot wait to come back and try their pizzas.
3 - The C.: I had the kitchen sink salad and the egg plant pizza.   

The pizza's crust is super thin...I'm surprised they can even sauce it/bake it that thin, type of thin!   I asked if I could order half/half of a pizza, but they said only with pizza's that have the same sauce base.  Geez, how hard is it to cover half a pizza with one type of sauce, and another side with another?   Overall, pizza's have about two- three toppings...if you want to customize, such as add carmelized onions, that's additional $$.  Pizza was good, on the salty side though. 

The restaurant has tall ceilings, large windows.. with a great airy feeling...the only minus is that it can get a little bit loud.    Good for groups, drinks, and a casual meal.
4 - L B.: Their ginger molasses cookies are amazing.  Lunch menu was good as well.
4 - Sonia D.: I was here Monday night for a friends going away dinner and I loved it.  I've never been for dinner but have tried their croissant from the cafe and it was heaven so I wouldn't think anything less from the restaurant.  We sat outside which was perfect.  I ordered the margherita pizza and added mushrooms.  I am a tomato sauce snob but this was definitely great and it was cooked perfectly.  I haven't had pizza this good in a while.  I am a thin crust pizza cooked well done type of girl and its hard to come by these days unless you are in Southern Italy.  The crust was thin and perfect.  I definitely enjoyed my pizza and can't wait to go back.  I also had a glass of barbera which paired well with my pizza of choice.

We also shared dessert which was Take 4 chocolate-peanut cake, cream cheese mousse, caramel sauce & pretzel bits.  I'm not a big fan of chocolate but it was good and very rich.  The pretzels were different not ones you would think of.

If you are in the area of just looking for some good pizza and wine/beer definitely check it out.  I can't wait to go back and try out other things.
4 - Jason P.: The spousal unit and I were doing that meandering "we're really hungry for brunch but don't know where to go" hike today, and remembered that we'd been meaning to try Area Four. Really glad we did. Almost don't want to tell people about it because when we got there around 1 p.m. it was full, but there was no line. And we don't want there to be a line because we were very impressed with the place and would rather not have to fight to get a table on some lazy Sunday in the future.

I had sausage and gravy, plus a couple of sunnyside eggs and a latte. She had the puttanesca pizza and coffee. All very fresh, tasty, and well prepared. Then we asked our server if there was some kind of fruit dessert, and were informed they had a fruit crisp - fresh blueberries, peaches and raspberries with granola on top browned in their wood-fired ovens. Great stuff. Homemade and locally-sourced like pretty much everything else on their menu.

Service was great. Prices and portions were just fine - despite some relentlessly stupid trash reviews on those points below. More overfed Americans expecting the typical strip mall feeding trough, I guess. 

We'll definitely be going back.
4 - Brian L.: We shared three pizzas: the carnivore (sausage, meatball, pepperoni, bacon), clam & bacon, and mushroom & fontina. Overall, pretty tasty, good-quality pizzas in a nice-looking spot with a pretty sleek interior. 

Brags (+): Loved the clam and bacon! Really nice combination of salty and seafood, works nicely together. I also found myself eating a lot of the crust even though I'm not normally a crust-eater, so props for that. Service was good as well.

Beats (-): Somewhat disappointed by the carnivore pizza. I'm usually a huge all-meat pizza fan, but for some reason this just didn't do it for me. I think there was too much meatball, which basically tasted like a mouthful of ground beef (bah). Also the large pizzas aren't very large, but I suppose that is a matter of perspective... I guess for $25 a pop I just wanted a tiny bit more than 6 medium-ish slices.

Variance (~): Funny signs that direct you to the bathroom. "You're cold, go behind the bar," "Getting warmer," etc.
4 - Jessica W.: Area Four is my second favorite place to get pizza in Cambridge. (Top honors go to Otto in Harvard Square, but they have no seating.)

It's all about the crust. Crispy, but not too crispy--it's got to have just the right amount of chew. I'm not that in love with the Margherita here; it was a little drippy from either the tomato sauce or the cheese, or a combination of the two. But I fancy the mushroom and fontina pie after our first rendezvous together, and I usually prefer red sauce over white on my pies. The mushroom sauce and the gremolata make the pizza pop, especially the freshness of the lemon and parsley.

Make sure to save room for dessert, and order the soft-serve sundae of the day. While the chocolate and vanilla twist I had seemed simple enough, it was delicious, with nice, subtle touches, like cinnamon in the chocolate ice cream. 

I haven't tried the brunch items here, but the sticky bun/cinnamon roll special I've spied is as big as a small cake. Tempting, but I think I'll always save room for the sundae.
4 - Dorothy W.: While there are an endless number of alluring aspects that should reel you into Area Four, here are my top four (or more) reasons for a visit:

1. Area Four offers four well defined dining areas, including a casual cafe for breakfast, coffee, board games and snacks, a sophisticated bar for drinks, a sleek, sunny dining room for a real meal, and outdoor, curbside seating when the weather is right. You can even play bocce on their lawn during a summer afternoon while you slurp up their home made ice cream. 

What does all of this this mean for you? It means that if you want a quick bite during the day, you will be happy. If you want supremely good beer selections and awesome cocktails, you will be happy. If you want delicious food, indoors or outdoors, you will be happy. All of your desires will be satisfied at Area Four. And you can send your friends emails and snapshots about your satisfactory experience as Area Four offers free WiFi. 

2. They have amazing home made lemonade. Tart, tangy and just sweet enough, this is the best lemonade in town. Take a little sip and add some of their simple syrup if it is a bit too tart for you. Simple syrup at the counter with the straws and napkins? Yes, indeed. You can drink your lemonade while you eat your gluten free pastry or your choice of other delectable goodies. (Unfortunately, they do not have any vegan pastries. For those, you need to go up the street to Veggie Galaxy.) While you indulge, you can make new friends at the large communal tables in their cozy front room. 

3. The garlic infused pizzas coming out of the wood fired ovens are grovel-worthy. Praise the pizza gods for this pizza. While the entire menu is friendly and satisfying, we keep coming back for the pizza. As we eat our veggie pizzas, you could always try their roast chicken, cheeseburger, mac and cheese or a salad. And save room for a luscious dessert. 

4. There are some fun deals going on. You can use LevelUp, get free parking, have your food delivered and you can even get a discount for movie tickets at the Kendall Square Cinema. Bargain time. We love bargains. Check their web site for the details. 

We like having Area Four as neighbors. No... we love it.
5 - Mel C.: So I guess Area Four just won a Best of Boston 2012 award, and I'm not surprised. I've been here for weekend coffee followed by a weekend brunch. The hot mess is delicious and the portions are just right. For dinner, the kitchen sink salad and trio of spreads is a good combo.
2 - Marilyn C.: My brother was visiting from out of town this past weekend and having had a previous good experience at Area Four I figured it was a safe bet for a decent meal.  The experience started off well.  We found seats at the bar and got drinks while we waited for an outside table.  The wait was less than the 45 mins. they quoted so that was good.  

Previously I would have likely given Area Four 3 stars, maybe 4 on a good day, but what provoked me to only give 2 stars was the horrendous service and the only ok food.  Our waitress came once to take our order and that was it - no water refills and a looong wait for the check.  She walked by several times and not once stopped to check in or see if we needed anything.  I can't recall the last time I had such poor service.  

As for the food, the menu seemed more limited than I remembered.  Not really a problem, just an observation.  Small menus are fine with me I can always find something and in this case I wanted to try a flatbread/pizza - which seems to be more of Area Four's focus now.  I got a sausage pizza that was pretty greasy and the crust was a little off, a bit cardboardy/homelessnessy.  My brother got mac and cheese which was decent and we got a squid salad which boosts this review to 2 starts as it was pretty good.  

I enjoy eating outside and I think Area Four is pretty reasonably priced, but there is no excuse for poor service.
4 - Nam L.: I've been here for brunch twice.  The first time, I thought it was okay, but not really impressed.  I had the hot mess and found it a little too greasy.  My friend had the calamari, and we didn't care for it.  The biscuits and gravy were pretty good though, as were the sticky buns we bought for later.  

Second time, it was delicious, and helped cure my hangover (no, I did not overdo it the night before, just didn't do it right).  Try anything incorporating baked goods, and you can't go wrong; we had a bakery sampler, and I had a bagel.  I also had the house-made breakfast sausage too; it might be the best I ever ate.  

My friend got the summer squash salad; I was highly skeptical, but it ended up being tasty, with a good balance of pine nuts, pecorino, and vinegar.  I want to come back again and try their pizza now.  

As for portion size and value, I feel like the price is right here.  You don't want to end with way too much food, IHOP or Denny's style.  There's a time and a place for that, but I don't think Kendall Square is it.  It's very easy here to order small if you're still working up an appetite, and add stuff if you end up wanting more later, such as eggs, bacon, or breads.  The check at the end will still be very reasonable (for Cambridge).

Also, I found the service here to be good, but we didn't do anything unusual.  And it was brunch.  To add to Marilyn C.'s experience, my friends came here for dinner on a weeknight, and they also had bad/slow service!
3 - Liv K.: I met a friend for post-work dinner and drinks here. We ordered one small gorgonzola and caramelized onion pizza, and one small marguerita pizza with two farm fresh eggs on top (sounds weird, but is surprisingly delicious). The pizza was very flavorful. I would have given more stars except for a few issues I had- we went there on a weeknight and it wasn't too busy, yet we were seated approximately 3 inches from another table, which was pretty awkward. Also, we ordered a pitcher of sangria and the pizzas at the same time, yet the pizzas came first 15 minutes later, with no sign of the sangria. Maybe it's just me, but definitely would have enjoyed a glass of sangria before the food came. I was told the bartender was very busy, so it came out later. My other issue is that two small pizzas (6 small slices each) and a pitcher of sangria came to $60! So, it's definitely overpriced, but it may just be worth it because I would definitely go back for more!
5 - Megan K.: This review is about the Area 4 coffee shop, not restaurant. 

Their coffee is incredible. They really know their stuff. Everything is prepared perfectly-- never burned, foam is never off. They're game to take off-menu requests (including a flat white). They have pastries too.. the pastries are fine, but it doesn't seem like that's their area of expertise. 

The people who work there are really nice. Area 4 maintains a trendy indie coffee shop vibe, but without the terrible attitude that sometimes comes with it. 

They have a rewards program. You have to ask about it though, they don't mention it. You'll get a swipe card, which gives you a free drink after every 10 you buy.

The prices are on par with other local coffee shops. Steeper than you'd pay at Starbucks, but better quality to go with the higher price.

There's free wifi, and some outdoor seating. It's a really nice space. 

Overall, a 5 star coffee shop.
4 - Chris B.: Some of the most delicious garlic knots I've had. Pizza crust is perfect combination of soft, chewy and crisp. Any time you add clams and bacon on a pizza you will win.
4 - Kaitlyn S.: Great iced coffee, am looking forward to trying food items
1 - Samantha H.: I got a reply from Area Four arguing that they were following the laws not letting customers to sit in the outdoor area, by posting the city's regulations on "alcohol consumption" in the outdoor area.

The funny part is, my husband and I didn't want to order any drink.   We simply wanted to have some coffee and desert.   I am not sure if desert is counted as food  or not in Area Four, and I am definitely sure that regular coffee doesn't not include any alcohol. 

Again, the reply exactly highlights the problem of the restaurant:  the service people have all the assumptions but do not really listen to the customers.
4 - Devin C.: I ate here for the first time a couple of weeks ago, so the details are not fresh in my mind, but it was definitely a positive experience. The ambiance was cool and modern, the service friendly and prompt, and the food quite good. The hostess kindly indulged my questions about the games they loan out to be played on the adjoining lawn. My wife and I shared the squid salad (yummy), the banana pepper and sausage(?) pizza (also yummy), and the "kitchen sink"(?) salad, of which I don't have a clear memory. But I'm definitely looking forward to going back again.
5 - Jacqueline D.: Area Four is amazing. It's a great cafe in the morning. It's a great bar to go to for a couple of beers. It's the best pre-Kendall theatre dinner spot for casual dinner in the neighborhood. The beer selection is always great, the pizza is phenomenal and they have one of the only dessert menu's I'll even bother looking at in the city. The supreme garlic knots and salted caramel ice cream are must haves.
3 - John R.: the cafe: 
average coffee, not that tempting pastries. i have to dock them points for killing off their lunchtime sandwiches (they used to be great!). nice decor, and usually enough seating.

the secret cafe:
five stars for their off-the-menu breakfast sandwich. $6 for the best in cambridge (english muffin, sharp cheddar, egg, perfect sausage.)

the resto:
the stars are their appetizers, like the pretzel nuggets and the garlic knots -- guilty carb-heavy pleasures. the pizzas are fine, but i haven't had any killer toppign combinations from them. like the cafe, i love the airy, lively, modern ambience. (also nice beer and bourbon selections, though that's de rigueur in cambridge.)
4 - Brandon P.: Great pizza, friendly staff and can't wait to go back.
3 - The K.: What is Area Four?  A pizza restaurant, a coffee shop, a bakery? All of the above?  
I would divide Area 4 in to Area 4a and Area 4b.  Area 4a is the pastry/coffee shop where they largely use Great Barrington beans for the espresso drinks and bake fresh pastries each morning.  Having been here nearly a dozen times, my impression is that the quality of the espresso drinkmaking has diminished.  

Lattes no longer have that zing on first sip and the drinks appear to be poured in an aloof manner.  

Another aspect that I have a difficult time forgiving them is the relatively lazy practice of not listing the prices of their pastries.  Why does this matter?  Well, when you get to the cashier and they ring up an apple tart that, gulp, costs $6, it is then incumbent upon the customer (after several seconds of shock) to uncomfortably ask for the item to be removed.  This is not a good practice to put the customer in I think, especially for an overpriced apple tart.  Needless to say that $22 for a 14" pizza, though it's mighty tasty, is also getting close to an eye-opening price.  

My attachment to Area Four, therefore, has somewhat diminished, and I hope that they continue to make improvements because they really do have a great thing going.

Arefa's Espresso - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4380807, -79.9215358) (Squirrel Hill)
4 - Jenney C.: They use Prima coffee and the crema is excellent.  They give you free wireless for 2 hours with each purchase. It seems that they have live music occasionally.  They are very limited in food selections, basically just cookies and biscotti. They do have Harney & Son's tea, but not the loose tea in silk satchels. Their regular drip coffee is just okay. 

There's something very straight forward about this place. I guess I didn't think people could make money just slinging espresso without doing food as well. The seating is more spread out than most other place, so it never feels really crowded.
4 - Marissa Z.: I have to admit - I was hesitant about this place at first.  Do we really need another coffee shop in Squirrel Hill?  The answer is yes!  Arefa's is great.  Coffee is some of the best I've had in Pittsburgh with a clean and friendly atmosphere.  

Negatives include minimal food served (a few desserts and such, but nothing special) and sketchy internet sometimes (you need to get a new password every 2 hours).
4 - Patrick Gage K.: I live right across the street from Arefa's and so I tend to stop in when I am feeling particularly lazy. The staff is very friendly and I think they are still working out just how to run a coffee shop in the middle of the over saturated coffee shop market of Squirrel Hill.

However, it is always very clean, very open, and a good place to be. It doesn't have the same atmosphere of hip-trendy-cool that 61c does, but it is a nice quiet alternative.
3 - ally r.: Went for the first time today on recommendation that they had good coffee. Coffee was indeed better than any I have had in Squirrel Hill and nice mellow interior. Doesn't have the crowded interior that 61C has which is a relief to me. Free wireless. Seems family run which is always nice.Casual dress.
3 - Susan D.: My cousin and I were shopping in Squirrel Hill this past Sunday.  Since we were pretty much moseying up and down Forbes and Murray Avenues (indeed, the only place we went to with a purpose was Ten Thousand Villages), we took a break and had some Joe here.  It has a small dessert menu, however one thing I do like is that they purchase goods from local, independent sources.  Overall, the atmosphere is quieter here than at 61C.
2 - Jeff G.: I'm new to coffee, so I'm the first to admit that my opinion might be off. That said, the Latte I had at Arefa's this morning was one of the worst I've had in a while. I could barely taste the coffee. Maybe it was an off day or an off cup, but I was pretty disappointed. That said, some of the positive reviews here suggest that I should give it another try. Will report back when I do.
5 - Jason B.: So, I actually live very close to the new Crazy Mocha, and I sometimes roll across the street to get a super quick cup of Joe because it's so cold right now. But I never stay and come spring to fall, I'll head up to Arefa's and, even in the cold, I still trudge up to Arefa's to make a weekend afternoon of coffee and tea drinking while I work. Crazy Mocha is okay, but so very loud, and the staff doesn't look very happy (lots of frowns and absent looks). The staff at Arefa's literally take a good deal of time getting to know the people coming in, and actually learning what kind of products they prefer. I thought a comparison might be in order.
4 - smriti k.: Stop!!! coffee time!! An another coffee shop close to Squirrel hill.We just walked into the place and it was packed.

 People were sitting around 2 people who were playing sitar and Mirdangam and others were sipping a cup of coffee and were enjoying the music.I am not quiet sure if the place always has some music going on,but i was lucky to get hold of one.

  A small place ,and the Espresso shot was good and being located in a calm location,i bet it is a great place to study in.And i do like the way they have a small light decorations outside.

-Smriti
5 - Adam L.: I work from home full time and typically head to Arefa's on Fridays to work with one of my good friends. During the day, Arefa's is the perfect place to post-up with your laptop, drink incredible coffee, and enjoy the house music.

The owner and her husband are both extremely friendly people who make a concerted effort chat with their customers. Ask for the siphon coffee; you won't be disappointed!
4 - Meredith B.: We visited Pittsburgh to look for apartments, since we're moving in just a few months, and Arefa's was our temporary haven!  Every few hours we'd need to duck in for a hot drink, a snack, and a place to check for new Craigslist listings.  Arefa's has free wi-fi, reasonably priced drinks, comfy couches/chairs, TONS of outlets so you will never run out of batteries on your laptop, and a fairly quiet, chill atmosphere.  Hopefully we will get an apartment in the neighborhood and come back here regularly.  I'd love it to become "my" local coffee shop!
3 - October R.: Excellent coffee. Comfortable atmosphere. Friendly baristas. Can't ask for much more.

Argiero's Italian Restaurant - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2836169, -83.7463556) (Kerrytown Ann Arbor)
4 - Mae S.: Really oldfashioned Italian restaurant. I used to like their bell pepper appetizer a lot. Handy to the Farmers' Market. As far as I'm concerned, they match stereotypes of Italian restaurantness better than Olive Garden -- and the food tastes better.
1 - Anthony N.: Disgusting. Avoid at all costs. Sauces all taste like they just opened the can. My Italian heritage was sufficiently offended.
2 - Lisa W.: I did not really enjoy myself here.  We ordered the linguine with cream sauce, and we had to pretend to really like everything in order to get through our meal.

"Mmmm!  This is the best sauce I've EVER tasted in my entire life!" my boyfriend would exclaim with every bite.  It was a tactic that I used to use as well whenever I wanted to get through an unpleasant experience.

I wouldn't say everything was bad, but nothing was particularly memorable -- except for the service.  The waitress was incredibly patient with me when I couldn't decide what to order and when I kept asking her questions about the menu.  She was great.

We didn't try the tiramisu, but I do remember our waitress saying it was excellent, and that they made it from scratch everyday.  I would go back to give it a try because I have a sweet tooth the size of my head.
4 - Becki B.: We had a great time here. The food was fantastic. I'd recommend the lasagna. My daughter loved the spaghetti (she loves the spaghetti everywhere, though). The desserts were to die for. Mama Rosa makes the cannolis fresh every day. 

In the summer, the patio is great. You can enjoy your meal while people watching at Kerrytown. For Ann Arbor, it's worth mentioning that parking is easy. They're right next to the Kerrytown garage.
2 - Patrick F.: Used to enjoy the food and ambiance here.  It's in the Kerrytown district.  Nice outdoor area in the summer.  However, the last two times I've been there, the food has only been so-so AND they've had insect issues.  Tiny little nats everywhere.  

Hopefully, they will get the insect problem resolved soon.  it will be awhile before I go back.
2 - Rebekka K.: Mediocre Italian comfort food, American-style. We went without expecting too much, just looking for the basics and to sit outside on a lovely evening with a bottle of wine. 

We started with the fried calamari which was, oddly enough, served with a disappointing mustard-y sauce instead of a tomato sauce. They must be reading the reviews on Yelp because they've warmed their bread, folks. 

I had the penne with cafeteria-style meatballs and an underwhelming tomato sauce. My husband had the lasagna and devoured the whole thing because of it's delicious burnt bottom. No really, that part was good.

We took two cannolis to go. Reading that they're made fresh in-house every day, naturally we were curious. While their intentions were good, the cannolis just weren't. The shell wasn't sweet at all and tasted like it had been fried in the same oil as our calamari. And the filling was made with real ricotta but it was pretty watery and frankly, just didn't taste good.
4 - Becca A.: Not the most sophisticated food in town, but tasty, simple, and friendly. The red-checked table cloths, Italian music, and sweet service make it perfect for a low-key date.
3 - Belinda F.: Food: 6.5/10
Service: 9/10
Ambiance: 6/10 (this is debatable, because the ambiance is supposed to be simple, so don't expect anything fancy here)

Argiero's is a great place to get Italian that food that has a down home feel. It's not fancy, the interior is very simple with red and white checkered tablecloths, and simple silverware. They're definitely not trying to impress you with the decor and are trying to set a comfortable atmosphere for some good Italian comfort food. 

The food was good, filling, and hit the spot. I had the veal marsala and oddly enough, the vegetables were my favorite part of the dish. They were well seasoned and cooked to perfection. I chose to have fettuccine alfredo for my side instead of spaghetti and it was a bit less than impressive. The cheese was a bit thick and the noodles a bit chewy. The veal marsala was also just ok. Taste-wise, I don't think it was worth $18.75, more like $11-12 because the veal itself was a bit too chewy for my liking, but mushrooms were cooked wonderfully and all the parts of the meal complemented each other perfectly. 

My biggest complaint about the food is that the bread was just.... sliced bread. I was really looking forward to having some yummy bread but their bread was pretty boring and not special. 

We also got the fried calamari and it was, as the rest of the restaurant, simple and good (but not out of this world). 

**What compelled me to post about this restaurant the most is that the service was outstanding!! Our waiter was very attentive, gave his honest opinion about the food (not just telling us the best thing to eat was the most expensive item) but what really sold me on the fact that I will definitely come back is that my friend left her wallet and her leftovers on our table. About an hour after their closing time, she noticed that she didn't have her wallet so she called them. The manager actually stayed late at the restaurant to wait for us to return so she could get her wallet back.!! He literally was waiting outside on the patio for us to return and had her wallet and had even chilled her leftovers!!!! This really blew me away as I've never seen something like this happen before. 

So in all, Argiero's is simply a great place to have decent, filling, Italian food with truly fantastic service. For me, it was a nice change from the standard Olive Garden, Macaroni Grill, or your everyday Italian food chain. Don't expect it to blow you away, but if you're just craving some simple but good fare, this is the place to be!
3 - Brian A.: The grapes that hang from the outdoor cabana are not real.
2 - Khom V.: I thought the dinner would be better than their lunch but I was wrong. It was worse! The app was too greasy and my dish had a puddle of oil at the bottom the bowl... Not good at all.
4 - Kathleen B.: We only had the pizza and it was really good.....would be even better if they offered some micro brews with the pizza.....Michigan has some great micro brews such as Dark Horse in Marshall, Bells in Kalamazoo and Founders in GR.  Add these to the menu and it would be a 5 star!
4 - Meeta B.: In all the time I've been to Argieros I would say I've never had a complaint. But then again, I like my Italian food simple and easy. Argiero's delivers on those two things each and every time. 

This small neighborhood gem is situated right in Kerrytown across from the Farmer's Market. And pretty much everything I've had here has been good. My favorites here tend to be spaghetti with meatballs (but that's always my standard go to) and the fettuccine alfredo, which is comfort food to the max. However, if you're looking for things that are off the beaten path, try the eggplant sauce con spaghetti. It's spicy, delicious and provides a hearty, satisfying meal. I also like the pasta primavera, which I've asked for with a bit of spice and it usually hits the spot with good crisp veggies and pasta. 

The garlic bread was a bit too cheesy for me, however I'm not a huge fan of cheese on bread. Yea, I know...I'm an anomaly. Who doesn't like cheese on bread? But the calamari here is great and they prepare it just the way I like it. It wasn't greasy and was done just right. 

The patio is great in the summer where you can people watch and enjoy a glass of wine. The staff has always been friendly and accommodating, I've been in there with big groups of people where some of the individuals have asked for substitutions or changes in the meal, and the staff has been nothing but great. And, I've been here with just a friend or two, and the staff treats us just as well. 

For those of you who have gluten allergies, this place now carries gluten free pasta and pizza. Don't ask me how it is because I don't order gluten free anything!

Aria Olive Oils - Cambridge, MA (42.3706518, -71.1136496) (Harvard Square)
5 - JJ G.: OK, I admit it, I'm an olive oil fiend.  I love it. I love to cook with it. I love to dip in it. I would probably bathe in it if it weren't cost prohibitive.  Aria is light enough to cook with, but nutty enough to stand up for itself.  I think Savenor's is carrying it, but you can also look on their site.
2 - Alexandra D.: Overpriced for the quality...

Better Oils at a fairer price: 

Messiniako (Greece), Olympic (my favorite), Crete Imports (don't usually like crete oils, but this one isnt bad)..

Skip the Savenors and Formaggio kitchens of the world and go to an ethnic store like Sophias Pantry, Greek Intl Market, or Sevan Bakery, you'll save literally 50% or more....
5 - Patricia P.: This is a fabulous oil.  Like another reviewer, I love great olive oil and have spent a small fortune on them.   I was thrilled to find Aria Olive Oil at Stop and Shop in Dorchester at less than half the price of my "normal" expensive oil.  I blind tested it against my boutique $$$ Tuscany oil and I liked the Aria better (more buttery than the Tuscan oil).   For the price, it can't be beat and it is my new favorite oil.  The fact that it has Boston/Crete roots and a great family story makes it even better!

Aria Skin and Laser Spa - Chapel Hill, NC (35.936918, -79.039691) ()
1 - Kristi W.: My personal experience only - I purchased two groupons for Aria with the intent of using them for the laser tattoo removal.  I went for one session and had absolutely awful results.  Despite the fact that the person who did it was super sweet, she didn't seem knowledgeable and appeared very tentative on what she had done.  Needless to say 16 weeks post 1 session I will not be going back - chalk groupon #2 up to a loss.  I am left with a spot that is still pigmented exactly the way it started off but now has a center that is red (not black like it was) which is a result of scar tissue.  I have been assured by the staff that this is totally normal.  Maybe it is, but I highly doubt it.  I did my research on the laser they are using and it's supposed to be super effective.  I did not have the expectation that it my tattoo would be removed in one session, heck I didn't even think it would be removed in 6 (it's about 1 inch by 1 inch all black).  I did however have the expectation that it would not be made worse.  I've communicated with the staff and they express their apologies for my experience but stand behind their service.  So do your homework and be sure you know what you are getting yourself into.  I did keep a photo journal of my experience so if you are considering removal feel free to contact me and I can send you pics to illustrate my experience.
1 - Julie B.: I purchased a livingsocial deal to have a burst blood vessel zapped and was also a victim of Mariah. After looking at the mark on my face, I was instantly told that it probably wouldn't go away, or might not go away, though I had a similar procedure done years ago by my dermatologist who was able to zap it in one visit (that one I'd had since childhood). Mariah referred to the manual (which made me nervous) and said she would put it on the lowest setting (WHY??? I want it gone) and then I would come back in six weeks--NOT. No smile, lousy customer service and an inexperienced defensive practitioner. UGH!!! Why hire someone who tells patients their service likely won't work? The service is expensive, even with the livingsocial deal, so I will now try and get my money back.
1 - Michele H.: For those of you have a groupon for multiple visits with this spa BEWARE!!! Make sure you stay on top of when your appointments are scheduled. I had a 3 visit microdermabrasion groupon and only got to use 2 of them. So my 'deal' really isn't a 'deal' anymore...more like regular price. I got courtesy reminder calls for both of the first two visits and I even got a call from the anesthetist when I was 5 minutes late on the second visit. But for the third appointment, I got no call at all. Not a reminder call, not a 'you're late' call, not even a 'you missed your appointment the other day would you like to reschedule' call. When I called them back myself I was promptly told that there is a $40 missed appointment fee. So I lost a deal and they lost a customer. Everybody wins!!!
1 - Elizabeth W.: I had a living social coupon for two laser treatments for spider vein removal.  I will not be using the second one.  The girl who did mine, did nothing to prepare or cool the skin before or soothe after.  By the time I got home, I had huge, running blisters on my face.  I now have 3 craters bigger than the spider veins were.
5 - Andrea M.: Aria is a great laser spa. I have been going there since they have the new owner and I love the services. Leslie is amazing and I have had IPL, Microderm, Laser Hair removal with amazing results. She takes her time and does a wonderful job. I would recommend Aria to everyone. 
-Andrea

Arif's Tailoring Shop - Hadley, MA (42.3531275, -72.551389) ()
4 - E P.: Took a pair of dress pants here since I had lost some weight. They fit incredibly well now and the price was fair.
5 - ken l.: I've brought her two suits for alterations at different times, and both times the work was well done, quick, and modestly priced.  I can't imagine going anywhere else for tailoring when she is so close to me and does such good work.  Very friendly and reliable, and clearly very experienced and skilled.
5 - Lindsey W.: I brought a bridesmaid dress in today to be altered and she had it done within a few hours! Considering it was a pretty large project and she took it on a walk-in basis, I was very impressed. The work was also flawless, the tailor was friendly and accommodating, and the price was reasonable. Highly recommended!

Arigato Steak House - Amherst, MA (42.376195, -72.5187263) ()
2 - Vilay S.: I don't really understand the appeal of hibachi because you're paying $20+ for a big plate of STIR FRY and RICE but I figured I would have to experience just once so I can make up my mind for sure.  I was there on a Wednesday night and it was pretty busy but there was only one experienced waitress and a couple of waitresses-in-training.  I looked over a few times to see the experienced waitress literally sprinting across the restaurant to get things done.

If you haven't been to a hibachi place, they seat multiple parties at the same table.  We sat at one big table (two grills) and there was a party of 14 ppl who also sat at our table.  Most of the other group was on one side, and then there were 3 people from their group on my side.  The chef came out, did the dinner show shtick, and we ate.  My side of the table had already finished their entire dinner before the other side of the table had even started.  There was another table next to us who sat down at the same time as us and didn't get started until after we had finished eating.  I'm all about slow and leisurely dinners, but I would have walked out if I had to wait that long.

The food:  fried rice, vegetable medley (onions, carrots, zucchini), and a meat option (I had shrimp), all cooked in front of you.  It was good and I guess everyone should do it ONCE but I don't think I'd ever go there again; you're basically paying a $10 premium to watch someone do tricks for 15 mins.  If you go, definitely make a reservation.  They also have a short sushi menu, but if you want sushi, just go to a real sushi place.
3 - Doris T.: I went there to celebrate my birthday and experience hibachi for the first time.  It was good to watch him make the food in front of my eyes while doing tricks.  It is worth one try.  The food isn't too fancy, just plain old fried rice, only made in an interesting way.  It might be wise to split a dish with a friend because otherwise you might end up with too much of the greasy fried rice that does not taste the same when cold...  They also seat multiple parties at the same table, which I did not like, especially since there wasn't much of a crowd.  The waitress was also quite rude.  Overall an ok experience, probably wont go back again.
3 - Derek W.: Wow, this place kind of gets ripped. I've been to a couple of hibachi places and let me tell you, they all charge about the same prices and they all seat multiple parties at a table so if that bothers you, don't go to a hibachi restaurant. The overall experience here is pretty good. The food is actually really tasty and our chef put on one of the better hibachi shows I've seen. I would definitely give Arigato 4 stars if not for the sushi. It is overpriced and not very good. It comes from the sushi bar upstairs, so I was expecting quality, but the flavors kind of fell flat. That's unfortunate, but if you're just coming for the hibachi show and food, I definitely recommend Arigato.

Arigato Sushi - Amherst, MA (42.377084, -72.5198837) ()
3 - Q S.: This is a pretty good Japanese restuarants.  They have a pretty good sushi and I really like the fried California rolls.  It's also at a good price for what you get.  I like the soba noodles with shrimp tempura.  They also have a big screen TV, which is a little out of place...  
  The waitstaff is nice as well.
  But do yourself a favor, don't make an ass out of your ignorant self and try to speak Japanese to the servers 'cause the restaurant is Korean owned and have mostly Korean servers.
2 - James Z.: The food was anemic at best. I can't compare this restaurant to Osaka or even House of Teriyaki (or even Butterfly). The food was pricey for what I got. Chicken Karaage tasted like chicken thighs deep fried (compare this to HOT's Karaage). The Beef Curry tasted of microwave origins and the Ramen was literally Maruchan + oil + half an egg + 3 pieces of beef. Sushi was half the size of the pieces we have at Umass Dining Commons. The bill was $42 and my stomach ached afterwards. The waitstaff was nice, and I'm sure they don't purposely make the dishes mediocre. However, this simply wasn't Japanese food at its best or even on an off day.

Note that the food is pricey in a relative comparison against local eateries. Pricey because the food isn't good, and your MPC gets lower and lower.
2 - Andy T.: this a review based on only one meal there, so take it for what it is,  i don't think i'll be going back so if i'm going to write it i've got to write it now.  

i wandered in here on a whim on a saturday looking for a bite to eat, ended up ordering a dinner bento combo box, which included miso soup, salad, shumai, tempura, beef teriyaki, some nigiri sushi, and a california roll.  

a few things - the tempura, and the shumai - were pretty good, but all in all this was really not good food, and the price - $18 and change - was high enough that they don't really have any excuse.  arigato seems to suffer from a common amherst restaurant syndrom (ARS) where a place can get by offering a passable attempt at a cuisine at higher-than-normal prices simply because they are the only game in town.  

anyhow, as i said, the tempura and shumai were fine, nothing special but definitely no complaints.  as for the rest, well, i never expect much from a california roll, and this was no exception.  the tuna (one of my three pieces of sushi) actually tasted off, a little old, the salad was overdressed with a way-too-watery dressing, and the beef teriaki was so dried-out and leathery with overcooking that i took one bite, then another to confirm, and left the rest on my plate.  my waited asked if i didn't like it and i told him it was dried out and not very good, but no effort was made to apologize, offer to make me a new one, or comp it on the bill.  

i suppose this could be an ok place to go back for a cheap lunch special with low expectations, but all in all, it was not very good.  wish i had skipped it and gone just about anywhere else.
2 - N D.: We were in the mood for Japanese food on Christmas Eve and decided to give this place a try.  We walked in and were greeted by a friendly waitstaff.  While we were waiting for the take out order, they even offered us tea.
We ordered two orders of sashimi, fatty tuna and mackrel, and two rolls.
I forgot what the rolls were called, but they ended up being exactly the same rolls, except one had tuna on top, and the other had eel.  The rice on the rolls were thick, and the fish was not fresh.  The slices of sashimi were very thin.  We were also surprised that they gave us tuna sashimi instead of mackrel.
People that work there are very nice, but the food is just not good.  I will not be returning.
4 - D. B.: I love Arigato!  The restaurant itself is nothing fancy to look at, but I like the food a lot and the staff is friendly. 

Arigato offers a number of interesting and unique sushi choices.  Each time I visit with friends we try a new roll off the menu; thus far, none of the choices have disappointed!  (Two in particular that we found delicious are the Amherst and the Arigato rolls.)  

I usually order one of their "Box" options, which comes with a side salad and miso soup.  The box I order contains rice, chicken and vegetable teriyaki, California rolls, some little dumplings, and shrimp & vegetable tempura.  For $17 it's plenty of food to fill you up.  

Other notable items: the seaweed salad is good, there is a decent selection of Japanese beers, and again, nearly all of the rolls are worth the money.
4 - Doris T.: Best sushi I had in America!  The volcano roll, the spider roll, the yellow tail, salmon or tuna roll...it was just great!  The place is nothing fancy but the food is quite good.  If you go with friends you can order a bunch of different rolls and have a taste of it all.  The price is not too unreasonable either.  I loved the service and the presentation gets 5 stars from me.  I took my family there too and they agreed that it tasted very close to authentic Japanese sushi.
2 - Derek T.: I grew up with sushi in my veins, so when I moved to Amherst in 2009, I scoured for a place to hook me up on an IV and feed me.  I went to the Bank of America one day, crossed the street, and figure I'll give it a shot.  The sushi is on the higher side of things for price for what was being offered in terms of quality.  The cooked food was slightly above average but the rolls were nothing to brag about.  Unfortunately, there are few sushi options around Amherst which perhaps is why it is frequently busy.
1 - Ilana P.: So disappointing. I ordered a spicy sashimi bowl for lunch and was given tiny chopped up scraps that equaled about two regular sized pieces of sashimi, half of which was frozen solid. I 've been here twice now and both times I was served fish that was frozen. When I politely complained I was told that the fish was supposed to be served this way! The frozen fish was watery and disgusting.  Overall the food was horrible and they didn't seem to care that I felt that way.
4 - Robert D.: I think Arigato is very good- I'm glad we can sit at a sushi bar and get an asahi, there's never a wait and it's not that expensive.
4 - Paul M.: After the alma mater's football game I had a craving for sushi.  Been meaning to stop in here on my previous trips back to Amherst, but this was the first chance I had to try the restaurant.  It was well lit, and very nicely decorated.  Staff was friendly.    I received a small cup of edamame to try as I sat down.   The waitress promptly came over and took my order.  I ordered a sushi dinner and the chefs quickly went to work.   As I waited for the sushi, I was served up a bowl of miso soup and a small ginger salad.   Both were good.   Then the fish arrived........Salmon, mackerel, surf clam, shrimp, yellowtail, red snapper and white tuna........prepared well and very fresh.  Although it wasn't the best sushi I've ever had, it was still pretty good and worth another visit.........
1 - Eric W.: This place is terrible. Our soup was about half full, the amount of sashimi we received for $25 was pathetic, and the salad consisted of about five pieces of lettuce. On top of that the server only brought out one dish and then when she was informed she forgot a dish, she left and then came back and told us they had just been backed up- there was no one else in the restaurant without food.

Overall a terrible experience. Both of us feel sick after eating here. I think it is a case for the health inspector. Would never go back.
1 - Kal B.: Over priced and mediocre. The service at this place is terrible. They brought out the dishes one by one in 15 minute intervals.
1 - Jaime C.: I admit I am a sushi snob-- but even so.... I fell in love with their fresh salads and dressing. I stuck with the salmon sushi-- as it was the only one that did not taste frozen. But the salad was oh so good. 3 years later-- tonight I have given up. I have walked out before because they consistently understaff. tonight my kids and I waited 1/2 hour for water and cold edamame. My sake never came, no plates or fork. I left a $3 tip with a sad face on the check. I will not return. If you want go sushi on the Amherst side of the river--- good luck. In Northampton try osaka and zen.
3 - Courtney R.: This place gains a star for my recent lunch visit. Tea was perfectly brewed, miso soup was hot and well prepared. Salad was cold and fresh, dressed with a tangy ginger dressing. BiBimBop was terrific and came with a spicy sauce and the vegetable box had lots of variety. This is a great place for lunch it is much more affordable than it is at dinner. I feel that the decor has improved. The menus are now in velvet holders and the bathrooms are very clean.
2 - Greg B.: Well the love is over. This use to be a great place in the center of town. The waiting for service, less than good food, and now prices which just don't cut it makes this a place we walk right past and just look in the window at empty seats.
1 - Jason L.: Been here several times, usually for lunch.  Tonight's dinner left much to be desired.  After entrees arrived, had to remind waiter that the (somewhat overpriced) meals came with soup and salad.  Even after asking twice, still never received the drink I ordered.  And then it appeared as a charge on the bill!

Please---I really want to like this establishment.  Can't you make it easier?

Aris Beauty Salon - New York, NY (40.8097512, -73.9587005) (Morningside Heights)
3 - Heather H.: Mr. Aris is over 90 years old.  He still cuts hair (by appointment) and does a great job of it.  The salon looks like it's at least fifty years old, but a good, simple, cheap hair cut can be gotten here.
1 - Dave L.: A new place has taken over for Aris, and the quality is nothing short of abysmal.  I guess I should have been wary of the fact that no one ever seemed to be inside, but I stopped in for a quick, basic cut ("Just cut it this much all around") and ended up with a crooked, uneven cut that made Flowbee look like a Palm Springs spa.  I hope that they not only go out of business, but also get dysentery.

Arise - Amherst, MA (42.375703, -72.520517) ()
3 - Rj P.: This restaurant was opened by the owners of Tabellas in the same space. My guess is people didn't want to pay $24 for a veggie risotto at Tabellas and so the owners realized they needed to devise a less expensive menu, hence Arise. I missed the chickpea fries of Tabellas so I was happy to see they were still on the menu. I had the basic salad, chickpea fries, and zucchini/squash appetizer. The food and service were fine... The fried dishes (chickpea fries and zucchini/squash) were fried pretty dark. Felt the breading on the zucchini/squash was a bit heavy, no finesse. Arise offers specials: $10 for a 1/4 slice of a daily special pizza and a glass of beer or wine or $20 that includes the $10 special as well as dessert and tea or coffee. My friend ordered the $10 special and I was disappointed to see how small the quarter slice was--not asking for huge slices, but don't plan on this being filling as it's a quarter slice of a 9" pizza with a low amount of toppings (think restrained, not heaping amount of toppings).
2 - Katherine G.: Yes, they still have chick pea fries, thank god, but the price is still high for an inconsistently-prepared dish. If this is your signature dish and you charge $8.50, please please please make it as good as your best every time. 

I am disappointed in the pizza. Rubbery crust and flavorless all around. I just don't get it. Everyone's theory is that they were tired of complaints about the prices at Tabella's but I don't see much improvement here. I have never seen a response to any of the complaints on yelp and that concerns me. It is common for businesses to ignore yelp reviews, yes, but at a small, local place in a small, attentive town, they'd do well to address the concerns of reviewers. 

I had a side of sauteed greens with buerre blanc and the dish just didn't sing. Finesse, the word used in another review, is right. There doesn't seem to be much finesse in their cooking style. It was oddly flavorless and lumpy. 

I think the interior is quite beautiful, but it's oddly unwelcoming. The tables were never comfortable (you sit about a mile away from your romantic date). I don't think the waitstaff has a genuine warmth. It's still a place that thinks it's better than it is. Maybe in their 3rd incarnation they'll get it right. 

I do see that they are quite busy and I think that's because of the location and the patio. See what winter brings. 

Hey, owners, it behooves you to be aware of your yelp reviews and to respond. It makes patrons feel heard and regarded.
5 - Lucy F.: the space is beautiful - casual but aesthetically pleasing. in terms of food & drink, there is so much to choose from: both the alcohol menu - quality beer, wine, and creative cocktails, with fresh/local ingredients, and generous pours. pizza selection is unique, experimental, and uses in-season farm-to-table produce, but you can also choose your own toppings if nothing inspires you. if not in the mood for pizza, the appetizer list is quite long, and the caeser salad is amazing (and a big portion). a great place for an enjoyable evening with friends or a date, or even just to have a drink & a slice of pizza alone.
5 - Rebecca R.: I had a great dinner at Arise last night. I thought the prices were a bargain for the quality of the food. The ribs were succulent, the chickpea fries were heavenly, and the desserts were bar none. Plus the political art across for the bathroom takes the stand against GMO's that we should all be taking.

Arizona Pizza Company - Hampshire, MA (42.3592048, -72.5559746) ()
2 - Kristine M.: This place was absolutely terrible.  My friend had a coupon, so we decided to go.  It was pretty much like a Chili's, but possibly even worse.  Each booth had its own television set.  Way to discourage social behavior, Arizona Pizza!  

The food was lousy.  My personal pizza was way too small (about the equivalent of one good-sized slice of pizza at a pizzeria, except it was $6) and about the quality of low-grade frozen pizza.  It was also sodium-city.  My friend got a grilled chicken sandwich which was skimpy on the chicken and she said it wasn't very good either.  The tomatoes in my salad were grainy tasting.

I can't imagine how a place like this remains in business, let alone become a CHAIN.  

The only reason it gets 2 stars instead of 1 is because our waiter was accommodating.   

After dinner here, we went to Whole Foods where I got a salad and some chocolate mousse to wash the remains of this horrible meal out of my brain.
2 - John R.: A TV in each booth. Bad pizza. Corporate robotic dolls delivering it all with a somewhat disingenuous smile. I can't imagine they will last long all things considered.
1 - sharon h.: I went with a fellow yelper back in September '09 for the first time and we will NEVER go here again

The TVs in each booth are annoying more so than they are distracting.

The food was bland and uninspiring. We ordered a small hawaiian style pizza and bread sticks. We ordered just enough food for the two of us that we could possibly manage to swallow down just on account of the fact that we were STARVING.

My friend ordered a margarita which was THE worst margarita known to man.  It tasted like watered down 7up mixed with lemonade. 

There's not much more I can offer in this review because basically this place has nothing to offer as well.
4 - Michelle T.: I like the location of this place, right next to Cinemark Movie Theaters. It's a good place to grab a bite to eat before or after a flick. While some find the tableside T.V.'s intrusive, I like them because, if a game is on, we don't have to spend our meal craning our necks to get a look at the score. If they bother you THAT much, you can turn them off without the help of an employee (I didn't originally know this). Admittedly, the personal pizzas are a bit small and have come out slightly burnt on an occasion or two, but I still find them delightful. They also have a phenomenal chicken artichoke pasta dish that is to die for. The staff has always been pleasant and prompt and I will certainly be back.
4 - Gayla B.: I really enjoy coming here with friends. I can't believe it has so many bad reviews!

The atmosphere is noisy, but bright and fun. Decent selection of local beer; bartenders are variable, depending on who's working. Love the white pizzas... mmm. Yes, they have TV's at the booths, but the sound quality is pretty poor, and when it's crowded you won't be able to hear it anyways. I didn't find them to be too much of an annoyance... and definitely a good conversation starter if you get an awkward moment.

I will definitely keep coming here. A fun place to go with friends if you're not into bar hopping on weekends.
3 - Matt C.: Me and my buddy came here for the UMass v Michigan game and it was pretty damn crowded, but I have to give props to the bartender. By far the nicest and most appreciative guy who ever had to deal with a room full of drunks (and Derek Kellogg's hair). He remembered what I wanted and truly was happy when he got tipped (WHY ARE YOU REGULARS NOT TIPPING THIS MAN?). They had $1 rolling rocks and I was plenty happy. Given how small the hangar is, I could definitely see myself coming back for some cheap beer and good times (although I'm not sure I would eat, I'm weary of sit down chains)
3 - John B.: Accessible from the Norwottuck Rail Trail
Always a $1 beer special
Lots of TVs
Don't eat here
3 - Cal F.: To start off, the service was not professional ... a bit too personal yet somewhat rude. 

The chips (& salsa) were stale. Not just baked-too-long kind of stale, but old. The spinach dip was good, but only because it's very unhealthy. 

Salad was okay, but unmemorable. I think it was spinach and gorgonzola. The personal pizzas were okay - needed more sauce though. Portions are hearty. 

TV at each table too.
3 - J L D.: Went for a quick lunch before my boyfriend had to go to work. Boy had French Dip sandwich with coleslaw instead of fries. Slaw was appealing and different from the norm mayo goop. Sandwich looked hearty and came with french onion soup (boy gave thumbs up). I had a Florentine personal pizza. I love spinach, broc, and tomatoes on my pizza, love garlic. The pizza flavor was okay. I can defintely see how it could be considered of comparable quality with a store-bought frozen option but probably a higher-end brand. I wasnt crazy about the large amounts of bacon but I imagine many would be pleased with it. There was a LOT of cheese which as a healthier eater, for me ..eh...It was not a large personal pizza, maybe equivalent to one decent sized slice from a pizza joint.

Staff was friendly enough although I wouldnt necessarily say very "attentive" considering the place was almost completely dead and we had to actually bring the payment up to the server because he NEVER came back to the table (approx 15 mins).  

Overall, decent enough if you are looking for a quick fairly satisfying bite while shopping at the local mall or before a movie.  However, it would never be a recommended dinner option for a night out.
3 - Christine K.: An oasis in a desert of a mall.  It's located next to the movie theatre, which is really handy.  The menu is pretty decent, even if you're not going for pizza.  The spinach salad with gorgonzola and grilled chicken is yummy!

Arleo Eye Institute - Ithaca, NY (42.480158, -76.463942) ()
5 - Greg S.: Professional office. Would recommend to anyone in need of optometrist services.
3 - Aimee Dars E.: They are very professional and competent, and I feel like my eyes are in good hands. I find it a little formal and impersonal, it is such a busy office. At the same time, that they are so busy reflects the quality of their care. They accept most insurance and are easy to work with.

Arlynea & Arfele's Red Door - Houston, TX (29.7224057, -95.4180055) (West University)
4 - May N.: I went here this week looking for a used wedding dress.  I had emailed them earlier about their wedding gown selection and they had responded within a day.  It's a small business and one of the owners Arlynea was there with some family and  two doggies.  They carry consignment clothing for men and women, jewlery, wedding dresses, handbags, shoes, and boots.  Seemed like a lot of stuff that didn't sell well at mall stores.  I noticed Manolo Blahniks, Stuart Weitzmans, and Ferragamo shoes mostly in size 7, 8, and 9.  The Manolos were $119 and in very good condition!  Too bad I can't fit those sizes.  

Arlynea showed me the gowns they had closest to my size.  They are stored on the second level where there is no a/c.  She assisted in finding dresses that were flattering on my petite frame and helped me try them on since I came alone after I'd gotten out of work early.  Arlynea told me she buys used gowns as well as from wholesalers.  Some of them retail for $1400-$1800, but she sells hers for $500-$700.  They can do alterations.  On my way out, she showed me other things in my size, mostly going-out tops from places like the Limited and Bebe and dress pants from the Limited.  

Overall, friendly and helpful staff make me want to return.  Parking isn't bad for being part of the Village.  The store is located off Kirby behind the Ben and Jerry's.
3 - margs k.: I had this place on my list to check out after reading May's review, and she is 100% right about the Manolos. They are there and fabulously cheap, but heartbreakingly - only in sizes that are too small for my feet. I am a 9.5 and they only had 7s and one 8.5 there. 

However, the clothes and accessories were not so fabulous. I saw a lot of used Ann Taylor and Banana Republic, definitely more of a thrift shop than a consignment store. I also inquired about a Louis Vuitton bag, only to be told that it was a knockoff.
3 - Kristine H.: I stopped in here during my quest for an affordable wedding gown. 

I had a positive experience and Arlynea (the female owner) was very helpful and friendly. After trying on a couple of gowns on the main floor, I followed her up to the attic (no AC and it was summer = hot) where there was a huge secret stash of sample gowns. They are reasonably prices start at about $400. I bet the prices are negotiable given there were no price tags on the dresses.

Arlynea helped me with putting the dress on and offered contact information of a seamstress regardless of whether I chose to buy a dress from them or not.
1 - Linda N.: Horrible service! I'm 23 years old with a career and the owner seem like she was prejudging me. She thinks that I didn't have money to buy a dress. I came in there to find a used wedding dress and the owner didn't bother helping me. She didn't even TRY! WORST PLACE EVER!! Don't go there if you're looking for anything.

Armadillo Grill - Carrboro, NC (35.9105033, -79.0704294) ()
5 - Melissa P.: Armadillo Grill will always hold a special place in my heart, since it reminds me of so many friends and good times. Solid Tex-Mex food for cheap - you write your order on a little pad of paper and circle everything you want. Its very efficient and the people behind the counter are always really friendly. 

You have to love their giant, corkscrew shaped tortilla press - you know that you are getting the freshest tortillas hot off the the press (ha!). My usual order is a Chicken taco (just the right amount of spice on the chicken), with lettuce, guac, cheese and tomato. Pure delight. If I want to get a little crazy, I just might go for the enchilada platter, but is huge, so order with caution. No meal at 'dillos would be complete without an order of queso and chips - and while you dine in they will re-fill your chips for free! Cheap beer and drinks, and a divey bar upstairs make this a perfect college/late night hang out.
5 - Bill D.: Ditto Melissa's comments.

Monday is kids eat free night. 

Gary one of the owners is an outstanding person and a great host.  Try any of the Armadillo Grills!
2 - Sharon L.: Ok so the food is cheap here. Really cheap. And sometimes that's enough to make me love a place.  But not here. The low prices are about the only redeeming quality of this place. Oh wait..it's clean, service is great...I'll give it that too. But if you want Mexican food, please do the drive to Fiesta Grill, or head to Durham for some realllllly good tacos.  This ranks up there with Taco Bell in my book...and really...I'd rather eat there.  Food isn't horrible...it's just very uneventful, and anyone could make better tex mex at home in the time it takes to drive to this place and get your food.
4 - Michael P.: Good tex mex fare.  

The burritos are big and the chips and salsa is tasty.  Their burritos are at least as good as Chipotle, probably better.  The queso on their burritos probably put them over the top.  

The worse part about going there definitely has to be the parking, as it's a pain the ass to find a spot.  Just walk there if you can.
4 - Caroline Z.: The Dillo is a great place for a quick, tasty Tex-Mex meal - I came here often with friends in college. I particularly enjoy the chalupas - yum. Salsa from the salsa bar is very good, and an order of the popular queso comes with a never-ending basket of chips. 

As a picky eater, I love that ordering at Armadillo Grill consists of checking boxes and writing notes on a paper order pad. Does that make me sound  like a weird control freak? I just like getting things the way I want them! The side porch is pleasant for a meal outside when the weather is fine, and the bar upstairs is another option if you want your meal with a margarita.
2 - William J.: When I walked in the door to the Armadillo Grill, I was not expecting what I found.  I had hoped to have a filling, well-presented Mexican meal.  What I got was one step above Taco Bell.

This really is glorified Taco Bell - I repeat that because it bears repeating.  After all the cute anecdotes are done and the 'special place in my heart' stated, what you're left with is middle- to high-grade fast food.  If you want Mexican fast food, this is definitely your place.  The portions are excellent and the prices reasonable (barely), but unless you really dig powdered nacho cheese sauce, skip down the road to Carrburritos or the like.
3 - Christina G.: This was a great place for a casual date when I was in college. It's got two stories and even some patio, so there's plenty of space, and the laid-back atmosphere and low price-point certainly don't hurt either. You order at the counter, seat yourself, etc. Very Tex-Mex with pretty good portions. Beer available. They should look into suing Moe's for essentially ripping off their idea. Oh, try the hot-wings. Seriously. I too harbored some doubt and suspicion at that recommendation, but at last my cynicism crumbled and I discovered: they are truly good.
3 - Adrienne E.: Armadillo Grill is a great place if you're looking for short-order Tex Mex food. It's quick and cheap enough to be a good lunch spot, and they offer a 10% discount to UNC employees (not sure about students). 

To me, the ingredients are fresher and better cooked than something from Taco Bell. The burritos are good, but I always order the steak soft taco with chips & queso. The salsa is tasty, but nothing particularly special. 

I've never had drinks at the upstairs bar, but I've been there on nights when there were plenty of people up there. I will say that the flimsy red chairs in their dining area drive me crazy, but otherwise it's a great place for a quick and filling lunch.
2 - Oliver C.: Adequate tex-mex burrito place. It has a really good location which is usually why I'll end up here. There food tastes better when i'm stumbling drunk from The Station.

But in the light of day their food is not that great and kind of "gloopy". I'm not exactly sure what the means, but trust me..it's true. I would definitely recommend Carrburritos or Chipotle over this place.
3 - Amanda G.: I wasn't impressed on my first visit here and would have given it two stars had I not gone back around midnight after having drinks with friends. This time around the service was much better and my two mediocre tacos hit the spot. At any time of the day it's cheap, ok mexican food, but I'd avoid going when there's a line. Unless its the only place open, you're craving mexican food or drunk the food isn't worth waiting more than 10 minutes.
3 - John L.: A little pricey for what you're getting: I think the burrito cost me around 6ish, if I recall correctly.  Of course, I had had a few cold ones, so I wasn't looking for something remarkable at that price (if I was, it's alla bout Carrburritos), so in the sense that it filled me up, it succeeded.  

They also have sheet-based ordering, which is always fun, so you can make the burrito or taco of your choice/desire.  And they have PBR, which is always good. 

In terms of a late-night stop, it's a nice, though slightly pricey, stop on the Carrboro side.  But if it's daytime, there are definitely more remarkable burritos to be had all around.
3 - David W.: This is a decent Tex-Mex spot, unfortunately after spending a few years in Texas, I've been a little spoiled.  It's a pretty convenient/quick spot.  You go in, fill out a sheet with what you want, and then you pay at the counter and wait for your name to be called.  

The tacos will run you about $3 each depending on what toppings you get, and they're a little on the smallish side considering the price.  I recommend this spot if you're looking for something quick and want to spend less than $10 for a meal.
4 - Harry P.: This little TexMex place is great for a college town. It reminds me so much of the TexMex joint near my college many years ago. The laid back atmosphere with the menu sheets, a la carte everything, and the sweet patio make it a great way to spend a few hours chilling with friends.

I really dig their burritos, especially the steak. The meat is well seasoned and they put this spicy melted cheese sauce that inundates the whole. They don't give much input in the way of what goes on the burrito like a place like Moe's does, but trust that just choosing black beans or refried beans is enough. They do include some chips with your order and provide a nice salsa. Only two choices though - a bland one and a spicier one. No chipotle or habanero goodness like other burrito places.

Their guacamole is awesome. Freshly made with real avocados and not thinned out with sour cream and tomatoes. It's a flavorful concoction that will have you nearly scraping out the styrofoam of the dip bowl. Personal note - styrofoam and puffed rice do have very similar textures.

They also have a bar upstairs. It's a nice area where you can find a seat when it's busy downstairs. It's got nice windows overlooking Carrboro and Weaver Street. The staff up there is nice and will hook you up with some chips and salsa even if you're just there for beer and the game.
4 - BJ E.: I dropped by here a couple times during the 2010 North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival.   I throughly enjoyed my meals here.   Their tacos are pretty good and their prices are very reasonable.   The fact that you have to fill out a card that they have to enter into a system is nice because you can pretty much pick what you want on your taco.

My only complaint would be their PA system when they call your name.  It isn't always clear...  but other then that it is a very nice place.   

The seating is alittle tight on the first floor.  There is a 2nd floor but I didn't go up there during my visit.
3 - Matt K.: This place is OK. We go there as a meeting spot after my improv class at DSI.  You pay a lot for what you get.  Some black bean nachos and a tea cost me more than $7.

I had a burrito and a tea last week and I think it was over $10.

The layout of the place is nice with the multi-levels, but it's never busy when I'm there.

Their guacamole is disappointing.  Overall, there's just nothing I've had that's impressed me.  I go because it's close by and the company is good, but I'd just as soon try a different place.

I'm interested to try the wings after Christina G's suggestion.
2 - Brian O.: I tried the vegetarian tacos and would not order these again.  Tasteless, with raw mushrooms and carrots. Terrible. Oddly, the tortilla (flour) was decent. The salsa was just the standard tomatoes, onions, and cilantro mix which, again, was boring.  I might try this place again to see if the meat items are better but I'm not going to rush back.
3 - Jennifer W.: It's decent food, although I am not ever sure I get exactly what I ordered. The food is fairly fresh and they do serve beer downstairs. Adults can go upstairs where there is a full bar. At first I thought this was a weird place to have a full bar, as it seems like a fast food restaurant, but now that I've met people there after work or before a show or whatever, I get it. It's close to stuff, it's cheaper than most places within walking distance and there is enough room for a group of people.
The outside area is nice, but it's always in the shade so if you are looking for somewhere to enjoy the sun, this is not it.
4 - Tal T.: Consistently delicious Tex-Mex. Go for soft chicken tacos, which use homemade tortillas and spicy grilled chicken. The guacamole is heavy on the avacado and rich. All of the food is made to order as you like it. The bar upstairs is a great place to watch sports and hang out.
4 - Dilbert D.: First, I totally understand some of the negative reviews of Armadillo Grill, and they are not deserved so I'll explain why. First, I've eaten at this place many many times. It's reasonably priced and the food tastes good and the ingredients are fresh. Armadillo Grill is only bad if you do not understand what it is...It's like Tex-Mex meets the state fair, but in a much fresher, healthy kind of way. You order at the counter. Order these things only if you are a new customer:
1) soft tacos (chicken or bean+cheese are my favorites), you get to pick your toppings...the guacamole is very good and fresh. 
2) Chips and queso--their queso is addictive like crack
3) Wings--they are pretty good, though the quality has been variable from one visit to the next. 
4) If you like iced tea, get their tea, its pretty good. 
5) If you like salsa, the pico de gallo in the salsa bar is good
That's it. Armadillo is great, plus you can eat outdoors and its a fun, comfortable place where you can make noise with a larger group of people if you like. One of my all-time favorite places to eat a very casual lunch or dinner.
3 - Paige T.: This place is no Carrburritos, but after a sad previous Milltown experience, this place came through in a pinch--we were starving.  After perusing the menu you check everything off that you want and present your little sheet to a cashier.  You can also check on the menu whether or not you want however many #'s of sour cream.  Just so ya' know, when you request sour cream here you get a little squeezable packet-meh.  The list of items you can check is a little confusing, because you can check a side of chips and guac or you can check it under their "Dips and Chips" category. I just picked it as a side.  The burrito was sizable and tasty.  The chips were okay, edible, and the salsa, which you scoop out yourself, was pretty good, as was the guac.  We ordered the regular size guac, which seemed pretty big.  I'd be afraid to see the Texas-sized one.  I filled up on salsa, guac and chips, as I have a tendency to do and I took half of my burrito home for a tasty leftover treat later.  

I've been curious about this place, but never ventured in.  I'm glad I finally did, as it was a decent experience.  While we were there, it was quite bustling.  I guess I've been missing out, but I'll probably stick to my fave, Carrburritos.  This place is definitely A-OK, though.
3 - Alison S.: I have been to Armadillo Grill a few times.  The food is consistently good--not amazing, but always good enough and the price is right!  One tip...make sure you are specific about what you want on your order form (i.e. add lettuce and tomato/guacamole/sour cream or whatever on a burrito).  I didn't realize that you had to specify to add lettuce and tomato and then it was almost too late.  They make the food soooo quickly that my super nice cashier had to run over and figure out which burrito was mine.  Lucky for me, she caught it in time.  Also lucky for me, I didn't have the other cashier who got kinda mad at me for holding up the line with my request.  Oops!  Anyway, this place is great for a quick meal and also is very kid friendly.
3 - Andrew D.: There are 2 places on the east coast where you can find money in the sofa and buy decent, reasonably healthy food: Gray's Papaya (in NYC), and here. 

It's not great, but feeding a family of 4 for $17 and not hating yourself afterward?
2 - Lindsay H.: This is my second visit to  the Armadillo Grill. It reminds me of if I were to buy myself a package of taco seasoning and some hamburger meet and make taco night at home. The price is right though-$5 for a taco salad. I ordered a side of "queso dip and chips", which seemed to be the exact same nacho cheese that comes with nachos at the movie theater. Eh.
2 - Felecia B.: Wow-I was so not delighted with our dinner here.  And actually neither were my husband or kids.  We thought it would be a win because you could customize your order and select what items you would like on each.  Pretty important for kids.  But what if everything you put together tastes the same and that sameness was pretty bad to begin with.

I had two soft tacos and a chalupa and other than a tortilla that is fried and ones that are not they did not taste any different.  I enjoy spicy food but when the spice is so prominent and the same in every item you might as well just put it in a blender and make yourself a tex-mex smoothie.

Neither of my kids were too excited with their food and it was my daughter's birthday dinner so I felt bad she didn't get the meal she had anticipated.  She had the chicken burrito and though the chicken meat was good quality it was again permeated with this overwhelming spice.  Hot and spicy are really not what makes the food Mexican.

My other daughter just wanted the bean and cheese burrito and omitted the rice and the fourth item in it (can't remember now).  Instead of filling the tortilla up with additional beans and cheese they gave it to her half filled.  We ended up having to order her a second one because we are used to Carrburrito size burritos.  

Someone compared this to Taco Bell and that it was a step up.  I have to say I would much rather eat a 7 layer burrito from TB than go here again.

Seating was limited and a end of soccer kids celebration was going on so it was crazy loud.  We just kind of ate because we were hungry, not because we enjoyed it.  

Guess I can cross this one off my list.  Eating a bowl of cereal to make up for such a disastrous meal.
2 - Danielle D.: I find it very frustrating when reviewers judge other people's reviews as "undeserved."  I respect all the opinions of Armadillo Grill.  This is mine.

Gross.  Mainly because of the obvious low quality of ingredients.  Tried the chicken soft taco, couldn't even finish it.  Many steps below Chipotle.

Won't be back, but that's okay because Carburritos is nearby.
5 - Sreeniket R.: Armadillo Grill is easily my favorite Cali/Tex-Mex place outside of California and Texas. I've been coming here since my childhood days; I always order a soft bean and cheese taco, a crispy bean and cheese taco, a "kidtortilla" (basically a mini quesadilla) and an order of chips. Their chips are always piping hot white-corn chips and each order is HUGE (but only costs 99 cents). They have a complimentary "all-you-can-eat" salsa bar.
They're also open much later than most of the other eateries on Franklin St.
3 - Mei O.: I was disappointed. Everything smelled and looked good, and the prices seemed reasonable.  The fresh salsa is yummy and packs some nice heat, but that was the highlight.  Their (refried) bean and cheese burrito tastes just like a Taco Bell bean burrito. The steak burrito was alright, but I wasn't super pumped about it.  The five alarm chili was ok, but was more of a 3 alarm chili. The guacomole was ok, I really didn't taste anything but avocado though. And I don't get why they hand you a packet of sour cream instead of putting it on for you. I'm paying you to prep my food, not have a DIY dining experience.
2 - Ariel P.: What do you do when Chipotle is closed and it's like 10:30 at night and your heart is already settled on Mexican food and you're so over Qdoba?
I don't know about you, but I went to Armadillo Grill.

First off, definitely needs more parking in the back, but then again what place in the Chapel Hill meets Carrboro area does have sufficient parking?

When we walk in and do the whole fill out your order thing, I just find that unnecessary in a place like this. All I got was 2 soft chicken tacos with everything and chips and guacamole. All my friend got was Nachos. Excuse the environmentalist in me but you do not need a whole page of check marks and options to take that order. God, I hope they recycle.

Also, what's with this 5 cents for lettuce, 5 cents for tomato, 5 cents for cheese business? They should all come on the taco without me having to say so, or else what is this taco. If you don't want cheese or something you should be able to not have the option, but you shouldn't have to expressly state something and charge for that same something that is an integral part of a taco.

My chicken soft tacos were good, nothing to write home about. The chips were the same, I kid you not, chips that you get at Qdoba, so once again nothing special. Guacamole is one of my favorite things in the world. Seriously. You say guacamole I say WHERE?! So when I tell you their guacamole was a little off, I mean it. I know that the recipe for guacamole is supposed to be just avocados, and a little lemon juice with maybe some spices to taste. But honestly who makes guacamole that way? Normally it's made with all those ingredients plus some onion and some tomatoes making it both rich and flavorful. So leaving out the onions and tomatoes, Armadillo Grill's guacamole is just rich. Which is good for the first couple of bites and then gets bland. I started mixing mine with the free salsa just to taste a little something something.

In conclusion, this place was just meh, almost Qdoba part 2. I wish my cravings for Mexican would coincide with a time when I could  find Carrboro's famous taco truck.
4 - Johnny B.: I love the burritos and soft tacos here. The steak filling is the way to go, imo. Definitely check this place out.
4 - Will H.: When I lived in Carrboro I walked to Armadillo Grill several times per week, so I consider it one of my favorite restaurants in the area.  You probably shouldn't be ordering anything but the soft tacos, as they are definitely the best thing on the menu.  I get the 'Dillo Deal, which includes a soft taco, chips and queso and a drink (you can also get a different main item).  It comes to a reasonable six bucks and change; $9 if you add an extra taco.

The chicken soft tacos are excellent.  The meat is nicely seasoned and is complimented by melted choose, condiments and a fresh tortilla.  The queso dip is also very good and can be quite spicy.  The wings are worth getting if you're in the mood.  They are crispy and not drenched in sauce, but they aren't especially meaty.  I've also had a burrito and a taco salad, neither of which are as good as the soft tacos.  Armadillo Grill serves two kinds of fresh salsa.  Both are excellent.  There is a decent, abet pricey, beer list and a nice bar upstairs.  The patio is huge and always crowded in the summer.

Armadillo Grill gets fairly crowded, especially on Tuesday nights when there is live Bluegrass music.  It's definitely a family atmosphere, and they always show the Carolina game.  Employees are usually very friendly, and they'll always tell you goodbye and thanks as you're walking out the door.     

The rub:  As much as I love Armadillo Grill, it has become somewhat inconsistent as of late.  The steak tacos, formerly my favorite item, are no longer good.  I'm not sure if they started using cheaper meat or a different grilling technique, but the current steak tacos pale in comparison to their formerly delicious selves.  I also have had quite a few experiences when the queso has been off or the chicken taco has been burned.  I might not have noticed had I not eaten here so often.  These things do happen, but they seem to be happening more frequently since the beginning of 2010.  

Overall, Armadillo Grill is a great Tex-Mex place where you can bring the family for soft tacos and not break the bank.
2 - Samantha E.: An OK burrito spot but there are plenty of better options in Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
4 - Erin K.: I love the 'Dillo.  If I'm hungry late at night, it is like a beacon in the darkness.  The food is cheap, fast, and darn tasty (and they have a customer loyalty card that means we get a free taco about every third visit).  I love the steak soft tacos, and I enjoy being able to customize exactly what I get (and totally don't mind paying a nickel or two to do so).  The queso is like gooey liquid crack, and the chips are fine. My only small complaints are that the wings are inconsistent, and I don't like the taste of the little single-serve sour creams.

I'm really surprised they can provide the quality they do at such a great price, but I'm grateful, because it means I don't feel guilty succumbing to my frequent cravings.
1 - Emily B.: If you have a hankering for mushy tomato salsa and queso that reminds you of the melted cheese on nachos at the ball park or movie theater, this is your place.  Why anyone would go here over Carrburritos is beyond me.  I am not a real Taco Bell fan, but the Taco Bell 7 Layer burrito is better than what I had at Armadillo Grill on my first (and last) visit.
5 - Bree G.: Pretty darn good queso. Very friendly staff. Great atmosphere.
4 - Sheila R.: Armadillo has an unbeatable chicken soft taco! The grilled meat chunks are  better than the common shredded chicken; the chunky fresh salsa serves as a chip dip or tasty filling. I love watching the freshly made tacos spiral down the cooking machine. The atmosphere is casual; Tuesday night's bluegrass band 'Big Fat Gap' makes a fun dining experience,
4 - Liwei Y.: I like eating the hot wings here. it's a little crispy and it tastes delicious with ranch. I also love the unlimited chips with queso or guacamole dip. This place is also at Duke and I liked getting the quesadillas from the armadillo grill at duke, but i didn't see quesadillas on the menu here. you can also get a peanut butter and jelly taco from here...surprisingly good!
4 - Adam B.: What can I say? This local Tex-Mex chain is THE choice for a quick, tasty, inexpensive lunch. Their chicken soft tacos are awesome, always coming with lots of big chunks of freshly grilled chicken. You can taste the smoky flavor and you have your choice of several toppings. The chips and salsa are great as well, with just the right amount of heat in the salsa. I would say that the most admirable thing about this place is the consistency--the quality stays at a high level. I tend to stick to the chicken tacos and the chips/salsa, but I can say that the Mexican rice is also very good. Lots of people rave about the queso, but I'm already pushing it with the sodium in my choices, so I'll leave the cheese fats alone. 

The bar upstairs is pretty hopping most nights and they provide free chips and salsa with a drink order. On Fridays, they have $3 pints of Foothills Brewery beers. 

Service is always friendly and efficient. You fill out an order card along one wall, then take it to the cashier who enters it and takes the money, then they call your name to come pick up the tray. Often, the order is ready before you even have time to get your plasticware--and these are each made to order right out in plain sight. 

The decor is pleasant, in a renovated historic Carrboro warehouse with two floors (both with high ceilings), brick walls, and colorful tables and chairs.
2 - Laura M.: I've been to Armadillo Grill a few times, in the hopes that maybe I've just been ordering the wrong thing or they've been having an off day the last time I stopped in, but unfortunately I think it's just not very good. 

Maybe if there weren't a taco truck that serves better burritos and tacos right down the street and a wings place that serves better wings a block away I could appreciate Armadillo, but with the other cheaper and tastier options in Carrboro I don't see any reason to come here.

I've gotten the chicken soft taco (chicken was tough and kind of lukewarm) and the beef enchilada (enchilada sauce was overwhelmingly sweet). Portions are pretty small and expensive. Rice and beans are ok, but that's pretty much it. 

Skip this place and hit up the taco truck or Wings Over - both are better quality and a better deal.
4 - Justin W.: Great food. My wife and I both love it. 

They make all their own tortillas. 

Although most people would never think to order the chicken wings at a tex mex place, I highly reccomend them if youre dining in.
2 - Denise F.: Had the buffalo wings,  and guacamole with chips.   The chips were never-ending but pretty bland.  Daughter makes better guacamole with The Trader Joe's kit.  Wings were good, but my son wasn't impressed.  Ate upstairs with my daughter's entire softball team - great space for a team get-together and since I'm a city girl, like looking down on Carr Mill mall, The Caboose and people going places.   Not the Top of the Hill, but cool regardless.
1 - Melissa E.: Wow. I can't believe this place is still in business. I went there with 8 friends, they messed up at least six of the orders and the food was pretty crappy. The one thing that was good was the guacamole and chips. I will never go here again.
1 - Chad M.: We had family in from out of town, they love this place and wanted to go there. We found the food really below average and the staff were rude. 

The taco salad consisted of about ten stale chips, lettuce, and some mediocre meat. I have had better food at a public school cafeteria. The taco I had was supposed to be steak, but it resembled something closer to dog food. 

I will never go back.
1 - Kelly K.: I have been a fairly loyal customer of Armadillo for some time now. I always thought the food was good and inexpensive. However, last night I got a chicken taco and chips and queso. Tasted pretty good going down, but today I had terrible food poisoning that ended with a trip to the ER. This may have been a one-time unfortunate incident, but I think people should be aware that their food practices may not be up to par.
4 - Patricia G.: My favorite place in town for a quick Tex-Mex fix.  I wish I could marry the queso.  I usually eat one whole boat of chips (which are refillable) all on my own.  

I love that the chips and tortillas are fresh (sometimes you can see the machine making them), the salsas are free, and the service is super fast.  It's also a good place to go with my toddler, because it's loud anyway, and there's plentiful outdoor seating for nice weather.  

I've never personally tried the wings ( not a big fan in general) but my husband says they're good.

I used to live super close to here and be a regular, but now that I've moved out to the country, I don't come here as much, but it's still a regular stop for us.
4 - John H.: Don't put your expectations too high for this place. I'll admit, it can be hit or miss. 

For families who don't want to go to fast food or for college students on a budet, the food won't disappoint you. It's not out of this world Mexican food, and there are other better Mexican restaurants around, but the atmosphere here is nice and family friendly. 

The burritos are really good and so are the nachos and dip.
5 - Alex M.: Fresh ingredients, good atmosphere, and the queso is the best.

Armageddon Shop - Cambridge, MA (42.3724356, -71.1217263) (Harvard Square)
4 - Josh M.: Having been to the Rhode Island location of this largely metal & punk record shop only briefly, I really didn't know what to expect when it finally opened after a couple months of delays. But still, I'm a second-generation metal fan and so I felt obligated to go. I did not regret it; though the shop is looking a little empty right now, the guy behind the counter was playing phone tag with someone over ordering more vinyl, and there was enough on-hand to keep an occasional vinyl buyer occupied. 

If you can't tell from the banner on the street (black and white, with crossed V guitars), the focus in here is the metal and punk scene. I found a repressing of an old Chronic Sick album for a few bucks less than it would have cost me online, and my girlfriend found some random Japanese grind records for less than $10 each. 

If you're scared of this place so far, don't be. They've got more than just punk & metal, and more than just vinyl. There's a small hip-hop section, a jazz section, some noise and avant garde, and I remember their Rhode Island store had a whole lot more, so I'm looking forward to watching this place grow. There's also shirts and CDs, and a small section of cassettes and zines. Definitely check this place out: I don't think there's anyplace else in Boston where you can hold Ace Frehley's Solo Album in one hand, and Magrudergrind's latest in the other.   

P.S. The door's hard to find, but look for the door to the jewelry store; their door is directly next to the Armageddon Shop door, which is marked by a black and white bumper sticker.
5 - Zoe W.: THIS IS THE REAL DEAL, DUDES. super friendly & knowledgeable, with perhaps the best selection of indie, punk, post punk, jangly awesome awesome used vinyl LPs this city's got (also lots of metal, but I don't know much about the selection). definitely affordable, honest, etc. check it out!!!
4 - Donnie B.: This place is great. All sorts of cool rarities to find. Armageddon is the best record store in the area in terms of punk and hardcore music, and rock music in general.
4 - H. P.: Not as good as their location in Providence, but well stocked with punk rock and metal. If you are into that, you will have a field day.
5 - Evan M.: Located in the former eclectic-now-defunct Twisted Village spot, Armageddon Shop brings the record store count in Harvard Square back to where it should be.  As music junkies know, however, it's not just a matter of taking up space and offering the same old stuff for curious prices.  Armageddon Shop has to bring something new ... something that would make anyone bother trying to find it in a basement and away from the bars.

I have not been to their other shop out of state, but let me just say that I have been missing out on a helluva store.  Armageddon Shop primarily focuses on rock, punk and metal, which is essentially my internal soundtrack for the most part.  Unlike most other music stores, Armageddon look to be going 50/50 on CDs and vinyl with some cassettes thrown in.  Although I can't comment on the vinyl too much (7" and 12" alike), I did notice that prices tend to be around $6-10 for used 12" and a little more for the new stuff.  They also have a $2.99 section of used vinyl, though truth be told you could find most of that kind of music (as well as condition) at flea markets for less.

The CDs were all used, but what a fine selection there was for the rock enthusiast.  Priced between $5-8 or so, one can sort through a lot of material ranging from the Flamin' Groovies to the Descendents to Mastodon.  There are two entire racks on metal and punk!  That is something else to behold, especially given the price range of most of the discs.  Their indie section contains most of the other music the youngsters listen to these days, yet their jazz, world and reggae sections were quite small.  I guess they believe that when you think of armageddon you're not sipping a martini.  Also, in case you were game for really cheap music, there is no dollar bin equivalent at Armageddon.

Aside from the music there is a wide range of t-shirts available.  Most of them are black and you may not get the size you want, but this isn't a department store.  If you want to wear that killer top you will have to contort your body somehow to get into that Small size, man!  

The staff was hard at work pricing material and filing things away when I was there, but those I did interact with were informative and helpful.  After browsing and talking to the staff, I realized that this is likely going to be one of places I will be pouring my money into.  With an initial purchase involving the Dead Boys, the Dictators, the Undertones and Nikki & the Corvettes, I can see these visits happening a lot.  Therefore, I worry for my budget, the space in my apartment, and my wife's wrath.  Totally worth it though.  

Now that they've settled in and I've been by a few times to pick up good music, these guys are five stars all the way.  Planet Records to Armageddon to Newbury Comics is my new Harvard Square route.
5 - Mark S.: This is an awesome vinyl record store.  I have been to the one in Providence a few times and I am glad they opened one here.  They have an insane amount of Punk, Hardcore. Metal records as well as a good selection of Indie, Reggae, and Rock as well.  I got two amazing and hard to find Clash records today for a very fair price and both were in great shape.
5 - Chris G.: Large punk / Hardcore / Metal / Garage selection, some good finds to be had, but I suspect that there's a regular crowd who cherry picks the finest selection of used titles / new arrivals so you do have to sift through a lot of reissues. You can hardly fault the store, selling the stuff is their business, and it always seems to happen to stores with a more selective focus. I'll be returning for sure. Fair prices.

Highlight score: Jay Reatard "Trapped Here / Hiding Hole / DOA" 7" from the '08 Matador Singles Series (ltd. to 320) for $15!
4 - Vin G.: I was in town on business for the day. Whenever I'm outside my hometown I like to visit a local record shop. Had a great experience here. Picked up a couple of great finds and the staff really knows their stuff!
3 - Jon T.: When walking by this store, you might get the impression they only sell metal and hardcore. That's not true, but that's definitely their bread and butter. Looking through the rock and other genres, I don't feel like they've got much of an edge on other stores nearby. But they've got a huge section for Metal and Hardcore. While I haven't listened to that stuff since I was a teenager, if it's your bag, you'll probably be happy here.
5 - Matthew H.: Hands down my favorite record store in Boston.  Why?  Well, because it's all killer and no filler and generally caters to exactly what I like: rock, punk, metal, and all the various subgenres contained within.  They round that out with a nice (albeit smaller) selection of Reggae, Hip Hop, Jazz, and Indie stuff.  Bonus points for carrying a LOT of local music, even more bonus points for releasing/distributing/pressing several local bands' albums to their in-house label.

It's not big, but they pack it with new releases, old favorites, and like any good record store, their used bin can be a gold mine if you are lucky enough to time it right.

Everything is reasonably priced from the T-shirts to the CDs to the vinyl to the hoodies.  I've never walked out of here without a bag full of music.
5 - Leanne C.: If you're a metal fan who obsessively collects vinyl (like so many do), you will think you died and went to heaven (or hell.. whatever your preference). The selection in here is AMAZING. I struggle with not buying anything every time I drop in here.

The punk/hardcore/indie selection is pretty rad. As is their $2.99 bins. Are you crazy underground and a fan of cassettes? Bam. This place is for you.

The bulletin board with a mess of postings for local shows is awesome, convenient and a perfect example of how music-immersed Boston is. Need something to do in the next couple weeks? Check it out.

The staff is rad, and like all record shops, they can talk music for days (assuming your genres line up).

This place is filed under "Places I'm Proud of in Boston". And that should not be taken lightly.

Armando's Lunch Truck - Los Angeles, CA (34.0237216, -118.2879575) (South Los Angeles)
5 - Robyn H.: If you are on USC's main campus then you must eat here!

As any Trojan knows, USC offers some of the worst food and vendors to its students. The vendors and restaurants are over-priced because USC knows that students really have no where else to go. The food is allowed to be gross, since there is no real competition for customers.

Armando's is a breath of fresh air on campus.
Not only is the food very inexpensive, it is delightful! Anything that you order on the expansive menu will satisfy. 

My favorites:

Grilled cheese grande (Grilled cheese with two types of cheese, avocado, bacon, and tomato)

Breakfast burritos (the ham ones with sour cream are good, as are sausage. Don't forget the salsa)

California Burger (Burger with a million things)

Summer burrito (Grilled chicken, Ranch, lettuce, tomato)

Fish tacos/sandwich/plate (Only on special days, get it before it's sold out)

Spicy Chicken sandwich (So spicy and so good)

Malibu Chicken sandwich 

USC Chicken sandwich
3 - Jennifer J.: 1 of 2 cheap eats on campus...the other being carl's jr.  -_-  the food is consistent, and although its not THE best, it's definitely worth the dough.  good selection of beverages too.
4 - Andrew T.: I really love this truck.

Armando himself is very nice and personable.  He constantly refers to you as "my friend" and never fails to ask how you're doing.  After going there for breakfast burritos and asking for hot sauce a couple of times, he began to give me hot sauce automatically and confirms it in a way that tells me "I remember you."

The food there is also great, and cheap too!  It's one of the cheapest places on campus to eat.  Beside the standard USC favorites like the Chicken, Carne Asada and breakfast burritos or the tacos, I'd like to recommend two "secret menu" items.

The Lendale:
The Lendale is a breakfast sandwich named after Lendale White, who apparently constantly ordered this sandwich.  It has hashbrowns, sausages, bacon, and eggs in sourdough bread with strawberry jelly.  A great breakfast sandwich.

The Greg Sandwich:
Yes, it seems as though many of the "secret" sandwiches seem to be named after people.  The Greg Sandwich is named for a buyer who constantly added vegetables to the Cedric Sandwich, a sandwich which I believe is already on the menu.  The Greg Sandwich consists of eggs, hashbrown, sausage, bacon, avocado, lettuce, and tomatoes (the Cedric is just a breakfast sandwich) with a long sesame seed bun.  It is typically about 6 inches long.

The only complaint I have about Armando's Lunch Truck (or Armando's Catering), is that some of the burritos (especially the breakfast ones) are kind of small.  The drinks there are also somewhat expensive, but that is somewhat expected from a lunch truck.  Otherwise it's a great place to eat, and I highly recommend it for those on the USC campus to try out!
3 - sara l.: 2.5, but I'll up to 3, because Armando's awesome.  This truck must be a gold mine.  It doesn't have the perfection of many LA area taco trucks, but then again, it doesn't have to...it's USC, and I doubt that the masses there are going on taco truck hunts, no offense.  No lengua or cabeza here, but you'll find carne asada, chicken, steak picado, and I think they have al pastor, too, either that or carnitas.

The asada is gristly.  I'm sad to say it, too, but seeing as it's still an asada taco, with cilantro and onions, I still eat them.  The steak picado is good, though, and it's not terribly oily.

Burgers and turkey burgers here are good.  I've yet to try the breakfast food, but I will.
5 - libs k.: best food on campus. their breakfast burritos and tacos ALWAYS hits the spot. make sure you get the red salsa with the chorizo burrito.
4 - z l.: I think of this as the Sandwich Truck though others insist it is a Taco Truck. It is not a Taco Truck.I've counted and trust me, there are more sandwiches than taco/burrito items listed on the truck menu. So it is Sandwich Truck. Diplomatically, I'm going to refer to it simply as food truck here below. 

I believe this is the only food truck on USC UPC campus. I don't understand why USC doesn't allow more food trucks on campus. This truck  is always stationed in the facilities lot, so it looks like it was allowed in with facilities staff, not students, in mind. The restaurant/food court provision/choice on and around campus is generally mediocre-to-poor and trucks would help relieve this situation. I hope it isnt due to some contract agreement between USC and its food court vendors that goes against student interests. I wouldnt be surprised if it was.

anyway, luckily, Armando's is a good food truck and has excellent variety .  Armando is a nice guy too.

I would recommend the spicy chicken sandwich. the fish plate is not bad.
There are some nice slightly unusual choices to be found int he drinks ice area.
4 - Hannah K.: ARMANDO'S!!

I would always get lunch here with my friends after our 10 a.m. Principles of Exercise and Nutrition class. My friend always gets 2 carne asada tacos. Cheap and delicious. The tacos have meat, lettuce, an avocado slice, onions and cilantro on it. 

I love getting the spicy chicken sandwich. But sometimes the chicken can be dry, so hit and miss. And then get burritos. Breakfast burritos are amazing and you can basically get whatever you want in it. 

It gets SUPER BUSY during the lunch hours, so be prepared to wait. The chicken sandwich also takes a little bit longer too. But yeah. Fo'sho. ARMANDOS. Plus you can almost always catch a football player or two picking up their order....
5 - Thia G.: Of COURSE I had to review Armando's, given that as a music major at USC his truck was just a 2 minute walk away from the practice rooms.  Pretty much anything you order is less than $5 (cash only).

Favorites: SPICY CHICKEN SANDWICH ($4.75) and CARNE ASADA BURRITO.  I also like the summer burrito.

I give it 5 stars b/c Armando is really friendly, really cool, and the food ALWAYS tastes good and hits the spot.  AND it's cheap.

Lunchtime gets WAY busy, so do like the regulars do, and program Armando's cell phone number into your phone.

Also, if you're obsessed with SC's football team, a ton of athletes come here very often.

BEST place to eat on campus, for the price and the quality.
5 - Jennifer H.: As a student at USC, the discovery of the taco truck on campus was amazing.  I attended school here from 1999 to 2004 (yes, the 5-year plan!) and spent most of my freshman meal plan at Jamba Juice, the salad bar they had at Cafe '84, Wetzel's Pretzels, and the Betty Crocker Kitchen.

One day, as I was going to my awful 8:00AM class earlier than usual, I realized there was a lunch truck hidden away near the facilities lot. There was a modest crowd waiting around, and I decided to stop and get a bite to eat. That breakfast burrito opened my eyes to a whole new campus food experience.

I tried many other things on the menu, but the breakfast burrito is the unchallenged favorite.  You can pretty much order it with anything in it. Mmmm. Baaaaaaaaaaconnnnnnn.
5 - Tyler M.: Armando's Lunch Truck

Easily 5 Stars. No doubt the best food on campus. He is specifically at USC for the maintenance dept. but slowly everyone has heard about his truck and you can't find a time during the day when he is not busy. He is especially popular with the athletes and music majors. I suggest to get his number so you can call ahead, he is great with learning names and remembering what you like to order.
You can never go wrong with a breakfast burrito. For lunch his Arizona sandwich is amazing. It is a steak sandwich on a roll with a large steak, lettuce, tomato, grilled onion and mushroom, and avocado.
His wife prepares fresh salsa each night for the next day. What an amazing couple, and they work there butts off. USC should make a small building for them to cook out of. Just a suggestion.
5 - Jenny S.: One of the only places around USC with REAL high-quality low-cost YUMMY food.

My favorite is the the chorizo breakfast burrito (which has potatoes, cheese, chorizo and egg). And their home made hot sauce is the BEST in town. A close second is the bacon breakfast burrito.

On Tuesday's they have Albondigas (meatball soup) that kicks my ass.
On Wednesdays they have Pupusa's which KICK's everyone's ass.

I still keep coming back in the mornings for their excellent breakfast.
5 - John N.: A true gem in an alley at USC, Armando's provides some awesome dishes for a great deal.  

I usually go there and get heir $5 burger which comprises of two patties, lettuce, tomatos, avocado, bacon and cheese... for $5 bucks!  I hear their burritos are good too.  Once in a while I will get their pupusas which are like salty pancakes with meat inside paired with some pinto beans and fermented cabbage.  

Business seems to be doing great, beat the wait by going a little before or after lunch or you can just call to and they'll take you order.

I will definitely be back.
5 - Justin H.: Oh, Armando's.  How I love thee.  Let me count the ways.

1.  First and foremost, Armando is the man.  I've been frequenting his lunch truck at least once a week for the past two years and since day one he's always been extremely friendly, always has time for small talk, and will unfailingly refer to me as "buddy" or "my friend" at least a few times throughout our interaction.  Plain and simple, if you don't think Armando is one of the friendliest faces on campus, you suck.  Period.

2.  I may be wrong, but I'm almost completely sure that there is no item on the menu more than five dollars.  Bring a five dollar bill and you're bound to get a good meal and probably some quarters back as well.

2.  The USC Chicken Sandwich - My first love.  I don't know what it is about it, but the marinated chicken, chopped lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions (I always get extra) and mayonnaise all come together in my all-time favorite item.

3.  The Spicy Chicken Sandwich - A close second behind the USC Chicken Sandwich for my favorite item from Armando's.

4.  The Carne Asada Burrito - Sure, it's not the most delicious, most filling, or best quality, but it's damn tasty and an absolute steal for the price.

5.  The Combo Breakfast Burrito.  BACON.  HAM.  SAUSAGE.  All in one burrito, plus egg, cheese and the best breakfast diced potatoes on campus.  I hope I had you at BACON.

6.  I've also tried a few other items on the menu, and all of them have been delicious.  I don't think I've ever had a bad Armando's experience.

7.  The Secret Armando's Hot Sauce (Picante Salsa) - According to Armando, his wife makes the sauce every day.  It is absolutely delicious, and I usually pour globs of it on each bite I take.  I asked him once if I could purchase a tub of it to take home with me, but he said that since most of the ingredients are fresh and there are no preservatives that it wouldn't last more than a couple days.  I definitely got teary-eyed when he told me that.

School started yesterday, and I've already been to Armando's twice (yesterday and today for lunch).  Clearly I'm obsessed.  But with good reason...

Rating:
5/5

Pros:
Everything.

Cons:
Gets crowded as shit, especially during peak hours.  If you're baller enough, get his number and call ahead.
5 - Larissa B.: All I can say is yum! As a first year grad student at SC with no time and even less money, this place has been my savior. I get the egg cheese and potato breakfast burrito at least once a week (I'm not veggie, but it's plenty filling with the meat and it's only $3.25). The potatoes in it are literally the most deliciously seasoned potatoes I think I've even eaten! Although I'm sure there is a line around noon, when I go around 1, there is hardly ever a wait and it's definitely less crowded than The Lot. Plus, like everyone said, Armando is awesome. Check it out!
5 - David B.: This is the best food on campus, yet I forget about it tucked away in the corner. All the food is awesome and made fresh. The only problem is that everybody else knows about it and the wait can be long during lunch times. If you're lucky, you get the phone number and can order in advance.
Also, don't forget about it for breakfast.
5 - Jordan B.: Absolutely, without a doubt, undeniably, the best place to get lunch on or around the USC campus. Armando's lunch truck, or "USC's Best Kept Secret", is a mecca of greasy Mexican food, sandwiches, and burgers, priced so outrageously low that I don't even feel bad buying a drink. My personal favorite is Tuesday's special, the Milanesa torta: a Mexican sandwich with breaded steak, sour cream, beans, and all sorts of other various delightful toppings. Whereas most restaurants charge a dollar or more extra for avocado, Armando dishes them out with almost every item on the menu. Another favorite on the menu is the USC chicken sandwich: a greasy, grilled slab of chicken sandwiched between two pieces of sourdough, complete with onions, mushrooms, swiss cheese, tomatoes, avocado, and mayonnaise. And don't forget to ask for the home-made salsa - I put it on anything and everything.
5 - Kit B.: I have nothing but love for Armando, his wife and their beautiful truck.  (Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  If you've seen the truck, then you know what I mean ;o)

Sometimes if the breeze is blowing just right across campus, I can smell the truck as I walk to my office in the morning.  I am magnetically attreacted to it . . . drawn in the direction of the intoxicating smell of bacon, sausage, eggs and potatoes . . . .    Must . . . Resist . . !  

Alas, I can't allow myself to eat at Armando's truck as often as I would like. My pants are already way to tight.

Everything I've tried has been really good.  We're not talking michelin rated gourmet here -  it is simple straight ahead food, made well and with love.  An extra bonus is that the prices are the lowest on campus.   

If you're ever on the USC campus, be sure to visit Armando's truck!
5 - Sunny G.: first time here today... no line @ 10am on a Friday, which is great.

very tasty special breakfast burrito. tasty hot sauce. reminds me of the roasted hot sauce at rubio's, which is one of my favorites, but i think they also add sichuan peppercorns to it or something like it that makes it numbingly spicy. very tasty.

call to skip the lines!
5 - Hannah G.: Just writing a review on Armando's makes my mouth water.  I head there when I have late morning classes and I'm in the mood for a treat.   I get the egg, cheese, and potato burrito every time.  Its simple and so delicious.  I smother it with their delicious spicy salsa, making it the most perfect breakfast ever imaginable.

I've also tried the chicken tacos, which are excellent as well, but once I found the perfect combination for me, I've never changed my order.

On top of the delicious treats right on USC's campus, Armando is friendly and extremely efficient at making the lines go quick. 

If you go to USC and you haven't visited Armando and his tasty foods, you're missing out on a huge part of your USC experience.
5 - Matthew W.: This truck defines "good."  All of the other food trucks driving around worrying about the "Twitters" and the "Social Medias" must be wasting their energy on that, because Armando's is the truck to beat.

Quietly nestled in the beautiful facilities parking lot by the Lyon Center and the SCA sits the best eatery on USC's campus; I have not ordered one thing I didn't love from this truck and I am slowly working my way down the menu.

One of my go-to favorites is the Bacon Breakfast Burrito: a simple tortilla enclosing eggs, potatoes, and the greatest bacon you have ever had.  Seriously, they must cook the bacon in Jesus Juice or something because this stuff is too good to not be the product of intelligent design.  Amazing.  Drown this baby in their phenomenal salsa, and you got yourself one of the greatest portable breakfasts (or any meal for that matter) that man has ever seen.

I'm also a fan of the burger with the bacon and avocado.  I can't remember what their name for it is at the moment, but it is quite devine.

Pro-tip: When ordering a burger they won't typically ask you if you want the salsa.  Ask for it.  Pour it on and consume.  You will thank me later.
4 - Steve J.: Armando's runs a solid lunch truck. I do find it interesting that the regular food trucks at USC aren't taco trucks but lunch trucks, with a lot of the newschool trends parked along Jefferson by McClintock, but Armando's has been here long before they arrived. The food at this truck is a lot better than at Sam's (not to take anything from the man, who is the warmest, kindest gentleman at HSC), but Armando's is the one place I'll go to for lunch if I have to eat something at main campus. Keep in mind, it is just a lunch truck, so I wouldn't consider it worth it to drive here just for food, but it's definitely one of the best options if you're at USC. 

I like the spicy chicken sandwich (or Mark Sanchez, which is similar but comes with ranch sauce), the grilled cheese grande, and all the breakfast items, but my favorite is the Arizona sandwich, which has steak with grilled onions & mushrooms and avocado. 

It can be a wait here, depending on what time of day you are. I would suggest calling in your order if it's around lunchtime. If you want the full experience, grab your sandwich, a bag of chips, and a bottle of soda, head over to the grass by the new cinema building, and enjoy an afternoon picnic with warm sunshine and clear blue skies on the beautiful campus of USC.
5 - Marcus A.: Armando's is hand's down the best food on USC's campus and what's more it's the most affordable. USC charges an arm and leg for anything resembling food, so this hidden taco truck is a major find. Save yourself 7 dollars, by picking up a 5 dollar lunch here and one that actually tickles your taste buds.

I usually go for the carne asada burrito con lechuga, although I'll mix it up now and then with the carnitas. I'm not a big fan of rice in burritos, but their rice has a nice soft texture and they mix in some peas and it just works, don't ask me why. They offer the perfect beans to rice to meat ratio. Nothing pisses me off more then when I bite into a burrito and find beans and rice galore, with just a little bit of meat down the side. Now this may shock and surprise, but it's not the healhiest food around. That being said I ordered the carne asada burrito twice this week. I normally bring my own food for lunch, but this week was a buy week for me and the taco cart is visible from my office window and what else is a boy to do?

If I'm feeling particularly frisky I'll order up the spicy chicken sandwich or the philly cheese steak. Is the philly cheese steak actually a philly cheese steak? - no, but that doesn't stop me from loving it. And don't even get me started on the pupusas plate. They don't have pupusas everywhere you go in Los Angeles and Armando's serves them up with a nice cabbage slaw with just enough vinegar to bring a little bite. I usually happen upon it once or twice a semester, as It's a weekly special, and on those days I walk up and see that little sign hanging down below the order window I feel like Armando just picked me up for a ride on his sunshine train.

No matter what I order I get one green sauce, one red sauce and a bag of pickled jalapenos, onions and carrots. Stuff the jalapenos and onions in whatever you order and slather it with both sauces combined. I guarantee you it's lunch time heaven and you'll be walking on rainbows the rest of the day.

If you already ate lunch once today, go back, eat again, you won't be disappointed you did.

PS. They do serve breakfast too and it's just as good as lunch. Just Do It.
5 - Kathryn F.: $3.75 for a bacon, egg & cheese (has potatoes too if you want them) breakfast burrito = cheap & SUPER DELICIOUS. So flavorful & even more so with the smoky salsa. It can't be good for you but at least it doesn't taste disgustingly greasy & it's a good size that you won't feel like vomiting after eating the entire thing (I ate the entire thing, I just couldn't stop it was so good!) It's just enough to leave you full but wanting more *yum* $0.50 fee for credit/debit card purchases under $7
5 - Reese M.: pure greatness
5 - Stephen S.: A staple for any Trojan on main campus. Armando is very friendly, the food tastes great (especially the breakfast burritos), and the prices are suprisingly low. They also accept credit cards, very convenient.
4 - David H.: Armando is the man!

I discovered this food truck halfway through the year, right by the cinema school where I work and take classes. Not only is its location convenient, the food is delicious, the selection is wide, and the prices are cheap.

No longer cash only, which is a plus (when I'm starving and willing to pay an extra 50 cents to use a card).

Steak sandwiches are good, but I really like their burritos. Hits the spot every time.

Yes!
5 - Veronica H.: I love Armando's truck! He fed me many times while I was at USC. The entire reason why I give 5 stars is because of Armando who is the nicest person ever. This truck puts a smile on my face and that's worth every visit.
3 - Arman H.: Solid, but I don't like their egg.

The steak is tasty and I heard the grilled cheese is great.

If the dude at the cashier is Armando, then he's really chill. If the dude at the cashier isn't Armando, he's still really chill. 

Gotta try some other stuff.

Really convenient and the wait has never been too long, even at peak lunch hours while rushing from class to class.
5 - Sonia H.: The only truck that is located on campus all year round serving the most consistent food I've had so far.

The breakfast burrito and fish taco are both good! It's not exactly a place to wait in line for if you're tight on time but if there's no line, which is rare during lunch hour, it's possible to get your order in under 10 minutes.  Definitely worth the wait though if you're willing to, and the service is great.
3 - Brad F.: I really like Armando, he is absolutely great, and friendly, and knows everyone.  He's the real draw for the truck. Otherwise, the breakfast burritos are pretty decent.  The burgers are fine, but not anything special.

I just gotta say, though, except for the carne asada tacos, none of the others do it for me.  He puts some kind of sweet sauce thing on them that I really don't like.  There are so many really great taco trucks in the area (don't get me started on how much I like lengua, cabesa and buche, baby) that I probably wouldn't eat here except for the convenience, and Armando.
5 - Denise N.: This place is excellent. I go multiple times a week and I never get tired of the food. The owner is extremely friendly and is very open to making you something that is not on the menu. 
I recommend the following dishes:
sausage breakfast burrito
sausage breakfast sandwich
veggie burger
cheeseburger
chicken quesadilla
grilled cheese
pancakes (only on fridays)
vegetarian papusas (only on wednesdays)
4 - Chantelle T.: WHaaa??? I can't believe I never wrote a review for this place...blasphemy!

This is the best hidden secret at USC. Everything they have is delicious and cheap!

I always get the lendale. It's basically a sandwich filled with eggs, bacon, hash browns, cheese, and even jelly if you want. It sounds weird at first, but it's absolutely amazing.
4 - Tiffany C.: Mmm great truck! I got the spicy chicken sandwich because Armando said it was the most popular item. The sandwich was great!! The portion was very generous and came with thick avocado slices inside. The sandwich was 5 dollars and was worth the money.
3 - Sara C.: There are only so many places you can go for lunch when you don't have a car at USC. One of these places is Armando's Lunch truck.

If you live in either Fluor or Webb Tower, Armando's Lunch Truck is only a short walk away. For everyone else, it's a bit of a walk, but it is worth every step.

We don't live in in either of these buildings, so after our trek, we were elated to see Armando in his cute little truck, serving student after hungry student. Without hesitation, we jumped in line.

Recommended by both Yelp and Armando himself, the spicy chicken sandwich seemed to be the way to go. Our sandwiches came out one by one, and were handed to us smelling so, so good. 

And unsurprisingly, the sandwich was that good. But that's about it. The ingredients were fresh, the breaded chicken was nicely spiced and seasoned, the sandwich was filling... but I wasn't left speechless. I took my first bite, appreciated it, and continued to nibble away at my sandwich.     

Armando, you seem like a very nice man. I'm confident that you have many, many friends - and customers! I will still be one of your customers because you do have a nice business going and your food is worth the money!
2 - Chillin G.: Really people, its not that great. I don't get the hype at all. NY pastrami was like pouring salt in my mouth. The carne asada burrito had bizarre cuts of beef in it, that had to  be spit out. And the sandwiches don't taste that great to be honest.
4 - Jamie K.: Just had the bacon, steak and cheese.  It is NOT a philly steak and cheese but I knew that going in.  It was VERY good.  Make sure you get that hot sauce to go with it.  Can't beat the food for the price!!
4 - Jim A.: Great yummy food. Things guys have been in campus for quite some time! Give them a try. Try the bacon sandwich!
5 - Brenda Y.: Armando, you should win a medal for your service to the USC community. Your breakfast burritos and spicy chicken sandwich are perfect before or between class. The sense of privilege has dissipated a little ever since construction forced you to leave your secret enclave on campus and mingle with the rest of the food trucks on Jefferson and McClintock, but that's okay. Thank you for recently investing in a nifty device that attaches to your iPhone and allows you to accept credit cards. Also, I deeply appreciate being able to order via text message and pick up my order so quickly. Say hello to your beautiful wife and maybe slip me the recipe to the delicious, smokey concoction that is her hot sauce.

All best... until tomorrow!
Brenda Y.

P.S. Armando is currently on vacation until February 2012, or so I'm told. Consequently, I've seen a distinct downward trend away from perfection e.g. over-crispy bacon, un-melted cheese. Come back!!
5 - Bella C.: Affordable and always delicious!  You can grab a really filling breakfast or lunch for under $5 at this truck.

Unlike the rotating lunch trucks just a block away, Armando's truck is here EVERY weekday.   "Hmmm ... I really want a super yummy sandwich, but I don't want to walk all the way over to Jefferson/McClintock if the truck isn't there today ..."  There's no guessing with Armando!  He's always here!

Try the turkey melt  :)  Mmmmm ... They give you plenty of avocado!  The tacos and burritos are great, too.

This truck accepts credit/debit cards, which is a perk!  You can walk directly here without stopping at BofA across the street  ;)
3 - jin y.: the chorizo burrito may have been 4 stars but the spicy chicken sandwich was just meh. perhaps i'm colored by the amazing chicken sandwich i had at son of a gun, which i shouldn't even compare this to considering that it was twice as more expensive. in any case, i can't really complain because the sammich and bottled water was only $6.
4 - Jake H.: Typically when I get food at a food truck, it costs about $2 more than I think it should. At Armando's this is not the case - five bucks will get you something good. I'm befuddled by the number of reviews from people who are just salivating over the food - seriously, it's good, but it's not as good as people are making it out to be... I've had the spicy chicken sandwich that so many people extolled in these reviews, and it was pretty unremarkable. I really don't understand why every drools over it because I've eaten many chicken sandwiches better than this. There is a lot of hype for this truck; I suppose people just want to believe that the food is good. Don't get me wrong, I come here quite often and overall it's a good truck, but the reason I gave this place four stars is because it's so cheap.
5 - Andrea L.: I actually never heard of Armando's until yesterday when I volunteered for USC. Someone mentioned that this was the "famous Armando's Burritos" but I had no idea what to expect, especially for a food truck. The Volunteer Center catered Armando's with free lunch for the volunteers, and when I took the first bite out of my burrito, I was pleasantly surprised.

My lunch was catered so there were a couple of options to choose from but I chose the chicken burrito. I'm not sure if it's the same type as the one on the menu because I noticed the menu said beans were on the burrito but the one I had was bean-free. That was even better for me because I don't really enjoy beans in my burrito. My chicken burrito was flavorful and the filling was nicely distributed. I hate having all rice on one side with the meat on the other end. I'm assuming the guy who took my order was Armando. He was friendly and didn't seem annoyed when I asked him what my choices were. I love that my burrito was made fresh so everything was hot. The green sauce that was included added some extra wonderful flavor.

Even though my lunch was free, I looked at the menu prices and wouldn't mind paying for my next meal at Armando's since the portions kept me full for very long. The prices were extremely affordable, especially for us college kids. I need to try to find this truck sometime!
4 - Sally E.: Oh, Armando's. I've literally heard about this place SO many times, so I finally decided to venture over and try for myself. I had a carne asada burrito, and while it was good, I have to admit, it didn't blow my mind. GASP (*cue judgmental looks from my peers here*)
There are so many 5 star reviews for this place, so my expectations were EXTREMELY high. However, my burrito was good. Pretty good, actually. I also really enjoyed the hot sauce (apparently it's homemade? That's awesome).  But I liked it, not loved it.
Apparently, I have to order the chicken sandwich. Yelpers seem to raving about it, so I'll definitely try that next time. They also have a phone number so you can text your order which is sweeeet. The line was a bit long when I showed up. 
Armando's is a great place to go near USC that doesn't rip you off. You can't get a $5 meal anywhere on campus (or at any food truck for that matter), so I am thankful for Armando's. I'll be returning again to sample some other items on your menu.
5 - Radhika R.: Soooo good. I randomly decided to try this truck since I love food trucks. Almost everything is $5 and so delicious. After talking to people I discovered this truck was much loved around the USC area
3 - Jason H.: Pretty good food from a food truck, and decent prices.
4 - Josh D.: Let me start off by saying I absolutely love Armando's and can't believe it took me until last year to discover this gem. My favorites (there are many) are the Lendale, a breakfast sandwich with sausage, bacon, egg, hash browns, cheese and jelly, the California Burger, USC Chicken Sandwich, the Sanchez and the Texas Burger. I love how you can also get pretty much anything here and not spend over $7, drink included. 

With that being said, WHERE IS ARMANDO?! This truck is not the same without his presence. After a few times there, he remembered me and greeted me every single time I walked up to the truck. I've noticed some mishaps like burnt chicken and undercooked bacon that didn't seem to happen when he was there. I don't know if I'm just making this up in my brain, but another person's post ahead of me confirmed my suspicions. Armando's isn't the same...without Armando. He hasn't been around since last semester and I'm starting to get worried. I hope everything is okay and he comes back soon! Whatever the case may be, you will be able to find me wandering over to his lunch truck every now and then because it's still THAT delicious and affordable.

Tips: if going at peak breakfast or lunch hours, call or text ahead of time. It will save you a lot of time. Also, cards are now accepted without any minimum or surcharge. Ask for the hot sauce and give it a shot. It might not be for you since it's pretty spicy, but you never know until you try!
5 - Aditya R.: Sweet mother of God! I don't know how I haven't reviewed this place yet.  Armando's was a staple for when I was a graduate student at USC.  It was the perfect 5 minute walk from office and on a warm day his food just brought so much joy to my afternoons.

The spicy chicken sandwich: I can shut my eyes and imagine the crunchy texture on my teeth, the first few flavor explosions in my front tongue and the juices filling the middle of my tongue as I chew into this delicious sandwich, of course in slow motion of course.  In real time I'm pretty much wolfing it down like I haven't eaten in days.

Great food.  I've had everything on his menu barring a few of the breakfast items.  Nice friendly chap, I must say.  The prices are great and OMG, that hot sauce of his is SOO good.  

There aren't too many fond food memories of USC, but this is one that always stands out.  I continue to visit him every time I visit Los Angeles.  He's a memory burn - for sure ;-)
5 - Zade S.: Absolutely great. Prices are cheap but everything is delicious. Have yet to order something bad off the menu. I loved the breakfast burritos, spicy chicken sandwich, and the "Sanchez". Highly recommend it.
5 - Christina S.: MMMMMF.  SO GOOD.


The burritos are just heavenly goodness.  So delectable.  I can find this place just by following my nose in the morning.  The delicious aromas just waft from the truck and down the street drawing in passerby to delicious breakfast and lunch fare.

You definitely won't finish your meal from here and feel healthy, but oh will you ever feel satiated.  And your tastebuds will be singing.

I certainly recommend all of the breakfast burritos and additionally, recommend sticking around even if there is a line.  It will be worth it my friend.
4 - Celeste C.: After hearing so much about Armando's, I convinced a friend to come with me on my search for the truck. It only took a few minutes of wandering around Lyon Center to find the truck. As it was 12pm, there was a short line that allowed me to debate between the many, many options listed on the truck. I finally decided on a chicken burrito, while my friend got a panini, and both were so good. Unhealthy, for sure, but delicious. For about $5, the portions were also big enough for our orders to serve as two meals--always a plus for college students!

Armando's Lunch Truck - Los Angeles, CA (34.0234826, -118.2878397) (South Los Angeles)
3 - Alexander M.: The lunch truck is the perfect respite for students who are sick of university options but too lazy to venture off campus. There is usually a line but the food is made super-fast. In addition to burgers, burritos, sandwiches (almost everything), you can grab chips and a cold drink. The people who work there are extremely friendly and will start to remember you after only a few times. The phone number is one of the guys' personal cell phone numbers (so don't abuse it) and you can call in advance so your order will be ready when you arrive. If you can't find it (most people don't know abou it), it's in a parking lot behind the facilities building, directly across McClintock from the swimming pool. 

Don't spread the word or the lunchtime crowding will worsen!
4 - Jessie M.: In an area surrounded by food trucks, this one stands out only because it is located on the USC campus and isn't as good as legit one's in the streets of South Central. I give it four stars though because it made lunch a little more exciting. I dreaded eating most places on campus, but here you could find really cheap, fatty foods (my most favorite!). I would get breakfast burritos, patty melts, and their carne asade burrito with avocado. The latter was my most purchased item for sure. Anyway, get your burrito, head over to the grassy knoll by the film school/music school, and enjoy a delicious and relaxed lunch away from all the hustle and bustle of the cafe 84 or the dreadful outdoor bubble room. My only complaint? Closes way too early!
5 - Kathryn F.: $3.75 for a bacon, egg & cheese (has potatoes too if you want them) breakfast burrito = cheap & SUPER DELICIOUS. So flavorful & even more so with the smoky salsa. It can't be good for you but at least it doesn't taste disgustingly greasy & it's a good size that you won't feel like vomiting after eating the entire thing (I ate the entire thing, I just couldn't stop it was so good!) It's just enough to leave you full but wanting more *yum* $0.50 fee for credit/debit card purchases under $7
4 - Grace L.: Good and cheap. Love the breakfast sandwiches. The only reason why it's not five stars is because the grilled cheese grande is not quite as good - tomatoes were underripe when I ordered. Otherwise, I've loved everythign I've tried and it's a great place to grab lunch during my one-hour break between classes! Such friendly service, too.

Armani Exchange - Palo Alto, CA (37.4438786, -122.1724941) ()
3 - Brandon M.: Ok, I've never bought anything from this high priced place but it had a sale and I bought something. Very rare indeed that I spent here.
3 - Benjamin M.: This small little store has prompt service to go with it's expensive selection. I found the offerrings limited but good, certainly a place to find some hot styles for both women and men.
5 - Raegan T.: This is my favorite place to buy women's jackets and men's shirts.  Okay, so it's not exactly a bargain, but their clothing fits really well, and is always a few degrees from "basic" without (usually) being too space age.  They take creativity to the next level with oddly shaped pockets, zippers for decoration, and interesting stitching.  I bought 3 women's jackets there, just this week.  I may have gone a little crazy with my spending..does Yelp review therapists?
1 - Ruth C.: Cramped.  Unorganized.  Sweaty.  Crowded.

What could make it worse? The clothes are made for children.  At least... that's what the sizing tells me.  I mean, I'm not model-thin, but I'm not fat by any means.

Other stores?  I'm a size S or XS.

AX? L.
1 - Tommy P.: Not my thing. Not into the clothes they carry or the type of people that generally shop here. Not to say that everyone who shops here is a total douchebag, but a good majority of them are. I'm not into the whole union squarish thing all the way around though so I'm probably not the most impartial party when it comes to places like these.
4 - Jon Y.: I'm a fan.  Not as crowded as the SF location near Westfield Shopping Ctr.  I wish this location were a bit larger though.  Seemed a bit unorganized too, but maybe that was because it was near the end of the day on a Sunday and many items where strewn about.  Will return soon.
2 - Mouse K.: I was in here totally willing to spend some cash. But the employees  were too busy flirting with each other to pay any attention to their customers. Sucks for them.  It's all about the customer service yo' 
 G.T.F
4 - jenn w.: There was a pretty good deal going on when I stopped in.  $50 off for every $150 spent.  It definitely isn't hard to spend that much given how much their items cost.  They carry some nice stuff such as basic v-neck tees that were only 2 for $40.  Besides their basic stuff, I wouldn't want to wear anything with a giant A X across the chest.  It just looks really tacky to be sporting such a giant logo but I guess that is what you are paying for.
1 - Anne A.: GIFT CARD RIPOFF: NEVER PURCHASE A GIFT CARD FROM ARMANI EXCHANGE!!! Their policy is to not allow any cash refund for gift cards. I purchased a large gift card for my son who is very slim and tall. Nothing fit in the entire store.  I presented the gift card, receipt, and credit card used to purchase the card, but was told that they only give store credit. I asked if we could purchase items and then return them, but they can only be returned for store credit.
We contacted the district manager who also reiterated this policy.
The sales associate was BY FAR the most RUDE person I have ever encountered.
California Law states that the store can determine the policy on gift cards.
I will never spend another dime at this retailer. They are horrible.
1 - Gore S.: This was written to District manager with no apology or returned phone call.
 

I did not appreciate the way your employee Michelle (manager) in charge on Sunday November 28 handled the situation. My fiance and I visited the store and we had a return for about $199.24. We also had about $500.00 worth of clothes we wanted to buy.  Basically we were exchanging clothes.  

While we were waiting in line for the exchange, Michelle, the manager was performing the return for another client who did not have the receipt and she was issued a store credit. When it was our turn, another associate was helping us at the cash register.  When we got there we presented the receipt.

The associate performed the return and was about to give us a refund but she needed manager's approval and she called Michelle, the manager.  Michelle came over, looked at the receipt and stated that she could not approve the return because it was paid with PayPal and not with credit card like visa, then she would have approved the return. 

My fiance politely asked if it would be possible to return the items without the receipt for the store credit since we were there for the exchange, which meant that we would spend more money and pay the difference.  Michelle started arguing stating that since they did not sell these items in the store she could not do a return at all and she told my fiance that she should stop shopping on line and start shopping in the store.  Michelle was raising her voice and her attitude was very unprofessional! My fiance had to remind her that she just asked a question and was not looking for an argument!

When my fiance asked for the manager's name she only stated that her first name was Michelle knowing that there is another manager with the same first name. She refused to give her last name stating it was against the policy.

Michelle's attitude was extremely unprofessional; she made an argument out of simple situation!  We contacted the district manager who took several weeks to respond, also not professional!  This situation made us not to want to step into this store ever again and also because of the return policy we do not want to shop on line either!

Put yourself in our shoes because of this situation and ask yourself a question, what you would do in this situation? Until today online store failed to return some money stating they processed a return on December 10, 2010. They advice me to call PayPal to see why they still don't have a credit posted and PayPal stated that they simply do not have a refund on the PayPal account.

I am tired of this whole thing and this is completely unfair to me.  Is this how Armani Exchange treats their customers?
5 - Luke B.: Service here is TOP NOTCH, MICHELLE IS AWESOME!!! I'm just sorry that they didn't have what I wanted in my size. After receiving exceptionally poor service @ Burberry I thought that Palo Alto had lost it's small town feel. Michelle showed me it hadn't. Next time I need anything I be head back. It's also a good excuse to visit home a little more. I'm a relationship guy & this looks like the beginning of a beautiful relationship.
1 - Edda O.: After 5 minutes in the store, I wanted to walk right out. The lady who stood near the shirts looked like she rather be elsewhere. She saw us looking for sizes but just stared (right in front of us), would be nice for her to help...

The we decided we wanted to order them n get them mailed to us. There was so much confusion because the really nice guy behind the counter who was calling the stores thought she processed the order, but she never did. Even after 15 minutes of us shopping around - no one still started the processing of the 2 shirts that we wanted shipped.

At  the register the pieces of clothing we put aside were all over the place. Just when we were ready to pay, 2 more items popped up because they left it on one side. The lady who "helped" us with the shirts,  ended up helpin us and she had no smile, lots of attitude and NO THANK YOU... 

After spending over $500 in the store, i hope they dont make any commission of the clothes because none of them (except the nice guy) deserves it. I would not walk back into this store...

The two  ladies have to remember that they work in the service industry and have to check their attitudes at the door the moment they clock in to work. I am so appalled...

I could go on about more but this is the gist of it.
5 - Boris M.: Great Service, I likle their staff very helpful and easy to work with always show you they cool staff that I would like to buy.
2 - D.J. T.: Tiny Tiny TINY store!!! Even when there are few customers in here, its still really cramped!

I prefer the Valley Fair location due to the selection and customer service. On my most recent visit here, the employees were just standing around and chatting amongst each other about whatever. I wasn't even acknowledged.

The clearance sections aren't as tidy as well!
4 - Eileen L.: I love AX ... especially this location . They have pretty clothes in their sales section .
4 - Sonny L.: It was my first time here at this Armani location browsing around and the customer service was great from the friendly staff here.  A staff came up to me and explain the last day sale they had and how lucky i was today.  Lol....she was funny and awesome.

Armory the - Atlanta, GA (33.7773272, -84.3828626) (Midtown)
1 - Flip C.: Oh my god, is The Armory still even open?  If it is, I bet it still sucks.  This gay bar had its heyday back about 4 or 5 years ago, back when Backstreet was still around and the drinking laws were lax.  I've never been there and had fun at the same time.  Check it out and let us know if it's still even alive.
5 - Tim F.: It's long gone.   But was my favorite place.

Armstrong Garden Center - Claremont, CA (34.107593, -117.700624) ()
5 - Pam S.: OUTSTANDING Customer Service! Quality products! They get such a LARGE variety of Bulbs I literally come here and frolic for HOURS!!

I have come to this Garden Center for years now I buy nearly all my bulbs, seeds, soil and garden accessories from here. They are always helpful and patient with me, and believe me I always have back yard dilemmas. There very good at taking plants back that have not made it... seeds that didn't grow or flower, this place is AWESOME!

Located next to the Arco gas station they have plenty of parking and usually someone ready, willing and able to walk you out with your large purchases. What more could you ask for?

Respectfully Reviewed
3 - Jason J.: I stopped into this Armstrong for a quick breeze through a garden centre, looking for a few specific things.  ike most garden centres in the area, they don't necessarily have most of the stuff I'm looking for (subtropicals, certain named varieties, etc).  They do have a good selection of plants from Monrovia Gardens, but they tend to be pricey, and not necessarily what I'm looking for; they do however offer to order you what you might like, so it's a good option if you're really after something specific.

Since the closing of the Rancho Cucamonga Armstrong outlet, this has become the nearest Armstrong, and it's a good garden centre.  It's not my favourite, but it's a good bet to find plants that are well taken care of, and for 98% of gardeners, they probably have exactly what you're looking for, and a bunch of stuff you'll end up buying that you didn't know you wanted in the beginning.
4 - Amy B.: Really good selection of plants and solid customer service.  A little pricey, but all the plants I've gotten from there so far have been very healthy and are still going strong.   That's more than I can say for some of the lower -priced plants I've gotten from big chains, so I think that overall, Armstrong works out to be less expensive for much better quality.
4 - TM S.: When I want to invest in quality shrubs & need a guarantee it will thrive, this is my go to.  If your shrub fails, you return it. It's that easy. I'm embarrassed to say I  have had to take advantage of this very service a few times in the past decade despite the fact that their plants are that good. Plus their friendly staff really know their stuff. So if you want a gorgeous garden & you want the knowledge & know how plus quality products that are guaranteed, this is your gardening haven.
1 - Ken B.: I tried to order plants from this store and the manager (Dave) was not very helpful. Never called me to give a status update and when I went into the store to inquire, my response was that we will see if they are there on a certain day and then only could we see how much of my order would be filled. When I asked about contacting the grower for verification, he seemed agitated I would ask to that and said "we have always done it this way." Planning a large scale planting is not conducive to the wait and see theory, if you can't get them I will go elsewhere. Seems to me, that when someone orders a large amount of flowers and in reality over pays, then I would expect exceptional service. Not here...very disappointed. I found better prices (same quality plants) and way more helpful employees elsewhere.
5 - Barbara O.: I went to the Armstrong Garden Center in Torrance and walked out in disgust over their terrible customer service so I stopped by this one when I was nearby.  I met Jarred, their assistant manager and he was a great help.  I walked out with more than I had planned but I don't regret it because I will finally have a garden.  If you're a a beginner don't frustrate yourself by shopping at the big box stores.  These guys will give you lots of help and you'll have a better chance of success.  They also have a better variety of plants and accessories.
4 - Wendy B.: What can I say?  We do not have an Armstrongs nearby, so we travel quite a distance, either to Anaheim Hills, or this one in Claremont, when Armstrong's has something we want.  I know, I know.  There are so many nurseries between here and there, but Armstrong's has really nice, healthy plants.  

Our  most recent purchase was for cool weather tomatoes.  They do carry a few varieties here.  We can plant these in So Cal in the late summer and squeek yet another harvest of heirloom tomatoes out before it finally gets too cold.

Besides, their stores, inside and out, are nicely maintained and inviting.  Add to that, their whimsical garden art, furniture, vast selection of seeds and other garden supplies, and they are hard to ignore.  

Their staff is helpful and knowledgable.  I feel like I can always count on them even though they usually price things higher than your ordinary garden nursery. 

We choose to frequent Armstrongs, especially when the little guy businesses don't have what we need.  I will overlook the fact they are yet another mega chain store.
4 - Szeying t.: This place is really the most friendly and helpful Armstrong I've ever been to..  and they have one of the best selections of plants, shrubs, herbs and veggies. They also have a ton of other gardening needs like pots, soil, tools for reasonable prices etc... so it's a one stop shop for gardeners.

Did you know that they have a tree guarantee? Yep, if you tree dies unexpectedly, they will replace it as long as you bring in proof of purchase. It's a forever guarantee! I was also pleasantly surprised when we mistakenly thought that their guarantee covered smaller plants, and brought back a number of plants that died on us a couple days later.. and the manager was nice enough to replace them for us, even though they were not covered. We were just given a friendly "warning" that those smaller plants would not be covered in the future. It was a nice gesture for a rookie mistake.
4 - Ayami H.: Lots of choices and lots of bees.
Everyone there is very helpful and will answer any of your questions.
Love their flower and plan selections. 
Now only if they didn't have so many bees...

Army & Navy Thayer Street - Providence, RI (41.8295942, -71.4007391) (College Hill)
4 - Jules W.: This is a fun place to go.  Is your Vietnam Veteran ball cap getting threadbare?  No problem; they gottem.  Always wanted to wear a l970's Bundeswehr battle jacket?  Just choose your size, mein Herr.  You say your Swiss Army Knife is boring you and you want something a bit more aggro?  Just look in the glass case up front.

A few weeks ago I wanted a Zippo lighter.  Went downtown Providence and couldn't find anything more authentic than a Chinese clone.  Went up to the smoke shop on Thayer and it was closed for some reason - so it was off to Army & Navy.  Bingo!  They had one...sheesh, they got everything! Whether it's jungle boots, Foreign Legion-style para berets, web gear or any other paramilitary delight, these folks will hook you up faster than you can yell "HOO-rah!"

It's a bit cramped and not easy to get around in but hey, that's part of the charm of places like this.  Reminds you of those early mornings in the barracks with fifty leven million guys all bustling around trying to get ready for morning formation.
2 - Jay D.: So this place is ok if you're looking for random costume stuff but I can't lie... the staff there couldn't  care less if you were alive let alone buying something from them. It's a tiny little place but they have a good assortment of hats and uniforms. 

They have a glass display with more 'tough' items like knives, metals etc. I have found the occasional piece in there to complete a costume... it's just meh. Not good, not bad... worth a pop in if you're on Thayer anyway.

If you need a lil extra bonus to your costume, this is your kinda place.

Arnet's - Troy, NY (42.7310342, -73.6878583) ()
4 - Michael S.: Ah, Arnet's. The swiss army knife of lunch.

When we can't make up our mind what we're doing at lunch, we almost always default to Arnet's. While it may be true that some of their offerings are carefully rearranged items from elsewhere on the menu, everything is always delicious and hot, or cold, appropriately.

I've always enjoyed the sweet potato fries and mac salad as an accompaniment to a turkey club or a buffalo chicken wrap.

While we usually get our lunch to go, dining in is a pleasant experience too. All of the tables are slightly different and look like they were collected from different yard sales or maybe donated by friends. It gives the place a unique look. Last year they expanded to the neighboring storefront, so they must be doing something right!

My only gripe with Arnet's is that it seems to be nearly impossible to get on their fax list for daily specials. We tried desperately for weeks to get added, but eventually gave up. This is a shame because they usually have some pretty creative specials, and if we knew what they were we'd probably go more often!
4 - Allie L.: I was visiting Troy for the weekend and staying with some friends and they said that we had to go to Arnet's. They've been going since it first opened and I can see why. It's a very simple little place but the food is great and the owners are extremely friendly. It's called Arnet's because it is owned by a husband and wife named Arnie and Annette hence: Arnet's. I had the best dinner omelet I'd ever had there. The Meat and Cheese Omelet. Usually, I hesitate to order an omelet at a dinner because they're always rubbery and over cooked but this one was cooked just right and filled with meat and cheese. Their french toast was also quite good. It was very soft bread and almost tasted like fried dough. The only thing I would skip would be the hash browns. When I got mine, they were barely cooked. They were basically still raw potato. Maybe the chef wasn't paying attention that day or something. Anyways, if you're in Troy, definitely stop in.
2 - akin t.: I have lived really close to this   for almost five years, and I have never once visited until this week. And I don't think I missed anything.

Arnet's prepares typical American food. It has a distinctly Trojan decor. And they are centrally located in lovely downtown Troy. The restaurant is rarely crowded, I think this is because of the hours. Arnet's closes early, I think it shuts by 5pm most weekday afternoons. I expect that it opens early, but I am not an early riser. Whatever, the reason, I think you can always find a seat at Arnet's for weekday lunch.

Arnet's does American lunch and breakfast, omelets, sandwiches and similar fare. I tried the hot turkey, which consists of white bread toast, sliced turkey breast and gravy with a side of fries. The fries were hot, and I am not altogether sure they were frozen, but I am sure that they were better than the normal crappy frozen fries most restaurants provide. The hot turkey was a bit cold - and no that isn't funny. Pretty decent service, but I don't think Arnet's is anything special. But in there defence, I am not a big fan of this type of food, I prefer my fare to have some kick.

Arni's Market Square - Lafayette, IN (40.4305013, -86.8723941) ()
4 - Amy J.: My boyfriend is from Lafayette and he loves this joint. It is one of the places he and many of his friends "have to go to" when they visit the folks in Lafayette. We all have our special home town favorites. Our waitress told us that "So many people stop here on their way home from the airport before they even get to grandma's house!"

Their pizza is this crust and is cut up into little squares which is good for sharing. There aren't many exciting options on the menu (but I know I am spoiled since I live in SF) and there is not really anything "healthy" except for a plain salad. 

Might as well forget about calorie counting and get a stromboli or pizza. 

"Meet ya at Arni's" is their motto.  Have fun! Oh, and beware... they have not banned smoking in Lafayette yet, so if you're a non-smoker definitely sit in the non-smoking section!
4 - Mat B.: The pizza here is so good and addictive.  I've made my parents ship it out to me in California, and I hear that Axl Rose does the same thing.  The pasty tomato sauce, the perfectly flexible thin crust, and the copious, finely chopped toppings...  It's a lot like Pizza King, but less crude.  

The strombolis are not as good as the Pizza King in Delphi, which has the best stromboli on the planet (whatever that's worth).  Only the Texas BBQ here has any zest.
1 - Adam B.: Maybe I'm spoiled having moved from Lafayette to NYC, but even when I lived here I thought the pizza was a joke. The pizza is basically just a round piece of cardboard that is then cut into squares. I don't know if people in Lafayette have never had 'real' pizza before, but when I've described Arni's to people elsewhere they literally start to laugh, and rightfully so. 
If you want good pizza in town, head over to Bruno's. Although pizza shouldn't be cut into squares, I will give them a pass.
3 - Michael B.: I'll just say that the pizza comes in little tiny E=PIE sq. portions....?
  The locals "rave" about the sliced salad w/french dressing; It's not bad!
5 - Josh H.: This is the first place I go to when I come back in town!

BBQ Pizza and Arni's Jr. w/ French dressing are my favorites.  Stromboli's and Haw. Pizzas are great too.

I grew up on this pizza, so this is my standard....however some outsiders might not get it.  Their loss!
4 - Daniel N.: pizza is great, in decently small portions but it has a great taste!  the crust is crunchy, and the toppings are plentiful.  if you aren't much of one for this type of pizza, they also have sandwiches and other entrées to order from.  the salads are surprisingly good (because i seldom tend to enjoy salads).  the reason that i gave it a four is because of the small portions and sometimes the restaurant seems smoky on the inside.
4 - Chelsea R.: I'm new to the area, and new to old established places with great food at great prices.  I was sent on a mission to KFC, but as we discovered the local chicken place closed, so we made the decision to try Arni's.

I was delighted by the friendly service at the take out counter!  I wanted an Italian Beef (I love Chicago style), and I ordered the closest thing.  The boss wanted a big cobb salad.

The food was delivered to my very comfortable waiting area promptly, and I was delighted by the customer service.

My sandwich was great!  It wasn't chicago style, but that's okay we're in Indiana!

I loved the taste of the food and the customer service.  I highly recommend this restaurant!
5 - Jason J.: I have to admit that every pizza place I've ever been to in my adult life has been held in comparison to Arni's. I grew up on Arni's and I know everyone always says whatever pizza they grew up on is the best, but in this case it's 100% true.

Arni's is thin-crust, cut into squares, and is very generous with the toppings. Greasy as all heck so definitely not good for you in any way, shape or form.

Every year or so when I travel back to visit the family Arni's is either my very first stop or it's a place I go to shortly after I get there. If I could figure out how to have my dad ship me out a fresh Arni's pizza I would probably have to do it every month or so. Best pizza in the WORLD, hand's down.
4 - Dobie L.: The pizzas are good but their salads are really really good. I always ended up eating big salads with their yummy poppy seed dressing instead of having pizzas.
4 - Megan C.: If you are from Lafayette, you don't need to read this review you already know about Arni's.  If you don't know about Arni's, you should know I'm biased to like it because I live in Lafayette.

I honestly am giving four stars for the arnie's junior salad.  I'm not sure why I like it soooo much..I think it is because there are little slices green onions.  I personally prefer my salad sans meat, because I am scared of cubed ham and turkey.  The pizza is a thin crust Pizza King style pizza, which is pretty good but not ground breaking.
4 - trish g.: Meet you here!  Any time, just give me a call...
4 - Kim R.: I don't live in Indiana anymore, but when I do come home Arni's is always on my list of places I want to eat. The salad is one of the simplest but best I have eaten. The thin crust pizza is tasty as well. There is a very good chance I will visit Arni's next week when I am home.
5 - Patrick B.: I live in Chicago and when I visit family in Lafayette I always make sure I stop off at Arni's for an Arni's Jr. salad and a pepperoni & sausage pizza. They are both so delicious, I really wish I could find a pizza place similar to this in Chicago. I seriously crave this stuff.

Most of the toppings are ground up fine and spread accross the entire pizza from edge to edge. There is little crust on the pizza and they're cut in magnificent squares of yummyness.

While the classic pepperoni & sausage is my favorite, the deluxe and bbq pizzas are equally fantastic. Don't pass up the Jr. salad either, piled high with little bits of ham & turkey, cheese and some of the best homemade dressings I've had. The Jr. salad is big enough for a meal on it's own.

I've tried a few of the other offerings here, and while they're pretty good as well, there's nothing quite as good as an Arni's pizza and salad.
4 - M B.: Was in town for work and this place was recommended by some friends. A little skeptical about going for pizza when it seems like there are so many good middle eastern places I decided to trust their advice and am SO glad!

The pizza was wonderful! I got a 10 inch with the gluten free crust and you would never have known the crust was gf. The pepperoni was crumbled with the perfect amount and the pizza was just plain old fantastic.
4 - Tom M.: I don't know what it is about this place. It's like all the negatives combine into a positive. You walk into the place and the first thing you see is the takeout pizza counter with a bunch of guys making pizza and sliding them into ovens in a mesmerizing display nothing short of ballet. The pizza is made on pre-fab dough circles slathered with tomato sauce, seasoned cheese, and toppings right to the edge. The pepperoni is ground and as greasy as it gets. The subs have thin slices of ham, bologna and salami piled high with mozzarella cheese. (Arni's used to be affiliated with the Pizza King chain, but broke away and have their own regional chain of restaurants, yet retained the same style of pizza and subs.) But this place sells more salads than pizzas! The Arni's Jr. Salad is a a local legend. Chopped iceberg lettuce piled with cubed ham and turkey, sliced radishes, green onion, and more of the same mozzarella cheese they pile on the pizzas. Your choice of dressing served on the side as it should be. What sets Arni's apart from many similar pizza joints is the expanded menu that includes a selection of open face sandwiches, one of its well-kept secret offerings. The place also has legendary service and waitresses work there for years because of the good pay, good tips, and good benefits offered by the management. There are three dining areas. The family dining room has been recently remodeled. A second dining area is decorated with old toys and is a fun place to take kids. The third dining area is a bar. The place is always busy and always crowded. You can find a lot not to like about this place, but it's also a great experience and in the end, you won't be disappointed.
5 - Angy B.: My all-time favorite eatery. I've lived all over the country, but whenever I visit my hometown of Lafayette I MUST stop at Arni's. (My family jokes I visit to go to Arni's, not to see them.) I love their Arni's Junior Salad and pizzas. Nobody has a crust like Arni's, or that incredible salty greasy ground pepperoni. It's a great sit-down family restaurant, with waitresses I still remember from my childhood! (I'm in my 40's now).
LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!
3 - Jesse B.: I enjoy their pizza's. Mostly the thin crust pepperoni. The pepperoni is not traditionally sliced. Instead it looks like it has been shredded in to small bits. Very tasty! Their salads are also very tasty....and normally large. I tend to make it a Jr. sized portion. 
   They also serve a variety of starters, sandwiches, soups, pastas, hamburgers, and etc. Worth a try
4 - Kinsey E.: Arni's is a Lafayette institution and I've been coming here since I was a little girl.  This is the go-to place for out of towners.  My older sisters drive straight to Arni's when they visit from Texas.  They've even asked us to bring pizza and salads with us on the plane when we visit them!

The food here is pretty good, but not outstanding.  They have a pretty good variety of pizza, sandwhiches, burgers and pasta dishes.  I love to order their Arni's Junior salad and have a piece of pizza when I go.Their pizza is crispy thin crust, which isn't my favorite but people go crazy for it.  

My favorite place to sit is the Toy Room, the right most room in Arni's.  It's decorated with toys and even has a miniature train set that runs around one of the room.  This place is great for kids (and maybe not so great for people like me who don't like dining around kids).  

All in all: a great place to try if you're in Lafayette!
1 - Danon H.: I don't why they say "Best pizza in Lafayette" for anyways. Because they are certainly not! I have been here on a number of occasions and notice several things. The service is always slow, the pizza is way too greasy, never been a fan of thin crust pizza's (especially ones with too much salt on the crust), also the waitress's seriously need to brush up on their people skills!  The salads were also a bitter disgrace, I mean come on that thing was mostly meat and cheese. I won't set foot in this place if I could ever help it. In my honest opinion grocery store pizza's are better than what these guys have to offer!
3 - Jessica J.: Being from Lafayette, IN this is my husband's favorite pizza.  He talks about it like it some mythical substance.  When we come back to visit his family I swear we plan the Arni's dinners as much as anything else!  

According to the hubby and the father in law this one used to be the "best" Arni's because of the ovens.  I guess they renovated awhile back and it isn't the same.  

We always get a large pepperoni.  It is square cut so the outer edges are a bit easier to eat than the middle pieces which tend to be gooey.  It is very thin and crispy pizza and the pepperoni are diced (not sliced) - which I like. It is also extremely greasy pizza -- which I don't like.  

To me it is just pizza. It is unique because of the diced pepperoni and the way they cut it, but it doesn't haunt my dreams and call me back for more! It is just OK!  

Service was great here and there is plenty of parking. Oh and if you take out they put your pizza in a bag, not a box.  You'll see....I think it's weird, but I guess it works!

Arnold Valdez, DDS - Claremont, CA (34.107435, -117.734773) ()
5 - Patrick N.: Dr. Valdez is simply THE BEST out there.  I have been going to him for about 25 years now.  He has always been kind andhe always makes a point of greeting the patient and thoroughly explaining the treatement and his concerns.  He understands the influence of posture on the jaw (TMJ) and how that can relate to so many things.  He, on many occasions, chose a cheaper course of action simply because it would save the tooth (as opposed to doing a root canal, which would have made his office much more money).
 
You will also never find an office that has more up-to-date equipment than Dr. V.  Everything from lasers to high-pressure water drills to machines that make the crowns then and there, to x-ray machines that produce immediate, high-res images, to 3-D photo machine.  On and on...
 
The Dr. is a genuinely nice person, but you will certainly appreciate his expertise.
5 - D H.: For over fifteen years, I have been driving 100 miles (one way) to see this dentist.  Now I will be flying in from the bay area.  He is AMAZING!!  He only performs procedures that are necessary, and he makes it pain free without numbing injections!  He has a state of the art facility.  I can't imagine ever going to another dentist! Dr. V ROCKS!
5 - Robin L.: We've tried several dentists over the years in the san gabriel area and this one is the best by a landslide. Friendly and knowledgeable staff, they actually explain what they are doing, why, and ways your can take better care of your teeth. No up-selling here. We had been told my husband needed a crown, but Dr Valdez was able to do just a filling. He is very conservative in his practices, which I like. All his equipment is high quality and state of the art. I recommend him to everyone since he is so personable and really cares about his patients.
5 - Stephanie l.: I'm not surprised that people fly here. He is amazing. I have a terrible fear of the dentist.. but Dr. Valdez is amazing. I have been coming here for years now. I was told by three dentists that I need a crown and root canal. But Dr. Valdez was able to fill the cavity, and I haven't had a problem since. I was having a tooth ache and they made time in their booked schedule to see me. They are honest and quick, I have never had to wait over 5 mins in their office :)

Arnold's Fine Jewelry - Pasadena, CA (34.1397033, -118.131722) (Pasadena)
5 - Joanna O.: Arnold's is great.  Whenever I need a piece of jewelry fixed, sized, polished, etc. they always do a fantastic job for a reasonable price.  Everyone who works there is super-friendly and totally willing to answer all sorts of dumb questions.  
For example, Grandma thinks that she is dying and so she is giving away all of her worldly possessions.  She gave me her watch.  It was stopped.  I took it to Arnold's and they, without laughing in my face, showed me how to wind the watch.  Then, they advised me that the watch was not water resistant and that water could get into the watch and ruin it.  And, if I do get it wet, I need to bring it to them right away so they can save it.  Great, Grandma gave me a gremlin watch!
4 - charles l.: Arnold's is located in the beige colored building in the middle of the Lake shopping center. I brought my Kenneth Cole watch in to replace the battery. 5 minutes and 7 dollars later, I find myself back on the sidewalk. 

Fast and friendly service rocks! Four stars.

Notes: They have a dedicated watch guy, so your service depends on his lunch and break times. Also, he does not service some watch manufacturers/technology (i.e., Citizen Eco Drives), so be sure to call in and get some advice first.
4 - Terry C.: I came in to have the strap replaced on a used watch I just bought.  Someone very friendly came immediately to help me and presented me with a selection of appropriate straps.  The prices were posted on the straps, so it made it very easy to make a choice.  The woman helping me put the strap on my watch and swapped out the buckle on the strap to match the color of the case of my watch at no cost.  I paid with my credit card and was on my way.

Quick, friendly, had what I needed -- what else needs to be said?

Oh, I didn't use their parking lot because I had already parked for something else and walked up to the jewelry shop.  But, from what I saw, there is plenty of metered parking close by and a mall across the street.
5 - Andrea O.: My gold chain necklace was accidentally torn apart during my last visit to the chiropractor. After doing some research on yelp (thanks yelpers!!!), I found Arnold's in Pasadena. 

Parking is free for two hours in the back lot, which makes the shop very accessible. 

Anyway, my necklace was fixed in less than a day and THEY CHARGED ME NOTHING!!! $0! They told me my necklace just needed to be reconnected and since they didn't have to weld anything together, it was FREE!

Who does anything for free nowadays?! Thank you Arnold's!!

Btw, they also sell vintage jewelry (including old watches).

This shop has also been around for more than 100 years, very experienced and dependable!!
5 - David H.: It's Worth the Drive....

I don't care where you live in Southern California, if you actually care about getting a vintage or contemporary watch repaired.....the first time... and correctly, then Arnold's Fine Jewelry in Pasadena should be your only consideration. 

They have a Watchmaker on site, which is not the same as Sid, the guy down the block who may or may not have the ability to change the battery in your Seiko. Unless you want to live dangerously, and walk on the wild side, go for it.  Did I mention that their prices are about
a third to half of what you'd pay on the Westside?

They are the only ones I trust with any of my vintage watches.
So, if you need to have a watch serviced, repaired or restored these are the folks to talk to. You get the kind of service that our grandparents would be familiar with; where integrity still means something. 

They're located on South Lake which is not too far off of the 210 in Pasadena.
5 - Michelle K.: the owner, mr. arnold, helped me and he was a kind grandfatherly figure and such a polite gentleman.  i felt like i was transported back to the old english days when people were so courteous and regal.  

the service was wonderful and i got a new battery on my watch in less than 5 minutes for $8.
1 - Lauren K.: Bruce, the owner, has the attitude where he believes he can act and say whatever he wants without realizing that people have a CHOICE of who they can go to. He was completely disrespectful and thinks because he's been around forever he can treat people rudely. I would NOT recommend him to people if they are truly looking for good customer service.
5 - Sarah R.: Convenience?  Check.
Two hour free parking in a huge lot behind the strip mall where Arnolds is located.  Not a commonality in Pasadena at all.

Friendly staff?  Check.
Even though all the staff were engaged with customers, I still got a warm greeting and received attention about 2 minutes later.

Competent service?  Check.
I needed a replacement pin on my Rolex watch but was a bit nervous to take it just anywhere.  The on-site repairman not only took care of it within 5 minutes, but he came out to explain what he did, but educatde me on the types of pins typically used and what he could do to further service my watch down the road (with ZERO pressure to do so, might I add).

Above and beyond?  Double check!
Not did all of the above make for a pleasant experience and a repaired watch, I wasn't charged a single penny.  Since it was such an easy fix and very commonplace, the repairman told me no charge.

I will absolutely be visiting this shop again in the future and highly recommend it to all.
5 - Tanya B.: One of the tiny micro-pave'd stones fell out of the band of my engagement ring, so I took it to Arnold's.  I have also taken rings there for sizing, fitting, and general maintenance.  Service is always friendly, prices are fair, and the repairs are more than competently done.  Parking is free and convenient, in the parking lot behind the store.
5 - john s.: Great place with Friendly staff and cheap prices.I took two watches in for repair. The staff were kind and courteous and called me when they were ready. Will definitely be going back there
5 - Brandon T.: One of the best places to get your watch fixed!

Brought my Rolex in to get cleaned, fixed, sized, and bracelet replaced for under $30. What a great deal! Customer service was great and with such a vast knowledge about jewelry. One of the best in Pasadena with great customer service. I was helped out as soon as I stepped into the building. They are very experience and extremely trustworthy. They service a lot of high end items and can be trusted with them.

Will be coming back in the future.
5 - Sam V.: "Are they giving away free samples?" was the question of the woman in the lobby.  The place WAS packed, but there were no "free samples".  There were many happy clients there for 'this and that'.  I was there for my free "diamond check up and cleaning"  for my ring,  after about 20 minutes, it was "no cavities", but as I was waiting , David told another woman her diamond stones were loose and he needed to fix her ring.  So much better than having a lost stone.  

Clean jewelry is happy jewelry.One of my friends even commented on how good my ring looked.
5 - Cheryl G.: I've been going to Arnolds for a couple of yers now.  When I inherited a bunch of jewelry they helped me go through it, make decisions, and rapaired a bunch of stuff.  They also mounted a pin on a peice that was never finished.  I also bring my watches here.

They are truly an old-fashioned family jewelers - I see lots of customers who have been going here for years, some times all three generations.  They have a wide selection of jewelry at various price points, all good quality.  Love the estate jewelry display - they do consignments and there is always somethign new/interesting.

The staff are friendly, well educated and patient.  Always very professional, they don't give the asinine attitude that I have seen in other, newer shops - the "Oh, I'm going to assume I dont need to spend time with you because you look like you can't afford it".  As if you can tell from what someone is wearing on a Saturday morning how much is in their bank account!  Just because I'm wearing jeans and a t-shirt doesn't mean I'm not in the market for a tiara, you fools!

I refer all my Pasadena friends to Arnolds - never heard a bad word about them!
5 - Michael S.: I bought an engagement ring here largely because of the strength of Arnold's reputation. All of the positive reviews are spot on. The customer service is impeccable, and their knowledgable staff made a very difficult process nearly painless. They have earned my future jewelry business.
5 - Marilyn B.: I've been a customer of Arnold's for at least 20 years and find their merchandise and service to be top level. Their prices are always reasonable and service done promptly. Be sure to study the consignment case, since the jewelry here changes frequently and usually includes some treasures!

Aroma Cafe - Champaign, IL (40.1170817, -88.2435168) ()
4 - Kevin M.: This cafe is usually crowded, and for good reason.  It's got a great ambiance, it's comfortable, the food and drinks are good, the baristas know what they're doing, and it's in a great location in downtown Champaign.  The menu has more "real" food than most coffeeshops, including hummus and cheese plates, as well as a very tempting selection of sweets.  The Chai is delicious, but vegans beware, Big Train brand chai contains milk powder (as I learned from a helpful barista here).  Of course, there is free Wifi.  In a city of comfy coffee shops, this one is a great recent addition.
4 - Patrick B.: Great drinks and a wonderful atmosphere.  A very chic look combined with comfy seating.  Their food is so-so, but reasonably priced nonetheless.  Aroma is definitely my favorite Champaign cafe.
4 - Amanda W.: Wonderful, comfortably cheery atmosphere.  It's so warm and cozy to sit here on a winter night with a hot beverage and a book, or a cheese plate and Scrabble with my husband.  The drinks are wonderful; I haven't really had anything here I didn't like.  In addition to the usual coffee/tea concoctions, they have juices and a few alcoholic beverages.  The food is also quite good, unlike a lot of other coffee shops I've tried.  Try the quesadilla or the Aroma Salad.  Good music, too!  My only beef with them is that they close super-early in the evenings during semester break, meaning that those of us who actually LIVE here don't get to partake while the students are gone.  I would understand if Aroma were located closer to campus and got the vast majority of their business from college students, but every time I'm there, I see quite a few non-students, so I see no reason for them to close early.
3 - Elizabeth B.: I worked at Aroma Cafe, on Neil between Park and University, for 2 1/2 years, so I can safely say that I've eaten just about anything that could come out of their kitchen. It's not amazing, but it's all good stuff. The kids quesadilla is the best deal on the menu. There's front and back patio seating, which can be important as seating indoors fills up quickly when school is in session. They have music Thursday nights which can be very hit or miss.
5 - Safiya N.: I moved here from the Bay Area, the second largest coffeehouse metropolis outside of possibly Seattle. My first week in town consisted primarily of the hunt for "the right" coffee shop where the words "extra foamy" meant the wet foam, not dry, to provide a perfect foundation for latte art. If you know latte, then you must know Cafe Aroma. The consistency from barista to barista is not the same, so I send a word of caution. I have my favorite latte rainmaker, and I ask him for his schedule so I can come when he's there. I'm serious. The owner also is there often, and he absolutely knows what he is doing when it comes to making the perfect latte. Things like this are too important to play with. Go straight to Cafe Aroma and save yourself $30 of bad experimentation at the other coffee shops in town.
3 - Eric P.: Aroma is my cappuccino stop on a sunny Sunday afternoon walk. Which makes me neither a laptop-toting regular, nor a complete one-timer. The caps are usually good -- until last Sunday. The tired guy behind the counter was in a big hurry to get on with his life, apparently, because instead of a cappuccino, he made a latte. The other guy behind the counter practically argued with me when I explained the drink was "wrong" simply by the sheer weight of the cup. Finally, they redid it, but it was still the worst cappuccino I have ever had there.

The atmosphere is nice, and food is not bad. However, the snack selection is practically non-existent. For that, you gotta hit Pekara next door.

Odd Aroma Cafe story: one Sunday, I ask for a San Pellegrino. The tall kid behind the counter says he can't serve it to me. "Why?" I ask. "Because I'm under-age" comes the answer. Wooot! You gotta be kidding, kid. After picking myself up off the floor, I explain it's fizzy water, he asks someone for help, I get the bottle (no brown paper bag) and we get outta there. And with this story, I just realized I am one step closer to the yuppies I'd always mocked. Well, I will suck it up.
5 - Teej T.: I have changed my mind.  Aroma, you are my new favourite coffee shop in CU, and not just because you kept me full of coffee and happiness this weekend while I toiled over everything from Marx to historiography.  Your workers were ridiculously friendly, your huge ass coffee mugs were on point, and the Beef and Cheddar sandwich was sabroso.  You win.
2 - Bailey B.: update 5/8/09

Yuck to their pastries.  Every time I go here (not too often, but if Kopi is crowded or has rudely turned off their internet) their hours have changed.  Now the sign says "For Now Hours" so who knows what it will be next time?  They didn't have anything that looked that tempting, but I had a huge sweet tooth, and tried a brownie.  It was hard as a rock.  I should have taken it back, but I didn't because I would have had to sit their and drink my coffee anyway since I was given one of their tiny "here" cups (which probably wouldn't have taken me too long in reality).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

update 11/15/2008:
I have dropped Aroma just an "eh" rating...

Cafe Kopi was horribly crowded, so I trudged back out into the cold and headed to Aroma.  There was a nice size table free, and it's much brighter in there (which I found jarring at first, but got used to it).  I ordered my standard "Grande House Coffee" and when asked "for here or to go" I said "for here" because I had planned to stay to do some homework.  Well she gave me my coffee in this tiny little mug.  I asked her, "Is this a grande?" and she looked at me, said yes, and showed me an even tinier mug for their smalls.  There was not 16 oz of hot coffee in that tea cup.  Barely 12 oz would be my guess.  They TOTALLY short change you on the "for here" cups, so I would recommend getting a "to go" cup even if you plan on staying.  Which is unfortunate when "going green" is the thing to do...  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On an early Sunday right after moving to Champaign, I was wandering around the downtown area to see what was around, and stopped in here for a coffee and a muffin.  It's cute, there's lots of tables, free WiFi (although I didn't have my computer, I saw a couple of people with laptops out), and the people behind the counter were nice.  There's a comfy spot in the back with couches and chairs and a fireplace!  (not sure if it works though)  And they have an outdoor area as well.  The coffee was good, and if you buy one of their travel mugs, you get a discount every time you bring it in to get your coffee.  The hours are great for studying.  Overall: it's cute, and I can see myself heading back there in the future.
4 - David S.: I can't believe it took me so long to come to Aroma Cafe... Cafe Kopi was just way too crowded today so I decided to give it a try. This is definitely a nice place, and I'll be back. Plenty of seating (including, I believe, a patio in the back), free wireless, nice decor and lighting, friendly staff: everything you need from a good coffee shop. They have food too (mostly sandwiches, salads etc): I tried their raspberry chipotle chicken salad, and it was pretty good.
4 - Adam S.: Admittedly tried to go to Kopi first and was immediately turned away by the sign on the door that said NO WIFI ON WEEKENDS. Fine, fine...So off to Aroma we went and glad we landed here. It's not quite the cozy place Kopi seemed to be but the coffee is good and I like the fireplace area in the back near where we sat. Staff was also quite friendly even though it was pretty early on a Sunday morning. And oh yeah, they have wifi on the weekends. One thing they could cut back on is the muzak going in the background. Maybe the rest of the clientele like the slow jazz, dunno.
5 - Sunshine M.: Best coffeehouse in town.  The barristas are cool, especially Nicole.  Their food is also great, especially the black-bean and corn quesadilla.  The salads and wraps are way better than Pekara and way cheaper too.  I wish they had more tables and more outlets and they've always got their A/C running on high, but other than that, this place rocks!
4 - Haley L.: Aroma is a welcome respite in inclement weather after walking around all day. There is nothing pretentious about this place, lots of seating in chairs or couches, WIFI, and great staff. No one ever rushes you to leave. I can't wait to go here when it finally gets warmer and try out the back patio. 

The food offered is pretty simple fare but also cheaper than most places.
5 - Forrest I.: Aroma has delicious coffee and comfortable seating.  There are big, overstuffed chairs inside.  In back, there is a pretty patio with tables in chairs.  Aroma's patio is adjacent to Pekara Bistro's patio.  So, you can get a latte from Aroma, a crepe from Pekara, and have an excellent Sunday afternoon lunch.
4 - Christine Y.: Before there was Aroma, I thought iced vanilla lattes were supposed to taste bitter and burnt (thank you Espresso Royale...).  Now I know they are supposed to be sweet, creamy, fragrant, and oh so good.  Aroma has some of the best coffee I've ever had (but it's definitely not cheap), as well as a variety of delicious real food.  Store is cute, with a nice patio out back, but it's not the biggest place and if you're looking for a place to study and it's after lunch, you'll probably be out of luck here.  Otherwise, it's one of my favorite places to camp out (provided I woke up early enough on a Saturday morning).
3 - Deanna C.: I quite like Aroma.  It's your typical cafe, but they have a fairly wide variety of menu items and you get a good deal with their daily specials.

They have lots of seating indoors (including some cushy chairs by a fireplace in the back), and something I especially appreciated was the abundance of outlets!  There's nothing more frustrating than getting to a cafe that either a) has wireless, but you gotta pay for it, or b) has free wireless, but only two outlets for the patrons to fight over.

After ordering my hummus plate, I grabbed a table by the wall, plugged myself in, connected to the free internet, and spent a nice evening relaxing....  at least that's what I would've liked to have said.  I was actually scrambling to finish an assignment before they closed up for the day, haha.  The warm pita bread and fresh, crisp cucumbers that came with the hummus was very tasty though =)

They have a bunch of outdoor seating out back as well for when the weather is nice.
5 - Tim J.: Best coffee in Downtown Champaign. Better than Kopi, Expresso Royale and MUCH better than Pekara and Merry Anns. Coffees change daily, and they always have a pot ready regardless of the crowd. I always get a regular ol' coffee, but people who get the froofy drinks also think that Aroma is on top of their game.

The staff is always friendly and helpful to me, though some have told me they have experienced worse, but then again, I know a lot of assholes. 

The food is good, but their portions are a little small. A lunch with a large coffee is always $8-9. For $5.95 pretax, you get one of their sandwiches and moderately generous side of fruit salad, salad, or chips. They are cheaper than Pekara and Kopi. Make sure you check out their soup of the day, as they are always good and a soup and an Aroma sandwich combo is guaranteed to satisfy. 

They have pastries for sale, but I don't know why. The pastries at Pekara (next door) are way better. They also have a morning Bagel and Coffee deal for $3.50 that is pretty good: they have a bunch of different bagel and cream cheese varieties.

They also offer a discount if your work in Downtown Champaign, but they do not advertise this.
3 - Kate F.: what i love most about aroma is the outdoor seating. perfect in the spring/summer/early fall with an iced latte and a good book. 
what i love the least about aroma is the chai tea latte. for some reason, i don't know if it was the chai or the soy milk, it just wasn't good! however, i have been pleased by their other lattes (regular and vanilla), yet haven't tried any other coffee drinks thus far.
i've also had their veggie wrap and grownup grilled cheese sandwich, which were both pretty good and worth getting again. the best i've had here is the mango salsa that comes with the sandwiches. don't know what it is, but i just love this stuff (i think because of it's simplicity). 
the space of aroma is ok...i've definitely had trouble getting seating inside because of the limited space, but usually it is okay.
also love that they occasionally have live music. i have only been once when there was, and it was a pretty good experience....
and overall, i've had okay experiences with the staff....nothing really to report about because there hasn't been anyone overly rude or overly friendly...just about what you'd expect from a place like this....
4 - Nilda R.: A fantastic iced Americano at a reasonable price, served by a friendly person, and sipped in a clean and well-lit room where outlets were available in the early morning guaranteed that I could re-write that paper before presenting it.

Even the bathroom is lovely.

May we meet again, Aroma.
4 - Robert T.: i hit Aroma at least once a day.  great coffee.  great staff.  what else could i want?
4 - Jamie N.: I practically live at this coffee shop. The atmosphere is usually quieter than Kopi, and there is plenty of seating on most days; the staff is friendly and polite and know their way around a kitchen. There are outlets all along the walls, and free wifi, if that's what you're looking for. 

*See edit*
I'm addicted to the vanilla chai, but I really go there for the raspberry white chocolate scones. I challenge you to find a better scone in the world! Okay, well, maybe not the world, but they trump any pastry in every coffee shop I've ever visited. When I've been on the road, this is the first place I come back to. Aroma is home!

Also, the salsa here is amazing. It is house-made and there are two kinds: try the one with the peaches. I get it as a side with my cheese quesadilla, which is also tasty and totally worth spending my lunch money on!

Edit: 5/20/2012
Since I last reviewed Aroma, it has gone through a lot of changes, including new ownership. What's bad about this is they took away almost every single thing I loved. Those unparalleled raspberry white chocolate scones? Gone. Now they serve bloated English scones from Sweet Indulgences that are as dry and tasteless as the Sahara. Massive, extraordinary fail. I mean, there used to be epic Scone Wars over Aroma's scones--I used to try to beat these elderly ladies who worked downtown to the cafe to get my share. For real. Now the new scones just sit on a plate, untouched and unwanted, fat blobs of loathing. Anybody who likes them never had the original, heavenly scones of old. They're not even in the same category of pastry, I tell you. They offer other pastries from Sweet Indulgences, too, but they're all really expensive and not what I would eat for breakfast. (Old habits die hard.) They still sell apple fritters, I guess.

They tried to get rid of my beloved chai, as well, but then the new baristas were too mentally challenged to make bagged chai tea and they had to revert back to the mix. I guess leaving a tea bag in a cup of steamed milk requires too much comprehension. I'm glad for it, anyway, because if natural bagged chai is your thing, nobody in town is better than Kopi, which is just around the block. Competing against them is just a waste of time, so they're safer to keep the chai mix and go with what their customers already know and love.

Also, that amazing peach salsa? Yup, it's gone now, too. Forever. The whole menu has been revamped to have fancier, slightly healthier offering. I haven't been desperate enough to try any of their new food items except for the fruit salad, which is basically a bowl of chopped fruit with a yummy syrup over it, and that was good, but it was just for breakfast. I will say they seem to have spared most of their old menu's wraps and other lunch items for the time being. The Wi-Fi is also password-protected now ("sexytoast" is the key). 

At least they didn't insert that proposed "kid corner" they threatened us with earlier during the revamp. That would've sent me running for the hills instantly. As someone who comes in here regularly to find quiet and write, I can tell you the very last thing I want is to share space with a corner of screaming, running toddlers. 

I deducted Aroma a star for all of this, but find it hard to give it less than 4 stars. I've been coming to Aroma for seven years, so I think of it as my home away from home, even if it currently is a shell of what it once was. Some of the other regular customers I used to see in here are thinning out. I guess all of this will make it easier for when I move from Champaign, because now it's just depressing.
5 - Betty R.: Aroma does have the best coffee in downtown Champaign and the space is nice.
5 - Heather M.: My rating's based on Champaign-Urbana coffee houses, not other cities. I mean of course Chicago or New York has MUCH better coffee houses than Aroma Cafe, but if you're in Champaign-Urbana Aroma Cafe is as good as it gets, at least coffee wise. 

Enviornment: 3.5/5, Drinks: 5/5

Their prices are insanely reasonable and they give out a generous discount for bringing your own cup. The quality of the beans is also very good, which rocks. While Cafe Kopi (the coffee house just a street away from Aroma Cafe) roasts very well too, they can't make drinks worth shit. They don't even know how to steam milk! I got a latte their once and the milk wasn't steamed, just warmed up with the steam wand. 

I also rate Aroma Cafe highly because their prep, the way they make the drinks, is very good. Aroma Cafe actually uses a manual grinder for their espresso drinks! It's amazing! :D Most places just put the group head into an automatic. 

Their back bar might need a tid bit of work but I mean I'm getting really picky. I just feel bad for the usual lone barista doing all of the work.

In any case, if you're in Champaign-Urbana and want a quality cup of coffee this is the place to go. Cafe' Paradiso's just too expensive and every other coffe house has no idea what their doing.
5 - Karla G.: OMG!!! I am drinking a sugar free carmel cider and it is AMAZING!!! It's like a carmel apple in a cup!!!! GET IT NOW!!
3 - Ben C.: Another great downtown coffee shop. They have a nice outdoor patio and a cozy section in the back with couches and armchairs. They also have local musicians play some nights which can be quite enjoyable. The coffee and atmosphere are pretty good. Seating can be a little sparse and when it's crowded, it can be a bit hard to move around.

I don't have any complaints really, but Aroma doesn't quite have the draw for me that other downtown coffee shops have.
5 - Merry M.: Try the a-latta bananas.  Delicious!!  I asked to hold back on the banana syrup, so it wouldn't be so overpowering.  The staff is very friendly!!  And if you purchase one of their travel mugs you get a drink free then get 20% any time you come back in with the cup!
2 - David A.: It's not bad. They make a decent cup of coffee. More positives: pastries are affordable; ample seating; nice back patio area; baristas are pretty cool. 

That being said, the best coffee in town (and some of the best pastries) is  at Das Cafe in Urbana, which has theirs custom blended by Colombia in Champaign. So I guess Colombia really gets the credit on that one.
4 - Morgan M.: Good coffee, better than Espresso and Starbucks.  Seemed like nice atmosphere with possibility of tasty food, but was just there for a caffeine fix.  Will definitely go back again to try out some more stuff.
5 - Glory O.: *disclaimer* im writing this review on my memories from literally living in this place 5+ years ago. with that said......

i finished my college career at this place! in a year, i think i spent more time here than my own room!

their coffee is amazing... and the price is right for college students and those on a budget. their carb selection along with special menu items were always fresh.  :)

i do recall them having awesome salsas! i think i was about 3 americanos deep and needed to cleanse the coffee scum out of my mouth.. (eww, gross, sorry). they had a mango salsa special on the board and i have been making my mango salsa as they did ever since (or try to.. hehe).

i miss this place. it's small, cozy, the staff there were always friendly and their music selection was always on point!
3 - Marjie T.: On my quarterly-ish trips up to Champaign to see a friend, we usually find ourselves downtown walking around. This past weekend we had some time to kill before lunch so we stopped in Aroma for a drink. It was a gorgeous Saturday so we were able to take advantage of their backyard patio. It's pretty much your average coffee shop, but a few things stand out. 

One - they have sugar free almond syrup. Yum! It's one of my favorite flavors, but rarely do I find it in the sugar free variety. Two - they have a fireplace. I'm assuming it works, although I've never actually been in Aroma when it's on. Third - they have a nice patio. Although I really wish they would upgrade their patio chairs. They have the flimsy plastic kind that suck. Spend a few more bucks and get something similar to your neighbor, Pekara.

Their bakery case never looks too appealing. I'd skip on over to Pekara if you're looking for a nosh, but Aroma is a-ok for a coffee or tea.
5 - Lesley A.: I think Aroma Cafe has the best hot chocolate in the area.  To support this claim, I had a cup of cocoa here, two hours later went to another café to try their cocoa, and immediately returned to have another cup of cocoa here.  (I really need to watch my sugar intake.)

Nice place to study, great place for a study date.  There's an outdoor area too, but I have not checked it out.
5 - Evelyne T.: This cafe is wonderful!  The atmosphere is bright and cheery, the coffee is wonderful (especially the iced soy mocha), and the staff is always super courteous.  There is a nice patio in back to enjoy outside seating and there is always great art on the walls:)
5 - Sherwin C.: This cafe was a very pleasant surprise for breakfast. Every item I tried was surprisingly good.

The organic coffee came in a huge mug, bigger than most soup cups and had a really nice smooth and only slightly bitter taste. If you enjoy Intelligensia I'm sure you'd enjoy this one as well. The Italian soda was pretty normal, using Da Vinci syrup.

Both the roast beef wrap and mango chicken wrap were fresh and light with a good mix of flavors. The cream cheese is from local sources which you can clearly taste from the first bite. The sides of salad and fruit were both fresh and flavorful.

I will definitely return here on my next trip downstate.
3 - Penelope Y.: I was a bit disappointed by Aroma.  My iced mocha tasted like chocolate milk (was there half a shot in there, or what?) and the veggie wrap was only "meh" although it sounded really great on the menu.

My drink tasted alright, despite lacking any kick, but the price is really what made it bad.  For a SMALL espresso drink that didn't taste like it had any espresso in it, I paid $3.80.  Whaa?

I do like that the sandwiches and such come with a choice of side, and that none of the sides will cost you extra.  At Cafe Kopi, you have to pay extra for certain sides, including the side salad.  I liked the salad that came with my wrap, although there were a few pieces of wilted/gross lettuce.  I was underwhelmed by the wrap but would probably try a full-size salad from here.

However, since Cafe Kopi is right around the corner and serves way better drinks, I don't know if I'll ever bother giving Aroma Cafe a second chance.
4 - Sarah S.: The custom-made my chai tea latte without any sweetener and it was the best I've ever had.  I got to hang out for 2-1/2 hours to do work while traveling and felt welcome the entire time.  Good tunes at a good volume and nice place to work and drink chai.
5 - Zoe V.: This place is awesome. Free Wi-Fi, great array of tables/chairs/couches, fireplace, outdoor space in the back, nice ambiance, and great friendly service.

While they play music on the overhead speakers, it's not intrusive at all.

They make a fabulous latte (hot or iced) and I am liking their updated lunch menu a lot. This is my go-to for coffee and a nice, relaxing place to sit.
4 - Douglas H.: Under new ownership, Aroma is re-inventing herself as a cozy alternative in downtown Champaign.  Warm byzantium hues fit perfectly with the charm of the new  'sexy toast' creations with fillings that range from fresh roasted portobellos with charred red capsicum to wonderfully tender beef short-ribs with a delicate horseradish cream sauce.  Understated Middle-Eastern sides like hummus and tabouleh further enhance a menu that still includes classic Aroma fare like the Cuban sandwich and quesadillas.

Aroma has come a long way in a short time.  I look forward to future encounters.
5 - Jennifer F.: Not only is the coffee delicious and the food amazing, the people who work there are so friendly. Discovered this place on the 2nd day of my trip and went everyday after that!
5 - Scotty S.: Didnt expect this little place would have such delicious coffee. Very smooth, Tastes good without needing to add a ton of sugar or syrup in.

Aroma Cafe - Philadelphia, PA (39.955066, -75.196776) (University City)
3 - Bill M.: While I found my first experience to merit three stars I do feel that Cafe Aroma can own up to a higher ranking in the not too distant future. It's a fairly new cafe located inside the International House (http://www.yelp.com/biz/international-house-philadelphia) which is one of my favorite West Philly spots. So it definitely has a prime location. I just didn't find it to be that great for coffee and a muffin.

the guy working the counter was extremely friendly and accommodating. But I found the self serve coffee that I picked up to just be average. And the chocolate chip muffin I picked out was good, but tasted exactly like the one's that Wawa offers. So in essence I could have got the exact same thing that I picked out at Wawa for a bit less.

But upon checking out the menu afterwards I found out that I chose wrong (D'oh!). They have a full fledged cappuccino bar that can spruce up you caffeinated treatsTheir menu has offerings like a jerk chicken wrap, double cheese quesadillas, homemade oatmeal, and plenty of veggie sandwiches and salads. They even hook up a variety of smoothies and milkshakes, and a combo deal where you can score a soup and a sandwich for $7-8. Second chance here I come!
2 - v v.: International House's Aroma Cafe is not a restaurant or much of a cafe. It might have an Aroma, but I have such a lousy sense of smell I can't comment.  It's kinda like a food cart inside; there is coffee so I guess it is a cafe.

IHAC has a sandwich press, which is great if you like paninis, tosted sandwiches or wraps hot. I'm usually happy just eating cold sandwiches, but given the choice I'll opt for my sandwich to be George Formaned. The menu board is full of good looking options and I've tried a few of the sandwiches and wraps to go. The people that work there are pretty friendly which is one of the reasons I've gone back a few times. 

Unfortunately I'm always disappointed in my choice by the time I start eating.  I blame the potato chips. I think what happens is when they toss the potatochips into the Styrofoam clamshell with the hot sandwich the chips end up soggy AND the sandwich ends up absorbing the fat and salt from the chips, leaving it tasting like soggy potato chips every time.

The space itself is as comfortable as the back seat of a Volkswagen with an overheated engine; it's definitely an order and leave kind of set up. The bathroom is somewhere hidden in the International House.  The muffin/bagel selection always looks beat by the time lunch rolls around and is fly fodder that should be chucked after 10AM.  Now that summer is here I probably won't be eating any hot sandwiches for a while but may give Aroma another chance in the fall.
4 - Terry C.: Great place for a quick lunch! I have been going here for a few weeks now and the quality has steadily gotten better. The service can be at times slow, but the food is wonderful. No condensed soups here - all of them are made daily by the owner! So that's a plus! And they make an awesome Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie!! It's amazing and filling! And if the owner is there you can convince him to make a Nutella Smoothie - it's divine!
4 - Erin M.: My office recently moved to 39th and Chestnut. I had passed this cafe on my way into work numerous times and decided it was finally time to give it a try. The reviews were pretty good and it sounded like they used fresh ingredients. 

I walked over for lunch at around 12:30. The OPEN sign wasn't lit, and the inside looked dark. I peered through the window and saw one person sitting at a table, so I felt safe to go inside. Word to the management: please, turn your OPEN sign on! 

It took me a little while to choose from the menu because there were a number of delicious sounding options like the "aroma verdura" (a wrap with vegetables, mozzarella and pesto) and the "avocado panini" (a grilled panini with guacamole, cheese, tomatoes and chicken). I decided on the "lena bella" a wrap with roasted peppers, roasted eggplant, romaine lettuce, hummus and feta. It came wrapped in a tomato basil tortilla with a side of chips. To my surprise, the wrap was grilled on the panini grill which and it was quite tasty and warm. The only thing I would ask for is more vegetables! I wonder if I could ask them to double the veggies? I would pay extra for more eggplant and peppers! 

I'll be back for sure.
2 - Matt B.: This place was so so. The breakfast wraps were good but the coffee was bad. The iced coffee was just their regular coffee with ice in it, no flavor or anything.

Aromatique Skin & Body Care - Claremont, CA (34.0947821, -117.7184183) ()
1 - tinker b.: Had a massage here.  Was not impressed at all.  My massage therapist was not very friendly, not very thorough and not very good.  I was very dissatisfied with my visit.

I won't be back.
4 - Amy V.: Aromatique is a lovely salon in the Claremont Village and I was very happy with my waxing services. The staff is friendly and the facilities are very clean and relaxing.  Irma was very friendly, polite, and did a great job with the waxing without costing an arm and a leg (although not cheap either). I'd recommend their waxing services!
5 - April B.: I didn't have a service here, but I stopped in to check it out.  This place is so cute!  The retail area was fabulous and they carry some great skincare products.  The owner was so nice to show me and a friend around.  I wish I lived closer...
4 - Calli C.: When I was living in Claremont, I went to Aromatique for all my waxing needs. Ordinarily, I would give Aromatique 5 stars but it loses a star because Joyce, the incredibly engaging and talented lady who did Brazilian waxes, no longer works there. Maybe you can call and see where Joyce went and then go see her there.

Other than that, they have cute gifty-type items in the front that you can browse while you're waiting for your services. They oftentimes run special events and deals for various holidays; for Mother's Day they did a mother-daughter special, a facial or massage for $45 each, with canapes and tea served afterwards. I had a time conflict and they were completely open to working with my slightly earlier-than-usual schedule. I had a massage that was divine, and my mom had a gentle glowing facial. It was a great mother-daughter bonding, especially after our treatments when we could sit and relax in the backroom and snack and sip tea in peace.
5 - Traci O.: I've been going to Ann Marie at Aromatique for the last 10 weeks for the Skin Balancing Treatments (once every 10 days).  I can't tell you how beautiful my skin looks and feels!  Ann Marie has had special training by Skinceuticals for this process.  It targets the darker areas of your skin to make it more even without lighting other areas.  I have also seen a marked improvement with fine lines and dryness in my skin.  I really love Aromatique as a day spa.  They always have new and interesting trinkets and jewelry to browse through.  Ann Marie is great very easy going and fun to talk too.  Now that my treatments are over I will miss her...but I will see her for facials once a month!
5 - Ana M.: This place is amazing! The store is cute, the staff is friendly and it's in a great location. I came here with the help of my fellow yelpers.. I needed a facial and I needed it now. I called Aromatique and scheduled an appointment the same day with Irma! Irma is great! If you need a great facial/massage.. call and make an appointment with Irma!
5 - Louise O.: My esthetician at Aromatique, April, is amazing. I have had numerous facials, and stress relief treatments from her, and would recommend her 100%. The atmosphere was relaxing and soothing, she was professional yet easy to talk to, and she did a wonderful job. I had never cared for facials prior to April, now I wish I could afford to have more! I have gone to other day spas, and had treatments from other professionals, but she is the best!
3 - Ashley D.: This place was OK. They have a lot of product/retail in the front so it's definitely not your "get away day at the spa" place, however, my massage was relatively affordable. The woman Carol was very sweet and professional. I could people talking out in hall which was no good. All together I enjoyed the actual massage more than the atmosphere.
3 - Vanessa H.: Had a relaxing facial BUT something happened that seemed shady.  When I booked, I requested a $84 signature facial - which I planned to cover, including tip, with a $100 gift certificate.  When I checked in, they asked for the certificate.  The facialist during the treatment said she was giving me the anti aging facial and I knew there were a couple massages at the $84 price point, so I let it pass. But when I checked out, they told me it was $92.  When I complained, they charged $84  -- still, it was irritating they tried to upsell me mid treatment ( she also offered to do my brows, I declined but in retrospect it seemed like another attempt to add on to the bill).  Hmm, come to think of it, she tried to persuade me to buy lip balm (which turned out to be $24 when I looked at the price.)

 I don't want to ward off a sales pitch while I'm trying to relax, nearly naked under a sheet!
5 - Foodie J.: This place is SUPER cute!!! Love the store, love the area, love my girl Karin! I came for 2 services and let me tell you, she facial'ed to the tip of my head & waxed to the bottom of my Brazilian! ; )

Facial was great and the results were even better! I have to say I never trust anyone with my face, but she reassured me with ease that I wouldn't be disappointed & she was right! My face was glowing all day and even received compliments that day on my skin, (which is crazy, cuz who just comes up to you and says, "wow, you have really nice skin!"?) Uh, no one. But they sure did that day!

Then I went back for my Brazilian. If she did that for my face, Lord only knows what else she can do with the goods! Without getting into too much graphic detail, it was almost painless. I said almost. She's great, but she's not God! lol! It was actually the most painless Brazilian wax that I've ever gotten and I've been doing it for 10 years. She handled my fragile package with care and those results were meticulous and glowing as well! I would tell you all the compliments I received that day too, but I'm not that kind of girl. ; )    

So to wrap it up, this was a new place I thought I'd try and is now my official place. I'm usually a Peaches & cream girl, but this place has great prices for the quality of services they offer and the quality of people (Karin) that offer them. It's located in the heart of Old town Claremont, so you can get a facial/wax and a bloody mary next door. My two faves!
5 - Brenda B.: Karin is the best!! She's new to Claremont and I'm so happy she's closer now. She was working in Pasadena at a very high end plastic surgery practice. The doctor had his own medical spa, where they were known for their amazing facials. 
I have roseca. Something I've been dealing with for about 15 years! I go to my dermatologist about once a year and I love the results but in order to maintain it I need to get facials. Karin is the perfect esthetician to help with problematic skin. She's been trained with the best of the best, and it shows in her work. As much as I love a relaxing facial, I need more of a clinical style facial to really control my skin. I go about every 5-6 weeks and her prices are extremely reasonable. 
I would recommend anyone who wants to get a really good facial to see Karin. She will make your skin new!!
5 - Mindy K.: I love this place!  The store is awesome and they have the cutest stuff.  Also all of the technicians really know their stuff.  I have always had great facials and great massages.  If I want a great facial this is my go to place!
5 - Rebecca M.: I've only been here for waxing, but Evy is my girl! Completely professional and nothing but excellent service.  She uses hard wax and gives the most pain-free Brazilians I've ever encountered.  Only person I'll go to when I'm in Claremont.  Thanks Evy!
5 - Natalie D.: I love Karen!! I just got lash extensions don by karen today and I don't even want to put eye makeup on they look so beautiful.. She took her time and worked very carefully and when she was done they looked long, full, natural and just radiant.. If you want eyelash extensions go to Karen asap

Aroy Thai Restaurant - College Park, MD (38.9818684, -76.9370592) ()
4 - andrew s.: The list of good and interesting restaurants on the Rte 1/UMD strip isn't very big, but I'm hopeful that it just got expanded by 1.  This place just opened up in the spot where Yami Yami used to be. I had the drunken noodles w/ tofu and their tom yum soup. Both were delicious. This looks like a real effort, and not a "what swill can we sell college students?" kind of thing. I'll definitely be back.
4 - Mary C.: I seldom try any of the new restaurants in downtown College Park since they are geared toward the students' palate.  However, my husband and I cannot resist Thai food so ventured to this new eating establishment which is a gem. Hoping for the best, we ordered panang chicken curry and basil chicken.  We were both pleased with our selections. My curry had an artful presentation, and after the first bite, I was sold.  Tangy yet smooth, it was the perfect pick me up after a hard week.  I am giving only four stars because the place has little ambience despite the owner's attempts to decorate on a budget.  That will not stop me though from going back again and again.
4 - Andra N.: The food is excellent! The portions are just right, and for the price the food is quality and the flavors are so so yummy! I love spicy food and their food has a perfect balance of heat while still maintaining the flavor! I had the drunken noodles and I would definitely recommend it. 

So happy a Thai place opened up here in CP. I used to go to Tara Thai in Hyattsville to get my Thai food fix but this place has surpassed them in tastiness! (and the portions are just too small at Tara Thai) 

I will definitely be going back to try the entire menu!
5 - Josie R.: A great Thai Restaurant in downtown College Park?!  Heck yes!

I've been walking by this place every day on my way to campus and finally dropped by to get carryout today (actually, I tried once before, but it was on a Sunday and they are closed on Sundays).  It's on College Ave, three storefronts down from The Bagel Place and next door to Wasabi Sushi.  

They have the usual noodles and curries and a number of other Thai entrees that I am unfamiliar with.  I got red curry with beef, pad thai with chicken, crispy spring rolls and mango sticky rice.  It was all great.  The spring rolls were crisp-fried but not greasy, perfect.  The red curry was listed as very spicy but I was able to handle it - if you really love spice you might want to add some chili sauce or request it made extra spicy.  The beef was very tender, the sauce savory and filling.  The Pad Thai was mild but delicious, and the portion was large.  All of their curries and noodles can be ordered with tofu or vegetarian if you don't eat meat.  The mango sticky rice was something new to me - the rice was sweet and so sticky it was almost chewy (by design) and the mango (they give you an entire half mango!) was fresh and delicious.  

The prices are good.  I got 2 entrees appetizer and dessert for $26 - it was plenty to feed two very hungry people.  I even forgot my coupon and they still gave me the discount - thanks guys!  I promise I won't forget next time...  :)

tl;dr - the food is solid - fresh, tasty, and not greasy, the space is clean, the staff are friendly, and the prices are good!
4 - Paul D.: This is an excellent Thai restaurant by any standard.  Have I had better Thai? - Yes. But when I'm craving Thai, I go here, because this place is reasonably priced and has all the classic Thai dishes - plus Crispy Banana.  Mmm Crispy Banana....  I've never been disappointed with my order. 

However, my one complaint is that they never give you enough rice.  Always order extra rice with your curry.  The rice the give you is only enough for half of the serving size of curry. And you may have to order more Peanut and Sweet & Spicy sauces. They don't give you enough of side sauces either.

But, damn the curry is good!  I wish they had Cellophane Noodle Salad, but they don't.

So if your in the area, don't go to Tara Thai - The McDonald's of Thai Food - check this place out instead.  It's tiny inside with only 5 or 6 tables.  It's probably better suited for carryout.  But the Thai food is legit and not just "also on the menu of a pho' restaurant." 

I hope the College Students recognize quality food, and support this authentic Thai Restaurant.  Because, I want to see it to last for years to come, in this transient college town.

Me Likey!..

BTW: Aroy Thai opened in the old Yami Yami bubble tea spot on College ave.  This storefront has been so many different things over the years.
5 - Elizabeth W.: Ok, As always I'm hesitant about giving any place 5 stars. But...I think the food here is as good as it gets.

Food: 4.5/5 stars. My friend and I had the Pad Thai and the Drunken Noodles. My friend said her pad thai was 5 stars! But, to be fair, she really isn't picky about food. My drunken noodles was about as close to 5 stars as I've ever tasted! YUM! The spice was perfectly balanced with the taste of the food. There were nice big chunks of tomatoes and FRESH basil! The beef was a good portion as well as good size.

The Garden rolls were so-so. The rolls themselves were fine, but I really didn't like the peanut sauce. Which is weird for me because I usually love peanut sauce.

Service: 4.5/5 stars.They kept the water coming and the waitress checked in on us regularly. The food seemed to come a little slow, but we were ok with that. When we were ready to leave, the waitress and the guy at the counter seemed to be busy, but when we went up to pay they were nice and attentive enough.

Decor: 4/5 stars. It was clean, not tacky and no music! I love the fact that there wasn't any music. It was quiet when we first showed up, but even when it was crowded it wasn't loud. I loved it.

Overall, I give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars. I really liked this place, enough to give it a 5 star listing. The place is tiny though, so go early to get a seat and don't bring large groups.
4 - Ja H.: I'm a fan of the noodle dishes, too. And, the mango with sticky rice has nicely ripe fruit and a good amount of sweetness.
4 - Jerry A.: Went here with my girlfriend, and we both just loved it!
Attentive service, yummy food, and plenty of water.
I got the chicken pad thai, and she got something else. It doesn't matter what she ordered, because it tasted really good!
We highly recommend eating here.

Arpeggio Grill - Austin, TX (30.2897801, -97.7415365) (The Drag, University of Texas, West Campus)
3 - Alberto N.: Another restaurateur is taking a crack at this cursed location (my memory only goes as far back as stix and the recently closed terra burger) which really shouldn't have any problems attracting customers. But as I have witnessed, and heard, it is seemingly impossible to keep a place open for too long in that location. 

As far as I see it Arpeggio Grill on airport already has a pretty solid base, so this location should be able to work off of that, as well as that they easily make better Mediterranean food  than the next closest campus haunt, Kismet cafe. 

So what about this location? Its got a cheesy interior  with some hand painted walls and pretty standard restaurant fare, but the biggest problem is that they actually have two businesses inside, the other being the tomato shack. The Tomato Shack has a separate counter, but serves the hamburger and pizza portion of the menu that is available at the airport location. I talked to the manager and he said it would make it "easier" for people. I don't know how it makes it easier to have the pizza menu separated and operating under the worst name and logo(bad picture of a tomato with "Tomato Shack" in a bad font).

They're not reinventing the wheel with their food, but they serve a very hefty portion for the price, and the food will taste like you expect. The mezza platter has a good smattering of staples (hummus, baba ghanouj, tabouleh, chicken and beef shwarma, falafel, greek salad, and pita) and everything tasted just like I expected it to. 

I still like the airport location more currently, but they just opened a few days ago and they were getting their feet under them, so I expect them to move into the four star territory once they get themselves into a good rhythm.
3 - john g.: You remember that time when you were young when your friend thought up the idea of milk and cereal bars and then that same year you saw them on store shelves, and then, not too long after you asked, "why don't they make chocolate whipped cream?" and sure enough it came out soon after?

Good.

Then you can understand, when I asked why there were no good Mediterranean restaurants in Austin I was not surprised to see one opening soon on the drag. what I was surprised to find was that they only serve vegetarian grapeleaves. now I didn't spend 15 million years evolving canine teeth to not be tearing through delicious flesh at every opportunity. besides,  Mediterranean cuisine has already far surpassed its duty to the vegetarian community by providing the falafel. thus should end the pandering to these weak-teethed hippies. despite this meaty setback, they have an excellent selection of wraps and skewers. at first I thought the skewers were a little pricey but after I saw the generous portion sizes I was no longer dismayed. the chicken schawarma (a steal at $5 for just the wrap), was hot, tender, well seasoned, and topped with fresh veggies. while this joint doesn't completely sate my desire for a good Austin Mediterranean establishment, it will certainly sate my lunch desires for weeks to come.

incidentally, the Turkish word for vegetarian grapeleaves translates as liar or fake.
4 - matthew m.: The main courses are delicious, tender and well seasoned meat with crisp grilled veggies. Also, I've never been a big fan of dolmas (grape leaves) as they've always been too bitter but that did not stop me from inhaling these--srsly a game-changer. The hummus and tabouleh and such are fine, not spectacular but good. If all yer looking for are those things and/or falafel you'd be better off at Tom's Tabooley.

Overall I think the food here is better than their Airport location and beats the hell out of Kismet or (yech) Milto's. 

One caveat: get it to go. The service was absolutely great but the space they were working in left something to be desired. The restaurant has an awkward ordering set-up, with a separate counter and cash register for ordering pizza (even though we were able to order pizza from the mediterranean counter). The queueing area was confusing and there were way, way, way too many tables for the small size of the space. It made for a loud, cramped and uncomfortable dining experience.

Great food, cheap price, weak dining room. 

Finally, try the greek pizza and order a side of tzatziki to slather on top. It is scientifically impossible for you to be disappointed with this choice.
2 - Alex H.: I ordered the beef shawerma wrap and the artichoke pizza.  Surprisingly, I was more impressed with the pizza.

The beef was tough, chewy, and fatty, and didn't add much flavor to wrap as a whole.  It was topped just as you'd expect any Greek wrap to come, with onion, tomato, and hummus.  Nothing stood out besides the bland, chewy beef.  I've had much better Greek food in the area.

The pizza was solid for the price.  Cooked well and topped generously, it was much larger than I expected for a personal pizza.

The service was friendly, and their prices were great, but their food needs some work if they are to compete with other similar restaurants in town.
3 - Rebecca L.: Yet another Mediterranean food place near campus. Big whoop. 

5 stars for generous portions (their gyro sandwich [why is it called a sandwich? It is clearly a pita. Get with the program] is about the size of a Chipotle burrito, give or take a few inches.)

-4 stars for rude cashier who clearly hated his job (I understand working at a food place near campus sucks, but there are other jobs out there if you hate yours so much. Do what you were hired to do, or find another job.)

+2 stars for the way their food tastes: average. I feel that Kismet is way more authentic.
3 - Jane K.: A not bad Mediterranean food. It's half fast food and half sit down. 
The people who work that are very nice and go around asking if you need anything during your meal. Generous portions. If you get the plates, you get 3 scoops of rice. The gyro sandwich is huge. Filled with freshly grilled meat, lettuce, and hummus. Everything here is cooked right when you order and you can see it. The vegetables are fresh, I have yet to encounter any browning or wilting vegetables. I'll pass on the American accommodating dishes like chicken wings and pizza. I mean, you come here for the Mediterranean food right?
They do have daily specials every day ranging from $4.99-$5.99, which are a steal. 

The two counters in the restaurant can be slightly confusing at first.
2 - Christina B.: So underwhelmed by this place. I was really hoping for a great Mediterranean spot RIGHT NEXT to my office (it is literally steps away) but instead I got mediocrity. I ordered the chicken "Shawerma " (their spelling) plate, which sounded great in theory-- greek salad, basmati rice, and chicken shawerma meat on top served with pita. But in reality, the rice tasted like play dough and the chicken was not crispy and fresh, and it had a lot of fat on it. 

Maybe I will have to try something else. They had a crazy pizza deal (this place is also called the Tomato Shack, weird I know) for a 10" one topping pizza and a drink for $4.99. Nice!
3 - Wayne N.: Well, one thing about this placce I first noticed are those really cool windows.  They show menu items on the outside, but once you sit down on the inside you can look out perfectly fine.  Kinda neat.

The concept is interesting: fast food meets "style."  Everything is made fresh to order (you can see them fry the fries one batch at a time only when its ordered).  It does take awhile though (somewhat negating the fast part).  

I got the gyro plate and was amazed at the quantity of food I got.  The meat was kinda salty, but hey on a college campus, its quantity over quality right?  Lotta salad too with the pita on the side.  

My friend got the chicken sandwich, and it kinda raised my eyebrows when the waiter dropped the bun on the table and kinda acted as though nothing happened.  The guy at the cashier was obviously ticked off and having a long day.  

Could be better, could be worse.  Look out for the daily specials.
3 - Elizabethe A.: If you are looking to mix it up from your usual rotation between Dobie, Potbelly, and Wendy's for lunch on campus, this is a good place to go. You can get any sandwich with a drink for 4.99 which is pretty good. I ordered this with the gyro and I have to say that it was the biggest gyro I have ever laid eyes on. I mean it was a MONSTER. This is starting to sound a little suggestive. So what if it is? Juicy chunks of meat stuffed into a fluffy pita, overflowing with crunchy lettuce, onions, and tomatoes, and slathered in creamy white tzatziki sauce. I'm turned on. Are you?
3 - Chris J.: This place looked pretty decent and had a good variety of Mediterranean food on the menu. But, I gotta say, I was quite underwhelmed by the chicken shawarma. It had some flavor to it but kinda tasted like a mush of stuff. Pretty good price and large portion, just wish it had been done a little more authentic.
4 - Bibha S.: Starving, I went here for dinner tonight with one other person. I got the Chicken Shawerma plate and Lentil soup, and she got the Tabouli with Lentil soup. The cashier was fine. Maybe some would call him brusque, but I, for one, am not a fan of mushy waiters/waitresses who fakely try to make conversation. My meal was $12 for a TREMENDOUSLY generous portion of Greek Salad, Chicken, and Basmati Rice. I actually love the rice...I wanna go back just to get it. The meal could easily be three meals for a really low price. The food tastes really really really good...really good. haha. REALLY REALLY GOOD. NOT AMAZING. but better than some of the ridic. asian places I've eaten at, and for the same price, essentially. Def. coming here for a quick dinner when I don't want to try something new. The vegetables are fresh, also.
4 - Jennifer L.: This place is good if you follow my instructions.

Good to order: PIzzas, gyros
Bad to order: Shawerma plates. They are bland.

Price is good and cheap. Good specials.

Food is 1000% fresher than Kismet. I laughed at the Yelper who said that Kismet is "more authentic." If you find it more authentic to be served day-old, dry gyro meat by a dude whose fingers appear to have been blown off in some grenade-related accident, then more power to you, kid. I will stick with Arpeggio.

Finally, people, lay off on the poor cashier. If you went to this place as often as I do you'd realize that the dude works there every. single. day. Cut him some slack. You want to see a true employee from hell? Go visit that psycho beetch at Thai Noodles around the corner!
3 - Ren G.: I ordered falafel, and I got salt. The fries were great, the hummus (despite a mammoth piece of garlic resting inside of the innocent-looking bean dip) was good, but the falafel? Greasy ball of salt. And yes, I've had cheaper falafel that tasted better.

I ended up rolling the falafel in the garlicmus to mask the salt-lick aura. Almost worked. Really disappointed. Seemed so promising. Gotta take my search for great falafel elsewhere. Really though... SALT.
4 - Ian B.: The kabobs at Arpeggio Grill are delicious and priced quite well.  I have eaten here a number of times, and at the end of each meal I was glad that I did. For someone living close to the Drag, Arpeggio Grill adds an excellent alternative to all the Asian restaurants and pizzerias.
5 - Amber T.: I've eaten here twice, both times I got the Gyro "sandwich".  It was amazing!  The meat so juicy and delicious and loaded with it.  I haven't had anything else on the menu, but my little brother likes the pizza.  You can't beat the price ($5). I'm sold.  Having been to Greece, this is as close as I've found in Austin.  Plus, the staff is always nice.
4 - A B.: Awesome place. Excellent service in spite of the crowds. Food was delicious as well: perfectly crisp and golden falafel, delicious sauces, and the best Baba Ghanoush I have had yet. Hummus was ok. I forgot to try the dessert but hope to fix that next time.
4 - Sharmaine C.: Okay GUYS...

One word... PIZZA.

Their pizza is DELICIOUS! I know everybody wants Mediterranean and what not. But the Pizza is seriously where it's at. It's fresh, Delicious, Garlicy, and CHEAP.  You can get a big ol' personal portion with a drink for 5:40.   Fresh out of the oven. That's the only thing I eat there.

I've had the salad (it's okay) and hummus (it's alright.... BIIIG PORTION, not enough pita bread and they charge you for more triangles).. neither were too memorable for me.

BUT THAT PIZZA.... beyond words!
4 - Brittany W.: LOVE their pizza!  I can't speak for anything else because the first time I went I got the pizza and haven't wanted to try anything else.

Every time I have been there, one of their daily specials is a 10" one topping pizza and a drink for FIVE DOLLARS!  This may be an everyday daily special...not sure.  Anyways, it really is a fabulous deal especially if you're looking for a delicious, cheap, and filling lunch around campus.
3 - Keryn H.: This was an interesting little place.  sort of Mediterranean/Italian fusion.  Decently vegan friendly.  Very Austin.
4 - Andrew D.: First, adjust your expectations....I'm not saying this is the best Mediterranean place ever, but within a specific context you'll understand my rating. 

Arpeggio Grill is on the drag and as such should be viewed relative to other drag dining destinations. It ranks near the top for cleanliness, service, and deals, which really does set it apart. The Chicken Shawarma is great for the price and as others have mention, generally comes with a fountain drink (and thank god for that for how else would I get my mega-dose of cancer-inducing aspartame). What keeps me coming back is the family-owned atmosphere and congenial staff. So many places around campus are filled/run by indifferent vapid young people who are in dire need of an attitude adjustment (if interested call 1-800-INYOASS ext. Foot), that any establishment with a competent and friendly staff automatically sets itself a notch above.
4 - Alex B.: I have come to eat crow.  I retract my mean comment about Drunk Sam.  Drunk Sam has been expelled (hopefully to medium-security jail).

Although I do not vouch for large portions of the schizophrenic menu, the gyro salad--with crisp peppers, feta, piles of gyro, and homemade vinaigrette--is a very good and truly filing large salad.  A truly filling large salad is as rare as emerald and nutritionally far more valuable.
3 - Su L.: Arpeggio Grill by no means, is the best Mediterranean restaurant I've been to but it is not terrible.  Today, my group and I ventured out to the drag initially planning on eating at Verts but since they were closed, we thought "hey, why not Arpeggio Grill."  The atmosphere is very chill and the very Aladdin-like (hip hip hooray for Disney movies) murals on the wall are a nice, but cheesy touch.  The cashier was the sweetest thing and helped us with choosing our meals.  I ended up getting the beef kabob "sandwich", my boyfriend got the hummus with shawerma plate with chicken, and my friend got the beef kabob plate.  

I eat like a little bird so the beef kabob "sandwich" portion was huge.  Inside a giant kabob was hummus at the bottom, lettuce and tomatoes, then the beef was right on top.  The hummus was tasty, the lettuce and tomatoes weren't the absolute freshest but they passed my palette test, and the beef was a little on the dry side.  Fortunately for me, they were having a $5 special for any "sandwich" with a drink so I was pleased with the price as well as the meal.  It definitely isn't gourmet or the best, but it's tasty and very filling.  I wish they had put a little more hummus inside the kabob though, that would have done it for me.  I really liked the kabob.  It was soft and chewy and crunchy but just on the edges and I liked the "crunch".  As for the hummus with shawerma plate with chicken my boyfriend got, it was a giant plate of hummus, chicken on top with a side of pita bread.  That was way too much hummus for one person, the plate was drowning in it.  As for the chicken, it wasn't anything to shout about and the pita bread was like any old pita bread.  The hummus, again, was tasty but there was just too much.  If you're a die hard hummus fan, definitely try this out but if not, try another plate.  And lastly, the beef kabob plate had rice  and was not drowning hummus.  The beef was the same beef that was in my own little beef kabob sandwich.  There was nothing all too different nor special about this plate.

Overall, Apreggio Grill passed the taste test and for the amount of food you get for the price, it isn't too bad.  We all left the restaurant with happy, full bellies.  We shall be visiting Apreggio Grill again whenever we have a craving for Mediterranean food since it's so close to west campus.  But are we head over heels in love with the place?  Unfortunately, no.
2 - Maria A.: Mediterranean is one of my favorite cuisines but the food here is just disappointing. I've tried many, many things from here and have never been even close to being blown away. Their meat is generally very dry and the sauces are just off. 

I keep coming back here though because it's really cheap (5-6 bucks will get you a meal), really close to campus, and they give you a lot of food.

If you're looking for good Mediterranean, I suggest you head on over to Pars Deli. That place is legit.
5 - Gavriel M.: In case your new to my reviews, no fluff just 2 bad things, 2 good things & would I recommend it to a friend...
Bad, 
1)the plastic wear sucks
2) although empty when we were there, if it was packed it would suck to try to eat, there are too many chairs & tables for such a small place
Good
1) IT'S AUTHENTIC, the people who run it have lived in the Mediterranean (Israel to be exact) and know what Mediterranean food should taste like. 
2) read the above. They make their food the traditional Mediterranean way, like gyros are SUPPOSED to be 100% lamb (cheap gyros have beef & lamb, ask next gyro you have if it's lamb, beef or both) they offer a gyro plate (lots of food) that is all lamb for 7.99!!! Unheard of...
Check it out. This will be the first place I take my friends (esp my Israeli friends!)
4 - Steven N.: Best Gyro in Austin.

The Gyro is it. It's huge and exactly what I expect - nice crispy edged meat and the right amount of tzatziki and veg. 

Best part - $5 with a drink. 

I can't vouch for anything else on the menu. Just get the Gyro and you'll be happy.
5 - Alex H.: This place was one of the first on campus gems that I managed to find after moving to Austin, and it is still high in my list for great campus food after exploring more.  

First of all, they definitely give you your money's worth.  The portions are ample and more than reasonably priced.  5 dollars will (exactly, a small convenience, but I like it) will get you a large gyro or shawerma sandwich and a drink.  Perfect quick lunch or dinner, and you will be full.  The rest of their offerings follow suit, well priced and substantial.

Now if it was just a lot of cheap food, I wouldn't give it 5 stars.  But when said food is also FREAKIN' DELICIOUS, you've got me sold.  Probably the best gyro I've ever had.  The pitas are just right and the hummus divine.  I've also had their beef and chicken shawerma and was thoroughly impressed.  

All told, very good restaurant.  I have to force myself NOT to go there for lunch every time I'm looking for food on campus and try new things, but it is thus far my number one fall back when I want something I know is good.
3 - Meg C.: I must say, this may be the best priced gyro in town - especially taking their daily specials into consideration. Their meat is flavorful and their fries are fantastically crispy. However, my one complaint is I do not feel that there was an adequate amount of tzatziki on my gyro for the amount of meat.
5 - Logan M.: Simply fantastic! The Arpeggio Grill offers great Mediterranean food at reasonable prices (we college students need to eat, you know!), and is conveniently located next to campus. I have and will continue to enjoy their gyros (potentially the best I've ever had), and often find them on the specials board for $5 with a drink! This is a must for any fan of Mediterranean or eager culinary novice looking to explore!
3 - Colin S.: Arpeggio Grill used to be one of the best deals for lunch (or dinner) on the Drag. Their $4.99 Gyro sandwich + Soda was legendary in value for the starving UT student. But times have changed (and apparently management) and that deal no longer exists. Sure, there's still the $5.99 gyro sandwich + fries + soda, but the fries are always bland and the gyro has been dramatically reduced in meat content and pita size (totally not worth it anymore). 

However, despite the tragic demise of their main attraction, Arpeggio Grill still has one offer that is financially (and edibly) appealing: $4.99 for a 1-topping 10" personal pizza. We're talking better than Little Caesar's quality pizza for about the same price. So if you have a few minutes to wait but not enough time to go to Mellow Mushroom, check out Arpeggio Grill's pizza with gyro meat toppings (it's surprisingly delicious). 

As far as their actual Mediterranean fair goes, it's decent quality and their gyro meat is usually pretty tasty. Their plates are a little pricey but you do get a lot of food and quick service.

*Update*
Sadly Arpeggio Grill closed on May 31, 2012, much to the sadness of the entire starving, poor college student population. Their $5 gyro + drink special will be sorely missed (as will the $6 pizza + drink special). A Fuzzy's Taco Shop will be opening in its place and hopefully can last longer than its numerous predecessors. RIP cheapest lunch ever...
5 - David A.: Great food from great people.
2 - Lisa D.: I had read good reviews (though maybe they were for the Airport location) and was looking forward to trying it - but was extremely disappointed.

To be fair, the order was via delivery, so I am not dinging them for food not being warm on arrival as that isn't within their control.

But, I am dinging them for not including any pita bread or tzatziki with the Arpeggio sampler platter (both of which are specifically mentioned on the menu), no salad dressing either on the side or on the salad at all, and the gyro had absolutely no sauce on it whatsoever.   And, the salad didn't have all the ingredients mentioned on the menu - no olives, no cucumbers, no carrots, no pepperoncini, no oregano.  

my first thought was maybe there was another bag with condiments that the delivery person forgot (still possible), but that does not explain why there would not be any sauce on the gyro???

And, worse, the food was disappointing.  I had read in fearless critic that their meats were great, so we had several - gyro, kofta kabob pita, and the Arpeggio sampler which includes chicken and beef shawarma.    The gyro meat was good though nothing notable and the sandwich was lacking per above with no sauce.   The kofta kabob pita was also good though nothing notable, and it did have an appropriate amount of tahini.   The shawarma - both chicken and beef - were terribly dry and flavorless (and cold, but I will blame that on delivery not on the restaurant).   

And then there was the horribly yellow lettuce, not only in the sandwiches, but worse about 80% of a full sized greek salad (again, with ZERO dressing) is just nasty yellow lettuce.   That item was a complete waste of a purchase, who wants yellow lettuce with a couple of tomato slices and a couple of cubes of feta, a few slices of red onion, and missing all the other ingredients that are specifically mentioned on the menu, and no dressing??

The sampler vegetarian items (hummus, baba ghanouj, dolmas, falafal, tabouleh) were generally fine, though falafel was very dry even for falafel, and dolmas were mushy.  Baba ghanouj had a very strong garlic flavor, too strong for my taste and I love garlic.  Hummus and tabouleh were fine.  


The gyro meat itself, the kofta kabab pita, and the appetizers were fine (and the reason for 2 stars vs 1), but I can't excuse the poor execution not including key ingredients (a gyro sandwich without tzatziki??), and that salad was a horror show.

I hope I just caught them on a bad day with multiple mistakes (including using nasty lettuce as a base for a salad).....but frankly I don't think I'd give them another try as this was so disappointing.
5 - Peanut B.: So far I have gotten the chicken kebab plate and chicken salad here. Both Are absolutely delicious. The chicken on the salad is so incredibly flavorful!!

My only complaint is that on the chicken kebab plate, I asked for more salad in place of the pita (since I'm gluten intolerant). The girl at the front said no.
2 - K M.: While the decor and atmosphere is nice, the food is not.

I was pleased to get a gyro for $5 even... but the price could not overcome the fact that more than half of the gyro meat was charred and burnt to a crisp. The vinaigrette used for the Greek salad tasted more acidic than sulfuric acid! Ouch. Also, the hummus was dull and the pita bread wasn't cut up already. 

I will never come here for a gyro again. I personally will head next door to Vert's for a kebap... at least they correctly prepare their meat and it isn't crunchy... blegh.

Crushed ice is always awesome and the service was good, so at least there's that.
5 - Hunter I.: Always have a $5 pizza special. Great deal and actually really good pizza.

Arriba Philadelphia - Philadelphia, PA (39.949984, -75.178483) (Rittenhouse Square)
5 - Ben K.: For a while now, I have been trying to learn Spanish.  Before working with Melissa, I used workbooks, audio lessons and was trying to read Harry Potter in Spanish.  While each of those things led to some improvement, it was very slow going and for the time I was putting in, I was not finding the improvement I wanted.  I have a few friends that can speak Spanish, but I was always uncomfortable practicing with them because they were at a higher level than I was.  Eventually, I decided that I was never going to improve significantly until I began speaking and listening to Spanish.  I thought the best way to get myself to do this was to find a Spanish teacher.

I came across Melissa and I can honestly say that, in just the few months she has been tutoring me, my abilities to speak and understand Spanish have doubled, if not improved more.  Melissa is a patient, understanding and talented tutor.  Equally important--when working one on one with someone--she is personable, charismatic and a pleasure to work with.  

While Melissa was able to quickly grasp my level of Spanish and work at my pace, she is also challenging and consistently pushing me to improve.  She will happily design her lessons in whatever way you'd like.  I prefer to show up and have a conversation in Spanish for an hour.  However, she has told me that if I would like homework and exercises to work on, she can supply them.  While we have not yet done this, she also told me that for one lesson we could go to a Latin supermarket where she would explain to me (in Spanish!) the different types of food they sell.  I don't know about you, but to me that sounds awesome!

Melissa is a gifted Spanish teacher and I can honestly say my Spanish has greatly improved because of her help.  Right along with it, my confidence has improved.  Now when I run into my friends who can speak Spanish, I find myself practicing with them.  If you're looking for a Spanish tutor, I can't imagine you finding a better one that Senorita Melissa!
5 - Alexandra N.: Such a fun class! Senorita Page makes each lesson fun and easy to comprehend. I think its great for any level who wants to brush up on their spanish with a good group of people
5 - joy r.: Me encanta Arriba Philadelphia!   Senorita Page's playful and engaging manner makes learning Spanish fun and easy.   I am taking her Sangria Sessions held Wednesdays at JuJu Salon and I had so much fun the first session, my girlfriend and I signed up for the second session as well.  We drink wine and learn conversational Spanish...I love it!  If you are looking to hire an amazing Spanish teacher to teach your child or class...she is the one!!  Thank you, Senorita Page...for teaching me Spanish and making my Wednesday nights fun!

Arrillaga Center for Sports & Recreation - Stanford, CA (37.4301514667784, -122.164599895477) ()
3 - Alissa A.: A fitness center without locker rooms. Clearly a genius was behind this work of art. At Stanford, nonetheless.

Okay, so you work here, you are a slave to the books and your studies here... thus, you gym it here. Convenience, price, and spotting the hottie from your Entrepreneurship class sweating it out on the elliptical all make it worth your while to get in on the action.

Basketball and squash courts, a yoga/pilates/martial arts studio, a rock climbing gym, state-of-the-art sports therapy and a jam packed-to-the-mirrors sweaty fitness center, you can get fit and never get bored.

Open before dawn and open until bed time or at least, when you begin tackling your work, usually 1 a.m. If you forget your ID, it's likely you'll be able to slip by the front desk, just act like you know where you're going and don't look back.

The Pros:
Free (for students/faculty/staff, bring a friend for $5)
Open early (but you're still sleeping...)
Open late (better for you than a late night boozing at the Nut House)
Options - an ID in the door gives you access to everything (including 
Endless (and endlessly full) bike racks outside (don't be lazy and drive to the gym, it's not helping your ever widening hiney)
MMmmm rock climbers... check them out. Join them. You will not be disappointed. Untapped resource.

The Cons:
NO LOCKER ROOMS? WTF!?!
...as a Stanford Staff member, the gym comes after work, it does not involve swinging by my non-existant dorm room and changing into some sexy spandex and lycra get-up. If only. Changing in the bathroom it is. A sure treat. No (secure) lockers to store your belongings and no shower to hose down afterwards. (Unless you head across the street to the pool or to the Ford Center).
The elliptical/stair-stepper end of the fitness center is mysteriously in the dark and has zero circulation. Bring your iPod because you'll strain your eyes reading a magazine and drip sweat on it anyway.
"Cardio paging in effect" - you may or may not notice this sign on the desk when you walk in the fitness center. If you see it, just ask at the desk. It means their busy and don't even think about jumping on the next treadmill. But to a gym newbie or someone so in-the-zone you fly right by the desk, this means nothing. Just ask.

The bottom line:
you'll feel better when you leave than when you came in. So what are you waiting for?
3 - Palak K.: Initially excited to get my swell on in a school with great D1 athletics, the main weight room here leaves me sadly unimpressed. With no towel service and cubbies instead of lockers, I felt more pampered working up a schvitz in my hometown's rec room. 

ACSR does offer great facilities for more adventurous activities like rock climbing and a plushly matted dojo, but the basement-buried weight room is somewhat dated. It is outfitted with standard Life Fitness equipment and there are several nice squat racks for big lifts, but these unfortunately double as the only barbell bench area too (redeemed by extensive dumbbell selection). Cardio is also packed into the room, which means a lot of exothermic, sweaty bodies in a space that could already benefit from some additional ventilation or AC. 

10+ benches/barbells are probably not necessary for the general population here, so perhaps I had unfair expectations. That said, I may just have to adopt more outdoor fitness on a campus that features beach volleyball and soccer games at every corner.
5 - Susanna W.: 5 stars for NANCI CONNIFF.

Stanford students are lucky enough to have a whole array of Athletics classes available to them (yay!).  A large number of them take place in the mat room (or the basketball courts) on the first floor of Arrillaga.  

If you are able to get access to Arrillaga, or any PE classes, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND taking a class with Nanci.  She is AMAZING.  I stumbled upon her class several years ago and have been attending her classes ever since (practically every quarter, very faithfully).  Nanci genuinely cares about the health, happiness and general fitness of her students-- I would even go so far to say above and beyond that of an instructor.  Despite her ever-ballooning classes, she is still able to provide individual coaching/instruction to those who need it, and is always so upbeat.  Plus the woman is fit as hell... what an inspiration! 


As an aside: I find that the first floor facilities of Arrillage are quite nice, but very basic.  As others have mentioned, there are NO lockers in this particular building.  If you need to change, you can do some in the restrooms.  There are several water fountains sprinkled throughout the first floor, both near the restrooms and on the basketball courts.  There is also a rock-climbing wall (small/cramped, but pretty nice), as well as a very nice mat room.  The equipment provided for the class are adequate, and kept fairly clean.

If you go downstairs, you'll find private tutoring rooms for student athletes, offices, and the gym.  Its not the largest gym I've seen on a university campus, but they do have a large number of cardio machines (dozens of ellipticals, maybe 10 or so treadmills, stationary bikes, stairmasters, etc), free weights and weight machines, as well as mat areas for stretching and ab work.  During busier hours it takes FOREVER to get onto a machine (there is a sign up whiteboard on the western wall), but if you go during off-hours (mid day, early afternoon, etc) its fine.  Ventilation is a bit lacking, but only truly noticeable during peak hours.  I like that they have several TVs hanging above the cardio machines.  If I remember correctly, they offer personal trainer services, and often have fitness challenges for gym-goers.

OVERALL: Again, I can't say enough good things about Nanci.  The gym itself is around 3 stars.  If you have a chance, take a PE class!
3 - Bryant C.: A lot of equipment that always gets replaced. But small and often cramped.
3 - Nicole A.: PE Classes: 5 Stars
"Enrichment" Classes: 2 Stars
General Facilities: 2 Stars
Gym Area: 3 Stars
Rock wall: ???

There are a variety of PE Classes which are pretty cheap for students.  They vary by your interest and the instructor, but are a great resource overall.  The "enrichment" classes are different - they cost more (typically $90) and aren't for credit.  If you are a student, spend your money elsewhere!  The trainers aren't bad, but there are much cheaper options!

Facilities are a bit hit or miss.  The place is pretty new, but it has lots of minor issues.  If it is raining out, the floor is a slippery mess.  There aren't lockers in this building, so the bathroom stalls are usually occupied by students changing.  There will not be any paper towel left in the evening.  If it is hot outside, it is terrible and oppressive inside.

The "gym" portion has a little bit of everything... perhaps to the detriment of it all.  It is usually very crowded - treadmills, weights, everything.  Not only is almost all of the equipment in use, it is very close together.  

There is a rock wall here, so I guess that is cool.
3 - Allison M.: I come here because I have a free membership as part of being a student, not because I have any real love for the place.

It's massive, it's got everything... And still, between the hours of 4-7, you'll have to wait 10-20 minutes for a treadmill.  They're always playing music, which is a crapshoot whether you'll enjoy or not, and the system for hearing the tv is really confusing.

But. It is very expansive and comprehensive in the things it has. It's open almost all the time. And it's logically laid out. I'll give them that.

Of course, I have to lodge the biggest complaint against the place: there are no showers or locker rooms or changing rooms at all. It's preposterous and horrible for anyone who doesn't live on campus. You have no choice but to work out at the end of your long grad student day, unless you want to become known as Allison "sweaty pits" M. Which you don't. Trust me.
5 - Lisa R.: I've worked here at Stanford for almost eight years.  When I decided to get phat, from fat, I lost my 110 pounds here.  Yoga, Pilates, step, Zumba, rock climbing, basketball, cardio equipment, BeWell fitness assessments...Stanford does it RIGHT.

I Love this place.  I love the staff. The equipment.  The classes.  The staff.

I live here, practically.  I am a 6am to 7:30am 5 days/week workout here kinda girl.  When it's quiet.  And not a meat market.

Yeay, cardio!  Yeay, endorphins!

Arrillaga Dining Commons - Stanford, CA (37.4253419338333, -122.164208292961) ()
4 - Bryant C.: Beautiful views from balcony. Clean eating areas. Big TVs. Quality of food seems to be better. I love thats its open longer than other dining halls.
3 - Brian C.: Haikus for Arrillaga Dining Commons.....

Open for summer!
A rarity at Stanford
Busy crowds at lunch!

Huge capacity
Inside with widescreen TVs
Seating a challenge!

Some balcony spots
More by Escondido Road
But not very much!

A huge operation
Chefs, salad bar attendants
Trash and compost guides?!

Faculty-staff meals
Are also accepted here
All you care to eat!

$5.95 plan
Is better than walk-in rate
10 dollars, they say!

Not the closest walk
But it will do for summer
A good deal for lunch!
5 - kate d.: This place is wonderful. The food is great and the staff are super friendly and helpful. Plus, they make efforts to have ample vegetarian and vegan options and to use sustainable, local, and/or, organic ingredients.
5 - Palak K.: Whether you're physically active and need to replenish calories or just too lazy to cook daily (OR like me, an unfortunate combination of both), Arrillaga has got you covered. It's conveniently located and open late, which already ranks it higher than most other places to eat on campus. They also serve food you can trust, as much of it is grown locally and prepared in new highly visible kitchen facilities. That the staff get together to eat the food here is both surprising and refreshing. And with a meal plan, Arrillaga is definitely the best all-you-can-eat deal. It's not uncommon to see grad students and even professors here with their families. Though it can be difficult to find seating for large groups during peak hours, that only speaks to the popularity of the place. Outdoor balcony and lower level lounge seating are plenty, and the dining hall remains one of the best places to watch big sports games with its huge projector screens.

Students also reap the benefits of Stanford's "performance dining" initiative which caters to its athletes and offers very nutritious ingredients. There are always consistent options at the grill and salad bar, and you won't be at a loss for variety with their fancier cuisine items that change daily. The university  has certainly made it both enjoyable and convenient to eat well by investing so much in this facility.
4 - Herbert Y.: Stanford's award-winning dining avenue, the only place under Stanford's meal-plan that's open in the summer. Free drinks, starbucks coffee and ice-cream. Nice food variety with good quality, at unbeatable price. Great for watching sports events (like Euro2012) as they will set up a huge screen with several decent-sized TV. Ample lighting through large windows, pleasant dining environment overall. A student-ID is needed to enter. You can buy meal-plan package downstairs.
3 - Tom C.: I find it really funny that a campus dining hall is on yelp.

Pros:
* Food: In terms of dining halls, this is the best food I've had and is perhaps the best dining hall on campus.  They offer a lot of vegetarian options and the meat dishes are often pretty tasty.  These two things cannot be said for most other dining halls.  Salad bar is nice.

* Persistence: You can show up and stay for hours, do your homework, get soda / coffee refills, snack on stuff when you're hungry again.  I think you could theoretically show up for breakfast and leave at 2am when they close.

* Healthy: It's POSSIBLE to eat fairly health here.  I believe they buy organic and local when possible.  You can also choose to avoid things that you view as unhealthy since it's a buffet.

Cons:
* Food: It's not ALWAYS good.  It's true that there are many vegetarian options, but other than the salad bar they are mostly carb-heavy.  It would be nice to see more creative vegetarian options that relied more on vegetables and legumes than pastas / potatoes / grains.

* Healthy: This place is touted as being healthy, but that's only half true.  They give you plenty of options to not be healthy; I've seen people load up their plate full of pizza with a heap of bacon on top, drinking chocolate milk on the side.  You will only eat healthy here if you CHOOSE healthy options and eat them in moderation.

* Price: They recently raised the prices of meals (for graduate students, at least) by a dollar per meal OR MORE (up to $3 per meal increase!!!).  If you want to buy a dinner and don't know what you're doing on their website, you will pay over $10 per meal.  This is a Stanford dining problem in general, but it's worth including in a discussion of Arrillaga Commons.  

* Hours: While it's true that you can be here all day, you'll only get good food in small blocks of time.  Dinner is from 5-8pm and if you stay or enter beyond that, you will be picking through whatever paltry leftovers there are from earlier.  Maybe they bring out more food later, but my first hand experience is that 8:30pm seriously suuuuuuucks and isn't worth paying money for.  Go someplace else.

Overall:
It's not a bad place, but a lot of us are bitter about the price increase.  I would have given 4-stars if not for that.  It's nice that you can choose what you want eat, instead of getting a burrito with way too much rice in it (I'm looking at you, Treehouse) or an obviously-frozen-before-it-hit-the-grill hamburger with bad-for-you fries (I'm looking at you, Axe), or a ridiculous amount of oily noodles with a bunch of other kinda-chinese food slathered in corn-syrup-based sauces (damn you, Panda).  

There are a few things about this place that suck, but it is probably your best option for food on campus if you can afford the new prices.

Arrillaga Family Sports Center - Stanford, CA (37.4203272, -122.1695015) ()
5 - Larry C.: Access to three hoop courts. $5.
Martial arts classes or squash, same $5 access fee.
One girl who LICKED the glass while looking at me. Priceless.

In the spirit of full documentation...
640pm- I'm getting in my Tuesday cardio workout by playing basketball
755pm- I walk by the climbing wall (Yes, its a three story climbing wall)
756pm- Am getting a drink
758pm- We look into Karate and this girl looks at me and licks the effen glass.  Her friend slaps her.
8:05- I walk my guy friends back and she doesn't repeat it (or make eye contact)

Heterosexual harassment makes working out *fun*

** Update **
Jean W. said, "You'd pull a good amount of ass don't you"
*************
** Update Tuesday Night (one week later) **
Worked out without any glass licking incident(s)
*********************
4 - Jack S.: What you would expect from the world's leading athletic department: 
Lots of ellipticals, treadmills, precor stairmasters.  Two rowing machines.  Dumbbells up to ~110 or so.  8 squat racks.  Lots of machines.  

It's the cleanest gym I've ever been to.  But just remember that students don't work, so the busy hours aren't work-based but laziness-based.  So if you can, get in before the late afternoon (the crunch starts around 4).
4 - Huey K.: Free for students, $5 otherwise, and $4 for alumni.  The Day Pass grants access to the pool and other gyms on campus.

Since my CrossFit gym isn't open for business on Sundays (yet), I come here whenever CrossFit.com recommends doing a max strength Workout of the Day, e.g. 5 sets of 5 rep power cleans.  This place is clean and has plenty of free weights.

Equipment I wish it had (again, this is from a CF perspective):
* GH machines
* 20 lb medicine balls
* Real pull up bars (not assist machines or bars designed for pure lat isolation)
* Rowing machines
* Climbing rope
* Rings
5 - Natalie S.: John Arrillaga.

I met you in the airport once, and you noticed I was wearing a Stanford Soccer sweatshirt. You asked me if I played soccer at Stanford, and I said, "Why yes, yes I do." 

You then introduced yourself as John Arrillaga.

I almost had a heart attack.

Here is my many thank yous, combined into one, for the wonderful sports complex that housed my locker room, training room, fitness center, JIMMY V'S burritos and salad bar (!!!), awards banquets, and not to mention the Stanford pool adjacent to the main building where I was able to work on my tan.

Many memories were shared here, from me dancing around in our locker room to fixing whatever ailment earned in the last practice or game and having those really deep conversations with other student athletes in the TR (aka catching up on the latest gossip from the last party or "formal").

Let's see, what building or structure is next on campus for review?
4 - D E.: The deliberate decision to have no showers or changing room is unbelievably fucking stupid.  The rocket scientist that came up with that brilliant plan needs to be waterboarded in second-hand elliptical sweat.

There are 10 squat racks, which has to be a record for a CA gym.  Decent equipment overall.  Though they should have a trap bar and ez curl bar.  The DB's only go to 110lbs.

Downside is that there's a gazillion people, including a fair amount of frat boys.  Given the square footage of mirrors this can be an amusing combination.  (You do realize that other people can see what you are doing, right?)    During the school year you really want to go off-hours.  Open til 1am(yea!) so that's not hard.

The elliptical machines are good quality --- my heart rate goes way up but it doesn't feel like I'm working that hard.  Go team.

$5 guest passes are fantastic.

The first hand experiences you can have with the variable standards of international hygiene can be a bit "bracing."
4 - Lisa R.: I *live* in this gym, basically.  Well, I live here from the moment they open at 6 am Monday - Friday until I'm done with one of my workouts; elliptical, stairs, rowing, weights, TRX or treadmill runs for marathon or half marathon training.  It's a five minute walk from my office on the Stanford campus.  It is a rare and wonderful benefit and honestly, I would seriously evaluate leaving my job for a *better* one, JUST based on the free access I have to this facility.

Upstairs there is a rock climbing facility, basketball courts, and a big, beautiful yoga studio.  Ive taken a few yoga classes here and the facility is warm, comfortable, clean and offers classes for a wide range of people.

Most days I head straight down to the basement gym for an hour or two's worth of workout on the equipment.  I spend a good hour on cardio machines (they offer Lifefitness and Precor machines) before heading across the gym to the free weights or the nautilus machines.

They also offer mats for post workout stretching (don't forget to stretch people!) and the gym is air conditioned, high ceilinged, mirrored on one side and with glass windows on the far end...resulting in a very open and non-claustrophobic experience.

The eye candy at the gym is great....amazingly muscled men picking up heavy things and grunting. Oh joy.  What a way to start my day.  ;)
5 - BOSHIKA T.: This place makes me want to work out...How can a place this good be free. I have been here thrice, and am already looking forward to my third, fourth, fifth, sixth....  trips here...I love the main gym room, the equipment is as good as any top sports club, and also like the fact  that they do not have long lines to use them. I love the fact that it is a simple sign in system, you go in, sign up for a time slot, and get on the machine start working out. 
Also, the guy at the reception desk told me about the be well program they have for staff and employees at Stanford, you go online, fill your   info, meet with a personal trainer, for I think 1 session, and they pay you $300 for that(it is once a year)...I plan on doing that next.
Only complain I have is that they do not have lockers and showers at the gym, you have to walk to the Ford center to use them, and they cost $30 a quarter(WHAT!)..but other wise Love, Love...
2 - Greg B.: The Arrillaga family has been incredibly generous to Stanford, and I'm truly appreciative of their philanthropy.  Some of the Arrillaga facilities, like the new Dining Commons or the Alumni Cafe are outstanding.  I certainly mean no disrespect when I say this, but sadly, the gym is sub-par.

Overall, the primary issues are:
1. Lack of a locker room with showers
2. Too small for the population (always overcrowded)
3. Outdated machinery, especially treadmills that constantly overhead
4. Slow maintenance time (especially treadmills)
5. Lack of several types of machines, especially for the core (abs, lower back, obliques)
6. Limited yoga/stretching space
7. No towel service, so everything is dirty and gross, and they don't clean often
8. No thick pads for various core workouts
9. Dark, gloomy, underground, only one window
10. Not enough multi-purpose benches
11. Not enough free weights between 30 and 40 lbs

I get access to the gym for free as a student, but I still choose to pay for a gym membership off campus.  And no - the gym is not "free" folks, it's "prepaid" in your tuition bill.
3 - N T.: Surprisingly small gym for such a large athletically focused elite school.

The gym is incredibly crowded with machines and people.  There is also nowhere to securely store your belongings while working out!  What??  

Also, as other reviewers have mentioned, no towels and no locker room!  Yikes.

For the good - most of the equipment seems pretty new and well maintained / in working order.  That said I didn't actually try every single machine, so I couldn't say for sure. I also am not a gym connoisseur - but I have seen better and I have seen worse.

People are polite and friendly, as is to be expected from the Stanford community.  This is one of the best features of the gym from my perspective - there is a huge range of abilities represented, and many female students.  It's definitely not a male-dominated bodybuilder type environment.  I didn't feel bad at all working at the 10lb level on machines.

I strongly suspect though that there is a much nicer gym hiding somewhere for all the student athletes.  

Overall, although it's less awesome than I expected, it's decent, if undersized for the population.  It's nice enough for my mild gym habits, besides the overcrowding issue.

Arrow Bicycle - Hyattsville, MD (38.9518622, -76.9406399) ()
5 - Eric G.: Arrow Bicycles is the neighborhood bike shop for all of metro DC.  The sales and service are both highly recommended, and after shopping around and patronizing many shops in the DC area I know I have found the one I will keep going back to.

The staff will treat you the same if you are shopping for tubes for the beater you got on Craigslist, looking for a new commuter, or ready to upgrade to a new carbon fiber road racing rig.  They have a great range of bikes both in price and types (road, mountain, commuter, etc).  If they don't have it in stock, you bet they will hunt it down for you.

The service there is excellent as well.  If you need a flat repaired, a tune-up, whatever they will give you great quality and value.  Check out Arrow for all your bike needs.  The advice and service there is beyond anything I have experienced at any other shop in the DC area.
5 - Sambucus R.: These folks are the best.  The guys who run this shop are the ones who ran day-to-day operations at Capitol Hill Bikes back when it was the best shop in town.  I can personally vouch for their expertise and commitment to cycling.  They have deep roots in the DC-area cycling community and have put together another very reputable shop that I would refer anyone to.  This includes folks who live in the District or even Northern Virginia- It's a superior shop to almost any one in town.
5 - trexD C.: Arrow is, hands down, the number one bike shop in the area. They have the best customer service of any bike shop I have visited since I moved to the metropolitan area. It doesn't matter whether you bring in a $5k bike or a $50 bike, you will be treated warmly as an integrated part of the community. Their prices are reasonable and the repair turnaround time was super!
5 - Ernie C.: The best bike shop I've been to in the DC area.  I was looking for my first adult bike, not having ridden one in about 15 years, and these guys were very informative and helpful, and let me test ride with no hassle.  I placed an order that same day, it was promised about 5 days later and it came on time.  They called and emailed me to inform me that the bike was in.  I test rode my bike, paid for it, and am enjoying riding again. 

I have not returned to get my bike serviced, I probably will in a few days, but I'm positive that it will also be a good experience.  I will definitely buy from them again.  

They sell mostly Giant and Specialized bikes, I'm not sure if they can order other brands or if they are exclusive dealers of those brands.  

Also, parking can be a pain, but this is coming from someone who hasn't lived in a city and dealt with street and parallel parking on a regular basis.
5 - tamm r.: It is so true, you will receive great customer service regardless of what kind of bike you come in with.  I came in with my uber-cheap, bought-on-clearance at Target bicycle and it didn't phase them. They helped me fix the seat and pick out some cool and reasonably priced accessories.  They were just so friendly and helpful. 

 I went to another bike shop in the College Park area (to be left unnamed) and they asked my why I would bother fixing such a cheap bike, not helpful at all...  Arrow Bicycle was the opposite experience! Helpful and personable.
5 - Adam K.: I'm always skeptical of online reviews... but these folks below nailed it. Came in there and the folks were very helpful. I'm new to riding and I didn't feel like they were pushy or trying to steer me the wrong way. Felt I got a good deal and the atmosphere was superb.

Arrow Dry Cleaners & Tailoring - Cambridge, MA (42.3622058, -71.0854489) (Kendall Square/MIT)
2 - Kirk C.: Service, Quality and Price left something to desired. Living nearby I was excited to find what appeared to be a quality Dry Cleaners so close to home. 

Dropped off fifteen shirts and two pairs of pants, asking for medium starch. Shirts were not starched, appeared to been pressed by a drunk monkey (Creases in odd places, poorly ironed collars and cuffs), misplaced the silk knot cuff links from one of the shirts and several of the shirts did not appear to have been fully cleaned (e.g. still smelled of smoke). This coupled with high prices (especially high when factoring in the low quality) and the refusal to accept Credit Cards has me annoyed and reluctant to go back. 

Perhaps the other location has better service.
2 - Ryan J.: They didn't f-up my shirts too bad, but that's all i can say. Shirts came back smelling a bit funny, the hours are not great and the guy only takes cash which required me to go to the $3 fee ATM next door. Not coming back.
1 - Aleksandra S.: Needed to get the heels of my shoes fixed and they promised to get it done before i was off for a business trip - This is what happened:

They promised to call as soon as the shoes were fixed, but they did not. So i called them almost everyday to check on the status - sometimes the man on the other line wouldnt even find the ticket number and couldnt give me a status, then he would promise to call back the next day before noon, but of course he never did.  We played this game for 4 days until i was off for my trip - of course without my shoes.  In the end it took them twice as long as promised to get my shoes fixed. 

Dont go there if you need things to be done in time, you cant rely on their time estimates and you wont even get an apology.
1 - T D.: I typically grade inflate so this rating of 1 is infinitely more than this awful establishment deserves!!

~~!!~~ AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE YOU WOULD THE BUBONIC PLAGUE! ~~!!~~ 

BARF!  SPIT!!!! EWWWW!!!!!

TRUST YELP REVIEWERS! 

This place is utterly reprehensible for the following reasons:

1) CAN'T BE ON TIME IF THEIR MOTHER'S LIFE WERE AT STAKE -- I gave the cleaners 1 week, called in advanced to check if my clothes were ready, and they still didn't deliver on time!  In fact, they asked for 3 more days!  I needed a suit for a very important event 2 days later and had to buy a new suit as a result!

2) RUDE AND DISRESPECTFUL -- When I ever visit this place, the woman behind the counter, Elaine, acts like she wants to spit in my face.  She's short, short-tempered, and kind of obnoxious.

3) THEY LIE -- I called 3 hours to check on my suit.  They said it was ready.  I arrived 5 hours later, but it was not ready.  When I asked why the woman, Elaine (the only person that works there), told me it would be ready, she said that she did not say that.  Hellooooo!  She's the only woman that works there.  I am not an idiot!!

4) THEY UNDERESTIMATE YOUR INTELLIGENCE -- See #3 above.  They blatantly lie hoping you are too stupid to match their voices.

5) THEY POTENTIALLY CHEAT THE GOVERNMENT -- They ONLY take cash or checks and you know what that means!  So for every dollar you are giving them, you are cheating the government and hard working (honest and nice) Americans 33 cents!  Your honestly earned dollars are subsidizing their existence i.e. the roads they drive, the bridges they use, the public parks they visit... They enjoy these public goods for 33% less than it costs you to enjoy them!!!!  HAH! 

6) THEIR DRY CLEANING (for lack of a better word) SUCKS!  I saw some imperfections in the dry cleaning like small residual spots and ironed on wrinkles.... How can they SUCK so bad.

7) THERE ARE CHEAPER, MORE CONVENIENT CLEANERS -- Harvard Highland Laundromat or HSA Cleaners.  Flint Cleaners is good too, but in Allston.

8) HORRENDOUS CUSTOMER SERVICE -- When I asked for a discount for the spots and delayed service, they said "no" and that was it.  When I asked for a receipt, they scribbled on a piece of paper -- I was afraid for my life that my suit that they delayed was at risk!


************ DON'T EVER VISIT THIS PLACE -- YOU WILL BE SORRY! ************
3 - Shaina P.: Ouch guys.  I'm not here to complain like an over-annoyed botch because quite frankly, I thought my pants were hemmed just fine.  And it cost me $12 a pair.  Sure, they weren't done when they said they'd be done and they only take cash/check (however, they did take my debit card), but it's in a convenient spot if you're working in the neighborhood and definitely appear to be busy all the time.

Anyway, a little bit of helpful info for you concerned citizens.  Arrows offers three services:  tailoring, shoe repair, and dry cleaning.  There is a different person responsible for each service except the tailor isn't usually there and tailoring requests go through the dry cleaner lady.  The shoe repair man seemed nice enough.  Service with a smile.
1 - Jill I.: BOO!!!  HISS!!! 

Oh, how I wish I had looked this place up on Yelp before I dropped off precious pieces of my wardrobe here.

I moved to the Boston area during the last week of December 2008, and being that this dry cleaners is the closest in proximity to my building, I decided it would become "my" cleaners.  To quote Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman .... "Big mistake. Huge."

In early January, I took in seven garments to be cleaned, five to be tailored and cleaned, and a pair of heels that needed freshening up.  I was told everything would be ready one week later.

I went in a week later with my receipt and the girl took, oh, about 25 minutes trying to locate my things.  I was fairly patient for the first ten minutes, but  when she became noticeably frantic and then ASKED ME(!!!!!!!!!!!!) to come back behind the counter and help her look for my things, I started making a scene.  I couldn't believe it.  I was completely dumbfounded.  As I walked up and down the aisles of random people's clothes covered in plastic, I began calculating the cost of the clothes that I would probably never see again and figured I was about to be out $1500.  I can't lie - my eyes started welling up with tears.  I couldn't find my clothes and I demanded that the girl call the owner, who was the one I had dropped off my things with.  She said he was upstairs and ran to get him.  He came down and found my things in five minutes (apparently they had gone out to his other location and come back that morning and was still in the "to be sorted" pile.  Ummm.  It was 2 in the afternoon.  Maybe that should get done earlier in the day?!?!?) -- except I was told one of the pairs of jeans I needed tailored were not ready.  After I told him that this was my first time using his establishment, he said he "didn't want to lose me as a customer" and that he would have the tailor finish the jeans in one hour and there would be no charge.  

When I came back an hour later, the jeans were ready and admittedly, were well tailored.  But, I was also presented with MORE clothes that they had found of mine after I had left the first time.  When I went to pay is when I found out it was CASH ONLY, which always makes me uber suspicious of businesses.  I mean, geez louise, its 2009... pay the merchant fees and get over it.  I ran to the B of A next door to get cash, paid 80 freaking dollars, and left.  When I got home, I discovered two of my sweaters still had the holes in them that I had taken them in for to get repaired and a skirt still had a tear in it.  At that point, though, I didn't want to ever leave anything I owned there again... so, alas, the holes/tear are still there, three months later.  PS The shoes looked just ok...

When I started using Yelp for everything Boston shortly thereafter, I looked up Arrow Dry Cleaners and found that I only had myself to blame for not checking earlier and that you all had told me so.  Live and learn, I guess.
1 - T. Y.: Bad People.

These guys ruined a dress (big chemical burn splotch), and when I complained, they said sure, no problem, they can help me, I just have to talk to "Mike".  And funny, Mike is always available on the phone and says "no problem, just come on in and we'll take care of it", but when you get there, "Oh, Mike just left."  They had me running back and forth between their two branches trying to find this mysterious creature.

Funny this even happened when I called from right outside of the store, talked to "Mike", then walked in the door, and the man there says Mike's not there.  When I finally confronted him and said that's funny, I just talked to him 30 seconds ago, they gave me the compensation that the receipt claimed I was entitled to (10 times the cost of the cleaning, in this case $80).
1 - Amentet M.: I had a really bad experience here, but thankfully there wasn't much lasting harm.  I work nearby, so I thought it would be convenient to get a pair of jeans hemmed.  It wasn't too expensive, but cash only, which is always an annoyance... 

Anyway, I brought in my jeans and the woman didn't even ask me how much I wanted hemmed, just grabbed them and stuck a pin in.  I came back a week later, and they still weren't done - they said they needed another day.  So I came back again, and it took at least 20 minutes for them to find my jeans.  This should NOT be so hard.  When I finally got them back, they had hemmed the jeans I wanted to keep at heel-length to flat length... disaster.  Thankfully they did a cheap job hemming, all they did was turn up the inside and sew, no cutting involved.... normally that would be awful, but in this case it saved my jeans.  I was able to take my pants down to Jordan the Tailor on Newbury and he undid the hem and fixed it.  

All in all, this was a disaster and I'm never going back, I don't care how convenient it is.
1 - Fereshteh Z.: Would not recommend this place. They lost my friend's shoes and still haven't found them. How do you lose shoes? Anyways, she was devastated from the experience. I would not trust them with my shoes, pants or anything of value. You can't be sure you'll ever see them again! Who wants to go through that? Not me!
1 - Melissa B.: terrible, lost husband's suit pants, impossible to ever get a hold of the owner " mike" and did not offer the pay the correct amount to replace because the "pants were a year old" and apparently, they depreciate.  completely ridiculous.  don't go here.
1 - Mike B.: I think it's really unfortunate that I'm spending my day off writing a negative review on Yelp, but I just have to warn others about this place.

Like others have said, it is expensive but you do get a free dose of rudeness and condescension with your order.  I was upset when I brought in a suit for tailoring and they did a mediocre to poor job while charging me a rediculous price, but that was nothing compared to how I feel after they completely ruined a pair of pants and took no responsibility for the damage.

The pants had a little salt stain on them from walking around in the snow.  The first attempt to clean the stain was completely unsuccessful and it did not even look like they had made an attempt.  When I inspected the pants I also noticed that the material on the back was discolored and that a mysterious white film had formed in the creases of the pants.

After another attempt, they did get the salt stain out but the rest of the pants looked horrible.  The gentleman behind the counter blamed the discoloration and white film on the wear&tear of sitting.  After a minute of debate he insisted that I must have brought the pants in that way.  

It is really embarassing how companies today still fail to take responsibility for their work.  Arrow knows that we have very little recourse for terrible quality service and they seem to embrace exploiting our vulnerability.
1 - M G.: 2nd time here- Told them to hem $200 jeans to 30 inseem... he wrote 30 on the receipt. I get them try them on- they are too short- i measured them, low and behold they are 29! Fail- never coming back to this place again
1 - J M.: Arrow is overpriced, does a terrible job and has poor customer service.  The stuff I brought in came back smelling like a locker room, they charged about 25% more than I'd expected for my wife's dresses (short little cocktail dresses - nothing fancy) and the guy didn't even want to talk to me about any if it.  That's the last time I go there - wish I came to yelp first!

Arrow Dry Cleaners & Tailoring - Cambridge, MA (42.3709936, -71.1141328) (Harvard Square)
2 - Wendy L.: Maybe it was just because I had a rush order, but I was really disappointed with the results. I picked up some dresses just in time to pack them for a wedding. Everything was wrinkled and the small wine stains I asked them to remove were worse! I just hope I can find a competent dry cleaner to fix it.
2 - Kiki B.: breaking up is hard to do, but, at my loving bf's assistance, it  must be done.  i really wanted to love this place - cute old couple, just a few minutes from my apt.  however, when the three pairs of shoes i dropped off on thursday, specifically explaining that i had an interview on tuesday, weren't ready on tuesday, or wednesday, and only 2 of them by the time i came on thursday, things were nearing the end.  when the third pair wasn't ready until saturday, they not only charged me - an outrage at that point - but refused to charge me the agreed-upon $12 and insisted on $14 instead.  it's over.
2 - J. K.: I used to love this place because they are close to my work but with each increasing frustrating as hell experience, I must admit, I'd rather go to other dry cleaners...

A few years back, they relined my knee-length boots that I bought in 1998 (me freshman year of college) and made them look spanking new.. polished, and zero problems.. I know I could have probably chucked them but they were my go to slut/suit boots and I couldn't bear to throw them out and it was only early this winter that I had to finally bid adieu..

I recently dropped off my white coat on a Tuesday and the guy (I'm presuming the owner) said it'll be ready by early Saturday and I said sure, no problem... I stopped by Sat around 5pm and waited for 10 mins while that rude, Elaine? (read previous review) ignored me and said really, it's not ready? and I told her it was promised to me by the morning......
After waiting for 10 more mins while she puttered back and forth, she said it would be ready by Monday.....argh.. so I asked her please make sure it's ready by Monday... so what do you think? Is it ready on a Monday?  NOPE...

Oopps sorry was the response.... in my head, I'm thinking WTFHISTHISSHIT!?!? 

Finally, today (Wed) it was ready!!!  Yippeee! Horray!  I have more than one jacket but in this day and age with our rocking economy, if customer service is crap on a stick and promptness even worse, do they really expect me to back?
1 - T. Y.: Bad People.

These guys ruined a dress (big chemical burn splotch), and when I complained, they said sure, no problem, they can help me, I just have to talk to "Mike".  And funny, Mike is always available on the phone and says "no problem, just come on in and we'll take care of it", but when you get there, "Oh, Mike just left."  They had me running back and forth between their two branches trying to find this mysterious creature.

Funny this even happened when I called from right outside of the store, talked to "Mike", then walked in the door, and the man there says Mike's not there.  When I finally confronted him and said that's funny, I just talked to him 30 seconds ago, they gave me the compensation that the receipt claimed I was entitled to (10 times the cost of the cleaning, in this case $80).
1 - Francesca R.: What a dumbass I am.  Why didn't I read the reviews first?  For the love of god don't go here.  The woman behind the counter is cah-raaazy.

So, I went two weeks ago and brought some pants to be hemmed, because the awesome guy who used to do my $10 pants hemming went out of business.  I was greeted by a very sweet young woman who did the measuring and sent me on my way.  A week later I pick up my pants, pay the $14.50...ok great.  That's about what I was expecting to pay, the pants are even and so I thought I had my new tailor.  The woman behind the counter this time was an obstreperous woman who made me wait while she finished her conversation with her friend, but I thought...hey, whatever.  She adds a little character.

The next day I wore my newly tailored jeans and liking the outcome and price, brought a second pair in to be hemmed.  The same unpleasant woman was behind the counter, she took my measurements and again, they need an entire week to do the job.  Warning lights are starting to go off now in my head--why does it take a week to hem some friggin' jeans?  But OK, maybe that means they are popular which is a good sign.  Right?  Maybe?

I go to pick up my pants today and they cost $16.  When I questioned the woman, saying I paid $14.50 last time, we had the following insane dialogue:

"Oh, that must have been ages ago."

"No, it was last week.  It was actually these pants.  [I lift a leg and gesture to the hem.]"

"Well, it must have been with someone else."

"No, it was with you.  I wrote a check to you [they don't take cash] for $14.50.  Why is it more today?  How much should I regularly expect to pay for hemming?"

"Well, it's normally $15 but because these are wide leg jeans, it's $16."

Bullshit.  First of all, they aren't wide leg jeans.  Second of all...even if they were....................no.  I used to hem my own jeans in highschool and I know exactly how long it takes (two minutes, in case you're wondering).  Even if they *were* wide leg, that's no reason for it to cost more.

But whatever, I don't care about the $1.50 so I let the cheap cretin keep it.  However I will NEVER go back there again.  What kind of crazy shit is that?  the look on her face as she spouted out lie after lie gave me the heebie jeebies.  Avoid this place at all costs.
1 - Morgan M.: Dear God, do NOT go here! I know their location is super convenient, but trust me, just don't go! Rip off, bad service, and bad work. I've tried them for both dry cleaning and tailoring, and both times I was unsatisfied and paid way too much. Head to Hillside cleaners for much better service.
3 - Julia M.: Am I the only one to have anything positive to say abt Arrow? Sadness.

I dropped off 3 pairs of my favorite heels here instead of my usual place, Felix, on the recommendation of a friend who said Arrow was cheaper. The work was pretty straightforward (i.e. fix the heels, clean up a bit), so I figured I would take a chance. The lady who rang me up couldn't have been nicer - she must have said "have a good day" 3 or 4 times, but in a nice way. My shoes turned out fine, and my wallet was happy as the price was, indeed, much more reasonable than Felix. 

I hope someone gives them a try for shoes!
1 - Jessica W.: It's been almost 3 weeks since I brought my boots in to get the zipper repaired, and I really wish I'd read these reviews beforehand. 

I called to check on the status of the boots the other day and the woman told me she would check into it and call me back. Well, I guess what she meant was that she wasn't going to call me back. I must have missed that part. 

Called again today. She had me call the cobbler (isn't this something SHE should be doing? I would have brought the boots directly to the cobbler if I knew I could). 

The cobbler was much more pleasant than anyone at Arrow Dry Cleaners, but I still don't have my boots and I'm wondering if they'll bother to call me when they are finally done. I'm guessing they won't.
1 - Karen L.: Despite the overall negative reviews here I still wanted to try this place because it is around the corner from my house.  I WANTED this place to be great, even just good.... but no.

I needed the zipper on my winter coat fixed (the entire thing broke) and I figuerd I'd be paying around $25-$40 but wanted to shop around to find the best price.  I came here first and he told me $30 so I figured that was good enough and left.  Well, when I came back to pick it up the guy says $39.  I told him he quoted me $30 and he started arguing with me about how I heard him wrong and blah blah blah.  So much for customer service.

Since I wasn't in the mood to push it I just said okay whatever, and then he tells me "okay find i'll just charge you $38."  Oh thanks, buddy!  Because without that dollar I just wouldn't be able to live.

I'm not cheap, I just like to pay what I'm told.  If I was originally quoted $39 i may have gone elsewhere or I may have just said okay- but don't quote me $30 and then charge me $39.  Sadly, this is a dishonest business that will no longer be getting my business.
1 - Michela D.: Please not go there!!!!

Horrible service, unprofessional.

Could anyone help me?
They completely damaged my coat (600$) and they do not want to take responsibilities. Who shall I contact? Any customer service?
3 - Nicole S.: This place does good work with cleaning and mending clothes, as long as you're not in a hurry. They usually take a week to get stuff done, so I never do any rush orders with them. Also, Arrow is inexpensive and their proprietors are super nice. I think Arrow merits an A-OK.
1 - Christopher L.: Please don't go here. I wish I had read the reviews!

I was regularly doing wash and fold here, and noted how odd it was that is was so much more expensive than other places when they claimed to charge $1.35 / pound.

After this had been going on for awhile, I started weighing my laundry at home first, and it turns out they have a system--they actually charge $1.75 a pound.

For 15 pounds of laundry, that means they charge $26.50 instead of $20.25! The last time I went in, I pointed this out and asked that they re-weigh it. They gave me a run around about not having a scale in the store--I wonder why. 

In frustration, I went home and brought my scale back, and we did a weight reading--it was 15 pounds. They guy told me "clean clothes are lighter." Really?! 4.5 pounds lighter? He seemed to realize how ridiculous his story was, but stuck with it.

Please don't go here. I've had much better luck with honest service at other places nearby.
3 - Waylon B.: I got a thin piece of rubber sole applied into one of my dress shoes at this place. They did a fine job. The only thing the sucked was that the guy who took my shoes said he would call me when it was finished, a week go by and still no calls. Finally I just called in to check the shoes' status and he told me it was ready to take home. Anyways, the shoes looked great and price I paid for it was fair.
1 - Joce C.: I actually signed up for yelp just so I could share my experience with Arrow.

The heels of one of my.shoes was wearing off, so I brought it to Arrow.  The man working there said the shoemaker might not have the same color heel in stock, so I asked that he have the shoemaker call me to discuss what the new heel would look like before he proceeded with the repair.  If it was going to be obvious, I was just going to stick with my old heel until it wore out completely.

Fast forward two weeks, and I still haven't received a call.  I go into Arrow, and they can't even find my shoes.  The next week I get a call that they found my shoes.  When I go in, they had applied a light orange heel to my dark grey shoes, in a manner that was visible from the side.  I was surprised, because I didn't realize they were doing the repair because I never heard from the shoemaker.  The man working there said the shoemaker didn't have the right color in stock, so decided to go with orange instead.

Unfortunately I am leaving for the summer tomorrow, so they didn't have time to fix it.  I refused to pay for it, since i have never authorized the repair, but the man said a) I left the wrong number and the shoemaker couldn't call me (clearly a lie because he himself had called me yesterday), and b) they could fix it by changing the heel color (in that case, why didn't they use the right color in the first place)?

When I still refused to pay, he then threatened to remove the new heel, thereby rendering my shoes COMPLETELY useless.  In the face of this threat, I gave in and paid him for the 'work' - yes he gave me a discount, but I had clearly stated I didn't want the repair if it was the wrong color!

Bottom line is, a) they do shoddy work, b) they don't care about the work you want done on your shoes, c) they outright LIE, and d) they will gladly blackmail you to get some money out of you.  I can't think of a worse way to run a business.
1 - Dan A.: Horrible experience here. Avoid this place if you can.
1 - Andrew M.: Simply terrible customer service.

Dropped a pair of shoes off on a Monday to replace the heel, stressed that I needed it by Thursday. On Thursday, shoes were not available, despite not getting a call to warn me. They then claim they will give me a call when they are available, but never do. I have to call them myself and pick up the shoes a full 5 days late.

Very unreliable.
2 - Paul M.: If you're looking to get shoes repaired here, go elsewhere.

Last week I brought in a single pair of shoes whose soles needed to be replaced. The woman at the counter estimated that the fix would cost 50 dollars,and required a 25 dollar deposit from me. A few days later I received a call from the cobbler, who informed me that the job would actually cost 85 dollars. 

(!) 

I had called the woman with whom I had originally spoken the day before to let her know that I has changed my mind, and that I would to pick the shoes up. She told me that I could pick them up the next day. I arrived at the store the next day around 9:45 to pick the shoes up, only to find out that they had been moved to their second location in Kendall for cobbling, and had not yet been delivered back. I had to wait an hour for the delivery.

After picking up the shoes I headed over to a guy in Brookline who offered to do the same job for 25 dollars. 

(!)

The place gets an extra star because I had forgotten to collect the 25 dollar deposit, and the woman at the counter was honest enough to flag me down outside before I biked away without it.

Arrow Street Crêpes - Cambridge, MA (42.3712857, -71.1144928) (Harvard Square)
4 - Melissa B.: A friend turned me on to this place just recently.  Wonderful crepes with fresh ingredients, overflowing and a great value.  The coffee is quite good as well and the service is really good for such a casual place.  It fills up fast on the weekends, go early if you want your pick of tables.
5 - Jessica H.: This was the first place I ever went to eat crepes and I am so happy about it. Their crepes are delicious. The crepe is made right in front of you, the fillings are fresh and yummy, the prices are right... what more can I say!? Try the apple and cheddar, it's good!
5 - Sandra C.: Very cute place and the best crepes I've ever had.  Both savory and sweet.  Some can even be a meal.  The place is pretty small and cozy, so  not for a big group.  They can take a while to make your crepes, but it's nice on a lazy relaxing morning.
4 - Esther L.: Lots of good options (both salty crepes and sweet crepes) to pick from on the menu. My favorite is the strawberry-banana and nutella kind. The crepes run a little on the expensive side, but they are worth it. There are some tables and barstools to sit at. Atmosphere is nice, a good place to bring a date for breakfast or lunch.
4 - Pat T.: Tasty crepes. A good, inexpensive place to go for breakfast.
5 - Joyce K.: One of my favorite places to go freshman year.  It's small and you'll have to fight for seats but the crepes are worth it.  I love the dessert crepes especially the dulce de leche (too good to even attempt describing).  The meal crepes don't really do it for me so I stay away from those except for the brie one.  I'll eat anything with brie in it.  

The exposed kitchen let's you watch as they roll out one delicious crepe after another.  On one occasion, the cook was really rude and yelled at me that he wasn't taking any more orders because there were too many people.  I can understand the level of stress so I'll forgive him because he's good at what he does and has been really nice other times that I've gone there.  The old man is the best!  He's so cute and makes awesome crepes.
4 - Wendy L.: The crepes are really good but expensive.  $7-8 for crepes seems a bit ridiculous to me especially considering that the crepes aren't that filling.  They have an interesting "fixed menu" where you can choose from a sweet crepe (though you only have three crepes to choose from), a savory crepe (though not the entire menu to choose from - the more premium crepes are off limits) and a beverage.  Considering all of the constraints, I think I've only had the fixed menu once - I put too much value on choosing my savory crepe.

All of the crepes are solid, good crepes.  But with all crepes, I'm typically hungry an hour or two later.

There is a one hour limit for tables (I always wonder if that includes wait time for the crepes or actual eating time at the table), and even still, this place is typically packed.  The place is really small, so it might be tough to find a table.  I've always found one but I also always feel stressed whenever I have to find one....
4 - Marguerite W.: A bite of Paris in Cambridge!

Anything you choose will bring you back! Easy place to grab lunch or a sweet treat!  I love the mushroom and swiss but the salads are also great!  The breakfast crepes are also worth the trip too!

Organic produce is also a fixture!
5 - William C.: This place rocked.  My Sloan friend took me here for Saturday lunch, and it totally exceeded all my expectations.  I loved how fluffy the crepes were.  Too often the crepes are too rich and oily, making you feel gross afterward, but the Eiffel Tower crepe was just perfect, with plenty of flavor, without overloading the crepe with too much cheese and oil.  I'm not sure if I've had a better crepe.  I wish Stanford had a place like this right next to campus.
5 - Matt W.: If you are looking for fast food don't go to a sit down joint like this, because you will have to wait while they make the stuff. I really like the creations they've come up with, such as the California crepe. The first time I went here I expected dessserts, which they have, but the majority of the menu is non-dessert based crepes.....pita type sandwich things (they wrap a salad in the crepe basically). I like the approach particularly since I hadn't seen this presentation before. I do feel the price is a bit steep, but then again I pay $4 for coffee so at around $9 this isn't too bad. I've never had to wait for a table but I hear it can be quite crowded on the weekends. Does it make me feel like I am in a Paris creperia....no. Does it tingle my tastebuds....yes. Give it a try.
4 - Samantha M.: I got the hazelnut crepe and it was great! I also enjoyed the service. A bit unconventional with an open kitchen, but it was fun. I also enjoyed that the menu highlighted veggie options.

They also have some interesting coffee concoctions. Nice if you're in the mood for a sweet treat.

Not a ton to seating, but the place wasn't very busy when I ate there.
4 - Yosh H.: I have only love for Arrow St. Crepes!  My first crepe ever (lemon and sugar!) was here and there hasn't been a creperie in Boston that has been able to compare.  Since then, I've had a few meal crepes (salmon and mixed greens), and definitely the nutella crepe.  YUMMY!
Driving and find a parking space in Harvard Square is always worth it just to indulge in a crepe from here.
4 - Melissa M.: VERY VERY snooty girl works there and the crepes are severly overpriced (appx 9 bucks) for a plain crepe w/ strawberries and powdered sugar.  she gave me an attitude when I told her that I did not want brown sugar.  Basically, she told me that SHE likes brown sugar so I should get it.  I got it powdered and it was delish.  This girl needs someone to punch her in the face. I'd give the place 5 stars, if it was not for this twit!
4 - Tristan B.: Thank you, Arrow Street Crepes.

You have saved my ass so many times when I'm with a girl and I'm at a loss as to what to get for lunch. Yes, we were up all night until 4:00 AM, and now it's time to actually eat something that's good and takeout as you don't want to be seen in public looking like that.

Granted, I'm particularly lazy and uncreative when it comes to breakfast/lunch foods, but you can bring said girl from NYC here and she'll be actually impressed with it. Now this comes at a cost, as you'll also be paying NYC prices for the crepes. 8 or 9 bucks is bar standard, and if you're going to get some more wacky flavored ones, expect to pay even more.

Eating inside here is an exercise in futility as even if you get a seat, you're going to be crammed, you're going to be uncomfortable, and you're just not going to have a good time busing your own table. Now do  you guys recycle, or do you just want me to put the bottle in the trash? Hmmm....

It doesn't help that I have a little bit of a crush on one of the cute girls who works here too but shh, it's a secret. This isn't craigslist missed connections!
5 - M. Deloris D.: This is a happy place.  Like a mini vacation in Harvard Square.  A little European triangle.  The savory crepes come with fresh tasty salad greens and the sweet crepes are simply delicious.  Well done Arrow Street.  Well done.
5 - Christina K.: Note: Does not accept credit cards anymore and there are no public bathrooms (huh?).

Seriously delicious crepes though. Both the sweet and the savory I've had here were amazing. The mozzerella, baby spinach, tomato and garlic oil crepe totally knocked my socks off. And then desert crepe with belgian bittersweet chocolate, fresh mango and banana was the perfect ending to any meal.
4 - Dave L.: Good menu with some really tasty crepes at good prices. Both the sweet and savory crepes here are spot on, with fairly fresh, quality ingredients.       Portions are fairly big as well.  There isn't enough seating, and this past summer it was too hot to eat inside, other than that I can not complain.
4 - Bryanne R.: It's almost like being in Paris!  You can get orangina! 

The crepes are delicious and there are a ton to choose from.  I'm now in love with the Nutella and strawberry dessert crepe.  It'll take some serious self control to not have one every time I'm in Harvard Square...
2 - Emily D.: Sorry, crepe place, I'm immune to your "seduction."

You don't take my credit card, you don't have a bathroom, and your seating area is so cramped that I can't pull my chair out enough to actually get past the arms and into the chair. This is not a pleasant experience.

Two adequately tasty veggie-type crepes for $19. Small portions, with no accoutrements. And the crepe itself was a little dry, even. You could've at least thrown some mixed lettuce on the side to make it feel like an actual meal. 

I assume most of the clientele here are students, so why would they line up to pay so much for so little? 

Crepe place, you should really consider stepping it up a notch. Lower your prices. Toss some lettuce or home fries on the side of your savory crepes. Accept credit cards. Let people relieve themselves in your employee bathroom.

Harvard... Cambridge... whatever you call yourselves... you deserve better than this. I'm shaking my head in disappointment.
4 - claudia g.: I would definitely give this place five stars if it were a little less expensive (maybe $2 less per crepe).  My friend and I had the hippie (green apples, cheddar with honey on top) and the earth day (garlic butter, mozzarella, sauteed mushrooms, and spinach), each $9.  Both were exceptionally delicious.  We had a beurre sucre crepe for dessert (butter and sugar), which cost about $4.  It was so good that as soon as I got home I wanted more.   I looked up how to make them on the internet and made some.  Not quite as good as theirs, but very good and far less expensive.  I will definitely be back for the savory crepes though, which would be more effort to make at home.  They apparently take credit cards now, too.
3 - Orly M.: I stop in here once in a blue moon for a delicious, expensive Eiffel Tower.  Two fried eggs and greens in a crepe = love.  

The prices are ridiculous but it's Harvard Sq, not Paris. 

The guys make the crepes in front of you but quality is far from consistent.  Sometimes the crepes are amazing.  Sometimes theyre blech and I scold myself for spending so much on a crepe.

I first came here on a date with a guy who turned out to be a douche.  But at least he had game because it made for a romantic brunch spot.
4 - Lauren F.: num num num num...

oh, hi. i was just eating the best thing ever: the banana-honey-almond crepe from arrow street crepes. what makes it so great? well, that's simple. the honey is sweet, the banana is ripe, the almonds are toasty and crunchy, and the crepe is crisp and buttery. it's a warm, sugary, honey-banana paradise. 

what's that? yeah, the dude makes it right here, right in front of you. i know, i wish there was more seating, too, but the bistro-style tables are super, aren't they? yeah, i know. what's that? you like to watch the harvard peeps out the window? hey, me too! let's make out.
4 - Jessica E.: Ever since I visited Paris last summer, I am randomly stricken by intense cravings for crepes.  This led me to Yelp, and then to Arrow Street Crepes.  

They have a sizable menu of offerings, both sweet and "savory" (aka lunch food, meat, etc.).  The prices start off reasonably for a basic crepe with say, nutella, but quickly skyrocket.  My Lulu crepe was butter, lemon, sugar, with strawberries at it was over 8 dollars! &#(@$*@? But in their defense, the crepe was large and the lady who made it used easily over a  cup of coarsely chopped strawberries, not scrimping.  It was so delicious but I could not afford to even think about another one. 

The store itself is cute but very, very small.  They were playing French music when I was there, which was cute.  All in all, I have no loyalty save for the fact that there are so few creperies that I have no choice BUT to be loyal! **grrr gnash teeth***

Oh also, they do NOT take credit cards!!
3 - Jenny L.: Completely agree with Emily D's review on this place. The chef was grumpy, the place was cramped, you had to pick up your crepe at the counter and then bus your own table. Not what I was expecting when the little dessert crepe was as expensive as an entree at some decent restaurants.

The good things are...the fruit was fresh, the crepe was perfectly made, and I left wanting more. It's been 6 months and I still haven't gone back. Can't get myself to pay so much and leave only mildly satisfied.
4 - Elaine M.: I love crepes! So when I saw the sign (it used to be called Le Creperie) for this little restaurant, I felt compelled to try it out. For me, it did not disappoint. Any of the crepes with nutella and fruit are mouthwatering. The place itself is tiny, but charming. The service has been pretty good the few times I've been there -- there was even one time where we were served a crepe for free on top of our order.

As the place is tiny, it can get pretty cramped, though. And you have to seat yourself, so that might be a nuisance if the place is busy.
2 - Courtney H.: $10 for a crepe? Really?

I almost never go here because it's always packed, but it was dead at around 5:30pm today. I got a savory crepe with mushrooms, spinich, and garlic. My boyfriend got a sweet crepe full of fruit, yogurt, and granola.

The crepes were good, but nothing to write home about. For $10, I wish it had been a little more filling.

I'd probably go here for dessert, but next time I want a meal, I'll go somewhere that satisfies my tummy.
4 - Tracy K.: My friends and I had wanted to try this place out, so when we did, we had pretty high expectations. And they were met.

I had the Earth Day crepe, which had mozzarella, spinach, and mushrooms. Yeah, it didn't make me completely full, but it was delicious and it left me enough room to hit up Berryline for dessert!

Like most places in Harvard Square, this is a tiny place. It's good if you want an early dinner or something, because you'll probably be able to get a seat. I love how they have an open kitchen and you can watch your food being made right in front of you. Well, it's more like, "ooh, that looks good, I sure hope that's mine!" 

The chef was nice enough to move a couple that was hogging a large table for my group of four. The way this place works is fine by me (get your own table, clear the table after your meal). It's not like you leave a tip or anything.
2 - Sarah W.: Arrow Street is a dead end.  Non, non, non.

 I ordered the savory salmon crepe with capers and red peppers.  This item caught my eye because it included creme fraiche.  It reminded me of a delicious crepe I ate in Vancouver.   As I was eating the crepe I was hunting for the creme fraiche.  No creme fraiche.  When I politely asked the crepe Nazi behind the counter for the creme fraiche, he rudely waved his hand and informed me that they took it off the menu. (yeah, in his head!)  Hmmm....  Although I'm not a crepe professional, the crepe was more like a salad wrap without something creamy bonding it together.  
 Needless to say, I am still on the search for the perfect creperie in the Boston area!
4 - Tim C.: The first things you'll notice as you enter is that the dining area is very cramped and they cook the crepes right in front of you.  They have a large variety of fresh ingredients and the crepes are pretty tasty.

I believe they also have student discounts on most of their crepes.  A pretty nice place to try if you're in the area.
1 - greta C.: I don't even want to give this place one star.  I can't believe all of the rave reviews, but then again, I notice residents in and around Harvard Square don't really know the difference between good food and bad.  I think that it is because most of them are students, and because Cambridge is a difficult place to find good food (there are a few exceptions, of course).  

Went to this place about two years ago.  They had an apple crepe that is no longer listed on the menu.  They stated that the apple crepe has "caramelized apples".  I was excited to try something that sounded so yummy.  When I got my dish, I was horrified to find that it was full of hard, (not even warmed up), really sour green apples cut into chunks.  I first approached the cook, asking if there was some mistake, I ordered the crepe with the "caramelized apples".  

He defensively pointed to the crepe burner and said "Where am I supposed to caramelize them"?  (As if I was demanding some sort of special treatment, when I was just ordering something off the menue, silly me).  "It says 'caramelized' on the menu", I pointed out, "these aren't even cooked."  I will spare you any more details.  Suffice it to say that his tone got louder and louder to the point of yelling.   He and the waitress who interjected herself into the agument ganged up on me and gave me an f ****g hard time about getting my money back.   I wasn't leaving without my nine bucks refunded.  I stood my ground because I was not only sorely disappointed, but was highly annoyed about having my time wasted by false claims and pretty angry about the extremely rude treatment.  I notice they no longer have that crepe on the menu (since its posted on the window that I occasionally pass).  I guess I'm not the only one who called them on their false advertising.  They do have one with 'caramelized' strawberries.  

I wonder where they 'caramelize' them.
4 - Michael D.: This little creperie has gotten a bad rap in recent reviews, and I'm rather sad about that.  Let's discuss.

I concede that the place is tiny.  There are nine, maybe ten tables, and they're smooshed together, so you'll have to crawl over and around other diners at peak times.  You have to grab silverware before you eat, and toss it into a bin on your way out.  The crepes are somewhat pricey, as are the smoothies.  There's no restroom.

However, not one of these factors has inhibited my loyalty for Arrow Street -- which, by the way, nobody really calls "Arrow Street."  As far as I have heard, it's just "the creperie."  I have eaten here several times, and the crepes have never been substandard.  I have always felt that I received my money's worth.  Maybe I'm just ordering crepes that are more to my taste than other Yelpers are, but I've always enjoyed the flavors and considered the preparation appropriate.

My favorite, for the record, is the Californian crepe -- turkey, avocado, vegetables, dijon mustard.  Best Smoothie Award goes to the goji concoction.  I have taken three or four of my friends along to this place, and they have always enjoyed their plates as well, especially the North Street crepe.  A simple dessert crepe to share -- say, lemon and sugar -- always caps a nice lunchtime experience.

Check it out for yourself.  Maybe it's not your style, but it's worth a shot.  I've always left satisfied.
4 - Alison C.: This place is over-priced, the atmosphere isn't the greatest, and the person taking your order is a bit surly. But, my god, the crepe I had was delicious beyond words. I can still imagine how it tasted some 4 months later.
5 - Timothy P.: I have been eating at Arrow Street, now La Creperie, for the better part of 8 years.  I am really tired of seeing it get bad reviews.  

First, everyone is complaining about the price.  I understand you can get a burrito at one of the many taco stands for $6.  Has anyone ever tried to price the ingredients of a burrito?  It probably cost the company $1.50 to make, and those are crap ingredients, unlike those at Arrow Street (where else do you have the option of Salmon, Lamb, and so many vegetarian options). So for every one who wants something cheep go get a burrito, and quit complaining.   

Second, the place is small; the sad part is that it is twice the space they used to have when they were downstairs.  I am sure the owner realizes this, but honestly can anyone think of a way to make more room?  I feel like the owner is doing the best with what he has.  I all the restaurants and countries I have had crepes in my life time, this quaint little place at least gives you the option to sit down.  

Third, unfriendly staff.  This is something that affects every restaurant.  It could be helped if all the diners would help just a little.  Do to the lack of space and the small staff, the people behind the counter barely has enough time to wipe the tables, and get the dishes done.  So for all those lazy, snobbish people, who are convinced that the people in the food industry are there to serve them and clean up after their messes, do the poor kid behind the counter a favor and either bus your own plates (I know this is Cambridge and you are used to your maid cleaning up after you) or at least tip the poor guy if you are going to make him do extra work to cover your lazy behind. 

I am sorry that this review had to go on for so long, but I was tired of one of my favorite places in Boston getting railed by people who want quality but don't want to pay for it, something quaint and cozy but not small, and god forbid a place that asks you to do what your mother should have taught you, "if you make a mess clean it up.
3 - Daniel M.: I really enjoy this little spot.  It's super close to heaven (Berryline) and has a great view of the passersby for people watching.  The interior is a lesson in shabby chic and seems rather fitting.  I even like the surly crepe maker, he was nice to me so it was enjoyable watching him be short with others.  

After much deliberation I ordered the Montmarte- Swiss cheese, grilled mushrooms, fresh thyme.  Holy crap the thing was good.  I was not too thrilled with the cost however.  I'm no crepe expert but for one crepe that while delicious is not terribly filling $8 seems a bit steep.  If it came with something else perhaps but on its own not so much.  Sadly, this was on the lower end of the prices.

Its proximity to Berryline will keep me coming back however.  The Monmarte followed by a little fro-yo is an unbeatable com-bo.
3 - Nat C.: prices are high - pretentious chefs but the one male cashier was nice - but enough about that - the crepes were awesome - not THE best I've had but great for a place like this. Small, cramped, only take cash - whatever - they need to lower their prices but the crepes are great!
3 - Alex L.: I really like the crepes, and I enjoy the cozy seating environment. But the high prices keep me from becoming a regular customer.
4 - jen f.: granny smith apples, cheddar cheese, honey on top.


'the hippie' is better than overdosing on st. john's wort.
3 - Teena C.: Good crepes here, I enjoy them a lot but I do have to agree with other reviewers that it is pricey. I like that you just order and pay and there's no service therefore you don't have to tip but still each crepe is quite expensive.
5 - Lei L.: Wow, what a small, cramped space, but my favorite place to eat for a weekend brunch. The salty and sweet crepes are so tasty and cheap!!! Don't go with more than 3 people though, you probably won't fit through the door. The small place has huge windows though of harvard yard. LOVE it, check it out!
1 - Dan C.: My hate affair...err whatever you would call the opposite of a love affair, with this place began long ago.  I have been hatin' on Arrow Street Crepes longer and harder than people have been hatin' on Michael Jackson (you know who you are, and you should be ashamed, he is the king of pop after all).  Long ago there was an Arrow Street Crepes in the MIT student center, and the owner was, for lack of a better word, a real douche.  He, like everyone else was mean and would never give you what you asked for, assuming you got it at all.  The Harvard square shop should be better since they service more than just students, right? Wrong.  Same stuff different day.  This place is even more cramped, and not in that Bartley's Burgers or 7 minutes in heaven closet game with your 9th grade crush kind of way (I've gotten much better since then J., call me).  The interior is on the shabby side and the chairs are not nearly as study as they should be.  And just like before the crew are a bunch of, you guessed it, douches.  Maybe it is a job requirement.  On top of that the crepes are small for the price you pay.  As Ricky Bobby once said: "A crepe is like a thin pancake."  Go to Zoe's (one block away) and get yourself a whole mess of pancakes.

Bottom Line: Shake and bake your way out of there.
4 - Helen C.: Had the AMELIE... (banana, nutella, and the roasted almonds)....YUM!
4 - Gino T.: Lets just get the facts straight. This place is mouth watering! If you want mediocre food, comfy seating and a nice bathroom, try ihop, Zoe's and other places of that nature, knock yourself out. This is not a chain, this ain't a corporate owned restaurant, it ain't your way right away! The best crepes this side of the Atlantic. Yes the place is small and the tables are close, real close. The help is nothing to mention neither good or bad they do what needs to be done, a good thing to know, apparently no bathroom access. I read a lot of complaints of the prices, but c'mon the food is well worth it. It should not come as a surprise we're in Cambridge, look at Bartleys mediocre burgers, independent owners, hello!? As far as food, I recommend the Frenchie, it's off the "chizain", the Eiffel tower for the basic, Politariate is flame. Any of the sweet crepes are a win win situation. No credit cards, FYI, again pretty common in cambridge.
2 - Jeremy K.: Small and cramped but full of charm, this place was worth checking out. I've had experienced them once before using Foodler but went there on an unexpected craving with my girlfriend. 

Now I was raised in France and have eaten hundreds of crepes. There are two types that exist, one made with a buckwheat base known as "Sarasin Crepes" and the other which are with regular flour, which is what they serve here. Only the regular crepe can be made either savory or sweet while the buckwheat one can only be savory... But that's besides the point.

The savory crepes we each had there were both overpriced and disgusting. Since when is putting salad into a crepe ok? Oh wait, we are in America... That's why. Either way, it was gross. I mean it. The chicken they use is both rubbery and flavorless making the whole thing abslutely ridiculous. And it's expensive too.

And to top everything off, they don't accept credit cards even though we are in 2009. So I had to cross the street, in the rain and go to an ATM and pay a $3 fee. I should have just turned around and left. 

I can't believe people love this overpriced, overrated place where the people running it are obviously oblivious to what a crepe should be. 

Won't be going there again. Ever.
4 - Erin L.: Passed by this place. It's a very cute and little crepe joint. They have anything from sweet to savory crepes. I had a standard crepe and it was delish. I like my crepes crispy and not soft, and this place did a good job! Sooo basically....I  love this place :)
2 - Alyssa S.: I went here this past weekend and I've been thinking about it ever since...thats not always a good thing...
Denial of a public bathroom- bad
Cramped seating- bad
Crepe maker guy with something up his butt who was trying to discretely text on his blackberry, hidden behind the huge bowl of batter, with his gloves while making crepes- bad
Bite of my boyfriends Eiffel Tower Crepe- good
My disgusting zucchini and squash crepe with some nasty vinegar sauce - i just threw up in my mouth
$8 and up prices- bad
I dont know maybe I should have tried a sweet one with nutella and bananas...those looked really good. 

But I dont think I'll be back..yuck
2 - Joe S.: 1.9 Stars.  And that is being very generous.

First of all, let's get one thing straight.

If you are just another run-of-the-mill counterculture Harvard Square frequenter, then you will probably love this place, because it is small, dirty, and sucks, and you love things that are small, dirty, and/or suck.  (To you, "to suck" is just another term for "to be charming.")

Otherwise, you probably won't be too big on this place.

FOOD: Actually, the food is not *awful.*  But it's a pretty bland meal.  Very dissatisfying.  To be honest, this place has been my only experience with crepes thus far, but I'm pretty sure -- after years of many people telling me how wonderful crepes are -- that this is not how they are supposed to taste.

Also, the food takes longer than you might expect, even when the place is not busy.

AMBIENCE: There are about five tables here, and there's really only enough room for about two or three tables.  In other words, it's very small and cramped.  Also, the tables (along with much of the rest of the restaurant) are dirty.  It looks like they are cleaned maybe once a day at most.

Additionally, this place is directly above the Red Line, so if you are not getting your order to go, then you have to listen to the loud RUMBLE-RUMBLE-MOTHERFUCKER-I'M-A-TRAIN-RUMBLE of the subway directly below every five minutes.


Overall, I don't ever want to return here.  And I do not recommend this place to others, especially because there are so many places to eat around Harvard Square that I would be astounded if you could not do better.


(As a footnote: My girlfriend and her sister really like this place.  But they are silly sometimes.  So there you go.)
4 - julia r.: i have never seen a larger vat of batter. it was actually in a nice porcelain bowl that made me want to pick up the ladle myself. prepare yourself for an EXTENSIVE menu of options. i seriously wanted to try them all. i got the californian and it was pret-ty good. i would skip the "roast turkey" next time as it was more like rubbery squares of quasi-meat and go double on the avocado, which was perfectly ripe. kind of weird to have field greens right in your warm crepe, but i was okay with that because everything tasted so good.
3 - Samuel F.: Charming and cozy, which may be plus or minus depending on how jaded you are with regard to real-estate euphemisms.

The crepes aren't the best crepes in the world, but they're good, and hey, crepes!

A Harvard Square landmark.  Worth visiting at least once, but I'd just shrug if you decided not to come back.
4 - Nick H.: Arrow Street shot one through my crepe-filled heart recently... 

What started as a diversion to wait out the queue for Berry Line turned into a beautiful experience. 

This funky little spot appears to be a father-and-son operation and serves up some very authentic and well-crafted crepes. Very rare to find a merguez crepe anywhere this side of Morocco or France for example.

Tempted by more traditional offerings but went with the merguez with sauteed spinach, feta, and peppers with hot sauce. Man what a good time that was. 

Coming back either for sweeter delicacies or to order up something cheesy, ham, or egg filled. 

Nice find for crepes around Harvard.
5 - Daniel H.: Can't beat this gourmet food for the price.  Take your dates here, and they will be impressed and happy.
2 - Natalie K.: I really wanted to like this place. Honestly. I've lived near the square for over two years and finally ventured yesterday to Arrow Street Crepes for the first time with my boyfriend. I LOVE crepes, and was excited to see what Arrow Street had to offer. Though, after my one (and only) experience there, I have some SERIOUS beef with this place. I'll first comment on the food- It was definitely not bad, but was not much above mediocre. I had the European which tasted ok but was seriously lacking the granola and berries that the description noted. Premises- though some Yelpers have described the interior as "shabby-chic", and I have an appreciation for that type of vibe, this place is definitely way more shabby than chic. The floors desperately need re-finishing and the seating areas are a claustrophobe's worst nightmare. Totally cramped. Though, I'm willing to accept it's a small space by nature. However, the fact that there is no bathroom is not cool at all. Service- this is what got my goat the most. The service was so horrible it was ridiculous. Rude staff all around with the exception of the girl who rung our order up at the register. She was nice. The entire rest of the crew was rude. So, though I may be craving crepes in the near future, I will just suck it up because I won't be back.
1 - Tara G.: I had a bad service experience here about a year ago and never went back (Jennifer D, if so many people are saying it, there may be a grain of truth to it -- you're only entitled to your own opinion). I placed my order and the guy asked for my name, so he could call out when it was ready. Because it's cash only, and places that are cash only usually appreciate when they get something other than $20s, I went through my change purse to get the $0.13 needed to make it even dollars. As I did this, the guy actually started loudly tapping his foot on the ground and said "Chop chop, Tara." I didn't give you my name so you could be nasty to me with it. His voice was very creepy when he said it, as though he was leering at me. There was something about this experience that actually deeply bothered me -- like my personal space had been violated.
5 - Jennifer N.: This is my favorite restaurant of all time.  I just spent 4 months in France, and was excited to get back to Boston so I could go to this creperie.

Yes, the prices are a little high (especially for a college student) but the ingredients are fresh and delicious, and totally worth the price.  This restaurant really understands what a dinner (savory) crepe is, and puts together amazing combinations with wonderful meats, cheeses, fruits, nuts, veggies, etc.  If these crepes aren't what you think crepes should be like, then you have been eating American fast food crepes.  This place is pretty authentic, even if it's not technically French.  I will not eat crepes at any other creperie around Boston, and I take all my friends here.  I hope you go too!
5 - Tracee D.: i was reading over these reviews and am forced yet again to question the gift of 'real people real reviews'. I mean complaining about a T rumbling beneath a harvard square establishment? I don't want to swear or poke fun, but how about you consult a map for your next lunch excursion and enjoy a delicious crepe in the middle of nowhere away- from the green convenience of the mbta, and guess what? you won't hear a rumble.  I'm sure there's a great creperie in Whitman or something.

ok. I'm sorry. These crepes are so delicious. It's the perfect location for pre- ART zero arrow theatre events. It is not a sit down service restaurant. It's a creperie.
I brought my bf here because he is kind of like a cave man and never had a crepe before. We sampled a sweet and a savory  crepe and the owner/manager and crepe creator were so nice to us. They even let my bf loom over the crepe station like an inquisitive child.

I love places like this.
5 - Jennifer B.: Arrow Street Crepes has the best crepes I found in the Boston/Cambridge area.  I frequented this place at least two times a month when I lived in the area and have never been disappointed.  The location is fairly convenient- just a bit south of the Harvard Square T stop.  The shop is SMALL and usually crowded (because the crepes are delicious!), and there is a rule that you can't sit down until you order your food- this makes sense to me and helps the tables clear out more quickly.  Service is never bad, but there is sometimes a decent wait to get your food depending on the crowd- I've even practiced my failing French on the cooks and servers.  This place is CASH ONLY, and the closest ATM is across the street in the little plaza nearby.

Ok, the most important part- the food!  These are true French-style crepes, not soggy and gross and small.  I think both the sweet and the savory are good, but personal favorites are the Frenchie (brie, apples, walnuts, honey, balsamic), the Hippie (cheddar, apples, brown sugar, honey) and the Amelie (Nutella, bananas, roasted almonds).  BF always loved the jambon and whatever non-veg crepe of the day was on special.  Even better than the crepes, though, is La Grand Rouge smoothie- the best I've ever had!
2 - Katie S.: I just got home from Arrow Street Crepes and I am feeling disappointed, a little sad, and confused.  This place was never super-duper awesome, but the food has always been good and I've never had an issue with unfriendly service or the cramped, slightly dirty interior.

Tonight however, the most surly employee I've ever encountered caused my above mentioned emotions.  First, I order the "prix fixe" which includes soup, salad, or a simple sweet crepe, and an entree, and a drink.  I ordered my entree crepe and selected my simple sweet crepe.  I felt the thinly disguised annoyance as I was ordering based on the tone of said employee: "pick ONE" to answer my question about the simple sweet crepe (I asked "is it this one here?" pointing to the "sweet simple crepe" on the menu - same wording, different order of words so I wanted to make sure.  The description said to choose between maple syrup, jam, apples, or honey - thankfully I'm literate so the issue of choosing one was not my question.)

I sat down to await my crepe and realized I didn't have any reading material with me.  When dining alone, I usually like to bring a book or the most recent copy of the Weekly Dig to keep myself entertained, especially while waiting.  I pulled out my cell phone and proceeded to check my email.  Finished with that, I called my mom so I could tell her something quickly.  I wasn't planning an epic conversation (believe me, my mother would be the one to get surly if that were the case) nor was I talking loudly (my mom said "what?" half a dozen times).  Plus, there was some music on and the whirring of air conditioning in the background.  

However, Mr. Surly shot me a look of death and said "no cell phones in the store."  Okaaaaaaayyyy.  I took my phone outside to wrap up with my mom and went back inside.  With nothing else to keep me occupied, I looked around for a sign somewhere, anywhere, that said anything to the effect of "no cell phones in the store" but to no avail.  

What I did notice was the reality of the place and what they're trying to be just don't match up.  The music playing was something classical sounding, like you might hear in a fancy restaurant.  The decor consisted of pictures and signs indicating that it was some sort of French cafe.  However, it is neither of those things.  It is a small, cramped, not even very tastefully decorated or clean space where you order at the counter, pick your plate up when it's ready and bus it yourself when finished.  That's fine with me, but I don't appreciate the pretentious "no cell phones allowed, we're a fancy upscale place" vibe.  In my experience, fancy upscale places are generally very hospitable to their customers.

Moving along, my entree crepe came up and I brought it to my table.  Mr. Surly didn't say anything about the simple sweet crepe.  Granted, he did say "enjoy" but I felt like it was too little too late.  So as I'm sitting there eating my good-but-not-amazing crepe, I'm thinking, "oh crap, he forgot about the simple sweet crepe.  Do I say something and risk his ire or forget the whole thing?"  Simultaneously, Mr. Surly was not preparing my simple sweet - I know because he was doing the dishes.  Other folks came and placed orders.  More dishes were washed.  The food on my plate was diminishing and the moment of truth was arriving.  

Deciding to be assertive, (I paid after all), I got up and stood at the counter waiting for Mr. Surly to notice me.  When he did, I said, "um, I think I was supposed to get a simple sweet crepe?" to which he replied, "yup" as if to say "what's your point Lady?"  Uncomfortable, I smiled and said "oh, ok, I thought maybe you forgot."  At this point he was glaring at me and said "nope."  I almost said something like "well, you don't have to be rude", but bit my tounge.  

However I am not convinced that he didn't forget.  After all, I could've bussed my plate from the entree crepe and been out the door.  How would he have known?  Sure, maybe he wanted to wait so the simple sweet would be served warm, but he could've said something when I grabbed my entree crepe like "your simple sweet will be up in a few minutes" or something that would have spared me the embarrassment of not knowing what to do.  I"m not a mind reader Mr. Surly Crepe Man!

Hence, why I was disappointed, a little sad (why was he so rude to me????) and confused (what happened there?  How did a nice little meal turn into an awkward interaction with a moody crepe employee?)  I will probably return to Arrow Street because luckily, there always seems to be different people working here every time.  But I would caution you before you go to make sure you are not feeling emotional or down in any way - you will only feel worse when you leave.
4 - Cindy G.: Like. Like very much! My friend and I often come out here for our overdue dates. I'm sure this place is easily overlooked when people don't pay attention and walk quickly. Right behind Berryline in Harvard Sq, my friend and I almost missed this place if not for the neon red crepe sign near sun down.

The first couple times we both ordered savory crepes, which are excellent! If you want a light meal, this is the place to go. The sweet crepes are just as good. The crepe holding the filling isn't too dry or hard. Also, the raspberry lemonade was maybe a bit sweeter than I would have liked, but still very good despite that. 

Because this place is small, the seating could be a little cramped. But it's cozy! On a nice day, get take-out and enjoy the great outdoorsy city and enjoy that yummy goodness!
4 - Michael P.: GREAT yelp deal.  Buy 1 savory crepe, get 1 dessert crepe free!  Mon thru Thurs, get it while it lasts!  Note, it's not any dessert crepe, they have a separate limited menu for dessert crepes.

The savory crepe I got was the California crepe (~$10).  SOooo good.  Fully packed crepe with roast turkey, bacon, avocado, mozzerella, basil, field greens, dijon balsamic, tomatoes.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it again.  It's a solid sandwich crepe.  The thin crepe skin lets you focus on the tasty ingredients inside.  Price is indeed very steep, but it's definitely affordable with the yelp deal.

The free dessert crepe we got was nutella with bananas, topped off with powder sugar.  Can't go wrong with a such a standard dessert crepe.  Simply delicious.  If you want strawberries, it's an additional $1.50 or so.

Also, as fall and winter are creeping up on us, beware that there is insufficient heating in the left dining area (probably because of the glass windows.  You WILL get cold so you'll have to eat bundled up in your jacket.
3 - Geoff M.: I read the reviews here before checking it out myself. I was a bit nervous, because my 9 year old daughter really wanted to go to a crepe restaurant, and in Harvard Square, Arrow Street is it.I shouldn't have worried.

Yes, it's small. We managed to get there early (5 pm on a Saturday night), and had no trouble getting a table. I could see how this could be a problem at a busier time. Consider yourself warned!

Several reviews spoke of rude service. We had no such problems -- the staff behind the counter did just fine for us. In fact, my daughter wanted a crepe with just cheese in it -- something that wasn't on the menu, but they had no trouble accommodating her "special request". 

The crepes were good, but not captivating. I had the savory special, which had spinach, fresh crimini mushrooms, feta cheese, and fresh tomato, with pesto. It was fine, but probably would have been improved if they hadn't pretended that the tomatoes were worth eating. They were typical crappy supermarket "this looks like a tomato but  all the flavor was engineered out of it" tomatoes, and it always amazes me when people consider them to be food, rather than decorations. 

My daughter got her favorite, lemon and sugar crepe for dessert. I asked for an Amelie, which is Nutella, banana, and roasted almonds. Since I'm less than thrilled with trans-fats, I asked if they could substitute Belgian chocolate for the Nutella. Again, no issue with a special request. Maybe it's how you ask? Maybe they were just less stressed at that time of day? It was tasty, but would have been much improved with a little more care in cooking, as the crepe was served with the bananas still chilled from the refrigerator.

Pricey? Yeah. Hey, you could always open your own hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Harvard Square catering to the "crepoisie", and do it for less. Go for it! 

Really, folks, the amount of negativity in some of these reviews is over the top. Chill.
5 - Deepa R.: I love this place.  It's on my regular rotation of restaurants where I meet friends.  Yes, it's small and hot, and yes, there is one employee with an absolutely wretched attitude, but the food is outstanding -- it never disappoints.  I've had some of my best conversations here (it's actually a nice atmosphere for such things) and I always look forward to coming here.  

My favorite crepe is the Montmartre - incredibly tasty thyme and mushrooms and cheese (I can't remember which kind).
4 - Emily S.: I've only been here twice--with more than a year between visits--and I guess (from what I read below) I was lucky to have pleasant enough service each time. Although the crepes were a wee bit dry to my (and my friend's tastes), they were delicious and exceedingly better than the one time I tried an awful, thick, pasty crepe at Paris Creperie in Coolidge Corner (yuck). Both times at Arrow Street, I ended up ordering "the Crimson"--veggies, hot sauce, and mozzarella. The most recent time, I added mushrooms (to satisfy my particularly intense appetite from running in the snow). Although the mushroom addition was costly ($1.50)--as are the crepes there in general--it was worth it... I thoroughly enjoyed the generously sized crepe stuffed with more veggies than I could have devoured on a normal day... Just thinking about it makes wish I were still in Boston.
1 - susan m.: I will never go back here after the rude treatment by the guys behind the counter. Perhaps they think that because the creperie is full, they can say whatever they like to anyone they like. on top of that, it was so crowded (it is very small) - nowhere to sit down, stuffy. On top of that, it is not a bargain - more than $10 for a single crepe. My advice - find somewhere with good food AND reasonable service.
4 - Claudia C.: I like Arrow! The food is very fresh, healthy. They not only have the best crepes of Cambridge but also tasty soups and salads. Try the smoked salmon crepe. 

However, it is really get seated if you have a party of more than 4 people and it is usually very busy at the weekends. Pick a weekday, get together a small party and try it!
4 - Dominique N.: Adorable creperie in the heart of Harvard Square.  A delicious assortment of crepes - these are not the most traditional crepes per se (they are very well "stuffed" and are almost like mini-omelettes in the amount of filling they have) but they have great fresh ingredients.  I had the special of the day (spinach, mushrooms, feta, grilled peppers) and it was fantastic.  The perfect light dinner.  At $8-9 per "standard" crepe, it seemed moderately and fairly priced.

The place seems to be popular with undergrads (it is across the street from Harvard Yard) and so plan to be in close quarters with sometimes loud student groups.  Thus while the place is very quaint, it wouldn't be the best place to take a date.

Overall a great place to take a break while visiting Harvard Square or to catch up with friends over a casual lunch or dinner.
4 - Arielle Z.: I like this place a whole lot. It is my #1 go-to for breaks from Widener. Sure it is small, but the service is not bad -- it's just not typically American. They are not in a rush and they are not going to pretend to love you even though they don't know you. They are going to serve you delicious sweet or savory crepes with fresh, quality ingredients like black forest ham, gruyere, spinach, etc, and perfectly brewed coffee. They are going to let you sit as long as you'd like. They are not going to play annoying music. You are going to leave full, not too light of pocket, and ready for another 300 pages.
3 - Danny G.: Food is ok, but how can you really mess up something as easy as a crepe? That said, this place still stands out for the following reasons:

1) Location. Very convenient for local students, which got me jealous cause we don't have this kind of homey place for breakfast around school back home.

2) Menu. The wide selection on the menu leaves enough options for even the pickiest foodies. 

3) Ambiance. I'm not quite sure if it's a good thing or a bad one. This place is very crowded, and you will literally bump into other tables while enjoying your food. The chefs there treat me like my parents, i.e. with a tone of authority. It took a while to get used to it.
5 - Brickford G.: We ate lunch here while on vacation upon the recommendation from someone who visits her daughter at Harvard.  We found the food to be excellent and the service nothing to complain about.  The place is small and crowded so our group of six had to split up although our tables for two were all in the same area.  I would say our experience here was very good.  The owner was helpful and accommodating.  We will definitely return when visiting the area again.  One word of caution.  Parking can be hard to find in the Harvard Square area, but for this restaurant the effort is worth it.
4 - Jungin L.: For the price/quality ratio and the intimacy it offers, i give this place 4 stars. 

The fillings are pretty sturdy classics, so while it's hard to make it mind-blowing, it's pretty hard to make it stop tasting good anymore. I haven't tried the sweet crepes though, so can't be sure if they are overwhelm the soft, subtle butteriness of the crepe batter. 

A good ol' standby along the lines of Crema Cafe and Le's in Harvard Sq.
5 - Fereshteh Z.: A little taste of Paris in the heart of Harvard square!
I love this little creperie. It was the first place I ate when I first moved to Cambridge two years ago. I had the Parisien crepe with apples, walnuts and brie. It remains my favorite crepe there! My fiance had the California crepe and at 6.2'' was satisfied and full for lunch. I would go back every day if I could. I could never get sick of this place. Boys, this is a very cute place to take a date. You can't go wrong...well...don't forget cash, because they don't accept credit cards. Bon apetit!
4 - Julia M.: Who knew that this little creperie is the place to see and be seen in H Square? I went for brunch this weekend and ran into 2 people I know and had 2 friends tell me they saw me when walking by.

Prime location aside, the crepes are delicious! I (naturally) had the Californian and not only was it a very generous portion, it even had enough avocado to satisfy me.

I agree with Fereshteh - def cute for a date. A nice bonus, you can pay with Crimson Cash!
4 - Eszter H.: As long as you know what to expect, it's hard to imagine that you'd have a bad experience here. This is definitely not a spot for an elegant meal, you should be well aware of that before going here. However, if you're looking for a hole-in-the-wall comfortable little place to catch up with a friend then this spot is great for that. The selection of crepes is almost ridiculous, the options just go on and on. You also have to appreciate the names they give them.  My friend had the Eiffel Tower crepe while I had the Crepe Extraordinaire, although I was contemplating the Crepe Ridiculous for a moment.;-)

The place is not cheap for what it is, that's true, but the crepes are nicely filled, the cook is not holding back in giving you the fillings you ordered.  (I guess one exception is that they could add a bit more Nutella, but they were certainly generous with the strawberries and bananas.)

Again, just know what to expect and as long as you do (a very low-key laid back place), you should enjoy this corner spot.
4 - Chris S.: Excellent options for both sweet & savory crepes!  Cramped space for seating makes it difficult to eat in but adds to the charm of the experience.

The selection of both options (sweet and savory) offered fresh vegetables and fruits with the crepes made right in front of your eyes!

The coffee was a perfect compliment to these delicious morsels and I look forward to the chance for a return visit!
3 - barbaric y.: Let it be known that any business which has the audacity to advertise it's location as being "above the Berryline" is already treading dangerous ground. Unfortunately, or rather, fortunately (for those who don't care to count their calories) Arrow Street Crêpes is indeed located right above that one shop that serves tasty frozen yogurt treats worth waiting for on a hot day. The créperie itself is equally quaint, which makes stepping inside it on a hot day more of a gamble. This cafe's floorspace is that of a generously-sized postage stamp, and one usually has to shimmy past people watching their crêpes being made by the expert-handed cooks up front in order to give their order. Be warned: this is not a place where you can sit down and expect to have someone hand you a menu. (If you're lucky, you will sit down and someone will promptly tell you to go to to the front and give your order there). Lately they also have been cash-only, so come equipped with the green stuff.

 That being said, the prices are pretty reasonable. Many people tend to complain about having to pay so much (at any establishment, mind you) for a round, paper-thin piece of dough draped over some Nutella and a couple banana slices. These are usually the same people who haven't had the chance to enjoy a really, really good crêpe versus something that tastes, well, like a piece of paper draped over some Nutella and a couple banana slices. Arrow Street's are delicious- they are served up slightly crispier than many crêpes in the States, both in the savory and the sweet variety. My friend and I got both for kicks and I wasn't disappointed. The Californian was served up with enough red-leaf lettuce and tomatoes inside to be spilling off the plate... Nevermind the chicken and the bacon inside. Yes, bacon. Wonderful, wonderful real bacon which came folded neatly between melted slices of Emmental in my friend's version. Mine apparently looked good enough that the girl next to me asked what I'd gotten, because she wanted one too. Sure, she almost knocked over my water on the way back up to the counter because the tables were so close together. On the other hand, I was too busy scraping up the last of the Nutella streaks on my plate to really care...
4 - Rebecca B.: Disclaimer: I've never had a sweet crepe here. You can get delicious sweet crepes anywhere. Heck, you can make them at home. The pictures don't do the real crepes justice.

MEAT. Savory crepes with meat. Just thinking about the ones I've had makes my mouth water. Personal favorite is the Merguez with the spicy sausage, but the smoked chicken is also incredible. Plus, there's enough for two meals in one of these babies, and the price is right.
3 - Ashley P.: The food at Arrow Street Crepes was quite good. The crepes were fresh and well prepared, and the ingredients made with them were also very tasty. On a bad note - service was pretty bad. The man who was making the crepes seemed bothered that we were there and was constantly on his cell phone. Hopefully the next time I go back (if I do at all) someone else will be behind counter!
5 - Tara H.: Cant believe this place has received some negative reviews.  I go here all the time for lunch and the crepe man is absolutely delightful.  The menu is varied and interesting and the crepes themselves... they are nothing short of divine!  Check out Justin's Delight, Sweet Crepe Ridiculous, Biarritz and the Californian. http://tummytravels.wordpress.com/2010/03/30/crepes-taste-better-with-hot-sauce/ There are some really interesting Algerian sausage, Thai chicken and other creative "international" crepes on the menu although I've never felt adventurous enough to try them!  The place itself is small but super cute, with a charming, old-world feel to it and the prices are reasonable for what they serve - i.e. amazing, fresh, delicious, healthy, flavor-packed crepes :)
4 - Danan R.: I went for the special where you get a free nutella crepe if you purchase more than $10 worth of food.  I had the salmon crepe with a raspberry green tea, topped off with a delicious nutella crepe (I split that with a friend).  I absolutely love smoked salmon and it was very good when combined with peppers, creme fraiche, scallions, and capers in a thin crepe sheet.  The nutella crepe was heaven-sent since I am one of those unfortunate souls who will gladly eat it from the container with a spoon.  The location is wonderful since there is a Berryline downstairs  There is nothing that I enjoy more than being a complete glutton and gorging myself on crepes, followed by froyo.  :-)
5 - Erica A.: A little pricey but this crepe was one of the best I've ever eaten.  I ordered the berry one with nutella.  Yum!

Small place but we managed to get a comfortable seat.
1 - Audrey K.: I don't know if the cook was having an off day, but the crepe was Not Good. The inside filling was delicious enough-- though how can you mess up lettuce, avocado, chicken, bacon, and pesto? But the crepe itself. Terrible. 

It was really dry and flaky, broke easily, perhaps it was overcooked? All I know is that if I'm paying that much money for a crepe, the crepe itself should be delicious, not just the filling.
3 - Danitra W.: The crepes here are pretty good.  Although there are a lot of sweet and savory options, I recommend ordering a simple one - the crepe with applesauce and vanilla ice cream was delicious!  It's fairly cheap and a good alternative to typical sweet late-night snacks.
5 - Susan J.: The five stars is in large part due to a kind deed performed by the proprietor. I went in looking forward to a crepe and realized after I ordered that they don't take credit cards and I didn't have quite enough cash (I was like 80 cents short). I really wanted the crepe so I told the guy I'd get cash and come back for it. He told me to just give him the seven dollars I had and call it even. It's annoying when a business doesn't take cards, but this deed more than made up for it. 

Also, my mushroom crepe was delish!
4 - Andrew R.: As many other reviews here say, this place is good! You get what you pay for; they're not cheap! I've been here twice now and enjoyed both crepes I've tried. They're big, filling, and made in a neat little environment. I like sitting at a table by a window and watching the street outside. Sounds like I'm starting to bond with this place, but it's good! Too expensive to frequent often, but crepes are like that. Enjoy!
1 - Blake J.: This review is not about the food. Some things are more important than inauthentic, but not inedible crepes

This review is all about the owner/manager/entitled asshole who frequently works behind the counter.  I'm not sure that I have met such a  vile man in food service before. He's exceptionally rude and offensive! I used to think that maybe he was having an off day when he would get hostile with customers talking loudly on cell phones; fewer things are more annoying than Bostonians yapping loudly in small crowded spaces. I get it.

Then one day, I was ordering food as a he was finishing a crepe. He called the order out a couple of times. No one responded and the crepe sat out for a while. After five minutes, a mousy woman wearing headphones pops up and asks, "Is this the [insert name of order he  had been calling out]?" The guy rolls his eyes and hands her the plate. Though I don't doubt it's aggravating to be ferrying cold dishes to people who choose to listen to their iPods instead of checking for their orders, but the correct way to handle that wasn't to yell "What the fuck is her problem?!" within earshot of the customer. I'm not sure why she didn't throw the crepe at his face. 

Another time, right when my order was up, he has some sort of unpleasant exchange with another customer.  After while, he turns to another co-worker and calls the customer a "bitch". What the fuck is your problem, sir?! Misogyny is not delicious. Also, if I can hear you across the counter, you aren't having a private conversation. 

After these instances, I happen to show up during a string of times when other folks are working with the intention of avoiding this man.  The final straw broke when I came in to order something and for whatever reason the owner/manager/entitled asshole starts cutting into one of the younger staff members: pointing his fingers in the guy's face, calling him a punk, and couple of inappropriate things. I wouldn't have taken particular notice of this except for the fact that this manager/owner/entitled asshole has an oddly belittling relationship with most of the other employees. I'm not certain if it's racism (my first guess), ageism, classism, or something else, but he only speaks down to them in ways that most people don't usually speak to animals. 

I could wax poetic about the food and what I do and don't like, but I inherently won't enjoy anything that is tinged hate. I would rather catch a train to Davis and eat sub-par, burrito-like crepes than continue to fund a (racist) loose cannon. I recommend this place to no one.
4 - Zippy O.: One of my frequent haunts. For savories, I usually get the California, Standard, or Jambon.  I've had an outstanding sweet crepe with apples, too.  Only once have I had a bad crepe here - a new (& temporary) person was cooking.

My experiences with the staff have almost always been pleasant, especially the main guy I see most of the time.  I have no idea if he's the manager/owner.  We've had some nice chats, and he often encourages me to wait until after I've enjoyed my food to pay at the register.  That's a nice gesture, and pretty atypical for a counter-service joint.  Weekday lunch can be crowded.  So, don't expect fast service.  No sweat for me... I just come by at quieter times.

Huge windows are a big bonus, and the simple decor is welcoming, but the space is small and it can get very hot in there.  So, I take it outside if weather permits.  As long as the food is satisfying, I'll keep coming back.
4 - Claire S.: I studied abroad in Paris, which is where I acquired my deep and passionate love for crepes. So it surprises me that I love Arrow Street Crepes so much, as they're about as traditionally French as tacos. (In France, crepes aren't as fancy pants as they are here across the pond--you see crepe stands on the street that operate like Italian sausage carts here. Delicious, but hardly haute cuisine.) It's just that Arrow Street Crepes are, well, fan-freaking-tastic. I have only been disappointed in one of my crepes and that was the Proletariate: chicken and tomato sauce, which sounds like it would be straightforward, but don't get it, it tastes weird.

Some high notes: 
- the hippie: apple, cheddar cheese, and sweetness
- the Parisienne: bacon, cheese, three kinds of onion
- Thai chicken salad: chunks of chicken, greens, red pepper, onion, ginger carrots, Mandarin oranges, etc with Thai peanut sauce... Have to say, the crepe surrounding these ingredients is more of an afterthought and doesn't seem to add anything, but it doesn't detract either. The fillings are so delicious I forgive them for needlessly wrapping themselves in a superfluous crepe. 

Go, love it, just don't expect the counter people to bend over backwards to see you have a great time... That's one part of this creperie, at least, that is authentically Parisian.
3 - Robin A.: Fun concept, inventive menu, offensively horrible service. 
I have enjoyed arrow street crepes the past several times times I've gone, but have been stunned by the lacking service both times. I'd give it a third chance, but am not returning back anytime soon.
3 - Patrick C.: The reviews about service are basically on point; but I noticed that if you go into Arrow with low service expectations, then you'll be pleasantly surprised. They aren't going to roll out a red carpet or even engage you in small talk.

The food is exceptionally average in terms of crepes- nothing to rave about, but definitely nothing to complain about. I had the "Amelie" (bananas, nutella, and almonds), which combined well with the great crepes batter that Arrow uses to make their delicious food. 

So, I leave this review like I left Arrow...satisifed...but...meh
2 - Carolina S.: The food is good though not necessarily authentic. However, the establishment itself is tiny and the man who frequently works behind the counter often seems like he doesn't want to be there, let alone take my order. 
I never had an experience quite as negative as Blake J.'s, but I did find the owner's surliness and abrasive interactions with the staff marred the already strange atmosphere and experience for me.
4 - Su R.: It's too small and a bit outside of where i tend to be in Harvard Sq and they only take cash, but those are the only negative things I can say about this place. The crepes seem to me to be traditional in style (I'm no crepe expert) and are delicious. I've tried both the savory and sweet and been satisfied. You also can watch them make your crepe which is fun. I've always thought the service is good, as others have said, don't plan on lingering too long when they are busy, but thats pretty much common sense in a small place like this.
2 - EC S.: Meh about sums it up.  The crepes are just ok and mega expensive.  $12 for a crepe with cheese? Really? 

And it's cash only which is seriously annoying.  

Also the water they have out for those of us who don't want to pay $3 for an Orangina is always hot.  Seriously, it's not that hard to buy an insulated water cooler and add a tray of ice.  When I'm already dropping so much money on a crepe that costs pennies (if that) to make, the least you can do is give me small plastic cup of cold water.
3 - Ja H.: My beau likes it, though crepes are too egg-y for my tastes. I wish they had another flatbread option for folks like me, 'cause the fillings look great!
4 - Jay K.: For those of you sad to see the empty Arrow Street Creperie shop, fear not. The menu is still available at Canteen (same owner), just down the street! 

http://www.yelp.com/biz/canteen-cambridge
4 - Caspar W.: So good. Best Crepes Thus Far. The way I see it, anybody can put ingredients into the floury wrap that defines a crepe and if you like those ingredients then great. However if the dough isn't up to par, it takes away from the deliciousness that can be a crepe. Arrow st makes the dough very well. Thin enough that it won't dull the flavor of the contents but thick enough that the crepe won't fall apart when you cut and devour and inhale the crepe. My gf and I got the extraordinaire (nutella bananas and strawberry) and the smoked salmon. A great compliment of sweet and salty. 

The salmon crepe does have a lot of capers and some vinaigrette I believe that took away some of the overall yummy factor but still good if you're a fan of tartness with your fish. And what more can I say about nutella except YUM.

One thing to skip out on is the smoothie. Got the classic one which was the only one they had and it was bland and just bleh. The service there is okay but the employees are kinda mean about sitting down to save your seats in the cramped seating area before you order. Otherwise a great breakfast place to go to warm up in the new England chilly winter.
5 - juliana s.: this is the best crepes in Boston..
now they have combined their variations of crepes with many kind of sandwich..
they have the best panini
the best crepe is the Amelie
the owner of that place are so creative, very friendly :)
and they moved to in front of my house :)
that's why i love it too..
you don't want to go to any other place than this place..
I'm a food lover and I've tried other place's crepes..
arrow street have the best crepes in Boston :)
5 - Suz A.: Excellent dessert crepes and great people.

Art & Soul - Cambridge, MA (42.3687488, -71.0945445) (Inman Square, Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - Anup A.: Art & Soul studio is not your ordinary yoga school.  Here, yoga is taught in such a way that you may, indeed find equilibrium.  Whats more, you will learn much about yourself.

Words cannot do this school (or gurudevi Billie Jo Joy) justice.  She is an elite teacher.

Billie Jo's instruction is poetic, and your body and mind will truly respond.  She teaches an Iyengar-style, and mixes-in readings from sufi poets, Pantanjali, and others.  You will laugh, and leave there with a smile.  

This studio has earned my respect more than any other.  Give it a try.  You will not be disappointed!
5 - Cecile R.: This is a very aesthetic space, with friendly people. Billie Jo Joy is an exceptional Yoga and Theatre Improvisation teacher. Her knowledge of the human body, dedication to art and spirited teaching are unique!
4 - Shirley Y.: i have passed by this establishment many a time walking around my neighborhood to the now-defunct b-side lounge that was located across the street, thinking that it was a pottery place with its shiny glass pebbles embedded in the concrete sidewalk outside its quirky entrance.  finally, i realized it was a yoga studio, and resolved to check it out in my quest to get some exercise.

one rainy morning, i decided to try out yoga to stretch out my back that was complaining from my 10-year old mattress.  after checking out their website, i made a plan to try out their class at 10am, saturday.   after entering in their quirky entrance, i found my dripping wet self suddenly in the one room that was their studio.  no reception, no foyer, nothing.  just a bench where others were removing their rain gear and shoes.  

apparently, i looked lost.  a petite blonde woman comes up to me asking me in a gentle voice if this is my first time here, and whether i had done yoga before.  she was holding what looked like a cigarette, but it clearly wasn't.  i asked her if they took credit card, but obviously, they did not.  a basket sat on the bench that received cash and checks.  i gave them all the cash i had (i was $4 short, but i can drop it off next time i am in the neighborhood) and i was allowed to join the rest of the class.

the yoga mats were already laid out, but we were to help ourselves to more gear.  the music made the yoga session atmospheric and care was given to create a meditative environment.  the instruction was phenomenal, especially for my back.  the instructor took into account our various levels of experience and physical capabilities in yoga.  various positions were done that required assistance from other members of the class, which made it well worth the time, money and effort to join the class as opposed to doing yoga at home.  these positions were also rather curious and very fun to try out!
2 - Allison R.: A Passport visit bought me to Art & Soul on Saturday morning, to the 10 am Yoga I/II class. Upon entering the small yet well-lit studio, the instructor approached us and made nice conversation as she inquired into our yoga experience and explained that her studio mainly focused on yoga for people with injuries. 

We began on our backs with some gentle stretching and relaxation exercises- massaging our backs with tennis balls and moving our eyes clockwise a lot. We did some hamstring stretching and some other stuff I forget and then moved into some back-bending (urva dhanurasana/wheel) facilitated by lying over a chair, and with the assist of someone's ankles to grab on to. The chair thing was hard for me since I have a weak/sore low back. We did a sort of arms-up-the wall backbend over the chair which was too deep for me and when the instructor assisted me and observed I was in pain said, "Well, you did it wrong, so I understand why it hurt." When we moved into the pose with spotters helping, I rested my head on the floor for half wheel because I didn't have the strength for the full pose, and explained that as she told me to lift my head. A few other moments like that happened, where she was asking me to move my body (straighten arms, flex my toes but not my feet) and seemed frustrated when I didn't get it and somewhat judgemental.

The class was a really weird combination of relaxation and stretching for most of it, and then a series of really demanding back bends with props. 

As we left the studio, my friend commented that if this had been her first experience with yoga, she would have been completely turned off. I understand this instructor's opinion that constant sun salutes are boring and can cause repetitive motion issues, but I would have liked to come into at least one downward facing dog during class.

Maybe I'm not enlightened or something ,but I prefer a more rigorous style of yoga with some basis in vinyasa, ashtanga, or hatha.
It's still a funky building to drive past, but, for me, I don't think it will ever be more than that.
5 - Mary H.: I've been going to Wednesday evening Iyengar yoga class with Annie Hoffman for a few months now.  I'm still blown away by her brilliant understanding of the body, her originality and eloquence, and her ability to bring students to a place of profound relaxation and total union of mind/body. She has a million "tricks" for easing into a pose. It's NEVER the same class twice. Plus I love her presentation style -- uber calm, no ego, just in the flow. This is how yoga should be and almost never is. If you think yoga has to be a certain way (sun salutations, downward dog every time), this is not for you. Come if you want to experience your body in a whole new way and feel a moment of true peace.
4 - Belmontian L.: I love this yoga studio. In both the gentle yoga and mixed-level classes, I get the careful attention and suggestions for modification a beginner needs (no worry about getting hurt), a calm, clarifying environment, and a set of images that really helps me align and settle my body into poses that would otherwise be awkward at best. Billie Jo will occasionally bring out an anatomy book, to illustrate something like how our diaphram sits under our ribs, but primarily the verbal instruction is inward, about consciousness and care. It also helps that the studio this winter has been warm, cozy , candlelit and clean, without that yoga-studio sweaty smell. The other students seem to avoid competitive posing :) . One drawback is a lack of street parking, so if you drive, get there early enough to hunt around.
5 - Nancy K.: Billie Jo Joy is the most inspired, gifted yoga teacher you will ever encounter!  She has studied with the Dalai Lama and at Harvard University's Mind Body Institute and this expertise pervades her teaching.  Her style is gentle and personal; she seems to magically intuit the poses students most need.  I have been in positions that were unlocking tight muscles, melting aches away and literally thought, "Thank God for yoga!  And thank God that this inspiring woman devoted her life to studying and teaching it, to such amazing results!"  The studio, with its colorful windows and tile decorations, warm heated wood floors, is a quiet chapel to the study of yoga.  Enjoy!

Art Bar - Providence, RI (41.8178406, -71.4095667) (DownCity)
2 - Wernher C.: Go with a group of friends, fun friends!!!  Not a place to flirt around, the crow is 40+ mostly.
2 - Maura C.: This place baffles me... how is the Art BAR nothing but a weird dance club! I have to say I was extremely entertained by the 50 somethings dancing to the oldies on a Saturday night. The DJ kept coming over the mic and saying silly, ridiculous things. I felt like I was at a bad wedding, then all of the sudden the music changed, and so did the crowd. The place was super crowded and the crowd was interesting to say the least...honestly not the place for me!
2 - Betsy R.: Straight up, I was going to give this place five stars for the people-watching alone. I always wondered where 40, 50, and 60 year olds went to par-tay. 

Okay, so, one Saturday night my girlfriends and I decided we wanted to be dancing fools.

This place is ridiculous. Maura C. nailed it with the "bad wedding" vibe. Outdated decor, a weird parquet floor, and STRICT rules about where you can and can't carry your drink made me feel like I was in the twilight zone. 

Trendy and stylish, it is not. But with a 7 dollar cover and reasonable drinks, it's a good place to get your dance on. Bring friends. Lots of them. As protection.

Art Central - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.28441, -120.656572) ()
5 - Edie S.: This felt so good to walk into. This is a store with supplies for real artists. Not to diss Michael's but it is so nice not to have to wade through a ton of Kitch to get what I need. More than that, Art Central carried something that I have not been able to find since Law's closed. When I spoke to the owner she said that her plans are to make her store more like a Law's. She was also hosting the Central Coast Watercolor Society show when I was there. A store that supports her customers was another plus for me. Parking is also free. I can see this store doing very well in our community. I'm so happy that it is here.
4 - Dr. Karen K.: Really nice space, encouraging to artists and dabblers alike, great gallery, is on the Art After Dark tour, and excellent help with the use of new supplies if one is not conversant in all the media. 

Etty's been great at getting me hard to find supplies. Always a cheerful moment when looking forward to using new stuff, and finding someone like her who really knows her stuff!
5 - Jeffrey T.: Today, I biked from Cal Poly to this store and was greeted instantly as i walk in.  A woman came up to me and i showed her my list for art 101 and just went around the whole store and got what i needed. she didn't tell me to get any extra and helped me find the cheapest materials.  At the end i couldn't find a way to bike my large18"x24" pads. so the lady thought a bit and she made an awesome rig to strap it on to my bag and i was on my way back to school.  If thats not service then I dont know what is.  Plus there was a 20% off deal for students, so it was great.
5 - Mary U.: Great to link with the creative arts. I know those who attended your 1 year anniversary were filled with great inspiration. See you at the next First Saturday: Wine and the Arts in Paso Robles.
5 - Alicia H.: I came today in the morning with my friend. The girls working there were very friendly, made sure to ask if we needed anything and were finding everything that we needed. I like the varied art supplies and the fact that the watercolor section is right next to the register haha. I had a very good first experience and will definitely be going again, soon.

Art Coop - Urbana, IL (40.1111125, -88.2071522) ()
5 - J. B.: Art Coop saves my ass every time. They are open late and always have what I need. Even though they may not be THE cheapest art store, they are the only art store in town. (And don't even think of calling Michael's Crafts and Poop store an art store.) 

Art Coop stocks the basics for any drawing, painting, design, photography class and if they don't carry it, they are usually willing and able to special order what you are looking for. 

The staff is friendly (many are artists themselves) and know every product on the shelf. Go on, quiz 'em.
4 - John G.: A smidgen pricey for your college-student budget, but they have EVERYTHING you might need (and, if they don't for some odd reason, you can special order). I love this place- cool people, amazing stock, local, and perfect location. I usually head straight over to the photography section myself, but, seeing as Art Coop is large and heavily stocked, your bound to find what something you need, something you wouldn't expect to find, and something you'll really want but have to save up some green for. 4-stars only due to the price, but it's well worth it.
3 - Mark B.: Art Coop has two main things going for it: it's close to campus, and it carries pretty much any basic art supplies you might need.  Otherwise it's pricey, and most of the employees I've talked to their haven't been very friendly.

If you need some art supplies right away and are stuck near campus, I'd say go there.  Otherwise, if you do a little planning, you can just order your supplies online and save some money and hassle.
2 - Eli a.: yes they have so much stuff.  all that stuff though is overpriced.  they need some sort of discount service where every $100 you spend there you get $10 off of a purchase.  maybe they already have something like this (i doubt it), but i'm not going to set foot in that place again til i have to, which will be once a week come this fall.
3 - Kimberly K.: The employees are extremely knowledgeable and helpful as long as you have a decent idea of what you want.  As a non-artist, I came in not knowing enough facts about my project and basically got lectured on wasting their time.  If you're a serious artist, this place looks fantastic, but if you're doing something really new to you, this probably isn't the place to go.
3 - Jenny S.: Been in here to look for stencils. They didn't carry any. Seems like a good store to go to if you are an artist or in art school. Prices seemed about right for a privately owned art shop.
3 - Gwen M.: I know Urbana is supposedly the artsy-fartsy Birkenstock side of CU, and so, while I understand why Art Coop would elect to move there and into the creepy old and largely deserted Lincoln Square Mall, I just miss their presence on campus. (doggone it, when I was a fine arts design major, the coop was conveniently located on campus and staffed by some of my quirky classmates and I felt at home inside the coop. Now, not so much. :/ )

The prices are not great, definitely higher than Dick Blick. And the assortment of weird and wonderful papers and tidbits also seems to have dwindled. Frankly, it's just as easy and more price effective to shop on line for the run of the mill basics.

I miss the old school Art Coop. :(
5 - Anna B.: Needed a specific shade of acid-free, colored paper for a screen printing class a week away. Of course it is in stock. Super helpful owner and staff even checked manufacturers' sites to confirm acid-free. This is exactly why I love this store. Big selection of paper, board, paint, ink, and more with no worries because it is right there in front of you instead of on a national retailer's website which apologizes for color inaccuracies in advance. I love that I can walk in and get everything I need to try out a new medium, including advice that saves me time and materials. And now with the move to Lincoln Square there's an even larger selection and more parking.

Art Foundry Condominiums - Atlanta, GA (33.789117, -84.401114) (Atlantic Station)
1 - Sunira M.: This place is total crap for a few reasons:

1. The Staff is really really rude and is way more interested in being lazy and covering their rear ends than helping you out. 

2. If you're going to get visitors, the people walking the lots to check for illegal parking cars are blind as bats and probably just as stupid. They will have your car towed even if the visitor pass if visible.  Enjoy getting your car back from their favorite towing place. The HOA will NOT refund your 125+ dollars you'll have to pay.

3. Just avoid this place. It's run by very unprofessional people and there are MUCH better options.

Art Freek Tattoo - Providence, RI (41.8203713, -71.394142) ()
5 - Rinn S.: I second Dan!  Artfreek is well worth the drive to Providence.  I've only had one piece done there, but my trusty sidekick has had five, I think, and they're all brilliant!  Total bad-ass dudes and real art.  This is not the place for a tramp stamp of a fairy on your lower back. They have a really cool selection of art and design books as well, as opposed to just photo albums and ubiquitous flash on the walls.  Go here.

Update: Okay, I've now had another tattoo done by Steve and I can't recommend him highly enough.  He is an amazing artist and a treasure trove of weird and interesting facts and anecdotes.  So go here, and specifically go to Steve.
5 - Erin A.: First- Art Freek moved to Wickendon Street now.

Now to the important stuff!
I have been going to Art Freek for a couple of years. I heard all sorts of fantastic things about the work (especially Mike's) and triend to make an appointment with him. This was in January, he was booked up for months. They asked if I wanted to wait for Mike, get a call in the event of a cancellation or see someone else. I looked at the other artists work and chose Brian Mullen. 
Brian has done 6 tattoos on me to date and they are all amazing. He is very much a collaborative artist who is able to take ideas and translate them into the perfect piece. He is friendly and personable, professional, offers breaks when needed and does fantastic quality work. he inspect the needles prior to use, washes his hands, changes his gloves (I know this should happen anyway, but.....) and chats as he works to keep you occupied. His space has a collection of some of his art, some personal items and music memoribilia, as well as a collection of tattoo and art books. 
Art Freek itself is managed by Joe, who despite his scary voice, is one of the sweetest people I have met. The front of the shop is clean, neat and the walls are not full of trashy flash. There are digital picture frames showcasing their work, books with work by the various artist in there and chairs. The first studio has an open window so you can watch the process unfold. The drawing/consultation area is also clean, with comfortable couches and tables. The tattoo rooms are equally clean and comfortable.
I can't recommend Art Freek enough. Anyone who is considering a tattoo, owes it to themself to check out Art Freek.
5 - Lou P.: Very clean and bright
Accommodating small shop
Custom design work

Had my first (and currently only) tattoo done here by Brian. It was a drawing I did a few years back that I had him customize. He changed the design a few times, repositioned it a few times, and was incredibly patient. Not to mention he took my drawing and made it EXACTLY what I wanted. The front of the shop is clean and bright, more inviting than what you might imagine.

Brian, as Erin said, is very friendly and accommodating, as well as conversational. He knew it was my first tattoo and answered the many many questions I had, as well as asking me throughout if I needed a break. Joe was very helpful when I stopped in a week or so later to make sure I was taking care of it correctly, and told me to stop in anytime.

The next time I get ink, it won't be anywhere but here.
5 - Jenny G.: Most of my work was done by Mike at Art Freek and I couldn't recommend him enough. Really, everyone that works there is great at what they do. I wouldn't go anywhere else to get tattooed.
5 - Paul L.: Art Freek Tattoo is a clean, professional shop. I have been getting tattooed by Mike Lussier at Art Freek since 2000 and never had a bad experience. I try to recommend Art Freek whenever a passerby inquires about the work Mike has done on my sleeve. 

Art Freek is a great shop to talk tattoos, current happens, music and to listen to Howard Stern.

Mike, Don, Steve, Brian, and Joe are all professional.

Baba Booey
5 - Jenn H.: Got my first tattoo today at Art Freek and it was a great experience! Made the drive to Providence from Boston and it was well worth it. I was a bit anxious but Brian made me feel completely at ease. He was patient with repositioning the stencil and making sure it was exactly as I wanted. "It's gonna be on your body forever, make sure you like it!" We chatted a lot which made the time pass faster and distracted me from the needle. I love the final result and had a great experience. If I get another tattoo I'll definitely go back, and would absolutely recommend it.
3 - Julie A.: It's been a couple years since my experience at ArtFreak. I got my first tattoo at the old location (near RISD) and my second at this newer location... So here goes...

Location: This place is on Wickenden St. and it's hard to find parking. The shop is set up with a reception desk and the actual studio is divided into parlor rooms. When no one is at the reception desk it's hard to get anyone's attention. Granted, they might be working, but I feel there should be someone to greet me.

OK, I'm going to write the good stuff first: 

Brian Mullen rocks my socks! He's amazing with line and black/shading. He did my second ever tattoo, a small piece on my arm. He is super friendly and talkative and joy to get work from. I've also seen his work on other people and I am always very* impressed.

Keep up the good work, Brian.

Now... I docked stars because I did get a small piece added to my tattoo. Brian wasn't there so I went with one of the other guys. I was not very happy with his professionalism or artistry. In honesty, I don't even remember his name, but I remember he acted like I was a nuisance, and didn't really want my business. It was a huge turn off. I struggled with this guy to give me what I wanted. He insisted that a small part of the design had to be changed to a certain way. I finally gave in, but of all my tattoos, that section is the WORST. I hate* it and I will definitely get it covered up if I can. The tattoo overall wasn't very good, and when I went back to get it touched up, I felt very unwelcomed. 

Overall, I'd give this place 3 stars... And they're all for Brian. ::HEART::
5 - Alexander L.: Art Freek has changed a lot since they were on Steeple St but they are still the only place I will go to get tatted. My loyalty to AF is mostly because my boy Brian is dope at what he does no question! He is a conversationalist and a philosopher for sure and you feel more like you are out for a drink with him than having pain inflicted on you...
5 - Jaki G.: I've gotten a couple tattoos by Brian mullen, he is a talented and unique individual and I'm happy w all the work he has done. The establishment is clean and sterile and there seem to be lots of accomplished artists w lots of experience working there.
5 - Sonia G.: Love Art Freek. I moved here from New York City in late 2008, and started asking around on a good place to go. I heard time and time again that Art Freek was great, so I stopped in, compared what I wanted with the books, and chose Brian Mullen. 

Brian's work is absolutely incredible. I've had two pieces done by him now (a small bird of paradise and a phoenix that goes hip to armpit) - and both are beautiful and exactly what I wanted. As mentioned, he's a talker, which I always enjoy, and he's one of the smartest guys you'll meet so there's always great conversation. He listened to what I wanted out of my tattoos, where I wanted them to be and how I wanted them to look, and bore with me as I changed the tiniest of details.

Both of my pieces I had in mind what I wanted, but my brother in law came from Salem, MA to get work done by Brian.  All that was suggested was "an anatomical heart with stitches" and Brian created this beautiful, stunning piece of art that my brother in law wears on his ribs as a reminder of his son's open heart surgery. The piece encompasses everything my brother in law wanted - Brian's artistry was really impressive.

Regarding the complaint about parking, I mean, really, it's Wickenden Street. There's never not a spot to park in. Park around the corner. 

Joe at the front desk is hilarious and wonderful - he says he's a grump but he's never been anything but wonderful to me!  As far as the other artists go, I've never seen a piece done by someone who says they go to Art Freek that's been bad. A friend of mine goes to Steve and her work is all beautifully done, too.

Everything about this shop is clean and professional, and there are great artists there. If you're anywhere near the Providence area and want a tattoo, I would strongly recommend going to Art Freek!
5 - emily g.: Recently went in for some prehistoric work on my left elbow and left very satisfied. Loving the new addition and looking forward to returning. Mike is the real deal.
5 - J.W. B.: The only place worth getting tattooed at in RI in my opinion, perhaps New England. Commenting only on the artists that I have dealt with personally, I can say without hesitation that both Steve and Mike are exceptionally talented, as well as incredibly accommodating. I have never received a tattoo from either that hasn't been spot-on perfect. Highly recommended.
1 - Johanna L.: The worst treatment I've EVER gotten in my LIFE! I went in at the beginning of the year to get a white tattoo. My first impression wasn't the best because the guy behind the counter was extremely rude right from the start. He told me i wouldn't be able to see it, but the tattoo i was getting was sentimental and it was for me not the rest of the world. 

   Before the artist started I asked if the blue ink from the stencil would run into the white ink in my skin, the answer was no, it would only be in the top layer that scabbed off. A few days later i went back with my friend because she was getting one and the artist looked at it and said he could see the blue healing into my skin and it was no worries he would touch it up for free.

  Well my tattoo is healed and I'm extremely unhappy with the ugly blue/grey wings I now have on my wrist. I called to make an appointment to see the artist again and the guy behind the counter told me he had never heard of the blue getting caught in the white tattoo and that it would be $50 minimum to fix it up I asked if i could talk to the artist and he said no. 

  I decided to take matters into my own hands and I drove into providence to see if the artist could take a look at it and when I went in he said the artist couldn't meet with me and that he had just sat down with someone. I showed him my tattoo and his response was I told you this would happen, a tone in which someone would scold their child....um no lets recap first he said I wouldn't be able to see it, then when I called on the phone he said he had never heard of this happening, and now he was telling me he told me this would happen?!?!?! I don't know if he's just extremely misogynistic and thinks he can push me around because I'm a younger girl, or the man is just trying to cover his own ass.

    This was my 3rd tattoo and I'm now traveling 2 hours to a different place where I got my second one at to touch this one up. I rather spend my money there because I honestly don't feel comfortable stepping foot in this parlor after being so mistreated.
5 - Jen C.: Another awesome review for Brian Mullen at Artfreek. I've had a few tattoos from other places but I don't think I'll go anywhere ever again, Brian was amazing.

I went in for a pretty large (for me) tattoo and Brian was super nice about my slightly neurotic self, not so internally freaking out about the size of the tattoo. He made me very comfortable right from the start. We adjusted a few things about the tattoo then got started,

As mentioned by other yelpers, Brian is a talker! He made me laugh the whole time, there were even times that I forgot I was getting jabbed with a needle over and over. I can't wait to go back to get this piece finished, and get more! I've found my man and I'm not switching anymore!
5 - Sara P.: I had tried other shops in providence with experiences ranging from okay to absolutely terrible. I stopped into Art Freek and they were able to work me in that night. The line work was beyond excellent, it really looks so clean--the russian words on by back seem printed on! Brian did the tattoo and like others said he was talkative and interesting and funny. Overall an excellent experience! I recommend this shop above all others in Providence
5 - John D.: This is the only place to get tattooed in New England in my opinion.I've had all my work done by Mike Lussier at Art Freak I get stopped all the time by people on the street asking "where I get my work done" and "who my artist is? " it almost gets annoying but people know good work when they see it and my artist is top notch.

Art Power! - San Diego, CA (32.8798439639494, -117.235788702965) ()
4 - Hoost G.: World-class performing artists spanning many genre and media make for an impressive season each new year. Many performances are accompanied by pre- and post-performance talks, "tasting" and classes. 

The artistic director clearly favors chamber music (enough quartets already!) and may be catering to the La Jolla crowd. But each seasons there are a few surprises adding flavor with dance companies, satirists (David Sedaris is a regular), and traditional and world music. As with any arts company, they are at the mercy of benefactors' preferences, but more variety would definitely help to move ArtPower to premier status.

The venues are all about the UC San Diego campus depending on the scope and popularity of performance. Mandeville Auditorium is perfectly tuned for classical music. The Loft @ UCSD leaves something to be desired. 

The price tags again favor the La Jolla crowd for season support but on a show here and there it is worth the splurge  UCSD students can get a special and well-discounted ticket rate.
5 - Jenny P.: Over the years, I've come to appreciate the myriad of dance styles that Mandeville hosts. Nothing is stagnant. Every performance I've experienced has been a challenge, both to my knowledge of convention and of art. 

From the breathtaking Compania Nacional de Danza to the comical Akram Khan Company to the still-disturbing memories of Compagnie Ea Sola, each performance will leave an indelible impression on your mind. 

Also, if you purchase your ticket early enough, you can chance a seat at such close proximity to the stage that you can hear the dancers' breathing. Amazing.

Art of Espresso - San Diego, CA (32.8806504, -117.2420168) ()
5 - Christine C.: It is a little coffee cart on UCSD's campus and it serves the best damn coffee in La Jolla. I didn't hesitate to drop a couple of dollars on a coffee drink there because I knew I would be getting a quality product in return. I have a friend who drinks espresso shots straight and he swore by the Art of Espresso's coffee. 

They have a wide variety of drinks to choose from and I wasn't disappointed in any of my favorite coffee concoctions that I ordered there. They had a good chai latte, carmel latte, and vanilla latte, but my favorite drink to order was the peppermint mocha. Thankfully they serve it all year round. 

Sometimes I want to fight for a parking spot on campus just to have a chance to go to Art of Espresso, but alas we all have to move on from college life at some point.
5 - Ray O.: Hands down the best espresso around.  Nice folks operate this business, and they provide quick service and they teach all their brewmeisters to make super kick-ass espresso.
5 - Teej T.: Art of Espresso remains one of the highlights of both my undergrad and graduate experiences at UCSD.  A small but comfy coffee cart next to Mandeville Auditorium on campus, AoE sports a sizable patio with tables, umbrellas, and comfortable chairs.  The baristas are amazingly fun and the owners are incredibly personable.  The location is right in the middle of the UCSD campus, near the main shuttle stop, and a heartbeat away from the main student center--home to co-ops, general stores, the LGBTQI and Women's centers, and the International Center.

When I was a tour guide for five years at UCSD, I would always go out of my way to point out the awesome java spot, and was always grafiied to know I'd encouraged frazzled parents and future undergrads to partake in AoE's AMAZING coffee.

Everything I had was delicious, from affogatos to chai lattes, to their spun monkey--a frozen banana/chai creation.  Even their bagels seemed extra tasty--and I know their handmade sandwiches--shipped straight from Krakatoa, another amazing San Diego coffeehouse--hit the spot.

If you're at UCSD and want a quick snack, instant community, and a delicious caffeine fix, stop at AoE
5 - D.a. K.: The only place to get good coffee at UCSD.  When I taught in the International Language Program there, I used to take my Italian students on a pilgrimage to this spot and it always met with their enthusiastic approval.  Art of Espresso is one of the only things I miss about UCSD.  I sure as hell don't miss all the goddamn parking tickets.
5 - Matt K.: Hands down the best coffee you will find ANYWHERE in San Diego. Sam and Patty (the owners) have really taken this once small coffee cart and created a well-established destination for any UCSD student. I've been coming to this coffee cart for 7yrs now, and as long as I'm on campus I will continue to come here.
It doesn't matter how many new coffee shops open up on campus, I will pass them all to come here and get my coffee fix.

Great lunch spot too. With the incorporation of their refrigerator unit, they also carry sandwiches and salads, all brought in from Zanzibar cafe (I think).

Beware! If you are conservative and easily offended, you may not like the "decoration." Let's just say these guys aren't fans of the Bush family! Regardless of you political affiliation, these guys are great! 

I think one of  the best things they have, and my favorite, is this honor system for those who just want plain coffee. On the side you can place your money in the basket and serve yourself. This is great for us coffee purists when the line is long!!

No matter where you are on campus, head up to Mandeville and visit!
5 - Dmitri A. N.: OK, I used to think that you had to be a surly asswipe to make good foam on a cappuccino, as if disdain for your fellow man was connected to proper emulsion formation.  I guess that is only true in San Francisco.  This place is the best.  Get a V(ietnamese, espresso iced w/ condensed milk) when hot, a C(appuccino) when cold.  and a macaroon for 50.   Have a freakin awesome day.
5 - Jessica Y.: Getting through grad school
was much easier with you:
coffee, Ph.D.
5 - Ryan M.: Art of Espresso makes me forward to going to class in the mornings. By far the best coffee anywhere on the UCSD campus; apparantly others feel the same way, as the line is always long. What's especially nice is that, if you're in a rush and just want to grab a cup of coffee, you can put your money in a basket and be on your way. The honors system at its best.
5 - Minn L.: seriously the best chai at UCSD. so sweet and hot and foamy and DELICIOUSSSS.

also they have a wide variety of amazing scones-- they're fresh everyday because I can see the box that it comes in. my favorite is the strawberry vanilla. who knew there was such a thing? they also have maple nut, blueberry, cranberry, mocha chocolate chip...

small chai: $1.50.
scone/muffin: $1.50.

excellent.
2 - Chelsea S.: Someone needs to bring a voice of reason to this 5 star mania!
The coffee here is pretty good, but it's not enough to stick five gold stars all over. 

Also, the baristas have attitude, yet I can not pinpoint which one is the worst offender  because the majority of them have longish, blackish, jaggedish hair with black thick rimmed glasses. Sneaky.
3 - Daisy L.: I'm rating this place based on the scone I bought today.  After having eaten a horribly stale scone at Cafe Roma, I decided to give this place a try instead, only to find that this place sells scones that are half the size of the ones in Cafe Roma for about the same price. =.=  Yes, the taste is good, but the scones could be a little cheaper given the size of these things.  Will continue onwards in my quest for the perfect scone...
4 - jessica z.: No pictures?!  I'll fix that soon. 

Art of Espresso, the only, only reason I don't give you five stars is because you aren't open early enough.  Not that I make a habit of being on campus before 630 am, when the few times I have, I need coffee, and I need your coffee, damnit! 

That being said, this is a really wonderful coffee cart.  The staff are all friendly, they know how to make good espresso drinks (finally!), and they have really great products to work with.  They have my favorite Chai latte of all time, and for only $1.50!  

Their food is ok.  Zanzibar apparantly has a monopoloy on the sandwiches and salads sold on campus.  Even AOE has fallen prey.  But thats ok, i'll forgive them on this. 

Please take the time to hover in a place where you can read all the stickers they have plastered on the interior of the cart.  Your senses of humor, sarcasm and irony will thank you. 

Please take the time to sit in their outdoor seating area for a bit.  You will inevitably run into any and all of the grad students and faculty you may or may not know.  You might even find a lone undergrad sitting in those wooden chairs, desperately trying to finish an article or ten before class. 

Don't have a reason to go to the ucsd campus just for coffee? How about this for incentive: Tuesdays they have a "farmers market" of sorts.  Game plan: Show up around 10 and grab some coffee at AOE, sit around, read a book, people watch. Around 11 make your way down to library walk and grab an early lunch (before the 12 pm rush happens) from one of the many restaurants who bring a stand and set up shop for us measly students with no money.  Crepes? East African? Thai? Popcorn? Sure! Then go back up to AOE and eat there, cause, believe me, you wont want to eat anywhere near the walk if you prize your hearing and your sanity.
4 - Alana H.: The only place to get a good cup of coffee on campus. The coffee is done how it should be at completely fair prices. After ordering your coffee comes fairly quickly (perfect for in between classes). My favorite moment was when Sam (the owner) handed back my travel mug with electrical tape over the "Starbucks, Inc" and said, "Here you go. Your mug was broken, so I fixed it."
On a campus where you constantly feel like a number/walking cash cow, this place pays attention to you and your coffee.

It's only setback are the short hours, and (sometimes) long lines.
5 - Kim L.: (Think cheerleading meets bootcamp)

Whose espressos can't be beat?
Whose teas and lattes are a treat?
Who makes my working day complete?
A-R-T of Espresso!

Who whips my shakes and blended chai?
Who stops my cup from running dry?
Who keeps me on my caffeine high?
A-R-T of Espresso!

Each day I go, and most days, twice
The staff is friendly, fast and nice
The post-grad crowd is NOT a vice
I LOVE ART OF ESPRESSO!!

(Please don't spit in my Spiced Monkey for making my review in this format...)
5 - Claudia A.: "Best Coffee on Campus." You shitting me?!  I take a sip. Wow, no you're not. 

This little joint has been there all the early mornings and cold winter days.The fact that they trust their customers enough on the self-serve coffee drip (placing the correct amount of money on the basket) is enough to make me love this place. Nothing like organic Hawaiian hazelnut coffee to start my day in this "fine academic institution."

By the way, employees and owner are generally nice and friendly, I don't know what's all this talk about attitude.
5 - Robin L.: I went to UCSD for 5 years, and it would have been more if they would have let me, just so I could stick around Art.  Their coffee is fabulous, the owner Sam is righteous, and it's an all-around fantastico place to have coffee and meet up with friends.  They even remembered me after I had been gone for over 2 years!  Now that's damn impressive.  Seriously, buy their coffee.  Then give them a big tip.  Then tell them you love them.  Because I promise, you will!
4 - Amanda S.: 4.5. I was in desperate need of coffee and i heard good things about this place, so naturally, i had to try it. And it was delicious. Normally, a double shot in a 16oz cup for an iced mocha is not enough espresso for me. But i forgot to ask for a 3rd shot, and when i got it, it was surprisingly perfect. i was so happy. Nice and rich and strong and fabulous. I want to go back and get another. Everyone working was really nice and quick. And mann, they had a Mexican Chocolate Ice Blended that sounded deliciousssss. i'm going to have to try that.
And everything was really reasonably priced. their pastries were good as well. i got a palmier and it was delicioussss. and really reasonably priced, especially for the size. And there's tons of seating to just relax, or study, catch up with a friend.
5 - April S.: Um, okay. Arguably, best espresso in San Diego, really. And I'm not just saying this because I am a UCSD student and without Art of Espresso I would wither away and die from the lack of on-campus independent brandage/general culture. A genuinely good espresso, every time. Employees are (apparently) really well trained and know their way around every (coffee) drink (I havent tried their chais, but their iced tea is good) such that you consistently get a quality drink.

Their pastries are really good too, AND they have chocolate chip oatmeal cookies! Swish! I mean, all of their cookies are fantastic (I am both a coffee snob and cookie monster bleh) but, to carry everyone's secret favorite flavor that apparently no one else has figured out is like, the best combination ever....! Bueno.
5 - Kim S.: Heyyyy! Good coffee on UCSD's campus? i'm down! i FINALLY tried this place after 2 years at a time when i'm not even in school? whatever. it was deeeeeelish. coffeeish but also a LITTle milkish (i had the double iced white chocolate mocha). Perfectly in the middle. And good pastries too. This is greattttt to know, considering the lack of good coffee shops in La Jolla. Plus a nice seating area. A place on the UCSD campus i can enjoy being at? Not very common. I'm excitedd!
5 - Shu A.: I love this place.  I've been coming here ever since I started drinking coffee.  its pretty cheap, delicious, and pretty central.  The people that work there are chill and if you go there a few days in a row, they'll remember you.  Best coffee on campus, fasho
5 - Gloria K.: This is my favorite place for coffee and other frou frou drinks on campus.  The staff is friendly, fast and fairly accurate even with lines.  It's generally cheaper than the other places (Fairbanks or Perks), isn't part of a cafeteria (Roma), and has an interesting selection of drinks (Vietnamese coffee!) and goodies (awesome pastries and bars, sandwiches and salads).

One drawback is that the bagels and sandwiches (from CA Grinders and Zanzibar?) usually run out soon after lunchtime, so they're not the best bet for a late lunch on campus.
5 - Jen T.: Um, amazing, to put it simply. 

As heavily dependent on caffeine as I am, I was looking for a really good place on campus for good coffee. I'm glad I finally came after hearing about it for so long.
Unlike other places on campus where it the quality of coffee depends on the barista, Art of Espresso makes consistently good and STRONG drinks. In my past year of coming here, I have not gotten one bad drink--and I've come enough to fill a few frequent buyer cards. (My goal is to eventually know the baristas on a first-name basis :)
They also serve a good variety of bagels (which are dirt cheap--$1.25 with cream cheese, I think?), pastries, salads, and sandwiches. For a while, my favorite breakfast was a white mocha and marble cake, before I got it on wax paper once, and it was so buttery so that it soaked through it.  Now I just get it once in a while. 
But basically, Art of Espresso lives up to its hype. (:
5 - Jen W.: I can't believe I went for a whole year of drinking metallic espressos from the Grove when I could have walked another fifty meters or so and had the best coffee I've ever had in Southern California. It is a tragedy.

No seriously, I'm in love. Friendly staff, fast service, great espresso, nice semi-shaded environment. Minus that one time I got charged fifty cents extra for ice... I love it. AoE still gets five stars because I love it despite that one weird happening.

This place also has the best white noise ever. I get pissed when people talk in libraries, but I love the quiet conversations taking place around you and all the foreign languages you end up overhearing. It's like music.
5 - Kathleen J.: AoE is one of UCSD's few amazing places to eat and drink to your heart's content.  It's in the heart of the old student center next to Porter's Pub, the art building, food/book/bike co-ops, LGBT center and Women's center.  I'm not a coffee drinker, but I looove their hot chocolates, sandwiches and macaroons.  Their staff is like a family and are all way cool.  And they take Triton Plus (which is where most of my RA compensation went :-P).
5 - jenn l.: It's no exaggeration that Art of Espresso has THE BEST COFFEE on campus. Other places like PERKS, the Grove, and Fairbanks serve what can only be described as watered down imitation tea and coffee. It puts Starbucks and Coffee Bean to shame! Art of Espresso serves real coffee and not a cup of sugar with caramel topped with whipped cream like the other guys. Don't like to break out of your comfort zone? Try their caramel macchiato. Or try one of their specials, the Mountain Man. Its a hazelnut mocha. You cant go wrong.
5 - naomi julia s.: Absolute BEST place to get coffee on campus.  Puts everything else to shame...
4 - Claire D.: Cheap. Relaxed (sometimes too much? I can't tell if they see me or not -.-;;). Yummy pizza bagels! Green feel to it. It's the best coffee on campus for sure but best in San Diego like some people were saying...? I'm not sure about that.
5 - Helen W.: Oh my goodness I did not even realize that Art of Espresso = most favoritest coffee carts at UCSD.  I love this place, despite not knowing exactly what it's name was for the past 4 years.  I just always called it the Mandeville coffee cart because it was near that building.  Anyways, their coffee saved me during my freshman year at UCSD when I lived in the dorms and could not fathom drinking coffee from dining halls.  Even when I moved off campus, this was always where I would hang out and pretend to read in between class.  It's also the best place to eavesdrop on people having super intelligent conversations with a high probability of foreign accents.  Best coffee at UCSD by far!
5 - Ben Y.: Art of Espresso may be the thing I miss most about San Diego. Me and Art, we've got history. I was, like so many others, not much of a coffee drinker before college. Art is what got me hooked on the glorious addiction that will surely be with me 'til the end of my days. They were also the first to introduce me to Vietnamese iced coffee... only one of my favorite treats in the world.

I can honestly say that I am not letting nostalgia bias my opinion... they really are just a damn fine place for coffee! They are inexpensive, and their espresso is consistently smooth and delicious. They do a great job at making specialty drinks, both hot and cold (try the spun monkey). Everyone who works here is great - including the owners. They even have a fantastic selection of bagels/pastries/sandwiches. I can't even count the number of times I've come by to grab a Tomato/Mozzarella/Basil baguette! Mmmmmmmm

I miss you Art. I'm a little misty eyed right now...
5 - Bailey Z.: They really don't lie when people say this place is the best coffee on campus. Nay, the best coffee in San Diego. I really didn't expect this much from a coffee cart, but with a staff of baristas committed to concocting good java, this place definitely takes the cake. Comparatively, every other coffee cart and coffee place on campus is the dumps; especially Perks - I really do hate that place. In the mornings, there is usually always a line of at least ten people, but their service is very fast. 

What do I recommend? You can never go wrong with a white chocolate mocha. Is that too girly for you? Go with my new favorite discovery: the Mountain Man. It is full of hazelnut/mocha goodness. They always serve coffee at the perfect temperature and just enough froth. I love froth. I love Art of Espresso too.
5 - Linh T.: Best coffee on campus and probably even in the city of La Jolla and San Diego.  Service is genuine and the drinks are great!  Whenever I need that little pick-me-up to get me through a Monday or midterms/finals week, I look to Art of Espresso for a yummy caffeinated beverage.  The prices are extremely fair, especially for the quality that you are getting.  I usually get a single shot of espresso, unless a double shot is called for (finals!) because I  don't really have a high tolerance for caffeine.  My current obsession is the mountain man (hazelnut mocha)! YUM! 
PS. Their little ham and cheese croissants are extremely tasty!
PPS. Friends don't let friends drink Starbucks!
5 - Anna V.: One of the reasons I'm sad to have graduated. One of the best places for great coffee, people and atmosphere. Their chai lattes are so good, I come back for them when I can!!
4 - Matthew M.: Definitely the best place to get coffee at UCSD, maybe all of San Diego. I will have to do some more research. I hear good things about Pannikin.

P.S. I don't recommend the Living Room.
5 - Annie N.: By far and away, the best coffee you can find on the UCSD campus. The thought of this place is what gets me out of bed in the mornings. Even for those of you who aren't coffee snobs, just know that AoE is the tops. The drinks here are always made CORRECTLY and in a very timely manner (Perks can suck it). AoE baristas-- you are amazing. The atmosphere is great too-- definitely more of how I thought college life would be than the rest of this campus...
4 - Martha F.: This place is good.  They make good foam.  However, the people that work there tend to be unfriendly and think that they are above you.  Typical hipsters.  They also rush you when taking your order, but I guess that's why the service is pretty quick.

The single latte tastes very watery.  I feel like if they are going to give you only one shot of espresso, there should be less milk.

They have cheap bagels.
5 - Angela Y.: I remember freshman year everyone complained about the lack of Starbucks on campus. 2.5 years later I can hardly believe that I only tried Art of Espresso recently! Who cares if there's no Starbucks? And now that Perks is open, I'm always disappointed when I go to Perks rather than making the walk over to Mandeville for the BEST coffee on campus. You know how sometimes places are a little over hyped? I was thinking to myself that it couldn't be THAT great, but yet I managed to fall in love with the coffee stand anyways.

My favorite is the "Mountain Man" like others have suggested ... hot or cold it's delicious! Mmmmmm..... I'm drinking one right now as I write this review. I tried the Vietnamese Iced Coffee, and I was a little disappointed. It was not as strong as I expected it to be, and a little too sweet. But some may like that fact.
5 - Mindy c.: I had no idea Art of Espresso was on Yelp!!!  And of course as soon as I saw it I had to write a review for it.

Oh AoE, how I miss you.. I was a devoted coffee drinker for my 4 years at UCSD (which later led to stomach problems but it was worth it).  My sister, who attended for 2 years, was the one who referred me to this wonderful wonderful coffee cart.  The location is great--right next to Mandeville, with tables and seats and trees.  And Sam would always get me an umbrella for my table when it was too hot.  Thanks, Sam!!!

The owners (Sam and..?) are so incredibly NICE and FRIENDLY, as are all the baristas.  The coffee (hot & iced) and espresso really are the best I've ever had.  The vietnamese coffee was to die for.  And they knew how to make a decent iced jasmine tea (let the leaves seep for goodness sake!!).  On my last day of class at UCSD, I made it a point to visit AoE one last time *cries* I MISS YOU!!

If I didn't need a stupid parking permit to park at UCSD, or if AoE had its own parking lot, I would definitely visit :(
5 - Yvonne N.: I didn't think Art of Espresso would end up on Yelp!  For those of you wondering what it is, exactly, it's a coffee stand on UCSD campus.  It truly does have the best coffee ever!  It even beats Starbucks.  Every time I pass by, there's always a line, which might be the only downer.  I normally don't like mochas but my fave here is the Iced White Chocolate Mocha!  They make it perfect every time!  Okay, I lied.  I tried their Vietnamese Coffee once and it wasn't good so that's another downside.  However, my friend also loves their Chai!  The baristas really are amazing, they're friendly, quick and always get your order right.  Sometimes I would go to class late just to order something from AoE.  Sometimes, at night, when I'm laying in bed, I plan out my day and decide when I can stop by AoE for a nice cup of coffee or an Iced White Chocolate Mocha!
5 - Iris C.: THIS PLACE IS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.  I seriously came here almost every single day during my undergraduate years and it would always make my day just a little better.  Honestly, after hours of slaving away in a lab or suffering through class, nothing beats a hot white chocolate mocha.  The people that work here are AMAZING and I have never been treated poorly.  They are the nicest people and the service here is always fast.

When my graduation time came around, I seriously cried at the thought of never having Art of Espresso again.  Thankfully, I'll be a grad student here starting in the fall so HELLO AoE for another four GLORIOUS years!
This place is seriously one of the reasons why I decided to stay here for grad school.  My parents think I'm crazy, but have one sip of their coffee and you will understand why this place deserves all the love that it gets.
5 - Tim S.: Quite simply, the best coffee on the UCSD campus. I usually just drink regular coffee with sugar and milk, and Art is just so much better than Starbucks or the other coffee places on campus. The pastries and bagels they sell are delicious too! My co-workers like the sandwiches, but I'm a big guy and find them a little small for how much you pay.

The downside? It's UCSD, so parking is almost impossible if you're not already on campus.
2 - j. d.: This place is decent compared to the other places on campus but honestly it's totally hyped. It's not even close to a good pot of french press brewed at home -- I find their coffee weak and watery. Often times I can taste their flavored coffees in their normal coffee carafes ... GROSS! What kind of self-respecting coffee place serves flavored coffee anyway? Usually crappy ones ... that's who!
5 - Arianne T.: I'm not a big coffee drinker, but I'm absolutely obsessed with chai tea lattes.  This place is one of the best coffee places I've ever been to, in terms of chai.  They have both a vanilla and spiced chai, and although I prefer vanilla, they're both delicious!  This is one of the only things I'll miss about UCSD once I graduate in June.  I have tried their vanilla lattes and coffee too, which are good considering I don't really like drinks like that, but I rarely get them.  It's a bitch to go there unless you're actually on campus for a reason, but it's definitely worth it!  The staff is also very friendly and probably the fastest, most efficient coffee places I've ever been.  No matter how long their lines are, they'll still get you your drink faster than any Starbucks line.  Definitely recommended!
5 - Erik R.: Easily the best coffee on campus.  I'm not certain what sort of Folgers the naysayers have been sniffing but this place is the real deal.  Their Merlot blend is easily the best cup of coffee on campus and their prices are more reasonable than the Perk's cafe (and quality and variety of coffee and baked goods significantly better.  Their staff is laid back and attentive, and the line moves faster then other locations on campus.  I simply can't say enough good things about this cart, their exceptional coffee, and very awesome staff.  I'm resigned when forced to seek caffeine elsewhere.
2 - Jennifer C.: I think it's because I'm defensive over Barefoot, which leads me to be defensive over Perk's, but AoE is a little bit hyped up. 

They have good baristas. But I don't know about the "FANTASTIC drinks" everyone is raving about. Please note that most people who rate this cart order Chai Latte's and Iced Sugar&Milk drinks, and comment on the umbrellas. A generation of Starbuckies.

Anyway, so onto the COFFEE. It's alright.
4 - Scott W.: Known to all simply as "the coffee cart", this cart is super-duper and gets extra high marks for friendly service, change in the "I'm in a hurry basket" and always having fresh coffee accoutrements. 

A special 'Hooray' too for snagging my sweatshirt when I was too hopped up on caffeine to remember it on Friday, that was really nice. These guys deserve your business over the Grove.
4 - Hoost G.: This is the only place really worth getting espresso or coffee on the campus of UCSD. Cafe Roma is okay if you are over there. Perk's is out right gross if you get anything other than black coffee. Plus at Art of Espresso (aka the Mandeville Cart or just the Coffee cart) you can enjoy UC San Diego wi-fi in a sunny eucalyptus forest instead of the bookstore basement.

My advice is get an Americano and sit at the cart and watch the grad students pretend to wax theoretic.
5 - Sarah K.: They DO take cards now, with only a 25 cent charge if your order is under $10. I have gone here three to four times a week since I was a freshman..and its one of the things ill miss most about UCSD. I adore both their drinks and their pastries (chocolate croissants, if bought around 8am, are still warm!!). When I am short on cash they sell me chai on good faith, simply noting my name on a post-it to pay them back later, truly a magical place.
4 - Sherley P.: I'm rating this place based on the scone I bought today.  After having eaten a horribly stale scone at Cafe Roma, I decided to give this place a try instead, only to find that this place sells scones that are half the size of the ones in Cafe Roma for about the same price. =.=  Yes, the taste is good, but the scones could be a little cheaper given the size of these things.  Will continue onwards in my quest for the perfect scone.
2 - Kevin W.: So there's a guy who runs around to all the new coffee shops in the Bay Area and beyond and does a little review of them based upon two main qualities: quality of the beverage served (and in his case, espresso) and the ambiance of the cafe he is in.  He argues that both are necessary for a good cafe experience and I agree; with the former, you have incentive to come by, the and latter encourages you to hang out, spend some time and even read a book, maybe.  Just maybe, though.  He has a little blog, just google "caffeinated rantings" and you'll find him.

If I were to apply the same logic upon this cafe, I'd have to say it wins in the latter department: the ambiance is wonderful and I would want to come here every time, all the time.  Plus the location is fantastic for everything I need on campus.  

However, the in the espresso department, this cafe lacks.  

A double espresso is widely defined as being a beverage anywhere from 1.5 ounces to 4, where Art of Espresso definitely pulls on the heavier side.  What results is a terribly bitter, burnt flavor that doesn't offer me any incentive to come by in the first place.

I hate to criticize, because I know that espresso as a culinary art is relatively unknown, but when the cafe calls itself "Art of Espresso," I have to call them on it.  Espresso can be a very well developed beverage, with a thick syrupy body and a sweet kick with flavors ranging from chocolate to blueberry to tomato.  

To comment on what Jennifer C. said, yes, Barefoot is a good model to base good espresso on.  Head over to Perks during a slow time in the day and get a double espresso.  I can't guarantee the barista will pull the best shot in the world, but it will give you a better idea as to what artisan coffee can be.

And if you want a small glimpse into this world, check out www.coffeegeek.com or www.coffeed.com, both offer great resources both for aspiring and professional baristas.

To end on a high note, I've always appreciated this cafe because it has excellent service and does provide high quality drinks.  Though I love the coffee that Perks serves, it definitely fails in providing a decent ambiance ... I really prefer sitting at AoE ...
5 - natalie p.: update:

Apparently AoE is the newest moniker.  My appreciation is still going strong.  These guys are great. 

Keep up the good work. :)

PS. Perks? really? That's coming in loud and clear as a definite "negative".
5 - Tom S.: Totally agree with most posts for AoE - relaxing atmosphere, great espresso - nothing could have been any better - great job guys!
3 - Daniel N.: Yes, this place is the best place to get coffee on campus, however, that certainly doesn't mean that it will blow your mind. 

They're simple A-OK. 

Their Ice Vietnamese coffee is certainly cheaper and tastier than at Perk's but falls incredibly short of anything you could find at a Vietnamese restaurant. Why? The coffee is too refined. Part of why Vietnamese coffee tastes so good is because they don't filter the grinds and often flavor it with chicory or something along those lines. 

But enough whining - if I need a coffee fix I head to Art of Espresso, however, if I'm looking for tea, I go to the Food Co-op.
5 - Josephine P.: This place has saved my life countless times.
The people are not the nicest, but I love their coffee so much that it doesn't matter.
The mountain man is the best espresso drink in San Diego. Hands. Down.
If you're looking for cheap drip coffee too, this is your one stop cart.
This place is actually what got me hooked on Latte's.
It usually buzzing with college kids and professors, so just patiently wait and you will be pleasantly surprised.
There are plenty of places to sit and chill out, so when you check it out, grab a prepackaged sandwich, plop down with your drink of choice and congratulate yourself for avoiding the mediocrity of subway.
PS. They DO NOT TAKE CARDS.
Sucks, but there is a BOA atm booth nearby, for you lucky BOA customers
5 - Roz L.: Where else can I get Sumatra coffee on campus.

nowhere. 

I love Sumatra coffee. Art of Espresso won me over with $1 coffee and 50cent coconut macaroons.
4 - Christine L.: Running on virtually no sleep is sort of a routine process that every college student goes through at least once in their school career. [*If you ARE someone who successfully accomplished 8 hours of sleep 24/7 in your student days, then you either had no social life or you had an extraordinarily strict sleep routine.] With the lack of sleep comes the usual problems of staying awake in class, in work, and on that first date with that cute boy from your chemistry lab. Or was he from that house party you went to last night?? 

[Crap.] 

With that said, the only solution is good ol' trimethylxanthine, otherwise known in layman terms as 'CAFFEINE'. And on UCSD's very large campus, the best and most reliable place you can get your fix of good-mornin' joe is Art of Espresso - a small coffee stand located right by the Mandeville building. They have an AMAZING white chocolate mocha that would put Starbucks' coffee to shame, and if you get there early enough you can even toss in a fresh spinach&cheese croissant --HIGHLY recommended-- for a couple of bucks more.  For some odd reason if you are one of those carb-hating people and can't stand a simple croissant, they do offer a wide selection of other stuff (sandwiches, salads, bagels, chips, hell even Cup Ramen for the people who need their daily MSG-intake.) 

The staff has always been consistent (as in, it's the same people working the place for several years as of now), and although they're not the friendliest they get your order down and out in less than 2 minutes, so the line is constantly moving. Go there enough, and you'll start recognizing other people who frequent that place - your former TA, perhaps a few professors, and of course your fellow (under)graduate students. They have a nice outdoor patio with plenty of little tables to sit at too: a great place for meeting up with someone or just to have a quick bite and study. It's also amusing to listen to the "intellectuals" debate over the most insignificant things too (because then you realize that your oh-so-smart professors are just loud pretentious bags of hot air). Either way, I always leave Art of Espresso with a smile and a great dose of caffeine to keep me awake for the rest of the day/date. 

Tip: Avoid paying with credit card if possible, because they add $.50 to your total bill. There is a Bank of America ATM near the place, so just ask the locals there for the location.
5 - Elizabeth H.: I am a coffee addict.  I will always admit that fact about myself.  

At UCSD, there are countless options for your daily fix of coffee.  I started with the dining hall sludge but quickly learned that meal points also buy the mediocre espresso drinks at Earl's Place (sorry but I worked there - its not outstanding).  Then came the fateful day I was late to my 9am chemistry class all the way across campus and I walked by a lone coffee cart outside of Mandeville Center.

Art of Espresso was my first introduction to the great finds with the Old Student Center and still remains my favorite.  Many times I have met friends for lunch on the patio away from the crowds at Price Center and enjoyed the fabulous coffee.  There isn't a need to splurge since the drip coffee far exceeds anything else found on campus but the specialty drinks are a nice treat every once in awhile.

While I no longer am a student, I miss the days of walking in the morning and waking up with the crisp air and a stop at Art of Espresso.  If you are in the need for a caffeine fix while at UCSD, always check to see if Art of Espresso is open before even stepping foot into a line somewhere else!
4 - John B.: Good service. Go often enugh, and they anticpate what you want.
5 - Rachel S.: Simply put, it's the best coffee found on UCSD. The cheapest too! It's a buck to fill your travel mug with fantastic coffee. Yeah, A BUCK. Suck it Starbucks! Their food isn't the best, but who needs food when you can get a Mexican Mocha? Granted, it's a little pricey, but it's probably the best girly coffee drink out there. The line is usually long, but the people behind the counter know what they're doing, and they'll speed you right along. Good tea too.
4 - Sarah S.: AOE or the "mandeville cart" has consistently been considered the best coffee on campus- and i agree! if you come to school a bit early its perfect for grabbing a cup o jo and heading to class! and one of the best kept secrets of UCSD (in my opinion) is that little room in mandeville- i come here to study if its crowded outside- its quiet and they have plush chairs!

and the best part is that their chai lattes now come in a 8 oz. cup! its so small and cute- and the perfect dosage when you've hit the mid day slump. if only the other drinks came in the same size (but apparently not-because when i asked for a regular latte in that size the guy gave me a weird look  = [  ) but what is this about a frequent buyer card? i've been coming here for years and never noticed it! i better get on that.
5 - Sophia G.: My favorite coffee "house"!  You won't believe how extensive their menu is- or how fast they are at serving up your mocha-choco-late :)

The staff is friendly, quick, and efficient.  I love that all the seating is outdoors, which guarantees that they are packed even in warm, sunny weather when no one is really craving hot coffee.  Their coffee is strong and cheap, and they promote fair-trade, which is definitely a bonus.  I honestly cringe the few times a year I buy Starbucks and walk by this place holding my cup.  Although the "Mandeville Coffee Cart" is clearly a staple for anyone living on campus, definitely give it a chance if you're ever around!
4 - candi n.: art of espresso never fails to impress me.

quads of espresso and cheap bagels.

Yay! I'm a fan.
5 - Joe K.: The best and most consistent coffee on the UCSD campus, great location as well.


 I will miss you very much when I graduate.
5 - Ryan J.: Five billion stars. When I was a wee lad undergrad, I used to come to this little coffee cart right outside Mandeville, where I had all my music classes. There were professors in turtlenecks. There were students with skateboards. They would talk to each other. That's how good the coffee is, it brings people together. There was a girl named Ryan who was a barista which is awesome because my name is Ryan too, but it was also awesome because she, like everyone else who works here, makes unbelievably good coffee.

This year, I was accepted to the b-school at UCSD, and when I came for admit day, the one thing I made sure to check was that the Art of Espresso was still around, because otherwise there was no way I was coming back. OK that's not quite true, but I'd be lying if I didn't say it was a consideration. It's pretty hard for me to overstate how good the coffee is here. Calabria notwithstanding, I'd put it as a solid contender for best coffee in San Diego. Cappuccinos are good, lattes are good. Try the Spun Monkey. It's this iced banana mocha smoothie thing. Mmmmm breakfast.

Prices are on par with Peet's etc. Coffee is way better. Carts have low overhead! Customer win.
5 - Lauretta L.: Amazing! So much better than Fairbanks (at least the one in SSB). I got a Spiced Chai latte and it's delicious (a medium for less than $3). There was barely any line and they made my coffee really quickly. This is bad because now I'm going to develop a coffee addiction and be an even poorer college student.
4 - Ben R.: Bottom Line on the Top Line: A great location that is one of your best choices for espresso drinks on UCSD campus. 

I have gotten approximately one billion lattes here, the Vietnamese coffee and regular coffee a couple times, and the pastries once or twice.

Very good lattes! I generally determine the quality of the establishment mainly on the basis of the staple espresso drink, the LATTE (I'm a bit of a coffee freak, so I know my way around a latte). The lattes I've tasted here range from good (once or twice in a blue moon) to very good (most of the time) to outstandingly awesome (some of the best time ever). The foam seals the deal for me; best when it has a thick texture; and sometimes they get it just right. I'm sure it varies with the person making it. This is what turns the latte from very good to outstanding. The quality of the espresso is consistently very good, and their flavors (such as English Toffee, mmm...) don't disappoint either. 
  Mochas are very good too.
  The vietnamese coffee (condensed milk on ice with espresso?) was awesome! Sweet and refreshing. I've never had anything like it. Try it if you haven't.
  Coffee was very good when I've had it; not over-roasted, not too weak. Make sure you taste a little from each dispenser on the side so you can tell what you like before you fill up your cup. NOTE -- Make sure you bring your own coffee-holding device for $1 coffee!
  Pastries were nothing exceptional in the times I've had them; but not bad if I remember correctly. Don't rely too heavily on my opinion here.

The prices here are reasonable as can be for a coffee place. ~3.00 for a double latte (as of March, 2010). It adds up! Be sure to avoid using a debit or credit card unless you enjoy pointless 25¢ fees.
Service is usually great. Baristas and cashiers are very friendly and professional. My drink is often crafted before I expect it. No more than 2 minutes is lost waiting for drinks here.

The location is great too! Right in the middle of campus, but just out of the fray enough to not feel stifled. Pleasant to sit around and do some light homework or read while sipping a coffee here. Or just to sip coffee. Yes, coffee is enough. Enjoy the atmosphere. It's San Diego, don't forget.

4.25 STARS. My standards are set very high. Basically, go here if you want an espresso drink and don't want to drive somewhere. I'll walk across campus for this place. Worth it. If you don't mind driving, and have money to spare (it's little more expensive -- true La Jolla pricing), check out Bird Rock Coffee Roasters. The Art of Espresso buys their beans from this place, and it is excellent.

Good luck, friends.
4 - Sarah Z.: I'm not sure why it took me this long to write a review on this place; it used to be my lifeline. Our UCSD music department used to be located in Mandeville, and though the building was a complete and utter disaster (acoustics-wise, modernity-wise... okay, everything-wise) and I am in love with our brand new shiny building, I miss having all my classes in Mandeville simply because of this coffee cart. It was so perfect for a coffee addict like me... I would grab a caffeine fix in the 10 minute break between every class so I was always good to go. It's perfect for both relaxation and academic concentration; I always got a lot of homework and reading done here when I had time to spend in the outdoor seating. Plus after coming home from a year abroad in Europe, Art of Espresso's vibe felt very close to the cafés I would frequent there (I guess it helps that a lot of international students come here so you always hear multiple languages being spoken around you). The location and aura aside, this place just plain has great coffee. They have good lattes, delicious mochas for those splurge-y days, and many interesting specialty drinks on the menu; to keep it cheap though, I usually just get the french vanilla drip (the other drip coffees they offer are great too; I'm just a creature of habit). Oh and the spinach croissant is amazing! I haven't had it in forever though, because now that I'm not in the area for class, I never seem to make it to the cart in time to grab one before they're gone (hint hint... start stocking more?) It's also cool that they sell Zanzibar sandwiches, even before Zanzibar opened up a location in Price Center. Mm... the mozzarella, basil and tomato baguette.

The people who work here are wonderful. The service is great; everyone has a great attitude and it is always appreciated how on top of it they are with refilling the drip coffee. Once they hear the gurgling sound created by someone trying to push out the last remaining drops of a carafe, they run to the rescue to replace it with a fresh carafe of the same roast that's always ready to go! Before you even have to let them know... amazing.
5 - Annie C.: AoE is one of the things I miss most about UCSD and will always try to stop by at when I come for a visit. I even keep my frequent buyer card for those rare occasions that I do stop by San Diego.

LOVE: 
- Hazelnut Latte
- Chai Latte
- Their prices
- The coffee.

I WOULD dock a star for the attitude of the baristas that have increasingly gotten worse over the years... but I love Art of Espresso's coffee too much to care. In the end, it's all about the coffee anyway. But the service should ideally match the greatness of the coffee. Just saying. 

I miss you, AOE Hazelnut Latte....we'll meet again in the future.
4 - Chrissy N.: AoE doesn't have the best coffee I've never tasted, but they definitely serve the best coffee on campus, hands down. 

The owner, I don't remember his name, is very, very friendly and is super polite. The other coworkers are also pretty nice.

The "coffee cart" can get pretty busy during 'rush-hours,' but the wait is never too long and it's worth it.

Ice white mochas and mountain men (hazelnut coffee!) are yummers! I'd go to AoE over starbucks ANY day of the week.
5 - Jennifer L.: Mexican Mocha hands down whether it's hot or cold. Not much of a coffee drinker, but when I do drink coffee this is where I go. The best coffee on campus by far.
5 - Erik Freyr P.: Awesome bagels, coffee and pastries. Best prices around. They make a nice cappuccino too! Foam is always right, and you never get a cup full of burning hot milk and no foam like every other coffee shop on campus. These barristas  actually know what they are doing.  Bravo
5 - n s.: I absolutely LOVE AoE!

I have been buying coffee from Sam's for the past two years. I love coming here whenever I'm on campus because:

1) It's the only place on campus that will allow you to grab a cup of coffee in literally a min! On the left sides of AoE are ~6 coffee selections. All you have to do is place the $ in the basket, grab the coffee cup, & fill! Note: the coffees are align from lightest (left) to dark (right). I would definitely recommend mixing Vanilla Nut & Merlot together. I'm not a huge fan of dark coffee but I always need something to help keep me awake in my morning classes so I would fill my cup 3/4 the way up with Merlot & add a bit of the Vanilla Nut to give it a sweeter taste :] Oh also, if you bring your own coffee mug, you only have to pay $1! 

2)The pastries are FRESH (they arrive every morning at ~7:30 am) & delicious! I love the new red velet cake! But you have to hurry & grab them because they run out really fast! and I mean FAST! Most of the good pastries are gone by noon. 

Also, if you decide to order from their menu, don't forget to ask them for a coffee card. I believe that you get a free drink after the 10th order. I ordered a few of their frapps and occasionally bought a vanilla latte; they were good. Since summer is just around the corner, I would recommend a minty mint for all those mint lovers out there! The only drink that I didn't like much was the mint mocha, I wish it was minter :(
5 - Peter N.: I love love love Art of Espresso. Good coffee truly is an art, and AoE does it justice. To further the painting metaphor - it's the original piece, whereas Roma, Muirwoods, Grove Caffe... are the cheap knockoffs you find in portrait stores in the mall.

Well, maybe that's a little drastic. But Art of Espresso is, without a doubt, the best little coffee cart on UCSD campus. The drinks are consistent, service is speedy, and prices are cheap!

My usual orders:
- White Mochas & Hazelnut Lattes = sweet treats of the day. 
- Quadshots are key to surviving 6 hours of class on Tu/Th.
- Iced Vietnamese for the perfect blend of sweet and bitter.
5 - Mick G.: Art of Espresso is a timeless wonder, and a delight of coffee and of entertainment!

The coffee?  Simply the finest Coffee Cart you will find in San Diego.  They are lucky to have a few things going for them ... the first (which is not lucky ... but skilled) is that they make REALLY GOOD ESPRESSO!!!!  The luck comes from the fact that they have a built in and established clientelle (being on a University campus) and from the fact that almost NOBODY else on the entire campus can make an espresso or latte worthy of being consumed.

Skill in their trade and luck at no competition is a recipe for HUGE success.

The entertainment part comes from being able to sit on the patio and listen and watch University life unfold.

The pretentious and overly serious professors who sit about discussing at length the importance (and how it is the MOST important field) to their collegues.

The exhausted and beaten down Graduate Students, trying to survive at the hands of their slave-driving PIs.

The overwrought and sophmoric Undergrads discussing how life is so hard and where they are going to party and who had sex with whom etc etc etc ....

Simply awe inspiring.

Go for the espresso, stay for the entertainment of life as it passes by in its Collegiate Bubble.
4 - jennifer t.: i come here for a regular cup of coffee. i don't usually get anything special. but their coffee has got to be the BEST ON CAMPUS. yes, they have plenty of on-campus competitors, but they are, hands-down, the victor (for plenty of reasons)!

1. their staff are very very friendly (keep in mind i only go here around 8AM, so i see the same two men making the coffee)
2. their pastries are delicious (savory and sweet)! they are, however, a bit pricey, but they are the best on campus as well! well worth it. well worth it. and are from french gourmet, after all. 
3. their coffee (regular coffee) is amazing! you really can badly mess up brewing a cup of coffee. it's not an easy feat, but they have got it mastered! oh yea.. and if you bring your own thermos, you pay $1 for the first cup, and can refill all day long!

it's always a delight visiting in the morning, and the smile on everyone's faces tells you its going to be a good day. 

oh yea, if you're not a coffee drinker... get their chai tea with soy milk. this is absolutely amazing! also, it's really filling, so you can even bypass your morning sweet.

sometimes.. they'll have day-old pastries lying around for free, for those like me, who are too cheap to actually buy a pastry every morning. what a nice treat.
5 - Dan K.: This is the the coffee hotspot of choice for me at UCSD. Amongst the dozens of coffee carts that dot the campus, this one is hands down my favorite one. It's probably because the coffee is consistently good (Vanilla Nut and Sumatra mmm), and they have great drinks for the days when I have a sweet tooth (Mountain man = hazelnut mocha FTW). The people who work here are friendly and always willing to help you out. After a long morning of Psych labs and chem classes, AoE is here to provide me with a good cup o' joe to help me relax and wind down. 5 stars.
5 - Anna Z.: LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. I'd walk across campus just to get something from here. Taste wayyy better than any other coffee cart on campus and cheaper than Zanzi and Perks. Love the vanilla latte.
5 - vk k.: the ONLY coffee place at UCSD that is worth  your money.
4 - Jonathan W.: Just a random coffee stand outside a campus building so who would know except UCSD students?

It is a good cup of joe, or latte or whatever. Better than starbucks, sure and you don't have all the yuppies piling up with their computers and ipods.

The best evah in San Diego...eh....a little bit of hometown favouritism perhaps. But in the area, they may be the best.

Service was great....lightening fast.
4 - Susan C.: Sometimes, I'll take the UCSD shuttle instead of the SDMTS, just so  I can be dropped off closer to AoE, and not be sucked in by my own laziness to stop by and purchase coffee from closer Price Center Cafes.

The only thing that used to bum me out about this little business was that it was cash-only, but, while ringing up my much-needed americano today, I shrieked (okay, I never actually shriek, but if I did, this would definitely be an appropriate moment to), as I saw that they now accept plastic.

So, yes: The quality of the drinks, the outdoor seating, the friendly staff, and the fact that they now take debit and credit, is now worth every extra uphill-step from the central university hub.

I add my tally to the mob of those who vote this little cart to hold the best espresso on campus.
5 - kiwi b.: They make really great espresso here - everywhere else I go, just doesn't compare. Fast and friendly service. Try their iced vietnamese coffee!
5 - Chris C.: They get me with their chai shake. I have no idea what they do to it, only that it's perfection. Every time I finish one, I'm seriously tempted to go get another. In fact, the next time I go there, I'll probably do so. It's that good. The icy crud at Peet's has nothing on this beautiful monstrosity. 

Like other people have noted, the service is lightning-fast and always accurate. Unlike other coffee shops, they'll make sure you want X or Y rather than just throw something in there. The employees are consistently enthusiastic and seem to enjoy their work. Wide variety of excellent flavors every day. 

Their prices are also cheaper than anywhere else on campus--for being a left-leaning establishment, they make excellent capitalists. Heck, it's almost enough to make me want to grab an Obama bumper sticker with my morning joe...but only almost.
4 - Kenny O.: Yum yum.

This is one of the places I cite when I tell my little pre-caffeine-addiction cousins when I tell them to apply to UCSD.

This place is great when walking around Mandeville, or when you're just yearning for an espresso drink that actually uses properly-pulled espresso shots (vs. the overly-acidic crap most baristas pull off elsewhere on campus).

Price is pretty mediocre (think around Starbucks price), but they do have cheap bagels and cheap tea.

This places closes early, so run in whenever you get a chance.
4 - Todd W.: Art of Espresso remains one of the highlights of both my undergrad and graduate experiences at UCSD.  A small but comfy coffee cart next to Mandeville Auditorium on campus, AoE sports a sizable patio with tables, umbrellas, and comfortable chairs.  The baristas are amazingly fun and the owners are incredibly personable.  The location is right in the middle of the UCSD campus, near the main shuttle stop, and a heartbeat away from the main student center--home to co-ops, general stores, the LGBTQI and Women's centers, and the International Center.

When I was a tour guide for five years at UCSD, I would always go out of my way to point out the awesome java spot, and was always grafiied to know I'd encouraged frazzled parents and future undergrads to partake in AoE's AMAZING coffee.

Everything I had was delicious, from affogatos to chai lattes, to their spun monkey--a frozen banana/chai creation.  Even their bagels seemed extra tasty--and I know their handmade sandwiches--shipped straight from Krakatoa, another amazing San Diego coffeehouse--hit the spot.

If you're at UCSD and want a quick snack, instant community, and a delicious caffeine fix, stop at AoE
5 - Melissa N.: Best coffee on campus!

When I walked up to the coffee stand, it looked a bit discouraging because of the long line and the crowd of people standing next to the stand waiting for their coffee.  However, I was not disappointed with how fast it was!  There were about five people ahead of me and I got my order in, paid, and got my drink in about 5 minutes! (Which was good since I was working at the time and had to get quick coffee)

I ordered the double white chocolate mocha and it's a lot better than Perks, Starbucks, Peets, and Espresso Roma.  I also ordered a bagel with cream cheese and it was alright, but then again, I was only there for the coffee and mmmmm it was delish!

The atmosphere was pretty nice, mostly filled with grad students/TAs (and I much prefer an older crowd).  If I wasn't in a rush to get back to work, I'd probably be studying there.

Lalalala lovvve art of espresso :)
5 - Shirley F.: I run to you after my all-nighter for a chocolate croissant and a shot-in-the-dark. 
Life saver with friendly people =)
4 - Rachel L.: The perfect place for a little pick me up!

Art of Espresso has the best coffee on UCSD's campus. I would walk all the way from Warren over to Mandeville if I'm craving coffee, because I would feel ripped off by any other coffee vendor on the way (meaning: they just won't make me that delicious speciality coffee the way Art of Espresso will!)

They also have a bunch of little tables and chairs by the coffee cart, so it's always a nice place to sit and enjoy some coffee which catching up with friends or reading a book. 

The drinks here are consistently good and the service is always great!
4 - Dean D.: There was a time when I once frequented the Sunshine Store on campus for coffee. This was when I thought coffee was the foulest drink to have ever slid down my throat. How bitter the taste was. How disgustingly vile. But I had no choice. I needed caffeine in my system. It was a necessary evil. As I swallowed down those accursed cups of coffee from Sunshine Store, I had to swallow my pride too.

But then one day, I discovered The Art of Espresso and they showed me that black coffee can be found at cheap affordable prices AND be delicious! Not only delicious but beyond that! Their coffees are exquisite and divine! Indeed, they have turned brewing coffee into a beautiful form of art!

And their Vietnamese coffees are delicious as well. But I think the highlight has got to be those magical macaroons they have sitting in that jar near the cashier. I shan't rest 'til I steal the recipe for myself because those things are like little morsels of heaven!
5 - Christina T.: Love this place!  Whenever I had a class in Muir or Revelle, I had to stop by Art of Espresso to get a cup of delicious chai tea or white chocolate mocha.  Their pastries aren't bad either.

This is the go to place for coffee drinks - skip anything in Price Center or those stands around campus.
5 - Lisa S.: Another shining review for Art of Espresso... This place is amazing! Super prompt service, cheap, delicious coffee, and they offer real Americano's and Macchiato's, not the silly Starbucks kind (and they warn you of this fact, which I'm sure is important when people find out they are actually getting Espresso with a dollop of foam for the Macchiato, not a vanilla/caramel latte swimming in caramel sauce (don't get me wrong, they are delicious in their own way)). 
I also love the cash drop box for a coffee on the go, and my #1 favorite thing about this place is the 75 cent bagels, 25 cent cream cheese! I feel like I'm stealing those bagels. And they have quite the variety too! 
If you are ever at UC San Diego and are feeling slightly thirsty, walk over to Art of Espresso, you wont regret it.
5 - Jimmy H.: In search of the perfect coffee drink too? I think I've found us the place! No coffee on campus can match the immaculate taste of Art of Espresso.

Everytime I take a sip, I tell myself "hot diggity this is what my latte SHOULD taste like!" And I should know because I worked at a coffee place for a couple of years. There is always a couple of people behind the counter so you're sure not to wait to long to get your perfect drink. Even if I have class at Warren Lecture Hall, I will go out of my way to AoE to get a cup of joe before class because nothing compares. If you want to start your day right make sure you make a pit stop right here and if you're not in a rush get your drink and chill in the patio seating.

Your friends at AoE will do you right, I put my yelp-cred on the line right here!

Also they sell these great croissant sandwiches that I always get... Can't ever seem to resist actually...
4 - Weiruoh W.: Definitely the best on campus- and one of the cheapest. not always consistent, but usually is.

Get it almost every day. Plus they have the buy 10 get 1 free cards! Hooray!
5 - Courtney W.: I miss you!!!!  AoE was the best when I worked at UCSD and the college campus I am at now is sorely lacking in the coffee department.  Whenever the coffee urge hits me I think, "I wish I could get a chocolate chip chill right now!"  The brownies are awesome too.
5 - Emilie G.: I don't come here that often, but whenever I do, I am pleasantly surprised and wonder why I continue going to Starbucks all the time. The drinks taste amazing (I usually get some form of mocha or latte), seem to contain more espresso than other coffee places, and are slightly cheaper. All in all, a great coffee cart! No complaints!
4 - Lindsay H.: Thank you coffee cart for being so reliable. 3:00 coffee breaks are often the best part of the day. Thank you also for $1 refills. 
Thank you coffee cart for unpretentious coffee and service and just good hot yummy coffee. T
This is the best place for coffee @UCSD and people in my lab go almost every day. They also have punch cards for a free 11th coffee! Whee!
5 - V S.: Get the SPICED MONKEY blended drink! It will be the best decision you ever made in life!
2 - Melissa A.: The coffee is absolutely delish, and the prices are good.  

However, I've been here at least half a dozen times and every time the staff has been rude and unfriendly.  I'll take my coffee without the I'm-too-hip-to-serve-you attitude, thank you very much.
5 - Brittany S.: Simply said, I love Art of Espresso. I must preface this by saying that I dont like coffee [feel free to insert any unbelievable expression here]. Yes, I am a college student and I don't like coffee, however I am quite the hot tea and chai aficionado! That being said AoE offers up the best chai tea I've had in San Diego bar none. Something about the perfect mix of spiciness and sweet that just puts me over the top. Also, for those hot summers days they have the most amazing iced drink ever - a Spiced Monkey, envision a chai and banana slushie. It's amazing.

Everyone working here is so friendly, I usually happen to come by in the afternoons (due to my schedule) and there's a young blonde working there who is always so nice to me and rather efficient in making drinks.

If you're around UCSD, stopping in at AoE is a must!
4 - Karen S.: Great coffee and if you bring your own cup then refills are only a dollar! I've only had their tea (all flavors are YUMMY!) and their drip coffee (which is also fantastic, and yes you can have bad coffee) but I bet everything else would be up to par as well! Definitely the best place to get coffee on campus and a welcome walk away from the lab =]
3 - Aurora L.: Hmm. I don't get what all the hype is about. Maybe I haven't sampled enough of their specialty drinks, but their regular self-serve coffee is pretty ho-hum. The blends aren't that exciting and they don't have a variety of creamers or flavors you can put in like a Muir Woods or CUPS coffee cart behind Warren Bear (there are like 10+ different blends to pick from here). 

Maybe it's because I don't fancy sitting outside? Or waiting in a long line? The plus is that it's really cheap and the staff is nice, but it's not my cart of choice.
5 - Sue K.: I have only fond memories of Art of Espresso.Wait...no...i lied....most of the times, I was stumbling over here to grab a drink before I barely made it to class. 

So I take that back. Most of my memories of this place are groggy and barely there. 

But thanks to Art of Espresso and their delicious chai lattes, I got through four years at UCSD!
5 - Karen Y.: [+] Chunky Monkey
[+] Pastries! 
[+] Bagel with Cream Cheese ($1)

Best place on the UCSD campus to get coffee! And also run into your professors or TA's at the same. They don't overcharge and the cart offers an variety of goodies to eat. I mostly come here to satisfy my sweet tooth because the other carts charge 20 cents or more for their pastries. Pastries I would recommend to anyone include a tubular shaped apple danish with brown sugar on top. Their lemon scones are delicious too! It has poppy seeds and lemon frosting icing on top. If you're starving college student, get their bagels with cream cheese ($1). Or grab a banana for 25 cents. 

There was this scone that I wasn't too fond of because it had ground coffee beans in it (that I thought was chocolate at first).

Tips:
Purchases made with a credit card will be charged 50 cents per a transaction. There's a Bank of America ATM nearby Porter's Pub.
5 - Jon S.: This is the best coffee shop in San Diego, no question.
5 - katie s.: After being disappointed with Uncle Biff's cookies, I thought that I should add that the double chocolate cookies at Art of Espresso are YUMMY!  If you see them in the display case, grab one while they are still there.  You won't regret it  :-)
4 - Tiffany H.: Best chai lattes and strawberry scones EVER!!!  I just wish they would not charge you for paying with a credit card.
5 - Katherine S.: I didn't realize this coffee cart was on yelp!  Known around the Psych dept as simply "the cart", this place is great for a morning or afternoon caffeine treat!

Coffee is always fresh, and I've never seen them mess up an order.  They have great tea options for those who don't want to over-do it on caffeine.  They pasteries and bagels are always good too, and at a great price point for us poor students :) Their smoothies are really yummy, and huge (cheaper than other "jamba" options and just as tasty).  

I'll continue frequenting the cart for the next 3-4 years I'm at UCSD :)
5 - Leslie C.: I'm a stereotypical UCSD student: study biology for way too many hours a week, don't get enough sleep, and completely addicted to caffeine. For this reason, I have become intimately familiar with every coffee place on campus and this place wins hands down. Basically, if you see a ton of professors and grad students there, you know you've found the good stuff. My mocha gets me through my ridiculously long labs every time, so if you're looking for some liquid to sustain you under those flattering fluorescent lights in the lab/library/lecture hall, make sure to hit up Art of Espresso.
5 - Serena H.: Yelping is so much more fun than doing homework. pssshhhhh  homework can wait. nostalgia over yesterday's coffee can't.

As a UCSD student, I would be doing myself a horrible injustice if I did not frequent myself here at least 3 times week. And since I never stopped by my first two years here, I must up the costs---Art of Espresso demands my 4 times a week attention. And that's my final answer.

I don't usually get the fancy drinks because 1. I can't afford a 3 dollar a day x 4 times a week dent in my already fragile wallet and 2. I need to actually watch my weight this year and cut down on the latte (Oh Cambridge and my daily lattes, how I miss you).  But I do occasionally treat myself to the "Heaven's cloud in a cup." Never heard of it? Oh I think they use the name  "Caramel Machiatto" there but hell, I think my name is more straight to the point.

They usually make it PERFECT. Now my "perfect" demands quite a lot. It has to be perfectly lightly sweetened such that when it cools, I don't feel like I'm slurping down a syrup. It has to be the perfect warmth--not so hot that I burn my tongue and have to wait 5 minutes before I devour that monster, but not so cold that in a matter of 10 minutes I now have ice coffee and a whole lot of disappointment. 

But on regular days, I absolutely appreciate their self service, fill-it-yourself coffee. Honesty system. Even for the filter coffee they give you some quality sheezz for the lowest price you can get it on campus. 

Sheeezzz It's 10pm and now I feel like I want some coffee.

One last note--The peeps that run the place and make your drinks. Kudos to them for such awesome service. Kudos bros and gals.
4 - Brandy C.: Got non-fat lattee.... but I can't give 5 stars this time!  The coffee quality was not as good as before!  Don't know why, probably because it was at lunch time.  A lot of people were waiting on the line, and they were in rush or something!  Anyways, a little disappointed on the coffee!  :(
4 - Madeline T.: Before Art of Espresso, the money I didn't have to spend on expensive drinks (college student after all!) went to Cafe Espresso Roma.

But now that the Treehouse Lounge is my go-to study spot (seriously, if you haven't gone here yet, do it. You will never want to go to Geisel again), and AoE is on my way, I decided to try it out. 

My loyalties have changed (although Cafe Roma still has my favorite Zebra Mocha). 

I had the Blended Bliss frappe the other day. The espresso was REALLY good, a bit strong for my taste but then again I prefer really sweet coffee. As I was sippin' and studyin' though, the liquidy coffee seemed to seperate from the ice, so when I got to the bottom, it was just icy nothingness. Eh. 

Today, I came back with another frappe craving and had their special "Lava Chill" (Mexican chocolate, cinnamon, Blended Bliss). If anyone's ever had Abuelita Hot Chocolate and liked it, you would love this drink. I absolutely did. Slurped it down before I even had a chance to type the heading on my essay (and close the Facebook, Tumblr, and Gmail tabs...). 

Gonna have to try their roasts one of these days -- honor system, so it's faster than having to wait anywhere else for a cup of joe.

Edit 3/22/11: AoE I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. I've been opting out of caffeine lately as I am in a "fruity" mood, and I decided to try one of their smoothies today (because Jamba Juice...yeah...). Order the Strawberry/Raspberry/Mango smoothie. It was so good! It tasted so fresh, like they actually put real fruit in there instead of powders and sorbets (what a concept, eh?). Also, if any of you are Santa Barbarans, this stuff tastes almost exactly like a smoothie at Blender's, my all-time favorite smoothie chain in SB. Oh man, it's like the put the best of both worlds (SD and SB, minus the SB social life) into my drink. Hail yeah.
5 - Christina K.: I am SOOO GLAD this place exists on campus and now that I live off-campus, its even more convenient next to the bus stop. Plus I work right across from the coffee cart. All around great location for me, bad for my purse! 

The coffee is worth the hype. I usually get vanilla latte, chai tea latte or mocha. They have a good variety on the menu unlike other coffee carts on coffee. 90% success rate on making tasty coffee. I've only encountered one time when I did not like the coffee they made for me. Great place to also hang out and meet up with someone to chat. Frequented by TAs, grad students and students who think they are super cool.

Also kind of cute when the baristas get super excited when you want to order some versatile like a blended drink.
5 - Allison L.: The Art of Espresso serves good coffee. Period. The prices are surprisingly cheap for the quality of coffee served. After drinking coffee here, Starbucks started tasting like plastic. The baristas make their drinks RIGHT. I'll treat myself to a latte or mocha once in awhile, but usually just a cup of coffee suffices. Bring your thermos, throw a dollar in the basket, & fill! No need to wait in line for coffee, so getting your daily fix is super fast, convenient, & easy. The Art of Espresso is right next to the Mandeville bus stops so I love bringing my own thermos, jumping off the bus, grabbing my fill, & then heading to class!

The Art of Espresso has a variety of delicious, fresh blends. My favorite blend currently is their Sumatra! When I'm up for something more exotic I'll usually try their Central American special blends, but I'm personally not a huge fan of their American coffee because I find it a bit sour.

As for the service, the baristas are usually impatient, but I guess it's understandable at a coffee cart that almost always has a line. Just be prepared to order when it's your turn!
5 - Charlotte C.: Support local business, get your coffee at Art of Espresso. Not only are you skipping the big coffee chains, this is UCSD's best on-campus coffee spot, everything is fresh and delicious! 

Love the coffee, espresso and loose leaf teas. They have smoothies and cold blended coffee drinks as well. Since I tend to arrive early the still steaming hot bagels lure me in every time. They also have a variety of scones, croissants, muffins, cookies, etc. brought in by local bakers each day. There are usually some convenience food items like yogurt cups, fresh fruits, granola bars and the like as well. Oh and they have Numi and Herbal Medicine brand tea bags.

As for service, this is a small place (literally a tent stand) and can get quite busy between classes but the owner and braistas are always prompt and friendly. Stop by on Fancy Fridays for bow tie sightings. haha. There is usually a seat somewhere nearby in sun or shade, so grab a chair, a drink and enjoy life!
5 - Danielle J.: My go-to place for coffee at UCSD.  Love the "for here" option on some of their drinks, especially when there aren't too many people there for TA office hours :) Their zucchini-carrot muffins and multigrain scones are to DIE for (not sure who their supplier is, but sign me up!)
2 - Natalie F.: Sigh. I just don't really understand why this place gets such high ratings, but I wish that I could see what makes people like this place so much. I gave it a few chances over the years, but was never really impressed and don't understand it's weird hype and reputation of being great.
There is really not very good coffee on campus, but even taking that into consideration, this place is nothing special. Not terrible, not good. It is a lot more expensive than MOM in Muir, but for some reason Art of Espresso has some name to it and reputation for being the best coffee on campus so people come here anyway. 
Their drip coffee is usually over or under extracted or too acidic, and their other drinks aren't bad but are too expensive. 
The workers are ok. They are really efficient but so much so that it feels like they are just trying to get you to leave (which very well may be true considering how many people stand in that line). 
Location is good and all the grad students with ankle-length pants and ankle boots seem to hang out here, which gives it that vibe some people like in coffee venues. Not for me, though. 
My opinion is different than most for this place: easily NOT the best coffee on campus, definitely not with the best service or best prices. 
Sorry Mandeville coffee cart, but I expected better and you didn't deliver.
5 - Matthew L.: Without a doubt the best coffee on campus. I feel I have a personal connection to this place because it's the coffee cart that led me to start drinking black coffee. 

When the music department moved across campus, I would still walk all the way to Art of Expresso, passing the Sunshine Market, Perks, Cafe Roma and two Fairbanks coffee stands, to get my fix. There is truly no comparison on campus.
4 - J X.: LOVE their vanilla chai. 
The lines don't lie - give it a try! 
Fast, friendly, cash-only. 

Rhyming was unintentional but maybe my mind was unconsciously inspired by the very thought of this place.
4 - Jessica L.: Ah coffee... the one drink that completely destroys my budget for food every month. If you couldn't already tell, coffee is one of my necessities. I don't drink it daily but if I did, I'd get a nice cup of coffee from here every day. 

It's location is pretty perfect, especially for a commuter. You simply have to get off the shuttle and boom! Coffee. 

Not sure what to order? You can't go wrong with an iced white mocha. Seriously! Best coffee on campus & it doesn't have that burnt overroasted taste like other places.
3 - George L.: Food and coffee is good. Prices good.  Should be called Art of Douche though.  The attitude by everyone is hipster fucktard.  Guess they forget they work at a college coffee cart.  Ain't nothing wrong with it but you're not a bike messenger from SF....smile when I'm handing you my money.
4 - Polly H.: Oh man, I've been going to UCSD for 2 years now and I can't believe I haven't tried this place out until this past Friday... What the heck, right?!

So, I know they are known for having the best coffee on campus - but... I actually don't really like coffee unless it has a million sugar packets in it. lols. Instead, I got the Vanilla Chai Latte and it was deeeelicious. A little sweeter than I would've liked (I forgot to ask if they could make it less sweet..) but still very yummy! 

Not too expensive either! Next time, I will get their coffee..!
5 - Michael C.: Art of Espresso is the place to be for coffee on campus. I started going here after beginning work across the way at the bike shop, and man the coffee is just so much better here than at Fairbanks. I'm not a habitual coffee guy, but when I do have a cup, it's always going to be from Sam & co. for sure. The java chill is absolutely superb, and a small cup of the Sumatra will always start my day off right.
4 - Matthew K.: All of my co-workers simply call this place "The Coffee Cart".  Kind of like...the lone savior cart who comes barging into the saloon of a Western frontier town with no other legitimate coffee places and owns everybody else in a shootout.  Well, not really, since I do think Cafe Roma and Perks are usually decent as well.  However, I always come here instead because it's on the West side of campus and I'm usually pretty satisfied.

I don't think the espresso here is the best but it's decent enough.  A lot of their flavored espresso drinks tend to be really sweet which, given my mood, is okay  (Flavored Lattes, Mint Mocha, etc.).  Their espresso is more mild-flavored, not as bitter as a lot of places and with a nice aftertaste.  Not really my favorite kind of espresso but it's decent.  I tend not to order their non-sweetened espresso drinks (Cappucinos, Americanos, Macchiatos, etc.).  If it's a hot day and I want something sweet (their drinks are really refreshing iced!), I definitely wouldn't hesitate to come here. 

They do a really good job with their brewed coffees.  I come here a lot with my coffee thermos and self-serve myself some good brewed coffee.  They usually have around 6 different types ranging from mild Vanilla Nut to dark Merlot.  I tend to go for darker roasts so I always get the Sumatra or Merlot.  Their Merlot does really taste unique and I haven't really anything else like it.  They also make a delightful cold brewed iced coffee.
5 - Bijan R.: Undoubtedly the best coffee on campus. I mean these people actually know what they are doing and care. They foam the milk perfectly and will put hearts and other fun stuff on it to make your day. You pay the same price for terrible starbucks coffee where they will burn the milk most of the time so just make the switch. Trust me, you'll thank me later...

huge fan of the iced and hot cappuccinos and the spun monkey.. soooooo good.
4 - Trina L.: this is my go- to place for coffee on campus !

The cart is right behind mandeville so I frequent this place on my way to work. There is nothing here that I have tried and not liked. My favorites? Vietnamese coffee and vanilla nonfat lattes are a must try !

Note that there is an extra .25 cent charge for card.
5 - Oleg S.: This place is amazing. Baristas know the names and orders of regulars. Coffee is fantastic, definitely by far the best place for coffee at ucsd or around. They have great pastries and sandwiches too, try them. Very inexpensive and excellent quality. The place gets busy especially during school weeks and sitting is limited at lunch time.

ArtMart - Urbana, IL (40.1112565, -88.2071521) ()
4 - Tammy N.: where else can you get really cool european toys and food all under one roof?  they have an incredible selection of cheese and olives among other necesseties.  i can usually find things here that intrigue me.  they are very focued on quality and taste.  one of our favorite places to go in the summer after hitting the farmer's market which is located in the parking lot of this shopping center.  you can usually get a fresh + hot croissant and a really good cup of coffee or martinelli's apple juice for the kiddies and contemplate what you will make with all the fresh stuff you just bought from the local farmers and the garlic paste and strange vinegar you just found at artmart.  they carry the standard herbs and spices from dean and deluca + illy coffee.  they have a handfull of tables and chairs too so you can enjoy your food while your kids make their purchases in the toy shop.
5 - Melissa M.: ArtMart is the gem of the rather dead Lincoln Square Mall in Urbana. It reminds of a small Crate & Barrel, having both furniture, cooking supplies, and other nifty decorations. Most of their items are interesting or unique, such as colorful star lanterns or rainbow colored plastic measuring spoons. They also have a section of nice toys- Playmobil, Brio, and other upscale brands. 

In my opinion the highlight is the cookies- big, buttery, vanilla tinged, and filled with a layer of creamy chocolate.
3 - Archana P.: i deduct a star because i did go to the toy section of artmart last november before flying home for thanksgiving break.  i was eager to peruse their bourgeoisie toy section, in search of something educational yet thrilling for my recently turned four year old nephew.  what i found was overpriced and unoriginal train sets, play cookery, and fake food.  i will not come again in search of a birthday present, as a poor graduate student who actively aspires to be the favorite aunt - it just doesn't cut it!
3 - Kimberly N.: This small specialty item shop sits awkwardly in ghost town of a mall.  While offering unique decorative and gift items, there is something stark about this place--maybe it is a little of the surroundings creeping in.

Basically, this isn't really a shopping destination.  If you happen to be doing laps with the regulars and have a friend's birthday coming up, stop on in!  They have unique gift ideas for young women from handmade hats to squirrel salt and pepper shakers. 

This prices are typical for a shop like this... slightly overpriced, but within reason.  However, in my recent visit it was the service that turned me off.  No "hello" when I walked in, no "can I help you find something?" when I spent a good 15 mins (the only one in the store) looking for something.  I'm not asking for the Disney Store treatment, just a little warmness.
5 - Deanna C.: This place is AWESOME!

When my friend and I decided to explore Urbana, we really had little to no expectations as we had always considered Urbana kind of a ghost town.  When venturing around Lincoln Square Mall, we came upon this neat little shop with a wide array of unique kitchenware and ingredients you'd be hard pressed to find in even the most metropolis of cities, office supplies, clothing, jewelery, toys, miscellaneous (yet AWESOME) gift items, fresh cookies(!!!), just really really neat stuff!

We probably spent more than an hour looking at each and every little item in the store, and imagined how we would furnish our home with it.  

This is one place I would recommend everyone check out at least once in their college career.  I don't know how else to explain it other than... AWESOME!
3 - Eric M.: A sort of odd combination of Williams Sonoma, Crate and Barrel and Dean and Delucca. 

Cute, a little quirky, bad location (really, you're trying to be a hip, urban retail shop and you choose a dying mall surrounded by parking lots?)

Also, I find it sad that the best cheesemaker in Illinois is within a 20 minute drive of their locations, yet none of their cheeses were even FROM Illinois.  I thought sourcing local ingredients was hip these days? 

It's a respite from the standard Champana fare, but overall I can't muster more feeling than three stars for it.
4 - Tim J.: I am a big fan of ArtMart toys. I dont have a kid, but when it is time to buy toys for friends' kids, this is a good place to go, as your risk of buying something they already have is low. The stuff they carry is definitely sure to please the most progressive hyper parents ("I only buy educational, gender-neutral, non-violent, non-toxic, lead-free, free-range, biodegradable, sustainable, fair-trade toys for my little Noam"). Since I am not buying toys for tots every other weekend, the slightly higher prices dont bother me. 

Since I clearly don't spend much time doing this sort of thing, the attentive and knowledgeable staff is a big plus. They see a clueless dolt like me a mile away and their helpful smiles and suggestions pounce on this sore thumb like a hopped up tigger on sugar.  They also gift wrap.
5 - Chris n.: LOVE LOVE LOVE Artmart.  I'll start with the Deli.  Best selection of cheese in all of central Illinois.  I have inquired about how they choose what they carry in the deli case and I want to pass this on the the other review that mentions there lack of a certain cheese.  You can get it at the big box grocery store that is across the street.  they do not carry things that you can get anywhere.  
The home department is just the same.  Things that you will not find anywhere else.  From fun to trendy to classic.  It is my go to gift place, be it a big gift, or something very small for a hostess gift.  All price points are covered. 
The toy department is also great, though I have only been in it once as I do not have kids.  
Worth going to Lincoln Square Mall.
4 - Kali M.: I just love ArtMart.  It's an institution in my mind; I've been going there since babyhood for treats and toys.  Now, as an adult, I love stopping in whenever I'm in town to get a cookie or Ruben's chocolate and browse their kitchen, home, and bath items.

It's a bit spendy, but the quality of the treats and merchandise is really up there.
4 - Jenny S.: I thought this was a neat place to shop. It has a very unique approach.
4 - RJ D.: if i were rich... i'd eat art mart baked goods everyday.  i'd be 400 lbs by christmas... but i'd eat it everyday.

their little bakery makes the best cookies ever.  if you get them when they are fresh, you can't go wrong.  the pastries are good too.  this is my first stop if i need to bring cookies or something to a work meeting or a party.  good stuff fo' sho'.  

the rest of the store is full of gourmet cooking implements and foods.  it isn't more or less unreasonably priced than comparable stores.  there is a deli that stocks some salads, meats and cheeses.  there are boxed items from pasta sauces to pancake syrup.  

the rest of the store has some hand made jewelry, house hold stuff, clothes, bath and body products... and cards.  i often shop for cards here.  especially if i want to make someone laugh.  they have some fun handmade cards and small vendor cards -- and a lot of times -- they are hilarious.  

the toy side always grabs my kid's attention.  he loves the train set that is out for kids to play with.  they carry high end stuffed animals like gund, and a lot of educational toys.  

all in all -- it's a nice store.  it's in a really crappy location.  i'm not sure how it survives, but it has for a long time.
5 - Tim M.: I've been in Art Mart several times over the past few years, but I've just recently come to really love the place. They have a fantastic assortment of home goods, cooking and imported food products, but what I really enjoy is their bakery and cheese selection. Their pastries are fantastic, and they have Intelligentsia coffee, which is pretty delicious. Their cheese selection is very unique, and you'd be hard pressed to find most of the cheeses elsewhere in town. While some items throughout the store can be a bit pricey, nothing is outrageous, and the food is generally reasonably priced. 

As for customer service, in my experience, everyone has been super friendly. I've always felt welcome when browsing through the store.

If you haven't been to Art Mart, definitely check it out!

Arthur Beren Shoes - Palo Alto, CA (37.443807, -122.170994) ()
1 - Helenas O.: Can I give this place no stars?  High priced shoe store with the most horrible customer service.  The sales person I spoke with seemed not to give damn about my inquiry......too bad for him.
4 - Melanie L.: I'm surprised at the low ratings this store has been given.  Every time I've come in here, I am greeted (and I look scrubby a lot of the time I'm shopping!).  I like to go in and check out the sale stuff and every time I've asked for help, the salesperson(s) has been very helpful (actually, sometimes they are a little over eager - but they mean well and it's better than having to chase them down).
4 - Cindy L.: Bought a purse here today. The salesperson was friendly and helpful. She put the purse on hold for me while I walked around the mall to think about it. When I returned, she gave me alone time with the purse to make sure it was what I wanted. When I decided to purchase it, she went to the back and found a brand new one without me asking. She even cleaned off some specks. No hovering or pushiness whatsoever. Arguably, everything she did is part of her job, but it was good solid customer service, and that's hard to come by these days.
3 - Ann K.: Arthur Beren Shoes in Stanford Mall has closed, and is no longer in business there. It has one store open in San Francisco.

Artisan Pizza Kitchen - Chapel Hill, NC (35.914142, -79.054093) ()
2 - Coleen T.: The plain cheese pizza was actually really good, crispy and gooey.  But the service was a bit of a nightmare.  I went in with two friends one late night, and the place was packed with a large party at a sit down table and a bunch of summer camp kids at the counter waiting for a take out order.  Everyone working was so stressed out, and when the large party came up to the counter rudely saying that they were done and did not need the last pizza they ordered, it just sent a bad vibe through the restaurant.  The cashier was freaking out because he didn't have any ones, and although i triend to calm him down and reassure him that it was ok while he was ringing me up, he was still really stressed and freaking out.  
Artichoke Basil needs to step up to the plate to compete with the other popular pizza places on Franklin.  Although they offer a signature slice that you can't find anywhere else, their staff will contradict the food quality if they can't handle business.
4 - John L.: Artichoke Basil Pizza's signature dish is, well, the Artichoke Basil Pizza (you were expecting Hawaiian, mayhaps?) 

Lucky for them, the Artichoke Basil pizza is incredibly good.  It's like the artichokes have been waiting since the dawn of time to bring you pleasure through pizza-y goodness, and now, at this great moment of deliverance, they have achieved transcendence.

Basically, it's good.  And it's cheap.  A slice of Artichoke Basil is $2.95 before tax, with other slices around $2-3 based on what one wants on them.   I spent less than $5 for lunch today (Artichoke pizza and Diet Coke).  I'm a fan of that.

Their other pizzas are okay as well.  The pepperoni seemed to be a little on the lackluster side when I tried it before, but I'd be willing to try it again in the future.

If you love artichokes though, this is your Xanadu.  Just don't drop the snowglobe.
4 - Chris K.: I'm going to say something here that is likely to prompt death threats from every nostalgic Carolina alum, current student and rockin' hipster east of the great Mississippi: The artichoke basil pizza at Artichoke Basil is better than anything at Pepper's. There, I said it. And I mean it! This creamy, aromatic, wonderfully divine slice of artichokey goodness is, hands down, the best pizza on Franklin Street. You'll swear they put crack in the pseudo-bechamel on this pizza because hours after you've devoured it, probably sometime around 3 in the morning, you'll sit straight up in bed, the subtle flavors still haunting your tongue, and wish that you had brought a whole pie home for just such an emergency.

How are the other pizzas or sandwiches here? I have no idea. Did I mention the deliciousness of the artichoke basil pizza?
2 - Matt K.: Split a 14" cajun chicken pizza.  The crust was thin, but not crispy.  That's not a win, my friends.  Also, the chicken pieces were cut so small you hardly noticed them.  Overall, the texture alone was enough to convince me to try a salad or sandwich next time.
2 - Annie W.: Everyone was raving about this place, how it's great after a long night of bar/club hopping. I'm sure it's bomb when you need grease to sop up all the alcohol in your stomach, but it's not that great when you're stomach is only slightly filled with alcohol. Yeah, I was sober and still full from dinner, so the pizza was just meh. I had the namesake pizza and was underwhelmed. Maybe it had been sitting out for a while, but the pizza just wasn't appetizing. Or maybe I just don't like creamy pizzas and bland crusts. 

Sorry Artichoke Basil, I say no.
4 - Nikki K.: PIIIZZZZZAAA!  I mean, how can you really f*&! up a pizza? Thankfully, this place does them deliciously!  Went here with the college student brother to treat him to lunch and we had to BBQ chicken pizza.  It was a ton of pizza and really good!  I would definately come here again! They have some really interesting concoctions and the prices are very reasonable.  I did order a latte and they don't have skim milk (boo!) but it was still a really good latte!  Fast service, clean restaurant, plenty of street parking... Definately a fan!
5 - Carrianne C.: I LOVE LOVE LOVE Artichoke Basil. Their signature pizza is seriously something I crave 24/7! Seriously, I'm gonna agree with Chris K, this place is better than Peppers! Good prices, good pizzas (I've gotten a coupla other kinds, buffalo is pretty good) and I would recommend it for sure!
3 - Michelle F.: I'm as close as it gets to being a Pizza Snob...so brace yourself.
I had two slices: One plain cheese. One artichoke. The artichoke was way way way better than the cheese. It was different than any other pizza I've had, good flavor, good flavored crust, but a little doughy. The density of cheese was a little much, but I'll never complain about too much cheese! 

Cheese pizza probably would have been alot better if it was a fresh pie, not a reheated slice. It was a little greasy, but the flavor of the sauce and crust were both good. 

Sammy's looked good, the atmosphere was a good, and we shared a table which is always a good sign at a pizza joint!

If I went back here, I'd only get the artichoke slice and maybe try a calzone or sammy!
5 - Michael M.: Best pizza on franklin st
2 - Michael B.: perhaps i need to try a fresh slice b/c the premade ones they heated up for me just now weren't great--the bottom of the crust was overdone and thus hard, unable to bend the slice without it cracking, and makes it hard on the mouth.  the white sauce artichoke pizza slice was definitely better than the red sauce (my 4 year old and I both preferred it).  i almost might consider the calzone--looked like a better value for under $6.

also, the place was a little dirty.

if i go back, and i might, i'll update my listing.
5 - Samantha E.: Super nice staff and always nice and helpful even during the late night rush. Whether you are stumbling in the early morning weekend hours or going during the day you will always be pleased. The first thing I actually got here was a burger and fries and they were both good. Everyone dies for the artichoke pizza but my personal favorite is the buffalo chicken.
4 - Michael C.: As someone who's lived in Chapel Hill since 2004, I can say a thing or two about the pizza around the block. There's been many changes in the Franklin St lineup, including Pepper's who moved into a much larger space, but somehow lost a little bit of their swagger.

Regardless, over all these years of living in the Triangle, I hae yet to experience a piece (OR EVEN A WHOLE PIE!) pizza that is remotely akin to Artichoke & Basil's Artichoke pizza.

Just to clarify. i don't even like artichokes in particular! This pizza is something to behold. No tomato sauce, just their own concoction of cheese and artichoke fluffs that will melt in your mouth. This pizza is like nothing you've ever had. 

If you're here for lunch just grab a slice or two of the Artichoke pizza and you'll be satisfied......the same goes for dinner! 

I've heard their burgers are good too, but I cannot emphasize how 
AMAZING their artichoke pizza is!

Only 4 Stars cause I've barely tasted their various and large menu.
4 - Richard D.: Very easily my favorite pizza place in chapel hill. I'm not one of those guys that prefers thin crust, expensive pizza like you would find in r&r, Franklin pizza and pasta, etc. This place is legit and delicious. Lots of Indians after 2am, but that's BC it's awesome
5 - Hannah P.: Wow. This may be the best and biggest 'small cheese slice' of pizza ever. It not only captured the essential crunchy yet chewy crust, its tomato sauce on the bread made it taste like pasta almost. Not the texture, the flavor. It was such a strange yet exciting taste; I'm not sure how to describe it so that it makes sense!
The fries were superb too! I swear they added an extra layer of some secret masterful chemical product to make the first couple of bites extra crisp and the next on to fully discover the potato texture.
Word.
4 - Liwei Y.: Love the pizzas here. Especially love their artichoke and basil pizza...instead of normal tomato sauce, they use creamy mushed up artichoke which  happens to be really good. pizza slices are all very big as well!
5 - Yilmaz B.: Hands down best food on Franklin St. The place is known for its extrordinary pizza, but the burgers are amazing as well. I can tell they use the freshiest ingredients possible, and the customer service is second to none. Artisan Pizza Kitchen will be a mainstay on Franklin St, because the quality of their food can't be denied. The prices are really affordable for those of us who are "poor college students". I give Artisan Pizza Kitchen 5 Stars only because I couldn't give it 6 stars.
5 - Liana L.: Mmmm ... their artichoke basil pizza is AMAZING. Artisan Pizza Kitchen used to be Artichoke Basil, but it got renamed. I don't know why. I trekked out all the way to Franklin Street to see a friend at UNC, and he recommended this place. The artichoke basil one is one of their plain ones, which confused me because I thought it'd be one of the specials. It comes with a ranch sauce and it's super, super good. 

We also got a chicken ranch pizza, which was also delicious. Can't tell which one I liked more, honestly. Yay for good pizza! 

The ambiance is also really casual and chill, though I guess it's because it's near UNC. lol.
5 - Henry T.: Bacon and pepperoni pizzas here are amazing!! The artichoke pizza is probably the #1 reason to visit Artisan's. Opened till 3am.... Perfect place to eat good and to hang out late with good friends. Great people, great service, great place!
5 - Terrence L.: Best pizza you can find in Chapel Hill. There was once in exercise class we had to keep a food log and at the end of the week, my friends and I discovered we ate here 4 times that very week.

Their specialty pizza - the artichoke pizza is both creamy and delicious. You'll get stuffed with just 2 slices. The crust of the pizza here is crunchy yet chewy at the same time. It's INSANE.

The perfect combination for me would be the buffalo chicken pizza with basil on top. The freshness of the basil combined with the tanginess of the seasoned chicken is absolutely out of this world!

They open late on some nights but they only sell cheese and pepperoni slices then. Great place to go after a night of drinking. 

Cheap and good pizza. Count me in.
4 - Rowdy S.: Friendly staff and good pizza.
4 - Rebecca H.: Yummy! The Marg pizza is AMAZING. I was craving fresh mozzarella and this was the place to come. We also got a buffalo pizza and it was delicious as well. The pie is loaded with flavor and you are guaranteed to leave with a full belly.

I found it quite pricey for the primary customer base to be college students. Each pizza is 20 bucks...but it is SO worth it.

Not for the picky eater tho....it is a little "divey" with cracked seats and beat-up furniture. Right up my alley. :)
4 - Jordan O.: Disclaimer: I never went to this place when it was Artichoke Basil, but I really enjoyed it when I went the other day for lunch. If it's just two people and you don't want leftovers, individual slices are definitely the way to go. They are huge and the toppings to add are quite cheap (35 cents per); I went with spinach and tomatoes. It took about 5-7 minutes for them to serve. They make sure to give it to you piping hot, despite the fact that the individual slices are already cooked then reheated with your choice of toppings. The crust is quite good, crispy with just a slight bit of thickness in the middle.
4 - Michael G.: I think this place is the best pizza place on Franklin Street, simply because you don't have to deal with crappy service.  Some of the slices at Pepper's taste better but it's usually not worth the hassle.  Get the artichoke slice here...it's fantastic.  Don't go at peak hours though because there's not a lot of seating
2 - Scott G.: Yelp says delivery. Website says delivery. 

I just called and they said they don't deliver. 

I'm confused.

Help?
3 - Christina G.: It's my fault. I ordered a burger at a pizza place. All the reviews say the pizza is amazing; and the three pies my companions got certainly looked awesome. But I had annihilated three small pizzas the night before, and the thought of another carb/cheese-fest so soon was intimidating. The menu also has salads, sandwiches, and burgers. I got the mushroom burger.

Pro:
You can choose your cheese.
Con: 
You can't choose your degree-of-done.
Pro: 
Prices are good.
Con: 
No wait service.
Pro:
Food came out at the same time, and hot.
Con:
It took forever!
Pro:
They didn't chase us out, and we stayed a long while.

The gals at my table who got pizza enjoyed it. My burger was well-done, and just immensely dry. They didn't skimp on the mushrooms, which I appreciated. But it just couldn't hold a candle to my favorite burgers (Bull City and Chuck's)... then again, it doesn't intend to be a gourmet burger. The accompanying fries were a huge heap. And the meal was quite filling. It comes with a fountain drink; but I only wanted water, and unfortunately, they don't have a price break they can build in. 

If in CH again, I would return; but for the pizza... which is what I should have gotten in the first place.

Artisserie Chocolate Cafe - Philadelphia, PA (39.9531439, -75.1930981) (University City)
3 - Jessica S.: Abstract: Skip the soup. Try the chocolate covered pretzels.

It was a brisk November afternoon. I stepped into Naked Chocolate/Artisserie/the place next to the glasses spot for a bowl of hot soup (as advertised on the sandwich board outside), and a quick chat with a dear friend.

I placed my coat and scarf on a chair and ordered my soup. Cheddar and broccoli, you say? Made with real cream? Well, despite the fact that I am mildly lactose intolerant (along with 75% of other African Americans. weird) I really wanted the soup. She assured me it was delicious and, perhaps, worth the tummy ache. Plus, the couple of middle-aged people sitting to my left seemed to be really enjoying their soups;  I watched them eagerly dip their crackers into their bowls time and time again out of the corner of my eye.

I paid. I sat down as I had seen other patrons do. 

Then I waited. and I waited some more. I continued to wait. 

After 18 minutes of half-listening to my friend's story and half scouring the small shop for my bowl of soup I went back up to the counter to question the whereabouts of my soup. After about 3 minutes the bowl was set before me, small pools of oil floating atop. I tasted. It was barely warm. Where my crackers would have been there was, instead, a very small "i'm sorry" cupcake. It was dry.

3 months later I am gifted some of their chocolate covered pretzels (w/ sprinkles) and they change my life (and the lives of my entire Tuesday 2-5 seminar) forever.
4 - Carrie C.: I headed over to 34th and Walnut for a long overdue first visit to Naked Chocolate since moving to Philadelphia last year.  As someone who loves chocolate, cupcakes, and all things sweet and yummy, I was told repeatedly to check out the deliciousness of Naked Chocolate.  

I was slightly confused because it was no longer Naked Chocolate so I can't really say if it has changed or not along with the name change.  However, I can say that the classic drinking chocolate was super rich and delicious (but don't expect it to be anything like the cup of steamy, creamy, tummy-warming hot chocolate that you might be used to).  The red velvet was also one of the better red velvet cupcakes I have had in Philly, although it wasn't exactly spectacular.  The cake was a little bit dry and not as flavorful as I would like, but the frosting was nicely creamy with a tinge of tartness from the cream cheese.

Overall, satisfying experience at Artisserie Chocolate Cafe, and I hope to return soon to try more of their cupcake flavors, frozen drinking chocolate, and American style hot chocolate!
4 - Angela K.: Used to be called 'Naked Chocolate' .. I liked that name better, not sure why it changed. 

Lots of yummy chocolates, and chocolatey treats to try. 

A little expensive.. but a really nice relaxing sitting area if you are planning to stay awhile and catch up with friends or on some good reading. 

If you are getting chocolate to go.. I think there are several better and less expensive spots around the city or in reading market

I guess this place is popular for the extra thick hot chocolate("soup") .. personally I'd rather use those bucks towards truffles and richer chocolate delights.. but I could understand during the winter months how preference could skew towards hot chocolate! I've only been here during warm summer and fall months.. so I have yet to feel this desire. 

The pictures of cupcakes looks like the frosting pretty good but maybe the cake a little dry..  I have not gotten to sample them yet, I'll update when I do.
4 - Winnie F.: A tad expensive, but great cupcakes. The red velvet kind has a great frosting that's not too sweet. Also tried the peanut butter cupcake and it the cake portion was nothing spectacular. Frosting had a hint of peanut butter taste.
4 - Melissa E.: I've actually only been here a few times, and usually not to buy anything for myself. My dad is a chocoholic, so I always pick him up some candy and sweet things for his birthday, fathers' day, etc. The candy and treats seemed fresher back when this place was Naked Chocolate, and the prices have gone up since the name change as well. $1 per chocolate? Are we kidding? I love my dad, so I do it. I recently had the pleasure of trying their chai tea latte, made with soy milk, and it is AMAZING. I don't know what they do to make it taste so good, and maybe I don't want to know- just keep 'em coming! One morning I tried a doughnut (with vanilla frosting and rainbow sprinkles, the only way to go when it comes to doughnuts), and that was very fresh and very sweet...I was in a sugar coma for most of the morning. My boss was not pleased. Worth it.
4 - Laurie S.: Nice stuff and nice servers, although I won't be getting the frozen drinking chocolate again- made my stomach upset :(
4 - Tom I.: At my previous job, I had 2 options for coffee: Seattle's Best (which, I'm sure it's not) and Starbucks. At my current job, I am fortunate to have 3 excellent coffee shops and 1 excellent coffee truck within an easy walk.

Artisserie Chocolate Cafe is one of the shops. The standard drip coffee is much better than any of the main chains, but I often go for the Americano. They also have a wide selection of teas. 

Although they are known for their baked goods, I actually haven't gotten much in the way of sweet treats, but the couple of things I have had there (biscotti and zucchini bread) have been wonderful.

The staff is always friendly and helpful.
5 - Emily Y.: Please see my review under NAKED CHOCOLATE for the 3401 Walnut address...
YUMMO
3 - Kamilah B.: I love cupcakes...but this place was just ok.

The service was awesome and the place is clean.  They have a great selection of sweets, although not much milk choc.  Mostly white and dark...neither of which I like.  i will be back, just not for a cupcake...or chocolate. LOL  My sis got a smoothie and said it tasted like ice.
4 - Jon D.: I paid 5 bucks for a Raspberry Mousse the size of a golf ball...but it was great and very refreshing. Don't come here for quantity...or even value. As much as the other individual chocolate desserts had me drooling, I don't think I would go back because the price just isn't worth it. 

If someone else is treating though, that's a different story. Someone brought cupcakes from here into work...I had 3 and they were all pretty amazing. Go at the end of the day - right before they have to throw them out before they close. 

The staff were a bit sloppy and rude when I stopped in. And some of the desserts on on display had all smudges or frosting smearings across the plate...attention to detail was lacking- I want to see a decant dessert sitting atop a clean, shiny plate. This may be too harsh...but flavor makes up for it, which is why I gave 4 stars.
5 - Sumit B.: I love the chocolate at this location!  Check out the review video!  :D

http://www.youtube.com/user/FoodSummit/videos
4 - Sohee C.: The staff are really friendly and just a fun group of people. I usually get a cup of coffee, and sometimes a piece of chocolate when I'm feeling low. Their Brazilian (I think it's dark chocolate with espresso) is perfect with the coffee. I would also recommend a slice of their zucchini bread, which tends to run out early in the day. 

I was disappointed by one of the sandwiches I got (I think it was turkey)--pretty standard, but not very inspiring and not worth the price. If you're not a pastry/bagel/doughnut/cupcake person (like me), then it's better to look elsewhere for breakfast.
4 - Nataly N.: Overall, I like this place and it seems to have a lot of creative potential. 

The cupcakes are tasty and reasonably priced, featuring some interesting flavors and gluten-free options, but they could probably make the cake part a bit more moist. (The cupcakes at Philly Cupcakes downtown are more moist, though they are smaller.) 

The truffles are a hit or miss, though mostly a hit. They've been innovative and added some interesting flavors. My favorites are:

Dark Andalou - dark chocolate gananche with crème de menthe
Queen Elizabeth - dark chocolate ganache with black currant tea
Muscadine - milk chocolate, kirshwasser and Cointreau
Little Orange - white chocolate, orange, and Cointreau
Mondrian - white chocolate with a hint of lemon flavor
Waikiki - dark chocolate ganance with a blend of coconut, pineapple, and passion fruit

Their pastry counter and hot chocolate are also worth checking out. I was addicted to their rum balls and chocolate-dipped banana pyramids (I forget what they were called), but sadly, they don't offer them anymore. Service is generally friendly, knowledgeable, and efficient. I'd come back more often if there was more space to sit.
3 - Holly W.: We stopped in here for coffee and ended up sharing one of their large cupcakes.

The coffee was ok - a bit rough around the edges but strong enough.  It looked like their chocolates and specialty coffees might be more well, special. 

The cupcake was decent if a tad too sweet for my taste - it looked a bit shopworn but basically had a nice flavor and texture. Unfortunately it was stale and was taken straight from the fridge so the icing was hard and thus less flavorful then it might have been.  I am sure if it was fresh and at room temp (as one would expect in a bakery...??) it would have been really good. 

The staff was nice and the music was good.

Artist & Craftsman Supply - Cambridge, MA (42.36468, -71.1028526) (Central Square)
4 - Michael J.: These guys have a pretty limited selection, but the prices are great and considering how unreliable Pearl (across the street) is, this store is great.  If they carry it, it's probably in stock.  The staff is also friendly and willing to help.
5 - Jessica R.: Artist and Craftman Supply specializes mostly in fine arts materials for painting, drawing, etc.  But they also have a limited supply of crafts materials.  

Anyways, the most important thing is that they carry supplies that Architecture students need.  Go there to buy your chipboard, corrogated cardboard, bass/balsa wood, metal sheets, acetate, etc.  Far more reliable than pearl.  And the staff is really friendly and know the products.
4 - Juliette V.: A world of difference from their across the street neighbors. They are friendly, knowledgable and actually seem like they want to help. They have volunterily ordered me things and held them for weeks until I could pick them up. Oh, how I so enjoy good customer service. And almost forgot, they do have a wide selection of art supplies.
5 - Noemie B.: Support your local businesses! Ditch Pearl and come here. The staff is cool, the walls are cool, and they have a wonderful selection.
4 - Katy T.: I love this place,  it's one of those places where wandering around makes me feel inspired as opposed to Pearl across the street which leaves me feeling frustrated.

  The staff is great, they know what they are talking about, and they have a good selection of items. 

  You head downstairs, into the underground and it's kind of creepy doing it, but the place is just so much fun to shop in!
5 - Georgia Y.: This is the best shop around for most art supplies. With good prices and fantastic customer service, I would recommend Artist & Craftsman Supply over their competitor-across-the-street, Pearl, any day. Every time I ask for help, I get it, and there is always at least one employee free to lend a hand.
4 - A T.: I've only come in here a few times but I really like it.  Pearl, across the street, just doesn't really do it for me--it almost feels like a hospital over there which brings to mind sterility--not a very inspiring topic.  Anyway, I enjoy exploring this shop--prices are about standard, so why not support a local business?
4 - rishi h.: The staff here is the friendliest you'll find if you're looking for art supplies.   I'm impressed each time I go in there.  It's possible that this is only because their nearest competition (pearl -- across the street) has been so hit and miss.. but even so, props to this place for having a really inviting store where I can find what I want and consistently get friendly assistance.
4 - Dorothy C.: Definitely a friendlier, better-stocked (paper-wise), and more knowledgeably-staffed store, in comparison to Pearl (across the street).  The only down-side, no fountain-pens or fountain-pen-inks.  Alas.
5 - Richard F.: 2nd EDiT - i Love this store more than my famiLy and frends... just kidding - art is # 9 on my Love List - but this store makes me want to move that up.  this store may be my favorite pLace in the worLd... seriousLy.

EDiT - i've decided to edit this review because I love this store so much, and my original review kind of blows.  The parking kind of sucks, but I don't drive.  I take the train and/or walk everywhere I go.  Central Square is where this sweet little shop is.  It's down the stairs after pushing your way through the sketchy doors in front.  The staff are very friendly, I even bought a sweet painting from one of the guys (Tom?), and the place is a decent size, filled with everything you need to fulfill your creative urges.  This place is great for anything related to art, drawing, painting, screen printing, framing, you name it, they will probably have it.  Plus, there are cool little toys and magnets that I ocassionally buy, because besides tons of art supplies, I also collect, well, ummm, toys and magnets...
If I ever move out of Boston and/or Massachusetts, I'd fly back here every month just to come to this art store.  I love it that much.


this place is really cool.
it's very organized, not too expensive, i always find what i want, and the people are knowledgable and friendly.
I have loved art and stuff my whole life, so that might bias the fact that i'll probably want to buy everything in the store, but whatever.
3 - Charlene L.: I wound up here just trying to get my bearings while on a visit to lovely Boston, and remember this place to be chock full of fun supplies and critical little things any artist needs. It's a trippy location, but you'll figure it out when you get there. Convenient location, and very easy to get to.
3 - Daphne M.: I've got to be honest folks, my one visit here was enough to make me think I wouldn't bother shopping. I like to support local businesses, I really do, but not when they'd make my shopping so much harder. I can see why especially artsy types like this store; it's really funky and has a lot of personality. It was also really hard for me to "use." It was thoroughly disorganized, with very little rhyme or reason to where everything was. There were vague divisions between, say, paints and papers, but where certain kinds of paints were within that section was just beyond me. Furthermore, I asked about several of my favorite brands of paint that Pearl stocks consistently - they just don't carry these. The paintbrush selection is sparing at best, with hardly any really high-quality brushes. Their prices seemed a small smidge lower than Pearl's, and the staff were very nice (no different, I'll say, than at their competitor), but if I can't find anything, that doesn't really help me out. I guess I'm just the kind of person who doesn't like shopping, so when I have to do it, I want it to be easy - and this store just doesn't make it very easy. It's a really fun kind of store, which is why I rated it as highly as I did, but I wouldn't waste my time shopping there when I needed specific things.
4 - david p.: finally....a place to get good supplies without forking over your entire student loan refund check.  People are very cool and helpful.  Very organized and clean.
4 - Tracey N.: This place is literally underground, and it has a cool atmosphere without having the too-cool-for-school 'tude. The inventory is fairly extensive given the sort-of limited space, and there's still room for fun things like lunchboxes, greeting cards, toys & magnets. They even carry a tiny selection of yarn & knitting supplies! The prices are right on, the staff is friendly, helpful, and savvy! The music playing is so good, it makes you stay for awhile and buy lots of stuff.
5 - Annie P.: At this age.. shopping for whatever you have left of your creative side should be done without the bright fluorescent lights, without having to go down never ending row of aisles, without being followed into the unfortunate emptier corner, without the elevator music, without being ignored when you walk in the door, without having to flag down help, without having to double check your receipt and without a whole bunch of other things.
Instead,..It should be done with ease.
I like Artist Supply just for that.
Great supplies of handmade papers, pastel crayons, solid aluminum supplies, sharpies, sketch rolls, tapes, plaster, so many frames... and even origami paper/books if you humans still fold that stuff.
#1 Bus/Redline stop for Central Square is right infront.
Doors are a little hard to push.. but don't let that stop you.
4 - Jenn C.: Love this little store. They don't have everything, but they sure have a lot. Easy to get to, easy to navigate and fun to walk around. The staff is friendly and helpful.
4 - Julie A.: these guys have a pretty good selection. it's well organized and the staff are super helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. They have cheap to fair prices for what they offer. I just wish they would fill up the space with more stuff.

UPDATE!!!!!!!!!
I want to say 4 1/2 stars. these guys are so nice I can hardly stand it. They have filled up the space more and with killer stuff & supplies.
they have a very good selection and greet you with a smile. Please spend your money here and not across the street if you can. they deserve it way more than Pearl.
5 - Kristen C.: I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOOOOOOVE the staff here. Super nice, super helpful and they know their shit... and if they can't help... they know someone who can. I love supporting them rather than the giant pearl across the street mostly because I feel like these guys did more than just pass the required art corse in high school.

oh oh! plus... I have never (even at pearl with the lil discounts and shit) found a art supply store with better prices!
5 - Tom E.: Yeah this is the best.
In my humble opinion.
Better than Pearl over the road, better than Blick and Utrecht too.
Why?

IT'S FUN!

Because as well as having allllllllll the cool and useful gear you need for your arts and crafts hobbies you can also get stoned from staring at the decor too long, pick out some dumb badges to wear like 'I'm Married But It's Not Serious" and get some great toys/gifts for the young of age and the young of mind (I'm that last one).

The origami paper and oil canvases are the two things I frequent here for - the selection and quality seems better here. Plus the staff are friendly and competent. Yay for A&C. Makes you want to hug one of the Central Sq crazies on your way out.
5 - Alexis L.: I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. A great underground (literally) atmosphere that oozes inspiration, for me anyways. I always find what I am looking for, especially in the paint department. The staff never fails to be helpful and always know exactly what you are talking about, which when you are an artist, is very important because everyone has their own vision and ways of explaining a certain product or goal..and here, they will get you. Their staff definitely beats Pearl immensely...very friendly and accommodating..they never look at you as though it is the last judgment..like the staff at Pearl does.

I always find what I need here and more. Great paints, pencil sets..loose ones as well...great paper selection..etc.. Also have great little gift items. Great place, check it out!!!
4 - John W.: An art store with soul; this is the affordable, underground alternative to Pearl across the street. They usually have what i need, and they bent over backwards for my ladyfriend when she needed a large order of paper for printmaking. The staff is friendly and the art & craft supplies are clearly laid out. This is my favorite art store in Boston.
4 - Jocelyn G.: Wide selection, good prices, awesome paint job.

I was particularly interested in the handmade paper selection which was well priced (large sheets for 2-4 bucks each). They also have the carving medium I use to make rubber stamps, which is awesome since I won't have to pay shipping now.

Nice guys behind the counter, also.
4 - Peter G.: Boston has its fair share of art supply stores, but few of them can boast as friendly a staff, competitive pricing, such a selection packed into a small area, and as much personality as this place.

You see a huge variety of people pass through this place from the young hip artist, to the older weirder types, right down to the casual hobbyist. The staff treats everyone equally here and will happily help you find what your looking for and actually talk to you like a human being and not just a customer. This is such a breath of fresh air in the overly stuffy atmosphere of many art stores. Finally, as someone who has an intense fear of returning items, this place provided me with the most painless return of my life.

This place is easy to walk past as it has a tiny, underwhelming sign with rainbow letters that is set very high up on the facade of the building. But once you walk down those chaotically painted stairs you'll be sold.

And this place is definitely wheel-chair accessible.
4 - Bridget B.: I like this place a lot, far more than Pearl, at least in terms of how friendly/knowledgeable the staff seems. It also seems to be more moderately priced.

I found them to have a fair amount of craft materials, and a lot of silly impulse buys. I'm not a serious artist by any stretch of the imagination, but I absolutely found this store to be far more pleasant than their local competition...especially since they did not make me feel like a fool for not being a Museum School student.
4 - Peench P.: No, I'm not a crafty person nor I can draw a straight line :( I went here to shop for my BFF, All I knew is that I needed to buy watercolors, markers, inks, but I didn't know exactly what, this is where the staff was super helpful, the sales girl walked me through the options, asked me a couple of questions and showed me what I needed it

The store itself is cool, great decor, makes me wish I had some talent.
4 - Ruth M.: When I want to buy crafty stuff, it's because I'm in a crafty mood.  When I'm in a crafty mood, I can spend an hour wandering around this place.  The staff is unpretentious, friendly, and knowledgeable.  They may not have the best selection of everything (I still have to go to Pearl for embroidery floss and Porter Square for my yarn) but they have basics+ and lots of other weird eclectic stuff.

Freshmen year I was there with my friend and we noticed a sign behind the desk for "movies to see before you die."  This is how I found out about "Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter."  Seriously, that's enough right there.
5 - I D.: This place rocks my world.  I love browsing their isles.  They have such a big selection of everything that I wish I could spend all day there.

Michael, in the framing department is awesome.  He's super sweet and always does a great job.  I love coming here.  It puts a smile on my face!
4 - Gracie B.: I can't believe I've lived in Cambridge for seven or eight years now and only stepped into this store for the first time today. I've passed it sooo many times, and for some reason I always thought it was an amateur version of Pearl Art so I never bothered going in. 

I've been in Pearl Art Supply a gazillion times and always found it to be adequate. When I entered into Artist & Craftsman the first thing I noticed was how super duper helpful/friendly the staff was. They asked me right away if they could help me with anything. They followed up with me a little later with suggestions and pointing out what's on sale. I really liked the vibe in here. I didn't look around a whole lot, but I will definitely go back for many more future arts and crafts projects. 

The staff was wayyy nicer than Pearl, and it just felt like they cared more about their products. Yayyy!
5 - JJ G.: I am really fond of A&C and I try, whenever possible, to get people to go there instead of Pearl Art which is right across the street.

Here's why:
. The people who work there are so very super duper nice, unlike the holier than thou f*$%#ers who tend the tills o'er the road
. They have a fantabulous selection of Acoutrements doohickies, perfect for birthday gifts for anyone over three (due to choking hazards, natch)
. They have every toob you can imagine
. They aren't a crappy liquidation place and they actually know, and care about their products

I hope I've convinced you, next time you are art supply shopping give em a try, they do, truly, rock!
5 - Oprah W.: Most of my money, or my parent's money I guess I'll say, goes to books, food, weed, and of course art supplies. The Artist Supply is my favorite art supply store, and coming from someone who considers buying art supplies one of life's greatest joys, this is saying a lot. 

The whole store is this psychedelic, colorful basement of artistic goodness and everything is so CHEAP. This place has a shelf devoted solely to my most favorite glue MOD PODGE. Holy shit, it's like the mother ship for this stuff and they also have an entire aisle for GLITTER AND FEATHERS, which are two of my favorite materials to work with. 

I cannot say enough good stuff about The Artist Supply, and everyone I take there is shocked that they have never been there before. They have one close to BU, but this is the better one and it has everything you will ever need for any art project, ever. 

In addition to art supplies, they also have great post cards and magnets and there is a gum ball machine that dispenses witty buttons for a mere 25 cents. Also, for the time that I usually spend wandering around art supply stores, the music needs to be good, and they always have great stuff that isn't anything you are going to hear at Pearl Art, across the street. 

I highly recommend you go here, even if the closest thing to art you can create is in your Cinderella coloring book.
5 - molly f.: This place rocks! Friendly, helpful staff eager to help you find what you're looking for...and an incredible selection of supplies. Tried Pearl across the street & was shocked by how limited their stock was...thank goodness for A&C. Right across the street but worlds away by comparison. I'll be back!
5 - Molly R.: Sweet, helpful staff. Excellent selection of supplies, picks up where Pearl next door leaves off (which is a lot BY THE WAY). They even have a2 acrylics, and the only other place i've seen them is dickblick.com (im not waiting for shipping) and the BC book store six years ago (yeah right).
5 - Cate K.: Here ye, here ye: Rejoice! Ye many Artists, ye far and wide, ye lost and ye found!

Ye have found that which hath been promised ye, an art supply store that actually carries what ye need, with a helpful staff to help ye. This is ye land of plenty!  Go forth now, and buy ye supplies!
4 - Katie F.: This place doesn't quite have the selection of Pearl across the street, but their staff is much friendlier and the price is so much cheaper. My usual one stop art supply shop is Playtime in Arlington and Artist supply runs a few cents cheaper on most of their products. That doesn't sound like much, but it really adds up when you go into a creative shopping frenzy for future projects. Speaking of which,  If I have a project in mind, I always go to artist supply first, sometimes it's my only stop. Things are generally easy to find and the atmosphere is completely funky and delightful. 

I really love the staff there. I don't know if they are all artists but they all know their products. You can ask them anything about everything. If you can't find something specific they'll gladly walk you over to where it is, they're the friendliest bunch or art supply mongers that I've yet to run across. 

Their inventory consists mostly of paint, I think about 50% of the store is devoted to paints, brushes, frames and canvases, leaving the remaining half to crafty goods and kitsch. They selection of craft supplies as I mentioned, is not nearly as extensive as pearl but I adore the place all the same and it's my preferred shop in central.

I might even give this place a 5 star rating despite this issue if they would only stock Tombo markers then I needent go anywhere else.
5 - Ashley M.: The only place I go to buy black matte boards. They are a little cheaper than most other places, but they do not carry all brands. I was unable to go there when having to buy my paints, for I needed certain kinds for my class. They are helpful, do have student discounts. I go to A&C before I go anywhere else.
5 - Kristina B.: I write this as a layperson rather than an actual artist--my reviews are based on procurement of either gifts or picture frames.

In the summer, I came here with my roommate to look for frames and mats for an antique map that she'd found for another friend.  The framing staff helped us pick a lovely aubergine mat from about a zillion colors to go with a premade black frame (rather than being overly pushy about custom frames).  I even came back that afternoon to buy two frames of my own.  

I wish now that I'd bought the cool animal masks (i.e., snow tiger and panda) which used to adorn the front shelves of the store.  They reminded me of the ones that Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard shoplifted in Breakfast at Tiffany's, and that alone earns a five-star whimsicality rating from me.  

My latest foray to Artist & Craftman occurred in the dead of winter.  I needed a cute, cheap way to package small amounts of cookies for large amounts of people.  I'd initially envisioned red & green tulle squares tied with ribbon (in the manner of wedding favors) but the cost-benefit of trekking to Sew-Low in the snow, measuring squares, and cutting said squares proved to be too daunting.   As soon as I stated my requirements to the woman working the front register, she provided me with several options (use plastic archival bags, use tissue paper, or use cellophane).  I happily left with red & green cellophane and red & green cardstock for gift tags.  One of the other staff members even wrapped up the cardstock in a sheet of plastic so that it wouldn't get wet on my walk home.

I now recount this at home on a snow day, so I won't be able to dole out the molasses cookies and snickerdoodles in color-coordinated cellophane bundles to fellow teachers and my students....but I'm sorely tempted to scoot over to the store to give them some!
5 - Brandon M.: Really, where else are you gonna go for art supplies if you live in Cambridge?  Utrecht or Pearl?  
The things you need are easy to find at priced acceptably.  
Rock on /m/
4 - 'amy E.: hot4Glitter: ok, you start
jma1204: i kiss ur neck while slip out of my pants
hot4Glitter: i reach under the bed, and pull out a box
hot4Glitter: i caress the edges of the box
jma1204: baby, u get my so excited, whats in the box?
hot4Glitter: i pull out a glue stick from the box
hot4Glitter: and an assortment of glitter
jma1204: wait, what?
hot4Glitter: i make swirls on your body with the gluestick, and uncap the green canister of glitter
jma1204: um
jma1204: no
hot4Glitter: what's the matter baby, don't like green?  i've got pearly blue
jma1204: what r u doing?
jma1204: this aint how u cyber
hot4Glitter: sigh
hot4Glitter: fine, ok
hot4Glitter: i put the glitter back into the box and shove it under the bed, and run my hands down your chest, your stomach
jma1204: now thats more like it ;)
hot4Glitter: i reach over into the nightstand and pull out a paintbrush and some paint...
jma1204: what!?
hot4Glitter: i start painting yellow and blue swirls all over your torso
hot4Glitter: emulating the look of starry night
hot4Glitter: Van Gogh would be proud
jma1204: r u serious?
hot4Glitter: you writhe under my paintbrush in ecstasy
hot4Glitter: baby, i'm getting excited now
hot4Glitter: hey? you still there?
hot4Glitter: baby?
4 - Rosie F.: This place is so much better than pearl. The employees are helpful knowledgeable and nice, and do not treat you like the scum of the earth for asking questions, unlike  most of my pearl art experiences.

They have so much stuff and its all priced fairly. check it out.
4 - ina c.: I always choose going here over Pearl across the street.  The sales people are really friendly, helpful, and accessible (unlike Pearl, where help can be hard to find and sales persons can be apathetic).  Prices are decent, and they give student discount.  Occasionally the stock gets low (like in framing supplies), but gets restocked faster than Pearl and salespeople will give you an estimate of when they will restock (unlike Pearl!).
4 - Mariah H.: I might be biased towards Artist & Craftsman Supply because most of the times I have been in, it's after coming out of Pearl muttering obscenities to myself and swearing I will never enter step foot in that store again.  A&C appears to be smaller, and thus, less well appointed than Pearl, but the store is actually stocked with useful things and the staff are friendly, helpful, and easy to find. I have had all good experiences with this store and will ALWAYS choose it over Pearl, even though its on the wrong side of the street from my T-stop.
4 - Gwen F.: Awesome, friendly staff.  I usually like to find stuff on my own, but the friendly guy at the counter happily volunteered to help me locate the pretty specific item I sought.  It's hard not to skip down the aisles and load up.  Definitely a preferred place to stock up on supplies.
5 - Temporarily J.: A & C has been my first choice for art supplies since I first moved to Cambridge years ago.  Their pricing is nearly always better than other places, and their selection is amazing, especially considering the relatively limited space they have.  Where this place really shines though is in their staff.  Always friendly and helpful, never pushy or overbearing, they quite simply know their shit, and if they don't have what you need, they'll order it instead of trying to sell you something else.  What I love most about this place is that I no longer ever have to set foot in that other place across the street.
4 - Tiff T.: Artist & Crafsman Supply is a great place to find quality markers, pens, and notebooks.  I've found that their selection is better and less expensive than Pearl's across the street.
5 - Justin P.: Simply a well-stocked store with good specials, helpful staff, and affordable prices. Absolutely recommended.
4 - Ryuji S.: When this store opened, I wasn't sure what the point was, since Pearl across the street had 3 floors worth of stuff. Pearl definitely had wider selection. But now Pearl shrunk and lost a lot of good products, I think Artist & Craftsman Supply is a better store to shop. In some ways these stores look like trying to complement their strengths, as well. Artist & Craftsman Supply has a framing expert (Michael and Debbie) who do great job.
5 - Kate P.: Pretty nondescript from the outside, but this store rocks!  Really good selection and friendly, helpful staff.  I was on the hunt for a really obscure item and couldn't find it anywhere.  They didn't have it here either but the salesperson bent over backwards to offer other solutions and even offered to order the product specially for me.  So sweet!  I'll be back here for all my crafting and artistic endeavors.
4 - Haley T.: Fantastic selection, friendly staff. But the prices are better across the street at Pearl.
4 - Jamie K.: *** 8/29/2010 update: stopped in last week.... no more frames. apparently they're trying to find a new distributer for them, but no word on when they'll be in. damn! damn damn damn. ***

original update:
I stopped by last night on the off-chance that they might have a random ready-made canvas frame in the as-is bin for a 16x20" painting for which I had discovered the waiting frame was 1/8" too small. And OH MY GOD! They now have an entire aisle of raw wood frames, in every size imaginable. They even have a few different style variations. I found my 16x20 frame for a little under $10 (!!!!!), brought it home, stained it, and it should be good to go for WAY cheaper than I would have paid elsewhere and WAY easier than sorting through the hodge podge of as-is bins and Pearl's disorganized sh*t-show. Their super awesome super friendly staff told me that they plan on keeping these in stock. I thought I could never love you more, Artist and Craftsman Supply, but you proved me wrong.
5 - Cara P.: I totally forgot about this place!!!!!!!!!!!!  Now that Pearls is closing, looks like I will be coming here 'p
5 - Min L.: As a non-artist who likes attempt arts and crafts once in a while, I really appreciate being able to walk in and know that a friendly staff member will offer to help me find the thing (I think) I need in their maze of materials and then tell me what it is I ACTUALLY need - all without making me feel silly for trying. Artist & Craftsman is the friendliest, most non-intimidating art supply store I've ever been in. Thanks for being awesome!
4 - Dessa R.: If you were to push past the hoard of annoyed-looking urbanites in Central Square waiting for the number 1 bus, what would you find? A pot of gold? No. Some angel wings? Bzzz. A disgruntled crack dealer muttering to himself? Ok fine, maybe. But if you were to push past all of that, you might just find yourself at Artist & Craftsman Supply. Once the Cantabrigian art maker's best little secret, and now the art store monopoly of Central Square, since Pearl's untimely closing last month. The employees are attentive, friendly, and actually know what they are talking about. Nice selection of supplies, student discounts, active community involvement, locally-owned, and they'll even special order anything you need. Let me put it this way, for you metaphorical thinkers: if artists were cops, this place would be Krispy Kreme.
5 - mitchell k.: I do not live in boston anymore but this is the best supply shop ever....  jeff is a good egg and im sure the other folks working there are as well.  Every time i visit boston i go in even if i dont need anything.  

go there... they got what you need
5 - Erika C.: I LOVE this place! It's very unassuming, and the 1st time I went there, I almost missed it.  But once inside, it was an extraordinary shopping experience. Everyone is pretty chill, and VERY knowledgeable about all of their products, which is great. I don't feel like I'm being conned into buying the most expensive item, but rather one that best meets my needs. If you're driving to Central Sq., I recommend parking in the Green St. garage, since it's super-cheap and not too far from A&C so you don't have to drag your oversized stuff on the T.
5 - Corey L.: Interesting shop in the middle of Central Square. Went there after Yelp helped me find it. Got some great help from the staff, walking me around the store, answering questions, giving me a good education.
Great stuff
5 - Jesslyn W.: I love this place. Prices beat Utrecht and Pearl every time.
5 - Laura M.: After years of debating, this is officially my art store of choice. Prices are pretty incredible- in many cases I find them to be much lower than other places. I was upset when Pearl went out of business, until it occurred to me that this place has more stock than Pearl had in years! They have an incredible array and diversity of products for every type of art and craft, with super helpful and friendly staff. I am an art store junkie, and Artist & Craftsman supply is heaven!
5 - Sophie H.: Amazing selection, helpful people, great collection of frames. Way better than Pearl (may its memory be for a blessing) ever was.

I didn't go in here for a year or two because the outside looks so unpromising. Now I never go anywhere else.
5 - Regina H.: This place is like an Art TARDIS--it's so much bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside!  I do more crafting than art, but I still find whatever I'm looking for, and then some.  Unlike certain other closed art stores in the area, they are consistently well-stocked with all colors, variations, sizes, etc of any particular item.  I'm often able to go in with a specific project in mind and walk out with everything I need to complete it, even if I wasn't sure what I needed when I came into the store.  Staff is helpful but not obtrusively so.  And it has that art store smell that makes you want to take up oil painting and live in a garrett :-)
5 - Dee P.: Love. Great sales (look out for seasonal clearance on canvases), terrific selection, fabulously helpful but never pushy staff. 

Little-known fact (perhaps): This is the place to shop for your stocking stuffers and gag gifts. Much hilarity ensues.
5 - Dorothy W.: Whatever your artistic calling is, you will find the necessary ingredients you need and more at Artist and Craftsman Supply. (Maybe even the letters W and O so a craftswoman can join in.) This is a fantastic place to stock up on supplies, but you can also discover a massive amount of cute items for the kids, stationery, any kind of pen you'd ever desire, and frames for those pictures of the family. They have ready made frames and pre-cut mats but can do custom work easily. 

If you are painting, drawing, carving, upcycling or just in need of a blank book to doodle in you'll find everything here. There's a huge assortment, too. And their prices are fabulous. The staff members are beyond helpful and polite. No question is treated with scorn or dismay. Even if we went to art school, we may not know the best way to clean paint brushes or decoupage a cigar box. These guys have the answers and walk you over to the exact location of any item you are searching for. 

It's easy to breeze right past this place but once you know it is here, you will make it part of your Central Square routine. We have bought so many useful items here including supplies to create silk scarves, beautiful all white blank books to make picture books for close friends, party favors, blank puzzles, pens galore, gold paint, canvas, oil paints, frames for our masterpieces and chunky crayons. 

Next time you have nothing to do, go get some art supplies here and create something original. You don't need to go to art school to appreciate this place.
5 - Michael P.: Wow, the entrance to this store is VERY VERY unassuming.  I've walked past this place probably more than 100+ times and thought it was just a small, randomly-graffiti'd entrance for the apartments above.

This place is AWESOME.  It's underground and it's huge! (For central sq that is.  Don't expect NYC's Macy's to be underground here =P).  It's a little hard to navigate at first, but once you make a pass through to get your bearings straight, you'll notice that everything is very neatly categorized and organized.  Staff is super friendly.  You'll definitely satisfy most of your artsy crafty needs here than compared to other art stores in the area.

Keep in mind: Student Discount and good sales.
4 - Scott C.: I swear by this store! The staff, the organization, the prices no need to go anywhere else. It is in the middle of sensless sq. cambrige with plenty of great places to go get coffee after buying art supplies.....
1 - Kyle D.: Legitimately awful assistance. I walked in, with an extensive list of supplies needed for a class I am taking. I asked the lady for assistance at the front desk and showed her my list, she glanced down at it, and looked at me and goes 'everything should be here'. Keep in mind, I am in a rush, with 30 minutes in my meter, and have no clue where anything is, or what is a better product. I bought my paint (which was sold MUCH cheaper at Utrecht Linen btw) and left. I will never come back here again. Not only did you give an unsatisfactory level of customer assistance, you lost a potential 200.00 (maybe 300.00 given your pricing) sale. I regret buying 80.00 worth of acrylic paint, but it's not even worth my time returning them. Good luck! I wish you the best in improving and helping your customers.
5 - Ethan A.: I didn't know this store was here until Yelp pointed me toward it, and I'm glad it did.  The store has everything you'll need, and if for some reason they don't, they can order it for you.  On top of the selection, the prices are exceptionally low.  You know how you can buy a book in store, or go on Amazon and get it a couple bucks cheaper?  I consider their pricing Amazon pricing, because I'm sure it would cost a few bucks more at some chain art supply place.

Staff has always been exceptionally helpful, outgoing, and have great suggestions for the products.  If I need a gift, I always do a run-through of their inventory in my mind to see if I can get it there, and usually always can.
5 - Jules M.: Very helpful staff and huge variety of items that are well organized, clean and well displayed. Looking forward to returning.
5 - Kerri O.: Just came in here after jonesing to go for the 6 months I was laid up.

I'm sorry, but the staff is really nice, the selection is awesome, and the quality and prices are the best!  Love this place like family!

Pearl was always a hot mess, this place is everything an art supply place should be.
5 - Iris M.: This is my first stop for all my art supplies. It's conveniently located near the Central Square T station. The prices are really good and most of the staff seem to be art students themselves; therefore, are very knowledgeable. I love walking into the store randomly and perusing the aisles.
5 - Caitlin B.: The stellar staff here alone deserves 5 stars. Friendly and helpful without being cloying, they always do their best to get you what you need. The selection in the store doesn't hold a candle to professional sculpture stores in NY like the Compleat Sculptor, but they do have a solid supply of mainstream materials at reasonable prices.
5 - Kat M.: I love this place! Awesome & helpful staff. All kinds of tools & mat'l for sculpture!! Alabaster & soapstone in manageable size chunks (5 - 30pounds), stone & wood chisels, clay shapers. Plus usual paints, canvases, papers, etc.  Across the street from where Pearl was in Central Square and in a basement space. It could be easy to miss on a casual stroll but it is well worth the trip!
4 - Nicole M.: So I finally just learned this week that Pearl went out of business. That's how often I need art supplies.
I was thrilled, however, to hear of this place right in the same area and you guys aren't kidding. Their customer service is fantastic! So friendly and eager to help the idiots who can't maneuver the store like myself. And the prices weren't bad either.
Kudos.
5 - sara s.: I really like this place. The people who work there are extremely helpful, the prices are very good, and they will order things for you if they aren't in stock. Highly recommended.
5 - Skye P.: I have never found such an amazing art store in all my life, not to mention they always have the lowest prices. They guys/ girls working there are incredibly knowledgeable and go out of their way to help you get or find what your looking for. This place is one of a kind!
5 - Adam B.: Don't let the dingy little sign outside fool you, this is a big, cavernous store with tons of stock and surprisingly good prices. I'm not someone who usually writes reviews, but I wanted to let people know what a great experience I've had at this place on many occasions.  I'm a graphic designer and painter, and I've been very into oil painting for over 15 years.  I often have esoteric questions about materials and the A&C staff always surprises me with their knowledge of the products they carry.  These are not just retail employees, they are artists (and craftsmen) themselves.  :)  
SO, that's what they know... which is great.  The second part is how they treat you.  Very patient, very willing to help.  And if your like me, and you buy a ton of stuff like large canvases, one perk is that they will meet you at the back door and help load your car full of all the stuff you just bought.  The one experience that absolutely made me a customer for life was when the employee honored a competitors 20% off coupon, then loaded about 10 huge canvases in my car and refused a tip... that's employee of the year kind of stuff!!!  Now stop messing around, get stocked up on supplies and make some art, you silly review reader.
5 - Shaina P.: Just because it appears that A&C hired some homeless people to watch their door doesn't mean they did it and certainly doesn't mean you should avoid making a visit to the depths of artist (or people like me ... artist not) haven below.

I have been to Pearl before its big letters were pilfered from above their door.
I have been to the new Blick and bought something there.

But the reason why I keep coming back to A&C because of its:
 + non-straight aisle set-up
 + surprising bounty of kids gifts encouraging creativity
 + pretty paper, pretty sketch books, pretty writing utensils
 + teaching supplies (if only i were a teacher)
 + consistently solid (and pretty sure affordable) mat-cutting, glass cutting, and framing service
 + supply of frames, custom, canvas, poster, box
 + people who will help you find what you're looking for (because I know the layout can be a little confusing or intimidating ... just gotta ask).
 + way more things than i can list

No joke, A&C is willing to take your cheap IKEA frame, replace the plastic with a quality cut of glass (or just go with the plastic), cut you a custom mat for extra uniqueness, and then seal that baby up tight to look like you spent an arm and a leg for a custom framing.  My fave story was when I brought in an odd dimension original artist sketch.  The custom framing would have cost $100+ so instead I purchased a frame that was on sale for under $10 and spent $25 for a custom cut mat/install.

They work with you to ensure that the mat dimensions and color are to your liking (so be sure to bring the print you want to frame), and they'll work with you to get the best bang for your buck.  Don't be afraid!  But call ahead to ensure the framing shop is open and do expect a week long wait.  I'm sure if you had a deadline they would be willing to accommodate.
5 - Roscoe R.: I'm writing this great review specifically for A&C's custom framing. I've had several things framed here, on several occasions, and was more than satisfied. I price-shopped framing the same thing at several other places (Blick, and Big Picture Framing). A&C was consistently MUCH less money for custom framing than Blick (which is great for other stuff -- don't get me wrong!) and the others.
5 - Theresa K.: I thought I should write a review as I am the mayor of it on Foursquare (is that part of the job description?) 

I know Blick's just opened up across the street, but here's why you should still come to Artist & Craftsman Supply:

-Cute art students work here. I have boycrushes, girlcrushes...I hope none of you are reading this but if you are: the apathy looks really good on you. I'm being sincere here. 

-Art stores belong in basements, not all fluorescently lit like Blick's on the ground floor. If you air out the dark recesses where creativity flourishes what do you get? A banker I'm guessing. 

-I always end up blowing monies on random knickknacks at the check-out counter. The person who curates this collection of knickknacks a la homemade soaps to kawaii erasers should be given a museum. 

Anyways, just doing my mayor duties here. But if you want to be sufficiently anti-establishment while you are still young and aren't tied down by a mortgage (Full disclosure:I don't really know what a mortgage is), I would recommend spending your hard earned moola here.
5 - Kelly W.: The people here are so helpful and friendly. And this hidden store is really the best place to find art supplies. From the street, it doesn't stand out at all, and it's in kind of a lesser-known Central Square, but trust me, it's a keeper. Now I go here for any random art materials that I need.
5 - Miguel R.: When I was a lad, the best I could do in terms of craft supply stores was Michaels, and considering how laughably horrible (or horribly laughable?) my last experience at a Michaels was, AC has been a godsend. At long last, I can peruse pristine aisles stacked with professional art supplies while eying attractive hipsters in socially-awkward silence rather than suffer the shrill wails of Rosemary's baby as retired strippers pick out rhinestones for their Bedazzlers from piles of tornado wreckage.

The storefront and sign belie this place's true charm. While the technicolor bubble letter sign and the neon graffitied industrial loft ceilings suggest you might be setting foot in a Build-a-Bear Workshop, the basement is like a craft-nut's candy store. They carry just about everything, from light tables to googly eyes to watercolor brushes, and have the counter festooned in all manner of attention-grabbing bric-à-brac. About one-third of their floorspace is devoted to Art's homelier and less pretentious sorority sister, Craft, offering papier-mâché, modeling clay, casting rubber, craft resin, brass sheets, alabaster slabs, and so on.

My personal compliments and sincerest thanks to the staff here, who were uncannily helpful, knowledgeable and kind despite working generous and accommodating hours on a Saturday.
5 - Tarun N.: I went there to get a mouth atomizer (which was somewhat difficult to find elsewhere), and the staff member I talked to was able to quickly find the item I wanted. When I went over to the store, the person I talked to over the phone quickly found the item I was looking for and I was in and out in under five minutes. The items were very inexpensive and the store had a nice ambiance. I will definitely come back if I need another art-related item.

Artist & Craftsman Supply - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4326121, -79.9274053) (Squirrel Hill)
5 - Christopher W.: On my first visit, I was only there to get Xacto blades, but they seemed to have a really good selection of supplies. Nice framing supply section in the front. Prices also seem very reasonable. The two guys working there were very helpful, both for me and with someone else (even if they didn't have what they needed). I will definitely be back.
5 - C K.: I have lived in 3 cities with A&C's and they are always my favorite art supply store. Great selection, great prices and a very helpful staff that always seem to be able to offer great advice about supplies and practical uses. I can't recommend them enough.
5 - Patty T.: Artist & Craftsman Supply Pittsburgh is my favorite art supply store. I think sometime last spring/summer was when I first found out about them, via a little flyer left at the Squirrel Hill library. Since then I've been back many times... kind of a bad thing for my bank account. The staff is knowledgeable and the selection of supplies is great (there have been only a couple times when I couldn't find what I was looking for and those items were pretty obscure). They carry almost everything it seems, from spray paint to cradled wooden panels (love creating on these!) to bamboo pens and fake mustaches (purchased those around Halloween). In addition to their supplies they offer some ready-made frames and do custom framing as well. Lastly, as cheesy as it may sound, A&C is an asset to the community. I really enjoy having an art supply store so close to home, but they're more than that. Somewhat recently (I think) they started to offer periodic art demos. There was a silkscreening one that I know of but wasn't able to attend and then last month they held an oil painting portrait demo which resulted in me creating my second ever oil painting and first portrait painting! I don't know of any other art supply stores that do this... A&C goes above and beyond.
4 - Shawna S.: The staff was very friendly (in a normal, not overbearing kind of way). The prices are about average, but they have a great selection of supplies that will definitely keep me coming back.

Artistry - Atlanta, GA (33.7804741, -84.3843135) (Midtown)
3 - Kristine M.: Lessee.  The bellinis were perfection.  I tried someone's mimosa but it was too acidic for me.  The bloody mary was good by normal standards, but my homemade version would consist of Spicy V8 and Grey Goose. 
 
Anyway, we went for brunch and bottomless mimosas.   The buffet was mediocre for the price.  The food was okay, but the selection could  be improved.   (They need to add french toast, waffles, yougurt, and granola in order to make me happy.)   But the service was okey doke.  The decor was chic, but not overdone.  There are two bathrooms, with just one loo each.  This may be a problem if they're crowded.
 
This place could be cool in the evening.  I may have to report back.  Especially if I venture upstairs.  I predict this will be a beautiful people spot.  In that case, I'll try to be a regular.  That annoying one that says "I've been coming here since they opened."
3 - Sanna B.: I'd give it 3.5 stars.

Went to Artistry on a whim Saturday night.  I was running late, so the b.f. ordered for me.  Upon entering to meet them, I was greeted by the stunning hostess, but was a bit distressed to find that the place was SUPER emtpy.  Granted, it was late (9:15 or so), but there were only 2 other tables taken in the whole spot.  

The new decor is very cool - I like the picture frames above the bar and the wall of toy bodies grabs your attention.  They also have two large flat screens at the bar, so we were able to watch the Wings/Penguins game while we ate ate our table.

We started with the smoked shrimp/avocado egg rolls which were awesome.  The man had some sort of meat with very thick cut steak fries, our friend had the cuban sandwich and I had fish (can't remember what kind as I didn't order), with awesome succotash on the side.  For dessert we shared guava cheesecake with a rasberry sauce. 

All in all, very very tasty meal, but I feel that they're still working out the kinks.  I would definitely go back as it's a great space in the heart of midtown.  Boo for paying $5 for valet (before tip).
3 - Gretchen O.: I SO want to like this place.
Came here for Sunday Brunch and was immediately impressed upon entry. The decor is in browns with burnout velvet drapery, velvet clamshell booths...very swanky.  Definitely a must try in the near future for an evening of cocktails with the girls.
We were a bit early and waiting on a few friends, so we sat in the waiting area and chatted with the Hostess.  She told us that they were still "unofficially open" and the official opening was expected in a couple of weeks. This explained a lot, as the restaurant was EMPTY, but did fill up as we neared the end of our meal.
Of course, we scheduled our brunch reservation for afternoon (Damn Georgia Liquor Laws), so that we could take advantage of the $15 bottomless Mimosa. We did test our waitress on the bottomless part and she was pretty good about getting to us, before we reached the bottom of our glasses. The only problem I have with the bottomless Mimosa special is that $15 is a little steep in comparison to other brunch spots and I felt the need to get my money's worth. Let's just say, I had a good buzz going, when I left.
Sadly, I was not impressed with brunch. It was a buffet and an omelet bar. I did not have an omelet, but my friend said the options for the omelet were pretty pathetic, like cheese, olives, onions, tomatoes...you get the picture, nothing interesting or fun to sample. As for the buffet, I was very disappointed. There were scrambled eggs, pancakes, muffins, hash browns, grits, herb chicken, pork tenderloin, bacon and chicken sausage. I think the only thing I really enjoyed were the grits.  They were creamy with chunks of corn...yum! As for the rest, I had scrambled eggs, hash browns, chicken and bacon. All of which was just ok and lukewarm at best. I definitely expected more of a selection for my $20.
Service was exceptionally good. Our server was very attentive and you just got the vibe that all employees are very excited about the opening of Artistry. It is nice to be in a restaurant where the employees are happy and hopeful for the future of this new restaurant/bar. 
So, to sum it all up, the food was not great, it was expensive for an ordinary meal, the service was excellent and the interior has a cool vibe. If this place was not "unofficially open", I would probably not return. Not for Brunch, at least.
2 - Conor O.: I hate that they only had a buffet for brunch.  For the money the food was very sub par.  Would have been better off at Waffle House.  I am giving it six months tops.  Large dinning area with no one in it.
2 - Felix C.: I had high hopes for this since it is very close to me. I went to sit on their patio one evening. 

The food was not good, especially when considering the price. 

Artistry wants to be a combined music venue (upstairs) with a "scene" restaurant (downstairs). Unfortunately, trying to execute on both concepts is really hard.
3 - Adrianne T.: checked out brunch on Sunday. It's $15 each for the buffet and bottomless mimosas. Breakfast potatoes, fruit, chicken sausage and stone ground grits were tasty - mimosas were fab.  I enjoyed the food, band, service and likable crowd. It was good, but not crave-worthy.  I can't say anywhere else compares so far in all those categories. I'll be back.
3 - Kan B.: We stopped by for dessert after dinner. The hostess informed us they had an event and could only sit at the bar. we asked to sit outside.  I ordered an Irish coffee but instead got a cup of cold black coffee and a side of whiskey. The dessert menu looked promising. (Guava cheese cake, Opera chocolate cake, passion fruit icecream) J had the mango and coconut sherbet and I had the Amaretto creme bruleè. There were no prices on the dessert menu. It was nice sitting outside plus we got a free show with all the happenings on Ptree. J was a little dissapointed with the sherbet. he wanted a more fruity flavor. I didn't taste much Amaretto in my dessert but it wasn't bad. it was okay. the ramekin was only about half way full. the sherbet was served as 2 scoops. One mango , one coconut.  We were charged $6 for she sherbet. a little steep for just 2 scoops of icecream. $8 for the creme brulee and $7 for the irish coffee. the waiter was nice but a little distracted due to the event. I'd like to go back and try the menu. This is the same buidling that housed Sweet low down.
2 - Talib K.: "Yeah, I've seen this place but never actually gone in."  Is probably what you're saying to yourself.  I was in the same boat until recently.  I went for a b-day party on a Saturday.  If not for the large group gathered for the party, the place would have been dead.  That is pretty 'piss-poor' for a Saturday night in the A-T-L.  You could slap a bar and lighting in a hole-in-the-wall under a bridge in da 'hood, add some music and greasy food and people will pack it in on a Saturday night (e.g., 'The Harlem Bar').  So, I don't know why this place was empty.  The layout is cool, two levels and plenty of space.  The food was just okay, and the service was just okay, and the valet parking was a bit convoluted. Artistry is about like every other popular night spot in the city, only minus all the people.
2 - Katie W.: I returned here for brunch on a Sunday a few months after the first time I tried brunch here.  It was much more crowded (and loud) than it was on my previous visit.  And, the buffet now costs $15 for all you can eat.  But, the food is still not very good.  I tried almost everything on the buffet (except pancakes because they kept running out of them) and it was all mediocre.  I will say that the chopped fruit was pretty good.  The grits seem to have gotten worse - last time they were my favorite thing but this time they were really runny.  I did get an omelette this time and it was OK but very greasy.  The best thing about it was that we were upstairs and our server went downstairs to the omelette station for us so that was super easy.

The service was good, if a bit harried, and I was never in need of a refill on my bottomless mimosa.  They were also great about splitting up the check.  I would actually return here (gladly) for the mimosas again but I think I would eat something else before coming here so I wouldn't have to eat the buffet food.  Also, there is definitely a bit of a scene going on here: lots of unshaven guys in t-shirts, jeans, sunglasses and earrings, and lot of girls in short skirts and stilettos.  Personally, I think Sunday brunch is a bit too early for short skirts and stilettos but, if that is your thing, you might like his place.
2 - jane s.: Thinking about going out for a nice Sunday brunch? Well, if you're thinking about Artistry, I have two words for you. 

DON'T GO!!!!!

$15 for Buffet that doesn't have half of what it claims on the menu. $15 for bottomless mimosas. This brunch was not worth the price they charge for it. The food that they DID have at the buffet that was on the menu, was not well stocked, and about three people who worked there were just standing around instead of checking on it. I take that back, one person looked at the syrup. The chicken was dry, with no mole sauce to be found. The pancakes were eh. Now, granted the hostess and waitress were great, service was fine at the table, but I could go to J. Christopher's,  Social House, or a ton of other places for brunch for a fraction of the price and enjoy it a hell of a lot more. Sorry, but I wasn't impressed. I liked the live music...it was a lot more appropriate than the club music they were playing earlier...at brunch...
3 - live to nibble d.: Some restaurant people believe that certain spaces are cursed and no matter what goes in there, it inevitably fails. I don't know enough about Artistry's space, which used to house Sweet Lowdown, to declare it as that. But sitting through a hour and half long lunch in a completely empty dining room does give one a weird vibe, especially when the restaurant sits on a prime stretch of Peachtree St. smack in the middle of midtown.

Artistry has changed much of what I remembered of Sweet Lowdown. What used to be a light colored space now sports deep chocolate walls and burnt maroon/deep gold colored velvet curtains near the door. I suppose it could all be very glamorous under soft lighting after dark, but in the middle of a hot day, it seemed a bit heavy to me. Although I am biased as I love light and airy spaces.

Considering there were only three of us in the entire restaurant, everything took quite a long time. The lunch menu is small with mostly sandwiches, unless one is ready to pay twenty plus dollars for dinner entrees. I ordered the buffalo sliders with fries. I doubt anyone could accuse Artistry of skimping, as what came was the biggest slider dish I've ever seen. I got four baseball-sized mini-burgers with a good mound of fries. (Photos of the food may be found at http://livetonibble.blogspot.com/2008/07/daily-highlight-48-overkill-restaurant.html)  Actually the little burger patties were not of that size, but their statures were greatly enhanced by the much larger buns. For a nibbler, there were quite a few bites on the rim that were devoid of meat. The buffalo slider patties were cooked through as most sliders are. But somehow they were actually able to hold on to a decent amount of moisture to keep from being too dry. The good dabs of mayo helped the matter also. The fries were limp and pretty greasy. But I was in the mood for them, so ate quite a bit anyhow.

Housemade peach ice cream sounded good after heavy meat and starch. It looked very pretty adorned with a strawberry and a flower unknown to me. Sadly, the ice cream was specked with ice crystals. Perhaps it has been long since someone ordered it.

Cliff of creativeloafing wrote a pretty favorable blog entry for Artistry's dinner some days ago, so maybe the evening offerings are much better. As far as lunches go, it was not impressive, although not quite bad.
1 - Bill S.: Could I call it or what? 6 weeks later and the poker game is history. Next yelp event I attend, I'll try and give away my $60 in GCs (not redeemable towards beverages) that I still have, because I have no good reason to return.

In the meantime, we can place bets on if Artistry makes it until then.
3 - Tai C.: The scenario: Went for a late dinner on a Saturday night as a party of four. In line with previous reviews, this place is still an empty cave of a restaurant at night. I did like the atmosphere and the dj was playing some r&b songs from a few years ago that made us all go "I used to love that song!" The booth where we were seated very comfortably held the four of us, with room for more if it had been necessary. The service was attentive, but obviously tired and obviously new. Artistry has recently changed their menu and, through talking to the server, we also learned that the website is completely and totally outdated (in other words, don't bother!). Our meal was a sampling of almost every appetizer. Hits included the shrimp and grits and the scallops and risotto dish. The wings, while large, weren't really that impressive to me. The vegetable skewers were nicely flavored, but tiny...and what the heck were the vegetables? The menu didn't say. We also sampled most of the desserts. I really enjoyed the pumpkin cheesecake. The creme brulee also was enjoyed. The chocolate cake didn't meet such rave reviews. Prices are pretty steep for what you're getting, but at least the service was very nice about splitting the check amongst the group. Oh, and they close really early for a midtown restaurant: 10pm on a Saturday night??
Overall, a good spot for groups but definitely not a cheap eat.
4 - Michael F.: I like Artistry.  The food has been consistently good, and the staff are friendly, helpful, and attentive.
I've been to the brunch for the past 4 weeks in a row, and although I know they are working out a new menu, they have had consistently good food available and well-presented.  Omlettes, pancakes, & French toast to order, grits, bacon, turkey sausage, fresh fruit have been available each time I've been there.  The changes have been with the meats, although fried chicken was always there.  Salmon, shrimp, spicy beef have been among the various offerings on the buffet.
I've also been there several times for dinner, and tried different items from the dinner menu each time - from salmon & grouper to a properly-cooked medium-rare ribeye steak.
In my opinion, Artistry is a welcome addition to the selection of restaurants in Midtown.  Like several other new locations, all are trying to cope with the times in their own way.

Give Artistry a try, I think you'll like it!!!  Tell them Michael sent you...
5 - Lacey M.: Ive been to several parties there and say hey what the hell. Lets try dinner.  Im not really what the deal is. But my food was perfecto!!! The music was jammin ( alitle louder than others, Ilike)  The Salmon was great The chocolate cake was delish, and I was out the door for under $30 with a cocktail.  Ill be back, for sure
4 - David K.: The jury is still on this one, but I will give them kudos for experimenting with their new weekly "Sunday Mass."  It starts with their usual brunch featuring bottomless mimosas.  The conclusion is Charlie Brown's X-Rated Cabaret.  You may remember the Cabaret from Backstreet and many of the same entertainers have returned (including Shawnna Brooks and Ashley Kruiz).

I went to the premier show and I was amazed at the crowd.  It was packed and I was very excited.  I love Mr. Charlie Brown and the bitch is back on Peachtree!

The upstairs bar is great and I'm still considering returning to eat there.  Until then it's just 4 stars with the potential for 5 if the food is delicious and I receive good service.
1 - David B.: OK.  What's the deal with Artistry?  I decided I might give it another shot, considering I live in the neighborhood and can just walk over.  I had heard lots of raves from friends about their Sunday brunch.  Went there on both Saturday (dinner) and Sunday (brunch) and found the place closed.  I don't know if the place is gone out of business or what.  No sign, no customers...I can only assume they are no longer in business.  I'm not so sure the people who run this place really know what they are doing.

Arto's Shoe Repair - Greenbelt, MD (38.9972532, -76.9071962) ()
5 - Judd L.: Where do you find a cobbler who can replace a heart shape heels for a Beverly Feldman loafers ? Thank goodness we remembered this shop across the Giant Foods @ Beltsway Mall. 

No matter where you go: there's nothing pretty about a shoe repair shop. Two things I look for are volume of shoes being repaired and of course the folks who run it. In this case it's two Korean fellas and they certainly had lots of work in progress. Plus one wall of shoes for pickup. Certainly they didn't have time to read the sports pages. 

The cobbler who we saw said it was a challenge and that they might not be able to exactly replace the heart shaped heels. He quoted $15 which I thought was a bargain... especially for the shaped heels for these expensive loafers. He said they would be ready in three days. 

We said no rush and returned one week later. Not only did they replace the heels with heart shaped heels but they also upgraded the quality compared to the originals.  These guys do great work at a very reasonable price.
5 - Mandy H.: Be careful with these people, they are thieves. My relative purcased a box of dye for 7.50 and our credit card was charged 77.95. Now, how can you make a mistake like that????. If I was not vigilant in checking my account, we would have been robbed of 70 plus bucks.  Thieves, check your bill before you leave the store!
5 - Alison G.: This is the only place I  will go to get my shoes repaired.  I have taken shoes to well-known cobblers in DC and they don't do as meticulous of a job and charge far more.  For $11 they will reheel any style of shoe, and without asking will polish to a shine, repair snags on heels and any other cosmetic issue.  When I wanted to get a pair of boots shortened and the zipper replaced, they were honest with me telling me it wouldn't be worth the money to cut the length of the boot shaft.  I really appreciated such honesty, it's very rare these days.

The place is nothing to look at, but those who work there are very friendly, professional, and do consistently good work.  Their prices are competitive, they stay on schedule, and I feel lucky to have such a great shoe repair shop so close to home.
1 - Cee B.: I went in to get 2 different shoes repaired. A strap needed to be reattached on one shoe which he said would cost 17 bucks. The other shoe needed the zipper repaired. At first he went to the back & came back & told me it would cost $12.50. After I told him that I would only get the zipper repaired & not the strap on the other shoe (because I didn't pay more than $10 for it) he went to the back & came back to me with a higher price ($25). I was shocked with the last minute price jump. That seemed shady so I left the store without getting my shoes repaired. Very disappointed.

Artopolis - New York, NY (40.8052722, -73.9623564) (Morningside Heights)
4 - Rob J.: I must agree with Bryan R. that the logistics of actually receiving food and paying for it are very confusing. Pay first? Eat first? Sit down? Stand up?
But I disagree about the cost -- I got a fruit+chocolate crepe, which came very nicely presented with raspberries, blueberries, mango, and whipped cream on the side, in addition to the normal amount of fruit inside the crepe. Something like that would fetch ~$12 in Midtown. The general consensus among my friends and me was "yeah, that's a cute little place." My tiramisu didn't taste as good as it looked, but the actual cafe itself is clean, quiet, well-lit, and I like the furniture.
4 - Ky W.: In general, I approve of this place.  The waffles and baklava are great.  But, my reason for writing this review is to warn against ordering the hot chocolate.  When I pay $2.50 for a hot chocolate I expect a little more than a 50 cent packet of nestle's and some steamed milk.  I went in for a treat and came out with a disappointment.
1 - Sienna K.: I hate this place. A lot. 

First and foremost, it's not that good. The coffee never is strong enough, and has a weird filmy texture to it. It's actually pretty darn disgusting. The baked goods are a little too expensive for being hohum. The double chocolate chip cookies are far too sweet; believe me, I'm a sugar fiend, but these make me cringe and crave insuline. I also bought some honey cookies because they looked good, but they were stale. 

The service is awful. I've been told to sit down, and that the food will arrive. Somehow, they manage to forget about it everytime I go. Even take out is awful. I ask for where the milk is and the girl upfront snickers her response as if I was the biggest dumbass in the world. 

It looks cute and it looks clean, I'll give it that. But the outside of it looks incredibly tacky, especially with its cucake-like logo. 

Damn you for being so close Artopolis.
3 - Dia P.: Artopolis is a brightly lit, trendy cafe in the Columbia University area. While the service is definitely lacking, as the wait staff usually becomes frazzled if the place is packed, the crepes and other confections are not. T

his cafe is the perfect place to sit down with your laptop in a corner and work for a few hours. Their selection of Mighty Leaf tea is impressive and their crepes, particularly the classic (nutella, strawberries, and bananas) and strawberry jubilee, are phenomenal. Their price of $6.25 is not bad either and they don't charge extra for whipped cream (amazing as well) unlike another popular crepe stop nearby. This is the perfect place to catch up with a friend, take a casual date, or to finish that paper that was due last week.
2 - Megan V.: Y'know, I used to keep coming back to this place expecting it to be better than I remembered because it just looks so damn cute and tidy. The sweets are prettily presented (though lackluster) and the atmosphere is bright. However, the service is brusque at best and the food is never quite as delicious as it looks (c'mon, unripe mango in my parfait? That's like eating raw potatoes, ech) 

The gelato is pretty good, though. If you can endure the wait to be noticed/place your order, it'll be served in a glass that's about 3x larger than the take-away cups. 

As for me, I'm glad I don't live near enough for Artopolis to be convenient anymore. If you're in the area and looking for a cute place to grab a snack, why not try Max's?
4 - Kanette W.: So me and my BFF were walking up Amsterdam on our way to Harlem last November and absolutely freezing our butts off. We went to NYC totally unprepared for how cold it would be. Lo and Behold we came across this nice, little cozy shop called Artopolis. Initially, we were mostly interested in getting inside a place that offered heat, but once inside we fell in love.

We immediately encountered a host of decadent mini and standard size desserts that look like something they'd serve at a really expensive wedding and our mouths began to water. But we were cold so we went with the Hot Cocoa instead.

OMG! Both she and I agreed that this was the absolute best Hot Chocolate we'd ever had in our lives. It was like a fine wine...you didn't drink it...you cherished every drop like it was the last bit of mocha you'd ever taste in your life. And the whipped topping...I swear it must've been made out of ice cream. It was cool, thick, and decadent and survived the heat and steam until the very end.

If you're ever in NYC in the late fall or winter...stop by this shop and try the hot cocoa...it was served in a big bowl like mug and gave us the energy and comfort we needed to go back out and brave the desperate East Coast Winds of the city.

P.S. I tried to smuggle a few of the mini, bite-size pies home but they didn't really survive the plane ride.
4 - Zach S.: Too good to be true, in some senses.  A crepe place across the street from Columbia?  How convenient!  In a way, it's good that artopolis isn't everything I ever dreamed of, or I'd be back here spending on their expensive menu every evening.

There are some gems on the menu - the Italiano and the Original come to mind - that will make your mouth water.  They are actually as good as they sound on the menu.  Most of my better experiences have come with the sweet crepes, as those ordered for a meal often end up being not what people expected.  

I'll second what one of the earlier reviewers said as well: Mightly Leaf Tea is definitely a huge plus.  They do all kinds of different iced teas with it, and it's a truly delicious way to cool off with a crepe.  The gelato is tasty, but the granitas are not worth the $5 Artopolis charges.  The pastries look good as well, but I have yet to stop by and try them in the morning.

If Artopolis weren't so convenient, I'm not sure what I'd think.  But for something that's so close by, and pretty good, it's great for a quick crepe fix.
2 - lora c.: Artopolis always leaves me a little disappointed. The coffee is a little too weak and the pastries never leave me desiring more. Gelato is one of the few things I do come back for, although certain flavors are overwhelmingly sweet. If  you choose to order crepes, I recommend the sweet options over the savory, which sound good in concept but are often just strange in execution (Have you ever had a buffalo chicken and mango crepe? Pretty awful, especially when the mango is unripe). Service can be frustrating since seating is table-service only and the waitress isn't very attentive. Love the openness and decor though: big, open windows and a cute interior repeatedly draw me in when I should really know better.
2 - Queenie W.: Now I understand why many yelpers don't like this place.

Their food always looks good but tastes plain. And the service is.... 
ANNOYING!!!

I won't come back again.
2 - Jocelyn K.: I used to come here just for the red velvet cupcakes ($2.45 including tax) because they were good and cheapest I've seen. But the service turned me off. 

I will never come here to satisfy my sugar cravings again. It's "Make My Cake" or bust!
4 - branden g.: Nice decor , bright ,friendly cafe style . The tables are a little to small . Nice display of the desserts at the entrance . Cool place to chill , Colombia hang out , couple people will be on their lab tops , Starbucks / Barnes and Noble crowd . 
Service was kind of slow , but friendly and nice . 
The crepe menu is different, unique and a good niche . The crepes are good , you can get any kind savory , sweet etc . 
Haven't had anything else but the crepes , so not sure how the other food taste but its probably good. 
Good place for lunch or if you want something light .
4 - Rachel G.: Artopolis is the place I go to when I have a gelato craving and don't feel like leaving my 'hood.  They have about a dozen different flavors, and while it's definitely not the best gelato I've ever had, it hits the spot.  My favorite is the stracciatella (chocolate chip), but I also like the chocolate and the dulce de leche.  A small cup is somewhere between $3 and $4, and is the perfect amount.

There are tables inside and outside to sit and eat at, and table service if you want it.  I've actually never had any of the pastries but they look pretty good.  My friend had a crepe once and enjoyed it.  The service is generally pretty slow and not very friendly, but it's not horrible either.

Overall, it's a good alternative to Haagen Dazs or Pinkberry when you're in the neighborhood.
3 - Karina L.: Why don't people like this place? Artopolis (or as my friends and I so endearingly call it "Our Topless") is a great place for a post-class gelato/crepe run. One can't expect a dessert sent from heaven, but Artopolis will do. I've never had any run-ins with the service (although they are a bit slow), but everything that I've ordered at Artopolis has not disappointed me. I guess I order things that are hard to screw up (Belgian waffles...mmm...), but I would never call this "horrible", especially considering the lack of dessert places around here.
3 - Elle P.: I had the gelato here and it was just fine. They give you a generous portion for what they charge. My friend tried a chocolate cookie and we both agreed that the cookie was too hard and too dry.
4 - Katie V.: For a late-night dessert run, Artopolis is perfect. I sat outside, though the inside looked well-lit and charming. I ordered the Comfort Chip, which is like the best version of a Chipwich you can imagine. The cookies are huge and the gelato inside was amazing. I don't usually like whipped cream, but whatever they use/make at Artopolis made me reconsider my stance.  The iced mocha I got was delicious and big, so I felt less guilty about paying $5.50 for it. My boyfriend couldn't stop raving about the hot chocolate.

I want to try their crepes and savory options now...
2 - Rieka J.: Ok, I really hate it when people start their reviews with something like "DON'T GO HERE!!!!!" But really, just don't go here. The service is bad, and if you want to sit ANYWHERE you have to get table service! This is just very misleading in regards to everything about the place: you think it's a walk-in cafe (on the nicer side of cafes of this type, but still). There's a large display case of bakery goods, a salad bar window that is exactly the same as the ubiquitous delis around New York where you get to choose the toppings, etc. Beside that is a gelato display case. 

Anyway, I just wanted a couple baklava and coffee, but when we said "for here," they said we had to have table service. Dumb!! The baklava was WAY too sweet, oozing with too much honey and not much else for flavor. I tried the fig, pistachio, and walnut. The walnut was the best. The coffee was weak. The only plus was that the coffee was served with a little chocolate chip cookie free of charge. It wasn't that great, but still, it was free. 

Just don't go here...it's overpriced, on top of all that other annoying crap.
4 - Kerry C.: This is a great place to go and do some work or hang out with friends. Anytime I want an afternoon work spot, this is where I go. The coffee comes with a free chocolate chip cookie, and the dessert crepes are delicious! The service can be a little bit slow, but if you're going to be there all day anyway it's not really a problem. ;)
2 - Sheena J.: Place was pretty "meh".  Food was alright.  Well presented but a bit pricey for what you get.  Omelettes are actually "crepe omelettes", which is alright, if you like that sort of thing.  Coffee's a bit weak.  I went on a Sunday morning and had to wait 1/2 hour before flagging down the only waitress serving the entire restaurant that morning.  It's alright this place.  But if you like cafe-style atmosphere/food, I suggest Max's down the road.
4 - Manisha B.: Yes, the service is shitty, and you really shouldn't come here to eat if you don't have a lot of time, but the crepes. Oh the crepes. They're just so perfect, especially for brunch or dessert. Love the omelets and the strawberry jubilee. Gelato is quite good, as are the various pastries (love the passion fruit mousse), and drinks are large (but pricey) but they don't fail to satisfy. I cannot figure out how they make their whipped cream so thick, but I never want to have hot chocolate without it.
2 - Angela d.: Came here with my girlfriends on a trip to new york =) It's a cute little shop that has a lot to offer.  They have yummy looking pastries and such in their display cases, they have a selection of gelato, and they have several other desserts such as crepes.  

We sat down and ordered and everything was fine.  I had the belgian waffles, which weren't really belgian but they were decent.  The price tag was a bit much for what it was.
1 - Kira S.: As a newcomer to the Morningside lunch scene, I was pleased to discover this beautiful cafe that specializes in one of my all time favorite foods - the crepe.  Their fillings seemed unique and more tuned to the Columbia student palette, than the typical French consumer, so I decided to give it a go.  Boy, was I disappointed.  I decided to order the simplest thing on the menu a ham, cheese, honey mustard crepe.  Easy right?  Wrong.  The savory crepe itself was okay, still thin, moist and firm (although a little crispness on the edges would've been a plus) but somehow the swiss part was forgotten.  Two ingredients in this crepe, and one was missing... I don't really know what else to say about that.  I tried to no avail to get the attention of my serveuse, but she was busy talking to other server and I gave up.  I was pleased with the amount of ham in the crepe, so it was still edible.  I also thought that the honey mustard would be delicately spread inside the crepe before folding.  Unfortunately, this straight from the bottle generic SALAD DRESSING was generously drizzled a top the crepe, drenching it with preservative-filled sticky sweetness.  It was served with a dry side of greens and diced tomatoes, no O+V to be found.  Thought I'd order a cappucino or try a cookie to make up for the lackluster crepe, but the waitress just came and took my plate to return to her chit-chat.  You can assume the process it took to get the check.  The decor was nice and the seating comfortable, but too many negatives this experience to go back.

Also - a take out customer who seemed to be a regular was there shooing flies away from the open-air crepe topping bar.  Make of that what you will.
5 - Ali Reza S.: My favorite place atound Columbia for coffee. Friendly staff, nice coffee and desserts. It's also well priced.
4 - Katherine H.: Yummy!!  Yummy desserts, gellato, friendly staff!  They have breakfast and lunch items, a bit overpriced, but on the weekends they have an all day brunch special for $13, which includes a meal (if you have a sweet tooth) coffe/tea and a mimosa or oj (mimosa's are good).
The place is a little small so I don't suggest going in a large group.
1 - Robert F.: Here, a quick & cheap on-your-way-to-class breakfast stop  (eg a bagel and coffee) will cost you the price of a full breakfast and will have you seriously contemplating a dine-and-ditch (for time's sake), even though you've never done it before.
4 - Dan T.: Good breakfast crepe+tea. Excellent pastries. Pre-made cupcake trays aren't excellent, though.
3 - Lydia N.: Cute place with funky music.  We came here for brunch and had to wait a little bit to be seated. 

I ordered a savory crepe (I think it was called Kombe? - roasted chicken & vegs with balsamic). The fact that they used the same sweet crepe batter for everything threw me off. The chicken was also dry and there wasn't a hint of flavor. 
The salad that they served with the crepe was perfect though, with just the right amount of dressing (there weren't any puddles left on the plate afterwards). One of my friends ordered the gelato and it was delicious.
4 - Kelly R.: Excellent pastries. Really top. The sweet crêpes are great! The one with the berries and chocolate syrup is simply heavenly. However, the savory crêpes always leave something to be desired, there is always some weird kind of flavoring. Not sure what it is. Also, everything is a bit pricey, but in general, it's worth it. The outdoor seating is nice. Too bad the view is of the ugly hospital...just direct your view down the street towards St. John's instead...
3 - Mark L.: I am on the fence with Artopolis.  Granted, this fence isn't very tall, but nevertheless, I could be convinced to jump to either side.  

Upon entering, you'll notice that all of the food looks incredible.  The crepe bar proudly displays all the options to load up.  The brewing coffee smells great.  The desserts are near perfect.  But every time I've eaten here, the taste doesn't compare to its appearance.  Don't get me wrong, it isn't bad, far from it.  It just seems strange to me to order a dried tomato, mozzarella, basil, and olive oil crepe and have it taste somewhat plain.  I've never tried their coffee, so I can't say if the aroma matches the taste, but the desserts fare better.  Most of them are incredibly sweet; however, I'm not convinced that they are as fresh as they may seem.  The prices are slightly higher than I would expect, but I guess you're paying for the looks.  I could overlook this if the service made up for it, but it's not exactly what I would call spot-on.  

Artopolis really is a good place for breakfast, brunch, and lunch, and I know I will be back.  But until I have a wonderful or horrible experience here, I'll stay perched on my fence.
1 - Zach L.: When you get down to it, their crepes actually suck. They look fantastic but never really deliver as far as taste. To make things worse, their service is horrible -- you can be the only customer in the store with four workers behind the counter and you still won't be attended to for a few minutes. And when they do attend to you, they're fairly brash. Not recommended.
3 - Emily Z.: This place can do a pretty yummy breakfast and a pretty yummy gelato and I love the pictures of Greece. And I love the cookies.

For some reason, though, I just never fell in love with Artopolis. The Hungarian Patry Shop has a more intimate, pleasant vibe and better pastries. Crepes on Columbus has a more satisfying brunch.

Everything that artopolis does, it seems to do pretty well. But somehow it doesn't thrill me.
3 - Matt M.: Solid bakery with a lot of variety and certainly an emphasis on presentation.

We went there a few weeks ago when we were just wandering around looking for a way to extend an evening. We stopped in and after admiring the pastry presentation for a while everyone decided on something. Personally I got a coffee and a couple cookies. The coffee was good and came with refills by a prompt and friendly waitress. The cookies were ok, they were small butter or shortbread cookies, pretty standard taste, paired well with the coffee.

Everything else looked good and the general consensus was that it was indeed tasty. I can't really recall the price of some of the fancier pastries but my coffee and cookies were under $5 I believe.

It was nice, not the best bakery, but worth stopping in if you have a sweet tooth craving and are passing by.
3 - Chris T.: One of the best places around Columbia University to sit down and catch up with a friend over coffee and a snack. It's not the best place to study (a bit loud and no outlets for laptops) and the food and coffee is only average, despite being aesthetically pleasing (they are oddly adept at serving pastries, gelato, and coffee that isn't as tasty as it looks). Still, for "getting coffee," Artopolis' warm atmosphere, comfortable chairs, reasonable prices, and convenient hours of operation are hard to beat in this neighborhood.
4 - Megan F.: I came here with a big group for brunch, and I definitely wasn't disappointed. It's very reasonable to get a big crepe, a (really yummy) coffee and a mimosa. And oh, the crepes. From omelet-filled crepes to your old-fashioned fruit and chocolate ones, they're to die for. 

The interior is cute, and if the weather's warm enough they have outdoor seating. And if you're still hungry after brunch, their gelato looks heavenly.
3 - Jon G.: Small tables, tasty crepes
3 - Sabina M.: To be honest... I'm indifferent about this place. I like the seating and presentation of their pastries. But sometimes things that really tempt you on display, just don't live up to your expectation. I think that overall it's just a matter of luck... it all depends on what you order. I would definitely recommend their crepes (without the whipped creme!) and I would definitely advise against getting coffee and cookies here. They don't really know the difference between a latte and a cappuccino.

But on the other hand... if you love ubersweet chocolate chip cookies and if the "sweet" taste of America's "greatest" chocolate HERSEY's makes your heart jump.... Go for it! You're on your own!
3 - Adriana K.: Some things are better than others. Pastries are pretty good, sweet crepes are great, and gelato is also very nice. Their drinks are also well-made. Savory crepes are a little bland. I like their other fare alright. 

I really like the manager/owner here (I'm not sure which one he is, but clearly he's the BMOC at this place). He's so nice. Other people who work here have kind of hit-or-miss attitudes. Still, it's a place I like coming to when I'm in the area.
4 - sara h.: cool desert place; decent priced, sit down bakery
4 - Joyce B.: Came here today for lunch and fell in love with this cute restaurant shop. Since I came pretty late, I ordered lunch food, a salad. However, this place is more known for their brunch food - crepes, pancakes, waffles, and they have amazingly cute pastries. The salad was pretty huge. I was defiinitely full. My friend ordered the strawberry gelato, which is also pretty amazing. I have to admit that their food is on the pricier side, especially for college students since my salad came out to be about $12, but it's definitely a neat place to visit. 

Next time, I definitely want to check out their desserts and brunch food.
4 - Sue Y.: Sitting outside on a beautiful summer day, lunch here was fantastic. 

Super cute cafe right across the hospital. 

The chicken salad is amazing. Tons of mango and other fruit with tender, spice chicken, and crunchy nuts. Fresh squeezed orange juice. Delicious deserts and sweets. When you order a coffee, they give you a tiny little cookie at the end too! The crepe was good too.
4 - Linda L.: this is the cutest coffee and dessert shop i ever seen. the seating area is very cute, with the windows opening out. because of the mad graduation crowd, it was a pain in the arse waiting in line for a table, while it was raining out. but once seated i was not disappointed. 

strawberry jubilee - the strawberry and banana crepe was delicious! the caramel de leche was TOO sweet, but it did hit my caramel sweet tooth. 

the strawberry tart was amazing. the cream is more of whip cream than a normal cream anglaise. the strawberry were really fresh, and the crust was really crunchy =)
5 - Tiffany S.: DISCLAIMER! I've only had one thing here: the chocolate berry goodness crepe. Ok, I made up that name. I'll admit it - I forgot what it's called. But it's a dark chocolate filled crepe lavished with blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. 

Honestly the best crepe I have ever had in my entire life (and I averaged 1.5 crepes a day when in Paris). The chocolate is rich (quality stuff), berries are ripe and fresh, and the crepe itself is crunchy. I still dream about this crepe, and if you're in any doubt about how serious I am about it, it's currently in my profile picture. Taken 7 months ago.

Service was good and all that but GO AND EAT THE CREPES!
3 - Alisa L.: Super deceiving.   Love their gelato and coffee drinks, so I decided to try their crepes after hearing much about them from friends.  

Mediocre at best.  Breakfast crepes were kind of bland (thank god for the salt and pepper, which came in super cute shakers), sweet crepes were eh (tiny crepe, way too many strawberries, good gelato though), and smoothie again was bland.  Oh also, the normal coffee, not so great.

Presentation was really nice though and very artful.  Too bad the food didn't match.  But very cute place to meet a friend or just relax and read for the afternoon, although the place is TINY and always busy.
5 - Chad T.: I don't go across 110th Street very often, but my night up there was fantastic.  Following a great (and messy!) dinner at Zoma we headed across the park for some dessert treats.  We shared a porcupine and some gelato.  Not that nasty starberry kind of "gelato"-that-isn't-really-gelato, this gelato is the real deal (we were brought here by some Italians).

It isn't on the p90x meal plan, but I am a Phil Knight fan.  JUST DO IT.
4 - Kirsten S.: Artopolis may have my favorite morning chai in the city (no breakfast food needed--it's filling).  I don't usually like my chai too sweet, but I love the rich creaminess of the Spiced Chai here (they also have Vanilla-- a bit sweeter-- and Indian-- which I haven't tried because they said it was really spicy).  I usually get them to go, and they're huge!  I even forgive their use of styrofoam cups because they are so tasty.

I have also come for breakfast, which is nice but not quite as exciting as a walk in the park with a Spiced Chai.  They have really affordable breakfast combos (coffee/tea and a huge crepe for about $7), and their homestyle potatoes are wonderful.  I haven't yet found a crepe that I have fallen in love with, so I usually make my own.  They're quite accommodating.

Service isn't welcome mat friendly, but they are nice enough and get you what you need.

Artopolis is one thing that I miss a lot about living in South Harlem... my weekend mornings just aren't the same.

PS: Not a big dessert person, but their dessert case is huge and full of colorful, intriguing things.
3 - Alexander M.: My friend who was visiting over the weekend kept insisting that we return here for their amazing smoothies but we were continually disappointed by the service and the quality of non-beverages. The display and decor are very clean and attractive (reminded me of Japan) but the ordering process is unclear. I was under the (not unfounded) impression that you order at the counter and then take a seat. But the attendant was quick to direct us toward a table when we informed him we wanted to "eat in." The waitress (who we were unlucky enough to get all 3 times we visited!) was slow, lazy, and maintained a constant expression of "I don't give a shit." The berry smoothie my friend was raving about was pretty good, as was my banana latte smoothie, but don't get it if you're expecting something refreshing. Later, we made the mistake of coming here for breakfast. The breakfast crepes (are they omelettes? are they crepes?) are super dry and I found myself having to douse each bite in gobs of their bland hot sauce. But other than that the Greek one wasn't so bad. But I must give it to them - the coffee was AMAZING. I tried to look behind the counter to see if they were using a Clover machine or some other elite coffee maker but it looked like a simple diner coffee pot... Artopolis is on my daily walking route and the coffee and pastries are good so I will definitely be returning.

Looks deceive.
3 - Monique S.: Crepes. Sweet and savory. I thought it would be hard to go wrong; turns out it was hard to go right...

I used to go here quite a bit when I first moved to the city a few years ago, but since then it seems to have gone down hill. Today for lunch I had the protein omelet crepe and tried the strawberry one. They weren't great to be honest. There was just no flavor! Where did it go? 

The salad options are all a little bit funky, in the bad way, not the cool way. 

They forgot to bring us the smoothie we ordered. And promised me an extra little tea cookie that they never delivered on...

I mean, I want to like this place. I love the tall tables and bar stool is in the window overlooking the patio. The sounds of the cars going by on a Sunday when you read your morning paper with a cup of coffee...I try, I try....but sorry folks, the food just isn't good enough....
4 - Dimitrios D.: The place is really clean looking and filled with very nice looking sweets and pastries!

I picked up a cake and baklava (the owner is Greek, I believe) for my friend's birthday, and everyone was satisfied with the selections.

The cashier even gave us free paper plates and plastic utensils- enough for about 30 people.

Definitely recommended!
4 - Sue K.: I can't wait to bring my friend here for saturday breakfast with dessert.

Four of us went; two of us got coffee, the other two got tea.  I got teh coffee - was NOT impressed at all.  I would love for this place to improve their coffee; i'd come all the time - since i live a few blocks away.  I went last saturday and their dessert makes me want to return but their coffee makes me a bit apprehensive.  I am a coffee snob and that makes me seek out good coffee wherever I go - a few blocks up amsterdam, you will find better coffee (at Max Caffe) - but i digressed! 
Fruit tart - i personally like "pudding'-like filling better than whipped-cream-like filling so I will not get the tart when i return.  Cookie bar - HUGE chocolate chip cookie - nothing amazing but it did the trick.
Breakfast - omelets were amazing.  Tomato, basil, mozzarella omelet inspired me to try my 'own' - maybe add roasted peppers and sundried tomatoes? heh.

I can't wait to try their crepes - both sweet and savory.  My friend had the feta cheese, egg whites crepe - it looked great.  Oh and one more thing - their morning potatoes are AMAZING!!! spicy and savory - full of flavor. Yum.
4 - Robyn T.: This place is fantastic for desserts! Just take a look at that drool worthy display case and you'll be raring to grab a fork and start nibbling away at anyone of their decadent treats. There's not too much to the seating area here, but you can enjoy some good coffee or Mighty Leaf tea with your treat. I selected the chocolate profiterole which was equally as good as it looked. Fresh fruit on top cut the richness of the chocolate. The mini cheesecakes look pretty, but weren't as delicious as the profiterole. 

Full cakes and treats are available for takeout too. We ordered another chocolaty cake to bring home and I enjoyed a piece of that the next day.
2 - Secret Agent Vegetables I.: The lattes taste like plastic. The first time I thought it was a fluke. One more try and now I've realized it's the "flavor" or something. Coming from the Pacific Northwest, I have to keep in mind that New York is not a coffee-centric place, but Artopolis falls far below most cafes in the city. Their desserts are good and the salads and sandwhiches are decent, if a little steeply priced for what they are. Just don't get any espresso.
4 - LICquake r.: Popped in for a quick tea to go.  Server was extraordinarily nice -- I asked for "room" and he not only checked if he had left enough (I wanted more) but he dumped water out twice until it was just right.  And he was super friendly about it -- I did not feel like I was annoying him or holding things up. 

(That may not seem like a big deal but if you like to add milk and there's too much tea or coffee, dumping it is a major pain if not impossible.)

Can't wait to go back (and will update my review when I have more to say).  Oh, and the pastries looked SO good.  Nice little outdoor seating area for summer.  Lots of window seating for cooler days.

*Update*: visited again: cappuccino also excellent.  But pricey!
4 - Cenydd G.: One of THE best banana-blue berry crepes I've ever had. Delicious!
3 - Usman J.: Nice place to sit down and have coffee and a snack. Pricey though. 

I had the coffee and a croissant and it was okay.
4 - Ariel G.: Great spot for girls to sit down and gossip. The banana crepe is great as well as its smoothies. It is not a place for you to go all the way up to try out, but if you happen to swing by, it's always a nice spot to chill out and catch up with friends. Not so many people order smoothies in the winter, so you can hear your conversation clearly, but in the summer, you will always hear their blenders trying very hard to crash bananas, mango and other fruits and ice cubes. You may feel a bit noisy. 

In general, it's a nice, relaxing place to sit down for a coffee and chitchat.
4 - Anita K.: Great cheesecake and chocolate cake.
2 - Stephany C.: Yes, it's a cute spot to meet up for a coffee break or something, but I'm not a fan.  The coffee is pretty good, but the desserts, I'm not really a fan of.  Everything looks great on display, but cupcakes and cakes are dry and definitely don't taste as good as they look.  If anything, I would recommend the crepes.
4 - Jillian N.: I'm not really a pastries/crepes person and so I came here to meet a friend a little reluctant.

I am, however, an amazing apple cinnamon buttery waffle with gelato on top person!  Seriously one of the best brunch items I've ever had.

Overall, this place is delightful. I'm already looking for an excuse to bring a friend here.
3 - Joohee K.: Living up to its name, this place is art, from the wide glass windows to the green ferns to the array of colorful gelato. But perhaps culinary is truly only skin deep. 

My friend and I ordered a sweet and savory crepe, respectively. It was balanced choice to tackle a full-on gauge of this joint. My friend's sweet crepe, called "Smothered in Swiss" was a Swiss chocolate stuffed crepe topped with mixed berries. It was beautiful, an utterly divine culinary portrait. You really can't go wrong with sweet crepes because it's hard to botch the batch. However with savory crepes, you apparently can. First off, they got my order wrong and gave me a Santo Domingo Crepe instead of the Konde Crepe. I knew something was off when I smelled the nauseatingly strong honey mustard stench. Then I knew my order was completely wrong when I dissected open the doughy crepe skin to find deli ham. I am a passionate deli-meat hater so I would've never ordered this! So I asked they fix my order, which they apologetically did. 

So the Konde Crepe. Hm...It's a crepe stuffed with grilled chicken and grilled vegetables drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette. I will just say that I would've much preferred a totally vegetarian crepe because that chicken was not good. The pungent relief of balsamic was hidden under the rubbery white chicken breast. Finally to top it off, not that I had a big problem with the crepe itself, but it was definitely too thick to be authentic. Then again, I wasn't really looking for authenticity. 

So if you live off of aesthetics than food, then this is your rest stop. If you value cuisine over beauty, then, head somewhere else!
3 - Jean L.: What is better after trading 80 for 40 degree weather over a six-hour red-eye flight than nestling into some cozy cafe? Absolutely nothing. Still a bit dazed and shivering, I was brought by Carly M and her friend into the cutest shop fronted with cakes, truffles and cookies of all shapes and colors. 

There was a wait. Actually, there wasn't much room at all for the lunch crowd. The small counter and two-fer tables had minimal surface area. Our chairs, purses and jackets were pushed up against others. I was quite impressed our mugs fit alongside our dishes. 

My crepe of mozzarella, basil and sundried tomatoes was cheesy and decent. As a savory one, it needed more...salt. Far from any amazing crepe I've had, but a filler and good enough to tide me over. The accompanying salad of dark greens had a memorably tangy dressing. 

Service was sporadic. Upon sitting, my fork was clearly very dirty (as in, with pieces of red food stuck between the tongs). Our waters were never refilled. It took them a while to get the ketchup. 

Baklava on the shelves, boxes of cookies at the cashier, and cupcakes behind glass, it was difficult to walk back into the chill without perusing the desserts one last time. Since it's about $12 a pound of cookies, and the ready-made assortment boxes were less than a buck over that, I got a set. Out of them, the favorites were the mini crispy, chewy oatmeal and chocolate chip.

Great for a light meal or some impromptu desserts if you're in the area. Despite their popularity, they don't rush you; there were several people working on papers while we were there.
4 - Camille A.: I would give this place five stars if it wasn't so small and the staff could control the baby stroller mafia.  The food, specifically the dessert items, and the coffee, was superb! I loved the vanilla gelato cookie sandwich with my americano!  Cute date spot when you're on this side of town. Plus, there is a pastry/dessert space connected to it, so you can take your treats to go!
4 - alexis r.: i miss living in the city.. i mostly miss randomly deciding i want dessert, getting on the subway in my pajamas and looking in the dessert case at artopolis before making a decision. usually involving multiple pastries. the service is slow but the coffee is good and the pastries are consistently amazing. cute place to meet friends, great date night place. i'm a fan.
3 - Christle A.: The cheesecakes are rich but I just don't get a lot of the flavors as I would like. I've tried all of them; The strawberry is the best. The Oreo is interesting in a good way.

The desserts are artfully designed and presented.

Here is their newest website: http://artopolisespresso.com/
4 - Jac C.: I'm a fan. There I said it. This place is a cool place to hang out. Their service is quick and very good.   I tried their chicken crepe with a spicy mango chipotle sauce. It was awesome. I also tried their baklava and while it was good, it wasn't the best i've ever had. Would visit them again. Nice and clean place. 

I do think the crepe with the potato chips is an odd combo and looks cheesy. Ask for it with the salad instead please.
1 - Carol B.: Simply put: This place is not worth your money, it's not worth your time and it's not worth your appetite either.

The Americanized crepe restaurant...they might have been able to pull it off if the service here wasn't absolutely terrible!

And I mean REALLY BAD. Everyone who works here has a serious attitude. For instance, we asked if we could take our crepe to go, but sit outside. The immediate answer was no, but then after waiting for our food to finish, we were told that we were welcome to sit down outside...

About 85% through finishing our crepe that tasting nothing of nutella, the head waitress or honcho or capital baronness of rudeness came over and told us that we were not allowed to eat outside of the cafe and that it's okay for now, but we must clean up after ourselves.

At that point...the New Yorker in me wanted to take whatever crepe we had left and smear it all over the table...but since my mom tried to teach me the slightest bit of manners, I refrained and decided that I would simply never visit Artopolis again.

I was really embarrassed by the way that I was treated by this woman, especially since I was a paying patron at her establishment.

Anyway, the ingredients looked fresh, they have bottled water and lots of different kinds of (sweet and savory) crepes. Leave the attitude at the doorstop though, really.
3 - Tricia R.: we popped in here for a quick brunch and were pleasantly surprised.  since rediscovering crepes in montreal, my boyfriend and i have been on the hunt for comparable crepes in nyc.  while not quite the same, the crepes here weren't bad.  i'm not a huge fan of the bechamel sauce that typically comes with crepes, but the crepes here seemed a bit dry without anything poured on top.

the service, however, was spot on and i was lured into having the mini traditional and mini coconut baklava for dessert which were both pretty damn good!
1 - Russell B.: This place is terrible. It looks nice, but this is a case of "looks can be deceiving". The workers have attitudes, and roll their eyes off when you speak with them.

The crepes are bad compared to places like Max Cafe (down the block), or Creperie ( West 4th)

Bad service and very rude. Not welcoming at all... Management should replace cashier and server. 

The only one who seemed friendly was the person making the crepes who didn't speak English. I feel bad for the guy to have to deal with the server and cashier who are both A-Holes.
4 - Masha P.: I've only ever been here for the cake, but it is damn good cake! Pretty and delicious, they come in many assorted sizes, so you're bound to find one suitable for your purpose. This is the place to go if you want a change from your regular old ice cream or buttercream cakes. Their cakes tend to be composed of layers of spongecake (oh so moist!) and mousse of some sort. I've had their white chocolate raspberry cake, their caramel Bavarian cream cake, and their raspberry mousse cake--each were well balanced and satisfying.
3 - Lisa W.: Came here with my sister for some Saturday brunch. I got an egg white, spinach, and Swiss cheese crepe and she got one with Nutella, chocolate syrup, bananas, and strawberries. The prices are reasonable for the most part, especially considering that the egg crepes, when ordered in the morning, come with free tea or coffee that is refilled for free (at least this is the case for coffee, which I had) but we were shocked to find that my sister's orange juice cost $4.50. That's just too much to pay for juice. 

Overall, the food is good and the ambiance is cheerful but a little sterile. 
I think I'd come back here again if I passed by it, maybe for a pastry. I just don't think I'll be making special trips to visit anytime soon.
4 - Cadi W.: I'm in love with the pre-packaged boxes of cookies (even though they're kind of expensive), and the muffins are amazing! I can't wait to try more from Artopolis!
3 - Kristin H.: Stopped in for brunch and shared one sweet and one savory crepe... they were both very good! 

The "hashbrowns" were pretty disappointing, though. I was excited when I saw them on the menu since all of the restaurants around here serve home fries instead, and I'm not a big fan... but what came to our table was just a big old bowl of home fries. Urggh.
3 - d p.: Working at St. Luke's there aren't that many places to get lunch/snacks if you don't feel like walking to Broadway in the cold or the heat.   Bascially there are two choices---strokos and artopolis.    Walking into artopolis, you're like 'cupcakes, cookies' o my goodness but i have to tell you, after trying out a few of their cupcakes over the past two years, and their cookies i can tell you they are not that great.   Cookies---ok not bad but definitely way overpriced.    Cupcakes---some of the worst I've tasted; mostly burnt; tooo sweet.    
I do enjoy their chocolate croissants, and the cinnamon sugar kalouri cookie is good.   The tomato soup in the winter is great with the bread they give you.  And probably the best thing I have had there is the belgian waffle.
Also what sux is they don't sell regular soda bottles.   Salads not good.
3 - Minah L.: My friend from Columbia U. took me here! 

I expected a more college feel but it was just another cafe in the city. hahahaha.

anyways. we both ordered the NES FRAPE. or something like that. you'll know what i mean if you see the menu.

basicallyyyyy. it's bitter coffee. hahaha. but it looks pretty cool. lots of foamy stuff on the top. it looks and tastes kind of like a Guinness beer. i dislike guinness but i enjoy bitter coffee so i liked it a lot. :))

we also ordered the moon shaped cookies with greek yogurt and honey. i love greek yogurt but i don't like honey. the moon cookies were kind of like a shortbread. i wouldn't be surprised if it actually was. hahahaha. the powdered sugar was not my thing though. but overall! it was a good snack while chatting for hours with a loved friend.
4 - shruti s.: This place will always have a special place in my heart for more reasons than one. I went to school in the area, lived there for 3 years and shared some fabulous memories with my loved ones at this place. :)
The food here is good. I have tried a lot of their sweet/savory crepes and they are great. The tastes are fresh and rejuvenating. Their Indian chai latte deserves a word too. Its wonderful and makes we homesick at the same time. 
Love love love the architecture of this cafe. The floor to window ceilings remind me of a cute little cafe somewhere in Europe. 
I have also gifted a ton of their different pastries and cakes to friends and family. Everyone's a fan.
This is a place I will always think of fondly!
4 - J. B.: Visited here on a Saturday around dinner time after having walked by it a couple days earlier.  We've been having good weather lately so the windows were open and people were enjoying the outside seating.  Probably 80% full when I was there.

Though the cakes looked very tempting, I made a beeline for the gelato and after a taste of the mango, settled on that and raspberry - I have to say, two decent size scoops for a small at $3.75 is pretty darn good.  The guy who served me was nice, polite and suggested that I take a seat, which I did by the open window.  The gelato was served in a rather cute dish and plate setting (I happen to have a soft spot for cute things - hey, presentation is important too!).  The little cookie stick was a little stale however, but the gelato was wonderful!  The mango was creamier than the raspberry, but both had a very rich flavor, but wasn't too heavy at all.  

I also ordered a cappuccino - though the foam was a little too dry for my taste, I did enjoy the cinnamon they sprinkled on top.  

I'll definitely be stopping by here again to try their other gelato flavorings and also the crepes they offer.  And maybe make a dinner out of it - just as I was leaving, they put up a sign saying for 2 for 1 beer special.  I'll be checking that out too next time.
2 - Bjorn F.: I still enjoy the vibe in this place, a retreat of non college atmosphere. But the two salads I've had here have both been very disappointing. The salad is drenched in so much dressing that you can't taste anything else. Such a shame because there's good ingredients in the salad, but impossible to enjoy them when about half of the salad's mass is dressing.

The banana chocolate crepe is luscious and delicious, but like the salads it's too rich to have more than a few bites (I expected that from a sweet crepe but not a salad).
4 - Stephanie D.: Artopolis is adorable!! I actually do like a lot of their pastries (for $6 you get some BEAUTIFUL, artistic, delicious desserts), and have never actually had their crepes, but friends of mine have said that they were delish! 

I will say this though: Artopolis, please don't put out this Red Velvet Cappucino though. It stains people's teeth (you end up looking like an extra in True Blood), and all it tastes like is hot cocoa with some red stuff in it. 

Good date spot, and they CONSTANTLY refill your water, which is so nice and conducive to incredibly long conversations :)
3 - Christine C.: Came here for Saturday brunch. I got an egg white, spinach, and Swiss cheese crepe, came with free tea or coffee (I got tea). The tea also came with this little cookie on the side, so adorable. I thought the crepe was a bit bland. But then again not a lot of people on Yelp recommended that so maybe it was a bad choice. It did have some cute fruits on the side like mango and strawberries - which is a plus. Next time, I would try the sweet crepe.

The ambiance is very delightful. I'd come again probably to try their gelato or coffee (as some people recommended) if I'm around the area.
4 - An M.: I have come to this place several times. I must share with you - the plain crepe with sugar & butter is out of this world deliciously simply phenomenal, please try it and tell me what you think! However, I had to deduct a star for service, which is slow and absent-minded. Also, for the one time I came here and they were short-staffed, and ran out of eggs. That was just strange, but they assured that was only a one-time occurrence due to the holiday. I hope they learn to run across the street for more eggs if that ever happens again (duh?). But it's all worth it for that plain crepe Mmmm!
3 - Miranda M.: The cooks at Artopolis are AMAZING...I have never experienced better crepes or desserts. The service on the other hand is something that makes me opt for take out. They get packed during brunch and on two occasions I have had a great , new waitress who was very personable and friendly despite the fact that she had many tables. My first experience with a sour waitress I chalked out as her having a bad day - but each time I come in, she is rude and very un friendly. I feel rushed and feel like she doesn't do her job of selling me on the many delicous options. When I asked the tall brunette what her favorite crepe was , she replied that she didn't like crepes and said she'd come back to take my order. I heard her talking to her co worker the same way she talked to me and I feel really bad for this girls coworkers. After she collected my check I heard her complain on "the cheap" tippers. I was a waitress myself and understand the stress of the job- but how about having some personality? Regardless everyone should try the food- just not be offended if they feel rushed and if there causing a disturbance to this girl.
4 - Steve M.: Strolled over here to have some brunch and ended up having dessert.  Crepes and waffles are the specialty.   All different varieties for just about any mood you're in.  I had the banana waffle since I was more into breakfast mode. Thing was huge.  It came with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and nutella.  One of the best waffles I ever had.    But I'm not sure it was the best option to start your day.  Anyway, I will go back.  Fun staff and cool atmosphere.
5 - Dora V.: My most favorite cafe/hang-out place in the Columbia University Nabe - 
great pastries, great coffee, great service!!!

I have a 3 years old daughter and the staff is so friendly to her all the time that she believes they are all her friends:)

Favorites to try: spinach pie (spanakopita), grapefruit juice, all the ice-creams, the coockies - the little tartlettes... 

As you can probably tell - I've been going there for years;)

Omlettes and salads are also a nice option for a light lunch.

If you are really hungry - you would be better off trying a more restaurant type of a place on B'way.
5 - Karan V.: I go here WAY too often. It is my absolute favorite neighborhood spot for coffee or brunch in Morningside Heights. The crepes and the omelettes are to die for, and the pastries are rich and well made. Great service as well, and the prices are among the most reasonable in the whole neighborhood.
5 - Laura M.: This is definitely a hidden gem in this area! Great service with delicious & healthy crepes.
2 - Maria L.: Food and desserts are decent. They have some good crepes but I prefer crepes on columbus. 

The main problem is the service. The servers are short and incredibly slow. You often have to ask them multiple times if you need anything. 

Its an okay spot to go for brunch or a crepe if you really too lazy to leave the area, but honestly, I wouldn't go back.
4 - Catherine B.: Came here last night for the first time. I was hard-pressed to order because everything looked incredible. I finally got the Chocolate Supreme cake. It's a chocolate cake and has chocolate mousse in it. The outside has almond slivers covered in powdered sugar. I also tried my friend's Tiramisu which was very good as well. Two of my other friends shared the Classic Crepe- nutella with bananas and strawberries. Also incredibly delicious. And finally my other friend had the Straticcella gelato, also amazing! Point is, everything here is delicious, go right now. 

I would have given them 5 stars but the waiter took forever to take our order and to bring us the bill.
3 - John-Paul P.: My girlfriend attends Columbia and while doing an errand for school one Saturday morning, she suggested we try this place out, since she'd been a few times and liked it.

We had the brunch special, which came with drinks as well. To drink, we had a mimosa and sangria, which were both pretty good, especially the sangria.

To eat, I can't remember what my gf had, but I had the Apple Tower Waffle. It wasn't bad, but could've used more apples. I probably should've just had a crepe, since I'm a huge crepe fan.

I would definitely consider coming back here to try a crepe.
5 - Krystal L.: This is one of the better coffee shops near campus. They have a coffee card so ask for that if you plan on being a frequenter. I usually go on the weekday and have never had a problem with service (however I hear different in regards to the weekend)

Coffee and chai tea is good. However, I wouldn't recommend their cupcakes or cookies (the cupcakes don't have very good frosting and their cookies are just ok, but they are small and quiet cute). 

I really really love their broccoli soup and their pretzel and chocolate crape. Their specialty deserts are very nice too (the tiramisu and that really nice dark chocolate one...)

You can't miss it too, their yellow awning was a great marketing idea.
4 - Alyssa M.: Yum! That's the word that sums this place up.  

Came here on a nice spring day and wanted to have something sweet while I did some work.  I ordered the traditional baklava and was not disappointed.  Probably the 2nd best I've ever had.  It was served on a cute little plate with an extra drizzle of honey.  It was so good I ordered 4 more to go (don't judge--they're tiny pieces)!  I'll definitely be back to try more of the food items, crepes, and desserts.  Such a cute place.

Downside:  Wi-Fi was awful for my mac :-(
2 - Jess L.: Service was slow.

The Nutella + fruit crepe is not made with Nutella, I'm sorry. It has a chocolate syrup consistency while maintaining the hazelnut essence. But it's not the same thing. And please don't tell me it is. 

The Avodo salad was good, but the dressing was too heavy. I definitely recommend getting it on the side.

Also, they had this policy where only to-go smoothies could you have a choice between small and large smoothies; smoothies in house must only be large (and with the $5.50 price tag). We couldn't seem to figure out why this policy existed.

Pretty bummed out by my dinner here, as you can tell. I might just stick with the pastries from here on out.
3 - Janna W.: Who knew they did brunch besides decadent desserts?! 

The turkey, cheese savory crepe was fairly good and the greens were fresh. The banana and gelato belgium waffle was yummy though on the dry side even with the small scoop of gelato. Would've been better with syrup or more ice cream. 

Overall, the convenience wins and we will come again but for the price, quality and selection if you're willing to walk a few more blocks there are better options.
4 - Atreyee G.: three words. CAPPUCCINO GELATO SHAKE. Heavenly.
the desserts are scrumptious too, but the cappuccino gelato shake wins me over every single time!
5 - Apple C.: I love this place more than the location in Astoria. This place has food and a big drink menu where as in Astoria, there is no variety. They even have a larger selection of baked goods and a salad bar too. They have indoor and outdoor seating, which would have been great to sit if I wasn't in a rush.
2 - Julia D.: Fantastic at night, and horrible in the morning/afternoon. The food, admittedly, is spectacular at any time of day, but my experience here this past Sunday morning was intolerable. I had called initially to say that I would be rolling in with about 12 people for brunch; they explained that they couldn't hold a reservation but that they were pretty sure they could seat us all together. We showed up at the time we said we would, and they could not seat us together. I let this one slide since they were noncommital to begin with.

We sat at two tables on opposite sides of the dining area, and I still had high hopes. It quickly became apparent, however, that they had only one server working the entire establishment (I would say at least 20-packed tables, including large groups). Unsurprisingly, the service was abominably slow. And instead of being apologetic and explaining the situation to us, or letting us know that he was doing the best he could, the server seemed completely disinterested in everyone and wasn't making any effort to make his tables happy -- maybe it has something to do with the included gratuity on groups of 6 or more. I simply do not understand why such a fantastic cafe with such wonderful potential would allow only one person to work on a Saturday/Sunday morning and afternoon. It totally ruined the experience for us, as we ended up waiting a half hour before we could order, and then an hour before our food came, with tons of mistakes thrown into the mix. We then waited another half hour for the check even though by then the place had cleared out. 

I used to REALLY love this place, and I think I'll still come back here when I know it'll be less busy, maybe for a coffee and gelato or light dinner, but I would certainly not recommend bringing a large group of people here for breakfast/brunch.
3 - Kara K.: 3.5 stars
Cute and good for salads/crepes/sandwiches etc but quite overpriced for this kind of food in my opinion. But I guess thats the going price: $8/9 for a crepe which is really a thin pancake with like 5 strawberries a banana and nutella. Still a cute place. Pretty good brunch deal.
2 - Jennifer S.: ***2.5***

I've had two mixed experiences at Artopolis.  

I ordered a strawberry, banana, nutella crepe - but the "nutella" tasted like and had the consistency of chocolate syrup (not a good thing).  Plus, the dough of the crepe was only sub-par.  Thankfully the strawberries and bananas were fresh!

I've also ordered smoothies from Artopolis.  Apparently, if you order to stay, you can ONLY order a large smoothie - whereas if you get it to go - you can choose between small and large.  Also, after I ordered/paid for my smoothie, they informed me that they were out of some of the ingredients.  I might have either ordered something different or not ordered at all if I had been aware of the missing ingredients.  

Lastly, the service is "meh."  And the order in which they prepare orders did not make sense.  For example, I ordered/paid for my smoothie.  Then the gentleman took the following 2 customers orders, prepared them, and they left with their order before he even started to make my smoothie?
2 - Virginia C.: This place has gone downhill. One star is for being the only gelato place around this neighborhood, the other for being one of my favorite dessert places until most recently. 

I've been having the gelatos, crepes, and desserts since they first opened, but I have to say, the service and quality has dropped so low that I feel strongly about writing this review. 

Most of the time I either sit down for crepes, or get gelato/dessert to go. Tonight I sat down for some dessert with some friends from out of town. We ordered the strawberry cheesecake, mille feuille, and a cup of coffee. It took more than 15 minutes to serve our order when we were the only new customers. 

The desserts were labeled $5.25 in the display, but upon receiving the bill they each came out to $6.25. Charging a dollar more for dining in is not a problem, but should have been stated somewhere, instead of just appearing on the check. Milk that came with the coffee was sour...you could smell the sourness! When we brought the sour milk to the attention of the cashier, she took a whiff and proceeded to pour it down the drain. Did not offer to have it taken off the bill or even offer a word of apology. Mille feuille was stale and tasted of other favors perhaps absorbed in the display. 

Last, but not least, we wanted to tip less, but apparently Artopolis decided that for our party of 4, we needed to tip 18%, and it showed up directly on our check.
4 - Joy G.: +1 for that one time I stayed from open to around 8pm, working on a Paper of Death, and the waitress ran around trying to find an outlet for my power cord, willingly surrendered the wifi password, gave me refills on my cup of English Breakfast tea, and slipped me some slightly burnt cookies for free. 

+1 for one of their savory crepes, I think it's called the Western, stuffed with cheese, chicken, and grilled peppers. Add in some itty-bitty slivers of fruit, a glass of orange juice, and you have the makings of a perfect morning. 

-1 for their heavily advertised NesFrappe. I'm not a coffee person to begin with so I can't really say exactly how a frappe should taste like, but that thing was 100% coffee-flecked foam and I had a hard time choking it down. 

+1 for gelato smoothies. It's a toss-up between mango and pistachio for the flavors. 

Huge salads. Meh sandwiches. On warm summer days, they open the awnings and you can pretend you're sitting in a nice little cafe in Rome.
3 - Trisha W.: For 12 dollars you can get a big huge delicious sweet crepe, a clean and quiet chill out or work environment, and a friendly staff.

It's pretty reasonable for the area.
4 - Taylor G.: I came here looking for a smoothie and I ended up getting a smoothie and a croissant with peanut butter and nutella. Both were very good. There a lot of lunch options from crepes, salads, sandwiches, smoothies, gelato, coffee, and desserts. It is kind of pricey and the prices on the to go menu are different than eating in. I would recommend for a small and light lunch!
4 - Alex A.: Very nice, busy, student-y place. Great food, wonderful coffee and desserts. Service is good, occasionally chaotic and forgetful. Still, always a good experience.

Arts Center - Carrboro, NC (35.910267, -79.068915) ()
5 - Zach W.: I have been on Local Arts panels with the Artscenter Executive Director and we have hosted the North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival at the Artscenter since 2006. DSI has had an Artist-in-Residence help run afterschool programs and I highly recommend the Youth Performing Arts Conservatory. The Artscenter has programming for the entire community. Support them.
4 - William J.: The Arts Center has plays and music and arts of all kinds.  One might even say it is a center for such things, as though arts gravitate towards it.

You never quite know what's going to happen here, but I guarantee you that there is something going on here.  It probably has more to do with painting or musical theater than it does with baby murder, but that's less of a guarantee.  Not to say that they don't support baby murder.  They just REALLY support painting.

I've been here several times during the school year for theatrical productions from various people, and they always do a great job.  Tickets are affordable and the space is fun and indy.

There's also an art gallery attached to the center, the East End Gallery.  It's a tiny space, but it's industrial homey, much like the rest of the center, and shows change regularly to keep you guessing.  Right now there's a show there from Eduardo A-Spanish-Last-Name, this abstract Argentine artist with multiple sclerosis who paints things that are bright and trippy.  Enjoy.
1 - Smanda P.: Question: Should you take a photography or music class at the Carrboro Arts Center?

Answer: HECK NO. Do not take any class here that involves any kind of listening. The classrooms are so noisy, you won't be able to hear anything. They're also pretty filthy and gross. 

As for the classes, they definitely don't care about the quality of their instructors. They don't even do end-of-class evaluations Shoddy!
3 - Christina G.: This is an interesting venue. Part gallery, part performance art, part classroom, part art show space. I don't come frequently since I don't live near the Carrboro area, but I have made it out for a couple of art shows. A friend of mine is an active craftsmen, and always gives us the heads-up on any of her shows. The last one we went to was around Christmas -- it was fun to browse the eclectic offerings that were there, but honestly, it's a really teeny room to house much. So we were in and out in a quick 15 minutes. The gallery, though, is fairly large and is fun to walk through and browse if you happen to be in the area.
4 - BJ E.: This facility has a fantastic stage for shows.   The hope that the NCCAF is here next year.   The facility itself has alot of interesting artwork hanging up all over the lobby.  You have to look for it, but there are some great pictures by 1 and 3 year olds in the corner.   I was quite tickled by them.

I can't vouch for the quality of the classes, I was just there to perform.    But I certainly hope to be back there next year on the mainstage for some hilarity.
4 - Abby L.: I really love this venue for shows. Not a bad seat in the house. I have no idea about the classes though, so I won't comment on them. Just... when I see that a musical act I like is playing here, I am always very pleased, because I know the sound will be top notch, and I will be able to see well. Nice comfy seats. Aaaaand, I'll get Milltown mussels before I head in for the show. :D
4 - Wilson K.: I love the funky, unpretentious ArtsCenter. Stop by anytime to see the interesting local art in the open gallery. 
We took swing lessons there for a couple of years with the incomparable Richard  Badu, who could teach the Minister of Funny Walks to dance like Frankie Manning. Even if you've lost hope, give him a try. 
There are all kinds of other classes going on, and there are always little kids around if you like the energy. They also have concerts, sometimes with real music legends, but the tickets are usually overpriced for the area. Rich's classes, on the other hand, don't cost much.
5 - Jeff B.: Arts Center is a great spot to catch a live performance.  Its got a really intimate stage and pseudo-stadium seating inside its small auditorium.  The size and acoustics however are perfect for an up close concert or performance.  On this visit I saw folk singer Todd Snider and prior to that I went for Saxapahaw's Paper Hand Puppet Intervention show.  I recall going here years ago for a jazz trio performance as well.  Good unpretentious spot that also serves surprisingly good, locally roasted coffee, and great local beers on tap (and some in bottles).
3 - Kuanyu C.: Calling it an Arts Center is pretty appropriate, because it is indeed part art gallery, part performance hall. 

I briefly walked through the gallery portion of Arts Center, it's really just your typical show piece gallery. Interior is pretty bright, white walls, wide space in the hall, and plenty lighting.

The performance hall, with the stadium seating, is not too big so there is still that intimate connection with the performer, but not too small that there's no leg room to stretch out. The sound board guy was very helpful during the performance, with lighting, with crowd control, even jumped up the stage and help with the microphone fixture.

Perhaps there will be more events here that I would love to attend.
4 - John L.: The ArtsCenter is nice:  it's a performing arts center in addition to having some art of its own.  In both cases the concept works:  the art is nice within the museum, and the performing arts area is also a nice touch, with a large enough room for interesting independent performances.  Overall, a nice place to go and watch a show.
4 - Jane B.: We saw Wanda Jackson here last night, and I admit it's been too long since I've been to a show at the Arts Center. It's a small, comfortable venue with good sound and seating and a small but decent refreshment bar. The venue is very clean with lots of bright,open space in the gallery. Parking is always a challenge in the area, especially when there's a competing show at Cat's Cradle, in the same building, but we lucked into a spot. 

The only negative: we were picking up Will Call tickets and had to deal with the rudest, most unpleasant little man, who made it clear that dealing with the unwashed masses was beyond disdainful to his sensibilities. I really can't imagine what his gripe was since those of us picking up tickets only needed him to hand them over-- we'd already paid by phone. He was not having to handle any real transactions or our filthy money. The Arts Center could do better with quality of help, in other words.
4 - Tara T.: I decided to take a 1-day Cartooning class at the ArtsCenter and was amused most of the time.  The ArtsCenter is in itself great for people watching and my cartooning class was definitely a unique experience.  

The classrooms are hidden from view, in the rear of the building where you'd suppose the janitor's closets are located or where the office managers lurk.  Instead those rooms and hallways have been transformed into studios that seem to have been around since the 70s.  There was the sound of light hammering from the jewelry-making class, and some melodramatic performer coming from one of the opposite corners of the room.  I don't say this to downplay the ArtsCenter rather I'd say it really adds to the experience.. if that's what you want.  

If you want to learn a simple craft from a kind but unkept hippy with a knack for some random artform, the Carrboro ArtsCenter may be that place.  Don't expect anything fancy, rather know you're in for down-to-earth-granola-my-canvas kind of art and the people that entails.
4 - Chris K.: The thing I appreciate when coming to hear an artist is how intimate the space is.  No matter where you sit it feels like you're up close and personal.  If you get there early to get in the front of the line there's an even better chance to get a close seat since most times the tickets are general admission, although members/friends who are donors to the Arts Center get priority seating.  Also limited parking in the lot so another reason to get there early.

The actual space itself has changed a lot over the last 20 years as it got smaller and smaller and other businesses opened up in what was once theirs.  What is left of the Arts Center is well utilized and there's always a great selection of classes to take or musicians to come and hear.

I know they're working on a shoestring and with a small staff, but one thing I would ask is to actually clean the stage every now and then.  It's always so covered with dust that if an artist is really getting into their music and starts stomping their foot it creates a such a cloud of dust that the lights pick up as it swirls through the air.  I'm surprised some of them haven't started coughing from it!
5 - Felecia B.: I'm reviewing this as a parent this time as my daughter took a class this summer and goes to their after school program three times a week.  

My daughter can be slow to warm up, a little wary at times but the programs here have really brought her out by the warmth of the instructors, and presenting and participating in various forms of art.  She loves going there. 

The have a transportation from elementary schools to the center which is very reasonable.  They have a snack and then every week or two they have a different artist in residence come in to teach.  This last week was performing arts (dance) and next week they start pottery.

The classes are broken up into two groups of younger and older kids.  They also serve as audiences for each other as well.

They also have many classes after school as well that start next week.  She wants to go to another one, she likes it so much.  I feel good about this place as a parent and am so happy we found something she can put her heart into.

Arturo's Bakery & Cafe - Austin, TX (30.2797076, -97.7419305) (Downtown)
3 - Michelle C.: The first time I went to Arturo's, I was really excited.  They have excellent, very tasty, unusual sandwiches at decent prices, they're conveniently located right near my office, they've got this cool, subversive, laid-back vibe going on, and they serve free beer with your meal (yes, FREE BEER!) on certain nights of the week.

Several subsequent trips served to significantly dampen my enthusiasm for this place, though.  Their hours are totally weird and seemingly unpredictable - although I've been there for dinner a couple of times, a couple of other times I tried to go for dinner and they were inexplicably closed.  Then the crowning glory came once when my husband and I got sandwiches there, sat down to eat them, and discovered a few tiny ants on our plates and in our sandwiches.  Live ants.  I brought them back to complain, and the guy behind the counter was like, "So, do you want me to replace them or something?"  Uh, yeah I want you to replace them!  Do you think I'm going to eat this ant-infested sandwich?  I said something to this effect (much more politely), and he mumbled something about how some people probably wouldn't care if there were ants in their sandwich.  Ooooookay.  I understand that sometimes stuff happens and you can't avoid having an ant or two around, but serving ant-ful sandwiches with a side of attitude isn't the best way to earn my repeat business.  I haven't been back since.

Nevertheless, I coughed up three stars for this place for the reasons I liked it originally.  Might be worth another try once I get over the ant incident.

EDIT:  I looked online and it appears that their hours no longer include dinner hours.  So, if you want to try this place, go at breakfast or lunch time.  Also, I'm guessing no more free beer - bummer!
4 - Tommy K.: Being a creature of habit, all I've ever had here was the chicken & spinach quesadilla. It has been good every time. I wish they'd get a soda fountain instead of selling bottles though.
4 - Jeff K.: Underground dining, or so they say.  Arturos menu is tex-mex/bakery/cafe, so you can get a cup of coffee, an adobo chicken quesadilla with rice and black beans, their 'big office club' with potato chips, or any one of a variety of salads, as well as muffins, tacos ala-carte, and breakfast stuff if you get there early enough.

Dining is outside on the sidewalk or down in the basement, they have a variety of rotating artwork, but the overall paint scheme reminds me of a Half-Life 2 level.  The food's consistently good, the atmosphere is, to put it nicely, eclectic.  They don't invest a lot in tables or chairs or what have you, but their prices are reasonable and you'll probably see the same staff every time you go.

We only go for lunch, so that's the only experience I have, but it's a good 'well, can't decide on anywhere else, how about Arturos?' place.

I like their Adobo Chicken Quesadilla, their Big Office Club is good, too.  I haven't had any of their salads in a while but they always look nice.  Sometimes ordering a-la-carte from the taco menu is cheaper, we've found.
3 - Erika G.: This subterranean dining experience for a moment made me wonder whether or not I had missed some obscure conclave of nesting bats that had decided to take up residence somewhere else besides the Congress Bridge, but nay, the only denizens were just local hipsters.

It's probably easy to miss Arturo's if you don't have someone take you there who already knows of its existence, couched as it is on the corner of 17th next door to the Dog & Duck Pub, but perhaps that's the way the owners like to keep it, especially since seating is limited to a couple of outdoor sidewalk tables and two small basement rooms comprised of about 5 tables apiece. 

I only gave it 3 stars this time because my lunch, while good, was not outstanding, just kinda middle of the road, and the keg party feel of the tub 'o melted ice/lukewarm water in which sad bottles of neglected soda were floating (there is no soda fountain) was a bit disconcerting. 

But, basement dining does have its merits, although that sounds a little contrary to rational thought and a bit sociopathic; it was nice and cool down there, the music was good in a typical we're-within-a-bottle-of-black-hair-dye's-throw-of-campus-ergo-we-must-play-something-anything-that-screams-emo-and-depression-dear-god-i'm -sad sort of way.

As for the food, it was fairly cheap, the breakfast burrito selection looked excellent (must mentally sticky-note it for some hungover morning) as well as interesting (there were a lot of vegetarian selections and even a couple of surprising options like Thai Peanut and Mediterranean, so not just your typical Southwestern fare). 

I tried a black bean and spinach soft taco and a spicy chicken soft taco for about $2 and change apiece, both of which were good. The black bean taco was especially tasty, so I hope to come back for some of the more "exotic" fare and add some more stars to this review. 

Service was good but the space between the door and the cash register is the size of Paris Hilton's left calf, so any semblance of a lunch line will automatically be relegated to wait outside, which is kind of annoying. 

However, if you're in the neighborhood looking for a break from Einstein's or McDonald's, the Bat Signal is waving its hard-to-find searchlight from the corner of 17th.


UPDATE:
Ok, so I should add that I went here for lunch today and this time there was a spankin' new refrigerated soda machine. Apparently aforementioned bucket was the proxy while they were waiting on the real thing. However, because my chicken adobe taco was so slick with grease I practically had to use mechanic's tools, I am keeping the same amount of stars. Oh, and the service was substantially better and quicker this time around. 

Or, I could be biased because my waiter/cash register ringer-upper guy looked a lot like Roger Federer, if Federer wore skinny black jeans, quit playing tennis, lost 30 pounds, started smoking weed and grew his hair out shoulder-length. Yeahhhhhh...it's still only getting 3 stars.
4 - Lara F.: BLACKBEANMANIA!!!

So, if you work downtown (near UT/Capitol Complex), you hear about these small, cool, eclectic deli restaurants.  BUT you have to search for them or have someone show you where this place is.  It's like finding the Holy Grail.

I've been hearing RAVES about Arturo's for many weeks, and I just hadn't ventured out to find it.  So, I finally went looking for it with my friend DH.  She hadn't been there in ages, so we were both excited.  Maybe I was too excited since I love to eat LUNCH.

Anyways, Arturo's is located off of 17th street between Lavaca and Guadalupe.  If you blinked, you may miss it.....   I didn't see any parking near the place, since I walked from my office.  There are a few tables outside.  When you walk in, the ordering area is pretty small.  So, get their early or stand in line outside.  They have an underground area to eat.  It's got a few tables and chairs.  Most people I know call TO GO.

They have an eclectic menu of tacos, quesadillas, sandwiches, coffee, tea, etc.  Yes, sodas are in cans/bottles and there is no soda fountain.   I had the shrimp and crab quesadillas.  It came with rice (which I wished for more since it was SOOOO good) and some black beans.  You get a side of salsa which was delightful.  All of this for 6 smackeroos.  NOT BAD!  Everything tasted fresh and was deliciouso!

I will definitely be going here on a regular basis.  I cannot wait to get some breakfast tacos from this place.  Fresh food, fresh prices!!  Thumbs UP!

EDIT:  The grilled cheese is to die for!!
5 - Claire N.: Adore.  That's the word I use.  Adore.  
As in "I adore having a cute guy serve me my latte and not make fun of me for choosing soy milk."
As in "I adore the laid back non-corporate feel of this tucked-away cafe."
As in "I adore good salsa on my freshly made breakfast taco."

Now, I may be a bit biased because I am lucky enough to live around the corner from this adorable gem.  But regardless of the convenience, this place is great on all levels.  Great staff, incredible breakfast tacos, and fresh coffee. 
The only downside is their hours.  They are open till 2pm Mon-Sat, but are closed all day Sunday.  I would be there with bells on every Sunday reading my NYT if they were open, but alas!  the boys need a break sometime (I guess).  
Skip the starbucks and let Arturo's breathe some life into your mornings.
4 - Stella F.: I love this place, and mean to go here more often, especially since it's down the street from my house!

Their breakfast tacos are great, and they're one of the few places that have adequate filling options for vegans (I get loads of mushrooms thrown in there!); their sandwiches are great; their coffee is great; you can sit in the cozy basement or out on the street, which is a great spot for people-watching; clever, Austiny clippings are cartoons abound; the staff are friendly and efficient.  It's good but unpretentious.  Love it.
5 - Kelty G.: Sometimes, when a restaurant is located a little too conveniently close to your home or work or school, it can get booooring.  NOT SO AT ARTURO'S!  It's like my favorite old friend that who I am always happy to see and can never grow tired of.  

They've got breakfast, lunch, coffee, and a friendly, quirky, hard-working staff. who cater to all of the workers and students that are moving through the area during the work-week.  

The restaurant itself feels like a speakeasy in the Prohibition era because it's small and underground.  The art on the walls and the food on my plate always put me in a good mood.  

I'm particularly fond of the black bean tacos.  This usually lowly-food has been elevated to exciting new levels with the help of prodigious amounts of garlic - no kissing allowed after one of these.  I also heart the quesadillas, which combine a plethora of vegetables, sauces, and meats in yummy combinations.  I can rarely deviate from my standards on the menu, but when I have managed to do so, I have always enjoyed their salads and sandwiches.  

This is a good place to get you out of a lunch rut and into a good mood.
4 - josie b.: This is one of my favorite places to get a grilled cheese, but the sodas are always out of date.  =[
4 - Misti W.: I enjoy the large, eclectic menu selection and the closeness to my work. I *don't* enjoy fighting for a table. The place is *small*, but I adore its atmosphere and below-ground seating. 

The food quality is excellent, and it never takes too long even when the place is slammed.
3 - Kaci H.: So, here's the deal: The food is good and they have a bunch of vegetarian options. We get breakfast tacos from them every Friday.

My recommendation to you: go order in person. When we order by phone, too often than not, they'll forget something in our order, but still charge us. Definitely check what you've ordered before you leave.

They do have a fair bit of seating - some inside and some outside. They're also pretty quick at getting your order out and most of the time the employees are friendly. 

I still hate having my order be wrong AND still get charged for it.
5 - Jinane S.: Love it! I had a potato and cheese taco. It was made fresh, tasted delicious, and there wasn't a long wait. The cafe is totally cute, relaxed, and clean. I love the downstairs seating area. Its a great little cafe, nicely located in the downtown/ UT campus area but you feel tucked away!

Great place! Too bad it is only open on weekdays and closes after lunch :(
5 - Holly P.: When my colleagues tick me off early in the a.m. (read: my pissy attitude is looking for blame to stick to) with their reality television chatter (I love you, ladies, but who the hell are John and Kate?) I hoof it here (two whole blocks) and enjoy a cup of coffee and National Public Radio piping through this little shop's sound system. 

Ahh, reprieve.

Its exterior reminds me of whimsical shops that dot Taos, New Mexico while its interior is lined with smart, politically inspired art.

Food? Inexpensive and very good. Plenty of choices for breakfast or blackbean tacos and a solid deli sandwich. Perfect for a workday breakfast or lunch or that "I've got to get the hell out of this office or I'm going to use that paper cutter like a guillotine" moment when you decide it's time for an early morning or a midafternoon break.

My attitude has yet to fail to improve after a quick jaunt to Arturo's. Just ask my coworkers.
4 - Cara G.: Repeat after me: Chipotle chicken taco.  Delicious.  I already raved about the Miga taco for breakfast, right?  Well this chipotle chicken taco was *perfection* -- just a sweet sweet heat (i mean, not doubly sweet, but like a "Sweeeet!" kind of sweet :D).  You probably won't like it if you don't like some sweetness.  And being a mess later.  But dude, messy eatings are the best.  Two tacos (the other I had was adobo chicken, which was a good sweet mess, but not amazing like I thought the chipotle chicken taco was) were seriously more than enough for me, but of course I chowed through that full feeling. Yums.
4 - Jason F.: $#!?!?!?  BREAKFAST SANDWICHES IN AUSTIN!!!??!  after nearly giving up on the idea of a breakfast sandwich (http://www.yelp.com/biz/avenue-b-grocery-austin#hrid:3zwIx9LgFYdZYv_MA1PvAQ) in the breakfast taco town, i accidentally stumbled upon Arturo's.  i'll cut to the chase:  delicious bacon/egg/cheese breakfast sandwich on nicely toasted multigrain bread, a little pricier than i would have liked...but i'll pay for it here.  good coffee and salsa, too.
5 - Leslie K.: I have walked by this little place for years  and now I'm kicking myself that it took me so long to try it.  I love simple, well-prepared food that I can get without it being a major production, especially during the work day.  Think breakfast or lunch tacos, for example.  I'm busy; I'm hungry; I just want to get my food and get out.  But I want it to be good food. Arturo's tacos are freaking delicious, generously-sized, and decently priced.  The fact that Arturo's is just a stone's throw away from my office makes this a particular jewel.  I love the friendly, relaxed staff as well as the tasty food.  The place is cute as can be, too.  Looks like it would be a fun place to go with a friend.
5 - Hollie J.: I've been going to Arturo's for lunch for several years because it's close to my work.  The adobo chicken quesadillas are muy delicioso.  This month I finally got around to trying the breakfast tacos.  Wow!  They are so yummy and really big compared to what most places serve.  Yes, Arturo's is small, but I've never had a problem getting a table during the lunch rush.  The cave-like dining room is a welcome relief during a hot and sunny summer day.
4 - Emily S.: Arturo's is great!  I especially love their breakfast tacos!  I've also had their salads, nachos, tacos and smoothies and I have never been disappointed with the quality or quanitity.  It is a great little place!
4 - Anthony M.: Found this place on my Yelp iPhone app while looking for a "quick lunch" spot in Austin. Man, I'm glad I trusted the reviews. Delicious & affordable food, friendly staff and quirky decor make this place awesome.
4 - Stephen M.: This place is a great little hangout when you need to get away from the office. 

I like this place so much I host my interviews here when we have open positions at work. The atmosphere is great, the food is awesome, and the group of people that work here are always attentive to their customers. 

And when it's nice outside you can eat along the sidewalk at one of their 4 or 5 tables outside.. 

Me and my colleagues at work, eat and do business here on a regular basis!
4 - Martin I.: Great place. It is not really Mexican tacos... these have a twist. The music is laid back old Country. The breakfast curled my big toe.
5 - Greg M.: I love this place. It's close to work, and the Caesar chicken sandwich is awesome. The quesadillas are all pretty good too. The best thing is just the overall funkiness. It's run by happy hipsters who aren't snobby and pretentious, and the music is always appropriately weird. It's also got a good funky vibe, though the newer portion of the underground dining area is a little too bland.

Still, I usually go there once a week for lunch. Also, skip the soft drink and get the lemonade. Free refills, it's awesome, and no wasted plastic or aluminim.

It's nice to see a business that recycles pretty much everything, as well.
5 - Ash R.: Went here after finding it on Yelp.  Had the Southwestern salad with a different dressing.  It was delicious.  Hibiscus tea was also yummy.  Definitely will be coming back again.
5 - Daniela L.: I love this place!
I go to school across the street and this is my go-to place for coffee, breakfast tacos or lunch or sometimes all three.
The guys that work here are all super nice, and the food is delicious. My favorites are the Peace taco for breakfast, and the Thai Grilled Chicken salad for lunch.
I'll be sad when I'm done with school and Arturo's will no longer be a short walk away, but I'll probably still go out of my way to come here, it's that good.
4 - Crystal A.: Great breakfast tacos till 11am. Great fresh coffee. Friendly staff.

I always make sure I grab a salt packet and to-go-cup of salsa so that I can construct that perfect taco. There's a bit of a crunch to their tortilla. At first that bothered me, but now I'm starting to like it. 

This place has definitely become my new go-to breakfast taco place when I'm working downtown. I haven't tried their lunch, but perhaps that should be next!
4 - James S.: This is a cool little breakfast/lunch spot near the Capitol.  The staff is friendly, the service is quick, and the Adobo Chicken quesadillas were pretty fantastic.  A quesadilla + soda will run you around $9.
5 - Rob C.: I've been a breakfast regular at Arturo's for nine years.  I love the breakfast tacos which are large and fresh hot off the grill.  Topped off with their signature homemade medium hot salsa, makes them my favorite in the city. 

This place is a funky Austin original with a great vibe to it.
5 - pixie b.: everything about this place is awesome! The staff was friendly, the food was excellent and I really liked that they did not have a soda machine, but did have 3 types of cold tea and a cooler full of drink options.  Next time I am going to get there early so I can try a breakfast taco.
4 - Jessica H.: I have a Thai Chicken Salad addiction to this place.  Sometimes they start working on it before I walk in.  Literally.  Get it.  It is delicious.  And the people that work here are great too.  Eat here.
4 - Jack A.: My wife found this place and we decided to take the kids and my mom for a mid-week bunch. 

Pancakes were run-of-the-mill. Black beans were slightly undercooked. Everything else was outstanding. Homemade tortillas. Peace taco was great combo. Chorizo and eggs was perfect combination. Salsa was fresh and had just the right kick. Price was fair.

All in all, a great little, funky, Austin place.
4 - Rebecca L.: I walked past this place this morning and thought it looked interesting so I looked it up and saw they had pretty good reviews. I decided to go check it out for lunch. I was kind of in a hurry, so when I saw a bunch of people inside I almost turned around. However, I decided to take my chances. I looked at the menu, and I thought the only options were sandwiches, which looked a little pricey. I ordered the Basil & Parm chicken sandwich to-go and an iced tea. My total was $9. Only afterwards did I notice they also had lunch tacos, which were considerably cheaper. It took them about 5-7 minutes for my sandwich to be ready.

The sandwich itself was very good. I could barely taste the mayo (apparently all their sandwiches have mayo, I noticed this too late. I hate mayo.) The basil was amazing in conjunction with the parmesan, chicken, mushroom, lettuce and tomato. I think for what they're charging, the portions were a little stingy. Especially compared to Fricano's. Their tea was eh.

I will probably be back here for their breakfast/lunch tacos sometime, now that I know that's another option.
4 - Catherine V.: Note: I've only had their breakfast tacos and coffee.

Thank goodness Arturo's is so close to my work! When I'm starving and need a boost in the morning, I get their delicious breakfast tacos. Mixing and matching ingredients is the best! Their cilantro, egg, and rice tacos rule my world. And the chorizo. Yum! The Peruvian coffee isn't to die for, but the Texan Pecan is.
5 - Sasha T.: I just...I can't go without praising them. I'm a huge, huge, huge fan of black beans. Must be my Guatemalan roots. ;)

It's hard to find a place that prepares beans the right way. In fact, if on the menu I refrain from ordering black beans most of the time when dining out, just cause it's never great. But this morning I stopped by here and was really craving a black bean and cheese taco. So glad I stopped by and gave Arturo's a shot. I HAVE to go back and ask how it was prepared..*gasps* what if it's from a can?!?!!! *sigh* if it is indeed from a can, I gotta find out what brand it is. Tasting those beans made me feel like I was in Guatemala again. :)



****update on my update****

I called Aruturo's to inquire about their black beans. They're homemade. I knew that taste was so genuine. GO HERE NOW! :)
5 - Danielle S.: Arturo's Underground Cafe is one of my favourite lunch spots. It is a great escape from campus and there is always a great staff and crowd. They have loads of vegetarian options and I loves the gourmet grilled cheese
4 - Lotty O.: Ate here recently and easily added it to my top places to get a breakfast burrito! YUM
4 - Lucky D.: Arturo's is great.  The BREAKFAST TACOS are really really great!  The salsa is actually hot and always fresh.  They guys working are really down to earth and fun to talk to (and good looking).  They use Owl Tree coffee, which I love...they brew it a little weak though :(
I've had lunch here a couple of times and wasn't all that impressed.  But, the breakfast will keep me coming back!
1 - Corey F.: YUK!  Nice folks, terrible breakfast.  Here's why: when I got my taco's they were "black bean and bacon" and a "migas" taco.  First the black bean taco was boiled black beans (not refried) with no spices loaded on a soggy doughy tortilla with a 1 scant piece of nearly burnt crumbled bacon on top.  The Migas taco was half soggy tortilla chips cooked into eggs with soupy tomatoes and onions, again no flavor.  I think the one spice was paprika for color.  The tomato and onion in the Migas taco seamed pre-cooked as the onion was thin and translucent like from soup and the entire taco tasted like a bland canned stewed tomato + corn chips.

Now, I could understand getting some thrown together food if Arturos was a hotel and food was something the just did on the side.  BUT HOW CAN YOU PUT OUT BAD FOOD WHEN THIS IS ALL YOU DO!  If i seam upset it is because I am.  I grew up in restaurants and worked in them for many years later and I know it isn't hard to make decent food so when I blow $11 on bland tacos and a rare opportunity for a weekday breakfast with my girlfriend its a real let down.  

Aurturos here some advice on how to improve your food that is cost effective:

Beans: Since you are making it in large batches, to start roughly and quickly chop equal amount of onion and tomato and toss it in with your beans that you let soak overnight.  Then half that amount of seeded jalapeños and garlic, then half that amount of a spice blend of equal parts cumin and salt and one cheap beer and one handful of cilantro for every onion you put in.  Bam! Beans with flavor. 

Bacon, get a big oven tray, lay out thick-cut pieces and stick them in the oven.  This lets them stay plump, cook all the way and get browned without getting small hard and crumbly.  This will also save you tons of labor as you can set a timer and just have one person pop them in and out between doing other work.  If you want to make refried bean (which is the only thing you should be putting on tacos) take the bacon drippings and add them to some beans and blend.  Nothing wasted.

Migas:  NEVER PRECOOK YOUR VEGGIES, prep a mix of seeded and chopped jalapeños (yes you can get a seeding tool at restaurant supply that lets you do this fast [$5] so no excuses) chopped onion, chopped cilantro, sliced mushroom.  Get THIN TORTILLA CHIPs like Milagros, they don't get soggy and ON HIGH HEAT put them in the oil first, hit the chips with a season blend of equal parts: salt, garlic powder, cumin, paprika.  Then a hand full your veggie mix,  brown edges of veggies, then add egg and done.  

Anyone still reading this now knows this isn't hard and thus understands why it is so lame to get bland goofed up tacos.  Get it together Arturo's and if you wanna send me my $11 back reply to this review and I'll forward you my address.  Its the least you could do for the free cooking advice and bummer breakfast.
4 - Cody L.: Arturo's is my favorite type of coffee shop style cafe. Dark, local, and inviting... The kind of place you could study at, or get some work done, but also a place to get some good take out lunch.

I stumbled in here while my wife was getting her hair did at La Petite Rouge next door. I was actually outside about to call for a sub delivery from JJ, but I saw the cafe with the bright colors and the cactus on the roof and decided to try it. I'm a sucker for plants I guess.

The Thai chicken sandwich caught my eye so I got that with a coffee and went next door to eat it. My wife was so jealous of my amazing sandwich that I had to go get her the same one after she was finished up. It had a nice peanut sauce with some cilantro, carrots and lettuce. It was like a rad spring roll inside of bread only with tons of hot chicken.

Both sandwiches where fresh, flavorful and amazingly hot (temperature.)  You almost should let it cool down, except it is so good that you don't.

The second time I was in there the staff was reading Yelp from a smart phone and laughing about a 1 star review which was recently made. That showed me they cared about the food and didn't think the bad review was based in any sort of truth. I didn't try the breakfast tacos, but if they were anything like the sandwiches we had, I'm pretty sure they are good. You know, not to mention the other reviews that say they are great tacos, including the Guatemalan girl who probably knows what she is talking about with regard to preparing black beans.

I'm coming back next time I'm in that hood for sure.
5 - sam r.: With their HUGE menu and great coffee/tea selections, Arturo's is one of the most enjoyable cafe's in town.
5 - Warren C.: This little place has fast become my favorite lunch spot near the Capitol.  Although many items on the menu, such as the quesadillas and sandwiches are tasty, it's the Grilled Thai Chicken Salad that keeps me coming back at least once a week.  This very casual dining spot has got it all figured out.
3 - Pete L.: The breakfast tacos are probably the best in a five-block radius. But one of the guys who works mornings needs to take his rude hipster act to Williamsburg. Other than that, decent place.
5 - Beth S.: I really like this place. It has a casual atmosphere. The dining area is underground, with is neat. 
Disclaimer: I've been here about 10 times now, and I've only ever had one thing: the Thai sandwich... it's that good!
4 - Samantha M.: This place is pretty awesome. I only wish that they were open on the weekends. 
I work close to here, so during the week, I sometimes go there to pick up breakfast. I had a Migas Breakfast taco this morning and it was incredible. In my head I was fist pumping and yelling "Eff yeah!". Seriously delicious. You can't go wrong with breakfast at Arturo's.
5 - Chad S.: It really doesn't get better than Arturo's. I live very close by and I finally one day decided to try it. It is very tiny and easy to miss from the outside, but once inside, there is a lot of seating. For lunch, I like how they have the same selections across sandwiches, tacos and quesadillas. The Adobo chicken is my favorite, but you can't go wrong with any selection. The sandwiches are served on different types of bread, depending on which one you order and come with a pickle and perfect sized amount of chips. The tacos are all amazing and have the freshest ingredients. The quesadillas come with black beans and rice and is what I get when I am a little more hungry than the other days.

For breakfast, their tacos also go beyond expectations. All of them are delicious! Their homemade salsa is really great too and depending on the batch of peppers, sometimes spicier than other times.

It's all very reasonable priced and the ingredients are all fresh and delicious. They look to have a large selection of coffee, but I don't drink coffee, so I can't comment. There are always people in there to pick up coffee though, so it must be good. I have brought many friends here for lunch that have never tried it and everyone leaves excited about discovering a new delicious place!

Make sure to note they are only open from 7a.m. to 2:30 p.m. M-F, so be sure to go early to get your fix!
4 - Solomon W.: I am going to spit a little bit of reflection here. Bear with me... I will get to my very limited food survey afterward. Over the past few months, I have been eating a lot of small food items in the ATX. I have gained much insight in terms of food profiting/food costs.

So, I ordered up a Peace Maker taco. potato, spinach, egg, and mushrooms: $2.75. What did I gain from this? So, a few potato chunks, approximately 2 mushrooms, a sprinkling of spinach leaves. This produce was wonderfully sauteed. All with a flour tortilla.

If you just eat the veggies, you will probably ingest upwards of 75 calories. I calculated the food cost of these ingredients to run about $0.25. The tortilla alone probably provides 150 units that it costs to heat up 1 g of water by 1 degree Celcius. This rounds out to $0.10, or so. What is cool to count is the calorie to cent comparison with these ingredients. The veggies offer a 3 kcal to $0.01 ratio, and the tortillas offer a 15 kcal to $0.01 ratio. What other foods can you think of that provide a Kcal-money ratio comparable to tortillas? Consider this, as you go forward with your own nutrition. Produce is so much healthier, but processed foods are so much cheaper.

Um, so, to the taco. The filling was well executed. The tortilla was well heated.

Arturo's is a cool little spot tucked on a small street just north of downtown. It is not too busy, and they have a really good spread of breakfast tacos and sandwiches. The vibe is just awesome.
5 - Megan S.: This place is awesome. I got two black bean and cheese tacos. They were super nice and I was totally confused when I walked in. Then the underground dining area was Sooo laid back and relaxing.  Will SO go back.
5 - Yoni L.: Went today for lunch.  Not too busy, and very quick service.  By quick I mean 6-8 minutes.  Got the mushroom quesadillas and their delicious chicken salad sandwich.  Drank two big glasses of their iced tea/lemonade mix which you can help yourself to anytime.

Quesadillas came with sour cream and a salsa that was nice and spicy.  How did I not know this was here??  Great find and I will definitely be going back.
4 - CHRYSTIE N.: Went here for lunch several times over the last few weeks -- very tasty selections -- good portions, outdoor seating, quick service. Great neighborhood eatery!
4 - Thomas O.: Arturo's is a sweet little cafe and bakeshop that can whip up some mean breakfast tacos! 

I was feeling particularly adventurous one morning and walked to Congress from my hotel, caught the bus up to 17th and Lavaca, and found myself at "home."

This place is so chill, I love it! 

The dude at the counter was super friendly and was happy to take my order and have it brought downstairs to their underground eating area! I ordered the spicy chicken, which kicked my ass from the inside, and an original with bacon, potato, eggs, and cheese. Both were rather delicious and sustained me for most of the day. At $2.75 each, one taco would have been enough, but I was pretty hungry and needed to try two flavors! Duh! 

I was the only one there for a while, so I sat reading my daily news...from THE ONION...yup. Give me a pair of jean cut offs and rangefinder camera...oh wait, I have those.. 

If I lived in the area, which is pretty quiet and chill, I would definitely make this place a haunt of mine. 

Good job Arturo! 

I'm starting to like this breakfast taco business. WHY DON'T WE HAVE THEM IN HAWAII? It also seems worth noting that we also do not have Tex/Mex / Mexican food in Hawaii, so there's that. Womp Womp. I guess I'll just go to the beach and sulk.
5 - Becca R.: Yummily filling breakfast tacos!  Their coffee and lunch offerings are also top notch.  For lunch, I especially hanker for the Thai grilled chicken salad.  I come here frequently because I work across the street, but I would come here anyway just because of the great food and reasonable pricing!
5 - Charley C.: a simple sandwich shop. (for lunch) (I know all the others raved about the breakfast tacos - this review is about my lunch!)
Well that said, here is my take. Giant Menu - Sooo many choices it takes longer to read the menu than to get your food! I had an office club and it was terriffic! Hot - tasty - lots of meat - fresh chip - and a pickle wedge. If I worked close by I would be a regular! Give it a try and see your taste buds like - I did!
3 - tony z.: we came right at 1045am, and they close breakfast at 1100. No one was to be found and we almost walked out, but after 2-3 min of peeking around, somebody seated us. 

Breakfast was pretty darn good, I thought, and cheap, $17 for three of us. However, there was no ketchup for our potatoes, though we did find 4 empty hot sauce bottles, and one half full. Orange juice comes from plastic retail bottles you pick up in the fridge.

So, in the end it was AOK, but nothing I'd go back for.
5 - Jen G.: What a find!

Tucked away in a mostly residential part of downtown I would have never known this place existed if it wasn't for you, dear Yelp!

I met a friend for lunch. The counter staff is super friendly and laid back. The menu is surprisingly extensive and covers sandwiches to Tex-Mex to Asian. Our orders were out in no time and the food was great! I had the veggie quesadilla. The portions were hearty and the black beans on the side were fantastic. Why is it that so many places around here serve bland, unseasoned beans? It's Texas, people. Well, these guys are doing it right. Everything on the plate was done right, actually. I'm looking forward to going back and trying out my favorite food, sandwich.

Aruba Steves - Providence, RI (41.8231363, -71.4111801) (DownCity)
4 - Lizz W.: Yayy! I get to write the first review for  Aruba Steves! This place is so cute, colorful and cheery. With the slogan "One Happy Bar" on the sign, it better be. 
      The drinks are delicious and not over priced. The menu looks good, but we didn't try anything. They have pizza, jerk chicken, burritos and nachos. They have entertainment every tuesday-sunday night. The owner said they have acoustic karaoke, karaoke, and live bands. The owner was super nice, and it turns out he actually owns 2 or 3 bars (I cant remember) in Aruba! 
     The bartender was cool, drinks weren't skimpy, good music was on... we'll definitely be back!
5 - Matthew V.: Two Words: Acoustic Karaoke: I had never seen it, and I loved it.  I was invited to Aruba Steve's on a Tuesday Night, and was pleasantly surprised to find Mark Beauchemin (formerly of the band SR 71; do you remember 2000's 'Right Now') playing his acoustic guitar next to a mic with a revolving singer.  I have a weak spot for both Karaoke and Acoustic guitar, so this was a marriage made in heaven. 

This place is small, only fitting 50 or so people, but is perfect for a relaxed night out.  Decorated with surf boards, colorful lights, and a fish tank between the bottles on the bar I immediately felt like I had landed on the islands.  

Minda the bartender and Steve the owner were great.  The drinks were delicious (how I love a mojito).  And the fish tacos were a tasty treat. Definitely 'one happy bar'; I will surely be back.
4 - Erin R.: My colleague and I went here for lunch and we were both pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. I ordered their house specialty of pulled pork - not only did I receive a generous amount of pork but the sauce had a very nice flavor.  My friend got the jerk chicken pizza and was also surprised by the spicy sauce.  

I was a little bummed my sandwich didn't come with fries but I think my waistline approved of that :)
5 - Melody S.: Cute place, very nice and friendly owner/staff, and really good food & drink!  
Stopped in after a work event downtown, had some mahi mahi tacos and white wine, and watched the Bruins.   Would gladly go often if I lived in the area!
5 - Dan W.: One of the rising Providence Pubs that needs attention! This place is great, new and fresh to the area with great drinks and food to match. Mahi Mahi Tacos are out of this world. Pulled Pork sandwich opens your taste buds to allow you to enjoy a refreshing island drink. Escape to Aruba in downtown Providence. 

Stop by on a live music night and be blown away with get sounds from acoustic karoke and live Kyle Nicolas. 

Staff is great, Steve did a good job staffing to find the friendly essentials you want. Some go getter staff during the school year Tommy and a friendly face Dillon often welcome you with One Happy Bar.
4 - Andy F.: I stopped by because my wife had bought the groupon for the place and we decided to give it a whirl. It was lunch and when we walked in I thought for sure the food would be only so-so because it just looks like a bar first, food second kind of place.

I was pleasantly proved wrong. I got the pulled pork sandwich which was great and my wife got one of the salads which she loved. Even if we didn't have the groupon we wouldn't have been set back all that much and we each had a beer. Its nice to have your low expectations proved wrong.

I would definitely stop by again.
2 - Nellie H.: This was the second time going here, the first time was a little better..but this time was terrible.

The ambiance is awesome, but the food is meh.

First, they were out of the beer we wanted, then the other kind we usually drink was warm (he warned us, so that was nice) Second, I ordered nachos, and he didn't tell me they were out of jalapenos (one of the 5 ingredients), until I asked for more and then he let me know there weren't any on there, and they were out. My boyfriends wrap was OK, but we kept finding clove remnants in the wrap itself, and it was overpowered by the taste of clove.

so yea, this place will be cool when you're trying to get some booty while college is going on, but I wouldn't suggest the food to anyone.
3 - Carly B.: One happy bar for sure. The bartender was sweet-n-friendly and the playlist and  bright Caribbean-vibe colors  were a mood booster. 

I was too happy to be all *that* bothered by the scant two beers on tap (Narragansett and Shock Top), but c'mon, that's pretty weak. The coconut-Malibu + mango-Malibu + pineapple-Malibu + you-get-the-idea mixed drinks might've more been palatable for "pre-gaming" in my freshman dorm room. 

My friend and I both had the fish tacos. Not too much to say; they hit the spot but I had to add table salt to bring out some flavor. 

I like what they're going for and I'd definitely give it another go when there's a live music night. Though I have to wonder, will a visit to Aruba Steve's in a Providence January feel like a relaxing escape, or a bit weird?
1 - Kay R.: Me: I'd like a draft Peak Organic Pale Ale, please

Bartender: The barrel just finished

Me: It's OK, I'll wait for the new one

Bartender: We don't have any more

Me: (thinking) hmm ... what sort of place runs out of one of their two (count 'em) draft beers at 6.30pm? 

Bartender: We have a list of bottled beer! (hands me the list)

Me: Great! I'll have a bottle of Peak Organic Pale Ale

Bartender: We ran out of that.

Me: (thinking) stay calm ... stay calm .. 1000, 2000, 3000 ...

Me: OK - then I'll have a ....

Bartender: All we have is Corona, Miller, Bud .... blah, blah, blah

Me: Why don't you put a sign up saying that you have run out of all the decent beers on the menu. Or maybe that you never actually had any of them in the first place?

Bartender: Ummm ...

This place is the Monty Python Cheese Shop of bars ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3KBuQHHKx0
4 - Lyd M.: Bartender was wicked nice. They make their own sour mix, so my marg was so tasty! Pulled pork quesadilla was also delish. Not greasy AT ALL.  And their kitchen is open til midnight I can definitely see myself getting those to go after a night at work.
4 - Annamarie T.: Stopped I'm here one day with a couple of friends and it was actually a pretty nice place. 

The bartender was pretty nice and the drinks were really good. Get two speciality drinks to get your drinks in a fish bowl which is perfect for sharing and delicious.

Went on a Monday night it was kinda dead do not sure what days are good, but grab a couple of friends and check it out and you'll have fun regardless.
2 - Sarah V. M.: Handlebar mustaches and a coed crowd that just graduated.  Yelp reviews oversell this place (and I'm not sure if it's because their check in offer comes with strings attached: like them on Facebook and give a positive review on Yelp).

This place has no soap in the bathroom.  I'm not sure if the kitchen and weight staff use another bathroom or if they have a secret stash of antibacterial that they don't want to share with their patrons, but assume that nothing should be touched.

On the plus they have cheap eats: $1 tacos and $5 burger special, neither of which were special.  

After frequenting the Steve's, and not wanting to end our date on a low, we promptly went to Red Fez and had an enjoyable meal with yum yum drinks.   Burgers there are also $5 but they are DELICIOUS.
3 - Amanda K.: I had lunch here which is probably not where this place shines the brightest, but my fish tacos were good quality and the waiter was friendly if inattentive. I can imagine this place being a fun comfy place to have a few drinks.
2 - Shannon M.: Aruba Steves is a decent bar in Providence.  The beer selection was standard, and I had the fish tacos, which weren't too bad.  There weren't many people at the bar on the Thursday night I was there, though, so I didn't stay long.  Also, the bartender seemed more interested in talking to the locals, than making sure my friends I and were being served/were content.

I was there on an 80's themed night.  The "DJ" (ie the guy with his Ipod hooked up to the speakers) kept asking the 10 people at the bar for requests.  My friends and I requested several songs.  However, he was quite the 80's nazi.  He literally rejected 10 of our requests because the songs were either from 1-2 years before or after the 80's.  I could understand his strictness if it was a bar full of 80's enthusiasts, but the 7 other bar patrons didn't seem like the type to mind going a little into the late 70's and early 90's.
3 - Laura H.: Decent Mexican/ Caribbean food. Interesting drink menu, some drinks served in fish bowls, literally. Trivia night was a lot of fun. Only downfall was the limited seating.
2 - Genny L.: Loved the decor and atmosphere but was really disappointed outside of that.  They only have two beers on draught, the bartender was extremely inattentive (frustrating given that we were ready to kick back with a few beers but basically had to stand on our heads to get her to notice us despite the fact that there were only two other people at the bar) and the guacamole was absolutely horrid.  It clearly was a few days old and tasted like a bad avocado and that's it.  We didn't try anything else although they had a lot of good looking items on the menu.  I'm going to give them another shot in the hopes that they were just having a bad day.
4 - Edwin V.: I am strictly rating the place on the mixed drink and the mango beer as well as the fish tacos and the BBQ pork sandwich. We went there for lunch, place was empty , having said that the chef was very nice and the server was very pleasant. fish tacos were very good and although the bbq pork could use a little help, overall it was pretty good and I would give it another try...
5 - Robert L.: Best fish tacos and coleslaw in Providence. Nothing like a draft beer and fish tacos in the middle of the afternoon on a hot sunny day. This is the place to be.
4 - Jeff G.: I was pleasantly surprised by Aruba Steve's   We stopped in prior to seeing some friend's band at PVD Social Club, grabbed a couple of beers and one of their mini pizzas.  The Pizza, jerk chicken, was surprisingly tasty and the bartendress was extremely friendly.  They had a little 3 piece playing, and combined with the decorations, made for a really fun, unique atmosphere I def didnt expect in downtown Providence.
4 - Mandy D.: Awesome mixed drinks and tasty fish tacos! 

The cocktails either come in a mason jar or in a FISHBOWL. Yes, a fishbowl. And it's pretty good sized for one person. On Mondays you can get them for $10!

The place is happy and cheery and always has good tunes. Some nights they even have live acoustic music. 

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the food. The fish tacos were really fresh and well seasoned, and the guacamole was fantastic. I don't think their chips were homemade, but they were decent nonetheless. 

I will definitely be back again soon. Any place that serves margaritas in a mason jar is my cup of tea!

Aruba Tan - Austin, TX (30.2924848, -97.744137) (University of Texas, West Campus)
5 - Shelley M.: While I am admittedly partial to this salon (since a good friend owns it), I'd still argue that it's one of the best and here's why:

1. the beds - clean, top of the line, almost always available. I'm embarrassed to say that I've visited quite a few tanning salons in Austin - not because I'm an addict, it's simply that I'm fickle and always shopping around - and Aruba, in my honest opinion, blows them out of the water.

2. spray tan - Aruba is mecca for spray tans and not those god-awful Mystic orange disasters. You're literally air brushed by a person and not just at the mercy of a misting machine. The products they use are the best and the staff is committed to make you as happy as possible with the results. Arguably better for your skin, especially if you're fair and burn to a crisp when exposed to sunlight.

3. valet parking - yes, I said valet parking. While the West Campus location is convenient, parking isn't always a breeze. That's where my man, Zach, comes to the rescue . . . and by 'comes to the rescue,' I mean he parks your car while you hop inside to take care of business. Fabulous!
4 - Abi S.: I am about as pale as they come... Seriously, those sparkling vampires have NOTHING on me. So when preparing to go on my vacation where our room was literally on the beach for almost a week, I knew I needed help. I've tried Mystic a few dozen times and often been disappointed with the results. So I tried the airbrush tan from Aruba Tan.

I chose Aruba Tan not because it was convenient or close by. It was really the only place online that did not sketch me out. I called and made an appointment. The time I wanted was not available, so I chose another time. I was emailed instructions for how to prepare (ex: how long before the airbrushing should one shave and exfoliate and what to wear). About 20 minutes later, the owner called me to offer me a better time as there was a cancellation. I liked that.

I had a hard time finding parking (come to find out that if you just pull up, someone will valet you!), but eventually parked on another West Campus street. Aruba tan is in the bottom of a condo complex on Rio Grande. I was taken to a strange room and told to undress to level of comfort. For ladies, you can go fully nude. Men have to wear underwear. I think that's a good thing.

Taylor was really nice and explained the process. It is very odd to carry on a casual conversation with a complete stranger while she literally airbrushes your body. I was sprayed with what I'm going to call a primer and then with the actual sunless tanning mix. It was slightly awkward because you have to move around a bit, but it didn't feel weird or sticky. The whole thing took about 15 minutes. 

I was pleased with the service and did not look creepy orange or pasty white! The airbrush tan lasted for about 5 or 6 days (which I thought was great considering that I was in the ocean). I wouldn't consider doing this regularly (because I'm okay with my pastiness when not in a swimsuit), but I thought it was nice not to feel completely insecure during the trip.
4 - Sarah Z.: I have a big weekend coming up with a lot of pictures involved, so I wanted to get a tan pronto. Generally disliking melanoma, I opted for a spray tan. I've done mystic in the past and thought it was pretty good. Oh, silly, silly me. The spray tan at Aruba is done by a person with a spray gun, and boy, what a difference. My color is deep and brown, not at all orange. The girl who did my tan- Ashley- was super professional and nice. I have never been naked in front of a stranger before and was quite apprehensive, but she made me feel completely comfortable. My tan is great, and I would def recommend Aruba tan! The price is comparable to a mystic tan with better results. And the free valet parking, forget about it! I'm sold, and will definitely be returning when I need that sun kissed look.
5 - Wade W.: So, I went in today, I've never gone to a tanning place before, ever.... and I have to say, I might be addicted.

I got a coupon for 75% off so I was like: what the heck, I'll try it. Go in, its simple, front desk is helpful, have an 8 minute tan, buy a lil lotion, all only costs $7 after everything. (I thought their prices were reasonable regardless, but it was nice to try it so inexpensively).

They even put a jolly rancher next to your weird little goggles. Cute. Tasty. Fun. AND I am noticeably more tan, which is pretty cool! Might go once every few weeks or so. I wanna be a hot bitch too.
5 - Krystal P.: Wow!  I found Aruba Tan on Yelp! and decided to give them a try!  My partner is coming into town this weekend and I was in a frenzy trying to figure out the best place to go that would do an amazing job and not kill my bank account.  Just so happens I booked for the right weekend because they had mad discounts going on.  I got my spray tan (that turned out phenomenal) for only $15! Aruba Tan was also giving specials on packages so I went ahead and purchased a 6 session tanning package that I plan to only use with Marilyn.  I read great reviews about her sprays so I booked with her.  She did amazing, the salon was super clean, and all the staff was very friendly.  Plus, valet parking? Hell yeah.

Two thumbs up, Aruba Tan!
5 - Vicki G.: BEST SPRAY TAN I'VE EVER HAD!

Easy to book online... plenty of parking (even at the UT campus)...professional, kind, skilled technician (Marilyn).... I felt as comfortable as one could feel in the situation.  Clean facility -- you know this place is in business and will remain in business -- much better than some other shops I've tried.  The solution they used had very little odor... and the spray itself wasn't nearly as cold and uncomfortable as I've experienced in the past.  Marilyn was careful about "edges" and also about cleaning my palms.  I appreciate that attention to detail!  Furthermore, they dry you with air (other tanning salons have made me stand there with my arms out for 10 minutes afterwards!) and then pat you down with baby powder... no stickiness!

My bronzer was amazing (the first flush)... and after showering, 12 hours later, my tan was beautiful.  I've received many compliments on it, and I'm not a natural "looks good with a tan" person, cause I'm a naturally pale redhead.  

All in all, a great experience.  Made my weekend much more fun, and I'm still enjoying it (it's Monday, I got the tan on Thursday).  I bought 2 for $58, and they have other packages as well.  

Highly recommended!
3 - Keri B.: It's not easy being green, but I sure do love being brown. How can something that looks and feels so healthy be so bad for you?? Ah, God's little narcissistic irony. Aruba makes it easy to be brown as well. There's plenty o' pre-and-post tan instructions online, no prob setting up an appt on the phone, and the kicker? an option to park across the street from the salon or if those spots are full, pull up in front of their door and someone will hop out and park for you. 

I had an ecoupon here for an airbrush tan that I'd bought in the winter thinking to use it for Carnaval. Since I flaked on that event this year, my coupon was about to expire right before the nekkid lake party. I thought it'd be a good way to get all my cracks and crevices evened out before they saw the light of the real sun. 

I can safely say that Lauren (?) efficiently did that. Some may find it awkward to stand naked in front of several mirrors while a stranger has you strike several even more revealing poses as she sprays you down with an air gun. Me? meh. I didn't think a thing about it (just another Friday nite, right?). While this was my first airbrush *tan* it was not the first time I've been airbrushed. I have to admit, Lauren was great at engaging in conversation that really distracted from the awkwardness. 

I will say that I looked mahvelous when I left about 20 minutes later. Ahem, I *looked* good, but I smelled awful. The online instructions suggested loose clothing, so I brought a sundress. Oh yes, I looked positively tropical with my Coppertone bronzed skin against my bright flowered print. But, I smelled like something that washed up on the beach 2 weeks ago (only mildly exaggerating). We all know the fake tan funk. Add to that that you are only to use sparing deodorant (I put it under one arm and brown came off. Scared me so I skipped the other) in this Texas heat, and I truly felt sorry for Bff for having to sit next to me at the movie theater (I sat him on the "good side"). My pro tip is to not make plans after you tan. Go home and hole yourself up until you can shower and do the world a favor. 

The tan itself was very good. Not streaky or unnatural, very evenly dark. Now, I knew there was a bronzer applied and that's why they don't want you to get wet for at least 4 hours. I got home 6 hrs after and just took a cold rinse shower ( they say that's ok, just no soap for 12 hrs) before climbing into my towel lined bed, and a whole lot of that brown washed off. I really liked the super dark tan I had walking out as I already had a pretty good base tan when I went in. But, after that initial rinse and the shower the next morning, I couldn't really tell much of a difference from my prior tan. 

I think Aruba does a great job in spray tans, but it just doesn't seem worth the price tag for me to do it regularly. My coupon was $15 for a normally $40 tan. One tan, $40 that MIGHT last a week. OH and you're expected to also tip your, um, sprayer. That pushes it closer to $50. BUT I will definitely keep my eyes peeled for more coupons for the white winter months. Until then, I'll get my crevices tanned the ole fashioned way....at Hippie Hollow!
2 - Victoria S.: I gave 2 stars because the girl that did my spray tan was really nice but the tan itself was horrible...it looked organe and it didnt fade evenly so i had splotches all over, it was horrible!
4 - Kelly B.: Service was exceptional!  The staff was very knowledgeable, prompt and patient.  I am defiantly a repeat customer.
4 - Rachael S.: I bought a deal off yelp for a spray tan for an event I was going to.

The girl who did my spray tan was friendly and professional. She made me feel pretty comfortable for being half dressed with a complete stranger (insert joke here).

They honored my coupon with a smile and charged me $4 less for the difference than I had expected!

If I had the money to get spray tans as often as I'd like, this would definitely be my first choice salon.
5 - R G.: Very clean!
New equipment
Friendly and knowledgable employees who explain the whole process from using beds, lotion, tanning, etc...

I have been to more than a few tanning places in Austin and the attitude of the employees at Aruba is second to none.

The location is a little weird and I had a hard time finding it with the one way streets, and the lack of parking was a little intimidating at first, but the employees will come out and let you in the parking garage and there is free parking across the street.

This is also the best deal $$ wise in town.  I would recommend to my friends and to anyone looking for a place to get a great tan.
4 - leslie r.: After having spray tans consistently for the past year at several different places...I've had sprayers come to my home, I've gone to them...this is the salon that gets my return business.

Why: 
*Norvell One- a one hour solution, which is the flippin' bomb!  Who wants to be sticky and smelly for 8 hrs??  I usually shower after 90 min and end up with a medium tint.
*Online scheduling- also the bomb...you can go online last minute and see what's available.  Hours are usually good for me.
*Parking ease- Out of 20 appts, I've had problems parking one time.  They have a garage that's available for free, but I always park in 15 min zone across the street.
*Friendliness and cleanliness- even on a busy day, things seem to be in check here.

The cost is reasonable for the product.  If you buy 2-3 at a time, it equates to a substantial discount.  The owner is very kind and personable.  

It's not perfect, but pretty damn good:
*My first experience here wasn't good, I way overpaid, but got what I wanted, so I came back again.  Since that day, the customer service has been very good.
*College girls are spraying.  I haven't had too much issue with it and lately things have been very good...I don't ever ask for a particular sprayer because they all seem pretty consistent.
*The one hour solution does cost more.  I think it's worth it, though.

Lasts 7-9 days for me.  I tan about every 2 weeks or when a big event is coming up.  I love that I haven't been sunburned since I started getting sprayed.  It seems to have a protective quality.
5 - Val B.: This review is long over due...

Friendly staff, amazing customer service, clean salon, fabulous beds, and an owner that can be found on site...what more can I ask for? Maybe a second location! 

The memberships are reasonably priced, they always have sales going on and on certain weekends they have free tan weekend for everyone! You don't even have to be a member to go to the free tan weekend events. If you join there mailing list they e-mail you all the current specials and deals. My favorite special they have is T-Shirt Tuesday which I am not sure if they still do but T-Shirt Tuesday is the greatest day for every avid tanner. If you buy one of their cute T-Shirts (it's only like $10 and says keep austin tan) and wear it on Tuesday, you get a free tan in their highest level bed. It's pretty much free tanning every Tuesday. 

I cannot stress enough how amazing the customer service is at this salon! The girls that work at Aruba Tan are actually nice and not fake. The owner takes pride in his business and has always made sure that my tanning experience is nothing less than perfect. 

Aruba Tan also always has free samples of lotion on the counter, such as tanning extender lotion that you apply after you tan. 

Ohhhhhhh and not to mention when they hire new air brush technicians for the spray tans, you can sign up for a free spray tan. If you are on the mailing list you will be notified about this. The trainee will spray tan you under supervision and the trainer will do an extra coating to ensure it is nice and even.

Whooray for Aruba Tan!
5 - Casi C.: Really love this place!  The girls consistently do a great job and are trained very well.  The bronzer they uses is REALLY dark, so you may look a little scary prior to your first shower, but once it washes off the tan looks great.  The girls do a great job making sure your tan is evenly applied and the areas that should naturally be darker are airbrushed that way.  I always get sprayed a day or two before a big event and the tan lasts about week.

I have tried several other places in town, and they simply do not do as good of a job.  Will continue coming back here!

Aruffo's Italian Cuisine - Claremont, CA (34.0952549, -117.7179016) ()
4 - Tyler H.: Well, in college, this was quite the upscale place.  If you could afford this, then either you had saved up all semester to ask out a girl and take her to one of the only nice restaurants in town within walking distance, or you were one of those prep school brats whose parents spent $30 grand for K-12.

Anyway, Aruffo's is friggin' good man.  I used to love their soups, and their entrees were always solid.  And unlike other places around, they actually had good service.  I can't comment on their wine list, since I knew nothing about wine at the time...

This is the special occasion place, if there is one in the area.
4 - Daryl I.: I've been meaning to write this place up, but since it's been a couple of years since I've been, it fell off of my radar.  Situated in the Village in Claremont, this has been one of the fancier places in town, most definitely.  It's one of those places that's a little more staid and formal, so you don't want to be popping in for a bite to eat with all of your buddies after Happy Hour at Hooters.  Definitely a special occassion type restaurant, so be prepared to spend a bundle, even though it's worth it.
4 - Stacy J.: This is where the dormmates and I would go when we wanted to eat out at a fancy pants place. I remember nothing about the food, but I remember the waiters were routinely hot.

Hot.
4 - Amy V.: I've been to Arrufo's several times this spring and I enjoyed my dining experience. Although this place isn't as good for larger groups because it's a smaller restaurant and it can be loud. But other than that, the food is delicious especially the fresh bread loaves topped with sundried tomatoes and seasonings. I usually order the gnocchi and I've heard rave reviews for their lasagna. This is a nice place for dinner in the village in general.
3 - justin r.: Aruffo's customer who hasn't studied abroad in Italy: "OMG THIS ITALIAN FOOD IS SO DELICIOUS."
Aruffo's customer who has studied abroad in Italy: "Well, it's not really Italian food, but it's OK, I guess..."

     There is definitely some psychological dissonance goin' on with Aruffo's customers - who wouldn't want to believe they just had an amazing meal after paying $18 for 5 pieces of crab ravioli?  Yes, their bread is delish, although I like to steal bread from restaurants for later and Aruffo's bread probably wouldn't reheat well bc of the oils and such on top.  But sorry guys, I just don't really see what else about the place is that special.  They try to be upscale and pretentious without having the orgasm-inducing food to back up their snobbery.  Reasons why I've been disappointed with Aruffo's in previous visits:

-My friends were charged $5.95 to share an entree (which would come with an extra side salad), and the waiter acted all huffy when they asked to just have an extra plate instead.
-Their tortellini and ravioli have WAY too much cream - I felt as though I had ordered cream as my main course and the pasta itself was garnish.  Real Italian food has a much lower cream/pasta ratio.
-They obviously didn't employ an Italian speaker to help them translate - there are numerous spelling and grammatical errors on the menu.  Yea, I know nobody cares, but it just gets on my nerves.  

In conclusion, I'm not really that big of an Aruffo's fan.  I'd probably go back during lunch and get the cheapest thing just so that I could get tons and tons of bread.  Other than that, I'll save my $20 and fix my own pasta at home, thank you.
3 - Amanda V.: Good food... 

Good "date" place.. small, quaint.. 


AMAZING HOT FRESH BREAD! .. it comes with tomatoes on top, its yummy... true, it is greasy, but YUMMY!

GREAT soup! the Crab Bisque.. so heavenly.

.... even better? Bread bowl of SOUP! .. they serve it at the Claremont Village Venture (October 27th) - there is always a long line.. yummm 

Their pasta was good, not "out of this world" - but good... pricey - thats the only reason why I don't go more often...
1 - Rene B.: Sorry, but I have to disagree.  Went there for Valentines day lunch, wasn't very crowded.  Keeping that in mind, the service was slow, our bread was cold inside, and we got the special treat of a hair in our food.  Other than that, it was great!
3 - Namtran N.: Just had lunch here the other day with my good friend Brandon. We had originally wanted to go to the Press, but it was closed for some renovations (or something). So we walked around the area for awhile, and decided that this seemed like a nice place to eat. It was a beautiful day out, so we ate outside. Unfortunately, their outside seating isn't in a "patio area", so we weren't allowed to drink any wine with our meal (lame).. but the meal is actually the more important part.

We both got ravioli: I got the polenta ravioli with the seafood bisque, he got the chicken ravioli with a salad and the house cabernet vinagrette. The seafood bisque was delicious. It was just right actually, probably one of the best bisques I've ever had. And the bread that came out was amazingly delicious and hot - straight out of the oven - (but a little fancy and complicated for just bread). If I were to come here for just soup and bread, then it would probably be a four star meal. Brandon's salad was ok, the house dressing was a bit overpowering.. you could definitely taste the cabernet in it.

As for the ravioli dishes.. The polenta ravioli, though good, was way sweeter than I was expecting it to be. I think it would have been much better if the chef could tone down the sweetness of the corn a bit by adding something else to the dish (not salt). Brandon's chicken ravioli was pretty basic, but they do need to lay off the salt a bit.  Not sure if  I would ever come back here, especially since there are so many restaurants in the area that I want to try out before ever coming back.
4 - BrasilPo P.: The staff is great, the food is very tasty and the wine selection is quite decent.  For a Sunday afternoon alternative to brunch, this was a good walk-in option.

The appetizer my sisters' and I chose was the roasted elephant garlic atop a bed of cheese and various olives and veggies.  

We also ordered a bottle of sparkling sweet wine to celebrate my sister's 21st birthday.  It actually paired off well with the pastas we chose --- stuffed seafood ravioli being one dish, and the other was the scallops over buckwheat angel hair pasta. 

The highlight was, of course, my sister's birthday dessert.  We chose the chocolate creme brulee with fresh berries on top.  Our waiter brought it out with a sparkler and it was adorable!  Gotta love it!!!
3 - Chelsea H.: I would have given this place 3.5 stars if that was possible. On the whole, this place has decent Italian-American food. Definitely not the real deal when it comes to Italian food (and the Italian portions of their menu had some typos in it), but hey, true Italian food is hard to get in the boonies of Southern California. The one dish of theirs that I absolutely LOVE is their pumpkin ravioli with pecan sauce. Delish! The eggplant parmesan is not great, though the pizza's are definitely decent. Atmosphere is good, though can get noisy and hard to here.
4 - Jess V.: went here on valentine's day. the food was great but it was kind of a madhouse. thankfully we had reservations. i had salmon with buckwheat pasta. it was yum. also their house cab is tasty!
4 - David C.: I give this place a four star based on service and food.  I think this place serves basic, simple Italian cuisines.  One of the reasons why I think their service is so good is because this place has never been crowded, or had more than two or three other tables full when I've visited the restaurant.  I've always received reliable food and service here when I come here.  I just wished it was a bit more busy, because sometimes I feel like it's a little empty and maybe there's a reason for it.  But I haven't figured that out, yet.  I think it's simple, tasty, fresh Italian food.  No complaints.
5 - Ian M.: Fantastic food!  I had a pasta dish with scallops in a cream sauce over lemon fettuccine and it was amazingly delicious!  The bread that they serve you is top notch and the basil and oil dish is brimming with flavor.  I'm definitely coming back here a lot during my studies at CGU.
3 - Mark M.: Aruffo's is a nice little neighborhood Italian joint. Nevertheless, I wasn't totally thrilled with my meal last night. Part of that could be attributed to the unorthodox request that my carbonara be prepared senza formaggio, but rest is their fault. Totally.

It was my fault that the dish lacked flavor. Salt is a flavor enhancer. In carbonara, pecorino Romano serves that purpose. My aversion to cheese precluded its use. Nevertheless, one would think that the natural inclination on the part of the cook would be to add salt as a compensatory mechanism.

The sauce was overly runny. Cream isn't typically part of a carbonara, but I'm not opposed to its use. I was disappointed to find that the requisite egg yolk, black pepper, and pancetta or guanciale, were noticeably absent. There was something that vaguely resembled Canadian bacon in the mix, but that is *not* what pancetta is. Pancetta is hearty, meaty, somewhat chewy yet crisp, and very smoky. It makes the dish. The egg yolk gives it a richness and brings it together. This was weak. I also don't know why pearl onions were floating around amongst the noodles.

The service was very good. No complaints whatsoever. I'm decidedly not a fan of that butter-impregnated bombolone of a bread loaf topped with cheese, tomato sauce and garlic. Give me some good crusty bread and butter (or at least oil), please.

I may order the carbonara again. It wasn't offensive. The scampi caught my eye initially, but given the rather late hour, I decided on this less substantial meal.

Finishing it all off with a very satisfying half-pound slice of cheesecake rendered my "sensible" meal choice an exercise in futility. It's their fault.
5 - Elizabeth K.: The food is excellent. 

Really, this place is super deluxe! I have gone there several times, and they have always given us excellent service, even when it is crowded. They always have more than enough wait staff on hand and they are always enthusiastic and professional. I would definitely recommend this place for entertaining business guests or impressing someone for a date. 

For the service and dining experience the price is appropriate. But if you are on a budget (like me) I just wanted to mention that they are more than willing to split an entree between two people, as their dishes are generally big enough for two people depending on what you order.
3 - Vanessa H.: We had the pumpkin ravioli - mousee like interior, sprinkled with walnuts.  Sweet, almost like dessert.  Four came per order, but also came with soup/salad and a loaf of garlic bread smeared with marina sauce and pesto on the side.
Also had the sausage pizza, piled high with red roasted peppers and roasted garlic. Delicious. Crust was a bit doughy.
Large selection of wines by the glass.  Though the  peppy extensive definitions of Merlot, Syrah screamed "aimed toward novice wine drinker"
3 - L S.: I have a love-hate relationship with this place. The place used to be a Mexican buffet restaurant years and years ago when my dad was still in college, but then Aruffo's bought the place and it is what you see today.

1) The same waiters have been working there ever since I was in high school. There's this bald-ish one, who I guess after years of service in a pretentious Italian restaurant... has gotten ahead of himself and likes to be pretty smug with the customers - especially those that appear to be 30 years old or under. The other one with the full head of hair and a constant 5-o'clock shadow, he's always been cool.
2) They make chocolate creme brulee (my favorite)... BUT!  They refused to make it for many years and now have decided to only make it when I'm out of town or when they do make it when I'm in town... the torch that makes the yummy crust of the creme brulee is broken :(
3) The food is decent. It's nothing super special or out of this world, but it is yummy. Sometimes its hit or miss. :/
4) The best part about this place is the bread they serve you when you're first seated. You'll NEVER get bread like that at any other restaurant. It's soft and moist, and they make it with this tomato sauce on top of it. You dip it into oil and vinegar... omg... yummy!
4 - Kim G.: I really like this place.  In fact it's my favorite italian restaurant (there are 3) in the village.  
The bread and house salad that they start you off with are wonderful!  I've only had the pasta dishes here, but they are always very good.  The prices are what you would expect and they have a pretty good sized selection of wines by the glass.  The portions are very big so I always have enough to take home for lunch.  :-)
As far as dessert goes, I've only had the tiramisu.  It's good, but not great.  They have a nice dessert selection though, so one of these days I'll have to try them.  I've been here four times and each time our server has been very nice and attentive.  If you're looking for a good place for dinner, stop by here.
5 - Jennifer B.: My Husband and I moved here from San Francisco where we frequented North Beach to meet our many Italian cravings.  When we moved down here there was nothing that even came close to SF until we walked into Aruffo's.  This place is great!!!!!  The bread is second to none!  It is so so good.  The food is fantastic!!  The small, home town atmosphere is so inviting and comfortable.  The deserts are hard to choose from and equally as good.  I would absolutely recomend this restaurant to even my most restaurant snobby friends!!
3 - Ricky F.: This a good Italian place to eat. The food is delicious but the desserts are misleading! 

For dinner, three of us got the chicken spinach cannelloni, king crab stuffed ravioli, and calamari fettucini----all great entrée's! 

For dessert we got Tiramisu and Bavarian creme pastry with raspberry's as toppings---the desserts were not what we were expecting. The server brings by this tray with these delectable looking deserts, good looking enough to make my mouth water. We order the above items, and they were such a disappointment--not worth $8.00 each. 

After this we got a wine flight, which is 4 different kinds of wine, house selected, as a taster. The wine was alright, once again, not too impressed. 

The food is really good, everything else alright. I would definitely return, not a place I have ruled out of my book.
4 - Greg T.: Mamma mia!?! I don't get it. I see people rating crappy Olive Garden's, mediocre Cafe Allegro in La Verne, and overrated Gales in Pasadena 4-5 stars, but rating Aruffo's no less than a 4 is a huge insult to the kitchen staff because I have to say this is definitely one of the best Italian restaurants I've been to in regards to food. The service is a hit'or'miss, but that's why I'm giving it 4 stars vs. 5.

Italian food is so simply elegant, and I love what quality ingredients can do for a dish, and it's evident with the dishes at Aruffo's. The mozzarella cheese they use in the Parmigiana Di Melanzana (eggplant) is so freak'n good, and I couldn't believe how good the fresh tomato's in this dish were too. The Aglio Arrostito (roasted elephant garlic) is a decent way to start things off with, but they also  provide you with bread.  Well I don't mind the redundancy and I like the presentation and choice of accompaniments so it's still worth it, but the thing that I come here for is the spinach gnocchi! The spinach is fresh ad the gnocchi is prepared perfectly. The sauce is balanced and properly executed.

I appreciate the effort the kitchen staff makes here, so I made sure I sent back a couple beers back to the cooks because they definitely deserve it.
3 - Dani T.: The food is good, the wine choices are decent. The ambiance is OK but the service? that can be hit or miss. You either get someone who knows what they are doing or a pissed off college student who hates the world to serve you. Tables are close together so if you want privacy try somewhere else. If you cant find parking in the front then try the parking lot in the back, there is almost always parking there.
3 - Erica R.: Authentic Italian fare.  Loved the dim lighting, inexpensive wine flights, and delicious food.  Their fettuccine alfredo is the best I've ever had.  And their house bread is scrumptious.  Unfortunately, their service is terrible.  And when you're spending $50+ for a meal, you expect good service.  Theirs is downright neglectful at times (which explains the 3-star rating).
3 - Steve T.: I took the in-laws and the food was good. We had a variety of food and 3 different deserts. All very good.

Downside is the mainly the service. The service was slow or not there even when the place had 1 other table. The prices were on the pricey side especially for desert. (3 star rating for the service)
3 - Phil J.: I was recommended to this place by a friend who said it was his favorite Italian food place. We got there at about 7:30 to an empty dining area. Their were two other couples in the building on a Thursday.
I read other reviews that said the service wasn't great. Our server was good. Very friendly and helpful. The food however was just OK. I probably wouldn't eat there again unless a friend wanted to go there.

I had the classic Fettuccine Alfredo Pollo. The sauce was too thin and the chicken tasted like it had been microwaved. My girlfriend had the calamari linguine which came with marinara, but she substituted the sauce for lemon garlic butter cream sauce. She said her dish was OK but nothing to write home about.

The best part about our experience was the bread. It was a loaf with garlic and pesto on it. Very soft and straight out of the oven. Very good.

But as I said before I prob wouldn't go there again nor would I suggest it to a friend.
3 - Michelle N.: Like Olive Garden? Me thinks not! Hey, don't get me wrong, I love OG's just like the next person, but they really can't compare.  Aside from providing great service to a party of about 12 people - all arriving at different times - the food was pretty good as well!

The entree prices are around $15-$20 which I think could get a bit pricey, and they also charge a split fee of about $4-$5 if you both want the soup/salad option.  But the one thing that reviewers really got right was the bread... the bread was FANTASTIC! Talk about melt in your mouth! Be careful, after the soup and munching on the bread, you just may not have room for your dinner!

I had the crab ravioli which was about $17 - and I was one of those people who really didn't eat much of it because I was too stuffed from the bread - but everyone else said it was good.  Others entree choices around me included the traditional items like lasagna, fettuccine alfredo, spaghetti, etc.  They also had meat and seafood dishes like pork chops, steaks, etc.  

I'm telling you, Claremont continues to surprise me.  Aruffo's is located on one of the quaint streets in downtown Claremont and is definitely a place I wouldn't mind returning to!
4 - Suzanne C.: We have been going to Arrufo's for a couple of years now, and they offer excellent Italian dishes. My favorites are the lasagna and the penne with tomato vodka sauce, but perhaps the best item is the rustic loaf of Italian bread, topped with a delicious tomato sauce! It is fabulous, and they serve it with a basil olive oil that is to die for! The setting is very cozy and intimate and makes for a great date night! I would highly recommend stopping by if you are in downtown Claremont...this is simply one of the best dining establishments they have to offer.
2 - Laurie B.: The bread here is delicious. Sneak some out with you. Prices for entrees range around $15-$20. Ragu sauce is always a bit on the salty side. The food doesn't come with complex flavors, very straight forward food. It is good for poor college students for a nice night out and good for left overs to eat the next day.
4 - Cynthia A.: What a cute town - seriously.  And w/Aruffo's there, you'll be coming back soon.

Growing up in NJ, I was spoiled by all the readily available, great Italian food deli's, restaurants, you name it.  Aruffo's brought me back to those tasty, tasty nights in NJ.  

The ambiance is great.  It's a small place, but nothing goes to waste w/the decor and ambiance.  

We got the cheese fonduta for appetizer, which was ok.. kinda soupy.  For the main course I got scallops, mussles, clams in a cream sauce w/fettucini.  Yummy! I can't remember if the noodles were made fresh or not, but it was a def good meal :).  Note, the portions are big enough to share.  The place is pricey, but my friends who did share a plate really got off w/a great deal for good food.
5 - Charles N.: I think some people are getting a little too uppity and overly critical on here. Its a local Italian restaurant (and a damn good one at that in my opinion). Yes, we know you can fnd better Italian  restaurants on the east coast and in major metropolitan areas, but lets assume we want to keep it modest and you live in or around the Claremont area.
My experiences have been great as well as those of my friends. The only caution I could project is that some of the dishes (such as the tortellini de la mama) have some sauces that may not agree with people who are lactose intolerant, but that is in no way a knock on the over all value of the dish. 
I've never had dessert at Aruffos because my fiance' and I would go across the street to another local restaurant (Vive' Madrids) for creme brulee and sangria, so you're on your own there. 
So again, if you're looking for a good place for a first date or just a good night out with friends, this is a great place to go. I recommend the crab raviolli with the tomato vodka sauce. And afterwards, The Claremont Village offers a lot of cool places to just walk around and hang out.
4 - Sean G.: The food is here is excellent and service is great. The bread is to die for...and that's just the bread! This place is nicely tucked in Claremont. After eating, you can walk around and just enjoy everything Claremont has to offer. I highly recommend this place!
1 - idrather n.: Shocked at how poor this place was, especially for the price. The sauce was like a can of sauce from Vons, with a tiny amount of meat added after the fact. Not quite as sweet as Chef Boyardee, but not really better either. What the meny referred to as fresh egg pasta was clearly not, or was the worst rendition I've had.

The bread is good, though.
5 - H H.: I love Aruffo's.  It's my favorite restaurant.  I have to admit, though, that 10 years ago I tried the chicken ravioli and that is now what I order EVERY time I go, so you have to consider my review with that in mind. I've tasted my husband's food each time and I've never wanted what he had more than what I had, even if it was good.  I love the bread - not the inside, which is just white fluff, but the crusty outside covered in tomato, cheese and oil.  I like the house dressing for the salad (order it on the side or the salad might be drowning) and the minestrone soup is excellent, but we haven't caught that particular soup in a few years.  We live in Tustin so we only get out to Claremont to eat once or twice a year.  The sauce is not like prego on the ravioli - not even close, so I don't know if there are numerous red sauces.  The service is OK - I have been there when it's slow, and we made the mistake of going on Valentine's day last year.  If you go when it's crowded you'll be packed like sardines but honestly, with their chicken ravioli in front of me, I don't care!
4 - C.ray. R.: i was hanging with my parents one day when we decided to go checkout downtown claremont since we hadn't visited that area before. there are lots of cute and cool shops to peruse through and some decent looking eateries, too. after playing around in the folk music center, we voted (rock paper scissors) to eat at aruffo's. thank goodness for playground democracy. 
the bread. others have mentioned it, but let me confirm: the bread is amazing. i don't know what kind of bread it is. its more spongy than the baguette style i'm used to at restaurants. the crust was smoothed with garlic and olive oil and there was some sundried tomato sauce (that's what it tasted like) basil and cheese garnishing the top. they brought with the bread a red pepper pesto sauce. freaking yum.
 i'm spending so much time describing the bread because it was so good, we almost made a meal of it. and then they brought out our entrees.
i ordered a baked eggplant dish. mom got the pumpkin ravioli. pop got the lasagna. the eggplant was awesome. not chewy or mushy, but perfectly prepared. mom's ravioli was very different from any ravioli i'd ever tasted. it was sweet and savory with an alfredo sauce and garnished with walnuts. a dash of pepper and two of salt and it was perfect. i don't eat red meat, so i didn't try the lasagna, but pop's plate was clean by the time i asked him how his food was. 
perfect portion size. good service. awesome bread. 
awesome.
the only thing i didn't like was my seat. there was a wine rack behind my head that prevented me from resting comfortably and the carpet under the table felt slippery, as if someone had spilt oil on it. i did enjoy sliding my feet around under the table, though. besided that, the place (bathrooms included) is clean and nicely decorated.
5 - Manda J.: This place has some ridiculously good food. My favorite dish is probably the cheese fondue - seriously, it's amazing. Go with a group so that you have an excuse to get it, and to share so that you don't end up eating the entire portion of cheese and loaf of bread. Because that is a real danger, believe me. The roasted elephant garlic is also a lot of fun to eat. They have some great appetizers and it's definitely worth getting at least one.

There are usually several good options for vegetarians. I always love to get their ravioli, which is always delicious and often interesting. Of course it has plenty of great stuff to offer meat-eaters as well.

My only word of warning: don't go here on Valentine's Day! I tried to go here for a romantic Valentine's dinner last year, and it was anything but. The restaurant was jam-packed -- I'm pretty sure they had actually brought in extra tables and chairs so that they could fit more people in. It was loud, it was crowded, and the waiters were in such a hurry to turn over tables that the busboy tried to take away my appetizer before I'd taken a single bite! Don't let this warning stop you go from going here, because any other night it's great. Just don't go on Valentine's Day.
5 - Sonja B.: The bread they brought out was AMAZING.

The music was shit. But that's OK.
4 - Abel T.: Let me start off with I am always working on the weekends and so when I get one, let alone time to take the girlfriend out, my expectations are a little high and my patience is lower than normal.  That being said WOW!

This place was excellent. The service was great, the waiter was really friendly and if he didn't really care about us, he was one hell of an actor because I was almost tempted to buy him a few rounds when his shift was over.

The food was exceptional, a little pricey, but hey-It was my only saturday that month and I was going to have fun.

The wine selection is good and the food selection was excellent.  The house bread with the tomato sauce on top was great.  I am very happy I found this place and I have been telling some of the guys at work about it. I am definitely going back next opportunity.
4 - Vanna L.: great authentic food, everything from the bread to the soups to the entrees.
the service is great, waiters are very friendly.
the Tustin style bread here is to die for!
quality food, quality service, and quality Italian food.
5 - Francesca H.: My husband and I would come here, even without the entrees, just for the weekend's creamy seafood bisque and fragrant artisan bread. The bread alone is so good we've asked for an extra to take home with our leftovers before. The entrees with fresh, al dente egg fettuccine and sharp cheese grated at your table are like the cherry on the proverbial cake - or in this case, like the plump berries, bursting with juices, delicately placed atop the crisp shell of their chocolate creme brulee. A cool glass of their Johannesburg Riesling is also nice to sip slowly in the warm glow of sunset.

More seriously, my husband and I've always loved this dark and cozy place, but I especially felt such a sense of contentment this time. I can't say any restaurant has ever made me feel "at peace" before. The waiter was pleasant, attentive but not overbearing; business was slow and quiet; and the lights, save for the light of sunset, were dim and romantic - just perfect for our one year wedding anniversary.
4 - Jay B.: Ended up coming here with the fiancee for a special dinner by accident; the Spanish Tapas resto we were supposed to hit up was closed on Mondays - obviously not information we knew coming here.  But we were so fortunate that it WAS closed - we'll still come back to try it out - but we came upon Aruffo's and thoroughly enjoyed our experience.

The artisan bread is definitely a must-have.  Served w/ a pesto/olive oil dip or you can make your traditional olive oil/vinaigrette dip, you will be extremely satisfied.  Very good food; very flavorful, very Tuscan.  Both of us loved what we ordered, I had the ravioli and she ordered a penne pasta.  Had the chocolate creme brulet, which she loved as well.  

Service - excellent.  Very friendly, very good suggestions, and very attentive to it's patrons.  Gotta and gonna come back over and over.
5 - Than V.: Their bread is to die for and the selection of pasta is great. The pumpkin ravioli is rich and very good.
4 - Mal S.: The bread here is to die for. I had the lasagna which was good. The sauce tasted homemade and was delicious. My mom ordered a salmon dish which she also loved. I would definitely return but I don't know that i would order anything other than the lasagna and pizzas here.
5 - Michael S.: Food is amazing every time we come. I can't imagine a better Italian restaurant.
5 - Katrina M.: So it was a last minute Sunday evening dinner, and what a pleasant surprise to fine this eatery.  Comfortable surrounding, and good service.  Bread was fresh baked, and delicious. I had prosciutto fettuccine. sauce had flavor, and not too rich.

Will be back for sure.  :)
4 - karen c.: I went there for my mom's birthday yesterday and the food and the service were great! We ordered two bread because it was just too good and different from other resturants and their salad were fresh and crispy. I had an order of pumpkin ravioli and it was as described; sweet but not disting-type of sweet. It was realli realli good. The only downside of this place is the portion is not as much, but iether way, i would still recommend this place.
4 - Stephanie H.: Best. Bread. Eveeeerrrr. No joke.  I'm pretty sure I consumed more bread than my meal.  I honestly don't even remember what I ordered, but I give this place four stars just for their bread.  Hot, fluffy, soft, fresh out of the oven, with marinara sauce.  Oh Em Gee.  I can die happy now.  

P.S. Cute date place!
4 - Mark S.: Took Wifey here last night to celebrate.  
First off, everyone is right about the bread.  Awesome, fan-freakin'-tastic, tasty, crusty on the outside, fluffy on the inside, tomatoey stuff on top, I could easily run out of superlative adjectives bread.
I had the seafood bisque, wifey had the salad.  Salad was above average, the soup was actually pretty good.  I finished the whole thing (unusual for seafood reluctant me)
I had the Saltimboca, which was pretty good, I am more used to veal saltimboca then flat iron steak, but it worked OK.  I liked the mushrooms in wine sauce garnish.  The pasta was OK, a little on the al dente side.
Wifey had the Sea Bass.  She said it tasted like it was not fresh, but frozen.  Not being a big sea food guy, I didn't ask for a taste.
Desserts were good.  We split a chocolate creme brulee and a cocolate mousse.  The creme brulee was good, but why do they spread it so thin on a wide plate?  I mean it was probably about 4" wide on the plate, but only about 1/4" deep.  We wound up scraping it rather than scooping it.  The chocolate mousse was very good, nothing to bark about there.
Service was excellent, attentive but not intrusive, courteous, fast, and knowledgeable about their food.
Price was a little on the high side, but not outrageous for what they are doing.  Overall 4 stars from me.
5 - Nicole P.: I have been coming to Arrufo's for many years and finally feel that they have provided consistently good service and quality. I visited last night with my husband and in-laws and the service was excellent- a blond, thin young man was very attentive, always filling our water/drinks and asking how things were.

Being the creature of habit that I am, I always order Alfredo del mar. Its filled with shrimp, scallops and clams in a to die for sauce. Very tasty. My in laws had pasta and were equally as impressed. We also enjoyed two baskets of their complimentary bread, which blows any other complimentary bread out of the water. 

As stuffed as we were, we ordered dessert: chocolate mousse, chocolate creme brulee and white chocolate lemon cake. All pretty stellar.

Arruffo's is great for family, dates, or eating with friends.
4 - Corey P.: All the hype is true, Aruffo's is a lovely higher end Italian restaurant that would be a great place to take a date. You can look at the pictures, the set up is very classy with lots of older couples having dinner. I did notice that the lights would randomly dim up and down throughout the meal. Electrical problem? 

I came here with a group of 7 and a small but negligible gripe is that they don't have round tables, so it was a little hard at times to talk to people. We looked over the menu, everything is going to set you back between $14-$30 as expected. I ordered the Salsiccia E Funghi (for those who don't speak Italian, it's sausage and mushrooms over penne in a tomato sauce). I also added on the soup of the day which was a seafood bisque. Some things my friends ordered included a spinich and cheese tortellini, while another one ordered pumpkin ravioli which sounded very festive.

Before the food came out, they served us the famous and much talked about bread. It smelled amazing, freshly baked, with a hint of garlic and olive oil. The bread on the outside had a crispy firmness while the inside was soft like the clouds. It came with this red pesto, delicious! I had some with olive oil and red wine vinegar as well, simply fantastic. I don't know if it was complimentary or came with our meal, but I WANTED MORE. We only got 2 loaves for our entire table though. Try asking for more and see what they tell you.

The seafood bisque was warm, creamy, and had small bits of clams and maybe muscles in it? I enjoyed it. There was a very slight amount of noticeable acidity in it though, which I don't know if that's normal. My main dish came out and my friend described it as "cute". I got freshly grated cheese and pepper on it, smelled great. There was lots of sausage which tasted clean, meaty, and something about the herbs made it really good. The tomato sauce wasn't too sour, it was creamy due to the complimenting of the grated cheese. It made the dish very hearty. The pasta was firm which I love. Overall, I'm very happy with the dish. Everyone else seemed to be giving similar feedback minus one friend who ordered this chicken, cheese, and spinach crepe like dish. Maybe it wasn't manly enough for him.

They were kind enough to split the bill 7 ways, but it took a SUPER LONG TIME. My friend commented that we ate our food faster than it took them to finish checking us out. We came in about 8:30 and got out around 10:45. The bill set me back $21 with tip.

Coming from a guy who generally avoids Italian food because 1. I'm lactose intolerant (sexy, I know) and 2. It's overpriced, this was a good experience. I would recommend it for more of a formal date though than a friendly get together.
4 - Allison P.: I came here the other weekend for lunch with my grandma and mom,
The restaurant wasn't busy, there were two other tables with guests. It was perfect, nice and quiet.
We were offered drinks and bread. The bread is sooo good, crusty on the outside and soft on the inside.
We decided to split two entrees between the three of us.
We ordered the Stuffed Eggplant and Spinach Lasagne along with side salads.
I preferred the Spinach Lasagne, I dont care for the mushy eggplant.
The side salads were made with very fresh mixed greens.
Also, the waiter was very polite and attentive.
Great experience, We will be back!
4 - Mathew P.: I enjoyed this place. I would be a fan. But not so impressed to write more than a standard twitter post
4 - Mike L.: Took the family to a festival in Claremont and while walking around we found Aruffos. Now this place is one of the original places on my bookmarks and finally i got to go. 

We got the bread before our dinner and you really wouldn't believe how good it really is. I know that Ive said other places have had the best bread but this place has the best bread and they have this stuff you dip it in, it has a small spicy kick, i think it was some kind of sun dried tomato dipping oil. We all couldn't get enough of it. 

My wife and I ordered the pumpkin ravioli and the Sicilian style penne pasta and split them. The tomato sauce was pretty good. I don't know if this was on purpose or not but only have of the penne pasta was covered with cheese. Which was the best part. 
The pumpkin ravioli was pretty good also, it had a really nice sweet flavor. but you didn't get very much. It was more like an appetizer. We probably wouldn't order it again because it wasn't enough. The penne pasta we ordered was the lunch special and there was enough there for us to split. 

We will defiantly go back, mainly for the bread and to try other stuff. 
The service wasn't that good also, the waiter and the doorman both don't have any personality especially the waiter. Almost rude
4 - Chris M.: Cute place, nice lively ambiance. Good, reasonably priced wine list with many by the glass. Bread is all it's cracked up to be and worth the wait, which we had to do. Close to thirty minutes. Service was very good so not sure what happened with the bread. House and Caesars salads were good and we were offered fresh grated cheese and fresh ground pepper. The entrees were just OK. but very reasonable priced. We got the gnocchi and the veal Marsala. The gnocchi was heavy and the marinara sauce not very flavorful. The veal was good but the Marsala sauce very watery and lacked that deep, rich flavor.
4 - Amy C.: I have been to Aruffos on twice so far, once for lunch and most recently for dinner.  Food here is really good.  I recommend going here for lunch as they have very affordable lunch prices and the portion size is just right.  Don't forget to try their bread as it is DEE-LISH!!!!!!!  I do believe it is the best bread in town hands down!  If you are into martini's be sure to try their pear martini.  It is awesome!!!  It tastes like you are biting straight into a fresh, ripe bosc pear.  As for entree's I recommend their dishes with the pesto sauce or try their ravioli.
4 - Maximillian M.: Started with the seafood bisque (very good) and the fresh bread--not like any bread I've had at any restaurant, it's super good. I had the king crab ravioli which was great, others had the shrimp scampi linguini (also great) and the eggplant parmesan (good). Nice atmosphere, very chill.
4 - cristal c.: I came here on a Sunday for a early lunch. It was completely empty, only one other couple. The hostess/waiter greeted us very politely & let us pick where ever we wanted to eat which was nice : ) The ambiance is fanastic, it was slighty bright due to the time we got there (4ish pm) but after we started munching on bread the waiter dimmed the lights & pulled down the shades which was completely SWEET! The place was now very dim, but romantic which I love = ) I ordered the Tortellini della Mamma
Spinach & Egg Tortellini, Stuffed With Pecorino Romano Cheese, Baked With Sweet Peas, Prosciutto & Parmigiano w/ a cream sauce..I don't eat any meat & ordered it w/out the Prosciutto ( i know, i know lol) Soooo freakin wonderful!! Tortellini was cooked perfectly, cream sauce was super creamy, very buttery,& the peas totally complimented the entire dish
The bf ordered Ravioli della Zucca
 Italian Pumpkin Surrounded In A Sauce Of Mascarpone Cheese & Cream, w/ Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur & Toasted Black Walnuts ok I didn't try his dish but he said it's very rich, tasty.  Too add, he said if you don't like sweet in your entree opt out of ordering this dish due to the sweetness of the pumpkin & sauce..
I will totally be back to Aruffo's, next time I will try something a bit more traditional : )
4 - Omie V.: After yelping all the resturants in uptown claremont... i found Aruffos to have the best reviews. Along with a friend we had lunch on a wed afternoon. The food was amazing. The bread to die for! !! I really really enjoyed it. I only have one small complaint. The server wasn't very happy. Not rude to us or anything but he wasn't very pleasant. Just did his job which is ok but i would have enjoyed it more if cracked a smile. :) 
We will def be back again!!!
5 - Meg H.: I have always wanted to try this place and went there with my mom recently and it is at the top of my list of places to go again. Loved the fresh, homemade warm bread they serve. I started my deal with the salmon chowder, the soup of the day and it was delicious. not too salty, just perfect. for my entree i was torn out between two dishes but ultimately went with the spinach lasagna and it definitely did not disappoint! Usually lasagnas with cream sauces are heavy but this was light, fresh, and i think they blanch spinach first and then top the lasagna with it instead of baking it in the dish, it got the lasagna the fresh taste to it. definitely can't wait to go back again SOON!
1 - Shannon D.: Horrible service & bland food; I left unsatisfied an annoyed at the staff..
4 - Catherine W.: This place is really nice and seems to be really popular especially for parents of the Claremont College students. I got some kind of eggplant dish that they said was like Eggplant Parmesan but it wasn't it was more like Eggplant Lasagna, but other than that, I really liked it. The waiters were nice and it was a great place to eat with parents.
5 - Fiora F.: I was on a quest for a nice restaurant to start an evening out with my fiance. In my search for an Italian restaurant I found Aruffo's... thank you yelpers for steering me in the right direction! This place is great. The bread is fresh, warm, and wonderful with the red pesto on the side. We both started with salads that had a nice twist with a little bit of pasta mixed in. I had the pumpkin ravioli which was absolutely delectable... in a rich but not too sweet cream, topped with crushed walnuts(just wonderful!). My fiance had a lemon chicken dish, he enjoyed it very much... the sauce was light, the vegetables cooked just perfectly, and the chicken and mushroom had great flavor. We also had the tiramisu for dessert which was very good as well. We will definitely be back as this is now my favorite Italian restaurant in the area.
4 - kesha l.: wonderful place to go to with nice waitress, u will def like this place if u are looking for a romantic like place. it has dim lights, and the bread is superb!!!!! again, great place for dates!!!
3 - Josie C.: came here for a birthday.  Its a dimly lit Italian restaurant. The waiters were nice but the food took awhile to come.  Had a chance to try their chocolate creme brulee and italian sausage pizza.  The creme brulee was pretty good and this is coming from a Chocoholic.  But I'd say it was a little on the sweet side, so after a few spoonfuls, I was pretty sick of it.  Had to beg friends to help eat some.  The Italian sausage pizza was also pretty good.  

There was a mixup with our bill and the waiters accidently added a wine and with tax it was around $50, which caused a bit of a stirrup with our group for underpaying.  But all in all, I'd come back. Their serving bread was delicious.
4 - Leigh R.: The service here is great, very attentive but not intrusive. (waiter Steve was very good)  Their menu is full of lots of choices.  The house salad is better than most and the bread is excellent!!  Yummy food with generous serving sizes...Like the ambiance, especially as it is decorated right now for the holidays.  The tables seem a little close together, so I can't speak of what it would be like if the restaurant was packed but with 5-6 couples spread throughout, the setting is fine.
4 - Ed Z.: Great fresh bread with a Roasted Red Pepper Pesto.  An excellent Salmon Bisque and the Calamari Fritti was very good.
4 - David C.: Nice Italian cafe good food but the cheap wine glasses and silverware were a bummer keeping it from being fine dining... for the price they should get better hardware. They did have a could Stracali Chanti for $32 a bottle which was a fair deal and the starter bread was excellent
5 - Cesar M.: I came here to celebrate a friend's birthday on a Saturday night. I'm usually not liberal with my 5 star ratings but I feel this place deserves it, despite the fact that they ran out of two items that I wanted: the salmon bisque and some specialty martini (I forgot the exact name of it). Instead of the soup, I got a  delicious salad with garlic dressing and opted for a regular martini. I was not disappointed by the substitutes. For the main course, I ordered the Ravioli Della Zucca: pumpkin ravioli served with a creamy sauce. I've never tasted anything quite like it before, not even in Italy. 

Great atmosphere and amazing food in Claremont's Village. This is definitely one of the best Italian restaurants around.
4 - asmita j.: 5 STARS for the complimentary bread. I honestly dont remember eating a better tasting bread...it is SO flavorful, and perfectly baked so that its crisp on the outside but fluffy and soft in the inside. i didnt even need any balsamic vinegar to pair with it....it was truly divine on its own. and i would be lying if i said i didn't try this place out JUST for the bread (it really does meet up to the hype). 

3 stars for main entrees: granted, i ordered a boring dish that i was craving -- fettucine alfredo with chicken. unfortunately, i was so full from eating the bread (that our waiters thankfully kept refilling) and the starter salad that i had little room in my tummy for the pasta. it was, though, a gigantic portion (MUCH larger than some of the other dishes my friends tried). but the flavor wasn't all that. i ate some of it the next day, but it only tasted worse.

4 stars for service: lets be honest, this place is getting 4 stars for service because our bread was refilled. in terms of our waiter, though, he was incredibly unenthusiastic, and almost rude. unlike other tables, we didn't even get freshly grated parm cheese (he gave us some pre-grated in a bowl instead). 

our bill came out to about 30-35 per person, including wine. definitely a bit pricier than expected. If i were to come back (and surely i will, if only for the bread), i'd prolly split an entree and come with fewer ppl (4 or less).
3 - Ahava Y.: Good value for a nice meal. Crispy salad and warm bread. Rich and in my opinion Americanized Italian food. A good place to take a family. Cute. Not gourmet. Indifferent service.
4 - Hannah M.: Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. I love italian food, but I never thought I'd like it this much. The bread alone is worth going for. Just get a glass of water and the bread. I'm never going to be able to actually dine at Viva Madrid...because I'll be here instead.

We went for lunch around New Years and had an amazing meal. I had the Panini Milano (I think,) and I don't even like panini! It was a wonderful lightly breaded chicken breast with the arugula salad and a pesto. Super tasty. Couldn't eat much of it as I was too distracted by the bread. My date had some sort of linguini with procesutto and pesto, which was good, but we were too enamored with the bread. The second and third times I've gone I've just gotten the arugula salad, which is extremely filling but leaves enough room for the bread. Decent desserts, but unnecessary after the bread.

Did I mention the bread? 

Super amazing, great service, and a (seemingly) great date spot. It can be loud during the dinner hour on Friday and Saturday.
5 - James M.: Go for the bread. It's the best that I've ever had.
4 - Judy a.: 1. Food was good... Meatballs were the best I have had in a while..2.Price was a little high, but okay.. 3...bread was good . I would have given 5 stars.. But soup was small but good, the negative was the salad it was yucky....
3 - Ronaldy M.: The food is mediocre: nothing special but not Olive Garden. The drinks were made well although they could definitely use more alcohol for the price. Skip the dessert- 5 mins on the lips, forever on the hips.

Saving grace: great service and friendly staff.
5 - Jeff I.: I love this place! Everything about this restaurant is amazing. From the home like atmosphere and great service, to the fresh out of the oven bread and heaps of delicious pasta
4 - Cesar R.: Had Valentines dinner with my girlfriend here a few hours ago, yes I had to write about it asap! It was very good above Olive Garden for sure. Price was fair 15.95 for my Lasagna (made with ground sirloin) Soup was sea food style stew surprised i like it (not my style) Oh and that bread was the awesome could eat that all day long. GF had Pesto style pasta it looked good, and we had a meatball on side. Soft drink 2.95 (should have got water). Food is top quality, surroundings are perfect for a date. Dinning area was packed but perhaps it was because Valentines.Would go again no doubt,
1 - S A.: Can't believe the amount of stars people gave this horrible place. It just adds to my general feeling of Yelp unreliability.
As an Italian, calling this place Italian seems just wrong. But I am not even into "authenticity" per se; this is just plain disgusting, overly salty, creamy and garlicky indigestible crap! The comparisons with Olive garden seem actually right: it's just as nauseating and repulsive as the famous chain. The complimentary bread is oily and your stomach will remember it for days, but for all the wrong reasons. 
Also, please, please please future Italian restaurant owners in general: make an effort to hire a native speaker to double check your menus. Almost every "Italian" place I've been to in the US has a special way of misspelling and torturing the language, but this went a bit overboard: for any Italian native, "gnocchi della patata" means "gnocchi of the vagina". C'mon!
5 - Ed K.: I went here for Valentine's on the Sunday before the big day. A lot of other people decided to do the same. The food was delicious, fresh, tasty, and good size portions. The soup was excellent. I had the sea food one...yummy. The salad was large and made with mixed greens and a light dressing plenty for my date and I. The bread is freshly baked, soft, warm, and flavorful. Our main dishes were both awesome and good size portions with large portions of meat; they did not skimp. My dish was the Chicken with the Pesto sauce...very good...I could not finish it...had it for left overs the following night. My lady's dish was the pasta with sausage with peppers. I had it for lunch the next day.It too was very good.  I consider my self a good chef and these dishes were very good. We had some mixed drinks and they have a great bar with well mixed drinks that will delight your tastebuds. The place is quite larger than it looks from the outside. The atmosphere is comfortable and inviting. Give it a try. I know I will make this my regular italian stop from now on....Ciao!
5 - Michael G.: Great Italian food!

I came here for my second anniversary during lunch hour. The place is cozy and the service is excellent. That being said, I would imagine that it can get really loud when it gets busy.

We had the Calamari for an appetizer which was served with a garlic lemon sauce. Great calamari, and I've had my fair share at other places. A salmon bisque came with my meal and also bread (which looked, smelled, AND tasted amazing I ordered the Stucca ravioli and my lady had the shrimp capallini. They must of gave her 10 huge shrimp with her order--it looked so good. My food tasted like ravioli had a baby with pumpkin pie and then bathed in awesome sauce--it really was something else.

One of my favorite Italian places that I have ever been to. Puts Olive Garden to shame.
4 - David M.: Really awesome Americanized Italian food. Our service was exceptional, which was surprising considering how crowded it was on a rainy Saturday night. The bread that comes with the meal with pesto dipping sauce is to die for. I had the seafood bisque which was amazing and not too heavy. The mains were decent but the atmosphere and service made it seem better.
4 - Celeste M.: Penne sausage tomato sauce pasta. Sooo good! Homemade bread rocks.
5 - Darryl M.: Great food and reasonable for the neighborhood.

This small space in the Claremont Village has never let us down.  Starting off with the fresh house salad with the creamy Gorgonzola bleu cheese dressing...the second best salad I've ever had, then the soft, garlicy bread balls topped off with their tomato sauce.

We'll have one of their wine flights, three glasses of wine...a white, a rose, and a red...where all three equal about one regular glass for $7.95.  It's nice to have a selection of wine tastes to choose from throughout your meal.

The food here is definitely not light.  Yeah, it is on the creamy side so know that going in, it is still very good.  The prosciutto alla fettuccine in a creamy pesto sauce is all bacony, creamy goodness.  The lasagna al forno is a hearty, cheesy, meaty delight. My go-to dish here, however, is the tortellini della mamma, a tricolor dish of little pasta pillows filled with cheese and covered with their garlic cream sauce with bits of fried prosciutto sprinkled about.

Full dinner prices run about $15 - $30 including your salad or soup.  A smaller bites menu has good sized entrées without  salad or soup running around $9 - $15.

Service is excellent and professional.  It can get a bit crowded on a Saturday night, so a reservation would not be a bad idea but you can usually get by without one.
5 - Suzee D.: Excellent! Out for a "treat myself" night with a BFF. What a great Italian meal. (And boy am I picky!) We began with heavenly fresh bread, salmon & crab bisque, split a spinach ravioli. Really fresh flavors. Not overly seasoned or too complicated. Just an ahhhh moment after each bite. Servings are ample. High moderate price. Most of the good dinners are $15 and up, but come with bread and soup or salad.
4 - Michele M.: The location; aruffos italian cuisine

The mission; a celebratory dinner with the goal of eating carbs without any feelings of guilt.

Mission accomplished. The bread served with pesto is amazing. Everyone is right on about this, it was the best part of the meal. The gnocchi was yum as well. J and i also shared the seafood fettucini. Said dish was heavy on clams, scallops and shrimp but the sauce was too runny for my liking. He loved it though. Desserts are delish here we tried the tiramisu which did not taste store bought and cheesecake with caramel sauce and walnuts.

The portions are big we took pasta and half of our desserts home. The staff is friendly the prices are very reasonable i will definitely visit here again.
5 - Lioness D.: I really like Aruffo's. I mean I REALLLLLY like it. Usually when I have guests from out of town come in for a stay and they want some good Italian food, I take them here. 
To start, and you KNOW you're not supposed to full up on the bread basket, but you JUST CAN'T HELP IT!!! The bread is crusty on the outside and oh-so-soft on the inside. Served with red pepper pesto. So Good...
They have good sized lunch and dinner menus, and a little Specials menu with some extra yummies on it. I usually go with the special that has Fettuccine, Prosciutto, cream sauce and sweet peas. Awww!! Delicious!!
Last Saturday for lunch, I decided to try something different and go for the Caprese Panini.   Caprese is pretty easy, toss a couple of tomatoes, some basil and some mozzarella and there you go..Somehow they made it into a pretty good sized panini - Straight up - BEST SANDWICH I'VE EVER HAD!!! 
Also tasted the Lasagna, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Pizzas, and the Scampi. You can't go wrong. I've never had a bad meal. And the owner is around making sure your iced tea is full to the top!! 
Overall 5 stars!!!
5 - Chris R.: The wife and I head to Aruffo's whenever we are looking for a quiet,  intimate, romantic dinner.  The bread is enough the keep me coming back.  Great homemade soups.  My wife had the pumpkin ravioli on a recommendation from another yelp review, and has raved about it, and can't wait to go back.  They also have a large selection of cocktails and deserts.
5 - Zoota M.: This has been my favorite restaurant for years!  Anyone I have ever brought to Aruffo's has LOVED it, I mean loved it!  The bread is fantastic, the cocktails are amazing and anything I have ever ordered has been homemade.
5 - A L.: Had girls night here perfect dim light dinner to have a good conversation. The bread is AMAZING! The food is a little pricey but sooo worth it. Will pick this over olive garden any day.
4 - Kit W.: It's been a while since I've been here but this was my favorite fancy restaurant in Claremont Village back when I was a college student (not so long ago I must say).  

Aruffo's offers a soup or salad to go with your entree and let me tell you--the first spoonful of their signature seafood bisque was so amazing, it sent me through seven stages of foodie heaven.  I am serious.  It was so darn delicious I am positive I ignored the dinner conversation for a good ten minutes as I scarfed it down in barely ladylike fashion.  

The warm, soft-on-the-inside, beautifully-crusted-and-seasoned-on the outside table bread goes phenomenally well with the bisque.  By now, I am sure you got the idea that I would marry the bisque if I could.  This would be true if it were consistently awesome but sadly, it's not.  I've been back several times since my first visit to Aruffo's and the deliciousness of the bisque ranged from pretty good to hella good.  This is what stops me from giving Aruffo's 5 stars.

Besides the must-try bisque (I hope you get to experience it in its top-notch form!), their crab ravioli is pretty divine.  I've tried a couple of their shrimp pastas and it's a hit-or-miss like the bisque.  On some days, the shrimp is cooked to perfection and on others, it's overcooked and grainy (noooo).  

Their cocktails are pretty rockin' and service has always been great every time I've been.  Aruffo's can be considered pricey but if you are in Claremont and in the occasion for a fancy meal, give Aruffo's a try!
2 - Andrew M.: maybe i went on an off day? 

my table was a party of 9 and i think 7.5 of us were disappointed. 

i ordered the fettuccine alfredo with chicken. cost: $18~ + $2~ for caesar salad. caesar salad was good (7/10) but the pasta, eh, the pasta wasnt so wonderful. 

i jumped right into the sauce thinking it would be a blissful cheese party in my mouth. instead, it turned out to be a dumpy eggy taste that i had a hard time swallowing. i thought it was from their egg noodle linguine but when i tried a friend's dish with the same noodles, i knew right away it was the sauce. the best way to describe it, eggy. yes i said it before and ill say it again. is eggy even a word? i wanted to yack my brains out. so i got sick of looking at my food and asked the waiter to take it away. 

by brother in law who is a chef, ordered some simple pasta with olive oil, basil and tomatoes and he was pissed because it cost him $15 and it tasted like nothing. pretty hard to make something taste that bland. 

my father and mother in law had the spaghetti with meatballs and they didnt eat much of it... i guess that says it all. 

the bread was good but nothing to go crazy over. its just bread. if you want to talk about amazing bread, make sure its amazing. 

so why the two stars when it sounds like a one star? well cause the salmon bisque that my friend ordered was delicious. now only if they made everything there taste that good, it would have been glorious.
5 - Vincent T.: Tummy!!! I missed by days visiting Florence and Milan. This is the third Italian restaurant I found in California who keeps Italian style. Now it becomes my flavorist. It is a little bit greasy to many of you, but that is what I always got while I traveled in Italy. love the taste and the price is good.
4 - Elena L.: I come here all the time and I love it!
5 - katy k.: Omg this place is amazing. If you're like me  and have grown up on cheff boyardee and olive garden, you haven't had real Italian food yet until you've eaten at this place! The sald that comes with the meal is the best side salad I've ever had. Usually side sales are small little bowls of brown lettuce, these was  mixed greens with pasta, peppers, crutons with the best blue cheese dressing. You  can also get soup if you don't want sald. My boyfriend got the crab bisque. It was so creamy and flavorful. You also get garlic bread, its crispy on the outside and soft I  the inside, perfect but what really makes it is the pesto's they serve with it. For dinner I had the chicken canaloni. It was delishious melt in you're mouth amazing! the other dish we tried was the ginochi? If I spelled it right, the potato dumpling pasta. a win as well! backed with  cheese on top it was down right delectable. Try this place everything so good. I can't wait to come back :)
2 - Debbie d.: I was visiting my son in California.  I was not impressed at all. Here are the dislikes first:  The food was way too salty.  We ordered veal parm,seafood bisque, steak, we couldn't even it that's how salty it was.The sauce that comes with the spegheitt was salty too.  I love watching the cooking shows and they always tell the chefs to watch their salt.  Well this chef would have been on the chopping block.  I mean too too salty.   My son wouldn't let me say anything to the waiter because I'm his mom and you know who that is when your out with your family (wife and son)....We took the food to go  I paid bill of course.  I did get away with writing it on the comment card.

The positive the bread was awesome, and we ordered Calamari for an appetizer which was served with a garlic lemon sauce that was very good.
And the Ravioli Della Zucca was good had a bite of that and it was sweet.

After reading all the comments I would try it again when I am back in California.
4 - Robin H.: I have only been here once but I enjoyed.  I had the Pesto Pasta and a couple glasses of the house chianti.  Pasta was very good as was everyone else's meals from what I could tell.  The staff was very accommodating.  Job well done.
5 - Shelly K.: We came here for the first time the other night after finding it listed on Yelp. Beautiful experience!!! When it comes to living life, I cherish the experience of it!  When I am choosing something to do I always take into account the experience involved. The service, timing, food and details were on point!  I loved this restaurant and will continue to go here when I want an exceptional dining experience I absolutely LOVED the service here. Never have I seen such impeccable, perfectly-executed teamwork at a restaurant. Not one person who worked there missed a beat! It was truly amazing. Probably one of the best Italian restaurants I have ever gone to!!! I look forward to returning often!
3 - Kristina R.: ** 3.5 STARS**

Yes, the bread really is THAT good. Trust me.

I went to Aruffo's for the first time last night with a group of 6. There aren't any booths or round tables, so conversation was a bit like a tennis match for me (I was sitting in the middle with my head constantly turning back and forth). When the bread came we all dove right in! Apparently none of my fellow dining mates are yelpers, so they weren't biased about the bread when they came in, but EVERYONE love it. It is worth ruining your dinner for. 

The seafood bisque looked yummy, but I'm not a seafood fan so I got the salad (house raspberry vinaigrette dressing is really good). Everyone who got the soup at my table finished it so fast I couldn't even ask them if they liked it or not. I'm assuming they did.

I got the pomodoro capellini and it totally hit the spot. Yummy angel hair pasta with a light garlicy and a little bit spicy tomato sauce and fresh grated parmesan cheese on top. YUM! My dining mates got the spinach lasagna (looked very tasty), pesto pasta and pasta with meatballs and/or sausage. Everything looked great and everyone happily finished their meals. Except me... But not because it wasn't super delicious, only because I was already full -- I loaded up on too much bread!

Prices were a bit high, but it is Claremont and this place has the feel of a nice-r restaurant. I would go here again for a celebration or a nice date. I have a hard time giving Italian restaurants 5 stars because I like all of it and can't distinguish between good and really really good. I'm also docking an extra 0.5 stars because we asked for more bread (the gave us two loaves for the 6 of us) and they only brought one more out. Is there a bread shortage somewhere I'm not aware of? Come on -- give the people what they want!

Other than that, it's a nice place to try. I made reservations for our party at 7pm, but the place was hardly busy and could've taken us without a reservation no problem.
4 - Yvonne L.: Sooo good!! I had the "salsiccia cacciatore", which is sausage and pasta with roasted pepers and onion... yum I'm getting hungry just thinking about it! Definitely try it if your in the area.  Big plus is the village in Claremont, where it's located,  is such a cute, charming little town that makes for a great date location.
5 - Crystal C.: I have been here two times. The first time was for a friend's birthday dinner and then took my mother for dinner. 
Reading the reviews, I decided to have the lobster bisque .... and everyone should have it. The salmon bisque is alright. I've had the chicken marsala which was delicious, but kind of a lot food. The calamari appetizer was good enough for a group. I have to mention the bread. It is DELICIOUS!!! It has the mos amazing flavor to it. 
The size of the restaurant is kind of small and cramped especially in the evenings. 
Overall, you can't be disappointed. The food and service are both exceptional.
3 - Mia L.: 5.12.11: Did not like it. Food was mediocore. But I did like how they would substitute the kind of sauce that I really liked with my pasta dish. Overall I will have to come back again.
4 - C K.: Overall experience was a 3.5/4 stars. Food and service was fine and price was decent for the village. The bread and dipping sauce is tasty. We ordered the gnocchi and pesto chicken pasta. Both were flavorful, so I left satisfied. If you want decent Italian food in the village with acceptable prices, I suggest coming here.
5 - Lauren R.: I had never been here before today, however after reading so many positive reviews I suggested it for Fathers Day. Apparently I made the right choice because it was perfect. The 4 of us made reservations the day before but as it turns out it was not crowded at all which was nice.  My family and I were greeted by a kind gentleman who sat us right away and we were given a friendly young waiter who gave us some great recommendations off of every section of the menu. 

Appetizers are not necessary because the entree already comes with a soup or salad, plus however much bread you can consume! The bread was very delicious by the way. That alone will fill you up before you know it so watch out! The faint Italian music playing in the background gave it a refreshing balance and made the atmosphere that much more  relaxing. I ordered the shrimp scampi pasta which was divine, I would definitely recommend it! 

BE WARNED: Once you are stuffed silly they physically carry a tray of fresh pastries over to your table and tempt you! We wound up ordering the chocolate mousse which was very tasty and sweet. 

ENJOY!
4 - Jenny C.: Came here for father's day dinner. They have excellent soup of day, crab bisque. I ordered the lobster ravioli w/pink sauce. Very tasty and delicious.

There are so many choices. I definitely want to come back to try their other dishes.
5 - Malisa C.: My absolute favorite Italian restaurant in Claremont!

Service is excellent- and all of the waiters are great with kids! They give little ones Wiki-Stiks to keep them occupied which is a plus!

Ask anyone who's been here about the bread- it's to DIE for! Fresh boules topped with a bit of tomato, garlic, and cheesy goodness! Don't miss out on the crab bisque or the lobster pasta dish... 

 If you're a garlic-head like me, do NOT under any circumstances leave without ordering the elephant garlic appetizer! It's a huge plate filled with giant garlic cloves so sweet and delicious when spread on that delicious bread- accompanied by fresh mozzerella, olives, basil, & green peppers- SOOOOO good!
3 - Johnson W.: Service is VERY good here.  Had to squeeze a dinner within 30 minutes or less in order to make it to the movie at Edwards La Verne.  Server was more than accommodating.  Also very friendly--knew when to speak and when to leave us alone.  I am immensely satisfied with the service.

The complimentary bread appetizer was amazing.  It was hot, fresh, and warm.  Basically free garlic bread.

The main entrees were solid but uninspired/forgettable.  I write this because alas, I cannot remember and I usually have a great memory when it comes to food.
4 - Merav C.: My family came here for my little brother's birthday. We arrived close to 8:15 and took our time ordering. The waiter very gently and politely just made us aware that the kitchen closed at 8:30, so as long as we get our orders in by then we should be fine; we didn't feel rushed at all. Our waiter was knowledgeable and helpful. When I asked if the kitchen had crushed garlic for the bread, he told me they don't keep it on hand, but brought out an amazing bell pepper pesto paste instead. I don't know what they use the paste for, what dish, but it was delicious. 

We ordered the Spinaci ravioli which was incredibly garlicky, but in the best way possible, just loaded with roasted garlic flavor. We also got the Granchio ravioli which had an amazingly delicious rosso sauce. Finally, there was a scampi pasta dish that had properly cooked shrimp and a very delicate sauce. The pasta was good, but I think the ravioli menu is definitely what you should order from. The dessert menu was extensive and we ended up just getting the gelato, which was creamy and delicious. I think the chocolate creme brulee or anything that resembles tiramisu is in my future
2 - Asha C.: Came at lunch on a sat. afternoon. Felt that my shrimp pasta wasn't the greatest, was supposed to have lemon butter sauce but didn't taste it. Dish was overwhelmed with whole button mushrooms, some tasted as if they hadn't been cooked thoroughly. Spent $16+ tip and didn't even have a drink. In my opinion, over priced for what I got, but not absolutely terrible. The bread is okay has a nice crust but inside is just white bread.
1 - m s.: SAD to write this, how can you go from 5 stars to 1? How? Well by serving a vegetarian meat and not giving a shit that you did. 
My husband and I ordered the same meal we always do, on a Monday night. It was dead. We spoke clearly. We emphasized ( as always) no meat please, we are vegetarian. 
I begin eating, and my husband looks at me, and announces that we have meat in our dish! I understand mistakes happen, but for people who have spent years refusing to put meat into their bodies, and then having it forced upon them for no reason other than pure laziness is inexcusable to me. 
They gave us a huge attitude, and a refund, but they money means nothing to me. You can't change the fact that you put meat in my dish.
2 - Anthony H.: This looked and felt like a promising dining experience, but the food failed to deliver.

The setting, situated in old town Claremont, is very nice. As for the restaurant itself, the facade and inside are also nice. It has good service and a friendly wait staff

Unfortunately, the food itself was just okay, which was a big disappointment to me. There was a good selection but the taste and quality were lacking.
4 - Tanya M.: I don't live in the IE but when I go out to visit with the family this is one of the spots we frequent. Aruffo's Italian isn't the end all be all of Italian dining but the food quality is consistent and the service is good. Four stars is a pretty accurate representation because the food is an above average reflection of the price point but dining here is not an earth shattering experience that would warrant a five star rating. It's fairly standard Italian-American fare with plenty of pasta choices and good grilled meats. The wine menu is large enough that it provides some good pairings and the espresso is a great after dinner pick me up. I always bring home leftovers that I eagerly look forward to scarfing down for lunch the following day.

The one appetizer that I would highly recommend is the roasted elephant garlic. It'll make your pee stink like garlic for two days but hot damn it's worth it!
5 - rena s.: We ate here last night--it was an A+ from the service to the food to the ambiance.  Great little restaurant with much to choose from whether you're a meat eater or vegetarian.  The service was excellent--all the waiters/busboys were friendly and right on top of things. Would love to go back as there were many things I'd like to try and being a vegetarian, I don't say that too often.
5 - Juju W.: I had a fancy dinner here and it was an amazing experience! They waiters were as nice as they could possibly be, and made all kinds of suggestions as to how we would like our food, altered or not... they were always correct! 

The atmosphere is really cozy and classy at the same time. 

The food was also really good. Fantastic cream of potato soup with garlic, fried calamari with choices of dipping sauce and creamy, delicious shrimp scampi. What I loved most though, and can't stop thinking about, is that warm, fresh out of the oven garlic bread that is served before your meal. Didn't even expect it but the flavor really blew me away. Missing it now...

I wouldn't expect to come here all the time because it is more pricy but I'm so glad I could try it and will come again some day.
2 - Ted A.: Lunch bad, waiter on phone most of the time and our meals arrived very slowly - we felt as though we were inconveniencing them.  These kinds of things happen when management is not involved - the same is true here.

The food was ok, not great.  The prices are high and the empty feeling makes you feel as though you are in a pretentious place.  There are too many options to spend your money here.  On a positive note, the kids really liked the pizza.

it looked like it was going to be a great place, but it didnt deliver.
1 - Matt w.: Please don't do this to yourself. It tastes like Chef Boyardee warmed up in the mircrowave. Actually Chef Boyardee is better. I don't think they make any of their pastas fresh and their sauce really tastes like less than Chef Boyardee. Ambience is oh kay. But truly, this is terrible food. How does this place stay in business???
4 - Christina T.: What a charming restaurant in downtown Clairmont! My boyfriend and I came across this place after ditching Viva Madrid (there was a 1.5 hour wait). Aruffo's was one of the few restaurants open at 9pm on a Monday night. 

The atmosphere was very romantic - dim lights and candles. The walls were covered with shelves filled with wine bottles. As for the service, it was a bit slow even though there were only 3 tables occupied. I think we had a new waiter because he kept asking the other waiters some questions. 

As for the food, my boyfriend ordered the seafood dish that came with a variety of seafood over pasta (bisque?) and I ordered the pumpkin ravioli. The seafood dish was amazing, not too heavy and the fish tasted very fresh. The pumpkin ravioli, especially the sauce, was a bit too sweet for my taste and I didn't finish it.

The prices are a bit high, so I'm not sure how often I would come to eat here. I'm definitely ordering that seafood dish again!
4 - Christina V.: The food and atmosphere is why I'm giving Aruffo's 4 stars.  I checked out this place about a year ago and I was impressed with the food, but the service was slow, but after a year of not eating here, my friends and I tried it out again...and I'm slightly disappointed to say that the service was slow again.

The bread is DELISH, but they don't seem to bring it out unless you ask them.  My friend asked them for a second loaf and the server said he "forgot" but it came across more like he was reluctant to give us another one.  

I picked the Vodka Cream Pasta which came with a choice of salad or seafood bisque.  The seafood bisque was as delicious as I remembered it to be and the pasta was very good as well.  But I'm not sure if I just hyped it up for myself since it's been a year since my last visit, but I feel like I probably could have made the pasta that I paid $16 for.  

When it came down to the bill, the server kindly divided it for us, but it took a VERY LONG time for him to do it.  

Pros:
1) Food is good
2) Atmosphere is quiet and nice
3) Located in Claremont Village (Super cute!)

Cons:
1) Stingy on the bread!
2) Super slow service
3) Kind of pricey
4 - Tara M.: I recently moved to Claremont with my boyfriend, and we both love Italian food. In our recent explorations we've passed Aruffo's a few times and it always smells good, we finally came in for dinner. 
Prices were not bad for what we ordered, less than we would have paid at a big chain restaurant. We were seated promptly, the waiter was polite and the service was great. 
They brought out a round loaf the size of a cantaloupe and a plate of green paste (pesto I'm pretty sure) for us to share, we thought it was great. 
The boyfriend ordered the crab ravioli and a salad with Italian dressing. He usually doesn't take Italian on his salad, the dressing selection was limited, so he tried it. He raved over it, I've never seen him insist I try a bite of his side salad, because I absolutely must try the dressing. 
I ordered the Saltimbocca and salmon bisque. The bisque was creamy, and well seasoned, I enjoyed it. 
The main courses came out beautifully. The ravioli was great, the pasta was fresh, the sauce was rich and flavorful, Chris was a very very happy man. I could not have been happier with my dinner (granted it was more food than I expected), the flat iron steak, was cooked perfectly medium rare, it was tender, juicy, the smokey mozzarella and the bite of the prosciutto, it was one of the best steaks I'd ever had. The veggies were blanched, crisp and fresh. They also included a small bowl of linguine with marinara, the pasta was al dente, the sauce was flavorful with just a little bit of a bite and everything was fresh. 
The waiter brought the dessert tray, I was done, but I did enjoy a mocha cappuccino while my boyfriend inhaled a desert called a Napoleon (puff pastry layered with Bavarian cream, served with little cup of fresh raspberries in sauce). 
We loved our meal and look forward to many more :)
2 - Fern R.: The Bread Is Good And the Service Is Slow.  For What They Charge I'd Expect Service To Be Better!!  The Waiter Disappeared On Us And We Had To Ask Another Waiter For Drinks.  Took Even Longer.

The Food Is Delicious.

EXTREMELY SLOW SERVICE But Quick To Give Check.

All In All NOT Worth The Price For Lousy Service!!!

And Yes I've Been Here More Than Once, I Just Never Bothered To Check In.
4 - Janet C.: This place isn't fancy, but the food and service solid.  

I had no problem making a reservation on Friday afternoon for 7pm that night.  We were seated promptly.  The place wasn't full but got packed around 8pm.  All kinds of people-- old, young, couples, families (didn't see any children though).  

House bread was warm and fluffy.  Big round loaf cut into wedges, came with a light green dipping sauce (a creamy pesto?) which I guess changes nightly.  I asked for the red (roasted red pepper?) which was a little more flavorful IMO.

Entrees come with soup of the day or salad.  Seafood bisque wasn't bad.  Tasted a little like a southwest chicken gumbo to me but... it wasn't bad.  Generous plate of dark leafy rocket, shredded green and purple cabbage and carrots, in a slightly bitter-in-a-good way cabernet vinaigrette.  

Bruschetta was OK.  We got the one with the chopped tomatoes and cannelli beans.  I liked the big fresh pieces of basil on top but it needed some more oomph.  Also came with a big heaping pile of kalamata (?) olives and sun dried tomatoes, shaved parmesan, and marinated red and green bell pepper strips.  

Crab ravioli was good.  Four good sized raviolis stuffed with discernible pieces of crab-meat, in a not too heavy for a cream based vodka sauce.  and light on the sodium too.  Great for sopping up with the bread. 

Mom got the seafood linguine with big pieces of fresh catch of the day (swordfish), giant succulent sweet shrimp, lots of calamari O's, and baby scallops cooked just right, in a light red sauce that had a nice little kick.  

They don't skimp on the food.  We had enough leftovers for lunch the next day.  Will be back.  Claremont village is cute.  Parking lot in the back was full but found a spot on the street pretty quickly.
4 - Anna S.: Went for my birthday this past week. The place looked a lot bigger and nicer from the inside. Great for large groups. On this Wed night, it was mostly couples and two large groups. We were pretty hungry so we ordered the soup and salad plus a pasta dish for myself and the fiance. Everything tasted great although I would've liked less oil in the pasta. I ordered the spinach pasta dish. My fiance ordered something that was mostly meat and mushrooms. We didn't realize it was like a meat lover's pasta. I think I filled myself up with salad, soup and bread so I only finished half of my pasta. I'll definitely have to go back again. They have an extensive menu. I would even just go back for coffee (great old-school coffee machine that we have to try one day just to see it work) and the bread. I also want to try the gelato which they state they make every day.

The bread was the highlight! It was already topped with tomato sauce so I didn't use the roasted red pepper sauce. I did dip it into my soup and the balsamic vinegar. I also notice the pace of when people bring dishes. It was good. I never noticed we weren't being served. Just enough time to enjoy each other's company and food. Great place I highly recommend.
5 - Brian D.: First I have to say that this place is great! I took my fiance here for her birthday based on review from Yelp and she loved everything about it. =) I personally love the Clairmont area and Village and this area is nothing like the areas surrounding it like montclair or pomona. It's a small quaint college town and it has a lot to offer. If you live around the area and never been there you should go! Anyway, back to Aruffo's! The service is good... we went when it was slow and busy and they were always attentive and on top of things. I love the bread there and you guys have to have the elephant bruschetta! Large full grilled garlic I believe that just melts in your mouth. The pastas were top notch and didn't remind me the olive garden which is a good thing. Overall I enjoyed it and the price was around the $12-17 range which is expected. Go and try it out. Its real good!
2 - Valerie C.: If you like a restaurant that is empty, come on a weekday. 

The complimentary bread was superb and the only thing I liked besides the red wine. I ordered the Lasagne Al Spinaci ($16.95) which is "layers of rich egg noodles, fresh spinach, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. In a light fresh spinach cream sauce with melted mozzarella cheese" as wonderful as that sounds, it was not the best and not worth the $$.  It was just too plain. Maybe I should have ordered something else. 

Sorry, but I really don't have an interest in coming here again. I have another Italian restaurant in the queue.
1 - Oy C.: Food poisoning!!!

Called in at 8:45pm to make sure they were opened. They said 10pm, arrived at 9:10pm and the waiter said he has to go to the back and asked if the kitchen is still open.

Sat down and saw the dirty plate and the utensils. Cleaned them and waited for the food. Bread was good. Pasta was not bad until i had a few bites and my stomach started to feel weird. It was hurting all night.

Service is slow.
Food is so so. 
Price is ok..
3 - Megan F.: My boyfriend and I went here last weekend for our anniversary. I'd never been, but he had gone before.

Service was initially slow, but it was homecoming and there were several huge groups, so I understood. Once we got our orders in, everything came out pretty quickly.

First out was bread, which was perfect and delicious. Crusty on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside... I am hungry just thinking about this bread. There was a small spoonful of marinara (or some red sauce) on the top, which I wasn't a huge fan on, but it also came out with a green sauce in oil that was pretty good.

Next out was soup, which came out right as we were finishing the bread. The soup of the day was a salmon bisque, which I loved. Good flavor, good texture, came out hot, yada yada yada.

Our entrees came out before we were even done with the soup, and the waiter brought over our wine (we had asked for it to be served with the entrees). The wine was nothing special, except for the generous portions. My boyfriend had pumpkin ravioli, which he loved. I thought it was very good, sweeter than I expected, with a really good nutty taste. It was definitely unique, I've never seen pumpkin ravioli anywhere else. I had the pesto pasta, which was fine. Very very boring. I was tired of it after just a few bites. Took it home and then didn't eat it. Yawn. I feel like I just chose a bad dish, since the pumpkin ravioli was good. Maybe I needed just to branch out a little more....
3 - Jeanie L.: Service 4 stars
Food 3 stars

Came in at 6:30pm to this little Italian spot. The interior was nicely decorated, cozy and clean. Went ahead and ordered the the pesto pasta for about $16 and it came with a choice of soup or salad. My friend went ahead and ordered a red marinara sauce with a huge meatball haha, The waiter was very accommodating when my friend asked to have tons of vegetables in his spaghetti. Also ordered the calamari appetizer.

Food came out in about 15 minutes or so. The bread was nice and crispy on the outside and the inside was super soft. Came out toasty which was a plus. The tomato sauce that came with the bread was decent. The calamari came out really quickly as well. The outside was very crispy and the calamari was not too chewy, but the sauce on the side quickly made up for the blandness of the calamari.

Ordered the pesto pasta but it didn't come out as hot as I hoped. I think they let it sit out for a bit too long and I found the sides to be a bit cool and the inside just warm. Upon first bite I was hoping a punch of flavor from the pesto description I was reading from the menu, alas I was disappointed. The pesto was so bland. It had no taste. After taking a few more bites, the flavor never appeared.. I was so sad. I spent a lot on this dish and I didn't get any type of flavor. Completely bland and no seasoning at all. Never order the pesto dish..wasn't worth the price. Portions were big, and so I ended up splitting with a friend to save some money.

My friend ordered the seafood bisque and it tasted so good! I loved the way the chef balanced the flavors. And they had a few crab pieces in the soup, touche. Salad was mediocre, nothing special.

Overall, the food was far from spectacular. For the price I was paying, I was expecting stronger Italian sauces and seasoning and hot food. The pastas just didn't make the cut for me. I only have 4 stars because of their service. Ended up spending $15 on mediocre food..not planning on coming back.
5 - Miko C.: Aruffo's Italian Cuisine, located in the charming city of Claremont, is the place to go for an exceptional dining experience. Valerie & Tom Aruffo opened this gem in 1985, and have crafted Aruffo's into a sophisticated, successful restaurant known for an extensive menu of stellar dishes, including homemade Italian pastas, Angus steaks, fresh seafood, free-range poultry, and an array of heavenly desserts. The impressive drink menu features an extensive wine list, champagne & sparkling wine, cappuccino & espresso, cappuccino liqueurs, and various before and after drinks. The choices are practically endless.

One of many outstanding dishes is the Spinach Aglio E Olio. The various flavors fuse together to create a quite heavenly experience. Spaghetti pasta is tossed with fresh garlic and then sautéed golden brown with extra virgin olive oil, tomatoes, and a generous helping of fresh spinach. The complementary flavors of these wonderful ingredients come together to create a simple, yet refined dish. You will be grateful that the portion sizes at Aruffo's are so generous, since you won't be able to get enough of this marvelous dish after the first bite.

The desserts are prepared fresh daily and are fabulous. The Chocolate Ganache is incredibly rich and decadent. Your taste buds will not be the same after they are bathed in the velvety texture and flavors of this fine dessert.

Treat yourself and check out Aruffo's!
2 - Matthew T.: THE BREAD WAS FREAKING AWESOME!!! ... and that's about it. If you are starving for pounds of mediocre Italian food, and for some reason are stuck in Claremont, CA... go here.
4 - Kevin D.: I don't think the salmon is ordinary as Inigo stated.  I think they are one of the few places that doesn't overcook it.  Same with the veggies.  We try to watch our portions so we do a dinner split.  For $5.95 they split the meal for you and give you both your soup or salad.  Since I hit them up for a loaf of their fabulous bread right off we end up barely able to finish all our food.  

I really like this place.  When me and my girl go there we always feel like we got something for our money.  I shudder to give five stars.  Maybe it's a four star place.  But really since we go their so often, and haven't
5 - Larry H.: I think we got lucky this night.....We went in before the dinner rush and our server could not be better.  He was attentive, friendly, knew the menu and prompt on everything.  The bread is sooooo good.  However, DO NOT get another basket as you will not be able to eat your meal.....LOL.....The eggplant parm., was to die for....perfect sauce......The Vodka Penne was very cheesy and tasty, I cannot rememeber what dish I had but it was pasta w/sausage and bell peppers.  It was good.  I feel if they used the sauce that was in the eggplant parm. in this dish it would have been a homerun.  We all shared a nice bottle of red wine and the dark chocolate gelato.  I would ask for more strawberrys as they were amazing.  The restaurant gets busy around 530pm so I was glad we got there a bit early.  I would highly reccomend this restaurant for a 'VERY' good itialian dinner.  For three people with three dinners and dessert and a bottle of wine was $90.  WIth the service, it was all good.  Service will laways bring you back as long as the food is up to par ad Aruffo's has them both now.
3 - Sandie B.: Nice homey atmosphere; bread was fresh, flavorful, warm and fluffy; everything else was decent but nothing to rave about (Pollo Ravioli and Eggplant Parm). We might have been slightly happier if the prices were slightly lower.
4 - Jade W.: Picked this place to bring my mom for her birthday dinner because of the good reviews and charming atmosphere. It didn't disappoint. 

We started off with a bottle of wine and two types of pizza. Salsicca I didn't get to try because it had meat (not currently eating meat) but my family liked it. Verdura Rustico was pretty good but slightly oily. Still I liked the spinach and sundried tomatoes on it. 

They also brought out a fresh baked boule of bread with some tomato on top and served with a red pepper paste on the side. The bread was delicious! Entrees come with salad or soup (seafood bisque) so I got a salad with cabernet vinegrette. Pretty standard salad of mixed greens, croutons and it had some macaroni pieces. For entree I got the vodka creme pomodoro. It was very good as far as vodka sauce goes and I do like that it has diced tomatoes and generous basil in it.

  Everyone else seemed happy with their food. Portions are generous that many took home food. I had about half of my pasta untouched since the bread, pizza and salad really filled me up.Service was fairly decent but standard...not unpleasant but not personable. 

Overall, I think it's a good place for Italian food in the University area.
5 - Heath C.: This is practically the only Italian place I go to.  I like getting the specials and the bread is awesome!  So far, every time I've gone the food tasted fresh and the service was great.  I definitely recommend this place for date night or for a gathering of family and friends.
5 - Marietta H.: The place was packed and we were told 45 min. wait. We walked around looking for another place but then came back here and when we did they sat us right away since a large party had just left.

We were starving and had wine, awesome hot bread with pepper dipping sauce in front of us in less than 10 minuets even though the place was still really busy.

We are two back East Italians so the menu was very familiar. We asked Scott our server for suggestions and went with his recommendations.

Soup- Salmon bisque, 5 stars!
Dinner salad, great variety of crisp fresh greens 5 stars!
Pollo Ravioli, 5 stars, loved all the large pieces of fresh basil in the sauce
Bouillabaisse Di Mare, excellent 5 stars. Huge portion, Superior fish quality.
Did I mention the bread? OMG! Piping hot, awesome spices, crunchy crust and fabulous presentation! 

Our service was fantastic! We don't care how much we pay for good Italian food, but if you're value conscious your like this place, it's reasonable and large portions. This was our first time here and we hope the next time is just as good.
4 - Alan R.: On the way to LA from Palm Springs. Lots of rain, traffic and really hungry, so had to stop in Claremont. 
 
Thanks to Yelp reviewers chose Aruffo's and this proved to be a really good choice.

Salmon Bisque soup the Mussels over Pasta dish for main course-Wowie!
House bread was also a winner. Finished with chocolate ganash that gave us the strength to get back in the car and finish the drive. Really good waiter-young guy who was our waiter but can't remember his name. 

Thanks Aruffo's-we needed that.
4 - Anita C.: I came here with my friend's parents for dinner, and the place was packed (it's Family Weekend at some of the 5Cs) so luckily they had a reservation.  I really liked the atmosphere, though there was a random flickering light that was a little distracting.  I definitely wouldn't say the noise level was quiet, though that's probably due to the high volume of college students in the place.

As for food, the bread (as mentioned by others) was incredibly delicious.  It was steaming and the crust was perfect.  We ordered an appetizer but I didn't have any so I can't really comment.  The salad that came with my meal was nice (I like that they grate cheese over it right in front of you!) and fresh seeming.  As for my entree, I ordered the Spinaci ravioli, which came in a very sizable portion.  It was quite yummy, but a bit rich so towards the end I was struggling to finish it. 

My hosts insisted on me having dessert, so I took them up on the offer.  I had the tiramisu, which was quite frothy and delicious (though I'm not really a tiramisu expert so I can't compare).  It was the perfect amount of sweetness.  However, I was already so full that I couldn't finish.  My friend had the limoncello cake, which apparently was great, and came with blueberries!

All in all, I'm not an Italian food expert, but I was really happy with the service--really prompt even though there were so many people--and the food was great, just a bit rich for me.
5 - Paul L.: Wonderful food, cooked when ordered-not before, great service, fair price, great portions. Great all around!
Remember those old syllogisms they used on those "fill in the bubble" tests in elementary school: "sun is to day as ______ is to night," "flame is to heat as _____ is to ice,?" Well, here are a couple for you: Garlic is to the chef as paint is to an artist; garlic is to food as furniture is to a home. But for me, garlic is to me as hurricanes are to Florida: maybe I'll be OK or maybe it will bring me to my knees!
The DNA through the last 3 generations of my family's included the infamous "garlic intolerance" gene, discovered only recently by the famous scientist Dr. G. Arlic Vomitus, but known my whole life by me and my family.
Given this situation, Italian restaurants can be a real challenge for me, but really good restaurants, Italian or otherwise, can easily work around such obstacles and still produce excellent results. They do this best when they do not prepare their meals in advance of the customers' orders. Such restaurants are always a notch above others because for them, food is their art form, not just their income. Aruffo's is such a place.
1 - Anna L.: I came here with a group of about six a few weeks ago and we just had a terrible experience. The service was slow and the waiter was quite rude. I would not recommend Aruffo's.
4 - Brandon S.: This is a very good choice to take a date. It is very dim inside with nice antique style italian decor. You can grab a few drinks up front if you are waiting to be seated. The waiter was very friendly. The menu had a lot of different options for salads, pastas, and main courses. The is also a decent size wine menu as well. The food was really good. Not excellent, but up there.
2 - Jillian R.: This is one of the nicer places in Claremont, best known for the outta-this-world bread.  The bread is big and fluffy, with tomato and cheese topping.  It's the best part of the restaurant, as the rest is truly blah.  Everything is too cheesy.  Literally.

Good thing you can buy the bread separately.
2 - Vanna C.: Nice little restaurant in downtown Claremont, after a couple of hit and misses for restaurant choices, my friends and I ended up choosing this place on a Friday night. We arrived and didn't have to wait which was great. Service was nice, other than the quiet atmosphere, there isn't anything for me to rave about. Even though a lot of other yelpers have raved about the bread, I wasn't completely floored.

I ordered a penne pasta dish with sausage and mushrooms which was alright. My friend ordered fettuccine alfredo which was more fettuccine than alfredo - yay, if you're trying to count calories. Although it seemed drenched in oils. 

Would I come back? No. Honestly, I would much rather go to Olive Garden.
1 - Ben H.: I hate to be a hater, but I would not recommend this place to anyone. Sure, they've done a good job with the atmosphere, but everything else...bleh. This one waiter interrupted my companion and I in the middle of an obviously hilarious story (we were laughing out loud and talking quickly) to ask if I was done with my half finished salad. It was drenched in dressing, so I said yes, but that's not the point. I ordered the Saltimbocca, medium rare, which I figured would be hard to do wrong - it's a steak with ham and cheese on top. Turns out if you cook a steak to  medium rare, then put ham and mozzarella on top and MICROWAVE the shit out of it, it's not medium rare anymore. In fact, it's barely a steak anymore. And it's certainly not worth $25.95. If I go to a restaurant for a steak, and I'm given a 1/4 lb of flat iron for that price, I should at least feel like I couldn't have done a better job with it myself.

I wouldn't have had a problem with this place had I not cashed out $65 for a meal that consisted of a frozen vegetable medley, microwaved pasta, and a microwaved steak for me and the same thing (minus the steak and plus a lackluster veal scallopini) for my date. Their Tuscan Lemonade (which I probably payed like $3 for) is just Minute Maid with some lemon juice and cane syrup. 

The point is, I felt tricked. Nice decor, nice atmosphere, then BOOM! Microwaved flat iron at fucking sushi prices. I would've refused to pay for the meal, had I not been with my girlfriend. Avoid this place, people, or at least give them a hard time until they get their act together.
4 - Jon P.: Food was incredible. Salad and bread was really good. No wait on a Friday night. Service was fast, but the waiter wasn't the friendliest guy.
5 - Lil-Bear N.: My wife and I dropped by Aruffo's on a Saturday evening for our anniversary. Nice location in Downtown Claremont  The restaurant was some what crowded but we were seated right away.  Great service and great food!  We will return.
2 - Steven F.: The quality of the food is comparable to an Olive Garden. It's not terrible, it's just so-so. If you are craving Italian food in the Claremont Village, I would opt for La Parolaccia or Tutti Mangia over this place.
4 - Agustin M.: Definitely not an Olive Garden. I say this because the food at this place was awesome. From the bread loaf to the soup to the spicy chicken parmigiana. I was impressed. I believe it's all about the sauce and this place has a good one. One of my first jobs was at Graziano's Italian Restaunrant in Rowland Heights and they had a secret sauce that was amazing, back in the late 1980's. I recommend.
5 - Scott D.: Fresh made bread to start, fresh made pasta, servers are very attentive, and prices are very reasonable. They will even customize your order. If I like the Alfredo sauce I can put it on the sea food instead of the white wine sauce etc. All in all left having a very nice time. Only curtique is sometimes its very loud but people are having a good time so I don't mind.
4 - L A C.: Aruffo's is a beautiful restaurant with great service. The prices aren't that steep considering the decor and location. Waiters are also very pleasant and customers are seated right away. I've been coming to Aruffo's for a couple years and my friends and I enjoy ourselves every time.

Aruffo's is the main place my old college buddies and I go to catch up. Though we sometimes find it funny that the place feels a bit date-like, we still love how gorgeous it looks inside. The lighting is dim, place settings are fancy, old Italian posters and wine bottles cover the walls. There's also Italian music playing, but it's not loud which makes it a great atmosphere for conversations.

The servers are also attentive and professional. I've never dealt with any rude server or poor service. It's really quite nice.

As for the food, it's great. The bread that comes before the meal is really good and the meal itself is always really great. My friends have enjoyed every item  they've ordered from the menu. Personally, I always order the Aglio E Olio, which is a good helping of spaghetti noodles, sun dried tomatoes, sauteed garlic, and olive oil. The food is also decently priced, starting at $10. There are even less expensive dishes on the lunch special menu.

My friends and I really enjoy Aruffo's. It's a gorgeous restaurant with great food and service. There are no bad choices on the menu and the lunch specials are pretty inexpensive. I'm sure my friends and I will be coming here as long as we live in the area.
5 - Am E.: The fresh bread served When you're seated is probably the best bread I've ever had! Every time I go I must have my favorite dish...the tortellini! When I go I am always seated immediately and the service is great! All the servers are very patient and kind.
4 - Nancy Y.: very good food, but the service....
3 - Cotton C.: there's neither great highs nor lows here. Food, prices, menu, ambiance... all above average, but nothing that should amaze you.

Except maybe the size of the bread loaf they bring to your table when you get there.
4 - Vidal V.: Came here for dinner with a friend, after we tried to have some Peruvian food but found out they were closed Mondays, lol, So we made the best of it and found this Gem of a restaurant, 1st the Wait staff was very friendly, and gave some good suggestions. The prices were reasonable, above average but well worth it. The house bread is delicious. and for the Appitizer we order the Giovanni Bruschetta and that was delicious as well. I hope to make it back to try some other dishes.
5 - Branden C.: Came here with my girlfriend during lunch. We ordered off the lunch special. Surprisingly the food came out pretty fast and piping hot. Even though we ordered off the lunch special, it was a hearty amount and we had to take some back home. 

The garlic bread ball were delicious. Soft inside and crispy but not hard on the outside. The only flaw I can find from this restaurant was that I was 1 out of the 2 breads that were served to us had a soggy base, but it was still pretty good. I ain't even mad.

I had the Cremosa Del Pollo. I love anything pesto cream sauce. I believe this place was the cream of the crops. It was so creamy yet not heavy. One of my favorite places to get pesto cream sauce. 

I am glad i chose this place over Olive Garden. Try new places everyday. :)
2 - Alexis T.: Been to Aruffo's three times, tried to like it, but the food was mediocre all three times.  Good drinks, though!
2 - Lisa D.: Food is good, nothing terribly unique but solid quality.  Sadly, poor service cast a pall on our experience there.  We went for Sunday lunch and when we were seated there was only one other table in the restaurant.  We told the server we would be ordering a starter while waiting for one of our party to arrive, yet I had to flag him down to give him the order.  Same thing throughout the meal.  There was a bad leak in the ladies room and a huge puddle of water in there but could not find anyone to report it to. I know Sundays can be slow but geez, take good care of the customers you do have.  I can not think of any reasonable excuse for such careless, neglectful service.  Wont be back.
4 - Jeffrey M.: We recently ate here for the first time.  Good service, and a great menu make this a neat little spot nestled among other cool shops and restaurants in Claremont.  When you grow up in an Italian family, it becomes difficult finding restaurants that match up to the dishes "grandma used to make"...  While not totally authentic, imho, I found the food to be excellent, and certainly a place we will visit again.

The menu features enough dishes to please most people, and features a wide variety of options. The wine menu offered a wide enough variety, that again will please nearly everyone.  What I really liked most about this place is the ambiance and the interior styling.  Truly a nice dining experience.  I had the gnocchi.  It was cooked well, and satisfied my taste buds.  The bread they serve before the meal was awesome, and you will find yourself wanting more than one serving!  

I think when we are in Claremont, we will eat here again.
5 - Nydia B.: My FAVORITE!!!!.. Italian Cuisine thank you Claremont Village.

Cozy atmosphere and ROMANTIC. Go with a very empty stomach the food is superb TRY EVERYTHING!!!.. Be prepared to be full after the appetizers and bread. 

Started off with a bottle of wine the BREAD is to die for. The Lobster Bisque is delicious. Salads are fresh and crispy. Melanzane Fiorentina: Fresh Eggplant rolled & filled with Ricotta, Mozzarella & Pecorino Romano. Baked in a delicate fresh Spinach Cream Sauce.

Aruffo's you are right not snooty or overpriced. I made reservations to celebrate  the little sister's 20th birthday in April. Party of 14 service was twice as great. Love the sparkling firework SPUMONI delicious surprise to end a Birthday all around. Glad to have shared with family and friends what my fuss was about. Now they can't stop going.
1 - Lilly D.: I ordered a simple capellini pomodoro  and they served me a linguini drenched with a can style tomato sauce. The bread was bleh and the coffee even worse. The capellini was really thick and when I commented on the uncharacteristically wide pasta he waiter just said thats all they had.
5 - Andrea F.: My husband and I were looking to try a new place and after reading the reviews we decided to give Aruffo's a go. Both of us were extremely pleased with our overall experience.

Atmosphere: Cute and romantic. Linen napkins and lighting doll it up and make it a nice place to go on a date.

Food: The bread alone is enough reason to love this place. It is excellent. Salad dressings were delicious, and our main entrees were great as well. I am not usually a big meat sauce person, but my husband got something off of their specials that was meat sauce based and it was delicious. I got the pesto pasta because I pretty much can't go somewhere that has is on the menu and not get it, which was also very tasty.

Service: Our waiter was very attentive and nice. We were greeted and seated immediately and every staff member we encountered was kind and helpful.

Overall: We both loved this place and have deemed it our new Italian spot.
5 - christi d.: The food was delicious! We came before 5 so we were the only ones there. It was nice and quiet. The service was fast and the bread was yummy. We did the dinner special and it was enough for two. I would come back! Also the bathroom was clean!
5 - Jamie C.: We have learned to always trust YELP!!!! And you all were right... the BREAD!!! the FRESH pasta!!! Great prices!!! The Meat sauce!!! Fresh Sea Food!!! Even the Salad Dressing was made fresh!!!!   Lovely staff..... YUMMMY!!! 

My wife only likes home made Italian because big box restaurants / chain Italian taste like a cardboard box, but this local gem had all of our taste buds singing... The pasta is home made everything is fresh and the bar was amazing.... great selection of beers and very strong martinis!!!  

Supper cute for date night, it's in down town Claremont Village so a romantic stroll and window shopping in some eclectic boutiques was a great way to cap the night... 

Because the menu is seasonal and fresh some of the items are not listed... I did not see the Lobster Bisque but shared two other sea food dishes both were amazing... She had the Lasagna and a Meat Ball.... Lots of left overs tasted just as good the next day!

++++ They do not use styrofoam for the take home items, huge plus in my book+++++
5 - Abby B.: My Hubby and I decided to have a Monday-Date nite! He chose Arruffo's in Claremont. I ordered the Calamari, it was de-vine :-) Our server Danny was awesome. He accommodated my hubby's request for Chicken Caccitore. My hubby could not put his fork down!!!!!! Thanks Aruffos and Danny!!!!!!!!!!
5 - shane h.: Love this place!  Great food and friendly people.
3 - Joe R.: Service was ok, the good was good on one plate, the other was horrible... won't go back at these prices to provide a hit or miss experiance.
4 - Chelsea C.: My friend and I were out for a girl's night to just get out of her city's bubble. I've always loved the Claremont Village area and how quaint it is so, in the mood for pasta, we found our way to Aruffo's. They were pretty busy even on a Sunday night so we had to wait about twenty minutes, but that wasn't a problem. I was honestly impressed- good to know some places still do okay.

Now, I had the Cremosa del pollo which was good. It wasn't fantastic, but it was good, solid pasta. Their garlic bread and starter soup were quite good though. And the desserts all looked delicious; our creme brûlée was great. What I really loved about this place, though, was the atmosphere and the service. The interior was really nice and it just felt fancy for a small place like that. It just had all around good vibes. The service was fantastic. Our server was very apologetic about the wait (which was honestly not even a big deal, if even a deal at all) and really made a point to check up on us. Really attentive, and really friendly. 

Next time we'll have to get cocktails or something! They sounded delicious. We'll definitely be keeping this place in mind whether it's for another girl's night, date night, or some other nice occasion.
4 - Liz L.: I was super impressed by this little joint in the Claremont Village. It really doesn't look like much, just your standard family Italian restaurant. But everything tasted so incredible. I walked away more than satisfied with my dinner decision!

The bread was freshly baked and paired with n incredible tomato spread. The wine was decent, although they were out of their only Italian wine on the menu that night.

. . . but let's talk entrees. The pumpkin ravioli can only be described as unbelievably good, and the Parmagiano de Pollo is perfectly cooked. 

The restaurant was a bit loud the night we went, so it was not ideal conditions for the grandparents. But the food and service was excellent! Bring your friends!
3 - Rebecca P.: Usually don't go eat a Italian when we got out. I figure it's pretty easy to make so why spend money on something you can make at home. I don't know that's just me, but this place is pretty good.  Nice little Italian restaurant in Claremont village. I like the area all together there's a lot of interesting restaurants and shops we can't find back home.  The place is cozy and has a nice ambiance. 

Pros:
Sauvignon Blanc-   if you like white wine you Have to get the sauvignon, probably the best I've had
Garlic Bread- hands down the best bread, crispy and garlicey on the outside and hot and soft on the inside; it comes with your meal it was so good we ended up getting three loaves
Soup- you also get soup or salad with your meal go with the soup; it's seafood bisque and it's delicious, you won't be disappointed

Cons: 
Service - no smiles, short when taking our order, pretty much looked like they didn't want to be there
Pesto pasta - really disappointed; everything had been good so far until the main entree. The pasta lacked flavor was overall a pretty bland. Probably could have made something better at home.
Creme de pollo- this one was better had a little more flavor and the chicken was moist and juicy but still a little boring.

Over all I would definitely come back again and  for drinks, bread and the seafood bisque and maybe try one of the ravioli dishes. Definitely a good place for afternoon drinks and appetizers.
2 - Jeanette K.: Portions are amazing, service is good, and the pasta sauces were great.  Their homemade marinara sauce is pretty bomb.. So why the 2 stars??  

The noodles were crappy.  It's overcooked and lacks that chewy textures of great Italian restaurants.  

My mom's flat iron steak was not a flat iron steak. It was actually big and juicy, which if you think about it not really a flat iron steak.  

But I think the worst was actually their coffee. It tasted like my bad emergency instant coffee mix...but worse.
5 - Melanie F.: omg. YUMMY!

service was alright.

got the ZUCCA PASTA....AMAZING. i wish i had a bigger stomach so i could have eaten another helping of the ravioli. will definitely come back for this :)

got the MARSCAPONE GELATO and it was delicious. i will also definitely come back for this too! :)
4 - Abby K.: I went here for dinner recently and definitely enjoyed my experience. The bread that they serve you is delicious, but it really filled me up and so I barely got to eat my food there! The pasta dish I got was good though. The service was fine, though the waiter could have been a bit friendlier. He just seemed sort of uninterested in us. Also the tables are pretty close together, so had it been a bit more crowded that might have been uncomfortable. Overall though, I had a good experience and wouldn't mind going back!
3 - Tina B.: Came here to have lunch with a friend.  It was a slow and lazy Saturday afternoon, service was prompt and friendly. The food was good. Why three stars? It wasn't stellar and it wasn't awful. I would totally come back.
5 - Alex B.: Great ravioli, bread, salmón bisque, chocolate cake, service.

Awesome food.

Asahi Japanese Steakhouse - Lafayette, IN (40.40035, -86.856347) ()
5 - k e.: I've been here for dinners a few times and this place is a good time.

Table side food prep Japanese steakhouse style but cheaper then I thought it would be.  Some of the chefs can be real characters.  I have only been for dinner and can highly recommend it.  I haven't been for lunch but they advertise specials.

I have stuck with the filet since it was done well the first few times and as memory recalls about $12 or so.  I have never been disappointed with it.  I have heard nothing but good things from friends about their other dishes and sushi options.
5 - Megan C.: I wish I could eat here on a weekly basis.  I usually prefer sitting in the sushi bar as it is more intimate and has a better atmosphere.  The sushi is reasonably priced and prefer it to any of the other restaurants in town that serve it.  The service is usually pretty good.  The food ordered from the hibachi grill is also excellent.
1 - Tiffany P.: Asahi is sort of a sad version of Benihana's.  The hibachi is sub-par, with the chef not having any real talent or skill.  Although I haven't actually eaten anything from the hibachi grill, I watched the chef cook other guests' orders, and all he did was spray some soy sauce on a bunch of fried rice and meat.  In my opinion, not really worth the price.  

I did try the sushi, and it was also pretty disappointing.  The rice was hard, and it seems like the only sauce they know how to use is the chipotle sauce.  

If you're familiar with really good Japanese or any Asian cuisine, this is going to be a huge disappointment.
3 - Joe Y.: The food here is passable.  No comment on sushi as I have an unbreakable aversion to food that starts its life in water- I try to break it a few times a year to no avail.  The steak, chicken, soup and other tid bits I've had here were all just fine.  Nothing wrong with them, but nothing special.

The chefs range from slightly entertaining to laugh out loud comedy.  I've never seen any amazing ninja knife and spatula skills here, but their grill top parlor tricks and sense of humor tend to make up for it.  Saki helps the experience.
3 - Roy H.: pretty decent hibachi place, but does not come close to house of kobe in the NW IN area.

The food was pretty good, and the price was reasonable. We has some issues with the bill and our order for some reason I dont remember why....
4 - Barry M.: Great Japanese steakhouse.  Their Sushi is excellent. Parking lot is a bit small and close to an intersection so you have to be careful.  Decor is average.  Owner and staff are very personable and friendly.
2 - Channa P.: Mediocre, mediocre, mediocre. And the fish in the sushi room tank stared at me like it was my responsibility to set him free or something. It's not that this place is bad, it's just with so many better options why bother. But, I only had the sushi, so maybe the hibachi is better.
3 - Kristen H.: I have been wanting to try Asahi since I moved to Lafayette four years ago. I've been struggling to find decent Japanese food in the area, and thought Asahi was my chance.

It turned out to be pretty good. We were their first customers of the night for dinner, and it was rather awkward until our food arrived. We waited in the lobby for the hostess, who seemed inconvenienced at our arrival. Once she sat us, three of our party decided to go with the grill and I decided to get sushi. The sushi came out much earlier than the chef did to prepare the tableside grill.

I got three different rolls, one with shrimp tempura, which was my favorite. The rolls were priced about what I expected--between $3 and $10, depending on ingredients. Others in our party got chicken, filet, salmon, and shrimp. Rave reviews all around. I tried the filet and wasn't a huge fan, though I'm not a big red meat fan to begin with; the chicken was fantastic. The entrees came with choice of fried or white rice; vegetables; mediocre miso soup; and salad.

For four people, we ran about $80-90. Of course, that was dinner, so it's probably more expensive than lunch. I'd be more willing to go back to Asahi if the prices were reduced. By the time we left, we were still the only patrons in the restaurant.

As for the ambience, the decor seems like it's been there since the 80s. The server (also the hostess) checked in every once in a while and didn't seem to be interested in our table--even though, again, we were the only table in the restaurant. There was a lot of prep work going on around us while we were eating, which was a little strange.
4 - Jon C.: My wife and I are long-time Asahi customers.  

We used to go every single Saturday morning (and sometimes Sunday too!) right at open.  Vu is always a riot cooking teppan. :D

Their sushi is "decent."  They tend to use normal white rice for it, which is a True Sin(tm), but ... it still tastes ok.  Ish.

The real benefit here is the teppan.  (Tableside cooking.)

Prices are good, and sometimes the show is good.  Vu is a real showman on the grill; some of the other cooks are more stoic.  But no matter what, it'll taste REALLY good.

We don't go as often, since we've lost 1/2 our body weight, but we'll always have fond memories of Saturday morning at "Vu's Place" as we always call it. :D
4 - Ayaka H.: I went here for a friend's birthday dinner and the food is yummy and the prices are great.  I really love teppanyaki.  It's like a cooking show in front of you!

The decorations are pretty strange here.  You have fish tanks everywhere and the atmosphere is just a bit ..quirky.  

The chef tries to be funny and cheeky.  He asked me "Do you have a boyfriend" and he started flirting with me in front of everybody which was pretty ridiculously funny.  Also he started asking my friend if she wanted to GO TO MOTEL 6 WITH HIM.  And he started talking about how he loves going to Hooters Restaurant so he can see girls in short shorts.  But the food he made was definitely very good and satisfying.

So, ladies if you go there, just take things easy and expect the chef to say surprising things to you and you will be fine.

Note: No Japanese chefs/employees in this restaurant

Ascension Catholic Church - New York, NY (40.8018104, -73.9665331) (Manhattan Valley)
5 - Heather H.: First off, I got married here.  Fr. Duffel let me invite my old pastor to perform the wedding.  Fr. Duffel also rocked it as the voice of calm before and after the ceremony.  My flowers didn't show up and he was there with a soothing voice.  It was cold and overcast so he let us take pictures in his living room.

Secondly, I'm a liberal Catholic and this church suits my needs perfectly.  During the Mass, we sing "This is My Prayer" set to Sibelius.  One of the verses is:  

But other lands have sunlight too and clover,
And skies are everywhere as blue as mine.
O hear my prayer, thou God of all the nations,
A prayer of peace for their land and for mine. 

This Church fosters an open and accepting community and I'm glad to be a part of it.
5 - Lauren S.: I seriously love this church. It's not overdone on the inside. Only steps away from Columbia University. And if you blink twice you might miss it walking down 107th Street so pay attention!

I attended the 6pm mass there my first and second time. And the pastor there is in a word -- AWESOME! It's rather LIBERAL compared to the pomp and circumstance of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Midtown. It is a very accepting church and Fr. Duffel includes in every homily that I've heard from him the love we should have for all people regardless of their race, gender, and sexual orientation. These are standards the Catholic Church has always been criticized for not upholding so it's refreshing to hear this from a church leader.

Other highlights include a monthly MARTINI NIGHT in the basement that I had the pleasure of attending. The gathering also included PIZZA, WINE, & DESSERT! YUMMY! And the evening mass has a JAZZ BAND! SO FREAKING COOL! Imagine Michael Buble singing while you pray. It's a winning combination and a rockin' good time!
5 - Julian A.: This church is absolutely incredible! I find my days to be getting busier and busier, so I have less time to go to mass (I know, BAD me!!), but I had by far my best mass experience in NYC at this church. I wouldn't call myself liberal (especially a liberal Catholic), but they don't overdo it here; it's a very warm, inviting community and they embrace all people, but you don't walk in to rainbows and torn jeans, you know? I'm also one who prefers a nice, traditional Catholic mass, but the first one I went to here was on a Sunday evening - the jazz mass. OH MY GOODNESS, what a fabulous mass! The jazz band was absolutely fantastic, and the singer had a gorgeous, silky voice. A+++, this is my new church.
5 - Alex R.: I haven't been the best Catholic the last few years...ok maybe decade, but the Sunday Jazz mass brings me back into the fold . A friend of mine use to take me here on Sunday to keep our Filipino Catholic guilt in check way back but even though she's moved out of the city, I still come back here and I bring my lady along. Fr. Duffel's sermons are inspiring and thought-provoking, without being too preachy. The atmosphere is liberal and the congregation is truly welcoming to all, including the gay community. The jazz band led by Peter Hartmann is infectious...it looks like everyone stays til the last note. This dude should record an album of Catholic Jazz hymns. I can't stop singing when I leave. After sinning in New York City, this is the place I come back to.
5 - Art M.: This is the most open and accepting church I have ever been to.  It made me enjoy going to church again.
5 - Christina H.: This is a fantastic Church.  It was originally recommended to me by my realtor, who happens to be Jewish.  Father Duffel is wonderful and very welcoming.
5 - Julen H.: I love this Church - it is a major reason why living in this neighborhood feels like home. It is a beautiful and warm Church. Fr. Duffel and all of the other Church leaders and parishioners foster a welcoming, diverse, and progressive community of faith. I appreciate that Fr. Duffel's homilies always stress a social justice/liberation theology message. I love coming to Mass here and hearing the choir sing so beautifully (or bopping to the sounds of Jazz Mass!) and the involvement of young people in the service. So proud to be a part of the Ascension family!
5 - Christine L.: This church is so amazing and God sent. Relocating to NY from CA was difficult, but once I found this church, settling in got a whole lot easier. 

I first started out going to the 11:30 am mass and loved it. It does fill up but not so much to where you can't breathe. Its comfortable. My first time there, I was blown away by Fr. Duffel. He is a gem! His homilies are relatable and never judgmental, which is so rare to find. He ends each one with the question, "Do you believe in this Christ Jesus? Do you struggle to live accordingly to his way?"

At the end of mass for announcements, before the final blessing is given, I call it Fr. Duffel's comedy minute. He asks where the new people are from, cracks a small joke, and then happily welcomes everyone to Ascension. I felt so loved just being asked where I was from and knowing that this church really did not deny anyone. This church likes to drink and have a good time too, which is really funny and perfect. Mimosas on the first Sunday of the month, Martini Wednesday, and wine, beer, etc in between. They understand the importance of community and making people feel part of the church. The biggest surprise was that they have weekly potlucks with the LGBT community. This made me so happy to know that this church really fights to not close its doors to anyone and not make judgement no matter. 

I have recently migrated to the 6:00 pm mass which is a whole different vibe with the jazz duo. Let me just say that the jazz duo steals my heart every time and just makes the church all that much better. The man on the bass looks like Eric Clapton but sounds Michael Buble. If you ever have time to stop by this mass, I encourage it because it is a blessing. 

Ascension Catholic Church is simply the best and I am so thankful that this church is making a lot steps in the right direction.
5 - Deirdre S.: This church is the greatest. We moved from NYC to Va, 11 years ago. I kiss the church the community and Fr. Duffell. I love hearing that other people I've it as much as my husband and I.
5 - P T.: Moved into the neighborhood early last year to find my nearest Catholic Church was a little less than exhilarating. Stumbled upon Ascension a few weeks later and was intrigued by the notion of a Jazz Mass. I heard Fr. Duffel's first homily that first Sunday and was sold-- with a cool dose of Resurrection/Jesuit Theology (often quoting Karl Rahner)-- he focuses on how Christ's message can make us better people, being good stewards to others rather than judging them. He always finishes his homilies with "do you believe in this Jesus? Do you really struggle to live according to His Way?" After the second Sunday of the 6pm Jazz mass-- there is "Martini Night" hosted by the Ascension Gay Fellowship (yes, this IS a Catholic church...with a Gay fellowship). I brought my friend from California to the church, he quickly asked me to ask Fr. Duffel for a recommendation for a similar parish in the San Diego area. Original Keith Haring murals can be found on the stairwell of the school. Cocktails may also be had after the 11am mass on the first Sunday of the month-- weather permitting on the rooftop. 

The congregation itself is very eclectic ranging from Columbia students, to the very dear Spanish-only speaking abuelitas who come to the noon weekday masses and sit quietly as the mass is in English, but proud and happy to be there as ever. 
i love how Fr. Duffel ends his masses by asking where people might be visiting from... with responses like "oh, you found the best spot in the neighborhood" to "the East Side is the Nice Side... but the West Side is the Best Side"-- to people visiting from further afield.

Wonderful sense of community... Thank you Ascension for making me feel at home.
5 - Jill C.: Father Duffel said a funeral mass for my dad. He was very comforting at our time of need.

Asel Art Supply - Austin, TX (30.2825441, -97.7440739) (University of Texas, West Campus)
4 - Tara H.: If you are into art supplies - even the really obscure stuff - Asel is definitely the place for you. Since I cannot claim any sort of talent when it comes to art, I tend to appreciate the therapeutic aspects of drawings/painting etc. 

If art is therapy then Asel is your therapist. Their selection is amazing and I guarantee you will make several trips back just to check out their selection.
3 - Olivia P.: Mon cherie was so excited to be in proximity to his favorite art pens that I think we slammed the door open like we were sauntering into a saloon in an old Western. The loud bang that accompanied our dramatic entrance may have been the genesis of my issues with Asel Art Supply.

A couple of employees were on the floor dangerously near the front door, assembling what appeared to be a new display shelf. While I've got no problem with this on principle (you'll rarely find me complaining about messiness, disorganization, or limited floor space), I did find it kind of disarming that they seemed so scared by our advent. 

"HicanIhelpyoufindanything?!?!" One of them shrieked immediately, all in one breath, like someone being tortured for information, like someone making a hasty excuse for doing something illicit that we weren't intended to see. 

Since my dear and I were both grinning, giddy, hopped up on the creative passions a-brewin' in our souls, I was sure that if I directed my  authentic, comfortable smile at them in a reassuring way, they would chill. They would understand. They would know I was a veteran of retail myself, and therefore not the enemy. I flashed my pearly whites. They still looked utterly terrified. 

Next, we tried to further calm the situation by insisting we could help ourselves, but they kept staring at us for the entire ten minutes of our shopping trip, as if paralyzed. 

Some people would assume they were suspicious of us shoplifting, or mad at us about banging open the door, but really, they looked anxious and kind of guilty. It really did feel like we were the notorious gunslingers and they were the hysterical barkeeps. People might also assume that perhaps me and my cohorts look especially strange or intimidating, but I insist, it is not so! We are typically a grubby, iconoclast crew, but we're all harmless dorks, and everyone can tell. So this chilly reception was very odd indeed.

I was able to take in that Asel Art Supply is well-lit and seems to have a nice diverse selection of art supplies, though some of their displays were poorly stocked on the day of my visit - if I had to guess, I'd say they were in the middle of some sort of display rearrangement, so that's fine...except that I was afraid to ask for more watercolor pencils because I thought I might be held responsible if the clerk died of pure fright. 

I like that there are small paintings by local artists displayed on the easels. I like that my sweetheart got the pens he wanted. To be honest, I even kind of liked creating that much of a stir, because it was so bizarre and David Lynchian, but I don't think I would be able to muster up the courage to ask for assistance from people who treat me like I'm Doc Holliday.
5 - S R.: Asel Art is tiny, but has everything I need.  The staff are very helpful.  Kind of spendy but at least you'll only make one trip!
4 - Elissa R.: I would much prefer to give my money to the nice people at Asel Art than to the conglomeration that is the University Co-op... 

They give 20% discounts to students and their selection is way better than the Co-op Art store's stuff.

The only issue I have with Asel is that the parking situation isn't very good (street parking -- with maybe the ability to fit three cars?). But then again, have you tried parking *anywhere* near campus on the Drag?
4 - Ashley C.: Lots of supplies, they lack small bamboo brushes, and their prices usually aren't clear.
My car always gets trapped in their parking.

They aren't run by crazy fundies like Michaels or Hobby Lobby, so you can feel good that your money isn't going to fund nutjobs.
3 - Destiny G.: As far as small independent art stores go this one is pretty good. My paper is pretty pricey, but I believe they have sales coinciding with back to school that might help offset the price. The staff is REALLY helpful, and the place makes me feel good inside. If I'm trapped near the drag for school this is the only place I will buy supplies. The parking situation is notably abysmal, but it's the same with most businesses in that area. For what it is and where it is this place is great.
4 - Sara R.: Small, but they almost always have what I'm looking for. The staff is incredibly helpful, and they have good sales. I'm always glad I stopped in when I make it over there.
4 - Rachel M.: These guys had the most comprehensive array of brushes and paint I've found so far in Austin, were very helpful explaining the difference between products and were very friendly. Prices also seemed good. There is a bike stand out the front for two bikes max, about three car spaces and its in a good location. 
My only criticism is that prices for items were sometimes hard to find - great that they're having a 60% off sale on things, but what is the original price? Overall a great experience.
4 - Courtney J.: The staff at Asel's may seem to be copping artistic 'tude when you ask them a question about the nature of regular and wide stretcher bars.  They may direct you with a sweeping hand gesture to a vague area in the back of the shop.  

Still, if you persist, my little apprentices, you will be rewarded with the most amazing customer service.  Once warmed up to the idea of a customer in need, Asel's staff become customer service machines:

"You are getting that frame?  Then, you need this.  Personally, I prefer this, but it's up to you.  You need a cardboard box?  Sure, you can have one of ours once we dump out some of this merchandise."

I am not an artist, but I am learning how to be one.  Instead of going to Hobby Lobby and wandering around wide-eyed, I head to Asel's when I need a product, say matte medium, served up with a little advice and instruction.  Thank's Asel's for helping me to get going on my artsy little way.   

P.S.  For students, Asel's offers a discount (10%, I think) with a valid student I.D.
4 - Lauren A.: I'm not an artist, but I like to muck around every once in a while, and when I need supplies, Asel is the place to go.  My mom came here for art supplies when she was in college 30 years ago, and Asel still offers a great value and selection of art supplies for students.  

I got a kit of Prismacolor pencils and some professional paintbrushes here for 60% off during a sale, not to mention permanent pens for cheap out of their sale bucket in the back.  

Even when there's not a sale, Asel has as good of a value in my experience as Michael's or any other craft store, and you're supporting an Austin institution by shopping here.
4 - Cringe S.: I haven't been there since 2004 but back in Austin now went looking for it on MLK with a friend and it seemed to be gone ....yet there are recent reviews for it.... is it on east 4th now??? or is that a different place I heard about?
4 - Rebecca L.: I'm happy to have discovered Asel Art. Parking is rough (just a few spaces on the street), and the interior is small - but it's chock full of every art supply I could dream of (even the procion fiber-reactive fabric dyes which I had a hard time finding anywhere else). The staff are friendly and non-pretentious. They'll help, give advice when asked, and ring you up with a smile.

I only wish I had a school or teacher ID so I could get in on their discounts!
5 - Sunnie L.: Asel is great. Good selection for such a small space and very friendly customer service... the women that work there have been very helpful and assisted me in finding some awesome papers, pens, etc. it's expensive but isn't every art supply store? So happy to live near Asel.

Aseoma - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4341822, -79.9230114) (Squirrel Hill)
3 - Sarah R.: "MexiCoreanos"

Korean tacos should be amazing as they sound. The marriage of Korean barbecue with the vibrant, spicy flavors of Mexican food should be recognized and celebrated across the world. 

So when I walked by here a month ago with my husband and we saw a new sign over the location formerly known as Chopsticks, we got a test menu and completely lost it when we read the words, "Korean tacos". 

Descriptions like "Spicy marinated chicken, french fries, cheese, pico de gallo, grilled onions, grilled tomatoes, grilled jalepenos, with garlic spread and spicy red pepper sauce" caused tears of joy to well up in my eyes. 

I think you know what's coming: we were unfortunately let down. 

The tacos weren't awful. I enjoyed them quite a bit. The meat was nicely marinated, excellent grilled flavor, and the spicy sauce was tasty, but the filling-tortilla ratios were off... and the filling consisted only of the meat and the caramelized kimchi. I think if they used smaller tortillas, that'd help balance the flavors out. I felt the price was right, however. Only $3.25 for the "fire meat" (bulgogi) taco and $2.95 for the chicken or pork tacos. We ordered all three and scarfed them down in a hurry.  

Apparently to get the "works", you need to order the burrito. I ordered the "fire meat" burrito to-go during my second visit (twice in one week, yeah, don't judge me) because I was so curious, but again it wasn't quite what I was expecting. 

I got the "fire meat" burrito, which is advertised to come with "marinated beef short ribs, french fries, Korean slaw, onions & cilantro, caramelized kimchi, sesame oil vinaigrette, with garlic spread" but all I could taste was the meat and the rice--which was Chinese takeout fried rice, rather than Mexican rice. Bummer. I LOVE cilantro and onions... but I could not taste that at all... 

We did get to try the Black Bean noodles (jjajang myun), which I did enjoy... but it's also pretty difficult to mess up. Our favorite part of our meal was actually something called the "sesame fried tofu". It was fried tofu seasoned with garlic, scallions, ginger, and sesame seeds topped with snow peas over a bed of rice. The tofu was really nice and crisp, sweet, and savory. 

Overall, I think it's DEFINITELY worth a visit. We will be visiting them again, for sure, especially to try some of their other pan-Asian menu items, or get the tacos to help us fend off hangovers. I just hope they'll spruce up the tacos & burritos with fresher flavors. Maybe a little bit of lime, more fresh cilantro, and definitely Mexican rice...
5 - Elizabeth R.: I've only had the Pad Thai so far, but it was excellent. They apparently have a Thai chef, so most the dishes have a Southeast Asian flair--which I love.

I've heard that the Korean burritos are also excellent--fresh ingredients, tasty sauce.

The owner is wonderful and very eager to please the customers.
4 - Michael S.: I was a bit trepidatious going in; in a neighborhood with Chinese, Korean, and Japanese food, I was wary of a place that labeled itself "Asian-style". I almost just opted to go to Green Pepper next door. I'm very glad that I didn't, though. True, the Korean-Mexican burrito I had wasn't exactly "authentic," but it was damn delicious. It could have used more meat, I thought, but I enjoyed the novelty of a kimchi-stuffed wrap. Check it out. The service is great.
4 - Leslie R.: Yum! This place is good. I work up the street from here and randomly found a menu laying around so I decided to order in for my lunch. I wasn't expecting much from "asian style eats", but I was pleasantly surprised! The guy who answered the phone is actually polite unlike a lot of the asian food joints around squirrel hill. The silla fried rice is excellent (veg. fried rice that comes with a red pepper sauce), good egg rolls, exciting menu. The only complaint is while the sesame fried tofu was DELISH, it wasn't crispy like I was expecting. But the prices are great and so is the food. Needless to say i'll be ordering a lot more of my work lunches from there.
3 - Mangala M.: I really really wanted to like this place.  The MexiCoreanos - or Korean tacos and burritos sounded so interesting and unique.  However it fell flat for me.  I did like them, but it wasn't amazing.  It was an OK burrito that definitely didn't live up to the description on the menu.  DH got a more traditional chicken dish with rice, that was also very bland.  If you want to compete in Squirrel Hill as an Asian eatery, you better bring your A game.  I'm pretty sure this place won't be around for very much longer.
5 - Peyton W.: I have to say, that this place is a breath of fresh air for me.  I am a huge fan of the Asian "fusion" menu.  
I have been there 6 times now, and I have not been disappointed.  The Fire Beef Burrito is full of spice and flavor with a nice balance of vegatables(Ask for avocado for that extra special touch).
I do have to say that my favorite dish is the Chicken Ramen or "College" Ramen on the menu.  The owner said that he used to make this recipe in college and has refined it since then, but the flavors and spices are amazing.  The broth is rich and bold with a nice kick to it.  The stock is made from scratch which makes a huge difference. 
The Pad Thai is also an outstanding choice.  The Wonton Soup is probably the best I have had in Pittsburgh.
I was pleasantly surprised to also learn that Aseoma serves Pho and it was quite good.
Overall, I love the variety and originality that this place offers.  If someone is simply looking for General Tso Chicken with steamed rice, than this place is probably not for you.  But, if you are a fan of "outside the box" Asian cooking, then make sure to stop in.
5 - T T.: When we walked in on a Friday evening, there was only ONE table of diners but I had read the review previous to going so we said, we'll stay and try it. We ordered two appetizers and two entrees and it was legitimately the best Asian food I've had in Pittsburgh. (I also really enjoy Bangkok Balcony.) The food was flavorful and had a home-cooked taste to it. Naturally because there were only two tables, the service, which I assumed was provided by the owner was excellent. I'm really perplexed though because when we left, there were NO other diners in the restaurant, and it's such a great place to eat . I'll definitely be returning and I hope this little restaurant will be able to survive!
4 - Dawn C.: Good food but slow service. The Curry Noodle was fantastic!
4 - A W.: Aseoma has fast become one of my favorite places to eat on Murray.  Their menu is both extensive and interesting, and everything I've ordered so far has been very good.  Prices are quite reasonable, portions are large and food quality is high, with lots of fresh meats and vegetables.

Some of my favorites are:
--The black bean noodles (their version of zhajiangmian) with wonderfully chewy wheat noodles and a nice, thick black bean sauce which is not overly salty (as some zhajiangmian can be).  
--I agree with other reviewers that their Pad Thai is the best in town, with thin-sliced chicken (thinner than you're thinking), shrimp, a hint of shallots and a tasty sliced green vegetable (not quite sure what it was, but it was good!).  The addition of a bit of vegetables to the Pad Thai is not typical, but brilliant -- it provides the dish with wonderful balance to it's typical sweet-tangy sauce.  
--Their Korean-fusion burritos are pretty cool as well, and are perfect for when you're not as hungry.  Having bulgogi-style beef in a taco is, quite simply, awesome, and it's balanced well with rice, fruit and slightly spicy sauce.
4 - Rotem G.: The atmosphere was very quiet, it was nasty out so we were looking for some nice soup. 

We shared the coconut soup which was delicious but very rich, not sure if I could have had a whole bowl alone. The tod mun was fantastic. It had great flavor and an equally stellar dipping sauce. The mason pork sliders were served with a basic Kim Chi cucumber in it. My wife was not a fan of that (she doesn't like Kim Chi), I thought they were very good, and added a refreshing taste to them.

Our entrees were the red curry and the king's pho. The curry was very fresh with lots of veggies in it, leaving me with a very satisfying but not 'heavy' feel.

The Pho... where to begin?
My wife and I are Pho lovers, and I like to think our standards for the dish are very high. Few places have gotten such high marks for their Pho as Aseoma did that night. We spoke with the owner, and apparently the recipe comes from a friend of his - now in dental school - who used to run a Pho shop in another town. 

 To finish off the night we sampled the key lime ice box pie. The pie filling was  very tasty, but the crust was the star. It tasted similar to ginger snaps, and I enjoyed it greatly.
4 - Sharon F.: I am not giving a five until I return, but I will be returning and soon!

Had a restaurant.com coupon that I had bought on a whim close to five months ago, but had not used.

Last night went in and tried many delicious menu items.
Tod Mun Cakes: delicious and came with this sweet and sour vinegary sauce (possibly nouc cham?) that was delicious. 
Mason Pork sliders: I was not a fan, but my husband really liked them.  I liked the cheapo french fries that came on the side.
Coconut Soup: delicious and rich.  I thought at first that it would be too much, but I continually found myself going back for more.  A must order in my opinion for anyone who likes tom kha soup.
Red Curry: least favorite dish of the night.  It wasn't bad, I just prefer my curry on the more soupy side and felt like the flavors of the vegetables and the curry didn't meld for long enough. 
Pho: amazing!  I was so happy to drink this up that even though I had already had a bowl of soup I finished half of this.  The broth was delicious and the beef was perfectly rare on top.  I prefer when my pho is served with bean sprouts, basil, and lime on the side to customize it, but I found it to be delicious even without it!

Overall I liked more than half of what we ordered and can't wait to return to try more, though it will be difficult to steer me away from the pho!
3 - Jack L.: Everything was OK here.  Here's what our party of 4 had:

- beef dumplings pan fried - at almost $10, it did not impress
- fire meat sliders - OK
- egg drop soup - made to order, very good
- fire meat tacos - OK, same main ingredients as the sliders
- chicken tacos - also OK
- pork tacos - again, OK

After a while, everything tastes the same.  I was excited to try the Asian fusion concept, but got burned out on the almost identical favors just repackaged.  I may have ordered wrong but if that was the case - perhaps a warning would have been in order to let us know we were basically ordering the same stuff?

If I get back here, I might try the more traditional offerings.  I was just a bit bummed as I have been looking forward to this place for months since seeing their write up in Pittsburgh City Paper.
3 - Alan S.: The coconut soup is too sweet. Pho was good but it needed heat. It was really stuffy in here. They need a-c or to open the doors. I was sweating when I left . (that's the food, partly, of course.)  I will have to make another trip to try other dishes but don't think i'll be in a hurry to do that.

Ashleigh Grounds Hair Stylist & Makeup Artist - Austin, TX (30.2824928, -97.7459669) (University of Texas)
5 - Samuel D.: Ashleigh at Russ & Co. Salon gave me the best haircut I think I have ever had! 
       She didn't rush me at all which is great because I never know how I want my hair cut. She was patient and helpful, offering ideas until I made a decision. Ashleigh was very thorough and above all, a total sweetheart. I highly recommend her, and will definitely be returning for my next cut!
5 - Heidi B.: I am very particular about my hair. I received a groupon for a cut and color with Ashleigh. Never in my life have I risked a stylist without great recommendations from close acquaintances. I was very busy, and took the risk of having a stranger cut and color my hair. Ashleigh did an amazing job on both the cut and color! I was pleasantly surprised with her skill. I would recommend her to anyone looking for a professional stylist with a great personality!
5 - Lavanda W.: Great experience here!  Ashleigh is very talented and fun to talk with.  My hair is perfect..exactly what I wanted. Will definitely refer my friends.
5 - Shannon C.: So, yesterday I was venturing through Groupon for something new and fun. I came across a deal for Ashleigh. I called, no answer. Being right around the corner, I stopped in... She had her last appointment of the day open and immediately slated me for 6:45. I will spare you the quippy anecdotes of my clever mind (because yelp is not a blog) by making a few statements that will say what needs to be said.
*I am a tough bird who is hard to please ESPECIALLY when it comes to my hair. 
*I am extraordinarily anxious about new stylists.
*I am am persnickety to say the least.

Ashleigh was so freaking chill about what I wanted. Our creative visions couldn't have been more different, but she created a style and color that was better suited for me than what I had.  She took the time to actually listen to what I wanted, look at my hair, and come up with what would protect the integrity of my hair while still fulfilling what I desired. She was very detail oriented and took her time to make sure that her cut was precise (nothing makes me more mad than a sloppy cut). Last point that I want to mention is that Ashleigh never let the conversation dry up! You know the awkward moment when you just told something embarrassing about yourself and it all goes silent... not the case. In closing, if you are seeking a new stylist with patience, talent, and a rocking personality; make an appointment with Ashleigh.
5 - Stephanie K.: Needed to wait a bit after my cut to yelp it up, bc Ive raved about hair stylists in the past only to come to realize after I washed and styled my hair myself, it wasn't as manageable/gorgeous as originally thought, but 2 weeks after, i can officially say Ashleigh got my approval!!

Ashleigh is really cool and sweet, which is oh so necessary when you're stuck in a chair with a person for 2 hours, PLUS she's a great hair stylist! I got a cut and partial blonde hilights (I have strawberry blonde hair) without knowing really what I wanted (plus when Ive had pics in the past, I get all excited that I'm going to look like a certain celebrity, hmmm not realistic but hair stylists never seem to come close, so I've kissed the specific magazine hair style expectations goodbye, but maybe I shouldn't say that yet now that Ive met Ashleigh :) but she knew exactly what I needed.

 She was even taking a little longer to do my hair and when her next appt came she didnt rush me out whatsoever, so it made me feel very comfortable vs past experiences of stylists not finishing and rushing me out. Bottom line: if you want a relaxed appt and leave with great hair, check her out!

Ashley's - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2780985, -83.7408893) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - Dave M.: This is one of my most favorite bars ever.  I have never seen a greater variety of beer on tap anywhere.  I used to love finishing up with classes on campus and crossing the street to get a beer at Ashley's.  The only problems with this place are: it is often packed at night, the food is good but is only standard bar food, and the bar itself is pretty small (though there is ample seating at tables).  The best time to go to Ashley's is around 1-3 PM though.  Grab a pint and have a liquid lunch!
3 - Margot F.: If you ever need to reassure yourself that grad students and their bars are just as obnoxious as undergrad haunts, check out Ashley's.  There's nothing objectively wrong with the bar itself, but the people ruin it for me every time.

The ID checkers refuse entry to international students who don't have their passports tatooed to their forheads (even when they have alternate forms of identification.  even when they're 30+ yrs old).  Servers never seem to know what is and isn't available from the massive beer and whisky selections, and the happy hour crowd gets increasingly obnoxious as the night wears on.  They shout to compete with a jukebox full of early 90s Top 40 rock like Dave Matthews Band and Counting Crows, Hootie and the Blowfish.  It makes me cringe, but I guess if that's your bag, you'll love it.

I will grant that the selection of beers on tap is indeed formidable, and the menu offers a few worthwhile nibbles.   Stilton fries are the perfect pungent, gooey, greasy accompaniment to a nice cold draught Smithwicks or bitter Bell's Two-Hearted Ale.  The spinach-artichoke dip is a little too thick for easy dipping, but only because it's heavy on parmesean that gives it a wonderfully sharp flavor.  And I have it on good report that the chicken skewers are moist and flavorful.

The location does make it the most obvious choice for a drink between classes, although I adivse against trying to attend anything involving a professor prone to wearing ridiculous clothes after three or more delerium tremens unless you think they'll take uncontrollable giggling through their seminar as a compliment.  

I wouldn't turn down an invitation to go to Ashleys, but I often try and convince people to follow me elsewhere after the first round.
4 - Katia M.: Didn't come here much when I was in undergrad at Michigan, but the last few times I was back in Ann Arbor I stopped in for beers with some friends.  I love the Stilton fries and you can't beat the beer selection.  We went in the afternoon in the summer, so I don't really know what it's like during the school year, but I had a great time.
4 - Steve S.: i once brought a girl to ashley's on a date.  they have so many beers on tap, and i knew this girl was a beer drinker.  i was sure i couldn't lose.

to my dismay, the girl ordered a BUD LIGHT.  i don't think they even had one in the bar.  i was so embarrassed. 

moral of the story: don't bring dates to ashley's
5 - Jason M.: Beer and scotch heaven.  You can do a fantastic tour of either in this quality pub.  My personal faves are a pint of Piraat Ale and a pint of Third Coast Old Ale (someone distribute Bells to the left coast KTHXBAI).  A pint of each will leave you feeling quite well with their 10-12% ABV.  I only ate here a couple times and it seemed ok for food, typical pub fare, but the five stars are for the beer and whisky.
4 - Amanda K.: I love Ashley's it is such a good time. I don't even like Beer and I love it here, I always get the framboise, yum. however, if you do like beer there is a huge book full of what I believe is over 300 beers.  A girl that I knew in college worked there and probably had drank about half of those  beers. This place is a great place to come and chill after a michigan football game, or at least we did that a lot, and even on a chill friday night.  I even had a friend who had a going away party in here, and I've definitely bar crawled through ashley's a time or two. check it out.
3 - Michael L.: this bar is heavily overrated.  i think Margot F got this one good. they never know what they're out of. it's crowded. it's like some creepy 20 - 30 somethings mating grounds. i don't even understand. the one thing i do like about it, is indeed their beer selection.
5 - Dean S.: I was surprised to see some of the less-than-stellar reviews on here. I think it all hinges upon the time of day you visit.

I went with some friends on a Saturday in January when the only University of Michigan home sport was an evening hockey game. It was moderately busy, what with NFL playoffs being on, but I did not find it to be crowded.

The beer selection is, as mentioned, excellent. Occasionally they are out of something on tap (with 70 on tap, 1 or 2 is a very small percentage and to be somewhat expected) but I found that our server was on top of things. The food was slightly better than average, but as some have mentioned, it is a rather typical bar menu. Personally, I only go to Ashley's for the vast beer selection: the food is just a compliment.

Earlier does seem to be better, as Dave mentioned. Perhaps the visit I had was an anomaly crowd-wise, but I felt quite comfortable the entire time.

For what it is and what it purports to be, Ashley's is clearly a 5/5. If you were looking for a great food menu, large facility, and lack of college students, however, it might not be your cup of tea. Or pint of ale, if you prefer. :-)
3 - Sam S.: Order drinks two at a time. Seriously. I've been here probably more than 30 times and have ended up waiting anywhere between 15 to 45 minutes to get a drink each time. The waitstaff is quite dysphoric and really has no sense of drinking urgency. This alone seals its fate, even though this is the second closest bar to my house (technically, Scorekeeper's is the closest, if you must know).

Why have I come here over two dozen times if the service is so ho-hum? Well, for some reason, a lot of people INSIST on going here, I have no idea why. I have recently begun putting my foot down against it. It's always white people too; must be something genetic.

The stars are only for the beer selection, which actually has some standouts.
4 - Bonnie P.: I'm not super gung-ho about Ashley's, but it's my favorite campus bar, which says something about campus bars. Or maybe me. The atmosphere is laid-back enough to be enjoyable for a variety of occasions, and I approve of the concept of a bajillion beers. As for the food, well, I've established elsewhere that I have an affinity for cheese fries and warm chocolate chip cookies, two things they do decently here. They have two species of cheese fries, in fact, both of which are good; the Stilton fries are a specialty, but a little intense, even for a blue cheese enthusiast. The rest of the food frankly bites, in my opinion; the cheddar ale dip and spinach dip were particularly off-putting.
5 - Jen K.: Most impressive beer list I've seen. . .well pretty much anywhere.  As I've traveled throughout the country and stumbled upon tiny microbreweries, I often think "hey! i tried one of these beers at ashley's!".  In fact, I was introduced to my very favorite beer ever, Pyramid's Apricot hefeweizen, at Ashley's.  A few months after I moved to Seattle, I realized that the Pyramid brewery is less than a mile from where I live, yet I had been drinking it for a few years.  One thing I note about all of the negative reviews of Ashleys - they all say that the one thing that is good is the beer selection.   I think that's really the selling point, and they seem to be hitting the mark!
2 - Theresa F.: Ashley's has decent brews, but not nearly as good as ABC.  It's overpriced for their menu and for being as expensive as they are, their bathrooms are always disgusting (at least the women's bathroom, anyway). And the wait staff leaves much to be desired (don't they ever smile??!).  I'd rather go to the other half dozen pubs in the area.
4 - Haroun K.: Ashley's is chill.  Your experience depends greatly on who you're with, when you're there, and who serves you.  First, it is a fun place to go with a large group, but there are only two big tables in back, so depending on your group's size, you may have to squeeze, or send someone away crying.  But if it is a romantic beer for 2, then it the seating is quite adequate.  Timing is everything here.  Ashley's has an amazing lunch special with 5 or 6 meals for under $5.  Of course the consistency is laughable.  One day lunch is heavenly, the next it tastes like garbage.  But $5 (!).  There's also an early evening happy hour.  If you get there late, go for beer and cheese fries!  Finally, servers...There are some really cool servers here.  But there are far more assholes.  Some simply ignore you, others snipe, and still others seem to take advantage of the drunks.  All in all, the jukebox, the truly 21+ crowd, and the cheese fries have made this my bar of choice in Ann Arbor.
2 - Coco C.: Campus bars, by definition, have to suck. Ashley's is really no different, except I suspect undergrads go here to feel "grown-up" and "smug", just like a real grad student does. 

The beer selection is impressive - they do have the tasty tasty brew that is Smithwicks - but the wait *is* long, even if it's a weeknight. The women they have as hostesses/bouncers are always surly, the jukebox is loud as fuck (seriously, I love JT as much as the next person, but not when he makes my ears bleed) and the downstairs bar is so freaking smokey that it makes my eyes water just thinking about it.

There are much better bars in town - but you may have to *gasp* walk (or cab it, you lazy lazy jerk) over to Main Street.
3 - Noah P.: Another bar with great potential which obviously falls short.  The televisions are out of the early 90's along with the music, and lighting.  I feel like I am drinking with my parents whenever I go there.  Bars should have mood lighting not office lighting!!!  A fantastic kitchen and amaizing bar cannot save poor service, atmosphere, and music.  It is too bad cause it is a fantastic location.
4 - Elizabeth S.: I love Ashley's.  Sure, it suffers from some poor service (though that's by no means a guarantee- I've had some really attentive waiters and waitresses here).  But there are many reasons it has become my favorite bar in Ann Arbor:

1.  It's actually open on nights that lots of bars are dark.  If I want to drink on a Monday night, I can.  At Ashley's.  Yes, at ABC as well, and for half price, but that's a longer walk for me... speaking of which...

2.  Its location.  Especially because I study at ERC on State and live next to campus.  It's perfect for that 11:30 drink after studying.  

3.  The jukebox may often play "bad" music, but it's usually pretty fun.  I have some of my best memories in Ann Arbor listening to bad music on the Ashley's jukebox.

4.  Strongbow on tap.  Also the vast beer selection.  

5.  You can rent out the basement for a really reasonable rate for a private party.
4 - Random J.: One fine day a few years ago, I drew the short straw and got to go out for a face-to-face meeting with a potential client in Ann Arbor. Coming from the west coast, you have to understand that I have no idea what goes on anywhere east of the Rockies, really. When people told me I was going to Ann Arbor I was like, "Crap. I have to go to Minnesota. That's like somewhere off in the middle of nowhere on the east coast."

The meeting was in the afternoon, and as any road-warrior will attest, the only way you can pull that off coming from the west coast is to take the Red Eye and fall asleep during your meeting, and all throughout your day at work the next day, or just come in the night before. There aren't exactly a wide variety of flights to Ann Arbor, so we had to arrive the day before. That gave me plenty of time to explore the wonders of Ann Arbor.

Not knowing much about where we were on a map, much less how much there really was to do in Ann Arbor (although I had a guess), we wandered into Ashley's, since it looked like it would be reasonably standard food.

Understand that my expectations were even lower than the temperature outside; but the waitress handed us the beer list, and it was thicker than the Communist manifesto. I had several super obscure beers I'd never had before and never again. The food was pretty decent bar and grill style fare. But seriously, we were completely overwhelmed by the unexpectedly massive beer selection. Never before have I so inappropriately prepared for a company meeting the next day as I did that night. We finished the evening with a port flight, of all things. 

The moral of the story is, we eventually did end up landing the client, and I can only think that my hangover the next day made me seem so quiet and agreeable that our first impression carried us through.

I couldn't point out Ashley's on a map of Ann Arbor, let alone Ann Arbor on a map of the United States; but I owe Ashley's a debt of gratitude for turning an otherwise uneventful trip into a trip that I'm guessing was eventful although a large portion of it is pretty hazy.
5 - becky k.: i was a little scared to go to ashely's.  not cause it's scary, but because i loved it as an undergrad.  i had part 1 of my 21st bday here, i had a beer with the TA i had a super crush on here, and 3 of my guy friends were determined to make it through the beer menu oru last year of college.  clearly i heart ashley's and i didn't want to ruin my fond memories.

but tday was friggin hot and i needed a little bit of cold beer to chase down my cupcakes after my not run (see the reviw for cake noveau).  hey, i've been in the arhcives for many straight hours i might be losing it.

so i walk to ashley's grab a seat at the bar and begin my night.  start off asking the bartender for a locallly brweed bevvy.  he suggest a stout, but i am sweaty and i need to cool down so i ask for something a little lighter--amber?  and he volleys back with the bell's amber lager.  PURRFECT.  straight out of kalamazoo into my tummy.

round 2: chillin in the AC, ready for something else--dinner?  no, how bout that stout he recommended previously?  taste it: arbor brewing company's espresso love it or something like that.  i LOVE it.  i almost need a straw.  the flavors: coffee, chococlate, beer--YUM!!!  i'm in heaven.  and thinking that i'm gonna make it a 2 cupcake 2 pint night, but by then bartender mike knows i'm from the SD and is asking about local breweries and is tempting me with some SD local (stone) ales.  

the first one: stone pale--too hoppy.  i hate hops.
2nd try: dirty bastard out of pontiac or grand rapids...my memoty is failing me. 
the third one: stone's double bastard.  has an AMAZING flavor, but damn those hops for ruining it at the end.
the final try: by then mike the bartender, mike the customer, and ben mike the bartender's bro are all in and they decide: stone's arrogant bastard.

IT IS AMAZING!!!

and the best part it is san diego local.  (which is why they had me try it).  so yeah SD.  i also got the buzz on the local great san diego brew-pubs   that makes mike and co. the ultimate--not only do they know local, but they know MY local.  so i have great tastes also of the mauditine and a couple of others that i cab't seem to remember right now.

so mike and ben are opening a bar in boulder very soon (which i am going to yelp about immediately) and they told me about this very great secret brewery in san diego which i am going to check out immediately upon return to the SD.  (and which i will invite all the fabulous SD yelpers to) i can't say now.  they also told me about this fabulous beer webiste and in return i told them about yelp =)  yeah nice bartenders.  i heart bartenders from coast to coast.
4 - Andrew M.: Stopped in for a burger and a beer. I was there pretty early in the evening so it wasn't crowded, service was good and the burger was mighty tasty. Next time I'll take some more time to sample the extensive beer list.
3 - Alan T.: This place is strange... the place feels like a great beer bar crossed with a somewhat rundown greek diner.  The beer selection was stellar, and the food was pretty decent pub grub.  Ashley's could be a great beer bar if someone put a little work into the place.  A great beer selection does not make a great beer bar.  Firstly, your servers need to know about the beer they are serving - which on both of my visits here, the server knew next to nothing.  If you have 65 beers on tap, you really should have a list with a brief description of each of them to take some of the pressure off of your servers.  Secondly, if your carpeting sticks to the bottom of your patrons' shoes and looks like a giant, dark, gummy mess, it is time to replace it.  And as icing on the cake, this place has one of the worst men's rooms I've seen anywhere in the midwest.  Located in the basement, it is dank, dark, smelly, and utilizes plastic buckets to collect the water leaking from the broken drain traps under the sinks. Then as you ascend the steep stairs, you get a close look at the disgusting carpet on the stairs.  Ugh... GREAT beer selection, but the place is in dire need of repair and renovation. Five stars for the beer selection, two stars for the atmosphere.
2 - Patrick D.: Yes, the beer is good. Yes, it's probably the best beer list in Ann Arbor. Yes, the food is terrible. 

You can't really argue with the beer list, they have great seasonals (they had 3 different Kolsch's on tap when I went back in the spring) and tons of taps. They don't have Bitburger though, which is a little disappointing, you have to go to Old Town for those. It's a little overpriced, and I've never been to impressed with the service itself, although the staff does seem to know the beer pretty well. The happy hour 'special' is nothing special, I think $1 off beers from 4-7pm, which is fine, but nothing to rave about. 

The food, on the other hand, is horrendous, I've given it three chances and don't plan on giving it another one. The Thai Chicken quesadilla weighed about four pounds, most of it was an overly sweet, faux-thai sauce and the chicken was stringy and cold. The tortilla chicken club wrap was awful as well. The "grilled" chicken was obviously some of the pre-cooked, frozen "grilled" strips you can buy by the 10 pound bag at costco and the guacamole was ripe about 3 days ago. 

I've never had a problem with the pretentious grad student atmosphere that everyone else seems to mention, but I've also never really paid attention to the scene. I was too disgusted and depressed with my food that I just kept drinking.
5 - Ileana S.: I like to tell my college friends that I discovered beer during graduate school. This is mostly due to Ashley's. The beer selection is incredible. However, it's not a good idea to come with a big group (more than 6). There really aren't that many tables suited for big parties.

And as the back of one of their t-shirts say:
"Friends don't let friends drink cheap beer." 

And that's the truth...
4 - Matt M.: Places that will serve me Smithwick's on draft will always find their way into my heart.  Ashley's also has a somewhat staggering list of other beers available on draft, in bottles, and in casks.  Usually I'll try a new one and grab my Smithwick's for the second round.  Happy hour results in good deals for excellent beer (I believe it's from 4 to 7pm).

Maybe I'm turning into an old man, but Ashley's is definitely more pleasant in the summer when there aren't 30 billion students crammed into it and they open the big street-side windows.  The music is also better earlier in the night, before the crowd favorites are getting played.  I breath a little sigh of relief on holidays as well - Ashley's was comfortable a few days before Thanksgiving.

If you're bringing a party bigger than six people, prepare to split up your group.  Although I have managed to go here with larger groups, nine times out of ten you're waiting way too long for a sizable table or you're cramming everyone into a 4-top.  That's upstairs.  Downstairs they have a bar and a couple tables, also stools.  This is more conducive to mingling and meeting than the main floor but it's a small space and often packed and quite smoky.

As far as food goes, I don't have any big complaints except that their wraps, in any guise, are terrible.  Some stand out dishes are their hamburgers, spinach-artichoke dip, and bacon cheddar chive fries.

In summary, I usually have a good time with a few friends at Ashley's.  It's definitely one of the better bars to go to for a more low-key evening, but it's more-low key in the summer.  Beer is great and the food is good.  I've always found the wait staff to be helpful, if sometimes beleaguered by the sheer amount of people they have to attend to.
4 - Farah F.: I've been there a few times, once for someone's 21st birthday... so I don't really have bad to say about Ashley's. Being not much of a beer drinker, I can't say much about how good the beers are, but my friends rave about the selection. Of course, lining up at 4am outside for St. Patty's day is pretty much an experience by itself, regardless how much (or how little) alcohol you consume. Good times :) . But the food is average, which is why I took off a couple of stars, but I put one back for it being less rowdy than Mitch's or Skeeps.
4 - Lisa W.: I love beer, and I love stouts and porters, cask beers, and IPAs.  They have so many beers on tap I can't keep up.  There is definitely no other place like this in Ann Arbor for beer.  One of my favorites is the Dogfish Head 90 minute IPA on pump which is amazing.  If you've never had a cask beer and like IPAs, I highly suggest this one.  It is heaven.

Their bar food is above average, their fries are especially good and they have an awesome weekday lunch special which ranges between $5-$6 -- you can get a sandwich or burger with a side and a pop.

Their jukebox is alright.  If you're  lucky, you'll be there when one of the regulars starts playing all the motown in the box and dances around it.
4 - Clarence C.: I'm only going to say this once: seventy beers on tap. If you need to know more than that, you don't like beer enough to bother with Ashley's. They don't make their own, but they have a heck of a selection of beers from around the globe and micro-brews from all over the U.S. (Check out the pictures.)

Lots of tables, plus booths in the back. There's a jukebox, but no room to dance, so don't get any ideas.

Oh, umm, they also have single malt scotch, mixed drinks and light food. Yadda, yadda. Seventy beers on tap
5 - Lauri N.: I pine for Ashley's now that I am away from Ann Arbor.  4 years of college, and I still couldn't get through the entire list of beers on tap. 

I think I've only eaten there once, you don't really go for the food.  Well, not intentionally anyway.  

Ah, was it Ben Franklin who said, "Beer is proof that God loves us?"  Because God really loves you at Ashley's.
4 - Sarah W.: The reason I  come here? Pesto fries! A huge plate of waffle fries with pesto draped all over and sprinkled with dried tomatoes and a side of purple mystery dip. I have never had anything so good and bad for you! The lunch specials are another great reason to drop in here, great deals in the $5 range. The grilled cheese and chili are good!

I like beer too, but I really don't know much about beer. I sway from light beers to chocolate beers and love PBR. But for beer lovers this is a great place for variety and they have so many things on tap its insane.

This atmosphere is  your typical bar. Lots of wood, comfortable ambiance. Bar seating, table seating, booths. You can't really stand and mingle in this bar though, you need a seat. (maybe in the basement).
4 - Jen S.: I'm a beer snob so this place automatically gets 3 stars for an awesome beer menu.  I'm glad that there's a place like this out here in Ann Arbor (a place with a loooong beer list that is).  I also liked the decor, it was chill, and the layout of the tables didn't make it unbearably crowded to me.  I've gone here twice to eat already and was happy with the food both times.  Also, my waitress, I had the same one both times, was really cool.
5 - Jeff W.: Ashley's ranks up there are the all-time favorite location for fun atmosphere, amazing drink selection, and good lunchtime specials.  I'd highly recommend this as an alternative to class from time-to-time.

This is the one reason I still consider making frequent trips back to Ann Arbor.

It would be nice if Ashley's underground was open more often, and the fake Internet jukebox just doesn't work for me.  Otherwise, Ashley's rocks!!

One warning: Michigan still permits smoking, and Ashley's tends to be very smoke-filled...

10/08 Update: I was back in town on a recruiting trip in Sept., and I think the smoking thing bothers me a lot more now.
- Service was AMAZING mid-week: more friendly than I remember it in the past
- Prices are really holding steady, the check at the end of the night felt comical - excellent value
- Allowing smoking in Michigan bars is just plain bad.

(Michigan '05 alum)
4 - Justin W.: Great selection of beer, even by beer snob standards.  Being from out of state I wanted to try some local beers.  Unlike the majority of other bars/restaurants I'd been to in Michigan, Ashley's delivered.  I was able to try three different beers and the waiter gave a very good description of each.  I was also very impressed that they carried Sierra Nevada all the way out there.  

We didn't eat any food here but everything out group had seemed to look very good and I'm sure was above average pub food.  The chicken fingers especially looked good and not like something they just took out of the freezer and put in a microwave.  (Not that there is anything wrong with that at a bar.)
4 - Foxy M.: Great selection of beer.  I used to frequent here as a student of U of M.  It's located right next to the campus so it's a convenient stop.  My most recent visit was about a month ago.  The wait staff was a bit slow, but it was happy hour.  I do however remember their bathroom being located downstairs.  The stairwell is kind of rickety and steep.  Overall though, they have a WONDERFUL selection of beers.  It's a staple of the U of M student district.  I recommend trying it out.
5 - Theresa U.: Wholy beer pickins!
If you want a good brew, Ashley's has got it!  Located in downtown Ann Arbor near the park, this dark, cozy pub is awesome.
I had the beer sampler and was able to pick 4 beers from a list on the chalk board.  I had the Jolly Pumpkin ES Bam (nice caramel color with a lost of head, but a little on the sweet side)  the Blonde (a fruity wheat beer), Khunnens Wit (a little on the light side, citrisy), and umm. hmm. i forget.  I will definitely be returning here.
5 - Parisa K.: There's not much to complain about with Ashleys... or maybe there's nothing to complain about.  It's a fun place.  It's has plenty of room to sit.  The menu is extensive, and pretty much anything off it is delicious.  FYI I'm talking about the food right now.  

Getting into the beer selection, the menu is extensive and pretty much anything off it is delicious (that is, if you like beer).  No really, though, they have oodles and oodles of beers on tap.  They have whatever you may be looking for, as well beers you never knew existed.  When you're looking for a variety, they have a sampler tray to suit anyone's tastes.

Ashley's is one of the best places in Ann Arbor to head to if you are looking to relax and enjoy a few drinks with good friends, any time of the day!
4 - Nilda R.: Super-friendly staff, excellent beer selection, equally excellent prices, walking distance from UM Union. 

I can't squeeze out a fifth star 'cos the food was terrible, but I believe beer is called liquid bread for good reason.
1 - Ray C.: The good: great selection of beer.

The bad: everything else.

The service is slooooooooooowwwwwww. Slow beyond belief. Worse than that, the servers are rude and unapologetic. Unless your a beer snob looking to try beers no one has ever heard of, skip it and go to Babs.
4 - Eric M.: Ashley's is the Willy Wonka of bars. There are 50+ beers to choose from at one time. If that causes your palms to sweat just reading that sentence, no worries. You can order a beer flight and sample four beers and then pick the one that works the best.

I do recall a couple times showing up after a UM football game and there being no air conditioning, but after a couple cold beers things were fine.
4 - Lane M.: A great place to hang out with friends - and the beer and alky selection is amazing.  

And although I don't know anyone who works there I always enjoy the wait staff - they always act like we're buddies catching up, which is great for the atmosphere.  

Oh, and the appetizers are DELICIOUS.
4 - Chris V.: Like everyone and their dog has said, the beer selection here is pretty unbeatable.  I've been to Ashley's upwards of ten times and I'm just barely getting my feet wet in their beer menu.  Every waiter I've had has known his stuff - I like having them choose a beer for me because they've always got something new going on and I haven't been let down yet.

I enjoyed the food here - I certainly wouldn't come here just to eat, but the food I've tried has been standard bar food fare and has been perfectly acceptable for munching on in between larger-than-necessary gulps of the Bell's beer de jour.  If you want better food, go to Arbor Brewing Company, but it's definitely not as cozy and it'll cost you a little more.

Beer, however, is what Ashley's does best.  It's one of my favorite haunts in the area, so if you're ever downtown and need a pint, head on over.
4 - mariah c.: Wait, is this somehow suddenly my Cheers?  Probably not, but for a minute, it felt that way.  I hadn't been in here in probably a year.  Then, last night, I stopped in to meet up with Sarah R. Before she even came in, I ran into a handful of folks I knew right away.

I think that's mainly a matter of proximity.  For anyone who works in the Liberty/State Street area, Ashley's is a convenient place to stop in after work. The prices are reasonable, and you really can't beat the selection. 

Tonight, after returning from Detroit, I wound up here yet again for drinks with my ladies.  It was just fine.  Fun, unpretentious, and the volume level meant we could chat and catch up easily.  I got myself a Darkhorse Scotty Karate, which hit the spot. 

Some of the music from the jukebox was great, and some was Extreme.  Yes, THAT Extreme -- "More Than Words." For me, this song has gone past funny and into annoying.  However, it was redeemed by the sheer entertainment of the waiter dancing with the girl behind me (and knocking over a chair). Not quite rowdy at all, but entertaining, nonetheless. Oh, and the same waiter printed out and got us our bill in record time when we were ready to go.

Ashley's may not be my very favorite bar, but it's a good, comfortable standby.  And the Stilton fries are somehow irresistible -- just bring some gum!
2 - Christine R.: I wish there was a 2.5 in the stars. Its not really a "meh" but I don't know that its quite "a-ok" either because we don't really plan to go back. I am glad we went and it was an interesting experience. If it wasn't a 20 min drive to AA, we might find outselves back there when we want a beer and some junk food... but its definitely not worth the drive. I loved the huge beer menu and the fries. That was IT. The service was OK... our waitress was nice, but slow. It was VERY smokey (yes, I know its a bar, but some are worse than others and I am whimp). This is not the place to go when you are hungry for a meal, but its perfectly suitable for drinks and munchies with friends. The location is actually phenomenal. This is the perfect place for a college campus.Thanks for the recs, I did enjoy my beer and fries!
4 - kelly w.: I'm a little surprised at Christine R.'s review-- Christine, what time of day did you go?

In fact, I'm not sure if that even matters... to me at least. I went there for drinks (at night) not too long ago-- and had a really good time. I don't necessarily think it's a bar that you go to meet new friends, but rather enjoy the old ones you've got. And yes, the jukebox.. it's somethin' else.. funny thing Mariah, More than Words played when I was there as well... were we there at the same time?! ha. Anyway, as a last minute, "oh my goodness I forgot to eat dinner and I do plan on drinking tonight," an order of their bacon cheese and chive (minus the chives) fries was put in. It was something out of the Jetsons I tell you. Rosie (not our actual server's name) pressed a button and out came out cheesy bacon-y fries.. (with GOOD RANCH of course!). 

The next day I actually went back for lunch.  And once again, I was greeted with satisfaction on multiple levels. Our waiter was completely enjoyable, he put up with us asking him the "questions that haunt us," and even offered some fairly decent (yet incorrect) answers. I also had a bizarre food request which he said they didn't do, but this once, he would do it. When there is something I crave... I need it. And I needed my cheesy (as in the food, not lame) request. 

Everything was comfortable about Ashley's, now if you are looking for a bumping party, then I suggest heading elsewhere. But if you are looking for a good time with your homies-- go there and enjoy all the wonderful brews they offer.
5 - Susan L.: 2 years later and my life partnership with Ashley's is still going strong. Update: Celis White is no longer served on tap! Boo! Still tasty in a bottle but you have to request for an orange slice.
4 - Jenna S.: Apparently we only go awesome places when I'm in Ann Arbor.  

We decided to go here because we just weren't hungry enough to eat at Blimpie Burger (I think you need to fast for at least 48 hours before you eat there).  The bar is a nice, old school looking Irish pub.  When I studied abroad in France, there were a ton of Irish bars owned by Irish people (I guess that's about authentic as it gets outside of Ireland, right?) and this bar was like that.  Lots of beer decor, brick walls, old tables and the smell of beer lingered in the air (which is a good thing).  

They have a TON of beers on tap.  I mean that - a TON.  When we were given a beer menu, it was not just a menu; it was a guide.  The little booklet must be about 15-20 pages and it includes description of types of beers (lager, ale, stout, etc.), how they are produced, how they taste and how strong they are (rated on a scale from 1-10, 1 being light and 10 being strong).  Each beer that they sell (tap and bottle) were given a rating and a description to give you the easiest selection possible.  The beers were even ordered by type, so I was able to immediately skip to the White Ale section and sample something I've never had before.  I had a bottle of the Celis White, which is brewed right in Webberville Michigan (Michigan Brewing Company).  Delicious!

The food was also great.  I had the fish and chips - the fish was battered in Sam Adams and the fries were coated with some kind of beer batter.  Mmmmmmm.  My boyfriend had the Badger Burger, which came with bacon and cheese.  He said, "The cheese was melted onto the bacon... that made it really good."  Enough said.  I'll definitely be back in the future to try some of their fries - they had a crazy French Fry menu that included Chili Fries, Pesto Fries - can you go wrong with that?
4 - Adelais T.: Foodwise, this place probably has the best burgers on campus.
3 - Leanna G.: Decent bar very close to campus. This isn't a bad place to go with a big group of people, the beer selection is (of course) excellent, and the food is pretty good. 

...But, by far, the biggest upside to Ashley's has got to be that the service is so slow you can't get drunk there. Never worry about embarrassing yourself in front of your coworkers again!

In all seriousness, while I don't really care that much about getting drunk, I do care about the theoretical ability to do so. Besides, not getting more than one beer an hour also means your waitress disappears forever after you drop a fork, and the food, well, the food merits pondering of Zeno's paradox, which is probably fitting for a campus bar anyway.
4 - Ellen C.: mmmm. I ended up at Ashley's for part of the time on my 21st birthday.  I tried the Young's double chocolate stout, and some other stout (my memory is failing me on this one).

Our waitress was super friendly, and brought me a free tollhouse sundae because it was my birthday!  I'd disagree with the comments on slow service- our server definitely dropped by three times before I'd even managed to decide on what I wanted to drink! It wasn't too busy though, since it was a Monday night.

I was also here once for an event that was held downstairs, and it seemed well-run for that too.
5 - Frank M.: This is definitely my favorite bar in Ann Arbor.  They have a huge selection of great beers.  They don't sell garbage like Miller Lite, instead they have lots of microbrews from around the country.  It get's quite hot in the summer, so be prepared.  When you go, get the Stilton fries and a glass of Stone Ruination IPA, you won't regret it. 

P.S. The fact that the beers are really good also means they are a little pricey.  Most run $5-6.50.
3 - Leslie R.: I gave it an "A-OK" because I come back here.  If you know and enjoy great beer, you can't go wrong here.  The rotating taps always are great--even if you know all beer, you can always experience something you have never tried before.  I once had a beer called Bananas and Blow, that truly tasted like bananas (as far as the latter goes, my experiences discredit me).  

As Leanna G. said, don't come here if you are expecting to get drunk, the waitstaff don't allow it because they are so slow to respond to you that it will be impossible to do so.  Beyond that, the food leaves little to be commended.  Being a vegetarian, I enjoy eating somewhere that offers an herbivore selection which goes beyond  a salad, soup, bean burger, and a veggie wrap.  Here you can't find a salad that does not include a meat option, they do not offer a bean burger at all, but they do boast a vegetarian soup each day.  The last few times I have eaten here I opted for the Georgia Reuben minus turkey, plus tomato (a customized go-to veggie option of mine), and each time the wait staff have given me an odd look before walking away--you're in Ann Arbor, what can you expect?  

On another note, I will preface this by saying I am fairly tolerant when it comes to a smokey environment.  In fact, when it comes to a good bar/pub, I think this to be an important component.  However, I find the smokiness to be a bit intolerable, even when I sit in the non-smoking section.

If you are looking for a great beer, loud music, and a good flavor of emphysema...enjoy!
4 - Zach S.: - Best beer selection in the area
- Great atmosphere, love the feel of the bar
- The food isn't very good and is way overpriced, but who cares?
- It's expensive, but good beer is expensive, so who cares?

My biggest complaint is the service. It's almost always TERRIBLE. Like, probably some of the worst service in Ann Arbor. 9/10 servers know absolutely nothing about beer so there is no way to get any worthwhile information about beers on the rotating tap unless someone in your party is familiar with them or has a phone with internet access. In a city like Ann Arbor, that is inexcusable. In addition to knowing little about beer, the staff is just generally incompetent and not particularly friendly. It's really unfortunate because it's the only thing holding Ashley's back from being the best bar in town (winner: The Heidelberg's basement). It seems like such an easy thing to fix too.
1 - K H.: Absolute worst place near campus to eat during the middle of the day. Staff is so incredibly careless and more interested in having personal conversations in the booths than help customers. I've given this place 5 different chances to prove themselves worthy but, you guys can't win for losing.

Papa Roach looking waiter is obviously suffering from depression and narcissistic personality disorder.. Get a new job if you don't want to be there.
3 - Susanne J.: Worth it for the selection of beer and single malt.  Nice pours too.  Food's kinda crappy.  Stilton dijon nachos may as well have been goopy ballgame food, sounded better on the menu.  Caesar salad was nothing special but there were a lack of veggie options so I went for it anyway.
Doorman - some hippy with dreads - had a crappy attitude (all we needed was a plug to charge our phones) but the waitress was nice.  
Once the frat boys beside me - talking about how they'd partied so hard they'd peed on someone's rug - finally left, I was pretty content sitting there sipping scotch and taking advantage of their free wifi.
4 - Nick H.: I really like Ashley's. It's because my roommates and I went there almost every weekend in college. It's because they have great food, great drinks, and absolute best beer selection in the city. It's because it's not full of stupid, crazy undergrads who want $2 pitchers but has lots of grad students & 20-somethings. It's because it's got the great feel of a chill pub, and cheap bar food. It's because their bathroom has some awesome graffiti, that is always different every time I come in. Also, I stole some of your glasses with the logo on it when I bought my Ashley's shirt. Sorry but I love you Ashley's!
1 - Dave Y.: used to like this place a lot 'cuz of their beer selection and decent greasy food. problem is they treat their customers like crap. they seem to like to hire jerks checking ids. admittedly, bouncers and guards' jobs are not to be friendly and likable, but these people are scums and kinda racist. this is from personal experience, a very unpleasant personal experience. so, do you really want to support a business that hires racist vermin as their guard dog? what does this tell you about them? is the beer really worth it? plum market probably has just as good a selection of beer, and there're plenty of other pubs and bars in town that're way more pleasant. red hawk is right down the street, and they don't make their customers beg to come in
5 - Dave F.: I can't believe all of the negative reviews on here, it's insane. Someone even claiming that they're racist? They have an incredibly diverse staff, how is that possible?

If you want excellent beer and good bar food, where do you go? Ashley's has over 50 taps, including about 10 rotating taps that rotate about weekly.

I've never gone to Ashley's for a meal, but their service starting at about 9pm is fine. Their prices and portions are fine for their late night menu. The quality is good.

If you love BEER, this is where you go. If you want only dinner, there's plenty of other places for that - dont make me wait in line for you.
4 - Alyssa R.: I first have to say that (as mentioned before) Ashley's has a very extended beer selection.  It's nice because you can actually have a decent beer instead of getting your standard; Bud and miller.   It's a decent place to go to catch up with friends and watch a game.  It has a sports bar feel to it, however, it's not like BW3s or Malarkey's.  Definitely far from a place like Touchdown.  Most of the people that come here are mature UM college students, Grad students, and A2 residents.  Mature meaning that no one is opening beer bottles with their teeth and you don't really see "douchebauchery" of any kind.  At least not that I've seen. =)  If I were to generalize, I think everyone that comes here for the most part comes for the chill ambiance and beer selection. 

Their food is, in my opinion, better than a standard bar.  You get many options. Some people have said it's overpriced, but I don't think so.  However, paying 8 bucks for a burger doesn't seem expensive to me.  I guess it just depends on what you are getting. No five course meals will be served...well you could probably order enough to have some sort of said courses, but in general it's just your standard food.  Burgers, sandwiches, fries, onion rings, nachos.  All American food pretty much. I haven't had super speedy service.  It's not terrible, but I definitely sit with an empty glass for moments longer than I would like.  I'm usually so engrossed in trying to converse with someone that I don't notice that often.

If you want to take a date somewhere I wouldn't take them here.  Like I said it's nice, but not that nice.  Usually it's quite loud.  Especially if there is a game of some sort on... and there usually is a game.  So, conversation is hard to have.  

I've been multiple times and I will definitely go again.  So, if you plan on going it  will be like anything - it just depends on what you are looking for at the moment and what you want.
5 - John B.: Hands down, best selection of beers in town.  More on tap than anywhere else in the city.  Very informative and somewhat confusing (if it's your first time) menu, but it's made to help you find something you like, or something outside your norm that you will like. Great atmosphere.  Good fries, no matter which you order.  Always busy, often loud.  Haven't spent time at the basement bar, different world down there.  Foosball and TVs in the basement.  As are the bathrooms, which are not as nice as the rest of the bar, but they do the job. outdoor seating is minimal and basically just high seats roped off on the sidewalk, but I still like it.
5 - David M.: Good place for your three B's: Burgers, bar food and beer.  This place is pretty much like your standard smoky bar, except for the fact that the beer list takes ten minutes just to read through, and it's definitely not just a read through.  You'll get pretty drunk just trying beers...

Also, I recommend the pesto fries for some above-standard bar food; the Kalamata dip is sweeeet (really it's salty but that's not an expression).
4 - John P.: It's a total hangout; they have 30 different beers on tap. The steak was awesome but the Philly cheese steak sucked. We seat in the smoking section, drank and had a great time.

The atmosphere was badass and the service was great. I'm totally going back
4 - Rebecca W.: When I first moved to Ann Arbor, I was 3 months out of undergrad and drank mostly margaritas....so, all I knew about beer was that you should be embarrassed to ever order something like a Miller Lite in an actual, real, beerful bar.  But I also didn't know what I should be ordering instead.  Luckily Ashley's had several ciders that I stuck to on those first visits, so I could enjoy my ultimate grilled cheese sandwich without fear of humiliation. 

Since then, I've returned periodically, though never regularly.  I came here one day in December more than a year ago when a far away friend was undergoing scary surgery, and took comfort in a double chocolate stout (which has since become my favorite Ashley's treat) and again, that grilled cheese. 

On another (indulgent) visit, I had the grilled cheese, the double chocolate stout (creature of habit?  I can't get it anywhere else!) and a Guinness float (yes, with ice cream)--yummy!

Took my younger brother and his friend here when they were in town for the AA film festival last year, and they were impressed, overwhelmed, and amazed by the beer list.  I had the grilled cheese.

In fact, I think I've had that tasty grilled cheese every time I've come, except for this past Friday.  We were there for a goodybe party for yet another friend leaving town (:( ) and I decided to mix things up by ordering the Georgia Reuben.  Warning!  It's supposed to have Russian Dressing on it, but in fact it's Thousand Island.  Which would be fine for most people, but not so much for me, Rebecca "Hold the PIckles" W.   The pickle bits throughout my entire sandwich were an unexpected, not-so-awesome surprise. 

This was my first Ashley's visit since September, and I thought I might have a better handle on the beer than I did back in my ignorant days--I've grown so much in the last year or so, from "I don't know what beer I like" to "I like ALL beer."  But the list was still intimidating!  

So much so that SK invited the server to just pick a light, crisp beer for him.  I was holding my breath (one of my father's mantras is NEVER LET THE SERVER PICK THE BOOZE) and I was sure he was going to wind up with a $12 beer (he was less concerned: "if it's a $12 beer, I just won't have another one).  But I needn't have worried: the server picked something tasty for $4.50!  Thanks!
3 - Karl H.: Come here for the location and great beer selection. The food is nothing above average, with certain items being pretty awful. The service can range from attentive and generous (as in letting you taste different beers and quick service) to downright rude and shocking (like forgeting your meal and pulling attitude about it). But hey, all college bars have students working there who are way too cool to be nice. Don't go here if you're broke either...
5 - Peter W.: I have no interest in the food or hard liqour at Ashley's. They exist, but do not figure into my estimation of the place.

The reason to go to Ashley's is for their first class selection of beer--dozens of taps pouring all kinds of local beers and some of the best beers from all around the world. Their selection, and the freshness of the brews is better than any other beer bar I have ever been to. I suppose a better beer bar probably exists, but until I find it I'm going to keep telling people that Ashley's is the best beer-bar ever.
5 - Christopher F.: Ashleys is as good as a pub gets in my opinion.  You may want to have a look at their on-line menu before coming in, I brought some out of town friends and they were completely overwhelmed by the beer menu, I think over 70 beers to choose from all around the world not to mention there scotch and whiskey selections.

Most of us pretty much know what kind of food to expect at bars or pubs, but this place has excellent food.  Their spinach artichoke one of the best I have had, thai quesadialias very good as well, served with mango salsa.  Their thin sliced pizza's are very good as well as their fish and chips.  All in all can not go wrong here.
5 - Eric G.: This is by far my favorite place to hang out downtown A2.  The service can be a bit on the slow/poor side, but its a small price to pay. I have yet to find a better beer selection anywhere especially when it comes to Michigan/Micro brews.  The food is damn good also, including my personal late night favorite, The Stilton Fries.  

If you have not been to this place, go there now
2 - Meg F.: I have been going to this bar for well over a year now and ordinarily it is one of my favorite places in Ann Arbor. Their beer selection is the best in Ann Arbor, and their food is good, solid pub grub. The atmosphere is also nice and laid back. 

However, the service I received last evening was so horrible I will not be returning. It pains me to say this because I do love Ashley's. I've never done a self imposed ban on a restaurant, but last night the waitress was so rude, and the host so unpleasant, that I just can't bring myself to return and spend my money there. 

It is a stretch to even call what happened last night "service." For no good reason my friends are I were treated like we were crap. It took longer than average to get our drinks, trying to get a food order in was difficult, our check was actually forced on us despite the fact that we wanted more drinks, our waitress was repeatedly and inexplicably over-the-top rude, and while my friend was still drinking her beer the host asked us when we'd be leaving while wiping our table down (we'd been there only 1.5 hours which is not bad considering how long it took to order drinks and food). The rest of us would have had drinks, too, if we'd been allowed to order them instead of having to cash out.

I have written a letter to management because this type of treatment is inexcusable.

EDIT: I received a response to my letter to management a few days later. They were very polite and apologized. They also included a coupon which I found funny since I said I'd never return. I contemplated burning the coupon and sending them the ashes, but their letter was so nice I couldn't bring myself to do it. I still won't return to Ashley's - the thought of being "served" by that waitress again is too much to bear.
4 - Justin S.: The best beer bar in Ann Arbor, although a mere shadow of bars like Hopleaf, the Map Room, and Monk's. The first time I went here, their rotating tap had Brouwerij Bosteels' Tripel Karmeliet, so I got spoiled and have been sadly disappointed ever since. Still has some staples from around the U.S. - Founders, Bell's, Stone (including Vertical Epics past), etc. It also has some quality Belgians both on draft and in bottle form, from the Trappists to Delerium Tremens and beyond.

Highly recommended.
5 - Erin F.: I absolutely love Ashley's. This is one of the many pleasantries of living in Michigan that I miss. I love the food at Ashley's and their selection of beers ain't playin'. I shared many a great evening splitting orders of french fries and drinking and playing hangman and smoking cigarettes at Ashley's. 

A few winters back, I left a black pashmina at Ashley's. About seven months later I came back and remembered I had left it there. I inquired with the server and lo and behold they still had the damn thing. How's that for service!

(Incidentally, when I got home I realized that the black pashmina I received wasn't actually the exact one I had lost. I guess I paid it forward a few months later by leaving a black cardigan I got for free at a thai food restaurant by accident.)
4 - Matt G.: An establishment with a draught selection of beers envied by basement dwelling men all over the world, Ashley's is another must visit place in AA, for either the out-of-towner of the seasoned AA vet. To understand how many beers that Ashley's has on tap each night, simply think of how many hairs are on your head... and simply multiple that by how many stars are in the universe; that will only cover 1/4 of all the beers on tap that they have. Don't go to Ashley's and order a Bud Light, because you'll get weird stares and be ostracized from there forever; who goes to Italy to order Moo-Shoo Pork anyway? Expect to be enlightened by beers you have never heard of, and probably cannot pronounce unless you have a PhD in world language. Take your taste buds on a trip around the world, because this is where you will go while experiencing all the beers offered at Ashley's.
2 - Michelle C.: I would like to preface this review by saying that if I was going to review Ashley's on beer selection alone they would get five stars.  No doubt about that.  

They had beer.  They had lots of beer.  They had a variety of beer.  Or did they?  

I ordered the Porter/Stout Flight as my "appetizer".  Out of the four beers on the flight, two were replaced by the bartender's choice because they were out of the listed beers.  I can understand being out of one beer but two seemed a little over the top.  I was especially sad because one of the replacement beers happened to be Young's Double Chocolate Stout which is, by far, my least favorite stout of them all.  

For dinner, I got the Portobello Burger which was good enough but nothing to really write home about.  And I realize that you are probably thinking that a mushroom is never worth writing home about but I have met some that are.  I would probably give the food a solid 3.

The 2 star rating comes into play when you factor in that we had the world's worst service.  And, to top it all off, you can smoke inside.  And, although smoking inside bars used to be cool back in the 90s, it kinda makes me want to vomit now.  I realize that this is a location issue (as in Michigan hasn't banned smoking) and not really a bar-specific issue but it's my review so I can complain about that.
3 - Jonathan S.: If you've never been to Ann Arbor, do yourself a favor and go to Ashley's. You CAN'T dislike Ashley's. Hundreds of beers on tap, and people who have a passion for taste and atmosphere. But please, will someone replace the speakers in the basement? I went to a Ghostly party a few months ago there and everything was clipping really hardcore and there was clearly too much electricity running through that system for those monitors to handle. Nonetheless though, great place and amazing beer selection.
5 - Jerry K.: Dear Ashley's,

Thanks for the beer, obviously. It's incredible.

Moreso, thank you for not shoving a big ol fuckin' TV at the end of the table. If I wanted to drink beer and watch TV, I wouldn't have left the house, and appreciate the fact that you want me and my friends to actually hang out with each other.

Sorry for blowing up your bathroom last Tuesday, not my intention.

See you soon!

Love,

Jerry
4 - Mei O.: Trivia night is what makes me like Ashley's so much.  And their huge menu o' rotating beers is pretty mind boggling, in a good way.  I love that it includes a little beer dictionary for the beer clueless like me.  The food is pretty standard pub food, nothing stellar, everything greasily satisfying.  I don't like how cramped it is, you're constantly kicking your friends or getting poked in the back by a passing elbow. And their ladies bathroom always seems really gross.

 They have a little "Around the World" passport that you can have stamped as you sample various beers, and after so many stamps, you get freebies like t-shirts or a % off your bill.  Not too shabby!
3 - Elizabeth B.: If it weren't for the excellent beer selection, I could happily never go back to Ashley's.  

I know, I know - it's a college campus bar, and as such I should be pleased that my shoes don't stick to the floor when I walk through and that the servers come to the table at all.  But if you're going to refuse bar service to anyone who isn't seated at the bar, you could at least encourage your waitstaff to visit their tables on occasion.  Tonight we joked that we should put a pile of money on the end of our table, declare our intention to spend that amount, and take bills away for every increment of time that we had to wait for our server to appear, much less take our orders.

The food is adequate, but heaven help you if you're on a diet or are vegetarian (there are options, just not many).  I like the chicken pesto pizza, but there are a lot of other, similarly adequate pizza options in this town.

When we first moved to Ann Arbor, we were really excited about Ashley's.  We made a friend and won a prize at trivia when we stopped in for dinner while in town to look for an apartment.  I think it's safe to say that that is and will remain our best experience with Ashley's, period.

UPDATE: I thought I should probably give Ashley's props for the free and super yummy Tollhouse sundae I got on my birthday.  Still not a big fan, but it's something, right?
4 - Shane B.: Ashley's is a great bar that anyone would be happy to have in their hometown. I first checked it out when I was interviewing for my job here in Ann Arbor, actually, based on Beer Advocate reviews. It did not disappoint - a tremendous selection of full-time drafts (around 60, I believe) and a good selection of rotating taps, somewhere in the 8-10 range. The full-time taps are a great range of quality craft brews from America and around the world - I believe the only macro at all is Labatt's. They get some interesting and exclusive drafts, and have three cask ales pulling all the time. Additionally, their single malt scotch selection is excellent, if you want to experiment past beer.

The atmosphere is a bit lacking, in that it's essentially a large, loud, college bar close to UM campus. It gets full when you'd expect it to, and the jukebox is sometimes too loud for decent conversation. It's not exactly attractive inside, but there are a number of tables of different sizes to accommodate groups, couples, etc.

One thing I don't love about Ashley's is the service, which can be hit and miss (mostly miss), but I think it's more a staffing issue - sometimes they simply didn't have enough servers on the floor. The servers usually know a decent amount about the beer they are serving, but I've been poured a beer I knew was wrong, and they didn't really seem too sorry about it in the least. Usually they are nice enough college-age servers and come around enough to keep a beer in your hand, but other times you'll be waiting longer than you'd like. Honestly, I don't like bars with table service, but it wouldn't work as a bar service place.

The food is overall pretty solid. I like the pesto chicken pizza a lot, the appetizers are tasty, and the fish and chips is good. The pizzas are a good price and a good size for splitting, so that's my usual go-to.

An enjoyable aspect of Ashley's is the Beer Tour, which is much like other beer tours - drink different beers, get them checked off your list, and earn prizes as you go along. A benefit of Ashley's beer tour is that, instead of Budweiser, Michelob, etc, you have stuff like Schneider Aventinius, Founder's Pale Ale, Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald, and so on. The prizes start pretty good, too, with a free appetizer and pizza being the first two things you earn, and those are at 5 and 10 beers!

It's a great place to go if you want a few good drafts and some eats, but are willing to take the chance on a crappy experience. If you aren't a beer geek, it's not the best choice, but for all the beer lovers out there it's a great destination.
4 - Erica R.: If your looking for a bar in Ann Arbor to call home then look no further 
than Ashley's. It is by far my favorite bar in Ann Arbor from their huge selection of beer to their delicious (not so nutritious) pub food I love Ashley's. In case you needed more incentive to make it your spot they have Motor City Trivia on Mondays which is always a ton of fun, especially if your there with a group. Only downside is that Ashley's is a bit small so depending on how many people your with you may have to be willing to wait a bit but they usually get you in pretty fast. 

Overall Ashley's is fantastic and you should probably be on your way there right now, make sure to have a strongbow and some pesto fries waiting for me :)
5 - Jacob L.: Ashley's is my favorite bar on campus for its wide selection of craft beers. In fact, it was ranked #17 for "Best Beer Restaurants 2010" by RateBeer. If it's your first time there, or you're just not familiar with their selection, ask any server for explanations or recommendations. They're there to help. The menu also serves as a decent guide because it grades each beer according to a Flavor Rating, from a "no flavor" 1 to a "full-bodied" 9. So if you're used to your favorite Heineken and not sure about trying a robust imperial stout, refer to the numbers for guidance and simply work your way up!

PROS: You can find craft beers from across the world, especially great American microbreweries, and they'll carry many regional/local beers that are hard to find outside Michigan. They also offer rotating taps, seasonals, and special selections available for a limited time. (See the chalkboard inside for current off-menu specials. You'll know what I'm talking about when you walk in.) Also, though there are some rare and expensive choices like the Dogfish Head World Wide Stout or Kuhnhenn Raspberry Eisbock, I find most prices to be very reasonable, especially considering your many options. The service also is pretty good. I can't speak much about their food since I rarely, if ever, eat anything there, but the pesto fries I once tried definitely hit the spot.

CONS: It's relatively small, so you might have to wait even on a weeknight. It's also a campus bar/pub, so don't expect any elegant ambiance even if the beer selection itself is pretty "high-class." I personally don't care much for proper glassware/beer pairing, but if you're the type that absolutely needs the snifter glass for a stout or barley wine, for example, you may be disappointed. (Some beers do come in the "right" glassware, but more often than not, they will just be the generic pint glass.) Lastly, you'll occasionally run into times when your top 2-3 choices are sold out, but I guess that's no different from other places.

In conclusion, this is a great bar known most for their beer selection, though they also have liquor/wine/cocktails if you're interested. But honestly, if you're not that into the beer selection, there is no real reason to be there because there are other bars after all. If you want to break out of the typical mass-produced beers (you know, the ones with TV commercials), Ashley's is the place to learn and explore the world of craft beer.
4 - Sara C.: Beer selection: Top-notch, best in town
Specialty waffle fries: Drool-inducingly delicious
Other food: meh

Go to Ashley's for beers and fries. The Stilton fries are awesome, and the pesto fries are quite possibly the best I've ever had. And I love being able to get adventurous with my beer selections. Last night I had a rotating tap, a jalapeno smokey beer. It kind of tasted like a shoe, but the experience was worth it.
3 - Sara G.: I know this place has been here forever but---OMG STILTON FRIES!!

I'm absolutely obsessed with these right now.  Try the bacon/cheddar/chive if the stilton is too stinky for you.  It's a worthy successor.

Besides having the most magnificent on-tap and in-bottle beer selection this side of...well, wherever...they have Ace Pear Cider on tap! I've recently become addicted to this stuff, thanks to one of my Yelp-ful friends.

If beer is not your thing, fear not, they have plenty of good scotch to choose from (and scotch "flights").  One of these days...sigh.

As far as ambiance, there isn't much. The music teleports you to frat parties gone by.  The tables have suffered the forks and knives of impatient drunk youth. BUT...you'd be amazed at what a plate of fries, a glass of glistening ale and a good companion can do in terms of selective observation.

If Yelp allowed half-stars, I'd give Ashley's 3.5.
5 - Aaron C.: This is a multi-tap for true aficionados.  It is among the most comprehensive beer bars in the country, with over 80 beers on draught.  In fact, to my knowledge, the only other beer bar in the country with such an immense selection is the Sunset Grill and Tap in the suburbs of Boston, which boasts only a dozen or so more.  There is enough beer at Ashley's to get a good sense of virtually every style in the world, from sour Belgian lambics to German weisses, all served in their respective traditional glassware.  They also stock an impressive selection of domestic craft brews that would otherwise be impossible-to-find on tap in Southern Michigan.  And, of course, their bottled selection is equally unparalleled.

I'm giving it 5/5 for the Michael Jackson-like connoisseurship (the beer critic, not the pop star).  The food, on the other hand, is lackluster, just a touch above mediocre.  Judging this institution on its food, though, would be blasphemy, akin to those poor, ignorant bastards who complain about the pizza at Chinese buffets.  Really, the only place where I can fault this Valhalla of beer halls is that it is very expensive, perhaps even overpriced, but this is a bar for special occasions, not for a daily after-work pint.

I will also admit that the crowd is often annoyingly fratty.  Every happy hour, troops of Ugg-and-Northface-wearing B-schoolers stream into the place, chugging pitchers of Labatt before running off to Rick's or some other equally depressing, Godless drinking hole.  But just ignore them.  They're missing out on one of the best beer experiences in America.
5 - Lara E.: Its simple:

*over 60 delicious beers on tap.
*All liquor drinks are strong and tasty (full bar) great martini menu.
*Fabulous and yummy bar food, especially late night. 
*Fun servers (request Jamie Register, local music artist and quite a character - she's great!)
*Chill, cozy, comfortable (dress sweats or dress up!) and fun atmosphere (music can be a little loud...)

This is a gem of Ann Arbor, my go-to place...

So many amazing memories here drinking quality beer with quality people. 

What sealed 5 stars: last night they were playing Disney's The Lion King soundtrack at midnight. Absolutely amazing! Yes, I sang along...Hakuna Matata!
3 - Jonas L.: I used to really like Ashley's and there are a lot of good things about it, but a recent event really pissed me off, so here is a pissed-off review.

Let me start with compliments first, though. The beer selection is impressive, though there are not as many Belgians as one might have hoped. They also support small breweries around the state with their rotating tap, and you can usually find some stuff there to try. The food is standard bar food, which satisfies its role as supporting cast to the beers that are really the stars here.

Be sure to sample beers before you order them though!!! Recently, I had ordered a rather expensive beer, and it clearly tasted skunked and flat. When I asked to exchange for a different one, they simply said no. Specifically, they said I could have given it a try ahead of time. That, to me, is simply poor customer service. The experience made me very hesistant to try new beers on tap now, and so the place lost its draw for me.
4 - Brittany G.: This place had over 70 tap handles and 90+ bottles. A must for anyone looking for a great beer and awesome waffle fries. I tried the Stilton fries which had homemade jalapeno ranch dressing and some mouthwatering bleu cheese. This place had great atmosphere and friendly staff. I really liked how laid back the establishment was and plan to venture here often. The table I sat at had initials and words carved all over it which was also really neat. The only thing I didn't like was that the place was god-awful filthy, but it is a bar, and they kind of seemed to be going for that look, so no points lost. :)
4 - Robyn T.: I have been to Ashley's twice.  Each time before a hockey game.   The atmosphere is really fun, and filled with people of all ages.   Even though it's on the college campus, it's definitely not just a college bar.

They have an awesome selection of beer, from all over the world, and I love to try their different flights.   My fave is still the English flight.  They also have rotating beer specials which makes it fun to try different things.

The food has been good both times I've been there, and I definitely recommend the fish and chips.   The fish is very crispy and the portion is huge, just the way it should be.  

The place can get a little noisy and the bathrooms seem like you're going down to a dungeon, but these are minor and don't take away from the experience.   

If you're looking for good food and awesome variety of beer, this is a great choice.
4 - Joe R.: I went to Ashley's for the first time in a while today, but have been there quite a few times over the last five years or so when in the Ann Arbor area. It is like your favorite hooded sweatshirt and just feels comfortable whenever you walk in. The beer selection is fantastic and the fact that it comes in a 15 page menu of its own is priceless. My buddy of mine shared the cheese fries and the BBQ pizza and, while not the healthiest lunch, it was very tasty. Beer wise, we crossed the globe from Belgium to Kalamazoo and enjoyed them all. If you are in Ann Arbor, definitely give Ashley's a try.
5 - Derek P.: Ashley's has the best beer selection in Ann Arbor. I owe my beer palate to the seemingly infinite options that this pub keeps on tap. They have generous happy hour deals between 3-6 Monday through Friday (~$1 off draughts) and between 10 and midnight Sunday through Wednesday ($1 off a different genre of beer every day). Ask for a World Beer Tour card if you plan on coming back often because you can earn prizes as you try more varieties of beers. As for food, get the Pesto Fries.

Just so that you're prepared: the service, while not mean, is not friendly. On the other hand, they are prompt and know the lineup of beers. And let's be honest: you're going for the beer. (If you need a server who will powder your bottom, try TGI Fridays. They have an American pilsener that you can try.) Ashley's servers will keep your glass filled with excellent beer from around the world or from Ypsilanti, and that's what matters.

For variation, try a scotch flight, some mead, or a cider.
4 - Colleen B.: This place has an excellent beer selection and I've had a fun time both times I have visited Ann Arbor and come to Ashley's.  They have a broad spectrum of types of beer on tap and good bar food (I've only been for the late-night menu).  Yesterday was the first day Michigan restaurants went smoke free (finally!), so they had several smoked beers on tap to mark the occasion.  The descriptions in the menu and the server really helped me make my selections, and the New Holland El Mole Ocho and Stone Smoked Porter were both great.

The atmosphere isn't quite my style, but we still had our own booth and enjoyed relaxing with great beer.
4 - Anya P.: Great Beer, great whiskey and surprisingly good food.

The service was great tonight, but I've had rotten before, so I guess it's a crap shoot as to what you get. 

The beer is always good though and I love the descriptions that have for every beer. Best Beer education I've ever had and I appreciate them taking the standard of drinking up a notch. Or at least trying. 

I do not recommend this place on a Friday or Saturday night. It's too busy for anything really good.
4 - Matt M.: Though a bit expensive, Ashley's has a great beer selection and a very solid menu with some of the best bar food in Ann Arbor.  There aren't too many places to get a Schneider Aventinus, and Ashley's is one of them.  Best food?  The pesto fries.  Waffle fries with pesto, sundried tomatoes and olive aioli...hard to argue with that.  It's also great that it's located on State St away from the South University crowd.  Do yourself a favor and stop by the best pub in Ann Arbor!
4 - JennyKayt C.: I didn't drink too much here, but had an awesome time exchanging banter with good friends.  I'm writing this review just so I can point out that they serve fermented honey here.  AUTOMATIC FAN!
4 - Scott L.: If exotic, microbrewed, or just-plain good beer is your thing, then Ashley's is definitely a must-visit.  The largest tap and bottle selection I've ever seen (I think they advertise like 80+ taps and 100+ bottles), and I've never had a bad keg.

Don't expect to see Bud or Miller Lite among the dozens of taps here, aside from Labatt, Blue Moon, and some Sam Adams selections, it's pretty much all micro or imported.  For that reason, it's a little expensive (expect to pay around $5/pint), but it's worth it.  This place has introduced me to some great beers that I probably would have never experienced, such as a Milk Stout (they had one on the Rotating Taps a few weeks back, and it was fantastic) and the Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA (at $18/bottle, it's too expensive for anything but a special occasion, but if you try it you will be wowed, both with the robust flavor and the 20%+ ABV).  When I don't want to spend too much, the Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA, brewed in Michigan, never disappoints at $4.50/pint.

They do offer a full food menu as well, and while it's not fantastic, it's definitely better than standard bar fare.  The only downside is the service, which is often slow and occasionally a bit, uh, curt.  But hey, it's a bar, and for one with their offerings, I'm willing to deal with it.

They also offer a wide selection of whiskeys, if that's your thing.  I'd highly recommend the Caol Ila, up; it stands out among the twelves.  (Though beware, if you're not at the bar, "up" will sometimes be interpreted as "neat", so be specific.)

Finally, they have DJs in the Underground (downstairs) on Thursday nights (and maybe others as well?), some of whom are pretty good, and usually accompanied by a few Underground-specific drink specials.
4 - Chris R.: Best beer selection in the area and the staff are VERY knowledgeable about their fare. It looks like they do well enough with whiskeys as well but I'm not much of a liquor drinker.  Never had any major complaints about the service but my only really stellar experiences come from sitting at the bar, they have some awesome bartenders

The food is decent but nothing spectacular, it's certainly not the reason I go there.
4 - Liz G.: Ashley's has fantastic beer and whisky selection which allows for trying out a lot of different varieties, be it through their beer tour or just casually stopping in.  I would say it is the best beer selection in Ann Arbor, and the food is does not dissapoint, either.  It is sometimes difficult to get a seat, and the service can, at times, be slower, but I have had no really bad experiences.
3 - Molly H.: Hilariously, I went here a few days after I wrote that first review and--whaddayaknow--the service was lacking. The server gave us a "minute" to decide on drinks and a "minute" was more like 10-15. I will say, though, my whiskey and diet was about half whiskey--not complainin' there!
4 - Matt Z.: Excellent selection of beer and whiskey! I loved going here when I could. Unfortunately, I only had a few weekends where I was able to actually try it. 

The food is your typical bar food - nothing spectacular. Definitely get the beer samplers if you go here!
4 - Marlarissa M.: Be adventurous and drink good beer.  Once you turn 21, come here, and don't look back.
5 - Amar A.: Ashley's is hands down my favorite bar in Ann Arbor.  It's not the best for going out and trying to meet new people, but it's awesome for going out with groups of people and throwing back a few beers.

Beer:

The have the widest and best beer selection out of any bar I have ever been to.  After trying almost their entire menu, my go-to beer is Bellaire Brown.  If any of your friends complain about the cost, explain it to them this way: Most of the beers have higher than average (like 2x) alcohol content.  So your paying less than double the price for at least 2x the alcohol.  

Also if anyone in your group doesn't like Beer, they have really good alcoholic ciders.

Food: 

Pub fries with a side of ranch dressing are the perfect cure for drunk munchies.  The pizza and burgers are also pretty good, but usually I'm just snacking on fries when I go.
4 - amy g.: i likey this bar! Because of the beers. There isn't really much of an atmosphere as it's pretty dark and cramped. But the beers! Those are good :)
1 - Kat J.: I have been to Ashley's a few times during the day and every time it's been ok. This last time was horrid enough to say I'd never return. Here is my story....Walked in to be greeted, (oh wait you have to exchange words with a person to be greeted) and the guard dog grabbed my shoulder to check my ID. Perhaps if he used his words like an adult I would have gotten my ID out. Like I said, I had only been there during the day and never had my ID checked. So whatever, I get over that. I walk to the back with my friend to meet other people and they tell us that we have to find a seat and can't stand. So we walk back to the bar, grab a seat and a beer. We were there 5 mins and payed our bill. My friends tell us a table freed up, so we walk again to the back of the bar. We sat there for 2 mins and the bartender walks up to us with a very accusatory attitude and starts asking us if we have a problem with our service. We had no idea what he was talking about. He quickly informed us that we did not leave him a tip. My friend starts to apologize since we were so pre-occupied with finding a table, we forgot to leave a tip. He reaches to his wallet and the bartender says 'whatever man' and walks away. At this point two things are going through my head. 1. Who hired this guy and why does he think it's good customer service to ask why someone didn't leave a tip. 2. Screw him now for walking away.
My friends were completely blind sided by this and I was too. After this no one wanted to try anymore of there "80 beers on tap." Who wants to receive crappy service for the rest of the night? Our server wasn't any better at the table, although he did mention the 18% gratuity included on the bill since we had a large group. He said he mentioned it because he knew we had a go-around with the bartender. 
The whole thing was unenjoyable and there was no presence of management of any sort. I wouldn't even bother writing a letter to the management staff, they will still be in business as long as there are U of M students around.
3 - Ziyan C.: Came here post-dinner as I'm a non-beer drinker (yes, it's true. I'm used to the reaction. Get over it) and my friend really thought I'd like the chocolate beer. You have to know, I DO try every single beer my friends get when I go out, just in case it turns out to be that "one" that turns me onto the beer-loving world.

Upstairs was really crowded, with a wait, but we were able to bypass that and go downstairs, where it's much more of a dive bar. Really casual, people just hanging out - reminds me of my college days. Limited beer list though (they have an extensive one on the main floor). I tried:

Two Hearted - not bad, good full flavor.

Chocolate - not as chocolate-y as my friend made it out to be! Weird aftertaste too.

And the diagnosis: still not a beer drinker. Sorry =(.
4 - Paul T.: Huge beer selection
And a mature atmosphere
There's no room to move
4 - Andy O.: From a beer selection standpoint alone, four stars.  They have a little bit of everything, from all over.  Nice atmosphere, but it's all about the selection here
4 - Michael P.: Came on a post-game Saturday and loved it. The place was right at capacity when we walked in, so we had to wait a few minutes for a table to open up, but lucked out and got a two seater by the big mirror opposite the bar. Our server was awesome, the Stilton fries were disgusting (Blue cheese sucks!), and I didn't feel like I was getting completely hosed on the price of booze. 

4.4 stars. Can't wait to get back to Ann Arbor.
5 - Alan W.: If you are a beer lover, then this is the place.  Good Quality beer with the biggest selection of beer that you can think of in one place.  This is a great place to go drink if you just want a chill place to drink and watch sports.  It's not as wild as Charley's  and the south u places.  

The bar is not the cleanest, it's the typical bar/restaurant type place.  Not very big, so it don't get too loud even if it's packed.
4 - Josephine I.: Awesome beer selection!

A bit pricey for a college town, but then again I'm from Atlanta.

Price really doesn't matter if you are able to try so many different beers.

I felt like a beer connoisseur, but I'm not. I am learning though =)

I didn't try the food at this place, so I can't vouch for them.

Also, the place is very packed on a Friday night without being too rowdy. Overall, a GREAT bar with GREAT atmosphere and beers.

4 Thumbs up!
4 - Omid F.: I don't know. I'd love to give 5 stars but I've never really gotten good service when it's been crowded. 

Their lunch specials are great (4-5 bucks for a lunch-sized amount of food) and their rotating taps always make me hopp--- err, happy.

Try the Lineman Burger and an Arcadia Hopmouth for the ultimate mouthgasm.
4 - Tara L.: I remember when Ashley's used to be pricey for my husband and I when we were in grad school. Ha ha ha, not any more. We looked at the tab for a few beers and nearly fainted from how cheap it seemed. The beer selection is absolutely fantastic and the food is pretty good. The bartenders have always been nice and fairly knowledgeable and happy to give tastes.
4 - Brandon Z.: When I lived in Ann Arbor, I never went here that often... I thought of it as a pretty lame, safe and pretentious place for grad students (even though I was one myself).

I was there twice yesterday for the first time in years, and really enjoyed myself. I am usually the sort of person who is happy to settle for the cheapest PBR or its equivalent on the menu, but sometimes it is nice to have a "good" drink.

Not only is the beer list amazing (especially for Michigan), but it is ridiculously affordable. Many of these 70(?)+ craft and import beers are around $4 per pint-- it is a steal for what you get. I sometimes find myself having to shell out that much for a bottle of Budweiser in Manhattan.

In my old age, I also really appreciate drinking in a booth.

The food was pretty good, too. If they would just get rid of the TVs and replace the internet jukebox with a curated one they'd be golden. Cheers.
5 - Travis C.: A favorite of mine when I lived in Ann Arbor.  The pub food is excellent and the beer selection is outstanding!
5 - Megan C.: I love Ashley's. It's an amazing, relaxed atmosphere with tons of beer. What more can you ask for?
4 - Aaron H.: Ashley's is the place to go for anyone who can say yes to any of the below:
1) I love or even kind of like beer. Ashley's has  the best beer selection on tap you can find or even approximate in the mitten state and a number of fabulous Michigan beers are included in their ever-rotating selection;
2) I really don't enjoy finding myself surrounded by young white men who refer to one another, very confusingly, as a woman's undergarment: "Whaddup up, Bra(h)?!?"
"Just gettin' WASTED and lookin' ta nab a new pledge's panties, Bra? Huh huh! How about you?"
"Sammmmmeeeee, Brahhhh!!! Cheers!"
and I live in Ann Arbor and am looking for a place to get a burger and a beer (I'm thinking of you, Charley's and Rick's Dungeons of Douchebaggery! Ick);
3) I can deeply appreciate a properly cooked burger with bacon, blue cheese, and caramelized onions, 'cause that's what the Lineman Burger is and it's oh-so-good (damn!) especially (nod to Omid) when washed back with a nice pint of Arcadia Hopmouth on a warm summer day. Yes!
4) I like to try new things. (Good, because Ashley's has some very reasonably-priced flights you can order, allowing you to try a number of tumblers of different kinds of beers. It's like a beer tour, only you get to sit nice and cozy in your booth and fortify yourself against the bitter Michigan winter);
5) My name is Ashley, ('cause, like, if your name is Ashley, this is your place. That's what the possessive "s" means);
6) I live in Ann Arbor. If you live in Ann Arbor and plan to drink your fair share of beers, you should ask your waiter or waitress for the Beer Tour Card. Every 5 or so beers you buy at Ashley's, you get a prize (like a free pizza). Score! The only problem is that I've lost every single one I've ever had. Protect those babies and keep on coming back. It's nice when overconsumption can earn you more than a hangover.
4 - Jon M.: It can get loud during peak hours, but the burgers are excellent and the fries are quite good. I'm not a beer person myself, but I've been told it's got an amazing selection. Highly recommend it!
4 - Michael S.: The place might be a little to worn in, maybe the crowd (and it does get crowded) is a little to youthful, but the place is a gem.

What really stands out is the alcohol selection.  Beer, whiskeys, you name it.  All great and plentiful.  Prices are what you might expect, so bring some $$$.  As a bonus, they have breweries bring special offerings for consumption.  These could be small batches, but are always special.

Food is not too shabby, either.  The menu nowhere near matches the breadth of the liquids, but should satisfy most palates.

Service is better than I expected for a staff made up mostly of college students.  They do a fine jobs of getting you what you want in a timely manner, all the while managing not to spill it when bring it through the crowd.
4 - Brandy Z.: As a beer connoisseur I enjoy this place and it is across from campus which makes it easy to walk over and drink after class:) I am not a fan of beer unless its excluding any of those domestics beers in the gas station. I love imports especially Belgians and they got plenty of them including over 500 beers in bottles and tap from around the world. The food is so so, just something to keep you from getting wasted ha ha. But cheap lunch specials!  Don't get me wrong some stuff I enjoy eating there like the artichoke dip. The amount of beers here they got are insane with a menu divided into regions of the world for beer. So go here if you are in Ann Arbor and are a fan of good quality beer and plan to spend more then you would in your average joe bar for beer. Also they have world class top shelf liquor  like Middleton irish whiskey that goes for 25 a shot. Get there early in the evening to have more of a selective place to sit.
5 - Mike W.: One of the best things about Ashley's for a first time patron shows itself almost immediately after sitting down. Aside from the menu, Ashley's supplies a booklet containing in-depth analysis of all the beers they have available, specific styles, and beer terminology that the average beer drinker may not know/understand why it is important. Other places may have a greater selection than Ashley's but this booklet leads me to believe that the bar has a passion for good beer and wants their patrons to learn about/try/enjoy the beer in the same manner.

I've also been impressed by Ashley's food. Their food isn't anything fancy. You can find almost all the dishes (sans the Stilton cheese covered anything) at other establishments. If you're going to offer a regular bar food lineup you better at least make sure the quality is great and I feel Ashley's delivers.

The only downfall of drinking and eating at places that cherish high quality spirits is the price. Don't come into the bar/restaurant expecting to sneak out with a small tab. If you can get over the price during your first trip, I'm sure you'll be ready to hype up the place just like the rest of us.
4 - Ashley T.: Ashley's has an amazing selection of craft as well as imported brews. I have been going here for years and their selection has yet to disappoint. Their pricing is very reasonable for beer as well as liquor; you can get a Knob Creek on the rocks for like $6, which is fabulous! They pour heavy and you get your money's worth. I have yet to eat a full meal at this establishment, I usually end up ordering apps while drinking with friends. Last Saturday my group and I drank there for about 4.5 hours and ordered numerous apps, all were up to par as always.
4 - Chad C.: The beer selection is what gives this place 4-stars.  The layout could be better; the various parts of the bar are sectioned off to the point that there is no sense of cohesion.  It could also use more room as one often feels cramped in there.
3 - Amy B.: Smashly's!

No question, Ashley's is an awesome destination for the beer connoisseur. The beer list is more aptly described as a beer booklet. The servers and bartenders are great resources for more information and recommendations, too. I particularly recommend ordering one of the beer samplers if you're interested in trying several choices around a theme (I like Michigan microbrews). 

So why only three stars? I guess I'm not a fan of waiting in a huge line* to crowd in a dingy room and pair my awesome beer with shitty food**. But hey, that's me.

*Fridays and Saturday nights, mostly. Afternoon and weeknight drinking preferred.

**Seriously.
4 - Inez L.: Definitely a place to find a wide selection of beer! The wait to get in can be very long on some days, so you might have to go earlier in the day if you can. This place is way too cramped though. Wish they could expand.
5 - mel g.: no great insight.  no big critique.
i've been going to ashley's for 6 years for consistently good beer, food and service.  
couldn't imagine ann arbor without it.
generally speaking,  knocking the food is being kind of ridiculous.  they do a good job.  the food is tasty and done pretty well - keep in mind, the showcase here is the beer.
go to main street if you want to pay a premium for sub-par.  ashley's is where it's at.
4 - Xian Shane H.: This is an interesting place. I came in here with a starbucks in my hand (it was a cold night. don't hate me). the host guy was like: "you best throw that shit away if you wanna come in here. you have 3 seconds. the trash can is right there."

and i was like..dayyummmmnnn all that attitude. i like that. so i threw the mermaid potion away and walked right into beer heaven.

i got a taste of their delirium nocturnum and it was such a delicious beer. but i'm sure they have other great beers from their holybook of beers. i'm down to try more next time.

i got a lemon drop from them towards the end of the night. and it was the worst lemon drop i've ever had. so i recommend staying with the beer.
4 - Peggah G.: Are you a bud light kind of person? Labatt blue? Then Ashley's is probably not for you.
If you want to try a variety of beers, or perhaps you don't really like alcohol that much but want a nice place to go, Ashley's is for you. Among their list of drinks (over 100 alcoholic beverages), they have a Framboise at 2.5% (which is good for those who aren't a huge fan of alcohol) and a Mead at 19% (which is good if you think 5% is not good enough). They have plenty of local beers and there's a blackboard as soon as you enter listing their list of rotating taps. They also have a lot of foreign beers to try and a lot of different samplers so you can get a taste of what they have to offer.

They get only 4 stars because their happy hour is nothing special compared to other campus bars and the service is decent. Also, the entrance/exit is annoying when they are busy, which seems like all the time. And, I can't imagine it being a good idea to have bathrooms down a flight of stairs for any bar. Their pizza is decent and their spinach dip thing is also really good. 
If you go there a lot, they have a rewards program, which seems kind of fun if you are up to trying all the beers they have!
4 - Christine F.: So, we didn't eat here, but we were intrigued by their beer list. WE HAD TO TRY IT.

Their beer list didn't disappoint. THEY HAVE DELIRIUM ON TAP!!!!!!!!!!!! ARE YOU SERIOUS?! Oh, you make my heart flutter. I got a glass of Noctournm and I was a happy camper. 

My husband and our friend got some Belgian beers as well. We left after one round, but this is definitely a good spot is you like serious business beers.
4 - Christine N.: I've only been for drinks. This review has nothing to do with food, as I haven't tried it. 
They were very crowded the first time we went, on a Friday, but we had no trouble getting into the basement. I liked it down there. It was less crowded and not as loud. The second time, we went on a Wednesday evening and stayed upstairs. Due to it being a week night, it was also much less crowded. They have so many beer options it is hard to choose! Something like 70 on tap? Even more in bottle options. It's not a "cheap beer, get smashed" kind of place. There are quality beers with prices that match. Depending on what you get it could be $3-$11. Most are in the mid range though so prices are not bad. 
The beer menu is bigger than some restaurants' food menus. It lets you know what is on tap, what is bottled, flavor scale, descriptions, etc.
5 - Sunil S.: This is an Ann Arbor institution.  A University of Michigan alumnus who graduated in the year that Facebook began rapidly expanding around the country, before they had photos and status updates, let alone check-ins.  Ashley's was a quality place that I can only appreciate having now left the city.

I imagine that you're probably reading this because you're looking for places to go in Ann Arbor and you need a good recommendation.  This place served me well and will serve you well if you are a fan of having a gazillion beers on tap or beers you can sample all around.  No, Ann Arbor isn't Chicago, New York or DC, but it sure can hold its own here.  This is a great place to sit around with some friends, if you don't feel like going to a club and you just want to drink some good beer and catch up with friends.  It sits on the corner of the University of Michigan diag, so the only drawback if there was one, might be that you're encroaching on the undergrads, hardly a hindrance from overlooking it's otherwise good qualities.  Also, keep in mind that parking is very tight in Ann Arbor and that you're unlikely to find any street parking on State Street.  However, on Maynard there is a public parking structure around the block on Maynard (about a block West from State street going away from the Diag).

Ashley's is also a solid place to grab a bite to eat if you are looking to get some lunch or dinner, so you can't really go wrong with their menu.  A lot of their seats are seated in booths toward the back.  I recall there is a small outdoor patio, but I haven't sat outside in the many visits that I came here as a student.  Many of us came here after exams and it was funny how that worked out, even if we didn't plan it.

Beer connoisseur, new grad student or anyone looking for a good burger.  Ashley's is money.  I got a classic college pic with my buddies wearing the "Michigan Alumni" t-shirts we just bought after our final final exams at U-M back in 2005 in front of the Guinness sign in the back.
5 - Brian K.: Ashley's is hands down my favorite bar in Ann Arbor. The beer selection is unmatched. The wait staff is generally friendly and quite knowledgable about beer. The food is pretty good too. I'm a fan of the badger burger. It can get a little loud on weekend nights, but that's to be expected at most bars.

They have outdoor seating in the spring/summer, but it's very limited. When it's nice, they also open the front windows so if you can nab a spot by the windows, you're all set.
4 - Marc A.: Great place with good atmosphere and huge selection of drinks.  Our waiter was helpful and attentive and all the drinks good and reasonably priced.
4 - Cheryl L.: Awesome place with a HUGE beer selection and some delicious bar food.  Love how there's so many things you can try here and that there are flights of the different beers!  

It was very crowded when we came, so expect a wait.  

Minus one star for the host and our servers being a bunch of douche bags.  I never thought it was trendy to be rude to your customers.
5 - Wadim S.: Lots of amazing beers right in the heart of AA.. food is good too.
5 - Erin S.: I really enjoyed my experience at Ashley's! I had the bacon cheeseburger and it was delicious. Fries were kind of bland but great with vinegar on them. They have SO MUCH BEER there! I'm not a drinker, but I tried a couple different ones. The waiter was FANTASTIC. I went with a friend, and she doesn't like beer but figured she'd try something since she was at a place with such a huge selection of them. The waiter asked her questions about her tastes, and then ended up blending a few different beers for her, making something actually pretty tasty. We both thought the food was great at the atmosphere was fun. We didn't have a wait at all--we went at around 7 on a Friday. It was pretty full in there, but there was no line. It gets REALLY loud in there, which my friend and I enjoyed because we can get pretty loud ourselves.
4 - Jacqueline S.: The beer list goes on and on and on.  I tried a pear cider and it was delicious.  There are three cider options I saw - Hooray!  I was also told Ashley's carries two varieties of gluten free beer as well. Brian wasn't in attendance, so I didn't double check.  The food - for starters my group ordered two plates of Cheddar Ale fries.  These crispy piping hot waffle fries were covered in cheese and Ah-mazing. After I order a deli pretzel roll with smoked turkey, swiss, and some sort of sauce.  This was very good. The pretzel was warm, and very soft, the meat and cheese were plentiful without being overstuffed (consequently messy) which I appreciate. The roll came with chips - very crunchy and cooked well done which is also a plus for me. 
 The host was very cool about setting up our group of ten for a Saturday night, and she got us seated quick.  Decor was very laid back and beer oriented.  A little dark and crowded, just the way I like the bar.  
Overall, I liked the drinks, the food, and the easy-going atmosphere.  I did not like the bathroom set up...I could barely get out of the stall without stepping on the toilet...and I was sober at the time.  I cannot imagine how someone tipsy maneuvers a bathroom stall as poorly set up as this one without a disastrous story to tell after.  Overall, not a bad place to go if you can stomach hanging around wolverine territory...:)
3 - Bryant B.: This place is okay at best.

It does have a cool ambiance and a gigantic beer list. If you get here at the right time it can also be a great place to meet up with a small group of friends. However, I think it is just too small for the crowd it draws and the beer is generally pretty overpriced even by Ann Arbor standards.

If you come looking for a good hangout on a Friday or Saturday night, expect to wait in line for a while before getting carded by a twelve year old and eventually seated.

Don't bother eating here. I usually really like bar food, but everything I've had here really lacks on flavor.
4 - A E.: I'd been to Ashley's several times for beer. Yes, their beer selection is fantastic. They also have a lengthy booklet detailing the different varieties and types. Very educational. But let me say this: I had the most PERFECTLY cooked (medium) burger of my life today. They also have amazing shoestring fries (crispy and garlic-seasoned). Definitely a great place to grab a 1/2lb burger if you're in the mood!
4 - Justin D.: Ashley's is the best bar in town if you like beer. Their beer selection is great and rotates during the year. However, do not order a mixed drink at Ashley's. They just don't know how to make them, and I have not gotten a good mixed drink there yet.

Their food is not bad either. It's bar food, but it's not bad. However, like most bar food, you won't find anything healthy. Try burgers such as their lineman burger or badger burger. Also get the cheddar bacon chees fries.
4 - Lauren I.: Ashley's would be my first choice in Ann Arbor bars, even if you're not that into beer, which I'm not. they have a selection of ciders and meads and a great description of all of their drink items so it's hard to get lost.

When I brought my uncle here his face was nearly beaming as he saw the pipe-organ of beers they have on tap here. Bring your beer-loving relatives here when they come to visit and they'll love you even more. 

On the weekends (i.e.Thurs - Sun) and during games you'll be waiting a while for a table. Once you get in, conversation can be a little difficult because of the noise level, but hey, it's a bar, and not a cocktail lounge. That being in mind, the cocktails that I tried weren't the best. Stick to the beer menu and I really doubt you'll be disappointed.

Service is curt but efficient. Our server wasn't exactly what you call "super-friendly" but I wasn't really expecting that either.

As for the food, expect pub-grub. Sandwiches, burgers, fries, other fried-stuff. People don't come to Ashley's for the food though, they come for the drinks and have food if necessary so they can have more drinks. Or at least that's how I see it.
5 - Jillian R.: I have been in Ann Arbor for less that a year and Ashley's was the first place I went my first weekend here. Since I moved here I've been to quite a few other places that could compare, but I always come back to Ashley's! The beer selection is awesome and the staff is very knowledgeable of all the beers on tap. I have had a great experience every time.
3 - JJ P.: Food was ok, when they got my order right.  We were a somewhat nebulous and expanding group of people, but our server didn't seem to really pay all that much attention to us.  Plus, it was colder than all get out in the back.  By the time I left, I was so cold I had to take a hot shower when I got home.  I'll probably land up going back here because it is close to campus, but it's nothing to write home about.
5 - Christina G.: Ashley's happens to be my favorite bar in ann arbor.  Unpretentious yet boasting one of the most exceptional beer lists in the deuce, Ashley's has great food and a great vibe.  It reminds me of Cheers, kinda, but not everyone knows your name.  It just has that neighborhood-y pub feel down pat.

The food is absolutely fantastic.  The cheddar ale fries?!  Waflle cut fries with a cheddar beer sauce on top- yes, PLEASE!  They are so so good.  As are most of the other offerings on the menu- salads, burgers, and typical "bar food".  

One of my favorite "beers" is Lambic Framboise- which they have ON TAP!!  Amazing.

One of my favorite things about Ashley's is the happy hour from 3-6pm every week day.  Apps and drinks are cheap!
4 - Danny B.: Although I wanted to give it a three (due to the poor service and callous waiters) there were a few factors that made it a four.  The wide variety of beers made for a much better experience and the alcohol 'guide' was a nice touch.  The food was decent enough, but nothing to get your panties in a bunch over.  

The atmosphere is what really pushes this place over a mediocre bar.  All the beers on tap and the wooden tables, with TV's playing football more than makes up for any servers who look like they want to be anywhere else other than helping you.  If only Yelp let you do half stars I'd say this place was a 3 1/2 out of 5.
3 - Munaf A.: Lunch specials are a good deal here (I wouldn't recommend the burger, however). The specialty fries are also awesome, but yeah, Ashley's is known mostly for beer.
4 - Bess R.: Returned to the scene of several drunken nights in college.  Beers were still outstanding.  Tried the porters and stouts tasting this time and wasn't disappointed.  Food, however, was just okay.  Chili cheese fries were good - shoestring which was unexpected.  Thai chicken quesadillas were crispy and flavorful.  Hated the curry chicken things and the beer cheese dip was severely disappointing.  

Will always return for BEER.
4 - Anthony T.: Want a higher education in beer ?
Head to Ashley's and start working on one of the 72 taps and 3 casks .
Typical pub fare is served.
4 - Jennifer L.: Ashley's is a cool place, and that's all that needs to be said. But... let's say more.

Unless you've been buried under your books, college students, you probably know of the movie that was filmed entirely in Ann Arbor. Answer This! takes place at the University of Michigan, and a ton of scenes take place at Ashley's. After a viewing at the Michigan Theater, my friend and I decided we immediately needed to go to there. Naturally. 

I was definitely surprised at the menu. This isn't your average bar food! From Stilton fries to thin crust pizza, Ashley's has a lot of unexpected choices. It's bar food with a twist. The Caprese sandwich was my choice, with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, onion, pesto, and balsamic on some kind of grainy bread. If this were a cafe or bistro I may not have been terribly impressed, but for a bar I definitely was. The best part was the house made kettle chips. These are the chips to eat when you're pissed off. They are so freaking crunchy I couldn't hear what my friend was saying. Awesome. 

Now, the beer menu! The front pages are a guide to beer, which makes their ridiculously long beer list much easier to navigate. It seems like they have something from everywhere on the planet that just might make beer. Maybe option overkill, but asking for recommendations always works for me. They've also got quite a list for those more interested in spirits. 12 year old Scotch? No problem! 

So, yeah. Ashley's is a cool place to hang out, and if you're getting into beer, a great place to experiment.
4 - Jack H.: For our annual football man-trip this year, my buddies and I chose Ann Arbor to catch the Nebraska at Michigan game in the Big House - definitely a must-see stadium. But another thing Michigan does well - aside from football - is beer, so I was excited to try offerings from several breweries that are difficult, if not impossible, to obtain in Texas: Founders, Bell's, Jolly Pumpkin, etc. While doing a little pre-trip research, I stumbled upon Ashley's - "Michigan's Premier Multi-Tap" - and its impressive beer list, so I was eager to stop in.

Ashley's has 72 taps, 3 casks, and numerous bottles available, which makes for a bit of a daunting task. The menu is well-organized though, similar to the Flying Saucer menus here in Texas, arranged by beer style along with an array of flights. While some of us started with flights, I went for the number one beer on my wish list, the Founders Breakfast Stout, considered one of the top stouts in the world, and it was everything I thought it could be. I also got to try Bell's Special Double Cream Stout as part of the "stouts and porters" flight.

Ultimately, it was tough to rouse ourselves from the comfortable booth, leave the friendly waitstaff and impressive beer selection, and head out into the cold. But we had plans to hit up Zingermans Roadhouse for dinner, so left we did. But not without some commemorative Ashley's pint glasses for a mere $5 each. If you're a craft beer lover and find yourself in the Ann Arbor area, Ashley's is the spot for you.
4 - Christy R.: This is a A2 must see!  They have soooo many beers that they have a multi, multi page menu organzied by type and origin.  Bottles, hand pulls, draft.  They even have Lambic on draft....I flipping love that.  Framboise love.  Another stand out for me is the Berliner Weiss Bier that is served with a raspberry syrup.  I would love to know what they use.  I used to live in Germany, and somehow I missed this serving technique....but it is delish.  If you try it, let me know what ya think.  They also are known for their Scotch menu.  Not my thing....but really either is beer....but Ashley's is so good, I neve mss it.  Not sure if they still have it on their food menu, but they used to have fries with blue cheese.....can't go wrong there.  They also have an internet jukebox...way before a ton of places had internet jukeboxes.  Always an interesting crowd.  Just wish the powder room wasn't in the basement...but no biggie.
1 - Doug O.: We were visiting Ann Arbor recently and everyone we asked said Ashley's was a must. From the time we arrived until the time we left we felt as if we couldn't have been less important to every employee. I actually asked a local if this was "one of those places who purposely treat their customers poorly as joke to customer service". They just laughed and said, "no, that's just how Ashley's is". We asked a few times for pretty simple requests and were literally told that if we didn't like where we were sitting or what was on TV that we could just leave. Personally, I'm tired of supporting businesses that don't deserve to be open. Just because you have 72 different beer taps doesn't make you special or unique. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND SKIPPING Ashley's. Nothing special here unless you want to be treated poorly. I read the Yelp reviews before going and saw that a lot of previous customers said the same thing I did about poor customer service but, I chose to try for myself. BIG MISTAKE! Don't make the same mistake I made. Avoid Ashley's and spend your money with a bar/restaurant who wants and deserves your business.
4 - Dora C.: Beerfestivus
1 - MJ S.: I've crossed this place off of my list of places to go when I come to town.  The one particular waitress was so rude.  I hear she is like that most of the time.  The bar staff was not friendly at all.  I don't get why people work at places like this if they can't handle crowds.  They have these silly rules like you can't take your drink from the bar to the table or they won't take your order if you are standing.
3 - Nancy K.: I have to say, Ashley's is pretty darn good. I had only been here once, quite a few years ago, until my recent two Monday night trivia excursions. 

The beer list is fantastic. From local to obscure, Ashley's got every taste in beer covered. I like hoppy, so the IPA selection is perfect. My trivia teammate is into everything including sour beers (which turn me off) and has been able to find several new favorites. I'd give them a five for beer except some beers taste distinctly of lines that need to be cleaned. While the number of taps is impressive, attention to details like line-cleaning is imperative. If the crowd makes it hard to find the time, cut down on the number of taps. There's no need for that taste at a place that offers such awesome beer. 

The food is another story and gets a five. Hands down. I've had a few things including the Stilton fries, black bean burger (but without guacamole and ranch... that's a combo I just can't get my head around, sorry), and Georgia Reuben. Mind. Blowing. Good. 

So why only three stars? Well, because beer and food aside, there are some things about Ashley's that have to be fixed. First, the ladies room is disgusting. Like I have considered sneaking into another establishment disgusting. Or maybe peeing in a nearby alley disgusting. Paper towels everywhere, standing water. Ugh. Absolutely gross. I'm tempted to look up their latest inspection but imagine it would keep me from coming back. 

The other thing is that one of the hostesses we've met is the rudest, most miserable human being in the food service industry. Well, except for, possibly, that one dude at Zingerman's. The waitstaff is awesome, attentive and friendly. This chick? Not so much. Why do I have a problem with that? Because she is often the first person you meet coming through the door. 

Don't get me wrong. I will continue coming here, recommending it to friends and kicking ass at trivia but I try to be as honest as possible in my reviews. Clean the bathrooms, talk to the hostess about toning down the attitude and clean those lines and I'll gladly up my rating to a four or five.
4 - Jessica W.: Ashley's, you're a sly one.  You've been hiding your cheap and delicious lunch specials from me all this time?  Better to find out late than never, I suppose.

The main point of any evening at Ashley's is the beer.  Personally, I'm a cider gal, and they have about three I enjoy, though I think they could stand to have more.  Their beers flights are always worth a go, but a lot of the late night food can be skipped.  The Stilton fries and pizza are both not worth the caloric load or energy to chew.  I'd save my Ashley's food purchases for lunchtime and make nighttime a liquid menu.
4 - Sam G.: Four reviews in a row that mention or are about booze? Well hell! Let's keep the ball rolling! (I really don't drink that much - I guess I just have intoxicated bliss on my mind).

Ashley, let me talk to you mano a mano. Or woman-o a woman-o (yes I know mano doesn't mean 'man' - it's a play on words! weeee!). Your food is not great, your service is kind of lackluster, and the back of your establishment puts me in a fowl mood (don't know why, it just does every single time). 

However, your food at least attempts to balance out the usual bar fare with something more healthful, your downstairs is mucho de funno for dancing (god, I'm so sorry Mexico for my trespasses against your language), the elevated window stage is nice for the sittin', and your beer selection makes me happy dappy (yup, I said it).

This is probably one of the only places where I can find belgian beer in the 'narb - like tripel-brew deliciousness - not like stella grossness - or Michigan brewery soapiness. I however don't love the way they pour a guinness and especially not how they pour it in a black velvet. But they do have strongbow on tap. Win. 

This place can get really busy usually around 8pm or so. You may be waiting in line. Huge tables for people to territorialize in groups. Usually I'm not fond of said groups as they prevent me from hearing a darn word my co-drinker says. And I tend to dine with loud people from the East Coast so that's saying something.

Which reminds me - crowd? Not so crazy about that either. Mostly grad students and I spend enough of my life in academia. If I overhear one more story about grading papers I will lose it. Unless you get me another beer. Then I'll be pacified. 

If judged on beer selection alone, this place is darn near close to a fiver. But the atmosphere for me is 2 or 3. So I'll let 'er go with a four. You're a lucky broad, Ashley.
4 - Sherri T.: I discovered Ashley's by accident when I was at the University of Michigan for a conference last fall. What a discovery! Beer...beer...beer...and good ones at that! Domestic micro-brews...foreign imports...the way life should be! I went back last weekend with my husband and brother, and we enjoyed this pub's very extensive beer menu if not their heightened beer prices. Don't even ask me what I had. It was something I had never heard of before, and Ashley's was just one beer utopia stop on a much larger pub crawl. (Ann Arbor is a great place for a beer snob pub crawl, by the way.) We visited Ashley's in the middle of an afternoon on a Saturday outside of football season, and we were lucky to find three seats at the bar. Moments later, many more patrons arrived, circling overhead for an open seat. The bar is small, crowded, and loud, but it also has a lot of character. If you like beer (and who doesn't), you need to check out Ashley's in Ann Arbor!
5 - Anurag A.: I absolutely love Ashley's. My favorite place on campus when I want to get really good beer, eat good food and catch up with my friends.

The beer selection here is mind boggling. They have all the popular ales and beers from around the country, but what I like most is their selection of Belgian and German brews from remote parts of these countries. I have tried 15-20 different beers at this place and being a big beer fan, really liked all of them. 

The food is good too! The portions are decently sized and the service is quick. The atmosphere is lively and you can tell people are having a good time. It can get really crowded tho so expect to wait for some time - esp on weekend evenings.
4 - Paul C.: Smoked Turkey on Pretzel roll! Great fries. Service was speedy and solid! Recommend!
5 - Ryan B.: YES!

I love this bar because:
A) It's always hopping.
B) They explain the drinks and are very knowledgeable on their trade.
C) It's a great place to sit with someone and catch up, but 
D) Also meet new people and mingle. 

Ashley's lives up to the hype.
3 - Hymae W.: I have gone here about 15 times. I used to love it but i soon realized that was only due to the people i went with. 

Ashley's has a great selection of beer. I stick to the porter/stout collection and i am very pleased with it. But unfortunately everyone who goes/went/visited/lived within 40 miles knows about Ashleys. Anytime i have gone here during normal hours (ie not 3pm) there has been a wait. Which by itself would be okay. I will even look past the overwhelming amount of college kids wearing pajamas and other stupid trendy things. 

BUT THEIR HORIBLE SERVICE IS UNACCEPTABLE. Yes i have had good service here occasionally. But generally ther servicers are unattentive, slow, rude, and lazy. First off, i am not sorry that i am not getting a meal. You are known for your beers not your food. Second off, its called a wash cloth. You use it on your tables to get all the sticky beer off.
4 - Shelby H.: I love beer and I love to try different beers, so I love Ashleys.  I have never tried the food, so I can't speak at all for that.  The people watching in there is also usually excellent.  I've been there during different times of the day and I've never had a problem getting a seat at the bar for myself and those I'm there with.
My only complaint about the place is that it smells kind of funny inside.  This has been the case every time I've been there, so it must just be the ambient smell there.  It's still not enough to keep me away.
3 - Becky H.: Good selection of beer, but I'm not that big of a beer fan, so I stick to the food. It's decent but nothing to write home about. Service is meh.

The happy hour deals on appetizers are great though. I order the cheddar ale dip ($3.49 during happy hour) and shoestring fries ($1.49) because I prefer to dip them in the dip rather than the chips it comes with. It's a lot of food and really unhealthy, so I recommend that you share it... but the last time I was here, I cleared all the plates myself. No regrets.
3 - Aaron M.: Ashley's should get 5 stars based on their beer selection alone (70+ on tap, 90+ in bottles!). That being said, the food is standard bar fare and the wait staff has never been good. Ever. Yes, yes Ashley's is always busy because of the beer selection, but every single server always seems super stressed about working there. I almost have to chase them down to get an order in - this seems odd, since the more you drink the more you tip, right? Don't they want my business? They always seem so put off by a customer trying to order something.

Go for the beer. I'd recommend sitting at the bar, though.
2 - Duncan S.: Ashley's where to start on a Sunday night.
Firstly the 'background' music featuring obnoxious and loud Rage Against the Machine (or clones) violating the bar. 
Secondly, the draft range was average with the usual US domestic, British and Belgium suspects accounting for a large chunk of the supposed 70. I probably expected to see more beers from Michigan.  
The food was poor; we had the so called signature items of chilli and buffalo wings - just bland.
The service was almost evasive. We had to chase down our server to order food and get the waters we had asked for.
Pass.
5 - Nupur L.: Coming back here five years later, Ashley's STILL rocks. Ashley's is where I learned to love beer and learned what it means to be a "bar regular."Seriously, this place is such a gem. Also,  my previous review and its dig at people who were just celebrating their 21st birthdays elicits a sad chuckle these days. Oh, how sweet it was to be 22 and happy that you were older than 21.

Ashley's highlights Michigan's exceptional microbrewing culture. The menu regularly rotates taps and bottles from the major players like Bell's, Jolly Pumpkin, Arcadia and Founder's and keeps the old favorites around always like Oberon in the summer and Founder's Rockin' Rye. They're also very current on noteworthy beers and breweries from all over the country. If you want to go toe-to-toe with a beer snob, I'd come to Ashley's to prepare beforehand. I had Left Hand Milk Stout, an old favorite of mine from Boston, and was confused in a good way when I saw Southern Star on TAP from Texas. Whoever is selecting the beer knows their stuff and really stays on top of things.

Alright, so it's loud and has a large undergrad contingent. I've always had a soft spot in my heart for bars that cater to the "everyman," and have seen everyone from hipsters to fratbros to older beer connoisseurs come here and have a good time. It's an amazingly comfortable bar and a very easy place to bring anyone. We were served by the manager downstairs and he's awesome. One tip would be to just move downstairs unless you're there to try a specific beer. The tap selection is totally solid and you avoid the long waits. Also, you could just go during the day after a final...ah, youth. Very few things remain great no matter your age. Ashley's is one of them.
3 - Xiao M.: 5 stars for beer selection.  2 stars for service and food.  The food is standard bar fare, so it's nothing memorable.  The wait staff is usually pretty slow.  The place always seems to be busy in the evenings, which seems really stress out the wait staff, leading to poor service.
4 - Carlos O.: Finally started the beer tour!!! I can't wait...
3 - Teeks L.: Caveat: I am not a drinker, so if beer is the only reason you are interested in a place, keep moving. 

Ashely's seems thoroughly... Meh. Yes, there are lots of beers on tap, but that's true in a couple of places in A2 (Jolly Pumpkin and Casey's come to mind). The ambiance is um, well, a bar, no particular memorable decor or lighting or sense of space. Lots of college kids, as it's literally across the street from campus: good if you are also a college kid, perhaps not if you aren't. 

The food is gross. No nice way to put it. It seems to come from a cafeteria supplier like SYSCO maybe. I had fries like that in middle school. The blue cheese laden dish the next table over (potato skins? Maybe? Too covered in grease to tell) smelled so strongly of feet that I was nauseous. If you want food with your beer go elsewhere. 

It gets points for treating my orders with the same care as the alcoholic drinks (it cheeses me off when waiters see you aren't drinking and write you off, taking forever with sodas or coffee).
2 - Mark D.: I was back in Ann Arbor a few weeks ago for a few days with a friend so I decided to take her to Ashley's as I had been a frequent patron when I lived there over 8 years ago. The people at the bar were awesome and the drinks were stiff......then we got seated. The waitress seemed angry (at life) and paid almost no attention to us. We decided to share a plate of appetizers. After waiting five lifetimes it was dropped off at the table and we were enjoying it until......I picked up a nacho chip and there was a large, dead bug under it. It was one of those gross moth-like insects that fly around bright lights at night. We both shrieked (like drama queens) and waited for the server to come back. I think she took a trip to Texas after dropping off our food because we waited forever. We didn't pay for anything, which was cool....but.....ick.
4 - Melissah L.: I'm a fan. 

The menu is really extensive and next time I go in I swear I'm going to start their beer tour (I've been putting this off for a while, trying 100 different kinds is daunting).  Despite what the other reviews have said, my service has always been good.

I really like the food, especially the specialty fries.  Two good ones are the curry chicken and the bacon cheddar fries.  I've gotten burgers and sandwiches, and everything is tasty.  Better than the food at the Brown Jug or Charley's for sure. 

The decoration is cool- it makes for a very casual environment and relaxed feel.  The only complaint I have is the music, which is completely random and consists of hip hop and heavy metal, with the occasional oldie thrown in there. 

The crowd consists of a little bit of everyone-- grad students, undergrad students, older townies from the area, professors and other professionals.  It really has something to offer everyone and ends up being a great place to meet friends for the night!
4 - Michael C.: I recently started school at Michigan, and this bar has become our second home. We come here a lot. It does get a bit confusing when we invite our friend Ashley to come...

In any case, this is a great bar for beer. There are plenty of beers on draft, probably almost a hundred different varieties. Unfortunately, they haven't updated their menu in a long time, so several of the beers that are listed are unavailable. More than once, I've placed an order, only to have the waiter come back and inform me that they no longer had that draft in stock. It's pretty disappointing when I've spent the last five minutes combing through the menu finding that one beer I want.

In addition to their beer, their scotch selection is great, and they serve some decent mixed drinks as well. But I'm not going to lie, beer is definitely the star of the show here.

I'm going to take a moment and go off on a tangent to address those of you that don't like beer. I hate being blunt, but the truth is, it's impossible to not like beer. (Unless your allergic  to gluten or something, in which case--I'm sorry for your loss.) Chances are, you just haven't found the right one yet.

The nice part about coming to a bar that specializes in beer is that the waiters and bartenders are very knowledgeable, and they'll probably be able to point you to a few brews to try. Don't be shy about asking for samples either, since most bartenders are eager to share their joy and passion in beer.

In any case, when you combine good beer with good food and good company, you've got the perfect recipe for a good night. And, I've certainly had my share of good nights here at Ashley's.
4 - Bryce B.: My disclaimer is that this review is based solely on their beer selection and not on the food.

Ashley's is one of the best beer bars I've been to this side of New York City.  They have an extensive list of draft and bottles across many different styles.  The great thing is that they have a strong focus on Midwestern beers, which are rarely well represented on either Coast.   This is a terrible shame, since there are some outstanding beers coming out of that part of the country.

The service is courteous, fast and knowledgeable about beer.  There were a few times when my selection was not available, and our server would come up with some alternatives.

The atmosphere is clearly geared to the college crowd, but this is a serious place for real beer.  I've been to Ann Arbor a half dozen times and just learned about it on my last trip.  I wish I had discovered it sooner!
5 - Christine S.: This place was A-MAZ-ING! The beer selection was outstanding. There were so many to choose from, I was a bit overwhelmed. I got my usual Final Absolution. The appetizer we got, Chicken Curry Fries, absolutely delicious. Waffle fries smothered in  a shredded chicken curry sauce. It doesn't look very appetizing, but trust me, it is. My friends ordered some kind of sampler of beer, it comes with 6 different beers of the same genre, I liked that idea of taste testing before you ordered a full size beer. I would definitely come back.
4 - Emily L.: College memories of Ashley's:
- Turning 21 and sharing a bottle of Chimay (and terrible burgers and potato chips) with a friend.
- Trying the fruity beer samplers, only to be disappointed by most of them.
- Getting Ephemere on tap... green apple and cassis, what!
- Getting sangria at Dominick's and then going to Ashley's after Dominick's closed, hating all the food, and walking to NYPD afterward.
- Pretending to arm-wrestle my friend who weighed three times as much as me.
- Dealing with some terrible jukebox selections for 20 minutes, buying some better songs, and then waiting another 20 minutes before our songs actually came up.

Post-college memories of Ashley's:
- Meeting up with old classmates and professor and just catching up after 5 years.
- Grabbing Founder's Red's Rye on tap with my old roommate and her fiance when they were in town.
- Fortifying myself with good beer before going to the Blue Leprechaun for tequila shots (shudder... not my choice of bar).

I could go on, but I'm pretty sure I'm boring you.  In a nutshell:
- Lots of draft and bottled beers with a very organized menu.
- I don't usually get very good recommendations from the server.  It's best to trust your own instincts.
- Subpar food.
- Awkward and crowded seating, especially in the front.
- Semi-gross bathroom downstairs.
- Nostalgia!
5 - Ivana J.: This is the quintessential grad student bar in Ann Arbor, although it is enjoyed by undergrads and faculty alike. If you like beer, you'll be in heaven here. If, like me, you're not a huge beer fan, you'll *still* be able to find some rare brew to enjoy, or at least one of several types of cider. This is more of a sit, talk, and savor type of bar, and a great place to catch up with friends when you've been away from Ann Arbor for a while. The selection is a bit overwhelming, but the menu is very descriptive.
5 - Monica M.: With their beer selection, friends of the owner and their beer tour, Ashley's has become my favorite hang out in Ann Arbor (can you blame me?).

At first their beer tour seemed daunting but I am so happy to be doing this! I have discovered so many delicious beers! And mead (Viking's Blood, a must try!)

Service is generally great, with pretty laid back people that are super happy to recommend very delicious beer options but, unfortunately, a couple that act like they would rather be doing anything else besides dealing with customers.
Fortunately 9 times out of 10 we get to deal with waiters / waitresses that are super nice and have amazing suggestions.

Overall, i go here as ofter as possible, have as many beers as possible and am a big fan of their potato skins, pizzas, burgers and fries. A most get to know place!!
4 - Matt C.: Great bar. Large selection of taps, bottles, and top shelf whiskey.  Where else in the city can you order a flight of four scotches that total over 100yrs of age? 

Ashley's is a bar through and through. It has a beer menu larger than its food menu, a wide selection of mixed drinks from its fully stocked bar, and an amazing selection of Irish and Scotch whiskey. The food is traditional pub fair, and has always been good. Not great, but good.

The interior has definitely seen wear and tear, but it's a bar, not a night club. Booths are isolated from one another, and tables are close quartered. So expect to hear what your neighbor has to say.
4 - Emily L.: If you went to Pioneer High School or U of Michigan or both, you'll probably run into someone you know here on a Friday or Saturday night. Great local college town pub to grab a pint or a flight. They have the classic greasy dishes including fries with Stilton cheese. Our server was excellent and did a great job of making sure our drinks were always filled. For anyone that comes here with a boring date, there's a foosball table downstairs. Start playing a game, excuse yourself to the bathroom, and in no time, you'll be able to get lost and find another broad or hunk to take home.
4 - Martha R.: The beer selection and flight options are awesome. I love that after a while of living somewhere that doesn't have much in the way of beer selection I can get 8 different beers w/o getting wasted.

The service works - I wouldn't say that the guy was too terribly friendly, but not a jerk either. He wasn't terribly attentive, and when asked for things seemed to disappear for a while. But such is life in a bar, I suppose.

The food was also pretty average. The burger was good, but the steak sandwich had some sort of fake velveeta-like cheese (maybe it WAS velveeta). Yuck. But if you are going to use velveeta, please just let me know so that I can order something else. Don't tell me it's cheese and then bring me velveeta.
5 - Paul F.: Great beer selection
Great scotch selection
Knowledgeable and helpful bartender.

Great place to end the night.
4 - Keith A.: Ashley's was rec'd by a friend knowing my love of all things brewed and carbonated. So, after having dealt with labor day traffic out of chicago I needed to do some drinking here. 

I met up with a friend here (different friend) and proceeded to sample the brews on tap. The tap list was great. Very diverse with a good amount of michigan brews but a nice selection of german and belgian brews as well. 

While there were a good amount of people there because of a friday night, it wasn't too bad. I was sitting at the bar anyway, so it wasn't too much of an issue for getting a table. It didn't look like the wait would've been that bad.

I'm definitely making it a point to come here any time I would be in ann arbor again.
4 - Dingle D.: The best selection of beer I've seen at a bar in Ann Arbor.

Ashley's is a blessing to those who enjoy craft beers from around the country and around the world. The main beer menu is quite intimidating actually (it's a manual with multiple sections outlining different brew styles). They also have a wide selection of rotating taps that is different almost every day.

The beers here are a bit on the pricey side (6-7 buck for a pint or 10oz. depending on the type of beer)., but I guess this may be due to the fact that they are the only ones in town procuring this many brews.

Food is decent, but also pricey, so not always worth it (unlike the brews, which are often totally worth it).

Also, while I still like to hang out with my undergrad friends at bars on S. University, I'm a grad student and sometimes I just want to kick back with a tasty beer with my older friends and avoid the frat-show of undergrad bars. If you are an old fart, this place is awesome.

Overall, this place is incredible and rivals some of the best brew pubs in lower Manhattan in terms of selection.
1 - Cyndi J.: Wasn't even able to get a drink bc the bartender was a total ass. He Told my friend he had too much to drink which was not even the case. At all. Total BS. We weren't in the place 5 minutes.  Heard great things about this place but that went in the crapper tonight. I do understand its a cool bar and we were very excited to go there. First impression = horrible. I Will not go back and I will be sure to spread the word of poor service.
5 - Erin B.: Great casual environment, wonderful beer selection, an Ann Arbor classic!
5 - Matt V.: Best beer selection I've ever seen, even better then The Tap Room here in SD.   Prices were reasonable but I was expecting cheaper due to it's proximity to the campus and the starving students who reside there.  The food was pretty good, I think I had the smoked turkey sandwich but my memory of that night isn't great.
4 - Ely L.: Ashley's is a dive bar with a GREAT beer selection. They have Piraat, Golden Drak and Tripel Karmeliet (though they were out of Tripel Karmeliet both times I was there) plus a good selection of trappists, other belgians and plenty of good american craft beer.

Don't let the beer selection fool you though, this isn't a gastropub type place. The food was ok, nothing special. Definitely the level of quality you would expect to find at a decent bar. Though be warned that after 10pm you can only get food from the bar menu (wings, mozzarella sticks etc).

The atmosphere is divey college sports bar, if there's a game on expect the place to be pretty crowded and loud. When there isn't a game though, there should be plenty of room and a more mellow crowd.

They also have pub trivia on Monday nights! If you like beer and you're in Ann Arbor, you owe it to yourself to have a drink at Ashley's.
4 - Weidi S.: Good Beer
3 - Deb R.: Am giving this 3 stars for beers and atmosphere. Unfortunately, can't give higher when considering food. Although spinach and artichoke dip was tasty, and my husband enjoyed the veggie burger, the clam chowder was horrible. It was clearly a Cisco base that lacked everything clam chowder ought to be. (No, I'm not from the east coast that has super high expectations on this one). Go for the beer selection and fun atmosphere, but skip the chowder.
4 - Natasha P.: Aaah Ashley's! My husband went to U of M and whenever I would visit him (pre-wedding) we'd end up at Ashley's with a bunch of his friends. The food is decent, nothing very memorable, but the ambience and the drinks are great. This was where I first discovered mead... A mild addiction of mine. Writing this has made me nostalgic, we're going to have to go there the next time we're in Ann Arbor.

Ashline Moving & Storage Co - Watervliet, NY (42.7138965, -73.7065197) ()
5 - Lesley G.: I have used Ashline moving company for the past 10 years--not only for moving, but various projects moving furniture around my house.  They are there on time, very careful with my things, and may be trusted to place things where I want them.
I highly recommend them - most of the movers have been with the company several years.  If you have nice things, and want a dependable service, I highly recommend Ashline.

Asia Cafe - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9133723, -79.0551253) ()
3 - Caroline Z.: Asia Cafe is a quick, cheap place to grab Chinese food on Franklin Street. When I used to work on campus, I'd stop by for one of the affordably priced lunch specials. At lunch, it's set up mini-cafeteria-style, you'll see the food out as you order. At dinner, it's more likely to be made to order. The menu doesn't really break any culinary ground, but they'll have  the basics that you're craving, in generous portions.
3 - William J.: Asia Cafe is 35 Chinese's cute little brother who one day might actually make it playing pro baseball, and you really hope it the best of luck.

It's more centrally located to campus and somewhat cheaper than 35, although the buffet is not nearly as extensive and is only available for lunch.  This is definitely more of a lunch place, where you can get a lot of food for very little money.  It's nothing incredibly special, but very serviceable.  They do have the distinction of have very affordable and prompt delivery service, which is great for people like me who dig some good Chinese delivery after three or four beers.  Stick to the basics here... If you start ordering shrimp dishes and the like, or anything with a lot of veggies, the quality starts to drop off pretty quick.
3 - Adrienne E.: I never ate Chinese food growing up, so when I came to UNC I absolutely loved Asia Cafe. It's elaborate oriental facade and prime location on Franklin St. just drew me in. Of course, it didn't take me long to realize that there are far better Chinese places in Chapel Hill. It's not that there's anything particularly wrong with it, and I still don't find it as "nasty" as some of my friends think it is. The service is quick and efficient, and prices are extremely reasonable. The portion sizes are huge, but the food just isn't that great. Asia Cafe provides a satisfying meal in that afterward neither your tummy nor wallet is empty, but it's nowhere near as satisfying as actually filling up on delicious food.
3 - Brian W.: The dingy atmosphere of this place makes it hard to believe there could be much good inside, but they actually have ok food.  Not great, not really even good, just ok.

Every time I've been there, they've served everything in styrofoam... which is not cool.  But I'm always there in the summertime, and there's usually a drought on, so maybe they were just saving water.  Who knows.

I always get broccoli with garlic sauce - it's spicy and rich and worth the 3 or 4 bucks.
2 - John L.: The real plus side is that they deliver and they don't make pizza.

The rest, well, that's sitting in my tummy.  It wasn't all that exciting, it wasn't all that remarkable, and, well, it's just going to sit there for awhile.  My tummy's quite pissed at me about this situation.   

So it's relatively cheap, but it's your standard crap Chinese food: not terrible, not remarkable, and probably much better at 2:30 AM.
3 - Daniel G.: My fiancée has been a secret fan of Asia Cafe for quite some time. I describe them often as the McDonald's of Chinese food- cheap comfort food that is probably a bad idea, but at the time fills a certain need. As others have said, the fact that they have dependable and free delivery makes them stand out among competitors. Their food is acceptable and average in quality, but they are pretty consistent in my experience. They are not stingy with their portions and you always have leftovers. For the price, it is definitely worth it. 

My fiancée is a vegetarian and is thoroughly addicted to their General Tso's Tofu. I must say, it is pretty good for a tofu dish and as far as I know, it's unique to Asia Cafe. I recommend ordering it with extra broccoli to give it a bit of variety. We've had the steamed vegetable dumplings on several occasions and while they are edible, they are a bit too doughy for my liking.
2 - Ariel P.: I've been to Asia Cafe twice. That was all it took for me to decide never again. The only reason you should go to Asia Cafe is that it's close and your dying of starvation.

What sucks about it:
1. Not a clean place, think more fast food joint than restaurant. Also, if you've been in Chapel Hill for more than a couple months you've heard the constant rumors of closings due to health violations at this classy establishment.
2. Prices are too high for quality. The reason a McDonald's burger costs a dollar and Spanky's costs eight dollars is because of quality. Now imagine going to McDonald's and paying eight dollars for one of their mediocre hamburgers. Wouldn't fly would it? That's what Asia Cafe attempts to do. Coming from the north in a town filled with Chinese restaurants as well as Italian restaurants (yeah that's why I'm chubby). I know how much Lo Mein should cost and it's not what Asia Cafe charges.
3. Quality is that of a bad Mall Food court place. Pretty unacceptable.

The only good thing I can say about Asia cafe is that they give you a lot of food. But personally I'd rather have less, better, and cheaper food. The hunt for a good Chinese restaurant in the Chapel Hill area was one of my biggest struggles Freshman year, but this place definitely made it easy to rule it out.
2 - Samantha E.: Most people only order from here their first year on campus because it is free delivery. Once they have, they usually don't return.
3 - Lauren B.: Sketchy, but delicious. 

This about sums it up. This is good, classic Chinese food. I'd rather order in than eat in the restaurant, though. I never see people in there and usually when I am picking up food, it looks kind of gross. 

So, I also love that they have free delivery. I have had several cute delivery boys sent by them as well, which is a bonus. Large portions for a reasonable price, I can be eating Chinese food for days, depending on what I order. Delicious, cheapish egg rolls. Get a friend or a few to order with you so you can all split a bunch of stuff and make the delivery boy's trip worth it (it sucks to be the girl picking up an order of noodles and one egg roll -- shameful)


UPDATE: 3/21
I went to Asia Cafe recently and vowed to never go there again. I ordered garlic chicken. Im sure there was garlic in it, but it tasted like sweet and sour. I hate sweet and sour. When I asked for some garlic sauce, they said they dont have any. How are they making garlic chicken without garlic sauce?!

Also, they ripped me off big time last time I went in person. Online, the prices are pretty clear cut, but once youre in the store they're really confusing. The board they have doesn't reflect the real prices at all. We ate in and there were also flies everywhere and a bunch of disgusting tables. 

I take away one star.
4 - Richard D.: No secret I'm a fan of this place. The lunch special is a steal. Sometimes, crappy Chinese food puts you in a good mood
3 - Katherine J.: Despite the bad rap this place gets, Asia Cafe is one of my guilty pleasures. Their food is really not that bad and I'm rather partial to their chicken lo mein. Their vegetable fried rice is also pretty good as they tend to stuff it full of broccoli (which I love). Their portions are also HUMONGOUS which is great for me. It can last me 2-3 meals depending on how hungry I am! So overall, the price isn't terrible for how much food I'm getting.

When I'm not sober and craving some greasy chinese food late at night, this is the place to be and I'll leave happy with a huge bowl of food that will last me til lunch the next day.

So to all the bashers out there, try this place with a couple of beers settling nice in your belly &you'll see why I've labeled the cheap (quality-wise) chinese food as some nice comfort food in the early AM.
5 - ani l.: i like asia cafe ,good food , good price .
3 - Felecia B.: Decidedly average but that's not a bad thing at all.  If you want quick and easy Chinese food you can't really beat the price and convenience.  They do delivery through Tar heel Takeout and have a broad selections of items on the menu.

It's not my favorite place for take out but I do prefer their steamed vegetables here because you get a wide variety of veggies rather than just three.  They offer items cooked in no sauce and steamed but with a sauce selection on the side for those who are needing to control sodium and calories.
5 - April C.: Love asia cafe!! Come here often and love the price, quality and service. Coud do without the guy up front, but love the sweet ladies who always give me the crunchy thingies!
1 - Sojourner Z.: Well I continue to be disappointed in my search for halfway decent Chinese in the Chapel Hill area.

This place ought to be shut down by the health department!  The place was absolutely FILTHY and crawling with flies.  The food was tasteless, unless it tasted bad.  I went in because I saw some Asian people eating there and what they were eating looked good - turns out they were staff and what they were eating is not on the menu, it was REAL food that they prepared for themselves.

The stuff on the menu is just no good.  And it is no better when it's on your (not very clean, sort of sticky) table, either.  I'd have to be bombed out of my mind before I'd touch this stuff again, and at that point I'd probably pass out (if I were lucky) before a morsel passed my lips.

Fortunately, given that I don't drink like that, I'm in little danger of facing that particular eventuality.

There is no question, never again.  There should be a "filthy" option under "ambience".  This place isn't "dive-y" - it's a flat out nasty hole-in-the-wall DIVE.
4 - Adina P.: Wow, food was great and prices were cheap, cheap, cheap.  Seriously $7 for a tub of lo mein, with a cup of wanton soup, AND AN EGG ROLL.  Plus, they delivered, for free, after 10pm.  This place is a gem that we need to transport to Austin, TX!

Asia Cuisine - Ithaca, NY (42.4401947, -76.4956851) ()
4 - Cow I.: I've eaten here twice during lunchtime and took advantage of their bento box lunch special both times. Under $10. Very fresh, tasty and authentic. Although bento box meals are traditionally Japanese they offered Korean dishes in them also.  Situated right on the SW corner of W. Seneca and N. Aurora you can also engage in some great people watching if you get a window seat.
4 - Steve Y.: When I was stay Ithaca, Hotel recommend me to Mahogany Grill.
So I was heading out to the Mahogany Grill, but accidentally I found this Asian Cuisine on the way.
I was just try to check out what kind of menu they have, but I ended up eating in there.
They have a Korean and Korean style Chinese food, and taste was not too bad. But some some food was real spicy so be-careful about it.
If you are going to staying near Cornell University and craving for Asian food you got the spot.
4 - Phil H.: Asia Cuisine.  Exactly what the name says is exactly what they offer.  They offer Japanese, Chinese, and Korean platters.  I've eaten their twice, once for lunch, once for dinner.  I've taken out countless times.  It's kind of small (seats maybe 30 people) but the service is great, the food is great, it's situated right on one of the main streets that runs through Ithaca.
4 - natatat g.: I don't know how this place does it. Deal with the devil? Evil robots? Gnomes? I have never experienced faster service in my life. A friend and I ordered some Korean dishes for dinner. They came out of the kitchen in under 4 minutes, and were surprisingly good.
2 - PrettyTall C.: Asia Cuisine is not very authentic nor is it very good. The Korean options are the better bet when compared to the Japanese. The staff was also not very knowledgeable about what they have to offer and it was frustrating when trying to determine the contents of some of the sushi rolls. Overall, I would not recommend coming here unless you were absolutely desperate for some semblance of asian food.
3 - Jennifer G.: After everything I'd read about this place - on yelp, in the Ithaca Times, on other websites - I was expecting to be blown away.  Instead, I barely felt a breeze.

I went for lunch - service was fast and friendly, and the menu is extensive.  There's something for carnivores and vegetarians alike, and if you like sushi, there are plenty of decently sized rolls.  If you don't like sushi, there are a number of other Kroean and Chinese dishes to choose between.  The lunch menu is very reasonably priced.

I ordered a seafood soup that was listed on the menu as "very spicy" and I confirmed with the waitress that I like spicy things.  I was expecting a dish that would set my hair on fire - but what I got was only mildly more spicy than toast.  It wasn't bad per se, it just wasn't exactly what I was expecting.

Meh. It's okay.  I'd go back and try something else - and if I do, I'll be sure to update my review.
5 - Liang Z.: Asia Cuisine has hands down the best asian food in Ithaca. The variations of jiajiangmyun (noodles) is pretty good and their meat dishes are official, especially Jei yu gui. I've been there about a dozen times and also been to almost every other asian place in Ithaca (chinese, korean, thai, almost all the japanese) and this place has the most legit food.

I'm not sure about most of their rolls but their Empire Roll is clutch city. It's a bit spicy, but not overbearing, and is all around one of the best specialty rolls I've had anywhere.

I guess their Chinese dishes aren't any special - they're good, but nothing to twitter home about. If you go, go for the Korean dishes and try the Empire Roll. It's a shame I didn't discover this place till senior year, but now I go every time I'm back in town to visit.
4 - Irene L.: Asia Cuisine is always full for dinner. The menu is massive - vegetarian dishes, sushi (raw, deep fried, vegetarian), Korean, Chinese, bento boxes, etc. There's definitely something for everyone. As a college student, I find it a little on the expensive side, but it's worth it for me to spend $20 on dinner there every once in a while. Service is average when they're full, and super fast when they're not. It's also well-situated downtown, and there's often street parking (or parking in the lot).

I love the jajangmyun (noodles with black bean sauce) and the deep fried rolls. Then again, there are few deep fried things that I don't love. Ultimately, Asia Cuisine is one of my favorite Ithacan spots for Asian dishes.
5 - Eyks S.: OMG, so this place was so tastey I felt compelled to write my first review ever. I really enjoyed the food I got and the service was really fast and very friendly! I ordered the Bibimbap and it was absolutely delicious. I'm definitely going to have to go there again! I have been craving this particular meal and I was starving and I definitely left very satisfied. The food must have come in about 5, maybe 6 minutes which I was very impressed by. The beef was very flavorful and I really have no complaints other than next time I might ask for a little extra meat. Also, the prices are fairly reasonable. A little expensive but worth it in my opinion. (The meal was $9.99) Good portions, very filling, and very satisfying!
4 - Simon X.: The Jackson Pollock of Asian food. Delivers a truly unique experience with its eclectic array of food to stuff your face with.  This was what Willis was talking about.
5 - Claude W.: This place has unbelievably delicious food!  

I just wanted to start off by saying the 1st thought in my mind when Asia Cuisine is mentioned.  The restaurant itself is an odd space. The door is situated in such a way that, when it's cold outside, a very bitter draft slices right through the middle of the entire restaurant.  Better hope for a seat against the wall on those days.  The seating is also very cramped.  I always call it the "Carnegie Deli of Asian food". When it is busy (which it usually is) it is not uncommon to be nearly elbow to elbow with other patrons.  

So far this review doesn't sound promising, but you quickly forget your discomfort, and annoyance when the food starts to come.  It is usually pretty quick to arrive, and my god is it good?!  I have had several dishes here, but I always come for the deep-fried sushi rolls.  They are the single most exquisitely delicious food item that has ever entered my mouth.  

They have a wide selection of creative rolls, and many kinds of other meat, vegetable, and noodle dishes too.  It is a really full menu, and everyone should be able to find something good.  This isn't an exorbitantly priced place, but it's really easy to spend a lot here.  Damn, I wish I could go there now.
4 - matt h.: When I first walked into this restaurant I was a bit nervous. Most places in Ithaca can't even get one Asian country's cuisine right and this place was going to try and attempt Korean, Chinese, and Japanese food all in one spot? My expectations were low to say the least.

However, I was pleasantly surprised. The first thing I ordered here was the garlic eggplant, in the section of the menu containing mostly Chinese dishes. When it came out it was bright red, covered in a garlic chili sauce mimicking a combination of both Korean and Chinese flavors. On several other visits I have found that their Chinese food tends to come with a Korean flair, making it a bit unusual. It will be a tasty treat if you like Korean food, but perhaps an unwelcome surprise if you were expecting standard Americanized Chinese fair.

I have also enjoyed many of their Korean dishes such as their Bibim Bop (rice with fried egg, meat, kim chi etc.). It was warm, sweet, salty, and satisfying. Their noodle dishes are also quite good, but their Jap Chae can be a bit on the greasy side.

Just recently, I tried their sushi. I have been putting this off for quite a while, thinking that it might ruin how I feel about this restaurant. The sushi is better than all the places around the Commons (but about at the same level as Miyaki in collegetown although a little cheaper). I am really shocked that they do 3 cuisines justice here. They do the best Korean, best Chinese, and probably even the best Japanese in the area. My hats off to them. This place is a local gem. 

I'm not going to comment about the atmosphere because their isn't any this place has good food but it isn't  a visual stunner by any means. Service can be hit or miss.
2 - Margot C.: Must've been an off night-service was slow. I got the hwe dup bap, but it had a gamey bit of mystery seafood.
3 - Sarah K.: The sushi is ok, but for central New York standards it's pretty good.  I've gone here with those that are all "This isn't big city sushi" and refuse to eat there again, but if you can get past that the nearest "big" city is 4 hours away, it's good sushi compared to the rest of whats around.

The service on the other hand is usually pretty slow.  It's a small restaurant and there isn't anything special to the decor to the place.

I recommend the golden roll or the aurora roll.  Those are pretty tasty.
5 - Rachel B.: Best sushi in Ithaca!!  Smaller restaurant but it seems people come, eat, and go at a variety of times during the day and evening so I have rarely found it too crowded to get a table.  Fresh still warm rice is used to make their sushi and everything is always fresh and made to order.  They happily comply with any food allergies or requests. They offer many different kinds of sushi, plus chinese, japanese, and korean dishes.  The service is always quick and friendly.  The complimentary corn tea is wonderful too.
4 - Jenna N.: This is a nice place to go for a cheap lunch in Ithaca. Light-filled with a big brick wall, Asia Cuisine is casual, cute and serves good food. Their bento boxes are wonderful - I particularly like their tempura and noodles. Otherwise, their sushi is the best I've had in the area. I particularly like their sweet potato and avocado roll, as well as their fancier rolls. If you want to be particularly decadent, Asia Cuisine's fried sushi rolls are delicious!
5 - Kateland M.: Enjoy this place A LOT. I like the sushi but I've had better. Seaweed salad is the best in Ithaca that I've had.The Korean dishes are delicious. Pretty much anything with Kimchi is worth getting like the Kimchi Bokum. I enjoy the tea that they give you on the table and the authentic Korean condiments you get with your meal. Staff is friendly and the food comes quickly out of the kitchen. The bento boxes and lunch specials are a seriously good deal if money is a concern. 

The place is really small so it's best for parties of 4 or less, OR call for takeout which I do all the time.
5 - Rachel B.: Seriously amazing sushi!!!  They use warm rice and make everything fresh to order -- delicious.  They have a wonderful selection of raw / sushi dishes and cooked Korean and Japanese dishes, which keeps everyone happy! The staff will kindly make adjustments (like leaving off certain sauces, etc) to your order if you ask.  It can get a bit crowded in there, and it is a bit awkward if you are waiting for a table as there is little room to stand.  However, the service is quick and friendly.
4 - Ryan B.: I was up from nyc visiting ithaca this weekend, and was lucky enough to enjoy a meal at this wonderful establishment.  This is a great place to order a ton of stuff between a few friends and split it all up.  My three companions and I did just this.  We dabbled into Chinese, Korean, and Japanese dishes, all were spot-on.  The four of us were taken on an asian food odyssey of epic proportions....it left us sooo pleasantly full and only cost us about twenty-five duckets apiece.   Highlights include: Thompkins Roll, beef bibimbop, kimchi + noodle stew, and the chicken in light brown sauce.  Everything comes out of the kitchen very rapidly, as the cooks complete it, & in no particular order.  This was great because we were all real hungry, but I guess it can be troublesome if you're not prepared for it.  
I am a frequent diner in chinatown and koreatown.....and this place gets my stamp of approval.  Ithaca residents, enjoy this gem of a restaurant- I will be missing it.
4 - Rebecca G.: Great delicious Korean and Chinese food here.  Fast, delicious, and a huge selection to choose from.  The eggplant with garlic sauce was heavenly, and the fried rice dishes were delicious.  The staff were friendly and helpful, and the food came out fast.
5 - S.B. P.: Asia Cuisine is a very friendly, delicious place to eat. The first time I went, I ordered Bibimbap. The waiter was very nice, and made good recommendations. The dish was so fresh and absolutely divine, and the sauces were good too. I will definitely be returning!
4 - Kara S.: Delicious food, quality ingredients & interesting options. Great prices too. It's a nice place for a quick, fairly healthy dinner.
5 - Geoffrey H.: This place has great options, but I usually go for the kimchi pork.  It's difficult to have somebody else at the table order this dish when you could have, and should have done the same thing yourself.
3 - Joel N.: Despite the name Asia Cuisine is really a Korean Restaurant that serves Korean inspired takes on Japanese and Chinese.  Compared to other Korean restaurants Asia Cuisine has more 'home-style' food, which I generally prefer.  It may also, and somewhat oddly, have the best sushi in town (which is really more of a statement about the competition).

The bulgogi is much greasier than typical, but it works.  The lunch specials are also a good deal.  Generally most things on this menu will be tasty, but not much really stands out as amazing.
4 - chris b.: If you know what to order, Asia Cuisine is one of the better restaurants around. For consistently above-average food, stick to their Korean dishes (their Kimchi Jei Yook Bokum is OUTSTANDING - spicy pork with kimchi and tofu) and/or their Japanese noodles. 

The sushi is ok, considering how landlocked Ithaca is, but it'll disappoint hardcore sushi lovers. The non-fish sushi is great, particularly the sweet potato roll. It's a fantastic blend of creamy/savory deep-fried sweet potato, with sticky rice and good wasabi. Mmmmm.

Don't f*** with the Chinese food here though, it's pretty poor.
4 - Melanne S.: For reliably good vegetarian-friendly Asian food in Ithaca, Asia Cuisine is near the top of my list.  Although  there are ample decent, well-priced Asian restaurants in within a 5 minute drive in any direction, I keep going back to A.C. for the simple, unpretentious ambiance. The corner spot is cozy and warm in the evening, bright and open during the day -- and for my menu favorites: avocado salad is impeccable -- fresh and light over seaweed with a light sweet/sour carrot-based dressing. Vegetable bibimbop with tofu - a perfectly satisfying bowl of lightly cooked spinach, sprouts, carrots and (duh) tofu, beneath a fried egg. Stir in some rice,  add-you some sriracha..and you are within 15 minutes Self-Actualized. Try the sweet potato roll and marvel at the composition of the sauce drizzled over top. (Notes of cinnamon?). The mapo tofu is pretty close to perfection,  crunchy from the water chestnuts, silky from the tofu and just the right degree of spicy, sweet, savory.  I like my  noodles like I like my men:  firm, kinky and homemade. In  veggie J-Jan Bang (? --item V-6) the noodles are addictive enough that you continue to try to make peace with the burn of the spicy reddish broth, even as you signal for more water. I only ordered the vegetable udon once (tip!) and other noodle-based dishes can be so-so. Also, choose the dduck bodu (? item A-7), intriguingly glutenous cylinders of rice cake in a spicy 'gravy' over the over-priced, rather disappointing veggie pajum, if you are okay with heat and texture.  There is corn tea on tap for the kids and the caffeine-sensitive and a couple decent beers and sakes for the over-21 crowd. A.C. is kid- friendly. The service is always sweet and attentive.
5 - Fresh A.: Pros: I have eaten here many times now and have loved the food every single time. Im not a fan of the sushi here but a fan of everything else :D

Con: Sat night is not a good time to eat here because they might forget about your table after seating you. That's the only bad experience I have had here.
5 - Jeff F.: This place is kind of a dive, but it seems you can't find better Korean food anywhere in this part of NY!   In fact, the food here ranks up there as some of the best I've had.  The only downside is they only gave us 4 small banchan whereas other restaurants are much more generous, but it really didn't detract from the experience at all.  The bimibap was very tasty, as was the pork and kimchi stew.  My partner ordered a delectable glass noodle dish, and bulgogi which had the perfect amount of sweetness.  The staff seemed very friendly and helpful.  The amount of seating is limited, but we went on a Saturday night and had no problem getting a seat.  Definitely a place I'd recommend to someone who loves Korean food!
3 - Adam P.: Went in tonight looking for some good food. Not bad, miso soup was good, salad dressing was eh at best. Teriyaki salmon lacked flavor and did not come with enough sauce. Sushi was okay. Server was nice and knowledgeable. Service was a little slow however. Overall 3.5, rounds down.
3 - Dan P.: Went in on April 9th after walking around Ithaca Commons looking for a place to eat. After a five minute wait, we managed to find a table for three. The tables are spaced very close together and servers may have to lean over to serve the other tables. The tuna roll was good but not great but the Sesame chicken was excellent. You can order it with any amount of spice with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. Overall a good, solid dinner. Service was great.
4 - Danger C.: As a souther California native and Korean-American, Asia Cuisine is the best place in Ithaca to get your Korean style Chinese food fix.  I recommend their noodle dishes (which they can make vegetarian).  Their sushi is also not bad, and more reasonably priced than the Korean run Japanese place across the street.  I'm a big fan of their seaweed salad as well.  Lastly, I have to say that the standard Korean dishes, especially the jigaes, are decent, but not great.
3 - a n.: This place is a mixed bag. Some food is fine, other food is horrendous. The individual dishes are inconsistent, so you can get good food one time, but order the same thing the next two times and it be bland. I'd say the soup is generally the best thing they have (jam bong), but I've had it 3 times and though good the first two, the third time it was not very flavorful. The black bean sauce is good 50% of the time. I always enjoy the banchan given with every meal. 

Anyway, I'd say if you're in the mood for something Asian this is among your best bets in Ithaca, which has pretty bad Asian food in general. Still, it's a gamble. Good luck!
3 - Yelper N.: Why is there a dearth of Japanese-Korean-Chinese awesome food places in Ithaca?! C'mon Cornell Univ. and Ithaca College is right there! ;p

You're better off heading to the Ithaca Farmers' Market, now there'll be some good eats. Last time we went we made off with fresh hot apple cider, fresh hot apple donuts, and fond memories of the mouth-watering, mind-blowing souvlaki gyros.

Addendum:
The servers were polite even as the service was slow. The place neat, though mostly emptied of diners on a Saturday early afternoon. The sushi was passable but not remarkable. My friend enjoyed his seafood soup, though he remarked that it was noticeably oiler than Rochester's Sodam and Flushing's Hahm Ji Bach. But for the price, you do get what you pay for with fairly decent proportions. But ultimately, even the all-encompassing and promising "Asia Cuisine" appellation, did not inspire a second visit.
3 - Jun S.: The sushi and tempura were good considering the price and the rural location of the restaurant. Only critique is that sauce for the unagi don and agedashi tofu is too sweet, which may taste good for some, but I would not consider it the traditional Japanese taste.
3 - Canny F.: Love their menu because of the options but taste wise is eh. 

FIRST time I saw a female sushi chef!!! Impressed. 

Tofu Vegetable Jja Jang Myun - One word - DRY. The size is worth the price but not worth the taste. 
Deep fried vegetable roll - yum! First time having a deep fried roll. Except to chew a lot. I actually like it not fresh. Why? Less chewing and pieces stuck on your teeth. 
Vegetable roll - Regular veggie roll. 
Mapo Tofu - oily and how is this mapo tofu? It should be named oily firm tofu. 

Service - amazing. They gave me a vegetable roll on the house because I was plucking out all the fish roe on my deep fried vegetable roll (wasn't informed of it when I asked what was in it)
4 - Dara E.: Some seriously good bibimbap!  I would have liked more kimchi on the side but the lunch was great.  They use the best brown rice.

Asia Tea House - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4440654, -79.9501368) (Oakland)
4 - Tim S.: Couldn't imagine asking more out of an outdoor food kiosk. Good Pink Rose bubble tea and the Bourbon Chicken was surprisingly fresh. I'm used to Chinese chicken tasting so overcooked that it becomes a mushy rubber, but this still was recognizable as chicken and was stringy when pulled apart.
4 - Lucia H.: Tasty, healthy, and fresh food at inexpensive price! 
Food is not salty as most Chinese food in US I had, actually the flavor is close to my back home! Highly recommand it!

Asian Bistro - Princeton Junction, NJ (40.318415, -74.621839) ()
1 - Jacob U.: The restaurant is pretty, so we were really excited for the food. Self-serve, so you order at the counter and then get a pager for when you're food is up. We were the only two people in the restaurant, and it still took twenty minutes to get our food (two rolls and a miso soup, which was cold because they put it out way before the rolls were ready and just left it sitting there instead of bringing it over or telling us it was ready). Spicy tuna roll had the stringy white bits of the fish still attached. Would definitely not go back.
4 - David L.: Amazing place for fusion asian restaurants, first time i went in you go for the basics, the fundamental soups and i had the jjambong, pretty spicy but a little too much noodles if you can believe, left with a full belly. Had an order of their salmon and it was also very good, a bit small, but good to eat. No liquor license so its BYOB a little weird not to have a liquor license for at least beer but whatever, they are probably working on it.
3 - Jessica S.: My general policy is to be wary of any place that claims to be pan-Asian, which is why I went with Korean food here, though everyone seemed to enjoy their meal just fine.  You get a lot of bang for your buck here, very generous portions, which might explain why the majority of the clientele were students.  I had some sort of spicy seafood stew with noodles, which was light on the seafood and heavy on the noodles, but very satisfying.  There were a few mysterious tidbits of meat in there that were not seafood, which was a little suspicious.  At the moment my stomach is feeling a little queasy... we'll see how I feel in the morning.  The Korean pickles were yummy, though.

I love their zen-like decor, and the spaciousness... it feels very modern, right down to the efficient "Panera-like" order-at-the-counter system.  They have two large flat-screen TVs on the wall by the counter that are on a constant slide show of menu offerings, and many of them are so photogenic that I found myself waffling on the menu.  Since there are other places in town that offer more serious takes on each cuisine, I'm not sure if I'd come back here again except with a group that is being indecisively pan-Asian.
4 - Lucy C.: I had no idea this place existed until my very good Korean friend brought me a few days ago. And all I have to say is "no wonder all the Koreans love this place!" First off, it's very affordable. Most dishes are a few dollars cheaper than rivaling asian restaurants. They have Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, etc. all of which taste amazing.  Small side dishes are served for free and since you pick the food up at the counter you don't even have to pay tip! My friend and I got an order of eel roll (unagi) and pad thai-- flavorful! Definitely, definitely coming back again soon with all my other friends!
5 - Micah M.: Asian Bistro opened up down the street from our house in an odd location next to the Princeton Junction train station a few months back. 

Initially, the restaurant's name and the pan-Asian claims elicited solemn oaths that we would never eat there, as well as jokes about it possibly being a front for some kind of illicit activities. 

But a recent glance at the surprisingly positive reviews on Yelp motivated us to give Asian Bistro a try. 

It turned out to be a great place! 

 We opted for two Korean dishes -- hwe dup bap (sashimi mixed rice) and naeng myun (cold noodles) -- and both were tasty. The best dish was the hwe dup bap, which had three kinds of fish that all tasted very fresh. The naeng myun's broth was yummy and noodles were perfectly cooked. The restaurant was nicely decorated and extremely clean. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. My only complaint is that a few panchan (side dishes) would've been nice. 

4.5 stars if you grade on the curve set by local Korean and sushi places in Princeton. Still not sure if I'm ready to try their pho....
4 - TL B.: I like Asian Bistro, it is the only Korean food in the area (10 mile proximity) I'm willing to pay for and outshines its older sibling (Nassau Sushi) in taste, ambiance and staff friendliness.  There is a bountiful photo menu- most of which looks good but I find the Korean dishes most appealing.  Besides food, there is a pretty awesome soda selection including sparkling spring water (way to go), far out of reach sodas, and free barley tea.  It has an interior I appreciate, and outside seating too (if the train tracks don't bother).  Keep this local gem alive, visit soon.
4 - Elf Elf B.: We've been to Asian Bistro 3 or 4 times now. It's a real pleasure to find Korean food without having to drive for 25 miles. Their ojing-a-bokum (pan-fried squid) is as good as any we've had, and the pork version was super too. Spicy beef stew was watery but not oily. Bul Gogi was adequate for a cooked-in-the-back version, as was Kalbi. This isn't the place for these dishes.  A Japanese mixed fish in a bowl dish was super, and Korean fried chicken (aka Korean buffalo wings) was neat. However, the Thai food needs work big-time. Pad Thai is not too bad (we wouldn't order it again though), but Drunken Noodles and Pad GaProw (spelling varies) were:  a. the same if you substitute noodles for onions, b. tasteless, and c. basil-free though we asked for extra (and it was on the order receipt). The 11.99 platters consisting of half and half dishes are a marvelous idea - there are two versions of sesame salads (shrimp and chicken) which are incredible. And orange salad dressing is one of the freebies on any dinner, and it's delicious. Sides are nothing special, but always welcome. We have seen sushi and sashimi platters come out looking exceptional. 

We always tip. But when we went to the counter looking for a tip jar (what we'd seen at a distance was something else) the lovely young lady said, "Oh it's not necessary!"

On a different subject, we got into conversation with the sushi chef and I mentioned Rissen in Hightstown, which closed in late 2009. He knew the place, and said it had reopened, or at least something had, in the same location, in the rte 130 Shoprite strip mall. After dinner, we raced over there to invenstigate, but it's something else: Silver Spoon Buffet, and had no relation, formal or otherwise, to Rissen in its heyday. Oh well.
5 - Alfred D.: Outstanding menu choices.  Can't wait to go again to try other dishes. Had the chicken Fried rice - $8.  Nicely accompanied and garnished with tasty veggie sides and miso soup.  Sizable portion - couldn't finish.  Talked to other diners - saw beautiful presentations of sushi and other meals - specifically the Charlie Roll. Clean and neat dining area.  Very pleasant atmosphere.  Expect that soon nobody will go there anymore because it will be too crowded -  sorry Yogi.
4 - Rita M.: I have heard many things about this place and now i finally went to try it out with my fiance. Outside this place looks pretty small and questionable but after walking in this place is pretty neat, nice decor and spacious. 
What i really like is how this place isnt like many restaurants. Here you walk up grab a menu and when your ready you go back to the host/cashier and place your order. Works with me because i'm one who takes forever to pick my meal and the waiter/waitress always has to come back and bother me to see if im ready lol 
As for the food wide selection and big portions so AWESOME! I was very pleased with my meal and so was my partner although he over ated lol 

def going back there again.
5 - Nadia B.: This brought me to a "moment".... One of those days in life where you're hungry and ALL you need is a good night out for Asian food or a hug. 

I got the hug later, but this was definitely a winner! I have FOUND my "Asian" hang out spot to meet friends in Central Jersey.. THINK about NO Nassau street parking craziness, cheaper than area eats, and AWESOME food. 

Short Review: This is modern, chic, clean and MOST OF ALL... TASTY!  

Long Review: 
Food: A (not exactly culinary excellence- but one of those places that will NOT disappoint you).. definite mmMMms and FINALLLLLLLLLLY some good Asian food in Princeton! We had "two halves" for $11 (half Pad thai which was delicious and half  teriyaki broccoli and shrimp). It also came with two dumplings, tempura zucchini, a cream salad of sorts, and salad with ginger dressing...

We also ordered a dragon roll (also $11 but it had 9 pieces I think, and we were stuffed)! 

For dessert, we ordered fried ice cream. The coating was a bit too thick, but it was still delicious. 

Ambiance: B+ (I bunched this up with an A+ for the clean pan asian feel/decor and look with the awkward location that prompted a B... it's nestled away from Nassau and near the train station), but completely fine for commuters since it's a mile off Washington Rd. from route 1

Service: A-... there is something great about not having to wait on a server to bring water, take a while, work on another table, coming back and asking if you're ready but the person you're with wasn't and the waiter/ess takes another unnecessary 15 minutes. WELL, here's how it works: you enter, order at the main counter, pay, get a red buzzer (yes like a chain restaurant buzzer) when you're food is ready. The food came out within 10 minutes... and staff was VERY nice. 

Definitely try this place out!
2 - Sarang K.: My party ordered 8 different dishes, and half of us could not finish our dish. The Korean options seem to be the better option, but I think it's also better to stick with the soups. The 3 soup people had the better experiences than the 2 'meh' and 3 'bleh' experiences we had. It was by no means the worst experience I've ever had, but it was the second worst pad thai I ever had in my life. 
The decor and the atmosphere is pretty nice. The water was icy cold and accessible, which was a nice change. It kind of felt like some of the 'regular' Korean eateries I frequented in Korea. 
I do have several friends who say it's decent enough to takeout on the way home from work, and several others who swear they'll never return. I don't think I'll ever suggest we go there, but I doubt I'd object to going there.
For a Korean or Thai dining experience, I'd rather drive the 30-40 minutes. For Chinese, there are other better options. 

Summary of food at Asian Bistro:
Korean Soups: good
Korean foods: mediocre
Thai: bland 
Chinese: too sweet
1 - Daniel L.: If you want bad MSG saturated/induced food, go here. 
If you want bad gas and bad breath afterwards, go here. 
If you want to be continually disappointed time after time, go here.
5 - Christine H.: Asian Bistro was such a pleasant surprise! I was anticipating this to be a standard Chinese restaurant, there was nothing standard about it! The place has a large menu with specials that allow you to taste a bit of everything. Service is quick and the place was packed during a mid week lunch. The serving sizes were ample, the food was great, and the place was very clean.
4 - Martin M.: We met friends at Asian Bistro last night.  It was our first time there, and we will absolutely be back.  The food was outstanding, and the service could not have been better.  There were 4 of us, and we shared a bunch of dishes.  We had a Seafood Scallion Pancake appetizer, and it was amazing.  We had several Sushi rolls, which were all fresh and delicious.  We also enjoyed the black bean noodle dinner as well as the Bibimbap.  We had a fabulous meal, and as I said, we will definitely be back!  Highly, highly recommend trying it.  You can check out their menu on their website.  They have great photos of the entire menu.
4 - Jay I.: I think this place has the jajangmyun (black bean paste noodle) that is pretty close to the authentic ones you get in Korea.  It is a small self-serving joint near Princeton Junction Train station.  I went to this place several times because of Jajangmyun, but they also offered other Korean dishes too.  If I were still in Princeton, I would have visited this place quite regularly.
4 - Timothy P.: Very good! Will eat here again!
4 - Isabella O.: Very good Asian food compared with other offerings around town. 

The place is well lit and nicely decorated. Reminds me somewhat of the feel of Nassau Sushi, but is better lit. 

The waitstaff were very courteous and service was excellent  and non-intrusive - rare for Asian restaurants around town. 

We ordered Gobdol bibimbap, Soondobu, and pho. Got a  free avocado salad from checking in on yelp. For dessert we ordered the mochi green tea ice cream. 

One by one now.  

The bibimbap was very good. We got the squid version and it was so well seasoned and fresh. It did, however, lack the veggies you normally get with bibimbap, and initially I thought that it would be a problem, but it wasn't. 

Soondobu was mild and the broth was clear. there wasn't enough tofu in it either. This isn't something I would order again.  

Pho was phenomenal! I really didn't have my hopes up for this, but the pho turned out to be my favorite. The beef broth is so rich and flavorful. Eating the rice noodles, you can tell that the flavors of the broth have been completely infused into the noodles, and everything is working together. The portion was enormous, which  I loved. The only potential downside is that there were only 2 slices of beef, which to me wasn't a problem because i didn't plan on eating it anyways. 

The free avocado salad was very fresh, definitely check in with your cell to get it! I'm pretty sure you can get it indefinitely. 

the mochi green tea ice cream was very good. But in general I don't like the taste of it, so I would not get it again. 

Everything together came to $39 after tax before tip.  

All in all a very good Asian restaurant, offering great quality food for a very reasonable price. I can't wait to check back in again for the food and pho!
1 - NaDea J.: JUSSST KIDDING...dont go here! Today I placed a lunch order, but then shortly after (and I mean within less than two minutes time) I decided to call and change it to a different item. The girl I talked to had a HUGE attitude problem. Without even putting me on hold, she started to comaplain to who I assume is the manager about how I suddenly changed my mind and how it was "really rude" that I did so. Then she so rudely informed me that the order couldnt be changed because my original meal was already in the process of being cooked (which I highly doubt, but whatever). I told her that me re-ordering within such a short time frame shouldnt be an issue and that I was simply going to cancel my order completely. Will not be coming here again, not worth the headache. This place needs to learn customer service.
5 - Han Y.: Wow!  Delicious food.  I am Korean, and their Korean food is truly authentic.  Probably the best Korean food in NJ.
5 - BAYSIDEGAL E.: Came here with a group of 12 peeps after 6.5 hours of kayakinig nearby. We were ready to inhale our food!  Usually, I am not a fan of any asian restaurants with the word "bistro" in it because I always feel like  the food will be a westernized version of asian food. I did not have high hopes but whatever...i was starving!  This places offers various types of asian cuisines, chinese/japanese/korea, thail, and vietnamese.  Under the korean section, I ordered the seafood noodle cioppino ( aka jamppong), OMG, it was SO SO GOOD and very authentic and spicy with FRESH FRESH seafood in it. It was on par with ones you'd get from koreantown in manhattan or the korean restaurants in flush/bayside!  The other peeps ordered kalbi, korean fried chicken, bimbimbap, some sushi, and a chinese dish and everyone enjoyed their dish..  Also, the portions are big and the price is super reasonable. also don't forget to checkin on yelp or foursqure. you will get a free avacado salad.  It's jus tthe typical ginger dressing salad you'd get from a japanese restaurant with a few slices of avacado...it was good and refreshing.
5 - Dana L.: Good. Go now. just do it.
4 - Si L.: A really nice place. Well decorated and popular (full parking lot when I came for lunch). I ordered the pho, which tastes pretty good actually. The only down side is there wasn't much besides noodle and soup. Presentation was odd as the meat was hidden under the noodles at first. Maybe I'm still in the southern mindset but for $10 I expected more than a few slices of meat, maybe some tripe or a meatball? Perhaps I'm just asking too much from NJ.
3 - Andy C.: PROS: good ambience

CONS: average food
5 - Dorothy W.: Came back again for lunch with one of my coworkers.

This time, I ordered the pho beef noodle soup while she got the yakiniku don (which I had last time). I showed my student ID and ended up getting 10% off my order! It turns out Asian Bistro offers a lot of social networking discounts, which is pretty sweet. I like how they have complimentary cold and hot water available on a small counter. Once again, the food was quick and tasted amazing!! The pho came in a HUGE bowl and took a lot of man-power for me to finish the whole thing haha. The broth was tasty and the noodles were just right. Plus, they give you plenty of bean sprouts and cilantro to garnish with. My only small complaint is that there isn't much beef in the pho. Maybe 3-4 pieces? The beef was also a little hard to chew, but not bad. My co worker was extremely pleased with her meal and couldn't finish it (just like me!) I will definitely be back soon :) I want to try everything on the menu!
4 - Sarah Y.: The food came quickly and was pretty good. It's somewhat confusing the first time (you have to go to the back to order) but the service is good and the workers are all very friendly! 
The environment of the restaurant is modern and had a wonderful vibe. 
I had the beef pho which was slightly bland and had very few pieces of beef. The broth and noodles were great though, definitely a good choice. 
I also ordered the pan fried calamari which was more of a stirfry dish than the breaded squid I'm used to. It had great flavor though. 
The pricing is expensive. Given its close distance to the train station and atmosphere, it's worth it. Definitely coming here again!
4 - Jane D.: After a few more tries of various selections from the menu I'm back to re-review!

they are still lacking Vietnamese menu items, I was hoping that for the summer they would have summer rolls but they never did and it's August already! for something so simple to make and tasty it would have been a big hit there.

Now the sushi I am still at odds with while the quality has gone up a bit I still find myself disappointed. I mean, my stripped bass sashimi shouldn't come out still frozen! and the tuna to me tasted like it was on the verge of being mushy and rotten. I think I'll stick to Teriyaki boy, Tomo Sushi, Ajihei, or Sushi Palace for my sushi from now on.

The Korean however is very good and so is the Chinese selections of their menu. and it's no wonder Koreans from all over town flock here for dinner every night. if you are passing by just make sure you be careful a lot of patrons like to pull out without looking or just pull into the lot in front of you causing you to slam on your breaks. 

I'm giving this place one extra star because they did improve their sushi a bit but I think it might be best to take it off the menu and maybe work more with cooked food since they are really good at that, or instead of going for traditional Japanese sushi, make Korean sushi. I know that they both have different styles and being a first in the area I think it would be a hit with the locals.
5 - Margaret W.: I really love Asian Bistro! It's great quality food and good for it's price especially because food around Princeton is SO expensive. 

One of the best deals you can get is the 11.99 two halves meal, where you can choose two dishes + you get appetizers. It's a great deal for those who love variety. I ended up getting the General Tso's Chicken and drunken noodles (both which were delicious). My friend got bulgogi (so good as usual!) and japchae. The fried eggroll was not as good, so I'd sugest getting the steamed dumplings.

Staff is really friendly! If you are a student, you get 10%. If you tweet about them, you get a free drink! It's a great deal!

Definitely coming back. There's a great variety of food. AND ALSO, the website looks amazing O_O.
5 - Jennifer S.: great food, huge portions,didn't need appetizers with meal, average price, friendly staff, good service.
4 - Dan S.: Solid Asian food with a very extensive menu and reasonable prices.  The place has a modern feel and is very clean.  You can either do the upstairs, which is kind of like cafeteria style, (order and then pick up the food and eat there) or go downstairs where you have a waitress.

I've had the hwe dup bop numerous times and really enjoyed it.
5 - Tina R.: I have been curious about this little place for months now, and thanks to an adventurous coworker of mine, I finally popped in for lunch today.  I am so glad we did!  The ambiance is trendy, the decor is clean, modern and comfortable.

The food~is amazing!! I had the "Two-Halves" with the bulgogi, shrimp miso salad and steamed dumplings. I have nothing but raves to say about all of it.  The dumplings were the best I've tasted in my life, and I've eaten at some of the best Asian restaurants in NYC and abroad.

  I live in Princeton and I can tell you, instead of ordering in the mediocre delivery chinese, I will make the drive to Princeton Junction and get take out from Asian Bistro. So good!
4 - Brad N.: Their lunch specials are a good value. Based on experience and hearsay, this is how their different kinds of food compare: Korean is excellent, Japanese is great, Chinese is good, Thai is okay, and  Vietnamese is bad. Free wifi. Student specials. Yelp/Facebook/Foursquare specials.

I love their kalbi and katsu. My wife loves their vegetarian bibimbap. Lots of vegetarian options. I did not taste MSG.
5 - Eva S.: Good food and fair price. I eat here 1-2 meals each week. They give students discount. Would have been better if they deliver so that we can order for catering.

Asian Bistro - Providence, RI (41.822204, -71.410016) (DownCity)
2 - Bailey M.: The 200 item menu is your first hint that something is wrong with this place. They have japanese sushi, chinese, thai curry, and chinese food-- a huge selection of sub-par foods. 

I came here with a group of five people, and all of us ended up not being able to finish our food because it was so mediocre. 

I had the panang curry chicken. It was a gigantic soup of oily broth made from some kind of powder and mushy pieces of chicken not even McDonalds would use in their chicken nuggets. And after I paid $15 for this almost inedible slush I still had to pay an extra $1 for my rice. 

And I'm not one of those stuck-up "I can only eat super Authentic asian food" people either. I'm just as happy eating PF Chang's as I am at some expensive Sushi bar. But this place can't even get Americanized Asian food to taste good. 

Oh, also I had a hair in my glass of water. 

I give this place six months before they go out of business.
2 - Krystal D.: I agree with the previous reviewer whole-heartedly.  I think Asian Bistro might be trying to do too many things, and is unfortunately not succeeding at any of them.  This is not uncommon with restaurants that try to be everything for everyone.  The only exception I can think of is Apsara.

A few coworkers and I ordered from here for lunch.  All of us chose sushi of different varieties.  I chose their sashimi lunch special with includes 14 pieces of fish and choice of miso soup or salad, and I chose the miso.  The sashimi wasn't particularly fresh or flavorful.  It wasn't so bad that I was afraid to try it, but it was easy to tell that it wasn't exactly the highest quality.  Fresh sashimi has great, distinctive flavor.  The sashimi from Asian Bistro was dull and it all tasted the same.  The miso soup was unimpressive as well, tasting like the kind you buy at a grocery store and reconstitute on your own.

My coworkers ordered a variety of rolls and didn't seem to have any complaints, but I can't attest to whether or not they enjoyed their meal.  They did note, however, that the hot and spicy soup wasn't all that great.

We also weren't terribly thrilled with the service.  We ordered take-out, drove 15 minutes to pick it up, drove 15 minutes back to the office, and then realized that part of our order was missing.  Perhaps we should have checked before we left the restaurant, but we shouldn't have to.  They were nice enough to give us free soup for our troubles.  

All in all, I would suggest you go elsewhere for a sushi fix.
2 - Michael M.: Nice atmosphere and attentive, if sullen, waitstaff in this downtown location. The food, however is no better than late night, strip mall take out. There is no need to really evaluate this place, as I suspect they won't last long. Dragon 2000 has nothing to worry about.
3 - Frank L.: II stopped in for lunch earlier this week and agree that the waitstaff seems strangely detached; it is apparent that they don't want to be there.I found the food to be extremely good. The hot and sour soup was passable and loaded with tofu and mushrooms and the garlic flavored chicken was extremely flavorful. It was obvious that it was cooked to order. Even the fried rice was really fresh. I would give the food a solid 4 and have to mark the place a 3 because of the strange attitude of the staff. It might be a decent takeout venue for locals. I am definitely going to give it another shot when I am in Providence
2 - Olivia U.: It wasn't indigestible, just brutally mediocre. I ordered veggie pad thai and there were about two pieces of broccoli with plain rice noodles. There was a vague background flavor, they tried I guess. They also gave me free soup I think to compensate for how awful the pad Thai was. If it didn't also cost me $12.00 I wouldn't have such a vendetta against it. Not worth it, go elsewhere.
1 - B F.: I work around the corner and have had take out lunch here several times.  The food is always mediocre at best....but the last time I ordered there was a hair IN the dough of my steamed dumpling.  So gross, I'm not going back.
3 - Siv T.: Ok, so I've heard about this place for a while now but never really took the time to try it out for myself until now-- for two reasons, 1) I heard good things about it, particularly on the service, 2) 20% disc. for students, so I thought what the heck? Oh yeah and wait, 3) They have sushi! First thing I noticed when I walked in was how empty the place was, honestly there was only one other party of two beside me. Granted, it was pouring out which might explain the deadness.  

Secondly I couldn't help but notice how nice the place looked. With the name like Asian Bistro I was expecting something more along the lines of "tacky Chinese take-out place". Okay, let's skip to the point. Service was decent, I would kick up the friendliness a notch. I suppose that's just a matter of preference, personally I like it when a waiter/waitress is super attentive to a customer's needs, others on the other hand might think that's annoying.

I had ordered one of the specialty rolls. If I can recall mine was called the "Big Ten Roll", pretty big sized sushi (8 rolls) wrapped in pink seaweed and tempura fried shrimp. (if I can recall well enough) I was starving when I came in, so to my judgment at the time it was pretty good. Honestly, rather plainer than other sushi I've tried, but nothing spicy mayo sauce couldn't help. The one thing I have to complain about is the pricing, $15 for sushi is pushing it, even w/ the student disc I think that's too much to be paying for lunch. With that price I probably should have ordered steak some place else. All in all an indifferent experience, I'll probably try more things from this place to make a conclusive final judgment, but until then I'll probably just stick w/ sushi from the express shops on Thayer.
4 - Alex R.: Honestly there are a lot of seafood options in Providence alone.  Sushi in this town can be hit or miss.  Asian Bistro always delivers quality dishes, whether I want sushi, orange chicken, or both.  The owner is almost always present to greet, take orders, and welcome me and my party back.  The sushi selection is reasonably priced, which allows one to order a small roll with another entree.  Overall Asian Bistro offers quality food, friendly service, and a fortune cookie.
4 - Cassie C.: I'm actually quite shocked at the low reviews this place has. I had their green curry, and the portion was meant for 2 people! or even 3! 

It came with a side salad, which had an amazing dressing. I wish I knew what it was - it was tangy and had a little kick to it. 

The waitress was soft spoken but extremely kind and couldn't say enough 'thank yous'. 

I'd save give this place a chance! It was also one of very few stores downtown that were open on a Sunday afternoon, which is weird, since most stores make their money on the weekend.
3 - Cory K.: Stopped in to grab some take out at 9:30pm and the place was completely empty, but it was close to closing... 

For pan-asian cuisine this place is pretty pricy.  They had some interesting sounding entrees but I wasn't looking to drop $30 on take out for two.

Their sushi was fine but nothing special.  I can't speak to the quality of the fish because we usually just go for eel, yam, stuff like that.  Even basic olls were in the $5-6 range.

Also tried the General Tsos combination ($11) and despite being a few dollars more than most places at least the portion was huge.  I think it weighed about 3 pounds and was about equal parts chicken and fried rice.  Sadly, no broccoli, a subpar egg roll and the meat was pretty dry.

It's the kind of food you expect from a hole in the wall kind of place, but coming from an upscale "bistro" downtown.  I wouldn't go out of my way for this.
3 - Caitlin W.: I went here a couple of weeks ago with my roommates. We walked in and the place was practically empty. There were only 2 other parties sitting. We started off with green tea ice cream as our app. Strange , yes but that is what we wanted. It was ehhh. It really just tasted like vanilla ice cream with a hint of green tea where as I wanted the green tea to be a more prominent flavor. I ordered the vegetable pad Thai. It was very flavorful but lacked vegetables I only had a couple pieces of onion and broccoli. I was very unimpressed with the plate presentation. It looked like they just threw the food on the plate. The plus of this restaurant is that it has a 20% discount for students so our meal ended up being pretty cheap.

Asian Box - Palo Alto, CA (37.4382353, -122.1585402) ()
4 - kim n.: Went to a party that was catered by the folks from Asian Box. Had the vermicelli noodles with nuts/raisins/fish sauce, chicken pineapple meatballs, spring rolls, banh mi and chicken/beef skewers. They had commandeered an alley a couple doors down from the venue and were cranking the food on a grill and some makeshift tables. Definitely looking forward to the full fledged finished shop operations. Great start though!
4 - Abby S.: Thanks, Asian Box, for an invite to last night's preview/fundraiser! Hosted inside St. Michael's Alley, the purveyors were trying to obtain some honest feedback about the menu AND raise a little money for military veterans. What's not to like about that?

I like the gluten-free/healthy fast food/bento box concept. You choose your starch (anything from brown rice to stir fried noodles), one meat and as many dang toppings as you like, along with a sauce or two. Definitely recommend the lemongrass pork, along with the house made Sriiracha sauce. Has a different tang than the stuff you see at typical Asian restaurants. Really good! Apparently they make all of their sauces in house, so I'd be willing to bet that they are all pretty delicious. 

Food came out fast and service was attentive, especially since they're new and trying to figure out what customers like. Looks like they will be officially open on the 28th, so check 'em out!
1 - J H.: Huge letdown! :( 
This place is supposed to be a south-east asian version of chipotle.  i love chipotle and I love asian food, so I came as soon as it opened.  Here were the problems:
1. with only two other customers waiting for food, i still had to wait 15 minutes.  what happens during actual meal times? (it was 2:30 on sat)
2. they got my order wrong, and had to make it again!  (they said the computer was not working well yet) 
3. the "wok spiced veggies", as far as i could tell, meant 4 half inch pieces of tough broccoli stem.  when i cook for guests, i don't even serve them stem!  
4. no place to sit.  they could at least put benches on the side of the room or something
5. the portion was soooo small, and i am a 110 lb female.  for the same price, you can get a huge steaming bowl of pho from other vietnamese places.  probably 1/3 or 1/4 as much chicken as you get in a chipotle burrito.  the chicken was well flavored, though...
6. they were sprinkling on toppings by hand, with no gloves.
2 - Kenneth R.: Six of us came for lunch yesterday, the day after the official opening.  Severe disorganization is what we encountered.  Even after 1PM, there was a long line of people attempting to order.  The counter man, who seemed great by the way, was struggling to explain things to the customers and to interpret their orders for the software system.  He praised each of us with a "great box!" after orders were entered successfully.  Back in the kitchen (i.e., 10 feet away), the staff was doing its best to decrypt the incoming order slips and create the boxes that the customers had requested.  Everyone's order had a number, but the numbers on the boxes coming out of the kitchen were imperfectly aligned with the numbers that the customers had been given.  This was all kind of disastrous, but I'll be willing to stipulate that troubles like this will be gone by the end of the first week.

At present, there are no tables in front of Asian Box.  You have to take your box home or hunt for seating elsewhere in the shopping center.  We found empty tables near Peet's and camped out there without being chased away.

After all the effort we had put into finding Asian Box and getting actual lunches out on the Peet's tables, I was hungry and well disposed to like what I had.  I didn't.  The contents of the box tasted sort of bland, even with all the sauces I had ordered; I was deeply underwhelmed.  I asked the other five people in my group to rate their boxes on a scale of 1 to 5.  Everyone shouted out "2" simultaneously.  So two stars it is.

I had an iced vietnamese coffee, which came out of a machine that looked like a lemonade cooler.  The coffee was great, but my drink had more ice than coffee.
2 - Kitty L.: You are paying for its location and the pricey tiny compostable boxes and utensils -- not much more.  No seats, so-so service, and burnt bbq meat was what I got.  Price in the high 7-9 bucks range.  Portion being a third or less of panda's.  3.25$ for 1 spring roll, be warned.  Ok, so it may be a tad bit less greasy, but you have to be on diet to appreciate the price to portion ratio.  This place will not have my business again.
3 - Terry B.: The chef comes with great background so maybe my expectation was too high especial they just opened.  The Shrimp Basil Lime was fishy and did not have much of flavor.  The Hot Box sauce looked and tasted like it came from a bottle of Sriracha. 
My wife liked her Tofu Curry.  For the price, it's a great value but I was till hungry since the portion looked like perfect for lunch, but not dinner.  Great concept and I plan to try them again in another month or too after they settle down.
3 - Lella W.: Just finished our take out from Asian Box.  I'm going with a somewhat liberal 3 stars, given that the box is still in infancy.  But guess what...they spent months getting that teeny joint ready and building anticipation....maybe they should have aimed for perfection from the get.

Yes, the flavors were good and fresh.  I love that this place is gluten free.  Its kind of cute, if its still 2002.  (Oh wait....)

BUT....
If you are going to make me state my initials with my order and call out in detail everything I want in the box, everything better be correct in the box.  Otherwise its just an annoying pretentious exercise.

Both me and hubby's box were not right, things were mixed up between us and things were left out.  Even the annoying initials were on the wrong box.

What's the point of having bean sprouts on the menu as something you can have in the box if you you are just going to throw them in everyone's?  Jeez, I hate bean sprouts, that's why I didn't ask for them.

Don't call the sauce fire box and charge 50 cents for it like its some scary big deal if I can do shots of it and walk away not noticing.

Spring rolls, seriously, don't bother.  So bland.  $3.25, for like, nothing.  No flavor no substance.

No one will EVER walk away from here saying they are stuffed.  FEED ME, PLEASE.

Asian Box, I expect these concerns to be resolved by the time of my next visit in one month.  Otherwise I will ask that you change your name to Boring Box.
4 - Joycelyn L.: Tasty food, but not as filling as I thought.

Came here with my bf for the opening night and I got the lemongrass marinated pork, rice noodles with mushroom broth, wok spiced vegetables, all the box toppers except the egg, and the sriracha and fish sauce.  It tasted yummy, but the noodles reminded me of spaghetti noodles and it was a kinda wet, next time I'll stick with the rice.  My bf got the six spice blend chicken, with rice, wok spiced vegetables, all the box toppers, and the sriracha and hot box it sauces.  His tasted a bit more spicy and had less meat in it.  We both felt the portion wasn't large enough to fill us.

Their lemonade was pretty good, just make sure you don't suck up the portion of the pith.  We'll be back if in the area.  Note, they missed some of my toppings, but I guess because it was the opening night?
5 - Cheryl E.: Any place that opens with:  "Welcome to the Box!" is pretty awesome in my book.  

Add to that friendly service and great food.  The concept is great:

1.  pick a grain (brown rice, jasmine rice, vegetable salad or rice noodles)
2.  pick your protein (chicken, pork, beef, tofu or shrimp)
3.  add veggies and "box toppers"
4.  add housemade sauces

We had:

1.   brown rice with garlic & soy glazed chicken, all box toppers and Asian Street Dust + Sriracha + egg
2.  rice noodles with lemongrass marinated pork, all box toppers and Asian Street Dust + Sriracha + egg
3.  spring rolls and 
4.  jungle jerky 

(note:  we may have been a bit trigger happy.  Everything was delicious and the portions were very healthy.  The team was really helpful and even gave recommendations.  Will definitely be back - the food was fresh and delightful and despite only being open for a few days the service was great too!
5 - Alan L.: A great addition to Palo Alto dining.  Quick and easy to order and you get really fresh food.  Chef Gracie makes all her own sauces and boy are they tasty.  Try the sriracha or the tamarind vinaigrette.  I liked the chicken.  Very cheap for this quality.
3 - pui-yun c.: Pretty good.  Stopped by here to pick up lunch after an errand.

In terms of toppings, they were all flavored quite well.  My rice noodles with mushroom broth on the other hand was rather bland and not quite cooked all the way. 

Will try again, but will try one of the rices next time.
5 - Guillaume R.: Can flavorful, healthy, spicy and Palo Alto be in the same sentence? I guess yes, Asian Box makes awesome to go boxes filled with flavorful veggies, rice, meats, and it's even worth the walk from downtown Palo Alto. Add to that some cool people working there and we have a winner.

Big plus for the portion size that are reasonable without being oversized.
5 - Anaelisa C.: OMG! Bomb.com
Went her today to eat lunch with some coworks. I have to say i give this place all 5 starts. Freshness, flavor and services. It was great. I am sitting her at work in love with the meal i just finished. I got the brown rice with chicken with the wok spiced veggies and the bean sprouts fresh herbs fresh lemon squeeze and the miss jones sriracha sauce. My taste buds are are having a party in my mouth. The best part is i feel full but not in a greasy way but a health perfect way. I will defiantly be coming back for more lunches here. Oh best part, everything is fresh and gluten free.
4 - Earl G.: The "Asian" Chipotle. 

...has come to a suburban strip mall near you aka the Town and Country Plaza. 
Over the years the TC plaza has transformed into a mini food mecca, I just loooove what you've done with the space! 

The menu is straightforward; pick a carb, protein, how you want your veggies cooked, sauce, and toppings. 

It's ($7-8) for a bento lunch = Bargain bite eats

I ordered lemongrass marinated pork over jasmine rice, with wok fried veggies, all the toppings (pickled veggies, peanuts, jalapenos, lime, etc) and topped it with their house sriracha. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/huHxwjbkyEf1nTam-o2BOQ?select=ppiwBuJZLhGwauYl_1oyyg)

It was sweet, savory, spicy, salty, and filling for lunch. They go skimpy with the meat, but I'd come back if I was in the area. 

Mrs G loved her six spiced chicken with brown rice and tamarind vinaigrette. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/huHxwjbkyEf1nTam-o2BOQ?select=JxDHqQMziW91Dyt2__T9Mw)

I liked their jungle jerky ($3). Soft, chewy, tender, and plump. The best home made jerky I've had in perhaps ever. I wish they would do different flavors. 
This one had some curry, cinnamon, 5 spice action going on.  (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/huHxwjbkyEf1nTam-o2BOQ?select=GNM1C5eGqqOCvwFKuwg7hw)

Notes

- MENU (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/huHxwjbkyEf1nTam-o2BOQ?select=fe14zaqxqblAgaBAM3ch-w)
- Located across from the toy store along the northernmost row. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/huHxwjbkyEf1nTam-o2BOQ?select=tL9AmUC7txu8dwvjNinDAA)
- Food took about 5 minutes from when I ordered. 
- Long communal table inside, with tables outside for al fresco dining.  
- Interior (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/huHxwjbkyEf1nTam-o2BOQ?select=gZtOe_U5Rj5ib6E8am0gwg)

Solid 3.5 star but I'll round up since their jerky was legit.
4 - Janet O.: I'll try to be very normal about my review. But pardon me if I just can't !  It's the name! Its just asking to be called out! 

Asian Box? First time my food radar picked it up was when fellow yelper Daisy T checked in a couple of times. She mans the counter here. 

Then lunch time with Teresa P came. The jokes started right away. We behaved just enough to order. I chose the Pork with Brown rice with sirachai sauce. 

While waiting I noticed that with the minimalist decor comes with only one long communal table to enjoy the meal. We opted to sit outside to savor the content of the box. 

Everything was fresh. Very flavorful and the pork was burnt on the edges and just perfectly seasoned and tender. With it I had the wok fried vegetables. Very good. Crunchy broccoli, fresh sprouts and some pink veggie. 

After tasting their excellent food I am now worried that if this place explodes and gets really busy that one long communal table is going to be the source of a crouching tiger flying dragon style of fight.

Teresa and I shared that delicious Asian box with all the pink parts and she squirted and I didn't. I mean the lemon. I was just not into lemons on my dish. ( You- yes you. What were you thinking?:)
4 - Karrot L.: Really like the customization aspect and the quality of the ingredients is really good. 

One of our lunch boxes had a moderate amount of sauce, and the other lunch box had too much sauce. The portions are somewhat inconsistent too.  Chalk that up to only being open for  a couple of weeks.  

We also had Vietnamese Ice Coffee and the flavor was excellent.

The person taking orders was very good and knowledgeable about the food.  

Yes, we will be going back!  For the price, the food is a great value.
4 - Mark N.: I live this joint. Would be inclined to give them 5 stars for the taste but I hate the music they are playing. Was going insane. Sounds like carnival music with a Tokyo twist. Anyway, the food is spectacular and amazingly fresh. Going back for sure but will sit outside until they get some better tunes.
4 - Lyn C.: Vietnamese food as a healthy alternative with nice service and accepts credit card... definitely something you can't find in ESSJ.  

I got:
Chicken
+brown rice
+wok steamed veggies
+all  toppers
+siracha on the side
+asian dust 

No tables yet? inside, but it was a nice enough day to eat outdoors.  Also, I have not figured out what was special about the asian dust but next time I'll pass and I want to try the other stuff, including the coffee.
4 - Lea F.: This place came up on my feed and got me curious. It hasn't even fully opened yet and it has a ton of good reviews already?! Wow! So I went to check it out last week. The tables weren't fully set up, they didn't have chairs yet, but the food line was long.  I just had to see what the buzz was about! 

Got myself the chilli noodles with tofu and veggies and added the Siracha sauce. Sssssoooo good!!! I really want to keep coming back here and try everything else on their menu. 

Try it out, it's a great addition to Palo Alto cuisine!
5 - Melanie H.: Yay, another great vegetarian option nearby. I had the spring rolls to start and they reminded me in flavor of items I've had in other places but now I can get the flavor closer to me, they are crunchy with a delicious dipping sauce that's both savory and sweet. My main dish was Asian salad with spicy sauce and tofu in peanut sauce, delicious. Enough food to bring home half, the ginger drink went really well with it. There's not much space to eat in, but I will probably pick up and take back to work.
Oh just one negative, unpleasant, loud music. If they play something nice at a lower level it will be a more pleasant experience.
4 - Fred T.: I am always a bit skeptical when I see "interpretations" of Vietnamese food.  Many years at SJSU eating Bahn Mi and the most excellent Vung Tau coupled with forays at Slanted Door and Le Colonial have set the bar somewhat high.

Asian Box was really good. The austere interior and to go only menu belies the complex flavors and outright tastiness of their offerings. 

My box:
Beef
Brown Rice
Wok Spiced veggies
All toppers (except the carmel egg) 
Tamarind Vinaigrette
and hot box on the side

My wife had the chicken (same as above but with the steamed veggies) and my son had just rice with beef. 

The beef in my box had a nice char but was mid rare inside (tasty) the toppers were all good and the pickles were excellent. The Tamarind Vinaigrette was off the hook. 

My only complaint was it was a bit small. Aside from that we will be back and often.
5 - elaine c.: What a great new addition to Town and Country. Fabulous food and amazing staff.
Grace is lovely and a talented chef. You have to try Asian Box.
5 - Yoav G.: I'm in NYC - craving for A box. Bring it on, I need one or two.....
5 - Andrey F.: Delicious, Fast and Healthy. I've been looking for a restaurant like this for a long time. I really like the pickled veggies and pork.
4 - Michelle K.: Asian Box was kind enough to move in across the street from campus so I decided to give it a shot. Their hours are still a bit up in the air, so the first time I stopped by they were closed. But that didn't deter me, I went back the next day (and thank goodness I did, such a great place!).

There are quite a few menu choices so you can make plenty of combinations. Since I'm a veggie (for the time being), I asked the employees what options went best with the tofu. They steered me toward the brown rice, wok spiced veggies, and peanut sauce with Asian dust. So freakin delicious.  Next time I'm going to branch out and try the rice noodles since I hear they are great as well.

I found the portion to be quite large (meaning I probably shouldn't have eaten it all at once...), but the price wasn't too outrageous. I will be going back often!
5 - amanda c.: Love asian box. The food is fresh and super tasty.

Ordered asian vege salad, chicken, wok steamed veges, all the box toppers except peanuts, caramel egg, and tamarind vinaigrette.

The wok steamed veges are really good. Carrots were cooked to perfection. Most of the time you go somewhere and you get this overcooked mushy carrot but Not at asian box! cooked perfectly.

The caramel egg is awesome too. Def get that!

The jungle jerky is super good too!. Sort of reminds me of like korean bbq jerky.

just wished it was in los gatos or something. palo alto is a bit far. if it were closer i'd eat here 3 times a week!
2 - KAR B.: I had high hopes for Asian Box - the clean, modern layout, friendly service and simple menu listing fresh ingredients all held so much promise. I am sad to say that the flavors did not deliver. I ordered the tofu over rice noodles with a variety of toppings, and it was bland meets unappealing.  I probably won't go back. I wish it weren't so.
4 - Kes D.: I like this place, but I don't -love- it.  But that may just be me.  It sort of  reminds me of a fancier version of Sunnybowl in MV-- like if that place had a baby with Chipotle.


It's sort of a mishmash of all sorts of Asian cuisine with a Vietnamese foundation, I'd say.  It has the pickled veggies of Vietnamese cuisine, but curry and sriracha from Thai cuisine, spices on meat that taste like they're from China, and a "hot box" sauce that tastes Korean. 

Their meat is fantastic-- the beef and pork both tasted fantastic, and I've heard the chicken is good too. The "asian street dust" is tasty, but I'm not sure some extra spices are worth that much? Neat selection of drinks.

Things I wish were different:
1) obvious free drinking water somewhere; self-serve would be fine.  All I saw was bottled and it wasn't obvious whether or not I could get a glass of tap water.  I was thirsty and couldn't shell out an extra $2-3 for a drink.
2) "wok spiced veggies" are not spiced-- seems like false advertising. they're just sauteed in a wok and one of my pieces of broccoli was still completely raw.
3) the tofu needs some work, I think.  It was just really chewy and the curry didn't really make up for it.  I thought it was kind of bland for a curry.

Things that are great!:
1) The people who work there are super duper nice! 
2) Their rice is very well cooked
3) The meat, as I said, is tasty
4) Their veggies are all very fresh
4 - Peter B.: I really really like this place. Been here several times, and while I've tried many of the things on their menu (e.g. pork, beef, rice noodles, etc.), I have to say that this is by far  my favorite combo:

1. White rice
2. Beef
3. Wok-spiced vegetables
4. All toppings, including the caramel egg
5. Fish sauce (on the side)

The beef is ridiculously tender and well-marinated, and the fish sauce -- which usually makes me nauseous -- was sweet and went well with my meal. I'm well aware of regressing to the mean, so I made sure to come back here several times. The food is consistently good. I just wish they had better store hours (11 AM - 7 PM). I would come here more often for dinner if they stayed open much later.  Also, I hope they adjust their servings. While current portions are filling, I wouldn't mind if the portions were a little bigger.
4 - John F.: The food is very good... I would go 5 stars, but it is a bit pricey.  

I had the chicken and it was very flavorful. All the veggies were fresh and the brown rice was good.  

It could have used 20% more chicken.
4 - Teresa P.: "Do you want to eat Asian Box?"  my Yelp friend Janet O. asks me by text.  "Um, Excuse me!?"  I replied.  The lack of the prepostion in her [mis]text made it sound more like a propositon...and lesbihonest, that's what started the onslaught of bad comments that had the two of us laughing until our bellies ached.  Well, It didn't help that we were hungry, too.

The food here is great.  I've been here several times and brought my co-workers since then if that tells you anything!  You basically build your own box by:
1) choosing your base: brown or white rice, asian veggies or rice noodles in mushroom broth
2.) then pick your protein: Chicken, Pork, Beef, Tofu or Shrimp
3.) then choose your veggies of either steamed or wok spiced
4.) then add your toppers: jalapenos, pickled veggies, crispy shallots, etc.
5.) then a sauce.  You can put all of them actually, if that's your thing.  Tamarind Vinaigrette, Sriracha, Peanut Sauce, etc.

I'm partial to the Beef (tender and with nicely charred edges) with the Asian salad with the Wok Spiced veggies and all the toppings including the caramel egg, finished off with the Tamarind Vinaigrette.  Crisp, light, refreshing but very satisfying and so pleasant to enjoy under the sun with the outdoor seating.  A very flavorful, healthful and wholesome meal under $10.  If you work in downtown PA, I suggest you walk the 'secret trail' to the Town and Country shopping center, as parking here during lunch time is nuts!  

Wholesome?  I wish I could say the same of our conversation.  I'll have to submit it to SNL as a skit with Amy Poehler and Tina Fey in an exchange of sexually charged quips ("How do you eat the pink thing?" "Just munch on it.") that would otherwise sound like normal discourse over a yummy salad if not taken out of context.

Ah, Janet - you put the O in LOL!
4 - Katie M.: If you are looking for a healthy lunch in Town & Country, it doesn't get much better than this. I tried the cilantro lime shrimp on brown rice with all of the toppers, fish sauce, and sriracha on the side.

Loved the service, the flavors, and the portion size. Nothing was too spicy or too bland, and everything seemed to be cooked perfectly. The ratios in the mix of toppers was just right.

Was a little disappointed that it only came with three shrimp for almost $9, so I will try the lemongrass pork or chicken next time (though some of my lunchmates said the pork was a little fatty). Also, I wish they offered cups for water instead of making you buy a water bottle.

Overall, a great, healthy lunch! We will definitely be back.
5 - Joseph J.: I ordered the pork with brown rice, caramelized egg, and sriracha sauce. The guy at the counter recommended that I add fish oil, which turned out to be an great addition. The box was chock-full of different elements and flavors but was really balanced. 

I was surprised to see chef Grace Nguyen (of Charles Phan's Out The Door) in the open kitchen when I was there, slicing pork and tossing veggies into my box. It may be takeout food, but the gourmet pedigree behind this place really comes through.
5 - Shashidhar D.: We had Asian Box food for lunch at office and Woo Hoo, it was such a bit hit. We ran out of food in no time. The meat was excellent, the veggies were excellent, the sauces were awesome. Unfortunately I have no clue what those individual dishes are called, I know I had chicken and tofu, the others had beef and pork and everybody loved the food. We are going to order more from Asian Box :).
5 - Lindsay S.: 100% Gluten Free!

It is so rare that I am able to walk into a restaurant and order anything I would like off of the menu.  Since learning I have celiac's disease, I am typically forced to order from a few menu items, that may not be what I would really like to eat.  However, at Asian Box, not only am I able to order anything that they have, I don't have to ask a confused sales person for information that they don't know - a situation that tends to be frustrating for both of us.

Now I know that the gluten free factor is not enough of a reason for most people to be excited about this place, but this is becoming one of my favorite places because not only do I really enjoy it, but anyone I bring with me becomes a big fan.  You get to choose the type of rice or noodles that you want, meat or vegetable to go on top, and then a range of "box toppers" and sauces to top it all off.  You can adapt it to your personal tastes and the meals are pretty reasonably priced ranging from $6.95-$8.25 (watch out for the unfiltered ginger ale though - it is delicious but it is also $3.50).  I only wish they would extend the hours.  They close at 7pm most nights which makes it difficult to grab dinner there after work.
3 - Sam L.: A.B. has a ton of potential, but at the moment it's a 3 for me. It has a great foundation for success. I am sure that over the upcoming months they will make vast improvements, and I think things can only go up from here. 

Walking in can feel a bit intimidating, and the things on the menu are certainly not self-explanatory, but the staff is very friendly and willing to explain the mysterious options. 

I ordered the long-grain jasime rice with garlic and soy glazed beef, wok spiced veggies, and all the "box toppers" except jalapeno (I am admittedly scared of spiciness hahaha). I added the caramel egg (.95 cents extra) to see what the fuss was all about, and I got a side of tamarind vinaigrette and peanut sauce (.75 cents extra). When the total came out to over $10, I really didn't want to buy a drink too. Here's the catch: NO TAP WATER. What?! The staff has literally been instructed not to serve tap water. This is something that HAS to be fixed in order for the place to exceed 3 stars in my book. It may seem extreme or petty, but I am not ashamed of my frugality! (OK, maybe just a little embarrassed.)

My order came out quickly, and I sat at the strange, lone counter seating area to eat it.  Here's another area where A.B. could really improve -- indoor seating. Their outdoor eating area looks great and will probably be a hit during the warmer summer months, but they do have the room for more seating inside, and they need to capitalize on it! 

The beef (steak!) was delicious. Although the soy glaze caused it to char (read: burn) on the edges, the beef was tender and not overcooked. I would love if they could limit the char, but overall I think the meat was great quality and delicious. I felt super healthy eating all those spiced (not spicy) veggies, and the peanut sauce was extra delicious. The tamarind vinaigrette was good, though super sweet. It would probably be best suited to shrimp, not beef. The caramel egg, on the other hand -- what's the deal? I have absolutely no idea what makes it special. It's simply not worth the extra buck!

The portion was perfect for me, and I think the dish was tasty and relatively healthy (especially if you get brown rice, unlike me haha). That said, it's a bit pricy, especially with the add-ons, and they should definitely work toward offering more indoor seating and tap water!
5 - Carla S.: 100% gluten free? Partially owned by someone who has a son with celiac?
Truth be told, I'd probably go to this restaurant just because I can order anything off the menu board.
But...the best part is that it's actually good. Great. Fantastic.
I went in and wanted everything, so I asked the nice girl, Natalie, at the counter to create a box for me based on her likes. I ended up with the brown rice and chicken, peanut sauce (so easily worth the extra .75), wok spiced veggies, scallions, the tamarin sauce, a lime squeeze, and the lovely herbs. There isn't one darn thing I'd change about it. It was amazing. The portion was a great size for me, and I'm a good eater.

I will be back. Perhaps tomorrow for lunch. See you there?

---
Dining parter, B, had the "salad" to be healthier, with the pork. She was full, but didn't turn down a few bites of my chicken! She also had the wok spiced veggies, the lime, the tamarind, and enjoyed them. Quite flavorful, I was told. (I had the same, and had already figured that out!)
---

We both had great meals, two drinks (amazing ginger ale) and were out of there (In freakin expensive palo alto) for less than 25 dollars. Pretty good considering it is an entirely gluten free facility and I didn't have to worry about anything! And our food was fantastic.

5 stars. Go - you won't regret it.
5 - Jen C.: This place is totally yummy and pretty filling, too!  I came for dinner and got the pork with wokked veggies and tamarind sauce, and it was surprisingly delicious.  The pork was perfectly charred, yet tender on the inside, and the veggies were perfectly cooked (not too soft, not too hard).  I also got a side of the lemon-lime marmalade drink (basically a fancy lemonade), which was also delicious.  The wait time was not bad, as there was only one person in front of us- I'd say less than a couple of minutes.  Anyway, it was filling, and I'm definitely going back.  We may have had a great experience because the chef/owner Grace was there, but I'm hoping not!  This place is like chipotle, but 1000% better.  I also like it more than Tava which is like the Indian chipotle.
2 - C N.: A let down. I've tried this place twice, to see if it could redeem itself. It did worse the second time around. The first time was somewhat forgivable as it was the week directly after the "grand opening", and they were still working out kinks in the ordering system.

Stars off this time around: one for accuracy, one for flavor, and the last for price.

They did not get my order right. They charged me for the caramel egg, which I did not receive. When I called to let them know (I was back in the office, lunch break over by now), they just said, "OK, so... what do you want us to do?". Well, I'm not asking you to bring me an egg, but don't be so lame about customer service responses. 

The flavor was meh... The peanut sauce was cool, which created a lukewarm creamy mess of noodles. The coconut curry of the tofu was pretty bland, all I got from it was a slight kick of spice, but otherwise no real flavor of that curry. Toppings were disappointing: not nearly enough. And the vegetables? Two enormous hunks of halfway cooked broccoli and a small pile of overcooked carrot chunks. 

Price: About $10 for an Asian take-out dish that was incomplete (as mentioned above). What a rip-off. I guess it's the only way to make money, to dupe Palo Altoans into buying mediocre Asian food at higher prices, and boxing them in eco-friendly containers. 

I will not be returning. Twice is enough to give this place a try, and both times it has disappointed.
3 - Ziyan C.: Pros: the meat itself was excellent quality. They move fast and have great customer service (even though you're supposed to wait by the counter for your food to come out, the manager saw that we were trying to save a table out on the sidewalk for our group made sure himself to note our order numbers and have them brought out to us).

Cons: many of our orders had something missing/wrong (noodles instead of rice/ they didnt' add the caramelized egg/ missing other topping). Other than the meet, there wasn't anything too fantastic about the food. Your receipt may be a little confusing - if you got ALL the toppings, it will say "topless".

Overall, I'm glad I went, but I probably won't go again.

I got the rice noodle with beef, peanut sauce, spicy stir fried veggies, and caramelized egg. The rice noodle was a little cold and stale, and it's also the thin vermicelli-like type (not the fat wide rice noodles I was imagining). My co-workers said the brown rice was good. The peanut sauce went well with the beef, which was slightly rare (they didnt' ask but I actually like it that way) and perfectly tender. The veggies were mainly steamed carrots (which were cut to very awkwardly large chunks, several of us noticed), broccoli, and fried onions (which were actually delicious). The caramelized egg seemed to be nothing more than a tea egg with a hint of sweetness (nothing special for those of us who grew up in Asian households).

I also got to try the pork, which was also tender and yummy.

One co-worker got the shrimp WITHOUT fish sauce, but couldn't quite down it because it had a really intense fish sauce flavor! I ended up eating some of her shrimp for her because I didnt' mind it, but you really shouldn't be getting a sauce that you did not order.
2 - Randy F.: **2.5 Stars**

Friendly service + clever marketing + lack of nearby ethnic options = Asian Box success as the Asian Chipotle. 

Asian Box was crowded on a weekend day and it's easy to see why.  The menu is  simple to understand, orders are made quickly, and there aren't any Asian options nearby to complete.

You choose a starch (white rice, brown rice, rice noodles or veggie salad) combine with a protein (tofu, chicken, pork, or beef) and finally choose a sauce and toppings. 

Key words like gluten-free, no oil, and healthy help make it a hit with the locals.  But for almost $8, I honestly expected more.  

The bento box is small and given its mainly starch, a more generous size would have been nice. The protein was skimpy and the little chicken present was completely charcoal burnt dry. Veggies were similarly lackluster. 

Sure, choosing your made-to-order options is fun, but I'd prefer the real deal with more protein and more flavor.  It's largely average food truck quality fare with a smart and friendly ordering system. 

Credit cards are accepted including Amex.
5 - Marit A.: This is my new favorite place! Everything I've tied so far was delicious, even the tofu... The shrimp are large and juicy, the beef is high quality and the chicken, grilled to perfection. My favorite part: the peanut sauce - sweet, sour, spicy, awesome. Busy during lunch - and there's a good reason for it!
3 - Patricia K.: Asian Box is yuppie Asian take out - something to grab and go when you are running late and have nothing prepared for dinner at home.  Like the Whole Foods grab n go section.  The food is tasty, albeit the portions are small for the price, but the gimmick is all about convenience.  This is not the place to go if you had all the time in the world and wanted to "go out for dinner" with friends or family.

That said, since we do find ourselves running late without anything ready for dinner quite often, we've put Asian Box on the rotation of take out spots.
5 - Todd W.: Like any new restaurant, there were some early hiccups. But these guys totally get it and are now clicking on all cylinders.

Fast, fresh, tasty, and seemingly healthy.
Fairly priced and properly portioned.
Each ingredient perfectly executed.
Great service, recognizing their repeat customers.

This is partly a reflection of the weak restaurant scene in Palo Alto, but Asian Box IS the best food that has hit the area this year. Keep up the great work. Your food is great!
4 - Cathy C.: We didn't make any food last week, so I had to resort to buying lunch for a few days at work. I decided to give this place a try after having a below-par experience at Some Kind of Place Korean BBQ right across the street.

Had two different lunches in 1 week:
1. long grain jasmine rice + chicken + wok tossed vegetables + all toppers (except jalapeno) + tamarind vinaigrette/peanut sauce
The food was delicious! They put a little too much sauce, though, so it got a little too salty when I got to the end of the my lunchbox...but overall, very very yummy!

2. chilled rice noodle + shrimp + wok tossed vegetables + all toppers (except jalapeno) + tamarind vinaigrette
I wanted to try something different the second time around, and this combination is very similar to Pho vermicelli. I was slightly disappointed when my box only came with 3 shrimps, but I guess it's quite a lot for the size of the lunchbox, ha ha.

I really love the food here and wouldn't mind coming back here again in the future if I ever need a lunch! =)
4 - Kevin C.: Good healthy food and FAST. Perfect for a grab' n go lunch, or you can sit outside. Well done to the team, this will become a go-to place for reliably good, tasty and healthy food.
4 - Danster L.: 3.5 stars 

Asian Box is located deep inside the Town and Country village and serves Viet and Thai takeout. I tried the steamed jasmine rice with lemongrass marinated pork with wok tossed veggies, crispy shallots, fresh herbs, peanuts, lime, and fish sauce. I also got a can of Yeo's soymilk on the side. The down side though is that the can is $1.85. So it made my inexpensive meal to $11.

The portion size was great and nicely presented in the biodegradable box. By being able to customize your order, it's what makes it different from other places that serve Asian food. Of course nothing beats Vietnamese food in San Jose but this will do if I am in the Palo Alto area. I believe the owner use to work at The Slanted Door or is a protege of the restaurant, something like that. The guys sitting near me looked like they enjoyed their meal and drinks. I gotta try the Viet iced coffee and lemon lime marmalade next time. One last thing, I kinda wish the fish sauce was on the side. The sauce was already all over the rice and meat. I believe you can request the sauce on the side. All in all, the takeout was good and simple. I like the easy ordering experience.
1 - Grant S.: Disgusting food. Dry, charred mystery meat with vinegary rice. Try Korean BBQ across the street.
4 - Namita A.: Asian Box is one of the new fresh, healthy quick food restaurants in Palo Alto, and I must say I really really liked it!  I iked it so much so that I literally just inhaled my meal! ! Its located in Town and Country so a cute little area so after your healthy meal, you can indulge in Kara's cupcakes ;)

I ordered :
Shrimp with chilled rice noodles, steamed veggies with all the toppings with the exception of the scallion oil with the fish sauce and sriracha sauce. I think the add of lemon just makes the meal so bright and delicious! 

2nd Order:
Chicken with brown rice/wok-tossed vegies and peanut sauce.  I didnt try it but it appears to also be a hit as its only been 10 minutes the dish is gone. Thanks AsianBox!!  Good stuff.

PS Love the biodegradable containers
PPS Portion size was JUST right
5 - Kyu L.: so ive been hearing a lot of chatter in regards to Asian Box...some good...some bad...the "bad" being very bad...complaints about things not tasting as they should...expensive prices...yada yada yada...

I ordered a very simple BOX for lunch...there are plenty of options at Asian Box...you basically order a carbohydrate in the form of a type of rice or noodle...then you order one of 4 or 5 proteins...then a handful of "box toppers" that you can dress up your box with (all free except for the hard boiled egg which will put you back 95 pennies)...lastly you can choose one of 6 sauces (3 of then cost 25-75 cents each)

ive realized that at Asian Box, if you dont enjoy your box, you can only blame yourself...

I mean, the way you order the box is completely up to you. If you want extra meat, you order extra meat...if you want no veggies...you order no veggies...its a very simple business model...doesnt take a rocket scientist to put together a tasty meal...

my box consisted of..

-brown rice (perfectly cooked...nutty and chewy)
-garlic and soy glazed beef (salty, but not too salty...packed with flavor and very fresh)
-passed on the free steamed/cooked veggies and went for the pickled veggies, fried shallots and lime juice, and paid for the 95 cent caramel egg
-sauce...went for the sriracha, just for some extra kick

i opted for extra meat when ordering....a lot of the complaints that i heard was that their portions of meat were a bit on the skimpy side...

ima carnivore by nature...when i order any meal, whether it be a sandwich, burrito, or house of prime rib...i always pay for extra meat...

i ended up paying for "double meat" according to my receipt...5 bucks extra, but definitely worth it...

as for the service...very friendly, and i like the "NICE BOX" they throw on after you order! also

the total bill for my box was $14. i also ordered the VC mint iced tea..."that" was overpriced at $2.95, but it tasted good and hit the spot...

pricey? could be...
tasty? yes.
quality? yes.
would i recommend? DEFINITELY.

if youre on a budget...just go to McDonalds...if you want something filling, tasty AND healthy...come by and get your BOX on!!!
4 - JM G.: Good.
3 - Ryan T.: Asian Box is one of those new, trendy food joints that the Silicon Valley hipsters demand. However, very much like the hipsters themselves, Asian Box is not nearly as fulfilling as its clever marketing and packaging would lead us to believe. 

Located in a prime location in Town & Country Village, Asian Box offers customized meal boxes of starch, protein, and veggies. Prices start in the high $7-range and can reach $10-11 depending on your choice of protein, sauce, and extras. 

I chose the long-grain Jasmine rice with chicken and topped it off with crispy shallots and a squeeze of lime. The price was ~ $8.50 because I didn't add anything extra. The employees were nice and the place was certainly organized and well-staffed, which is why I was so surprised by the time it took to receive my food. With no one in front of me, it took nearly 5 minutes for my box to arrive. Keep in mind that all of the ingredients are pre-made, including the chicken, so all the employees have to do is literally throw everything in a box. I don't know why it took so long, but stronger store organization is clearly needed.

As for the food itself... I was disappointed. The chicken was good - I liked the spices and the charcoaled skin. The crispy shallots were delightful and I highly recommend them. However, the combination of everything just tasted ordinary. I felt like I was eating a simple chicken and rice dish in a school cafeteria. It was nothing great... or even that tasty. The free vegetable addition is just a standard mix of broccoli and carrots. I ended up throwing the box away after I finished the chicken and shallots.  Overall, the most delicious part of my lunch was the overpriced can of Diet Coke that I bought to have with my meal.

Lulu's is right across the way and offers much more interesting and tasty food at  similar prices. Unless you're really in the mood for plain old protein and starch, I'd choose another place in Town & Country for lunch. 

There is indoor stool-seating at a long table in the middle of the restaurant. There are also 6 or 7 tables outside the store in the nice California sunshine. 

Accepts all major credit cards.
3 - Claire W.: Went there tonight for dinner around 7:15 pm and gladly found out they did extend their hours beyond 7 pm. The last time I went, maybe a couple months ago at 7 pm, they were just closing so I did not get to try. 

So this is basically a healthier version of asian bento box takeout place. I picked the short-grain brown rice with chicken, sprouts, pickles, fresh herbs and steamed veggies and the slightly spicy sriacha sauce. The chicken was grilled very well and kudos to the "antibiotics free", etc. But the brown rice was way under cooked and hard to chew on. That was a big disappointment if an Asian place cannot cook the rice correctly. The veggies were lacking in flavor, but they were steamed and healthier, so I just let that go. For a quick and light meal this is not a bad choice.

Oh by the way, no one working there, including the chef, was Asian though. Also the interior decor is more hip than your usual Asian hole-in-the-wall place. The owner is smart to set this up here right by Stanford. They know what appeals to the young hip Palo Alto crowds.
5 - Margaret G.: After following Asian Box on Twitter for the past few weeks, I finally made it over there to try the food.  I was impressed but then again my expectations were pretty high already given that the chef that opened the place used to work at Slanted Door in SF.  

I was greeted cheerily upon walking through the door.  I made my choices of short grain brown rice, beef, veggies, all the toppings and a mix of two sauces all to be washed down with their smooth and milky homemade Vietnamese iced coffee.  The rice was cooked perfectly, the beef was juicy and tender, the veggies were fresh and the sauces were full of flavour. 

The service was quick, the boxes, cups and eating utensils are all compostable and the portion was huge.

I definitely will make this a regular "go to" place when I get off work at the hospital.  Thanks Asian Box...now you just need to open up in San Jose too :)
5 - Daisy T.: Fresh! Fast! Fun!

It's nice to have some affordable Vietnamese food in Palo Alto! My wallet can't handle Tamarine and Three Seasons. 

I love that everything here is super fresh. They even use all natural meats. And being a completely gluten-free facility is a plus!

Everything comes out pretty fast, so you don't have to worry about getting back late from your lunch break at work.

The menu may be overwhelming at first, but it's easy after the first time ordering. I like how I get to customize my own box.

The menu is pretty simple once you look through it.

Step 1: Pick your base - Brown rice, jasmine rice, Asian vegetable salad or rice noodles

Step 2: Pick your protein (beef, pork, chicken, shrimp or tofu) and veggies (steamed or wok tossed)

Step 3: Pick your box toppers (bean sprouts, crispy shallots, chopped peanuts, fresh herbs, jalapeno, lime, pickled vegetables, scallion oil and caramel egg) and sauces (no-oil fish sauce, Miss Jones' sriracha, tamarind vinagrette, peanut sauce, HotBoxIt and Asian street dust)

1, 2, 3 and you're done!

I always try to go for the brown rice or Asian vegetable salad in an attempt to limit my glucose intake, but white rice and noodles are so yummy! =P

My personal favorites are the beef and chicken. The beef is flavorful, tender and cooked to medium rare (as it should be!). The chicken is juicy and tender. I love the bit of char on it. It really adds to the flavor.

Go for the wok tossed veggies. it's sauteed with soy sauce, lemongrass and garlic. Yum! 

Definitely try all the box toppers for your first time (unless you have a food allergy and/or don't like spicy stuff). The crispy shallots and pickled veggies are my faves. And go for the caramel egg! A great, little Vietnamese treat! I like to mix the hard-boiled egg yolk with my rice and sauce. Gives another flavor profile to my food.

As for the sauces, the tamarind vinagrette is for sure my favorite! Sweet and tangy. Mixing it with the no-oil fish sauce takes it to another level! I really like the flavor of the HotBoxIt (their hottest hot sauce), too. But that one can get a little too hot if I eat too much of it. =P

Don't forget to try one (or all three) of their homemade drinks. The iced tea is super refreshing. Lemon-lime marmalade has just the right balance of sour to sweet. And the Vietnamese iced coffee is super addicting!
4 - Cynthia D.: This is exactly the type of place Palo Alto needs!! Fresh ingredients galore! Love all the toppings.... Hello crispy shallots and fresh mint, basil, and sliced jalapeños! I'm in heaven. This will become a regular spot for me! My only criticism....lose the annoying music. Some indie rock or modern alternative tunes will elevate this joint into a hipster eatery! Food is great but overall ambience can skyrocket to awesome with better music!
4 - Chanh N.: The food is delicious but I came here a month ago and they didn't have free tap water. Instead of complaining on yelp I told the manager. He said something about water not being installed? what? 

Anyways a month later and they still don't have water. Otherwise this place is pretty unique and fresh although it's a bit expensive. The iced coffee is good.
3 - Mona W.: Interesting concept but expensive for what it is.

Want a quick meal in Palo Alto area and is sick of deli sandwiches? Asian rice box seems like a wonderful idea. Ordering is simple enough by following their 3 steps instruction. 

Step 1: Choose from Brown Rice/White Rice/Salad/Noodles
Step 2: Choose from Chicken/Pork/Beef/Tofu/Shrimp 
Step 3: Pick your toppers and sauce

Easy huh? After that you just wait patiently for your order. It shouldn't take long. There is one long communal table at the restaurant which could seat about 8-10 but most patrons ordered their box to-go. 

The pork that came with my box was tender enough. The vegetable toppers were all quite fresh. I am not sure how 'healthy' it really was as my rice was completely drenched in the sweet fish sauce. Serving was more generous than I have expected but it wasn't difficult to finish everything.

Lunch came up over $10 without any drinks or appetizers. A bit expensive for what you get. This is not Japanese bento, Chinese rice plate or Vietnamese noodle. It is just western food with some Asian ingredients. If you want something authentic, there are better options elsewhere.
1 - LiQuaio K.: horrbile!!!!!
rice noodles suck.
chicken is bad
3 - Jose F.: Very tasty! Love the food.

Sadly, very tacky "our filter broke and we cannot give you tap water" practice. Even after asking for (unfiltered) tap water they would only offer me bottled water for purchase.

Food's awesome though. Bring your Camelback :-)
5 - L P.: I work every Sunday at the spa in Town and Country village. I must admit that the highlight of my Sundays is to go to Asian Box. The food is ready fast and its always fresh. I always order the chilled noodles, beef or pork (always tender), steamed veggies and all the toppings. 

It is a little expensive but I think its worth it.
4 - Alice C.: It's a refreshing concept.  Fresh, quick, easy, healthy Asian "boxed" food.  Your choice of starch (various rices and rice noodles) or vegetable salad as your base.  Then a protein:  the beef and chicken are both very tasty.  Then there are the free add-ons (veggies, herbs, lime, scallion oil, peanuts, etc) and sauces (no oil fish sauce, sriracha, etc.).  

I'm looking forward to going back and trying the pork and shrimp, maybe with their caramel egg, which sounds intriguing.

Selection-wise, there's not much else, but if you're in the mood for fresh Asian-style (leaning toward Vietnamese) food that is light, but satisfying, this is a great spot.
4 - Marcus K.: Great tasting food, quick and easy, good concept for a restaurant/fastfood, healthy, good portions, nice price point.  Nice to have such an awesome place to grab a fast meal when you need one.
4 - Malisa D.: If you have a hard time finding this place it's on the same side as the Scott's Seafood, but down a little on the corner. 

I've heard so much about this place and decided to give it a go. I got the chilled rice noodle with shrimp, and the long grain rice with chicken... Lots of toppings to choose from, these are exactly what I put in my box:

BOX#1

1)Chilled Rice Noodles
2)Shrimp (which are pretty darn jumbo which is a major plus)
3)Wok Vegeatables (you have a choice of steamed or wok)
ADD-ONS
Fresh Jalapeno 
Chopped Peanuts
Fresh Herbs 
Fresh Lime Squeeze 
SAUCES
Hot Box It™ (Add 50¢) 
The final word in fire & flavor (FYI---this sauce is AsainBox made and is pretty delic, it's just like Sriracha, but wayyy more spicy, you don't need to use the whole container of it, trust)

For my second Box I got:

1)Long Grain Jasmine Rice
2)Chicken - SIX Spice Blend
3)Wok Tossed Veggies
ADD-ONS
Scallion Oil (which I thought was really yummy with the rice and the chicken, great combo)
Caramel Egg (Add 95¢) (it was good, but not worth 95cents... It's just a boiled egg with soysauce and prob brown sugar or something similar tasting)
Asian Street Dust™ (Add 25¢) 
A dirty blend of sweet, salt & spices (this tasted like a mixer of spices with Chinese 5 spices added somewhere with it. For those who don't know what that spice tastes like, it's sorta cinnamon inspired with other spices to give it a nice kick and goes good with chicken)

They didn't have Thai Ice Tea so I got a Vietnamese Iced Coffee

My grand total was------$22

This is why it only gets 4Stars, it's fun to choose different toppings and let your inner tastebuds take control, but the prices are a bit steep for a quick and easy concept. 

I will say, everything tasted fresh, even the veggies which is usually my biggest concern.
4 - Sean B.: Rihanna may have found love in a hopeless place. But I found noms in a surprising place. 

Generally speaking, I'm a bit of a food snob. Don't judge me. I'm a snob in a number of ways, and I'm just trying my best to be consistent. I often attempt to avoid, well, places that have cardboard boxes and "plastic" (okay, fine, potato) cutlery when I'm dining-in. I tend to like my hole-in-the-wall places to be in a dodgy part of LA, and my upscale places, well, to be in a nice part of LA. I've not been wow'ed by South Bay cuisine, and I certainly haven't eaten a lot of meals out of boxes in parking-lot adjacent patios. 

So really, I'm about the harshest critic you can find for a venue of this sort. And yet, it was good. Quite good, really. The portions were generous, the flavors were really exceptionally well created. The peanut sauce, frankly, was about the best thing I've tasted in a long time. 

It's relatively inexpensive, it's convenient, it's really tasty. I wish that it were close enough to my work that I could grab it for lunch (sadly, I work 50 miles away). Thoroughly enjoyed the meal, everyone was quite nice, and they even did well with the setting considering the limitations of, well, a shopping center.
4 - Gail M.: I love the choices. The concept is so simple but so tasty and fresh! I had the chilled rice noodles wirh chicken and veg. Yum!
4 - Cedric L.: Asian Box serves very affordable to-go boxes that are pack with Asian flavors and yummy ingredients. The menu is pretty simple: a box made of rices (you can pick from the regular suspects: white, brown, jasmine...), vegetables (steams or wok spiced), meet (chicken, beef, pork...) cook in their unique sauce, a set of add-ons (caramelized shallots, herbs, sprouts, peanuts, eggs...) and finally a sauce among 6 options.

I've got the chicken with its Six spice Mix that went along very well with the Tamarin Vinaigrette dressing. It was a great mix and got very interesting flavors. Too far from the place I live, Asian Box is definitely an option I'll consider during my next visit to Palo Alto.

Pro:
 - Efficient service from order to delivery
 - Nice tables outside
 - Affordable and generous size 
 - Eco friendly 

Cons:
 - I was told that this place is a zoo during lunch hours on weekdays, but even though the line is moving fast so this shouldn't be a big deal.

Cedric's tips:
 - You can go full vegetable by not asking for rice and meat. This will double your serving of vegetables to fill up the box ;-)
5 - Laura S.: I've eaten here only once and have already fallen in love.  The establishment is very green, (LEED materials used for building the space, composting galore, etc) and I when I asked if the coconut curry was vegetarian or vegan I found out that everything in the restaurant (besides the obvious things- meat, egg...) besides the specialty drinks from behind the counter is vegan.
When I looked at the menu ahead of time I wasn't sure if I wanted all the included items from step 3, but I followed their advice and got all of them after all.  I was worried it might be a weird combo, particularly the pickled vegetables, but everything blended really nicely.  
My box + soda can (no fountain drink sodas available) came to $9.63.  Even though I ordered along with my bf, I know exactly how much mine was because their receipts conveniently list the price per box, plus drink/extras and tax, separately.  Such a basic receipt move, but saves a lot of time if you need to figure out how much someone owes you because you spotted them : )
I hope to go back sometime soon.  It won't be during lunch time during the week though.  I made that mistake once and after circling for a space for about 20 minutes, I gave up and drove to Stanford Shopping Center instead.  If you're like me and not a regular to the PA lunch time scene, be warned of the parking nightmare at Town & Country!
4 - Christy G.: Delicious, healthy take out food, plus they have Vietnamese iced coffee that is addictively good! Definitely worth trying.
4 - Bryant C.: The food was good.  The shrimp was slightly overcooked, but the seasoning was amazing!  I could taste the hint of citrus.

The portion sizes were just right.

The staff was really friendly.

It was a little expensive for to-go food, but that's what you get in Palo Alto, I guess.
5 - Sasha N.: It's interesting to see that Asian Box has fixed a lot of their earlier problems - the orders come out quite quickly now, you can get tap water for free and I have never had the wrong ingredients in my order.

Anyway! This is good stuff, and I feel fairly qualified to comment because I'm from Australia, where close proximity to Asia means a wide variety of good, cheap Asian food. If you're used to the very generous portions you get at most fast food places, then yeah, this might feel stingy. But as a 145 pound female who gets hungry a LOT, I always feel full after eating here, my advice is if you're not sure, get the egg and you'll feel a lot more full.

The flavours are really good, though the tofu is very mild so I'd suggest pairing it with the peanut sauce, hot sauce and/or fish sauce. It probably helped that I first tried it after wandering in on a whim, so i didn't have any expectations!
3 - Elena K.: I was super excited to hear that Asian Box was opening so close to where I work and live. I popped in last weekend for a solo-lunch and was pretty disappointed.

My box was composed of the following: long grain brown rice, lime basil topped shrimp, wok tossed veggies, fresh jalapeno, bean sprouts, crispy shallots, fresh herbs, and Miss Jones' Siracha sauce. Sounds pretty bomb, right? Well, the taste was definitely great, but the portions sucked. I literally got three pieces of shrimp, a couple broccoli florets, and less than a handful of all the other add-ons. It was mostly a giant bed of rice. At least it was only $10...

Asian Box is a great concept. But honestly, I'm usually a lot hungrier than three shrimp. Maybe I just got an off serving or something,  but it wasn't worth the time or money. Just go to Whole Foods down the street and stuff your face with their prepared stuff.
2 - Kathy S.: Really wish I could give this a higher rating but the veggies were just tired and old.  The broccoli was yellowed, and the bok choy was spotted.  I don't mind paying for fresh veggies and the way to order was cool, but the quality of the output just wasn't there.
2 - M O.: I really wanted to like this place.  I have tried it 6 times (once for dinner with the kids).  Each time I have been there they have made an error on my order.  Sometimes it is a small thing like the wrong sauce, once it was putting beef on the order instead of chicken, which I don't eat.  They did give me a comp after the beef incident, which was good business.  The last time we went it was $42 for 3 "boxes" and two drinks.  A little steep for what you can stir fry at home.
3 - Melodie K.: We had a "progressive" lunch today - on purpose.  We started at Rubio's in Menlo Park @ the shopping center where we each had 2 Shrimp Verde tacos and they were as awesome as the first time we had them.  Next over to Stanford Shopping center for a wander around, and then to Town and Country to try out Asian box.

We decided to split a box and were able to decide on:  noodles, shrimp (we were in a shrimpy mood!), bean sprouts, crispy shallots, Asian Dust - when I placed the order, the girl @ the counter said that it might be a bit dry without any sauce and suggested the tamirand - ok, why not!

The shrimp was very good, decent size - 4 of them, I couldn't begin to tell you what, if anything Asian Dust is - who knows, maybe it's just a marketing tool to add an extra $0.25 to each order?!   Tamirand - it was good, but I think I would be overwhelmed by it had I been eating the whole box myself instead of splitting it.

The weak link, of all things, were the vegetables (and I use the term loosely), and this is where Asian restaurants usually shine.  First off the carrots, of which I think there were 5-6 were dice-cut and about the size of my little fingernail.  Reminded me of those awful frozen food combo of carrots, green beans and corn.  There were 2 piece of broccoli - one normal size and one teeny tiny; and 3 ribs/stems of boy choy in huge pieces.   This may account for the fact that the broccoli (big piece) was basically raw, ditto the carrots.  I'd also like to see more noodle choices - maybe some curly ramen style, a fat noodle, etc.

It was good, not great.   I would try it again if I was hungry and driving by, but I won't rush to go back.
4 - Aneesh B.: Completely agree with the "Asian Chipotle" assessment, and I do not think that is at all a bad thing.  
Been here a few times, and have enjoyed the tofu and also the pork, both with cold rice noodles. Looking forward to sampling the other proteins and starches since so far I have enjoyed the food.
Tons of add-ons, sauces, and I really love that if you "hot-box" it, the hot sauce is hot enough for a brown guy like me but also has flavor so it's not like pouring fire all over your food.
Tasty lemon-lime drink, too.  Haven't tried the other beverages but eventually will do so.  
I do agree that it's a bit pricey but you get a lot of food for the price and the flavors are there, so it's worth an extra couple bucks.
This will continue to be a steady in the lunchtime rotation.  An added bonus is the continual inspiration it provides for a neverending supply of "box" jokes.
4 - Hannah K.: I have seen this place and wanted to try it out, so I dragged a friend during our lunch (half) hour. I got the Asian salad with Shrimp and he got his with Chicken. I got the Tamarind Vinaigrette, which was on the sweeter side, but good. I don't usually get seafood at places because I am a worry wart, but it was nicely cooked (if not a little over but I, like them I am sure, like to err on the side of caution so it was all good) and the tamarind vinaigrette complimented it quite well. The waitstaff suggested the TV with the shrimp, so props to them for being on top of it. When asking for 'all the toppings' you really get a bevy of flavors, which I enjoy. I will definitely be asking for extra 'chopped peanuts' next time though because that stuff was wonderful. 


I overheard an exchange between some of the waitstaff and an angry customer and they handled it quite well. It was a very hospitable, the customer is always first kind of environment.


We tried the Jungle Jerky, which was spiced deliciously but definitely more sweet than I expected it to be. 


Overall, I got the bare bones of the Asian Box experience, whereas my friend went all out with the jerky and one of their drinks and both of our meals were under $20. Mine was 9.something and his 12.something. I wouldn't call this cheap, but then I wouldn't call anything in this part of Palo Alto cheap. 


It was fast, a nice environment, healthy and tasty. I will be going back.
3 - Monina C.: I hate to admit it, but I think I kinda like this place.  It's not the best food, but it's pretty good for what it is. Like what everyone is saying-  it's the " Asian Chipotle." I wish they had a more flexible way of ordering- like taking online orders and had more ample parking. I love the option of variant types of noodles or rice- see this is the key thing in an area like Palo Alto where people need variety. It's a great addition besides eating Mexican food and sandwiches everyday. I'm glad to see more edible options pop up. My favorite here was the chicken, and I love how they have a lil lemon grass flavored into just about anything. My usual would be to keep it simple- jasmine rice, chicken, chopped peanuts, peanut sauce, and wok tossed veggies. A suspected reason why I see someone wouldn't like this place is cause of their choices of toppings--- too much, or they just don't correlate with each other. Keep your toppings simple and see the difference! Now, the downside to this place is  parking, small location, price, and supply. Price wise- because it is a little on the high side. Supply, because the ran out of chicken for a while, and I was forced to try the pork, which I rarely eat, but it was surprisingly good too. Yum!
4 - Kevin H.: Came here for lunch with a coworker. The shops in the area are nice (you can tell its upper middle class area). This seemed like a unique place that kind of had the chipotle hipster feel to it. I wasn't sure what to expect from it but this Vietnamese place was great. You get to choose the ingredients from the menu (one from each category...noodles, meat, veggies, sauce). They put in a few ingredients that I didn't want but it was still great. Not sure if its worth 8-10 dollars but it sure was delicious. You should come at least once. They're opening in sj and millbrae.
4 - Drew P.: Quick, fresh, gluten-free, tasty and inexpensive; the world needs more restaurants like Asian Box. This is the perfect place to grab a quick bite and enjoy a few minutes sitting outside or go on your way with your little brown box. The food is flavorful and well-seasoned.

Asian Box claims to use all-natural ingredients, meaning they never cook anything that was raised with hormones, antibiotics or pesticides (which I love). They also "make all they can" from scratch and buy from local farmers "whenever possible", which are pretty non-committal claims, but I like their intentions. As takeout goes, Asian Box is a great choice and I definitely recommend it!

What to order: Asian vegetable salad with chicken, pork, shrimp or beef. Add any vegetables, toppings and sauces that sound good to you. If you're adventurous - hot box it!
4 - Jackie S.: My local, sustainably, prepared food box had:

Chilled rice noodles- good, not over-cooked

Pork- wow!!! Far exceeded my expectations. Was this pork belly? Omg- as tender and delicious as pork can get. Caramelized, and flavorful. This is premium pork, people!

I chose all box toppers- plenty of veggies, pickled veggies, my tastebuds were rejoicing.

No-oil fish sauce topping- ngoc mum. Perfect.

I will definitely return. The portions of meat were spot-on. Nice mix all around. I feel like anyone could enjoy a meal here and be satisfied, including my low-carb husband. 

I saw some shrimp pass by and they looked nicely grilled and caramelized and grilled- will try those next time.
4 - Chers S.: Delicious and healthy!! I ordered the lemongrass chicken on brown rice. You fill out a form while you wait in line; pick your rice, meat, veggies, and sauce. The ordering process is so simple! 

The ginger lemonade is delicious too. 

Can't wait to go back and try some of the other combos. I hear they're opening a Mountain View in the Fall which is much closer to me. Looking forward to it.
2 - Karen C.: Cute gimmick, mediocre food. It's like the Asian Chipotle. (Yes, I see another reviewer said that, but my husband will verify I said that exact thing about two bites into the meal.)

I had the lemongrass pork over Asian noodle salad, with wok-charred veggies, lime, bean sprouts, and tamarind vinaigrette. He has the lemongrass pork over jasmine rice with the caramel egg, Asian Street Dust (!), and bean sprouts. We shared the tofu fresh roll.

The pork was okay - not a roasted Vietnamese/Thai treatment as I hoped but perhaps a marinated pork tenderloin? The rest of my dish was good, if a bit lacking in flavor. His was okay as well, but the "Asian Street Dust" was basically a dash of Five Spice powder with some roasted sesame seeds. 

The total for both dishes, extra items, fresh roll, and two drinks was $27. That's $10 more than the same meal would have been at a Vietnamese restaurant, with half the flavor of the real thing.

Bottom line:  it was a fun thing to try once but we won't go out of our way to return.
5 - Linda L.: Tried it again, and they didn't char the meat this time! it was perfectly cooked and flavored. I hope this wasn't a fluke. It also looks like they got rid of the mushroom broth noodles and replaced it with chilled rice noodles. I like the sound of that, so I'll probably return to try it.
2 - Lusi F.: An Asian restaurant run by no Asians?  Would probably be a good lunch spot but not dinner.  The inside was smelly so everyone sat outside.  The five spice chicken didn't really have much flavor, and the rest of my food was drenched in sauce that it was so salty I couldn't really finish it.  I liked the ginger ale though!
2 - Ella M.: Luckily, I ordered takeout.  That way, I didn't gross anyone out when I had to spit out the bits of chicken bone.
5 - Prateek G.: Asian Box is an amazing concept to dissolve the myth of fast food is unhealthy. I think they got great real food, fast and healthier. I loved their spicy sauces, and amazing flavors with variety of rice, noodles etc. I would definitely go soon.
3 - Dena M.: I can't believe I tried this place again after my last experience, but I was outnumbered and pleasantly surprised by the improvement.  The meat's no longer burnt to a crisp, no longer dry and much better tasting.  Lots of fresh veggies, lots of flavors, very satisfiing.
1 - Thavy N.: I wanted to like this place, but it's just plain bad.  My food came out cold, greasy, over sauced and their so call "Asian dust" is disgusting.  I have a suggestion, how about serving actual Asian food and not this fake, disgusting garbage?
4 - Rob C.: surprisingly tasty.  not judging for authenticity of course.  in direct competition with spice kit.  better than tava if compared head to head.  had the salad with wok tossed veggies (little soft) and lemongrass pork with tamarind vinaigrette and all options.  pork was charred but not dry.  nice crispy shallots.  the vietnamese coffee here was good, better than spice kit.  like the quick grab and go.
still great and popular.  got the chicken jasmine rice this time with the fish sauce and added asian street dust.  still think the tamarind sauce is the way to go.
4 - Mary S.: Have to say, we were excited to see an Asian spin on Chipotle. 

Hubby and I ordered the 1. shrimp with asian salad +wok tossed veggies + tamarind vinaigrette + all toppings, and 2. garlic beef with jasmine rice + wok tossed veggies+spicy sryracha sauce + all toppings, and 3. the marmalade lemonade = $ 22

Growing up eating good and "budget" Asian food, the price tag was a bit hard to swallow at first. But after finishing our meal, we both think it is pretty good. It is true that it may not be the most authentic Vietnamese food, but it is definitely much healthier. It is really hard to find Vietnamese food that is not without MSG, and all the additives. 

The flavors were pretty good, and you can definitely tell they use quality ingredients. The grilled shrimps were all plump, juicy. The beef was tender and cooked really nicely. All the vegetables were crunchy, and wok tossed veggies had just the right flavor (like how my mom would cook it), and we love love loved the pickled daikons. 

Although the box meal looks deceivingly small, both of us felt full after the meal. 

The only thing we did not enjoy was the marmalade lemonade, the marmalade was a bit too bitter, and even though we appreciate the less sweet drink, the bitterness did not go well with not so sweet lemonade. We had to do something to our drink (+ moscato and peach sparkling juice) to enjoy it fully. 

That said, we may not be coming here when we crave pho noodles, but we would come back for fast and healthy Vietnamese meal.
4 - Stephanie W.: Came here for a work lunch and it was really good. I got the noodle shrimp box with all the sauces combined and it was delicious. It felt fresh and healthy and it also filled me up! The spring rolls were okay. They also did the nicest thing by letting me switch the Marmalade drink to the lemonade. The lemonade was excellent and I would highly recommend it.

**This place is inside the Country center and is hidden in the back!
3 - Jackie T.: I give Asian Box a 3.5-4 stars. I ordered the lemongrass pork with brown rice, wok tossed vegetables, all the toppings (including the caramel egg), Tamarind vinaigrette and the fish sauce and Miss Jones' Sriracha on the side.

The pork had a lot of flavor, but it's a very lean cut of meat so it's tough. I'd opt for trying the chicken or shrimp next time. I wasn't a huge fan of the vinaigrette (which I think was slightly too tart or something) and I felt like they poured too much on the dish. I did like the fish sauce a lot and the Sriracha (it's not that spicy). I originally ordered the 3 sauces on the side. The girl at the counter was nice and explained that it would be $.50 more if I got three sauces on the side but no charge if I could one sauce on top and the other two on the side. The caramel egg is basically a hardboiled egg (not a lot of taste either), but I like eggs and didn't have a problem with it. 

The wok tossed vegetables didn't do much for me (in terms of flavor) and I would order the steamed ones next time (might as well save on some of the oil). I did enjoy all the toppings, especially the crispy shallots and fresh lime wedge. 

Overall, my meal was less than $10 (no drinks) and I was actually happy with the size. To me, $10 isn't that much for quality ingredients. The ingredients tasted fresh and light. I didn't feel heavy and gross afterward. I would go back, but I'd order differently. Maybe try the Asian vegetable salad or chilled rice noodles and definitely order the fish and Sriracha sauces on the side. 

I'm glad that Palo Alto has more healthy food options!
3 - Katharine A.: I have had this place on my list for a while now and I finally got the chance to grab lunch.  It was good, albeit expensive and not as good as it could have been had I been a bit farther South (read: in San Jose).  However, this is a good option in the area for fulfilling a rice/noodle plate. 

I got the beef with everything and added a couple sauces.  The sauces really shouldn't be additions in price.  Hot Sauce, fish sauce etc should be standards when eating this type of food and it made me mad that it pushed the cost factor up for a bit of flavor. 

Service was a bit slow, even though I was there early.  I wasn't given a bag at first for my to go order which made me loose things on the way out.  Had to go back and request a bad.  Would have preferred being offered the choice up front.
4 - Fancypants J.: The name is a little regrettable..but the food we had today was great! I had the lemongrass pork as a salad. The pork was very flavorful and good quality meat. The picked daikon was really good and the crispy shallots added a nice salty crunch. Hubs had the curry tofu in a peanutty sauce over rice. We will be back to try the shrimp, which looked huge and tasty. Service was fast & friendly & restaurant was very clean inside.
1 - Ash T.: NASTY!  NASTY!  NASTY!  

This place is amazingly bad.  They should have paid me to eat here and not the other way around. No, I take that back; I wouldn't eat here even if they paid me.

Ordered the six spice chicken over brown rice with fish sauce and vegetables and assorted other accoutrement.  The sauce tasted like manufactured crap.  Panda express has better sauce.   Actually Panda Express has better everything.  I couldn't even eat this bullsh*t meal.  The "chicken" they gave must have been the scrapings from an old batch.  It looked like gristle and I got maybe two bites of meat from the plateful of fat that they served me.

Yelp needs a special super sub-par level of rating for this establishment.
2 - bruce k.: I read a negative comments about Asian Box in the Palo Alto Online website that did not sound fair, so being a little bit the contrarian type I thought I would try it for myself with my girlfriend.  We wanted to like it since it is a great idea, and physically a nice interpretation of whatever style it is ... kind of low key, low budget Spartan minimalism.

It was easy to figure out, the guy behind the counter explained the simply 1, 2, 3 in seconds, so people who are complaining about that maybe need someone to plan their meals for them so it will be easy enough for them to handle! ;-)  Seriously, that is not the problem with Asian Box.

By all rights this place should be great.  They seem to have a clean space with a lot of light, should have fresh ingredients and a new idea, but somehow the food underwhelmed me.

Did the food just look fresh and had really been sitting in the refrigerator for a while or was it just not that high-quality?  It was hard to say just what was off, but the taste was bland when I was expecting at least mild taste bud popping!

One thing that kind of was sad was how much sugar my Vietnamese coffee had in it.  I was wondering if I might have to worry if halfway through a drink it might crystalize into solid sugar and choke me to death on it.  It is just way too much by any normal taste.  They did tell me it was sweetened and even gave me a sample, but that sample did not really prepare me for that.  It seems more sugary than a milkshake or the coffee drinks you buy in the supermarket.  This drink just seems inconsistent with the whole idea of what they are trying to do?

There are lots of veggies and stuff in these, and I made sure to get veggies and non-oil stuff, but still my food ended up tasting oily.  I think physically they cut things up so small and increase the surface area so much that when they put on the dressing or contact with any oil it gets sucked up like a sponge, way too much, and it's too much oil, for me at least.  Maybe quality control can be challenging in that respect, but there is a lot of potential here.

First thing someone who owns the place should go through and eat there and see what they are doing, because it is probably at best inconsistent.

Asian Box is not cheap either.  They are fast, and they are customer oriented, it's clear they are trying, but they need to have someone with some objectivity eat their food, it's either not so hot or it is so difficult to make that the quality control is not good.

One other thing to mention is that the music on the inside is from speakers pointed down from the ceiling in the direction of the customers, and I think they do not realize how loud it from behind the counter.  The choice of music is personal, but whatever they decide to blare at us should not be ear-damaging or offensive.

I'll give Asian Box a chance to mature and try them again at some point.  If they can get it right I would really like to have a fast place that I can go quickly for this kind of food.
2 - Betty P.: As a Vietnamese girl raised on daily homecooked Vietnamese meals and who regularly cooks Vietnamese food, I'm giving this place a total "meh." The ingredients are basically all that makes this place Vietnamese, so I guess that's where the influence is coming from. The flavors are too bland and everything coming out cold didn't help, either.

Also, can I get a "say WHAT?" for calling the iced tea "VC Iced Tea"? I seriously did a double-take when I looked at the menu board and have to say that I was incredibly offended. Ok, I totally get that it could stand for venture capitalist given that Palo Alto is full of VCs, but when calling it Vietnamese-inspired food, labeling a menu item as "VC" (Viet Cong?!) should give you some pause. Did these people not have a basic history lesson or what?

Came around 11:15 AM on a regular workday to have lunch with a friend. The place was absolutely deserted, so whoop whoop for not having to wait. There's limited seating inside and a few tables outside. Very clean, fresh-looking decor.

Ordered the brown rice, tofu coconut curry, wok-tossed veggies, and all the toppings (minus the caramel egg). The guy working the counter suggested the peanut sauce and boy, did I regret it. We waited about five minutes for our order and somehow, in that time, the temperature of our food dropped to absolutely glacial. The brown rice was super soggy, the veggies were totally cold and flavorless, and the peanut sauce absolutely overwhelmed everything. It was like eating watered down, unsalted peanut butter... and this coming from a girl who eats peanut butter alone by the spoonful. The pickled veggies were fine. Everything was in a reasonable ratio.

The only redeeming quality: the real ginger ale! They sell this same stuff at the SF Ferry Building's Farmer's Market and I can never resist a bottle with the chunks of real spicy ginger. Brownie points for using sustainable packaging and utensils, but not enough to bump it up a star.

Totally not worth the $9 I dropped on this. Save your money and hit up Kirk's in the same plaza instead.
5 - Rita I.: Really,really good...l would eat here everyday if I lived closer!
It's just yummy

Get all the toppings!
5 - Micah S.: My girlfriend has celiac disease so she has to be very careful about making sure that anything she eats is 100% gluten free.  Luckily, one of her friends/coworkers is also gluten free and showed her this restaurant and we've found it to be fantastic.  It's a great little place for lunch where you can eat it there or take it to go.

The first time I went I ordered a bed of jasmin rice, 6 spice blend chicken, with all the toppings, and the tamarind vinaigrette.  I have found myself putting either lemon or lime on my veggies so the fresh squeeze lime was a fantastic add on top.  To drink I had the lemon lime marmalade and really enjoy it.  There's still a little pulp in it and the occasional seed so you know it's from scratch and they don't over sweeten it either.

We've gone back several times and have yet to be disappointed and have always been left satisfied.
5 - Sima T.: My unborn child and I have been enjoying the Box since it opened, but tonight I discovered a whole new level of awesome. I liked the coconut curry sauce on the tofu, but I don't really eat tofu. Hmmm. I asked and Chef Chad delivered - coconut curry sauce on meat! It was so delicious. Baby was kicking away. Sorted. It's not actually on the menu board that you can have the coconut curry as a sauce - but I highly recommend requesting it!
5 - Lucy F.: Finally true Asian fare that makes me feel energized, satisfied and happy.  No after taste.  I LOVE Asian Box.  It's great for a sit-down lunch, or to go.  I can't say enough about the food.  Truly special and high quality.  And they will recommend the right sauce for you.  Love the personalization, too.
5 - Patrice O.: Asian Box is one of my favorite places. I couldnt wait until they opened....and I eat out three meals a day every day. (Sorry..I live alone and I cant cook.). The food at Asian box is fresh, tasty and healthy. The choices are endless because you get to make your own box!! I'm a fan of hot sauce and their home-made one is one of the best. You must also try their cold pre-packed noodle salad near the register..the flavors are so refreshing on a hot day. I live in the city and work in Palo Alto....if I could eat here twice a day, every day I would!!  Looking forward to many more  great meals at the Asian Box.
5 - Melissa H.: We have Asian Box at least once a week in my house, sometimes twice.  Don't be intimidated if there's a line (which there almost always is) because it moves quickly and you get your food way faster than you think you will.

We absolutely love that each one of us can be as particular as we want to be when choosing our boxes.  All the ingredients are fresh & flavorful.  The grilled meats are so tasty and the beef in particular is very tender.   My 6 year old gets the beef with white rice and wok tossed veggies without any other bells & whistles.  My 11 year old has the beef with noodles, wok tossed veggies and the tamarind vinaigrette on the side.  My husband & I love the lemongrass pork with the Asian Vegetable Salad, wok tossed vegetables, all the box toppers except the Caramel Egg with Sriracha, Fish Sauce & Peanut Sauce.  Unless you really love that "so spicy I can't stop sweating and my head is soaked" experience, don't do the Hot Box.  The Sriracha is plenty hot enough.  Trust me on this one 'cause I learned the hard way.   

If your family is looking for new, delicious ways to get more vegetables into your diet, look no further.  Try the Asian Vegetable Salad as the base of your box and with all the other veggies they throw in there with the pickled vegetables and the wok tossed or steamed vegetables, there are at least 3 servings.  I never feel overstuffed when I'm done with a meal from Asian Box and I can even feel a little smug for finally eating enough vegetables, which I never seem to be able to do.

Another thing I appreciate is that the ubiquitous tip jar is missing from the counter at Asian Box, yet the staff is always very polite, kind & helpful.  So refreshing.  And all of their containers can be composted or recycled, so no need to feel guilty about that either.  Go try it and I'll see you on one of our weekly trips to the Box.
4 - Louis T.: My GF dragged me to Town and Country to shop at Athleta today and while I was waiting for her to finish, delicious smells were wafting over so I just had to check out the source ... we stumbled onto Asian Box just across the way and when we saw the gluten-free menu we had to try it.  It wasn't crowded at all and the guy behind the counter very enthusiastically and patiently explained the ordering process.  

My GF ordered the chicken with asian vegetable salad, shallots, lime squeeze, and tamarind vinaigrette.  I ordered the beef with peanut sauce, long grain jasmine rice, steamed vegetables,  shallots, and lime squeeze.  We also ordered the coconut water and real ginger drink.  Our meals were prepared very quickly (we had just sat down outside and I was about to go back inside to pick up our orders when one of staff brought our orders - great service!) and *totally* hit the spot - good cuts of beef, fresh vegetables, flavorful rice and seasonings, tender chicken, and the drinks were perfect complements to our meals.   

I gave 4 stars instead of 5 because the chicken had some sections of skin and gristle, nothing major but it would have been perfect if the chicken had been skinless and gristle-free.   Pricing is a bit high but par for the course for Palo Alto.  There is some seating inside and ample seating outside.  We liked the separate trash and recycling bins outside as well.

Our appetites were more than sated and we will *definitely* be back - Asian Box rocks!
1 - Nikki N.: I like supporting local businesses  that has great idea but I can't all the way  give 100% if they don't come through right.  It's asian food!!!  It gotta have some real serious kick to it...or if not, just tasty foods.  I got so excited coming here but unfortunately it's not worth it.  Food came really quick (maybe about 5-minute wait)--which is great but it's not hot.  Don't they know the simple rule of having the HOT food HOT & not lukewarm.  I understand that all the toppings being plated are from a warmer...that's alright when they do it right.  Maybe heat up the meat at least for a minute or two.  Or even dish out the brown rice straight from the cooker so it would come out nice and hot. The steamed veggies are okay...not overcooked (thank goodness) but its not hot.  Another thing is their pork  that it's marinated in "Lemongrass"  well, I don't even want to finish what I have to write here. They're in the business, they should know better...and cook well.   I'm not coming back.
5 - Mary P.: I asked to be taken here when friends offered to take me anywhere for a birthday lunch.  The four of us ate different combinations, we all the appreciated the  flavor & freshness.  Everyone has been back since with a family member. The host was friendly and we enjoyed a great outdoor, summer lunch. Bravo!
4 - Heather O.: I feel like its a bit overpriced but the beef here is excellent.  I've tried several different combos and I haven't had a bad meal yet.  Their veggies and their noodles are better than their rice in my humble opinion and the palo alto high kids which swarm around noon can be a real treat.  I tried their lemon lime drink and it wasn't my favorite- but again the beef is a great dish!
4 - J M.: Looks like a hit or miss place from these reviews, but I have to say I'm a fan.

I think the problem is that most of the individual components are slightly underwhelming -- I usually get the Asian veggie salad instead of rice or noodles, the fairly tasty wok tossed veggies, one of the meats, all the toppings, and the sriracha sauce.  None of the items by themselves are all that great (in fact, the asian veggie salad seems nothing more than just a bunch of raw-ish cabbage until you look a little deeper and see the pickled daikon, beansprouts, carrots and more!)

But I really think the overall combination is pretty darn tasty, and that's all I'm after for a good, healthy lunch with fairly high quality ingredients.

I'd actually give it five stars if not for the price, which I think is probably about 10-15% too overpriced, but I guess it's Palo Alto!

Try it!
4 - Kevin H.: This place is great for vegetarians! Yummy and convenient. You order in three layers:

(Layer 1) I usually get the Asian veggie salad base, but brown and white rice are also options.

(Layer 2) The tofu mixed with wok-tossed vegetables are the mainstay of the meal. I've only gotten wok-tossed, as opposed to steamed, because I heard this was tastier.

(Layer 3) Get all of the veggies on top of that -- everything ranging from beansprouts to herbs -- and it makes a complete meal. (I've tried both tamarind sauce and "Asian dust" spices to season, both of which were good).

The substantial box was flavorful and filling, and really does remind you of street food. (I dropped by after finding out the food truck rally was closed, and it still definitely hit the spot). The price of the veggie box is less than the meat options, which I thought was decent of the restaurant.

Overall, relatively inexpensive (~$7), quick and delicious. Good call for an easy dinner!
3 - Nicole W.: I expected more from a Charles Phan protégée.  Decent rice bowls. Not a fan of the sauces.
5 - Helen C.: I went there for lunch with some co-workers and I would have to say that the ingredients are extremely fresh, organic, and gluten-free.  When you get there, you would grab a piece of a paper with all the options that you select for your order. 

My typical order:
1. Asian Vegetable Salad
2. Shrimp - Lime Basil
3. Steamed. 
    Box toppers: Fresh jalapeno, bean sprouts, crispy shallots, fresh herbs, pickled vegetables, and fresh lime squeeze.
   Sauces: No-oil fish sauce, Hot Bot it, Miss Jones' Srircha

Once you reach the cash register, you hand them the order that you filled out and pay.  Wait and your food will be called for pick up by number.

It was absolutely delicious.  Great for those on no-carb or paleo dieters. This was like eating at home but without the hassle of making it yourself.    You could control what went into your food (piece of mind i tell ya). Its like having someone cook for you by your exact instructions.

There are also a great variety of proteins: six spice chicken, lemon grass pork, garlic soy beef, lime basil shrimp, and coconut curry tofu (so it caters to vegetarians as well).  I tend to change it up.


It can be pricey because each order will run you about  $10-$14, depending on what you select and if you want double meat and the delicious caramel egg (95¢, which is worth it for more protein).  I would pay to have quality fresh ingredients.l

I would definitely recommend eating here.  I suggest that you go early because the line can get quiet long but it moves pretty fast.
1 - Janie W.: Quite disappointed.  Everything looked clean and organized from the counter. A 1-2-3 easy to order, easy to carry out meal. I ordered chicken, rice with spices, stir fry veggies and sprouts.  Well, the "chicken" turned out to be 90% fried chicken skin and the rest was tiny portions of pinkish (barely cooked) meat.  (I guess legally they can argue that they serve chicken because some people eat the skin. However, this was an inedible meal for me). After removing the rubbery, spice-coated skins and undercooked meat, I was left with white rice, brocoli and carrot slices. It tasted like a bland microwaveable frozen vegetable mix. Too bad, I such high hopes for this place.
5 - Jacqueline N.: Love the variety! No matter what combo you create, it's always so refreshingly good! It's perfect for me, since I always like to try new things/combos.
4 - Janet H.: Asian box = Chipotle restaurant, but Asian-styled!

I loved the variety here and of course, the sauces they have! My fav is the vinagrette. Even though I am absolutely in love with Sriracha, their house Sriracha sauce tasted pretty sour to me... not a fan. If this is your first time here, ask for the sauce on the side and they'll put them in souffle cups!

Otherwise, I love the veggies and toppings they add into the box. I wish they could've put a little more meat in there, though. Can't wait to come back when I'm in the Palo Alto area!
2 - Z K.: Chicken is skin-on and I don't care for the seasoning. Brown rice is so-so. Today I ordered a tofu dish, which was okay. The curry sauce was well done, but the tofu was overdone. Did not have the same problem with the shrimp dish we also ordered, because the shrimp wasn't cooked fully (raw) and not deveined. Called to let them know, and they refunded part of the bill. Still, won't go again....Quick tip if you get carry-out: open your car windows! The scent sticks fast and lingers.
4 - Lido L.: My husband and I really enjoyed this place. While I like Asian food, I am not a fan of the Pei Wei style of heavy fast-food Asian. This place is totally different and much lighter in style, which totally suited me. I had the tofu with steamed veggies and tamarind vinaigrette and all the extras. Really delicious. I would totally order that combo again. Quite spicy in a good way, and light but flavorful. And fast...I was on my way to the airport. My husband really liked the peanut sauce. Only quibble...they were going to charge a dollar for an iced tea refilll, although in the end, they gave it to me. Iced tea should come with a refill! Try it. Nice new concept for Asian food.
5 - Q N.: Need to bring this to Houston. I was surprise how authentic the flavors are even though it's modern Vietnamese. When you are eating you know you are eating Vietnamese.  I had the chef do me a sample of all the meats in my box minus the shrimp.  First off, this is what Asian Box does right better than any where else. They don't pre-slice your meats. They only cook small amounts of meats at a time. This leaves you perfect juicy, the most tender meats, especially the chicken.  The beef was medium rare in the middle. Where can you get medium rare steak in a fast food joint? Amazing. All of the protein were packed with flavor.  I saw boxes with shrimp and let me tell you, they don't skimp on the shrimp. You get 4 huge shrimps. The kind of shrimp you would get if you were in a 5 star fancy place and order a $20 shrimp cocktail.  They don't eve use this big of a shrimp at the Wynn buffet in Vegas.

My suggestion, what ever protein you get, get all the free toppers and free sauces, it all works well together. Add the Carmel egg, it's not sweet it's more savory. Get a side of the street dust in a cup and dip your food in that. I wanted to snort it like was lines of coke, it was that good!  Put that shit in a jar and sell that to me for $6 bucks.

Don't get the steam vegs, get wok tossed.  They purposely do not flavor steamed vegs  for those health cautious California hippies.  And they don't do white chicken breast, because white meat sucks. And they leave the skin on yeah baby!  In Vietnam they save the white meat for the G.I.s

Simply amazing. I can see myself eating here 2-3 times a week.
4 - Allen C.: My stream of thought when trying this place:  "New-age sensibility in my Southeast Asian food?  Why, that's positively ridic.....*munch munch munch*...hmmm, this is actually pretty good."   

It's Asian fast food, your way.  If you're gluten-free, no problem!  Vegetarian?  No problem!   Short on cash?  Ehhhh probably not the best idea.   While Asian Box does give you a large amount of flexibility in customizing your box, it definitely takes a bite out of your wallet for the amount of food you get.  It's tasty, no doubt, but you're essentially paying the same price you would in those sit-down Thai/Viet restaurants during lunchtime.  The interior and decor are clean, modern, and minimalist, with lots of burnished steel, but the poor lighting and lack of ambiance are sort of depressing.  You're better off sitting outside on the patio, where it feels less claustrophobic.  

Cashier service was quick and efficient, and they seem to be pretty eco-friendly to boot.  I'm feeling positive about Asian Box overall, but the prices might keep me away for awhile.
2 - L.C. A.: I think this is a situation where too much choice ruins your meal.  You can pick from a whole assortment of sauces, spices, toppings, etc... but it may not turn out so well.  I guess if you experimented enough you could find the right combination of food, but in the meantime what you pick may not be that tasty.  Also, they use compostable tableware which is commendable but it's not that sturdy... they should probably consider switching to a better supplier.
3 - Erin J.: Having a really hard time deciding on my rating for Asian Box.  It really is exactly 3.5 stars.  Not 3 and not as good as a 4.  

PROS:
-good place to get asian take out
-quality and flavor of the food is very good (better than most take out places)
-lots of good choices for sauces and meat

CONS:
-I've been a few times and I've had varying amounts of food in my box.  Once it was enough, another time, the staff member skimped on my rice and meat and I certainly was left hungry
-price is a bit high for take out since this is not really a restaurant (there is only one communal table to sit at, plus some chairs and tables outside)

All in all, good option to get some good food really quickly!
3 - pamela f.: From the minute the sign went up announcing the imminent arrival of Asian Box, I was drooling with anticipation. Since then I've developed an out-and-out addiction to the stuff (once I had it twice in the same week!) All the meats I've tried are great, but I'm particularly fond of the pork, with it's delightful texture. I love all the box toppings, but only rarely indulge in the caramel egg - though it is quite delicious. The brown rice is al dente, and nutty as it should be; not at all over steamed, which it might well have been in less capable hands. 

My quibble; they sometimes get carried away with the sauces, occasionally resulting in my pork and brown rice inundated in the excellent, but salty no-oil fish sauce. Guess I'll have to start asking for the sauce on the side, and experimenting with the balance on my own. 

Also, Town and Country shopping center is a royal pain to get into and out of at all but the most off-off hours. Wish somebody would rethink the traffic lights there.

Asian Food Center of Princeton - Plainsboro, NJ (40.32761, -74.5754303) ()
5 - Vi V.: This is a VERY BIG asian grocery store. So much bigger and cleaner than the ones in New York. Has lots of produce, frozen food, cooking sauces, snacks, any Asian grocery item you want.

They also have a chinese bakery in here.

Things are very orderly and the store is so very clean. I am very impressed with how many different types of dumplings they have....

The people are so friendly too! once i absent-mindedly pushed my cart into a tower of Hoisin sauces and broke at least half a dozen bottles. I was ready to pay for the damage but the employee there just kept urging me to walk away. he was like "Go! Go!" (in chinese) I felt really shitty for what I did and was fully prepared to take responsibility.

And since they let me off just like that, I am giving them 5 stars! (i;d give a sixth if I could!) =)
5 - Jason D.: No lemongrass at Wegmans. No lemongrass at Whole Paycheck. [Jason scratches head]

On to Yelp to search for Asian Grocery. Here it is... and WOW, WOW, WOW. What a pleasure to find a market like this, with an extraordinary produce section, every type of noodle you can imagine, and even a bakery that has my favorite, the *baked* (not steamed) BBQ pork buns. And all at reasonable prices - a bunch of beautiful, fresh basil was $2.49 - paid $5 for a smaller, sadder amount the day before at Whole Foods. Fragrant pears on sale, 4 for 99 cents. Pork buns were $0.70 each. Bargains all.

If you're having trouble finding what you're looking for, the employees are really helpful. One of the coolest things about the store is that they carry Asian cooking supplies as well (mortar and pestle, woks, etc.) at a reasonable price.

This is *the* place for your Asian cooking needs in Central NJ.
4 - Leo T.: This is the best Chinese super market in the central Jersey area in my opinion.  Everything is organized nicely, with a wide selection of fresh produces, dry goods, and frozen items.  The bakery has a good selection of Asian buns and sweets, and the cooked food selection is also fresh and tasty!
4 - R L.: This market has a good variety of items to purchase, fresh vegetables, live fish & lobsters, hot food which I find delicious and plentiful for the price and it comes with a soup but if you are used to the Americanized Chinese food, then this is no for you.
The bakery has a good selection of Asian cakes & pastries & freshly steamed buns.

Some of the prices on their groceries are a little high in comparison to other Asian markets but overall, it a convenient place to purchase fresh items.
4 - Jim D.: I've been going to this massive market for a few years now and I can honestly say that it's ranks up there with the best of 'em.  Huge selection of everything standard to exotic. Produce, seafood, meats, poultry, spices, sauces, etc.  They also have quite an impressive selection of dumplings and noodles.  Nong Shim Neoguri spicy seafood (noodles) are $13 for an entire case!?!  That's a sick price.  I bought the last box.  Eat it!

If you need it, they probably have it and in a clean, well-organized  environment.  Asian markets are notoriously known to be downright disgusting and messy but it's really clean here.  That typical Asian market odor, however, is inescapable.  Tant pis.

Prices are very reasonable. Some items are a little more pricy but look around.  They probably have three or four other comparable items priced for even less.   Don't forget to check out the bakery section for some seriously delicious goodies.  Can you say BBQ pork buns?!
2 - C S.: I lose all sense of things when I get into an Asian grocer.  Screw the local food, avoidance of nitrates & colours...

As others have said, this place is clean.  And it has everything.
Organic specialty mushrooms: 3-3.5oz packs for $4.50
Durian Extract: $1.20 (not allowed to be opened in the house; there's also fresh durian)
Nougat--all shapes, sizes, and packets.  I had to run away from this aisle as I've been known to be a nougat fiend.
Chinese sweet sausage: at least 15 varieties
Buns: I only bought pork versions: 2 different frozen packages, 1 refrigerated, 1 fresh
Pho cubes (including a vegetarian version)
Sardines in tomato sauce (NOT hot sauce)
Dried anchovies--bags of 1.5" pieces on up
Flounder filets: $3.50/lb
Shrimp chips, at least 5 varieties
Plastic pickle jars filled with single-servings of jello
Fish tanks
Frozen udon noodles
Vermont Curry
Every size of squid and octopus one can think of
and it goes on and on

I'm definitely heading back, and hopefully will find a cleaver on my return visit.  This place is great--and clean!  It's about 1/3 the size of Great Wall, but that place is the size of an Ikea.

Edit: 7/20/09
Make sure you look at the items before purchasing.  There was a display in the front with giant bags of dried cuttlefish for $5, so I got one.  After opening the bag, I noticed that there was fuzzy blue-green mold throughout the bag.

Edit:7/22/09: I dinged them another star.  I was searching for a bamboo steamer, and next to the steamers was a container of buns and someone's leftover coffee.  One bun had green mold, another red, another blue.  No joke.  I won't be buying anything fresh from here.  On a different note, you can get whole suckling pig for $170 and roasted ducks and chickens, but the mold thing will prevent me from getting anything not sealed (and as written earlier, even that doesn't mean anything).  Sad.  Oh, and no cleavers.
3 - funda k.: Prices are good. Especially for dried goods (rice, beans, etc.) Produce prices can be good, but be careful about the freshness. Lots of Asian snacks, and excellent frozen food section (lots of dumplings, lots of mochi). 
But the smell of this store is not for the weak at heart. It gets especially bad in summer. It's still pretty unacceptable in winter though. But yeah, breath through the mouth, target the product, pay fast, go.
2 - May M.: The only reason why I drove up here was I was looking for asian supermarket and unfortunately, this is the only one in the county. People here don't speak English very well and not very helpful and the easy way out from their labor is that they say, "I don't know nothing."  The cashier rung up my products and I told her the price came out incorrectly and she nonchalantly said, "I have no time for this. I'm busy!" Duh, I'm your customer that keeps you busy. Although, the grocery is located in a new strip mall - very nice area but I was even more disappointed that the store doesn't carry variety of groceries.
3 - Hartej S.: It's great for Malaysian, Singaporean, Chinese food supplies. As well as fresh produce and milk. It's my GO TO spot to get my extra large Sriracha Sauce bottle! 

Downside: Most of the employees literally don't speak a word of english.
3 - Yining H.: Not as great or cheap as the Great Wall supermarket, but since it is so close to home, I usually come here to pick up groceries I need in a hurry. Stay away from the meat, although the fish is okay, just as long as you buy the live fish, they'll butcher it on the spot.
3 - Danan R.: A decent supermarket but the prepared foods section is limited and not as extensive as Kam Man's in Edison.  They have a lot of swiss rolls but not a good selection of decorated cakes.  Prices are decent but the selection is not the best in the area.
2 - Tira M.: Everything looks great as you shop here. The price, not bad, may be cheaper if you compare to some American markets. BUT look for expiration dates on those packaged food, snacks, noodles, and sauces!!!!!! Look again!!!!!!
I bought a bag of Taiwanese peanut bars   (had it before from elsewhere) and was about the enjoy it when i got into the car, that thing was so hard, I thought it was a rock!!!! I then look at the package, this expired more than a year ago! I bought it back, the manager said, and I quote "Taiwan is very far away, so it took a while to get here." such BS!!! Won't give me money back, only store credit!!! From that day forward, I always check expiration date when purchasing here, and have found some expired items!!!
I will continue shopping here as long as I still living in this town, but just be careful!!!
4 - A. B.: Yes, your exhilaration at the variety of the canned beverage section may be tempered somewhat by a glance at the expiration dates, but this a great place for browsing and a decent place for shopping.

I'd say the best part is the prepared food section. Two entrees and rice are an improbable $5.25; in this section I've sampled spicy pork, spicy chicken and three cups chicken. I also enjoyed the ribs from the meat section that also includes roast pork, duck and chicken.
3 - Jenn C.: I usually run in and out.The place seems clean, so I'm not sure where that aroma is coming from. Can't even describe it. Produce is fresh and doesn't go bad quickly. Bakery is best on Fridays.The little custard pies are awesome. The doughy square white bread makes the best grilled cheese. I've walked by the prepared food section,but just couldn't bring myself to try anything. The smell is a real deterrent.
3 - Lindsey A.: Not bad if you stick to produce and basics.  The produce is really cheap and overall very good although most stuff needs to be eaten right away.  Same thing goes for the meats and fish: I'd only get stuff I was going to cook that same day and it usually turns out fine.  I've noticed their pork is really strong smelling if you keep it for more than a day without cooking.  The fish quality is generally pretty good but sometimes the stench is overwhelming.  

As others have noted absolutely check expiration dates on the packaged products.
The service is pretty terrible overall, as well.  Surly doesn't begin to describe it.  But if you don't mind that, decent deals on produce and meats/fish.
1 - M L.: This place is GROSS!! I got some brown rice from the bulk section there about a month ago. A few weeks later I found worms crawling all over the cabinet where the rice was stored. It didn't take me long to figure out where the worms were coming from because the rice bag was basically brimming with them. I threw away all the food from that cabinet, cleaned it out, and sprayed it with repellent. 

It all seemed good for a while, until a few of days ago, when I started finding moths in that same cabinet every single day. Apparently, a few worms managed to escape and are now turning into moths. And all this is happening In my kitchen, right next to my food!! I can't even describe how disgusting this whole experience has been. 

Please do not shop there, they obviously do not follow any sanitary rules. And even if you do, by all means, stay away from the bulk section. It is gross!!!

I will never set my foot in that store again. I wish I could give them zero stars.

Asian Fusion - College Park, MD (38.9959288, -76.9315126) ()
4 - Swatee G.: New place in College Park, MD . Located inside the Clarion Inn in College Park, right  near the University of Maryland. Kinda easy to miss, since they have nothing but a banner announcing their presence in the motel..! The restaurant itself is a branch of Asian Fusion in Ashburn, VA. 

The decor is a hastily put together affair and not very inviting, but trust me the food makes up fir it! Indian style Chinese food. Indian people will love it!  It is NOT your typical American Chinese food that tends to be insipid and bland.We are talking bold flavor profiles here people!

They are still in the fledgling stages, so the servers are not very knowledgeable, the place does not look great, and service isn't really the best.

Word of advice, shut your mind out to everything, just enjoy the food. It is not a very pricey place either.

The Drums of heaven.. they rock! Big legs of chicken, succulent meat, garlic flavored sauce.. yum! 

Paneer chilli dry,dry veggie Manchurian- both rock!

Their specialty is the Fish in Chilli Sauce. I almost want to say it is the best I have ever had! 

And oh, do not forget the Chinese bhel.. yum yumyum!

So that was appetizers. As far as the main course goes, it is big portions of decent food.  I am not completely sold on any one entrée dish, all are good.The fried rice, lo-mien.. all are good.. though not outstanding.

All in all, great place for Indo- Chinese food. I would come back.. just for the appetizers! :)
5 - Pamela B.: I've dined here multiple times, and have yet to have a bad experience! I try something new every time I come and have honestly loved it all. The flavors are great and the pricing is beyond reasonable. The staff is friendly and the restaurant is newly renovated. The portion sizes are huge-- big enough for me to split it into two or even three meals. The servers are friendly enough, but the food is what will keep you coming back! If you want a fun night out, eat there for dinner on a Thursday night & stay for the karaoke! Always good times.
1 - Derek I.: College Park, MD really has the worst selection of food---seriously! After eating here, I felt bad since I took my students who were visiting me here for lunch---now I ruined their experience of the food-Mecca that is College Park.

The "Fusion" really did not work and calling some of this food "authentic" is debatable. I really don't think some of the people before me ever had good or even decent Chinese food. Not, saying I am an expert but my time in CA has provided me with a variety of good and bad Chinese food experiences.

I had the "Asian Fusion Beef Special" that was not special at all---it was straight up bland. Even though it was supposed to have the "Asian Fusion" of flavors, I could not tell what I was tasting--just a mixture of nothingness.  Same with our appetizer, the Chinese Bhel---a blend of cabbage, carrots, onions and crispy noodles, which was Blah! At least the portion was a good size and I took some home though I threw it out since I really didn't like it and didn't want to force myself to have another disappointing eating experience.
4 - Sidhartha P.: For someone who has doted on  authentic Indo-Chinese Tangda style (region in Kolkatta, India where the Chinese immigrated long ago and adapted this cuisine to suit Indian tastes) growing up back home in India, this appears to be a decent Indo-Chinese restaurant in Maryland. Finally no more driving up to Nanking, Moghul Express or the latest awesome - Calcutta Chinese in NJ. 

My Four Star = Delicious Indo-Chinese Food + Very cheap prices...I took out 1 star for not a very thrilling ambiance and location. However If they mess around with their quality and prices in future, I wont hesitate to leave another review on the same. 

Was reading the review of a fellow Yelper who suggested they have Asian Fusion Beef special. That is completely not true...I have been to that place several times and infact I went there again after reading the review of this gentlemen but as I knew they don't carry any beef items...

Anyways I like the Indo-Chinese dishes here a lot especially the American Chopseuy that is a rare recipe in any Indo-Chinese joints in USA. I ended up asking the owner how was this dish so similar to the ones we have tried back home such as the ones at Crazy Noodles in Delhi  and I was very impressed to find they sent their chefs to India for 6 months to get trained at the best hotels there.  

Their chilli chicken is very good and even better if you request it be coated with corn flour/starch. I wish they start serving that dish always coated and fried in corn flour but the dish that stands out for me and beats the rest of the competition such as Calcutta Chinese and Nanking is their Vegetable Hakka Noodles. Their appetizers are loaded with some really palatable items such as Crispy Chilli Manchurian. Always try their Sweet Corn Soup which my wife absolutely loves from her experiences in India. The soup is good but could be better if they serve with a thicker stock - the ones we get back home. 

All in all, this one seems to be a winner for me.
5 - Chrissy R.: I have eaten in the restaurant a couple of times, and the food has always been great. I'm partial to the Thai Red Curry (chicken), but everything I've tried has been very good. The staff is friendly and helpful. We ordered carry out for my company's holiday party, and everyone loved it. The portions are generous, and the prices are reasonable, especially for the lunch specials.
4 - Kevin L.: Just finished my first visit, and like another reviewer, I have had tons of this type of food, and from authentic sources. The food here is very good, and well prepared. Tried the Red Thai Curry, and asked for medium. Next time I will try hot. The egg drop soup was different and extremely good. Pleasant surprise to be asked if I wanted more. Luckily I said no.  My meal was a large bowl of curry, rice, and egg roll.  The curry was excellent, and of course I ate too much.  The price for this and ice tea?  $7.95.  Can't beat it for a good meal!
3 - Judd L.: FLUFFY YELLOW SAFFRON FRIED RICE

Lunch specials are offered Monday through Friday from 11AM to 3PM  Everything is under $10 which includes soup or soda with refills.  Nobody says it's absolutely Chinese, Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian.  However it is certainly Indian influenced. Just wait to see who serves you. In fact the fine fella Sarwass is not even Indian, he's Nepalese.

One of us ordered the Pad Thai with shrimp and I had the stir fry lamb with brown Hunan sauce. Both lunch specials came with a vegetable egg roll. The other opted for the soup of the day which happened to be egg drop soup and I asked for root beer soda.  I later switched to Coke a Cola after not liking the root beer flavor and the lack of carbonation.

Both dishes were prepared medium in spiciness and were essentially close to what I had expected. The Pad Thai was a good portion and packed with lots of tiny shrimps but lacked any taste of tumeric sourness.  As for the Hunan lamb in a bowl of brown gravy, well the cut and grade of the meat was perhaps really meant for a bowl of stew.  Unfortunately it took away from what could have been a decent meal.  Not to forget, the fluffy yellow saffron fried rice was a nice change from the usual fried rice.

This restaurant definitely has it 's niche market with the Clarion Inn guests, Indians, and Pakistanis.
2 - Michael B.: Takeout chicken on a stick, chicken pad thai, chicken fried rice, and a coke. The chicken on a stick was flavorless, tiny and dry as a bone. The rest of the food was way too spicy for what it was. Delivery took 1.5 hours and they forgot the soda. We will not be using them again.
5 - Sam H.: I mostly don't like to write a review, unless it's really justified by the place. This is the best Indian Chinese joint that I ever had in my life after coming to US. I always loved Indian Chinese food my whole life, and  in India was a frequent eater of it. The authentic quality of Indian Chines food at this place reminded me of my good days back in India.

I am a vegetarian and one of my friend mentioned about this place. (This place has tons of offering for non-vegetarians too). So on our anniversary, we thought of going there with our small son. The manager/owner was very humble. He knows how to serve his customer, and make them happy. It was Sunday, and in buffet they didn't have "Gobhi Manchurian" (Fried cauliflower florets coated in flour, sauteed in spicy brown sauce). 

When I told Danny Kuselan manager/owner that I came here to eat Gobhi Manchurian, he got it specially made for us. taste was really awesome. On the top of that he didn't charge for that. Also veg Manchurian was terrific too. Though Indian food was authentic and good too, but we didn't go there to eat Indian food there.

In dessert, GulabJamun were out of the world, and specially "double ka meetha" (Goanese sweet dish) was very good too. Also there were three shakes. I liked the mango shake the most.

My wife loved noodles.The bullet naan was very good too. There are so many things that you will like when you go there. 

Please not that, at this time, the buffet is only on weekend.  But I urge you to try it as soon as possible. Also I can assure that I will be their life time customer
5 - Candice H.: I must be going on good days...after seeing some of these reviews. I've only gone on Thursdays and Saturdays to this place but I love the food. I usually get chicken dishes which are superb... my favorite is the szechuan meatballs...So good!
3 - Jesse B.: Ordered delivery from Foodler, and it came within 30 minutes. Very good service.

Vegetable Spring Roll - Quite good, fresh fried and a nice hint of curry.

Steamed Chicken Dumplings - Fantastic. The best steamed dumplings I've ever had in this area, and I've tried them all. Fluffy and really nice flavor. Smooth filling with no gristle. Side sauce was average but good.

Thai Basil Chicken - Not bad, but mostly just barbecue flavored sweet sauce. Sweet onions and nicely-cooked chicken pieces were good.

Pad Thai Chicken - WAY too spicy. My wife, who enjoys moderately spicy food, could not get more than a few bites in before leaving the table to recover. She said she couldn't taste anything but heat from the mass of chili flakes throughout the dish. She loves Pad Thai and was very disappointed that it was not edible. I tried several bites and it took about 10 minutes to regain any sense of taste. I'd comment on the flavor of the dish but it was overwhelmed by heat in a dish that at most places doesn't have much spiciness. Very unfortunate.

Overall it was okay. I wouldn't get the Pad Thai again unless I felt like challenging myself to a spicy food competition, and I wouldn't get the Thai Basil Chicken unless I felt like sweet asian barbecue. But the spring rolls and dumplings were great and I'll order again to see if maybe we just got a couple of things on the menu that weren't to our taste. There's certainly potential there.
1 - anon h.: An hour and half later and I'm still waiting for my food.
4 - Puneet M.: Asian Fusion... what a true but totally broad name!! 

First off Asian Fusion is located in a the Clarion Hotel near college park so the first time we went, it was hard to find, but if you you can search for Clarion Hotel if you can not find Asian Fusion. 

When you first walk in, you think oh man not another crappy eatery in a hotel, but once you look at the menu you wonder what DON'T they have on the menu! They basically offer all varities of food and they make them all pretty good. French fries, check! Indo-Chinese Food check!, Asian food check!, Thai food check!, American food check!! I know what you thinking, how in the world can a place make all the type food and still make it well... unfortunately i do not have answer just the solution (Asian Fusion).

 My better half and I have been here at least 3 times now, and each time we have ordered a differant array of food, and they have passed the test each time. My favorties are the Gen. Tso chicken and the Thai meals, the chicken is done well with alot of flavor, the only downside is sometimes they have give you too much sauce! but they give you alot of chicken but the extra sauce comes in handy when you re-heat it the next day!!

The Misses always gets their Indo-Chinese meals (Gobi Machurian, Veggie Machurian, Munchow Soup) All three are killer, but we always ask for extra crispy. :) :) I am not a huge fan of soups, but their Munchow soup is spot on, tangy,spicey, and served nice and hot (word to the wise they offer bowls and cups, their cup is the size of some other places bowls)

So as you can read, the food is good to great, and the service is pretty good too. Not 5 star, but nothing that would ever stop me from going there. They are polite and they listen to your order and they are always around to ask you for drinks or anything else. Lastly, they ask your spice level which is nice when you have people who are on different ends of the spectrum. 

Overall, 4 stars for Asian Fusion, the place the has everything on the menu and they do it all pretty darn well!! (I would be surprised if one came here and couldn't find something on the menu) 

I would highly recommend Asian Fusion for anyone! So grab your french fries with your chopsticks and lets eat!! Cheers Mates!

Asian Legend - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2777274, -83.7426171) ()
4 - Nupur L.: Asian Legend has the tastiest Chinese and Taiwanese food around campus. I went twice in two days and took my parents on graduation weekend-that's how much I like it. Vegetarians should have  a lot to be happy about, as they make superb Szechuan tofu, tofu with basil and watercress with garlic. Ask explicitly for very spicy food and you will actually get very spicy food.

I don't like how there is a little bit of elitism for Chinese speakers. I got the "authentic" menu when I went with a friend who spoke Mandarin...well, she spoke Mandarin and we got fresher vegetables. They gave us the authentic menu when we sat down. When I went with my parents and non-Chinese friends, we had to plead repeatedly for the authentic menu. Service can also be miserably slow; we once waited 20 minutes to get a second entree after the first arrived when there was very little restaurant traffic.

I'll keep going back until I move out of Ann Arbor because the food is quite tasty and varied and they serve crab rangoons with cheap lunch specials. Crab rangoons, soup and an entree for $6.25? Legendary indeed!
4 - Tony C.: I was glad to see another place open up besides TK Wu that served authentic Chinese food in downtown Ann Arbor.  It was always curious that even though Ann Arbor is filled with Asians, it wasn't until recently that authentic eateries started popping up.

This is your typical Chinese restaurant:  inconsistent/bad service, crappy ambiance, and gross bathrooms.  The food news is the scarier the restaurant looks, that is usually inversely proportional to how good the food is.

Items I would recommend:  Taiwanese style dumplings, watercress, fried tofu, pancake wrapped beef, and pig ear...yes...pig ear.  Don't knock it until you've tried it.  It's quite tasty.

Word of advice:  Bring a Chinese-speaking person with you if you really want the good stuff.  It's horrible that it's what's required to know what's on the menu (and what you're eating), but until they make the authentic items more accessible to non-Chinese speakers, it's somewhat a lost cause.

You know, it's really too bad.  Every single friend I've taken for authentic Chinese food now can't stand the "fake" stuff.  In fact, I've had friends call me from their cell phones and then handing their phones over to the waiter at a Chinese restaurant wanting me to order for them.  Someone should describe these dishes (in English).  Ann Arbor would be a perfect place to do this because I find people in A2 are usually pretty adventurous.
2 - Joanna L.: I would give this place 2 stars if I were a little meaner, but as someone who knows the owners (which makes it worse) and has seen this restaurant at it's previous location in Livonia... I know that they have not improved a thing. My mother used to be a chef and offered recipes and suggestions to the owners on how to improve their food... but unfortunately they did not take any of the suggestions into consideration and their supposed top "Taiwanese" dishes suck horribly. If you have ever EVER had true Taiwanese food, you will know that this is not even close. 

The oyster pancake and scallion pancake taste like they've been slopped together. The service is pretty awful and the place has a gross ambiance. Furthermore, the menu prices (although some are good) are slightly overpriced. Yes, it is another place besides TK Wu, but if you're willing to say it's very good, it's because you've been starved of true Taiwanese food for way too long. I guess it's good for what it is. Try the fried tofu cubes, that's the best dish.
3 - Professional Eater S.: An interesting place - the first time I went I was quite disappointed, but the second time, I figured it out the trick. You gotta order off of the Taiwanese dishes menu. The problem with that is that some of the dishes are not written in English, and the ones that do have English are not particularly descriptive. Talk to your waitress, and choose judiciously - it's kind a gamble, but as long as you're not ordering traditionally Americanized Chinese food, you improve your odds.

I particularly enjoyed the Wu-xi ribs the last time I was there (cinnamon!), but I just get the feeling that they have so many dishes they don't do any of them exceptionally well.

I still haven't decided if this place is any better than the restaurant it replaced, Kabob Palace, but it's certainly more interesting. I guess even Ann Arbor can only support so many Lebanese restaurants.
4 - Clarence C.: It's easy to miss, but a good place to get Chinese and Taiwanese food downtown. 

I think the cooking is more authentic than what you get at Middle Kingdom. Certain dishes remind me of the food I ate when I lived with a Chinese family for a while, way back when I was a freshman in college.

The staff seats you quickly and gives pretty good service, even when the restaurant seems to be busy.

I tried the shrimp in lobster sauce yesterday and it seemed a little heavy on the sauce (on the sloppy side), but pretty tasty. The sweet and sour shrimp is good too. 

A strange thing I've noticed about Asian Legend is that the fortune cookies are more epigrammatic than fortune-telling. I always leave feeling very satisfied with the food, but not knowing much more about the future than I did when I came in.
4 - Sarah W.: This is the best Taiwanese food you are gonna find in this area. It's very authentic. My Mom is Taiwanese, and I have lived in Taiwan. What more verification do you need? But the key here is asking for the "secret" menu. If you can't read it (it's in Chinese) ask for the picture book or bring your real Chinese friend. 

I love the little Taiwanese style dishes, the tea eggs, cold seaweed, cold tofu and soybeans. You have to try the stir fried pork and bamboo shoots, its spicy but delicious. And my most favorite is the beef wrapped in a deep friend flat bread!

They also have Boba (pearl tea) here. It's pretty good but they don't have qiu qiu or any of the little things you can add in your drink like in Taiwan. I recommend the Taro Boba.
4 - Kenan F.: I can't give this place 5 stars because the decor can only be described as ghetto. But that usually speaks to the quality of food which is top notch. Very authentic traditional Taiwanese. We had the cold pig's ear, tofu, seaweed to start. Then the furudofu Chinese watercress (hollow stem veggie), bitter melon with pork, ma po tofu with pork, sauteed eggplant in black sesame paste (sooo tender), chow ho fun (dry and Singapore soup style), beef noodle soup. Would definitely go back. My mouth is watering thinking about that meal...
3 - Jonas L.: Many people have listed Taiwanese food as a selling point of this place. But if you had authentic Taiwanese food, you'd know this place is at best a poor imitation.

The minced pork meat that top rice, for example, is as bland as it gets. Properly red-cooked minced pork would have a complex flavor, helped by some appropriate doses of fat. The fried pork cutlet is equally disappointing in its lack of crispiness and simplicity in flavor.

It is probably true that this is the best Taiwanese food in the area, but that is like saying Detroit is the best major city in Michigan. Winning by default is cheap. (Asian Legend, on the other hand, is not so cheap...)
4 - Steve D.: This place is very good.  I had the 3 cup chicken, and it is comparable to the ones I had in Taiwan (I'm Taiwanese) and in Southern Cal (where I was raised).  The boba tea is another story...
4 - o o.: I heart the Chinese Watercress with garlic.... wait... in fact I heart every dish.  


Everything, I've sampled here is good, if not, great...hmmm... but not awesome. I'm still looking for my Melisa's of the midwest or something that can compare to the Asian joints of SF. I must say Asian Legend does come semi-close!

I eat here weekly but I might have to start eating here daily, did I mention how much I love the watercress? Maybe it's because it reminds me of my favorite Khmer dish, Morning Glory with ginger!  

I love the atmosphere but just to warn you there really isn't much of it... and the servers always have a smile... actually, they remembered me after only dining there once... so I guess unlike other reviewers....I have never had a problem with the service but maybe that's because I'm a regular.

All in all a good Taiwanese restaurant!
4 - Adelais T.: The food here is very good! I would recommend every dish on the menu. The only downside is that their portions are pretty small, yet some of their items are a little pricey.
4 - Kate B.: I visit Asian Legend a few times a month and have never had a bad meal. The owners are very friendly and readily explain dishes/make recommendations if you want to sample one of the daily specials (they aren't written in English, so you'll need to ask for a translation if you can't read the characters.)

I've never ordered off of their standard book menu, but only off of the smaller print menu.

My favorite dishes are:

Lamb with basil (seriously addictive!)
Wuxi Ribs
Taiwanese Pork Dumplings
Onion Beef Pancake
Pork and Salty Cabbage Noodle Soup
Watercress with Garlic (great flavor and texture!)

I've also tried their Szechuan fish and it came out of the kitchen moist, flakey, spicy and delicious - not too heavy on the peppercorn, just the right amount of numb/burn.
4 - Dave Y.: i dunno what the naysayers are talking about. sure this might not be like THE best taiwanese food in the world, but this is michigan, not LA, or taiwan. this place is pretty damn good. it's not as cheap as food like this is in LA (or taiwan), but it's still pretty decent. and i grew up in LA, and we have tons of taiwanese food there, so i know a little bit about what i'm talking about. the key is to order off the *taiwanese snacks* menu; this is their specialty and some of these stuff is really good
1 - Chenoa M.: Thumbs DOWN. Greasy and tasteless...... I've had MUCH better. Thanks.
4 - Gene K.: Loads better than TK Wu. You have to go for the "Chinese" menu if you really want to try the good dishes. I used to get their cheaper lunch menu options but there's really no reason to come here for those as there are loads of other Americanized Chinese restaurants in A2. As the previous poster mentioned, the Eggplant/Tofu dish is awesome! 

My Taiwanese friends all loved this place once it opened. Some other have trashed this place but I think certainly it's one of the best in the area.

I think they use lighter MSG than other restaurants in the area (i.e. Lucky Kitchen, China Gate), although I'd prefer that they don't use any. I see it as cheating.
3 - Melissa R.: Very mediocre. Food portions where great but fried food was overly coated and everything else was very bland. Rating is about 2.5 stars. I won't be back.
2 - Juliet C.: the food here is pretty bland, just home cooking, i could probably make better at home. since moving away from ann arbor i've realized that taiwanese food can be pretty amazing, but they dont have it here...

the service is okay, i feel like its better because i can speak chinese.
2 - Fen Z.: Asian Legend (AL) bastardizes not only the concept of Taiwanese cuisine but Taiwanese street food as well. Don't get me wrong, the eatery is designed to mimic a snack place and does so nicely. However a restaurant's decor and ambiance should not make up for all that it lacks in the flavor department.

Hot tea was immediately brought to our table followed by paper menus. The crispy shrimp rolls were a fairly nice start to our meal, as they had the perfect crispy texture encapsulating the distinct flavor and juices of the decapod crustaceans. But things slowly started heading south from there. AL spawned dishes that would have insulted my Taiwanese friends had they accompanied me. The minced pork over rice (lu rou fan) was utterly bland. Not enough soy sauce could have possibly fixed the damage. The chicken with basil (san bei ji) was served in a claypot and looked delectable. Too bad the chef had mistaken the salt shaker for the sugar shaker leaving us with a casserole version of honey chicken -- with no hints of basil. Lastly, the salt and pepper pork chops. Again, deceptively tantalizing-looking at first, but underneath all that breading were large chunks of pork fat.

Our waiter was attentive but also impersonable. We must have exuded an invisible air of touristy, but chances are, if you're a regular, you'll receive better treatment. Also, the air vents inside this place are built smack dab in the middle of the small walkway leading back to the restrooms. I recommend sidestepping them when wearing a skirt/dress so as to avoid an embarrassing episode.
2 - Emily H.: There are certain things to get here and certain things not to get here. The onion pancake with beef (niu ro bin) are REALLY good and almost have my mom's homemade taste. The chinese watercress is also pretty good, but its hard to mess up something that is simply stir fried in peanut oil and garlic. What NOT to get: the fried pork cutlet on rice (lu ro fan) is pretty bland and oily and the beef noodle soup had almost no flavor. I was kind of sad, since two are basically my favorite traditional Taiwanese dishes. 

Service is pretty good, but that is probably because I can speak Mandarin.

That said, I've been there maybe 4-5 times and I'd probably go again. It fills a niche for Taiwanese food on campus, could do better, but sometimes you just really can't cut the craving for onion pancakes.
3 - Raphael C.: This place has authentic Taiwanese food but not the best.   This place is for people who haven't had Taiwanese food for a very long time and miss it very much.   The food is not too bad but the price is kind of expensive.   I wouldn't say I don't like it but if this is all I can find Taiwanese food around Ann Arbor.  I guess I have no choice.   Some food are still alright, but some are just not very authentic. Bubble tea is the worst, I would never ordered one again from there.
2 - Irene L.: When Asian Legend first opened, I was SO EXCITED to be able to eat Taiwanese food in Ann Arbor.  My family even came to visit just so we could eat here.  Overall we were pretty disappointed with the experience.

The scallion pancakes were overly thick and had a blistered exoskeleton from being deep fried(???) or something.  Never have I seen or eaten a scallion pancake that looked like this.  The niu ro bin was ok flavor-wise, but the scallion pancake wrapped around it still sucked.  The Chinese watercress w/ garlic is good, but like Emily H. said..... it's hard to mess up such a simple dish.  The fried pork cutlet was mostly gristle. Mmmm....fried gristle : |  I didn't have the dumplings, but my sister said that they tasted like frozen dumplings.  We ordered some other dishes, but I can't remember them at all; they must not have been that good.  Oh yeah and the bubble tea was really gross.  The tapioca balls were still hard in the center and not "Q" as they say in Chinese.

Apparently I wasn't convinced that it couldn't suck so bad because I returned a number of times... Each time I felt incredibly remorseful and idiotic that I wasn't spending my money on something more delicious.

Service is ok.... although this one waiter was ridiculously patronizing when my friend (Caucasian) commented that one of our dishes was too salty, "This dish is meant for the Asian palate which you're just not used to."  Or maybe, just MAYBE, it was so salty that not even the hardiest strains of bacteria would survive if they were inoculated into the dish...

It's been over half a year since I've been there, so I think it's safe to say that I've finally learned my lesson not to settle for crappy Taiwanese food.  I can make my own scallion pancakes, dammit!
4 - Chiwei L.: I have been going to this place off and on for many years.  It was actually located in westland until the owners realized all their cliental were Taiwanese students from Ann Arbor.  That should say something right?  I will definitely agree that compared to real taiwanese food, this place is more homestyle, but not amazing.  That being said, you can have a rather tasty meal here.    The chicken basil clay pot is a real star, full of some really amazing flavors.  (Granted if the salt shaker was used instead of salt could be an issue.)  The bitter mellon with pork was nice and comforting.  The fried pork cutlet was crispy and seasoned well, if a bit fatty.  The beef wrapped scallion pancake and beef noodle soup are just ok.  Anyway, in my opinion, worth the experience.
4 - Yu W.: I'm from CA. My friend brought me here when I visited him this March. It's crowded, which shows its popularity, and I even happened to meet my high school classmate here.  

Recommend [Wuxi ribs] and [Three Cup Chicken].
1 - Emily L.: I've been to this place twice and was sorely disappointed both times.

Both times the fried pork cutlet was at least 60% gristle.  Basically, only two pieces the size of a chicken mcnugget were edible.  I don't complain very often to servers in general, but I had to point this out to the server.  She responded that there was nothing she could do about it; it was the luck of the draw and sometimes I'll get a piece with more fat on it.  Are you freaking kidding me?

The lu rou fan (rice with a sauce made of ground pork and some bits of fat) was pretty bland.

The potstickers were just frozen dumplings that were pan-fried and floppy.  Save yourself the money and buy frozen dumplings from a Chinese grocery store and pan-fry them yourself.  They'll taste better too.

The Chinese watercress stir-fried with garlic was okay, although too salty and goopy, and this is another dish that you can easily make yourself.

The niu rou bing (beef wrapped in a scallion pancake) was okay too and probably the best part of the meal, but still pretty bland.  I'd give two stars to the niu rou bing, but everything else sucks, bringing Asian Legend back down to one star.

Am I biased because of my heritage and the fact that I lived in Taiwan for a year and a half after graduating from college?  Maybe a little, but it wouldn't be fair to water down my review.  As Yelper Fen Z. said, this is bastardized Taiwanese food.  If you want amazing 5-stars-on-Yelp Chinese food, drive to the REAL Asian Legend in Ontario.  That's right, this place even ripped off the name of a restaurant with legitimately delicious food!
3 - Yvonne S.: Pork chop over rice has been one of my favorite Taiwanese dish. (Yes, I am born and raised in Taiwan.) The pork chop is breaded and fried similar to a Japanese katsu or a German schnitzel. It's usually served with ground pork sauce over rice, some kind of leafy vegetables, a piece of tofu, and a cooked egg. It sounds really protein heavy but of course you'll find this in much, MUCH smaller portion in Taiwan. I finally just couldn't resist my longing to such a dish and decided to give Asian Legend a try after reading other reviews. When we arrived, we were given a paper to mark our orders instead of menus perhaps because of our obviously Chinese appearances. Not a problem, I wasn't there for orange chicken or beef and broccoli anyway. We got the pork chop over rice, oyster "pancake" (another classic Taiwanese street food), and beef in onion pancake. Oyster pancake costs probably 5 times more than what it usually costs in Taiwan and is not as good. Beef in onion pancake is missing some flavors both in the beef and in the onion pancake. Good thing they packed in some raw green onion to boost the flavor.

Now onto the main item-- the main reason for my visit: The pork chop over rice IS GOOD! The only negative thing was that I wish they used stir fried cabbage instead of the pickled stuff. With that said, I thought the flavor in the breading was true to what I expected. We were lucky that our pork chop is mostly meat with just a tiny bit of fat in one small piece. It's a bit thicker than what I normally get in LA but it's very tender and well seasoned. There was plenty of meat sauce over the rice. The egg was cooked long enough in soy sauce with spices so the flavor was infused into the yolk--just the way I like it. So overall, I believe I will come back again just for this dish.
2 - Jess L.: I was underwhelmed. Granted, my folks are from Taiwan and thus I'm sorely biased, but I remember hearing raves from my Chinese friends about this place, going, and...feeling let down. 

Scallion pancakes were greasy and cold--and also tasted like they were bought from the local Asian grocery. Wuxi ribs were overly salty, and it was hard to find any meat! 

When I want good Taiwanese and I'm nowhere near home, I'll probably take my business to Momo Tea.
4 - William C.: I came here for the first time with my parents who grew up in Taiwan. They liked all the dishes that we ordered which I took as a good sign.  We had the mapo tofu, stinky tofu as well as a few other dishes that I can't remember. Everything tasted good and came off the one page Taiwanese menu (so I'm not sure about their Americanized Chinese food).

Since that first experience, I have been back a number of times.  I like  the pork chop over rice and the salt and pepper chicken.  The chicken had a lot of gristle (I don't think that was a negative though), making the pork chop easier to eat. If you're into trying new foods, I would definitely try the pig feet but make sure to balance the meal with lighter veggie dishes.

I wasn't a fan of their bubble tea which I thought was overly sweet and artificial tasting. But I was satisfied with the overall dining experience. Many people on here have complained that the food is too greasy and salty but when I lived in Taiwan for 3 months, I found that the street food was also greasy and salty. Also, it's in Michigan so its obviously not going to compare to the real deal.
4 - Alan W.: I give it a 4 star only because this is the only solid Chinese restaurant on Campus and it is the only Taiwanese Restaurant here.  It is not an amazing place, but I like the feeling of going to a chinese restaurant and feeling like I'm at one.
4 - Michael E.: I love Asian Legend. The food is Taiwanese, and unlike any Chinese food you'll find anywhere nearby. Particular favorites: Beef in onion pancake, shrimp and tofu, (ong choy (confusingly labeled "watercress" in the menu) , Beef Noodle Soup (a Taiwanese specialty), fried fish fillet...Actually, everything I've tried there has been wonderful. I particularly enjoy exploring the daily specials- sometimes the wait staff can explain what it is in English, sometimes not; I usually just take the plunge. I'd give them four stars, but every one in a great while, when they're very busy, the quality of the food suffers.

If you do go there, do NOT order off the large Chinese-American menu! Order from the smaller menu, be adventurous, and if you're confused, ask your server for recommendations. 

One curious thing about the other reviews- people seem to love, or hate Asian Legend. I've noticed that while they're usually first rate, every once in a while they screw up. I went one evening with friends we'd bragged to about the place, and food was... well... awful. The usually light and crispy tilapia was gooey and covered with glop. The WuXi ribs were pieces of fat and gristle. If this happens to you, send the offending dish back. 

But 90% of the time, they're absolutely wonderful.
4 - kim w.: Yummmmmmm Taiwanese food made yummy.  It was good, but maybe we were just really hungry from all the walking and trying to find a decent place to eat that was not something deep fried, a sandwich, or burgers.  This place was just right.  

We had stir fry Rice Stick noodles, some kinda beef burrito, and stick noodle soup.  All were good, I wished I could come back to try other things.  I heard their boba was good, but i didnt take a sip of it.  All that fed 4 people perfectly.
4 - Wei O.: Probably the most authentic Taiwanese food around Michigan. From appetizer, rice/noodle combo dish to main entrees, there are plenty of authentic dishes to choose from. Tho i wish they serve more of the typical Taiwanese street food as appetizer. 
Some of my favorites include the onion pancake with beef appitizer, the pork chop over rice, hor fun with egg sauce and tofu entrees. Tho i wish the salt and pepper chicken are boneless pieces. 
The price is awesome for the HUGE portion you get. 
I dont suggest the bubble tea here tho, can be too sweet at times and the bubbles were kept overnight instead of freshly made. Overnight bubbles are not as chewy and feels more gooey. 
Also remember to check out their daily dishes written on the board or attached at the bottom of the menu.
4 - Michael R.: I am a blond-haired, blue-eyed white boy, but I've eaten a lot of awesome Chinese food in my day. Asian Legend is definitely first rate.

Since I've been in Ann Arbor, I've been muddling through TK Wu, Chia Shiang, and a couple of other Chinese places that, frankly, haven't measured up. There's a decent dish here and there, but when we walked into Asian Legend for the first time, just looking around at the food on the tables, we knew we were in the right place.

Our hostess guided us back to a two-top in the back of the restaurant. We passed a table that had a plate with noodles piled high and asked her, "what's that?" 

"Chow fun with beef."

"One, please."

Looking over the menu riddled with Chinese characters (and helpfully translated to English), we added eggplant with garlic sauce and pan-fried pork dumplings. I'm a sucker for dumplings, and I eat a lot of them. If I ever go to China, headlines in newspapers across the country will read "Dumpling Prices Soar to All-Time High Amid Shortage".

But I have to say, they turned out to be the weak point of the meal. Not bad, but for the best in AA I recommend the steamed dumplings at Mis Saigon (I know, Vietnamese, but trust me, the dumps there are homemade and rock the house).

The Chow fun was fantastic -- nice wide noodles that were delicate and easy to eat. Beef was slightly chewy, but the sauce was delicious. Eggplant's sauce was even better, a zingy, gingery treat.

The surprise of the night was the General Tsao's Chicken, which we ordered, a little bit against our better judgment, from the all-English menu. But it was FABULOUS -- smalls shreds of chicken came without the usual 2-inch thick coating of batter, and with a perfect glaze that was sweet and spicy. It, like the rest of the meal was hoovered up in no time flat.

Can't wait to go back.
2 - ER Doc K.: i initially gave it a 1 star, but on my 2nd visit. I changed my rating. And the following are the pro and Cons. 

First of all, the stinky tofu SUCKS... and way over priced. I can understand if you price something high since you're the only one that attempts to make Taiwanese cuisine in Ann arbor. However, it's one thing to have good food and monopolize your price in the Midwest, it's another thing to have bad food AND overpriced. 

Secondly, it's beef noodle also tasted like instant noodle, and again, over priced. Interestingly, on my second visit, the quality improved drastically. So i'm willing to give the kitchen a Bad day during my first visit. 

What brought the rating up is the Beef Wrap (appetizer), but the oyster cake is marginal at best. That being said, I was going to give it a 3 star, but in downgraded to a 2 star because NO CHINESE/TAIWANESE RESTAURANT IS GOOD UNTIL THE RICE IS AUTHENTIC! One of the biggest flaw of this restaurant is serving American rice when they can easily get high quality Taiwanese rice just down the street from the Chinese market!!!

and about the authenticity... it's marginal at best. let's just say this restaurant will not last a week in a place where chinese/taiwanese population is abundant.
3 - Helen N.: There are only two things good about this place: 1) it's close to campus, and 2) its serves Taiwanese snacks. That's pretty much it, but that's enough to bring me back to the place and so it gets three stars. 

Now what's wrong with it? The chefs really need a lesson on how to cook food. The ingredients are fine - all the right flavors are there. The problem is in the execution. Ninety-five percent of the time, my food is overcooked - which basically means that the carbohydrates are mushy, and the protein is dry. For example, whenever I get anything with rice, the grains are mushed together. If I get a flour-based noodle, most likely the noodle will fall apart when I pick it up with my chopsticks. Their green onion pancake is so tough, I feel like my teeth are going to get pulled out of my jaw every time I bite into it. You get the picture. Another example is their milk tea. They blend their milk tea in a blender - I think to avoid having to put in the energy to mix together the tea with the milk powder. Their black tea is fragrant, which is good. But depending on who you get to make it, you can either have a smooth, frothy drink, or one with the sugar and ice particles barricading through the straw into your mouth. Again - all the right flavors, poorly executed into a sub-par dish. 

It's really a situation of "so close, and yet so far."

If you're craving Taiwanese snacks (like I often do), it's worth a trip. Otherwise, wait until the next time you're in Rowland Heights, CA.
5 - Wing C.: The best Taiwanese food in Ann Arbor!
2 - Q Y.: some dishes are not too bad, the rice terrible, Mapo doufu a travesty.
3 - Ricky K.: okay well... the food might be a lil okay and all but the price was a downright travesty. i can't handle no overpriced food (especially CHINESE food that's supposed to be cheap as hell) as a broke ass college student with no money. i be all "can i get the wonton soup wit kung pao chicken?" and the lady be all "okay honey that be 15.99." Like what the hell is i supposed do? make money out of my bunghole? i ordered a beef fried rice and it was 10 bucks. thats too much money like you aint even seen. if you got money to spare then come here. otherwise, you can catch me that ghetto ass panda express or something ya hurrd?
5 - Valerie J.: I love the Taiwanese snacks! Favorite Chinese/Asian food in Ann Arbor for sure.
3 - Elaine W.: Decent Taiwanese food. Don't come in here expecting anything spectacular though.

Ordered Taiwanese cabbage (it's like Napa cabbage) & this melon shrimp and tofu dish. My tastes when it comes to Chinese food are simple, and both dishes were okay I suppose. Not particularly tasty but it was solid (and non-Americanized). I guess in Ann Arbor you can't ask for much more when it comes to Chinese food?
3 - Weihao L.: This place is a little over rated, the food is decent but not great. I'm Taiwanese and I think they serve some ok Taiwanese food.  I've tried their chicken leg over rice and shrimp pan fry,mainly cause I don't like oysters.  They also serve Taiwan night market steak. Everything is a bit over priced and they taste nothing like anything you can get in Taiwan. But in this region of the world where good Taiwanese food is next to non existing, this place will definitely help your crave a little.  It's like water in the desert, as long as it's water you won't care as much.
1 - Athena K.: Oh no no no no. this place is horrible. Why are you all giving it anything above one star????

the food is bland. The bathroom is disgusting with roaches all over. The meat is full of gristle. 

Gross. 

And the prices????  Totally over the top.
4 - Lujun F.: Basil chicken is quite good.
4 - Tim B.: Food is generally good, but the quality of the individual dish seems to vary greatly depending on the day you come in.  I've been coming here for so long, which is a testament to their food, but am a bit dismayed that the staff doesn't recognize me.
3 - Barack O.: Decent casual choice for a group of Asian friends. A lot of dishes on the menu seem unique to this restaurant, and most have a Taiwanese flavor that won't appeal to Americanized palates, for better or for worse.

Service is fast and friendly. I have to dock a couple of stars, however, because the food quality was merely adequate, portion sizes were very small, and prices are way too high considering this restaurant is a half step above hole-in-the-wall.
4 - notcalvin c.: Pretty legit Chinese food!  Been here twice, and haven't been disappointed.  Recently got the pork belly (really fatty but really good too!), and also got the minced pork over rice with egg.  Rice is flavorful.  Definitely coming back for more Chinese food!
5 - Helen L.: I love this place! I can't believe they have authentic Taiwanese food here. I've ordered so many dishes here and pigged out. Oyster omletet, steam dumplings - which they made it the way I like it, not sweet and have the right vinegar and ginger sauce. Beef warpped in onion pancake was pretty delicious. Beef noodle soup is better than best china's. Taiwanese style- stir fried clear noodle is very tasty. Bitter melon w/ pork - regular. Yeah... this place is a must try! they even have boba drinks.
4 - Linda C.: My favorite Asian eatery on campus for both me and my family. Although my favorite on campus, this by no means is the best Chinese/Taiwanese restaurant I've ever had (coming from a Taiwanese girl who's been to Taiwan so many times she's lost count). I go there at least 2 times per month so I definitely know this restaurant well. 

FOOD: It's very rare to find Taiwanese food, but they certainly do a great job in trying their best to introduce Taiwan to the city of Ann Arbor. I've tried most everything on their menu and I love their basil tofu (GREAT basil chicken too... other known as san1 bei1 ji1... 3 cup chicken). I am a sucker for tofu dishes and they all their tofu dishes are amazing... mainly because they use really fresh good quality soft tofu. I definitely suggest ordering off their 'Asian' menu instead of the Americanized one even if the dishes sound a bit funky to you. Wu Shi Ribs is also another favorite among my family and friends. If you are in the mood for some Taiwanese style bento box, I would suggest the chicken leg over rice or fried pork chop over rice. Hearty portion for about $9 after tax. I also really like their newest additions to the menu... the hot plate steak or pork chop that's truly Taiwanese style. It is served on a hot plate with yummy noodles, small squirt of ketchup, and egg cracked right on top served sizzling to the table. 

PRICE: price is overpriced for the portion size... sad... but not a deal breaker for me for my favorite Chinese/Taiwanese food of the area. 

SERVICE: My family goes there almost every time they come into town to visit and they certainly take notice of their regulars. They are already really friendly in general but we've certainly got to get to know them on a more personal level. My parents are very into gardening and so are they! Because of this, they definitely value fresh produce. One time they were honest with us and told us their shipment of tofu was not very fresh and refused to let us order anything with tofu in it. 


OTHER COMMENTS: Owners are always in the restaurant themselves either cooking or hosting/waitressing... I think that's always refreshing to see.
1 - ying l.: The quality of the food in this restaurant have declined rapidly over the last 12 months. I walked in for a bowl of beef noodle at lunch time today, the soup (which is one of the main ingredient) tasted like tap water.  The check was brought to my table before I was done eating- basically it is saying "hurry up and finish", mind you there were only three tables filled in the restaurant at that time.  Go there once to satisfy your curiosity, but if you are looking for good asian food, like me, you will not be heading back anytime soon. 10 dollars for lunch can buy you much more around ann arbor campus-downtown area.
4 - Jemmie W.: First, let's just get this out of the way... If you are comparing this to the food you can get in Taiwan, you would projectile vomit. It's not even close. It's not in the same ballpark or even same solar system. Why? Because Ann Arbor, a small college town in the Midwest of America, is not Taiwan.

Now that you have accepted that you cannot get Taiwan-quality food in Ann Arbor, the food is ok to pretty good:

Stinky tofu: Ok. Inside is too hard compared to Taiwan (there I go again).
Oyster/egg fry: Good but you need a microscope to find the oysters.
Beef noodle soup: Good but needs more noodles. Noodles are like $0.25 for 100 pounds or whatever. They should throw more in.

Yes, this place sucks compared to Taiwan or Los Angeles, but you're not in Taiwan or Los Angeles, are you? Find me a better Taiwanese place around Ann Arbor and I'll give this place 1 or 2 stars.
3 - Halley S.: I ate here for lunch and it was decent. I had the sweet and sour shrimp and I couldn't even finish half my meal because there was so much breading on the shrimp. The staff was friendly and they kept our glasses full. The cool thing about the lunch special is you get a soup and an appetizer with your meal. It was a cool place to try out but I'm not sure I'd ever crave their food and want to go back.
1 - Eric B.: Yeah, this is a one-star review. The staff doesn't understand the concept of vegetarian. Not having big chunks of meat in a dish make it vegetarian. When you tell me over and over that it's just brown sauce, think what brown sauce is made of... beef stock. Beef=animal friends. I had the mixed vegetables after asking if it was 100% vegetarian, and after my first few bites, I realized that the sauce was beef stock. I stopped eating the dish and shortly after I got that tinge in my stomach you get when something you haven't eaten something like this in a very long time. Won't be going back, and I urge the veggies out there to take caution before eating here.
3 - Leslie T.: This place is definitely very easy to miss, but it's definitely worth a try. Full disclosure: I decided to try Asian Legend because I was craving some Chinese/Taiwanese food, so my non-partiality may have been compromised. That being said, the food was still pretty good. 

I chose the minced pork over rice noodles. It was not as good as how my mom makes it, but it was still good. The flavor was nice and the minced pork wasn't dry. My only complaint is that I wish there was some more minced pork and a little less grease. I ended cleaning the entire plate (and it wasn't a small plate). 

The service is fast, but that might be because I was one of the first customers there so there weren't many competing orders. The staff is pretty aloof, but not unfriendly. 

There were two waitresses sitting at one of the front tables peeling vegetables. Some people may be put off by the sight of that, but I actually liked it. It reminded me of my grandma and it made the experience feel a bit more homey. 

I will definitely return to satisfy my Asian cravings when they come up.
3 - David Z.: The restaurant is pretty good for having something with your friend who like Chinese food, the price is reasonable but taste is normal.
4 - Ivan J.: One of the best taiwanese food you can find in ann arbor. Chow fun with egg sauce is great! Service is pretty consistent (not that special, but by far the have the best service for chinese restaurant in ann arbor). Food is not as good as taiwanese food in big cities like SF or LA, but this is ann arbor, if you can find me any better taiwanese restaurant, i'll edit my rating. Overall one of the good one!

Asian Noodle House - Ithaca, NY (42.4416307, -76.4847676) ()
4 - Justine H.: I just about go to Asian Noodle House once every week of the school year. It's cheap and pretty darn delicious - there's a huge range of dishes available, from noodle soups (I don't like these, but apparently people do) to stir fries and fried rice. My favorite dish is Sub Gum Ho Fun. How can you go wrong with a dish that has "fun" in it? No, but seriously, it's very tasty.

The one flaw with Noodle House is that when they're busy and you have a large party, they often take close to forever to get everyone's food out, often 30 minutes between you and your neighbor's food - this wait is often unbearable on an empty stomach. Still, they give you extremely large portions for reasonable prices, and the food is very filling and delicious - basically, I'm a huge fan of this place.

Lastly, try their Thai Iced Tea. That stuff is more addicting than crack.
3 - Calvin L.: Pretty good place. The special house noodle was fairly popular and it's always worth a try. Could use a bit more variety on the menu.
3 - Gina K.: People come here for either the Spicy Basil Noodle/Fried rice and Pineapple fried rice.  The spicy basil noodle is a little bit too greasy for my tastes, but I love the fried rice dishes. The portions are fairly big here and don't forget to ask for the sauce caddy (the best part of Asian Noodle House!)
4 - Rach K.: Yum!

Go here for lunch. The portions are pretty big and are the same size during lunch and dinner, but at lunchtime it's $3-$4 cheaper. I recommend the pad thai (though it's a bit too sweet for my taste), the spicy basil noodles or the spicy basil fried rice, the pineapple fried rice, or the red curry. If you order takeout, make sure you get some hot sauce! It's actually the hot oil mixed with the sriracha, but sooooo good.
4 - Nate B.: Cheap, huge portions, and their pad thai was darn satisfying.  Not high-end Thai food, but it kept me going during college.
3 - Steven C.: Following in the tradition of the local shops, this is another restaurant trying to combine a lot of different aspects of specialty cuisines into one location. Sure its convenient but at the same time you're left with a huge menu with questionable quality in the items you order.

For the most part, Asian Noodle House has decent food. Contrary to the general notion that if the place is Chinese owned they must do Chinese food pretty well, this place is owned by Vietnamese people and they seem to do Thai food a lot better than the Vietnamese dishes. Avoid the spring rolls in that regard.

Definitely a great spot for bang for buck, especially if you enjoy large rice plates or fried rices of different variety. Pineapple fried rice from the Thai side of the menu seems to be very popular dish and I personally think its done decently here, whereas the Chinese based fried rices taste a bit high on the sodium side. If you order anything Thai or just need an extra kick to your food, they do have a comprehensive spice rack that you can find in Thai restaurants. 

Haven't dropped by during lunch so I'm not sure if they are running lunch deals but just about every place in Collegetown is during this recession. Dishes range from $6-9, not particularly cheap for this type of food if you were say in LA or NYC but it works for Ithaca. Service is okay, somewhat indifferent attitude probably due to their general college student customer base.
5 - Marya A.: I loveee this place. My boyfriend and I get takeout from here so often that they know us and our orders by heart.

The service is great, the prices are good, the food is fantastic and the portions are big! What more can you ask for?
3 - L G.: I live in Cortland, which is about 30 mins away.  Today I was craving for some authentic Asian food.  Unfortunatley, despite the good reviews for this place, authentic Asian food is not to be found in central NY.  

I had the Basil Noodle w/ beef and my husband had the pineapple fried rice.  This is like the water-down version of Thai food to be catered to people who aren't use to Asian food, but it's one of the better restaurants around.  It's better than all the two Asian restaurants in Cortland by far, but that's not saying much. 

It's better if I just cook at home!
3 - Jeremy E.: Inexpensive noodle dishes, but the broth lacks flavor. It's hard to make a good noodle soup if your broth is boring. You're better off going without the namesake and ordering fried rice or Pad Thai. They aren't the best examples of either but they're good enough for the prices and the significant portion sizes. A solid choice for a quick, cheap meal even though it's not the best place for noodles in Collegetown.
2 - Kevin Jiseup K.: Do yoou want to get fat and have greasy Americanized Asian food? Then Asian Noodle is for you.

Referred to as fondly as "Asian Nudez" (yeah, I know that sounds wrong...) by my friends, it's a good place to eat if you want cheap food, big portions, and don't care about your health.

Get the pineapple fried rice with pork and you can't go wrong in terms of taste. The atmosphere is not great, but no worse than really any other collegetown restaurant. The pad thai is okay, if you like very Americanized Asian food. Honestly though, I would only get pineapple fried rice with pork if I came here. 

+1 for Price
+1 for Portion

___________
Everything else is just an eh, because it's expected at C-town.
2 - matt h.: Its kind of unusual that this restaurant has a TV playing the video feed from the security camera next door. I don't know if I like spying on the neighbors while I am consuming my dinner.

Well on to the food. I have eaten here multiple times, and have come to the conclusion that it is not worth the money. Some dishes are good enough but others are pretty bad. This place serves the worst pad Thai in Ithaca. Surprisingly its even worse than the store they own next door where the pad Thai is sitting in a heating bin. The two times I have ordered the pad Thai here the reason why it was so bad was that they over sauce it, and the sauce was way too sweet. Next door these owners serve the exact same pad Thai recipe from a heating bin, which tastes better because there is less sauce. Considering it costs 4.25-6.25 next door I don't see why I should pay 10 dollars for it here. Its the exact same recipe.

The curries aren't up to snuff with other Ithaca Thai places as well. That  being said some of their Chinese dishes are actually pretty good. I had a chicken dish in a traditional clear Cantonese style sauce that was relatively authentic Chinese food, far from the Americanized stuff I am accustomed to in Ithaca.

3 stars for their Chinese food
1.5 stars for their Thai food
2 stars for the creepy camera atmosphere 
 
it averages out to about two stars.
4 - Lawrence S.: Like many places in Ithaca, I think I enjoy this place more when I adjust my expectations accordingly. It's not the cleanest inside, and they don't serve the finest cuisine. Fine. But I come for lunch, and I get a pile of above-average food for cheap. And it comes fast. (It's also super-fast when you call ahead for takeout.)

I usually get a big bowl of vegetable noodle soup (I prefer udon), or the pineapple fried rice (with beef or chicken). It's reliably tasty and when I'm in the mood for it, it hits the spot. Pretty standard fare, for sure, but when you want it, it meets expectations.
3 - Matt G.: On my first night at Cornell, my Outdoor Odyssey guides took me out here for dinner, and I've been coming back ever since.

The green curry with chicken is by far my favorite dish; it's yummy, filling, and not too spicy for my taste.  But the dishes are hit or miss - when I tried the teriyaki salmon, it was dry and overcooked. 

The service is also hit or miss.  Some days they're nice and like to joke around with guests.  Other days, not so much.  When we walked in 15 minutes before closing one night, they told us we had 15 minutes to eat and asked whether we think we'd be done by then before seating us.  We still ate but felt super rushed the entire meal.  Rude much?

Still, I get that Asian Noodle House is a cheap Collegetown joint, and the food is decent for the price.  It's probably not the best place to take your parents or a first date, but for the bros it'll do just fine.
2 - Ti Z.: The food is decent, I generally like their spicy basil noodle and their wonton soup. 
However, I've been very disappointed with their service.  I once ordered the spicy basil noodle, which was so spicy that I couldn't eat it.  When I brought up the issue with the manager, she told me that their noodles are never too spicy, and that something must've been wrong with my tongue!
Made me never want to go back again.
4 - Paul Y.: good!
5 - Sammy B.: I may be biased as this was where I shared a lot of happy memories with my friends, but I freakin loved and still love Asian Noodle House!  The pad thai is different from any other place I've been with loads of big shrimp!  It may not be authentic, but that's how mama likes it!  The pineapple fried rice is good too.  And the malaysian roti!  Ah, the malaysian roti....  I hearts this place so much.  I yearn for the day when I come back to Cornell, this will be my first meal spot!

Asian Paradise Restaurant - Providence, RI (41.827912, -71.401182) (College Hill)
2 - Mats K.: I've been to many bad Chinese restaurants in my life.

This is one of them.
4 - Bonnie G.: Now, I will admit I don't remember the food that well, but I went with four Asians (thus we def. MADE it Asian Paradise) and the food was fine. Was it amazing? No. Was it cockroach city? No. You want to go with a huge group of people and get wasted...wait, what did I say? Yeah, that's right, this place is BYOB, people! There is an amazing liquor store across the street that has amazing premium beer (like hennepin, etc) cold for your enjoyment. We had our own delicious beer to drink and had a blast visiting Providence and getting deliriously drunk (how drunk? Helen threw up and I ended up passed out on the bus and woke up in South Station...but that is another story). I will always remember Asian Paradise fondly...
4 - Nicolette H.: i miss this joint. they had stellar chive dumplings, generals tofu and i recall they once gave me an entire box of fortune cookies for 5 bucks which i lived on during a very poor summer of my life. i loved AP.

Asiana Garden Restaurant - Berkeley, CA (37.8754053, -122.2600086) (UC Campus Area)
1 - Mark P.: I guess vegetarians -I'm not one- should have restaurants devoted to them.  I feel bad for them that this is one of them.  I tried their pad thai and their green beans (which turned out to mostly consist of broccoli!) and the best I can say is that both were okay.  I can make better.
2 - KJ o.: i give 2 stars just for having an all vegetarian menu.  (this restaurant tempted me to reconsider that practice but i'm sticking to it.)  

(-) bad flavor, wrong temperature, lousy decor, weak service, small servings

(+) all vegetarian menu
1 - Jeffrey R.: This place used to be an awful, awful Korean BBQ restaurant.  Now it is a terrible Vegetarian restaurant.  Tiny portions and low quality food.
4 - John D.: OUT OF BUSINESS. LET'S SEE WHAT OPENS UP THERE NEXT...

Have we been eating at the same restaurant? Or maybe things have changed. We've been eating there the last three weeks and the food is excellent. I like the rice dishes that come with a variety of toppings. Also, the lunch specials are good. One can select from around 10 items (2 or 3) and have a really delicious, satisfying meal. Give it a try again and I think you'll see it's much better. The only thing is that the atmosphere is bad so don't bring a date here.
1 - Jon N.: This used to be an okay-Korean restaurant.  Now, it's just a weird vegetarian place.

Now, it's not the fact that it's vegetarian that it's weird...it's the service.  Okay, the food was crap as well.

My wife and I went here a few months ago, hoping to find the Korean restaurant (because the older Korean gentleman who ran the counter was a complete sweetheart), and found it had changed hands.  Well, we stayed because, hey...vegetarian food (I'm not, but I refuse to deny my lovely wife her non-meat existence).

We were first struck by the service, and weird is the only way to describe it.  It was as if the wait staff had recently been hatched and not quite flash-trained in the complexities of serving people, handing menus, making eye-contact, or higher-level forms of common manners.  We made quiet comments on the overall weirdness of the service, lamenting the loss of a place to eat...

...then the food came...

...to say the taste qualities would have been comparable to flavorless noodles being extruded through the soul of the dullest man on earth would have given them a recognizable flavor.  That was her dish.  Mine just tasted like cooked ass without butter.

Yeah, that place blew.
1 - Melissa H.: This place used to have the sweetest owners/counter staff, and some seriously kickass tofu udon.  The menu was hit or miss otherwise, but the tofu udon was fresh and delicious every freaking time.

Then . . . . (ominous chords of DOOM) the restaurant changed hands.

The current waitstaff are almost but not quite nearly 100% useless.  The food was truly, purely, almost comically awful.  My dish was barely palatable, and my husband's was quite possibly created from the sole of an old shoe and, as far as we could tell, was inedible by members of our species (human, FYI).

There are a million better choices on Euclid.  Come to think of it, going to the dollar store across the way and buying a fucking box of Dots for dinner is a better idea than eating here.
5 - D W.: Update (20080508): It's gone.  A sign is up saying that "Cecilia's Mexican Restaurant" is coming soon.  I hope they have more luck than the last 2 restaurants here.
1 - Wayne W.: This place smelled awful.  I could not bring myself to eat here.  I tried once...ew.

My friends' food tasted like rubber shoe.  His friend found a metal shard in his food (shrapnel kabob anyone?)  Yuck.

Askins Howard MD - Pasadena, CA (34.1444835, -118.1300566) (Pasadena)
1 - Michael M.: I am over 60 years old and this is the worst doctor I have ever visited. The waiting time was more than one hour and he was rude when he did see me. And in the less than 15 minutes he saw me he spent fully 12 minutes looking at his computer and apparently typing in the information that I had filled out in his waiting room, but which he questioned me about for the second time. I don't believe that he looked me in the eye for 15 seconds. I have never felt more uncomfortable in a doctor's office and would never visit him again. I also intend to complain to my primary care physician about him. This man apparently graduated from a prestigious medical school, but he has no interpersonal skills. Avoid him all all costs.
1 - Jewell P.: My experience with Dr. Askins was pretty much the same as Michael M's experience. 

My appointment time was at 2:45 and I waited about 30 to 40 mins to see him. He isnt very personable or welcoming which I think is especially important when going to see this type of doctor.

He was on his laptop the whole time typing away. The office is really cold and uncomfortable and for lack of better words, creepy. 

After he gave me a "diagnosis" with something that came completely out of left field, I left as if I had a death sentence given to me.

After a few days, I decided I would be going else where for a second opinion. And won't ever be going back to Dr. Askins.
1 - Ian N.: He's terrible.

I was pretty sure what was wrong with me -- my problem was nothing esoteric -- and, indeed, the doctor confirmed it.  Medication prescribed. Fine.

But here's the thing.  Askins and his partner schedule patients by the boat-load so the waiting room is always packed.  After you wait for a while (my first visit he made me wait for an entire hour because he was late getting into the office), he brings you in to chat.  He looked at me approximately 20 seconds in the 5 minutes I was with him.  It's clear he has deep issues of his own -- he couldn't really meet my eyes -- seemed very uncomfortable talking one on one  and he stared at his laptop the vast majority of the time, filling out a diagnosis program which resulted in a recommended prescription. 

Truly an awful experience.  I went back to him several more times for maintenance on my medication and had a similar experience with him in every appt (except for waiting an hour, that proved to be an anomaly).

Look, I get it, psychiatrists don't want to 'talk' to their patients anymore -- they're pretty much only there to oversee medication dispersal and to make sure you're not a danger to yourself or to others.  If you want to talk to someone, they recommend a therapist.

Even with that, though, Askin's is truly awful and has TERRIBLE communication skills.  Personally, I hope that he gets help but I'm sure that just like many other doctors, one of the reasons he went into his profession was to be able to sort through his own problems.

Don't go to him.  Ignore the fact that he's Harvard educated; I'm sure he'd be fine in an academic test but he's very lousy in the application of those psychiatric principles.

I'm not a complainer -- please go through my yelp profile -- i don't really bitch and moan at the drop of a hat.

Askins, though, deserves the terrible reviews that I and others have given to him.
1 - Jose P.: This man is horrible. The first meeting we had, I sat in the waiting room for almost an hour. When I finally saw him he sat there asked two yes or no questions  and played on his lap top for the rest of the time, I don't even know if he realized I answered this questions. Then he canceled on me not once, not twice, not three times but a whopping four times. His office is in Pasadena and I live in Culver City so you can imagine what a pain in the ass it was to arrive at his office and the desk tell me he's gone for the day. REALLY!!!! Anyhow I'm done with this man, he obviously does this for the money. I need someone who cares for their patients.

Aspen Dental - Latham, NY (42.759075, -73.766617) ()
3 - M C.: I was unemployed after moving home and I hadn't been to the dentist in a while.  I had no insurance so I went to Aspen for the free exam and xrays promo.  The front-end staff is fine, but I was not at all impressed  with the dentist. He was rude, judgmental and pushy.  Probably because I was getting an exam and xray for free and I clearly had no plans of spending any money there.  I was then quoted over $4,000 for a bunch of procedures that I "needed."  I chalked it up to the nature of corporate health care facilities such as this and planned on never going back.

Then I found my dream job.  Only because of the nature of my work I am forced to buy my own health, dental and vision insurance.  My individual dental plan is only accepted by Aspen Dental in this area so I had no choice but to go back there when I needed help recently.  The hygienist is fantastic, kind and helpful. The endodontist is awkward, a little insensitive and pushy.  The dentist was fine these past few times.  I've learned he's a bit bi-polar. He's great unless he's annoyed by other patients not spending money, worried that you'll walk out without spending any money or frustrated that he just found out he has to work Saturday.  He's smart and mostly nice enough, just a bit strange.  The oral surgeon was fantastic.  Kind, helpful and most of all, efficient.   I got all wisdom teeth and two molars pulled in less than an hour with very little pain afterward.  Could be me, but it was nice.

The financial-aid staff (I don't really know what else to call 'em...) is so fantastic there.  Kar is my favorite person ever in this office.  She's sweet, understanding and works so hard to help when finances are tough.  She puts no pressure on you to buy anything, even though you know she is supposed to, after all it is a business!  Dental work is expensive, even with insurance, but she will exhaust every option with you no matter what.  

I won't lie, I wouldn't be going to Aspen Dental if I didn't have to.  But I'm pretty sure it could be a much worse experience.   This office is pretty great for a corporate health care organization.
2 - Kristi N.: I was a patient at this Aspen Dental office for several years.  I have since moved on to a fantastic dentist but wanted to share my experiences.  I have found the office staff to be distracted, often rude, and frequently too busy to schedule appointments on my way out.  They also were not helpful in resolving issues with my insurance company.  The dentists rotated frequently.  Some were good, Some seemed awkward and brusque.  The hygienists were mostly wonderful.  At my last appointment before changing dentists, I was told that I needed multiple fillings and a root canal.  And at my appointment before, nothing.  At my new dentist, he found a lot less "stuff" to be fixed.  ???  I do not recommend.

Aspen Dental - Ithaca, NY (42.426531, -76.511281) ()
1 - maria d.: I came to realize that these clowns are known as the McDonald's of the dental industry after having to go to a real dentist to correct all the errors and massive infection I received as a result of their incompetence.
1 - Howard C.: AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE. 

I am an employee of Cornell and on the First Ameritas Dental Plan B (Low cost; I don't use dental care that much). I found Aspen Dental through the search from the First Ameritas web page and thought I'd try them out***. Long story short, they are not "participating" in the network, they billed $180 for an exam and x-rays, they refused to clean my teeth (they said I needed a "gingival cleaning" which costs more than the regular cleaning) and it ended up costing me $130 out of pocket ($100 deductible and then $30 because they charge more than what the plan calls usual an customary). They also tried to sell me an oral cancer screening ($60, not covered by insurance) and also a gingivitas home care kit ($200, not covered by insurance). It was worse than a car dealership.  They actually used the trick, "Don't you care bout your health?"

The kicker is that I asked, "Could I just have a normal cleaning today?" and they said "No." Even though that is what I came in for; a cleaning, exam, and x-rays.

They are also over-doing the X-rays.  They recommended X-rays every 6 months. That's not what the ADA recommends, unless you have terrible tooth conditions. But they are more than happy to bill for it and expose you to more radiation than needed.



***Note that the First Ameritas page shows this... I guess I should have called to check:
"Disclaimer: You are strongly encouraged to call our Customer Connections department at 800-487-5553 to verify whether a provider is participating or nonparticipating. Such information may assist in your selection of provider(s) and may affect your deductible, co-insurance, and out of pocket expenses. Even with daily updates to the on-line directory, there is no guarantee that a provider listed in the directory will still be a network provider at the time dental services are performed. When making an appointment, and again at the time of the appointment, please verify network participation with the dentist."

In their slight defense, the dentist was courteous and answered my questions, and the X-ray tech was friendly.

The whole experience was bizarre. After the exam, I was expecting the hygienist to clean my teeth. Instead, they took me to the salesperson's office who then gave me the sales pitch.

My teeth are not that bad, and I had been at a dentist about 10 months before who did not try to hard sell me anything except a mouthguard for my teeth grinding. Avoid Aspen Dental. They recommend unnecessary and expensive options to make as much money off of you as they can.
1 - Virginia G.: No. Just no.

I had never experienced rage at a dentist's office before going to Aspen Dental, but after talking to classmates, it's apparently not an uncommon feeling there. All I needed was a simple, run-of-the-mill cleaning. Despite being early to my appointment, I had to wait for ages in the waiting room before the technician brought me back and literally took 25 x-rays of my head because she couldn't get the bite plates positioned correctly. Then I had to wait in the examination chair for the dentist for at least another hour. He finally showed up, spent two minutes poking around, declared that I had no cavities (which I could have told him myself) and gave the okay for me to have my teeth cleaned. The technician then led me over to the receptionist, who asked when I could come back for the cleaning itself. 

I am normally a really patient person, but that's when I nearly lost my sh**. At no time had they said that this would be a two-appointment deal--I was totally expecting to come in and have my teeth cleaned that day. If I had known that they would have wasted my entire afternoon, I would have gone elsewhere in Ithaca or tried to see my old dentist over winter break.

I don't know why I expected anything different when I did go back for the actual cleaning (TWO MONTHS LATER because they admitted that they were down to only one dental hygienist). The hygienist who cleaned my teeth was perfectly nice--if a bit frazzled--but the wait time was still excruciatingly long. 

What a complete waste of time. I'll just brush and floss with more vigor until I can go see a real dentist again.
2 - matt h.: This is my backup dental location (I have unfortunately had to go here twice when my regular dentist was booked solid). Its the only place in Ithaca that will give you an appointment with less than a week's notice. However, there is a reason for this. I'd say the cleanings I have gotten here are sub-par and the atmosphere is very sterile and corporate. They do accept Cornell's dental insurance, but they have also made billing mistakes with me and I have had to go through several calls with them to fix it. I would never trust any advice I would get from them about major operations, or extra services, but for a simple cleaning it is acceptable.

Aspire - Providence, RI (41.8224114, -71.4141721) (DownCity)
5 - Catherine F.: Stopped by for a pre-dinner drink and was wowwed by the beautiful and inviting decor.  We peeked in the dining room and I was immediately drawn by the elegant white leather studded chairs (same designer as Local 121?).  The chrystal chandeliers were gorgeous and subtly changed into various colors.  The bar area was warm and inviting and begged us to forego our reservation in favor of staying at the bar and sampling their small plates.  Alas, the bar menu is not yet available as the kitchen is slowly phasing this in.  But the selection was mouth wateringly wonderful and diverse and reasonably priced.  My limoncello martini was perfectly mixed by our attentive bartender, Seth.  And the price for it was under $10....under $10 for a martini in Providence at a gorgeous bar worthy of Sex in the City?  Imagine that!  The official opening is June 5th and we'll definitely be back!
4 - Will D.: Stopped by last evening for an after work cocktail and was immediately impressed by the decor. Modern, elegant and clean. Our bartender, Jess, was warm and friendly, and she shakes a mean martini. As for the menu, I only sampled the oysters, which came out ice cold with lemon, mignonette and cocktail sauce. Also the popcorn, seasoned with cheese and other spices were great. I am looking forward to sampling more of the menu in the future, when I am looking for more food.
4 - Dawn E.: I was here for a fundraising event and it is definately a great place for an event.   The restaurant supplied the hors d'oeuvers and drinks and all were quite delicious.

The setting was immaculate and trendy yet the staff was down to earth and friendly.

I checked out the menu and the prices look very reasonable.  I'd definately like to come back and give it a full try.
4 - Sabrina H.: We stay at Hotel Providence for a friend's wedding. The night we arrived was late and we were tired so we went to Aspire for dinner.

The Decor was very modern and elegant.  The choice of music was great, for the place.  The server Gregory was very nice and professional and later on we found out he is the one behind the music choices.

Among three of us, we had chowder (of course), Unagi Shrimps, Halibut (special of the day), and Scallops.  (See pictures)

I have tried many chowder in West coast and East coast because I love chowder, and this place is one of the best I had.  The shrimps is not too bad, size is good but the sauce is a little bit on the salty side (but my friends through was good, so...maybe just me).  One of my friend and I had the Halibut, and we thought the portion was huge and taste was a little too plain (I think half of the size would be better).  The other friend love his tomato base Scallops and I had a bite, not bad.

We came back here for drinks the night after we had the Rehearsal dinner.  It's totally different experience compare to the dinner we had.  It's hip, fun and crazy.  The drinks (Cosmo) is great and we all had a good time there.

I would love to try other food and stay in Hotel Providence again next time when we are in Providence.
5 - Franklin W.: We stopped by Providence on our way to Newport, and came by Aspire for lunch, because of the nice outdoor area we sat.  We were very impressed by the tuna tartare dish we had, which we think it's comparable to some of the best ones we have had in California.

Together with a nice downtown, we think Providence may worth a second look if we visit Southern New England again.
5 - Tim A.: The bar at Aspire is the finest bar in Providence RI. Period. And the restaurant serves up some of the best seafood (second only to hemenways). If you're looking for a good time please act on my recommendation and visit this place - you'll thank me later. 
I ended up here under fairly random circumstances... At 7:30PM I was attempting to walk from the Hilton to a french restaurant in downtown prov, and at the intersection of Snow and Westminster I was attacked by two juvenile delinquents who tried to beat me up and steal my briefcase.

I've been mugged three times before, and I usually just give them whatever they want and curl up into a ball and cry on the street... but it was march and I had been working on my taxes, so I had all of my statements in my briefcase - as well as my passport! (int'l flight the next week) ...So I actually fought back, with my bag strapped around my shoulder, i had the one kid on the ground and his buddy was behind me wrapped around my arm trying to put me in a headlock, but i broke away and ran, screaming... the first building that appeared to be lit up and full of people was the hotel providence, so I ran inside and described what had happened... i was literally shaking from the adrenalin rush, the hostess takes my coat and sits me down, and then Julie comes over and gives me a martini menu and says "pick out anything you like, its on the house - we need to calm your nerves!" 

Awesome.

I had a pear martini - absolutely stellar... and I stayed for dinner - jumbo scallops were awesome!!

The next weekend on a Saturday afternoon I was walking back from getting my hair cut and there was Aspire!! I stopped in for 'a drink', which turned into several, and I really can't say enough about my experience there... I had dinner plans for 7 but was a bit hungry at 4, they recommended the Tuna Tar Tar - f'ing awesome. When I'm home I'll sometimes buy sashimi grade tuna and whip up an appetizer for friends, but i've got nothing on Aspire - their tuna, pickled cucumbers, and chips were absolutely 5 star. Worth flying back to PVD for!!!

In talking about staff and personalities, I am of the opinion that Anthony should be cloned - and once his replicas are of age they should be sent to bars all over the world so that everyone has the opportunity to experience the level of service he delivers. He is truly one of the finest bartenders that this world traveler has ever encountered...

The guy is unbelievable.

While my project in Providence is over, I do plan to return to the city and I will most certainly visit Aspire when I do...
4 - David B.: Its been said that the best restaurants in Boston are in Providence. Perhaps that was true in the past but, going to a place like Aspire makes me think that there is still a bit of truth to that adage.

The vibe and decor are modern with a twist of mid century modern. The hostess and wait staff were friendly and efficient. We entered at the height  of the pre-theatre crowd. There was a bit of a hiccup with our seating, but all was well.

My dining partners and I were all in town for a conference; they had a lower reimbursable rate than I.  It was nice to see a nice variety of small plates; the tapas became our dining focus.

We were all satisfied with what we received. My onion soup was tasty, hot and full of wonderful onion flavor. It was a tad too salty for my taste but I still enjoyed it. I finished off with fresh calamari prepared 'Rhode Island' style. Fresh and delicious. My compatriots had the burger and the flat bread pizza. All declared their food was great.

I look forward to going back and enjoying other stalwarts of the Providence dining scene.
5 - Juhi D.: Wowsers! What a great dinner! We had a large group and they accomodated us just fine with a table outside. Call before for reservations. Three of us in the group ordered small plates and large plates to share. The ahi tuna wasabi dish was a little salty...everything else was truly divine! The night we visited there was a celebrity entourage that dined inside late night- so that was awesome to see.
4 - Michael N.: Every time i am in town i eat here. I love everything on the menu and the wine selection. Also like the fact this is located downstairs in my hotel of choice.
5 - Tank B.: Live jazz with a vocalist! (If you come on the right night.) Beautiful rolling water sculpture! Really friendly service, too!

I came to Providence to Waterfire to propose to my (now) fiance, and they worked with the Hotel Providence to be sure that a dozen roses that I bought off site were at our table when we arrived to kick off a magical engagement weekend.

We even lucked out with a wine bump when the wine we ordered was 'out of stock,' and to top it off, our food was absolutely delicious. Order the scallops! Seriously.

I can't thank the staff here enough for such a pleasant dinner to start things rolling with my eventual proposal. Thank you! I would definitely eat here again.
3 - Nikolai B.: The food was good, but the Happy Hour was not. My coworkers and I make a weekly Happy Hour round throughout the city, and were disappointed by Aspire's. Their menu did not match the one that was on their website, they literally dropped ALL of their martini glasses and had to serve us in wine glasses or tumblers, and the service just wasn't that great. Our waitress was perfectly nice, but the General Manager didn't have much to offer. At the end of our meal he happened to approach our table, and when we told him about the mismatched menu situtation, he didn't offer much of an apology or compensation whatsoever. He basically just shrugged and said something about how his web guy would need to change it. It's been two weeks now and it still hasn't been changed, by the way :)

Try it for dinner maybe, but stay away from the after-work specials. I would instead recommend The Oyster Bar on Federal Hill or McCormick & Schmick's.
4 - Emma F.: We visited Aspire on a Wednesday night when we were in town for work. The menu has a pleasant selection of items without being overwhelming. However, as it was a Wednesday, all of us went for the three-course offer. Three excellent courses for $19.99! We thought the portions would be really small, but they were the perfect size. I had the arugula salad, the salmon entree, and the chocolate bundt cake for dessert. It was all amazing! The Aspire Mojito was also quite tasty (a pineapple twist on my favorite drinks) without being overly sweet. And finally, the waitress was wonderful. I tend to ask a lot of questions and she seemed to enjoy responding and conversing with us in general, without ever hovering. After this trip we are big fans of Aspire and Local 121 (see review for that as well).
5 - Linda H.: We went on Saturday night during the waterfire.  The place was busy, but  not crowded,  and the hostess sat us immediately. 

Beautiful ambiance inside and out, although a tad dark in the corner where we sat, but very private. Our server, Frank was there in a second to get our drink order. he reccomended a great glass of red wine and was back from the bar , way accross the place in just a few minutes. he gave us the run down on specials and we took our time deciding. he brought great warm rolls with a dipping oil and helped us with the salad choices. 

I had a great butter lettuce salad with candied pecans and my boyfriend had the arugula. Mine  was a huge portion and awsome dressing too! His was not as great but edible still.  he oredered the cod with little necks and churico and I went with the filet mignon.  Both  were excellent although I did send the filet back as it was undercooked (better than over cooked any day) .  We were too stuffed to do dessert but saw a bannans foster being done tableside and it looked and smelled fantastic.  
We wanted to get to waterfire so we spent maybe an hour at Aspire, yet every minute was lovely!  There was a jazz band outdoors that sounded great as we were leving to walk to waterfire. We will definitely go back again and plan on staying for music next time! 

Oh..and we used a gift certificate I bought on restaurant dot com ($50 cost me $4 during a promo)  they take it any night and there were no restrictions other than min. order of 100.   Awsome service, great food and a bargain deal!! 
Five stars!
3 - Cassie B.: Really awesome atmosphere, pretty shitty service, mostly good food, useless website.

Sat inside, there was one other table, and it still took someone 15 mins to come to the table. Which is annoying, and made me feel very unloved. Staff had no knowledge of whether there were specials. The online menu wasn't the same as the menu handed out, one of the apps i was really interested online was not on the inhouse menu...sad panda.

Food was good, but not amazing, perhaps slightly overpriced, but it is in a hotel i guess. Server attempted to drop the check before asking us if we wanted dessert, which we did, But sadly the 'tableside' bananas foster wasn't available to be done tableside as the  server wasn't trained to do it, a likely story...Wouldn't go back..there are other places that do local food better and cheaper, with servers who at least pretend to care. That being said, i did get an AWESOME parking spot, which kinda rocked...
2 - Amber L.: Maybe I was eating at a different restaurant but I really do not see why people seem to be so stoked about this place. The service is REALLY slow and not for any understandable reason. When I went the restaurant was practically empty and it still took forever for us to get our drinks and there was a huge lag of time between our appetizers and the entrees. The highlight of my dish was the sweet corn sauce but there was not much of it on my place. The scallops were cooked well but had so much pepper on it that I could not taste them. 

The only thing nice about this place is the decor. I will definitely not be returning. Not only was it sub-par but it was overpriced.
1 - Gina L. B.: I also wrote an email to the manager of Aspire as well as the manager of the Hotel Providence and did not even receive a response. Clearly they do not value customer service - stay away!
1 - Frank R.: I had stopped by Aspire about a half dozen times and enjoyed drinks and snacks at the bar.

The chef had a great resume and was able to produce what I thought were the best french fries in Providence: hand-cut, and fried twice @ 325 and 375 degrees and then perfectly seasoned. 

On my last visit (my VERY last visit) I was sitting at the bar next to a man from the Four Seasons chain of hotels. He was in town for J&W business, and also recruiting staff for his hotel restaurants.  After telling him about the spectacular fries, I was completely humiliated when I was served frozen fries- the kind that just fell off a Cysco truck, or maybe were bought at a BJ's.  

It is a real slap in the face to be served that kind of slop at such a pretentious slick place.  Nobody on the staff seemed to care- they all seemed a little over their heads anyway. 

I tried phoning several times, in order to voice my concerns and "encourage" them to do better, but was unable to contact anybody on the staff.
2 - Kim P.: We ate here for my birthday. It was ok - nothing great - don't plan on going back. They provide free valet service for customers who are attending a show at PPAC, so that was a perk. The service and food were ok, but nothing special. They were out of Riesling, which really put a damper on the evening as it was my b-day and that's my favorite type of wine. There are too many good restaurants in Providence to waste your time on this one.
3 - Derek T.: Aspire is ok but lacks a little bit of inspiration - good, but not great, maybe with the idea that they are better than they are, a little over priced without anything that made it really memorable.
3 - Alex L.: Had a meal at this restaurant in the morning before a client site. It wasn't particularly busy, but still for some reason took a very long time to provide service. It seems near impossible to find a server with only 3 people sitting down at tables. They had the standard options for breakfast (eggs, french toast, oatmeal, etc.) so nothing particularly surprising there.

Its not exactly in the most central locations, so you probably won't stumble in here. If you can avoid it, look around at other restaurants in the area.
3 - Andrea D.: I've only ever been for drinks after work...which was good. I'm going this Thursday for dinner before heading to the PPAC. Hopefully it will be better than it was described here. I will follow-up.
1 - Karen S.: Superb service!! The meal (quality of food) was terrible.
3 - Brittanny T.: I've debated on giving my second review three or four stars but decided on three because even though this experience was far superior to my last visits to Aspire, there were still some big glaring issues they need to address.

First with the good. The food was excellent. There were four people at our table and we were all happy with our food. Our server was very nice.

Now the bad. Do not come to restaurant if you have any time restraints. It took us so long to get out food. The place was probably a quarter full yet it took us practically an hour to get out food. We didn't have an appetizers so we just sat there eating bread the whole time. If you want to go out for a leisurely dinner with friends and not worry about time, then Aspire will be good for you.

The second issue was the gnats. There were gnats flying everywhere and it was very annoying. We spent half the time making sure they didn't dive into our drinks. Yes, they have doors that open up to the patio but I've been in plenty of restaurants with doors open to the outside and I've never seen a problem like that before unless the restaurant was originally dirty. It's not a great look for your restaurant when everyone at the table is swatting bugs out of their faces.

I appreciate the restaurant to reaching out to me after seeing my last review and them wanting to make it better. This experience was definitely better but there are issues they still need to work on. The only way I could see myself going back to Aspire was if someone else was paying, and only after I tell them about my past experiences there.
3 - Dustin M.: Parking on a Friday night around 7:30pm was pretty accessible in downtown.  First time to the restaurant so the actual location was a bit of a mystery to us, but it was a beautiful night to explore. We heard jazz playing from a distance and thought that it sounded nice and as we  approached the restaurant realized the music was being  played in the quaint and romantic outdoor patio seating of Aspire.  The hostess and manager were very welcoming and friendly, great start to a promising evening; the restaurant decor is nice and modern.  OK, now the important part...My friend ordered the Limoncello tini and she really enjoyed it!  I had a glass of white wine that was also nice.  Our server, was great, big smile, attentive (refilled water glasses w/o being asked), made suggestions, we liked her but I wish we liked her suggestions just as much.  She suggested the Unagi Glazed Shrimp  and the Sea bass, we got them both along with the Clam Chowder and Lobster and Shrimp Pappardelle Pasta.  The Glazed Shrimp were tasty at first bite, then the glaze got a little overbearing, it would have been good with some Jasmine rice, maybe even as an entree.  The Clam Chowder was delicious, the fresh thyme made it special.  The pasta had great flavors, only the lobster was a little over cooked and it was all claw meat.  Lastly, the Sea Bass, I had such high expectation for this dish as I love sea bass and our server recommended it. Overall the butter in the sauce was the main attraction, and took over the flavors of the whole dish, there was also something in there that may have been vanilla, I'm not sure but it was very pungent and overpowering for me. Over all, the atmosphere, staff and the chowder would be 4 stars, being a little disappointed with the entrée takes it back one. I would go back though, definitely for the chowder, and also sitting out on the patio area on a Friday night listening to the 5 piece band play some Jazz in the company of good friends with some of the appetizers would make for a great night. ( on a side note, reading some of the other reviews, it is refreshing to see that Aspire actually responds to some of these reviews, it is nice to see places that take customer feedback seriously and i give a lot of credit for this.)
2 - Jaclyn P.: Better than expected, but not great. Service was good, our waiter was well spoken and knowledgable of the menu.
We sat on outside but there are some rather obnoxious color changing spot lights that illuminate the courtyard and we actually switched to a table that wasn't lit by the spot lights.

We only came here because we had a gift certificate and although it was a fine meal, I don't know if I'll be going back.

I had Lobster and Shrimp over Papperdelle. This came with a delicious ginger and black pepper cream sauce. However, the lobster was overcooked and the shrimp were frozen shrimp so I actually wouldve like this much better with just the sauce and no lobster/shrimp.
This dish was very pricey and if you're going to feature lobster then it should be cooked perfectly.

I wouldn't recommend the sangria as it was overpriced and didn't really seem to have any alcohol in it.

My boyfriend got a panko crusted pork chop with potato and prosciutto hash. He wasn't too impressed and said the pork tasted like shake and bake. However, the wine pairing that the waiter made was spot on for that dish.

So overall, it's a toss up because there were many things that I really liked about this place but also many things that kind of killed it for me.

I'd say give it a try and decide for yourself.
4 - Tony G.: Wonderful Meal, excellent place to relax and wait before you go to the theater a block away. I had steak Frites, calamari and a Cesar salad. My wife had great scallops. Service was good! Only complaint was I had to ask for fresh ground black pepper for my Salad. No Biggie. Now the coffee and desert were second to none. Highly recommended./
3 - Peter R.: Aspire is located well but not somewhere I think of eating downtown. I'm a fan of the decor, the bathrooms, and the big patio.

Service was a little slow both times I visited for dinner.

We came a third time for an after-party for StyleWeek and there was just the bartender and one manager for 200 people. Oops. No one was excited about that.

I wouldn't be opposed to trying again in a few months and seeing if there is anything more interesting on the menu.
1 - Phantom G.: My boyfriend and I went here for Valentines Day last  night. My boyfriend spent $180  on a few tiny meals that were very unsatisfying and then was lied to about what we were supposed to get for our money. All their advertisments clearly state that a glass of champagne comes with the $65 meal! When I asked our waitress  if any drinks came with the meal she rudely said "NO" I go out to eat A LOT and have never felt this way. I feel sick to my stomach about the money we spent on this shitty place. I could tell you something wrong with every meal we received. My entree course was the steak and was pretty much all fat, the oysters were fishy and small, the meat looked and tasted like deli roastbeef, and not to mention i received ONE scallop on my plate and that was considered a "course"? This expirience ruined our Valentines Day!! I would NEVER recommend this place to anyone. When I complained they tried to offer me a $50 gift card! HAHA what a joke. I expect a full refund of our $160 wasted on this AWFUL place!
2 - J R.: While the food is good... um... service is crappy, hate to say it but it is. 

For some reason, it seems like the people that work there think they are in hollywood or somewhere ritzy... like, if you don't walk in there with a suit and order a $200 bottle of whatever, they want nothing to do with you.  Real nice.

I've been there for dinner a few times, always had crappy service...  waited 20 minutes for my server on a random week night when there were 5 tables max.

I've been there for drinks as well on a weekend night.  Last i remember, i asked a waitress for a drink and she said she was too busy.

lol ok... 

If I end up there again, i won't oppose to it.  Hopefully I'll get a waiter that I like to change my mind about this place... because it is a really nice restaurant.
3 - Jess T.: Aspire. I expected more from you. I had tickets to a show at PPAC and time to kill while waiting for my sister and aunt to make the journey into the city. I planned on having dinner and a few drinks. 

Now, there were 3 people at the bar when I arrived, myself included. I ordered my cocktail and it took about an eternity for it to arrive. The drink was perfectly mixed, so I let that slide. What bothered me was the fact that I had to flag down the other bartender for a menu because my bartender was too busy at the other end socializing and not offering a menu. 

When I finally did order, it took about 35 minutes to get my small plate of meat and cheese. At this point, I literally had 10 minutes to eat, pay my tab and hustle to PPAC to meet my family. 

Let's talk about the food. I ordered the Charcuterie Plate and it was nothing short of heaven. Sliced meats, cheeses, nuts, and fruit. The presentation was en pointe and the food was delightful. 

I was really excited to try this place based on the website, menu, and the visually appealing decor. The service here really turned me off . As the bar got more crowded, the bartenders were still moving at a glacial pace. The only person that got reasonable service was clearly a regular as he was offered a drink and a menu and had his food before I even saw a menu. 

The drinks and food were great, but I would come here if you have plenty of time to wait.
4 - Mitch K.: Ate on 5/6/11 with my wife. The waiter (Greg) was wonderful and I'd definitely ask for him the next time we're there. He indicated that the menu had just been redone and we were trying it for the first time. I had onion soup (really good), cali calamari (excellent, it's calamari with pineapple, red peppers, and it tasted kinda sweet), and the seared sea scallops. I couldn't order dessert and had to take some of my dinner home as it was just too much food.

It's not a place you go for value (entrees are $25+) but the service from Greg was impeccable and it was a nice romantic meal before we headed to Trinity Rep for a play.
2 - Valerie Z.: I really, really wanted to like Aspire.  I went there with a group of people and we all got different dishes and apps.  I got the tuna.  It was okay.  That's it.  Just okay.  But we paid amazing food prices.  Unfortunately, I won't be back.

For the price, I would rather go to several other Providence restaurants.  Although, my mother's steak was very good.

I will say the service was exceptional.  It's was just the food.
2 - Kel S.: Eh. I can't speak for the food, because we didn't have any. But, I had been here about a year ago, and didn't remember it. I went back for a drink the other night. It was fine, but again, not memorable. The atmosphere is supposed to be classy, but it was kind of cheese-ola. The host/manager was a bit awkward. Which made us feel less inclined to enjoy ourselves, as well.
2 - Sarah E.: I find that Aspire consistently disappoints me. For the price, the food should be better. I feel like it's not trying hard enough to be a high-end restaurant. The prices are there but the food is most definitely not.

On this last trip, I ordered the basics - soup and salad. The salad was boring and minimal topping. Just lettuce and dressing. For the price ($11), can I get some cheese, croutons? I could have added chicken for $6 more!!!

For what they're charging you at this place, the food needs to be better. There are so many other fantastic restaurant options in Providence.
4 - Joanna r.: Two Jews, a Puerto Rican and an Atheist walk into a bar on Christmas Eve. Turns out the name of the place really was A-Bar. All (bad) jokes aside, we had a great night at Aspire. The restaurant side was closed, but the bar was still buzzing and the kitchen was open until midnight! Our drinks were delicious (highly recommend the pear martini) and the bar menu was just right. $5 for the short rib loaded fries?! Yes please! Lots of other options ranging from duck spring rolls to flat bread pizza. 

For my motley crew Aspire/A-Bar was perfect- not too loud, friendly service and comfortable setting. Also, the yelp madlibs napkins = awesomeness. I think all bars in PVD should carry those napkins! 

I look forward to coming back to Aspire when it's not a holiday and actually try more stuff from the main menu.
5 - Peggy F.: I have been going to Aspire since they opened. I have had some mixed feelings in the past, but all that has changed. 

The Mystic Monday specials are the best around. For the last 3 weeks, I have gotten a wonderful little meal of duck spring rolls (crispy and satisfying!), and a Margherita pizza (juicy tomatoes and lotsa cheese!!!) for $9. I know this is a promotion, but I will be back even if I have to pay double!

Love the new look and the new bartender, Will. This is a beautiful spot that always offers entertainment and innovative cuisine. 

It is now my favorite.
3 - Adam M.: Good food. Service was lackluster. For spending $180 on an appetizer and two entrees, expected much more.
4 - Marcy L.: What's better than sitting outside in a courtyard, sipping on classy cocktails with friends, and listening to some classic home-spun jams?  - n.o.t.h.i.n.g

Aspire certainly strives to impress - the small dining room glows and sparkles with large chandeliers and clean-lined, modern seating (think 2012 Breakfast at Tiffany's).  This sense of class is carried over to the en suite bar; there is plenty of room for small groups to gather for cocktails and appetizers.  Large-pane windows connect these dinning spaces with the adjoined courtyard : perfection.  The courtyard is scattered with flora and fauna, a water feature, and a variety of seating options (large bistro tables, park bench, and even - sometimes - a velvet sofa and matching chairs!).  The space is gated in by iron, and a large church spire pokes up from behind the trees.  Obviously, this is my ideal location.

As it was a fine Saturday evening, Spogga Hash was jamming out, spinning jams and layering audio; he reads his audience (and occasional environmental interruptions) and delivers impeccable.entertainment.every.time.  The dessert menu is small, but I assumed that 1) classy shiny pretty place + 2) lofty prices = hopefully delicious.  I ordered the Pineapple Rum Cake (...9$) and was sorely disappointed.  The portion was the size of a silver dollar and it tasted pre-made-and-refrigerated.  Seeking a better result, my friends and I turned to adult beverages: Beefeaters & Tonic (a classic), Dark & Stormy (a tall, spicy refreshment), and for me: the Aspire Cocktail (grapefruit juice, elderflower liquor, and champagne with lemon twist garnish : 10$).  Refreshing, crisp, tart, and just what I wanted for my celebratory cocktail!  The drink list is pricey (9-15$) and the service is a little slow, but, then - you're trying to relax, remember?
4 - Michael T.: Really nice restaurant in Providence, had the baked cod with chorizo and potato, nice dish, good portion side, really flavorful.
1 - Damian R.: I know where the restaurant got it's name.  The owners must aspire to have a real restaurant.  They have missed by far.
Went last night.  There were four tables of patrons and the manager told us "they were really busy."  Really?  That is "really busy?"  
I gave them one star because this system would not allow me to give them "zero," which is what they deserve.
After waiting 40 minutes for an appetizer, we politely asked where our food was.  Nobody bothered to tell us the kitchen "lost" the ticket.  The bartender simply informed us that our food was "on its way out."  I looked and asked "Where?"  I did not see anyone coming toward us with food.  She responded with "It's on its way."  What a joke.  I asked to speak with the Manager who asked "What do you want me to do?"
How about starting with "tell the truth?"  Would that be a novel idea?  Instead of making excuses and telling us the food was "on the way," why not tell your customer the truth?  It would have made all the difference in the world.
Oh, and by the way, other patrons came in to the bar last night to try to get a drink.  They complained there was no service on the patio.
Bad night?  Bad service that started with the horrible excuse spewing "manager" who should really find a new line of work.
Definitely one of the worst experiences...do yourself a favor!   GO somewhere else.
4 - Rahim M.: Kicked off Providence Restaurant Week at Aspire tonight! The food was good and the service was great (minus the waiter spilling water all over my lap, which made for a pretty hilarious highlight, but the waiter was really nice about it and bought me a glass of wine which I really appreciated). Overall, I had a great time.
5 - Ken S.: A random Open Table booking at Aspire proved to be quite a treat on the way home from Boston.  

The friendly hostess offered us restaurant week menus as she led us into the nicely appointed dining room, a mix of modern and traditional with burgundy velvet banquettes and white leather chairs.  The restaurant week bonus meant we could enjoy a three-course meal for only $29.99. 

The arugula salad was lightly dressed with citrus vinaigrette and parmesan cheese.  Although the arugula was fresh and the dressing was tasty, it might benefit from an addition like citrus slices or dried cranberries.  Then again there's nothing wrong with fresh greens; it's just a little plain.

The cornmeal-encrusted ancho shrimp were outstanding.  Described on the menu as honey mustard sauce, the effect is almost more of a sweet and sour that actually works quite well.  

The cod served over succotash and herbs grown on the roof is an excellent main course option.  The cappellini shrimp served over pasta with spinach, garlic, and herbs was also quite good.

For dessert, definitely order the raspberry cheesecake.  It's quite light with raspberry filling served in the middle of port syrup and granola crumble.  The top of the creme brulee was perfect, but the filling could have been a bit creamier.

The staff at Aspire was quite friendly and helpful without being overbearing or rushing us through our meal.  Thanks for an exceptional dining experience!
5 - Cato M.: I've never been inside this restaurant, but it has a beautiful open-air courtyard that reminds me of Paris. Until I can afford the cost of a meal here, I'll definitely remember this place as an ideal study spot.
3 - Amanda S.: Went to Aspire for a post girls night out brunch. I had been in the restaurant before when touring the Hotel Providence for a venue, but had never actually eaten there. I made reservations on Open Table for 3 people at 10:00 because the 10:30 time slot we wanted wasn't available. When we walked in they looked completely empty, and never actually filled up, so I'm not sure why 10:30 wasn't available. We were seated inside. The decor is absolutely beautiful albeit a little dark. It took at good 8 minutes before our waitress greeted us and took out drink order. We didn't order anything crazy or intricate, 3 coffees, 3 omelets and 2 grilled muffins, yet it took a very long time before we were served. The food was average, nothing to write home about. The Illy coffee was great though, and she did keep topping our cups off. It was a bit pricey, expected, but not totally welcome considering the lackluster service and mediocre food. I'll definitely give Aspire another chance, although I think this time it will be for dinner.
4 - Frank N.: I had the skirt steak cooked perfectly and tender. We had  great appetizers! I ordered the Caribbean Pork Belly. Nice and crispy pork belly over banana brown sugar chutney, sesame aioli and sweet potato frites. My wife had the Long Island Duck which was a duck breast, oven roasted potatoes and grilled asparagus with a port rhubarb reduction which she said was very good. 
After dinner we sat in the courtyard and listened to live music with drinks which ended a perfect night!
2 - Scottie M.: Not sure what the hype is about...

This place is located inside the hotel providence and definitely oozes a stuck-up attitude (unfortunately its towards the guests).  The food was mediocre at best... and I'm not sure I understand their remodel... it used to be elegant and classy... now I am given a CLIP BOARD with printed sheets of paper clipped to it as a menu... Ikea makes over restaurants now?  Disappointing.
4 - Kenichi I.: A bit pricey but every penny worth. Great atmosphere, great food and drinks. I'd definitely go back !

Assembly Hall - Champaign, IL (40.096261, -88.236083) ()
3 - J. B.: Five, impossible.

Four stars for the interesting design of the place. 

Three stars for the fact they sell warm & soft pretzels at their concessions. 

Two stars for the crazed Chief Illiniwek fans that still stand up during halftime - even though the UIUC was forced to ban the racist mascot from their games. (Yes, I just went there.)

One star for the lack of creativity with the cement interior and uncomfortable seating.


All that averages to about two and a half. So, I guess, let's go with three?
3 - Ry N.: I have been here for a basketball game and a concert. Let me just say it's not good for a concert. They close off half the arena and leave only a small pocket on the floor for general admission. I can't imagine being in that sandwich trying to see the show. Second, they don't serve alcohol... which is an adjustment for a rock concert. Third, the seats are uncomfortable, and the rows of seats are so close together that there is no leg room. Your knees are seriously on the person's shoulders in front of you if you are 6'0 or taller.
The sound didn't travel like it normally would in a normal concert. It wasn't that loud, in other words.
On the positive, parking was a cinch. It was $5 to park right next to the arena, and the workers were helpful with the directions to the Will Call. Once inside, the security was a joke. They used a metal detector on us, and it said I was clear with keys and a camera in my pockets. Good thing I didn't bring a weapon!

It's a good place to catch a basketball game, but I wouldn't want to see another concert here.
4 - Kathleen M.: Orange, everywhere you look is orange.  And you can look everywhere as there are literally no bad seats here.

This is a great place to go to a basketball game.  Oh.  If you're an Illini fan.  People stand until both teams sink their first basket.  Everyone knows the words to the fight song and the alma mater.  And the Chief is remembered here as the proud symbol of a proud University.  

Ah, the memories!  I have been  attending games here since the '70's which is good and bad.  (Time to wipe tear of joy.)  Wait, we need to get back to the review.

Good - lots of nostalgia, history and tradition in this venue.  LIke memorial stadium, local groups run the concessions and make money for the CU area.

Bad - with all of the history comes age.  This is certainly not the newest domed facility around.  The seats could be a little friendlier on the back.  (I didn't have this complaint in the 70s!)

We were just here last night and will be here a few more times this year. Why don't you join us?  Just remember to wear orange!
4 - Andrew T.: I've been to plenty of games (and one ill advised monster truck show) here - not as many as some, but plenty. And while I love what the atmosphere can be, it doesn't seem to live up to that standard any longer. No, the team isn't as good as it's been in the recent past, but that doesn't mean you should sit on your hands most of the game, like a lot of kids and "adults" alike did during a recent visit for a pivotal game against MSU. I've heard this place rocking, and...well, when you leave before the horn, and can't sell the place out...shame on you, Champaign. 

As for amenities, screw em. I don't want plush seats, because I don't want to sit down. I don't need fancy concessions, because this isn't a restaurant. And I don't want luxury boxes because they remove seating capacity. I want a venue that packs in as many screaming angry orange-clad students as possible, and when Assembly Hall is filled with orange, it's pretty freaking orange and pretty freaking loud in there. Now, I take issue with seating old people close to the floor and sticking most students up in the rafters, but honestly, there isn't a bad seat in the house. Yes, closer is better, but sight lines are superb throughout. 

So, no 5th star for the home of my beloved Illini because the place isn't an unhinged madhouse, come rain, come shine, come win, come loss. But I do love it. And I just pray that it doesn't get replaced with some shiny, soulless, glass and steel creation with a corporate name. KFC Yum Center anyone? Puh-lease. Maybe with Jimmy Johns being founded in the area, we could have the "Freaky Fast Forum" in a few years.
3 - Les P.: Cool building, but the food is the most boring I've ever seen.

Associated - New York, NY (40.8092115, -73.9518699) (Harlem)
1 - Dave L.: Imagine every bad thing you've heard about supermarkets in the 'hood, and this is your Associated Supermarket right here.  The produce is wilting and overpriced, the meats look universally brown, and the store-brand frozen foods are stuffed to the brim with trans fats.  Throw in the torpid checkout clerks, an ugly storefront, and utterly inconvenient hours, and you've got a real winner right here.

It's only saving grace is that you'll find some produce and cuts of meat that cater to a crowd that's not so white-bread: plantains, oxtail, big-assed jars of garlic.  Even some budget cuts of beef and pork are pretty good.  But come on, guys.  People in Harlem are starting to care about what goes in their bodies, and between the Citarella and the Pathmark and the Fairway, they've got better choices every day.  Heck, even the Met is going organic.  You can do better.
1 - Kurt R.: Yes, and although I found it a convenient spot for hard-to-find smoked turkey tails (essential to my collared greens), it is now GONE, shuttered, closed.

Astor Gift And Home - Palo Alto, CA (37.4382353, -122.1585402) ()
5 - Charlotte C.: Whenever I go into Anthropologie, I get drunk on their housewares section.  Dishes, drawer pulls, pillows, vases, POM POM THROWS!  What if Anthropologie had an entire home store?  Well, with Astor, they do.  Not directly, obvs.  But as good as.  Astor is filled with a dizzying array of lovely, quirky home goods - half French-boho, half handmade-nation.  I want my entire house to look like the interior of this store.  Cake stands, aprons, dishtowels, jewelry, you name it.  They even sell Catstudio pillows and teatowels - something I've had difficulty finding in the Bay Area.  I went yesterday and am going back today to probably buy a Catstudio pillow.  Or at least think really hard about it while looking at the Gianna Rose soaps and wondering if my fiance will let me put soap shaped like baby animals in our bathroom.

So in summary: come here if you need a present for any lady in your life - including yourself.
5 - KJB ..: Fabulous store!  I could spend all day in there!  They have a fabulous selection of cute gifts and housewares, most with a shabby chic feel.  Perfect place to pick up a gift, for a friend, or yourself!  The staff is super nice and friendly as well!  This is a hidden gem in Palo Alto!
5 - Sarah P.: It's true, this is a hidden gem.  I passed by many times before entering this store, and once I did I fell in love.  I didn't realize from the outside, the wonders that lay within.  What a great selection of wonderful things.  Truly the perfect destination for almost any gift for anyone.  How lovely.
1 - N T.: Terrible service.  
I went in because I saw some organic bedding marked down through the window.  I've been in the market for some bedding recently and would have purchased a set on the spot if the service hadn't been so dreadful.  
The items in the store are nice enough, but nothing I'd go back for.  
Maybe I didn't look like I had a lot of money to buy anything - but even so, especially in silicon valley, you never know, and being rude and condescending to the only customers in your entire store is not good business.  
My questions about bedding were ignored entirely, at which point I gave up and wandered the store.  The saleswoman on duty spent the entire time chatting on the phone, until she suspected we might be "breaking store rules" and then came over to chew us out and basically kicked us out.  (We weren't stealing or damaging anything...)  I was not once offered assistance even when I specifically asked for it.  For a small store with no other customers to speak of, I was appalled at the poor service.  They lost a several hundred dollar sale to terrible service and I will not be back, nor do I recommend this store to anyone for any reason.  There are plenty of other more pleasant stores along similar lines to support.
5 - barb b.: Everything in this shop is excellent. If you need a small hostess gift or just want to treat yourself to something extraordinary..Astor has it. Love this shop.
5 - SunnyvaleResident S.: I can't believe it took me this long to come across AG&H given the number of times I've been to Town and Country.  I never drove that far back in the shopping center until Trader Joes opened up.  When I asked how long they've been at this location she said 2 years.  Wow, that's a long time to survive given the years of construction.  Thankfully that's finally done.  

This place truly is a hidden gem.    With so many home boutique shops going out of business I'm thrilled to have found a new one.  The store is eye candy, there's so many things I could buy I have to hold myself back!  

The staff is friendly and knowledgable.   I ended up buying one item from their sales table (great deals there) and a beautiful lavender french cache pot for a really good price (better than any I had seen anywhere else and less expensive than Pierre D.)  The store carries high quality unique items.  Whoever is buying for this store has really good taste, I like their style.   Good stopover on the way to Stanford Mall.
5 - patricia H.: I had a really nice experience after discovering this wonderful store and chatting with the Proprieter, who is so friendly and helpful.......  Definitely going back and doing some Christmas shopping!
2 - Jen H.: Poor customer service will do it every time!

Just like a previous reviewer who went in and was the only customer, I was also the only customer during the week before Christmas.  There were two people working there who struck me as the owners I read about but I did not ask.

I read about this store from a local newspaper and I wanted to shop at my local store for some girlfriend gifts for the holiday but I will not return.

I was totally ignored the whole time I was shopping there.  I bought four items, which may not have been a lot to their standards but it did cost me over $60.  I never saw a smile coming from either ladies as I was checking out.

Sorry, I will go somewhere else from now on.  There are plenty of small shops around me, downtown PA as well as downtown Los Altos, not to mention Anthropology as another reviewer mentioned.
4 - Susan S.: Really cute and unique items in the store, and friendly sales woman.  She wasn't pushy, and was able to answer all my questions.  I have bought some cute Easter items from this store, and will be going back to see whats new!
5 - Shima D.: Was just here a few weeks ago for Mother's Day gifts. I have stopped by several times - mainly when i need a gift for mom and mother-in-law. I've always been able to find something...even if its not for the moms. There is usually one or two people working and they have always been friendly. One of the girls(Jill) and I had a great conversation about our dogs last time i was there. She was very helpful  and honest and gave me her true opinion about an item. I really appreciate that...you usually tend to get sales people who say "that looks great or I have one as well" just to get a sale, not Jill! I would recommend visiting next time your are at Town & Country and it doesn't hurt that they are located over by my favorite sandwich shop(Village Cheese House).
5 - Lisa K.: This is simply a fabulous store.  The products vary greatly.  There is something there for everyone on your gift list.  It is eclectic and always fun to go in and see the many products they sell. The store is always stocked with holiday specialty items, as well as timeless favorites.  My only issue is that my favorite sales person is leaving soon.  Jill F. has, been a wonderful asset to Astor.  She is always  willing to show me all the new items. She knows all about the inventory, and she is detail oriented, so the specifics of each item are always on the tip of her tongue. All in all, Astor is my number one go- to shop in the area for awesome gifts for anyone.

Atasca Broadway - Cambridge, MA (42.366871, -71.0927485) (Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - Melissa B.: This location was my favorite of the two, more cozy and inviting.  Unfortunately it closed a few months back.  Right when O'Cantinho (also owned by the same group) updated their dinner menu.  Hampshire St. is the only Atasca location now.  The food is just as good.  Love the grilled sardines.
4 - Matt G.: Excellent autentico Portugese restaurant.  The wife and I enjoyed a small dinner consisting of the small plate "pesticos", which is the Portugese version of tapas.  Try the cured Portugese ham, fava beans and ceviche de bachalau.  Ambiance and decor seemed sort of like a cross between a Perkins and a mom/pop diner.  Service seemed kind of spotty, but the servers were helpful in describing the various dishes they offered.  Overall, we would visit there again....
5 - Thomas E.: This is a gem of a restaurant in Kendall Square! Their wine list is fairly extensive, and while their entrees are slightly pricey (15-25), they are definitely filling and worth it. Atasca is large enough to seat you and your six friends for dinner on weekdays without a problem, but you might want to call ahead for a reservation on the weekends.

Atasca Hampshire - Cambridge, MA (42.366871, -71.0927485) (Kendall Square/MIT)
3 - Juliette V.: Nice location for an authentic, romantic Portugese meal. I enjoyed the seafood paella dish, very fresh and tastey. Service is friendly and knowledgable.
4 - Anna f.: The best portuguese resturant in town. You must try a portuguese wine with your meal. Chose what entices you. Everything is good. Family owned, great service!
5 - Laura F.: The entrees are seafood, salmon, salt cod, swordfish, shrimp, mussels and steaks and lamb. I was very pleased when my salmon came with a yummy side potato dish (kind of like mashed potatoes, but way better), and fresh veggies. It was really lovely and romantic all around. The wait people can help you pick a Portuguese wine, which is really really GOOD! They have some yummy desserts, baked apples with port wine. Definitely a warm, feel good, satisfying, kind of romantic spot. It was full at 9, I definitely felt a family vibe both in the customers and atmosphere. Lots of dreamy couples there too ;  )
4 - Alice K.: Flavorful, fabulous Portugese food!  While unable to testify to its authenticity, I found that the food was prepared and served with Mediterranean flair.  The waitstaff is attentive and helpful; I tried a bit of five different dinners (good friends ;)) and found each dish delicious.  Highly recommended: the crab cakes, anything with the roasted potatoes on the side and the sangria (get a whole pitcher).
4 - Katy T.: The food was good, although heavy on the fish which makes sense for Portuguese food.  The meal was very good, location is weird, but it was oddly easy to find parking right out front, and if you can't find parking there, parking can be found in a garage by following the blue circle P's. 

  The staff was wonderful.  When my fiancee' needed to change a dollar into coins for the meter, the manager of the restaurant ran out and insisted that he feed the meter for us.  What a nice surprise.  

  We really enjoyed our visit here, although they only get 4 stars because the meal wasn't one where I remembered it days later.
4 - So S.: This is my newest craze.  Great portugese-style food in nice place with a friendly atmosphere .  Prices are very good for the quality food you get here as well as service.  I can;t wait until it is summer to enjoy the outdoor fireplace and seating.  Good date place without breaking the bank. Rated Best of Boston 2005 for Portugese Cuisine.
3 - A T.: I love the food here so price is usually not an option when I stop in--I've had hit or miss luck with the service though...often it's great (usually when I'm with a friend who speaks Portugese), but, sometimes it can be painfully slow.
5 - Jennifer B.: Really enjoyed this one, especially the outdoor area (don't miss the big yellow awning). Interesting Portuguese food (I had some kind of stew for lunch), reasonable prices, and good service. Was a little slow for lunch, but definitely worth it.
4 - Patrick B.: Great, authentic Portugese restaurant with service to match.  A wonderful place for a sit down lunch or dinner.  There are many things to try, including the wonderful Bife a Tasca.
4 - Katie G.: It's amazing how the owners of this restaurant have transformed a bland office builiding storefront into a charming Portuguese oasis.  The patio is lovely and the food is wonderful.  We usually order several small plates to share and a bottle of the slightly effervescent Vinho Verde.  The entrees and desserts are delicious also.  A garlicky delight.
5 - Andres M.: My favorite dishes are Gallina Verde and Bife a Alfacinha. I've tried other things and are not as good. The bread it's delicious. The building lacks personality, I liked it more when they were on Broadway, but this new location has more space. It's proably the best restaurant in the area.
2 - yaka v.: I was there recently with my friends, we were a party of eight people, running up a dinner+wine tab of ~$45 per person. At the end of the night, we asked for the check (one check) and people started contributing their shares, some paid in cash, some gave their credit cards. At this point, the waitress (who told us she was the manager of the place) informed us that they have a strict policy of accepting only TWO CREDIT CARDS PER PARTY, no matter how large the bill or party. She would not negotiate or budge, and the owner - sitting nearby at the bar - watched the whole scene and failed to intervene.

That's cheap, in my book. Why annoy a large party of guests with some arbitrary rules and policies? Have we not spent enough money in this place to cover for the credit card transaction charges?

As they say - penny smart, and dolllar dumb.

I make it my policy to avoid places which have idiotic "policies" ... too bad, the food is pretty good, after all.
5 - Julie R.: I have had many good meals here. It's nice to have a little taste of Portugal so close to the city.  I usually get the Bife  Tasca com Ovo a Cavalo which is great (steak topped with egg, stir fried vegtables, and round cut fries on the side) The atmoshere is very cozy and I like how they hang all the decorative dishes on the walls. The portuguese wines are great too!
4 - B. B.: The food is extraordinary and comforting, and the atmosphere is pleasant and cozy.   Service has ranged from good to awful.

This is one of the few places I know that has a liver dish on the menu, and it's delicious.  It's a small plate, so I usually also get a salad or another small plate (usually the squid).  For dessert, I usually order the chocolate mousse, which is just wonderful, but there are many other terrific choices.

Be warned that the service is unpredictable and sometimes condescending.  Also, on the weekends, they expect each person to order an entree or at least three small plates.  I was surprised one Saturday afternoon, when our server gave us a hard time about this, even though no one had informed us of this rule until we were well into our meal, we ordered a bottle of wine and therefore spent more than we could have by adhering to their minimum, and the restaurant was nearly empty.  I've been going there for years without incident, so I'm hoping that this unpleasantness was a fluke, but we'll see.
5 - Amanda L.: As a fellow Portuguese I know good Portuguese food when I see it.  I recently took my mother (that's the Portuguese side) for her birthday and she almost cried when se saw everything.  The menu is AMAZING the bread is my favorite part and they have my two favorite Portuguese items; cod cakes and pineapple soda that my mom gets me every time she goes to the Cape.  The waitstaff are so nice (my mom ordered for us hehe) I can't wait to come back and try something new.
4 - Richard S.: Go when the weather's good and take advantage of the al fresco option.  Even though it's out there on Hampshire Street, if you go on a Sunday the traffic's calm and it's nice out there.  Go when it's hot though since the exposure puts you in the shade most of the time.  Portuguese tastes better outside to me.  Probably that's just my thing, but it's true.  Honestly, it was last summer when I went there and I can't recall exactly what I had, but there was octopus and oil and garlic and lots of good vegetables involved, and I think we drank a nice rioja and man, it was a good afternoon.  In fact, if the weather's as warm tomorrow as they're saying, I may just go back.
2 - annie k.: I wasn't impressed with the atmosphere or food. The place was loud, and they had a TV with the sound on near our table.  Bread was somewhat stale. Olive oil terribly oversalted. The food tended to be bland and unrefined. I would go to O Cantinho instead.
4 - Natasha A.: I am not at all familiar with portuguese food and did not know what to expect when I dined at Atasca with a large group. Everything I tried was delicious and I am now inspired to further pursue this cuisine. The food reminded me of Spanish tapas but was more heavy on seafood and garlic. Particularly good are the apps, which are perfect for sharing or as an entree. The littlenecks in garlic and white wine, and pate with a soft white cheese were really good. I tried the Cataplana...steamed shelfish in a broth served in a hot copper pot that was not bad at all. Definitely recommend trying out Atasca.
4 - Stephanie R.: This frequent Best of Boston winner has an extensive menu of authentic Portuguese cuisine, thanks to proprieters Joe and Maria Cerqueira, who hail from Arcos De Valdevez (in the Minho region and mainland) and Graciosa Island (in the Azores), and a chef from Madeira. In fact, the Cerqueiras return to their homeland at least once a year to visit family and friends, as well as get new culinary ideas for their restaurant.

Like the staff, the casual interior is warm and inviting; there is a beautiful display of traditional Portuguese pottery on the walls and lively music in the background. 

The food was delicious and the prices extremely reasonable. I enjoyed the Peito de Galinha com Queijo S. Jorge (boneless chicken breast sauteed with S. Jorge cheese, linguica and wine, served with broccoli rabe risotto; my companion had the Bacalhau de Cebolada (baked dry salt cod with carmelized onions, roasted peppers surrounded with home fried potatoes; watch out for the bones!). Both meals were excellent, and we of course raised a glass of Portuguese red in honor of my relatives who originally hailed from Terceira in the Azores.

I need to go back to sample some of their other regional specialties (marinated pork medallions, home cured ham, stewed fava beans with onion and garlic, sangria...); they also have a sister restaurant called O'Cantinho on Cambridge Street.
4 - Bryanne R.: Kudos for these guys for a great presentation - entrance, inside atmosphere and food - and for excellent tasting food!  Not impressed with service.  We had the world's most abrupt and "don't bother me" waiter.  I'm not used to having to order everything all at once (aps and food) - maybe that's Portuguese style.   It felt a bit overpriced for what we got.
4 - Julie A.: One of the best places in Cambridge to take out-of-town visitors. They have a whole page of tapas-type small plates if your visitors are people you like. If you're entertaining folks with whom you would prefer not to share your food, the entrees are enormous for one. (And the vinho verde -- sort of a cross between champagne and Sprite -- will make any company more congenial!) 

In the summertime you can get a table out under the grape arbor and, depending on the time of year and the position of your chair, actually reach up and pick grapes. Where else can you do that in Cambridge, Massachusetts? Even in the colder months, the inside is a feast for the eyes, full of painted Portuguese pottery.

Be sure to try the black-eyed pea salad, the chourico (chorizo) pate', the yummy fish fritters, and anything with bacalhau (salt cod) in it. Extra points if your bacalhau dish comes with those fabulous Portuguese fries that resemble nothing so much as thick, tender potato chips.
3 - Rachael K.: I went to Atasca on a Friday night with three friends.  We got there around 8:30 and waited about 20 minutes for a table on the patio, even though we could have been seated immediately inside.  The wait was worth it, the ambiance was lovely and it was a perfect night!  I ordered a steak dish, the one with a fried egg, and it was delicious. though a little rarer than the medium I had ordered.  One friend got a chicken dish that she throughly enjoyed.  But the second friend got fish dish that was overdone and she didn't want to finish it even though she was really hungry.  Whatever you do make sure your order comes with the fried potatoes, they are super-tasty!  Desert was good but not amazing.  I'd go back if I were in the mood for Portuguese cuisine and would send someone here if that was what they were looking for, but I'm not running to go back there.  A good place to go before/after a movie at the theater around the corner, though parking was tough and they don't take credit n the garage near the theater.
4 - Kasra G.: I've been to Atasca four times now. Three of the four times it was absolutely excellent. Wonderful fish every time, and excellent service, too. The one time it wasn't stellar remains a mystery. They were just off that night with the food, don't know why. They have a small patio out front that's separated well enough from the main road with some running water. It's a great place to eat with a date as there aren't too many tables and there's plenty of space between them. The staff have always been helpful, nice, and genuine, never stressed out. That says a lot about the way the restaurant is run and the people behind it.
4 - Mark L.: Really good meat and potatoes heavy food.  Nice place, great for a date with a price range that is tolerable for most college students.  The patio was nice for lunch on one of the rare sunny Boston days with a nice breeze. 

We started with two small plates, white kidney beans with miscellaneous meat bits and shrimp with goat cheese.  The kidney beans were great, you really got the smokiness of the choriso and surprisingly there was tripe!  I love tripe...you should too...some people think its scary but the texture is really unique.  Plus the gravy gets into all the little honeycombs, it's really nice.  The shrimp and goat cheese were meh, some shrimp was cooked really nicely, you could taste the grilled edges, but NONE of them were de-veined.  Kinda don't like the thought of eating shrimp poop.

For entrees I got the pork loin with clams and potatoes.  This was awesome, the perfect meat and potatoes dish.  The pork was really well seasoned and not dry at all.  The fried potato quarters were perfect, especially with the butter wine sauce that was everywhere.  The clams were huge and added a nice depth of flavor to the dish.

We also got the seafood risotto, which we thought could be a substitute for their normal paella.  WE WERE WRONG.  The seafood risotto left much to be desired.  It was too heavy on the tomato side of the spectrum and wasn't anything special.  I recommend the paella, which is served in the metal pot and everything.
3 - Amanda B.: Walking into the vestibule of the restaurant made me reminisce about days in Portugal with its blue and yellow azulejos and other typical Portuguese decor.  Unfortunately, the charm was not enough to make up for the things I did not enjoy at Atasca.

We got a lukewarm reception from our waiter.  Maybe he was having a bad day.  Maybe he didn't like the shirt I had on.  Maybe he got yelled at in the kitchen by a rabid cook.  Still, I expect somewhat of an effort to at least appear to be happy that I'm in your restaurant.

I got a fish dish that was bland.  It was cool that the break and olives were included in the bill, which is totally unheard of in Portugal but would probably not fly well in Boston.  Although I was appreciative that there was bread, it was somewhat stale.  I did love that they had an appetizer of tomatoes with queijo fresco, which is a mild, soft, white cheese.  MMM!

Dishes are moderately priced.  I would be happy if somebody took me on a date there.  I really wanted to like it, but food and service fell short.  I'd be willing to give them another chance.
4 - Sana A.: We wandered into this area after driving around on a rainy Sunday morning and someone suggested we eat at Atasca. After cruising around for about 20 minutes looking for parking, which only made us hungrier, we were able to acquire a spot right outside of the restaurant, we strolled in ready to eat everything in sight. We were a little mollified by the dcor and pushed our hunger aside to take in the prettiness of our surroundings. I usually hate plates on the wall dcor; however, for some reason it seemed to fit in with the mood of the restaurant, aesthetically I loved everything about it. From the paintings on the wall to the sculptures in the corner, it was all very tastefully done. Our hostess/waitress was charming and not to overzealous for a Sunday meal. Our hunger was pushed aside by the bread and olives which were served prior to our entrees. Not being in the mood for seafood, we all ordered some version of the steak, which was delicious, btw. It was prepared in a divine red-wine sauce and was cooked to medium-well perfection. Being from Texas, I can spot a phony steak around the corner. Once again, the food was delicious. We were seated by the most adorable Portuguese family, who were friends of the chef, so we were able to see who cooked our delicious meal, as well. This is a great place, classic for any sort of special occasion, and not very expensive, at that. But, definitely walk there, unless you looking for parking is some sort of weird game/competition that you get a thrill out of.
2 - Mike E.: Six years ago, in the old location, Atasca was inventive and delicious.  How it's fallen.  The food is alternately bland and oversalted, but never in between, and the quality doesn't justify the prices.  I recommend going elsewhere.
3 - Melissa A.: I went here for the first time last night. We shared the Linguica Corn Ananas, Queijo Fresco Corn Tomatoes, and Queijo Corn Pate, which basically means "We shared sausage and the same type of soft cheese with different stuff on it." It was fine, but nothing really jumped out at me except for the huge piece of onion I ate unknowingly.

For dinner, I got the Bife & Alfacinha [steak with an obscene amount of potatoes] and felt embarrassed cause I couldn't pronounce it and had to point at the menu. I always pride myself with being able to order without pointing, but I'm talking about mundane stuff. My friend has to open up her menu, find what she's looking for and say, "I'll have the burger."

I'll say the "bife" was okay. It's better than the $10 steak with all the fixin's in old Vegas, but that's old Vegas and it reeks of desperation. It was an unassuming cut of steak that's wasn't all about being flashy like "looky here! I'm a steak!" It only merely suggested it's steakiness. And, dear god, the potatoes. They must have unloaded these potato-chip-thin slices of potatoes on my plate and got a phone call and forgot to stop. It was a bed of salty potato slices that were good, but way excessive and a lot more assuming than the steak and they screamed, "we're potatoes! Never mind with that steak!" Assholes.

And it was some old biddy's birthday there. They played this dirge-like birthday song on the loudspeaker which was a little disconcerting for the rest of us. I love seeing older ladies out on the night, like they're all "We are going to have FUN without our hubbies tonight! I might even get dessert! I'm naughty!" Yeah, that looks like a blast. Wake me up when the strippers get there, ladies.

Actually, this place is an old biddy type of place. There's lots of shit on the walls ala TGI Friday/Ruby Tuesdays/Chilis except it's not stop signs, canoes, and olde-timey beer signs. This shit is festive plates and porcelain pitchers--stuff that old biddys buy from the QVC to go next to their Precious Moments figurines and salt and pepper shaker collections.

So now, like the old biddy who said to her server, "Can you pack this up? I'm going to take it in for lunch!" like one of those office ladies who are all like, "We need to collect the money for Sally's baby shower!" and wear their jeans on jeans for cancer day.

I sit at my desk eating the rest of the nuked steak with a plastic fork and knife. It's taking forever to cut it, but at least I'm not in old Vegas or using a spork. So I got that going for me...which is nice.
4 - Tracee D.: Whilst I cry my self to sleep- over the sad truth that O cantinho is closed, I will try my very best  to eat at sister restaurant Atasca.

It's cute inside, not like the Kendall squar'ish exterior. Our server was very nice. And my non-descript glass of red wine was nicer. As a lover of sausage, chorico, linguica, etc...I was pleased to see the appetizer selections.  We had some linguica and another sausage based pate plate. My favorite Portuguese offering (albeit a boring one) is the queijo fresco, which made me miss OCantinho. It's simply fresh cheese and tomatoes w/ oil and minced red onions and seasonings. It is so! good. For dinner, my companions had steak dishes (which I tend to avoid in most restaurants, unless its an Argentinian place or a nightly special). I just find that in Spanish or Portuguese restaurants, the meat is the same cut (over and over) and it is usually over cooked (regardless of you specification). Personal taste. I'm also probably going to die from a parasite found in raw meat, so it's my funeral- per se. I also think that these are the places to get fish!!  (so long as you have obtained your sausage quota with your app's) because it's always better than any other restaurant in town. I had an octopus salad and it was really great. 

I like the plates on the walls. It was inviting, warm and homey. I am thankful that there are no major fault lines around here..besides the St. Lawrence one in NY, so I'm a thinking the plates are safe from earthquakes.
4 - Rod B.: Our first visit to Atasca a few years ago was under unusual circumstances: Joy & I were renting a new apartment, and the landlords were Joe & Maria, the owners of Atasca.  Let's just say: Best lease-signing EVER!

Since then, we've moved, but still pop back to Atasca on the occasional "date night".  Some things are always the same -- we always enjoy the delicious mozarella and prosciutto small plate, and the tasty Cintra lager.  But when it comes to the entree, it's time to go adventuring.

One of my rules for dining out:  If there's a dish on the menu that comes with a fried egg on it, that's the one I order.  At Atasca, that's their delicious steak with fried egg and crispy fried potatoes.  I've had that several times, and it never disappoints.

Other must-experience dishes are the salt-cod with caramelized onions which mashes together flavours in a most exciting fashion, and the chicken with St. Jorge cheese and risotto.  Finish it off with the chocolate mousse or coconut cake, and we're happy campers once again.
4 - Jonathan L.: I have dined at Atasca once. Portuguese food is absolutely my favorite and I can decipher between quality Portuguese cuisine and otherwise given my mothers home cooking. 

Atasca is a friendly place, warm and inviting with a cultural decor and atmosphere (obviously). The bread and olives to start the meal are lovely. Aletejana or Portuguese steak are definitely solid options. A small shot of Madeira wine as a digestif at the end of your meal will leave you with a warm tingling feeling in your chest and a sweetly flavored after taste as you walk out the door. 

Participation is strongly encouraged! Bom appetite!
4 - matt k.: There's a lot of stuff on the menu, but I haven't tried anything but the Prego no Pao sandwich at lunch. It's just so yummy! Mmm.
3 - Annie P.: O Cantinho, Where art thou?
SAD FACE 2193109891828104982094891289480891 x 823u90302930-2139-0293-0293-093-039123132 = No O Cantinho.

This was the next pit stop since it's supposedly the same owners, have also been around forever and food seemed pretty similar.

Surely you've seen Atasca... the one with the outdoor patio with cool barb wire looking entrance.. next to Emma's ... right across the street from One Kendall.. for some reason.. maybe because it's right next/under the hotel but it takes awhile to get some courage juice to actually walk in.

Anyways, loved the vibe of Atasca. I could walk around in circles all day staring at walls and feel like I've stepped into my Portuguese great grandmother's (since I have ton of those) cabin on top of a hill on green fields.

After all our appetizers which consisted mostly of the same yummy things over and over: Portuguese white cheese and some sort of garlic AND our main dishes (marinated steak which tasted more like leather steak but the fried egg on top helped mucho) .. I think we came to the conclusion that next time we'd just stick with ordering a bunch of apps and sharing.

Good thing about this place is the wide range of seafood, meats and soup/stew options. The home fried potatoes are ridiculously overwhelming.. but certainly crisp, addicting and served with almost everything.
1 - Eric A.: Worst restaurant experience of my and my wife's life! We called on a Saturday night to see if the wait was long for a table for 2. We were told 15 minutes. We immediately get in the car and are there in 10 minutes. We are then told 30 minutes...no problem. We go to the bar, I order a dirty Martini  and my wife a glass of wine. Don't know what was in my drink but it wasn't olive juice. So I order a beer, the bartender can't screw that up. We wait, and wait, and wait. An older couple who were told 30 minutes were seated after he complained and after he waited 1 hour and 20 minutes. Twenty minutes after we arrived a group of four come in, a couple and their daughter and a daughter's friend.   We wait, we wait, and wait. After an hour and 10 minutes we see a table of two get up and figure, ok finally. But now, they grab the four that came and seat them! They'd been there about 40 minutes!...we were now going on 1 hour 10.  We were miffed, tired, hungry and had wasted 40 bucks at their awful bar. I politely ask and was told that that table was for four, even though a couple had just left. When I ask how this is possible I get a shrug and am told I will be sat soon...like I was an hour earlier. We stormed off. It ruined the night. I have since asked others and have heard similar complaints about service and speed. You don't say 15 minutes, then 30, seat someone else and then shrug off questions of equity. Will never go back. The food is just as good at Casa Portugal from what I am told.
5 - Christine C.: I LOVE THIS PLACE. It's as if I just got off the plane and walked into my grandparents house in Minho, Portugal. Definitely a Northern Portuguese vibe with a little bit of variety in their food choice. The outdoor patio is excellent and they have all the portuguese beers available.. definitely ask to try either a Sagres or a Super Bock. The desserts are excellent and the atmosphere is soo cute. The cafe is straight off the boat and the little sugar packets are from a few towns away from my Avo's euro retreat. 

Real, EXCELLENT quality food for a reasonable price. If you like seafood, you definitely need to try out this tasty and flavorful food.
5 - Jennifer M.: My 4 favorite things:
1) The Sangria -- they chop the fruit into tiny cubes and it seems to really add a lot.
2) The Portugeese fried potato -- a perfect cross between a chip and a french fry, I've even tried to replicate them in my own kitchen (with some degree of success).
3) The garlic steak sauce -- dip the aforementioned fries in this and you'll think you've died and gone to heaven. Okay... not really, but almost.
4) The Chocolate Mousse -- tastes like eating fudge batter.
3 - N A.: A couple friends and I had dinner on their famous patio recently.  The atmosphere was okay, food pretty good, but service was very poor and the manager rude.  It looked like they had two servers for the entire restaurant which wasn't packed but a little busy.  We waited about 20 minutes before our server came to take our drink orders.  She didn't appear to know much about the menu and was unable to make reccomendations other than the most expensive wine and saying "all the food is good."  Moreover we were virtually ignored the entire night with the exception when she brought the food.  At the end when a couple people wanted to pay with credit cards we were informed by the server they don't split checks, accept more than two cards and the manager literally told us if we didn't like it, tough, there's an ATM down the street.  There are other places with good food in Boston that treat customers well, I can do without the authentic portugese service.
3 - Melissa M.: Not to be confused with Tasca, the tapas restaurant in Brighton, Atasca is a sexy little Portugese establishment that did not disappoint this 25% Portuguese girl.  I don't think Emeril Lagasse would dine here, but my Dad would but he'd definitely complain about the portion size.  He always loves quantity, I prefer quality and at Atasca you will find that quantity and quality can exist.  The dishes are smaller than most places, but you are eating good food.  The chorizo is my favorite, in fact, that was all I ate.  They had a nice pineapple glaze on it too, which is my favorite part.  The dessert and decor were both romantic too!  The server was very nice.  I'd go back for sure!
4 - Erin G.: SUCH a great deal for lunch!  The food is excellent and it's great a great place for both dining in and take out.  I had never experienced Portuguese style potatoes before moving to Boston/the neighborhood and while I've now had them at other restaurants, Atasca has the best ones so far in my book.  The wait staff is really nice and the atmosphere is very relaxed.  I have the feeling I wouldn't go here for dinner as I'd rather try a new or different restaurant for dinner (plus the prices would go up and it would no longer be SUCH an awesome deal) but I will definitely go again for lunch some time soon.
1 - Sandra K.: One of the worse luncheon experiences ever.  The place was pumping AC like we were in Panama at a five star resort.  Come on!  It's not that hot outside, you're totally wasting energy, and my nipples are getting hard.  Can you PLEASE turn it to a more appropriate setting?

Besides the Arctic feel, this place had the worst wait staff I've ever encountered.  Our waitress had no idea what an item on the menu was, gave me completely the wrong order, and then was unable to successfully take it  off the bill.  When we received the check, I had been told that it would be "adjusted" because they gave me the wrong plate.  Instead, they just adjusted the price to the dish I had received rather than eliminate the plate charge all together.  Once I pointed this out, they removed the charge, but it made me feel extremely awkward to ask for this twice AND it made it seem like they were trying to get some money out of me even though they had totally effed up.  To top it off, the table next to us sent a dish back to the kitchen because the shellfish wasn't fresh even though the manager insisted it had been purchased that morning.  Oh, and all the food we ordered was drowning in oil.

I love Portuguese food.  And this place botched it big time.  Maybe it would be a better place for dinner with a stronger wait staff and kitchen team, but after this disappointing experience I would just skip it all together.  Nobody at my table was satisfied.
3 - E C.: I admit the pulled pork is delicious, but with the clams, it's just too salty. Maybe the Portuguese like their foods infused with sodium. What pushed this place over from a 2 to a 3 for me was the wine. They have a house red that is extremely full-bodied, with a spicy aftertaste. I liked it enough.
5 - Naomi U.: I've only been here once, but our dinner was excellent.

We had wonderful food in a fabulous setting.  While just off of Kendall Square; sitting in a sunken patio just off of Hampshire you could forget you're just off a city street.   This would be a fabulous place for a romantic dinner.

The food was great....fresh ingredients, wonderful seasoning, nicely prepared.

The waitress helpful, patient and very knowledgeable.  Among our party were people with odd dietary restrictions (me) and two vinophiles who knew nothing about Portuguese wine.  The kitchen was even more accommodating than I thought possible for the cuisine!
 
The check was not modest, but we did have a lot of seafood and wine...so while not at all inexpensive it was priced appropriately.
2 - David A.: I haven't eaten Portuguese often. I don't think I will again, either. I ordered a fish with seafood stuffing along with veggies. I enjoyed the veggies, but not the fish. 

The service was great and the ambience was really nice. I especially like the walkway. Nice place to take a date. My fiance loved it. I suppose I have pickier food tastes. Perhaps I'll just order something like a steak next time LOL
4 - Susan N.: This was my first real forray into Portuguese food.  I ordered the fish medley dish and the flavor was really outstanding.  Really fresh tasting flavor, and the sauce was unique in a good way.  I used the potatoes in my dish to actually soak up the sauce since it was so good.

At first glance it didn't really look like that much (especially compared to the boy's dish) but oh man, there was definitely enough for two people, and maybe even a third.

The restaurant has a really romantic feel to it too.  I absolutely loved the atmosphere even if the service wasn't top notch.  It's a great date place.  It's probably also a really nice place to bring your hammock and listen to some mellow music.  Well, that's what I'd want to do anyway, based on the European Mediterranian decor.
4 - Tsada K.: One of the best things about  living my preteen years in New England was being able to spend my summer days frolicking on the salty shores of the Atlantic.  Sometimes I'd head to the rocky beach at sunrise and wouldn't leave until sundown, exhausted and sunstroked, feeling a bit like a salted, dried cod.

One of the worst parts of spending my days frolicking on the salty shores of the Atlantic was, at the end of those days, coming home and peeling off my sand-encrusted suit, only to find several salt water minnows ("shiners", as we called them) dried and taut, affixed to my stomach and pubescent titties like anchovies on a pain bagnat.  I'd peel them off and, with a bit of sadness, flush them down the toilet before hopping in the shower. 

I don't eat dried fish.  

I have made this abundantly clear to all who know me.

Still, every time I go to Atasca with my father he tries to get me to split the Bacalhau a Lagareiro with him.  And I know why--because he wants half of my Camarao Atasca. He wants to have his reconstituted dehydrated fish and eat my delicious prawns, too.

No. Way.

I love the Camarao Atasca--big juicy prawns grilled and served with a spicy tomato sauce--because they are so tasty and delicious, but also because they are served with the most wonderful broccoli rabe and sliced fried potatoes.  I have never ordered another entree at Atasca because this one is so phenomenal I just can't get enough of it.  It amazes me that my dad thinks I might consider trading half my succulent crustaceans for a lump of his rehydrated fish.

I also adore the marinated octopus appetizer and the warm squid salad.  

I will say that the food at this newer Atasca location is really not as good as it was at their old one.  While this one, with its outdoor dining under the grape arbor,  is very pretty and the food is still quite good, I really enjoyed visiting their little hole in the wall down the street, with its more rustic, homey feel.  Still, Atasca is always on my list of places to visit when I am in the Boston area, along with the beautiful salty shores of the Atlantic.

*removes bikini and peels a salted dried lofasz from adult-sized bosom*
4 - Trish F.: I've had some lovely meals on the patio of Atasca. Sure the view isn't all that scenic, but the little waterfall, the flowers, and a good meal with friends is definitely my scene. 

For an appetizer, I usually share the queijo fresco con tomates.. pretty much the Portuguese version of an Italian tomato/mozzarella bruschetta. I LOVE the Portuguese white cheese that comes with the plate.. and they serve it with enough tomatoes to last you for dayyyysss (line your pockets with ziplock bags, perhaps?). I think it's a plate good for 3.. with 2 people, you'll feel slightly full and rethink your entree. I'm a fan of the steak sandwich for an entree. It comes with some oversized bread, but it's always cooked just the way I order it. I also recommend the filetes de peixe fritos (fried fillets).. but only if you get another entree and share both with a friend. It's really just too much fried on one plate for one person (or at least for me it is). OOH.. and the fried potatoes are especially tasty (and plentiful as a side dish for entrees)! 

The service is fantastic and the waitresses have always been charming and forgiving when I pronounce my dishes incorrectly. My one complaint is no complaint at all.. they're too attentive and well.. Atasca has proven that I can drink a WHOLE lotta water. 

I've only been for lunch so the prices are super reasonable, but I'll definitely need to stop by for dinner. I think it could be quite romantical with the low lights in the restaurant.
4 - Wendy H.: We found this restaurant on Restaurant.com and decided to try it because of all the great reviews on cityguide.com.

Waitstaff: Very cordial and came by all the time to see how we're doing.

Food: 
Sardines: I'm not a huge fan of sardines in the first place, but my fiancee thought it was cooked well.  They burn it a bit more than the Asians do..but it was still pretty good.  I still think the Japanese are the best at making and pairing Sardines.

Lamb Special:  They served the lamb with these super thick homemade potato chips.  This combo was really delicious.  The lamb meat just fell right off of the bone and was extremely tender. 

Seafood Special: Very light dish.  The clams were HUUGE!  Portions were average.  Great dish.
4 - Milee S.: I had never heard of this place til yesterday. Atasca is between Kendall and Central, near Inman Square.

We came for lunch and decided to have a glass of Rose.  It was pretty good, not too sweet (like White Zin) but not too dry,  We then decided to split the crab cake appetizer, which was fantastic. Probably the best crab cakes I ever had! The appetizer came with 3 crab cakes on a huge bed of salad, with remoulade sauce and lemon.  They were so flavorful and the salad was delicious too.

For my meal, I had the chicken salad sandwich, which is made with pickles (so that sold me).  It was a regular size portion, and it came with fried potato discs (with lots of vinegar and salt) and another salad.  I was kinda all salad-ed out, so I skipped it. But it was yummy too!

My friend got the spicy mussels and he said they weren't all that spicy. But he loved the dish.

I would come back here in a heartbeat.   I wanted to try the salmon but thought too heavy for lunch.  Great date place, great service and when we went, really quiet.

Prices are really reasonable.
2 - kathy a.: So I have only tried Portuguese cuisine a couple times so maybe I'm just ordering the wrong items.
I notice that the dishes are particularly salty...the meats/seafood/pork seems to have a very salty base. I ordered the pork with cilantro dish and it was extremely salty and there was no hint of cilantro either.
The potatoes were decent dipped in their steak drippings (the other dish that was tried) and the tripe appetizer was hearty as well. Other than that I don't understand the hype.
Perhaps I ordered the wrong dishes or my palate just doesn't agree.
4 - Merri H.: Next time you go to the Kendall to catch a film, stop here for a glass of delicious sangria and appetizers! The wait staff are always lovely and I have never had to wait too long for a table (In the warm weather, they have a patio!)
5 - Luisa O.: I was raised eating Portuguese food made by my Portuguese  mom in the US and in Portugal.  These folks are not from the Azores, which is where much of the idea of  "Portuguese cuisine" in this part of the state comes from.  They are also not from Brazil.  Even though they share a language, their continents and cuisine are COMPLETELY different.  So if you are thinking about black beans or sweetbread.....this is not for you.  (It is also not Spanish/Basque food as the category, suggests. The person who came up with that one, should consult a map.)  

They are from mainland Portugal,  from the North, I believe. If you know Portuguese food, the food here is simple and tasty and very true to the food you will find in Portugal today.  The ingredients are fresh, the wines are good and it is inexpensive for the meal you get.  It is not elite or fancy or exquisite, leaving you near death on the floor with what you have just eaten, but it's very good.   That said, if you don't like fish or seafood or the idea of cod, squid or sardines puts that "eeew" look on your face, do not go there. (That "eeew" look is very ugly to the rest of us.) 

Portuguese food has lots of fish and seafood.  3/4 of the country is  coastline!  There are many meat dishes you could order as well (pork, beef, etc) and if you are a vegetarian you could probably get by with the side dishes.  In general the food is not spicy (hot), but has olive oil, garlic, onions, lemon-these types of flavors.  It's distinctive and simple and tastes VERY good. I have never had a bad meal here- and second to my mom, it's one of two Portuguese restaurants I frequently eat at in Cambridge.

Bom apetite!
4 - Cecilia L.: I had the loveliest meal here. Alyssa F (half Portuguese) and I (not Portuguese) thought Atasca much better than its area competitors, Portugalia and Con Sol. Alyssa had a perfectly cooked salt cod with caramelized onions and those blissfully crispy potato disks. I couldn't stop eating off her plate. Our dining companion had a tasty steak smothered in onions, asparagus, gravy and a fried egg.

I went with the small plates, ordering the not-so-small seafood sampler appetizer and the grilled linguica with pineapple. The linguica was so good the carnivore friend polished off half of it along with his steak. The seafood sampler came with fried calamari, garlic shrimp and baby octopus in lemon viniagrette. The calamari was decent but would have been much improved by a dipping sauce or brisk squeeze of lemon. Now I see that the calamari was supposed to come with spicy piri-piri mayonnaise, which I think they forgot. But the cold octopus was the BEST THING EVER, tender, succulent and flavorful complemented with grilled onions. I wish they served a plate of that octopus on its own.

Dessert was a decent chocolate mousse. The prices are right (most entrees just under $20), the portions generous, the atmosphere and our waitress lovely (though she kept directing us toward the most expensive items).
4 - patty b.: atasca has been around for awhile.  it's always pleasant and while never empty, it's spacious enough so that there's rarely a wait for a table.  the food is good with a nice selection.  i always find myself wishing for more good food a stone's throw from the kendall theater- thank goodness atasca is still a strong choice!
5 - ells w.: "Portuguese cuisine"at its best. 

From mainland Portugal, .....the North.......... simple and tasty, very true to the food you will find in Portugal today.  The ingredients are fresh, the wines are good. The people....da best.

Overall value.........six stars! But, keep this secret to yourself. You'll want to get a table when you get there.
5 - Elizabeth G.: Why is this restaurant categorized as Spanish and Basque? It's as Portuguese as it gets! Can somebody change that, please?

Anyway, the food here is excellent. It's creative Portuguese -- for instance, we had trout served on top of a bed of prosciutto, with melted Azorean cheese underneath. Not a traditional preparation of trout, but it was an innovative combination of traditional Portuguese ingredients.

The desserts were also good. So many times even at fancy restaurants, the desserts are a bit of an afterthought, but here they had interesting, creative desserts that were just as yummy as the food (passionfruit pudding served in a martini glass, for one). Everything we had was SO well executed, and I wanted to try just about everything on the menu. We will be going back!

Pleasant, gorgeous restaurant. A little pricier than we prefer -- the bill was $80 for two of us and we shared an entree and ordered wine by the glass instead of the bottle. But I suppose you pay for quality. They did supply bread with garlic and olive oil and a plate of olives for free, so ordering an appetizer really isn't necessary.
2 - Lisa D.: The more I think about it, the more upset I get about my experience at Atasca. I came here on Valentine's Day and was actually excited that I found and got reservations at a restaurant without a prixe-fix menu. My boyfriend and I had a little transportation problem and arrived 10 minutes late, after getting lost, and freezing, the first words out of the hostess mouth was "Your reservation was 8:30. SORRY, but we gave your table up" in this tone that the situation was totally our fault and we should have known better. Isn't that why you get a telephone number when patrons make reservations?? So you can call and double check and confirm with them? And what an idiot to think that we wanted to here that after going out of our way to go there on VALENTINE'S DAY.

THEN it took about 15 minutes to get our glasses filled with water. I purposely put my menu down and stared at every waiter/waitress that walked by wondering who was our neglectful waiter. He finally came and he apologized. I only feel a tinge of sympathy for him because it seemed like he was working half the room and covering the bar as well. But still! At this point, I was contemplating of making a small scene and leaving. They were just lucky that I was starving. 

The food though was maybe 3 or 4 stars? It was tasty. Perhaps the chefs were the only ones on top of their game that night. But I think I could definitely find great food elsewhere without the lack of service I experienced here. The only highlight of my meal was the person across from me.
3 - Julia F.: My sister and I came here for a little upscale-style dinner with Cambridge permit parking on the side. 

There seemed to be about half a dozen ladies ready to seat us when we walked in. We asked to see a menu before sitting down (my little sister doesn't eat fish, and was worried about entree options) - then it was a little awkward between us and the ladies when we asked to sit. Oh well. Bygones...

There were also a TON of waitstaff hanging around - and to get to the restrooms you have to walk though their register territory. Strange and awkward. Dimly lit bathrooms at the end of the hall, then when I walked back through I had to start alerting people that I was behind them so I wouldn't get trod upon. 

The food was a bit expensive, but it was pretty decent. The serving sizes are pretty diesel as well. They give you a little bread to eat, and were always there to give us water. They were just as quick with the check and then let us take our time getting up and organized to leave. It was a pleasing, clean atmosphere, a bit odd at times, but overall I liked it.
5 - Jon H.: What a great place for lunch. Really fresh ingredients, authentic dishes, great lunch specials, and just damn good food.

We started off with the linguica  and pineapple appetizer. Perfectly grilled, not too salty, perfect crunch...just a great way to start it off.

She had the pork chop sandwich - perfect. The pork chop was tender and seasoned nicely, served on a soft port roll and chopped lightly fried potatoes. 

I had the cheeseburger. Perfect balance of char on a medium rare nice size piece of meat, served with some Portuguese cheese and on the same warm soft port roll. 

All-in-all? About 15 buck s person for a great lunch that stuffed us. The dinner menu looked awesome as well (I'd def try the steak topped with egg). Prices are really reasonable, the atmosphere is very homey, the service is great, and the food is awesome. ENJOY!
4 - Dennis L.: I've come here a few times for dinner. Splitting a pitcher of heavily fruit-laced sangria coming from the massive decanter on the bar with the table is a good thing, but the acoustics of the restaurant could use some work, a bit difficult to talk in there without the ambient noise being a factor. I've never had to wait long for a table, even on a Friday/Saturday night.

The dark green olive oil they use is absolutely rich, though packed with coarse salt. It overpowers the bread a bit but... in a good way.

The Presunto da Casa con Queijo e Tomates is as you'd expect, the 'white cheese' tasting like bit a measure more smooth and less 'sinewy' than fresh mozzarella. The ham is also fairly delicate in flavor, closer to parma than regular prosciutto.

Though they seem similar, I much prefer the Arroz de Mariscos a Valenciana over the Cataplana. The former is definitely for 2+, but when they simmer the rice in with the broth, the rice carries so much more flavor instead of having it served separately. Either way, it's messy to pick apart the shells, but the flavors imbued on the dishes from them only adds to the richness of the dish. They are particularly filling. The Carne de Porco a Alentejana was done fairly well, the clams selected fairly large, the loin charred done, though a bit dry. However, that's what the sangria solves...

I haven't been there for lunch or tried the desserts yet, but will when I get a chance. However, every time, I've been thwarted by the rice...

Dishes to try: Arroz de Mariscos a Valenciana, the olive oil...
4 - Paul H.: Being a former resident of Cambridge (and half Portuguese), I miss the fact that my current town, Washington, D.C. has nothing to offer in terms of one of my favorite cuisines.  That said, I miss Atasca.

Quality Portuguese food at a reasonable price is a good way to describe this place.  All the food, from the pasteis to the main course was cooked just right.  I'm a big fan of the Pasteis de Bacalhau; reminds me a lot of the ones my grandmother used to make.  The fried potatoes are very authentic, as well.
4 - Finn M.: Went here for a dinner date prior to the Kendall Square cinema, and got exactly what we were expecting.  The portion sizes are perfect and the food seems very authentic (lots of fresh seafood, and you've gotta respect places that bring you the whole cooked fish with the head still attached).  My date wasn't blown away by her mussels -- they lacked the hint of brininess you expect from fresh seafood (they were a bit earthy instead), but we weren't necessarily complaining about them.  The outdoor seating area is lovely and a really nice place to enjoy a summer evening.  The wait staff is friendly and won't pressure you into making a decision, or into getting the pronunciation just right (and if you're not Portuguese, let's be honest, you won't get it right).
2 - Roger L.: Food was good, price was average for decor and atmosphere.  My waitress was good and very helpful. 
Then my mood changed when another waitress asked me if I was Stupid and went off saying stuff in Portuguese. Was it my fault that I was holding up the Check to pay for my bill and she almost walked into my hand? Watch where YOU are going! Would it have hurt you to find my waitress or hand it to her? Talk about great customer service ...
4 - Ira L.: Very nice quiet place.  Perfect for going out with a large group of friends or even as a first date.   Order lots of appetizers - you won't be sorry!  Try calf's liver - it's a delight.  Their fish entries are creative but a bit bland.  The place is dim, has good service and spacious enough to fit a company if they don't mind a corporate look.  They don't take reservations for groups under 6, so on Fridays and weekends come early enough to get a seat.   As for parking, park on the street (free after 6 pm) or at the MIT parking lot around the corner - it's free after 4 pm.
1 - Rosane W.: The owner was rude and acted like we were inconveniencing him by being there. We were a little late for our reservation but we called and let them know. There were plenty of empty tables at the restaurant when we got there. The food was pricey and I couldn't even enjoy it after the way we were treated. I would have left but it was my cousin's celebration and he wanted to eat there. I don't care how good the food is, if I'm not treated with respect I'll never go back.
5 - Ver D.: Always great!

Go for the tapas!!
Grilled sardines melt in your mouth, pulpo salad is fresh and tangy, pasteis atasca are delicious,shrimp and goat cheese is a favorite.
You can get a good bottle of wine for 30 bucks.
Recommend it!
3 - Deanna D.: We went to Atasca for dinner on a weeknight and the place was empty. The restaurant is well decorated and quaint. Our server was very friendly, helpful and attentive. The wine list offers nice Portuguese vines at reasonable prices. 

I had the Cataplana (assorted seafood steamed in a copper steamer served w/ rice) which was enjoyable. The flavors were clean, the ingredients were fresh and the dish was light, all of which describes traditional Portuguese cuisine. My bf had the Bifo Rechado (Steak stuffed w/ cheese) which he really enjoyed. Its a bit pricey but the quality and freshness of the ingredients call for it. 

Overall it was a good experience and we might be back for tapas.
5 - Lena G.: Good, solid authentic Portuguese cuisine. My recommendations include the grilled cod fish as well as the carne Alentejana. The outdoor seating in the summer is amazing you feel like you're in Europe! Highly recommended!
4 - Paprika F.: The outdoor seating area of Atasca is the place you should be on a warm evening, period. Split a pitcher of sangria with your significant other, and you will be in heaven. In fact, the sangria was so good that my accomplice broke his glass--a terrible accident, but the wait staff was so sweet that they didn't get mad. They don't even seem upset when we butchered the pronunciation. (We felt guilty and tipped well--very embarrassing!)

The fried potatoes and salt cod are also heavenly. I had never enjoyed Portuguese food and didn't know what to expect, but I plan on returning so I can try more.
3 - Garnet S.: Ate here tonight with 3 colleagues. 

The Portuguese beer was acceptable, but there isn't anything special about it. 

For starters we shared the cheese/pate plate, grilled sardines, liver and crab cakes. I found the cheese to be wonderful buttery like a fresh mozzarella, the grilled sardines with the carrot/pepper relish to be refreshing, the liver to be a tad minerally (but I think that about all liver - my Polish friend lapped it up!), and the crab cakes to be too much filler and not enough crab. 

Each one of us ordered the mixed grill plate: chicken, pork and lamb, covered in a Portuguese style barbecue sauce with a side of steak potatoes and vegetables. We all asked for the Atasca potatoes since I saw the previous reviews on here. Boy, were those reviews right! These delicious tubers and like a 5 times thick potato chip; perfectly salted and crunchy! 

The pork was my favorite of the meat, followed by the chicken, as they were both super tender. The lamb was a tiny bit chewy, but maybe because I ordered mine rare? One of my companions said his was also a bit tough, and his had been ordered medium. 

Everything was pretty darn tasty, but the Atasca potatoes were really the rockstar of the meal.
1 - Allen L.: We had a terrible experience at Atasca this past weekend.  We had made an appointment for 7:15.  We arrived 5 minutes late and were told by the host that our appointment was for 7pm, not 7:15 as we had requested.  When I told him that I had scheduled the reservation for 7:15, he replied that what would happen if we had been at an airport and had arrived 5 minutes late?

A simple apology for the mix-up in reservation times would have been more than sufficient and we would have gladly waited for a table.  However, after talking with the host, we left rather quickly and I will not be back any time soon.
4 - Carrie S.: After a 8 year hiatus I am back in the Kendal Square area and revisited Atasca.  The menu has hardly changed, nor has the quality.  The fish dishes are tasty, filling and inexpensive.  Even better if you can snag one of the few outdoor tables on a nice summer day.  Go with a big appetite so you can sample the appetizers.  Yummy.
4 - Ben W.: Pro:
Good non-pricy sandwiches (I had the fish sandwich)  which make a terrific lunch meal and cost  $7 to $8.
Background music was incredibly good spanish guitar. I'd come there just for that.
The decor + the music make the place great for bringing a date.

Con:
The regular entree's can be pricy - with a meal probably costing $20 per person.
3 - Timan G.: Good place for a nice, homely Portuguese dinner.  Service is not that attentive, which gets annoying when you're not planning to dine for eternity.

Fried potatoes are delicious.  I recommend their fisherman's platter, which is loaded with fresh, fried seafood.

I find that their stews are tasty, but on the salty side.  Food is always fresh, except the desserts which taste a bit stale.

Overall, good experiences here.
2 - john g.: Had dinner there tonight with the GF...it was a rainy evening and the place was pretty empty when we arrived.  I was excited to finally try the restaurant as we've heard only good things.  Plus, I've spent some time in Portugal and was looking forward to some more of the great food we've previously had in the country. 

We did not have reservations but were quickly seated.  The waitress came around soon after and brought us drinks and water. So far so good. We decided to order the small plates instead of dinners, nothing on the menu stood out, but the apps looked interesting.  We ordered the salt cod on grilled garlic bread, bread and cheese, sardines, and baby lamb chops.  The food was OK, not great, but flavorful.  The lamb chops were raw inside and we mentioned this to the server, she apologized, and then left our table.  We decided to order dessert to finish off the meal and the server assured us they were all fantastic and she had tried them all.  Ok...sounds great..we ordered the lemon and Porto flan and the chocolate cake with raspberry sauce along with a couple glasses of wine.   The flan was good as was the wine. Unfortunately, the cake wasn't very good, it was quite dry and the sauce bitter.  We didn't finish the cake and the server asked if wanted to take it home - no thanks and we explained why. Again, she apologized and soon returned with the check.       

The server didn't make any adjustments to the bill for the questionable app's and dessert.  I spoke with manager and she asked 'what do you want ME to do...take it off the bill?' Uh, yeah,  when you serve raw meat and dry cake I expect some type of consideration. I kindly explained that server had not even offered to make things right and she shrugged her shoulders and walked away.  

My GF needed to get her coat as the hostess took it when when entered the restaurant.  She was guided into a back room by the hostess who told to find her own coat...not very professional or helpful especially since we just spent more than $120 in their establishment.  Needless to say, we won't be back.
5 - Roberta G.: Atasca saved my life the other night.  A mix-up happened and a reservation for 35 was made for the wrong night at a nearby restaurant.  When that restaurant did nothing to help me, I made a frantic call to Atasca.  They were very gracious and accommodated all 35 of us within 5 minutes of my call.  Everyone loved the food and the bill was extremely reasonable including appetizers, entrees and wine.   I'll definitely be going back even more often then I had been going before.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Atasca.
3 - Byron M.: We went with friends to this place last night.  It was really quiet for a thursday night.  We were there at 630pm and there was nobody else except for staff.  The atmosphere is nice and some may say romantic.  All in all it was ok, the food was good, but the service was a bit off.  My friends had a wonderful time.  The small tapas like plates were really interesting.  No doubt the cooking was very good.  The glass of wine that we ordered was bad.  It tasted like it had been left out for a long long long time.  We had a nice waiter, he was pleasant, but the service was still lacking.  I can't put my finger on it.  I would reccomend this place, however it would not be my first choice.  I hope that your experience is better.
1 - Amanda S.: My dad is Portuguese, so I grew up with great food. I really liked Atasca the first time I tried it, but had been avoiding it for about a year since the last time we went it was just mediocre. We went last night, and I won't be back again.

We sat outside. Unfortunately I've come to expect slower service when you sit on the patio and that was definitely the case here.  I ordered the beef stuffed with presunto and cheese, which I've had there before.  The food took a long time to come out.  I knew something wasn't right at the very first bite. I sliced open my steak and it was COMPLETELY raw.  The cheese inside was still a solid chunk so you know the temperature didn't get very high in there.  I like to deal with the same person and not to make a scene so we waited trying to get our waitress's attention.  I shared my husband's meal with him and we finished the entire plate before getting a different server's attention.  The girl just said "Oh sorry, I see it is raw" she offered to put in an order for a new steak, but at this point it had already taken way too long. Inside, I saw her telling the owner.  He never said anything to us. As a owner or manager, it is your responsibility to apologize profusely.

Our own waitress returned a while later and said "Hey sorry, are you still alive?" Totally inappropriate.  The staff members should have been shocked and apologetic that I'd been served raw meat, but they seemed as though it was ok or even common place.  Another reviewer also mentioned that this happened to them.  They took that entree off the bill, but did not apologize enough and really something should have been comped.

I am never going back, and you shouldn't either.
4 - Ed M.: Having never been for Portuguese food, the wife and I had to give this place a try.  Hearing a lot of people speaking Portuguese when we walked in was the first good sign of the evening so we ordered a couple appetizers for research purposes.  We had the white cheese with pate and the cured ham with white cheese and tomatoes (we like cheese).  Both were great.  For the meal we had the Cataplana (seafood steamed with delicious things) and the salt cod with fried potatoes.  Again, both were delicious.

This place is great and we would love to go back for more.  The staff was nice and the service was quick.  It is not a cheap meal but you pay for what you get.  Loved it.
1 - Rob V.: Let me first start off by saying I have been to Atasca for years.  It's a very convenient place to hit before going to the Kendall for a movie, and I have enjoyed the dishes for the most part.   

The service....fair.  It's never been bad, but I can't say any of the servers how wow'ed me.  

However after going the other month for dinner, and what ensued after, I will never go again.   I got the worse case of food poisoning.   It was from their Galinha a Verde dish (chicken).  It was the one of the longest, sleepless nights I have never had.  That said, once the dish was "up and out", I was totally fine.  

I decided to read reviews of this place after the fact and was not surprised to see that someone else complained of food poisoning here as well.   

Sorry Atasca....but shame on you for causing this horrendous experience.  I joined Yelp just to state this.  Shape up, word spreads.
4 - Rayshauna G.: I wanted to fall asleep for all the right reasons. Dim lighting, nice service, and reasonable prices always help me sleep at night. I had chicken skewers and the Caracoletas - 

sauteed escargot with tomatoes, garlic, onion and wine sauce. 

I completely built up the Yuck Factor by picturing a little snail being ripped from its snail family for my consumption, but he was a yummy little bugger. 

Poor thing. I finished Pedro [yes, I named him Pedro - after my late grandmother] had an amazing rum coconut cake. 

It was a nice dining experience.
4 - Henry Aime A.: Believe it or not, Atasca is one of my favorites restaurants in MA,period.
You can either go there to eat the Spanish way,all tapas -yam ,the mussels with tomatoes,peppers, garlic and a little bite-yam ,the portuguese ham-jamon with fresh tomatoes ,wines -vinho verde - white and spritzy-and cervesa-Sagres fresh and crisp here or go formal and have fresh fish or paella seved with mussels,scrimps and lobster.
Before I forget, if you like coconut- fresh coconut, I mean- have the simple but delicious coconut pie!!
And if the weather is nice, don't forget to eat outside by the fountain,soothing.
When I still was a wine importer in MA ,there was an homage to dame Julia Child: all the big guns- chefs, I mean - were there on that dinner list of chefs.Julia asked to invite Jo from Atasca .what for the big guns asked .To represent the Mediterranean basin,she replied .that says it all! Cheers and enjoy!
4 - Adam W.: My roommate is Portuguese and he's been telling me I need to try Portuguese food for a while, and I hadn't yet aside from the great cheeses and cans of Sumol (a Portuguese pineapple soft drink) he brings home. Finally got to try it out at Atasca and it was pretty amazing.

Walking in, the atmosphere is slightly comical...there are tons of kind of kitschy/tacky Portuguese pottery pieces lining the walls in a very dimly lit space. The place was full (of Portuguese people, especially) and it appeared there was a Portuguese kid's high school graduation celebration here, as evidenced from his hovering mother's tearful speech. 

We started with a glass of Sangria (good, but a bit lacking in fruit) and the 'quiejo con pate' (white cheese with chorizo pate on grilled corn bread. I was a bit wary of pate because I lived in France and was never a fan but this was smoky, salty, and a bit spicy, and coupled with the soft, feta-like cheese, was perfect.

I know Portuguse cuisine is known for its seafood but I don't eat much fish besides sushi (illogical, I know) so I went the timid route for the main course and got the stuffed chicken entree. It was amazing! It was oozing salty Sao Jorge cheese in a linguica and wine sauce that was buttery, rich, meaty, and complex. It was also served with an excellent broccoli rabe risotto which I could have eaten bowls of, It was all packed with flavor and really well seasoned, but almost bordering on too salty. Luckily, I like salty, but it might be a problem for some. 

Roommate got the Atasca Shrimp, served with a spicy tomato sauce and these really awesome thick potato slices that were also salty goodness. They should serve them with every dish.

Overall everything was a bit rich and salty but very hearty, filling, and home-made feeling. Service can be a bit gruff/scatterbrained but maybe that was just because of the big event going on. I'd definitely come here again, though not too often as it's a bit pricey.
4 - Dan S.: Bacalhau de Cebolada.  Salt cod salt cod salt cod salt cod salt cod salt cod salt cod salt cod salt cod salt cod.  I think I ate a pound and a half of fish.

Do it.
2 - Chris C.: My monthly dinner group visited here recently and the reviews weren't good:

 The "lovely" patio and "charming" "warm" interior couldn't redeem the "lamentable" "inconstant" service and generally "disappointing" and "flavorless" food which rated an overall reaction of "meh." 

I did note that there were much better ratings (overall 4 stars!)  when we visited in late 2002 at the same location. Was it an off night? Had the quality declined? I did notice the Best of Boston awards stopped in 2007, so you decide.

Some more comments from the diners:

- "I think I might be the only one with enjoyable food. The Febras de Porco was quite flavorful with complimenting [sic] sides and the gazpacho was exceptionally refreshing."

- "The whole meal was bland and just tasted like chicken broth. Service was great when I was alone... but the waitress had no clue when it came to drink [orders.]"

- "My meal was mostly fine - though their... 'broccoli rabe risotto' was just rice and broccoli rabe and rice. The chicken I had was quite good. I found the service inconsistent - even when there weren't that many other patrons. I've definitely had better service there in the past."

- "[My seafood dish left me] still hungry. Wasn't a terribly exciting dish, flavor-wise, Also, they made my g&t with club soda, which is a crime. Overall: Meh."

- "My appetizer was tasty and satisfying (linquica & pineapple.)  My salt main course was disappointing...[perhaps] my portion was actually off. I could not finish my meal. I considered sending it back, bud did not want to create a fuss. That said, the vegetables and broth that came with the fish were quite tasty and the bread was excellent. I could characterize the [service] as mediocre."

- "The service was a bit chaotic, especially having to order drinks one at a time, instead of writing down everyone's order at once. The interior is charming, it's too bad that level of attention isn't evident in either the food or service.
4 - Brian S.: I've been to Atasca twice now with very different parties and both times everyone was very pleased with the experience. The restaurant has a very intimate feel inside and I've always felt extremely comfortable and at home when dining there. I haven't dined on the patio but I enjoy that it is set off from the street allowing outdoor eating without feeling like your dining in traffic. Service was quite helpful and met all expectations and the food is very good. I don't have the most adventurous pallate but my companies certainly enjoy good food and seemed entirely pleased with the experience. I'm very eager to go back there again, especially given how convenient there are to the cinema down the street.
1 - Liz F.: my boyfriend and i had a restaurant.com gift certificate to use here and were really excited because we had heard good things about the food, and with our tight budget, it was our first dinner out together in a long time.

unfortunately, i can't remember a thing about how the food tasted because of how the meal ended.  we attempted to use our gift certificate and were informed by the manager that they no longer participated in the program.  which was odd, given that i had JUST printed off the gift certificate that afternoon AND it clearly states that it has no expiration date.

my boyfriend is a calm, straightforward dude and attempted to discuss this further with the manager.  the manager erupted, yelling at my boyfriend in front of all the other customers that he was rude and that we weren't the type of customer he wanted in his restaurant!  i've never seen such a display, especially unprovoked. it was awful.  

our romantic aspirations for a nice dinner date thoroughly squashed, we paid the bill, tipped the waitress (she certainly did not deserve to suffer for her manager's crazy behavior!) and we got out of there as fast as we could.

on top of all of this, as noted above, the food was not even memorable enough to make our time there remotely worth the humiliation.  lesson learned about presenting the gift certificate beforehand but, geez, you just can't treat people that way!  i will never, ever, ever go there again.
4 - Ja H.: Good flavors, awesome olives, and a very Mediterranean style!
2 - craig m.: Second trip to Atasca and the experience fell a little flat.  We mentioned we were celebrating our anniversary and were looking forward to tucking into a lazy dinner.  After ordering a bottle of wine and a couple of small plates before our main dishes, we settled in to a slow, unhurried meal.  To our astonishment, our server stopped by our table, mere minutes and mid appetizers later, to apologize for the quickness of our main courses, clearing away our appetizer plates and crowding our small table with dishes we were not ready to have. She said something to the effect of "I know you are still working on your apps but I don't want your main dishes to get cold". Everything felt suddenly hurried.  In hind site, I should have sent the main courses away, asking that they be remade at an appropriate time.  The main dishes were really good (can't remember the apps surprisingly) though it was hard to look past such a gaff in service.  I blame the kitchen though the server should have refused when it was plated up on the line that quickly.

After dinner, we had to find another spot to have a drink and "decompress" from the experience--not what we had in mind when we booked a table at Atasca.

Oh Atasca, I wanted to love you more!
2 - Andrew H.: I used to go to this place when it was a little hole in the wall outside of Inman Square.  It was great food, great service, and a cozy homestyle feel.

This location is in what appears to be an office building so it's missing a bit of the homestyle soul.  I was hoping to repeat what was a very memorable meal 6 or 7 years ago.  Not even close.  The food was - meh.  Not bad, but totally bland and uninspired.  Two dishes, an app, and a couple glasses of wine for almost $100.  Maybe worth half that.  Not a chance that I'd go back.  The food that we got in the tourist trap type places in Portugal was much better.

The service was attentive and polite - granted the place was basically empty, but it was nice just the same.

Don't waste your time, get a gourmet pizza at Emma's next door or hit the Blue Room instead.
2 - Steven N.: We went there on Valentine's day but were disappointed. It took 1 hour and 10 minutes for our appetizers to arrive. Meanwhile they provided bread and olive oil, but the bread was stale. The waiter apologized and explained that they were busy because of Valentine's, but that didn't add up because 1) it is a small restaurant and 2) they should've expected to be busier, especially for a place with such a romantic ambience.

When the food came we both did not like it and we are not picky eaters. The fish tasted chewy and undercooked and the jumbo shrimp was too salty. When I asked the waiter for a wine recommendation to go with my meal, he didn't bother to ask what I was eating, recommended the most expensive wine on the list and wrote it down in one swoop.

On the plus side, the wine was indeed good and the ambience is lovely and warm. But what good is that if it takes for ever to get bad food?
3 - Casimir M.: I scheduled reservations a week in advance. I called the day of to verify our reservations. The woman tells me, "She has no reservation in my name" Not too big of a deal, they put me down for that night luckily, but I was still annoyed. 

Very nice dimly lit restaurant. We ordered the crab cakes for a starter and I was satisfied with that choice. For the entree I had Caldeirada De Marisco, a shellfish stew with jasmine rice. There was no flavor in the entire dish, it was like eating boiled seafood and boiled rice. My GF got the Frango Piri-Piri (Cornish hen with Piri Piri sauce and garlic mashed potatoes) which I liked, the sauce was delicious. 

I have been to a few Portuguese restaurants in Cambridge and I would choose an alternate choice before coming back here. Maybe I happened to order a meal that wasn't their specialty so I am not bashing them all in all but I much rather prefer Casa Portugal or Sunset Grill, both in Cambridge.
5 - Kyle D.: Everything about this place was perfect.  Not just the food and the service.

I went here to use the Groupon I had purchased some months ago, and I just happened to show up with a friend during the middle of the day around 4pm -- apparently nobody goes here then, as it was JUST us.

I found it funny, but paid no mind.  At least I knew we'd get perfect service (though something tells me it'd be great regardless).

I don't have much experience with portuguese food at all, but have had my fair share of Tapas, and it was pretty similar.

We got a few small dishes to try a few things out, and it was all amazing.

The roasted veggies, the spinach crepes, the shrimp ... something, and some liver dish with onions and what not. (sorry, it's been a few weeks)

This filled us both up, with enough leftovers for a meal, and didn't even use up the entire $40 Groupon.  Granted, we didn't get drinks, but the food was delicious and the portions rather generous for tapas style small plates.

Give this place a go if you're in the area.
3 - Vivian C.: It was my first time at Atasca, but my friends' 3rd or 4th.  They hadn't been impressed from their previous visits and only came this time to humor me I think, since I had a Groupon that I wanted to use, and of course to hang out.

To start us off, their doughy bread came with a few roasted garlic cloves swimming in olive oil... sure makes me miss Vinny T's...

We decided to treat this place as a tapas spot and ended up sharing a meal of 7 appetizers/salads and 1 dessert... which seemed to be the way to go, since my friends were happier with this meal than those in the past.

We ordered the following:

LINGUIÇA COM ANANÁS   6.95
Grilled linguica, served with pineapple, a traditional Azores combination

PASTÉIS DE CARANGUEJO   9.95
Crab Cakes served over baby greens, tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette

LULAS Á ALHO   8.95
Sautéed squid with garlic, white wine and lemon juice, topped with milho frito croutons (polenta)

PASTÉIS ATASCA   9.95
Pasteis de Bacalhau (codfish cakes), Rissois de Camarao (shrimp dumplings) and Croquettes de Vitela (veal cakes) served with blackeye pea sala

ÍSCAS NA CACAROLA   6.95
Sauteed calves liver with garlic, onion and wine sauce

POLVO NA CACAROLA   8.95
Chilled salad of tender bits of octopus tossed in a light cumin vinaigrette

CAMARES   9.95
Fried Shrimp in a crispy batter with a shrimp piripiri and roasted red pepper cream sauce

Pasteis de Nata 4.95
Creamy custard tart in a flaky buttery pastry shell with cinnamon and Beirão, the Portuguese orange liqueur

Everything was pretty good, but what especially took the cake was the fried shrimp with the yummy sauce.   The only dish I would prefer to not get again would be the calves liver, but that's just me realizing I'm more of a chicken liver person than a calf.  I did have a little, and it wasn't too livery, but still, not something I'm interested in.

There's a patio outside with a cool looking fake fireplace.  A great option for when it gets warmer.
5 - Elvis K.: Coming from a Portuguese background, this is by far the best Portuguese restaurant in the Boston area! The food is delicious!!! The charicio pate is to DIE FOR! Sangria delicious - and everything I've had thus far from chicken, beef, pork and seafood has been yummy! A good amount of food - I always take left overs home. I suppose the price is a bit on the high side, but for its authencity its well worth the money. The staff is friendly, the restaurant is clean and the owner is very personable and social. 

My mom is a traditional Portuguese woman who dislikes to eat out - but after one visit to Atasca, she wanted to come back again. She devoured everything, haha...

Just writing this review is making me hungry...
3 - Mike S.: First and foremost, nobody cooks Portuguese food better than my Portuguese grandmother who lives in Portugal. No one. And I don't care how many of you have Portuguese grandmothers out there -- she can outcook an ARMY of them!!! But, just to make things clear, any restaurant that wants my fifth star is going to have to match her, which I believe to be impossible....

So with that said... Atasca isn't bad -- better than some others have been making it out to be. It's the best Portuguese food in Cambridge; better than Casa Portugal, but more pricy.

It's on par with O'Fado in Peabody, a restaurant I've been going to for 28 years, but not as good as anything you'll find in New Bedford / Fall River.

As such, 3 stars.
3 - Lauren P.: My husband and I went here for dinner this past weekend. We live in the area and have walked by many times. We decided to try it on a recommendation from a friend who said it was amazing, but our experience was less-than. Off the bat, I want to say that we had a good time, it is a nice atmosphere and the people were friendly, but it wasn't on par with what we were expecting, given some of the good reviews we'd heard. I should also say that I am no expert of Portuguese cuisine, but I do love food, and enjoy trying new things.

Our meal started off with a bang but then fizzled rather quickly. I agree with a previous reviewer that the bread situation wasn't excellent -- the bread was pretty tasteless, although the olive oil was very tasty. For appetizers, we ordered the Mini Kabobs de Galinha (chicken kabobs served with a creamy mushroomy sauce) and the Camaroes (fried battered shrimp in a creamy spicy red sauce). Both dishes were really good, with robust flavors. We were excited for our entrées.

But, alas, our entrées were a disappointment. I ordered the BACALHAU Á LAGAREIRO, which is dry salt cod drizzled with hot olive oil and served with fried potatoes and vegetables. I should say that I've never had dry salt cod before, and I won't have it again. Maybe this is a traditional Portuguese dish, but the strong fishy taste wasn't for me. The fish was also rubbery and chewy, and I just couldn't eat too much of it. The potatoes were good, and again, the flavor of the garlicy olive oil was nice. The vegetables were boring. It just wasn't a very exciting dish. My husband ordered the FEBRAS DE PORCO, pork loin served with veggies. The flavor of the dish was strong and quite nice, but the meat itself was again rubbery and chewy - seemed overcooked to us. The vegetables were boring and not very memorable.

We ordered a coconut cake for dessert, which was good but chewy, kind of like our fish and pork. Maybe this is a quality of Portuguese cuisine that we didn't understand or appreciate, but it wasn't appetizing to us.

To speak to the service, our waitress was very nice but wasn't able to answer all our questions. My husband asked about the rabbit stew but she wasn't able to tell him about it because she'd never tried it. She was kind and personable, but the service was a bit slow. We were there for over 2 hours, which to me seems long. If we had loved our meal and were drinking a lot, that might have made sense, but we were really ready to go about 15 minutes before she even noticed that we had finished.

We discussed whether we'd go back -- maybe we would go if friends really wanted to try it and would stick with easy stuff -- shrimp, chicken, etc. But I doubt we'll make an effort to go back on our own again.
4 - Paula A.: Another fave just outside kendall sq.... I've been a bunch of times but i'm a creature of habit & always get the same thing: the chicken salad sandwich w/ chopped mini gherkin pickle is delectable (all sandwiches come with a side salad & fried potatoes, both really good); and  the crab-cake salad - YUM!  In the spring/summer they have a great little outdoor patio that i love, perfect setting for a date before heading across the street to the movies.
4 - Katyusha K.: Great food, great waitstaff, great ambiance!
5 - Theodore D.: Went there to with a date to give her the experience of classic Portagee food.  It was great.  The staff was all from the Azores (as am I) and the food was straight out of the old world.  We had a bunch of Azorean apps.  

Linguica with Pineapple = Awesome

Definitely get a bunch of the apps everyone of them was awesome.

I sometimes dislike going to "Portuguese" places because they aren't Portuguese at all - but Brazilian.  I like Brazilian food - but it's a different food from a different continent.  In Brazil they speak Portuguese - but they're not Portuguese... Big difference.  Sorry little rant.

BUT the food was awesome.  I ended up with the Cod.  I usually like seafood.  But.... This was Freaking amazing.  FAR and AWAY the best Cod I have ever had.  She ordered the Lobster Tail and Steak - and I wasn't jealous at all.  She ended up trying to trade with me.... I was like nah nah nah.  You want to order the most expensive thing on the damn menu you eat it.  I'm gonna eat all of this god damned Cod and let you know how good it is.  Maybe, just maybe, I'll give you a bite.

Pretty sure they don't even eat "Lobster tail and Steak" in Portugal anyway...

It was a great place with amazing food and the prices weren't bad (even her Lobster tail and Steak).  They also have cool Portagee wines, and exotic Liquors.


***Highly Recommended***  I'm going back soon :)
1 - Tripti A.: Sole reason for my visit was to try Portugese food and the whole experience didnt turn out to be a good one. Appetizers and Drinks were okay but the entrees that we ordered were too bland for our taste. I ordered BACALHAU Á LAGAREIRO which was a charcoal grilled cod and I couldnt even finish half of it. The service was fine but food definitely not that great. I should have done some research before trying this cuisine. May be I must have not ordered the right stuff :)
4 - Jonathan S.: We'd been meaning to try Atasca for some time. We were not disappointed.

The bread with olive oil and garlic was a great start -- very good bread, dense and tasty that went well with garlic (re the comment about wishing for Vinny T's bread -- you've got to be kidding; this was head and shoulders above that, a serious chewy bread that did great things to whatever you put on it or dipped it in).

We had the Mini Kabobs de Carne (Sirloin steak skewers with peppers, red onions and a goat cheese cream sauce) appetizer. Tasty and tender meat, fantastic sauce.

For entrees we had Cataplana (Clams, mussels and shrimp, steamed in a copper steamer, with onions, red peppers, prosciutto and linguiça served with jasmine rice) and Carne de porco á alentejana (Sautéed pork loin with clams, paprika, garlic and cilantro with cubed fried potatoes).

Both were excellent, both had wonderful sauces (yes, there seems to be a theme here -- Atasca makes great sauces). We asked for extra bread to sop up the sauces.

We also tried a glass each of the Periquinta Castela, Tricadeira Aragonez and the Frei Joao Touriga Comanje. These are the least-expensive wines by the glass on the menu and both were excellent, although if I had to pick a favorite it would be the Frei Joao Touriga Comanje.

Went to Toscanini's for dessert...

We had a Groupon for the meal. Without it, it would have been moderately pricey (about $72 before tip), but not bad for what we had. And enough so we brought some home to have another meal out of it. Yeah, well we're old farts and we're not double-wides so we probably eat less than some who are younger or wider. YMMV.
4 - Buddy S.: We've been to Atasca before and wanted to go back because they really have good Portuguese food and we weren't disappointed. The menu may be pricey (a bottle of Vinho Verde was $21.00 and you can buy it for $6.00) but the food is good.

I was disappointed that the soup of the day was butternut squash and not something Portuguese.

The meal started off with bread and olives.  They also bring some delicious olive oil with roasted garlic in it. (try to save the bread for the entree...read further down)

We started off with the codfish cakes, veal cakes and shrimp dumplings. I got them because of the codfish cakes, however, I liked these less than the other two types. The veal cakes were really tasty.

For our entrees we split the cantaplana and the Pork Alentejana. One recommendation is to save the bread you get at the beginning of the meal for the entrees since the broths are so delicious. I really enjoyed the cantaplana which had shrimp, clams, mussels and ham in it. Also the potatoes in the Alentejana were quite good.

Overall, it was a very good meal. They have outside seating (which you can't reserve ahead of time but is on a first come first serve basis). I liked the outside seating even though I don't typically like to seat in sidewalk cafes.
4 - John K.: Great food in fine ambiance, but a little pricier than $$.
4 - Jean C.: We went here with some Portuguese friends and really liked it. The food was delicious and the ambiance was great. It's a little pricey, plus it's a bit of a hike from the #1 bus, but overall we really liked it.
4 - Ken L.: This may be the best Portuguese restaurant in Cambridge, but I live on the South Coast with a very high Portuguese population.  The food here was good, but not the best I've had this year.

I would like to give this Restaurant 3.5 stars, but that is not allowed.  On food alone, I would give it 4 stars, but price and service pulled it down.  The waitress was very attentive, but not annoying (restaurant mostly empty), so I went for the 4 star rating.

I know prices in Cambridge have to be higher then out in the sticks, but this seemed a bit high even for Cambridge.  Costs: 4 adults, 3 appetizers, 4 entrees, 2 desserts, 3 coffees, 1 lower end bottle of wine, tax and tip.  Total: $184.  This restaurant should NOT have a $$ rating.

The waitress was very friendly and pleasant.  However she was not able to discuss wine choices and was not very knowledgeable when asked specific questions about the food.

Our table was the furthest from the kitchen and the waitress was only able to carry two plates at a time.  She had no serving tray and no help from other staffers.  It took several trips for each part of the meal.  After two appetizers were delivered and the waitress disappeared for several minutes we started wondering if my order got lost.  It eventually came, but it would have been much better if she had said "Your crab cakes will be out in just a minute".

I was not impressed with the tacky fake fire place.

I had crab cakes for my appetizer.  The portion size and consistency were good, but there was very little taste.  What saved the dish was a large supply of a great tasting sauce.

My pork medallions had a great taste and a great sauce, but were slightly overcooked.  The thin sliced potatoes may have been the best I have ever had, but due to inconsistent thicknesses, could have been even better.  I was not overly impressed with the veggies.

My wife had a spicy shrimp dish which had good consistency and taste, but was a bit too spicy for my taste.  It was not too spicy for my wife.

We had a full body red wine from the lower end of the price range.  It was somewhat better than expected.

My deaf coffee was better tasting than 90% of all restaurants.  I love real coffee, but I can't drink it at night.
4 - Aboud Y.: Very solid Portuguese place...I'm a fan.  Need to compare to a few others though.  That said, I've had several great meals here...the food is outstanding.  Service is also top notch and there is something really warm and inviting about their dining room (I always feel at ease).  Would definitely recommend.

Trivia Time:  not really related to Atasca but did you know that the Portuguese introduced the concept of Tempura to Japan?  Who knew?  Don't believe me? Check it out... http://foodportraits.com/food-culture/history-tempura-japan  I must say though...while the Portuguese introduced it, the Japanese (like so many other things) perfected it.
4 - Amanda N.: My husband and I decided to try this place out while we were in Boston. The menu looked a little on the pricey side but since we had an Open Table AMEX card we decided to go for it. Being that both my parents are Portuguese and I am used to Portuguese cooking I really wanted to try this place overall. 

First, the place itself is very nice when you enter, it has a nice atmosphere and has music playing. Parking is street parking, but what else can you expect from Cambridge.

When we went it was a Friday night around 8pm. We had made a reservation just in case but there were only 2 other (larger) parties there. Our service was excellent right from the start.

We both had Kale Soup for a starter and it was delicious, just like my Mother makes.
For dinner my husband had CARNE DE PORCO Á ALENTEJANA and was very happy with it.

 I had FEBRAS DE PORCO which was delicious and enough for two meals. The fried potatoes were very much "authentic portuguese style" and the vegetable side was cook and flavored perfectly. The pork itself was very flavorful and tender. For dessert I had Queijada de Coco with fresh cream and a "sprinkle" of spiced rum. It was delicious. Although I think there might have been a little too much rum...but I also don't really care for spiced rum. 

Overall, I would definitely visit here again and plan to take my parents and sibling.
3 - Steven D.: For those like me who appreciate Zagat, this has a twenty for food.  Which is fair.  I like Cool, Funny or Useful marks on my reviews, but it is hard when the place was fine.

I was there for lunch mid-week and am fairly unfamiliar with Portuguese food.  My impressions are of a good business meal alternative to Legal Seafood, equally good service, slightly better food.  

However, the nearby Emma's Pizza and Mulans offer distinctly better food, albeit it in less corporate environs.

Pro; Good service, spacious and harmless environment.
Con; Food was lightly flavoured sea-food.
3 - Connie S.: Portuguese restaurant in Kendall Square with with a warm atmosphere. The dishes are classic Portuguese in style (with standard dishes like piri-piri chicken and dry salt cod) but not as flavorful as the cuisine is meant to be. Upside: there's a pretty good wine list (I also go for a vinho verde when available). 

Entrees: 
- I had the Caldereida de Peixe (stew of fish and potatoes) which was a large dish, generous with fish, but bland. 
- Those who got the Bife Atasca com Ovo (Steak with Fried Egg) seemed to enjoy that and thought the steak was nicely cooked.
- Big warning for vegetarians: this is not a vegetarian-friendly restaurant... there is just one entree available, off the menu, without meat/seafood, and it's a pretty simple veggie/rice dish 

The atmosphere is charmingly rustic-- there's a great lit-up patio area that should be nice once it gets warmer, and dozens of ceramic plates and pitchers lining the walls of the interior (although it was somewhat disappointing that the plateware for food was plain and generic). Our server was well-meaning but unattentive, though we didn't need to wait to long for the food itself. 

Overall, Atasca is a nice destination for a cuisine that is severely underrepresented in the States, but if you've had authentic Portuguese food before you'll find that it falls a bit short of expectations.
5 - Svetlin K.: This is one of our favorite places around.

My girlfriend and I have been there several times and have loved the food every time. The octopus salad is the first thing we tried there and the reason we come back. I also love the febras de porko. The service is always good, and the last time we were there they went beyond good. We asked if they served spiced wine (mulled wine), and the owner/manager said they don't have it, but he can make it for us. We told him how we wanted it and he came back a couple of times until he had it just right. I was very impressed. To top it off, when it's warm they have a really cozy patio area.

Definitely 5 stars.
5 - Lyd K.: Food was divine. Everything was super fresh and prepared so well that you will need to control yourself - so easy to over eat when food is this good! We ordered 8 small plates and there were no dogs in the bunch. Service was excellent and the wine was divine. I highly recommend this place. So does the worldly food snob that I was with - he had eaten here 2 yrs ago and had been thinking about it ever since. You need to make reservations - not a big place but it has a huge following. LOVE IT!
4 - Andrea T.: Food was fabulous!  Service was just okay.
4 - Johnny Q.: Great food, especially the seafood choices which are many, nice outdoor seating.
3 - Read W.: They seem to have started to cut corners--I've had good olives and great Portuguese corn bread set out on the table here in the past, and recently it was flavor-free canned black olives and that cottony food service "Italian" bread. And my grilled sardines came out charred, I'm guessing to (inadequately) mask the taste of well-past-its-prime fish. But the other dishes we had were as good as ever. I haven't given up on this place yet (I've had quite a few really good meals here over the last several years), but I hope they don't continue to slip.
2 - Leo N.: The ambience was nice, especially the patio with its pretty hydrangeas.  The service was good.  The food, however, was awful.  The grilled sardines tasted--well, not fresh. The "home-cured" ham--which the waitress described as "similar to prosciutto-- was a much-saltier version of the Stop&Shop's home brand.  Even the olives they put on the table when you first sat down, are devoid of flavor.   I'm beginning to understand why the place was empty on a beautiful, late-summer night.  Most sensible diners would take their business elsewhere.   I'm giving them an extra star for the ambience.
5 - Jim H.: ATASCA is a trip. A trip into a Portuguese family dining room. Real flavors come on full force, whether in the sardine appetizer, the olives, or in the discovery of a less familiar fish stew. The cafe is very pleasant in warm weather, and a perfect place to team up grilled fish with a crisp white wine, but in cold weather the inside dining room with its walls hanging with hand painted Portugese ceramics, the warmth of the kitchen and its delicious smells is a true comfort to share a meal in. Service here is prompt and friendly. I've been back enough times to discover we have a family business, a labor of love on our hands. And this shows in how you are greeted but more importantly in the cooking. With fall arriving this week I look forward to a crisp evening at Atasca.
5 - Dana H.: All I can say is fried potatoes.  Yum!  This place is right next to my work, so we frequent it for lunch often.  The presunto sandwich is amazing.  The owners are very friendly, and the staff typically knows what people in my party order when we come in.  I've even had one of the waiters put in our orders before even coming over to the table.  Awesome!  Clearly we are creatures of habit, but when the good ole standby lunch sandwich is so good, there is no way to go wrong.

Atelier Art of Cut Hair Salon - Houston, TX (29.716721, -95.4162024) (West University)
4 - Mike S.: To be fair, my friend works at this establishment, so make of it what you will insofar as bias is concerned.

Until about two months ago, I had a luxurious, enviable mane of beautiful long hair almost to my ass, and thus had no need of a salon. One Friday, however, I decided it was time to bid aforementioned mane a fond adieu, and went to Atelier.

'twas probably the best decision I've made in awhile. The staff is friendly, extremely good at what they do, and they offer you complimentary beverages. They also donated my hair for me (which is great, because I'm so lazy) and left me with a brand-new haircut that was absolutely killer - a totally unexpected outcome after eight years of long hair.

I have recommended male and female friends alike to this salon, and no one has been disappointed. You won't be, either.

One star, however, is subtracted due to the location: Rice Village is a veritable nightmare for parking.
5 - Jordan P.: I've been going to Atelier for over 8 years now and have had a few stylists there over the years.  However, for the last five years, I've been a one-stylist kind of a guy.  After all this time, I am of course friends with just about everybody who works there.  I've seem them evolve from a good salon with talented people to a great salon, with even more talent.  There are some real niceties which make the difference in your overall experience:

1. Complementary drinks. If you don't get asked for one, don't be shy! Everyone is really friendly.
2. Great customer service: They didn't used to do this, but you'll get a call at least 24 hours before your appointment to remind you of your appointment. 
3. Talented, professional staff: I've been disappointed with maybe one haircut in all my 8 years of going there, but they will really listen to you and what you want to do with your hair.

Don't be put off by some of the tattooed staff, everyone is as friendly as can be. Be sure to plan on getting to the Village 10 to 15 minutes before your appointment because, as the last reviewer indicated, parking can be tricky sometimes.
5 - Jamie G.: I moved from Austin to Houston in January, so I've only been going to Atelier for less than a year.  I've had my hair cut by both Jennifer and April, and they are both really good.  I just recently had my hair chopped off to a pixie cut, so most of the time I don't have a clue what I really want done with my hair.  Jennifer does a great job in leading me in a direction that she thinks will work for me.  She hasn't steered me wrong yet. 

They are a friendly and fun group.  I always enjoy going in there.  I have a pixie cut, so I get free touch-ups in between hair cuts.  They always offer complimentary beverages.  I haven't really had an issue with parking because between the street parking and the parking lot next door there is plenty.

Enjoy!
5 - kris r.: We've been coming here for a long time and we never even lived close to this place! That's how awesome this place is! You drive from miles away to get your hair did.
 The staff is very friendly and excellent hair stylist! April and Jennifer do amazing things for hair! I don't normally get a haircut period, but when it's that time of year when my wife is looking me like I am a homeless man on the streets... I go to atelier! April is fantastic!!
5 - V W.: I LOVE Atelier--I've been going since before they changed buildings, and I've never had a less than awesome experience. They're so friendly, but I also don't feel pressured to chat on days when I'd rather not. And they're willing to cut my hair as short as I want it, which a lot of places won't. It's just a great, comfortable atmosphere with amazing stylists. Unfortunately at this point in my life I can no longer afford to get my hair done here (it's not that expensive, just a little out of my range), but I await the day I can return. It's my favorite salon in the city.

Athena's Pizza - Amherst, MA (42.37158, -72.533994) ()
4 - John R.: For those of us who still remember watching TV and seeing men land on the moon...live, well maybe you'll remember Bell's Pizza. Sadly, it's gone. But the good news is that it's been replaced by Athena's Pizza. Don't ask me when they moved in. My guess it was somewhere in the last ten years. 
Having said that, I stopped in for a sandwich for the first time since under the new name. It was around lunch time and the place was packed with local business people, while others were coming in one after another to pick up orders. I thought for sure this was going to take 30 minutes or more since I didn't call ahead. What's worse, I was in line with about 5 other guys all placing orders. Then it was my turn. I ordered my "litmus" grinder, a Italian cold cut. I did cheat and tell them to use dressing or oil and vinegar which didn't, to my relief, cause any adverse response. All the staff seemed friendly and helpful. Ny grinder was ready in less than 15 minutes, not bad considering how busy it was. It tasted fine and was toasty hot but it could have used a little something different in the meat department. Imported ham and salami alone just didn't cut the mustard with me so I'm giving it 4 stars....for now. I'll be back.
5 - John R.: This place is dynamite. Yes it's a greasy spoon, slightly dive-y inside, but the food is really good. I'm not a big fan of the pizza, but I don't really dig on Greek pizza that hard. When I had it, it was good. Having said that, their fries are excellent, their wraps are really good, and their sandwiches are superb. Really good, and the staff are all really nice.

Athleta - Palo Alto, CA (37.4384307861328, -122.159805297852) ()
5 - Sara H.: What a great new store.  I love seeing all of the product in person.  The opening was very crowded but their was plenty of staff on hand to help out.  I love the fact that they have catalogs and on line kiosks so you can remember what you wanted to buy and order it on the spot if the store is out of merchandise.  This is a great addition to Town and Country.
4 - Gloria C.: Really nice to see the catalog offerings in person without paying for shipping. The grand opening was such an unpleasant mob scene that I left early without making a purchase. Plan to return another time when I can enjoy the experience.
5 - Ellen L.: what a wonderful, new addition to town & country village!  i didn't even know there was a new athleta here until i heard about the complimentary fitness programs for their grand opening week.

the store is very nice, with an organized layout, running clothes to one side, swimwear to another, casual clothes in another corner, etc.  all of their clothes are bright and colourful and made from technical material, which is great since constant movement requires appropriate clothing that feels comfortable and doesn't chafe/cause blisters.  the back is reserved for fitting rooms, and again, is very organized and well lit, with spacious, individual rooms.

i came in this morning to attend their free yoga class, which was a great way to kick off my day (and week).  it was a small 4 person class, which was great since we  each received individual attention from the instructor.  note that they will be having free yoga classes every mon & thurs in july & august, from 8.30-9.30am in the store.

note that this store carries women's athletic clothing only.
5 - Nicole A.: I've been shopping from the Athleta catalog for years, and have gradually bought fewer pieces from Gap and Banana Republic since the Athleta pieces were better made and suited my style better.  I buy some of their athletic (bike, cardio, running) clothes, but mostly "adventure" clothes for day-to-day or hiking.

Their clothes are a bit pricey, but I have been very happy with the quality and the attention to details.  I am *thrilled* to now a have physical store to go to try things on - especially to get the fit right on pants and shorts.

I attended the grand opening cocktail party, which was overwhelming crowded.  Since then I came back to find some hiking shorts.  The salespeople were incredibly helpful and I tried a ton on.  I ended up falling in love with some pants but not finding any shorts that were perfect.  They helped me order something online that they didn't carry in the store - shipping was free, and took only 3 business days (to my house).

I wore the pants hiking and decided they were a bit too long.  I brought them back and they measured out the length they needed to be hemmed and sent them in - for free!  

So this is as good as it gets: quality clothes with a great selection, free and fast shipping from their online catalog, and free tailoring.  I haven't needed to return anything, but I saw other customers doing so who had no problems.
5 - nancy b.: An earlier post noted "athletic clothing only," but I'd like to add that many Athleta styles make perfect everyday pants.  I love the light-weight fabrics of the summer wear (haven't tried the heavier pants).  An additional plus is that many styles come both in specific sizes (2, 4, 6 etc.) and in petite, medium and tall.  And there's more -- some pants feature an internal drawstring which allows one to slightly adjust the waistband to a smaller size.  These features make for a perfect fit, not just for sports, but for wearing on a daily basis.  Oh, and the sales clerks are super-helpful.  Kudos all 'round!
5 - anne c.: Really nice & helpful staff. Cute clothes. All good!
5 - Kelly D.: I have become a huge fan of Athleta since they opened the store in Palo Alto. I used to admire the clothes (and the models) in their catalog, but I am tall and between sizes, so I hesitate to order without trying on first. Now I can try things on, and if I need to order from the catalog (the store only carries about 30% of their inventory) and it doesn't fit, I can return it to the store. The sales people are very friendly, the store is large and clean and organized, and the clothes are beatiful. And they even offer TALL pants, dresses, skirts and jackets!

Athletescapes - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.282911, -120.6602328) ()
5 - Tami O.: I began seeing Tami for trigger point therapy just after my base training on the mountain bike and before increasing my volume of intensity in preparation for the race season. I had never experienced trigger point therapy or any type of sports massage.  I have to say I really noticed the difference in flexibility and looseness in my upper and lower legs after the first two sessions. Tami concentrated on finding locations on my body that needed the most work and targeted them well.  I cannot wait to see the benefits of her methods throughout the beginning of the race season.  Thanks Tami!!!" 

       Chad Stoehr
       Blue Competition Cycles - MTB
5 - Kristen J.: If you can't handle the pressure stay outta the kitchen...wait is that the right saying? Anyhoo love your work tami! Trigger pointing is no fun but totally worth the release!  thanks

Atkins Farms - Amherst, MA (42.318777, -72.5286161) ()
4 - J. H.: Super-sized farm stand with locally grown fruits and veggies plus homemade baked goods, gourmet groceries and more. They have their own orchard where they get their apples from. Some years they offer pick-your-own apples, but not this year. We got some great Massachusetts grown peaches and cabbage there along with some fresh cider donuts. 

They also have an ice cream shop in the same building with lots of picnic tables on the patio where you can sit to enjoy your ice cream.
4 - Andrew B.: Grocery store with their own produce, ice cream stand, and an amazing bakery. Conveniently located on Rt 116 between Amherst and South Hadley a stop at Atkins is a must if you're in the area. (Try the apple crumb squares)
5 - Jenny N.: I have just one word for you: PIES.  Fresh apple, pumpkin, cherry, three berry, strawberry & rhubarb pies galore!   Growing up in the Pioneer Valley, Atkin's was my local pie source. Of course, there are also piles of beautiful, locally-grown fresh fruits and veggies and lovely selections of teas, cheeses, and breads.  This "farm stand" is more like a cross between full service gourmet grocery store (there's a salad bar, sushi counter, bakery, deli, and even a doggie biscuit counter!) and roadside produce stand.   In the fall, you can even pick apples from their own orchards.  Don't forget to bring home some apple cider and fresh cider donuts--they are the yummiest fall treat!  Oh, and did I neglect to mention that they also dip their own caramel/candy apples and make homemade fudge?
4 - Q S.: Good store for lots of homemade goods.  I love love love the bakery.  There's so many choices!  AND they're all made fresh from their own bakery!  They also have a large organic selection as well.  
  The prepared foods look delicious.  So if you're ever in a rush, make sure to stop here to get a bite.  Atkin's is just outside of Hampshire College on Route 116.
4 - Jackie I.: When I was at Hampshire, my friends and I would run across the field and then run across Route 116 (make sure you don't get run over!) and buy yummy foods here. This was a million times better than the crappola that they served at the dinning hall. Plus they had these nice ladies who manned the fudge counter.
5 - Mod S.: its like a laid back whole foods with a farmers market feel, cute.
4 - Oh K.: nothing in this world matters except for Atkin's Farms apple cider donuts.


They also sell bread from El Jardin bakery in Holyoke, which is wonderful (http://www.nuestras-raices.org/Bakery/Bakery%20index.html).  I wouldn't recommend the Atkins homemade bread.
5 - Angie G.: I'm obsessed with this place- I graduated from UMass last year and I miss it :(  Anyways.. the produce is amazing, I loved getting zucchini/banana bread there, cider donuts are delish, caramel apples are yummy.. I could go on and on.
4 - Amy B.: When my dad and I did our college tours we stopped here for a sandwich.  I think that the pickle that came with the sandwich cemented my decision to go to Mount Holyoke.

I loved that pickle!

Atkins is really much more famous for its apples, cider, pies, specialty items, and donuts than it is for its pickles - but I can guarantee that the pickles are top notch!
5 - brooke m.: Oh Atkins Farm.  You walk in and there's the bakery.  Good luck getting out of there without drooling on yourself.  Then there's the deli (good sandwiches and you can eat in the store), the meat and fish counter, and then the veggies.  Everything is good.  They usually have tuna steaks that look absolutely beautiful but I am poor and besides, my cooking wouldn't do them justice.

There was a semester in college when I would buy local milk at Atkins  in glass bottles, because each one you return is a dollar off the next.  It ended up being a decent deal.

So buy a pie or three, maybe some eclairs, and remember that apple cider donuts = fall in western mass, so get those too.
5 - Nancy W.: i could really use a cider donut right about now.
5 - Kenny L.: Dr. Atkins would regret coming here because they have delicious...

APPLE CIDER and APPLE CIDER DONUTS!!!

Thanks to Jenny N. for buy me the respective above for my thoughtful going away present!
5 - M. M.: If you go here in the summer, there are some must haves.. First visit the Icecream window. You must also get their homemade donuts..especially the cider donuts a the front registers. They are to die for.  Finally, every time I go back we get a Berry Pie.  I hate pie, but these are the best, yummiest pies I have ever eaten..mmmm.mmm good!

Atkins is the best farm in the Amherst Area!
5 - Alex S.: Once upon a time, I went to Hampshire College for a bit, and used to run across a field and Route 116 to get here. It really made my Saturday mornings enjoyable, and was always a much preferred alternative to the Oliver Twist style gruel they served at the dining hall. If you're ever in Amherst, it would downright crazy not to stop here.

Aside from having fresh, local produce, delicious apple cider, the nicest person in the world [wo]manning the candy counter, and a hearty selection of tasty baked goods and prepared foods, Atkins Farms is also adorable. They have outdoor seating (picnic tables!) for your enjoyment,  and other cute things, like a make-your-own-scarecrow workshop in the fall. I definitely miss this place!
4 - Peter G.: Two words: CIDER DONUTS.

A great local grocery store packing lots of local and unusual items. This is not a standard grocery store and while it has all the staples and then some, it doesn't stock much of anything for International or ethnic cooking other than a small corner by the sushi man that has some basic Japanese goods. The produce section is average, but when Apple season comes around it becomes amazing stocking every kind of apple (many locally grown) you can think of.

The bakery is wicked tasty, and the highlight of course is the afformentioned cider donuts which along with a cool glass of cider are one of life's finest pleasures.

The sandwiches are pretty disappointing, I guess when I go out for sandwiches I prefer the ones that I would have trouble making at home or at that would be expensive to get all the ingredients. Here they are very simple to a fault.

But you should be loading up here on cider donuts, cider, and fresh apples instead!
5 - hello y.: This is the only place in the world to get a proper birthday cake. Mm mm. So good icing. The closest thing I've baked had butter, sugar, and cristco, so I'm guessing it is something like that. But mmmmm so freaking good. Best cake in the universe.
5 - Kristine M.: I am official jealous of all who live in Amherst now that I've visited Atkins Farms.  I had FANTASTIC macaroni and cheese (filling for an entire lunch for less than four bucks!!) and this peanut-butter chocolate thing SO rich that I broke out into a sweat while eating it.

Man oh man...I'd drive all the way from Newton to Amherst just for their macaroni and cheese and their bakery section!!!!
4 - Matt C.: This place is hilarious, I had one of the gayer moments of my life here. I was in town for a wedding, and stopped by to see a friend that went to UMASS. I had this hilarious looking black Lincoln Town Car rental with Jersey plates. So what do 2 big guys do? We go for a drive in the hills smoking cigars and stop here to buy pumpkins and ice cream. 

Seriously, pumpkins and an ice cream cone.

We also bought a head of cabbage. The reason being, they were $0.99 ea, any size, and we got one in excess of 15 pounds. 

I wish this place, or one similar was near where I live. Not for the gay getting ice cream and pumpkin picking aspect, but because the selection was awesome, and the prices seemed fair.
5 - Vanessa C.: oh man, I REALLY miss this place! 
Russo's in watertown comes close - its much the same idea, but nothing close to the scale of Atkins. everything here is divine (if not a bit pricey) but its the best pre-made food you will ever find EVAR!
4 - Beth G.: A haven for foodies! I shopped here when I lived in the Valley. Atkins started off as a farmstand and evolved into a high end, country grocer. There famous cider donuts are to die for, and they make regular, heavy New England style donuts that are so large that I could only eat half in one sitting. They sell plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit. in the fall, you must sample their apple offerings. They have charts telling you what each apple is best for. Atkins was the first and only place I have seen the Burgundy apple. Imagine a red apple that tastes tarter than a Granny Smith, and you have the Burgundy. I wish I could find this apple elsewhere. Condiments, meat, prepared and packaged foods, and other items tend to be pricey. They don't sell the cheap brands here. They do offer a markdown produce bin. They are well known for their gift baskets, but as a former local, no one ever gave me one. You send those to the out-of-towners. If you see scruffy clientele, those are likely Hampshire College students from across the street.
5 - Blake S.: This is a great spot.  I grew up in Amherst, but I had not been back for almost 30 years and I still remember Atkins Farms.  It has become and amazing market and a fun spot to go shopping.  Make sure to try to cider donuts and the cider is very good as well.  

Go have fun shopping for the wide variety of products they have.  I am sure you will enjoy yourself.
5 - Matt S.: Living in the Boston area certainly makes trips to Atkins difficult, an issue that is all the more noticeable come the New England autumn. The fall rolls in as I type this review, and I want nothing more than to enjoy some hot cider and cider donuts as I write it. Alas, I've yet to visit Atkins this year.

Part farm stand, part specialty grocery, Atkins Farms holds on firmly to the New England charms while offering a wide selection of products. From lunch items, fresh fruit and produce (in the Autumn, the apple selection is one of the most thorough I've ever seen), Confections (great fudge), and baked goods, Atkins will cater to any and every that venture through it's doors.

The aforementioned cider donuts are a signature item of Atkins, and they're a must try. To describe them is difficult - they're delicious, though, and every time I've shared them with individuals who have never been to Atkins they're always impressed.  

If you're a fudge junkie, they've a large selection in the store that ranges from traditional to adventurous. All are home made and richer than rich. When it comes to the things Atkins sells, you can tell quite a bit of pride and effort goes into their products.

In and of itself, a visit to Atkins is an experience that goes hand and hand with a New England Autumn. Even if one is driving from halfway across the state, couple a visit to Atkins with a day at local Pumpkin Farms. Once you've had the combination of a Cider Donut and a hot mug of cider from Atkins, it will become as inseparable a part of Massachusetts autumn as the cold air and the falling leaves.
5 - Karen W.: Ahhh Atkins farms, since moving out of the happy valley it is like coming home for me.  That being said there are LOTS of things in the valley that seem like home.

Akins is great, filled with local produce and tasty goodies.  You can find local honey (good for allergy prevention) and fantastic apple cider donuts (and up until a couple of weeks ago I would have said the best apple cider donuts, but my CSA Farm managed to top Atkins!).  If you are looking for baked goods on the cheap you can usually get stuff from the case discounted at the end of the day.   There is also a fantastic cheese selection, a deli counter and some seafood options.  

In the summer months you can enjoy some of their ice cream of some of sandwiches outside at the tables they provide.  There is some seating inside for those rainy or not so nice days as well.

Seriously if you are in the valley stop by and visit, Atkins is good stuff and I am confident that you will find something to please everyone in your group!
4 - Leslie A.: Trying to drive past Atkins Farms store on a weekend is a stupid idea. Really. Cars are in line to turn towards the Notch from Bay Rd., there's a line of folks driving REALLY slow because they're looking for any possible plot of land on which to park their vehicle... Blargh.

Needless to say, I never went on weekends. Weekdays, however, were king! The wooden interior of Atkins is really warm and inviting. There are non-literal acres of vegetables when you walk in, really delicious freshly made bread and various grocery items. Not your average grocery fare, either (they have that in the "shun corner" in the back of the store), but they have organic and local goods from smaller companies stocking their shelves. I'd come in here many times and grab a Virgil's and just WANDER. I think I see more people wandering in delight inside Atkins rather than shopping.
3 - Erin C.: Atkins Farms received mention in a national magazine for their cider donuts, so off to Amherst I went, with two doughnut-eating compatriots in tow.

There's very little not to like about the place. It's set in a beautiful part of western Massachusetts, it's touristy as heck, and it serves delicious coffee and donuts in a friendly, comfortably-crowded setting. I will admit that I don't know much about cider donuts, but I liked what I ate: good texture and nice flavor with just a hint of apple cider tang. Perhaps as I expand my cider donut horizons, I'll have a better idea of just how Atkins Farms stacks up. Until then, I recommend it highly.
5 - Tani S.: This was a bright spot in our trek to see the disappointing Eric Carle museum (see the review)..  The other yelp reviewers are spot on, their cider donuts are not only yummy but quite close to the best I've had!
4 - Alissa A.: Reminiscent of times past... cider donuts, bushels of fresh-picked apples and jugs of cider. What more does one need?

Stopping in for a snack or a sandwich, I knew I wouldn't be leaving without an armload of the aforementioned childhood memories before I even got in the door.

New England bounty of produce, honey and dairy. Homemade goodness. Fudge. Sugar-coated cider donuts. Maple sugar candies and fudge. Made to order sandwiches under $5 and an ice cream shop to top it off.

Employees were all friendly and helpful as best they could, with the exception of providing some guidance as to if I should spring for a sugar-coated cider donut or plain. So I left with one of each and a jug of fresh-pressed cider to wash them down.

and for the long-lasting memories I'm thankful 'cause the donuts sure weren't! (delicious as always)
5 - Sofia K.: One of the best parts of being a Hampshire student is being within walking distance of Atkins. Nuff said.
4 - Heather S.: Atkins Farm is like a large Farmer's Market -- in a store. 

Famed for their apple cider donuts, I find them are okay -- not as moist as I like and don't taste of apple cider, surprisingly. The fruit is fine, though the vegetables are sometimes limp.  Prices are moderate.

They have a little cafe near the bakery,with local coffee, and a place to sit down and enjoy the goodies, which is nice. Prices are moderate.

The star of their show, however, is their pies! 
The pie goddesses have smiled upon the pies at Atkins Farm. I've never tasted a better pie filling (3 berries: raspberry, blackberry, and blueberry), or a better crust. Heavenly!
5 - Chris M.: Atkins Farms is the place to be. If you're in the Pioneer Valley you have to stop here. I bought one of their frozen pies, and some pieces of their amazing fudge, and some cider donuts. I guess the cider donuts taste even better if you microwave them for 20 seconds. 

They have everything here: produce, a bakery, jellies, sauces, a deli, prepared foods, a salad bar. They even sell ice cream and prepared frozen meals. There's a cafe. Delicious bread.
4 - Heather G.: A bit overpriced in some areas but this is the ultimate cute little New England fruit stand.  The cider donuts are amazing and normally I don't even like donuts.  Great with a delicious glass of cider. Very touristy so get there early for prime parking.
2 - Daisy R.: Atkins Farm is cute, but it's way over-rated.  The produce is often from So. America, hardly ever anything organic.  The baked goods are not very refined.  The prepared food is usually awful.  The staff aren't very friendly or personable.  The ice cream is tasteless.   Like I said the main attraction of the store is the presentation, but in reality their products can't hold a candle up to Whole Foods.  I know we are all into individually-owned businesses, but give the devil his due.  And ever since I drove by and saw signs on their lawn to keep off because it had just been sprayed with Pesticide (do they spray their orchard too?), I won't set foot in the place.
4 - Q. C.: Love love love Atkins Farms. It does have a boutique-y vibe to it, but the food is glorious, and is almost curated in the way it is shown on shelves, in baskets, in piles. They have a great breakfast--the donuts which none of us normally eat, but buy by the dozen at Atkins Farms and devour before we get off the site, or the egg sandwiches which they will make hot and to order.

I buy maple syrup always to take home to Central New York when I visit as the price is good and they always have a dark cooking variety. I love the interesting things they have from bee related products (Manuka honey for one) to locally grown/made food that makes it easy to embrace the Pioneer Valley in one big bag! Forget going to Trader Joes or Whole Foods. They are so "wannabe" when you have the real deal like Atkins Farms to shop either to eat now or eat at home.
5 - Austin J. A.: There's very little that Atkins Farms doesn't have, or doesn't do. Local produce? Check. On-site bakery? Check. Catering and wedding department? Check. Candy shop? Check. Deli? Check. Meat/fish counter? Check. Groceries? Check. Organics? Check. Dog bakery? Check. Flowers? Check. Sushi? Check. Salad bar? Check. Gift baskets? Check. Ice cream stand? Check. Pumpkin carving? Check. Scarecrow-making workshops? Check. 

Am I totally confident that I'm forgetting something? CHECK!

Show up and eat macaroni and cheese, nigiri, lasagna, or another prepared food...shop for tea, fudge, and their famous cider donuts...stop in for a cone or a caramel apple (in season) before heading on your way.

I've loved Atkins Farms since I was an undergraduate in the mid-nineties. I love the location (right near the mountains, making it a great place to go after a hike). Sit outside when the weather's fine, sit inside when you need a hot soup and sandwich. Great for a date, great for a visit with your grandma, great for a study session (though you can only spend as much time in the dining room as you have purchased food for - venue's rule), great for out-of-town guests who need to see the best parts of what this amazing agricultural valley has to offer. Or great for whoever would love to sit in the dining room and look out the window and see the birds and the mountains and feel totally awesome about the world.
5 - Doris T.: Farm fresh fruits and delicious desserts- Atkins!  The food is uncomparably fresh and quite affordable.  Most of the things are locally produced.  It is a cute little farm market that is the grocery hub for most locals.  Their sandwiches, tea-cakes, cookies, and cider donuts are extremely delicious!  They also have a collection of beautiful flowers also quite reasonably priced.  Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area!
5 - Jo Anna G.: Couldn't have been treated better. 

Calling around frantically from California every single liquor store and grocery store within 30 miles of Holyoke to get someone, anyone, to deliver champagne for my best friend's 40th birthday with only one day's notice.

No one would do it. No one. 

Until I received an email from Jen, and when I called to speak with her, she was so understanding, knew exactly what I wanted without my having to describe it in any detail, even though AT&T dropped my call 3 times during the course of our conversation. I only really knew the name of the champagne and price range I wanted, and she pulled together a fantastically perfect gift basket and had it delivered exactly as requested. On time.

It was beyond perfect customer service. And I can not say enough about what that means in this day and age.

Do not bother shopping anywhere else. If Atkins knows enough to keep someone like this on their staff and allow her to do whatever she needed to do to make me happy, they deserve every ounce of your business they can get.
5 - Theo B.: Best food shopping around.  Meat and produce from local people.  Nice coffee.  Exotic stuff.  Love this place!
5 - Liz M.: YOU.......complete me in Amherst! It's been a decade since my palate was first pleased with your pies.. and its still goin' on strong! My hips thank you too!

Apple pie, peach pie, peach pie, APPLE CIDER DONUTS, warm apple cider,  DELISH!

When you go if you go, when you go, YOU MUST GO .... get the apple orchard cake and apple crisp mixes.  They're delightfully delicious!!!


I wish I could take the Aitkins Farms Cafe wherever I go.. its got just the right amount of senior citizens and young-ish people to people watch while studying uh......procrastinating!
4 - william d.: Fresh produce, good pastries and bakery here.  A local stamp.
5 - Alan M.: Just one of many reasons to visit Amherst...Cider donuts are fantastic - moist, just the right  balance of cinnamon and sugar coating. Great selection of produce, prepared foods (for impromptu picnics), baked goods and candy.
4 - Chris W.: Use to be a tiny farm stand. Now basically a super market with local appeal. Prices for produce are reasonable and one of my first choices for meat and deli. Bakery is A+ but not so much for health wise. 
This is a huge tourist stop so watch out for the bus loads and its always packed on weekends. 
Ice cream shop is great too and if your a fan of cruise nights they host a pretty successful one on Mondays.
5 - Annie B.: We love Atkins!  My husband and I are new to the area and came across this place while out for a drive on a weekend.  I love the locally grown fresh produce - but the cider donuts really won us over!
4 - deb k.: Always happy to stop at Atkins when I'm back in the area. Can't beat their cider donuts.  I have yet to find any better (even the Amish cider donuts in Lancaster/Philly area).  Produce and meats are good, too, albeit a little pricey.  Staff is always friendly and you can often find some off-beat, tasty local food item.  Just a fun place to visit for a bit of food shopping or for a quick snack (good ice cream and pastries, too!).
3 - Joanne G.: We came here several years ago and bought our favorite Habanero Salsa (Thank you Uncle Mike!!!!)

The produce here is amazingly beautiful.  But once again, the service leaves so much to be desired.

I'm a people person and these people just don't do it for me.

The parking lot is pretty decent and the location is easy to find.
4 - Christina B.: My heart sank as we walked in: too organized, professional, slick.  Atkins Farms, with its little counters of bakery and chocolatiers and sushi (???) looked more like a department store than a farmstand.  But as we browsed, the mister and I loosened up.  The sushi stand was, of course, out of place and commercial, but the bakery items looked good and the bargain seconds were of good quality and actual bargains--the mister loved the raspberry bread/cake thing he picked up, and the batards were beautifully dark, not the vapid blonde loaves sold to people who whine when their bread doesn't stay fresh for two weeks.

There were some really good bargains in the produce, and a lot of it was local, very fresh and appealing.  Surprisingly, one could do all or most of their weekly shopping here, since there was even a small housewares/cleaning/etc section.  Atkins still feels a bit too...upscale, I guess, catering to wealthy housewives, for me to be entirely comfortable, but it's a nice place to occasionally visit if you're in the area.

Also, the apple cider donuts were heavy and doughy, the worst I've had yet.
5 - Molly W.: Sandwiches. YES. Apple cider donuts. Oh hell YES. We used to go here before hiking up Skinner Mountain, and picnicing at the top with our Atkins goodies. You should, too!
5 - J. T.: Atkins, you are fabulous. Nothing says fall like a trip to Atkins for cider donuts and apple cider! 

Highlights:
-Fresh produce
-Local goods
-Extensive bakery department 
-Friendly employees
-Atkins maple syrup 
-Atkins cream soda 
-Everything is organized neatly 
-Gift shop portion of the store is adorable and homey
 
Even though I no longer live in the area, I try to visit Atkins whenever I am in the Amherst area.
5 - Amy C.: Great place for fresh local produce, honey, baked goods and more.
5 - Barbara A.: Atkin, Atkins ... cider donuts, cider donuts.  I just got off my high from the cider donuts I brought back yesterday during my trip to the happy valley.  It was no coincidence that I convinced my companions to go to the Eric Carle Museum as our last stop before heading back to Boston (how convenient ... I can pick up my cider donuts and route 9 shortcut is right there).  I hate to say it, but I love it more than my (beloved) Russo's in Watertown.  They also have all these candies (can you say marzipan shaped like ladybugs?) from abroad that you want to pick-up for stocking stuffers .... or to eat on the car ride back home. Of course, there is that whole organic farm thing. Did I mention the cider donuts?
5 - Tom M.: I'm only really recommending the cider donuts, here, but what a hell of a recommendation. I make every houseguest try them. Get the sugar and cinnamon variety- they're inexpensive and a great item to leave on a counter for people passing by to grab. Just smelling the bag is a soul-tickling joy. 

Atkins cider donuts are a little piece of what makes the Pioneer Valley so damned great to live in.
5 - Whitney W.: People have said it before, but I'll say it again:  cider donuts & apple cider!

You can't beat it.  This would be a great combination for coffee hour after church.  Personally, I have used these snacks when I meet with students - they love it!

I would also like to mention that before returning home to Connecticut, I grabbed 4 jars of "Atkins Pure Wildflower Honey" produced right in Amherst, MA.  One 8 oz. jar cost $4.59 - great for Christmas gifts!
5 - Cody S.: Atkins Farm is excellent farm stand/grocery store, Yes it can get hectic and crazy here but worth the crowds to experience some of the best products . There is not an item that they do not sell to make a meal or feast complete.

They have a large selection of produce and stock what ever is local and in-season.
The bakery is not to be misses the products are nice looking and tasting , they make everything from fresh donuts, cakes to breads. Even a coffee set up. 
In the back they have beer/wine, dairy products, along with meat and seafood.

Check for weekly sales and specials they do have some great deals.
The atmosphere here is really nice as it is homey and country like . You will not feel like that your in grocery store.  The location is next to Hampshire college in South Amherst . 

A must visit you will not leave with an empty basket .
5 - John P.: LEGIT Apple cider donuts. That's all I have to say. Good luck!
5 - Monique B.: AWESOME EVERYTHING!!!! I thoroughly enjoyed the fresh,  diverse ingredients on the salad bar, bakery was divine! Impressive wine and beer selection. Lastly, the deli stole my heart with the delicious array of comfort food type salads, the veggie sandwich was perfection!!!  It's an upscale market that does not disappoint. 
Lovely eating area outdoors, and comfortable indoor dining as well.  Cannot recommend this place ENOUGH! 
*** the only room for improvement would be homemade salad dressings or at least something other than Ken's salad dressing*********
5 - Madeline N.: One of the happiest parts of my undergraduate career. 

Cider donuts. Buy them. Eat them. You will thank me. 

An adorable, local grocery with organic fruits and vegetables locally sourced. A deli in back. A bakery up front. An ice cream window around the corner. Flowers and fresh herbs greet you as you approach the doors. 

But the best part? The staff. My mother called in regularly throughout my undergrad and had custom gift baskets created and sent to me. The people at Atkins will stay on the phone with you, walk around the store, and get you that exact combination of citrus fruits, other fruits, and more fruit (what, you can't take a girl out of California for 4 years and expect her not to crave proper fruit!) before transcribing a note and delivering it to her dorm room. 

Lovely!
5 - Todd O.: Must try the Cider Donuts.  We have been going there since I was a little kid.  Now when I travel back to visit the family or they come visit - must get the cider donuts.  The shop has grown so much but they have done everything right.  You can get sandwiches to produce there.  No complaints.  Although I can't imagine it during the holidays.  Must be packed with all the shoppers getting all the great sweets.
5 - Martha W.: I stop at Atkins for coffee and lunch/breakfast to go from the salad bar.  Maybe not a huge bar but the hardboiled eggs are great, so is the locally grown wheat berry salad.  The price is great and I can get out of there with a small container packed with food and a large coffee for under $5.  And the coffee is really good.  Love the bran muffins and the mini strawberry filled chocolate whoopie pies are yummy.  I love the small store feel.  Go to Atkins if you know what's good for you!!  Oh and really clean bathrooms too.
4 - Courtney R.: Atkins Farms is a charming place to visit. It is a great place to get your groceries. You can't get everything here, but most things are available. They have a full deli with a salad bar and 5 or 6 grocery aisles with high end items. Of course they have produce and a flower shop. They have a house ware/gift section with candles and stuffed animals and some decorative items. This is the place to buy pumpkins, corn stalks, hay and gourds for your yard during Fall. Also, they have the best baked goods around....have you read about the cider doughnuts yet? Totally amazing paired with hot apple cider!

Atkins Fruit Bowl - Amherst, MA (42.318777, -72.5286161) ()
5 - Kerri O.: Atkin's is like the Wilson's Farm of the Pioneer Valley.  Only they are better.  

Better bakery, better produce, and they make the best cider donuts in the world.  All year long, too.

If you are out this way, stop in.  You'll see why I miss the place.

Of course, there's pick your own apples, too.
5 - Matt L.: This spot started out as a very small produce market with an orchard and has blossomed into one of the biggest attractions in the area. It sits in it's own corner in South Amherst and in the fall, you cannot even find a parking space. Inside you will find a ton of fresh produce, cider, baked goods, gifts and other foods. The prices are a bit high, but the trip is worth it. They even have apple picking in the fall, and pumpkin painting, they have all sort of things for the kids and the staff is very nice and the place is family owned. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for something to do in the summer or fall!
4 - John R.: If you need fruit, this is the place. There are row upon row of fruits of all kinds stacked shiny and neat. There is a huge selection of baked goods, deli meats, butcher treasures (marinated beef tips are mega-yum) and a half way decent fresh seafood section. I've never had a problem with this place in all the years that I have shopped here. The parking lot is sort of an issue as access in and egress out can be tricky especially when it's busy.
If you like cider donuts, they make some of the best in the valley!
If you are on a tight budget, try Maple Farms Produce as well.
5 - Joe T.: Make sure you check the reviews for Atkins Farm too because it is the same place as Atkins Fruit Bowl.

Today I am only going to review the cider donuts and the ice cream.  Their cider donuts are delicious!   I  ride a motorscooter and my favorite ride is somewhere near Atkins so I can buy some cider donuts.  Not only are they delicious, but they are very reasonably priced too.  They are $2.95 for 6.  If you buy two bags, you get a dozen for $4.95.

I always buy two bags.  One for us and I give the other bag to friends and neighbors.  I have a standing joke about my wife that she thinks they come in packs of 4 (because I always eat two before I take them home.)  In the fall when they have hot cider, I have a cup of that with my donuts.  

The store is located in a beautiful setting.  You can sit at the picnic tables and take in the scenery while you snack.

The second thing I love about Atkins is their new ice cream window.  It is reasonably priced and the servings are huge.  The last time I was there they asked if I wanted a single or double dip.  I always order small but didn't want a baby cone so I got the double.  It was the biggest cone I had ever gotten anywhere.  It had to be at least 4 dips!  My immediate thought was to just eat half of it and throw the rest away.  But I hate to see a grown man cry (myself) so I ate it all!

I specifically try to sample cider donuts from other places just to compare and so far none of the others stand a chance to Atkins.

One last story:  I was talking to a cousin in California telling him about cider donuts.  He asked what they were.  I bought a pack and shipped them out there to him so he would know firsthand.  When you like a donut so much you are willing to send them cross country to share with a friend, you know that has to be one good donut!

Atkinson Katherine J MD - Amherst, MA (42.38077, -72.517219) ()
5 - Baer T.: Love & Expertise / 
Dr. Kate effuses them / 
Dragonflies surround.
1 - Julia O.: wrong diagnosis .which makes sense if you don't seem to listen. I ended up going elsewhere ,and was given a very different diagnosis which was very likely correct as the treatment worked .Avoid.

Atlanta Bread Company Bakery & Cafe - Greenbelt, MD (38.998653, -76.912332) ()
1 - Adrian B.: Tasteless slop , since when is chicken chili soup a combination of tomato paste, water, chili powder and some precooked chicken pieces - soup making or rehydration as we call it for idiots. 

Don't waste your time , makes Panera look like a five-star restaurant. 

I would like to give this zero - can somebody at Yelp fix that glitch.
3 - Natalie F.: I was in a hurry to grab some lunch before I went to work and I don't eat meat. They actually had a pretty good selection for me to choose from. I loved the California Avocado sandwich. The vegetable soup tasted like Campbell's vegetarian vegetable right out of the can. eh...

I would go back for the California Avocado sandwich.
3 - Kris K.: For moderately priced, moderately fast food this place is pretty good.
The breads are tasty and the salads huge. It has some interesting "not your average sandwich place" stuff.
We joke this has become our favorite second choice when lines at other nearby breakfast haunts are too long.
I do find it kinda inconvenient that you pick up drinks at one corner of the counter then have to walk clear across a large room to get your food.  Other than that the atmosphere is nice and open with lots of windows.
I think it is way better than Panera's.
2 - Deva J.: I guess I wouldn't call this place bad... The sandwich I got was a little weird looking - I'm not so much a fan of bright orange bread. The soup, however, was pretty effing good. It was that new chicken-quesadilla-baja-enchilada-something-soup. I can't remember the name of it:) 

Basically, I'd come back to this place for the soups (they have a sizable selection to choose from), but definitely not for the sandwiches. No sir. Sometimes I really wish College Park had a Panera...
3 - Libby F.: Walking into Atlanta Bread gave me a sense of deja vu.  Was this once a Panera?  It is set up exactly as if.  The first thing you see are the breads and bakery goods.  They had four trays of different bakery goods to sample sitting on the counter with toothpicks in each piece.  Maybe Panera could learn from them!  While the samples I chose were very good, I resisted the temptation to indulge in the full calories and fat of a very large strawberry danish.  It is a bit of a drag though that they don't provide the prices; the sign reads "Ask bakery associates for prices."  Do the prices change daily so they can't write them down?

I was however, tempted by the California Avocado sandwich. It was huge:  ripe avocados, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, cheese and a dill sauce on  tomato onion focaccia.  For $6.49, it was really two meals.  The bread was a bit too soft for my liking, but I am planning on crisping the other half up in the oven. If this doesn't tempt you, maybe one of their ten other sandwiches will.

My friend liked her potato soup.  They offered about six daily choices of soup.

The place was bright and clean.  It is a nice alternative to the usual fast food chains.
3 - Josh S.: Yes, it's a chain. Yes, it's your yuppie step above fast food. Yet, I'm not fundamentally against chains. And I'm a boy on a budget.

Cash-strapped college students (and others), rejoice! This place is a good healthy(er) alternative to all the other crap you're likely to find in and around College Park. For a good deal less than what I'd spend at Wendy's or Checker's (remember, it's 10% off for students!) I can get a damn good Half-and-Half: half soup and half sammich.

I'm also a man of immediate favorites. I find what I want and stick to it. What I wanted, they most certainly had. Please, please do yourself the favor and get the Tangy Roast Beef, along with the Baja Chicken Enchilada soup. And, if you're in the mood for dessert, get yourself the chocolate cheesecake. Deeeevine. You know that perfect cheesecake? Not too moist, not too dry? They got it.

Folks who work there deserve some credit, too. Nice people. Give 'em a smile when you go in.

All-in-all, it's honestly worth the stop if you're tired of everything else. But it's nothing to write home to Yelp about.

...wait...
1 - Cherry L.: This Atlanta Bread Company USED to be 3 star worthy. About 4-5 years ago, it was cozy and clean, with  tons of freshly baked goods, a full dessert case, and good soups and sandwiches.  

NOW, this particular store in Greenbelt is one of the worst "casual" dining experiences I've had in a while. It was dirty. Tables weren't bussed. Leftover trash littered both the floor and vacated table tops.  There was only a few varieties of bread available.  And the dessert case was sadly almost empty.  And it's not like we visited near closing or opening.  We visited in the middle of the day around 2pm.  In addition, the service was surly and disinterested.  I haven't gone back, and if the management remains this poor, I bet it'll close very soon.  It's sad that this particular store has left a bad taste in my mouth for other Atlanta Breads.  Now, I go to Paneras and Potbelly.
3 - John G.: Chain type of bakery/sandwich/ salad shop.  Quick for lunch.  I had the soup and sandwich combo.  Both very tasty.  Unlimited drink bar.  

Certainly, a decent place for a nice lunch.
1 - David L.: This store is a good study in how a culmination of small things makes a big difference. Basically, this is a poor man's Panera. I really WANT to like it since I live in the area and there's no Panera nearby, but after a few visits I've written the place off. Most of the problems have been documented already--tasteless soups, poor staffing, Soviet-era-style bread counters, untidyness--but the main thing is that it all adds up to a place I don't want to spend much time in. Perhaps other stores are better. I've noticed some variation in Panera quality too, but nothing that has sunk as low as this store.
1 - Terinee B.: This was my first time going to an Atlanta Bread Company, and i must say that I was really disappointed with this place.  First of all, it seemed that every table I saw was dirty and needed to be cleaned (as well as the seats).  I ended up ordering the Chargrilled Chicken Pesto Panini and it was NOT GOOD AT ALL!  There was very little chicken in it, and the pesto was not very flavorful.  I also order the pasta salad, and that was disappointing as well.  The salad was mediocre.....  The free internet was not working....  And the list goes on.  As you know, first impressions are everything, and I don't think I want to EVER go back to an Atlanta Bread Company!
1 - Cassandra P.: Stopped to grab dinner after a quick shopping trip with my daughter.  Not impressed.  I will say it was clean, but the service was lacking, but was 10 times better than the food.  I ordered a salmon salad and they didn't have the salsa that comes with it and they didn't have the chicken pesto sandwich at all.  They also didn't have any ciabatta bread!  It's a bakery! How do you not have bread.  I have been to an ABC in another state and I always loved it, but this was horrible.  I will never stop here again!
4 - Ken M.: I haven't been here in a log time.  However a professional colleague wanted to meet for lunch that was someplace close, quick and not too expensive so this made the cut.

It was busy (a little before 1pm) but the ordering line went pretty quick and the fountain drink line was pretty quick.

What surprised me was that they gave you these table numbers and bought food out to you (a new experience for me) and the guy that did it was very friendly and even cleared our plates when we were done.  I was so used to having to do this all myself that it was really a pleasant surprise.

Oh, the food.  Well, it was pretty darn tasty.  I had the roast beef on baguette.  Nothing fancy.  But it was good.  So I was pleased.

All in all, a good experience for lunch.  I was able to hear the person I was with even though it was crowded and my appetite was satisfied.  What more can you ask for in a "casual dining" place like Atlanta Bread Co.?
3 - Katherine E.: Trying to be Panera, but not really getting there. I liked that they delivered food to table rather than waiting at counter though. Seating area a little too industrial to match comfortable cafe setting they are going for. Food was good and better than many alternatives in area for lunch
3 - Judd L.: The best value here is their combo where you can get 1/2 sandwich and soup or salad.  There are more than 2 choices for soups.   So if you want to break up the routine and not just eat a full sandwich this is the option to choose.
3 - Sina E.: I decided to visit Atlanta Bread again a few weeks ago, because it's close to my work, and wanted something healthier. I had a half & half, half sandwich and a soup. The vegetable soup was pretty good, and the roasted turkey sub was decent. 

I still think it needed something more to give it a extra kick, but still enjoyable. This place isn't a bad spot for a healthier choice, when you're surrounded by a bunch of unhealthy fatty food.
1 - Apur N.: I want to like this Atlanta Bread company but of the many times I have been to this particular one in Greenbelt, I have been disappointed each and every time. First, the Avocado Sandwich which you would think would be delicious is certainly not. The sandwich tastes like celery, meaning nothing it needs salt and lots of pepper. 

On the other hand the Baked Potato soup, tastes like frozen soup reheated. The perfectly diced potatoes also taste as if they were taken out of the freezer.  The soup is also extremely salty which I would think is a good combination with the sandwich but when it comes down to it is just mediocre.

 If i were to choose somewhere to eat I would pick Panera for the win, even McDonalds because it at least it will taste like something.
1 - Andria D.: There were fruit flies all over the pastry case. Yuck.
3 - Timothy C.: A little like Panera, presumably a chain, although I haven't found another one. Maybe cuz I'm not in Atlanta. This particular one has a large open dining room with plenty of seats even around lunchtime. Both times I have been, the staff has been very slow to take orders, and I'm tempted to give them a pass because the second time they were training someone, but there were 3 people training one guy (and not communicating well at all), and they should have made the decision "This is taking too long, let's just do this later and take these orders." SO, no pass.

But I've been pleased with the edibles - a flaky sweet cheese danish, a steak panini, a pretty good soup, and a very rich and smooth house danish with cinnamon and honey and such.
2 - Catrina P.: They don't really think they're giving Panera real competition, do they? I sure hope not. These sandwiches are sloppy and dull. I've never tried another location...maybe it's just this one that semi-sucks. There are only 2 things on the menu that I can eat and that's when I just can't figure out a better place. The bistro chicken press and the french onion soup. But, I'll pretty much eat almost anything with onions so I don't even know if they're really as good as the onions make me think. The staff here is incredibly SLOW and every time I call in an order for pick-up, at least one thing is wrong. I'd say it's worth a try if you don't want traditional fast food but I wouldn't call this place great. The best thing I've ever had from here was the Nantucket Nectars apple juice...and I guess that doesn't even really count, since it's in a bottle.
4 - Dwain C.: Since my last review, I've been to ABC twice and each time they have made improvements.
They got rid of the damaged furniture, and rearranged to layout of the restaurant. The tables could still use a little more frequent wiping, but they have a few new workers who are learning to clean during down times.

The service is still friendly. I even had an issue with my order that was handled in the best, most polite way they could manage. 

I am pleased with the improvements. If the new employees learn to keep the bathroom and tables cleaner, then they get an A+ in my book.

Keep the improvements going Atlanta Bread Company!
3 - Smithen L.: This place is not bad, however I usually only go to this place when the Chipotle, which is a few doors down, has a long line. Their prices are reasonable and the sandwiches taste good. However, do not ever, ever, ever, wash your hands BEFORE you eat at this place. I hate the soap they use; it leaves a real strong smell on you hand and every time you pick up your sandwich and bring it close to your mouth, the strong smell is there. The smell is not terrible but its not great either, and it just gets in the way.
4 - Kelly G.: On the way to Greenbelt Metro station, if you find yourself early to catch the Bolt Bus, there is this place you can stop for hot morning beverages: Atlanta Bread Co. Is it a competitor of my beloved Panera Bread? 

Maybe. And if it is, it's losing in my book on many counts.

Except one: the apple muffin top. 

Yessssss. This place sells the top. I don't know what they do with the stump. I don't care because I don't eat that. 

Atlanta Bread Co., you can keep your confusing layout, your unfamiliar sandwich names, your bitter-weak coffee, and your crumb-laden tabletops. But you better bag up all of those apple muffin tops for me because I'm a FAN!

[Original Visit: 1/20/12]

Atlanta Contemporary Art Center - Atlanta, GA (33.772824, -84.4052606) ()
4 - Elizabeth S.: I love this little place to check out modern art.  I've seen quite a few impressive little shows here, and they sponsor a number of worthwhile events, lectures, and workshops.  They also support studios to provide space for local artists to make work at more affordable rates (I had a professor that was part of this fantastic program).
5 - Jessica M.: Tucked away in an industrial neighborhood, the ACAC's aesthetic is modern and exclusive. With a low ticket price, $5 gets you an afternoon of exciting new work.
5 - Mia P.: Best place in Atlanta to see contemporary art, by local artists and artists from other states. The shows are only one part of the activities offered by the center. 

There is a small library, a shop and you can visit the artists' studios twice a year. I enjoy the talks very much and the activities for members. If you are looking for a place to see and experience good art, that is the place! 

Get your e-mail on their mailing list to see all that the center offers.
4 - Laura L.: The Atlanta Contemporary Art Center is a great locale to check out local artists. And with a wallet-friendly entry fee of a mere $5, why not? Only downer was that it looked much bigger from the outside (to me anyways) so I was a little bit bummed to see how small the interior was. But don't get me wrong: the art installations were fantastic!

They sometimes do artists talks here but since I was visiting, wasn't able to catch one. Grab a calendar of events on your way out so you can keep tabs on what's on the horizon at ACAC!

Atlanta Dental Center - Atlanta, GA (33.7712978, -84.3857011) (Midtown)
5 - Linda T.: ceramic crowns in an hour! dr. schmidt is very thorough and gentle with my mouth.
2 - Vytautas V.: I'm price sensitive so most of my comments relate to financial topics.

First, over the phone I was given an estimate of $200+ for a wisdom tooth removal ($200 being a simplest removal). If I understood correctly, the removal of my wisdom tooth will be as simple as it can be for such operation, and yet, after assessment, I was quoted for $301.

Second, over the phone, I asked about discount if I pay in cash. The lady said the practice gives %10 discount if paid in cash. When I arrived I was told that the discount is only %5.

Third, I'll end up paying $335 ($50 for assessment and $301*0.95 for extraction). Last time, about a year ago, I did extraction of another wisdom tooth at Atlanta Emergency Dental Center. The total cost was $75 for a comparable assessment with X-Ray and $200 for extraction. The service was very professional, they work late hours, and they are cheaper. Next time I'll go back to them.
4 - Jacob P.: They make you feel welcome as you walk in the door. You get to meet the doctor on the first visit as opposed to after the hygienist cleans your teeth. They shoot tons of photos of your teeth to make sure you are able to see what is going on in there. I'm sure the photos are for them to, but it sure did make me feel a lot more comfortable when they brought them up on the cool screens next to me. 

When you go for your first visit, that will be consultation and xrays. 2nd visit is cleaning. It sounds like a lot if you are a new patient, but it really is nice to meet everyone and get a feel for the place. I had a crown on my back tooth that I was really having a hard time using, Dr. Schmidt took care of it right away by checking my bight to make sure it was aligned properly. It was like I could finally use that tooth again. 

Anyway, I am happy with this dentist office and can now call them my dentist office. I love when you don't have to search around for a dentist. I got this one first try and am very pleased.

Atlanta Dog Spa - Atlanta, GA (33.782469, -84.410413) (Westside / Home Park)
1 - Brook B.: having worked there for a year, i know that the owner, sarah, is very racist and possibly bipolar. she would say snide things about her clients to her staff, including horrible things about african americans that shouldn't be repeated. 

what's worse, during holdays, i witnessed her board animals in hallways, bathtubs, and the doggie dryer when clients thought their dogs were receiving their own private kennels to sleep in. perhaps most egregious--i also witnessed her throw away a dog's medication rather than administer it. 

the rude ways she treated her staff and her clients, in conjunction with her blatant disregard for the well-being of the dogs in her car made me quit working there. i did not want to be associated with a business that so clearly loves to exploit unsuspecting clients who wish to have their beloved pets cared for while they are away. IF I COULD GIVE SARAH AND THE ATLANTA DOG SPA NO STARS I WOULD.
5 - Ema M.: I wish there was a place as great as Atlanta Dog Spa near me. Felt good about leaving my dog there. The staff was very attentive & everything was perfect.
I was driving through and wanted to go to the Aquarium and this place was the closest I could find. Had a special online for 6 hours for free for a 1st time visit.  My dog had a bath and her nails trimmed. She smelled fresh for days & I know she loved it there. They even sent a picture / update to my email after her bath! Thanks so much for taking such good care of my baby!
2 - brooke p.: 2.5 stars---
i have been taking my dachshund here abt 3 yrs. (daycare, bording, grooming) i really like the set up and concept of atl dog spa. and my dog is always happy to come here. the staff here is friendly and really love the animals.  
honestly, though over the years things have become unorganized----

i was bit by a small dog that was left unattended with a group of small dogs in the front yard. apparently, he was there for training bc he bites people! also, the lock on the front gate has been broken for 1 yr.

the owner seems to love animals. however, i dont think she has much knowledge about breeds or dog training. 
--she has made several rude comments to me about the length of my dogs nails. i guess she dosent  realize dachshunds have longer quicks than the avg dog b/c they were bread to burrough! ha! 
---also, there is a certain way dachshunds are supposed to be carried to support  their backs. she does not handle my dog this way. even when i polietly asked that he not be held by his arms!!
   
basically, this place is too pricy for the  level of service that is currently offered.
5 - Kelly H.: Our dogs are our babies and they love this place! The people there remember them every time and my pups run right to the back to play.

We usually have them bathed before we pick them up and they always look great, but even when we don't for one reason or another they have never come home smelling like a kennel.

The dogs get to play all day, which makes mine more comfortable, and they come home exhausted from all the fun.
1 - Kat V.: I was a customer of dog food there but after yesterdays experience, I will never support this business again.  My coworker saw a Yorkie dart across traffic on Marietta Street with a cone on it's head.  She risked her own life to save it and brought it back to work.  We took it to the vet to get it scanned for a chip (which didn't come up but apparently should have).  I called AHS and put an ad on Craigs List.  I also looked in the AJC and on CL to see if there were any postings for lost yorkies but I didn't see one. Eventually someone from Atlanta Dog Spa called me with the opening line of "You have my Dog. Where are you?".  I'm very aware that there are dog flippers out there and I needed her to verify for me that this was their dog.  She didn't even tell me she was calling from Atlanta Dog Spa, she just spat at me "It has a cone on her head, of course it's Bella.  Where did you take her?"  Excuse me?!  #1.  If you lost the dog from your spa, I'm certainly not handing her back to you. Give the owner my phone number and have him call me (which is what happened). #2. If you tell me she is chipped and I had her scanned with no chip that came up, I think I have the right to make sure that this is your dog and that YOU aren't a dog flipper!  I even tried to not accept the reward money but Bella's dad was instant and I donated it to the AHS because in the end, without AHS, Bella might not have been reunited with her family.  THEN the story telling started.....no the gates weren't left open by doggie parents, it was 11:30 at night.  The dog didn't jump over the fence either, my Yorkie can barely jump up on the bed and he and Bella are the same size. No one freaking stole the dog either....why would you steal a dog with a cone on it's head and then drop it off right down the street?  TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!?  Your employee messed up and let this dog escape, stop trying to blame everyone else, it's disgusting.

Atlanta Food and Wine Festival - Atlanta, GA (33.7834849, -84.3835298) (Midtown)
5 - Atl T.: I went on Sunday for the tasting event. The price was $60 for an assortment of tastes, craft beer, wines and Bourbon (and other beverages). The event was really well done. Very well planned and executed. There were a lot of folks there but didn't seem overly crowded. Too many people would have ruined the feel. I am hoping that we can participate more in the offered events next year. 

I really appreciated the effort that many of these folks put in place to make this a great event.
4 - Ted C.: I really enjoyed this event-if only for the abundance of good things to eat concentrated in mostly one place. The wine was mostly in the Delta Airlines section by flight attendants and the rest of the place was mostly bourbons, beers and some vodkas and tequila. A lot of good food from a lot of local places- Jim 'N Nick's stood out, Low Country for barbecue. Fried chicken wise Magnolias was good as well.. A lot of barbecue but done in an upscale way with a lot of good sauces. Hugh Acheson from Top Chef Master's was there too on behalf of the peanut council and his dish was made  really well-a pork dish with a peanut slaw. 

There were two spots, one with more of an upscale feel and the cart area which had more of a 'party vibe' as the person who sold us tickets. However, by the time we got to the street cart area there really weren't too many people and it seemed like a lot of it was redundant-two Patron tasting tents, really? However, some of the carts were standouts. Klausie's Pizza was definitely with the 'hypocrite' a mostly veggie pizza but with bacon my choice and utterly delicious. The Yum Yum cupcake truck also was good. I had the Thelma:Chocolate cake with caramel,crushed pecans and chocolate glaze. Bite sized and tasty.

I definitely had a lot to eat and a lot to drink but it balanced out. However, they could easily have consolidated it into one site and cut the price a little bit and I think it would have been perfect.
4 - Sarah E.: I only went to a few events over the weekend, but enjoyed them. 

The people were nice, the food was good and the drinks were strong.

Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates - Atlanta, GA (33.7676956, -84.3856915) (Downtown)
5 - Alasha B.: Most physician practices and clinics could stand to take notes from this place.  I've been a patient here for a few years now, and my service has been consistent throughout. 

From the front desk staff, to  the patient care tech (Abraham), the nurses ("Z" is mine), on up to Dr. Gitlin and his P.A.C. Cathey Williams, I have always recived fast, efficient and caring service.

Speaking on Dr. Gitlin specifically, he has an awesome bedside...err, exam table manner. He even (literally) held my hand as I went through an outpatient procedure without anesthesia. I wish I didn't have the condition that I have that makes it necessary to be a patient here, but I'm fortunate and happy to be able to recieve such top notch service and care.
2 - Allison C.: I'm glad other people had good experiences.  Mine was not great.  The second visit involved a 3 hour wait, without explanation.  When I finally saw Dr Suh, it turned out that not only had he not looked at my scans, but the main office hadn't even faxed them over yet.  In addition, he knew nothing about my case.  I'm not naive, I know that doctors don't actually remember all their patients.  But if you're already going to be 3 hours late, take an extra 30 seconds and look over my forms so that we can pretend we have a relationship.
When I had a prescription called in, the office never made the phone call.  I went to the pharmacy and found that out, and then called the office, where I could never get in touch with a nurse.  It took three days for my message to be answered and for the prescription to be called in.
I had a procedure done, and the nurse who dealt with me gave me incorrect instructions on what to eat.  She told me to eat breakfast foods like eggs and pancakes after my endoscopy, and a result of these instructions I got really sick that night.
Finally, I got an outstanding (and incorrect) bill from these guys three weeks ago.  I have called their billing department once a week for the last three weeks, and have yet to receive a return phone call.
I will say that the anesthesiologists were incredible--very professional, funny, and comforting.  But that was the only positive part of my 3 visits to Atlanta Gastroenterology.
1 - Laura P.: The only good thing I can say is their prompt billing department.  I received a $260 bill before I even had my test results.  WOW!      I admit, getting an appointment was no problem,  I got right in.  The Doctor seemed thorough, and ordered several tests,  blood work, ultrasounds, etc..  SO, off i went.     My blood work was done the same day, it took 4 weeks to get my test results, which came back "abnormal".  as for the ultrasound,   my nurse failed to tell me to fast before my ultrasound, so I wasted my time, the ultrasound techs time, etc.. so I had to go back , after several phone tag calls, a week later I get the results, and again "Abnormal".  All I can say,   There is NO SENSE OF URGENCY from this group, and they are VERY SLOW to get your test results and return phone calls.  Believe me, it's nerve wracking!    I've dealt with a lot of doctors in my time, and all of my test results, ranging from my OB to my old GI doc (through Kaiser)  were available to me within 24 hours.  In fact, I've never had to wait more than 24 hours for test results.    With all the Doctors in this town,   I recommend going elsewhere.
1 - Patricia M.: I have Crohns Disease and have seen several doctors associated with this practice. I changed physicians several times until I found one that had a vast knowledge of this disease and was willing to spend time discussing my symptoms to determine the treatment best suited for me.  However, I have not had the best treatment from the support staff, particularly Assistant Cindy Abrams  She won't return calls and when she does, she is extremely rude and acts as if you are putting her out. You can forget about getting refills called in to your pharmacy.  The message you receive when calling to ask anything is to leave your name and number and she will get back to you. It also tells you to not leave duplicate messages. In other words, she will get back to you when she feels like it. It has been my experience that I have had to make an appointment with my doctor to get any results.  Bottom line is if you choose this practice pick a doctor that does not have Ms. Abrams as their assistant.
3 - Louise C.: Doctors here are phenomenal. The billing office awful. The statements are incorrect, then try to contact them to make corrections! No option to speak to someone, phone calls ignored, e-mails ignored. Guess I'll have to show up in person. No excuse for this. Just wonder who they hire for these jobs. This is the Peachtree Dunwoody Office. Update: my e-mail was answered in 19 days! 19! And then the tone was very condescending and nasty. Still love Dr. Friedman.
2 - Natalie A.: This office didn't keep appointments.

I wish I'd read these reviews before I scheduled with them.  When I first went, I thought the office was run smoothly, I was impressed with staff, and Dr. Fox was on the ball with my tests and initial procedures. That's the good part.  

This is where it gets bad, and defeats the entire purpose of going there.  I've had 4 appointments cancelled last minute after my investigative procedure and lab tests.  I don't know any useful results of any of the tests or procedures, several months later, because I can't get in to see a doctor.  I don't know what to do going forward, because I can't see a doctor.   

This last time, I sat in the waiting room 35 minutes before a receptionist bothered to tell me the doctor was not there, and I'd need to reschedule, again.  No one called to tell me ahead of time.  No one told me when I arrived.  No one apologized for taking my time away from work.  

Bottom line, there is no point to all of those tests and invasive procedures if I never find out what they mean or what I need to do next.   It makes me feel as if this office couldn't care less about my medical concern going forward, because they've already made a mint off of my tests and endoscopy, and the rest is just less profitable, bothersome followup.  Oh, that bothersome followup where you actually figure out what's going on with your body.

If you have some weird fetish for invasive procedures and needles getting stuck in your arm and paying a lot for it, you might enjoy this office.  However, if you actually want a medical diagnosis and follow up on all those tests, I wouldn't recommend it.  

And Yelp, I would check the "by appointment only" selection you give, but they don't even keep those.  Perhaps someone could add a "don't bother" option.
1 - Allison E.: Unfortunately the entire experience was horrible. Once Dr. Wolf entered my exam room he started reading all the records I had sent/brought with me. After about 5-6 minutes he says that he can't really help me and doesn't know how to read the reports from the radiographer. So event though they had all my information prior to my visit they had me come in basically to collect my co-pay. I made another appt at another office and called to get my records. I called everyday for 4 days (and left messages) and never got a return call. Finally I called a second time on day 4 and ended up having to speak with an office manager. She stated that even though I brought in my own records she couldn't release them back to me. If they would have called me back on day 1, like their voicemail says, I would have had ample time to get my records...now Im left with about 24 hours. Horrible office, horrible customer service. The only person I didn't want to pull my hair out speaking to was Monica, a different office manager. Starting the appeal process to get my co-pay refunded to me and the claim back from my insurance company.

Atlanta Humane Society - Atlanta, GA (33.7815856, -84.4111301) (Westside / Home Park)
5 - Mark F.: Go here for your first choice if you want a dog or puppy!  they have a huge selection and its extremely cheap.  Around $85 bucks for a dog/puppy/cat that is fixed, chipped and everything else.  Staff is awesome, and the places is very very clean.  Highly recommend!
5 - Erin W.: I'm in the market for a puppy so I went to the Atlanta Humane Society.  They have puppies and kittens as well as full grown cats and dogs.  I just fell in love with a rottweiler mixed puppy.  He was so cute, however he's going to be huge one day and I prefer a small dog.

A majority of the dogs at the Atlanta Humane Society are mixed breed and could use some love.  They get new puppies and full grown dogs in weekly.  Many of them are already spayed or neutered with up to date shots. Adoption at the society is less than $100, much less than what you would pay through a breeder or pet store. My boyfriend is a believer because he adopted a cat and a dog from them. 

The Atlanta Humane Society is all about preventing the cruelty of animals.  The society accepts donations that go towards supporting and fostering cats and dogs until they're adopted.  To adopt or donate, visit www.atlantahumanesociety.org.
5 - Joel C.: Many of you know that I love to shop, but nothing is better than shopping for a new pet!

I got Braun about 4.5 years ago at the Atlanta Humane Society and he is the BEST DOG I have ever had in my life.  I 100% support the Humane Society and recommend everyone to check out this place before they decide to get a pure breed.  The selection of animals are amazing and it's great to see them change the adult dog section to more of a W Hotel, then a prison!

Since David won't let me get another puppy, I stop by often in hopes of persuading him to change his mind.  Seriously, we go here like 3-4 times a month!  At this rate, I should probably sign up to volunteer!  Anyway, if you are in search for a furry best friend, come here and let me know if you need any pet recommendations!

***Special Tip 1 - They are currently offering free spay or neutering!

***Special Tip 2 -  I believe they are working with another organization  so they have specials on adoption rates.  Some dogs that have been there for awhile or are the highlight of the week are only $25!  I know of two mixed labs that must be adopted together are going for $85 for both!  Plus, there is a holiday discount going on and its based on how long the pets have been at the center!
2 - Delia P.: I love my dog more than anything in the entire world!!! I got her from the Atlanta Humane Society about 10 years ago (last month!)

The night I brought my dog home, she was vomiting and had diarrhea. Having had pets my entire life, I was thinking she was scared being in a new place. But, to be safe, I took her to the vet first thing the next morning. 

The results? 

She had Parvo. 

I called the Atlanta Humane Society immediately... They said to bring her back in and trade her for another dog!!!!

WHAT?!?!?! I've already fallen in love, you want me to bring her in and pick another dog so you can put her down?!?!?! 

Luckily, the vet saved her life (Emory Animal Clinic - I will always be grateful!)... 

Maybe things have changed in the past 10 years, so I won't give them one star... But they certainly left a very sour taste in my mouth.
5 - Chandu R.: I took my dog, Niki, who I adopted from GA Humane here for training after someone in Piedmont Park told me that's where they went.  Mailey (the trainer) is really great.  While I do think that I could have done the training on my own, it was definitely worth the $88 to have some back-up and piece of mind.  The class size is small, and she definitely gives you some individual attention, esp if you have an ADD dog like mine.  We learned the basics in class, and that kind of taught me how to deal with Niki and what will work in training her.  Teaching her new things has been pretty easy since, so I def recommend this place!
5 - Stephen F.: Aside from the normal reasons to love the human society, Jeff and I go there on Saturdays to bring the dogs some treats.  They will let you bring bags of dog bones in with you and you can feed them to the dogs waiting to be adopted.  It is actually a lot of fun and pretty much free!  If you are ever looking for some great fun on a budget or are just looking for something different to do, check out the humane society.  You won't be disappointed and you might just go home with a new dog :)
5 - CHRISTY L.: Both of our pups are from AHS and we love them more than anything! In fact, we loved both of our adoption experiences SO MUCH that I became a volunteer. This is a great organization that does so much for animals and for the community.

I agree with Chandu R. and HIGHLY recommend obedience class with Mailey. Classes are a bargain and you certainly get MORE than you pay for with the great tips and advice from Mailey.
4 - Shawn M.: Today we finally gave in and adopted a young one. About 8 months old. We got home, and about 5 hours later we had to make a trip to the emergency vet. We don't think that they deliberately deceived us into adopting a "defective" kitty, and we're glad that the emergency vet we went to was so friendly. I'd definitely adopt from here again, but I might ask more questions on the cats previous medical history, just to be sure.
4 - Alison B.: I went in looking for a kitten which I had seen on their website - which does seem to be updated regularly with available animals for adoption- but ended up falling in love with a 5 year old adult female cat instead and 5 months later I feel so fortunate to have her! Lucy is an absoute fantastic companion- smart, sweet and friendly to all who meet her. 

The facility is very clean, staffed by caring employees (many volunteers) and there are even socialization rooms where you can take your prospective kitty to see how he/ she reacts to you one on one. In fact, this is what changed my mind about the original kitten who did not act friendly at all, in fact she was a bit mean to me! :( 

I was preparing to leave when the volunteer recommended that I look at several other cats, especially adults who would be well suited to a one human/ one cat home as that is what I sought. 

Be prepared to spend a couple of hours at the AHS from start to finish including time to fill out a "lifestyle" questionaire and speak briefly with a staffer who will make sure that any pet will be going to a safe and stable home. The fees are very reasonable- less than $100 to adopt a spayed/ microchipped cat with a free initial visit to a local vet of your choice in order to have a professional evauate your new pet's health right away.

Overall, a very positive experience, my only wish would be for the staffers to have or at least be able to release more information about the animals such as why they are there as in my case, I suspect that Lucy was released to the AHS from her former family because of poor litterbox habits and a sensitive stomach which caused some stress when I first adopted her and she was throwing up every food I tried- both of which have been eliminated with a proper diet and meticulous maintenance of an ultra-clean litterbox so that she wants to use it!
4 - Scott M.: I didnt know I really liked dogs until recently (like the past year).  I have been entertaining the option of getting one over the past year or so, but I just havent found the perfect dog.

With that being said, the best place to get your "dog fix" is for sure Atlanta Humane Society.  This place typically has over 30 puppies waiting to be adopted.

I also like this place because all of the volunteers and staff are extremely knowledgeable and helpful which is a great value specifically when you dont know anything about animals/dogs.

Quiet as kept, sometimes i come here just to browse/hang out with the dogs....
4 - Todd P.: I adopted my dog Baxter from AHS a year and a half ago. Luckily a friend of mine was in tight with many of the volunteers there so I was able to get the inside scoop on which puppies were the most well behaved. I could not have gotten a better pooch!

But what I really want to review is their obedience classes. I signed up for the basic course several months after the adoption and quickly learned that it's more about training the human than it is about training the dog. The price is reasonable, goes to support a great organization, and the best part of the "basic" course is that you can return to any future basic class, free of charge, for as long as you want.

Baxter and I have been attending the basic course again recently. I needed a refresher on my training! We're looking forward to the intermediate class this Spring.
5 - Cricket B.: This facility is so clean and just makes you feel like the animals are really being cared for.  I go here occassionally just to visit the animals as I am a huge animal lover.  The staff members are friendly and helpful and there always seems to be alot of people adopting animals which makes me very happy.  I encourage adoptions from AHS any time that I can.
5 - Erin D.: I love dogs. I dream and plan about adopting them similar to the way women with ticking biological clocks think about the names and sexes of their desired future children. I peruse petfinder.com the way hungry singles browse match.com or MySpace. Since I live in a small one room studio on the top floor of a highrise, I can't exactly comfortably (and legally, according to my condo contract) adopt another dog or two... or five. To get my much-needed puppy fix, I decided to begin volunteering with the AHS. 

I'm still in the beginning of the volunteering process, but I'm impressed. The staff and volunteers are dedicated and friendly, and the facility is amazing. Because of its location on Howell Mill, I think I was expecting more of a dog pound look, and I was taken aback by the spaciousness, cleanliness, and wonderful environment here. I wish I could be a foster parent to many of their animals, but it's comforting to know that so many rescue animals are in such good hands.

I adopted my incredible dog from Atlanta Pet Rescue, so I can't speak for the adoption process at AHS. From what I've seen and heard, it seems to be very well-run, and I recommend checking it out if you're interested in adopting.

They offer a range of volunteer programs, from being an Adoption Volunteer to helping with a range of administrative tasks (great for those who want to help but don't want to be handling animals all of the time). Their website is definitely worth looking at if you're interested in seeing their current adoptables and learning about the different programs and services they offer.

The ample parking is a huge plus, too.
5 - Jennifer M.: I adopted my puppy Kara from AHS in August and she is the best dog ever (currently sunning herself in my living room).  Not only is AHS a good deal monetarily, but they have so many puppies and dogs that you can definitely find your match.  Another nice thing is that you basically get free medical care for the first month.  Kara got a respiratory infection in her second week home and the medicine was covered by the Humane Society.
5 - Meg S.: My kitty got sick at age 15 and I could not afford vet bills to prevent the inevitable, so I made the difficult decision to have her euthanized. I called around to a number of vets and clinics, which offered the service for a hefty fee that, unemployed, I could not afford. 

AHS provided me euthanasia services for free.

I contacted AHS about euthanasia services and brought Midnight in. They were as nice as could be expected, and took care of business (which I wasn't there for as they couldn't find a vein and she was very upset, which upset me even more). They did give me the option of being there with her or waiting in the waiting room, but I decided to remember her in life and not play with her dead body, so we left. 

They also took care of the body disposal free of charge, since the only alternative I could find was costly cremation.
5 - Han L.: After lunch, we decided to check out the Atlanta Humane Society. It was kind of random, but we all felt like petting some animals. I have never been here before and was pleasantly surprised at how well-staffed and clean this place was. The facility has 3 main rooms; cats, puppies, and larger canines. The puppies were soo adorable. They're all spayed and neutered and have microchips in them. Yea there was a slight stink, but each room was well air conditioned, well staffed, well lit, overall just very well maintained. The staff is uber friendly and helpful. 

It was really tough leaving the place without a puppy in my hand. I feel glad that the animals were well taken care of while they're there.
5 - Daniel B.: If you like dogs and cats, the Atlanta Humane Society is a fun place to go to check out all the animals.  They have three main rooms: one for small dogs and puppies, one for big dogs, and one for cats.  The dogs and cats love to be played with.  In order to take an animal out of its cage, all you have to do is fill out five lines of info. on a form.  They have all sorts of breeds.  The building and living conditions of the animals are relatively clean and the volunteers are more than happy to assist you.  Several of the puppies were available for adoption for about $165 when I visited and we were told that it was mainly to cover the cost of spaying/neutering the animals, implanting a chip, etc. The AHS is definitely worth checking out.
5 - Emily K.: So after weeks of stalking the Humane Society's website, I found my furry match. I had my heart set on an all black female kitten. Friday afternoon I went over there and met Chloe (not her original name). She was a little low key when I was holding her, but I knew she was the one. She also wasn't completely black, but I was willing to bend. Besides, her white spot looks like a heart and that's just cute. The adoption process was very smooth and I was happily walking out with my new baby an hour after I got there. Included in the adoption fee were spaying costs and a month's worth of pet insurance. 

The volunteers in the cat room were very helpful. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to adopt a pet. Plus, they're no kill, and I try to make a point to support no kill shelters.
1 - Cindy W.: This rating is for the Volunteer Services.

Almost every week since November, I have visited the Humane Society to play with the animals as much as I can. The workers there even joked about giving us VIP cards because we visited so often and knew so much about the organization. Being pre-vet and more recently turned animal conservationist, I thought I might as well turn these visits into volunteer hours. 

Here is how it went.

I have been trying to schedule for a volunteer orientation session for the past three months. All the emails I have gotten back said the same thing, in poorly written, obnoxious caps locks- we are full, the coordinator is out, check back with us because we don't have dates, etc, until one day, I miraculously procured a spot after checking their website everyday in December for new dates. 

A completely filled out form and mandatory $25 in hand, a friend and I arrived early to the session, only to be literally brushed aside by a douchebag, "Volunteer training is closed" and slammed the door in our face. 

A few other people like us who arrived on time got the same treatment.
Confused, we all went back in and tried to get in the auditorium, only to find it locked. 

All the other volunteers recognized me and tried to get us into the session but they couldn't do anything because the door was locked. 

To add insult to injury, another douchebag worker laughed and told us "there is nothing that can be done", and "kids, go home and sleep or something, that's what you guys do anyway".

I can't believe it- the spots that I worked so hard to get reserved for us were just given away to whoever showed up? No one even offered to take down our names for the next session either.

I can't help but feel insulted. It's too bad that the thousands of dollars I had planned to donate to this particular AHS is going to go to another shelter.
5 - Paul S.: Two weekends almost down of our planned four in a row to see the quality of pups available at the Atlanta Humane Society and everything changed.  We found our baby!  

A little bit ahead of schedule we couldn't turn down this beautiful animal and we made the appropriate life changes to support our new family member.

The staff here were incredibly helpful and knowledgeable.  With there being so many mixed breeds and mutts it helped to have people available to answer questions about temperament, potential size, health concerns and other various things that may come up when you're about to make a decision that may last for over the next decade.

The adoption process was wonderful and made me feel extremely comfortable about where I was getting my puppy from.  I found out there are tons of people that are declined during the process everyday.  This isn't a place where anyone can just walk in and grab a dog on the go.  The concern for the animals finding their "forever home" is obvious.

I left feeling like I made the right decision both with the puppy I adopted and the place where I got her from.  $150 got me a 4 month old potcake who's already been spayed and micro chipped with a clean bill of health. I have all her records, 30 days insurance and a free check up.  I couldn't have asked for anything more. Although....  some help potty training would have been nice...

WARNING: If you are not ready to have an animal in your life...  do NOT enter!  There's a pretty good chance you'll want to leave with a new fwriend.  Those puppies are dangerous!!!
5 - Erika E.: After looking for a dog for about a month, I finally saw one that I wanted on the AHS website-- a purebred female boxer.  On the day that I went, all of their larger dogs had an adoption fee of $75.00, which is about $125.00 cheaper than their regular price.  This fee includes microchipping, spaying, and shots.  I was able to spend time with the dog that I wanted, and walk her around the grounds before making my final decision.   AHS made the adoption process as easy as possible-- the volunteers and adoption specialists are knowledgeable, organized, friendly, and genuinely want to get their dogs adopted into good families.  I would definitely adopt from AHS again.
5 - Rachel H.: After being turned away by another animal shelter up the road, my brother and I headed over to AHS because we were interested in adopting a cat. When we got there there were hardly any cats left! Apparently AHS was having a good adoption week! We fell in love with two sister kittens and the staff was very supportive and showed concern for our babies. We went through a series of questions and did all our paperwork and took them home! 

They were having a 2 cats for the price of 1 so we got them both (shots and spaying included) for around 85$. Maybe that's why all the cats had been adopted out. They also have the cheapest food and litter around! This is a place that cares about the lives of the animals that come through.
1 - Jessica G.: I came here on a mission to help find a dog for a friend after I visited Fulton Animal Services (see review). Completely disappointed. Parking was limited so we had to park on the street, but that was nothing compared to the staff, and the use of space. 

Walk in and head to the puppy area. My husband and I were walking around looking at the pups and decided to pick one up. BAD IDEA! I was called "Ma'am, Ma'am, Ma'am, you need to fill out an application before you can hold one of the puppies."...........what???? Are you serious??? I thought you were trying to find these puppies a good home not a private school! If i would like to find out if a pup is right for me or not I should be able to "bond" with it without writing my whole information down on paper first, so that you can send me spam e-mail just for walking in the door....

Anyway, so I came over and filled out there "application". Then I was asked for my DRIVERS LICENSE! Really?? "Ok, well thanks, nevermind", and headed to the large dog area....

Very disappointed. Granted the inside is super clean and totally remodeled! (Guess where all of our "donations" are going...) but the size of a kennel for one dog was a little much. The took out one of the walls so that one dog would have a lot of space. Nice, but with how many homeless dogs are out there, they should be able to house more. All the dogs in there were lab mixes and beagle mixes. No other breeds really. Guess they think those are the only breeds that would be good for families?? Hmm.....

We then walked in another room that was the adoption center? They literally had cubical's that people had to sit down and be questioned. Felt like you were trying to apply for a bank loan, not a companion. Prices of dog beds, treats, toys, etc, were WAY over what the local pet store costs. There adoption fee is also ridiculously high. 

It was sad to see really all this space that they had, while Fulton Animal Services is almost jammed pack with dogs, and I don't need to fill out an app just to see one. 

At Fulton Animal Services you could tell that they really cared for each and every animal there more then the "modern remodel" facility. 

Staff was unhelpful and unfriendly. Will never look here for a dog. I believe they are a no-kill shelter so yay for them! :) But they need to use there space better, and lighten up on the "rules".
1 - Jackie O.: AHS rarely takes in animals from the community. Metro Atlanta citizens are turned away, and forced to surrender pets or strays at their local animal control facilities. Meanwhile, AHS routinely appears on news broadcast, saving 100+ animals from a puppy mill or hoarder situation (so that's why they don't have room for the stray I am now stuck with). Don't get me wrong, I agree with rescuing animals from dangerous situations, but often times there are local animal welfare organizations that will take responsibility for these animals. Examples of this, is AHS making expensive trips to Texas and even the Bahamas to rescue animals, instead of helping animals more locally. Remember AHS is a non-profit, so your donation/adoption dollars funded a trip to the BAHAMAS! The have also appeared on a recent episode of Hoarders. I think AHS plan is to get your support through media attention, yet if you need their help they cannot work with you. I urge you not to support a organization that doesn't support the animals and citizens in their own community.
5 - Michael B.: The Atlanta Humane Society is awesome! 

This past weekend we took our 2 pups here to be spayed and neutered as they received a grant to fix your animal for only $20. This also included their rabies vaccination and a microchip. 

We arrived at 6:45am Saturday morning to drop off Boots and Buster with them for their surgery. There were a lot of other folks there as well taking advantage of the deal. The employees did a great job at registering all the animals and taking us to the back with the dogs to be examined to make sure they were good to go for surgery. After that we were on our way around 7:15, leaving the dogs in the capable hands of AHS. 

At 4:00pm we went back to pick up the doggies. All went great with the surgery and as we along with the other owners waited in the lobby the employees brought out the pets one by one. But before bringing out the pets, the volunteers here made sure they gave everyone post-op instructions on how to care for the pets once they got home.
3 - Cove C.: Pretty clean for the most part. Smaller than you would expect. They do have a good turnover rate, which is good. Pretty friendly staff.
5 - Carrie Neal W.: Big came to me from a breeder. I researched small dogs and settled on a Maltipoo and he was the light of my life. (He was also expensive, but I digress!) Now that he's gone, I have to figure out what and when to move forward, dog-wise.

That made me think of other dogs of mine, adopted from the Humane Society. The black lab mix brother and sister, Wesley (yes, after "The Princess Bride") and Wahoo (because I was going to UVA) that my family got in high school and loved for 14 years. "My" first dog on my own, Magis, a beautiful and sweet Australian Shepherd I lost in my divorce (believe what people say about canine custody battles- it can get ugly). Leo, the crazy, furry Lab I insisted on adopting the weekend Magis ran away because I was so worried she wouldn't be found (she was, and then there were three, thanks to our other pup, the Mastiff). Whew, that was a lot of dog!

But every dog I've gotten from the Humane Society has been wonderful and a great companion, and I've felt great about taking care of and giving a nice home and life to a dog who might otherwise . . . not get that.

Thanks to another Yelper, I understand the Humane Society does grief counseling the second Saturday of every month for $5, for those of us who've lost our precious pets. I am planning to check it out, and to take my time considering whether going back to the AHS route, or adopting another little dog from a breeder (living in an apt/condo for the past six years was a big part of why I chose Big - I didn't want a dog who needed to run or go out all the time). You don't ever know exactly what you're getting at the Humane Society because most are probably mixed breeds, so that's a downside.

I would say without reservation that it's so worth it to adopt from the Humane Society and their resources are indeed extensive (spaying, neutering, obedience classes, getting your initial supplies...). Maybe a visit to play with puppies is exactly what the doctor ordered, very soon!

[A quick PS - my sweet ex Z is going to go with me to play with puppies this weekend! I can't wait. I don't think I'll be getting a new baby any time in the immediate future but this gives me something to look forward to that I know will make me smile.]
5 - Brooke M.: Awww I wanted to take all of the animals home! The place was clean, didn't stink too much, and animals looked happy, and the workers were very nice and helpful. I lost my cat of 10 years and I needed to fill that empty hole in my heart (Yes that was cheesy but I really loved her). A German Shephard puppy caught my eye and we made an instant connection! Paid my $100 and me and Akila have been pals for four years. Come here and you may find your next best friend!
5 - Lee T.: CAUTION! PRECIOUS BABIES AHEAD! 

My goodness gracious, I have stars in my eyes. I'm a new pet owner as of June 29th, 2012! 

I have had kitty fever for at LEAST a year now. You know, obsessively looking at cat pictures, celebrating Caturday on the regular, meowing at my desk, imagining how my future pet would feel about my life decisions... It was time to go big or go home. 

Now, nobody tell Ferguson, our family Westie, but I'm a big girl now. I was ready to challenge my love and responsibility. Am I ready for a pet? 

G and I realized, we can't just go into the humane society to play, play, play. Although this is exactly our idea of a fantastic afternoon. In fact, about two weeks ago, we played with several adult cats, realizing the time had not come just yet. We must wait. 

As the end of June was approaching, the "Two-purr-one" special was about to check--out. 

I decided to bite the bullet. I was meowing all day long with excitement. 

When we got to the humane society, we were introduced to a brother and sister from the same litter.

G held the girl, while I cradled the boy, and my roommate scoped out other kitties to see which one was just right for her. The sweet baby girl was absolutely in love with G. His pants may as well have been covered in catnip, cause she was swooning. Too bad he was only there with us for support, and definitely not looking to become a kitty-dad that day. (But soon...)

Unfortunately, my roommate had cold paws, and wasn't able to officially commit. 
G looked at me and said... 

"Are you still going to get the two-purr-one special?" I could tell he still had eyes for Talia, so I figured it would be a perfect idea to adopt them both. Happy (early) birthday, G!

It was without a doubt that we would be taking them home with us. (Talia approves of this message as she purrs in my lap). 

Now for some important review stuff:
The volunteers at the humane society are marvelous, and so grateful for the adoptions. All of the cats are spayed/neutered, and have received their shots.

 If you adopt, you get 10% off your purchases in the boutique that day. But that's not all. Atlanta Humane is such a wonderful organization, they give you the first month of Frontline FREE, as well as your first visit to the vet (VCA).

...18 signatures later, and you're done! 

They want to make sure you are as happy to bring home a new pet, as the critters will be in the lap of luxury. (Pun intended, currently). 

I was VERY pleased by how much the humane society was able to educate me into kittydom motherhood.
4 - Christin K.: I adopted my dog, Calvin, from here. Actually, my ex did, but I kept the dog, which was the only thing worth saving from that situation. true story. 

Initially, we came to 'look' the day before my birthday. But honestly its hard to leave because you feel bad. Is it part of 'Christian guilt'? I don't know, but there are so many puppies. In the front room there are a lot of cute and adorable puppies you can play with and hold, probably the ones that have a higher chance of getting adopted. There are also some kittens but I didn't look closely. Then, if you go further back there are whole kennels of older dogs, there are so many of them it gets hard to remember. My puppy was originally named 'Indian' but I renamed him. He came with all of his shots and neutered and microchipped. I think the adoption fee comes to about $165. Then we got a crate, food, collar, toys. This was a lot of money. But the humane society gives you a red leash that has 'ATLANTA HUMANE SOCIETY' written on it. It's a good advertisement, especially when you have a cute puppy everyone wants to pet. 

I think they do a good job with the resources that they have. I saw people taking the dogs out for walks. I think if you can't commit to a dog then you can volunteer, I think the dogs would really love to go out on walks. All the people here were really nice and helpful. I have no idea what their vet services are like. 

I'm really glad I got my puppy, who is now a huge 4 year old pit bull lab mix. He's really sweet. Actually, I had mentally put him on my check list when we first saw him, and took a walk to see the other dogs. When I came back, there was another girl holding him. My heart sank a little. But she decided not to adopt him. So I think my dog and I were meant for each other. Even though through all the years my dog has been a headache, eaten many shoes, clothes, glasses, furniture, and so on, he is the highlight of my day. I think if you want to get a dog from a breeder, you should really reconsider and visit the humane society. Its definitely worth a visit.

Atlanta Humane Society Clinic - Atlanta, GA (33.7819351, -84.41122) (Westside / Home Park)
5 - Erin W.: The Atlanta Humane Society Clinic is the only place in the entire metro area where proceeds are donated back to the shelter for animals.  I recently adopted Cochise, a small rottweiler mix puppy from the Atlanta Humane Society and I had to pick him up from the clinic.  At the Clinic, Cochise was neutered and they also embedded an identification chip between his shoulder blades.  

When I picked up Cochise for the first time, the veterinarian was very helpful.  She told me everything I needed to know explaining my dog's condition in full detail as well as upcoming vaccination requirements, etc. If you adopt a pet from the Atlanta Humane Society you get one free pet visit, within seven days of adoption, to one of the society's acceptable clinics.  Luckily they have at least one hundred across the metro area. In addition, whenever you bring your pet back to one of the Atlanta Humane Society participating clinics. If you adopt from the Atlanta Humane Society and bring your pet back to the clinic you will receive a 10 percent discount.   

For more information regarding vet services and hours call (404) 875-6420 or visit www.atlantahumane.org.
3 - Dara F.: I recently adopted a 3 month old puppy and have mixed feelings about AHS. On the plus side, they were pretty nice and helped me find the right pet. Staff were personable and friendly and the process for adopting was pretty fast and easy - there was minimal paperwork involved and no formal interview. I love my puppy and she has been happy and energetic since I got her.

On the other hand, the volunteers that work in the dog rooms aren't very knowledgeable about breeds...they were completely uninformed about different breeds what breeds mixes specific dogs there were. I wouldve expected volunteers and staff to be more knowledgeable. they also didnt interview me to see if my pup was an appropriate fit for me or my living situation, which made me feel like they were just trying to get rid of their dogs. they also left out a lot of information and guidance about taking my puppy home (ie. that I shouldnt take her outside or around other dogs until she's done her vaccinations...) and really just shoved a few pamphlets in my face before sending me to the in-house pet shop with a $2 coupon.  My pup is due for another shot and I have called their vet 3 times now and left messages...they do not answer that phone or return calls. Ive since made an appt at another vet and wont be returning except for obedience classes...

 All in all, it was a pretty good experience and I would recommend AHS to friends but do your homework on breeds and pet care before you go and dont expect them to provide much there.  Also, I wouldnt count on them for vet services - if they cant return my call, I'm not trusting them with my new friend! AHS staff should really ake more time to make sure adoptions are a good fit and let clients know they are there to assist with information and medical needs, if needed.
5 - Shelby J.: The staff at the clinic is great.  But, keep in mind that being an at cost clinic, they are always very busy.  It took us a while to get used to Dr. Dorsey but now we adore her.  She isn't a touchy, feely vet.  She is a matter of fact type of person and won't talk you into getting things that are not necessary for the animals.  She saved our dogs life when we found out at her first appointment that she had Parvo.  The support from the staff through that process was so wonderful.

We left to take our animals to a vet closer to home, but have learned our lesson.  Once you have a clinic that is so dedicated to the well-being of animals and not fattening their paychecks by giving unneccesary recommendations you can't ever leave! :)  

Be patient, leave a message and the staff will get back to you and fit you in.  The only thing I miss is them being open on Saturday.  But, it is good that they get to enjoy their weekends now.
3 - May T.: I'm not sure what to say. But at the front desk I was treated with one of the best customer service around. It helps to have a love for what you do, I found out that he is also a petsitter outside of work. He does little things that make me feel welcomed, checking on me when I was waiting for the vet, and showing genuine care for me and kitty. 

Granted, I visited without an appointment, I had a long wait. Arrived at 11am, was told to come back after lunch (1pm) although there wasn't any other patients at that time, it was an empty room. 

Anyway, when the vet? came in to see us, I did not feel like she was a vet. It felt like she was fresh out of school, like the first day of internship without supervision. Now, I know that young professionals gotta start from somewhere. 

Asthma is a pretty common condition among cats and I'm pretty sure she would know from the symptoms and could let me know what is wrong with my cat. 

I went in knowing that my cat must have developed asthma. I honestly just wanted some medication for my cat. She inspected kitty and told me she doesn't know what's wrong with her and decided to run a radiology exam. I said ok. Test done and showed nothing. I told her it seemed like asthma. And then only she started telling me that it might be asthma. Gave me some antibiotics and sent us home. Few days later my kitty is doing better. Thanks for the medication but that bill was too expensive for not knowing what is going on.

Atlanta Plaque Art - Atlanta, GA (33.783525, -84.410286) (Westside / Home Park)
5 - Frank S.: Atlanta Plaque Art has a unique process that has allowed me to take old show flyers and create really beautiful work that can hang on the wall.   It is an alternative to framing and works much better than framing for many items.  It provides UV protection as well.   Great service and great product.
5 - Harris G.: Peter at Atlanta Plaque Art is awesome. His customer service, pricing & turn time is awesome. I will use him for all of my plaques from now on...

Atlanta Salvage Outlet - Atlanta, GA (33.7831011, -84.4118269) (Westside / Home Park)
5 - Drew W.: Atlanta Salvage Outlet allows me to use my bathroom in private. No, really. I bought a bathroom door there when an unfortunate tiling incident made the old one no longer usable. Well, it was usable, it just had a four inch hole in it so anyone walking by would be treated to a full view of what was going on inside. So, it was off to the salvage shop to find a door to match the rest of my house.

Be prepared to dig around through stacks of doors, windows, and tons of fixtures when you go to this place. It's a great resource if you've got an old house and you're trying to replace or refurbish anything. You can also find some pretty cool items for giving an old school feel to a loft or to use in art projects. And the prices beat the heck out of buying something new at Lowe's or Home Depot.
5 - Brendan S.: Our family  has dealt with these guys for years.  For the DIY'er this is the place for doors and cabinets.  I purchased a door for the house which was $75 less than a comparable door from Lowe's or Home Depots.  

They sell hardwood front cabinets which are ready for staining and painting.  This is where the builders and contractors who charge you 1000s for plywood box / hardwood front cabinets buy from and then mark up 300%!  

Just remember though to measure, measure and then measure again.

Atlanta Yoga Shala - Atlanta, GA (33.7805914, -84.4091301) (Westside / Home Park)
3 - Gerald S.: I really like the building and the set up of the yoga studio - it's in an old warehouse or loft type building and has high ceilings and a hardwood floor to practice on.  

The two or three classes that I tried weren't great for me.  I've been practicing yoga for nearly five years and have probably been to at least a dozen or more yoga studios in various cities throughout the US - east coast, Midwest, and west coast.  The classes here are traditional Ashtanga yoga - which I have grown to love.  What slightly turned me off about this class was how much the instructor adjusted me on my first few classes.  I don't mind being adjusted, it's just that I feel like a teacher/instructor should get to know me and my practice before really pushing my limits.  Obviously, the teacher could tell I had been practicing a while.  I plan on doing yoga for years to come and I really don't need to have my nose touch my knees while bending forward right now -- I would prefer to slowly work into it for the sake of, well, my muscles.     I've also talked to a few other friends who told me that they were over adjusted at this studio.  I do recommend this studio - I would just ask the instructor to mildly adjust you, then your class will be perfect.
5 - eve m.: I have been going to Atlanta Yoga for almost a year now regularly.  I take Anusara yoga classes there from Gina.   I love it!  Gina is a great teacher, enthusiastic and very willing to work with you on any issues you might have.  Anusara is different from Ashtanga, more alignment based and you get into the poses for longer.  Generally, the Anusara classes are appropriate for all levels, so do not be afraid to give it a go.  The studio space itself is nice with hardwood floors and a loft-like interior.
4 - Flo S.: I really enjoyed the basic Ashtanga class I droped in on at Atlanta Yoga.
The studio is open and has the option of praticing on hardwood or carpet.
I am looking forward to their Mysore classes.
4 - Marie P.: I popped in one evening for an Anusara class with Gina and it was great! Gina is an amazing yoga instructor and it doesn't get much better. The space is nice, not as big as some other studios I've been to, but it's definitely functional loft. It was confusing trying to find the location and parking is on the street. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the class but apparently went to the class that was celebrating the 10th anniversary of Anusara Yoga. So we did 10 rounds of everything. 10 rounds of Sun Salutations, 10 rounds of back bends, everything. I was NOT in good enough shape for this class but it was still an excellent class. Just don't go unless you've been practicing yoga for a little while. It's a little intense. :-D
4 - Sarah H.: I am not a regular yoga person.  I have only been to one actual class before in my life.  Prior to that it's mostly videos and the such.  So, I was a little nervous because I wasn't sure how much of a fool I was going to make of myself-- but I really wanted to switch up my workout routine.

I went to Gina's Anusara class for beginners.  The space is small, and a little weirdly organized.  They only accept cash or check, so good thing I had a checkbook.  You deposit your money in this bowl, and if you need change, you make it based on the cash in there (honor system).  I really liked the vibe of the place.  Very relaxing and very soothing.  Gina was very nonjudgmental and helped me at my sad attempt at a half hand stand (why do yoga people LOVE these??) but she was SO patient with my sometimes dense behavior.  The poses were very suitable for a beginner, and even before the day was out I was feeling sore in my arms (awesome!).  

I really liked this class, and given that there were like 5 students total, it was great to get some individual attention.  I will definitely be back, and I might sign up for a package and save a little money.
5 - Mary M.: Gina Minyard at Atlanta yoga is a really, really good teacher. She teaches Anusara yoga, and begins each class with a eloquent and relevant thought that serves as the theme of the practice. The theme often focuses on the seasons, body, or yogic philosophy. The studio is a little out of the way for me to drive to regularly, but it's a treat when I can make it. It's also a little more expensive than some of the other classes in town, but I highly recommend Gina's 8pm Tuesday and Thursday night classes; they are worth the extra cash.
4 - Eowyn C.: A friend and I signed up for the Anusara 1/2 class and were a bit intimidated by the hour and 45 minute duration listed on their site, but the time flew by. We had a packed class with around 18 people, 4 being guys. I don't know if that size is typical, being as it is January and their are a lot of "resolutioners". 

I have done yoga at a few studios here and there and found this class, although a beginner's class, to be challenging enough. This class would probably be a little advanced for true yoga beginners, but after the first round of poses you catch on quick. The most difficult poses we did were pigeon and backbends, but they offered modified poses for each. Most of the class seemed to be a little more advanced than beginner, but not to the point that it was intimidating. 

Overall I like that this studio caters to "the working folk," offering classes that start at 8pm. My complaints are this: Parking is a mess being that you have to park on the street, but luckily it is a side street. I would have preferred the lights to be dimmed a little and maybe some music in the background as I have enjoyed that at other studios to help me fully immerse myself. Our teacher was nice and very knowledgeable, but some of her suggestions for aligning ourselves in the poses were hard to understand ("scissor your right leg"?). Still, a good class to try out if you want a good workout without too many complicated poses.
4 - Ashley T.: If you've never taken a yoga class with Phil Davis, you are missing out.  I have been doing yoga for 7-8 years, and got injured last summer from too much hot power yoga ( and very likely, my own poor alignment).  I had done anusara yoga classes early in my yoga "career" and had taken a few of Phil's classes at another studio in town, so I decided to go see him at Atlanta yoga Shala and I'm so glad I did.  He is patient, light hearted, knowledgeable and passionate about yoga.

Also, point of clarification from the previous reviews... The level 1/2 classes are not really for beginners.  The website clearly indicates that there are beginners clasees, the level 1, meaning you know the basics, and then level 1/2, meaning that you're beyond basics. 

I will echo the other reviews in that Gina is not great to talk to on the phone or email with.  The studio is small, and gina doesnt actually even live in Atlanta.  She's a very highly regarded anusara teacher but is a little less warm and fuzzy and fun than some other anusara teachers that I've had.  But Phil is as warm as they get, so check him out.  Crystal is also teaching anusara there now too... I haven't been to her classes there yet, but I used to take classes from her in Tallahassee and she's really laid back and fun.

The 4 review is because some of the smaller classes are being taught now in a back room that needs to be yogi-fied a bit.  Right now, it's white walls, blue carpet and uneven floors.  It does the job, but I hope they can get some paint and better lighting and deal with the floor issue soon.

Atlanta bench - Atlanta, GA (33.7670875, -84.3936264) (Centennial Place)
5 - Amoura W.: i love the bench... after my first visit i was hooked. they are a new art gallery & urban life boutique in atl... they host cool events, bboys battles & the owner is super friendly. makes you think 'damn, places like this really do exist in atl"... really you should check it out.
5 - Owen R.: What a cool spot! This an awesome shop with clothing, music, writing materials. A total one-stop urban shop. As Amoura pointed out the owner Rich is one of the more personable shop owners in town, often times I'll go to The Bench to just hang out and lounge and not actually make any purchases.

This spot also hosts a number of music and urban life events, including a regular monthly event the last weekend of the month with some crazy loud music, visuals, and an incredible vibe.

Be sure to pay this spot a visit; it's a totally independent venture by the owner, and he's not afraid to go out of his way to help you find what you are looking for. A lot of the clothing in here is wonderful but doesn't fit me off the rack, it's never been an issue getting him to procure the sizes and styles I want.

Atlantis - Amherst, MA (42.376184, -72.5188285) ()
5 - Matthew S.: This restaurant used to be one of my Favs when I lived in Amherst.   Haven't been back in years, but I hope this hidden jewel has kept its charm and local flavor.


Sad to hear its closed... Sarah and the gang did an awesome job on the food and the place was my favorite night spot in Amherst.
5 - John R.: It was very good.....I say was because it's closed, replaced by a Pho Noodle Shop that is also closed.

Atlantis Sports Clubs Cambridge - Cambridge, MA (42.362468, -71.099644) ()
2 - Roberto C.: This place is okay.  It's pricey for what you get.  I'm pretty sure BSC is about the same price for ~1/4 of the space/equipment.  Their wkd/holiday hours are also very lame (something crappy like 9-5).  Also their rate doesn't include towels like BSC.

These guys exist solely b/c of the pharma/biotech in the area, they offer pretty decent discounts for area employees.  Not my top choice, but it's convenient & they keep the locker room (very small) fairly clean - there's only like 4 showers though.

PS  They have all the same weasily start-up & cancellation fees as the rest & also you can only cancel on something like the 16th of each month (easy way to collect fees from people that aren't aware of this).

PPS  Good people watching while on the cardio - there's the #1 bus stop right out in front so there's people ogling the hotties while waiting for the bus - nice.
1 - Kza W.: s u c k  x

Atlas Foods - Seattle, WA (47.6626546, -122.299096) (University District)
3 - Susannah R.: Good, standard brunch and lunch food.  The BLT with avocado was great and the fries were delicious.  No complaints, but nothing special.
3 - Maria C.: Cute, cozy, but not too inspiring if you're looking at anything other than the seafood menu. Except the hummus appetizer plate. That's pretty good. Scallops are good. Do some shopping in U Village then hit the happy hour from 4-6. Don't do shopping after happy hour or you might spend more than you meant to. Maybe that's just me. They could definitely have a better happy hour food menu.
1 - Charlie D.: If you are into finding foreign objects in your food this is the place for you. My friend ordered the sopressata frittata and got 3 bites into and found a metal clip right in the middle. We were very surprised to find it, I have heard of people finding stuff in there food but never a big metal clip. So we call over the waiter and show him what we found. He didn't say sorry he just took the plate and headed back to the kitchen with it. Once he returned he still didn't apologize but ask what we would like to replace that meal with. So we ordered some pancakes, which took a long time to come out by the way. Honestly they didn't even seem concerned about what happen. No manager ever came over and we never got an apology. In the end they even charged us for the pancakes that they brought us. So I don't thing we will ever be back there.
3 - Tarewyn M.: I'm always a little dissapointed in Atlas.  Want to love it and yet...still it falls short.  Not a disaster by any means but not spectacular either.

Best bet is breakfast!
4 - Stephanie P.: My mom is a hardcore shopper, so when she recently came to visit, it was no surprise that she wanted to go straight from the airport to the mall.  But even she eventually feels hunger pangs, and so we found ourselves at Atlas Foods at U-Village for a late breakfast.

On a Saturday morning, the place was busy but not overrun --- we had to wait maybe ten minutes in the lobby (which needs more seating or fewer strollers) before getting a table in the back.  I actually preferred sitting in the just-opened back room, which was much quieter than the noisy front room/bar area.  With colorfully painted walls, lots of windows to let in light, and flowers on the tables, it was cheerful and cute and very mom-friendly.

I had the sun-dried tomato and pesto frittata, which came with hash browns and "special" toast.  The frittata was good, with lots of what I think was prosciutto on top (at any rate, some highly salty meat), and the hash browns were excellent, but the special toast was, to my disappointment, totally ordinary.  My mom ordered the smoked salmon egg scramble, which was outstanding --- we both liked hers better.  The coffee was good and the waitress was right on top of refills (and my request for extra butter), though otherwise not overly friendly.  

The prices were fair, with most breakfast items at $8-10, and the portions are massive, so you definitely get your money's worth.  This seems to be a pretty family-oriented place, at least during the daytime, so be ready to hear wailing babies and children if you go for weekend brunch.  But for a hearty plateful of carbs and protein to power you through a ten-hour shopping day, Atlas is your go-to breakfast spot at U-Village.
3 - Chani B.: This was my first time eating here dispite the fact that I sometimes pass this place when I go to U Village. Not that much to eat at U Village anyways. We went on a Sat. and the wait time was about 10 mins. Around lunch time. Thay sat us all the way in the back. Not sure why, maybe b/c we had our son with us. In any case it was kinda cool b/c we were the only ones in that back room. We get crazy when we  go out,but we got extra nuts when we were the only ones back there. I ordered the clam chowder ( don't do it) it was watered down greatly. We ordered the mac and cheese for my son. He didnt care for it (neither did I) the fruit platter ( fine) and my husband ordered the burger ( the best Ive had in a while) ( we share food). Prices were around $9-$10 or so and the artwork on the walls have got to go. I learned if I want good chower, I have to go to Dukes or Chinooks. Even Shari's chowder was better. GAWD! The waitstaff was very nice though.
4 - Ellen C.: One of the best hidden happy hours around - good selection of food, cheap drinks, and they serve HH in the full restaurant so its not crowded.
3 - Ray I.: Breakfast is truely a must here.  I am in  love with the Harvest Hash: mushrooms, zuccini, squash, yams with poached eggs is FABULOUS.  My companions usually go for Italian rumbles or Challah French toast (neither is a stand out for me).  I will continue to return for Demeter's breakfast.

I have only been for dinner once a few years ago, but the fried chix was not bad.  I
3 - Jessica R.: Atlas Foods has been my default choice for lunch or dinner for years. I eat there at least once a month--at times once a week! We used to know the staff. Lately the staff has all changed and so has the quality of the food. I've been a little underwhelmed with it. It's still a great place to grab lunch when you're at U Village but for dinner it's a little too pricey for what you get.
3 - L Eldub W.: Two-words; Bloody Mary. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I can be charmed by an adult beverage, but it is true. And charmed I am. I never seem to be able to get away with just one. I'm feeling like I'm ahead if I make it out after just two.

Anyway, I think they serve food as well. Oh, and dinner too. I think.

But really, very good Bloody Marys
3 - Mira H.: The only semi-decent thing about Atlas is their breakfast...and even that is far from great.  It's very plain and simple, something anyone can make at home.  Everyone raves about their happy hour, but if I am in the village, I would definitely walk over to Piatti.  Their happy hour is awesome!  The service isn't very good and the menu is nothing to brag about.  Seriously..not worth your time or money.
4 - Christine S.: OMG. Honey on fried chicken- BRILLIANT!!

I'm sure I could just make the effort and put honey on my chicken at other places but I like that it just comes in this perfected form right to my table here.  I love it.  I LOVE it.  I really really love this fried chicken.

Oh, yeah, ambiance- ehhh, nothing special.  Service- good.  Other foods-  okay, decent.  I don't really care though because I usually just get the chicken.
4 - Ian S.: This place is not easy to find when you are looking for it.  I walked around the mall area for a while before finding the entrance.

They have a rather expansive menu and daily specials.

Their meals are well prepared and are well presented.  Everything I saw being eaten looked quite good.  I was only having some of their fresh squeezed lemonade at the time.

It is a comfortable and dark wooded environment that includes a full bar.  It was a lot quieter than I expected from a place located in a mall.  I thought that it was a rather peaceful and enjoyable place to spend some time.
3 - Margaux j.: My friend and I were walking past Atlas and overheard the server say "a couple more margaritas?" to one of her tables. As if a little switch went off simultaneously in our heads...we both said....ohhh margaritas. And that is how our trip to Atlas began. 

After doing some shopping (with maaargaaritasss still lingering in our head) we went to Atlas and grabbed a table outside. It was such a perfect day. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, and birds chirped merrily. 

Now I know this is not Atlas's fault, I know they don'tt control the eco-system at U village... I see something drop right before my eyes. What was it? Bird poop! Which totally skeeves me out. It was all over the table, and partially on my friend. EWWW. Thankfully we hadn't ordered yet. 

My friend and I thought in case this bird is on a mission to drive out consumers we should move indoors to the bar. 

We just had appetizers and a few margaritas. The margaritas were good...but I like to be able to taste my liquor. The hummus and the calamari plates were both quite yummy. The service was really good too. However, it was a good thing this meal was with a friend opposed to a "date" since we both had gas that transformed my Element into a rolling gas chamber.  

If I find myself at the UVillage again and in need of a drink and some food I would probably give it another go and try something else on the menu,  but I wouldn't go out of my way to go back. 

smell ya later!
4 - Russell L.: We used to go here quite often for breakfast when we lived in the area.  I kind of miss their breakfast sometimes.  They've got a great cowboy corned beef hash with poached eggs.  And I like how they do revolving food themes.  Also, their pancakes are great!  I always order one on the side.  They are nice and fluffy because they add a bunch of baking powder. Beware, there's long waits for tables during prime time breakfast hours on the weekends.  Their service is hit or miss.
3 - David M.: I went to Atlas for an early dinner this Saturday for the first time in maybe two years, and unfortunately I was reminded why it had been so long.

This is the only CHOW foods establishment that I don't absolutely love, and it's because of the usually awful service.  Maybe it's not bad when compared to the Ram or other mall establishments, but compared to their other properties it's embarrassing. I can see how it's hard to get quality staff though; If I were a professional server I wouldn't want to serve U-Village patrons either.

Example: When the restaurant is slow, and I've been seated at the worst of the available tables (next to the restroom), I would prefer to receive an apology and/or a comp rather than a lame joke when my Caesar salad arrives after my Fish and Chips (which I had a clear view of as they sat under the lamp for far too long). 

The food is fairly good though (prefer the "blunch" menu), and I find the prices to be reasonable, especially the happy hour. 

Bottom line, when you think you want to go to Atlas, make the drive to the High-life or 5 Spot instead. Coastal Kitchen is even closer I think.
4 - Sean E.: Atlas is the closest place to my apartment to get a full-service breakfast.  I've also been for happy hour (good beer, okay food), but brunch is the exciting part.

The "cowboy corned beef hash" is very good.  It's not the standard corned-beef and potatoes affair, as they add plenty of vegetables and top everything with a poached egg.  I am also a fan of the latkes, which are served with sour cream and an apple sauce, but it's the corned-beef has that keeps me coming back.  Coffee is Caffe Vita, one of the better local roasters.

Dining companions have been enthused by the challah French toast (it's heartier than standard French toast) and the oatmeal, but when my friend ordered the chorizo scramble his food was presented atop a puddle of grease.  It's owned by Chow, so if you've been to any other Chow restaurants (5-Spot, Jitterbug, Hi Life, etc), the menu should be fairly familiar.

Service is as to be expected at a restaurant staffed by college kids.  They don't seem terribly interested in going the extra mile, but they do make sure the coffee never stops flowing.

Disclaimer: This being University Village, you are more likely to encounter screaming children here than at other Seattle brunch spots.  If everyone in the party is over 21 you can usually get a table in the bar without a fuss.  That said, unless the screaming children are seated right next to you it's never all that loud.

Atlas is by no means Seattle's best brunch, but it is worthwhile if you're already in the neighborhood or are looking for brunch in north Seattle with shorter lines and easier parking than the restaurants in Wallingford or Ballard.
4 - Sprizee V.: Atlas Foods in U Village is a Chow Food restaurant which means it's owned by the same folks that own The Coastal Kitchen. And like all other Chow Food spots, this place has a specialty. It's seafood. But I ignored that fact and just went ahead and ordered a Cobb Salad.

Anywho, it was pretty good. No surprises on the menu, just a slew of good solid meals. Two things about this place.

One. When someone orders more than one seafood dish the waiter shouts the order back to the cook, who in turns repeats the order, and then a couple other people (bartender/busboys/whathaveyou) also chime in. Red Robin's got the birthday song and Atlas Food has this. Whatever. I could take it or leave it. Not annoying enought to rant on about. Not unique enough to say more. Moving on.

Two. They talk up the berry cobbler so much and about how long it takes to make it that they practically force you to order it with your dinner. This is brilliant because most people don't have room for dessert after their meal but if you've already gone ahead and ordered it with your meal when you're at your most hungry, who can resist? Well, I can but I'm a Marketing Executive so I'm wise to their tricks.

Bottom line: The food is good.
2 - Luchie d.: Disappointing. Went here for happy hour and the food was bland and uneventful plus the service was poor. There were 3 of us and we had to hunt a waiter down for each minor request like a menu, a drink order, to placing our food order. Frankly, it sucked. What was crazy is that there was a table of 13+ people and they got the star treatment as their waiter  "took" care of them and ignored us.  BOOOOO. 

Only reason for 2 stars is b.c it was cheap and the onion rings were at least crispy.  I was so irritated I didn't bother to order another drink. 

Not coming back.
4 - Alison V.: I want to start off by noting that I went here with someone who works for Chow Foods.  I have no idea whether or not that effected our level of service, but that said, the service was pretty awesome the entire time.

The food was pretty good.  I'm not a huge fish lover so I was stuck picking a food of the 6 or 8 item part of the menu that was not fish related.  I ended up having fried chicken covered with a honey sauce.  The portion was *huge.*  I think it would have taken 2 people to finish off the plate.  I would have liked a little bit more sauce on it, but I was fine without it.

I did try some of the fried calamari and it was delicious.  The albacore that I stole a piece of from a friend's plate was also pretty great.  OOhh and the squid ink martini was pretty interesting.

I personally think it is a bit pricey, but then again I like to eat at the $ restaurants not the $$ ones.  :)  It was a nice treat though.
3 - Sam H.: Creative concoctions for breakfast go only so far. I read about this place in Seattle Metropolitan magazine and decided to give it a try. I enjoyed the hash, but it was sparingly bland, as was my honey's omelet. We also tried latkes, but they were more like hash browns.  We had excellent service and I had my fill of Cafe Vita coffee... which is hard to do. The waitress got a smile for that. Good girl. Too bad about the food, it could have been a 4-star.
3 - Tiffany S.: I'm deducting a point because we had to sit at the bar and our food took FOREVER.

That said, I loved the menu and loved my enchirito even more. Heads up vegetarians! This one's for you! Huge veggie wrap smothered in yummy enchilada sauce and served with rice (not good) and beans (very good). Chris had the mahi mahi, and he said it was great (I was too into my enchirito to try his. Mine was so big I took half home for the next day. Total bill ran around $44, not bad considering Chris had two beers because we were kept waiting so long. (Mr. Bartender man, the cool thing would have been to give us the second beer for free, but I understand. You were bizzy bee!)

But, you know? Kudos to Atlas for even getting us seats at the bar, because we would have still been waiting if we'd wanted to eat at Blue C!
1 - Kristin F.: For some reason I have given this restaurant far too many chances.  I have decided I am done.  Where to start...  The food is decent at best.  Nothing to write home about, that is for sure.  The service is ok.  I got really tired of hearing the bartender yell out to patrons who were sitting right in front of her.  The last two times I have been there, we have had to sit at the bar due to long waits.  I find this amusing since each time there have been plenty of tables available in the bar.  All in all, I am tired of mediocre food and service.  Amen.
1 - Trish Q.: Really disappointed.  First of all the portions are small selection was poor.  We ordered the calamari and I am pretty sure they left half of the order back in the kitchen because I laughed when I saw the amount that came out.  

The service was good however the portions were so small on their appetizers & main dish that I left there still hungry.  

For $19  per dish I want more than half a piece of fish with two cups of cabbage.  I realized that they add the veggies to occupy the plate to make it seem like a larger portion.

Not a good experience would not recommend
3 - Will L.: Walked in to grab lunch.

No one in sight. I mean... I could see patrons, but no employees. No bartender in the bar even though there were people sitting there. No host, even though the sign stated we had to wait to be seated, even in the bar. No waiters in the back area where the tables are, even though a few folks were seated out there. 

I could see people eating, drinking, and being as merry as the stuffy old Laurelhurst people can be, but I couldn't see or hear anyone working here.

I turned to my buddy to ask if he wanted to go elsewhere and a voice in my ear asks us "how many?" I kind of jump and turn back and out of fucking NO WHERE a host has appeared. I mean... HOLY SHIT!? How did he do that? Is this place a magic shop too? Was he invisible? Is Harry Potter running around somewhere? Be still my beating heart!

We sat in the bar as it's actually sunny out (even though it's also raining. Gotta love Seattle) and the dining area is pretty dark. And I also don't want our server sneaking up on me like that. We took a corner table (where I can watch the room with my back to the wall dammit). A bartender materialized out of nowhere, took our order and was very attentive.

i had a burger. I added avocado. I think there's a law that states if you're originally from California and you have the option to add avocado, you must do so or your nipples will be tweaked.

The food was good, but hours later it's still weighing me down heavy and my belly is making weird noises.
1 - Y F.: My daughter and I decided to try this restaurant while shopping at U Village.  The posted menu seemed fine.  She ordered a lunch salad and I the tuna melt.  After waiting for over 40 minutes, I flagged down another waitress (couldn't find ours) to see what's going on.  She snapped at me and said "I'm not your server...I have food to haul out" and walked away.  When our food finally arrived, my $12.95 sandwich was smaller than a regular slice of Wonder Bread.  The salad that I paid extra for was gone in 4 bites.   I was very disappointed.  When I spoke to the manager, he offer free desert or discount on our bill.  We immediately took the discount and swore never to return again!
3 - Alex T.: Great Waiter, Rude Hostess, Average Food.

PROS - Our waiter was great. We had a party of ten and he kept on top of what we needed and gave us great service. I had a hamburger, due to reading the reviews here and was happy with it and the fries. I'd give it a B or B+, safe bet, nicely cooked ($10.50). One of our group had the surf and turf, the skirt steak looked great, but the scallops were very small and overcooked ($28). Good french fries.

CONS- Average middle America food, small portions and expensive for what you get. This place is in the mall, so they have a built-in customer base, they also have high rent, so they need to charge a lot for the food they offer. My wife had a dish off the "Specials" list, Ahi Tuna that was seared and served on a bed of greens. The portion was very small. Six pieces about the size of the average thumb. Not really seared well, cooked, but not seared. They should have turned up the heat and took it off sooner. The tuna quality was fine, not great. 
Very Very small scallops, like the size of a 50 cent piece, and overcooked too.

SUMMARY - if you go here, don't expect too much. I hear breakfast is better, however I've never tried it. Get the Burger, BLT, or Honey chicken.
3 - Josh F.: Would only go for Happy hour which is decent with service being a little hit or miss.
3 - Jens J.: Good location for breakfast/brunch.  Quick and personable service (maybe I've lucked out, judging by other Yelp reviews).  But avoid the breakfast potatoes/hash browns.  Not sure what the goofy spice is that they dump in them (thyme?...marjoram?....only God knows).

Dinner is adequate...redeemed somewhat by the full bar.
4 - Jeff G.: We've eaten at Atlas many  times over the years and have usually had good experiences. We went this Thursday before the holiday weekend and had a very, very bad experience. Slow, undercooked food, sloppy service, one employeed so visibly angry he was slamming glassware around.  It was such a bad experience that I sent an email via their website to the owners. 

Surprisingly, within a few hours I heard back from Peter, one of the owners with a very sincere apology and a promise to look into the matter(not boilerplate by any means). By Saturday I'd heard back from Catherine, the manager who clearly had already investigated the staffing issues and was dealing with the specific problems. This shows a huge amount of class and concern for the business and customers. 

I had already chalked it up to probably being an off-night and would proably have gone back anyway. But with this kind of clear concern for the business I will most certainly return. I'm extremely impressed by management's swift reaction!
3 - Myra W.: I agree with other reviewers that I prefer the breakfast food... of course, this could be that the only time I've eaten dinner I ordered the salmon fettucine which I wasn't a huge fan of. The breakfast food is not bad, if a little bit greasy.

Service was good in the times I've been; the waiters I've had have been quick with requests and our food came in decent time. It's also friendly to kids with their kids' menu and crayons.

It's probably mid-upper level when it comes to U Village restaurants, so it's a bit pricier for the quality/quantity of food compared to other places in the Village. That said, I probably won't go out of my way to eat here often.
3 - Brian N.: The service was excellent.  I had no complaints.  The waitress was really nice and even took the time to interact w/ the 4 yr :) I ordered the Atlas Burger medium rare w/ blue cheese.  As soon as they brought it to me I was like what is that nasty smell turns out it was the burger.  They did take it back and I substituted the Pork Sandwich which was 100% better.  The fries are a little dark and a little burnt, nothing a good clean change of oil couldn't fix, but some people like them that way.  My friends said there food was good and I must admit their food  looked good.  Definitely looks like its hit or miss on food, but great service.
2 - Safa S.: Mediocre food and way too expensive.

However... they have this berry dessert you have to order 30 min in advance that is extremely delicious!
2 - Rachel P.: This review is based solely on last nights experience.  They had a "dow'd but not out" menu where everything (special menu) was based and priced on the closing price of the Dow and the Nasdaq.  

They were very busy- so busy that they ran out of wine glasses and served wine in non-wine glasses.  Service was poor and our poor waiter spent his evening apologizing to everyone for something or another.

Food was not good.  I could make better- seriously.  I'm not sure this idea panned out the way they thought it would.

I've heard their food is good and all of the other chow restaurants I've ever been to- have been wonderful.

This experience will not have me going back for more.

The only reason for two stars is that we ordered a ton of food and the bill was $40.

Much better places with better food- better ambiance- and can handle a crowd.
3 - Chris C.: My girlfriend had gone here and told me she really liked it. So I went there with her and gave it a try. The menu looked very interesting, very unique. I was really anticipating a great meal.

While we waited I noted it was nearly unbearably loud. I hate when places are extremely loud.

Finally the food came and for all the wonderful write up, it tasted pretty mediocre. I wasn't all that impressed at all. It was certainly over priced for the quality, IMO.

The servers were pretty good and probably the only reason I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 2.
1 - Leslie S.: You have to pardon my slightly-crazed tone because I had OVER AN HOUR OF TIME WAITING to think of all the things that drive me crazy about this place. I was told my wait would've been less than 20 minutes. 

Anyway... 

I am SO OVER THIS PLACE!!!! I live near Atlas and every time I go there, it's the same maddeningly frustrating experience. I actually had some great conversations with folks, all sharing the sentiments I am about to express. 

Here is what is wrong with this joint: 

1. The food is mediocre-leaning-toward-horrible, at best. 

2. While they actually have a huge area, right in the middle of the chaos, to park strollers - the "waiting" area is tiny, with a meager few chairs for people to sit, much less stand, during THE LONG WAIT FROM HELL. 

3. Every single time I've been there, during THE LONG WAIT FROM HELL, I always find myself staring at a sea of empty tables. Not just in the bar, but all over the restaurant. Yesterday, when they finally seated my party upstairs, we discovered that the entire floor had empty clean booths, ready for business. During said LONG WAIT FROM HELL, I noticed it took them years to even clean 1 of the multitudes of tables. So the fact that all of these booths were clean and ready said to go tells me that they'd been that way all last week. Which brings me to... 

4. HIRE SOME PEOPLE!!!! Yes, you need actual warm bodies to host, bus and serve your sorry food. I know it's a novel concept, but even an idiot who has no business sense or restaurant knowledge whatsoever would know better. C'mon, Atlas, you know you are raking in the dough, being the only brunch place in the U-Village. It amazing to me that the legions of folks (including myself until today) put up with this gross mismanagement. It's as if it's a much -less-entertaining-but-equally-horrifying restaurant tale by Anthony Bourdain. 

5. The food is so bland, it's like eating styrofoam (oh yeah, I already complained about the overpriced excuse for food). 

Up until Atlas was born, I used to love every single restaurant of CHOW Foods. I could chirp my sweet delight of Coastal Kitchen, Hi-Life and 5 Spot. But Atlas completely ruins it for all of them. CHOW should pay attention to this flailing sibling or at least put it out of its misery and let another restaurant try its luck in that valuable space. 

Sorry, CHOW, I really tried my best to make this work. This is really painful. We had such great times. But it's over. It's not me...actually, it's you.
4 - Mike T.: Although I try and avoid the U. Village like the plague, I found myself meeting Mrs. T there after work to run some Christmas errands.  

The review is strictly for their Happy Hour, which was surprisingly excellent.  Draft beers, and cocktail specials were all $3.  $1 PBR bottles!  $3 food menu!  I was in heaven!

Mrs. T ordered the  "breakfast" which consisted of 1 egg (anyway you like), a piece of toast and two pieces of bacon.  They used high quality ingredients; thick smoked bacon, essential bread, and organic egg.  I went for more traditional bar food with the panko breaded onion rings which were cooked to perfection, crunchy on the outside and nice and sweet on the inside.

If you are a fan of the Chow Foods family, Atlas is nice surprise amidst the paint your own pottery stores of the village.
2 - Rosa S.: Two stars because our waitress was really nice, and the drink was stiff and delicious. 

Our waitress mixed up my order, but I think even if she had gotten it right it still would have been bland AND overly seasoned (which, oddly enough, mine was). The yam cakes were without flavor, yet the green beans were encrusted in salt. I also had mahi which was undercooked and gross. 

only one person of the two i was with liked their order. 1/3 is not awesome when the bill is $75.
2 - Just Y.: I wish I liked this place.  It is convenient to get to, owned by a chain that has other good establishments, and isn't really a bad diner-esque experience.  I still don't like it.

The food is typically just OK - really good for diner food, not so great for the environment this place tries to sell you.  A read from the menu or special boards always fills you with anticipation of a great and often creative meal, which rarely meets your expectations.  Not to say it sucks, just that it isn't as good as it could be.  Portions can be too big on some dishes as well.

The service is friendly, rarely as attentive as you would want.  I've yet to go when there wasn't a wait, often over 30 minutes.  The place is also always loud - really loud - sometimes shouting loud.  I don't know if it is the clientele or the floor plan, but it is never relaxing.
2 - Oliver P.: This place has gone just straight down...I used to enjoy the occasional brunch here but the last two times I have gone it has been just awful!

A group of 6 of us went for a Saturday brunch...service was super slow, they brought 5 of the entrees and then the 6th about 20 minutes later...no apology, no "let us take that off your bill" etc.  Took forever to get coffee refills and then they rang the wrong credit cards.

A few weeks later I went back for dinner.  As we waited at the host desk, some guests already seated at the large table behind the desk asked where their food was to the manager/server type at the desk...he told them to wait so he could assist us and rolled his eyes at us like he was trying to show his displeasure for the table that simply asked where their food was...big negative in my book!
2 - Sonic D.: I've been here for happy hour and remember it being okay.  But the last time I came for dinner was a horrible disappointment.  My friend ordered the honey glazed fried chicken.  Not bad, but for $15 we expected more.  It would have been tastier to get a $5 chicken from KFC and drizzle the honey packet over it.  

I ordered the calamari for an appetizer but had to send it back because it was too salty.  My fish and chips were bad.  The fish I had was so tough I couldn't just use my fork to tear a piece of it off.  I had to pick it up and bite through it, although even then it wasn't easy.  Ivars would have been a better pick and a lot cheaper.

For the prices they charge I expected a step above fast food, but it was a step below.  It was like the cook just didn't care what went out of the kitchen.

Two stars for a great server.  I can't blame him for the bad food.
3 - Jessie P.: If the rumors are true, this little establishment wont be here for long...

I'd suggest high tailing it on your next available brunch day for what it sure to be the best challah french toast of your life.  The perfect balance of squish and crisp.  That may be, however, the only mind blowing thing about the place.  This Chow Foods sibling (see Coastal Kitchen, 5-Spot & Hi-Life), may have been an underdog from the start, as it broke away from the pack and set up shop in a mall instead of the popularly proven method of neighborhood dining.  

Service was phenomenal and the atmosphere (minus screaming children) was pretty nice.  Mostly it was the only decent place to eat when shopping was a need rather then a want.
2 - Ryan B.: My other half and I had our first unofficial date here, so it holds a special place in our hearts.  I've been there three times, 2 for breakfast, 1 for dinner.

All in all, just about every place I've gone for breakfast in Seattle has been better food, and better deals.  I wouldn't go so far as to say their stuff here is low quality, but they certainly lack the awesomeness of their competition.  The ambience and vibe is pretty off too.  I can't decide if they're trying to be classy, casual, or what... but they confuse me further by having pretty loud-ish music playing.

If you're in U-Village and are looking for dinner, this is far from your best option.  If you want breakfast, I suppose it's worth it if you really don't want to drive anywhere.
2 - Amber B.: Part of the Chow Foods clan. Not the very best, but it has sentimental value (unofficial first date w/the boy). 

I broke from my norm of ordering Biscuits & Gravy just because there was an option called "Breakfast, Save the Pig." And I did. A very pared down breakfast for change and just the right size for actual consumption! What a concept... Eggs any style, hash browns, wheat toast $6.75. Tooootally works for me. The boy, on the other hand, received blueberry pancakes that were flopping over the edge of the American-sized plate. They were tasty though. 

The service was fast and friendly even on a weekend morning. The place wasn't as crowded as I'm used to for breakfast destinations, but I tend to go for the mom & pop joint over a large restaurant such as this. I would go back, but only for sentiment, not the food. There are FAR grander breakfasts to be enjoyed in the area!
2 - Alex G.: They wouldn't let me substitute a diet coke in place of a coffee.  Seriously it's a 10 cent fountain drink.  Is it really worth making a customer unhappy.
3 - William D.: Atlas Foods is really what you'd expect from a restaurant in a mall, (U-Village is an outdoor mall, but is a mall nonetheless).  It is large, well-lit, has an average restaurant look, and caters to a variety of tastes.  There are seafood dishes, beef dishes, chicken dishes, pasta dishes... you get the point.  The food is reasonably tasty, but I don't know that that is particularly difficult to find in Seattle.

What makes this restaurant *really* stand out to me is one thing:
If you do happen to go to Atlas Foods, you absolutely must try out the Blackberry Cobbler.  If they've run out for the day, I'd recommend going elsewhere, and coming back a few days later.  You have to order this dessert 1/2hr in advance, so you should inform your server that you want it after your meal.  They make a souffle, with the blackberries cooked inside, then top it with creamy ice cream.  This dessert is extremely delicious!!  It is the reason why I tend to select Atlas Foods if I'm at U-Village, and am feeling really hungry.
2 - Holly G.: I've been here three or four times now, and everytime I have been underwhelmed. Their fries are not good (burnt and mushy) and their sandwiches are lackluster. The happy hour menu is a good deal in theory ($3 food and drink specials), but the food list is limited (and not that good anyway) as is the drink one. Went here for Margarita Monday and was pleasantly surprised - but for $1 more, you can hold out for Tequila Tuesday at Shultzy's and get a margarita twice the size and twice as good. Give this place a miss for happy hour or any hour - there are definitely better options!
3 - Will N.: Went there for their Blue Plate special last week.   The pot pie I ordered was super salty.  Also ordered the ravioli appie and it came with exactly 3 pieces.  What a rip off!!!

Not planning to go back anytime soon.

Only good thing about the place is the service and the cobbler dessert.
2 - Jessica S.: My friend and I decided to try Atlas while we were shopping this afternoon. The atmosphere is nothing special. I can't even remember what it looked like inside. I had a smoked salmon thing which was served with some weak french bread with what seemed like melted margarine on it. I was not impressed. My friend had a pulled pork sandwich and she said it was pretty good.

The service was alright. The waiter was very friendly, but it was kind of slow. 

I really hate to be a Negative Nancy, but I will not go back to Atlas.
1 - Sam H.: This is one of a few places I will never consider going back to.  I went a few years back with my parents and wife and it was not a pleasant eating experience.

First, the food was bland and ultra greasy.  It seemed as if they believed extra grease and salt would make up for real flavor.  I left unsatisfied and with a stomache ache.

Secondly, and perhaps the nail in the coffin, were the bathrooms.  They were an absolute mess.  The men's room has toilet paper strewn all over the floor and the trash cans were full as if they had not been emptied out all week.  The toilets were smelly and not washed very well at all.  Both my wife and my mother refused to use the women's restroom because it was so disgusting.
1 - G S.: We went for dinner and was completely  "underwhelmed" as another yelper said it. We go for breakfast and it is pretty consistent, but dinner was very disappointing. I keep giving dinner another chanc and that will be my last time. Why is it so hard to make a good meal? The other Chow restaurants are good. What's the deal with Atlas? There is so much competiion in the UVillage and Atlas to raise the bar and Atlas fails.

I had cod with lemon and mushrooms and something else. It was the special, looked good, fancy words to describe it. It arrived luke warm - is it so hard to serve a hot meal? C'mon pay $16 for a luke warm meal! The rice tasted totally watery and had no wow flavors. The fish you could barely taste the lemon - I had to ask for some lemon wedges. The mushrooms were tough. What a bummer. Is this so hard to make? There was no stand out flavors whatsoever. It was all very bland. 

My husband had the ahi tuna and thought it was ok, nothing special. His was also completely luke-warm. You ask why we didn't tell the waiter right away, well we have toddlers and can't take the time to wait for another meal. We ate it and left. 

Atlas - you get one chance to do it right the first time, then we don't come back. 

We will not be returning to Atlas for dinner again. It needs a major overhaul on the chef status. I could cook a better meal with more pazazz and more oompf. When you go out you want to be wowed, you want to taste some great combo of flavors, experience some innovation in cooking, get a sense of the chef's style. 

Not at Atlas my friends. SKP IT. You'd think Atlas would raise it up a notch with all the restaurants and competition at the UVillage. Nope.
3 - Julian H.: Went here for breakfast and lunch a couple times while in school.  Not sure what the bad ratings are about; I always found the food, coffee, service and ambiance adequate and pleasant.  Maybe nothing special, but nothing to complain about, either.
2 - Craig N.: This is my second time at Atlas and both times the food took forever. My last visit, I told my friends that "they are catching my salmon from Alaska and it's being shipped right now" as a joke after 20 minutes went by, then another 20 minutes later our food showed up (the joke went stale pretty quickly). I guess it was a busy day for Atlas since Beat the Bridge just got done and everyone and their mom decided they were headed to Atlas for brunch. 

My previous experience was similar. My friend and I picked this spot for dinner...I think we were the only people there on a slow week night, same thing happened. So I guess what I'm getting at is that the food may take a while.

Other than that, the food was just okay. I think if the kitchen could pump out the food a little quicker, this would have been a 3-star middle of the road experience for me.
3 - Josh H.: I just updated my rating of this place. The bathroom still sucks, but I love going there for breakfast. Their chorizo scramble is YUMMY. 

I also updated my rating because they having a rotating selection of art on the walls thats for sale from local artists, some quite good. I have purchased a painting I saw there while eating bacon. Bacon and art appreciation....who knew?
4 - Robert S.: I am happy I had not gone here before today, ok let me back up to the beginning

I had gone and gotten dessert first at Trophy, now I needed some dinner yeah I'm a  grown adult so I can have my cupcake and eat it too, then go get dinner, my baby is in Chicago this week so I was thinking Italian then I saw the Atlas sign and it was on, now I have always wanted to stop here but they were always doing Seafood / Fish specials and the other half doesn't really like fish, so I was like hey what a better time to stop and have me some fish 



well they decided to revamp the Menu and Now they are doing themes, and this 3 month period the theme for about 1 more month is Texas, its not fish oh hell no its a Yummy Big Texan Steak
THE BIG TEXAN 19.75
Chipotle & brown sugar rubbed Texas tri-tip steak grilled & served with house baked beans, quick cooked mustard greens and a cheesy cat head biscuit.

I got my Steak Med-Rare and it was just perfect nice and pink in the middle and just warm on the outside, it was nice and tender and juicy, the Baked beans were nice and spicy with a little tang and a bite to them, the greens were good they were buttery and tender but not over cooked kinda like they may have been pan fried with butter, they could of used just a touch of sugar to take off the bitterness ( southern secret ) the biscuit was nice and flaky and tasted home made just like grandma made

they have also shortened there hours they now close at 9pm, so I was impressed when I walked in at 5 to 9 and they seated and served me
1 - Steve D.: My girlfriend and I just went for breakfast.  We have gone many times before today and it has been good.  Today was so bad that I still feel nauseous.  I ordered the steel cut oats and my girlfriend got an egg-white scramble.  The oats were more like a soup - very watery.  I felt like I was eating a bowl of warm milk with a few oats in it.  I thought mine was bad until I tried my gf's scramble.  It was extreme watery and bland.  Granted it had zuchinni and mushrooms in it, but I would guess they put them in too early, thus making the whole dish more of a boiled scramble.  
I don't ask much for breakfast, but it should at the very least be better than what I can make at home.  This was a step backwards as now I feel nauseous.  I actually had to run to the store after breakfast to buy a pack of Mentos to rid my mouth of the horrible aftertaste from watered down oats and soggy eggs.  
Yuck...it will be a while before we venture back to Atlas.  We have had good breakfasts there, but this scared us off for a while.
1 - Brenda M.: When I looked at the menu I thought it was basic food with generic descriptions. The atmosphere was good and the staff was accommodating. Where the night went wrong was the food. I had lowered my expectations already because of the menu. From the signage, staff and specials it was leaning towards New Orleans style. The recommended appetizers lacked flavor and was mushy. We ordered the Clam Chowder and Andouille pasta. The Chowder tasted like it came out of a can with little seasoning. The pasta had plenty of garlic but the sausage and shrimp had no texture or flavor. We will never eat there again.
2 - HA G.: I've given this place three chances.No more.
Although it is a convenient place to eat in the U-Village I advise you look further. My friend and I went in for a quick bite yesterday and ended up spending more time waiting for food than actually eating it. The service is always terrible and frazzled-not very attentive. 
I will never eat here again.
3 - Paul W.: Atlas was a good reliable place to get American comfort food.

I'm sorry to see it closing - I'm not sure that another Boom Noodle will improve University Village.
2 - Marysia Y.: I've only been here once but the "Meh" sums it up. We were actually trying to have a volunteer committee meeting, and this really wasn't the best place to do it... it was loud even though not many people were there, and the appetizers (fries, pita, etc) were just "okay". I haven't had a full meal here but have no real desire to try. And, I just read that they're closing, so I guess I never will. Just wanted to get my review out while I still could, haha.
5 - Pasha N.: R.I.P. "Cracklas"

I will always miss your breakfast when I'm in the U-Village

Atomic Appliance - Providence, RI (41.8195613, -71.398134) (Fox Point)
5 - GARY-SOUSA G.: Joel Olbaum is the man to talk to, he's the owner....i bought my fridge from Atomic....a quality fridge with a cheap price....Joel keeps prices low, due to the fact, with his truck, he does the deliveries........def a hard worker  ......Highly Recommend--

Joel, also, is a cool guy--
5 - DW M.: We've discovered that it's a myth that you save money buying appliances at the big chain stores.  Not only do you get instant, expert, personalized service at this store, but he delivers free, whereas most of the chains charge (sometimes as much as $200, depending on the item) for delivery.  Also, he doesn't give you a delivery "window", he tells you EXACTLY when he's coming.  And he always shows when he says he will.   We've bought numerous appliances from him over several years, and it's been the same great, no-hassles experience every single time.

This guy is the best.  He knows and cares about his customers, he turns himself into a pretzel to accommodate you, and he's the nicest man and hardest worker I've ever met.  When we were trying to buy a new faucet (which he doesn't sell), he spent half an hour on the phone with me helping me with what questions to ask (!!!).  Don't ever buy an appliance from anyone else again if you know what's good.
5 - Ed G.: I've bought a stove, microwave, and a refrigerator from Joel at Atomic... he's a super nice guy and helpful when offering advice on brands and models.  He's easy to work with and his prices are reasonable.  Visit Atomic appliance when considering your next new appliance purchases!
5 - Kroter V.: I prefer patronizing small, locally owned businesses rather than national chains and Atomic is just the place in Providence.  I've purchased all my appliances from them.  Their prices are equal to if not better than Home Depot, Sears, etc and they are far, far more accommodating.
5 - David H.: Great advice, great service, great pricing.  I have had terrific experiences with Joel every time I have needed a new appliance.

Atomic City - Austin, TX (30.280279, -97.743535) (Downtown)
5 - Austin L.: Are you kidding me?  Bring on the punk.  This place is one of the last old Austin holdouts.  The same guy has owned and worked at the store for God knows how many decades.  Maybe he painted the outside once or twice, but it's the same place.

Doc Martens, fetish boots, Fluevogs--this is where you get them in Austin.  You won't find any of those namby pamby fake vintage sneakers or man purses here.  This is real old school.  Goth and biker boots, punk T shirts, weird Japanese toys, and a man who, despite his gruff appearance, loves shoes.

It might be the only place between L.A. and NYC where you might be able to find, wheedle, or order a pair of Cuban style Beatle boots.  Believe me, I've looked.  

For the seriously old school and slightly antisocial only.  Oh, and musicians, and chicks who kick ass.
5 - David D.: This is always one of my stops when it's Christmas shopping time.  They have lots of funny shoes and gag gifts and some marvelous tin toys that are no longer made and quite collectible.  Check your toys carefully.  Some are considerably shop worn, but you won't find them anywhere else.  The guy who works there is vy funny and polite, which is refreshing in a land of people who are too cool to smile.
5 - Kim C.: I've bought some cool stuff at this store. My "ass-kicker"  boots (TUK), a wind-up Japanese robot, and several other things. It's such a small store but you'll manage to spend an hour or two or more in there...there's just so much cool shit, it can get overwhelming.
5 - Dulakaba S.: Time for boots for my Wifey (your mama wears combat boots). She works with a lot of chemicals and needs some tough foot wear. So we went-a boot hunting (me grumbling the whole way because I was missing a Godzilla movie)

All hail the Great Green Lizard... Even Atomic City !
They have the single most thorough Godzilla collecting spot in Texas... WOW! 

They have a great selection of very cool footwear from practical combat boots to knee high leopard spot stiletto boots.
The owner helped my wife find the perfect boots allowing me to step out of the back (where the boots are) and dig into the toys and cool stuff up front. If you are into Japanese gigantic monsters and robots, old cartoons, or 20's style coke advertisements, it is here. They have a great select of Zippo lighters as well as other cool collectibles. Bring a fat wallet because the top quality boots are reflected by their prices and the super good stuff up front is also quality and hey... you get what you pay for. 

Lastly a fat wallet is a must because its DANG hard to walk in the place and walk out empty handed.

Atomic City rocks... says me and says Godzilla...
4 - Jon S.: I think the guy owns this place must've collected all the swank punk gear he could find from SoHo in the 70's, then ransacked an Osaka toy factory, and then horded every piece of American midwest 80's kitsch memorabilia  he could find before settling down in Austin. Seriously... Speed Racer lunchbox? Gigantor toys? Robert Crumb postcards? Suh-weet. This is also possibly the only place where you can find designer vinyl toys in Austin, albeit a really sparse selection.
5 - J J.: This place RULES!!! James (owner) is the real deal!  I remember back in the day when he carried Doc Martins.....as soon as they got them at the mall and became cool, he sold them all at half price!!!  He just started carrying Dayton Boots, expensive but AWESOME.  Some really good stuff in there, I love spending my money to support Atomic City.  
If you really spend some time in there and look at some of the books he's got for sale....it can open you up to a whole new world that you may not have known about.  People, art, subcultures, REAL PUNK ROCK! 
Go in and just take it in.  The place is tiny, but there's lots there.  If places like this don't survive the growth and "progress" that is happening in Austin then it is all over.  Buy something while you are there, even if you don't see anything you want.
4 - Aaron W.: This place is amazing.

It really is.  You walk in, and are surrounded by toys, books, and clothing to your left, right, front, and above you.  Everything here seems to be an amalgamation of Rockabilly-1980s Japan-Gamma Go-American Pop Culture.  At the front of the store you are surrounded by shelves and shelves of toys that narrowly allow you to pass between them.  At the back, shoes, band t-shirts, and very limited runs of Tim Biskup hoodies line the walls and the ceiling.

It's easy to walk in, then get lost browsing through everything in the store.  It's like visiting a relative's house that refuses to throw anything away...and collects pure awesome-ness.
3 - Rachel K.: Tiny little shop stuffed with more stuff than one could possibly imagine. I went to check out the boot selection, after reading previous Yelpers' reviews, and was a bit disappointed, however. A couple fetish-y type boots, nothing too extreme. Lots of Fluevogs, lots of shoes, a few boots of the pointy-toe-witchy-goth variety, but not so many stompy-industrial-goth boots. The lack of buckles and shiny metal bits was not as I was led to believe, unfortunately. Otherwise, fabulous for browsing retro toys.
4 - Emily B.: Are you a Gama-Go geek? Godzilla more your style? Do you yearn for the days when punk was still controversial? Can't get enough odd rubber figurines? Fluevog fetishist? Go to Atomic City. Go go go. If you aren't one of these before you go, you will be when you're there. 

It looks like a little house. It IS a little house. And the proprietor knows his shoes. And his Gama-Go. And his other oddities. He will talk your ear off about shoes, if you want. He REALLY likes shoes. I didn't know from Fluevogs til I went there, and now I have both a practical pair of black pumps and plans for hoarding money until I can get some more colorful specimens. And while I get a Gama-Go discount from the company directly (did I mention I'm a Gama-Go geek and donated a lot of money to their storefront fund?), I have found old G-G stuff at Atomic City that is no longer on the Web site. Cha-CHING!

There is a respectable collection of Godzilla t-shirts and punk wear. (The guy is old school.) And spifftacular action figures, toys, and collectible figurines. My only complaint is that there's a limited selection of shoe sizes and other stuff, since the store is so small. And that EVERYONE is not there, NOW, making him rich. He has a freakin' Christmas photo from Ed Hardy, which shows the tattoo clothing art dude posing with Barack Obama. It made me feel less woozy about shelling out for the shoes. 

I want to buy just about everything there. And you should go, get your geeky chic on, and buy something. Seriously. Keep this guy recession-proof. Your karma will love you for it.
5 - Jeanna T.: This is an awesome little shop on San Antonio St. just a few blocks down(toward town) from the Dog and Duck Pub. It is truly a one of kind shop with all kinds of cool way-out-of-the-ordinary memorabilia, toys, unique shoes, shirts and what not. The man who owns it and runs it, Prince, is very nice and has discriminating taste for the unusual. My five year old son went bonkers in there, as well as myself, for all the fun rarities in there! Prince and I had a long discussion on the benefits of discerning taste, in particular my son's obsession with everything Godzilla, Ultraman, and old school Japanese action/monster stuff in general, and the importance of independent thinking. He's a great guy, and so is his shop! Apparently, he has been in business there since 1982!! I'm glad I found this super Austin gem, thanks to these keen-eyed yelpers!! Give Prince and Atomic City a visit, soon!!
5 - Misti W.: This store is amazing. 

First, the house it's in is lovely. I wish to own it. 

Second, he carries Fluevog shoes. He is one of *TWO* retailers in the state of Texas that carries Fluevog. I want to kiss him for that. 

He was patient with me as I tried on about 7 pairs of shoes, trying to find the right fit. He was also a font of information about who to see in town for shoe repair and/or modification. A bit quiet and just a smidge gruff, as long as you're polite and show a real interest in the product, I can't imagine the owner *not* being helpful. 

When I finally settled on a pair, I took a moment to walk around the rest of the store to take it all in. So much cool stuff. A Tomb Raider lunch box, Harry Potter figurines from the first movie, Zippo lighters, Blue Q beauty products, Alice in Wonderland bags; it was nearly too much to see. 

The next time I need a Fluevog fix, I'll be back!
5 - Loren D.: My sister just got me a pair of shoes for a house warming gift. Yes, I do think shoes are an appropriate house warming gift. Especially, these shoes. I don't think I have words to describe them. No, I don't have words. There is love in my heart for them though, and they came from Atomic City Shoes. I will be visiting Atomic once I get all my boxes unpacked. Maybe it's weird writing a review for a place I haven't been yet, but she told be about it, and based on these shoes, I think this is fair. Plus,  I have a friend who just moved, so I should get her a house warming gift. Well Well, I guess I'll be visiting Atomic City  wont I? Thanks, Sis.
4 - Mark L.: Just a cool store all around. Cool shoes, cards, toys, and stuff you didn't know was stuff until you entered the door. Especially weird Japanese toys.The shoe selection is particularly good for men and women. The specialize mostly in rock n' roll footwear and this is the place to go to find Fluevog shoes.
5 - Armando O.: This place is a gem in the state of Texas. Has a lot of different kinds of cool art books and other goodies.
5 - Kristin B.: Atomic City rules.  Most of all, because of the huge selection of Fluevog shoes.  Actually, when I went to this shop for the first time to purchase my first pair of Fluevogs, I left with another brand of boots.  Nonetheless, the owner (I didn't catch his name, but he's great) was very knowledgeable of FV's and it's great to know where to get them in Austin when I have the extra dough.  

This place is packed to the gills with all kinds of cool stuff - gifts, bags, cards, etc.  Really great themes - I got this great mermaid cigarette holder that I use for holding business cards.
4 - meredith g.: I've passed by this house many times on my commute, but didn't stop in until this weekend. Though intrigued, I'll admit i didn't really know what Atomic City sold until now. 

On Sunday at their amazing 50% off sale I purchased a pair of Fluevogs - Earth Angels - that are super comfy, perfect for walking, and cool.  I was indeed tempted by the derby swirls, to replace the pair i had long ago, but for now i held off. The store really has a vast selection of Fluevogs, from the more classic stand-bys to newer options. I am impressed.

The folks who work there are straightforward but also friendly, with an old-school punk vibe.  Besides the room of shoes they offer all sorts of tshirts (motorhead!), books, postcards, and gifts. I'll be back!
4 - Jaye J.: What's not to love? 

If you were to combine your little brother's closet, your grandparent's attic, a Fleuvog overstock outlet, the costume closet of a rockabilly band, and a 2nd hand bookstore and put them into a charming little house you might come close to the gems you will find in here. 

I found this hair dye I haven't been able to get a steady supply of in Chicago at Atomic City. This place is way too fun.
5 - Shannon O.: I can't believe I didn't know about this place for so long.  I work probably less than a mile away, but I've never bothered to stop.

Recently, I've been on a kick to upgrade my shoes.  I'm a women's 11.  Fifteen years ago, that put me in the tranny aisle of the store if they even carried any at all.  Fortunately, nowadays more and more people wear 11s so places carry at least a modest supply of them.

In my quest find fun high quality shoes, I ran across Fluevogs.  Most of the styles are crazy fun.  Whimsical, cute, functional and stylish.  I had found on their website that Atomic City stocks them (and apparently is the only place in Texas that does so) so I had to head over.

Generally speaking, I'm a hard foot to fit.  I have a very high arch as well as having honking huge feet for a girl so many styles are not possible because my foot cannot fit into them (i.e. ah, cowboy boots, how I lovingly look at thee...).

So, while I may lust at Fluevogs online, I have to go to a store to check them out.  

I wandered by Atomic City in the early afternoon today.  The toys are pretty darned cool.  I loved all the retro Halloween stuff for sale.  The man who runs the place was as nice as he could possibly be.  You see, I can't actually look at shoes.  With feet this big, you generally go into a place, tell them your size or style preference and then ask what is available.   He brought down what he had available and I tried them on.

I learned two things by this experience.  1) He only gets 1 pair of 11s per shoe style.  2) Fluevogs run small in the women's shoes so I really need a size 12 (which he doesn't carry).

Grumble.

However, all is not lost.  A women's 11 is also a men's 9.  This means that my freakish large chick foot is an average sized man's shoe.  Fluevog men's are equally just as cool as the womens.  Though I didn't find any today, I have been on a kick for a brightly colored wingtip shoe.  I want a black/blue, black/pink, or black/white pair.  

I happily looked through the mens and he brought down several pairs in the correct size that were inline with what I was attracted to.  The men's shoes run closer to traditional true sizes and the 9s fit like a dream.  I settled on a grey/blue pair of shoes that look like a bowling shoe and a rockabilly shoe had a baby.  They are super cool and extremely comfy.  I am so excited about these shoes.    They weren't cheap, but you are paying for quality.  The owner also told me how order them and where to go to have them changed out  in the city if I need the soles replaced.   

Atomic City was a great experience.  The shoes are great, the guy was exceptionally nice and knowledgable, and the toys were fun to look at.

I'll definitely be back in a couple months to see new stock.
3 - Samantha B.: Walking into this place gave me the feeling of visiting my grandmother in her single-wide during her afternoon nap: it was eerily quiet and the window A/C was blasting out some arctic temperatures. While this shop isn't a trailer, it is two rooms of a little house made seem tinier because they're crammed with stuff. If there are other customers browsing, be prepared to come uncomfortably close.

It seems like most people are drawn in by the Fluevogs, but I wasn't interested. I wanted toys.

What I saw was an interesting mish-mash of old and new toys, gadgets, and amusements. A little bit like browsing the wares at a garage sale held by someone with an affinity for things dark and foreign.

I didn't find anything I had to have, but it was a curious trip.
5 - Bobbyray D.: Koolest lil place that has odd and eye catching items... trully a gem in austin that has stood the test of time... Go and visit and let the owner tell you some stories of yesteryear..  Let me put it to yo this way. If you went in there not looking for something, you found it. nuff said
1 - Eisa m.: When we stopped by, it looked as if the store had closed for good. Just an FYI
5 - Robert B.: Astro Boy is dead, long live Astro Boy.

Atomic Tattoo Body Piercing - Austin, TX (30.2814219, -97.7412894) (University of Texas)
5 - Chuck E.: I wandered into Atomic one day while out to lunch and began browsing immediately, scanning the walls of artwork to see "what they had to offer."  I was greeted by Philip and he asked what brought me in. I explained I was in the market for a new tattoo and he asked what I was looking for.  (other then covering up a bad tattoo from another shop, I wasn't really sure) He suggested custom work and asked me to put together some pictures. I did and went back about a week later. We sat and talked for a few and he measured my arm for placement and told me he'd draw something up for me.  Well, a little time passed and he called me to come in and take a look. IT WAS FRIGGIN AMAZING!  Better than I expected and I couldn't wait to get started...

Anyway, I've been thru 2 sittings with Philip now and all I can say is this dude knows his business!  I get stopped constantly about my new sleeve and it's not even finished yet.

If you are looking for a new tattoo artist, GO TO PHILIP CORBIN!  His work is BAD ASS and he's a pretty cool bro.  He was able to take my vague ideas of a tattoo and turn it into an amazing piece of art... I've definitely found my new tattoo artist in Austin.
5 - Lori S.: Although I have yet to visit Shane at his new location, I've been going to him since he was at the Burnet Rd Atomic & followed him to his various other studios over the years before he returned to the new Atomic on MLK. He is an amazing artist & a great guy! He listens to what you want & will tell you if something can't be done & explain to you why & offer suitable alternatives.

To date I have more ink from Shane than from anyone else out there & will soon be going back in for more. Check him out. You won't be sorry!
1 - Howard H.: I'm not reviewing the artists at Atomic Tattoo here, though I've heard great things. I'm talking about business process (yeah, boring, but keep reading). I went to buy a gift certificate from the MLK location -- 'tis the season. I used a credit card. Within a couple of days my card company notified me someone had tried to use my credit card number for the same amount. Not acceptable, especially since my card company closed my account right before I went on a trip. If you go, pay cash.

Atomic Wings - New York, NY (40.8025243, -73.9565577) (Harlem)
4 - Dee B.: Loooovvvveee the set up of the restaurant.  Large with lots of seating and even a little separate seating area for waiting. Three flat screen TVs, Paid internet access...wifi (coming) and a great menu of wings, soup, salad and more. I tried the Jerk Wings which were spicy with a sweetness to it. Wings were a good size.  Not too small and not too big. Best wing place in Harlem.
4 - Devin J.: Good wings...but customer service could use a little improvement.  First the wings...I tried the BBQ and the Jerk BBQ.  I would give the edge to the BBQ...very good flavor and just the right amount of meat on the bones.

It's feels very much like a chain...there's no soul in those wings...but it's all good.

As for the customer servce, I called and asked if they delivered to my area and the woman said no...when I got there I found out I lived in the delivery area.   Also, they lost my order...so when I got there my order wasn't done.  The manager apologized, but it was pretty matter of fact...could have offered me a free dessert  or drink.  Lastly, I just watched the energy while I was in there...since my order wasn't done.  I witnessed the manager taking orders w/ a hint of attitude and the staff was generally confused...hopefully, it's just because the place is new.

All in all...I would definitely go back...I have low standards for customer serivce in NYC...but good food I appreciate and this was definitely some good eatin'.  Forgot to mention, the fries were ON POINT...I generally don't like waffle fries, but these were pretty good...probably not worth $5...but good.
3 - Aaron S.: Food: The wings were very good, they have two categories of wings, "sane" and "insane". Within these two categories, there are subcategories with increasing degrees of heat. I only experienced the insane category and had the abusive and nuclear options. There is one hotter option, which I did not try, but both abusive and nuclear were very good. They were spicy but not painfully so, although I think I have a fairly high threshold for heat. Their boneless wings, named "chicken littles" were disgusting, they were lightly breaded, which although healthier made them disturbingly chewy. They also were visually awful. 

Service: The service here is not the greatest. There is a counter to order food, but if you want to eat in, they apparently have a waiter. There is no need for the waiter system. You essentially tip for someone bringing you your wings at your table. 

Decor: Its a wings place so not much is expected. It is very clean, but also incredibly sterile. I don't want wi-fi computers in a place that I am eating. Also, there is no wood in the place, everything is white and black. Maybe it comes off better at night, but I felt that I was eating in a hospital cafeteria.
2 - Miss A.: ive eaten from the midtown location and it wasnt impressive enough for me to eat there again or for me to try their new harlem site.  the previous yelper was right in tht the chicken littles are strange and nasty.

when i saw they'd opened up a spot around my way in harlem i didnt go in.  something weird about it.  harlem is used to familiarity and there's nothing familiar feeling about atomic wings.


maybe if im bored enough i'll try the soup one day.

as blinding as the lights are i never see anybody in there so i guess im not the only one who feels this way.
1 - alvaro r.: It pains me to give this place such a low rating.  I love this neighborhood and would love if more restaurants brought their business to the area, especially on that avenue.   Sadly, this Atomic Wings location is all potential and no pay off.

I agree with the reviewer below  regarding the wait time.  I ordered a simple chicken salad to go when I went there a few weeks ago.  I sat in the very clean and modern space for about 30 minutes.  There was NOONE in the restaurant and as far as I noticed they weren't too swamped with orders.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time this has happened to me but it is the last time I stop in for a meal.

Also, it sure is a bit pricy for chicken wings.
1 - Crazy C.: So I have probably used Yelp for 3 years and I am thankful for all the yelpers that helped me get fat over the years.  So what has compelled me to finally post something on here, well, tonight I ordered some wings from Atomic Wings UWS.  Two hours later I am still sitting here without my food.  I have called this place three times and they keep telling me its coming.  What the heck, are they plucking the chicken?  

Based on the other reviews I thought at most I would have to wait an hour, but this is borderline ridiculous.  I am on the phone with them again as we speak, and now they are telling me 5 more minutes.  For anyone from Atomic Wings reading this review, you guys need to get your act together.  Two hours when there is not a Jets/Giants Superbowl game is just terrible customer service.
1 - Josh K.: CHECK YOUR ORDER TO MAKE SURE IT IS COMPLETE!!!

Their wings are acceptable.  Nothing great, nothing terrible.  Their service is garbage.  Completely garbage.  I live 6 blocks away, so I call in an order, get my shoes on and walk down the street.  Usually, even during dead times I still have to wait 10-15 minutes before it's ready.  

Then, the last two times I've picked up from there, they screwed up an order and refused to rectify it.  First time, they forgot to sauce an order of wings and left them plain.  They refused to bring us more sauce when their delivery guy went out again.

Most recently, they left out half my order of wings, which I noticed when I got home.  Again, I called and the woman said "we don't have no delivery person now."  I told them I'd be doing a Credit Card charge back.  She said "you do whatever the heck you want, I don't care."

It's a shame that the other wing place near here closed (for similar service related problems).  Atomic's staff just dont seem to give a crap.
1 - W M.: Terrible experience and the wings are disgusting and overpriced!
1 - Holden K.: I've ordered from them twice now.  Each time it takes over 60 minutes and the food is COLD.  I will never NEVER order from them again.  And I hope you don't either.  They really should close.  The other Atomic Wings are better than this one.  They are doing the chain a disservice.
1 - Scott H.: I ordered wings for the super bowl. I ordered them hours in advance for delivery hours later. They never came. I tried calling (30 times to be precise). They never answered. 3 hours after the delivery window, they called me asking if i still wanted them. i said, if it's free. the manager claims he was unable to do this. FOR REAL!?  

maybe if these wings were coated in truffles i'd still pay for them. but, they are just plain old wings with some sauce on top.

NEVER AGAIN WILL I ORDER FROM ATOMIC WINGS. AND SUGGEST YOU DO THE SAME.

dear manager,

if it is the superbowl, you need to be adequately staffed. that means, someone answering the phone. maybe you should staff double what you normally would.
1 - D G.: Unfortunately, my experience was really bad.  My food arrived really late.  The workers in the store were rude when I called and inquired.  Then, the phone was taken off the hook at the restaurant.  It was really disappointing.  Because of the service, it is likely that I will not order from here again.  My neighborhood could really use a good wing spot.  They need to focus on customer service as the number one priority.
2 - Dan T.: Overpriced ($10 for a small, not incredibly good buffalo calamari dish), rude/distant, and not too well-kept, I hope this chain closes up shop.
1 - Jennifer L.: DO NOT ORDER FROM THIS PLACE. 

My friends and I ordered delivery from this place and it took over 2.5 hours. When we called the store after an hour had gone by, the lady on the phone said he'd be there soon. Another 35 minutes passed, we called again and the lady says the same thing. We ended up canceling the order after waiting 2 hours. Half hour later the delivery guy arrives. Guess the managers didn't even bother to tell him that we had cancelled the order.
2 - NP N.: Where to begin.... the food is so, so and the service is unbelievably awful!    I have ordered the same meal 3 times and it has yet to be what I wanted.    Delivery... well they said 20 minutes and a full hour later it was delivered by a guy who didn't have change!  I can' t see them being in business for long.
4 - Marie D.: I use this place as my Blonies Fix for home delivery. If I could have it my way they would have the grilled tenders instead of the fried battered tenders, but as I can not, I still need my spicy chicken fix. 
They also do the Fries with onion rings combo, with some gravy and cheese on the side. So for a substitute this place rules. One word of advice. If you order from delivery.com you have to order your wings med and then get a different sauce on the side. It's miss priced at $5, instead of  50 cents. All I ever want is BBQ Medium Wings.
1 - JR E.: Last I passed it, it appeared to be closed for non payment of taxes.  That along with the fact that it never seems to get business only had me patronize this place once...and prolly never again.
1 - M P.: Not worth it.  Just Wing It (now closed) was alot better and reasonable.  You can make all of this stuff at home or I can make it for you.

If you have to order from here please have someone else spend their money.

Just keeping it honest.
3 - Michael W.: Welcome back!  Under new management.  The boneless garlic parmesan and jerk BBQ wings were super saucy. The owner threw in a fountain drink since he had his cook outside handing out flyers.  It is hard to tell if there is a social embargo or just piss poor marketing that keeps the place so incredibly barren. 

They applied for their beer license, but don't have it yet. 

With more food choices its block radius, Atomic Wings had better meet and greet the n'hood quickly, and deliver.
5 - Jason J.: Okay, so I really don't think this is a 5 star place, but I want to counterweight all the previous negative ratings that probably happened before the new owner took over.  

Also, while the upper west side probably has more sushi places per square mile than anywhere else in the country, there is a dearth of places to get wings!  Where am I supposed to go, Dallas BBQ?!?!?!

We decided to make the trek uptown and hope that the recent reviews about new ownership were true.  They were!  New owner was very, very nice (lets not forget that it is impossible to find a fast food place in NYC with even the barest hint of customer service).  

A major reason for us coming here is because we wanted HOT wings.  They let us try a few different sauces -- the hot sauce had a nice flavor, but the 'Abusive' was exactly what the doctor ordered.  I am of Indian descent -- like me some spicy food!

The place was empty -- they seem to do a lot of delivery business -- but was clean, played pop music, and had a lot of tvs.
4 - Brenda M.: My bf ordered take out and it was delicious. I especially loved the waffle fries. Yum! He ordered the boneless buffalo wings and while they were good I would have preferred them to have bones. The wings had a good amount of sauce but I would have liked them to be more crispy and spicier. Since I was not there when he ordered, I am not sure exactly what he ordered but they do have different spice levels that I know for sure. I would definitely come back again, maybe eat in next time when the mood strikes me for wings and FRIES! I loved the waffle fries! 

I have been wanting to try this place since I moved in across the street and after being closed for so long, they finally re-opened. I hope people give them a chance! Go on and try Atomic Wings, you will like them!
5 - David R.: I went there after some drinking @ Bier International. The restaurant was as clean as could be and the servers were very friendly. The food was good and very fresh! I had the abusive sauce. They let me try all of the sauces to figure out which one worked best for me and they made them extra crispy as I wanted. 

I was VERY HAPPY, and will definitely go back when I am in the neighborhood.
4 - Darin R.: I ordered food from this place and was pleasantly surprised.  I had the boneless wings which were very good and buttery.  The extra BBQ sauce was good, and unique, not just another KC Masterpiece knockoff.  I only wish the fries were crisper, but the "sogginess" probably comes from them being in the foam container and condensation.
 
The delivery guy was here in 20 minutes.
3 - David P.: Review for delivery.  No problems with the wait -- they were here in about 30 minutes.  I ordered a single wing order (10 wings), onion rings (which for some reason they call "onion fries") and a Chipwich.  

Medium spicy had a bit of a kick, but next time I'll order "hot," and if I'm really brave, I'll try their "abusive" wings.  The onion rings were standard.  Make sure to order extra dipping sauce or have a bottle of ranch dressing in your fridge for times like these.  

All in all, not the greatest wings, but they hit the hangover spot.  And, damn that little Chipwich was tasty!  It's a great counterbalance to the rest of the meal.

3.5 stars.
1 - Joe P.: When presenting my Google Offers coupon nobody there knew what to do with it, They called over a man who was there who turned out to be the franchise owner and he said "Oh, you're the enemy". I replied "I am a customer". I was very insulted and offended by this comment. I expected better treatment because I was the only person in there at 7PM on a Thursday night. The wings were average but were mushy. I must admit that sometimes I like them mushy. So if you like getting mushy wings and getting insulted by the owner - go here!

Check out my blog "Tales of a Flying Brick" for more details...
5 - Pop D.: i guess everybody orders delivery from here cause the place is usually kinda empty, but i know they hook you up good , the fried shrimp salad is tasty but could use a lilttle more shrimp,the garlic parmesan sauce is for acqiring tastes only (so if you like garlic then this is for you)
2 - Josh K.: Boneless wings were tasteless and 'abusive' sauce barely registered on the meter. The meal is expensive at $9 for wings, fries, and a coke, and while the service is good, there is literally nothing to write home about at this place. They could make a killing selling endless batches of waffle fries on the street though, since they appear to have a decent deep fryer.
1 - Corey S.: I just stupidly called Atomic wings to try and get wings delivered to 132nd ST. The guy on the the phone was incredibly rude and hung up on me twice before he finally told me they only deliver to 130th ST. The old Atomic wings had no problem delivering to me even if there wings sucked.
3 - Tom M.: I got the combo Suicidal boneless wings with fries and celery. Okay - so the wings aren't the greatest. Not super crispy (though maybe the bone-in  is better), but overall, acceptable. The sauce is tasty, though even my side of Nuclear sauce wasn't particularly spicy (a little disappointing).

The fries were great. Man do I love me some waffle fries. They were awesome smothered in the sauce!

Verdict: okay for lunch, if a tad pricey. You won't be thrilled if you're someone who's really into spicy wings. With so many variations of heat in the sauce I'm a little bit surprised by how mild it was overall and wonder if you could even taste the difference between low and medium.
1 - Lincoln H.: Well, don't order the Chipotle BBQ Chicken Wrap. It's not Chipotle and tastes like nothing. I mean nothing. Maybe soggy lettuce. Couldn't finish it. 
Caesar salad is fine, but how hard is it to mess up a salad?
2 - Kai T.: Ordered delivery. Arrived before the estimated time, which was still 40 minutes before it got to my door. I ordered the half and half wing combo with fries. The boneless//bone-in wings weren't anything to write home about. I'd take Pluck U over Atomic wings. The sauce although hot, that's all it was, it wasn't very flavorful, and somewhat bland outside of the heat. The fries were okay, probably good in the store. They weren't super soggy, but everything was just above lukewarm when I got it. 

If I want wings again, I'll make the trek downtown or wait till I can.
1 - T. W.: Harlem FDB was packed so went to Atomic Wings ordered the nuclear waste had a nice conversation with the staff, went home and turned on the game then..........blahhhhhh. When you open the container and see brown wings any wingmeister will tell you ....bland!!
Hot wings are red. Dont know if the kitchen messed up the order but the staff wanted me to walk back to change.........Not with the game on..unacceptable response.
Anyone know a real wing spot?
3 - Stephanie D.: I live around the corner from this place, and I just have to say - I go here for their garlic parmesan boneless wings because I'm a big wuss and I can't take anything spicier than that. And, I don't like bones in my chicken (huge affinity for chicken fingers and nuggets - it's just my thing!). 

I am in love with the combo where I can get 6 boneless wings, with waffle fries, a coke, and a side of carrots and celery and blue cheese dressing for like $8 with tax. That's my go-to meal when I'm heading back from the gym, even though I know I should be good. 

Had a friend also get the Suicidal Wings flavor, and I about drooled all over myself because the wings were too spicy.But that's me because I'm a wuss, as aforementioned

If you like crispy wings, or REALLY hot wings, probably not your scene. But if you like meat, with yummy flavor (garlic parmesan), and yummy waffle fries, hit up Atomic Wings! 

Also, wait staff is always smiley. I like happy wait staff, it just really helps with the experience!
5 - Brian B.: I recently ordered from this location. Didn't get wings this time, but I've enjoyed them in the past. I got the chicken-wrap combo. It tasted great, but I was very generous with the blue cheese. The fries were very good. I've heard about people raving about it in the past, but this was the first time I tried them. 
The delivery time was reasonable. In hindsight, I probably would have gotten my food quicker if I had walked over and ordered in person, but honestly I was just too lazy to leave my buddies house. Either way, the convenience is worth the short wait, and so was the food.
2 - Ria R.: This place sucks. Their wings were dry, not moist and delicious like they should be! Won't be going here again..
1 - M B.: I have had Atomic Wings at many locations and immediately loved it.  I was excited to learn there was one near my new apartment. I have been into this restaurant many times and the staff was always more than accommodating. However, they messed up my order several times and acted disappointed when I asked for them to fix it. The wings here are quite small and not as meaty as the other locations. The icing on the cake for me was about a week ago when I tried to order delivery from there through grubhub. I ordered the wing combo as I always do and asked to substitute onion rings for fries as I ALWAYS do. This has never been an issue. A lady from the store called me back to inform me that they don't do that. I explained to her that I have done this every time I have eaten there and she just kept coldly repeating no we don't do that. She didn't even offer to do it for a slight up charge. She then informed me that I had to call Grubhub to cancel the order. I did but only to complain about the service. Grubhub apologized for the inconvenience and got me a food credit for my next Grubhub order. The mediocre quality of the wings in addition to the attitude of the woman on the phone will prevent me from ever eating there again.  Atomic Wings  seems to be franchised as most of the staff here is obviously family.  They are negatively affecting the brand and while I may eat Atomic Wings again, it definitely won't be from this location.
1 - Andy B.: GROW SOME BALLS ATOMIC WINGS!!!

My previous review is still absolutely 100% true. I thought maybe I caught them on a bad day, but no, four months later it's still the same weak, not so hot wings.

First off, I don't think this location has suicidal sauce, but they won't argue when you order them. These wings are weak, weak, weak... I ordered 20 suicidal wings and they should be embarrassed selling these as "Hot" wings. 

I posted 5 pictures of before, during , and after helping these wings out with a bit of spice. I don't eat hot wings for my health, so if I order suicidal wings, they better make a grown man cry.

I added 5 different hot sauces, including Ghost Pepper sauce, and 3 different ground peppers, and these things are finally eatable.

So I think I'm done with Atomic Wings. I'll make my own from now on.

Atony Taxi & Limousine - Princeton, NJ (40.353682, -74.663469) ()
4 - Juliet T.: After calling around, it became clear that Tony's offers the lowest rates in the Princeton area. The driver arrived 15 minutes early, and provided swift service directly to Newark airport. The car was clean and comfortable. The best for the price.
5 - Matthieu D.: Very professional. Be aware that the price is $2 per supplementary person.
1 - Ciara D.: Charged me 40 dollars to go 4 miles
3 - Karen M.: I needed a ride to Princeton Junction at 5:45am on a Sunday morning.  I called a few places and Atony's had the lowest rate.  I paid $17 for a very short ride, which is NOT cheap, but the driver was a few minutes early (which I appreciated, because the train runs once an hour on Sundays) and was friendly.  

Reliable, punctual, and friendly enough.  Not cheap, but Princeton is not cheap, so no surprise.

Atrium Restaurant - Cambridge, MA (42.3717153, -71.1147202) (Harvard Square)
2 - Hana T.: afternoon tea. nice atrium. pretty teacups. airy room. hot location. harvard.sq.

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ok sandwiches. eww moldy berries. bad tea selection. poor service. empty room.
lots of cookies and no cakes. staff watching girls in bikinis on TV. Too in to it.
2 - Tom E.: "Tea in the Atrium..... leave the bustle of Harvard Square for a delicious meal" That's what the website says.

Really it should read more like "Tea in the Atrium... come confuse the lazy staff, end up in a large lobby with no-one around and a TV blaring out and eat some cookies that the chef probably just ran out to buy from Broadway Market"

Yes... cookies. Oh... and coffee was an option too. At afternoon tea?! IT'S JUST NOT CRICKET! (as we say in England)

In our mission to document the afternoon tea options around Boston this has easily been the low point. Sorry Inn at H^2... you sucked. Don't advertise Tea in the Atrium as a big tradition unless you actually do it quite often. I mean, the fact that YOU wanted to take pictures of US dining for your website tells me that you've never served full tea before.
Well guess what? WE were taking photos of YOU for our website... www.bostonteacup.com (check for a thorough review)
How do you like them apples/scones?

Nice chinaware, though.
1 - Olivia L.: Our department has breakfasts here for job market candidates in town for their day of interviews, so I've had breakfast here like 10 times last year.  

The food is has gone from average to horrible.  The only things that are pretty consistently edible are the waffle with berries and the smoked salmon plate.  Avoid eggs here.  

The service is just horrendous.  The atrium is a nice space, but if you want coffee, you might have to go over to the carafe and get it yourself.  One time, we show up and there are two groups from our department having breakfast at the same time, but they had decided to put us at the same table.   Imagine that you show up for a job interview and you and the other candidate are having an interview at the same time.  I got them to set up another table, but not without much tushing and shushing.  

I can't imagine eating here unless Harvard is picking up the tab.  It's just a waste of money otherwise.

Attitudes Bar & Cafe - Blacksburg, VA (37.231725, -80.431139) ()
4 - Patrick M.: Great food (they share a kitchen with Latitude's so you can order off either menu) and martini night is Tuesday. Not the best night scene as it is where the shady locals love to go.
3 - Rachel M.: Attitudes is a small hotel bar with a small performance area and dance floor. I've seen a couple of shows here and have had a pretty good time at both. 

The performance stage is small and low in front of a small dance floor and raised area surrounding it. It's a bit awkward to navigate - you can't get straight to the bathroom from the dance floor. The floor can get pretty crowded, and it can get fratty. There's a perfect space for those taping the shows, and the staff is friendly and accommodating - in general and to tapers. Beer is not too expensive. The food is a little more expensive, and passable but not fantastic. 

Both times I've been here, though, there's been some kind of preppy event at the conference room next door. It hasn't been a problem, I just thought I should note it.

I saw Donna Jean and the Tricksters here last summer and Railroad Earth here last night. Donna Jean was pretty good, though she played to a mostly empty house. Railroad Earth was fantastic, though. A small, intimate environment like this is the best place to see them.

Overall, a slightly inconvenient location but not a bad place.

Au Bon Pain - Cambridge, MA (42.3620988, -71.0845965) (Kendall Square/MIT)
3 - Roshni R.: convenient location for meeting people in kendall, but much smaller than the harvard sq location...the sandwiches etc are also not as good.  my most notable memory of the kendall abp is that they played vivaldi's 4 seasons *non-stop.*  my dad claims that the 4 seasons were playing continuously since his postdoc days in cambridge, and that's a damn long time to be listening to vivaldi....
4 - Amy L.: Same as every Au Bon Pain but right near MIT campus (Kendall Square) and takes Tech Cash - a huge plus for MIT students. I will get the tomato basil bisque anytime they have it here. It is the most amazing soup, just regular tomato soup but with sweet cream or something. Sandwiches and baked goods always seem really fresh.
4 - Richard F.: 3.5 for me but closer to 4 :P, it's a pretty basic place, fresh, kind of expensive for just a small sandwich and a drink  (like 8 or 9 bucks)
but it's still pretty good
it's good in the morning too for breakfast sandwiches...
4 - Brian D.: When I first moved to Boston, I had a really bad impression of ABP which dated back to the late 80s in DC.   Since I've been working at Kendall Square I've found that the quality at Bone Pain on Main is extremely high.  The pastries and breads are much better than I remembered, and this is now my #1 choice for quick breakfast on the way in to work.   I go in for an egg and cheese sandwich on a fresh toasted asiago bagel, but half the time the pastries are just too tempting.

The lunch sandwiches and salads are also quite good, though Rebecca's next door gives them an even run for the money.
3 - Ali O.: The food's decent, but expensive for bakery/sandwich shop fare.  Nothing out of the ordinary; coffee drinks seem to be wanna-be starbucks-y.
5 - Christiana R.: There is an Au Bon Pain on every single corner in the Boston Area I swear. It amazed me to the point that I had to try this place for myself. Honestly, I really enjoyed this place. The pastry selection is amazing! They have danishes, muffins, fruit turnovers, and every baked good imaginable...well it seemed that way to me...it's great! But I really enjoyed my sandwich. They have the typical deli menu but with different twists. Overall, a little pricey but very tasty!
4 - L-Train A.: This Au Bon Pain is one of the few decent places in Kendall Square especially for MIT Biz Schoolers since our cafe "The Refresher Course"  sucks ass.  Anyways, this place is really well managed.  The staff does a great job and they are friendly and keep the place clean and stocked.

They do things right, like toast your bagel and put the cream cheese on for you and then cut it in half.  I hate places where they just give you the little ramekin packages of cream cheese and a shitty plastic knife that you have to work hard not to snap on the cold cream cheese that has had some of the water separate out in a gross pool on top when you open it.  Also, their light cream cheese is probably neufchatel because it tastes great unlike when they try to make cream cheese diet.

I also often get their soups, and they have a computer screen in store where you can get the nutritional info on whatever you are getting.  They always have like 8 or 10 soups (some of which are even Vegan) and they tend to be pretty darn good.

ABP is not the cheapest place in the whole world, but come on people, you get what you pay for.
4 - Paul S.: I eat lunch here almost every day.  Green chili bisque, half turkey on a baguette and a juice.  

Unlike a lot of franchise sandwich shops, the food here is consistently good and the menu is updated with new soups and sandwiches fairly regularly.

The only caveat is that there's almost never a place to sit in the coop food court.  If you head here for lunch wait until 1:30pm or so when it starts to clear out a little.

Also, note that the guy who cleans the tables is excessively loud.  I think he goes out of his way to clang tables and chairs around to distract me from my book.
3 - Khalid S.: I love their pastries, tried their Cheese Danish which was one of the best I've ever had. Also, their pound cake is delicious, perfect with black coffee. The other day I tried something new, their Salmon Wasabi sandwich, which was interesting but not bad. Nothing like the good ol' Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese sandwich :) I picked a bowl of melon this evening from here... and it was the most expensive melon I've ever had. $3.14 for a little bit of melon! I think the place is a little expensive, but overall not bad.
4 - Erik L.: This review is about the ABP next to the post office, not the one in the food court.

ABP is good for three things:

1. Coffee. Its not terribly good, but its definitely potable, and the fact that you find them in a lot of places so you don't need to go to Starbucks, is a major plus.

2. Soup. What is it about soup? I love soup. What would this world be without it. Together with cheese it gets me through the day (and coffee). But I digress. I don't think ABP makes their soup fresh, but I do like it. This ABP in particular always has about 10 varieties on offer, and they rotate also. So you always get something you like.

3. Sandwiches. Yummy! Good bread and fresh ingredients, prepared while you wait. Tomato and mozarella....

Another good thing is that this place stays open late (at least 10pm), so you can hang out for a while, bring something to read, work, or study. They don't have wireless, that's the only negative.

Just to close, the ABP on Cambridge St in Boston is in some ways nicer - in terms of interior at least. They don't have as many soup varieties, and they don't stay open as long. But.... drum roll... they do have wireless! Free!
1 - B. B.: Urban Pain.

It takes talent to make coffee consistently both burnt and cold, but they manage.  At night, the place is a complete disaster, which is a shame since it's one of the few cheaper places to grab dinner if you work in the area.  Someone needs to explain to the employees that wearing plastic gloves doesn't mean you can then pick your nose or wipe your sweat before touching the food.
2 - Kate S.: The soups here = TERRIBLE
The sandwiches here = OK
The cookies here = GOOD
The hot chocolate = BAD
The service = GOOD

As a reminder, the soups = FREAKING TERRIBLE
4 - Nik O.: I usually get the chicken caesar wrap but it's always good without exception.  And the service is pretty fast, even when you get a special order sandwich.  I recommend it when you want to feel like you're eating healthy :)
1 - Lisa K.: meh...nothing special. I agree...burnt and/or cold coffee. The sandwiches are too expensive for what you get. Salty soups and bagged ice berg lettuce with some crap sprinkled on passing as "field greens".

The staff is ok- I find them to be somewhat rude and abrupt most of the time. Also, I absolutely hate the setup of the store- people are always bumping into each other- lines going every which way- it's just a mess and never any place to sit. 

Not worth the trouble.
3 - Brian M.: Oh BP:

I come in here at least once a week, more in the winter but I'd go somewhere else if I had a choice.  The food is ok; the hot sandwiches are good, the cold ones a little bland.  The Beef stew is not bad at all, and the breakfast sandwiches are pretty good.  The coffee is very good, even if the decaf isn't very.  Mainly though I come in for the soup.  I love their broccoli cheddar.  The rest of soups vary wildly, from the tasty to gruel-like.

That said, there's something about the place that really depresses me.  The staff always seem miserable & glum - you just get the feeling it's a crappy place to work
4 - R E.: Skip everything but the coffee and pastries, and it's serviceable. I had their "Morning blend" which usually sucks everywhere but this was a pretty decent Tarrazu. Very clean, no overextraction, no stupid filter taste. Actually, I enjoyed that cup of coffee more than any cup of coffee at a major chain ever.

The sandwiches, soup, and staff are all retarded.
2 - Dana L.: So I made an interesting discovery today. If you want to eat lunch in Kendall Square on a weekend, pretty much your only options are ABP and Cosi. Now I'm not clear why anyone would eat lunch in Kendall on a weekend (unless you are an MIT grad student and chained to your books), but if so, be forewarned.

So in the unhappy chance that you are marooned in Kendall on a weekend, you can either go to ABP, and get a lousy overpriced sandwich, or go to Cosi, and get a lousy overpriced sandwich and a bag of chips for the same price. Plus they have slices of warm bread while you're waiting, and some of the sandwiches are warm as well.

On one recent weekend day I was looking for something to eat, so I walked over to ABP (its nominally more convenient, and I don't love the free chips). I saw grilled sandwiches on the menu, so I tried to order one. The person behind the counter pointed to a small portable heating unit and said "they are in there." Pardon me for ranting, but I'm not going to pay $7 for a pre-made sandwich that has probably been sitting around for several hours. Especially when you can go next door and have a fresh one made. *End Rant*

So I'm glad that Cosi opened up, because the food here isn't really all that good, and maybe it will provide some much-needed competition.
1 - A T.: Awesome that they have the computer in store which lets you know the ingredients to every soup/item on the menu (hint - only one vegan item - the veg chili). Not so awesome that the employees don't pay attention to what you order.

I got a salad of some sort today - specified no cheese, no croutons. Things were going swimmingly until I asked for oil and vinegar on the salad. I got back some sort of vinagrette concoction. I asked another woman for soy milk - she handed me maple syrup. Eventually she figured out soy MILK.  

Whatever it was - maybe the soymilk was old - maybe there was something in that fake dressing concoction- but I'm now in the office, with a day full of work, sick as hell. Seriously - like food poisoning sick - and my day is pretty much ruined.

So no - thanks - even though it's a Kendall Square staple I'll take my $10 bill and time elsewhere - somewhere that I won't feel poisoned by meal's end.
3 - Beth M.: At the stroke of noon on a weekday this place becomes a huge clusterfu*k.  If I go I try to go a bit later, but even then...they clearly try to make things easier by making you fill out a form to order your sandwich, and having many cashiers and self-service stations...but the flow of the place is terrible...you have to walk through the crowd of people getting soup, coffee and pastries to order your sandwich or salad, then walk back through them to get to the cashiers???  Can't someone from nearby MIT re-engineer this place or something?

Anywho, cheaper than other options but still expensive...I enjoy that I can get a half sandwich...um...yeah.
3 - John L.: It is impossible to move around in this ABP.  The setup is small,  as many reviewers have noted, and it's very easy to accidentally bump into people, particularly at breakfast/lunch.  On top of that, they've never had brown rice for the Harvest Rice Bowls, even though it's on the menu sheet (I've asked for it a few times, before finally giving up and relenting to the white rice).

The people working here are nice enough though, and they seem to get the sandwiches out quickly and (at least in my case) accurately.  It's the standard ABP, but it works for lunch (and I've found it to be a better experience than its nearby competitor, Cosi)


UPDATE (4/1/08):  I should point out that they are remodeling right now, and the chairs do look nicer, and it seems to have a more restauranty feel in that area, and less of that cafeteria feel that it had before.  That being said, it is still tough to do anything when ordering, because of the lack of space in the food section.
2 - Jennifer M.: The set-up is so well thought out that it reminds me of the infamous intersection outside Alewife station -- and if you don't know what I'm talking about... it means it's ridiculously NOT well-designed. 

Add to that the crowds of cranky corporate lunchers and you've got yourself a grade A clusterf...er mess.

Plus, they can never keep up with the volume, so they are always running out of popular items.
1 - Adam M.: I used to go to this Au Bon Pain at least once a week for lunch, but its gone way downhill recently. I think they've recently downgraded their ingredients in an effort to cut costs or something, because they've quickly gone from mediocre to absolutely disgusting. Their sandwiches are flavorless and mushy and the salads aren't much better. The lettuce is borderline rotting, the tomatoes don't taste ripe, half of the chicken is slimy and fatty and the other half is burnt and dry. I won't even mention the rancid smell that hits you as soon as you walk in the door... oops too late. Let's just say... I'm not going back here any time soon. Take your $7 and get a sandwich that's twice the size and made with better ingredients at the Cosi next door.
3 - Hyun Y.: True story:

Me: Looking at the pre-packaged salads in their transparent plastic containers in the fridge "Hmm.... this looks funny, right?"

Manager who happened to be standing next to me: "What?"

Me: "This 'chicken thai noodle salad', it's missing chicken".
Manager: "Oh, why yes it is."  

While maintaining the same intonation and non-facial expresison, takes the container out of the display and hands it to the sandwich staff to insert chicken into the container.

I think this sums up the kind of service you get here.

Soup is pretty decent.  Lunch consisting of soup and a baguette fills me up for ~$6.50 which is not bad for what I get.  

Is it just me or does anyone else also get annoyed by their obsession to give me my receipt?? I don't know what they're trying to do with their "If we don't give you a receipt then your order is free!" gimmick.  I think it's just annoying and it's just killing more trees for nothing.  I also feel like I'm being rushed and feel sorry for holding up the line at the cashier, because the cashier usually proceeds to the next person in line just as he/she is giving back my change.
1 - Adam A.: Ugh.  Usually if I hate a place I don't usually bother posting, even if it's a place like this that has me as an unfortunate captive audience sometimes  (i.e., when I'm at work and need caffeine and there's nothing else open nearby in Kendall square)   But recent experiences at this ABP branch have made me finally vow to kick the caffeine addition.

A representative experience, from this afternoon: stopped in to get caffeine--it was a hot day, so I thought I'd try something iced.  The iced drinks (and all non-thermos coffee) has to be ordered from the same place as the sandwich line.  Stood in line for about 10 minutes watching two workers attempt to make two sandwiches for the people in front of me-- the main holdup seemed to be that one of them was completely stymied about what to do if she needed to make a small sandwich but had a large piece of bread.  Excruciatingly watched her contemplate cutting the bread into halves to make a smaller piece, putting it back, fetching it again, putting it back, asking her co-workers, getting a manager, and still not being able to figure it out after being told to cut it.  ???   Anyway, by then a bunch of other people had put their pieces of paper with sandwich orders up on the table.  Of course, there's no place on the papers for drink orders-- you just have to stand around and interrupt them to make sure they actually wait on you instead of grabbing new sandwich orders.

Order my drink (iced mocha), and after about 5 minutes, I'm handed a hot mocha.  Grrrr.  Ask if I can have some ice so that I can chill it myself-- they say no, they have to remake it, it will just be two minutes. I'm not really feeling like waiting to repeat this process, so just repeat the request for a cup of ice; no dice. Oh well. 

So go stand in line to pay.  Turns out that they're out of regular coffees, so the cashier abandons the register to grab some cups, go to the back, and bring out cups of coffee for the people who are standing near the coffee machine.  By the time I pay, it's been 20 minutes since I entered the store, just so I can pay almost $4 for a cup of hot mocha that isn't what I ordered.  And it's really bad coffee.

I used to be alright with them in a pinch, but honestly, I think this is it for me and ABP.
3 - Steven P.: The soup here is good, maybe even great! Also, the macaroni and cheese is really filling. I eat a lot, but even I can't finish the mac-n-cheese in a bread-bowl.

Their bread, despite the name of the restaurant, is only okay. Also, unlike other people I know, I don't really find their pastries all that appetizing. 

The service is decent and in trying to be pretentious they play tacky music and charge too much money for "fruit cups."

Also, the peach iced tea (basically peach flavored sugar water) is really good!
1 - Carla L.: The absolute worst Au Bon Pain I have ever been to. No one at the registers. No one making sandwiches. Two customers confused at the whole ordering process with no one helping them. Someone finally appears and tells them to just fill out a form.  Service totally sucked as well as the food. Only a handful of pre-made salads or sandwiches available to grab and go. Made the mistake of grabbing a BBQ chicken breast sandwich to go. It was nearly inedible. The bread was hard and dry, the chicken was rubbery, could not find the BBQ sauce on it. Why was there mayo on a BBQ chicken sandwich? Yuck.  This place gives Au Bon Pain a really bad name.
3 - Serena W.: West Coast cafes should all learn from ABP: supply a few more sockets and you'll get incredible business. 

Within the one weekend I stayed in Cambridge, I probably bought five meals here, just for MIT wifi. The best breakfast? My smoked salmon cucumber wasabi bagel sandwich. Everything else is like campus to-go food.
3 - Danan R.: Yes, it's a chain and yes, the service leaves much to be desired but nothing beats the 50% off bake sale every night from 7-8 pm (I think).  My friend and I used to bike the 1.5 miles from our dorm just to get the chocolate croissants.  What can I say?  We were hungry students in search of cheap sources of sugar.
4 - Christine K.: 3.5 stars rounded to 4 -- I first came to ABP a verrrrrry long time ago (think years and years ago) and that was the first and last time because it really wasn't all that memorable. Came by here for lunch the other day and it was generally satisfactory. A few things though:

-the entrance is honestly terrible because it is ridiculously crowded and difficult to maneuver if there're people going in and out at the same time. Annoying!

-If it's your first time here, prepare to be confused because I was and the lady there was not that nice either...

-Got the tuna garden salad, which was very large and came with a bread, which was quite happy about. However, many of the lettuce pieces were wilted.

-Corn muffin was yummy!

-Cashier girl was really nice and polite, and was the one who kindly informed me that my salad came with a bread and showed me exactly which ones I was able to choose from. (Yes, I really WAS a lost customer, wasn't I??)

-Salad + wheat bread stick, apple juice, corn muffin = about $11
3 - Michael P.: auh bon.. pohn..?  uhhh....coming from CA, I've never heard of such a chain. I guess it's a popular cafeteria-like place to grab a quick meal for lunch hour?  You've got your sandwiches, salads, pastries/baked goods, soup, soda, pasta...mmm some buffet style a la carte, etc.

The Chicken Pesto Sandwich is pretty solid.  It's got the obvious chicken & pesto, but it also has roasted red peppers, feta cheese, all served on Focaccia bread.  The bread was moist and the flavors melded together nicely.  There's nothing novel to rave about.  All I'm saying is that if I'm back in this place, I think it's worth getting again.
3 - Chris M.: Proper military based attach strategy is required before entering this place.  You have a crucial decision to make before you enter the doors.  Are you gonna grab soup and or salad from the grab and go area, or are you gonna get something from the counter?  

If you chose go to the counter, turn to page 98.
If you chose to go to the grab and go, then know to stay to the left of the store, dodge the cashier lines, and lines for fresh salads.   Weave through people getting fountain soda's.  It's a tight fit, but if you make it to the back, you're half way there.  You just got to make it out alive.

page 98. 
If you want a sandwich you have to track down someone running around w/ an iPad, and if you want a custom sandwich, you have to already know the closest numbered sandwich on their menu then mod it.  Note, that you will always get onions, if you ask for 'no onions' you'll get 'lite-onions'.  It's a flaw in the software.  If you want a salad, there's a line for that, but I'd go w/ the grab and go, it's quicker.  

Good spot to grab a lunch and go.
3 - danielle l.: This is certainly an interesting Au Bon Pain, as they take your orders on iPads. It's super busy here during lunchtime, and instead of using the paper pads to place orders, they have someone take your order on an iPad, which then sends the tickets to the kitchen (?) area.

I usually have ABP 2-3 times a week for lunch at work. The Arizona chicken, pesto chicken, and Hummus/olive sandwiches are my staples. The roast beef Montana is also decent, except it's loaded with cream cheese and the roast beef they use is really strange. ABP's best option is their soup variety, and you can get a small soup and half sandwich deal which is a good option.

They LOAD their salads with too much dressing, which is kind of obnoxious when you're trying to eat healthier. Especially the Cesar salad. There's more dressing than there is lettuce.

Also, cookies. ABP cookies are super sugary, but good every once in awhile. White chip macadamia...nooom.
4 - Jenny S.: i can never forget its clam chowder soup!
3 - Grant S.: Decent
2 - Jeff Z.: The food is fine, but the service is terrible on weekends. They act like the customer is their enemy (especially the manager lady). I got yelled at by the store owner for tripping on a chair they were using to prop the side door (which they unceremoniously instructed me to use because they were mopping the floor by the front). You'd think they'd be even slightly appreciative of the customers who pay for their food. But I guess not.

(Service is fine on weekdays)
3 - Fujiko D.: For a chain, Au Bon Pain is not so bad, and this particular one is a better option that that Express Au Bon Pain in the food court down the street.  I had the Arizona chicken sandwich once, and it was tasty.  It was a little dry, but this place is like up-scaled fast food so no one's complaining.  It had a lot of nice flavors.  I like trying whatever random soup they cook up. Soups are great most of the time.  Smelling them is a good way to judge if it'll be a hit or a miss.  They've missed a couple times, but not often.

Love timing it so that I get to the bagels when they are warm.  Mmmmm...

Soup + cheese bagel= lunch staple

They have free wifi and desserts that are a step up from donuts, but are probably worse for you.  But maybe not since they try to give the impression that they're more into the natural food movement than other places.

You should sign up for their email club.  They will send you a coupon for a free reusable coffee cup (filled with coffee) and a free sandwich or salad for your birthday.  Also, random free promo food coupons (rarely) and $1 off coupons.
1 - xiao p.: Not sanitary!

Used to go here all the time because it is right across the street from where I work. Until one day when I saw a MOUSE run out of the kitchen and right across the "restaurant"! Gross! Won't ever eat there again.
3 - Christopher B.: Their wraps are a bit too dry at the ends due to over-folding. I found a no-name place a few doors down (at 290 Main, across the hall from Rebecca's) that does a much better wrap, and is less crowded.

Today I got the Thai Peanut Chicken Salad, which sounded really yummy. Until I was eating it and realized it didn't actually have any peanut in it. The sticker on the bottom says "Thai Chicken Salad" and the ingredients doesn't list peanuts, so it seems there has been some sort of mix-up. Certainly it needed *some* sort of dressing. Yogurts could definitely use the option of some granola.

Excellent place to go if you are in the mood for a pastry of the sticky and sugary and unhealthy but oh so good variety.
3 - Leonid S.: Soups are great. Sandwiches are nice. Salads - OK.
3 - Shaina P.: i like getting a simple egg and cheese on skinny bagel at ABP.  It's a solid 320 cals and a simple order.  How many times can you screw this order up in a row?  Let me count...  I only pick on the young gal behind the counter.  Three visits in a row, my breakfast sandwich order goes awry.  Maybe people who order skinny bagels don't typically get cheese?  cheese has gone missing on all three occasions (corrected after the fact when asked).

i like the abp in kendall square (not the food court).  lots of soup choices, fresh salads, fresh sandwiches, pastries, cookies, KIND bars galore.  unfortunately, the space is cramped, ordering sandwiches versus salads is confusing and you can go minutes without even placing an order until you realize you could have walked right up to the counter for your salad order.

1.  order salad at the counter. (don't forget to push your way to the soup bar to grab your breadstick!)
2.  order sandwiches from the guy with the ipad.
3.  give up on iced coffee and iced tea orders because you have to go all the way to the back corner!
2 - Jon L.: Unlike some of the other ABP locations in Cambridge (Central Square and Harvard Square), this one gets a fair bit of through-traffic. If you're looking for a quiet cafe to read or study, try the Starbucks on Ames/Broadway or even better, Area Four a couple blocks down Main St. 

The lunch rush used to be pretty bad - and I'm not sure if it's actually improved, or if I've just lowered by expectations. 

Pet peeves:
-It's not cool to have half of your baked goods items out of stock by 3 PM.

Au Bon Pain - Cambridge, MA (42.3704077, -71.1135504) (Harvard Square)
4 - Jessica H.: Au Bon Pain in Harvard Sq. is the best. They have the largest outdoor seating area ever. And, you probably know this already, but the food is delicious. They have pastries and sandwiches and breads, everything! I like that they sell fresh fruit cups. It's a quick place to run and get something semi-healthful to eat. It's a little pricey for what it is, but I like it anyway!
4 - Jen J.: The cliche meets the unique here in this square in Harvard. There are people out playing the guitar, playing chess, reading poetry, alone, with friends, singing, dancing, festivities of all kinds. Great for people watching!!! You forgot that Au Bon Pain is really right there....but its oh so nice because you can still grab a coffee and a treat:)
2 - Aaron S.: If you feel like an overpriced corporate cup of coffee or muffin, this is the place to go.  Though the place itself is kind of ghetto, the outside seating is really a wonderful place to sit.  There is the chess master, who really is impossible to beat.  There is often a street musician to listen to.  This is a great meeting spot.
1 - Ellie L.: au bon pain is a microcosm of what the entire square has become; scraggly weirdos playing checkers and talking philosophy while munching on overpriced, unfresh snacks that are named by corporate yuppies  to give one the feeling he is eating something clever, international, and vaguely progressive.  if you want global, check out cardullo's; for coffee, peet's; and for a lunch deal, hit up grendel's under $4 menu.  don't fall into the abp trap!
5 - Jessica R.: Despite what another poster said I have got to disagree: old weirdos playing chess outdoors is the BEST THING EVER.  Don't buy anything from Au Bon Pain but spend some quality time in the gorgeous outdoor seating space watching chess masters seriously school some newbies.

If you want to play, drop some money to play a master.  Some of my friends play here every few days and they have learned a lot because of it.
5 - Seth P.: This is a very beautiful Au Bon Pain. It is massive with a selection that has something for everyone. The inside is built with a solarium seating area and the outside has granite tables in a beautiful setting. Near the seating area are stone chess tables where you too can challenge the "Chess Masters." But they'll beat you in like thirty seconds, so just enjoy you're lunch and watch the other's try.
3 - Jennifer K.: "How do you like them apples?"

A scene from Good Will Hunting was filmed here...
2 - Alice K.: The full-scale Au Bon Pain, with pastries, sandwiches and drinks available as late anything else in Harvard Square.  The outdoor patio (and in cold weather, the indoor patio) is covered over in chess players of all kinds.  If you can swerve around the occasional Harvard Square bum/weirdo/drunk, it's great.  :)
4 - Roshni R.: the harvard sq abp is a landmark (and the best abp, i might add).  it's a great place to meet up with people, particularly out-of-towners, and always a good spot to grab some lunch/coffee and take in the harvard scene (prepster students, drugged out drop-outs, and of course the chess-players).  i used to spend hours here freshman year when i was depressed by mit and kept wishing i'd applied to harvard (of course, i got over that quickly :P).
4 - Pat T.: Au Bon Pain's outdoor seating is one of the defining elements of Harvard Square. You can watch the chess sharks play, or just sit with your croissant and coffee and talk. 

The Au Bon Pain also (last I checked) has a public toilet, a rarity in the Harvard Square area. Someone on staff must labor mightily at keeping it clean - a Herculean task in the original sense.
3 - annie k.: OK, good for the price.
4 - Anna S.: This au bon pain is particularly good because of the location.  Grab a safe and good sandwich from the bakery and then enjoy a game of chess, or just people watch.
5 - Cassio P.: I haven't been here for 9 years, but I still remember it fondly.  It was a great place to get food and chill with friends.  Being woefully underage at the time, I really couldn't be too picky about hangout venues.
2 - Mats K.: It's an Au Bon Pain.  They are all the same.

Its a boring replicated chain of coffee/sandwich shops.

It may be your thing, but I prefer the local flavor.   I'll happily walk 10 minutes down the road to the 1369 Coffee House on Mass. Ave.
1 - C. W. P.: After working in the square for 6+ years, I loathe this place. The bottled juices cost over 2.00 and the same pastries at this location are more expensive than at the APB three blocks toward Central square. The lines are disorganized, the coffee is sub-par and the sandwiches are poorly made and over priced. Man, I really hate this place. I might go there if I was starving to death and there wasn't any place for miles around, but I would still hate it. Wow. That feels really good. I'm so glad I could get that off my chest. God Bless you, Yelp.
3 - Hana T.: You know Au Bon Pain.  Who doesn't?

I only go here for the free bathroom.  The only things I like there are the stone tables outside, well, that and the free bathroom (being in Harvard Sq).  When you gotta go, you gotta go.
4 - Jessica D.: What I LOVE about this ABP is one thing: it's OPEN until 2 a.m. EVERY NIGHT! That means space and light and unobstructed loitering with books until the wee hours, with good fresh food available, should you want it. Another great thing is this: you needn't purchase anything at ABP to sit on their patio or inside at one of their many tables--nobody minds. Personally, I like to grab some fantastic bubble tea around the corner at the Boston Tea Stop, and bring it over to ABP to enjoy with a bagel. Great for late-night studying and/or writing. 

I really don't have much to say regarding the food or beverages here. They are, on the whole, very good. Personally, I think it is fantastic that they bake fresh bagels/pastries all day, because I can count on getting a very good bagel for about a dollar even late at night. I particularly like the honey 9-grain (or is it 8-grain? It's less than 10-grains, in any case) with some butter. It's slightly sweet and fairly substantial, without being dry or chewy. (I'm a bit of a bagel connoisseur, if you couldn't tell.) There are many other good things to eat; but, as I said, the food, while very good, is not the key point here.

I really wish there were more non-bars open past 10 in this city (Boston-Cambridge-Brookline--I mean you!), and I would really prefer to have one nearer to my apartment in Coolidge Corner, but more power to ABP for filling the much-needed role of late-night study/food/coffee place in a city of students (who are typically renowned for late-nights).

Two slight downsides/oddities to the place: First, it often smells a bit of cheese, which I don't consider to be the most appealing smell for a cafe, but it's never overpowering. Second, the late-night regulars--predominantly older men, who are a bit "off". They're old, occasionally a bit smelly (or is that the general cheese-odor?), occasionally OCD, but essentially harmless. 

--Actually, to look to the shinier side of this coin, these guys, along with two "groups" of regulars, provide great opportunities for speculative character studies, should you like such things: the first group being the scruffy (working class? unemployed? crazy?) 50-somethings who talk rather loudly at one another (none of them are particularly good at listening) about ridiculously mundane things; the second, the hardcore late-night chess dudes, one of whom is a portly man with a penchant for extra large iced coffees and ruthless trash-talking at the chess board...   ---Any additional observations on the ABP late-night crowd would be welcome, and amusing.
1 - Orville J.: Surly and inattentive staff.

Substandard and overpriced food.

A "free" bathroom that you have to go through a CIA security clearance to use. 

I wouldn't piss on this place if it were on fire.
2 - Tom E.: pain au bon pain au bon pain au bon.... for ages I thought this place was called 'pain au bon' because of their sign. It took the several months between my interview trip and moving to Boston before I realised, but for me it will always be 'pain au bon'.

Anyway, Pain Au Bon is a crap coffee chain. I was immediately annoyed at the 'Paris, Milan, Washington, Chicago, London, Vienna...' signs all around the exterior. I've never seen a Pain Au Bon in London, Milan or Paris. Are they at the airports?? I guess it's a typical marketing gimmick - let's call it placenamedropping.

So of all the Pain Au Bons there is, this Harvard one is probably the flagship one. Just like the others the decor, ambience, service, food and coffee are bad to mediocre and it is a little overpriced. Starbucks is a much better coffee chain (if you must do chains) and sbucks probably gives a hell of a lot more to charity and the environment than ABP. For me, the chain is one star at most, but as this branch has such a good location for people- and chess-watching it goes up to two stars. It's a shame a better cafe doesn't own this great location.
1 - Anne H.: Ah, Urban Pain.

I recall that their pain au chocolat was pretty decent. Otherwise, get your Harvard Square coffee elsewhere. 

This branch always seems to be kinda dirty, but that might be more the fault of the massive influx of Harvard Square hanger-outers than it is the restaurant's.

P.S. The "How do you like them apples" scene was filmed at a Baskin Robbins on Bow Street (no longer there), not at ABP.
5 - Sarah T.: FIVE stars for hooking me up! After walking a full day in America's Walking City (did I get that right there? help me out Boston Bean boys), I was freakin' pained of thirst. But my brother and I were pretty tapped out, so we decided to split the most colossal size soda they've got. Well, it's no Big Gulp, so we finished it in the span of five minutes. What to do now? The menu signs said 'no refills'. So my smart little brother goes to the side of the service bar and sees this little worker with an apron chopping up bread with a knife. He doesn't speak English. 

Brother: [low voice] Pssss! Hey!

5' 4" worker: [turns head to look at Brother, looks puzzled] Eh?

Brother: Hey man, here's my cup. Can you fill it?

5' 4" worker: Umm...[looks to see if anyone is seeing all this]

Brother: [quickly] Hey, HOOK ME UP!

5' 4" worker: [scared of 6' tall Brother] [grabs cup, looks to the left, looks to the right, then refills drink]

Brother: Thanks man.
2 - Lindley E.: This landmark strikes fear in my heart every time I walk near it...memories of high school and college come rushing back - never the good ones. During high school we used to hang out here...brenden once pretended to have a seizure while a busker was playing and several people rushed to his aid. Embarrassed, we ran away quickly.

The food? Hmmm. Well, it is fine....I prefer it to Panera. But is that really saying anything?
3 - Beth M.: This is for all Au Bon Pains in general...definitely an okay chain if you must eat at one.  Sandwiches are always decent, if a bit bland...no surprises.  I've never been crazy about the coffee, but it's drinkable.  They do always seem to have really great soup, and alright bagels.  I can think of far better options in HSq, but if you're at the airport or something, and don't have much to choose from, the yellow Au Bon Pain sign can be a welcome sight.
1 - Ellen W.: How to piss me off in the morning:

1. When I order my food and explain what I want slowly, you cut me off by saying, "hold on hold on" and give me a sharmy attitude.

2.When you're done being a cuntrag and have taken my order, you proceed to tell me that the bagel toaster is broken.

3.After I order a latte (no, I'm not one of those sqeelly, talk on my phone about my recent pedicure RETARDS) she gives me my receipt and in no way show me where to wait.

To make a long story short, someone turned around from guffawing with another coworker, saw my drink order, and finally made it. Thanks bud.

So I went to the one across from my work instead. The one I always go to, and will KEEP going to after witnessing this earlier unholy mess.
1 - Michael L.: It's McDonald's on foccacia, except more expensive and not as tasty. The only thing you can taste in their sandwiches is the sauce. 

I watched the girl behind the counter make my Arizona Chicken sandwich. I saw what she did. I know their secrets. 

The bread was hard, there was one measly piece of iceberg lettuce on it, orange cheese, three "slices" of the tiniest, crappiest tomato ever. Then she squirted it with a bottle of red stuff and !voila! here's your piece of shit. 

$6.50 please.
2 - Andrew M.: MEH.

I realize that ABP is meant to be someplace to grab a quick bite, and is not fine dining.  The food is consistently OK (but never great...even for a quick bite).  The service is consistently bad.  

The last 3 times I've gone in, I've ordered one of the "standard" sandwiches,  but with some small change--different bread, no mayo.  For some reason, this caused the sandwich maker to call an all-company meeting behind the counter to figure out what to do with my sandwich.  I don't understand why not putting mayo on my sandwich is a life-altering decision for these people.  

If that wasn't enough, nobody ever speaks.  Unless the manager is nearby, its unlikely anyone says "Hello", "Have a nice day", or even "That will be $7.99".

The food gets 3 stars....but the people & service only get 1.
3 - David H.: I kinda dig this particular Au Bon Pain, simply because of its atmosphere.

Now I don't really care for ABP's food; I feel like most of their stuff is overpriced and it's not filling.  I only really go if I feel like I'm having a "fat day".  But that's beside the point!  Sometimes a place catches your eye simply because of the atmosphere, and this place definitely succeeds in that sense.

The outdoor patio is bustling with activity.  There's a good number of tables, so it's normally not an issue to grab a seat.  It's located at the Holyoak center right on Mass Ave., a haven for shopper and student pedestrians, making this an ideal spot to just "people watch".  There's also chess tables if you're game.  The outside is essentially a nice place of zen to just grab some food or coffee and chill out.

I don't recommend the inside at all, since the space is narrow and it gets annoying having to sit in tight spots.  Order your food, wait for it, pick it up, and go outside and enjoy the nice weather!  For late spring, summer, and early fall, I definitely think this is a great spot to unwind at.  Any other time is not recommended.
3 - Justin G.: The food was good for a chain restaurant.  Coffee was also tasty.  I imagine the place gets pretty packed on a weekday.  It wasn't exactly quiet on a Sunday morning, but not so busy either.
4 - Meghan P.: Good Will Hunting made this place famous... Mini Driver and Matt Damon shared their (spitty) kiss here at one of the cement chess tables. Remember when you could see the spit between their two mouths as they pulled apart?

Au Bon Pain has yummy sandwiches, salads, and juice beverages. It's also very conveniently located near Harvard Yard. What is the deal with the slight smelliness and messiness though? Oh well, at least you feel like you're part of Good Will Hunting when you hang out here...! The friendly homeless man out front who talks to passerby's is pretty iconic too!
1 - Anna L.: OMFG! Blech. 

Au Bon Pain continually fails to impress me and the one in Harvard Square is undoubtedly the worst branch of the entire chain that I have ever been to. The food here is lackluster to say the least and the store itself is just plain unsanitary. I understand that there's a large homeless population in Harvard Square, but it seems like there is some magnetic quality about this Au Bon Pain that seems to attracts anybody within a 100 mile radius who hasn't showered in the past month. 

For one of my classes, our project group met at this Au Bon Pain, and the entire time I had to listen to some dude diss us because we were "trying to save the world with our academic bullshit." Oh, and apparently I'm also "an asshole who needs to get a real job" according to this guy. WTF. Like he's saving the world by spending his day ease-dropping on people's conversations and acting like an intrusive jerk?!

I almost caved in and bought an overpriced baguette just so I could bop this guy over the head with it!

Lastly, are people shooting up in the bathrooms or something?! THE MOST UNSANITARY restroom in all of the Greater Boston area. Excuse me while I run across the street to CVS so I can buy myself some rubbing alcohol to bathe in!
2 - Jessica L.: This place is totally hit or miss. When you need something carb-y and are in a rush (or it's 1 am), then ABP is a glorious haven in the wildnerness that is a bitter cold windy Harvard Square on a weeknight. Wait, except that all the pastries are stale and empty and the only people left in the building are homeless and unbathed.

Then again, sometimes it's early on Sunday AM and you can only get a hot breakfast....oh wait, Dunkin Donuts would be much faster and cheaper.

Eh. Super eh. If you go here I would never touch the door handle or trust that the coffee would be fresh. If you're desparate and in a rush, then I would go if there's no line. Even then, the surliness of your cashier might put you off.

To be fair, the last time that I went I hadn't eaten in 24 hours and my cashier was very nice, the sandwich was delicious, and it took 7 mins (I was in a rush). Hooray!
1 - Eric S.: The management is rude, and the food is terrible.  I wouldn't eat it again even if you paid me to do so.
4 - Alyssa F.: Most of the reviews and pictures here are actually for the 1360 Mass location at the Harvard Square T stop.  It's an unfortunate mistake because this store is at 1100 Mass Ave (see map) and is much nicer than it's dumpy Harvard Square counterpart.   I can barely justify the 4 stars, but within the realm of Au Bon Pain, it's well managed, clean, and quiet.    
There's free wireless, fresh coffee, and a pretty little Somalian girl at the register in the morning that always greets you with a smile.  The baked goods are standard Au Bon Pain, but less picked through.  Afternoons and weekends are generally quiet and you'll see the same group of slightly eccentric characters all the time.  
There's the aging hippie relating stories of acid trips to his slightly younger coffee companions.   
There's my crazy neighbor searching for an electrical outlet.   She knows no boundaries. The pair of legs under the table won't stand in the way of her head or hands. 
There's the professor with his 6 or 7 year old daughter.   He quizzes her on quadratic equations while they share hot chocolate and danish.    
And I am there too, eavesdropping with my Breakfast Blend and Orange Scone.
1 - MsT K.: I never see soap in their bathrooms so, I'm not sure how the staff are washing their hands...Enough said.


Oh yea that staff is nice and the service is good. It's always crowded (seat wise). But yea...Methinks not.
4 - Greg C.: Amazing selection of healthy food.  Most things on the menu have nutritional information printed in the description.  If they don't, there's a kiosk that has everything.  I just don't understand why there are SO MANY TABLES crammed into this little place?  Also, why are there birds flying around inside?
2 - Robert D.: It is what it is - better than Dunkin' Donuts, but short of really good food. If it wasn't close, I'd never come in, but that makes it sound worse than it really is. Soups are fine, sandwiches a buck too much and salads a bit too pricey, too. The small pre-packed to-go items are a nice addition to the menu (for example, tomato, watermelon and mint salad) but are far too expensive. I'll have better choices on my Cambridge lunch list once I get around to adding them.
3 - Jon F.: I'm not sure how and I doubt it's anything healthful, but ABP has figured out how to make some tasty hot sandwiches. 

I often stop by the Cambridge location after taking the red-eye into Boston for H-Y. Would be ****, but minus one star since Lou Dobbs was sitting next to us last time and we could smell his xenophobia oozing over to our table.
2 - Grace S.: Pros: It's open until 2am. Do you know how many places in Harvard Square are open until 2am? (......silence......crickets......) Oh that's right I'm sorry, IHOP.

Cons: Such crappy food. Inexcusably crappy. And if you're a girl, don't go alone late at night, unless you want to find yourself in a conversation with a 55-year-old inebriated crazy Pete.

Balance: CONS

BOTTOM LINE: I don't care how awesome Harvard Square was in the 60s. In the 00s, it's lame -- and the fact that the only late-night grab-a-bite option here is Au Bon Pain exemplifies why.
3 - Johanna L.: Pros:
- I like most of the wraps and they have tons of different soups.
- I think posting the calories in each sandwich is amazing! (I would never have gotten what I ordered otherwise)
- There is some outdoor seating and I probably wouldn't mind studying at a table, when it isn't too busy

Cons:
- The service can be really slow. The guy today was super slow and frustrating! He made our sandwiches and rung us up and couldn't remember what he made us!

I want to like Au Bon Pain but basically never go here unless I'm in the airport and it's the least worst option. That probably says something.
3 - Max K.: If the map and address are right, this page is not for the big ABP at 1360 Mass Ave right near the T-stop, but the smaller one at the meeting point of Mass Ave and Mount Auburn St. in the direction of Central Square.  These comments are about the latter .

This ABP gets props because it usually has easily available seating and is relatively convenient parking-wise.  A good place to buy just enough to justify sitting for two hours with a laptop or a conferent.
2 - Julia M.: Does anyone actually go here?  I think that ABP in general has zero value proposition.  The coffee is inferior to Starbucks and Dunkin.  There's nothing particularly interesting about the food or pastries.  Not a fan of ABP, though this particular location is no worse than others.
3 - aland f.: Hmmm, the one thing I like about this place are the cinnamon raisin bagels toasted with one of their gourmet cream cheeses... Ridiculousness. Otherwise the place is easily forgettable... Except for the wonderful outdoor area which is killer in the spring or fall. 

Some of the harvard "crazies" sit around here.... You know, the uber-intellectual-former-professor-who-had-a-mental-breakdown-and-now-plays-chess-for-money types.
4 - James B.: As someone who works in Furniture Square, this place is perfect for a quick in and out 15 minute lunch for those days when I'm too busy to actually take a real lunch break.

There are usually no lines, the people working there are friendly enough, and there are a surprising amount of choices for such a small place (including the new and excellent black bean burger).  In winter, this store is perfect for a cheap thing of soup as they usually have about 8-10 different self serve options available, which is a decent selection.  

Did I mention this was self-serve???  As someone who grew up trying the endless amount of various concoctions you can make by mixing Mountain Dew with Root Beer, Dr Pepper, Orange Crush, etc at Burger King growing up, I'm basically fascinated with the idea of finding new combinations of things readily available at fast food joints.  I finally hit on a great one at ABP recently: Mac and Cheese and Veggie Chili.  I had been a big fan of both for a while, and was leaning towards the M&C this particular day.  But, while it's delicious, it is a little on the bland side if you get it solo for lunch.  I try to spice it up with the limited resources there (salt and pepper basically), but that day I kicked it up a notch with delicious results.  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
3 - Alvin C.: The Saturday crew is amazing!  The rest of the week is decent.  The salmon wasabi dill bagel sandwich is 100! (That means damn good!)

The coffee is good too.  I got a new coffee maker for Christmas so I don't run across the street just for that anymore, but until I start baking my own bagels and buying tons of cured salmon, you will see me over there.

They also have free wi-fi.  If you have a problem with it very few people working there can help you. Call the wi-fi company.  There info is usually on one table or it comes up on your computer when you try to log in.  A local company will answer and reset the connection.
3 - Brian D.: They generally make a pretty solid sandwich, but I am consistently disappointed by the small amount of meat they put on a sandwich that they charge such a high price for. For example, one slice of prosciutto was put on my prosciutto sandwich once. Add chips and a drink, and you're over $10.

I will say that they're baked potato soup is solid and the sandwiches usually taste good, too. I just wish the service was a bit faster and the food wasn't as expensive.
1 - Laura T.: I hate ABP. It smells bad, the food sucks, the tea is weak, the coffee is bitter and the employees are painfully grumpy and unhappy. 

This one is particularly grubby. It's only saving grace is the outdoor seating in the summer time. But, you don't need to buy anything from ABP to take advantage of this.....
3 - Sara H.: ABP in Harvard Square is a landmark of sorts. If you would like to observe the socioeconomic spectrum that populates the Square, this is probably the best place to do it. You have your typical Harvard wasp-y types, working away on their Mac books. A good mix of international visitors and students. The chess players. And the homeless. All in the same space. 

The food, to be perfectly honest, is underwhelming and over-priced. But this is a fine place to stop for a cup of coffee and a conversation. It's also a good meeting point for other ventures as it stands out prominently in the Square and is in view soon after your step out of the T.
3 - Anna C.: Weird setup for a cafe. Yummy and decent prices. Comparable to a Panera Bread.
3 - Perla S.: I go here because it is conveniently located next to the T and Harvard. They make a good latte and they have a variety of baked goods, salads, sandwiches and soups. It can get crowded especially in the winter time when everyone is trying got keep warm and it can be hard to find a table.

One thing that bothers me is that in the evenings the cashiers often wander off and the registers are left unattended. I then have to go look for help just so that I can pay for my coffee and leave. It can be annoying if you're in a rush.
4 - Steven D.: Sara H sums it up better than I can or will.

Clearly, it is an Au Bon Pain and I never go to another one, but this one my fiance go to most weeks after Mass.  Oddly, there is a good atmosphere.  Old folks going there as a regular thing, a few troubled people enjoying a non-judgemental atmosphere, a few scholars and a rather snooty Brit when I am there.

Somehow, it is rather nice.
2 - Phil K.: I come here more than I should. The food is great, and I enjoy the atmosphere. What keeps me from coming is that the wait time for a simple egg and cheese exceeds 20 minutes almost consistently. Management does what they can do and I truly appreciate their effort. Try as they may, their energy and motivation is always lost on their employees, who are slow, lazy, miserable and who obviously hate their jobs while failing to make any attempt to hide that fact. Their operational incompetence is where I place the blame for such sluggish service that is a hallmark of this particular location. I'd really like to see new cashiers and sandwich bar people that don't keep me waiting for my entire break and who might want to hustle a bit. That way if it's slow, it's because they are actually busy, and not just because they are bad workers.
1 - Erin G.: Hey guys, I'm pretty sure your veggie cream cheese is rotten (8/22/12), and you should really still toast bagels people ask you to toast; even if you only have one girl making food during the breakfast rush. Wait-maybe you should have more than one girl making breakfast sandwiches during the breakfast rush.

Au Bon Pain - Providence, RI (41.827804, -71.400373) (College Hill)
4 - Jennifer B.: I think this is a very reliable place to grab breakfast or lunch on Thayer. It does smell funny sometimes and I wish there were napkin dispensers in more than one place, but the food is the same no matter which location you're at. The asiago cheese bagels rock so hard I could live on them forever and be happy (toasted with butter). The tomato basil bisque is totally yum. The salads and sands are nice but expensive. They should offer a regular brew iced coffee other than French, which is too strong for me, or vanilla because I like my coffee to be coffee flavored. The pastries are quite nice, they have free wireless, and it's always a good temperature inside.
4 - LU A.: There is something extraordinary about ABP's hazelnut coffee and cheddar bagels. (Maybe I should try the Asiago cheese ones too!)

Service is occasionally unsmiling, but always speedy and professional. Wi-Fi, large windows, and a variety of ways to sit (booth? high stool? long table? round table?) are pluses.
5 - Nicole B.: By far one of the bet Au Bon Pains out there. The people who work here are actually nice and friendly in addition to the yumminess that exists here! 

I came here once for an Asiago Cheese Bagel toasted with butter but none were to be had! The girl behind the counter was nice enough to tell me some were coming out of the oven in 5 minutes if I wanted to wait. She even suggested not toasting it because hot out of the oven bagels are just to die for on their own. She was right!
3 - Madeleine H.: Madeleine's Thoughts

Au Bon Pain is always a good staple. They have good bagels, good sandwiches (the pesto chicken one is nice), good side salads and crackers, and ultimately everything is good.

But "good" isn't a word I use to describe my favorite of anything. It's a nice place (again, nice ain't a great word) that is always kept at a nice temperature, it's in a convenient location for college kids, it isn't too overpriced, and they do have free wi-fi.

Will I return? Sure. But if people visit me is my first instinct going to be "OMG! You HAVE to go to au bon pain with me because its the best thing everrrrrr" ? I think not.

It's a chain that is popular and is good.

"good"...
3 - Susan L.: This place is open pretty early compare to the other food places around the area. The food is overpriced and there is nothing special about it. The chicken noodle soup tastes alright. They ran out of certain types of bagel and the person forgot to make my friend her smoothie. The place is comfortable for you to sit around, have a snack and use the free wi-fi on your device.
5 - Saurav S.: This location has nice facilities if you are in the vicinity and need a place to work or study without any interruptions. They have a couple of booths which have a large enough table to fit your textbooks, your laptop with additional room for beverages and food. 

The food here is always fresh and tastes great. My favorite sandwich here is the salmon wasabi sandwich, paired with a broccoli cheddar soup. Cofffee flasks are refilled at regular intervals and I like that I can see when the coffee was brewed. 

Staff here are friendly and unobtrusive and you can always see them working hard on something or the other, pausing every now and then to greet people coming in/going out.

There's a Starbucks from across the street, but I find it to be a bit crampy (especially with my books and laptop) and I prefer the spaciousness provided by Au Bon Pain. Also, the coffee is as good, if not better.
3 - Glaciala A.: Tasty pre-packaged salad, although I didn't notice until after I walked out that there was not salad dressing in the actual package. A lot of tables for studying and for doing work. The sandwich was meh, I've had better.
4 - Cindy L.: This Au Bon Pain is managed by a native Kenyan who always wears nice dress pants, a blue dress shirt, and a very inviting smile. The people who work here are very nice, always calling me ma'am or miss after each sentence when speaking to me behind the register. I give the sandwich artists, bagel masters, and whoever else works here a gold star for etiquette. 

As like any other Au Bon Pain, hot food and customized salads are expensive. However, after 9pm, bagels and baked goods are half-off. I got a sesame bagel and a chocolate croissant for under $1.50. I feel pretty frugal.
3 - Melissa F.: I often find Au Bon Pain to be bland and overpriced - two things I dislike (as you can imagine...). 

This Au Bon Pain is pretty run-of-the mill, with comfy seating and such. It's appropriately light and airy. Be forewarned, there are not many outlets, and apparently the internet is very slow.

I lined up to get a sandwich, and two managers greeted me on my way up, which was nice but kind of unexpected. The sandwich was really just OK - some tasteless roast beef, decent white cheddar, a mealy tomato, and some lettuce on a hard roll. This was somewhere shy of $7, which is a bit much. I almost got a side of fruit, but I saw how much of an afterthought their waterlogged, probably overpriced fruit cups are and quickly reversed course. It's not as if I'd never spend above $7 for lunch, but when it's just not-amazing ingredients plopped onto bread (and not toasted, which would've been better)...well, I don't see any reason to heap praise upon such an average place.
2 - Zianna M.: The food is pretty good. I got a grilled veggie sandwich and the bread was too hard. Everything is cold, which I don't like. They also use too much of their lemon aioli on too many of their dishes.

Au Bon Pain - Cambridge, MA (42.3732878, -71.1204333) (Harvard Square)
4 - Susan D.: After finishing off an entire Bartley's burger, I was strolling along with a girlfriend towards our parked car and low and behold, we stumble upon a half-off bake sale, known as Au Bon Pain. 

Who knew there was even another location especially with the huge one right in Harvard Square.

So, we checked it out. I got a chocolate croissant and it was phenomenal! I love cheap baked goods. I love it even more than over-priced Finale, Cheesecake factory, and Mike's pastry combined.
1 - TheBostonBachelor.com ..: Alright, here's your pal The Boston Bachelor back with another review...

GETTING THERE:  Practically on top of the Harvard Square T.

DRESS:  Casual.

ATMOSPHERE:  N/A.

CROWD:  Usual mix of late night half-sober people, bookworms, and 1 or 2 homeless people on a Saturday night.

FOOD:  Stale.

DRINKS:  No booze.

SERVICE/STAFF:  My buddy Deep got the Indian discount.  Guy who manages it is pretty cool.

BOTTOM LINE:  Wouldn't come here to recover from a night of drinking.  Definitely not for the food.  It might be better during the day, but I'll leave that for you to try...

AND FINALLY:  Bathrooms were clean.
2 - Matthew R.: It's a mixed bag with this ABP.  It's in a great location and open late.  That said, it's almost always overcrowded during the day and sketchy during the night.  The service is also a little off.  In one visit, I received a comp'd coffee and had to wait 25 minutes for my sandwich.  To the manager's credit, when I piped up and complained about the wait, he built me an awesome custom sandwich with sugar snap peas, jalapeno sauce, and other add-ons that I didn't know existed.  It always seems a little off compared to other Au Bon Pain's in the area.

I give it two stars because I don't think ABP should have an inconsistent product.  I should be able to get my sandwich and coffee without having to think twice about it.  Isn't that the point of the mega chain?

Au Bon Pain - Philadelphia, PA (39.9531748, -75.1982403) (University City)
3 - Jess N.: I needed a quick bite, and if you're on Penn's campus, it's definitely an option. Sure you can go to one of the food carts but Au Bon Pain is one of those chains that offers tons of options. Some food is ready to go and is easy on the go. Their wraps and sandwiches are made to your liking using this handy-dandy checklist menu. Besides when it's hot, it's nice to get out of the heat and enjoy the AC.
2 - Melissa W.: Au Bon Pain has got to be the worst glorified fast food restaurant I have ever had the displeasure of eating at. And I'm not a hater, I enjoy the occasional meal at Panera or even Cosi. But everything at ABP is ridiculously overpriced for the quality of food that you get. You would expect that a place with "good bread" in its name would actually have halfway decent bread, but the flour-based cardboard used on the outside of their wraps and sandwiches are just barely edible, which I think may be what makes their food so bad. 

The breakfast sandwiches are also terrible, mostly because they only halfway microwave their unnaturally-round-and-artificial frozen egg patties. "Egg patties" are a concoction that should never exist in general, but when a place markets itself as gourmet fast food, it shouldn't be that difficult for them to obtain and prepare fresh eggs. Even food trucks can do it. 

Because of its convenient location, the one thing I did come here for occasionally was the cheddar jalapeño bagel (if you could even call it a bagel, but whatever it was, it did taste pretty good), but ever since they jacked up the price to $1.30 for a "bagel" without butter, cream cheese, or anything else on it, I've stopped going altogether.
3 - Stephanie P.: #356 Not sure what the fuss is about. I find it a major privilege to have an Au Bon pain right on campus. Sure, I've never tried my hand at their breads, but their soups are amazing and just what's needed in the cold of January. I met up with a professor here once and got myself a nice cup of broccoli-cheese soup. It was steaming and warmed my chilly bones right up. Didn't quite like the fact that a gust of icy wind would blow right in whenever the door was opened, but sitting at the counter on the right keeps you away from the worst of it. I don't mind the thought of studying here with friends while chowing down on some comfort food.

Au Bon Pain - Providence, RI (41.8245108, -71.4105854) (DownCity)
2 - Vilay S.: I usually don't review chains or fast food, but I wanted to add this to my list of grab-and-go lunches in Providence. I'm sure I don't have to go into detail about the food at ABP - it's the same everywhere. It's a bit better than Subway but not as good as Panera. The employees here give about the same amount of shit as the employees at Subway though. ::shrug:: You could do worse.

Au Bon Pain - Philadelphia, PA (39.96244, -75.19993) (Mantua)
2 - Brynn T.: Au Bon Pain is expensive and not big on customer service.  I mean, they're friendly enough, but all they really do is take your money.  Not only do I have to butter my own bagel, but they add insult to injury by making you slice and toast your own bagel, as well.  I may sound uber-picky, but I am.  With all the options in the Comcast Center, I decided I am done with this one.
3 - Stacie L.: I got a chicken caesar salad with creamy caesar. There was so much chicken in the salad, I really couldn't even see the salad itself. I mean most people would want that but I ordered a SALAD. They also provided a roll for me but it was not toasted and seemed to be getting a little stale.

Au Bon Pain - Philadelphia, PA (39.9557369, -75.182513) (University City)
3 - Akkara S.: Located inside 30th Street Station, it's a great go to spot for breakfast on the run.  They have a decent selection of bagels, pastries, fruit, drinks.  There's even a sandwich bar where someone can make you a quick, hot, customized breakfast sandwich.  Some sandwiches and specials are only offered on weekdays so be prepared to reorder.  

The customer service is pretty friendly.  It's not as nice as other Au Bon Pain, but it does the trick and it's easy.  Cheap, hot, and reliable.
3 - Caroline L.: The 1st time I went into an Au Bon Pain was 25 years ago for a school trip to Boston. I remember having an Orangina and a chocolate croissant. And for years I was hooked on those chocolatey pastries.

Now that I am "health conscious" (code for- worried about my waistline), I usually go for their 200 calorie snack packs. The place is overpriced and the food isn't that good, but when I have 60 minutes to kill, I can't help but wander in.

The coffee is pretty good to me, not as scorched and bitter as Starbucks, but not as watered down as Dunkin Donuts.
4 - Pinkjadez Z.: I work not to far from this location... its a great place to grab lunch since they have a pretty wide variety of items...I tend to lead towards the tomato cheddar soup and when I'm having a bad day I also pick up a CRÈME DE FLEUR ...
3 - Gina S.: The food here is pretty standard, as far as the Au Bon Pain chain goes.  It irks me that they don't have side salads.  They did for a short time, and then they went away.  It also bothers me that their caloric information contradicts itself.  Yesterday they had two cards for the Chicken Caesar Salad...One said it was 300 calories, the other said it was 520.  I'm no mathematician, but I know that it can't be both.  

My biggest problems with this place are the layout and the customer service, which when you're checking out work hand-in-hand.  There isn't really a counter, so you're left kind of juggling your food and your purse, and God forbid you have a drink as well.  Then, they don't bag your food for you, they just hand you the bag.  Picture it:  You're stuffing your change bag into your wallet, all the while trying to bag your own food and get out of the way because there is a line of customers behind you.  Oh, and the guy in front of you is still fumbling with his stuff.

I'll go here if I'm getting an early or late lunch, but at the busy hour?  Forget it.
5 - Teri M.: I love the coffee and I love the pastries. I tried the new strawberry cheese croissant and loved every second of it, even at 5pm. If anyone wants to bring me a treat, I will take a pastry and a cup of coffee ANY DAY.
3 - Jim H.: it was ok  just like every other Au Bon Pain
3 - Maura G.: food was good - coffee and chocolate pastry. set up is weird and kind of disorganized. i like that they supply the calorie information for their foods.
2 - Charlotte S.: The food is good, sandwiches well made, workers are nice and the store is clean. The reason for my low rating is that they do not offer crackers with the soup. If you want anything to go with it, you have to buy a piece of so-so bread. I would way rather have saltines, even if I had to pay for them, than some-what flavorless bread. Any soup establishment should always offer some free carbs with soup.
2 - Jennifer W.: I am compelled to write about their corn muffins. They are doughy and have the texture of playdoh. Furthermore, there are pieces of corn permeated throughout. This is totally unacceptable. Corn muffins are supposed to be light and have a slightly crunchy mouth feel. Au Bon Pain is celebrated for its baked goods - this transgression is particularly unforgivable given their reputation for pastries and baked goods.

I do find their soups to be quite good if not overpriced. The salads are fresh though smaller than their competitors. This is a perfectly acceptable if not memorable lunch destination.

Au Bon Pain - Cambridge, MA (42.3736158, -71.1097335) (Harvard Square)
4 - Joseph R.: I enjoy Au Bon Pain.  I live and work near the Galleria, and even though I hate that mall I get food there all the time.  The food is fresh and has flavor.  Its one of the better chain eateries for a quick bite to eat.  The set up is bit confusing and sometimes there signage is messed up but over all it's pretty good.
3 - Jennifer D.: It's not a bad fast food chain.  Nothing extraordinary, but good and filling.

They have soups, salads, sandwhiches, and sugary stuff to eat.  You also have an assortment drinks from smoothies to carbonated sugar water.
4 - Andrew D.: Yes, this location occupies a tiny little corner of the food court that is impossible to navigate during lunch hours. Yes, I agree that the little balls of decorated dough on that tray probably cost $0.02 to make and yet they're charging $2.49 for it. And yes, their "corn bread" is not the real thing.  But, when i glance between this and the Taco Bell in the opposite corner, is it really even a choice?

Anyone that lives in Boston knows ABP, so I won't even go into the quality of food. What sets this location apart, though, is the service. The manager is out there literally every day, taking orders, helping customers, even assisting with food prep if it's insanely busy.  If it weren't for her, this place would be a mess, so be sure to thank her next time you order that sandwich.
4 - Junghyun A.: My refueling station before driving another 100 miles commuting to CT after class..Just typical bread/soup/coffee place, but boy did I love to get stuff there....
3 - Lisa J.: EDIT: (July 13th) I wrote the original review below yesterday and this morning I received a call from corporate and a call from the store apologising and the correct sandwich along with a $10 gift card was brought to my office at lunch.

Apparently this Au Bon Pain is the testing ground for the new ordering system.  And they are still working out the kinks as well as training employees from other stores.

Though this doesn't change my previous experience, I will be willing to give this Au Bon Pain store another chance in a couple weeks when they work out the kinks in their new ordering system.

~~~~~
(ORIGINAL 2 Star Review)

The food here has always been decent but since they've switched to using an iPad to take sandwich orders instead of the paper menus it's become a downright hassle to get food here.

The two times I've tried to order via the employee holding the iPad they've gotten my orders completely wrong.  A process that would normally take 20 seconds now takes 2 minutes and involves standing really close to someone i don't know.  Definitely not visiting au bon pain unless I'm told the paper ordering method has returned.
3 - Faith N.: I pass Au Bon Pain everyday on my way to work and if I didn't have time for breakfast at home i'll grab a quick bite here. The muffins are good, and the chai is also a good bet. 
Lately I've been trying to spend my money at restaurants that offer great food and service, but also offer a more environmentally sustainable dining experience. So I've been mainly eating at green certified restaurants, but unfortunately there are way too few in Boston, so unless I want to be eating at the same handful of places everyday, I'm trying to encourage my faves to think about becoming certified. Not just for me, but for other ppl who i'm sure care too..and ultimately for the environment.
4 - Tanya S.: Great, fast service. Very organized to handle busy times. Tasty baked goodies and the best pastrami egg sandwiches (especially if you add on some veggies).

Their salad station is also great  - I like taking their pre-made versions and modifying them to my liking. And the line is never long, even during lunch hour!
3 - Sean B.: It is what it is.

You want a fast sandwich/cookie/cup of soup/bottled drink?  ABP has that.

It's pricy (I paid $8 for a half sandwich and smallest cup of soup available today), but it took me about 30 seconds to serve myself and get to the cashier.

If you want something quick and easy, check out ABP.  It's not a bad meeting spot either.  I just wish it was a couple bucks cheaper.
5 - Brian C.: Fast friendly and great food what better way to start your day
5 - Jen B.: ABP, yeah you know me!  Yes, it is a chain.  Yes, I go there out of convenience.  Yes, I LOVE me some ABP.  Good, healthy options, fresh coffee and open at 6AM.  Plus, they are always friendly and it doesn't seem forced.  

Added bonus:  Free Wi-fi!  What, what!
4 - Mia N.: great place to load up on carbs.
3 - Michelle M.: I have ate here twice because ABP offer fast cheap breakfast and lunch options and they are conveniently close to the Westin Copley hotel.  After checking out the unappealing breakfast bar I purchased a bagel with cream cheese and a plate of fruit and cottage cheese.  My co-worker braved it out and got the breakfast buffet and I cannot say he was too happy.  The scrambled eggs were fine, but the french toast sticks were hard as a brick.  I felt bad and almost offered him half of my bagel... almost.

One thing I have noticed on both of my visits is that the orange juice is incredible and it's not overpriced like most restaurants.  I highly recommend the baked goodies at Au Bon Pain, but I would be weary of the selection on the buffet.
2 - Naveen N.: This place is ok, nothing special. I only come here because it's close to both my apartment and the T. The sandwiches could be better (and cheaper) but they are fine for what they are. I would give it three stars but the place has a weird smell that the Au Bon Pain near Mass General doesn't seem to emit.
1 - Debbie M.: I work in the immediate area and I have given them two chances and I will NOT be going back.  The service is AWFUL, the food is at times unedible and I ordered salads, you almost can hurt a salad.  This write up is for my second experience, today, August 30.  Upon ordering a chicken cobb salad I was told I could instead get it out of the grab and go section, (if I wanted that I would have grabbed when I walked in), secondly they completely forgot about my order, now mistakes happen, but this happened to my co-worker the first time and when I questioned it after about 10 minutes is when they started to work on it, long story short - no cheese for the salad - if this is the case shouldn't all the employees know this when someone places an order because I can tell you that I would have changed my order.  Everyone knew that there was no turkey because you kept announcing that - and again when they are very "turkey heavy" how do you let yourself run out.  I will not be back again, instead will be going to Whole Foods for fresh customer service friendly options.

Au Bon Pain - Cambridge, MA (42.373066, -71.118493) (Harvard Square)
3 - Louis B.: Ok. So I met some friends at the bars in the South End and after a quick trip on the No. 1 bus, I'm back in Haahvahhd Square, ravenously hungry since I ran two miles, walked from Harvard to downtown, spent time with my niece at the Head of the Charles race, and all the nourishment I had the entire day was a chicken burrito and three beers (Ok, one of them was a Guinness, which according to the Irish is nutrition).  So I get off the bus and I'm so hungry that I could eat one of those huge maple trees by Harvard Yard. Then I see Au Bon Pain open across from the T. 

Entering this Au Bon Pain at 1 AM  - sober- is one of the funniest things.  Especially the weekend of the Head of the Charles race with a zillion people in the streets.  College kids in every stage of inebriation or perhaps cannabis-induced munchies.  I don't think much of the clientele was aware of what they were eating, much less knowing where they were...  Then there was a group of Harvard snobby females who claimed that busing their table was beneath them and "that's what Mexicans are for" and they so stated, quite loudly may I say, before departing the venue and leaving an absolute mess on two tables.  Oy...  

Entering Au Bon Pain, one goes through the ample outside seating before entering the service counter.  Service was fast and efficient.  I had the Chipotle Chicken sandwich with iced tea.   The staff was busily tending the 1 AM rush and refilling the counters with pastries and cookies.

I couldn't find a free WiFi for my iPhone at this store, my only displeasure with the place.  Other than that, a great place to dine if you're tired and need some before-bed nourishment...
2 - Matt D.: Ok food, standard menu.

The annoying thing to me is how dirty is was. Ok, it's crowded, but I don't blame them for this: it's Harvard Square.

But if your restaurant features huge windows and skylights, clean them occasionally. The tables and floors too. Yek.
3 - Polly H.: This is a good place for when you need something quick, on the go. The food is alright, nothing special. This was the first stop that my family and I ate at when we arrived in Boston. 

Ordered: chicken asiago wrap, tuna wrap, chicken pot pie soup... Food was filling and I was content.

Also, I thought it was cool that Au Bon Pain doesn't exist anywhere on the West Coast... interesting! Haha, I'm glad I got to experience this little shop!
3 - Nan A.: WIFI, open very very late, good people watching as it is right in Harvard Square, some characters coming in and out, a bit noisy to get much done. Somewhat cold in the summer.

Au Bon Pain - Cambridge, MA (42.3733036, -71.1184999) (Harvard Square)
1 - Dygo T.: I'm surprised I'm the first to review this terrible branch. I wonder if it still exists? I'm reviewing from memory since I haven't been here in a while (two years minimum). My parents use to think this place had some class. I feel that many have also used to feel the same. Now it's a budget, poor-quality sandwich/bagel shop with expensive prices.

Service here has been consistently lousy and the prices are much too high for the small portions they serve. Chicken caesar wrap is one of the worst I've ever had in Boston.

Please do yourself a favor and look around Harvard Square a little. Just because it's right near the bus stop and has chess players at the tables (notice they DON'T eat here) doesn't mean you should come here. Convenience should not come at this cost.
4 - Eve L.: Hey, it's a local chain, but it is still a chain.  

They have pretty good baked goods, actually.  And their sandwiches are pretty solid - I like their mozzerella and basil and tomato sandwich, on baguette.  I don't come to this location much since there's so many other more interesting restaurants in Harvard Square, but the food is pretty much the same at any location. It is what it is - a chain, but a local chain that happens to have pretty decent food.
4 - Kiki B.: there are alwayyyys people out on the pretty tree-lit cafe. pastries are available late into the night, and the coffee's reliable. yes, frequented by tourists and sometimes busy, but that goes with the convenient territory.
4 - Kerri O.: You may think me a cretin for mentioning this chain restaurant.  HOWEVER, they do one thing cheaply, and well:  iced coffee.  A must for me almost all year.  For under two bucks, you will get a vat of high octane caffeine fuel. 

At home, I go for Cafe Bustelo, or other Brazilian Grinds.  I've made strong folk pale, and wince, at my coffee brews.

Au Bon Pain keeps me peppy, and wired like a squirrel during the Spring months, which I when I need them.  Their food sucks, which is incidental.  A double shot at the hated Starbucks costs almost 4 bucks.  Get the same caffeine shot from Au Bon Pain, for under two dollars.  Really.  And, it tastes better, too.

If you are wondering, I spend the Winter months detoxing from my caffeine addiction.  Otherwise, my lymph nodes would be shot.

My life goes from a dead stop in winter, to a major over-drive come Spring.  It takes some major caffeine octane; to have me keep up with it.  This place is your best bang for the buck.
3 - Dragony F.: My URGENT one-extra-pint-of-beer induced search for any restroom between Harvard and Central Sq that is open at 1am VS. an old man blocking my way to relief

Who wins in a knick of time before I have to resort to a secluded alley? Au Bon Pain for being open past midnight and having a free public restroom

Timeline of stars (starting 2 stars; for all typical Au Bon Pains)

12:51 - get off Red Line, see Au Bon Pain, hope is on the horizon, plus 1 star;
12:55 - unsavory characters lingering around entrance but I enter without incident, no change
12:58 -  within sight of restroom, however, an old man appears out of nowhere and beats me to it and slams the door shut, minus 1 star;
12:59 - the longest minute of my life, minus 2 stars
12:59 - door opens, old man reassures me that the door isn't locked so I can take my time, plus 1 star
1:00 - ah, relief, plus three stars!!!!
1:00 - need munchie for stumble home, there's a jalapeno cheese bagel still left, cool!, plus 1 star
1:04 - jalapeno cheese bagel = quite stale, really doughy, tiny pockets of jalapeno and cheese were nice surprises, probably wasn't very good in the first place, minus 2 stars

Final tally, three stars for this particularly useful Au Bon Pain that is open late, answers any snack attacks and is full of "friendly" folks
3 - Alan T.: Good place for a quick sandwich in the square.  Love their peach iced tea too!
4 - Jim C.: This Au Bon Pain is a pretty crowded and dirty location but there's no better place to sit outside, people watch and listen to the frequent street performers right in the heart of Harvard Sq (if you are lucky enough to find a seat outside).

Bottom line: Dirty but great location.
3 - Hank C.: Good onion bagel with salmon and chive sour cream. Relatively swift service, decent price for an ABP, and open seating area with enough space.
2 - Glen B.: This place is filthy and full of bums that smell like urine. The bathroom is an abortion. 

It can be nice sitting outside on a summer's day, but otherwise, avoid.
1 - Kat C.: So. I didn't think it could get any worse. OH, BUT IT DID. 

A couple weeks ago I forgot my wallet  and since all I had on me was my ID card, I had to find a restaurant in the square that took Crimson Cash. Hey, Au Bon Pain. Okay fine I'll give you another chance. I stepped in tentatively and approached the cashier, ordering a sandwich and soup. 

Yes, the transaction began innocuously enough. He inquired about my particular sandwich selections and soup choices, logging my decisions into his cash register. Upon asking for payment, I produced my ID card and requested to use Crimson Cash. He took the card, and sauntered to a Crimson Cash machine down the line to finish my order.

This is where the story begins its downhill descent. After swiping my card, I suppose it takes a while for the information to go through. While waiting for the computer to signal approval, he stared absentmindedly into the distance, and began scratching his arm.

With my ID card.

Okay, take a while to think about this. My card. His arm. Befriending one another. It's just like picking your nails with the corner of someone's credit card; it's gross, it's unnecessary, and why in god's name would you do it in front of them? To top it off, this wasn't just a light brushing or brief scuffing, but the act of digging the plastic into his forearm and going to town for literally a full half minute. Up and down, my card was contorting to and fro from the pressure he applied.

I was speechless. I was awestruck. I was horrified. I was aghast. I wanted to vomit. 

I don't know if you're that itchy, but please do not use people's plastic to alleviate your discomfort. When he handed me back my card, I didn't even want it. Trust me, I Lysoled the shit out of that thing when I got home. Seriously. What the hell, man. Not cool.

Minus one star for the disgusting demonstration, but plus one for my recent discovery of their chocolate muffins. I'm defenseless against a good muffin. 

Wait never mind, minus one again for the scratching. Writing it again reminded me how absolutely vile it was to witness. 

My poor ID card.
3 - julia r.: i just want to add: this au bon pain is open late night. as in, 'til 2am. who knew?!
1 - Anna W.: Bad bad bad bad bad!

I normally like ABP's but this specific location is awful!  It is usually pretty dirty, the bakery items are never fully stocked, the service for sandwich making, bagel toasting, platter forming, etc is EXTREMELY SLOW!!!!!!  You'll have to wait at least a few minutes just for someone to come over and recognize you're there and then deign to talk to you and then another few minutes for them to take care of all the other orders that had backed up.

Now, all this would be forgivable if the food was edible - but it's not!  It's disgusting!  It's coffee is horrid, the bakery items are never fresh, and are often burned and disgusting.

Gross.
3 - Susan D.: Great outdoor seating area. Plenty of spots and lots of great people watching as you while away your afternoon.
1 - Melissa M.: Don't advertise your seasonal sandwich.  Turkey with stuffing and cranberry sauce.  Attempt to make my sandwich and then say you don't have any stuffing.

WHAT?!  No stuffing?  

I got my money back.  But it's the height of the season for stuffing and 12:30pm and NO stuffing was ready?

Au Bon Pain.  You cause me so much Pain!

Lunch. Fail.
3 - Peg P.: At least twice per month for the past several years I have had a morning meeting here. In the spring and summer it is great to be able to sit outside and enjoy some coffee or a pastry. Their outdoor area is pretty big, actually bigger than the indoor seating! There are also chess tables right outside and on most nice days there are folks playing. 

The inside area is pretty spacious, but I think in an attempt to be able to accommodate many people they have the tables right on top of each other. It is REALLY tricky to maneuver between the tables, crowded or not. 

I think the ordering area/checkout is more confusing than need be. They have many employees at registers waiting to take your order. People file in and do not realize they can walk up to anyone and order. Instead, everyone lines up at one register. Maybe the employees can be a bit better at calling "next" or something. a sign may also help. This is the most frustrating part of my time here. 

Otherwise, coffee is good, tea is good, free refills of coffee and tea, bagels and pastries excellent. I have had their soups also. I really like their Black Bean and Green Chili Bisque. Sandwiches are also good and made fresh for you. I think the items are reasonably priced.
1 - John H.: I have never been to an Au Bon Pain before. I went to this location for breakfast ordered a breakfast sandwich with cheese and bacon.  The bacon and cheese tasteless.  I didn't think it was possible for bacon to be tasteless but this place can perform miracles.  

The guy who ordered after me also got a breakfast sandwich and got his food before me.

They have a great out door seating section which was ruined by some singer who insisted on singing crappy 90s songs.  

The order taker was very nice thou.
1 - Darlene L.: I was going to have lunch here...until I walked into the bathroom. Disgusting.
2 - Julia F.: I used to like their baked goods a lot more. I'm not sure what it was that changed, me or them... But years ago, we used to get along well, me and ABP. 

Somewhere along the way, my tastebuds changed, or they started making things differently. For the last couple years this has been one of the "coffee break stop" locations that pulls in close to last place. 

I don't like that everybody can touch all the food. I like when only select few people, for whom it is LAW to have clean hands touch food stuffs. Not any old person between Harvard and Central squares...

They have decent soups, and I'll grab a banana or a croissant when we stop in. I don't like the coffee though- and that, I can't forgive. Weirdly watery taste, and their cups and lids have broken on me more times than I care to count.
5 - happy eater b.: The *new* ABP (just opened at the end of January 2011) is fantastic. 

Changes:
Service has gone from being lousy to being quick and friendly.
Cleanliness has gone from grimy to spotless.
Food has gone from boring to new and attractive.
Decor has gone from depressing to cheerful.
Bathrooms have gone from dungeons to modern.
Layout has gone from crowded to sensible.
etc.

I overheard that they spent over a million dollars remodeling the store.  You can tell.  It looks great, it is far more attractive, and I very much hope they keep it up.  The management really needs to stay on top of the details, keep the menu fresh, and work hard to move people quickly through the store, especially during peak hours.  If they do this on a consistent basis going forward, Harvard Square will be much better off.

Well done, ABP!
5 - Curt G.: Best price for ice coffee in town, Sandwiches made to order or if your in a rush they have premade ones !! good soups at good prices. The remodle is great !! You can go in and out quickly !!
3 - Jana S.: Late night study crowd of the intellectual elite: HAAAA vahd.....that's your ambiance if you plan on patronizing in the evening time...with hardly a table available. You come in through one set of doors, and leave through a separate exit. Can't miss it if you're at the T station.
4 - Gloria L.: sat outside, and it was really nice... enjoyed the pastries!
3 - Steve K.: For starters... I never know how to say this name correctly.  I think from here on out, I'm just going to call it the "House of Pain & Amazingly Smelling Cinnamon Buns that only Hit Your Nose from Outside and Fades the Second You Walk in the Door"...

Ok, that is a bit long... how about we call it "Ab Pain", because every time I go into that place all I want are all the tasty pastries that are sure to make my stomach double over when I'm done.

All joking aside, I like ABP.  It's not my favorite place to go to for a breakfast, coffee or anything of the sort, but if I"m in the area and need something quick or don't feel like walking 3 more blocks for some Dunkin's, you will probably see me here.

It is honestly a bit too expensive for what you get in my opinion.  The only one I ever go to is in Harvard Sq (the one this review is for).  The pastries are well overpriced compared to other little shops in the area.  Added to this, they all taste pretty generic.  When I'm going to a place for a pastry, I want it to have that little "extra" that the place in question puts into it.

Overall though, the food is good.  The pastries are tasty, the sandwiches are good, and the selection is nice, they have fruit and yogurt and a bunch of other good stuff.

The new layout is great and it's nice to be able to go to the bathroom for once without the feeling that I'm getting some disease just by standing in there (I wouldn't touch the old one with a ten-foot pole.  The new layout also seems to have helped out with the crowding inside the place, although I sometimes feel like I'm being attacked by people walking in and out of the place while staying in line to pay.  The decor makes me actually want to sit inside and eat rather than go outside and fight for a table.

The service has picked up considerably since the change in layout.  Everyone is generally very nice, friendly, and quick.  Overall, I give the new version of "Ab Pain" 3 stars.
3 - Cassy H.: Located near the Harvard Sq T, it makes sense why this place is so happening, especially during lunch hours. I usually come here in the AM to grab a cup of coffee to go along with their brie and fruit mini snack box. The coffee isn't great, but it's cheap and does its job. Anyway, it's a quick and convenient place to grab something relatively cheap... but definitely not the place to "hangout" and do your studies. I believe there's wifi, but I've never been successful with connecting to the internet. Also, b/c it's located near the center of the square, lots of homeless people tend to just hang around ABP, so this place has acquired a very particular smell..
3 - Jackie K.: A regular cafe outside of Harvard University. Its a very cafeteria like set up. Order food, take a tray, and pay. Prices are reasonable. A bagel, coffee, and cream cheese was about $4. Not too bad. I got a honey wheat bagel and the hazelnut coffee. Both were average. There are a lot of other food choices. Soups, salads, sandwiches, breakfast sandwiches, and snacks. There is seating inside and out. It's just another cafe place for people to grab a quick meal or meet to catch up.
3 - Emily W.: To be fair - I came later at night. So I didn't get anything very fresh... the soup had been sitting for a while, but it wasn't bad. There was a large selection of soups, sandwiches, and wraps. Great place for lunch. Very busy. Great location.
4 - Julia S.: This place really grew on me.  Don't know if its any different when regular terms are in session but I wouldn't even try to sit outside.  Too packed, dirty and loud.  

As for their food...you can't go wrong.  Quick to go sandwiches, custom made, soups, salads, hot/iced coffee, soda/tea, sweets from Chocolate Covered Almonds to pastries galore.  Plain and simple, I eat on my feet and I don't cook - so hurray for Au Bon Pain catering to my overly stressed student/worker-bee life.  Bzzzz.

I've been a student and employee for many years and I need to be reasonable about my diet.  A communal keg and cold pizza is for Freshman.   

I mainly come here because the soup is really good.
3 - Alison H.: Chai was delicious
Lack of feminine trash cans
Unfriendly workers


My failed attempt at a haiku review. But on the real, the women's restroom (at least the middle stall) is not very female friendly...... sorry maybe TMI.

I even went to two different cashiers (although all of them had "I hate my life" frowns plastered on their faces) within half an hour and not one of them replied after I said thank you and have a nice day. Little did they know that I was only testing them..........
4 - Jenn T.: This location is pretty decently sized with lots of variety including sandwiches, soups, salads.  They are made to order and the service here is fast and friendly.  Same ol au bon pain food.  There are a lot of places to sit at this location, even outside to enjoy the nice summer weather too.  I got a couple breakfast sandwiches here, and they were all really good with melted cheese and a toasted bagel with some meat.

Au Bon Pain - Blacksburg, VA (37.2294, -80.4144) ()
4 - Clara L.: Really good sandwiches and soups!  Coffee is good too!  The cookies are alright, but I've only tried the sugar cookies so far. The bagels are good, but they lack a toaster there for public use which lessens the yumminess of the starchy bagels.  The sandwiches and soups are slightly pricey for blacksburg, but possibly worth it, since I haven't been disappointed yet. 

The only downside is that it is located on the opposite end of campus from my office.  Therefore I rarely get the opportunity to make the hike across the drillfield.
4 - Mary L.: The best thing about this place is the fact that Virginia Tech has pulled some serious strings to allow meal plans to cover purchases  made here. Students get everything half off, your card is swiped, and you can leave with a gigantic smile on your face thanking the Hokie higher-ups for making this possible. I am a sucker for the Mediterranean wrap and the croissants here. When I'm sick, their soups ALWAYS do it for me and there are six different kinds everyday. Their sandwiches are pretty much a 10 on the amazing scale as are their fresh pastries, fruit cups, yogurt, and peach tea. Oh and the card swiper guy (Stephen) always makes my day. I don't care how long his line is... my card will be swiped here because he is the best and everyone knows it. He's kind of a legend on campus (like the old guys that run in their little shorts) - there's even a Facebook group for him (http://vt.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2200515514). I really don't have much more to say... I love ABP.

Au Bon Pain - Philadelphia, PA (39.948331, -75.196459) (University City)
3 - Michael C.: It's an ABP (the Penn kids abbreviate it like this, I dunno if this is standard East Coast lingo-excuse me in advance). As ABP's go, this location is fairly large and also has a good number of seats.

It has what you expect-the bagels, pastries, soups (I'm always down for their pumpkin soup, yum) and made-to-order sandwiches. Being right on the ground floor of the Penn Biomedical Research Building (BRB) makes this joint an occasional (and expensive) lunch for me.

The nice part of this ABP location is that the half-off bakery sale starts at 6pm. If you're going to be pipetting until the wee night hours, take a break and pick up some cheap delicious pastries.
4 - Terry C.: Working for the School of Medicine does have it's perks at times... In cold weather - much like today's - I can walk through 4 buildings and get to this Au Bon Pain without having to put on a coat or step foot outside! AWESOME! Plus in December they have some great cookies - Shortbread Cookies, Gingerbread, and Chocolate Dipped Macaroons just to name a few. 

This ABP is huge in comparison to others in the area, it's spacious and best of all if you are a PENN student or employee you can access Penn AirNet free and logon to the internet while enjoying cookies and coffee or soup and sandwiches! 

Only detractor - some of the cashiers are more interested in their text messages than they are in expediting you through the checkout so you can get to enjoying your ABP goodies! Bring some extra patience with you and allow for an additional 5 minutes for potential line waiting and you'll be good!
4 - Ritu K.: When I've exhausted the HUP and CHOP cafeterias (usually it takes only a few meals for that) my go to place is Au Bon Pain. Sure I normally don't spend $10 for a sandwich and drink but damn it tastes good and if turkey and fresh mozzarella is what it takes to get me through the rest of my shift- its worth it. Standard selection of sandwiches, soups (all very tasty), and an extensive selection of baked goods. Surly workers but the food is yummy...

Speaking of baked goods- anyone else find the posting of calorie counts a total buzz kill.. Of course I know my chocolate chocolate chip muffin is full of fatty goodness. But why oh why do I need to see how much fatty goodness. I can't possibly consume that many calories with one small muffin- total buzz kill. Now I'm chewing gum for dessert :(
5 - di z.: The pastries are just soo good. Actually the ones I regularly get are so soo good. Creme de fleur and pecan rolls... Salads... not bad! Soups... like... morning blend coffee is my fix... just wish I was rich so I could afford  it every day. Them again not, as I already pay for gym too!! :)
4 - Allie Y.: If I could sum up my love for ABP in three small words: PEACH ICED TEA. Drinking this tea makes me think of a blissful sunburst of refreshment. I don't know what it is about their tea. I'm pretty sure it's basically peach syrup + tea and nothing really fancy but it sure is delicious to me. And for a pretty good medium sized cup at $2, a small price to pay for some happiness in a cup. 

NOTE: ABP on locust walk in the huntsman building does NOT have peach iced tea. Weep! Don't learn the hard way and walk over there only to have your heart be broken. 

Baked goods: 
- The jalapeno corn loaf is delicious, but you can almost squeeze out some of the oil/butter/fat they use to bake this thing. Hasn't stopped me from buying it more than once though. 
- Pumpkin muffin is delicious but I haven't seen it lately... sad
- Chocolate chocolate chip muffin is nice and rich. 
- The chocolate cherry tulip thing is pretty intense. The cherry filling is like a mix between jelly and really sugary syrup. Not sure if I'm really a fan... leaning towards not being one because it might just be too sugary tasting to me. 

I don't go here much for the food - not because it's bad but mostly because for lunch there are cheaper options like the hospital/research building cafeterias and pretty delicious food cart options, but but my go-to sandwich has always been the chicken mozzarella sandwich on focaccia bread. It's savory and fresh and has been a feel good go-to sandwich since my college days. The asian chicken salad is pretty good too. 

A few other pointers about this location (not sure if this is universal or not): 
+ bake sale after 7pm means that all of the leftover baked goods are buy one get one free! if you only want one though you have to pay full price... but why wouldn't you want another cookie or muffin if you're already getting one? 
+ same thing goes for premade sandwiches and salads after 7pm, buy one get one free. 
- lines can get a little long during lunch hour, but on the upside they do have a pretty nice organized way of handling the crowd.
3 - Teresa L.: To me, there's no difference between a 6:30 PM orange scone and 7 PM scone. Just that it's half the price. 

I've tried most the baked goods and some of the wraps. You generally can't get a disappointing wrap (i.e. ham and cheese, chicken wrap), but they're much too expensive before 7 PM AND I've found that it's my sweet tooth that I should be listening to. 

The SCONES and ginormous MUFFINS hit the spot. I've tried their corn bread (eh, okay), brownies/fudges (consistently tasty), and that cherry-filled chocolate-like cupcake. And it's vanilla cousin. Both are too sweet and poofy and hard to split with friends!

Their breakfast coffee is pretty good...as long as you get it when they just brew it. Also, caution to those who get the creamy/milk based soups later in the day; check for curdles (yuck).

Note: the red velvet and vanilla bean cupcakes are pretty good and cream cheese frosting is OKAY but they're NOT half-off EVER. boo.
4 - Carrie C.: I love stopping by Au Bon Pain for a quick lunch, and I've never really been disappointed by their food!  Items I've tried that are really tasty are: Tuscan White Bean Soup (which I love to scoop with a baguette), chicken salad sandwich with cranberries and almonds, and of course the pastries!  When I feel like indulging myself, I love the blondies, white chocolate chip macadamia cookies, and red velvet cupcakes.  Considering that I run around the country trying every red velvet cupcake I come into contact with, I was pleasantly surprised by the cupcake here.  It was moist with a good hint of cocoa flavor, and the frosting was creamy with the tartness of cream cheese that I love.  

Overall, ABP is a great staple for a quick lunch!  It gets pretty crowded around prime lunch time, though.  So either be patient or make sure to get here before the crowds come around noon!
5 - K W.: this is such a nice space to grab a quick lunch. the long side of the restaurant is comprised of all windows which makes the inside bright and welcoming. the food is typical of any au bon pain, but it seems like this location's items are fresher than others. the restaurant is also really clean.  there's plenty of seating inside though the tables are very close to one another so if you're claustrophobic, you should come at an off-time or get your food to go.

i appreciate that ABP labels their items as gluten-free or vegetarian to make it easier on those with food restrictions or food allergies.
4 - Anne K.: Best ABP on Penn's campus! It's really big and has a lot more seating available than the one in Huntsman. The food's the same though - it is a chain after all.

Love their broccoli cheddar soup!
2 - Margaret F.: OMG. How is this place getting 4 stars? The ABP death grip on the Ivy League needs to be forcibly released. This place is terrible.

Food is mediocre and expensive, which is not the fault of this particular location. (What's with the coffee? It's like battery acid. As I've aged in graduate school and my coffee palate has developed, the horror of having to grab a quick cup o' joe at Au Bon Pain has gone up exponentially. So has my requirement for dumb scientific phraseology too, I guess.)

What IS the fault of this particular location is the service. The horrible, horrible service. Not to sound like an angry grandparent, but back in MY food service days, treatment like these people dish out would have had me fired. And the stuff I was selling cost a lot less. 

My boss has the best story regarding the service here. He once bought an item with a total cost of $1.27. He tried to fork over two dollars, but the cashier said, "I want exact change." So, he counted it out. When he handed her the correct amount, she scowled at him and said, "I don't want pennies!" WHAT! Seriously. Can't win with some people.
4 - Erica C.: This Au Bon Pain is excellent. The employees are always very friendly and service is prompt. They have a great system going and I rarely have to wait in lines, even during peak times. The salads are pretty good (and the whole wheat baguette is awesome). It's a good go-to spot, even if the prices are a bit higher than the cafeteria or a food cart. I think the quality is better. The black bean soup is delish in the winter and I also enjoy their oatmeal raisin cookies! Sign up for their email club to get a free to-go mug and a free sandwich or salad on your birthday!
3 - Daniel C.: I've been into Au Bon Pains plenty of times and I like the consistency.  The coffee is good and the baked items are good.  This review, however, will focus on the management, as I recently had an unpleasant experience at this particular location.

This Au Bon Pain has a large seating area, and as I work near by I like to stop in on my way home to take advantage of the baked item sale after 7 in the evening (the redvelvet cupacakes are DELISH!). Recently, while waiting for the sale to start, I was seated in the seating area and a disheveled african man (not being racist, only pointing this out to be descriptive) approached my table. This man seemed not well. He had so many layers of clothes on in the middle of the summer, and his hair was so long.  He was drooling uncontrollably, like a dog, a continuous flow of saliva going from his lips to into the depths of this Dumbledore beard thing.  I fiddled with my phone (thanks Angry Birds!) and pretended not to notice him, hoping he would go away.  Obviously he didn't.  Instead, he TOUCHED MY FACE.  His hands were disgusting (smelled like eggs and pickles blended together).  I wasn't sure what to do, and I was feeling uncomfortable, so I panicked and pushed him to the ground, then got out of there lickity split.

I haven't been back since.  I think the management needs to step up and exercise some control about who they let in their store.  This man could have hurt me, or worse.  My father didn't fight in Iraq to have people like this infringing on my personal freedom.

Au Bon Pain- Texas Medical Center - Houston, TX (29.715079, -95.397351) (Medical Center)
4 - Amaranta C.: I love Au Bon Pain! Finally, ABP has a local Houston location, and I can get my fix locally versus in the airport each time I fly. This location is in the new Memorial Hermann Professional Building on Fannin, on the 2nd floor. ABP has the best pastries (including bagels, muffins, cookies, danish, chocolate covered and regular macaroons, chocolate and regular croissants... the list goes on!) which go on sale at 5 pm, I love to go here when it's my turn to get breakfast at work. 

ABP recently started a 'healthy' menu called "Cafe Smart Menu" with little snack options including boiled eggs, fruit cups, yogurt, etc. Of their regular menu, the soups are always amazing (including Italian Wedding, tomato basil, lentil, etc) and you get to try it with the little cups on the side. They also have the soup in the bread bowl option, but it's so big I've never gotten it. As for the sandwiches, I usually get the Baja Turkey sandwich, which comes with snap peas and jalepeno mayo, yum! Salads are available made to order. They also sell Perrier, which I am so happy about in my quest to drink more water. 

The only bad thing about this ABP is that it gets very crowded, very fast, at lunch, and the employees can't always keep up. Depending on when you go, you might get stuck with a 20 minute wait. However, you could use that time to read the nutritional information of what you're eating, since they have it available on a little computer by the entrance!
3 - David N.: Must say thanks to Amaranta for finding these places on the other side of the Medical center for me!

After having a recent talk with a friend she told me she had the best breakfast! I was like what did you have?

Chocolate Croissants!

What are those?!

I had never had those before so while I was browsing through ABP I found they had some and I just had to try them.  Honestly, they weren't that good, interesting concept but maybe it was midday and they had been sitting out for awhile. 

This place does have a wide variety of different pastries.  I love that they don't close until 5 pm, adding this to my list of places to eat in the medical center.
3 - Vanesa V.: Great place to go for lunch if you work in the med center and don't want to drive anywhere far for lunch. Small little cafe, food is ok but I only had the soup so next time i will try something else.
4 - Kevin D.: Hey, I like it!
3 - Bruce M.: Not a ton of choices within walking distance, much better then hospital food!
5 - Rich G.: Great sandwiches! Very helpful staff!
4 - Alicia F.: ABP is my go-to in the med center when I'm tired of Cafe Hermann and don't wanna walk all the way to Chipotle. The food is always fresh, I can't remember ever not liking an item I've had here, and they have a great selection of breakfast and lunch foods for every diet and time frame. Eating light? Try hot soup or a salad.  In a hurry? They have a grab and go section, plus smoothies for breakfast. Prices are fair: most sandwiches will run you 5-8 dollars. Add a side of chips, soup, or drink and you're still getting lunch for ten bucks or under. 

The only thing I dislike here is the limited hours. Be sure to check their website if you're headed that way in the afternoon on a weekday, and if it's the weekend, look elsewhere.

Audacious Salon - Claremont, CA (34.1071094, -117.7244301) ()
4 - Val M.: After having to break up with my aesthetician  after 6 long years I went searching for a new professional to listen to my problems and wax my eyebrows to perfection. After a recommendation I found Au-da-cious Salon in Claremont. 

The salon is easy to find, new, clean and trendy on the inside. I was greeted and promptly given a tour of the facility by the receptionist. After I briefly waited I was taken to the waxing room. Jacqueline was my waxer. She was courteous, professional, friendly and she did a pretty good job too. I have sensitive skin and I didn't break out after her treatment. I can totally see a myself feeling comfortable enough to complain to her about my dating woes on future visits. I hope this isn't a rebound relationship, but regardless I was a happy customer. 

The icing on the cake was the thank you note I received about a week later. Au-da-cious salon has definitely earned my business.
5 - Rozan F.: The best service you could ask for! The front staff is amazing they check on you on occasion to see if you need anything to drink or if you need anything else. Brittany Marie is my stylist and she does an amazing job! I've never been more satisfies with the way my hair came out! Also they have the new feather extensions that are so cute! They even can place rhinestones on the feathers which I've never seen before but such a great idea! Good job ladies!
5 - joyce c.: Maddy is AMAZING and she's an absolute Doll!  I had long hair and decided to go short again but I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted.  I knew I didn't want an A-line or Bob coz I've had those a million times, so I told Maddy that.  She really listened to me and helped me figure out what kind of style would suit me. O-M-G! She did and EXCELLENT job!  She first washed and cut it with a bunch of layers, just as I asked.  Then she blow dried and styled it and then cut my hair AGAIN just to make sure it looked as awsome as possible. I would drive 100 miles if I had to (thank God I don't) just for Maddy to style my hair again!
5 - Emily E.: I was very happy with this salon. My cousin and I were able to get in the same day within a few hours. We both had appointments with Tracey who did a great job of working on both of us simultaneously. We were both done within a few hours and are thrilled with the results.

My cousin got full highlights and a cut and I got full color and a cut. I'm trying to grow my A-Line cut out and just needed some shape added to my hair while it grows out. Tracey was able to give my hair some style during this in-between phase that I'm in. 

The salon is very clean and cute inside. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. They even gave us a snack to hold us over until dinner. 

We will definietly be going back.
5 - Brandy A.: The skinny: gorgeous and friendly stylists, beautiful salon, utmost professionalism, extensive product line, reasonable prices.

I had a haircut and keratin treatment, serviced by Brittany. She is really nice, with an entertaining sense of humor, lengthy professional experience, and takes the time to describe what she'll be doing each step of the way. I took off about 10 inches of my hair to donate to Locks of Love (and Audacious is a LOL designated salon), and I really like the bob I ended up with. For the first time in my life, my expectations met reality when it came to my hair.

There is a dedicated section of the salon for coloring which is called the "color bar." I thought that was neat. 

I don't know why there aren't more reviews for Audacious Salon. Love yourself by giving this place a try =)
1 - Melissa K.: I tried it and I will NOT be back. I will not mention the name of the sylist I worked with, but the fact that anyone like her was working at Audacious says enough about the place. If you don't want to go to another salon to get your hair "fixed," don't go to Audacious. 

What happened?

The color process took 2 1/2 hours, and probably 30 minutes was spent sitting in the chair waiting for the stylist to mix the color! Way too long. By the time my hair was washed, the stylist and I were both exhausted already. She SKIPPED a consultation about the cut and proceeded to take off the ends of the cut I already had. I interjected, "Um, I really don't want anything shorter than my shoulders..." but she just snipped away at my wet hair. Then she realized she had cut WAY too much off and said, "I bet it won't shorten that much when it dries." Hahaha - my hair is wavy and slightly curly and it does shorten A LOT when dry. So she blew it dry, well, almost all the way - it was still damp underneath when she started cutting it dry. She must have realized that she was butchering my hair and said, "My goodness! What is your ethnic background? I have never seen hair like this!" WTF?????! I was soo insulted. I told her repeatedly that I like texture, but she hesitated to give me any until I really pressed her by saying for the fifth time, "I REALLY want some texture before you finish." Then she saw the effects and said, "Oh, your kind of hair does look good with texture," like she was surprised. 

I had lost all confidence in her ability to cut my hair and I left looking like a 1980's overly blowdryed, frizzy, upset. teenage disaster. 

It's not just that she didn't care about my hair. She was the worst listener I have ever met. I must have told her I was going to New Mexico four times and I was getting my hair done before the trip. Somewhere in the conversation, we also talked about New York, and I mentioned my previous travels there. Yet, she kept telling me to have fun in New York. I even got a "thank you" card a week later wishing me a good time in NYC! No one with that little care to hear their clients should be working in a service industry. 

Audacious needs to be much more careful about the process of a color-AND-CUT and train or manage their stylists much more closely. Why did no one jump in to save me instead of watching my eyes grow in terror as she butchered my hair? At least three other stylists were hanging out doing nothing the whole time.
2 - Stephenie L.: I went here due to a referral and tried a new stylist. She was nice, and the salon appeared to be nice too. The draw back was that it took 3.5 hours. I came in at 9 and left at 12:30. I didn't have anything crazy done either...just a cut and partial highlights. I decided that I would go back again and give it another shot because everyone starts somewhere, right? I even referred my boyfriend because the Salon has a special mens section that I thought he might like. The stylist never phoned back for an appointment, the front desk never called back, and we both attempted to get him an appointment three times. It was obvious they just didn't want the business. I called just this past week to schedule an appointment (2nd time) for myself again. On my way to the appointment, 10 minutes before the appointment time, the Salon called to cancel, but "wanted to invite me and give me the courtesy of rescheduling". I don't think so, I needed my hair done that day...they didn't even offer to put me with another stylist. So again, its obvious they don't want my business. I don't get it either...I am polite, don't ask for special treatment, or anything weird. I just ask that you be there at my appointment time, listen to my needs, and I'll tip you 35%. Oh well, the hunt continues for a great salon. Sadly, this place misses the mark on customer service.

Audi of Downtown L.A. - Los Angeles, CA (34.0343236, -118.2720303) (South Los Angeles)
5 - Cory Q.: First of all, I love my car.  And I don't really like cars that much - but I'm happy with my Audi.  And because of the service that I received at Audi downtown it makes it easier to bring my car in for servicing - which isn't often.  What I like about the place is that they really seem to care about you and your car.

I just wished Audis were greener.  In 2009 they're releasing the Q7 with a diesel engine...but who wants to buy a SUV with a greener engine?  Kinda counter intuitive right?
5 - S A B.: This is without question one of the best dealership service departments I have ever dealt with. I have used so many european luxury dealers over the years, but this one far exceeds my expectations every time I go there. 

They call when they say they will, they give me a ride to work AND pick me up, and they have fixed things for free which were not covered by my warranty. The car is always ready on time and my service bill is usually less than I was expecting. Highly recommended - I would not use anyone else for an Audi in Los Angeles.

UPDATE: I've been going to Valentin at Audi of Downtown of LA for almost two years now. I really could not be more pleased... he goes SO far beyond any other service advisor I have ever worked with at other Audi, Porsche, BMW and Mercedes dealers. If I ever moved from LA, I'd probably sell my Audi, because I would be so disappointed to take it anywhere else. Either that, or I'd ship it to Valentin every time it needed to be serviced! Absolutely first rate. I can only hope their sales department is as good as the service department.

UPDATE #2: Well, I did move from LA to La Jolla temporarily... and I still take my Audi to Valentin for service. The 2 1/2 hour drive each way and staying with friends while my car is in his hands is totally worth it. He is THAT good.
5 - Ali O.: Ok, if you must go to the dealer, visit Downtown Audi. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!!!! I purchased my TT here and sure, I sat in their offices for hours haggling over prices but in the end, it was a very worthwhile experience. I was happy. Especially since KEYES AUDI can suck my dick. 

Most recently I needed the code for my radio and called Keyes Audi. They told me it was going to cost $70 for that code. Really? I went to downtown Audi and pleaded my case to Robert (I think) and he was soooooooo nice. They did have to charge me the fee for pulling out my stereo but in the end I paid $25 for the code which I now have for the rest of my life (or my car's for that matter) and they washed and detailed my car too. And I discovered a yummy little salad joint not too far from them. 

Oh and the best part, after eating this awesome chix salad, some yahoo was getting arrested right outside the restaurant. It was very entertaining. 
So let's sum up my experience with Downtown Audi:

1. Code for stereo, car wash, detail - $25 (Keyes Audi wanted $70. SMD Keyes)
2. Friendly, courteous service - FREE
3. Awesome Chix salad - $9
4. Seeing some yahoo get arrested by cops with guns drawn and street closed off - FREE!

Yep, downtown audi rules. Ask for Robert. I do hope that's his name. They really are the kewlest!
5 - tony c.: I didn't buy my Audi here but I've taken my car here for all of its service plus a few times to get the oil fluid level topped off. In the service department, Valentine and Juan are class act professionals. I have taken in my car on super busy Saturday mornings and middle of the week at lunchtime when it seemed relatively slow, and the customer experience these guys provide is the ish consistently. They are totally attentive, courteous almost to a fault, and put a priority on getting your car the service it needs in a timely fashion, explaining to you what's been done, and all the while conducting themselves like they are concierges at a fancy hotel. 

I've only gone for scheduled maintenance and quickie oil fluid top off service (which they do me for free). I've haven't had to deal with car problems and parts and labor bills.

Free coffee, free popcorn, sometimes free pastries, coffee bar and big flat screen TV area, and lounge area.
1 - Jenin V.: had been bringing our 2005.5 3.2 A4 to downtown Audi for service for awhile now. yesterday the 'low oil' warning light came on the dash, so we popped the hood to check the dipstick and lo and behold, THERE WAS NO OIL CAP. so apparently, since our last service in june 2009, we've been driving around WITHOUT AN OIL CAP on. the whole engine bay is covered in oil, the garage floor is covered in oil, and the car's probably been coughing up oily smoke all this time. it is uneffingacceptable that this happened! we called them and they said they didn't have oil caps in stock. did they apologize? NO. we then asked if they could just take an oil cap off another car so we could drive our car around safely, and they said they'll "see what they can do" and still no apology. after figuring out pasadena volkswagen has a matching oil cap AND that they service Audis, they've got our business for sure. called downtown back, told them we would NEVER use their services again and got the name of the manager who's gonna get ripped a new a-hole tomorrow morning.

Audi of Downtown LA - utter, complete, effing FAIL. thank goodness nothing worse happened, can you imagine?! geez. no thank you, not ever again.
5 - James N.: Car dealership experiences are always hard to gauge--the same dealership on two different visits can yield drastically different experiences depending on who it is that you interact with.  So consider this a rousing endorsement of at least 3 staff members at Downtown Audi who made the recent purchase of my 2010 Q5 an absolute breeze.

It started some 6 months back with the intention of ordering an A3 via Cars Direct.  Went to pick it up at the lot, greeted by Jonathan Arvatz.  Answered our questions, had the car detailed and when it pulled up for us to test drive prior to taking possession....only for us to find that the Cars Direct folks had screwed up and ordered absolutely the wrong car.  Missing features, options, even the wrong color.  Jonathan was apologetic and did everything he could to locate a vehicle matching what I wanted, but couldn't find anything.  He spent a good hour on the phone trying to work something out w/ other Audi dealerships in the area to sort something out, so at the end of the day he apologized again (for CD's mistake) and we were on our way.  We eventually decided to place an order for a Q5 and based upon our experiences previously, gladly did it via Downtown Audi and Jonathan again.

When we went to pick up the vehicle, Sue Robertson sat with us to prep all the paperwork and she couldn't have been more pleasant.  She was quick to shows us the many options on the car; to answer questions as we went for a quick test drive; and was patient in working w/ the sales managers to run quite a few different lease scenarios for us in order to have all our options on the table.

Finally, Jim Park, as our finance manager couldn't have been friendlier and more helpful.  Made sure we understood every piece of documentation we signed, offered up solid advice on what did or didn't make any financial sense, even if the dealership itself could have made a few extra bucks.  

At all times I felt like the staff had my best interests at heart rather than any short term gain for the dealership.  It's as if they'd rather cultivate a long term relationship with me rather than make the quick buck now.  No hard push to install Lo-Jack.  Or to get a clear bra.  Or an after market alarm.   And the approach absolutely worked.  Despite being 20 miles away, I'll be taking my car there for all service department work.  And in the future, there's a good chance that my wife will now be looking to purchase an Audi.

The rest of the staff may be a bunch of douchebags for all I know, but I somehow greatly doubt it.  Next time the wife and I need a car, we'll be calling Sue immediately.
1 - Jason Y.: had my a6 towed here because it was the nearest dealor. service dept spent 4 days not sure what was wrong with the car, and at the end recommended that i spend $4200 replacing over a dozen parts. i went back, got the car towed to Right Solutions in Culver City, and they fixed my car for less than $300. this is the sleaziest stealership i have ever encountered. avoid at all costs if you own an audi and need to get it serviced.
1 - Frank S.: Audi of Downtown LA ruined my car.
I drove my freshly paid off 2002 Audi TT ALMS cross country in 2007 and took it for its first west coast oil change to Audi of Downtown LA.  A few days later I was driving home on the 110 when the car caught on fire in the middle lane of the freeway.  The car had to be towed to Rusnak Audi where they told me that...THE OIL PLUG WAS NOT PUT ON PROPERLY!!  
You can get your oil changed anywhere on the planet and any half decent mechanic will know how to put on an oil plug.  
Fortunately, Audi of Downtown L.A. repaired my car after a month and a half.  I finally had to sell it off because of the burning oil smell and the horrible noise it made after going over every bump in the road. This place broke my heart and destroyed the best car I ever owned.
3 - Al S.: I took my S5 here for it's first service which is free.  I can't really say anything good or bad about this place.  I guess the fact that everything  went smoothly is a good thing.  The service adviser notified me of a wiring replacement and that was it.  Got a phone call 4 hours later and everything was good to go.  

The only reason why it doesn't get 4-5 stars is because the wash service sucked, and they moved all the seats to funky positions for no good reason (maybe to replace the wiring), but have some manners and put them back in place please!

I would bring my car here again as long as it's still under warranty.
4 - Kimberley C.: I was just in downtown la picking up my audi after getting its regularly scheduled tuneup and I saw the NEW....and I mean BRAND NEW R8 V10 that is sitting on the showroom floor in all its glory.  I am already  quite familiar with the R8 however this R8 was brand spanking new..... never seen before lamborghini styled R8 and one of the sales guys came over to tell me not to touch since it was literally less than 24 hours in the showroom.  This is the FIRST day it was on the showroom floor and they haven't called and emailed their customers yet to tell them about it.  WOW!  what a fantastic beast!  This car will sell like hotcakes...that is if you can afford the $198,000.00 price tag!

I just want to recommend Valentine, service tech.  He is very knowledgeable, helpful, proactive and jumps at the chance to be of service.  I like that!  Good going Mr. Valentine.  :)
1 - Toni G.: Unless you car is under warranty, do NOT take it here for service or anything else. They try and rip you off, like all car dealerships. Even when my Audi was under warranty the service there was well under par. I took my car in to get the speaker fixed - it was the right speaker that was broken, so they fixed the left one naturally. 

They replaced the freon in the AC when it was the unit that was broken, the car was almost new. Oil leaked from my car constantly the day I drove it off the showroom floor, and it took several visits for them to put a simple leak right. 

I HATE the fact you MUST give them 5 star ratings for everything on their followup calls. I refuse and won't let them call me. What's the point in giving a rating if it doesn't change anything? 

Now that my car is out of warranty I won't be going back to these used-car-salesmen. There are far better places out there that don't try and rip you off - they're hard to find, but they do exist.
5 - Calvin Z.: It was a really great experience. Car buying was sooo easy when i went there. There was no pressure and the price was just right. Even thought they made me wait for the paper work, it was a really great experience. Free Coffee (: 
I got my audi for 10 thousand dollar less then sticker price. 
I was soo happy (: when i finished the paper work and got to drive the car away.
The sale was very simple and fast and overall this place is very nice.
1 - Jaymee C.: This is for their service department shuttle --  I was told I'd be picked up by 1.  20 minutes later, they still haven't arrived.  Fantastic.  FYI - don't rely on their stupid shuttle because it'll pick you up when it feels like it.
5 - Zochi F.: I have nothing but great things to say! Everytime I need parts or service the staff is helpful and always giving me coupons. Eventhough I don't live nearby, this is where I take my Audi when I need any type of service!
5 - Stephanie P.: My baby deserves nothing but the best. Yes she does.  Audi of DTLA is the best! This is where I purchased my Hunny Bunny (my A4) and the purchasing process was smooth and thorough.  

I returned today for my 25,000 mile service check.  I made an appointment for 830 AM and my car was promptly taken at that time. They offered me a shuttle service anywhere downtown or by USC for some breakfast!  I loved that I wasn't stuck in the showroom.  A definite plus though, is that they have free wifi in the showroom.  So next time I'll bring my laptop so I can yelp while I wait ; )

I was pleased that they were willing to honor my Santa Monica Audi coupon. The cherry on the Sundae was after my service they gave Hunny Bunny a FREE car wash.  She felt special! Everything was done by 1045am.
2 - janet l.: so we were in the market for a diesel car, looking to buy within the week. but we also look like your average young adults, and we definitely didn't dress for the occasion.

i think the guy we talked to was new (actually he told us he was new, came from the pasadena dealership). he was nice and didn't pressure us, but in many other ways he was the typical salesman. we asked to test drive a car, though it was the gasoline model. he asked us for a driver's license, which he photocopied. if u ever test drive a car, u do not need to do this. some dealerships hand the copy off to someone else to check your credit while u'r on your test drive. perhaps he did this, perhaps he didn't. either way, i didn't like it. we should've asked for the copy at the end but i forgot. 

while we were crunching numbers for a diesel model that would be coming in later in the week, he would NOT go below sticker price (you should never have to pay MSRP!). wouldn't even budge. he did the whole walking back and forth to the manager thing. (that's why u don't waste time with the floor people, just go straight to the managers, the internet/fleet manager more specifically). on this particular day we were mainly looking to test drive and see what they could offer, so we just let him do his thing cuz he was a nice guy.

when i asked for a better deal, he said his manager agreed to "meet us halfway" on a service car package. they'd cover $400 if we covered the other $400. like i'm some idiot. that just meant i would be paying $400 more for the car on top of MSRP. i acted very nice and polite anyway. (it's sometimes fun acting like the girl that doesn't know anything about cars). he said if we wanted the car that he needed to mark it as "sold." like i'm going to buy a car that i didn't even get to test drive yet. he kept telling me the same story about how the this one company is buying out all the diesel models that come in and they're just selling like hotcakes. and that the car we were crunching numbers for was the only one coming in with the colors we wanted. his manager came by later and made him look bad by saying there were several more coming in. he was all, oh really? i didn't know that! doesn't make him look good, mr. manager.

their inventory was quite skimpy. the only diesel they had was the one in the showroom, and he didn't offer to let us test drive it. to his benefit, it was a dark and rainy night. and he did say we could come back tomorrow and give it a spin. still, i could tell he wasn't treating us like we were serious buyers. i told him to let us know if they get the diesel model in to please call me. he didn't look interested in doing that for us. maybe it was an uncommon request.

several days later i called him to see if they got the car in. i think that's when he realized i was actually serious about the car. he told me he'd call me back after he found out. in the meantime, we visited the pasadena dealership that same night. they had the car we were looking for (with the colors we wanted) so we actually got to test drive it. and they offered it WELL BELOW below sticker price. u probably know what happened after that. we went back the very next day and got the car. it's nice averaging 45-50 mpg, driving last year's winner of the green car of the year award. it's also a great perk having a fun, sporty car to move u around the streets of LA. :)
1 - Ed F.: Horrible service department and a bunch of crooks.  I had to sign up and write a review. My car is currently under warranty and twice now they would not honor coming up with freak excuses of why the parts went bad and why it's not covered. The typical response when they do not want to fix something is "try another dealership, we are all independent."  Basically we don't want to take the loss here try somewhere else. I'm filling a complaint with corporate Audi. This is the worst experience I've ever had. On top of this...Don't buy Audi!...who wants to own a luxury car that by design burns oil, synthetic at that, and requires you to pop in a quart of oil every 3-5k miles.  Luxury should not equal inconvenience. Wish the salesperson had told me this...BEWARE! Can't wait to dispose of my Audi. Don't believe me just read the different websites, including the major reputable car sites (Edmunds, KBB, etc.). Or ask the salesperson, "they wouldn't lie.  All around just a bad experience and dissapointment with the car.
5 - Sam Z.: I have been dealing with this dealer for years now.  They are always eager to please.  Yes it IS a dealer, so you can't expect labor rates of what some guy your cousin knows.  What you can expect is a great waiting area, free popcorn, gourmet coffee (ask them for the hot chocolate too), or even a huge TV screen where they'll let you play video games if it's not too busy (got ask for it).  The sales guys are clean and NOT pushy.  I can't stand shady sales guys.  Also, if you are a loyal audi customer, ask them about their VIP services.

Great experience!
1 - Ermine X.: My lease experience with Audi  was a nightmare. I leased an A4, it constantly had problems, signaling a low tire pressure and sometimes the convertible top wouldn't close. I only drove the car around 3000 miles per year, so it felt like a joke to turn it in for service every few months. I couldn't wait for the three  years to end, not knowing what waited for me when it was time to return the car.
 Nobody informed me I had to make an appointment for an inspection prior to bringing the car back. I even emailed the sales person a few weeks before the due date, he said: just drop it off. When I finally learned about the inspection, I called the only inspection company they work with to arrange for an appointment, but they were booked a month in advance. 
I had no other choice than turning in the car without an inspection, and trusted  I wouldn't get screwed. After all it was a fantastic deal for them, by that time I had given them over 25.000$ and returned a vehicle that has been sitting most of the time in a garage with less than 13.000 miles. It was a surprise when I got the excess wear and tear bill for almost 1000 $.
But I still was optimistic,  I remembered when I signed the lease,  Audi suggested to get a wear and tear insurance for an extra 995$, just for peace of mind. I looked for the documents in my lease agreement, but the sales person only included one page of the insurance contract, without a -how to claim-, or at least a contact information, not even the name of the company was mentioned on this document. It looked like the insurance was under Audi's roof.  Since Audi sold it to me as a hassle free addition I assumed the insurance would automatically pay for the claim. It took me 6 weeks to figure out how to file the claim, get the phone number and name of the insurance, only to hear that my policy has been sold to a different insurance company. This is an unbelievably bad business practice, and the opposite of hassle free or peace of mind. In fact I cringe every time I think about it. Four months later I'm still trying to solve this mess, while the people from Audi Finance are giving me unfriendly phone calls,  and threaten they will send a collecting company after me, if they don't receive a check from the wear and tear insurance in the next 2 weeks. They act like nobody ever had similar problem and try to make me feel bad and guilty, but when I looked at lots of other reviews, I realized Audi Downtown and Audi Finance are just playing a dirty game. It makes me wonder, is this even legally sound?
1 - Fern T.: Wow! Mmmm what can I say, the staff at this place is ok. Van Nuys Keys by far is the best. I can't believe such a corporation, (multi million probably billion) don't loan you a vehicle when your car goes in for major service. Keys Lexus even if your car is in for minor service loans you a car. Not only that, Audi downtown only shuttles you 5mi. Seriously I can walk for 5mi. So in comparison I used to own a Lexus is350, and was always at keys in Van Nuys, I always got a loaner and if I didn't the shuttle wasn't 5mi they would bring me back to Pasadena, they were always stacked with beverages and goodies the staff was incredible and I had no complaints. Audi makes great machines, no doubt but sometimes what makes the place is the staff the location and the need to feel at home. Or if not atleast take me all the way home.
1 - Simone K.: I took my car in for its 5K free service and oil change. I got in, filled out the paperwork, turned in my keys, and got out. The problem arose when my 10K oil change was due and I went to a regular shop to get it done. They said my oil was black, and apparently the 5K oil change was never done. All they did was take my car in, pretend like they were going to work on it, mediocrely wash it, and return it. Thanks DT Audi. You guys suck!
3 - Kevin W.: This place is always very clean and decor is pretty spacious! Felt really nice and modern. Plus!

Anyways, I sent my A5 in for a service on a Friday morning at 9am.
I dropped by after making an appointment about 30mins before so I was pretty surprised about the availability. I asked if they could provide a loaner as well and they said they have cars available and they will be able to provide me with one for free. Big plus!

I drove in, spoke to someone almost right away as well. Another plus.

Told him I needed a service done. He started doing his stuff on the computer and then wrote me a bill for $380 for service (15k miles service!) O_O Pretty expensive, but I guess this is what you get for buying an Audi. Was told the car will be ready the same day. Plus!

However, I purchased Audicare when I bought the vehicle so service is already paid for and covered till 45k miles (I think). The moment I told him that, I saw the biggest frown and sigh in my life -_-
He was so disappointed that I didn't have to pay a single cent (well I already did technically) and service quality dropped dramatically. I don't get it. Doesn't Audi reimburse them anyways?

After that, he told me they ran out of loaners and they can no longer provide me with one. (WHAATTTTTTT??????)
I was pretty disappointed. Not that I didn't get a free loaner, but the fact that I was promised one and didn't get one instead. If they had told me they couldn't provide me one to start with, I could have made other arrangements. Instead they changed their story after they found out I wasn't paying. Oh well i guess. Couldn't say I was mad either because i know not all dealerships offer this service anyways so I just have to live with it. Just felt that they were a little shady and deceptive so what affected most was the trust I had in them.

Went home, and sat around till 4pm. At 430pm, I got a call and was told the car will be ready tomorrow instead. I wished they had told me that earlier because I would have made other plans otherwise. I needed a car for the night and most car rental places close at 5pm. I wasn't expecting them to get me a rental or a loaner by that point, but they could have at least given me enough time to make my own arrangements to get a rental if my car wasn't going to be ready.  Sighhhh.

So I got my car the next day morning anyways. I could tell they washed it but they did not bother cleaning up the interior (such as vacuuming in the insides). I wasn't expecting much anyways but I appreciate that.

The check-out process was pretty quick. Zipped through the service counter and the cashier and my car was already ready parked right outside by then.

Overall a good dealership. Just don't expect too much out of their promises. I will still return since their service is MUCH MUCH better than Audi of Santa Monica overall and I don't want to drive 20 miles to another dealership. So technically, I am forced to pick the lesser of two evils.
2 - Jim H.: Was contacted by new service manager Michael.  Was very concerned about my experience and offered free oil change if I came back.  While not changing my review at this point, good for them on reaching out.  I'll give them another shot and we'll see.

Good step on Michael's part....
4 - Kesh K.: I have been here twice to get my Audi serviced and I got my car when it was promised and service advisors have been great. The only thing I would work on is when a car pulls up, there needs to be someone there to help the customer right away and not have them go look for help and better amenities in the waiting area.
5 - John G.: Roger killed it. Bought a new Q5 3.2 after having a horrible purchase experience at Audi of Santa Monica.
4 - Dave F.: Excellent service from Ricardo who totally knows the Q5. We were handed off to the Audi dealership as their sister Porsche dealership has no SUV inventory, (except on their phantom web site.)

Ricardo knew the product, talked us through a loaded model, advantages/disadvantages and was straight up about 2013 body style changes. He went through a great deal of depth on the safety features as he understood this was a high criterion. 

I've not made a decision on which SUV it will be, but if I were buying from a single person, it would be Ricardo!
5 - Jim B.: Went here after visiting several other dealers in Greater LA.  Armen gave me an incredible deal, was extremely respectful, knowledgable, and broke his back to outcompete everyone else in terms of service, price, communication and all around being a solid human (which most dealers in L.A. are not).  Highly recommend him, and I'll definitely be back.
1 - Chris J.: just bought an A5 at Keyes
5 - Justin Y.: In terms of getting my car serviced, by far the best service I have ever received from a dealership.  Courteous, prompt, thorough, no upselling, explained all the work that was done, accommodating and clean.  Would highly recommend getting your car serviced here over the Santa Monica location.
5 - Kathleen G.: Paul was my service advisor... let me just tell you i pulled in like half an hour before they were closing shop with no appoinment what so ever ;/. However I explained I was from out of town and i had lights going off in my car and did not feel comfortable driving with back lights out and a front lights dimmed. At first they were hesitant but then they took charge came over to me started gathering my information and said okay it should be done with in an hour! I was just so grateful the staff pulled in extra time to take care of me! I will recommend this place and will be coming to see them again when I am in so-cal! thanks guys! ;)
5 - Carolina A.: This is the first time i get my car serviced at this dealership and I'm so happy. Their staff is so nice, professional and knowledgeable. Will definitely go back to this place from now on.
5 - Mark P.: Excellent customer service. All the guys there were very friendly and Andrew Teramatsu in particular very helpful and thourough in the whole process. Even once all said and done the customer service carries on. Highly reccomend you check out this dealership and make sure you ask for Andrew.
Thank you.

Mark Preston.
5 - Ian D.: Looking for an Audi.  I would suggest stepping across the road to the certified pre owned and having a word with David Yi.  

This is the first and probably only time I will recommend any sales person or dealer ship.  He was stellar.  No bulshit, no hard sell.  Here's what i can give you for yours and what i can sell the car for.  

After several weeks of shopping for cars and a few disappointing experiences at different dealers we took a chance at a listing we found on kelly blue book. That led us to David who took the time and applied no pressure simple stating only "obviously i want to make a deal today". We left with a very nice Q5 which was a previous lease and was in mint condition.

Any after sales issues have been handled impressively.  When i realized the tool for removing the roof racks was missing.  "oh let us order one and fedex it to you sir". I hope the service department is also as impressive.

Thanks David!
5 - Christian C.: So I wanted to trade in my Mercedes C230 for something different (it was a 2007 so it didn't have all the toys that cars today have).  Looked around for a bit and thought an Audi was a good choice.  Came here upon Ian D's recommendation to find David Yi.  From the start, David was super helpful with what I wanted and I could just tell the dude was a good, honest guy.  

Spent a few hours looking at many different cars and got exactly what I wanted -and in my price range!  He also hooked it up with a sweet deal and seriously it was just an overall great experience.  David even gave me his cell number and asked to call him with anything I needed.  Good stuff here!
1 - Kelly E.: I'd like to update my previous add and add the face that my "add oil" light is now on again. Had this dealership been thorough like all the other Audi dealerships they woudl've checked out the car when I brought it in, not just top it off with oil and tell me I am good to go. Terrible Audi dealership....at all cost please go to any other nearby Audi dealer.
5 - J K.: I was looking for a car for the past few months and couldn't decide on the many choices avble in the marketplace.  That all changed when David Yi assisted with the process and the dealership had the exact vehicle I was looking for.  David is a very honest rep. and will work hard to provide an aggressive deal without the BS.  If you're looking for an Audi sales rep. who'll go the extra mile, David is your guy.
5 - watersprite w.: We have brought 3 Audi's here over 6 years. Service is always outstanding. Valentine is our service writer. I love that he remembers my difficult name. Calls back promptly if I leave a message. 

They do everything they can think of to fix any problems and have given us a rental car or loaner multiple times over the years when a fix took longer than expected or was known to be complicated.

They stay on top of recalls and do them when car is in for service--once even before Audi announced it.

We work nearby and could take the Dash, but they make it like a personal favor to let them drive you to work and pick you up.

Once or twice we have had a different service writer and that person was very helpful as well.
4 - Richard L.: The sales staff seem to have more knowledge than other Audi Dealers in So Cal. that I have dealt with. The sales staff really try to do their best before, during and after the sale. Ricky was the person who worked with me and he really has a lot of knowledge of the vehicles. These cars have a lot of electronics and there is a lot to learn! We will see how it goes once I have to deal with service.
1 - Silvie H.: Lies Lies Lies

My husband was emailing and negotiating back and forth with a sales person here for a while. We came in after agreeing with a bottom line price to further discuss. They first had us waiting for 20 minutes just to find our our sales guy was busy and another 30 minutes for them to bring the car from the storage lot. . We are talking about a slow day that the manager and sales people were chatting for fun and not many customers were shopping for cars. Very bad and unprofessional service. 

Since the guy my husband was talking to got tied up with another customer, his manager took us over while we were waiting for the car that took forever to get. He was surprised by the price offered by his employee and told us that he's not ready to make that offer and "there must be some miscommunication."  Well you know what? the deal was written in the emails and the communication was loud and clear. When you don't honor your offer that means you are lying and you are not doing honest business. In addition, they didn't even have the exact car they claimed they did.

If we had known that the price they offer by email is just bull shitting, we would never spend our Sunday afternoon driving to downtown and experience this kind of unprofessional business attitude. Easy for them to say it's "miscommunication" but for us it's a tremendous waste of time (and good mood). This is exactly the bad business attitude that gives car dealers a bad rep. 

The same deal is offered by other car dealers and we are gladly taking our business to others who are more honest and enthusiastic to their customers.
4 - Neil M.: I was researching Q5's for several months before I started visiting dealerships and weighing the pros and cons of buying versus leasing. I'm a small business owner and could see the value in leasing although wasn't completely sold on the idea. Before heading Downtown I visited two other dealerships and experienced the typical auto dealership shitshow - terrible customer service, deceiving practices and cocky salesmen. I'm a bit of a cynic and assumed I was going to get a similar experience at Audi DT LA but tried to keep an open mind. 

I went to the front desk and was kindly greeted and then matched up with Ray within a minute. Ray had a positive attitude but wasn't over the top. He maintained composure and did a great job answering my questions and showing me the inventory. We went back and forth for a couple hours before putting numbers on paper. Ray pulled the sales manager, Sam, into the negotiation. What I liked about Sam was that he showed me the cost analysis on his computer and was fairly honest. It spoke volumes. I could see exactly where the costs were coming from while plugging and playing with deposit amounts and desired monthly payments. They offered a low interest rate (roughly 3.5%) and a decent trade-in price for my current car. We came to an agreement after they threw in a few accessory deals. 

Audi's are a hot car and I knew going into the dealership that I didn't have too much wiggle room. But I did come away with an amazing ride that cost well below what other dealerships were asking. I also developed a relationship with these guys knowing that I'll most likely deal with them for another lease or purchase. 

Overall, they exceeded my expectations and I feel very content with my purchase.
4 - Compton G.: I had a great experience with the sales guy!  Real down to earth.  The guy didn't lie to me, he was just honest. I gave the dealer one less star, because the sales manager promised me to throw in extra ammenities, but the next day he backtracked.  It wasnt the sales guys fault.
1 - Liz M.: I had such a horrible experience at this dealership when I was purchasing a new car.  I went in to look at the Audi Q7.  I am a professional and was dressed in a business suit and very expensive shoes (which are easily identifiable by their soles). I pulled up in my Mercedes.  I did not look like some slacker who was just there to waste a salesperson's time. The salesman treated me like I was a stupid woman who knew nothing about buying a car (I have bought several cars without assistance).  He was condescending and even suggested that I buy a model down and that I should talk to my husband about it. Really?! Who down sells?  Isn't the goal to up sell?  I walked away with such a bad taste in my mouth.  Needless to say, I did NOT purchase an Audi.  And, I would never consider purchasing a car from this dealership after the treatment I was given.
1 - Tony J.: I just bought my first Audi three weeks ago and the experience was FRIGHTENING!  

First let me start off by saying that the Audi A7 is a DREAM and kudos to Audi for making a beautiful car.  Back to the point of the post and the horrible sales service at Audi Downtown LA.

I found the A7 I was looking for the last week of August - but it was in California (I'm in Atlanta).  The car was such a deal that I took a CROSS COUNTRY day flight to check out the ride before Labor Day weekend on a Saturday.  Before flying out, I was pre-approved by my credit union (LGECCU - which is AWESOME BTW) and even had Audi Downtown LA's finance department call them to get the particulars to a smooth transaction (keep note of this point).  

So I let the dealership know that I would be flying in on Saturday to have the paperwork and car ready. Now let me introduce you to David (Dae), my sales guy.  Great guy before the sale, needs closed loop sales 101 after the purchase.  The car was clean and of course he had the sales slip ready to go.  I agree on the numbers and it decided to drop downpayment.  I roll to the BOA around the corner and scoop up a cashiers check of about 25% of the cost of the vehicle and head back.  I was then introduced to the finance guy - Mike.

I fill out the paperwork and head back home to meet up with my bank on Tuesday.  Mike and Audi assured me that once they had a check from the bank, they would ship the car - mind you and keep note that I'm thinking they've had communication with my bank about payment steps and procedures.  I meet with my credit union, they cut a check and its next day air'd to Audi DTLA.  They have a water marked BANK CHECK from a reputable bank in hand in what turns out to be 1 business day - I did my part!

Here comes problem #1 - They pull the out of state check line on me and tell me it will take 10 days to clear.  WTF?!?!?  

After the payment clears (6 calendar days after purchase), David now tells me the car is ready to ship but it may take 5 to 10 days for the vehicle to be picked up?!?!?!  I offered to personally get it expedited but Audi LA refused.  After this last communication (post sale day 6) all of a sudden Audi goes GHOST RECON on me.  I can't seem to reach Mike, David or anyone else (and they have their $$$$).

I persist to call Audi Downtown LA daily, send a fax and asked for everyone I knew at the location between the 7th and 12th day after sale - I didn't receive a single email, text, fax or reply during this time.  Finally Alex Ochoa calls me on the 12th day and says the vehicle had shipped.  I ended up receiving the car the 14th day after sale.

Now, I've received the car and can breathe now - I'm not upset about the 14 day wait, but I'm pissed that they ignored me for 5 days.  So I get the car on Saturday and I'm happy....but wait, where is the damn title!!!!!  Since I don't live in Cali, I can't receive temporary tags from CA - so I can't legally drive the car because Audi DTLA didn't send my title so I can get it registered OR send any temp tags!!!

Back to the telephone trying to contact Audi DTL - no responses for 4 days until finally the lady from the title offices calls (I tried calling here on day 12 after sale too..no response).  It is now day 17.  I speak to Deborah and she says "oh, the title is right here.  We typically take 30 days to file the title..".  I'm like "I'm out of state, you don't file in Cali - you have to send me the title in Georgia!!!"  She proceeds then to next-day-air the title.

So finally after 20 days I have a car I can drive..

Why I'll never buy from Audi Downtown LA again....
1. No  (or lack of) experience in dealing with out of state purchases
2. HORRIBLE communication and Closed Loop Sales
3. Lack of payment/transaction best practices on the finance team (can't tell you how many times they asked to pull my credit - even though they were not financing a dime)
4. Lack of follow up and direct communication
5. Poor title handling and processing

Audi Downtown LA - learn how to work with out of state customers or just tell us to kick rocks.  I expect more from a luxury brand and I could have got this kind of service from the Hyundai dealer across the street!
1 - Dick E.: Do not buy anything from Audi LA!! (Eric saber Internet sales scam )

Worst customer service , worst attitude ! Cocky assholes!!

Tried to rush me and never emailed me back when I said I wasn't settle on my first option ...  Should have read the reviews first . Audi LA must lose a lot of sales on a daily basis ...
4 - Sebastian A.: This place is the new home to my audi s4.. I got unlucky with a used car buy, and these guys have made me feel better about the repairs, offering me a massive 3k discount on an unfortunate gas tank leak. This kind of stuff is unheard of from dealerships but my man Klever hooked it up. I love my car regardless of all the repairs (spent a few thousand on new arm mounts last month) and I'm extremely neurotic about my whip. That said, this place gets the job done - it's not just for moms driving around a7s with no idea what's going on with the car. 

The reps will talk you through what's going on, and while you'll spend less with a local mechanic, you won't get the quality and reassurance offered by a dealership of this quality.
5 - Swampy M.: Just bought a new Audi from Eric Sabre at Audi of Downtown LA. It was the most straightforward, honest, accommodating and easy car purchase I've ever experienced. They sourced the car that I wanted in the colour I wanted and never tried to convince me to take another vehicle. They happily accommodated my hours and availability and made me a great deal with some lovely extras thrown in. Follow up calls have made the after purchase experience just as pleasant. New car purchases are something I usually dread but this experience was actually a lot of fun. Thanks to Eric and the whole crew at Audi of Downtown LA.

Audio Lab - Cambridge, MA (42.3726417, -71.1198562) (Harvard Square)
4 - pete g.: Venerable!  Audio Lab has been around since Oriental slaves were hand-carving wax cylinder recordings of temperance speeches.  When you need a rad tonearm or a dope preamp or totally sweet interconnects, Audio Lab is the place you go.  The salespeople are bona-fide audio geeks who will spend as long as it takes to demonstrate and help you find the component you're looking for.  If the Garage burned down tomorrow, this would be the only shop I'd feel bad about losing.
4 - Eric S.: I ran into some very knowledgeable people here when I was looking for something very simple -- a cable to connect my iPod to my car. They had just the right cable in the right length (1 meter!!).
5 - Jane C.: I have nightmares about shopping for electronics, but I can sleep well now that I've found Audio Lab.
I came in looking for a radio to listen to in the kitchen, I explained what I wanted, he showed me what fit the bill and let me play around. No pressure at all, very laid back, inviting but then letting you alone to try things out.
I love good sound but I really don't give a damn to know about electronic equipment, and was happy that someone was there to answer questions and could go into great detail if needed but was not at all one of these sales-y types in khakis and button-down shirts that makes you sit through a half hour lecture just because you want to buy a radio.
The store has a very local feel, pictures of the Dresden Dolls and other bands, the staff dress like normal human beings not corporate drones, and they have lots of fancy audiophile type equipment that I would buy if I could afford a home stereo.
He also had a really nice CD that I ended up going across the hall to Newbury Comics to buy (ark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris).
 Very nice equipment, extremely competent people to help you find what you're looking for, and very cool laid back music loving atmosphere. Music people, not salespeople.
What's that you say? I can't hear you over the Magnetic Fields Distortion (they weren't kidding with that title). Oh. Yes, I LOVE my new radio! I can finally hear the sounds on the cd unlike with my crumby computer and stereo. And it wasn't too expensive either for a really decent little radio, especially considering how pricy those awful ipod sound systems are. If you'll excuse me now I need to put my opinions aside, I have some dancing 'round the house to attend to.
5 - Christopher M.: Audio lab techs are fucking unreal.   I took a broken ( and when I say broken I mean totally destroyed, nothing was seated, all of the parts *might* have been in there) MacIntoch 2500 amp for them to fix.  I heaved all 250lbs of it on the counter (which I had previous lugged down from the top of the parking garage, up those few block and into the store all by my little old lonesome) and the tech gave me this "you gotta be fuckin kidding me, right?" look.   He shook  his head, offered me some water and a chair,  and after a minute of rest I gave him my info.

A week later I got the call that it was fixed and ready to be picked up.  A WEEK!!  I was expecting a month to pass and to the get call that they would happily use it as a paperwegiht!  I showed up and the bill was a little more than I could have found in the couch cushions.  

I LOVE YOU AUDIO LAB!
5 - Tatsu I.: Audiolab is quirky place on the 2nd Floor of The Garage in Harvard Sq, and happens to be my favorite hi-fi place. It is not swanky, the acoustics are bad, and the staff are very individualistic but all have really good ears for sound and value. Plus they are consummate customer service reps. 

When I bought my stereo, I went to all the local shops. Some were weird, some were really expensive, some were out of business, some didn't have any taste. But Audiolab just felt and sounded right. They put up with my usual gearhead shenanigans, and even gave me props for bringing in a handtruck/dolly to carry out gear to test at home on a regular basis during my trials. "That's a real audiophile!, bringing in a dolly!"

I've purchased other things and have been happy with them, and had pieces repaired to satisfaction. If it's under 100 bucks, I'll pretty much take their word on it and buy it at this point.

They have been in business for a long long time, and I've met the owner, and he is a sweet old man. He mostly stays out of the way, but manages to provide great service and value in hi-fi to many, many customers over the years. 

If you want laid-back attitude and free-range, with little pressure and good value, this is the place. No hints on product, because my speaker company went out of business, wahhh!
5 - Brad A.: The Audio Lab is pretty sweet. I've been in there many times and have never had a negative experience. While the main guy who works there might be preoccupied with a chess game with one of his cronies when you first enter he's actually pretty helpful. I've brought some gear to the Lab to demo some of the equipment they have in-house and they were happy to let me do it. They also will let you take things home to demo them if you don't feel like bringing the equipment to the store. 

They have two listening rooms, which are fairly small but have high ceilings and manage to sound halfway decent. Inside them are a wide selection of components ranging from fairly inexpensive used units to brand new, not so inexpensive McIntosh gear. They also have a wide selection of phono cartridges and while they may not have all their tables in store to demo, they carry a decent line of turntables as well. 

If you've just got a question they can more than answer it for you and if you've got a broken component they're happy to fix it for you for a reasonable price. If you love the world of high end audio a trip to Audio Lab is well worth it. Their prices are reasonable and the product lines they carry are quality.
5 - Myern O.: I've had awful experiences buying earbuds at best buy, circuit city, and online; you can't return earbuds and it's too easy to walk away with some hip-hop oriented piece of trendy junk with Bass XPANDER or some other corporate marketspeak for "can't use these for music composition or remastering under any circumstances."  I went in here looking to find some sound isolating earbuds in the $50-$100 price range, so I can finally listen to my 320 kbps recordings of Nobukazu Takemura, Renaissance motets, and Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli piano performances on my iPod.  I explained to the guy what I wanted, and walked out in five minutes with a pair of  Sennheuser earbuds that fit the bill exactly. Ever want to listen to something sort of subtle while blocking out the subway's deafening screeching? Try this place; it's a local business with the real deal in customer service.
5 - Peter B.: I went in on a friend's recommendation. The guy working there was very helpful.
5 - Bryan C.: Tucked away on the second floor of The Garage, this is one of the best places to shop for audio equipment in Boston. The store has a good selection of products, from headphones to speakers. The staff here is friendly and not pushy, and allows you to relax and test out what you want to get. The listening room, however, isn't the greatest, but they are knowledgable and prices are pretty competitive with online vendors. Definitely hit this place up.
4 - Ryan F.: I'd heard about this place and took my Technics turntable in there to be fixed. I'm always a little weary of anyone who works with vinyl because you get a lot of weirdos, but they were responsive, good with follow-up and called me when it was ready - a few days early by the way. Quality work - if you have a turntable or other hi-fi that needs work, this is where to take it.
2 - H. P.: I'm thinking they should change their name to snobby old dudes who can't be bothered to help you.
1 - Kyle R.: These guys are such pretentious dicks it's unbelievable.  No doubt they know what they're talking about, but they'll hardly give you the time of day unless you prove to them you're even worth talking to.  I've been in here twice to get some answers dealing with properly setting up my turntable, as I'm a bit of a noob and would like to figure out the science behind it.  The first time I went in and asked what options I have to replace my cartridge/stylus, the response I got was "Well, are you going to Sunday school or are you going to church every day?"  Instead of giving me a straight answer and showing me what he has in stock, he felt the need to asses my audiophile prick status, and I left without getting any advice or help at all.

I went in there for a second time today to pick someone's brain about balancing my tonearm and adjusting anti skating, and instead of simply explaining what it means and helping me out, he just said "I'd have to see it to tell you what it needs" and went on to tell me "good luck finding the right cartridge" and then told me how much they charge for service.

Mid conversation, no joke, he literally stood up from his comfy chair and walked away from me to go hide in the back room.  

The crusty old farts that work here are on par with the comic book guy from the Simpsons.  The only people that must have good luck here are the people who pay them money to fix their stuff, or are just as knowledgeable as they are.  Don't go here if you're looking for any insight at all, because you'll get nothing but attitude and pretentious snobbery in return.
5 - AViva R.: I have to say, this was a thoroughly great experience. I dropped off my record player, which I've been trying to fix for the past two months, and he immediately pinpointed that it was my belt that had gone bad. I left my record player there for one week and then got a call to pick it because it was done. Super simple. And on top of that they didn't charge me for their work, they just charged me for the price of the belt itself. Kind of surprising in this day and age. So, in all, very happy with Audio Lab.
5 - Karl B.: I wasn't sure what it was, but sitting atop the subwoofer was a giant gift wrapped package (hey-oo!) topped with a bow.  It was my birthday, but I was still caught off guard, I mean how often do you get such a huge present?  Inside could have easily been a small television, a fish tank sized terrarium, maybe even a bread maker.  I'd take a terrarium but other than that the prospects weren't good.  It was a perfect square, and immaculately wrapped in paper that went surprisingly well with my living room decor, if we can call it that.  I didn't want to open it.  But, I had friends over to watch the Patriots, and I felt the pressure to open it at halftime, so I dove in.  As it turns out the wrap job was merely a lid.  I lifted it off to find the ultimate present, a lovely 1974 Pioneer PL-15Dii turntable from my girlfriend.  I had been doing a fair bit of resurf over the past several months for a turntable, and apparently talking about it enough to spread the word.  But where I couldn't convince myself to pull the trigger she did, and on a real beauty.  Its got wood grain veneer, a tinted dust cover in flawless shape, and a handsome head shell.  I was truly impressed.  But this isn't a review of my birthday, my girlfriend, or of the Patriots march to another Super Bowl.

This Particular turntable was listed as "very good" with the only issue being that it played 33's "correctly" when the lever was switched to the 45 speed setting.  I thought it should also get a tune up, and I wanted an excuse to head to Audio Lab.  This was a perfect excuse.  We lucked out with a parking spot and walked it in.  I must have looked like a new father carrying a newborn.  People ran to get doors for me and let me pass when it was too crowded to fit us both.  Upon arrival, I plopped the turntable down on the counter and Mike (99% sure that was his name) came over to find out what was up.  I doubt Mike talks like that.  He came over to see what might be the problem with my turntable. 

Mike pulled out a jagged old magnifying glass and asked what the problems were.  We explained that turntables were pretty "new to us" and were told that it played the wrong speed, and that we wanted a tune up to be sure it was cut out to play records in a desirable fashion.  He checked out several areas, removed the platter and checked out the belts and motor and who knows what else.  He made comments along the way, including, "people say record players are in very good condition, but they rarely are," and "lots of things can damage in shipping."  But he also added "the cartridge is in good shape," and "it's rare to see dust covers in such good condition."  I asked if the speed thing sounded like a big deal, and he said that he "wasn't the tech."  He also mentioned that over 90% of their business was repair based.  After a thorough once over he took a $35 down payment (or close to it) and said that they'd call with an estimate soon.  At that we headed out.

That was on a Monday.  I called on Friday, because I hadn't heard back.  Mike answered and said they were running about seven days out for quotes.  I wasn't in a hurry, and told him so.  Either way, he called me back on Tuesday to say it would cost another $50 on top of my down payment and that it'd be done the next day.  That was more than fair I thought, so I gave him the green light.  I showed up on Tuesday after work, and per usual, there was Mike by his lonesome.  He asked my last name and went back to get it.  Sitting it down on the counter I gave it a once over noticing that they affixed the arm to the table to avoid issues in transit, a nice touch.  I needed some longer RCA cables, which they had in stock, and nice ones at that.  This got me even more excited to bring it home and light up Arlington with an impromptu concert.  Before leaving I felt the first inclination of warmth from Mike, he said "when you bring it to the car, carry it flat, like a pizza."  I thanked him for the service and the quick turnaround and headed home, much to the dismay of my neighborhood.

I hooked it up, and have been enjoying the vinyl experience ever since.

My experience with Audiolab is precisely what I hoped it would be, and was nothing short of positive.  Mike is very knowledgeable and should I ever have a problem or a question, I will most certainly head to Audiolab for assistance.

Some of the other reviews suggest that there is a "holier than thou" attitude at Audiolab, and that might very well be the case.  They know there stuff, and are a little rough around the edges.  If Audiolab were a restaurant, it'd be a diner with a cult following,
1 - Landon W.: Have no idea how this place got such high reviews as they completely wrecked my turntable and I am now a $130.00 short.  After reading the yelp reviews and reading their website, I brought my Garrard there a month ago to get it recapped which is something that a fairly knowledgable electrical engineer should be able to handle.

  I received it back a week later and noticed that it looked a little scratched up; I didn't think too much of it as I wanted to see if they got it sounding the way I originally got it again. After playing a couple records all the way through,one of the replaced capacitors inside started smoking as a loud humming and crackling sound progressively started to appear.  I brought it back in and the first thing out of the guy working the counter when he saw me come in was "what did you do?". I could go on about the patrionizing attitude but the focus will be on their workmanship.  I told him about what happened really nicely and his reply was, "oh... Okay. The tech will give you a call." A week passes by and no call.  I finally got a call but it was just to tell me that my turntable was ready to be picked up.  I wanted to speak directly to the tech about the capacitor but the guy on the phone pretended he couldn't hear me and just mumbled "um, yeah... Next week.." and hung up. I came to pick it up and opened it up at the bench in front of Newbury comics to see it and the first thing I noticed was that they bent my needle!  To let you all know, I had replaced the cartridge needle a week before I originally brought it in and it was perfectly fine when I left it with them!  I couldn't believe it! I was raging at this point.  I was tempted to go back in the store to actually tell them off but no point in doing that as I have worked in customer service and nothing worse than hearing a raging customer (and judging from their customer service, will probably be met with another "what did you do?"). I brought it home and plugged it in... same humming and crackling noise.  I turned it off before another smoking incident happened again and am now writing this review.  

I wish I shared the other reviewer's experience.  I couldn't believe I just threw away $130 and a broken cartridge for being a customer.  Too bad there aren't other places around Boston/Cambridge who could give them some competition; knowing this, perhaps they would care more about their work.
2 - Matthew H.: I have an old, but well taken care of YAMAHA CA-1010 Receiver. The left channel was going out and I took it into Audio Lab to get fixed. I put down the $30 deposit and left the receiver with them. 

A week later I hadn't heard from them, so I went in. They said they hadn't found any problem with the receiver, so I just took my receiver home. They kept the $30 deposit and said if there were any more problems, bring it back.

The left channel started to go out again, so I brought it back. I left the receiver with them again and after a week I didn't hear from them. So I called and they said my receiver was ready. I went it, they said it was repaired, the cost came to $80. I had already put down $30, so I owed another $50. Fine by me.

I took the receiver back home, and after a few weeks the left channel started to go out again. I called Audio Lab and told them the problem. They said it could my by speakers overheating the receiver and to take my speakers to another repair shop. 

I really didn't want to run back and forth from repair shop to repair shop, especially when I had to pay for a "repair" and it wasn't being repaired.

I finally looked up YAMAHA CA-1010 on Google and found a message board that said it might be dirty contacts. It suggested I buy contact cleaner and clean the inside. So I did that. The cleaner cost $8 and I liberally sprayed and cleaned the inside. The receiver now works fine.

I don't know what I paid $80 for, and why I continually went back and forth from Audio Lab (my receiver is very heavy so it was a pain to find parking then shuffle to their location). Also, not sure why this sort of simple remedy wasn't caught by them. 

I'm sure they're good at what they do, but I was a bit disappointed with my experience. I could have just paid $8 to clean it myself, rather than $80 for them to not fix anything.
4 - George S.: Audio Lab is a solid audio store that sorely needs a better location...but alas...it is where it is...without any good listening rooms.

I ordered a mcintosh integrated from them after talking to Mike and auditioning it elsewhere (not a high demand there from clientele to keep them in stock) and I got an exceptional discount due to special order nature.

They just generally have a nice selection of stuff.  Location is just awful however.
5 - samiam i.: I am glad places like this still exist.

Can you really buy stereo gear online without having first listened to it? (And listening to in a store and then buying it online is about as scummy as it gets.) 

I was looking for a pair of good quality headphones. 

I called several places around Boston and southern NH. Audio places are dying breed. Those that keep a good inventory of headphones even harder to find.

Audio Lab was the exception. They had a great selection, including AKG, Grado and Beyer. They had entry level stuff like Newbury comics next door,  but also middle and high end headphones which I was having trouble finding anywhere except online. 

At the store,  I was able to try (and try again) all of the cans I wanted to check out.  I got good advice from the guy behind the counter. He was patient and had lots of good info.  

In the end I selected a pair I have been extremely happy with. 

I was also happy with the price which was the same as the online prices , but frankly, I'd would have been OK with paying more than the online price (NOTE: I DID NOT HAVE TO) because unless business like this are supported, the next time I need a new set of headphones, or speakers, or a component, I won't be able to listen to them first. 

While I was there, I poked around the listening rooms and noticed lots of high end gear. Unlike some places they also seemed ti keep a pretty good inventory. 

In short, great place that has been in Cambridge since the early hippy days. 

Highly recommend.
1 - Curt W.: in my experience, i found these guys to be annoying, pretentious and dumb. i called inquiring about a replacement turntable belt and they said *had to* bring it in, but not today but in a couple weeks when the technician is there so they could properly fit a new belt on. GMAFB! that makes no sense at all. so instead i ordered a replacement belt online from needledoctor dot com (great customer service btw) and it arrived, slipped it on in two seconds, fit perfect and plays great. why were they making me bring in my turntable instead of just selling me a new belt on the spot? i can only assume they were just looking to rip me off for a service charge and, to waste my time. that being said, im probably not their target audience. they have alot of nice, high-priced, high-end gear here. but, in my opinion, a total waste of my time and not what i was looking for.

Audio Video Integrations - Lafayette, IN (40.424454, -86.880667) ()
5 - Kurt W.: Very professional company. They are detail oriented and do excellent work. I would hire them again.
5 - Scott P.: Chad with Audio Video Integrations really truly not just understands his business, but is truly passionate about it.  From home theater and sound systems to commercial sound, he cares about what the customer needs and exceeds their expectations.

Auditory Services Inc - Silver Spring, MD (39.0195444, -76.9729063) ()
5 - Jim K.: This is an outstanding audiology practice. I have been a "customer" for 8 years, after initial referral by my ENT medical staff and local reviews. Over the years, they have fitted me with two sets of hearing aid instruments--one set in the ear, and eventually one set behind the ear. They did not try to push me to buy unnecessarily expensive solutions. In addition to a good "fitting" experience initially, Auditory Services has provided ongoing support:  periodic adjustments to the programming of the digital hearing aids, a return to the factory fixing one of the Widex aids, and replacement of the tubing on the Phonak behind the ears set. They charge very modest fees (sometimes nothing!) for ongoing maintenance. They really care and provide top professional services.
5 - Allison C.: Really pleasant staff, no hard sales for random hearing aid accessories, and the cheapest prices I've seen for services and parts. I thought I'd have to replace my aids recently, since my former audiologist told me I'd need to get new ones every five years.  However, Auditory Services told me that with an extremely cheap adjustment, I could probably get another 5 years out of my current pair--a LOT of money saved on my part, and essentially a lost sale for them (for now). I really feel like they are working in my best interests, and not just to make money.

Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater - Los Angeles, CA (34.0635544, -118.4445214) (Westwood)
4 - erica f.: Technically, this theater might actually fall under the yelp reviews for  The Geffen Playhouse at UCLA. 

However, its a totally separate experience and really its own entity.  In an attempt to serve Yelpers who want info specifically on "The Audrey Theater" I want them to be able to find it.

The Audrey Theater is really really cool. The theater which seats 115 patrons is cozy and true to its objective is really very intimate. You can actually see the creases in an actors forehead when they furrow their brow! 

Unlike several of the other small theaters around town The Audrey's decor is auspicious and tasteful. (I've been to some pretty grimy spots.) 

And if the employee discount is similar to the athletic event discount -- I will be visiting The Audrey Theater again soon.  I'll probably head to  The Geffen as well, but I like The Audrey more.

As a side note, If you prefer The Geffen,  bigger better whatever.. I'll let you in on a little secret, they have special events such as "Wine-Down Sunday" and "Girls Night Out." The special event activities and parties are included in the ticket price. What  a bonus!

The Upcoming Girls Night Out Events are listed Below: 

By The Waters of Babylon: November 13, 2008 at Hotel Angeleno with beer sommelier and LA's beer chick, Christina Perozzi.

Time Stands Still: February 19, 2009 at the W - Los Angeles, Westwood with Bodyrocks jewelry trunk show and bliss spa get-ready-for Spring mini treatments.

The Seafarer: April 30, 2009 at Tengu - Westwood with sushi and sake tastings and wicked Indie tunes from Tengu's house DJ. 

Nightmare Alley: July 2, 2009 at Luxe Sunset hotel with Perry Ellis swim wear and Too Faced Cosmetics.

[Seriously! Free!  I know. I know,  American's are obsessed with free. But this is not here is a free piece of junk, a free crappy sticker or here you get this "really cool" /super tacky tote bag for signing up for this ridiculously high interest rate credit card kind of "free."

This is good free-- enticing free- fun free.  Sure some of these events are like 9 months away... but I'm there. [That's what an outlook synced iphone is for. ]

August Moon Spa at La Tourelle Resort - Ithaca, NY (42.401594, -76.50115) ()
5 - Katie B.: There's a private bath in every spa room for soaking after a full body scrub.  Heaven can be found in the gorges of Ithaca!
4 - Lola B.: August Moon is a fantastic spot to celebrate a special occassion or to just treat yourself to some spa style pampering.  They have a great menu of services and I have had consistently good experiences there.

I love a few specific things about this spa:  Their front desk staff (always so warm and welcoming, truly exceptional), Margaret (best masseuse ever), and their product line (especially the ginger scrub). 

I think the prices are in line with what you should expect to pay for this level of spa. While it may not be as luxe as Mirbeau, which is about an hour away from Ithaca, it's also not at that level of pricing, either.  It may be a stretch to call August Moon a "deal" - but let's just say that it's fair pricing for quality services, and that I've considered what I have dropped there to be money well spent.
4 - Erin L.: Great as a treat and for special occasions.  Massages were amazing, and the whole set-up is very relaxing and peaceful.  Plus they donate packages to various non-profits looking for fundraising help around Ithaca, which is always a good thing.
4 - Nicole C.: Very nice staff, very clean, had a great massage!  Had a great brunch afterwards at Simply Red.
5 - Lisa S.: What a lovely experience.  From the moment you walk in, you feel relaxed.  The mud wrap was great, as was my massage, mani, and pedi.  I also bought some of their products and I love them!  I live nowhere near here, but I will be back soon!
5 - Katie W.: I've been to August Moon six or seven times and have had an incredible experience each time. The staff are all very genuine and warm, and the services never fall short. I particularly enjoy their European facial treatment and their in-house products.  While it's not a huge, over the top, luxury spa that you might find in a big city, it's an extremely relaxing, clean, and overall very enjoyable spa.
5 - Heather L.: August Moon Spa is like a little oasis - always a wonderful and peaceful experience. They have a spacious changing area complete with sauna and steam room, two amazing tranquility rooms (your choice of fire or water), and super nice staff without a lot of turnover. The prices are in line with other high-end spas in central NY, although if you can make it between 4-7 on Tues, Wed, or Thurs, they offer a 20% Tranquility Hour discount on many treatments (this has been the case for a few years, but double-check their website to be sure before you go). They incorporate a lot of local products (honey, grapes, etc.) into their treatments, and are very involved in the Ithaca community, which is an added bonus!

Aun Deli Cafe - Pasadena, CA (34.146595, -118.130418) (Pasadena)
4 - judy w.: this place serves brown rice in their rice dishes.  i luuuurvs me my brown rice. yey. :D

it prides itself in using "rare and organic ingredients", and serving traditional, home style japanese food just like mommie made. they use all natural seasonings and nutritional ingredients, and it's all supposed to be healthy, healthy, fresh, fresh.

i came here for lunch today.  i was eyeing it all week after its grand opening monday. this is where 'scampi' used to be.  i decided to stop depriving myself and take a break from yelp - uh... i mean work, and try this place out.

it's as boring and drab on the inside as it is on the outside.  c'mon aun deli! bring in the gays to spice the interior decorating a lil. 

now with the, uh... aesthetics aside - to the good stuff. the grubbery aka the food.  i was actually ready to order a sangwich when i skipped on over, since part of the name had "deli" in it.  it took me a while to decide on what to order when i got there and was semi-disappointed.  after a momentary twiddling of thumbs, i decided on the four-color rice bowl - seasoned chicken, egg, salmon, spinach sitting atop a bed of brown rice.  it was quite tasty, but to be honest i prolly could have made some of the same stuff at home. hmm... is that what they meant by "homestyle"? no false advertising there, i guess.  my meal also came with this vegetable miso soup - carrot, potato, shitake mushroom, spinach, gobo, and tofu.  the soup itself was not very flavorful but the chunkiness of all its other teammates made it quite a coveted side.

no dessert here. :(  and honestly for lunch and what i got, it was on the pricey side. considering the location, and all the other great lunch eateries it is in competition with, they might want to rethink the pricing. BUT they redeemed themselves by offering a DERICIOUSLY organic, caffeine-free blueberry rooibos tea at a reasonable price.  huge fan of the blueberry.

me (looking at the menu):  what is "rooibos"?
cashier:  well, it's a caffeine-free type tea.
me:  oh...
cashier:  it's imported from africa.
me:  sold.

mm. yeah.  i'm a sucker for stuff imported from africa.  well, apparently i am?  they also have some other flavored teas i'm dying to try, ie. orange blossom, citron oolong, lychee berry, and honey plum rooibos.  one gripe i had though is that i was taking this all to go, and the cup they served the hot tea with came sleeveless.  howsabout spending that extra 10 cents for hot beverage sleeves for your customers so they don't get second degree burns drinking your tea, mr. owner? hmmm?

well, most likely i will come back and try their other menu items because i'm lazy enough not to cook my own homemade japanese dishes, and  they have an avocado fruit salad and a tofu hamburger steak i'm curious enough to actually try. 

eat on my fellow yelpers.
5 - N T.: I'm stoked to have found this affordable delicious high quality "deli".  It's actually pretty high end looking for a deli, and has nice candlelit tables at night to eat at, (open until 9pm) so it's really more like a regular restaurant.  This place just opened January 2007, so I haven't had many meals there yet, but what I have had was delicious.  Kinpira gobo was perfect, as was the tofu salad and tofu hamburger.  Miso soup could have used more veggies and a milder broth, but really, those are minor complaints.  I got an excellent meal for less than $10.  Price beats Sachi Sushi any day, and they have a different variety of tasty homestlye Japanese foods.  Yummy, healthy, authentic food.  Nice selection of vegetarian dishes.
5 - Ani P.: Japanese restaurant for the health conscious.  The website boasts that there is nutrition in every bite.  Completely and totally right on.  The food not only nourished by body but also nourished by spirit.  I just felt all zingy after lunch instead of being in a food coma.

The lychee berry tea is full of fruity flavor in every sip.  I ordered the tofu hamburger steak and it came with brown rice, miso soup, choice of 2 deli items.  I can't say enough good things about the tofu hamburger steaks.  It was all veg, simple, yet bursting with flavor.  The meal was so large I had leftovers.  All of this food for $9.00.

I feel all Zen just thinking about this place.
4 - Jerami J.: read above its true..food is yummy.. healthy..after i had starbucks, so i guess im working againist my self yet again..

for all you that will not waste yo time in tokyo, this is pretty much how it iz.. watch out for that mommy patrol and kids on lose ... its there spots on that 2 times i been there..

NO wifi
5 - Paul C.: It may be plain inside, but the place is indeed clean! The iced plum Rooibos tea was the first Rooibos tea I've ever had that didn't make me gag. It had to have been the plum element that made it taste less like tobacco...which is what the ground up tea leaves look like. Anyways, it was a nice place to go for lunch. The spicy soba noodles were good, vegetables were fresh, and it was pretty filling. The miso soup has potatoes in it...yup.  This place does lean on the expensive side, but I think overall it was worth it. The owner served us and she is soooo pleasant and accommodating! Definitely coming back! Gochi soo sama deshita, or something.
5 - Doug C.: The food here is very simple but fresh and lovingly prepared; quite delicious and served in a casual, quiet atmosphere.  The ocha-zuke makes a perfect meal on a cold, rainy day.
5 - billy t.: Healthy!  Organic!!  Japanese home-style cooking.

http://jpy-la.com/modules/dating0/index.php?id=23

http://www.aundelicafe.com/AunDeliCafe/Home.html
4 - Gladys c.: Super cute and cozy restaurant with a lot of tasty healthy options. There are only a few tables with no ac on a hot day, feels like you're in your own kitchen. 

They pride themselves on organic ingredients and each dish is designed with calorie count and vitamins in mind. 

The menu consists of: 
Deli: small dishes with options like ratatouille, tofu salad, couscous & grilled vegetable salad + more
Main Plate: tofu hamburger steak, salmon, vegetable rolls with beef, chicken + more 
Rice Bowls/Noodles: options with veggie, fish or chicken
There is also an extensive list of teas, served cold or hot. 

I went with the veggie rice bowl, added the boiled spinach with sesame deli side and a strawberry lemonade. The dishes also came with miso soup which was not made with all sodium, it had carrot, potato, shitake mushroom, spinach and tofu. 

Everything was homemade, delicious and amazing. The portions are generous, we all chowed down and finished our food and felt very satisfied.
4 - Thao L.: "'A is the sound of the first word of the Japanese alphabet and "N" the last letter of the Japanese alphabet. Together, the word means 'breath'. We begin life and end life with a breathe", explained, proprietor Yuki Komada.  

The cafe has a lot of light and is simple in it's decor except for a few framed calligraphy hangings. I think Komada likes pianists because the first time I went to the cafe, Diana Krall's "Live in Paris" was playing. On my second visit, Krall was being played again but so was a Japanese pianist named Shiro. 

The menu states that the cafe takes the traditional Asian idea of "Nourishment is Medicine" and explains the benefits of each dish or tea. No wonder why she refers to the food in her cafe as  "Zen Cuisine." 

My first visit to Aun Deli Cafe I had the Vegetable Rolls with Beef, a pinwheel of sliced beef around asparagus, with my two deli sides of  Boiled Spinach and toasted Sesame,  Tofu Salad and iced Hibiscus tea. The beef was not well seasoned so I found it a little bland. Feeling virtuous after eating a good and healthy, meal, I ordered the slice of lemon pie. It was made with fresh lemon juice, heavy cream, condensed milk, with what appeared to be a spelt crust. The hot  Genmaicha tea cut the tartness of the lemon.

I drove from East (of West) LA just to have lunch on my day off. This time I had the grilled Chan Chan Salmon with a miso glaze, Boiled Spinach and toasted Sesame (again because it's so good), and the Kinpira (sliced burdock and shredded carrot) salad. The salmon was grilled with skin on so you can taste the crunchiness of the skin.

The only rice served is brown rice due to it's nutritional value (over white rice).

I ended my meal with the Carotene pudding and Ancient Pu-reh Maiden tea. Komada made the carotene pudding with carrots, pumpkin, and creamy soy milk. It comes with a small creamer of organic maple syrup but I found that the pudding just needed a drizzle of the syrup since I could taste the natural sugar of the carrots.

Each time I've been to Aun, I've taken at least two menus to pass along to friends to convert them to Komada's Zen Cuisine. Consider this review as my attempt to covert you as well.
5 - Amy W.: I'm a big fan of organic, healthy food as well as Japanese food.  so when I found this place, I was very excited to try it!  I've been twice now and have not been dissapointed.  The first time I ordered tofu steak with a plum sauce.  You get two side items with that and brown rice.  It was YUM-O! (soo Rachael Ray, I know!)  It was flavorful and light.  The second time I ordered the Plum Ochazuke, which is rice (but they use brown rice) in a green tea broth with a plum.  They also give you some wasabi to kick it up a bit.  It was very good!  Oh, and they also have a large selection of teas that they can make hot or cold as well as fresh strawberry lemonade!
4 - Long V.: I read the reviews & thought this would be a nice, cozy place to eat something healthy.  It's very easy to find & the atmosphere is like home or like any other deli cafe. Service was a bit slow but I loved chatting with them and whoever was around me to share opinions of the meal. The food was yummie! I like it. It's not too overwhelming & everything is served with brown rice. The waitress keeps saying that everything made in the meals are organic & health conscious. I had the Chan Chan Salmon with Green tea flavor corns/green beans & the Ratatouille side. This came with a vegetable miso soup. I'm not sure if it was just me but there was a lot of potatoes in the soup. Anyways, the soup tasted good & didn't feel like it was just heated up like some places. I also had a cold green tea & lemon pie dessert.  The tea was refreshing & the lemon pie was not too sweet with a brown rice crust. Overall, it was yummy if your not in any rush to leave. I would definitely come back but I want to explore other similar places. =)
3 - Karen K.: My friend/coworker and I went here on our lunch hour and definitely left underwhelmed.  When we got there the restaurant was maybe 1/2 full.  Keep in mind that it's a VERY small place, maybe 10 little tables?  I was very excited to try this place out since I'm a big fan of healthy places and eat a lot of vegetarian meals.  I got the curry rice bowl and she had the teriyaki chicken.  The food was surprisingly bland and the curry didn't have any spice to it (and I usually get it mild but this was just very bland).  My friend's chicken seemed better in the sweet teriyaki sauce so maybe I just got the wrong thing.

We thought it was kind of pricey for what we got.  Those 2 meals + 1 drink came to about $22+change before the tip.  I left $30 but the 30% tip wasn't so much for the service but  because I didn't have time to wait for any change.  The waitress/hostess/cashier/single lady behind the counter that seemed to be doing 10 things at once seemed really busy and maybe did the best job she could.  That said, waiting 25 minutes for the check on a lunch hour is ridiculous.  My coworker actually had to leave and return to work while we were still waiting on the check.  I had a long (1.5 hour) that day so I was able to wait for the girl to return from wherever she disappeared to to bring the check (did she take a break or something?) and then threw the money on the plate and jetted back to work.  A line for to-go orders formed while the girl behind the counter was missing and it was out the door by the time she reappeared.  

Can't bother with this place for lunch again.  And even if the service was faster, the fly I noticed behind the glassed in deli counter that was landing on the salads turned me off pretty quick (I had ample time to look around while waiting for the check!).
4 - Jason C.: "...fantastically healthy and tasty food served with a humbleness that would shock a monk."

We all remember that shy kid in school. Maybe it was us. You know. The one sitting by themselves in a slightly grayed shadow, too consumed by their self-conscious predicament to dare make eye contact with anyone.  Ironically, those are the same people who always seem to hide some amazing talent. And, that describes Aun Deli Café on Mentor in Pasadena.  Unassuming, yet holds simple, healthy treasures inside.

But wait. First of all, what's with that one-way block on Mentor between Union and Colorado Boulevard?  That stretch of pavement is home for the crowd attracting magnets Boston Court and the famous Ice House, yet it's as quiet as a forgotten road near Calico Ghost town. Ghosts aside, in the middle of this dead street is the tiny Aun Deli Café glowing with their modest lights while patiently waiting for a random pedestrian to give them a try. No loud lights or signs. No harsh colors or music. Just fantastically healthy and tasty food served with a humbleness that would shock a monk.  

On a Tuesday eve, I ordered take out: Chan Chan Salmon (salmon & vegetable w/miso sauce) deli plate with 2 sides from a list of 10 sides. Items such as sesame tuna potato salad, boiled spinach with sesame, chikuzenni chicken/veggie stew; I chose ratatouille and tofu salad. I also ordered an Aun Style Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl, an order of Veggie Gyoza and Pork Gyoza, plus one of their delicate Japanese organic green teas. All dishes were served with perfectly cooked brown rice, and the food can only be described as one of the tastiest casual dinners in the San Gabriel Valley. This, in spite of the meals being horrifically healthy, low calorie and under $20. Amazing.  

But back to that dead street, Mentor.  When I arrived to pick up my food, I spotted only one couple in the restaurant eating, and they stood out like two saps who showed up to an empty theater showing of Warren Beatty in Ishtar.  Sad.  But unlike them, these two weren't saps. While my food was being prepped, I asked them how they found out about the place. The woman said, "It was referred by our friend who's a foodie. Otherwise we would never have known that this place existed. Who walks down this street?"  

Need I say more? Consider yourself referred.
5 - CJ J.: Aun Deli? Who would have thought?

This little unsuspecting cafe next to the Pasadena Ice House is oh so cute. The decor is too plain for my taste. Maybe the art on the walls need to be bigger? Honestly it really didn't matter though. 

Really chill and relaxed cafe with cute, shy Japanese waitresses (oh no, here come the Yellow Feverish White Men LOL).

I am very particular about my brown rice. I love brown rice but most of the time it's too dry or just horrid so I avoid it. Only a few places make it well and Aun Deli is DEFINITELY one of them. The brown rice has something mixed in and came with seaweed flakes and sesame on top. I could live without the seaweed flakes but it was still DELICIOUS. The salmon was really good too with the sauteed veggies. MmMmmm. I wished the salmon was a little larger at first but with the veggies, rice, and the sides, it would have been absolutely overwhelming if it was bigger. You get two sides from the deli case with the salmon rice plate and I got the spinach and the chilled couscous with the grilled veggies. The couscous and grilled veggies comes out cold (which I wasn't sure if I'd like) but it was really good! Get a rice plate, a side, miso coup, and some tea or water and you have a healthy and delicious meal for two.

Can they please open a Aun Deli by my house????????????????????????????

:D
4 - Joel Y.: Flavorful, healthy, and hearty. Bachelor's delight if you ask me for lunch.  The portions are quite large, and quality is for sure there.  I had the four colored rice, which came with salmon (which was a bit too salty for me) ground chicken, spinach and egg on top of brown rice. Delicious.  They also have an assortment of Japanese inspired deli salads for you to chose as well.

If you are uber health conscience, wanting to eat right, or just in the mood for something casual and different, give Aun a try.  Make sure to give the owner a shout out. She's very friendly.

FULL IN FLAVOR.... NO FOOD COMA!!!
4 - grace j.: Very healthy organic Japanese food. The food reflects daily food in Japan and is very good. All the dishes come with brown rice.

I had the four bowl with sweet egg, boiled spinach, ground chicken and salmon. Yum! It also comes with a vegetable miso soup which tastes very healthy and not salty at all.

Only gripe is that it is a little pricey. However, if you're looking for really healthy options, this is a great place.
5 - Agnes L.: Oh my delish.  Do it, go to AUN deli!  You can tell that they care about what goes into your body here!  In a time of eat-and-run, this place is just snazzy.  I got the tofu curry rice which comes with a veggie miso soup.  At first, I was like, "This is bland!  Tasty, but bland!"  But then I realized that my poor body is just used to so much sodium.  I took a couple of bites and began to actually TASTE curry, zucchini, and eggplant.  Go here, peoples!  It's good and good for you!  I feel good tonight, yes, I do.  I'd really like to see them get more business.
5 - Alvin V.: Aun Deli is a little jewel in the beautiful city of Pasadena.... 

We went here and it seem like such a hole in a wall place, but a cute hole in a wall. Inside is very bland, and they have small paintings and other decor accessories inside, however the place could DEFINITELY be better decorated and the color could have been more eye pleasing. This place is really small and nice for brunch... If you're craving some healthy and delicious Japanese food, Aun Deli should be in your list. 

We ordered the salmon with brown rice and couscous and cold veggies along with miso soup on the side. I also ordered the tea (wasn't sure which one it was). That order was enough for me and her. Not a huge serving but nice and pleasant which gets you satisfied and leaving not feeling like glutton bastard. She LOVED the brown rice by the way, very nice with seaweed and sesame. The seaweed definitely made it taste so much better. I don't know what it was about that brown rice (since I HATE brown rice) but I was pretty satisfied with it. 

I'm definitely going back to Aun Deli, maybe during a nice Friday or Saturday afternoon and I'm craving some healthy Japanese food.
4 - Lisa H.: This place is awesome! Got a referral from a fellow Yelper and have been wanting to check it out for some time. Definitely not your typical sushi rolls/chicken teriyaki joint. It's more like...Japanese home cooking. The flavor honestly reminded me of my grandma's cooking. A tad more salty that I would have liked, but overall very flavorful and so healthy too. I ordered the Chan Chan Salmon and chose the deli sides: sesame miso spinach and kinpira - SO GOOD! It came with brown rice sprinkled with furikake (a childhood fav)...all for $11.25. :) My boyfriend said,"this is a place that I can eat at and feel good about myself."

I think the only reason it gets a 4 is because the acoustics in the room were really weird. I felt like I had to whisper the whole time or everyone in the room would hear everything about my weekend. This is probably a better lunch place than a romantic dinner place. Ha.
5 - Alan O.: Aun is a small, bright haven serving tasty, contemporary versions of Japanese home-style cooking at reasonable prices. This unique ``deli'' mercifully avoids the bland sushi and hand rolls that too often pass for Japanese cuisine.

With quiet jazz in the background friendly, low-key staff bring entrees accompanied by fresh, lightly seasoned organic produce, brown rice and a stew-like miso soup full of burdock and potato chunks. The chan chan salmon with a savory miso paste is out of site. ``Four Color'' rice bowl is a yummy variant of soboro, with ground ginger chicken, flaked salmon and scrambled egg. The grilled chicken and salmon with teriyaki are light years from the syrupy glop used at too many LA-area restaurants. 

Only downside is it's not open for lunch or dinner on Sunday.
3 - sophia c.: very mixed feelings about this place.  it's healthy that's for sure.  brown rice option is nice to have.  but prices are kind of high for the size of the portions.  they have a whole bunch of ready made sides in the display... would be more yummy if it weren't drenched in sauce.  let me rephrase, drenched in either soy sauce or vinegar or both?  hm, the curry is ok, nothing special.  i guess i would have enjoyed it more if the food were a little warmer.

anyway, service is friendly though.  cute little place.  and healthy.
4 - R H.: ***NOW CLOSED****

I really enjoyed my meal at Aun Deli. We ordered:
Ochazuke with grilled salmon
Grilled herb salmon dinner
avocado fruit salad
potato tuna salad

Everything was really fresh and delicious. The grilled herb salmon was kind of overcooked, but that was my only complaint. Portions look small, but they aren't, they're reasonably sized. Americans are just used to huge troughs of food when they go out. We walked away feeling satisfied and happy with our meals. Prices are a little high but not ridiculously so, and I felt it was worth it for the quality.  The ambiance is totally simple and pleasant, the presentation of the food is well done, we'll definitely go back whenever we need a tasty, healthy meal.
4 - Dave L.: So healthy...

But I still felt hungry afterwards! Let's be real. I'm a fatty and greasy foods are my best friends. Aun Deli is not that satisfying for me. That being said, it is pretty dang healthy. I will definitely come here more often to do something good for my body... and to feel better about snarfing donuts and BBQ ribs the next day.

Tips: If you eat this food regularly, you will probably live longer.
1 - JJ L.: I am going to complain here so none of you have to later.
Food is cold, any home cooking is healthier and tastier than this spot.  I always finish my meals but I just cannot do it at this place...  This spot makes me doubt yelp's reviews.
They're selling healthy but not tasty.
4 - k o.: Their food is basic and faithful to very typical Japanese home cooking.
I am not sure about them serving cold food and not enough portion. R u all talking about salad and side dishes served cold??? They are meant to be cold and they are excellent as they are. Two times, I went there and  dishes were prepared nice and hot. It is a super cozy place and very at home. I will go back and try their "ochazuke" (my FAV) and everything on the menu.
I am really glad to find this place in my neighborhood. I LIKE it :)
5 - Matt S.: I really love this place, everything I've tried is great and the owner is super friendly. If you're in the mood for something fried/greasy/ice creamy, then you might want to save this place for another day. But if you just want a healthy, tasty meal that you you'll feel good about eating, definitely try it.

They also have really good brown rice, and the bento box meal is fun because you get to try a few different dishes.
4 - Kevin H.: This not going to be a review, although, I am a big fan of the restaurant, I love their food. Yesterday while I went there for lunch, I noticed there is a sign saying they have closed the business. Sad news :-(
5 - Henry I.: Can't believe this place is closing!  Only ate here once, but I really liked it.  Reminds me of Japan, being able to go to a place to eat Gobo and Kinpira, need more places like this.  Can't eat the "deli" stuff at Mitsuwa.
4 - Tim B.: Aun has closed it's doors. We will miss you, little Aun.
4 - Foster K.: Oh no!  She's gone!  Off to London to get married.  Happy days for her, but unhappy stomachs for us :(

Aun Deli is closed since January.....

Aunt Agatha's - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2799859, -83.7473225) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - Bjorn G.: This is a wonderful little specialty book shop. As you might guess from the name (referring to Agatha Christie), they specialize in mystery and thriller-type novels. The large used section will probably fulfill your need for any author, and the popular ones are always well-represented. Most of the used paperbacks are in the $3 range, so while it's not as cheap as the library, if you want to keep your books it's hard to beat. They also have authors come in for readings and signings on a pretty frequent basis.
4 - Sarah W.: I discovered this book store when my Granny received a gift certificate and she needed me to pick a book up for her. They were really nice and helpful to allow me to use her certificate to pick up the book she had put on hold. The book store is really interesting because they specialize in mystery books. And they do have a great selection. It's nice to see an independent book store like this. When you see Border's swallowing up all the local businesses.
4 - Sarah R.: This store has great atmosphere. The bookshelves are all painted purple, and the walls are lavender. They offer about half used and half new books, all mysteries, thrillers and true crime. 

I checked it out because my mother is a mystery novel enthusiast, and I frequently ship her boxes of used books. This would be a great place to pick up a stack of used mystery novels.

I also had a major nostalgia trip when I discovered they had an entire bookcase dedicated to the old- and I do mean really old- Nancy Drew hardcovers I remember from when I was a kid. They're the ones with the silhouetted Nancy on cover and black and white pictures of her sleuthing on the end pages. The sight of these had me regretting that I didn't take my copies (passed down through a few generations) with me when I moved out of my parents' house.

This isn't the cheapest place to buy used books I've been to in the area. They did, however, have a cart of $1books out front, both hardcover and paperback, so some deals can be found.
5 - Meg F.: Fabulous mystery bookshop. I'd been looking for some John Dickson Carr and Rex Stout books I don't have and they had a really excellent selection. I walked out with a stack of books and feeling very pleased with life in general.
5 - Mike B.: Very mysterious.
The owner of Aunt Agatha's knows his books and has good recommendations. They mostly sell mystery novels, but they sometimes have other genres. They buy/sell/trade new and used books too, so it's worth a visit if you want to recycle your old books. It is a neat little store and a great place to visit if you happen to be in Ann Arbor.
5 - Hannah L.: What a great mystery book shop! I wish I would have found it sooner. 

There are so many books here. Probably any mystery author you can think of you'll find it here. Shelve and shelves of books. The whole store is packed with books, so many I couldn't believe. I'm not sure how the owner knows where all of the books are located but ask him for a specific one and he'll find it for you. Extremely impressive. He'll even look up to see when new books will come out.

Prices for the used book are very reasonable most $5 or less and the books are in good condition. I had to resist from filling up my shopping bag. The new books are the same price as you would find in any book store.

I cant' wait to read my new finds and head back to find some more.
5 - Mai A.: This place is great, and I am disappointed I didn't find it sooner. The owner is amazing, he knows where everything is (an impressive feat given the apparent disorganization) and he is also great at recommending stuff. There are little cards up next to authors name with the likes of "If you like this author, you will probably like so and so." 
All and all a great bookstore.

Aunt Sonya's - Champaign, IL (40.0980731, -88.2450014) ()
5 - Sam E.: You had the best biscuits and gravy! I miss you. Now you're a back parking lot of a Hilton. :(
4 - Virginia T.: Very fond memories of breakfasts past.... :( you will be missed!
5 - Ashley H.: The best chocolate chip pancakes I ever had in my life!  My basketball teammates and I used to eat here all the time on Friday's before school, and it quickly became a tradition.  You are greatly missed Aunt Sonya's, please come back!

Auntie Anne's - Philadelphia, PA (39.9529512, -75.1930565) (University City)
3 - Jake P.: There's nothing more tragic than seeing a line of Amish people in 30th Street Station, in line for pretzels at Auntie Anne's, which I've seen several times. 

Auntie Anne's makes a tasty, hi-carb pretzel. It'll be stuck on your hands for an eternity. The redeeming thing about AA's is their lemonade, which despite sitting in one of those splashy 80s-tastic buckets, tastes homemade.

Hanover, PA is the pretzel capitol of the world, Philadelphia is home to the most pretzels consumed per capita. All that being said, even if they suffice, why would you settle for co-opted Dutch baked goods?
3 - Karen F.: Auntie Annes' is the McDonalds of the soft pretzel.  High in sodium, fat and carbs (unless you skip the butter dip) they are tasty when hot & fresh.  They also have very sweet lemonade that, alas, my 4 year old loves and is almost never allowed to drink.

Once in a while, OK - but don't make it a habit!
2 - Hank C.: Pretzels coated with everything from nuts to sugar to cinnamon, I still think the traditional Philly square box pretzel is better.

This small store sells all the regular pretzels, too... and an expensive lemonade for hot days.
4 - Pinkjadez Z.: Grabbed a pretzel here for lunch...the girl behind the counter was soo nice I had to yelp about it! I got a yummy sour cream n onion pretzel one of my favorites it was hot/fresh/nicely buttered :)
1 - B. C.: Auntie Ann's pretzels are the worst ever. I happen to go here last week.  The pretzel was greasy, stale, and terrible.  It is a stretch to call this food.  

Whereas a pretzel should be light and fluffy, this was greasy and almost fried-tasting, as though it had been sitting out too long.

Also, they won't give you mustard on it (well, they offered sweet mustard, whatever that is.  I wanted spicy brown mustard), so you have to use the packets of mustard, which are messy to apply.  

This was the worst pretzel I have ever had.  If you have a craving for a pretzel, you are better off looking for a food truck!
3 - Cindy L.: My friend and I were hungry after class, so we both got a hot dog pretzel here. The hot dog was cold, but I thought the flavor was nice. It wasn't spectacular, but it was enough to hold us for a couple of hours before dinner.

Aunty's Cafe - Waterloo, ON (43.4718821, -80.5367967) ()
4 - Arsalan M.: Aunty's Cafe used to be Aunty's kitchen down on king street.

Aunty's Cafe is a great place to get some fairly authentic Pakistani food. The owners and employees are polite and help you figure out the menu. Many of the food items take a little while to be served because they are cooked to order. Other things that are ready made will be served immediately. The restaurant has 4 to 5 tables with space for 4 people each. 

The food itself is delicious. I personally liked the Zubi Wrap, butter chicken, naan and paratha! The biryani I didn't like as much.
4 - Elisa L.: This place is awesome. Probably the best value based on quality and amount they give, which may explain how busy it gets.

The food variety is amazing, from rice dishes to wraps to noodles (I believe there is a mix of Indian, Hakka, and other cultures). Their Fusion combo is most popular, along with their Buryani rice. Some of the rice dishes are extremely spicy, while others are mild. 

The wraps usually take awhile to prepare (at least it's fresh though ;)) 

Service is great, although no A/C, so it's kind of difficult to eat during summer weather. They have a couple tables indoors and outdoors, but no washrooms (as it used to be a Juice Goose, then a BBT place).
3 - Fred L.: Good food that is reasonably priced. But woah so much oil    ...

Aunty's Kitchen - Waterloo, ON (43.4718821, -80.5367967) ()
4 - Vincent P.: Aunty's Kitchen provides tasty, budget-conscious South-Asian food in a quick-service restaurant environment.

My friends at Westmount Signs recommended I come here to try out this new restaurant, opened only since December, and I was not disappointed.  The food was very flavourful and spicy and I was pleasantly surprised by the large portion size for a $6.99 Chicken Karahi.  They also have a special for any 6 dishes on their menu for $35 including tax and delivery.

My only complaint is that their hours of operation are somewhat restrictive.  They are not open Saturday at lunchtime or on Sundays... but everyone needs a break, even Aunty!
4 - Mac A.: My face turned red from the spicy, in a good way.

Nicely garnished dishes & prompt to arrive.
5 - Najia B.: This is the cutest place ever! Perfect for college students to grab a quick bite to eat at a reasonable price and exceptional flavor. The brothers who own the restaurant provide great service and have an awesome sense of humor if you talk to them! Tandoori chicken is delish! Cheapest biryani in the area. And just for the record, this place is Pakistani not Indian.

Aurora Picture Show - Houston, TX (29.727402, -95.41664) (West University)
5 - Mel H.: One of the most unique things about Houston! Aurora Picture Show is a nonprofit arts space housed in a former church (originally built in 1928, they say). The pews are still there, but instead of getting preached at, you get to view cutting-edge film and video. Programs are curated by guest artists and often have a theme. Some of the films are touching, some funny, some experimental, some so experimental that it goes way over my head or bores me, but it's always eclectic and interesting. And hey, if you don't like a film, no worries. Aurora specializes in shorts (30 minutes and under) so you're on to the next film soon. They have some great annual programs like Extremely Short Shorts (films 3 minutes and under). They also have performances from time to time and have showcased the likes of Miranda July, Calvin Johnson, and the guys from Found magazine. Next time someone slams Houston as a pit of strip malls, point them towards Aurora. It is a one-of-a-kind gem in Houston (and maybe the country) and an example of the under-the-radar art community we have. Oh, did I mention the film programs are only $5? [Update: As of 2007, it's $6 Still a deal!]
5 - Michael S.: Indeed one of my favorite places in Houston.  It's in a residential neighborhood in the heights and easily missed - look for the church house converted into a thee-ater.  Programs are hit or miss, but mostly hits...  Favorite show of mine was the adaptive re-use paramedics who staged a grand ole auction of hipster gear to finance their cross-country 'found film' tour.

Certainly not an evening in itself, but $5 for a 1-2 hour long, professionally curated fine arts sermon is a wonderful way to start off a weekend night.  Give it a shot if you are looking for something different.
5 - Liz S.: The terrific, wildly independent programming at Aurora always tugs at my heartstrings, because chances are that if I miss a screening here, I'll nevr be able to see it again.

Practical notes: the bathrooms are outside, around the side of the building.  Parking is available in the lot at the corner of Studemont and Main, or on the streets of the neighborhood.  Don't arrive late, because is really is a repurposed church, so when you open the door you're throwing light onto the movie screen and making everyone hate you.  (It's just one room).  They sell silly snacks, as well as Aurora schwag.

Programming notes: Expect home movie festivals, political documentaries, video dj performances, experimental pieces, great independent kids' shows, and other collected bits of image-driven bliss.  

Other notes: Goes well with Onion Creek or Super Happy Fun Land.
5 - Venu N.: For those of you who have not been, the Aurora Picture Show is an excellent place to watch independent film. Located in the Heights, the Aurora Picture Show is a converted church where patrons sit in pews to watch the screen. Very cozy. Behind the movie screen, there is actually a house where the owners live. They have an awesome dog. Unfortunately, the dog did not get to chill and watch the short films.  The owners clearly take great care in selecting the films shown at Aurora.  As one poster below noted, if you miss the screening here, you probably won't be able to see the film again.
5 - Mandy G.: Here's what's awesome - I put in my little gems of Htown and lo & behold, other's know about them!  I'm so glad!  Spread the word - Aurora is a true, true one-of-a-kind.   And, yes, the Found tour was HI-lar-ee-ous!  Hope to see some of you there next time!
5 - Gina M.: Aurora, oh, Aurora! You've held my heart captive for the past 10 years and won't let your fierce grip go (and I ain't want that anyway!)

Houstonians, Texans, Americans, Humans & Intergalacticians UNITE and revel in the gem that is Aurora Picture Show! An old church-turned-cinema that shows independently created film and video curated into topics that are funny, irreverent and not to be missed! In fact the most recent screening I attended featured a Food Network personality, tequila shots, pie and the film "Pimp My Cake" (I will leave it up to your imagination....)

If you can only make it to one event per year at Aurora, make sure it's the Extremely Shorts Film Festival where the audience juries the films and chooses the winner of the cash prize. Following the weekend long festival is the Anniversary Picnic and Karaoke-thon, which in years past has proven to be enlightening, entertaining and even blackmail-worthy, wickedly good fun.

Like the 'Hair Club for Men', I am not only a visitor to this fine establishment, but I am also a member. And yes, dearies, membership DOES have its privileges, whether it's getting your name plaque on the wall or church pew, ultra-exclusive VIP invitations to members only and preview events that feature free food and booze, feeling the love from the super appreciative staff to hip swag like pint glasses, t-shirts and koozies, so don't forget to join. Just proves that you don't have to travel to NY, Chicago or SanFran to find amazing, underground art venues. 

Aurora is the hippest cinema in town.
5 - Jim S.: I was told by a Houstonian to put Aurora Picture Show at the top of my list while in town.  Being an actor and fan of experimental and independent film I couldn't have gotten better advice.

My first and only experience to date was at the The Menil Arts Community Open House this weekend.  I visited their office and was pleased to see their line-up for the next several weeks would afford me more opportunities to enjoy their artistic efforts. (www.aurorapictureshow.org)  I even bought tickets to the Found Magazine show ( http://www.foundmagazine.com/about ) at the end of May - 5 weeks out - that's commitment!!  You hear that ladies?  I am not afraid of commitment!

Tonight's treat was actually a collaboration with the Austin Film Society showing a variety of 8 shorts all by Texas film makers.  Animation, documentary (Nutria etouffee anyone?), comedy, drama... I am in heaven :)
5 - David N.: This review is not of the actual location of aurara picture show, but of what they stand for and promote.  I love how they help push for independent artists and their involvement in local film festivals with locations throughout the city. 

I recently attended one show of the Cinema Arts Festival which was supported by the Houston Cinema Arts Society.  The information for this festival was stumbled upon when I was looking through Aurora's website.  

The show I saw was Utopia in Four Movements by Sam Green and Dave Cerf.  I had never seen something as unique as this.  It was a live action documentary.  So what does that mean? There is a slideshow prerecorded, but the voice over commentary is live, and the soundtrack is live via a band.  

It was so cool as each performance is slightly different as the narrator, the band are always changing.  I am glad for organizations such as the Aurora to bring my independent films that are actually thought provoking instead of mind numbing.
5 - Paris J.: Five stars for being the one non-profit which wholly supports new media arts to the extreme fullest. I am so proud knowing that Houston has its own little venue for experimental, non-commercial video & film. This place & group may seem small, but they're doing big & amazing things for lens-based art & the artists who have dedicated themselves to this medium. Thanks so much, Aurora Picture Show! Maybe one I'll be in a position where my work will make it to one of your screenings :)

Aurum Lounge - Atlanta, GA (33.7795389, -84.3837449) (Midtown)
4 - louis n.: creative play on the chemical element  for gold, Aurum is a new ultra sexy lounge in the Metropolis Building in Midtown.  

The place is decked out in gold tones. Very warm and inviting.  The large projector screen behind the bar plays very funny and erotic videos.

The bottle service is possibly one of the best in town.  Fresh squeezed orange juice and pineapple juice makes this one of my favorite spots to grab a drink and people watch.
4 - Min Y.: Aurum is latin for Gold.  It doesn't really connect until you walk in and see the gold couches, and then you go, "aha, that's it"

When I first got in the doors here, I thought to myself, "NYC lounge".  It's very well laid out, a fair amount of space, and the bar area is pretty big with quick and friendly service.  In terms of decor and ambiance, it far supersedes other similar Midtown lounges like Bazzaar and Halo.  Although I've only been here once, I'm already labeling this place as my preferred lounge night out.

My roommate met the owner and apparently the guy prefers to have no-smoking (thank goodness), no cover, and no dress code.  The no cover deal is pretty awesome for a midtown place like this, but I don't know how long it will last if this place gets too popular.  Still, the guy apparently said that he's pretty adamant about keeping it with no cover, as he wants people to spend money on drinks (amen to that!).  The no dress code thing is nice as well, but this place seems to self-enforce a dress code.  I saw a couple guys wearing t-shirts and jeans, but they quickly left and all that remained were a bunch of really well dressed people.

The crowd is slightly older... I would say late 20s to 30s age.  I'm 25 and I thought I was one of the youngest people there, but it definitely didn't make me feel uncomfortable at all.  There were lots of tight dresses and... a fair amount of fake breasts rolling around this joint.

The mood of the place is pretty cool.  The crowd noise + music level is not absurdly loud, so you can hear people decently well without having to shout.  There is no dance floor so people at most bob their heads or shuffle their feet to the music.  There was definitely a lot of eye-f'ing going on though.  Seemed like a nice place to socialize with someone random.

I've always wanted to talk about the music at these types of places.  I would try to describe it as a lounge/club electro-mix of pop songs.  It's the type of music you hear in a fancy lounge, a high-end hair salon, or a warehouse social event.  Repetitive beats and bass going at the same tempo all night long... with the slight undercurrents of pop melodies that you have to catch.  I have a very keen ear for detecting melodies/hooks from songs that run under a main electro beat, so I was able to pick out a bunch of mixes that were being played.  For example, the opening hook to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" was played, and then ran as a sub-melody under the dominant non-stop melody that ran all night.  You have to keep your ear out for it because they never have vocals in these mixes, just 4-5 second snippets of pop hooks.

Anyway, enough rambling.  I definitely enjoy this place a lot and I plan on heading here again.  I just hope it doesn't blow up and get overly crowded when word spreads about this place.
3 - Todd P.: I get the whole name thing: Aurum = Au = chemical name for gold. But it's not very catchy, or easy to remember, and not many people get what you're saying. "Orem? Arm? Huh?"

But, despite that, this spot is a cool new lounge in midtown. Great music with excellent sound, a cool vibe, pretty people dressed to impress. It was packed on Saturday night when we went and the layout makes navigating through the masses difficult. But once you find a spot, it's manageable. 

Oh, and the fact that this place is smoke-free. Awesome.

Note to hippy-ish girl dancing on table: shouldn't you be at Woodstock?
3 - Alexa g.: Okay So 2.5 here, Aurum reminds me of a really gorgeous girl with no real substance on the inside. I mean she sure is pretty to look at but once you get past that, there is nada! I usually like a place I can bust a move, and not just stand or sit around while I sip on a cocktail .( which by the way were super tasty!) This is pretty much a see and be seen kind of place.  Loved the oversized decor, and the strong cocktials just not my type of lounge.
4 - Broderick S.: I'll say right off the bat that I know one of the owners, and the designer of the place. The first thing comes to mind is Halo, since its a lounge just a couple of blocks away on the other side of Peachtree, but they're completely different animals. There's comfortable seating, a large lighted bar (its nice to be able to actually see the bartenders' faces & as well as those around you). I've been once, when it was relaxed, with a small number of people before the grand opening, and once recently when there was a large line out the door. I really can't stand packed clubs, so that's a minus. Depending on the night however, (depending on the promoter) you may be able to have a completely different experience. It's a solid 3.5 for me, good wine, decent prices for cocktails, and since I don't have to drive there. Not having to leave the place smelling like an ashtray? Priceless
4 - Joe P.: Think NYC lounge and you'll vision Aurum.  

Aurum is a new lounge in Midtown and I love it.  It's trendy and very clean.  The bar staff is nice and there's a really good huge TV over the bar.  There's couches and private tables for you to sit at as well.  Best of all it's smoke free!

The only downside is the club is only open Wednesday through Saturday.  I wish they were open more nights because we need more choices in Midtown to go and just have a cocktail.
3 - David K.: It's a good thing I like looking at shiny, gold things because otherwise I'm not sure that anything would have really appeased me. Well, I take that back. They have pretty bathrooms and they somehow manage to stay clean without an annoying attendant. That was nice. 

My friend Keith celebrated his birthday here and by the time I arrived I was already feeling pretty happy (read: drunk). The following hour and a half were a blur of hugs, drinks, and laughter with bursts of gold in between. People kept handing me cocktails, so I can't really speak for the drink prices or whether or not the bartenders are hustling people. 

Places that have a side-street entrance are usually either really cool or really scary. I guess to some people this place is really cool. I ain't skeered, but I'm not really impressed.
1 - James H.: I'll keep this short and simple:
Yelper Ivan S. ordered a vodka soda (well vodka), a Ketel & tonic, and two chocolate martinis. Total bill: 24 dollars.

I ordered a Ketel & tonic, and a well vodka & tonic. Total bill: 19 dollars. 

Both bills arrived without an itemized tab, simply a total charged onto our respective cards.

Couple this with the staff chasing us out of our seating place when some apparently more-desirable patrons arrived, and I'd sooner get a voluntary root canal than return to this den of pretension and excess.
2 - Ivan S.: Yeah, I guess I can tee off on Aurum's gold theme, biting lines from Goldmember and all, but Austin Powers is soooooooo last decade. Not so coincidentally, that phrase could also apply to my take on lounge bars.

Look, I've been known to frequent lounge bars in my youth, equal parts low level lighting and high volume electro trance. The beautiful people, bleached teeth glowing and pupils dilated. But as I've grown older, my hang outs turned decidedly less glamorous. Paradoxically, as my wallet thickened to accommodate the outrageous prices some of these places charged for a drink, my patience for the scene thinned. I don't and won't hold this against Aurum; I knew what I was getting into. I start with this backstory only to establish a frame of reference and to legitimize my very concrete criticisms which go far beyond me abandoning this scene long ago.

Anyway, back to the space. Yep, they certainly capitalized on the gold theme here. I believe I said that it felt like we were hanging out in Jackie Stallone's basement. The usual accoutrement accompanied: low slung couches, ironic videos projected up top, and mysteriously empty booths holding court. Ah, I'll return back to those booths in just a moment.

As I said, it's the usual accoutrement, but all in all it wasn't badly done. They managed to work the gold them throughout without beating your head in. (This despite my tendency to think of taking a pirate's drink order whenever I hear the name "Aurum.") But the space wasn't bad and I liked 2 aspects upon walking in: 1) no cover and 2) no smoking. My only real gripe about the space was that there seemed to be, well, too much of it. By that I mean, other than the booths and the relatively small area for couches in the middle of the room, everyone seemed to be standing in what was essentially a large concrete box. It's hard to lounge in a lounge bar when there's no where actually TO lounge. Or at least be somewhat disconnected from the ruckus of the crowd. Which brings me to the first of my criticisms.

Seeing the rather limited seating arrangements for a large group, our group lucked into a booth--the only booth, mind you, that wasn't designated "Reserved" as the other booths were clearly marked. We piled in. We ordered drinks. We watched as the room filled. Ordered a few more drinks. And then, quite unceremoniously, we were asked to vacate the booth. "Why?" we asked. "It's, uh, reserved." we were told.

Uh-huh.

To Aurum's credit, they didn't rush us. They waited til we finished our drinks and closed our tabs. But the mysterious VUP (Very Unimportant People) treatment left a bad taste in my mouth.  So the unitemized drink tab (a pet peeve of mine) I could overlook. The fact that drink prices fluctuated randomly when James H. and I compared notes raised a red flag. But to be asked to make space for VIPs (Very Invisible People?) when 1) we were spending money and 2) we were actually some of the best dressed folks in the room? (See paragraph one of Vanessa T.'s review.) Aw no, that's the last straw.

Two stars.
5 - adam h.: It's a good example of a Midtown Lounge. Solid music, good drinks, but the crowd can be hit, or miss. The bartenders are solid and the space is easy to relax in. 

If you're not a fan of lounges, then it's probably not your spot. Some folks have compared to the old Bazzaar, but while Bazzaar had a laid back coolness to it -- Aurum tries a little too hard to be hip. Not necessarily a bad thing, every city needs a hip little lounge spot and this is the closest thing in ATL at the moment.
2 - Phil A.: Love the People, the actually bar... not so much.

Don't get me wrong, it could be a great place with a few changes. Or maybe I don't appreciate over priced bars? I ordered a Bacardi & Coke which was poured with the least amount of liquor I've ever seen at any bar (& I get around when it comes to bars). Worst of all, It was $9 for the piddly amount of alcohol. To the bartender's credit, he did try to get me to drink well which I tried, but I'm not a big fan of cheap rum. Also, no smoking allowed and even as a non-smoker this seems out of place for a bar, but I guess times are changing.

 I've only ever been on Thursday nights which is fairly packed with a great crowd (very diverse: Gay / Straight, Older / Younger, etc) and always has an event going (whether it's the Shirt off My Back campaign or an art showing). 

Would I go again? Of course (for the right crowd), but I wouldn't drink more than one drink.
2 - Ed R.: Nice decor, uninspiring DJ playing "Lounge Music" and a few VIP tables.

Here on a Saturday night in the middle of a monsoon to meet with a private group, so the crowd was a little thin early on.  I was told that there would be a lot of "eye-candy" at this place and to be fair, there was...if you were a gay male.  Clearly the hot boys of Atlanta have made this a jumping off point for their Friday and Saturday nights.  As far as I'm concerned, this is not a problem in any way and usually makes the evening more interesting (...at least my wife thinks so.) As noted in several previous reviews, the unitemized tab is really annoying.  Annoying enough to not go back.  I don't remember that being the case the first time I went to this club several months ago when it opened.  (I do remember that the crowd was much bigger and just as gay!)  And for some reason I was subjected to a bad Japanese Godzilla flick on the huge screen behind the bar! S-T-U-P-I-D  Really, thats the best they could come up with????

Any way, if I hear the music improves and the tabs magically become itemized, I may return...just turnoff that bad, bad movie please.
3 - Vnessa M.: Was lucky to attend yet another complimentary drinks night here, Friday is not the best as far as crowd/mingling material.  Most of the people were either couples or people with alternative Lifestyle, so there were a lot of good looking men dressed very  sharp that no woman will have a chance with, or should mess with...Bar drinks always well poured, great music, the lounge  seating is a bit uncomfortable for larger groups (say, more than 2 ppl)  because there are no chairs in front of  the sectional so all your friends are going to be seated to your left or to your right, unless someone sits on the table, and that is a no-no cos is made of mirror glass. drink more to ease the neck strain.
3 - veronica w.: I like that the Aurum Lounge has plenty of good seats. Most lounges in Atlanta, GA are really just big VIP bottle service esablishments! My drinks are always good here. The service is fair. A nice mix of people like in NYC.. My martini was $12.00 and that to me was high, The projector showing movies on the wall was cute. The main problem s that you would walk right by it if you didn't know where it is. I'll be back. I go to alot of private parties here.
3 - Chris S.: I'm trying to understand if I was at the same bar people are reviewing that say there was all kinds of tight dresses, fake boobs and eye candy.  We had a group go out to Silk for dinner, no concrete plans for afterward, and Silk and Aurum share a common wall, we could hear the music thumping and since we had already parked, decided to walk next door and check it out.

Our group of about 10 (male and female couples) were the only staight people in the place.  Eye candy?  Well, I guess if you are a gay male, sure.  The only eye candy I saw was the cutie checking coats at the door. And it was a really wierd vibe, too.  This place is really small and we had enough people in our group that we took up a lot of seating space. It was like our straight crowd on one side of the little room, and all the gay men on the other side of the room, casting uncomfortable glances at one another like each side shouldn't be in the other's bar.

I still give the bar 3 stars because it was a cool little place.  The bartenders were good, drinks were good and not overpriced, and we did end up having a pretty good time, but only because we went with a group of friends already out.  I would have given it more stars excepet for the fact that we all felt really unwelcomed by the clientele that night.  I'm not sure if Aurum has changed since it opened, or what... but Aurum is in the Metropolis building if that tells you anything.  It seems to be the gay male central of Midtown.  If that's your thing, then this place is awesome. If not... not so much.
3 - Lee T.: No smoking!

This place is sexy, beautiful, golden and antiquated. I went here for the first time last night, and got exactly what I expected. A good DJ (Smiles) spinning, exclusive crowd, tons of seating (uh, yeah, it's a lounge) and pricey, but not awful- drinks. There was a young woman there painting (in the dark? haha) and it was cool to watch her do her thing on this giant canvas. Behind the bar there's a massive movie screen with a reel playing some cray cray kind of stuff, but it's a nice, huge distraction is you don't want to talk to people. 

People tell me this is a gay bar. True. Lots of beautiful men and women that probably won't talk to me (Whatevskis.) But I went here with a friend for an event, and it was chill. I didn't stay for long, but it would be nice to go back sometime. Turns out my parking (in the deck) was for FREE. Even though the sign said something like a dollar for every 20 minutes, yikes. But it's expected in Midtown, and you should expect that whether you're going to Taco Mac, or Aurum.

Anyway, good beats, hip people. Probably won't go back anytime soon, just because it's not the kind of place where I would like to mingle unless I went with a larger group.
1 - jical j.: I was not impressed! It is waaaaaay to small! The drinks are so over priced. It gets really HOT after about 100 people. At that point, you got body's rubbing into each others. The sofas are hard! Will not be going back!
4 - Michael T.: I have been to Aurum for numerous events over the past several months and always have a great time.  It is on the small side and with a crowd its a/c can be overpowered, this is true!

Their staff of bartenders are very attentive and the drinks are good.  Prices are sorta high though, which would keep me from going there very often.  $9 for a glass of wine, high to me.

The best thing about Aurum, totally NON-smoking which for me is the best!  Had it not been non-smoking, it would have been just OK, but being that way gives it a better rating in my book!  

Why isn't the rest of Atlanta's bars non-smoking like other major cities I ask myself?
3 - Kathleen M.: Aurum, I keep trying, I really do. I mean, you are non-smoking, you're in the heart of Midtown, and you're covered in gold. All of these things I love. 

But I just can't get over some of your crowd-control policies. And by crowd control, I mean how you handle the people who are spending money on drinks when your space is near-empty. 

Twice now I have been asked to leave reserved banquettes for invisible people when there were others open. On my most recent trip, there were about 6 of us (two separate groups) casually enjoying one of the banquettes on the floor that was not roped off, no signage. While the lounge had maybe 35 or 40 people in it, we were asked to move as the people who had reserved it had arrived. I didn't see anyone, but no matter: couldn't you have put those people in one of the other two completely open spots and then shifted things around when those parties arrived? It shouldn't be that hard. 

Drinks are strong, bartenders are friendly, and it's a nice mixed crowd. I'll likely return for those things alone, but I'll wear comfy shoes knowing that even if I get a seat, it doesn't mean I get to keep it.
5 - robyn w.: Over the past year, this unexpectedly chic nightspot has become one of my favorites in Atlanta. It's opulent but not pretentious and attracts a crowd that is a step above the overly spray-tanned, Ed Hardy sect that frequents the mega clubs, eg: Opera and Primal. 

I had my birthday here last month and would recommend it to anyone. No cover and complimentary valet top off the positives about this place as well.
4 - Stephen W.: I've been here once, a few months ago, and unless this place has changed substantially since, it's a quality spot.

For starters, the place is decidedly "un-Atlanta".  The space is cool, and the crowd seemed surprisingly urbane.  When I say surprisingly urbane, I mean not your typical "Midtown" or "Atlanta club" crowd.  There is a diverse crowd of people (not usually found in Midtown), and they all seemed to have an apt sense of style (not like the Ed Hardy contests that seem to go on at places like Tongue & Groove).  The door policy seemed appropriate (restrictive enough, without suffocating), and provided for a good crowd inside.  

I've got to point out to the people that complain about the place being "overpriced", that it is not.  It is priced appropriately for what you get.  If you want cheap glasses of wine or budget cocktails, go to one of Atlanta's far too numerous bars or lame clubs (re: East Andrews or Tongue & Groove).  You're paying for the right to hang out in a well designed space, with decent people.  

The only thing that the place seemed to be lacking was an adequate dance floor.  Has a club vibe with a lounge layout, which seems common in Atlanta.  However, given the lack of well designed places that can actually draw a decent & diverse crowd in Atlanta, this place gets good marks.
4 - Sarah S.: Pretty swanky lounge!  I love the vibe i get from this place and i love how its non smoking! its clean and the music is good. I like the crowd here a lot, normally when i go to clubs/ lounges i feel like i see lots of trashy tanning bed nastys around and thats not what you find at Aurum.

Inside Aurum is very very pretty. Its comfy to go with just a date, or a group of people. I have been there with just a few people a number of diff times and I have had a table with some friends there before too and it was really really nice. It was great for a party because there isnt SO much going on that you can focus on a convo and kick it with your friends. 

I have heard lots of complaints about the drink prices and also how they will ring you up for a drink cheap and then next time you get it - it will be double the $$... I feel like most bars pull that crap though.  However - no need to worry about this if your young and fun like my girlfreinds and i! ;) 

Overall I think its a pretty cool place
4 - Alicia W.: I can dig it!

Maybe i'm bias because I was in good company but I really like this new little lounge spot. The people I met were pretty friendly, the place itself is pretty and has a very cool midtown vibe to it, and the staff is attractive, attentive, and nice. I kind of had the feeling of being in a club because people were on the dance floor and just wandering about, but the place was definitely a lounge because it's not big at all. Someone had mentioned the bathrooms in a previous review, saying they were clean without an attendant to bug you. I ditto that. I don't mind bathroom attendants but sometimes I feel a bit guilty because I tend to not carry actual cash and my experience with attendants is that they're very nice but complain alot when people don't tip and i'm a tipper but the last thing anyone wants to hear when youre having a fun night out is anyone complaining, especially the staff. The bathrooms were pretty clean and the place was busy so thats a definite plus. Fyi, we went on a Saturday. 

The drinks are reasonably priced as well. I don't think $6 or $7 for a split of champagne is bad at all, and as someone mentioned there is no smoking inside the lounge. 

Anywho i'll definitely return and check it out again!
1 - Chay O.: This place will be gone by fall 2011. The bartender was cold and the place is just way too pretentious.
4 - Andrew D.: I like Aurum. It has been open a little over a year and I find it a prime first or 2nd quarter spot on the weekends or a nice place for a drink during the week. The owner's are nice guys and I give them credit for running charity events, birthday parties and occasional open bar semi private parties. 

The crowd is pretty mix, gay and straight. Seems the last few times I have come it has been perhaps a bit more gay? Maybe one night is more of a true gay night? I don't know, but it is a good place to pop by and have a drink. 

It is a much older and sophisticated crowd when compared to likes of Sutra and Cosmo Lava. Read that it is comprised of mainly people who live in town instead of the generally classless, unsophisticated mob plaguing Crescent Avenue. 

It is two blocks from the Viewpoint so I am here often and hope this place sticks.
5 - Jay H.: Found this tucked away club one night.... Fantastic for a step outside the box of normal spots.  Liked that it's a straight, non-smoking, music pounding club.  It's my favorite late night place to find a friend.
2 - Scott M.: I liked nothing about this place.  It was uncomfortable, it was gaudy, it was oversized, it stuck out like a sore thumb.  I frown everytime I think of this place.

It just didnt fit Atlanta.  It might have fit South Beach, but it just didnt fit Atlanta.

The music was annoying, but techno/club music isnt really my thing.  But perhaps for those that truly enjoy it, this space was perfect.

Not I, though.  

The parking is ackward, if you arent parking VIP (whatever that is), you have to park in a lot that is adjacent to the venue which creates about a 5 minute walk....

I just wasnt feeling this place.  But it did provide for an interesting 29th birthday celebration.

Thats all that needs to be said.
3 - Cynthia N.: I went to Aurum for a birthday party last Friday night. I am not a fan of lounges (I can "lounge" at home for free), but if I were going to a lounge, I would want it to be similar to Aurum with the differences being cheaper drinks and quieter music. 

I imagine that Aurum looks like an Egyptian bedroom during the reign of the pharaohs. I liked the placement of the booths and lounging sofas and that the huge projection screen/TV was bordered by a gold frame - fancy, schmancy! Even the bathroom walls were wallpapered in a gold-squared, textured pattern. 

The bartenders were friendly, but definitely not the "up in your face types" but that could have been because we were sitting at the far end of the bar and it just didn't occur to them to check in on us. 

I had two drinks - a Wild Turkey bourbon signature drink and the special, which was a type of lemon martini. The bourbon drink was really strong and didn't taste good because the bourbon overpowered the other ingredients, and the lemon martini was boring. I think the bourbon drink was overpriced at $10 ($8 would have been more realistic) and the lemon martini was at $8 which is typical. Next time I visit Aurum, I'll stick with a classic vodka tonic. 

The music was at a perfect level during the earlier evening hours, but as the night wore on, it got louder and louder to the point where we had to yell and still could barely hear each other. At that point, I wanted to leave. There is no place to dance so why have the music at dance club level? Isn't the point of a lounge to LOUNGE???? 

As for the crowd, there were so many women I got depressed. Also, a lot of the straight men present came with a woman, so there was no flirting to be found. 

I think a date would be what this place would be best for - meet, have a drink, chat a while, and get out before the music starts.
3 - Amrita J.: I have to be honest, the name of this place, intrigued me and convinced me that it was going to be a really sexy hip place, and I liked the fact that I thought it was actually going to be a "lounge" for Atlanta, since so many of the nightspots that call themselves this usually are just clubs.

But I wasn't as impressed once I actually entered through the doors. I don't like the fact that their is absolutely no seating other than the "VIP" areas, which is absolutely silly. So you basically have to stand up the whole time and even then, their isn't much room for that either.

Drinks were okay, nothing special, and the music the night we went was horrible, the DJ was making every song a techno mix.

I like Kathleen M., might give it another go 'round, but as of right now, it hasn't given me much of a reason to do so.
3 - Liz T.: I never know what to expect from this place- it doesn't just change each night, it changes every few hours!--- 80's music turns to hip-hop which turns to 90's.  

I enjoyed a full night of dancing, and noticed the crowd drastically changed as the night went on.  Will it be filled with gay men or straight?- there's no way to know until you arrive! 

Friday was advertised as "80's night," but around 1a.m. the music got a little too strange for me.  The D.J. was slowing down rap songs so it was hard to dance to that beat. 

Overall a good time in the little space (not possible to lose track of your friends) if you are looking for a small, classy venue, make a stop here. 

I'll be back since the owner gave my girlfriends and me VIP cards to skip lines and free drinks. Sweet!
3 - Claudia R.: Attended a networking event there last night.  It's a pretty space, though the layout wasn't really conducive to the mingling this event required.  Would be interested in coming back to see what it is like on a regular evening.
1 - Andrew A.: All that glitters is not gold. 

Actually, that's not a fair metaphor, because Aurum doesn't really glitter either.

Here's the problem with my review from the outset: I just don't think I'm a club person. I'm 30, married, and live a fairly low-key life where going out mainly involves comfortable places. Places where I can sit for several hours on end. Places where I can hear the people I'm with. 

So, maybe everything that bothered me about this place is status quo for clubs and 'lounges' like Aurum.

And I'll start with that, the notion that this venue is a lounge. There was no seating that wasn't VIP. This makes absolutely no sense. The birthday girl in the group I was with shelled out $200.00 for a reserved couch that came with a bottle of Absolut Vodka and ... Moet, I think it was. Oh, and a single, small table. I point out this singular table because, because the other half of the four person couch was itself a cordoned off VIP section. It, however, cost $500.00 to populate. Why the 250% mark-up, you might ask? Well, my friend, it is because in that section you get TWO tiny tables upon which to set whatever your heart desires. But, let's forget about the exorbitant cost of being VIP at Aurum. The real point here is that there's truly no seating at all otherwise. You simply can't call yourself a lounge if no one can actually lounge.

Next, let's discuss the drinks. I poured myself two Old Fashions at home prior to that evening's excursion. I love Old Fashions. Not only do they taste like I'm drinking heaven, but it seems every bartender makes them differently. As I had never been to Aurum before, I was eager to try one of their bartender's approaches. Sadly, I was told she couldn't make me one. Unfortunately, it was too loud for me to hear why exactly, but that didn't matter much to me and I didn't hold it against her. Old Fashions must be an admittedly odd order (though this is the first place in Atlanta that hasn't been able to make me one in a very, very long time), so I asked about their Tequilas. She listed Patron and 'some other stuff.' Not being a fan of Patron and not wanting to risk ordering up bad Tequila, I looked at the Scotch list. Ah ha! Macallan 12 yr. Perfect. Only they didn't actually have any left, so I sprang for the 18 yr.  Kind of a long road to get a drink, but whatever. I like Macallan, so I'm happy. My wife decides to look over the drink list and something hits me. Something that immediately made me take a step back from this whole place and see exactly what was wrong. 

There were no drinks with gold in them. I don't even remember seeing any drinks with word gold in them. This place is CALLED Aurum. Every single cocktail should have Goldschlager or something in it. Not that I'm even a fan of Goldschlager, but when you've put yourself out there in this way, for god's sake you need to fulfill the promise. And that's where this whole place is off. Aside from a mildly gold-themed veneer, this was just a big room selling expensive drinks to a crowd that wasn't allowed to sit. The floors were dusty and black. The ceiling was open, which mauled the acoustics, and was painted flat black. The DJ was set up on two huge black boxes that would look more appropriate at the old 513 with a punk rock band trashing around on top of it.

To reiterate, if you call yourself AURUM, you have responsibility to make the experience hyperbolically audacious. Don't worry about going overboard; you've already named your place as such. Every drink needs to be gold. The floors, gold. The ceiling, gold. You need to get perfectly chiseled models (male and female) painted in gold to stand statuesquely on pedestals. Your servers should be dusted in gold powder. The whole experience should be surreal. That, I would put down $200.00 for.

One final issue I had with this place that fits into the overall err of design, I wanted to call out specifically. There exists, behind the bar, an enormous projection screen with a gold frame around it. A very compelling and eye catching decorative element. One that could be used in any number of ways. On the night I was there, the screen played a 5 minute slideshow that I'm quite certain was slapped together using iMovie. Further, I'm positive that whoever created this slideshow did not purchase the rights to run the images. But let's assume they did or that they didn't even need clearance for the photos. All they had the entire night was a 5 minute slideshow on loop (and some of those photos were blown up beyond their native resolution, for shame). They have a fantastic canvas at their disposal. I'm sure there are good photogs out there who could easily take amazing gold-themed photos and create a much better slideshow. One that would enhance the atmosphere ten-fold. Or, since they don't seem to mind exhibiting copyrighted material, play some gold-themed movies on mute. How bad ass would Goldfinger on a big screen be as the visual backdrop to a lounge?

I'm out of space :-(
3 - Joi M.: I have been to Aurum three times. Most recently  a Cocktail Cupcake party in March and the Us Weekly party in August.  The CC party was small but there were drink specials and free cupcakes and cake pops so it was fun.  The UW party had free food (scallops!) free drinks, free photos, and a goody bag.  The difference was the music level.  The US Weekly event had a lot of people so the music got louder much earlier, around 8:30.  The CC party was a smaller affair so the music did not get ear ringing loud until close to 11 pm.  The problem is that the lounge is very small so the loud music takes away from the atmosphere.  If the music is going to be played at a club level, the couches should be removed from the middle of the floor (closer to the wall maybe) to make way  for a dance floor.  I don't know if the event organizers have a say in the music genre or volume but the music played at Aurum is  music I like.   If you are going to play "Rock Your Body" I want to have room to dance! The bathroom tend to get messy towards the end of the evening.   The bartenders are always courteous and they do not get an attitude when I ask for water to drink or try to sell a designer bottle of water.
2 - Dalora S.: Modern decor in an unpretentious space (though there were a few too many VIP spaces than necessary). 
Aurum gets 2 stars because, though average as a night spot overall, the drinks were provocatively overpriced, like provoke you to laugh in the bartenders face. Then there was the $5 for a coat check that was just a rack sitting unattended by the door. Needless to say, items were missing from my pockets. We just grabbed our coats on the way out. There was no attendant to give the claim tickets to, anyway.
3 - Zenovia E.: The space is just right.  Not too big, not too small.  The decor was simple.  I liked the gold couches and big projection screen behind the bar that was framed like a painting.  But there should be some seating other than VIP, which requires bottle service.

The crowd was mainly black, but I think there was a party going on there because my friend invited me.  I get the feeling that the crowd is mixed sometimes/varies, as is the case with most clubs.

A burlesque dancer did a tasteful show (it was some guy's birthday). 

The only thing that bothers me about clubs/lounges, in general, is that the men and women are often separated like a seventh-grade party.  It was no exception here.  

I get the impression that this is one of those places where you can't go alone on a whim and meet people.  We came in a group of five women and one man and we had a good time.

The bartenders were on top of things and friendly ($10 for Grey Goose and water with lime might be a bit much for Atlanta, though).  There was no excessive waiting for drinks.  

Our name was on a list and they kept things moving without being jerks at the door.  Again, no excessive waiting and there was no cover charge because we got there early.
2 - Amadi J.: This place to me is honestly over rated. You cant sit down unless you are in VIP and that kind of is annoying. Just not my scene. I don't remember a time where I had a blast here.

Ausanda Chocolate - Waterloo, ON (43.4770992, -80.5256905) ()
4 - Elisa L.: This cute little cafe just opened up beside Sakura Island. They have coffee, tea, specialty drinks (ie. Oreo & Kitkat milkshakes!) and desserts such as cakes and chocolate. They have 23 flavours of hot chocolate, which is really nice - many options to choose from and makes me want to keep going there! What really stood out to me about it was the decor. Red leather chairs and classy design overall. The cakes and chocolate on display look amazing. 

They open until 11pm everyday I believe, and they had a 50% deal going on for drinks that happened during their opening. I haven't gone enough to judge the quality of everything, but they did put a lot of effort into the place. The cakes are a little on the expensive side, though. They have free wifi, so you can stay as long as you want. 

Their paninis are pretty good, and their pancakes are not bad - they provide both chocolate syrup and maple syrup for the pancakes. 

I think they need to advertise more, not a lot of people know about this place unless they live near it and walk by the plaza. I tried finding a website but it just lead me to a fairly blank site that is probably under construction.

Anyways, I definitely recommend Ausanda : )
5 - Goalie D.: Wonderful chocolates, 23 flavors of hot chocolate, coffees, banana bread with chocolate sauce, bagels, sandwiches, waffles, pancakes, desserts... Great little place that you'll miss as you drive by. More signage needed. Great cafe, good food & atmosphere.
5 - Andrea B.: Crazy awesome hot chocolate, great porn music (teehee) but seriously great atmosphere staff.... Awesome!
5 - Michael S.: Great place. Good coffee and pastries and great atmosphere.

Austin & Warburton - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2848352, -83.7468933) (Kerrytown Ann Arbor)
5 - Truman M.: Absolute top quality merchandise.  Personalized service.  Nice people.  This is the place to go to buy special jewelry, especially custom designed.
4 - Rebecca W.: Sadly, Austin & Warburton is closing their doors after many years in the Ann Arbor community.  Happily: 50-70% OFF EVERYTHING IN THE STORE!

AW is a custom jeweler, so a lot of their stuff is really unique and cool.  They keep a lot of great stuff in stock and, as I understand it, also create special order pieces.  (I have never done this, so I don't know the details).  This is yet another place I walk by on my way to work and peer in the windows happily.  

They sized my engagement ring for me last summer, although the ring was not purchased there.  Now, they charged me $50 for it...they ain't running no charity.  I grimaced when the guy told me the price and he said, "Look, you can take it somewhere else, and maybe they'll do it a little cheaper.  But we'll do it best."  

Standard salesman schtick, I know, I know.  Ultimately I was too lazy to shop around and came back to AW.  But they did a great job.  Ring looks gorgeous, fits securely, and I was happy to have the chance to go in and look around. the store.

Last week I bought my wedding ring here, SUPER on sale--got it for less than $200, and since I DID buy the ring there, sizing is included in the price.  (good news for for my freakishly small fingers).  I'm picking it up this afternoon and can't wait to put that thing on my finger.  And then immediately take it off again until the actual wedding. 

When I was there last week picking it out I overheard the owner talking to another customer: the business is not going away--they're just going 100% online, because keeping the store open is just losing them money.  So check out the website and online store (http://www.austinandwarburton.com/), and find out what kind of beautiful custom jewelry they can make for you .

Update: while I was picking up my ring today, I flipped through their book of feedback from customers happy with their custom orders.  The patrons were effusive, and the jewelry pics were gorgeous.  When I have more disposable income, I'll be looking these guys up.

Austin Beauty on the Go - Austin, TX (30.2824928, -97.7459669) (University of Texas)
5 - jen c.: Lecia Harkins has done my makeup for two fashion shows so far, and each time she's blown me away by what she's done for me and our group of models! Lecia is a truly talented and incredibly creative makeup artist--  she steps back to assess your face, and before you know it she's accentuated your best features with her quick and careful application. I'm really amazed at how she handles a big group of people and how she takes the time to make us each look so beautiful, unique and special. 

But talent aside, maybe the best part about working with Lecia in these fashion shows is her super friendly demeanor. In my short but sweet experience modeling thus far, I've found that the pre-show period is a flurry of hair, makeup, touchups, fitting, etc. Given the chance, I could see how it could definitely get out of control, but this never happens. Lecia takes care of business in what can be a somewhat stressful situation, and she does it all with a smile, which makes everyone feel better!

You can't help but worry, vainly, about what you might look like when you're getting your makeup done. With Lecia, I feel completely at ease because I know I'll leave looking and feeling gorgeous!
5 - SPRUCE D.: Love what Lecia Bates Harkins does with makeup!  She has such wonderful creativity.  It's a great experience to sit in her chair!  I am completely satisfied with her work.

Austin Brain & Spine PA - Austin, TX (30.2780567, -97.7430984) (Downtown)
5 - Mari T.: I am so very blessed to have met Dr. Daniel Peterson and all the amazing staff at Austin Brain and Spine.  I have had a remarkable recovery after surgery and I am able to do things once told I would not by other Dr.'s- so yes always get a second opinion because that is how I met Dr. Peterson and his staff.   The staff at Austin Brain and Spine are very attentive, sweet, caring, and I am better (literally) for having met them!
4 - D M.: Sadly I am the duke of here.  2 back surgeries 29 days apart and all the follow up and pre visits = I have gotten to know the staff pretty well.  

The only issue I have had is getting the right person on the phone for questions or follow ups has been difficult as the people that answer the phone just send you to a person's voice mail rather than actually get you to someone that can help. (one star off)

Once you reach someone, they are pleasant, knowledgeable, and caring.  

Dr Peterson was great and his assistants Jenn and McCall are fantastic ladies, and have made my ups and downs at least tolerable. 

Hopefully you NEVER have to see these folks, but if you do need a neurosurgeon ATX B&S are it!

Austin City Limits Studio - Austin, TX (30.289162, -97.740716) (University of Texas)
5 - laurie c.: Simply amazing! After all these years we finally got tickets and what a studio and performance it was! We were lucky enough to get a double header (The Decemberists followed by my local fav Ghostland Observatory) and it was an experience I will not forget. It's such a small venue, but the acoustics are naturally great and it's so very relaxed. They do serve up free beer and you can buy ACL gear after and during intermission!
We are so frickin' lucky to have this studio here. My favorite quote from both bands was the Austin skyline backdrop being made of felt and twinkly lights. Very kindergarten when you look at it up close but so great on tv!
Congratulations to probably the most famous spot in Austin. We are so proud!
5 - Cory O.: We had our evening event held here for a recent conference that I went to--it was fantastic!  I'm not much of a music person, so I wasn't the most thrilled about the venue, but this exceeded my expectations by so much.  

Yes, the place isn't all that big, but it gives it that intimate air that you're having a concert put on for just you and your friends.  Since this was a private event, we had it catered and with a cash bar--not nearly as much fun as if all the alcohol were free, and yet there was plenty of fun to be had.  

The band was great--they played cover songs to tv shows and movies.  Towards the end of the night, all inhibitions were gone and the dance floor was packed with people having a lot of fun and dancing to all their favorite theme songs.  For the rest of us (meaning those of us who were still sober), we had great seats in the stadium that allowed us to watch our coworkers make fools of themselves--a perfect way to end the evening.

If you ever get a chance to go to this, I definitely recommend it.  Yes, the building is kind of ugly on the outside, the the acoustics are great and it is conveniently located on campus.
4 - Natasha R.: I'm going to write about this before they move to their new location in the over-priced 2nd Street District. Currently, they are located on UT Austin's campus in the Communications building.  They are several floors up so you have to take turns getting taken up in the elevator which is weird but I guess they want crowd control.

Bathroom:
In keeping with some of my reviews, I will start with the bathrooms.  The bathrooms are a few floors down so that's strange.  This is typical of many UT buildings but I still don't like it.  So the couple times I go to a show here, I either hold it the entire performance or run to bathroom hoping not to miss that much.  I hope when they move, bathrooms will be much closer.  I don't recall much other than an old, outdated bathroom.  Presentable in cleanliness but unremarkable at best. 

Show:
I've been for Calexico & Regina Spektor.  Both shows were great. I felt like the concert was just for me.  

Venue: 
The venue needs to be updated just to be fresher.  It's a very intimate feel and much smaller than I anticipated.  Do not sit in the front row center or all the people standing will be blocking you.  I love that they serve free beer which is cool but I guess they want people to get liquored up a bit which probably makes for better TV & enthusiasm.  The backdrop is cool with a mural of Austin & twinkly light and around the bleacher-style seats there are fake trees as well.  

Tickets: 
I love that the shows are FREE but the tickets are they often hard to come by. I've always thought the method to get tickets is weird....

1. If you are ACL member you get tickets to any show you want(mostly). 

2.  To the rest of the poor peons, you have to wait until KUT announces it on the radio or you call the KLRU hotline for the location & you rush & stop what you doing, because I'm about to ruin...I mean you rush to the location & hope they still have tickets available.  Some shows get lots of buzz and are announced in locations before the radio announcement like on the Austinist.  

"From KLRU Website: 
Please call the KLRU Hotline at (512) 475-9077. The recorded message will detail the artist, taping date, time and which radio station(s) to listen to for the ticket distribution announcement. One or two working days before the taping the station will make the announcement stating the location of the ticket giveaway."

3. You hope that when you get to said location they still have tickets.  I have heard of times when they were gone in 5 minutes so unless you were close to the locale, you were out of luck.  It seems like most of the time the location is at UT communication building or Waterloo records but often it's in the middle of the day & most of us working folk can't just leave work on a whim.  Each person gets 2 tickets but they are space-available tickets. In order to be assured of a full house for the taping, KLRU distributes tickets in excess of our capacity to account for "no-shows."  

4.  The ticket has a time you need to show up on the day of taping which is usually a few hours before they start taping.  But you need to show up earlier than the time they tell you b/c at that time they give you a number which is you place in line.  With limited spots, you need to be as early as possible to get entry and a good seat.  

5. So after you get your number, you have a time to return to get in.  At that time you line up & 15 minutes before the show and after members and other important people get in, they let in people for the remaining spots.  I have heard of people going through this entire process & then none of the space-available people get in at all. 

6.  So based upon your number that is the order they let you in. 

7.  If you get in, enjoy!!

I love the shows at the ACL Studio (& free beer) but the process to get tickets is tedious at best.  Plus the bathrooms are several floors away from the studio which is bad as well.

I look forward to what the new ACL studio will have in store for Austin...
4 - Susan B.: I wasn't lucky enough to see a show, but I did take a free studio tour offered every Friday at 10:30 am. Call ahead to make sure they are offering the tour, though. For more information, go to the web site at http://www.klru.org/about/tours.html.

The building was a little difficult to find for us out of towners, but we managed. It's in the UT Communications Building, and there is some small (very small) ACL signage to lead the way. We rode the talent elevator and were able to walk up on stage and examine the backdrop close up (yes, it's a little cheesy.) The tour guide was friendly and informative, and dished about some past performances. A small assortment of shirts, caps, and bags are available for purchase after the tour.

It's such an intimate, homespun setting and I wonder how that will change when they open the new studio in a few years. Glad I was able to see this while it still exists.
5 - Ilsun P.: Attending an ACL taping is a truly unique experience.  If you can get tickets, consider yourself one of the lucky few and do whatever you have to do to go!

Here's how mine went-

I managed to get tickets to the Okkervil River taping from a good friend who couldn't make it for one reason or another.  So I rearranged my schedule that day and headed over to the UT Communications Building.

I was ushered into an elevator along with several other people after waiting in a short line.  Throughout the ride, the anticipation was palpable, at least to me.  I was like a kid waking up on his birthday.  The elevator opened up to the studio floor, and I exited into a magical land filled with free beer and that oddly familiar stage set that looks like an outdoor ampitheater.

I found a seat and got situated.  I snapped a picture of the set with my camera phone, and was sternly reprimanded by a lady enforcer in a blue shirt.

Before I knew it, there was the band.  They played for only an hour or so.  Often, they'd start a song over, or stop to chat with members of the audience.  And as quick as that, they were gone.

The studio, the small, but engaged audience, the free beer, and the great acoustics combined to make this one of the most memorable shows I've been to in Austin.
5 - Christine C.: Awesome!! I was in Austin for SXSW Interactive, and PBS (among others like RRW, Frontline, etc) were holding their party in the Austin City Limits Studio. I was excited that I was able to see this historic place.

Right next to the Communications building of UT, it's on the sixth floor. Once you walk in there are framed pictures of all the various influential acts that have graced the studio at one time or another. To the right there is a set but it was set up with displays and an area for mingling. To the left was the actual studio, and it was exciting.

There was an amazing catering of tex-mex and margaritas, and then open seating for Nicole Atkins & The Black Sea and Band of Skulls. I only had time for Nicole's taping, but it was really lovely. I loved the stage setup. The cameras were not too distracting watching the taping. Not only that, they don't crank up the volume like crazy, but it was nice without need of earplugs.

The types of people here were also fantastic. If you are ever in the area, try your best to come to a taping or a tour, one of my best experiences in Austin.
5 - Dori Z.: I am sooo happy i got to see the original set before they change locations.  My boyfriend Erasmus and I were in town for th ACL festival. We heard there was a taping, no idea who.  We found the station and stood in line.  I spoke to one of the production/staff people and they let us in!!!  Hate to use this but OMG....its hard to describe in words the feeling you get standing in the same room as so many legendary artists.  We saw Cat Powers and watching the taping process is very interesting. 

Amazed we got in without tickets and found the studio without a map!! It was meant to be.
Love Austin and hope to go see the new studio soon!!

Austin City Realty - Austin, TX (30.287284, -97.746238) (University of Texas, West Campus)
1 - Caitlin J.: I signed up for an account in May. I was then contacted and told I'd be assigned to Steven Biyeu. A week after receiving this assignment, Steven had still never called. Once he finally was pressured by the Office Manager (who accidentally called me to inform Steven that I was a new lead) I received an email letting me know I should wait another month to start searching for an apartment because rates would be better. I then had to contact Steven after that mid June date asking if he was still willing to help me. He then asked my availability, I responded, and he never contacted me again. Luckily I found an apartment without his help. So in short, don't use Steven Bilyeu.
1 - Jennifer R.: Austin City Realty is the reason Yelp should allow a zero-star rating. After seeing an advertisement for a duplex in Hyde Park, I set up a meeting with a realtor to view the property. 

The house looked rather bleak from the outside, but I withheld judgment until I saw the interior. The realtor arrived at the house in his workout clothes, soaked through with sweat, explaining that he just finished a run. Okay, then. After showing me the wrong unit (sans dishwasher), the realtor takes me "the back way" to view the second unit. I wonder why we can't go through the front door? The floors were being torn up, the stove had weird stains on it, and critters were a-crawlin'. Still, I had hope that this lovely duplex in this lovely neighborhood could be saved. But then I looked in the bathroom and was greeted by a gigantic pile of shit in the toilet. If the $1400 price tag isn't for the glimmering turd and the gleam of sweat on the realtor's brow, then I'm just not sure what it's for.

After the viewing, I was made very aware that the realtor had gone far out of his way to show me the property and that he didn't have time to show me anything else. Post-turd sighting, I was honored that he deigned to even meet!

Austin Folk House - Austin, TX (30.2852353, -97.7436921) (University of Texas, West Campus)
4 - Therese T.: Based on my suggestion, my boyfriend decided to reserve a room at the Austin Folk House. Rates are surprisingly cheap. Located at the west side of UT campus (I think that's what my bf said), the amenities are great: our room besides having a clean wooden floor, had a soft king-sized bed, a prop to put luggage on top, a wooden closet with an iron inside, hangers, etc, wooden drawers on the side, lamps. The bathroom (which I am a sucker for) had a bathtub with the usual shampoo and showergel, but also conditioner and bubble bath gel, and a mirror as you shower, whoa! There was a hair dryer, hand lotion and liquid hand soap, as well as bar soap by the sink. And they provided robes. Yes, robes. I was impressed. If you leave the awesomeness of the room, you will also find cookies by the foyer, ready for the taking, under a glass case, and water in the dining area just in case, as well as stuff for tea and the like. Supposedly scrumptious breakfast is to be had in the morning (this is a B&B, after all), I could certainly smell it from bed, though we didn't get up early enough. There was also a VHS library. Yep. Old school. It's like staying at a gracious person's home. Very nice change from a regular hotel, at even less the price. So I am convincing boyfriend to come back here. Or maybe Star of Texas which is a sister company. Then again it might not be as awesome. But if we were to go back and book a place in Austin, the Folk House definitely tops the list for now.
5 - Minx A.: Um, wow. This place is stellar.

After a grueling trip from San Francisco, I landed in a room I reserved (not at the folk house) and found that it was flea infested. I couldn't find a new apartment to rent at that very moment, I just needed a place to sleep that night. It was late at night, I was tired, and sad, and my husband booked me at  the folk house after I called him crying from the side of the road in a bad part of town. 

I got to my room at the folk house, plopped down on the beautiful bed and cried tears of joy.

It was only the next morning when I woke up to the sweet smell of cinnamon and coffee that I realized how cool this place was. Amazing coffee, great staff (I arrived after breakfast was over and she immediately offered me left overs!! Awww.) great video selection, great (austin guide) books. I thought that my austin trip was in shambles after the flea place! But now here I am, on the free wi-fi, sitting bare-foot outside on their porch, eating a homemade cookie and watching the sunset.  Glorious. For this price, I'm never going to stay anywhere else.

Austin ObGyn Associates - Austin, TX (30.289083, -97.728117) (University of Texas)
5 - R J.: I love my OB,  Dr. Melissa Guzman Winn, a private practitioner who delivers at St. David's Main.  She is located around the corner from the hospital & plenty o' parking available.  

I'm a picky, type A person, so I went through a couple OB's before settling on Dr. Guzman Winn - and I love this ob! She's knowledgeable even about my high risk pregnancies, openly shares her knowledge, works as a partnership with the mom to be, has a sense of humor and gives individual attention to her patients - unlike the local baby factories. I am comfortable trusting her implicitly, and she's never judged or second guessed my choices. 

And! - She and her (great) staff are bilingual (Spanish & English.)
5 - Allie H.: I searched high and low for a great OB when I found out I was pregnant last year. I'm extremely picky and really wanted to find someone wonderful to help me through my first pregnancy.  Dr. Melissa Guzman Winn is by far the best doctor I've ever had. She's very down to earth and so patient. I had so many worries, questions, fears, etc. and she never made me feel rushed and always let me ask every question I could come up with, making me feel very comfortable and very important to her! She was so amazing when I delivered my baby girl, I don't think I could have gotten through it without her. 

If you are looking for a wonderful OB in Austin, she's the best!! Her staff is great too.  She delivers at St. David's Main and they have a very nice office & plenty of parking.  Great central location.
5 - Gloria W.: Dr. Melissa Guzman Winn is an AWESOME doctor!  She listens to my concerns/questions, and offers real solutions and great advice.  She is SOOOOO upbeat, positive and very comforting.  I picked her to deliver my baby and her care leading up to delivery and since (3 yrs) has been amazing.  I highly recommend her!  She's the BEST!
5 - Judy R.: I can't say enough about this wonderful group of women, from the receptionist and assistants to the doctors and phlebotomist. They are all friendly, attentive and actually care. 

Can you believe that Dr. Eng remembers things about my personal life that I told her over a year ago? Dr. Winn also still remembers things about me and keep in mind I visit their office once a year and that's it! 

I'd give them 10 stars if I could! If you are looking for a rating on their actual service I would still give them just as many stars. They are efficient, sensitive, careful and professional. 

They have a lifetime patient with me.
1 - Rimmer Z.: We went to this place based on the reviews here so I felt I had to write something to warn people because the reviews here are very misleading. I wish I could give them negative stars.

Firstly, let me say that Dr. Eng was very nice and I would fully recommend her unfortunately you don't get the choice to only see her. The other doctor - Dr Winn - is just an embarrassment to her profession.

I really don't understand the other reviews because they appear to be talking about a completely different person to the Dr Winn we met. She was flat out rude, condescending and uncaring. 

This was my first visit with Dr Winn so I obviously had a few normal questions. She was nice enough to begin with but as soon as I started asking questions as to why she felt certain things she cut me off and started lecturing me on a bizarre tangent. She got really loud and was almost shouting at me, not pausing for breath after a 10 minute rant said, "you know if you're not going to take my advice then you should find another doctor!".

Well firstly I was completely shocked. I couldn't for the life of me understand why she thought I wasn't going to take her advice. In hindsight I should have left right then as frankly any OBGYN that would get angry with a pregnant woman shouldn't have a license, however as a nice person I felt as though I might have done something to offend her so I asked only to again be cut-off mid sentence once more to listen to a torrent of weird assumptions. At this point I was looking for the hidden camera! We left completely confused as to what just happened and found a different and wonderful OBGYN the next day - http://www.obgynnorth.com/

I am a highly educated woman and I know a lot about pregnancy from my own studies. I think this was the problem for Dr Winn. She's one of those doctors that think you should just accept what they say on face-value. If you ask her to explain her reasoning or the actual medical facts she takes offense. This is unfortunately all too common with many doctors but she takes this to an extreme. She reminds me of a high school bully and I fear for anyone under her "care". Her attitude is basically, do what I say or get the heck out of here.

If you want a doctor that will take time to explain their thoughts and work with you for the benefit and health of you and your baby stay clear of Dr Winn. If you're having one of those pregnancies that's just not damn well stressful enough and you need someone to put you down and make you fell really stupid she's a sure bet.
1 - Sondra S.: A visit to the gyn office is stressful enough, but now I'm just plain mad. It takes a lot to make me write a review that completely disses a place, but this one just got it.

I've been a patient of Dr. Winn's for 4 or 5 years now.  I've been very happy with her as a doctor, but I broke up with her and her office today after rolling in on time for a 10:15 appointment... and waiting for 45 minutes.  At 11:00, I was still in the lobby, waiting to go into an exam room.  I told the office staff that I have a job and an appointment with a client that I needed to be leaving their office for by 11:30.  When they told me that they couldn't guarantee that I would be seen by 11:30 and that the next available appointment to reschedule me for was TWO months out, I told them to refund my copay and left.  It should be reasonable to schedule a 10:15 doc appt and expect to be able to make a 12:15 client appointment, but apparently not at this place.

The sad part is that this isn't the first time I've gotten up and left after an extended wait.  Last time was about 2 years ago; I waited 90 minutes between the lobby and exam room with NO notification that there was going to be an extended delay.  I'm pretty patient, if you'll pardon the pun; I get that sometimes emergencies happen and need to be seen before me, but my time is valuable too: just let me know what's going on and I'm a much more understanding person.  They apparently saw no need to let me know how long I'd be waiting or to even apologize for the delay.
5 - A O.: Dr. Guzman Winn, is a great doctor!!!! 
I just moved to the Austin area, and was not looking forward to establishing myself as a patient with an OB. I became so comfortable and loved my OB back home, that I was strongly considering a 7 hour drive, with a baby in the back just to have my yearly exam done. Being that I am new to the area, I didn't really have someone who could recommend their OB to me. I decided to do my own research and found great reviews on Dr. Winn. I took a chance and made my firs appointment with her. Around that same time I found out I was pregnant, so the pressure to find an OB I felt comfortable was on. Unfortunately, my fist visit didn't bring good news. Dr. Winn informed me that I was having a miscarriage. To make matters even more complicated I was scheduled to leave on vacation to the Dominican Republic with my hubby three days from my initial OB visit. Dr. Winn explained that a miscarriage can come at any time, and being in a different country may not be the best place to have this happen naturally. She thou roughly explained what my options were in a very compassionate matter. This was my fist miscarriage, and I was very sad, and scared. 
I chose to take a medicated approach to educe a miscarriage, for fear of having complication with a natural miscarriage in another country. Dr. Winn also schedule me for a DNC the day before my departure in case the mediated approcach didn't work. Andrea her nurse and Dr. Winn called me a couple times the next day to see how I was feeling. This was something that brought great comfort, especially at a time when I needed it most. 
After my miscarriage, I called the office to notify them as to my miscarriage and was told to come in. Dr. Winn was not working that day, but she still made it in to perform an ultrasound on me to confirm the miscarriage. Once it was confirmed, she gave me medication to take with me in case I had any additional bleeding, this was to avoid me having to seek any medical care while away. 
She truly went above and beyond, I couldn't' have been more blessed!
5 - Karla E.: AustinObGyn is an awesome place to establish care! I had a very positive experience there from My Obstetrical care with Dr. Winn to my Gyn care with Dr. Eng Cohen. I was very nervous since my last exam was in 2007 and didnt know what to expect. I scheduled an Annual exam with Dr. Cohen who had a very flexible schedule and got me in very quickly. The front office staff , Assistants and phlebotomist were very polite and organized. I Informed Dr. Cohen that I was nervous and she immediately made me feel comfortable. She went over my history and answered all my questions. I didnt feel rushed and was in and out in a reasonable time with all my issues addressed. She was friendly, attentive and caring. I will continue to see her for my future exams and recommend her to all who are seeking an ObGyn doctor.
5 - Julia P.: I was extremely unhappy with my prenatal care at the University of Texas ObGyn department so I went to see Dr. Cohen at Austin ObGyn Associates.  Unfortunately, she told me that I had a miscarriage and this is extremely personal but she deserves a good review because she has helped me so much.  Not only was she really understanding as I was bawling my eyes out but she was very easy to get a hold of and would ALWAYS call me back within 5 minutes of me leaving a message unlike my other doctor.  I think it's really important for anyone to get a hold of their doctor especially when they're pregnant and I will definitely be going to her again once my husband and I are ready to start trying.

Austin Renaissance Market on 23rd Street - Austin, TX (30.2864643, -97.741686) (The Drag, University of Texas, West Campus)
5 - Jackson R.: Austin has many things that are unique to our fair city.  One of them is the Austin Renaissance Market on 23rd Street, which is the only continuously operated open-air crafts market in the United States.

On any given day, you'll see a local artist selling jewelry, photographs, paintings, or whatever else their craft may be.  You can kind of think of it as a farmer's market, but with art.

The market started in the 1970's, and the city has actually set aside the space for it to be held.  It is open 7 days a week, with Saturday and Sunday being the biggest days.

Another thing that makes Austin what it is.

http://www.austinartistsmarket.com/
4 - Susie G.: While I have never bought anything at this market, I will highly attest to its coolness. What other city has people selling high quality crafts in the middle of all of it?  They are always there. They are always friendly. Something always catches my eye. My sister once bought a painting for a 50 bucks here... and since our whole family wins the thrifty folks of the year awards, the 50 bucks spent should more then attest to the quality of the pictures. Its a fun time outside. Check it.
5 - Jamie M.: seriously, it's not just for hippies. there are several really talented artists in this space every weekend, many of whom are willing to cut a deal on multiple purchases and/or return customers. even more vendors show up around christmas, sxsw, etc. as for quality issues, that may be, but please realize that every individual booth is a separate business, so just because you had issues with one vendor doesn't mean there aren't some gems out there waiting for you. it's also currently the ONLY place in Texas to find one-of-a-kind items from Unoriginal Sinner- http://facebook.com/unoriginalsinner who, if you hadn't guessed, is me. come say hello!
4 - Lauren A.: You can get a gift for anyone here.  I've bought several pairs of my favorite copper earrings from an artist at the Renaissance Market.  They're great quality and they're seriously reasonably priced.  I haven't had problems with jewelry falling apart.  If you have, most artists will fix it for you, most likely for free.  

The vendors here care about their crafts and are an important part of the Austin community.  I stop by whenever I'm on the drag.  

In addition to earrings, you can find artisan windchimes, sweaters, scarves, cool shirts, skirts, necklaces, bracelets, bags, soap, glassware, paintings...pretty much anything for anyone for much less than you'd pay at a store, and you're supporting Austin artists.

I can't say enough good things about it.

Austin Tenant Advisors - Austin, TX (30.276358, -97.743924) (Downtown)
5 - Dr M.: Excellent service.  He consulted with my business on an existing lease and helped us understand our options as well as communicated with our landlord on our behalf.  I really appreciated his willingness to be of service even though we were not his clients.  Will definitely call on him for our next business lease.
5 - Penny W.: I have offices in Houston and Dallas; Nathan helped me find an office in Austin.  He was professional, had great expertise about the area I should be in; and really kept me updated at all times.  When deals weren't being had in the Austin area, Nathan got me a great deal.  I have nothing but praise for this superstar!
5 - Tina L.: Nathan was great. He educated me on the whole process and helped me refine the characteristics I was looking for in an office. The offices he showed me were absolutely perfect for our needs.

This was second time we have used Nathan and I would call him again in an instant if we are ever in the market for another office.

Austin's Inn At Pearl Street - Austin, TX (30.28277, -97.746761) (University of Texas, West Campus)
5 - Astra L.: Before I go into this review, I should admit to some dorkiness -- I first heard about this place from a book called "Haunted Texas Vacations." Now, I'm not saying I necessarily believe in ghosts and ghouls and all that, but it is fun to read about, and for a while, my ex-boyfriend and I got pretty intrigued by it all. For our one-year anniversary, we decided we wanted to stay at a "haunted" hotel.

At first we were set on the Driskill, but at $330 a night, we had to rule that out. Enter the inn at Pearl Street, and its French Suite, which -- according to the book -- had been the "hotspot" for a couple of sightings of a mysterious woman nursing a sick child. We even went so far as to research the place at the History Library, and discovered a couple of interesting tidbits, like the fact that a family who'd once lived there in the early 1900s lost not one but two boys, both at the age of 4 months, and both on the same day (though 10 years apart). Weird, huh?

But I digress. Research accomplished, we booked the suite, and arrived midafternoon to be greeted by the very friendly and welcoming innkeeper. She told us that we might even have the place to ourselves that evening, as no other guests had checked in (unfortunately, that turned out not to be the case), and she gave us complimentary wine and encouraged us to explore the place.

It's not exactly Victorian, but similar in decor -- the place is just chock-full of neat old furniture, and each suite is done up with a different theme -- French, Gothic, Far East, and so on. Downstairs, there's a foyer, sitting room, kitchen, dining area, and living room, plus the big back deck, which was all set up with Halloween decorations and jack o' lanterns (Halloween was the next day). 

We whiled away a couple of hours, but were eventually driven back upstairs by the annoying other guests, who insisted on watching a football game (with the volume turned WAY up) in the main room. I don't know why they didn't just check into a Best Western.

Anyway, I'd like to say that our whole evening was relaxing and restful, but with all the reading I'd done about mysterious wraiths and spooky dead children, I didn't get much sleep. At one point, I remember having half-dozed off, and then waking to a strange, eerie blue light filling the room, and an odd buzzing sound -- only to realize that my boyfriend's cell phone alarm had gone off.

So that's all that happened. If you don't believe in ghosts and you enjoy quaint bed-and-breakfasts, then the Inn at Pearl Street is just perfect. But if you MIGHT believe in 'em, well, don't say I didn't warn you if you spend a wakeful night. At least it was a cool pre-Halloween experience!
1 - Eileen S.: Although the location downtown is very convenient, and the setting makes for beautiful pictures, I strongly suggest you look somewhere else for your wedding/reception.  Planning a wedding can be stressful enough, and dealing with the owner of Austin's Inn at Pearl Street will definitely drive you over the edge!
I fell in love with the cute bed-and-breakfast the first time I saw it.  Jill Bickford, the owner, gave me a tour and a play-by-play of what an actual wedding may look like.  She sold me immediately, but I wanted my fianc to give the okay.  So, we went for a second tour, and we got the same song and dance.  Days were filling fast, so we put down the non-refundable $850 deposit soon after our second tour.
After my deposit was received, things that I was told during the first 2 tours started to change.  I tried to go with the flow and not get stressed out, but dealing with Jill was not easy.  I believe she is just very flighty and unorganized - and doesn't remember what she told you from one day to the next.  When I realized this, I chose to deal mainly with her assistant, Crystal.  Crystal, thank goodness, is very organized.  She started to put everything in writing and was consistent when either my fianc or I asked her questions.  
Unfortunately, this all fell apart the day of my wedding.  I had booked the Inn for 4 hours (for both my wedding and reception).  I had to pay $30 per guest for the venue.  This fee was to cover the use of the entire first floor of the Inn and Bride & Groom's changing rooms, along with several other things.  I was told the week before my wedding that the normal bride's changing room was already booked, and they didn't have another option.  Thankfully, my aunt had rented a room at the B-and-B, and she agreed to allow me to change there.  I was not happy, but again, I tried to go with the flow.  When I arrived a few hours before my wedding, I was told by my aunt (I was never approached by Inn staff), that the normal bathroom and the first floor of the Inn were now booked with other guests, and they were not available for my reception (they had mistakenly overbooked the Inn).  So, my aunt was forced to give up her private bathroom for all of my guests to use!  When she complained, Jill told her that there was no other option!!!  When my pastor arrived, he needed to change.  Of course, the groom's changing room was booked as well and not available for my wedding!  To top it off, several of my wedding guests (including my mother) said that Jill and her staff were rude to them throughout the evening.
Services that were promised to me and that I paid for were not available on the day of the event.  I was never informed of these mistakes by Inn staff - I had to find out from family and friends.  I was also never compensated for the lack of services.  
I have filed complaints with the BBB and the Texas Attorney General.  There are so many beautiful places in Austin to have a wedding.  For the prices these venues charge, a person should not have to put up with rude, unprofessional staff.  I would definitely look elsewhere.
2 - C B.: I recently attended a good friend's wedding at the Inn at Pearl Street. The setting is magical for an evening wedding. Crystal (the former assistant) is gone but Claire is there and she is quite wonderful. I completely agree with Eileen S's review that Jill is one difficult person to deal with. She also changed things after the contract was signed and things kept "popping up" that were either upcharges or things that we were told of the night of the wedding and not before then. Even though we had rented the entire Inn, we were told we couldn't leave anything overnight that wasn't in one of the rooms. Jill realizes that couples are willing to spend money on their wedding night and completely takes advantage of them by nickel and diming them on everything. If the ownership changes and they add a "community" rest room for weddings, it would be a lovely spot to have a wedding. Right now, look elsewhere because dealing with Jill is not worth the stress.
1 - Ms M.: I had contacted these folks to get details and got a very speedy response email.  So I called the venue and spoke directly with the owner.  Immediately, I got a bad feeling. She kept interrupting me, misinterpreted everything I said, and I got very frustrated.  She seemed very flighty.  Based on that alone, I decided not to even take a look at the place or book it.  And, after looking at the reviews on yelp, apparently I'm not the only one who got a bad impression of her.  Too bad.  It looks like a beautiful place.
2 - Maggie J.: My best friend had her wedding here in April. It is beautiful! Fairy-tale quality, especially after adding fairy lights. It was exactly what my girlfriend wanted, and it turned out beautifully.

My beef is with the management. When I showed up for dress rehearsal a little early, the manager (Jill) approached me by saying, "Who are YOU?" After I explained that I was part of the wedding party for the next day, she seemed to calm down a bit, but the damage was done--I was definitely wary of her, especially after she insisted that there was absolutely no place for me to use a restroom. When the officiant/coordinator showed up, Jill flipped out. She insisted SHE was the coordinator and that was non-negotiable! She was argumentative and really upset my girlfriend (K). She made set-up difficult, snapped at the vendors, threw tantrums every time someone corrected her, and basically managed to get in everyone's way all day long. The only person who was ever able to deal with her was me, by brown-nosing my BUTT off to try to make things easier for K. I was told that after I left at the end of the night, Jill yelled at one of the other bridesmaids. Also: K and her husband didn't get their deposit back because there was a muddy footprint on a carpet somewhere. Buyer beware. Go into this with your eyes open.

All that being said, if you can handle Jill, the location is beautiful and the rooms are amazing and unique. The breakfast is good, the baked goods hidden around the inn are fabulous, and as I said before, it really was everything K wanted it to be.
5 - c v.: The B&B   house is an amazing building from 1900 and has a great ambience. We were practically alone and it was peaceful to be in, and beautiful to look at.

The breakfast room is open all day which is nice when you are traveling and have no option for a quick snack.

The music was a bit loud and odd but we have no complaints.

Austin's Pizza - Austin, TX (30.2869976, -97.7417353) (The Drag, University of Texas, West Campus)
4 - Sarah M.: Years later, you're sitting with 5 of your best friends from college, reminiscing about the glory days. Someone says, "Remember how many times we ate at that pizza place?" 

I have a feeling that for scores of UT students past and present, Austin's Pizza on campus has been or will be the topic of this question of nostalgia. Austin's is nothing spectacular, but it achieves a wondrous goal. Smack dab in the middle of the Guadalupe "drag", the two-floor restaurant is a popular watering hole for undergrads. The big screen TVs and mish-mash of booths and high tables are perfect for watching the big game with your buddies. Frat boys fill the long tables, serious students huddle in the back, and many-a-table are occupied by twosomes on second or third dates. 

Stop in the front lobby to check out the impressive collection of celebrity-signed pictures. Sit upstairs to take it all in and enjoy the interesting view of campus, but be prepared for the loud and continual musical stylings of ESPN.

The most important thing about Austin's Pizza on campus, and the reason it garnishes the 4th star from me...the pizza is very good. Even as they compete with crowded tables and impatient sports nuts, they manage to place in front of you a hot, cheesy, completely edible pizza with plenty of napkins on the side. I hate to keep harping on it, but if you live in Austin, you know this is a difficult feat.

Even if your undergrad days are long over, stop by the drag to steep yourself in remembrance, and enjoy a large pizza with a basketball game on the side.
2 - Jackson R.: I grew up in a place where really good pizza abounded, so I'm jaded against the pizza here in Austin.  This is another place that I tried with a hopeful heart, only to be thankful that I live in a place with great Mexican food and barbecue.

For some reason, the pizza makers in Austin refrain from being generous with the two most important toppings on pizza.  They all seem to follow the same not much cheese and hardly any sauce recipe.  As stated in a previous review, it's also hard for me to discern spaghetti sauce with the "pizza sauce" used deep in the heart of Texas.  

I have a couple of friends that love to tell the story of how they heard this place had good pizza and after taking a couple bites each, started throwing the rest out of their car window onto Lamar Boulevard.  I know, it's littering, but sometimes you have to have a sense of humor about being let down.
4 - Catherine D.: I realize this is a college hangout and I am perhaps a decade or two, too old to be eating here but I like the pizza. Don't hate me, but I am a big fan of vegetarian pizza. I just prefer it to meat on my pie. They make a great Mediterranean pizza with feta and artichokes and the works. If you have been downtown drinking and need to absorb the booze before bed, this place hits the spot. Also I have had a great service here by the same gal more than once. I should have asked her name because she always sits down and tells me how here night is going, smiles and is always working hard. It's nice to see the old school work ethic in the young-ins these days.  My kid likes this pizza too so maybe that will motivate him to keep up his grades so he can go to UT. Okay, maybe that's just wishful thinking, but he is getting a B in history. Hooray for Andrew.
3 - Natalie D.: Meh.  I have found the pizza and the pepperoni rolls to just be alright.  

And you should know that I'm a pizza whore -- you could hand me a piece of cardboard with tomato sauce and cheese on it and tell me it was pizza and I'd probably eat it.  (and like it!)

The crust here seems crispy, but a little bland.  Same for the sauce (at least the bland part).  

I do *heart* them for having garlic as a topping!!  too many pizza places don't and those that do I will definitely give a little leeway.

And I do like the atmosphere a lot -- the place oozes pizza parlor but not in a fake shiny way -- in a mildly grungy way that I dig.  

Service -- which is minimal (you order at a counter and then they bring it to you) -- has always been friendly.

I'm happy to have their lunch specials -- either a personal pizza with two toppings or three pepperoni rolls with ranch (raaaaaaaanch) or marinara and a drink.  When I'm solo and have a pizza craving, it's a decent way to get it satisfied.  

Not the best pizza: 2.5 stars.  +0.5 because their ranch was damn tasty.  Austin's Pizza, you're not my favorite, you're not the best, but I'll be back.
3 - Jewel J.: Yeah I recant my other review of Austin's Pizza.... I was thinking of Mangia. But Austin Pizza is pretty good. My favorite is definitely the combo pizza... lots of good flavors
3 - Kristen F.: My husband and I grabbed dinner here earlier this week because we were meeting up later with friends nearby, wanted pizza, and hadn't checked out this location yet.

We parked a block away behind Guadalupe, then just cut through the Renaissance Market.  UT is on break right now, so it wasn't a problem at all to find a metered spot, even at night.

We didn't even make it upstairs, and sat right near the counter near this awesome mural of Austin that's 75% complete.  I can't stop thinking about this mural, for some reason, wondering if someone is working on it currently, or if it's been in this state of incompletion for a long time.  If someone can shed light on that, I'd appreciate it!  For those that haven't been, the mural is like a board game, with a trail of squares for a "player" to follow, and said "player" would also stop at various locales in Austin, painted faithfully, e.g., The Paramount, The Backyard, Governor's Mansion, the Tower, etc.

Pizza was decent.  We split a large pie and that was more than enough... it's $14.99, and you can get two toppings, and they don't mind if you go halfsies on the toppings, and soda was included, as I remember.  I went back up to the counter to ask if I could get a side of ranch, but the cashier guy was helping some other customers.  Another employee came over to me to ask what I needed- I was impressed and didn't expect that kind of customer service from college kids.
1 - Chrisopher C.: People, People. Pizza is supposed to be made in a pizza oven. Not on a conveyer belt. Austin Pizza ranks just up there with Mangia's... Zero Stars. Wanna a good pizza check out East Side Pies!
1 - Russell W.: Austin's pizza simply sucks.  

I have had numerous problems with orders from them, the most recent when we tried to order from them on Thanksgiving.  Their website let me enter an order, I received a confirmation of the order by email, and then the pizza never came.  We waited over an hour and a half and I tried calling their number 10 times only to receive a "wait for the next available person..."  Turns out they were CLOSED!  You could place an order, there was nothing in their voicemail about being closed, but according to them, "somewhere" on their website they list their hours and indicated they weren't open on Thanksgiving.  I didn't see it despite looking for it.  We called and asked them if they could give us a discount or anything and they said "sorry"... well we'll never order from them again.  

They suck.  

AND honestly their pizza is average - there are SO MANY BETTER alternatives like Rounders (awesome), Brick Oven, and Milto's (also awesome).
3 - Megan W.: This staple location on the drag is ideal for getting together with an organization and offers an upstairs with a full bar and a couple of TVs.  Overall, the look of the place is nice and feels like you are in a downtown-ish atmosphere.  I wouldn't recommend visiting the bathrooms however, I would just hold that thought.

The pizza is pretty good, I have no complaints.  I typically order the Hawaiian and my boyfriend gets the BBQ Chicken.  The only complaint I ever have about the pizza is that it's definitely one of the greasiest pizzas I've ever eaten....which isn't necessarily a bad thing :) 

I would recommend stopping in there if you have some time to kill or are meeting with friends, it's definitely worth eating, but doesn't make it into my top 10 pizzas ever.  I think the best time to go is at lunch because they have lunch specials where you can get a 10-inch pizza, salad and a drink for like $6.99.
2 - Elben S.: I have only eating Austin's Pizza on two occasions. The first was a normal delivery. The delivery went smooth, and the pizza was good though too greasy for my taste. The price is a bit high for the quantity and quality you receive in return.

My second experience was with a large group of over 100 people. Yes, this chaotic setting is not a fair condition to judge this establishment on, so I will try to be as level-headed as possible. I will not judge the service (except that they have trouble handling 100+ people, which is not really a bad thing), but the pizza itself was greasier and smaller than I remembered. Toppings were falling off the one-topping pizzas and the grease was just unbearable!

Overpriced and overgreased, Austin's Pizza is an overrated establishment.
4 - Robin D.: I like Austin's Pizza!  I like them even more now that they send out deals via Twitter.  Every Tuesday is 4 pizza rolls for $4.  Today I got a large two-topping pizza for 50 cents, thanks to Twitter!  You should definitely follow them if you're on Twitter and you like pizza!

My favorite pizza, the Rosemary, is no longer on the menu.  I started ordering the Brazos after several students requested it and it's my new favorite.   

The location is so convenient to campus.  We used this location for large catering orders for years when I worked for a well-funded department on campus.  My only advice is to ask for a delivery time 15-30 minutes before you actually need it to arrive.
4 - Tina P.: Excellent Service Every Time!

I go here a lot. It is conveniently located on "the drag" and is super close to campus. Normally, before I discovered Austin Pizza, I hate flat crust pizza. If it wasn't pan crust or thick crust from like Pizza Hut or Dominos, I would not eat it. A friend of mine dragged me into this place one day for lunch and my opinion on thin crust pizza was forever changed. 

First Impressions: When you walk in, it is this big room with limited seating's on the first floor. I remember thinking where am I going to sit? I didn't realize at the time that there was a second floor full of tables and a full service bar in the back corner. We proceeded to the counter and ordered pizza. I was hesitant of course.

 I got the personal size pizza (7 or 10 inch I think) combo drink included for about $8 bucks. The manager at the counter was really nice and he explained to me how to make my order which was basically for the lunch combo, pick two toppings and wah-la, your pizza is complete. I picked mushrooms and pepperoni. It's a safe choice especially for me in case I didn't like the pizza and had to give to someone else. 

They give you a cup for your drink and a number for your order so the server can find you later I guess and you can fill up your drink at the drink fountain thing to the right of the counter. We walked up stairs (amazing because I didn't realize there were stairs at first). 

The pizza arrived, small and personal. Each slice fitted perfectly into my hand and in about 3 bits, I finished my first slice of thin crust pizza that I wasn't repulsed about. The toppings were fresh, especially the mushrooms, just enough grease for a pizza, and the crust while lacking was soft and chewy. At least, I didn't feel like a parrot, "Polly want a hard cracker" for my crust.  I totally fell in love.

So I continued to go there for lunch and got different toppings each time (pineapple and pepperoni, hamburger and mushrooms) Most of the time, I was with one other friend. It's a really relaxed place to be at so it's okay if you don't have a friend to come along. 

I went with a group of about 6 once to the place and realized they had BBQ chicken pizza which I has by the way a very strong BBQ smell floating into the air and invading every other smell in its path. 

They have this pizza called MoPac which is dedicated to one of Austin's highway. MoPac included every topping: pepperoni, green & black olives, fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, ham, can't remember what else, but the toppings were toppling over. Both the pizza we ordered that night was 14 inches. Trust me, the boys and 2 girls were stuffed. 

They also serve pizza rolls which I didn't know until now. It was stuffed full with pepperoni on the inside, soft and chewy bread baked until the outside was an even dark golden brown. It came with two sauces (not sure if it was free or not) but the classic marinara sauce and ranch. 

The guy who worked there, Justin or whatever his name is was really nice. I went with my group at around 10pm on a Sunday night and since we ordered 2 pizzas and those rolls, he gave us free drinks so that saved us about $12 bucks combined. 

I recommend this place to everyone..."roll out"
3 - Christian N.: What can I say. A dining establishment on the drag. There's something about those historical 8 blocks on the west side of UT campus that just screams....ew. Not that I'm prissy or anything, believe you me, I spent the better part of my undergraduate career bumming around in slightly recycled clothing that probably could have used a sprucing up, but the panhandlers...geez. seriously!? Schtinky. I suppose that's just a criticism of the greater drag area, not the fault of any one establishment, other than APD maybe...I digress.

This location of Austin's pizza has housed many a football watching days, the most memorable of which was the infamous Texas v. Tech game of 2008. What a shame. But, once again, off point. This location definitely caters to students, more so than your single location bars around campus, which try to reign in the alum crowd as well. What this means is basically that service is going to be pretty minimal, although acceptable, and the general cleanliness and order of the place goes by the wayside. Throngs of 18 to 22 year olds keep this place busy during game times, but if you want to check it out simply for what it is, the most basic recommendation I can give is avoid going within 48 hours of a Texas football game, and that time extends with an epic win or lose, as people go to drown their sorrows or fuel their fandom with cheap Lonestar pitchers and giant pieces of greasy, delicious pizza. Which brings me to the saving grace of this and all Austin's pizza locations: the pie is good. It's damn good, I'd say. However, it's overpriced. If I've got some money to burn and I'm already right there, I'll throw down for some Austin's, but if there is any deliberation going into it, there are several other locales that I would rather hit up for my money, even if they aren't so close to campus.
4 - Vincent N.: My second favorite pie in Austin, next to Home Slice. Although there is more than one in town, its not a chain like Pizza hut, and they actually make a very great tasting NY-style pie.

Pepperoni and mushroom is a great standby, plus they have really good Caesar salad.

An added plus is that they deliver!
2 - Paul W.: Crappy service. The pizza was good but the level of service on a Friday during the day was bad.  We wanted to have some beer and pizza but basically had one beer while waiting for our pizza since no servers came around to ask for drinks and the bartender only was behind the bar for about 5 minutes to get our initial order.  We got better service and hospitality from Hole in the Wall.
4 - Stella F.: Awesome pizza, nice views from the second floor, good specials, good service.  Did I mention awesome pizza?  I love the Pesto A Go-Goat.
2 - Chris C.: Can't really complain about their pizza -- it's fine, nothing special. But like previous reviews say, the service sucks. 

I've been here numerous times but it's been in the past year or so that I've encountered a problem literally every visit. Aside from never accepting payment options they advertise (ahem, Bevo Bucks -- don't judge), they are really slow at handling orders. The second-to-last time I went was during a slow afternoon, and they somehow forgot my order. I ended up waiting another 20 minutes or so after I figured this out before I got my small order of pizza rolls. The last time I went, also during a weekday afternoon, I had to wait almost 40 minutes for a 10" personal pizza. The excuse was that they had a large to-go order that had taken precedence. A little absurd if you ask me. What irks me most is that the staff and manager are always seemingly unapologetic, as if demand for their food is inelastic; get a grip.

Just because you may find yourself stuck on campus with seemingly few pizza options I do not recommend this place -- I'd much rather walk a few blocks for some good, quick pizza from Hot Slice.
2 - Chacko G.: Pretty good pizza, that's why two stars instead of one. I'm here to complain about beer. 

I've been to Austin's Pizza a total of 5 times, and on 2 of those 5 visits I received beer that tasted decidedly nastier (sour, lingering aftertaste) than every other time I've purchased the same beers. (I should mention that I love hoppy ales, especially IPAs, so this isn't a problem with bitterness in general.) Maybe due to infrequent cleaning of beer lines?

I admit, in both cases I bought beer that probably isn't the most popular (e.g. 512 IPA), but that's still no excuse for bad beer.
4 - Janelle B.: So I was in a rush because I didn't want to make my friends wait for me while I figured out what to eat as a snack along our walk down Guadalupe street. I decided to stop in at Austin's Pizza to order a slice of cheese pizza, but to my surprise they don't serve slices all day. WHAT A BLESSING IN DISGUISE! I quickly decided on having the pizza rolls because there was no way I would allow myself to have an entire pizza (which I am capable of) as a 'snack.' 

For about $7 you get four delicious pizza rolls that are filled with either pepperoni and cheese or spinach and cheese. I chose the pepperoni and cheese with a side of Ranch sauce- HEAVEN!!! My friends soon joined me and asked for a piece here and a piece there, so I had to give up some of my little rolls from heaven. 

They all agreed that the pizza rolls were divine, and you can't beat divinity at $7- lol.
4 - Kelsey M.: I love Austin's Pizza! The pizza is the best in the campus area, and they have tons of options. The big draw for me is the bar area upstairs; it's nice and roomy so it's easy to have a big gathering for a birthday party or meeting. The drink specials during big games and stuff are also usually really good, the other day they had dollar drafts for the rollerderby. It's also where I watched Obama win the presidential election, so I'll always love Austin's!
4 - Nikki J.: I was a huge fan of their BBQ Chicken pizza.  Delivery time was a little slow but their pizza was delicious!
5 - Ryan N.: Austin's pizza is the best pizza place in town along with their Varsity Bar upstairs.  They have the best pizza in town which comes in all sorts of varieties.  Whether you want a specialty pizza with all sorts of stuff on it or just a plain pizza theirs are all the best.  Also if you're not in the mood for pizza, their pizza rolls are fantastic.  I recommend the Brazos or the Mopac, they both come loaded with lots of good stuff and are delicious.  I love the place.  

Add in the fact that they have a good bar upstairs to go with it makes it awesome.  During the football season last year they had $1 jager shots every time Texas scored which if you know the team last year, there were lots of cheap shots to be had.  

Overall it's a great Austin owned pizza company which reaches out to it's customers and actually connects to the people they're trying to serve.  I love it.
3 - Jeanette H.: I have been here a couple times for socials & happy hour but I have only ate here once. I went for lunch and expected it to be busy but it wasn't at all. I ordered the pizza rolls because I wanted to compare them to Double Daves. 
I sat upstairs in a booth like area and the table was very rocky and unsteady but didn't take away from my experience. 
The pizza rolls arrived very quickly and boy were they good!!! I definitely enjoyed them and I am ready to go back.
5 - Nolan B.: $2 Tuesday at Varsity Bar!!!
Elevator!!!! Wheel chair accessable!!!
  Drinks served by  really super Friendly duder named Sergio. Plus an awesome live blues band. And it's not just the same boring old blues tunes that old white guys play. Premo shit playdd by premo musicians
1 - Tori M.: Horrible service!  Absolutely horrible!

Me and the hubs went one Saturday around 12.  Place was pretty empty, maybe 3 small groups of people in the whole restaurant.  We sat down and waited on service.  And waited... waited... waited....   We were literally 6 feet from the bartender, so I know he saw us come in and sit there waiting.  Finally we walked up to the bar to order from there instead.  And guess what?!  We waited, and waited and waited.  He was busy turned around watching the football game on tv (and I promise, it wasn't an interesting match-up).  The nerve of that guy!  I tapped my card on the bar and made other audible noises to get his attention and was completely ignored!  So, we left, went next door and had food in our stomachs in half the time we spend waiting at Austin's freaking Pizza.

Never again!
4 - Jack X.: Ordered on the phone for my girlfriend during lunchtime

got there in under 10 min.

Great service on the phone and great guys who work in the store
2 - Staci L.: Several years ago (8 years) I would have given Austin's Pizza more stars. But today they get 2. They haven't been able to keep up with the competition.

The dough is odd. The cheese is overdone (I LOVE cheese and never thought it was possible to overdo cheese) and toppings over underdone. They are also pricey for what you get. I understand the cost of freshness but I am not sure it is worth it here. 

The pizza doesn't reheat well for some reason either.
1 - D K.: Went for lunch with a co-worker and ordered a large "Mopac" pizza.  When the pizza arrived, it looked very nice, until my co-worker found a rather awful looking hair in the pizza.  It was not the kind of hair that grows on the top of your head.

We immediately reported it.  The girl helping us was too cool for school, and gave us a rather anemic and disinterested apology.  When we went downstairs to get our money back and leave, she was showing what appeared to be the manager.  He said nothing to us.  She was silent for the entire 8 minutes it took her to figure out how to open the cash register and give us our money back.

I really want to like this place, but as long as they keep employing hipsters that are too good for the job, and as long as they have a chronically dirty restroom, my money will go elsewhere.

I can understand a hair on the pizza (but not THAT kind of hair).  I cannot forgive the bad service and generally filthy facility.

Done.
4 - Celeste V.: I can't pass up Austin's Pizza, it's so yummy.
The pizza tastes so fresh and the salads are super fresh too.
Hands down one of my favorite pizza joints!
2 - Wayne N.: Sometimes less is more.

Service was fine, even though the place was packed thanks to a group fundraiser.  On average $15 for a 14 inch pie seemed on the higher side than I'm used to.

Me and a friend split the Mopac (i.e. their version of the supreme) and this is clearly where less needs to be more.  Sure I can't complain about the heaping amount of vegetables they put on the pie, but it was so overwhelming that the crust got soggy and I couldn't even taste the meat.  I also sampled a couple of other pies (Margarita and bbq) and some of the breadsticks.  Nothing really stood out though.

Honestly, I'd rather take the long wait at Mellow Mushroom, or venture further out for salvation pizza or homeslice.
5 - Kristen B.: Nom nom nom!

Pizza is one of my favorite foods and this place always satisfies me when I need a fix.

Their options are amazing for anyone with a special needs diet too. They have vegan and gluten free options. They do fun things on the pizza if you request it (like making me a harry potter lightning bolt). They deliver extremely fast and the people who work there are very friendly and accommodating

I only wish they had bigger sizes. They can be a little pricey but the quality and consistency of their food/service will always have me coming back for more. This is the only place I'll get pizza in austin. 

.
1 - Julia V.: OMG! I feel duped!!

As I have mentioned in a previous review I'm a bit of a pizza snob but I do love pizza so I'm always looking for the next great pizza place. I read some reviews here on Yelp and people seemed to love Austin's Pizza. WHAT WERE THEY EATING??? There was absolutely nothing redeeming about this establishment. The ambiance was nonexistent, the staff was less than stellar, and the pizza... good God, the pizza! 

I judge every pizza place by the quality of their plain cheese pizza, if you mess that up you clearly don't know what you're doing. Austin's Pizza does not know what they're doing. Their dough was chewy, seemingly undercooked, and bland. Their sauce was neither sweet nor tangy, the way a good pizza sauce should be, it tasted like they opened a can of plain tomato sauce and poured it over their bland dough. The cheese was fine but hardly made up for the rest of that catastrophe! 

My advice to you is to avoid this place, at all costs, unless you don't have the sense of taste. There are better options in this city, I promise you this!
4 - Zack H.: Damn good pizza and wings. Came down from fort worth and picked the right spot! Didn't give it five stars cause its not as good as our home town pie.
4 - Trevor K.: Austin's pizza offers good pizza and a convenient location close to campus. We went on a weekday afternoon after the lunch rush and it was not crowded. The service was fine and the people friendly. A lot of the reviews here are really negative about the service, so maybe it depends on what time to you and who is working.

We got a personal size pizza to split that had good toppings, nice crispy crust and enough, but not too much cheese. 

Overall it was a good experience. I will go there again.
4 - R. R.: order a pizza at 9:10pm and i'm already two slices in at 9:34pm. love the thin crust. love the speedy delivery.
5 - Brian B.: We're working on a video shoot and wanted pizza. I came to Yelp, found Austin's, ordered online. Got an immediate email confirmation. The building is kind of crazy and has many locked and secure entrances. The delivery guy was great about finding the right entrance and calling me on my cell. The pizza was hot and delicious. I was concerned that I got two confirmations and emailed them back to make sure I didn't get charged twice. They responded promptly. Nicely done.
3 - Lacey W.: This Austin's isn't as good as the other Austin's that exist in Austin, but that's probably my fault. I always order the huge, fancy pizzas for delivery from their North location, but on the Drag, it's by the slice all the way (for me-- you can still order from their full menu, if you want). Unfortunately, their slices have usually been sitting awhile, so the cheese is a little congealed, and the crust has gone soft. Still, at less than $5 for a huge slice and a drink, and only a three minute walk from the office, I'll be back.
1 - Rachael G.: The dough is funky weird.

Austin-Rita's - Austin, TX (30.2950843, -97.7429012) (University of Texas, West Campus)
5 - crystal p.: I was eyeballing this place the other day when I drove home and was so excited to see that it was open today and to celebrate they were GIVING AWAY FREE ITALIAN ICE!!  I went around the block and went right in.  All the kids were super nice and I tried the Swedish Fish flavor (and YES IT TASTE JUST LIKE THEM!) but settled on Orange and Cotton Candy.  The orange melted so deliciously on top of the cotton candy and it was sweet but not too sweet.  The ten oz cups are the perfect size because you will only have a little brain freeze instead of a huge one.

They have custard that looked awesome but no dairy for me, the Italian Ices were where I stopped and that is where I will stay.  They have sugar free options too so I am really looking forward to trying all the flavors they put in rotation.  I even signed up for their email list so I can get a free one on my birthday!  

If you are looking for a new dessert/snack/obsession on these f'ing hot day, go no further than Rita's.  And it's right next to ken's so you can have donuts with your italian ice.
5 - Scott R.: Great addition to Austin!  They just opened on June 11th on the corner diagonal from Ruby's BBQ    

Rita's is an italian ice & custard franchise that started out in Pennsylania.  I'd been to their Hoboken, NJ franchise (http://www.yelp.com/biz/ritas-hoboken#hrid:LsNjKOOYXVhB-pKDre14ow/) and stopped in immediately after the familiar logo caught my eye.

I highly recommend the Italian Ice.  The flavors vary by the day and I'm not sure how many they'll eventually stock.  The Italian ice is served in a small drinking cup (10-12 oz.?) and often have chunks of real fruit in it.  I tried the Cherry, Raspberry, Mango, and Vanilla on my first visit.  Really like the first three, not so much on the 4th.  Unlike my prior experience, they really pushed the ice custard - both alone and with the Italian ice.  The custard was pretty good and I imagine there are some flavor combinations that would be pretty good (vanilla custard and cherry ice?)  But I'm more of a purist and would stick with the Italian Ice.

Now if only I could get someone from Pennsylania to import a Gino's or Pat's Cheese Steak (sorry Texadelphia...)...
5 - Maurice C.: Just checked out Rita's. Apparently a north-east US franchise, now in Austin. Several varieties of icy-cold treats. Custard, italian ice, and even mixes of both.

And - FREE REGULAR ITALIAN ICE all week long, as a grand opening promo! Wow, awesome.

But even aside from the appeal to my Asian-cheapness, the italian ice was of smooooth consistency and great flavors. Dunno if there's real fruit in it or not (*EDIT: went back again for another fix, and there's real fruit in the ices! woot!), but man the mango had all the intricate flavors of a real, well, mango.

The custard was smooth, not too thick, and tayz-tee.

Go there! Especially this week with all the free stuff, but also afterward for the good prices (cheaper than Sno-Beach) and great taste.

Good luck to this new store!
5 - John L.: Enjoyed a free regular Italian ice.  Surprising that they would give it away for free, all week.  They could have given away smaller samples, but they are splurging on people like me.

So many flavors to choose from, though 2 flavors ran out when I was there at the end of the night.  A good dozen people were clearly enjoying their ice treats too.

I'm looking forward to try their custard next time.  Actually, I went there a good 5 years ago in Maryland, when my sister-in-law was raving about a place with great gelati - and it was Rita's.  They are also located in Dallas, Flower Mound, etc.

Enjoy!
2 - Felecia I.: Rita's Custard just opened in West Campus, directly across the street from Toy Joy.  Limited free parking is available in the small parking lot.

I took my son and his friend there yesterday afternoon to try out their Italian ices.  We entered a clean and cheerful store, and were encouraged to sample different flavours.  The employee helping us was friendly and patient.  We decided on mango, tropical island and vanilla ices.  As a bonus, I did not have to pay as ices are free all this week!

RIta's ices are comparable to 7-11's Icees.  Unfortunately, here the similarity ends.  I love Icees.  I tried to love these.  But after about ten bites or so, I stopped eating as I found it overly sweet.  Both the boys said theirs were too sweet as well... what??  Usually, little boys just scarf down all manner of frozen treats, no questions asked.  

We won't be back for these sugar bombs.  Maybe we'll return for the custards.
5 - Christine A.: Right across the street from Toy Joy they are dishing up Italian Ice and Custard at Rita's.  Sometimes with both ice and custard in the same cup.  We stopped in because we had never had Italian Ice and knew there was a Grand Opening promo for a free regular size.  I had a mouth-watering Mango and the Mister had an equally tasty Raspberry Lemonade.  

The franchise is owned by two local guys, Brian and Eric Jensen who grew up eating this magical snack as kids in Philadelphia.  The brothers always dreamed of opening a Rita's and now have the rights to all central Texas locations which extend from San Antonio to Cedar Park.  The employees are friendly and helpful and will scoop samples of ice or custard for you to taste.

Rita's promo ends after closing tomorrow so get your butt on down there and try something new, refreshing and delicious.  Flavors include Mango, Raspberry Lemonade, Vanilla, Wild Black Cherry, and Pina Colada.  Parking is available in front of the store and there is a picnic table for gathering with your friends in a covered outdoor area.
4 - Katie L.: Hit up the Rita's Custard and Italian Ice last night. My husband, who lived in Philly for a while, could NOT have been more excited for their opening. 

The service - super nice. There were lots of people in there tasting different things, and they took good care of us. 

The Italian Ice - YUM. Weirdly creamy (in a good way) and smooth. Some bits of fruit in the ice as well. I had the cherry with the Frozen Custard (Vanilla) and it was delicious. A layer of custard at the bottom of the cup, then the ice, then more custard on the top. I ended up mixing it all together to make an even creamier icey delight. I did end up with brain freeze by the end of it, and had to step outside I was so cold, but it was worth it. 

The little one had their Blue Raspberry ice and she LOVED it. Perfect sized kid cup as to not induce major sugar coma in our 3 1/2 year old. 

We will definitely be back to try some more flavors! Welcome to Austin Rita's!
5 - Linz Q.: Italian what? Ice? You don't say... Needless to say I have never heard of an Italian Ice, much less a Ritas ( I won't lie, I was thinking Tacos). But my first bite was to die for. The coldest, smoothest, YUMMIEST treat I have ever had. And that was just the 1st one. Best your ass I've been down for about 4 more. And they have been open for 6 days. Try the custard you will never eat other ice cream again. Austin needed a place like this to cool down the town. Too sweet? Is there such a thing? NEVER! Sweet lovers unite at Ritas! The people are friendly, place is super fancy clean, and the treats are yummy. Oh, and the brothers who own it.... well, lets just say "easy on the eyes!" Head on down to Ritas Austin-it's well worth your time!
5 - Dee G.: My family and I got hooked on Rita's living in Philly over 10 years ago.   We have been craving this devine treat for years.  Recently I found out their was a Rita's in Dallas and was trying to find a reason to go to Dallas just to get a Rita's.  Then just this week I was driving down Guadeloupe and saw this new location.  I was so excited. I took the rest of the day off. I went home and brought my whole family down.  We live in Canyon Creek so it's a drive.  Luckily I've had business downtown every day since.  

I'll be there as often as possible.

A million thanks to the Jensens for bringing this place to Austin.
4 - Rebecca G.: Perfect for a hot day. While some of their desserts can seem a little pricey the ice is the perfect texture and there is a flavor for everyone!  I would definitely recommend this place on a too hot day and summer is the season of hot days!
4 - Jonathan L.: While in the Guadalupe/29th street area, my girlfriend and I couldn't help but notice the dancing, traffic directing "ice man" at the newly opened Rita's Custard.  Having never heard of a Rita's, I had no idea what to expect when I entered... well, I half expected more dancing ice things... but that is besides the point!  We were greeted by a friendly and helpful staff who gave us several samples of the various flavors of the Italian ices.  

I've had my share of crushed ice drinks, slushies, snow cones, etc. and the Italian ice here ranks up there with the best of them.  They give you a spoon to eat with, but the ice is so smooth that you could nearly "drink" the stuff.  I ended up getting the Swedish Fish flavor (tastes just like the candy!) and my girlfriend got the cotton candy.  Both were delicious and especially refreshing on a hot day! 

If they still have any, get some free stickers and removable tattoos!  Overall a great place!  I will be returning!
5 - Christina B.: Oh my God. SWEDISH FISH FLAVORED ITALIAN ICE! 

Before y'all go gettin' all weirded out because you don't know what swedish fish are, never mind. GOOGLE IT. Rita's has yummity yum italian ices and creamy, fatty, sweet frozen custards. The staff are awesome and the place is super-cute. I can't wait to see what kind of impact they'll have on the drag!
5 - Victoria D.: mmmmmmmmm Italian ice!!!! This place is great!!! I usually love to get the lemonade flavors. It is super goooooddd.. I have also tried the swedish fish and I love it too. I really like eating the candy so I enjoy it being turned into italian ice. I'm really excited that Rita's is now in atx. I really wished that it was not during the time that I'm leaving but Rita's is something really refreshing for the drag and glad that it was during the summer time that it opened up. After a hot day.....Rita's is the place to go!
5 - Mike H.: Conveniently located next to our favorite video store, Vulcan, we go to Rita's atleast twice a week. There's always new flavors to try and they'll let you sample as much as you'd like. I get something different every time whether it's a flavorful ice, a gelati, or custard. So glad to have them in Austin!
2 - Michelle J.: Decked out in blaring Italian (or Christmas) colors, the new Rita's Custard on Guadalupe and 29th street is hard to miss.  The problem is that by the time you spot it, you're probably driving too quickly to turn into the awkward parking area...  Rita's has many flavors of Italian ice to choose from -- lemonade, wild black cherry, Swedish fish, and birthday cake just to name a few, which taste like a lighter version of your typical slushie.  They also have a few flavors of frozen custard (strawberry, chocolate, vanilla)....I wasn't sure exactly what the difference between custard and ice cream or frozen yogurt was so I looked it up... Frozen custard is similar to ice cream but is also made of eggs in addition to just cream and sugar.  As for taste? Think flavored frozen cool whip.  A Regular size of the Gelati (bottom layer of custard, middle layer of Italian ice, topped with custard) will run you ~$3.50 incl. tax...

Nothing's really wrong with the dessert here, I just didn't particularly enjoy it.  My lemonade ice and strawberry custard gelati kept giving me brain freeze and lacked the richness and flavor of gelato or ice cream.  I guess custard just isn't my thing, and I probably won't be back here again.
5 - Lisa L.: I had never tried a Rita's Italian Ice before, but found out about the opening from a friend. Was lucky to get free full-size treats for everyone in my party as part of their generous grand opening promotion.

Cute interior, friendly staff, yummy treats. We were encouraged to try samples before we ordered.

Being on Weight Watchers, I checked the nutritional info online before I went in. I decided to stick with the sugar-free Italian ice (lowest Weight Watchers points). The sugar-free flavor they had that day was Cherry. I didn't feel for a second that I was being deprived by getting the sugar-free version. It was sweet and really good.

I think it's a great location near campus. If you're in the area, you need to stop by! I can't think of a better way to beat the Texas heat.
5 - Kelly G.: How do I explain greatness!?!?! I have never been to a Rita's before, or ever heard of one till I stopped by the shop off Guadalupe. I mean let me tell ya the custard just melts in your mouth. 

I LOVED the shops atmosphere and location and the employees are super friendly.

 I absolutely dig the cherry ice with the vinalla custard I think its called the "Gelati" yum yum! Everytime I go, there is a new flavor I have to try. Like the time I tried the delicious Bluberry or the time I tried the Florida Orange. I have never been a fan of orange flavors, but the orange is so rich and full of tangy flavor and I love the pieces of  real orange that are actually in the ice!

I could go on and on about how much I enjoy the treat but peeps are just going to have to go try it out for themselves!
2 - Megan V.: i much rather get a slurpee at 7-11. yum.

nothing was completely bad about the italian ice, but it was nothing special.i feel like i could make this by scraping the inside of my freezer and throwing syrup over it.

there were many flavors to choose from with sugar free options as well. good amount of places to sit and there are some cute little picnic tables out by the side.

i got the mixed custard of strawberry and vanilla custard, topped with caramel. the caramel was poured all over it making a unbearable sweet soup. a little bit too much caramel....so be cautious when you ask for that.
5 - Wayne N.: I might not be an expert on Italian Ice, but boy is it a great way to beat the summer heat.  

I never thought it would really be possible to find a place in Austin that could match up with sno beach, but man this makes it so hard to decide when I want to cool off.

The texture of the ice is nice and fine, smooth flavor, and very fruity, just the way I like it.  It is on the rather sweet side, but the flavors are simply amazing.  Strongly suggest the florida orange if you like sweet, and the lemonade if you like tangy.

Bad news is seating is somewhat small at the moment until they fully finish converting the upstairs.
5 - Sally M.: My friend and I walked by here after lunch and decided to try the custard, since neither of us has had it before.  In all honesty, we didn't really have plans to buy anything.  So we sampled the strawberry swirl and chocolate swirl (big samples!), chatted with the (very nice) girl for a bit, and left.  

The custard may be my favorite frozen treat, right after gelato.  It was super thick, like a dense and more satisfying frozen yogurt.  Prices were way more reasonable than most ice cream places.
5 - Pheobe A.: WOW!  This place is awesome.  The Italian ice is amazing, and it's SO CHEAP.  YUM!  We live about 20 minutes north, but I'm going to be making up excuses to frequent this place.  We tried watermelon (with little pieces of watermelon in it!), cotton candy, mango, and SWEETISH FISH -- it tasted exactly like the candy.
I loved them ALL.
4 - jen f.: So I've slept on the whole frozen yogurt craze and when my friend invited me to hang out on a 10987345 degree day this past weekend (with a heat index of 3240897325087), um, yeah, we needed something frozen.

We read about Rita's and it was close to both of us, so we went. I know nothing of Italian Ice snobbery and we sampled the watermelon flavored one but it was super sweet, like a Jolly Rancher. And the girl in front of me ordered a gelati, which is custard, topped with an italian ice, topped with custard. Um yeah. I'll have that with vanilla custard and the lemon ice. 

How could that not be refreshing? Remember waiting in line for 2 hours for the new-roller-coaster-of-the-year at Six Flags in the middle of the day in July and buying the hard-as-a-rock Lemon Chill just to cool down?

Well, this was better. Much better.

I got the smallest size, but I could have gone smaller because I didn't finish it, it was too much- too rich, I think. Or I'm a weakling. Whatever.
5 - Jan A.: Cheap, fast & delicious!

If you're craving for a different type of dessert to beat the Texas heat, this is the right place.  The Gelati is the perfect way to cool down.  The heavenly combination of italian ice & frozen custard will leave you wanting more.  Be sure to try the Black Cherry ice & Vanilla frotard--delish!
3 - Tiffanie L.: After hearing my friends rave about this new custard and Italian ice marriage, I've been aching to try Rita's. On a hot summer day, I LOOOVE me some Sno Beach, Amy's Ice Cream, or Culver's frozen custard. So, naturally, if Italian ice is super and custard is awesome, then the two together should be SUPER AWESOME, right?

When we came in, we were greeted and invited to sample "as many flavors, as many times as times" as we wanted. Don't need to tell me twice! So, obviously, I tried the orange cream custard, and the Swedish fish, pineapple, raspberry lemonade, and black cherry Italian ice. After hearing good things about the watermelon (love watermelon in the summer!), I was hoping for a taste, but the couple in front of us ordered the last of it. DARRRN. :(

Maybe my expectations were set a little too high. My boyfriend and I decided on a gelati with raspberry lemonade and vanilla custard. The raspberry lemonade Italian ice was delicious, with little bits of raspberry throughout. I wasn't too crazy about the custard. The custard on the bottom and top were kind of like a really thick whipped cream, almost butter-like. It was a little too rich for my taste, and for some reason, the custard wasn't cold. If you love whipped cream, then this would definitely satisfy your taste buds! The cool, light, refreshing Italian ice combined with the richness of the custard was a good combination, however. A clever mix of two different textures. I much rather have Culver's custard over Rita's though...

Despite being mildly disappointed by my first visit, I would definitely be willing to give this place a second shot. I'll probably stay away from the custard and stick with the Italian ice. They better not run out of their watermelon ice again!
5 - Amy N.: I was the happiest girl in Central Texas when I heard we finally got a Rita's!!  I'm from the Philadelphia area and Rita's are a dime a dozen over there.  I never knew JUST how much I loved Rita's until I didn't have one anymore!
So now I live in Leander and Austin-Rita's is a half hour drive one way, but it is OH SO worth it!!  I just bring a cooler and some ice packs and I stock up on the buy 2 quarts get one free!!   
I LOVE the Swedish Fish waterice and my 7 yr old son loves the Mango.
My husband is a fan of the Swedish Fish Gelati but I'm not on board with the waterice custard mixture (but please don't take my word for it, I'm picky about mixing textures).  
Ok, all this waterice reviewing, I'm now craving some Swedish Fish goodness!!  Good thing I'm stocked up!
4 - Rebecca L.: What the crap is water ice? I decided to find out. I'm still not sure what it is, exactly, but it's kind of like a snow-cone ice cream sherbet hybrid, and it tastes good. It was freaking hot outside and my friends and I had some coupons for this place so we decided to treat ourselves. The mango, tangerine and passion fruit flavors were delicious. Be warned: they stain. But seeing as how the stain is burnt orange, no harm done, right?
2 - Jane K.: First time I had frozen custard. The place was deserted when I went around 3pm. 
The custard was very, very thick. Somewhat lardy? A thick fat feeling.
5 - Tom L.: being from Jersey, I was ecstatic to have a rita's in austin, by UT. i've tried jim jim's water ice and other ice places in austin and although they are decent, they are usually overpriced and nothing special. rita's is cheap and delicious. i usually always get the ice, but will get the gelati on occasion. like some people said, the custard is a bit too thick and rich for my taste so i stick to the ice. you also need to pick the right combination of ice and custard or the flavors will not go together. other than that, i love this place and come here 3-4 times a week.
4 - Phillip G.: Rita's Water Ice is delicious, whether you eat it on site, or take it to go. It is my goal to try all of the flavors. It is also reasonably priced too.
5 - Julie J.: Growing up in Texas, my father always treated me to snow cones, but I wish I would have grown up being treated to Rita's Italian Water Ice. The Italian Ice has a delectable flavor that cannot be matched. The Custard is amazing...the thick, rich and creamy treat is sure to put a smile on one's face!
5 - Zoe M.: There is nothing I love more than frozen treats. Every Halloween when the snow cone stand's close I always feel sad. However, thankfully, now there's Ritas! I spotted it while driving by and swerved in. Their water ice is amazing! The Mint Chocolate Chip is miraculous. It taste so much like ice cream but it's not. I ended up getting raspberry and cotton candy -- not a disappointment. I'm so excited that this place exists.
8 ) .........nom nom nom
4 - sherrie n.: Yummy delicious Italian ice and custard. Surprisingly great flavor combos based on everything i've tried so far. Get the gelati combo for italian ice and custard, and you won't be disappointed. there's a few picnic tables for seating outside. look out austin, it's the new sno beach!
5 - Ryan J.: A friend posted a recommendation on Facebook about Rita's yesterday and I just happened to be in the area today. Little did my friend know about my crack like addiction to frozen dessert places and my subsequent need to post documentation of each visit on Yelp. 

Rita's was a unique experience in one of my favorite and unique parts of Austin. I was greeted with an exceptionally helpful gal behind the counter who explained everything to me and gave me a few samples along the way. 

I went with the Chocolate Custard, Cheesecake Ice, Vanilla Custard Gelati. It was delicious, in fact I didn't realize how fast I was eating it until I had a near aneurysm inducing brain freeze, which normally I wouldn't mind, but I was behind the wheel at the time.  I got my car back on the correct side of the road and was able to fully enjoy my new found treat but I would caution you to have a designated driver if you are going to induldge in some Rita's while behind the wheel.

After sampling dozens of frozen yogurt stands around town, Rita's is a great place to try something different - you won't be disappointed!
3 - Jennifer N.: When I first walked in, I asked "what's custard?" (I only know of real dessert custards.) The guy behind the counter looked at me as if I was retarded. "Its like ice cream but with eggs." Okay.

The custard alone is okay. The ice alone is okay. (My 6yr old didnt like either.) The custard with the ice was pretty tasty. I got mango with vanilla. It was kinda like a slushie, tasting like a melted creamsicle. I'm not sure of the calorie count on this place (especially with the eggs), but if it's low in cals, I would come back. It was refreshing.
5 - Warren C.: Got hooked on Rita's while living in Philly, so I was super excited to see they opened a store in Austin while we were away. For anyone unfamiliar with what "water ice" is, it's like the sweet, sweet love child of a slushee & a snow cone! So, so good!!
4 - Jessica C.: Mmmmm great alternative to sno cones.

If you want something refreshing, you should get the Italian ice. They come in all kinds of flavors and they switch them out occasionally. I love the mango and peach. The Swedish fish flavor is good, but it gets too sweet if you get an entire cup of it. I'd just recommend trying a sample.

Also, give the gelati a try. It's basically a layer of italian ice sandwiched between two layers of custard. The custard is delicious. It tastes like extra creamy soft serve ice cream. I'd recommend the vanilla flavor. I also heard the chocolate custard was good :)
5 - Jewel B.: I. Love. Rita's. 

You cannot imagine the sheer joy that coursed through me when I saw this place on my way down Guadalupe. I have been a fan of Italian ice ever since I was a kid and this place does my experiences with the cool treat MORE than justice! My favourite flavours are cotton candy, pineapple, original lemon, and raspberry. I only say favourite because I have not yet sampled the other flavours, but I'm sure they are phenomenal. With a regular sized ice running under 280 calories...you just can't beat Rita's.

Go NOW!!:) I sure am!!
1 - Brandon S.: The ices had a weird taste...kind of like soap or an old sponge.  Jim Jim's is much better, or even better is going to NYC and getting the real deal.
5 - Jody L.: Rita's, its owners and staff are top notch.  My office is right around the corner from them, so my employees, clients and I all frequent their location.  

We are always greeted cheerfully and personably by the staff, and often even Brian and Eric, the owners, themselves!   They are also very philanthropic, donating to local charity events.

Now, let's talk about the products...DELICIOUS...always fresh and tasty.  I think I've tried every variety of the ices (both with sugar and without) and the custards.

If you want a special treat, support this locally owned business, and ENJOY!
4 - Yvonne R.: Custard? Custard?! They have Custard?!

Being a temporary Midwest/Kansas City Resident for a few years, I have yet to shake my Custard/Concrete addiction. Back in KC there were custard places abound, serving up delicious concretes year round (yes I was one of those crazies that would get my custard smack dab in the middle of winter, sit in my heated car and devour the creamy treat). For those of you who don't know what a custard concrete is, it's basically like a DQ blizzard, but thicker and sooo much BETTER.

Anyways back to the point. When I found out Austin Rtia's had custard and something "similar" to a concrete..(a Blendini)..I made it a mission to try this place out.

Now Rita's is not exactly "just" custard. They operate off of serving various combinations of italian ice AND custard.

Walking in...Rita's had a vast selection of italian ice flavors and a handful of custard flavors to boot. This included a nonfat custard option and a sugar-free italian ice flavor.  The workers were very welcoming, helpful, and willing to give us samples to try out. The juicy pear flavor of the italian ice was really good. The word "refreshing" comes to mind, when thinking of it. There were also decadent italian ice flavors as well like chocolate and birthday cake, which I found kind of "weird" for something that is "icy" in texture so overall I preferred the "fruity" italian ice flavors over the "decadent" ones. 

That being said, I was still hell bent on getting a "blendini" which is a blended mix of an italian ice flavor and a custard flavor with 1 topping. I decided to get the vanilla custard blended with the birthday cake italian ice and reese's peanut butter cups. The outcome? well not as good as a concrete. The italian ice mixed with custard ice cream kind of ruins the thick consistency of a blizzard like treat. The end result is more of a slushy blizzard. The concoction was still quite tasty, just not as good as I had hoped for. I realize I am comparing apples to oranges here..so I still think a "blendini" has a place in my frozen treat lover's heart.

My husband however had a "gelati" another fun custard and italian ice combination. This time the treat is a layering of custard and italian ice (kind of like a parfait). He chose the juicy pear italian ice, layered with the orange creamsicle custard. His combo choice proved to be genius. Every bite was creamy and refreshing at the same time.  I normally go for the chocolaty, caramely, more fattening type flavors, but this fruity mix was pretty freakin' awesome I must admit.

So the verdict? 

Custard by itself. GOOD.

Italian Ice by itself. GOOD. (especially the fruity flavors)

Italian Ice and Custard layered together. GOOD.

Italian Ice blended with Custard. Eh, OK. perhaps I can convince them to just blend custard and reese's pb cups together next time?

Nonfat and Sugar Free options. BONUS points!

I'll definitely be back. The very same week I noticed they opened another location near my work. Dangerous I tell ya. Dangerous.
4 - Joel B.: I resisted the lure of amy's and ventured further south on guadulupe to rita's for another yummalicious frozen treat. The stock changes regularly.  I recommend the gelati as the ice is too sweet on it's own and the custard is to rich.  When combined magic happens.  My favorite combinations to date after about 8 visits are vanilla and sweedish fish and the Florida orange ice with the orange cream custard. The store is kind and let's me be indecisive and taste a plethora Of ice flavor options.
When I emailed the owner about an issue I had in the establishment I received prompt response.  I appreciate good customer service and return the favor with loyalty to worthwhile establishments.
4 - joe k.: Overpriced but delicious.  The Florida Orange Italian Ice was so so so good.
3 - M B.: Rita's ices are not what I expected - slushy and kinda watery.  Is this how Italian ices are supposed to be?  Or was the freezer just not working at 100% the day we went?

The flavor selection was nice - real fruit flavors that were tart as well as sweet.  But as the flavors were already mixed in with the ices, you couldn't ask them to go "light" on the flavoring, which is what I normally do at sno-cone places.  The result was that I ate only about half of my ice (pear and chocolate) and ditched the rest - it just got too sweet after a bit.  

The staff was very nice and patient with my 6-year old's request for multiple samples before he made a choice. 

Good, but not for those who like a high ice to flavoring ratio.
4 - Layla G.: I love Rita's!  They let you sample anything you like (this goes for ice AND custard!), which is great because some of the ice flavors are sweeter or more tart than you'd think.  

Italian ice is like a raspa or snowcone, but with much finer ice crystals and slightly jucier.  It is a very nice texture and a refreshing treat on these hot summer days! The custard is like ice-cream but made with egg which makes it extra thick, creamy and delicious!

I agree with other reviewers that the staff is super friendly.  They all seem to be very content with the job, and always in good spirits.  One employee even gave me a cup for water for my dog one hot day, without me having to ask.  

They get 4 stars from me because I wish they had a frequent buyer card or offered more promotions.  It is about $6.50 for two small (which they call regular) gelati's (ice with custard topping), which is a bit high.  

PRO TIP: They update their flavors everyday on their website, http://www.ritasfranchises.com/stores/store.cfm/Austin-78705/store/2800/, so you can know if they have your favorite flavor before you go!
5 - Courtney E.: Delicious! We have these all over at home in NJ & I was so excited when my husband found this one. It's unfortunate that the closest one is 27 miles from my house but we hit Rita's every time we drive through Austin. Plus, if you call the day before & request one of their 50 plus flavors, it will be ready for you when you get there. Yum!
5 - Joe S.: Great selection of cold drinks for summer time.  Their selection is a little overwhelming.  Might have to go more than once to figure out what you would like the best.  Ice cream cones and flavored ice are good.  I think they specialize in custard.  Can you please add ice water to your list of options for summertime?  That should be easy.
4 - Errol M.: Well, if you've just had a pleasant lunch with the delightful Ashley S. and you start thinking how an ice cream or froyo or snow cone would seem mighty tasty right about then, here you go. Rita's is directly across the street from Milto's at 29th and Guadalupe, but we actually thought the place was closed, since their parking lot was empty and we couldn't see any lights or tell if anyone was inside. We discovered it was indeed open, and of course, happy times ensued 
. 
If it's your first visit to a Rita's, the choices can be a little overwhelming - Italian shaved ice with fresh fruit syrups made daily, frozen custard in a variety of flavors, and their version of ice cream called "cream ice," complete with toppings and sugar-free and fat-free options as well. What makes this place interesting is their specialty of layering or blending different combinations together, and giving them cute little names. 

I think we both wound up with the "Gelati," shaved ice with syrup on the bottom layered with frozen custard on top. I don't know enough about the snow cone and custard places in town to tell you how this place compares, but I thought my black cherry ice with vanilla custard was just as smooth, creamy, and flavorful as any other frozen concoction I've had recently. Incidentally, a "regular" size here is a whole bunch of shaved ice, syrup, and custard - neither Ashley nor I could finish either of ours. 

Finally, the one counter person we saw here was incredibly cheerful and accommodating to us with her samples and menu explanations, and I regret not getting her name. There was a group of ten people or so silently standing in a circle masticating their gelati while we were there, and I started wondering if they were some kind of odd cult. And I had the hardest time finding out what Austin Yelp was calling this place: This location on the Drag is called "Austin-Rita's," and the same franchise in Westlake is called "Rita's Custard Happiness." But shaved ice and frozen custard together by any other name? We'll just call it good eats.
5 - Edmond L.: This place is amazing. 
I can't say enough good things about this place. 
The new bubble gum flavor is my all time favorite, followed by mango.
All the flavors are great, though.
I would say a regular size of the s'mores is enough, the large may be a bit too much. 
It's all good, though, so try everything.
Rita's is great about letting you sample anything you want.
I am sitting here in Rita's writing this and loving every bite.
I only wish they had a punch card or something where after buying 10 or 20, you could get a free one.
Even without a loyalty card, I will be here at least 3 days a week, if not more. 
One of my favorite food/drink/dessert/anything items is Rita's!
Give them a try, you'll love it.
4 - Lora T.: creamy diabetic coma-inducing deliciousness.
4 - Samuel Y.: Perfect dessert for me in the "ice cream" category.

I was never big on ice cream. Just not my cup of tea. But Italian ice hits the spot for me.

These aren't snow cones. Nor is it sherbet. It's smooth and cool Italian ice!

They have a bunch of different flavors and all are tasty. We like the lemonade and mango flavors. There was a strawberry flavor and a cantaloupe that were good too.

They change up the flavors every once in a while so go back often.

This was a perfect spot to drop by this summer in our crazy 90+ days over 100 degrees!
1 - Taylor M.: I went here the other day for an Italian ice and was horrendously underwhelmed by the flavoring. I tried the pumpkin ice but it was bad, so I ordered lemonade.. You know, that age old classic where you mix lemon and sugar and it's tasty as hell? So easy a child could do it? Which is why lemonade stands are so popular? Bueller?

It was inedible. I just threw it away. Eesh.
4 - Eve R.: Really terrific ices and custards. The majority of the ices are made with real fruit (what a concept!) - I found big chunks of watermelon in my watermelon ice, and we're pretty sure we found evidence of real pumpkin in the pumpkin. Delicious, and not ridiculously sweet, the flavor really shone through. And the custard was velvety and lovely - not soft serve, but custard. We got the mix of layered custard and ice, and it was fantastic. Warning, if you get a large, have an empty belly, because these are huge and filling.

Also, if you're from Rhode Island, try the Alex's Lemonade - it reminded me a LOT of my beloved Del's Lemonade back home (don't worry, family back home, not EXACTLY the same, just a pleasant reminder). We took a quart home (we believe it will also make an excellent alcoholic treat). 

I'm only bummed that it took me this long to try it. I can see a perfect evening spent in that little corner of the drag hitting local favorites like Toy Joy, Oat Willie's, Vulcan Video, Conan's Pizza, topped by Rita's. I love Austin. Seriously.
5 - Aparna T.: Quick tips:    Swedish fish in an ice flavor - Yes please! Also good is Blue Raspberry and if you are looking for lighter alternatives, they always have a daily sugar free option. Their custard is also delicious. You can sign up for the their frequent buyer program and get an instant buy one get one free coupon. Free parking. Their sizes are very generous, I could never eat more than a small. 

Food: If you are looking for an alternative to snow cones, that is open year round,  Rita's is your place! They change their flavors daily. The Sugar Free mango peach was a light alternative and had a minimal Splenda taste. 

Ambiance - They have benches right outside for a cute relaxed way to end a date or the night. Also a good place to stop on a walk for a refreshing treat! 

Service: The owner's father is so nice! He was explaining about bringing his son to Rita's when he was younger and how they wanted to share Rita's Italian Ice and custard with Texas.
5 - Moira O.: We had just come from the doctor's office where my son had tested positive for strep. All he wanted was a Rita's custard to ease the pain in his throat. The store didn't open for another hour and as we were about to pull out of the parking lot a man from inside the store saw us and came out.  He asked what was our need and we told him. He said he knew just the thing for strep and went back inside the store and returned with a giant swedish fish & chocolate custard concoction.  I want to acknowledge his kindness and let everyone know how decent Rita's (and this man) is to a sick kid. 

We'll be back for more!
4 - Jon M.: I have to admit that I never gave this place a fair chance-it does not seem very striking from the outside.  But we had already tasted some questionable lemonade from a little kid's lemonade stand so Rita's seemed like it would be a treat.  And it beat my expectations.  

I got the lemonade ice (made with real lemons!) and I should've gotten the custard on top of it.  Custard+fruit ice = happiness.  My experienced companion got watermelon+vanilla custard and I ended up scooping her custard into my ice.  I will most definitely be back.
4 - Albert K.: I'm a big fan of frozen custard, so I had to check out Rita's.  Their frozen custard, or as I like to call it, fro-cu, is thick, creamy, and pretty yummy, my favorite is the strawberry.  Rita's is a good place to stop for dessert or just an afternoon treat.
1 - Louis T.: I had never heard of Rita's.  I went in, tried a gelati, didn't like it and threw it away.  The girl behind the counter seemed mildly annoyed so I took a moment to connect with her.  At this point the shift lead jumped in and told me that maybe I should do homework before trying someplace new.... I don't think this how customer service works.  Avoid at all cost!
5 - Michelle L.: so excited to have a rita's here, though I do enjoy Philly treats in Philly and Austin treats in Austin.  these guys will give jim jim's a run, but I'm just glad to have two flavorful icy options over lame snow cones...  you must try rita's .....!
5 - Megan M.: I headed out here the other night after a football game and I am so glad I decided to check it out. To me, Rita's Italian Ice is a step up from the usual snow cone and I was intrigued on how they scooped the ice out of a contained as if it were ice cream. I decided to go with the gelati with lemonade flavor ice and vanilla custard. Loved the lemonade flavor though I wasn't really crazy about the rubbery bits of lemon zest in my ice. I guess they want to get the point across that the ice is made with real lemons. The raspberry flavor I sampled was also tasty so I know what I will be trying the next time I stop by.
4 - Chris M.: Good, cold, and inexpensive!  Perfect destination on a hot afternoon bike ride.
1 - Vicki G.: It's all my fault.

I was in a Sandy's mood. 

But we were at Antone's Records on the Drag, and there, right THERE, so tantalizingly close, was Rita's.

And I'd never tried Rita's.

And now, I have.

Perhaps, had I stuck to the Italian ices, things would have been different. 
But, as I said, I was in a Sandy's kind of mood. So, I went for a chocolate/vanilla frozen custard twist.

Blah.

What's more, blah and expensive. Two cups = $6.67.  Really?????

Next time, I'll trek to Sandy's, or up the ante, and go for it at Teo.
4 - Marcy N.: So excited to find there is a Rita's in Austin.  I've never been to a Rita's that had an indoor sit down area.  They also have a covered outdoor area.  Love it.  Many different flavors and it seems that they frequently change.  My favorite is lemon but they don't always have it.

The store is super clean and even though the parking lot is small I've never had a problem parking there.
4 - Mike S.: I can only vouch for the frozen custard, which is all I've had here, but it is almost unquestionably the greatest soft serve one can buy in terms of flavor and texture.  Those machines should be everywhere.  Highly recommended.

Austrian Motors - Atlanta, GA (33.786558, -84.407755) (Westside / Home Park)
1 - Stig S.: The owner of this business, Josy, is not to be trusted. I have tried to work with them twice and i was not happy at all. Convenient in-town location, but I would be very cautious.

Aut Bar - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2838547, -83.7473789) (Kerrytown Ann Arbor)
4 - Sam S.: I am appreciated here. Little do they know that I'm a tease. Teehee!

Fun karaoke. If you want to bring the house down, sing Madonna or Kelly Clarkson. Cliche, I know, but the reaction will be nothing less than ridiculous. Highly recommended.

This is a gay bar, BTW.
3 - Elizabeth S.: The three stars primarily are for it actually being a gay bar in Ann Arbor.  Er, THE gay bar in Ann Arbor.

It reeks of smoke.  I can't wear a sweater that I've worn there without having to wash it- sometimes twice.  It has terrible crowds sometimes, and very little room for movement without me crashing into three men who look at me like, what're you doing here honey, it's not ladies' night?  And then I'm like, oh I hang out with gay men and um, anyhow... and that's just awkward.  Except usually we get drunk and become BFFs, and then they're my new gay friends anyhow.

So, back to the review.  The drinks are strong, and not super expensive.  Brunch is pretty decent here.  The bathroom is bit of an ordeal- just one upstairs, unisex, lots and lots of drunk people... you can see where this is going.  The music ranges from bad to gay club to bad gay club...

But several of the bartenders are awesome.  

It's not really my favorite place to spend a night out, but I'll do it for my boys, and I've had some fabulous times here.  Just... a little less smoke and a little more space might make me a lot happier.  

I do have a lot of love for it on uncrowded nights.  Sometimes they'll have old movies on, like Steel Magnolias.  Those nights, I'd give it 4 stars.
4 - Brian L.: Aut Bar might as well be two separate establishments.  During the day, it's a decent enough restaurant with fairly standard fare.  The Sunday brunch is exceptional and very affordable.  (I especially love the home fries.)  Remember, you can't drink until noon on Sundays in Michigan, so if you need some hair of the dog, hold off until then.

In the evenings, Aut Bar becomes more of, well, a bar.  It's a nice place to meet a decent variety of people, and it's the only game in town if you want to go to a gay BAR, not club.  The bartenders are nice, and if you tip well, the drinks are strong.  It can get crowded and smoky, but it generally doesn't get out of hand.  Overall, it's a fun way to pass a night.
4 - Will K.: I've been here twice. Once for brunch and once for 'nightlife.'

The Sunday brunch is super affordable and really tasty. Best of all, you come out stuffed and satisfied --- with leaving food on your plate! I loved the semi-bitchy staff as well. I remember the bartender trying to get sarcastic with me, but he made me laugh. So I dug that.

As far as nightlife - This is the only 100% of the time gay bar in A2. That makes me sad. Maybe it was an off night, but the average age was 40 it felt like. Not that that's a bad thing, but for being a younger temporary transplant, I was a bit disappointed. I have to go to Detroit, the once-a-week gay night at Necto in A2, or Royal Oak.
4 - Sarah W.: This is a great place to hang out and have a meal. Little do many people know that the food is excellent here! Great burgers and fries.

I used to come here with my friend all the time, so sad he moved to NYC. I miss him, he introduced me to Aut Bar. We had so much from having a drink, playing pool, dancing, and talking to people. I like the crowd vibe here. It sort of feels like you have departed Ann Arbor.

Yes, its a gay bar straight guys. So what, if you don't like getting hit on then just say no as anywhere else.
4 - Phillip L.: Upstairs: gay bar
Downstairs: restaurant

Aut is the neighborhood gay bar as well as the only devoted gar bar in Ann Arbor (Necto may dabble with men on Fridays, but is still pretty hetero).  It's fun with a very mixed crowd and can get crowded pretty easily.  There is a pool table as well as 2 TVs that can show things like Real Sex on HBO.  The big disappointment here was that they didn't know what a Muff Diver is.  Any birthday boy/girl knows that drink.  They sorta made up for that by serving Blow Job shots with a condom.  Clever.

The restaurant has a very good brunch, but can get crowded pretty quickly.  They have more seating when it's nice outside and they set up some tables outside.
4 - Lisa W.: The Aut Bar can really hit the spot depending on what you are looking for and what time of day it is.

1.)  This is an excellent brunch spot.  They have a special brunch menu on the weekend with yummy specials.  Top this off with their French press coffee or a mimosa and you will not be disappointed.  They have eggs Bennedict and Huevos Rancheros.  They have corned beef hash, which is on the salty side.  Lots of yumminess to choose from.

2.)  They offer tasty lunches and dinners, all the way down to their dessert.  Their chocolate cake is something that invades my dreams.  They use Knight's meat in their juicy, delicious burgers.  They have a salmon salad that is large and tasty with capers on it.  In the spring and summer, it is a big treat to sit outside and gormandize.

3.)  They're also a bar, so at night, just go upstairs and smoke to your hearts content.  Maybe play a game of pool, because yes, there is pool upstairs.  They don't mess around with their drinks, either.

4.)  The photography indoors is hot.  Check it out.
4 - Sarah R.: The Aut Bar is a great place for food and conversation, whether you're gay or straight. 

The fries and appetizers are good, and the drinks are reasonably priced. I love sitting out on the shady patio with some friends, drinking a beer. It's great fun for people-watching.

I didn't realize until I looked at their website that they offer brunch on Sundays. I may have to check that out some time.
4 - Patrick D.: Gay or straight, the aut bar wins for a number of reasons, but all four stars come from its location and atmosphere.

First, it's one of the only places in Ann Arbor where you can drink outside in the summer in a comfortable environment that doesn't feel like a frat party (I'm looking at you, Dominick's.) On top of this, it's prices are not inflated like some aforementioned outdoor drinking establishments. It's fairly priced and the wait staff is always pleasant and mostly on the ball. 

That said, I've eaten here twice and really didn't enjoy the food either time. The last time I was there, no one in my party of 4 enjoyed their meal. I've heard their brunch is good, but the omelette I had was really heavy, no fluff and the salsa on top obviously came right from a jar. Not exactly an exquisite brunch. The burger was equally disappointing as it was small and overcooked, but the bun was quite good. 

I won't be eating here again anytime soon, but the patio will keep me coming back until Fall.
4 - Jordan B.: Some coworkers took me to Aut Bar on a recent trip to Ann Arbor. I really liked the atmosphere. It seemed friendly, pretty diverse, clean. It seems like this is a pretty cool place to hang out. I'll definitely return to Aut Bar on my next trip in to Ann Arbor.
4 - mariah c.: One of the best spots for brunch in town, hands down!  Great food, and often brunch music includes a little Nina Simone or the like. Nice. In spring and summer, the outdoor seating is lovely, though the atmosphere indoors is just fine.  

My favorites include the Boulder Scramble and chilaquiles. They have all sorts of variations on mimosas, too, if you are in need of a bit of the hair of the dog, recovering after a particularly indulgent Saturday night. 

I do find it a little odd that they only do brunch on Sunday, not Saturday, but really, that's not much of a complaint, is it?  

The food is solid at other times of the day too, but brunch is where the Aut Bar really shines.
2 - James M.: The food was nothing exciting, the owner was an ass to the staff... 

The patio is wonderful in the summer, but like, I'm not sure what exactly the owners are thinking when they behave as they do. Not only do I hear absolute HORROR stories from friends who have been employers, but it shows sometimes as well to the clientele (like me). 

...I don't smoke, though smell absolutely disgusting after leaving there.. I'd rather have a drink somewhere that won't give me emphysema.
5 - Theresa T.: I have had only WONDERFUL experiences at The Aut Bar.  This is a consistently fantastic place to eat and get drinks.  The clientele is fun and the exterior patio provides the very best atmosphere in town.

The food ---  WOW!  I am a HUGE fan of their pesto chicken pasta dish.  Even the most expensive restaurants Downtown A2 don't have anything on the brunch menu at The Aut Bar.
4 - Ellen C.: I had a wonderful brunch here! Only downside: a long wait, understaffed, and a bit on the slow side.  I know it was their first patio day though- so hopefully a little better usually. If I went back, it would definitely have a shot at five stars.

I had a pear mimosa, and a peach mimosa. Both were wonderful.  The pear had an interesting texture, and the peach was just delicious. I also had the Mediterranean omelet, with feta cheese, tomatoes, and blackbeans.  My friend's chorizio and eggs was good too, as was his spanish coffee.

I think this place means I'll be brunching every Sunday in the future, if at all possible.
4 - Jonas L.: Ehhhhh. I don't have as much love for this place as other people apparently do. The mixed drinks, mojito, and sangria were adequate but a bit watery. The service is often slow. And even though the food is secondary, the non-brunch menu at least is truly mediocre and as overpriced. What it has that other places don't is the atmosphere. The outdoor seating is particularly nice on a good day.

But hey, the brunch is absolutely delicious, so maybe that makes up for it. I very much enjoy the egg burrito and all the other sinful things offered. If only the line weren't so long, I'd go more often!

P.S. Comic Sans on the daily specials menu?! Come on!
4 - Eric M.: You know, usually when a place serves the gay community, things can get a bit dicey for us straight folks. I've been called a breeder in Provincetown... Actually it was kinda funny. :)  

however, I've got to say that I just love what the owners have done with the Aut Bar. Talk about practicing what you preach! (talkin' tolerance here, folks)

That aside, this place is one of my fav b-fast spots in town! Good food, fun specials, and Sunday brunch on the patio... that's just a little slice of heaven.
3 - Tony C.: Ever since my gay buddy moved away, I've had no one take me out for a gay night on the town, but I still frequent Aut Bar for its brunch.  Here's why:

Aut Bar has a spectacular brunch on Sundays and its best feature is:  it's cheap!  My wife and I can usually go there for under $20, unless one of us orders an alcohol beverage.  Drinking on Sunday rocks!

Aut Bar serves Mexican-like brunch items like huevos rancheros and it's quite good.  Typically, the items are fresh-tasting and the entree sizes are generous.  If this review were just about the food, Aut Bar would get a five out of five.  Why oh why did I give it three?

(Hold breath for diatribe.)

Never mind the gay photographic art on the walls.  You know, that doesn't bother me because I can appreciate the naked male, even when coupled with another naked male in an erotic pose.  What I can't handle is the extremely inconsistent service.

One day I go and the service is fine, the food comes out right away, and no hitches at all.  Other times I go, I wait a century for my food (around 40 minutes) and the waiter seems like he's left his brain at home.

Here's what I've noticed:  During the summer, when the patio is open, the kitchen gets frightfully behind.  The service screwups seem more frequent in the summer than they do in the winter.  The problem is that I like to sit outside and bask in the rare, Michigan sun on a nice sunny Sunday.  What I don't like is how I'm usually subjected to a bout of starvation while I drool and pant while other people get their food.

So, I do recommend this place with that fair warning in place.  The huevos are excellent, but my favorite is the breakfast burrito with chorizo, peas, and onions.  Delicious!
4 - Melissa R.: Aut Bar is very friendly. The service is great and I always see families there. Many of my straight friends enjoy the atmosphere and food. The brunch is VERY delicious and free pool from 4-6 on Wednesday's is great. I only wish they had better ventilation or no smoking. It gets heavy with smoke upstairs by 6pm and I don't want to be in there. Otherwise, no complaints. Great friendly bar/restaurant with a diverse clientele. They also support a lot of local farms and businesses.
4 - Barbara C.: Sitting outside under one of the umbrella tables at the Aut Bar court is next to heaven on a day like today. I always get the best service here as well as great wine. Their wine is inexpensive and good as well as their food. Today's meal brought a chicken salad wrap which was very tasty, quick and modestly priced. We sat for several hours enjoying the food, wine and lovely quietude of their courtyard seating. I always enjoy the inside decor of Aut, but their outdoors is equally cool. Such a fun place to relax.
4 - Jenifer R.: Give a Sh/Aut to the Aut Bar of Ann Arbor for the Saturday caberet nights where queer ladies (and gents) from all over gather to celebrate the vocals and tunes of musicians near and far. Come for the scenery, come for the music, come for the tasty vegan and carnivorous treats. 

Don't forget to stop by any night to create some heat with a loved one around the fire pit located in the center courtyard. It's so nice to have a safe, queer refuge to sneak away too in the middle of the city! 

Sunday brunch is also a great way to end the week! Kudos to their Mexican chef for his killer Chilaquiles!!  (photo: http://hubpages.com/hub/Chilaquiles-A-Traditional-Mexican-Breakfast-Dish).  

After noshin' on brunch, stop by Common Language LGBT bookstore next door. 

Lot parking is free and metered street parking nearby. Prices are moderate. Only con: beware of the smelly bathroom downstairs!
2 - Stever G.: It's funny how the reviews here seem to be split between "excellent service" and "inconsistent service."  I gotta go with the latter bunch. The only time I ever have good restaurant service at Aut is if I know the server.  Otherwise it's some of the worst service I've had at a restaurant in town.  My SO and I went here for his birthday this year, and the service was horrendous even though the restaurant was pretty much empty.  The server never asked us if we wanted a second drink, which is good, because we hightailed it out of there to get more affordable drinks elsewhere.  I had the tempeh reuben, which makes the soggy reuben at ABC taste like a masterpiece.  But   I've been coming here off and on for the past decade because I do dig some of the menu items, even if they are overpriced.   I usually stick to the heavenly hummus/tempeh wrap for lunch or dinner and the vegetarian scramble for brunch. 

As for the bar upstairs, the bartenders are always friendly.  But I've never understood why they have a pool table that takes up half the space of an already overcrowded bar.  Don't go on a Friday or Saturday unless you want to know what it's like to be packed in like sardines who wear too much cologne.  This is the only "gay bar" in town, but luckily a town like Ann Arbor doesn't have to have a great gay bar because there's lots of places all over town that are at least a little queer.
3 - Joe C.: Aut Bar is the only full-time gay bar in Ann Arbor, though many heterosexuals venture there for Sunday brunch or weekday dinners.  Though the service is mind numbingly slow (never plan to eat in less than an hour) the food is good and fairly inexpensive and the drinks well made.  The metered lot outside is free after 6 and all day Sunday, making for easy parking.  In addition, there is a large patio for outdoor seating in the warmer months, which is the best time to go, if you're looking to avoid bar smoke.
4 - Jay A.: Aut Bar is a great place to have brunch on Sundays or dinner during the week.  It is a traditionally gay restaurant and bar, but everyone is welcome.  The staff is friendly and usually attentive.  The menu has a slant towards Mexican, which is is perfect for me because I'd eat Mexican food every day if I could.

For brunch, my favorite dish is the Sonora Omelet.  It is filled with spiced, shredded chicken, cheese, sour cream and guacamole, topped with salsa.  It is served with beans, rice, and flour tortillas.  The flavors are spot on - the salsa is not too spicy, the refried beans a good texture and are flavorful (personally, I think the beans are what make or break Mexcian food).  It is a delicious way to start a Sunday.

For dinner Aut Bar has many great items.  They have a burrito which I really enjoy - again, with great Mexican flavors and just the right amount of spice.  They also have some really good sandwiches and even a lasagna which I've enjoyed.

If you are looking for some great food in a gay-friendly atmosphere and a really good price, then Aut Bar is the place for you.
4 - Barry T.: Aut bar always jumps to mind whenever I think of brunch in Ann Arbor - especially for the southwest/Mex themed foods. I especially love the idea of blackbeans, rice and tortillas with my breakfast foods - and legit options and variety - not just the same old breakfast burrito with some cheap salsa slapped on.

The servers are all very kind and accommodating. The mimosas are cheap and plentiful. Perfect for a late Sunday brunch and even better in the summer when the patio's open for dining.
4 - Dave Y.: quite good and reasonably priced brunch. breakfast burrito is pretty good, and the place is cool and cozy, with old books on the bookshelf. i'm a fan
4 - Sara G.: No matter what your preference, you will feel at home here.

This narrow nook-n-cranny is crammed with hilarious and kind staff, books in the walls, and a Well Stocked Bar. The brunch is FABULOUS.  Lots of Mexican menu items not found anywhere else in town! The refried beans are made from frijoles negros--MY FAVE.

Things tend to get dicey during the brunch hours.  We're talking tiny morsels of crispy-moist potato goodness, and there are many different varieties including sweet potato with parmesan. YUM. 

Like many of the favored brunch haunts in the Deuce, this place carries a hefty wait during prime hours, but it's worth it.  Especially if you can score a patio table during a spate of awesomely agreeable Michigan weather.
4 - nate c.: Some terrific Southwest brunch options (I'm especially partial to the chilaquiles, which are vegetarian!). Maybe the best al fresco eating experience in Ann Arbor.

The walls are covered in Mapplethorpes. Which is awesome.
4 - Dan B.: Aut bar is friendly, laid back, and totally comfortable...much like Ann Arbor in general. We stopped in for an afternoon beer so it was pretty quiet, but I could see this place getting pretty congested pretty quick on a busy night as there is not a lot of room to move around and a significant portion of the floorspace upstairs is taken up by a pool table. Definite plus that they had some local beers in addition to the usual light beer list at most gay bars. I was able to try a hoppy delicious IPA that was brewed two blocks away...yum!
5 - Jill K.: Matt is the buffest, bestest bartender evah!!!!
3 - Molly H.: I really want to love Aut Bar and I believe I just may once I actually have brunch here (which I hear is awesome) or some other sort of meal. For now, I can only base my review on a handful of visits where I've mostly drank mojitos--which are absolutely delicious and the best I've found in Ann Arbor so far. 

I love their patio at night--the colored lights are so pretty and I like how roomy it feels out there. Literally surrounded by businesses in residential-looking houses, it feels like you're hanging out in someone's really hip urban yard.

Unfortunately, I was prompted to finally write a review due to may fairly awful experience last night. Apparently, it was karaoke night inside, so--as our extremely harried and brusque server informed us--the bar was very backed up and two servers were running around with their heads down and--I'm sure--teeth clenched. Not a great environment to sit in. Also, the patio was kind of busy, but nothing crazy by any means.

Anyway, we got there and found a seat. Out server threw a couple menus down and literally grunted at us--no greeting whatsoever. We sat there for probably 15 or 20 minutes with both servers obviously avoiding eye contact with us when they were outside at all. I finally had to say, "Hey! Um, could we order drinks?" to the server that wasn't originally "ours". He was much more pleasant, but--again--obviously frazzled to the max. Our original server finally came up to take our order and when we informed her that we had already ordered she seemed annoyed. She did, however, bring our drinks and took fairly better care of us the rest of the night.

She eventually explained that they were really busy inside, but at that point we were over it and didn't care. Also, it's a major service faux pas to ever make that excuse to your table. Anyway, I'll definitely go back as this was my first bad experience--but the recent unpleasantness was uncomfortable and lame enough to dock a star for now!
4 - Dil F.: Nice drinks, good service, excellent outdoor patio.

Spent a brief hour here ordering bottles of beer (nothing on tap), and mojitos, while lounging in their outdoor patio. It was really a small luxury on a hot day, as the patio is shawled in a flush set of maple trees, giving ample shade. 

Service was superb. The jams on the outdoor radio, tending toward oldies, was excellent - everyone at my table were bobbing heads and feet. They have Anchor Steam, Bell's, and Stella on hand, among others. The mojito was stiff (which I like) but a little too sweet and not enough mint. A small complaint though, since an icy drink outside on a hot day while bobbing to oldies goes down rather nicely.

I don't get the faux-Euro name (or is it a pronunciation guide?)... but this patio-bar is a nice place to be while the season's good for it.
4 - Robert C.: As a gay bar, aut is fairly straight-forward: low-key atmosphere, enjoyable patio seating, wide variety of music, and a great brunch. 

Most importantly, though, aut offers good stiff drinks at cheap prices. 

Sometimes when I want to meet with friends and grab drink, aut is great option when you're not looking for anything fancy.
3 - Megan M.: Saturday brunch at Aut Bar broke my heart last weekend. I had been salivating over the prospect of their insanely delicious sweet potatoes with Parmesan and parsley, only to find out that the menu offered on Saturdays is sadly truncated. I made do with the (excellent) chilaquiles. Life is so hard.

I go to Aut Bar because the lovely atmosphere gives me enough patience to accept service that ranges from neglectful to indifferent. If you're intolerant of slow service or willing to sacrifice taste for speed, head elsewhere.
5 - Robert K.: Went here for my first time and the Chicken Burrito was very good and the salad was nice and crisp
3 - Carrie S.: Pros: Location (very cute, in Kerrytown), Outdoor seating (LOTS of outdoor seating in a very cute courtyard off-street, in between shops, and romantically lit by lights strung between trees), Food (I had a hamburger which was one of the best I've had in a while--fresh, ground, local meat on what they call an "oatmeal" bun. The bun really made the burger, whatever kind of bun it was, it was nutty and flavorful and they butter-"fried" it. Yummy!)

As for the con, and really there was only one, but it was a BIG one, and why I only gave 3 stars. However, it's not so big of a con now that I wouldn't go back and give Aut another shot. We arrived prior to the restaurant opening for the evening, so were one of two customers when they finally seated us. Yet, people arrived pretty quickly and the courtyard filled up fast with people. Apparently there was only one server. He appeared very nervous and soon appeared overwhelmed. (That is, WHEN he showed his face. There were large chunks of time when he didn't even come outside... kind of like he was too scared.) We waited to order drinks, then waited to receive the drinks. Once we finally had our drinks my dinner companion and I talked and talked and then noticed people getting up to leave (people that had never ordered anything). We checked the time and realized we'd been there for about 40 minutes and never even got the chance to order food. We were both very hungry and didn't necessarily want to leave at this point (we still had drinks). I went inside and the only person around was a bartender. I told him about the situation, and that customers were leaving. He said the waiter was new, and he would take care of it. We ended up getting our orders taken and the bartender came out to help out with food service. Suffice to say it was extremely disappointing service, but the food was very good, so, as I said, I might be persuaded by someone in the future to give it another shot.
5 - Mike S.: This is my favorite place to eat at in Ann Arbor.  I wish every city had a gay bar like this.

Food is EXCELLENT.  The regular menu is good and lots of daily specials.  The sunday brunch is realy good, lots of unique mexican dishes.  I always thought cornchips in eggs would be nasty but since trying it there, I use fritos in my omlettes at home a lot.  The drinks are poured strong and the pina coladas are amazing, they taste like they are fresh made and not some mix like most bars use.  Lots of unique shots on the drink menu as well.

I have seen a couple comments about the service/staff but every time I have eaten there the services has been great and the staff very friendly.

The patio is really nice in good weather.  There is a parking lot in front.  The gay bookstore next door is fun to browse at and zingermans deli is only about a block away and is also worth going to and getting some baked goods for later (zingermans mud pies are excellent as are their sweet biscuits and chocolate chunk bread).

One negative, but this isn't enough to not give them five stars, I wish they were still part of rewards network.  It was really nice being able to get airline miles on credit card purchases.
4 - Annette J.: You AUTTA get to the Aut Bar! (Zing!)

They've got a lovely patio for the warmer days (although as it begins to cool down they've got some fire pits going. Love!) which is the perfect place to sip their excellent mimosas over a leisurely brunch. They have the standard brunch faire--eggs dishes, some Mexican options, omelets, french toast, sandwiches, etc. All tasty and fresh. I like that you can get the omelets with egg whites, a healthier option should you be watching what you eat. If you're NOT counting calories the Elvis french toast is particularly obscene. Peanut butter and bananas! Oye! 

The only complaint (which isn't even really that big a deal) is that the service can be a little slow. Although they're usually packed and super busy which is why I cut the servers a little slack. As long as my glass if full and my food comes to me warm I don't stress too much.

I can't think of many things better than a delicious omelet or french toast, a mimosa and great conversation with friends all by the fire pit on the patio on a cool fall day.
3 - T. S.: great sunday brunch. service can be sketchy. might need to explain artwork in bathroom to inquisitive children.
5 - Nancy K.: /'aüt/ Bar is one of my favorite spots in Ann Arbor and after dinner last night I realized I hadn't yet reviewed it. Unlike most fans, I really don't like the brunch but having said that: I've only been once so I need to try it out again. 

Kris and I come here for dinner once in a while but lately that once in a while is more frequent than ever before. Why? Because /'aüt/ Bar is consistently good. You never have to worry. 

The menu is small but diverse and is incredibly veg friendly. Specials are always available and awesome. Ingredients are fresh, special orders are accommodated and the staff is warm and engaging. 

A few months ago they hosted an island themed night. One of the specials was a kick ass curried vegetable dinner. A few weeks ago they had a similar dish prepared with scallops. I'm vegetarian and deathly allergic to fish so I had to go through my battery of questions to figure out whether ordering it sans scallops would be safe. Our waiter was awesome and after checking was super concerned about the price - he didn't want me to pay full price since the scallop-free version should be less expensive. He and the chef created a version for me and knocked down the price. Totally unnecessary but so appreciated. Besides dinner, there's a bar upstairs with a great juke box, pool tables and a great crowd. 

Last night I had the California burger and it was delish. No bacon, and tempeh instead of cow. It had cheddar, avocado, dark green lettuce, red onion and a Dijon mustard sauce along with sweet potato chips and black bean corn relish. So good! 

I strongly recommend /'aüt/ Bar - it's awesome!
5 - David M.: This must be listened to while reading the following review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTN6Du3MCgI

I can't believe it took my all the way until my third (and last, sniffle) year of being in A2 to make it here for food! And people say there isn't any good Mexican food in ann arbor. They clearly never thought to check out the aut bar, and I partially can't blame them. Then again, with all of these stellar reviews, they probably are to blame.

We went for dinner during the week of Cinco de Mayo, so they had a lot of great specials in addition to what looked like an already stacked menu. I got the Pollo en Mole (a special), which came with rice, beans and tortillas. The chicken was amazingly tender and juicy, still on the bone, and the mole sauce was just impeccable. I don't always love mole, but I figured I'd give it a try here, and I had no regrets. My lovely other half got chicken enchiladas, another dish I'm never gaga over, but I tried them and oh was it a bad romance. I think their trick, on top of having quality ingredients that just taste good, was to put feta in the enchiladas, something I wouldn't have thought to do but would now never imagine not doing. Mmm.

A couple of negative, or at least not-as-positive notes: our friends split an order of fajitas, which, normally would work because restaurants generally serve a large enough order of fajitas to feed a small family, but here they really do just give you one serving. Which is fine, of course, but the price is a little high. Another slight was that the order of quac, salsa and chips was very small, and even getting more chips to finish off the other stuff cost us extra mulah. They should just have free chips and salsa, of course. It would also make a great snack to drink with.

Despite those problems, I still confidently give aut bar the whole 5 stars, as they have by far the best Mexican food I've tried so far in A2. Oh, and don't hurt yourself by missing out on the Sangria, it is to die for, and way better than that plain old Dominick's sangria everyone raves about.

Peace aut.
5 - Kristin D.: Yummy breakfast food! Try the corned beef hash, it is a GIANT plate that won't disappoint.  The southwest potatoes are also really good.  I also had the best tomato-bacon soup EVER here!

UPDATE: I got a burrito from here and it was AMAZING! So filling, flavorful, YUM!!! You don't get the beans and rice though which is a bummer.
4 - Amy B.: Aut Bar is one of my favorite happy hour haunts, especially in the summer when the patio is available.

Between the drink specials and the always fabulous service (pun intended!), Aut Bar is a comfortable location to catch up with the girls over a few stiff ones. The food, while not great, is reliably good and priced right. Aut Bar frequently offers fun special cocktails, which means anyone who likes unusual or fruity drinks is in for a treat.
4 - Bryant B.: Every time I pass through Kerrytown, I seem to notice and admire the patio at Aut bar. I read a number of yelp reviews talking up the food here, so I thought I should give this place a shot.

After finally getting a nice day on a Saturday, we decided to come here for some patio dining.

We got here and the host told us to grab any patio table we wanted. Our server came quickly to get our drink orders. He was very friendly. For some reason though, it took a really long time for our drinks to come. It wasn't really all that busy at the time either. That kind of dampened the patio experience. When the drinks did finally come, they were really good. I ordered an old fashioned; a drink that I'll occasionally order and usually end up disappointed that so few bartenders can make a decent one. This one was actually really good, and quite stiff.

The menu had a good number of options. Mostly standard bar fare, but also a few surprises. I considered several different things but finally decided on the Aut burger. Wow, one of the best burgers I've had in the area! Perfectly cooked, seasoned, and dripping with cheddar and grilled onions. I also tried some of the quesadilla. It was good, but not great...very cheesy and lots of fresh tomatoes, just seemed to be missing something.

Overall I was pleased with the experience and even though this is a gay bar, they certainly made a straight couple feel welcome.
4 - JJ P.: The service was a bit slow but the food was good, reasonably priced, and sitting on the patio was lovely since there was a great breeze.  Great atmosphere and very welcoming.  I would definitely come back!
5 - Genevieve B.: After years of *intending* to go to the Aut Bar for brunch, we finally made it last weekend. 

It was delicious! I had Huevos Estofados, and every time I found another over-easy egg buried under my beans & cheese, it was like finding a little golden treasure (that provided tasty sauce to the rest of my breakfast).

Other meals at the table were the breakfast burrito (consumed in record time, and apparently delicious), and Huevos Motulenos - also very good.

The thing that pushed it to five stars was the Bloody Mary. I saw one go by, and was reminded of how much I like them, and asked for one. I requested it not be too spicy, because I am a wimp. After a couple of minutes, the bartender came over, asked me some questions, and voila! I had a wonderful, just spicy enough Bloody Mary sitting in front of me. 

It was like magic. A big glass of tomatoey magic.
3 - Sam G.: I know this is a 'gay bar' but honestly, I dont think you'd know it unless you were told it. Or unless seeing two women or two men holding hands for you is a shocker. For better or for worse, there is a lot of hetero here and a lot of groups of mixed people just hanging out. 

The patio is my favorite summer hang out place and makes me want to give Aut four stars - it has christmas lights and a great ambiance. When people are coming in from out of town, this is where we go so they don't think I live in the isolated frat-boy college town that I do. The scale of the surrounding businesses around the courtyard makes it feel intimate and cozy... and like you're in a nook of a big city without the noise.

But there are things that knock Aut down to three stars: 

The music (once in a blue moon it's wonderful jazz or trip hoppish stuff, but more often than not '90s pop like backstreet boys, mariah carrey, spice girls or cheesy 'techno'). 

The service, as mentioned, can be slow - not only that but for the life of me I can't build any kind of repertoire with the servers - I joke, I try and strike up conversation, and there's just no feeling of connection that you can get at other places. In my experience they seem to be withdrawn and disinterested - but maybe (hopefully) others have had more positive experiences. 

The kitchen is open until 1am (don't remember if this is only on weekends) which makes it a good place to go after a movie or other night time adventure for food. Unfortunately the food ends up being fairly average. Their burger is fairly tasty but their salads and veggie stuff is not great. I wouldn't come here for a full-blown meal as I've been left feeling 'meh' after every one I've had. And they are darn pricey for what they are. But their appetizers (especially chips, salsa, and guac - or hummus) are great. 

Brunch is busy busy. Reservations are HIGHLY recommended. Bloody Marys are tasty and light on the tomato juice (less viscous). Their bourbon street eggs (a take on eggs benny) are tasty but the poached eggs don't ooze. The Huevos Con Chorizo are basically just chorizo and barely any egg... though they are surprisingly delicious on pancakes (which are very, very sweet). Scallop fritta is good. The chorizo chili omelet was actually a lot less chili-heavy than I thought which is muy bueno.

The food is cheap so I can't complain too much. But I think were it not for the patio and the fact that it is pleasantly removed from drunk college students, I wouldn't be coming here as often as I do. None the less, I feel like Ann Arbor would be impoverished without it.
2 - Kay B.: I got a tray of  mimosas and bloody marys spilled on my head.  The drinks were comped but I still paid $10 for a dry sub-par omelet.  When my date came back from running home to grab me a  dry shirt, our waiter asked if he could stick the plate in the microwave for him.  

I know it wasn't just my bad day, but probably the waiter's too, but I was still shocked at service, treatment and how not-very-good the food was.  Drinks get spilled everyday, but I'm just saying I've never had A TRAY of drinks spilled on me anywhere else... and places where I've been spilled on usually have a more put-together response to make up for it.

Save your money (and your clothes) and go somewhere else when you want brunch.
3 - Haven N.: Service is provided at a snail's pace- so expect that going in.  SLOWEST SERVICE in. the. WORLD.

Youll get the most bang for your buck if you hit up the Sunday brunch.  Set aside 4 hours and go for it because you will have a food orgasm.  Saturday brunch tho-  is just ok.

Also!!  Sitting on the patio is delightful in nice weather.  It's really a cute little location.
4 - Andrew K.: This is a charming spot for brunch, with an impressively extensive menu. I love their Mexican egg dishes. They make a mean chilaquiles and serve wonderful coffee with free refills. In a great neighborhood too, in Kerrytown.
4 - Becky H.: I've only been here twice, but I had the best tempeh burger of my life here, and they make a damn good strawberry daiquiri.
4 - Christie K.: I walked over here the first time I went to the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market when I first moved to Michigan from San Francisco. I ate in the outdoor courtyard, which was shady and pretty. The service was a tiny bit slow because it was a gorgeous weekend day and the place was packed, but the wait staff made up for it by being extremely funny and nice. I haven't had a bad meal or a bad wait person here yet, and I've been back dozens of times -- pretty much every time I go to the Farmer's Market. It's also nice for this San Francisco queer girl, because it feels like home! And there is an LGBT bookstore next door, too.

Don't get me wrong; it's just a couple of cuts above diner food. But it's all delicious and the prices are decent, and what can I say? Love it.
5 - Amy P.: I will make this sweet and simple. Great staff and yummy food. The best part is people watching. I sat alone. I had lots of time to watch people and I was entertained. Perhaps next time I go, I will not be alone however everyone is fun to watch. 
I did notice that the waitstaff is sincere and when busy they hustle. I will go back the next time I am in town.
4 - Ryan B.: Everythings already been said. It's great. Service is a little slow. Still incredible. 

Only recommendation: make a reservation, and you won't have to wait for Sunday Brunch.
3 - Elizabeth B.: I don't know about Aut Bar. I'm giving it 3 stars as I've had a passable time when I've gone there for brunch or drinks, but 'passable' is damning with faint praise.

Brunch is fine. Sometimes you're seated right away. Sometimes you wait for 45 minutes in an unmoving line while a guy takes up a patio table drinking water with his dog. Sometimes you're not acknowledged at all. Sometimes your order is taken right away, but you never get more water, and by the time your drinks arrive, you've forgotten that you even ordered drinks. Sometimes your food will be good, and sometimes the tortillas will be flavorless, the beans a little crusty, and the chilaquiles in need of hot sauce even if you don't like it spicy.

The drinks are fine. I've only been to the bar once, and it was on the occasion of a very sad break up which also happened to be Oscar weekend, so the whole scene was just wildly inappropriate for any kind of serious conversation.

There are better bars in Ann Arbor - say, across the courtyard at the Bar at Braun Court. There are also better places for brunch in Ann Arbor - say, across the courtyard at The Espresso Bar. I see no need to go to Aut again.
5 - Shirl C.: Came here for brunch awhile back and fell in love! The service was a tad slow but well worth the wait. I ordered the Huevous rancheros with chorizo and forgot to add the chorizo, however did eventually bring me a side of it. The tortilla shell was crispy and the whole dish was absolutely flavorful. I can't wait to go back there...and I would definitely recommend making reservations.
2 - Jeff P.: Let me preface this by saying that this is the only 24/7 gay bar in town, therefore they have no competition and don't have to change or improve, in my opinion. 

I've been to Aut several times and regretted going every time. Where to begin...

(1) The 80s interior decor is an eye sore. Design aesthetics that young people really cannot relate to, that is, the book shelves and cabaret like photos. Seating and bar area are uncomfortable and tight. The bathrooms both up and downstairs have a funk (I hold it in every time) and you can only dry your hands with some odd towel thing. To top it off, there are these stupid-highschool like posters in the bathrooms, including AIDs flyers from again the 80s.

(2) Patio is nice during the summer. But I wish that they would actually purchase real patio tables and chairs. Plastic tables, with canvas-like table top, and chairs are not fun to eat on and feels very sticky on a warm day. I keep almost knocking my chair over and kicking the table (maybe I am just a putz). 

(3) The food is Applebees/Chilis like quality. Everything taste greasy and frozen. I would only recommend eating here if you are drunk or for brunch. The brunch food is still pretty greasy and just average. Also, NOTHING IS ON TAP!!!  The cocktails specials are OKAY- always on the too sweet side. BUT (this is a BIG BUT) the drinks are pretty cheap.

(4) Waitstaff and bartenders are generally pretty friendly and attentive. At times can be really slow. Bartenders, especially on a semi busy night, are oh so slow. Sometime they are way too busy chatting up their friends before they acknowledge you. 

(5) I hate how the pool table takes up half of the area upstairs. I think this pool table is just odd and totally misplaced from their artistic cabaret decor. It really takes away space for people to mingle and maybe dance. Also, a jukebox for music?? Why can't the music just be free and easy and young and hip??


I just signed up for a Yelp account so that I can disagree with the overall rating and the reviews from other customers. I cannot believe people have rated Aut Bar so highly. I hate myself every time I go there but again this is the only gay bar in town.
2 - Damian M.: Pros: Patio. Pool table. Environment. The crowd.

Cons: No beer on tap, no knowledge of their house wine,  cheap decor. The food is the worst part. Very dull, greasy food made with cheap ingredients. Truly surprised they even let our meals leave the kitchen looking the way they did.

Overall: Could be a great place but the passion is gone. Would not recommend drinking there. Even less eating there.
4 - Beth H.: Trekked to The Aut bar for another drink before heading home, celebrating a friend's birthday.  The patio area was so cute! Well shaded and spacious. It's a popular place and had to settle for a table inside. Creeky hardwood floors gives this tiny place a lot of character. Though I am sure there was much more to this place than what I saw, it was cozy and cute. The staff was friendly and attentive.  The drinks are moderately priced for a bar in Ann Arbor.  We munched on Sweet Potato chips which were interesting and tasty. 

It was a pleasant visit.
1 - Kevin S.: Ordered chicken nachos and they came to me ice cold. I asked her for new ones and she gave me reheated ones with the sour cream I put on it. I'm so mad. Laurie was not helpful.
3 - Mikey K.: This place could be 4 stars, but the staff needs some work on their etiquette.

I've had several of their items on the menu and they've just been alright..  And it changes daily.  The regular menu has several items that they always serve.  And I suppose I've only scarfed it down like an animal because of the beverages already in me.  Seriously nothing special.  Something is lacking.  Maybe seasoning? Drinks can be strong depending on who the bartender is.

However, with all that said....I still find it to be scary and a very cold experience dealing with them.  Erin was the best ever of their staff, but alas she's no longer there.  

Lots of (old) art work to gawk at, and I suppose even some of the clientele.

I swear though, I always get anxiety walking into this place not knowing what level of service I'm going to get.  They need to be retrained in customer service.  Sorry.
4 - Jessica K.: Someone asked me recently how aut bar was, and I'll stand by this statement: aut bar has amazing desserts. Really. They do. I go here for lunch and drinks as well, but I cannot get over how much I love the dessert menu.

One star off for the occasional server insensitivity, but that's no big deal really. The food & atmosphere makes up for it.

That being said, the bartenders are awesome and I haven't yet found a drink they can't make.

Authentic Art Studio - Ann Arbor Charter Township, MI (42.2794085, -83.7427388) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - Laura M.: Great shop filled with amazing staff and pure creativity. Very clean, good prices. Definitely recommend to friends, family, or anyone else looking to express themselves thru ink. Can't stress enough the amazing quality of work and staff interactions, bravo!!!
5 - Ana T.: This review is actually for my mother. She is a 52 year old suburban woman who got her first tattoo here recently and from what she has told me it was an extremely pleasant experience and the place was very clean and the staff was very friendly. Plus since she went through with it there that means she wasn't intimidated and that means a lot to a first time tattoo getter.

The fact that my mom even got a tattoo is perplexing enough to me (trust me if you knew her..) but I thought I had to give this place mad props if my mom approves of it. haha. Plus now she can never get mad at me for getting more tattoos! :)
5 - Lauren S.: Authentic Art is great.  I went there for my third tattoo earlier this week and it was by far my favorite tattooing experience. I would definitely go back.

First off, these guys have a very clear idea of what they believe the process and experience of getting a tattoo should be. They definitely work with you, not just tell you what they want to do or what they think would look best (something I saw with previous tattoo artists, where I always felt like I had to be prepared to be 'stern' if I wanted something in particular). This is not to say they don't give advice or their professional opinions, they just do it in a much more conversational manner. And I'm sure Cory (the artist) would *happily* draw it out a million times to get it right if he had to!

The people were great, and they knew their stuff. The place was clean, and the tattoo care product they sell (H2Ocean) is also good stuff.

Perhaps most importantly- the tattoo turned out really well. Granted it's just script, it was very small and in a strange spot (across my heel, over the achilles). Cory did it perfectly, it was exactly what I wanted.  On top of that, they charged me a very fair price.

Authentix Sneaker & Clothing Boutique - Claremont, CA (34.0954206, -117.7164336) ()
5 - Jerald S.: One of my favorite boutique's out here in the IE. They carry a wide variety of brands as noted by Toby C. They get a lot of the limited Nike releases without having to drive all the way out to LA. Really great staff easy to talk to and always willing to help out. Always have little sales on there tee's. Great people definitely always try and swing by once a month just to check what they have.
5 - Tom S.: Great selection, friendly people, and a dog too. Always enjoy swinging by to see what they've got (shoes, shirts, sweatshirts, some other stuff too).
5 - David L.: I love this store and the atmosphere.  The workers are friendly and down to earth.  The store has great selection of shoes and clothing and I shopped here 3 times already.  This place is freaking awesome!
5 - Kiki D.: I love this store its just not in the right town..sometimes they may be low on clothing but they make up for that with the many shoe selections.

Auto Effects - College Park, MD (39.011493, -76.929183) ()
4 - DON C.: I am going to be straight and to the point with this one!   

This place provided an excellent service for my car needs. Got a flat one day and needed a new..."matching" tire for my whip!  The tires I currently have on the car are very rare and hard to find..  They were not only able to locate the same sports tire, but at a cheaper price than what I found online!  Mind you...I spent half a day searching online for the same exact tire....because I am very anal like that!  Beside that point...they had the tire delivered to them in a day and mounted/replace the tire for the cheapest price in the DMV!  Check them out for yourselves....Oh!!  And if you have the need to ride dirty...LOL!!....They got the best rims, tint, kits and car accessories!  Pz!!!
5 - Jay C.: This place is able to provide hard to find tires at the BEST price in the area.  I usually got high performance Nitto tires, and was able to get them mounted and balanced cheaper than any other local store or online shop.  The guys are really friendly also.  If you call them in the morning they'll get the tire for you the same day.  Great place for tires.

Also if you need rims, they have a decent selection on hand as well.  And you can always work out a good price with them.  If I was disciplined enough to maintain chrome, I would have been able to get a chrome set of stock rims for cheaper than replacement stock rims bought online.

Auto Express - Amherst, MA (42.372361, -72.500829) ()
5 - April G.: I just moved to the area and brought my car to Auto Express on the recommendation of my landlord. I was not disappointed! 

Auto Express is family-owned, and everyone I talked to was very nice and helpful. I needed a belt replaced and they did it quickly and inexpensively. I brought my car back later to be inspected for my registration, and that was great too! I'm so glad to have found a good repair shop so quickly.
4 - Darci C.: This is good option if you need to get your car inspected.  The wait time was reasonable (about 20 minutes) and you get to sit in a rather nice seating area.  The price was affordable ($29).  And the staff were nice.  The place looked like a chain but felt like a family business.
3 - Chris W.: Had an inspection done here a few day ago. I gave it 3 stars because of the waiting room. Comfy chairs, big TV, good reading material, coffee and water.
However.... do not get an inspection if your car is older than 3-4 years and may a problem. They will fail it make you buy a part and have them fix it. I took my 98 firebrid here a few years back and they said my high beam was out and couldnt let me leave unless it was fixed???? I ve had that car inspected with no high beam several times else where with no problem. my fault but still...
They also scraped my moms car on the side of the garage backing it out.
4 - Carol S.: Our family has taken 3 vehicles here for inspections in the past year. All three passed without any problems and the cars range in age from 14 years old to 2 years old. There was not a long wait, the waiting room was very nice and the people who work there were pleasant. As for the guy who said he took his car there a few years ago for inspection and had issues, I think he' s got the wrong place because this place has only been open about 2 years. I've had an oil change here as well and all went fine. Definitely plan to go back here regularly. Giving it a 4 star -- reserving the 5th star for after I've had a few more visits.
5 - Lara K.: Ive been going to this place for a couple of years for all my car needs, inspection, oil changes and other maintenance as well as one repair where the alternator needed to be replaced. 

I find them fair, honest and dependable. I usually go there straight after work and the wait has never been anything to complain about, I like that they are open extended hours on some days. They are quick and always do a good decent job.  Im the biggest sceptic out there, specially when it comes to car stuff, but I trust them 100% with my car and know that they will give me a fair price.

I give them my highest recommendations.

Auto Glass Outlet - Hyattsville, MD (38.949476, -76.939406) ()
5 - Chris P.: My 2009 Subaru was broken into on a Saturday night in Adams Morgan. Finding it in this state on Sunday morning on Labor Day Weekend. Auto Glass Outlet was open, though they didn't have the part, but the guy in the shop called around to friends at other non-affiliated shops and found a shop in Fairfax that was open on Sunday and had the correct replacement window.

Above and beyond.
4 - Summer S.: I needed my front passenger side window replaced after some fool broke into my car. After calling around for quotes from all of the major chains and a repair guy my Mom always goes to, I went with Auto Glass Outlet. Auto Glass Outlet offered the best price, same day service, and were willing to come to my condo and put in the new window while I played xbox at home. The repairman that came didn't speak perfect English but it wasn't a barrier to him doing a great job vacuuming up all the glass and putting the new window in.
4 - Eunice F.: needed to replace my jeep liberty windshield, called in the morning, the receptionist on the phone was great, they honored the yelp $10 off coupon, had the item in stock and sent their mobile team out the same today to do the install.  (no additional fees for the mobile team to come to you) Relatively quick and painless process. I would recommend them to other people to use if they ever needed their services :)

Auto Glass Wiz - Los Angeles, CA (34.0295114, -118.2848199) (South Los Angeles)
5 - Jason C.: Adam is the best in the business, Kind, and super friendly, punctual, and super fast. Very competitive on price, I mean super low price and great factory quality parts and installation. I did not even have to leave my house he came over and did it in my driveway at my house.

He stayed and taught me how to care for my new windshield, HE cleaned and polished it perfect even put back the little oil change reminder at xxx,xxx miles.
I would recommend him to everyone I see that needs auto  glass work done.

Thanks Adam you rock man.

Jason Chase
5 - Ray C.: Adam is the best. He is the kind of guy you would want your sister to date. Stay away from mission row and those low ball installers who are not concerned about your safety. Adam strips all the old stuff away, puts adhesive all around the way you are supposed to and he does it expertly. Adam deserves your business and will have mine from now on. Best price, awesome service and nice guy.
5 - Antonio G.: Adam services are excellent, contact him in the morning around 9am, and by 1pm he already showed up as he said he will be. Very professional, good price. And the best of all he's service are great if you have any questions, you get an answer from him.
Highly recomended!

Auto Logic - Carrboro, NC (35.910263, -79.074691) ()
5 - Wendy T.: If you're like me - a girl with absolutely zero automotive logic and thus easily separated from her hard earned Gs by random "issues" less than reputable  mechanics "discover" - save yourself from your plight by coming to Autologic! The mechanic, Gene, will explain everything to you in detail so that you actually understand what is wrong with your car, explain your options, and prioritize what problems need to be fixed now, and what problems are coming in the future. While it still cost me a lot to get my car tuned up (probably because it's a 13 year old Camry that didn't get the best of maintenance/tuneups and had some major issues) I have a feeling the prices are pretty fair. I had good service all around - from the ladies up front who asked me all the details of my car problems, to the various mechanics. They're a business that have earned my trust - I definitely recommend them!
5 - sam l.: I no longer live in Chapel Hill, and I really miss these guys. I fully trust their work and diagnoses. My old Toyota had an acceleration problem that other mechanics couldn't diagnosis. Auto Logic quickly discovered the problem and replaced the ignition coils quickly and not too expensively.
5 - Hoa N.: Found this establishment through car talk in NPR.  After reading the review, I decided to take my car for oil change.  And I am very satisfied with the service.  I also had a check-up and a subsequent oil change after that. 
They provide good services.  (I've been to another recommended garage in the area but the service was okie... I didn't find they were very friendly there).  This place reminds me of my other mechanic Kaloci & Son who is so honest and friendly.  
Although it's a little more expensive than others (but I didn't think it was much much more), it's totally worth the price.  You don't have to worry about whether the leaking oil or unnecessary repair. 
I even talked to one of the customers while I was waiting there and he said he had been coming here for 15 years and trusted these technicians.
I would recommend this place if you would like to have reliable people working on your car.  They are flexible with the scheduling as well.  Just call to make an appointment.  Because they are busy, sometimes walk-in might not be the best way.
5 - David M.: I have brought a variety of cars to Gene, Coleman, and the guys for almost 20 years now. Never have I felt ripped off, confused, or even had a second guess about their explanations, advice, or work. This is what all shops should be like.
5 - Vivian O.: I've been taking our cars there for quite a few years.  I buy used cars off of Craig's List for the whole family and take them to Auto Logic to check out before I buy.  Well worth it since they told me not to buy some of the cars.  I often get oil changes elsewhere just because I don't want to schedule it and deal with the hassle of getting it there.  Anything major that needs to be done, I take it there.  Excellent service, people who remember you and know your car.  Honest and trustworthy.
4 - Matt M.: i've been taking my audi's here for awhile. Bo, and the gang remember my name. I'm not a car guy. so i'm a little nervous when i take something in. the last "engine light" cost me 650 dollars. yikes. That's 3 car payments. Am i getting um radiator "hosed" not sure, but these guys are the nicest friendliest mechanic shop around. 

I had some tire needs and they sent me to one person. "they only guy we trust"

I also left my car there for a few days while I was out of town, no phone calls. they knew I'd come get.

Essentially i do business with them b/c they have great magazines like National Geographic, NC Business, in the waiting room and my Malcolm Gladwell inspired "BLINK" is set to, "these folks are OK"
5 - Jeff B.: This is one of those places that I am afraid to give a good review because I don't want a bunch more people going there ;)  This is hands-down the best auto shop I've ever been involved with.  I've been taking both family cars here exclusively for the last 4 years and couldn't be happier.  Why?  Simple reasons:

PROS:
- mechanics work on salary; not comission (so they don't try to find things wrong with your car, or jerk you around with labor fees)
- front office staff is friendly, helpful, thorough, and always let you know the deal
- certifications and experience:  most mechanics are master ASE certified and specialize in only a few makes of vehicle
- if you spend as much $$ as I have there you get a free t-shirt!

CONS:
- you get what you pay for; these guys are experts and get paid a salary, but its not the cheapest place.  Then again if you get ripped off somewhere else, was the price worth it?
- they are busy, because they are good.  It can be inconvenient to wait until 5:30pm to get a call that your vehicle is ready
- not really a con, but a caveat - they only work on imports; no domestic cars

take away - this place is awesome; get towed here if you break down, or come here for regular maintenance.  I have never felt uneasy about this place and the staff is genuine and trustworthy.
1 - Tony P.: I'm really disappointed with my experience here.  After  noticing a   valve issue with my Nissan, I spoke with two different employees of Autologic to try and get a quote. When speaking with their 'Nissan expert' he informed me that the only way to get a quote from them was to get a $100 troubleshooting session.

I appreciate their 'thoroughness' but what I don't appreciate is how the most common problem in a high mileage Nissan KA24 engine is a worn timing chain, and this didn't seem to come to mind when I was describing the valve issue (which is a symptom of a worn timing chain). For reference on how prevalent this issue is, it is literally listed on the wikipedia page for the 90's nissan pickup truck. 

All in all, I ended up with a $100 price tag for a diagnosis that Wikipedia can give you for free. Replacing the timing chain was quoted at $1900, which is about the blue book value of my car, so I'm obviously not going to be doing business here. 

I understand that this place is trying to make it just like every other business, but you won't get any nice gestures or advice from these guys unless you want to fork over $100. That doesn't sound like the 'honest' garage that they try to sell themselves as.
4 - Paige T.: I recently had to get one of my hubcaps replaced on my Toyota.  This was, ugh, a very overdue chore.  I had heard really good things about Auto Logic, so I just popped in one day to see about a cap and the gentleman who helped me was super friendly.  He took off one of my other caps to find a special number, called it in and got me a ridiculously expensive quote from Toyota very quickly.  He referred my to Hubcap Annie's in Raleigh just to see if they had a match and to do a price comparison.  I thought this was nice and helpful. We bantered about how totally crappy the hubcaps seemed, how, since I lost mine, I've seen about a gazillion other Toyota's missing one or more hubcaps and he said something like, yes, well, that is because they are crappy.  They fall off, then you have to pay almost $100 for a replacement.  Unfortunately, Hubcap Annie's did not have a match for me, but the man on the phone did offer me a mismatched set for super cheap.  Um, no thanks, sir.  I'd rather go sans a cap then have them mismatched, I think.  Anyhow, I put in an order at Auto Logic and a couple of days later I went in and purchased my overpriced cap.  The friendly employee (wish I could remember his name)  and I joked that it was really the fancy bag that the hubcap came in that I paid for-- oy, what a scam!  Anyhow, I had a very positive experience with Auto Logic, even though it was just for a hubcap.
4 - Mike O.: Dropped my car off here for an oil change and coolant top-off. It probably took an hour and a half. Now, I know I could go to a Jiffy Lube and get it done in 20 minutes, but I know that these guys are going to take good care of me. I'm going to pay more, but they are also going diagnose any other issues with my car that might arise WITHOUT trying to twist your arm into making some sort of pricey fix on your vehicle that you weren't expecting. I would give it five stars if they had cut a half an hour off my time. It took about 20 minutes to do the paperwork, which seemed a little excessive. However, I'm going to these guys for forever whilst I'm in the 'boro.

Auto Pride Car Wash - Palo Alto, CA (37.438785, -122.161031) ()
4 - kalani O.: A good wash at a good price. Hand washed and they offer the outside only for about six bucks, takes about five minutes. Some of the chicks that work there are hot so I give them an extra star on that alone.
5 - Jared M.: I read the reviews before going to this place, so was a little skeptical, but they performed the express detail really well on my sports car convertible and were polite. I was comparing these guys to a very snazzy place in newport beach that I thought couldn't be beat, but these guys did just as good a job.
3 - Audrey B.: This is an OK car wash - nothing really greater than any other car wash I've ever been to. Of course I've only ever had the most basic wash so it could be that they're good at all that special other stuff that you can get. I think they're a tad pricey - basic wash is 13.95 - but they try to be fast about it. I also like the bench they have under the trees that you can sit on while you wait.....
3 - Scott M.: I regularly visit this car wash (usually once a week, a little less frequently over the winter) and I have to say that out of all of the car washes I have been to these guys do the best job.

That doesn't mean I am 100% satisfied, however.  They are somewhat careless and their attention to detail leaves something to be desired.  On many occasions I have had to point out areas of the car where they just didn't clean when they should have.  They often miss lots of stuff on the windshield that should be obvious.

One time when I had them wax my then-new car I spent another 15 minutes there with them after they said it was "done", pointing out the areas where they had left wax all over the finish of the car.  It was all over the black rubber moldings and stripping, and I had to come back 2 or 3 more times pointing out areas with excess wax remaining.

It's these types of things that have led me to try other shops, like Lozono's, but they aren't any better, and they don't actually hand-wash there, either.  Lozano's also uses cloths that leave behind lint all over your paint and windshield.
2 - Lar Z.: This is the best car wash I have found on the peninsula.  As the previous posters said, they do miss a lot of stuff.  The attention to detail is not that good.  But like I said, it is the best car wash I have found in the south bay area.  I wish I could find a true full service car wash like they have in LA and Orange Counties, where you drop your car off, have lunch and come back to a car that looks like it is brand new.  I just haven't found that in the bay area for any price.
4 - Derek H.: They do a really good job if you get the full works done. But before you leave make sure they get all the wax off. Also the woman you pay inside isn't very nice. But your car comes out all pretty!
5 - Sandy P.: Wow...They really do a MUCH nicer job than Lazano!
Perhaps the difference was that I went to Lazano on a weekend whereas I showed up at Auto Pride in the middle of a weekday afternoon. There were only 5 other cars being serviced and the end result was pretty incredible. It was very very clean. I will continue to go back to them for sure.
4 - Greg S.: Closer than Lozano's, about the same quality.

My car was incredibly dirty (hadn't been washed in ... far too long). There were two bits of dirt/gunk on the car which came off with 5 seconds of finger rubbing. Didn't mention it, because besides that, the car was surprisingly clean. I actually expected there to be enough problems I'd have to send it back.

Did mention that the guys vacuuming my car hadn't gotten part of the floor very well. As expected, the guy waiting with the car barely understood English. Gave up after he barely understood & didn't care. (Never been to a car wash that actually had people who clearly understood and wanted everything to be perfect. This is why I prefer to wash it myself... if I could just find a @%@%%@ place to do so in Stanford/Palo Alto!)

A bit more expensive than Lozano's, but closer.
Like Lozano's, BRING A COUPON, you'll save $4 (out of 15, I think).
1 - M. K.: I told them to just wash the outside.  I said "DO NOT vacuum the interior" 3 times to the guy checking the cars in and he said "OK" every time.  I went in to pay the bill, came out and sure enough 3 guys are vacuuming the interior of my car!
After the wash I drove away and realized my bluetooth earpiece had been stolen!  Sure I shouldn't have left it in the car but that doesn't give them the right to steal it either.  I would have called in to report it but I know they wouldn't do anything.  The manager barely speaks english.
3 - Annalynn C.: When I'm too lazy to wash my car myself, I take it to Auto Pride.  They do a decent job.  I wouldn't trust them to detail my car, however.  I don't think they pay enough attention to detail to get the job done properly.  

If you want your car washed and vacuumed, and you're too lazy to do it yourself, be like me and head over to Auto Pride when you're in PA.
3 - Marc B.: This place is about a step up from the Shell gas station drive through--nothing special, but it's convenient and you get what you pay for.  For about $19 + tip you get a standard wash plus a decent attempt at shampooing your carpets.  I always do a walk around after they're finished and nine times out of ten I find dirt that is easily removed with a bit more attention.  Needless to say, there is little attention to detail.  

If you drive a nice car and care about your paint job, I would not recommend coming here.  I'd recommend AJs in San Jose. You can get a hand wash for $25 or a decent express wax for $50 and the quality is excellent.  Only downside is the drive down there is a pain in the ass if you're in PA.
4 - Alice W.: I have been going to Auto Pride Car Wash once every two months for the past three years. Each time I ask for the Platinum or Gold treatments, the most expensive and all inclusive (~$25-$30).
 
I give them 5 full stars Monday-to-Friday, and 3 minus during the weekends. Indeed if they have time in their  hands, they really do a thorough job; but if the place is crowded, as it always is on Saturday and Sunday, they rush and don't pay attention to the little details that you pay so abundantly for.

Bottom line is, go to Auto Pride early during the weekdays and you'll be happy. Absolutely avoid the weekends, or you'll pay the same amount for a treatment that is only half as good.
2 - Meagan H.: Yesterday, getting a car wash was on my to-do list. So I yelped car washes in the area, and they all seemed to have pretty average ratings. This one just happens to be the closest to work for me. So I decided to give it a chance and hope I had a better experience then most. 

I thought it a good sign when I was one of only 5 or so people (wouldn't have to wait too long). They have a decent waiting area with free coffee that I did not try.  Well, turns out I was right. I didn't have to wait that long b/c they don't do much cleaning. 

I effectively paid these people $20 for them to drive it through an exterior wash (could do that at Shell for $8) and then rub a towel haphazardly around the inside for 2-3 minutes. 

Complaints: 
- My floor mats (which are rubber and SUPER EASY to clean) were still filthy. I have only had the floor mats for 2 weeks... so you know they couldn't have been that bad to start with. 
- My windshield still had rain drop marks, bug guts, and finger prints. These are not hard things to clean!! 
- They left my receipt taped to the side of my car flapping in the wind. 
- My car door handle had a little bit of bird poop on it... I honestly don't even think it was there when I dropped the car off. Is it possible I actually paid them to make my car even dirtier? 

Shame on me for driving away without saying "hey- you didn't clean my windshield or floor mats!", but I am a bit of a pushover I guess. Save your money, go elsewhere.
3 - Bradley N.: This place deserves a little more respect than 2 stars. They wash your cars, for goodness sake! The gift shop is clean, ditto the bathrooms, the waiting area is nice, there is free coffee, the prices are fair, and the service is fast, efficient, and professional. What more do you want? And don't forget to tip the staff here - they are surviving on minimum wage or less, I suspect. Loosen up, yelpers!
2 - Jaime L.: This place is hit-or-miss, and unfortunately, mostly miss for me.  I'm not sure I can recall a time when I've been completely satisfied with their work.  In my experience, they always miss one or more of the following: rain drops or dirt on windows, side mirrors, leaving a rag on top of my car.  They also were a bit too rough once and chipped my door handle.  I've never had any questionable experiences at Lozano, and even though Auto Pride is less than 1 mile from home, I prefer to go to Lozano for my car washing needs - can't say no to free, yummy popcorn!
2 - Captain H.: Poor service, high prices, don't even dry the car properly.  Go to Lozanos, instead.
1 - Jeremy G.: The stole my money (half roll of quarters) and didn't wash my wheels fully (even though I paid for the most expensive Platinum package that includes wheel cleaning) and overall poor job.  Very dissappointed.  Will never go back.
3 - Andrew W.: Pretty much on par with any other car wash... though it is "all hand". Meaning they power spray and then hand soap/scrub your car before going through the mystery tunnel (lol). All in all, I got the exterior only for $8.99 and was in and out in 15 minutes.

Overall quality was to be expected with the detailed spots not entirely clean.  Wheels (mine are mesh/multispoke) are harder to clean, but they did a pretty good job. 

Bottom line: I need a wash BAD and it did the job. If i want a full detail, I'd go to a real detail shop.
1 - Gina R.: I really only write reviews on Yelp when I feel strongly about my experience somewhere. I have never given 1 star, but this place did not impress me at all.  The 1 star is for cleanliness, I will hand them that.  I wish I would have driven to Harvs, or even Lozanos, rather than saving the 10 extra minutes on El Camino. They were quick, BUT I would rather have a clean car (which was why I obviously went) rather than be done super fast.  

Unfortunately, from the moment I drove in the experience began to be a negative one for me.  The way the property is laid out is not the most convenient, so I was immediately greeted with a car coming in to get washed from the right, and a car that had already been clean from my left.  Too much reverse and forward action for my liking.  Once I finally got to the front, I left the trunk open to be vacuumed out, and they didn't touch it.  I was shocked.  I only noticed when I got home unfortunately because the trunk was closed when I got the car.  I have a new car that I keep pretty good care of, and this is the first time I have paid for a wash and have still seen dirt, etc. on the carpets.  I was a bit confused by this, because the mats were obviously taken out, as I noticed they were not put in right at all.  Why take them out if you are not going to vacuum properly?

I just did not have a good experience at this place, and it is a bit higher priced than I like to pay, especially when the service is just not that great.  I did go on a Saturday, and it was very busy.  I am sure that my experience may have been better a different day, but overall I am sorry to say ... 1 star.
5 - Katie T.: I wish I could give them 10 stars. I brought my car in for a wash, but I'm selling it so I really wanted to get it detailed. They convinced me to get it detailed (and gave me a discount!) but I was skeptical because of the reviews. When I came back, not only did it literally look like a BRAND NEW CAR, they had fixed the trunk latch, which had been broken for 2 years. Now I don't have to take it to the mechanic. The literally saved me major money. This is a great place.
3 - Thighmaster M.: Our closest car wash so we use it. Most of the time it is good enough. About 1 out of 4 washes they do a lousy job on either the wheels, the console or the main windshield. And if you're just back from a camping trip with a pretty gnarly vehicle, don't expect much. Good enough for $18.
2 - Melissa B.: I've been to Auto Pride in Palo Alto several times. Although I've never been thrilled and thought the prices were high, I've continued to go because it's much closer than Lozano's - never again.

I got the "Silver" service which is $18.99 and paid an additional $4 to wash the mats. It was a sunny Saturday afternoon, but it wasn't very busy (3 cars ahead of us total). My daughter and I went into the gift shop/cashier area and spent at least 10 minutes looking at cards. They do have a great card selection (I bought 2) and I know from experience they aren't fast so I wasn't worried the car might be ready while we were in there. When we finally paid and went outside, my car wasn't even through the wash yet!! It took another 5 minutes for my car to exit the washer and another 10 before it was "ready." I watched from a distance as someone brought my mats over and someone else made a half-hearted attempt to dry them off. I was sure I must be mistaken - they SURELY weren't putting my mats back into my car WET?!? But yes, they were. The guy who was handing my car over to me offered to take them back out and dry them, but by then I was running late so I just pulled them out and put them into the back (I have a hard plastic mat covering the back floor of my Audi Q7) and said I'd put them in the sun at home to dry.

The car was cleaner than when I went in, but I would call the job only fair. It wasn't dry and there are now water spots on the sides and hood and the dash or console looked identical to the way it did before the "wash." Overall it was a very disappointing way to spend $25. 

One star for the wash; one for the pleasant staff and the great gift shop  (picked up 2 cards while we were theres). From now on I'll take the time to go down to Lozano's. They do a much better job for much less $$ and since they're much faster it will probably take the same amount of time.
3 - Alissa S.: Totally decent carwash if you aren't a whiny high maintenance person with a fancy car. If you have a normal car and it needs washing, you can take it here, no problem. and they vacuum the interior. And they have coupons on their website to get the silver package for cheaper than the basic package, so look for that.
3 - Emily G.: Meh, they were just okay.  Fast, efficient and quick, but they missed quite a few spots on the car, and they were just bird droppings!  Nothing special for a car, right?  Also, they did the inside and missed places on the windshield that needed cleaning.

Shampooing of the rugs and vacuuming were what saved this place from me giving them 2 stars.  They were definitely a-okay in that area.
2 - Anne R.: Great place for a plain old car wash, I have a pretty wide car and no problems with them knocking off my mirrors, usually a pretty good job and they vacuum too.  Dont let they con you into paying for a wax though.  $50+ and you dont even get a proper buff, surface ends up rough and looking exactly like it did after a wash.  Even with the guy waxing my car by hand, they still missed the bird poo on my windsheild wiper.
1 - Lisa B.: Is there an option for no stars?  Attendant said the crack halfway through my window was there previously....really?  I think I would have noticed that myself?  Also, the dirt that I rubbed off with my finger in front of the manager, was "oxidation?". Really?

The manager offered to take it off....and when I came back he told me he had to use 'extra strong soap" to take it off...

I am so disappointed that not only they lied to my face, I wasted 20 dollars to have them try and take advantage of me....thinking I don't know what oxidation is because they are lazy...

Also the discount I rightfully asked for at the cashier?  She replied..."it's only a dollar....". I don't know how much she makes, but what a complete idiot!  Thank goodness for Yelp...this place is awful, has always been awful, and I will tell everyone I know and have them pass it on, that this place is not respectable, is crooked, and does not do a thorough job.  

They even had the balls to keep my two dollar tip saying something about "it's in the box..can't take it out!". 

What a terrible experience...please do not waste your time for a crappy job and sketchy workers!
3 - Steve F.: They are okay-our usual go-to place for a car wash. As others noted, it's worth doing a walk-around when they are done to see if they missed any spots, but I've never had the slightest complaint when I've pointed out a problem.

Reliable. Not spectacular, not awful, but reliable.
3 - Deya B.: Overall I've been to better carwashes but i did have them touch up some spots they missed and jerry was awesome! He apologized like three times and got every last spot! He was really awesome and genuinely wanted to make my experience as pleasant as possible! So will I return? Because of Jerrys customer service yes!
4 - Athena S.: Fast hand wash considering a crazy line on a sunny Saturday.

Good job, I'd return.

Very efficient, hard working staff worth the tip I left
2 - Kelsey S.: I was in the area and needed a wash. When they were done I noticed lots of dirt on the roof still so they sent it back. It's almost as if they were just waiting to see if I noticed. When it was ready again, there were still small specs of dirt on the roof and hood. The guy helping me gladly kept going but there was a lot to do. The vinyl surfaces inside weren't eve wiped down or the rear mat. I just gave up pointing things out to fix after a while. I can't recommend the place. For some reason the employees are not motivated here like they are other places, even Santa Cruz.
2 - melanie l.: Came here last week since it's right down the street from where I work.  The prices are about average compared to other car washes I've been to and it wasn't too busy, I think I know why.

CONS: Even after my car went through the wash and was dried by the employees, it still had a nice sized bird 'dropping' down the back side of it.  NICE!!
I didn't get the air freshener that I asked for either. BOOOOOOOOOO!  I was so looking forward to my pina colada. 

PRO: They were thorough about vacuuming it.

Would I go back, ummmmm . . . NO!!  My kids could have done a better job!  Ha, ha!
4 - Christine P.: Not "the" best car wash I get but does a pretty good job. Normally a 3-star but I'll add another one because they have such a good selection of cook books in the gift shop, offers complimentary coffee, and there are $4 off coupons online. It's quick and very close to work. Not bad!
1 - Paul P.: Absolute WORST car wash known to man kind.  

Took in my car this morning and wasn't satisfied with ANYTHING.  After they 'washed' my car, my car was STILL dirty both inside and out.

You are better off speeding down the highway and letting the wind 'wash' your car compared to this crappy business.

There is no attention to detail, they don't care for your car and simply try to get it out as fast as possible, which sacrifices the quality of the wash.  This place needs to go out of business.  If I could award them a 'worst car wash' award, I'd give them 10 of these.

DO NOT TAKE YOUR CAR HERE AND STAY AWAY AS FAR AS POSSIBLE.
2 - Gangi I.: Expensive and mediocre cleaning. I asked for the $15.99 hand wash that includes windows and dash. They then asked if I wanted my door arm rests cleaned - and said that would cost another $6.99!  The old bait and switch. When they were done, the interior was cleaner, but certainly not done with care; same for the exterior. At least it was pretty fast.
3 - Matthew C.: Good service, but check their work. Don't be afraid to give the car a good once over before driving off... they are always happy to fix anything they have missed.

I have a big problem with their reward system. I buy nothing but their "platinum" package every time I go... when I get to my 10th wash, instead of giving me a platinum, they give me the standard for free. What a jip! If they ever fixed that, I would increase my star rating.
1 - Karen W.: One star for their card collection where you pay. Otherwise, don't go here!

I needed an exterior/interior wash. The guy touched the hood and said I'd need extra service done to get it clean. (I should've turned around at this point.) He wanted 35-40 minutes. I said no, so he talked me into whatever an "Express Extra" was. $26 later, I had a car that I needed to look thoroughly over (wish I had read Matthew's post earlier). I had to ask to have black grease smudges removed (that weren't there before).

After I drove away, I had to return to have them clean the front windshield again throughly; there were still spots all over and the side mirror had a big black grease smudge across it. When my daughter hopped in the car later, she commented that I didn't get the interior cleaned at all. Now there's an objective observer!

I grew up in a service business, and this is not what I'd call "service!"
2 - Saliha B.: I guess it's not bad for what they do - which isn't much. 

The basic interior/exterior wash is 15.99 here. I thought they would do a better job if I got the more expensive one for 26.99 so I got that but no it was all the same quick, crappy work that they were doing to everyone's car. They're all about getting your car cleaned quickly here, which is fine if you want an overall clean look, but if you look closely at any part of your car you'll realize it's really still got a layer of grime left. Now I know the 'quality' level of their work so I'll come here with lower expectations next time. I.e. if I just want a general quick wash and vacuum and then I'll just detail the interior/exterior myself. Ultimately I'll do a better job than anything they could probably do even if I did pay for them to detail it.
1 - m l.: Just brought our new car for it's first wash. Will be hand washing from now on. The car has a digital transmission and the guys at the car wash didn't put it in neutral correctly. Now there is a clunk in the front right of the car. This is going to be the most expensive car wash on the planet! Seriously?!!  attn Mercedes drivers, don't bring your car here.
2 - Sal E.: The signage is attractive, "%100 hand wash $8.99". I upgraded $1.00 for Clear Coat.

There are two guys who slap and swish some soap inconsistantly on the car. Then you dive through spaying soap, the guys come back for another 30 second swish around and then you drive through a rinse and then a dryer.

Is anyone surprised that my car was still dirty?? I wasn't. They have a poster up behind the register stating a 48 hour warantee. No need to wait for more than 48 seconds.

Needless to say I pointed out a bunch of dirt spots left behind that I could rub off with my finger and the man who took greeted and took the money reluctantly let me drive through a second time. He unfortunately reset the 2nd wash for a regular wash (no deluxe clear coat upgrade) which makes me wonder if the 1st application of clear coat was washed off in the 2nd regular was but I was done with spending my time so I left.

To be honest they should change the signage to %75 hand wash!!
3 - Joanna P.: They do a decent basic car wash, but are not detail oriented.  I recently asked for the "Gold" package which includes car mat shampoo because a box I had carried in my back seat had left some powder on the mats.  When I got the car back it looked decent on the outside, but when I got it home I noticed the powder was still there in the back seat, there were multiple spots on the outside that had not been cleaned including bird poop, and the cup holders were just as dirty as before the cleaning.  The people there are friendly though and relatively quick, but the job was not done very well for the price.
3 - D K.: the basic car wash is what it's named after. for me it  is in a convenient location and they are usually fast. Since I drive a family car and only get here when it is needed I can always see a significant improvement to the before status.
So if you need a basic car wash I think they do a pretty good job.
3 - Renae H.: Fast, efficient and cheaper than most of the other options within reasonable lunch break driving distance. No, it's not perfect, but it's good enough, especially for the price point.  

There were some spots I had to clean up  on the hood, which is minorly annoying, but they did a really good job on the windows (I hate it when you drive off only to notice that the windows are all streaky).  Will probably continue to take my car here when I just need a layer of grime washed off and go elsewhere when I'm in the mood for a nice detail.

Don't forget to visit their website and print your $4 off coupon!
1 - Susan H.: I paid for the service to have the inside of my car cleaned and it reasonably took an hour.  I tipped an extra 10 bucks.  The guy kept looking back at me as I backed up to drive away.  I thought maybe he didn't like his tip.  When I got home I realized he had snagged my gold dangle earrings which I left in the ashtray!.  The owner could have cared less when I called in to report the looter!
5 - Matt L.: Legit... Fast, clean, professional. literally 25 minute turnaround w/ wax! Obviously it was a mellow afternoon.
5 - Sarah Y.: after giving up on Lozano's car wash in Mtn View, I tried this place (which is actually closer to home for me anyway). Had a much better experience here! $15 for exterior and interior clean, (they also have $9 exterior only). no wait, really fast, great job on clean. it was smaller and easier to talk to the people to tell them what you wanted, vs at Lozano's where it's a zoo and you can't even explain what you want. this will be my new spot!
4 - Johan J.: I always takes my cars here and I have no reason not to. I have the same routine every time: leave the car, walk to nearby Pete's Coffee, grab a latte and then back to pick up the car. Service and the result are great and they have good through put even when it is busy.
5 - Rachel H.: I went yesterday for the first time (after having printed out my $4 off coupon from their website thanks to a tip from another Yelper) and it was incredible! Such fast (and friendly!) service and my car looked flawless. They even touched up an area that I pointed out when I arrived saying it needed extra scrubbing since something had spilled. They close at 6pm and I highly recommend going at 5:30pm - my car got so much love from all of the employees since there weren't many other cars. I'm definitely coming back here - it is my new go-to carwash after having been disappointed at a big and popular car wash in Mountain View.
2 - Sherry G.: I used to be religious about this place. Always counted on a great car wash for under $20 for inside and out clean. 

The past 2 times I used their service I left feeling my car was still dirty. The first time I got the Silver wash which cleans interior and exterior, wheels. However they barely wiped my car down on the inside. There was still dust but now it was mushed around the crevices. I thought maybe it was just a fluke so I went back yesterday for just an exterior wash. I drove off trusting that they do the nice job I've always had in the past but when I made my next stop realized that my wheels were still dirty. 

I went during Tuesday around 3pm so it wasn't even busy. Really disappointed and don't think I'll be back anytime soon.
4 - Adrienne M.: I brought my car here for a wash after it got filthy in the parking lot at Shoreline Amphitheatre.  The wash was cheap, fast, and satisfactory and the location adjacent to the Town & Country shopping center is ideal.   

I had the basic exterior wash ($8.99) and paid an additional $1 for wax.  It seems like a good price to me, but I'm not an expert.  The location is extremely convenient.  I went to run some errands at CVS and by the time I got back my car was done.  The car looks much better, and since the main thing I wanted was to get all the dust and dirt off, I'm satisfied.  I will say there are still some spots on the windows, so its not perfect.  If you are obsessed with your car, this is probably not the place to go, but if you just want your car to be less filthy, it serves that purpose well.  The guys working there are nice and they accept credit cards.  There are coupons on their website for some of the pricier, more comprehensive washes.
1 - Lucy D.: Very bad, they damaged my driver seat control panel during complete detailing
 and denied it:

I brought in my car for a complete detail the past Sat 9/29 around 9a.m.
They told me that it would take 3 to 3 and half hours. I called
in around 1 p.m. They said they'd take another 2 hours. 
Finally I got a call at 4 p.m.  I picked up my car at 5:30p.m.
They closed at 6p.m. 3 hours took up 6 hours to finish. 

After I got off the car, I noticed the car seat did not fit me very well, so 
I went to adjust on the panel and noticed something loose but did not pay much attention since the seat adjusted OK.  

They shampooed carpet and rugs, and told me to let them dry before
put rugs back on. It was quite damp. so on Sunday I just left the car with all 
windows open in my drive way for the whole day until late afternoon.

When I got back
in the car and told my husband that I noticed that the panel is somewhat loose.
He came and checked to find out the whole panel is quite  movable, and a small 
broken piece of plastic from the attachment to the panel. So I immediately
called to report to Auto Pride. The manager said let me bring in to have 
a look. He outright denied it but did acknowledge that
they did not notice anything broken when they had the car saying that he
had checked everything after the detailing. Was that true? 

My car got lots of soil in the driver seat, and on the adjustable track. That's  the very
reason why I asked for a complete detail cleaning. They had
to move the car seat in order to clean/vacuum. If any cleaning person,
bended over the panel sitting on driver seat, it could break easily. 

Today I went to mechanical shop to get an estimate for the fix. They checked and
told me that there were major broken plastic pieces were missing. Obviously
the Auto Pride people took them and threw away.    But they denied it!

The manager let me file a claim. I don't know what that will lead to.

Auto Spa Bistro - Atlanta, GA (33.785912, -84.3982879) (Georgia Tech, Westside / Home Park)
4 - Jane E.: I've been here twice, it's the gold and purple car wash on the corner of 14th and State Street. Once about a month ago, then again today. And I must say, I think this is going to be my new weekly or bi-weekly carwash.


SERVICES:
First off, they hand wash all the cars. The general pricing from my understanding it is $10 for early morning carwash only (no tire shine), $15 for hand carwash and tire shine, $25 for inside and outside, vacuum and all that stuff, then the prices go up from there for other services such as wax, carpet shampoo,  full detail, etc. 

The first time I got my car washed here, it was EXCELLENT. I mean, I was crazy impressed. Today it was just okay, a new girl washed it and she didn't do as well as the guy who did it last time.  But still for the price, and proximity to my house I like it and will be coming back. There are about three other $10 hand car washes in the general midtown area, but again for me this 14th street location is ideal.

They also have drop off services (and maybe even pick up services). This honestly has to be the best concept for a carwash I have ever experienced in my young life. The only thing that would make it better is some type of inside outside $15 special, like once a week or something... maybe a "lady's day" on Wednesday or Tuesday.

INSIDE/BISTRO:
What impressed me today was going inside the bistro, OMG this place is nice! It's like a freakin' lounge... a really nice and upscale lounge, which isn't obvious from the exterior. They serve a FULL MENU: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, and alcohol (full bar). They even have a VIP section, lol....And as of now it's really clean and nice in there and the lady at the front where you pay was really friendly. I even think they cater?!

SUMMARY:
This really is the "country club" of car washes, and the classiest car wash there is in the US. I really hope they keep up the good customer service because that is what MAKES a business in this day in age. I travel further to certain places JUST because the service is better. All in all, this is a great place to go get a hand wash,and it never seems to get too busy since they have the most amazing hours on Earth-- 7am-11pm. Yes, you read that right... it's on their Facebook page, what kind of amazing madness is that?! I can totally see this franchised out sometime down the road, it's definitely the next BETTER, luxury version of Cactus Carwash, mainly because they hand wash cars. Machines can mess up a car, and anyone who truly loves their ride prefers a hand wash over anything especially if you drive a luxury vehicle. 

I'll re-rate once I actually eat in there and everything, but so far so good. I'm glad I finally decided to get my car washed here after passing it so many times.
4 - Christina G.: Even though I felt like I was at a night club at 9:30am (due to the ambiance), I was impressed with this place.  First off, you can't beat any hand car wash for $10!  They did an impeccable job.  Secondly, the decor was nicely decorated and the bathroom was clean (always a plus).  The service was also friendly.  There is an extensive menu and fully stocked bar.  They are currently open until 9pm but will extend their hours until 12am by summer...great for those who want to get their whip cleaned and rims shinned before they hit the nightlife scene.

I will definitely return and plan on having a cocktail next trip.  Maybe you can make this a girl's day, then go to an actual spa if you're not too tipsy...
4 - Tunde D.: Its  the only place I trust to wash my baby the food is umm umm good. if you need your car washed and you need something to eat this is the place for you I just became a VIP member so now I get discounts!!! great car wash and great food a must for anyone who loves their car
5 - Jan L.: Came here on a whim with a buddy of mine (we perform at the Relapse Comedy theatre right down the street). We honestly didn't know what to expect. What we got was great service, excellent food (I ordered a Philly Cheesesteak with green beans - all fresh and delicious!). They serve breakfast through dinner all day.

I'll be back to test out other dishes. Oh, and maybe a car wash!

Auto Tech Collision Center - Los Angeles, CA (34.038433, -118.281996) (Pico Union, South Los Angeles)
4 - Kazuma K.: This place is very good.

Some guy t-boned me after running a red light.

I have State Farm and they gave me a list of body shops to go to, and I chose this because it is so close to USC.

They did a great job - they basically handled everything and all I had to do was show up after State Farm called them. They literally did the rest for me. They even called Hertz for me, which I chose myself, to come pick me up and get my rent-a-car. They also finished a couple of days before it was scheduled to be done, which most body shops do anyways... but they did a great job! 

The only thing was that they re-installed my back seats on top of my seat belt clicker things, so I thought they were not there... I went back and a guy had to reach his entire arm under the seat and find my clicker things back, haha! But that's it!
5 - Heather W.: This place did a great job of fixing my bumper and arranging a rental car for me! I found them on Yelp and decided to go with them because somone said that they cleaned their car for them after repair, and don't you know they did the same for me. The waiting area is a little run down but hey, its a body shop. Generally you aren't sitting there very long, which I didn't. The people were very professional and made sure to give me all the paperwork just in case. I would most certainly use them again (but I hope I don't have to!)
5 - Shari S.: This is a superior shop!  The owner Eddie gets involved and it seems everyone in town knows him.  Will always use them and reccommend to my friends and colleagues.  Great place!!!!
5 - J p.: i brought my 2008 BMW M3 to auto tech from a friend's recommendation.  I went in to get an initial estimate for minor damage on my bumpers (front and rear).  The estimate was much cheaper than the other places I've been to which made me question how good it would come out.  However, with my friends recommendation I thought I'd definitely give them a shot.  
I got my car back within a few days and I was blown away by the craftsmanship, quality and price.  
I know now exactly where to go for my auto body repairs.

great work, on time, quality and reasonable pricing.

Thanks AUTO TECH!
5 - Jelani K.: The people there are awesome! Danny, Eddie, Angie, Katie, and Bundy all make you feel like you are family. You def want to use them if you need to get your car fixed up. They try to make the process as painless as possible. I will not use another bodyshop than Autotech!!!
5 - Janelle Q.: So this may be my third time reviewing Auto Tech Collision Center, but by a long shot, my most recent visit wasn't only my third time coming to the shop. LA is a dangerous place to drive around so I don't think a year has gone by yet where I haven't gotten dinged or bumped. Since coming here for the first time a little over 2.5 years ago, I've been back multiple times to get estimates +/or repairs done on the body of my poor little car whether it be small scratches or big dents.

This most recent visit was for the latter situation... a big dent. And this time it was actually my fault rather than a crazy LA driver... but of course, I blame the pole in the parking lot for attacking my poor baby + knocking her headlights out... Heh. Heh.   
 
Coming to Auto Tech was the natural choice for me as I've always been satisfied with their repairs + sense of professionalism. Although they don't usually take walk-ins for estimates, I came in early on a weekday morning to get a quote for repairs to the front driver's side damages to my car + was helped almost immediately. I told them that I was on a budget + wanted a quick job done. As much as I wanted in my heart to restore my car to perfection + see it rolling out like the glittery beauty it was after the first time I got my car fixed here, my brain knew that I just didn't have the budget or the time for that this time around. What Oscar + Richard offered was a quick fix of replacing the smashed headlights, reshaping/banging out the dented bumper/wheel well/sides, + then polishing the surface to blend it in... all for $125 including labor + tax. WHAT A DEAL!!!   

I drove out of the lot with my itemized estimate in hand + with the promise that I would receive a call as soon as my part was in. The next day, I got the call so I dropped off my car the following morning + was kindly given a ride back to downtown. It wasn't even 6 hours later when I got the call that my car was already done! Sweet! And true enough, there she was by the front gates when I got back to the shop in the evening. From a couple yards away, one wouldn't ever know that my poor baby's face was once embarassingly dented in. Sure there's still some noticeable bumps + scratches along the metal that are obvious upon closer inspection, but for $125 they did an AMAZING job + all within a day! 

The exact definition of a quick fix + right up to my expectations.  Auto Tech Collision Center's consistency of excellence in helping me out through multiple repairs jobs through the years deserves 5 stars. The guys here are honest, take your needs into consideration, and do a great job with repairs.

Thank youuuuu!  ^-^
And hopefully I won't need to be back soon... heh.
5 - Stephanie P.: K-- eeper, yep this place is a keeper.  It'll be my "go to" car spot. 
E-- xcellent customer service.
E-- xcellent job on my Audi.
P-- hone calls and communications were done as promised.
E-- asy to use with my insurance provider
R-- ental car was provided through my insurance but AutoTech set it up for me.

Richard was really great and my Audi looks pristine once again! Thanks!
2 - Temi L.: I took my car in after a hit and run accident, and at first, everyone was very friendly and willing to help out. Perhaps they were a little bit too friendly to help out because I was under the impression they would work to keep the costs under the amount of the check they received from my insurance company (since I didn't know who hit my car). This is something that several auto shops do and they seemed eager to "work things out" with me to keep my out of pocket expenses low... so I left my car with them.

Fast forward and my car is ready to pick up and even after receiving a supplemental check, they still charged me the full deductible. When I questioned them, I was given my keys without paying and told someone would be contacting me to "work things out". I never got that phone call and several months passed by and I get a letter saying they are sending me to a collections agency.  

Needless to say, I was not happy and will most likely not be using their services again.
5 - Colette G.: Ugh.  I hate the fact that I had to go here again.  But alas, driving in L.A. gives auto repair shops great business.  So I got rear-ended on the freeway.  Luckily this time the driver stuck around to give me his insurance.  

Once again they did an amazing job and had it out of the shop within a few days. 

Still impressed.

And last but not least, a month after my car was repaired the second time, it was totaled by some idiot.  So at least this time I didn't have to use a mechanic.....
5 - Josh C.: I generally don't write reviews, but I gotta say... Auto Tech has earned this one.

Was referred here by the insurance of someone who hit my car while it was parked. The friendly and super professional staff here took care of EVERYTHING from coordinating with insurance to getting me a rental as fast as possible, shuttles to and from the rental place and free car dropoff. I worked with Eric, who was a super cool guy and made a great evaluation on the repairs.. the car came out looking INCREDIBLE. No cut corners, no cheap replacement parts, nothing. First class work.

However, the story doesn't end there.. when I got my car back I noticed the sound system was a little off. A weekend of driving revealed what I thought was a blown driver, which occurred during the repair. The staff at Auto Tech were extremely apologetic and helpful, and had me bring it in to get looked at - and thanks to another extremely helpful tech by the name of Richard they were able to identify the problem, while comping a rental car for me so that I wouldn't miss a beat while the repairs were going on.

I wish I had a huge heap of money to have these guys do a fresh paint and body job on my car.. I don't, but if I did this is the first place I would go. Great people, incredible service, and a wonderful overall experience.
1 - Joseph M.: I got rear ended and the lady who hit me had Safeco insurance.  So this was the place I had recommended to me.  They were very nice when I walked in.  It took over a week to fix the car(Ford Edge 2011) which seemed like an awful long time since she only clipped the back corner of the bumper.  But I just wanted to get the car back and in the same condition as before the accident.  When I got the car back it looked great, but when I got inside and started it up two different warnings lit up the dashboard saying that the  blind spot indicator was not working and the cross traffic indicator were not working.  I went inside and had the service person come out and look at it.  How no one  noticed those flashing lights is  still a mystery to me. When the service person (Richard) sat in the car and I showed him he asked for the manual.  I gave it to him, he looked at for a minute and then said "Don't worry those will go out after you drive it around for a while."  I'm thinking, "Really? Does this guy think I'm an idiot?"  So I told him I would drive home and if it not working right I will bring it back.  So of course he had NO IDEA WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT and the warnings came on every time I got in the car and those features did not work.  I took the car back in and he said they would give me a rental (which seemed only fair since they made the error by not fixing the car properly in the first place)  When I got to Enterprise  the body shop had approved only a $20 a day car!  The industry standard is to give the client a "comparable car".  If you want to waste your time, have half-ass worked done and miniature replacement car then have your repairs done here.  Otherwise stay clear of them.  I know I will never go back.
1 - SS S.: They were very friendly. 
Well that's about it....
I took my car just because my insurance and this shop have a contract and my agent told me that it will easier and faster than taking my car to the shop I always go to.
Biggest mistake that I made in 2012 for sure.
I was so happy when I get my car back but after 15 seconds, I was very disappointed. So, after 3days, I took my car here again and they fixed in 3 hours. 
result=F-
They did really paint job as well. 
I ended up paying $1000 here(waste). I decided to take my car to my shop for check and they found so many problems and fixed front. Said bye to another $1300... I have to work on back now which I do not mind paying as long as they do good job but not here. 
You will just going to waste your money here. AVOID!
1 - Stephen N.: A sad and strange comedy of errors from the moment I dropped off my vehicle.  The "routine" repair was supposed to take "two or three days" according to them.  Two days stretched into three, and then four and then a week.  Several times they called to inform me that the car was ready for pickup, only call hours later saying that it was nowhere near ready.

This confusing situation lasted two weeks until eventually, they admitted to me that the work was beyond their capabilities and they were going to subcontract the work to dealership.   

Total time under their care for a "three day" fix: three weeks and one day. 

To their credit, they did pay for a rental car for me, but they returned the rental to the wrong location and I still haven't gotten my deposit back.  

They even screwed that up.

Automatic Improv - Atlanta, GA (33.785917, -84.3994419) (Georgia Tech, Westside / Home Park)
5 - Sidney E.: I've attended 3 of Automatic Improv's shows, which were all outstanding!  I was in a group of 8 last weekend, half of which were first-timers, and we all loved it, the neophytes especially.  My friends and I tend to call out some downright outlandish suggestions, and Automatic Improv incorporates those suggestions into the show and turns the place into a LAUGH RIOT!  In addition to relying on audience input, Automatic typically selects 3-4 audience members to be part of each show, and so you get a sense of being a part of the experience as well as being thoroughly entertained.  The cast is excellent, and you can even meet, mingle, and have drinks with the cast after each show.  Go to Relapse Theatre on Friday night to see both Automatic Improv and their sister improv troupe, "2 Girls 3 Eyes," for one low price!  This is perhaps the most astonishingly funny live entertainment out there!

. . . (more effusive adulation)
5 - Amanda Y.: Went on a Friday night to Automatic Improv as part of a Bachelorette party!  We didn't really know what to expect but we were NOT DISAPPOINTED!  We drank and laughed until it hurt!  They even used the bride- to- be in an scene about her life!  Everyone was super friendly and the actors were super funny.  We may have gotten lucky and just had good audience suggestions, but I feel that if these guys can make a car crash in Nazi Germany seem funny, then they can make anything funny!    Thanks for an awesome evening!
5 - Atiyah T.: Gosh I didn't think I would've liked it. I laughed my ass off didn't laugh this hard in a while. Great experience, great group of improv professionals. I had a blast.

Automobile Club of Southern California - Los Angeles, CA (34.028282, -118.277794) (South Los Angeles)
5 - Dth S.: omggggg....i luv privatized automobile-related stuff processing institutions!! omg can we just PLEEEEZ forget the DMV.....&if u don't have one already, get ur international driver's license here!
5 - R P.: Great place to do your DMV business. Needed paper work for a smog check I had done a year ago and they got it for me. The guys in the shop are very helpful.
4 - john n.: A great alternative to the DMV also does inspections, insurance and smog detection. Worked with two different people; both were very patient and accommodating. 

Easy parking, very nice people, beautiful building.
2 - Rita A.: I have been a AAA member for over ten years and only visit a few of the offices.  My favorite being in Los Cerritos and the Crenshaw Offices. 

I needed a document notarized for today and gave them a call the day before to get the the hours.  Well I get there this morning only to have the receptionist who was very nice tell me they did not have a notary in today and they were short staffed.  Hmmm AAA you have an office on a main street that is very busy down the street from a major University and you have no one available.  Major FAIL!!!

I got back in the car and drove to the Crenshaw Office sat a few minutes and had my document notarized and I was out the door.  Keep in mind the Crenshaw office is small and located in a strip mall and managed to get it done.
4 - Karl J.: I'll make three trips here to save one trip to the DMV!
4 - Vonnie W.: Love the architecture of the building!  Came for a Pleasant Savings luau and didn't really need to do much other business there.  I am a fan of AAA no matter the location.
1 - Charlotte M.: lame lame lame is all I can say...have you ever tried to get new policy information or general questions answered by dialing 949 476 8880?   I do not suggest this as I was on hold 2 times 30 minutes each...I was trying to get additional  insurance on my condo...now I'm going to dump my auto policy with them and get all my insurance needs taken care of by another company.
Also my husband and I went to the location on Birch street one day to talk about
bundling all our insurance together to lower our cost...what a fiasco...we went
to some bozo's office then was directed upstairs where we waited for a long time
only to be directed back downstairs to a person that said they couldn't help us...we wasted 2 hours on a beautiful Saturday...ug 'nuff said.
5 - Christine N.: For DMV services, they only accept cash or check. There is a smog check center on site. SUPER CONVENIENT!!!

Smog check took about 20 minutes and was $50. Was able to renew my car registration afterwards with little wait and got my stickers right away.
2 - Ben G.: Probably one of the most inefficient offices I have ever visited. Every employee I have worked takes there time. The only reason it is faster than the DMV is that there are fewer people waiting. It is much quicker to get your car towed than it is to do a simple action here. Overall I am happy with AAA (hence the two stars), but this office is the  essence of inefficient bureaucracy.

Automotion - Carrboro, NC (35.9091359, -79.065524) ()
5 - Skip S.: I'm new to this area... I moved here from Cambridge where for the last 35 years my cars were serviced at Good News Garage (Car Talk NPR), so I have high standards. I took my car into Automotion in Carrboro just a half block from the main drag in Chapel Hill. Ronnee explained what he was going to do, gave me an accurate estimate, drove me home when I dropped the car off in the morning, (14 miles round trip) and picked me up at the end of the day. They answered all my questions and were genuinely helpful. I wouldn't hesitate to take my car back to Automotion.
5 - Eugene I.: Automation has been servicing my BMW and VW for the past few years and all I have to say are good things about these people. They are honest and competent. 
I am having a hard time believing the negative review posted on this site.
5 - Eric W.: I am a graduate student and I live on a budget.  For two years I have trusted the guys at Automotion to keep my 2003 Nissan Sentra on the road.  They have done that and more.  I have never been up-sold or misled.  For every repair, they offered me a fair estimate prior to the work being done, and I never ended up having to pay more than the estimate.  These folks are honest and they know cars.  I would highly recommend Automotion.

Automotive Imports of Lafayette - Lafayette, IN (40.37729, -86.8584319) ()
5 - Chris S.: This place is the only place I go when I have car troubles.  Fred(the owner) is nice to work with, describes the problem in detail to you, and is always honest.  He is also very intelligent(went to Purdue for engineering), so he knows what he's talking about.  My family and I have been going to him for our auto needs for years, and he has never disappointed us.
5 - Jesse C.: Automotive Imports is amazing! I had given up on ever finding an honest mechanic after being ripped off by stealerships and sketchy garages time and again. Fred is super honest, down to earth and explains everything really well. He even calls around for the best price on parts before buying them. (this may not seem a big deal to some, but most mechanics wouldn't take the effort to save YOU money)

I work on my own cars a lot unless the job requires special tools or is a big pain. Fred is totally friendly for do-it-yourselfers. He found some other issues on my car when it was last in and told me where they were and what to do if I wanted to repair them myself. 

This is the only place in Lafayette that I will take my car for anything more than an oil change. I highly recommend it.

Autoworks - Ithaca, NY (42.4560854, -76.4359731) ()
1 - Bernard T.: Pros:
1.) Relatively pleasant to deal with
2.) Wireless in lobby
3.) Comfortable lobby (lots of place to sit, etc.)
4.) Lots of place to park
5.) Have door-to-door service

Cons:
1.) Overpaid for new (cheap, I have since discovered...) brakes. They have squeaked (whenever I brake) since I left their workshop, and STILL do even years later (in winter/wet weather, most especially)...
2.) Are located far out of town

Bottom line: Suspect they make their margin on cheap parts.

Conclusion: These guys are sharks. Despite their awards, strong avoid, perhaps unless you have an old beater and you don't need OEM parts, etc.
5 - Maggie G.: This is my favorite auto repair shop in Ithaca. I used to live up on that end of town, so it was convenient, but I've continued to go there even after I moved downtown. The service is excellent, the waiting room is comfortable, and the shuttle service is convenient. The technicians explain what's wrong in clear terms, and they're honest about repairs that need to be made right away and routine maintenance that can wait. Unlike the other reviewer, I've always found both parts and labor to be very reasonable. They offer a 10% discount for AAA members.

More than once, Autoworks has squeezed me in for emergency service as I was getting ready to go out of town or when I needed my car back relatively quickly. They offer an accurate estimate of how long service will take, and I've never been left languishing for hours in the waiting room. My car is always ready when they say it's going to be, and I always get it back in the same condition I left it. 

Overall, I've found Autoworks to be reliable and affordable. They're worth the drive!

Autumn Leaves Used Bookstore - Ithaca, NY (42.4395482, -76.4984545) ()
3 - Patrick J.: I have very particular things that I look for in bookstores. Dim lighting. Shelves so overcrowded that the bookseller has resorted to stacking books on the floor. Small isles with bookshelves 12-15 feet high. Little nooks. Large art book sections.  I like to feel like an archeologist when i'm in a bookstore. I like having to push aside stacks of books to access more stacks of book. I like stores where books aren't properly labeled so you have to open the book and flip through it, not knowing its subjects or contents.  I like bookstores that are dark, mysterious, and romantic. 

Autumn leaves isn't my type of used bookstore. Its well lit. There is tons of space between isles. The bookshelves never extend beyond eye level. Its clean. The art books section is somewhat limited. Everything was well labeled and in clear view (ie, you don't need to dig for books. I'm big on the digging process). The prices are also on the high side. 

Autumn Leaves may be perfect for other types of book buyers; those who want a more traditional retail experience. It also sells used records, and has a cafe on the upper level. It just didn't click with my particular preferences. But check it out, judge for yourself, and always support your local bookstores!!!
4 - Kat H.: I normally will walk out of used bookstores with gads upon gads of books; I don't think I bought anything here. What I did appreciate though, was the upstairs cafe; the coffee is decent and there are plenty of tables, though I don't remember there ever being a crowd. A perfect place to do homework for_real_. The downstairs bookstore is very well organized--great for the student rummaging for required reading--but deals with more slightly used books than anything truly rare.  Want a used Barnes & Noble edition of Jane Eyre? Check. Want a not_too_ hard to-find-but-still-unique reprinted British edition with woodcut illustrations? Save your time. Many of the books inside I found way too expensive for their condition, but they do have a few racks outside where I've been tempted by some fascinating titles for a dollar or two. A good mix of titles for the myriad of college students, a nice place to hang out, and Autumn Leaves rates pretty well.
4 - Andrew M.: I spent a lot of time in Autumn Leaves when I was taking classes at Cornell. Their selection looked a LOT like our shelves at home, and it's just a nice place to relax with a drink.
4 - Rebecca W.: I like this bookstore and I like many of the choices made by its owner, Joe.  There is tons of space, with new books out on the carts when they come in.  Sections are clearly labeled and the staff know their books.  The upstairs cafe is a really nice, relatively quiet, laid-back space for actually talking, eating, reading, or working on your laptop.  

The store hosts an ATM machine for the local credit union - and this machine charges no fees for any user (although your bank may still charge you), and you can make credit union deposits at this location.

A substantial part of the upstairs real estate has been set aside for progressive community organizations for office space, meetings, trainings, etc.
5 - Phil H.: This is a wonderful used bookstore, one of the best I've been in.  Their selection is constantly changing.  I've gone in looking for one particular book, not finding it but finding others that I wanted to read.  I go back a week later and the first book I was looking for...yeah, they had two copies.  
It's on the Ithaca Commons, so it's relatively quiet.  There is an amazing collection of LP's available downstairs, the entire basement is full of LP's.  There is a cafe upstairs (i never used it) and there are still more books up there.  The staff is great, very helpful, very knowledgeable.  They even have rare, out of print, signed books!
3 - Holly C.: Autumn Leaves is a great book store. You can sell your used books there for cash, they Have a cafe and lounge upstairs for relaxing. They have really good toasted peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and really tasty homemade cookies for cheap. In the basement they have a lot of used records for good deals. Its been there for years and I don't think its going anywhere any time soon. They don't have any parking, there is a loading zone in the back but if your longer then 15 min. they will ticket you!
4 - Joseph C.: As mentioned in previous reviews, this place is well-lit, well-organized, and has a fairly large selection. However, the selection is not at large as if it could be if the books had been crammed into rows and rows of tightly compacted shelves a la The Strand and other warehouse-style sites. This dilemma presents a used book buyer dialectic on preferred bibliophile environments; maximum stuff at the expense of organization and creature comforts on one end of the spectrum, sparse pickings in an excessively lit and decorated showroom at the other. Autumn Leaves balances this nicely, avoiding the feel of a warehouse but still providing enough light and space to see the books. Further, if you really want the warehouse element, trek downstairs for their extensive used vinyl collection. Great variety, good prices, wonderful hidden treasures among the vast stacks of 45's sold at bulk prices. The cafe upstairs is also very nice; good simple sandwiches, excellent coffee, and comfortable seating.

The only thing that prevents my doling out five full stars (and consider this review 4.5 stars, pretty darned good) is the store's hilarious but mildly annoying selection in terms of history, political theory, and other humanities texts. Granted, this is simply an inevitable consequence of drawing on a large college town for cast-off books for inventory, but there's a thoroughly twisted circumstance to be found on these shelves. You'll find a fairly sparse selection of basic historic surveys, academically rigorous cultural studies, and solid reference materials... but shelf upon shelf of communist treatises, anarchist manifestos, Marx/Engels/Trotsky/Lenin biographies, non-violent resistance and public disobedience manuals, etc. The juxtaposition in selection between the mainstream and loony books in these sections is pretty funny, but an impediment to any real reliance on Autumn Leaves for decent books in this genre. Otherwise, though, perfect... and, really, this quirk makes it all the more perfect for the Ithaca Commons.
5 - Lisa Frank F.: I really admire multi-use spaces, and Autumn Leaves does well at offering a variety. It not only has a basement vinyl room, Angry Mom Records...see my comprehensive/infatuated love note review of it.., in addition to the main bookstore floor, but also has an upstairs cafe with a great study area & accessible plugs/free wifi, and upstairs meeting space for a workers collective? Rad!
I've found some great social studies/critical theory/cultural studies books here at great reasonable prices, and I've only been in 3 times.
This place is a gem.
3 - Kai T.: They have no computer inventory for any of their books that they have in the store so if you can't find something that's on the shelf (which, by the way are really well organized, by authors last name) then your out of luck, don't expect them to 'look it up' to see if they have in stock a certain book you are looking for, as I was told by the staff that they do not have records of their books to look thru. I could not find any of 6 popular books (non fiction memoirs) that were published in the last 15 years one day that I was ardently looking for so yea that was obviously quite annoying and a negative of the store. On the plus side, it's a ideal 'trading' book store as you can sell some of your used books there for cash or get a credit for books you buy in the store :) Upstairs,  they have a cafe and  reading lounge upstairs for relaxing, reading and chit chatting that is pretty cool. Fun staff that are friendly, smart and talkative, real reasonable priced books, a great store to waste hours of time in for sure!
2 - Kedar D.: This is a hippie cafe located on the second floor of a used bookshop on the Ithaca Commons. While they do offer vegan bacon and seitan, their sandwich/panini choices looked really dull and it wasn't clear to me that they could do quality vegan versions of their egg-fish-and-cheese-heavy standards. The cafe is pretty basic.

Unfortunately, they don't offer vegan breakfast sandwiches or even the option to substitute tofu for egg in many of their sandwiches and dishes, which seemed surprising to me, given that they do offer seitan and vegan bacon.

I did get a vegan cookie from them ($2.70 with tax) which was pretty dry, hard and not terribly tasty.

While I enjoy the vibe at this place, it's currently not up to snuff. Add some vegan breakfast sandwiches, veganaise and egg substitutions and I might come back.
3 - Marya A.: The books are well organized, it's nice that there is a cafe upstairs, and the records section in the basement is amazing.

The only problem is the selection isn't always fantastic because you have to rely on other people's book choices that they sell back.

The clearance carts in front of the store are always good for some cheap finds though.
4 - Stephanie L.: My partner and I were visiting Ithaca for a day, and, knowing Ithaca's reputation for used bookstores, spent a good portion of our day's wanderings perusing different "book barns." We stopped into Autumn Leaves while waiting to eat dinner, and easily spent a good hour browsing through the selection of political science, cultural studies, cultural criticism, and even the Youth Literature sections. We were impressed with the organization of this bookstore compared to some others we'd seen that day, and I also appreciated the bright lighting and ample comfy seating. The store manager was nice and amiable, and we felt comfortable hanging out and reading while we tried to kill time. We didn't even realize there was an upstairs until much later, because the first floor was so absorbing. 

My partner finally found the Angela Davis book he'd been trying to find all day. I dunno if that speaks to Autumn Leaves' selection or their organization, but either way, we liked it!
4 - Terry K.: An excellent selection at pretty good prices. Autumn Leaves is an Ithaca institution. The owner works hard at livin' the legend of the laconic indie bookseller, but that's part of the charm.
4 - Susanna L.: This bookstore is great for finding quirky, one-of-a-kind books for super cheap prices, but I mostly go here for the cafe upstairs. It's a great area to study without distractions (via the internet), and I love their hot apple cider.

Avalon Exchange - Pittsburgh, PA (40.437976, -79.9206802) (Squirrel Hill)
3 - Lili X.: I walked in here expecting to find another vintage store with marked-up merchandise. But I was pleasantly surprised to see a variety of cute things at very fair prices. I think this store has a lot of potential - like any vintage/ consignment shop, sometimes you leave with nothing, other times you leave with a lot! They also have apparel for men.

According to their website, they will buy clothes for 30% of the retail price in cash. It's a nice option in addition to donating your stuff.

Overall, I think it's a cute store... reasonable prices. Definitely worth dropping in from time to time.
4 - Joolz M.: This is a great store for vintage finds!! Whenever I'm in the 'Burgh, I make sure to stop by.  Admittedly, I haven't been there in awhile, but last time I found a killer 80's-style faux fur coat with maroon and green trim (don't ask..just accept that it's rockin') along with some boots, and some great jewelry.  NY has NOTHING on this place, which always has some finds.  I'm slightly lamenting the fact that I"m even writing it up because then everyone will know about a good thing...but then..hey, I always say the more the merrier..
4 - Sabrina M.: Avalon is pretty much hit or miss and in my opinion it's the type of store you have to put a lot of time in between your visits to have a really good shopping experience. I was really into it about a year ago and wanted to go all the time but then I realized that, like H&M, the stuff is kind of the same unless you go two months later... but there are definitely hidden gems in Avalon you just have to take the time to browse. I wouldn't say it's as good as a Buffalo Exchange though... there seems to be more crap at Avalon that they put in which I can't see people ever buying and I think Buffalo is better at filtering out the unwanted goods, at the least the ones I've been to. However, for the Pittsburgh area Avalon is one of a kind and the only (good) thing like it.
4 - scott s.: I almost always find a tshirt or two here. This place is very comparable to Buffalo Exchange or Crossroads that you'd find in other major cities, but slightly cheaper than those stores. One of my favorite thrift stores in the burgh.
4 - Jeff L.: Anytime I'm reviewing clothing stores I have to throw out there I'm a guy so I am purely reviewing the dudes section. I'm not a cross dresser, sorry. The men's section was pretty big. Maybe 2 rows that go 20-30 feet. This place had a good mix. Good assortment of t shirts, shoes, jackets, and long sleeve button downs. The prices were fair..around $7 for t shirts, jeans were around $18, and shoes were on average $20. I would say a fair assessment would be most of the stuff is 40% of what it would be new. They do tend to carry more teen fashion but not all. Some of my finds? Some Levi's 510 jeans, Merc rugby shirt, and some Blackcat Jordan V's.
4 - Patty T.: Avalon is a "buy, sell, trade" store for used and vintage clothing, shoes, accessories.  It's mostly used contemporary clothing although there are some vintage things.  You can purchase items, sell your things (and they'll pay you in cash 30% of retail value), or trade in your things for store credit (45% of retail value) to use right away or later (I believe store credit expires in a year).

I drop in a couple times a month or more, sometimes with a specific item(s) in mind that I'm looking for, and other times just to browse.  Usually I'm successful (meaning that I purchase something :p) and on good days I manage to get quite a good deal by trading in something(s) first and then using the store credit right away.  (Yesterday I traded in a pair of funky colorful flats and bought a green light jacket and black pointed flats... paid $11 something.)  There are clothes in the back of the store that are half price (red tag) and sometime in the summer (I wanna say mid July? for the Squirrel Hill Sidewalk Sale), they have a $1 "Dollar Days" sale.

If you are thinking about selling or trading in your stuff, the best info/advice I can give is that they usually take name brand and unique/funky things... in great condition... and in season (fall/winter items now).
4 - Darcy M.: Certainly more expensive than, say, Salvation Army, but so worth the extra few bucks. I've gotten tons of professional clothing here, as well as dressier stuff to go out in. Of course, you have to hunt around for a while, but the clothes are generally in great shape, so I'm totally willing to pay $14 for a pair of tweed pants that I could easily drop $50 on at Express. They have a great selection of XS and S clothing, which is something I find to be lacking at most used clothing places. Also a good selection of shoes, jewelry, and accessories. Definitely a great place to shop if you're on a budget.
4 - Vanessa W.: Avalon Exchange is a fun used clothing shop. Vintage and other ecletic pieces, but there were very many new items as well with tags still on (bisou bisou anyone?)  Prices were great - only $8-15 per piece. Used items were in great shape. Two thumbs up!
4 - Devin W.: So they don't ALWAYS take your clothes... they're kind of picky and don't really have the BEST taste in fashion.  I've found some real gems here and I can't say I hate the place.  If you're low on cash, drop off some shoes, glasses, jewelry, and clothes.  You can make a quick buck.
4 - katy p.: Avalon Exchange consistently has a good selection of used clothing. it's a bit more expensive than goodwill or the salvation army, but you're stuck looking for needles in the hay stack so to speak-- they've done that work for you. 

they also buy clothes on the spot. and while they're picky about what they take, it's still a pretty easy way to make $20 (or you can take store credit instead of cash, which will give you a better return). 

overall, it's definitely worth checking out.
4 - Susan D.: Avalon Exchange started off several years ago as a vintage clothing shop (which I'm more into) but kind of evolved into an exchange/buy/sell/trade sort of thing.  You'll find a lot more contemporary clothing here that you could just as easily find at Target, Macy's, Sak's, etc.  It can be a bit hit-or-miss but every so often you'll find a good vintage piece.  You have to realy dig through this store and you have to have a nose for bargains.

That said, I came here today on my day off.  I was just meandering up and down Forbes Avenue on my own.  But I did find something in here.  See, I'd just taken over as supervisor at work and I did need a new blazer 'cos there are days when I've got to dress up a little.  Well I found this bee-yoo-tee-full Burberry blazer in my size and at a really great price!  How often does that happen?
2 - October R.: Obnoxious
1 - Kerry B.: This place has even bought some of my stuff but I still just hate it. Granted, it's the only  convenient place in Pittsburgh I can really sell my vintage stuff but I just hate the people in there. They are rude rude rude. They do have some decent stuff on the racks but I've never bought anything in there. I'd rather just take their money and leave.
1 - la l.: ok, can I give no stars? Given this is the ONLY place in and around the universities to sell clothing, I was stubborn and went back a couple of times to try to sell clothing.  All I got were snooty employees eyeing my clothing, and chucking what they don't want into a dusty, dirty corner.  Gross.  Also, what the do have to sell has gotten worse and worse.  Now its down to a few racks of grody sweaters, forever21 jeans (which they are charging essentially the same price as you get in the actual store) and one or two designer dresses for $130.  right.  yea. 

Oh, and the owner? Ever speak to him? I've never been called "sweetie" or "Honey" or "Little miss" so many times in my life by one person in 10mins.  Oh, and the snickering, the smug look...

Yea, forget it.  I'd rather donate all my clothes to Goodwill than have them go through it again.  Not worth it at all.
3 - Kate B.: It's a pretty decent store--there is one open in the St. Louis Delmar Loop area too so I like shopping at both locations when I am in either PA or MO. Pretty convenient. As for the store itself, the selection is so-so. A lot of it is not really "vintage" so if you're looking for vintage clothing, ladies, please go to Ellsworth Ave and go into either Eons (THE BEST) or Hey Betty. Avalon Exchange is more of an upscale version of Goodwill or The Salvation Army but with more hipsters and less poor people. I am dead serious! Also the STL location is like 5 times bigger for some reason, maybe to due the location....so if you are ever in STL and looking for a bigger version of the PGH store, go to the Loop.

But that aside, they have decent stuff but as another reviewer mentioned, it's more contemporary clothing like stuff you could just as easily find at Target or something. HOWEVER on occasion you will hit a goldmine and find one of those "miraculous finds"...for instance, I found a yellow cutsew there that looked like something from either Angelic Pretty or Baby, the Stars Shine Bright (Japanese lolita brands) and I about died! It said "Tokyo Fashion Co." on the label, and I suspect a Chinese student at Pitt or CMU probably thrifted it there. Talk about a sweet find. It's a darkish yellow with a white yoke and cute little bows and pearls sew onto the collar. Def a 5 star find. But sometimes I will go in there and walk out with nothing. It really just depends on the visit. :) I have also sold back some of my clothing here but they don't give you very much for your items. For instance, my roommate gave me a pair of unwanted Polo Ralph Lauren shoes that probably cost her over $100. I wore them just two or three times and they were essentially in like-new condition. Avalon only gave me like $10 for them and they have the price tag marked like $40 or something like that. whut.
4 - Sarah R.: What a great thrift shop. I always make a visit here before/after a meal on Forbes and just meander through the selection. I've gotten some really great deals. Seven for All Mankind jeans, a theory blazer, an Armani blazer, and some other really cute accessories and dresses.

Poke your nose in and remember to be patient!
4 - Kirsten E.: Yes they are "picky" if you are selling. But really it just depends on how full their racks are, the season, what is selling (Cool jewerly, shoes are hot items).  If you are buying, you can't beat their deals on great stuff.  Designer, Anthropologie brands, JCrew, Banana Republic...cool stuff.  Definitely worth stopping and browsing!
PS Don't act rude or impolite if they don't buy your stuff...too many times I've seen would-be-sellers throw fits and get attitudes.  Geesh, act out and you look like a jerk.  Instead smile (even if you are irked)and ask what they are buying at the moment.  They will appreciate it and maybe go home and raid your closets for the "hot" item of the moment.
4 - Jill G.: Fantastic thrift shop.  Yes, you will have to weave through some hipsters, emo-goths and teens, but chances are good you'll get a great find.  The clothes and accessories are mostly new items, with a few vintage pieces sprinkled in.  For a small space, they have a lot to chose from; and because Avalon is picky with what they buy, you don't have to search through a bunch of crappy items for hours to get 1 gem.  Don't get me wrong, that kind of shopping has its own appeal, but when you want a deal quick, Avalon Exchange is your place.
3 - alan l.: avalon is worth a walk through every few months, but their mens section is pretty sad. i typically find that half the stuff is pretty bad, and the rest is too expensive for what it is.

don't get me wrong, i've bought some cool stuff here, and also traded clothes in a few times - avalon is good, not great.

overall i preferred the older oakland location - they had more merchandise, seemed to be more up on the trends, and the employees were way more friendly (which i guess means they acknowledged you).
3 - Lyla R.: Avalon used to be on my weekly rotation of thrift stores in Pittsburgh, until they jacked the prices up big time. 

I still really like their selection, and if you are not used to shopping at thrift stores, then it is a great introductory store, but it's not like a Goodwill or a Salvation Army. 

The selection is better, since they are choosey with the items they buy, but the prices are still outrageous for used clothing. I would understand if it were a higher end consignment place like severl shops on Ellsworth or out in Regent Square, but they still have a lot of items from the Gap, Forever 21, and other mall stores. 

Jewelry here is great, but don't except thrift store prices - a nice necklace generally runs about $12 - $20. They also have an awesome shoe section, and prices there are actually reasonable. 

Good store for college freshmen looking to expand her warddrobe, pick up a few interesting accessories, or if you are used to shopping at malls and want to change it up, but if you are a thrift store junkie - avoid.

As far as selling your items goes, don't expect to cash in big time. It is a good alternative to giving them to the Goodwill if you want to make a few extra clams, and I mean literally a few. I don't really blame them for the way they pick items, if you want a quality selection, you have to be choosey. But I have not really noticed an increase in quality since the move to Squirrel HIll and have noticed a huge increase in price.
4 - Elizabeth M.: Uh oh! Someone's got their skinny jeans, converse, blue nail polish and disenchanted face on! You know what that means--they're getting ready to either go shopping at Avalon or dancing at brillobox (or, more likely, they're going shopping at Avalon for something to wear to a brillobox dance party). Welcome to PGH's hippest thrift store.* 

I tend to wander into Avalon aimlessly and usually end up leaving with something because: 

1.       Their prices are really good. I found a Marc Jacob's skirt in mint condition for $33 one time. Srsly. I got a Lacoste dress that still makes me light-headed thinking about how adorable it is for $15 and my favorite cocktail ring was only $3.

2.       I do my heavy lifting. The store isn't crammed full of things I simply can't resist: I spend an obnoxious amount of time digging through racks of fugly floral-print skinny jeans and hideous H & M rompers before I find a cute plaid tunic or members only jacket. If you want to find the buried treasure you have to dig.

3.       Their accessories are tops. The counter is dotted with baskets overflowing with pins (I got an awesome James Dean one for fifty cents), jewelry (snagged a turquoise beaded bracelet for five bucks), headbands, scarves and every other kind of flair you can imagine. The wall as you walk in is lined with a bevy (I used the word "bevy" in a review!) of sweet shades.

4.       They don't have a lot of competition. I don't know if the other vintage stores in the city signed some sort of non-compete agreement or what, but Avalon seems to have cornered the market on wearable used fashion. 

Like all thrift stores, sometimes you don't find anything, (although from what I can tell, my male friends seem to walk out empty-handed fairly often, so I think the dude selection could use some beefing up), but on the whole this store is definitely worth a visit if you've got a lazy Saturday afternoon with some time to kill. 

*Being hip is one thing (I'll let you decide if it's a good or bad thing), but for interesting vintage finds I like Eons in Shadyside, and for stuff that's plain old bizarre and dirt-cheap (we're talking like $1-$4 range) I head to the Goodwill in East Liberty.
4 - Kelli T.: I've since moved back home from living in Pittsburgh for 4 years, but I miss shopping at Avalon. I've been a fan since the "Oakland store" days (and, for the record, I LIKED the Oakland store much more for location purposes.)

On the downside, the Squirrel Hill location could use more space, and the prices could definitely be lower, but I would honestly spend at least an hour in there browsing the selections. I always walked out with a full bag of stuff. The staff always seemed to have a good time, either goofing around or playing around with the clothes/accessories, most of the times that I was in the store. Of course there were some staff members that I encountered who were too hip to be friendly/social and wished they were bffs with Terry Richardson, but I don't let those people get to me. ;) I'm also a fan of the store mannequins in the front window.

Now, if you're thinking about making profit off of your hand-me-downs FROM Avalon (or for any store, like Plato's, for example), don't have high expectations unless your items are very much in season and style (brand AND condition are important as well). From my own experiences with selling clothes that I was "sick of wearing," I rarely came out over $30-40 and got back 90% of the clothes I wanted to get rid of. There are other options out there to sell your clothes.
3 - Eliza R.: I liked the Avalon Exchange better back when it was located in Oakland, but the new location in Squirrel Hill isn't bad!  It's smaller, of course, but their selection is generally pretty good quality and they have a variety of sizes and styles.  However, I think it's a misnomer to call it a vintage store; there are a few vintage pieces here and there, but it's mostly modern pre-owned clothing.  Also, if I don't find clothes that I like, there are always shoes or some jewelry that catch my eye!

My reason for the 3 star rating is that the staff tends to be pretty self-involved and pretentious, and unwilling to help you unless you're a hipster fashionista like them.  They also tend to be super picky about what clothing they'll actually exchange, so I never know what they'll take in of mine.
2 - Nellie V.: This place  reeks and they sell garbage. The only people I can see shopping in this dump are bohemian tree huggers who don't shower. The clothes are old and cruddy.
3 - Shante D.: I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I was expecting something other than what it was. I guess this is Pittsburgh's equivalent to the Buffalo Exchange? 

They had awesome options for Halloween. Like tons and tons of clothing for Halloween costumes.  They also had a great selection of jackets. But, it was just sooo crowded on the day I went.  And also the prices were a bit meh for second-hand. Like a scarf--$12. A scarf that can probably be bought from a street vendor for $5.

I was able to find a lovely lace dress, a boyfriend cardigan, and sheath dress, though. And the damage was around $50. So, not bad.
2 - Stacey L.: Expensive.  $8 for a shirt?  $12 for a skirt?  At those prices, you can buy something new, or go to Goodwill instead.

As for selling, I can say that I've bought stuff from them to assemble a Halloween costume, but they wouldn't buy the same items back later.  Interesting.

But I'll give it 2 stars instead of 1, because I don't agree with others' complaints about the staff.  When I went I didn't notice anyone particularly rude, and the girl who didn't buy my stuff back said "sorry" (in a nice way).
1 - Taylor N.: Okay...le'ts get something straight...I am not cool. For a used clothing store that claims to take used clothing they stink! While bringing some clothes to sell recently, I was met by a hipster who pleasantly gave me a form to fill out which stated, in not so many words, that they only take "hip clothes" and the picking was at the discretion of the clerk. Out of 10 items, he picked one. Paid pretty well (about $12), but felt like a tool as I walked out with my below par clothing (some items originally cost me $50+) under my arm.

The clothes: Smelly as if shoved in a washing machine with a ton of cleanser. Hipster stuff to the roof...if your a female. Men's selection is very small, and unless you want pants that cut off the circulation in your....you know, you will find it hard to spend that well earned credit. Also jeans cost between $12 (fine) and $50 (not fine).

The staff: Cooler than me. Last time I was in, they stupidly giggled behind my back while alternating CD's over the speakers over and over. I also think they have a face piercing minimum (you see, you  need to be cool to work there). They are presumptuous and could give a crap if you buy or not. 

With REAL used clothing stores like Goodwill that sell the EXACT SAME CLOTHES for a tenth of the price, shopping at Avalon will do nothing for you except make you feel bad about what you wear and what you should be wearing.
4 - Katy C.: A great selection if you're in the mood to invest time looking and willing to pay a little more.
3 - Meisha W.: I visited the store with two bags of clothes to sell.  Overall, the staff was pleasant and the store was clean.  I browsed their selection of clothes, shoes and jewelry while they priced my items, and ran across a nice Ralph Lauren sweater for under $20.  When it came time to make me an offer on my items, I was floored.  They offered me $15 for 2 pair of dark rinsed jeans & a pair of $100 black leather knee-length riding boots-which wasn't even close to 30-45% or retail price.  Are you kidding I asked the clerk? I saw cotton printed tees on the rack worth more than what they were willing to give me for my boots.  So I took the in store credit for the jeans, san the boots, and got the sweater I saw earlier.  I probably won't go there to consign anything again.  They definately don't give you a fair price for your items.

Avalon Princeton Junction - West Windsor, NJ (40.2982088, -74.6429882) ()
1 - Kathryn D.: These peolple are crooks!! 
DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING
My husband and I looked at an apartment here late on a Sunday and were leaving to go back to MA. We filled out paperwork and were told the apartment WOULD NOT be held unless we called by 8 pm that night. We changed our minds and did not call. They are now after us for $240. 
Be positive you want an apartment here before filling anything out!!!
4 - Keith B.: Great Community. Very Clean & well cared for. Amazing location.

Avant-Card - Berkeley, CA (37.8689031, -122.2573394) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
5 - lisa w.: when i was a cal student i actually had to modify my route home from class because every single day i would go in avant card and buy something.  i had the card-addict's version of a gambling problem. an i-am-spending-too-much-money-on-avantcard-cards-because-they're-so-great  problem.  i still make sure to go in any time i'm back in berkeley and they still rock my world. my favorite part of avant card is that they carry almost the full line of quotable cards (quotablecards.com) and lots of fine art photography cards.
4 - Lucy M.: Avant card has a great selection of cards for all occasions. The variety can be mind boggling, from black and white photography, funny animals, politicians, 3-D textures, CAL monuments, inspirational quotes, creative layouts, all the way to holiday relevant cards.  My favorite part is the famous intellectual people post cards wall. They had a post card of my favorite author in the whole wide world: Isabel Allende.  I love this place! It makes me think... hallmark, who?
5 - Carolyn H.: I used to work here for a while when I was a student at Berkeley. Avant Card has a pretty great selection of greeting cards.  They also stock a small amount of cards from local photographers and crafts-people, which is cool.  

Some of the hand-made cards are expensive, but this is really the best place I've found in Berkeley to get a unique and/or clever greeting card.
5 - Janet K.: i love this place!  i am a card-aholic and love sending out notes to my friends and this is the perfect place to find those one of a kind cards you're looking for.
4 - terra d.: best collection of cards you can find in the area.
5 - Jay B.: My #1 card shop.  I'm a romantic fool, and buy more cards than I should.  

I'm going to insist that they stay open.  :[  

They've got absolutely the best stuff.  Not the cheapest crap, but neither are they exorbitant either.  And quality is tops.  

I'm going there now, just to see what the deal is with their status, and to get a VD card for my honey.
5 - Berna T.: I love love LOVE their store on Grant in San Francisco, and I was delighted to find another branch of this store while walking along Bancroft.  It's basically the same size and layout as the SF location, with the same fun and artistic selection of greeting cards and stationary.  

I am a big fan of the "Little Miss" line - "Little Miss Mischief" and "Little Miss Grumpy" being my two faves.  They also carry cards by hipster artist SHAG, which are always fun and colorful, and occasionally I'll find postcards by my favorite stationary designer from Spain, Jordi Labanda.  

Aside from the super fun contemporary stuff, they also have some very beautiful, more classic designs for the romantics out there.  I pretty much walk out with something every time I come here, even if I don't have any occasions to buy something for someone.
5 - Steven T.: This is literally the only place I go to buy cards now. They don't carry your typical "hall mark" cards. I find the cards to be a bit more artistic and tasteful, a few funny ones, and lots of cards with superb photography. They even carry cards with Cal themes (kind of a given being next to campus) Anyway, is there even a hall mark around here? I think the only other places to find cards in the area are at grocery stores. Sucks if you drive, because then you will need to find parking around campus.
5 - Amanda M.: I loved this store when I lived in Berkeley!  Located across from Hearst gym, Avant-Card has a wonderful range of cards: cards with photos, black and white images, and with quotations.  Additionally, they sell journals and other random things that I'm always attracted to.  Shopping here always made me smile.
5 - Sharon K.: I used to love coming to Avant-Card! It's right across the street from the UC Berkeley campus, so it was a great place to come and pick out funny and cute postcards to write on during class. :) They have a great selection of postcards, photograph cards of the Bay Area, and just cards for all occassions.
4 - Mutant O.: At least once in your life, you must have gotten a perfect card and handwritten note in your snail-mailbox.  Wasn't it something you pondered for a short while, perhaps used as a bookmark, or posted on the refrigerator for a time?

Give that experience to someone about whom you care.  Check out the marvellous stock at Avant-Card in Berkeley (warmer crew than at the SF store, whose staff ranges from aloof to freeze-your-marrow) and spring for a postage stamp.  That special someone will be thinking good thoughts of you.

And, dare you to walk out with just one card!
4 - Ramon E.: Because gay guys like to give and get witty cards, too. =)

Great selection, if sometimes a tad overpriced.
5 - Christopher T.: They have the best selection of cards that I have ever seen.  The cards are awesome and original; from Le Petit Prince designs to black and white photography to cards that are simply printed on eco-friendly harvested wood.  I just want to go in there and buy a ton of cards to line my walls.  

One of the few places I can't get enough of when I'm in Berkeley even though I've only made purchases on average about 1/5 visits.
5 - Madeline B.: My hands down favorite place to go for any card need whether it's sentimental or ROFLMAO hilarious. It's conveniently right near campus and its pretty quiet and uncrowded inside, perfect conditions for a good chunk of browsing time. 

They also have a nice collection of political knick-knacks, great for a liberal activist with a sense of humor like yours truly.
5 - Karishma S.: I forget what an amazing place this is. Such a fantastic, original, creative cards :) I bought a little poster, two cards,  refrigerator magnet and a pack of postcards. So thrilled with my purchases!
1 - jane r.: I spoke with a woman named Clara. She was quite possibly the rudest, most unhelpful person I have ever spoke with over the phone. I guess she has never heard of customer service. I certainly will never give them my business.
3 - Ada T.: I'm not sure whether the offerings at Avant-Card have gotten worse or if my tastes have changed, but I finding fewer and fewer cards I like at Avant-Card. It's still miles better than Rite Aid, so I still come here in a pinch, but I think some of its lines could be updated. I don't come too frequently, yet I feel like the selection of birthday cards always remains the same and there aren't many that are very appealing. However, their seasonal cards (Christmas, Valentine's, etc.) are still quite good, leading me to think they just need to pay more attention to their standard cards as well. 

Avant-Card certainly remains a good stationery store, but I think it's become a little complacent.
4 - Joe B.: The right card always seems to be hiding in here somewhere. I've sent several to friends from here that they've deemed "mantle worthy." I think that's the highest praise you could give a greeting card.
4 - David L.: Quality: 4
Value: 3

Lots of cute and funny cards. I dropped by here with my gf since she was looking for a birthday gift, and she ended up buying one of the mugs. Prices are a bit high, but that's to be expected.
5 - sharon b.: This is the BEST card store in all of the East Bay - original, interesting cards you don't see anywhere else.  Thank god it did not close when the original owners left.

All kinds of wonderful small gifts also.  THE BEST.
5 - kristi l.: I love this place!

I walked in for the first time last week to get a card for my boyfriends mom's birthday. I was excited by the cleanliness - what?! that kinda stuff makes me happy! - and the atmosphere was very calm!

Not like target where you gotta throw an elbow to the hip to get the last cute mothers day card. 

The employee working was busy straightening things out and apologized when she realized I was standing at the counter for a few minutes before she saw me. She was super nice and cheery too.

I'll definitely come back to this place when I'm in the area. They've got every kinda card/theme for every occasion that you can think of. Stop by!
4 - Jay P.: Always buy my cards and bday gifts here.  Great store.  A bit expensive though.  Just a bit.
4 - Justin F.: The card shop has a nice atmosphere (for those of you who like to browse different little shops around town). It has a decent selection of cards for whatever occasion (as most card shops do...). They have a decent amount of random quirky cards (I purchased one with a picture of a llama sticking its head out of a taxicab window). The staff is helpful and friendly as well. The cards are not too cheap, though.
4 - Cassy H.: As someone who enjoys letter writing and sending snail mail to friends and families (just ask my friends and families, I spend quite a bit of $ on sending these things.. it's a vice, but not really), you can image how excited I was when I discovered this place after browsing Urban Outfitter next door. I used to visit Avant-Card all the time when I was a student at Cal. I still visit this place every now and then when I'm in the area. 

I love their seasonal cards (ex. Halloween, Christmas, etc..) I think they're super cute, chic, and hard to find in other card stores. I also think their more permanent collection of birthday cards, thank you cards, etc... are awesome too. I've purchased many cards as well as pretty stationery paper here. Friends and families who have received my cards have liked them very much so. 

I also like their post card section and their bookshelf with random books and boxes of cards for sale. I think I just like browsing in that store even if I don't end up purchasing anything. It's one of those places I'd go whenever I needed time to kill or wanted to look at pretty things to make me smile.

Anyway, next time you need to send a card, check out Avant-card. It's a bit pricey (around the same amount as Papyrus), but I think it's worth it.. (but keep in mind, I love sending snail mail).
5 - Audrey C.: This place has creative, cute, funny cards--you name it!

I absolutely love their notebooks. They have new designs every couples months and they never fail to be artsy and pretty. It's like the hipster store of all cards and litlte notebooks.On top of that they have a wide array of wrapping paper and little Berkeley trinkets and postcards.

The staff is always friendly and helpful. Be mindful, it's not the cheapest place though. But honestly, it's not like everyone buys cards all the time so why not splurge a tiny bit and show that extra love
4 - Melody L.: They sell a lot of cute, clever witty & unique cards for nearly every occasion! Even pop-up cards! The only downside is that the prices are a little high for these cards, and the fact that I could technically be making all these cards on my own instead of buying them.
5 - Giedre N.: The only negative complaint about this place comes from my wallet. As a die-hard paper lover who gets greeted by her first name at Paper Source or any Papyrus store within 30-mile radius from Berkeley, I am thrilled to have this amazing store in my neighborhood.

Avant-Card carries unique, exciting, high-quality merchandise. Come in once, and you will never buy another card from a convenience store again. Sometimes I stop by just to look at all the pretty things they have, and I always end up spending way more time (and money) than I ever intended. Plus, the employees are always very pleasant and never frown upon mindless browsing.
5 - Chris W.: I come in here to buy cards before an occasion even presents itself. They have a great selection of chachkas, stationery and cards for just about every occasion. Call me old fashioned but I think a nice card that you can open in your hands is a great way to make a statement rather than a text/call, email or Facebook post. The prices are pretty reasonable especially for the quality of the cards and an always friendly smile at the register make this one of my favorite places in Berkeley.

Also, they have an SF location: http://www.yelp.com/biz/avant-card-san-francisco
4 - Bonnie Z.: Super duper cute cards here. I come here several times a year for multiple occasions--birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day, graduations, thank you cards. i always love looking through their cards and reading the funny sayings. And they also have cute quirky postcards too. I love how they have more unique cards compared to Walgreens or the Student Store. The price is a little high though, but the quality is so much better.
4 - Diana C.: They have really cute cards here. Also very sassy ones as well. They even have custom Berkeley ones as well. They don't only limit themselves with cards, but they also sell other things like wrapping paper, bags, and tissue paper.
4 - Gypsy J.: This is my favorite stationary shop because they offer items I can't find anywhere else -- handmade cards, local printing, full collections from small-time artists.  Nowadays it's hard for me to give in to purchasing a card anywhere else.  There's no better place to find a special gift.  But there are two downsides.  One is that the store is teeny, and sometimes browsing is awkward when one or two other people are also looking for birthday cards.  The other downside is a number of the staff members I've encountered over the past three years.  They've ranged from folks who were so busy chatting to each other like they're in a dorm room that they'd ring you up without once looking you, your item or saying a single word to you -- to kids who act like they're not sure how to do their job, period, and wish you wouldn't buy anything so they won't have to try.  It's an odd customer experience, being treated like an unwanted stranger at a gift shop, especially when you've spent as much money here as I have.
4 - Noor M.: This is one of my favorite shops in Berkeley. Firstly, it is conveniently located on the south of the UC-Berkeley campus, between Urban Outfitters and Julie's Healthy Cafe, which makes it a perfect location as students are often in the area.

Secondly, the cards are beautifully made with good quality paper arnd range from hand-made to printed. However, each card is unique and there is one for each and every occasion. Besides cards, they sell beautiful note books and diaries, as well as magnets, postcards and stickers. 

Thirdly, the store managers are very nice and do not mind us going through the cards and leaving the shop without buying any. 

While I agree that the cards may be over-priced, I also feel that the quality of the paper and the uniqueness of the cards (some are beautiful, some are funny, some are mean, etc) is definitely worth the extra money.

Kudos Avant-Card!
5 - Kimberly A.: When I first discovered Avant Card, I was immediately in heaven. My mom lives on the other side of the country and loves to receive mail, but I don't like to send the usual boring mass market kind of card. Well, Avant Card is full of stuff that is quirky, gorgeous, clever, intellectual, hand-made, and/or just wonderful. I can always find something I like here, whatever the occasion, and it's always something a little different, a little more interesting than what I would find elsewhere.
4 - Kimmie M.: Very cool little card shop--greeting cards for every one in your life! And they are funny/sassy/cute/creative. I loved looking at all the stickets and magnets too.
4 - Simone L.: Love their stuff, but it is expensive.
4 - Cindy L.: Original cards that have prices that are comparable to the not-so-original cards at large chain stores? Yes, please! I love LOVE shopping for cards (something about them being able to describe what I can't seem to put into words) and this place has such an amazing selection. Kinda sad I haven't found a place like this SoCal so I'm stuck browsing through the boring selections in Hallmark, etc...

Anyways, need a card for an occasion? This place will provide and more. Not just the PC stuff, I found some cards throwing around the "F-bomb" (in a tasteful way, of course!). I picked up a few cards to stockpile at home for whenever the mood strikes. Does not take AmEx.
3 - Kate S.: Good artsy card selection, well-organized, clean store with an inviting presentation, but a near-hostile clerk with plenty of inappropriate attitude at the cash register (Berkeley store).   Selection of different card categories exceeded that of Paper Source (Berkeley) as I checked both stores on the day prior to Valentines day.  That's a plus for Avant Card.  But the down side was the clerk's "don't bother me" attitude with 'simmering' hostility.  She ruined a perfectly good shopping experience as I asked her politely to review  my purchases on my receipt (no one in the store to demand her attention).  The store owner should check her out.  I don't want to go back...too unfriendly and I lowered the rating here by 2 stars.  She'd be more suitable to work in a gas station, behind a window where little interaction is required.  Paper Source, with little card selection, offered warm, friendly, and helpful service.   hmmm....
5 - Claire W.: for all occasions,
you will find a card, be it
funny or pretty.

some tips: NO stamps here;
five dollar minimum to
use a credit card.
2 - Nadia R.: While this store has really nice cards, I was not pleased with the service from the rude woman at the front. I went in to see if they had any moleskin planners and when I asked her if there were any, she showed me a selection of planners that were left. Since I wasn't happy with what they had, I politely asked her if they would be getting any moleskin planners. She was so rude to me and looked at me as if I was crazy for asking that question. She responded, "No, the year has already started and we will not be getting any other planners". What a biatch!  I wont be coming back here. I told my boyfriend about my experience here and because he gets all the sweet cards he gives me from here, he mentioned  that this lady was very rude to him as well so I guess it wasn't just me. 

Take your happy pill, lady. You know who you are!
4 - Martha A.: Great card selection, excellent supplemental novelty items (finger puppets, Freudian slippers), and the only place within a decent walking radius that can restock my dwindling supply of sealing wax. Some of the greeting cards are a little on the expensive side, but I don't mind. The postcards, however, are priced very well. I've also purchased some of their handmade paper/envelopes (flower pressed and plain), and really enjoyed those. 

My few (considerably minor) complaints: credit card minimum (refer to your VISA/Mastercard merchant agreements, which explicitly prohibit minimums and processing fees) and most of the employees are incredibly unpleasant, almost to a point of causticity. Seriously, you can approach these girls with all the brio of the world and still walk away feeling distressingly damp. Just thinking about them makes me want to shave off an additional star; however, the magic of the store itself is strong enough to inhibit me from doing so. That & the fact that they're still leagues nicer than the grating snobs of the neighboring Paper Heaven.
5 - S J.: This shop has the best selection of cards in Berkeley, hands-down!
4 - Jessica K.: Cutest cards ever! For ever occasion I can buy a cars for I've bought it from avant card. My favorite was a square card with the quote "you are so much sunshine to the square inch" or something like that and it was super adorable. The prices I think start around 2.50 up to probably 5-6? I'm not sure there are a lot o variety and funny cute animal cards too! They also sell journals like moleskins too.

Avanti - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2798474, -120.6629551) ()
1 - the asian jedi ..: the ambiance is just not here.
the service is so so. 
no one has ever compelled me to buy anything
the products have never compelled me to buy them
a few styles of shoes are cute but no musts.
that is sad 'cause i love to buy.
4 - Marie W.: One of my favorite boutiques in SLO and the best shoe selection in town. A must-stop for shoe lovers. Avanti has a wide selection of designer brands and less expensive offerings, and has a large inventory of Hudson and Lucky Brand Jeans. It always has a great sale rack for shoes divided by size, and the shoe brands range from designers like Calvin Klein and Michael Kors to less expensive (but still chic) brands like Steve Madden. Avanti's main draw for me is the shoes, of which they have a great selection of original styles that you are not likely to find at most other places.

The store also has at least five sale clothing racks in rotation at any given time, with good deals on casual wear, party dresses, and jeans.
2 - Chantal D.: Pricey. 
And the girls who work here think they're all that for working there or something, I really don't know. Hello, you have a retail job. It's really not all that great.

a GOOD selection of clothes though, too bad there are only two types of people who can shop here: spoiled college students, or poor college students who would give anything to look good, including food money.
2 - Jen D.: An odd store for a boutique. Although it carried top brands and some gorgeous stuff, the horrible lighting and layout/racks just didn't seem to fit what they were carrying/displaying - seemed to give it a tacky flair that didn't fit. Prices were a bit high, and can't say the service was good. But they did carry Hudson, a favorite brand, so can certainly give some stars for that.
1 - Amelia D.: I used to work at Avanti, not too long ago. Let me please say that i was fired for not buying anything (the girls that work there spend 150% of their paychecks making purchases at the store).

So That's my rant. 

The clothes are overpriced but really cute.
1 - Elia B.: I have given this place several chances. I know I can't buy the clothes (they don't fit me),they look at me as if I had horn coming out of my head. I liked their other stuff, but I have never been asked if I need assistance. The sale girls don't have a clue and are rude. I have heard them speak about other customers behind their backs in a very ugly, rude, unnecessary manner.  
I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER ITEM IN THIS STORE!
2 - LISA E.: It has really awesome clothes. The people who work in there are not the nicest. They are always in your shadow trying to sell you items. When people shop they need their space and they dont give you that.

Also, some of the items are wayyy marked up compared to other stores.
1 - Keri M.: I have never had anyone greet me or acknowledge my presents with even a nod or a fake smile when I have walked into this store...so sad! Great location if they had good management.
5 - Andrea Marie Y.: I have been shopping at Avanti for about 9 years now, and I think it is a great store. They have a good variety of brands, and items that are more expensive along with very affordable clothing. I have always been helped in this store, and the sales girls have never been overly pushy or rude. They have great shoes, and a very good selection of denim. Plus their selection of cocktail dresses is hard to beat.
4 - Teresa G.: Great store, has many items you won't find eleswhere. Adorable shoes and boots. One of my favorite places to shop. The girls are always kind and there to help when you need them.
1 - L C.: Horrible service! Actually, no service. 4 employees and 2 customers. All 4 helping one customer. I was ready to spend money and no one was willing to help me so I left
1 - Amanda B.: Horrible service! The girls who work there do not try to communicate or sell anything to the customer! How do they stay in business?
4 - Christina D.: I'm from San Francisco and I work at Nordstrom... Meaning I am super picky about style and customer service. All the brands here are great and the girls tried their best to make sure I didn't have to carry around my hangers. I tried on a ton and bought a pair of shoes. I wasn't guilted for anything ! They even remembered me when I came back later!

Ave Copy Center - Seattle, WA (47.6580635, -122.3133959) (University District)
4 - Robyn H.: Copy cat!! Who said that was a bad thing? This place has got the some of the cheapest copy fees on the Ave. Even the library charges more. Bright lighting makes it easy to check for those smudges that tip off the feds to counterfeit bills and the place is open till 11:00 pm during the week for that last minute thesis summary.
2 - Geoff N.: The required text for one of my classes this quarter consisted of a reader that we were supposed to pick up at the Ave Copy Center. When I first showed up to pick up my copy, they had none in stock, so I had to put in an order for one, which wasn't available until the next day. I would have hoped that the copy center would make enough for everyone in the class, but apparently that was not the case.

Well, once I picked up my reader, I was dismayed to discover that all the pages in the latter half of the book were out of sequence. Not wanting to rush to judgment, I decided to question my fellow classmates to make sure the error was the copy shops and not our professors'. It turns out that I got the only gimpy reader, so I decided to take it in to get it fixed.

I will say that the copy center managed to do two things correctly. First, they did not charge me to fix my reader. Second, they fixed it in half an hour rather than making me wait another day. However, rather than recopying the pages and placing them in the correct order, they merely readjusted the existing pages so that they were in the proper sequence. This would not be a problem, except that it involved flipping the pages around so that the edge which was formerly perforated by the binding was now on the open edge of the book. The copy shop merely flipped the pages around and chopped off the perforations, which caused the latter half of the reader to be about 1/2 inch narrower than the first half. Here's to mediocre customer service.
2 - Ben S.: Your average copy center but not nearly as nice as a Kinkos or similar type place.  A little messy with some room for improvement and the computers are older models - a little slow and they have a lot of old folders and files on them.

The printers weren't working correctly and every time I needed to print I had to ask one of the employees to do it for me, which was sort of awkward.  While doing this for me, the employee selected back & front printing - which while it saved paper, I also figured I wouldn't be charged for that many pages but I was.

And because I was charged for them my bill was more than I had in cash (2 dollars), so I tried to pay with a card and was charged a 50 cent fee.  What is up with these places on the Ave charging fees for using debit cards?  I hate this nickle & dime stuff.
4 - Anna P.: I had to get some photos taken for a European visa a couple of months ago, and after many searches and headaches, I ended up here. If you need to get oddly-sized photos taken for bureaucratic foreign embassies, this is the place to go.

The guy who worked here looked up the exact specifications for my visa photos, and took the time to format my photos exactly. He was also nice and accommodating when I came back the next day and asked for the photos to be re-done. He was patient, didn't charge me for the re-prints, and generally put up with my crazy paranoia throughout the whole ordeal. In the end, I had 3 different sets of 8 photos, all for $10. 

My visa application went through just fine, so if you need photos for a foreign visa/passport taken at a decent cost, I highly recommend Ave Copy Center.
5 - Maggie K.: I think these guys are a great copy shop. They can do anything you ask them to, it's at a fair price and the staff is friendly. (I'm thinking there had to have been some turnover or change in management since some of the old reviewers because I've never experienced anything like that.)
2 - Elaine J.: Shitty. These people assume no one will pick the course readers up so they don't print til you get there? So, you sit around for 5 minutes until its don't printing. If it were up to me, I wouldn't come back. Too bad my professors chose to print here.
5 - Janine B.: These people are wonderful. My non-profit has been using their services for years, and I have always found them to be really competent and friendly. The owner, Karim, is a wonderful person and he does a good job of finding people who are able and helpful.
2 - Hansee H.: Took a visa picture there with two hard copies for around $8. The digital version looks fine but the color on the printed copy was way off! Either too yellow or too red. The lady was nice and helpful. She tried to solve the problem for several times, but at last couldn't solve it. She offered to refund my money and I was fine with it. 

Then came the Indian owner, who claimed that's the best picture they can get, and the picture would be qualified (how does he know if he never apply the visa with that picture??). He claimed anywhere else would develop the same quality of the picture! I suggested him to check the color of printer, which is a not so professional small machine that could be used too many times before mine. The Indian guy refused and said the machine doesn't indicate them to replace the toner/cartridge/ or whatever needs to be changed. But cannot he see with his eyes???  After unpleasant argument with the owner, he refunded me $5, which was acceptable since I got the digital version. Why not just admitted the truth and do the quick refund? 

Then I printed my photos in Bartell Drugs for $0.19, and the picture is perfect!! You should check your photo printer, Ave Copy Center!!
5 - Dino D.: The guys working here are super nice and friendly, and the prices are good.  Please don't go to Kinko's.
3 - Olive H.: I guess it's not their fault, but... Purchased a $35 course pack that contained "cheaply-printed" materials. Seriously? I thought only high school teachers did that to their students when they wanted them to have copies of a book or read a not-so-interesting article. 

You could see the outline of the pages in the book from whomever was copying the book, and the blank ink, where there was nothing to copy. 

ABOVE ALL... Didn't even NEED to use this course pack. Can't believe my professor stressed about getting this and I never touched it for academic purposes. She didn't even know how much the pack would have cost me. The most I did was open it to see what it contained (300 or so pages of PDF files, poorly copied pages of readings, and blob), and shoved it to the corner of my room to fetch some dust. Thanks for throwing my "Poor college savings" out the door. 

- rant of a freshmen -
4 - The-Hoa H.: I like this place, it's a little harder to find since its tucked away under the Jimmy John's sammich shop but they do seem to carry a higher variety of copies of class texts than the other two copy centers on the ave. I was greeted right away when entering by the boss man, asked for a drama 101 course text and was given one within thirty seconds. Twenty bucks...a bit overpriced but not too bad at all for college standards in terms of texts. Good deal. Nice experience and really friendly owner and staff!

Aveda Institute Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9122431, -79.0581409) ()
1 - Nicki S.: Wow this place is so unbelievably bad I don't know where to begin. 

Second to worst facial I have ever had (and you would not believe how unbelievably bad the first one was), I was dying to get out of there as a 17 year old literally washed my face, put a mask on, washed it off and then put moisturizer on my face. At one point the teacher came in and started talking to her about all of my blemishes. So much for calm and tranquility. 

Then I get a manicure. That lasted for TWO hours. The girl was nice, so i dealt with it, but literally within 2 hours half of the polish on my nails had flaked off. I had a job interview the next day, so I had to remove the rest of the polish by the end of the day. 

Then, I figure, i better buy some products with the left over gift certificate because no way in hell was i ever getting another service there. I tell the teen salesperson that I have dry skin with occasional breakouts and she directs me to some acne product with salicylic acid. Um, let me clarify i do not have acne. I have DRY skin. So annoying.

Never ever going back to this place. I know its a training school, but it is so not worth being a guinea pig. I don't care if it's cheaper, because its basically throwing money down the toilet as far as i am concerned.
5 - Beth T.: Here's the secret to the Aveda Institute: You can request a more advanced student...and better yet, you can continue to request the same student if you find someone you like. They can't always accommodate your request, but 9 times out of 10, it will likely happen. I went here for two years and got everything from haircuts and highlights to facials, mani/pedis and body scrubs. I was rarely disappointed. Sure, it may take a little more time, and you run the (small) risk that you won't like what they do....but isn't that worth it, given the prices? $40 - $50 for a facial, $60 or so for a haircut AND highlights?!?! It's one of the things I miss most about Chapel Hill, especially since I now pay big city prices to get my hair done. Give it a shot.
3 - Chelsea J.: I recently had a cut and highlight here.  It's a school, you are going to be a student's mannequin for the day.  I know, scary, huh?

It's a pretty lively, loud place.  You are not going to have a tranquil, relaxing service here.  You are going to get a hell of a deal, though.  I paid $55 for a cute and partial highlights.  That's half of what I am accustomed to paying!  Score. 

Downside - I was there for over 3 hours and my stylist wasn't the most friendly gal in the world.  But I'm more than willing to bury my nose in a 3-month-old STAR magazine and space out.

Would I go back?  Maybe.   If you've got the time, it's worth it.  If not, I'd pass.
5 - Henry S.: I have been getting my haircut here for the past 6 months- the trick is to find a good student, and then request them for your next appointment. Sarah L. currently cuts my hair, and I've seen her finishing up on several women's cuts before me, and all of them have turned out great. Patrick has also cut my hair here, and he did a great job as well. No, it's not a typical salon because it is quite busy and loud, but a GOOD haircut for under $20 is extremely difficult to find these days, so I highly recommend it.
5 - Lina B.: Yes, hit or miss. But a haircut for 20 bucks??  No where else is that possible.
3 - Neal W.: I feel like I'm playing the lottery whenever I visit an Aveda Institute.  I've had pretty good odds recently.

Some of my first haircuts here have been hit-or-miss.  However, I've got some really great cuts here recently.  If you like your stylist, you have the opportunity to make an appointment with them again.

I recently paid $25 dollars for a haircut here.  This is more expensive than other Aveda institutes I've been too.

The atmosphere here is chaotic.  They have the styling stations arranged in a circle, with some additional stations placed in the middle of the circle.  It's like a house of mirrors.

It seems to be pretty popular.  You should probably make reservations in advance.
2 - Darci C.: I typically love Aveda salons, but this was my first experience with an Aveda Institute.  I should say that the difference may stem from this distinction.  That said, while I would highly recommend a number of Aveda salons, I absolutely would not recommend Chapel Hill's Aveda Institute.  I had my nails done and the young girl that waited on me did a terrible job.  She was clearly not interested in nails and actually shared this perspective with me.  She spent the whole time talking with her friend.  The service was poor and my nails were not done well.  She did not remove my existing nail polish and I had to request that she do so (as she began slopping on a new coat).  She also did not clean up my cuticles.  When I checked out, I shared my dissatisfaction with the front desk.  Unfortunately it appears that position is also staffed by a student, as my complaint was not acknowledged or addressed.  If you need your hair cut or nails done, but don't have money, then this may be the place for you..  Otherwise, I would strongly advise taking your business elsewhere.
5 - Helena K.: The Aveda Institute is basically one of my favorite places in the world.  I get my hair cut here every six weeks or so, partial highlights about every three months, and the occasional facial and body treatment.  Emmy, who graduates in just a few weeks (good for her, but sad for the rest of us!), has cut my hair the last three or four times.  I specifically request her when I call ahead to make my appointment.  If you don't know someone there and are concerned about spending three hours getting a haircut from a beginner, then just request an advanced student when you call ahead.  Easy peasy.  But do remember that beginners need love, too, and, even if they are a "beginner" whatever they do will still be one thousand times better than what you could ever do to yourself, so just keep that in mind.

The Aveda Institute is essentially a ginormous room the size of a warehouse.  It's very clean and austere inside, but is often packed to the brim with people.  Saturday mornings are crazy-busy on the hair salon side and it gets really loud there.  I'd recommend going during the week if you can get away from work.  

Upon arrival, walk to the desk past the merchandise room and just before the salon.  Give the receptionist your name, read and sign the acknowledgment that students will be working on you, then go sit on the benches in the merchandise area to wait.  You'll generally be greeted with water or hot tea upon arrival or with a complimentary chair massage (heaven on earth), and then your student will come find you and lead you to his or her station.

Expect to spend a lot more time in the chair if you have a beginner student working on your hair.  Park in the Chapel Hill city lot across the street (the small street, not Franklin) and go ahead and pay for two hours for a haircut, three hours for a body treatment, and four hours if you're getting a cut and highlights.  Odds are it won't take that long, but if the place is packed, you don't want to chance it.  Parking is only $1 an hour and the parking enforcers---always on the prowl, I tell you!---will not hesitate to fine you $15.  Not worth it.  Besides, if you pay for too much time, you can always grab coffee, lunch, or go shopping at any of the awesome locations nearby.

When you get your hair washed ask for the mini facial (your student stylist will generally offer, but sometimes they forget), because it's awesome.  And complimentary!

Getting a facial or body treatment there is a very relaxing experience; you can't hear the noise from the salon room back there.  I have been several times and have not noticed much difference between Aveda's treatments and those for which I've paid at least twice as much at upscale day spas.

I would also highly recommend adding "Aveda Chapel Hill" as a friend on facebook.  They send out discount coupons and other offers and announcements on an almost daily basis.  Their discounts are generally ~25% off your service.  You can't beat that deal.  They also extend a 20% discount for any service, any day, to employees of the following schools & businesses: UNC, NC State, Duke, Meredith College, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Chapel Hill / Carrboro Chamber of Commerce Employees (and members), Quintiles Employees, Wake County School System, Orange County School System, Duke County School System.  Employees must show their staff ID or business card at checkout to receive the discount.

The students cannot accept tips, so do not even offer.  Instead, fill out a comment card at the check-out counter and shower them with compliments that they can show their instructors and put in their portfolio.  Also, leave a little extra for their Tip for a Cause program if you can.  The program supports several worthwhile projects.  The students are told to show you what they used on you during your service before they walk you to the check-out counter, so buy it if you love it!  They often have sales and chair massages and all other manner of cool things going on in their merchandise area.

In short, this place is a real gem.  Don't miss it.
4 - Sara A.: Since the Aveda Institute is staffed by students, it can be very hit and miss, but I have had mostly good experiences here.

Hair color, especially highlights, is a GREAT DEAL. Highlights cost you a third to half of what'd they'd cost elsewhere. Plus they use Aveda hair color and products, which is what they use in Aveda salons and is really high quality. I always go here for highlights. 

Expect it to take a really, really long time if you get a beginner student. Not only do they have to wait around to ask for instructor approval on various parts of the process, but they can be slow since they're new at it. The first time I got partial highlights, it took five hours. Really. But it was $30 and she did a great job, so I couldn't complain. I went back to that same student several more times and she took only two hours (about the same as a regular salon) the last time I went.

It's also a pretty good deal for haircuts.

Some tips: 

--Don't go here for anything besides hair stuff. Almost all the students are in school for hair, but they all have to do rotations through everything else, so you'll get someone who doesn't really care or want to perform that service. Also, the other stuff isn't a particularly good deal. A pedicure is $25 I think, which is the same price at most regular salons in town. Waxing is only a little cheaper, and there's no way I'm going to let a 19-year old give me a bikini wax just to save $5. I had the crappiest pedicure I have ever had here. Later I found out that the girl who gave it to me hates feet and, like everyone else, is there to do hair.

--Request an advanced student on the phone. They do that all the time. If you don't, you are very likely to end up with a beginner and sit there forever. 

--Be diligent in asking what they're doing, and if they do something you don't like, be sure to say something - an instructor will come fix it or at least help the student fix it. 

--The students can't accept tips, so the school accepts "tips for a cause," which changes monthly. The students have competitions to see who can raise the most money and get "credit" for the tips though, and I think they get prizes, so I always tip anyway. Plus it's for a good cause.

--Follow them on Twitter or Facebook. Like another reviewer said, they frequently post coupons for 20 - 25% off services that you can't find elsewhere.
4 - Paige T.: I think I'd actually probably give this school five stars, but since it is a school and they are all still learning, I know it can't be as good as it gets.  Since moving here back in the fall, I have not had my hair cut or colored anywhere else.  While living in NYC I got really used to just going to schools like Bumble and Bumble in the city to get discounted hair cuts by students, so, needless to say, I was thrilled to discover the Aveda Institute in downtown Chapel Hill, a 15 minute walk from my house-woohoo!  I have had three haircuts there, all by different students and not because any one in particular was bad, but because of their class schedules, which is one of the down sides to going to a school to get your hairs cut.  The other downside is the amount of time spent.  I recently had my hair colored there, which was my first real professional hair coloring experience.  I have had highlights done before, but this was a whole different ballgame...a real investment of time, I learned.  In the end, the girl did a fantastic job and I appreciated her enthusiasm and how thorough she was.  Also, the price is right, for sure!  She will have to figure out how to do such a great job in half the time at some point, though.  In the meantime, one has to maintain perspective--it is a learning environment.  Keep up the good work, Aveda.   Oh, one more thing, they love to offer free facial and hand massages, take 'em up on it!
5 - Felecia B.: This review is based on my hubby's experience who isn't not particularly vain but does have some exact specifications when it comes to his hair.  I always know it is time for a haircut because he can't stop patting his head and playing with his curly-q sideburns.  That and he keeps telling me his hair is bugging him.

He stopped by a few places and called me and was like-do you know how much they want just to cut my hair?  I said, oh, about $30-$35.  Crestfallen, that he had no one to share his indigence with I looked on line for somewhere else.  We had heard good things about this place as one of our lovely babysitters is a student there so he thought he would give it a shot.  She was in class but another student cut his hair.  

Can I just say that he LOVES his hair?  He never raves about any haircut, usually just the opposite but this student got it just right. The only downside was that it isn't quick.  But you go there knowing that you will have a student and depending on their level they may need more or less supervision and instruction.  Totally worth it.

On Tuesdays they have $14 haircuts but you can't request a certain person-it's kind of first come first serve kind of deal.  

I generally like Aveda salons anyway.  I had the best haircut at an Aveda salon in Colorado.
4 - Monica M.: I've got to echo that I was a little nervous walking in - but will say upfront that it was overall a very positive experience.  The one thing I have to caution against - make sure that if you're going into this, to give yourself a LOT of time.  You aren't going to get in and out of here in under an hour.  There are a lot of processes that are good for you, the customer, but they do take some serious time.  If you take the time, you will be pleased with your results.  I did get an advanced student to cut my hair, but just the conditions of the day (the shop was swamped, and therefore the instructors were swamped) extended my time out to about 2 1/2 hours.

You'll go in and sign a waiver, get a consult, and then an instructor will come and verify and make sure your stylist knows how to do it.  They might get a little quiz, but don't let this unnerve you!  Then, you go in for your hair washing and choice of an additional service.  Mine took an especially long time since the facial lotion was apparently no where to be found, and my stylist made the effort to find it. 

After your haircut is done, an instructor will come to inspect and sign off.  My stylist actually had the scissors ready for her just in case she wanted to make some corrections - and she didn't have to. :)  So, never fear!  They DO make sure you are pleased with your haircut, and WILL fix it if not.  Mine was pretty good, and while there was a thing or two that I wasn't 100% on during the cut, but it really did all turn out well in the end.
1 - Bao L.: This was the worse hair experience that I've ever had.  I had an appointment for partial highlights.  From previous experience, I told both my stylist and the instructor from the beginning that my hair is to too dark to just absorb the hair coloring.  They need to bleach it first or add more of the absorbing component.  They can check my record from last time. They refused to listen and went on their merry way. After the rinse 1.5hr later, my hair was pitch black. Even the highlights that I walked in with were gone. An NOT a strand of the brunette red highlight that I wanted.  NOT A STRAND.   While I did not expect perfection, I expected quality better than this considering that the student stylist will be graduating in 4 days! The student stylist offered to fix it and I was OK. Things happen. But the instructor said that she will not sign off for any more coloring.   I am paying, what does she mean no more color? Then the instructor said that "There is no time".  It was only 12pm, so I was confused.  No time for what? I felt like I was one of the hair dummies that they use for practice.  FAILURE.  Discard...When I walk out to the cashier, I don't understand why I should pay for highlights that I never got. If they could find even a strand of highlight or fix it, I would gladly pay.  Managements' answer was that I have to paid first, then come back a few days later for them to fix it. What do I do for the next few days?  It was hideous.   I am  also afraid of the quality of this "future fix" as I do not know who will fix it.  I wanted them to take care of it now. They threw the consent form that I signed earlier that I would not sue them in my face.  So that form gives them the right not fix it or to fix it at their leisure? During the discussion, management accused me of stealing if I do not pay and they will call the Chapel Hill police.  After that kind of quality and service, I pay and told them that I will never go back.  What Aveda didn't realize was that I had  planned to purchase over a $150 dollar of the Smooth Infusion products for my new highlighted hair. Until I get my hair fixed, I will gladly share with my friends and family how Aveda Chapel Hill messed up my hair.  This expereince upset me as much as  5 years ago when American Airline changed my flight to an earlier flight on Christmas Eve without informing me, which left me stranded at the airport for most of Christmas Eve.  Ouch!  My point:  Quality was BAD and the service is even WORSE. They treated me no better than a lifeless hair dummy or a thief.
1 - Kerry M.: This was an absolutely horrible experience.  It is loud, and people are everywhere.  I went there with 3 friends to all get spa pedicures.  I called in advance and was assured we could be in and our within 1 hour.  After sitting in the waiting room for an hour and a half, only one of us had been called back.  (and to make things worse, the "spa pedicures" consist of a hard wooden chair with your feet dangling into a stainless steel bowl).  Since we had a meeting to get to, I decided to engaged the lackluster, downright rude manager who said "managing appointments wasn't his thing" and went back to his office.  So, a couple of the employees pulled me aside and told me the manager is extremely rude and uninvolved, so I went and knocked on his office door and asked him for a full refund of the girl who had already started and for a cancellation of all of our appoinments.  Although I asked extremely nicely, he said I was yelling at him and that he couldn't refund any money because of "inventory concerns" - whatever that means!!!!  Clearly, he had no common sense whatsoever, was completely uneducated, and Aveda put him as the salon manager!  At the end of our conversation, I asked him what his full name was so I could contact corporate about the way I was treated and he was arrogant enough to go get me a business card!!!  I will absolutely never return and corporate will definitely hear about our experience!
5 - Sarah M.: I had a great experience with my stylist last weekend. I'm giving them a tentative 5 stars for now, acknowledging that this was my first and only time there so there. When I go back, unfortunately I will have another stylist as the wonderful one I was assigned to had only seventeen days left in her education. Great for her --- not so much for me. 

I love Aveda salon experiences. I used to go to Von Kekel Cary, and still do, religiously, as time and finances allow. When I was getting my hair done there every eight weeks it was the early 2000s which meant the economy was in a much different place, I was an undergraduate [read: I had this stuff called "expendable income" and "free time"] and, truthfully, when you are in your earlier twenties, a half an inch of roots seems like a Much Bigger Deal than it does in your late twenties. I could care less now. 

I'm more experimental with my hair and was willing to let a "student" touch it where before I was not, and I was thrilled with the outcome. I had a two thirty appointment, and was not seen until three, which is my only "complaint" to speak of, but that is to be expected, and when you're getting an Aveda haircut for twenty-five bucks, who cares? I took the time to have some of that addictive herbal tea they provide (and peddle, too, if you like it as much as I do) and peruse the products, stocking up on some old favorites. The staff was friendly and accommodating, noting the slight wait and acting accordingly by offering tea, water, etc. 

When I did meet my stylist she had a warm smile that put me at ease immediately. I knew I wanted a change, but did not know how to articulate precisely what I wanted done, and she was great with spending time with me. I have very fine hair that needed a few inches off, but I wanted to keep the majority of the length, and while I needed to keep a mostly professional look I have a young face that if I go too bold or too short around the face I can look like Punky Brewster. She let me spill all of this without making me feel at all silly, and was able to do exactly what I needed done. She gave me bangs for the first time since I was in the seventh grade, and did a heck of a job. I felt like a million bucks when I left, though the cut cost me next to nothing. 
I have had two or three cuts that I have been similarly pleased with in my life, and they have cost me approximately 70-90 dollars apiece. 
I can say with certainty that the stylist I  had during this cut took the most time with me during the consult and during the actual cut, taking two whole hours to make sure that what I got was what I wanted. 

As has been mentioned before, there is no tipping allowed, which is precisely why I am giving the lengthy "lip-tip" here about the great service I got there. I did leave an extra five for that months' non-profit, a domestic violence shelter. 

I actually look forward to going back, and hope I have a similarly satisfying experience. I doubt it will be as stellar as my first - I don't see how it possibly could be, but as I looked around at every full salon chair last Saturday, as people came and went, those leaving looked extremely satisfied.
3 - Amy H.: I've been to Aveda twice for the super cheap cuts.  Others have said this, but I would really like to emphasize the point that it is HIT-OR-MISS.

First time was great.  My stylist was really nice and worked diligently.  I came out with a haircut that was fine (I'm pretty low maintenance).  It did take about 2 hours, which most people have stated.

Second time was HORRIBLE.  I had a bad feeling from the get-go.  The weather was bad (snow in Durham in December?!) and many of the students couldn't show, so I ended up with a sub.  Though nice, she was far from gentle with the handling of the hair, shampoo (in my eyes and in my ears), and the comb.  She had really bad technique with the scissors (she would pull my hair down with her fingers and cut ABOVE her fingers...).  What really ruined it was the bang cut.  I said eye level and somehow that ended up meaning an inch from my hairline!  Thank goodness it is hat season!  When she called over her supervisor (because I was obviously displeased), all the supervisor could say was, "it's not that bad" and "I've seen worse."  God, I hope she hasn't seen worse...if so, I want their numbers so I can stand next to them for the next two or more months.  Needless to say, 2 hours and $22 later, I was hat-clad and hiding from everyone I knew.

Bottom line: trust your instincts.  You have to speak up when you know they are doing something wrong (they are students after all).  Though hair grows back, as everyone keeps reminding me, it's not instantaneous.  So, pay attention and be direct.

If you decide to give it a chance, I wish you the best of luck!
2 - Mark W.: I must be missing something about this place, but it took an hour and a half for a basic men's haircut with no styling, and cost $25 after tax and tip. That's just including the time of the actual haircut, which involved multiple visits from the instructors to fix my hair. My girlfriend's haircut took even longer, and we had spent about 2.5 hours at Aveda by the time we were finished. I suppose this could be reasonable for women since styling generally costs significantly more than the $19 base that Aveda charges, but I'd have trouble recommending Aveda for men's haircuts at this point. There are many good barbers in Chapel Hill who charge much less, while doing a better job in less time.
2 - Charlotte S.: Ugh Ugh a thousand times ugh! I hear this is fine for nails and facials but the haircut experience here is abysmal. IF the receptionist gets around to retrieving your student cutter, and 3billion sorority girls and bridesmaids aren't pitching a fit about bad highlights AND you are not emotional about your hair, this could work out. I've had to wait over an hour to be told my student left and someone else could see me if I continued waiting. No mediocre haircut is worth the filth, noise, and frustration.
5 - Laura K.: Went back for cut and touch up color on my roots!
I was very impressed with the students who worked on me that day.
Very attentive to detail and they listened to my concerns.
No petty gossip about others, which is frankly why I don't like other salons.  
LOVE my hair!
1 - stacy W.: This place SERIOUSLY can't get their admin side on track. I'm waffling on whether or not to give them a 1 or 2 star on this review because of it. Unfortunately, the services are decent, but if you can't get to the services you made appointments for, it's a stupid place to go to.


My first visit went something like this. 
Me: "Hi, how are you? I have a facial at 11:30 under Stacy B."
Idiot: "Oh, I see. You don't have anything today, you have blah blah blah on Wednesday, not today"
Me: "actually, I do have an appointment today. I have a voicemail on my phone saying that I do and I made this appointment two months ago. So could you please check again?"
Idiot: "oh there you are"
The facial was quite awesome itself. But the girl doing my facial was too chatty. Please, just let me REEELAAAX! And please please please... don't point out that I have fine lines at the volume only cheerleaders can rival... I seriously can't stop thinking about the fact that I have fine lines on my neck. Depressing. 
The facial area is in a back room that gets some noise from the main salon. And privacy is managed by thick curtains between tightly spaced massage tables. So if someone sniffs, it sounds like it's under your table. But, the facial was thorough and I enjoyed walking out of there with a clean and refreshed face.


The second visit went something like this:
Me: "Hi, how are you? I have three waxing appointments starting at 2:30 under Stacy B."
Idiot: "Oh, I see. You're not in the books for anything today. Try making an appointment next time."
Me: "actually, I do have an appointment today. I have a voicemail on my phone saying that I do and I made this appointment two months ago. So could you please check again?"
Idiot: "oh there you are."
SERIOUSLY????
The waxing was OK. I was told that they use a different wax (The blue stuff) and they don't. So I was a little put off by that, cause I don't like strip waxing... at all. 
Here's where it gets awesome. I booked an underarm, leg and bikini wax for this session. (Bride stuff, fun.) I was called the day before to come in earlier to get all services done in time. OK. FINE. So my bikini wax is finished up and the girl is like "OK. You're all done"
.......Wait what?
Me: "I have an underarm and leg wax too"
Girl: "let me check" --comes back-- "Nope, you're done."
Me: "grab your manager, this isn't your fault so I'm not going to try to fix it with you"
Manager: "we don't' have time to fit you in for these other services, we have other customers"
Me: "YEAH. As in I AM THE CUSTOMER that you BUMPED to an earlier time and then gave MY TIME to someone else. Are you really this dense?"
Manager: "I'm sorry"

And that was that. I had to leave work EARLY to come in for services that I scheduled and NEVER RECEIVED. I've decided that this horrible inconvenience and flat our rude behavior just earned them ONE star.
Fix your admin staff - the feeble-mindedness of the establishment and sappy customer service is INSULTING. I should be sending you a bill for wasting MY time.

That is all.
3 - Emily P.: The first time I went to Aveda was a few weeks ago for a demi-permanate dye job. Decided I wanted to transform my "dishwater blonde" hair (as one friend so tastefully put it) into a rich brunette. I had done my research prior to the appointment and was pretty darn frightened when I walked in. The waiver I had to sign didn't exactly ease my nerves either. Still, at these prices, I had to try it out.

First impressions: loud, bustling, HUGE, and too many bored, whispering stylists playing with each other's hair to count.

After a brief wait I was introduced to my student hairdresser. She gently played with my hair as a co-student curiously twirled in the chair next to us, and asked me why I would want to dye hair as pretty as mine.  "I really regret dying my hair dark," she innocently advised. "Just need a change," I politely replied. "Oooook," she responded in an I'll-do-it-but-it's-a-bad-idea kind of way. Awesome. Confidence. :-(

Long story short, after two hours I had a dishwater brunette dye job and had heard all about the recent throw down between two students and how it's going to take her forever to graduate as she has missed sooooo many classes.  Being incredibly unhappy with the result, even though I had brought in countless pictures, her supervisor came over and tried to help. This alone took another ten minutes seeing as how the ratio of students to teachers is absurdly skewed.  She gave the student some advice and I waited, tension building, as the stylist thought about whether or not she would have time to fix the dye job that day. SCORE! If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again. After a total of 4 hours in the salon I left with a beautiful, deep auburn color that is still lovely, even as it fades out.

Final impressions: allot yourself double the time the procedure should take (and on that note, feed your meter or risk getting a ticket like me), bring a book to keep busy or feign interest, and ask for an advanced student if possible.
4 - Susan P.: I came here for the first time today for hair cut and blow out.  Mind you, I have been to the Aveda Institute in Charlotte, so I thought I knew what I was getting...

I've been to an Aveda Institute before, so I asked for an experienced student, and they gave me the Student Body President, Aaron.  (Huh? President? Something about salon morale or something.)  He was sweet, not too pushy and very dilligent.  He assured me he wouldn't mess up my bangs (like so many have done before) and he was extremely nice.  He did a great job and my hair looks so healthy.   I got to pick my "Wellness Package" that was complementary, so I got a free back massage for a good ten minutes or I could pick from a mini facial or a hand massage.  I think Charlotte just had a little of all three in their package, but I liked picking what I wanted.  Next, I got to lay down on a bed while they washed my hair.  It was neat, and I had never done it before.  It was so much better than straining my neck on the stupid sit down ones and I really rather enjoyed it. :) I don't think I want to go back to the normal sit down ones.  lol! :)

Here's the deal, if you've ever been to the Charlotte Aveda Institute, it is calm and relaxing.  It's a salon experience with a lot of chairs, but the professionalism and the ambience is EXACTLY the same as an Aveda salon.  Unfortunately, this is not how the Aveda Institute Chapel Hill was.  It was LOUD, crowded, and it looked more like the back stage of Bryant Park at Fashion Week than a real Aveda salon with Enya playing.  There were seven zones of people doing hair, and it was a MAD house.  It didn't look anything like the salon I used to get my hair done at in Charlotte.  It was in fact an institute and I had to realize it and get over it.  Once I got over the initial shock, it was okay from there, but definitely not what I expected.  Finally, the parking was not great, but at least they validated.  Make sure you go the PARKING LOT (not the deck) on Rosemary & Columbia.  

Would I go again...heck ya! It was $15 bucks without tip ($20 with tip), because I went on a Thursday.  That's a heck of a deal AND I got 20% off coupons for the next few times I go.  It's worth it to me. :) Especially because I still got Aveda products for my hair with Great Clips prices! :) Go, your hair will thank you! :)

5 Stars for Aaron
3 Stars for the Ambience & Facilities
3 - Lila Z.: came here for a 60 minute facial, which was substantially cheaper than any other spa because this is a school and the students are basically practicing on you.

i wouldn't recommend the facial because it was basically a rubbing of facial oils and wiping said oils off my face with a cloth. the girl didn't do any extractions or steam like normal facials provide. 

the facial ended up being more like 45 minutes.
2 - Anna S.: This is definitely a "you get what you pay for" situation. I went to Aveda a lot as a student, and I got some good and not-so-good hair cuts there. It completely depends on who you get! Just remember, the reason this place is so affordable is because the people working there are students. You may get an amazing hair cut, you may get a not so amazing one. Overall, I trust them to trim my hair and not much else.
4 - Patricia G.: Remember: these people are students.  They do a great job, but they have to pass things off with their instructors before they make any cuts, and they often have questions.  Do not be alarmed - they are learning, and they are very thorough.  

Both hair cuts I've had here have been dramatic changes, and they've given me exactly what I've asked for.  I love the wash table that you lay on  - comfortable and relaxing, and there's a complimentary face scrub while you get conditioned.  

BTW, when you donate hair to locks of love, your already cheap haircut becomes half price!
2 - Ami O.: Oof. Let me start by saying I have hair that is very tough to cut and style, super curly and thick, and I went to Aveda Institute expecting a really inexpensive cut -- not to get the best haircut of my life. So I recognize that I set myself up for failure. The student who cut my hair was very friendly and more professional than most stylists I've had cut my hair, so I was pleasantly surprised by that, even though the hot water heater had been shut off overnight so I laid on the washing table for five minutes with the water running, waiting for it to heat up. She was constantly interrupted by the student at the station next to her, who basically asked her step-by-step instructions for giving her client highlights. (I guess it's better that she asked questions, but it wasn't comforting for her client and it was distracting to me/my student.) My cut was below average, I basically gave myself the same exact cut once in my bathroom with a pair of scissors from CVS. There was no understanding of my hair type or how to give a cut that complements my face shape. When I had my hair fixed a few days later at Moshi Moshi, I had to have twice as much taken off the right side just to even it out. The instructor check-ins were kind of a joke. There was a pre-cut explanation of the student's plan, and when the cut was done the instructor ran her hands through my hair once, then signed off... just not the level of supervision I was expecting. There were probably three times as many students chatting loudly with one another than there were students working on clients. I watched a student combing out a woman's waist-length hair so aggressively it was as if she forgot the hair was connected to a human head. Ouch! Two stars for cheap, cheap cuts (mine was $15) and because someone with very straight and manageable hair and a straightforward style could probably get an average cut. I wouldn't suggest getting anything done their for the first time -- there's kind of an expectation that the client will recognize if something is being done incorrectly.

Aveda Institute Los Angeles - Los Angeles, CA (34.0625894, -118.4465419) (Westwood)
4 - Angela S.: This place is MUCH better then the Vidal Sassoon in Santa Monica. 

It's 1.5 hours maybe- and that's with the makeup consultation and styling. Plus I really like Aveda products. It's very very cheap, $17 for the most inexperienced student and I think $25 for an experienced student. They don't take tips, if you do choose to tip, it's donated to the cause they've chosen for that month.

The teacher sort of wanders around and checks up a few times, but for the most part you're in the students' hands. They ask what kind of cut you want (dramatic change, just a trim, add bangs etc). And if the student is stuck and isn't sure what type of bangs would best flatter you, a teacher is called over and they work their magic.

Mine went a tiny crazy with the styling. I should've said no, but I trusted her after such a good haircut! I had huge curls at the ends (which is no easy feat considering my thin Asian hair) and hairspray and tons of volume. It was... big.

The makeup consult was fine, they just touched up what I already had on. (... but then they added a lot of blush, which I rubbed off as soon as I stepped out)

 Someone people were getting facials, manicures and pedicures and they seemed to enjoy it as well.
4 - A.B. C.: I am reviewing this as a training place and not as a full-on salon. First, the person who answers the phone makes you feel like the most special person in LA. I kept pushing back my appointment and they were nice about it and let me reschedule for later in the day. The space looks and feels like a training spot, metal corrals for each station with young hip stylists in training chatting and waiting. They give you tasty tea, chat with you about yourself (I always lie to stylists and tell them I use more expensive products, so they won't look down on me, but my student stylist seemed so earnest I told the truth!)  She checked our plan with the instructor, did lots of cutting, the instructor cut the front, and viola! an hour and a half later, fabulous me! $19 plus a tip to charity.
*Update- the second time I walked in during a super busy day and got a student who didn't really want to cut my hair- she spent the whole time talking about coloring her own hair with another student. My cut was still fine for $19 but I recommend calling ahead and getting an appt during a non-busy time. Neither time was I offered a facial or make-up touch up.
4 - Heather C.: Great place if you're looking for a cheap haircut and have a couple hours to spare. My student's name was Anna - she was really sweet and considerate. The haircut starts with a consultation, a little neck and shoulder massage, complimentary tea and water, shampoo while laying down, and a mini facial. The student consults with the instructor pretty much every step of the way...so even though I was a little nervous about having a student with 5 months experience cutting my hair, the instructor made sure everything was okay before the student could move onto the next step. After the cut, the student styles your hair and also gives a little make-up touch up.

Overall I was happy with my cut and experience. I don't know if I'd go there again though - the complimentary services were a nice touch, the Aveda products were awesome, but I think I'd rather pay a little more for a more efficient cut and with someone who knows what they're doing. I would recommend it for students on a budget who just want a trim...but not for dramatic changes to their hair style.
4 - Andrea L.: I got my hair cut here the other day, and I'm pretty darn happy that Westwood has a place like this. Yes, there are a ton of salons and hair-cutting places in Westwood, but I'm cheap. I can't really imagine spending more than $20 on just a cut. (If you're ever in Taiwan get your hair done there- cut, style, massage, food, everything is less than $15.)  Disclaimer: I'm, in general, quite willing to risk a horrendous haircut as long as it's cheap (see trip to Vidal Sassoon). Thankfully, this trip was both cheap and stylish.  

In any case, what's nice about Aveda is that everyone there seems super eager and willing to please. They ask you about your hair and what you want and run through options. They tailor everything accordingly. Everyone seems really intent on satisfying their customer. For $19, they wash, head/neck massage, facial (just cleanser and toner), tea, cut/style. My person checked w/ her instructor a lot, which was actually probably more reassuring to me than to her. 

They are slow though. Budget at least 2 hours. I had an appointment at 8:30, came in around 8:35. Got in the chair at 8:45 and left around 11:30. 

so. there's the down low. I'll probably get my haircut there again (... 6 months from now...) seeing as how I'm not  going to Taiwan anytime soon.
5 - Lona Z.: This place is seriously cool. When I went in they offered me something to drink (okay, I'm not used to fancy haha). The stylist I got was VERY nice, and she understood exactly what I wanted. This is also the first place where I got my bangs (or "fringe") trimmed without it ending up like a disaster. I asked for a 3-inch trim, and they gave me a 3-inch trim. None of this, what happened to my long hair stuff.
The experience was very pleasant, they give you a scalp massage, shampoo, condition, mini-facial. At the end they show you the products they used but they don't push them on you. $20 is more than I usually spend for a haircut (I'm cheap).
Also it was convenient because I go to UCLA, and it's very close to UCLA.
3 - Aly K.: There were some things that really bothered me that I guess I should just forgive because this is only a training salon.  Whether you get a good haircut or not really depends on the student you get.  The girl in the chair next to me left with a GREAT cut that suited her so well.  

The girl who cut my hair left it dripping wet because it was "already straight".  Also, when I got home I found a small section that was a good 1.5-2 inches longer than the rest of my hair.  Another thing was that it seemed like the instructors and even the girl who was working on me wanted to get the hell out of there -- I was in the last appointment slot on a Friday. 

Other than that, the experience wasn't so bad. 
The woman who checked me in and rang me up was very friendly. During your cut they offer you iced tea, a mini facial, and some touch-ups on your eye make-up. 

It's a very cheap haircut, but keep in mind, this is only a training salon -- the student who cuts your hair may treat you as though you're just another assignment rather than a customer.
3 - Kristin K.: This place is all about the luck of the draw. You can have a really great cut or a terrible experience. Considering the fact that you have students working on you and the services are on the cheap, you can't expect top-notch service.

That being said, I've had some great haircuts here, as well as the one in Portland (usually a better experience in Portland than at this location). I always ask for a senior since it's about $25 instead of $19 for a haircut and they obviously have more experience than a newbie. I've never had color here or anything else but a cut, so I can't speak for their other services. My most recent trip was really decent and she did a great job, but not too long ago I had a terribly apathetic stylist who needed to work on her people skills. Even though they're students, part of being a great stylist is communication and a good personality and a lot of them need to learn that. She had neither and yacked to her friend next to her the whole time.

If you always ask for a senior, chances are you'll never have the same stylist twice since they graduate. For some reason, I can't justify $50 for a really simple cut so I go here. If you're strapped for cash and you want to chance it, this might be a good idea. Don't be afraid to tell them EXACTLY what you want. A teacher will look over their plan for your hair before they cut, so it's a good opportunity to get everything straight before they start chopping.

They are a full-service salon (color, waxing, nails, etc) so if you're up for it, it's a nice cheap way to pamper yourself. Also, all tips go to a charity so none of the stylists receive the tip. Overall, if you're not picky about haircuts than this is a good place. If you're a stickler for perfect cuts, stay away.
3 - Jess W.: As a training school, it's pretty good and there's still room for improvement and it definitely depends on which student you get. I came by as a walk-in and they luckily had someone to work on me. At first, it was a bit startling to sign a waiver for my hair...as if I would sue them for a bad haircut, but checking all your bases is a good idea. Plus, they offered tea or water while you wait.

I took in pictures of what I wanted and I was quite particular about the overall look, but not really about the length and such. It was a pretty basic cut, nothing too dramatic. The consultation went pretty well and she even gave me a short shoulder massage before strapping on the robe. The instructor checked over the consultation to make sure that we agreed on what I wanted. 

Then it was off to the sinks to wash my hair. My stylist offered me a mini-facial, but I declined. A scalp massage was supposedly offered, but it didn't feel like anything. A bit of splashing on my face, some water in my ears, and being a bit too gentle with my scalp were some things that I could do without. Still, it was passable...if it was at a real salon, it would not do. But they were learning and I didn't mind too much about the faux pas.

As for the cut, she was pretty confident sectioning my hair and cutting it. It took a bit longer than I thought it should, but that's pretty standard. The only downside was that her long nails occasionally scratched my face which did leave some marks...but I think she was getting antsy at the end and wasn't being too careful. She apologized and it wasn't a big deal. The instructor checked it when it was done and it turned out pretty good. She also let me know when I should come back for a trim and such, which can range from 4 weeks to 8 weeks. 4 weeks for bangs (fringe), 8 for the rest of the hair. 6 for in-between.

After the cut, she made sure that there wasn't any hair on my face and stuff. Plus, she took me over to the makeup counter for a quick touch-up since my makeup pretty much disappeared after she wiped a towel all over my face to get rid of the excess hair. That was a nice touch and made me think on the positive when I left. 

In the end, it cost me $15, probably because I didn't do the mini-facial, 1.5 hours of sitting. and I left a tip. They were pretty nice and low key. Better customer service than Vidal Sassoon (like the massages, the mini-facials, and the makeup touch-ups) and checking on their students to not go crazy with the scissors. Obviously, if you get a less experienced student, you might be a bit wary...but you can always ask for the senior students.

I might have to come back again and test out their other services. It's decently priced and close to Westwood. What more can you ask for?
4 - Michelle L.: My roommate and I made appointments today at 12:00, me for a haircut and full highlights, and her for just a trim. When I made the appointment, the lady told me that for highlights and a haircut it would take 5 and a half hours, which took me by surprise, but I agreed to it because of the wonderful things I had heard about the place.

The student hairdresser I got assigned to was named Bea, and she started off by helping me choose the color of my highlights. She called the teacher over, and I told them basically what I wanted, and then the two of them went to look at the dyes and to decide what would lighten my Asian hair, which is pretty difficult to do. She came back and told me they decided to dye the strands really light, and then to tint the whole thing to a goldenish tone, which I agreed to, and she went to work.

The whole highlighting process took approximately 4.5 hours, 3.5 hours were spent sitting in the chair while she foiled my hair, and the other hour was spent in the rinsing room while she rinsed and tinted my hair. She offered me a face massage but at that point I was so antsy and just wanted to get out of there.

After that she proceeded to cut my hair, but because of my side part she seemed unsure of what she was doing and ultimately ended up accidentally cutting her finger. (! ): ) The teacher ended up coming and finishing the cut up quickly.

Anyways, the point of this lengthy review is that I absolutely LOVE my highlights. I have gotten highlights before and this is the most satisfied I have been with them. Usually I think blondeish highlights on dark brown Asian hair looks tacky, but Bea made them look as natural as blonde highlights can look. The haircut, however, I was not thrilled about. It wasn't bad, but I felt like if I'm getting my haircut at a salon it should be styled more than it was.

My roommate, on the other hand, disliked her experience at Aveda, as she claimed that her hair looks exactly the same as before, (except worse). I agree that it looks the same, but her was pretty short to begin with.

If i could give Aveda a 3.5 I would, but because I can't, I guess I'll just be nice and give them a 4. I don't know if I will come back for a cut, but I may come back to get my highlights touched up by Bea (:
4 - amy r.: Although I haven't gone in for a scheduled appointment, I attended the opening party and tried out several services. 

I think the Aveda program is wonderful and the students are trained not only in services but there's an emphasis on properly nurturing customers. Please do understand that you are getting a service from someone very green, so you might want to think twice before making a drastic color change. 

But for a spa manicure or pedicure, you can't beat it the amenities for the price. And, by choosing to get your pampering here, you're doing a good thing by providing the students with a place to do their training. Yay you!
4 - Jaclyn S.: This is one of the best haircuts I've ever had, if not the best- which doesn't usually say much since 99% of my lifetime haircuts have been homemade, over the bathroom sink mishaps, but this haircut is so nice I don't want to hide it up in my usual rat's nest of a ponytail. 

The price was definitely friendly ($15!! That means you have room to leave a great tip if they do ya right), but the services offered seem as though they would vary from visit to visit. Example: The woman to my left got the most gorgeous shampoo/style that everyone stopped momentarily out of awe, I some cute layers that made me no longer look homeless, and the girl to my right got some haircut she was dissatisfied with, but the instructor fixed it to her liking. We had different hair types (curly, thick-and-hobo-ish, fine) so you never know which student might respond best to your hair needs. Also, I didn't get any lip touchup or tea (the gorgeous hair lady was offered some tea) but I did get the mini-facial along with my cut and style, and I was in and out of there without any extra waiting.

If you're as awkward as I am at making conversation with your hairdresser, take advantage of the magazine rack next to the check-in area, because you'll likely be in there for a while.
3 - Kelley O.: You get what you pay for here... I suppose that's better than paying far more than what you get, which is often the case at places where $55 gets you a trim.  My friend and I each paid $19 (with no facial and a pretty weak scalp massage).  She came in with a picture; I came in with what I thought were clear ideas of what I was looking for.  In the end, my friend got a 2-hour trim, decidedly not like the picture she'd brought, and I got a cute haircut--but one that looked nothing like what I'd had in mind.  The people were friendly, though my friend's stylist seemed terrified of her scissors--she could barely cut anything without getting approval from the instructor.  Mine was more confident, hence the more dramatic cut...but neither stylist appeared to be good at rendering what my friend and I had envisioned.  Still, they were nice, and I'll be back (though I think my friend was too frustrated to chance it again)--but with much more explicit instructions.
3 - Tamar F.: Two years ago, I was at grad school in Toronto and would dread the every-four-month trim, when I would trod along to the nearby Canadian equivalent of Super Cuts, hair wet, and hope that they could cut a straight line of hair.  Then I found out about the Aveda Institute of Toronto - I could get a wash/cut/blow for the same price of my Super Cuts chop -  and quickly became a fan.  Despite their inexperience (I once got a girl on her 3rd or 4th haircut), the girls and guys were confident, talented, and the advisors were available and provided great feedback.  I actually LOOKED FORWARD to my haircut, and started scheduling them for the recommended 8 weeks.  Needless to say, I was thrilled when I found out the LA location would be opening soon after I moved to Southern California.

The price here is fine ($19 for a wash/cut/blow with mini-facial if you choose).  But this location isn't quite doing it for me.  I mean, I've gone here three times and walked out with pretty nice haircuts, and my hair always smells super nice, so props on that.  

The first two times I went, I had girls from the first class (they started in August) chopping away at my hair.  Like the average Aveda student, they exuded confidence and had the typical Aveda student style (they have to wear those black Aveda shirts and black pants, but these hip chicas always spice things up).  The first time, the advisor was a little pre-occupied but the girl really knew what she was doing.  The second time, things were also fine.  The most recent time though, not so much.  See, many of the students are cutting your hair as part of an extended job interview.  The creme de la creme of Aveda students will get a gig at an Aveda salon.  And it seems more and more like they're trying harder and harder.  The con to this is that if your student doesn't have the potential, you'll know.  The girl who I was assigned to (my mistake for not staying loyal to the first two), looked out of place and had no confidence whatsoever (and she wasn't new either!)  When you're putting scissors to my head, you better have some confidence.  Now, sadly this girl was already passed over by staff, so the advisor kept giving advice from afar rather than taking the time to do her thing in person.  And here I am, with a girl who can't even decide what shampoo to use (I mean, they're really all the same), an advisor who doesn't want to waste her time on a student who won't be getting a job at Aveda, and some rank BO smell coming from one of the students in the area (I spent most of my hourlong haircut trying to figure that one out...)  Not fun.  Luckily, my hair turned out okay, but it left me not as excited about going for the haircuts.

Also, this location (more than the others) really tries too hard to push their products on you.  It's a recession.  We can't all afford $60 shampoo.  Which is why we're getting our haircuts from students.

Ultimately, I will be back, with the lesson learned that if you get a good student - stick with them!
3 - nadia a.: Dear Aveda Institute Los Angeles,

When the heck are you going to start doing facials and body treatments?  This training program ROCKS and I've had awesome facials from your students all over the country.  This is LA for cryin out loud.  Elemental facials pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease!

Sincerely,
Aveda Junkie
3 - Amy B.: The Institute can really be hit or miss depending on the student and the instructor who is supervising. I've never had a student keep their appointment with me, so I've never seen the same one twice. This is unfortunate since I've received awesome cut and color and I hate the prospect of someone new working on your hair. 

Still, I've had some good hair cuts, I just wish I could see the same person instead of having them flake.
5 - cyndy j.: Hidden gem alert!

I have had great hair experiences here!   You will be spoiled for regular hair washing after laying down on a spa bed and having your head massaged and shampooed!   Beautiful blowouts at unbelievable prices!
3 - Margaret R.: If you are like me, I hate paying $60+ for a trim. My dislike for split ends isn't great enough to want to get ripped off. I usually come to Westwood because the salons give student discounts. I've been to Aveda twice. 

The positives - 
1) cheaper than the other places ($15 which what I think a trim is worth)
2) gives a free head massage 
3) provides a free mini-facial, which is honestly the reason why I came back for the second time. It's a nice relaxing 5 min.

if you won't appreciate 2) and 3), then don't come here because it takes FOREVER to get a haircut. The first time I came, I had a more experienced girl so it took about 45min since she still had to get approval to do anything. However, the second time, it literally took 4 hours. I didn't even come during a busy night. I had 4 people work on trimming my hair (1 beginner student, 2 advanced students and a teacher). My haircut did come out nicely so I was happy. However, I would only come back if I had time to kill or if I wanted a hair cut, facial and head massage.
5 - Kamilla Q.: I went to hairschool I knew what i was walking into. Everyone is in training appointments take hours but it's worth it. they one listen to you something this town is lacking in LA stylists and they want you to be happy why because they don't think they are the shit cause they work in LA.  I went once to get a quick haircut and then went to an actual salon I came back here to get my hair fixed after the salon....The instructors and my stylist in training**Jasmine** spent extra time with me to fix my hair and make sure I was happy. I've learnt my lesson La salons are over rated.
2 - Patricia B.: Not only did they give me a bad TRIM but my bangs were totally butchered. YES, TRIM.

Here's the break down of my experience at Aveda;

On a rainy day in LA (which is rare) after spending at least 15 minutes finding parking, I arrived at Aveda on time but only to find the staff was not. I waited for about 15 minutes as the front desk staff scrambled around trying to find the student that was suppose to cut my hair.

After 15 minutes of waiting, Jasmine (the student stylist) greeted me and directed me to her station. Even though she was a doll and so nice, she seemed so lost and unprepared which made me extremely nervous. Also, something that made me rather nervous were the girls that walked out into the lobby area while I was waiting...their hair was hideous (no offense & all). I knew it was a sign! I should have left when I had the chance.. but I didn't..

I told her I wanted a simple trim with layers and side swifted bangs. The instructor that cut most of my hair was definitely inadequate. The other instructor that did try to save my bangs (that the previous instructor butchered) did an OKAY job. The hair cut took little bit  over 2 hours.

The only thing that was merely good about this experience was the mediocre scalp and shoulder massage.

Anyways, Aveda charged me $15 for mediocre experience which consisted of butched bangs and a bad trim with some layers. This was a special price for October btw. Original price is over $20 so I would suggest going to Vidal Sassoon because they have way better reviews (if you're going to go to a school to get your hair cut)!
4 - Sarah B.: I went again and asked for a senior student because I wanted layers and texture.  Had to wait a week for an appointment this time, I guess they got popular.

She did a much better job than the beginner I got last time, I was very happy with the results.
5 - josh f.: My  stylist in training was Nick Rodriquez... Nick did a great job! He was confident which made me feel comfortable and really listened to how I wanted my hair to be cut. It was nice to have someone take the time to do it right and also offer suggestions.  Although it was my first time I would not hesitate to go back.
5 - Tamara B.: A few caveats first: 
1) It's in Westwood and parking there is freaking awful. Words can't express how much I hate having to go down there because I despise paying for parking/circling looking for a spot. If I counted location, I would've taken off two-three stars.
2) It's a school so, while they may have you down for your appointment, if you're requesting someone specific you may have to double check. 
3) Be prepared to be there a little longer than usual since they're students. Honestly, since I have super curly/wave hair, I'm used to being in a salon for quite some time and my visit wasn't long at all.

The Actual Visit:
I'm very particular about who cuts my hair but a friend told me about Nick Rodriguez who's there right now. Her cut was fab so I thought I'd try it out. I went last Saturday to prep for being in a wedding the next day so it was very important to look good.

My hair was already straightened so I just went in for a regular cut. There was some confusion at first because it wasn't noted that I was there for Nick but that was pretty quickly cleared up. Nick and I talked in-depth about what I normally do with my hair, likes/dislikes, and its current state. I haven't had a cut in MONTHS so there was a lot of damage (plus grown out layers) but he assured me that he'd get it into good shape. And he totally did. My hair was bouncy and shiny and he did a fantastic job fixing or hiding the issues I had. All for only $19!  

I'm definitely going to make another appointment in a few weeks - a monumental endorsement considering how much I freaking hate having to park in Westwood.
4 - Serena C.: First time I came here, I had a student who was supposedly almost done with his training program but was ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE! I told him I wanted to cut my hair a certain length and to give me side swept bangs. Not only did he cut my hair shorter than I had asked, he also had no idea how to do side swept bangs! On top of that, he burned me trying to style my hair by holding the blow dryer too close to my scalp. Based on my experience then, I would have only given this place 3 stars.  

However, I decided to come back anyway because of the cheap haircuts.  There aren't a whole lot of other places that will give you tea, massage your scalp, give you a mini-facial, wash and condition, cut, and style your hair all for $19. 

I was extremely pleased with the stylist I got this time, Andrew W. I asked Andrew to trim my hair and for layers that would give me volume but to keep as much of the length on my hair as possible, and for side swept bangs as well.  He did exactly as I had asked and the results were amazing! The process took 2 hours, which seems long but when you factor in the massage, facial, wash/condition, cut, and style, it makes sense why it takes so long.  Also, I love how he wasn't lazy about layering my hair.  I've noticed many salons will take scissor blades and shear the length of your hair to give you layers, which is the fastest way to get split ends.  Andrew, on the other hand, CUT each layer, which I understand is a longer and tedious process for the hairdresser but it will leave you with healthier hair. Definitely 5 stars for my second experience. 

So, 3 stars for my first visit and 5 stars for my second will average to the 4 star rating you see here.
5 - Sabrina C.: One thing you have to remember is that these are all students, so it  does take a bit longer. They have extended hours which is nice. 

I walked in at 5:15PM or so and was able to get an appointment at 6:30. When I came back for my highlight appointment, I checked in and the lady who was doing my hair came to the front and got me. I was offered tea or water. 
 
Before my hairdresser even started my hair, her instructor came over and helped her do the consult on my hair. The price included 2 highlight colors. She then started to do my hair. As I stated before, she took a bit longer but she did a good job. Her instructor showed her how to do the first one and was available to assist whenever my hair dresser had questions. When my hair was being rinsed I received a hand massage and a mini-facial (and when they say mini-facial they mean mini. Face wash, hot towel, toner and moisturizer, but still included in the price of the hair). She then styled my hair and it was very pretty, shiny and smooth when I left. The price also includes getting your makeup done.

I then scheduled my next appointment for 8 weeks out, and by scheduling my appointment then, a free hair treatment was added (moisturizing, restructuring or color protection)

All in all, I got my hair highlighted for literally half of what I normally pay. This low price also included more services than you would receive at any other salon. All in all, a great experience. If curious my hairdresser was Jackie.
2 - Carie G.: My Pedicure Experience

Strike one: I had to reschedule my first appointment because they kept me waiting for over 30 minutes!

Strike two: It took the student fifteen minutes to set up. This occured during my appointment...on my time. 

Strike three: Sandals were placed on my feet way too soon and two toes on each foot had to be done over! The girl said, "I really need more practice."  Ya think?

Yes, I realize this is a training center and services take longer, but the prices for manicures and pedicures don't reflect this. The "spa" pedicure is $30.  For $5-10 more I could go to a real spa and for $10 less I could go to a professional nail tech and sit in a massage chair.  The Aveda Institute spa experience consists of soaking your feet in a giant stainless steel mixing bowl and stretching your legs onto a stool that keeps moving away because it's on wheels.  Brilliant!
5 - Alanna B.: Look, I'm a cheap ass bastard.  I trim my own hair to save a buck.  This is a lot less smart than it sounds.  I mean let's face it, how the hell are you cutting the hair in the back with any success if you're doing it yourself?  I appear to be the person who is single-handedly keeping my local Fantastic Sam's afloat.  

A few years ago I took one Intro to Hair Coloring class at Santa Monica College and the cheap ass bastard in me is convinced that makes me an accredited colorist.  I'm too well trained to use CVS dyes in a box, I own big bottles of developer and tubes of Wella, Clairol, L'oreal.  And it usually works out well.  

But then I decide I want change.  All of a sudden the shade looks too dark or too maroon or too wrong.  So I pick up a new color.  And BOOM.  I end up with a fiasco of orange like Carrot Top that needs emergency color correction.  Color correction is like ordering "market price" lobster at a fancy restaurant: you're pretty sure it's going to cost an arm and a leg but until they put you in the seat, you've really no idea that the arm and leg metaphor can be expanded to include kidneys, ovaries, all major arteries, and definitely both kneecaps.  

One time in a desperate color correction emergency with very limited funds I solicited a color correcting stylist off the craigslist "free" ads.  She was a newbie looking to add to her portfolio, I had a head of maroon hair that was too bright to match my glasses (I'm a compulsive matcher.)  She regaled me with tales of being Japanese Reporter #1 in the classic Natural Born Killers and how the acting career hadn't panned out quite like she planned.  I heard about the glory of Japanese Reporter #1 for about eight hours while she stripped and processed and stripped and highlighted.  I asked if there was any food, she said I could order take out from the only restaurant nearby, Morton's, which just happens to serve "market price" salad.  I declined.  She gave me a couple of unwrapped after dinner mints from a bowl.  Eight hours of a detailed account of Japanese Reporter #1's descent into hairstyling, I came out with a muted brownish highlighted with blonde, lowlighted with red and my hair felt as if the grittiness of salt was now available in strands.  

Color correction is serious business, and seriously expensive for a seriously decent job.  

Aveda School is where the oopsies go away for probably the cheapest price in LA.  Sure it's a school and it takes longer than usual (once it was three hours,) but the atmosphere and the tea offered and the facial given while your hair is washed and the attention to detail is as good or better than a professional salon.  The student talks with you about your hair and then a teacher does, and then another teacher consults.  You're in professional hands with Aveda nature-y products and no one makes fun of you for the back of your head being brownish while the front is reddish because you're a do-it-yourself-er. 

My last color correction at Aveda Institute cost $50.  I mean, come on.  This is what cheap ass bastard dreams are made of.
4 - Rachael L.: I came here for a manicure while I was on a business trip. I'm familiar with beauty schools and their model (services take a long time, instructors are always watching and critiquing) but really wanted a manicure before I headed home. 

My manicure was good. I'm a nail biter, so I just wanted them buffed out. Terrific job on the manicure. It took just over an hour, but she was pleasant and we chatted. I appreciated the chairs that reclined and the yummy scents added into my service. 

As I was checking out I was totally SHOCKED to learn that these poor students don't even get to keep their tips! Is this a Cali thing? Because in Washington, the students earn tips at least. I appreciate that Aveda donates their "tips" to a cause, but seriously! These girls and guys work up to 12 hours a day! Seeing clients! Sheesh. Had I known I would have totally slipped her some cash. Its not right. They should at least walk away from a hard day's work with some $ in their pockets for Starbucks (conveniently located less than a block away!!).
4 - Alexa P.: So I made a  YELP account specifically for this - to rave about how wonderful today's visit to Aveda was -- specifically Tyler and the awesome haircut she gave me!  She was so enthusiastic and passionate about her work -- and she insisted that I would NOT leave the salon unhappy, no matter how many times her instructor had to come over and check/help her out, etc.  

I will say that I made an appointment with a specific student and was handed over to Tyler last minute, which was a total bummer at first, but Tyler did not disappoint so I'm glad that things happened the way they did! :)

I definitely recommend trying this place out -- a haircut for 14 dollars??!  Just make sure that you do a little research before you go (my first experience was bad because I got a really new student and ended up with a bad fringe job).  Also, like everyone else says - make sure you're not scheduling your appointment too close to any other appointments you might have -as  you will not be done in an hour ...or even two for that matter, but it's worth it!  

In a nut shell, this is how my experience went: 

They first give you a little scalp massage with aromatherapy oil (they even go down your neck and shoulders (so relaxing - wish it was longer), the instructor stops by your station to see what you want to do today and gives the "go ahead", wash/condition your hair with amazing aveda products, and the cutting begins.  They even offer complimentary tea or water while you wait (the wait can be a bit long if your student is behind etc - this is pretty typical for hair salons, isn't it?).  

So needless to say, I'm definitely going back!

P.s. - forgot to mention parking since I don't really face this issue (I walk).  If you find a spot near the apartments around the area (no meter, just beware of the signage) a nice walk through Westwood would do many people a world of good!
3 - Carly S.: I have been unemployed for quite some time now, so I've gotten a couple of haircuts here.  You really can't beat $14 for a cut, and I certainly have the time that it takes.  

They typically answer the phone promptly, (even if they put you on hold), and are extremely cheerful.  

For my first cut: I took the advice of those who had gone before me, and asked for a more experienced student.  My stylist was a chipper 19 year old girl.  I asked for, and received, long layers.  (and tea!)  Her instructor came by periodically to check on us.  She chattered on about her life, boys, and  generally bored me to tears.  My hair, however, looked fabulous.

For my second cut, I went on a day  where salon services were free!  (It turns out they wanted people to make a donation to the Surfrider Foundation.)  My stylist looked like Eva Longoria Parker.  With tattoos.  Amazing.  After she washed my hair and started trimming, she asked me if I had my hair thinned last time I got it cut.  Now, if you know me, you know that my hair is not hair that needs thinning.  I gaze enviously at women with heads of thick hair and dream of not using volumizing shampoos.  Don't get me wrong: I have plenty of hair, but... yeah.  It doesn't need thinning.   She told me that based on the way it's growing in, it was thinned last time.  (Which is weird.  Maybe the previous stylist could see I was bored and sought revenge?  Maybe she had an upcoming test and wanted to practice the technique?  Maybe Eva didn't know what she was talking about?)  

In any event, she finishes cutting, blows it dry, and tells me I should have another four inches cut off, due to damage.  While I don't really want to lose the length, I tell her to lop it off.  Which she does.  Which leaves me with no layers to speak of.  While I would like her to layer it up a little, I parked at a meter, so I let it go.  

I didn't see the instructor until the very end of my cut, but they were insanely busy.  (Which you'd expect on a free services day.)  A woman walked around offering free manicures, which I would have loved, but again-- metered parking.  

If you're looking for a good, inexpensive cut, and you have time, this is a good spot.  If I had requested my stylist to redo my layers, I'm sure she would have, and done it cheerfully.  Just be sure to keep an eye on the time.  Parking tickets in Westwood are as common as backpacks.
5 - Jenny L.: Excellent customer service and very professional instructors and staff.  I had my hair darkened from blonde to dark brown.  It turned out fabulous! Here is a video I made: :)

http://www.youtube.com/user/missjennylin#p/a/u/0/nnr5w7edpHY
3 - Rebekah S.: Amazing for the value.  The reason I give three stars instead of 4 has nothing to do with the type of hair cut you'll receive here.  Yes, the level of quality may vary with your stylist.  And no, you pretty much cannot guarantee that you'll see the same stylist more than once.  Since they're all students, they cycle out regularly.  But, I've never been unhappy with the cuts I've received.  They're able to do new, and different cuts, and the service is usually a lot more enjoyable than at most salons. 

But, they receive 3 stars because I've had repeated issues with booking.  On more than one occasion, I've been called the day before my appointment - not for a confirmation, but to be told that they need to reschedule my appointment or that my stylist is just plain unavailable all of a sudden.  I have also shown up, more than once, and had to wait 20-30 minutes for my stylist to be read.  One time I came to find out that my stylist had just not shown up that day and nobody knew why, and nobody could do anything about it. 

I suppose this is the price you pay for a $14 haircut that still looks cute in LA.  But, know what you're getting into, be ready to wait for a while, and be flexible with the staff (who are very friendly.)
3 - Sylvie D.: Went to get a haircut today, and all around a nice experience. I just needed to get my bangs cut and a little trim to keep my hair smooth. The wash and mini facial my hairdresser (senior student) started with was nice. After consulting one of the teachers, she started to cut my hair. I told her I was growing it out and only wanted a tiny trim...so she started literally taking millimeters off of my hair. She told me it was healthy as is and only wanted to clean it up a little bit.  I thought it was a little weird (never had so little cut off!)...but it was nice that she just gave me what I needed and allowed me to keep my length. The hair cut was fine. Then she started on my bangs, cutting them quite nicely. However, at the end, they were kind of sticking all over the place. I thought it was odd that she didn't attempt to straighten them or anything. I asked her what could be done but she said that I just needed some super strong hair spray and that they didn't have anything strong enough there. Came home and straightened it, didn't put any hairspray...now they look fine! 

Now as for the overall atmosphere...yes, it is a school, but it seemed liked a lot of the students were sitting in the back lounging around. I was also located in the back and heard all of their conversations about getting tattoos, their plans for the night, morning commute, and complaints about long hours at the salon. I don't mind some light chit chat, but my hairdresser was engaging with the others  more than with me and I felt a little awkward like I was just sitting there eavesdropping on their conversation. Isn't there a break room or something like that for gossip time? Plus, complaining about your job...while on the job...doesn't seem very professional. 

Also, I was a little surprised that the teacher never came by to see the final product. I guess the student only calls them over when they need help, but I would have felt a lot more comfortable if a teacher would have came by just to give their approval. I mean afterall, something could look good but not great, and only a real professional could do that for you.

In the end, my haircut itself wasn't very dramatic, so I don't think there was necessarily an extreme amount of skill involved...I just got a fairly average haircut. Maybe I'll try this place again for a more drastic haircut. Best prices ($14) are on Tuesdays and Thursdays...between certain hours. Overall, if they just cleaned themselves up a bit professionally, I think it would be a much more enjoyable place to go to.
4 - Melissa N.: thank goodness i have found my new haircut place in los angeles! i have been so skeptical of places in southern california (i dont like haircuts in the first place and trusting a stranger while paying them an arm and a leg doesn't really put me at ease, if you know what i mean).  i usually just grow my hair out and when i travel back home to the bay area, i fit in a quick hair cut.  however, due to way too much work and not enough time, i haven't been able to go back for a while and my hair was getting way too long for my liking.

I tried the aveda institute because it was so ridiculously close and the prices were so cheap that even if it turned out pretty horribly, i wouldn't have wasted a fortune on it.  the reviews you see here are totally correct...you really need to set aside a few hours to get your hair cut because they definitely take their sweet time cutting.  i think my hair grew in the time it took my hairdresser to cut it.  but that's not to say anything bad about them because I ended up with a great hairdresser who was very very nice, if not a little bit too gossipy for my taste.  but she was professional, sweet, and really cared about what i wanted.  i told her my concerns, kind of gave her an idea of what i wanted to accomplish in the session (intense, huh?) and i basically just put my faith in her.  she came through!  i loved my hair cut by the time i was out and she definitely addressed everything i mentioned.  for the price, it's a great deal because it comes with a wash, a small neck/head massage, consulting time, as well as the cut.  it also puts you more at ease when you know there are teachers who are ready to take over if something goes horribly wrong.  
everyone there is very nice and the customer service is great. no complaints and i'm definitely going back! the only negative i can think of is the obscene amount of time it takes.
3 - Camela K.: I almost want to do two separate reviews. I had such an awful experience and such an awesome one in the same visit. 

First of all I know it is a school. I went to Paul Mitchell The School so I thought I knew what to expect. What I learned today is that the structure of the schools are very different. At Paul Mitchell we were not allowed to touch anyone's hair without a consult with the guest and the instructor. What I experienced at Aveda was different. The girl came and got me and we spoke briefly. All I wanted was my hair to be cleaned up and textured a little. Simple. She clearly did not listen and did not know how to do a short cut. No instructor ever came over to converse with her about the cut. She fumbled her way through it, made my hair different lengths on either side, which I mentioned twice, and she insisted it was even. She then had her instructor sign off on my hair without her checking the work she had done. Frankly, it was a long and painful process. She either forgot or chose not to do the eyebrow appointment I had scheduled which was fine because after seeing her hair skills there was no way I was going to let her get near my eyebrows, those don't always grow back as easily.

Because this is a learning environment I let the front desk know about my experience. There was no way for the person who cut my hair to learn from her mistakes because she was not being guided at all. Because of this she is going to make the same mistake again. I have a full face and she jacked up my sideburns, over texturizing one, leaving the other bushy, and leaving both uneven. She also cut my hair in a way that aged me instead of giving me back the edgier hairstyle I came in with. The mom cut is not something I was striving for.

The front desk person I talked to comped my entire service (which I did not ask him to do at all, I understand that a school will be hit or miss), found a more experienced student to do my eyebrow and lip wax. I believe her name was Halenica, she is awesome! She also found an instructor to fix my uneven hair so that it would be up to par for my job interview tomorrow (the whole reason I was getting my hair done). 

I recommend going to the school but I would ask for an experienced student.
4 - Regi A.: I found out about this well-kept secret when researching Aveda spa treatments for an upcoming spa trip. After reading a few reviews on Yelp, I checked out the website and found the "Quarterly Specials". As of this writing the specials were $14 haircut, $15 manicure, $25 pedicure, $40 mani pedi combo. I downloaded the Spa Services menu and estimated a price of about $50 for my mom to have a cut and all over color. I was a little off as I thought her hair was "short", but to them it was "long", and even though the website said Tu-Th for the specials, it was really Tu & Wed.

My mom checked in by herself as we were running late and I had to find parking. When I got in she looked worried and said it was $85. I asked her who said that and she pointed to the cute reception guy. I had the money, but wanted to make sure so I walked up and when he smiled at me I said, "Why is my mom's service price so high?" with a laugh. He laughed back and explained to me how they priced things by hair length and that the web special was not on Thursdays. I told him to have the webmaster fix it and after a chuckle went back to mom. I was ok with the estimate and did *not* think they were tricking customers.

When you first walk in, you walk into an Aveda product display room and the salon area is to your right. Stations are very close together and there are stations directly behind the reception area as well as to your left around a small corner when standing at reception.

Even though we were late, my mom's wait wasn't very long. I turned around to look at some lotion and someone whisked her away, so I left her there LOL. 

My mom has thick Asian hair, it's hard to keep out of her eyes and for her hard to style. When I came back to get her I could hardly recognize her. The stylist, Karla (or Carla) had done a cute bob that flipped up at the ends (kind of retro-y) with layers that framed my mom's face when you swept the bangs to the side a little, and the color, basic black, was magnificent. You think I exaggerate, but after years of home hair color, the Aveda color on hair was shiny and had depth and wasn't anything like the dull stuff you get from the drugstore shelves.

It was 2.5 hours for my mom's service, not sure if that is overly long or not, but it seemed normal to me.

Re: unhelpful staff comments - I had no problem but noticed that as I waited for my mom for about 45 minutes and I no one said anything to me or offered to help. There area lot of people going in and out, so I get the feeling that students don't talk to the customers, the receptionist who was there had seen me and gave me updates, so I guess as long as the receptionist is there, that's your contact person. My mom is Asian, I'm mixed with Black and had no feelings of alienation at check in. The staff seems pretty multi-cultural, as the clientele.

One stylist was working on a woman the whole time I was there waiting - just blowdrying her hair! OMG!  She was still working on it when we left. There was no problem, this woman just had a lot of hair. I can't imagine how she does it at home by herself. I give the blonde stylist kudos for patience and arm strength!

I didn't use any services this time, but my mom said the tea was good, she was so relaxed that she almost fell asleep when her hair got washed, and she had a scalp massage. I think she got along with Karla quite well :)

My mom said Karla met with a supervisor twice and was asked questions about the process before anything was done. I thank Yelp reviewers for mentioning this previously since this may have caused my mom some confusion if she hadn't had known this is how students work there.

When it was over Karla walked my mom over to the cashier, mentioned a few tips for styling and left. She didn't try a hard sell of anything, and told my mom to be careful with heat styling. Our final price was I think $65, more than I had estimated and less than the receptionist had said - I think we all thought my mom would get highlights which is another price level, but she didn't.

We left a $10 tip to the charity, Saving Grace LA, an animal rescue foundation: http://savinggracela.org/index.html.

I also gave Karla a $5 giftcard to Panera since I knew she wouldn't get to keep her tip (thanks again to Yelpers!).

I have an appointment with Karla for a cut and color - I'm going blue, so we'll see how that goes. When I told her that's what I planned, she seemed excited. I guess it will be fun practice for her. And I'm not worried about using a student - hair will grow back, and you can always dye it back to black LOL.
4 - Mindie F.: They lured me in with the $14 haircut.

I was handed over to Karla, and I told her to cut off all my hair. When she told me she never gets to do that...I got a little nervous. Luckily, this girl is a pro and she gave me an excellent, concave, layered bob! 

I was relieved to get Karla, as the male student next to me got scolded for straightening his client's hair while it was still super wet. His excuse? "It was taking a long time to dry." Oh my.

Overall, a great experience. Definitely going back- if you bring in your Yelp review, they give you $5 off!
4 - Amanda L.: My boyfriend wanted a stylish, yet affordable haircut, and as a longtime fan of Aveda products he decided to give the Aveda Institute a try.  I dropped him off and picked him up (finding parking in Westwood is no fun) and was quite impressed when he stepped into my car with his snazzy new haircut, which surprisingly looked much better than his last pricier cut. 

Since I'm currently unemployed and was in need of a proper trim at an affordable price, I decided to give the Institute a shot and see if I would be as lucky as he was. 

Let me stress, I only wanted a trim.  I'm letting my hair grow out, so was apprehensive about scissor happy students and overly aggressive instructors who love nothing more than to chop chop chop!  After two bad experiences (cut and color) at the Vidal Sassoon Academy in Santa Monica I vowed I would never return to a training facility for any type of hair services.  But the price ($14!) and the quality made me change my mind.  I went in and asked for a trim, and a trim is what I got!  I asked the stylist (unfortunately I don't recall her name) not to take more than an inch off and she actually listened to me without trying to convince me otherwise.  

My stylist told me that if I scheduled another appointment while I was there I would receive a complimentary deep conditioning treatment during my next visit.  Thanks Aveda! I'm looking forward to having my hair colored at the Aveda Institute soon and crossing my fingers I will receive another student who is as competent as the first.
4 - Charlotte R.: Called on a Tuesday for a Saturday appointment and had no problem getting one, hooray!

Came in for a color appointment and met student Cecilia.  She is funky and friendly and seemed to really understand what I wanted.  Her instructor approved her plan for my color and we were off.

The whole appointment took about four hours but I knew it would be like that so I was ready.  Once the color had set in we went to wash it out and I discovered my new favorite thing....massage tables for you to lay on while your hair is in the sink.  What a novel idea!  It's so much more comfortable than sitting in a chair with your neck killing you as it's laying back.  Plus, Cecilia offered me a complimentary facial which was lovely!

The color came out darker than both of us had expected but I still love it!  Cecilia said we can lighten it up next time if I want.

The color and highlight color cost me $45...ummmm...wow!  I bought some product and donated my tip (since students can't accepted them) to their charity of the month.  

I willl definitely be back and I hope to see Cecilia again!  Great job Cecilia, my Husband loves it and so do I!
2 - Julia B.: Its a school and you get what you pay for. easy as that. 

I had read the reviews so i knew what to expect going into it. I didnt get a great cut, but it was just a trim so who cares. The lady who did me was rough and clumsy and really hurt me when she was washing my hair. As great as the $19.00 haircut was, the blowout was bad ( i could've done better myself) and the whole process took 1 1/2 hours ( for a trim). Definitely not worth my time, next time i'll go to Floyds where its like 5 dollars more.
3 - Taryn A.: This is a school, and you do get what you pay for. I have had both good and bad experiences, but it is cheap... and as a student that is what I needed. The main problem is that it takes FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!! To be fair I have thick hair, but It has taken over 4 1/2 hours for highlights at times. If you are going in for a treatment, make sure you have nothing else planned for the day
5 - Christie C.: I have been here twice and really love coming here.  Yes, it takes longer for your service, but you really can't beat the price for the quality you get.  Both times my colourist did an exceptional job, and people can't believe I didn't go to a high end salon.  It's a school, so you have to be patient because they are learning.  But for the prices you pay for colour, to me it's totally worth it!  Plus the students tend to be more passionate about what they're doing, in my opinion.  It's not just a service - they are trying to do a really good job and learn their craft.

On parking, I used to live right in Westwood, and there *are* places you can park if you are just aware of them.  There is a two hours free parking garage I believe off Broxton, and depending on the time of day you can also find parking on Wilshire or just south of Wilshire Blvd - just walk a couple of blocks, it won't kill you ;)  There is a ton of permit parking only, but if you are willing to just take a 5-10 minute walk you can find something that is free.
3 - ANIA P.: Listen, this place is good, can be great - you just need to know how to work it. Here are some sophomore tips: 
1. Know what you want. Bring picks, and do some research on what hue of color you want. 
2. Bring something to read, or an Ipad, it will take time, so being productive while you wait helps. 
3. Know your hair and its limits, if you have jet black hair and want to go Paris Hilton blond its not going to happen in one visit. Ask things like "can this be done?" 
4. Park somewhere and expect to be there for 3-4 hours, avoid meters. 
5. Go to diddie resse afterward.
4 - Ellen S.: Called on a Tuesday evening and got an appt for an hour later, at 8 pm! I got a "beginner" student for $19, and it was interesting to watch him learn -- they really are learning and don't even try to hide it. I just wanted a simple bob/trim so it was worth the risk and it paid off because the cut is good. Nothing fancy, very straightforward. Only thing was I was there for 90 minutes for hairwash and cut and quick styling, which was way too long. Also the students donate their tips to a nonprofit so you don't even really need to tip, especially if the nonprofit-of-the-month is something you don't care for.
5 - Jessica T.: My curly-haired gf went to Aveda and came back with a great haircut. She told me that Virginia C. (it says that on the appointment card) confided that it was the first time she ever cut and styled curly hair but she did a good job.
My last hairdresser messed up my hair too many times to count so I decided to give Aveda's school a try and called them the following day. I made an appointment with Virginia for that morning and they told me about a promotion that was going on in August, hair cuts only $14!
Virginia was talkative, funny and pretty much kept me entertained, as opposed to the other girls who acted like robots, staring at the mirror while cutting or styling their client's hair.
You cannot tip them and there are cameras there to make sure the students won't accept any gratuity.
5 - Bonnie G.: My second time back was even better, this time got a great cut, and a scalp massage and a mini-facial included at no additional cost.  I plan to get my color done here next, so well see how they do with that.
4 - Vanessa B.: Since I came in looking for just simple 1" trim, I decided I was okay with getting someone that was new talent. She was a really sweet girl that made sure I was comfortable with everything she was doing. I ended up wanting the same hair style as one of the instructors walking around, which included a face frame, bangs and layers - a little tougher than just a trim. The instructor was there walking her through the hard steps, and in the end I got an amazing hair cut with style, wash, scalp massage and facial...all for only $19! I'll definitely be going back. :)

Overall, my experience was very professional, they greeted me with tea/water. Plus I just love Aveda products.
4 - christa y.: I'll be honest, this is the best cut/color I almost walked out on!

Let's just say the start was rocky... I waited almost half and hour for my unapologetic stylist, Sophia G., who then sat me in the chair and went off on my sub-par "professional" highlights (complete with 90's chunky streaks and blotches). A bit shell shocked and embarrassed, I told her that I adored my colorist, but this last job left me not lovin' my hair.

Super confident for a student (most rely on their instructors for advice), S. formulated a game plan along with some toner to tame my tiger stripey 'do. Normally I wouldn't make a last minute color decision, but she was so damn confident, I couldn't refuse the chance to make me look goood. 

Toner applied, it was time for blow-dry and dry cut. S. worked quickly (as far as students go), and didn't need an instructor breathing down our necks to direct the snip every strand. 

I was there for 2.5 hours, but for $35 it was totally worth it! Aveda is open super late, so I think I found a replacement for Toni & Guy and their maddening deep-in-Santa Monica location/parking/limited hours.
4 - Jenny J.: Love Aveda. How can you go wrong with quality cuts and helping out students! The spot was really clean and trendy, earthy looking. I had a lot of fun just getting my hair trimmed :)
3 - Gina B.: Question: Is there anyone who's a Aveda Cosmetology Stundent and could give me some information about their experience?
5 - Rie M.: I got my medium length hair (below my shoulders) highlighted with golden brown highlights and I absolutely love it!

The student who colored my hair is named Kristin L. and she was wonderful! She was super friendly and she did a fantastic job on my hair. I made sure to go after class so that I had lots of time, and it took about 3 hours. She was super attentive and I feel confident in her skills as a colorist. I definitely recommend her if you go in for highlights.

I would definitely go back here for a touch up, and their prices are ridiculously low.
5 - Kate M.: The long and short of it at Aveda Institute LA: they will not sign off on you until you're happy with your hair.

In perspective, I used to go to the Aveda Institute in New York City, and that experience will make this a thousand times more pleasant. With this school, you can choose your appointment time well into the evening and potentially your stylist if you start with a beginner and follow them through their studies--in New York, there were only morning and afternoon sessions, and you were randomly assigned. Also, the instructors are far more engaged and supportive here, and their eagerness to please trickles down into their students.

I have very difficult hair to do--I'm a dark blonde with a bleached short pixie cut, and covering my roots, and somehow not turning the rest of my hair yellow or blue every time, is nothing short of a miracle in a bottle. But they would never let on to how much trouble it is. And the tab for my cut and color? $59 (plus a "tip" charity contribution which translates into points for the students). I get so much more than I pay for.

It is a school! You have to be very specific about what you want so they can do exactly that.
3 - Robin H.: I did not expect a scalp massage, and the aromatherapy kind of made my day. The hairstylists are students working under supervision, so depending on how particular you are you may or may not feel comfortable... I went in for just a 3 inch haircut, and it took my stylist two times to get to the length I wanted. For that reason... 3 stars. I've had better experiences, but for what I paid and got today, I was satisfied enough. For another simple trim, I'd be willing to come back, because the massage etc was pretty awesome.
4 - Katy E.: I was SO impressed with my Aveda Institute experience. My work schedule is such that making appointments of any kind in advance is next to impossible. The fact that AI is open late, and I was able to book an appointment for me same day (with like, an hour and a half notice) was great.  I walked in a couple of minutes early and waited maybe 15 minutes or so. I was so fortunate to have Kristen L as my stylist - if you jerks make her impossible to book, I'll fight you :). 

A small back story: a few months ago I went to a boutique salon that shall remain nameless with a photo of a haircut I loved. The stylist said my hair wasn't thick enough to really pull it off so she trimmed me up and sent me packing to the tune of a lot more than I paid at Aveda. 

Kristen plopped me down in the chair and asked me what I wanted. I hesitantly brought up my experience at the other salon and showed her the picture, which happened to still be on my phone. She enthusiastically agreed that it would be a great look - and that contrary to what the crazy lady at the other salon told me, I have plenty of hair. Kristen was right, and I'm LOVING my new cut. 

I really appreciated that she took the time to explain all the products she was using and actually listened to what I had to say. Case in point: I have long hair, and I like it that way. I rarely get hair cuts because stylists ALWAYS take too much off. The script is always the same "I like the length, but I want to even it up and trim up the dry ends." Before I know it 3 or 4 inches are gone. For the first time ever, someone listened and only took off only what was needed to make my hair healthy. Thanks, Kristen!

The only thing I thought was weird was that at the end, a teacher never actually came over and checked my hair. She looked at me from the other end of the salon and signed off on it. The cut is great, so it's no big deal, but it was kind of strange.

The girl at reception (whose name I did not catch), was super knowledgeable about the product, but not at all pushy.  As a first time client you get 20% off your product purchase, so I purchased some finishing products. From looking at my receipt it looks like your stylist gets points for your purchases too (in addition to the points gained from whatever you leave as a tip), so if you're not feelin' the charity of the month, buy yourself some product and everybody wins!

And of course - my hair smells AWESOME. Hurray Aveda Institute!
3 - Kristine N.: I have mixed feelings about Aveda, you either strike gold with the stylists or you're left pissed at the cut they gave you.  I've been going here for about 2 years and about 50% of the time, I'm really happy with the cut...but the other 50% I'm just disappointed.  My two favorite stylists are Russell and Paraleese, super nice and very detail-oriented.  These will be the ONLY two that I make appointments with from now on.  Paraleese can handle a flat iron like no other and Russell is perfect at doing exactly what you ask of him, though he needs to work on his punctuality a bit.  

A few of the other stylists are unprofessional and lack tact, they should really teach better customer service.  I have long hair and bangs so I usually only go in for a trim just to maintain everything, but the times I have gone in where I needed major work because of a bad haircut at other salons, some of the stylists are not very helpful or good at fixing bad haircuts.  I have definitely had a couple of the stylists try to tell me that I need to just suck it up and chop it off instead of trying to fix what is already there...not very skilled.  I don't recall their names since I rushed out as quickly as possible so as not end my session with horrible stylists.  

So suggestion to all of you looking for a haircut, schedule with Russell or Paraleese ONLY if you want to be satisfied...the others are completely unprofessional and rude.
5 - Letty M.: Just got back from my first appointment there and couldn't wait to rave about it. Lauren did an amazing job with my cut. It does take a little bit longer then usual but only because they are super thorough. You can't beat the prices and being a first time customer got me 20% off my product purchases. I totally did not even feel harassed into buying products which is a nice change from other salons I've used before. Overall great experience!!
4 - Neekoh P.: Going into it, I knew this wasn't going to be an easy process. I wanted an a-line cut, which is apparently one of the most difficult haircuts to do. I armed myself with patience. The price and a recommendation from a coworker (with my ideal hair) led me to make my first appointment here. 

When I first got there, I had to wait. About 40 minutes. They were super busy (turns out a few of the students had called in sick and their clients were distributed among the remaining students). And once I was in the chair, ready to go, I had to wait for the student to get an instructor to sign off on the release form and give her directions on how to do the cut. That in itself got me nervous!

I was led to the back to get my hair washed and was informed that I get a free facial as part of their holiday specials. Cool, bonus! The facial was great! Super relaxing and rejuvenating. The wash was standard, complete with a head massage :)

The haircut itself also took quite a while. The instructor started it off, talking her way through each layer. Then she let the student take over and she took her time, measuring and re-measuring before cutting. This is a bonus for sure! I would hate to have ended up with a screwed up cut, especially since my hair is short to begin with. She was meticulous! 

The instructor came back a few times and helped her along the way. By the end, the student had done about 30% of it and the instructor the rest. They blow dried and styled my hair just like I like it. The cut is wonderful and definitely worth it for $19! 

Bottom line: If you have a couple of spare hours on your hands, definitely give them a go! 

P.S. My stylist-in-training was Cristin and her instructor was Stacy. Both receive a thumbs up from me.
1 - Christina G.: First let me say that I have been going to Aveda salons for over 10 years. I am a true devotee so I was really hoping to like this place. After 2 years working out of town I couldn't get into my regular stylist (I'd see her on trips home) and I wanted my hair cut and colored for the holidays, so I made a same day appointment at the Institute. 
My appointment started at 12:30. After a brief consultation with my stylist and her instructor we agreed I would go a little darker than the blonde I currently had and bring in some golden tones. The stylist went to mix the formula and it took a REALLY long time. Like 20 minutes. This should have been my first clue that she was doing it completely unsupervised. 
The actual highlighting (with foils) was a very long process, which I was prepared for. She was clearly tentative with what she was doing and to do just a partial took over 2 hours. After a very painful shampooing (I was visibly wincing and yet she didn't change her rough technique) she blew dry a small section to see if I liked the color. I didn't, and to her credit, neither did the stylist. She called over her instructor, and after some discussion, they realized she had mixed the formula with the wrong ratios, so they started the entire process again, this time with the instructor helping do the foils so it went faster. At around 5 o'clock I was ready to be shampooed again, which was the same painful experience. The instructor came over during the process and noticed that my hair still looked very ashy, which is opposite of the golden tones we'd agreed on so she decided to tone it. Again they blew dry a small section. We ALL (the stylist, her instructor, and myself) agreed that it was still very ashy and not at all what we'd discussed. By this time I'd been there for 5 hours and had to leave. As the instructor showed me to the cashier she apologized and admitted she didn't know what had gone wrong. I was then charged $50 for the debacle. When I was told I could come back and get it re-colored within the next 7 days, I asked if that would really be a good idea to color my hair 3 times in that short a period of time and one of the stylists admitted, that no, it wouldn't. I am appalled that with both the stylist and instructor agreeing that the color was both bad, and not at all what we had discussed, that I was still charged. 
I realize that this is a learning experience for the students and I was down to have things take a while, etc., but one would think that if this stylist was so green as to not even know how to properly mix color formula that she would be supervised while doing so. Not making sure the formula is correct seems negligent to me, in fact.
In any case, I won't ever be going back and I write this review to let you know that it's not just a matter of being patient, or not quite getting what you planned, they might actually damage your hair, make the color worse than when you started, and still charge you for it.
3 - Solange S.: I went into this salon knowing that I will be dealing with students.  The office was very professional and they called to confirm my appointment the day before.  The experience was an overall OK one.  After all, they aren't totally experienced over there. But you get what you pay for.  Considering I didn;t pay that much, it was OK.
2 - mariel v.: I just had a not so great experience here that has made me seriously rethink ever coming back.

The two previous times I have gone to the Aveda Institute here (and I have also visited the Aveda Institute in Minneapolis), it has never EVER taken longer than 2 hours for a haircut.  EVER.  I know very well that it is a salon/school, I know that 2 hours is pretty average.  But I still have not had that problem.  

Avoid a student named Jennifer H. (a beginning student; blonde chick from Simi Valley)  She is lame.  I know this is a bit harsh, but she made my time there hellacious.  She seemed nice at first, asking what I wanted, going over the look with her advisor, and getting me set for my shampoo and mini-facial.  All was well in the beginning.  

Then came time for my haircut.  After she had sectioned and clipped up my hair.  She asked me to stand up so that she could start cutting.  Excuse me?  I have never been asked to stand before during a haircut.  I thought this might be a new technique, and I was open to it.  The issue I had was when she started yapping with her friend in the next chair over - who apparently didn't have a client (and wasn't going to have one for most of my visit).  I know that idle chit chat is normal in a salon/school environment.  But it went ON, and ON, and ONNNNNNNNNNNNNN.  Some of the topics they were discussing was also I thought, very inappropriate.  For example, "I had a nightmare that a black boy crawled into my window last night...."  response: "I had a dream that the boy I babysit for drowned".....  "What ethnicity do you think I am?  Let's try and figure it out..."  (This chick is white).  Not once did she try and engage me in any conversation (which I normally prefer --- honestly, I don't like idle chit chat).  But it would've been nice if she just focused on my hair, instead of mindless, nitwit chatter with her classmates.  It wasn't until her instructor came over to check on the progress that she was told to stop engaging her other classmates, and to focus -- she seemed a little bitter after she was told that too.  WOW.  Just W-O-W.

Thankfully, when it came time to chop up my bangs the instructor took over.  When it was over, I was hoping that there would be some sort of evaluation process, where I could write down a complaint about the student, but there was none.  I was very disappointed, and felt that perhaps students aren't checked on their, for lack of a better term, bedside manner.  The behavior that Jennifer H. displayed is totally inappropriate for any salon, even if it is just a school.  I was there for almost 3 hours.  Time that could have definitely been cut short, if my stylist-to-be had just concentrated on her work.  I left very annoyed.

I have had positive experiences at Aveda before, so I may consider going back.  But ONLY to a senior student.
4 - Eugi H.: I've been here twice, and although the process is a bit longer than my usual Paul Mitchell Salon in Sherman Oaks, the results are still good. So instead of spending time on the 405, I get to spend that time sitting in a chair in front of the mirror instead making sure I get the cut I want. Not a bad deal I think. They get busy real quick so always make sure to make an appointment, and request their senior students, to make the haircutting process shorter. I dont remember how much it was for me the first time, but this last time I went, I paid $19 + tip for a shampoo and conditioning, plus scalp massage, plus mini facial, plus haircut, plus styling. Not bad IMO. Sure it took about 2hrs, but it was worth it in the end I think. And they were able to fix a disaster cut I had gotten a week before, so that made my day.
3 - Smart Shopper G.: Ok, I haven't been back for any services yet to Aveda but I do want to say that they did a wonderful job of following-up after my last disappointing visit.  Hence, I'm giving them 3 stars.  

There was this automated phone survey that they conduct after you finish your appointment and I was very honest about my experience.  I thought it woud disappear into cyberspace but lo and behold, I actually got a very professional, very nice call from the Store Manager wanting to know more about my experience and what they could do to fix it for me next time.  I give big PHAT kudos to the Store Manager for following up.

I believe that's an indicator that they are trying to make improvements, so I will give them the benefit of the doubt.  I'd be curious to see what the reviews say now.
4 - Kate R.: I'd been going to the Paul Mitchell salon for awhile, as their cuts were cheap and they were right outside my door. But they kept giving me the same cut, and I never really felt like I left with a haircut. My hair was getting scraggly and I needed a change, so I decided to try the Aveda school near my work. 
I lucked out with my stylist, Joanne F. I took a deep breath, told her to give me a cut she thought would flatter me, and she gave me this amazing bob, tailored to my low-maintenance style. I got so many compliments on it, I've become a fan of Joanne ever since. She is the only one there whom I want to touch my hair now. 
The thing keeping this review from being 5 stars is that for some reason, I've been listed in their computer as Alicia, which doesn't even rhyme with my real name. I thought I fixed that over the phone last week, but when I arrived today, I was still Alicia. Also, when I left after my first visit, I had specifically asked for Joanne to do my hair the next time I came in. And yet when I arrived that day, I got someone completely different, and with this being a school, I spent most of my time in the chair panicking over whether she would end up ruining my hair. 
But i would recommend the school to others if only to send them to Joanne. I think she's great!
4 - Fanny H.: Pleasantly surprised at how satisfied I was.  Wait time wasn't too bad for an appointment at 3:30, but I had many small wait times so it added up (total about 3 hours overall).  They made sure to offer me water, tea, and any magazines or information on their products while I waited.

Came in for a haircut and had Charles M.  He was very attentive and made sure my hair was to my liking.  I was a bit unsure in the beginning since I never had a non-Asian or male hairdresser before and he was on the quiet side in the beginning.  We went over what I wanted and he provided some feedback when I was unsure since I've had the same hairstyle for almost forever now.  I was apprehensive since the two instructors who came by for quick consults just gave the okay and didn't really do much (quick, to the point, signed off, and walked away).

I received round layers and side-swept bangs with undercuts to add volume to the whole thing.  He explained everything throughout the process and told me that he was using a new technique to add more volume to my hair--and that he was satisfied with the results (I was too).  The bangs wasn't what I was looking for, but after seeing how it frames my face, I like it a lot better than what I had originally in mind.

I was impressed by how meticulous he was.  Just a little bit too slow for me, but it was due to him making sure the lengths were even and that all the cuts were precise and to my liking.  What I liked most was his ability to answer my questions (about my too dry yet too oily hair texture) and he recommended me a couple of products that would help.  Plus, he's amazing at blowdrying hair, he straight blow-dried and added so much volume and fullness--even his instructor was impressed.

When I went to go pay, both women at the register raved that Charles was great and asked if I was satisfied with the service.  Very nice communication and customer service.

Just walked out of the place earlier today and received a lot of compliments already!

$14 for a good haircut + $15 for a hair treatment product (with 20% off, more expensive than the cut!) + free hand massage & advice and tips to maintain and style my hair, I'll take it over the previous Asian ladies I go to for the same boring ol' layered cut.

Would give this place 5 stars had wait time been shorter, but definitely recommend Charles!  Will make sure to schedule with him next time I need a haircut!
3 - Jennda S.: Well here goes, 8.5 hours later I'm home! My appointment was at 10am and I was done by 6:30 pm!! Whew what a day!

When I booked the appointment, I asked for a senior level student (after reading the advice of other reviewers). Unfortunately, I ended up with 2 beginners.

I came in to get my roots done and partial highlights. I ended up with a FULL head of highlights, yikes!  She put in probably more than double the foils required for a partial highlight. I am a brunette and was pretty much a blonde, by the time she was done! Thank goodness there was a very patient and kind instructor who saved the day, and re-did my color. I also had my hair trimmed and  a blow-dry. The trim was fine, and the blow-dry was not bad.

All in all, I think this is a great way to save money if you go in knowing exactly what you want and it's on the simple side, like a trim, a root touch up etc...anything more complicated best not take the chance. You could end up with a fantastic result...or not so much :-)
4 - Elaine W.: So...if you go into Aveda in Westwood knowing what to expect, it's MUCH less likely that you come out feeling unhappy. These are students, most of them are trying really hard, and as a fellow student I don't want to be too critical.

In general, given the cost, I've been pretty satisfied with the stuff I've gotten done here. The services I've gotten at this particular Aveda include: mani, pedi, haircut, full highlights.

MANI: Pretty good. Definitely lasts longer than Village Nails just a block away. The area for doing mani/pedis is kind of bare and not that hospitable, but they always offer you some tea which is nice. 

Make sure the student doesn't rush you out to pay though, that happened to me once and it was freaking annoying -- I was trying to grab my bag as the guy was hurrying me and my nails got all messed up :(. Don't let the same happen to you!

PEDI: I happened to go during a promotion where they give you a free bottle of the OPI nail color you choose (sweeeet!) so that was cool. It's nice that they use all Aveda products during the nail services too.

HAIRCUT: This really depends on how picky you are about your hair. I came here for a trim once and it was pretty well done. It grew out kinda funky but hey, I needed the trim and it was inexpensive. What more can you ask for?

HIGHLIGHTS: (I feel kinda bad about this one so I'm not going to count it in determining the stars.) I really didn't want my hair bleached when I went in for highlights so what happened was that the student spent soooo much time putting in the foils and in the end...no color. AT ALL. (I have dark hair so it was probably a lost cause trying to get the color in without bleach, though they did tell me at the start that not bleaching wouldn't be a problem.) 

The student clearly felt really, really bad about it and even found me right after I paid to give me a 40% off coupon. So I'll let that one slide.
1 - Jessica K.: If you care about your hair - stay away from this place. You get what you pay for - and a conditioning treatment can only fix so much damage.
1 - Laura T.: If you think its worth saving $10 and having a student cut your hair... THINK AGAIN! I came here and requested a senior stylist, but to my dismay ended up with a 1st year student who not only botched up my hair but also cut her finger in the process! After 3 hours of torture and bloody mess (EWW) I left the salon with a throbbing scalp and uneven haircut :(:( I know they are students but COME ON!! Save yourself the pain and splurge on a "real" haircut.
4 - Tune C.: I went there to get a simple shoulder length haircut. My hairstylist was really friendly and professional even though she is only a student. You can really feel she puts her heart and mind to do her job, which I appreciate very much. Also during the cut, we talked about different things from school to life to travel which is very interesting because you rarely talk so deeply to your hairstylist! The haircut turned out really great and beyond my expectation, all my friends came to me and said they liked it. I am very much sure to go back next time.

One really small and tiny little thing is that while I was waiting to get my haircut, I overheard some staff gathering at the reception counter to gossip about other clients, criticizing her make-up and all that. Well, of course it doesn't affect the outcome of their services. And having worked at a service industry myself, I perfectly know gossiping about customers is just very common. But I still feel it inappropriate to talk so explicitly in front of other customers because you don't want to give them the impression that you will talk at their back once they leave.
Hope it's helpful.
5 - Elisa T.: Today was my first time visiting Aveda Institute, and I was more than pleased! My stylist, John, was very nice and personable and my overall experience was so relaxing and enjoyable! While consulting about the haircut, I received a much-appreciated shoulder and scalp massage, and then had a glorious shampoo/condition and complimentary facial. Ahhhhh! =)

The whole session lasted more than average, but that is because the stylists are students who are still learning, and John received advice and assistance from an instructor a couple times. But, I knew this going in and didn't mind at all! I was pleased with my hair "trim" and the products they used. And all for ONLY $14!!! (Current Special: $14 Haircuts Mon-Wed before 5pm). ...Plus my $5 donation to "Surfrider Foundation" in lieu of a tip.

If you're not uptight about a "perfect/highest quality" salon experience, I definitely recommend Aveda Institute! It's the best salon experience I've had! =)
2 - Diane A.: This was my second time here, this time I just got a color. (Last time a cut and color...but my haircut grew out all weird--but no complaints from me, it is after all a school.)

Aaaaaaanyhow, the coloring took a bit longer than I had anticipated, but again, it is a school, and she was being very through, as I have a lot of hair.

The staff, students, teachers and all were very nice and supportive of one another.  

If you want a deal on color and don't mind spending a few hours at a salon this is the place to go.

UPDATE:  (albeit a late one).  I had to get my color corrected. I wound up looking like a calico cat with patches of different colors here and there.  
I didn't notice the color differences in the downstairs part of the salon school, and when I got home I thought it was the bathroom lighting that was playing tricks on my eyes.  NOPE...

Now I'm still not totally knocking the school, as it IS a school, but if you have crazy hair like mine, stick with the pros.
5 - C L.: I gave them a 5, because for the price, it is as good as it gets. I am a fan!

I went recently to have my hair washed, blown out and flat iron, as well as to take care of some pretty raggedy looking split ends. I have to say, I was more than impressed! I am Black and have very curl hair - it's dense, but it's fine. Coming from NY, I am used to Dominican hairstylists and obviously, it's hard to find them here in L.A., so I was a little apprehensive about letting a student do my hair. 
Katie did my hair - ladies go to HER! She is AWESOME! I love that if there was something that she didn't understand, she wasn't afraid to ask a more senior stylist for help. I didn't get too crazy with my cut, just layers so that I could wear my hair curly and the curls not grow into one another, so I can't really say much about haircuts for styles. I generally err on the side of going to a cutting specialist for that.
All in all, I was a little nervous about letting Katie do my hair - I asked her about three times "Are you sure that you can do Black hair?" - but she did it and did it WELL. My hair had some much body and shine to it...three women over the course of the week asked me where I got my hair done! :)
3 - Julia P.: I actually did not have a pleasant experience here, BUT it seems like a lovely institution if you go at the proper time, so I am awarding it 3 A-OK stars. I went with my roommate, Ingrid, during their benefit for the Surfrider Foundation in which there was a recommended $10 donation, but hair cuts and manicures were free. Since I am nervous to get my hair cut by other people besides my hairdresser, I didn't go for that service, but I was really excited to get a manicure and feel like i was giving to a good cause in the process.  

Upon arrival, we were ushered in by one of the Aveda students, who was very friendly, so when she asked, we donated an additional $1 to the foundation. We waited in a short line and put down our names for two manicures. The woman at the front estimated it would take about 20 minutes, but there was free massages outside, complimentary tea and water, makeup touch-ups and hand massages. Ingrid is a germaphobe, so we didn't do back massages, but we did agree to a hand massage by a lovely woman named Mikki. She was by far the saving grace for this place--wonderfully nice and the massage felt great! She stayed and talked to us for a while but then had to move on to other customers.  After about 30 minutes of waiting we started getting antsy, and after another 10 I went to the front to ask about our place in line. Luckily, we were next, and Ingrid was called immediately, and I was sure to be next. However, another 10 went by and I was SO over it so I relinquished my spot in line and went to go find Ingrid.  Poor girl can't say no--she hates pink manicures, and that was the only color they were offering (they may have wanted to advertise this). Also, there was only 5 "manicurists" (we later found out that all of these women were going to school only for hair, so the manicures actually were essentially just having another slightly more skilled person paint your nails) which is why the wait was ridiculously long (probably should have let us know that as well.) Ingrid, suffice to say, was not pleased with the quality or the color, and instead of feeling happy to give $10, felt a little frustrated. I felt like I had waisted my time, and my roommate's :( 

Probably, they should get rid of the manicures and only offer hair cuts, which would actually be a great deal, and is what these women are going to school for in the first place. Everyone was super nice and I'm sure their skills are normally fabulous, but I will not be going to their next charity event, or getting a manicure there anytime soon.
5 - Jarrad L.: I've been getting my hair done at Aveda for the past year and I am very pleased the services offered!

Although my first few times resulted in only decent hairstyles, I finally found my favorite hairstylist of all time, Madison Ambos! She is AMAZING!! When I came in and didn't know what kind of hairstyle I wanted, she thought up of a few and the results were perfection! She's great if you have Asian-hair because she knows how to work it! And when it comes to color, she's awesome at highlights too! I have nothing but absolutely great things to say about her!

The pricing is very reasonable and their products are wonderful! Rosemary Mint!! so good! And their "rituals" are so soothing!

Overall, I trust Aveda with my hair as long as you get the right student/stylist! I was so lucky that I stumbled upon Madison! =]
5 - Sarah D.: yay cheap haircuts!!!!!!!!!! (that are at least descent)

So i'm sure satisfaction here can be hit or miss and depends on your expectations, but I had Brittni and I'm very pleased.  

 First of all, CALL AHEAD to make an appt or you will wait forever.  And the lower floor much more resembles a school than a salon so the ambiance is not fantastic.  But aside from that it seemed that all the students asked and listened to what the customer wanted, and then they bring over a supervisor and go over it again.  Then at the end basically the supervisor comes back and checks the work so you feel confident in the job (and, face it, the students are still learning a bit). 

But over all my student focused on my hair completely, knew was she was doing for the most part, and enjoyed what she was doing.  
I totally suggest going here for simple cuts if you're on a budget, I alternate this with my regular (totally expensive) hairdresser on broxton.

Also, you get 20% off hair products on your first visit! so i got 2 travel sized hair volumizers, and a cut and blowdry (with a medium level student) for like $30!!! less than half what i usually pay at other places :)
4 - Frances L.: An old friend of mine from high school hosted a spa event near Beverly Hills this weekend and Aveda Institute was there giving samples of some of their services. I opted for a hand massage (gotta take care of these wrists after all the Yelping I do!) and received a very good massage from instructor Brandon. He was super nice and was concerned about my comfort and the amount of pressure. I was quite happy with the service I received so I thought I'd give him a nod on here for those looking for a littl pampering at a fraction of normal costs. I took a menu of their services home and they've got some great deals on hair, make-up, and massages and the results are much better than other places like Marinello.
5 - Heather B.: I was at the Institute a week ago for a cut and full lighlight.  I'd been to other Aveda institutes, but not this one.  I love a deal, especially on Aveda.  

My student was Audrey (Hepner, I believe).  She was sweet and appropriately chatty but not annoyingly so--and I'm not a big talker so chattiness irks me.  We bonded over being from the Midwest.  

She did a great job, certainly made more difficult by my not being able to articulate all that I wanted done.  But she came through like a champ.  Her technique was a bit inexperienced, and since she is a student, it's to be expected.  That's really the only thing she needs to work on.  I loved her and what she did; I'll be back to see her again.  

Here's the part that  I won't ding her for since she had nothing to do with it: the instructors were never around and only perfunctorily checked when she went to get them.  Had I been unhappy with something or something went wrong, it would have a huge pain to get one of them.  I understand preparations were in full swing for their fashion show coming up, but please don't neglect the rest of us.  Oh, and this really reflected poorly on the owner: I couldn't do the stairs because I had just had knee surgery, so we got in the elevator.   The elevator wouldn't close.  Eventually, the owner (director?) got in with me (VERY small elevator) and pushed the door shut.  Did not introduce himself or apologize.  We then got stuck in the elevator because the idiot screwed up the door.  He did not even speak to me.  He came across like it was a big inconvenience to him.  We were only stuck for about 5-10 minutes, and I had to have my service on the main floor, so Audrey spent a good bit of time running up and down stairs.  I felt like I was a hassle to them (not Audrey) because of the elevator thing.  Again, no apologies or anything from anyone other than Audrey.  

I was told the service would only take about 2 hours, but since I had been to Institutes before, I knew better.  I bought stuff in the retail store afterward in large part because it was 20%.  And you get lots of other discounts too, which I love.  Hours are great.
4 - Nav S.: I was referred by a friend who went to an Aveda Institute in another state.  At first I was hesitant to have a student work on my hair, but there was an instructor checking in and I ended up really impressed with the trim.  They also included a quick head & shoulder massage and mini-facial which was awesome.  I would say that over all this was a fantastic deal, especially if you are low on funds and like Aveda.
5 - Ginger A.: Wow. I had such a wonderful experience here last night. I came in to have my hair colored and Sara Hollinger did an amazing job! She was very thorough and I felt confident that I was in good hands. She listened to what my needs were and colored exactly what I asked for- plus she was friendly and fun to talk to. 

It is a beauty school so you do need to reserve a little extra time than you would a typical salon- keep that in mind when you walk in. The instructors are very experienced and do a great job guiding the students. There is very good energy in building. Everyone seems to want to be there and is working hard. 

Note that tipping the students is not allowed. However, you can tip at the front desk and it goes to selected charities like the Surfrider Foundation. They also have the full line of Aveda products in-case you need to stock-up on anything.
5 - Waylon D.: First - Selenia is the girl!!! WOW!

 I used to go to an AI back in my college days when I was low on the funds. The great hours (open until 9 or 10pm) were what attracted me to try out the AI in LA. I was SO glad I did!

I have been here for several services haircut, color, and waxing. All were  at the same level I would receive at a full-price Aveda salon. But, for 1/3 the cost!

When performing a hair service, students and instructors really do a full evaluation of your hair, environment, and life style. I was really impressed by the CARE and knowledge of the staff. I was like, "wait, am I still in California?!?!". No attitude here, just heart!

I was first (by super lucky chance!) booked with Selenia. I have gone back every single time to her. Not only is she as kind as can be, she is extremely knowledgeable! She is a true artist and it shows. 

Appointments may take a bit longer than normal, but it is well worth it.
4 - Vina B.: Appointments are hard to come by here, but they get kudos for being open late--til 10 PM, which is good for the working crowd.  

I'd been warned that appointments here take a while, but the students have to learn sometime, right?  I came in for an 8 PM.

I brought two pictures with me, and the girl seemed to get a good idea of what I wanted.  She did a consultation, the teacher came and talked to her about it, and she washed my hair.  It was a nice scalp massage, but it took her a LONG time to wash and condition my hair.  

The cut was slow but good.  She wasn't a huge conversationalist, but at 9 at night, I didn't blame her.  She cut the layers like I'd asked but basically left the front alone.  She was blow drying and finishing up and I asked her if she could do the face framing layers like we'd discussed.  She looked scared, but then went and asked a teacher to come help her.  

When she finished drying and round brushing, the teacher came over and instructed her on how to cut the layers.  The teacher did one side and asked her to do the other.  I was scared because the front would have been the most obvious if messed up.  She looked petrified, so the teacher took over and did the other side.  My girl promised that she'd practice that technique on a mannequin.  

I didn't get out til 10 PM, so it was a long two hour cut and style, but I love my hair.  If you've got some time to spend, this is a good, cheap cut.
3 - candace r.: So I decided to give this place a try for my grad pics at school since I was in a bind for time. I set up an appointment for a wash and blow out and it wasn't that bad. The girl who styled my hair was very patient and open to all of my feedback. The entire experience was relaxing for me as well. I probably could've done the same thing myself, but the trade off of having someone else do it, and for really cheap was worth it in my book. Aveda makes it very clear at the onset of your appointment that the people doing the services are students and are not professionals. I think the way the whole system is set up (low price, learning students) is great. As long as you're specific and collaborate, I think you could get anything done here successfully.
4 - Carrie U.: I went here today for a haircut. Just so you know, this is a training school and not a full-on hoity-toity spa/salon. They sell what seems to be the full line of Aveda products, so if you like their stuff you can come here and get the same stuff for the same price. 

I'm a cheapo, so I came here. Compared to the $80 at a full-on Aveda, I have to say the experience is almost exactly the same. I got a great haircut at a good price. I had Stephanie as my stylist, who was very courteous and friendly. She did a great job. The instructors are always around to correct mistakes (if they have any), so you won't be leaving here with a mullet (unless you ask for one).
4 - Nessa N.: I've had so many bad experience with stupid stylists this is a much-needed relief for me. Because students cut their hair under their instructor's supervision, they do it very carefully. 

I don't mind spending some extra time for them to learn and perfect my haircut. And the price is truly unbeatable. It's a very nice place. The atmosphere is bubbly, not too crowded or pushy, which I enjoy. 

Everyone is courteous. I believe they cut hair for kids 12 or older.
3 - Stacy L.: I gave this place a try for two times and I don't think I would come back again. I chose a senior student both times. The first time was pretty good, I wanted a short bob and the student was nice and new what she was doing. The second time, I wanted to layer my hair (basically my short bob grew out and I wanted to trim/layer it). I don't think my instructions were rocket science, but the student didn't seem like she understood. She spent a like a full hour on it, and I think my hair was just trimmed equally across even though I told her countless times to trim some more. I asked her to layer it again and I think she got confused cause she left to get her instructor to come over and boy was that a mistake. I told the instructor that I wanted to layer the front a little more. I asked nicely, but seemed a little pissed and basically took a stack of my hair as if she was holding carrots by the stem and chopped it off. She asked me if I liked it....how could I have liked being butchered like that?? I was left with jagged edges but was afraid of what she would do further, so I left and trimmed my hair at home myself. 

I would give 2 stars for my 2nd hair cut, but my first cut was good, so I averaged it to 3 stars. I think it really depends on what student you get and which instructor is teaching the student. I wish you the best of luck if you're gonna try it, but I would invest the money somewhere else in Westwood.
5 - Rachel G.: Great service! Great prices! Great haircuts! I could not leave happier when I come to Aveda. The staff is professional and helpful. The tea is a treat! The products work and the stylist actually listens to you.

Nicole Ramirez is my favorite student. I am greatly looking forward to her graduation and returning to her.
5 - SF To LA Y.: The Aveda School has more than redeemed itself from my last review.  I went  in to get an ombre done (the hair coloring where your ends are lighter than the top) and I sorta freaked out because my student stylist (Kelly) said she had never done one before.  Thankfully, her instructor, Stephanie was very calm and patient and helped guide Kelly to give me EXACTLY the color I wanted!  And kudos to Kelly for not freaking out and giving me confidence in her abilities.  Even better, the price was literally less than half of what I would have paid in a salon.  I know, because I had another salon quote me on the same service.  My hair looks sooo gorgeous and the price was right.  They truly do a great job.  Yes, you may need to stay longer in the salon since the students take their time doing your hair, but I'd rather have luxurious locks than rushed hair.  Thank you, Kelly and Stephanie for my sexy new hair!
4 - Tara C.: Great haircut for about $20?!? Hell yeah!  Now to be fair, I have loved my stylist Betty at J Beverly Hills in Pasadena, but times is tough and that's also way on the other side of town.  So when I heard about the Aveda Institute from a friend, I planned to give it a shot.  What's the worst that could happen?  Wigs can be really fun...  Luckily, it did not come to that.  You do sign a waiver before doing anything, stating that you are aware these are students working on you.  But my stylist Cynthia and her instructor Katie were simply wonderful.  Cynthia is a sweetheart and listened carefully to my requests. I loved the job she did today!  I'm also a really big fan of those funky shampoo "beds"- I've never seen that before!  Just lay back and let them shampoo you, then you also get a mini-facial while you're lying there.  Heaven.  One caveat is to schedule carefully, because things can take a bit longer here than at ordinary salons. Still, I came out quite happy and my wallet is even happier.  Take advantage of that Yelp Check-in coupon; right now it gets you $5 off any service, woo hoo!
4 - Jody S.: I've been coming here for about 2 years now. The good thing about this place is that color and cuts are way cheaper than high end salons. Another good thing is their products are environmentally friendly. Tips are transferred into donations for a charity. The drawback is that if you get a new student, then it can take like 3 hours plus.  Every now and then they have free haircut events which are great! I would've given this place 5 stars, however my last color/cut was not as good.  Most of the students take pride in what they do, however I got a bad student who cut corners from what I normally see and didn't really care to be there.  It's unfortunate that happened.  If I was a first time customer coming in, then I would not come back from that 1 experience.  All the other times coming in were great!
2 - Charles E.: This is a tough review to write. I've been going to the Aveda Institute for a men's haircut for a few years with mixed results. I'll have an excellent experience one visit and then a poor result the next. 

The saving grace for the Aveda Institute always was the cheap price. I could accept a sub-par result by the students knowing that I paid less than at any local barber shop. However, the price for a men's cut has now raised much higher than my other options. I no longer see the benefit for gambling with the outcome of my hair when I can pay a professional barber or stylist to cut it for less. 

Other aspect that I put up with for that previous low cost were as follows: 

- Extremely long times in the chair: The past three visits have taken over 2 hours each to do a simple men's hair cut. This is unacceptable, even with the student receiving periodic instructions. 

- Blood money: I learned that if the student cuts my ear and you bleed profusely, I was entitled to a $4 discount on my cut. 

- Ornery students: The past three visits I have encountered unprofessional students who are vocal with their displeasure over their instructors. This makes for an uncomfortable experience, especially when I agree with the instructors assessment of my haircut and then have to deal with a student who huffs, "I'm going to do it MY way" once the instructor has left. 

The tipping point for me was when the worst offending student who butchered my hair to spite her instructor (who, incidentally, had clear enough directions for me to perfectly understand) , and then I was charged $25 for having the pleasure of an "experienced" student cutting my hair. This was laughable. I insisted on only paying the new $19 price for a "new" student and wrote a scathing, descriptive review of my experience for the powers that be at the Institute. 

I will miss the good experiences at Aveda Institute. The opportunity to work with wide-eyed, enthusiastic young student-stylists when the price was cheap will be lamented. Too many apathetic, bad apples have spoiled this place and since it is no longer a fiscal deal for a men's cut I do not see myself returning.
3 - Mimi P.: First of all, I had a terrible experience the one time I went here. I only needed to get my bangs trimmed--a quick, easy haircut. I think it was more the fault of my stylist and not Aveda, as the instructor salvaged what she could after the student (I believe her name is Felix) botched my hair. My bangs were cut at least half an inch too short and horribly unevenly, making it look like a 5-year-old cut them. She clearly had no idea what she was doing when she straightened them with a flat iron at the wrong angle, making my hair stick out. Frankly, I could have done a better job with a pair of scissors at home.

I'm giving an extra 2 stars because my friend got her hair cut at the same time and her stylist really knew what she was doing and did a great job, so maybe I'll come back in the future and ask for Aline.
5 - Elizabeth P.: I walked in and I was immediately greeted with a smile. The presentation is super clean, the products accessible, and the prices you just can't beat for what you get! I was a walk-in getting a haircut with no appointment and they took me in within 10 minutes...AWESOME! NO WAITING! Raul was my stylist..LOVED HIM! I had some organic green tea and then we headed over to the station. I told him what I wanted. I wanted a cut like Reese Witherspoon's from the movie "How Do You Know?" I did not have a pic, but the cool thing was he had a phone with internet and was till able to pull the photo...problem solved! I loved the SHAMPOO BEDS... soooo much better than the conventional chair you sit in in most salons! Sooo comfy! Raul was such a great conversationalist and actually seemed like he cared about me as a client instead of a number. I got excellent customer service from him and the master instructor. He took his time and did it to perfection. I could not believe the service I got for only $22. They did a better job than salons in Beverly Hills. I like the schools because the stylists are new and fresh to the industry with a cutting edge eye on what's new. They are not jaded by old techniques and mind-sets! I will never go back to a regular salon again. Too expensive and most of the time you do not get what you pat for! Definitely gonna go back for color!~
3 - Randi M.: I made an appt for myself and my spouse.  I called and asked how much partial highlights were.  I was told 35.  If I got that and a haircut, I got 10.00 off.  I have shoulder length hair and my spouse has short hair.  We were told that my highlights would be 50 and hers would be 40.00.  Makes no sense since my hair is a lot longer than Julies.  Then, I was told that if I wanted low lights, it would be an extra 10.00 for each extra bowl of color. Huh?  My hair would end up costing more than if I just went to the Aveda salon where I live.  I also wouldnt have to spend 3+ hrs there.  We ended up just getting hair cuts and they came out fine.  I always just get a trim and my partner gets her hair cut short.  I had to give the girl cutting my partners hair some more directions and then it came out nice.  We did get 5.00 off our hair cuts if we bought a products and we also got 20% off products.  

I asked for my hair to be blown curly( I thought it would take less time than getting it dried straight).  The woman who did my hair, put so much product in it though, I cant wait to wash it. It feels so crispy.
2 - Emma S.: I have visited Aveda several times, and even though I get a simple cut, I'm always pleased with how it turns out.  My student stylists have always tried their best, and I appreciate their work; their names are Ingrid, Stephanie, and Fallon (I've had about three other stylists who were good too, but I can't remember their names right now!)  Aveda's lay-flat hair-washing beds are also nice, and that whole room has a very relaxing atmosphere.

I'm only rating Aveda two stars because I've had quite a few problems with the front desk employees, the managers, as well as the stylist instructors.  While most of the Aveda students are quite young, I've found that the most immature and unhelpful people on the floor are the managers and instructors.

I have had two particularly bad experiences with the young Asian male instructor, who is the so-called the 'color pro.'  I can say from personal experience, this guy is NOT a pro!  Not only does he seem more caught up in socializing that instructing, this instructor also is extremely unprofessional and offers terrible color guidance.  The first time I encountered this instructor, he told my student hairstylist to put the absolute WRONG toner in my hair.  Knowing a little about colors/toners myself, I spoke up and suggested something else.  He completely overrode my request, and you know what happened?.... I was back in the Aveda salon two days later for a color fix.  Upon my second encounter with this instructor months later, he really showed his age (I hear he's only 21) and unprofessionalism!  I came back to Aveda for a second round of their awesome deep-line toner, but they seemed to be out of the color I had wanted.  Instead of being upfront, this instructor swore up and down that the color doesn't exist, that the student stylists don't know what they're talking about, and insisted I do a different toner (the one he originally suggested months ago that I hated!)  When I clearly said I didn't like the results of the suggested toner, he acted like he didn't even hear me and told the stylist to go ahead with it.  He kept up this lie that the toner I requested didn't exist for over 30 minutes.  I only figured out he wasn't telling the truth once another instructor came over and unknowingly aired him out, saying that the color in fact DOES exist.  I was SO angry, but wasn't even able to confront him since he jetted out for his break.

When I called Aveda salon the next day to speak with a manager, I was given the run-around by the front desk employees.  I was finally told that the manager Allison would call me back in the next two hours because she was currently busy/out to lunch (the excuse changed mid-explanation.)  Of course, I didn't receive a call-back for three days, and, by this point, I was really fed up with the whole Aveda experience.

I wish I could rate Aveda higher, because the prices are awesome and their color lines are great.  But in reality, you get what you pay for.  Customer service is seriously lacking.
4 - Marie G.: I've had my hair cut here three times here before and I've always been really satisfied with the end product.  It does take a long time but that's because they're students and they check with their instructors a lot.  They're all really great because they ask you beforehand exactly what you want and then they repeat it back to you to make sure that everyone is clear with what you want and how they intend to do it.  

After they wash your hair, they ask whether you want a mini facial.  It feels pretty nice, so if you have the time and don't mind taking off your makeup, I recommend that you do it!

Throughout the cut, they are very attentive and ask you questions along the way.  It's nice because you have a sense of control of your hair.  

I know some other people that didn't like their haircuts from here too much, so I guess it really depends on who you get.  But, like I said, they are all students, so no one is really permanent. 

Overall, a good experience, but it does take up a ton of time - but it's definitely cheaper than a cut & style from a normal salon!
4 - Lois K.: Cut my hair there twice. Both times it took almost 3 hours. Being the cheap person that I am, I was first lured in by the $14 haircut deal. The first haircut turned out great but the second not so much (ended up with really short and uneven bangs that took forever too grow out :(). Plus, now that they don't have that deal anymore, I'm not as motivated to go. 

If you have a lot of time on your hands and have a pretty simple haircut that you would like, I would recommend that you try it out.
4 - Jennifer C.: I'd like to first disclose that I don't agree with holding teaching salons to the same level of accountability as the brands they represent. The price is discounted for a reason; they're still students working at a school, not a high-end salon. Personally, I also enjoy frequenting teaching salons whenever I'm in a slump with my hair and wouldn't mind if a cosmetology student makes a mistake and has to correct it through creating a new look altogether. It gives me a new excuse to try something new, but, needless to say, a bit risky. This has happened twice and it happened again during my visit to the Aveda Institute.

I would like to say that I took a chance with a novice student and it came out great, but in all honesty, the person who took down my appointment simply didn't ask which level of expertise I'd be comfortable with cutting my hair. (So if it's your first time, be sure to mention it ASAP if you'd specifically like an Advanced level student, etc.) Thankfully, my experience with the beginner student was a good one.

The lady cutting mine trimmed my bangs way too short. I normally wear them longer and sideswept, but they looked almost comical, being temple-length, set against my wide forehead. I suggested that she just make them into blunt cut bangs above my eyes that taper on the sides. She enthusiastically agreed (probably because she messed up so badly), and artfully made them into the most amazing bangs I've ever had! It was the perfect change; not too drastic, but just the right amount of "different" I needed. Good save!

Pros: Price, creatively remedied mistakes, complimentary services (mini facial, mini massage, makeup touch-up) prior to haircut

Cons: Time (my haircut lasted about 2 hours), the complimentary "massage" was extremely weak/awkward (but it's complimentary, so a minor con)

Again, I'm more lenient since this is a school, so it's a solid 4 stars.
5 - Diana P.: I'm so amazed! I just left the Aveda Institute and I am in love with my haircut and color. Shannon, the stylist, is so professional, fun, upbeat, and beautiful I couldn't have asked for more! She gave me the BEST haircut ever! She has such a gift for cutting and coloring hair. I was so so excited to be in her chair. She made me feel so comfortable every step of the way.

Here is the BEST part...her blow drying skills are AMAZING. I have such naturally curly hair and she was able to blow dry it straight with the PERFECT touch of a curl towards the ends. Just FANTASTIC! If you schedule an appointment ask for Shannon. You will not be disappointed!
2 - Mayte D.: Went in once about a year ago for a cut and it was ok. Not great. 

Went in two weeks ago for some dirty blonde highlights (on my virgen hair!) and had a bad experience. I understand that this is a school and you get what you pay for; however:

I was very specific with what I wanted and showed both the student working on my hair and the supervising instructor the shade/color that I wanted. I also showed them samples of what I did not want, just to be clear. The student initially insisted on a particular shade stating she couldn't find other swatch samples - hello!! WTF??

I was very disappointed with the outcome. My hair was kinda brassy and coppery not blonde. They asked me to return in a week to correct the problem. I did. Big mistake! This time the instructor helped the student  dye my hair (again) and it was horrible! The color turned turned ash! They used a toner and still did not get the color I initially asked me. And now my hair feels like straw when I brush it. It also doesn't even look like highlights, just a mess of 3 different colors. 

I'm very disappointed with my experience and will not return. 

The parking also sucks. Unless you find a lot that is open.
3 - Beth V.: I used to come here a lot, and honestly, for the price, it is usually worth it.  A haircut by a student is $18.  I have a lot of hair!  I usually pay $75.  I was never worried about the cut turning out badly because the instructors always come by and are required to check at certain points along the way.  They usually come in and touch up any mistakes that the student has made.  However, at my last visit, the student wanted to curl my hair after cutting it.  It looked really cute, but when the instructor came to check on me, she didn't actually look at the cut, just the curls.  When I washed my hair the next day, I realized that it was completely uneven.  I wish the instructor had fixed this for me.  I called and asked if I could come by and get it fixed.  They said that would not be a problem, but there were not any appointments for a week!  If I was broke, I would still probably go back again, I would just verbally insist that an instructor checks all areas of the cut before I leave.
2 - Say H.: I had a senior hair stylist. She was slow, but I expected that since they don't have much experience. I got a full hair color and cut. The color was pretty nice. The cut itself wasn't even noticeable... After 2 hours, my hair basically looked the same.
4 - Jen K.: I've been to the Aveda Institute twice now, I've had color touch ups and now one hair cut.  I'm really happy with the quality of the cut for the price I spent.  Usually I end up spending over 200 dollars on my hair when visiting my favorite Los Feliz salon, but here I walked out with very similar quality hair cut & color for 55 bucks.  I do miss the expertise of my swanky stylist but for the cost it's really hard to justify!  The students do get lots of help from their instructors, so you won't be left for the dogs.  

Yay's:  Friendly staff, great price, clean salon, percentage off of products for your first visit.... AND AND AND a glorious complimentary hand massage after a stylist washes your hair.  Tips usually go to help women's shelters.

Nay's: Not an upscale salon experience (duh it's a school), you might be there longer than a normal salon if you get a newer student.
2 - Evan B.: I have been here a couple of times and honestly, even though they are students working on your hair and you get what you pay for, but they just suck. I had my hair cut yesterday and the girl screwed up my hair, couldn't blend worth $*&t and when I asked the instructor to come in and blend it, she was slightly annoyed by my request and even though she did do it, she also did not do a good job. I have been here a couple of times and each service was for something different, but this last time was the last time.  Just keep in mind, students means inexperience and you get what you pay for.
5 - Miriam F.: I went to Aveda for the first time last week for a hair cut (stylist: "when was the last time you had a hair cut?" me: "uhhhhhh...") and a brow wax. 

They called the morning of my appointment to tell me that the stylist they had scheduled me with didn't show up, and they had to reschedule me for a half hour later. Not ideal, but fine. When I arrived, my new stylist was running behind...but they took me pretty quickly anyway, since I was supposed to get started a half hour earlier.

The parking situation in Westwood Village is a little annoying - there are garages with 2 hours of free parking during the day, but I was at Aveda for close to 2.5 hours. (Yes, it will take that long. Just anticipate it and you'll be fine)

This was the first time I had gone to a school for a haircut.

1) LOVE the budgetness of it, as a student myself.

2) As someone who is not very good at explaining what I want my hair to look like (but I definitely know it when I see it), I really appreciated that since the stylist was a student, she didn't get that snooty know-it-all attitude that so many stylists I've seen have. She listened to me, she explained really carefully, she checked in with her instructor.

3) And most importantly - LOVED the haircut. It came out exactly as I was picturing. Since I went so budget on the haircut itself, I splurged on a little travel-size Aveda product :-)

4) The brow wax ok - it wasn't in a private room, so the person getting his hair shampooed next to me got to hear my whimpers of pain.
2 - Katie W.: I have been coming to Aveda now for going on 2 years and overall have been happy with the quality of the service provided by their students and staff.  This time, though, was not the case.  I came in for a haircut and perm (body wave).  I will start out by saying that my perm turned out lovely, that's why they get 3 stars instead of 1 or 2 for this visit. 

It started out well. I came in for a consult the day before my appointment so they could look at my hair and make sure it was suited for a perm (and stick some chemicals behind my ear to make sure my skin and hair don't melt off). Turns out my hair is suited for a perm. "Nice elasticity" and all those fun words were thrown around.  Came back the next day, was taken back immediately, and was told all of the possible side effects of a perm - definitely good to know! Bravo for being so straightforward. 

I signed up for a haircut, too, because my ends were getting a little split and dry. I love Aveda haircuts, so assumed I'd be treated to the same level of care and professionalism that I normally am (and this was an experienced student, too, so I was paying the highest pay scale for a haircut).  Nope. Not the case. I asked for the same cut I always get - U shaped in the back, about 1" of layers (so 2 layers, just at the bottom), face-framing in the front, and side swept bangs. I ended up with straight across the back, no layers, no added face-framing strands, and a bangs trim. O, but it was a dry cut, so I totally missed out on the shampoo/conditioner/facial/hand massage/scalp and shoulder massage... So basically I payed over $20 to get a dry trim that wasn't even the style I asked for. And since I was going straight into the perm, there was no blow dry or styling. But I was still charged the full amount for a haircut by an experienced student despite getting none of the Aveda treatment. You can't exactly say, "don't I get a hand massage to go along with this?" Whatever. Moving on. 

My issue with the perm was with the actual experience - I loved the way my hair turned out.  When putting in the perm rods, the stylist realized she didn't have enough, so they had to improvise with small perm rods and large rollers. This was fine - I'm all for finding a way around problems - but she had never used this method before so kept having to redo entire sections of my hair because the rods kept getting too loose and falling, and quite frankly it's unprofessional to not have enough of the proper material at your disposal. 

During the rinsing of the perm acid solution, my shirt got SOAKED. I'm not talking about a little damp around the neck, I'm talking about SOAKED through from neck to waist, including my bra. The stylist just said, "o you got a little wet, oops." I asked for a dry cape (to at least try to protect my clothing from anymore acid or neutralizer), and was given one with a hole. Whatever, the shirt was already ruined. During the neutralizer, there was liquid dripping all over me, and the stylist held a towel in her hand but didn't do much to actually protect me from the potent solution with the towel. I ended up asking for a towel myself so I could at least spare my eyes from a basic solution burn.  

Four hours later, I was finally done. I was wet, I was cold, my skin was still covered in the foul smelling stuff around my neck and forehead (they never wiped it off, even the block was still on my skin), but whatever - I was done and my hair looks good. That's what the 3 stars are for - the end product. 

But yes, I will be back. As I said in the beginning, I overall have loved my experiences at Aveda. I think this must have been a rough night.


******Edit: Okay, after I washed my hair (yes, I waited at least 2 days per perm law), the waves 100% came out. I now have a horrible haircut and dry, straight, frizzy hair. WONDERFUL. Two stars it is.
4 - Bassma M.: Loved it! I have been looking for an Aveda salon for quite awhile, since I love their hair dye products! I was a little scared walking in here know its a "school" but nevertheless I was super-happy with the outcome! Sure they are students and it is a learning process for them, but they are very helpful, welcoming, and most importantly patient!! :) Will be back soon to touch-up my roots!! Yay for Aveda and a special thanks to Sharnelle!
5 - Alma M.: i came in here to get a hair cut and i made an appointment with tina marie (barbie) she was very helpful and very knowledgeable.

i was very impressed my the student's work inside this salon!

tina gave me a complimentary scalp massage ( very very soothing!!!!) i also got a facial which helped clean my pores and give my skin a softer texture!!! 

she also explained to me the various products to help treat my damaged hair and the options i have to help  preserve my color treated hair.

on my way upstairs to the check out station, i told her about my break our spots, and she showed me the various skin products and daily cleansers to help reduce  acne and give your skin a natural glow. 

i was so satisfied when i walked out of the salon, i had to make my next appointment within the next 2 weeks for a hair dye!

overall the institute has a lot to offer and is teaching its students very well! tina marie is a perfect example, her customer service skills are great and her performance is phenomenal, and of course her knowledge is very extensive.  people like her are the ones who really show love for their talent!

i would definitely recommend tina marie (barbie)  for any facial or hair treatment!!!


****** this is probably the longest review i have ever written...!  i don't regret coming here!!! :)
5 - Andi C.: OMG! I went here for the first time today and the only thing that I can possibly complain about is not trying this place sooner. I got my hair washed, cut and styled along with the complementary aromatherapy, hand and scalp massages and facial for $11. 'Nuff said. 

There are so many students here that you can get an appointment whenever is convenient for you - even on the same day.

I also think that getting my hair done by a student was a good thing because she was very energetic and asked many questions to ensure that I got just what I wanted. They have you sign a waiver before you get any treatments and services but do not let that scare you.
3 - Kristina K.: ** The rating for the hair-cutting process itself is 2.5 stars. Since Yelp does not do any half stars, I bumped it up to 3 because this institute is so damn inexpensive. **

Since my haircut last year in 2011, my hair grew pretty long and I was tired of it being so dead and boring. I always get very paranoid about cutting my hair because I have this strange, emotional attachment to my hair. But I figured, it's way too long and takes too long to dry after washing it (don't get me started on those blow dryer issues).

Since Aveda is right on Weyburn and I was staying in Los Angeles for spring break, I decided that it was time to just chop off my hair. I timidly made the appointment over the phone and requested that I receive an ADVANCED student because I was not ready or willing to take that chance of having a beginner student cut and style my hair. After repeating the adjective ADVANCED to the receptionist (who reassured me that I would receive what I asked), I breathed a sigh of relief and was actually a little bit excited. I normally go to Allure Salon in Fountain Valley (see my review for them a few pages back) but I wasn't going to be in Orange County and my hair was pulling me down!

Anyway, I arrive promptly at my appointment time and I only had to wait a few minutes before my student arrived. Upon her arrival, I noticed that she was shaky, nervous, and stuttered a little bit as she asked, "Are you Kristina?"

I nodded uneasily and she then led me downstairs - a stuffy, unaesthetically pleasing room where a lot of her classmates were cutting the hair of their clients or practice doll-heads. Hm... she certainly did NOT seem like an advanced student (especially when there was an upstairs section that was very nice and had other students cutting away). I tried not to base her level of expertise on this so I continued on with her.

She washed my hair and massaged my scalp (which did feel nice), and we started talking. Turns out, my suspicions were right: She was a BEGINNER student. Did I happen to mention that I requested an ADVANCED student about oh, say, 3 or 4 times over the phone? 

Well, I stayed. I figured that I was already there so how bad could it be? If anything, an expert instructor would come over and fix any problems that I had with my cut.

My friends who also joined me in getting their hair cuts were finished with their cuts in about 30-45 minutes.

My. Hair. Cut. Took. 4. Hours.

YES. 4 hours! I only had about 4-5 inches cut off and some long layers put in...but really? 4 hours? My student's instructor gave her a time limit of 1 hour and 45 minutes. Well, and I do not mean to be rude, she definitely passed that point.

It took so long that she had to have help from another student who actually did very well when she pretty much took over the job. I felt a little remorseful for my student but really, now. This was the reason that I asked for an advanced student. 

I'm not a snooty person when it comes to hair cuts. I understand that she tried her best to make everything look great and yes, it did in the end. I left relatively happy.

But...I mean you KNOW it's bad when your own student stylist says, as she's walking you out, "Wow! It's STILL light outside! I thought it would have been super dark by now."

Yeah.
5 - Edna M.: After years of hopping salons and getting haircuts that ranged from decent to terrible , I decided to roll the dice and try Aveda. I was a little nervous, but my student, Tara F. was so friendly and enthusiastic that instead I began to get excited over what kind of cut to get. She was very attentive, and listened to everything I wanted, although I may not have made much sense, and turned my blabber into reality. It was one of  the best haircuts I have ever gotten, and I also received tips for how to style my hair to give it some volume, something I've always struggled with considering how thin my hair is.

I think it goes without saying that I have gone back to Aveda and Tara for haircuts ever since. I always walk out of Aveda feeling like a different person after Tara's worked her magic, and really can't imagine going anywhere else. She gives my hair incredible blow outs and really gives me exactly what I want every time, and then some. She will take my ideas, add her expertise, and bring my hair to new levels. In fact, sometimes I don't want to go back just because my haircut is still growing out beautifully. 

Stumbling into Aveda was a serendipitous event that changed the course of my hair for the better. I definitely recommend Aveda and Tara F. to anyone who wants an amazing haircut accompanied by awesome conversation.
5 - Vicky G.: Let's put it this way. Don't come here if you want a perfect haircut done by a knowledgable stylist. This is a school...you know this before you come here. That being said, you definitely get your money's worth. For $19 with a new student (or a bit more with a student that has some experience), you get a shampoo, haircut, and blow-out. My stylist and I had a bit of a misunderstanding at first, but in the end she cut my hair well, especially since it is so curly and difficult. They have to get everything approved by their supervisor and usually consult as well, so they are not just flying by the seat of ther pants. Due to all this consulting and attention to detail however, haircuts take a long time. Sometimes 2 hours. 

There is also a shop in the store that sells good products and the students explain them to you. I really wanted to tip my stylist but they cannot accept any "direct income" so a tip is actually a donation to a charity of their choice. Basically, come here if you want attention and care for a cheap place, (they do styles, color, etc too)...don't come here if you are in a rush.
3 - Kelly H.: Eeek - before my haircut the other day, I would have given the Institute a solid four stars, but after about my 8th time, I got a less than great cut. I amend that - the cut is technically superior, but it is about three inches shorter than I'd asked for - and I'd asked for an already short cut. I felt bad for the girl who did it, and she knew I was dissatisfied, but her instructor congratulated her on a job well done, which ticked me off. 

My other cuts have been great - supervised and I've gotten exactly what I wanted. 

But my god, the price is GREAT. Sometimes, though, you get what you pay for.
2 - Tracy T.: Terrible hair coloring. The supervisors barely...supervised. He literally came over and touched my hair once or twice before and after the hair coloring. It's been 2 weeks and my color has faded significantly. My stylist barely talked. it was awkward. It was just an awkward experience. I know i'm not paying very much (still 63 bucks) but seriously, not so great! I blow dry my hair better than the stylist. I honestly do. The color was so terrible. So terrible. Supervisors do not supervise!!
4 - Debbie V.: My review is based on the fact that this is a school.  For the price and the experience of my stylist, great cut, great highlights.  On the negative side, annoying skinny dude next to my stylist (the talented Taylor) who kept blowing hot air into my face with the blowdryer while he was was styling his client's hair.  Also, it can get REALLY loud and the instructors don't seem interested in trying to keep a lid on the decibal level.
3 - Jessica Y.: Mixed feelings on my first and last trip, but overall satisfactory: cheap, the girl was nice and offered free facials and free makeup (incentive to tip her more?). So it was kind of like a mini salon experience, and quite a good one. 

To be fair, I guess the things that threw me off about my experience were things that they couldn't really help: the basement level space and making you sign waivers were pretty sketch.
4 - Emily C.: Nick Flores, you are AH-Mazing. 

I came here for the first time 2 yrs ago for a hair cut. The student that I worked with didn't exactly do the best job, but her instructor was a genius. He took the hair that she butchered and turned it into the most amazing hair cut I'd ever received. I recommended a couple other friends to get their hair cut at Aveda too, but their reviews were all mixed. Some had AWESOME cuts and some were really disappointed. It all depends on the student and instructor you are paired with.

I came in last Saturday for ombre highlights. I called and asked before coming in and the girl at the counter said the highlights started at $35. I was charged quite a bit more than that for the services, but it was still so much cheaper than getting my hair done at some other fancy Aveda Salon in Beverly Hills so no complaining here.

Nick Flores was my student stylist. He was wonderful. I loved his sense of humor and his chattiness. I had such a good time at my appointment. My appointment took about 3 hrs, but Nick made the time fly by. He also gave me a great scalp message and a wonderful mini facial. He even touched up my makeup before letting me out of the salon. Nick also did a great job on the color of my hair. It's not as light as I originally wanted, but it still looks great. It looks very natural; I'm happy with the results.

Parking is a PAIN in Westwood, but there is a lot on Broxton with 2 hrs free parking before 6pm.

I will definitely be back to see Nick!
4 - Linda C.: Great place to get a very cheap haircut. Go here if you know exactly what you want and ask for a senior student. 

My bob hairstyle needs constant upkeep and I always leave happy although I go to a different student each time. That's obviously the problem with this salon, if you like someone they could soon be gone.

Once I left here feeling a bit "meh" after getting highlights that hardly showed. However, this has also happened in places where the bill was $200+ so it's no biggie.

Sometimes they throw in a mini facial or a scalp massage which is heaven.

Parking can be tricky but on Broxton there is a garage with two hours free parking before 6pm. That's normally enough time for a cut at least.
5 - Reyn H.: I have been coming here for years and have never had less than a 4* haircut. Mind you, I was in school at UCLA for most of that time. 
The salon is clean. People are nice. Prices are fair. They even give you a mini facial, though sometimes you have to ask. 
Today I went there and there was free haircuts in honor of earth day. I made a donation of $8. 
My stylist Emanuel was great. He had nearly 8 months experience and I left looking and feeling like a million bucks. He had a dynamic personality and had me laughing, with great jokes and a calm demeanor. Beat of all, he cut my hair with scissors the whole time, no clippers. 
A quick tip: there is free parking at the lot on Broxton as long as you enter before 6pm and are parked for less than 2 hours. Take advantage of that, for sure!!!
3 - Rita S.: I paid $25 for my hair cut (price depends on level of the student). Really enjoyed the mini-facial. I have really long hair and I just got a trim so I figured she couldn't really mess it up, which she didn't. My hair cut came out fine. She wasn't very good at blow drying which was amusing but whatever. The only thing I really disliked about this place is that it's like getting your hair cut in a high school hallway! So many chatty, gossiping onlookers. Very unprofessional! I know it's a school but they should keep the conversations off the floor.

Aveda Store - Seattle, WA (47.6637688341516, -122.299053668976) (University District)
4 - Me H.: For being in the U Village this Aveda store is actually really great, plus it's right across from Fran's.  Every time I go in here I'm greeted with a warm and friendly hello and hot tea, tea so hot it burns your mouth but its good tea just very hot so be careful when you accept it.

I love walking in and saying I want to find something that will help with 'this' problem and with in seconds I have products in front of me to play with and smell and try and with a little more talking I'm able to find a product that fixes my problem.  Plus I love all their travel size products, I'm never pushed to buy the full size but to try the travel size to see if I really like it and that it works and if it doesn't they are great with returns.
4 - Ian S.: As a guy, I am completely unqualified to review Aveda's beauty products.  However, they have some of the most delicious tea I have ever tasted (and you get a free sample just for walking in).  It tastes like some sort of magical tea that exists only in the Harry Potter universe.  Imagine butterbeer but tea.
4 - abigail l.: Aveda is my friend and can be yours too, if you are:

--into smells
Aveda products smell really good, except when they don't. You're invited to select your own scents to mix into lotions, bath gels, or shampoos, but 20 minutes of straight sniffing will take its toll. They encourage intermittent whiffs of coffee beans to renew, but nevertheless, the nose becomes bewildered. This happened to me and I came home with a lotion that smelled like Honey Bucket. They let me exchange it for a pleasant-er one.

--eco-conscious 
Buy beauty goods without feeling like a bonehead. Aveda uses plant-based alternatives to synthetic ingredients. They also strive toward green energy: corporate headquarters are solar powered, some distribution centers are wind-powered. Much of their packaging is made from recycled paper, cosmetic cases are sturdy and refillable. Aveda forms partnerships with indigenous communities around the globe that protect sustainability, fair trade, and land rights. 

--goal-oriented
The promise of a new mini-troll doll or a kitten diary with a lock or large fluffy dice got my 8 year old throwin' arm through all those games of skee ball. Similarly, the Pure Privilege program ($10) wins you points when you buy, redeemable for products, hair treatments, spa trips. Unlike other consumer incentive programs, you get regular rewards just for being a member, like a free product on your birthday and coupons for travel-size items every few months.

Travel-size items are the BOOMshang! What? Ahem. Travel-size items are the best.
4 - robert r.: I don't know what this store is, or what it sells, but I walked by the other day and they had live mannequins standing in the windows.  I haven't seen that before.  It was cool.  They were hot too.  I was confused though, they are mannequins, but I felt like I couldn't look at them for more than a few seconds without being some kind of lascivious weirdo.  That sort of defeats the purpose doesn't it, to have mannequins in the windows that you shouldn't look at?  I dunno, I wasn't going to buy anything anyway.  I recognized one of the girls too, she's a performer at the Can-Can.  That was also cool.  If I were you I'd buy stuff from this store so they can continue to pay the live mannequins.  Wild.
5 - Cathy G.: OOOHHHH
Thisis such a luxurious place.

Staff are open, friendly, warm and very knowledgeable of their products.

I tried a lipstick sample, DARN, after 20 minutes it changed a bi tto too wild. That happens with me often with lipstick.

I was particularly interested in their face creams for my skin. They are pricey; more so than stuff I can buy from Seattle Super Supplements.. which is better? I am not sure. I think a combination of cream and then super vitamins will make a difference.

I recommend going. I am going back for a lighter shade of lipstick and to read ingredients on the face cream.
4 - Ivy L.: YAY! Another Aveda that I love, they also give me free samples :) the person rang me up on the next register so I didn't have to wait in line that long. I love it when people pick me to go to the next register, I always get my way :) Not to mention the place is beautiful on a rainy day, the lighting is amazing.
4 - Chad Y.: I am writing about this particular Aveda store simply cause I frequent it the most. I frequent it largely cause it is close to where I live and well, I love the staff at this location. They are really friendly, knowledgeable, and extremely helpful.

I find the Aveda products to be really high quality and I am a huge fan of their sensitive line which provides a great balance of cleaning power while being gentle to the skin and considering the cost.
5 - Anora K.: Free consultations for skin care, hair care, and make up!

AMAZING SERVICE!  Which is to say, up there with the best customer service one could get. Shopping there is like getting a personal shopper!

Also, Aveda is one of the GREENEST companies out there!

This is not a run in, run out store. If you want to just grab your stuff and go, you should shop online. They like to take their time with you.
4 - Kristine H.: I prefer shopping online usually.  No parking hassles, no tax and usually no snippy salespeople who dislike their jobs and most of humanity.  This store is one of my exceptions to the rule.  I actually enjoy going into this particular Aveda and picking up the products I need.  The parking is manageable during the week (avoid the craziness that is the weekend) and the employees friendly.

If you like their products, I recommend signing up for their Pure Privilege.  It is one time fee of $10 USD and then begin to accrue points + free samples on your visits.  On the particular day that I signed up, there was double points offered so I figured what the heck  I've enjoyed the free samples because they are perfect to toss in my toiletries bag for overnight trips.

This particular store has some of the nicest employees I have ever encountered.  Enjoy your cup of tea that you are offered and a treatment if you are offered one.  I accepted a hand massage with some of their lotion and nearly slipped off the wooden stool with delight at how nice it felt.  I have to also agree with another reviewer, they definitely take their time, so budget accordingly if you are in a hurry.
4 - Alice C.: My checking account hates Aveda- with a burning, molten lava amount of heat passion- but checking account are like pre teens  sometimes:  you gotta tell yer check card to STFU and deal. Personally, I use the outer peace foaming cleanser and mud mask, their kinetics exfoliant, and the sensitive line's toner. Make up wise, Im using one of the tinted moisterizers. This stuff isnt cheap, but using the cleanser and toner daily for two weeks did an amazing job of clearing up the blemishes and splotchiness from my face.  I dont use the mask all too much, mostly cause i figured out how much my aunt spent on it- and now i don't want to use it out of fear I'll want to bath in it. 

The couple times I haven't liked Aveda was when I used their sensitive line facial moisterizer (looked like Mr. Krabs from Spongebob) and their rosemary mint shampoo (dandruff and itchy scalp). Buth otherwise, their stuff doesnt bug me.
4 - Elizabeth T.: There are 3 things I like about Aveda: tea, samples, and massages. All of which you can get for free.

Tea is free if you walk in and they brewed tea they will serve you a cup. The tea is non-caffeinated, fully organic, and naturally sweet. Samples are free if you join their membership and walk in with your sample postcard which they mail out every 2-3 months. The samples range from hair styling products to shower gels that are large enough for 5-6 uses. Massage is free if you walk in to this U-village branch and they are not too busy serving customers. Pretty much every time I asked for a massage, they gave me one without caring if I was there to buy stuff.

But I do purchase. I have been buying their tea for the last six years. I use their essence oils and shampoos. My friends knew I like Aveda so they bought me body massage oil and fragrance candles for my birthday. I think their products are strongest in the hair products, pretty decent in their aromatherapy lines, and perhaps a little more on the bland side for skin care --- maybe it's just that I did not feel much for the $40 face cream. They also have cosmetics and products for men, which I haven't tried and cannot comment on. They offer a really comfortable environment and service and try to connect with their customers and Earth. They know what they want in their products and from their customers. I love that.
5 - B W.: I had a crazy allergic reaction to something that I bought here last year, and the people here let me return my used product to them and didn't make me feel like an idiot after I told them what happened.  Every single person that I have ever been helped by at this store is super nice, very helpful and the overall customer service for this place is great.  I live for the double points rewards days.....
1 - Opal D.: The sales lady was very rude. She recommended two separate lotions to use on my face - I told her I only wanted one product that would do the trick, and she went on to explain why I should use these two. Whatever happened to meeting the customer's needs? I need one face lotion, that's all. 
I picked out one of the two she was recommending and she responded snarkily, "your dry spots are NOT going to be happy," then turning around, marched toward the checkout counter, then never addressed me again. 
I am dumbfounded as to why the attitude as I listened to her recommendations politely and made the request for one product politely... So I didn't listen her, I'm the customer! Don't be rude to me. 

DO NOT COME TO THIS STORE UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE TREATED POORLY.
5 - Clover A.: Jeanny is right they always smell so good.

That's really my draw to Aveda products overall, they just smell so damn good. 

The staff here is always genuinely nice and helpful, they offer all kinds of little free services and swag and they never make you feel weird about partaking.

Would you like some tea? As a greeting, I have to say I enjoy this kind of attention. The products are clearly displayed and you can get help or browse yourself, they're cool with either.

Avenue B - Pittsburgh, PA (40.456856, -79.936432) (Friendship)
3 - Kendrah R.: Went at 7:45 pm on a Sat PM and they had already sold out of three items on the menu.  When the menu only has about 10 items on it - I call that pretty poor planning.  Salads were fine.  Entrees were good but fish portions were so tiny we wondered if they were running out of the ingredients and cutting portions in half.  Our entrees were the size of small plate portions.  We are used to eating contemporary cuisine and don't expect Big Boy portions, but it was truly shameful to charge $24 for this portion of fish.  It should have been a $15 small plate.  Decor is nice and simple.  Love the size of the restaurant.  Love that the place is not pretentious.  Still I would not go back.
5 - courtney c.: I love this place.  The menu is creative and thoughtfully planned with interesting dishes and flavors.  I always appreciate places that cook seasonally and make a point of changing the menu to reflect what is fresh and available locally.  

I had the sea bash fish and chips... amazing. Husband had the meatloaf, mouthwatering yumminess. Veggie friend had the tofu enchiladas and scrapped the plate clean.  Oh, we started off with the ribs... goodness.  All of the deserts sounded amazing and super interesting... but we were stuffed and couldn't eat any more. 

All of the servers were excited to tell you about what their favorites on the menu were and were knowledgeable about about the preparations... something that is difficult to find in Pittsburgh area restaurants.  

Can't wait to go back.
3 - Suzy D.: The ambiance was relaxed and cozy. The service was mediocre at best due to inexperience but they were friendly.  The food was O.K. but the amount of salt used was beyond excessive. i cant recommend a restaurant where the Chef does not know how to season the food and you have to ask for more water at least twice. i mean lets be serious, water is free! Has potential but needs work.
2 - Tatyana K.: With such a small selection and steep prices, I was expecting something local, organic and sustainable. The decor and style of the place definitely looks the part, down to french pressed coffee and tea served at the table. But no, they just look like it. It's a bit of a drive and isn't near anything I frequent and while I liked the decor and style, the food won't have me coming back.

I ordered fish and chips, tempura style... All I could taste was flour and mush. The fish was soggy and completely without flavor. The chips were actual potato crisps (I was expecting fries, so it was a little disappointing) The best part of the meal was the veggie slaw. The ice cream and dessert did sound amazing (but then so did the fish and chips;) ). I tried a few spoonfuls of different flavored ice creams and they were quite good. So maybe it's more of a dessert kinda place? 

Also this is an older crowd (probably because of prices), most patrons were well over 40. I felt like a kindergardener,
4 - Patrick L.: Stopped in for the first time last night.

The mussels starter and the green beans & sweet potato tempura starter, both off of the chalkboard, were fantastic. The mussels were outstanding. Not at all rubbery or grainy. The broth was very flavorful, but not overpowering. The tempura was light and crispy, with a delicious accompanying sauce. A few of the sweet potato pieces were slightly undercooked though. 

For my entree, I ordered the meatloaf that everyone seems to be talking about. While it was definitely good, I have to admit that I was a little disappointed. My friend, who had ordered it before, also said it wasn't quite as good as she remembered. I can't quite put my finger on what was off though. While it wasn't dry, it definitely had sort of a chewy texture. 

Finally, I couldn't leave without trying their mac 'n' cheese side. It was delicious, with bits of apple added for a little welcome sweetness. 

Overall, I was happy with the portions. I left satisfied (even skipping desert) but not unpleasantly full. 

My biggest complaint is, of course, the price. With the lovely space, great food, and constantly changing menu, it is the kind of neighborhood restaurant that I would love to stop at on a weekly basis. If only it wouldn't bankrupt me...
5 - Mike B.: I absolutely loved my trip to Avenue B and posted the whole trip to my blog.

"A trip to Avenue B can be pricey--that's just the genre it fills. Unlike some other outings, I left Avenue B thrilled with the experience and truly excited by the and the quality of our experience---thanks in part to an exceptional waitress. Given that enthusiasm, I had no problem dropping a sizable chunk of change for an exceptional experience--at least on a somewhat rare occasion."

http://www.foodburgh.com/2010/02/avenue-b/
5 - Shawn W.: I'll start off by saying that this is the best new restaurant in Pittsburgh. We first went here for Valentine's day, and it was just fantastic in every way. They really do understand it all.

-vegetarian friendly
-attentive & friendly wait staff
-excellent selection and seasonal variety
-coffee in a french press, need I say more

I've recommended this to several others, and everyone I know has had a positive experience.
5 - Kim L.: Warning: this is going to be a bit of a love letter.   I seriously love this place.  I love the dinner, love the lunch, and now have a whole new reason to love it - Sunday brunch!!  Those who know me know that I'm obsessed with brunch and really wish I could have it every day.  Darn you work!  

They just started doing Sunday brunch a few weeks ago and it's AWESOME.  I just ended up in the Burgh for a visit and I had a delicious dinner there (Kevin the waiter is SO knowledgeable about food - he is great!) and found out about brunch and had to have it before I left the city.  They don't take reservations right now for brunch and I had a sizable crew with me for the size of the restaurant so I called at 9:30am and Seth was SO nice to help me figure out a plan to have the best chance to set everyone seated around 11:30.   We had no trouble getting seated but I fear that will change quickly as the word gets out about this amazing brunch.  

Ok onto the most important part - the FOOD.  OMG.  We started with some beignets  that are a healthy portion - 5 puffy fried pieces of deliciousness with a spoon of cinnamon sugar and an apple compote and a fresh berry compote kind of on the side.  whoa - I licked my fingers.  On recommendation I got the eggs benedict which comes with thinly sliced asparagus and hearts of palm and is topped with a slice of mapley bacon that is insane.  The bacon is so good that you want eat a plate of just bacon - and then another one - and maybe another one.  whoa.  the hollandaise was heartstoppingly butterliciously good but JUST the right amount.  I hate it when there is a giant glop of it - I want to be chasing it around my plate to get every bit of goodness, not wiping it off on the side.  This also came with potatoes on the side which were like homefries but with some sweet potato mixed in and some red pepper?  They were delicious!  Boyfriend had the huevos rancheros which were hearty and delicious but could have had a little more spice for my taste.  Basically everyone loved their food but I was too absorbed in my own food to try bites and when I looked up - everyone was licking their plates so I can only infer from that and their subsequent food comas that they were happy.  

After I rolled back to PK&A's (darling wonderful host friends) apartment  for my own food coma, I realized we forgot to pop out and get champagne for mimosas or bellinis.   Yes, I forgot about brunch beverages.  Me!  One of the main reasons to love brunch!!  This has NEVER happened to me before - and that says a lot about the food, the company, and the experience in general...and perhaps explains my love for brunch.  But seriously they do have the fixins for brunch beverages without the alcohol since it's BYOB - by the glass or carafe.  

I am seriously sad that I no longer live down the block from Ave B - but I will be back for sure on my next visit to the Burgh!
5 - Dianne D.: i haven't had as great an experience as i had here at a restaurant in a long time! i showed up at prime dinner time on a tuesday night with a date and a bottle of wine, and was told there was no seating available until 8:15 which was over an hour later. we somewhat begrudgingly left to go to a bar until our time to eat arrived, and were starving by the time we actually sat down at a table. but holy hell, was it ever a meal worth waiting for! my date let me pick our appetizers, and i chose two things--a simple crab cake topped with a basil aioli that was so fresh-tasting and aromatic i believed they must have had an herb garden growing right in the kitchen, and the show stopper--chocolate chipotle confit chicken wings. the meat didn't even fall off the bone; when we lifted the bones from the plate, the meat was so tender it simply remained where it was. the chocolate flavor was a noticeable but not overwhelming presence and we both just kept moaning in between utterances of 'holy shit', and 'oh my god, this is fucking good'. our salad wasn't terribly original--a breaded and fried slice of chevre goat cheese with greens and truffle oil--but it was insanely good, and our entrees were both great. he ordered halibut with snap pea mashed potatoes and ginger aioli, and against all of my dining-out sensibilities i ordered a tofu dish as my main course, and was completely satisfied. for dessert--french press coffee and three types of homemade coffee ice cream. service was totally friendly and on-point and i LOVED the entire experience. i can't wait to eat here again.
4 - Megan H.: Exceptional.  

It took me three tries to get a reservation (almost unheard of in Pittsburgh).  

But - third time was a charm.  

I always am worried about BYOB restaurants, that they're one week away from closing because they don't make enough money.  So I always have managed expectations.  

Avenue B OVER DELIVERED.  We ate outside, so I can't comment on the full atmosphere.  But the service was outstanding.  From the person taking reservations, to the host, to our server.  

The menu changes daily, but I was pleased with both the few regulars on the menu and the selection of the unique items.  

I was with two friends and we had the beef, pork chop, as well as ravioli.  I'm under delivering on my descriptions to you - but they were amazing.  They did everything well.

There was a guy at the table next to ours who was freaking out about his steak.  From eavesdropping, I believe he wanted it still mooing.  I'm not sure if he was eventually satisfied with their response, but after addressing several times - I'm amazed at the lengths the staff was going to, to make sure he was properly served.

Meal was pricey, but I didn't think over the top.  Additionally because it is BYOB - that cut my bill down by 60% anyway.  Well worth it!

Also, I accidentally left my credit card there - and they were soooo helpful about returning it.  

I can't wait to go back again.
5 - London A.: Avenue B is a fantastic addition to the Burgh's culinary scene! Everything I had here - app, entree, dessert - was amazing!!!! The only negative is that the menu is pretty small - about 5-8 app choices and maybe 7 entree options. This place is not for picky eaters! This is a place where I suggest throwing caution to the wind - whatever you order is going to be great!
1 - Justin A.: Making the reservation: easy and friendly.
Atmosphere: quaint and inviting (if you do not like tight spaces this isn't for you).
Menu: great!  I love the small seasonal menu and focus on more day-to-day options.  Very well conceived.
Appetizer: delicious!  The heirloom tomato salad was perfect, and the Yellowfin Tuna trio of sushi was even better!
Entrees: mediocre at best.  The Kung Pao Tofu was lacking in the spicy-peanutty character of good Kung Pao.  My Short Rib Tacos weren't seasoned and the Chipotle Cream was just pink cream.
Dessert: amazing!  The chocolate was amazing!
The kicker, and reason for my poor rating, was when my server dropped a wine glass on my entree plate (before I was finished) and it shattered.  It made a HUGE mess and really upset the table next to us.  I work in restaurants and make mistakes myself, but they failed to recover from their mistake.  The server was extremely apologetic, but I had to pay full price for an entree that I was unable to finish and the chef sent out an extra of my date's meal to-go.  They also did not charge me for our 2 bottles of wine (its BYOB).  Had they supplied me with another entree, or not charged me for the one they destroyed I would be more gracious.  
I don't intend on coming back.
4 - Kristen H.: Out of the 2 dishes (meatloaf and beet + mac 'n cheese), we both agreed that the beet mac and cheese was the best out of the 2!  The meatloaf actually looked fantastic (you know that's a good sign with a dish like this!) and it actually ended up having a great flavor.  The mac and cheese, however blew it out of the water!  It was fantastic!  My only complaint is that there was a noticeable lack of beets.  I've heard this dish has been evolving and so my hope is that the next time I see it, I can have a beet in every bite!

Sitting outside was a bit of a mistake.  There needs to be a better divide between me: the food eater and you: the bus people.  It was just loud with the bus coming by every 5 minutes :(
4 - Rodzilla G.: 4.5 stars.

I really like the Avenue B concept; a smaller rotating menut with an emphasis on local inredients. 

The service was great, our server Emmett was fantastic. Very knowledgeable about all the items on the menu.

Food was great overall; if you read no further: Avenue B is more than worth the trip. 

Now for specific thoughts:

Complimentary bread service - 2 types of bread provided, whole grain/frnch baguette it seemed. Not sure where they were sourced from but quality artisinal bread. Served along with a cherry molasses whipped butter. This was tasty, but I wish th butter was salted.

Local Greens Salad $6 - acceptable, nothing special. I enjoyed the dressing and the sweet potato crips..but I suspect there are far better ways to start the meal.

-Raw Boat  $13 - 3 preperations of fish, all of which were incredibly fresh. 

2 miniature tuna nigiri topped with red and black tobiko.- these were passable, the sushi rice itself did not seem to be all that glutinous and I wouldn't be pleased with it if I were out for sushi, but a fun little bite when implemented into the menu. I'm not one to complain about portion sizes, but these were truly miniature, would have preferred a more generous slice of fish to get the full effect. 

barely seared salmon topped with an avocado/onion/wasabi sauce - very good,

poke and pineapple cevice topped with creme fraiche and sweet potato flake - may be one of the best things I've ever eaten. I scrapped every last off the plate. I would make the visit again if only to get this.

-NY Strip $26 - truffled fingerling potato salad, arugula, asparagus, demi glaze - perfectly prepared steak, other components of the dish were quite good; only down side was one bad potato that probably shouldn't have made it out of the kitchen. 

- Seared Dayboat Scallops $24 - squid ink tagiatelle, summer squash, pesto duo - again the protein portion was prepared flawlessely. The two pestos were both very a good, a basil and roasted red pepper.  The squid ink pasta had a slight brine that was mellowed by the accompanying zuchinni, squash, and sat a top an alfredo-esq sauce.  The bottom of the plate had a bit more olive oil than I would have liked, but I'm really nit picking here. Fantastic dish.

Bonus points for crushed ice in the soda, and macaroons with the check. 

pics to come
5 - Lisa M.: I ate at Avenue B in Pittsburgh during a visit back in July.  Chef Chris Bonfili really puts forth some creative and tasty cuisine sourcing seasonal ingredients from local farms for his menu which changes daily.  My girlfriends took me here and we ordered & shared many different dishes and they were all delicious.  Kobe Meatloaf, goat cheese & chive whipped Potatoes with Crispy Shallots and tomato jam - Heirloom Tomato & asparagus salad, with a roasted garlic vinaigrette - Black Grouper, black eyed peas & greens, candied bacon, sweet potato hay, berry BBQ - Crispy Eggplant, Tagalini Pomodoro.   Pittsburgh better savor this gem of a restaurant that could easily rival my favorites here in San Francisco.  I look forward to eating here again when I'm back over the holidays!!!  YUM!!!  PS. BYOB
5 - Gina B.: Amazing! Quaint and cozy. Good service and delicious flavor. A seasonal menu which makes it extremely fun - different each time.  I liked it so much that I returned the next night, as I was in Pittsburgh for the week on business.  The first night I had: Butternut squash green chili soup, which had a very unique taste - sweet with spicy (delicious).  I thought to myself - how can I make this at home. Next, I had the pan seared walleye.  This  was fantastic with pomegranates and pecan basmati rice. One of my favorite meals. Mmmmm.  The next night I had the short ribs with sugar snap mashed potatoes, again - unique, but extremely flavorful.  I hate when food is over-seasoned and this chef is it perfect.  

You must make reservations, as there are limited tables. The menu is on a large chalkboard, the seasonal items, and they have a few standards, but I'm all about the adventure.  BYOB.  Makes me hungry just thinking of the food options.

I rarely rate any restaurant 5 stars...but this is a definite.  Enjoy!
5 - Pragna H.: If you live in Shadyside for three years, and eat out quite a bit, you would probably know the menus of most of the restaurants here. Not true for Avenue B. They stick to what's seasonal and fresh when choosing their ingredients, which translates to an ever changing menu. I don't think I have ever had anythig there that was just "blah". Everything tastes awesome and looks awesome. The service is great and very attentive, even on Saturday nights. My favorite thing about an Avenue B experience is the menu on the wall. It's written with chalk in beautiful script. The brunch is amazing! I have taken out of towners there and they absolutely loved it!
4 - Andrew M.: Early in our relationship, Belle confessed to me that she didn't like tacos or meatloaf.  This was, of course, a serious problem.  Some homemade pulled pork tacos later one of the hurdles was cleared, but the meatloaf issue continued to vex me.  Enter Avenue B.

First off, don't let the largely unfinished web site turn you off.  Avenue B has a much more expansive menu that what you'll find online.  Thankfully, the above-mentioned meatloaf is a mainstay (although its exact composition changes seasonally).  You'll find ~6 starters and ~6 entrees on the chalk board menu, most of which are made, to one degree or another, to highlight local and seasonal fare.  Quick aside: assuming you remember your own wine, this is a pretty good place in terms of menu and atmosphere for a date.  Just know that they don't give you menus, you have to rely on the chalkboards.  Not every seat has a great sightline to the boards, so don't make your date sit in a chair so she has to awkwardly crane her neck to figure out what she wants to eat.  And for God's sake don't (as I did) forget your glasses and resort to having your date read to you.  Belle was understanding, but for an early date, I was hoping to come across as something other than quasi-literate.

All the meals I've had at Avenue B have been very good.  The cook obviously knows what he's doing; his previous spot (the Red Room) really took off under his guidance.  That said, the menu is not going to blow anyone's mind when it comes to pushing the envelope with unusual preparations and/or ingredients.  Take a closer look at the menu picture from the yelp profile and you'll see:
Roast Chicken
Braised Short Ribs
NY Strip Steak
Falafel and Tabouleh
Seared Scallops
BBQ
-not pictured, but also on the menu:
Fish and Chips
Meatloaf.

Not really very vegetarian-friendly and not really separating itself from the crowd.  There are, of course, excellent reasons from a financial standpoint to play it safe when it comes to Pittsburgh menus, but I think the city's tastes are slowly changing and I hope Avenue B steers its obvious skill in more interesting directions down the line.  All that said, if you like these things (and I certainly do), Avenue B does an excellent job with them.  On visit 1, I ordered the meatloaf and loved it--it was probably the best meatloaf I've ever had (with apologies to my father).  After much cajoling, I convinced Belle to have a bite.  On our most recent visit, Belle ordered the meatloaf for herself, which stands as testimony to how well Avenue B executes the "new American bistro" catalog.
5 - alan l.: as expected, dinner at ave b is definitely worth 5 stars. 

the food (as it was with brunch) was amazing, and i love that they have just as many specials each night as the permanent (but seasonal) menu. 

service was also great, and byob much more appreciated during dinner when bringing your own wine can be a great way to make a more expensive meal affordable. 

i was also pleased to find out what 'tuna squared' was - a deconstructed spicy tuna roll and tuna sashimi - annnnd it was really tasty.
5 - Sean B.: Avenue B is outstanding. This place offers an amazing seasonal menu and a variety of creative and mouth-watering daily specials. I have never been more CONSISTENTLY impressed with a restaurant in Pittsburgh as I am with Avenue B. 

They are also BYOB. I like this aspect of the restaurant because you get to bring your own wine to enjoy alongside their amazing beginnings, entrees, and desserts. 

The brunch, naturally offered only on Sunday mornings, is also outstanding. I am particularly a fan of the buckwheat pancakes with Guinness butter and Framboise syrup. My friend had the steak and eggs. The steak was cooked perfectly to order (medium rare) and the eggs were delicious. I think that brunch is a great value that is slowly starting to catch on at this restaurant. 

If I could rate Ave B more than five stars, I would!!!
4 - Megan M.: Had my annual pre-Christmas dinner w/friends here this year, and loved it!

First off, the place is really charming. Dim lighting, chic design, I can't believe it used to be a Chinese joint! Also, love that it's BYOB. This makes it easy to have a nicer meal without breaking the bank. Corkage fee is $5 per bottle.

The menu had lots of fun, innovative choices, with a continental influence. You could choose from the seasonal menus or nightly specials. The gal pals and I started with a deconstructed rainbow roll and mussels in a smokey tomato sauce. The rainbow roll was full of high-quality ingredients but not so good for sharing. I kind of wish the server would have mentioned this. All the ingredients were chopped up and served wrapped in cucumber, making it pretty impossible to eat with the chopsticks it was served with and almost impossible to share between three gals. We kind of had to mix up the ingredients and scoop with our forks. I'd get this again with a salad for myself, but not for a group.

The mussels, on the other hand, were awesome. The sauce was smokey, flavorful and thicker than your traditional mussel sauce. I'd definitely get it again. The mussels were plump and perfectly cooked.

For my meal, I got shrimp wrapped with brasaola served with pesto, a creamy sauce and homemade pasta. This dish was FANTASTIC. The sauce was creamy without being heavy; the pesto was full of flavor and the shrimp were perfectly cooked. The brasaola was salty and tasty. All the flavors combined for an innovative take on a pasta dish.

I thought it was super cute that the meal ended with teeny tiny macarons as well.

I'll definitely return here the next time I'm in the 'burgh!
4 - Trish T.: Just had dinner there. Glad we made reservations. Meatloaf was killer!!! Hubby had pork chop which was ok - nothing terribly special. Tuna app was fantastic w/ a deconstructed spicy tuna roll and tuna sashimi w/ avocado-wasasbi dollop on top. Yum yum. Nice salad from the chalk board selections which change daily. Great ambiance, and Lauren, our server, was fantastic. Food could have come out hotter, but overall, it was a great experience.
5 - Anne W.: First of all, the service was outstanding.  I called earlier in the day, when I was still trying to decide at which restaurant to eat, and the waiter/host on the phone was happy to describe to me, in detail, the appetizers and entrees that were on the board that evening.  I made our reservation then and there.  

To me, an indicator of a great restaurant is a menu that isn't standardized.  While they do have a small menu of appetizers, entrees and desserts (I think 3 each) that are always available, the majority of what they serve each evening is written on chalkboards on both sides of the restaurant.  We decided to go with an appetizer and entree from the year round menu, and one each from the chalkboard.  

Our starters were the butternut squash soup with green chilis (from the board) and the pear gorgonzola flatbread (from the menu).  The soup was phenomenal .  It was smooth, creamy and slightly sweet with the perfect amount of spice courtesy of the green chilis.  The seeds of the squash were roasted and added as a garnish.  Waste not, want not.  Plus they were delicious and a great crunchy contrast to the perfectly pureed squash.  The pear and gorgonzola flat bread was good too, but nothing spectacular.  When we go back I think I'd probably skip it and try something a little more unique.  

After reading fellow yelpers reviews, I decided to go with the kobe meatloaf for my entree.  It didn't disappoint in any way.  The presentation was beautiful, with the meatloaf set atop a mound of chive and goat cheese mashed potatoes (I'll get to those in a minute) and topped off with a generous helping of crispy fried onions.  The meatloaf itself was juicy and had great flavor.  The potatoes were fantastic... a possible "last meal on earth" contender.  Potato + chives is always a big hit with me, and the addition of the goat cheese put it over the edge.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.  The goat cheese wasn't overwhelming but there wasjust enough to make it recognizable.

Avenue B adds to the dilemma my husband and I face every time we visit Pittsburgh: too many good places to eat, and not enough meals to fit them all in.  Needless to say, Avenue B has pushed itself to the top of the priority list.  I see an anniversary dinner here in our future...
5 - Lance D.: I don't give many places 5 stars, but this place deserves it. From the well planned seasonal menu to the intimate setting, it's a great place for a date or dinner with some friends ... oh and BYOB, there's no corking fee!
5 - Kate L.: My friend and I went here on a whim. Service was terrific, food was terrific, dessert was terrific. We sat for hours to catch up, and never felt like we were given the evil eye for taking up a table. 

The menu chalkboard had some terrific choices on it, and we would have liked to try every one. I liked the fresh, local ingredients, the fact that the portions weren't huge and that there were interesting choices available for someone who's trying to watch the calories. 

I loved that when we each asked for decaf, it came in a French press. Delightful. 

I'll definitely be going back.
4 - r. h.: This is a solid contemporary neighborhood bistro. 

I liked Avenue B for its
* frequently changing menu with up-to-date dishes that appeal to current palates
* fresh ingredients
* competent kitchen -- overall, the food is pretty good
* competent front staff -- friendly hostess, helpful wait staff
* comfortable ambiance 
* pricing -- comparing to other restaurants of its type, not too expensive

Why it's not a 5 star:
While the kitchen does have the basics down (they won't overcook the meat, for example) not every component of every dish works. I do appreciate that they are at least trying to put together interesting flavors, but sometimes the combination is just off. Of what I've sampled there, I'd rate the dishes in the B range -- they are far from a disaster, but none was a hit-out-of-the-park winner.

Recently, a friend walked into Salt of the Earth and confused it with Avenue B (because of the oversized chalkboards).  I thought the two restaurants make an interesting comparison. I'd give the food nod to Salt, but I probably would visit AveB more frequently because it is a more comfortable dining experience overall.
5 - Trang N.: We had very high expectations for this cozy little BYOB.   We went here with another couple who RAVED about this restaurant.  The decor was very simple, romantic and intimate, it was a great compliment to the outstanding food and service to come. There is a standard seasonal menu, and the daily chalkboard specials.
 The service was wonderful, Kevin, who also doubles as a chef in the back walked us through the menus.
The decor was very simple, romantic and intimate, it was a great compliment to the outstanding food and service to come.

We started off with the raw deal- a Deconstructed spicy tuna roll and tuna sashimi, it was a wonderful way to start off our meal, we also ordered the PEI mussels, which steeped in a smoky tomato base brother, very delicious.  The deconstructed pork spring roll was nicely done. For the main entree we ordered the Kobe Meatloaf with goat cheese and chive mashed potatoes, finished off with french onion crispsit was pure heaven, our friend had been talking about this dish for the entire day and it did not disappoint! We also balance the meal out with a fish dish, we tried the grilled wild striped bass, the fish had a great texture with a hint of smokiness to it.
The dessert, finished off as strong as we started. We had the lavendar cake with panna cotta and also the chocolate cake, 

We ended up being the last ones in the restaurant and Kevin still asked us if we wanted coffee, he had said that he lived around the corner and didn't mind if we wanted to stay a bit longer, he always gave us after dinner bar options to continue our night out.

All in all, one of the best dining experiences we've ever had!
5 - Azi B.: BEST place i've eaten in Pittsburgh in years. The service was great (try to sit near the back of the restaurant, it's cozier). The menu was local, fresh and delicious- i had a steak, my husband had fish and chips and our other guest (gluten free and vegetarian) had a personally created dish that she loved. the dessert was great (except for that it slipped off of its pedestal as it was being served, it was repaired, and it was in the end a funny moment). they do french press coffee for dessert -  a nice signature item. i would eat here everyday if i could afford to do so. definitely check it out.
5 - Daniel J.: Had an amazing, friendly, quiet, cozy & fresh dinner here.  Very much looking forward to coming again but after going once I'll say its one of the best places I've been in Pittsburgh.  Daily menu is limited and written on a chalk board above the dining room.

Looking forward to getting to know this place.  BYOB is a plus. Servers are friendly and attentive.
5 - Kiersten S.: I love this place because it is consistently a 5 star restaurant. Every time you walk through the door you know that you will be having an absolutely superb meal. 
The servers are perfectly attentive without being overbearing. They're knowledgeable, friendly, and pleasantly enthusiastic. The food is always fresh, well matched flavors and they love to use simple ingredients that create a well balanced course. Did I mention their dessert is absolutely to die for? Oh, coffee too. 
I cannot wait to try the spring menu, I'll definitely be bringing a nice bottle of wine and relaxing for awhile.
5 - Derek S.: Awesome food selected from either seasonal menu or daily options. The meatloaf, which is currently standard, was delicious and the green bean and sweet potato tempura starter was light and very tasty. The dessert - the Girl Scout trio consisting of their take on Samoas, Tagalongs, and Thin Mints - was, well, orgasmic. The waitress, Roxanne, whom I told did NOT have to put on her red dress, was sweet and not overly attentive. Oh, and it's BYOB! I will definitely be back!
3 - Lauren D.: I became a fan of Avenue B after my first visit.  This tiny little restaurant located on Centre Avenue is BYOB.  Our waiter was knowledgeable of the entire menu and gave us plenty of suggestions on what me and my dining partners might like.  

I went with a non-drinking crowd, so we did not bring wine.  I don't know how much the cork fee is, however there were plenty of people smiling with wine on their table, so I can't imagine it is too expensive.

They have both a seasonal and daily menu.  The one thing I did not like was the daily menu is written on a large chalkboard on the wall.  It seemed odd to me that we had to read off a wall- similar to a deli.  The restaurant was quite cozy.  I suggest making a reservation.

I had veal in a cherry glaze.  The veal was cooked to perfection.  All of my dining partners were also extremely satisfied with their meals.

If you are looking for a trendy restaurant with great food, you'll have to check out Avenue B.

:)
5 - Melissa L.: Oh.My.God. Ah-mazing!

Avenue B is.. amazing. 

Being in Pittsburgh for the past 6 years, I would say that Avenue B is by far the best and most inventive meal I've had in the steel city (besides Umi of course)

Located on Centre Avenue- the location is a bit strange and in the middle of nowhere (ok Giant Eagle, but who cares) but the food is so good!

I've been there for brunch and dinner on a few occasions, and I would have to say that the dishes I got were perfect. For my most recent meal, I got the gorgonzola flatbread and the sweet potato pot pie. Sounds pretty ordinary right? WRONG!

The flatbread was warm and was sweet and tart from the pears and blue cheese while the pot pie was so comforting yet decadent and flavorful.

It was the perfect meal!

I would most definitely recommend Avenue B for a great (but expensive) date! Make sure to make reservations ahead of time, they are booked any day of the week!
5 - ReviewHaiku F.: Such delicious food!
Amazing atmosphere and
it's BYOB!


(b)
4 - Scarlett S.: This restaurant is fantastic, but nothing mind blowing. 

It has a menu comparable to legume in the sense that everything is made with the freshest seasonal ingredients.  However...I prefer legume. 

We started the dinner with 2 appetizers: 
- Spare ribs with BBQ sauce 
- Smoked tuna strawberry salad 

Both were delicious.  The spare ribs were meat falling off the bone tender and the sauce was bbq sauce but more refined.  The smoked tuna on the salad made the appetizer worth it. 

For my main course: 
- arctic char and scallops with couscous 

The arctic char was nothing special but the scallops were AMAZING, unquestionably FRESH. Best part of the meal hands down (too bad there were only 2 pieces).  A friend had the ribeye which was also very tasty. 

I definitely enjoyed my meal at avenue b, but with a meal that comes at a hefty price, I don't know if it's worth another trip =/ If I'm paying that much, the food BETTER be mind blowing.
4 - Christopher S.: The chef really makes some challenging dishes.  The dishes incorporated seasonal local produce (we had ramps!).  All the menu choices are posted on the giant chalkboard and you get choices of sides.  The restuarant is small and seating area is very tight, but acceptable.  If you are looking for a contemporary menu that incorporates all many types of cuisine, look no further and bring a bottle of vino!
3 - Teresa T.: Made a reservation for my boyfriend's birthday at Avenue B after reading a few Yelp reviews who suggested to do so. The restaurant space is small but cozy, and is also pretty quiet on a noise level basis so you're not shouting across the table. Similar to Salt of the Earth, they have their menus up on chalkboards however the chalkboard size and the fonts are smaller so we had a hard time reading, especially since there was a glare from the light from where we were sitting (it didn't seem very appropriate for us to get up and take a closer look since that might mean us intruding on someone else's dinner). Good concept in theory. 

I ordered the meatloaf which was good and my boyfriend ordered their special fish and chips, and unfortunately everything came out tempura fried for him which was not what he was envisioning from the way it was described by the waiter. And then because we were there for a celebration, we ordered their smore dessert. When we got the smores, it was a deconstructed version which unfortunately was a miss for us on this too. There were pieces of chocolate and we were suppose to drink or dip them into a chocolate liquid. We were confused. Needless to say we did not finish it.

Ultimately the choices we picked at Avenue B were either not mind blowing or memorable for all the wrong reasons. I unfortunately don't think we'll be back given the prices we paid for our food though from what the other Yelpers are saying this would seem like a place right up our alley.
3 - I.E. C.: I really don't understand the rave reviews for this place.  I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt though and say maybe I just chose an off night.  

The menu items the night I was there were just not that exciting.  I ended up going with the falafel and the squid ink pasta with shrimp.  The falafel was mediocre and rather small.  The squid ink pasta with shrimp was just OK, nothing special.  My other friends I came with had a similar experience with their dishes.  

Also, the whole menu on the two chalk boards, super annoying.  Especially since where we were sitting there was no way to see them without getting up and looking at them and being intrusive on other people's dinners.  I was really turned off by it.  Overall, no real complaints about the service.  Will I be back? - Yes.  I feel like I need to give this place another try since their menu changes so frequently.
3 - Ellen J.: *** 1/2 

I am always wary of newer restaurants in Pittsburgh, and I always have low expectations since Pittsburgh isn't considered a gourmet food city. I have to say for Pittsburgh, I was delighted with Avenue B! 

We were a group of eight and had the front table by the window. Our server was knowledgeable, friendly and patient. The atmosphere inside the small restaurant is upbeat, but not overly noisy and crowded. I would never sit outside on the sidewalk, though, as you have to contend not only with the people walking by, but also the fumes from the buses at the stop right outside the door. Street parking on a Friday night was easy! 

There is a small regular menu at the table which changes seasonally, but the ever-changing daily menu is up on chalkboards on either side of the room. Depending upon where you sit in the room, you may or may not be able to read the daily list. With help from my glasses, I could see most, but awkward angles made it difficult to read some of the available choices. I think that it would be a good idea if they had at least one copy of the daily menu in print at each table. 

The food was delicious, from the small plates to the main course. We shared several appetizers, lobster spring rolls, calamari, sashimi, all of which were flavorful and fresh. The soft shell crab and scallop entree was succulent, and the Kobe meatloaf was tasty. Nothing was over the top, but it was all very satisfying. Absolutely no complaints across the board, and remember, there were eight of us! 

The restaurant is BYOB. I am still trying to wrap my head around that concept, the good and the bad. Most of our group are wine drinkers so that we could bring better bottles of wines at reasonable prices rather than order from an overpriced wine list is a real plus. On the Filip's, I am more of a cocktail gal, typically a martini girl, and I can't envision bringing a big bottle of vodka, mixers, etc. Maybe that's what those mini bottles are for? 

All in all, a lovely experience. I definitely would go again, if the opportunity presented itself.
4 - Serena R.: Finally, I've gotten to try Avenue B and wasn't disappointed. We ordered the Tuna 3 which was a big hit - very fresh and flavorful. I ordered the Grilled Tofu, and my friends ordered the squash ravioli and then the meatloaf (which is apparently a specialty of theirs). I have to admit that I wasn't a huge fan of my entree, the grilled tofu - it was just meh. But it might have to do more for the fact that I don't really enjoy grilled tofu. Why did I order this dish you might ask...well I wasn't really in the mood for meat or fish so I figured I'd give it a whirl. But for a vegetarian dish it wasn't awful. It was fairly light which is what I was looking for. 

I tried a sampling of my friends' entrees and they were very tasty. We decided to go for deserts and had the croissant bread pudding with caramel popcorn ice cream...there was actual popcorn - awesome...the bread pudding however was not so awesome...it was sorta weird and cheesy tasting, not my cup of tea. 

But we had the Fruit Loops, Coco Puffs, Cinnamon Toast ice cream combo which was delish! I guess after reading my own review, perhaps 3 stars would be sufficient, but I just can't help but think that this place has potential and so I'll give them the extra star for good measure and b/c I did enjoy the Tuna 3 and ice cream so damn much...I'm so easy to please! 

It's BYOB so we had a nice bottle of red wine to complement our dishes.
5 - Diana S.: I've been here three times, and all have been great. While I did find a couple dishes that needed a bit more work, nearly all of the food was delicious, well-conceived, and beautiful. The Asian inspired dishes are consistently my favorite. Don't miss out on their side dishes, which are more complicated and flavorful than their simple description would lead you to believe. We recently had a summer squash side dish which was one of the best dishes for the evening. The deserts are also consistently amazing.

Considering the restaurant is BYOB, you can have a fantastic meal out with wine without spending a fortune. It's a bit expensive to go regularly, but a perfect choice for a nice meal out every now and then.
3 - Bob B.: It was a beautiful night, so we sat outside.  Although the tables are right at the bus stop, so there are buses starting and stopping, it was okay.  Inside (as we learned when we used the rest rooms) was MUCH noiser.

The Food was EXCELLENT.  We had the tempura green beans and sweet potatoes to start.  Yummy.  For entrees, we had the signature Kobe meatloaf, which was very good.  No wonder it is the signature dish.  We also had the veggie/pesto tower, which was good, but small.  (was it a first course?  I didn't think so.).

Dessert was worth the trip.  Croissant bread pudding served in strips alongside popcorn ice cream.  We might go again when it is warm enough to sit outside, but will be hesitant to go inside.
4 - Nancy H.: The pickiest eater in all of Pittsburgh and I dined here and we loved it.  Just goes to show you don't have to spend a fortune to eat well.  Very strategic placement right next to Shadyside Giant Eagle Marketsquare District (so you know the food is fresh!).  

The sashimi appetizer was good but I almost threw it aside to get to the CHOCOLATE CHIPOTLE RIBS which in my mind is the best thing on the menu.  Delicious flavor and meat that fell off the bone.

I got the signature dish, the Kobe meatloaf, and it was good but I think I'm not a meat and potatoes kind of girl.  In contrast, my companion got the fish which was much lighter and he enjoyed it.  

Overall, wonderful experience!  It is BYOB BUT a warning, do not buy your wine at Giant Eagle across the street or else you will be wrangling with a small selection trapped inside a bothersome wine vending machine.
4 - Sheryl T.: Went to Avenue B for a lunch date. Enjoyed the server Maggie she was super nice and super friendly. Enough about Maggie though onto the num nums. 

My date and I ordered the same meals. So Ill only be reviewing two items. We had the Aged Cheddar Grilled Cheese with the Tomato Bisque soup and the Sun Dried Tomato Pesto & Arugula Flatbread. 

Flatbread: My flatbread was slightly burnt but edible nonetheless. I expected more sauce on the flatbread it kind of left me wanting more. Maybe the next time I go in I should ask them to go a little heavier on the sundried tomato pesto.

Grilled Cheese: Is an adult version of grilled cheeese which comes with sliced tomatoes. The soup is a little too salty on its own but with the grilled cheese it made for a perfect pairing.

All in all fairly good experience.

By the way also had the Blueberry Mint Lemonade. Its more on the tart side so don't be afraid to ask for some of the mint infused simple syrup they use.

Otherwise Avenue B is delicious. Ask for Maggie!
4 - Christine C.: Went there for thursday lunch with a friend. Atmosphere is great. Ordered tomato bisque, kobe burger wit sweet potato fries, and pasta (the vegetarian one). Tomato bisque was a bit salty to our taste, but extremely rich and delicious. Kobe burger was SO juice and magnificent, don't know how else to describe it. Pasta was tasty too. Overall, great choice for special occasions!
3 - Jessica C.: I went to Avenue B with my sister, whose boyfriend used to be a chef there.

I was not sure if she was a little impartial towards it for that reason. I have to say, the food and ambiance was great. it is small, BYOB, and they write their menu on large chalkboards every night. 

We had an apple/fennel/gorgonzola salad. I had the kobe meatloaf and she had a grilled wahoo. For dessert we shared the lavender cake with panna cota. All of it was terrific. The kobe meatloaf was especially delicious and I really enjoyed the flavor.

Only downfall- it is hard to get in (apparently you don't come unless you have a reservation) and it is quite pricey. The plates are all decorated and the portions are very small - in high end restaurant fashion. I dont mind spending $ on food when it is as tasty . . .  so all in all I would probably go back again, maybe on a date night.
5 - Rishi P.: Avenue B is easily my new favorite restaurant in Shadyside. The meal cost around $45 but it was definitely worth it. I ordered the pear flat bread, vegetable lasagna, and pear/peach cobbler. This was the first time I ever had pear cooked in a meal and it certainly won't be the last. The lasagna was made with a unique pastry textured pasta. The chipotle sauce on the side tasted amazing with the lasagna. The cobbler tasted good but again I may of just liked it because it was the first time I had pear cooked in a meal. I'm looking forward to my next visit to Avenue B!
4 - mk f.: Great atmosphere and service. Loved sashimi app, Kobe meatloaf--duck was good not great. Enough choices for husband w/ gluten issues. Appreciated reminder to bring wine when I made the res. Looking forward to a return visit.
4 - Rachel C.: What a cute little place!  It's uber tiny, but you get the feeling it will pack a big punch.  I opted to try out the lunch first because I was very intrigued by the grilled cheese and tomato soup I had read about in other reviews.  

Sure enough, both were mighty fab!  There wasn't a thing I would change about the grilled cheese.  The bread (wheat or grain) was awesome and it was toasted perfectly.  Tomatoes inside were an added bonus.  But the real winner of was the cheese.  Oh Cheddar, oh cheddar, how I love thee!  It was sharp as could be and absolute melty goodness.  I was in cheesy heaven!

The soup was definitely good, but not great.  I think it could have done with a little more pepper and a tad more cream to add to the bisque name.  It tasted just a tad too runny for bisque.  If I'm going to calorie overload on my bisque, you better commit with my heavy cream!  

Service left a little bit to be desired.  She just seemed very unenthusiastic about everything.  I really enjoy asking the server about different menu items, to get their take on what they enjoy.  Maybe I'm too trusting, but I assume they've tried mostly everything and have opinions about them.  I mean, I wouldn't work in a place I hated their food (that's maybe why I stuffed myself with one too many EnP Superburgers back in my day).  She didn't really offer much....oh well, you can't always have a peppy server (Lord knows I wasn't all the time!).  

I can't wait to go back and try the dinner.  Everything on the lunch menu sounded awesome, and I'm sure dinner would be just the same.  I'll be back with my bottle of red for BYOB BABY!
4 - Kostas P.: It is a small, cute place.  Creates nice atmosphere, in particular for special occasions.  Other than this, food is good but not the best ever.  Their selection is fairly small I could say (but I guess it suits its size as well :) ).  Service is very good; you do not get overwhelmed with questions but at the same time you have the attention you need.  By all means I will visit it again but it's not top on my list.
4 - Jennifer J.: We decided to try Avenue B to celebrate a fellow Yelpers Birthday.  We're both lovers of anything BYOB, so Avenue B was a front runner from the beginning.  It's a cute little space tucked right on the corner of Centre.  Parking was a little tricky, but we expected that.  The exposed brick and chalkboards set the right tone for me.

We started with the Gorgonzola flat bread and calamari.  Both were very good.  If I had to pick one over the other I'd go with the flat bread again.

After reading all the rave reviews about the fish and chips, my decision was made before I walked in the door.   I chose the pan seared option on the fish and it was cooked perfectly.  The chips and the slaw that accompanied the dish met my expectations.  I'll definitely be back again.  The rest of the table ordered from the chalk board menu.  We had the tofu, veal medallions, and hanger steak.  We shared a side of brussels sprouts.  I'm not typically a fan of brussels sprouts, but Avenue B won me over.  Everyone really enjoyed their dinners!

Looking forward to B Gourmet opening in Sewickley soon!
4 - Kate E.: After some research we decided on this place for my birthday dinner.  The restaurant was on my yelp radar but I didn't know where it was (who knew it was tucked on the corner next to the market district, well I am guessing most people actually). 

The place is cozy with only about 10 tables.  The menu is compiled of the rotating "chalkboard" menu and the staple menu.  Both menus were intriguing, the gorgonzola flat bread peeked my attention for an app. We also started with the calamari.  Both apps were delish and devoured quickly.  I ordered the tofu noodle bowl which isn't a regular choice for me ( I don't eat red meat or pork) but there weren't too many "kate friendly" options. The entree was good don't get me wrong! 

The table enjoyed their veal, fish and chips, hanger steak! 

Pros: Cozy, BYOB, rotating specials, BYOB, BYOB, delish food. 

Cons: Service was not memorable, parking, not many "kate friendly" options (ha) 

Pros: We definitely be back!
4 - Shanna C.: For some reason, some kind of force in the world has kept me from wanting or even considering going here since it opened. It might have been the location - it's on the wrong side of Shadyside to be a good restaurant, right? Wrong. So wrong.

I went here for a staff lunch and left full of amazing food. We split some great French pressed coffee while pondering the menu, until we were informed that was from last night's dinner - if there was something that we wanted on the menu, we could ask and they'd check with the kitchen. We asked if they could whip up some delicious truffle fries for us, they checked, and they did.

Pittsburgh is getting really good about gourmet, seasoned fries and these were no exception. They arrived along-side delicious tempura-battered vegetables (om nom nom sweet potatoes), and a pear and Gorgonzola flatbread (also om nom nom).

Being the sucker that I am for beet salads, ever since I went to Salt of the Earth I've been devouring them, I got the pistachio chicken, beet, and goat cheese salad. The chicken was pretty okay, it didn't knock my socks off, but chicken on salad isn't normally... a sock-knocker. However, I hear that three of my colleagues kobe-beef burgers were very tasty. Apparently they have a great cheese selection.

I'll absolutely come back for dinner, but prepared to spend a lot more than I did at lunch. Big price changes between menus - probably with good reason.
5 - Maureen M.: We love this spot.- so much so that we had a private party here after our wedding last year.  Every single guest commented on the food multiple times.  Returned recently after many months of absence (because of a move, not because it isn't awesome!) and they had already realized we were coming in due to the reservation book- they were so sweet and attentive, and brought us complimentary vegetarian poutine amazingness.  Try this if you have a chance- you'll be shocked it's meatless.  

The place always has a very friendly, easygoing, and intimate vibe in our experience.  Our server was very helpful, suggesting different food combinations so that we could squeeze in(to our bellies) everything we were craving.  I have now had chicken breast several ways there, always crisp skin with juicy meat and great, interesting flavors.  The Kobe meatloaf is always very good, and the husband always enjoys the fish entrees he gravitates towards.  I don't think you can go wrong here, it's just a matter of choosing what fits your tastes.  Have some fun with the creative sides and definitely DO NOT skip desert!
4 - Sean B.: Avenue B is a restaurant you need to hit. If you are looking for something new and interesting, this is the place to get it! You may have passed many times, but the taste of the food will not go unnoticed.
The place is small, yet quaint and elegant. I imagine it is perfect to take a date for lunch or dinner.
The creative touch applied to a variety of American ingredients makes for some unconventional, yet brow-raising dishes, kobe meatloaf and chocolate chipotle BBQ pork tostada to name a few. The mac'n'cheese is also a must!
Service was flawless. Our server helped us pick just the right amount (too much) for my brother and me as well as was accompanied by other servers to put all the dishes on the table at once--both details I appreciate.
The reason for 4 out of 5 stars was the dessert, a popcorn bread pudding with popcorn ice cream. It was simply not tasty. 
Other than the dessert, the meal was unforgettable, and I will be going back. Please go, and enjoy a deliciously decadent dinner!
5 - Cristina T.: After getting off a late flight into Pittsburgh, I was starving and ready to see the city that was so new to me. Luckily my friends who I was visiting lived about a block away from Avenue B and were raving about it. We grabbed a few bottles of wine and walked over. 

As soon as I entered, I knew I would like this restaurant. The chalkboard menu and comfy interior made me feel at home. Our server came over right away, uncorked our wine and explained the menu. To start, our group split the pork belly lettuce wraps, the tuna 3 ways and the sweet potato and black bean taquitos. Although it was quite an eclectic mix of foods, I was impressed. I loved the lettuce wraps the most. The pork belly was perfection. The tuna was fresh and prepared in a variety of manners that I loved. The flavor of the taquitos was amplified by the addition of the sweet potato. Things were off to a good start.

For my entree I got the fish and chips. I was able to get one piece of fish fried and the other grilled. Both were fantastic. I fell in love with the cole slaw and the chips were thick cut and perfectly seasoned. I snuck a few bites of my boyfriend's pork chop and was once again impressed. The pork chop was juicy and flavorful while the polenta was creamy and rich. 

Avenue B was my perfect introduction into Pittsburgh. Next time I travel back I will most definitely be ordering off that chalkboard menu!
3 - Lauren G.: I am going to have to go with a ok here. Most of that probably is because I went into this place expecting the "best restaurant in the burgh."

The food was great. I ordered something that wasn't on their chalk board which made me nervous. It was organic chicken and quinoa. Perhaps I am different than most, but I expected the quinoa to be warm. I don't know if that is normal or not, but chilled quinoa on warm chicken was a bit... weird for me. 

The byob is a major plus. I love that about Pittsburgh! It was a perfect atmosphere for a date. My dates meal was much better than mine. Meatloaf I think? 

Anyways, the food was decent and atmosphere was great. I just wanted it to be more than great? And wanted my meal to be warm.
2 - Liz E.: Well, after reading all the other reviews I am going to sound like a real downer, but here goes.  I went here for the first time for a birthday dinner with two friends, both of whom had been here before and loved it.  I got the red snapper.  My friends' meals were both extremely salty--one even commented that she would be a bloated mess in the morning!  Her scallops came, she looked at the plate and said, "Is that it?  Is this an appetizer?"  Five smallish scallops on a bed of wilted greens.  NOT a good choice for the hearty appetite! Her salad was very good, though.  My fish came, and I needed a sharp knife to saw through it!  I'm not kidding, it had the texture of cartilage!  I tasted it, made a face, and gave it to both friends to try.  One said, "wow it's fishy!" the other said, "You have to send this back, there's something wrong with it!"  The very gracious waitress came over and went to the kitchen.  When she returned she said the chef told her they were having problems with the fish and would I like to order something else.  SOOOO, why would you keep it on the menu????  I ordered an appetizer, the rock shrimp, because at this point my companions were almost finished with their food and I was still trying t o get an edible meal.  The shrimp was just ok.  Small, a bit chewy with mushy breading.   We got dessert, pineapple upside down cake, which was described as "traditional".  NOT.  Two little wedges of pineapple -flavored something with a scoop of cherry ice cream.  For $9, mind you!  My mom makes a better pineapple upside down cake!  I'm not cheap, but I do expect something pretty special for the prices they are charging. Anyway, and this was the shocker of the evening,  although neither the chef nor manager ever came to our table, our entire meal was comp'ed on the basis of that horrible fish.  An unexpected and frankly gracious move on someone's part.  Granted, the waitress recognized a repeat customer in my friend from her previous visits .  My friends were thrilled since they were buying me dinner!  lol.  The waitress got a nice tip, and though I had a very unsatisfying meal, I suppose I could be persuaded to go back and give them another try, as my friends stand by their initial assessment of this restaurant.  And the BYOB aspect is a plus!
5 - Jonathan G.: This is my favorite restaurant in my neighborhood. They are known for their Kobe beef meatloaf, which is my go-to dish. This place is primarily a meat restaurant, so be careful if you have vegetarians in your group. 

The main room has a huge chalkboard with their specials, (of which there are always about a dozen). These include interesting appetizers and a few desserts, (though I've never had room for dessert here). The portions are surprisingly large considering the style of the place looks more like a large plate/small serving type joint.

Personal favorites here are the swordfish, the meatloaf, and the pork chops. Its BYOB, so be sure to bring your favorite wine.
1 - Garnett L.: Let me preface this review by noting that I am a part time private chef very much involved in the cuisine of both Thomas Keller and Eric Ripert.  I prefer food which focuses on the ingredient in it's most pure form.  That being said, maybe this was not the place for me to dine?  Taking into account though the positive reviews, menu, and location of the restaraunt, I thought this might be a positive dining experience.  The service was wonderful, but the food left a lot to be desired.  I found the style and description of the menu to be both misleading and inaccurate.  Nothing really came out on the plate the way it was described.  The food in particular was extremely over salted - almost to the point of being inedible.  The quality of the ingredient was average at best.  The plating was clustered, busy, and very sloppy.  Flavors were very disjointed and lacked balance.  I would have rather had dinner at the Whole Foods salad bar.  I wish I could find a positive note to make me come back for a second try, but I just can't find one.  The food was just not good - in fact it was pretty gross.
5 - Anthony N.: ***Avenue B's kitchen turns fresh and high quality ingredients into light dishes that are also flavorful, vibrant and filling; their reasonable lunch prices also make Avenue B a great option for an upscale lunch in Pittsburgh***

Avenue B sits in a neighborhood that kind of reminded me of Silver Lake, Los Feliz or Atwater Village.  The restaurant has a simple café-like décor, but there are great touches.  I liked the use of purple as well as the hanging light fixtures--rustic but also trendy.  The restaurant has a great neighborhood restaurant feel to it.

Their lunch menu is reasonably priced and it features dishes inspired from many different cuisines.  There is a Cobb salad and a potpie as well as a Thai-like dish and a banh mi.  I went for one of their modern Asian entrees, which was black sesame crusted salmon served with a salad of seaweed, cucumber, surimi, and mushrooms.  It also came with a sauce of sweet soy and a garnish of carrot and daikon.

The salmon entrée seemed like something you would find at a run-of-the-mill Asian fusion restaurant, but it was so much better than that.  The salmon was very fresh and they got a nice crispy crust on it.  The salmon was served medium rare and it was very moist, but it still flaked very easily.  I also liked the great flavor of the black sesame as well as the sweet soy sauce.

The garnish of carrot and daikon was fresh with a light crunch while the seaweed salad was cool, refreshing and flavorful.  I liked the mix of the warm salmon with the cool salad.  It was a very light dish, but it was also a very flavorful and filling dish.

If I were going to nitpick, I would say that the entrée seemed very close (maybe too close) to the Asian ingredients and flavors that influenced it.  But when the ingredients are high quality like this (especially the salmon) and they are handled so well, it is hard to complain (5 stars).

I also tried their flatbread, which was topped with cheese, grilled artichokes, prosciutto, and arugula.  This flatbread had a great crust, which is where a lot of flatbreads can go wrong.  It had a great flavor with the right amount of char; it was thin and crispy but also with a little bit of a chew.

The arugula was great--leafy, peppery and nicely dressed in a light vinaigrette (you often get dry arugula on flatbread).  The generous portion of the arugula kind of overwhelmed the small portion of prosciutto, but the prosciutto was good (not dry, meaty and with the right amount of saltiness).

The cheese was good too.  In terms of other toppings, they used the woody part of the artichoke, which wouldn't be my first choice, but it was actually a good contrast to the leafy arugula and it made the artichokes stand out in a good way (4 stars).

For dessert, I went with their blondie, which was filled with pretzel buttercream and garnished with bruleed green apple.  The bruleed green apple was great.  It was reminiscent of a candy apple but with the use of a tart green apple versus the more sweet red apple (the more traditional apple used in a candy apple).  I think the tart apple combined with the sweet crust was great.

That candy apple-like taste made from a technique you often see with crème brulee was kind of eye opening.  And when it was mixed with the sweet and chewy caramel, it became a dessert that felt very nostalgic but also sophisticated at the same time.

The pretzel buttercream was good.  You do get a little bit of a pretzel flavor with the addition of coarsely chopped pretzels though the buttercream did not have a prominent pretzel flavor.  What I liked about the buttercream though was how it was sweet and creamy without being overly sugary like a lot of buttercreams (4 stars).

I also tried their housemade brown butter ice cream and it was great--great flavor, smooth, creamy, dense, and firm (without being hard) - 4 stars.

Service by Lauren was great.  She was personable, nice, knowledgeable about the menu, and very attentive.  The food also came out at a good pace.

Prices for lunch were reasonable.  Most of the entrees were in the $12-$15 range and several of the starters were $8 and below.

Avenue B is a very impressive restaurant that showcases fresh ingredients in satisfying flavor combinations.  There is also a lot of talent in the kitchen as the flatbread and salmon were both perfectly to near perfectly prepared.  All these great things plus Avenue B's reasonable lunch prices make it a great choice for a delicious upscale lunch in Pittsburgh.

Parking is available on the street by meter.  It is not that difficult finding a space during lunchtime.
4 - Gary R.: I had wanted to try this place for a while. After seeing it on the list of best BYOB places in Pittsburgh, I thought it was time to act. After pulling a couple bottles of red wine from my wine cellar and making reservations for a friday night, we drove to Shadyside (actually, I consider it more like borderline East Liberty). We got a table near the window and settled in. The chalkboard menu was a great supplement to the standard menu and listed specials on appetizers, salads, entrees, desserts. As we read each selection, we were convinced that there wasn't a bad choice among them. We all ordered from the chalkboard menu and started with some great apps including some spectacular tuna served three ways. Entree selections included center cut bone in pork chop and monkfish and sea scallops. Everything was PERFECTLY cooked and fresh. Incredible flavors and complementary blends of purees, capers and veggies were so well thought out and done to perfection. The monk fish may have been the best I've ever had. The scallops were so flavorful and prepared by a master. The pork chop was so tender and juicy - it tasted like you could only HOPE a good chop would taste.

No disappointments at all - not even one. Corkage fee was only $2.50 a bottle. Service was outstanding and attentive without being annoying. The atmosphere is great and has a rustic feel, although a bit small. Tables are not too close together so you don't feel cramped. Once you sit down, you just feel like you're gonna have a good meal. It's that kind of place. Prices are quite  reasonable for the quality of food you get. I've paid far more and gotten far less. I can't think of any area that wasn't satisfactory hear. I will go back again! Maybe I should rate this as 4 1/2 stars!
4 - Joseph F.: Are you considering Avenue B for dinner tonight? Well, you should be. Go ahead, ask some questions. Here are some answers--Yes. Great. Fantastic. Right away, actually. No way! You too?!

Avenue B's main attraction (in the opinion of our seven-person party) are their muscles. Clams down the best muscles I have ever had. If I could do it again, I would get a few plates of the muscles. And then order a few hundred more to go. I don't even need to hit the gym anymore. Get it?!

A friend of mine was celebrating his birthday last week, and so we, accompanied by his entire family, strolled in to Avenue B with a few bottles of red wine and a couple of growlers from East End (BYOB).

I could waste the time to write out everything we ate, how it was cooked, and add in various side-comments, but I'll save the time and space to just simply comment that everything was delicious, I doubt you'll be dissatisfied, and you should try the muscles.
4 - DJ J.: Yikes!  A great meal in a room that somehow seems intimate.  

Love the mural on the wall outside!  

The two chalkboards had some interesting selections and the printed seasonal menu had my mouth watering.  Very hard to make a decision on what to order.  The food at the other tables looked so good.  Our excellent waiter was able to describe and explain the ingredients and how everything is fresh.  

The basket of bread with the seasoned whipped butter was great.  For "Beginnings" we ordered the Calamari which was very crispy and had a sharp spice edge.  For "Main Events" I had the Berkshire pork chop, basil spaetzle, grilled Treviso, peaches & hazelnuts.  The meal was wonderfully cooked and a great combo of flavors. 
For "Sweet" or desert we shared a desert that is two chocolate fudge rectangles on top of a chocolate cookie with homemade ice cream.  The fudge is so smooth and the the cookie is crispy.  But the ice cream was what we liked the most.  
 
BYOB, and every table seemed to!
4 - Cassie C.: Avenue is a cute bistro-esque set restaurant with a chalkboard menu of specials. The wait staff is so on top of their game too! I had the kobe meatloaf which was delicious.

Avidity Restaurant Ultra Lounge - Lafayette, IN (40.4184624855682, -86.8867492675781) ()
4 - Sierra G.: Went here with a friend of mine. Great wine and the chocolate fondue was very good. Definetly will be going back.
1 - Tonya Y.: Well we had to try it but actually only ordered appetizers and decided there was nothing appealing on the menu.  So the "fondue" is a small bowl of nacho cheese  lit by a tea light candle that didn't really have anything special about it and the bacon wrapped jalapeños had to be stock frozen "poppers" with a piece of bacon.  I asked about the mozzarella sticks to see if they were hand breaded (b/c nothing is better than homemade sticks) - nope frozen.  The mojito wasn't half bad but the inside decor while trying to be trendy was strangely cafeteria like.  Moved on for dinner at Black Sparrow where we knew we could get a meal made with homemade ingredients and creativity.
3 - J T.: The outdoor seating area looked bustling and fun, but unfortunately the day we went there wasn't any seating available.  We went inside and the staff seemed a bit unsure what to do with us, the servers and owner hesitated about who should seat us and it took a good bit for them to get back and take our drink order.   Drinks were great, but the food was less than stellar.  Steak kabob was severely overdone and cold, fried dishes were lukewarm and the house specialty sauces, although super tasty, had to be requested several times.  

I'm hoping this is a reflection of the newness of the establishment and will be worked out in time.  Going again with girlfriends for happy hour and it's been 2 months since I've been previously, so we shall see!
4 - Bodie S.: I had no idea this place existed until I went to dinner here with a group of friends. It must be a relatively new restaurant/bar because it seemed like it was still getting its feet wet and feeling out what type of clientele would be eating and drinking there. The staff was all very friendly and eager for customers and the food and drink was all topnotch. It's a little hard to find, but the best way to describe it is right across the street from the courthouse on the east side. Friday night they had great drink specials--$2.50 well drinks and they were decently sized too. I was pleased with what they had to offer in terms of drink varieties. And apparently on Saturdays they have $1.75 PBRs so I'd eat that up in an instant.

Their food was really great also. Our group had a combo of a fresh salad with a steak on top of it, cooked to order, and BLT with deep fried bacon and a mound of fries, chicken fingers, and much more. The portions were quite large and worth the price, which averaged around $12 to $13 a meal. The food was delicious and the atmosphere is very classy so it would definitely make for a nice dinner out. The lounge has couches, bar space, tables for eating, and many TVs if you're there for that type of entertainment. I'll cross my fingers that this place will succeed in downtown Lafayette.
3 - Jamie W.: I'm not crazy about the decor, but I guess that's a matter of taste. I came here for lunch, which they just started serving. The service was excellent, the food was good, and I was in and out with plenty of time to get back to work. I will eat here again.
3 - Tabitha W.: A friend and I decided to start our night out with appetizers here. This place is a bit tucked away, but once you find it, it's really cute. The interior is very fresh and modern-looking. 

I started off with Deep Fried Breadsticks, which were okay but not remarkable. We also had the Traditional Cheese Fondue, but the friend I was with claimed that it wasn't a "real" fondue, because it didn't have wine in it.  It wasn't too great either.  

We also had drinks with our food. I ordered a Cheesecake martini, but it didn't taste like we expected. It ended up being more of a "strawberry cream" martini. My friend mentioned this to our server, and she offered to replace it with a different drink free of charge, explaining that they were still tweaking their recipes.  I had an Apple-tini for a replacement, and that was very yummy.

So, I think the food could still use some work, but I think the service was fairly good.

Avignon Realty - Austin, TX (30.296456, -97.741343) (University of Texas)
3 - chewy c.: I am NOT naming names here, but I am pretty sure one of your realtors is drunk. ALL. OF. THE. TIME. 

Not judging. Ain't no shame. Really can't say much myself and I am not a big fan of that whole glass-house-rock-throwing thing. 

But, when s/he met me to show me apartments, I am pretty sure miss/dude was three martinis deep. It was 2 PM. So I guess it's true that some days you really can't make it to noon (Sundays do NOT count, btw). 

Following this person around in the safety of my own vehicle, I watched her/him swerve alllll over the road, leaving me only to assume they indeed had a mini-bar installed in their dash. 

That's great and all, but our top speed that day was 30 MPH. I'm a busy gal. 

Luckily, s/he sobered up after a couple hours of confusedly taking me to places without availability, before being deemed, "That Drunk Realtor" after parting ways. 

About a month ago, I get stuck behind some car going like 20 MPH on 45th in Hyde Park and I am like, OMG, I bet it's that drunk realtor. Sure enough, it was TDR! Thanks, Avignon!
1 - john a.: Texas real estate companies who are not serving the public -

In Austin - Avignon's offices and phones seem to be closed to the public - Eamails are ignored - has anyone been able to conduct real estate business with them? 512) 236-0002 

TREC reported that most of their listed salespeople are in Dallas not good if they are serving Austin?  No listed office in Dallas.  Is this a front for something else?

Dallas has United Homeland another real estate company that is affiliated to these people and also closed and phones are never answerd- Give them a call @ 469-867-3434 and see if they answer to you-

Is it RE or drugs they are really selling?  Anyone else know about them?
1 - Sheila H.: If I could give this place a negative rating, I would.

I'm going to go ahead and name names...CHRIS BEE is the worst real estate agent to ever exist.

It took forever for me to finally get a response from Avignon, and when I did, it was this scary man who mumbled and rambled. He was extremely unorganized, rude, and unprofessional. So I chose not to work with him, and found a home with Habitat Hunters (who are WONDERFUL, by the way).

This upset Chris quite a bit, and it resulted in him literally YELLING at me and berating me, while I waited patiently for him to stop talking so I could say something. That never happened, because he hung up on me before I could even say anything.

I called him back to let him know that I thought that was extremely rude and unprofessional, then he started yelling at me again, so I hung up on him.

He then called me back and left me a very angry message, which I still can NOT believe he had the gall to do. So, I recorded it and put it on YouTube :) You can listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_to5PZI4bHk

I also included the detailed story there, by the way.

So after listening to his message, I called him back and informed him that I listened to his message, and that I would like to know where he got the nerve to speak to a client that way. He then starts yelling at me again, of course...so I told him "No. Stop. It's my turn to talk. Stop." and he kept YELLING, then he started screaming about how he was not going to take me "cussing" at him (which I never did, I never even rose my voice) and that he was going to "report" me, to which I responded with "report me to whom?" But he was yelling incoherently, so I have no idea what happened, then he hung up on me again.

Soooo basically, Chris Bee is INSANE. And Avignon Realty is even more insane for hiring him and keeping him on staff for so long.

UN. BE. LIEVABLE.
1 - Claire M.: I've encountered a few apartment locators in Austin who have this weird attitude towards young people/students. I mean, I get that big rents = big commissions, but come on guys, money is money. Avignon is no exception. I found a whole slew of great apartments in my budget (this is going to be a recurring problem for them) on craigslist. All were represented by Avignon, so I call them up, and after several attempts, I make an appointment to see a few of them on my lunch break. So, first off, I get into the realtor's car so he (Chris Bee) can drive me around, and it's filthy. Stacks of paper, empty snack wrappers, drink bottles strewn everywhere. I had to shove a stack of papers off of my seat just to sit down, then could hardly move my legs due to the mess on the floorboards. I understand that this dude probably practically runs his business out of his car, but if that's the case and he has to cart clients around in it, you keep it neat and get it cleaned regularly. 
Anyway, I gave this guy my budget, stressed that it was firm, and mentioned a few of the places I'd like to see. I also told him that I really didn't want to live in West Campus, and would prefer Hyde Park or Cherrywood. What happened? He took a long phone call while he was with me and then took me to 3 or 4 places, ALL of which were out of my price range. Every single one. And I mean like, $100 a month more than I could pay. And guess what? One place was in Hyde Park, the rest were in - you guessed it - West Campus. One place was obviously run by friends of his, and he spent a good 20 minutes just chatting with them. (Remember, we were on my lunch break, so I only had an hour) After they told me what the rent was, and Chris saw my face, he told me not to be like that, because that price was the best I was going to get near campus. Liar. Oh, and one place that was essentially a beige box at $75/month over my highest price point ran right up next to a frat house, (in fact, their balcony essentially hung over the apartment) and Chris told me that they could be insanely loud, "but I was young and I would like that". Nevermind that I work full-time and have to, you know, sleep.
Oh, and just in case anyone thinks I was just being unrealistic with my prices - I now live in a 1940's duplex in Cherrywood with period architecture and wood floors. It's 3 minutes from campus and in my price range.
These guys are teh suck.
1 - R. W.: I'm so "glad" that other people had horrible experiences with Chris Bee. I was trying not to take his verbal and email attacks personally. While showing me a not yet vacant property he plugged in his computer to their outlet and proceeded to use his computer for an hour. He took several calls while with me. All the properties he showed me were ones I found myself on the internet or driving around town myself. It took over 3 hours to see 3 properties in the same neighborhood.  When my husband met up with him Chris gave him incorrect info about the property and proceeded to take even more calls. All my initial conversations with Chris were cordial. Then he would call me everyday and ask if we'd made a decision. I told him I would let him know ASAP but due to work constraints it would be a few days . The calls became ramblings about how he was a good guy and there were a lot of bad realtors out there and why are we trying to screw him over and blah blah ... Then he would email me the same type rants. Keep in mind I met him on a Saturday and he was harassing me by Tuesday. Needless to say, I felt he was being very unprofessional in his actions. The state of his car and/or appearance are the least of his downfalls.
4 - David G.: Chris Bee is an eccentric dude. 
You'll be afraid for your life when you get in his truck, drowning in garbage and business papers.
You'll stand around idly, frustrated when he accepts dozens of lengthy phone calls.
It's not 'professional.' I may be a very patient person, but I understand that this freaker operates on a different wavelength. I don't think he's drunk.

One of the places we looked at was a duplex. The couple living in the neighboring unit sat on their front steps while Chris accepted 15 minutes of phone calls. It amused me greatly when the girl from the steps walked over to me and said "This guy - I've ridden around with him before. I know what you're going through. It's going to be OK" and walked away.

But listen, I stuck it out with Chris that one afternoon. He showed me a few lame places but then boom: he found me a great apartment.

8.34 stars.
4 - Crystal S.: I had a good experience with Chris Bee, though I did tread lightly at first because of everyone's reviews. My roommate and I did not end up signing anywhere that he showed me, but all of the complexes we visited were great. Working with Chris is unique in that he is genuinely friendly and caring to clients' needs and wants. I have had a problem with cold, rushed realtors in the past. I will definitely use Chris' services again.
5 - Charlotte F.: I recently worked with Chris Bee and feel that I need to defend him as to the negative reviews I saw on here. I read through them and they were all personal attacks and yet proclaiming him unprofessional. He was mostly on time and pleasant and if he was late once it was because he was always flexible and would meet me anywhere short notice and would call to tell me if he was running late. This is professional guy who may not speak, dress or look like you but this does not make him bad at his job! Furthermore, it shows how judgmental and young these reviewers are! 

 I ended up finding a great place at a good price with the peace of mind of seeing many properties first that Chris showed me. Id highly recommend him to anyone trying to find a place. 

Great job Chris and thanks again!

Avis Rent A Car - Cambridge, MA (42.372258, -71.122667) (Harvard Square)
5 - Rob L.: This Avis is located at the Charles Hotel, with the cars the underground parking structure and the rental desk inside the lobby.

I just had a very good experience with Avis here. I picked up a car in Battle Creek, Michigan and drove to Cambridge, dropping it off at this location the next morning. (I drove through Canada - it took me 14 hours, including a few stops along the way)

I got the car at 7am, but the Avis at the Charles Hotel doesn't open until 8am. I showed up at about 7:45 and there was already someone at the desk ready to help me. The computer tried to charge me for an additional hour rental, but he noticed it and took it off the bill without my even having to ask.

He was very friendly and it was a great overall experience.
3 - Katie R.: In my quest to rent from every rental facility in the greater Cambridge area, Avis was next on the list. I wasn't overly impressed, as there was nothing to make me recommend it over anywhere else if the price is comparable. In this case, the price was cheaper (thanks Orbitz!), so away we went.

The bottom line is this - this is a no-frills rental facility. Meaning, even in the New England winter of ice and snow and slush, an ice scraper brush is too much of a luxury to include in anything less posh than a full-size (apparently, in the SUVs they'll let you have one that extends!). Get the more expensive car, and maybe they'll treat you nicer too. Alas, I'm too poor for that.  But, even their economy cars are nice enough (no real eyesores in the lot, the "compact" we got was a brand new black Sentra). 

One perk worth mentioning - they've started a SmartCar fleet (the only one I know about in the area), and although the rental price is no lower than an economy rental ($49.99/day, about $60 after taxes and fees, they said), it might be fun to take one out on the town, if you value parkability over cargo space.

But, eh, I've had better rental experiences elsewhere.
2 - Steph P.: There is never more than one person working the desk, and that is unacceptable. I had to wait in line for more than 20 minutes both to pick up and drop off the car. Convenient location, good selection of cars, but not easy to deal with.

Avon Cinema - Providence, RI (41.828884, -71.4008541) (College Hill)
3 - Erin C.: Lovely little Art Deco theater that dates back to 1938. It has been kept in good condition and now shows about three movies, usually of the more highbrow variety, every week. The theater space itself clean with nice seats and good snacks, but the screen is surprisingly small. It's a little short on bathroom space as well, but that's to be expected in an older building. Ticket prices are pretty reasonable. I've never been able to figure out their scheduling or rotation, so check local listings or their website to find out what's playing and when.
2 - Michelle S.: The only reason it gets two stars is because it shows movies that I often can't find elsewhere without going to Boston.
BUT serious problems at this theater.
The seating is extremely uncomfortable and made for bodies that existed in the 1930s (i.e. short). To make matters worse, the front several rows are not on any kind of a slant. So you end up looking at the head of the person behind you. 
So, you say, give them a break? They don't have the money to put in fancy new seats. I admit -- it may be difficult to change the seats.
But they should be able to figure out how to change the movie reel properly! We've been here when they put the wrong reel on, so 1/3 through the movie, it suddenly started playing 2/3 through the movie. OOOPS! Then it took them forever to stop it and get the proper reel going. OK, maybe a fluke. But my friend who was there with me that night said it had happened to her there before! They should get their act together.
4 - danielle l.: I love this place I guess mainly for the fact that it's an excuse for me to go to Providence and see movies that Seekonk/New Bedford/Randolph do not normally have playing. Yes, the seats are uncomfortable, but mind you this isn't a Showcase Cinema with rocking chairs with 3 feet of space or whatnot, nor is it couches (like Cable Car ;P), but it's good for what it is. Plus I love the super tacky "no smoking/etc" things shown at the beginning. Clearly have not been updated since the 70s/80s, but it amuses me every time.
4 - A T.: Love, love, love the Avon. Love that hipsters worked here before anyone knew what a hipster was or that they were a special breed imported from Williamsberg. Love that the theater is art deco and sort of decrepit in its own lovely way. Most importantly I love the memories I have associated with this place - some of the oddest dates on record, as well as some of my most bizarre single serving friends are wrapped up in the old tacky fabric upholstering the worn chairs in each theatre.
The Cable Car will always be first place in my heart but the Avon ranks a very very close second.
5 - Shannon H.: Have been going since I was 8 years old. 

In response to Michelle, yes, the movie probably will flub more often than at the big theaters. They have the same movie projectors since they've opened. (1938) I think the charm of the experience totally compensates for the hiccups the projector might make.
3 - Jennifer E.: The Avon is cool, don't get me wrong, it just isn't as cool as the Cable Car.  I went here to see Midnight in Paris a couple of weeks ago and I was a little let down.  I was really excited to visit the Avon, but there just wasn't anything particularly special about it. I liked the look and feel of the old building, but the atmosphere just didn't do it for me. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I don't think I will be returning any time soon unless I am paying matinee prices (or if a movie I just absolutely must see at a later time is playing there only).  To be honest, I think if they sold beer they may have gotten another star.
5 - Meg M.: I always leave the Avon with a pep in my step. The amazing movies that the Avon selects to grace it's screen always deliver the feeling of time well spent. The old school vibe of the place is great and is like stepping back in time for a couple hours. 
Upstairs, an old pull knob vending machine doles out favorite small candy like Lemonheads, next to which is a stand up metal ashtray like I remember seeing at theatres as a kid. Downstairs, check out the collage of old movie star photos on your way out. Not to mention the lovely room the movie is screened in.
The one small negative about the Avon is the popcorn is not very good, but the fact that they sell soda in old timey small glass bottles makes up for it in my book.
 I know some prefer the Cable Car (another great theatre) to the Avon, but there is just something about leaving a movie and stepping out on to bustling Thayer St. that adds that little somethin' somethin' that makes me love this place a little bit more.
3 - Mike W.: The facilities are nice. As in the decoration is appropriate and it's not filthy. The seats are a bit hard and narrow, however I'm a larger guy so that may be different to the average viewer. The reason I only gave it 3 stars is because it's built a name for itself as an art-house cinema and it has only shown films that you can see at any mainstream cinema. I haven't visited in a while because of that. I live in south county and I'd pass at least 3 cinemas as long as I could see an Indie or foreign film. It's alright if you're on thayer street anyway.
4 - Jeff W.: Old single screen cinema. I love seeing movies here.
4 - Melissa F.: The old-school Avon Cinema is definitely a four-star sort of place. 

It's fun to walk in off of Thayer Street's hustle-and-bustle (by that I mean barrage of restaurants and aging hippies playing the electric fiddle) and into a serene, elegant old movie theatre. There is just one screen, and while the chairs could be a tiny bit better, it's really a fun experience to absorb the quaint, Golden Age atmosphere. I am not a fan of the $9.50 price tag, but pretty much every movie theatre I've been to in recent memory has this sort of problem. :( The good news is that the Avon is a wonderful little theatre regardless, and it's fun, even for once-in-a-while visits.
2 - Andy G.: A local place showing indie flicks (correction: flick) you would otherwise have to travel to bigger cities like Boston or NYC to watch? Check. Unfortunately, that's pretty much the only thing I can say that this theater has going for it. 

I do have an appreciation for Avon's old school feel but I do not enjoy its cramped dilapidated seating, musky odor, and sub-standard screen quality and sound. I am also unimpressed by the lack of variety in their film offerings. Maybe if they showed more than one movie at a time..and if they stopped showing that same movie for weeks and weeks on end..until I've stopped really paying attention to what they're showing because I've already assumed that it's the same thing they showed the week before..maybe then I would be more inclined to pay Avon a visit. 

Even then I'd rather be reaching in my pocket for a $5 matinee ticket or student discount (read: does not exist) than the $9.50 one price fits all. Avon, you can do so much better.
3 - Jaki G.: This is a nice old theatre that has character and charm. I like the movies they play, they are usually international firms or have one independent awards. 

The seats aren't super comfortable, so if you have a bad back, then you might have a hard time sitting through a 2 hr movie.
4 - Robert S.: Great old style cinema theater that specializes in Indie films and non-mass merchandise movie productions.    It is a little dated, but that is part of the charm.   Located on Thayer, it is close to many restaurants and bars for before/after the movies.
4 - Barbara H.: Came here to see our daughter  Madeleine Heil in the premiere of "Two Hearts".  Wonderful that the theatre lets Brown University use its facilities - allowing the students see themselves on the "Big Screen".  Definitely a treat and a step back in time to sit in this vintage cinema!
4 - Jaclyn P.: Love the Avon!
As others mentioned, it's got an old school charm that can't be beat. The movie selection is way more educated than the local cineplex offerings and they have the movie-going basics like popcorn, candy, soda and even a variety of Nantucket Nectars juices, which I love.

The Avon is the perfect theater to bring a first date or to catch an afternoon flick alone. Oh and the bathrooms are pretty great too in a retro sort of way.

I do have to agree with others who complained about the seating comfort but I must say the smell is one of the things I love about coming to the Avon. Kind of like opening an old book, you either love it...or you gag.
4 - Casey J.: I had my first Avon experience the other night and was overall pretty pleased. One thing I will complain about for just a second were the two guys working out front. I was in the area about an hour before the show started so I went in to buy my ticket and the guy looked at me like I was either annoying him by asking for a ticket or crazy for being there an hour before the showing... which doesn't seem that odd to me. Next I asked where the restrooms were. Now I had never been to this theater before so I really had no idea that it just opens up to this one big theater and that the bathrooms are upstairs and that you have to walk through the back of the theater to get there. This is when the atttude of annoyed intensified. I clearly don't know and have never been here before, guy. Just be helpful.

Other than that I loved the theater. I loved that the curtains have to fully open and that they still play the old clips before the movie. I loved that they played old music while waiting for the previews. Yeah, it smells like an antique store a little bit but the buidling is an antique. Overall, I liked it and will be seeing other movies here.
3 - Elena Y.: It's a cute theatre that's"old school" as one would say in terms of how it feels. The screen is pretty small so better to sit closer to the front if you have eyesight issues. Also the sound wasn't that loud so I don't how people on the back heard the film. Since it's an older theatre you won't be able to see the screen if someone tall sits in front of you. The bathrooms are upstairs so not sure accessible the place is for anyone with physical disabilities.

Tickets were $10. Best part is that tend to show more independent Sundance-like films, which I happen to appreciate.
4 - Betsy R.: Let's go to the movies, let's go see the stars, let's go to the movies Annie, wait and seeeeee...

Definite fan of the Avon. I'll echo other reviews--it's a beautiful building, a curtain opens to reveal the screen, they play adorable vintage opening ads, and it's an overall old world experience. 

I have no complaints to offer about customer service or logistics...and it's one of the few ways in Rhode Island to see films of the artistic/indie/alternative nature. 

The important thing to realize is that in this world of huge movie theaters, it's a treat to travel back in time for an antique experience. 

If you've never been, put it on your Providence Bucket List immediately.
5 - Laura B.: It might not have the amenities of the Providence Place mall's theaters, but I'd take the Avon Cinema theater over it any day. I love the old-timey look of the screen with the big red curtains, the cushy seats, the old-fashioned advertisements for the snack bar (that serves really reasonably priced refreshments) and the selection of films I'd have to drive all the way to Coolidge Corner in Cambridge to see if the Avon weren't there. If there were one thing I'd change about the theater though, it'd be the too-small bathrooms. If the generic MegaPlex has one thing over the Avon, it's plentiful restrooms. I had to wait ten minutes in line during a movie once to use the facilities and missed more than I thought I was going to when I got up for a quick bathroom break. Besides that, the Avon is my favorite theater in Rhode Island and maybe the world, for that matter.
5 - Joie S.: This place is the CUTEST!  I went last week to see Moonrise Kingdom and fell in love. I wish it changed movies more often so I could go back again and again.

For eight dollars, the matinee price, you really can't go wrong. The seats are less comfortable than the movie theaters of today but what the Avon lacks in comfort it makes up for in charm. 

They offer snacks and drinks served in retro paper cups and the pre-show video is adorable in it's simplicity. 

If I have a choice over Providence Place or the Avon, I will choose the Avon every time.
4 - Samantha S.: Don't come late, because then you would miss the disco-era montage before the previews. May be useful for RISD students interested in bygone typography and graphic design.

Extra points for the curtain that dramatically opens to reveal the underwhelming screen. The seats are not super-comfortable. But as this theater tends toward the arty, you'll probably be too immersed in the film to notice.
5 - Jay D.: i love this theater...
not because you have extra leg room 
or because the seats are comfy.... 
it is ity bitty... 
i love it because it is a piece of history.  

watching a movie here makes the experience precious + its not gonna be in 3D with an over priced 75L cup of diet coke + butter with a side of popcorn. 

you go here to watch the movies that not everyone watches... 
you go here to get lost. 
you go here to get a bottle of your fave soda... 
you go here because you want to. 

if you like to experience a gem from the past with your movie, this is your kind a place.

Avon Walk For Breast Cancer - Cambridge, MA (42.3647868, -71.1027182) (Central Square)
5 - Trish F.: I first got involved with Avon in late '06 when I decided to do their 40 mile walk in Long Beach. I had the most fantastic experience. You can search through my reviews to see that review. ;) 

But this is about the office. 

The Avon people work so hard to make sure everything runs smoothly at the walk. As an office volunteer, you'll help with some stuff like organizing, some administrative work, decorating things for the walk, etc. Sounds like small work, but in doing some of these tasks it helps the office focus on some of the bigger aspects of walk. Everyone I've met has been incredibly friendly and I actually ended up volunteering at a few places with one of the people I met there. If you're really gung ho about volunteering, you should consider walking or crewing one of their 40 mile walks. :)

On top of all that, their office is located a minute form public transportation (Central Square). Super convenient and a great cause!
5 - Erin C.: The Avon Walk  for Breast Cancer only takes place in Boston once a year, but the folks in this office work year round. I've been involved with the Avon Walk since 2005 in both NYC and Boston. I've been fortunate to watch thousands of people participate in fundraising, training and walking to help bring attention to a disease that touches so many people's lives.

The staff of this office work tirelessly throughout the year to make sure that walkers, volunteers and crew members have a memorable experience during not only the walk weekend, but during the preparation leading up to the walk.

I'm honored to be a part of this group year after year and I encourage you to check them out to find out all the great work that these peeps do!
5 - Carrie W.: YAY.... AVON WALK FOR BREAST CANCER!!!! I cannot wait for this great charitable event. This year I am spreading the love from Chicago and am taking my one man cheering squad aka my dear husband Drew... to Boston... to walk the walk and fight the fight.....

Avra Greek Tavern Midtown - Atlanta, GA (33.776245, -84.3831072) (Midtown)
3 - Drew W.: I've eaten at the last two or three restaurant incarnations where Avra resides, and I always enjoy the view from the wraparound porch. The food has changed a lot over the years, but the relaxed "I can't believe I'm in Midtown" feeling from the big Southern house never gets old.

I stopped in for dinner with some out of towners early this week. As far as Greek food goes, Avra inhabits a nice middle ground between cheap eats and the high end stuff you can get at Kyma. The meze and spreads are solid, I particularly like the octopus: not too chewy, and cooked just enough to enhance the natural flavor.

The lamb kabob was excellent, but more for the lightly breaded eggplant that came with it more than for the meat and veggies on the skewer. I would have been perfectly happy to have nothing more than a big plate of the eggplant for my meal.

We tried a trio of desserts after dinner, and in retrospect we all should have gone with the smaller sizes that were available on the menu. The regular size desserts were a bit much. Each one is drizzled in honey and cinnamon (seems to be the standard garnish no matter which dessert you get), so by the end of it I was wishing for less.
2 - Stephanie S.: No Opa here.

Sad, but true. If you are looking for a thriving Greek restaurant with hip shaking waiters breaking plates and tossing napkins, don't come to Avra.

This is more of a sophisticated Greek restaurant with selectively chosen menu items at premium prices. 

My friend ordered fish here, and they literally placed a giant cooked fish (head, eyes, tail, fins, flippers) infront of him. Luckily the waiter offered to bone the fish - how else was he expected to eat it because he really would rather naw the meat off the bone at that price. After the waiter spent ten grueling minutes using his Edward Scissorhands to debone the fish, we both tasted a bite...luckily it was delicious.
 
The dark candle lit private dinning rooms in this renovated southern home did offer a romantic atmosphere. But it's not my scene. Not yet anyway, maybe if I were in my 30s and celebrating an anniversary or birthday.
3 - Kate K.: I had my second dinner at Avra this past weekend and saw a decline in quality from my first visit a year before.

I like the atmosphere, at once casual and classy, lots of dark wood. The group of us sat upstairs and our server was prompt, efficient and friendly. The wine list has a decent assortment, as long as you order by the bottle. Much less so if you order by the glass. 

The appetizers were mostly wonderful--the spreads sampler ran the gamut from eggplant to tzitki (someone check my spelling on that) and the pita was fresh. the spanikopita was deep fried, however, and was missing the buttery flaky layers of filo, though the filling was delicious, and heavier on the spinach than feta. The octopus in the hot appetizer sampler was firm in texture with a nice feel against my tongue and teeth. If I could give half stars, I'd award one just for the cheese flamed tableside with ouzo.

I ordered lamb gouvetsi, and while the lamb was fork-tender and the pasta al dente, I wasn't thrilled with the dish (I'd had the pork tenderloin last time and was raving about it for weeks afterwards). It could be that the combination of lamb and tomato wasn't my thing, or it could be because the spicing was a touch too subtle. From a place that lights things on fire at your table, I expect bold flavors.  I had a nibble of my boyfriends lemon potatoes, which were very well done, and a bite of the lamb kabob which tasted more of char than of meat. 
Dessert was a custard-filled puff pastry (Mille Fuelle), which was light and mild and went well with the dessert wine. 

I'd go back, but with slightly lower expectations, and hoping the food quality doesn't decline further from my last visit.
4 - Jamin K.: On our recent visit, we were greeted by the best "former-LDS mixologist in Atlanta."  He was able to translate regular wine preferences into greek wines expertly as well as making a "key lime pie "tini that knocked everyone's socks off.  He does need to work on serving the ladies in the party first no matter the decisiveness  of the men. 

Food was very good. Ambiance was very nice. The spaces seemed more suited for 4 or less (at least where we were sat) than the 6 loud speaking friends I was a part of. I think we annoyed smaller parties but we paid so F them ;-)

They were out of a main entree and a standard wine from their list on a Thursday night which suggested that someone in management was not doing their job. But the food was great so the kitchen is doing fine. The service was basically fine until we got the insult of the auto-gratuity  after waiting 15 minutes for waitress to pick up check. and then giving up and tracking her down. It didn't ruin the night because we weren't in a hurry and were basically drunk and happy. But I start at 20% tip - ALWAYS and nothing done up until that moment would have lowered it, it was a very nice night, but then a) we waited 15 minutes for the waitress to pick up the check before we gave up and tracked her down... on a not so busy night. and then b) she hit us with auto-tip. So I felt a little insulted when, if anything, she was the slacker. That left a little bit of a bad taste but I can still taste the fried hard cheese, spreads and lambs kabobs. And those tastes lasted far longer than some perceived slight at the end of an otherwise fine meal.

So the food and bartending (best "former LDS mixologist in Atlanta") were very good but service and management needed a little work. Go there and give it to them, your taste buds will appreciate it.
2 - Liz D.: My husband & I had high hopes when we went to Avra for dinner Friday night...turns out the best part of our dinner was the appetizer we ordered, the Dolmades, they were the best we've ever had! Unfortunately I can't say the same for the Moussaka I ordered, it was average. My husband order the Gyro & it was good, but also about average. The real downer to our dinner was the fact that Avra's cheapest glass of white wine was $11! Since when does a restaurant in Atlanta not offer even a house wine for around $7-8/glass?  When I asked the waiter about a house wine, he said they only had what was on the menu & seemed a bit annoyed that I thought $11 was pricey for a glass of wine. The service we got that evening, especially considering the restaurant was fairly empty, was blah... 
I wouldn't recommend Avra unless you want to drop more on the wine that the meal...and then get the Dolmades & sit at the bar...the bar tender probably won't make you ask for more tzatziki sauce twice.
1 - Amber M.: If only I could give negative stars.
The looks on the faces of the only other diners in this restaurant should have tipped us off!

$60 to go order of tzatziki from a jar with stale pita, old moussaka and broiled lemon chicken that was so dry it literally crumbled at any attempt to cut it. The only good part was the wine we sipped on (half price on Sundays) while we waited for our food to be prepared. 
The food looked like it was a week old and simply reheated to avoid poisoning diners. 
We got home, cracked our to go containers open and both of us had second thoughts about eating what looked like what could be dangerous. 

I ended up tossing mine out and settling for a buttered bagel for dinner. What a disappointment.
3 - Nestor P.: I read the reviews but i decided to give a chance and I went to Avra while in atlanta for a convention. I ordered feta cheese and pork and those were awesome, specially the feta cheese dish because it was not salty. In fact I order one as an appetizer and another one as a dessert :)

They had live music which was very good and the service was awesome, for me this was the most notorious because in my opinion Atlanta is the worse place in the planet in terms of customer service. The waitress was nice and on top of the details. I ordered a Resina wine and 3 Ouzos and I felt like in Athens.

Because the weather was not that hot, I went for a table outside and was very nice.
4 - Haja J.: I love the staff here. Greg is a rockstar server, really ol'school, over-the-top and knows how to sell his food. Try theTaramoslata (Caviar and potato spread) and Htipti (roasted pepper and greek feta). You could eat yourself into a food coma, the food is that good.
4 - Anna I.: I want to preface this review even at the risk of sounding pretentious: I am a NY native and a first generation Greek gal. I've had some of the best Greek cuisine NYC has to offer and, even better, authentic food from the mother country. I was quite impressed by Avra. I had been in Atlanta only a couple of months when I realized this place was walking distance from my home. I went with my boyfriend and we both had a fabulous meal. Our waiter was attentive, but not intrusive. Its been over a year since I've been there for dinner, but I know we ordered a little bit of everything and I was pleased with it all. I suppose most think Avra is pricey, but not when you consider the flavor and quality.

The ambiance was also lovely. Some Greek places can go overboard with the blue and white painted walls and  tacky pictures of Greek landscapes. On the contrary with Avra. Very modern interior and some of the best traditional Greek music softly playing in the background. I felt a strong sense of nostalgia which was only further complemented by the terrific food.

Last month I popped in on a Sunday to have some good Greek coffee and desert with my off-the-boat mom. Even she was impressed.

I actually didn't know they play live music on weekends, but I am planning for a night out there very soon.
4 - Liz L.: I went to Avra a few days ago for the third time.  I wish I could give it 3 1/2 stars, but that might be unfair of me since, by choice, I technically can only eat about four things on the menu, and everyone I've been with has always enjoyed their meals.  

It's interesting - this restaurant is located in a great area, has a beautiful wrap-around porch, yet it's still sort of EH in my mind.  I dont know whether that's because I'm shocked every time by the minute size of the apps that cost $5 each, but can be consumed in four bites or less (and trust me, I'm not normally one to complain about small portions)?  

Is it because the place is just so unassuming?  Something about it is just ... good.  And by good I mean, average.  I think it's probably because the prices (fairly expensive) don't really fit the ambiance (fairly cas and laid-back).  

Anyway, beyond all that somewhat pointless musing, it's good, and I recommend it.
3 - Jeremy A.: I went here for dinner and i thought the greek tapas were very interesting. Definitely get the calimari and micro gyro. 

The main course fish entree was decent but nothing to write home about. 

I dont think I would go back here simply because I think it is overpriced but I would definitely recommend it for someone to go if they haven't been.
4 - Trevor W.: This place pleasantly surprised me! Greek is hit or miss in Altanta, and this place didnt disappoint. Located in a quaint old house just 3 blocks from the Fox (for you pre-show folks), the service was great, outdoor seating has a lovely view, and indoor is cozy with a fairly large bar. Our server was awesome and was spot on with some of the recommendations. Everything was extremely fresh, presentation and quality were far above average, and overall I would definitely return!
1 - Cristina K.: The mezze or "Greek tapas" are overpriced ($5) for their size and the dishes in general are insipid and uninspiring. The entree I ordered was orzo pasta with stewed lamb meat ($18). It was basically orzo that they boiled, put some bland tomato sauce to barely coat the orzo, dumped in 4 (yes, exactly 4) 1-inch strips of dried out lamb meat in the middle, then put a meager teaspoon of grated Greek cheese in the middle. When I remarked on the meagerness of lamb to the waiter, he shrugged and said "the people on the other table seem to like it" and offered no alternative solution or remediation to perhaps prevent us from never coming back.
4 - Joscelyn M.: Having been back from Greece only a few weeks, I was a bit unsure when my friend told me she made rez here for my visit...  Well, I felt transported back to my honeymoon.  Everything on the menu was exactly as I remembered it in Santorini - the dips, salads, meats - all incredible!
4 - Erica C.: Love this place.  Went there last Saturday for a quick pre-theater dinner and it never disappoints.  

The good: revithosalata (chick peas, tahini, lemon), pastichio (greek pasta tastiness), pork tenderloin (w/goat cheese, spinach, & fig chutney)

The mildly disappointing: the gyro (gyro meat was shaved very thin, and overall plate was not as good as we hoped)

The wine I want in an IV: moschofilero (whoa)

The thing I'm ordering next time: Lamb kabob.  Yes, please.
1 - Critical T.: I can not believe that this sort of incident ever happened in my life. As an avid foodie, I enjoy going to various restaurants; however, I have never had my credit card overcharged (the tip amount, thus the total was over $10). Once I found out, I called the general manager. He said he would take a look at the receipt and call me. Well, he didn't next day. So I called the restaurant, and one of the employees there told me that the manager was out sick. He asked me to give him my credit card information so that they can refund the difference, as the manager acknowledged their fault in processing the bill. The fund was suppose to be deposited earlier this week, and it hasn't yet. So I have to call there again... What a hassle.
4 - Loree B.: charming & helpful wait staff. I was treated to several small dishes that I shared with friends.  Nice Greek Wines.  Lovely dining area.
3 - Patrick T.: Are they still open?  No web site and the phone number doesn't work.

Avril 50 - Philadelphia, PA (39.9535984, -75.1924782) (University City)
5 - astro t.: I'd say some of the best coffee in west philly, definitely.  John's awesome and makes things perfectly!  The hot chocolate, topped with a touch of nutmeg.  Beautiful.  You walk in, the sweet smell of coffee, delectable chocolates, cigars, cloves surrounds you.  Buy your local paper from wherever you are around the world while getting your international flavor from all the magazines that he has.  Down side is that there's no place to sit though when it's warm, he puts a couple of tables and chairs outside.
4 - George R.: When you walk into this place it is like stepping into a time-warp.  Before big box stores, brightly lit boutique shops, and aisle upon aisle filled with identical merchandise stacked twenty deep, there were places like "Avril 50."  But, somehow, this shop survived the great mercantile holocaust that began in 1997 when mass culture began its precipitous destruction of privately own retail businesses.

Although, things have certainly not been easy for a magazine shop with the current trend in viewing everything online instead of reading news in print.  I overheard the owner talking about how business was very slow.  He exclaimed to a long-time patron, "No one's reading anymore!"  But, he continues to keep a smile on his face, five pots of coffee hot, and enough reading material to last anyone a lifetime.

The walls are chock-a-block with fine cards, magazines, and specialty postcards.  It was actually surprising to see some of the postcards because quite a few were highly political and some were slightly vulgar.  Hallmark would be sued by someone if they carried this stuff!  None the less, very interesting.  I bought a few.

The magazine selection is amazing.  Yes, Barnes and Noble/Borders/et al. all carry a large selection, but I guarantee you that they do not carry the same selection of political, artistic theory, independent, and philosophical magazines.  There was stuff lining the walls that I had never seen before.  Definitely check it out.

I'm not a smoker, but I will say that there was a wide assortment of foreign and fine tobaccos and cigars.  There were dozens of brightly colored boxes with foreign lettering.  In addition, he sells full-size hookahs and flavored tobaccos to go with them.

I'm not a coffee drinker, but there were great smells coming from the five pots of coffee that were sitting on the burners at the front of the shop.  There were also a selection of pastries and desserts.

Credit card purchases have a $10 minimum, so either buy enough or bring cash.  I forgot cash and ended up buying a magazine and some cards.

I can't say how much longer this place will be around, so make sure you stop in and check it out.  Buy an interesting magazine for yourself or as a gift for a friend.  For more information, the store's email address is avril-fifty@verizon.net.
4 - Erin G.: It's so Euro. In a good way. The way that makes you remember that there are still people who read international newspapers, love diverse magazine and lit journals, and purchase postcards. People who want to do this while drinking a cup of coffee, selecting a high-end chocolate bar, and requesting specialty cigarettes from behind the counter. Sigh.
4 - michelle p.: Avril 50 only gets 4 stars because it was a little intimidating the first time I walked in here.  The dude who runs the shop is pretty nice, and would help out with any questions.  They have coffee and tea available, as well as, some sweets.  They do have a nice selection of newspapers and magazines, not crap you can go to the bookstore down the street and find.  I was impressed with the sweet and enormous selection of postcards they had.  Seriously, there's a postcard for everyone here.
Go here to support independent business!
4 - Sara C.: This place is so neat.  From the wide array of international magazines and newspapers, to the great selection of classy, specialty cigarettes, cigars, and tobacco, this place has it for you.  For those of you who are looking for the Black Italian Vogue issue, you better get it while it's hot.

It's easy to get lost in here, as the shop is tiny and it's decked from head to toe in all kinds of cards and publications.  You can even grab of cup of coffee with a hookah and sit outside on the patio .  The place is well stocked with different kinds of coffee beans, but I don't tend to get a cup of joe here, because all the coffees of the day are left on little burners which is a coffee snob faux pas.

Sit back, relax, and pretend you're in Paris for an hour or two.
3 - Andrew R.: Oh man. I always forget about Avril 50 'cause even once you remember there's the cute little Sansom Street, it's still easy to miss. Avril is definitely a throw back, but unortunately without the throwback prices. This is your corner magazine/candy store, but with a global selection of magazines, cards, and snacks. 

There's coffee too - grab a cup and fill it yourself with one of the dozen flavors being brewed - kinda of like Wawa, but not at all. Coffee isn't great, especially if you're a coffee snob, but you're here for the experience, not just for the coffee. 

If you prefer, grab your *bucks 1/2 a block down (you're 1/2 a block away from one on Walnut or 1/2 block away from another one on Chestnut) + come to Avril for European cookies, magazines, cloves, a lighter, and whatever else you need to complete your Euro experience.
5 - Don M.: An awesome store. A great collection of magazines and journals. I live in New York, have lived in LA and honestly haven't seen much to rival it in this country. The coffee is great too. Skip the over-roasted junk at 'bucks and get it at Avril 50 instead. And the chocolate is absolutely fantastic too...
5 - Gwen M.: I almost don't want to write this review, because I love that right now I can run to Avril between classes to grab coffee without having to deal with a crazy line.  This place is fantastic -- good coffee and espresso drinks, a great selection of bottled drinks, and delicious French-style sandwiches made by the proprieter John himself.  

It's also an incredible newsstand, particularly for international publications, and carries lots of tasty imported chocolates as well.  And John is so nice and always makes my day a little a brighter.
5 - Amy M.: what a pleasant surprise!

after stopping by bubble house for an afternoon drink with a friend i had not seen in years, i strolled down sansom row back to the trolley.  jonesing for a coffee and some reading material on the way back to south philly, i stopped in.

and wow!  i had an amazing selection of hard-to-find smokes and magazines.  the owner was a pleasant gentleman and recommended some good reading material and a pack of cigarettes.  i felt like i was back in ye olde france.

though i really have no reason to visit university city much, i think that this might be worth the trip again.
5 - Monica S.: It's been so long since I last wandered into Avril 50. Years ago, when I was a regular, Jonathan, the owner, used to hook me up with fancy cloves. The thought of smoking cloves now gives me a stomach ache. Either way, if I couldn't get to the store before closing time, I'd ring him up and he'd hide a pack in the bushes for me. If that's not service, I don't know what is. 

The store is no different today than it was years ago, and Jonathan still maintains that foreign charm of his. His little shop is a European beatnik's refuge. I mean, you don't have to be European to be in his store, but if you have a foreign sensibility, you'll feel right at home. 

You can find everything from coffee to chocolate you've never seen before, international fashion magazines and communist press. Even though it's a pint-sized shop, you can get lost in there for hours.
5 - Scott M.: As long as Avril 50 remains intact, there is good in the world.

Functionally, it's great - it has any periodical you could want and a great coffee / snack selection.  Esthetically, it's absolutely amazing - an intellectual's paradise.  I love going here for coffee when I have a free moment and am even happier when I have some time to get lost in the magazine selection.
5 - liza c.: If you like art mags, this is the place to go.
Plus, Jonathan is cooler than candy wrapped in cash.
I want to move in, cot in tow, and have free reign over the magazines and Jonathan's cappuccinos til death.

That is love.

Also, the array of smokes is pretty impressive. Smoke 'em if you got 'em (at Avirl 50?) Hah.
5 - Brett B.: The coffee is the best in the area, the publications available are often difficult to find and mesmerizing, and the owner is lovely.  Definitely the place to stop in, grab a coffee, and peruse some magazines while on break.
5 - Erick K.: best kept secret on campus
5 - Mayra H.: Avril 50 is awesome because John is awesome.  This shop wouldn't be what it is if not for him.  And what does he bring, you ask?  I'm glad you did.

1. Eclectic selection of publications from random places about even more random subjects

2. 99% Dark Chocolate. That stuff is no joke.

3. Wide assortment of nicotine products.  When I was a smoker, this shop caused me to declare bankruptcy.  Luckily, just in Monopoly.

4. Lovely Espresso drinks and some good coffee blends.

5. Wisdom beyond his years: "You got problems? What do you know about problems? Whatever problems you have you're still young - you can fix them.  You're a spring chicken."

No one at Starbucks ever offered a side of wisdom with a caramel macchiato. Which worked out for the best because that caramel and sauce and syrup were going to my thighs.
5 - Kathleen B.: This is the ONLY place in Philly that allowed me to buy all of the following items at once:

-Uncut magazine's (music, not porn, people!) special U2 issue
-Ploughshares
-The Triquarterly Review
-Other various and sundry literary magazines considered obscure by Philly standards. 
-Ritter cappuccino cream chocolate bars
-Odd artsy postcards, such as one with a photograph of plant leaves bearing a strong resemblance to a vulva
-Twinings French vanilla tea

It is also the only place in Philly where I could buy any of those items at all, period, with the possible exception of the tea. There are also a lot of smokes, coffees, and sandwiches. The place is small and jam-packed with interesting merchandise. The owner can locate whatever you're interested in immediately, so there's a method to the shelving madness even if it doesn't look so on first glance.

I also get to browse around for an hour at a stretch every time I go here without feeling like I'm being monitored for criminal tendencies I don't possess or being rushed out the door.

There are usually some cheesy-looking plastic tables outside if the weather is nice, where I can sit and read or people watch.
5 - Michelle C.: I could not find lunch today.

First I wanted Vietnamese, but the place near me was closed. Then the two Korean places I frequent were closed. Monday is no good for such things. By the time I ran all over University City hunting food, I had about 25 minutes before my appointment.

Do I go to Cosi? No. No, I ALWAYS regret Cosi. White Dog? No time. Bubblehouse? Eh, fine.

So, I'm approaching the Bubble House praying that they won't take 45 minutes to bring me soup when I see a sign out front of Avril 50 listing five different coffees and... sandwiches? Soups? SPRINGROLLS? I had only ever come here for emergency espresso. I thought I may be hallucinating until a man emerged from the store with a cup of coffee and a bagged sandwich.

Alright, sorry Bubblehouse.

The was bahn mi in the fridge and springrolls and various sandwiches on baguettes on the counter. He could tell I was confused.
"Have you been here before?"
"Just for coffee.. ooh, prosciutto and fig confit?!"
I got a cup of the Avril 50 blend and this absurdly amazing sandwich that was obviously constructed especially for me. John also gave me a little soup sample. It was all wonderful and reasonably priced. I'm so glad to have another quick, yummy lunch option on that little stretch of Samson.

Someday I intend to check out all the magazines and candies. That is, assuming I'm ever in this area on a day that I'm not on such a tight schedule. Unlikely.
4 - Vivian H.: This is the cutest place! They have really unique cards, a wall of chocolates, magazines and newspapers from all over the world, and a really awesome owner. They have lots of tobacco too, since it  is a tabac, and coffee. They also have really cool sandwiches that I want to try someday with pear confit, yum!

I want this hidden gem to remain a secret for those in-the-know, but it's too great to keep for myself, and I think we should support these great local businesses. So next time you need to pick up a card, or chocolate, or tobacco, or lunch, or a cup of coffee... try out Avril 50 :)
5 - Michael B.: Somethings never change... nor should they. 

Avril 50 has remained pretty much the same amazingly coffee scented experience for the last 10 years I've shopped there.

First tea, which is what I first started buying there.  The tea is stored in clear glass airtight jars lined up across from the service counter.  Now I've bought tea from many locations across the city and I'm convinced that Avril 50 is very well priced and has a diverse selection.  By the way, the Russian Caravan is so good that a former roommate, who lived here 7 years ago, actually demands it when he visits.  The Kenyan Marinen black tea is also delightful in the morning.

As far as coffee, the selection here is even more diverse.  I'm not sure if it's the grinding process or the brewing, but the delicious scent of coffee hits you as soon as you come through the door.  I'm currently getting through the Avril 50 blend and enjoying on mornings when I don't feel like tea.

The proprietor is always pleasant to deal with and knowledgeable about what he's selling.  He also has a great selection of classical music going.  As far as reading material, you'll be hard pressed to find a better selection of publications.  If it's an obscure literary journal, it's probably here.  

To sum up, once you get coffee, loose tea or an international publication here, you won't want to go anywhere else.
5 - Alix H.: I could quite literally spend an entire day here.  They have everything, and it's all crammed in the tiny shop.  If this atmosphere doesn't make you go " YESSS!"  this could make for a stressful shopping experience. I love their awesome selection of magazines from around the world, postcards, and regular cards. GREAT.
4 - Catherine D.: This place is great. I am not too familiar with their coffee or food offerings, although I did get an excellent cup of cappucino here once. But this review is mostly about their magazine, journal and newspaper selections. 

As far as I know, this is the *only* store in Philadelphia with an extensive selection of literary journals, and it is close to the only independent store (not a Barnes and Noble or a Borders) that has a decent selection at all. The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable, and can assist you in finding that obscure poetry journal from Wisconsin, or what have you.

In addition, they have a wide selection of magazines of all varieties, including international and imported, and an incredible selection of international newspapers. Ex-pats of Philadelphia, come here for your news!

They also seem to have a decent cigar and specialty cigarette selection, although that ain't my thang so take it with a grain of salt.
5 - Derrick Q.: Seriously, the best coffee I've had in Philadelphia so far. Nearly every visit I've come to University City, it has been my first stop. A tiny place with the bright yellow awning on tiny little Sansom, it has a certain Old World charm. They seem to have every magazine from around the globe, they keep their coffee selection in a good rotation, and I find myself getting a cup of something new to-go every time and am never disappointed. Avril 50 also introduced me to my new favorite chocolate ever (which is Belgian.)
5 - Louis T.: If I was a true intellectual and had more space in my apartment, I'd hang out here and figure out the best magazines from the awesome selection to buy.  Sadly, I live in a small place made smaller by the fact that my wife's non-profit employer doesn't give her a proper office, so growing the stacks of paper seems like not the way to go.

So I just go for the coffee and chocolate.
3 - Tom D.: Three stars is fair. I think the guy that owns this place is a pompous prick. But still the coffee is good, and while I haven't actually bought anything from the shelves, it does have the obscure titles of lit mags and stuff that no one probably buys.

Overall, if you want coffee, this is a five star joint. If you want a Michael Musto look-alike whose French attitude makes you want to vomit on his copy of the Kenyon Review, then you also have a five star joint. If you don't then you get three stars and hope the dude learns to respect his customers.
4 - Tom I.: It takes some time to truly appreciate Avril 50. The first few times I was in there, I was intimidated by all the stuff stuffed into this little shop and suffered from sensory overload. I went in wanting coffee, which is the first thing one sees when walking in. Initially, I always just got my coffee and got out, perhaps out of a subconscious fear that the packed shelves were going to fall on me.

Over time, I ventured deeper into the store to discover an impressive selection of magazines and a unique collection of cards (recommended if you want to send something other than the tired old Hallmark crap). The store also carries an unexpected variety of food, including muffins, biscotti, chocolate and sandwiches. Avril 50 also has a big selection of smoking products.

Each day, they provide a variety of different coffees in addition to the mainstay Avril Blend. The coffee is out in pots for self-service, which in lesser hands would be stale and burnt. But the coffee is always at the perfect temperature and the place is busy enough that none of the coffee ever seems to have been sitting very long.

The same guy is always in there (the owner?) when I go in and is always friendly. He seems willing to chat if you are but willing to just wish you a good day if you want to get in and out.

Because of how packed the store is, I feel like every time I go in there, I'll discover something new.
2 - Lindsey T.: I wanted to like this place. I also hoped there was a place to sit down inside, but there wasn't. That's not why this review is 2 stars. It's 2 stars because I paid $3 for a bite of Toblerone and a 12oz coffee that I expected to taste halfway decent. I opted for the Kona rather than the Avril 50 blend; I wasn't in the mood for something super dark. However, this coffee tastes like straight up water. It is marginally better than the Starbucks around the corner (and I hate Starbucks coffee). I'll probably be back to explore the store, but not to buy a cup of coffee.
4 - Autumn E.: I don't care that Avril 50 is pricey- it deserves to be. It is a luxury hot house. You can get limited edition euro mags here. You can get hand-painted wrapping paper. You can get fancy pants sandwiches and spring rolls and desserts and chocolate and all the coffee and tea from far and near. You can get cigars, and you can get cigarettes that are 20 dollars a box. You can even get whatever quirky postcard you thought no one else had thought up before.

And you can get some good conversation from the store owner if you try. :)
3 - Kathleen H.: Someone brought me here during my first year of grad school. He raved about the place, so I wanted to like it. But 7 years and several visits later, I just can't muster much enthusiasm.

The coffee is okay, but a bit weak for my taste. The owner often seems condescending and sometimes becomes annoyed by questions about the products. I like some of the cards, chocolates, and candies, but many items are far more expensive than elsewhere. I sometimes find a magazine that interests me, but I am not a big consumer of magazines and I wouldn't visit Avril 50 just to check them out.
4 - Ceasar B.: I passed by Sansom and by chance I had noticed the place due to the sign which advertised gourmet coffee-- Something very easy to miss unless you actually are looking for it.

The inside is dense-- no space seems to go unused. I haven't take a good look as my only interest is really the coffee here, but my guess, based on the coffee selection, is that the owner is trying to sell only a few things, but a few things well.

As for the coffee itself, I've only gone through a pound so far, but I really couldn't be happier than such a place exists on campus. There are at least 20 different kinds of beans to choose from, some are decaf, some are flavored, and some are plain beans, although all of them seem to be imported from somewhere exotic. (One tip-- If you don't have your own grinder, you can get the beans ground on site, which may be useful.) As a word of caution, the beans are a bit pricers than something you might pick up in the supermarket, but, as mentioned, they are not your average beans.

Awash - New York, NY (40.8007227, -73.9653604) (Manhattan Valley)
4 - Jeremy L.: Until I tried Awash, I thought Ghenet was the only great, authentic (ie., eat with injera, not utensils) Ethiopian restaurant in Manhattan.  Awash is just as good with a nearly identical ambience.  And because it's in upper Manhattan rather than trendy Soho, the prices are literally 50% cheaper. I wish there was more to do near 106th and Broadway because it can be hard to justify a trip just to patronize Awash, but it offers very tasty food with a slightly spicy kick.
3 - Chinku G.: Yes very slow. The food is great, but you tend to feel somewhat violent by the time you get your food ordered and it finally arrives, which tends to put a damper on the evening.
5 - Katia M.: This was the first place I ever ate Ethiopian, and I'll always have a special place in my heart for it.  The food takes awhile, but it's absolutely great, so I didn't mind.  The honey mead is really tasty, too.
5 - Jennifer S.: I had my first experience with Ethiopian cuisine at this place.  The spongey bread (have no idea what its called....does it matter?) is the only utensil you need. 
Great place for a first date....its casual, inexpensive but still cozy and quiet. 

Yummy!
4 - Michael L.: Yummy Ethiopian food as good or better than any other place I've been.  Like many other Ethiopian restuarants, you can get some kind of veggie combo that has all of their vegetarian dishes for quite a reasonable price, and in good sized portions.  Not actually being a vegetarian, I also had some doro wat, which was very tender and tasty.  The Ethiopian coffee, which I've never had before, was pretty good and interesting ... some strong coffee with a wee carafe of warm milk and some spices (?).  Worth a try if you haven't had it.

They feel like they're a bit out of the way, as the neighborhood changes somewhat as you move east of Broadway, but they've got a nice big sign calling out to you, so it's easy to find.  Quiet enough inside for a conversation, swith a bit of background music at a reasonable level.  Nice place for a casual dinner.
5 - Kat B.: Let me begin by saying that I lived in Ethiopia for a few months a few years ago. I've been pining for Ethiopian food for months. Finally I got a friend to come with me. Awash is only about 10 blocks from my apartment, which to me is close! 

Awash is in a nice Harlem neigborhood. When my friend and I arrived it was about half full. But by the time we left it was full up. The menu is pretty big, with lots of different choices. The ordering was quick, we got vegetable sambusas to share for the appetizer. I got the vegetarian combo, and my friend got the combination #1. I also ordered a virgin bloody mary. 

The service between the time of ordering and actually getting the food was pretty slow. But it's okay, we had time to chat.

The appetizer came with three sambusas, which are little pastries made with filo dough and stuffed with some green vegetables. They were pretty good. There were only 3, which is the right amount for an appetizer. My combo was wonderful! Even in Ethiopia I don't remember anything with such variety. The veggie combo has 2 kinds of lentils, potatoes, beets, collard greens, chickpeas, carrots. My drink was nice and spicey (a tad bit too much so) but a good change from just the regular tomato juice. My friend was not so impressed with her meal. She did like the lentils bit, and liked the tibs wat (beef). 

Their dessert section leaves something to be desired, so we went elsewhere. The price is pretty good there, and they deliver (hopefully to my house too). The waitress was pretty attentive, especially with the water. She made some good suggestions for my friend. The combinations are pretty large, almost enough for 2 people each. I did get to take some injera home.

All in all, I like it a lot! I'll return here if I can get someone else to come with me!

Vegan friendly!
4 - Kimberli M.: When I tried this place a few weeks ago with 5 of my friends we were hoping for yum and we got -- Yum.
The food is generally a little spicy (unless you order one of say, 2 dishes that aren't) and they can surely turn up the spice if you want them to! 

Yum.
A mixed platter can easily be split by 2 people. Good bang for your buck. Try one of the wines by the glass.
4 - Dennis C.: Ethiopian food and I are quite fond of one another, and this place is no exception.  It's a little out of the way for me, but was well worth the hike.
4 - John S.: Fairly nice decor. i usually judge an Ethiopian restaurant on it's art displayed (amongst a few other things of course), and there is certainly some nice stuff here. The food is fairly good. I am going to give it 4 stars overall because the food is not horrid (I would give the food a 3.5 really), the service is always nice, and they've always had Harar when I've been there, which is a damn good beer. I do wish that I could give it 3.5 though. I'd lay down a 3 here, but I just feel like it deserves a wee bit more, so I am going to be gracious. 

Oh yes. If someone ever sees a place where you can buy Harar in a store, let me know! My friend in New Mexico would love to have some mailed to her, and I would love to have my refrigerator fully stocked with it.
4 - Tamara M.: I lived right next to Massawa years ago, and was a loyal customer, so I'll admit to being a little based.  That being said, I was in the neighborhood of Awash last night and decided to give it a try.  We started with a bottle of the blackberry honey wine.  It was sweet and delicious, a nice complement to the food that followed.  

We had a mix of meat and vegetables.  I didn't find anything to be overly spicy, but the berbere sauce did have a kick.  Highlights were key sir alicha (red beets, carrots and potatoes) and doro wat (chicken in berbere).  I'm also a huge fan of injera!

Service was slow, but that was actually nice, as we didn't feel at all rushed and took the time to enjoy out food and wine.  The food actually came out pretty quickly. The slow part was getting our check.  

Oh!  And not to be left unmentioned, the Ethiopian coffee was excellent! Loved it!
5 - Melissa L.: My boyfriend and I decided on a whim to try this place.  It was somewhat close to us and recommended in a magazine.  The quote from the article  was, "Great spot for a hot date."  Yes, please!

We jumped on the 1 and arrived to find an empty place.  We were somewhat concerned, since we had just passed a few hopping restaurants.  We ordered the meat combo and it was AWESOME.  We got 4 meat dishes and 3 veggie dishes.  All healthy servings, too, for $23.95!  New Yorkers know how to EAT!  I love it here, already...
4 - Corinne S.: Staff was friendly, helpful and attentive.  Ethiopian honey wine is the perfect drink to go with dinner- I prefer the organic version.  Don't be alarmed- it's Ethiopian so there is no silverware, but a nice hot towel to wash hands before you begin eating.  Vegetable Sambusa with dipping sauce, Awash Chicken and Key Sir Alicha were my favorites.  Be prepared to share, and NOT spend a lot of moola.
4 - Thalia K.: The first time someone suggested Ethiopian food to me I have to admit I thought it was an oxymoron.  I can still remember as a child being scolded at the dinner table, "Don't waste your food there are starving children in Ethiopia."  Contrary to that line of thought, you definitely will not leave Awash feeling hungry, but perhaps a little guiltier.

Ethiopian food is great for a group of friends and people you don't mind getting a little messy around (i.e. not great for first dates where you want to impress someone with the prissy ability to eat food without physically touching it).  At Awash, and any other truly worthwhile Ethiopian dining experience, you eat with your hands, tearing off small pieces of the pancake-like bread "injera" and then scooping up mouthfuls of stewed meats and pureed veggies.  The soft, spongy surface of the injera soaks up the thick, flavorful sauces.  

And for New York City, the price is definitely perfect for debt-ridden grad students (just a hop and a skip away from Columbia).  For just $10.95 I had a massive plate all to myself with a choice of two meats and three vegetables.  I had the chicken in berbere sauce "doro wat" which was the messiest to eat because the chicken, tender as it was, was served on the bone and required a certain degree of fingernail digging and fingertip scalding.   I also went with the beef sauteed in green peppers and onions "tibs"--but next time around I think I will try the special tibs which sounds like it might have been spicier.  For vegetables, the beets, carrots, and potatoes "key sir alicha" were a gorgeous splash of red and when combined with the golden orange of the pureed chickpeas "shiro" I had a sunset on my platter. 

If you're feeling like celebrating, give the rich honey wines a try.  Both the white, Sheba, and the blackberry come highly recommended.
3 - Kate M.: Pretty average Ethiopian food. I'd rate it above Meskerem though. It was a while ago so I don't remember what we exactly ordered. I probably won't go back.
5 - Queenie W.: OH~ AWASH~ I could not love you more~
Tonight I have a combo 5 (Doro Wat, Doro Alicha, Key Sir Alicha, Gomen,  Yemisir Kik Wat ) Doro Wat and Key Sir Alicha are especially amazing. They just reminded my favorite Uyghur /Uighur (Xinjiang in north of China) food "Dapanji" - A Big Plate of chili Chicken, Potato & the most unique Flat Noodle-  which I never find in any restaurant in New York.

And the service is fabulous, too!
4 - Catherine K.: Excellent food, attentive service, excellent food.  And really reasonably priced to boot!  My veg entree was $10, and a meat entree runs about $15.  The atmosphere is casual and laid-back, and while there's the requisite ethnic-restaurant ethnic artwork (here, portraits of former leaders), it's not over-the-top or tacky.

The injera was a little too thick for my taste, but my entree was super tasty.  I had the collard greens, which came with a side of carrot and potato-like things, and it came with a dollop of some sauce, all of which was devoured really, really quickly.  It was tasty without being really heavy; I didn't feel gross after eating the entire mound of greens.  Yum!  

It's a shame I really rarely come up here, otherwise I'm sure I'd patronize it more.  They have maybe half a dozen veg dishes, all of which looked really good.
5 - phong-lan h.: Hands Only Please... What you do is to use INJERA as your utensil!
How fun is that?  

The 1st scoop you feed your love one -it's a ritual according to my good friend Prince D whose Ethiopian.

Injera:  is a spongy, sour flatbread is used to scoop up meat and vegetable stews. Injera also lines the tray on which the stews are served.

Berbere:  spice mixer -coriander, cloves, ginger, allspice, rue berries, ajwain.

We usually order the Veggie Combo for 2 people (7 perfectly spiced "tapas" using garlic, onions, green peppers, tomatoes, herbs and berbere) red lentils, carrots, collards, split peas, chick peas, beets along with salad...

But Then we Add: (in the past -now we're Pesco-Veg) 
Doro Wat (chicken stew) spiced w/Berbere, Ethiopian red pepper which is extremely hot!

Enjoy this meal w/King Fisher or Taj Mahal & just like that you'll be experiencing the unique cuisine of Ethiopia.  All the dishes here are made with care:  just like your Ethiopian Mom's Kitchen.

We always leave with bellies --beyond full & laugh about how our 
Pingers smells like Ber-Beri hours later!   We prefer this Uptown location to the one on E6 for the atmosphere.  And they usually play a cool CD from Ethiopique.

PS. Make sure that if going with friends that they Wash their Hands b/4 eating... I'm just saying...
5 - Larry C.: I LOVE THIS PLACE!!  I have been going here on and off for many years.  I love the food, although I must admit I have very little experience with other ethiopian food.  I would highly recommend this restaurant to a new comer to ethiopine cuisine.  They offer many differerent dishes and have a few beers from ethiopia as well.  Try the carrot cake, it is incredible.
5 - monique c.: $35 BUCKS FOR TWO PEOPLE & BEER...Why say more?! 
Love this place...The service is definitely slow but worth the wait. It's affordable, great food and fun to eat. My friends and i enjoy digging in with our hands ...lol and washing it down with honey wine or beer! 

I recommend any combo without the pork or lamb... It did not taste too good but everything else is great.

Definitely give it a try!
4 - ml k.: This is a pretty good ethiopian place.  I've eaten there at least 10 times and for the most part have been very satisfied.  I've only ordered vegetarian there, but its good.  The price is fair, usually dinner for 2 people came out to about $35.  Service can be slow at times, but not too bad, although I suggest not ordering appetizers because they can take a long time to arrive.
1 - Jennifer I.: Terrible... baby food for adults.  Everything was pureed & our waitress was rude.  So when we had asked what her recommendations would be shes like anything you want.  Overall NOT a good experience.
4 - Geca S.: Amazing food, warm and laid-back ambience, and unbelievably well priced. I've been craving going back there and definitely will bring friends with me!
4 - Jason T.: Whenever I think of Ethiopia, I think of Sally Struthers.  Maybe it has something to do with the country's starving children.  Sally always said she wanted to save them.  She looked more like she had eaten all their food herself.  

It's no wonder.  Despite what one would assume from a country associated with famine that swept Ethiopia in the 80s, Ethiopian cuisine is addictive.

Unfortunately, if you've got a hunger for Ethiopian, and you find yourself in NYC, you're likely to starve.  There aren't many excellent Ethiopian restaurants in this city. And by excellent, I don't mean fine service and linens.  Ethiopian restaurants shouldn't make a fuss. They should be a hole in the wall run by family and packed with life. The decor should feature bad portraits of Haile Selassie.  The service should be sloppy, the food simple, the check reasonably priced.  

Ethiopian restaurants should be like Awash.

I've been to this family-run restaurant many times thanks to my brother, the "regular." I've never left wanting. The meat sambusas are properly flaky, and plump with smoky, spicy ground beef.  The injera is thick enough to support the saucy stews, but thin enough to not hide their flavor.  The kitfo is raw, spicy goodness, the wat well-seasoned and  slightly, delightfully greasy and the tibs, chunks of chewy richness. The service, like you might expect, is a bit slow, but the family-vibe and neighborliness makes up for the African pace--especially the stylish Rai, who somehow transforms this tragically un-hip ethnic restaurant into a hipster's haunt each and every time she visits your table.

So stop saving the children from their food, Sally.  Get on the Awash tip.  You'll find everything you want in an Ethiopian meal, without the bad karma.  What are you waiting for? Call the number below now!
4 - Frank W.: The memories I had of my first trip to Awash were that the waitresses were stylish, the atmosphere was relaxed,  and that the food was good. But that there was just way too much of it, even for a pig like me!  This was really, really unfortunate because spongy Injera leftovers in your fridge the next day are pretty darn disgusting, which I hadn't known before, but now i most certainly do.

Fortunately, unlike many experiences I've had in life I actually learned from that one and when I returned with my pal Mary from out of town, I knew to ignore the waitress who shrugged at me dismissively that the dinner for two wasn't a lot of  food.  I suggested we split a dinner for one and get an appetizer and this turned out great.

First of all, our cold lentil appetizer was the best part of the meal.  It wasn't too hot but had a great horseradishy flavor to it.  

For the main course we got chicken and lamb as our choices to go with the big old sponge.  Because we got a combination meal, we couldn't get the lamb choice we wanted, but ah well, the delicious African wine dulled any feelings of disappointment, and, hey, the combo was less than 15 bucks so still a pretty great deal!

We left both full and satisfied, but not awash in extra sponge.  I'm looking forward to my next trip back.
4 - Minji K.: I have to admit I was pretty apprehensive about eating here because so many of my friends that have tried Ethiopian haven't been fans of the bread. I was pleasantly surprised by my experience here. The ambience was relaxed, the waitress was extremely helpful with suggestions and explaining the different dishes, and the food was really good! The whole experience of scooping up the meat and vegetables with the bread and eating with your hands was really unique and a lot of fun.
4 - Letitia W.: This was my first attempt at Ethopian food and dare I say that I love it. The experience was simply amazing. The food was great and the price wasn't bad either. We ordered a bottle of red honey wine... OMG!!! We tried to buy a bottle from them that we can take home but they wouldn't let us. It was so good. 

We ordered the Meat Combination to share and because there was three of us, and the combination is shared between two people, there was a $5 charge. However, you can get away with not having to pay if you order another appetizer. The one we chose was the Chicken Sambusa. It was amazingly good. Especially if you dump a lot of the spicy yellow sauce on it. The pastry is lightly fried so it's crunchy and the chicken inside was not dry at all. The Meat Combo consisted of Tibs Wat, Doro Wat, Yebeg Alicha, and any 3 vegetables of your choice. It's basically pork, chicken, and lamb cooked in 3 different ways. The pork and chicken were great. I'm not a big fan of lamb to begin with so that was okay. We chose YATAKILT ALICHA which is cabbage, carrot, potatoes, delicately sauteed with peppers onions and garlic, YEMESIR KIK WAT: split red lentils cooked in berbere sauce, and SHIRO: crowned chick peas, mildly spiced, cooked with chopped onions and tomatoes as our 3 vegetables. YUMMMM is all I got to say. The only problem I had with this restaurant is that the bread you grab everything with was way too sour for me. Not a big fan of that.

The overall experience there was great. The service was good, although they should hire at least another waitress because when it got busy, we couldn't get her to come over fir at least 10 minutes. The price was great too. The three of us spent a little over $70 including tips and a bottle of honey wine that was $27.
2 - beverly c.: Well let me first being by saying that I was not excited about going to this restaurant. The food doesn't look appetizing. But, after trying it, it was better than I thought it would be. The bread ( I apologize now for not having the technical names to refer to) is very spongy and slightly sour. The foods you choose are placed in a large pan with your choices on top. I chose the single person combo platter at $10.95 that includes two meats and three veggie choices. I had the special tibs (beef cubes), chicken, beets, collard greens and lentil (saucy). The lentil was a bit spicy but tasted very good. THe chicken was a bit bitter and was my least favorite. The best dish of the night however, was the appetizer- beef sambusa. I loved the sauce that came with it. It had a heavy lemony garlic flavor to it. We also had veggie sambusa which was good. The sambusas had a great crunchy, flavorful crust. Although the appetizer was good, I probably wouldn't make a trip from Queens all the way out there for a meal..

The food does take a while to be served (but at least it's the same for everyone across the board so you expect it and it's not intentional discrimnation or something...).

The food is very filling. You can share a combo but must add $5 for every additional person the combo is not designated for. The ambiance is nice with candles, portraits of important people and my favorite- the  Ethiopian styled lanterns. 

I liked that the waitresses wore traditional garb. They looked very elegant.
2 - Maura N.: Passable, not great.  Wouldn't recommend it unless in a pinch.  Restaurant was almost empty, soap operas loud on TV, which was pretty distracting. Staff was largely invisible, though pleasant.
3 - Josephine A.: Ethiopian has been on my list to try.  Since there is one on the same block as me... I decided to propose it for a dinner date.  The place was suprisingly busy and much larger than what it appeared from the outside.  We asked the waitress to order for us and she picked the combo platter to share with chicken and beef and a sample of the six vegetables.  The "sponge" aka bread was quite interesting and is used to eat the food... eating completely without utensils.  My friend and I both thought the beef was very similiar to Indian food and the vegetables weren't so bad.  Personally, I feel the food is a little bland for my taste buds but then I always like everything to the extreme.  Service was attentive and the honey wine is very much like Boone's Farm according to my friend.
2 - Leslie R.: I'm torn on what to rate this! I started out with the honey wine and the beef sambusa. The waitress brought out samples of the red and white honey wine, and they were both fantastic. I actually liked the red better, which is a first since I'm not that big on red wine, but we went with the white. The beef sambusa was fantastic! It came with a spicy sauce to dip it in, not sure what the sauce was made of.

The main meal though, I thought it was bland and I didn't particularly like the spongy bread you use to eat the food. Which is a first, because I'm a carb fiend. It wasn't horrible, it's just not something I'd come back for. 

I'd definitely come back for drinks and appetizers, though! Four stars for those!

I'd agree with people who say the service is friendly but slow. One waitress for a fairly small place.
4 - Julianne L.: First off, I LOVE Ethiopian food.  So it's no surprise that I would make it a point to try some in NYC.  Awash was very yummy, but I think I'm still partial to the places in LA.  

We ordered a meat combo, appetizers and a bottle of wine.  The meat combo was a little bland and the injera was more sour than I was used to.  The chicken sambusas though were AMAZING.  Deliciously seasoned ground chicken in a triangular crispy phyllo dough.  It came with an addictively spicy sauce that I covered my sambusa in.  I've had sambusas at other places before but this was definitely the best one I've had.

For an absolute wino/lush, the wine was my favorite part of the meal.  The red honey wine is to die for!  The wine is called Honey Run Blackberry Honey Wine and is amazingly rich in flavor.  It's very sweet and thick so the flavors linger in your mouth long after you've swallowed.  It's seriously orgasmic!  So much so that I tried to bribe the waitress in selling me a bottle to go.  Alas, no such luck.  Instead, she pointed me to a liquor store nearby that carried it. (FYI: Whole Foods carries the wine too!)

Service was slow but pleasant.  It's definitely worth trying if you're not in rush.
4 - Erin L.: Second time at an Ethiopian restaurant. It tastes very similar to the first on i went to. My fave parts are the sour flat bread and eating with your hand. I think this place gives you unlimited bread, but I am not sure, so don't hold me to that. I also tried Ethiopian coffee for the first time since they're known for their coffee ceremonies. The coffee is tasted like it has a lot of spices in it. My friend really enjoyed it but it's not my cup of 'tea' (it made my stomach felt like it was on fire). But all in all, I like Ethiopian food :)
4 - Marin G.: Really like this place. Ethiopian food is great and the fact that this place is always crowded is proof of it's deliciousness. The combo plates let you try a bit of everything and the portions are huge so you may want to look around before ordering a whole one for yourself. It's a good place to share if you know who you're sharing with. Oh, and they have a great vegetarian option as well!
4 - Kim B.: I took two friends here about a month ago and was a bit nervous because they'd never had Ethiopian before, so I was hoping they would like it! We had a great time. We got the special, a combo platter for 2 with a bottle of wine for $40 (to split among the 3 of us) with an appetizer of chicken sambusa, which was heavenly! I would definitely recommend the sambusa. The wine, some kind of blackberry honey wine (other readers have commented) was DELICIOUS although quite sweet, but it was absolutely fantastic and complimented the dinner quite well.

I hadn't visited Awash (or other Ethiopian) in awhile and wasn't sure what to order, so I asked what a good combination platter would be for people unfamiliar with the cuisine and our server recommended some dishes, which were great. One annoying thing-- they have a charge for sharing plates, yet the 3 of us (who were hungry!) could not even come close to finishing the combo for 2 that we ordered. We didn't get the plate charge (because one of us ordered the appetizer, perhaps?) but it bothered me that they would have that charge when it's really impossible to finish what they design for 2 people.

I would go again in a heartbeat though and recommend it to anyone who likes to try different food. The atmosphere is nice and service was slow at first but our waitress was very helpful.
3 - Eating through Manhattan am I.: try the blackberry honey wine-- tastes like an ice wine.

went here and tried Ethiopian for the first time last night.

had the combo for 2-- great food, the flavors reminded me of indian and malaysian... didn't love the spongy bread flavor, it was good to start but the sourness and saltiness started to wear on me after a while. the staff is great, attentive, and very friendly! cute restaurant.
5 - Savraj S.: Ambiance, service, and food were great for dinner a couple nights ago. I've had Ethiopian before, and awash met my expectations. We happily left a big tip. :)
4 - Yan T.: In 20-30 years, African restaurants may fill out the hip downtown streets. For now, you can enjoy Awash's Ethiopian standards. I chose one of the meat combinations, which feeds 2 and is served on the large, spongy pancake (no fork/knife allowed). All meat and vegetables were tasty, though not necessarily memorable (after all, this is peasant food--cheap, appetizing, and satisfying).
4 - Lamb J.: I'm used to no-fuss Ethiopian, and so I found Awash to be refreshing in that it is more spacious, cleaner and more attentive than previous experiences. It's the little things like putting new paper over the tablecloth and providing warm towels as well as re-filling water (esp. if the Special Tibs are too spicy) that keeps me coming back. With that said, the Special Tibs has a kick without being too spicy, and the lamb and chicken entrees are tasty with a slight kick without being spicy. The Shiro was my favorite, as well as the red and yellow lentils, and I even got my friend to finally try out the tasty marrow and stick her finger in the bone. The injera is good -- spongy and moist without having the fermenting smell I've encountered at other places, and the Ethiopian red and white honey wines are quite good. A combo platter for one is around $11, and my friend and I elected to each have our own combo (two meats, three vegetables) for greater variety since it's only a buck over a joint combo.
5 - G B.: We've regularly eaten Ethiopian/Eritrean cuisine across the country - DC, LA, SF, Detroit, Chicago, etc. Awash is at the top (followed by The Blue Nile in Ann Arbor [which is VERY GOOD], &  Mudai in San Jose). The food is consistently excellent. The wait staff efficient and gorgeous. It's one of our favorite restaurants in the country. You'll enjoy each bite and quaff.
3 - elise h.: My date and I decided to try Awash after realizing we probably needed a break from the usual Thai fare on the block.  We stepped into Awash on a sweltering, muggy evening and were pleasantly surprised to find the air conditioning in Awash in full swing.  It wasn't just air-conditioned; it was really cold, like office air conditioning!

We ordered the vegetarian dinner for two, and within just a few moments, our appetizer appeared.  The nice thing about the dinner for two is that you get to choose from a list of appetizers.  We tried a pastry filled with spinach, which came with a delicious chilled, spicy lentil hot sauce.  I probably could have eaten a whole bowl of that spicy lentil sauce, it was that good.

Our vegetarian dinner was sizable and came with all the usual great Ethiopian veggie dishes: yellow lentils, red lentils, potato and carrot, spinach, salad and beets.  The red lentils are usually my favorite item on a vegetarian Ethiopian dish, and at Awash they were pretty good but not as smoky or complex as I had hoped.  The yellow lentils were mild and delicious.  One thing that was new to me was the potatoes in beet sauce.  They tasted pretty much like plain potatoes with just a little sweetness from the beet sauce.  I appreciated the fact that the potatoes were all cooked perfectly and retained their flavor.  All the veggies tasted fresh.

The service at Awash is very nice and we got everything we needed right away.  Before we ate, they brought us nice hot clean towels for our hands.  They refilled our water glasses many times without us ever having to ask, and when we requested hot sauce they brought that out too.  I thought it was just going to be some supermarket stuff in a bottle, but it was homemade!  We asked what was in it and the waitress told us it was berbere and a little wine.  It was delicious and reminded me of the harissa sauce I can sometimes find in Mediterranean markets.  After the meal, lemon-scented wipees were brought immediately.  We did have to ask for the check but once we put our money in, they brought the change right away.

The food at Awash was pleasant enough, but I'm not sure I would go out of my way to make a return visit here.  I've had better Ethiopian food downtown and especially in the Bay Area, where I'm from.  The service was nice though and I was glad to have the option of going there on a block that has just a few choices!
4 - Lydia N.: Yum! I had never been to an Ethiopian restaurant before this, so the whole experience was pretty great.  I came here with a friend for dinner and, unless you're graceful at eating with your hands, don't come here on a first date.  
The decorations were really nice and the service was prompt. My glass of water was always at least half full (I'm a camel when it comes to restaurants).  The combo dishes let you try a little bit of everything and are quite filling.  All the food was delicious and the spongy teff injera was fun to eat.  The chicken in Berbere sauce was really delicious - just perfectly spicy - but a little oily. Maybe that's how it usually is, but this is my first so...
My greatest complaint was that the women's bathroom door seems to get jammed easily...and I ended up stuck in the  bathroom for a panicked 8 minutes.  Beware.
1 - Noodles M.: I have an open mind. I have tried many, MANY types of food before. This was by far the worst meal I have EVER eaten in all my years in Manhattan or alive for that matter. I'm serious. Let's start with the fact that there are no utensils. I can respect the fact they are trying to go for the ethnic equivalant of shabby chic, but come on an entire meal w/o knives and forks?

So no utensils means you have to eat with your hands. I have 1 word for you...dis-gust-ing. I saw people come in and sit down order food and start eating w/o washing their hands! WTF!!!

You are just begging for a stomach virus like that. 

Dear Lord and the "bread" that comes with your food...omfg. It looks like a combination of a bed comforter & that insulation stuff that goes underneath a carpet. It tasted like a carpet too. Not that I have tons of experience with that. 

I seriously couldn't eat my food. It was completely inedible. 

If you want to pretend and lie to yourself and be a wannabe Brooklyn trendoid and wear a stupid scarf that is ironically called "peace scarves", go right ahead and step right up to waste your money, and mojo time with your lady or guy. 

I can't stress to you how incredible the food was. Incredibly BAD!

You've been warned!
4 - Amriel K.: A good feeling came over me as soon as we breached the doorway and the delicious smell of spices hit me right in the face.

The place was almost full on a Sunday night at around 7 so that was a good sign in my book as well.

I ordered a combination plate consisting of tibs(spicy cubed beef), doro wat (chicken on the bone) and three vegetable sides. The red lentils here were a little more al dente than most Ethiopian restaurants I've been to but just as tasty. The meat was tender and the spice level was a nice slow steady burn. They also have many vegetarian options like most Ethiopians joints.

Prices are very reasonable. Service is a little slow but who's rushing?
5 - Rick M.: Best Ethiopian in NYC hands down. Great takeout and dine in.
4 - Megh D.: I will admit it.

I am biased.

I love Ethiopian food.

Though, fear not, ye faithful Yelpers: That auto-star did not have to come into play here. Awash earned it all on it's own.

Courteous service from the moment we stepped in the door. The host and water boy made no less than 8 trips to refill my glass (I am a lush) and had a smile on his face every time. 

No traditional handwashing, but clean, hot towels did the trick and warmed our mitts from the cold outside.

The food was delicious: warm wat and cool salad, bountiful injera, unique Ethiopian beers. Especially pleasing was the variation in flavour from one wat to the next (unlike some places were an indistinguishable profil pervades each dish). I cannot reccommend one in particular; just get the vegetarian combo and go exploring.

The one negative was how tightly cramped the tables were -which lead to us being 'Awash' in sambussas at one point when our waiter ate it trying to reach our "cozy" corner table. Coming and going meant traffic patterns, and logistic work is not normally what one looks for on a friday night.

If, however, what you are looking for is huge portions of comforting, filling, and unique food served with pride and an effort to please, Awash is the place.
5 - Roya B.: Awash was a pleasant surprise as my father puts it. He was in town and wanted to check out something unique and different. I happened to live a block across the street from there about a year ago. I visited Awash once before and really liked it. This place is exceptionally great. For starters, the ambiance was terrific because it was very homey and had Ethiopian paintings/decorations. For $8 lunch special, which is a steal, we ordered two meat and two vegetarian dishes each. We ordered the special tibs which comes with a hot sauce and special sauces, the YEBEG ALICHA FITFIT, which tasted buttery and succulent  and the DORO ALICHA chicken dish. I was really impressed with the lamb and beef dishes but the vegetarian entrees were just as amazing. I especially liked the flavorful collard greens and the cabbage, carrot and potatoes dish. I loved this place and would come back in a heartbeat. The bread is also great but don't go crazy eating it, as you will fill up pretty fast. My dad thought this place was great and I highly recommend it especially to those who never have had Ethiopian food.
2 - Ariel K.: Eating at Awash is more of an experience than a culinary destination. The food is placed on a large piece of thin and spongy sourdough bread. You rip the bread off and grab the main ingredients with the bread instead of utensils. 

And you thought you'd never have the opportunity to play with your food out of preschool....

But that's it. The food at Awash left something to be desired, especially because there are so many distinguished Indian restaurants in the area. For my dish I ordered the red lentils in berbeure sauce and it came with two vegetable sides (the restaurant surprises you with the sides, you don't get to choose) braised beets and mushy carrots and potatoes. The vegetables were bland, and their consistency was more like baby food. The lentils were better, but they lacked spice. 

My fellow eaters ordered the special tibs, or beef in spicy sauce. This seemed better than my meal, but it wasn't worth the price (15 dollars). 

Save your money (this place is also quite expensive), and go to a cheaper Indian restaurant on the same block.
4 - Daichi K.: Visited this place with a friend of mine for the second time. Ordered their Savignon Blanc wine, which was tasty and their Combination platter for 2 with 2 meats and 3 vegetables.  The flavors pours through your mouth on every bite! 

The waiter was nice, friendly, gave us suggestions, and also checked on us every 15 minutes or so to bring more bread. 

Definitely worth a visit!
4 - Shannon O.: Delicious food, reasonable prices, slow service.
4 - Alex V.: I am obsessed with Ethiopian food because Awash changed my life! Much much better than Meskereem overall. The service, pirce, and honey wine is better. However, the food is a little more bland. LOVE THIS PLACE and recommend to all
5 - Darlene S.: I went here with some friends who are from Ethiopia and they told me that this place is as close to home cooking that you'll ever get in NY.  This is the place to eat.  No utensils!!!  Dig in and have fun!
4 - Jason G.: Rock solid Ethiopian Food in a friendly and casual atmosphere ... one on the things I love about this cuisine is the depth of flavors in every dish.  There are also varied and complimentary textures, which are part of the fun.  

Awash is up there with the best I've had.  I'd eat there again anytime!
3 - Dan T.: I'm certainly no expert in Ethiopian food, but I thought this was a nice change of pace from the usual fare.

My friend and I shared the meat combo - the regular dishes are not cheap, but the combos seem to be the best way to get the most variety for your buck.  Beef, chicken, lamb, and the "special" (which I think was another cut of beef, but my favourite preparation and sauce) are all present, and although there was not a huge amount of meat in each serving, there was enough food to go around that we were stuffed by the end of the meal for about $25 (before tax+tip) between the both of us!

You get to choose three vegetable sides, of which we chose the shiro (chick peas), key sir alicha (beets), and yemesir kik wat (lentils).  You can't choose the string beans and carrots because it is more expensive than the rest, but those three were still very tasty in their own right.

All in all, each dish was different enough to keep the meal interesting as we sampled each and every one.  And even though I think the large amount of injera served played a role in filling us up, it was still a meal I enjoyed.  

And for those reviewers who take issue with eating with your hands, please note that there are plenty of cultures and civilizations that have eaten (and still eat) with their hands, and have lasted generations without being wiped out by dysentery or gastroenteritis.  Just go to the bathroom, use plenty of soap and hot water, and wash up.  If you don't wipe your hands on the bottom of your shoes or anything else on the way back to your table, I am certain that you will be fine.
5 - Dan T.: Casual, decorative atmosphere; cool space. Dead on a Monday afternoon, I was a little unnerved by no lunch menu/portion/specials. The $11.50 for a dish was certainly a bargain, though, as it was absolutely a copious amount of food. Got the Yessimir Kik Wat with sides (included) of shiro & yater kik alichia; large portions bursting with flavor. No utensils in the takeout bag being the worst part of the experience, a solid 4.75.
5 - Kunal G.: There are places where nothing else matters once you start eating. The ambience and the noise and everything just fade away, and become irrelevant. Ladies and gentlemen, this is one of those places.

The veggie combo here is great. Every dish is spot on. The lentils are just spicy enough, the carrots and beets just naturally sweet enough, the greens just crisp enough. Everything is just right. And the waitress was kind enough to give us a bunch of extra dishes on the house as part of the combo, so we had something like 9 types of veggie entrees instead of the usual 4 or 5 that are on the menu. Who even does that anymore? 

And on a sidenote, what's up with all the people disgusted by eating with your hands, and complaining about the lack of utensils? That's how people eat in different cultures, deal with it. Don't be whiner snobs. That's like walking into a japanese place and complaining that they give you chopsticks and not forks. It's called expanding your mind to different cultures, and if you live in New York, you should try it sometime. Losers.
5 - Vanessa X.: Absolutely wonderful restaurant definitely worth a visit!!!!!

Service was very prompt and my water was filled as soon as it was almost empty and on every table there was a beautiful rose, a nice touch. The restaurant had some interesting decor (paintings of monarchs, it seems) and the set-up was very cozy with mirrors, white cloth tables and a mini bar in back that smacked of festivity.

But oh the food.....I had Ethiopian food once before and was not impressed, but decided to give it another go, and boy am I glad I chose Awash. The injera was not as sour as the one I had the first time and the sponginess and tanginess was right on.

I ordered the Awash chicken which was marinated with garlic ginger, and other spices and came with three vegetable sides of which I picked GOMEN (collard green coked with onions, garlic and green peppers), YATAKILT ALICHA (cabbage, carrot, potatoes, delicately sauteed with peppers onions and garlic) and SHIRO (crowned chick peas, mildly spiced, cooked with chopped onions and tomatoes). The vegetables are so thoroughly cooked and rich with all kinds of exotic flavors. It is apparent they use herbs and spices liberally and the result is splendid. The chicken was cooked dry (and one of the few dishes on the menu cooked without butter) and was slightly harder to chew than I would've liked but nevertheless tasted awesome with the injera and the vegetable sides. My favorite vegetable side is the SHIRO so be sure to try that one!

They gave you extra injera (I had three "rolls") and really filled you up. I think I devoured the whole thing in less than 3 minutes. At first it felt kind of strange to eat with your hands while scooping with the injera bread but after the first few bites it felt so primal and just FUN to eat with your hands in a restaurant setting. It felt so free and liberating! Between big lip-smacking bites, I was vowing to return here and bring all of my friends. I think I will be craving Ethiopian food  reallll soon! (Never though I would ever say this). 

p.s. I tried the dishes cooked in Berbere sauce and not too crazy about the sauce. It's a little spicy but also had a bitter after-taste that I think I might get used to after a while but initially was a bit jarring. Avoid until you get used to the other things/bored with other things on the menu.
4 - Hillary L.: This is a favorite for tasty, quick, affordable Ethiopian food. The service is very prompt. I recommend the Veggie Combo -- there is more variety than comparable dishes at other restaurants.
5 - Tara S.: I've always really liked Ethiopian food, and this has so far been my favorite Ethiopian in the city.  The ambiance was very nice-homey, ethnic-and there was a really upbeat vibe.

We were there around 6:30 pm on a Thursday.  The place was about half full.  Unlike some other reviewers, our service wasn't slow, and as is typical at Ethiopian restaurants the waitstaff were extremely polite and respecful.

We had the meat combo for 2, and we each had a glass of honey wine (1 red, 1 white).  Both were flavorful.  The injera was absolutely perfect.

We pretty much devoured the ample plate of food when it came to us, and left completely, utterly full.

I would definitely like to go back.
3 - Khashayar F.: If you liek to try international dishes. This is a very interesting place. if you go by groups 2 or plus you can enjoy having a food over a one big plate which is over by Ethiopian bread and the food are put on it. Don't for get to order the Lamb dish. The food is ok but it worth to be tried once. 
service is good and restroom is horrible.lol
3 - Anthony R.: This is some GOOD FOOD!  I ordered the veggie platter.  I had more than enough 'bread' for slathering the veggie things onto.  I wasn't prepped on how to eat, which is a signal of bad customer service to me.  Even places like Carmine's, an italian restaurant, will prep you about their food.  That's why Carmine's is always packed and this place is not.  

While we're on the subject of customer service, this place has bad all-around customer service.  It was just one girl.  She gave me the menu, and after it was apparent that I was ready, she didn't come up to me and ask if I was ready.  She was 5 ft away texting on her phone the whole time!  Plus, the restaurant was far from packed.

When she came to fill up my water, she didn't make eye contact with me, I had to just say, "I'll have the veggie platter, please."  I wasn't even sure if SHE was waiting on me or not, because she wasn't paying attention to me, just filling up some water like a bus person does.

When the food came, I was happy.  I soon realized that in order for me to eat properly, I had to pick up the slop on the plate with my hands and throw it onto the spongey 'bread'.  It is GOOOOD!

I like spicy, so I could have had it more spicy, but that's a personal preference.

The meal was filling and tasty, there was a tang somewhere in the the mix of vegetable mushies, and it added a layer of complexity to the food which I liked quite a bit.

The various vegetable mushies tasted similar, but I was still enjoying the whole thing.  The price for a veggie platter is 13 bucks, not bad for a dinner if you don't order anything else.  And if you are a healthy person, ordering anything else would just be a waste.

All in all, good food, fun experience, mediocre atmosphere, so-so prices, and horrible customer service.

The bottom line, I am still going to visit this place again, especially because it is only a block away from my apt.
5 - Erin M.: I must preface this review by mentioning that I previously lived in Berkeley, CA right off Telegraph and was very close to an amazing Ethiopian restaurant that I immediately fell in love with. I knew that a city like New York was bound to have great Ethiopian restaurants as well, so I made it a point to check some of them out as soon as I could.

A friend and I decided we wanted a post-happy hour dinner and thought "why not try an Ethiopian place?" So, we did. We chose this particular place because of its location. We live near Columbia University, which is in walking distance of Awash. (Also helped that I always check Yelp before doing anything and saw the good reviews!)

The service was good. We ordered honey wine and they gave us a sample of the blackberry version of it, so we could decide since neither of us had had that kind before. There was a small fruit fly in my first glass of wine but it was immediately taken care of, and I didn't think much of it! 

The restaurant has a nice ambiance. Dimly lit with candles at each table. The place was pretty full, but not loud even though the tables can be quite close to one another. 

My friend and I each got a combo plate with two meats and three veggies. I got special tibs and some other kind of tibs (which I can't remember right now). They were incredibly flavorful and delicious. I liked that they were both a little spicy. I ordered the collard greens, potatoes and carrots, and beets and carrots (?) for my vegetables. All were very good. My friend got lamb and chicken with chick peas, lentils, and the beets/carrots and really enjoyed everything.

I will definitely be visiting the restaurant again very soon! I cannot wait actually!
3 - Catriona C.: Injera was delicious, but I found the vegetarian platter a little wanting - some options were overspiced, others bland, none really in between. Overall, I did like it and would go back. It is only my 2nd Ethiopian experience, and so far the first restaurant I tried suited my tastes better. I also enjoyed the vegetarian spring rolls that I had as an appetiser. The majority of deep fried food tends to come drenched in the sensation of win, and this did not disappoint.

I'll keep taste testing and if I am back in NY, would definitely try it again. After all, any restaurant that gives you hand towels to wash your hands in preparation for your meal, then allows you to pretty much play with your food (a.k.a eat with your hands) is a done deal for me.
4 - Stephen B.: The vegetarian dish is wonderful, you rip off a piece of bread and then grab it with your hands.  When Buddhist friends come in from out of town, we take them here, and they generally love it.  I love this place.  A unique dining experience.
2 - Baby G.: Ambiance - 5 stars. White table cloths, good spacing between tables. Music not blaring. Lighting just right. Clean.

Service - 3 stars. Too slow to come to take the initial order. Too slow to give us the check. The sad thing is the restaurant was not that busy. But even if they were, some kind of acknowledgement that we were waiting would have sufficed. No such gesture was made.

Food - 3 stars.  Had the veggie combo which I normally get at Ethiopian restaurants. If I wanted to introduce someone to Ethiopian food, it would not be here. Take them to Meskerem in the W 40s - 100 times better. Some of the food here was pretty bland. I was wondering where were the spices.

Drinks - 1 star. My friend ordered a Long Island ice tea to help wind down his hectic work day. Unfortunately this drink did not do the trick. Let's just say the look on his face after the first sip had the words "let down" written all over it. I felt bad for him because he was really looking forward to it too.

Prices - No happy hour drink specials (at least none advertised). Drink was $7. Food is reasonably priced. Veggie combo was $11 which is about the norm for NY.

Overall - I won't be back. Only 2 out of the 5 dishes on the veggie combo were worth eating. From now on I'll stick to Meskerem in the W 40s (or on W4 if I'm taking it to go). That is until I find a better Ethiopian restaurant in NYC.
4 - Evan H.: After my second visit to Awash, I remember I didn't write anything about the first visit.  Both times that I've come here the food has been excellent.  The only problem is the service is slow.  Not only to get someone to take your order, but for the food to come.  Now i realize if they make everything to order it takes longer, and the food is worth it, but its my only complaint here.

On my most recent visit, there were 8 of us, split into two tables, making it easy to get the various "for 2" plates.  This times I split a meat platter which comes with 4 meats and 3 veggies.  They are all excellent and despite being Ethiopian "standards" they do them right with a lot of flavor and spice.

Beers here are reasonable, most for $5 and you can pretty much eat until your pants button will come undone for $11 + tax, tips, drinks.  This is a definite winner as far as Ethiopian food on the UWS and worth traveling to, if you aren't near the East side location.
4 - Food E.: Noodles is an idiot. His "review" haha starts out by saying he is open minded, but then he immediately starts complaining about the culturally authentic practice of eating with your hands. I would love to see his review of a sushi restaurant:  "...I'm open minded, but the 'fish' is not even cooked!?! WTF..."
Noodles is a twit!
3 - Rebecca P.: The food was a 4. The service was a 2. This averages to a 3. 

I made reservations for 14 for a birthday-bachelor party. They accommodated us well, and even said I could bring in cupcakes and other stuff for the party. When we were all seated, they took our orders with a lot of patience with our questions, although they couldn't handle orders above plates for 3 (although their menu says they can). So, we ordered in 2s ($22 and up) and 3s ($33 and up), and then had a loooong wait for the food to arrive, as other reviewers have noted. Not only that, but they weren't very helpful in wrapping leftovers to go; they seemed to take people's dishes and then not come back. Last, they took FOREVER to give us our damn check. We waited, then asked, then waited more, then asked again, then waited more. We were subsequently late for our next engagement because of them, and this also made for a lot of bad check splitting based on some people estimating their costs without a bill in hand. Drama drama drama for my birthday and friend's bachelor party. 

As for the food itself, it was good. The cuts of meat were not fantastic, but the flavors of the food were great, easily 4 star. Unlike LA, they were more on the sweet/savory side then just spicy in a wholesome/salty way. And, each dish tasted somewhat unique, rather than blurring together. I'd return for the food but put lots of pressure on them for the service. Go only if you have time and no other plans and lots of patience.
5 - Lars P.: During my daughter's 4 year's at Columbia University, this was the number one place to go when I was visiting. My daughter is a vegan, my (now ex-) wife is a celiac, and I am a farm-raised omnivore, but at this place we could all find things we liked..
The prices are very reasonable, and the food is very tasty and prepared with attention to detail. The ambiance is exotic, and the waitstaff is friendly.
4 - Lorial C.: I love stumbling across restaurants such as this. The service may be sub par but the cuisine is superb! Patience will pay off here and you will be talking about your meal for weeks to come!
4 - Elana S.: FIVE STARS FOR FOOD AND SERVICE, 
I only give this four stars only because when it is over-crowded, the ambience loses its charm.
GREAT FOR GROUPS!
Food is SO good, SO authentic and SO affordable. The first time we got the check, we literally asked the server if they made a mistake (in our favor.) We couldnt believe how cheap it was. 
Love the ingera bread (spelling?)- it is so healthy, also!
Get the platter for 2 if you go..and start with those afiza lentils..I have never tried a dessert there.
Wines by the glass are a bit weak, go for a beer.
This place is great for delivery as well when you have a great bottle of wine at home.
4 - Michael K.: Good, solid Ethiopian food.
5 - Mooie G.: Always yum. Place is a good size with a bar. Food is always good. It comes out on one big plate (kinda family style) versus individual plates. its a little better for small groups or couples versus very large groups.  there's enough room if there's only one large group, otherwise the space is a little tight.  when i went, it was mainly couples, and a few tables of 3-4.  once a group comes in of 10 or more, its like you're scared to move your chair in few of hitting someone elses.  

food and serice is great. it's very well recommended.
5 - jennifer l.: giving Awash 5-stars because the other 2 Ethiopian restaurants in my neighborhood are nothing compared to this!

about 4 years ago my boyfriend and his family introduced me to Ethiopian food. i was a bit skeptic because i had no idea what it was, but trusted them to give it a try. plus i didn't want to be rude=P

the dish we ALWAYS get is the combo #2 with beets. it consists of lentils, chicken, tibs wat (beef), carrots, potatoes and 2 large pieces of injera (bread). we order it about once a month and it's always consistently tasty! the portion is large and usually feeds 4 people.

go during the day when it's really quiet since the place isn't really spacious, the dinner crowd can make it feels kinda cramped. or eat it at home, which is what i usually do.
5 - Nihaahs E.: Outstanding!
4 - huong n.: i love ethiopian food and i am glad to have found this place.

we have been here a couple of times with friends - it's a great way to try a lot of their options.  their food has been good and solid every time.  i like the veggie options, especially the string beans and carrots and the beets.  my friends like the raw beef, lamb cubes with exotic herbs, and chicken in berbere sauce.

the service has been excellent every time.

it's a great place for dinner with a group.
2 - Steve S.: I went here because it had more stars than any other Ethiopian restaurants on yelp in Manhattan.  While the service was good, the food came out cold, making for a bit of a disappointment.  I've really enjoyed Ethiopian food in LA restaurants, I hope I can find a comparable one here.  Perhaps it was partly due to ordering just before the kitchen closed, I'd be willing to give it another chance.
4 - Katherine L.: My Ethiopian friend took me here for me to try the Ethiopian food, and it was an enlightening experience.  There were no utensils, so I asked for a fork.  Then the waitress told me there are none.  So I got the idea that I'm supposed to eat with my hands.  I never did it before, so initially it felt a little strange.  But once I started, I felt pretty comfortble soon.  I liked the spicy lentle the best.  I wrapped the lentles with the flat sour bread and ate it with my hands.  It was fun.
5 - John R.: My first and favorite exposure to Ethiopian food. The injera was great. The chicken entree I got was incredible. Even the vegetarian dish, which I normally don't go wild for was absolutely delicious. I couldn't recommend this place more. Some might not be into eating with their hands (deal with it you cranks) or the seating, but I loved it from beginning to end. The only bummer was no honey wine, but I'm assuming that was an anomaly. Eat up!
5 - Nicole D.: Awash, you are my favorite restaurant in New York City.  I love you.  Tibs wat, I would marry you if I were not already married or if it were legal to marry a meat product.  Also, I cannot get enough of the vegetarian platter.  The collard greens and beets are so good- I want to built little forts around them to prevent my fellow diners from eating my beloveds.  This place also has amazingly attractive staff.  Even if my friends are not in the mood for Awash, they can sometimes be swayed by the promise of hot waitstaff.
5 - perri p.: the BEST ethiopian food in manhattan.  just wonderful.  very nice service and atmosphere as well.
4 - Francisco H.: When I walked into Awash, I kept waiting for the Howard Shore soundtrack to kick into high gear.  I sat down and as the waitress took my beverage order, I waited for the sounds to seep into my brain.  I felt like I was floating in a gin-induced dream.  The dark interior is perfect for that secret rendezvous with your lover.  There were so many things I want to try on the menu and the only thing that held me back was the fact that I was with a lovely young woman and I didn't want to appear like Slimer from the Ghostbusters.
The chicken sambusa appetizer tempted me to buy one more order for the long subway ride.  The special tibs made me drool a la Homer Simpson.  Mmmmm, special tibs....
Definitely a great place to take a date.
4 - Barbara C.: Eating here was my first time ever having Ethiopian cuisine, but I'd read/heard a lot about it so I had a good idea of what to expect -- no utensils and most everything is eaten with injera, the sticky spongy sourdough-like bread (which by itself is sour enough to take you a little by surprise, but you get used to it and it is accompanied well by the flavorful entrees served with it).

Being our first time, our server was very helpful to us and made some general recommendations. There were plenty of vegetarian options, and my friend and I got the Vegetable Sambusa appetizer, and the Shiro and Yater Kik Alicha. They were all delicious and there was definitely more than enough food for the two of us. We love strongly flavored foods, and there were plenty of spices that went so well together.

Definitely want to come back and try more of the dishes.
2 - Molly D.: I'd like to give this place 2.5 stars. interesting (in a good way) sauce with the samosas, but everything else was surprisingly bland. We got the combo with special tibs, lamb with onions, potatoes & carrots, red lentils, and greens. The lamb was actually pretty good but everything else needed something, anything. The lentils had a kick (hot) without actually having much flavor. This is the only Ethiopian I've tried in nyc, but I guess the west coast has spoiled me in that it is probably one of the more disappointing Ethiopia meals I've had.
4 - Jess L.: My fiance and I came here spontaneously to check out this highly-rated Ethiopian food, and it did not disappoint! 

We got the meat combo, which came with three meats and three veggies of choice. They were out of string beans, sadness, but the beets more than made up for it. The greens were a little bland, but they made us feel good about eating vegetables for the day.

The food came out quickly, and we got extra injera for no charge.

A good beer selection, too!

The decor is minimal, but it doesn't need much. The food is quite excellent!
3 - A H.: As a self proclaimed ethiopian food afficianado, this place is not bad. I havent gotten the chance to explore too much on their menu but they have a great lunch deal for around $8, 2 meats and 2 veggie items with injera. I usually get a double order of the butter chicken with shiro and miser waat which are all habesha approved, yummy. Good service, nice and clean atmosphere, moderately priced alcohol. Bring cash if you are not spending more than $13....
5 - Susannah S.: I take all my out of town friends to Awash because a) they usually have never had Ethiopian food and b) it is a DEAL.

Try one of the combo platters -- three or four meats (with veggies), or just a whole bunch of veggies. They run from about $20-30 bucks (that's for two people) and you will stuff yourself silly on a diverse choice of dishes. Sometimes the chef will throw in something not on the menu as well -- once I got the most amazing pureed chickpea thing, oh my lord it was so good I was ready to slap my grandma.

The honey wine is pretty cheap and makes a perfect (obviously) accompaniment to the meal.

My only issue with Awash is that their service can be slow at times; however, I can't take them down a star because unlike other Ethiopian places in the city (I'm looking at you, Ghenet), they will bring you extra inera without asking (and without charging), and that is service I cannot fault.

And for everyone complaining about having to eat with their hands -- I shake my head in sadness for you.
4 - Danna A.: Before I came to New York, I had been talking about what I've nom'd, what I haven't nom'd and what I would like to nom--Ethiopian food was definitely on the list of haven'ts and would like to's. Luckily for me, our first night in the concrete jungle entailed dinner here at Awash, as so enthusiastically recommended by my good friend and gracious host.

Mind you, the only thing I knew about Ethiopian food at this point was that you ate with your hands and possibly sat on pillows [I only got the hands thing right, I think the pillows might be more of a Moroccan setting].

My friend apparently comes here religiously and suggested we get one of the combination plates, which from what I can remember, consisted of lentils, collard greens and potatoes cooked in Ethiopian fashion with a serving of doro wat--a scrumdiddlyumptious blend of chicken in red pepper paste! Sounds simple enough, but abso-freakin-lutely finger lickin' goodness. Utensils could be requested, I'm sure, but what could possbly be more fun than eating with your hands? It's like you're 5 all over again! Besides, when in Rome? 

Everything is eaten with this spongy-sourdough-semi-bitter like bread [Google said this is called 'injera'] which is a little overwhelming on the palettes when consumed on its own but perfect when combined with the contents of your plate. We ate everything--not a chicken left undevoured or a lentil left untouched.

Unfortunately, I can't give Awash a 5-Star rating just yet, no matter how delicious it was, mainly because this was my first experience with Ethiopian food and have absolutely nothing to compare it to. But now, the bar has been set. I'm definitely looking forward to my next doro wat experience.
4 - Lily W.: My boyfriend and I came here to have our first Ethiopian food experience, and we were not disappointed. We started with the vegetable sambusa, which was incredibly good. The flaky, buttery crust practically melted in our mouths, and we could actually taste the vegetables (rather than it being some kind of pureed filling). For an entree we had the meat combo with the chickpea, collard greens, and split yellow pea vegetables. We loved each of the meats, which were accompanied nicely by the vegetables (however the vegetables were not memorable on their own). Perhaps it would have been better if we had let the kitchen choose the vegetables, as that seems to be an option. The atmosphere was candle-lit and romantic but also accommodated larger groups nicely.
4 - Giacomo C.: I like this place.

I was here a couple of weekends ago and had a great time, again. It's my third time. The food is good, the service friendly and the ambiance cute. Definitely one of the best Ethiopian choices in the City.

Recommended.
4 - Julia B.: This is the third Ethiopian restaurant I've been to in the city and I was pleasantly surprised. Having lived in Ethiopia for 4yrs and having eaten the cuisine in other countries, I have high standards. I always think it's best to order a combo meal in an Ethiopian restaurant so that's what my friend and I did.

My friend and I shared the Awash Special combo with Special Tibs (beef cubes in marinated sauce in a spicy sauce) with the Gomen (collard greens), Patakilt Alicha (cabbage, carrots & potatoes) and Yemissir Kik Wat (split red lentils).

The good:
Well portioned - we were so full
Spicy & tasty - although I did feel it was more heaty-spicy than fragrant-spicy. But at least it wasn't bland!
Price - for the combo with just tap water, the bill came to $20.70 in total!

The bad:
Injera - itself, it was good but it came very cold. That might be my own issue as I grew up with it freshly made for me by my servants in Ethiopia so I prefer it warm. Oh well.
4 - Dave C.: A solid spot for a weeknight dinner.  They have great deal for a dinner for two, 2 different meats, and 3 veggies and two glasses of wine for like $34.  We ordered the chicken and the lamb along with the collard greens, lentils and beets (sorry I don't know the Ethiopian names).   Awash has good service and it is a nice little find on the UWS.  

Check it out!
5 - Alexandra H.: Great food, attentive, friendly service, and a sweet deal on dinner for two: very filling combination platter and two glasses of wine for about $30. Winner.
2 - Claire M.: The real downfall of Awash was the service and ambience.  The place itself is sort of odd because its carpeted, the tables are close together, and the chairs are similar to something you'd find in an office.  I wouldn't have really noticed the strangeness of the place if I hadn't had to wait for my food so long. We got seated between two couples, and since the seating was so close together, we could basically hear all of their conversation.  This is typical for NYC restaurants, though - but it was pretty difficult to watch them eat their food while we waited over an hour for ours.

The service was very slow.  We got there on Saturday at 8 pm, since we had a reservation.  We got seated right away and probably placed our order around 8:10 pm.  We probably got our drinks around 8:20, our appetizer at 8:45, and our food at 9:20.  By the time we got the entree, we were absolutely starving and ate it in 5 minutes.  We were probably even hungrier because we watched the two couples next to us eat their huge plates of food while we waited for over an hour after we ordered.

The food itself was fair, but not great.  I had Ethiopian once before in Washington, D.C. and I was blown away by the food.  I was pretty excited to try Awash, but it did not meet expectations.  The meat samosa was heavy on the crust and light on the meat - I did like the sauce accompanying it though.  For the main course, we got the meat combo to split between the two of us.  The best was the chicken - it fell off the bone.  The other meat, which the waiter recommended, was pretty simply spicy - not the complex, fragrant spicy that I had expected from my prior experience.  The vegetables were all decent.  The injera was good.  It really was just fair - it was all okay, but not great.  

As for the alcohol - the beers were interesting - I had the Hakim Stout and liked it.  I didn't care for the honey wine because it got too sweet to drink after a few sips - but the waiter did let me try the two kinds before ordering, so it was my fault.

It seems like if you go here on a weeknight, you might get better service and thus might be able to better enjoy the experience.  Also, you may not want to come at a peak time.  We waited for over an hour for our food, but the couple next to us came in at 9 and were served their entree just a few minutes after we were (much to our chagrin). I really think that if the service/ambience had been better, we wouldn't have been so harsh on the restaurant and the food.
3 - Yusuf A.: Solid Ethiopian place that's in walking distance from columbia. great for groups, fun place to take folks who haven't tried ethiopian before. Filling, relatively flavorful, well spiced food. My only qualm is the service which is really erratic - sometimes there on point, at others you'll be doing a good deal of waiting. 

On balance I'de recommend Awash for decent ethiopian food.
5 - Lisette S.: I can't believe I havent written a review for this place yet.  I love it here, I bring all of my guests to eat here!

Some of my favorites include: the awash chicken, the shiro (vegetarian)  and i love the Sambusa's both the beef and veggie ones. 

This place has great service and I love the ambience!  Definitely one of my favorite places in the UWS :)
5 - Nathaniel C.: Consistently amazing, though I have only gone to the one on the UWS since my first go. My only complaint is that they served me raw meat once without asking, which is apparently their policy to only cook certain meats when asked. So, now I know and knowing is half the battle. Go jo. 

I did eat a bit of the raw meat just to see and I have to say: not a fan. Next time I'll ask them to cook it. After the meal when they saw I didn't eat the raw meat, they offered to cook it for me, and said that they gladly would have done so earlier as well if I'd wanted next time. Very nice about it. The Beef TIBS are amazing, and are served cooked. Again: amazing. I also recommend the beets, even if you don't like beets normally. My girlfriend always thinks they are carrots and I have to remind her they are beets.

Update: The next time I DID ask them to cook it and the waiter was hilarious (different waiter). Hi: "are you sure?" "It's supposed to be raw" "I can't promise it will be good" "I don't think you will like it." He was nice enough, but I was pretty confident in my decision. And it was a great decision. It was delicious. 

About beef tibs: So, there are several different tib options at awash. I swear to you, I've ordered the same tibs each time, and each time they come out different. Sometimes with onions, sometimes with onions and peppers. The first few times, it was JUST steak. I loved it that way. The onions and peppers are great too, but even when I order the one without onions and peppers, they put it in. Sometimes even if I ask for no onions and peppers. If I were allergic, this would be a problem. Thankfully, it's always delicious enough that I don't care.
2 - Chris N.: I love injera but not theirs. The tibs wat was just okay, a little spicy for me.
5 - Brian B.: This was seriously the best Ethiopian food I've had! 

I highly suggest that you get one of the combos. That way you get to try a little bit of everything.
4 - Ryan R.: Awash is quite the discovery. This place popped my Ethiopian cherry and as such will always have a special place in my palate. 

I've learned over time that appetizers are usually unnecessary, as you'll usually feel massively pregnant after ingesting so much injera with your entree. However, if you are unfamiliar with the food, it may be a nice way to sample some new fare. Skip the Yitimatim Fitfit - its a throw away. Try the Azifa. 

The combo entrees seem really popular here, and why not? You can feed a group and sample many different meats and vegetables and get a real taste for the cuisine. Any of the variety of the tibs are good (beef), usually nicely seasoned albeit once or twice, they were overcooked and almost jerky like. The one thing I've tried that wasn't at all good was the Yegeb Wat (lamb) - the berbere sauce makes me drool, but the lamb is very fatty and tough. Lamb isn't really my thing anyway. The chicken options are all solid. Skip the Shiro and Yater Kik alicha when ordering vegetables and definitely get the Key Sir alicha (beets). 

And yes people, you eat with your hands. You did it for a few years as a toddler, you'll remember how!! They bring out STEAMING hot towels that REEK of bleach when you are seated, so don't listen to these high strung annoying people droning on and on about how awful and unsanitary and "third world" it is. Its how its done, get over it...although no matter how many times I "awash" my hands (criiiinge, I know I know I couldn't resist), my fingers smell for at least 24 hours!!! 

Its a solid find, and despite some spotty service and the fact that the place is occasionally overrun by noisy Colombia students, the super fair prices and good food make it worth it.
4 - Stefani M.: Very fresh with huge portions! The nice thing is there are many choices for the different combinations. We had a veggie combo and a veggie/meat combo. The best Ethiopian I've had in NYC.
2 - David L.: I had quite an unfortunate and disheartening experience here on Monday evening, Memorial Day. Previously, I'd never had an Ethiopian meal I didn't enjoy, it's always been at least decent no matter where I've been, but this place was just bad. Bad to the point I just don't even want to give them a second chance. Which I always do. Which is saying a lot.

Before seeing the NY Philharmonic (playing Barber and Beethoven) at the nearby Cathedral of St. John the Divine, my friend (whose husband plays in the orchestra) and I wanted to try something new. Neither of us know this neighborhood very well, and neither of us have the opportunity to try this cuisine very often. It basically sold itself. And I want a refund.

From the moment we stepped foot inside the establishment, the single waitress was loudly boasting about how this was her last day working here. Because I didn't want to offend my friend, and because there really wasn't enough time to search for another restaurant, I just pretended I didn't hear what she was saying. Big mistake. After waiting 10 minutes for water, it took another 10 minutes for her to take our order, then it took another 20 minutes for them to bring the food. I ordered Kitfo. It's raw!

For crying out loud, I think the kitchen staff was about as equally disinterested in what they were doing as the waitress. The injera was overly thick and overly soggy and overly bitter. And there were mounds of it everywhere, with every dish. Talk about too much of a bad thing.

The "Azifa," a dish I've had many times elsewhere, was bland -- and the tiny bowl was surrounded by a heap of unattractive injera. The "Yitimatim Fitfit," a dish I've had many times elsewhere, was laughable -- it had almost no discernible trace of tomato, it was all soggy injera and a couple pieces of onions, and this too was surrounded by mounds of undesirable injera on the side. The "Special Kitfo," (their particular take on my absolute favorite Ethiopian dish, which I've had many times elsewhere) was absolutely horrible -- it tasted like bad Mexican salsa, and the meat hadn't been properly disassembled or ground so that it was very stringy and chewy -- and of course this came paired with copious amounts of regrettable injera.
3 - Ray X.: I went there yesterday and when i tried out the food it was very interesting. It was the first time i had Ethiopian food and i frankly wasn't wow by it. The appetizer that i had was a vegetarian dish and the sauce was so sour that it was quite unbearable for me. The chicken dish that i had was good and i liked it. My friends had ordered a combo pack and ordered 4 meats and 2 veg dish. I like the meats but the vegetables were bland and tasteless. As for service the restaurant needed some more service members because when it got really busy there were only 2 people working front of the house. Plus the waiter took a while to get our drinks.
So as for my first experience it was OK but not great.
3 - d p.: Me and my husband ate here a few weeks ago.  It was the first time for both of us trying Ethiopian food.   Since it was my first time trying it i'm not sure if it was actually good ethiopian food or if I just didn't like it.  I thought the bread (injera, I think) that you use to pick all the food up with was wayyyy toooo sour.  I couldn't take that sour taste mixed with the food.  It overpowered any other flavor.  We got the combo dish to sample out a little of everything.  I thought everything on the dish was pretty tasty but again, the bread really ruined it for me.   Also it was a hot day and there was no a/c which was pretty uncomfortable.  
Service was good; and the food didn't take long at all; we went on a sat at around 4 or 5pm and it was pretty empty.
5 - Sarah L.: Ethiopian food is really good, and Awash is one of the best in the City.  The vegetarian platter is great because you get all of their vegetarian choices and it is not too expensive if two people share.  I cannot believe there are so many different ways to eat lentils. Have with a glass of mead (honeywine).  I agree with Ryan R. that appetizers are unnecessary, but they are good.
4 - Josh S.: My favorite Ethiopian. Decor is not great but the vegetarian platter and low price make it worth the price every time.
4 - Elaine K.: This is a good, solid and cheap Ethiopian place. I'm a big fan.

To me, what makes a good Ethiopian place besides quality of food, of course, is the combination plates. This one has some phenomenal combos and a build your own own option. We had the meat combo (which also has 3 veggies) which was great. We also started with the sambusas which are, as my fiance called them, like ground beef eggrolls. There were three in the order and some yummy sauce on the side. 

The combo plate (for two) was $24.95. So cheap! Total bill $38 for two! Yay!
4 - lilly w.: Oh my Awash, you have delicious food! I have been to a handful of Ethiopian restaurants in DC and this makes the cut. The vegetable platter is very yummy with EVERY dish in the platter was excellent. 

The ambiance is no frills with tables packed in the restaurant. We sat near the window--which was much nicer. 

The service was slow, but we weren't in a rush. 

Overall, a very pleasant experience. 

I will be back.
5 - Violet S.: The staff was very friendly and the food was awesome! Overall, it was a pleasant experience for my first time having Ethiopian food. Yum...and the Veggie options are Vegan! Huge plus since I am vegan!
2 - Eagle N.: I am not sure if I went on a day when the cook decided not to add some umph to the food. It lacked the flavour that I expected to raise the sense of my tastebuds.
I had a combo platter the portions were great and were filling minus the flavour.
I loved the atmosphere it was cozy and soothing.
The serivce by the waitress on staff was awesome.
I love to go to resturants and just relax and not be rushed.
If I wanted that type service thats what fast food is for.
I would go back again but next time I will have to tell the to spice it up or somehing.
3 - Cahrl T.: Went here with some friends - a fun place for Ethiopian food and pretty quick, decent service although lacking in Ethiopian smiles and sunshine.

None of the food was bursting with freshness or originality, a common theme  with Ethiopian food outside of DC, making this place fade away into the realm of average. The injera (bread) was quite good - a pleasant suprise

Doro Wat (chicken) - solid offering; right amount of spiciness
Gored Gored (raw meat) - also pretty good, a little too buttery but that's how the ethiopians like it. nice spice again.
Tibs (grilled lamb) - fine but not memorable
Gomen (collared greens) - a little soggy and flavorless, but an important counterweight to all the meat
Shiro (split peas) - not very fresh, not very tasty, looked like mud
Messir (lentils) - a bit better than the shiro but not by much. too spicy.
Vegetable beyayenetu (veggie combo) - excluding the above three, it wasn't bad, but they constituted 3/5

Overall I would come back if I happened to be in the area and was with friends who were in the mood. Recommend the meat dishes over the veggie ones, which is sad because usually it would be the opposite.

Ambiance was a bit blah despite what other reviewers have said. Nice selection of Ethiopian beers and the sparkling water - Ambo.
4 - Maya F.: I have a huge crush on Ethiopian food. My first restaurant job was at an Ethiopian place: what a breeze, service-wise! No flatware to mark or clear, and each table's order comes out of the kitchen all together on the same big plate!

At Awash, they bring you the big plate lined with injera (that signature spongey Ethiopian bread made from tef, the smallest grain in the world -- it also doubles as your fork!) and two dollops of vegetable sides (in our case, collard greens and a mixture of carrots, potatoes and beets) and then they spoon your order onto the plate table-side. We got gored-gored (chunks of tender, raw beef tossed in a spicy sauce; $15) and shiro (pureed chick peas, hot sauce; perhaps my favorite thing in the world; $10.50). That and another vegetable dish (carrots and string beans, $13; maybe we wouldn't have ordered it if we knew we'd get those other little dollops on the plate) was more than enough food, especially considering that the bread is filling, and you really can't eat this kind of food without eating bread, since you are using your hands and most of the cuisine is quite saucy.

To that end, you get extra rolled up injera on the side and refills if you need; before your meal arrives you get a hot white washcloth (like the Japanese oshi-buri); with your check you get individually wrapped towelettes.
5 - Rebecca F.: A friend took me here for my first taste of Ethiopian food and now I can't get enough!  It is reasonably priced and a little taste of heaven!

Now I am living in LA and one of the things I really miss is my dinner dates at Awash.  I have been to Little Ethiopia in West LA to get my Ethiopian fix - but it is never quite as good as my first experiences at this little gem in NYC.  I know where my first meal will be when I go back to visit!
4 - T j.: Originally this place was a referral from an Ethiopian person I know and my visits here have all been good. Food for the most part is served on top of a style of soft flat bread called injera. In addition, a few rolls of the bread are provided and used in place of cutlery to eat the meal. The food is not very spicy, but not bland either. Some of the dishes remind a little bit of Indian food but it's not as oily or spicy. I can certainly recommend this place as a nice dining experience to try. Prices are reasonable and it's not an expensive place to visit. Service is friendly but can a little bit disjointed - but this isn't a high-end restaurant and so it's about inline with expectations.
4 - Liana A.: OK went here again. It was better than last time.Maybe I was overreacting with the last review. It was perfectly spiced and delicious.This time the injera was PERFECT! AND they are the only Ethiopian restaurant uptown that offers a lunch menu. Folks get your lunch fix here and not at the price of a full dinner meal.YAY! But I don't know if it's served Saturday and Sunday. BUT YUM-O!! I'm totally going to go for lunch on the regular. They will know my face!
5 - Charles B.: Usually, Ethiopian restaurants make highly "blorgy" food, meaning that you eat the stuff, and then you just sit there and make "blorg" sounds while you (somewhat unsuccessfully) attempt to digest the food.  

Awash deserves major bonus points for serving non-blorgy Ethiopian food.  Everything is flavorful, but surprisingly light.  Try the doro alicha (stewed chicken)... great stuff.  The beets and collards and lentils were also damned tasty.

Our server was also phenomenal.  I don't think I've ever seen another server examine the beers so carefully before serving them--he rescued us from two flat bottles of Ethiopian beer.  He also rescued my Texan friend from drinking Bud Light, and talked him into ordering a much tastier bottle of Harar instead.  All hail Awash's beer savior!  

And no matter how much Ethiopian beer we drank, we still weren't blorgy.  Sweet.
3 - Jenna M.: I am madly in love with Ethiopian cuisine -- so many vegan options! vegetables and beans, not meat-subtitutes! amazing spices! family-style meals! eating with your hands! -- and have eaten my fair share throughout the years, so I guess I hold my Ethiopian restaurants to pretty high standards.  Awash was kind of a disappointment when I went there for dinner with a few friends last night.  The restaurant was busy, but we had made a reservation and, thankfully, got a table and placed our order right away.  But the service throughout the rest of the meal was abysmal.  We all sat with empty water glasses for most of the night, and after the plate had been delivered, it was a long while before anyone came back to check in on or clean up after us.

And the meal itself was unremarkable.  We ordered the vegetable sambussas, which were tasty but more pastry than filling, and a vegetable combination platter for the whole group.  Everything was bright and colorful -- and we had a huge portion for a decent price -- but very underseasoned.  Ethiopian flavors and spices usually smack you across the face, but none of the eight different options on the plate tasted anything but bland.  I appreciated the variety but was just underwhelmed by the taste.  And the injera, the traditional Ethiopian bread on which the meal is served, was sticky and dry.  

The restaurant was bustling for the whole two hours we were there, so obviously there's something about Awash that brings people through the doors, but I'll be holding out for something better.
4 - Arundhati S.: I am a big fan of injeeras due to the nutritional benefits of teff. The  vegetarian plate was very flavorful. The spinach is fresh and juicy. The lentils are haevenly. the collard greens were yumyum!!
4 - Jessica S.: You know, I liked it!  I've come to realize that Ethiopian cuisine encompasses more than I originally knew it for, so I welcome those little differences.  How authentic said differences are, I have no idea, but food was quite tasty. 

The sambusas were decadently flaky and fried.  The injera was a little more sour than I'm accustomed too. Portion size was more than enough.  We ordered the veg combo for 3 people, and after two rounds of injera we were quite satisfied, and after 3 we were stuffed.  Things here that I thought were great (that I haven't had elsewhere) were the beets.  Beets are surprisingly delish.  Collards.. well, not a huge fan of collards in the first place, so I'm not going to comment on that.  Lentils are yum... Ok, to be fair, everything kind of blurs together after a while, especially in the dim dinner lighting.  Hope you're non-discriminating!

Plus, my clothes didn't absolutely reek of Ethiopian food the day after -- a rare occurrence indeed.
5 - siobhan m.: I've eaten at every ethiopian restaurant in the city and this is by far the Queen! Not much I can say other than it's absolutly amazing!
4 - kate m.: I was not super hungry so, I split a meat sambusa app and the string bean and carrot dish with my Mom. The sauce that came with the sambusas was so good. If I lived near, I would buy it and keep at home to put on everything. I loved it. The sambusa's were good to, but to me they were just a vehicle to get more of that sauce in my mouth. The green beans and carrots were really good- cooked until almost roasted. They kindly included the beet dish and the red lentils so that the plate wouldn't look so empty. I really liked the beets. I wasn't crazy about the red lentils. The paprika or whatever pepper powder they used in it tasted uncooked or there was too much for my liking. I'm not saying it was wrong, but it was just a little too much to make my mouth happy.

The ladies that waited on us were so nice. I would love to go back.
3 - Rebecca K.: This place is an good neighborhood spot! My roommate and I checked this place our on a Sunday night and it was actually more bustling than I expected. We shared the vegetarian platter for two and I definitely liked about 80% of what was on the plate. The best part about it was that they continually bring you more of the spongey bread that you use to eat the food with. I would come back here. The only downside is the service is a bit slow.
4 - HH K.: I go to Columbia U. and order Awash to my dorm weekly. The combos are delicious and very affordable. The food always arrives within 20-30 min. The doro wat combos are soooo great! The perfectly-cooked chicken literally falls off the bones. The vegetables that come on the side are the perfect complement for the dish and are very flavorful. It's funny because the friendly staff there pretty much recognizes my voice whenever I call to place an order. I always crave Awash!
5 - Poonam S.: This is the best Ethiopian food in NYC. 
Ethiopian in general is heaven for anyone who is vegetarian or vegan. I usually share the veggie combo which as several very tasty options such as lentils, ground chickpeas, potato and carrots, spinach, beets, etc.  I've been here with meat eaters and they have often remarked that the veggie dishes are tastier than the meat dishes.

The honey wine is a delicious treat, although its tough to drink too much of it since it is very syrupy and sweet. I can't even get through one glass of the stuff by myself.

The sambusas are a must. The lentil ones are really good and others have told me that the beef ones are amazing too.

The prices here are reasonable and the food is delicious, not too oily like at some other Ethiopian places. The atmosphere in the restaurant is cozy and casual.
4 - Isabel J.: I never been to another Ethiopian restaurant therefore don't have much to compare it to. I been here 2x and have really enjoyed the food. I don't like spicy food so this is what I had; the chicken sambusa's which were so yummy and crispy then the Awash chicken, the beef tips with beets, greens and carrots. 
I really enjoyed eating with my hands instead of using a fork since this is not the norm for me. I do have to add the food its heavy and very filling its best to come hungry.
4 - Stephanie Y.: This was my first time trying Ethiopian food, and I LOVED it!!! It reminded me of a mix of Indian and Moroccan food. I wasn't a fan of the honey wine (too sweet for my taste), but I'm glad I tried it. My friend and I shared a meat and veggie platter for two people. We loved all the veggie dishes and the chicken dish, but we weren't huge fans of the lamb dish because the lamb was a bit dry. The restaurant was super crowded and loud the whole time, but it was a great atmosphere and a delicious meal!
5 - Harmony I.: I am very pleased with my first Ethiopian food experience. We were seated promptly (very surprised at how packed the place was at that hour). Our server was super sweet and we ordered right away. The organic Ethiopian honey wine was the best wine that I have ever had. Sweet and delicious. The food was scrumptious and the bread was moist. My friend and I shared Ethiopian tea and slice of rum cake for dessert. Wow! The tea was fragrant, spicy and fruity. Just a really great experience for a novice like me!
2 - Adam R.: Food was tasteless...and for Ethiopian food that is a difficult task to accomplish.
4 - Larisa T.: I love bragging to friends outside NYC that I had Ethiopian food. Inevitably, someone will make a lame joke like "did you eat UNICEF pennies?" or "was the food airdropped?". Ignore the haters and enjoy the experience.

For four people, we got the combination platter for 4, which included:
--the beet dish..beets were a bit firm for my liking, but overall delicious
--the cauliflower/carrot dish..very tasty
--collard greens...really tasty..a little garlicky (in a good way)
--spicy chicken...the sauce was banging
--lamb dish in a buttery sauce. it was very good. the lamb was very fatty and tender

This place is great. I liked it better than Queen of Sheba. I like that they bring you unlimited bread (I know it's not called bread...but the stuff you scoop your food onto)

I highly recommend it. The food also feels really "healthy" even though I left the restaurant feeling like I would explode.
4 - Tiffany S.: DELICIOUSNESS.

I came here for Valentine's Day with my Honey after a 20 minute search for a restaurant with a "romantic setting." I was excited to try the food-- my last experience with Ethiopian food was probably 6 or 7 years ago.

My first impression of the place was "cozy" but "a little cramped." It seems like this restaurant has been in business for a while and is need of some remodeling.

The service was a bit slow but it was a packed house with only three waitresses on shift. The owners also decorated for the holiday with red balloons and fresh roses in a clear vase of water on each table. I hated the balloons; they just looked distasteful...the red roses would have been enough to symbolize Valentine's day.

Anyway, we ordered a "create your own combo" meal for two: Yegbeg alicha and special tibs - comes with three vegetables. Oh my deliciousness. The food was simply amazing. Fresh, flagrant, and filling - my three favorite words in the world of dining. I loved the yegbeg alichia which is like a lamb stew. The special tibs (ground beef) was also very tasty. The vegetables, all except the red beets, were so yummy.

My Honey and I were so full and satisfied. It was a wonderful experience and we both truly enjoyed the food. I would def. recommend this place to anyone looking for authentic Ethiopian cuisine on a budget!
4 - Chantal D.: very good food, traditional atmosphere (waitresses dressed, art, all). quantity good for price. would visit again.
5 - Marc L.: I've been eating and enjoying Ethiopian food for over 15 years now.  Awash is truly as good as it gets -- or at least as good as I've ever had it. 

I think the other reviews here accurately describe a night out at Awash, so I won't waste anyone's time by attempting to write a long review of my own. I will just say that this is the restaurant where my girlfriend and I went on our first date so it holds a special place in both of our hearts.  

We almost always order the vegetarian combo --- and it has never disappointed.   

If you have never experienced Ethiopian food, I highly recommend you give it a chance.  The closest cuisine I can compare it to is Indian ..... but I actually enjoy Ethiopian more.  There is something special about injera bread that no other cuisine can offer.

Also, for those Ethiopian newbies, you have to be prepared to eat with your hands.  If you are one of those people who can't handle eating without a knife and fork, then this probably isn't the right type of food for you.  I think the photographs which accompany this review give you a good idea how this works....  you tear the injera and scoop up your food with it!   

Just thinking about this is making me hungry!

Enjoy!
5 - Matt T.: Delicious!  The vegetarian platter is particularly good, and the honey wine is surprisingly tasty -- sort of like a cold mulled wine.  I don't know if they take reservations, but are frequently packed, especially on Saturday nights.  Highly recommended!
4 - Michael H.: First time eating Ethiopian and I'm hooked!! The spices are fantastic and the ambiance of this place is great! The lamb is fantastic as are the lentils. I think that the meats had more flavor then some of the vegetables, but everything tasted amazing. The honey wine was worth a try too!!
4 - Jessie W.: Slightly smaller portions than other Ethiopian restaurants that I have been to, but that was actually a good thing.  We were still full after sharing their 'make your own combination for two'.  The special Tibs were delicious and the chicken was so tender!  The Tej (Ethiopian honey wine) was nice a crisp - one of my favorites!
4 - Meaghann O.: Delicious Ethiopian food that is consistent and hands down some of the best in NYC.  The service is quick and friendly, decor is professional with white linen.  The combo dish is a great deal and it is what I consistently order.  Everything is delicious but the beets are unbelievable-do give them a try.  They are my new addiction!
4 - Rachel A.: First time having Ethiopian food. It was an interesting experience - in a good way. I went with a friend who did Peace Corps in Ethiopia, and she said it was amazing and authentic. She also raved about the fact that they had real Ethiopian beer, but I can't remember what it's called. I'm not sure if I'm a huge fan of the cuisine, but I loved the experience and would highly recommend Awash. It's a fun adventure!
5 - John P.: Ahh Ethiopian Food...
Ok, it has been 7 years since I have eaten Ethiopian Food. Crazy, why did I wait so long. This place is great, down the block, around the corner, and down the stairs. Gotta love it.
4 - Avery L.: JB and I had gone to another Ethiopian place, Zoma, in our neighborhood late last year. It was overly fancy and good but Awash definitely surpassed them in our eyes. Something to note, the service is very...very...very slow. They're quick to bring the food out once you've placed your order, but it's the getting your order in and trying to get the check to leave that's a bit tricky. Be prepared to exercise patience.

JB and KR decided to share a vegetarian platter for two, while I got the mixed platter with two meat options and three veggie dishes. They were basically able to try out all the veggie options with exception of the beets.

I ordered the Doro Wat (chicken) and Yebeg Alicha (lamb), with the following veggie sides: Key Sir Alicha (beets, carrots, potatoes), Yemissir Kik Wat (split red lentils), and Shiro (ground chickpeas and split peas). The meat was fall off the bone tender, as usual. Everything was well spiced and flavorful, even grains that could often be bland. The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the beets. They didn't offer anything more than the normal earthy flavor, which I love...but given how the flavors were elevated for everything else on the plate, I expected the same for these as well. Perhaps the density of these root veggies do not lend themselves well to additional flavor infusion?

It didn't matter, we polished everything off the "plates", edible Teff Injera. It's a slightly sour, porous thick crepe used to pick up the different "dishes". Note the lack of utensils on the table...be prepared for your fingers to smell a little doughy for the next few hours. Still, the yumminess makes it all worthwhile...besides how often, as adults, are we granted implicit permission to eat with our hands? :-)
4 - Michael L.: This is my first Ethiopian food experience and my wife's second so take this review with a grain of salt.  We ordered the Meat combination which came with 2 beef items, a chicken and goat item with 3 veggies which included leeks, chickpeas, potato/carrot mix all served on top of their ethiopian bread as you can see from the photos other people have posted.  The combination platter was around $25 which isnt too bad at all.  The rolled up dough you see in some of the pictures rolls out and you tear it to dip in the various items on the plate.  The flavor of the dough is kind of vinegar-y with some acid to it which i think goes very well with the food on the plate.  The platter for 2 is filling as we both were left with our bellys hanging out.  Also Ethiopians are apparently known for their honey wine so give it a shot.  I would say it was definitely a pleasant experience and am now open to other Ethiopian places in the city.  I saw a grubhub sticker on the front window, so maybe they deliver too, which i think can be interesting.
4 - Marj G.: I bought the veggie combo and it took me 2 days to eat.  I wasn't trying to spend that much on food but it was worth it.  Thumbs up!
2 - Doune R.: I ma huge fan of Ethiopian food,  this place is deception. The food isn't fresh and taste is barely OK.
3 - Ivon G.: I have been to Awash several times, and I feel that the service has been deteriorating over time.  They fixed up the walls of the place, but the nice partition decoration is gone, and now a plastic wall separates two dining groups and it can take away from the experience.  

Yesterday I went for Mother's Day. There was no wait, and that was a plus.  We were told to sit wherever we liked... Another plus.  There was no A/C and I'm okay with that since the weather was nice outside and a breeze was coming in through the open window.  T here was NO music.  When we used to go a while back, we would listen to their folkloric music, and it was nice.  We used to love watching their paintings, but there aren't that many now.  Service was a little slow, and I was surprised about that since the place was not full.  Then we were given menus, and soon after we were ready to order.  We weren't given anything to wipe our hands (moist, heated hand towels).  Since I knew that I would be eating with my hands, I went to their bathroom to wash my hands.  Then food came, and it was delicious!  (Five stars on the food!) It really hit the spot, and they were good about providing us with extra vinegar bread when we were running out.  We got our dessert, and then it was time to tip.  We tipped the minimum, as without any music, there were uncomfortable silences and I didn't want to hear the couple behind us talk.  Then I got annoyed that other tables would get those moist towels, and I felt like chopped liver. Perhaps my look and style didn't scream Chi Ching loud enough... who knows! 

I might give them another chance, because I like the food, but I would be happy to find another restaurant which will give me the full experience.  The food is great, but service ruined it for me.
4 - Hillary B.: This was my second Ethiopian food experience, and it was great.

Pros:
Perfect for groups
Helpful service
Good value

Cons:
The decor is a little weird

Favorites:
Go with a combo platter to try a variety of menu items
4 - Lauren S.: Delicious food! I'm a big fan of Awash, and Ethiopian food. I love to get the Veggie Combination. The green beans and carrots simmered with garlic is my favorite dish. At dinnertime each table usually has a lit candle and rose, making a nice atmosphere for a date.
4 - Will C.: This is great Ethiopian food, and their green beans are to die for among many other great dishes.  I'm bothering to write this very positive review because their service is EXTRAORDINARY.  Ethiopian is a great adventure for my kids because they get to eat with hands and they love the cuisine, but the people at Awash repeatedly go out of their way to make sure the orders for the kids are things they will like - very friendly, patient, and the people at Awash take the initiative to make sure our experience will be a great one.  It makes such a difference when restaurant staff clearly like each other, work well together, and go the extra mile with customers.  

There is nothing weird about the decor, as some wrote below.  It is an Ethiopian Restaurant with accordant pictures and ethnic design work.  The clear dividing walls let light pass through while cutting down the din of the large space so we can hear each other at our tables.
4 - Tiffany H.: Amazing! I love good Ethiopian food. The place was quiet, but it was quite late when I arrived and really empty the night I visited it. Despite the wait service getting off to a slow start by the end of the night we were all laughing. He even gave my son some pointers on how to eat the food without spilling it. I ate the pre-fix menu which was reasonably priced for the neighborhood. I left happy, full, and smiling.
4 - Denise G.: A lovely place for Ethiopian, particularly if you're in the Columbia neighborhood.  The food is always delicious, even if it takes a while to get used to eating without utensils.  The decor gives the place a funky vibe, but the restaurant is versatile enough for intimate dates or dinners with a large group of friends.  Portion size is generous, but dishes can be pretty spicy.  For those who don't like spice the Tibs and the Awash Chicken are always winners.
5 - Jennifer W.: I've had Ethiopian food before, but this was my first time at Awash.  I thought their dishes were fabulous, and quite a good deal for dinner for two in NYC.  My husband and I shared one of the combo platters and had several meats and veggies to choose from, and they were all tasty!  The lentils were probably the simplest dish and not quite as flavorful, but it was a nice break for my palate considering everything else is either spicier or has a stronger flavor.  We had MORE than enough food for the two of us, and were definitely too full for dessert :)

Service was good, the waitress was friendly, and my only slight complaint is that the place seems a bit crowded and overstuffed with tables.
3 - Neil B.: I was so excited to return to the Awash tonight. Unfortunately it seems that they have switched from serving authentic Ethiopian food to a very toned down, bland "farengee" version to the point that I could not taste any berberi (a unique Ethiopian spice) in the food. 

We ordered a combination vegetable plate, a bottle of Tej (honey wine) and two beers. With a tip, the total for the three  of us was $100 plus. Service was friendly but very slow and not only was there no air conditioning, but the overhead fans were not running and we are in the middle of a heat wave!

When we asked for some mitmit (a hot spice from Ethiopia) we were told they did not have any and instead brought us some not very hot peppers to break up. Maybe it was a political statement (get it, "no mitmit????")?

Likewise the injera (bread) tasted bland. I asked if it was made from tef (which it should be) or wheat. I was told a combination but I would put money on it having been made 90% from wheat because it did not have that unique sour taste.

The ingredients still tasted fresh but it is not the Awash that used to be filled with the local Ethiopian/Eritrean crowd. I understand catering to the changing neighborhood, but I miss the food with a huge kick they used to serve!
4 - JC J.: Cozy atmosphere, reasonable prices, the honey wine and the combination plate options are great, especially if you haven't tried Ethiopian cuisine before. Staff is friendly and efficient. I haven't eaten Ethiopian food anywhere else so not sure how this place compares to other Ethiopian restaurants. I enjoyed my meal and would recommend this place as a fun, low-key dining option for people in the neighborhood.
4 - antonio r.: i love Ethiopian food, this was my first time at Awash, but it stood out as one of the best Ethiopian restaurants i've ever eaten at. I've never had bad Ethiopian food, but there are slight differences in the quality of meat, richness of flavor, and texture of  Ingera. all the meats that came in the meat  combo were tender, lean, and flavored to perfection. i'm an Indian man from Jamaica, so eating boldly flavored, and spicy foods is what comes natural to me. I have a good sense of when it's done right or wrong, and my meats and vegetables were all done right. the only exception being the lamb, i forget which type of lamb dish it was but it came with the meat combo and was slightly bland. it wasn't bad at all, i just happen to like things spicy. also the ingera was decent, could have been fluffier, but i wasn't complaining at all, the stews more than made up for it. while there you must try the honey wine, i had never come across blackberry honey wine before and was nervous that it would be way too sweet. but much to all our surprise it was not extremely sweet at all. my brother does not like wine, and yet he enjoyed it very much. the prices were average for Ethiopian food. you share every thing so it really comes out to be very cheap. i would go again, for sure, and i would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good Ethiopian spot. the food is awesome!
4 - Faezeh M.: The food was a bit too spicy and hot for me, but apart from that everything was perfect!
3 - Ryan W.: I always walk by Awash and have wanted to try it for a while and it did not disappoint!  I had never had Ethiopian before but it was actually very tasty!  I am surprised that not too many of the reviews mention the lack of silverware because it doesnt seem like a common knowledge type of thing to me.  Instead of silver wear you get several rolls of spongy dough in addition to a large portion of it under all of your food that you use to scoop up the food with your hands!!  No biggy but definitely not the norm, I had no idea what to expect personally.  It has a little bit of a faint bitterness or vinegary like taste to it which I was a fan of but the fiancee... not so much!  Pretty good service, kind of hot in here though (would have been pretty bad except I was kind of strategically placed under the AC unit!)    I had seen a lot of good reviews for the vegetarian platter... I am a carnivore so I would never order a vege platter but I did get a combo plate with some vege selections which were delicious!   We had the meat platter with special tibs, yebeg, doro wat and tibs wat.  Everything was very flavorful and overall pretty scrumptious!  I would go back yes, but don't see myself in here every day!
5 - Port D.: This is an unusual restaurant.   Unique flavors and concepts.    I really enjoyed my combo platter and the honey wine.
3 - Josephine H.: I'm glad I got to experience my first attempt at Ethiopian food in New York. I was told that Awash served one of the best Ethiopian food in town. But unfortunately, it didn't settle so well with me.

I ordered a combination plate that included 2 meats and 3 veggies. It's more food than I could have handled. All of the items you order are served on top of injera, a type of flatbread. I did not particularly like the injera because of the acidity. I understand that it is supposed to be mildly sour, but it took away from a lot of the flavors of the meats. It left an unpleasant taste in my mouth. Half the portion of my combination platter was way too spicy to eat. And I usually enjoy a nice spice to my food, but this was just giving me heartburn. I did enjoy the lentils because they were milder and had enough flavor for me to enjoy. I definitely preferred the vegetable dishes over the meats. 

The only downfall I had about my dining experience was that as a noob, I don't know much about Ethiopian food. So throughout my meal I was only guessing what portion of my combination dish was what. Overall, I had a pleasant meal. I just wasn't blown away with anything, except a lot of gas released afterwards.
1 - Lala S.: I love Ethiopian food, but I was disappointed with the lunch special at Awash.  I called ahead and ordered the veggie combo to-go.  Picked it up 20 minutes later, and the service was awful.  The waitress didn't smile, wasn't personable, didn't carry herself as if she was in customer service at all!  I mean, did I do something???

Anyway, the food was only average anyway.  Not really seasoned well.  I think from now on I'll stick to my regular Ethiopian spot!
3 - Joy J.: Food isn't impressive compared to the ones in DC. Slow service. The ambiance is romantic with dim light and candle. Good for a date. But won't try it again.
5 - Polly H.: What a fun experience!  It is a lot of fun.  I want to go back right now.  I went to Awash about a week and half ago and got caught in a downpour.  It was lovely to rush in and have a seat with my party.  I saw the metal dish containing all the lovely random meats and veggies, and my eyes dilated.  There was a random mix of different flavors.  Tasty juicy cabbage, hearty collard greens, delicious lentils, wonderfully flavored grilled chicken, scrumptious beef went well with the rest of spongy bread underneath.  I really enjoyed this ambience.  Dark, dim lit, and romantic.  Great for a date and romantic evening, I still had a blast with my friends.

Awful Arthur's Seafood Co - Blacksburg, VA (37.2283389, -80.4142281) ()
1 - Kevin O.: The name doesn't lie. I've only been to this location, and everytime I've eaten there I always wished I hadn't. It usually comes back to haunt me, if you know what I mean. I've got doubts about how fresh the seafood is. It's not hard to make a salad, but they managed to not even be able to accomplish that. The crab balls, all filler and for the price that isn't acceptable. The fruity cocktails almost always have flies in them. I won't complain about the service because it's just as bad as everywhere else in Blacksburg. I will never eat there again.
1 - Tina M.: Yep, it's awful allright.  The food appears to be pre-packaged and reheated.  The service is horrible.  The place is filthy.  I've been to other awful arthur's and this one 
appears to be the bastard stepchild.

I've tried to like it and went back 2 more times.  I got a shrimp salad with salty tortilla chips (really?) and balsamic dressing.  What someone was smoking that they thought these items went together is a mystery to me.  I asked for a "dark beer" and the waitress said, "we have Juengling" - needless to say....one star for this place is a STRETCH!
2 - Leah C.: Ate here while traveling for work and was really not looking forward to it after reading the 2 reviews I found. It's not great to have that, I-really-don't-want-to-gag feeling while trying to order and have conversation. I was so underwhelmed I can't even find quippy bad things to say...
I was pleasantly surprised though...the food was edible and I didn't get sick and it was immediately next door to a Ben & Jerry's. 
A few notes:
- probably hopping during college, our dinner was on the empty second floor with folding chairs
- everything deep fried looked amazing, the only thing I had were the hushpuppies which were actually the best thing I had all night
- the cheesy grits were not cheesy but they were gritty (apparently name = texture here)
- the ahi tuna steak was seasoned nicely but a little over cooked for rare
- there are leather chairs and couches by the pool table
- good beers on tap in 16 and 24 oz. sizes
3 - Gina B.: Lacking other options, we headed over to Awful Arthurs for dinner before a work event at Vtech. I didn't think the food was awful at all. The service was not so great though. I ordered a combo platter w/scallops and crab cake and a side salad w/veggie. All were fine; not fantastic but fine. My peers enjoyed their salads. 

The ambience is soreing lacking. But, if you want seafood; go. Also, they have a big bar and pool table area and a large area for private parties upstairs. Oh yeah and some outdoor seating.
1 - Frank M.: This place has really gone down hill.   The menu is limited, they use to have a kids menu...used to being the key word.  The mixed drinks were just plain bad.  The wait staff seemed like they would rather been getting a colonoscopy than working there.
2 - Teri L.: I took my friend here with a group of people for his birthday since he really wanted raw oysters and liked the raw oysters at Awful Arthur's a lot the last time he visited. His cute little sister mentioned she was in the mood for shrimp. The waitress came over and announced they were out of oysters, shrimp, scallops, clams, and a few other items. My friend, who was visiting from out of town, and his sister, looked really disappointed. It seemed as if they were out of all of their seafood! The waitress also did not know what they had on draft, and seemed a bit flustered. The music kept cutting out completely then resuming, and the place was empty, making for a kind of awkward atmosphere. The bar on the other side of the restaurant looked packed, and my friends and I had a fun time last time we went to their bar for drinks. It's a fun place to drink at night, but, it's really a pretty bad place to grab food.
5 - Liz F.: Great place for fun. Friendly and helpful staff members.  A little pricey, but the food is great.  Wednesday is Comedy Night with 2 live comedians, and weekends usually have some type of music show going on.  Events have cover charge, but not expensive.  Fun place to have fun with good friends.
3 - Chris B.: Fair food at okay prices. Service is alright. Drink specials are always worth it. A great place to hang out, have a drink and listen to the live music or comedians, not much of a family dinner place.
2 - Linsey M.: Forgettable food (tasteless, tough, completely uninspiring), forgettable atmosphere except for the large and colorful fish tank. One positive is that they have a bunch of pool tables.
4 - Rory R.: Good drinks, affordable prices, great live music!

Atmosphere is college casual and friendly.  Though busy, I never had to wait more than 30 seconds to be helped by a bartender.   Props to the staff for service.

I didn't eat there so I can't speak for the food, but I had a great time at Awful Arthur's.
1 - Zalman V.: The worst place ever!!!! I would give it a lower star number but you can't.

Axel Bloom - Los Angeles, CA (34.059954, -118.446478) (Westwood)
5 - Claudia K.: If you are in the market for superb quality beds and mattresses with outstanding customer service, and are turned off by either the expensive snooty shops and cringe at the thought of a chain mattress shop, then I ask that you visit Axel Bloom. 
As soon as we ( husband and baby in tow) walked through the door we were greeted, and I mean a nice hello and a smile from the proprietor John. We were never pushed or made feel uncomfortable. He answered questions and explained the different products countless times in our three visits before making a decision/purchase. Fast forward 11 months or so after receiving our bed frame, our housekeeper damaged our headboard and once again John and his team took care of things (free of charge)  despite having spent several hours until I was satisfied with the end result. I would not hesitate to give Axel Bloom my business next time I am in the market for excellent quality beds and mattresses. I would like to give John's customer service 6 stars out of five.
5 - Patricia S.: I have one major regret with the new Axel Bloom bed system . . . that I didn't buy it several years ago. At that time I noticed the ad in the L.A. Times and looked at the different options on the website. The fact that it was an Austrian/German product definitely resonated with me.

I cannot remember the last time I slept peacefully all through the night.  I also do not remember the last time that when getting out of bed I was not bent over with back pain. Axel Bloom totally changed that starting with the very first night.  And every night is the same:  sleep soundly and when arising from bed I am standing up straight and without pain. I had no idea that I could expect this kind of change from a bed in such a short time frame if at all. To say that I am astonished is an understatement.

Not only is it an amazingly excellent sleep system,  but when we went to the store Mr. Lee was more than generous with his time in explaining the different systems and options in great detail as well as what combination he felt would work best for us. A type of customer service you rarely find. And if anything he down sold us, not up sold. We had to request the pillows which we took home a week before the bed was installed and both adored. That alone is unusual as we could never agree on the same pillows before.

The bed installation was done with the same care and attention to detail as our original store encounter.  They were exceedingly careful with all the furniture that needed to be moved and how they handled taking out the old bed in very tight quarters.

The entire experience has been unique and leaves me with a big happy grin on my face.

Axis Cafe/Stratum Cafe - Philadelphia, PA (39.955264, -75.194678) (University City)
2 - Lindsay H.: This full-service apartment complex opens it's ground-floor dining area to anyone who walks in.  It's your basic cafeteria, one step up from university dining.  $7.95 all-you-can-eat lunch, with a decent salad bar and dessert bar, and a few choices for entrees.  Not great, but if you're sick of the limited selection around Penn and want someplace you can sit down and not spend too much money, this isn't a bad choice.
2 - Oski B.: Given the number of so-so food trucks with long lines of scrub-wearing dental hygienist and nursing assistant students, $8 for lunch isn't a bad option for this part of town.  The food's not terrible here and it's pretty clean.  They don't take credit cards, so bring cash.
4 - Kurt S.: I eat here about three to four times a week. If you're affiliated with Penn, you can get the all you can eat for $6. I love the entrees most of the time.
2 - Kathleen B.: This cafeteria serves the cheapest lunch in University City. The customer service is pretty good - everyone who worked there was attentive and friendly. My passable chicken cheesesteak cost less than four bucks. 

The downside is that it is a cafeteria. Think of the connotations of the word 'cafeteria.' No one eats in a cafeteria if they can help it, except for those weirdos who love Old Country Buffet. And that type of person, generally speaking, is probably not wandering about the vicinity of the University of Pennsylvania at 12-1pm. The kind of people who do mill around this area are usually chained to meal plans requiring them to eat in this type of setting anyway, which would explain why it was completely empty the day I went. Who passes up cafeteria food for more cafeteria food? It's also located in the the basement of the building, hence no windows. No windows plus lunch on a tray is no one's idea of a good time. I couldn't help but have horrible flashbacks to college while I was eating.
4 - Lauren M.: i live above this "cafe" so for me it is super convenient.  perfect on rainy and cold days  . . .just head on down the escalator.  it is a cafeteria set up but is very clean.  they also have giant tv's with remote controls so you can change the channel. they do now accept credit cards with no minimum purchase.  i like the chicken fingers and fries which cost me $5.13.  I think thats pretty cheap for university city.  most places want at least $9 for chicken fingers.
1 - Ellen L.: Don't order from Axis - estimate was 30 mins, took 1.5 hours to go 4 blocks. Food arrived cold. Marinara tastes like tomato soup. Nothing to recommend it.

Axis Pizza - Philadelphia, PA (39.955264, -75.194678) (University City)
4 - Ryan C.: Everything that I have had from their menu has been awesome.  

The wings, hoagies and salad bar are all delicious.  

On Tuesday all of their platters are $2 off.  For $7.25 I got a large cheese steak (with onions and Whiz - Yup the real stuff), a larger order of fries, cherry peppers, coleslaw and a Cesar salad.  It's enough food for two lunches.

I have to say that the cheese steak was best I have had in a long time.
5 - Bessie A.: This place has an awesome salad bar!!!! Delivers late nigt and has awesome pizza!
5 - athena z.: great place for a pizza or if you love salad they have anything you can think of. the manager pete is a great guy!! ill miss this place when i leave the philly area
4 - Jessica S.: The owner of Axis pizza contacted me to apologize for my last experience and offered me $25 toward my next order. I obliged and I must say the experience the 2nd time around was INFINITELY better. I said in my last review that despite the terrible service the pizza is good. I shall reiterate: The pizza is really great. I would venture to say it's the best pizza in the neighborhood.

Now, will I think twice about ordering late night for fear that my great pizza may never show? Yes. BUT when I'm feeling lucky I will most likely choose Axis for my pizza (and hot wing) needs.

Nice save, Axis.
2 - Snow X.: The service at this place is dreadful. The guy who took our order was condescending and rude. It was even more annoying because he's a 90 lb loser. 

My wife and I decided to check this place out because we heard they had a decent salad bar. Well, we didn't know the salad bar charged by the pound--what is this, Whole Foods? The annoying order-taker rolled his eyes and spoke in mumbly broken English, like he was so inconvenienced that he had to take nine seconds to explain this to us.

The salad bar itself was decent. The selection was a bit broader than you would expect from a hole in the wall pizza place and most of the foods was relatively high quality. The greens, however, which are the most important part of a freaking salad, were wilted garbage. This factors pretty heavily into the low rating (coupled with the awful service). 

We also got a shrimp appetizer. It was pretty good--decent portion and alright quality. Not amazing, but not bad by any means. 

Back to the terrible service: We had our one-year-old with us and they didn't even offer a high chair. We had to take turns holding our son as we ate. Considering the fact that no one else was in the entire restaurant, they could have at least offered some assistance in this area.

It sounds like this a place for college kids to show up for late night pizza and wings. That's cool, I guess, but don't expect to get acceptable service and don't expect much from the salad bar.
5 - Liz E.: This was our first pizza place in Philly and we loved it! Pizza tastes great, thickness is perfect. I think the best part is the variety they have on the menu. In particular, the create your own salad option is amazing. So many choices and you get a huge custom salad (can easily be shared between 4 people). Wings were also very good as was the blue cheese dressing that came with it.

Wish there was free delivery instead of a charge, but it's only $1.75, so not too bad. Prices are very reasonable and quality is great.
1 - Jeff E.: Went there because it was close to where we were and it got solid ratings on Yelp.  I am not sure what the people were thinking.  The place was completely empty at lunch time and had three tables with trash all over them.  There were 3-4 workers there that didn't seem to think that was an issue.  The cashier ate chicken wings while waiting on two different customers.  

The pizza was average.  Decent crust.... almost no sauce and the cheese was overdone. I would guess being in a college town that it may taste better after a night of drinking.  The best part of the meal was the soda that I had gotten.  Also, found it funny that the fountain soda is hidden around the corner, so that you will buy the bottles that are in plain site. Found the soda fountain after sitting down. No mention of it from the lazy cashier.  

Overall severely disappointing... Would not return.
1 - Shaun R.: School cafeteria quality food.  There are tons of better places within two blocks.  Dont bother.  

I watched a family pull all the cheese off of their pizza, scrape the sauce off, and replace it with ketchup.  These are probably the kind of people that gave Axis Pizza a five star review.
2 - Ettya F.: Everything here is burnt...or at least the pizzas are. The salads look kind of burnt too.
1 - Abhishek Y.: Summary: Passable food, Terrible service, Much better after remodel (but still a 1*)

Having been to Axis 4-5 times over the course of the last 3 years, this last experience really was the final one that I'll ever have.

The food was passable at best - but the point to note is that the pizza (after all, this place does have the word Pizza in its title) was just bad. How bad? Really bad. The only redeeming factor was the salad bar, which was somewhat diverse in its choices and earned this place the single star that I gave it.

Service - the staff is just downright miserable, and do their best to pass that on to the customers. Giving them a 20 to pay for our meal got me a reproachful look, as if I should have counted out exact change for the attendant. I've never really experienced this kind of service before, and hope that I never do again.

On the upside (if you can even say that there is one), the place is a lot less dingy after the remodel, but even then, they get a single star from me. Not happy - you're a lot better off at Mad Greek's Pizza or Ed's Pizza on 35th and Lancaster, right up the road.

Pro Tip: Avoid this place. Sorry, Axis Pizza, but that's the sad truth.
4 - Laura S.: As far as LATE NIGHT TAKE OUT food is concerned, this place is my jam!

I consistently find myself sitting on my couch with the B.F. at 12:30 a.m. (both of us just having gotten home from 10-12 hour days at work) thinking "what the heck are we going to eat?" and the answer as of late is always a resounding "AXIS." 

Their wings are good, the pizza is decent, the cheese steaks are cheese steaks, the subs ("hoagies") are pretty yummy.  Also they delivery had always been on time and not rude at all.

Axon Digital Computer Repair - Los Angeles, CA (34.0619667, -118.4466264) (Westwood)
5 - Derek S.: Quickly diagnosed my computer's faulty video card,  also helped w/ scrapping the computer for parts.  Pleasant experience all the way around.
1 - Lindsay H.: Either Axon DCR is actually inside Image Wireless, or it exists in some parallel Westwoodiverse foreign to only me. I'm assuming the place is gone/closed, so can we update that here ya think, so people like me don't drive all the way there, pay to park, and then spend my morning cursing and kicking rocks around?

And even if I'm wrong, and Axon shares the same address with IW (which I doubt), then I've still got a bone to pick with you. Your hours say you open at 10am. That's what's posted on the door. So why are you closed at 10:45am with no idication of whether you're actually going to open or not???

Ayaka - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2750246, -83.7345335) (South University Ann Arbor)
4 - Jay K.: I'm a former sushi snob who have long since repented (now I grudgingly accept roll as sushi in its own right) and given up hopes of finding good, reasonably-priced nigiri sushi in Ann Arbor (it got to a point where I'd only eat sushi when my department paid for it or for an occasion such as my friends' birthdays). So I was pleasantly surprised after I had my first meal at this new joint. 

Making good nigiri sushi is pretty straightforward. You need good ingredients- fresh fish strips that have been cut right and sushi rice- and good chefs who can minimize steps while making sushi so as to maintain the freshness of fish and the sticky texture of sushi rice. This place obviously sticks to that simple formula, and it has won me over. 

As for rolls, I've only had rainbow and spicy tuna but they were tasty. Unlike most rolls that they have in this town, the combination of various flavors is kept at the right level so that no one flavor overwhelms. If you're a fan of bibimbap, you might wanna try hwedeopbab as well. It's basically Korean version of chirashi sushi (raw fish and various other ingredients over sushi rice), but way better in my opinion. What do you expect? Blame my Koreanness. Make sure you ask for it without sesame oil if you wanna do this dish the justice it deserves. The combination of hot sauce, veggie, and raw seafood won't disappoint. 

I've never tried warm dishes (noodles, teriyaki, katsu, etc.) so I can't really speak on how good they are. But it's definitely an upgrade over sadako and sushi.come (what isn't?) and will be a competition for Totoro. I know, I know, Yamato is good. But this place is way cheaper and closer to campus. 

Now, I should warn you that this place is owned by a Korean guy. Korean-owned restaurants over the world (I speak from my experience in the U.S., Korea, and china) seem to have this cycle of rise and fall. When they first open, they're on top of their things. When they have attracted big enough clientele though, they begin this inevitable fall. I hope this place keeps this up. If it does, I'll be one loyal customer for however long it takes for me to finish my Ph.D.- give or take, 5, 6 years.
5 - Raphie B.: Visited Ayako this past Friday and was thoroughly impressed! Our waitress (a fantastic girl named Vicki) was top-notch, the food was great and the cosy little restaurant provided exactly the right ambience for my fiances 40th birthday.

I highly recommend the crispy tofu salad, which was really tasty... mixed greens, cranberries, orange slices, crispy fried tofu cubes and ginger dressing. I will go back for this (huge) salad alone! Goma dressing was also an option, but I loved the ginger. All of our food was really good though... the miso soup was light and tasty, my fiance was a big fan of the wasabi shumai, we both enjoyed our Agedashi tofu, he had udon noodles that he loved and all of our rolls were great.

We'll be back for sure. Pricing is very reasonable... my guess is that once this place is more established, prices will rise, so check it out now!
4 - N L.: I've been meaning to try for a while, and finally made it. Now I'm mad I didn't go sooner!  Could have been eating good food for a while.
I called ahead and ordered my food to go, which saved on the wait time. It was actually ready before I walked over from work, which was nice.

I ordered the crispy tofu salad (based on the previous review) and agree it was absolutely yummy! The tofu was really lightly fried with almost no breading, so little grease. The dressing came on the side, so everything stayed crunchy. I had the goma/sesame dressing, and it was really tasty- it is more like a ponzu sauce than pure goma, so was lighter and went really well with the orange segments in the salad. And yes, it was a large bowl and I ate the whole thing. 

I also ordered spicy tuna roll, no masago. This is often my litmus test (so to speak) for how I gauge a sushi restaurant. And Ayaka did quite well. The roll was a little bit mushy (the rice just a tad too soft), but the fish was fine and the spice of the roll was excellent. This is no "grab some tuna and squirt sriracha sauce on top" kind of a roll. It was all well mixed and spices integrated into the tuna. And not a wimpy spice either, but clear your sinuses spicy. Yummy. 5 large slices.

Total for both: $16 something and worth it.
3 - Lily P.: They have good specials and were able to bring out the food super fast..to the point we were wondering if it was the display. The freshness of the food varies when you go there and its a bit more expensive then sadako but I prob would go again.
4 - Barry T.: Food is decent, prices are comparable, in fact dinner specials are actually a really good deal for the amount of food you get.

Specifically, ginger is better quality than other places around ann arbor, I liked the seaweed they use to wrap their rolls, ginger dressing on the lettuce isn't a hot soggy mess (major plus - considering at other establishments down the street, ahem, Miki Campus, you occasionally get fruit labelling stickers in your salad), tempura udon was tasty, una ju had good flavors to the eel, but a few pin bones really annoyed me.

I can't really speak to those that go heavy on the rolls when going for Japanese.

Service was great - granted weekday evening and being one of three tables, I'd expect as much. Joe, our server, was pretty awesome. We tipped well.

Overall, I really enjoyed the location and the interiors (and the music - reminds me of Plum Market). I'm sick of the fake-looking Japanese sushi places with the fake rice-paper-screens when you know the owners are Chinese or Korean anyway and just putting up a front. Modern looks, but the food is back to basics.
4 - Sarah L.: Great kitchen items, very fresh fish at sushi bar, kind staff.

The atmosphere can be a bit much if you don't like being crowded, music can be too loud at times.

With that being said, I am going to ignore the atmosphere part for that 
1) they are right on campus and they try to appeal to the youngsters. I find that understandable and tolerable.
2) it is irrelevant to what food is like here.

I have visited Ayaka frequently enough as they are located right at the heart of campus. I found very few things that I do not like here. Other than the busy-crowding day issues, the only one thing that I do not like in their food is their spicy tuna. I find that their spicy sauce is too killing at times when you order their house spicy tuna roll. It tastes much more appealing to my palate if I just order a regular tuna roll with the spicy sauce (NOT spicy mayo) on the side. At least their fish tastes fresh and clean. Although the tuna doesn't taste like the 7-dollars-a-bite fresh bluefin tuna that you may get in Tokyo, it tastes good enough here (excellent, in fact, for what Ann Arbor is).

So counting on to the things that I like:
1) good-quality fish and excellent knife skill on the chef. 
2) chefs who seem to know what they are doing
3) delicious soup in their udon
4) tonkatsu crispy on the outside, and the meat is not overcooked, never too greasy, showing the right frying temperature. Tonkatsu sauce is generic, I personally prefer having tonkatsu with ponzu sauce (which you can ask them for it)
5) 90% of the times the sushi rice is just right (some bad days I'd experienced rice that was too wet. but that was only once or twice)

I would give them a 3.8 star, but Yelp would not let me go with decimal points. Given where they are (high competition area with a few other japanese restaurants on the same street), what they serve, and their food attitude, I can let this slip and give them a 4 star indeed.
4 - J K.: Sure, it's not the most authentic Japanese food you can eat and it's not like restaurants in New York or L.A. let alone any given Asian city.  But this is Ann Arbor, people.  The portions are generous, the rolls hit the spot when you have cravings for them, the price is pretty decent.  And the people are nice and accommodating.  It is also one of the better looking restaurants in Ann Arbor.  I'm sold.
4 - Heather K.: Ayaka is by far my favorite of the South U. Japanese establishments, and among the best for sushi in Ann Arbor.

I have pretty simple sushi tastes - vegetarian rolls, simple maki, and nigri sushi - and everything I've had here is excellent.  The plum and mint leaf roll is original and really tasty.  The sushi rice is excellent - well seasoned and the right texture - putting Ayaka head and shoulders above most Ann Arbor sushi establishments.

I've never tried the kitchen items because I like the sushi too much!
3 - Chris C.: Nothing extraordinary... Fair prices and adequate quality. I was disappointed that they didn't have sake, though the green tea was good
4 - Jonas L.: The state of sushi in Ann Arbor is sad sad sad. Ayaka is not great, but does make it a little bit better. Of course, for the best, you still have to go to Yamato, but this place is a big step up from the garbage dumps that masquerade as sushi restaurants littering this town, like sushi.come.

What's the difference? The fish taste fresh and, well, tasteful. Importantly, they actually have slabs of fish at the counter, instead of pre-cut slices at some other places. They might be a dollar or two more expensive than elsewhere, but it's worth it. Their plating reflects the care they put into the food: they even use real shiso!

Given that they really rise above the sea of mediocrity, I wish they would avoid the trappings of typical Korean-run Sushi places in Ann Arbor. For starters, stop offering salad with pre-made ginger dressing and disgusting lettuce. It's probably impossible to completely avoid spicy fish stuff, since they are such moneymakers (and I guess people like eating scraps), but they could offer more interesting non-standard rolls. Distinguish yourself, Ayaka!
4 - Sherry S.: A dollar or two more expensive than all the other sushi restaurants around, but much better tasting. I can't pinpoint it exactly, but the fact that I didn't come out regretting the $15 spent for a single lunch says it all.
4 - Yanli W.: Good sushi in Ann Arbor! Yamato is too expensive and not worth the price. I don't like Yamato's environment either.
5 - Ann A.: To be fair, I would probably give this place four stars anywhere outside of Ann Arbor. But as far as downtown A2 goes, this is by far the best affordable sushi in town (yes, Yamato is good, too, but the prices! ouch...). 

The ambiance and decor is cool, there's never a wait (unlike at Sadako down the street...), and the service is RIDICULOUSLY fast. I've mostly had sashimi here, and it's always been fresh and well-presented. If you order a sashimi combo they don't skimp on the good fish like they will at some places around here. The green tea is strong and delicious. There's also a pretty good cooked menu - a few Korean dishes on it, and I'm assuming it's Korean-owned, but so are most Japanese places in Michigan, it seems. 

Only downside is that they don't seem to have a liquor license, but they're somewhat new, so I'll give it some time.
4 - B B.: This is the best sushi place I've been to in A2. Everything else on South U sorta sucks. 2nd best is Totoro, though I haven't tried Yamato yet. 

Ayaka has the freshest fish and the best sushi rice - very fresh, great texture. I do think they have a disproportionate number of mayo/spicy rolls, but if that's not your preference, you can ask for them to make the rolls without mayo. They are very accommodating. I frequently order my rolls with less rice just cuz that's my preference (tho I do luv their rice!). 

Their udon is yummy, too. The soup comes out hot, normally, unlike the tepid, room temperature that passes for acceptable at most Japanese restaurants. Also, the udon is firm. I like a firm noodle, lol.

I don't really care for their teriyaki, it's very standard and forgettable. Not bad, just not good. 

Mostly good service, standard prices, I eat here or get take-out at least once a week. The place is really small tho (I'm sure less than 10 tables), so it can get crowded in there.
3 - Blake A.: Another Korean-run sushi place. Solid but not too exciting. Also, no liquor license.
4 - Lauren I.: Another Korean-run sushi joint, yes. But easily the best in downtown Ann Arbor. Most of my four-star rating is simply by comparison; Ayaka is good as opposed to mediocre.

Their California Roll is easily my favorite. Creamy with a generous filling, and most of the other rolls on the menu are to my experience safe choices*. As the ambiance is modern and intimate without being tacky, I imagine It'd be a nice place to bring a date or some close friends. 

(*Recently I tried the spicy salmon and I have to say I am *not* a fan, I don't know if they changed the recipe or what but it's pretty bizarre; this is the first Spicy Salmon I've tasted that's been seasoned heavily with green onion, red pepper, and mayo? Since I've tried some of the other items on the menu and they're generally pretty good I'll let this one slide...)

Service is fast. Almost too fast, but the staff is generally friendly and accommodating. When I have to get sushi without going off-campus, Ayaka would be my first pick.
4 - Stephen F.: Some of the best sushi we've had in Ann Arbor, and we've tried several. The spicy rolls do have a kick but the heat only lasts for the bite and doesn't linger after--perfect for enjoying other sushi, too. Fish was very fresh and tasty. If you spend over $8, you get miso soup and a salad; both delicious. Service was good and waitress was friendly. Will go back again, and again.
3 - Megan E.: My brother and sis-in-law love sushi, so I took them here during their visit to Ann Arbor.  It was...ok.

They had all the standards, and some good "light" options, like a very full veggie roll and a mayo-free "special california" roll option.  The rolls that came with sauce weren't soggy or messy, which is always a dealbreaker for me. 

Everything was pretty tasty, but nothing mindblowing, and the rolls weren't wrapped all that tight-the larger ones were falling apart on us.

Very reasonably priced.
5 - Derrick P.: For years I've been a loyal fan of Sadako for their price,  generous portions, and "good enough" quality sushi. It took me a while, but Yamato has managed to fully convert me.

It started with the salmon avocado roll - my usual simple but tried and true test of sushi quality. While the portion was slightly smaller than Sadako, the salmon was clearly much fresher and the avocado much softer in what tasted like a professionally made sushi roll. Mmm, and so I continued this request several times a week, not thinking about what else could be around the corner.

But it wasn't until today when my friends and I decided to do dinner at Yamato when the full breadth of Yamato's capabilities were revealed to me. We ordered a dragon roll, rainbow roll, lobster roll, and (of course) salmon with avocado. 

The verdict:
Lobster Roll - not that great, too spicy/sour for what you would expect out of a sushi roll consisting of lobster salad
Salmon Avocado - consistently fresh salmon paired with soft/sweet avocado, surrounded by flavorful seawood and a subtle coating of sushi rice
**Dragon Roll - splendid and glimmering when served, delectable and bursting with flavor when consumed. this was probably the top 2 or 3 dragon roll I've ever experienced in my life. the portion was generous, just the right amount of sweet flavor (not too much like you get elsewhere), wonderfully soft avocado, and a fresh tasting eel inside. 
**Rainbow Roll - the best thing about this thing, besides how beautiful it looked, was the amazing freshness of the fish. the combination of fresh fish and just the right amount of mayonnaise made this roll a must get.

So, bottom line...this place is the best sushi restaurant in Ann Arbor (Yamato in Kerrytown also puts up a good fight, I would say it is tied) and if you're looking for some delicious sushi get the special rolls, especially the Dragon Roll and Rainbow Roll. you will not be disappointed. not to mention the chill atmosphere (apparently the interior was designed by a U of M professor)

price? reasonable! much more reasonable than yamato. So, in terms of Ann Arbor, this place clearly deserves 5-stars
3 - Faith C.: I have been going to Sadako for my sushi and udon and I am still deciding what I like better. Here is what we ordered:

Salmon avocado roll - presentation was OKAY, but the roll itself was really good - salmon was not fishy at all and it had the prefect amount of rice. I would get it again. 

Spicy salmon - again, the presentation was OKAY (they really need to work on this). Salmon was good and if you like the spicy sauce, the would you really like it because it had a lot in it. I would get it on the side if you prefer to control the spice level. I did NOT like how it had the nori wrapped  around the roll - it ruined the taste and the texture of the nori was strange -very chewy. I would not get this again. And, might I add that the rolls were HUGE? DId not like appetizing. 

Simply Udon - I got it with the soba noodles. I would for sure go back for this. The broth was not too fishy and it was clean tasting. It was the perfect amount of noodles to broth and the presentation was nice too. I loved it how the udon came out HOT - who wants to eat lukewarm soup? I was impressed. 

I would need to go back and see how consistent their food is, but it is worth going back to see if I will commit! 

P.S Service on the other hand was just OKAY.
3 - katrina c.: Pretty decent sushi I must say. Tasty rolls, quite fresh, and we ordered a good array from their sushi menu: salmon skin roll, seaweed salad (refreshing), crunch shrimp roll (crab meat on top, too much rice and the tempura shrimp was too skimpy), volcano roll (spicy!!), sweet shrimp, yellow tail nigiri, and sweet potato tempura roll. Good service, ambient atmosphere, and the service was prompt and polite. I'd come back next time I'm in town
3 - Kendall T.: Very friendly staff, the miso &salad were good, the nori was chewy but sushi was decent. The Curry pork has tasty sauce but was breaded like almond chicken.. not so impressive.
4 - Elijah S.: This is by far my favorite Sushi place in Ann Arbor.  The next best so far in Michigan is Omi in East Lansing.  I love their California Roll, Alaska Rolls and a few others.  The fish is really fresh and they are generous with servings.
5 - Sandy E.: Ordered carryout from here, it was ready in 10 minutes, was very tasty. 2nd time here and am very happy so far. I had:

1. California roll (no mayo) came I/O 8 pcs
1. Eel Avocado roll came I/O 8 pcs
1. Yellowtail Scallion roll, small, 6 pcs.
1. Pc. Nigri Flying Fish eggs
1. Wakame Salad

Everything was delicious and the price was great too. None of the rolls fell apart even after being carried 10 minutes. The carryout was ready just 10 min after I called.

Next I want to try one of the sashimi combos
1 - Becky H.: Ayaka NEVER fails to disappoint.

After months of avoiding it because of numerous negative experiences with aggressive waitstaff & hostesses and quite frankly subpar sushi, I was forced to fulfill my sushi craving by ordering takeout from here yesterday because Sadako is closed through the 9th. What a terrible mistake that was. The guy who took my order on the phone was friendly enough, though. Here is what I got:

- spicy salmon roll: 5 pieces of structurally unstable, wide but thin sushi. The filling looked kind of gross, but I've ordered this before and knew what to expect.
- spicy california: 6 pieces, gross-looking filling. Seemed heavy on the mayo. These were falling apart, perhaps before making a 2-minute walk back to my office.
- tuna roll: 8 pieces (standard) with a somewhat stingy portion of fish and lots of slightly undercooked rice.
- yellowtail & scallion roll: 4 pieces. FOUR.
- 1 side salad, 1 side miso soup (see below)
- soy sauce packets... and no container to hold the soy sauce for dipping...

By the way, if you want miso soup & a salad with your takeout order, you have to PAY $1.50 for each. Sadako gives both of these free (I think as long as you spend at least $5 per person), both in-restaurant and for take-out. How does Ayaka get away with charging $1.50 for one of these items when the marginal cost of making more is mere pennies? They give them out for free for sit-in orders, why not take-out too?

I only received one pair of chopsticks for my takeout order, so my boyfriend had to eat with his hands. Not sure how they assumed this was all for one person, and they really should have asked how many chopsticks to include while taking the phone order.

I hate this place so much and have no idea how it has four stars on Yelp. The only explanation I can come up with is that people have low standards for sushi or no taste buds. If you like being overcharged for crappy sushi (that's your choice to make), then Ayaka is the place for you.
4 - Jay L.: Let's get down to brass tacks; this a sushi place and all that really matters is the fish and the rice.

I ordered a pretty standard array of fish and overall was pleasantly surprised.

Unagi (fresh water eel) - great. Tasted fresh, served warm, flaky, just slightly crunchy on the edges, served with (not doused!) in eel sauce.
Yellowtail - looked ugly so I was hesitant but it tasted pretty good.
Tuna - disappointing. Mushy, not much flavor, not even that overly metallic flavor typical of bad maguro. I don't know what was wrong, but it was wrong.
Salmon - good, vey fatty. Some might say too fatty but that's how I like my salmon. 
Salmon skin hand roll - pretty damn good. The cuts of skin were thicker than I'm used to. The outside was still crunchy and there was enough meat on the inside to make it squishy. The contrast in texture was nice.

The rice was a bit hard. It wasn't bad but there is rice and then there is sushi rice. This was the former.

My one complaint was that when I ordered green tea they said they were out. What self respecting Japanese restaurant runs out of GREEN TEA? 30 min later a group of Japanese women were seated and served tea. I was )( this close to pulling the race card when one of them complained about it not tasting like tea and the waiter offered some excuse about it being chrysanthemum tea of something. I hate chrysanthemum tea so maybe him telling me they were out was a blessing in disguise. 

We also ordered some rolls (spicy California, salmon something) and they were good, although I could tell the cuts of salmon used were of lower quality than what was served on the nigiri. In the California roll they added way too much avocado; the avocado flavor dominated everything else. I would have complained but it was the BEST avocado I've ever eaten. I was dumbstruck, seriously. And I eat a f*%&ton of avocados.

I'm originally from LA and had avoided AA sushi since moving here a year ago because everyone I've asked who has lived in California has told me finding good sushi here is simply impossible. Their advice has always been to just wait unti I go home. Ayaka is proof that they were wrong. It's not great, and I'm still counting down the days until my next trip home (45) but this is a perfectly acceptable place to get your fix or to explore some semi-authentic japanese food. If I had found this place on the west coast it would be a solid 3 star joint, but considering how far we are from the ocean, I give it an extra star for effort. 

For price it is about what I would expect from a medium range place in LA. I suppose that means it's probably higher than most in Ann Arbor but being my first trip I can't be sure.
2 - Jim S.: The reviews for Ayaka were schizophrenic, so we decided we'd chance it.  Here's my take: it's pretty good for the S. University neighborhood, but it doesn't have to be much better.  I'd give it a 2.5 if I could.

Some background on me: 

- I count Japan among the places I've lived.

- I have a degree in Japanese studies.

- I'm really picky about Japanese food.

- I usually don't trust Japanese restaurants I've never been to, so Yelp is my friend.

Specifics: 

- Environment: the interior is snazzy, and sophisticated for a student hang out.

- Service: many of the reviews here talk about the lack of attention from the staff, and I can verify that. They're not rude, but they're aloof. When we entered the restaurant, we were one of 5 or so active tables. We got our drinks and order in and back fairly swiftly, but after that, we didn't see anyone until it was time for the bill. Mind you, we didn't need to, but we were the last table and wondered if anyone realized we were finished. Once it was time to pay the bill, swiftness ensued. I prefer aloofness to obsequiousness, so I didn't mind. You may have to make fart noises to get their attention over the clattering in the back when it comes time to leave, however.

Let's talk about food. We ordered a number of personal staples:

- agedashi tofu: it's average, but on par for my expectations at a place like this.

- gyoza (pot stickers): they seem like they came from a bag, served too hot, dry and the tare sauce was overly salty. There are different styles of gyoza, and these seemed more like they might be Chinese rather than the lighter Japanese style. I would pass on them.

- the ginger salad dressing is OK.

- the miso soup might be what Oliver Twist was asking for more of.

- the California roll is OK, a bit heavy on the avocado, but paired with soy sauce and wasabi are very satisfying. This is my equivalent of stuffing my face with Fritos. I prefer the imitation crab meat to the sticks of crab, though.

- the salmon sashimi and nigiri sushi were very good; fish quality was good.

- the yellowtail sashimi and nigiri sushi were also good, same fish quality.

- the tuna nigiri sushi had a slab of tuna that was stringy, and the sashimi wasn't any better. My assumption is either the chef doesn't know good tuna, or they assume most people who go here don't know WTF they're eating anyway, so they don't care. 

- the ikura (salmon roe) tasted like it would have been good several weeks ago. I'm not sure if this is just a grade (low quality) or an age (look what we found in the back of the fridge) issue, but it's a treat when it's good, and it's something to choke back the tears when it isn't.

- tempura udon was good, but comes with a LOT. 

Overall, it's an okay restaurant in the student part of town. If you want a fine dining experience with sushi, however, there are other places to consider.
4 - Mae S.: Still good, still a good value, service and food have maintained their quality. Most recent visit: 2 weeks ago.
3 - Melissah L.: Ayaka has solid sushi for the price.  Today in between class I ordered miso soup and the spicy yellowtail roll for takeout. (Side note: miso soup is $1.50 for one tiny cup of broth! No seaweed or tofu or anything.  Tasty, but still, $1.50?!)  Both were good-- but I've been here before and I have to warn you, when they say spicy, they mean spicy!  I enjoyed my roll today but I was really surprised by how fire-y it tasted!  I've been here once before and I remember my roommate exclaiming how her spicy tuna was so unbearably spicy that she couldn't even eat it.  I thought she was being fussy but I found out what she was talking about today!

I guess it all depends on your preferences.

One last thing about Ayaka is that this is they mince their fish into little pieces and mix it with the spicy sauce--I've always been kind of picky about this and prefer to have a whole chunk of sashimi in my rolls with a little dab of spicy sauce on the top.  I just felt like I needed to include that detail...

Anyway, give this place a try.  It offers similar quality sushi as Sadako but a totally different atmosphere.  Ayaka has more of a quiet, romantic feel, so if you are looking for a cheap date this isn't the sort of place where you will need to having a screaming conversation so the person you're with will hear you.  Not bad!
2 - Jeffrey Y.: Overpriced... was nice to get 10% off with cash, but it was still overpriced... I had the katsu curry, was okay but felt lacking.  The miso soup has nothing in it, bland.  The salad portion, tiny.  I can't comment on the sushi but can't exactly afford the sushi regularly anyway...

Ayla & Co - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2788283, -83.7486189) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
3 - Mae S.: Just walked by here for the millionth time. I always wonder about the very expensive, off-beat, high-style clothes. I have never seen anyone wearing anything like this. I must never go the right places (that includes going inside this store).
2 - pamela b.: seriously. i am a size 16. i wear a 40c. i also love to shop (and buy)  higher end. ayla carries some interesting labels, but unfortunately the ladies at ayla offer a big dose of sizeism. yep. nothing over a 10. except shoes. maybe. ayla also offers an equally large dose of snottyness. always wonder if it is based on size or is it just small townees with small minds?  try so hard to buy local, but i think ayla is not worth my dollars.

Ayurvedic Healing Clinic - Claremont, CA (34.1068353, -117.7177133) ()
5 - Margaret W.: I had many session with Yael.  The Shirodhara  treatment takes you into a deep relaxation that last long after the treatment.  Yael is a very calm and soothing practitioner.  I would recommend her to anyone seeking alternative  healing or counseling.   Maggie
5 - Yael S.: Ruthie: During  the Shirodhara treatment, I went into a deep meditative state, where I felt very blissful and light. 
Yael's chanting helped hold a sacred space. Whoever receives this treatment from Yael is fortunate and blessed.

Azalea Salon & Spa - La Jolla, CA (32.8732257, -117.2176194) ()
5 - Cathy X.: I got a groupon for a haircut and partial highlights. Nousha was my colorist and stylist. I'm Asian with relatively dark complexion. I wanted to try something bold like purple-ish red. Nousha is truly a master of picking the right shade that complements my skin tone. I got what I wanted and the color looked great on me. Nousha did a great job cutting my hair as well. She was really thorough and took good care of my hair. She finished with a blow dry, flat iron, and some kind of scented oil that gave my hair a good shine. I got a lot of complements when I showed up at work with my new look. Nousha was really friendly too. I would recommend her to all my friends.
3 - Jennifer F.: I went here about 4 months ago.  First of all my highlights were amazing, and my cut was pretty good.  BUT, the reason I am giving 3 stars is because I didn't ask for short layers.  It meant a lot to me to grow out my hair for a vacation I booked WAY in advance.  I was honestly really really upset that she chopped so much hair when I said I didn't want layers.  Once she chopped the first layers off in the front, it was too late to fix the months of growing out that I did.  I was really disappointed.  It's not your hair, it's mine.  Thanks!
1 - Shana M.: I have the worst possible experience here! I was going to my best friend's wedding and i scheduled an appointment for make up 1 month in advance and i called again after 2 weeks two make sure everything is good! Guess what on the wedding day i went there and The person who was suppose to do my make up was out of town! Don't ever go there .
2 - Thy P.: Since my experience, Aza (the owner) has contacted me and was upset upon hearing about my experience. I commend her for contacting me and wanting to set things right. She offered any service at her salon, free of charge, because of my terrible experience. I haven't been in the area so I haven't been able to pay the salon another visit but I hope to set up an appointment soon to give this salon a more appropriate review because Aza seems really sweet and willing to help.

Azerbaijan Cuisine - Berkeley, CA (37.8698215, -122.2659886) (Downtown Berkeley, UC Campus Area)
1 - Sean B.: This was the most abrupt u-turn I've ever made in a review. They would have had four or maybe even five stars up until the last minute of our visit...

The location is great. It's particularly great for the six of us, as we're all postdocs and predocs at Cal, which is definitely this restaurant's target demographic; it's about 50 feet off campus to the west.

The setting was beautiful. The place was well-decorated. Tastefully ethnic, not overdone, classy. White tablecloths and nice silverware took the setting up a notch too.

The place was a touch pricey for Berkeley, and had no lunch specials. We weren't that excited, considering the number of places around with specials ranging from $6 to $10, but we were excited about having a new place to check out, so we were okay with spending a few extra dollars; no worries.

The appetizers were very nice. The complimentary pita bread and yogurt were a nice filler, the hummus appetizer was delicious, and everyone liked the sandwiches and the salads that we ordered. We finished our meal quite content and ready to integrate this restaurant into our "rounds", as we eat out in this very area of town on a daily basis.

Then it all took a nosedive. We asked if we could have seperate checks and were informed that they had already done one group check for us; we asked if it would be possible to seperate that out, and were told that it was. We waited about five minutes. The tall blonde waitress returned to our table and said that she wasn't sure how to seperate it out since we hadn't asked in advance, and said that if we each gave her our money and our credit cards, that she would be able to seperate it out herself, manually. We were okay with that, no skin off our nose, and handed over our money and our cards.

Ten minutes later, as we realized we were going to be VERY late getting back to work, she returned to the table and said that three of the cards were rejected due to invalid expiration dates. Mine was one of them. Interesting, as my card was a debit, there was plenty of money in the account ($1000+), and the date was 2/13. I gave her another card (exp. date 7/09) and that was rejected also. She returns to the table and asks if I can "just pay cash", frustration clearly coming through in her voice. I didn't have enough, so a friend had to loan me $5.

Ten minutes LATER as we're finally getting things squared away, my friend approached her to double-check and make certain that everything was finalized, the waitress says, snidely, to my friend, "You know, next time if you tell us ahead of time we can seperate the checks, because this was a NIGHTMARE for us. Do you think you can do that?"

(wow)

My friend, taken aback, replies, "Probably", to which she replied, "Probably", scowls, rolls her eyes, and says "Thanks" before turning her back and walking away.

We spoke the whole way home about how rude that was, and how a new restaurant can't afford to treat people that way when they're new and starting up. But they are, and they did... and they just alienated themselves from a group of six doctors and soon-to-be-doctors in one fell swoop.

... then I realized on my way home that they overcharged me by at least $5.00.

Needless to say, we'll walk right on by this place every day on our way to spend our $80 (collectively) at every other restaurant in the area, five days a week. They won't see us again.
1 - Tiffany O.: I was on the dining trip with Sean B. and completely agree with his assessment. It was tasty though over-priced and I was really excited about making this a place that we visit when we want to have a nice lunch together. Right up until the end when we were treated so rudely, overcharged, and insulted. 

Also, in case anyone is thinking, 'I work in the service industry and it's totally annoying to have split a check later..' yeah, I get that, but, we were the ONLY diners in the restaurant, you make it work when it's your only patrons. Seriously. Also, the thing that made it a nightmare wasn't the check splitting, it was their faulty credit card machine, so if the problem is from your faulty machines, don't take it out on people who are spending money in your restaurant. 

I suppose you can get away with treating customers poorly when you're the only game in town, but given that I can get similar food, for a much better price, at about 10 establishments in a 5 block radius, I'm thinking they should try to be a little nicer to their patrons.
1 - Dawn D.: I too was on the infamous lunch and I agree completely with both Tiffany and Sean. 
I understand how difficult it can be to split a check after the fact; however, I agree with the saying that the "customer is always right" and accommodations should be made to make sure your customer is happy. Not become frustrated and rude to your customers because you believe it is an inconvenience. The situation could have been handled much better by the the woman that served us. 
I agree with Tiffany with regard to the price and availability of other venues. So suffice to say I won't be back...even if someone else pays.
5 - John A.: Yesterday was my third visit to Azerbaijan in Berkeley. The food has been consistently delicious. The aush (soup) is over the top.  Considering the quality and quantity of entrees, I think it is a very good value for my dining buck. The service has been very attentive. And it's only a 1-minute walk from the Downtown Berkeley BART. Azebaijan is a "regular" for me!
4 - M.C. H.: Came here to celebrate the end of a semester with a graduate seminar. Our prof had been to this recently-opened restaurant the week before and was so impressed by their rice (of all things!), he deemed it worthy of another visit. We were seated quickly, comfortably, and courteously. Many appetizers, drinks, and plates of food were ordered. I found the eggplant appetizer and dolma to be quite tasty, but didn't care much for the lamb's tongue. We doubled up on most plates to ensure that there was enough to go around. With all these appetizers, combined with the cucumber and yogurt + bread that was automatically served with our meals, we were well on our way to being full even before our real dinners arrived.

As for the main course, I can only speak for the chicken kebab dish I had, but it was some of the juiciest kebab meat I've had in a while. $15 for a well-presented plate including rice and salad seems fair -- especially when someone else is picking up the check, natch. I ended up with a plate of leftovers to take home. I even scored a juicy lamb bone from a friend's stew for my dog (the very sight of the thing made him whimper with unrestrained glee).

Since the department was paying (muahaha), many of us further indulged on coffee and desserts. The rose water ice cream with chunks of frozen, meltaway cream was deeeelish, and unlike anything I've ever had. I'll be craving that dessert for some time to come. Sadly, I am just a poor grad student in the humanities and well never be raking in the dough, even when I do become a "doc". I'm not usually entitled to such extravagance, so I can't say I'm going to be a regular customer. Nevertheless, I do appreciate a touch of luxury on occasion. Azerbaijan was able to provide that, and I returned home with a very happy tummy.
3 - Angellica Y.: The good: tasty food, lots of room, close to campus
The bad: slow service, lack of interpersonal skills, overpriced

We ordered the eggplant and flatbread for appetizer and it was yummy. I love eggplant dishes so this place earned a point for a delicious garlicy eggplant appetizer. For our main dinner entrée, we ordered the joogeh kabob (shirin polo style rice) and it was okay. The rice was super good and tasted better than other Persian restaurants I've been to. We also got the chobon kabop aka fillet steak; it was ok too; nothing too special about the meat. Overall, the food is good, but the waitress didn't seem excited to take our ordered. She looked bored. We were bored.
4 - Gerry C.: This was our first visit to Azerbaijan. The owner also owns the restaurant next door and converted this space to a separate restaurant. The sister restaurant serves burgers, pasta, etc. Both The Joy and I commented about lovely decor, seating, and pleasant environment. The service was very good. At the time we arrived the restaurant did not have many patrons so the staff was able to spend extra time with us. After we were seated the the owner's wife oversaw our table and gave us a number of suggestions for dinner. She was very pleasant and enjoyed sharing information about the dishes. We started with an eggplant dip which was excellent. We were served a complimentary yogart/cucumber dish which we enjoyed a great deal. The pita bread serving with the apps was also super. We had a nice selection of entrees to consider and ordered the chicken kebab with salad and rice and the second entree was a lamb stew with rice. The Joy and I both agreed the food was very good. I was surprised the wine selection was not impressive and expensive for the type of wines available. We will be bringing our own wine on the next visit. I think Azerbaijan has real potential to be a success. Menu choices are great although the price points appear to be high. Looking forward to seeing how the public responds.
2 - Lydia B.: Went back. It was ok. Had the omelette appretizer thing, it was not hot nor cold, seemed kind of greasy and overcooked. Service was just lackadaisical. The orange/nut pilaf was still good and the meats are good. Baklava was not fresh or very good at all.
4 - Ligaya T.: Azerbaijan, now there's a new dot on my culinary map! 

We soon discovered the dishes tasted distinctly Persian: grilled meats, peppers and tomatoes, squash and eggplant, fragrant and fluffy rice, saffron and cinnamon punctuating the dishes. In addition to the traditional stews and skewers, the menu had a fair share of interesting pizza combinations for the culinary conservative. 

Like any good yelper, we had to do it up proper! Our foray included all the essentials: grilled ground chicken, eggplant with garlic, whey and caramelized onions (yum) and the pomegranate and ground walnut fesenjan. Smooth and sweet with a pleasant tang, the marriage of flavors in this dish is really unique. For those who dig the union of fruit and meat, this one's a winner!

If you can pick your head up from the plate, you'll find that the atmosphere is comfortable, dotted with hookahs and "traditional" articles, though the decor appears to taken stitch to stitch from the "Laila" theme out of an interior design catalog. Some personal touches would go a long way. 

The place would also do well to hire some uni students familiar with the cuisine to replace the lackluster service, and think about trimming the prices a buck or two to attract more of the college crowd, but hey, it probably keeps out the riff raff. 

So from the power vested in me by the state of Hunger, I officially declare this place in the top tier of my downtown Berzerkley take-out list.
2 - Mike B.: I hate to give this place a bad review, since it's new and doesn't seem to be doing well--I'd guess about four of the twenty or so tables were taken tonight at 7. Still, if you're going to charge $15 an entree in downtown Berkeley, you'd better be offering some kickin' food and memorable atmosphere. Neither to be found here, I'm afraid.

The good:
The entrees were generally tasty. The chicken kebob was well cooked, and my giant lamb meatball with eggs and plums was a good blend of sweet and savory.
The entrees were generally generous. I was stuffed and had plenty to take home.
Lots of fresh herbs.

The bad:
Pretty boring menu. Yes, there are some distinctive dishes I'd never heard of before, but the large menu would look a lot smaller if you consolidated the 10 or so nearly identical kebob items and the not-so-Azeri pizzas.
So-so service. Despite the place being nearly empty, it took a little while to take our orders.
Lacking in veggies. A lot of the entrees are just meat and rice. The kebobs would be much better if they came with roasted peppers, onions, mushrooms, etc. And my friend got the "vegetarian option" of a lamb-and-eggplant dish, which just meant that they took out the lamb, replaced it with nothing, and charged the same price. Cute.
Pointless appetizers. In particular, the olives were bland and probably came out of a can.
Truly crappy bread. Lukewarm and day-old, I'd say.
4 - Rachel K.: Methinks that the owners of Azerbaijan have been reading Yelp and taking heed of the criticism coming their way.  Reason being that we had lunch there today for my friend's birthday, and encountered every possible scenario cited by other Yelpers where the server or food failed---yet in both tasty factor and courtesy they did a bang-up job.  One of my fellow diners eats hummus at least 5 times a week, and she LOVED the hummus, along with the rest of us.  The yogurt sauce was a perfect consistency and deliciously tart.  I ordered the veggie kabob, and while it was quite simple, it was toothsome indeed.  Not mushy and flavorless like it had the potential to be.  The rice was also perfectly cooked.  My friends ordered meat kabobs and ate every last bite.  

The food was simple, and it was fresh and served very promptly and with a smile.  We split the check three ways (two cards and some cash) and they accommodated us without hesitation.  

My only complaint is 11 dollars for veggie kabobs????  Unless they were blessed by organic garden faeries and rinsed in the fountain of youth, the price seems extravagant .
3 - Cara Y.: Either the service staff has been reading some of the yelp reviews here and upping their game, or I didn't deal with the same employees as others talked about - because the service was actually better than the food.

The hummus we started with was very good, as was the complimentary yogurt/cucumber dish. 

I had the ground chicken skewer entree, and found myself reminded of the texture and flavor of a McRib sandwich.  I blanked out on ordering the special pistachio rice when it was my turn to order, but I'd love to give that a shot - the basic rice that accompanied my entree was cooked just fine, but the entire plate overall was dry and just sort of "average."

For the price, I didn't feel like I was getting what I paid for, but it wasn't a bad meal.  I'm sure I'll try Azerbaijan again at some point, but I probably wouldn't go out of my way for it.  

Props to them for using compostable to-go boxes though!
4 - Toni M.: I haven't been in this space since it housed Good Earth decades ago.  In the interim it's been a variety of Indian restaurants.  I had a lunch date w/ a friend, but she was feeling ill, so Alan and I were left to our own devices.  Laura and I had planned to meet here, so Alan and I agreed to give it a try.

The restaurant looks much different than it did as Good Earth, in a good way.  It's a large space, open yet not cavernous.  Colors are warm, w/ dark wood and lovely raku-like tiles around the kitchen.  The accent paint used is a little too bright a salmon color for my taste.  I would have toned it down a shade or three.  The artifacts displayed around the room were unattractive.  They looked as if they'd been picked up in the Big Lots! home decor section.  Not a good look.  Better to have baskets or something more authentic.  Aside from this, it's a beautiful restaurant.   We were the first to arrive a little before noon and then 2 or 3 other parties filtered in.  I'm not sure how crowded it gets.

Service was friendly.  The food was flavorful, albeit a bit pricey.  It seemed more Persian than Azerbaijani.  There was almost nothing unfamiliar to me, although the yogurt soda was.  We started out w/ the Kashk Bademjan, an eggplant and garlic appetizer and it was one of the best we've had and very reasonable at $5.  We didn't lick the plate, the knife or our fingers, although the thought occurred.   A complimentary dish of yogurt and cucumbers and a basket of flatbread accompanied it and were very good.  We both ordered the Koobideh Kabob, a mixture of ground lamb and beef w/ spices cooked on skewers.  Alan ordered his w/ the pistachio rice, which also included sultanas and orange peel, while I ordered mine w/ saffron and barberries.  The special rice added $1.95 to the dish, which was $9.95.  The meat was moist and tasty.  The rice was a generous portion.  Alan's was on the sweet side while mine had the tartness of the barberries.  Both were excellent.  The yogurt soda was good and tart, the spritziness of the soda unfamiliar and nice.

I was pleased w/ the food, although a little disappointed it was less exotic than I had anticipated.  The owner of Azerbaijan also owns Alborz, which is around the corner and it seems as if he is in competition w/ himself.  The menus are very similar and the prices at Alborz are a couple of dollars cheaper.  I'd return for that eggplant, though.  We'll return one of these evenings for dinner.
4 - Nakamura B.: This is a meat place.   Mmmmm... The meat...  Yes, shishkebob is supposed to be perfectly marinated and tender enough to cut with a fork.  Lamb chops are supposed to make you feel that the furry little critter had not died in vain.  If you are a meat person this is heaven.
Not sure whether I've made this clear enough: Meat.  Just meat.  (And grilled tomato, and perfectly fluffy rice, and yogurt, but really - who cares?  It's about meat).
If you are a fish person, or, god forbid, a vegetarian, you should not go there - you'll be bored.  Although even a vegetarian might want to drop by just for yogurt soda and bread with yogurt spread and some sweet nutty dessert.

It's bright, clean, spacious and decorated in "generic Italianate" - the only cool Azerbaijan touch is the slide show over the bar (but it is _very_ interesting).  The waiters are friendly, helpful, and only bother you when you do not have your mouth full.  
Great place to take a date if you're either comfortable with them, or pretending to be friends.  Great place to take a business partner for lunch if you are trying to work, not impress them with your expense account.  Great place to take friends under any circumstances.
3 - Sarah S.: To start, my party of five ordered the combination appetizer, which included a variety of really fabulous items.  My favorite two on the dish were the eggplant and garlic puree item (Kashk Bademjan, I think) and the egg and walnut fritatta (OK, so that's not what it's called, but I can't think of the actual name!).  

I tried the yogurt soda just for kicks.  It was definitely interesting, and I had more than one sip, but I think it's the kind of item you have to grow up with to really enjoy.  It could make a great amuse-bouche if you're planning a Middle Eastern multi-course meal.  It had pepper and herbs in it.  

For my main course, I chose the filet mignon kebab, which was very tasty.  My only complaint is that it was served medium instead of medium rare, as I had ordered it.  The meat still managed to be tender and slightly juicy, though, so I wasn't too upset.  The accompanying rice was fluffy and well-seasoned.  Oh, and the grilled tomato was a great touch; I'm going to add that to my grilled meat platters from now on!

The decor at this place doesn't exactly scream "Azerbaijan" (not that I'm really sure which decor would do so) and was rather eclectic, but not in a good way - more in a "we went to cost plus and bought a bunch of stuff" kind of way.  

I'd go back to this place, for sure, but I'd definitely have to be in the mood for a lot of meat and a large meal.
2 - LaRocha L.: We stopped in here for lunch, and while the staff were pleasant, the food was not great and over priced. Nothing was truly terrible, I had slightly overcooked lamb skewers and rice, my friend had chicken that was a bit on the salty side, but I've had tastier kebabs and was irritated at how much it cost.
4 - marjorie h.: Delicious eclectic Persian menu and staff ready to serve. White table cloths, fine wine. A relaxing and romantic dining spot near Cal and theaters.
4 - Lilinah A.: WoW!  Was the food at Azerbaijan Restaurant ever delicious!

My friend and i met for lunch - i insisted lunch, he wanted dinner - i'm glad i insisted because 6 hours later i'm still stuffed. We met at 2 PM because we were going to a movie nearby afterwards. Because it was so late, we were the only people in the place.

The decor is partly inherited, but partly intentional. One wall was a full bar, above which was a flat screen TV with a slide show of life in Azerbaijan and Iran.

First we had the Kashk Bodemjan, eggplant puree with kashk (a dairy product) and walnuts. It was fabulous. We were served flatbread (not pita) that was fresh, soft, and warm.

[ASIDE: We didn't bother with hummus bi-tahini, because it is not local to the region of Azerbaijan. It's probably on the menu because Americans think every "Middle Eastern" restaurant should serve it, so i wouldn't expect it to be great. When i want hummus bi-tahini, i get it from a local Palestinian cafe, and it's perfect.]

My friend had the Koresht Havij, which is a lamb stew with shredded carrots, which came with rice.

I had the Kufteh Tabrizi - a *GIANT* meatball (and i mean GIANT) stuffed with a hardboiled egg and some dried fruit, in a nicely seasoned tomato sauce. It came with a plate of fresh green herbs today parsley, mint, basil, and scallions, which i ate between bites of kufteh. I also ordered a side of Polo Shirin, which is rice with saffron, shredded orange peel, pistachios, and plumped raisins. It was also wonderful.

All the dishes were fabulously delicious. And it was a massive amount of food - i struggled to finish mine, my friend left some of his carrots behind.

We both had Ayran - so-called Yogurt soda - which is somewhat diluted yogurt with crushed mint and some carbonation. I've had it often before, buying 4-packs at a local Persian market, Zand, and it has been light, fizzy, and refreshing. At Azerbaijan it was heavier and very filling, so next time we will order a lighter beverage.

Because we were so full, but there were interesting desserts on the menu, we shared one. I can't recall the name, but it had both Paloodeh and saffron-rosewater ice cream. The Paloodeh is frozen and comes with a bottle of lemon juice to sprinkle on it for a sweet-and-sour experience. The saffron ice cream was not homemade but really yummy (i LOVE saffron).

And we finished with tiny cups of excellent "Turkish" coffee. It was just thick enough, not too sweet, and had a great roasted flavor.

Service was a little slow, but very helpful and friendly. If the service had been a bit more attentive i would have given 5 stars. But i'm patient and it was worth it.

And, man, it was sooooo good! We will DEFINITELY go back.
4 - Yas G.: Im persian, so I know good resturants/bad ones..this one is quality persian food! the kabob is delicious as was the fillet Mignon . 

Def. recommend this place..their service is a little lagging.

nice ambiance/very clean place though!

def. a good place to check out!

btw the food is HALAL.
1 - Kenneth R.: Here's a restaurant that aspires to mediocrity and doesn't even close to achieving it.  In my humble opinion, this is a bad place.  I'm sorry that I came, and I'm sorry that I brought my friends.  I won't be back and I don't recommend the place to anybody.

Details: At our table, everybody ordered only a main dish (stew or kabob, with rice).  No one wanted any appetizers, and there sure weren't calls for any kind of dessert.  We got the complimentary yogurt appetizer with dry pita bread, and this was OK.  (Also, we were hungry.)  The main dishes came with either white rice (no extra charge) or flavored rice (a dollar or two more).  I got the ground chicken skewer that was praised on yelp and the lima bean rice, which sounded interesting to me.  Maybe I had an off day, or maybe the kitchen did, but the tastes were simply MEH.  To add insult to injury, the Sudwerk Hefeweizen that I ordered tasted kind of stale.

When I stepped back out onto the street, I felt liberated.

It's hard to imagine how this restaurant can survive.  It's cavernous, and there's no way that it can fill up.  The rent must be expensive -- unless the owner got an extraordinary good deal.  There are much better places not that far away, including Alborz, which is a sister restaurant to this one.

If I had control of this space, I'd try to set up a Fish Market or a Chow sort of place.  This would probably require significant kitchen renovation, but it'd be worth it!
4 - Mara C.: I have been here twice now after initial hesitation due the first couple of reviews I read, which where not great. But it WAS great! I especially loved the combination appetizer platter, but all the dishes were great not to mention large. It has a nice if somewhat formal feel. The first time the service was adequate and the second it was quite friendly. I will definitely be back!
4 - Mike L.: I actually liked this place.  We decided to give it a shot since Restaurant.com was offering $25 certificates for $1.  The restaurant itself is nice and roomy, I think they went a little overboard and could have done with a much smaller place.  

They start you with a basket of bread and some yogurt.  I enjoyed this very much, the yogurt was chilled and delicious and the bread was pretty good as well.  We ordered the lamb tongue for appetizer.  I thought it was pretty good, but looked simple (just two pieces of tongue in a broth).  Maybe add a few small slices of carrots or a sprig of parsley?  

For our meal, we ordered the lamb shank stew with the eggplant and the filet mignon kabob.  The stew was amazing and almost reminded me of osso bucco.  The eggplant was a perfect addition to the dish.  The kabob was just a thin slab of beef, didn't really impress me.  I thought it lacked flavor and was slightly dry.  

I would definitely come back as long as I could take advantage of another cheap offer like $1 gift certificates.  The food was good and would love to try more of the things they have to offer.
3 - Jay Y.: I do like this place.  The food is great which makes up for the lack of service at this establishment.  The wine list is pretty decent and the Ashereshte is amazing.  I also like th barg and the jojeh.
4 - Ann D.: Had a very nice dinner at Azerbaijan.  The complimentary yogurt appetizer was thick and creamy with big chunks of cucumber, and nicely garlicky.  

I ordered the "cornish hen with bone," which the menu described as being cornish hen marinated with saffron and lime, cooked on a skewer. It turned out to be an entire bird, cut into pieces, grilled to perfection.  I ordered one of the special rices: fava beans and fresh dill. This was an enormous serving with lots of dill and not too many favas, and a little dry.  I was silly to order it as favas were not in season; I'll try it again in spring. 

My husband ordered one of the specials, a lamb stew with fresh herbs.  This came as a sort of deconstructed meal: a bowl with meat and garbanzos and veg that you mashed with a masher, a bowl of delicious broth, a plate with basil and cilantro and mint and parsley leaves, all very fresh, and tomatoes, and a basket of bread - you put them together and dip ... messy, but oh so delicious.  And oh so much of it!

The service was efficient, the place was nearly empty, the food was quite good, the prices were reasonable and the portions were huge.  We'll definitely be back when we are out for the evening in downtown Berkeley.
4 - beth a.: I grew up in LA eating at all the wonderful Persian places in Westwood, and I'm always sad there's not more of them in the Bay. 
I went to this place for lunch today and my taste buds were very pleased. 
Everything was delicious! 5 stars for the food and service. Minus 1 star for not having cheaper lunch specials (after tip and tax we paid $15 each for lunch). Delicious. Give it a try.
2 - Sara F.: There's a reason this place was empty on a Sunday night. Word to the wise- never let an Irish boy from the South Bay pick the restaurant.

They had never heard of baba ganoush. Seriously, Azerbaijan? Seriously? The roasted eggplant with yogurt was.........interesting. However, it was the main entree that sealed the two stars. The chicken kabobs were flavorless and had a weird consistency. The kabob was listed as being lime flavored. A lemon was accompanied with the kabob instead. Umm, last time I checked, lemons tasted different than limes!

Sigh. At least I didn't pay.
4 - Jack W.: Ever since we walked past this place early in the semester, my four-person apartment collectively made it a goal to come here. This was more because the idea of Azerbaijan cuisine was intriguing than anything we actually heard about the place itself. Plus, Azerbaijan is fun to say.

As dead week kicked off -- the final days of lecture were cancelled due to budget cuts -- we finally had a chance to drop in, 

The restaurant was almost completely empty, but I brushed it off as it being a Monday night. One of the first things we saw was a hookah, to which my roommate remarked, "I like this place already." There was also a widescreen TV with a slideshow of what I assumed to be pictures of Azerbaijan.

Being poor college students, we all passed on any appetizers, desserts, or drinks -- though there was a yogurt soda that sounded tempting for its mere novelty. We were, however, treated with complimentary pita bread. Dipped in yogurt, the bread was soft and delicious; I would've called for a third basket if I hadn't been embarrassed to do so.

I decided on the filet mignon kebab, which came with green peppers, onions, a grilled tomato half, and rice with saffron. I ordered it medium, and the meat was juicy and tender. No complaints here. There was the option of topping the rice with some sort of red spice, which added a nice of kick of flavor to it. The portions were also satisfying, but not immense.

Two of my apartment-mates chose chicken breast kebabs and seemed similarly pleased with their entrees, while the third opted for some sort of lamb stew that was listed as a special. This was an interesting dish which required you to mash the mix of meat, vegetables, and broth -- a blend that you would then eat with more of the pita bread. It looked like a lot of fun to play with, and will probably be what I order if I return.

The waiter was friendly and relatively quick, but of course, we were one of only three or four tables there. One star off for being a touch expensive, but a very enjoyable experience overall.
2 - Hungry S.: I've eaten here several times and it seems like the quality depends to a large extent on who the chef is.

Sometimes, for example, the kebabs are superb. You can taste the charcoal flavor, they have a crispness to them, they are fiery.

Yet a few days later, the same kebabs are bland and uninspired. What happened is that the chefs switched.

Edit: gave it one more try, and this time it was really bad. I don't understand - I've had some terrific meals here, but they must have switched chefs or something, it's been really poor lately. 

This place has tremendous potential if they can just be as good consistently as they can be.
Clearly there is at least one superb chef working at this restaurant. And when he does, it's a fine place (avoid the pizza though). But the management must improve its quality control and make sure that the quality does not deteriorate when that chef is off-duty.

The space itself is very good, conveniently located and pleasant.
3 - Quyen T.: I would give Azerbaijan 3.5 stars. The food is actually pretty damn good.  We usually order beef kebobs and they are DELISH.  The appetizers are also very good; we order the hummus and the eggplant.  Make sure you put a bunch of sumac or whatever that spice is all over your rice.  Very good.  

Now to the bad:  Not cheap.  Not sure how we ended up spending close to $70 for three a kebab place, and 2 of us split an entree!  The service was also SPOTTY and shady.  The female server was perfectly nice, but come on now, there's no excuse for bad service when you only have THREE tables to wait on!  THREE!  What's up with that?  E.g., she brought us the dessert menus, but then never returned to see if we wanted dessert.  She brought out the wrong entree for my friend, and it was just a mess, and when we ordered extra yogurt, she never brought it so her colleague had to bring it.  Then she brings it like an hour later.  

Overall, the service could be much improved.  I'd pay these prices b/c the food is relatively very good, but the service leaves so much to be desired!
2 - H S.: Not that great food. Not a good service.
1 - Dan C.: One of the worst dining experiences I've had in recent memory. My girlfriend and I went there with some friends. The staff substituted our food with salad and garbage and when we called them out on it they were incredulous about it. We asked that they substitute the the dishes with different food and asked them to bring out a manager. Miraculously, the food we had originally ordered but were told "was out" was on its way. 

By that time half the party had finished the dishes they ordered and we asked for the bill to pay for our drinks. We were presented with a check for the entire meal... jacked up dishes included. 

The management team is inept and completely unprepared to deal with the slightest customer issue. 

The food is terrible, so don't waste your time.
4 - Zare k.: this place was really good, the service was extremely attentive. and they constantly give you fresh bread with yogurt source. we ordered a range of dishes and lots of kabobs, all were great!
1 - Paolo D.: Worst dinning experience ever! Save your money and don't try this place. They give Persian food a bad name....tasteless food, horrible services and dirty utensils. Also they are always out of something: bread, desert, rice, salad, you name it....I heard they are closing down the place and are planning to open a coffee shop..if they have the same service and food quality, I wont go there.
4 - Meghana D.: The best Persian food in Berkeley. The meats are deliciously succulent and well-cooked. I don't really write Yelp reviews unless I really feel strongly about a place, and this is one of them. It's a bit pricey for the average college student, but it's definitely worth it. Free warm starter lavash!

Azteca - College Park, MD (39.009166, -76.928713) ()
1 - Lissette S.: Ok u take like forever to open and this is it??? Man sorry ill leave space for u guys to improve maybe its growing pains....but not in my stomach wich im feeling now after eating here......like we say not worth the calories....I left most of my food.  To be fair the place was beautiful. By the way dessert (flan)was not good. They have Gelato but i didnt try it. I had seafood enchilada it tasted sort of chicken but not with good flavor...I tried white rice too and it was so mushy that it was inedible.bland vegetables old pick de gallo came with it.
The waitress was sort of new we asked for pupusas and a tamale that never arrived....
2 - Heather J.: I was so hoping to love this restaurant.  The Mexican food in this part of the country leaves so much to be desired.  No luck.  Yes, they did a really nice job on the restaurant and it is pretty inside.  The bar looks really nice and the drinks I saw coming out looked great. 

Unfortunately, the food leaves a lot to be desired.  My husband had a pretty much inedible tamale (that's really saying something for him), a very bland chile relleno, and a decent beef enchilada.  My tacos al pastor were unbearably salty.  I ate one of the three.  It was a shame because the seasoning on the pork was pretty good but was completely overwhelmed by the saltiness.  Also, there was no trace of pineapple flavor and no lime served with them, which is unusual in my experience.  The salsa that we were warned was "too spicy" for kids was not spicy at all.  It was fine - unspectacular and kind of bland.  The East Coast palate friendly salsa (I assume that was the intent) was essentially tomato juice.  Very thin.  Very flavorless.  

The service:  the staff were all incredibly friendly, but there were all sorts of service problems.  We ordered drinks and they took ages to come.  We had chips and salsa for 10 minutes before iced tea for me and juice for the kids arrived.  My daughter ordered a chicken enchilada on the child's menu.  The waitress told us there was no chicken enchilada on the child's menu, only cheese.  I showed her the menu where it clearly said chicken or beef enchilada.  She said only cheese and we said that's fine a cheese enchilada, rice and beans then.  The food took ages to come and when it did she brought a cheese quesadilla, fries, rice and beans for my daughter.  At that point we were too hungry to send it back, so we just let it go.  We asked for to go boxes for my nearly full plate, and the two nearly full plates of my kids.  The waitress brings 3 boxes sized for a piece of cake.  It was bizarre.  The food did not come close to fitting, but again service was so slow we just gave up and went home.  

I'm giving the 2 stars here because most of the food was edible and really around here that's about par for the course for Mexican food.  I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on the service issues since they just opened.  We may try the brunch sometime as it is hard to imagine how anyone could mess up migas or huevos rancheros, but I doubt we'll be back for dinner.
4 - Paul T.: Excellent grilled chicken quesadilla and burrito. The sangria is also very good. The staff is friendly and fast. The decor is nice and clean. We watched a little football and had a good meal. Recommended.
4 - Erick S.: The long awaited opening of the Azteca Cantina was worth the wait.  The restaurant is beautiful and the staff are eager to provide excellent service.  I ordered Pork Tacos. They were served piping hot, with a nice slice of fresh avacado.  Additionally, my Mojohito was a welcomed addition to a good meal.  

WTG,

Happy Consumer

PS: The Dolci Gelato is awesome, I tried the pumpkin spice and Azteca chocolate (which has a hint of jalapeno) Spice and rich chocolate for the win!!!!!
1 - Tracy G.: I was SO excited for this place to open as I love Mexican food and you really can't find good places around here for it. The inside is lovely, and much larger than it looks. I've been here twice now in hopes they would improve since the first visit. They got worse.

First visit: on a Saturday evening around 6, just opened but not very busy. service was SLOW and the waitress didn't speak English. I ordered a margarita and she asked what size and i said the 12 oz but she said "no, is too small, you get 16 oz" Ok...then asked what type I wanted, Patron or someting else, and I said just the well tequila or house tequila. (When the bill came she charged me for the Patron drink which was more than my meal was!) I ordered the chicken burrito and even though it took forever to get to me, I felt it was pretty good. Beans were only fair but the rice was good. The waitress hardly stopped by to ask how things were and if we needed anything, and getting a refill for my water was out of the question. The manager stopped by to check on us at the end and i didn't say anything at the time. i wish i had. All in all, i wanted to come back because the food was pretty good.

Second visit: on a Wednesday evening, very slow traffic inside. The foyer reeked of some stench resembling marijuana...the hostess was super friendly and quick to seat us. Then the busser brought us water and chips/salsa which was fast. That's where the promtness stopped. We had eaten about half of the chips before our waitress stopped to say hello, and we knew what we wanted. I had the same waitress as i did before so I knew to not order alcohol - just water. She took our drink orders and we wanted to order our food but she walked away. It was another 10 min before she came back with my husbands coke, and she walked away awgain. ANOTHER 10 minutes and she took our order but didn't ask if we needed anything else (chips were gone at this point). I got the chicken fajitas and he had the steak burrito. Food didn't take too long this time but it didn't taste very good. The rice and beans were disgusting and we didn't eat them - so incredily bland! he didn't enjoy his burrito but ate it anyways because we were starving. My fajitas were just fair, chicken seemed low quality and salty, but it was ok. It took forwever to get the check so we just flagged her down and handed her our card so she could just get it over with. She was not friendly at the end either. 

In short, we won't be returning. As we smelled the marijuana again when we left, we now wonder if it's a front for a drug operation? Don't waste your time or money here.
4 - Don L.: Stopped by for dinner and had a great meal. The corn tamales were excellent, portions are a good size and fajitas are excellent. The only down side is that service could be a bit quicker but it was very busy. I spoke to mgmt and they did hire more cooks and wait staff. The ambiance is great and the restaurant looks fantastic. Looking froward to eating here again.
3 - Johanna M.: Overall Azteca gets 3 starts, but some dishes and the wait staff earn 4 or 5 stars. We tried four dishes: complementary chips and salsa; pork and cheese pupusa; steak fajitas; and combination #2 (enchilada, stuffed poblano pepper, taco, rice, & beans).

Let's start with the highlight: The steak fajitas were amazing. The steak was incredibly flavorful, and it was great that it came with guacamole (vs. most places make you pay extra). The rice and beans that accompanied both dishes were bland--needed more salt or some other flavor.

Everything else was kinda just okay. Yes, the salsa is more like tomato juice, but I didn't mind it. The pupusa was okay, but I like the ones at Samantha's better because they come with more pickle. The combination platter #2 wasn't nearly as good as the steak: the enchilada was a little bland though the taco al carbon was tasty.

Wait staff was incredibly nice and helpful, and our waters were refilled upwards of 10 times.

I'm happy that College Park has one more restaurant with table clothes, but I think Azteca has room to improve flavor and quality across the board.
3 - B W.: Today's lunch from Azteca was the "two burritos" platter.  One was a chicken burrito covered in tomatillo salsa and other a beef burrito with a veggie salsa (? had a tomato sauce and celery) and came with the required rice, beans, pico, guac, and sour cream.  And because that lettuce under the sauces does not count as a veggie, I ordered a side salad.  The total for lunch greater than $ 15.00  : (  But the idea was to eat half and save the other half for tomorrow - goal achieved!
Best item on my plate was the pico!  It really tasted fresh and delicious.  The guac was good too.  But enough about the giveaways: the chicken burrito was edible.  I would order that again.  Not so much the beef one though (found a bay leaf in it).  Rice and beans were OK.  

All in all the food did not seem like it came from a box.  At the same time I won't be singing its praises.  Maybe I'll hum in the distance.
2 - S A.: My BF's quote after our dinner here pretty much sums up the place: "If I'm really craving a fajita somewhere nearby (we live 1 mi. away) then I will come here again"

The cores of the dishes are fantastic, I had delicious grilled shrimp and the beef from my BF's fajitas was seasoned perfectly.  However, the sides & accompaniments leave a bit to be desired.  The salsa tasted homemade, but could have used some crused tomatoes or something to thicken it up, it was like tomato juice.  The rice was bland, but tasted much better after I poured the liquidy salsa over it.  The beans could have used some more seasoning. 

I ordered a Sangria which tasted like beer... I think the fruit may have been in too long and starting to ferment.  However, they replaced it with just a regular glass of wine without any extra charge. 

There was a family seated next to us that sent their queso back because it didn't taste right.  The waiter brought out another dish of it for them and it seemed ok.  They also tried to order a cheese enchilda from the kid's menu and the waiter came back and said they didn't have any cheese enchildas, only beef or chicken (really? just take the meat out!) After reading other reviews on Yelp I found this amusing since it was exactly the opposite of what happened to someone else (tried to order beef/chicken enchilda off the kids menu and was told there was only cheese!)

All in all, Azteca is a decent enough place to go for Mexican food if you don't feel like having the mass-produced taste of a place like Chevy's.
4 - Gertrude G.: We were so excited to see that Azteca has finally opened! 

We're not from the Southwest, so we may not have the same perspective as someone from that area, but we thought the food was good. I had pork tacos the first time we went and a seafood enchilada the second. Sorry, I don't remember what my husband had, but he enjoyed his food, too. We ordered margaritas - they were good but could use a little more tequila.

They still have some growing pains as far as service (very friendly but sometimes a little slow). I echo the salsa sentiment in other reviews - the first time we went, there were two salsas, one of which was very good. The second time, there was only the one kind - it was watery and not very flavorful.

Overall, this is a good restaurant that we'll keep patronizing.
1 - Robert C.: 1 hr 15 min to get lunch when it is NOT busy.  The only way I was going to consider going back was for the lunch buffet (faster).  Now, after speaking with them, they have decided not to have the lunch buffet but more "lunch specials".  The food here takes WAY too long, and I could overlook that if it was good.  DO NOT go here if you want edible food, or lunch in a reasonable time.  If you don't care about time, food quality, or a nice staff, you will love it.  However, you will get better service at the DMV.
5 - April S.: I think Azteca maybe my new "spot." I went there late last night because (1) I was hungry, and (2) I keep driving by this place & always wanted to check it out. When you first walk in, you are greeted by the host. He seemed really nice. Azteca is super clean and has a big dining area. Truly, looks are deceiving. From the outside, it looks really small. 

They also have a bar area with a flat screen TV (that's where I sat). The bartender was very sweet and she was very attentive. I had a mango margarita and a crab quesadilla. Delicious! They bring out some chips and fresh salsa as an appetizer as well, which is really nice. 

And may I add, I loved the music. It made me want to get up and start doing the salsa. I couldn't help but shake my shoulders a little bit. All in all, I love Azteca and you will probably see me in there sometime really soon. Definitely a place to check out!
4 - Kathryn C.: My husband and I visited this restaurant for lunch, at 12:30 on a Monday.  It was nearly empty, and nice and quiet.  The host was very nice, and our server was extremely attentive and courteous.  The decor was nice, with bright, boldly painted walls.  The chips were light and crisp--not at all greasy.  The salsa was okay.  It didn't taste extremely fresh--it was room temperature.  I like my salsa cold... that's just me.


I ordered a crab and shrimp enchilada.  We waited for our food for quite a while, but I was hungry and ready to eat my weight in tortilla chips.  The enchilada was very tasty, and neatly rolled.  My food didn't fall out all over the plate.  The tortilla was firm and not soggy.  The beans that came with the dish were good.  I'm not a fan of refried beans, so I was pleased to see firm, whole beans.  The rice was well cooked--not chewy.  

I don't like everyone's guacamole.  That said--the guac was amazing.  It was fresh-tasting, not mushy or watery and not too chunky.  The pico de gallo was among the best I've ever tasted.

I truly enjoyed the food, as well as the service.  I will definitely revisit soon.  I hope this place stays open for a while!
1 - David K.: Either they don't have queso (which my group tends to get as an appetizer at every Mexican style restaurant we try) or the waitstaff was unable to understand what we wanted. Unfortunately, the communication between the table and the waitress was a problem the entire night. I do not believe that it is a good idea to have a waitstaff made of people who only know broken English, and my experience here only confirms my thoughts. The waitress did not understand the difference between the words Medium and Large; not knowing how large this restaurant's large is supposed to be, I did not find out that we received more food than we ordered until the check came. The waitress overcharged all 3 people in my party by charging 2 for a large rather than the mediums we ordered and charging the third for an Entree when he only ordered 2 sides. 

The food was good, not great. It it rather difficult to get a quesadilla wrong, but it is possible to get it exceptionally right. They did not get it exceptionally right.
5 - Judd L.: CLASSIEST LATIN AMERICAN RESTAURANT BETWEEN UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND AND HWY 495...  AND THE CUISINE IS MUY DELICIOSO TOO !

I've watched Azteca go through two very prolonged years in it's efforts to open.  I can only assume that it's a fine example of Prince George County's bureaucratic cronyism at it's best.  In short... "greasing the palms". The very much over built handicap ramp is fit for royalty and yet there's a lack of sidewalks and street lights all along Baltimore Avenue.

From the outside, the building isn't much (except for the handicap ramp), but once inside you'll see that Mario put his money where it really counts. The interior is spacious, colors that are warm and cheerful and tables topped with white table linen, and green linen napkins shaped into fans. Real tableware and Christmas decorations on the tables. The flooring is a diamond pattern with terracotta tiles. I dare say it's a very classy place compared to any restaurant along Baltimore Avenue.

So far, my first impression is very solid. The menu cover page has a picture of an Azteca god and the next seven pages are all sorts of Tex-Mex entrees, combination plates and some Salvadorian cuisine. The papusas offered on the are a dead giveaway. Since this was our initial visit, we ordered the fried calamari served with marinara sauce, Combo #2 (chili filled with cheese, chicken enchilada covered with Monterrey Jack cheese & taco aL carbon served with sour cream, pico de gallo plus guacamole) and a bowl of sopa de mondongo (tripe soup).

Before being served dinner, each table receives a basket of heated super refined nacho chips with their signature tomatilla sauce. It was so good that we requested a second basket of nachos which we admitted later that it prevented us from finishing all of our dinner.

The fried calamari was very crisp with flour coating that wasn't seasoned. The supposed marinara sauce was more like a mayo-tomato dressing. Very different yet very tastefully satisfying..

As for the Combo #2... it was an aircraft carrier sized meal.  So much that most of it was to go home.  My wife did manage to finish off the stuffed pepper. I would have to assume it was good because it disappeared quickly and without comment.

The sopa de mondongo included a knuckle, plenty of tender tripe and lots of very fresh green squash, carrots, and yucca. Very Salvadorian influenced and really well seasoned. This entree went home in my stomach.

For dessert, we finished off with a beautiful slice of creamy tres leche cake that was topped with a cherry.

BTW... Mario is the owner and he spent some quality time telling us the story of what he has had to do in order to open Azteca. He and his brother also have another restaurant in Silver Spring that they've had for many years.  In spite of the prolonged time to open, Mario is very pleased with the wonderful community reception to this new business. Already, several large company parties have taken place here.

Azteca is a extremely nice change of pace and a very substantial upgrade from the typical university student orientated restaurants all along Baltimore Avenue. The staff is most cordial and polite. Mario has a real winner in Azteca.
4 - Wayne M.: If you have grown accustomed to College Park dining, Azteca is a real treat. The small parking lot in the front of the restaurant can deceive you into thinking that this is just another run of the mill Mexican restaurant. Don't be mistaken. The tag is a bit pricey but the quality of the food is second to none in College Park. Azteca also features a full bar :)
5 - Betty H.: I arranged a farewell luncheon for 24 people at Azteca.  The staff was top-notch and very helpful.  The table was prepared for us when we arrived at the table.    They took drink orders as individuals arrived.  Mario (our coordinator provided a special menu for the event of 5 entrees).

Several individuals in the group had early meetings and the staff accommodated getting their meals out early in order for them to make their afternoon meetings.

Chips and warm salsa were provided before the meal.  I hadn't seen warm salsa served.  The chips were paper thin and salsa was excellent.

Everyone was pleased with their meals.  I had the Shrimp, Chicken and Steak Fajitas.  The Fajita's were excellent.  The only complaint I heard was the Shrimp and Crabmeat Enchilada's weren't as flavorful as the Chicken Enchilada's.  The Shrimp used was small bay shrimp.

I was driving so didn't partake of a margarita but they looked delicious and the server assured us they were the best margarita's in town.  I will have to withhold judgment until a time when I am the passenger!

Overall, given the size of the crowd I give this restaurant 5 stars and it was a very positive experience.  I am looking forward to going back with a smaller group.
5 - Mark H.: Our experience here was amazing!  The place is very clean, our server was great and the Groupon deal made it a great bargain.  I went by the reviews on yelp, and so my wife and I both ordered different types of fajitas.  Absolutely the best fajitas we have ever had.  Maybe the other dishes are not as good, but go here for the fajitas - both steak and shrimp fajitas were good.
5 - Drew B.: So i decided to try out the local Tex Mex restaurant that opened up a few months ago.  The parking was a little confusing but then i saw the sign that said "Parking in Rear" which made a lot of sense.  Walked in and was seated and promptly brought water and chips/salsa.  I decided to order a margarita and it was very good.  Best i've had in a while.  I then ordered some Tacos Al Pastor with 2 pupusas.  The pupusas were great but the Tacos were beyond my expectations.  I am a man who loves his spicy food and asked for their hottest sauce.  They came out with a housemade "Jabanero salsa" which even made my mouth need water.  You gotta ask for it if you like spicy!!

Will be going back soon.  The food is so good and I know they are looking for servers so I am thinking about applying for a job.
5 - Rick H.: A classy casual restaurant. Wait staff was excellent, attentive and courteous. 
The enchiladas and burritos are awesome. 
The bar area is warm and friendly very inviting. 
Highly recommend.
4 - Soo U.: Went last night with a friend and we ordered a variety from the "appetizer page." For food we got the fried plantains, fried yuca, bean and cheese pupusa and a beef and cheese pupusa along w/ a side order of guacamole. It was my first time trying pupusas and I was really happy with my bean and cheese one. Their pickled cabbage with the pupusa was also very delicious (my friend agreed who has tried pupusas from her salvadoran neighbors). I had no complaints about the yuca or the plantains and the guacamole was nice and oniony and creamy. We each got a blended margarita (she got the tamarindo and I got the melon and they were tasty). The interior of the place is much nicer looking than we had thought from the outside and they apparently have happy hour from 4-7 so we'll be checking it out again.
4 - Tim Z.: I am starting off by saying the waitstaff was amazing. They worked as a team and had different people taking my order, getting my drinks, and getting the check for me. I usually hate this because something gets screwed up, but they had it to a science. Everything came fast and was right on cue. I am very big on keeping my cup full because I drink a lot of water and they were phenomenal at it.

Both my girlfriend and I got the COMBO #1 which is 1 chicken taco, 1 chicken tamale, 1 chicken/beef enchilada as well as rice and beans. The food was very good. I ate my entire plate but was very full and she couldn't finish.

The only problem I have with this place is the prices. It's a little expensive for what it is. The alcohol is no deal at all. Overall it was $30 with tip for 2 people which is a cheap dinner, but for what it is, I don't think it's worth that. I am a struggling college student and am all about deals. 

Overall, it's probably the best mexican place in the area since Chipotle isn't a real mexican restaurant and Chevy's is just ehhh in my eyes.
2 - TJ N.: I give 2 stars for the first impression and the food.  Reasonably priced, large portions, quality ingredients, and good presentation.  The server who greeted/sat us was cheerful and very professional.

The fly in the ointment came when we were almost finished eating and our actual server came to ask if we wanted desert.  We asked if he could give us a few minutes to decide.  That was our big mistake.  We were busy with jovial conversation until we noticed that our server never came back.  When the bus person came by we asked for our bill, having decided we now did not have time for desert.  A few minutes later our waiter came and asked what kind of "beer" we wanted.  Obviously a language thing.  We asked for our bill and the server left.  Once again the server was gone for a long time.

The server reappeared to check on 2 other tables, and still no bill.  We decided it was time to be head for the front desk.  We saw the manager and explained what had happened.  Just then our server came out of the back and saw us talking to the manager which prompted a dash to a terminal to make up our bill.

We got a lot of apologies from both manager and server.  At no time was a reduction on our bill, a gift certificate for another visit, or other courtesy offered for the poor service.  The server got $0 tip.

I am still a true believer in first impressions.  Azteca missed the mark.  Too bad because had the service been better I would be singing their praises.
2 - Toni D.: Lots of promise; still needs work.

 My husband had the salmon; I had the Pescado Frito.  In both cases, the fish was done beautifully.  There was an assortment of steamed vegetables on my husband's plate that needed a lot more steaming because they were practically raw.  

One of our acid tests is flan.  Much to our dismay, the flan, which was not bad at all, was topped with curaçao.  This was not disclosed on the menu, and neither of us drink.  If you are going to top something off with something 80-proof or better, it should be on the menu.

Please.  Please.  Please.  Please let your diners know about boozy desserts so we can decide to go for it, or choose something else.
4 - Linda W.: What a pleasant discovery, a nice Mexican place in College Park.
4 - Paul S B.: I've been looking for a decent Tex-Mex restaurant in my area for quite some time.  To my great surprise, I found one at Azteca which I had not known existed until recently.  They had not shown up on my Internet search.  I accidently saw it driving by and decided to explore.  I went for my first visit this week and I felt like I was back in Houston where I lived at one time and where I learned to love Tex-Mex.  I've also had good Mexican food in other states such as California and New Mexico so I have some basis for comparison.  I was seated and severed promptly.  Every thing was good.  The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is that I want to withhold that rating until I've had more visits there to confirm my original impression.  I was surprised at how large the place is.  However, the seating is arranged nicely and the place has a friendly, cozy feeling to it.  The menu is pretty extensive and my only problem was trying to narrow my choice down as there were many things that I wanted to try. The chips were crisp and on the thin side the way I like.  The dipping sauce was very tasty and had a bit of a unique flavor.  The food was served promptly and was hot.  The presentation on the plate was very appealing.  Every thing tasted great.  The tres leche cake was not the very best I've ever had but it was among the best.  I did not have an alcoholic beverage so I can't comment on that except to say that there was a wide selection.  This restaurant is definitely a keeper and I plan to be back on a regular basis.
3 - Leland P.: 4 Star Food, 2 Star Service.  Food was great, though it appears to be Central Americans attempting to cook Mexican, so some flavors are a little off.  Excellent fajitas.  Wait staff needs training, we waited for 15-20 minutes between visits while she goofed off, then added an automatic 20% tip for our table of 5?!?
1 - Jackie M.: This restaurant has the WORST service. I wish I could give it 0 stars, we sat at the bar area, and the bartender was so rude to us. I will NEVER go back again.
4 - Kyle U.: March, 2012

The service here is really good. We always sit in Rosalia's section. She is the best, but all the servers are really good. 

This isn't California style or tex-mex. Which is just fine by me. we've been coming here about twice per month since they first opened last summer and it just keeps getting better. Today we tried the brunch which just recently started and it had a great selection. Awesome service, clean, nice atmosphere and good ingredients. Everything I order, I love. The steak, fajitas, chimichangas, tacos, rellenos... everything is awesome in my opinion. Nuff said. See you soon

UPDATE July, 2012: This has been our go-to spot for brunch. Usually features fresh fruit, pastries, an omelet and waffle station, fajitas, enchiladas, some kind of a creamy, delicious chicken bake and a seafood bake, too. Rice, beans, fried potatoes, bacon, sausage. Everything is legit. Get a load of the live music, this guy ROCKS!

By this point, we've tried almost everything on the menu and it all rocks. My personal favorites are the seafood soup with a little cream in it and the steak with an egg on top, I think it's called "Steak al Caballo."
2 - Wendy C.: The food is pretty good here, but the service honestly is what keeps this restaurant from scoring a 4 or a 5.  Everything is very slow paced, and so this would be a great place if you're trying to hear someone's life story, I suppose.

As for the food, everything was satisfying.  They first give you chips and salsa (which is nice to munch on while they take a long time to bring your food).  Their chimichangas and tacos were really good.  The first time I went, we ordered one of those "Plato Grande for Two", which comes with a variety of meats and sides.  It wasn't really memorable, and I recommend ordering individual entrees instead.
2 - Jungho H.: I was glad a mexican restaurant opened in College Park, simply because i love mexican food, but this place needs new management.  Service is horrendous.  I not only had to wait for my food for 45 minutes, but i also had to chase down the waitress for refill.  What makes it even worse is that these waitress cant speak English...  
Speaking of the food, its not bad.  Its exactly what you would get in other americanized mexican restaurants.  The only decent dish i ordered there was the mexican meat platter.  other than that, dont expect any real dishes.
5 - Gayle S.: A friend and I just had dinner at Azteca -- wonderful experience. The service was prompt and friendly, the complimentary salsa was fantastic and the food was excellent. Everything was fresh and beautifully prepared. I will definitely go back and recommend to friends.

Azteca Mexican Restaurants - Seattle, WA (47.665596, -122.3012) (University District)
4 - India B.: You won't find anything absolutely FABULOUS here, but this is true comfort food. Everything here is in abundance and the lunch menu is very reasonably priced. Azteca is the king of americanized-mexican food, and if you aren't a fan of authentic, then you are always bound to be pleased here; always. 

$$
($5-$15 a person including drink)
1 - bonne b.: In need of food I stopped here once. Can't say I'd ever return. Very bland, rather boring quasi-Mexican offerings. Head over to Rositas on Greenlake!
2 - Brent A.: If you are dog-tired, plain-lazy, or you just don't care what kind of Mexican food you eat, then you are in the right frame of mind to enjoy Azteca. Otherwise, there is much better, and much more authentic, Mexican food to be had elsewhere in Seattle. I bet you can even find a few of them on Yelp! :) I'm actually surprised there isn't a better Mexican restaurant option in or near the U-Village area. Seems like a missed opportunity.
3 - Roxanne B.: Tolerable, albeit chain-restaurant-style. I do enjoy their spinach enchiladas, although sometimes they don't seem as well prepared as other times; I can understand a little inconsistency, though. 

My major complaint is that the prices don't seem to fit the food. Perhaps it's just because I grew up in an area with superb Mexican food, but I just can't reconcile the cost of Azteca with the quality of the dishes. A good standby, though, when you just need some kind of Mexican dish... almost the comfort food diner of Mexican food.
1 - JC D.: Aztecas is probably one of the worst attempts at Mexican food. If you come here, you will pay too much for bad food. Look around, and you won't find any mexican people. Key tip is to look for people of the same nationality as the restaurant. If you find it crowded with them, then you know it's good.

You're better off going to greenlake.
1 - Mack S.: In all honesty if i wasn't at that restaurant with the love of my life, i would have definitely raised hell there, the food was lousy and the service wasn't much better. We ate there three different nights (the location near the Hilton) we need to get back ther often! Oh me Oh my is was horrific (the food not the nights at the Hilton) They should serve liquor and chips w/salsa and leave it at that because even the margaritas were watered down. A better dinner could be had at Taco Bell!!!
1 - Trish Q.: I would say  this location is like most Azteca's lots of tile & the food is greasy, and if you are working to clog your arteries this is the place to go.  At one point my nephew held up a slab o melted cheese and said "am I supposed to eat this"?  As I watched it fall from his fork and splat on his plate I told him "just stick to the rice".

I joined my mom, and my niece and nephews for dinner.  The server forgot my guac, he forgot to leave the cheese off my salad  so he slid off to the side and brushed off the top part of the lettuce onto a platter and handed it back to me.  He then proceeded to remind us the plate was very hot. 

It's okay because he dumped an entire 32oz glass of diet coke on my mom's lap.  First of all who needs a glass of pop the size of a pony keg with dinner?  And Second of all please don't soak the customers

This would have been okay if she were older and wore depends or other adult diapers but since she doesn't she had to sit through dinner with soaking wet jeans, her coat was thoroughly soaked..........NOT EVEN AN APOLOGY!!!!

WHAT IS EVEN WORSE, he charged her for her meal.  

They lost my vote for a bit of Mexico!  I will stick to Rositas!!!!!
3 - Jill W.: I love Mexican food and my experience with different Azteca's in the area have ranged from decent to great. This location was OK, the service was good, the food was good, as expected and the ambiance is OK. I had a spinach enchilada and lemonade. Wish they didn't use Styrofoam for their take out boxes, but it's to be expected, since this isn't a fancy place or anything like that. It was all OK. This works for if you're just hungry for some Mexican food, don't want to spend a lot of money and don't want to drive all over town.
2 - Michael B.: Azteca is just your standard cookie-cutter Mexican-American restaurant. Service at this location is better than some of the other ones in the greater Seattle area.
3 - Ciera C.: Food is good.  They give large portions (my O-Line Mr. had only ONE entree--unheard of) and the sauces have a good taste.  Good salsa, which I think is the mark of a quality restaurante.  Maybe I experienced better service than others because I ordered en espanol?  But I thought the staff was friendly, though a bit quick to clean up after us even though there were lots of open tables.  I liked the laid-back atmosphere and that it was relatively devoid of the hyperactive undergrad crowd. 

Also: Horchata=delicioso :)
1 - Sea B.: Bar none, this is the most Americanized Mexican food restaurant in this city.  I'm not sure where they get what they call cheese; I am sure I don't want to know.  You know the quality isn't there when you order a meal and one minute later the scortching plates are in front of you.  Kind of gives you the sense your dinner wasn't prepared by loving hands for you and you alone.  Nope, everything must be waiting in piles in the kitchen ready to be apportioned on your plate and covered with that waxy liquid cheese that is nearly void of taste (well, at least cheese taste).

But if the food quality isn't enough, the lighting at this restaurant makes you think the manager has never eaten there.  You feel like you're under stadium floodlights.  This is the kind of lighting you'd love only if you were trying to find something you dropped on the carpet.  

No offense, I was one once myself, but only a college kid out to gorge on enormous quantities of comfort, artery-clogging food could give a raving review of a place like this.  Oh, I just realized this place is near the university.
4 - Liv L.: Azteca is American Mexican.  Everyone knows this.  It's quick and easy and you know what you're getting - I don't know what the complaints are about - EVERYONE knows this isn't authentic Mexican dining!
2 - Sunil G.: Since I've walked by this Azteca almost every day for the past year, tonight I figured that I'd try out for dinner. It wasn't the best of decisions. The food is pretty bland, though it does come in large quantities. One might even say that it's under-average compared to other Azteca locations.

If you're looking for truly terrible food, try out Don Eduardo on the Ave instead. This is possibly one step above that, but nothing close to a good Mexican restaurant that I'd want to come back to.
3 - Jason P.: A place to sit down and have some food for a not too expensive price.

Partial microwave fair, not certain.
3 - Colin S.: This place is across the street from where I live, so it is quite convenient.

If you want some slightly overpriced Americanized Mexican food, then this is a wonderful place to come. The service was fairly prompt although it took a while for our drink orders to be taken. The refill on chips+salsa occurred almost immediately after running out (awesome), but once our entrees came, they took the chips+salsa away! The chips are warmed but not particularly special and the salsa was definitely not spicy at all.

The food was pretty much what you'd expect from a place like this. Massive servings with a ton of rice and beans and some very unusual cheese that didn't taste like cheese. My fajita quesadilla tasted fine, but was rather bland.

For the convenience alone, this place is worthwhile for me. I'm sure there are better places somewhere nearby though.
3 - Peter H.: Better than expected. Seating was plentiful on a Friday night, and my waiter was very friendly and attentive. The free chips were nothing special, but the salsa was above average. The chili verde was pretty tasty, and the beans/rice/tortillas with it were good. The portion size was very filling, which I appreciated. I would come back.
3 - Alice R.: Ok, I've been here a few times mainly for the convenience, but darnitall, there's just something not quite up to par on the food. I think because there are better alternatives, this place just doesn't stack up for me.
4 - John S.: I always eat here at least once when I'm working in the area. Their chicken fajita burrito lunch special is a killer deal for under $7.

The margaritas are OK, cerveza selection pretty good, and most of the servers are friendly! Occasional grumpy old guy though! Some old guys are like that.

Its not the best or even authentic!...But its decent Americanized Mexican food!
4 - Kanoe K.: I HAVE to eat here every time I visit Seattle!! I can't really explain the addiction, because I've had better Mexican food, but I always equate Seattle with Azteca!! 

The ONLY thing I order when I eat here is the Arroz con Pollo ... delicious goodness!! Other items on the menu look good, but I just can't seem to deviate from my absolute favorite!! There's nothing extremely special about it, but the mix of the sauce with the rice just hits all the right notes for me!! I don't even use the tortillas they provide ... instead I use the free chips to grab every last drop of food!!

I wouldn't say this is the best representation of Mexican cuisine ... but it tastes good and gives you a better alternative to Taco Bell!!

FINAL VERDICT: I'd eat their Arroz con Pollo every single day!! Give it a try!!
4 - Billy L.: By far the best chicken taquitos you will ever eat. (and I have had chicken taquitos all over the US at many chain and family restaurants.) Every time im in Seattle I have to get my taquitos. I cant speak for the rest of there food but the taquitos and rice and beans are great.  As far as all the negative reviews, every time I have been Azteca, it has been clean, friendly and food did NOT come out a minute later like one person stated. I also have never had any problems with the cheese there either like one person mentioned.
1 - Lindsay J.: This place was one of the worst eating/drinking experiences my friends and I have had in awhile.

Obviously, it is an Azteca, so we were not anticipating culinary brilliance. The Azteca in Northgate, however, has good drinks, and at least edible food, so why would this location differ? 

My friend was put off that they didn't have an actual bar (getting a margarita was very important to him), but the rest of us didn't really care so much about that. I ordered a mojito, while two of my friends ordered margaritas. When the drinks arrives, they tasted like complete shit that had already been premade and sitting in a container for a few days. It was the most sugary, vile drink I had ever had. When our server returned, we told him that we could not drink the drinks, and requested bottled beers instead.

The food was just a complete mess. The beans were sitting in liquid in the little bowl they came in, my enchiladas were mushy with whatever sauce had congealed onto them. After about two bites each, we were done.
4 - Wes Y.: Mexi-calore! Big, big portions of Mexican food. Authenticity? Don't expect too much. Culinary quality? Don't expect too much. And others have probably told you the same. See, the thing about that is... Don't expect too little, either. 

Really, don't expect to feel like you've immersed yourself into a little town in Mexico. Be American, know that you're in America, then the fact of the matter is, you will have a perfectly fine experience.

Whatever you order, you'll get a big dish, a platter, one might say, full of food. I like the fajitas. The food comes out sizzling and they have never disappointed me. The combo menus are also good. I'm a pretty and big guy, (notice the "and") but I usually end up taking half of the food in a box. Oh, I also always start with a queso dip and often have margaritas. 

Gracias.
4 - yekta a.: I liked their food, it was tastey as much as it could be for Washington state Mexican food!

This place is located across the U-Village mall with lots of parking.
3 - Alice C.: Yes, it's common knowledge that Azteca and "authentic Mexican" don't go in the same sentence. But it's solid food, if on the pricey side for large portions of rice, beans, and a side of protein. But it certainly fills a family friendly, large group need where there's going to be something on the menu everybody will likely be able to choose and be able to knock down. 

This location in particular has been the one my family went to on occasion over the years due to its proximity to where we lived. The service has always been prompt on water, chip, and salsa refills, even when it was slammed. I remember when this location was chosen after Azteca left University Village.
4 - Ninette C.: Wow people do not like this place.  Look, I know its not authentic...lol, but it's tasty and fills me up!  I like the vegetarian enchiladas and shrimp fajitas here and they have parking.  Despite the large portions, I do think it is a little pricy for a chain restaurant.
4 - Teresa C.: I don't know why so many people give this restaurant a bad rap.  Or maybe I do know.  Everyone has their own idea of what "authentic" Mexican food should be.  However, I do want to say that unless you are Mexican and have been eating homemade Mexican food since you were born, maybe you don't know what real authentic Mexican food is.  Of course, my understanding is that food in Mexico varies somewhat based on the region.  That being said ...
I have two words for all the other restaurants who claim to be "authentic":  PINTO BEANS.  Stop serving black beans!!!  Mexicans eat PINTO BEANS!!!!  We also drink Horchata, so if you don't even know what it is, please stop saying you are authentic!  
My kids and I really like Azteca, and will keep going.  The servers are always polite and attentive, and their food is delicious!
3 - Kevin K.: Honestly, one of the better places in U. District for Mexican food, but definitely not really anywhere pushing above 3 stars here.  

I usually get chicken enchiladas, and the food was good.  Service was prompt and nice.  Its location is next to the Burke-Gilmen, and a nice spot near U. Village if you're craving more affordable food.
4 - mignonette b.: By far the best of the Azteca locations.  Yes, I know it's not the best mex in the USA, but for Seattle, it's pretty good.

Consistently good tasty food, friendly and fast service and clean.

Definitely a winner if you want good mex and can't drive to Cali.
1 - Greg M.: This was by far the worst mexican food I have ever had, when you place an order and they walk into the back and walk out with it maybe 5 mins later you know something is not right. Food was extremely dry, lacked all taste, and I would not feed it to my dogs. I would not go here again even if they offered free food.

Azuma Sushi & Robata Grill - Houston, TX (29.7208649, -95.4188213) (West University)
4 - Katz U.: I don't know why the place like this doesn't exist in LA where a lot of Japanese people live.

Houston has good mixture of very traditional and contemporary selection of Japanese restaurants.

Anyway, Azuma is sushi and traditional Japanese food restaurant. The place is good mixture of traditional and contemporary feeling to it.

Whereas Nippon is completely Japanese traditional style, this place is more loosen. I recommend to hang out there with friends and family.

The quality of sushi was OK. Maybe because they are busy. Whenever you go to busy sushi restaurant, you can never expect to have a good sushi. But the price was reasonable. So I say that they have acceptable quality.
3 - Shirley F.: As I would when I visit a new place, I'd ask the locals to recommond a good sushi place.  The bartender at the Lancaster Bistro said this place is good.  The manager at the Lancaster hotel recommended the same.  So off I went - although I knew that Houston is not exactly known for having good seafood, let alone good sushi.

The crowd was mostly yuppies.  

As usual, I sat at the bar.  On the other side of the bar, there were three sushi chefs -- one Asian, one Caucasian, and one Mexican.  A melting-pot, indeed.  For a moment, my mind went off tangent, and I started wandering and wondering about the demographic and political landscape in Texas, and how Houston seemed so different from my visit over 10 years ago.   Wait -- I reminded myself, I was there for the food.  No time to digress...

The quality of sushi ranged from okay to excellent.  But the friendly wait-staff and the hip atmosphere made up for the inconsistency in food.

To start off, I had two pieces of maguro nigiri.  Somehow it was very disappointing to see that all the sushi pieces were pre-cut, sitting in trays in the ice counter.   Bummer.  You will never see this at a traditional Japanese sushi joint.

The sake and hamachi sashimi was excellent, served on a bed of shaved ice, accompanied by wasabi that was cloned into a bird shape.   Cute. 

I also tried the Asuma roll (sake, hamachi, and avocado, wrapped in daikon skin and sprinkled with finely-grind hot pepper and hot sauce.)  It was good -- but a little too spicy for my taste.

Overall, it was a pleasant experience.
4 - ben h.: if you must eat sushi in houston this is the best place i have found. the sashimi is top notch and there are a few interesting rolls. the staff was friendly but they weren't the most helpful when actually picking items off the menu.
3 - Emily M.: i quite enjoyed the sushi at azuma. the atmosphere is pretty laid-back, although, i prefer sushi spots with less of an "americanized" restaurant feel. this one doesn't have as cool of a vibe, for example, as kubo's in the village. however, i find the sushi to be slightly superior. we sampled an assortment of rolls, and really liked each. i doubt if they have the best sushi in houston, but they're definitely not bad and i'm sure i'll be returning in the future.
5 - Mary Ann K.: Azuma is my all-time favorite sushi restaurant in Houston and I think I am pretty picky about sushi. I was first introduced to sushi at Nippon (which was later replaced by Nara on Westheimer) more than 15 years ago by my Japanese friend. I could not believe I would ever learn to love to eat raw fish...but Toro is my favorite!

They have another location in the Rice Lofts in Downtown and I have heard that they will be opening a third location in Rice Military off of Washington. The Downtown location has an outdoor seating area that is really great for entertaining.

Azuma was the first to introduce hot rock beef in Houston, which can now be found at many Japanese restaurants throughout the US.  Also, the sashimi is served over a bowl of crushed ice, which keeps the fish cool as well as pleasant to the eye.
3 - Nicci S.: Solidly decent.  I've been here a couple times now and honestly, I think they do Udon and vegitarian sushi way better than they do fish.  Most of the fish at least tasted fresh, but a couple pieces didn't (ew!).  I was dissapointed in their highly americanized combinations and lack of more traditional options.  A good portion of their specialty rolls are actually cooked!  Might be nice if you aren't used to sushi, but definitely not my style.  It's also quite pricey for what they are offering, but if you go for lunch, it's not as wallet-damaging.  As a Houston newbie, my first sushi experience was absolutely appalling (see Sushi Rock), so now that I've found something edible, I am a little scared to keep trying other stuff.  I'm sure I'll get over it, and when I do, I probably won't be back here unless it's for the Udon.
3 - Cory O.: I'm not sure a sushi place should ever have their atmosphere be their winning point.  I mean, isn't the fish somewhat important too?  Don't get me wrong, the food wasn't bad, but do you want to recommend a sushi place where the food "isn't bad"?  Probably not.  I'm just a tad bid picky when it comes to consuming raw foods.  I'm strange like that.

Besides that ho-hum and slightly worrisome nature of the sushi, this place is great--if you're an up and coming business person.  It is the watering hole for the business elites coming to "relax" and by "relax" I mean schmooze.  Hey, I'm all for networking so there's not judgment here.  

I was actually pretty impressed with the decor.  The layout is interesting and they have the restaurant split up in non-geometric shapes which is always a little more fun when it comes to people watching.  Our waitress was much more interested in the table full of single(?) men, but we didn't mind since she got her job done quickly and efficiently.

Not the best sushi in town, but it is a non-club place to see and be seen if you're looking to make connections and move on up the corporate ladder.
4 - Larina C.: I order take out or dine here at least once a week and my family owns a sushi joint. It's my favorite place for sushi in the city. The interior is sort of traditional for a Japanese restaurant. It is casual and such a great place to meet for lunch or dinner. I love it! There are so many things on the menu that are great. I've never ordered an entree dish because I always stick with sushi or the appetizers. Parking is cramped because there is so much retail in that plaza but they share valet with Cova during dinner hours. 

The only thing that bugs me is that the staff is less than friendly or helpful at times. I've gotten into arguments with the manager before and he was a total jerk. I boycotted eating there for a while but I couldn't resist after like 2 months. I decided I shouldn't deprive myself of good food because of his rudeness.
3 - Leslie P.: There's no doubt about it, when Azuma is on, it's ON.  I order the Red Devil roll (spicy!) and the Crazy Irishman roll.  When the fish is fresh, the rolls are divine.
Too bad that the restaurant more than lacks in consistency.
I've come too many times and had an all around terrible dining experience to give this place more than three stars.  A friend of mine once bit into her Crunch roll, only to find that the tempura flakes on top tasted like rotten sawdust.  The crab stick that comes on top of my Red Devil roll has come more than obviously old, limp, and soggy.  I don't order the Spider roll because I've never had soft shell crab that meets my standards.
The service is somewhat of a hit or miss as well.  I'm not a picky customer and certainly do not come in expecting to be treated like a queen.  I've had a number of waiters  at Azuma who more than meet my expectations (who get the food out in a timely manner, don't mess up the order, etc...) but I have gone a number of times to find just the opposite.  I've come across a fair share of waitresses who are rude and inflexible.
If you want to try it, by all means, try it.  You might be pleasantly surprised.  I don't complain when a friend suggests it, but I certainly don't come expecting to leave completely satisfied.
4 - Gina M.: This place has a soft spot in my heart.  

That said, don't expect fireworks: the sushi is a'ight; great for Houston.  The decor is fun, the venue fashionable.  The West U area was never a place I frequented, but it seems a bit on the quiet side of things.  

But gee golley, it sure was fun.  3 stars for being a happenin' space and having tasty raw fish; +1 star for just being nifty.
2 - MOrgan C.: Went the day before Valentines day and sat at the sushi bar.  I noticed the chef was making a hyoooooge stack of rolls, it was about 9pm.  Since the place was near empty of customersI asked what they were?

"Oh, these are Crazy Irishman rolls, for tomorrow night."

I'll let that one sink in.
4 - Darrell F.: Let me say upfront that I'm not a huge sushi aficianado, but  I do, however, love good teriyaki and grilled meat.  At lunchtime, Azuma's Kirby location offers fantastic multi-course "bento boxes" with grilled meat which are awesome, plentiful and just $10.50 including a soup or salad. A great non-sushi option.

I've only been here once in the evening, and I didn't see the bento boxes on the menu, so it seems this is a lunch-only option. One thing to note if you're thinking about arriving early for lunch to beat the crowd - they don't open until 11:30 am, so don't be too early.
2 - Burt C.: **I hope you like hot rock beef and sake bombs because no matter what, you're going to smell like them when by the time you leave!**

Azuma has several locations around town.  The one I frequent most when I'm outside of the constraints of the workday is the one on Kirby near Rice Village/West U.  I agree with Leslie P's assessment regarding Azuma.  It's passable but highly inconsistent.  When it comes to sushi, consistency is pretty important.  We're not talking Fugu (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugu), but a bad run-in with sushi will leave you pretty jaded about the place.  Their sashimi is generally pretty good (but pricey), but I feel like they almost use a different grade of the same fish for their nigiri and rolls.  

No matter when I go, it seems like someone orders hot rock beef which is a superheated stone that is covered in oil.  Diners then place thin slices of beef on the rock to cook it to their desired doneness.  This effectively makes Azuma an unintentional Korean BBQ which drenches your clothes in the pungent aroma of burning beef.  Let me tell ya, take a stroll in Rice Village after and I assure you dogs and bums alike will be drawn to your new scent.  Delicious!

ANYWAYS, what is Azuma good for? Large parties.  The Kirby location has a great 2nd floor party room that you can get for groups ~15+.  The service for large groups can be very hit or miss.  Also, if you like non-sushi Japanese fare (like the pungent hot rock beef), Azuma has a great selection of that.  I like sake bombs as much as the next guy, but a "nice" restaurant that makes sake bombs available to clientele is a bit troublesome.  I was a victim of friendly fire sake bomb spray from the adjacent table one night when I was eating there with my friends.  Unacceptable and downright ridiculous.  

Service is spotty and inconsistent like the food.  I feel like I'm back in Austin where these restaurants would just hire random students, usually Asian girls, to toss some raw fish on your table and collect money.  

Additionally, Azuma can't help this, but Kirby Street is a freaking mess.  There are potholes the size of those new Smart Cars in both lanes.  There is ongoing construction which further makes the commute to this location a headache.  With so much construction in the last 2 years, you'd think the roads would improve but I think they are just painting brighter crosswalks or adding speedbumps.  Who knows.  

Bottom Line:  Whoever does the marketing for Azuma needs to be promoted to be Britney Spears' publicist.  The food and service are less than stellar yet my friends consistently INISIST on getting sushi here.  As a result, I undoubtedly will still be relegated to forcing down some questionable fish while soaking up sake on my jeans and hot rock beef seeping into my pores multiples time in the future.  For my sake, I really hope no one has a birthday anytime soon....Oy Vey!
3 - David C.: I absolutely agree with the guy who mentioned the hot rock beef and its stench. Somehow for dinner one Saturday night, my family and I got trapped with a group of three in the back of the restaurant and the smoke from the hot rock beef made the experience very uncomfortable near the end. 

Besides that, dinner was a-ok. The fish is fresh but nothing to write home about. The service is not bad either in the three times I've been. I've heard some horror stories about double charges and the like, but thankfully never experienced it. 

I really like the atmosphere (minus the smoke from the hot rock beef). I believe it is wooden floors, very clean, well lit, and in my opinion, a nice sterile place. I like that. Haven't tried any crazy rolls yet but they do seem interesting. 

I'll be back some time when I get sick of Kubo's.
3 - Dee Y.: The sushi here is okay. Nothing stellar or not really a place I would recommend immediately as a sushi place in Houston. The service is decent and the downtown delivery is fast. Despite this, the food is just average and when it's crowded it could be quite a wait.
3 - Daniel M.: I find this to be one of the better sushi restaurants in town.  Mind you, I haven't been to them all.  I thought that the fish was of good quality and was moderately priced, considering how trendy sushi is.  I would put it at better than Miyako's, but not as good as Kubo's.  The atmosphere was that of an upscale restaurant, and it has an interesting layout with some semi-private areas upstairs.  When I went there, the urinals in the men's room had ice in them, as if you were cutting into the glacier or something equally weird and Japanese.  I am one of the offenders who ordered the hot rock beef, which is a neat experience to have once and also way too expensive to have again.  On the whole, I would recommend it if you're looking to change up your normal sushi haunts, but it hain't the best in town.
3 - Lana C.: People watching for an hour, blah. 

We ordered 5 appetizers, waiter returned and said they were out on 3 of the 5 we ordered. 
No Chicken gizzards?? -Bummer!!! 
Out of Cow Tongues??!! Bummer!!!!
What the hell??? So we settled for rolls/nigri sushi. 
The rolls, eh.
I don't have complaints or compliments about Azuma; just disappointed that they busted our excitement, killed our sake buzz. 

I wouldn't suggest this place out of the blue, unless I prefer sushi, cow tongue or chicken gizzards, over Chipotle burritos next door- then I'll dart over for some tongue. Yum. 

$150 for a party of 3/ with one round of cold sake and no tongue or gizzards.
Service, 4 stars.
4 - OnionRing N.: my friends and I ordered a sushi sampler, it was really fresh.  I really liked the service, since I brought my niece (2 yrs old) with me, the waiter was very patient since she really loud, he brought her water in a togo cup even before I asked for it.  However the sushi rice was kind of okay that day.  I would come againg =)
5 - Madhu R.: One of my favorites in Houston.  Inside is so warm and inviting and makes you feel like you're in Japan.  It's a nice escape from the traffic of Kirby and the college pace of Rice Village.

Great sushi too!
4 - Brian L.: This is a real neighborhood sushi bar. 

This place has always come through for me. I have been eating at Azuma an average of once a month since 2004 and feel that it is only getting better as time passes. They must take care of their staff, because they hang around!

I tend to sit at the bar and order what is fresh from my, well- I guess hes my friend by now, Craig. Not a Japanese guy to be sure, but he makes perfect nigirizushi- he takes pride in aesthetics and detail. 

The fish is always fresh. I haven't read the other reviews but I will guess that someone, somewhere, on here has said something about the fish being poor quality- this is the ONLY sushi bar I have EVER been to that has never let me down on quality. But you pay for that quality. 

My typical meal is Iced Green Tea, Seaweed Salad, and Sushi Combo B (11 piece) that I modify with a spicy tuna roll in stead of the California roll that is included, and I usually have the eel substituted with another piece of whatever is new or fresh. 

Always ask your waiter or sushi chef what is particularly fresh and/or just tell them to serve you up something tasty. You wont be disappointed.
5 - Adriana E.: Love, Love, Love this place.  Must try the Crazy Irishman.  It's addicting!!!
3 - Emily J.: Just had dinner here last night-our first houston sushi restaurant. Not too impressed. Service was ok-our waitress was nice. My sushi roll was brought out about 5 minutes after I ordered-literally!! Never had sushi made that fast-normally wouldn't complain about quick food, but this was brought out before our appetizers even. We waited about 30 min for my husbands food-our waitress kept asking if we were ok or needed anything-when my husband finally asked where his dinner was, she acted like she'd forgotten to get his, and it came out later-but who knows how much longer it would have been before he got his dinner if he hadn't asked for it?? My sushi was ok-I've had better, and I didn't finish it. I probably wouldn't go back. Not for average sushi.
4 - Jeremy P.: I have eaten at three Houston sushi restaurants, and I'd say this was the second best of the three.  I didn't have any complaints.  I've had better sushi, but you definitely can't go wrong here.
4 - Maryam T.: I absolutely love this place; their fish is always amazingly fresh and the service is wonderful. I usually only order sushi/sashimi and so the fish quality is the most important thing for me. I've eaten a lot of sushi in Houston and would say confidently that this is one of the best places. 
Finish off the meal with some green tea ice cream or banana tempura and ice cream :)
5 - Megan V.: Favorite sushi place in Houston!!!! 

Best sushi: Red devil and Crazy Irishman

Love their free mints too!
4 - Heather M.: There is a big Rice contingent that comes here regularly.  And by regularly, I mean twice a week.  On average.

I used to wonder what the big deal was until we came here for lunch today.  I never can really get full from eating sushi, but I definitely did not have that problem today!  

Crazy Irishman and Red Devil.  Two thumbs up.  They're about $12 a pop.  Mucho Delicioso.

AND, our waitress told us when we were finished, that you should actually add additional items on the Special plates.  For example, adding cream cheese or jalapenos on the Red Devil makes it that much better.  You should have seen my associate's face when our waitress told him this.  He looked like he was ready to order another roll STAT.  No matter, I am certain he will come back for lunch tomorrow.

Why not 5 stars, then?  Easy: A popular lunch/dinner item is steaming fish.  Which is really good, but not if (a) you do not want to eat in a smoke-filled tavern and (b) you do not want to leave lunch smelling like a bonfire.

Perhaps Azuma should invest in fans?  Or open a window.  Just a thought.  I mean, it DID smell like a bonfire in there.  And three fish plates were served at once, so my eyes started watering a little bit and I couldn't really see through the fog for a few minutes.

But the food is spectacular, it's loud enough that it feels hoppin' and quiet enough that you can hear what others in your party are saying. 

Great food, decently priced, speedy staff, friendly service, easy location.  Just watch out for the bonfire smoke.  I'll definitely be going back for a dinner sometime soon.
5 - Kim N.: Still my favorite appetizers, that chili tuna and the yellowtail. I had a great time, the service was awesome. 

Will be back soon.
4 - Marissa S.: This is my father's favorite Japanese restaurant in Houston, and so when I visit we always make a stop there. I have gotten the vegetarian sushi combo twice and haven't been disappointed. The service is also extremely friendly, and the atmosphere is always enjoyable. I really really appreciate it when places do offer vegetarian options, so I always make a point to support them!
2 - Diana N.: I went to Azuma a few years ago and the last time I remembered it, the food was delish. That was the reason why I came back today after visiting Herman Park. Boy, was that a mistake. The sushi rice was just AWFUL. Something you would expect at a buffet. It was mushy to a point you could use it as a paste to glue paper together. My boyfriend even mentioned how when he dipped his nigiri in the soy sauce and it wouldn't even absorb into the rice - it would just coat the outside. Yuck. We only ate the fish on top of the nigiri because we didn't want to be wasteful. Our appetizers, however, were pretty good. We had the tartare and a Robata combo. I should have complained about our sushi dinner plates and had it sent back but we took our losses. We didn't stay for dessert. I am sure the server knew we weren't satisfied with out meal because it was only a couple minutes after we received our dinner plates that we had asked for the check. I probably won't be coming back to Azuma anytime soon especially after this experience. $100 tab for buffet quality-like sushi? No, thank you.
2 - Neo K.: Why is it so hard to find a good japanese place here in houston?  First of if your gonna charge healthy prices then at least be more than ok.  Raw fish was ok.  Cooked entree was lackluster.  Does anybody know a place where it is run by actually japanese people?
4 - Colleen K.: I get stuck in the same old sushi rut and have been trying places that are new (to me).  So a friend and I stopped in to Azuma for grub and gabbing and I'm soooooooooo glad I did.  The decor is relaxed and soothing and I like that....its a laid back place.

We ordered the Agedashi tofu to start and YUM!  The texture was awesome, it reminded me of creme brulee, I kept expecting each bite to be sweet!  Smothered in a thick soy sauce with green onions, I highly recommend this, even for those who think they don't like tofu!  Try it!!  We then ordered the hamachi which was nice and buttery and the Sumo roll which was also very good!  

Nothing to complain about here, so this will def be on my regular sushi rotation!
4 - Uyen L.: It was a mission to get here and to eat here.  My girlfriend and I had dinner plans with another girlfriend.  And after reading yelp we decided on this place since their were lots of good reviews.  When I yelped this placed, the kirby addy showed up first so I presumably mapped my navi to this addy my friend however went to the downtown location, only after I told her downtown.  Who would have known there are more than 1 Azuma's,  My bad Sue.  So we arrived and got seating while waiting for Sue and kept wonder where she was, she was telling us she was looking for parking, hmm like that long?  It turned out she went to the downtown location.  But finally she made it to the Kirby location and we had a great dinner.  The salmon sashi and the Azuma roll were my favorites of the nite.  The edamame salted but undercooked.  We also how the Sunshine, and a few other rolls.  Miso soup tasted like any other miso soup.  And to end the night we had the banana fried tempura with green tea ice cream.
2 - Sherwin S.: I have only been to this establishment once, and I don't anticipate ever really going back...unless someone is treating as was the case during my first visit.

The food is billed as a traditional robata grill...which actually means nothing to me. The sushi was way below average as everything tasted like it might have been frozen at some point. There was just too much water inside the cuts of fish, with not a whole lot of flavor or texture.

The bar serves Johnny Walker Blue, however, at an obscene price. But again, if someone else is paying, I would order those all day (though blended scotch whiskey is not my thing). Honestly, running up the tab on someone elses dollar at this place is the only reason to go!!!
2 - Latasha G.: I have been here a couple times, only one of the times was good. The first time I didn't finish my plate because some of the pieces smelled funny (I'm a pretty huge sushi fan...)

I only gave them one extra star because they aren't rude or awful here, but I would HIGHLY suggest never, ever bringing a group. They can only seat up to 12, any more and you have to go upstairs where there is a $550 minimum...what happens if you don't make that minimum?? They charge that amount anyway and use the rest as a tip. They also don't allow more than 4 credit cards to a table, as if we all lived in the 1940's and carry 500+ cash in our pockets! Then I called to book a birthday party they acted like it was the biggest inconvenience ever. 

My next call was to a sushi place down the road (Zake Sushi Lounge) that welcomed the business and had none of the other silly restrictions. Obviously I canceled my reservation at Azuma, the sushi is better down the road, anyway.
2 - Heather S.: I will say the food is good. Salty but good. The service however is HORRIBLE!  The parking situation is bad too.  I have been several times and every time I'm not sure why I went back. The waitresses are all rude. Plus they wanted to charge me $2. extra to remove onions & mushrooms from the veggie tempura and replace them with anything else. Seriously?!  I said no thanks. When it came out the silly onions and yucky mushrooms were still there!  Good thing a friend I was with was there to eat them. Oh well. I think this was my last Azuma experience. Go to Ra instead!  The food, service, parking and ambience is much better!
2 - Fannet K.: In a city filled with ridiculously delicious sushi spots, it amazes me how a chain like Azuma can survive. I've frequented Azuma for years at their Kirby, Downtown, and Soma (Heights) location and leave underwhelmed every time. 

My last experience at the Kirby location was no better, and it all started with the greeting. 

WHERE'S MY FREAKING "Dou itashimashite!!!"????? 

I'm not trying to be picky nor stereotypical here, but this is what my pal and I got instead. 

"Hi! We are here for happy hour!!" 

In the hostesses' best "Mean Girls" voice: "We don't have happy hour." 

****I don't understand the words that are coming out of your mouth**** 

"But....but... Downtown Azuma does?????" imagine protruding puppy dog eyes...fully  aware that we are not going to get what we came for.

"But we don't." 

"Alright, well there will be six of us coming". 

"Do you have a reservation?"

I look around the half empty restaurant thinking....are you for real, lady? 

Eventually she seated us like she was doing us a favor... 

Bloop! Bloop! 

I proceeded to order edamame, spicy tuna and their famous Crazy Irishman roll accompanied by a necessary Kettle One Martini (after our sordid welcome). 

Per usual, the chefs at Azuma assume that because we are near Mexico, it makes sense to over spice the salmon to the point where all you taste is Tabasco. Even worse, they cheat with that red pepper powder (you know, to cover up the salmon even more). Total Fail. 

Then there was the Crazy Irishman. I've tried to understand the love affair with this roll, but to me, it defeats the point of sushi. I'm not saying I'm a sushi purist; you can add a little crunch to my roll (if you know what I mean)..... 

......but Azuma flash fries this roll in a way that the raw fish we are trying to enjoy has now become the texture of chicken. Meanwhile the crunch is comparable to the texture of stale funyuns. Need I say more? 

The only saving grace to my latest meal was our sweet server who charmed us with jokes, remembered our names and left us with a special red envelope promising us of free food, so long as we return with it still sealed. 

Whatever, it takes to keep us coming back, I guess.... 

I for one, am not interested. I'll leave my Japanese dining to the pros at Sushi King, Toyama and Miyako-thank you very much. At least they have happy hour, fun greetings and most importantly, GREAT SUSHI.
4 - Sarah V.: Two stars?!  Personally, I enjoyed my experience here, and for me...4/5 stars.  My friend took me here last week for my pre-birthday dinner.  We arrived right at 5pm and were seated right away (we were the only one's there at first).  One thing I do agree with other Yelpers was their unfortunate service--this one waitress was staring at me from afar for some odd reason, and our personal waitress was not attentive to our table at all.  

Now to the food!  We ordered this spicy tuna and salmon appetizer served with gyoza chips (deliciousss, loved the spiciness!) and the chopped scallops with mayo wrapped in seaweed (scrumptious).  For sushi, we ordered the infamous crazy irishman roll (such a unique, popular roll here at the azuma chain; the crunchiness and flavors were amazing), red devil roll (awesome, another popular roll here), and azuma roll (sadness...I think the reason why this was not my favorite was because of the daikon skin; it was a weird combination for me...I also wished there was a bigger ratio of fish:rice).  

Overall, the rolls were definitely delightful and the appetizers were delish, giving it 4 stars, but the service here was lacking, -1!
3 - Michael P.: Not great. Not bad. But solid. Favorites were fish eggs and fried chicken bites. High attention to detail in the presentation. Fried rice dish is pretty large and comes in a wooden bucket. Good service, for the most part. And a good looking restaurant. 

3 Stars. Solid.
3 - David N.: My sushi quest is coming to an end as I have attempted to try all sushi houses ITL and the great ones OTL.

This was one of the last ones on my list to try.  First off this area has crazy traffic so if you're in a rush you might want to skip this all together.  Once you arrive it is difficult to find parking in this small strip center.  

Once inside and seated I noticed they keep the AC blasting in here.  I love it cold but I was freezing!  I enjoyed the food but I couldn't really enjoy it since the whole time I was shivering.  

We had the live volcano roll, caterpillar roll, sunshine roll, and crunch roll.  The volcano roll takes a little bit longer to make since it's baked but was by far the best.

It has a cozy atmosphere and fast service, but overall, it is just average after trying all other options in town.
3 - Charina W.: I love the decor of this place. Sushi is fresh. The specialty rolls we're not worth it at all. Good service. Ok that's all I have to say. The End.
2 - Sandy H.: Its alright. I've had better sushi at other places and paid less money than I did here.  Service here was mediocre at best.  You have to request the server to refill your drinks and empty plates were hanging out even after the server "checks up on you."  

Anyways, the food.  The calamari here was actually tasty, but I think it was the sauce that made it "better."  The dipping sauce that came with this appetizer was made partly with mayo.  Calamari by itself was okay.  

I also tried their Vegetable Tempura.  Now, I was actually happy with this because they fried it right and included pumpkin.  I hate going to a sushi restaurant that does not have pumpkin tempura!  I don't know why that is a must for me, but it is (yes, I'm a bit weird).  

The spicy tuna roll was decent.  It was pretty spicy, which was good (and if it wasn't... I'd prolly drop another star for that).  I also tried their Koi Roll, which was made of spicy tuna roll topped with salmon and avocado.  Again, it was okay.  Nothing impressive that made it worth $13.  

However, I do have to say the bartender had a heavy pour.  Someone at my table ordered Greygoose and cranberry... the drink came out 90% vodka and 10% cranberry juice.  Not bad at all, but I am sticking with my 2 stars because this could have been a random occurrence.
4 - Mallory G.: I have been driving by Azuma for four years and finally got around to trying it! I was trying to find a place to host a bachellorette party for a friend so I tried it out. 

We came for lunch. I decided to get the spicy lunch special which came with 3 nigiris (salmon, tuna and white tuna) and a spicy tuna roll. WHOOOH! It was spicy! All of the pieces had spicy powder. I thought only the roll was spicy. It also came with either miso soup or a salad. I had the soup. There was lots of tofu but not enough seaweed. Also the tofu pieces were very small, I like mine smaller but my friend liked them that size. 

The sushi was fresh. The spicy tofu roll was filled with fish! I would have liked to have something else in the roll also but at least they don't skimp on the fish!

The decorations were nice but not overdone. Our waiter was really nice. He also visited us the perfect amount of times! 

The parking situation is not the best. But there is parking behind the bank that can be used for Azuma customers (there is a sign). 

The best part is its in the same shopping center as Crave so I have a wonderful excuse to get a cupcake since I'm already there. 

I think I will be back, they have reasonable prices but I have had better sushi also.
5 - Alex M.: Parking is difficult. But worth it.

Love Azuma. Provides a nice atmosphere. It's rather dark but each table lights up with a candle in the evening, adding a nice effect. 

I used to get the Dobin Mushi soup. My favorite menu item. I would have sudden cravings for the soup and my girlfriend would gladly tag along with me to fix this craving.

They changed their menu. No more dobin mushi. The restaurant has become more traditional. Still great food. 

Overall: one of my go-to places for sushi.
5 - Mark K.: I've been a regular here for many years and they are very consistent with their dishes. The sushi is always fresh and the service is always great. I'm definitely loyal to my Azuma's and will seek it first without hesitation. Prices are very reasonable as well.
2 - Alex V.: Synonym: Subpar Sushi, Small sauce portions
see also: Miyako on Kirby

Antonym: Good Sushi, Nippon, Miyako on Westheimer

Used in a sentence: Man, I went to Azuma yesterday and it was comparatively expensive and sucked.
3 - Alison L.: Groupon visit!  Our server was SUPER nice, food was just okay, and parking is limited but there's ample street parking across Kirby if you're fast enough to run across a few lanes of traffic.

-The Crazy Irishman had good intentions but was overfried and came out tasting like mush!  I seriously thought I was eating mashed potatoes at one point.  
- The spicy salmon roll came with too much spicy stuff on the side and not enough spicy salmon in the middle.  
-But not all was lost...the John Doe roll saved the day with its delicious flavors.
4 - Daniel L.: If you were coming here because you are dyslexic and you wanted to have a robot grill you some sweet-ass sushi, then you are out of luck. So now you know why I came here. Dangit, cat is out of the bag.

For another play on words, I suggested that Azuma should have been called "Avada Kedavra" 'ya know, just because. Like Mugsy's should be called "Muggles" - it just makes sense for business, namely me and my Slytherin necktie.

I have been to Azuma Downtown often since it is close and tasty, but this was my first adventure out into the wilderness of the Rice Village Azuma. Overall I have pretty good things to say about it but I will start with the negatives first - 
A: Parking here sucks. But you put up with it for Crave and Chipotle, so just suck it up and move on with life. 
B: There are no sweet ass lunch specials, like giving you a toy robot or anything.
C. It takes a long time for your sushi to come out for lunch. This is not a "quick lunch" - you are going to be here a while. It is not patently bad, but just worth noting that I spent about one hour more here than I had planned on.
D. Only chopsticks with your lunch, gringo! Yeah, there was no ******g around here with Mr. Azuma - you want fork and knife? You leave now! We both managed to utilize chopsticks LIKE. A. BOSS.

Now to the good:
1. It is quiet enough at peak lunch hour to have some conversation. I hate noisy lunch places like Barnaby's Uptown. This place is quiet, nice, and respectful.
2. Nice waitress. She backed off when she needed to, like not having looked at the menu yet. Otherwise very good service and drinks were refilled on schedule.
3. Azuma Sushi lunch for $10 is quite filling. The salad dressing is piled on there like the chef was mad at the lettuce and wanted to drown it like a witch - so consider it a Broomstick Salad that would traditionally sit opposite the Quidditch Players' Meat Pie. But the good news is the dressing was tasty so I enjoyed it. The sushi was good quality, tasty, and I even left one piece on my plate. My eating partner could not finish and left with the to-go box.
4. The chocolate mints on the way out? Ahhhh-waitforit-amazing! So tasty. I just wish we didn't live in Houston where they melt ten seconds later.
5. Walk next door to Crave Cupcakes? Of course! I went with Key Lime, eating partner went with the seductive Red Velvet. It might just be Azuma's fortune that Crave moved in next door long after Azuma had been around, but this is an amazing pairing to go sushi to cupcake. So you see why I fancy my eating partner who realized how well sushi and cupcakes go together.

This is different from the downtown one but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

This makes a great business lunch place. This is a great date place with the quiet/talky atmosphere. This would be a mighty fine place to take family or meet friends for some sake and then begin the night at the bars in the Village.

Azuma, all you do with your zooma-zoom-zoom- zoom-and-a-boom-boom: I like it. I will be back!
5 - David A.: Wow, what an awesome experience!  The service was great and the food just incredible. Loved the Hot Rock Beef and the Crazy Irishman, Smoky Oyster, and Kobe rolls.
4 - Matt S.: This is our first sushi outing in Houston and we were not disappointed. Food was tasty and service was good, prices were a bit on the high side but not unreasonable, although parking was TERRIBLE. Did I mention parking sucked? We ended up having to park down the street in a neighborhood since the lot was completely full. I'm not sure why, there were 5 or 6 open tables... I can't imagine what it's like when they're crowded to be aware.
4 - Mark N. T.: I like here.Azuma has a couple of restaurants.Regarding this Kirby location, It's very Japanese style. There are a lot of Japanese stuff.Even we can enjoy a small Japanese garden. The servers were so helpful.I had a bento box. for $15.f I compare Azuma with another restaurant's bento boxes.I would say  It might be " steep". I am poor.hahaha.I saw the inside of bento box.I could eat some steak, sashimi and small shoe cream.I changed my mind.It was a good deal. Overall, I was satisfied with everything. Azuma is expanding in Houston.The Azuma team try to realize nice Japanese atmosphere here in Houston.
2 - Mark J.: I really wanted to like this place - first the good part. The location and decoration is really nice the service was also quite good. 

What is not so good is the food. 
We went there specifically to try the robata and were disappointed to say the least. We had the eggplant, corn, salmon and tofu robata - the eggplant was the best of the four, the corn was pre boiled and cold in the middle, the salmon tasted more like it was poached as opposed to grilled and the tofu was also cold in the middle. 

We also ordered the Shrimp Tempura and the Azuma beef. The tempura shrimp were super greasy but the accompanying veggies were not bad as far as greasy is concerned but still bland. The Azuma beef really disappointed, I don't think I have ever eaten such a bland dish in a Japanese restaurant.
Sadly despite the nice decoration and good service I will not be coming back.
5 - Tone N.: I like going here because I have a friend who waitresses here. The fish is pretty fresh usually. You must try the hamachi jalepeno. The John Do roll is pretty spicy but I love spicy food. I tried 3 different cold sake. To me the cheaper one was the better one for some reason. I happen to came on a day Shane Battier was there. If you don't know who is, well he use to play for the Houston Rockets. If you plan to have dinner here ask for Kathy...she is my favorite waitress.
4 - David W.: Ordered the Irish Man, John Doe, and Spicy Salmon roll. The John Doe was very delicious, while the Irish Man blended everything together so I couldn't differentiate. The spicy salmon was typical. Enjoyed the decor, while the sushi bar was lively and full.
3 - Tammy N.: I've been craving sushi for a while so I could not wait for dinner. I turned in to look for parking and there was valet.  WTF?! First of all, the lot is TINY. Why is valet necessary? So frustrating finding parking but luckily someone pulled out of their spot.  

We didn't have to wait long for a table of 3 around 730pm on a Saturday night.  The environment is really nice. Definitely a date place.  I ordered the appetizer Fried Calamari and The Azuma Roll.  The calamari had huge chunks of squid which was great but the breading of it was really plain.  The sauce that came with it also tasted like nothing so I asked for spicy mayo and it was a lot better.  The portion was a little smaller than I expected.  My Azuma roll also came out pretty small.  It was good though but I think the ratio portion of rice to fish was a little off.  The roll itself didn't have that much of a wow factor.  There was a spicy kick to it but nothing memorable.  The salmon and tuna was really fresh though but I would recommend getting something else off of their menu to get your money's worth.  My friend ordered the Red Devil roll and that looked like a real roll.  I will have to try that next time.  Overall, just an OK experience.
3 - Andrew C.: One of my friends had been wanting to try this place so we checked it out over the weekend. The first thing I noticed was how dark it was inside. I was not a fan since it made it hard to read the menu and to see in general. All the servers wear black so it's like a ninja popping out for an attack whenever they try to refill your drink.

I had the pork katsu and the crazy irishman. One of my friends ordered the katsu don so we were curious to see how they were different. Well my pork katsu was basically a deconstructed katsu don. Unlike the katsu which comes in a bowl with everything kinda mixed together, the pork came on a plate accompanied with a bed of a raw cabbage. As well as a bowl of rice and the katsu sauce on the side. It was good but nothing special. The crazy irishman was as good as advertised. The flash frying gave it a subtle crispness without cooking any of the inside. I really enjoyed the flavor combinations and contrast in texture. I didn't try my friends' dishes but they seem to like what they ordered - tempura udon, previously mentioned katsu don, and a philly roll. 

The food is kinda pricey. Japanese is usually on the more expensive side but I've had better for less money. And as far as I'm aware, they don't have a happy hour which is lame for a sushi place.

Parking sucks. There aren't many spots and most of them are reserved for valet only - F that. I was lucky enough to find a spot in the back.

Azuma was worth checking out but I don't plan on coming back due to the lack of value and the challenges associated with parking. There are plenty of other japanese places to go to when I have a craving for sushi.
4 - Tien T.: azuma, azuma, azuma. its just fun to say the name!

yesterday, a friend and i, taylor b. (look for his review as well!) went by here for lunch around 130pm. it wasnt very busy (im assuming because its after 1). 

the food was tasty, we had

- seaweed salad (decent)

- crazy irishman roll - taylor SWORE this roll tastes alot better normally, but for some reason it didnt quite live up to its normal taste yesterday. havent been to azuma much, and its my first time trying this roll, so it kind of made me question the consistency of the sushi, but hey, ill update this review once i try it again. 
 
- cajun roll? - i dont remember the specific name, but it had fried oyster, topped with salmon and a spicy sauce. this was really good, the fried oyster tasted awesome inside the sushi. will definitely get this one again.

- and im not even sure what the third once was called anymore. it was covered with avocado, salmon, whitefish, and had cream cheese and jalepenos inside. it was pretty good also.

- look through the pictures for the photo that i uploaded to see the rolls, lol im sorry i cant think of the names for the life of me right now!

overall, good food, great company (thanks taylor b!) and will definitely come back to figure out the names and try the crazy irishman again and update this review!
3 - Tiffany W.: Good, but extremely expensive, sushi. What you pay for is basically the ambiance (which is more modern than fancy) and the location.

The quality of my two rolls, Spicy Tuna and Spider, were decent. The spicy tuna was very spicy so that was a plus and the spider wasn't too bad... I mean, a spider roll is seriously just a spider roll anywhere else.

The quantity of my meal for the price = not worth it at all. I would've been better off probably ordering some Teriyaki rice plate.

Other than the cost of the meal, I disliked that I was rustling through a papered menu like it was a newspaper or something. Seriously? You people can charge $6 for 6 pieces of a Spicy Tuna, but you can't come up with enough money from all that to get normal and somewhat environmental-friendly menus? Kind of ghetto, if you ask me, and it definitely just ruins the whole idea of "fancy."

The service in general... weak. When I first walked in, the two hostesses were too busy chatting up a waiter that I had to interrupt them to get a table. Then when I needed to ask for a pen, I called out for a random waitress who stared me down and then rudely walked away. Wtf, bitch move much? On the bright side, our waitress was nice and friendly, even though she didn't show her face until 20 minutes after being seated to take our orders -and that's only because we asked a busboy to flag her down.

Overall 1st time experience? A-Ok. Everything about this place could be better.
3 - Stephanie L.: Came here for lunch with my coworkers.  We looked at the lunch menu and all ended up ordering the daily bento box.  It turned out to be an okay deal.  Don't get me wrong, the food is good.  The special entrees for the daily bento box were tempura (2 shrimp, 1 okra, 1 sweet potato, and 1 sweet green pumpkin slice) and sauteed beef with onions.

The tempura was perfect!  Not too oily and crisp.  The sauteed beef with onions...well was a bit disappointing, but that's okay.  I mean it wasn't bad, just not great.

The bento box came with 5 pieces of sashimi (2 salmon, 2 tuna, and 1 scallop), 2 sweet egg custard cubes, 2 small pieces of fish (sea bass i think, flaky, oily, deliciousness), some type of sauteed sliced mushroom with carrots, 2 pieces of sausage, and an ice cream filled eclair.  They were all delicious.

Probably would be 4 stars, but I couldn't justify it for almost $20 with tax and tip.  I still prefer Blue Fish House where I can make my lunch into a bento box, split it into 2 meals and still only pay $13.
3 - Dee Dee E.: The decor and atomsphere are great here. I enjoyed the sushi but didnt have much of it. The prices were a little steep but doable. I must go happy hour to determine the pricing difference. overall I enjoyed myself here- great date place or meeting up with the girls!!
3 - Scott N.: Disclaimer: It's been a while since I've been here, so things may be different. Reading the reviews however, it appears things have not really changed.

If I could give 3.5, I would.

If Azuma were the only sushi place in town, this place would get a 4-5 easy, but the Japanese food competition is something fierce here in Houston. Years ago, Azuma used to be my go-to place for quality solid sushi (which it still is) and other Japanese food. Since having explored a lot over the years, however, I've come to the conclusion that the competition currently has them beat. It's a sub-optimal decision if you're looking for quality-yet-inexpensive sushi (see: Oishii on Westheimer), or the authentic real-deal at a higher cost (see: Nippon on Montrose). 

The only time I'd consider Azuma to be an optimal choice is for if

 a) I'm tired of my usual go-tos (except there still are other places that are better I'd reckon) 

or

 b) I want a classy decor vibe and a generally great music selection (I've heard them drop Underworld tunes in their past, which is prime sushi-nomming music).
4 - Monique H.: I knew I would be craving sushi, so I went ahead and purchased my "$20 for $40 worth of sushi" groupon, just to pay it forward. Lol. Best decision I've made this week. Well my original plan was to bring a friend along to enjoy my $40 dining, however I looked at the menu and prices and figured I could tackle this by myself.. which was a lil selfish of me. I went to Azuma on a Tuesday evening and sat at the sushi bar. The restaurant was nice inside.. The tables, the bar.. Nice vibe. I was greeted quickly and my waitress took my order. I got my rolls and edemame quickly. I tried the Sunshine roll and the Crazy Irishman. They were delish especially that Crazy Irishman.. Yumm. I also had some tempura which was pretty good. Although it didn't come out until I finished my sushi.. so much for an appetizer. After I finished all my food, as if that wasn't enough, I had to try their green tea ice cream. It was so good, perhaps the most satisfying green tea ice cream I've ever had. It was so good. I think it's safe to say this is not my last time going to Azuma.. Groupon well spent! And thanks groupon for putting me on!
2 - Phoenix D.: Nice atmosphere, mediocre food but the service was horrible. Ordered drinks, they didn't arrive until asking two different waiters (our waitress was walking around aimlessly). I don't know if the waitress was having a bad day but she shouldn't take it out on customers... We pay for quality food & service. I do not recommend this place. It was quite empty when we were there, 5 or 6 tables of at least 5 people so the poor service couldn't be attributed to a crowded room.
3 - Ann L.: The boyfriend and I decided to eat here for New Years Day. We were worried about a long wait since Azuma doesn't take reservations but we only had a 10 minute wait. 

We ordered the chirashi, katsu don and wild irishman roll. So the deets on the dishes: The fish for the chirashi was fresh and delicious. The katsu don was a bit bland. The wild Irishman was disappointing as well. I was salivating at the description but found that the only thing I could taste was rice. I'd have to go again for a more complete review but so far I'm a fan of the sashimi alone.
1 - Mauricio P.: Very disappointment.  Service very slow...and The food is not very good. The sushi was bland, small portion, and not properly  served ( it came without wasabi).  The sushi was overpriced! . . .  Any place has a better taste on the sushi. We tried two appetizers and they were completely tasteless. The calamari was a joke. The waiter warned us that it was real calmari intead of processed food...... Well  it looked like processed food, no tentacles, looked like nuggets, adn it was  totally greasy. the place is nice and well decorated, but definitely needs improvement on the cooking. The table next to us were japanese and they were dissapointed as well complaining all the time.
3 - Camille P.: This is a cute place right on Kirby.  I go to the Downtown location more often due to convenience, but the hubby and I just happened to be in this area on a Saturday night.  We went for dinner and luckily did not have to wait for a table.  As I walked in, I noticed an eclectic mix of clientele....I saw lots of casual families dining out, groups of girlfriends ready to party afterwards, couples like me and my hub, and some high schoolers? maybe?  It was fun seeing the mixed crowd.  

The food was good and the staff members were really pleasant and helpful.  We ordered a little bit of everything but the main reason we were there was for the grilled whole squid....it comes out so tender and nicely charred with that perfect seafood flavor.  Please try it when you are there.  They even have it on their happy hour menu!

I will definitely head here again when I am near the area......
3 - Ryan B.: I started the review below last month and did not post it.  I thought I would give the place another chance since the food is so good.  Went again today and my original review is still appropriate:  Great food, adequate service.

Original Review:
I frequently eat lunch here.  The food is great and the service is normally good.  Today there were relatively busy.  I am assuming this caused the service suffer today.  I hope this is not a trend in what has been a consistently good restaurant.
2 - Eileen T.: Azuma is probably one of my least-liked sushi places that I've been to. It's somewhat pricey and just not very good. I ordered the tako yaki, agedashi tofu, chirashi bowl, and amaebi nigiri.

The tako yaki has the only the faintest speckle of octopus in the center that you could imagine. They don't tell you on the menu that it's wrapped with pickled ginger... disgusting.

The agedashi tofu here is the worst I've ever had.

The chirashi is not that fresh... very fishy. They give you the lower quality fish and the "red snapper" is just tilapia. Yeah, I can tell. For $22, it's robbery.

Okay, the amaebi... I've actually never had it elsewhere, but I'm almost certain that fresh seafood is never that slimy. It leaves a nasty film behind in your mouth. My favorite part of dinner was the fried shrimp heads, which is sad. When I go to a sushi restaurant, I want FRESH, RAW seafood.

Our waitress disappeared about 2/3 into our dinner and never returned and the hostess had to take care of our check. Very expensive for the poor quality. Will not be back. At least it didn't make me sick as Oishii frequently does.
5 - Valky W.: I've been to Azuma for about 4-5times. Azuma has quite outstanding Japa/Mexican fusion dishes and cool atmosphere given its reasonable price range. It is definitely one of my favorite places for a nice dinner around university area.I was here for Bday party and we took the table next to the bamboo garden which was totally lovely.

Tried crazy Irishman roll, sushi platter, hamachikama,etc and was pretty impressed by the quality overall but the portions are quite small.Courses range from traditional Japanese to Japanese&Mexican Fusion (esp the rolls) and also mexican.

 I would recommend this place for it's unique cuisine (Japa&Mexican) and unique environment.
3 - Ranell B.: I really want to like this place but I can't because of it's mediocrity. The couple times I've been here I was not impressed. The sushi is not anything great for the price you pay. We tried several regular rolls, special rolls, edamame, fried tempura platter, and a noodle dish with meat, mushrooms, tofu, and cabbage. The drinks are also the same as any other sushi restaurant. Except I don't think you can order sake bombs. You have to buy the beer and sake separately. The atmosphere is a little more upscale but I would not return due to the quality and uniqueness of the food.
3 - Eunice T.: It's okay. Overpriced for what it is. The decor is nice. 

I got the hamachi kama, one of my favorite dishes, & it was bland. The fish was crispy but without seasoning & sauce--such a waste of yellowtail life. I also got their version of yakitori skewers--the grilled shitake mushrooms. They were not grilled & if so, only for 0.0356 seconds before being served. They were lukewarm & not good. I tried a piece of my friend's sushi roll. It was mediocre. I dont' even remember what it was. 

In the end, I looked at my check & thought to myself "I paid $20 for this? Ugh."
5 - K H.: Having read in the Southern Journal, a local Japanese newspaper, that the restaurant now has new Japanese chefs, I recently returned to Azuma on Kirbey for a Saturday lunch with a 50% daily discount coupon in hand. I must say the daily chef special lunch exceed my expectations. 

The presentation of nigiri sushi and sashimi was sophisticated and the quality was superior. I'm the type of person who prefers to base her judgement upon nigiri and sashimi to rolls, and the chefs really delivered on these items. I am almost tempted to say this is the best nigiri and sashimi I have had in town in the last few years. Notably, tuna was not watery, and had a deep red color, and its texture was nice and firm. 

The huge bento box also contained a lot of other items, including tempura, fish "kama" grill, and even Korean BBQ and a chocolate eclair of all things, all of which added to good value. It had way more food than I could handle at once, and I wanted to eat all the spectacular raw fish items first. I didn't even want to waste my stomach space with the vegetable rolls. 

In addition, I ordered otoro, or very fatty tuna, nigiri, which happened to be on the menu that day. An order came with two pieces and was priced at $12. It's a special occasion type of thing, but I thoroughly enjoyed the melting sensation on my tongue that seemed to want to go away faster than I wanted to let it. 

Aside from the food, the ambiance is very nice; clean and zen-ish. Service was very good, though a tiny bit understaffed even for a smaller Saturday lunch crowd. If someone next you or near you starts grilling meat on a sizzling stone, you may end up smelling like it, but it is pretty entertaining to watch. 

All in all, I recommend Azuma for those who have not been there in a while and those that are looking for high quality nigiri and sashimi. Nice come back Azuma!
3 - James S.: Azuma has a running $20 for $40 groupon now coupon.. Funny thing is that even with that, its still $40+ for two people.. Still somehow, Azuma is one of my more regular places for sushi.. Its decent sushi (consistent too), decent location, and groupons are a strong incentive... The nabeyaki udon is pretty good--- last time they started putting the shrimp in the soup.. Tell them to keep it on the side! Spicy tuna roll here is good, as well as the vegetable tempura. The robata and hot rock beef are both pretty good as well. If you order miso soup, the unaju, unagi nigiri, or anything else that is supposed to be warm, make sure you let them know before hand you wanted it HOT.... And if they don't.. send it back.. Yes don't ask me how any Japanese place can have lukewarm miso..Service is pretty good.. So just remember grab a groupon before you go..
1 - Mary N.: I just went here last night and it was the nastiest food I have ever eaten.  The last time I visited Azuma was 5 years and it has gone down the drain since then.  The agedashi tofu tasted like it was fried in the morning and sat there all day.  It wasn't crispy, it was chewy. We also ordered the caterpillar and spider rolls.  It was all rice and no fish.  Lastly we ended with the kobe beef and beef tongue from the robata grill.  Both came out at room temperature so I think these were cooked in the morning too!  So disappointed and will never ever return.  There are so many other wonderful restaurants...don't waste your money here.
3 - Sneha R.: The decor is really nice with wood ceilings and what not, but in terms of sushi not worth it. I thought about getting yakitori skewers but stuck to the sushi. 

Nigiri -- Unagi was not of good quality and it was cold. I like it best when it's slightly warm and just melts in your mouth. Salmon and yellowtail were better but for the price (around 5$ for two pieces) Nippon's still trumps. 

Rolls -- The crazy irishman (12$) was probably my favorite out of everything. This is the only thing worth coming here for. Salmon, tuna, and avocado that's been flash fried and topped with spicy mayo and unagi sauce. Yum. Crunchy on the outside then so soft inside -- so many textures and flavors with the sauces on top. The red devil roll (12$) is the biggest disappointment. It's shrimp tempura topped with crab, chili powder, and chili oil. I'm pretty sensitive to spicy foods but this was so bland there wasn't even a hint of chili. We asked our waiter to add some more chili oil/chili powder. After she brought it back it was definitely spicy, but not in a flavorful way. It was a very one-dimensional burn in my mouth. 

Dessert -- Banana tempura with vanilla ice cream. This is so hard to mess up. It was delicious, as it always is everywhere I go.
5 - Aimee T.: In a group of 6 people, we shared the Crazy Irishman, Azuma, Phoenix, Anime, Koi, Tokyo, California, and Samuri rolls. We ate everything, and then order another Irishman, Phoenix and Azuma. They were beyond fantastic, and everyone's tastes were met. Our service was spectacular, and the atmosphere is intimate and accommodating. If I were ever to return to Houston, I'd come back to Azuma Sushi, 100%
1 - Lindsey C.: Earlier this evening we were here. We waited have for about 25-30 minutes. We got water and ordered a seaweed salad while we waited  We did not get the seaweed salad and nobody came to take our order.  Terrible service. It is a Wednesday night, not that busy and we are left.  We had the waiter with a shaved head and round glasses. If I could give zero stars I would.  I would not go back.
2 - Ben K.: ughhh. why do i keep coming here.  server was slighly rude, although she pretended to be nice. she was slow, and forgot our order multiple times, and she had to come back and ask what people ordered. personally, i ordered the katsu pork over rice, red devil roll, and short rib marinated in soy sauce. first of all, she got my short rib order wrong. i wanted the one with 6 pieces, which was on the specials menu, and even pointed it out to her. i got the one with one piece for some ridiculous reason. that cost 3.50. FOR ONE RIB. i wanted the 6 piece, for 6.50 UGHHH. when i tried to explain it to her, she was just like. "oh sorry!" and didnt change my order or even try to settle it. the red devil roll was tasteless, and i literally drenched in soysauce and ginger. the ginger also tasted funny...the katsu on rice..ughhhh. so chewy and tendony. batter was gross. sauce tasted watered down, and ughh. katsu is supposed to be clean, purely meat, and flavorful. but it wasnt. ugh.
2 - Third W.: Very overrated and overpriced. Fish and rolls do not taste fresh, bottom line.
4 - Dea A.: I love the atmosphere of this place. I hate the parking lot. Holy mother of corgi, do I hate this parking lot (cray cray drivers are cray cray). 

I came here with the rare Groupon and on top of that an Opentable $20 dining check. They managed to work it out. I was actually shocked they let me do that. 

Their signature rolls are unique, different and delicious. Their standard rolls like the spicy tuna are spot on and reliable. Their service is always great. This is my reliable number 2 when I want to impress people and Kata is booked up.
2 - Larry W.: I don't get it? You ain't sushi, you ain't yakitori, you ain't nothin special.  Why you think you hot shit? Because of the overpriced and crappy menu? The tiny robatas? The plastic titted blingers? Answer me, Azuma. Answer me!
5 - Mike P.: One of my favorites. Great place for dates or group outings. Ask for Jonathan Nguyen as your waiter. He is very knowledgeable and honest (he'll let you know what fish is the freshest). The spicy tuna and the scallops are my go to orders. Sushi is fresh and not fishy taste/smell. I brought some friends from Portugal and they, like me, are hooked on this place.
5 - Taylor B.: In my earlier review I mentioned the Sushi is not as good as it use to be. That must have been a phase, because my last few experiences have been fantastic. My favorite roll "Crazy Irishman"  was amazing! 


Azuma's back on my top Sushi list!
2 - David R.: Stopped here for lunch a couple of days ago and must say that it left a lot to be desired, specially with their prices. Quality of food is sub-par compared to other sushi places at their prices. 

Place looked nice, but other than that, don't bother!
2 - Victoria J.: Azuma to me is like a mid-scale (maybe) restaurant masquerading as something more.  I went there for HRWs, after having visited for lunch once, and felt like the food was not worth even $35 for 3 courses.  Admittedly, I did enjoy the rib dish, and the tiny, baby mouthful of bread pudding was okay.  But the chef's omakase . . . was just sashimi.  I guess I thought the chef might do something more inventive than just take fish, cut it up, put it on some ice and call it "omakase."  Maybe because I'm comparing Azuma to Uchi, but Azuma fell short, and it's why I'd rather just pick up sushi from the grocery store.

As for the waitstaff, I am so thankful that I asked the waitress to move us from behind the stairs, which is where she had originally placed us in the 1/4 full restaurant.  When I asked to move, she was not happy (she wasn't happy to start with, however), to the point that I asked her what was her problem.  (Reply: fake smile, drop the drink menu, rush off).  Thankfully, because we moved we got a nice young man who was actually happy to be there and wait on us.  If we had stayed behind the stairs with our original waitress, I'm not sure this review would have been as balanced.
2 - Steve S.: Went in for lunch today.  Decor is nice. Chose to stay inside, this SF native can not handle this humid weather.  Staff is friendly but honestly the best thing I ordered was the edamame, but even then they're a little heavy with the salt. My advice would be to order it without the salt or to just a lighter amount.  Ordered the $18 Nigiri combo.  For that price they could at least include some miso soup or a small salad but they sadly do not.  The Nigiri offered was off-putting to look at.  Its like the color of the fish was in overcast weather and almost grey looking.  I didn't think it tasted very fresh and I have to wonder what fish monger they're able to go to, if they go to one at all.  Rice was also not very good.  Usually sushi rice has a little sweetness to it but I felt like the rice was sweeter than normal.  Decor nice, staff friendly.......food, not so much.  At least in regards to the raw fish options.  I'm sure they're specialty "rolls" might be fine, but for $18, its overpriced for what you're getting.  Probably not going back, sorry Azuma.
4 - Nicole M.: Really tasty sushi, but sometimes the service is on the slow side. A coworker and I called ahead to order a couple of times for our lunch break and were still made to wait, which we were trying to avoid. Still - I love the Phoenix roll.
3 - Matthew C.: First, the good:

The Azuma 'Gazpacho' is something truly unique--and delicious.  It's a tower of rice, salmon, avocado, mango, and onions over which the thickened tomato juice "broth" is poured at the table.  The raw salmon pairs well with the sweetness of the mango, creaminess of the avocado, and salty spiciness of the tomato juice broth.  This was the best part of the meal.

Now, the not so good:

Other than that, though, I found the sushi to be pretty mediocre.  This last time, I went with the salmon hand roll, which only had a minimal amount of salmon.

Also, this place is entirely too cold!  Please turn up the thermostat in the future!

I also didn't see any information about happy hour specials on sushi which is my favorite part of going to sushi restaurants.

Overall, not bad, but not great either (with the exception of the Azuma 'Gazpacho').

Azumi Sushi - Houston, TX (29.7099106, -95.4014139) (Medical Center, West University)
2 - Christine K.: Located on the first floor of the Baylor Faculty Center in the Texas Medical Center, Azumi's fresh sushi has to compete against the often slow service and indifferent (but friendly) employees.  Although there is a small section of tables, they are mostly a "to go" restaurant.

Often customers find that the sushi chefs have pre-made (shudder) dozens of rolls which are stacked up and ready to go.  Their eel and shrimp tempura rolls are made to order (other rolls might also be made to order - check with the chef).  Friends swear by the unusual bento boxes, which feature an eclectic mix of food and usually contain either their delicious squid salad or edamame.

What keeps them from an average or higher score is the employees.  They can't seem to keep cashiers, so even getting premade rolls doesn't prevent a tedious wait in line while the cashier consults with the chef or cooks on how much to charge.  And the last time I visited, the lunch sushi chef spent some time trying to convince me to get the bento and forgo ordering eel rolls and seemed put out when I did not choose the bento.
2 - David N.: Eh...This place is your bottom of line sushi joint.  I've only had their sushi twice because it just doesn't look appetizing.  Their chicken Katsu is decent.  I usually get their Beef and Chicken teriyaki combo just because its a good amount of food for a fair price.  Their bento boxes come with edame which is pretty good.  The rolls are a step above grocery store level sushi.  I wouldn't go here if it wasn't within walking distance of the medical center.
3 - Amaranta C.: For "fresh" sushi inside the TMC, this is the best place to go. It's a small shop, so the line can get long quick. There are tables available inside, but also some outside in the 'lobby' of the building where there's a TV located and always tuned to CNN. Beware, however, because they can be Nazi's sometimes regarding if other people sit and eat there. I've had employees come and tell us that only people who buy from Azumi can eat there, regardless of whether its a group and half got Azumi and half got Subway from next door. But I don't pay attention to them now since its Baylor's property, not theirs!

They have rolls pre-made, but I would just ask them to make what you want fresh. Their teriyaki combos, as others have mentioned, are the best deal but the prices recently went up to $5.99 (used to be $4.99). I love the bento boxes, but its so much food I stopped getting them because I always had the miso soup left over. They also have the crunchy ice (aka Sonic ice)!
3 - Gonzo P.: In the Texas Medical Center where one can quickly get sick of Chipotle and Subway, Azumi is a welcome treat!

Excellent prices, decent fresh (spicy, on request!) sushi, and daily specials! They also make excellent spicy edamame!
2 - Scott B.: I only give Azumi Sushi 2 stars but it is a restaurant I return to occassionally.

Sushi - Not bad... just not what you would find in a sit-down sushi restaurant. This is basically a fast-food sushi restaurant.

Food - Fresh. Temperature is good. Presentation is good.
Atmosphere - Too crowded.
Service - Too slow... advice - go to the front of the line and listen to the cashier. If he/she keeps calling out to the kitchen, "how much longer on the katsu?" then order something else. Wait times can be slow.

Worth the trip but not worth writing home about.
3 - Sabir I.: Closed. I was wondering how they stayed in business with their horrible front counter that came to a halt with more than two customers.
1 - Seth B.: Closed, likely due to the skeevy vibe of the cooking staff.  Ate there a few times and never could shake the feeling they had done something to my food.

It has been replaced by a new sushi restaurant called "Go Fish", which takes the same basic concept of "Fast Sushi", with an expanded menu that includes Phò and Bahn Mi.  

I visited the new restaurant today and was relieved to not see any familiar faces behind the counter and in the kitchen.  The food was good, even though the sushi was skimpy, and the prices moderate.

B & B Appliance Service - Amherst, MA (42.378836, -72.511337) ()
5 - Lorraine S.: My refrigerator stopped working.  I didn't know anyone in the area and looked up appliance repair on the web.  B & B was nearby, so I searched again and found 6 reviews on another review site that were extremely positive.   Bob responded quickly to my call and seemed very knowledgeable about my particular refrigerator.  He had the part he needed in the truck and the repair was efficiently done and I was charged a fair price.  I would definitely recommend him.
5 - Stacey D.: My washing machine broke last month, I had just moved to the area, so not having a community of people to ask around, I looked on the Internet and found  B & B appliance.  First off, I was surprised and very relieved at how quickly Bob was available to do the repair, (being that I have 3 small children my washing machine is an appliance I can not be with out for long!).  Once he arrived, he was able to fix the washer.  Bob is a very polite service person, he was also neat, and courteous.  Having moved from a big city where your lucky to get a call back, it was very refreshing to be able to make one phone call, set up an appointment and have the job done with in a couple days!  I would definitely recommend Bob from B & B appliance.

B & W Supply Company - Ithaca, NY (42.4439614, -76.5018807) ()
4 - Zsaleh H.: This place is awesome!  Don't be fooled by the exterior--even though this is a restaurant supply company, individuals are welcome to wander in and buy things for their home kitchens.  We picked up nice salt and pepper shakers, a syrup dispenser like the kind they have in restaurants, several bottles for olive oil, and some other great stuff.  If you like to cook and spend time in your kitchen, I'm sure you'll find something useful here.  Best of all, everything is very reasonably priced.
1 - Trance A.: The owner asked me what the specific problem was. I'm happy to share, in hopes the issue will be resolved.

I had called them to discuss equipment and get help for a project. After leaving multiple (very nice and polite) messages over some number of weeks, a friend told me that the person I'd been calling had mentioned that I had been "harrassing" the staff. I've honestly never been more angry with a business in my life. 

I called to speak with someone else, but received a very rude brush off. They seemed too busy to take the time to discuss work with a customer and thusly lost my business. 

One phone call later and I was getting excellent service at another local kitchen supplier, who ultimately profited from the interaction and will continue to in the future.
5 - Kerry F.: I've been shopping here both personally and for work for almost ten years - it's a great store run by the nicest people.  I was so surprised to see the negative review!  If you have any kitchen supply needs, please do go and see for yourself that everyone that works there is perfectly nice & professional.  

We (The PIggery) buy just about all of our paper goods there, and they have a full range of compostable "plastics" which is nice - instead of throwing eveyone's used cups in to the trash we can toss them right in to our Cayuga Compost bins.  We've also made equipment purchses through them, and they are currently being our personal saviors by helping us with a nightmare kitchen hood situation.  

Prices are right, quality is great, staff are all super helpful - all around they are running a great business.

B Bubbles Inc - New York, NY (40.8143327, -73.9595871) (Harlem)
2 - Sarah J.: An etiquette lesson, courtesy of a sign at my laundromat:
"Please, do not spit in the trashcan."

Thank you Bubbles Inc, for maintaining a classy joint where spitting in trashcans is prohibited.  It's been long time coming that laundry establishments finally banned spitting in trashcans.  Hallelujah.

While they may be rather high-brow with their no tolerance anti-loogie policy, they have washers and dryers that cost different amounts per load, the cheapest ones being for staff use... hhmmmmmf.  At least the Fluff & Fold service is relatively cheap and quick.
3 - Jane P.: Ehhh.  I dunno what else to expect from a laundromat.  Washing for the cheapest one was $1.50 and takes 29 mins.  Dryer costs only 25 cents but its like for 6 minutes.  I had to dry it 3x, costing me 75 cents, and most of my clothes were dry but not my towels.  Couldn't do much about that.  I can't imagine how much longer it'll take to dry when I have a really large load.  It seems to be the closest laundromat from my apt, but I would definitely want an upgrade...help meeee.
3 - Haley R.: I hate that I have to do laundry here, but it's the closest do it yourself place. I once dropped off the fluff and fold but asked that they not dry anything in the one bag, since they were all delicates - the whole conversation in Spanish - and they still dried it all and shrunk my stuff.
4 - Will T.: The other reviewers are whiners.

There are washing machines and dryers there, and there are tables where you can fold your clothes. Some of the machines may be out of service once in a while, but they are marked -- I come in on Saturday AM, the busiest time, and can _always_ find a working machine. Some machines that have a LARGER capacity cost more than machines with SMALLER capacity.

The nice old spanish lady that runs the place doesn't speak much english, but she can make change in any language.

Its a laundromat.  I usually pay $3.75 to wash my week's laundry, and then $1.25 to dry it, and then I fold it myself.  I used to drop my week's laundry off at a wash and fold place that would cost me $18-20.  I'll spend the $15 I save on beer, thanks.
3 - Justine G.: I come up here to do my laundry since my neighborhood has like no decent laundromats and I can hang with my friends in the area and drink at Toast while my stuff washes. The machines are fast and the place is clean and you usually can find a spot to fold your stuff. Withholding 2 stars because the dryers in the back suck. They take forever to dry towels and heavier stuff. Use the dryers by the side when you walk in for fast and bone-dry service.

B Good - Mid-Cambridge, MA (42.3732861, -71.1186501) (Harvard Square)
4 - Andy M.: I heard the hype, but was unconvinced - until I had one of their burgers... 

Wow, it was great!  Really leaps and bounds above other burger joints - I don't know what their secret is.  They also have ready gluten free hamburger buns, should this interest you.  I will be back.
1 - Debbie L.: While I wish I could be writing about the food there, unfortunately the service was such that we couldn't even get food! They claim on their website and door outside to close at 10pm. However, parking our car at 9:30 and in front of their door by 9:40pm, they had already locked up and refused to let any more customers in. I completely understand wanting to get out on time.  I worked the restaurant industry for years, but no matter where I worked, the rule was you take orders until closing time. Not that we were going to be those people that sat down and proceeded to eat in there and make everyone wait an hour, but I was hoping with 20 minutes to go before closing, they wouldn't mind throwing a couple burgers on for 5 minutes for a to-go order. I've eaten at the downtown B Good before and was hoping to try this one as well, but I guess better luck next time - if they're open?
2 - Amanda D.: While I usually like this place, I've been in line to place my order for over 15 minutes. Not sure I will have time to eat. Ugh.
2 - J. C.: I tried the Southwest Salad. It was my first visit to B Good. I don't plan to go back.
4 - francis b.: good burgers...fresh cut  fries.....like the assorted toppings on the burger...made it 
unique....definitly will go again and try other ones..........

price ok for harvard square...good atmosphere and very clean.

B SKI'S - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9138143, -79.0542793) ()
2 - RD S.: The best thing about B-Ski's is its interior--clean, spacious, a large HDTV playing ESPNHD.  Whoever bought this space, which was formerly a Hallmark card shop named Annie's, I believe (I bought one cheap card there) really thought out the design of this restaurant. 

Everything else about this place makes me want to throw a brick in one of its windows.

The food at B-Ski's is nothing to call home about.  It's so...blah.  And yet this place charges between $3.75 and $7.50 for their wraps.  Fine if you're a tourist that has a good amount of money but expensive if you're a student. 

But what's worse about this place is its timing.  This place claims it's open late nights but I've been out late on Franklin Street and seen the place completely closed--no lights, no people around it, nothing.  And there was one time where I went there and the restaurant was temporarily shut down because the place hadn't received a shipment of of their ingredients.  A good restaurant manager would never let this happen to his/her restaurant WHILE IT WAS OPEN.

Avoid, avoid, avoid this place like the plague.
4 - Jake S.: B-Ski's is a welcomed addition to the Franklin Street dining scene. With a burrito place in every-other storefront, B-Ski's brand of wraps--coming in all varieties--is a solid, fresh offering. 

I would not go in expecting to have the meal of a lifetime. But, if you're tired of burritos, not in the mood for a sandwich, I trust you'll find the wraps at B-Skis filling and tasty. 

I have two "Ski's" (their name for wraps) that I'm particularly fond of: the  Breakfast Ski, and the AK-Ski. Still, I've tried a bunch and they're all good. 

The shop itself is very clean and they have a big flat-panel TV in the dining area. There are only two downsides I can recall: the wait, and the price. Even though this is "fast" food, they sometimes take longer than I might like. And $7+ for a wrap is a bit much.

Still, I really enjoy B-Skis and am glad to see something knew near campus.
4 - Michael P.: B-Ski's is pretty reasonably priced and the food is definitely legit.  

It has a huge variety of wraps, including breakfast.  All of the wraps I've had have been really good, and it's a great stop on late nights.  Their wraps are mighty filling.  They even deliver, though it's painfully slow.  

 My favorite's the Mesquite-Ski, because of it's spiciness.  Spicy food is one of the keys to my heart.
4 - Rebecca T.: Totally in agreement with Jake S. 

The AK-ski (or #7) is really good, but  more than$7 for lunch is pricey. They are also SLOW. I've never tried the fries, but have heard that they're good.
5 - Henry S.: B-Ski's is probably one of my favorite places to go on Franklin St. for lunch or late night food. They have a large selection of 'skis' to choose from, which are all wraps with various fillings. I personally recommend the Cali-ski or one of the breakfast skis, but there is something for everyone. They are a little bit slow, but it is well worth the wait. They offer delivery too, and are quite efficient in getting your wrap to you quickly. All in all, if you're looking for something different for lunch, try B-ski's.
4 - Katherine M.: The wraps here are consistently good and fresh - it's not mind-blowingly amazing gourmet food, but it's solid for lunch. They also come with fresh pineapple! Not the syrupy canned stuff. Real fruit.

Be warned - the place can be slow, especially during peak hours. If you're going between classes, be careful.
4 - Adrienne E.: You can count me as another big fan of the AK-Ski. B-Ski's is a good place for a casual dinner or afternoon snack, but I don't think I'd recommend it for lunch. It definitely takes awhile to get your food - more than you would expect given that most of the ingredients aren't cooked (meat excluded, of course). I don't mind the price as much because you get quite a bit of food. The staff is always very nice, if not terribly efficient. The dining area is clean and spacious and I LOVE their little fireplace, even if it is a gas log.
3 - Young Q.: Decent wrap.  But I am still a big fan of Pita Pit.
3 - Emilie R.: The Aloha ski and veg-e-skii are pretty good. my tortillas were slightly stale on both visits, still pretty edible. If you eat in, they have no plates or trays, they put your fries on a thin little napkin on the table. Also no cups for ketchup, so the ketchup soaks through your napkin to the table, which I find awkward. The fries are very tasy
4 - Carly Y.: [B]-Ski's is one of my favorite places to grab a quick lunch or dinner on Franklin Street.

All of the "ski's" are tortilla wrap sandwiches.  While slightly overpriced, I find myself ordering a "ski" on a somewhat regular basis.  Some friends & I used to go here every week after our late afternoon class for dinner and we looked forward to it each time...although we always got the same thing!

My favorite "ski's" are the "AK-Ski" & the "Baked Ski".  The "AK Ski", a staple for most frequenters of [B]-Ski's, includes hot sauce-smothered chicken tenders, pepper jack cheese, ranch, & lettuce.  I'm salivating just thinking about it right now!  The "Baked Ski" is like a baked potato, but in "ski" form, with cheddar cheese, potato wedges, bacon bits & sour cream.  Nom.  P.S. Their fries and cookies are delicious.

I would stay away from here if you want some late-night food, as it gets really crowded then.  While delicious late at night (or anytime of day for that matter), I would be wary because of that.

If you're in town you should check it out...I think the one on Franklin St. is the one & only location!
3 - Nikki K.: I (A Duke student) went here with my brother (A UNC student.. go figure?)  Anyways, I had the Greek Bowl and soup of the day and my brother had the chicken-ski I think.  I was good food, quick, and pocket friendly.  I definately recomment this place for some college students looking for a quick bite to eat!  There is always plenty of parking along the street (meter pay) so I've never had to walk far or have time consumed from parking getting here... SCORE!
5 - Jason G.: I remembered when I I first came here and it just opened back in May 2006. I was in Chapel Hill for a week long internship sales training and I had a great stay eating a couple skis during my time in NC. One night after a fun filled evening of drinks, a group of my friends from the program and I stop by B Ski's for a bite to eat. I order three "skis" off the menu and love 'em so much I order another one. This continues for a couple nights and the owner is really cool talking with us.  We let him know he has a gold mine with these "skis" and I'm glad to see the business doing well.
3 - Peter A.: So, I'm sure i'd give this place a 5 if I went in hammered, and after a long night of bar hopping, and or the next morning after such a night. The reality is it seems like its A-ok'ski... 

Its feature food item is a "ski"... basically stuff rolled up into a tortilla and wrapped in aluminum foil. Though its not like the other 8 burrito places in the chapel hill Carrboro area, it just appears that way at first. 

Some items I've tried are the Ak-ski... which had some spicy chicken in it, not bad, a bit overpriced at 7-8ish dollars.  I recently got a late breakfast early lunch with the Feggar-ski... which was egg, spinach and feta cheese, which is a more reasonable 5 dollars. (add mushrooms and bacon its $6.50, and worth it, but that's just a suggestion).  There's an older lady who works during the day who's super sweet, and is more professional than the place needs. The food is pretty good, but the prices seem a bit high. Not that their prices are high, just too high for what you get. All in all, I have to be in the right frame of mind for it.
4 - John L.: I highly appreciate B-Ski's wraps.  They're exactly what you expect:  a wrapped up sandwich containing meats and other related fun (based upon one's preferences), and they come with the possibility of ordering other things, like fries and a drink.    You can take them over to campus and lie about aimlessly :) 

B-Ski's also delivers. 

Overall, it's a good pick on Franklin Street, and a quick one if you're on this side of Franklin and don't want a donut.
5 - Jeremy C.: Solid place to get Wraps and Fries on the go.  For a $7 wrap you get a good amount of meat and veggies.  Cost $17 total to feed 2 adults and a 2 year old (he shared a wrap cause they are too big for a kid alone).  Can't go wrong for price and location.
In town for the UNC/State Game and ate a Wrap on the way to the field.  Kept my stomach at bay for whole game.  A lot better food then what we would have gotten inside the stadium.
And for you family folks, the kid loved the fries and B-Ski's offers milk and juice in bottle form.  

Side note: B-Ski's has a back door that leads directly to a parking deck.
1 - Samantha E.: Why do people like B Ski's so much? Granted, their cookies and fries are good but the wraps are no good. Once again, why would you come here for a sandwich when there are so many better options on Franklin?
4 - Matt C.: Wow super good wrap. Got the AK. Fries are hot. Took a little while to get the wrap out to me but its lunch time and they were busy.  A little pricey; my wrap combo was 9$. friendly service too.
4 - Terry B.: B 

Affordable, good and filling college food. 
Wraps, fries, chicken nuggets ... they do great, fast delivery too!

Local favorite as late-night snack for studious college students. 
Also popular at night as post-party midnight food.

I would give it a A if it was A-skis HAHA I kid
3 - Anna S.: After swearing I HATED B-Ski's during college (after having only been there once) and pretty much refusing to eat there, I returned while in Chapel Hill for work post-graduation (its less acceptable to tell a co-worker who wants to go somewhere that you HATE IT for no reason than it is to tell that to your friends). Anyways, although I still like its a bit overpriced (especially the vegetarian options), I actually enjoyed my wrap & fries. Its not my favorite place on Franklin at all, but it didn't deserve my blind hatred either.
4 - Cindy G.: great place for students with limited budget...like me!

B&A Beauty Supply - Los Angeles, CA (34.0075211, -118.2783382) (South East LA, South Los Angeles)
5 - Jurlesia W.: I have been a long-time customer of Queen Nails (next door) and noticed about a year ago that the owners changed at the beauty supply. I never used to go in because it was so small and dirty and the big beauty supply is just around the corner but now they've completely turned it around. The store itself is pretty small but their selection of human hair rivals some of the biggest beauty supplies I've been to and their prices are very very good.
I used to spend more than $80/month on my hair RELIGIOUSLY!!! Now I pay $46.89/month for my supplies and I'm a happy happy girl. This girl loves deals!!!!!! The guys who run this place seem extremely knowledgeable about the products they sell and get brownie points for honesty. It's the first time a cashier ever told me the hair I was looking at WASN'T 100% human even though the package it was being sold in said 100% human. They also taught me a great trick, to burn a few strands of hair to see if any of it melts. They do custom dyed hair and it is GORGEOUS!!!! I know I'm forgetting stuff, but if you're an extension fanatic like I am you should definitely stop by and check it out yourself. The store might be run by young guys, but they definitely know their stuff.
5 - Taty A.: Love it...my eyebr look soo good ma nails n eyebr...

B&G Photography - Los Angeles, CA (34.0664373, -118.4338345) (Westwood)
5 - Nirav K.: OMG: Their final work after my sister's wedding was absolutely fantastic! Flipping through their 1000+ photos just brought me right back to the celebrations that our family throughout my sister's memorable day!

If you are looking around for wedding photographers, stop right here and choose B&G photography! This young couple, Nate & Jen, were some of the nicest and talented photographers I've seen in awhile. They photographed my sister's traditional Indian wedding that happened on the 4th of July weekend and went for 6 days with over 800 guests in Los Angeles. This pair of photographers were absolute troopers throughout the long hours and days of festivities. 

From the moment they met my sister and her (now) husband, they were able to make instant connections with both of them. They even were able to make my brother in law smile in the photographs (a difficult feat)! Throughout the week long events, I was really impressed at the way both photographers could move around so seamlessly that nobody would even notice that they were taking photos and without ever missing a significant moment of the festivities. Their work is so versatile because they could take portrait style photos as well as candid shots right there at each event. Plus, they had such a range in their photography style that they can effectively use their camera apertures to focus on key parts of a shot, and also make great use of shutter speed to portray movement as well as stills within the wedding events. Since this couple shoots each event simultaneouly, they can capture the same shot with multiple angles. 

These photographers were able to get along with all the guests and make them feel really comfortable during the photo shoots. In addition, they were so respectful for all of the cultural aspects of our wedding event. When the family was having a moment, they didn't intrude, but rather obtained shots with large telephoto lenses. When they needed to capture a close-in shot, they quickly moved in and out of the line of sight of the guests to minimize distractions. They even removed their shoes at our Indian wedding ceremony when they were approaching the religious apparati of the wedding - now that's respect for your event! 

They caught EVERYTHING from the beauty of the setup in the various sites that we had our parties all the way 'till the bride and groom left the location. Thus,  I would recommend Nate and Jen to almost everybody who planning a wedding. They are just plain fantastic! 

To check out some of their work from our wedding event, go to their website www.bandgphotography.com/blog/, and check out Niyati and Vikram's wedding on July 2006. There, you can get a glimpse of their work from their very own personal blog. Happy snapping!
5 - alexis m.: My husband & I hired B&G to shoot our wedding in Beverly Hills last March and we are so happy we did.

Not only are husband and wife team, Jen and Nate, extremely talented (our photos are gorgeous!), they are lovely people. All-in-all, I was a pretty calm bride, but fast-forward to me having a total meltdown upon noticing a stain on my stunning Les Habitudes wedding gown (my bridesmaids were spraying bronzer on their shoulders next to my dress...duhhhh!!!) about an hour before walking down the aisle. I turned into a mega-beast, but Jen was so calm & sweet, and really helped me to get over the dress disaster and be in the moment. 

Upon hiring a photographer, we wanted to make sure our photos weren't too staged or pose-y. I conveyed to Jen & Nate that this was a formal wedding, but I didn't want super-formal photos. The end result was spectacular candids and ceremony shots with a very romantic, whimsical mood. Even the posed family/wedding party shots (which I usually feel look stiff) are fabulous.

I would recommend B&G highly to anyone who craves beautiful, emotional photos. Their services aren't cheap, but still very reasonable when you compare the rates to other high-end photographers in Los Angeles. Frankly, I think their work is better too AND comes without any of the diva-attitude of bigger companies. Wedding photography is an investment, but probably the best money spent in the whole scheme of things. We love to look at our photos and relive the excitement of the day. I'm looking forward to using them again sooner than later (maternity shoot!!).
5 - Nicole B.: Jen and Nate from B&G Photography are simply the best.  Not only is their photography fantastic (just check out their blog, their work speaks for itself!) they also made the process incredibly easy from start to finish.

Booking and Price - I contacted B&G about a week after we set a date for our wedding, about 9 months in advance (we got married in 2009).  Jen immediately got back to me, said that they were available and would love to shoot our destination wedding.  I then sent her a list of what I wanted included, she customized an existing package and got back to me with options in a day or two.  When I found that everything I wanted was a little over my budget, she worked with me to rearrange things and make sure that I could get what I wanted at a price I was comfortable with.  I thought that this would going to be the most stressful part of the process but Jen made it so easy.  We had them booked within the week.

Engagement Photo Shoot - My husband and I twiddled our thumbs a bit on this and had to rush to get our photos taken just two months before our wedding.  I was worried that we wouldn't have our photos in time to use at the reception but Jen and Nate reassured us that they would do their best to turn it around in time and they did!  We got to look at proofs just 2 weeks after shooting our photos. 

Wedding Day - Jen and Nate were prompt (as usual) at our hotel room the morning of the wedding.  They caught all the right moments and I don't feel like I missed a thing in the whirlwind craziness of that day.  When we did our first look in the lobby of THEHotel (in Vegas), they did a great job using the modern architecture as accents in our photos.  They pre-scouted the hotel and knew where to set-up us for the best light and photos.  As for the actual ceremony, they had all the angles covered.  Jen shot from the perimeter and Nate somehow got all of the close-ups without getting in any of Jen's shots.  They are such pros!  The photos from the reception also turned out great.  The lighting was very dim but they managed to get wonderful photos of our families interacting, our best-people giving speeches and us laughing and enjoying ourselves.  You'd think that they'd be pooped from all the running around but no, they were up for hitting the Strip after the reception to take more photos.

Day After Photo Shoot - Since we had a destination wedding, we thought it would be nice do get all dressed up and shoot some photos out in the desert (Red Rock Canyon) in a retro car.  We had the top down in the convertible and had a blast shooting photos in front of the car, on top of the car and even while we driving car (driving slowly and definitely not on the road).  When the sun started setting, they even whipped out their lights to make sure that we had enough light.  We were stoked, that they lugged them all the way from Los Angeles for us.  

Wedding Album - Jen did a fantastic job with this.  She knew that I was looking for something specific and she hit the nail right on the head!  The only revisions we had were swapping out photos (which we had chosen) and replacing them with ones we like better.  The album itself is so nice (love the black leather!) and especially looked great with all of the details Jen suggested.

To sum up, Jen and Nate are outstanding.  They're professional, knowledgeable and most of all, extremely talented.  I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them and will I'll definitely be booking them for future events.
4 - Karreno A.: I went to this place with a friend of a mind and gotta say they were very professional and the photos were very well done.
5 - Joanna R.: We started working with Jen for our wedding in a very roundabout kinda way. But we couldn't be any happier. 

We loved our first meeting with Jen and felt she really took the time to figure out what we wanted (even when we weren't really sure). She was always professional and quick to respond to emails. 

The day of the wedding she always there, but never in the way. To have someone else spend the day at your side (besides your new spouse) she's the person you want. She is just fun and nice and really good at helping manage those awkward family moments when your Mom wants an impromptu photoshoot with your 47 aunts, uncles, and cousins. 

We loved our photos and were very happy with how they turned out. She did a great job of getting a good mix of "us" photos, along with family, friends, and the details. 

Love her!
5 - Claire L.: We are so happy we hired B&G...they were professional and true artists! You captured our day perfect...just as I remembered but maybe even better. Beyond my expectations.   

We love our wedding pictures! Thanks Jen! You are the best!
5 - Alexandra D.: We hired B&G for our May 2011 wedding in SoCal, and they were amazing. 

We already loved their work because they did my husband's cousin's wedding the year before. 

Jen and Nate are an awesome husband and wife team, they are so nice and down to earth. They did a great job at the wedding, working with all our requests (like not wanting to see each other before the ceremony). 

And they offer so many great services after the big day too. The online gallery is a great way to share photos with your guests, and the proof book itself is like a work of art. They offer so much guidance in selecting albums, etc. (a process that can take several more months after you've recovered from the wedding!). 

Right after the wedding Jen posted a few "teaser" photos on facebook and tagged us in them. That was a really fun treat because we were so excited to see how everything had turned out. 

I would definitely recommend B&G to all my friends.
5 - Libby K.: I have to echo all the 5 star reviews. We hired Jen for our wedding in April 2011 and the pictures are amazing. It was super easy to work with B&G. The ordering process online was great for family and friends too. I recommend checking out their website as the pictures really speak for themselves!  Jen was also very helpful and responsive after the wedding, working with her on the album was easy to do by email (as we live in Northern California) and the album turned out beautifully.
Thanks Jen for being such an amazing photographer! I highly recommend B&G photography!

B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation - Austin, TX (30.284276, -97.742713) (University of Texas, West Campus)
4 - Susie G.: When I moved here from Oklahoma, I left a very small fledgling, slightly boring Jewish Community. I soon  realized I wanted to try to find a religious home base here. I initially went to Hillel for Friday night services and found them pretty inspiring. They keep it short ( under an hour,) have orthodox, conservative and reform services, and friendly folks. Of course the service is followed by the most fabulous Shabbat meal ever. Really, I'm not kidding. And its by donation. Hillel services are open to everyone in the jewish community, not just UT students ( although they are the main frequenters.) I soon found that I was coming more to Hillel for high holy day services, passover, grad student events etc. And while I do really like the Hillel, I have found it pretty intimidating to actually meet people there. The Jewish population at UT is massive and most folks already know each other, so its pretty daunting. Extra Perk: The director/rabbi is pretty dang amazing . He is reform and funny and interesting to listen to and speaks well. All in all, really good experiences and I will go back. Now if I could only meet some more people :)
5 - Liz B.: I love Texas Hillel. I don't think there is anything about Hillel that I don't like. The people are friendly and wonderful, the services are great, and the food is yummy. 

Hillel is a wonderful place for students. The library is a great place to study and the "people" chairs are the best places on campus to take naps. (I know, I know. The chairs at the Union are great, but always full.)

Moreover, the high holy day services are the best at Hillel. I can tell you that the reform services are lively, wonderful, and all around fabulous. 

If you are looking for Jewish life at Texas, Hillel is the place to find it. Hook'em!

B-Side Lounge - Cambridge, MA (42.3687665, -71.0949186) (Inman Square, Kendall Square/MIT)
3 - Rina R.: Fun place to have dinner or meet up with friends late night for a beer. The diner-like ambience makes this place a little funkier and more interesting than the average eatery. Lots of meat dishes, and eclectic, yummy starters. Entrees are moderately priced at around $15, but the starters and sandwiches are cheaper. A bit hard to get to without a car.
3 - Juliette V.: This place is a mixed bag for me. The blue cheese fries are decadent but the burgers were just okay. They do a pretty good cocktail but it is not amazing. I would go back but I would not run.
5 - emily d.: I'll have a Stardust and the baked gouda to start. 

Gotta love the hard boiled egg bar snacks.
4 - Geoff T.: Being someone without a car, this place isn't always the easiest to get to, but if you have a bike during the summer and spring, it's not a bad ride at all.

A good place for groups, I usually steer away from dinner as the food is good, not great, and can be a little pricey. Small plates of snackies aren't bad for the money either. Average selection of beer. Depending on who is behind the bar, you can hear some great music you won't hear anywhere else (last time I was there a summer ago they were playing a lesser known 80's punk band Sloppy Seconds which I've never heard in public.)
5 - Aaron S.: This is one of the random bars which stays open later than the rest in the Boston area.  When all the other bars are closing at 1am, the B Side rages until 2am.  They also serve hard boiled eggs for free on the bar instead of peanuts...who does that!!! Very cool in my book.  This is a good bar to check out...and word is that Conan O' Brian pops in for a drink now and then...though i've never seen him...yet.
4 - Arwen O.: Quite decent food, charming and convivial atmosphere (ooh, I used a ten cent word!) and great music. Someone good is usually spinning throughout the week, and the look of the place is more Brooklyn than Cambridge, which is a nice change. It is a pain in the ass to get to if you don't have a car.
4 - A T.: Hooray for the bar down the street from my apartment! I love this watering hole for far more than it's insanely convenient location.  No matter what the night there's always a good mix of people in here-both locals and tech square employees.  The food's a bit pricey, but you can't go wrong splitting the blue cheese fries.
4 - Mihir S.: Sorry Arwen, but this definitely has the Cambridge personality. I rarely go to Brooklyn so I can't argue against the Brooklyn claim.
Hip retro 50's feel and bartenders that know what they're doing. Reminiscent drinks like the Pilot. Down-to-Earth educated crowd that is friendly.

Food is excellent and not expensive. Kind of like the Franklin Cafe.
5 - Crystal K.: I love the B-Side. One of the pre-requisites for working here, I've decided, is that you must have a tattoo. The cooler the better. 

This place has so much great atmosphere. Hard boiled eggs at the bar, super cool retro feel, awesome beer selection, cool retro drinks and very good down-home comfort food. I've never had a bad meal here--excellent chicken, mussels, baked brie, and yummmm--the fondue for two!!
4 - Brendan M.: If it has a name, these guys know how to mix it - and they won't charge you through the teeth for it either: most cocktails are around $6-8.
5 - Jennifer B.: A great fake dive. Fabulous old school drinks, underground (read: hipster) vibe, and good food. I recommend mac and cheese. They even gave me back my wallet when I left it there after closing the place with coworkers--special bonus. Plus, did I mention the eggs?!?! Inman cool at its best.
3 - Bill K.: Yeesh, going against the grain here, but I have to be honest.  Alright, where to start.  First of all, if you are a young person living in Cambridge, it is in your best interest to patronize the B-Side from time to time.  As others have observed, the drinks are mixed well and they also have very cheap pounder beers for the grad students/starving artists in your group.

The appetizers are tasty.  You must abandon all hope of looking svelte and sample the gouda.  Give in to the gouda.  Who cares, you're in Boston, so you're going to be wearing a coat 9 months of the year anyway.  Despite rumors to the contrary, the whole egg thing is not a plus.  Anyway, the calamari is a good snack.

The waitstaff has a ton of personality and despite how busy it gets, they'll still find time to take care of you and crack you up while doing it.

There are a lot of positives, but the downsides begin with the fact that the location leaves a lot to be desired unless you happen to live a few blocks away.  It's a hike from Central or Kendall and the parking situation is enough to remind you of why people tell you not to drive in Boston.   Long story short, you need to take a cab.

Sometimes they have live music here...why is that?  So weird and doesn't fit. 

In addition, once you get there, expect to be completely jammed in.  If your friends are already there and have staked out some real esate, sweet.  If not...prepare to mill around for 10 minutes until you can elbow in somewhere.
4 - rishi h.: bizarre!  They gave me my wallet back after closing last time I was there too!  The food is a little pricey but I've found it nothing less than satisfying.  I really enjoyed the mixed drinks here even though I'm not really a hard liquor fan.
The crowd is always a good mix.. lotsa hipsters, yupsters,  people in their late twenties relaxing, regulars, and enough groups having a good time that I never really notice if some scene has adopted this as their new holy ground.
5 - Shirley Y.: this is definitely a bar where everyone knows your name.  or at least the bartenders do, in addition to taking the effort to light your cigarette [back in the day when smoking was allowed indoors] and serve the free eggs that float around as an appetizer complete with tabasco, salt and pepper.  the menu changes regularly, season to season.  although a bit expensive, the staples, such as the arugula salad and mussels, are outstanding.  my new addiction, especially after a few:  blue cheese fries.  yum.

atmosphere is everything to this establishment...music is low key until later at night.  i've been a regular here since six years ago, when i first moved to boston.  rob has always been the best bartender, now a father to ellis.  he still makes the martinis the way i like them.

besides martinis, the bside stocks and mixes a variety of other libations.  one to try, which is their signature sweet drink, is the stardust.  mixed into a lavender shade, definitely a must-try.
3 - So S.: Great buffalo wings and mojitoes!  Can you believe they have the best mojitoes!!!  Actually, Im very very addicted to their mojitoes---and Im not much of a drinker (eating is more of my thing..ehhe).  Beware to those who are not used to real mojitoes, lots of mint and lime...its great!  Everything else here is actually pretty good even though the ambiance is lacking.  Great buffalo wings--very crispy and different (the secret ingredient is cornmeal!) Everything here is homemade and that is what makes it good!  Nice place to casually hang out with a group or co-workers.
3 - Katherine T.: I'm not sure what's up with this, but every time I go there, there are children running around.  Granted, it's usually right after work, so it's not too late yet, but seriously--children?  In a bar?!  That's unnerving.

Anyway, I hate how their bar space is limited, and even if there is NO ONE sitting in the booths, they still won't let you sit there unless you're ordering a meal.  That's lame.  Especially when you're there with a large group, and don't feel like standing around in an awkward group blocking the little hallway to the bathroom... which is what ends up happening.

I do, however, like the bartenders.  They're funny and snappy.  And I like their gouda dish thingy.  Melted gouda with bread.  I didn't make that sound very appetizing, but I swear it's delicious.
3 - Pete S.: Somehow I'm just not bowled over by the B-Side like a lot of people are, and I think that may be partly because it's always extremely crowded on weekends (I've waited on line in the cold too many times). It's a nice bar, but it gets really difficult to negotiate when there are lots of people in there. The food has been good when I've tried it (the calamari plate is very generous, but the dipping sauce needs work). It's just hard for me to go there with more than a couple of other people. 

As far as accesibility, it's a quick walk from the buses at Inman, and only 15 minutes from Kendall T. 

Nice place, and I wish there were more like it. But because it's apparently got such a cornered niche, I think it suffers from its over-popularity.
3 - Alyssa N.: Good drinks. Quality ingredients. I recommend the Lemon Drop or the Cosmo. 
While I enjoyed my fries with Bleu Cheese, I wish that the list of food options was as long as the one for drinks. (Could have had to do with the fact that I was there at midnight.) A friend had Pecan Pie that wasn't too bad. The Strawberry Shortcake dessert looking interesting, but those fries were just calling my name.
I expected the place to be busier at that time on a Friday night, but it was pretty tame. Music was not bad, just WAY too loud for conversation. I hate it when you spend your time shouting across a table at friends or a server. I feel rude.
Points for a nice, clean Ladies Room.
4 - Ian S.: I do love the B-Side.  I don't get there too often, but I'm always glad I do.  Great for groups to get a meal, fantastic beer selection where the waitresses actually know how to pour specialty beers.  Amazing fries.  The Skillet Cheese is fantastic!  I'm not much for mixed drinks, but my friends rave about them.  For Brunch I had Bacon, Bacon, Bacon, and eggs.  Yummy.  It's hip without being scenester.  I dig it.
4 - Heather B.: The bartenders here know what they are doing.  Tasty real margarita's... (yes kids, this means that sour mix is not actually found in nature) mixed drinks and martinis.  Good food, hip crowd.
4 - Walt Z.: love the music, the atmosphere, but would love if there were more beers there. i'm somewhat a beer snob, i guess, so i can't be too upset with a place that has hard boiled eggs for peeps at the bar while they're waiting for their food....
4 - Ashley S.: We all know the bartenders and drinks are the best in Cambridge. What doesn't get mentioned much though is the brunch. Serving on Saturday and Sunday until 4p, it's filled with comfort food goodness. Probably the closest to a NYC brunch atmosphere I've had around Boston. Hmmm...maybe that's just the gigantic mimosa talking.

EDIT 10/07
I originally wrote this for my brunch list but now want to sing the praises of the bartenders and food as they should be. Dave and the gang really know how to mix a drink. He was the first to serve me Chartreuse Green V.E.P. and gave me a wistful look of "there's no turning back now" as he handed me the glass. 

The food is solid comfort/bar food, with their dish of mussels being one of my favorites around town. Stick with the sandwiches and meal-sized appetizers and you can't go wrong.

Birthdays, catching up with friends, pre/post movie dinners, dates...there are about a 100 reasons to find me at the B-Side. And very regularly, you will.
3 - Amy B.: A co-worker suggested the B-Side for after work drinks. So of course I came straight to Yelp to read what others had to say about the place. I went last night (a Wednesday) and now here I am with my own two cents.
The place was pretty dead, which worked in our favor since we were a group of about 8 and we all fit  comfortably at the odd shaped high top directly in front of the door. So you are probably wondering why I am only giving the place three stars.  I just wasn't all that impressed, or rather moved toward a feeling of "Wow this place is great." I guess I felt sort of just ho-hum about the place since there wasn't any vibe.  So with this said, I think I really need a second visit on a more busy night to see if my impression improves.  I'll be sure to update this post after another visit.
4 - Sean E.: Torn between 3 and 4 stars, I do enjoy this place.  But it is overpriced.  And it does get too crowded here at night.  But the drink list is something to behold and the food is more often then not, kick-ass.  Them wings is tasty.  I recommend coming around brunch time, spending the day here listening to the good music, sipping from their nice selection of single malts along side pints of Guinness, eating from their brunch, and then dinner, menu and leaving the place 150 dollars poorer and not giving a shit because you had a damn good time.
5 - catherine h.: I love this place. Try the baked gouda with a side of chard or spouts. They also do great mixed drinks! It is a great local hangout and just feels like home!
4 - Mags L.: calamari with korean hot sauce and blue cheese fries is something kind of special.
4 - Josh O.: If you're not concerned about your health, go here for the bleu cheese fries. You've never had anything like them. I also love the chipotle grits. They have some good whiskey cocktails too, but due to the prices I usually settle for a PBR here. Great atmosphere and food but too pricey for me to be a regular.
4 - Rebecca H.: Love it. My co-workers and I trek on over here from the South End for special occasions.

$7.50 for a martini?  Well... OKAY!  And seriously, some of the best cocktails for fairly reasonable prices.  In fact, probably the only (delicious) $7.50 martini I've consumed in this city to date.

Definitely go here.  Even if it's out of the way.  Plus, hard-boiled eggs at the bar.  How could THAT ever be a bad idea?!  Tip, though, if you're going around dinner time (especially in the summer for some reason) and want a table, make sure SOMEone in your group plans on getting food.  Otherwise, you'll be met with a cold stare and a "Kindly move your arse to the bar" nod of the head by the wait-staff.
4 - Nora G.: edited my original 3 star review because of overpriced yet delicious brunch. Sweet potato biscuits with gravy. Oh my goodness...
the menu is small, yet i couldn't decide what to get because everything sounds amazing.
plus, the drinks are always, always well concocted.
5 - L D.: The B Side has been reviewed too  many times already but I can't NOT review the bar where I spent at least 5 days per week for a solid 3 years. I'm nothing if not loyal. To make it simple, I'll just list the most deliciously awesome (and sinful) menu items...

blue cheese fries: OMG you will die.
arugula and baby spinach salad: best ever
baked gouda in a skillet: what? hot melted cheese with garlic crostini? CAN I HAVE ANOTHER?
braised beef short rib: so tender and delicious
rare tuna: yum. home made wasabi
fried calamari: some of the best I've ever tasted
ploughman's platter: variable. perfect bar snack
Cornish game hen: drool
pork shank: you have no idea how delicious this is!!!!

I've had some other dishes there but the menu varies seasonally so they might not be offered right now. Everything listed above is available all the time.

The drinks are perfect. You will have to wait a bit for your drink but be patient. Don't yell at a bartender for making you a proper martini! This bar is perfect for a date (I've taken several blind dates there over the years) or for meeting your next new boyfriend (I've dated way too many guys from the B Side). The music is great, varying between new indie to old classics. They stock a huge selection of CDs and vinyl. There's one TV for those of us who can't go a day without checking the Sox scores. The beer selection is meager but tolerable for even the discerning palette. They have Schlitz tall boys for the budget-minded and mini-Budweiser cans for the liver-impaired.

You can't sit at a table unless you order food. Such is life. I'd complain about that but they serve food late into the night and people do eat late so they deserve the tables. I won't discuss the brunch menu here but, trust me, it's excellent.

By far, my favorite bar/restaurant in Cambridge. Return three times and all the bartenders will know your name and your favorite drink. I promise.
5 - Anup A.: B-Side is a neighborhood landmark bar.  From Beatles to punk...the music is as meticulously selected as the classic drink menu.  The bartenders are elite and sharp-witted.

Go there to be social, or just to catch a game on TV.  I offten settle on an IPA to compliment the Pizza of the Day.  (Always a good choice)

The menu boasts  a wide variety...all well-prepared; ask for the specials.  The cook is fantastic.

On weekends, this place is bumpin' (litterally).
5 - Steve T.: Ahh, B-Side ... how I miss thee.

B-Side used to be one of my favorite after-work spots. Good food, good drinks, great prices (especially if you stay away from the entrees), good scene, and just down the street from the office. Many a Friday evening was lost here. Then, work moved to the burbs; now, I'm going through B-Side withdrawal. I'm seriously considering changing jobs just to get closer to this place again. How's that for an endorsement?

The baked Gouda is a must. The hard-boiled eggs - not so much, but that's just me. If it's got a name, they'll make it at the bar. The music is good. The place has a 50's retro feel to it, but doesn't go over-the-top with it. Prices are reasonable. And the music is always good.

Best thing about it? Order the Dark and Stormy. In February, it's almost as good as a flight to the Caribbean. Minus the sand. And the sun. And the 4 hour flight from Logan.

The downside? Getting there. It's off the beaten-path, T-wise: you're walking about 3/4 of a mile from either Central or Kendall Sq., which can be brutal in winter. And parking is tough, because it's mostly residential.

Then again, the ticket just might be worth it.
3 - annie k.: Fun atmosphere, good bartending. It's a bar where you can socialize or work if you want too (e.g., not too dark, not too stuffy, not too loud, not too crowded).

The thing I like the most is the baked gouda in a skillet. Yummy. Everything else I've gotten has been OK but not as good.

I'd recommend to pretty much anyone.
5 - Etta M.: two words:

cheese. fries.

two more words;

lemon martini

love b-side. the people are great, the food is great, drinks are great. a nice place to pass some time.
4 - Beth M.: how i love the B-Side...I only started going there about a year ago when my band mates and i were looking for somewhere to grab food late, after practice on a friday night.  and it's nice-- they serve a full, delicious menu until midnight on the weekend.  it's the best when you're staaarving and it's late and you want something yummy and high quality.

anyway, now i'm a big fan.  just went there again last night with my husband and the food was sooo good.  i got the grilled chicken club on fresh ciabatta bread with homemade chips and it rocked.  my husband got the 'pig tostada' and it was really yummy.  in the past i've had the roast chicken too, which was amazing, and the pear arugula salad is tops.

okay, and now a warning-- the smoked gouda skillet.  it is AMAZING.  but-- it is seriously way too much for just 2 people for an appetizer.  when it came to our table last night i was terrified because it was so huge and decadent, yet i wanted to eat the whole thing. it's to die for.

the classic cocktails are awesome, wine selection is okay, lots of beer choices...i've never come here just to hang out and drink, but lots of people do.  seems a little crowded at the bar, with no intuitive place to situate yourself, but hey, lots of bars are like that.  

looses the 5th star for being so damn out of the way...we can never remember how to get there by car...but maybe that's just us!
5 - Jessica I.: I visited Boston once a few years back and the friend i was with brought us to the B-Side.  To this day, the B-Side remains one of my favorite bars ever.  All I really remember is drinking way too many B-Side Cars and being super stoked they were playing The Exploding Hearts.  Big ups to Boston and the B-Side.
3 - David d.: "I'd like to speak to your manager, plz."

I've been to the B Side before... but just for drinks and small things. And I think those drinks/ yummiez were purchased by my rich bitch socialite friend, who was trying to date my BFF, and didn't mind throwing cash around.... So this is my first time spending loads of my OWN $$$ here.....

I was out with an ex-friend after a movie, and we decided to stop and get drinks... I didn't want to get wasted, so I proposed the idea of getting a few yummiez to pick at. The prices were alarming. For a spot that looks like DeLux was picked up by a twister, slightly cleaned out, and thrown into Kendall Square, I was confused. And at least at DeLux I could hear Black Flag and look at a velvet Elvis, instead of hearing the Arctic Monkeys and staring at broken light fixtures at the B-Side.

We decided on the (Mama Celeste) Pizza of the Day... It was topped with roasted peppers, onions and chicken. Sadly, the one topping that was missing, was the FLAVOR. I couldn't taste ANYTHING. And the chunks of onions were HUGE. I fucking HATE that... I like diced onions, chopped onions, slivers of onions, but this was like someone cut an onion in half, and threw it on the pizza. YuckiezZz. :'(~~

This was simply a horrible mistake on my part. I'm sure if I spent $20+ on an entree, or even $5+ on a side of fries... I would have been happier. I know bar pizza is supposed to be awful, but this was a prime example. Also, I don't like the prices for drinks, and many were had. 

The highlight of the evening would have to be my water glass... I thought I noticed a crack at the top, nothing dangerous ... but the lights were very dim. Later, I realized it was RED LIPSTICK. :( FUCKING GROSS.

Besides (B-SidezZZz... LoLolzzzZz) all of that, I STILL like this place. I think it's supposed to be a dive bar, but with Newbury Street prices. I love the staff. The waitresses are hott and friendly. I bet it's the owner. I bet s/he drives a Porsche.

I'll certainly go here again, but for 1 drink ... or maybe the cheese plate, but NEVER the pizza. And I'll bring my own water in the future.
4 - Jackie M.: Great food, great drink menu and great atmosphere!  Parking is a serious issue in the area but once you find a spot, you can go in and have a drink and something yummy to eat!
5 - matt o.: well theres alot of reviews here so i'll make it quick.  2 weeks ago they had a special of Filet Mignon wrapped in applewood bacon with lobster mashed potatoes.  This was one of the greatest meals i've had in a long long time, I normally just stop in for drinks but i will be checking back from time to time to see if they have that on the menu.
4 - Sarah G.: Hooray for an excellent cocktail list so close to home!  Bartenders know their stuff.  I thought I hated blue cheese.  I was so, so wrong - the blue cheese fries have shown me the light.  

Everyone seems to be crazy about the food, but it is all a bit pricey for the atmosphere.  It's probably all very good, but when I go to a dimly lit, laid back bar with a full reasonably priced drink list, I want some cheap, small options.
4 - Jessica M.: Love the Blue Cheese Fries! Love the atmosphere! Love the people!

not so hot on the prices. nuf said
4 - Tom E.: I'm Christening this "Boston's First Gastrodiner"... WTF? Well, in Britain the quality of cuisine has dramatically improved in the last 10 years due to traditional pubs hiring great young chefs and experimenting with classic British/European recipes using locally sourced fresh ingredients. This craze is called the Gastropub and is honestly the best thing to happen to dining in Britain for a 100 years. I've been disappointed by a lack of gastropubs in Boston - I've heard New York has 2 and I've been to an excellent one in Toronto. London probably has 50 to 100 now. 

But now it's dawned upon me - Boston can't really have gastropubs, as it doesn't have any old traditional-style pubs - just dark Irish bars. So what does that leave for our young culinary talent to work on... THE GASTRODINER (of course)  
And yes, they have so many of the same features as gastropubs...
::: relaxed dining attitude
::: excellent exciting and somewhat local dishes
::: ever-changing menus and specials
::: justifiably expensive entrees (20 dollars plus)
::: visible kitchen behind the bar
::: open til late
::: ability to just come for a great drink and high-quality snack at the bar
::: sides of chard and cheesey fries (very typical of gastropubs!)

It took the B-Side Lounge for me to finally awake to this reality and since then I've noticed a few other gastrodiners around town, notably two nearby - Central Kitchen & Green Street. But for me B-side does it best. The food is worth every dollar and so is the fitness regime you'll need to endure afterwards if you choose the gouda skillet like I did.
2 - Oggie B.: The bartending and the food are quite good, and it's a well-designed, retro gastropub, but let's face it, the food is extremely overpriced, especially in relation to the ambiance (just peruse the appetizer menu to see what I mean).  I like the B-side enough, but do I like it as much as nicer restos that charge the same prices (or less) for their dishes and have a more comfy and accommodating layout?  I know they are paying Cambridge rent, and that it's a really fuckin hip, uber-Cambidge bar, tattoos and all, but be real--they are gouging their customers.  There's just something very unsettling about a bar that panders to the indie crowd, but charges prices more palatable for your company's Director of Finance.  On the other hand, incongruously, every time I go there, it's packed, so few seem to mind being raked over the coals.  Parking is a wicked pain, too.
4 - Richard S.: I go here for lunch sometimes on weekends with my 2 year old daughter.  She has yogurt with berries and and french fries and I eat a sandwich of some sort.  Then I have a beer or two and the lens starts to shift and I remember that this is the same place where I'd stand at the bar and pound pints for three hours.  Then I go to order another beer and my wife makes me leave.  

But make no mistake: the food here isn't some sad, salty excuse to get you to hoover down more booze.  The food rocks.  Menu is a little limited, but the food is always better than good.  Tom E is spot on.  This is a gastro-diner of the first order.
4 - Katia M.: B-Side isn't my scene.  I'll tell you that off the bat.  But there's something I always liked about it.  Maybe it was the fact that it was so close, maybe the interesting mix of people or the interesting mix of music playing.  The beers were a little pricier than I generally like, and it was sometimes nigh-impossible to get the bartender's attention (or a place to sit!), but there's something to be said for it.  I'm just not sure what that is.
4 - Julie A.: cocktails = yummy
food = yummy
4 - chungo m.: swank atmosphere, good drinks, hot bartenders, and good food are all things that make this place great!
No flavored alcohol sounds bad and weird at first, but then after tasting heir creative yet classic drinks you soon realize that these guys know what they are doing!
3 - Jeffrey B.: I've been here twice. Once for a few drinks with friends and once for brunch. The drink night was odd. Odd collection of people. Mostly MIT geeks, a few pockets of pretty boys, some hipster chicks, some really wasted collegiates, and a few late-20s yuppies. Overall the place wasn't bad but the drinks were inconsistent.  A gin & tonic shouldn't have to be described to a bartender to be made properly. But I was with a good group of friends, so the best was made of it.

As for brunch, I didn't choose the place. Nearly empty on a late Saturday morning and still smelling of bar from the night before. The wait staff was very attentive, and the food wasn't terrible, it was on par with being "not bad" but scrambled eggs do need to be cooked a little longer. For being a dive, the price is what ruined it for me mostly.
3 - Dot K.: went there for a late brunch/lunch on Sat afternoon while visiting my friend in Boston... and i have to say, they really like for you to drink. and drink. and drink. i had two martini's with my chicken BLT - which wasn't so bad... and my friend had the bacon bacon bacon and egg (three different types of bacon on one plate - yeah - like a heaven on a plate) and 4 drinks... and his brother had about 4 drinks wtih his brunch as well... i had to take a nap after that meal... or was it the drinks...
4 - Ligaya T.: Impressive drink menu, cool tequila cocktails in particular and fantastic upscale diner eats. Gouda app is a delicious pound of melty goodness, and is balanced well by a salad. Trout was excellent, as was the tuna. Really solid place that I'm thrilled to have as my neighborhood bar. Good use of color too. Service is spotty sometimes, but everyone's been really nice. Only negatives are the terrible coffee, subpar french toast and the deafening noise on the weekends. Oh the sound of people getting hammered!
4 - Alexandra L.: I don't know how I've managed to not spend loads of quality night time at B-side before last night (I've lived in and around Cambridge for a few years now) - the way I explained it to my friend was that the time wasn't right until now. 

The drinks are on point - they have an incredible selection of hard liquor, and a number of great beers on tap (UFO being the clear favorite last night). I kept it simple with a vodka tonic. The bartenders were great - attentive, efficient, and fun (but not too much of any) - the waitresses great, and I have to say it - the blue cheese fries were incredible (and helped me get through a sleepy moment well before the night was due to end).

It's a nice mix of people too - a great Cambridge crowd. Def. going back soon - I am dying to sample more of the menu.
1 - Beth E.: I went to the B-Side on recommendation from some folks at work. A friend was here from out of town, and so a few of us decided to go out for dinner, partially to catch up, partially to celebrate my bday.

I read the yelp reviews after getting the recommendation, and for the most part, they're pretty good, so I thought we'd be safe.

It's Cambridge, so parking is a nightmare. That's sort of a given.

We were seated, and we order drinks. I think those came at normal speed. We then sat for who knows how long with our menus. We had plenty of time to read over the choices, none of which were really jumping out at us. So we finally decide on which not-so-enticing things we're going to order. And then we wait. And wait. And then wait some more. Did I mention we were waiting? For a long-ass time. Finally we order, and we wait some more. For an even longer-ass time. People who came in after us are being seated and served, and we're still waiting. And our waitress is totally MIA. 

Finally we're served. We already weren't wowed by the service, and the food was much the same. It was eh. Took us forever to get the check. A couple hours later, we finally pay, we leave, and we realize we're never going to get that time back. But at least we had plenty of time to chat, though parched.

The hostess was great. And had some of the most interesting tattoos I've ever seen. We wanted to leave her the tip.
4 - Rachel D.: this is the bar that all my high school peeps somehow gravitate to when we're home over the holidays.   somehow a call goes out and that night there are like 50 of us at the B-side, drinking to rehab from thanksgiving with wierd relatives... it's a solid, decent bar.  one time, Matt Damon showed up and he was wearing a really dorky fleece and no one made fun of him.  how's that for hometown love?
4 - Robert S.: What can I say about the B-Side that hasn't been said already? Interesting crowd, food is better than it has any right to be, the bartenders have never disappointed, I'm basically writing this so I can add it to my "places I go when I bother leaving the house" list. 

For a couple extra bucks, they will even put truffle oil on the blue cheese fries. Add a Belhaven and you're in freakin' Belheaven. Bonus-- this is the one bar which makes it ok to be a scene kid AND really into baseball. 

But I really just come for the drinks.

(PS-- Parking? Really? Suck it up and bicycle, you suburbanite pariahs)
3 - Hubert H.: This place is Exhibit A of "Why my parents only go out to eat either Chinese food or really good International Cuisine". Went with a good friend of mine for a late-night dinner. I ordered a BLT with chicken which ran at $11-$13. For a burger / sandwich? C'mon. Nothing more could inspire me to make my own burger. Rather dry / rubbery chicken, minimal lettuce. Perhaps I'm railing against bar food, perhaps I had just got of a plane from California, agricultural capital of the world, but I felt like a greaseball after the meal. Perhaps the highlight of the establishment was the bar / booze / loud music / waiters dancing to early Brit-pop. But bar food is bar food, and you'll definitely get that.

One more thing; if you want to have a quiet conversation, you won't be able to compete with the New Order in the background.
3 - Richard F.: I actually think this place could be kind of good.
But it's less than average.
I don't know if the menu changes during lunch or what, but I went there for dinner with my friend and we were, well, surprised/disappointed with the 1 page food menu and 5 pages of drinks...
and to add to that, the food menu was really expensive for a place that looks like an old diner off the side of the road.  $13 for a chicken BLT... $20 - $25 for entrees that didnt even look that good. 
The music isn't as loud as everyone says, but it could have been a "good night" when we were there.
I like the colors and the deco feel to it and the layout and the waitstaff is friendly.
The menu needs to be changed.
Until then, I probably won't go back there.
5 - Alyssa H.: Sorry, but after seeing a less than stellar review, I figured I needed to defend my home away from home.

I absolutely LOVE this place. I have been going here for about 6 years and it is always one of my first thoughts when someone says "Where do you want to go tonight?". Not only do they mix TERRIFIC cocktails, with a nice little nod to the old fashioned drinks, but they make amazing food.

The Gouda skillet is the stuff of dreams, totally artery clogging concoction of cream, smoked Gouda, onions and garlic, served in a cast iron skillet with  toast to scoop the gooey deliciousness up. My friends and I are always fighting over scraping the skillet clean. Once they removed it from the menu, and when I cried to the waitress she said "You know, we need to get into bathing suits too". It's that good.

The crowd is a mix  of neighborhoodies, after work crowd and an artsy-musician crowd. 

The Red Sox are on. The music is solid. There are free eggs on the bar. What more can a girl ask for?
4 - Robert H.: I've only actually been to the B-Side late, and I've never eaten from the menu, though I hear it's excellent.  I've come in with friends a few times for drinks, and it's one of my favorite bars in the area - due mostly to the atmosphere.

Too many places are just huge and loud and have a crappy DJ at night.  Not the B-Side.  At least not when I've been there.  This is a great place to go and hang out with good folks and actually have a conversation along with your good food and drinks.

You know how sometimes you go to a bar and it sucks, and you're like "Hey, can we go?"  That doesn't happen here.  This is the kind of bar where you get a little tear in your eye at last call.

If you're lucky, maybe your waiter will be dressed like Spider-Man.
5 - Tristan B.: I've been meaning to piece together a review of the B-Side for quite a while, but I'm lazy.

Huuuuge drink list ordered by what the base alcohol is, ie: Whiskey/Vodka/Gin/Etc. Yay that! I drank pretty hard here last night when it was quiet, had a whiskey and bud, then a jack and coke syrup combo. Service was great, I was talking too much with my date that evening so I wasn't exactly waiting around with them, but when our drinks were empty, we were swept down upon if we needed more.

This place can get super busy and super (real) hipster-y, but it honestly doesn't bother me, if only because there aren't 8 billion wide screen plasmas around the bar all playing NESN and ESPN.

Yay.
3 - Dana B.: They get three stars for their extensive drink/beer menu and service. 

They lose two stars for their overpriced and skimpy menu. I usually don't have trouble finding something I want to eat ANYWHERE, but here it was a challenge. I decided on the Arugala and Spinach Salad (w/ pears!) but it had almost no pears and no dressing. So much so that a leaf of spinach was STUCK in my throat. I'm not saying saturate my salad, but lube it up just a little! And for $7, I expected a little more than a desserts plate worth of food.
4 - Libby S.: I went to the B-Side for drinks and dessert after dinner with friends on a Thursday night. We got there around 8:30 or so, and the place was PACKED. Like, had to push people out of my way to get to the bathroom. And I did. Because even though I said "Excuse me" right in this girl's ear, the bitch refused to move. So I pushed.

Anyway. It was crowded. And kind of loud. But it's a bar, so that was acceptable. The hostess seated us at a booth, which was nice and cozy, and we perused the menu while we waited for our waitress to come over. They have about a zillion drink options at the B-Side. For me, a menu with an exceptional booze selection is like Christmas. I had so many options! I ended up getting a B-Side Car first and a Hot Buttered Rum second (horrible combination, I know, but I like to try new things...), and the three of us shared a chocolate bread pudding. There was ice cream. And caramel sauce. It was pretty damn good. 

If it weren't for that bitch on the way to the bathroom, I'd probably give the B-Side another star. Alas, there she was. And here we are. 4 stars. I'll be back for bread pudding. And Hot Buttered Rum's. Delicious.
3 - None o.: Where all the hipsters of Cambridge congregate after 9pm. The commies come here too. A few MIT grad students. And hoodies like me. 

They serve beers in those big Hungarian flasks - it's great. I love the wheat beers. I don't come here for real food but three must gets from the menu: chocolate fondue (with fresh fruit), cheese fries, and any dessert on the menu, you won't be disappointed. 

Negatives: Service and Ambiance. 

The servers and hostesses have major attitudes (WHY???) and are extremely slow. Lose the 'tude, girls!!!! 

Terrible acoustics. Not only can you not hear your friends, you can't hear the music. It's this loud, droning noise coming from all four directions. Change your speakers! Lighting is terrible too. Dark with bad halogen lights. Get some warm lighting and better speakers and you'll get your two stars back.
4 - John W.: Come to b-side if you want to hang out in a funky dive that serves gourmet bar food. Walk in to find 1950s diner booths, a sleek rectangular bar, an antique tin ceiling, and eclectic tunes emitting from the sound system. The crowd is typically a good mix of hipsters and yuppies that live in the neighborhood. The bartenders and wait staff are friendly.

A couple of vegetarian options include Arugula & Baby Spinach Salad, Baked Gouda in a Skillet, and Latin 3 Way (homemade tortillas served with avocado puree, spicy roasted tomato relish, and a black bean & goat cheese spread). They have about half a dozen beers on tap, but their cocktail selection is prolific, featuring everything from martinis like the Stardust (light rum, Parfait Amour and lemon juice) to intriguing concoctions such as the Moscow Mule (vodka, lime juice and ginger beer).
1 - m p.: I don't really know what has happened to the B-side in the past year or so. The place used to be great. I would rave about it to friends and family. The food and drinks were incredible. That was then.

As of late, the service has been getting slower and slower. The food has taken a nosedive. I was willing to overlook several of the deficits in the recent months, but due to my last visit this week, I can officially say it will be my final visit to this once great institution.

The short of the story is I went there with a friend. We got a table. The waitress walked by us at least 6 times without acknowledging us. She was busy waiting on the people who had sat after us. However, after twenty minutes with not so much as a water or a "I'll be right with you", we decided to take off. I talked to the hostess on the way out and she said she would comp the food and would send the waitress right over. Now, since it was getting late and I didn't want to drive to another location, we agreed. We sat back down. Several minutes later we were still there, waiting at the table. The waitress finally came by, but, instead of stopping to take our order, she gave a dirty look and kept going. At that point, I decided I would no longer put up with this horrid lack of service. 

When talking with the hostess on the way out, I told her what had transpired and asked to speak to someone who was in charge. Her response? "There really isn't anyone in charge here right now."  At that point, I had given up all hope of the B-Side Lounge remaining what it had once been, a friendly, local hang with great food and drinks. It's now the complete opposite.

One good thing did come out of this though, I found a great place with better food and drinks! Oddly enough, the place is called The West Side and it's on Mass Ave. in Cambridge. Save yourself an hour of frustration and just head over there first.
4 - Shaina P.: My neighborhood has the BEST BAR in the world!   It has a unique atmosphere, but the drinks are classic, and the food?   Not forgettable.

UNIQUE ATMOSPHERE
I love the bar service and the bar food.  On the bar, they put a rack of hard boiled eggs.  Now how unique is that? I love it.  And people seem to really dig the egg idea, because they eat them.  Wow.

COCKTAILS
My favorite drink: the dirty martini made with Beefeater gin is perfected here.  Always cold, perfectly stirred, flavors well distributed, and the olives are big and fat.  I can't imagine you'd be disappointed by other cocktails.

FOOD
I'm going to try every dish here eventually, because so far, I've been nothing but blown away.  

Blue Cheese French Fries:  hand cut fries drenched in a subtle, but creamy blue cheese dressing.  delectable.

Asian Fried Calamari:  fun to eat, you get to squeeze a lime wedge dipped in black and white sesame seeds all over the little calamaris and let the seeds drop all over the top and help to jazz up the resulting flavor in your mouth... with a tangy spicy sauce.  superb.

Baked Gouda:  a little runny, but there's plenty of flavor, caramelized onion, and toasted crostini for dippin and soakin up the crispy-in-places, but melty yummy cheese.

Arugula and Spinach Salad:  Some kind of nut and braised pears make this salad better than dessert!  Yeow!

Roasted brussel sprouts:  I like my greens blackened. 

I tried brunch here.  It was just a bit pricey and I didn't really like the presentation and texture of the ham steak with grits.  I'll try something else another time though.
4 - Graham C.: I went to dinner with a friend here tonight.  The menu was a little sparse.  Robyn had recommended the steak sandwich, which was not on the menu.  But they had Lone Star, which always makes me happy.  

Had the blue cheese fries, the spinach salad and the cheesy broccoli.  All were good and contained cheese, which means I won't be able to crap for a week.  

The decor/vibe was definitely retro-hip.  I felt odd because I wasn't wearing a fedora or carrying a wallet on a chain.  But overall it was decent and they had the Red Sox on.  Oh, and they had Dark and Stormys on the menu.
5 - Mel V.: Thank you! You were all right about the baked gouda. Delicious goodness, definitely a plate to share though because I couldn't finish the whole thing even though I really wanted to.
I really like the atmosphere of this place and the way the tables in the middle are set-up.
4 - Phil W.: Love the B-Side.

Asked the bartender one time, "What do you recommend for bourbon?"

"What do you like?"

"Well, Maker's is fine, I prefer Knob Creek.  I like Blanton's a lot, Bulleit is good..."

"Do you want to have sex tonight?" he asked.

"Wha?"

"Were you planning on having sex tonight?"

"Not tonight, but maybe tomorrow...?"

"Okay, try this."  He poured me a taste of George T. Stagg, which was fantastic.  Very strong stuff, but tasty as hell.

"I'll take one of those!"  And now it's the bourbon I judge all bars by.

So yeah, the bartenders know their stuff.  But the food's very good as well.  The baked gouda appetizer?  Awesome.  The roast beef sandwich is great, the mussels are to die for, and everything I've had as an entree has been very satisfying.  

I love their brunch (follow it with the pecan pie FTW!), and though the service is slow sometimes, the waitress we always seem to get is cute as hell and just as sweet.
5 - Leigh c.: Boo hoo!  One of the only things I miss about not living in MA anymore is the B-Side.  Spent many-a-night in that place, eating, drinking, more drinking.  Perhaps my favorite bar in the whole world, but maybe I'm over-romanticizing a little.....I did hook up with a dude who looked like Andy Dick that I met there.  But perhaps that's more on me than on the B-Side.
5 - Matthew L.: There are few places you can expect an education, a great meal, and a cocktail all in one location. That's the B-Side. I'm almost afraid to tell people how incredible this place is because I consider it a sanctuary. For my friends and I it has become home base. We all make attempts at daring to try a new place. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I've never lost at the B-Side. In fact, it's the place where I always win. There is not a single person working there that has not extended me a warm greeting, a killer cocktail, or dropped a little knowledge on me. If everyone in this world could end every day with a Last Word, I think we'd be one step closer to Utopia.
1 - Jillian M.: Over priced. Bad service. Obnoxious overall.
3 - Allison R.: Eek! I can't believe this bar brought me to Inman Square more than a year ago and I haven't reviewed it. My favorite things about this place are, in no particular order, guinness floats, baked gouda in a skillet, the nights they play Keep it Like a Secret in its entirety, and the hard-boiled eggs. OH, and the egg nog. Sunday brunch is solid, but I'd take my bloody mary from the Druid instead any day(sorry guys). 
 I am generally impressed with the consistency of the drinks, which are typically mixed and iced to perfection. Exception 1: I believe I consumed three el splendidos in one evening and unfortunately #2 tasted somewhat funky. 
 The wait staff is hit or miss...best of luck to you if you get the goofy dude with glasses. Granted, he's improved over the past few months, but our conversations used to go:
"Hi, what can I get you?"
"To start, a menu please." Yeah. Love love love this place some nights, and it's a neighborhood thing for me, but I can objectively subtract a couple stars.
4 - Pete P.: great bad with a good vibe and this side of the river clientele.  the gouda plate is to die for.  seriously, best app ever.

the cocktails are good too... kind of place where most of the help has tatoos and great attitudes, except for the one balding bartended with glasses that has been there for ever, for some reason he just annoys me.

lets not forget the free hard boiled eggs on the bar for snacking.  all of the food is really expensive, really expensive for a bar... when i suggest meeting there my friend always says he has to meet later so he can eat first because he refuses to "have a $14 grilled cheese"...

writing this review is making me want to go back.  yummy.
5 - Jen N.: A good portion of my favorite Boston memories have occurred at the B-Side. To really make the most of it, you need to go on a weeknight (or early on weekends), sit at the bar, and interact with people. Besides the hard-boiled eggs and occasional free rounds of shots, you'll also learn that the regulars gossip like a group of 7th grade girls, and they're happy to tell you who woke up naked with whom and which local pop star is a total bitch and so on. It's a riot, really. It's the people that make the B-Side a special place. Oh yeah, and the booze. And the wings. And the biscuits and gravy. 

I think the people who complain about the B-Side tend to show up on Saturday night with a large group, and then complain because it's noisy and there are no tables open and service is slow. If you're looking for a place that's quiet and empty on a Saturday night, go someplace else.
3 - Quinn E.: Y'know, I just wasn't impressed. I wanted to love the blue cheese fries. That very combo was a staple of my college diet, but they just weren't great here. I know, I must be crazy. But it's true. The drinks were good. A scooch on the expensive side, but not ridiculous. 
I also wasn't wowed by the atmosphere. It was just a pseudo-hip bar with booths and too much natural light. I dunno, I expect my bars to be a bit dark, even in the daytime. Again, maybe I'm crazy. It seemed like it used to be smaller and really cool, but then maybe they expanded, took down a wall and ruined everything. That's just the story I made up in my head for what was wrong here. 
I'll give them another try, but I just wasn't picking up what the B-Side was putting down.
5 - Colin N.: Oh B-side, how I love you! There are so many ways I love you. The whisky-knowledge of the bartender, the quirkiness of the menu choices, the friendliness of the wait-staff.

The waitress was uber knowledgeable about the menu and helped us get an awesome meal. I asked the bartender to give me something good from the many whiskies they have... he shared his favorite with me.  The food was prepared excellently and tasty. The b-side is so unassuming. It whispers to you "we do it the way we do because it's better". If you're looking for pretense, look elsewhere.

Go for dinner, stay for drinks. Rinse, repeat.
4 - Mark G.: I want to comment not on the food but the drinks.  I have eaten here and it is good but the reason I return is because the bartenders at this place take real pride in their drinks.  No matter what you want they will make it up for you, and even try new things.  My favorite creation from them - the tequila gimlet.  
And you got to give them some credit for the hard boiled eggs on the bar.
3 - Anthony L.: The good news:  good drinks and nice people working behind the bar.  Food is excellent.

The bad news:  the bar is uniquely uncomfortable, with a molding that basically wards you away from any ergonometric belly-up position (as goldfish assume whenever you go on vacation).  Really, this bar might as well have a roll of concertina wire at its lip.  Boisterous activity level means the niceness of the bar staff is spread perilously thin.

Half the floor is booths and the other half is the bar area, but never the twain shall meet.  I wonder if this would be revamped for the better if the bar/grille mix were brought together somehow?
4 - Gina M.: This is the place my friends and I always end up, even if we rarely start the evening there.  

The drink menu is vast and varied and the cocktails have a proper old school look and taste to them.   The baked Gouda that they serve in the winter months is just the thing to satisfy the munchies that I get after a couple of hours of bar hopping.  The bartenders and waitresses are a great bunch; some them have tolerated my drunken friends for years.

If they would just bring back the Sunday appetizers, five stars.
4 - Billie M.: I once went here on a date.  We sat at the bar, and I ordered a sidecar on the rocks, and the bartender smiled happily as she went about making one of the best sidecars I've ever tasted.  My date ordered a Coors light, and she grimaced as she slammed it down in front of him.  

Then it was on to food.  He ordered a mesclun green salad thing.  Another grimace.  I ordered the blue cheese fries.  Another smile.  When he got up to go the bathroom, she came over and asked what the hell I was doing with him.  I think her exact words were "why are you wasting time on a guy who thinks Coors lights and side salads are acceptable things to order in public".  Three dates later, I realized she was right and ended that one quick. 

Moral of the story?  I still hang out at b-side for the intoxicating sidecars and yummy blue cheese fries.   I forgot he even existed until I went to write this review.
5 - Laura M.: By far the greatest thing B-Side has going for it is its proximity to my apartment.  Its quickly becoming a Thursday night tradition for myself and any of my roommates/apartmentmates that are around to walk the 2 blocks to B-Side for some delicious beer and gorgonzola cheese fries.  

The second best thing about B-Side is the crowd.  Its been a totally different scene every time I've been- one time it was packed with young professionals out for a post-work beverage, another time it was crawling with hipsters, and sometimes its taken over by strange old men.  Whomever happens to be there, however, its always guarantees excellent people watching.

Negatives: the bartenders can be slightly snobbish if you try to order anything they disapprove of (i.e. a pitcher of beer, which they don't serve, or a bottle of bud light, which they will serve, but only if you beg)  For the most part though, they are very helpful/friendly, if not more than a little drunk themselves.
4 - Lauren B.: B-Side reminds me of an edgier version of The Peach Pit.  They share the same retro diner charm but B-Side's cuisine is definitely a few notches above the burgers Nat was flipping on the grill.  Their home fries are some of the best in the city and my friend's egg tortilla with salsa was tasty as well.  If you could just get Dylan McKay to hang out here, I'd be a regular.
5 - Greg F.: Oh, Thursday night, you prove time and time again to be the most magical night of the week. Week upon week you bring be new friends, strong drinks and creamy bleu cheese fries. You happen to do it all at the B-Side Lounge.

This faux-dive lounge is a weekly ritual for me and my roommate's/neighbors. It's a 30 sec walk from our apartment, and a 2 minute stumble on the way back. The bouncers and waitresses are nice, and the bar tenders are a little drunk, which makes for an exciting evening. Sometimes they'll ignore you, other times they'll be right on top of things; they'll probably make fun of you for ordering crappy beer, but they'll never fail to entertain.

The drink menu is extensive, full of staples along with a bounty of B-Side originals. They will also shock you with really good food. So far I've had the bleu cheese fries (i was skeptical at first, and after my first bite, decided i was still skeptical. if any of you order a plate, i will continue to be 'skeptical' until i've eaten them all... yummy.), and one of the hard-boiled eggs they display on the bar. From what I can tell, the rest of the food seems pretty good, if not a little pricey.

Music wise, this place is also really good. They play a great variety and often play one CD all the way through (any other shuffle-haters out there? No? Just me? ok...). Any bar that plays Weezer's Blue Album all the way through gets an A in my book. So there,

A+ for B-Side.
4 - Paul M.: I'm givin this place 3.5 stars.  Allright 4.  Reasoning as follows: Good brunch, not enough of a beer selection, good late menu items, bathroom cleaner than expected.
4 - Roni E.: Now I have never been to the B-Side until last night. And I was actually astonished by the size and number of people in here. Whilst we didn't get anything here, other than water and a few hard boiled eggs (which are apparently FREE), I am appreciative of the staff. They were super nice, in that we couldn't decide what we wanted to do since they stopped serving food. We didn't order any drinks - but they do have a HUGE drinks list from the menu I saw. And they kept checking up on us and refilled our waters while we occupied their space when they didn't have to. 

Thumbs up to B-Side. I will need to return at some point and try you out for real.
4 - Liz B.: The mac and cheese is outta this world, along with the chicken BLT. I've only been here a few times, but it's always packed and the food and drinks have always been great. I enjoy the laid back/old school vibe. The waitstaff was pleasant, helpful and fun on a weekend night, amidst a lot of tables to wait on!
5 - M. Deloris D.: The B-Side lounge doesn't get 5 stars for it's rockabilly waitstaff.  It doesn't get 5 stars for the surf rock that pours from the speakers.  It doesn't even get 5 stars for the awesome aeronautical decor that hangs from the walls and ceilings.  It gets five stars because its blue cheese fries will make you slap your mom.  It gets five stars for having a HUGE cocktail menu and actually serving delicious Ramos Gin Fizz's.  The shrimp Po' Boy is a pleaser and who goes to a bar for seared chard?   Oh, that would be me.  The decor and atmosphere is low key, unfortunately the prices on the menu are not, but hey, when it's worth it, it's worth it.
5 - Jes W.: even with the horrid parking i give this place 5 stars.  top notch bartenders (anyone with schlitz on the menu is meant to be #1), perfect mix of peeps and killer menu.  I'll leave you with two words...gouda skillet...and two more  dave rocks!
4 - Nick H.: The B-Side Lounge is best enjoyed for weekend brunch or a chill Sunday-night dinner (when they serve a great cheeseburger). I recall many a hungover morning spent here sipping weak coffee and glorified comfort food. They have a mind-boggling drink menu and great bar and spin their tunes from an old-school record player which meshes well with the retro-modernized diner look. A local legend, B-Side is a place I like to take friends to from out of town for a taste of Cambridge. Wouldn't choose to come here on a jam-packed night because I really prefer this spot with a more laid-back atmosphere...you might too.
3 - Amanda L.: Waitress to Me: Would you like some more coffee?
Me: No, I didn't really like it
Waitress: ::looks confused:: Why didn't you like it?
Me:...::thinking to herself, "Because it tastes like SHIT"::....Because it's burnt
Waitress: ::still doesn't comprehend:: Well....would you like another pot?
Me:....What? No.

It was like that.

The place was too dark, the girl kept calling us all Miss, to which I wanted to smack her in the head saying, "You work in a BAR! You don't need to say shit like that!"

My pancakes looked good, but they were too dense and tasted like sandpaper.  My egg over easy was good, albeit a bit watery.

They have a page and a half dedicated to their drinks though, so obviously food isn't there strong point. I would come back for the drinks. The prices for food aren't bad, but it's not great either.

And their coffee tasted like ass.
3 - cherie c.: I've only been once, for brunch.  The prices were reasonable, and the portions were huge.  As for flavor, it was okay.  I ordered huevos caballeros, which sounded vaguely Mexican and I love me some Mexican breakfast food.  I got eggs scrambled with a bit of mild salsa and some cheese, artfully presented in cold flour tortillas.  Not terrible (I ate nearly all of it).  Pretty to look at.  Just not what I was hoping for.  I added hot sauce and dug in.  The potatoes were kinda good.  Coffee was crappy diner coffee, though my guess is that coffee is not their thing.  I should have ordered a brunch cocktail instead, but I refrained as I was meeting new people.

As for service, I arrived late so I was appreciative that my food arrived quickly.  But other than that I was too caught up in meeting a table full of new people to notice anything myself.  But others at my table (see Amanda H) noticed, and rightfully so.  I did find it silly that someone asked we needed anything else, then told us to ask our waitress for whatever it was when she came back.  Why did you ask?  Just give the message to our waitress or don't ask.  There were few people in the place, so it's not as though they were swamped.

I wouldn't travel from Dorchester again just to eat here. But if invited to meet folks there, I'd give it another try.  Maybe it needs to be after dark...or maybe I should have had a bloody mary with brunch.
5 - Han K.: My favorite cocktail bar in metro Boston.  Always laid back, decent tunes playing the background, and a bourbon list that makes me weak in the knees, plus a cocktail menu that's longer than some other places wine lists, always fresh, always tasty, always properly prepared and delicious in every respect.  The food isn't nothing to sneeze at either, it's on par with the quality of the cocktails, which is pretty damn high.
3 - Lys W.: I love the dive-bar feel.  Reminds me of a lot of places from home.  The B-side was gracious enough to host our little bookclub, but I was not impressed by their food.  Bland.  However, I definitely want to come back during the evening to check out their bar life.

I also was irritated by being called miss.  The waitress couldn't possibly know that it is a major pet-peeve of mine, so I won't hold that against her.
4 - John A.: I'm giving B-Side a pretty good rating because it's always met my expectations.  It's not fancy and the food isn't anything to write home about (although the baked gouda in a skillet is artery-clogging goodness), but the beer is cold, the drinks are well-made, and the music is good.  They have hard boiled eggs too, gratis, if you're into that kind of thing.
4 - Leighann F.: If B Side were a guy, my relationship with this little dive bar could only be classified strictly as a booty call. Somehow, I am always finding my self here late night after work, already a few drinks in, to have some more drinks and not leave until the bartender kicks me out.

We never hang out during the day. We certainly don't  talk on the phone. And we never go out on dates. 

It's cool though. Because we both understand what's up. It's late. I wanna have drinks. B Side has plenty. And they're cheap.

Like the writing on the bathroom wall. For a good time with little attachment, go to B Side.
3 - Deepa C.: B-Side, B-Side, B-Side! For MONTHS everywhere I turned, someone was recommending this Cambridge joint. New Yelp friends, the girl at the bus stop, people at work, it was like it came up in every conversation. I had B-Side on the brain and all I wanted to do was eat and drink at this miraculous bar. Maybe that's why I was so disappointed. 

Don't get me wrong, I liked the decor, the location and the service. I love that the menu is one page food and like 49 pages of drinks. But I just wasn't blown away. I had the mac and cheese - good, but average. Josh's Buffalo Shrimp where also good, but not amazing. Back for brunch a few days later for bookclub and my opinion didn't change. The people around me where not thrilled with their dishes and the coffee. The service was good and the prices aren't too too bad, but I probably won't go back for the food. 

I may, however, come back for the drinks. Just saying.
4 - Nicholas P.: I like the rustic atmosphere.  Getting such great food in that environment is always a welcome surprise.  I must say one of the best things about the B-Side is the drink selection.  You're always accommodated.

My friend had the pecan pie milkshake.  All I can say is "Wow."

A pecan pie milkshake... can you really beat that?

I didn't think so.
4 - Chance X.: Can I tell you HOW AMAZING their spinich beacon pear salad is??? I am still pondering if I should make another trip to Cambridge for it. 
And their fireds with blue cheese is totally perfect too but way too big for one person. 

I didn't know that it's a dive so that really took me by surprise. But it is cheaper then I expected too! :-D 

Love it~
4 - greg f.: If I were the son of a European Merchant officer and had a lady from Penang who has been raised and educating in Missionary schools in Calcutta, and If, by chance, I moved to Cambridge and had to open a business, then B-Side Lounge would be that place.
5 - Dawn E.: The B-Side was the first place I was ever considered a regular, and though I don't get there 4 times a week anymore ('yay!' says my liver), it will always be the bar of my heart.  Love it, love it.

My best friend and I danced to Poison in the wheelchair access bathroom on more than one occasion. I don't know if that's a selling point, but it certainly would have been for me.

Really, though, the bartenders are lovely and helpful-- ask for their recommendations and trust them because they know their stuff. 

And: blue cheese fries.

Good enough to stand alone.
4 - Amanda S.: I wasn't expecting the decor to be quite so diner-ish, but it's cute, and the food was very good.  Between us we shared the potato leek soup, arugula salad with toasted pecans, pear & a vinegrette, the pork chops, the mac & cheese (w/goat cheese, broccoli & smoked apple bacon), the banana bread pudding & the pecan pie.  Delicious comfort food- we really enjoyed it all.  Apps were around $7-10, entrees were $15-$20....but I think they also have a bar menu.  The drink selection, as others have said is enormous!  We'll be back!
5 - JR M.: What do you say about a place that everyone else has reviewed?

One time, I had a hard boiled egg-eating contest here. I ate a dozen. I won, and did not throw up or have a heart attack. Nowadays...not so sure.

Another time, I came here on St. Patty's Day. My friend, a Planned Parenthood employee, treated our party and the bartender to a step-by-step napkin-drawing of abortion procedures.

Oh, and obviously, they have good drinks and mussels. If you're still hungry after reading this. Try not to get the skinny end of the trapezoid-table.
4 - Maggie B.: I used to visit the B-side 7-8 years ago, on those Friday and Saturday nights when I only hoped some geeky M.I.T. guy would smile at me, stumble over and offer to buy me a hard-boiled egg. (Yes, the free ones.) I went there for the great drinks and good-enough dudes. The food was nice, but just a side feature of an already great place.

Feeling nostalgic, my husband and I returned to the B-side last night and brought along a French friend. We got there way early, around 4 pm. Now, don't think we're oldies who crave the early-bird special. We were just in the city and needed to get our drink on!

The cocktails were still very nice. I had that famous B-side Sidecar - tart and sweet at the same time. My French friend had an Algonquin which was awesome. My husband stuck with Guinness all night, probably the wise thing to do. My friend and I drifted between cocktails and red wine and then hot port drinks ("to sooth my sore throat" was my excuse). 

Dinner was fairly good. We always have the mussels, and what I appreciated about these mussels were they were tossed in a white wine broth that had huge chunks of basil. Most cooks don't put basil in their mussels; it's usually parsley or thyme or even oregano or marjoram. I loved the big slivers of basil, as it tasted like warm salad in the bowl. I placed a mussel on a thick slab of bread, topped it with basil and pan juice. It was delicious.

Our entrees were pretty good too. B-side's beer batter is very good, so the husband enjoyed his fish and chips. I went "bistro" style and ordered the steak frites. The steak was perfectly cooked, but I always prefer the frites on that plate, especially since it came with a big dollop of freshly made garlic aioli. I love a good aioli.

The three of us shared the smoked gouda appetizer for dessert. Being with a lovely French gal, we thought it only appropriate to have cheese for dessert. The dish was hot and tangy and a touch better when it cooled to room temperature (the sweetness in the cheese came out). We also preferred it on non-toasted bread. Don't ask me why - just make sure to ask for an extra side of non-toasted bread. You'll be glad you did.

Overall, I missed the B-side and really appreciated last night's walk down memory lane. We even saw the same bouncer and bartender from all those years ago. However, we did wonder where all the young people had vanished to. It was young and happening years ago and everyone seemed to be our age last night. Still, we left around 9pm and I have vague memories of never showing up there until 10-11pm when I was a wee 20-something dressed up, looking for my own personal geek to whisk me away. The good news was with all those old folks around, I didn't feel so old. And I now have my own personal geek who, like the B-side, keeps me feeling young as well.
3 - Bo W.: Oh B-Side. You used to be so good. Since 2004 or so, it has been a long downhill slide for you. Your best bartenders left for Green St. and other parts, you were consistently over-crowded with a kind of crappy after-work crowd, and then the last straw- you took the Down Home off the brunch menu. That slice o' ham and red-eye gravy was the best thing to happen to my lazy Saturdays.

Frankly, since the new Green St. opened I've only been to B-Side for brunch, and now I don't even go for that meal. I miss you, B-Side! Stop sucking!

Also, the hours here (and on their website) are incorrect- they stopped serving weekday lunch a year ago.
1 - Ashley J.: I have been here twice. Once for the bar portion and once for brunch. The bar experience was awful. We stayed for all of about 2 minutes and left. It was lame and the staff was not friendly or helpful. All the barstools where full (which isnt many) and they didnt really want us standing or sitting anywhere else. It is Saturday night and you dont want people standing in your bar?? What? 
Next morning we went back because my bf wanted brunch and someone told him it was great. We ordered buffalo wings and breakfast food. We had a buffalo obsession. So the wings where really good. Huge, great sauce. It was the only good thing. He ordered steak and eggs. When it arrived he actually asked me if I thought they forgot the steak because there was one half dollar size piece in the center. Nope, that was it and it was not cheap. We left hungry which should never happen at brunch. It was a bummer and our bill was like $80 for 4 people. That is insane. I have never even considered going back there.
2 - Anne W.: I was also told that this was a good townie bar.  Stayed here until 12... thought it was okay.  Although I thought you pay a lot for.. a whole lotta nothing.  The atmosphere is very casual... the drinks are decent (in other words strong)... but they had no sweet potato fries... and although it is a plus when it is not crowded.. it was barely half full.

Boo!  But the drinks were decent so it wasn't a total loss.
3 - Becca S.: Guess where I went this weekend?  Yes, THAT Boston!  And guess where it is very hard to find brunch on Saturday?  Right again!

So for serving brunch on Saturday in a no-brunch-on-Saturday town, I think I should give at least a star to B-side.  And for not having to wait for a table, another star.  And for the absolutely spectacular sweet potato biscuits & gravy and perfectly poached eggs, another star.  And for having 8 times as many cocktails on the menu as food items, two stars!  

However, for giving my brunch to another table and not realizing it for 10 minutes and then just taking it off their table and handing it to me with a "I gave this to somebody else, but they didn't eat it", and for trying to cheat me out of my home fries, minus 2 stars.  

You almost had it, B-side!
4 - Jeremy K.: I'd been wanting to go to this place for a while after seeing it's successful ratings and popularity on multiple sites including this one and hearing about it constantly from one of my friends. So one night after heading home from a Bruins game, my buddy and I not wanting to part ways quite yet, we decided to head over there for a drink and some grub.

Unfortunatly for us, by the time we got there, they stopped serving food; that sucked but it did our wallet a favor considering that their food is way overpriced. I looked at the menu and was shocked at home expensive it was. I go out a lot and it's the first time I've seen a pulled pork sandwich hit $11. Honestly. 

But there is one thing that in my opinion enabled them to escape with minimum review damage and a whooping four stars and that is their drinks menu. They have some classic cocktails that you can't really find anywhere and that's I'm very fond of. Pimms! Singapore Slinger! Caiparinha! Even the mojito! FINALLY A PLACE THAT POURS THESE!! WHOOOHOO! And for that alone, I'm a fan.

Needless to say that I had alcoholic drinks as my main food group and dinner that night. Well worth it.

The decor itself is pretty cool and trendy and finding parking in the evening or night isn't usually too hard.

The bartenders are knowledgeable and actually talented compared to most I've seen in Beantown; they know what they are doing. And it reflects. Definitely a chill place; I will be back!
3 - Jill H.: I've only been once, and it may have been the company I was with that made it so enjoyable, but I thought this was a great little place tucked away in Cambridge.  It has a diner feel, which is a draw for this NJ ex-pat. 

Anyway, we had a great spot up at the bar, and I don't think there was any point where I didn't have a full glass.  The bartender was available and ready to pour another by the time my drink hit the "danger! ice line approaching!" mark.  I was there until closing and when we closed out, I think my total was $30 - and that was after putting on countless ketel one tonics and new castles.
4 - Morgan F.: "I need me a cocktail, A PROPER COCKTAIL!!" yells my black blazered, skinny jeans wearing friend as he pounds his first on the bar. 

My friend Jarreau has a THING for Sazeracs and apparently our current bartender, at a bar that will go unnamed, just WILL NOT DO. 

" I need a freakin' PROPER COCKTAIL! Where in this city can I get a PROPER COCKTAIL!" he yells now a bit drunk flailing his arms!

I knew where to take us, so from across town at 1am we hop in a cab and head to B-Side. We slide up to the stools at the bar just in time to order a round of drinks complete with a perfectly mixed Sazerac and then a second round JUST before last call. 

Despite our crazed entrance, the atmosphere in B-side is friendly and buzzing. I love it here because I imagine this is where the cool kids hung out in the 1950's as they sipped the cocktails we now call "classic". The huge drink list is AMAZING for people like me, who know they like cocktails, but can never remember the names! It takes me a while to pick, but the bar tenders are on their game and will help you choose a concoction to your liking, and mix it just right!

MORAL OF THE STORY: For a PROPER COCKTAIL, head to B-Side! 
(also try Eastern Standard, Green Street, No 9 Park, Deep Ellum)

**According to the Improper, the mixology movement in Boston was inspired by B-Side when they opened in 1998. But I like to imagine people were drinking here in the 1950's because of the decor ;)
4 - Bhuvana H.: Update - obviously, the B-Side is now closed.  I'll miss the great drinks; I know at least one of the bartenders is now at the Green St Grill, which also has great drinks.

The drinks here are amazing - best I've found in the Boston area.  The bartenders have always been friendly to me, and will make me pretty much anything I ask for, even new creations. I've not had as much luck with the waitstaff.  And the dinner food is good but sometimes a bit overpriced; I've only been here once for brunch and it wasn't memorable.

I think the key here is to only sit at the bar, and focus mostly on the drinks.    For the drinks alone, I give the B-Side four stars.
4 - Jeffrey H.: The B-Side reminds me of "The Max" from Saved by the Bell where those 90s teens hung out for burgers and shakes after detention with Mr. Belding...but instead it's a bunch of Cambridge 20-somethings who hang out for hard boiled eggs (FREE) and beers after detention with their full time jobs.

I love this place - it resembles a diner on the inside but you are most definitely in a bar. There are some tasty bar eats that I've picked at whilst lurking over a friend's shoulder, "Oh excuse me, I don't know how my face landed in your plate of French fries w/ blue cheese..."

I remember the last time I was at the B-Side I ordered a Harpoon beer and I was pleasantly surprised with a gigantically tall glass of the liquid goodness. And the price was more than affordable - cut to me Tipsy McGee.

The bar area is usually crowded along the sides, so beware if you need to make it to the bathroom--if you hold it too long you may get an elbow to the abdomen and sprinkle a tinkle in your denim. If the crowd isn't your scene, make your way to one of the many tables or booths in back- a waitress will find ya!

And it seems like every time I'm at the B-Side, I bump into someone I know outside on the corner - it's definitely one of those neighborhood joints. Check it out.
4 - molly f.: Came here for brunch w/ friends a few months ago and really loved the look & feel of this neighborhood hangout. I'm always on the hunt for good breakfast, lunch & dinner, and this is def a place I'll have to visit again to explore the rest of the menu. The service was friendly, the scene relaxed and a little hungover on a sunday, and the music was great. i have big plans to come back again to try some of their other menu items and hang out at the bar.
5 - Dena C.: I lived near B-Side for two year before I finally stepped foot inside. I heard through word of mouth that I had to go there because of how great their drinks and foods are. So I took a chance walked into to this strange twilight zone of 1950's decor and a mannequin head next to a Santa clause in the back of the bar. I thought I made a mistake until I tried their STARDUST. Best cocktail ever!!! I'm addicted I get them all the time and their food is great as well. The bartenders are very friendly and make you feel welcome.  I can say I have been a frequent customer for over a year now.
3 - Kathleen D.: I don't know. It's not especially easy to get to. Although on a bold night I could walk there from my house. It seems popular. There is definitely an "in" gang who are with the bartenders and doormen and kitchen staff and the rest of the people. I feel a lot cooler when I'm with the kids in the know. Nothing is cheap. Not the beer and not the food. However, it's all delicious. So you pay for what you get. Top shelf fancy and right out of the water taste. And. Free hard boiled eggs. Just march up to the bar and grab it off the saucer. Salt up. Yum.


Also. Definitely not a place I would take kids 1 yes vote.
4 - Jim K.: 50's Diner-ish look with a great bar and hipster scene. The menu is a little limited and somewhat pricey, but the food is good and the pickled eggs on the bar are a nice touch. Try the Banana Bread Pudding served with ice cream, strawberries, and chocolate sauce. Really good. Descent beer under $5.
5 - Sarah N.: Best "stiff drink" in Cambridge
3 - E C.: I heard about B-Side through my supervisor, who had been raving about it. Blue cheese fries were good, but salty for my taste. They came in a huge platter, and my roommate and I took 40 minutes to split the whole thing (we didn't even bother to order entrees). Bartenders are good with suggestions and the whiskey selection is decent.
3 - Samuel F.: Expensive but great cocktails, good bar food and appetizers, very dim lighting, and an art deco look.  Good place to go to celebrate.
4 - amy s.: while i didn't make it here for their brunch, which i hear is divine, we did come on a saturday night for some drinkage and were not disappointed. it was refreshing to not walk into a bar on a weekend night and find it jammed to capacity only to have your toes stepped on and your drink sloshed on your pants. the b side is a cool little spot on a corner in a part of cambridge that i can never remember how to get to. there are plenty of comfy booths, tin ceilings and a seemingly good crowd. they have a really interesting cocktail list broken down into sections based on the booze base. i tried the b sidecar which involved some liquor i couldn't pronounce but tasted oddly like tequila. it packed a punch, which pleased me since i then figured it was worth the 9 bucks. other friends had the bee hive which is whiskey with honey and some other cocktaily stuff. i loved it and i really don't get down with whiskey generally. this bar seemed to have more personality within than most spots in boston. i felt right at home. now to trek back up there for brunch someday soon. . .
4 - Jocelyn C.: Still a great place to grab some crazy concoctions, but they seemed to have changed up their brunch menu a bit (Bacon bacon bacon and eggs - gone, sad times). Everything is still really awesome though, but I wanted to update just to give some love to the duck confit eggs florentine I had yesterday. HOLY CRAP it was phenomenal. Might just be my new favorite brunch item.
3 - Huan z.: B-side is awesome. I heard that it below to the same group who owns Sonsei, Paradise and Avalon. I like the booth and food is good. Dim light but good food and drink.
2 - Tracee D.: You will never see me here. It is not for me. The only cool part are the hard boiled egg offerings. 

The service has never been polite. I don't like getting shoved around after the dinner crowd dissipates by staff. The food is not so fantastic. 
I know a lot of people who used to work here, thank goodness they no longer work here-  for I would never visit them at their work!
5 - Malena L.: Another thing I love about the B Side: they classy, dawg. I got kicked out of this place and EVEN then they were really polite and elegant about it: 
Me: [falls on the ground, laughs histerically, gets up]
B Side: IIIIIIII think you have had enough and maybe it is convinient for you to go home?
Me: [pointing left finger at the bartender and moving it up and down with each word] Yuuuuuuuu ahhhrrrghhhh toutally rrrrrrighhh
AND they didn't care I came by 4 days later.
4 - Lee H.: Really, really good fries. Ask for the blue cheese on the side - there's almost too much of a good thing. Mussels were good, not outstanding. Pecan pie extremely good. Drinks good.

The decor is real old school, with an authentic-looking (maybe it is real) tin ceiling. Parking non-existent. Service is good considering the crowds. Prices OK.

If you're in the mood for something funky, try the B-side.
2 - Kim K.: The B-Side is not my favorite. The fondue is good and they make a yummy mojito, and that's kinda it. The atmosphere is kinda run down, and not in a fun divey way. They won't seat you at a table if you aren't eating which kinda blows because the bar is small. If you're standing around and in the wait staff's way they will bark at you. The women's restroom is nasty, I have actually seen men coming out of it when the men's room was full. 

Eh, you can do better.
1 - Ian C.: Not quite sure why this place has a good reputation as a great retro dining experience.  The place is so cramped and smells so bad that we had to leave before we could sample the food - the smell of mold combined with the aroma of urinal mint does not make a place retro - at least not in my book.  Maybe the food makes up for the stench, or maybe the smell burns out the nostrils before the food arrives, but either way, we couldn't wait that long.
2 - Sandra K.: I don't know if we hit up this place on an off night or what.  But seriously, there was massive disappointment on my end.  Don't get me wrong - I still got absolutely lit off of B-Sides super strong cocktails.  But come on, no tequila!? WHAT!? Yes that's right, no tequila!  I totally wanted a tequila beverage, of any sort, and was told there was only well tequila.  Gross.  

I took the waitress's suggestion and went with an Esplendido gin drink - which was totally delicious and strong.  But then we began to notice how gross the place smelled.  Someone echoed mothballs.  Another said cat urine.  Pretty nasty.

We decided to order some food - mussels and fries.  The food was decent but nothing to write home about - I've seen plumper mussels and more delicious fries fo' sure.  

The saving grace of the experience was the attentive service.  Oh, and the giant strange decorative object behind us on the windowsill.  One friend thought it was a cast of an elephant penis, while another believed it was an "ancient fertility device."  Obviously the cocktails were talking. 

Good strong drinks, but a dearth of tequila and a strange smell knocks B-Side to two stars.
5 - Gene K.: You people are not getting it.  Have been going here for years and it never disappoints.  Mojitos, capirinhas rock, arugula salad is great, Chicken BLT's and the entree fares are varied- gourmet and the wait-staff are nice, tattoed, and funky.  God I wish we had more bars that were cool - played classics and were no bs about quality.  Desserts are yummy too.
2 - Meghan S.: So I had high hopes for the B-side, but those were quickly dashed by what I thought smelled like cat urine upon entering the building.  The smell got less noticeable the longer we were there, but it was a poor first impression.

Yet, the B-side would keep me coming back, smelliness and all if only for the extra dirty gin martinis.  They went down smooooth!

The mussels and frites were garlicky and hit the spot, yet for some reason not much else on the menu caught my eye.
3 - Jeanne B.: I went here last night with a friend who needed to get here again before the place closes/changes management/becomes a shoe store (I find it very odd that no one knows what's going to happen to the place).  I must admit, I was a bit nervous to enter considering a lot of the reviews here claimed that the place smelled like cat urine.  Perhaps the cat has already moved out because I didn't smell anything gross or unusual.  We sat at the bar for a couple hours and had several cocktails, appetizers, and dinner.  The cocktails were good and strong.  I thought the dipping sauce for the calamari appetizer was too peppery, but the sausage, mushroom, heirloom tomato pizza was phenomenal. The bartenders are cordial and very knowledgeable.  They made several recommendations based on my friend's likes and dislikes.  The decor is pretty rundown, but I think that adds to the charm of the place.  I was told that they still have another month left so check it out soon.
5 - adam s.: I've honestly only been here once, but on hearing that it's closing, I felt I needed to write a review while they're still open.

This place feels strangely like a 50s diner, except updated and with an impressive cocktail menu and much better patrons.  This isn't a typical Boston bar, which makes it better than almost any other bar I've been too in the area.  It has a gritty, retro feel and generally features some of the best crowds of Cambridge.  I would get drunk here any time.
4 - Kiwi H.: Great drinks and cool atmosphere.  It's a shame this place is closing, since for those who live in the area, I can see it being a fantastic neighbourhood haunt.  I've heard cries of wonder about their brunch, but since I experienced it after the sky had turned dark I can only imagine what their non-nightlife vibe is like - and my imagination tells me it's good as well.  

There's a pretty cool crowd, and it can get kind of loud in there but if you're ready for intimate conversation it's fine, just lean in a little closer.  I won't bite.  I can see this being a good spot for dates, lovers not-too-PDA canoodlings, groups of friends, intimate catch-ups with close friends and general good times. Prices are fine for the drinks they offer, and they have some really delicious and creative options.  I can't remember what one of the ones I tried was called (aviation maybe? it was the first one on the cocktails list) but it was delicious, and my Hugs n' Kisses drink was everything I was craving that night as well. 

I'm not sure if it was just because they were closing soon or not, but I've heard they were like that anyway - but the staff can be a little blase.  It seems like the sort of place where if they know your face, service will be speedy and spot-on but if not then you might be waiting a while.  They're nice enough/alright but I wouldn't go here if I didn't have ample time to kill or if I were in a bad mood, cos it was a little frustrating trying to flag someone down at times... but they were admittedly pretty busy and once we had drinks in hand, we were happy enough. 

Their nibbles and bites look tasty (and I saw those heart-attack inducing cheese-laden french fries monsieur) and it's a shame that they're closing since it's a pretty cool spot and I'd absolutely go back otherwise.
3 - Joanna C.: Whenever I get bad service, I try to be empathetic. As a bartender, it must be frustrating to run out of something popular on a busy Saturday night. It must break up your rhythm, slow things down. So it is from that place of insight and understanding that I call bullshit on deciding my turn was over because I ordered Newcastle and you didn't have any. Seriously? I waited 10 minutes to order, and rather than being apologetic and finding out what would be an acceptable substitute, you move on to the next person? Lousy. 
Too bad, because the rest of the staff (particularly the cute doorman) were completely charming, and the food was great.
5 - Randy H.: So it's confirmed the B-Side is closing. They won't say so if you ask but they don't want to prematurely make people believe it's closed before it is. The transition may take a while

The B-Side has been a staple in Cambridge/Somerville since the heyday of the dot com era when every high tech dude stopped in there after work. Since then the crowd has changed. A great mix of hipsters and neighborhood folks. I have felt in the last couple years that the decor needed a paint job or a refresh (after all it's not the Windsor tap)

But the real reason you go to the B-Side is for the bartenders and the cocktails( and occasionally for the Gouda). Dave and Rob and crew always know their shit. Hopefully someone will fill the hole that the B-side leaves. We don't need a another beer bar in Cambridge. Some peeps will say Green Street. Good Cocktails and good bartenders. However , Phhht, abysmal crowd, expensive ok food. It may be time for the Highland KItchen to step up it's game.

So stop by and pay your respects before it's too late. Wherever Rob and Dave go I will follow. Until they reopen the Cambridgeport that is.
4 - Patrick F.: To preface this, I pretty much only hit the B-Side for Brunch.

I kinda love the B-Side. It's not gourmet or anything but it's certainly above the bar most of the time. The drinks are pretty smashing there too. Most of the time It's Biscuits N Gravy with a Biggie Mimosa for me. 

Aside from occasionally loud and or questionable music or sports coming through the speakers, it's a pretty good place to kill a hangover seein they serve Brunch till 4 both Saturday and Sunday. It seems like the flood of yuppies bringing their screaming spawn has died down so it's back at the top of my list once I get up sometime after noon or like 2pm.

Overall It's always struck me as a pretty classy yet hip & tattooed adornment to the neighborhood.
5 - Jen S.: I just heard the B-side is closing.  Is this true?
5 - Scott T.: I just heard from some Boston friends that the B-Side is closing and going to become a west-coast brewery... what a travesty! One of my favorite Cambridge haunts, I visit it each time I'm in town and have tons of great memories. They make classic drinks, have great food and the atmosphere is always lively and friendly. 

Who else is going to make my Devil's Torch for me? 

Don't go, B-Side! If I have to move back to save you, just say the word.
4 - Erica S.: Come for the drinking, not the eating. Well, except for massive plates of french fries (covered in blue cheese, if you can handle it!!!). Those you don't wanna miss.

Why? Well take a look at the menu-- the drink menu is like 3 full pages longer than the food menu! Yay for alcohol. Plus the ambiance is chill, kind of dark and very divey, perfect for a night out. The kind of fancy, expensive food IMHO seems almost out of place, even though it's quite good.

Don't close!!! So sad this spot won't be here for much longer. It's just a great neighborhood spot to grab a beer and catch up with friends. Whatever bar opens here has big shoes to fill.
4 - Joanna K.: I was there for brunch on a recent weekend - had to go in the midst of all the speculation about them being sold and changing leadership and whatnot... especially since I kept hearing about how they have the best brunch ever!

And boy... changing my travel plans just to make brunch at this place was SO worth it! You don't get much in terms of ambiance - it's obviously a dive-y bar with booths. You also don't get much in terms of service - they seemed a bit befuddled and I had to use my knife to stir my coffee since we didn't get spoons. Whatever, I didn't care too much about that.

Coffee was good, and the food was DELICIOUS. Oh my GOD - those sweet potato biscuits with that white sausage gravy... MMMMMMMMMMM. Warm, fresh baked and slightly sweet biscuits with that thick sausage gravy.... I didn't even order this dish but it's definitely the one that stands out foremost in my mind. And in my tummy. It was SO good. Lactose intolerancy be dammed, bring me more gravy!

I had the duck confit (which was also very good - just the right blend of crispy fattiness) with a sunny side egg and sauteed spinach served on toasted english muffins.

But that biscuits and gravy dish takes the cake, hands down. And I think it was only six bucks!! Dude... get it. Run to B-side and experience these heavenly morsels before they switch hands!
5 - Meagan H.: As you may or may not know, B-Side is for sale. It's gonna be closing some time in the foreseeable future. SO SAD!!! :(

I have been frequenting B-Side for brunch and/or dinner a lot these past few weeks in light of the sad news, and I have to say, they have some damn good food. The brioche french toast kills me! It's so fantastic and yummy. And the cucumber and tomato salad. Awesome! I will miss you B-Side, as I am positive will many, many others.
5 - Jemima T.: The drinks are amazing... old-school drink menu- tons of options. Free hard-boiled eggs at the bar. Friendly and nice waiters and bar-staff. Excellent food. Simple, basic, American-style food. Roasted chicken, the salad with candied walnuts, pears and blue cheese could be the only salad I eat for the rest of my life and I'd die happy. It's my favorite, for dinner or drinks- and I wish I could go more often!
1 - jim b.: I had to wait for a friend who lived down the street. Another crud experience. Bought a beer, gave the bartender a $20, gave me change for a $10 and insisted I gave him $10 and he went right to the register, when it fact he took about 3-4 minutes wandering about before bringing me my change. He was indignant about it. This place can't seem to get it right.
4 - John P.: A great little place to come and hang out with friends.  They set the ambiance just right - low lighting, comfy booths, bars and long bar-like tables.  It's never been too terribly crowded when I've gone.

I don't know that the food is worth the price (only thing keeping it from 5 stars in my book).  But the drink menu puts ritzier bars to shame.  Drunken, slobbering shame.

Pro user tip: B-Side Lounge serves the best Manhattan in the Boston metro area.  Put your best Mad Men outfit on and order one on a date.
4 - P-Rock F.: A Makers Manhattan after work and I've forgotten about my hellish work day.  Thanks, B-Side.
5 - Brian M.: So it would appear the B-Side's days are numbered - word is they will be closing / changing dramatically in the New Year.  I actually think they may not monkey with it too much, not initially anyway.  The best thing about the B-Side is the food - the blue cheese fries are as good as everyone says.  The other thing I wanted to single out was their mac-and-cheese.  I have to say I don't really get the whole M&C thing; I generally find it bland, stodgey and slimey.  The B-Side's variant changed my mind - it's got bacon and broccoli and...other stuff I can't recall, but suffice to say I was gutted I couldn't finish it (eh, too many of the blue cheese fries to start...).  

So, go.  Now, while you still can.  You'll miss it when's gone...
3 - AB H.: Pretty good food - the pecan, goat cheese arugula salad is delicious.  The service sucked - she rarely checked in on us, got our order wrong, promised limes and never delivered. I agree with other reviews - it's loud, and country music really isn't my thing...
4 - Jen L.: Aww...B-side, I will miss you.

We went for one last meal Halloween Night. It was crowded and loud as usual, but at least the music was not ear splitting.

We gorged ourselves on Salad, fall off the bone short ribs, and that evil, seductive, crack on a skillet, baked gouda.

This place was one of the first to bring back good/classic cocktails in town and to this day, hands down, make the BEST lemon drop.

It made for a memorable evening of Joe Plumber, a chola, and friend to bop our heads to the Ramones and Misfits while drinking and eating at this soon to be missed local watering hole.

I wonder where all the hipsters are going to go?
5 - Kabir H.: Adieu, B-side! 

You'll forever hold a place in my heart for warm brunches of those delicious caballeros eggs, listening to yellow submarine while sipping on a man's ruin or the best coffee this side of Broadway. Thank you for teaching me that Bud isn't a 4 letter word. Thank you for your easy, unpretentious women, apt at lifting my spirits in those times when I carried my heart in my hand. 

And for cocktails! For bringing them back, and making the aviation a staple on every cocktail lounge menu;  that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

Adieu, adieu!
5 - corey b.: you will be missed... you and your blue cheese fries, roast beef sandwich, mac & cheese, olive plate, huevos rancheros, cable car, beehive, uptown manhattan, and moscow mule...

so depressed... my corner hangout is no longer... wtf happened?!?!?!
3 - Julia F.: An almost empty bar for a quick brunch with my sisters. It was nice. The waitress was decent. She was able to talk me into getting the biscuits and gravy for an app, my sisters scarfed them down. Sweet but good. My downstairs neighbor works there?
5 - Jennie P.: One of my all-time favorite places, anywhere! Classic decor, nothing hokey. Darkly sexy in a 40s gangster sort of way, but with a side of tattoos and piercings. Great waitstaff and barkeeps. This place had it all, as far as I'm concerned.

Best drink menu ever - loads of classic cocktails that all the bartenders knew how to make. Unlike so many Boston area joints where you ask for even a simple Dark & Stormy and they're like "huh?" Naw, the B-Side had the art of cocktails down.  And the food was fantastic. Not your typical late night pub food - generous portions of sauteed garlic greens and heaping plates of blue cheese fries. Hell yes. And one of the best brunches in town. Reasonably priced AND delicious.

Anyway, I had just been there and had no idea it was closing. WHY WHY WHY? And now all the galleries in Boston are closing. Are Boston and Cambridge dying from the influx of viral parasitic chain businesses and soul-less giclée art? Is it the economy? WTF? I had friends who would come up from New York or from Western MA to visit and this was the only place they wanted to go, hands down.

I hope the B-Side reopens, and that when it does, the new owners don't change a thing.
5 - Kathleen M.: There's a tear in my beer (well, my cocktail) 'cause I'm cryin' for you dear...

Oh B, how I will miss you. Good times and bad, you were always there for me with a tasty cocktail and some delicious food. I will miss your blue cheese fries, gouda, and brussel sprouts most of all. Your periodista, lucha libre, caipirhinia, and mint julep will always hold a special place in my heart. You were the first place where I learned that the grasshopper is a perfect nightcap, and I love that your expert bar staff were always willing to make a creative cocktail for me. Know that you will never be truly replaced, but I will continuously search for a place that can rival your greatness.

Now, I need someone to show me the way to the next whiskey bar...
4 - Barney B.: RIP
5 - Kim P.: What the fuck??  Closed?!?!  Well, I can cross that off my list when I visit home.  This was the second-best brunch place (that doubled as an amazing bar at night) in Boston, after Soundbites in Somerville.

Shiiiiiiit.  RIP, B-Side.
5 - Chris S.: I live south of the Charles these days, but even so I'm going to miss the B-Side Lounge, even if though there's promise in its replacement.

I've been once or twice of an evening, but for me the place really shines for brunch on Sunday afternoon.  Decadent food and a relaxed atmosphere... and of course it's still one of the few places that stocks a goodly variety of top-of-the-top shelf whiskeys.  (This latter bit draws me more so than the food, honestly !)  But I'm already missing the bacon, bacon, bacon and eggs, which apparently is just a fond memory for the clientele - my waitress couldn't even find someone on staff to tell her what it was, let alone prepare it.  Ah, well.   Their bacon is still worthy, although there are other worthy bacon establishments.

B-rads Bistro & Catering - Troy, NY (42.7312791, -73.6878563) ()
5 - Luna M.: Went here for the first time today for the brunch 12$ buffet.  My husband and I were expecting standard diner fare (pancakes, scrambled eggs, DIY waffles) but were pleasantly surprised by the extensive choices.  I got the eggs benedict, ricotta stuffed french toast, home fries, and fresh fruit, while my husband got a bagel with cream cheese and lox, made to order omelet, and bacon and sausage.  Everything was delicious.  The owner and staff were very friendly and accommodating.  I am a vegetarian and they made an eggs benedict without meat and brought it out to me.  We also had dessert - a baily's irish creme cheesecake and a chocolate cake with peanut butter cream.  Both were excellent!  The food was very high quality, especially for the price.
5 - Emma S.: This place is amazing.  Great sandwiches.  Looking at the descriptions on the menu they seem pretty standard fare.  Then you get your order and W. O. W!  Standard they are not.  The food is what I'd expect to be served at a fancy upscale place yet with the prices of a sandwich shop.  And their weekend bruch is also amazing.  A combination of breakfast and lunch dishes that are equally unstandard and done with a gourmet twist.  I'm so glad I found this place. Their menu is available for viewing on their website link and they also have a Facebook page, with photos of some of their food.

B. Lime, A Green Store - Champaign, IL (40.1200226, -88.2429257) ()
5 - Elyse R.: This is the only eco-boutique in central Illinois, and the store's merchandise is diverse and fabulous! And even though some of my purchases have been a little expensive, it's been worth it because I know that I'm buying something that is somehow good for the earth. : )
5 - Katie K.: This shop is bright and open and cheery inside, and features a whole spectrum of environmentally friendly goods. There's quite an extensive selection of kitchen and baby goods, along with plenty of other items. So far I've mainly found gifts here, but I did pick up some laundry detergent the last time I was in. Every time I stop in there's something new. 

The owner is incredibly friendly and passionate about finding products that live up to their environmentally friendly claims. It's well worth heading an extra block north of the busier shopping area of downtown Champaign to check it out.
5 - Kris H.: Do you like recycling? Do you like organic plants? Do you like to support green living? You will love this place!

B Lime is in northern Downtown Champaign, by Carmon's and KoFusion.  They sell all kinds of eco-friendly products, from dish soap made from fruit and vegetables to baby shoes made from recycled tires (these are super cute BTW) to natural mineral makeup to organic cotton shirts. 

I don't buy make-up anywhere else, now! I love their organic plant-based lip glosses, too, and I usually pick up some tasty treat while I'm in there -- last time it was a bag of organic nuts and dried fruit. Mmmm...it's a really fun place for weekend shopping :-)
5 - Carolina D.: What a great addition to downtown Champaign!  This is a wonderful green store that sells a wide range of sustainable products--everything from pet supplies (dog toys, collars, etc.) to coffee to baby products to clothing...and if there's something you want but don't see in the store, the owner is way helpful and will probably get it for you!  They also host a lot of free classes on various topics like rain barrels, cloth diapering, etc.
5 - Ashley B.: I wish Champaign had more stores like this. It's a really nice place and has really cool stuff and the owner is a total sweetheart! It's a great spot for gifts too, and the store itself is just cool looking. Go and support green!
3 - Penelope Y.: This store no longer exists in a physical location.  It's online-only for now, as of June 30, 2011.  Too bad, since the actual store looked pretty cool.  I wish I'd had a chance to visit it.

I did browse the online store, which has absolutely terrible navigation.  You can't browse entire sections at once, but have to select a sub-section within each section in order to see the products.  Extremely annoying, especially since some sub-sections have only a few products or zero products.  Makes for very tedious browsing.

I noticed a few cool items that I'd like to own while browsing the shop, but it seems to be in transition right now and is generally under-stocked.  One really cool thing is that local customers (in the C-U area) can pick up their orders at a few different places instead of paying for shipping.  I definitely like that feature, and hope to make some purchases once the store really establishes itself online and stocks up on new merchandise.

BBQ Chicken - Seattle, WA (47.6620396, -122.3132485) (University District)
3 - Geoffrey R.: Very Moist, Well Cooked Chicken, with a great crunchy outer crust. The sides are nothing to write home about, fries, slaw, corn salad.... but the chicken is not bad. They serve it fried, barbecued, and in ball form.   The service itself is a bit iffy, and the only have their "Special Combos" during lunchtime... so it seems they are still working out a few things.  The fried chicken, though.... oh yes.

GRR
4 - Shep G.: This is one of the best places I've found to eat at on the Ave....  The chicken is REALLY good, spicy if you want it that way, and very moist and flavorful. I hope they open some more of these in other areas of the Puget Sound.
3 - Nath, A.: This place takes its chicken seriously. The sides, as somebody pointed out, are basically cafeteria food, but the chicken is serious business.

I've tried two of their combos (about $6 each). The first was one of their grilled chicken options -- spicy BBQ, I think. No complaints, but it wasn't remarkable. It came with some not very exciting fried rice, and an even less exciting pile of lettuce. Still, a reasonable alternative to the Ave's many Teriyaki places.

The other item I tried was the olive chicken combo. Again, the waffle fries and coleslaw wouldn't win any awards, but the chicken was just right. Juicy and tender, with a crispy, flavorful skin. Rest assured, this is not a KFC clone.
5 - James L.: It's special chicken that use olive oil.....it's well being food and very good!!!
Good music and food......very cute waitress and good place for party or just hang around with friend!!!!
1 - Eric P.: Best of the Best Quality Chicken?  I think not.  I went there today for lunch to try them out.  Took almost 40 minutes for my order of a 5 piece chicken to be ready for take out.  The place looked like a night club with its plush chairs and half empty liquor bottles strewn along the back wall.  It seemed like they were part way confused as to what type of establishment they wanted to be.  Their prices are near extortion for chicken.  5 pieces of chicken for 9 dollars plus tax.  So you're looking at around 2 dollars for a piece of KFC sized chicken.

For the 5 pieces I got 2 thighs, 1 drumstick, 1 wing and half a breast piece.  Yep, they cut the breast portion in half because apparently it was too  big to just count as 1 piece.  Flavoring of the breading was poor.  White pepper and MSG were the main ingredients I could taste.  There may have been some salt in there too.  Didn't really add any depth of flavor just felt MSG filled.  The chicken itself had no seasoning and was pretty bland.  While it may have been fried in EVOO it certainly wasn't drained of it.  There was enough oil to soak through the take out box and stain everything yellow.  The chicken itself hadn't been sealed properly by the breading so it had pockets of oil lodged within.  So I got a mouthful of grease in every bite. Yum.  The pictures may look tasty on the site but I'm sure if I printed out the pictures and ate them that it would be more flavorful then the chicken I just ate.
1 - Izzy H.: Boy - I don't know about you guys but these series of 1 person [ ? ] reviewers are really starting to irritate me O-o; 

But onto the food - 

Surrrrrrreeee! They've jazzed it up a little. They've done away with those slightly outrageous waitress outfits and now all the girls are wearing denim mini skirts, with their makeup on, hair done up in cascading curls and cute little smiles. Yay!! I just love it when I get super pretty waitresses who obviously don't really know what they're doing! Perfect! 

And now, they've decided to make it into a makeshift nightclub/lounge! Yay! So that means there's loads of obscenely loud music in the afternoon! For lunch! Oh goodness, oh happy joy joy! This is the perfect establishment for a yummilicious lunch with the perfect atmosphere! 

But, really, I confess - I'm probably coming off bitter, sarcastic and incredibly ungrateful. My food didn't take the forty five minutes the first time did - just the quality went down, my tofu soup (yes, they added tofu soup hurrah) was bland, a mess of chili sauce and hardly filled up to the middle of the bowl. I could've gone to University Teriyaki for better shit. My water cup remained unfilled for about 15 minutes while the waitress chatted up the customers next to us for answers to her homework. 

Boy. This is just the best restaurant on the Ave, and I will certainly be back every day to consume yummy bbq chicken! 

/end bitchiness.
1 - Jeff L.: Ditto to what Izzy's saying about the 1 post reviewers raving about this place. Makes you wonder if this is really a place you wanna give your hard earned money .

For my money, I'd goto Chicky Pub in Lynwood or Federal Way.  At least they serve non-americanized korean fried chicken (is there such a thing?)
4 - S C.: Went here for the first time and got half fried & half sweet and spicy sauce.  The batter was really crispy crunch.  It wasn't too salty, either, which was nice.  Not my favorite fried chicken, but pretty close second favorite.  The sweet and spicy wasn't spicy at all (but then, I have a really high tolerance for spicy, so most people would probably find it adequately spicy)   I did a take out, so I can't speak for the service.   I'll go back to try their "very spicy" sauce.
3 - Kiho S.: Ok, I think I agree with some foul play on the reviews... Onward. I found this place while waiting for a movie. BBQ Chicken seemed pretty random when rolling by, so we went in. Eminem was blasting from somewhere, yet there were groups of older asian clients, and a couple families. I'm all for hip hop, but could you spare the 5 year old from for a bit? The place must be recently remodeled. Plenty of seating, along with some booth style as well. Soon we realized that not only was this a fried chicken joint, they served Korean dishes as well. Bonus!

Good:
- Korean dishes seemed decent. And we all know how few Korean restaurants there are in the Seattle area. It's either Federal Way, or Lynnwood, so another option can't be that bad.
- Yogurt and Pineapple soju. I'd never tried this before. Hell yeah. That's all I can say.
- Seemed clean in the restaurant area.
- Service was adequate.
- Korean dish portions were ok. See below for chicken portions. 

Bad:
- Overly loud music.
- The restrooms. Oh, damn...
- You charge that much for fried chicken?

Other:
- You're on the Ave. Get used to it. it's not going to be that clean. Yes, we had the usual bums come in looking for free food and a restroom while we were eating.
- Good Korean hang out.
2 - June N.: Meh....I've had better.

Chicky Pub is where it's at.  This seems to be a the more expensive, more greasy, less chicken, less yummy....you get my point.  I miss the Ave..there used to be a lot of good food memories along the ave.  Wingdome for one is something I miss.  The cheap wing days were drunken nights of gluttony and regret that was never to be repeated only to be reborn again like the phoenix from the ashes the very next week.

This place is more like the legion of pigeons that roam the streets (aka chicky pub competitors) that pale in comparison to the golden fried goodness that is true KFC (Korean Fried Chicken).

Oh well...I had hoped...now if only there was a chicky pub closer...or even a wing dome.....
1 - Sam C.: They actually serve this crap with a straight face? Really? Are these people fucking kidding? Seriously? Honestly?

I was walking down the Ave, looking for a bite at someplace other than my usual haunts, when BBQ Chicken caught my eye. I went inside and tried to ascertain what sort of a restaurant this place wanted to be... It didn't have any BBQ on the menu, it had pictures of fried chicken everywhere and some Korean dishes on the menu. I should have just left right then. Really people, PICK A CONCEPT AND STICK WITH IT. If you can't decide on a concept for your business, you probably aren't ready to open a business. Most people seemed to be eating the chicken, so I went with that. 
Ugh. I ordered the five piece for $9.00. No sides, no roll, no nothing - just five pieces of deep fried, greasy as hell wads of corn flakes with some alleged chicken buried underneath an inch thick layer of CRAP. (Did I mention that the CRAP was GREASY AS HELL?) Really? Honestly? That is the best you can do for $9.00? 
Attention BBQ Chicken owners - the Ave is the epicenter of cheap eats in Seattle. Most other restaurants on the Ave don't even have a $9.00 dish, and if they did, IT WOULD BE 150% BETTER THAN YOUR PATHETIC, USELESS, GREASY SHIT.
Attention Yelpers - avoid this place like the horrible, pathetic waste of space that it is.
1 - Tom M.: gave it another try and I must say this place is not good. Chicken was....well not very good.  The alcohol was the only reason why I was completely miserable but the prices will make you jump out of our skin.  Again please avoid and go somewhere else with your hard earned cash.
4 - Alexis P.: yes, i am a fan.
even though i know the food will take 30-40 min to be set down in front of me.
for the food is good. i have learned to control my hunger and anxiety. 

who doesn't love piping-hot, crispy, olive-oil-dripping fresh greasy fried chicken with some beer???

o god i want some now...
3 - Clint T.: Like KFC, but with Korean influences (good), and without the amazing value (bad). I don't really think anything but the combo meals are even close to a good price unless you're there with a friend and neither of you are terribly hungry, or you're about to die of starvation and happen to have $10 of your last dollars on hand.

Also, I swear they serve you slower if you're not Korean.
5 - dean c.: Strange aesthetic this restaurant has, in addition to Korean beer on tap and very good expensive chicken. It's a chain but I hope it stays.
4 - Allie S.: Server was cute, but it took a long time for the food and I think there was some cultural confusion between a couple of my friends because they ended up receiving something different from what they thought they ordered after asking the server for clarification. That's okay, because good things tend to take time, and everyone enjoyed what they ended up getting... and the huge leftover boxes they took home.

I loved my omuraisu. It was epic. I was in that sort of mood, after just finishing the drama of Zettai Kareshi, omuraisu was all I could find that would hit the spot [it just needed a big ketchup heart and then I could imagine I was Riiko ^O^]. It continued to hit the spot for two meals afterward -- it was that big.

Tried some of the guy friends' chicken options, and they were tasty -- the skin crisp but not too greasy. The olive oil was a bit different from what I'm used to, but it was still tasty.

I'll have to go back soon for the extra extra spicy chicken. Any place where servers issue a warning on the heat of the spice is worth trying at least once!
3 - Angela N.: Don't walk in expecting barbeque chicken-- the "BBQ" stands for "Best of Best Quality" (????). 

I'm not a fan of the olive chicken-- unfamiliar taste (I guess I'm too much of a KFC junkie) and texture; extremely oily. 

HOWEVER, if you're into super spicy foods, I highly recommend the "seasoned wings" with extra spicy sauce. Every time I order it, the waiter asks me if I'm sure, since "it's really spicy...!" Yes, I'm sure. The prices are so-so, depending on what you get, but those wings are just too addictive for reasoning with the wallet.

It usually takes them a while to get your order to you so I recommend just calling in for pick up, about 15-20 minutes ahead of time. 

The service is always friendly-- not the most attentive, but easy enough to flag down if needed. They do serve beer and cocktails, and they're open until 2AM most days which is great for that midnight spicy chicken craving.
3 - Lor B.: BBQ stands for Best of the Best Quality chicken - if you are expecting typical BBQ - don't come here.  This is a fried chicken joint - with Korean flair. Here are my top faves:  original olive oil fried chicken, honey garlic and extra spicy.  Order the half & half and ask for all 3 kinds.  This is not KFC or Popeyes so don't expect the standard sides - order rice and if you're in the mood, other Korean dishes to compliment the chicken.  You can even have Soju with your meal which is the bomb! Visited a similar place in DC - originally came here thinking that it similar to "Bon Chon Chicken"  -it doesn't come close, but the experience was good nonetheless.  This is basically a korean bar with food - totally cool korean hip hop music playing in the background.  Would consider another visit. I took my Korean friends with me here and they say it fits the bill.  A-ok for my Yelp standards!
2 - Ingrid G.: I love love love Korean food, especially bibimbap.  However, I did not love this place.  The only reason I'm giving 2 stars instead of 1: the beer was cold and the waiter (one of them) was competent and nice.  But the Korean food was the worst I've had anywhere.  Ever.  I think the mushrooms weren't even re-hydrated.

If you want some Hennessy, apparently you're in luck: they serve hard alcohol here.  

I don't know about the fried chicken side of things, but if you like your Korean food edible, don't go here.
3 - Pete C.: Whiteys beware.  BBQ = Best of Best Quality.  that, or Bery Bery Quarity which is how Koreans pronounce Very Very Quality.  it's not like Jones barbecue or any other american barbecue.  Olive chicken is good.  their spicy sauce is good and a touch sweet.  bibimbap is pretty ok.  prices are a bit much, but not totally unreasonable.  To the non-Korean reviewer who says the Korean food here is the worst: i disagree.  it's average.  their dwenjangjjigae is below average, but even that i wouldn't call the worst.  the time i tried to make it was much worse than what they serve at BBQ Chicken.
4 - Faith Y.: This is a case of a restaurant makeover if I ever saw one. 

The BBQ Chicken I remember from last fall had their employees wear dorky, loud polyester outfits in every clashing color possible. Their menu was practically non-existent and it looked like a kids joint with all the tacky decor. 

Fast forward to 2009: it's like the restaurant became an adult overnight - like a beautiful, beautiful flutterby. 

The lighting has dimmed just enough to give it some of that ambiance. (Yes, fried chicken places can have ambiance). Patrons are mostly college aged students and their selection of alcoholic drinks/menu options have increased ten-fold. Their olive-oil chicken is a little over-priced but it's like nothing you've ever tasted and their portions are sizable to boot. The Korean cuisine is better than decent and is a nice spicy compliment to the greasy, delish poultry. And where else can you substitute your fries ... for rice? But still scarce on the variety of side dishes. 

Mostly Asian clientale but don't be afraid to waltz in if you're not, everyone likes fried chicken!
3 - Leonardo H.: Olive Oil Fried Chicken = Good. Just read all the other reviews.
Bibimbap = Good. Average.
Wings (Sweet & Spicy Sauce, Honey Garlic Sauce) = Not bad at all.

Katsu = Not the best. Below Average. 
I was expecting the same kind of goodness as their Fried Chicken, so I was disappointed to find lightly breaded, kinda tough, thin pieces of katsu. And the portion was extra small. Lots of rice, not enough chicken. 

I wanna try their ramen next time. They're pretty cheap, just like the way the add-on ramen menu looks with its crazy rainbow colors.
3 - Sarah C.: My friend was raving about this new Korean fried chicken restaurant, so I was excited to try it out. We went around 10:30pm on a Wednesday, and as the night progressed, the place became packed and a bit rowdy.

We ordered small chicken wings in honey garlic and sweet & spicy, with stir fried pork over rice.  

The chicken wings came in 7 pieces.  The honey garlic was pretty good, but the sweet & spicy wasn't spicy at all.  The wings were crunchy and flavorful on the outside, and juicy on the inside.  However, after about 2-3, I felt kind of greasy inside, but still ended up eating 4 pieces.

The stir fried pork over rice came with a little salad. The portion was much smaller than I'd expected; it literally just had a big scoop of rice with some pork pieces over it, but it tasted ok.

They also have a wide selection of ramen and also have beer and liquor.  I may want to go back to try their original fried chicken.
4 - Ernie K.: They need a different name.  I hardly saw anyone eating BBQ chicken here.  By the way, did you know that this is a Korean late night joint for good snack and soju?  

Damn, I live here and I didn't know that there are places like this.  I am coming here whenever I am not in downtown Seattle or in Ballard.  Thanks Ashley and Emily for taking me here.

Serving size is ginormous.  Holy crap!!!!  And they are not expensive either.  And actually yummy.  Screw the other Korean place near Trinity.  This is my new favorite place now.  :D
4 - Craig N.: BBQ Chicken has some pretty yummy BBQ chicken. Did that sound about right? I just had their extra spicy chicken and honey garlic chicken today. It wasn't all that expensive for wings...about a $1 per wing.  It was the right amount of food to share with friends.
4 - Lori P.: I am a fan of this place because after eating there I felt as if I had been temporarily transported to busy night streets of Korea and back. We ordered dukbokki (spicy rice cake dish), a fish cake soup (which doesn't taste fishy at all) and soju. It was like going to heaven and back. Best tasting oh-dang-tang EVER! (that's the soup) We primarily went back again because of the soup. Too bad they don't have a location in the east side. We would be there all the time if it was. The fried chicken is also top notch as well. Second to best tasting chicken ever. KFC still rocks ( it's the colonel's spices that Wins my palate over) Great ambiance in my opinion except the music is a little louder than I'd like it. It's a great place to go in groups and talk about nonchalant chatter and relax. We've been there three times in a matter of a week. The raboki (ramen and dukbokki) is extremely spicy, but so worth it. Sigh...I'm starting to crave the extremely spicy chicken wings as well. 
The website doesn't do justice as far as what they serve because none of the Korean foods are added. They just feature the fried chicken. In my opinion they should also be advertising the Korean food because that's what totally rocks! I would say this is the best Korean food I've had in Washington state thus far. Of course, this is more of a "street food" Korean restaurant so you won't find gal bi tang. I have yet to find that great Korean restaurant in the Eastside or Seattle as of yet!
3 - Connie C.: If it wasn't for their upbeat atmosphere, I would dock a star. There's always some kind of loud k-pop/hip hop playing in the background and the place is pretty clean. The Korean food menu is alright, but stay away from their seafood pancake. It was the most unpleasantly strangest version I'd ever had. The spicy/sweet wings are awesome, though. Also seems like a popular hang out for drinks.
2 - Nhung D.: I hate myself for forgetting how bad this place actually is.  I have been here 3x times since it opened.  WHY?   The first time was horrible, swore not to go back, but I went back anyway.  Perhaps because it was late at night and they were the only ones open?  I don't know. 

This is BBQ chicken, however they also serve Korean dishes and soju. Their chicken is okay-good however their Korean food is another story.  It's rather horrible.  Very bland, half-ass food.  It comes with no side dishes, and the soup realllllly lacks favor.   Their chicken is good however it's very expensive for fried chicken and I don't think it's very "special".  I have tried their Olive Chicken, good and crispy but it came an hour after I was done eating our first entry.  Not worth the wait and 10 bucks! 

I had some chicken wing yesterday - don't hate it but don't love it.  It was dry and did not taste any better than the ones from Safeway. 

The atmosphere in this restaurant is confusing.  The lights are dimmed down, the music is loud and "hip" - very night club like.  We had Soju here once, and I have to say I am not comfortable with looking at pictures of little kids and family while I am drinking with "low, low, low" in the background.
4 - Joy C.: I cannot get over how good their olive chicken is. Yes, for fried chicken, it's a bit on the pricier side (around $10), but considering the fact that you get five decently-sized pieces of chicken (half the bird, I believe?) delivered steaming hot right to your table, I don't consider that bad at all. The skin is crispy - never moist - and deep fried to a golden-brown perfection. If you can get past the skin without burning any fingers, the meat is surprisingly tender and moist and it has enough flavor that - if you dislike ketchup like I do - condiments aren't needed. BBQ Chicken also gives very generous portions of fries, so that's a good side order if you're still in need of food after the chicken.

For their other items, there's a good selection of things that are under $10. I've tried their curry (both with and without chicken), and there's a decent amount of food. Their bibimbap is pretty standard, but for some reason, the portions are smaller than that of other places. I also thought it was a bit lacking in the flavor department. However, bibimbap and free miso soup for $8.99 is not bad at all.

This place is quite lively weekend nights. I've been here past midnight and they've dimmed the lights and pumped up the music so it feels more like a lounge, especially when you start having trouble hearing your neighbors talk. Also, all their waitresses have a thing with black miniskirts. Is it some dress code that is adhered to even during the winter? I feel cold just looking at them.

Lastly, the service is usually decent - orders are placed and delivered in a timely fashion, you can usually get the attention of a server, water is refilled without you having to ask multiple times, etc. - but when mistakes happen, the management takes good responsibility. For instance, one night, a waitress spilled a tray of water on our table, and the manager kindly let us have our alcohol and a pitcher of beer for free. While we didn't order much alcohol (or food), the gesture was nice and we ended up still tipping them a fair amount.
3 - Tuan N.: The friend chicken always comes out piping hot and tasty.  The korean food is another story. It's usually pretty bland and not spicy enough.  

The service is slow even though they had quite a few people working. But I didn't mind too much as I was just talking with my friends until our food came. What I did mind was that I felt rushed to get out once we got our food since they were pretty crowded.   

I like the chicken so I might be back but maybe just to go or when it's not packed.
1 - Angel I.: So maybe it was my mistake to get "ramen" at a BBQ chicken place, but I saw it on the menu and it looked promising.

When I got the ramen, not only was it incredibly spicy, the noodles were similar to the packaged Top Ramen. My boyfriend's BBQ chicken wasn't bad, and that they did make me a less spicy noodle dish, but it was still tasting like Top Ramen though overpriced!

Moral of the story? Maybe try their BBQ chicken but DO NOT get their ramen!
1 - josh b.: The last two reviews on this page 100% encapsulate this business. I just spent 30min waiting for food, only to have one of the waitstaff come and tell me that my food would be ready in another 5 min or so... She promptly came back and told me it was going to be closer to 15min... After I had already been there for over half an hour?!?!?!? I demanded my $10 back, and got it, minus the $2 tip they had already taken out of the tip jar I left them... I work just down the street form this business and I can guarantee you I'll never recommend it to any friends/customers of mine~
4 - jupiter s.: The chicken and wings are good.
Their Korean menu are fabolous too.
Try the omurice - fried rice wrapped around in omelet, and royal tuk bok ki - rice cake in spicy sauce

The only down side is parking is terrible on U District, and service can be spotty too.
3 - Kevin C.: Me yelling: The K-POP is SO LOUD in here!
Friends at table: K-FED?!  WHERE??
Me yelling back: CHER??  Who's talking about CHER?
Friends: No, K-FED, as in Britney's sugar-daddy!
Me: You want me to be your Sugar-Daddy??  What??  Let's just eat...

Other than the insanely loud music that has still left a bizarre bass-beat ringing in my ears, you will find food that lives up to the viscerally-satisfying flavor palate of Korean food, w/ pleasant hits of sweet heat and savory char.  The fried chicken was enjoyable enough - slow to come out of the kitchen, but pleasantly crispy and sweet and spicy.  We also got a sauced-up pork stir-fry that was quite spicy, but with nice notes of chile and umami.

My only rant: If you're not going to give an Asian rice at dinner, you might as well deny the Holocaust, b/c you're basically depriving a whole people a crucial piece of reality.  Rice would have been beautiful w/ all this sauced-up food, but there's no way I'm forking over the uber-money they were charging for a mini-bowl of this staple of civilizations.
4 - Steph C.: To clarify - when I come here, I just order fried chicken.  I don't get the Korean food. 

I think if you're going to objectively and fairly rate a place an extreme 1 or an extreme 5, you need to have ordered the main dish.

That being said, the chicken is good!  It is surprisingly light and crispy and doesn't feel too heavy or greasy (for fried chicken) - must be the olive oil.  

The wait is quite long sometimes, even when there are few customers, so don't come here if you're in a rush.  Just come if you want good fried chicken.
1 - G S.: Thumbs down for all the reasons that have been mentioned before.

1.  Long wait for food.
2. Over priced.
3. Loud Music
4. Unfamiliar taste of fried chicken.  Perhaps it was the olive oil but if i am eating fried chicken i am obviously not looking for healthy.
5. Chicken was piping hot yet it might have been slightly undercooked.

definitely wont be going back.
4 - Cherene R.: I'm not going to overthink this place...  

I seriously had some McD's before trying this place for the first time.  Had a couple of wings - crispy, tasted like non-KFC fried chicken, and weren't bloody near the bone.  

And their BBQ wings are actually BB wings and they were spicy and BBQ-sauce-less.

Music was loud.  K-Pop, C-Pop, J-Pop...Asian-Blah-Blah-Pop.  Very club-like.  I assumed every girl song was sung by Utada...wait.

Now to the S-O-J-U...I didn't eat much, but I drank much.  Koreans have introduced me to such a wonderful, sweet, alcoholic thing.  Pineapple soju seems to be the best, although the yogurt is pretty good, too.  It's also not a bad price for 6 glasses - I think it was around $15?  It's led me to believe that any place that serves flavored soju is a 4-star party waiting to happen.
3 - Paul B.: ZOMG. BBQ Chicken is like...the cheap version of Tigs in Pioneer Square. Every Korean person who goes to the UW and probably beyond has gone here and drank it up in the middle of the night or came out to get some late night chicken. It's so ridiculous actually...

The prices and quality are alright. Above par but not awesome. The service is alright as well but when they F up they tend to rectify it pretty fast by giving you free drinks. One time, they forgot my order of soju, so they gave us a pitcher for free. Yeow! 

Come here if you're okay with culture shock. Come here if you're done with the bars and want some good food. Come here if you're starving at night and need a vastly greater alternative to Memos down the street.
1 - Jeff K.: Honestly, just sad. I know this is a Korean franchise in America. But still, whoever operates it should be beaten. I spent two weeks in Seoul and it was the greatest experience every time, eating at BBQ Chicken. Now I come back home, and man, it just straight up sucks. 

In Korea, I don't understand why, they love white meat. I love dark meat. Couldn't stand it. Regardless, I still had a good experience with the food and service. 

In America... just sad. Just sad. This place is maybe as bad as the Lynnwood Ezell's and that's pretty bad.
4 - Nina H.: I'm confused by the negative reviews for this place. I'm pretty much in love with BBQ Chicken. I had come here once a little after it opened and then last week, I came twice. The olive fried chicken is so delectable. Last Friday night when my friends and I came for drunchies, oh man, the first bite burned my tongue but the second bite took me to fried chicken heaven. I remember saying "THIS IS SO GOOD, THIS IS SO GOOD!" I tend to repeat and emphasize things when I'm very passionate about something and boy, let me tell ya. I was passionate about their chicken. It definitely beats Ezell's and KFC and beating KFC is pretty tough in my books.

What was really awesome was that they had a huge variety of other Korean dishes. They had dukkboki which is the rice cakes in the same of small tubes. Man those are my favorite too. The raboki dish is amazing because it comes with noodles, dukkboki, a hard boiled egg and four pieces of gyoza. WHAT A MEAL!!!

Another friend had the curry dish and really enjoyed that too, big portions and definitely filling. They also serve shochu here which is nice because they open until 2 am on the weekends and you can eat and drink at the same time, WOOHOO. My kind of restaurant.

The music is pretty good too if you're into K-Pop. All in all, I don't think this place is as bad as people say it is? Maybe because it's on the Ave?
1 - Eva M.: Thought I'd give this place a try despite the mixed reviews.  The popcorn chicken was mostly breading &with little discernible chicken.  Maybe I should have ordered the wings or something Korean?  I won't go here again.
4 - Andrew L.: Delicious tasting chicken wing; one of the best places to eat near the UW. 

It's a wonder why I haven't found this place before, when it comes to chicken wings; it can be done many different ways, especially fried chicken.  Some places can have too much batter, some not enough seasoning and some just fail.

That doesn't fail here, is the nice use of Panko breadcrumbs, which leaves a nice touch of crunch and and combined with whatever seasonings they have been using; makes you desire for more.  The meat is juicy and cooked just right; there isn't anything "BBQ" about it; except it means "Best of the Best Quality" and they make it clear that this chain isn't anything like the chains which we are used to.  This is the quintessential Asian restaurant with a western theme. 

And there's the Soju, the luscious yummy alcoholic drink, which pretty much tastes like it was paired just right for the late night chicken run. 

I would recommend this place anytime of the day or night, it's worth visiting; clean, filled with Asian music, and when it comes down to it, just good food.  Try it, and I'm sure you will have a new appreciation of what fried chicken might be.
4 - Michael L.: Great food and open late.

The name of this place is really deceiving, they have a whole bunch of different varieties of fried chicken but the true gem is their Korean food and it's super spicy if you ask for it!  My friends and I often come to BBQ chicken late at as an interlude between bars hopping because they serve alcohol as well. Their yogurt soju is delicious and worth a try if you've never had it. They also have shots and beers if you need some of those to complement your food. 

The service here is decent, they have a lot of servers even if it's empty, usually a quick wave of the hand and they will notice you and come over to help you. The pricing for both the food and alcohol is very reasonable as well. Hope you enjoy!
2 - Le M.: A five-piece fried chicken maybe hot and freshly fried, but the meat is the KFC variety without the Colonel's batter and spices at a higher price. A disappointment. I can make the same chicken if I have a deep frier at home. 

I tried this place after my last class at the U, and after reading the four-stars review. Chicken is in the name of the restaurant so I assume that's their specialty. They offer Korean dishes, which is a marriage not matched in culinary heaven. When I think of Korean food, I won't think fried chicken. Proves a point that a fast-food dining concept maybe popular in a foreign country, but it doesn't automatically carry over to another locale.

Fruit flies in men's restroom was a disgusting surprise. Were there rotting fruits in there? I don't wanna know.
1 - Wing M.: Finally had a chance to try their chicken. It was... okay. The meat was mediocre and the flavoring was okay. They overbatter their tempura which is good if you like batter but really bad otherwise. Their gyoza was really good though. But their chicken, the thing they are named after, isn't that great. Certainly not best of the best. Maybe like best of the immediate area?

Also they were playing this rap song about abusing over the counter medicine. Okay, if you want to play songs about drug use to attract young hip customers with lots of money, that's understandable. But, like, at least play songs about cocaine or at least pot. Playing music about doing cough syrup? That's just really sad.

Oh, yeah, as I was saying: they play music about drug use. Certainly not a place that many folks would enjoy the atmosphere of. This is why I rated it a one star place and not two stars.
1 - Alex L.: Probably THE worst place in Seattle. The only thing worse than the food is its name. Its so deceiving. A place called BBQ Chicken doesn't serve any barbecue chicken at all. I went with a group of 5. We all left extremely disappointed with the food.
2 - I-Wei F.: Just because the fried chicken at BBQ Chicken is served at a Korean establishment, that in no way makes it Korean Fried Chicken. The NYTimes article described Korean Fried Chicken with a "thin, crackly and almost transparent crust."  I've had Korean Fried Chicken at a couple of other places prepared as such, pretty much just chicken with a side of pepper salt & cole slaw, maybe pickled daikon. However, at most other sit-down Korean establishments, banchan (small dishes of various cold food, e.g. kimchi, other pickles, bean sprouts) is also served to accompany your main courses.  At BBQ Chicken, no cole slaw, no banchan.  Just complimentary obnoxious hip hop on the speakers.

The food was okay, the chicken is battered and fried like Kentucky Fried Chicken, moist but bland. The duk bokki was pretty good, we also liked the pancake and cheesy corn. The steamed dumplings were small and dry.  The spicy pork dish was indeed spicy.

Service was adequate, we got service when we needed it, but the water glasses were never refilled.  Overall, we were completely underwhelmed.
5 - Josh P.: Oh man.  I've been looking for a place like this in Seattle.  Federal Way is too far for good Korean style fried chicken, and I don't even know a place up north that does it this well.  I am a fan and.

Located on the ave and just like most of the restaurants, it has a very unassuming appearance.  Nothing fancy on the inside, just good food.  The menu is basically wings with different sauce combinations and a bunch of traditional Korean side dishes.  

Looking at the menu really did remind me of Korea.  And the chicken?  Not quite exactly like Korea but oh so good as well.  We got the 20 piece divided half as honey garlic and spicy.  These aren't the typical Applebee's or Hooters(I've never been there I swear...) wings you'll get; the sauces are much less...saucy(my vocab is not too sharp these days).  The honey garlic wings are crispy, meaty and absolutely delicious.  I can't really describe it but they taste...Korean.  The spicy wings were equally as good; a good amount of heat and a sweet tang that balanced perfectly.

In addition to chicken we got dduk bok khi which is rice cakes in a spicy sauce as well as some pickled radish(what I like to think of as the Korean cole slaw).  With a pitcher of Hite this is well nigh a perfect meal; only thing that is off is when we walk out door there aren't a billion people walking around like Seoul.  Definitely try this place out and get a taste of Korea without the 9hr flight.
2 - ads d.: Awful service.....the korean guy who works there is S00 rude~  He needa learn how to respect customers!!
1 - Juhwi K.: I'm giving this place only one star because waitresses working here only deserve even less than one star 

Don't get me wrong, I'm Korean and I love their food and I can give 4 stars for their food but I absolutely hate these snubby girls working here. and here is why: 

I went to this place about 8 times and every time i went with my friends we had to deal with either very slow service which they don't even fill up your water even tho you asked them to, or one girl was too busy flirting with bunch of frat boys sitting next table to us, she didn't even bother being nice and more bitchy whenever we asked her some questions about food and drinks! and one time I ordered chicken and other dishes to go over the phone and when i walked in to pick them up after 45 mins girl who was working there said its not ready( which she was explaining she didn't know what time ill pick them up so they didn't even start cooking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) WTF?????????????????????/ and said only other dishes are ready and asked me if i wanna wait 30 more mins for fried chicken ( WHILE my other dishes can just sit there and get cold! ) 

BBQ chicken!! please improve your service not just try to hire these girls who can only wear mini skirts and tank tops and just stand around flirt with guys and not paying attention to other customers.
3 - Duane L.: The chicken was alright.  For Korean style fried chicken, I wasn't that impressed.  The batter wasn't up to par and not that flavorful.  The meat was at least moist.  Their wings were better just because of the sauce.  I had the honey garlic and the extra spicy.  The honey garlic were really good, the extra spicy wasn't that spicy, but my spicy palate can handle a raw habanero, so not their fault.  The best part of their menu for me was the actual Korean food.  I had the dokbokki which is a spicy korean style rice cake.  That was pretty good.  But for a place that is called "BBQ Chicken" I would expect their chicken to be a little better.
4 - Jessica G.: This is the most random mesh of barbecue eats and Korean food that has ever existed in the world. Though it is called BBQ Chicken, after a brief examination of the decor it was pretty clear to us that this place had previously been a barbecue joint, but is now a Korean restaurant, and the "Best of the Best Quality" isn't fooling anyone! So the bbq food seems fairly mediocre, but the Korean is excellent!

We stumbled upon it on the Ave and we all found it to be comically bizarre and delicious. And to top it all off the service was great and our waitress was hilarious! Once she found out that some of us were from Tennessee she chatted us up about how she broke up with her fiance because he wanted her to move to Knoxville, which she found to be way too podunk, a story that lasted perhaps a bit too long, but we all thoroughly enjoyed her oddly coincidental story.

Anyway, it is great quirky place to eat, average price and good food. The atmosphere is unique and a great u district find!
1 - Lydia H.: WTF? Sweet and sour chicken taste like your chicken fell into a glass of orange juice.
3 - Andrew L.: Not gonna lie it's pretty good but the famous "honey garlic" chicken wasn't that great. Kinda bland? Like no seasoning or whatever they put in their chicken, but meaty and juicy. Still good though:)
3 - Jenny K.: Got sidetracked on our way to Thai Tom and ended up here for Sunday dinner. Tried the bi bim bop, BBQ wings, Korean pancake and a side order of kimchi.

Everything was good. Wasn't the best I've ever had but I grew up eating homemade Korean food on an almost daily basis so I have really high standards.

The bi bim bop was just what I expected - some pickled veggies, rice, egg on top and hot sauce on the side, and served with soup. The wings were really flavorful, crispy and greasy - great combo! The Korean pancake was tasty (also greasy) and came with an especially good dipping sauce. The kimchi was a little over-fermented but still tasted legit.

Wouldn't go out of my way to come back since there are so many great restaurants in the U District but don't regret having made that my dinner choice.
3 - Lawrence L.: Good chicken. Takes forever.
4 - Aaron Y.: This place is good for 3 things! CHICKEN, KOREAN FOOD, and SOJU.

This place is poppin at night and their yogurt soju is amazing.  Priced at $15 it's quite a bit but it's fun every once in a while.  I myself really enjoy the korean music and dim lighting that they have at night.  

BBQ chicken doesn't mean Bar-B-Que here.  It means Best of the Best Quality Chicken.  Of course thats a tough name to follow.  The chicken is good.  A lot of friend chicken and there's nothing like fried chicken on a late fridays night.  

Korean food is bomb! This place is owned and pretty much run by koreans so they know what they're doing.  I would get the Ramen though.  Seems a bit over priced and i would just make that myself.  

I'll definitely be coming back again and i do at least once a month!
1 - Jason L.: It's rare for me to walk out of a restaurant after a few bites...

I got here around 2:30pm and ordered boneless honey garlic chicken.  It looked completely different from the picture.  Took a bite, but couldn't stand it.  Just in case, I picked up another piece and tried. No good.  Chicken to breading ratio is horrible.  KFC is much cheaper and much tastier.  Even though I'm still very hungry, I'm cutting my losses ($10 + tax) and walking down the street to Pagliacci for a slice.
3 - Liz S.: My friends think the best fried chicken in Seattle is served here, but I'm still on the fence about that. What's awesome about this place is you can get fried chicken, korean food and booze in the same place. And they close earlier than the bars so you know your chances of watching a fight go down are cut dramatically.

Service is quick, but if you aren't Korean or have any in your group the waiters seem to ignore you unless you wave your arms like a crazy person. Pretty annoying.

One thing that was more annoying than trying to flag down a server was itemizing the bill at the end. Seems like the guy working the register was never taught how to seperate orders so he kept forgetting to include items and had to run cards twice. They didn't have to split the bill like that for us (there is a sign that says they won't for groups of 5 or more); but if you're going to, please make sure you know what you're doing!

The lackluster service isn't a dealbreaker for me, but it doesn't necessarily mean that BBQ Chicken is my first dining choice either.
3 - Jennifer B.: The name is deceiving. WHERE'S THE BBQ? (Not to be confused with the 80's commercial of "Where's the Beef?") It's Korean style fried chicken and they don't know what American BBQ means. 

I tried the sweet and sour chicken and the original. It is greasier and more fried than how Korean fried chicken is supposed to be. The lemon soju we had was okay and I wonder how many more I'd have to drink to be dancing on the table. Sneaky flavored soju drinks. The other dishes were just okay. The service was quick and she put up with such a big group of us staying for a long time. The place was full of Korean nationals so there must be something to this place.
3 - James L.: Disregard my previous review. They have changed ownership since and I haven't had a chance to go back.

3-stars for not knowing... sorry if it skews the rating.
5 - Edwin W.: This is an international chain that is based in Korea. Contrary to its name, the chicken that is served here is not BBQ. The signature item is fried chicken cooked in olive oil, which is pressure cooked to tenderness. My high ranking reflects the fact that this is one of the best fried chicken that I've had. The texture on the skin is particularly crunchy, and the meat moist and tender. Whatever the marinade, it is successful in flavoring the meat all the way through. Such a signature item, I shared a basket of chicken with a friend for dinner. Yes, chicken was the only thing we ate, which we washed down with soju. Other than the fried chicken, there's a mix of other Asian bar type dishes. The atmosphere is modern bar like. Visiting of a Friday evening, the place was full of international students boozing it up after a hard week.
4 - Dae Y.: i'm a little torn cuz it's prolly more like 3.5 stars at this point.
the ra-bokk-ki needs work.  this is one my all time favorite dishes, and it was disappointing.  i just need to start making dduk-bokk-ki at home, dangit.

but the chicken was very good.  the skin was really, really delicious on the signature fried chicken.  and the flavor of the honey garlic wings was pretty awesome too.  i want to go back and try the other flavors for the wings.
4 - Krista U.: I went here after a work out, so this may skew my results, but this was the crispiest, most delicious fried chicken I have ever had! It was beautiful and looked exactly like in the picture! So rare! The fries were probably fried in the chicken fat! Hallelujah! Aside from the poor life choice of eating fried chicken after a work out, I must say, this was the best food choice I made so far ! I wouldve died if I ate the chicken basket and fries combo (S6, I think?), so I shared a huge chicken piece with my friend and we were both on a crispy, full bodied, and might I add, juicy boat to a food coma. 
The only negative I can think of is the price.
3 - Jason P.: This place is the hang out and watering hole for many Korean UW students. The food has got to be good when they represent! Such a convenient location, right in the U-District, and with only a few other options for Korean food in metro Seattle, this place is a good option and very reasonable. 

Their Korean fried chicken (KFC) is good, but kind of bridging American and Korean style fried chicken. KFC should really have a very thin and crispy skin. Instead, it is a bit on the thicker side, but none the less tasty and crispy! The season fried chicken has great flavor. We tried the sweet and spicy and it hits the spot. Go half and half and you get a little of both. 

I have not been able to find great KFC in Seattle that rivals Momo's in Lakewood. Momo's is by far the best in the region (as far as I know). Any recommendations for great KFC fellow yelpers?

Their Dubbokki is good and I wouldn't doubt other dishes are satisfying and very reasonable. Great hang out place, K-pop tunes, nice ambiance, pretty late night hours, reasonable prices, and convenient location.
4 - Robby C.: Our friends introduced us to this place in the University District as we rarely visit the University of Washington neighborhood anymore post-graduation. Apparently, a number of the shops that we used to frequent have since closed and various other dining establishments such as BBQ Chicken have opened up in their place. Was it an improvement to the University Avenue of yesteryear? If it was just a matter of comparing this particular restaurant to the Korean restaurant that used to exist in its place, the answer would be simple: absolutely. While not as big of a fan of barbecue chicken, simply because we have reserved our barbecue taste buds for ribs, the deep-fried chicken and the spicy order of chicken wings and drumsticks that we ordered were delicious. While the fried chicken was crispy and cooked to perfection with a moist and tender inside, the spicy chicken was a bit spicy even for our taste. Not one to admit defeat by a spice, the chicken was coated with a level of spice that borderline made it difficult to finish a large order by oneself. In total, our group ordered four dishes, but those were the two dishes that stood out in our minds in addition to the seafood pancake. We have had Korean seafood pancakes prior and had not initially expected much from our order as it was more of a filler order in case we were hungry still, but we all enjoyed the dish and the portion size was quite generous. If the University Avenue continues to evolve this way, you will definitely find our troupe frequenting the University District much more often.
3 - Cathy C.: I came here with a friend on a lovely weekday afternoon since we both had a bad case of fried chicken cravings. The name is a little misleading because nowhere on the menu did I see barbeque chicken, but apparently it stands for best of best quality chicken. Anyhoo, back to the food! My friend and I both decided we would be perfectly content with just feasting on chicken so we ordered the half and half. They basically give you 5 pcs of their signature olive-oil fried chicken and a mixture of seasoned wings and "drumettes." I'm a sauce lover so I HAD to try both the honey garlic and sweet and sour flavors (note there is an extra charge for this sort of gluttony). There was only one or two other tables so our chicken came pretty quickly and we got to work satisfying our cravings. I'd have to say the olive-oil fried chicken was the real star of the show. It was hot, crispy, light and perfectly fried so that you could still taste the olive oil without it dripping off the skin. I had been somewhat skeptical of the difference between regular old oil and olive oil as it seemed like a ploy to charge more and make people feel like they were eating "healthy fried chicken", but I swear you can taste the difference! I suppose the chicken could of used a little more spices, but then again why mess with a good thing?  The wings were good, but not worth a special trip. The honey garlic was a slight disappointment. It didn't quite taste like either honey or garlic so if you've got a weakness for honey garlic like me I'd suggest Chinatown instead. The sweet and sour was slightly better, but I'm pretty sure they just poured some mae ploy chili sauce on it and fried away. Anyhow, we still left happily full!
3 - Arry Y.: I really wanted to like this place - located in the U-District, we went on a spontaneous outing for dinner.  We even beat the rush hour of college students, and the dinner company was great.  It had all the right beginnings to get a GREAT review.

We had: 
- Honey garlic chicken: this was fabulous in my opinion.  Delicious fried skin.  Honey garlic goodness.
- Original olive oil chicken was also very good.  Very nice tasty crispy goodness.
- Rabokki: this was the upside down frown of the night.  I love rabokki...  but this place's rabokki was ... mushy and just not that flavorful.

I'd go back for the chicken... maybe try some of other chicken flavors, but that's about it.  I don't think the Korean food is that good.
3 - Mason S.: chicken is good a little overpriced
3 - Kevin K.: After I went canoeing for the day with a friend, we decided to grab something to eat before we waste the night away with videogames.  My friend offered a Korean BBQ place to try out in the Ave.  Looking forward to some Korean food, I decided to tag along.  Through indecisiveness and extreme hunger, I decided to order the Chicken Katsu.  

Analyzing the service, there was a slight attitude in the waitress who presented the food.  Granted, it was a Friday evening; however, displaying distaste in customers is unprofessional.  

Now the food.  It's not shitty, but it's not the best.  The breaded part of the chicken kept falling off, which was annoying since I was using chopsticks.  The salad was a bit odd, since it had ranch dressing instead of an oriental house dressing you'd find at most Korean or Japanese restaurants.  The selection was rather large, but it seemed to be more Asian-Fusion than Korean.  The prices are about what you'd expect for Asian-Fusion food on the Ave.
3 - The-Hoa H.: service here is fast, food comes out fresh and hot. Chicken is pretty good quality, definatley tasty and I love the crispy chicken and the fact that it's fried in olive oil. The sauces are also really good....Prices however are ridiculous for something on the ave.....not college affordable really....32 bucks for two plates of chicken and a plate of rice cake? Nonethless it was worth a try but definately not somewhere I would be coming to eat too often.
3 - Alexandra G.: They give out free AMF's on your birthday!!!

That's like the only redeeming factor about this place... The wings are alright. It's not really a bbq place but rather a Korean-version of Wing Dome (which I think is a lot better).

They sell So-Ju, which is rare thing for the Ave.
4 - Paulina N.: the chicken is actually really good!!!!!

the ramen was "ok" but i would def just come back for the chicken!!

the vibe is a really chill place too. :) nice place to sit down and talk with your friends.
4 - Truc H.: Any of the chicken items are deliciously amazing.  Crispy and flavors that made me crave more than my stomach could handle and then some. 
Go here for the chicken if anything.  Actually if you want amazing olive-oil fried chicken, forget Popeyes or KFC, SEEK OUT BBQ Chicken.  

It is Korean owned thus the Korean dishes are great as well, not the best  but still better than many places.  I myself am not Korean, Viet for that matter, so I can't say with the most confidence that it is great but I can say that it is to my liking, however that may not apply to you seeing as how you're not me.

So basically, you want chicken? Then you want BBQ Chicken.

Oh, and BBQ stands for "Best of the Best Quality" rather than the usual interpretation.
2 - Meg V.: i've been here a few times and it was OK.  

stopped by last night. the server dropped off menus promptly, then stood behind the counter with two other staffpersons, kibitzing and watching "the office" for at least 10 minutes, probably closer to 15, while we tried to attract their attention. that doesn't sound like a long time in print, but in reality, while you're sitting there staring someone down, it kind of is.

when she came back, i ordered the bi bim bap and my boyfriend had the five-piece olive chicken. my food took about 20 minutes to arrive, his over 30.  this was a tuesday night--in the whole joint, there were two other tables occupied, both of which already had their orders when we arrived. you have nothing else on your agenda other than cook the fricking food we are paying you for and then bring it to us.

now, i get that the egg on top of your bi bim bap is supposed to be runny and that you mix it into the rice.  which is great and how i like it.  i'm not some white american rube who won't eat runny eggs, seriously, guys.  but as i understand it, "runny" applies to the yolk, not the egg white, for chrissakes.  you can't be serving people no raw egg whites on their goddamn bi bim bap.  

i sent it back--WHICH I HAVE DONE MAYBE TWICE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE, i swear--and it was cheerfully returned with an almost over-hard egg.  fuck it.  what're you gonna do. i was starving by that point, so i just ate it.

also, they were playing some obnoxoiusly bad hip hop (drake?) at 180 decibels, and while it was half-funny, it was half-really annoying. i don't dislike hip hop as a genre, and i don't mind loudish music, but really, really loud music that is also bad is kind of a lot to ask of a sit-down dinner spot. i know, it's the ave and i'm over 30 and therefore not the target demo, so this is more just an FYI for folks who might not be expecting it. the music here is super-loud and bad. i probably wouldn't have cared if the service/egg situation hadn't been so dreadful.

two stars because their chicken is delicious and i cannot lie about that.
4 - Yiling W.: Tasty garlic fried chicken and other delicious dishes, with a side of cool Korean FOB vibe --including k-pop tunes and custom 'BBQ Chicken' seat fabric!
1 - Daniel W.: Service is horrible. Unacceptable. I went there with a friend of mine. We had 4 pitchers of beers between the two of us. Because of the beers, I frequently had to use the restroom. Everytime I go, the waitress (whom I found out to be the owner later on) stares me down, cause they think I will not pay and exit the back door or something. Everytime I come out, the owner is facing the restroom and quickly turns around as if I didn't freaking see her. Not only did they make me feel like a bum, but their service was the worst. I have been a server at an upscale Japanese Restaurant for 5 years as well as assistant manager. I didn't come there looking for great customer service, but can I get any service?!? Do I really have to ask to get some water? ask for a new pitcher everytime? or even napkins? This was on a weekday with about 4 tables and 2 servers...
If the owner doesn't know how to provide customer service, how are the employees suppose to learn? 
Chicken is about the only thing that's okay on the menu. But extremely over priced for a krispy fried chicken.
3 - Heather B.: started this review a bit ago and haven't been there in a while so this review is based on the 4-5 i went in the past.
good chicken...dduk bokki was mediocre at best and odeng just ok.
music was a bit too loud. seriously couldn't hear someone across the table half the times that we've been there.
shitty service (no refills, wrong food to wrong ppl, don't bring check, standing around, hard to get the waitstaff's attention & it's not even a big place).
overall, if i REALLY need to get my k-style chicken fix i'll go but i can get equally good chicken and better korean food elsewhere with better service.
the only thing i can really promote about the place is chicken so order it to go!
4 - Chris S.: 3 of us went to on Monday night, which was perfect because it was not nearly as crowded as I heard it could be.  No wait, and service was right on.  2 buddies ordered ramen, I had the kimchi fried rice and we ordered 20 pieces of fried chicken.  Oh yeah also ordered 3 bottles of soju.  So after the server came back several times to "confirm" our order, she began bringing out the food and we got or eat on.  the fried rice was awesome, and the fried chicken was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.  I'd definitely go back to try the other dishes.  4 stars cause finding parking was a beeyoch.
2 - Linda L.: The fried chicken is okay, but very overpriced for the portions offered.

Everything else on the menu is pretty terrible, just watered down versions of great food that you can find elsewhere on the Ave.  They also play really annoying and loud Korean pop music/rap.  

The only good thing is that they are open late.
3 - Millie F.: I was really craving Korean style fried chicken for a while, and this place did the trick for me. I ordered two plates of wings (honey garlic and sweet & spicy) and a pitcher of yogurt soju, and they a made a satisfactory dinner. Thus, my rating is actually 3.5 stars.

The chicken was fried pretty well, with the skin crunchy and the inside still juicy. The sauce was also nicely coated around the wings, so the chicken definitely lived up to my expectations. The only major qualms I had were the sauces. The honey garlic sauce was too garlicky and didn't have enough honey. Meanwhile, I really love spicy food, so the sweet & spicy sauce was nowhere spicy enough for me. 

Overall, it was an enjoyable experience. Although this place does not compare to Kyochon chicken, it's the only Korean chicken place (that I know of) in the area, and it's pretty good. I am sure I will be back when I want another helping of chicken and soju.
3 - Sharon L.: This is a fun place to eat at with a group of friends. We ordered the original 20 piece (I think it was around that amount?). It was pretty good, nothing super special. We expected the pieces to be larger and freaked out when we realized only 3 of us girls were hungry out of 5. Anyway, the service was fairly quick. We had no complaints. 

If you're craving for some Korean style fried chicken, and you're in the area, this place is not too shabby!
1 - jon v.: WORST SERVICE EVER!!!!!  I felt like a burden on the staff and the food was greasy, slow, and extremely overpriced.  The music was some strange asian pop stuff and scarface on TV, not acceptable ambiance for an overpriced meal.

 AWFUL, AWFUL PLACE!!!!!!!  I'd give it negative stars if I could.
5 - Sinny S.: Everyone is way too hard on this place.

Good late night snack :)
4 - Owen D.: I was very glad to finally find a real Korean style chicken place in the US. 

Their "spicy" Dak Galbi Is nice and tasty. Unfortunately, a bit on the mild side. I was hoping to find fire chicken on the menu, but no such luck.

The food was tasty, authentic (very similar to what I got in similar shops in Seoul, Busan, and. Jeju). The service was efficient and friendly.
5 - Kittiya P.: I miss going to this place with my bestie. She's not in Seattle anymore. We also went there on the weekends for soju and wings. The honey garlic ones are the best!!! I love their ddokboki as well. We'd spend about $40 in total for 2 bottles of soju and appetizers.

This place is always clean. Good service :) 

BTW they close on Mondays
1 - Camille C.: FIRST-TIMER @ a Korean Restaurant!

Going to a place called BBQ Chicken when I decided to be a pescatarian for Lent wasn't too bright of an idea for me. So needless to say, no chicken will be reviewed today. 

The food took FOREVER & the service was the worse. Came here during March Madness & the place was NOT even busy & the employees had their eye glued to the tv which was glaring btw. 

Had a Seafood Ramen type soup, the name escapes me right now but it was fine. Nothing bad or amazing about it. Some shrimp with some veggies in some spicy broth. Also tried the Seafood Pancake, it was eh. I probably wouldn't have tried it if my friend didn't get it. 

The food was okay. The service was bad. Will I be back? Nope. No sir.
3 - Annie S.: The cheese corn here is really cheesy and greasy, but that's probably what made it taste even better. I like how this place serves it on a bowl instead of the black stove thing that all other Korean bars use. I didn't get to eat that much here; I had bites of the omurice and onion rings, both of which were decent.
I also got two large AMFs (one after another) to share with others, and it was BIG but it looked like 75% ice... and it wasn't that strong... probably because the 23940932042 ice cubes watered it down. I got two small AMFs too, but the small is smaller and weaker than ones I've had at other places. If you know you can take a lot, then you should just get a large and finish it by yourself, but not my fault if you have a bad experience afterwards...
1 - Eugene O.: Stumbled upon this joint on a random evening.  I took the risk of eating here thinking it'd be a great find, but unfortunately, the risk didn't pay off....

The music blares louder than a nightclub.  For a minute, you might think it's 2 a.m. with a famed DJ on the turntables, but alas, it's daytime and you can barely make conversation with pulsating techno beats while you devour chicken wings.

Speaking of the wings, they're decent.  They have plenty of options to choose from.  As for the other dishes, they are okay.  However, the menu and servers leave everything to be desired.  

After ordering a traditional Korean tofu soup (as stated on the menu), it arrived chock full of seafood to my dismay.  I pointed out the menu didn't say it had seafood, and this dish typically doesn't come with any unless you specify.  After complaining to three different people, the manager finally came out and told me I should've asked if it had seafood before I ordered it.  He took it off the bill and we left.

Risks don't pay off sometimes, and this is a good example.
3 - Anna F.: Went here to kick off my friend's 21 run. He recieved a Birthday Midori Sour and we had some yummy yogurt soju!
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/8Mw2PtzFK1YioyzQE1wFxg?select=XhSEJQtlUhAnUTRb4tUkzA#dHihiRN9MOXzkxhk1IY39Q

BBQ Chicken - Los Angeles, CA (34.0636266, -118.4478855) (Westwood)
3 - Alexis C.: 4 for the unique and well executed taste, but sadly the super premo price brings it down to a 3.5 stars! 

My other half (nerdy geeky side) and I (fun and hip) recently went to BBQ Chicken to try some ultra new yummy FRIED CHICKEN. YUM YUM!! We've been anticipating this place with hope that it would save us the trouble of getting our G on at Popeyes in Inglewood. I'm a big fan of K pop and have always seen commercials done for this company by my beloved Wonder Girls ^_^ 

As for the interior, it is a cramped affair, not really designed for eating in. The innovative transforming packaging clearly indicates this is a takeout place. It was refreshing to see a takeout place using the box as more than.. just a box. Yea, I just devoted a paragraph to the takeout box. What, you wanna fight about it? (Guess who wrote this part)

Anyways, we got the half and half for 18.99. The price was really really steep compared to our usual drive-by in Inglewood but we were hoping that it would make up in its tantalizing crunchiness. When we got the box it was divided between half sauce and half crunchy heaven. The pieces were decently sized, but everything else about them were great - well fried in EVOO (kind of a weird claim, as my other swears by peanut oil), juicy, generous saucing without being drenched. There were a couple of sauces to choose from(Sweet & Sour, Sweet & Spicy, Extra Spicy), we got the Sweet & Spicy! ^_^  The sauce was sweet and had a bit of a kick. It was almost dead on, reminiscent of seasoned fried chicken (yangnyum tongdak) of Korea. Think of Korean sweet chili paste and you're pretty close. We also got a bit of the Extra Spicy sauce on the side. The extra spicy sauce starts out sweet but then it turns your mouth numb. There might be tears for the faint of heart. 

It was really good when it's hot and as long as it maintained its crunchiness, but as it got colder it became slight gummy in texture and it was overwhelming to my taste buds. The other side however was ULTRA YUMMY!! like the first crunch was oh so amazingly juicy and crunchy! unlike Popeyes where the chicken was bland, it had a slight smoky kick and I loveeeeeeeed it. I'm a fried chicken slut and it made me so happy!! (we're still going to couples therapy and I have to fend off hordes fried chicken johns) I was like YES!! the gods of chicken have given me the  YUMMIEST most CRUNCHIEST ULTRA scrumptuous slap your mother crunchy goodness. yeah ^_^!!!!!!!! but man oh man..that price was sure a turn off!!! *thumbs down* as much as I loved that CRUNCHY smunchy goodness and the uniquely spiced sauce, it is soooooo not worth the price. I could've raided Popeyes for that on Tuesday and fed a good chunk of the 3rd world population.
3 - Dan S.: A little pricey for fried chicken, but it's the product is grade-A.  The chicken has been tender the two times I have been so far (definitely going back), the batter is light and always crispy to the last bite--how many times have you said that about fried chicken?  Not sure if this is the Korean fried chicken of NY Times lore, but it's delicious.
4 - Gil G.: Nothing beats crispy, crunchy, moist chicken, the kind where you might press your finger against the box in hopes of getting a few extra crumbs.  Sounds like a good daydream?  You can get it here. 

Probably the harshest test of fried chicken is the next day when you try to salvage the leftovers.  Well, BBQ Chicken passed.  I had a large order from the day before and stuck a few leftover wings in the toaster oven for lunch.  It was just as yummy and more importantly, it was not greasy!  Amazing.

I recommend the sweet and spicy wings, but ask them for the sauce on the side.  Take a few bites no sauce, then some bites with lots of sauce.  This helps keep the chicken from getting too monotonous.  I liked the teri-gold wings, but didn't get the sauce on the side.  They were fantastic, but I got tired of the taste after a half dozen wings or so.  Next time, I'll ask for the sauce on the side, per my own advice!  :)



As noted by the others, this place is a bit on the pricey side.  I forget exactly, but it's about a dollar a wing.  They are pretty filling, though.  

I'll be going back to try their grilled series and will update this when I get a chance.
5 - Cameron C.: As far as fast food options go in Westwood, this is now at the top of the my list.  We have been there several times since it opened.  I think it actually improved somewhat over the visits, I assume they are tweaking things or perhaps the staff are just getting better.  

I normally don't even like anything deep fried, especially chicken, but this has been a very pleasant surprise.  The meat seems to be very high grade and nice and tender, and the batter is light and fresh.   The strips are nice too.

We've also had some of the grilled chicken and it was pretty good, the marinate was tasty.  

They have some interesting Korean-style sides which are very tasty but I can't remember their name.
2 - Maria O.: Spicy chicken sandwich: DO NOT WANT.  I ended up with this by default. The counter person got my order wrong but I took it bc I was starving. Did not look appetizing, the chicken meat was really thin and plasticy looking- WTF? it looked like play food. The sauce was spicy sweet, like honey and taco bell hotsauce mixed together, eww. plus I had to ask the girl for my change since this was $2 cheaper than my original order. IIt's not as if there were a ton of orders! Where's the Clerk lady with the glasses, she was on it!  Oh BBQ Chicken  I haz a sad.

DO NOT WANT: Spicy Chicken Sandwich, Olive Chicken is meh. 

WANT, WANT, WANT:  Teri Gold wings, Corn salad
4 - Lauren B.: I like this place a lot.  It gets 4 stars instead of 5 because of the high prices ($9 for 5 chicken pieces, or a half), and their lack of sauces.  They charged me 50 cents extra to get BBQ sauce.

But other than that, this place is awesome.  I don't normally like fried chicken, but probably since they cook it with olive oil, this isn't so greasy, and it's more crispy than most fried chicken.  It didn't make me sick like fried chicken tends to.  Their chicken comes hot and tender, and it's yummy, though not orgasmic or anything like that.

Costumer service was great, though I'm not sure if this is just because they're relatively new and are trying to attract people.  When I was hesitant about which sauce I wanted on my chicken, they let me try the sauces before I ordered.  Also, as I was eating, they randomly gave me a side of fries for free.  And the fries were good too!

So it's not anything I would write home about, but I think it's worth it.  I may come back (I don't eat out often), and I'd recommend trying it.
4 - Simon C.: ***part 2 of a 2-part epic journey into westwood's seamy underbelly to find korean food on the westsiiiiiiide.  (see also:  http://www.yelp.com/biz/gushi-los-angeles#hrid:2kTFRN4MejoowTAAXpNYiQ )***

again monopolizing on my trusty steed nero's nimbleness, i pulled up on the sidewalk and let her graze by a tree in front of bbq chicken.  as with gushi, parking in this part of westwood can be difficult.

a tiny sandwich shop turned purveyor of korean fried goodness, this location of bbq chicken is smaller, and seemed to offer a more limited menu as well.  the most popular dishes, however, are still represented:  terigold wings (teriyaki fried wings), olive chicken (regular fried chicken), extra spicy olive chicken (tossed in a spicy sauce), bb wings (sauceless spicy wings), tukkbogi (sticky rice sticks in spicy sauce).

i ordered four extra spicy olive chicken drumsticks, but then realized that unlike other locations, this bbq chicken does not have orders of just drumsticks on the menu.  the gal behind the counter and the manager ahjumma were accomodating, however, and just charged the order as a 1/2 chicken (2 breasts, leg, wing).  that seemed fair, although pricing seemed a bit steeper than i remember from the location in ktown, at $10 for a 1/2 chicken.

if you order extra spicy, be prepared for a multi-step verification process:

simonster:  extra spicy
counter gal:  are you sure?
simonster:  yes
*counter gal and ahjumma whisper to each other, glancing over at simonster periodically*
counter gal:  extra spicy?
simonster:  yes
counter gal:  ok
*waits 10 minutes. ahjumma comes out from the kitchen and whispers to counter gal again.  more glancing at simonster*
counter gal:  have you had our extra spicy sauce before?
simonster:  yes
counter gal:  ok

a few minutes later, my order was ready, i strapped it on top of my order from gushi, and navigated back out of westwood to the safety of century city.

quality of the bbq chicken was on par with the other locations.  the chicken was perfectly cooked, tender, and meaty.  the sauce has great flavor and kick.  kyochon's spicy is still my favorite korean fried chicken, but bbq chicken has always been my second-favorite, particularly given their variety.

note that the chicken is cooked to order, so be prepared to wait 10-15 minutes or call your order in ahead of time.

i'm thrilled that there is finally a korean fried chicken option on the westsiiiiide!
4 - Nok S.: Yummy place for chicken. I think this is Korean style, but the spicy is spicy. The combo comes with a tall soda size of a venti drink from Starbucks. Would try at least once. Food comes out steaming out and crispy. I prefer this place over wings and things.
5 - Christopher D.: The Olive Crispy chicken is the bomb! IMO the best right after Roscoe's and now I don't have to travel east to get my fried fixing. The best part? They use Olive Oil for frying! What more can you ask for?

And since the place is Korean owned they sell Topokki : )

Huge fan!

Place is very small so not really the best for large groups though. In this case get some to go!
4 - Donna N.: Prices are kinda steep, but oh so yummy.  I've only been here once and ordered the Teri-Gold Wings. MMMMM! So crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.

If only it was a tad cheaper or they had more specials!
2 - Chris H.: I do not understand the rave reviews. Ordered their signature olive oil fried chicken and a chicken salad. Fried chicken may have been healthier than KFC or Popeyes - but tasted half as good for double the price.  Salad was actually bad. Best analogy would be a chicken salad picked up at the grocery store pre-made.  Store was schlocky and looked quickly thrown together with a few professional signs and the rest blah. Tough location next to Sepi's Subs and a medical marajuana dispencery.  Can't think of a reason to go back.
5 - P K.: It should be noted that this place is not a barbecue place. It's a fried chicken place. I love fried chicken, and this one is good.

Their original olive chicken is both tasty and crispy. The sweet and spicy one is not really spicy, and is better when you don't let the chicken get soggy from the sauce.

Downside is, it's pretty expensive chicken.
4 - D N.: Soooooo unhealthy.....soooooooo good! haha

My gf, cousin and I ordered olive chicken and Teri-gold chicken. Both were very tasty with a great crunch and juicy meat.....We ordered 20 minutes ahead of time and got there with perfect timing to enjoy our lunch. Otherwise, I was told that if we got there and then ordered, we'd be waiting about 15 minutes until we actually ate! 

I could only dip the olive chicken in their spicy sauce twice because it was pretty friggin hot!! Anymore than that, I'd be sweatin like Shaq O'Neil at the free throw line!

The Teri-gold chicken was something different and new to me. It has a great garlic smell and was (from what I understand) deep fried twice!! Once wasn't enough, I guess haha

Thank God I do not live down there because I would probably be eating this more often than my belly would aesthetically like! 

Going again next time I'm down in Westwood! =)
4 - francis d.: I love this place. I use to frequent here at least twice a week, but now I do not have that kind of money anymore. 

Upside: Great chicken, perhaps the best I've ever had. They fry it right when you order. teri-q wings are the best . Friendly service. 

Downside: They dont open on sundays. You have to pay for additional sauce. Its quite pricey for fried chicken
4 - Alice H.: Fantabulously delicious! I was in Westwood today and remembered that Shannon K. brought home awesome spicy chicken for her roommates recently. Good thing she told me exactly what she ordered because the menu was a little overwhelming at first glance. So many chicken options that really... looked the same.

Anyway, I ordered the Crispy Chicken with Sauce - Extra Spicy ($18). The order of whole chicken fed two people for dinner and there are still leftovers for lunch tomorrow! They are not kidding with the Extra Spicy. I also bought a side of kimchi, which complemented the flavors really well. With sauce on the side, the chicken can survive fairly long commutes without getting soggy.

Sure it's pricey, but it blows KFC out of the water. I spotted spicy dukbokki on the menu too - must try! I'd definitely come back.. just not on a Sunday (they're closed!).
1 - Alex H.: Basically the same batter as KFC Extra Crispy with Korean Spicy Bean Paste...FAIL
3 - Julia K.: Pretty good, but definitely overpriced. I understand that being located in Westwood can prove to be pricey for the establishment, but please think twice. Westwood is a place for college students. College students are poor. I'm poor. I enjoy food less when they're overpriced. =\

Anyway, my Korean roommate wanted to take me to try this place for their incredibly delicious sauce and that is exactly what it was. It was pretty good...these people know how to cook and dress chicken. 

There is very limited seating so try to go at a not-so-busy time.
3 - Ian L.: I paid $7.67 for four Teri-Q Gold Wings (DELICIOUS), fries, and a soda. It is as people say: pretty overpriced, especially when it is still considered fast food. I also have to point out that the wings do not have a lot of meat on them and there was a good amount of batter, even if it was delicious. But I know I definitely get more chicken off my wings from a Chili's or Hooters. I would say that it gets a four star rating for taste but loses a star for the prices and portions. What a shame.

While I was paying for my meal, the owner came out and actually pointed out some of their current specials which might make the exuberant prices less painful. My recommendations for this place would be to go for just the meat if anything else and even with the prices I'll definitely be back, but only for special occasions and cravings.
4 - Kim l.: They fry their chicken in olive oil so I guess it is sort of healthy...maybe. Teriyaki fried chicken is better than the regular fried chicken. Corn salad was pretty good, kimchi was sour (not the good type of sour) and the fries were good (or maybe I was just really hungry). Teriyaki fried chicken leftovers microwaved is still tasty. Tip: Don't try to make small talk with the cashier lady. She will not laugh.
3 - Anthony N.: My annoyance for Westwood's mediocre food options wanes as I take a bite of crispy KFC chicken fried in a fragrant olive oil.  

I've had many conversations about Westwood's need for better and more exciting cuisine selections.  I think this was my sisters attempt to assuage me with my one weakness.  FRIED CHICKEN.

She knows, and I know, that I am a chicken slut.

I would trade my "virginity" for a two-piece and some potato salad.  

I was told about this Korean Fried Chicken Chain and I was intrigued.  KFC?  Lol acronyms and irony kill me.  Cooked to order, there is definitely a flavor advantage as well as a time detriment.  If you're in a rush, this is definitely not the place to stop and eat.  The idea of cooked to order fried chicken is great in concept.  But in execution, there needs to be a better way around the long wait for some chicken.  

So here's a tip, stop off and order your food, and then by the time you find parking (westwood parking is a pain) your food will be ready and waiting for you.  However don't wait too long, this chicken is not good cold...Let me say that again, this chicken is not good cold.  You have to eat it right away, no leftover cold chicken action out of this food.  Its not good later.  

Don't get it twisted, the chicken here is awesomely good.  But the wait is so long sometimes that it detracts from the food.  Everything else here is frivolous and unnecessary, the fries were kind of gag worthy so I just pushed them aside.  So many other more gratifying carbs to consume, so little time.    

Food:  I ordered the two piece special for $8, a bit more expensive but if you have the time, definitely worth it.  My sister order the wings in one of the sauces.  It was pretty good, but it was kind of a small portion of food, if I had ordered that I would have been hungry still.  

Service:  Overly attentive, I guess the asian guy behind the counter was bored and socially awkward.  He was really attentive to the point where I just wanted to say to him "chill out dude, i'm good.  go about yo' business, I'm good."

Price:  Its a bit expensive for fried chicken, especially considering this place is "fast" (not so fast) food.  But that chicken is darn crispy when its hot, so I'll probably be back since its so close, to scratch my FRIED CHICKEN itch.  (I get them once a month, although I hear there's a patch where I only have to get it 3 times a year..lol)

3.5 stars for the effort
*Let me reiterate this just once more*
Do not let this chicken get cold, eat it hot, because once it gets cold it loses its magically deliciousness about it.  KFC= Korean Fried Chickeny Awesomeness

The wait may be long, but sometimes things in life are worth waiting for.  :)
3 - Anh T.: Never had Korean chicken before but this was good in comparison to our homeland version. Crispy and tender chicken that was not too greasy. We also ordered topoki, a saucy plate of some chewy doughy stuff, similar to the texture of mochi. 

The lack of stars were due to the long wait (made to order), the cramped space, and the not being able to get more than one itsy container of sauce. Let's get it straight - it's bbq sauce, not Michael Jackson's sweat.
3 - Jeff M.: Normally I am scared off by the prices for the chicken here, but I stopped by here finally because I am about to graduate and  won't have another chance to try this place out. 

I ordered 6 BBQ and 6 Teri-Q wings, which came out to be $12.06 after tax, basically a dollar a wing. The main reason I can only give this place 3 stars is due to the wings not being worth a dollar each. They were deliciously juicy and crispy that Korean fried chicken is advertised to be, but they were also somewhat scrawny little things with just "enough" meat so I didn't feel completely ripped off. After about 9 of them, they began to taste a little bit salty to me as well so make sure you have something to drink ready!

My last advice if you want to check this place out is to make sure you have the time, because this is not fast food fried chicken. They fry it when you order it, which can take up to 15 minutes. But calling ahead will reduce that delay, and still present you with some fresh, delicious, but quite small chicken wings.
4 - Bryan A.: juicy chicken
busy neighborhood during lunch
juicy chicken
kimchi, mu, and korean owners
juicy olive chicken

worth it if youre in the neighborhood. a bit healthier tasting chicken i think
4 - Alyflor N.: I'm a fan! I would definitely go here again. It's the best fried chicken I've ever had lol.  Well, me and my sister ordered their chicken strips and BB wings.  Can I say mmmMmm!! hahaha...

Well, I guess they cook everything in olive oil... Their chicken has so much flavor. And it's so tender, and NOT dry. I'm filipino by the way, and I like how they serve steamed white rice as a side for the order :-) Win!

Their BB wings were pretty spicy.  I like spicy food, so I probably didn't notice how spicy it actually really was :p. Anyway, I would definitely go here again! And recommend that you try it out too!...Oh one more thing, they don't make the food until you order it, so it's about a 10-15 minute wait for your food to be ready.
3 - Diego E.: No doubt, there's a shortage of fried-chicken places on the Westside.  This place aims to fill that void.  

The regular bone-in chicken here was pretty good (the olive-oil frying gives it a unique flavor), but the boneless strips seemed to be regularly undercooked (especially the thicker ones) and stomach-ache inducing.  Ever the optimist when it comes to potentially tasty food, I know the strips have potential, and even requested that they cook the strips a little longer when I gave them a second try, but I'm not sure if they actually heeded that request, since it did not seem to help.   

If you're just getting a small order, they do take a while, since they only cook the chicken fresh upon ordering, so calling ahead is a good idea.
1 - Seth C.: The chicken is pretty decent, but seriously overpriced. Each dish is $3-$4 more expensive than it should be. They also charge you extra for everything, from more than 1 oz of sauce for 4 pieces of chicken to use of my check card. The extra debit charges don't apply if you run a check card through as credit, but they still wanted me to pay for the privilege of accepting my payment. 
I love fried chicken, but i could buy an entire chicken at other quality places for the same price you get a few wings from BBQ Chicken.
1 - danielle s.: I agree with a lot of the reviewers here. it's KFC chicken with korean spicy sauce. (did I tell you they charge you $.25 for the sauce too?) 
they overcharge for everything. I paid 7-8 bucks for 4 pieces of chicken strips. and one time my friends and I ordered family meal for 3, paid about $35 bucks...
sure they use "olive oil" and the chicken is not too bad, but they are not "Best of the Best Quality" . i'd rather go to KFC if there is one in westwood. but so far, this is the only fried chicken place in westwood.
4 - Michael F.: This place has possibly the most unoriginal name I have encountered at a restaurant. It would be the equivalent of naming a hamburger joint 'Cheeseburger' or a pizza place 'Pepperoni Pizza'. The strangest part of the name is that they don't even specialize in BBQ Chicken. Their specialty is really Fried Chicken, and it just happens to be delicious. 

When I ate here today I ordered the "Special Combo #2", which consisted of 5 fried chicken tenderloins, a side (of which I ordered fries), and a fountain drink. The food was EXTREMELY hot when it was served to me, which really was the only down side of the meal. I had to patiently wait for my food to cool down before I could dig in. Once I was able to eat, I thoroughly enjoyed both the chicken and the fries. Each piece of chicken was plump, juicy, and not overly fried. It had a slight olive oil taste to it, which I liked because it was not too overpowering. The fries were just standard looking fries, but tasted great. Besides the food, the staff were extraordinarily attentive and friendly. I enjoyed everything about the meal. 

BBQ Chicken is a great place to go if you are looking for fried chicken fast. I would definitely recommend it to my friends that love fried chicken, and I am sure I will be back soon for more. The name may be strange, but the chicken is good!
1 - David C.: So my work wanted to do a BBQ lunch to celebrate the end of a marketing campaign.  My boss asked me to get the BBQ chicken.  I searched for BBQ chicken online and to my delight I found a place actually called BBQ chicken.  I thought to myself, awesome that was easy.  And I'm happy because I love BBQ chicken and based on the name of there store (BBQ chicken), I'm thinking it's probably there specialty. So, I called them to order 30 pieces of BBQ chicken. After calling and having an extremely labored conversation with someone who barely spoke English, I finally completed my order of 30 pieces of BBQ chicken.  My boss then went to go pick up the BBQ chicken only to find out that the chicken was not actually BBQ'd but FRIED instead.  Apparently what makes BBQ chicken to a restaurant that is called BBQ chicken is FRIED chicken with sides of BBQ sauce that you can dip the FRIED chicken into.  Needless to say, this was completely unacceptable and just plain ridiculous.  On top of that the Fried chicken was completely dry and tasteless.  It almost seemed like the chicken was fried the day before, stored, and then fried again.  So if you are looking for a restaurant with employees who can't communicate, and owners who apparently have no idea what BBQ chicken is then this is the perfect place for you.  I am sure you will enjoy your "BBQ chicken" from "BBQ Chicken"... 
P.S.  30 pieces of chicken cost over 60 dollars...
4 - Christine H.: I sure love me some fried olive oil chicken!

My god, this place is awesome! If you're in the mood for a quick fix of some delicious fried chicken, then this place is definitely worth checking out. Yes, the prices could be better, but I forget about that every time I take a bite into the fresh, right-out-of-the-fryer hot, CRISPY chicken that is light but flavorful. It just melts in your mouth. Add a thing of honey mustard sauce and you're golden.

I've only ordered the regular fried chicken and the chicken strips, which I got with fries once and coleslaw another time.

It's no KFC. It's MUCH better...thank you olive oil.
3 - Seema U.: For some reason, I was really craving some chicken so I decided to give this place a try.

I wanted boneless "strips" so I was going to order the 4 piece tenderloins special. The girl at the counter told me that I could get the same thing, but with 5 pieces, for the same price as a "Special Combo" so I took up her offer for the free piece.

My order came with a drink and a side (I got the corn salad). It took a little long for "fast food," around 15 minutes so if you don't want to wait, call ahead. 

It was relatively good, crispy on the outside and with a good flavor from the olive oil. I think for almost $10 with tax (50 cent fee for debit cards), I may would expect more, but it definitely wasn't terrible. The corn salad was interesting, tossed in some sort of mayo/almost coleslaw like dressing. I found myself continuing to eat it despite not necessarily liking it. 

Basically, if you want decent fried chicken and don't feel like going to KFC, this is your place. (Don't expect BBQ chicken because they don't really have any)
2 - Lauren O.: Ate here agin today with co-workers, the chicken seemed more well seasoned (I was going to raise my rating), but the lunch specials are gone (guess not!). Still piping hot though!
3 - Joe G.: I stopped by this place for lunch on my way to class the other day.  I tried the spicy grilled chicken and it was pretty good.  I don't normally eat chicken thigh but I am trying to open my mind and figured I would just roll with it.  The sauce was tasty.  My meal came with a green salad and steamed rice.  All in all, everything was okay.  The place is very clean and the service was fine.  I don't like paying a .50 cent fee to use my debit card but did appreciate that they took cards.
4 - Angela K.: BBQ stands for "Best of the Best Quality" NOT barbeque... This is a franchise from south Korea and I had high hopes because I've been craving this korean-style chicken they sell, which I had on my first trip in Korea back in 2005. 

For this place, I HIGHLY recommend Menu #5 "Cripsy Chicken with Sauce" DEFINITELY choose the "sweet and sour" sauce. I know the sweet and sour doesn't sound that good, especially because that totally not what I thought they would name it in English either.. so yes, please NOTE, this sweet and sour sauce is NOT the same as in the sweet and sour sauce used for sweet and sour pork at Panda Express or something. I don't know why they named it sweet and sour but in Korean it's "yang yum" flavor. Try this flavor and you won't regret!

Don't forget to order Sweet Radish Pickles, which is a MUST side with this yangyum (sweet n sour) chicken!!

yuuuuum :9
4 - Justin S.: This chicken was great! I suggest calling ahead, as a few others suggested. Not that it takes super long, but about 15 mins. once you order. I got the Chicken w/ sauce (sweet and sour) the only thing I would request next time is to go a little lighter on the sauce. I will definitely be adding this to my lunch rotation.
5 - Jessica L.: 4 piece combo, dark meat only with a small of the EXTRA SPICE SAUCE ^____^ its good man. juicy and fresh! RAWR!
4 - Yangmun C.: Ordered:
Whole (18 piece) Fried Chicken w/ Extra Spicy Sauce
It's pretty good for yang yum chicken. It's pretty spicy, so watch the heck out. Not the BEST yang yum chicken, but it is yang yum chicken.

Cost:
$24 - Split between two people. If you do take out, you don't have to pay tip, but we ate in.

Overall:
Pretty small store, good yang yum bul-dalk. You should order delivery or take out for best convenience.

I think there's parking behind the store, but in Westwood, parking sucks about 95% of the time.
5 - Soph P.: Firstly, I don't think barbeque should be tagged because they don't serve barbeque.  Instead they are BEST of BEST QUALITY. 

The most devastating part about graduating UCLA and moving out of Westwood is parting with my favorite fried chicken eatery.  Nothing beats this chicken.  And nothing beats their EXTRA SPICY SAUCE. It's gooey, yummy, just the right amount of sweet, right amount of spicy, deliciousness, rager in my mouth, after party in my belly.  I buy the bigger size to take home and I put it on everything I cook.  

Although I've had everything on the menu, my go-to meal are the chicken tenders.  This location doesn't have the nuggets or biscuits.  They're delivery service can be kind of ridiculous so it's probably best calling in your order for pick up.  But they do deliver to campus landmarks like the flagpole.  Sometimes they don't get your order over the phone correct but honestly, everything is so delicious I don't care what they give me.
3 - Tommy L.: Korean fried chicken. REALLY expensive Chicken. What makes it different than the other fried chicken out there, i.e. kfc(kentucky fried chicken) is the texture and flavor. They also fry their chicken in olive oil which does taste healthier than KFC. I ordered the teri-wings and they were the bomb. They aren't tiny pieces either. I ordered the six piece to go for lunch and it filled me up pretty quick. The only thing that I dislike is the wait, but hey at least it means its fresh right? or i hope...
4 - Justin L.: Awesome Korean fried chicken that tastes less MSG-laden than Kyochon. Super crispy yet light batter. I like it plain or with the sweet/sour sauce. If you didn't think Koreans could do fried chicken... well, don't forget, Asians practically invented deep frying! I really don't taste any olive oil in the supposed olive oil they supposedly use to fry, but it's a nice thought all the same.

BBQ Chicken is not cheap (for fried chicken), and you have to wait a while. So it's not really a good choice if you're in a hurry. But if you have the time, it's some gorgeous grub.
3 - Peter C.: Stumbled upon this place, and was very intrigued by the pictures and menu hanging outside.  I'll keep this short.  I ordered the 5 piece lunch special and waited a while for my food.  When I cut into the first piece of fried chicken, a huge cloud of steam rushed out.  Good indication that it was cooked fresh, which is always nice.  They give you a few choices for sides, but since I'm having fried chicken, I thought I should get a salad and at least attempt to eat healthy.

So I liked the way the chicken tasted, except the chicken isn't very crispy or crunchy on the outside.  Otherwise, the chicken is seasoned nicely, goes well with the sauce that they give you, and is moist on the inside.  So it's kind of a minor compliant, but if you're gonna spend the calories on fried chicken, I do like it a tad cruchy.  3 stars!
4 - Malcolm H.: Didnt expect much based on the apearance but it was surprisingly very good!!!
1 - Russell I.: I had the worst first experience with this restaurant.  I ordered delivery a block away due to my short break and ordered over an hour before it being delivered. The lady on the phone told me 20 mins. 45 mins later i call back asking where my food was and the guy told me my receipt with my credit card number was lost...so when my food was delivered, i asked if i was compensated in anyway for the delay of my food and them losing my credit card number and the lady just looked at me with a look and said thank you and bounced...

the food was a lot but i also paid 12 dollars which was i believe a bit over priced for chicken tenders, fries, and a coke. If i knew the food wasnt going to be great i wouldve just bought his at burger king and i probably wouldve been more satisfied. Never ordering here again.
4 - Katherine W.: Such great comfort food! And they fry their chicken in 100% olive oil which makes me feel a bit less guilty for stuffing my face! 

I LOVE their extra spicy fried chicken! Unlike most  other places, their extra spicy chicken is actually SPICY and after eating a couple pieces you'll definitely want to have that iced water ready! Don't order it with sauce on the side, it's 10X better when the chicken is DRENCHED in the sauce even though this may not be the healthier option! We've also tried their teri-gold chicken which was sweet and garlicy and very flavorful! If you like spicy though, I'd definitely still recommend the extra spicy chicken! 

As for their delivery service, we've had both good and bad experiences. The first time we ordered delivery was on a rainy day-- it took them FOREVER to find our place! Literally over an hour! Apparently she was waiting around the corner for a while before she decided to call us. When she finally found us she seemed very annoyed and upset and was ranting in Korean to someone in the store, probably notifying them that she finally found us! The next couple times we've ordered delivery though, things have gone much more smoothly and our chicken arrived piping hot and ready to be devoured!
4 - Shening S.: I loooove korean style chicken with the special sauce or yang nyum chicken as they call it. I've had kyochon before and it's good...the only problem is that when you deep fry...things tend to shrink, so when you order your wings all you get is skin and bones...not much meat = no bueno

at bbq it is a lil pricey...BUT their chicken is nice, plump  with a lot meat on the bone and not so fried that theres not much to munch on. YEEEEAH~~ not oily at all! (yes, it's possible with fried chicken) the skin is nice, light and crispy and the meat is tender and juicy. 

I got the teriyaki but I wanna try the original olive oil style. 

They make everything to order so it kind of takes a while...
1 - alex d.: for real this place is bad.

sweet and hot sauce tastes like the generic out of bottle stuff from supermarkets.  pretty disappointing.

also expensive.  $9 for wing, drum, thigh, and 1/3 breast.. yeah 1/3.  and they use midget chickens here apparently.

on the other hand the $9 meal does come with a drink, and what looks to be 3/4lb of fries.. too bad the fries aren't any good.

tried the pickled radish too, not bad, but extremely sweet.

so the food isn't good and its expensive.  

kfc all day.
3 - Da-Sol K.: I normally don't enjoy chicken, but the Korean style marinated chicken is something I would die for. 

There's another BBQ chicken off Vermont + 6th (or was it 8th?) vicinity and that is one of my favorite places to dine at. I was expecting a similar experience when I first learned of this place.

I don't know if the owners are lazy and take UCLA patrons for granted, but nothing about this place made me say "wow." Granted, the food was more or less what I've come to expect, but the ambiance and service has been below my expectations. No, I am not saying this just to be a douchy pretentious prick, but I just felt that something was lacking...I've been here thrice and I've yet to change my mind.

The fact that I am fluent in Korean didn't somehow improve the overall service, which is an oddity considering how that's not usually the case at other Korean established places.

4 stars for food, 2 stars for service & ambiance...3 overall.
4 - Jon F.: good stuff. I'd say the garlic wings rival kyo-chon
4 - Lana T.: This place is DELICIOUS! I tried this place out with fellow yelper Elisha G. and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We ordered the olive fried chicken w/extra spicy sauce on the side as well as the crispy fried chicken combo doused in extra spicy sauce. For some reason, you can order 5 pieces of the olive fried chicken, but you can only order 9 pieces of the crispy fried chicken--I don't get why they don't offer smaller portions of the latter!

We were definitely surprised by how delicately crunchy the skin was, how perfectly sweet and spicy the extra spicy sauce was, and how fresh, juicy, and tender the chicken was. We also got complimentary ranch dressing that the waitress claimed they usually charge for. Who knows if that's true, but the extra spicy sauce + ranch = heaven.

Our entire meal was basically punctuated by our alternating "mmmm"s for maybe half an hour straight. I don't really like chicken but I loved this place. I'm kicking myself for not trying it sooner and the fact that they do delivery is definitely going to make me gain 10 pounds. Also, you'll want to finish everything as soon as you get it, because it's just not the same a few hours later.

It seems kind of weird to me that they're trying to go for a sit down ambiance, when it's definitely more of a place where you should just order at the counter and then take the food to your seat, especially since the place has maybe all of 6 tables. There isn't really much service either; you just go up and ask when you need something. I guess they're just trying to go for tip. The wait is approximately 15 minutes when they're not busy, so if you're in a rush, it might be a good idea to call ahead ~20 minutes beforehand.

And yeah, it's pretty expensive at $11 for 5 pieces of fried chicken. There's a decent amount of meat, and it's Westwood, but it vaguely feels like a ripoff. Still, it's delicious and served fresh and piping hot. They do have other dishes as well as sides, but I would recommend going for the chicken only. My friend ordered the corn salad and was definitely not a fan.

How do they do it? Korean fried chicken is truly the "best of best quality."
5 - Elisha G.: Best of the Best Quality! 

Yes, I am actually going to give it 5 stars, bc of just how happy it made me :)  I hardly ever give 5 stars but this ranks so high on my happiness factor! 

The crunch on this chicken is amazing. You can hear it with every bite you take. I'm still thinking about it now... My friend and I ordered the olive fried chicken and a crispy fried chicken combo, both with the extra spicy sauce. The extra spicy sauce is actually spicy, so that was great!!!  The combo came with the sauce tossed, and the other with it on the side. I think tossed is definitely the way to go though. In lieu of talking to my friend, I just kept MmMming and yumming and grunting!

Aside from the chicken, I have a few issues with this place. I'm not sure why they aren't just an "order and pay at the front" establishment. It's like a sit down place where they actually come take your order and bring you the check, but it really would make much more sense to have it the other way. Secondly, the corn salad side I had was not appetizing. I didn't really mind, but next time I'll probably order just the chicken. 

Overall, I'm so happy I finally tried this place. It makes me smile just to think about. 

Goodbye skinny jeans and helllloooo BBQ delivery!!!
3 - Andrew M.: Korean fried chicken.

Different from your usual fried chicken.

But just as good.

Chicken itself is crispy and tasty. The sauces are greaaaaaat.

4 star so far.

...

Problem? The pricing. Its kinda expensive. Only a once in a while treat.

Too bad BBQ Chicken. :|
3 - Andrew M.: Thus began our quest to each chicken each friday.

Ordered one of the family packs to make it worth it for four people, and that way we got to try a bunch of different things.

I liked the teriyaki flavored wings the best. 

While the other chicken varieties were done well, they just weren't captivating enough to make me want more.
5 - Jason C.: I went here with a friend for lunch, having heard good things about this place, and was definitely not disappointed. We ordered the crispy chicken with extra spicy sauce (9 pieces for $10) and the chicken strips meal with fries and a drink ($8), as well as two additional sides (kimchi for $1.50 and pickled radish for $0.50). 

The spicy sauce was amazing, probably the first actually spicy food that I have had at a restaurant for the past 6 months - I would probably come back just for that! Both kinds of chicken were piping hot, tender and moist on the inside with a crunchy outer layer. The fries were mediocre, but after the UCLA Medical Center ban on french fries, it's nice to know that it's still a free country. I'm not into kimchi and radish but I guess they were okay, it tasted like Koreans. The quantity was also huge, and between my friend and I we had enough to reheat it for dinner!

Overall I think this may be the best place to eat in Westwood - $25 for 4 meals is not bad, especially for the best of the best quality chicken! If  you have ever seen the show Breaking Bad, this place is like Los Pollos Hermanos - a quiet place you can easily get deals done in, with creepy waitstaff, and that serves unreasonably good chicken. I don't know why it's not more crowded.
5 - Ceejay C.: They have this funny phrase on the wall inside BBQ Chicken.. goes something like.. "when they found out the chicken was actually good, they came back for more.."  That's how I feel about this place now.. and the more I go, the more I like it!  I'm a fan of the chicken strip sandwich that comes with their amazing!! honey mustard sauce.  And we often order the terigold I think it's called? sweet and spicy, and regular fried chicken.  
Still can't get over how their chicken is cooked so well.. unbelievably juicy on the inside and super crispy on the outside.  Don't know how they do it, but it's delicious!!  The price is more than what you'd pay at, let's say, KFC, but it's well worth it, folks!  :D
4 - Jennifer R.: This place does not disappoint.  The portions are really big so you definitely get your monies worth and the chicken is so good!  The variety of sauces have an Asian flare and range from sweet to extra spicy.  The sides are not very exciting and the fries were kind of "meh" but the place is called "the Best of the Best Quality Chicken" for a reason and the chicken does steal the show.
5 - Jon K.: Disclaimer: this review presupposes that money ain't no thang (cuz this place is good...but it sure ain't cheap!). 

BBQ Chicken...DON'T think of this as "barbeque chicken" (like sweet hickory bbq chicken southern style...). This is B-B-Q Chicken...aka, Korean-style FRIED Chicken at its finest!

During my finals week at UCLA, I had BBQ chicken at least 3 times. The first was to celebrate finishing one of the finals for one of my classes (semi-legitimate celebration). The second was to "celebrate" my FRIEND finishing one of HIS finals (I know...a bit of a stretch). And the third time was for...well...heck! I just wanted to get BBQ Chicken! 

Their signature item (and arguably the only one worth getting) is the Teri Q Gold wing. Don't mess around with the sides or anything else really...Teri Q or bust. They simply have the most amazing batter...perfectly crispy...packed full with flavor...salty, sweet, and succulent...just writing this review is making me crazy for these wings...

Again. These aren't cheap. They go for about a $1/wing...and they're not that big...but oh are they worth it!
4 - Erin H.: Their banner says that (loose translation) "The taste of our chicken is straight from Korea!" And INDEED IT IS! I studied abroad there for 7 months last year, and the chicken in Westwood is just as delicious as the fried chicken in Korea. The only thing missing here is the 500cc of beer to drink with your chicken.

It's definitely not as cheap as chicken in Korea, but I still think it's worth it for that taste of the motherland. Can't exactly remember what I tried, but everything on the menu is legit. I def remember getting the pickled radish (mu) as a side, which is a MUST-HAVE if you're gonna eat it the authentic Korean style haha
4 - Lois K.: Love how their olive oil fried chicken is super crispy (yummmm) and doesn't feel oily or greasy. 

I shared the 3 person family combo for $30, which was pretty worth it considering how stuffed the 3 of us were and that we were able to pack home a few pieces. That included 10 pc of original chicken, 3 pc strips, 6 pc wings and large fries. Since the family combos all come with 2L soda, we asked if we could switch that for 3 fountain drinks and they were nice about it and said it was fine. 

If I go back myself in the future, I would go for their lunch combos, which are around $7 or $8, which is pretty good for Westwood.
4 - Jay M.: $8.99 for 5 LARGE pieces of chicken tenders, a side, and a drink.  The chicken was crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside.  I'm coming back if I ever feel like filling my belly with healthy protein. 

The downsides - they make their food to each order, so it can take 15-20 minutes for your food to be ready.  It might be a good idea to call ahead of time to make your order.  It's a also $1-$2 more than your average lunch prices around town.
4 - Melissa W.: Wow! The husband and I passed by here one afternoon after a trip to In-n-Out...and he almost fainted with excitement...Korean B.B.Q chicken!!! He insisted that we make the trip out there to sample BBQ Chickens version of this. So probably not even a week later we were inside the super small restaurant...looking at the menu. He wanted to go for 10 pieces to split (drumsticks) and I thought he was crazy...I told him we should split the 4 piece combo for $10.00 (call me frugal...the prices here are kind of steep for chicken) So we settled on the 4 piece which came in a sauce...with a side and a drink all for $10.00 . We opted for the sweet and spicy sauce and fries as our side. We sat down and waited....and waited.....and waited a little bit longer. One can't really complain about the wait though...they are cooking your chicken fresh to order...and the wait is oh-so worth it. When our meal finally arrived the server also brought out a corn salad type of side...very much like potato salad...but without potatoes. It was kind of refreshing after the bites of fried food we ate. The chicken comes coated in the sauce...and its still crispy even though its covered in sauce. Ok...so its my first experience with korean fried chicken but its super tasty... I now understand why the hubby wanted to order 10 pieces...4 pieces between the two of us was not enough...should have (and will next time) ordered more. Its hard to justify the price, but its not like KFC or any other chain fried chicken places. I will be back considering how close it is, how fresh, hot and juicy the chicken is, and my husbands addiction to it haha.
3 - Karen E.: The chicken was good (crispy and not oily) and the fries were ok (no seasoning or anything). It took a really long time to make my order which I liked because that meant it was made fresh BUT it took up so much of my lunch hour I felt like I was rushing through my meal. It's best to call in your order.
The place is also really small so if you wanted to go with a group of friends I would not recommend it.
 I'm not sure about going back just bc it was really expensive for some chicken and fries. And they charge to pay with your card
4 - Owen T.: I LOVE Korean fried chicken. The olive oil fried chicken is crispy, not too oily and super tasty. I got the lunch special with a couple pieces of chicken, fries and some hot tea (glad they offered this to us since it was a cold day).
For me, the price is the only bad thing I can say about this place. Almost $13 for a fried chicken meal, ouch.
1 - David S.: Asked if they deliver to my address, about 5 minutes away. They said yes. Spent 10 minutes getting big order right. Said 40 minutes for them to deliver. 20 minutes later they called and said they didn't deliver to my address, Disappointing.

As Linus says, "Don't get your stomach set for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich until you're sure there's some peanut butter,"
3 - Kristina K.: Jen B. and I were absolutely CRAVING something super crispy during our finals week and were 1) too lazy to drive somewhere and 2) too hungry! 

After about an hour of going back and forth about what to eat and where to get it, we decided on BBQ Chicken right in Westwood. It was ideal because it was a very short walking distance and we didn't have to sit in terrible LA traffic to get there. 

BBQ Chicken is a pretty small place - rather cramped but luckily there wasn't many people inside eating. We wanted to get our order to go so it would be more comfortable eating. On the online menu, there was PLENTY of options to choose - different flavors of chicken wings, salads, sandwiches, etc. However, when we arrived to the place...there were only 2 options for chicken wings. Spicy or teriyaki garlic chicken. Hm, that's weird. Whatever. We were hungry and just wanted our food!

Jen B. ordered the spicy hot plain chicken wings. I ordered the teriyaki garlic chicken wings. An order of 6 is around $6-7. We waited about 20-25 minutes for our wings - the wait was agonizing for my stomach.

When we finally received our orders we jogged home and ripped open the bag and carton. We ate in silence due to our hunger and carelessness for conversation. 

Crispy. Delicious. Hot. Flavorful. That is all I can say. 


I steered clear of fried foods for a while after that.
4 - Tej S.: At first glance, this place may seem to have pricey chicken, but do not let that fool you. Their sweet and spicy sauce chicken is incredible. Freshly made, piping hot, and very savory. I notice not many people are talking when we are eating chicken from BBQ Chicken. I don't know about everyone else, but talking would limit your ability to experience the food fully. This place is great. Highly recommended for UCLA Westwood grub.
2 - Chris L.: This BBQ chicken is NOT as good as the one in Irvine. The BBQ chicken in Irvine is some of the best fried chicken I've ever had. When I saw there was a BBQ Chicken, I was soo excited. Unfortunately, the chicken I got at this location was overly greasy and dry. The batter here isn't crispy and seasoned like the one they use in Irvine - I could taste the flour and it was bendy. After my first disappointing experience, I even went back two more times to see if I just initially got a flukey batch.. I gotta say, the chicken was consistently disappointing. Probably won't be going back to this BBQ Chicken.
5 - Gabe W.: If you're from Nor-Cal, this place will bring back joyful memories of 99 Chicken in San Jose.  BBQ Chicken is a quaint domicile devoted to the breading of ground birds, slowly lowered into a vat of bubbling olive oil.  The delicious fatty heat sears not only skin and meat, but also glory into every fiber of what was once a noble yet ignorant large breasted animal with a brain of sunflower seed proportions.

Hark! The first bite into crispy crunchiness of fried batter brings waves of pleasure to your taste buds.  BUT WHAT IS THIS? The sweet sweet former living flesh is juicy,  moist, and not at all dry?!  PREPOSTEROUS!!!

You haven't had good fried chicken til you've tried this place.  You'll spit out KFC, Church's, and other such rubbish after a taste of this heavenly morsel.  My only complaint is the lack of spiciness of their "extra-spicy" chicken.  C'mon.  This place is run by Koreans, we know you can turn up the fuego.  Or add some Sriracha bottles to the tables.

They also deliver now if you order above $20 (CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. EASILY DONE!).  It's like having a personal gateway to obesity and cardiovascular failure at your fingertips!

TL;DR Bwack buck buck buck...buck buck...buck? ~TSSSSSSSSS~ BUCKAAWWW!!!!! BUCKAWWWW!!!! BUCKAWWWW!!!! BUCK-...... For childrens version, replace all chicken noises with "peep"!
2 - Christine C.: Sticky and hot inside, just like their food. Online menu differs from what the Westwood location offers. Fried chicken is alright... despite it taking them some time to prepare it for you. Their spicy isn't really that spicy, and is more of a sweet spicy rather than any salty chili taste. Salad was kinda limpy but the grilled chicken was decent. Everything else... ughhh....

Also... I didn't feel very good the next day. So chicken eaters, beware.
4 - Ada L.: I came here a few times back when I was in grad school and was living in Westwood. Each time we came here, my bf and I ordered more food than we should've, but always ended up eating it all. We were in the area recently, and opted to eat dinner at BBQ Chicken.

We ordered the half and half combo. The fried chicken was very tasty, had just the right amount of crisp, and wasn't too oily. We also liked  the fried chicken w/ sweet and spicy sauce. The sauce enhanced the flavor of the chicken without making the chicken too soggy.

Street parking is always a pain around that area, but this time we managed to find a spot on the same block as the restaurant.

We don't eat here often because the food isn't cheap. However, it's worth the price given the taste and quality of the food. If you live in the area, I recommend ordering food from here at least once!
3 - Joey C.: Ambiance: Fast food type feel. Maybe a little nicer. We went there when it was really busy and crowded. Had to wait 10-15 minutes to be seated and took another 10-15 minutes for our food to come out. Very small place, but cozy.

Food: Had olive crisp chicken, fries, chicken kalbee, rice, teri q chicken. Everything just tasted normal to me. Nothing special. Olive crisp chicken just tasted like fried chicken with very little seasoning. Fries were normal. Chicken kalbee just tasted like kimchi fried rice. Teri q chicken was pretty good. Not super sweet or spicy. Just right, but again it was nothing spectacular.

Service: Nothing to complain about here. Really nice people there. Very courteous and caring, but they need to make better food.

Overall: Been here a few times and I won't be going back. There is just nothing special for me. I would recommend others to try it because they do cook everything in olive oil and that made me feel a little healthier.
4 - Elaine W.: Koreans really know how to make good fried chicken :) Came here with a friend a couple of weeks ago and we got 4 pieces of the yangnyeom chicken with the radish and some kimchi. The chicken is so deliciously crispy despite being drenched with the sauce. The olive oil flavor takes a little getting used to but it is so delicious. Make sure you get the sweet pickled radish with your chicken because they go so well together, no joke. The guy working at the counter was very friendly and nice. After we finished eating I ordered a six piece of the bb wings to go and ate it later; they were good but I wouldn't get them again. I have also tried the ddeokbokki and it is very good but pretty expensive for the amount that you get. Try this place if you're around Westwood and are craving fried chicken! The only cons are the high price and small portions and a long wait time (but that's because they dont make it till you order it :))
5 - Tiffany N.: Absolutely love this place! By far the best chicken wings I have ever tasted.

Although it is a bit pricey for chicken wings, its well worth it! The olive spicy chicken wings are what I'm talking about! The wings are juicy and lots of flavor packed into each wing and drumstick. Crispy, spicy, and satisfyingly good. And not as oily as I thought it would be. They aren't tiny-sized like Wingstop's chicken, they are bigger. The side dish that I always get with the wings are the spicy topokki. A nice addition to the chicken. After eating it, I always crave for more afterwards.
3 - Hunter L.: Each chain does not taste the same (Westwood or Koreatown). This one (westwood) wins. limited seating and close to impossible to find parking but its near UCLA so what do you expect. Be sure to order 'ddukbokki' (spicy rice cake) to compliment your chicken. :)
4 - Jamie S.: Been to other BBQ Chickens and this one is kinda small but it's good for either sit in or take out. I was craving chicken wings and their teriyaki chicken wings hit the spot!! Bottom line: chickens amazing!
4 - Lillian Z.: I remember when BBQ chicken first opened, I was so confused by the name. How can you call yourself a BBQ chicken place if there are no barbecue chicken items on your menu? Little did I know... BBQ actually stands for Best of the Best Quality (that got some lols from me).

But oh man. They were not lying! Yea ok, it's a tad on the expensive side, but if it's the best of the best quality chicken, you've got to at least give it a shot.

The olive chicken strips (They keep changing the name. Whatever. They're the chicken strips.) are good! You'd think that all chicken strips are the same, but these ones taste lighter. It may just be my imagination though, thinking that they taste "lighter" because they're fried in olive oil. Regardless, yums, except for the fact that they charge you if you want more of the dipping sauce, which I think is egregious.

But what you absolutely positively must must must get here is the Teri Q Gold wings (or the Teri wings or whatever they're calling them now...) The first time I decided to try the wings, I went for the half and half option of BB Wings + Teri Wings, and after trying both, I was so sad I didn't just get ALL Teri Wings. They are so good! The garlic soy sauce is made of win-- party in your mouth worthy.

It's so good, that I have even ordered delivery from here. And even though there was a $20 minimum charge for delivery and none of my roommates wanted chicken... I STILL went ahead and ordered it. That's how much I like BBQ Chicken.

Oh also, BBQ Chicken has a counter that you can order at, and it always amuses me when people sit down and wait for the guy at the register to go to them to take their orders. 

tl;dr: Teri (Q Gold) Wings. The end.
4 - Rafid A.: I tried it only once, but it is really good. 
the only bad thing about this place is that is small. 
it is good fried chicken and the price is good for the quality of the food ;)
4 - Diana A.: I love this place!!!
I love their teri wing (it is garlic sauce wing). Their wings are not skinny, they have meat!! haha :p 
Usually I went there with my friend after school :P. Their price is a little high (maybe because they fried it with olive oil? minus 1 star) and you need to wait for a while before you get your food. The skin is so crisppyyy and they didn't put too much or too little sauce on your wings. It is just enough haha.
I sometimes ordered it for delivery but they have a minimum charge of 20bucks! I know it sucks but it is worth it hhaha...
I also tried their spicy tokboki(spicy  rice cake), which is pretty good to eat together with the wings :p.
Definitely be back for moreee :p
4 - Camille T.: Yummy, pricey Korean fried chicken. I'm a huge fan of their teri wings (garlic suace.) The skin is deliciously crispy and not heavily battered, meaning you still get a good amount of meat. I've tried their chicken strips-- big pieces but nothing special. I'd say definitely try the teri wings!

The actual restaurant is tiny and cramped, so I usually just get it to-go.
3 - Human Dumpster A.: I got the strip salad, which was ok. The dressings offered are thousand island, ranch etc. 

I think this is the kinda place you'd go for wings.
4 - June-Young C.: I never tried Korean Fried Chicken, which is not to be confused with the other KFC, Kentucky Fried Chicken. This place is really small, and I feel like the servings are as well. Being the cheapo college student, I usually just get the 2piece meal. The chicken is really good with the sauce and rice. The chicken is not dry either.
3 - Rae T.: We were visiting in the area and were pressed for time. The in-n-out drive thru line was out to the streets so we found the only available parking spot which happened to be designated for this place. I had to walk around the entire building to get to the front entrance and since we were running out of time I almost went into the sub place next door but remembered the parking situation.  While I looked at the menu the male cook went out to ask my bf if he was going to order anything. For taking almost 30 minutes for my order they should not be so picky with the parking. I probably could have grabbed some subs and been long gone by the time the tow truck arrived. I ordered the 3-4 person meal and was told I could add a half and half for 50¢ more. That ended up being the best part of the meal. The garlic teriyaki wings were moist, crispy and flavorful. The strips and whole fried chicken could use more seasoning. The sweet and sour wings were way too sweet for us. The corn salad was overpriced and bland. If in a pinch like this time we probably would order from them again but it is not a place we would seek out, especially since they also ran out of to go menus. When it comes to Asian restaurants, I just see that as a sign of cheapness.
3 - Hillary L.: This place is OK. Their delicious food is their most redeeming quality. The chicken is awesome and it's a pretty unique place overall in Westwood. The regular fried chicken is good and they have different sauces you can put on as well. I like the sweet and spicy personally. 

The restaurant is pretty small and cramped inside so it's better to-go. They also offer delivery but it's a $20 minimum. And it's not that predictable. I called once and their delivery person was "sick" so they weren't offering delivery at all that night. But the time I did get delivery it came pretty fast!

Service is OK. When I went there was a young dude working and another lady. The guy was nice, lady was mean. And since the place is so small I could hear her berating him in the back kitchen. He then came out and informed us that we could only get one sauce on our combo chicken next time, although they gave us two sauces that time...

So I guess my recommendation would be if you wanna try this place call your order in, go pick it up, and enjoy it at home.
2 - Stanley L.: Definitely not the healthiest place to eat--very average in my opinion. One of those places you settle for if you're on a budget and you're craving something meaty. Don't expect too much out of it.

BD's Mongolian Barbeque - Ann Arbor, MI (42.280344, -83.7487072) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - Jonathan R.: I've searched for a "Mongolian BBQ" that might rival these old Michigan haunts and I've got nothing.

Sure you can find these types of restaurants scattered around.  But NONE have ever had as many meats, spices, sauces or veggies.

This place can get pretty crowded, so I would either come patient or go during off hours.
4 - Khalid S.: Someone invited me to a meal here sometime ago. I thought the place rocked. The kinds of meat and all the colorful veggies and don't forget all the different sauces, chili, garlic, ginger etc. that you can have on your meat and veggies... I didn't care much for the prices since I was invited lol... but I remember they were very reasonable.
3 - Theresa F.: Now, I'm not a huge stir-fry fan, but I must say I really enjoyed my meal last night at Mongolian BBQ.  Now, not for nothing, but I created my meal since you go through and pick your stir fry, sauce, meat, etc. and they cook it, but I must say, I and they did quite a nice job! I'm not a terriyaki fan so I was a little worried going but rest assured they have many many sauces to choose from (I went for their peanut sauce and it was delish).  Keep in mind you may get a piece or two of your neighboring grillers' concoctions in your dish, hehe.
We had to wait about an hour and fifteen minutes because it was so crowded, but it was worth it. It gave us time to head to Conor's for a couple beers. Time well spent.
3 - Melanie A.: I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with the good reviews of this place.

Yes, it is a great place for vegetarians and meat lovers to share a dining experience and there are many food options.

However the wait for a table can be very long and I think it is overpriced, especially if you are a vegetarian and are not eating the expensive seafood and meat.  

Also, every time I eat here, my food always has the same burnt/salty taste from the high grilling temperatures and salty sauces.  Maybe I am just a bad cook (and am choosing the wrong sauce combinations)... which is why I go out to eat.
5 - tricia w.: This is one of the places I always make sure that i visit everytime I'm in Ann Arbor!  They have a HUGE selection of veggies, pastas and meats for you to create your own stirfry bowl, and TONS of sauces to choose from.  Plus, they usually have great soups.  

I agree with the other reviewers that it is a bit pricey...but the price is cheaper if you go vegetarian, or if you opt to just have one bowl and not do the "all you can eat" thing.  But personally, my favorite is to do the "all you can eat" option because you can get a bunch of tiny bowls and try tons of different veggie/meat/sauce combinations!

It does get ridiculously crowded here during the evenings, especially on weekends.  You can do call ahead seating, but in my experience that doesn't save you a ton of time. But if you're not in a hurry, it's worth the wait :)  If you don't dig waiting two hours for dinner, I'd recommend going here for lunch - cheaper price, not as crowded, and you can still experience the goodness that is BD's.  

Oh, one last thing - if you're not totally full from dinner, try their Big Brownie dessert.  It's HUGE and to die for....and I don't feel guilty eating it, since I had veggies for dinner ;)
2 - Andrew M.: Sorry, the buffet style mongolian grill is fun but loses its appeal when you realize it's just an overprice gimmicky restaurant. Buffets are great for salad bars, but if I wanted to make my own meal I would stay home and cook. Not enough bang for the buck for lunch, although with so many possible meal combinations I will give it another honest try for dinner one day. I'm not trying to take anything away from waiters and waitresses, but taking a drink order and bringing over tortillas in my mind does not warrant a huge tip when the patrons make their own food. I had no problem, however, tipping the guys working the grill.
4 - Jason M.: BD's is still the best Mongolian BBQ I've been to in terms of the number of items.  The value is borderline for me, but overall I feel I can get close to eating my money's worth.  The service can be hit or miss, but most times it's on.  Just be prepared for a wait.
2 - Professional Eater S.: I just went back here recently, and my favorite improvement they've made is that they turned the music down. It used to be so loud you couldn't talk to the person sitting next to you.

Sometimes the seafood looks a bit suspect, but it's a pretty fun novelty place. I tend to stick with only a few of the sauces and spices because the other stuff they suggest sounds kinda gross.

Don't go here and waste your time with the soups, the salad, or the pastas. Stick to the meats, veggies, and go nuts with the flavors.
4 - Kristina B.: Dizzying array of foods and sauces, mostly fresh looking when I've been by. Due to allergies I've never had my food cooked on the big Mongolian grill. After I assemble my big bowl of ingredients I give it to one of the staff, and it gets taken to the back kitchen where they stir-fry in a clean wok. Maybe this is why I've never had a meal that was dried out or burned - every time it's been well cooked. I do sort of miss the "wow factor" of seeing my food cooked (the Canton location remedies this by having an allergy counter near the grill where you can see your dish cooked in a wok) but breathing is generally more important. Every time I go I'm highly amused by the fact that they've opened a BD's in Ulan Bator. Waits can be long on weekend evenings.
1 - Elissa S.: Blaze of Glory, Day 2:  First we check in to the Super 8, and just when it  couldn't get worse, we ate here for dinner.  

I'm not sure why we chose to eat here. I think other places were closing, and we didn't want to eat at a bar.  However, based on how sick I was the next evening, I would have been better off drinking beer for dinner instead of BD's Mongolian BBQ.  I had never been that ill from a restaurant meal in my life.
3 - Clarence C.: Mongolian barbeque is a drag after the novelty wears off. Especially when you realize that the gimmick of making customers prepare their own food has more to do with saving money for the owners of the restaurant.

I was a little bit put off at first, by the number of ingredients and sauces, because I don't know how to cook, or especially how to season anything. When you walk in off the street, it's like you have to decide what to cook for dinner and what to put on it. I eventually discovered that the stir fry will taste good no matter which sauces you use, and you can even mix them together if you want. If you haven't been to MB before, just pick something.

Some people love Mongolian Barbeque, because they like to think of new combinations to mix together. I'd prefer to sit at the table and enjoy the company of my friends. I've never liked having to stand in line to pick out the food and to follow it until it is entirely cooked and handed back to me. 

I should be at my table nibbling bread and sipping my drink while the food cooks itself. 

This type of restaurant is popular with entrepreneurs, because you don't really need to hire people who know how to cook. The kitchen staff does two things: chop meat and vegetables; and toss stuff around on the grill with big samurai cookware. With inexpensive help, and with the customers doing half of the cooking, it's a good way to make a killing in the restaurant business. If you think about it, it's a lot like using the self-check lanes at the grocery store.
2 - Marlarissa M.: Overpriced, noisy, and not very good.  Just thinking about it leaves a burnt taste in my mouth.
2 - Brad T.: I hadn't been here in years, and it used to be one of my favorite places to eat in Ann Arbor when I was 19. Now that I've eaten here as an adult, I realize it was because I was malnourished and my body was craving large quantities of protein. 

Let me get this out of the way first: the service was excellent; our waitress was top notch and was attentive and friendly beyond most restaurants, let alone an all-you-can-eat/make-it-yourself place.

Now that I've been nice, the negatives stack up: the food is very overpriced, the selection of vegetables and meat that you can choose from is surprisingly limited, the spices and sauces can easily ruin your creation if you add one wrong ingredient, and most importantly: everything tastes the same. You can make a beef-and-onion dish and follow it up with tofu and noodles and they'll both taste almost identical. The grill clearly gets scraped off after each meal, but the taste of grease and burnt meat lingers on every single dish they serve.

Some people dig this gimmick and go because they want to see some college kid cook their food while juggling tongs and telling bad jokes. Me? If I'm paying $20 for a few bowls of bad stir fry and a beer, I at least want someone else to put the leg work into making it.
4 - Robin Z.: Not at all an authentic Mongolian BBQ. But- lots of fun! I loved the concept of filling your bowl through the buffet, adding your own sauces and seasoning, and watching it all get chopped and fried in the giant communal grill. Might take a little practice to figure out just how to concoct a really good meal, but still worth a trip.
1 - I. N.: I have a few rhetorical questions for whoever owns this chain (from the "About Us" section of the company's website, looks like some middle-aged dads who had this idea while watching their sons play football):

-What exactly am I paying for?!  You're really overpriced!
-Why can't I taste your food, despite adding the same amounts of everything that I would add at other places?  Why could none of us taste our food despite using different levels and types of seasoning, ingredients, etc.?
-Why do you serve TORTILLAS instead of the legendary sesame pocket bread that is usually what drives me, full of cravings and longings, to a Mongolian BBQ restaurant?  I can understand if you weren't planning to serve bread at all, but tortillas?!  And not good ones at that...
-Why must you turn my stomach by throwing ingredients into the (VERY crowded and pretty messy) buffet area that I would never in a million years associate with Mongolian BBQ?  (Think cut-up franks and the like.)
-How on earth did you manage to get every high school team in the Midwest to think that this is the place to go?!

Nothing against a clever business idea, and I understand that not every region of the U.S. is Southern California, but: 1) you're passing up the opportunity to introduce people to some fine eating through this idea that you had, and 2) I've had some outstanding food in the Midwest, so geographic location is no excuse!
4 - Chris C.: I don't understand the people that say this is overpriced, and simultaneously complain about the limited vegetable selection and bland taste. Where else can you buy a large plate of veggies and meat, seasoned just the way you like, with tortillas and rice for 10 bucks? You could probably make 2 meals out of the amount of food. Here's a tip for those claiming that everything tastes the same - stay away from all the sauces. Yes, every one. Learn which spices are good compliments for your food choices. A little home cooking knowledge (I'm talking about cooking from raw ingredients) goes a long way here. I thought this place was a great value for the amount of healthy food you can get.
3 - Dan M.: While this is not high end cuisine, the taste is reasonable and the ability have exactly what you want for dinner is a win.
This location has had it's ups and downs over time but recently seems to be doing pretty well. The service is decent, but not fantastic at the tables but is very good overall at the grill (where it matters in my opinion for this restaurant). 
Essentially you pay for your 'bowl's and go put whatever you want in them, have it cooked, and then enjoy with tortillas, rice, or on their own. For my kid there is some entertainment value as men with big forearms beat the food with metal sticks on a big round hot grill. He loves being able to bang the gong after giving them a tip so I always keep a few $1 bills on hand to create that moment of joy.
Despite being a pretty big eater I find that 2 bowls is usually more than enough for me and the rest of the family often eats only 1. Trying some new ingredients can be fun, especially since there is no risk with this being all you can eat.
As for price it is not bad overall but could be pricey for just 1 bowl. The lunch specials are even more affordable and could offer a good option to the cost-conscious.
Selection seems to suit just about everyone. Everything from edamame to eggs to chicken, steak, shrimp, and beyond is added to sauces (i.e. orange, curry, black bean, barbecue, marinara, etc) and spices (cayenne pepper, lemon peppar, rosemary, sesame seeds, etc
1 - Erin G.: Nooooo!

Step away from Mongolian BBQ if you want to keep your good health. 

Everyone seems to think this place is great for groups, events, etc. because you can basically make whatever you want, so it's good for a big variety of people. Ok, good point. BUT it's just awful, really. 

Everything is frozen before they put it out (or most of it anyway). Ick. 

The main issue here is cleanliness. I have NEVER been here and had a clean bowl, and I am not exaggerating. My last visit, I literally stood there asking for bowl after bowl (we went through 7 supposedly "clean" bowls) before getting one without food on it. I was given attitude for bothering them, and then my waitress said, "Oh, it must be a problem with the dishwasher or something." 

UM, yeah. If that's how they clean things that the public sees and handles, God knows what their back of the house is like. Though I'm not sure how much back of the house they have since they don't cook anything.

Also, even with shellfish and the like, I have never seen them temp any of the food that's out. I've seen tong handles sitting in raw chicken. This place is food poisoning waiting to happen. 

Gross. Save yourselves while you can.
3 - Gabe M.: One has to admire the minds behind BD's Mongolian BBQ. Not because of the food's taste, but because they have created a restaurant where  customers pay money for the chance to do the work typically performed by a restaurant's cooks, and any bad tasting meal can be blamed on the customer's ineptitude. This leaves the perplexing glut of employees with tons of free time, hence the dozen or so workers typically seen milling about aimlessly. 

I've never eaten anything terrible here. For some reason, stir-fry + tortillas = Mongolia, so be prepared to eat Chinese tacos. Is dinner at BD's a fun experience? No. It's best to eat dinner around 2pm so you can avoid the rush, as the obnoxiousness of the grill boys is directly proportional to the crowd size. Watching them sing and play with their sticks is excruciating. 

There's something satisfying about eating food you're kind of responsible for, and BD's offers you the opportunity to do so. Seize it.
2 - Josephine I.: BD is like Chow Baby in Atlanta.

BUT. BD mongolian bbq lacks the service and the food ingredients quality.

ENOUGH SAID. 

BD is MEDIOCRE. Go save your money and head down somewhere else. I would give it a 1 and a half star if the beer is not cheap.


Save the grace of your money and head down to another local joint.
3 - Monica S.: This place is similar to Blue Pacific in Levis Commons, although it's significantly cheaper. For a stir fry here it's about $8, compared to $13 at Blue Pacific. First thing I noticed about this place is the high level of customer service. The manager was walking around checking in on customers, and random staff members would ask you if you needed anything right on eye contact. The cooks are super nice too and very friendly. The food itself was OK, pretty bland in my opinion. I had a fish stir fry, and it was blah. Was it my fault for underseasoning? Possibly. But the ingredients itself didn't taste too fresh. Mediocre food but great customer service.
2 - Tara L.: I have a soft spot for Mongolian Barbeque and whenever we are back in Michigan, we try to go to one of their locations and it's usually a nice meaty satisfying experience. I always get the lamb for my stir-fry...that's what I come in for and I was super disappointed that it was taken off the menu. The steak and ribeye were poor substitutes but I was able to make a decent stir-fry with extra garlic and chili sauce. However, I will not be going back since there's no lamb anymore. There are locations all over Michigan so perhaps I will find one that still has lamb and I can grace them with my presence :)
The ingredients have always been fresh and good when I've gone and I like that they have drink specials now.
1 - Matthew Z.: This food is mediocre and overpriced.  It's nice to be able to pick every ingredient you want in your food, but when all of the ingredients are bad what's the point?
1 - Josh W.: Terrible experience today. My wife and I were mocked and harassed by the grillers for being vegan. We spoke to the manager and he basically did jackshi-t. This place would be pretty good it it wasn't for constant staffing problems. Have to say we won't be going here for a long time.
2 - Harsh C.: My low rating is due to some of the rude staff members - I was at this place recently for lunch and the female at the entrance was very stupid and rude. This was surely my last lunch at this place.If I wish to eat at Mongolian Barbeque I will visit a different one - not this for sure
2 - Teeks L.: Fine, but way overpriced if you don't do the unlimited bowl and cram it with meat. I'm a vegetarian and the veggie bowl was almost as expensive as my husband's bowl full of steak and duck - what a ripoff! 

The atmosphere is really confused - "mongolian" characters on the wall and mexican parrots and sombreros ? WTF? The place was full of frat boys trying to outdo each other in piling meat up on their bowls. Reminded me of a college cafeteria, but more expensive. 

The server was a little over chipper, which I'm sure gets her tips but ended up just pissing me off. 

It gets two stars, not one, because it made my husband happy (probably because he got to eat as much meat as he wanted for once).
5 - Haowei C.: Good
3 - Becky H.: Free stir-fry from the company website on your birthday (+/- 1 week) if you sign up for Club Mongo!!!

I've been to this location a few times, and it is okay. Actually, it was one of the first places I ate when visiting Ann Arbor for recruitment, so I have fond memories of grabbing dinner with my dad here. This isn't real Mongolian BBQ, but if you're not a snob about it, the food you can get is pretty tasty.

Never met a griller here I didn't like. The waitstaff is usually friendly and attentive, but I did get one waitress who was a little annoyed that I had a free birthday stirfry--she must have assumed I wasn't going to tip, but really the $ I saved with the coupon I put directly into her tip... even though she didn't deserve it.... but I digress.

Anyway, this place is okay.
4 - Kathryn L.: If you prepare yourself for all-you-can-eat and treat it like a Brazilian steakhouse where you plan on a multiple hour meal, gorging yourself, then you will definitely feel you've gotten your money's worth. The food is high quality. A++ in my book!
2 - Allan Y.: I've been to this location, and also to the one on M-59 and Schoenherr in Sterling Heights.   It's a nice place to go and experience this type of cooking; but once or twice is enough.  If you really like this type of cooking, then go to the Fuji Japanese Buffet in Madison Heights; or the Mongolian Buffet in Warren.  At least you can get a full buffet along with the Mongolian stir-fry.  Actually, the term "Mongolian Stir-fry" is a misnomer because you don't stir-fry anything.  You select your favorite meats and/or seafoods, then a variety of vegetables, and finally the appropriate seasonings and sauces.  Everything is then taken to the "stir-fry area" where you have a bunch of teen-agers with (2) sticks each who sing while they cook, and then some of the kids even juggle the sticks to entertain the crowd.  That's fine, but I'm there to enjoy dinner!  

The ingredients from your bowl are then placed on a huge round heated fryer.  And then the "sticks" are used to somehow stir-fry your dinner!  In my opinion, nothing is actually "stir-fried", it's just cooking with a big frying pan.  After the ingredients look like they've been cooked, the sauces/seasonings are added and the "Cook/Chef/Teen-Ager" presents you your dinner.  You can order the "one-bowl" or if you're hungry, go for the unlimited bowls.  

BD's Mongolian BBQ is not a barbeque, and it's not "Asian Stir-fry"; but it's a nice place to take the kids.  The dining room is airy, the "show" by the teenage cooks was entertaining, and your kids will enjoy picking the ingredients for their dinner.   But on a negative side, the "cooks" are not professional chefs, the menu is way overpriced, everything is over-cooked, and visiting once is enough.  Unfortunately, I went twice.  

PS:  The second time was to attend a birthday party
2 - Kevin S.: This place has gone down hill....FAST. I used to love this place but every time I eat here I get sick the next day. I wont be back.
3 - Zach G.: First time here might feel a bit different in terms of a lunch/dinner experience but if you get the food you like it's pretty good.
5 - Kunjal R.: One of my favorite places to eat in Ann Arbor. The place is always packed and the grillers are super friendly (and lively). All ingredients seem fresh at all times and the recipes are actually quite good. Pretty phenomenal desserts as well. Make sure you stop by here.
4 - Jason G.: I love this place. Great food, great atmosphere and entertaining grill area. If you sign up for their email list, you get a free meal on your birthday every year. My only complaint is that it seems like it could have a cool sports bar feel to it, and they have a few tiny tv's in there, but I wish they would get some big screens on the wall so you could actually see the games. That would put this place over the top for me. Also, if you are unfamiliar with the area, you will have to pay for parking to eat here, but that pretty much goes for anyplace down town, so I am not knocking them for it. Just making people aware.
4 - Justin G.: I've been to a bunch of mongolian places (Ghengis Grill, Flat Top) and this is the standard that I always compare to.  My brother even went here when he graduated from college.  It's not super fancy, but it is very entertaining.  Also, it's up to you to make (though, not cook) your own food, which some people like, and some people don't.  I, personally, enjoy it.
3 - Funglin W.: it's hard to rate mongolian bbq-- the food rating is what you make of it, isn't it? i mean.. you cook your own dish.  and since i'm not so good at making sauces, 3 stars from me.

atmosphere- love it! the floors are a bit dirty with food just spilling everywhere but the cooks, waiters, and waitress are all so friendly here.

food- there's a bunch of variety. you can pretty much get anything you want here and there's always specials and discounts. however... there's this wall in mongolian bbq that gives you 'recommendations' for making good sauces and BOY, they are pretty hard to follow. not just that... but nothing on that wall sounds really delicious hahaha.

this is definitely a great place for big groups though! oh, and if you're starving, the all you can eat is great.

lastly... this is probably the best BD Monogolian BBQ
4 - MaryLiz S.: Had not been here in a few years. Went to lunch with my mom. She could pick out stuff she likes (not too exotic) and I could have something spicy.

Love the fresh cilantro, and the black bean sauce. Found some hot sauce by the grill. Made my special blend really tasty.

We ate outside on the sidewalk. We were disorganized, since I had forgotten some of the routine, but I was able to guide my mom enough to get our stuff cooked and be seated to catch up on the news. Someone seemed to sense that we were a little lost. He arranged to have iced teas set on our table for when we got back. Thanks!

The tiny desserts are fabulous. When you just need a little taste, they're the perfect size.
5 - Daron D.: I can not lie, this is a personal favorite of mines. Usually goes on Mondays for 9.99 college night. First of all, since you are preparing you own bowl, you know what you like, so you can't go wrong. Then you get to watch the grillers make it in front of you, which is also a experience in itself. I usually eat one big bowl and get a carryout second bowl for $3 more, a great dinner for the next night. Overall, i do really like this place (my favorite) and this is a must try (especially since they have something for everybody).
5 - Xin R.: I had very joyful experiences dining in this restaurant. There are just too many kinds of sauce. I love Teriyaki the best. Don't put too many meat in your bowl! Leave some space for the nice shrimps and mushrooms and veges.
4 - Stella W.: This place is the best for service. 

I have been here twice, both times had attentive servers who knew all the appetizers and desserts on the menu without having to look at the menu, I don't find that often. Both servers were professional, friendly and courteous (although one kept inadvertently startling us mid conversation, but that provided a laugh) 

Especially when eating out with those who don't speak English well, service is very important. That time, our server was patient and explained things well. 

Also, both times, the servers were great about refilling drinks without us having to ask, even though the place was busy. That is rare I find, which is sad. In any case, both servers received great tips from me. 

The self-select ingredient concept is great, I enjoy making new combinations. The chefs cooking the food were also friendly and made conversation w people. One bowl is usually enough if you fill it w enough meat. 

The desserts are rich and delectable. Try the cheesecake. Also try the teriyaki sauce and that lemon sauce. 

Whatever you do, don't just get spaghetti with meatballs (yes, they have pasta and tomato sauce and meatballs for the little kids) or six eggs in one bowl (yes I've seen this). Don't waste your bowl space! It can fit a lot more than you think  ;)
3 - Sumi B.: It deserves a 3 star for its friendly service. Cant complain about the food cause you create your own!  My only issue was the vegetarian soup  had chicken broth, which means the vegetarians cant eat it( but still need to pay for it). I wish they could keep the noodles and pasta along with veggies and not with meat. I hate to see the meat fallen in the pasta. Every time I go I have to ask them to get a fresh batch from the kitchen, which they gladly do !
4 - Ben D.: This place is awesome.  I'm a huge fan of cooking and the ability to take a huge amount of ingredients and mix my own sauces into a stir fry was great.  Awesome service and a 10 dollar all you can eat student meal is quite wonderful.
5 - Jana T.: Love this place. Have read some bad reviews but go there because it is our favorite place. The wait staff have always been attentive and we have always had good service. We used to have a Mongolian BBQ in Hawaii but if you wanted to select your items to be cooked it was more pricey than Michigan. We had a choice of only white rice or sticky buns, no brown rice or tortillas and we didn't have the option of take out. Ur prices on food is much cheaper than Hawaii so I don't know why people grumble about high prices.
4 - Jessica S.: I love all the mongolian bbq's. The parking situation here makes it easier to go to the one in Dearborn since they are both far away but if you are nearby it's worth it

BEAN Coffee Lounge - Seattle, WA (47.6632152, -122.3156343) (University District)
5 - jennifer h.: I walk thru the U district daily for shopping, eating and so on. Happen to come across Bean Coffee Lounge and feel this will be a great experience to have in the community when it opens. For starters its closer to my place than the ave. Not really sure if it's a true cafe but it seems like a great take on coffee culture. There is not yet that i have known of a coffee shop or any lounge that has up to date software as new iPads everywhere, flat screens and the whole making where i can also charge my phone from the already built in usb cord if i so happen to forget my charger which happens to a lot of us but i am so excited to be able to enjoy my coffee in a lounge setting.
5 - Dominique S.: Love it here!!! Great coffee and italian sodas(my fav!!!) nice work and lounge atmosphere. iPads on every table for public use and an upscale style that the U district needs!! Stop in...stay for a while and enjoy the best coffee in Seattle!

BECU - Seattle, WA (47.6609014, -122.3130527) (University District)
5 - Anna P.: In case you haven't seen my previous downtown BECU review, this place is just what I needed! BECU is the best financial decision I have made in a long time.
5 - Inna B.: When I was in Vegas, I called up BECU to check on where I could find some ATM's. The customer service lady spent about 10 minutes on the phone with me browsing all the locations and trying to figure out the best ones (and answering some questions I had). I was waiting in a very slow-moving line for something, so that was just.... awesome.

Also... I've been told that instead of ordering checks from them, you could come in and get up to three (a day) printed. That money gets drawn out of your account right away (instead of waiting until it gets cashed- this is both good and annoying, imo). This is useful because I only write checks about once a month and don't want to order a whole bunch (especially since I don't plan to be at my current address for too much longer).

BECU.... I love my 6% interest (up to $500, for both cashing and checking accounts) and customer service is still awesome. Thank you... and keep on rockin'!
5 - Linda C.: Thanks to Yelp for the BECU introduction.

See if your bank/credit union can match this:
- 6% interest for checking and savings accounts (up to $500 per account)
- Easy access to ATMs 
- Minimal fees
- Great customer service
- Daily check writing done by the branch, if you need it (up to 3 a day)
- Checking overdraft protection, that doesn't charge you interest if you pay it back before the end of the month

They also have the usual perks: free inter institution transfers, free online bill payment, etc...

Lovin' it!
5 - Olu K.: Great customer service! Opened 2 new accounts and used the atm for a deposit all within 20mins.
5 - Laura B.: Just signed up!
Took about 30-40 minutes.

Check books cost $$ but all else is free.

I-phone App is great and online banking sign-up and paperless statements and a good interest rate seem wonderful!

I got 25 bucks and someone I know got 25 bucks for referring me!

This locations' ATM cash receiver was jammed and there seem to be lines at the ATMs but I hope to use a different ATM closer to my house that belongs to a different credit union.

I will update this in a few months if I encounter any bumps in the banking road.
5 - Angel I.: It seems strange to rate a financial institution, but BECU is pretty amazing. Their location is easy to deposit checks through their self-deposit machine. Also, up until the first $500, they have really amazing interest rates. The only bummer is that check books cost $$ but really, you don't need too many of those. The customer service here is pretty awesome and helpful.
4 - Jeremiah S.: Switched over a few months ago and always have great service.  Occasionally it's packed with U students and might have to wait if you need to speak with an account representative for some reason, but two ATMs make crowd disperse quickly.  Friendly and helpful staff; the only negative would be that it frequently smells as if the place had been tear-gassed with AXE body spray.
4 - Samantha G.: In general they are a great bank, this specific branch however, seems distracted, I signed up a friend once and I never got my $25 that you get when you recommend someone. Also I asked my Pin Number to send to the branch because USPS was loosing my mail, and they never call me to tell me that it has arrived.

So far those are the only complains I have, the other thing is that once open an account in their website, meaning, that if you are member you can open as many accounts as you want, it's impossible to close them! (unless you call, I'm sure)

Besides that it's great bank, they give you good interest rate for your savings up to $500.00, after that, put it in an ING account; of in your checking, you get % back there too :-) that's sweet.
4 - Chris T.: This location was always convenient for me when I was an undergrad at the UW, for asking questions about accounts and interest rates and pulling some quick cash out of the ATM (I believe there are 2 inside and 1 located outside for use at all hours). If you have a financial question, be aware that there are only 2 people manning the place at any given time so you may have to put your name on the list but the wait has never stretched past 5-10 minutes for me. 

My latest stop-in at this BECU branch was to inquire about auto loans and the man who helped me was knowledgeable, friendly, and willing to deal with my complete naivete about car-buying. As I was leaving, he provided his car and even asked if I wanted him to call just to check up on how everything had gone. Awesome customer service!

BECU - Seattle, WA (47.6664284, -122.3006281) (University District)
4 - Ian C.: Minus one star because I can't deposit cash, or more importantly rolled coins here, but I love this place!!  They pay 6% interest on your first two accounts up to a combined total of $1000 with no minimum balance, that is so totally better than CHASE charging $10/month maintenance fee!!!!
4 - Kristin M.: After decades of working with the big banks I finally moved all of my business and personal bank account to BECU.  I am so happy I did.  I find the bankers friendly and approachable and instead of telling you to call customer service they actually give you answers.  Parking can be difficult and not as easy to find an atm but other than that a very positive experience.

BGhydro - Pasadena, CA (34.1461109, -118.1240953) (Pasadena)
1 - Grateful J.: I ordered a product from this company's website. I called a service rep that day and asked how long it would take to deliver. They said 2 to 3 days, so I didn't select expedited shipping. (Shipping still cost $20)

It has been 5 days since I ordered it and it hasn't even SHIPPED! 
If you have a time-line to stick to - don't shop here.

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse - La Jolla, CA (32.8703813, -117.2337581) ()
4 - Chris B.: Excellent pizza. A bit pricey though. The salads are huge.
4 - Jennifer A.: Good pizza, sandwiches, and clam chowder.  Pizookies are SOOOOO Good!!!
5 - Simone M.: I always get the specialty calzone for one. I'm a small vegetarian girl and the portions are huge here, but for some reason they make this one small. It's a great option.

On the whole, I love BJ's. Unlike most other places near it, it deosn't shut down at 9pm, so it's a place where students can go after a long day of studying and unwind. My boyfriend and I did a lot of our early dating here, so I might love the food out of sentimental attachment...but regardless, it's decent food. 

My only complaint is that it's often very loud in there, and the waits are sometimes long. Get a Pizookie for dessert; they're spendy, but you've got to try one in your life.
5 - Chris S.: The first time I went here, was about six years ago, and I thought that this pizzeria was unique to San Diego and UCSD. Now that the BJ's chain has exploded, you can find it in virtually any major metropolitan city, or large west coast universities. Still, its rise to success hasn't compromised its exceptional Chicago deep dish pizza taste. Since it's a microbrewery they have about eight different beers you can select from (get the sample platter to try them all) and rarely have I had one thats disappointed. If you're not in the mood for pizza, there are several other worthy platters you can try including sandwiches, salads, pastas, and a mighty filling calzone. If you've still got room for dessert, get a pizookie (warm cookie with a scoop of ice cream) to share. This is probably one of the smaller establishments as there isn't a sports bar attached to it (something the old farts of La Jolla frown upon). Still it's good that UCSD students have something, since there's not much else the average freshman without a car can do on a Friday night in La Jolla.
3 - Kim D.: BJ's was my introduction to the SD restaurant scene -- I went here within 24 hours of arrival!  Personal story aside, BJ's is a good spot for a filling lunch with some friends.  Nice and bright, comfortable booths, friendly service.  Portions are huge at BJ's, so bring your appetite, and a few extra dollars, since they make you pay for the size.  My companions all got salads which looked great, but I decided to try the Gardenburger with half of a giant baked potato.  I was actually impressed by the Gardenburger because it was crispy (often they are soggy from bad preparation), but I know butter or something equally calorie-heavy had to have been used to get that way.  The usual burger fixings were nice and fresh, and the potato was really that huge (no way that appears in nature).  Vegetarians will find some standard options here.  In fact, that's the name of the game at BJ's -- pretty standard fare with a couple of semi-creative options to tip it towards "upscale" dining.   Dependable local spot -- and yes, I know I have to go back for the pizookie.
4 - Vicky L.: I like BJ's when I'm craving deep dish pizza and that stuff from pizza hut and papa john's just aint cutting it. Unfortunately they also use about 2 sticks of butter in their crust to get it so crisp and good. I love the Great White pizza with garlic/chicken/and alfredo sauce. Their salads are great also, especially the "not a cobb, cobb" Stay away from their pastas, they aren't that great! Calzones are pretty good, except packed with too much ricotta. Check out student savers for UCSD, or go to their website and they'll have some coupons for you to use; there's one for a free pizookie.
4 - Adam V.: The Great White Pizza is a must-have, and I would highly recommend their red beer as well. It is very strong and very tasty. No matter what, make sure you try the pizookie (a fresh-out-of-the-pizza-oven cookie served with ice cream, aka "The Greatest Dessert In La Jolla") before you go.

AV
2 - Christine C.: This BJ's is pretty mellow compared to the Laguna and Temecula restaurants.  I can see the attraction to BJ's, but I truly despise the majority of the menu. It is very hard to find healthy meal here and the most popular dishes are fat-laden items like thick, Chicago-style pizza with loads of red meat and lest we not forget the pizzookie, which is a giant pizza cookie loaded ice cream and toppings. 

In other words, BJ's is a classic American eatery.
5 - Devon F.: Mmmmmmmmmmmmm....ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....yummmmmmmm........uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....

I only make noises at BJ's. The place to go if you want to give yourself a delicious heart attack before midnight. Tasty variety of beer, fantastic deep dish pizzas, the often forgotten but always tantalizing stuff potatoes, and THE reason to go there: the pizookie. Oooey gooey hot cookies topped with vanilla bean ice cream. You have to share. It's too much for one person.

And I know it's a little thing, but they coat the rim of their lemonades with sugar. The sugar plus the tart lemonade makes for something totally appetizing. 

I love this place more than any boyfriend.
4 - Meg M.: In a nut shell - BJ's is the perfect place to work a menu backwards.

For the appetizer - order a Pizzooki.   BJ's pizza should really be called BJ's Pizzooki.  Truly.  How can you go wrong with a hot, gooey, chocolate chip cookie straight out of the oven, with ice cream melting on the top of it???  (they have peanut butter, white chocolate macadamia, oreo and oatmeal raisin too) Even my mom's cookies growing up were never this amazing!  (Sorry mom!)

Then it's all about the pizza.  The pizza is delectable.  I'm not normally a fan of deep-dish, but my palette makes an exception at BJ's.  I'm a big fan of their Blackened Chicken pizza with it's spicy chicken, creamy alfredo sauce and sweet corn to off-set the spice a bit but truly ANY pizza from BJ's is divine. 

If you're STILL hungry... they have a great variety of salads, sandwiches, and baked potatoes filled with a ton of different toppings you'd normally find on your pizza... Seriously - the potatoes take up an entire plate!

Can't forget to mention - BJ's is a brew house and has come up with some incredibly tasty beers and berry cider... for a real taste thrill - try mixing the RED with the berry cider... it is refreshing and makes a great companion to the rest of your meal.

Great food, friendly atmosphere, fairly priced.  Two words of advice?  COME HUNGRY.
4 - Joanne L.: I love Chicago style pizza!  This place is awesome :)  The pizza is great, I've never been disappointed.  Great drinks as well.  The berry cider is super yummy and for the under 21 year olds, they have an awesome arnold palmer's and strawberry lemonade.  Favorite pizzas are the vegetarian, sweet pig, buffalo chicken, and bj's favorites.  Nice and filling and you get a lovely pizookie to finish off your dinner just in time to unbuttom your jeans to let your stomach loose.  What a great chain restaurant :)
5 - Erin V.: bj's.. the name's not what you think.  ;-)

there's only one thing to say about bj's and that is that you have to eat the pizookie.

all the food i've had is good, particularly the mini pizzas and the baked potatos (they are huge.. you probably only need the half), and variety in beer... but save room for a pizookie!!   it's a cookie. it has ice cream on top. it's all melty.  it contains the cure for heartache.  

that is all you need to know.
4 - Tonie T.: Deep dish delish-ish-ness... MMMMmmm!!! 
They probably pour in a half gallon of oil into the bottom of the pan to get that crust so crispy and amazing. I'm also a big fan of their giant baked potatoes. The burgers are really tasty, too, but one time I felt seriously sick all night after eating one. That was not good. 

One thing to remember is that BJ's is also a BREW PUB  and they make their own beer. My boyfriend REALLY enjoyed their hefferweisen (sp?), while I enjoyed a glass of pinot noir on our last visit. The down side was that the glass of wine was $10 - a bit steep for a pizza joint in my opinion, but the waitress was nice enough to open a fresh bottle for my glass. 

Don't come here if you're on a diet. And don't forget to order a pizookie! Try the peanut butter cookie one - my favorite.
4 - Resa W.: I always leave looking pregnant... great deep dish pizzas. I especially love Great White (chicken alfredo). The pastas are okay, but the pizzas are better. No need to get appetizers if you've ordered a lot of pizza... you'll be stuffed full for sure. And a chocolate chip pizookie is the last thing I would like to eat before I die. (Gooey, not completely baked cookie with heaping scoops of vanilla ice cream on top.)

The location is really small compared to the one I go to back home, so there's almost always a wait - and a pretty long one at that on Friday/Saturday nights. 

The best thing about this place? DELIVERYYY. For hungry college kids with no cars, sometimes cafeteria food just doesn't cut it. Sometimes Domino's just can't satisfy. But then good ol' BJ's comes to the rescue... what's better than deep-dish pizza in the comfort of your dorm room? Followed by a huge party platter pizookie (pizza sized cookie - your choice of flavors with any of the four: chocolate chip, white choc macadamia nut, peanut butter, and oatmeal raisin, OR just chocolate chocolate) Mmm. That's a good Wednesday night. 

They even have my name and dorm location on record, so they know it's me the moment I call. The only downside is that the last time I ordered the delivery guy called to say he couldn't come to my room because last time they got a ticket for parking out on the street. But come on, are you delivering my food to me or not?
4 - Al A.: I used to frequent this place back in the 80's as I would wait for my movie to begin at the old La Jolla Village theaters. Great deep dish pizzas. As other businesses such as the movie theaters, Samson's Deli, Rick's Arcade and the pretentiousness of the La Jolla Village Square began to wither away... my frequency of visits began to go down as well. I do see other BJ restaurants in other areas and in LA also. You can say the other items on the menu is glorified bar food with larger portions than you would get at TGI Fridays (which is also across the parking lot). Not much better tasting I'm afraid.
4 - Tinny S.: Three and a half stars.

This is based mostly on their service.  The servers are usually SUPER nice...except for that one time when I asked if they had diet lemonade and the girl started laughing hysterically.  

The food is OK, nothing great.  I've had the veggie baked potato.  It's pretty flavorless and loaded with cheese.  The pizza is pretty good, but pales compared to Zachary's.  The crust is too puffy for my standards of deep dish.  

Once I came with a group of 30, and we were in and out in no time.  If you are going with a big group, you can order the food ahead of time and they'll have it ready once you arrive.

Also, the Party Pizookie is RIDICULOUS!
4 - angie k.: A tiny BJs compared to the one in San Bruno.  They don't have a bar area or happy hour, but I still love their buffalo wings and peanut butter pizookie!  Yummmmy.
3 - Jen T.: This is the place I deem the worst service ever. No seriously. I came there at about 4ish, and it was pretty empty, yet I had to wait for a table. And there is no host, so I had to wait for one of the numbnuts to figure out I was waiting to be seated. Then the waiter takes forever just to bring water. Like 15 minutes to bring water. Usually, I would have just walked out, but I was so craving their pizzookie. 

This place has deep dish pizzas. And I admit, its pretty good. Ive gotten the personal pan BBQ chicken pizza. When its done right, its super duper good. Warm chewy crispy buttery crust...and now Im hungry. The other thing I liek there is the burger. The one on the garlic roll. Its like the put a burger between slices of garlic bread. Its very good, but not for one that is counting calories. Although if youre counting calories, you shoouldnt come here. 

And of course, I always have to finish with a pizzookie. I always get a half and half. One side chocolate chip and the other peanut butter. Yes, they will do that for you. 

Tho I like the food here, I hate the service so much. Like I said, worst service ever.
4 - Jesse M.: Came in with low expectations and left sated and happy.

Yet another restaurant in the strip-mall near my job with my least favorite parking lot (I usually troll the perimeter once or twice before admitting defeat and parking 'round back).

I had the vegetarian "mini-size" pizza, which was small (at least by 'murican standards) but deep, crispy and delicious. Reminded me of pizza I had growing up in Pennsylvania (admittedly not a state known for its pizza).

Ambience was... fine. Faux brick warehousey-style seemed a little manufactured. Great people-watching and decent service.
3 - Denise Q.: Pizza cookie pie.  Officially named the pizookie.   Huge circular cookie (hence the pizza name) with ice cream on top.  Delicious.  

That is my favorite thing about BJ's.  Oh, I guess the food is good too,  but I get so focused on dessert that sometimes I forget that they also serve beer, deep dish pizzas, and tons of appetizers and salads.  

Service in here has always been okay, and the food has always been fine. Honestly the only thing consistently memorable is the pizookie.
4 - Heath O.: My wife and I volunteer in the San Diego LDS temple on Saturday evenings, and after a long day of doing the Lord's work, we enjoy heading over to BJ's for a couple of our favorites - my wife's being the Turkey Cobb, and mine being one of the personal pizzas with applewood smoked bacon, green peppers and pepperoni.

The service is always friendly and the soda glass is always full - a key feature that really makes the meal more satisfying to me.

Pretty much everything on the menu sounds good, and they have a pretty decent and eclectic variety of things to eat.  The only issue is that when we go on Saturday evenings, I stand out because I am wearing a suit.  But hey, I look gooooood.  :)
4 - Mohammad P.: If you are a Deep-Dish Pizza fan. This is a recommended place to go. This is the most ideal place to hangout and have dinner with your buddies on Friday night. 
We always start with the BRUSCHETTA. They have one of the best Bruschetta I have ever had. On the main course, my favorite pick is the BLACKENED CHICKEN Pizza. You have to try it to know what I'm talking about. Also, don't forget their Famous PIZOOKIE!!! It's basically ice-cream over a fresh baked cookie. But trust me,  it's more then that.
I highly recommend this place for anyone visiting San Diego, or a local who just want to have some good Deep-dish pizza with friends.
4 - Jennifer T.: I come here often with my married friend from highschool who lives down here with her husband and 2 kids. They have a nice kids menu and given them a menu and crayons to play with too. 

BJ's is a step up from most chain restaurants. The pizookie is the BEST dessert!

I like their salads and sandwhich selection. It's a great lunch place when looking to stop in with clients too. Dinner is a little more busy, and loud, but good for groups, families and if you are a solo traveler and just want to eat at the bar. I have been to about 10 different locations all over SoCAL when I'm down there for work, some are huge and have great decor and some, like this one, are small and in a strip mall. 

Overall though, I've never had a problem with their food and always leave stuffed!
4 - Nikki M.: Like others are saying, 3.5 stars. 

The only thing I truly love about this place is the pizookie and their beers. I never have been a fan of Chicago-style pizza...but be sure to share the pizookie with others! Once you finish your meal and your beer, there's no way you can eat a whole pizookie on your own! Another tip: you can order a pizookie to be split into 2 flavors. I like the white chocolate macadamia and the chocolate chip. 

This location is a lot smaller and quieter than the Grossmont location,  just something to remember.
2 - Sean B.: The pizza was good and the drinks were large and cold, but the pizookie which brought me in was a disappointment. There is a restaurant in Phoenix which has this dessert and it's served in a deep dish pan, four times thicker than the one at BJ's, still partially uncooked and soupy in the middle, like cookie dough. Comparatively, the one at BJ's was just weak, weak, weak.
4 - Ryan T.: So I'm not a big pizza fan.  I dunno there's something about pizza that makes me feel well, not too good.  So the first time I went there we ordered something like the blackened chicken pizza.  It was good.  I mean the crust was reeally good and crunchy and amazing.

And the pizzokie.  Pretty good.  

Plus there service was really friendly.  Plus, when I asked for water with lemon, I actually got the lemon.
4 - Vivian H.: Pizookies are too sweet.  Is it weird to say that?  I found myself taking a spoonful of ice cream to relieve myself of the sweetness of the cookie.  That's how sweet it was.

But the pasta was good and the waiter split it between my friend and I without us even asking.  He gets points for that!
4 - Bruce M.: Oh yeahh!!!

Out of the four or five BJs I've been to, this one has the best bruschetta!

The place doesn't serve beer other than their own brewed beer, just fyi.  This is a smaller BJs because it's one of the original restaurants.  You won't find a bar here and the menu is a tad bit smaller.

Very informative and outgoing hostess as well as good service from our waiter.
5 - nita m.: Don't go to BJ's if you aren't getting pizza, because there is no point. The not-pizza menu is boring and standard, and seriously...why would you go to BJ's and not order their delicious deep dish pizza? I've been to Chicago and i've had "authentic" Chicago deep dish pizza...and BJ's tops all of that by miles. It's impossible for me to describe BJ's pizza in words to do it justice- it's amazing, buttery, delicious, and impossible to stop eating. i've never gotten a stomach ache (nor any of my companions) from eating their pizza, and i eat a lot of it...so i'm not sure what's going on for everyone else (but I do feel sorry for them, because damn, they are missing out).

the pizookie is fine and we usually get ours free (UCSD gives out coupons for free ones- i'm not sure if I would order it if I had to pay for it)...it's hard to hate a warm, thick, gooey cookie topped with vanilla ice cream. and anyone who does probably has some weird dessert issues, or is clearly going places I need to be enlightened to.
3 - Tien L.: so yea. it almost got a 4, but this place is so tiny. the wait is longer because its so small. it doesn't event have a bar. so sad. the food is the same as everywhere else though. however my experience there last was good until the end. the server took our cash as well as charged me for the full dinner on my card. yea. crazy huh? so basically we pretty much paid double. until i caught it.

but otherwise. its a good place to eat now and then. get the santa fe spring rolls. so good!
5 - DivX ..: Wow, I went to BJ's thinking it was going to be some generic pizzeria. It was far more, and absolutely delicious. 
Their sandwiches are excellent, their salads are huge and very good, and of course their pizza is top notch. 

Oh, and they have a good selection of beer so you can pair something cold and fizzy with your meal. 

Go there and be ready to eat.  Big thumbs up!
4 - Phu P.: This is a reliable stand by for when I visit my bro up in La Jolla.  It's really close to his place in UTC.  Before going here, I always thought it was just some other pizza joint in a strip mall.  I'm glad that it isn't!

The pizza is really good.  You can't go wrong with any of their selections.  Good cheese, good dough.  Not under/ overcooked.  It's surprising how a lot of places mess up pizza.  

I like the other things on the menu too though.  Their cheese sticks are oh so yummy.  It's fried, breaded cheese with parmasean sprinkled on top for extra measure.  I also like their pastas.

The service is super too!  The managers are always walking around and keeping an eye on things to make sure the restaurant is operating smoothly.  What else is good...  oh, the chicken wings and the buttery mashed potatoes!

It is a bit crowded and you might have to wait to get seated.  I think you can call head to get your name on the seating list.  Bon appetit!
4 - Flora W.: I've tried BJ's a couple times before but never liked it. I didn't think their food wasn't that great. Until recently when I found out the right things to order, that's when I realized the food here is pretty good.

I like their chicken wings which are fried but the meat inside is still juicy and flavorful, amazing. The sliders are also pretty good. It comes with four mini burgers of decent size so it can be a meal itself. I love their lunch specials which you get a half sandwich and a choice of a side salad or soup. The clam chowder comes in a large bowl but a little too salty for me. The salads are so fresh and crispy with the right amount of salad dressing. Their new parmesan crusted chicken breast is pretty good. I also like the grilled chicken pasta, it's not too creamy with juicy chicken breasts!

The service is friendly and fast. The only thing is they are a lot smaller than the BJs I have back at home. They don't even have a full bar here either. The atmosphere is def. not as great as the one I've been to but nonetheless the food is great. End your meal with a pazookie! It's a big warm cookie topped with vanilla ice cream, YUM!
3 - Jen W.: The food gets three stars, the service gets two.

We came here for an end-of-year floor dinner. 15-person party plus incompetent hostesses equals a longass wait (even after calling in ahead) and a cramped dining area. No good.

The strawberry lemonade is very good. And freefills is a plus. My California grilled chicken sandwich was a big letdown though. The chicken was very dry and on the tough side, and the avocado didn't really work with pepperonicis. There was a crapload of mayo that kind of soaked into the bread, despite it having been previously toasted. It just wasn't a very good sandwich, especially considering it was ten bucks. The seasoned potato wedges were good, but then again... your restaurant kind of fails if you screw those up.

The pizzookie saves this place. There really is no other reason to come here. But it's reason enough, because it's pretty effing good.
4 - Rachel S.: Dare I say this might be the best pizza I've found in San Diego?

I certainly wasn't expecting it to be all that great.  It's in a strip mall, after all.  But seriously, the pizza is really freakin' good.  The deep dish crust had a nice buttery, crispness on the bottom, and a great flavor.  The toppings were plentiful and fresh.  And our beer complimented it perfectly.  

I'm a fan.
2 - Stephen W.: Crappy pizza gets 1 star.  Plus 1 more for the decent beer.

Why go stand in line here, when it's SO easy to do SO much better?
2 - Philly B.: Oh, BJ's. What a love/hate relationship I have with you.

I'm sure other BJ's locations are better by default, given that the La Jolla restaurant is just up the street from UCSD. After all, college kids aren't famous for their high dining expectations and they're apparently wiling to wait for forever and a day to be seated at a mediocre pizza joint. 

The wait staff here seem nice enough, but my friend and I have had some pretty lousy experiences, too. Let's go from bad to worse: the multiple times our food has been lukewarm at best; the server who asked my friend how she'd like the veggie burger cooked (medium or rare? uh... you mean the cow part that ISN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE?); the short, curly hair found amongst my fries that I definitely didn't want anywhere near me or my food. In their defense, the management has always been more than willing to comp the meal for dissatisfied customers, but wouldn't it make more sense to get it right rather than having patrons who've received multiple free meals in a row? (I think we reached three free meals before finally having to pay for a good one.)

I've never been particularly impressed by their pizza, but I'm also not a huge fan of Chicago style pizza. Not a beer drinker, either, so I have no thoughts or suggestions to add there. Their pizookie is mighty delicious, but for crying out loud, order the Oreo one! I don't understand why so many people get the crappy chocolate chip kind and don't even realize that the Oreo one exists.
1 - Alan R.: While the local UTC community has a ton of jokes about this joint, especially the one that goes " You haven't lived until you've had" this place serves a decent pie. Okay, possibly that's a joke too. But seriously, UCSD kids not from Los Angeles flock to this place, and I can see why, its a who's who of campus life, cool that way. The pizza is okay for what it is, an over the top grease fest of the crust, but anyone from the midwest knows it's not deep dish, it's....well.  It's a heavily oiled piece of dough that crusts up in the pizza oven. It's not half bad if eaten in house, but take out is a problem. They've suspended delivery here, it just doesn't work after the pie has been sitting around for long.   Still, you go to BJ's and you see a bunch of happy chatting-loud UCSD students having fun, can't hate that. Service is very good, cheerful, and attentive. Salads are wanting, but decent, but suffer from the alternatives 50 feet away from Whole Foods.  The prices are Parents Pay For.   This is not so much a destination,  but an experience for the college students.  They'd go somewhere else, but the pizza, open air options are limited for them, so they go here. Can't be too critical about that.   Worth trying once, but I think the high calorie product doesn't justify the experience unless you're a UCSD'er...then well, you gotta be seen here.  One star for the food, but you definitely get 3 star service here, from the wait staff and take out staff. The pizza just isn't that good, but the place is always packed--- they know what they are doing.
4 - Lauretta L.: The BBQ Chicken Pizza seriously gives you a food orgasm in your mouth. Not too much sauce or cheese. Really good crust. A lot of tomatoes and chicken..Mmmmm.

The manager is also very generous. Our pizza burned so he gave us a free pizookie because the pizza would come out late. It didn't even seem like we waited too long anyway.

I think that if you go to BJ's, it's a waste to get something like pasta or a sandwich. I'd recommend ordering something that you can't make at home.
3 - Sara M.: My partner and I recently started coming to BJs as a follow-up treat after our Lamaze classes - nothing quite like a pizookie to hit a pregnant woman's sweet spot! 

On our last visit we learned that they were offering a brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, whose serving hours conveniently extended until one in the afternoon. We're relatively late sleepers on Sundays so this suited us marvelously, winning out over the two-for-one coupon we had to Soup Plantation's Sunday brunch buffet. We got seated almost as soon as we walked in because the place was still pretty empty, and our waitress arrived in short order to ask if we'd like anything to drink.

Since we'd tried (and failed) twice before to order root beer floats, we figured that the third time had to be a charm - but still no luck! As it happens there's something wrong with the size of their root beer keg, and they're not even sure they'll be able to resurrect their homebrewed root beer at this rate. Sigh. Instead we got two coffees and sat back to look over the brunch options. Our drinks arrived and we placed our order - the French Toast Combo for me, and the Breakfast Pizza for him - and sat back to enjoy our cupsa joe while awaiting our meal. Unfortunately, we couldn't even do that - although our waitress had thoughtfully provided us with a little box of sugars, there were only fake sugars available! Now, I'm not knocking Splenda (or Sweet n' Low, or Equal), but there's just nothing like the real thing in my opinion. So we spent the next ten minutes trying to catch her eye, which quickly became something of a game as she managed to avoid all eye contact with our table despite providing service to the three tables nearest us. She seemed to spend most of her time in the back room cleaning things and tending to other small necessities. Eventually we flagged her down by making obvious gesturing motions and milling our arms about, at which point she arrived with a smile on her face and happily provided us with real sugars. 

Our meals arrived not long after that. Beau's breakfast pizza looked encouraging - four huge slices of thin crust pizza with egg and mozzarella, and enough breakfast potatoes to fill in any gaps on the plate. He's not normally a potato man, so it's saying something that he ate about half of them; they were very well-seasoned and quite tasty. After about two slices of the pizza though, he began picking off the egg and just eating the crust with the cheese and tomato sauce. I don't really blame him; the eggs that came with my meal were also a bit lackluster. They were thoroughly scrambled, but still somehow *wet* - and not oily wet, or undercooked wet, just ... wet - and didn't appear to have been seasoned at any stage in the cooking process. My French toast was undercooked (I'm still working out how it's possible to undercook French toast), with gooey dough/batter still present in the middle of both slices. I tried to eat around it because I'm still not sure what the etiquette on sending food back to the kitchens is, and anyway we didn't see our waitress again for the rest of the meal, so it's not like we had anyone to tell. The sausages that arrived on my plate, at least, were pretty good. 

After we had finished, we still had a bit of a wait before our check arrived - prompting beau to mutter under his breath, "Who do I have to sleep with to get service around here?" which is unusual for him, because I'm normally the one who's picky about service; he's much more relaxed and willing to be patient. When our check finally arrived and our waitress asked if we'd like anything else today, he ordered a Pepsi - which we wound up sharing, since he'd ordered it to settle his tummy and mine felt a little uneasy also. 

Three hours later, we had to cancel our appearance at a family get-together because our stomachs were both still queasy - neither of us have actually been sick so far, just dealing with a general discomfort and light but persistent nausea. I'm still not sure what it could have been, but my bet is on the eggs since they're the only things our dishes had in common. 

Possibly the only redeeming feature of this experience was that the Pepsi didn't appear on our bill - although I'm not sure if that was due to negligence or intentional oversight, but I'm willing to just accept it for the freebie it wound up being. 

We'll still probably wind up going back for late-night pizookies, but I gotta say, breakfast there is definitely no longer an option for us. Uninspiring to say the least.
5 - Brad H.: I am always satisfied when I get some BJ's.  Seriously though they provide me with fulfillment and finish me off with dripping sweetness.

BJ's really has everything I could want in a restaurant.

- Thick delicious face trespassing pizza pie's
(check)
- TV's with sports on, once in a while women's weightlifting
(check)
- Several types of finely crafted micro-brewed beers with foamy head
(yes!  check)
- Option of finishing your meal with a warm, gooey cookie with sweet creamy ice cream melting on top
(mmmmm, check)

All sex puns aside, I love this place and will happily go here whenever anyone purposes the idea.  I mean really..  who doesn't like BJ's?
4 - JR B.: Build your own deep dish pizza, then if you don't like it give yourself 2 stars. Seriously, the deep dish pizza is tasty; if you don't like the options on the menu, create your own! I also had the red beer, which is a yummy brew, and I'm sure you'll read all the raves about the pizookie. They're true. 

The atmosphere is noisy, bright, over-chilled and packed full of UCSD students, attempting to resemble a sports bar, but instead of boisterous jocks it's full of asian engineering students and the random hot blonde or redhead sticking out like Pamela Anderson in a room full of storm troopers. I haven't decided yet if I like that or not; after all, I am an engineering student and I kinda like asian girls...
3 - Angela C.: Good for pizza, sandwiches, and dessert (the pizzookie), nice dining environment.

So the first time I ate here my boyfriend took me for lunch and we both had a lunch combo, I loved their fries and dessert of pizzookie. The pizzokie is a large backed cookie with a scope of ice on time. My co-workers took me here for my "going away" party when I switched jobs and I got to try their deep dish pizza (off someone else's order) for the first time. I thought it was quite tasty and would order it myself now. Other than that I've ordered their Veggie burger (I'd go with a regular burger next time) and a few times their carry-out.
4 - mae l.: yes, it's a pizza joint, buti love their buffalo wings. They're meaty, juicy and crispy. Yes, crispy. They don't drown it in buffalo sauce like everywhere else. I don't care what u buffalo wings purists might think. I love the wings here, and so far everyone else i've told about the wings here loves them and would come here to just get the wings. 

that being said, my fav pizza is the BJ's favorite- generous amounts of topping.. lotsa melty goopy cheese, hunks of tomatoes, peppers, onions, sausage and pepperoni and olives.. gooooood.

im not a big fan of potatoes- i like rice better, thanks. But i do love their blackend chicken giant stuffed potato- that thing is huge! And good! Drown it with sour cream.. oohh sooo moneeeyyy!!

Jambalaya is something else i crave from time to time there. Perfectly cooked shrimp and chicken, lots of sausage over rice pilaf.. Might get a little salty sometimes, but just drink more beer and you'll be fine. 

love the half and half- jeremiah red and the berry ale.. it's kinda sweet, but very light, so i dont get too full from booze...

Pizookie looks good, but by the time im done with wings and pizza/potato/jambalaya, there's no room left. bummer. 

they have great platters u can order to-go for last minute entertaining too! FYI! :D
2 - Kendall C.: Okay, first thing I have to say is I did not try the beer. As this is a "Restaurant & Brewhouse

Perhaps this would have changed my opinion on the place as I believe alcohol may have an effect on how a place is reviewed.

I believe the food is overpriced. Thus the two star rating. The pizza was good, but not worth the $14.25+tax that I paid for a medium, which was 1 and 1/3 slices for each person. The alfredo pasta with grilled chicken was average and the salad, which my friends though was tasty, had way too much dressing for me.

If you have the money to spend (even with the current economy), I suggest you go to Edo Sushi near the 805. Or if you are craving pizza, Hoboken Pizza down in PB is a good choice.
3 - Nadia C.: So it was date night last night with the bf. Yay.

Since I work in La Jolla and a movie was also on the agenda we decided to eat here.

It was okay...not extraordinary but not terrible.

As we were browsing the menu, our waitress came over three times to ask if we were ready to order. Seriously, THANK YOU, but chill. I thought it was a universal thing to know that if someones menu is open, theyre still looking? Whatever...

So we finally decide on spinach artichoke dip to start and a cobb salad to share for dinner.

When the dip comes out, it is beautifully showcased in a little crock on a plate surrounded by incredibly greasy chips. Ugh...dont be picky. So we dig in anyways because we are both starving. When they said artichoke hearts...they really meant it. There were huge pieces of artichoke hidden in the bottom making half the dip uneatable. Damnit.

The salad comes out and it was pretty awesome. Avocado on the side for me. The bacon and dressing were really great.

Overall it was pretty chill. Except for the loud ass drunk dad sitting behind me singing 'Wanna be a baller'...Yeah he was way too much for me to handle...

Anyways. Im sure I would go back again when Im in a pizza mood so we will see how the stars talk then.
3 - John K.: I like BJs, the staff are friendly and I like the decor but the food just feels a little too greasy.  It tastes good but as I'm eating I'm always thinking that I should have a salad (which is on their menu).

They have a great range of beers and provide a full menu; I love their pasta and of course the potatoes are great.

They will let you call ahead and put down your name, which is always nice as I hate showing up somewhere to find a really long wait.
2 - Kristen A.: I was not happy with my experience at BJs. My friends and I made reservations for a party of 9 at 7pm on a Thursday night. First two people arrive at 6.40, they tell them there will be a 10 - 15 minute wait, no problem. Then my boyfriend and I arrive (don't see our friends) and they tell us that it will be a 15 to 10 minute wait! If you do your math at that point it should have been a 5 to 10 minute wait at that point. Then its slowly approaching 7pm... our whole party has arrived... and we see a group of 9 slip the guy some money and take our table. So even though we made reservations, we didn't get seated until about 7:10pm. Not okay.

Following this our server comes up, takes half of our drink orders and then says "Be right back" and walks away to help another table, and doesn't come back until almost 10 minutes later to take the rest of our drink orders.

Our food did come out quickly, and it was okay, but I have experienced so much better. I guess my favorite thing was there Bruschetta & Spinach Artichoke appetizer dip. I think its called "Better Together" or something like that. Yum! But other then that the several pizza's we got, my salad, and my parmesan crusted chicken were just okay. 

Bottom line: None of the food was good enough to suffer through being treated like that again.
2 - Nick T.: BJ's. What an appropriate name. Like the hookers on El Cajon Blvd by the Church's Chicken this place blows and blows and blows.

Who in their right mind thinks that the pizza here is great ? Probably the same people that gets Dominoes or Pizza Hut delivered hot and fresh to their house.

The pizza blows

The service blows

The prices blows

The location is pretty good cus you got all the UCSD smarties nearby. The only saving grace about this joint is booze.

BJ's. I wonder if they have a sister restaurant called Cunni's or Muff Diver's.
4 - Ankur J.: I'm vegetarian. I luv their vegetarian pizza, spinach and artichoke pizza, spinach and artichoke dip, and the best dessert ever: pizookie. Hot cookie dough with vanilla ice cream on top. Pizookie and the Chicago-style pizza will keep me coming back for life.
2 - Karim H.: BJ's was one of my favorite places to go in Westwood whilst attending UCLA... that location is fantastic, the service is great, the food is excellent, and the whole experience leaves you satiated. 

This location however, is none of those things. The actual restaurant seems like it was tacked onto the shopping center as an afterthought... it's teeny! Moreover, the service is reprehensible... 

Not really thinking it through, and knowing my stepdad is a big "pizza and beer" guy, I asked my parents and sister to meet the partner for the first time at this place. Yes, the dreaded "meet the parents" moment, to take place in an extremely noisy pizza joint! Trepidation aside, the meeting went really well, mostly because the fam was so appalled by the atrocious service.

After waiting about 30 minutes for a party of 5 (several parties, both smaller and larger, were seated before us) our dipstick waiter took another 15 minutes to take a drink order. This was alright, as it allowed for much awkward conversation between the partner and the parentals, though when he finally showed up with drinks, he actually asked me to taste my beer to see if it was the one I'd ordered. It was not, so he left to get me the correct one. 

The fam sort of chuckled at this first incident, but when the wrong pizza was brought out, appetizers forgotten, and water never brought out after three requests, I think they were fairly peeved... especially when said appetizer showed up on our bill. 

All in all, the food is ok, but it's not worth putting up with the service or loud, cramped, awful location. Even for a pizookie! 

There's a much better location on broxton in L.A. if you get a chance to check it out!
4 - selina l.: For some reason I remembered there being a bar here. There isn't. The restaurant is pretty small so a large party may have to wait. The staff was nice when I came and sat us without the whole party.  The pizza is not Chicago style deep dish. It's too much dough and not enough cheese. I suppose real Chicago style won't survive in health conscious California. That said, the Mediterranean pizza was good. Also we made one with artichoke, garlic, and extra cheese that rocked. Wine selection is lacking but the beers were good.  I would go back but make a reservation first.
3 - Giggly c.: My favorite spinach and artichoke pizza. Why oh why is it not part of the lunch special? Bit pricy, but pizza the way i like it (with the buttery crust). Not for those who are watching their cholesterol.
5 - Mimi Q.: 5 stars for PIZOOKIE!! SCRUMPLILDOCIOUS piping hot cookie with ice cream on top in lil cookie pan.The waiters are super nice. Okay, delish potato wedges. Big ol baked potatoes. Good pizza.
4 - meg r.: I was actually impressed. 

I've never been to BJ's for dinner before (a friend and I went in for a pizookie once and that was alright...). But I was pleasantly surprised. I thought it was going to be some kinda crappy half-assed chain restaurant, but it was pretty darn good. 

There was a lot of stuff on the menu that looked good, I wound up getting the balsamic glazed chicken just because it sounded so good. Their description of it is as follows, "Our marinated chicken breast grilled and served over baby field greens, caramelized onions and white cheddar mashed potatoes. Topped with crispy fried onion strings and drizzled with sweet balsamic glaze". Sounds nummy huh? It was! I ate *every last bite* and felt like such a pig. Moreso because 3 of the girls at the table got salads and the last got bruschetta (I tried a piece and it was ridiculously good too).. ah well! at least I enjoyed it! 

I'd also recommend their hard cider, I think it was raspberry? Really good stuff. Get it by the pitcher, it works out to be like getting 2 free drinks. 

Overall, I wouldn't mind going back. It was yummy and a good friendly warm atmosphere. Very packed. The tables are too close together as well, but they're trying to cram so many people in. Oh yeah, parking SUCKS in this lot around this place.
4 - Charlie D.: Delicious pizza.  Fantastic Pizookies.  This place isn't your average pizza parlor.  BJ's houses some very interesting flavors of pizza, and do a fantastic job of putting them together.  It's a bit on the pricy side, but nothing unreasonable for the food you'll be getting.  If you like beer, they've got some great beer on tap.  This place is great to go to for parties and get togethers.
4 - Gregory P.: Last night I was able to order take-out from bj's at 20 mins after 10pm  on a Tuesday in la jolla. I was a bit excited to say the least. 

I ordered the Parmesan crusted chicken that came with steamed broccoli and white cheddar mashed potatoes. The chicken came topped with a chardonnay butter sauce.... YUM!!!! The boyfriend had a turkey cobb sandwich that he loved. I guess it was the garlic cheese bread it came on. The food was terrific.

Their curbside pick up stops at 9pm. And the order did take about 30-35 mins when the guy on the phone said 15-20mins. No biggie really. The guy I picked my food up from did tell me thay ran out of the "batter" for the chicken but they did make more and that's why the food would be a little bit longer. I felt kinda bad the kid had to hunt down some change for me b/c the front register only had $20's in it. Hence, nore waiting.

All in all I  don't enjoy sitting down to dinner at Bj's but I definatley love being able to get their food take out and late none the less.
4 - Elaine ..: This is the place where I was introduced to the world of pizookies (a big chewy, warm cookie served with ice cream) yum!  I usually come here for lunch and order the soup and sandwich meal. On a cold day, the minestrone soup is hearty, warm and delicious. They serve deep dish pizza, as well as, pastas, sandwiches, and salads. The pizza is more expensive than your local pizza parlor, but worth a try.  I'd recommend the house pizza.
4 - Maggie C.: Place is way smaller compared to the usual BJs I go to but service is great, food is the same as any other BJs but the white chocolate Pazooki was AMAZING!
3 - Lynn C.: BJ's is one of those restaurants that you bring up when you have a bunch of friends in town and want to grab a bite to eat. While it may not be the city's best pizza, swankiest place to take a date, or even the best value, it is definitely a restaurant worthy of consideration to answer the age-old question of, "What's for dinner tonight?"

I tried the Balsamic Glazed Chicken and had a bite of the California Grilled Chicken sandwich (pretty good, very good flavor combination with the roasted green chilies and the pepper jack cheese). The latter entree was a bit average as the balsamic glaze that adorned the platter was a tad light on the flavor. The chicken had been slightly overcooked and most of the taste came from the cheddar mashed potatoes and the sweet onion straws that garnished the dish.

I ordered a Jeremiah Red from the house brew selection and it has been one of my favorites thus far (you can't go wrong with the Harvest Hefeweizen). The thing about BJ's is that it's a brewery too. You have to try one of their unique, award-winning beers if you can.

Of course, to finish it off, we had a Pizookie that was decadent, satisfying and delicious. The cookie was a bit undercooked but regardless, it satisfied my sweet tooth for sure.

Bottom line: BJ's has great pizza (from what I remember from past experiences), a good selection of house brews, and a variety of appetizers and entrees to keep a person coming back. If you're a beer fan you have to try their house brews and if you're a dessert fan, the Pizookie is a classic. Check out the menu online before you decide to go. I can almost bet you'll find something that tickles your fancy. Don't expect great cuisine though, but if you're hungry and in the area, I'd definitely pick this place over the local TGIF right across the parking lot.
2 - Dave M.: Guh. I was wondering the other day, 'who the hell eats at TGI Fridays?', and I think the answer is, 'the same people who eat at BJs'. This place may sound good, with it's promise of house-brewed beer and pizzas, but the beer is tasteless, and the food is gross. I felt like crap after eating here, like a parade of midgets carrying sackfuls of salt had taken over my stomach. I was brined like a thanksgiving turkey, but from the inside.
3 - David G.: When I found out that my coworkers wanted go out to lunch, the first thing that came to mind was: "I wonder which mediocre chain establishment in UTC are we going to visit this time."  When I heard that we were going to the local BJ's, I groaned and everybody knew that I wasn't too excited about the idea.  I had never actually been to a BJ's before, but I assumed it was going to be overpriced and craptacular diner-style food that they charge a premium for, a la TGI Friday's or Applebee's.  But my coworkers were stacked 8-to-1 against me, and democracy rules where I work, so we went to BJ's despite my hand-wringing.

BJ's really does look just like an Applebee's on the inside, but I have to give it credit: the food here is incomparably better.  I had a lunch special, which consisted of a plate of BBQ chicken salad and a bowl of tomato bisque (for $1 extra).  I was actually really impressed with the food!  The salad was fresh and flavorful, and they didn't skimp on the yummy BBQ chicken.  To my surprise, the salad was topped with a lil' mountain of onion rings, which were flavorful and crispy, and they complemented the rest of the salad quite nicely.   The tomato bisque was a winner too; it was rich and flavorful, and it had lots of yummy and crispy croutons swimming around inside.

The only main downside was the lack of service.  This particular BJ's is pretty small, and the place wasn't busy -- yet our server seemed to be gone most of the time.  Some of my coworkers had to prod several times to get their drinks (but this didn't bother me since all I had was water).  Different servers brought out our food, and our server didn't reappear until we were ready for the check.  Better luck next time, I s'pose.

If you're hangin' round UTC and and want a good and filling lunch, give BJ's a shot.
2 - Kevin D.: So my girlfriend and I wanted to go to lunch and she was craving for a pazookie so we went to Bj's. When I got there it wasn't too crowded we got seated right away. We decided to order the make your own pizza with four or more toppings since it was the same price as one of their specialty pizza, and we also ordered a Clam Chowder Bowl. The pizza that the waiter brought out took quite a while to make and when they brought it out it had the wrong topping!! The put pepperoni on the pizza rather then pineapple, I don't know how you can mix up those two toppings but o well. when we told the waiter he just brought us a small bowl of cooked canned pineapples which did not taste good at all. Besides that the clam chowder was delicious and of course the pazooki was amazing.
4 - Dan M.: The secret here is the Pizzookie dessert !!!!  The deep dish pizza is good, but not what you compare to Chicago Style which is thick in toppings, this is more thick crust throughout and served in the deep dish pans.  These pizzas have a thick crust, which is unique and good... sort of sweet, and tasty, blended well with the cheese and other toppings.  The wedge salad is amazing, and the lunch specials (individual pizza + salad) are a great bargain.  But what you really want to not miss (save room for) is the Pizzookie.  This is a deep dish cookie (some call it an "easy bake oven" cookie/cake) which is served warm with ice cream on top, simple, but simply delicious.
2 - Angela H.: Average food that can get a little pricey. Overall, it's okay. I hate it when people want to come here for birthdays. Nothing special- I don't know why everybody always makes a huge fuss over the pizookie. I can do the same thing at home.
1 - Grace L.: They should rename this BJ's to, "Sodium fix".  From our artichoke dip to the pasta everything had so much salt!  It started with the chips from the spinach artichoke dip.  Dear lord, I was trying to brush off all the extra salt, it was pretty intense!  My grilled chicken pasta unfortunately became food for fuel rather then an enjoyable experience.  I tried to add pepper to counter the salt, sadly it didn't help... :(  Holy Moly....  I thought that I would suffer from high blood pressure after this meal...
2 - Krystine D.: I'm normally a big fan of BJs (particularly their sandwiches). I usually at at the one in Grossmont. Decided to try the one in La Jolla. I came to BJs for lunch (around 1 PM)

Service: Poor to somewhat decent. Not all too friendly. But tolerable. I love places with a warm and friendly staff, and this wasn't cutting it.

Ambiance: Has much more of a laid-back, but somewhat lazy, vibe to it. 

Size: The smallest BJs I've seen.

Food: The food was pretty good, like any other BJs I've been to.

I would recommend going to the BJs on Grossmont if you ever feel the urge. The staff is much friendlier. The restaurant is generally louder there, but that's due to its larger size and more of an ambiance of youth to it. The food and prices are the same. Enjoy!
3 - Christine L.: I love BJ's. Both the restaurant and the other kind. But the restaurant itself is usually pretty solid in terms of food, prices, and the atmosphere so I know whenever I walk into BJ's, I'm going to expect the same quality of food for the same price and service - which is usually pretty good. 

Now this particular BJ's is rather small - more for a cozy lunch or dinner with the family, which was why it was Stop #2 for my birthday week! I called about 30 min before to be put on the waiting list, but there was a mix-up and apparently the guy who took my phone call did NOT put my name down. Uh, what? Luckily the hostess who I approached was sweet and managed to squeeze me and my group of 5 other people into a comfy corner booth before the huge dinner rush swung by at 7pm. However, for the rest of the night service was mediocre and lackluster. C'mon, it's my birthday, you can at least smile when getting our drinks! 

On to food: I ordered their Shrimp Scampi pasta - one of my personal favorites, and super filling! I never finish an entire bowl so I always take part of it in a take-out box and have it later, so I think the price is worth it. They also have awesome appetizers like the Bruschetta and their pizzas are great - my friends ordered the BBQ Chicken which was thick and dripping with sauce and cheese. Definitely kicks CPK's ass in this arena. And because it was my birthday -- I get a free chocolate chip pizookie! (+ a lit candle). My friends ordered the Pizookie Party platter - which is HUGE platter (it covered a third of our table!) of hot freshly baked cookie of up to 4 of your favorite flavors, and an equally large mound of vanilla ice cream slowly melting in the middle awaiting your mouth. 

It's enough to make you forget about BJ's. The other kind.
4 - Keith W.: I love this place! The pizza is good: cheesy, thick fluffy crust, satisfying.

But the real goodness is the pizookie!! You cannot leave that place until you've had it. If you do, you are missing out!!

I got the Oreo Pizookie. SOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD! I haven't been back yet, but can't wait!
3 - Judy C.: BJ's is a nice restaurant to go to for some good, solid food for I'd say.. a *decent* price.  I say that because I can definitely see it being a hit or miss kinda place..and the service isn't always too great.

I've tried their Caesar Salad, their giant stuffed potatoes and their pizookie!!  All of those have been pretty goood. Not great, though.  The pizookie is a must though..you can never go wrong with a giant warm cookie a la mode :)

3 stars overall.
5 - Keri M.: This place was awesome for my husband and I.  We are college aged in case that matters to people.  Our waiter was very friendly and attentive.  My husband got the Chicago Style Pizza and I got the Parmesan Crusted Chicken.  Both were beyond delicious.  He also got three beers--one Piranha and 2 Nit Wits.  He loved the Nit Wit, but he said the Piranha was good, too.  Then, the best part of the meal was the Pizookie.  I got it based on other reviews, but they were certainly not lying.  Yummy, homemade tasting cookie that is warm and gooey served with a great flavor of vanilla bean ice cream.  We definitely plan to go back.
4 - Yong L.: This place is awesome for both pizza and entree meals. My favorite is probably the great white pizza, a mixture of cheeses, garlic, roasted tomatoes, and chicken. The crust on the pizza is phenomenal as well. Good relaxed environment for younger crowds who are into sports and the bar scene somewhat. Not so good for private conversation, it can get a little loud in there, This BJ's is pretty small compared to some others I've been to as well.
4 - Julia S.: I honestly don't understand why people wait in line over 30-45 minutes. Every time when I drive by I see more than 20 individuals outside looking forward to be sited. I agree that Food menu is pretty various and drinks are suitable for all ages. But do we have enough time to go out and especially wait for our turn? I don't.
3 - Mick G.: A nice place for lunch!  

Overall I am not a huge fan of the Pizza here ... which is of course the specialty, but it overcomes that with the salad offerings!

Salads are big, healthy, delicious, and served quickly.  

They have this endless Soup/Salad lunch thing ... wow ... not a bad deal if you are a hungry hungry catipillar.  I like the Tomato Bisque with the Ceasar (served with copious amounts of CHEESE!).

Now the Pizzookie?  Famous, but for what?  Average cookie that is usually undercooked and then COVERED with MOUNTAINS of ICE CREAM.  It is really not that good.  Honestly.  It is big.  I grant that.

Parking here is a NIGHTMARE, though.  Not that it bears any influence on the rating, but good luck.  The lot is almost full, and the drivers vieing for spots are scary and deranged (which is how I usually think of La Jolla people anyway).

A-OK is a good review for this place.
2 - Dan M.: I cannot understand why people would wait 30 min to eat here. The pizza is edible. I guess the Pizookie is good, but you could seriously drive to Extraordinary Desserts in Little Italy and finish eating by the time you would actually have the Pizookie on your table. There's better deep dish pizza (and beer) at Regent's Pizzeria down the street, and the beers just aren't up to San Diego standards. Something about this place just makes it a magnet for UCSD freshmen though...
4 - Jessica G.: The lunch menu is very affordable and filling.  You can get a sandwich, a side of fries and a salad for I think like 7$ or maybe less??, which is a really good deal.
3 - Jay D.: I like the pizza here, I will not go into the whole deep dish vs thin crust feud, enough blood has spilled over that.  Right?  The beer here is not very good to me except for the Harvest Hefeweizen.  I love it.  The pizza has always been delicious here (going on 16+ years) and the staff always nice and attentive but I wish that they had more than one beer that I like.

Very busy at lunchtime due to the proximity to UCSD, so...there's that.
1 - mandy m.: again, proof that (some) people of La Jolla have NO idea or expectations for what they put in their mouth. The pizza was probably the item that made me sick for hours afterwards although I have had a few other pieces of "food" from our group. 
The artichoke dip for $9 was the smallest apetizer I have seen. Pretty much everything we ordered looked like it was leftover food from Denny's and Domino's.
3 - Lozz Y.: Great time to come for a really cheap lunch. They have specials with an individual sized 1 topping pizza and wedge salad for only about $6. Very filling. Not really that big of a fan for dinner since the place is really small and not that special.
2 - Mark K.: I've had a lot of pizza in my life (I'm originally from Chicago) and although they call this Chicago style pizza, its just not that good.  I had high expectations for this and maybe that was my problem.  One of the key ingredients of a successful deep dish pizza is the crust and the dough.  Its easiest to forget and this pizza is too doughy and doesn't have the right balance of dough to sauce and cheese.  It overwhelms and dominates the pizza.  The best deep dish pizzas have that balance and usually are dominated by the sauce (Original Pizzeria Uno/Deux) the cheese (Giordano's), the crust (Pequods), or the combination of all of them (Papa Del's).  I would love to give a higher grade but making pizza right is very important to my past and this place just doesn't cut it.
4 - John B.: Decent. Accomidating.
4 - Dan P.: The draw here is the pizza but really, it's slightly better than average.  I've had it a few times and it's not really that memorable.  I prefer Uno's if I'm looking for that deep dish style and I KNOW that Uno's doesn't set standard when it comes to Chicago style deep dish.  So maybe that tells you something about the pizza here.  Again, not that memorable.  

The salads here are good.  They are very big servings and loaded with toppings and such.  They tend to overload it with dressing so ask for it on the side.  You might balk at the price for salad, but you do get a huge portion.  Same with the baked potato here.  Big and loaded.

The pastas seems to be better than the pizza here for me.  I had a chicken alfredo dish that was good and average portion for pasta.  Hard to really messup chicken alfredo though.   

The most memorable dish I've had here was the spaghetti and meatballs.  It's a good portion to share with a date or something.  And the meatballs and sauce were very well done.  If I find myself at BJ's again soon, I'm for sure ordering the spaghetti and meatballs.

The beer selection is limited to their house brews (I believe) and while their house stuff is good, it's kind of a bummer they don't have some of the more established brands available.  The red one stood out to me.

Everyone raves about the Pizzookie.  I suppose it's simple and effective (warm cookie with vanilla ice cream on top), but really... you could probably do a lot better for the price.  I think it's way overhyped.

The dining area is pretty relaxed.  Brightly lit and I believe meant to encourage lively conversation.  It's pretty nice inside.  The place is on the small side though, and it gets crowded.  There's almost always a wait to get a table here as it seems to be very popular.

Prices are about average, maybe slightly on the "affordable" side.

Service is a bit spotty.  The place is almost always busy so you might need to temper expectations on service a smidge.  Everyone I've dealt with there has been friendly though.

Overall, a decent place I wouldn't mind coming to every now and then and MIGHT just go out of my way to get spaghetti.
4 - Sarah V.: I am giving this place 4 stars based on their foodgasm inducing baked potatoes and my anticipation for a second visit to try their deep dish pizza and pizookie. But here's the rest of my review in list format:

PROS:
Service was good (and my to-go waitress was such a cutie).
Quick service.
Yummy Strawberry lemonade.
Decent beer.

CONS:
Cesar salad had waaay too much dressing.
Chicken was a bit dry.
Salsa was forgettable.
NO parking.
Seating is a bit cramped.
Balsamic Glazed Chicken - presentation was nice but food was not.
4 - Tiffany V.: Didn't try the pizza or pizookie. Wish I did. Will probably go back to try these...

Good things:
Chicken wings were good and crispy.
Strawberry lemonade was amazing. Sweet and tangy.
Cripsy Chicken Sandwich was good. Garlic French roll that they use as the bread really made the sandwich. The chicken was crispy and not too dry. The sauce was not as present as I would like but the bread totally makes up for it. (Moral: any sandwich with the garlic French roll will be good).
Thin fries were very tasty. Crispy on the outside.
Onion strings were really really good. Onion was sweet, outside was crispy.
Salad was good if you like your salad with a lot of dressing (which I do). Croutons were good too cause I don't like croutons that are too hard, and they were semi-soft (probably from the sauce).
Waitress was very nice, refilled our strawberry lemonades without us asking (which could make me bias on how nice she was...).

Bad things:
Chips and Salsa tasted okay. Nothing special. But the waitress asked if we wanted sour cream and that made the chips and salsa good.
BBQ Chicken sandwich - I could barely taste any BBQ sauce and I love a lot of sauce on everything.
THEY DON'T HAVE AVOCADO EGG ROLLS OR POT ROAST SANDWICHS, which sucks cause a friend who used to work at a different BJs recommended them. Very disappointed...
4 - Amy G.: Great place for a deep dish pizza.  The deep dish pizza here is my favorite of all San Diego.  I'm not too familiar with other dishes because I can never resist ordering the pizza every time I go here.  The pizookie (sp?) is also very good.  It's a chocolate chip cookie baked and topped off with ice cream :)
4 - Jennifer P.: My girlfriend and I have been frequenting BJ's for about 3 years or so.  We went about a week ago and I realized I hadn't written a review for it yet and it was such a nice dinner that I thought I should.  We ordered a lot of food because we wanted leftovers and we had a gift card anyways. :-) For appetizers, we ordered the chicken wings and the spinach artichoke dip.  Both were AMAZING! The chicken wings are crispy and aren't coated in sauce- instead most of the sauce they have on the side so you can dip as you go which is great because then the wings stay crispy and it's not as messy.  The spinach artichoke dip is probably my favorite I have had around the area (and I've had it at CPK, Red Robin, Cheesecake Factory, etc.).  Then for the entree, my girlfriend got fettucini alfredo with grilled chicken which was very good as well.  I got the clam chowder in a bread bowl which was very tasty as well.  The only problems were that they didn't have enough of the clam chowder prepared so they only brought me about 1/4 of the bowl to start and brought more out later. However, this was not a big deal because 1) our waiter didn't charge us for the soup since it was late and 2) i had so much other food to eat it didn't matter and 3) it was sooo good! Haha. Anyways, it was a great dinner and the staff was very friendly and helpful.  My girlfriend and I are already talking about going back. 

Oh! The pizookies are really good as well, but we were too full to have them this time. Our favorite is the white chocolate chip macademia nut one. :-) Just plain chocolate chip is good too!

(SIDENOTE:  if you want BJ's delivered, make sure you really HEAT UP THE FOOD when it arrives.  For 2 years my girlfriend and  I would have BJ's delivered to our dorm on campus since it was just easier.  It always tasted amazing, but later that night or the next day our stomachs would hurt so bad....I won't go into detail.  But after the stomach pain, we'd swear we'd never get it again....until a month later when we'd have the craving for it again.  At the time we figured it was a spice they used or something, but looking back on it I think the food probably wasn't delivered very fast and when it got to us we should have reheated it....because when we eat at the restaurant we have no problems what so ever.  I guess we figured we don't heat like pizza up when it's delivered so why would we have to heat BJ's up? So, if you still want to get it delivered, at least have the common sense that we didn't and heat it up!!!!  :-)  )
2 - Eric L.: Yay!!! It's BJ's!!! 

A place as riddled with college students from UCSD as their pepperoni on the pizza's.  Nothing can really be said about BJ's that stands out from any other chain store.  Honestly, I prefer Pizzeria Uno's over BJ's and both fall WAY behind when compared to Lefty's and Sweet Home Chicago.  They DO however make their own beer.  This last sunday, we celebrated with a few pints and I must say that the pumpkin ale was quite good.  A VERY Subtle hint of pumpkin but nothing to overpower the normal wheat-y taste.  

So if you're CRAVING for "deep dish" style pizza (if you can call it that) and you don't want to drive to Poway or North Park... I guess you have no other options do you?

Oh yeah... PS:  

Parking SUCKS during peak hours because you're competing with those jackholes known as "frat boys" from UCSD (Which is an oxymoron in itself) all going to TGI-F to get drunk.   AND... the bathrooms are nice and clean.
5 - Aaron Y.: The food here is consistently good, and when they get an order wrong, they definitely make up for it - last time, they recooked the dish (can't really throw pasta back in to make it softer), AND brought us a free pizookie.
Our favorites: Cajun chicken pasta, and the berry cider.
4 - Ed C.: Beer samplers are a tasty and inexpensive. Their pumpkin ale is pretty good. Fish tacos are my favorite but burgers are awesome too. It's always busy but the wait is never too long.
4 - Nichole H.: I went here for the first time tonight. It was great! My waitress recommended the cajun jambalaya and the strawberry lemonade. Both were delicious! There was enough food that I have some for breakfast in the morning. Do yourself a favor and get there before 6:30pm and beat the dinner crowd. We will definitely be going back in the future.
3 - Christina G.: Barbeque chicken pizza- you can't go wrong.  4 Stars for you, but 3 for everything else about this location.  Still good but not great.

Although word of warning- can get a little crazy and overcrowded there because of all the college students.  Service can get a little sucky (though no bad on their end- there's just way to many people to serve).  Note to BJ's fans- no avocado rolls at this joint either.

They also sort of forgot to cut the pizza we just ordered from them.  Had to use a plastic knife.  Eeeks.
4 - Richard B.: Talk about false advertisement!

Anyways... On a rainy night last week, the desire and ingredients needed to cook a nice dinner were no where to be found. Apryl and I decided on ordering some BJ's to go.

I had the Buffalo chicken pizza and she had a roast beef sandwich. The food was ready when I arrived and it made it home still hot. I liked my pizza more than I thought I would: deep dish pizza in a carboard box after a ten minute journey across UTC seemed like it might destroy the taste and overall quality - not so much though.

I had the remaining piece for a snack the next day. Still pretty good.

Four stars... once you get over the fact that there are no BJs on the menu at BJ's.
4 - Ryan B.: A great franchise brewery.  They have quality beers and the pizza and baked potatoes.  The potatoes are huge!  They are at least a pound and a half each and will definitely leave you satisfied.
5 - Morgan W.: I really like coming here. The staff is so friendly and i think that is the best part about dining here. Its usually really busy with the whole UCSD crowd but i never feel like im at a college pizza joint. The beer is amazing and the food is such a guilty pleasure. I recommend the Buffalo Chicken Pizza with a pint of their pale ale. stay away from the pazooki. its an overrated chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream. its really not all that.
3 - Shawn B.: Yeah, I'd hit that again. Sometimes I even crave it.

The whole pizza-sex metaphor has been done to death. But I'm gonna bring it up again. It's been said that pizza is like sex; even when it is bad, it's good. IMO, this is not true, neither sex nor pizza is good just because it's sex and pizza.  

But BJ's...BJ's Pizza is like a friend with benefits, or your regular booty call. It's comfortable, it's satisfying, and even though you could never see your self being faithful, you keep going back because it's pretty darn good. 

When there's nothing better around, there's BJ's.  And I'm OK with that.
4 - Lori N.: If you like deep dish pizza with buttery crust & a wide array of specialty toppings, you'll probably like the pizza here. I know I do! It's nothing authentic that you'd find in Chicago, NY, or Italy I bet; it's American & it's good!

I also have a soft spot for their bruschetta, it's really basil-y & the bread that comes with is buttery, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, yum! An order of this & a White Pizza will make my day. Oh, and the triple chocolate pazookie is probably what I'll eat every day in heaven. 

Great happy hour (not sure at this location though, at the Grossmont location for sure) with dollar off pints of their micro brews & $5 mini pizza, good deal, mid day & late night! Pretty decent lunch specials too (they DO have those here in La Jolla). I had the 1/2 Turkey Cobb sandwich & tomato bisque for lunch yesterday ($6.95), & my wallet & belly walked away satisfied.
1 - Kate A.: DO NOT GET CURBSIDE TO GO FROM THIS LOCATION!

First, I have to say that I've always loved BJ's. I love, love, love their buffalo chicken pizza and pazookies. However, that being said, do not waste your money on their curbside to go option. I hadn't had BJ's in a long time and my friends and I were craving it so we ordered a pizza, 3 pazookies, and an appetizer. The pizza was good, but everything else was terrible. Not only did they give us 3 charred-beyond-recognition cookies (WTF? no quality control at all?), but they omitted the ice cream and the appetizer was overcooked as well. I called the management to complain (which I never do) about by the horrible state of the food (I mean really! What cook would look at a charred black cookie and still send it out to someone???) and the manager was polite and offered me a $20 coupon. I would have much rather had my $50 back, but whatever. It has now been 2 weeks and still no coupon. Is this the best you can do BJ's? I am so upset about this, I don't even want to go back in case they screw it up again.
4 - Tammy N.: Not a bad place.  Usually pretty popular because it is so close to campus and they are famous for their pizookis.  Their pizzas and sandwiches are really good, but I highly recommend getting their loaded baked potato.  That thing is MASSIVE and will surprisingly get you full.  It's a good group place or a place to watch the game.  It's not a big location though so prepare to wait because their food also takes a while to make.
4 - Kristiana A.: My favorite thing to get here is the bruschetta as an appetizer and the pizookie for dessert.  No matter what I get as an entree, I MUST have the bruschetta and pizookie.  The bread for the bruschetta is soooo good by itself, and when you add the tomatoes it's absolutely irresistable.  As for the pizookie, i always get the white chocolate macadamia nut with vanilla ice cream.

My favorite pizza is the one called BJ's favorite.  I also like that they have a list of beer pairings.  Maaan, talk about carbs...

I dock a star for the giant baked potato I got once (it was a bit dry, and didn't have enough toppings to go with ALL THAT POTATO) and for the small dining area.  However, when there's a long wait for seating they sometimes go around with samples of pizza.
5 - April R.: My friend's and I went here and just ordered the pazooki which is a gigantic cookie with ice cream on top...
and we couldn't finish it, it was so good I couldn't put my spoon down ...I think I gained 5 pounds that night ;p.

I've tried the pizza one other time, and it is yummy as well,
it's moist and fluffy with a crispy bottom. 

The most I've waited to be seated was 30min...not too bad :)
3 - Christine B.: Ok, so my husband is a homebrewer - and a really good one, I must say.  And we like to spend time on the weekends sampling beers at various watering holes and breweries throughout San Diego.  I know BJs from my college days in West Los Angeles, and for some reason I was shocked when my husband said he had never been to one.  He found their story interesting (many of their beers are brewed by a contracted brewery and shipped to the BJs locations) and was up for checking one out.  So we went to the small-ish location in La Jolla to sample and lunch.  

It really is small - only about 30 tables, and clearly no brewery onsite.  The staff was very friendly, and we were seated right away, and lunched in less than an hour.  My husband sampled the red ale and the porter, which is nitrogen-charged rather than carbonated with CO2.  He said both were technically very well done (tasted the way they supposed to taste) and liked both, although they weren't surprising or remarkable.  But both very solid and drinkable.

As for the food, I was sort of expecting nothing - but was really pleasantly surprised.  We split the "field of greens" salad which was tasty although too much dressing (and I had asked for lite on the dressing - but I really only like a spritz, probably should have just gotten in on the side).  But the candied pecans were yummy.

And then the pizza - we wanted to split a small pizza, and the server told us we could get two different styles, which I found fun, so we got half artichoke and spinach, and half southwestern.  The crust was nice and fluffy, and the ingredients nice and fresh.  The artichoke was definitely superior.  The southwestern was ok, but I definitely have decided I'm not a fan of cheddar cheese on pizza...

We had a coupon from online, even without it the prices can't be beat for a nice quick lunch.  

There is one advantage to these chain places, which is what keeps us coming back - we know what to expect.  It's nice to know I can expect a decent pizza and a drinkable beer at BJs.  (Now what exactly is the big deal with this Pizookie????? Guess I'll have to find out next time...)
5 - Re L.: This place is a lil small so you might be waiting awhile for the table but the food & service is great!  You gotta get their famous treat @ the end!
3 - Cristyn T.: I used to do BJ's (in Westwood) a lot more when I was in college, but I try to avoid being chained up if at all possible now. I have not been to a BJ's since college, but someone special got me to do it for them again. BJ's are best enjoyed with someone you feel comfortable with. I mean, I wouldn't do BJ's on a first date because after seeing the nutrition facts at the back of the menu (800+ cals and a shit ton more of Sodium per slice), I would be too worried that my date would mistake me for a big fat sea lion trying to slurp down a whole slimy fish.  Plus you have to appear classy and not "nasty" to impress your date, and BJ's is anything but classy.

This particular BJ's was kind of on the smaller side. Even though it was a Sunday night at 9:00, there was a wait! This place stays open until 11:00pm or later! The server and pizza took too long to come, making me tired and wanting to finish before it was all done and over with. These calories were not cheap either! We ordered a small, 4-slice Spinach and Artichoke Pizza to share for about $15. I had to eat all of my share after remembering that a friend of mine once told me to think of the starving children in Africa every time I spit, even though the taste of the pizza wasn't exactly worth all the calories. 

The climax was definitely the warm pizookie like sex. The warm, chewy, cookie topped with some orgasmic (ice) cream made the wait and anticipation worth the swallow.  Although I wouldn't actually admit to liking BJ's, I'd do it again for the right person. Afterall, I am up at 1:00am thinking about it again... Mmmm.
3 - Chrissy N.: I've been here more times then I can count because my boyfriend likes their beer and I like the rootbeer (too bad they're almost ALWAYS out of the rootbeer). The service is hit and miss. Usually a miss, unfortunately.

And I mean...come on, if it weren't for the pizookies no one would even come here. And man, they are sooo worth it. OMNOMNOM.

I dont particularly LOVE any of the entres, but I typically get one of the sandwiches. They're pretty good. The spinach and artichoke dip appetizer is SO good though. OMG, I could just eat that as my entre. Psh, I could bathe in it...but I digress. 

Come here for the pizookie! Cool place to chill with friends. The wait can be FOREVER though, so call ahead.
2 - Benjamin W.: Pizookie.  Everything else is average chain restaurant fare.  Service is average.  Food is average.  Beer is unfortunately average.  There are only 236 better craft beer places in SD.

I got a deep dish with pepperoni, bacon and red peppers..and it was just average.

Take some good company and you will atleast have consistency in food, and great dessert.  Pizookie!
3 - Jenny W.: The waiter I had was nice. That was the one saving grace for me. A bunch of my med school buddies went over after our test and we had a a group of maybe 20, luckily we got there right when they opened or else there is usually a wait and with a group our size - who knows how long we would normally have had to wait. I have to say the waiter did a great job handling such a large group - so major kudos for that. Plus they allowed us to split the bill into 5 separate checks - most places throw some sort of hissy fit.

The lunch specials are decent and I suppose you get quite a bit of food since there usually is some sort of salad included, too bad the food isn't actually all that great. My only major qualms about this location is that it is (1) small (2) no bar! - what? 
Now I'm not a big drinker, but only having beer is kind of a downer, I like my cocktails. 

I did get the 7 beer sampler to split with a friend. I definitely think it would be good to split this with 2-3 people. Its a great way to sample and get a feel for all the beers and its only ~$10.00 (2 pints = ~$5.00, so if you split this with 2-3 ppl way worth it).

In the end, if I wanted good food and good drinks - I'd probably go elsewhere.
3 - Vanessa T.: This place always seems to be busy when I drive by on my way to Whole Foods. We came here for lunch today and found the place not so crowded this time. When we walked in there was no greeter at the door and their phone kept ringing, non-stop. It took awhile before anyone noticed us. Finally, the manager came and seated us. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. We ordered a large pizza with meatballs and other various toppings. I though the pizza was pretty good, nothing too crazy, but definitely very filling. I was full with 2 slices. We will be back when we feel like having some good thick crust pizza.
2 - miss p.: Poor Service. Had to ask the busboy for water. Waitress finally came to table to take order and I when asked for an ice tea,she objected.Stated that we just ordered water!   Whoops! There went her tip!
Although the food was great,the service wasn't.
5 - Michael N.: ** Lunch Special Review **

I came here after an exam to start a day of gluttony. BJs is perfect for that. For $7 I got my choice of a one topping pizza and an entree sized salad. I ordered the Cesar salad which had a good dressing and tons of fresh Parmesan cheese. The "mini" pizza comes with chunks of fresh tomatoes with your choice of topping -- I got the Italian sausage. The pizza is made in a thick pan and plenty of food to fill you up. The crust is crispy all around and doughy like a good focaccia bread. This place fills up with the lunch crowd between 12 and 1 so plan accordingly. If you're in the area and in the mood for a food coma inducing lunch, then come here for a great deal.
3 - Judy T.: This place is very small & the wait can be long if you have a larger party. The food at this BJ's isn't the best but it is still satisfying. BJ's is one of my favorite american restaurants to go to because the pizzas are so good. The great white is the usual order & of course the pizooki which is their trademark dessert consisting of of a cookie pan with 3 huge scoops of vanilla ice cream! The day i went it was for lunch which is a lot better because it is not as crowded & the service is definitely quicker. One thing i love about BJ's is their water. For water, they have one of the best filtered , tasting water. 

Even so not everything on their menu is good. I would most definitely avoid the pastas & burgers. Stick with what they're known for which are the pizzas & pizookis. They also have really good appetizers such as the bruschetta & the artichoke & spinach dip.
5 - Michelle H.: Just as an update, the Southwestern pizza has overtaken the bbq chicken as my favorite here... haha. Just tried the pale ale nachos again and they're SO much better than they were 3 years ago! LOL yes i realize that's quite a while, but now the portion is HUGE and the cheeses are yummy and you can really taste the ale in the chili. 

They're new smaller snack sizes or whatever are also wayyy good. I've had the grilled ham and cheese with the tomato bisque which is perfectly portioned! You'd think wow 4 pieces of sandwich and a cup of soup sounds like a rip off, but for the 4 bucks or whatever, it really filled me up!! Same goes for their gourmet mac and cheese, which was deeeelicious. You could really taste the bacon, and the portion was great. I'd like to compare it to Yard House's mac and cheese, except 1/4 of the price LOL! It came with two parmesan butter toasted garlic bread thingies, reminiscent of the ones you get from Nordstrom's cafe with your soup, which were also very delish.

One thing they've changed is the free pizookie you get for your birthday--you get a mini chocolate chip now, instead of the regular sized. Good for one person, but there's always going to be people around you eyeballing your pizookie with spoon in hand so I kind of wish they didn't downsize that! :)

I just have to reiterate -- I freakin LOVE BJ's! They never seem to disappoint (which says a lot since I've been there twice a week for the past month hahah)
4 - C T.: people like the pizookie and the Great White pizza, as do I, but i just have to introduce the flatbreads!  a great alternative to pizza and they're healthier!
4 - Arnel D.: Would have given a 5, but too damn busy.  Service is as good as it gets, provided their students.  I'm just glad they opened one up in North County.
1 - Amber M.: I went to BJ's for a birthday lunch for co-workers. I was excited to see they had added a pulled pork sandwich to the menu. The sandwich had little to no BBQ sauce. The clincher was that about an hour after eating only half the sandwich, I came down with terrible food poisoning.

I will NEVER go to BJ's again. This was the 2nd time I got food poisoning from their restaurant. The other time, I got to go from the Mission Valley location. I ordered the club sandwich. I was up all night puking and couldn't attend work the next day I got so sick.

I emailed the company and never heard back...HORRIBLE SERVICE.
5 - Arlene P.: Let's keep this one simple.
One word:
Pizookie. 
5 stars.
(free pizookie on your birthday, priceless)
4 - Miss A.: I have always liked their pizzas... They are always open late, which i like around my area, i wont have to go to Downtown for late dinner cravings. Theyre soup bread bowl, oh, the best one so far! The sourdough is seasoned and toasted. Yums!! And neopolitan style piZza such as  the ones in their small size menus, margherita piZza, can be shared by 2-3 people for only 9$!! I love this place!! Its smaller compared to other BJ's ive been to like the ones in Orange County, but for its distance and taste and kind of service, iLike!!!
3 - Josh J.: BJ's has some of the best pizza in the area.  The buffalo chicken pizza is to die for!  The beer is better than average, but not by much.
3 - joseph c.: cant really comment as the wait was over an hour but staff was really friendly and didn't see any unhappy faces.  Really wanted to try their wings but make another attempt the next time i'm in So. Cal.
4 - Cristina B.: Number 1, CALL AHEAD! They don't take reservations per se, but you can call ahead to get on the seating list and in doing so, we waited a whopping 5-10 minutes before being seated. BOOSH!

My review is going to be largely biased by the fact that we got the far back booth which is the table I ALWAYS want, and the fact that our server Matt was absolutely top notch. He was around without being obtrusive, and I liked that the manager was out wandering through the tables checking in on diners as well.

We ordered a caprese salad and bruschetta as appetizers, and there was a mixup where two bruschettas somehow got put in, so we got 3 appetizers for the price of two. Aces! I ordered the Hefefeizen and my dining companion got their special beer, both were good but not amazing.

The cheeseburger pizza however, more than made up for a lacklustre performance with the beer. I have ALWAYS been dubious about a cheeseburger pizza, but it was my buddy's birthday and he got to order whatever he wanted so I tried it. Angus beef, chopped pickle,s tomatoes, I was really surprised at how delicious it was!

My friend also got a Pizookie for it being his birthday, and let me tell ya they are all they are made out to be. Get one. You'll thank me.

I took the time at the end of our meal to compliment both the food and our waiter to the manager. I am definitely a fan.
3 - Jeanette D.: The fact that this place is always packed and there's always a wait should tell you that it's good. I don't come here often because of the aforementioned wait but whenever I have I've always been able to find something on the menu to try. Don't get me wrong - the Chicago deep dish pizzas they serve are yummy (a little overpriced but very good), but if you're not in the mood for pizza their extensive menu includes sliders, pasta, salads, unnaturally huge stuffed baked potatoes, and sandwiches.

Bottom line:

PROs:
1. Good deep dish pizza
2. You can sit by a TV to catch a game 
3. Pzookie - large baked cookie (you have options such as Ghiradelli chocolate chips in chocolate dough, white chocolate macadamia, oatmeal raisin, etc) with a heap of vanilla ice cream. Simple but delicious!
4. Draft root beer floats

CONs:
1. The wait.
2. The wait.
3. The noise level - it's always packed so it's always loud but then again who comes here for a quiet romantic dinner anyways?!
2 - Alex T.: I don't even know why I keep coming here.

I do enjoy the beer, but the food and the service always seems to let me down. 

Last time I got the calzone, and I do love my calzones so I was pretty excited for it. The first couple bites are good but as I got closer to the middle the calzone was cold and the cheese wasn't even melted!

Oh well, maybe I'll come back for a drink or two, but as far as the food goes I'm done.
4 - Nitsa C.: BJ's has always been a favorite. 

Their pizza is ridiculously good (if you like deep dish)... 

They have a pretty good wine, beer and drink list. They have a great selection of meals, appetizers, pizzas and desserts to choose from. There is something for everyone here. 

My faves are the FRESH MOZZARELLA AND TOMATO SALAD, CHEESE & TOMATO (add fresh garlic) PIZZA, and CAJUN PASTA. 

Also- getting a pazookie is a MUST. 

Usually the wait is long, so call ahead if they let you make reservations or get there early. Also, it's a little noisy inside but that's just because it's so packed. 

Great food, great drinks.
3 - Leonard L.: BJ's Pizza
La Jolla
July 23, 2010


3 Stars


Lunch Special from Monday to Friday is an amazing deal.
Lots of choices starting at $5.95


My Meal Cost: $6.95
1. Choice of Half Sandwich 
2. Choice of either Shoe String or wedge cut fries.
3. Choice of Soup or Salad
Also a pint of beer for $3.

The Caesar salad was decent.
The Southwest Chicken Sandwich was the same.
The wedge cut fries are much better the crispy shoe strings.


Lots of Food for Cheap.
4 - Joe a.: BJ's is on POINT!! Love the Chicago style pizza's, the Turkey Cobb sandwich is the Bomb, and the shoestrings fries are the shizzz! Place is always clean and haven't had bad service there to this day...IF you have room for desert...the PIZOOKIE is the BUSINESS!!! I recommend you AT LEAST try it once...only thing I can think of negatively is that they need to get a bigger location because they get plenty of business and it gets packed...
4 - RAYMOND S.: Great food!! Great Service. This one was alittle small but cozy.
5 - kap n.: deep dish buffalo chicken pizza!

that is all i have to say.
3 - Tasha B.: I think I would have been disappointed if we came here for a meal.  Luckily, we came here instead for Pizookie!!!!  Until I saw the menu, I thought we were in for some bazooka's, and I was confused.  Then I saw the menu and I was like, "Oh, Pizookie!!!", and tried to act like I was hip to it, but really I still had no idea what it was.  What is Pizookie? It is warm, ooey, gooey, melty, sweet, sugary decadence!  The name comes from Pizza+Cookie=Pizookie!  Basically, a ginormous pizza sized cookie straight from the oven and still warm, topped with ice cream and other toppings (mousse, chocolate, etc...).  I would highly suggest sharing with multiple people.
3 - Alex S.: A very solid chain with fairly good prices. The menu is simple (Pizza's, Burgers, Sandwiches, Pastas, Salads, and a few standard entree's). I particularly enjoy their deep dish pizza's, with a very greasy crust, and tend to order it quite often when I go. The absolute best thing they have at BJ's however are the Pizookies. The Pizookie is a hot cookie with ice cream and whipped cream. You can get almost any type of cookie (I like the Oreo one myself) and the thing is just damn delicious. Definitely not good for you though, be sure to get a nice workout in before the meal.

This place is also famous for their beer, but I'm not much of a drinker so I'm not the best person to really judge a place on their beer. My friends usually like it though, so this place could go up for beer fans. A chain with decent food, beer, and prices definitely places BJ's above the Applebee's, Friday's, etc. of the world
2 - Linda S.: I use to be a huge fan of BJ's. I loved the pizza and the pizookie! Yum. 

But I went back and it was not the same. The food was medicore. Salty, greasy, and overcooked. The pizookie, which I had hoped would be delicious, was gross and tasted artifical. 

The waitress was really nice and funny but really slow. BJ's did not make for a quick lunch.
4 - Ryan M.: I've resisted going to any BJs because it's a chain and i figured it was like any other chillies, TGI Fridays, or any other chain joint you can think of.  But came here for a birthday and was quite surprised by the selection of beers and quality of food.  

First off, they have a pretty impressive Beer selection, many which i recognize from Toranado, and even more, local micro brews (green flash) i guess they brew their own stuff too, but it seems to get lost in the mix of all the other beers that they stock.  I tried some sort of berry cider which was really really good.. very smooth and not overly sweet.

We decided to get 5 pizzas and just share.  We got BJ's Fav, Mediterranean, Sweet pig, BBQ Chicken, and some kind of Chicken Alfredo thing.  I liked every thing that I tried (BJ's fav, Mediterranean and the Alfredo)  They were all good.  

Wonder why people say they don't like the pizza, I was quite impressed.  But then again im no expert on Chicago deep dish..  I've only tried it maybe 2 or 3 times.. I think its not quite a Chicago style pizza because the items you choose are still on top not stuffed inside and covered in thick layers of cheese.  I think thats why some people don't like it.. if they are expecting that traditional Chicago deep dish.  I really liked it, it was a great marriage of Chicago deep dish and conventional type pizza.  Thick yet still light crust like Chicago style, but less cheese and toppings on top like a NY or traditional type pizza.

Service was okay, we were easy 5 pizzas, drop them off, easy right.. They were very friendly but where they showed their weakness was in knowing where seat positions were (who ordered what).  When we ordered drinks, it came to us with quite confusion, "Who this, or who ordered that?"  I understand a table of 20 is difficult, but you should at least be at the right end of the table or in the ball park.  I can see if we each ordered a different entree how we might run into this problem.

Overall i really liked the pizza, but if you are expecting TRADITIONAL Chicago deep dish, you might be disappointed.  Other reviews seem to say service was not so good, i guess it depends if you order individual entrees or not.  My only criticism is, know your seat positions on the table and get the right food to the right person instead of bringing the food and asking "who ordered this?"
2 - A K.: I like BJ's food, but this review is not about the quality of the food.. it's about the servers!  
I've been to this BJ's 5 or 6 times.  2 of those times, our server did not get the order correct.  I don't understand why the servers don't write down the orders.  Wouldn't it be easier than trying to memorize everything??
So, for all you reading this, make sure the server really KNOWS your order!
4 - Angelo F.: When it comes to chain food pizza spots, BJ's doesn't disappoint one bit.  I honestly dont remember a time where I left there unsatisfied...
Had lunch there today and started out with some calimari.  Very good amount too!  Plenty to share with others.  For pizza, I ordered a small BJ's Special.  Normally I can polish off a small no problem but when it comes to deep dish pizza's like BJ's, I was only able to eat half.  Toppings were loaded, the sauce was rich and the crust was crispy on the outside.  Normally when I eat deep dish pizza's, I feel sick afterwords because of all the oil they use on the bottom.  Not BJ's, they do a good job of not drenching the crust with oil.  
I tried my friends appetizer hot wings and they were pretty darn good!  I like how they put the wing sauce on the side.
Great job BJ's!  I'll be back soon.
3 - Halani X.: I'm usually a fan of BJ's food and beer, but this place left me slightly unsatisfied. First off, I was here on a business trip, so I was by myself and wanted to eat at the bar in front of multiple TVs so I could watch the Sunday night games. When I arrived I instantly realized there was no bar. I was seated at a table in front of the TV at least. I ordered a California Burger with a turkey patty and wedge fries. The burger came out looking perfect, but the fries were a bit luke warm, like they had been sitting in a heating tray a while too long. I took my dessert to-go (a pizookie, of course), but they left me with no utensils to eat it with! Talk about a sad moment, eating a pizookie with bare hands and not being able to enjoy the ice cream at the same time.
1 - Martin A.: I called in to order pizza and the person on the phone Sounded compelitly retarded! Obviosly there is no IQ requirements to qualify to answer the phone in BJ La Jolla! She didn't sound proffesional, did not tell me that I could leave my name for the reservation, did not tell me that I could order TO GO! Just to make the matters worse, when I got there the manger said I won't be able to order while I'm waiting and also he made a comment that all the restaurants do take out food!!! Like I'm stupid! I know for fact that not every restaurant does take outs!!!
On the bright side! The food is amazing and the servers are very friendly, they should promote them as mangers and get rid of unprofessional current management!
3 - Mike J.: The only reason I give this 3 stars was because of our waiter.  He rocked.

The hostess sucked... so much so that I wanted to leave.  She was totally rude and disinterested in her job.

The food was good.  Just good.  This BJ's is quite small so be prepared to wait.
5 - Melissa L.: Had a fantastic meal.  Called ahead to put my name on the list so the wait on a Friday was only about 10 minutes and found a shockingly good parking spot.  Set the night up for a good time.  Had the Cuban Burger and the fish and chips.  Both were very good, but the burger was awesome.  The best part was the waiter.  Dennis was a great, friendly, well trained waiter.  We will be going back, no questions.
1 - Timothy M.: The manager gave my cousin guff because he had a passport as a form of I.D. to get a beer.  And by the way, they have one decent beer, that's the red, the rest are low grade beer pong with your roommates friends beer.  The special lady and myself like the cajun pasta, but 3 out of 5 times its either too oily or too dry or they skimp out on shrimp or skimp out on sausage.  it got to the point where we just looked up emeril's cajun pasta recipe on foodnetwork.com and have never looked back.  if you want good beer, go to fridays next door and get a stone ipa on tap.  order a cajun pizza from leucadia, and piss on the doorstep of b.j.'s brewery.  not even worthy of the b.j. in their name.
3 - Steph P.: So, I haven't been to a BJ's since 1998 for good reason. My old roommate and brother-in-law keep telling me it is different now (of course it is, it's been 12 years) and I should come back. I was pleasantly surprised. 

The food is far and away better than it used to be and the menu is much more diverse. We had the Margarita Flatbread as a starter and that was excellent. A warning: the tomato sauce is sweet, but I really like that. There are a few mini starters that are only $2.95 and I ordered the Caprese which wasn't terrible, but wasn't what I expected. There were chopped tomatoes, tiny mozzarella balls, scallions and basil tossed in a vinaigrette. The scallions were an unwelcome addition and it was hard to pick around them and still get the basil. For my main I had the pulled pork sandwich and it was great. The pork was cooked nicely and well seasoned. The sauce on the bun was wonderful and there was a side of BBQ as well. I really like that you can choose between wedge fries and crispy thin fries. The coleslaw that came with was nothing to write home about, but still good. Almost like they tossed some cabbage in mayo as an afterthought.

The best thing about our visit was our server Kyle. He was very attentive without being annoying. My sister is on a very strict diet and he accommodated her perfectly. He almost pushed this review to a 4, but let's call it a 3.5.
4 - Tiffany A.: I've been here a couple of times and am always happy when I leave this place. 

Pros: Good food and priced reasonably.  My favorites are the clam chowder, wings, BJ's pizza and the chocolate chunk pazookie!!! 

Cons: I wish the location was bigger and that they had a bar.  The size and location of the place gives this location limitations on the amount of people they can serve and so the wait to be seated can be pretty bad.  If I see a bunch of people waiting outside I usually end up going to TGIF across the street.
3 - J A.: The food is pretty good here; the beer, like every other BJ's I've ever been to, absolutely sucks for a place claiming to be a brewhouse.  The Red is the mediocre best of a bad lot.  I really wish they would learn to make beer, as all their offerings seem to have the same aftertaste.

I guess if your focus is on food, go here.  If you want a good beer, go down the street to Rock Bottom.   Especially since the beer seems to be more expensive at BJ's.
1 - Natesa R.: Service was horrible. My friend's meal was screwed up completely. She's Pescatarian so, she doesn't eat meat. They gave her supreme which includes sausage. I ordered the bake potato, and it was completely overcooked. They forgot about half of the ingredients for my potato. I could cook a better potato in the oven. I think the only good thing there is their pizookies. They are delicious, but its pretty easy to make them at home as well. I think their personal pan pizzas shrunk a bit. I remember it being a bit bigger. I've been to another BJ's and my experience was pretty much the same. I won't be going back anytime soon.
3 - Rachel C.: I can't believe I have never written a review for BJs! I have been to this place many many times ever since I moved to San Diego. Well, everything is a-OK. Just can't ask for much when you go to a restaurant that is always busy. 

If you don't want anything else, just order the PIZOOKIE. It will never disappoint you or your stomach. My friends and I often go there for its dessert only -- the pizookie trio, which is basically 3 fresh-out-of-the-oven cookies topped with a scoop of ice cream. I highly recommend the Cookies N Cream flavor!

Trust me and the yelpers on the pizookie!
4 - James F.: There's three good reasons for going to BJs:
1. Deep dish pizza.
2. Beer.
3. Pizookie.

On our most recent outing, we had the first two. For a weeknight, it took a while to get our group seated, and because we were in a rush, we originally took two side by side booths, but were able to be swapped to a larger single table.

I'm a fan of their basic works deep dish pizza, while one of my dining companions has his own custom order that turned out to be popular as well. Two large deep dish pizzas to feed seven people. Everyone goes home happy (and I go home with one of the leftover slices of pizza).

Service, aware of our rush need, was good at taking care of us. 

Next time, pizookie is called for.

Note: they don't take reservations so much as simply have a list to be added to. So if you plan on going, just call in to be added to the list and you'll save some time waiting for a table.
4 - Alexander Y.: When I first found out about BJ's as a kid, I was like...wow, my mind is blown! Deep dish pizza! And this Pizookie...what is this thing???

The funny thing about that is...after that, I rarely made it to the Pizookie if only because I would always order the potato skins appetizer and a large pizza, usually the Great White. Yeah, good luck making it to the Pizookie.

But screw that, I'll make it there.  The one thing I do appreciate about BJ's is that despite pizza being its calling card, it has many options for food if you're not feeling pizza. The ahi tuna appetizer is rapidly ascending my favorites and this time, BBQ chicken had to be the choice.

And yeah, I did make it to the Pizookie. My rule is to always get something that you can't get anywhere else. I guess I've been breaking my own rule for about 6 years or so then. I must have been absolutely crazy, because how can I turn down a warm and SOFT chocolate chip cookie with two scoops of cream on top?  Answer: you can't.

I don't think I've ever been dissatisfied coming to BJ's, and I can't say that has changed at all.
5 - Briana M.: I give 5 stars based solely on the Pizookie! If you are craving a warm, gooey, fresh out of the oven cookie this is the place for you! Get the trio platter and sample three delicious flavors. My personal favorite is the peanut butter. 

I know BJ's is known for their deep dish. But the gluten free thin crust was yummy! Light and tasteful - give it a try!
3 - Michael G.: If you are the type who watches calories you will likely be instantly mortified by the menu. The food doesn't taste bad and the service is decent but I don't think it's worth the price (fiscally and calorically).
The flatbread pizza had kind of a sweet taste to it. It wasn't bad but I prefer my pizza a little more acidic and salted.
I also had a calzone filled with pepporoni and sausage. The flavor was there but it wasn't really that filling. I probably could have ate another one.
If I ever come back here it would be to sample that Pizookie... even though it kind of scares me.
2 - Lisa W.: It's not that i don't like BJs, but this one kinda suck...

its small, no bar, limited menu, and parking sucks. 

no lettuce wraps! what kind of bjs is this with no lettuce wraps!?! ooh and i got the Mediterranean pizza, i don't remember it sucking, but this one sure did. It wasn't as hot as i remembered, or dry, or pasty tasting. i don't know maybe it is this BJs because I like the rest of them.
5 - Shirley C.: I love love love BJ's grilled chicken pasta and beer. This is where it started for me. This is the first BJ's restaurant I've ever been too. And I love the setting and atmosphere of this place. It's always busy and it is super small but I love the location of it. And the food never fails to amaze me. I love their irish root beer... but they ran out root beer one time which was upsetting. I really don't have much to complain about this location but I could be bias... hah
2 - Kristin A.: We have been customers for many years and ever since Scott took over, I think being a sharehold went to his head. He is a horrible manager in every since! He is cheap on his supplies (napkins, to-go boxes, etc.), rude to his customers, and Hitler to his staff! After over 10 years of doing business with them he will no longer have mine. I am spreading the word to all my old work places (UCSD La Jolla Playhouse, places in UTC, etc) there that use to use them as a food option. Brittney and some of your other talented staff are the only ones keeping Scott's customer's happy. Trust me, my complant is not done here. My review will be heard... even by the chain's corporate...oh and the other shareholders...oh the possiblities... It's all about the customer experience that makes or breaks a business... hopefully you'll pull your head out of you-know-where and actually be a servant leader to your staff and customers. I would hate to see where you got your business management degree (if you did) and didn't retain that!
4 - Amy Y.: Food is always amazing here!! I love their pizza, they are very generous with the toppings unlike some other places.  Their pazookies are amazing to say the least as well!! I get the pasta sometimes if I'm not in the mood for pizza and their wings are really tasty as well! Always a good amount of food and the service is always really good

The downside to this place though is that it's always usually packed in the evenings! it's a nice place to go for dinner but just the wait alone probably turns a lot of people away.

The beer selection here is pretty good too and a pretty cool environment to get a bit tipsy cause it's a pretty chill spot.  of course don't drink and drive though! :P
4 - Walter M.: BJ's La Jolla is an odd location. It's not really stand alone like most of the other location. Don't even think about going there for lunch during the work week. The parking lot is ridiculous. 

Aside from the parking it's your typical BJ's with great beer, great pizza, great dishes and overall a very good place to eat, drink, converse. The baked potatoes are huge and a meal in themselves. It's also probably healthier than any 2 slices of pizza. I do wish their pizza was real Chicago style with the sausage layer and the puffier crust.

Root beer is hand crafted and something to try, be warned it's not free refills.
5 - Shannon R.: Ordered the grilled shrimp tacos over breaded & deep fried fish and what an amazing surprise!  These two tacos were the right amount of spice, veggie crunch and a bi of juicy drippings to complete a truly satisfying surprise.  Order them & you will be pleased too!!!
4 - Richard T.: Love the pizookies! Girlfriend and I come here for their lunch specials. Cheap quick and delicious lunch in between classes
3 - margarrette o.: I like bjs but if you live in Mira Mesa might as well take the time to drive to the Escondido bjs. It's bigger,better, & has a bar.
3 - Mel M.: One of the better places to eat in University City (that says a lot about UC's culinary diversity).

They have great lunch specials, including unlimited soup and salad for $7.95. Unfortunately, that's only on weekdays so I need a National holiday to enjoy it:/

Craft beers are decent, but not the best out there. Other than the fact that it's a very small restaurant and gets very crowded, I'm a fan of BJ's.
4 - Michael T.: I must say, the sole purpose of my visit was for the opportunity to try the infamous Pizooki. The only way to come close to describing this beautiful creation of freshly baked monster cookie meets slowly melting tower of  vanilla ice cream skyscraper medley is " All that and a side of awesome sauce!" The first bite is like tasting a spoonful of hopes and dreams all coming true. The service on top of that was outstanding. Transition from Hostess to table was fast and friendly. Our waiter, Dennis, was extremely attentive and courteous without being overbearing which I find to be a rare quality. Okay beer buffs this is your spot! With eight different types of beers on draft accompanied by a list of recommended entre pairings to go with it, how could you wrong? Highly recommended!
3 - Sharon L.: When I was college-aged, a standard dessert was 2 pizookies (ice cream atop fresh baked cookie). I guess when your metabolism slows and your tastes evolve, you can appreciate other menu items.
 
Jeremiah red tasted surprisingly refreshing. Pizza toppings were sparse. The best part of the pepperoni and mushroom pizza was the crust - thick but not too heavy and some bits of cornmeal texture (I believe?).
5 - Patricia B.: I do not like the pizza at BJ's, but the rest of the food kicks butt. They've got wonderful salads, sandwiches, and beer. If your by here try the Berry Burst (Jeremiah Red and Raspberry Hard Cider). Amazing appetizers, with my most loved item being the Avocado Egg Rolls with Tamarind sauce. Very best of all restaurants I've tried.
5 - Jimmy H.: NOW THATS WHATSUP! Just went two hours ago for a casual catchup with some friends and boy I was impressed! One thing I was dissapointed with was that I asked for a booth and we weren't able to sit at the one booth left, maybe because we were a party of four and the booth was pretty big. I don't care though I'm a div-o.

First thing I asked was if they had fruit. Our server Aaron had told me no and I was extremely disappointed but it make sense. American's just don't eat fruit, but who am I to say... I would die without my french fries, literally my stomach would implode.

Aaron came out with a bowl of strawberries and he didn't even charge me for them. You know I left him a fat tip! He also was very funny, made a lot of jokes with my friend who is vegetarian. She was complaining how there weren't a lot of vegetarian options and then she orders a pizookie. He says that there is actually chicken in it. OH AARON, stop it.

NO but for real, I'm utterly impressed by his service. Epitome of amazing customer service. Job well done, my friend.
4 - George B.: "Landfill: I wanna put my dick in it!
Fink: I want it to put it's dick in me!"
-Beerfest

Yes, ladies and gentleman, that crass but oh so classic line from the great piece of cinema commonly known as "Beerfest" is the only way I can pay that splendorous work of culinary art known as a "Pizzookie" its due.  A hot baked chocolate chip cookie or brownie with ice cream melting just oh so slowly on top?  I will take a hot beef injection of that any day of the week (no homo).

Other than that, this place has pretty good home crafted brews and Chicago deep dish pizza that almost gets it right (probably better than any I have had on the Left Coast).  Beyond that, the stuffed potatoes are brilliant.  

Come for the beer and pizza but do yourself a favor--split a Pizzookie with someone because without indulging in this nearly orgasmic experience, you have not truly experienced this restaurant.  There is a reason they call it BJ's, folks.
4 - Michelle J.: I normally would give BJ's 3 stars as a general rule, but I have to up it to 4 because they do offer a "gluten-free" menu.  I was surprised.  It does only have 6 items, but it's a start.  And now they have a gluten free pizza crust which I will have to try next time.

I ordered the classic baked potato which is normally really good (but this time it was a little cold?) but I forgive them this once because it's usually piping hot.  That was decent.  I also had the GF garden medley salad, with blackened chicken.  It's basically a chopped chicken salad.  The chicken was cooked nicely and the "blackened" component was not overdone; had a nice little spice.  The salad had basically lettuce, tomato, marinated artichoke slices, and roasted red peppers.  It was quite decent.

The best part is that it was gluten free because I did not get sick after the meal (always the best - and worst - way to verify!)

The server was good (Shaun) with refills and very attentive and sympathetic to my gluten free condition.  He went to the kitchen 2-3 times just to check to make sure items were GF.

I'll go back and try the pizza.
4 - Briget P.: Lunch specials for under $8, it's like happy hour at 1 'o clock in the afternoon. But I guess that's what Lunch specials are right? I had the Half sandwich and salad deal - Southwestern Chicken w/ seasoned potato wedges (definitely recommend wedges over thin crispy fries) and a Caesar salad. Good deal and fulfilling!
2 - Kathy C.: Alright so the typical dish I ALWAYS get is the angel hair toscana.

I DON'T KNOW WHY... but in the three times I've ordered this dish, they always forget something (or half the ingredients).

1. They gave me pasta, fresh tomatoes, and the little bread sticks. No sun peppers, dried tomatoes, cheese, or... SALT. Or actually, they literally forgot EVERYTHING ELSE except for the pasta and the tomatoes.

2. They gave me pasta, fresh tomatoes, peppers, and parmesan cheese. No feta, no sun-dried tomatoes, and again, NO SALT.

3. They gave me pasta, fresh tomatoes. one piece of red pepper (literally), parmesan, and feta cheese. They really  only forgot the sun dried tomatoes and the salt (yet again) but the pasta tasted like cardboard. It seriously tasted like powder. 

And no, my taste buds aren't desensitized to salt, they really forgot to put in any salt. I've had this dish so many times I lost count at various other locations but for some reason, it's never been done right  here.

But as for everything else, this BJ's very small so there's usually a wait (somewhat long one during lunch/dinner). Service is great as usual with the exception that every time I point out that the angel hair toscana is missing things, they always try to tell me "well... it's honestly just a bland dish" when they seriously forgot the salt.
4 - Debbie D.: Very good food for the type of casual place BJS is. The thin crust pizza was really delicious. My husband ordered the shrimp pasta and he really enjoyed it. We will definitely return.
4 - Scott P.: I was with a few of my friends and they were hungry for deep dish so we headed over to this location.  We were greeted and seated quickly, so that was cool. It's always nice not having to wait.

The waiter was fast and courteous. He even let us know we could do our pizza with half toppings on one side and different toppings on the other. That was good to know. 

We decided on Calamari and a Cheese Burger Pizza. The Calamari was crispy and had the perfect consistency. Not super chewy so I was happy with that. We gobbled those up pretty quickly.

The Pizza was delicious. Thick, flavorful with fresh tomatoes, ground beef and a nicely spiced sauce.  There were also pieces of pickles which actually added a nice texture and flavor to the pizza. We got a large and that was the perfect size. 

Note, since it's deep dish pizza, it does take a bit longer to make, so it's a good idea to grab one of the house beers or an appetizer if you're starving. 

For good service, great food and a nice ambiance, this is the place.
4 - Michael C.: Make sure you try the desserts too.
4 - Carey W.: This place is really good to go to for lunch or dinner. The only negative is that's it's usually pretty loud if you're trying to have a conversation without screaming.  

You can't go wrong with the deep dish pizza, the dough is fluffy and amaazing! The last time I went here, I got a flatbread appetizer pizza as my entree. I got the California Club and added pesto sauce, which I was happy about since they had no problem changing the order. It was really yummy, with bacon, garlic, and avocado (along with the pesto), but I felt kind of gross afterwards :/
 
If you want something lighter I would get the sesame chicken salad, which is absolutely delicious (this salad sparked my obsession with mandarin oranges). If you want something to drink along with it, I would get the Harvest Hefeweizen, which is a light wheat beer and my favorite out of their selection of handcrafted beers.

And don't leave without getting a famous pizookie! These are sooo good my mouth is watering... fresh warm cookie in a pizza dish with melty ice cream on top. You can get a classic chocolate chip, or try one of their interesting flavors like red velvet, yum!
5 - Jenna S.: KRISTIN excellent server
i had the lunch special today--half sandwich (roasted turkey cobb) with a lunch caesar salad and wedge cut fries. 
DELICIOUS!! it came out in like 10 min which was great cuz i was on my lunch break and kristin was extremely efficient and nice and one of the best servers ive had. thank you!
3 - Eric P.: pizookies
4 - minal p.: Food is excellent.customer service is excellent.We are vegetarian and menu doesn't have much veg item but staff always help us to modify their menu item and always makes exactly same as we want.
Highly recommend this place.
3 - Matthew S.: If you've been to other BJ's, this place pales in comparison.  First, it's ridiculously small.  Second, there is no wet bar. Third, and most importantly, they don't  have BJ's seemingly signature item: Avocado Egg Rolls.  The BJ's in La Mesa is much nicer and has a bigger menu.  Service at the La Jolla location has been fine.  I just get sad that I can't have my avocado rolls.
4 - Chris M.: Good quality but inexpensive food and drink. Love their house beers, nice brews, go for their blonde ale you won't be disappointed. The lunch prices are the best at $3/pint. Typical pub faire, but good wuality ingredients. The margharitta appetizer pizza is fresh and a great way to start.

Attentive but not pestering service. Kristen was very friendly and was helpful with my wife's picky vegetarian type questions. Speaking of veggies, they have some good options and actually have and know which soups are veg based and which are meat broth based.

Good for groups or small quick lunches. The one we stopped in was quite noisey due to a domed roof, but good ambiance overall.
3 - Josie G.: Passable food. Not too well prepared. Not so healthy. Just passable. Like TGIF (which shares the same lot) only not as many menu selections.
4 - Cybill N.: Friendly service. Good food and nice portions.

Ordered the Fresh Atlantic Salmon and substituted the rice with mashed potatoes. :)  

Received a fairly large size of Salmon filet but they could of hooked it up with more mashed potatoes to balance it out.  O well, still delicious :)  Will be ordering this for my salmon + mashed potato cravings

Servers are really nice and accommodating. Came here to eat but was on a time crunch, expressed our concern and everything worked out great!  Plus, it wasn't too busy.  

Only thing to note is, this place is not set up like the typical BJ's.  There's no bar and this place is small, reminds me of Round Table pizza layout.
3 - Clyde B.: Very good service.  Unremarkable beer.
4 - Nick W.: This was the first BJ's I ever had, and well, it was of good quality. 

The servers were really nice, pretty and well, served us all well.  

There were times where they weren't around and the restaurant wasn't busy, so I was a little displeased.  

The food here is pretty good.  I really do enjoy their deep dish pizzas, because the ingredients taste fresh and the crust is sooo good. 

The main reason though I do go there is because of the pizookies and beer. 

I do enjoy their lighter beers and love their seasonal pizookies.  

Parking isn't a problem, because of the big parking lot and the wait isn't that bad.  

It can be pricey though, which I don't mind, but to me, it's not FULLY worth it.
3 - Keilani H.: I feel like when I come here, it's a hit or miss with their entrees. Their pizzas are pretty good but I think it's their pasta that is sometimes lacking in flavor. The last time I went there, I got their newest shrimp pasta, it was actually one of the better pastas I've had. 

Their pizookies are always super good & that's probably what keeps me coming back.

I find Bj's to be similar to TGIF, CPK, etc etc but out of all of those chains, Bj's is probably the only one I like.
2 - Sarah J.: Oh, BJ's.  Your food is yummy, you have nice cheap lunch specials, but your service SUCKS!  I wish I could give you a better review, but after several bad experiences here I felt like I had to warn others to steer clear.

I work near this BJ's and my coworkers always want to eat there because they have such cheap lunch specials.  They're like $6 - $8 and come with a lot of tasty food...sounds good, right?  WRONG.  The only decent experiences I've had here are when I went with one other person.  They seem to handle parties of 2 ok, but if you have any larger of a party, even 3, you're screwed.  To make matters worse, we have a really anal boss who only allows us one hour for lunch, period.  So, we have to get there, eat, and get back in 60 minutes.  This is never a problem at ANY other restaurant in the UTC area, but with BJ's, it's a real issue apparently.  

I always order the $6 personal pizza and salad lunch deal.  The salad has taken anywhere from 10 minutes to 40 minutes to arrive at the table, and I'm not exaggerating.  This baffles me, because I have worked in restaurants for several years and salads are the quickest, easiest thing to make.  Lettuce, toppings, dressing, toss, and serve.  In a party of 10, it took 40 minutes to get my salad, and the pizza followed 2 minutes later.  How on earth does it take 40 minutes to toss a salad, and yet baking a pizza from scratch takes only 2 minutes longer?  Grrrrr.

The service is ALWAYS bad at this location.  I can't help but feel completely ignored on most visits, even though this restaurant is TINY and they always are well staffed.  Last time we were there, in a large group, I realized that BJ's must not have a system in place to put the food orders in the correct order.  For example, the person at the head of the table is #1, the next person is #2, etc, til you've gone around the whole table.  The food should be served in that very same order, so that you're not "auctioning off" the food when it comes out of the kitchen.  We must have spent 10 minutes trying to figure out who had what.  The servers just brought several mini pizzas (all of which were very similar) and several salads and let us fight it out while they ran back to the kitchen.  This, to me, is ridiculous.  The server should remember who had what, for the most part.  All in all, 4 people had the wrong dish in front of them at the end.

We have on several occasions ordered a Pizookie for dessert, which is a delicious warm cookie topped with ice cream.  We'd order it in advance, given our tight schedule and the fact that EVERYTHING here takes forever.  Even still, we've had many-a-Pizookie delivered to our table within seconds after our pizzas.  Great, now either your pizza will go cold, or your ice cream will completely melt.  Can't they see that we're not ready for it, given that we JUST received our main course?

Anyway, the food is decent and the lunch specials are reasonably priced, but it's still not worth eating here.  We have left frustrated about the service nearly ever time, so I'm vowing to never eat at this location again.

Oh, and since I seem to be on a roll, here's my final complaint: it's supposedly a "brewery," yet they have NO BAR AREA whatsoever.  Ridiculous.  Wouldn't you expect to be able to sit at the bar, have a beer and maybe an appetizer?  Not here, so why don't they just go ahead and remove "brewhouse" from their sign?

Sorry for the rant, but this place REALLY needs to get their act together!
4 - Jessenia F.: Beer me!! Pizza and baked potato with chicken is very good!! Good place to go with a group.
3 - Ron L.: I meet friend here weekly. The service is usually OK. Nothing outstanding but OK. The severs are all very friendly but that does not mean they all do an excellent job however they all seem to be more than willing to work with you. Serving temperature seems to be my issue lately.


The food in pictures and description is really much better than it is.

If your choice is BJ's,  Cheesecake Factory, or even CPK  my choice would be The Cheesecake factory then CPK.  If BJ's is all you've got no problem just know you there is no chance of being blown away. 
Their competition does really impress from time to time.

One thing I've noticed is people are always enjoying themselves at BJ's. Met some really nice people there that share coupons and free pizzookies offerings. 

Its worth a stop and see.
3 - Soo H.: I tried the wings for $8.99 for lunch today.  I got them with buffalo sauce on the side.  This was a good move as I generally don't like buffalo sauce and I didn't like this buffalo sauce.  The wings were fried without batter.  They were pretty good.  Nice crunchy skin and juicy on the inside.  There was a hint of salt or perhaps marinade.  They are about the same as the wings I've gotten at various PB pubs like Dirty Birds.  Not as good as the wings at Khan's Cave.

This is a nice place for lunch.  It's clean and the service is good.
4 - Rick E.: I love their wings and pizookies.  It keeps me comin back over and over again!
3 - Allen F.: BJ's is a primarily CA and TX chain with some other locations sprinkled throughout the country. I've tried several throughout CA and they all taste the same. In general across all the locations, their pizzas are good and pleasing as long as you understand that this is a chain so they are in it to please general crowds. Their beer flights are a great way to introduce non-beer drinkers to the world of craft beer. The pizookie is an absolute crowd pleaser and I'd go as far as to say that the oreo pizookie is one of my favorite desserts on earth. It requires a strong craving for sweets to get through it but I have a strong sweet tooth to match. The root beer is house brewed, too. It has hints of vanilla and is also sweet.

San Diego has two locations. This La Jolla location is the small one of the two. There isn't much seating and it is kind of cramped inside. It's completely open so it gets noisy. It's near UCSD so it gets busy and has long lines to match. They don't brew anything on-site. There is no happy hour. Overall, I much rather be at the Grossmont location.

4 stars for the food. 2 stars for the individual location setting.
2 - Kitten S.: My boyfriend and I visited BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse for a "Pizookie Trio" and two beer samplers after a disappointing dining experience at "Whisknladle". I love BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse but the location in La Jolla is claustrophobic and does not include a bar. One star for the location in Laguna Hills that is half the size of the La Jolla location the server informed my boyfriend and I of. The beer samplers were warm, tasted watered down and one of the beers were unavailable. Our server Dennis was oblivious to cleanliness as she pulled the sticky place mats for the beer samplers apart at the table. My boyfriend and I cannot comment on the food since we did not order any. No available parking on a Tuesday night.
3 - Justin G.: This is the SMALLEST BJ's I have ever been to!!

They don't even have a bar! WTF is that?  A BJ's with out a bar is like a BJs that doesn't serve the Pizookie!

Beside that, it was ok.  There are a few TVs and the lack of bar seemed to make the place a little more quite and peacefull.

Service was fine and food was just like any other BJs.
3 - David Z.: I always like the pizza and other dishes here, they have great food, but very bad service. Waiting staff works in pairs, but they still manage to completely ignore you except when they take your order and give you the check.
4 - April B.: 5 stars for their pizookie! now they have RED VELVET!! what!? they also have the pizookie trio which is pretty cool. haven't tried it yet but been wanting to.

try to come here for lunch! they have awesome lunch specials.

some of my faves:

- california pizza (flatbread)
- chicken wings (still have the BEST wings in my opinion)
- any baked potato
- bruschetta (i know they took this off the menu.. but WHY? this was amazing. the small bites aren't the same)

Do NOT get:

- their new boneless chicken wings. GROSS.
4 - Carlos Z.: i was  expecting to have a full bar  at this place  but  they didn't have one, in the  other  hand  i love their Parmesan crusted chicken .
3 - Chris V.: You gotta love BJ's food. It is nearly impossible to order something that doesn't make you feel semi-orgasmic here. From the thick pizza with the most awesome tomatoes ever made to the sliders and thin fries to the pazookies, I have never had a bad meal here. The food is just the bomb. 

The problem with this place is the size (no lobby and you have to push people out of the way to get in the door) and the service is pretty consistently horrible. I don't think I've ever seen the same server twice and I used to live a few blocks away and went there a lot, so there must be incredible turnover in employees which means the manager is a jackass, right?

Last time they brought fries that had been sitting in the window (we could see them from our table) for 15 minutes while the rest of the meal was made and the server acted like I was asking for sex with his mother when I wanted new ones. 

Oh, well. Bad service or not, their food rocks it and is well worth putting up with snotty California college kids with an attitude to get it.
4 - Anna H.: My husband and I went here last night for his birthday.  It was our first time in and the place was much nicer than I expected from the outside.  The dining room was a fairly calm atmosphere for a sports bar, which was great for us.  We ordered beers, which were good, and shared a salad and a pizza.  The salad was okay -- the quality of lettuce could have been better and the dressing was a little heavy, but it tasted good.  The pizza was amazing -- we ordered the "Favorite," and I'm sure it will be one of our favorites!  The deep dish crust was crispy, not soggy like other deep dishes.  It was great, and the prices were very reasonable.  The service was excellent, too.
3 - Michelle T.: This is a TGIF-style restaurant, which means they serve huge portions of generic American-style dishes that are not quite memorable, but decent-tasting anyways.  I know I got some kind of pasta dish but it wasn't especially good, but it wasn't bad either.  The thing I remember the most was the pizookie, which is one giant cookie in the shape of a pizza with ice cream on top.  It's really warm and soft, and especially good with the cold ice cream.  However, I was done after two bites since it was a bit too sweet for me.  If you haven't been here before, definitely check it out and get the pizookie.
3 - Ladan M.: I LOVE PIZOOKIES. love love love love. 
This particular BJ's is TINY. I've never seen a BJ's this small, and I've been to quite a few! 

I frequently picked up a pizza here, my favorite is the BBQ Chicken Pizza. And it would last me a couple days! Pretty good for $20, and when you're not in the mood for crappy delivery pizza. 

This BJ's is odd because they don't have the same menu items as other BJ's...not sure if it's because of their size, or what. Definitely didn't appreciate that, especially when I'm craving avocado rolls and they don't have it on their menu!!
4 - Harsha J.: i love BJ's, been there many a times and have taken my friends too, they all love it. The draft beer selection is great and the pizzas are just soo good and not thats it, wait for it.. PIZZZOKIEE you have to get this if you love baked cookies melting and topped off with icecream. The only downside of this place is the long lines on the weekends but they accept reservations.
4 - Katherine S.: BJs is pretty tasty.  The deep dish pizza is yummy, but not my favorite. However, I think they have tasty entrees other than pizza that I prefer.  

 I especially like that they have all their calorie info on the menu now, and a whole "healthy" section with entrees under 600 calories, which is awesome.  I was afraid that restaurant food under 600 calories would be either tiny or gross, but the creole tilapia was AMAZING.  Awesome rice pilaf, small green salad, and grilled/steamed tilapia with an olive mixture on top.  And wasn't all that expensive either.  

Obviously the pizookies are amazing, but not very weight loss friendly, so I avoided it :)
3 - Chrissie O.: Came for Alily Q's birthday.  I've been here a few times before but it's been a few years.  It's located in a busy shopping center in La Jolla.  The waiter that helped us was pretty nice but this one girl ended up just giving us a bunch of utensils and napkins and left it in the middle of the table.  I thought that was random for her to do.  I would think that they would hand it individually to everyone at the table.  This BJ's is pretty small.  Like really small.  There was still a wait even though my friend's husband called ahead of time.  

They do have good pizzas but I decided to have the black and bleu burger since I had pizza earlier that day.  The burger was pretty good.  I thought it was cooked a little well.  I asked for medium.  

Dessert is a must. Their pizookie is awesome!  I love chocolate chip.  Since we were celebrating my friend's birthday she ended up getting a free small pizookie which was nice.  

This location is pretty decent.  Better than other locations *ahem Escondido."
4 - Kyle M.: Oh BJ's how I love you.  

They make a really good pizza (deep dish) in my opinion, but this location is TINY!  It can be a zoo when busy, but luckily if you have to wait they'll give you a buzzer and you can make one person wait while the others go window shopping (men beware, there's a nice jewelry shop only a few doors down).

For those who don't know: BJ's is a chain that also has it's own beer.  Personally I like the Jeremiah Red for beer.  The pizza is deep dish and comes with tomatoes on top which normally I wouldn't like, but it compliments theirs perfectly.  There are other things on the menu as well such as salads/sandwiches/burgers, but really why would you come to BJ's for anything but the pizza.

They do have take-out available as well and a dedicated parking space to it in the front row which is nice.  It's pretty kid friendly, but it's a tight space so finding the "right" spot for the high chair can be tough sometimes.

Overall, get the pizza, drink some beer, and you'll walk away happy.  (Quite a few TV's around as well to watch the game while you eat/drink)
3 - Jeffrey Y.: Been here FOUR times.

Decent eating American style. COME here for LUNCH for their specials. Try their SIGNATURE cookies and cream PIZOOKIE with VANILLA ice cream!

My favorite is the SHRIMP chardonnay pasta and the BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA. You won't go WRONG with these choices !

Takes quite a while for their food to come out (~20 to ~30 minutes). Service is mediocre meaning you'll have to ask the waiters/waitresses for any other additional services !

Parking is ample in the La Jolla Village Square Plaza !

You can come here with a group of friends to try out the PIZOOKIE PARTY PLATTER or simply eat here for LUNCH Happy HOUR !!
3 - Adam A.: Always busy, but what isn't in La Jolla. Their pizzas are the star here. I really haven't tried beyond them because I like them so much. For dessert, skip the pizookie and walk down the block to sprinkles.
3 - Michelle C.: Scampi pasta has an okay amount of shrimp, but not in proportion to how much pasta there is. The servings are huuuuge, but it's all carbs. Prices aren't particularly worth it. The pastas all taste pretty similar, and are somewhat bland but oily.

There's a wait for everything. To get seated, to get water, to get the food. We were a little belligerent so I'm not gonna complain about the service. But I am going to mention that 6 people out of our 7 person party ran out of water.
2 - Alison V.: My Mom and I came here one night since it was one of the closest places to the hotel that was still open while we were visiting San Diego.  The place was *super* busy and that probably contributed to the slow service.  We were sat quickly and our order taken promptly, but from there it went down hill.  The food took a bit (understandable with how busy they were) but it took forever to get our check.  

I had their house porter and it was mediocre.  Definitely not one of my favorite porters I've ever had, but it was drinkable.  It's about what I'd expect from a place like this.

The portions were huge.  I had the Roast Beef Dip Sandwich.  The beef was tender and the sandwich was good, but not fabulous enough to make up in everything this place was lacking.

Besides the service, this place was EXTREMELY loud.  It was difficult to have conversations with my mom across the table.  She has a hearing problem and for her it was nearly impossible to operate in here.  However, even if she could hear fine, this place would have been way too loud for my liking.

It was also cramped.  We sat a table and nearly had to ask at the people sitting at the table close to us to stand up to get out of our seating area.  The ambiance was not conducive to enjoying a meal.

If the service and styling was improved, I'd definitely come back.  Maybe it was an off night or overly busy, but it definitely wasn't an impressive dining experience.
4 - Erica M.: We took a peek in and it looked generic and a bit boring- like they'd serve pre-frozen food or something. After looking at what else was around- (TGI Friday's- noo thank you!)- we came back and I'm so GLAD we did!
This place got busy fast, and I can see why.. it's delicious! 
Great food at very reasonable prices.
Unfortunately they only serve beer & wine (wish they had a full bar!)
3 - Jeff L.: This has got to be the smallest BJ's I've ever been in.  I told my friend about the one in Carlsbad and how great it was and then we happened in this one.  

The Good - 
1.  Jennifer was our server - she was hot and did a great job recommending some favorites (again, this isn't my thing but my friend seems to swear by it)
2.  I ordered the Mediterranean Veggie Pasta and it was step out for me.  I don't usually do these veggie dishes, but this was really good and very well seasoned.
3.  The home brews had a lot of variety to them.  I hate how every homebrew tastes like pale ale/IPA/Blue Moon et al.  We tried the Light Switchfoot and the Blonde and they were both really good!  They were a bit pricey - over $5/pint, but it was worth it - just don't plan on getting plastered here or you'll be out of dough.

The Bad - 
1.  The place was so small I could barely make it around the place without bumping into people - and not in a good way.
2.  There was literally 2 TV's in the place vs. the 800 in the one at Carlsbad.  On the bright side, you probably don't need more than a couple because the capacity is circa 25.
3.  The price - for bar food, I couldn't believe I was paying over $10 per dish.  I guess they're trying to save up for that third TV.  Or here's the definition of optimism - there were 2 people working the hostess stand.  I was like - what?  1 of you can't sit the 12 tables in the place?

Seriously, it's not a bad place, but there are places pretty close by that have better atmosphere or can seat your entire party at the same time.

"Great for Groups" below is with the caveat that your group doesn't have more than 4.
4 - Aria F.: The best thing about BJs has got to w the name. It's genius!!
This place gets a solid 4 for many reasons. First off, the food is great. I always get a pizza and I've tried a few like the great white and BJs classic combo. They are always very tasty and the portions are good. 
Secondly, the beer they brew is also very good and selection is great. 
The last thing that makes this place a solid 4 stars is that they are open late relative to all the other places in la Jolla. I don't know why, but the "old people's union" has really managed to keep la Jolla on a 9pm curfew. Glad BJs could rebel against the oppression.
3 - Stine C.: In between a 2.5 and 3 star rating. 

Seriously, the smallest BJ's I've dined at. The tables are squished together and inside looks so cheap compared to the other locations I've been too. To make its worse, they don't even have a full bar. 

How they make their pizzas even tasted different...we ordered the Great White and BJ's favorite which didn't have that thick crisp crust. 

Our waitress was not up to speed. Very slow and impatient. 

Don't get me wrong though. I still like the restaurant, just not at this location.
3 - Young C.: Didn't expect a whole lot of difference when I came here. It's just like your every other BJ's in town. I came here a few times and the food here is always either a bit too oily, salty, or just right. However, service sometimes can suck, or great, but what can you expect. There's no bar in the La Jolla BJ's so expect to sit and drink or find someplace else.
3 - Shanel S.: I'm always a fan of BJ's. This location is very small though compared to the one in La Mesa. Our waitress was also really slow. I seem to have a better experience at the location in La Mesa, than I do at this one. I still love their food though and that is one of the most important parts in a restaurant!
1 - Armin G.: Worst pizza I've ever had! If you want to have a RAW dough go ahead and waste your money. 
I ordered a half pepperoni and half barbecue chicken pizza but when i get home i realized that it's a buffalo chicken pizza. then when i started to eat that i recognized the dough is raw! the pizza was not even cooked. When I call them all they said was that they are sorry! hah! what a restaurant!
4 - Danny W.: It's Steak And Blow Job Day http://www.officialsteakandblowjobday.com/ but since chances of a beej for me before or after dinner are slim to none I'll have to settle for a NY Strip and this Yelp review. BJ's wasn't as hotly anticipated as a hum job, but I'll certainly be back for a future round ;-) if I'm in the vicinity of any of their locations. 

Ironically enough I didn't get to do the deep ;-) (dish) but their flatbreads were felatiously ;-) fantastic!! Several friends and I went through the four flavors faster than my first time ;-) Personal favorite was the California Club with grilled chicken, applewood bacon, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. It was a west coast flair on already tasty ingredients...Excellent to wash down with their rather extensive beer and wine list.

The service ;-) was excellent as well accommodating a group of over 12 in quick and friendly fashion. Our server even went the extra mile standing atop a chair to make sure everyone got in the picture she took of us. 

Overall it was a pretty solid experience. I'd definitely opt for some actual oral if I had to choose between BJs, but at least with this place I don't have to use dental dam.
2 - Sergio P.: Food is good. Service was VERY slow. About 30 minutes to bring our food out. Another 15 minutes to bring an extra plate!!!!! The waitress did not make any efforts to better serve us or even apologize for the slow service.
2 - Maria C.: Came here after a movie for some brews and appys. It was pretty busy given a weeknight after 930p.

Watching my calories, I opted to try the Lightswitch Lager since it had less than 200 cals. I was disappointed when I was told that it was unavailable. BOO!!!

I opted for the next lightest brew: Brewhouse Blonde. It was decent. 

The appys were OK. Nothing stood out for me. I tasted the margherita flatbread pizza - ehhh... What I did enjoy is the pizookie. MMMMM - warm chocolaty goodness in my mouth.

Service was good and our server continued to check in on us throughout the night. 

HH is from 3-7p and they also have reverse HH M-Thurs  from 10-11p. Unfortunately, it's only $1 off the draft. 

Ample parking but could be a bitch to find a spot on certain nights. This location is waaay smaller than the ones in North County.
2 - Christopher P.: I think we all know what to expect when coming here, right?  Put your name down, wait that good ol' 45-minute wait, then wait for your buzzer to...buzz, beckoning you to your table.  Come here with friends, and order the same things every time, because honestly, experimenting doesn't fare well on this menu.

We tried out the stuffed mushrooms, which, probably because I love mushrooms, tasted good.  But even so, they were overcooked, poorly stuffed, and a bit expensive, considering the portion (four little mushrooms).  

The better menu items are the ones you'll see scattered around the restaurant, such as the deep dish pizzas, some of the pastas and salads, and the selections of beers, allegedly.  The pizzas are usually a winner, so pick one of those: the spinach and artichoke sounds delicious, though I was disappointed with the sweet pig.  Nor was I all that impressed with the burger I tried here, but then again, I only ordered it because I wanted fries.

And, there's the pizookies: a fat, warm cookie, freshly baked and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Everyone loves it, but share it with a friend or two - it's big and sweet.

For what it is, it does great.  It's one of those safe restaurants, that wherever you go, you know what you're getting, and how it'll taste.  But let's be honest: if you're willing to experiment, you can (and will) find better places than this around town.  And so, yes, 2.5 stars.  And I can't decide if I want to round up or down.
4 - Chris L.: Great pizza (ask for the crispy bottom) and interesting beers.  This particular BJ's has a smaller dining area, so be prepared for a possible wait during lunch.  The staff is typically friendly and helpful.  I once received a pizza with the wrong toppings (but still very acceptable to my guests and me) and the manager insisted on comping the meal.

Haven't tried it, but the Pizza Cookie (Pizookie) is wildly popular here.
4 - Neil B.: The food is definitely full of flavor, and I enjoy eating the pizza or the pasta dishes. However, I do believe that you get more value out of ordering the pasta dishes as compared to ordering the pizza. You'll either be full or have leftovers to take home if you have any of the pasta dishes, and I'd recommend the chicken fettuccini alfredo, the angel hair toscana, or the scampi pasta. I have yet to try the others, but these are all very tasty!

I remember ordering the scampi pasta to share with my girlfriend, and we asked the server to split the dish onto two plates. When our food came out, it looked as if there were two full servings of the scampi pasta. We asked our server if this was correct, and she said yes. This really shows that the portions are quite large, and you don't have to worry about not being full, especially if you order your own dish. Also, it's definitely worth trying the spinach and artichoke dip, but make sure to share this among friends.. it's quite a big appetizer.

And finally, the pizookie is a must, especially if you're eating here for the very first time! A freshly baked and warm cookie (of your choice) topped with two scoops of vanilla bean ice cream. This is the perfect combination of warm and cold, and this is one of the most satisfying desserts I've ever had. It was such a disappointment that I was missing out on a pizookie before I decided to eat at BJ's for the first time. Oh, and come here on your birthday and get a free (but smaller) pizookie. All you have to do is ask for one. Yeup!

Go for the pizza. Go for the large portions. Go for the pizookie. GO GO GO!
1 - Denise K.: I stopped by here to pick up 2 pizookie platters for my students for 2 different occasions. Both times my pre-order was lost and I was late for my meetings. FAIL. I won't be going back.
1 - Matt V.: We went here last Sunday because it was convenient and it was close (and the beers are good).  We sat down and no one spoke to us for 20 minutes.  The only reason anyone bothered to serve us was because our friend told the hostess that we were hungry and thirsty.  Finally we got our menus and beer and everything was going well until we got the bill.  We waited another 20 minutes and after telling the hostess again she tells us our waitress has been on her break...  All of this was treated as normal, every day stuff.  I guess you can't expect much from a chain restaurant.  There are too many good, locally owned restaurants popping up around the city to put up with this B.S.
2 - H S.: The Food is OK only here. 
The Appetizers were good. We ordered the Spinach and Artichoke dip along with some Bruchettas. They were good. 
For the Pizza the quantity served is very very small for the rate they charge. We ordered a a small pizza (6 slices) and the size of the pizza was so so small that a single person can easily finish it up and they charged around 15 bucks for it.  So if you are more than 2 people, better order the medium or the large.
So we were still hungry and had to order another one. The second pizza that we ordered, the crust was totally burnt in some places. You could taste the burnt taste while eating the pizza. So we did not eat the crust and showed it to the waitress. She was like 'Ah ok. . . . . and shrugged!' 
The waitress who waited on our table was in a off mood. She had a false smile and we were not happy with her. We ordered a Pizookie for dessert which was amazing and so delicious. I should say that it was the best part of the meal. 
But the waitress got our Pizookie and our Pizza at the same time. By the time we finished our Pizza, the ice cream had started to melt.

It was Average! Don't think will go back there again. Maybe will go back just for the Pizookie!
4 - Anju J.: Love the Pizza!!
The service is mostly good. Go here often as its open till late.

Went there once with a big group from work ~ 15 people and it was very smooth.

the appetizers were great, so was the pizza and the pizooke (is it?/dessert)
2 - Caroline M.: I am a huge fan of BJ's, it use to be my favorite restaurant. However, things have changed. The staff use to be delightfully nice, & I'm sad to say this is not true anymore. I ordered the Large Minestrone, to find out that it was the size of a small, simply called a large. My mom ordered the Mini Vegetarian Pizza, which she orders every time. Her pizza was 80% bread, 5% tomato sauce, 5% cheese, and 10% veggies...it use to be mostly cheese and veggies, the way it should be. My brother ordered a beer. Asked twice. It never came. It was his birthday, so we told the waiter, and he brought a very small cookie with one spoon. We have been coming for over 5 years, and this is the 1st time they have disappointed us. I hope no one else has as poor of an experience as I.
3 - francis m.: have enjoyed the meals & service. just need to register one complaint & one thank you to our waitress. A) the sound  system was  seriously too   high &  most  distracting while ordering.       B) waitress was very obliging & the cacaphony was reduced to a more acceptable level. Thank you to the staff!
4 - Foodie L.: Great place with friendly service

The dishes I like are:

spinach stuffed mushrooms- 4.50
crispy fried artichokes-3.50
gourmet mac and cheese 4.25
chicken fettuccini alfredo with grilled chicken- 10.75
- this dish is not too creamy and the chicken and broccoli go great with the pasta

the prices are reasonable and the portion sizes for the entrees are huge!
2 - Mike Q.: A watered down version of BJ's. They don't offer the full menu that you find at the larger ones. When I said we had a party of 9 the hostess turned to a co worker and mouthed "oh great" with a not so happy look on her face. Our service was slow and didn't get to see our waitress a whole lot, which was frustrating because with a party that big, they automatically add the tip into the bill.  My wife ordered her burger medium well and it showed up pinker than my medium burger. We were all finished eating by the time she got it back. I love BJ's but this was a bad experience
3 - Sarah P.: YES: Pizookie (macadamia nut preferably),  Ahi Poke w/ wontons (sleeper app, so good!), Jalapeno burger (insanely delicious, not for those who are calorie counting).

NO: Flatbread pizzas (bland, if you want pizza, get their deep dish), ahi salad, pulled pork sandwich (blah)

I would give them 5 stars for their pizookie alone, but this place had horrible service. This is quite possiblly the smallest BJs ever, and yet, they brought us out the wrong entree and it took 20+ minutes to replace it, so everyone else was done by the time our friend got his food. RIDIC!!  Also, they never re-filled my soda (this is my go-to method of judging service). 

I hate to say it, but I would go to the Fridays across the street before here...unless I was needing a pizookie....
3 - Hee Yeon K.: Average satisfying, typical American diner BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse.
Somehow we are attracted to this chain American diner, and we do not know why. Maybe it's the famous deep dish pizza, or perhaps its the irresistible pizookie. But somehow I believe it's their consistent, satisfying customer performance.

I know many famous American diners can be straying by the 'safe' side, but I never had a bad experience at BJ's. And that's probably the biggest reason why I never really had the desire to review them. Hmmm.

Perhaps this review is THE review for BJ's. 

So I guess I will have to break it down and talk about the specifics.

This BJ's is quite small, compared to the versions most of us have been to. The ceiling is not too high, every wall is visible, people won't get lost looking for the restrooms. However, the settings and the vibe is BJ's of course, dimmed with orangy-red glow, shadows made by I don't know what hanging above my head,.. you know, what you would remember of BJ's without actually remember all the detail.

My favorite BBQ deep dish pizza really nailed the spot, no differences in taste or presentation. Just the way I remember it, just the way I wanted it, which is THE way to kill the cravings.

Nothing special, nothing spot on. Just like any other. 

But it really does not mean that they're not comparable to the 4 star restaurant somewhere near this BJ's! Satisfying food, satisfying service. 

P.S.
Apparently, if you call ahead, you will get seated before the people who did not. So... EVERYONE, JUST CALL AHEAD.
3 - Andre D.: Restaurant is a bit small compared to other BJ's I've been too. Pizza is pretty decent, especially BBQ chicken, but I don't really recommend any of the entrees. I've had Jambalaya and Mahi-Mahi, but both of them are pretty disappointing. Jambalaya is overly seasoned and so salty for my liking, and the Mahi-Mahi is under-seasoned and dry. I will recommend the beer and pizzokie tho. Always love the pizzokie here because whoever invented it is freaking genius! Hot and cold, Sweet and plain combination of dessert in mouth is pretty damn good! I love the feeling of the ice cream just melts in your mouth due to the heat of the base dough.
Will probably come here in the future, but I will proably just get beer, pizza, and pizzokie
5 - Lance Y.: Went on a Thursday and the place is hoppin' for lunch.  Tried an item from their newish light menu and it was great.  Hawaiian mahi mahi over a bed of rice.  Service was great.  Place was spotless.
3 - Shimon T.: The food is hit or miss here, depending on what you order. Stay away from the pizza's as they put few toppings, and you feel like you are mostly eating bread for the deep dish. Burgers are GREAT here. As are the Pizookie options - VERY GOOD , must try!

Service always seems to be a bit rushed. And I understand this as there are often people waiting at this location for tables. But the waiters sometimes overdo this feeling and make you feel like they want you to leave. No putting them down or anything, I know their job is tough, but it ruins the mood when you feel like you are being rushed out. (Has happened more than a couple occasions.)

They have good deals during lunch, for ~$7 you can get filling sandwich combos or even the (not so good)pizza, and salads etc. 

Overall: Mostly this place is really about the atmosphere and getting a few drinks with your friends. You can't go wrong there. The food however should not be your main focus, unless going for the pizookie!
1 - Grace Y.: BEWARE: wrong food and tip changed on credit card receipt! 

I came here with a few friends last week, and paid with my credit card. It was not until I got my statement from the bank I realized that BJ's had changed how much I wrote on my receipt, and gave themselves a $20 tip! Luckily, I took a picture of my original receipt and got my money back from the bank. 

BJ's, this is credit card fraud. I will be calling corporate and police, and pressing charges! See you in court.
4 - Karen H.: I came here with a group of friends for a casual birthday lunch (3 of us had relatively close birthdays) and I have to say, it was the service and portions that impressed me. I've never been to BJ's before and I thought my experience here was a decent start. 

I had the Crispy Jalapeno Burger and it was ginormous!!! It was basically the size of my face! It came with crispy fries which were very yummy as well. I only ended up finishing half the burger and saved the other half, which made a really good leftover lunch the next day!

One of my friends ordered a portobello mushroom pizza (I believe it was the one-topping pizza deal for lunch), but after 20 minutes, the waitress came out and informed us that her manager took one look at the pizza and said it was not up to her standards and ordered the chef to make another one. That wasn't it, though! The waitress still gave us the original pizza, which turned out to taste just fine (it just didn't LOOK super appetizing with the mushrooms hanging off the crust)..so the rest of us got to taste our friend's pizza while she ate her prettier one. 

My friend asked for the famous BJ's pizookie (chocolate chip cookie + vanilla ice cream) for all of us to share (the waitress made sure to ask us if we each wanted one, which was a nice gesture, but we were all too full), which was a nice dessert to end our meal!

I've also tasted the red velvet pizookie when it was catered to a UCSD event, and it was amazing! It was like a red velvet cupcake in a cookie form! YUM!

All in all, good food, huge portions, and great service!
3 - David C.: BJs is nothing special just typical American food with a very broad menu. They are definitely overpriced on the pizza as we paid 15 bucks for a small with six little slices. If you're in the mood for Chicago deep dish pizza BJ's should not be your choice. We also had the tortilla soup which is good. The pizookie is pretty legendary as advertised but it better be for 1000 calories.  You just need to try it period!
4 - Jim L.: This location is much smaller than Esco and La Mesa locations however it is one of my favorites mainly because of the quaintness, as it feels more of a mom and pop type pizza place.

Menus are identical to the rest of the chain and it offers plenty of choices if you're not in the mood for their pizza.  One question I would have for you is WHY?  I love their deep dish pizzas (w/o the tomatoes on top).  Serve it up with one of their beers and you're good to go.  The only downside to their pizzas is that they are on the greasy side and aren't as good when eating cold the next morning.

This place is always very busy and parking is tough, as BJ's is in a shopping center.  I would suggest dropping someone off to get a pager while you drive around endlessly trying to find a parking spot.

BJ's is always special however this one is at the top of my list.
4 - Rene P.: I promised myself I'd be on my best behavior as I write this review so...

BJ's. It has pizza. It's taken me forever to try it, and I was actually pleasantly surprised by how well it turned out.

 I got the five-meat pizza, because meat, and the deep-dish-ish crust reminded me favorably of Pizza Port's although, like the latter (which nonetheless is still superior), the crust may in fact be too dough-y. I wouldn't have minded a little bit more crisp. The toppings were satisfying if not amazing. Lastly, I was happy that the pizza came out much faster than I had been anticipating, but then again one often has to wait for a table here anyways. Budget a good chunk of time to come here.

Summary: I like BJ's.
3 - Michelle Z.: I came here semi-late one saturday night, I had been to this chain restaurant several times before and love to order their pizza. I ordered a medium Bjs Favorite? (combination-style pizza) to share with my boyfriend. We waited quite a while to finally have a woman come by and say they were having troubles with the oven and we would have to wait a while. I wasn't really in an impatient mood that night so it was okay. Honestly, we think the waiter just forgot about us and he had someone else come by to make up for it because everyone else was getting served, but it was okay. Finally our pizza came out and we ended up getting a large, so we know he forgot because he was trying to make up for it. We at least got leftovers from it!
2 - Debra B.: I used to love this deep dish pizza but something took a wrong turn at this place. The service is crazy slow and the pizza we ordered today was burnt.  We saw the waiter maybe 2 times.  Terrible.   What happened?
2 - Nancy W.: I had to write this review in hopes that the manager would see this. I am not a disgruntled customer, just an experienced consumer. My family and I have been to this restaurant location two times now and the experience was the same. Service is bad... I mean really bad. The waiter, both times, was ignorant of drink refills, service etiquette, and enthusiasm. Not mean or anything, just not trained properly. Also, I noticed the same manager on both shifts. So, I am guessing that has something to do with it. The first time we went, they were out of two of the items we wanted to order. Two! The food is very slow in getting out and the salad not so fresh (kitchen issue). We love BJ's and have gone to locations all over the country, including Maui. However, this location is not so great. Bummer since it is the closest location to us. Oh, by the way, beware if you go during the week at lunchtime. The parking lot is a nightmare and it will take you a while to get out. Not the best option for a lunch break. Hope things improve here soon!
2 - Jimmy D.: Went here for a friend's bday.  I've been to other BJ's and this was the crappiest one I've ever been to.  The food was good as expected but I doubt they would mess up the chain's recipe.  We got BJ's favorite (less meat than I remember), Buffalo Chicken, and 5 Meat.  All pizzas came out fast.

Pros:
+Beers came out fast
+Deep dish pizzas pair well with beers
Cons:
-Waiter brought out plates and they were dirty -- there was food still stuck on them.
-We had a big party and did a split bill, we split the bill and had one bill with all the tip on there.  He charged tip on everyone's split tab and everyone had to pay a little extra except for one person.  
-No bar area like other BJ's I've been to.  That means we can't drink while we wait for a table.
-The new IPA is more like a pale ale to me.  Not enough hops and has very little carbonation.
3 - Matt S.: Food was average for this type of chain-style restaurant.  Service I had the day we went was very slow.  Well, I take that back, my server was very slow but all the other servers that I asked for something (because mine was never anywhere to be found) were pretty good.  I didn't get to try any of the signature beers though.

Happy Hour menu looked to be pretty good and honestly, I'd go back.  But I also wouldn't go out of my way to go there either.
3 - Warren C.: Small BJ's. Food was okay, drinks kinda sucked. I don't understand why there's always a wait here. Never thought I'd be coming here after college, but you never know I guess.
1 - Doug F.: I've been to my fair share of BJs and this is sadly one of the worst I've been to. Ever. It's not really the food, it's only a little worse than other BJs, the one-star rating is for the RIDICULOUSLY BAD SERVICE. 

For starters, from the time we ordered to the time we got our food, nobody came around to see that all of our water needed refilling. Kinda weird because our food took 30+ minutes to arrive. Also, kinda weird with how slow it was for a Saturday. (Party of 8 in 10-15 mins). 

The food comes. I ordered the chicken parm with ravioli. This white girl server came up with my food first and she said "chicken parm with spaghetti." I thought maybe someone else in our 8-person party ordered it. So when I asked if it was that, she said "yeah, it's your order" and threw it down in front of me. The worst attitude I've seen from a server in a while I suppose. 

After, they brought out everyone's food but one person. After waiting, I had to ask a hostess to find my server to get our water refilled, for condiments, and for the last guys food. They just completely forgot about him. "Hmm, I'm not sure why they didn't bring this out to you already."

After, nobody came to our table for a while and after our server cleared only half our table. I had to actually GET UP and look for my server by this point. Another server had to come out and help us and take our order for dessert and get us the to-go box we had asked a while back and to finish clearing our table. 

This BJ's doesn't have anything to offer. Drive further to a better BJ's. At least one with an actual bar.

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse - Westwood, CA (34.062941, -118.4472438) (Westwood)
3 - Jessica S.: BJ's was a favorite in the UCLA days...especially when they didn't scan those fake IDs.  But in retrospect, their food really isn't great.  Salads are below average and the pizzas (one of their specialties) are super greasy.  I would only really go there for appetizers (they do have a good spinach/artichoke dip) and their own brewed beer...the beer sampler is really the way to go.  It can be a good place to watch a game and drink some beer in a chill atmosphere.
3 - Cathleya G.: There is no better way to describe BJ's than AVERAGE.  Average food, yucky salads, average beers.  One thing I do love here is the soups.  Minestrone and Clam Chowder are both wonderful here.  I know, wierd right?  The clam chowder is so generously chock full of clams.  Despite the food, the atmosphere (especially in westwood) is great for dinner with friends before a night at bars.
4 - Robby T.: You can't deny that a thick slice of BJ's pizza and a sampler set of microbrewed beers will put a smile on your face...and a warmth in your stomach.  
Tatanka Stout is wicked 8.1% if I remember correctly.  And it's strong enough to hold up to BJ's food.
4 - David K.: the one in westwood is a great hangout.  the servers have a great attitude and are very friendly which totally makes up for the mediocre food.  but, come on... do you really go to a brewery for food?  you go there for beer.  so... let's talk about beer.  my choices are hefeweizen and bj's blonde.  both are light and crisp... goes well with everything.  i'd stay away from the piranha unless you like a bitter after-taste to your beer.

bj's famous pizza shouldn't be your first choice to accompany your beer, unless you like the really "deep dish" spongey taste.  instead, get the spinach dip.

it's a popular choice in the westwood area so expect a line at night.  there's only one reason, why i give this place a four star instead of the three it deserves... "PIZOOKIE".
5 - Carrie C.: Oh how I love their huge baked potatoes.  I could eat one every day if the BJ's was closer, less crowded, and had more convenient parking.  :)  Aside from the potatoes, the great tasting sandwiches (with potato wedges) and the thick slices of pizza have always been great as well.  Of course, the pizookies are a must eat...but it's always a toss-up since Diddy Riese is right across the street.
4 - hank c.: this is the original BJ's for me. i remember the first time i went -- it was the first time i ever really had ALE so that was an experience in itself. then i got wasted so the pizza tasted real damn good. then by the end of the night when my buzz wore off -- we had the pizooki dessert and i was in heaven. good times!
2 - dawson s.: I'm sorry to say this was mediocre at best .. 

We ducked in today for lunch after snooping around at Secret Stash because The Beer recalled having some sort of orgasmic dessert experience at another one of their locations. We were seated at one of the few tables upstairs (which was awkward but all that was available) and ordered the Avocado Egg Roll appetizer. Despite the sauce being too sweet (even for me) they were very yummy (but then, I'm of the mind that you could deep fry a leather shoe and it would be good). They were a lot like the ones at Cheesecake Factory, but with the addition of bacon (I'm also of the mind that everything is better with bacon). He ordered the Roast Beef Dip and I had the BBQ Chicken Salad. After a long wait for the egg rolls, the main courses were up (literally and figuratively), and our server rushed us thru them so she could clear the plate and make room on the table. He said the roast beef was bland and rubbery and the roll was soggy on the inside and over crisped on the outside. The battered fries and horseradish creme were much better, but not enough to salvage the meal. As for my salad, had there actually been any bbq chicken in it, it might have been great. It was mostly chopped iceberg lettuce with a few kernels of corn, some black beans, jicama, tomatoes, and a few chunks of bland grilled chicken. Had they tossed half the lettuce, added more of the remaining ingredients and actually included some BBQ chicken, it would have been a worthy meal of a salad. 

Food aside, we both had the Blonde brew which wasn't bad on a warm day if you're in the mood for a pale ale. Sadly, we were so bummed with our food and service, we passed on their signature Pizookie dessert (a giant deep dish baked cookie topped with ice cream). The Beer didn't even want to finish his fries ... never a good sign.

We would have been better off at Le Pain Quotidien or CPK - both next door - and so would you.
4 - Pamela M.: Go for the Pizzookie! Once my friend and I each ordered a pizzookie to go since we did not want to share, this is a lot of cookie and ice cream for one person normally at least 2 people if not more share a pizzookie. It is soo good that it's tough to share and ever since then I have often been tempted to just order a whole pizzookie for myself as my main meal but I am always convinced by my friends that it would not be a good idea.  I also like their chicken Caesar sand which and seasoned fries and recently had their wedge salad which I though was quite tasty! lettuce, bacon and blue cheese dressing!
4 - Peggy w.: food is okay. beer is okay. service is okay. ambiance is okay.  nothing too special.

why the four stars?  because their chicken wings are PLENTY special.  Pizookies are awesome as well.  for pizza, i prefer CPK (or for deep dish i go for zachary's in berkeley) but BJs got the variety and chicken wings!!
3 - lily c.: i know at least two people who have gotten food poisoning after eating at this location. and the restaurant ambience is seriously lacking... unless you're seated in a booth, you'll have to yell across the table to be heard during peak dinner times. 

this gets three stars only because bj's (as a chain) is still good. pick another branch if you can.
1 - Helen C.: Much ado was made when a BJ's opened up in my rolle-polle hometown where palettes generally hover somewhere near bland.  So I shouldnt have been all that surprised to learn the food at this chain caters to a certain stripe.  Not to say the food is awful, but it's definitely nothing special.  The deep dish pizza is nothing more than an exalted deep dish from Pizza Hut.  

If I had to choose between those two, I'd take Pizza Hut for two reasons: (1) BJ's charges far more for essentially the same product, and (2) my pizza from BJ's came to the table lukewarm!  Bleh.  If a pizza joint can't even manage to produce an oven-hot piping pizza, then that's where we part company.
3 - Tami R.: It's a UCLA favorite, but last night, even thogh we scored by getting a booth, I was less impressed than in general.. their potstickers were good, but who serves buffalo wings with the buffalo sauce on the side??? And the i do not reccomend the Oreo Pizzookie... I thought i liked it last time, but this time it was a bit off too sweet or something... my date defintiely wished i had let him order a Chocolate Chunk one.
3 - jim z.: For lunch, it gets 4 stars and for dinner 2 stars.

Dinner is a mess and a madhouse. It's packed, you're not getting in, and the service and food goes downhill. Sometimes in the summer when UCLA isn't in session dinner can be okay, but for the  most part you're screwed. Why not go to the million other places in Westwood for dinner?

Lunch is great here! It's relaxed, the service gets nicer, the food somehow tastes a bit better, and the atmosphere is smooth. You can have a normal conversation without worrying.

The food here is decent. Pizzas aren't so good, burgers and sandwiches are good enough. They're hearty and hit the spot. Pizookies are also highly recommended. Prices aren't too bad for what you get, especially in LA.
4 - Allison L.: Okay, BJs is a chain with a name that will make you giggle. They have really good, deep dish (don't giggle at that) pizzas and their pizooki is AMAZING. A big ol' warm cookie straight from the oven with ice cream on top? Simple, but brilliant idea.

They are also big on the beer scene (hence the brewhouse in the name) and even do a beer sampler. Now it's story time: my brother and I came here for dinner a short time after he had turned 21. He was very excited to order booze, but sadly, our waitress didn't card him. I had convinced him to do the beer sampler under the guise that as a new "legal drinker", he would need to know his beer. 

Like a champ, he downed those little shot glasses and was halfway through his sampler before our pizza had arrived. So let's not lie: the kid was drunk. And it was amazing. He started yelling (he thought he was talking at a normal volume), threw his credit card at our waitress when the bill came and nearly fell down the stairs as we were leaving (we were seated on the second floor). In his haste, he left his credit card (and unsigned bill) behind and our waitress had to literally chase him down the street. All-in-all, an amazing night with the brother. =)
3 - Nicole D.: I've been here several times, and the only thing I've ordered every time is Harvest Hefeweissen. The pizza is yummy, the appetizers are yummy...I can't say I've ever had bad food from here. The wait sucks sometimes, but once I get seated I've always had a good experience. Nothing amazing, but nothing awful either. Good spot to go if you're bored and in the mood for beer and pizza.
2 - Peter B.: First off, I only come here for lunch, because this is the neighborhood I work in.

Here are the reasons I don't like this BJ's location.

1 -  You have to look at your food come up before you receive it, so you know exactly how long it has sat there before they bring it to you.

2 -  I have gotten cold food here twice.

3 - The ambiance of the place is horrible and the place always seems crowded even if it isn't.

4 - Their beers mock me because I can't drink them at lunch.
4 - Evan J.: All hail the PIZOOKIE!  If you haven't tried one, you must make an effort to get over there and try it.  I'm also a big fan of the Buffalo Chicken Pizza.  Beyond that, I would agree that this is a chain and feels like it.  The Westwood location is usually filled with the requisite UCLA crowd but the staff is nice and the food is consistently good.  CPK is certainly a better choice for most things, but the Pizookie is out of this world.
5 - Scott A.: One of the best pizzas. I'm not much of a pizza person, but this pizza is good. Try the great white or BJ's favorite. There are two salads that are really good too, but I forgot what they are called. They are famous for the pizookies, but I have never tried that. You won't be disappointed with this place. I like how you can order a pizza half-half here. Try ordering a pizza and salad to share with a friend.
3 - Audrey L.: I don't care how mediocre the food is, the pizookie makes up for it all.  It is SOOOOOO yummy! Okay - I actually think the pizza is fine, it's like old school pizza hut greasy and super thick.  I like that you can ask for extra sauce and actually get it.  Once we got mozzarella sticks that came out STILL FROZEN and the manager was really nice and gave us a $25 gift card.  The food really is just decent but I've always had great service and the pizookies are sooooo yummy.
3 - Amy L.: The only time I've been to Bj's is for the pizookie, which is a giant gooey hot cookie, baked in a shallow pizza tin, and topped with vanilla ice cream. Minus 2 stars for not having anything else that appears to be remotely edible.
2 - Jenn L.: Generally the food isn't bad here (not great either, but satisfying in that chain-restaurant way). I love me some Jeremiah red and their other microbrews, but unfortunately, this place is blacklisted because we got the WORST service I've ever had in a restaurant here. I'm convinced that our waiter was coked up.

He took our drink orders three times, our food order two times, the food took insanely long and he promised us a free pizookie and never brought it out. The manager wasn't any help. 

We've gotten consistently bad service here on the last three visits. The food gets 3.5 stars, the beer gets 4 stars.
4 - Tiffany M.: The service is alright.  I went their for lunch and their sandwiches aren't big, but tall and are really filling.  The pizookie was really good though.  I would definitely come back to try their other foods.
4 - Diana A.: BJ's is not a fantastic restaurant, but it earns four stars for several reasons:

1. Everyone in my picky family can find something on the menu that he or she will enjoy (and that is really saying something).

2. They serve the best chicken wings I've found since moving to L.A.

3. They have big booths that can accommodate several people.

4. You can park in the lot on Broxton and walk there, eat, and return to your car in under two hours so parking is free.

5. I've never had the pizza or the pizookie, but apparently they are excellent.

6. I must reiterate -- the chicken wings rock.
3 - Laura S.: Thumbs up for the food. (Their fries here are killer!) Lunch deal, salad and half a sandwich for under $10 was great.  I had so much food I could hardly move after lunch.

Bad review for the service though.  Maybe our waitress was having a bad day and the host had a stick up his bum but last time I checked people should smile when they work in food service.

We had to have waited almost 20 minutes to order anything.  Then we got to sit and watch our food wait for us on the line while the waitress played over by the computers talking to the other staff while they also let their food get cold.

So this place is 50/50 if you can handle horrible service to get good food for a good price I really recommend you try this place out, but don't say I didn't warn you!
3 - Toni L.: This place saved me from starvation so many times with their delivery pizza. It's a BJ's like any other so I don't know how useful this review is going to be for you. I'll give it a shot anyway. 

Food: The pizzas are expensive but utterly satisfying. The BBQ is an obvious choice, especially with all those carmelized onions on top. There's also an alfredo pizza. I think I'm the only person I know who actually likes this, but if you are a fan of alfredo or white sauce, this is an interesting variation. As for the pasta, I'd recommend the cajun and the grilled chicken for the less adventurous. Same goes for the sandwiches. Just order anything BBQ or cajun and you'll be golden. Dessert? Pizookie of course!

Atmosphere: Not as loud as other BJs I've been to. There's a small seating area upstairs which is a nice place to study if you're lucky enough to be escorted there. 

Service: They'll often tell you there's a wait like they're trying to make it seem busier than it actually is. I've really never had to wait to get in here though. 

Synopsis: It's greasy food and kind of overpriced, but at least what you're getting is delicious and filling.
2 - Julie E.: Pathetic excuse for "deep-dish" pizza. It's more like chewy bread in a deep pan with crappy cheese haphazardly melted over it. 

The only reason to give this place more than one star is that it's open until midnight during the week if you're in Westwood and absolutely starving and need food/beer. Plus, I've heard the pizooki is amazing, though I haven't tried it. And their chicken fingers are surprisingly crispy but not greasy. But stay away from the pizza. Better to get a frozen pizza and bake it, because this is crap.
4 - Nikhil B.: Classic BJ's... good pizza, great beer. Always save room for the pizookie!
4 - kyla h.: I love BJ's. Who doesn't love BJ's? Its packed every night with college kids lining up to get their fill of BJ's. Frankly, I can see why and its not just the name, rife with innuendo as it may be. The food is dece and the pale ale is delicious!
3 - O K.: I had never heard of a "pizzookie" until I came to Los Angeles. I don't know if they really have them in northern California. Anyway, the pizzookie was good. Nice sugar load at 11 PM. I love the sensation of cold ice cream with hot things!!!!! Especially big cookies! Still, apple pie a la mode beats pizzookie.

EDIT
I actually ate at BJ's for the first time. The pizza was decent; really really deep-dish, which is not really my thing, but the crust was nice as it had crispy cheese on it. We tried the blackened chicken and the barbeque chicken. Talk about RICH. And then, everyone got a personal pizzookie. I had the half Oreo, half peanut butter. It's cool because you can order everything in halves so you can try a bunch of different flavors. The nice thing about the Oreo pizzookie is that it comes with oreo mousse on top (a sort of glorified whip cream). That was pretty darn tasty. I love the soft, half-baked texture of the cookie too... now if only it came with a magic calorie eraser! Guess I'll have to go run tomorrow. That's what exercise is for, so you can eat at restaurants like BJ's and not feel TOO guilty.
5 - sarah beth S.: pizzookie gets a five. (white choc macadmia nut). Fam was talking up this dish but thought how good can a cookie dessert in a chain restaurant be? I'm not sure I even wanted to know how right they were. Now the rest of my life is just time in between pizzookies....

UPDATE- 5 days later. Just realized the origins of the term pizzookie is pizza + cookie. Oh!
3 - Michael K.: Food was ok.  Nothing special.  I heard the rootbeer was great, but the A&W tap rootbeer is way better.  It's probably good if you like to drink.

The pisscookie is pretty good, but I know how to make it myself so it's not that special :P.
4 - Richard L.: The Pizza at the Westwood location was very good. Hot, fresh ingredients and decent service. A little pricey but the pizza was very satisfying . The beer was good on tap ( I liked the lite ale ) . I will defiantely go back again.
2 - Lauren K.: Pretty much everything sucks here except the pizzookie.
2 - Jennifer W.: The wait is always too long and the food isn't as great as everyone says. I always get this exceptionally strange waiter and there never seems to be enough tables. Don't go unless you're prepared to wait at least half an hour.
4 - Shelly M.: Long wait, but worth it if it's for a friend's bday.  

I think they give out a free pizzookie for the b-day person.  Very nice of them.  It tasted so good.

I like their BBQ chicken pizza.  YuMmm.  Other pizza toppings weren't great.  The next to best was the Hawaiian topping one.  =)

Try to go when there's lesser crowd.
2 - Diana T.: Waited an hour and a half here for a stinkin' BJ's Burger which was very bland. The bread was dry and tasteless (so much for "garlic bread") and the beef wasn't anything to die for.. actually it just sucked. Not worth the wait. Also, the location was horrible and it was just way too small. Maybe they would get more costumers if they relocated to a bigger place, plus hire more waiters/waitresses AND new chefs.

An extra star because our waiter actually TRIED to accommodate us with the other 10** tables he had to wait.

**I was exaggerating.
3 - Yulree C.: I've tried BJ's deep dish pizza three times. 2 out of the 3, the pizza was perfect - hot, a combination of crunchy and soft, warm tomato sauce with various toppings. The other one time the pizza was a little too soft. 

Rootbeer on tap is very yummy. Add icecream and you get dessert. :)
As for the pizookie or brownie - they are both good, but I always find it way too sweet.

Everything else I've tried was very mediocre, if not bad. Their appetizer platter was an unappetizing, reheated frozen platter. Their soups were very salty and tasted like it was from a can. Their pasta was okay.

Very college bar vibe.
Wait can be long.
Good for groups, not dates.
4 - Sienna K.: Me: Hi. Can you seat us somewhere with the view of the upcoming Lakers game? 
Hostess: Oh, don't worry. If I have any say in this, every television will be turned onto the Lakers game. Come on now, it's the LAKERS. 




...It's so good to be home. 


***

My friends and I were visiting a friend of ours at UCLA, and we chose here so we could 1) be in Westwood 2) eat something other than greasy bar food 3) watch the Game 4 of the Western Conference Championships. 

And while I wouldn't eat here if it weren't for the exact combination of the three reasons listed above, I have to admit that eating here wasn't as painful as I'd imagined, and actually did enjoy my time here. 

I mean, it's a BJ's-- it's like the TGIFs of pizzas with a funnier name.  

You've probably already been to a BJ's and don't need my words telling you how the pizza tastes (satisfyingly mediocre; insulting if you're a pizza purist, damn good if you're pizza ignorant, and simply edible if you're somewhere in between). The salads and pastas tastes exactly like every other salad/pasta at every other chain restaurant. 

The only thing really note-worthy about the chain is that they have their signature beers, which aren't so bad considering the prices. As someone who ordered the Piranha (hoppy American pale ale), there are better and worse beers out there, but it's at least worth a drink. But do skip out on the ciders, unless you enjoy ciders that taste like Smirnoff Ice. 

Anyways, here are the Westwood location specific notes: 

-No bar (though they still serve alcohol)
-Mixed drinks (hey, my friend ordered it, not me!) named after UCLA and USC (Seriously, is this what the great SoCal rivalry has turned into? The Bruin-ita versus the Trojan-tini?)
-A much younger crowd (Duh. Right around campus)
-Super awesome staff that was patient with us even though we finished our food by the first quarter
-Kinda disgusting bathrooms with no toilet paper 


So... it's like a 3 star place, but the one extra star is because the Lakers won the game and are going to the Finals. But seriously, as someone who is more used to getting snide comments whenever she shouts "MVP" during a Lakers game, I really loved the fact that every TV was turned onto the game, so many people were decked out in yellow and purple, and that even the waiters would stop and stare whenever Kobe made his beautiful fade aways.

It makes me sad that I won't be in LA for the Finals... though... I am sort of excited at the prospects of trash talking with the Boston folks in New York. Bring it on, Massholes. Bring it on.
4 - Paul F.: This is the first BJ's I'd ever eaten at.  A friend and I would go here after class (UCLA extension). They have really good deep dish pizza.  Their beers are just OK, nothing that really stands out.  I will say that I don't care for their here-weizen beer, it's just doesn't taste right to me.  I learned to drink weizen (wheat) beers in Germany, so I'm a little picky.

Because this is walking distance from UCLA, it can get REALLY busy, even late into the evening. Service is surprisingly good even when they are busy.

There is some street parking, but good luck finding a spot.  There are several pay lots around the area, usually geared to students at UCLA, so expect to pay around $10.
2 - Parvelard S.: Okay this review is for BJ's in general, but since this is the one I live near and have been to once, they are getting the review.  In my mind they are all equal.

These places are ONLY good for VERY casual lunches with people from the office.  I would never go here with my friends.  The music is generally so loud that I can't hear myself think it's very irritating.  This pizza is sub-par in my opinion and none of the other dishes are really very exciting.  It's mediocre at BEST.

Now let me tell you how I REALLY feel...about the pazookie... or whatever it's called.  When I was in high school everybody was ALLL about the pazookie.  "Let's go to BJ'S!!!" "omg yes i love the pazookie!!!"  

I don't get it.  It is literally a cookie. With ice cream on top of it.  I call that "a cookie with ice cream."  What's the BFD?  Over. Rated. Done.
3 - Geoff L.: The pizza is quite good, but not the best. The pizookie is a really tasty dessert that everyone loves. The appetizers are good. Everything is a little overpriced. It's oftentimes loud, so it's not a great venue for an intimate dinner by any means, but I've gone to a couple birthday dinners there and it's been great.

The thing I like most about BJ's is the beer sampler. For $8.50, you get to taste 7 different beers ranging from light to dark. I have a decent tolerance, but I'm always beyond tipsy by the time I finish. BJ's is a great place to go to dinner with friends before heading out to all two of the bars in Westwood, but besides that, they churn out the same pretty-good-but-not-great product for a little more than it's worth. "A-OK" as the 3-star rating says.
3 - Chris T.: Great place to grab a burger, salad, or a pizza when in westwood out for a flick! 

Its always slammed in the evenings on weekends as its seconds from UCLA. The service is usually pretty good. Expect to wait for a table. Come to think of it I don't think I have ever not waited at least 20 minutes for a table here. 

Parking kind of sucks, typical westwood. Free lot (2 hrs free entering before 6 pm) is your best bet.
2 - Samantha T.: Eh, BJ's... I want to like this place better because whenever I go here, the food is decent as expected of all BJ's, but the servers are always hounding me. As soon as I sit down, they ask me what I want to eat, I just sat down and I have not even opened a menu. I look outside and there is no one waiting, so I just ask for another minute. Now when I actually want to order, there is no one in sight, I am trying to wave some one down, but only the hostess out front is still in view of the restaurant. When the server finally came back, and they took my order, they started doing that thing I get when I go get my hair done, bugging me to order additional items. It wasn't a simple "would you like fries with that?" but a "would you like fries with that? oh no? how about onion rings? no? how about an appetizer? do you think you'll want to order dessert early?" and on and on in that matter where I felt pressured to order food that I did not even want. That being said, I enjoyed my chicken club sandwich with wedge salad. The dressing was a bit too sweet, but how bad could it be with blue cheese and bacon? The sandwich was still warm, the avocado, bacon and chicken was nice combination. The food was to be expected from any BJ's but the service made me felt as if I was at a used car lot.
1 - Kat L.: Okay I use to LOVE this place.  This was before BJ's started popping up everywhere.  I will still give them credit for the great pizookie... but I hate this location now.

I had the most horrid service this one time.  While I had a break from classes, I popped over with a friend to catch lunch.  Okay, you all know that we don't have that much time between classes.  The service was great in the beginning and then our server left... and nothing.  I sat right in front of the cash register and no one helped us.  Eventually we got our bill and food packed.  I was in a hurry to get back onto campus for classes, but they just didn't care.  It wasn't like they were busy, they were just lazy! I kept trying to get someone to come take it but they were all nowhere to be found or taking a break.  Eventually I got up and stood at the cashier area/front desk and waited.  The manager rang me up.  I took a comment card filled it full of nasty comments and handed it straight to her.

They of course eventually sent me a letter of apology and gift card... but it was too late... I don't like BJ's anymore and I am so over the fad.  My sister had to drag me back to use the gift card almost 4 years later.
2 - Ema S.: small, slow service, and too many people. 
I have never been a huge fan of BJ's but this one is the worst one i have been to. NO BAR! they usually have a bar you can hang out at while you wait for your drinks. Yup not at this one. The food isn't great either. The pizza is ok...but nothing i cant get at Von's and cook it myself.
4 - perry k.: I agree with some of the reviews; the wait is excruciating slow.  But gotta give it to the manager there, (I think it was him), he tried to alleviate it by bringing out some free pizza.  You can complain all day, but you know that the food there is great.  I guess what my point is that they are trying their best, give them some credit.  I never had to ask for napkins, utensils, or my water to be refilled; for how busy they are, give them some credit. 

They have the best buffalo wings, I think.   I didn't realize how much more tastier they are if you don't dowse the wings entirely in buffalo sauce.  At BJ's they drizzle the sauce on and give you the rest on the side.  So if one  decides later to dowse their wings with sauce; they can do so.  Someone else actually wrote that they can duplicate BJ's pizza at a supermarket...I would like to see that.
4 - Ryan M.: Thumbs Up!

I vouch for the deep dish pepperoni pizza, pizookie party platters, and alliteration!
5 - phil p.: Two phrases sum this place up; 

GOOD PIZZA AND GOOD BEER

The environment is very brewery oriented and you get the feel of being in the backroom of some ale distillery (though sadly i've never been in the back of one). The pizza is very good, better than anything you could ever ever order and that's saying a lot (*thinking of papa johns). The beer menu is very well organized and the staff for the most part are familiar with the different kinds of offerings they have and can direct you if you are unfamiliar *get the heffeweizen and you'll be fine :)

Good place for a bday dinner, vent session, or just hungry for beer and pizza with friends!
3 - Sri P.: My family can't get away from BJ's since I was a kid. If it's not Indian food, it's somehow BJ's. I don't claim to understand. And after years, I've become intimately acquainted with multiple locations of this place. 

This location is very small, even if they have an upstairs. And the service is nice, but very slow. I really don't care for the the deep-dish pizza, so I always get the Spicy Spaghetti (which has a spicy tomato cream sauce with chili flakes) and Santa Fe Salad without chicken (the combination of the dressing and avocado is yummy). These dishes are just okay at this location. I think the best location of BJ's is in Brea. I've had the same things there, and they just tasted so much better.

Desserts-wise, I really like their root beer float, which comes with their signature draft root beer. The pizookie, of course, is a famous highlight of BJ's. I would come here just to get that sometimes, but the service is so slow that I just go across the street usually to Diddy Riese and get one of their fresh cookie ice cream sandwiches, for my ice cream and cookie fix. At $1.50, Diddy is much cheaper too.
3 - Jesse B.: "OMG THE PIZOOKIE'S LYKE THE BEST THING EVERRRRR!!!!"

the food is here is pretty much total trash but its a fun dining experience adn that dessert pizookie thing (a giant cookie with a massive amount of vanilla ice cream smothered on top) is borderline divine.
1 - Ben K.: Americans love to be fat

You might be insulted by that, but as far as I'm concerned, that's the only thing I've actually gotten out of my experience at BJ's

People love to read harsh, evil,  cunning reviews
so prepare for happiness
1st: Atmosphere and Vibe
This is actually the only reason why this gets a star at all. The feeling makes things fun, you just want to get up and dance, people are yelling and laughing, television screens are a bit loud, just happy.
I was thinking to myself, oh, now this can't be that bad
I WAS DANG WRONG

Part 2: The food

I ordered two dishes, one was the usual deep dish pizza, and potato skins.

Potato Skins:
This chef has to be the most lazy guy on EArth. These were deep fried quartered potatoees, hollowed a bit to be "skins" They had this really bad ranch sauce in the middle, that had to be from Vons or something like that, and then they dumped so shredded cheese on there. 
They didn't even bother to melt the cheese, how lazy can you get? Just fling the thing into the broiler for a bit, then take it out THAT'S SO DANG EASY. That is literally the most simple rule in cooking.... MELT YOUR CHEESE.
This was lazy, and honestly, pretty nasty.

Deep Dish Pizza:
Crust was not that bad, i admit it wasn't that bad, but the rest was sloppily made. Too much sauce caused everything to slip off like a dead salamander on a log, which is extremely unappetizing. It was okay, but not good enough to be a signature dish

Part 3 Conclusion

Alin all, a very bad restaurant.. I don't see this lasting for another year at this rate, but as long as americans like pizza and beer this will last. nothing more then that
4 - Nick P.: OMG, the wait!  Sometimes it's only a few minutes, but sometimes its as much as an hour.  Now they introduced a call ahead service, but they haven't advertised it much.  The wait is long, but the food is delicious.  BJ's is probably my favorite of the casual dining college crowd franchise restaurants (TGIF, Chili's, etc.), most because they offer excellent brews.  It's too bad this location got rid of their brewing equipment, and they only have their barrels for show now.  Regardless... give me a baked potato or burger and a beer, and I'm so happy!
3 - Procter F.: Went here for lunch the other day and tried their half pound burger which consisted of a perfectly cooked patty between two slices of sourdough bread. Their menu was very extensive and people around me really seemed to be enjoying everything. For lunch this place is definitely worth it.
3 - Christian H.: BJ's has good deep dish pizza, but it's greasy and isn't the best in LA. The atmosphere is one of a classier sports bar. It doesn't share characteristics such as cramped tables or out of control noise. The food is decent, nothing spectacular. The soups and their signature Pizookie's are fantastic. Definitely four star dishes in a three star restaurant. The good thing about BJ's is you will never get a horrible meal, and their prices are really reasonable, so it's a good bargain. Overall, it's a great place to hang out with friends and share a pizza. Westwood is a good BJ's location, but the Westlake Village one is better.
2 - Lindsay H.: I normally love BJ's, but the fact that this one is in Westwood makes it quite unappealing... it's always full of obnoxious undergrads who are overcrowding tables because more and more people keep joining their party. And what's worse, the place seems to be entirely employed by students as well. This means they're more concerned with socializing with their friends who've come to visit than they are serving or seating you. I'm a fan of the late nite happy hour, and just this place being open late in general, but the truth is that the later you come, the more annoying it gets. I always get super slow service at this BJ's, and am still saddened that they don't have a full bar at this location. I love BJ's, but this one in particular is pretty bad.
4 - Matthew P.: I don't consider myself a restaurant snob, and I am certainly no foodie, but for some reason I was hell bent on avoiding this place.  

I was picturing a glorified TGI Fridays or Garfields (aw, remember Garfields?), filled with undergrads whose proximity to the place made it seem more appealing than it actually was.  

I think the main reason for my apprehension was that I remember the restaurant/bars  in my college town and the excitement of Being-An-Adult-at-a-Restaurant-Unaccompanied.  That was fun at 18, but it's a high that wears off pretty fast. 

Which is to say, the fun of "yay, no parents!" has turned into "shouldn't someone be looking after those kids?" 

Turns out, BJs is pretty much exactly what I expected, crowd-wise, but it was still kind of awesome.  

They've got an extensive beer menu, not too expensive.  Not a lot of vegan options, but first of all:

- what self respecting vegan would allow themselves to be dragged here, anyway? and second of all, 
- the greasy-delicious seasoned fries were plenty serviceable at taking the edge off a couple especially flavorful pints of stout on an empty stomach.

The waitress was sweet and pretty and friendly (and I am a sucker for good service.)

Actually, every customer at every table almost without exception was fresh-faced and wholesome-hot.  It was like a sports bar in Desperate Housewives.  Thanks, Los Angeles!!

I'm not sure I'd go back -- I'm just not really a beer and fries kind of guy, and Native Foods is right around the corner -- but I will happily admit that, while my impression of this place was pretty much dead-on -- it's a sports bar with a lot of undergrads -- I was wrong about it.  It made for a fun evening.
4 - Hannah L.: i really like bj's, but can only handle it every few months because the portions are HUGE and everything is really rich and fatty. i've tried a lot of food here and the winners are:

-spinach & artichoke dip (it's the best out there)
-any kind of pizza (the crust will blow your mind)
-broccoli cheddar soup and ceasar salad (you can get a soup/salad deal for cheap & still have enough food to take home to eat later or give to some homeless dude)
-any kind of baked potato (they're gigantic -- beware)

their pastas are pretty bland, so i stay away from those. i've had the chicken club sandwich before but it wasn't anything special. can't remember how the burgers are...the first time i had one, i had a really bad cold so i couldn't really taste food, but the texture was nice i suppose. fish & chips are okay, but nothing like you'll get in england! 

one downside is the long wait (often 20-30 minutes to even get a table), but bj's is open late so i always go after normal dinner hours, when the wait isn't so bad. still, i'm always surprised at how many people are eating there at 11pm.

i'd keep some pepto bismol on hand to help yourself recover from how rich the food is. the good news is that i've never eaten anything here that was even remotely bad...just some stuff i wouldn't eat again. oh, and the pizookies are great especially if you have a coupon!! and you get a free one if it's your birthday!
3 - Megan S.: Oh lordy.  My grad school program takes people here for recruiting, so every September thru March, I eat here once a month.  It's a great place to go with a big group, with decent service and a good selection of food and beer.  After eating here literally dozens of times, here's a rundown:

1. Full meal must include (no more and no less) appetizers, pizza, and beer.  And Pizookie for dessert.  Don't waste your stomach space with salads or pastas or random salmon entrees--the pizza here is so massive you need to save room!
2. Order avocado eggrolls.  They are amazing: fried, and avocado--the best things in life. 
3. In fact, you should get at least 2 orders of avocado eggrolls.  They really are good.
4. Best pizza flavors: Barbecue chicken and BJ's favorite.  Worst flavors: Buffalo chicken and Mediterranean (the toppings feel too "light" for the pizza).
5. Best pizookie flavor: OREO.  If you like cookies and cream ice cream, you will never want to eat anything else.
6. The beers are pretty much all good.  A handy beer sampler is available on the menu!
7. Ok fine, you wanted a salad? The BBQ chicken chopped salad is excellent.

I've always been in groups of 20+, and the wait staff has generally been great with getting our orders right, bringing drinks, and changing the TV channels so we can watch our favorite sports teams.  The food is ridiculously heavy and greasy, so eating here will definitely be a caloric splurge.  The pizza claims to be Chicago style, but it's more like a generic deep dish, with generous toppings, not too much sauce, and a nice chewy crust that's crispy around the edges.  I might have given this place 4 stars, except that I always feel slightly ill after eating here (probably because I have no self control).
3 - Kim l.: Step sis had her bday party at BJs last night. There were about 22 guest and they had the food set up buffet style. It was all you can drink sodas, all you can eat salad and all you can eat pizza(choice of 4 different types of pizzas). Our sodas and salads were replenished at a decent rate, however they took a long time to bring out new pizzas, so we were sitting there for a while waiting...and the longer we waited the less hungry we got. Maybe that's their system, to make us wait a long time between the pizzas so that people eat less. The salad was ok, my soda was soda and I must say the pizza's were delicious. This is the order I would rate the pizzas, 1.Great white 2.buffalo chicken 3.bbq chicken 4.artichoke spinach. All in all the food was good, service was ok, and the price was very reasonable ($16.50 each including tax and tip).
2 - Susan V.: I was hungry and wanted my food right away. It ttok about an hour to get my food, so I was seriously raging! It wasnt busy in there at all. On top of it, the waiter made me feel bad about getting a refill on my refillable soups..it was only my second round -- geesh!

Okay food, bad, slow service = bad review.
2 - Steve L.: Ditto to everyone who mentions that the location makes this BJ's kind of a bomb.  A bunch of college kids trying to be cool, but unfortunately not quite old enough to order beer yet... What didn't help was that going last night there was a table full of high school kids who must have been out for a dance.  

Waitress had this annoying habit of speaking really slow, made it feel like we were in nursery school.  Then again, maybe that's because it's in Bruin country.  

The food and beer were good.  Sucks that we didn't get to try the Belgian beer as they didn't offer it in a pitcher... The pizookie definitely gives Diddy Riese a run for their money.  This evening we opted for the pizookie.  If only Diddy Riese microwaved their cookies for a quick moment to warm them up... it'd be a pretty close race.

For the college kids... the lure of free food abounds.  Looked like those waiting were given little slivers of free pizza.  Back in the day, may have been worth it to keep sitting on the waiting list, and keep getting free food....
2 - Tina M.: Overrated. Pizookie's are good but I can't help but feel the "I can make this at home" thing. Everything else here is "meh." I may be biased though as I'm not a huge fan of that whole American/family food thing (Burgers, Pizza, etc)... though I like burgers... just not like this...

Have not tried the beer (last time I went was before I was 21) but next time I will.

Buffalo wings, if I can recall correctly, were pretty good.
1 - esther n.: Thought this would be a decent enough place to eat at after watching a long boring movie. The wait wasn't bad for a Friday night. Then, fter we'd been seated, one of the servers tripped and spilled a container of red sauce, which splattered all over the table, my hair, my jacket, and my dinner companions. They brought over the manager, who offered to dry-clean my hoodie (which I declined, because, um, it's a hoodie). She then offered to comp the drinks we'd ordered, and we were okay with that. Too bad they forgot to do even that in the end.

To top it off, the pizza we ordered took forever to arrive. Also, they gave us napkins for us to wipe the table with, but didn't really check to make sure all the damage had been cleaned up. When the 4th member of our dinner party arrived, he sat in the empty chair, and it was only when we got up to leave that he realized he'd gotten red sauce all over his wool sweater. We asked for the manager and she offered to pay for HIS dry cleaning. I hope he remembers to let them reimburse him. 

Thanks for letting me vent! Needless to say, going to this BJ's is a mistake I won't be making again.
4 - Kitkat N.: Bj's rarely ever fails me. It's pizza is delicious I have not tried the pasta yet so yeah. but the pizookie is a must try. if you haven't you just haven't lived in California yet. order the buffalo chicken pizza.
1 - James S.: This is the smallest BJ's I have been too and it was so jam packed like sardines in a can I couldn't tell and wouldn't believe this place had a bar like the other BJ's I have gone too. Would I return? Nope
Sorry this place is a no go in Westwood
1 - Danielle S.: After having a stunning dinner salad for $5.95 at Senor Fred in Sherman Oaks, it made me realize even further how pathetic my $5.25 dinner salad at BJ's was.

The dinner salad at Senor Fred had fresh mixed baby field greens plus tons of chopped tomato, chopped cucumber, carrot shreds and tasty balsamic vinaigrette.  Senor Fred loaded on the veggies.  The salad was filling and almost spoiled my meal.

In contrast, the BJ's dinner salad was iceberg lettuce and barely anything else (2 disgusting translucent, water logged cucumber slices and a few greasy croutons).  BJ's probably spent 25 cents on my salad.  Senior Fred probably spent $2 on my salad.  That's the difference between a good restaurant and a slop house. 

And I forgot to mention why all I had was a dinner salad (and part of my friend's diseased potato):  the waitress gave me incorrect info about my entree when I was ordering.  When it arrived, it was something totally different than she told me it would be so I couldn't have it.  The dinner salad which should have been only $2.95 as an add on, turned into $5.25 (I was penalized for sending back my entree even though the waitress described it wrong due to lack of knowledge).
2 - Sarah B.: I've never been to another BJ's but I've done it all here... takeout, small tables, and a party.  The party was most disappointing.  There were about 20 of us, we all had to pay $15 to cover the food and renting the upstairs, and I only managed to get a single slice of pizza and a bit of salad.  Maybe we had too many guys eating more than their share, I dunno.  But no one was satisfied. 

That brings me to my next complaint, it's too expensive for what you get.  Pizzas are small, food is just ok.  As someone else said, you can make the Pizookie at home.  

BJ's is just okay.  Everyone can find something they like on the menu, which is why it's always packed.  My only real reason to go is if we have a picky eater who won't agree to any other place in the Village.  Even Chili's is more worthwhile and less crowded.
2 - Karina G.: I used to love eating here - but after spending one summer working on campus with a bunch of people who wanted to eat here 4x's a week - let's say it gets old fast.

5 years after that summer and I still haven't gotten over my aversion for BJ's pizza. The only reason I'll come inside is for a pizookie and even that only happens once a year.

EDIT:: Wait, I still come here for beer.
2 - Amber B.: What more can really be said about BJ's? It's a chain, with mediocre food overall.

I used to eat and drink here all the time in college - back when it was just a stumble away from my apartment so I could binge on all the beer I wanted and not have to worry about how I was going to make it home. This location also made for a popular meeting spot for all kinds of UCLA club/group activities - I remember holding a Hapa Club Welcome Back dinner here at least once. Back then I would stuff myself silly with pizookies (Are they even that great? They have ZERO appeal to me now), the potato wedges, the pizzas, burgers and of course it was all about the beer sampler! You actually get a good amount of beer for what you're paying.

Flash forward a couple years to now. For some reason we receive about 1,000 "Guest Appreciation Cards" at my office good for either $5, $10, or $500. Even with the promise of basically unlimited free meals until the expiration date I didn't make it over to BJ's until one day before the end of the promo. Showed up for lunch and I think the only really positive thing I have to say about this last visit is that we were seated immediately and we had an excellent table upstairs with a view of the floor below so we could people watch...oh and our waiter, Blake, was real sweet. 

So, my lunch companion's wedge salad and baked potato came out within a few minutes...yet I sat there for a good 10-15 minutes longer with nothing in front of me but my lemon water. Finally my cheddar broccoli soup came out, but not my BBQ chicken salad. I tried to eat the soup but in all honestly it was disgusting. It tasted like burned cheese for one thing AND there was wayyyyy too much cheese thrown on top. The cheese-to-broccoli ratio was atrocious. I don't even think I found a solid piece of broccoli in the entire bowl. I tried to stomach the soup because I was so hungry but I just couldn't do it. It took another 10 minutes for my salad to arrive and it was just meh...not very much chicken in it at all.

So after a very dissatisfying lunch I still managed to walk away not feeling TOO bummed - I only had to shell out about 5 bucks to cover the tip!
5 - Belle n.: omfg. i love bjs! they have yummy pizza and salad ever (:  yumyumyum!
4 - Annie L.: I don't care that BJ's is a chain restaurant because their deep dish Chicago style pizzas are still damned good.
3 - Xuan T.: I came here one night because I didn't know where else to go.  To be honest, nothing else looked good so I thought I'd give this place a shot.  I ordered the one of their stuffed potatoes, a cider, and a white chocolate chip and macademia nut pazookie.

The potato wasn't the most awesome thing on earth.  Which is sad thing, I think.  It had all the elements necessary for fantastic salty engorgement: potato + cheeeeeeeese.  I kind of shrugged the whole thing off as.... a-ok.  Not godawful but it didn't seem like I was having a revelation either.

The cider was great.  I really loved it.  It was smooth, fruity, and not too carbonated.  I'm not much of a beer person, so it was nice to have this alternative available to me.

The pazookie is where it's at.  Hot, melty, gooey goodness in a tiny deep dish plate.  Now, to those who are not in the know... it would seem like the pazookie is large enough for sharing between 2 people.  So not true.  I swear you'll be dueling to the death with your spoons and forks for the last bite.

So, I can understand the negativity when it comes to the food in general.  I would say don't come here for dinner.  This place is just right for an after-dinner drink and dessert.
4 - Meredith D.: I'm a fan of any restaurant that can take all my loves of bad for you food like hamburgers, pizzas and decadent desserts and combine them in one large menu. BJ's of course is that place with tons of things to order and a different take on each.

With a full drink menu, including quite an impressive list of wines given that BJ's is kind of like an Applebee's or Cheesecake factory (aka. Chains), a concoction of liquor filled drinks and of course beers (to compliment the sports playing on the flat screen TVs) you'll never go thirsty here. Add to this their extensive menu of pages upon pages of different appetizers, salads, soups, pizza's and of course hamburgers.

Their pizzas are classic Chicago deep dish style and while I'm not sure I can speak with any authority on classic Chicago deep dish pizzas I found these to be rich and yummy. The crust and dough almost melted in my mouth along with the cheese (which was a little too salty for my taste and where they lost that desired last star) and tomato sauce. Their wedge french fries are large, in charge and perfectly seasoned to make you want to keep eating even when your stomach may scream to stop.

And speaking of stomach's talking, yours should most certainly ask for the pizookie dessert, a trademark of the BJ's franchise. With a huge recently cooked cookie (of the chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, oreo or peanut butter variety--your choice) ice cream and flavorful adds on on the very top you'll be in sweet heaven, literally. So save room because this dessert is huge, meant to be shared but definitely fulfilling after only a few bites.

Go with friends after a night out, as they stay open late and enjoy what drunk eating or merely late munchies can be satisfied here.
3 - Anna S.: The service at this BJ's beats the BJ's I eat at back home in Cupertino. The waiter was attentive and the food was pretty good. My dinner date and I tried the California Club flatbread which turned out great. They forgot the applewood smoked bacon though...so they gave us a bowl of the bacon bits. =[ I was hoping they would take it back and bake it again with the bacon, but thought that was asking for too much considering we ate 1/4 of it already when we finally realized the missing bacon. I ordered the fish tacos which were bland, but great with the given sauces. It was a light entree because I didn't feel like eating something heavy. The date ordered a burger which was decent. We finished off with a pizookie, cookies and cream style. Never disappoints.
1 - Karrie H.: I've been to 3-4 different BJ's locations (West Covina and Irvine among them) and never had a problem, so I was excited to come visit my local BJs in Westwood Village. I saw that the Yelp reviews were pretty lackluster, but I chalked it up to people not liking chain restaurants and went anyway.

Unfortunately, it was a complete disappointment and I won't be coming here again. I know their food is supposed to be better than this!

The biggest issue was the very "meh" food. Two of the pasta dishes ordered in our group were completely flavorless and dry. Mine in particular - the Chardonnay Shrimp Pasta - was supposed to have a creamy Chardonnay wine sauce. There WAS sauce in my pasta, but it was surrounded by a huge ring of sauceless pasta. Even when I tossed it all together, the pasta was just barely wet with very bland sauce.

The strawberry lemonade was also overpoweringly sweet. I love my sweet drinks and especially strawberry lemonade (I will down the stuff at Red Robin!) but this was terrible. I made it through halfway before asking for an extra cup of ice to water it down with. I ended up pouring ALL of the extra ice in to dilute half a cup of lemonade, and even then it was too strong.

We also ordered three pizookies for the table and one of them came out with a minimal amount of ice cream, most of which was melted all over the cookie (which means it must have been standing around longer than the rest, which had more ice cream and were not as melted).

They also brought out the wrong drink and the wrong food order, although they immediately rectified it as soon as we pointed it out to them. Not a big deal, but it just added up to a lot of bad things.

Nitpicky things aside, it was the ridiculously bland pasta that ensures me that I will never return to this BJ's again. I will give other locations a try before I give up on this chain entirely though - I still have hope!

Pros- Call ahead seating means we were seated immediately at 7:00pm on a weekday evening, exciting menu, $5 parking lot across the street since Westwood parking is a nightmare
Cons- Flavorless/bland pasta, strawberry lemonade too sweet
1 - gepeto p.: Disappointed again.  Chain or no chain, where's the quality? Homemade rootbeer?  Not good at all.  Asked for water, and got straight out of the bathroom sink tasting tap water (most places at least filter the tap water)- I couldn't drink it, it almost made me sick, literally!  There was a long wait for everything- 20 minutes from the time we ordered our drinks until the time the arrived, and then 15 minutes after our drinks to place our first order lol..  How can a place like this even have a wait (or a store front for that matter)?  The service as a whole is not all that impressive, from the entrance/waiting list to the waitress to the food, this place was a borderline dump.  I had the honey chicken salad.  It turned my stomache.  The chicken strips were at least fried correctly, but the salad was soggy and cheap tasting, saturated with a deep mayonaise tasting honey dijon sauce.  The "works" deep dish pizza wasn't too bad, but we honeslty could have gotten much better from Papa Johns.  Should have went with CPK just across the street.  The Pizookie was okay, but Diddy's is way better (and cheaper).
3 - Ari O.: First of all, to the people who say "there's not much for vegans".. No shit? Are you serious? OH MAN I thought the signs on the front of the restaurant that say "pizza" and "grill" meant that they only have lettuce pizza and grill tofu and walnuts. They cook meat here? I must alert the local media.

So anyway. This restaurant is nice for casual dinner. Like I kind of already said, maybe not a lot for vegans (but really, what is there in the WORLD for vegans?), but my vegetarian friend found a meal alright. They have a huge menu otherwise, including those pizookies everyone talks about, which I am a huge fan of. I'd rather order the pizookie than wait in the giant line across the street at Diddy Riese.

Negative points- they don't accept reservations for parties smaller than 10, so if it's just you and that cute girl you just met, you should probably go somewhere else so you're not waiting for half an hour.
Also, it's kind of a small place so seating is rather limited. Their bathrooms are limited to one person at a time, so the ladies have to wait (like always). And both times I've gone is been freaking cold, so bring a jacket.
3 - Margaret R.: The food is alright, which was expected. We got three medium pizzas (bj fav, buffalo chicken and southwestern). All were okay - heavy and flavorful. They were expensive at $20 each...can't I get three med pizzas at Pizza Hut for $15 total?

Service was EXTREMELY slow. We were sitting there for thirty min before our waitress came to take our orders after we had already asked 5 waiters that passed by to do so. And then we waited another hour before the food came. This place is busy with all the college students.

We got out appetizer comped bc of the slow service but I think the waitress was upset that we requested it. However, we did feel the experience was better bc of the comp.

The pizookie is delicious, but just go to Diddy Reese's across the street...
3 - Brandon A.: #104

I always seem to end up at BJ's when I'm home in LA and out with a particular group of friends. Why? I guess it's a neutral choice with the multitude of menu items, and it's also in the neighborhood ... and, they serve that delicious chocolate chip pazookie.

Recently, I had the chance to try one of their new pizza menu items - the Southwestern: chipotle tomato sauce with spicy blackened chicken, green chilies, cheddar cheese and diced tomatoes topped with fresh cilantro. It tasted much better than what I was expecting - sort of like a spicy supreme pizza with chicken and no olives.

I haven't tried any of their brews yet because I usually order their root beer. IIRC, it's made by them also. I'd suggest trying it if you're a root beer fan.

The aforementioned pazookie is awesome. Each spoonful of warm chocolate chip cookie with a dollop of vanilla ice cream on top = yum.

I have noticed that service tends to be slow here. On this visit, I only remember our server coming to our table three times during the entire meal - once to take our drink order, once to take our food order, and once to deliver our check. I guess that leaves something to be desired. But then again, most of the servers are college students running their hustle.

On average, it's probably one of the most popular restaurants in Westwood so plan ahead if you're coming on a Friday or Saturday evening.
4 - Tracy W.: Being one of the few restaurants within walking distance of UCLA, this branch of BJ's is usually crowded with an assortment of co-eds and their visiting parents.  The menu is no different from any other BJ's, and I felt the food was prepared just as well as I've had at other locations.  I had the fresh basil and italian sausage flatbread appetizer pizza as my entree and was pleasantly surprised, as I have only had their regular deep dish pizza before.  Two of my friends raved about the minestrone, and the last member of our group said his pizza was pretty good.  This location seems to run out of their berry cider whenever I'm there, but luckily this time there was enough left for me.  We ended up staying at our table way after we paid the bill and we never felt rushed by the waitstaff, which was nice.  And the best part is if you didn't gorge yourself on a pizookie, Diddy Riese is right across the street!
2 - Loran H.: I really don't get why some people love this place... I'm assuming it's because they haven't branched out and tried other non-chain restaurants who serve the same type of food, but better.  There is nothing particularly remarking about the menu, other than that it's big.  Some of the pizzas are alright, but they tend to be greasy.  Went here last night with some friends from college who were "in the mood for BJ's", whatever that means.  

Allow me to say something about the beer.  It's just OK.  Sure, it's better than bud light, but I think the main reason that people like BJ's beer, is because for most people it's the only place that they try styles other than your awful bottom-fermenting-bullsh*t lagers of American megabreweries.  PEOPLE!  Please stop by BevMo or Beverage Warehouse and pick up real, good craft brews that are exemplary of their styles, this beer is much better.  Or check out Father's Office, the Daily Pint, Library Alehouse, just go to some beer bar that has a decent list.  If you think you like beer, but don't know much about it, go look for a place that has a bunch of beers you've never heard of, those are the good ones!

Whew, ok, I'm done ranting about beer.  Just know, there are much better restaurants of this style out there for roughly the same price.
3 - Felicia T.: The 3 star rating is just for this location.  I love BJ's usually, but the westwood one, though is the one i most frequent, is always too crowded, wait too long and thus food not so good (cold/ luke warm). Also i feel rushed everytime i eat here. maybe i go on bad nights, maybe I should only go when the UCLA kids are on break, and the town is quiet. Who knows.

Otherwise, BJ's offer great food, especially their deep dish pizza. You can order individual sizes or a large one to share. Burgers and sandwiches come with wedge fries which are perfectly seasoned. One of best wedge fries i've had. I like their pulled pork sandwiches especially, and blackened chicken s'wich and blackened chicken pasta. 

Also, you can get your many kinds of brews here. Def a good place to hang out with your large group of friends. Oh.. share a pizookie (pizza thin cookie topped with ice cream). You need to. It's an obligation to your sweet tooth.
3 - Eric T.: I have a love-hate relationship with this place. I really do think it has some of the better bar-style food in West LA, but it's the service that really takes it down a notch. They have a few flat screens that aren't well placed, but you can still follow whatever game is on at the time.

BJ's is a solid chain that I can rely on for cheesy, chewy, thick, deep dish pizzas. I've been ordering the BBQ chicken pizza since I was a kid and it's always been solid. The spinach and artichoke pizza is good as well, which can also be found in dip and calzone form. If you like doughy bread, the pizzas and calzones are for you.

The also have a good line of starters: nachos, spring rolls, chicken tenders, etc... 

For a sandwich, the turkey cobb is solid, again with the doughy, cheese bread, bacon and bleu cheese sauce.
 
Their list of microbrews has been the same for years and offers a great variety from a light blonde ale to the dark porter and stout. The Piranha Pale Ale is a past favorite.

They recently started brewing their own root beer which is made without high fructose corn syrup and actually tastes very good. Free refills on this too. 

The pizookie (deep dish cookie) desserts are easily the best item on the menu. Save room. They have many flavors available, but I always go with the classic chocolate chip cookie with scoops of ice cream on top. It's very very good.

They seem to have UCLA students staffing the place and the service is slow and many times I have had my food served incorrectly. However, if you make no substitutions or alterations you should be fine. 

BJ's is always a safe option when I am in unfamiliar territory, loooking for some bar food. Rarely will I go there if I find myself hungry in Westwood.
5 - Marissa B.: Gosh, I give this 5 stars because of the yummy Pazookie, the UCLA crowd, and the sexy scene! This is a spot for students and I just wish my law school classmates had the energy/time/gusto to make an effort to hang out like normal students and head out here to LA for some fun, like even once a week. That's what we get for taking Constitutional Law and Real Property too seriously, I guess. Or maybe our group was just plain too boring?? I don't know. I also have to account that most are married or engaged and that has a lot to do with it, I don't know. Still, I just wish we had some normal social moments to connect to each other more! Hope the new class offers some excitement to my life.....LOL. I doubt it though, young people are just not my cup of tea! LOL
3 - terra d.: BJs is alright, but probably nothing i'd crave. try the pizza, though :)
2 - Jenny D.: My first experience at BJ's could have easily been my last. We had ordered a "mini" pizza and was served a medium instead. I remember looking at it and thinking, "Damn... That's a pretty nice sized 'mini' pizza." But didn't think much of it then. It wasn't till we received the check that we realized they had charged us for a medium. We called over our waitress (who, btw, spent all her time gossiping and bitching to another waitress instead of taking care of her tables) and asked her if what we were eating was a "mini" sized pizza. She gave us one of those "Are you kidding me?" condescending looks, and replied "You ordered a medium."

After politely explaining that we had wanted only a mini because we had ordered 2 other dishes as well, she called her manager over. He strutted over and scoffed at our concern, obviously thinking that we were trying to pull some trick to get some free food. He sneered at us, emphasizing that the sizes were on the menu and that it was ridiculous that we would think that their medium pizza was a mini.

I explained that I had never been to that restaurant before and wasn't familiar with the sizes, and assumed that the waitress had given us the size we had asked for to begin with. AND that the sizes were not on the menu. And if I'm mistaken and they were, they may not have been in a place noticeable enough.

Anyway, point being.... The service was awful and the manager a complete jerk. He eventually gave us the pizza for the price of the mini - But made it a point to scoff in our faces about it.


The food wasn't bad. In fact, I'd give it a 3.5 star rating if it wasn't for the unpleasant experience cause by the management. No matter who's right or wrong in the situation, nobody managing a business should handle any situation in such an immature and disrespectful manner.


Anyway, check it out if you're in the area and are in dire need of some pizza. The nachos aren't worth the price. You can get better at Barney's Beanery.  The calamari's not crispy and just not tasty at all... But the pizzas are decent for bar food.
3 - Ev T.: I've probably been to BJ's about 50 times. last time I ordered a mini pizza. When I got the bill, they charged me for a medium. I asked the waitress if it could be corrected and she brought over the manager. When the manager arrived at our table, he just ridiculed us for not knowing their pizza measurements, as if we worked there (or was intentionally trying to rip them off). That just shows you the quality of a place right there. Also, waitresses go missing on the regular so make sure you ration your beverage because a refill might not be coming any time soon. Other than that , the Parana Ale is great, the pizookies are incredible, the service is tired. I don't know if it's the abundance of college kids that hit this place that just wears them down or what.
1 - N M.: One of BJs company's core values is "never lose a customer" (it says so on their registers). Well apparently whenever it gets busy at this location the managers throw that right out the window! 

We were booted from the place with no food or drinks because the rest of our party had been there for "too long." Even when the rest of the group took off shortly after we got there, they wouldn't let us continue to order and eat, and made ZERO attempt to find any kind of solution to the problem. They cancelled the orders we'd given to the waiter and basically said, "better luck next time!"

The real bummer was that I had been seriously craving one particular pizza all day after thinking about it for weeks (yes, when you catch me daydreaming I'm usually thinking about food), but I was so put off by the way they treated us that I didn't even want to order it to go.  When will I finally get the satisfaction of my (2nd) favorite pesto pizza (see Upper Crust in Boston)??!!?!?!?!! I guess the search continues.

Anyway, to be honest I understand the situation they were in--busy night, need the tables. But if your company is BUILT on keeping your customers happy this was the worst way to show it. The managers should make an effort to make things right, NOT be the ones who kick out well-paying and good-tipping customers who just want the satisfaction of some good pizza and cider. Compared to the other locations the customer service here SUCKS.


Oh, and in case you need more reasons, there's always a wait and parking's impossible. So there.
3 - Peter L.: This place is good if you're in the mood for some deep dish pizza.  I've been here a couple times (mostly with large groups) and the pizzas are pretty consistent...the crusts are thick and chewy and they have a good amount of toppings.  They also serve a lot of other dishes, such as burgers, pastas, sandwiches, etc., but I've never tried them.  I probably would stick with the pizza though...

Pizza recommendations: BBQ chicken, Sweet Pig and BJ's Favorite
4 - Michael L.: Good:
 - Delicious deep dish pizza.
 - Surprisingly good salmon and pasta dishes.
 - Pretty tasty (if overpriced) brunch items on weekends. Love the California scramble - an omelette with avocado sliced in.
 - Delicious microbrews! If you like Guiness, definitely give their porter a try.
 - Great for big groups... and they always show Chargers games on the big screen. :)

Bad:
 - There can be long waits for dinner, especially if school is in session. They usually give out free pizza samples on nights with long waits, though.
 - Not a fan of the sandwiches - the "angus beef" burgers always taste overcooked and the cold cut sandwiches are way pricey.

When To Go:
  - You want to enjoy great-tasting pizza and delicious beer with your friends.

Tips:
 - "Four toppings OR MORE" is a price category. So a pizza with 4 toppings costs the same as a pizza with 18 toppings - and yes, I've ordered a pizza with 18 toppings. :)
 - They will still make chili cheese fries if you ask for it. You can also add bacon on this.
 - You can order chili cheese (+bacon) onion strings (aka, a DEATH BLOSSOM), which are FANTASTIC.
 - Free mini-pizookie (pizza-sized cookie with ice cream) on your birthday.

Parking:
Go the other side of Broxton (half a block east of the Broxton/Weyburn intersection) and go to the parking building on the left. It's free for 2 hours if you get in before 6pm, $3 flat rate after. If you show up after 6pm, you can also try the parking lot on the right, which is the same price but easier to leave (sometimes there's a wait getting out of the parking structure).

Bottomline:
Hands down, the tastiest pizza and beer in Westwood - though a little pricier than the alternatives.
3 - Sara P.: Solid three stars.  They have big, comfy booths, a good selection of beers and microbrews. it's great for big groups.

i think the most delicious items on the menu are the deep dish pizzas. the medium is enough for 3 grown men to share. their salads are also good, too.

things that haven't been so good - sandwiches (burned chicken breast, etc), soups (taste like canned) and fries (not my favorite).  there can be a wait on the weekends and on friday nights.

ps: free mini pizookie on your birthday!!!!
3 - Samantha M.: Came here a while back when I was visiting a friend at UCLA. BJ's has the standard and hearty fare that a hungry tummy craves but don't come with a tummy that's TOO hungry because there is always a line here. But you can walk around while you wait because they give you one of those buzzer things that buzz when your table's ready.

I had the BBQ beef sandwich while my friend had a stuffed potato. I really like the potato wedges here and that was probably my favorite part of the meal. The BBQ was full of BBQ sauce but in the end, it was just alright. My friend's stuffed potato looked amazing but then once you start eating, all the stuffing is at the top, and once you've eaten the cheesey topping on the top, what's left is a baked potato that hasn't got much else to it.

For sweets, we got a pizookie that was half chocolate chip, half peanut butter. Warm with melty vanilla ice cream. Mmm!

Food we had was a bit "ehh" but the pizookie is always yummy. Definitely sticking to the pizzas next time.
4 - Marjorie U.: If you like pizza that is not greasy and a good German Wheat & Rye for Harvest Hefeweizen beer then u gotta check out this place. The only thing I don't like about this branch is parking.  I really like their BJ 'S CLASSIC COMBO. This a deep dish pizza with pepperoni, sausage and mushrooms. U should also try their New England-style clam chowder. It's all about the clams not the potato and it's not too thick. Last night I got so stuffed that I decided not to order my favorite dessert which is called, "PIZOOKIE." A freshly baked cookie topped with two scoops of vanilla bean ice cream and served in its own deep dish. Your
choice of Chocolate Chunk, White Chocolate Macadamia
Nut, Peanut Butter or Oatmeal Raisin Walnut. I normally order half chocolate chunk and half white chocolate macadamia nut. This place gets really crowded so I suggest u show up late at night.
4 - Johnson N.: Ahhh yes... the memories.  There's nothing like hanging out with an old friend at an old spot where good beer flows so freely.  

Current Promo: $3.95 for 12oz house beer

I got a Blonde and my friend got their Hef.  Both are quite good (I've had both before).  Upon tasting it for the first time after a year or two, it was... music to my... lips?  Deeeeelish!  Loooove the Blondes there... 

The service was very good too.  She tended to our needs very frequently, checking up on us, making sure we were good.  I definitely appreciated the quality experience.  

Oh... and I miss Westwood!  Go Bruins!  hehe
4 - Beth F.: My husband and I stop in here for lunch after his appointments at UCLA Medical Center. Its a great deal, and we can both enjoy a sit down lunch for under $20 (if neither of us has a beer).  I do wish there were a couple more selections on the lunch menu...basically, there is nothing that falls into the "good" calorie count, but the smaller portions make up for it. Plus, its BJ's...if we wanted to be that healthy, we would go to Good Earth down the street.

My guy is in a wheelchair, and BJ's never makes a fuss about seating him. The waitresses are always super sweet and efficient.  And I could live off of their tomato bisque.
3 - John H.: Parking is Westwood is miserable. The service was pretty good, food was alright, and the beer of course was awesome. I would go again although I wish they had ample parking.
3 - Chris C.: Solid chain deep dish pizza and brewery.  BJ's isn't going to win any awards for food, atmosphere, or service, but you can count on a good meal that is not going to break the bank (although it's a bit pricey if you are on a UCLA student budget).

The beer selection here is good.  More importantly, it is brewed on sight.  You can get a sampler if you want to try everything, but my personal favorite is the Nutty Brewnette.

The deep dish pizza here is good.  It's not going to make you forget about your recent trip to Zachary's up north or your favorite Chicago pizza place, but you'll be happy with it.  The appetizers are pretty standard fare - all good, but value for dollar you are better off sharing a pizza and salad.  If you want a salad for a meal, again they are pretty standard, but made well and flavorful.

One thing to note about this particular location - I have never had a Pizookie at this BJs (although I have had them at other BJs, and they are very good).  Why?  Because Diddy friggin' Riese is right across the street.  For just $1.50 you can get a killer, home-made ice cream sandwich.  Trust me on this, save a few bucks and walk across the street.

Another cultural note, the UCLA basketball team has come here as a group to eat after a game before.  Not sure if this is a regular thing, but if you see 12 really tall college guys and some older coach type guys, it might be them.
4 - Carol S.: I always get the same things: bruschetta, lettuce wraps, cobb salad, grilled chicken pasta, great white pizza, pizookie (not all at once).  I also love their handcrafted beers.  Good spot to watch the game.
2 - Brian W.: It's almost like any other BJ's I've been to... except the wait at dinner time is horrible. They said 20 minutes, they buzzed us around 25 or 30 minutes "by accident", then by the time they buzzed us again it was almost 25 minutes after that. Ouch.

Food's not bad, pizzas are pretty decent, and the pizookie is not a bad substitute for Diddy Riese when the line at Diddy Riese is totally insane (like today)... and the beer and yes, even the berry cider are pretty good.

But... can't get over the line. Ugh.
3 - Alex C.: The dinner was just ok.  I got a pasta, which I know isn't exactly what BJ's is known for, but none the less, the pasta was rather dry, however it was very filling so that was good.  The food came out fast, which was pretty cool since I was pretty hungry, and the service was pretty good.  We had two servers and the both were very friendly and attentive.

We also got a pitcher of the hef, which I feel at other BJ's it taste better, but the beer was still good and quenching so no complaints there.

All in all, a pretty decent meal, nothing uber spectacular.
5 - Natalia K.: The menu here is enormous and can understandably be a little overwhelming so here are some of my recommendations:
Best Beer: Jeremiah Red
Best Pizza: Buffalo Chicken
Best Salad: BBQ Chicken Chop
Best Pasta: Chardonnay Shrimp Pasta
Best Burger: California Burger
Best Brunch item: California Scramble (the French Toast is a close second)
Best Pizookie: Peanut Butter

Parking in Westwood can be difficult, so I recommend parking in the Broxton Parking Garage 1 block south of BJ's. If you enter before 6pm you get two hours free.

*Also it isn't really fair for other reviewers to deduct stars for there being a long wait. BJ's is popular for a reason and they can't control how many people decided to come dine here. If you go out for dinner on a Saturday night around 7pm it shouldn't be a shock that you'll most likely have to wait.
3 - Priscilla Z.: I've been here three times!!!
The first time was a group lunch. We ordered a lot of food. I enjoyed the pizza, cuz it was the first time I saw them served in that way. They are so big, and so much stuff on top. The appetizer was also good. I enjoy trying new food!

2nd time, there was less fun, since I found there only good pizza is BBQ Chicken, so we just order one. Not much fun.

the 3rd time I tried the sandwich, nothing special. But the waitress was extremely energetic, which makes the meal better.
3 - Jeannie K.: It's a pizza place in Westwood, what do you expect?

The service was good, the beer pitcher's large, the avocado eggrolls were greasy but yummy with their sauce, the calzones were kind of cold inside but STUFFED, the Santa Fe salad is just a salad but has chunks of avocado, and the pizookie's too sweet but an indulgence.  If I'm in the area and I feel like carb overdose, sure, why not?
4 - Woger W.: I've been here only once so far so I will keep my review up to date as I go back.  I guess since I plan to go back that you can assume the place is recommended.  Even on a weekday parking is hell but that won't be news to anyone who has read the Yelp reviews.  So here is some other news then:

I split a large pizza (pepperoni and sausage) and pitcher of beer (Jeremiah Red).  Both were average, the beer was too sweet (but that isn't too far out of place for a red beer) and the pizza was overly spiced (I suppose this is to lure you into ordering the beer?).  You get some free bits of stewed tomatoes with your pizza which would be nice except the tomatoes are overly spiced too (those tomatoes now make me recall the much finer free tomatoes you get with Numero Uno delivery pizza, but I digress).

Prices were a bit high.  I wouldn't call this the best pizza and beer in the village.  Maybe the beer will hold up after I try a few others.  I definitely won't be ordering the pizza again, nothing wrong with it but then again nothing too great either.  It will fill the bill when you have a craving for deep dish.  I don't think there are thin crust options.  Nor will I be ordering the Jeremiah Red again but I will find something I like I really am not very picky (but that doesn't prevent me from commenting on the food anyway now, does it).

While eating there I noticed the other stuff coming out of the kitchen looked good and plentiful.  I saw what looked like an epic plate of french fries.  

Thus the 4 star review ... on hopes (hopefully not on fumes).  Otherwise this would be a 3 star review.  I hope it will stay at 4 stars after trying some more menu items in the future.
3 - Grace P.: A good place for big groups.  Everything is bigger---Deep dish pizza and huge pizookie!  

I got their bbq chicken sandwich with thin fries. mm I loveeeee barbeque and just ate the leftovers right now. Even better!

They have a huge selection of beers, never tried them though. 

There can be a wait on the weekends.  I would come here for their pizookie and hardy food.  A solid 3 stars.
3 - Yiwen S.: pizookie!!!! the restaurant food itself is pretty average, but this dessert alone warrants 3 stars. and since west la is warm 80% of the year, ice cream + cookie crust always makes for a great and refreshing treat. the only thing that prevents me from giving the pizookies 4 stars is the fact that diddy reese is right across the street and has ice cream cookie sandwiches for much cheaper.

bj's is really great for hosting large parties. been here for a few birthdays and celebratory dinners. get the deep dish pizzas and the large pizookie because they're super sized and easy to share among 10+ people.

they have an extensive collection of beers if you're into that.
4 - Jay T.: Best pizza in Westwood. The rest of the food is not bad, but there's no reason to try it. Just go with any pizza. They also have their own microbrews. For dessert, the pizookie is great. Though I usually skip it in favor of a certain place across the street...
4 - Jason K.: I've been to a number of different BJ's locations and they are all very consistent.  The Chicago style pizza is thick, filling, very good, loaded with toppings (of which there are a large variety to choose from), and pretty authentic in nature.  The prices are a bit high, but they provide good quality ingredients and taste for that price.

I have gotten the classic calzone (which is very filling), the shrimp tacos (a less caloric options with some good flavor), the breaded chicken sandwich (simple and well executed), the shrimp in a white wine alfredo sauce (decent), and the pizookies (hehe) in the past as well.  They now provide all of the nutritional information for each menu item at the back of the menu for you to peruse what will be your undoing before making a choice.

One of my favorite things about BJ's besides the pizza, though, is the selection of beers they offer.  They have a wide variety of bottle beers (some of which are pretty rare Belgians and such) at great prices.  Additionally, they have around 8-10 BJ's brewed beers on tap, of which many are excellent.  My wife and I really like the blonde.  She likes the Nutty Brewnette and the Jeremiah red as well.  I like the Porter and especially the Tatonka Imperial Stout.  All of these are like $5-$6 for a glass.  Good stuff!  If you like ciders, they have a great berry cider as well.

The Westwood location is a bit small, which is kind of a bummer during dinner time on a Friday or Saturday night, so try to call in a res if you can, or at least come put your name in, then wander the village for a while till the table is ready.

Summary: Great Chicago deep-dish.  Great beer selection.  Other menu items are good and range depending on what you like.  Overall, prices are fair.  Finish with Pizookie or Diddy Riese for dessert.
3 - Patty F.: omg how did i let myself get so behind on reviews!! aahhhh

so came here for game 4 which is pretty depressing considering we dropped like 35 bucks to watch celtic's bench own the lakers but whatevs, can't blame that on bj's...also, the only reason we came is because barney's doesn't let in ppl under 21 AT 6PM cuz there's a game...LAMMMEEE "cries"  the reviews here have kept me away from this place but necessity forced me in...."sigh"

the buffalo wings here are AMAZING! i'm a fried chicken sorta gal so i LOVE that the wings here are fried crispy and the sauce is served on the side so yay!!!! this was honestly one of the best wings i've had and saved the rating of this place. i'll be honest, we just had 2 orders of this haha.

also got the chocolate chunk pizookie, which was kind of a let down. how do you screw up warm cookie and ice cream you say? with an undercooked cookie! i love gooey cookies but what i had still tasted like dough. bleh x.x and considering diddy riese is literally across the street and bj's is famous for them, it was just super disappointing.

i will say though that i had excellent service. i almost wish i didn't cuz i felt guilty dragging my dinner out so long to watch the game but oh well =D

bottom line: pretty overrated but the wings partially make up for it
1 - Shane M.: I've been meaning to write this review for a while, because it stands out as my worst restaurant experience - ever.

I was with a small group - 3 other people. We came in, sat down, and were handed menu's. It took us 30 minutes to get drinks, and about 45 minutes to order. It wasn't really busy, but our waitress seemed busy texting.

We ordered our food after about an hour. It came an hour later. I'm not sure what was going on here. But it was an amusingly bad experience. It was bad enough, that I got past being mad, and now Iaugh about it.
2 - James B.: Most of the actual food here is not very good. The pizza is not as good as most other restaurants. The sandwiches, salads, and some of the other food here is not as good as other BJ's restaurants that I've been to. It's in a decent location for UCLA students and you basically can't go wrong with beers, so that's why I give it two stars. If you're able, go to the BJ's at the Westfield mall in Culver City right off the 405. It's much better, plus you'll have the mall to explore (which you might need because occassionally the wait can be pretty long).
4 - Hazel A.: One of my fave places to go in L.A., why? Have dinner here, cross the street and get some Diddy Riese!

This is also, one of the smallest BJ's I've seen, but I haven't had a dull moment here.  The first time I ever tried the beer sampler was here, and I got pretty tipsy -- but that's because I'm not that big on beer, so I ended up chugging most of my beers to keep it down.  I really like the blonde beer they have to offer, it's really great.

Pizookie's are bomb, but when i have to choose between diddy riese and bj's I always have a hard time choosing.  I guess my advice would be just get the pizookie and get a dozen diddy riese cookies to go for later.
4 - Joey M.: Every time I'm near UCLA I try to stop here, get a deep dish pizza, and then go across the street for dessert at Diddy Riese. I recommend the deep dish pizza, and I get it every time. I've had a couple of the appetizers here and they were just OK - nothing special. The 4/5 is mainly because of the pizza and location. Service has also been good each visit.
4 - Jamar H.: Not too bad. Food was great, and there wasn't too long of a wait. Beer was amazing, cold and crisp. Definitely  spot to hit!
4 - raheela k.: I know there's a stigma surrounding chain restaurants such as BJ's. But i've gotta say - I like this place. Sometimes you just want to go to a place that has good beer (though I don't drink beer - but the pear and berry ciders are good.) Plus, it gives you the sports bar atmosphere and good food. The pizzas are solid. Not the best - but solid. The chicken wings are amazing. I love that they're not smothered in the sauce. And sometimes all you want are some good chicken wings.

Plus the service at this particular BJ's is great. I know it's Westwood and parking blah blah - just go early and use the free lot.
3 - Hen A.: familiar bj's chain restaurant...just a smaller location...bruins school is out!...a fifteen-minute hike down from temporary home in birch in de neve plaza, ucla...crowded, but seated quickly...noise levels higher...a pitcher of beer first....nice large pitchers...an order of flatbread sausage pizza and another forgettable appetizer...just small bites to save room for beer!...bj's perfect for beers and standard pizza...two appetizers and two large pitchers total $sixty-nine...perfect de-stresser!
4 - Tushar A.: I am surprised that the average rating is only 3 stars for BJs. This is probably because most UCLA students dont write reviews while at school... just guessing :)

I really like their Pizza. I just eat (or used to eat) 3-4 varieties of vegetarian pizzas they have in rotation and pizzokie in the end :)

I gave them one star less coz of the long waiting times which btw contradicts the not-so-excellent rating.
2 - Josie D.: This review is for BJ's catering service.

My office orders BJ's pizza monthly. I really really don't like it. The pizza is less than ordinary. The salad is really so - so. Nothing impressive. Sorry. I heard it is pretty good when you are actually at the restaurant, but for delivery? I'd rather get Papa J
3 - Willis C.: Not saying this place is bad, but I've never liked going to BJ's.  I've been to this located 5 times.  I've ordered, their fish n' chips, buffalo chicken pizza, a burger, a pizza and pasta shared, and another pizza.

Overall their choice really isn't that much, there's just nothing special about it.  The pizza I guess is t heir special point.  Maybe cuz I've eaten at better deep dish pizza, so BJ is only decent.  Overall their pizza is good, but nothing I would crave for, there's a lot better out there.  It's a bit overpriced imo for all their food.

I would come here for group outings, otherwise I wouldn't ever choose to come here.
3 - Nikki K.: In my mind, BJ's is more of a birthday celebration place than anything else.  My roomie wanted to go out for dinner, so we decided to walk down the street to BJ's on a whim last night.

We shared a wedge salad, a bowl of clam chowder, and the BBQ pulled pork sliders.  The clam chowder tasted pretty good, but it's not like the clam chowder I'm used to.  It seemed to be thickened with corn starch, like a Chinese chicken corn soup, and it wasn't creamy and opaque like all the other clam chowder I've ever had.  Didn't taste too bad and had lots of clam chunks, but my roomie and I agreed that it tasted more like a potato soup.

I liked the sliders.  The dish comes with four baby sandwiches, which is a nice upgrade from the three that every other restaurant serves.  We asked for more BBQ sauce, but only because we love to dip.  The thin cut fries are nice and crunchy!  They give a good ketchup-to-fry ratio.  Like I said, we love to dip.

I'm giving three stars, but I think this location deserves to be bumped down a half star for the service.  We sat next to a table where an off-duty server was sitting and having a meal.  Our server seemed to be more interested in hearing what her friend was ordering and chatting with her than checking in on us.  Not to mention, we felt rushed into ordering before we had really decided on what we wanted.  I'm sure this was an off night, since the other times I've been here service has been fine.  Maybe when I come here for another birthday dinner I'll be able to add another star.
3 - Chris C.: One can't really go wrong by going to this restaurant. Its an overall good place to spend time with friends, drink some beer, and eat pizza. During my visit, I ordered a classic and mediterranean pizza.

Food: The pizza itself was pretty good, but I don't feel that it was exceptional in taste. The restaurant seemed to try too hard with the mediterranean pizza, piling on tons of toppings. 

Price: The price is a little more on the expensive side. I was not entirely satisfied with the price-pizza size ratio. In comparison to other pizza joints, BJs is very pricey...Although one can easily write it off to the fact BJs is a "gourmet pizza shop." 

Environment: This joint is extremely well created, having a sports bar feel. It is great to have a classy get together with friends or perhaps even a date. Service was excellent with our waiter coming in to see if everything was well and if our cups needed to be refilled.

Overall, a good restaurant.
2 - Tiffany B.: If you are looking for happy hour, avoid this place because they don't have it. This BJ's is a half-assed BJ's & by that, I mean that it is just a restaurant with no bar & pre-mixed drinks. 

Service:
The service is really friendly & our waitress was really nice. She recommended my friend a drink & then later found out that they were out. She also told us that the drinks my friend ordered were premixed, so it's not like I'm not sprouting this information out of my butt.

Prices:
Normal prices you'd expect from an American restaurant.

Food:
The food is average, nothing absolutely delicious, but it's BJs. Their appetizers are probably the best things on their menu. I got the Thai Shrimp lettuce wraps. Quite difficult to eat without it spilling all over the place, but it wasn't bad. I really think that these menu items should be renamed to "Thai inspired" or "Thai styled" instead of just "Thai" because it's not very "Thai" at all. 

Avocado eggrolls were pretty good. They're really similar to the ones from the Cheesecake Factory although their dipping sauces differ.

My friend thought her drink tasted more "fruit punchy" than an alcoholic beverage, so she requested for a little more vodka in her drink. That's when our waitress informed us that the drinks are premixed & they don't have any vodka available to adjust the drink. Major disappointment.

Environment:
1.5 story restaurant as the room up top is fit for a party of maybe 15+ people. There's no bar. I don't think I can get over that & I don't even drink. There's no bar...there's no happy bar. WHAT IS THIS? It's not BJ's! It's a restaurant with BJ's menu, but not the same environment! 

Not returning here.
3 - Rachel M.: The pizookie is the main reason to return to BJ's, and it deserves 5 stars. Beer is good. Food is good. Pizookie is the just amazing cookie goodness. There are different cookies, but I think classic chocolate chip is still the best. The cookie is so warm that ice cream just melts. Even though you want to take your time and savor it, you have to speed up the bites so it's not one melted mess. My favorite part is the last bottom chocolate bits still stuck on the pan just like getting those last bits from a paella pan. It has a crunch as concentrated sweetness that will give you a good sugar rush. I tried eating a whole one myselft. It was difficult but possible. However, I'm better off just sharing and making sure I get the most.
 
This BJ's has good energy especially during play off season. The staff is friendly, and it's a good place to get good food for a reasonable price in Westwood.
4 - Evan S.: Very good Chicago-style pizza, and also very good microbrewed beer. I love this place mainly because it is the only place in Southern California where I can find a decent Chicago-style pizza. There used to be four places down here, but they have all closed, and as far as I know, BJ's is now the only place in the southland with a true Chicago pizza.

The beer here is also pretty damned good and at a decent price. Beer and pizza were made to go together like peanut butter and chocolate, so...works for me. I'm not normally a big drinker, but the beer is just too good here to pass up.

The appetizers are excellent - I've tried several on my visits, and every one was delicious.

I have only been to the BJ's in Westwood, though there are others. The atmosphere here is open, fairly loud, and lots of people (lots of college students from UCLA).
3 - nova z.: If you're looking for steak that is cooked well and not that pricey like other places..
Service was good, not great. Server was not as bright as would've originally thought. 
The atmosphere was friendly,
1 - E S.: I wish I had the time machine. This place sucks. 
I was there yesterday, and ordered a thin crust pizza with two toppings. I guess I needed to pay for cheese, too. The pizza was disgusting. I am serious. If you don't believe, just go waste your money. My huysband ordered salmon dish. I think it was okay but the pizza was terrible. I think I won't be able to eat any type of pizza for a while. The place is so expensive for a "no-quality. We paid more than 30$ . So the product they were serving for more than 11$ was a tiny pizza with a "hard-to-see-cheese", "microscopic toppings", and a terrible crust!
Exactly, eating there was the mistake of the month !!!
4 - Karen L.: I really like BJ's, mostly because of their pizookies!! In case you're wondering, a pizookie is a huge cookie with ice cream on top! So good!! Their food is good too, though a bit expensive. I've tried the parmesan crusted chicken, and it's pretty good. Their pizzas are yummy too--I think any of them would be a good choice.

The ambiance of the place is great, too, because it has a really upbeat vibe to it. It's overall a great place to hang out with friends.
2 - Niccolo R.: Service is good, but the calamari tasted like rubber, and the bacon cheeseburger didn't have enough flavor.
5 - Farnaaz T.: Love it Love it Love it...It has GLUTEN FREE PIZZA.  The service is Great..they know about gluten contamination. They are helpful. The restaurant is cozy and the food taste great and it is well worth the money.

Like I said LOVE IT!  IT  HAS GLUTEN FREE PIZZA AND IT IS YUMMMMYY!!!!
4 - Aaron F.: Just about everything on the menu is amazing. I always get the blackened chicken sandwich.  This is the 4th different B.J's I have been to and has the best service. All the others in the South Bay suck badly.
4 - Jenny B.: BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse has great food.  The menu is extensive, but almost a little overwhelming.  It is a good place for people who like different kinds of food.  There are really good salads and the pizookie (freshly baked cookie with ice cream) is amazing.  The seating is a little tight in places.  But it is definitely a good place to eat.
4 - Clare N.: I LOVE their salmon!!!  I also love their tacos!!  and their blue bruin martini is pretty good! 

This place is usually packed, kind of loud.  About 90% of the times I've gone, we've had to wait like 5 minutes to get seated which isn't bad at all.

I would go here just go eat out.
4 - Betty D.: most places mess calamari up. this place doesn't.  now that's rare!

they have what I like to call "kitchen sink" menu. You'll find your tuna tar tar (which is amazing by the way--by the end of the night we had order 3 of them!). And of course, you have your pizzas, meat loaf, fried chicken, "sushi", steak, fries, burgers, stri fry, pad thai, lamb, garlic noodles....

aside from the excellent calamari, their service is good too. maybe because it's staffed by mostly student--they are friendly, receptive, and fast. 

how did I forget the beer selection?
3 - Tien N.: This BJs is alright but could be much better. Since this is the closest BJs to where I live I tend to frequent this place. 

the good things about this place:

- People watching, a lot of times some very cute girls will come in. A meal + eye candy = an experience
- the TVs are usually put onto a sporting event
- A diddy reese across the street

the bad things:

- parking, like most of westwood sucks major *****
- There's no bar, so to have a beer me and my friends had to sit down at a table and look like we were eating. This wouldn't be so bad except for the fact there was a family with two kids about 7 & 9 looking anxious to eat and all I could think to myself is "wow are we major A-holes for taking up this table to drink some beer while a family awaits a table to have a dinner." 
- Very small, and I mean small. My apt while I was attending school was larger than this place.

all in all if you want your BJs casual dining fix, this place is good for it, just don't go in expecting to be seated at a bar and be careful you might elbow the guy next to you feeding his girlfriend a slice of pizza.
3 - Cynthia H.: I ate here as part of a large group on a Thursday night.  We were seated in the upstairs area, and despite the semi-private location the restaurant's loud volume was still very obvious.  We started with shared appetizers, namely, the "Best Beginnings" plate of spinach-and-artichoke dip, mozzarella sticks, avocado egg rolls, and "Santa Fe spring rolls," of which I tried and enjoyed the avocado egg rolls most.  The table also had a few pitchers of berry-flavored cider and pale ale, enabling my first taste of cider.  I had the pulled pork sandwich (served with coleslaw and thick-cut fries).  Not amazing, but tasty.  Half of the table decided to share some deep-dish pizzas, including the cheeseburger pizza which, not surprisingly, they said tasted like a cheeseburger on top of pizza.

For dessert, we shared giant pizookies, which are huge cookies baked in pizza pans and served with ice cream on top.  Ours had four cookie flavors - chocolate, chocolate chip, peanut butter, and white chocolate macadamia nut.  Straightforward and satisfying, though definitely something I could easily make at home.
4 - Courtney L.: I'm a creature of habit.  Being a UCLA undergrad, I spent a lot of time in Westwood, and I tended to eat at the same restaurants again and again and again.  This was one of them.  I also usually ate the same thing every time = the halibut fish tacos.  (They are AMAZING by the way).  Eventually, I realized that I should try other things as well.  

I tried the pizza.  Delicious.

I tried the avocado egg rolls.  One of the best appetizers I've ever had.

I tried their beers.  Great.

I'm a pescetarian (the only meat I eat is seafood), so I cannot vouch for any of the meat dishes, but my boyfriend loves the chicken fettuccine Alfredo, and a lot of my friends love the BBQ chicken pizza and the Cobb salad.

Anyway, I've liked every single thing I've tried, and I don't think I've ever met anyone who has been disappointed.

And, let's be honest...with a name like "BJ's," it's gotta be good!
3 - Carlos R.: i didn't like the bj's but that doesn't take away from the good service and quality of food. both which were satisfactory. 

i just don't like the set up of the place, it's awkward all around and the parking situation sucks. great from people working off campus and students cause they could just walk on over. 

i missed out on that holiday ale =/
3 - Mark B.: It's never a good sign when you visit an empty restaurant on Xmas Eve in Los Angeles.  This is because the ratio of Jews:Open Restaurants on Christmas in Los Angeles is really high.  For you liberal arts majors, this means there are a lot of hungry Jews (yours truly included) and not a lot of dining options.  As you may have surmised, we walked in the place and I didn't see many members of the tribe.  In fact, I was wondering if they were already closing up for the evening (wishful thinking).

The Deep Dish pizza might taste good if: a) you've never had Deep Dish Pizza; b) you've only had frozen Deep Dish Pizza, or c) you haven't eaten in ten days.  Is there a sauce shortage in Los Angeles that hasn't hit the newspapers?  Maybe it's me but I really like to have some sauce on my pizzas.

On the brighter side, the chopped salads were chopped.

The appetizers were the kind of appetizers that really fill you up and make you feel lousy midway through your meal.  Since I had only eaten an Oatmeal cookie that morning (I thought Jews were supposed to fast on Christmas), I was famished and grabbed a few of the appetizers ... about five to ten minutes before they grabbed me.

The Berries Beer was quite tasty (yes, I'm in touch with my feminine side) and the desserts were good.  We also had a ton of leftovers (no surprise there) but what good are they when they taste lousy.
4 - Vanessa F.: One phrase: "LUNCH SPECIALS"

I'm not sure what's on the lunch special menu anymore or if they've changed but I remember coming here A LOT with the bf to get these things bc they were such a great deal.  I also really liked their tomato bisque that was included so why the hell not for less than $10.

Depp dish pizza's are not as good as at Uno's in SD/Chi-town...I'm not quite sure why I used to order them so much... @_@

They have a decent selection of beers here & they are always coming up with new seasonal beers that can be fun to taste.  I also think their happy hour deals are decent...but I would def pick palomino's happy hour over BJs.

Pazooki's are always a treat although I think I've exhausted my sweet tooth here so I rarely order them anymore...but if you've never had them then you should definitely get white chocolate mac nut cookie w/ vanilla bean!! YUM

The line at this particular location can get really long so call ahead to make sure the wait is bearable...or if all else fails, order take out!
2 - L J.: This place has a pretty good selection of beer, but beyond that, don't come here for the food. It's got a familiar Cheesecake menu, but the food is just so so. The french dip was a bit sad, and the bread lacking the to be expected crispness of a real french baguette. The app platter was an assortment of the same sort of fried looking food you can find anywhere, nothing special. The waitress was super perky and super excited to serve, and provided super above average service. The restaurant is loud, so it's not a great place to carry on a conversation, unless you shout above the din of whichever game is being broadcast on the multiple screens situation at various obtrusive angles around the restaurant. [5 stars for the staff that have to climb up those damn stairs and serve on the second floor.]
3 - Vivi T.: I'm usually a fan of BJ's, but I'm not too fond of this one.  It's really small, so if you're going for dinner, you can count on waiting for at least 20 minutes.  The tables are so close to each other, so it's really loud.  But I don't blame them because everything seems cramped in Westwood anyway. 

My favorite dishes at BJ's are the pan pizzas and the large stuffed potatoes.  You can get a specialty pizza or you can pick your own toppings.  Doesn't really matter to me because I think the crust is what makes it so good.  I like the veggie stuffed potato.  It's definitely the biggest potato I have ever seen.  I always am only able to eat half of one because it's so big!!!  The food is a good deal for the quality that you're getting.  Get a pizza to share with the table and then get your own potato :).  And of course, you cannot go to BJ's without getting a delicious pizookie.  Oh man.  Pizookie is definitely one of my favorite desserts ever.  A hot, gooey cookie with scoops of vanilla ice cream on top.  Mannn.  I'm craving it right now!!!  OMNOMNOM

I don't drink, so I can't comment on the brewery, but my friends do love the variety of the drinks menu.

The food here is good but several things drive me away from it.  The crowdedness that I mentioned is the main reason.  The service is nothing to write home about either.  The waiters are always all over the place.  I know that they're busy, but they do not refill drinks until you ask them to (and they still take forever to come back) and they can be rude when you ask them to split the check.  I've never been here for lunch, so maybe it'll be less crowded then.  I'll have to try that!
3 - Jodi Triplett T.: It's crowded (like no more than one person can walk past a table at a time crowded), you always have to wait to get a table, there's only one bathroom per gender, and it's really, really loud.  But the beer samplers are great, the appetizer platters are first rate, and the pizza is outrageously good.  A once a year place to spend your caloric tab on good beer and bar food.
3 - Nok S.: Small compared to other BJ's. If you seat at the top, please be careful with your utensils. Easily to fall down from the holes and can drop on customers or the staffs. Imagine your knife or fork falling down onto someone's head. Don't think it'd be a pretty site but luckily the hospital is close by.

Good place to go for celebration or special occasion with your boss since there aren't that many special places around Westwood.
3 - Jessica C.: I prefer the BJ's restaurant back at home, this one is a little crowded and if you come with 4 or more people make sure to call ahead or you'll be stuck waiting outside for the longest time. I usually like to get ribs , but this place doesn't have them what a bummer. So if I go here I usually get one of the deep dish pizzas which are pretty good. Pricey for pizza , but worth it on some occasions. It's ok at least the pazookies are good enough to make up for the rest !
2 - Leonel V.: Got the shrimp scampi, it was 14.95 and there was more than enough to feed me. Its enough to share with another person but the meal itself wasn't very appealing.

Given how expensive and bland the meal was, I'd rather just go to In-N-Out at 11:30 pm.
3 - Jessica L.: Love me some avocado rolls!!!! 
Chicken pasta: its good at first when it's nice and hot. But they don't give you enough sauce.
4 - Mark G.: I like it because it makes me feel like I'm back in the Midwest. And I'm not even from the Midwest.
3 - Char M.: The hostess cleaned a table off for us and sat us right away...
Our server was Jin and he was awesome!  He was very welcoming and was a hoot to talk to...the table near us wasn't so happy because he spent most of his time talking to us...but we didn't mind...the area this place is in is unbelievable...they literally have anything and everything you could ask for within walking distance...definitely check it out...I'd highly recommend walking across the street to Diddy Reese and treating yourself to an ice cream sandwich...you seriously can't go wrong!
5 - Anastasia B.: One of my favorite restaurants! This is a great place for bigger groups. I like my order so much that I get the same thing every time I go: BBQ Chicken Deep Dish Pizza and a Pizookie for dessert. The cookie is baked just the right amount. It's served hot out of the oven with ice cream on top. May not sound like much but I promise it's delicious.
4 - Teresa S.: I'm glad we stopped in.  My friend and I were on our way home from Magic Mountain when I mentioned stopping off for a Diddy Riese ice cream sandwhich.  So we pulled off the freeway and parked right in front of BJ's and decided to eat first.  Since there were only the two of us, we we taken before some other people waiting (who gave us stink eye for it) and were sat upstairs.  I didn't even know that little nook existed.  

Jin was our server and he was AWESOME!  if you're like me there are only 2 main things that make my experience at a restaurant good....the food and the service.  I could care less if the decor is amazing....and here the food is consistently good.  But that night the service was the crowning glory for me.  He was efficient and a blast to talk to.  We left full and content.  Since we have alot of BJ's restaurants nearby, we passed on the famous and wonderful Pizzookie for Diddy Riese.  Though any other time we'd for sure go for the pizzookie!  

Special shout out to our awesome server Jin!!
3 - Daniel F.: I just got a Yelp account and I couldn't believe that this place only had three stars. This is my favorite place to eat. Period. Nothing else even comes close. I have been here over 50 times in my life, on occasions ranging from my birthday (three times), to dates with my girlfriend, to celebrate my college acceptance, and EVERY single time, I have been greeted with great food and exceptional service. Just for the sake of informing others, I will note a few of the more testing situations and how they were resolved. 

Once, for my birthday, I came with a part of 10. We called ahead for a table and they said that it would be about one hour. We arrived in an hour, yet we still waited about 20 minutes to get seated. This was frustrating, yet understandable because we were a large party and the location is very small.

Another time, my family and I placed our order and waited for about 20 minutes. The food arrived, but my pizza had not yet arrived. The MANAGER OF THE STORE then came out to tell me that they messed up with my pizza and that I would be getting it in 10 minutes (not a long wait..). Oh, and he gave it to us on the house!

The line can be long, so call ahead! It is a great BJs location in a cute part of Los Angeles. My favorite 3-course meal here is the chicken wings, the Blackened Chicken Pizza, and the chocolate chip pizookie. It is very unhealthy, but SO good! Go to this BJs, and you won't regret it as long as you call ahead.

EDIT:
Sadly, I have decided to drop two stars from my rating, because, over the previous year, this BJ's has deteriorated into a place that I can no longer recognize. First off, they redid the interior so that there are now only two lengthy booths - the others only seat four people comfortably. 

Secondly, they changed the recipe of the pizza, so that the tasteless, bland, crust now takes up LITERALLY half of the slice. What used to be my favorite pizza is now one of my absolutely least favorite. Please, BJ's, change the recipe back. This new one is AWFUL compared to the old one. 

The previous three visits have been so poor (every time) that I am likely not going to return for some time. It's a shame, but I cannot eat that new disgrace of a pizza.
4 - John M.: Still don't know whether this is an acronym or someone's initials...  The lunch specials at BJ's are a great reason to go.  All you can eat soup and salad for under $10 with tip and tax included - and you can mix and match the soups and salads you get.  I really like the tomato bisque or clam chowder.  Dinner, usually expect a wait and the prices are steeper.  

The wait staff here is always very attentive and cheerful as well.
2 - lauren r.: Upon walking in the door I was accosted by the smell of rotting milk. Seriously, I don't know what made it smell so bad in there. Even the s*it smells in the bathroom were a relief compared to the way the dining area reeked. It was so bad it pretty much ruined my dinner, either that or it was my realization that my entree was 1000+ calories. Yuck.
4 - Millie B.: I love the pizzas at BJ and the rest of the food is pretty awesome as well. Prices are pretty reasonable. Try their beer sampler!
4 - sara n.: We had a very nice server, and the food was delish. I had the angle hair pasta that was delicious, and we split the gooey cookie thing at the end that was awesome.
3 - Karen E.: We went to BJs for a co-worker's birthday last week. We got there right before the lunch rush so we were able to get a large booth for our party. Our waiter was ok. He brought our drinks but then took forever to come back to take our food order. I think he was in charge of too tables, which isn't his fault but still inconvenient. 
Half of us got our food and the other half had to wait like 15 mins for their food to arrive. Which was ackward since people generally don't like to eat when others are still waiting.
The lunch specials are very decently priced for the amount of food we received. It tasted pretty good too. I had a sandwich and a soup. By then end of my meal I felt pretty stuffed. 
We had the pizookie (4 of them actually). They were delicious! Overall I would come back but I do hope there's more servers around next time.
3 - Matt L.: This review is based on food that was delivered to us. My dorm floor at UCLA won a $100 BJs pizza party so we got a bunch of pizza and a pizookie.

The pizza was pretty mediocre. I was pretty hungry, and it was just alright so I guess it wasn't that good. The sauce was tangy and decently flavorful, but the cheese and other ingredients and the pizza on the whole was whatever.

The pizookie was actually pretty good. I'm usually not into bull shit deserts, but I distinctively remember the taste and it was really good lol.
3 - Annie R.: Have been twice - first time it was frusterating, slow service, waiters switching shifts in-between our meals and forgetting to put an order from our table in, had to beg for drink refills etc. (and begging for a refill for an alcoholic beverage is like unheard of right?)

Second time was really good - attentive waiter, great buffalo chicken pizza and fish tacos mmmm.

I get its a brewery and all but can we step up the wine list? Who wants to drink a 6 dollar glass of barefoot wine? Thats borderline obscene. They sell barefoot at 711.
4 - Sean b.: THe manager john kane, is great. 
makes it totally worth going.
4 - Dominique M.: Pretty darn good food and I love that ahi poke... I give this place 4 stars because the person who took my order nicely brought over my food to gypsy cafe across the street... Now that is good customer service!
4 - Sarah W.: I came here because I was forced to but enjoyed my meal for the most part. If you're headed here get the avocado spring roll app, OMG. Even though it's $11 it's totally worth it. They are delicious. But how couldn't they since they're slices of avocado, cream cheese, chipotle mayo and other randomz wrapped in fried wonton skins. 

They also have a decent beer selection to my surprise! You know, I may just go there tomorrow for the app alone...

On the flipside: do not do not do not do not do not do not get the mac'n'cheese heart attack on a plate for untasty food. And do not get the tuna tartare. The pulled pork sandwich is aiiite. The french fries are aiiiite but not worth the price.

Cheers!
4 - Liz K.: I've lived in Westwood for almost 3 years and just went to BJ's for the first time and let me say that it was long overdue. I'm always interested in places that are open later because I usually get off work late. BJ's is a great option instead of Bossa Nova or whatever other late night spots there are. Definitely save room for a Pizookie, they are DELICIOUS. Ordering an appetizer was the best bet in my opinion, the burgers and pizzas and entrees are HUGE. My friends burger came served on texas style garlic toast, so good but sooooo bad! Not a gourmet restaurant by any stretch of the imagination but a great late night option on this side of town.
3 - Andrew M.: A typical BJ's. Onto the food!

Seared Ahi (appetizer, small bites) = Forgettable. Pass.

Gourmet Mac and Cheese = Forgettable. Watery. Not very cheesy. Pass.

Avocado Egg Rolls (appetizer) = amazing. Maybe I was just hungry and its true that its a heart attack on a plate, but MAN is this thing delicious. Come with tamarind sauce that tastes good, but could be a little less watery.

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich = Wasn't feeling a burger, so I decided to go with pulled pork. I love pulled pork. And was it good here? Yes, but a little salty. Then again, I love salty. I would get again.

BJ's Abbey Normal = surprisingly legit ale. Just hoppy enough, and has a full bodied finish. Went very nice with my pulled pork.

Good vibe, good service, decent food (now I know what to avoid). Would come again.
4 - Matt F.: In the heart of Westwood, this is the place to have great Pizza.  Can't say much more about BJ's that's not been said but I've not yet been disappointed by them.  

Service at this location is generally great, rarely do I have hiccups.  When ever there's an issue the servers and manager are there to take care of us.

Love the seasonal beers offered from time to time.
5 - sydnee S.: my roommates and i ordered pizza on two separate delivery orders in the same night, and BOTH times the delivery guy forgot our ranch dressing. i know this seems like an extremely minor detail, but i think we can all agree that ranch dressing is clutch for BJs pizza.

We excused the first mistake, but after we realized the same delivery guy forgot our ranch dressing on not one, but TWO orders, in THE SAME night, we had to call back.

So we called back. We spoke to the hostess and the manager about the situation. BOTH were super cool about the situation...especially the hostess ( i think her name is Michelle). They ended up sending the delivery guy back with 6 ramekins of ranch. Although this was a nice gesture from BJs management, when the delivery guy came back, he KICKED  our door and then basically threw the ranch ramekins in our faces without saying a word or making eye contact. It was extremely disrespectful. I wish I would have caught his name.

So we called back...again. We spoke to the manager (John), again, and he was SO AWESOME. He was extremely apologetic and understanding about the entire situation, and even after I explained we wanted nothing out of it, he demanded we give him our address so he could send us a gift card to make up for it.

The take-away: I am really impressed with the way the general management handled the situation. He totally turned the entire situation around. He is the ONLY reason I will ever give this BJs service ever again.
4 - Sophia Y.: I've been here a few times now and it's always so delicious! Unfortunately everything's over 1000 calories so if you're going to BJ's... Plan to indulge! 

As an east coaster at heart, I'm not a fan of their pizzas but their sandwiches are so amazing! Both pieces of the breads are drenched with butter and seasonings, and the sizes of these sandwiches are very big. 

I recommend:
- california club sandwich
- classic burger
- thin cut fries
- party pizookie

However, I don't recommend the turkey club sandwich. Very average-tasting...

Also there are obviously a lot of people dressed in Bruin attire, so I go there wearing my Trojan gear with pride ;)
4 - Jon F.: lunch specials are always pretty good and cheap. beer's good too
3 - Elizabeth C.: It's a bit on the pricey side but pretty a-okay.

I ordered the chicken lettuce wraps to share with my friend as an appetizer. The chicken was pretty nicely seasoned, but the hot chinese mustard sauce was super overwhelming! It might have also been because I am not a fan of hot mustard sauce, wasabi, and sauces of that sort. It was good with the sesame soy sauce. Also, it was a healthy choice! So if you're looking for something yum and good for you, this is fit for you!

For the main course, my friend and I shared a small southwestern pizza. Since we are relatively small girls who were saving some space for dessert, the small ended up being alot so we to-goed the leftover two slices. But the pizza was pleasant. Of course, no deep dish pizza in California can compare to the OG deep dish pizzas of Chicago but it was okay. 

But I would say the dessert was the best part of our meal! I usually don't have much of a sweet tooth but the red velvet pizookie was YUMMILICIOUS! the cookie was hot and soft, and complimented the vanilla ice cream very nicely. It was a nice change from the normal chocolate chip cookie.
2 - John C.: I, being a pasta fan, tried the spaghetti. I ordered a large spaghetti with marinara sauce. The portion was big, but I handled it easily. I was highly disappointed with the noodles though. The noodles wasn't soft, I found them quite hard. The sauce was nothing special, just regular. The waiter was nice though, and kept on checking on us. I'm giving a two star just for service. I suggest that if your a marinara fan, try someplace else.
1 - Ariel F.: I'm sorry. This restaurant totally disappointed with the service. If I could give it negative 3 stars I would. I went with a group and it was a fail. We had to ask for water at least 9 times 7 of which went ignored. Our pizookies were confused and some orders weren't taken. Overall a fail. If you can avoid this BJ's please do.
3 - Emanuel R.: I've known BJ's for years. It's a staple in Westwood, next to the Fox Theatre. 

The wife and I went here with a few friends. Got here early enough to get a booth. There was a big wait when we left.

We only got dessert, which the waitress didn't seem to thrilled about. Pazookies, of course. Good thing is that they now serve a gluten-free one. This made the wife very happy.

BJ's are all over LA, and this isn't so different than the rest. Go to this one if you're craving sweets and the Didi Reese across the street is too packed for you.
3 - Eugi H.: This is one of the most popular restaurants in Westwood, so you can expect about an hour wait at dinner time during the school year. I remember many birthday dinners here. Food is ok, not amazing, but tasty. Their known for their pizza, which is good but not something to right home about. Their bruschetta is pretty tasty though! And their burgers are HUGE - 1/2 pound patties. =X Pizookies are amazing of course. Service is mediocre, slow even when they place is only half full. Overall, just ok.
3 - Ju P.: ok pizza. great pizookies. ok price. had to wait for quite a bit before we could finally get our pizza.
4 - Alice H.: Maybe I'm biased by fond memories of high school yearbook staff banquets and sharing 4 full party-sized pizookies among the 25 of us, but BJ's is a chain restaurant I don't mind going to. I recently discovered that their beer menu includes not only sampler flights, but also individual 5 oz glasses - perfect for a lightweight DD. The berry cider is pretty watery but I thought it was okay. MM and I share the small bbq chicken pizza in their iconic deepdish style with the crunchy crusty bottom and fluffy middle, topped with barbecue sauce, chicken cubes, fresh tomato, red onion, and cheese. Yum! I wouldn't stray off the pizza menu... the pastas are very meh and some of the other items are just bad. And eat it there - those pizzas just aren't the same when you bring it home as take-out.

Sharing a small pizza between the two of us leaves plenty of room for a mini pizookie for dessert! I like it simple - chocolate chip cookie topped with vanilla ice cream. It's really sweet, but there's just something about rich creamy ice cream melting over a warm baked cookie-in-a-pan that just gives me warm fuzzies.
3 - Di L.: Considering the fact that LA has only like a billion different restaurants of all types of cuisines, I consider myself to be SOO over chain restaurants.  More often than not, you really get the authentic flavor of certain cuisines in mom and pops shops. So I prefer to try new places when I eat out. BUT...since an ex-coworker came to visit and she hasn't been at BJ's for quite awhile, I figured, why not.  Location wise...well it's in Westwood, so there's a lot of traffic from the folks at UCLA, ahem, like myself.  So it's busy, especially during lunch time.  Parking wise, there's a structure down the street on Broxton so no worries on that.  The restaurant is a good size and there's an upstairs seating level.  And the food...well it was ok.  Not bad or fantastic.  I ordered the lunch special - salad & chicken Alfredo flat bread pizza.  The good thing is that it's just the perfect portion without feeling like you overstuffed yourself (i.e. Korean BBQ).  Salad was kind of bland, but at least it wasn't over dressed.  I also tried a piece of my co-worker's chicken tenders - which I admit was pretty yummy and freshly fried. but was everything worth 500 or so calories? eh, i rather splurge on some of Santana's carne asada fries in SD (or something along those lines).  but at least our waitress was pleasant, so that was nice.
3 - Arman P.: I used to be fan of Bjs, however this Bjs in Westwood is not serving it's customer correctly. Last time I was there, o had to wait for 45 min till the server come an take my order. They are so slow. The quality of the food compare to the price is not that good. 
If you want to spend some times with friends, it's a ok restaurant since the bears are ok. However I don't recommend to take your date there
2 - Lauren O.: Underwhelming.

I went for the new lunch specials, and although they advertise a "starting" price at $5.95, the options at this price are few and far between. Most lunch options were between $7.95 and $8.95, and when you include tax and tip, your up to $10-$11. So be prepared,

I found the portions good, but our service was below average. Our first courses and mains came out within 30 seconds of eachother, and when you're eating with another person at a two person table, all of the sudden you're drowning in plates/spoons/glasses/etc.

The waiter seemed a little insensitive to the fact we needed to get out in a hurry (we had an hour for lunch and needed to get back to work). I think they could streamline their lunch service a bit to make things more lunch-time friendly.
1 - nicole c.: i had a party to attend nearby, and BJ's was the place my friends chose to grab late night food. i don't expect MUCH from chain restaurants, but having been in the restaurant business for years, i do have basic standards that i'm surprised (some) other people lack. 

we were greeted half-heartedly by a random server (no hostess), but our actual server was rather friendly. i ordered from the kids menu since i knew the portion of any entree i ordered would be super-sized. i wanted pasta. we also ordered a few beers and a couple glasses of wine. then our server disappeared. literally. we were checked on by another random server, whom we realized took over our table (or all of them) without an introduction that he was our new server (pretty standard). i counted my table of 4, another party of 8, another table of 4 next to us, and a couple in a booth nearby for a revolving staff of 4 on the floor, plus the manager, who was actually the only person running the food in and out of kitchen.

when we (were finally able to grab our 2nd server and) asked for the check, the 3rd random server we were able to grab when he, too, disappeared, THREW us a pen when the one we were originally given was empty.... 

at this point... we're still watching the manager do everyone else's work, on top of his own. we looked around and found his staff (both on and off duty) huddling over a corner booth laughing at whatever was so funny on a cell phone. 

flabbergasted, we finish our drinks and got the heck out of there. 3 out of 4 of us in my party being hospitality vets... we're embarrassed for this location. 

if management cares... this was Thursday, September 29 -- my card was swiped at 11:21pm.
3 - Greg D.: Typical Bjs, nothing too special. Good lunch special and decent salads
4 - Omar Q.: The food here is not amazing, but it is very good in my opinion, especially for a chain restaurant. The menu has lots of choices so it is usually a safe bet even for picky eaters that you may be dining with. Service is top notch at this location in my experience. I have been to this particular location a few dozen times, and I've always been pleased with the staff. Even when it gets crowded, the wait staff is attentive. Food comes out quickly, and the portion sizes are good. This is also one of the few places in the area of Westwood immediate to campus that can handle larger parties.
3 - Elaine W.: A solid BJ's location. Can get pretty full at peak hours so be prepared to wait, sometmes a very long time...

Food is pretty standard; I'm not really a fan of their deep dish pizzas (they are only okay, honestly, but I guess it's a decent alternative to what you can get at CPK), but they have lots of other options. Plus their pizookie is pretty delicious!
3 - Rachel F.: Food is always good here, service is fast and friendly. Wish the restaurant was a little bigger but what do you expect in Westwood. Will be back when I'm craving the avocado rolls :)
4 - Erin H.: BJ's opens at 11. 
I got there at 10:20am. Sigh.. 

Returned at 11:03, got seated, and stared at the menu for a long ass time. I was so famished, I couldn't decide what to get because I wanted to eat EVERYTHING. Our waiter was very patient with us and kept periodically checking on us in case we decided on anything LOL

- spinach and artichoke dip: I can never get over how good this is. Not sure if it's just good at BJ's but just .. generally: this appetizer is ALWAYS a good choice.
- california burger: I LOVE ME A GOOD BURGER, AND THIS ONE WAS GOOOOOOOOOOOD. sourdough bread, medium rare, avocado, grilled chilis (i think), cilantro.. I guess sourdough burgers are more like a sandwich, but it was super tasty. DEF REC THIS ONE.
- small pizza (half Mediterranean, half great white): did you know you can order pizzas half and half (as long as it's not a mini sized one)?? Anyway, the mediterranean one is NOT GOOD AT ALL. I'm not usually a fan of medi food, but my friend wanted it, so I gave it a try. Olives were WAY too salty, feta cheese too sour, and mehhh not my fave. As for the Great White, I can now officially announce that it is too salty for me to ever order again. Alas, the first time it was so delightful, the 2nd time I thought it was just a bad day, but 3rd time confirms it. Never again.
- beer in a 750ml bottle: it was some kind of Belgian ale. It was really light and kind of fruity, and just overall wtver. I should have just ordered one of their standard house brews. It was reallllllllly foamy, too. So strange.
- classic pazookie: did you know they have mini pazookies? Just one scoop of ice cream and one kind of cookie. It's small but enough for you to enjoy the warm gooey goodness of a pazookie :D
3 - Marie G.: This BJs is definitely a go-to eat-out place for UCLA students in Westwood.  That being said, the wait can be a little long at times.  They don't take reservations unless you have at least 8 people in your party.  Overall, the food's okay and the service is good.   I don't really like their pizzas too much, but they have a ton of other options on the menu!  Their appetizers are all really good, but my favs are the spinach & artichoke dip, thai shrimp lettuce wraps (a little spicy - yummy!), and avocado egg rolls.  I also like their gourmet mac & cheese and chicken teriyaki dishes.
1 - paul o.: Went there with my wife for dinner the other night. The service was horrible , waited for ever for a table and to get servered. Never goIng back.
4 - Rani N.: This was actually my first visit to BJ's. Not sure why. It always struck me as the typical American restaurant, which serves everything from pasta and pizza to tacos and burgers. A way better version of Friday's, Chili's.... Typically, you can find a thing or two you'd like on their menus, and once you do, you stick to it because you know everything else is not going to be as good.  

I went there for a late lunch and it wasn't very crowded. In the past, i had stayed away because of the long wait. I ended up having the California Chicken sandwich with crispy thin fries and BJ's Jeremiah Red beer. The  sandwich was good, but it was mostly the avocado and chipotle mayo that did the trick, not the chicken itself. The beer was the standout for me, so I'm glad I tried it. I think I would go there again in the future, probably to catch a basketball game and to try their pizzas.
4 - Alma M.: very delicious pizza and pit stickers!!! and the potato wedges.. mmmmmmmm
1 - Chris L.: My girlfriend and I used to go here whenever I used to come visit, and between the constant food poisoning, and mediocre service we do not come anymore. Don't get ANYTHING with chicken on it
2 - Kristina K.: This place is really very "meh." Yes, I know it is a chain restaurant and there should not be high expectations held...but come on! I enjoy the restaurant when I dine there in Orange County - can't Los Angeles provide me the same experience? Guess not.

The girls and I decided to come here during Dank Restaurant Deals week for Westwood and UCLA students. I also have still never ventured to BJ's in Westwood before, either so I thought it would be good to play it safe with a place that I am familiar with. 

Apparently, BJ's gets very busy every day of the week. There were multiple parties waiting outside because it is VERY small inside. I wasn't used to this particluar size of the restaurant since the other BJ's that I've been to are quite roomy. We were given a wait time of about 35-45 minutes, which kind of stunk since we were hungry but we were already there. What are girls to do while they wait for their table? SHOP, OF COURSE! We hit up a store nearby to kill time since it was cramped inside and outside.

About 35 minutes later, we come back to BJ's because it was the time that the hostess had originally told us to return. However, when we arrived, not only were the waitresses unhelpful and ignoring us, but when we finally were able to grab her attention, she told us another 15 minutes. Understandable, there are people who are still hanging at their tables even though they're done with their meals and have paid...but the two hostesses at the stand ignored us for a good 5+ minutes...and we were standing right in front of them. 

After about 20 MORE minutes, we were seated...at a table that was open for quite a while, we realized. Onto ordering...

The girls had been raving about the hand-crafted root beer and how delicious it tasted. I had never tried it before whenever I had gone to a BJ's but I decided to play it safe and have water. I should have ordered my own root beer, because when I tried my friend's drink, it was absolutely FRESH and AMAZING! It wasn't carbonated like your typical root beer and didn't taste like it was filled with preservatives. This root beer was light and didn't burn your throat like the initial taste of soda. Awesome.

For food, I decided to go with the BBQ Beef Sandwich with a side of shoe-string thin fries. This dish was honestly just very plain. The sandwich came with tender Angus roast beef in BBQ sauce, melted provolone cheese on a toasted garlic cheese French roll topped with our crunchy, sweet onion strings. The roll was a bit too crunchy... yet soggy and I definitely didn't taste any garlic cheesiness. Sad. The Angus beef was actually tasty - it was thinly sliced and the proportion of the BBQ was nice. 

All in all, the sandwich as a whole was just very MEH. It definitely wasn't the greatest BBQ sandwich that I have ever had but I wasn't expecting it to begin with..

My friends ordered mini pizzas and really enjoyed it. I should have gone with a mini pizza, too. Sad life. 

It took forever to get seated, forever to get our food, and forever to get our bill...then forever for them to take the bill. SIGH.
3 - Chanh H.: Had lunch here with my gf.  Nothing special.  Service was good, but i figure that was more a result of the emptiness of the restaurant.  Had the cheeseburger deep dish pizza.  Wasn't good, but I can't really fault them because it did taste like a cheeseburger pizza...
3 - Vivienne N.: PIZZA: 
I'm not a deep-dish pizza connoisseur, but I actually don't think their pizza or their crust "is the best" (as they tout on their take-out boxes and menus). To date, I've had their pizza three times, and not once have I been impressed. The flavor of the bread is a bit off, and there is just too much of it. I'd prefer a crispier crust, and more toppings/filling. 
 - 2 stars

APPETIZERS: are alright. I've had the Ahi (Tuna) Poke once, which I would recommend if you're looking for something light. Today I tried the calamari, which was as mediocre as their pizza.
 - 2 stars

DESSERT: Of course, go for the pizookie. Crispy crust, with gooey, chocolate-y center topped with vanilla ice cream. But although I find myself loving it in small portions, it's just way too saccharine in large portions. 
 - Up to 3 stars

OVERALL: 
For UCLA students, a nice place to grab dinner and a pizookie for a birthday or date--although a bit on the pricier side. Sadly, mediocre food and pizza, though.
1 - Sydney J.: Um. This Westwood location is the epitome of crap. There is something wrong with the staff here... they just don't seem to get it. It not only takes forever (even when the restaurant isn't packed), the food is always undercooked and asking for that aspect to be fixed = just taking the pizza out of the pan and putting in on a fresh plate. 
Uh...

It's a nice size and you can sit up or downstairs, which helps. 
And that's about it for the positive. 

Please try a different restaurant. If you need BJ's, the Century City location is amazing -- staff, food, layout.
5 - Davis T.: BJs. in Westwood. 

A good place to get a nice dinner and perhaps watch a game. As with all BJs, there pizzas are quite nice and the pizookies are the best. The place is small, so try to come early to get a nice seat.
4 - James B.: BJ's is one of the few restaurant chains I actually return to for the following reasons:

1) AMAZING deep dish pizzas!
2) Various flavors of Pizookies! My favorites are the white chocolate macadamia and Oreo. You can even request half of each.

I've tried other entrees and I've been disappointed quite a few times. I've NEVER been disappointed with their pizzas. My mouth waters every time I see a large pizza being carried to a table. As a matter of fact, my mouth is watering as I write this review! I need to get my fix!

Service:
Service is good here. If you're not satisfied, they'll take care of whatever you need.

Parking:
Can be quite annoying and pricey. It is westwood after all. None of the parking here is free.
1 - Hank M.: This was without doubt the absolute worst restaurant I have been to since stepping foot in the United States six-months ago.  The staff was friendly, all very young, and they did their best.  But I've had better food through the hole of a wooden hut on the Trans-Siberian highway...
4 - Karina T.: 4 stars for the red velvet pizookie. I know it has like 203948023948 calories but still, totally worth it! It's right across from Diddy Riese and basically it's the same thing as what they serve, but you'll get it without waiting in a long line.

I like the chicken lettuce wrap here too! You'll get seated pretty quickly but the BJ's here is pretty small compared to the other ones around town.
4 - Cynthia S.: I had the seared ahi tuna salad and it was AH MAZING !!! I should have snapped a pictures!!!!!!!!! darn it!  a little slow on the service but the food was great!
2 - Elizabeth h.: pizookie, pizookie , pizookie , ok maybe they are great , but you still have to get through the dinner to have them....  all the entrees are disappointing at best , test as they only have a defroster  in the back, .....Please can somebody cook something in the back!!!
3 - Sandoval J.: i mean ok food what elsse i can say
3 - C.C. S.: Just had lunch here with some coworkers.  I must admit, I am dieting as of yesterday so I couldn't try the pizza or burgers which is what they're known for.

There was a pretty extensive menu that included a lot of healthy options under 600 calories.  I had the chicken tacos with black beans.  They were fine, nothing extraordinary but a nice, guilt free lunch.

The birthday boy ordered and Oreo "Pizookie".  It's a cookie, thin-cut, like a pizza.  It's topped with ice cream and whipped cream.  It was warm and melty and delicious.  I refrained and only had two bites but I wanted to punch myself in the face for being on a diet.  The dessert was 4.5-star but alas, I can't rate a place based purely on sugar-treats or they'd all be 4 and 5-star.
1 - Megan W.: BJ's is a chain, so it is mediocre at best. This location in particular makes me want to gouge my eyes out.

The wait is always atrocious. Yes, it's small - but the problem is that they understaff during peak times...so you end up with open tables in sight but a 20-30 minute wait.

Once you are seated, be prepared to wait another 20-30 minutes for your server. And ration your drink, because getting a refill is impossible.

The food is underwhelming, especially for the price.

And even if you like the food, take out is a nightmare. My company placed an order for 12-15 people, we were given a pick up time, and upon arrival at said pick up time, they hadn't even started preparing the order. We cancelled the order and haven't been back.

If you have the patience of a saint and are willing to settle, this is definitely the place for you.
1 - Patty C.: A ROACH FELL IN MY DAD'S FOOD! GROSS!!! But, I do like other BJ's Restaurant chains, but this one is poorly managed and dirty.
4 - Manuel B.: Being Italian I'm pretty picky about pizza.
I tried the Chicago style here for the first time and I was pretty impressed.
It reminds me of the very breaded pizza an aunt of mine does in Italy and it's a nice twist from the classical.
1 - Partha K.: Had a business lunch here. Service was beyond pathetic and they weren't running at full capacity. It looked like they couldn't care less. Our drinks were not refilled even once and took ages to bring a simple house salad. This restaurant has no place being in a prime Westwood spot.
4 - Erin S.: The pizza here was quite tasty!  They nailed the flaky Chicago deep dish without making their pies too heavy.  I would opt for more sauce on top instead of just diced tomatoes.  I tried their Hefe, and it was enjoyably non-bananay.  I'd definitely stop back in here for a quick lunch before heading across the street to Diddy Riece ;)
4 - Nicole B.: Not thrilled with the parking, but it's great otherwise. The food is always delicious, the staff is always nice, and the fact that you can get a table pretty quickly is fantastic. Overall 4 stars.
2 - Fippy D.: Food was ok.  Service was horrible.  

A woman named Alex introduced herself with a "hello" and "today is my first day."  What a way to greet a party...  I kept an open mind, she was at least polite.

Drinks came fast enough.  When placing order, I asked for the atlantic salmon, which comes with soup or salad.  I chose the clam chowder.  My sister ordered a fish dish as well, and the menu said that it also comes with a side salad or cup of soup.  Alex confidently told my sister that it does not.  This got my attention, because I've read the menu.  But, I let it go.

Alex accidentally left a menu on the table, so I took a look at it.  We were right, my sister's dish came with soup or salad.

Eventually drink refills came from another server, so Alex must've gotten slammed or overwhelmed.  We flag down this server and mention that one of the meals came with soup or salad, and would like to order it.  We order a salad, no problem.

So the main dishes come, no soup or salad.  The server (different from Alex) comes and we tell her.  She comes back with the salad and soup. So, we eat our salad and soup while our main dish sits on the table and gets cold.

Food was typical. Nothing special, but it tasted good.  Alex comes by in the MIDDLE of our meal and asks if we want dessert.  We kind of looked at each other as if to say "uh, we're not even there yet..." and said, "Maybe later." Later never came. Alex never came back to take a dessert order.  My niece and nephew usually like dessert, but said F it because they waited for so long.  We waited close to 25 minutes from the time we were done eating until we got the check.
It's been a while since i've had crap service anywhere, so I guess I was due.

Alex was nice enough, but she needs more training/experience before her managers throw her on the floor on a Saturday night.
2 - Travis L.: You know, having come here numerous times for dinners and events, I hoped to have better things to say, but of course, the last visit really ruined anything positive I had in mind.

It's simple. I make a reservation at 7:30 PM. I should be seated at 7:30 PM. Instead, it's 20 minutes after, and the ladies up front had the nerve to just hand me a buzzer, so myself and the rest of my party (14 others) are to wait for the table we reserved. "Um, well, there aren't any tables right now." Uh, yeah, that's why we made reservations.

A throwaway apology and not even a single attempt to make up for it. I was so reluctant to give the 8 or more gratuity. This is absolutely unacceptable. Either keep to your reservations or don't have a reservation system at all.

Food-wise, it's mediocre with some interesting dishes. Appetizer combo is really great to share, as well as most of the burgers. The pastas tend to be incredibly oily and salty. The light menu is interesting, which I will say is quite good in terms of variety. The pizookies are, of course, what you come for, but as heavy and as sweet as they are, the appeal is only so much.
2 - Andre N.: I used to think this place was OK, but maybe Ive become more enlightened in the past couple years and developed a better understanding of quality and quantity of food and service as well.

Finally came hear maybe after a year of not going for personal reasons. Anyways came with my coworker and they immediately sat us down. First thing I noticed was we were given paper napkins, looked around and did see some tables had the traditional cloth ones and others had paper. Has BJ's experienced some economic problems? Also no utensils? What, had to asked after the meal came, strangely enough they gave me spaghetti, with a spoon? I'm not Italian, even though in Italy I may look like one, but I never heard of eating spaghetti with a spoon. Spagettii was ok, meat sauce good, though not too special. I also had the chili which I used to love, but something changed or maybe my taste buds changed, but it was just not very good and just seemed to come out of a can. Bad batch who knows. 

I been to other BJ's and their usually ok, but this time and this location, just wasn't up to par.
4 - Mike M.: Quality food on a consistent basis for fair prices. I am a regular here for a reason.
2 - Jazzari T.: I would love to give this resturant ZERO stars but i think it would be unfair to the hardwork the waiters put in, running around like a chicken with their heads cut off while trying to serve 7+ tables seated at the same time.

My experience starts about 4 months back when I visted this BJ's location and myself and my party waited 45 minutes for a pazoke. The waiter insisted that the order was taken by another table but one would be out shortly. While that waiter ran around trying to balance a table section for about 2 waiters, he appologized and kept checking. We were being patient because myself and my fellow peers understood the resturant business. We finally asked to talk to the manager because our patience grew short. After the manager said he would have the pazooke out shortly, it was another 25 minute wait. We approched the manager once again saying this was rediculous. 5 minutes later he personally brought us our food and compted 1/2 our meal. Sadly, my exprience doesn't end here...

I now have a close personal relationship with a current waiter at this facility as well as friendships with a few of the employees. My experience way back at the beginning of 2012 was an exact reflection of the management of this BJ's. People are quickly sat at tables by the hosts who DO NOT time the sitting and the serving correctly. Waiters who have one or two tables suddenly have 7+ tables. The managers stand around ordering everyone else around instead of grabbing a plate and assisting with the food running. My experience- I rather sit 10 minutes before getting seated at a table then get seated at a table at the same time as everyone else, then wait 10-15 minutes before the waiter can make it's way around to my table. The waiters are constantly seen food-running because the lack of food runners or the heavy traffic all at once. I do not think management plans or forsees the traffic after a movie showing or before. Simply asking for silverware, condiments and extra napkins take forever to get because there wasn't enough prepaired before hand or washed. Seriously, if anyone ever reads this from management at BJ's you need to get ahold on the system at this facility. I get a look into the way this business is ran unlike anyone else because I also know people but also as a customer. You will lose customers and employees if something is not changed; the managers, system or amount of workers. Managers need to step-up to the plate because word of advice from some who has worked and managed business myself, it isn't about fast money!... it's about staying true to the BJ's Resturant and Brewhouse Company's service promise and corevalues, uniformed like and pleasurable experience. Just because the manager comps 1/2 the meal after a terrible wait time for food doesnt make me, or anyone else like the resturant better. Yes, people and business makes mistakes but come-on! Seriously! Something needs to be done! I literally seen a waiter quit after her shift because the management was so bad. I hope that this business with one day thrive, but it's not today!
2 - Riana C.: Considering this was the first BJ's I ever went to, where I first fell in love with the Great White pizza, and where my boyfriend and I had our first date 4 years ago...I wish I could write this BJ's a nice review.

However, the service and management is such a disappointment. This place does get 2 stars, however, because service can be hit or miss. Sometimes, you can get decent service if you're really lucky and its not busy. Although, an empty restaurant still doesn't guarantee decent nor attentive service at this BJ's location.

After one unbelievably dreadful visit, I decided to write a little review about my experience to BJ's through their official website. I said nothing nasty, just saying that I will be a returning customer since I am a huge fan of the Great White pizza, but that I really wish service would be more courteous, attentive, and pleasant. The manager of this specific location called me just a day after leaving a VM asking to chat about my experience. I called back a day after and we chatted about the experience. Again, nothing nasty was said nor exchanged and since we stated that we'll be back again, the manager politely offered a gift card and asked for the address to mail it to.

I was stoked! However, it has been over 2 months and I have yet to receive such "giftcard". I've been in Westwood for over 4 years now, and I will be moving out. I wanted to visit BJ's one last time, but it really looks like this location doesn't value their customers. It really is unfortunate since the Westwood community, particularly UCLA students and employees really do enjoy this pizza treat.
5 - San K.: Great lunch specials! Can get a personal pizza and a salad for $7 plus tax and tip. Not bad!
4 - Liv Y.: I went to BJ's for an early dinner tonight and had a very positive dining experience! We were seated on the second level, which was a little bit quieter and away from everybody else..very nice after a day of school and work. Our waitress was very pleasant: cheerful, positive, and very quick and helpful. She brought out our drinks quickly and kept them refilled the entire meal without us even having to ask. Additionally, the food came out fast and was very tasty. I ordered the "Healthier Option" of mahi-mahi with a rice/pineapple/pepper medley. The meal was satisfying and had the right amount of flavoring and fish. I left very happy. 

Some of my favorite dishes:
Lettuce shrimp wraps (off the appetizer menu)
Ahi Tuna Salad..mm yum!
4 - Human Dumpster A.: main course: I got the barbeque chicken pizza, which was too salty.

drink: Had some beers here--they had some heffeweizens and lagers to choose from, which I like. The seared ahi salad was excellent, seriously an aaamaazzzing salid, which is why there are four stars for this review.

dessert: The pizookie was pretty good, probably gained 10 lbs. from it.

The service was great.
2 - Fran K.: This may be harsh, but I consider places like BJ's to be an example of all things wrong with the mainstream American food establishment. The food is incredibly unhealthy (even the lower fat and/or calorie options are high in sodium) and only mediocre at best. There are a few options on the menu that can satisfy a craving or are ok if going as a group (but never as a personal first choice).

The service at this location is confusing. Generally, the staff is quite friendly and seem interested in providing a good experience. I think the restaurant must not schedule enough wait staff to accommodate the number of diners during the lunch rush. The kitchen can also be very slow during rushes. This is not a location to go to if you have anywhere to be or if this is your hour lunch break at work. I have also seen some questionable activity by staff members with regard to hygiene. Please don't tie your shoes and then touch anything without washing your hands first. 

Catering from BJ's has always been well received. I'll probably continue using them for that alone. However, I will continue to avoid the restaurant the rest of the time. Once a year is probably enough.
2 - Tomaso G.: Brian our server did a good job.  Greeter cutie tho was copping an attitute.  not a smile. no half decent welcome.  directed us four big guys to the small booth??? she must have been on crack.  asked for a tbl instead.  the burger waz tasty but cold.  very dissapointed.  there was a piece of wax paper stuck to the patty. good thing coworker noticed it so i yanked it out.  brian apologized but it wasn't all his fault.  

i really tried to like this joint but just something like this seems to ruin the experience.  will not visit this place again.

Piece out!
2 - Anthony N.: I really like BJ's.  *blush*

But their servicing sucks...literally and figuratively...ironic huh?

Especially this one...

I love when BJ's does the 2 for $20 deal!  Its so much freaking food!  Choice of soup or salad, any pizza on the menu, and a pizookie!  I literally take a whole pizza home every time.  

I like their tortilla soup.  But their pizookie is what makes me come back every time.  Darn them.

I'm a masochist cause I guess I'm into bad BJ's. Show me yo teeth.
3 - Kris P.: Food is pretty good, standard chain-restaurant fare.  Headed toward Cheesecake Factory territory though with almost too many choices it's like sensory overload trying to make a decision looking at the menu.
4 - Husam S.: It's really a pretty good place! Their food's amazing and the best part...

their pizzookies are on another level... if you get that macadamia, it really is on its own level... if you go, this is a must try!
2 - Shawn D.: I guess you could call this place a brewhouse. I suppose their beer could be brewed by their company, but there was no proof to that. The beer was mediocre at best. The ahi poke I had for dinner was good. Too many TVs all over the place.
4 - Tiffany N.: Even though this location is a small one, it was a nice exchange since we're so use to going to a big and loud one. The staff are all really nice and made sure we got our food served & all. definitely will be coming back next time i'm in the area.
1 - Derek P.: This place is the worst restaurant I've ever been to in LA.  The beer is mediocre, the pizza is absolutely miserable and the service is even worse.  If you think this is good Chicago style (deep dish) pizza, you are sadly mistaken.  Give yourself a hug from me because I feel a great deal of pity for you.  I will not be returning
2 - Stanley L.: Typical franchise food. Nothing too special, but a great place to have birthday dinners and hang out with large groups of friends. Service was good and TVs were a plus. I ordered the jalapeno burger before and the meet was so scorched that it tasted like coal, but I didn't say anything because, again, what more can you expect from standardized franchise food. Not hatin', just sayin'.
1 - Jeff B.: I've come here many times but will NEVER return.  I had a large group for my birthday and it was a terrible experience.  First, since large groups have automatic gratuity, the waitress had absolutely NO incentive to give good service, and it showed.  It took forever to flag her down to order anything, and she disappeared for a good 15 minutes straight when we were trying to order our food.

Then they started bringing things to our table that we did not order (including an entire pizza and a couple drinks), and acted rudely when we explained we hadn't ordered those things.  Later, my friend had ordered a side salad, but they brought him the entree size.  When he explained he only wanted the smaller size, the busboy just said he would leave the entree size at our table and we could "figure it out" later.  Of course, no side salad ever came, but we were charged for the full entree size!

When it came time to pay the bill, things got really bad.  Having a large group is complicated (and of course, they don't provide any ability to have separate checks), and we were confused by how much money we apparently owed.  After having everyone at the table go through the receipt line by line, we realized we were charged for an entire pizza, a pitcher of beer, and two pints that we never ordered OR received.  When we pointed this out, the waitress was rude to us, took the receipt we had which had all our notes on how much each person owed and which items they got, and brought us a new receipt that was about $20 less.  So we had to repeat the entire process again.  At this point, because the waitress kept disappearing, it had already taken well over half an hour just to figure out the check!  We were fed up with the process, and finally agreed to just pay the check as is, because we just wanted to leave.

After we signed our receipts, the waitress told us that we were $24 over.  We were so tired of being in that awful place that we didn't even care about them overcharging us.  We left, and when I was walking down the street, the waitress came running after me.  Apparently, even though she never came to our table, she had no problem finding me in the street.  She then told me we were actually $24 UNDER, so I had to go back in and pay the remaining $24.  She then cracked a dumb joke about me having to pay on my own birthday, as if that was going to make me feel any better about the whole experience.

I will NEVER come back to this BJs, and probably not any BJs.  I had a good birthday tradition going for three years, but it's over now.  I can't believe how much money we had to pay for terrible service (no choice because it's automatic gratuity!) and mediocre food (which, by the way, is one of the cheapest and easiest foods to make).  It was embarrassing for me and my friends, and we all had to pay way more than we should have just to leave that awful place.  Oh, and to cap it all off, the birthday pizookie is now about the size of a thimble.  It used to be wayyy bigger.

So we had awful service, were charged way too much, were forced to give an 18% tip on an inflated bill, and spent almost an hour just trying to settle the check.  What a terrible way to celebrate a birthday.  I wouldn't even go back if they gave me a free pizza.

EDIT: I called and spoke with the manager, who was very nice and understanding.  Truthfully, he said all the right things, and I am appreciative.  I liked BJs before, so maybe I will give them another chance someday, but not anytime soon.
4 - Richard J.: average food, hot waitress--she gave us a free beer

BMI Management - Champaign, IL (40.1173563, -88.2451526) ()
1 - Anshu A.: Since asking about the security deposit refund, they have stopped responding to my emails or returning my calls. Very unprofessional conduct for a company.  If they had at least kept channels of communication open, I would not have to lower their star rating further.  I have filed a complaint at the Tenant Union in an attempt to recover my deposit.  As I said in my original review, they charged us for a broken window, even though it was noted on the move-in sheet as broken and we have pictures proving it was broken when we moved in.

Update:
The case was moved to Student Legal Services.  Having to go this far to recover a security deposit is completely unacceptable.  I highly recommend you AVOID this company, ESPECIALLY if you are a senior or leaving the area afterwards.  It is possible they tried to charge us for fixing damage we didn't cause because our forwarding addresses  were all out-of-state and they assumed we would be unable to get help from the Tenant Union or Student Legal services.
5 - Jaylin K.: Unlike others, I lived in one of their apartments close to downtown Champaign last year and did not experience same issues. There were some minor maintenance things that they took care of pretty quickly after I moved in. Overall I was pretty happy with them.

BTB Cantina - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2749842, -83.735277) (South University Ann Arbor)
4 - Erin G.: I love BTB Cantina but am sadly disappointed that half the time I go in there it's empty! I can't figure out why...students are too lazy to walk upstairs? It seems like often the mediocre Good Time Charley's downstairs will have a line out the door while the much cooler and more delicious BTB Cantina will be empty just a flight of stairs up. I don't get it. BTB Cantina has cerveza, sometimes live music and DJs, delightful frozen margaritas, and of course all the delicious BTB food (burritos, quesadillas, nachos) that you could want. One day after a football game we stopped in and they had a yellow and blue swirled frozen margarita (for $3 I think!) that was delightfully Wolveriney. Go here, people!
3 - Eric G.: So while at Good Time Charleys last night, which was one of the final stops of the birthday celebration. We decided to walk upstairs for some burrito action. We get our food and grub. It is pretty good I have to say. I had no idea you could get burritos at this place and they were very good.

Soo next thing is we notice a DJ and some terrible attempts at dancing going on. I decide to make my way over to the dance floor and humiliate myself in the process. I have to apologize to anyone who had to see me do the "stanky leg" or any of my assorted dance moves.
5 - Kate S.: Why this doesn't have 5 stars is beyond me. I recently visited Ann Arbor for the weekend and was extremely impressed with what BTB had to offer.

The first stop at BTB was for a mid-afternoon churro after a day of drinking. Late night stop for nachos and more churros. 2 friends and I split the steak nachos and if you watched us eat them, you would probably want to throw up. We demolished them! We literally sat there, faces inches from the plate, shoveling food into our mouths trying to see who could eat the most. It was wonderful. Some boy commented on how he likes girls with appetites until we pulled out churros. Then he was thoroughly disgusted. We were not. We were in a state of sheer drunken food bliss. 

As a UW-Madison student, I was extremely impressed with BTB and very disappointed our campus does not have one.
4 - Erik H.: My girlfriend, father and I went to BTB Cantina for the first time last Saturday afternoon. I was looking for a strawberry margarita and some decent Mexican food and it did not disappoint. I had the grilled chicken burrito and a frozen strawberry margarita. My bill came to $8. My girlfriend had the shredded chicken taco salad and my father got a steak taco and a grilled chicken taco (FYI - The tacos are each made with two taco shells linked together so they equal about 1.5 tacos per order). We all enjoyed our meals but agreed that we liked the shredded chicken the most. The burrito was quite large, and that was just the regular size. I also got an order of chips and queso and it was quite good as well. The margarita was large and tasty.
The place itself was a little dingy. It would probably look better in the darkened shadows of night since it is kind of like eating in a small nightclub. Also, we were pretty much the only people there. The service was good and both employees really seemed to take some pride in their work. I would definitely recommend the place if you are looking for inexpensive Mexican food in downtown Ann Arbor.
3 - Sara G.: The vibe is totally fratboy while the music is unabashedly hipster. It's an notable incongruity that food businesses along the S. University corridor rarely possess.

BTB burritos, generally speaking, are thick, heavy cylinders of food goodness for the price (but the prices have been slowly creeping up).

I've been to the cantina twice. I asked for black beans in my burrito but they gave me pinto. Twice. The tortillas even tasted drier. 

The only saving grace of this location, besides proximity to my office, is that one can enjoy a bevvy of the alcoholic kind with their meal. 

I'm a bigger fan of the original State/Packard location. My usual method is take-out when I'm ravenous in the wee evening hours.  

Next time they pinto me, they'll lose a burrito customer forever.  I'll have to order a dang quesadilla.
5 - Clare W.: BTB makes my life worth living.

BTB plus margaritas? Don't even get me started.
5 - Brandon O.: Close your browser RIGHT NOW and Go There; I hope BTB never loses it's casual perfection; the atmosphere is friendly (fratboys on tequila - yeah but, what of it?  We all gotta hang somewhere.)

The food is making my mouth water just thinking about how unsurpassedly awesome-o it is.

The diablo (habanero rojo) sauce is hot and not particularly flavorful but, sometimes I want ridiculous HOT & it's just like that.  The green is wonderful and the mild (lots of pico) is an eloquent and floral expression of what salsa should be - see?  it's makin' me all poetic :)

like I said - just go - you'll be yelping like this, too!
5 - amy g.: Oh my God! This place is heaven! Burritos + Full bar. And the food is so cheap and it's good! UGH Yum! I could hang there for days. Anybody who's anybody (that knows me) knows that I am the Queen Burrito (gross?) Yes, I have been caught several times Google Imaging Burritos. And one of my friends actually made me a burrito scarf for Christmas so somehow this should tell you that when it comes to burritos, I know what I'm talking about. So! There used to be a BTB in East Lansing and I loved going there late night for a tasty, inexpensive burrito but guess what. There was no alcohol. In fact, the existence of a Big Ten Burrito with a liquor license was unheard of (to me). So when I finally took a trip to Ann Arbor and discovered....wait...what is this? Yes, I know it's BTB, but...Is that..? No..NO YES YES YES OH GOD YES
Something like that. Yep, because there was beer. And isn't that how all good stories end?
3 - Amy Z.: CHEAP MARGARITAS and DELICIOUS food!!! :D Not the most comfortable setting but the nachos make up for that.
3 - Joe T.: Go to eat lunch here in the daytime and it just feels like a barren, bordering on ghostly experience. A sober burrito in the daytime yields a not so keen observation of the hard, uncomfortable tables and ever so uncozy hard cement floors and basic interior. I am sure the nighttime bar & live music scene here compliment the huge burritos here, but midday I kind of felt like "Wow, is it worth it for you guys to stay open in the daytime?" All in all, I still give 3 stars because you can get huge stuffed burritos, nachos, and what [Tex-Mex] have you made with fresh ingredients at a reasonable price. Also the counter service not requiring to tip tickles my thrift-fancy. 

Overall, kind of a cold uninviting interior, especially noticeable midday - but huge portions of fresh Tex-Mex at rational prices. If you are coming here for the scene you probably already know when to go - if you just care about the food, might as well save a few bucks and time and go to BTB Burrito, their small sister counterpart Tex-Mex food shack. I would still choose this place over QDoba & Chipotle anyday, for having more unique and Big 10 charisma. Oh and alcohol, these guys have a full alcohol bar - something most QDobas & Chipotles don't.
5 - Alexis L.: I am from California - land of the best burritos in the country. Maybe the world. I was recently in Ann Arbor visiting my brother who goes to U of M and was craving yummy Mexican food. I was super impressed with their food - the quality and freshness. I got the grilled chicken burrito and chips and guacamole and was happy with both. I'll definitely go back on my next visit.
5 - Justin M.: There is going to be no qualifiers on this review.  This place is my favorite.  The quesadillas are murderously delicious.  I would marry this restaurant if I could.  I live in Denver; the first place I went when I visited Michigan was BTB.  The food is amazing.  The prices are middle of the road but I'd sell my 3 first born children for the recipe for their chicken.  

This review is completely absurd, I know.  My love of BTB is not a logical relationship.  I am in love AND lust with this restaurant.  Go there.
4 - Emily G.: Cinco de Montho is my favorite holiday. More than President's day, Saint Patricks day or even Valentines day.

Fine... I don't like Valentines day that much, or at all.

But here is why cinco de montho is my favorite holiday: 50 cent tequila shots. Yup. The 5th of every month at 5pm, BTB cantina sells tequila shots for 50cents and beer for $1.

If you didn't flunk out of UofM, you can now calculate that you can get 10 shots at a time and only pay $5 + tip.. or, if you are a pretend-baller like me, get 20 shorts at once at only pay $10 + tip. 

Isn't alcohol math the best kind of math there is?

Its that amazing time once a year, where you actually get to a place EARLY and count the minutes until you can order drinks, line them up at on your table, and sigh at the amazing sight of a giant table COVERED by tequila shots, lime, salt and beers. Man, how I miss this place.

Even when its not Cinco the Montho (a very sad 29 days of the month), BTB is still awesome. The place has TONS of space: couches, tables, cool games (shuffleboard, pool, etc), TVs and standing room. They might only serve liquor until 2:30am, but they serve food all day until 4am, so when you are drunk and hear "last call", you don't have to get ready to stumble home: you can order a burrito and chill out until you can soberly.. stumble home.

And yes, their burritos are REALLY good. Best, right up with chipotle and above all the other fast-food-wannabe-Mexican burrito places.

To all of you still in Ace-deuce... I really hope you are taking advantage of these days. You'll miss them when they're gone.
5 - Rob D.: BTB Cantina is off the charts! Staff is super nice and you can't beat the food with a drink on the side. A must for any wolverine!
5 - Kaye P.: My friends lived across the street from this place (the original location) for years - we'd always end up at their place after a hard night out and BTB was always the BEST BEST BEST way to hit the spot! It was so good that we'd often eat it the next morning (now that I look back - this is gross - don't do this).

Their burritos are the best. Period. Their hot sauce is the perfect addition to ANY meal that needs spice - esp their burritos!!! 

I actually think this eatery was the reason I finally started dating one of my friends - he pursued me for years (which including buying my burritos) and one night over burritos I fell for him. We broke up not too long after he graduated. The food here is so good that it's magical. Eat here.
4 - S L.: really great nachos and quesadillas (great value too) + margaritas. 

cute seating under glass panels on the roof. they have a large screen for sports + turn the music up a notch in the evenings. 

fabulously fast service! im surprised it doesnt get packed.
1 - Michael M.: The bouncers are fat animals who wish to fight anybody. Food is terrlble. Avoid this place.
3 - Becky H.: I don't think this place deserves 4 stars. It seems like a pretty solid 3 based off of the food alone. The bathrooms can get horrendous on Friday nights--the men's bathroom was so disgustingly puke-filled once that my friend walked in and immediately puked upon entering.

The veggie burrito  is a great deal at $3.75, especially since you can get it with a wheat tortilla, but it doesn't taste like what I think a burrito should taste like... Still edible and cheap.

Recently they raised the price of going deluxe (adding sour cream and guacamole, from $1 up to $1.50), and this price change has not been reflected on the menu. The last time I went, the cashier said my total was $4.75 but I was charged $5.25 and was confused. After calling BTB, whoever picked up said there is a sign next to the register (which I didn't notice) and mentioned that the owner doesn't feel like updating the menu. Okay.

The owner seems like a nice guy, though.
4 - Steve W.: Really delicious burrito and real sugar Fanta in glass bottles. I'll be coming back here for sure.
4 - A N.: Very tasty & fast. Parking is tough, but that is true for everything in this area.
4 - Ryan B.: Cantina has the potential to get crazy, and it does. 

Love the dance space here, and the people are pretty easy to get up and get on their feet. Perfect place to stop by in a night.
4 - David H.: This is a fantastic place to grab a quick bite to eat. It certainly is not authentic Mexican food. But, this is easily my favorite burrito place in Ann Arbor. The quesadillas and burritos are fantastic, and you would have a hard time finding a better value. Perfect for university students!
4 - Haley V.: The only bar on South U that's rarely crowded. Drinks are strong, especially the margaritas. Good bang for your buck.

Food service can be slow, especially if you're used to the 30-second-burrito-magic from their sister store, BTB Burrito.
5 - Emily S.: Great cheap food. Awesome vegan burrito and you definitely get your money's worth. Always stop here during AA trips

Ba Da Wings - Carrboro, NC (35.9107324, -79.0689329) ()
3 - Michael M.: Goodnews everyone, Another place to get wings in Carrboro. 

I never went to the Bada Wings on MLK, so I'm not sure how much it's changed, but when I went inside it was somewhat confusing.  It still had the layout of the former business, only with a bar in front.  Technically, I 'think' you are supposed to wait to be seated - though it seems you can sit at the bar or even grab a table.  There is wait service, I think they were working out some kinks.  There are TV's to watch games, and it's open until 2am, which adds another option for late nite.  

So I figured I'd order some wings and a beer before starting a print job that night.  They had $1 special, which turned out to be Natural Light in a can GAH! 

I then ordered wings, medium hot and a salad.  The wings were a decent size, the sauce was pretty boring.  The salad seemed cheap and came in a paper dish.    Next time maybe I'll try a burger. 

Wingman is your other option in Carrboro, its on 54 on the otherside of Carrboro.  If you are downtown, craving wings, and need a change of scenery this might be an ok backup.
3 - Jed W.: I used to be a huge fan of the location on MLK, and was surprised in coming back a few years later to discover they had moved.

Along with a few friends, we visited the new location, hoping to get some of their classics.  Uh, no more.  They have supposedly combined with a barbecue restaurant and taken away half their menu.

In my opinion, they took out the good half.  No more southwest chicken wraps?  No more french fries with the cajun sauce?  No more cheesy fry wrap?  Tell me it is not so!  

On the other hand, they now have a full bar, so I suppose that's good for them.  The chicken wings though, are still really good.
1 - Merrick B.: Sadly, this place has terrible wings. Its got a decent bar with pretty good beers and the atmosphere is not bad for a wing joint, but really, if you don't have good wings at a wing place, you're doing something wrong.
Also, it is a chain.
4 - Kellye M.: Boo -_-  So I am sad to say I have to lower my rating by a star -_-  I had the steak sandwich last night and I couldn't finish the meat.  I was starving too... so I ate the bread and sautee.... yeah... There was a ton of disgusting fat in it and the meat just tasted bad.  Unhappy Unhappy Unhappy.. I should have just stuck with a burger.  So that's a star off for the horrible sandwich that was supposed to be awesome :(

My previous review: I really like Ba Da Wings.  They are no longer combined with the BBQ joint, just an fyi, so they have all their sauces back and stuff.  They have some really tasty dishes besides their wings... amazing burgers, and my FAVORITE fries ever, the cajun fries! I suggest going and trying something OTHER than the wings, you will be pleasantly surprised with the great quality of their food. 

I wanted to add this because I thought it was important that while I lowered my rating a star for the horrible sandwich, the reason it still gets 4 stars is because in the dozens of times I've come to Bada, everything else I've had has been delicious.  I really love their burgers.
2 - Michael B.: The food wasn't terrible, but the experience was.

They've got tons of wing sauces, yet no explanation of their flavors. Ask the bartender, and he's acts too busy to elaborate, and actually says he's got two other tables to worry about. Keep in mind, those were about the only people in the place, yet the food took forever. Poor service in general. 

I got the hottest wing sauce they had, called bam. But the impact it had on my palate was more like a thud. Not hot in the slightest. My girlfriend didn't even think they were hot, and believe me, that says a lot. I asked for extra crispy, and they were slimy. We asked for more hot sauce and they gave us something comparable to Texas Pete. 

As for the good: my girlfriend really enjoyed her ceasar chicken wrap, and I enjoyed the other pound of my wings that was a Carolina barbecue sauce (mustard based). And the bartender seemed to warm up and nicen up before we left. 

However, we want be going back there. Our tab was like $50, and not even worth half of that. I'm very particular about my wings - and this place is not up to snuff. You would think that with a name like Ba Da Wings it could offer decent wings. But it was more like amateur hour.
5 - Amber H.: Bada is getting better! Service is better and now they serve amazing tacos for a great price! I had the fish tacos and the bayou tacos. So good. The fish taco had fried catfish and the bayou nice plump gulf shrimp with a spicy batter. They bayou was my fav of the two. We also had the sweet potatoes fries severed with apple butter, YUMMY. Can't wait to go back to try they other tacos they have! Couple of weeks ago i had the all american burger, which was HUGE and delicious I know people have given bad reviews, but i think it is wroth another try. I have been eating here for years, and i was happy when it moved to carrboro. They have great specials and a full bar. Go out on a limb and try it again!
4 - Samantha E.: I have never actually been to the store but the Housing Department always ordered wings for various sporting events. Every time we got them they were delicious and everyone enjoyed them.
3 - Katy J.: I'm always happy with the food here but the service is on the miss side of hit or miss. There are a couple of female servers who are pretty good but the food takes forever. Some of the male employees are just completely apathetic.

Last night, our group waited about 20 minutes for our checks before we finally just went to the bar and said we had to leave so we needed to pay and then had a gratuity (over 20%) added for us.

This place is decent for late night food, and the price is right. But I often wonder why I bother coming back. Answer? Wild Carolina BBQ sauce.
1 - Al M.: Terrible!  Do not waste your time and money.  The location on MLK was great and we were regulars.  Since moving to the Carrboro location it is evident that they just want to be a "local bar".  
We went over Christmas and the food and service were horrible.  Our order was messed up twice, we had to constantly ask for refills and such

Two of us ordered wings that arrived so overdone they'd break your teeth! (wings that are proudly advertised on the menu as "jumbo wings" - NOT even close).

I ordered the buffalo wrap - chicken was not done and spongy......too frightened to eat it, and was so fed up - didn't send it back again!

Fries were cold and we clearly got the bottom of the bag......I'd call them french fry crumbs - something that would never come out of a kitchen with any pride!

Place is dirty now and unkept, don't waste your time unless you want to stop in and get a beer - but I wouldn't even do that!

I miss the place and concept from MLK, what ashame!
4 - Amy B.: For those of you complaining about the food and atmosphere- don't get prime rib and it's a wings joint! These are amazing wings and have so much more meat on them than others. Huge selection of sauces and great deals on weekends- 3 lbs for $15! We have found that take-out is the best option for us, as the atmosphere and service aren't the best, but hey- it's a wings place!
3 - deb b.: The wings are good here, but the portions are miserly. I ordered $25 worth of food to go, and it was barely enough for two small- to medium-sized people. The "ambience"  could be described as a little scary, and not really appropriate for families. Going downhill?
2 - Andrew D.: It was okay.

**The staff was very friendly
**The wings were above reproach
**The blue cheese dressing had nice big chunks of actual blue cheese
**You would not believe how f'ing wobbly our table was.

Would it kill them to serve the wings with the traditional celery and carrots? That stuff isn't exaclty "high food cost" material.

They had a Thursday special - "3 pound bucket of wings for $15", which was only 50 cents more than 2 pounds. Now, they say that a pound is 6-9 wings - so 2 pounds should be 12 - 18 wings, and 3 pounds should be 18 - 27 wings. We got 17 ... I wasn't gonna complain, but it didn't add up.
3 - Mike O.: Wha? Ba Da Wings is actually a bar? And you know it's open late, much later than those duds at "Wings" across the street.

You can get regular wings or boneless wing here, although I try not to imagine what kind of vacuum machinery is involved in making a wing "boneless." The spicy wings aren't incredibly spicy, so don't fret.

The wings take longer than you think they might. Aren't we just heating things up back there and brushing them with some kind of sauce.

Perfect for late night wanderings back home.

Ba Le Bakery - Hyattsville, MD (38.9848916, -76.9812343) ()
4 - Roy S.: This place is tucked away in "Langley Park" but if you are willing to brave the area you will be in for a treat. I go for the Vietnamese Sandwhiches which are awesome! Freshly prepared and tasty, they just raised the prices to $3 a sandwhich and no more so they lose a star!

They are foot longs on french bread filled with my favorite of grilled pork and pickled veggies. Sounds weird but trust me its good...

The inside aint much but the people are friendly and the food is good, plus you can get some random asian stuff if thats your thing...
4 - andrew s.: Good banh mi at a good price, excellent Vietnamese coffee and fresh spring rolls, plus bun, pho and a few other specialty dishes (although I haven't tried the noodles yet).

Very friendly, low-key and pleasant on the inside; dive-y, in a very low rent strip mall on the outside.

The only Vietnamese sandwich place that I've found this side of Rockville, so that alone recommends it, but its a tasty, cool little joint too.
4 - Sara M.: Just noticed this little gem hidden away in a shopping center along 193 in Langley Park... I guess it's been there for a couple of years, but I didn't spot it until the National Wholesale Liquidators (::shudder::) next to it went out of business and was replaced by a nice international supermarket.  

Like any good Vietnamese deli/bakery, they've got a wide assortment of banh mi sandwiches with different toppings - pork, sausage, pate, veggies, egg, etc.  Every sandwich is on their excellent house bread with pickled vegetables and tasty homemade mayo.  They have a deal where you can buy 5 sandwiches and get the 6th for free.  The sandwiches are a little small, but I can only eat one and a half or two... not anywhere close to six!  But at $3 per sandwich, these are cheap eats either way.

I tried three sandwiches (split with a dining companion): combination (two types of pork and pate), lemongrass sausage, and grilled pork.  All three were tasty, but the combination sandwich was by far the best - it's pretty much the "traditional" banh mi sandwich.  I'm sure I'll work my way through the menu on future visits.  They also have a lot of other dishes on the menu to try, as well as smoothies and bubble drinks.  

Ba Le doesn't measure up to some of the delis in the Seven Corners area, but it's a great find for the local crowd.  Cheap, friendly, and delicious.  Yay!
5 - MARIA H.: They make great vietnamese sandwiches that comes in a variety of combinations made to your preference.  (or did I just feel like I got special treatment from the supernice guy that made my sandwiches)  I loved the fresh french bread with the soft center and crispy outer skin.  All the different fillings were so good.  I don't think you can get a better tasting sandwich for price you pay anywhere else.  

I also fell in love with the vietnamese Iced Coffee there.  It had a good strong coffee flavor, sweetened, and iced.  It was just perfect for the hot weather outside.  I had to get one everyday while I was around the area.
1 - Diane Z.: I really wanted to try Bahn Mi after watching the Great Food Truck Race on tv. I went to this place at 8pm. No one else was there and it was 1 hour before close. This is the convo I had with the lady behind the counter.

Me: Which is better, the Pork Breast or the Shredded Pork
Old Mean Lady: I don't know, you have to choose what you like, I can't help you
Me: If I've never had it before, how do I know what I like?
Old Mean Lady: You have to choose, I can't choose for you. You are eating it not me.
Me: Well, are they cooked differently?
Old Mean Lady: Yes 
*silence*
Me: Well, how are they different?
Old Mean Lady: I have all these sandwiches, look I have 19 different kinds *points to pictures*, I can't tell you the difference in all of them. You have to choose what you want, you are eating it not me.
Me: *in shock for a whole minute*

First of all, Bahn Mi is not really the most common food around. It is not like I'm asking a question that everyone would know, like "what is the difference between a cheeseburger and a hamburger?" Me and I am sure a lot of other people would like a nice "starter" Bahn Mi and not something too crazy. Secondly, I was not holding up the line nor was it closing time, so I have no idea why she was so rude. I also only asked the difference between 2 things, not all 19!! If she had just pointed the pictures to begin with, I might of ordered something. But I refuse to spend money on a place where someone will talk to me in such a rude manner. 

If you're new to Bahn Mi, please save your time and try another place first. Apparently the people here do not have time to help you figure it out. 0 stars is what I wanted to give this place.
4 - Al T.: They bake fresh french bread daily only 25 cents a pop. Crispy on the outside soft and doughy on the inside what more could you ask for?!?! The Banh mi sandwhiches are also delicious. Cheap and Delicious....what more can you ask for?
4 - Kelly O.: Inexpensive and delicious. My favorite is the pate sandwich.

(BTW, I wonder the "old mean lady" is coming across as gruff because she doesn't speak English very well. She was nice to me.)
4 - Sarah E.: I love the combination bahn mi from this place - so cheap and delicious!  The sweet yogurt from the refrigerator case is also yummy.  Definitely worth checking out if you live nearby.
5 - Kevin H.: Reminds me of L.A where these things are $2.50 - $3.00 a pop. They are only $3.00 here so get 2 for yourself.

Bahn mi is the fantastic fusion of French imperialism and Vietnamese cuisine. There are a ton of sandwiches to choose from. I know it took me a awkward 4 minute standing session of me going back and forth between all the options they had. I got the combo(for the adventures and not turkey sandwich on white bread person kind of guy) and the grilled pork sandwich( for anyone with a soul and appreciation for good food) would like. 

However, this is all I ate and I plan on returning next time I buy dirt cheap produce at H&A asian supermarket next door. Oh and buy 5 and get the 6th one for free.
5 - Nathan S.: I really have liked most of what I eat here, check out the other reviews as they are representative of the bahn mi. I would recommend spending a little time and branching out and try the rice dish (grilled pork is yummy), or their crab and tomato soup. The owner makes her own hot sauce in jars on the tables...use at your own risk, this stuff is super potent.  Give this place a shot and lets make sure they stay in business.

Giving it a 5 star because I can always find something here I feel like eating, knowing I will enjoy it.

Don't forget, they sell alot of the foods they make over the counter, so you can get the headcheese, pate, black pepper sausage, Ham, etc. For home use. Major plus!
5 - Brian R.: This place has solid banh mi, although they should give more of a discount for buying in bulk.  They don't dumb down the pickled vegetables and peppers for their non-existent gringo clientele.

Oh, and the person who thinks that banh mi is really exotic needs to get a life and stop watching food truck TV shows.

Bonus points for the two overdressed, middle-aged Vietnamese women behind the counter always having really loud conversations in Vietnamese.  Inside voices are for gringos.
5 - Kurt B.: I had the combination Banh Mi. On another occasion I had spicy beef soup. Both were excellent, but the Banh almost made me turn my car around to go back for another.  Perfect bread, delicious mix of flavors. Maybe a Banh Mi purist will think it's just ok, but it was a little $3 slice of heaven for me.  Just trying to think of an excuse to go to Langley Park again.
4 - Christine L.: This place is quite the hidden gem in college park. They have many different types of banh mi and its is freshly and quickly made. Be sure to try the vietnamese coffee. It is made with condensed milk =) There is also a variety of different desserts in the fridges.
2 - Venu N.: 1.75 stars.  My experience at Ba Le (Hyattsville) reminded me of a line from Paris at Midnight: "No, I said cheap is cheap."  

Look, I get that some people are turned on by the fact that an ethnic sandwich costs $3.00.  In many respects, I commend that.  Why overcharge for a simple product?  Having said that, the banh mi here is amongst the worst that I have had in my life.  The "baguette", or rather, Ba Le's version of it, was simply a soft, slightly sweet roll that tasted absolutely nothing like what I would generally expect.  I didn't think the sandwich was generously stuffed with meat (my roast pork order was probably 10% meat), and I question whether the vegetables that I ate were fresh.  All in all, it was a below average sandwich.  

Service was unnecessarily brusque.  They were out of half their menu before noon even though there did not seem to be a line of customers knocking through their door.  The store itself had a God-awful putrid smell that pretty much wrecked any semblance of this outing being a positive experience.

I'll be the first to admit that the surrounding cities of Washington DC have relatively strong ethnic options, but in this case, I'd rather just stay in my neighborhood and eat the "expensive" banh mi at Ba Bay.
4 - Claire J.: A banh mi here will only set you back $3 (and if you buy 5, you get 1 free), as other reviewers have mentioned, so it's hard to resist them.  The combo banh mi is delicious (but with the head cheese and pate, in addition to some more traditional meats, it's for the adventurous eater), and their grilled pork is also really tasty.  The pickled carrots and radish on the sandwich are just perfect, in my opinion.  I've also tried the pork + egg roll vermicelli salad which was quite good.  All in all, definitely worth a visit, especially after picking up some great groceries at H & A Supermarket!
4 - Jeff T.: There are certain benefits of being Asian that serve as consolation for how sucky the rest of our lives are (unmanageable hair, mean parents, poor vision). One, we instinctively understand the complicated protocol of ethnic restaurants. Two, normally rude Asian waitresses are inexplicably sweet to us. Three, we are pretty good at math.

Whenever I walk in, the one old lady who is always sitting in front gets up from her chair, shuffles to the register, and asks me sweetly what I want with her mouth still full of food. She waits patiently while I read the Vietnamese scribble and the ambiguous translations underneath. I usually get at least two sandwiches or a sandwich and a summer roll. The roast pork, bbq pork, and the combination are the best. The roast pork is a lot like Cantonese char siu, so that's a familiar, tasty treat.

The bread is perfectly crisp on the outside and pillowy on the inside. The pickled radishes and carrots give it a nice tang/crunch and the cilantro and jalapeno add a lot of great flavors. I usually add a drizzle of sambal oelek and fish sauce that are available in dingy little containers on all the tables.

If you buy 5 sandwiches, the 6th one is free. At $3 each, that's 6 sandwiches for only $15 (I told you I was good at math). Also, more times than not, the old lady rounds my change up to the nearest dollar, and just gives me that. *Swoon*

Service, and the experience, isn't the same for everyone. I had a [white] friend that came here alone once and they yelled at him, start to finish. And then he wrote the lyrics to "Tonight Tonight."
4 - Jim H.: Great sandwiches, Bo Kho, garden rolls and vermicelli dishes so you can move beyond sandwiches here.  Not the best ever or anything but everything is solid and reasonably prices, especially if you are not interested in driving to hell and gone Virginia.  Also the lady who runs it is a sweetheart.  As with most places there are better and worse dishes. I've never understood why people would order a bahn mi with roast pork or chicken breast-if you want a pork or chicken sandwich go elsewhere but if you want a standard with all the loveliness of head cheese and pate then you can't go wrong.  Also lovely desserts in the fridge.
4 - John P.: Great banh mi sandwiches!!!!
3 - Yimei W.: Very comfortable place to go on a warm afternoon; we got the banh mi sandwiches which were grilled such that I felt like I was eating asian pork jerky (in a good way!) and the set-up was very homey. It's casual, and sort of a mix between a grocery store and cafe. I appreciate their choices for different banh mi sandwiches; the summer rolls were prewrapped and came as a set of 3 large rolls plus sauce. That was a good deal. Overall, very cheap, casual-but-nice, and a sweet, low-key place to hang out without too much disturbances.
4 - C S.: Ok, so maybe not the best Banh Mi, but beggars can't be choosers. This place hits the spot.

Ba-Da Wings - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9131996, -79.0558445) ()
4 - Henry S.: Ba-Da Wings is the only place I order from/get wings since Buffalo Wild Wing's closed on Franklin. They have a great variety of flavors, with about 20 different offerings. In addition, they run weekly specials on their wings so make sure you ask when you call. They have delivery, but I've never used it because it's right around the corner, so I just get it to go. They are on the more expensive side for chicken wings, but they're the best I've had in the area so I don't mind paying a little more.
4 - Adrienne E.: The closing of Buffalo Wild Wings on Franklin St. left a serious dearth of decent chicken wings in Chapel Hill. Ba-Da Wings is definitely the best of what's left, even though they are a little more expensive (like $6 for 4 wings). They also have really good wraps - I especially like the Cajun variety. Their delivery radius isn't as large as I'd like, but it doesn't take them long to prepare a to-go order. Service is usually pretty friendly and efficient, but I've been there a few times when it was definitely lacking. Also, there's plenty of parking (yay!), which is something that Buffalo Wild Wings never had.
4 - John L.: In terms of chicken/tenders/wings, these guys do a decent job. They've got about 20 or so different flavor options, and the service is generally good, which is always a plus.  Furthermore, they make a mean honey mustard chicken wrap :)

 The delivery radius isn't too large (I'm near Carrboro, and they really only delivered because it was Labor Dabor and there weren't too many orders).  But, if you're up around MLK Street, and near north Chapel Hill, they're a great option for many chicken flavors :)
5 - Brandon G.: I attended UNC for one year and this was by far my favorite place to eat in the area.  To this day, I crave no other food more than Ba-Da Wings.  I'm actually writing this review as a result of looking them up online to see if they have any locations in the NYC area; unfortunately they only have the one location: Chapel Hill, NC (as of Oct 09).

I highly recommend their Buffalo Wrap and Cajun Fries.  I have not enjoyed a Buffalo Wrap since eating at Ba-Da simply because no other wrap has even come close to Ba-Da's wraps.

As a final note, their Potato Salad compliments just about anything else you can order there as well.
5 - Al M.: I live in Atlanta and was turned onto Ba-Da Wings by my nieces and nephews that live here.  Now every time I am here, I have to stop by there at least once!!
I love their Buffalo Wrap hands down.  My nephew gets the Cheesy French Fry Wrap and adds chicken (it's a cholesterol bomb for sure, but a treat nonetheless).  Love the crinkle fries, I only get the boneless wings and those are delicious!
They have such a variety of flavors, you won't be disappointed with anything!
I highly recommended trying them out!
2 - Michael C.: I've been here three times so far, and have been disappointed with the poor service and lackluster food. The first time there was only one other customer in the place, and  yet we waited 15 minutes and could not get the attention of a waiter to take our order so we had to leave.  The next time we were able to get a seat, and stayed despite having no air conditioning in July when it was 95 degrees..  This time we were able to get a waiter, but again even though there was only one other customer it took almost 40 minutes to prepare a simple wing order.

When the wings did arrive they were undercooked, but covered in plenty of sauce. The wings were large, but fatty and the undercooked skin was slimy and gross.  My favorite sauce is the vinegary orange-colored sauce made famous by BW3 and this was bland by comparison, containing some heat, but little underlying flavor.  It wasn't bad for a bar snack, but fell woefully short of BW3's standard. The other dish we ordered was a side of fried squash, and the squash was all stuck together in clumps, and the batter didn't stick: yuck.

A third time we went and were able to get served without waiting too long, and the wings were cooked, but we simply don't care for the sauces.  I don't know how this place stays in business; I've been past them dozens of times at dinnertime and never seen more than one or two people inside. Maybe its mostly to-go orders?
4 - Jed W.: Just a note for Yelp, this place has now closed and moved.  Not sure how exactly one lets them know, but consider this some sort of notice.  

As a personal note, I miss the crinkle-cut french fries and the club wrap.

Baba D's - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4405357, -79.9585681) (Oakland)
4 - Angela C.: Best Gyros in Oakland. 

They also have good kebab platters and hummus. Baba D's is your local family owned Middle Eastern restaurant. The place is small, so landing a table at this hot lunch spot might require some waiting. If you're in a rush, opt for take-out or an early dinner. I think they close pretty early.
4 - Jhon Y.: I've never been to the one in Oakland.  But there IS one in the Southside which is great.  The space is open and has really clean lines.  The staff is always super nice.  I just had my birthday dinner there a couple of weeks ago.  The fact that it is BYOB is fantastic too.  Jamesons and wine! woo!  I am a big fan of Middle Eastern food.  The gyro (yee-rro) meat doesn't seem processed and isn't greasy like most places.  Yes roll those r's.  rrr! The dish that keeps me coming back is the hummus madamas.  The chick peas are whole with lemon juice, olive oil, cilantro (i think), tomatoes etc.  Healthy and refreshing dish.  The platters are great, especially the kebabs and cuts of lamb.  The lamb is always cooked really well with absolute tenderness.   I'm not a big fan of the chicken though, I remember it being a tad dry.  Considering I was down  six shots of irish whiskey and four ipa's, I can't recall too well.  It's a great environment for large groups or even an initmate date.

Babak Shoushtari, DMD - La Jolla, CA (32.8732257, -117.2176194) ()
5 - Lauren B.: Now that I am married and have killer dental insurance, I'm going on a bit of a root canal bender, getting my mouth all fixed up. So far I've been there twice, and it's been as enjoyable as a root canal can possibly be.

 Dr. S. is very thorough in explaining everything he's doing, which I find very interesting. It passes the time. 

Also, all of his equipment is very high-tech, with all kinds of cameras and gadgets shooting off at every angle. 

He even smeared some vaseline on my lips so they wouldn't get dry during the procedure. That was a nice touch. 

The whole thing took about 45 minutes, and I was all numbed up so it wasn't so bad. If I had to go back, I would.
5 - Jennifer T.: I am really grateful for this dental practice! My mom was having major pain in one of her teeth so I took her to see Dr. Shoushtari. It was definitely a good decision!

Dr. Shoushtari exemplifies the ideal doctor anyone would love to have. He's a nice, caring person, and he loves what he does. He not only treated my mom, but he also gave us an educational explanation as to what happened and why my mom was in pain. In addition, after her first appointment her pain drastically diminished; after her second appointment it was gone!

The staff is very nice with a thorough and helpful receptionist. The practice is equipped with many high-tech instruments and a microscope Dr. S uses to treat your root canal. The whole process for my mom was a breeze and they made sure she was comfortable, which I am very happy about.

I am wholeheartedly thankful for Dr. Shoushtari and the staff. My mom was in extreme pain and seeing her like that made me very unhappy. After having Dr. Shoushtari treat her with a root canal, I am finally happy to say that I am at ease and my mom is now back on her feet and out of pain!!

I'm glad we found a doctor like Dr. Shoushtari; if I ever need a root canal, I know who to go to!
5 - Lisa M.: If you have to see an endodontist, look no further,  you have found the best!  Dr Shoushtari saved my tooth. I have horrible teeth. I have 8 root canals in my mouth done by three different endos. This year I had to have a retreatment done on a root canal from four years ago.  It was the most painful thing I have ever been through. Dr S took me in the day my dentist called him.  He and his staff saw me at 5pm after hours and worked on my tooth until 7pm.  His office was in touch with me everyday during this horrible situation.   I won't bore you with the rest of my painful ordeal and I NEVER write reviews, but all I can say is if you need an endo, you have found him!
5 - Meg D.: Dr. Shoushtari and his staff are great! Root canals can be painful (and a little scary)but Dr. Shoushtari is so efficient and experienced that I experienced virtually no pain.  As others mentioned, he has a great bedside manner and his equipment is very high-tech. I've had 2 root canals done with Dr. Shoushtari and can't say enough good things about him. I would highly recommend him to anyone who needs a root canal.
5 - Alyssa P.: Had a root canal treatment done here and can I just say it was as great of an experience as it could be! I am the perfect reason why you should never let your general dentist perform a root canal he missed one of my roots! This place was super gental and took half the time my general dentist did and were very plesant to be around! I will be referring friends to him without a doubt!

Babbo's Original Mediterranean Bistro - Palo Alto, CA (37.442701, -122.1701798) ()
3 - Anita L.: Generally very crowded, if you can get in to this place, it's not a bad restaurant to grab a bite at after a hard day of shopping. The food, though Mediterranean it says, leans towards Italian. The breads are good, as are the appetizers. Pastas are a hit and miss, but salads are pretty decent. Very loud when crowded and you're practically breathing down your neighbor's neck.
3 - Brandon M.: I can give this place only three stars,because they precook their pasta.It doesn't take long to cook pasta for christ sake!It seems Italian but this precook pasta tells you it's Mediterranean.Real Italians and east coast Italians,you can't get your pasta adanti so don't ask and don't get mad.Everyone else,it is nice place with outside tables,warmy atmosphere,cost-well it's in Stanford Mall.The waiters I was very impress with.I had the lamb cut in cubes and served with ribbon type pasta (which was overcook),good seasoning but not great.This place could have gotten a higher rating,because everything else was on the spot.
1 - Patsy S.: I ordered Tuscan soup, and instead of that they brought me minestrone (which I hate).  The minestrone was pretty sad and came with two tiny slices of foccacia bread.  The polenta dish was good, but came alone except for a huge glop of butter on top.  The grilled chicken ceasar salad was the most disappointing, as the chicken was dry and stone cold.  The ceasar dressing had a nice texture, but lacked flavour.  
The ceasar salad had romaine leaves, sliced chicken and literally TWO crutons!
The waiter brought out a dirty bowl and was irritated that I asked for another.   For drinks, the hot chocolate was pretty good but the ice water smelled fishy.  Prices were in a high range (the salad cost $15). 
The waiter's terrible attitude made me wonder how he got the job.  I will never set foot here again.
5 - Ta G.: I am ONLY giving 5 stars for the following:

Caesar salad w/ grilled prawns
Tortellini w/ cream sauce

Don't get the lemonade, they forgot to add sugar and water. It's like pure acid.

The service sucks.

But I have yet to find a place w/ better Caesar salad and tortellini! Delicious!
4 - Ryo S.: Great atmosphere, staff are helpful yet chilled out, and food is decent too. It's a rather small place, so you'll be fairly close to your neighbors, but I don't mind that.
I thought the lamb chop was juicy and good. Smoked salmon dish comes with a pizza bread, and I liked the combination very much.
2 - Katie P.: I actually thought the food here was really good.  I came here last night with some coworkers and we all were really happy with what we got.  Not to mention the menu has a good selection of Italian and Mediterranean fare.  The problem here is the prices -- it is really expensive.  And not to say the food isn't worth it because it might be.  But you walk in and you kind of feel like it s a pizza joint -- no tablecloth, paper napkins, etc. -- the bathroom is a sight for sore eyes.  I loathed having to use it.  And yet they charge a lot for their plates - I think the pasta dish I got was $19.  Salads and apps started at $7 or $8.  If I am paying this much for a meal I would prefer to feel like the bathroom I am using is clean.  Not the case here.
The wine selection is good and surprisingly not over-priced.
5 - Benjamin M.: One of the best pizza's I've had, and not for an outragious price. I remember having some other food here too, and was very pleased. A wood fired oven provides a unique taste that you just can't beat, and the ingredients are all fresh and delightful.

The location is a little cramped, but there's seating outdoors so you can view all the activity going on in the mall. If you don't like people watching, this place is deeply set into the building, so you can hide out in the back as well.
3 - Yoddha Y.: The place is very nice, the ambiance is cozy, feels like you are in a small restaurant in Florence. The staff is friendly, not very attentive. 
The Chianti was so-so, and the bread was oily at the bottom, not too impressive.
But the special menu of the day is usually great. The crab cakes in the paprika sauce is fabulous. The pizza is very delicately done, if it can be done. 
The tables are closely situated, we had a great time listening to the conversations on the tables around us. 
One to remember was: Two girls behind us : "My mother used to workout in the nude at home, so she had lot of husbands. Now I do it some times, I am getting guys interested in me too" I almost chocked on my crab cake.
4 - Kylie L.: At the last minute my mom and I decided to go out to dinner.  At first we were thinking of going to down town Palo Alto but after starting to drive over there we pretty much decided we were not in the mood for waiting for 45 minutes or more for a table so we headed over to the shopping center.  Thinking we were just going to go to Max's (as we both know what we like there) we saw Babbo's and asked ourselves if we had ever been there before.  We had not and felt like trying something new (plus there was no line to be seated) We were sat right away at a small table of which you can tell they were trying to put as many tables as possible in a tiny space but the lighting was pleasant and we did not seem to mind.

Now for the food.  I ordered the Cesar salad which was really big and should be split between two for an appetizer and my mom had the vegetable soup which looked amazing!  It was like a hearty Minestrone soup with yummy olive bread on the side.  I ordered a glass of wine of which I asked what he recommended and my glass was crisp, sweet, and refreshing so if you are not always in the mood to figure out which wine you might want just ask the waiter what they recommend.  For the main course I had the salmon which was amazing.  The perfect size piece with a creamy potato slices buttery goodness on one side, roasted tomato and zucchini on the other and lentils.  It was exactly what I wanted.  The fish was in a buttery sauce that made it taste even better.  My mom had the chicken which looked amazing in a dark brown sauce but also tasted amazing.  It needed bread on the side to dip in the sauce.  Overall.... We were really happy and satisfied with our meals.  If you are on a diet... ummm.. don't be when you go here.  Be aware that the waiters are a little bit difficult in regards to grabbing their attention but the food was brought out with the perfect amount of time between courses.  This could be a really cute date place because the food is good the lighting is nice and the ambiance is upscale.  I will definitely go back!  ENJOY!
1 - Sylvia P.: I went here with a friend because Max's was closed. I regret not looking at the menu before sitting down. The prices are outrageous for what you get. I paid $14 for a pathetic foccacia sandwich. They burned the grilled vegetables and my friends chicken!! I could only eat half the sandwich. I told them it was burned and they didn't do anything! The seating is also very cramped and it's dark and somewhat dingy. I overheard a couple with a baby ask for a high chair and they said they didn't have them. Kinda strange for such a high price place. Needless to say I won't be going back there.
4 - jennifer s.: Yummy yum!! It was great.I have been there ten times at least.Be careful not to get full off the bread before your meal,it's so easy to do.
It has a nice cozy atmosphere too.The food and service is equally great.You must go at least once to try the lamb tangine,if you don't eat red meat ,try the fish with the pesto sauce...MMM!!!
2 - Emily H.: Nothing special here. Tried the Pizza--crust bland, sauces meeh.

Poor service.

Not worth coming to.
3 - Ed L.: Little restaurant in the Stanford mall. This place is suppose to be semi-high class but doesn't really make it. The food is good but not for the price. I had a seafood puff pastry which had shrimp and scallops in a great, rich cream sauce but the pastry was soggy and it did not come with any sides. The bread they serve can be stale also, but if it's not, it's very good foccacia.
4 - Eli B.: Really cute Mediterranean tucked into the Stanford shopping mall. Decent wine selection and GREAT thin pizzas (I did the salmon, yes folks, that's right, salmon pizza, with goat cheese, and it was deeeelicious).  The service is gracious and attentive (as they say). I wouldn't travel ultra-far to eat here but it is a great choice if you're in the 'hood.
4 - Andy R.: Went there with very low expectation because the Max's was busy at the time and I was very hungry.  However, what I found there was one of the best crab cakes ever!  Three times better than the one at the Morton's in SJ.  And this was the extra order after we finished our main courses.  Wow!  It came with the sauce resembling lobster bisque.   Really surprised because it wasn't this good last time we tried about a year ago...  What has happened?

The rustic pizza was pretty good with fresh mozzarella topping (made of buffalo milk?)  French style red snapper had very french, although a little salty, cream sauce which reminded me of the delicious dish I had enjoyed in Paris long time ago.  The seared ahi tuna my wife had also came with special sauce that went along nicely with the main ingredient.  Service was a bit lacking, like I had to ask for beverage refill twice, but overall OK.

The $9 dessert (ice cream puff?) wasn't quite as good as expected.  The double espresso was plenty, but too acid.  Double cappuccino was so so.

Price was medium high but fresh ingredients quite made up for.  I am thankful to the lady who was eating outside who willingly recommended this place to us.  I'm happy that food quality in Palo Alto restaurants are going up these days.  I'll definitely visit Babbo's again.
5 - Katie F.: Best pizza, salads, pasta, soup, ambiance ever!  The owner came to our table and introduced himself.  You could see he took great pride in what he was doing, and that truly makes a magnificent restaurant.

Go for the goat cheese salad.  It made me think I was back in St. Tropez.
4 - Angie Y.: always my choice while shopping. 
good salad, timbalo, pasta, and.. dessert!
(best profiterole ever) -1 for lousy service
4 - Scott A.: This was a suprising place to find tucked in the middle of a mall and puts a whole new spin on "mall food".  The food was top-notch and service was good.  The prices were a little high but leaving without any complaints is priceless.
2 - Anthony H.: Went in with my girlfriend because I was checking Yelp to see which restaurant was pretty good around the mall and found this place.  They were nice seating us but we didn't get our glass of water until 6 min later.  We have to ask them.  That time, I notice it's because there was only one person severing everyone so I didn't give them a hard time.  then we got our bread and we got different bread then anyone else.  I think it's because we needed to ask for a different one if we want.  The food was very good.  I can't complain about that but when the other severer actually came in to work, they weren't doing their job.  I ask the younger server for more water and he just pretend he didn't hear me and just look at me and walk away.  Then I have to ask an older sever for water, he got it right away.  I don't know if it was that we were asian or that we look young that they wouldn't really sever us that well.  I was kind of mad at the younger severer for not doing their job and that's not the only reason why I gave a low rating.   The bill came out to be 38.11 total and I gave $4 because I didn't feel the service was good.  Then the next day I check my bank statement and I see that they charge me $45.11.  I don't know why they added another $3 but just watch out for that when you eat there.
2 - L plus K C.: This place looks cool from the outside - a nice change from the chains floating around.  

Our waiter was horrible though, bringing cold food, never checking up or bringing a refill.  I had a pizza that was decent, but was probably comparable to a Calif. Pizza Kitchen creation.  Said pizza (Babbo's Pizza) was overpriced by about $6.
4 - Maggie K.: The food is consistently very good here.  Why not 5 stars...occasionally, the waitstaff gets your order wrong.

I have been coming to this place since my daughter was in middle school and still a carnivore.  She's since become vegan.  She still loves this place, as do I.  

Wonderful soft polenta appetizer.  Awesome comfort food.  We also had the butter lettuce salad, nothing outstanding.  Just very fresh butter lettuce with a simple oil and vinegar dressing.  We both finished all of the salad.   Very refreshing.

I've tried almost all of their main dishes, the latest being the filet of sole.  Great dish, outstanding sauce, crisp asparagus side, and a simple potato.  The potato sopped up the sauce beautifully.

I've not tried the pizza because I figure if you want pizza, don't go to a fancy restaurant for that.  The pizza will be an afterthought. 

My daughter had the mushroom stew.  It's her favorite amongst the vegetarian choices.  That vegetarian food choices are offered in such a place are worth a couple of stars in itself.
4 - Jessica L.: I came here with my mom, we had a pleasant experience eating lunch there. Service was friendly and prompt, we sat outside to enjoy the sun.

We had their pear salad and spicy chicken focaccia. The pear salad was amazing! Very refreshing and everything (cheese, pear, greens, walnuts, dressing) went very well together, one of the best salad's I've had in a long time!

The spicy chicken focaccia was interesting, but not very wow-some. But good comfort food, and the honey mustard sauce on the side was very pleasant!

A comfortable casual place to have a nice lunch for a reasonable price. 4 stars!
2 - Charmaine L.: the coffee is not even luke warm, it's served room temperature.

the iced tea is $3, watered down, and comes in a small glass with no refill.

the gorgonzola and pear salad with balsamic vinagrette is overdressed, the walnuts stale, and the pears are unripe and tasteless (might as well have been jicama). $15.

the best part of their quattro pizza was the crust. it was light and crisp but their toppings definitely need work. a quarter mushrooms, a quarter anchovies, a quarter proscuitto, and a quarter artichoke. the artichoke and mushrooms were ok. we only got ONE slice of proscuitto but about a whole jar of capers. and the worst quarter was the anchovies. whole filets that weren't previously rinsed. it was worse than eating a spoonful of salt. $16.

service was slow and kind of rude. there was an elderly couple sitting next to us and they had paid their bill with their credit card. the waiter returned the check for signature but had neglected to give the credit card back. good thing the elderly man still had his wits and asked for his credit card. the waiter fished in his apron pocket and returned it. no apologies but just a nervous laugh...i found that HIGHLY suspicious.

$40 wasted. mall food would have been better.
4 - Candice S.: Loved this place! Super chic and conveniently located at the beautiful pedestrian Standford Mall.  What's not to love, right?  This quaint little cafe has adorable outdoor seating that resembles a true Italian cafe.  

The menu has an asortment of unique apps, focassia sandwishes, soups, salads, pizzas, pastas, seafood, and rotisserie. Their wine selection is pretty inviting and you won't realize you're getting buzzed cause it's just that good.  

This is a great place, and I highly recommend it!
4 - T P.: This is one of my favorite restaurant.  I went over there again for lunch on Tuesday.  Tutto marie pasta was very good so the truffle cake (I guess I was very hungry and finished everything!!).  Not sure why the coffee served "warm" instead of "hot".  So I am giving 4 stars instead of 5.. 

I will for sure go back again as this is one of best if you want to have a lunch break while shopping in Stanford Shopping Center.  Outdoor seating is relaxing, but please be noted that they won't allow you to place your furry kids directly on top of the chair...  so bring a pet stroller if you have one.  ; )
3 - Betsy C.: My friend and I just went there recently for a "girl's lunch."  The setting is perfect since it's right in Stanford Mall and it provides an slightly fancier alternative to the other places.  

The service was pretty decent though nothing special.  We ordered smoked salmon appetizer that came with a pizza bread, but then our waiter accidentally spilled everything on the empty table next to us.  Luckily, the salmon was ok, but the pizza bread and dill sauce was all over the empty table.  He replaced the sauce, but then picked up the pizza bread and said, "it should be alright" and served it right to us.  Yikes!  Granted, it was an empty and presumably clean table, but still.

As for food, we did enjoy the smoked salmon appetizer, and the pear  and walnut salad.   Contrary to other diners, our pear was quite ripe and the walnuts delicious.  We topped it off with some paella valenciaga, which was pretty yummy too.  When we asked for the dessert menu, our waiter said to us, "you two are big eaters.  I like it!"   Hey, did you have to be so honest? 

Anyway, all in all, I thought the price was slightly expensive for the type of food served.  But given the location and convenience to a fancy shmancy mall, I'm not surprised.   Given a choice, I probably will go to the Neiman Marcus cafe (3rd floor of Neiman Marcus) rather than go back to Babbo's.
4 - Linda L.: The place seems very busy, and there are tons of waiters there (sunday).

They even pull out the table to seat you and push back the table, and push in the chair as you are seated. how nice! 

The prices are reasonable, around $15 a plate of pasta. 

The penne ... bolognese was very delicous! It had a creamy tomato sauce that wasn't overpowering. The penne was cooked to prefection. While the bolognese wasn't too salty (unlike the ones at pasta pomodoro)

The only thing i dont like is how close the seating is to one another, not very private for conversations.
4 - joanne h.: the focaccia bread they gave us when seated were bomb!  buttery and the best i had so far.

i had the ahi tuna salad (get it with avocado..yumm)  and my friend had some other salad,i dont remember what it's called but it was great... better than my ahi tuna.
2 - Judy K.: Went here with my lunch buddy-two females who eat out often.
In a nutshell: food was great but overpriced and the service was spotty.
Mr. Waiter could not bring himself to smile or be overly friendly. We were not offered refills on drinks, empty glasses were not removed, we were offered tepid tea and my knife which was removed with my salad was not replaced with my pizza. I replaced it myself by taking one from the empty table next to us.
All in all, won't be back soon. Oh yeah-do not under any circumstances use the bathroom facilities....yaaack!
Also thought that the warning at the bottom of the menu about a $10 per person minimum was tacky.
4 - Julia A.: Three and a half stars, but I rounded up.  I'd give Babbo's five stars if their mushroom ragout was consistent: it's my very favorite dish here and it really depends on who's cooking it, as sometimes it's perfection (it's Mushroom Heaven, actually, when it's done right), but other times it's overcooked and overly salty.  I found the waitstaff to be friendly but the service itself can be iffy (sometimes you have to wait awhile for drinks or the check), and the tables are really close together so you're unintentionally eavesdropping on other diner's conversations, and they're doing the same with you.
4 - H H.: I only hit Stanford mall once in a blue moon, but all my forays here have met with good service,  so not sure which buffoons are working on the days other Yelpers come here.  
My dad loves this place for the lamb dishes, and we had a lovely wine/pizza/pasta/fish dinner with friends here. Seafood pizza was a big hit, as was our fish and pasta dishes.  A little pricey for the relatively small fish and salad, but nothing absurd given that it is Palo Alo.  Did not try the dessert or coffee since they don't strike me as a place that specializes in that sort of thing.
3 - Alexa M.: Pizza was pungent & smelled like feet. The lemonade tasted like lime juice and sparkling water. My attempt to make it better by adding packets of Splenda failed.  Uhhh did I miss something or did my waiter eat half my mussels and clams? $19...ripoff
4 - Steph C.: Babbo NYC it is not, but Babbo SSC provides consistently good Italian fare in a cosy setting.  The outdoor patio is wonderful on a nice day and the wait staff is always so friendly I want to hug it.

I've been a handful of times and have tried most of the pastas.  They've all been tasty, but the spinach tortellini in creamy sauce is great.  This is coming from a marinara maniac - I stray from my preferences for that tortellini.  Also worth noting is the smoked salmon appetizer that comes with the standard Lox accompaniments on flat bread.  For dessert try the lemon tart.  Yum num num.
2 - kevin l.: Overpriced for the ambiance and average dishes.  With so many better restaurants in the area you have many better choices.
3 - true c.: Babbo's is more like 2.5 stars because it's overpriced and the food is just average.  But the friendly waiters bumps it up a notch.  Babbo's is never busy like Max's next door, so it's okay if you're meeting others at the mall and you need a quiet place to eat at your long-time leisure.  We were not rushed even though we were at Babbo's for 2 hours catching up among friends.  If you want better tasting food at better prices, go next door to Max's Cafe.  If you need a quiet, unrushed place to eat and you absolutely cannot drive to downtown Palo Alto and you must eat at the mall, then I suppose Babbo's is okay.
4 - Shayy W.: I've been to this place twice now,it's a cute little spot but it's kind of overpriced.. also, everytime I've been here it's driven me nuts that they don't serve free refills.. if we're paying $65 dollars for a dinner for 2 & there's not one other couple in the restaurant, I think they could cough up at least 1 FREE REFILL!
2 - Sharon S.: Considering the prices they charge, the food is substandard and the wait staff is somewhat snobbish.  Their hamburger on foccacia is average, caesar salad is bland for $10.95 and chicken al limone was too saucy for my taste.  Unfortunately I have yet to find a place that is more than average to eat at in Stanford Shopping Center.
2 - Richard C.: Mussels and clams with pasta--uh, what happened to the mussels and clams?

Babbo's serves mediocre food in a crammed atmosphere at stratospheric prices.  Personally, I'll stick with Max's next door.
2 - Katharine A.: Pretty mediocre all around.  I have come here several times and although I never really count the experience as anything remarkable.  I always return, but it is never my choice. 

The most stunning thing on the menu is this honey-mustard sauce that is addicting.
4 - James S.: Definitely better than most mall restaurants.  I think under normal circumstances I would rate Babbo's as 3-stars for a few reasons.  The food is fresh and very good, but I've had some dry chicken sandwiches, and some fish dishes that were so drenched in butter that you couldn't taste the fish.  The restaurant is also very cramped and does not have its own bathroom.  You have to walk into a service hallway for the mall to use the bathroom.

The reason that I give Babbo's a 4-star review however, is the owner, Lazlo Fono.  He's an ex olympic skier who is quite old and a bit frail these days.  Yet you'll still find him at the restaurant, chatting with the customers quite frequently.  If you find a hard to understand old guy trying to make conversation with you at Babbo's, give him a chance and you'll discover he's a fantastic person with a rich history.  Even to this day he travels the world and skis in countries I can only dream of skiing in.  Cheers to Lazlo Fono!
3 - starrynight c.: I think this is one of the best options for dinner at the stanford mall.  I've been here three times now and it's been a solid experience every time.  The lamb ragou is great!  I had the mushroom ragou this last time and it was just ok.  It's a super light dish, not the red sauce that the lamb has, but the mushrooms are very tasty.  The service was very good - very warm and friendly wait staff, makes it feel very cozy and happy.  They're not extremely attentive since we never got cheese for our pastas, but that's ok, I got over it because their bread was so yummy.

It's on the side close to sprinkles and sigonia's (the food market in the mall).  They have outdoor seating that looks cozy, but since I usually come out for dinner and I don't dress appropriately, I've never eaten outside.  

More than solid post shopping dinner, yum.  I'll be back again and again.
4 - Justine R.: Their shrimp salad is just incredible. It comes with ten big prawns and an assortment of deliciousness. The contents of the salad are all separate but it's perfect because everything has it's own unique flavor. The black beans were seasoned so nicely and the avocado was fresh and tasty. It was a healthy and filling meal and we all left very satisfied!
2 - Anjelica B.: I don't know whether or not to give this place 2 or 3 stars, so forgive me if the rating switches up again

Me and my boyfriend were actually looking for another restaurant to have lunch but I decided on my plan B to go and try this place. Mediterranean food is one of my favorite types of food so I figured this place would have at least a decent looking menu. Anyways, most of the outdoor seating was full and we didn't really mind where we sat so we sat inside where we were one of only 3 couples. 

Once we got our menus I was getting pretty anxious to order and when I opened my menu I was kind of disappointed - everything on their lunch menu was overpriced! I mean the appetizers, salads, entrees, pastas...everything was  over $12; there were only 2 or 3 dishes that were $9.50, one of those being a cup of soup. A CUP of SOUP?!?!

Anyways, I order the spinach pasta filled with veal and chicken ($17)  and when I finally got it,  there was only 11 pieces of spinach pasta.............sigh. (really wish I ordered the shrimp salad I was looking at...) Thank GOD it tasted really good so that sorta made up for it. Sauce was a little too salty though.

Oh and they gave us the bread restaurants normally give before you order AFTER they brought us our food.  The bread was really really good though, but still kind of odd that they give it to you later...maybe our server just forgot?

What really killed it for me was how overpriced the food was...I paid 24 dollars for one dish and a freaking cup of juice ($3.50, btw). I'm really glad everything tasted awesome but even someone like me that spends more money on food than anything wouldn't go back because even the food isn't enough for the price you pay.

Maybe if I can magically pull money out of my ass or obtain a large bag full of money to spend I'll come back, but until that happens I'll stay clear.
4 - Angela H.: I had the goat cheese salad, which was sooo good. The dressing was a really nice vinaigrette that I only wish I had also had my friend's pizza to use the crust to soak the rest up with. The Gorgonzola pizza, by the way, was also delicious. Cute outdoor place, reasonably priced, but just beyond tasty!
4 - Linda B.: Our lunch was exquisite.  The melon in the melon-prosciutto dish  just melted in our mouths... ripe yet firm.   The baked goat cheese salad was truly delicious, -- actually worth making a special  trip for.  The pricing is appropriate for the general tenor of the center.  People at our neighboring table were praising their pizza.  The water is delicious unlike most Palo Alto water. We look forward to returning.
3 - Marsh-Silog P.: Came here for a late lunch with the hub, it was pretty good.  He ordered the salmon and I ordered the seafood pasta which was just as good.  The only thing I didn't care for was the tight seating in the back of the restaurant, any closer and I would have been able to hug the lady next to me.
3 - Lynne L.: Sea bass (a touch under $30) with potatoes gratin for lunch tasted excellent less some odd skin bits in the potato that might have been skin from a head of garlic.  Typical over-salted of any high end restaurant I've eaten in lately but it wasn't overly salty throughout so it was manageable.

Son's steak was rare, but I worked up sweat anyway cutting it for him. Improved knives or steak would be welcome.  Typically, he cuts his own food and has for many years. Even telling my son he was incurring wrath of our ancestors as part-chinese who could not wield a knife properly was  not enough incentive to motivate him to be able to cut it. He didn't complain of taste, which probably means it was excellent as he is very picky. He ate all of it and all the potatoes.

Waiter was okay. With espresso and vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup, along with drinks, tip, lunch for 2 was a bit under $100.

For a hot noon-time @ Stanford Mall, which, at least of which I'm aware, lacks good food sufficient to surfeit a boy having a growth spurt, with afore-mentioned pre-teen stating he was starving, it was an oasis. Even if an imperfect and expensive oasis, it calmed the storms.  

Tables are close together but aisles are very spacious so it's not that bad. It was a nice $100 break mid-day on a Monday.

Lights are kind of hokey, new wave. Paintings are ?'20s European modern but more light hearted. A lot of flowers in vases.  Waiter nice, but not classically trained.

They forgot bread entirely. Worked for us as there wasn't all that much table space for two. They didn't hurry the service nor the bill and service was not ,as is it typically in most restaurants with $30 minute plate of fish, intrusive and unsettling.

Bathroom door was locked initially. Help who was not serving us told my son to go find his own waiter when he asked for assistance.

No view to speak of whatsoever. Nice big pole in front of my face and no mirrors so I couldn't see towards front of restaurant.

Given other options and low blood sugar boy, give it a 3. Only one customer's cell phone went off during lunch and there were no "let me look important" types in the restaurant imposing upon others with their cell phone usage, etc.  Mostly retired folks.

It'd be nice if they'd provide cheese/fruit service or make it a bit more Italian traditional but again, compared to anything else of which I'm personally aware at Stanford Mall, it hit the spot fine.
3 - Paulette L.: Kinda wish I saw the reviews for this place before visiting, but we were walking by, the weather was gorgeous, and a few tables were free outside.  The waiter was kind and personable and seated us quickly. 

The chestpains began when we opened the menu - holy cow was it pricey.  $15 for pizza the size of a small dinner plate?!  I guess it's "gourmet" but wow.

Lucky for them, I was starving and really enjoying the view outside, so we stayed.  We went for a light dinner (light on the budget and light on the tummy) and split a pizza and (appetizer) salad.  

We got the Quattro...something pizza.  It had 2 slickes with capers and proscutto,  2 slices with anchovies and olives (YUM), 2 slices with ginormous atichoke hearts, and 2 slices with mushroom.  Nice way to lay out the ingredients so we literally split each flavor.  
The salad... I can't remember the name but it had gorgonzola cheese and walnuts.  Very good, except they went a little overboard with the cheese.   

We didn't try any desserts and instead soaked up some sun and did some people watching.  Most of the stars, sadly, are for the ambiance and waiters (based on the other reviews, I guess we got lucky).  The food was ok, but was way overpriced.  We'll try Max's instead next time.
1 - Rie S.: Are you kidding me?  Two pizzas and a coke for $40?  

And it's not like it's quality pizza either:  I think I've had crispier ones out of a microwave.
3 - L L.: We were strolling around the mall and came here for lunch. I had the grilled salmon and my friend had the seafood risotto. My dish was very flavorful. The fish was served with grilled tomatoes, zucchini, lentils and potatoes au gratin. My friend ate all of the risotto, so I suppose that was good, too.

The service was very good as well. The white-haired owner (whose picture as a young man is on the menu -- too cute!) tried to get me to order the salmon poached because the flavor was better. The waiter also brought my friend an empty bowl for her seafood shells.

The bill came to $50 plus tip, which I thought was steep for lunch in a mall. (Course, it was Palo Alto.)
1 - monica k.: My best friend and i had lunch here today outside and i brought along my four month old bulldog puppy. He is very well behaved and sat beside us quietly the whole time. The waiter gave him some food with out asking me first (chicken), which made me extremely angry because he is never allowed human food. Then after ordering a cheese pizza to share it took nearly 25 minutes for the food to arrive no bread was ever served though I requested some when we sat down, and then again when the waiter went to help another customer nearby. When the pizza arrived it was soggy and luke warm, I wanted to send it back but my gal pal was hungry so we each ate a piece. Our waiter was then no where to be found, instead an older gentlemen who i presumed to be an owner or manager asked if we would like some dessert. We ordered the creme brule though we were going to get the bread pudding, the 'manager' insisted we order the creme brule, not taking no thank you for an answer. Sure enough another fifteen minutes later a cold ramekin with some yellow custard than looked curdled arrived, the 'custard' portion was mushy and the top layer burned, not caramelized as  is the norm for creme brule. I asked for the check and we were told to 'take our time to enjoy the nice outside seating' then after I insisted we had to go do our shopping we were still left to wait for another 30 minutes! I left no tip, and will never return here. If you value your time and money do not go here!!
4 - Lu W.: First off, I don't have much feeling about this place, and I'm writing this mostly to tell the mighty Yelp god I'm alive and well. 

I went to Babbo's with two friends, one who's in town from Germany for a 3-week SLAC internship, the other arrived from Germany just months ago performing her particle bombardment duties. It wasn't a flawed dining experience, but neither was it spectacular. Sitting in a busy corner with a merlot and watching the Stanford Mall shopping crowd swarming by set a semi-bourgeois tone; a delicious smoked salmon salad completes the deal. 

Mind you, this is the Stanford Mall, the crown jewel of strip malls, so no free bread and hummus should be expected, nor was it offered. The friendly waiter deserves high marks for making my German-mannered company feel at home.

It's understandably pricey, but you do get a little bit of decadent pleasure back.
3 - Jennifer A.: After a few strenuous hours of shopping, my parents and I dropped into Babbo's for lunch after seeing the delicious food people were eating at the tables outside. My first impression was that it was a little on the pricey side for a mall restaurant. I think sandwiches, pizzas, and salads were $15+, while entrees were over $20. 

A lot of people were eating focaccia sandwiches, but I had a craving for pizza and ordered the Babbo special. It was pretty good with big chunks of feta and huge olives. My only complaint is that the thin crust pizza wasn't very crispy. My mom's bolognese pasta was quite good as well, but I really loved the focaccia that came with it. Grrr, I knew I should have gotten a sandwich! It was crispy on the outside and slightly greasy and olive oily. Mmm yum.

I'd give Babbo's more like 3.5 stars and I would come back, but I'd be more interested to check out the other options at the Stanford mall. I took a peek into La Baguette and their sandwiches and pastries looked quite intriguing...
3 - WENDY T.: During our mad dash to Sprinkles before closing, my best friend and I ran into Babbos.  We walked through this little alley with outdoor seating and thought that it would be a nice place to have dinner.  So why not right?! What do we have to loose?  

The outdoor seating was nice but the only thing I didn't like about it was that the tables were SOOOO close together.  We were basically a hands length from our neighbor.  That was just a little too close for comfort since everyone can hear our conversation.  

Since we've never been here, we wanted to sample the menu and opt'd to share 3 dishes.  Of course we had to get a glass of wine to go with our dinner....after all, it was a girls night out! :) Napa Acacia Caneros Chardonnay paired great with our appetizer.  

Mediterranean mussels- This was yummy to have as an appetizer.  The mussels were just a lil on the "dinky" side but the sauce was great for bread! 

Gorgonzola Pear Salad- You have to be a Gorgonzola lover or a big cheese fan to enjoy this salad.  The creamy cheese (plentiful amount) + sweat pear slices + candied walnuts + house vinaigrette dressing = yummmmy!   I would go back to have this salad if I'm feeling very cheesy! 

Peperonata Flat Bread Pizza- MEATY MEATY MEATY and yummy.  The pizza was perfect for 2.  The pepperoni was different than your usual pepperoni...it was meaty!  The caramelized onions gave the pizza a little sweetness, which I enjoyed very much.  

The meal came out to $75(tip included), which wasn't bad since we got a half bottle of wine.
4 - Kazu O.: A bit overpriced, but definitely tasty!

We were starving as we got to the Stanford Mall. I was in the mood for something new so we decided to try out Babbo's. It was a nice sunny day so the outdoor seating was perfect. I wasn't aware that this was a Mediterranean Bistro, though.. I could've sworn that the store directory listings in the mall called this place Babbo's Pizzaria" or something??

We ordered the Pear-Gorgonzola Salad and, since we were thinking this was a pizza joint, the Sotto Mare Pizza. We were not disappointed with either one. The salad had thinly sliced, sweet pears and very creamy gorgonzola. The combination of those two with arugula and candied walnuts was delicious. The Sotto Mare Pizza was great! They serve the clams and mussels on the pizza with the shells on. The fish that came on the pizza was very juicy/flaky. The red sauce was the perfect flavor for the seafood, and the crust was nice and crunchy. I'll definitely order this one again the next time I come here.

We had creme brulee also for dessert -- good, but personally, I can't really tell too big of a difference between good and bad creme brulee.

I enjoyed my meal a lot... my only gripe is that the price is a bit high, especially for lunch.
4 - Amy C.: Ordered the seafood pizza and gorgonzola pear salad.  I would definitely come back for the salad because I love pear salads and this one was really good.  The pizza description said it had spicy prawns and I was a little put off by that because I can't stand anything spicy, but when we got our pizza it was not spicy at all, which is good for me but for someone that expected some heat it might be a disappointment.  The first thing I noticed when the pizza came out was a wave of fishy seafood stench (just like walking into a seafood market).  The pizza itself was okay.  

Pros: gorgonzola pear salad was really good and sitting outside on a sunny day with shade was relaxing.  

Cons: really fishy smelling pizza.
1 - sunnyside m.: Was a little disappointed today.  My husband and I go to this place for lunch a lot because we LOVE their sandwiches.  Sometimes we go there for dinners but it's pricey.  We decided to splurge tonight but didn't have the most positive experience.  We love the food but the service is a hit or a miss. I feel like if you're going to charge $20-30 for an entree the service should be pretty good. 

We ordered the sea bass and prawns linguine dishes. We also both had a glass of wine. First, our server didn't bring us any bread. He didn't refill our water glasses when they were empty. And it wasn't even busy.  At one point I spilled my glass of wine which was still pretty full.  Granted it was my fault and nobody else's but I feel like at a place like this they should have offered me a refill. Our server came and cleaned up the spillage but that was it. They charge 9.50 a glass so I was a little disappointed.

We still tipped the guy 15% since we're not mean people but I really didn't feel like he deserved a tip.

It's too bad because we like their food. Nowadays I feel like restaurants have excellent service due to slower business. I don't think I'll go there again. Including tip we paid $90 for our meal (just me and my husband) and we didn't feel good about how we spent our money which sucks.
2 - Mahidhar R.: I went in alone and the guy instantaneously looked at me weird because I was dining alone.  

Service was inattentive, possibly because I was alone, partly because I probably wasn't dressed like Stanford Faculty, but still presentable. 

Waiter didn't bother asking if I wanted dessert or filling my glass on a reasonably timely basis.  Were there adequate staff on hand?  I'd say so, enough to check on whether or not I had enough water.

All in all, the guy had a smarmy, patronizing tone.  Pretty impressive for someone who wasn't exactly a Rhodes Scholar.

I still tipped the guy 20% to prove I was a nice guy, but in retrospect, he didn't deserve a dime.  

Tipping in this country has gotten out of control.  We have to tip 15% just to tell people the service was bad.  If it was good, then 18% and if it is well above that, then 20% or above.

Other places have tip jars.

I'm a good tipper most of the time, but it's slowly getting to the point that I'm wondering to myself "WTF?"

Why can't restaurants charge more and pay staff more?
3 - Mona W.: Mediterranean Bistro? I think not. Babbo is a very Italian restaurant. The only reason I walked into this restaurant was because everywhere else was packed. The mall was insanely busy right before Christmas.

The pizzas didn't look too intriguing and pasta are really not my thing. I decided to go with their house specialties. 

Seafood with Puff Pastry - (4 out of 5 stars) - I was told this is their best dish in the house afterward. I am happy to say it did not disappoint. Shrimps and scallops were arranged nicely on a puff pastry shell to resemble the shape of a crab (photo attached). The richness of creamy sauce was what made this dish great. Next time I will remember to find out more about the sauce. Minus one star because the puff pastry shell was not house made.

Grilled Ahi Tuna (Forgot the actual name on the menu) - (3 out of 5 stars) - The ahi tuna was grilled perfectly to medium and the quality of the fish was nice. Unfortunately the sauce was too salty and didn't really go too well with the tuna. The scalloped potatoes on the side were quite tasty. 

It was a very busy day in the mall so the service was understandably slow. We sat down for good 10 minutes before our server showed up. If that happen on a normal day my review would probably be more negative.
4 - Pat G.: We've eaten here several times. I usually have the prawn salad, but tonight, tried the Petrale sole meuniere with asparagus and boiled potato. It was cooked to perfection and the sauce was excellent. The asparagus nicely sauteed, one boiled potato, and some zucchini and Roma tomatoes on the side were good. I had to ask for bread, however, and it was pretty boring focaccia bread at that. My husband had the New York steak which was medium rare as requested, and came with lentils, potatoes au gratin, and zucchini. My dinner was $20, his $29. The service was not perfect, but was friendly and we like the atmosphere. We also love sitting outside on the mall when the weather is good.
3 - Christine L.: First of all, I don't knw who thinks this is a mediterranean place. That's not anywhere in the name, and the owner is from Austria. Its very much a European-Italian style bistro. 

I came across it on accident one day. Have you ever walked into a place thinking it was something else? Well usualy when making this mistake I just leave. However, this time the waiters were so nice and friendly that I decided to stay. Big mistake on my part since the cheapest priced item was a bowl of soup for $13! For soup!!!?? But I had already commited to sitting down so I just decided to go with it. 

The soup was hungarian gouash, which Im a big fan of, so I thought 'why not?'. Wow! It was delicious!!! Literally bettert han goulash that I had while in Hungary! Firt of all the bwl was hugeand filed with chunks of potato and choice cuts of steak. t was very filling and yummy The soup itself was thinner than I'm used to but incredibly flavorful! I tried to eat it all but it over powered me. 

The food was definitely 4 stars, but he notch down on this review is for the ridiculous prices. The soup was great, but $13 is silly.
1 - Someone W.: Great Food ESPECIALLY the Tiramisu! RIDICULOUS prices so i'll just get my pizza else where and just get a $7 Tiramisu. One star for great tiramisu. Thats the only reason.
4 - Lubs Y.: The seafood puff pastry is delicious! The sauce is rich and full of flavor and the shrimp, scallops, and mushroom go perfectly with the pastry shell! Don't waste any of the sauce by dipping the focaccia bread they give you into it!
2 - Rafi C.: To all those geographically-challenged people above like Christine L. & Mona W.  ITALY IS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN - IT IS SURROUNDED BY THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA. I hope you did not graduate from high school and not know that.  This lack of awareness of the world is what makes the US look like idiots. From my experience this restaurant is neither very Italian nor Mediterranean other than pizza and pasta. The fact that the owner is Austrian explains a lot.
3 - Trang O.: We came to this place thinking it was a take out or order and sit down but it was a full service restaurant.  Since we stepped in already we might as well stay.  The food was actually good but a bit pricey.  The pizzas are actually bigger than I expected since it says personal on the menu.  This restaurant got a three stars because the service was horrible.  We were seated for 10 minutes but the waiter didn't give us a menu.  Then another waiter came by and asked if we were ready to order even we had no menus on our hands.  We ordered the roasted mussels (surprisingly good) but there was literally 10 mussels in the bowl.  The pizzas was also not bad, the dough was a bit too crunchy.  I wouldn't come back to this place again though.
4 - M L.: I've been coming here for over 20 years, and have had pretty much everything on the menu. Mr. Fono, the proprietor, is a charming man who is often at the restaurant on busy weekend days.

The service is great, and many of the servers have been at the restaurant since they opened.

The food is definitely Italian with some Mediterranean influences. The pizzas are from a wood burning oven, my favorites being the Pizza Babbo and the margherita. The shrimp salad is healthy, filling and tasty, as is their caesar. The seafood in puff pastry is excellent, and they have some great soups as well. The sandwiches are the best deal on the menu, and are very large. Overall a well rounded menu that has something for everyone. The desserts tend to be underwelming and over priced.

Speaking of cost, this place is a little bit expensive for lunch, but well priced for dinner. But, the food is high quality, the setting is charming, and it is in Stanford Shopping Center, so you're mostly paying for the real estate. Eating outside here can be a really wonderful way to spend an afternoon. I prefer it to every other sit down place at the mall, without a doubt, and it is on par cost wise with most restaurants as well.
4 - Rick B.: We had a small dog with us so we were limited to places that had outdoor dining while at Stanford Shopping Center.  Babbo's caught our eye and we took a seat.  We had no particular expectations but all three of us were extremely pleased with our meals, mine was the Gorgonzola and pine nut pizza which was amazing.  Babbo himself even stopped by our table to chat indicating that his restaurant had been in business there for over 20 years. We'll definitely be back.

I highly recommend the restaurant and only reflecting four stars in my rating because I have not patronized the place frequently and to avoid overall irrational exuberance.  

By the way, the name plate by the door says "Babbo's Pizzeria"
2 - Christina C.: This place had decent Italian food, but poor service. The waiter kept forgetting to get us our drinks, bring napkins, and bring our bread. AND it was during a random off-peak hour (we were there at 3, I think).

Maybe it was just that one waiter. Oh well. Our past and pizza were OK, nothing special.
2 - Roger W.: Well, there's some things here that are OK but the core of the dinner---the Pizza---was only mediocre.

Highlights: Friendly waiters, outside dining in the the Palo Alto evening air, cucumber salad had a nice acidic zing to it, lemonade is tasty because apparently it's fresh and unsweetened.

Low moments: The pizza was greasy, even though the crust was OK---mostly because the cheese seemed either too much or lower quality than the flour in the crust.  Pepperoni sausage had no distinctive flavor.  The great lemonade isn't supplied with a dissolved sugar solution (under barkeep, see: simple syrup); the bill was high ($40 for two with one pie, one salad, two lemonades, no liquor).

Also, quite strangely; on the Iphone mobile Yelp App, this place doesn't appear; maybe, with only three stars, Yelp Mobile was trying to protect me and I didn't know it.
Oh well.
4 - Victoria D.: Came here today because 1. we wanted to get out of the crazy rain and 2. we were hungry. We wanted to try somewhere new and it was a step away. Came in and were seated towards the back. As we walked to our seats i looked around at what others ordered and was pleased to see everyone munching away happily. I ordered the Vegetable soup that comes with a small side of foccacia and my boyfriend got the tuna. My soup was good. They used simple ingredients to make a really delicious soup. It was so good i didnt mind that i burned my mouth form it :D Cost a little bit more than it should have for our food but i guess was worth it. Would come again for the soup and bread for sure.
2 - britney p.: Beautiful day in Palo Alto, decided to go shopping with my aunt and enjoy the sunshine. We were starving and wanted a place that would actually serve us and a place we could sit down at. Babbo's looked to be the only place like that....though serve us was not what they did. 

First of all, we were seated next to the bathrooms in a completely empty indoor section of the restaurant-first sign of a bad experience. Second, our waiter hounded us for our orders, before asking us if we would like to hear any of their specials or offering us bread. When we finally did place orders, our waiter disappeared into thin air. As we sat, we watched all the other patrons receive bread and water and oil, while we sat there with nothing. I had to politely ask another waiter for it, explaining I had no idea where our waiter was. We ordered a bottle of champagne, though the waiter basically uncorked, poured a little in my aunt's glass and decided to walk away. 

When our entree's came out, we saw that they were not so much on the light side that we expected-my sole, while good, tasted like a crusty piece of toast slathered in butter. My aunt's seared tuna was covered with such a thick sauce, that we wondered whether or not it was actually seared tuna. Odd.

Overall, I was not pleased and neither was my aunt. We loved the mall, but will definitely not be sitting down for lunch at Babbo's again.
2 - kate d.: Food:okay
Service: very poor!

Knowing I was at the "mall" and not expecting much from a mall restaurant I was not disappointed by the average food. Both mine and my companions separate fish dishes were very heavy on the butter but the fish was fresh and the vegetable side of tomato and Zucchini was delicious.
The actual restaurant was empty on the inside as it was a lovely day and most diners were outside. Not wanting to wait we agreed to sit indoors....in an empty restaurant we were seated at the Bathroom entrance!  In addition, the bathroom was filthy.

Our waiter continued to rush us through our order....coming to the table every 2 minutes to ask if we were ready to order, hardly giving us a chance to read the menu.(never mind him describing the specials or offering advice). Once we ordered......he was no where to be seen. We were not offered bread like other diners until we asked. Then we were brought bread without bread plates or olive oil. (again we had to ask).  The waiter never refilled our champagne glasses so we poured our own.....as we watched the parade of people go in and out of the bathroom. 

Overpriced and not worth a return visit!
3 - Kate J.: I came here with a friend who said their bread was amazing. I love bread so I had to try it!

We went at lunch time on a Thursday and there was a decent amount of people seated. We ordered drinks, waited for the waiter to bring the bread, waited, then finally asked for some bread. I wonder if some restaurants to this on purpose? We finally got the bread and it was delicious! But I still would have likes some olive oil with it. 

On to my lunch. I ordered the focaccia sandwich with salmon. The bread had whole olives in it which were too salty so I took them out. the aïoli was very good and made the sandwich even better. It also came with sliced tomatos, watercress, and a carrot cucumber chopped mix. I only ate half because it was a pretty big meal, perfect for sharing. 

The price of the sandwich: $16.95
Worth it? I guess, but I'm not rushing to get back here.
3 - Star M.: Ate lunch outside on a great summer day.  Table was very uneven (on a bit of a drain slope in the brickwork) to the point of being distracting.  Tables are way too close together for anything other than casual conversation.

Menu selection was sufficient, but a bit limited.  I ended up with a gorgonzola & pear salad that was good.  The gorgonzola was mild and very creamy -- great play off the pears.  The Baked Goat Cheese Salad was good, but huge -- no way to eat all of it nor to really manage the size of the goat cheese chunk.

Limited menu, adequate service, a bit pricey for what you get.  Not bad for stopping to eat while shopping, but definitely not a destination restaurant.
1 - Gwen K.: Ate at this place today. THE Service was horrible! You have to constantly ask a waiter (not yours) for water. It got to the point where I got up and went behind the bar to get the pitcher of water myself. The place was not busy at all at the time. This place got ONE STAR only because the food was prepared very quickly, maybe due to this place not very busy for lunch. We only came here because there was a long wait at Max's Opera Cafe nearby and wanted choices other than salads and sandwiches for lunch. We should have gone next door to the mini market and bought a hot lunch while sitting outside watching shoppers pick their fruit!

For a sausage pizza and spaghetti and meatballs, the bill total was around $38.00! 

Keep walking by this place and don't stop!
5 - Paul N.: The lemon chicken is the best I have ever had by a mile.  Great food.  I have had good experience with the service, but I try to avoid busy times.

I just had a house salad and Hungarian Gullash (sorry for the spelling) that were fantastic.
3 - Tanya A.: This place had excellent food, but the service was okay. 

First of all, we were sat down by our waiter, who took our order and walked away. In the meantime, he served two other tables their bread and olive oil and vinegar. We waited for ours, but it never came. Finally, once our salad arrived, we asked for the bread and olive oil and vinegar, which eventually came, but of course no olive oil and vinegar. Instead, another waiter had to see we did not get any, so offered us some. Other waiters had to assist us throughout the evening. Kind of irritating, but maybe that's just how the restaurant works. 

The salad and pizza were great! We got the baked goat cheese salad, which was delicious! It was displayed fantastically, and even came with mini toasted bread with olive tapenade on it! If you do order this particular salad, make sure you like goat cheese, because there's a lot of it! 

We also got Pizza Babbo. After loads of goat cheese, the feta on the pizza became a bit much, but overall the pizza was delicious!

Also, the ingredients are extremely fresh, and I love how their kitchen is in the front and not behind doors. At one point of time, the chef was cooking 6 dishes at once!

Great place with okay service. Quaint ambiance, especially if you sit outside!
2 - Eric A.: We  came here for lunch and while the atmosphere of the mall was really nice, the restaurant itself is way too small, they need to re-position where all the seats were.

The location where I was sitting was the waiter throughout my meal kept on asking if I could skoot up a bit, which was quite annoying. The way the tables were positioned, the wait-staff couldn't get to the corner of the room to serve the other customers. 

The food was too expensive. $17 for spaghetti? $17 for a lamb sandwich?

Regarding the taste of the food, I had their Focaccia Babbo and thought the bread was very good, they salted it up which gave it a kick.
They gave me honey mustard on the side when the sandwich already had sauce, what was that for? Very confusing

Anyways, disregarding the experience, the food was really not that impressive.
1 - mary s.: If I was the owner of this bistro, I would be ashamed to even call this a pizza. It was probably the worst I ever had. The dough was half-baked and it was not even a good dough. But the worst and most disgusting part of this pizza was the toppings. They were cold. One of the toppings was artichokes. They were just taking out of a can and put on the top after the dough was made, so it actually tasted like a can. The rest of the toppings were just cold and awful. I also have to mention that this place is kind of expensive for what they serve. Service was very slow in spite of just a few people inside.  I would give this place zero stars.
4 - sebastien d.: Lovely authentic place! 

The staff was very charming, and we had a few good laughs with them. The food was simple, well sized and really enjoyable. The service is ok, not super fast but we didn't really care. It was the WE and we had plenty of time.

The focaccia bread, with olive oil & vinegar is so good! I then had the spicy sausage oven-made pizza with a cold beer, with a green salad and that was magical.

Just a perfect break after a long sunny morning of hard-core shopping!
5 - Susanne K.: This indeed is a find! we came here last weekend for lunch and didnt know what to expect. the decor is like we came straight into a real Italian place in Europe and the food that came after didnt leave us unhappy. In fact it was amazing! This is a non fuzz simple Italian restaurant with delicous pasta and pizza.
Thanks to the team, we loved it!
4 - Sean L.: The food was incontrovertibly charming. But I must sadly take off one star for the overpriced-ness. 

My friend and I had an urgent business at the Stanford Mall 8 in the evening (unexpected too). After it was finished, we decided to drop in Babbo's because it was near the parking lot, and we were total strangers here. The food inside smelled scrumptious, alluring my ravenous stomach with tantalizations. So we went in.

We were promptly seated (outside - perfect, cool evening). But after that, the service was a bit too slow (even when it was an off-peak time with only a few other customers). Water came late (and it tasted strongly of chlorine too). So did the bread (cold, soggy, and oily - not what you'd expect from a restaurant with so many expensive items). Furthermore, the place barely had pasta - just pizza, sandwiches, and stuff like risottos and steaks.

Food ordered -
Seafood Risotto: My companion ordered this, and she was delighted by its full, bursting flavor. It had a hearty batch of clams, shrimps, and whatnot. However, the $21.50 price tag: is it worth it? Hmm...

Pepporinta (sp?) Pizza - Baked in the traditional fireplace oven. Delicious, rich flavor with lots of chewy mozzarella cheese. Definitely worth the $13.50 price tag. Excellent!

If you don't mind the price... GO FOR IT! Some tasty food here...
3 - Kiesha R.: It's satisfying, but as others have said, pretty expensive for what it is. My Foccacia Babbo was good, but just did not seem like it should have cost $17. But let's face it, Stanford Shopping Center is the perfect fit for a place like that, and it's not like anything else is exactly cheap. So I enjoyed the nice day and opportunity to sit outside, and rolled with it.
4 - Christina D.: Babbo's is a warm, neighborhood-style Italian bistro that has somehow found it's way to Stanford Shopping Center. The wait staff treats you like family, as does the owner, who often pops in to charm guests. 

The entrees are very good, but the gelato with berries and zabaglione is a real winner (especially on a warm evening). This isn't a trendy place at all, and the menu has barely changed over the last decade, which is actually really nice to find. (Old world charm and simplicity trumps flashy ingredients here.) 

Prices are exactly what you'd expect at a good, established restaurant in Silicon Valley, and service is fantastic. This is the perfect place to stop by after hard day of shopping!
1 - Gokmen E.: After today's lunch here, it'll be a while before i go out to eat without checking with Yelp first. 
This place is a huge rape, ripoff, whatever you want to call it.
It is a casual place, nothing extraordinary or special, however,
How could  you justify a $18 Chicken Sandwich, 
  $9.50 for a CUP of SOUP,
 $22 seafood pasta....   etc.? 
Food is nothing special. Lots of hits and misses. It is an open kitchen and everything is prepared by hispanic cooks (wink wink).
Bread was stale, my wife;s chicken on stale focaccia was terrible, my tuna steak was ok, $29 Lamb chops was good. 
The only reason we didn't walk out was not to embarrass our guest out of town. 
What a shame. 
AVOID
1 - nino l.: There is an older gentelman who works there on Sunday afternoon.   He may even be an owner.  I had lunch there with my wife, father, and Uncle. Our bill was $105 and I tipped 20% out of habit but this person made several inappropriate comments to us throughout our meal which I will not post on Yelp.  I have gone there with my family for years but after that experience I will never go back.

As far as the food, it is just fine.  You can't really mess up Pepperoni pizza and Chicken Marsala and they taste just ok when you are getting insulted by the older gentleman who works there between courses.  He ruined the experience for me and the repeat business for the other servers who are actually decent.  My father, uncle, and wife felt the same way about the experience.  Next April when my Grandfather is in town and takes the family to this place, I will make sure "NOT" to attend.   

As for my credibility for what it is worth, I have clients in Palo Alto who I often take to lunch and dinner around Stanford and so I dine out frequently for business and leisure.  I always tip 20% for a good dining experience.   I will not bring my business meetings to this restaurant and I sadly I would never dine here for leisure again.
2 - Amina M.: Came to the Stanford mall in the afternoon, starving for lunch before plunging into hardcore shopping. I passed by this cute looking restaurant, remembering that I had came across it last time I was at the mall and wanted to try out the place. 

Looking at the menu, the prices were a bit pricey, but not too expensive. I ordered a pizza with caramelized onions, italian sausage, and mushrooms (I forgot the exact name of the dish), and my friend ordered a shrimp angel hair pasta that had Sherry white wine cream sauce on it. The pizza was a decent portion for one person, as well as the pasta. However, my pizza was pretty burnt on the bottom, for the whole entire pizza. Pretty over cooked. I was also expecting a thinner authentic italian type of pizza (aka brooklyn style), but the pizza was a lot more thicker. I tried my friend's pasta, and I preferred that over my dish, even though I felt it was a bit salty. The food wasn't horrible, it was enjoyable...but honestly nothing to talk about.

Another major downside was the silverwear we had. Both my friend's and my own silverwear all were dirty with old food on it. Gross. When I stopped our waiter to let him know they were both dirty and we needed new ones, our waiter didn't even let me finish speaking, and just grabbed one other set of utensils and placed them on our table, not even apologizing or anything. I felt that was a bit rude and not good customer service. 
Another thing that peeved me that my friend and I both noticed: our waiter seemed to be more polite and attentive towards another party he was serving a couple tables away from us. These people were elderly ladies dressed up in nice clothes....maybe he thought he'd get a better tip from them vs. my friend and I who were dressed more casually and were minorities? Or maybe that's just jumping to conclusions! But either way, our waiter sucked at customer service for my table.

Would I come back here again? Not unless I was invited to or it was someone else's idea. The food was ok, but there are better places around the area I would pick over here.
3 - Michael S.: Babbo's has a mix of the everyday run-of-the-mill American restaurant and really nice Spanish, Italian and Greek dishes.

I do not believe that they have a separate lunch menu or lunch portions.

The pizzas are all made in the brick oven and are quite tasty.  They used to have a make-your-own calzone, which was quite fantastic, but during my latest visit, I failed to see it on the menu (it may be only a dinner item?).  The paella comes in a very generous portion and is my stepfather's go-to dish.

The wait staff is very attentive and everyone will thank you and wish you well as you leave.  Your meal will be expensive, so you might as well make the most of it and order something that you won't get anywhere else.
4 - Elizabeth S.: Babbo's while small, and in a mall, has service refined, and prices just fine. Between you and me, the cucumber salad's sublime.
5 - Linda N.: My favorite place to eat handsdown. You are warm welcomed by the staff here. I go to this place alot. The staff knows what I want to order when I walk through the door. Yes that is how much I come to this place. I always order the pene pasta dish that has tomato cream sauce with basil and italian sausage with focaccia bread SOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOODD.  The pizzas are baked in a brick oven giving the crust awesome flavor. They have a full bar there mostly wine which I love. They have paella also and roasted chicken also. The decor is somewhat modern with an old world charm feel. 

You can set outside or inside. This place is not big somewhat on a small side. But the food and service speaks volumes. Somewhat pricey but at the end it is worth it trust me.

Love this place to the people who complain that it's expensive. Umm FYI you are in a rich high class community near by Standford College. So get with the program take you're business somewhere else. Stop putting bad reviews because of it. So get a life.
4 - Nancy W.: I went to the Stanford Shopping Mall with my class, but we have could anywhere we desired. So my friend and I went here. 
We ordered San Francisco Crab Cakes.
Everything is good except the waiting period for our food.
3 - J G.: I like its outside sitting and it does remind you of italian. food was okay and not so impressive but not bad at all.
4 - aeri k.: I got their babbo pizza and sandwich. I loved the lamb in the sandwich and the tomatoes on the pizza. Pricey though
2 - Adrienne L.: I feel sad giving it only 2 stars, but here's why I am:

So originally there was another Italian restaurant at Stanford shopping center that my dad and I would always go to for lunch and order the same exact thing, but it closed down a number of years ago and rumor was that the same owner or something or another had opened up this restaurant, sooo we had to come and check it out. So my mom, aunt and baby cousin and I go and sure enough, they have the same dishes that we always ordered [ Cappellini con Gamberi and the Seafood Pastry Puff]. And oh the joy when I smelled my childhood and we got our dishes looking exactly the same. Then I took a huge bite of my pasta, and everything tasted - like childhood, but soggy. To my huge disappointment, the pasta was way overcooked and getting almost mushy in my bowl. After our meal I asked the waiter if I could next time have it cooked a bit more al dente or perhaps switch from angel hair to another pasta so that it wouldn't absorb so quickly. Sadly, he informed that they precooked their pasta, so there was nothing they could do. For the price, they really should not be precooking their pasta. I would be willing to wait an extra 7 minutes to get freshly cooked pasta, really. That  being said, the flavors were all still very tasty - typically very heavy though, as with any cream sauce. The Seafood Pastry Puff must be eaten quickly though, because the pastry will also get soggy quickly, but the seafood was cooked well (I hate overcooked protein and want to cry when my scallops are overcooked -- Gordon Ramsey outburst anyone?)

So. 2 stars because they did not meet the standard for an Italian restaurant especially with that price range. I can't speak for the rest of the dishes, and of course the staff is super friendly and warm, so the place isn't lacking in service... it's just precooked pasta/overpriced and occasionally has a snobby customer(s) that make their distaste for having a fussy toddler around at the restaurant, during lunch, outside, much too blatant. Oh btw, the sitting outdoors is shaded, which is nice, but the tables are almost right next to each other, so all the more reason to make nice and get cozy with your neighbors. My recommendation? If you like angel hair, best to bring your own, otherwise order something else!
3 - Sam C.: Came here while shopping at the Stanford mall.  I checked yelp and this place was rated at 3 stars.  And all the users were right.  This place is a very solid 3 stars.  The food isn't amazing.  The service is great.  I tired the fire roast muscles, the pizza and the spaghetti. The muscle had lots of flavor and were cooked perfectly.   Out of all of those dishes, the muscles and the spaghetti were the best.  The pizza was the disaappoint of the bunch.  A little bland.  The crust was so so and I felt like they could have used better quality cheese.
3 - kim n.: Now I hate here many years ago and didnt really remember the meal. Guess it wasn't that striking. However having been back recently I will have to say I enjoyed the food. Good goulash and the fish/potato casserole was also solid. Sitting outside was kinda windy that day but great for the eclectic people watching. I think the downside is the prime Palo Alto rent you're paying for in the meal as a place like this anywhere else is probably 20-25% cheaper. 3.5 stars
1 - Tyler M.: Came here during lunch time.  The server or whatever the position of the employee pretty much refused to let us sit inside, so of course we had no choice but to sit outside.  I arrived exactly at 12:00 pm no assistance after being seated, then at around 12:05 a customer was sat behind me then immediately to my right.  keep in mind my drink order wasn't taken and nobody else had come to talk to me since being seated.  5 more minutes pass and the customers sat around me had already got help and drinks but I hadn't.  I attempted to get their attention but my efforts were in vain as nobody responded.  So I sat and waited for another 21 minutes and 32 seconds since that is how long an episode of Bob's Burger's was and still no help!  I ended up leaving since I ran out of patience and ended up going to Max's Opera Cafe where I received service in a jam packed place.  I'll be sure to never go back to this sad excuse of a restaurant, and to think I was about to pay 20 bucks for a most likely horrible dish of pasta!
2 - Nicola A.: After a quick mall trip we decided to eat here just because it looked a nice place.  Unfortunately there was no menu outside, but the sign indicated, pizza, pasta, sandwiches...

When we received the menus I kept looking for the other items.  There was no pasta, 5 pizzas, 5 foccacia sandwiches, around 15 seafood dishes (I'm allergic to fish, so that ruled that out) and around 5 meat dishes, lamb chops being $30.  The appetizer salads were anything between $10 and $15.  This was meant to be a quick cheap bite at the mall.

Hubby and me both ordered the foccacia burger which is just a sandwich with a few lettuce leaves as a a side, we ordered a side of potato gratin $7.50.  My daughter ordered a margarita pizza.

When the food came, the potato gratin was 3 slices of potato deep and in a square around 10cm.  I've eaten in steak houses that gave you more potato for your $7.50.  My burger was cold, so I had to send it back, which was dealt with well by the waiter.  When I did get it back it wasn't very good, bland and unjuicy.

With a tip the bill was $90, we would have got better food elsewhere for half the price.

I'm confused by all the reviews that say they love the pasta, what pasta?
5 - Natty A.: My husband took me here on our first date and I was impressed with the food! They're paella is the best hands down!!!!! Their crab cakes are pretty good too & sometimes the owner is there too checking up on his customers. I like that he's a part of his restaurant and cares about his customers. They have good wine too
2 - julie b.: Two stars is generous for the simple fact the staff is HORRIBLE.  One patron said he was ready to order the server just yelled - I'll be back.  Horrible - "sir, it will be just a moment is more appropriate."  Food just eh.  But the service ruined it.
2 - Michael W.: So-so.

Valdostana Pizza - good

Focaccia Babbo - a bit dry, very average tasting

Lamb Shank - juicy and tender, but the flavor was a bit overpowering.
4 - Kate B.: This is a great little restaurant in Stanford Shopping Center. The food is so fresh and is made behind a bar so  you can see the chefs working right in front of you.  The owner, Babbo, is usually walking around and twice has come to my table to chat, ask how the food is and talk about his skiing days in Europe.  The decor is fun and quaint and the lighting is very dim.  It is a little expensive but the service is intimate and the food is always delicious.
3 - Janet P.: I've always walked past this place with the charming outdoor seating and checked it out after a shopping date with a girlfriend. 

We opened the menu and were a little unprepared for their prices, but decided to give it a try.  We decided to split a pizza (goat cheese, olives, tomatoes), and their prawn salad (grilled prawns, corn, avocado, and black beans).  Their prawn salad was delicious.  Pizza was good, but not great.  Especially for me after coming off of a super memorable meal at flour+water the weekend before. 

Our waiter was friendly, and it was a nice summer night out, so enjoyed my friend's company the most. It's a nice dinner option, but think overall their prices skew on the high side.
1 - Mariko B.: YUCK! I guess that's what I get for following my instincts when I'm starving. I would have rather ate next door at the coffee shop or even across the way and grabbed some fruit rather than eat here. My first impression was it was empty yet there were a few reserved signs, is this a joke? Maybe they needed the place to look appealing? I liked that it was empty but should have taken the hint. I was really disappointed to discover that they didn't have a pesto dish or gnocchi :-( Everything else sounded so saucey and a little greasy, so I found my favorite type of salad; greens with fruit, cheese and nuts. 

A few minutes after we ordered a confused server tried to give us another tables' food, apologized and told us our food was on its way. I should hope so, I mean we ordered 2 minutes ago... Our server came with foccacia, another favorite of mine, but managed to drop a piece on me :-( Good thing I had my napkin covering, no crumbs! But still "my bad" is not an apology... We got our food and my bf's pizza was so odd looking, the toppings were all separated! 1/3 proscuitto, 1/3 olives and 1/3  mushroom. REALLY?! 

As for my salad, it was ok, the walnuts were covered in honey and stuck to my teeth, it was hard to eat. The greens were also soaked in balsamic dressing, I like a minimal amount of dressing so that kinda sucked. My fresh lemonade was probably the best thing at the restuarant, its unsweetened and they only had equal, would have been so much better with splenda. Oh well... I now know better. The only word I can use to sum up my experience is CARELESS. Seriously, there's a mcdonald's at stanford mall for a reason...
3 - Mihir M.: The food was good, but not outstanding, priced for its location. But it was nice to sit outside in the good weather. We had the gorgonzola pear salad, pizza margherita, and pizza babbo's. Again, good food, but nothing over the top. Decent service.
2 - Eric K.: This place is soooo expensive for what you get. Waiting period takes forever. Owner is pretty weird too. Owner sometimes watches you eat, which is pretty weird. Service is only good if you're a privileged white girl that has alot of money. I ordered some sandwich, and it was alright. Seemed like something I could make though. Overall, avoid this place. I kinda regret not going to Mcdonalds instead.
4 - Hussam B.: This place is overpriced. That being said, the food is amazing. They bake all their bread in house. We had the pear and Gorgonzola salad to begin with which had a perfect amount of dressing and is a large enough portion to share. We accompanied our salad with some delicious home made onion focaccia bread. For our main course, we shared the Mediterranean sea bass that was light and delicious. The owner and his wife were there to oversee the whole operation. They seemed to be very involved with guest satisfaction.
4 - Devo S.: My tortellini with veal and chicken covered in cream sauce was DELICIOUS.  The wait staff and line cook were very friendly.  The place was pretty empty, but there were a few tables seated, and they all seemed happy with their food and server.  I felt like some pasta, so this place hit the spot.
2 - Denny O.: Overpriced  bistro in a nice mall.  Ok food and small portion.  I would go to Max which is located just a few steps away.
4 - Amy R.: This is my favorite restaurant to go to when I go up to Stanford. I really like the vegetable plate. The flavors are great and everything is really fresh. The pizzas are great as well. I always look forward to my meal here. The other choices in the shopping center seem like chain restaurants so this is the only one that seems worth it.
2 - Saunders C.: Well, it's in a mall, so take that for what it is. 

Walking in at 6pm on a Saturday, the place was fairly empty so we could choose a table inside or outside. The waitstaff was pretty nice, although they seemed somewhat understaffed, which ultimately resulted in spotty service (no water refills, forgot things we asked for). The space is somewhere between tired and interesting.

The food:

1) Appetizers:
- Baked goat cheese with crostini on salad. Baked goat cheese came out on a huge bed of mixed greens and butter lettuce, but the salad was barely dressed. The crostini with tapenade didn't really add much. 
- Smoked salmon. A generous platter of smoked salmon topped with capers and sliced red onions, served with toasted pita bread. Actually quite tasty. 
- Caesar salad with anchovies. Sorry, but much like the iceberg "wedge", I don't really like it when they don't at least chop the lettuce. Leaves of romaine topped with shaved parmesan and a few strips of anchovies. A little dry. 
- Flatbread pizza. Topped with roasted artichokes, prosciutto, and some other stuff. Pretty good. 

2) Entrees:
- Spaghetti and meatballs. Since when did spaghetti and meatballs come out greasy? The meatballs were overcooked and the sauce was a little off. 
- Paella. Very generous with the seafood, the rice was pretty well cooked in a small paella pan, but overall, everything was overcooked! The nice, large shrimp were almost rubbery and definitely dry. The mussels and clams were barely detectable in their shells, and there were at least a few with sand in them. The biggest pieces of meat in the dish was the chicken. 
- Also had salmon filet and prawn salad, but didn't get to try them. 

Cabernet from Peju winery in Napa. Been to the winery, not a big fan of the wine. 

Eh.
3 - Anh D.: We came here while shopping at the mall. 

Service was prompt, but keep in mind that it's a long wait to get a table outside. We sat inside, and it's perfectly cute on the inside. It tries to give this vibe of old Europe, but I honestly think Cocola next door better achieves that.

Service was okay -- nothing to brag about. They don't do half-sizes of risotto, so that kind of stunk, because my husband and I wanted to also get some other items. 

Anyway, here's what we had:

1. Four Seasons Pizza: There's 8 slices of pizza total with each season being reprsented by two slices. The whole pizza wasn't very big, it was about the size of a dinner plate? Totally doable by one person who's really hungry. 

I'm not sure which slices represented which seasons, but we had the following toppings on top of our standard cheese and tomato sauce: 

Prosciutto and capers: I like fresh prosciutto better, but this is pretty good. The capers add a freshness that my husband thought was really tasty.

Mushroom: Really good -- tons of mushrooms all over the pizza

Anchovy and onion: I loved it, but this was my husband's first time trying anchovies on pizza, and he was pretty scarred. Hahaha.

Grilled marinated artichokes: Tasty but the artichokes taste too overly vinegar-y, maybe they were in vinegar before? 

2. Mushroom risotto: Not creamy enough but pretty tasty. I love that it's completely vegetarian, because most risottos have chicken stock in them and vegetarian people can't eat them. 

Not sure if we're coming back. It seemed rather overpriced for the quality of food.
2 - j. k.: Wednesday @ noon. Lunch w/ 8 co-workers. Made reservation the day before. There were plenty of seating even without a reservation. 

Several typos on the menu, but that's rather common with restaurants, so I don't care THAT much. I think they should care though... Can't take them seriously if there are too many typos. 

Took over 10 minutes to get water service, after I said out loud "I AM SO THIRSTY!" 

Some of us got entrées (mostly fish), some of us got focaccia sandwiches, and I shared a caesar salad w/ prawns and a peperonata pizza with someone. I think the ones who got focaccia sandwiches were pleasantly surprised and they would eat it again. For me, the whole leaf romaine caesar salad swam in a yellow/white dressing with a blanket of parmigiano and two tails of anchovies on top. The pizza was floppy. They proudly display the pizza oven at the entrance of the restaurant, so I was expecting a crispy thin crust made to perfection, but it was almost too sad to eat the pizza when I had to hold its tip up from falling into despair... at least when it flopped down, the grease would leave its host and lighten up the load a little bit. 

$17.95 for the caesar salad and $15.95 for the pizza. With tip, it ended up being $32.65/person (not everyone got desserts/coffee). That's a bit pricey for a quick lunch, I thought.
1 - A J.: Food and service are poor and the price is unjustifiable. The prosciutto e melone for $15 was 3 pieces of unripe melon with a piece of store bought prosciutto around each. The pizza crust is too thick and chewy for a real thin crust pizza and the pasta is far from al dente. Our waiter made was inattentive and either clueless or downright rude in the way he addressed us. Will not be going back.
1 - Koshka K.: Charming place on the outside, but horrible customer service.  It is particularly bad when the Owner treats his patrons purely.  

It's difficult to get a table outside in this place...  A couple of weeks ago on a sunny beautiful day strolling through Babbo's i saw an empty table for two.  I asked a water to reserve it for me, i needed to use the restroom first.  When i was back in 5 min., the owner was sitting a couple at my 'reserved' table.  I told him that the table was reserved for me, but the owner quickly dismissed me by saying there will be "soon" another table ready for me.  I pointed to the table for four which was not taken if i can be seated there.  The owner said he would rather give it to a party of four (so he was not going to please me in any way! even though he gave my table away).  I waited for another 10 min, but the promised table for two still was not ready since the couple was chatting. So i left... And the table for four was still unoccupied...Bye-bye Babbo's, you won't see me again!  

 I don't remember if i was treated more rudely in a restaurant in my life especially by the OWNER!
2 - Adam E.: This place was massively disappointing.  All I wanted was a simple chicken sandwich.  Nothing fancy, and nothing outrageously priced. (I know, I know, you're saying then why were you at Stanford Shopping Center in the first place?!)

I ordered the Foccacia Liguria, which apparently means foccacia chicken sandwich.  I did have my hopes up, as I do like foccacia bread, and as you walk into the dining room part of the restaurant you can see all the different types of foccacia breads lined up ready to be made into sandwiches.  What I didn't put together was the fact that most of those breads had probably been there a while.  I got the sandwich and the first thing i noticed was that the foccacia was stale.  Foccacia is supposed to be a little chewy, this was just stale.  And since it was a thick piece of foccacia it made for a very VERY dry sandwich. 

The  chicken itself looked tasty enough, though the portion in between the giant pieces of stale foccacia could be measured in millimeters.  It had grill marks though, so bonus points for that.  The sandwich came with a watery honey mustard sauce which it desperately needed, though it didn't really add too much to the meal.  

I didn't finish the sandwich.  This place is apparently known for their pizzas, so maybe I'll give it another shot and order something different.  On the plus side the atmosphere was really nice, and the owner, Babbo himself, came to our table to regale us with his childhood stories from Hungary.  Yeah.
3 - Christopher S.: First off I'm going with A-ok... ready for some confusion? The food was whatever and our main server was overly forgetful, causing my food to be sent back for corrections. This was a return visit for my guest who has had mostly great experiences here (foood/service). This was my first visit and not my last... for some strange reason... I have yet to put my finger on it. 

We'll start from the outside. Just after walking past fresh produce out front of a great Italian market, you almost walk strait into the BABBO'S patio seating. Blue and white table cloths on a clean patio... ooh inviting. And to top it off a little old couple out front was slowly making the rounds when the fella says to me "you looking for some good lunch? Come on in". Even more inviting now.... charming inside and out, cute little open kitchen (I try to get a good look, always), and the menu wasn't looking bad at all.  I was really diggin the place. Service was fine except the server lack of attention to detail. He made an upsell, forgot to send it in, and questions me when I questioned him. "Yes I want the cheese goo.... you offered it man, don't say I forgot to mention it"... kind of a lame deal.

Anyhow after getting my food back we went onward devouring what was in front of us. And then I asked why. Oh yea because I was starving. That's it. I'm not one to complain about a pricey menu but I feel confident with my restaurant/menu/food knowledge and I have to let it spill here. I have no prroblem paying $20 for a burger, not at all. Just make sure its prime beef and God damn delicious. This was a giant onion foccacia roll with an average patty (say 7oz.-ish) and typical produce, no side included totaling to a $17 cheese burger. For that price I would have walked around to Flemings prime steakhouse (same shopping center) and had a delicious burger there. Too bad they didn't open for a few more hours. The ahi salad was more like and ahi-slaw-soup-thing.... after all the charm and welcoming arms.... I say what for. If I wanted to see nice old people and what not id be elsewhere. Shmee... you get the picture. Although the truth is ill be back. I don't know what it is, why it is, but I must return. I'm not done investigating this one.
4 - John B.: I'm still rating this a 4 star restaurant due to the great food, but I'm updating the review based on some additional info. Went here recently and noticed some cost cutting. I guess this isn't really a bad thing if it keeps the restaurant going in tough times. During the most recent trip, I ordered a glass of their house wine. It was terrible, so I asked them what it was. They said it was Mondavi, but my father judged it (and I agreed) below $2 chuck. The worst part was that they charged almost $10 for it. Not gonna do that again! I'll stick to the wines I know. So to sum up: good food, bad coffee, bad house wine.
2 - Nokie N.: Service - A bit slow. Took forever to get our order in, get our food, refill water, and get our check. Pizza - It's ok. Price - Expensive.
1 - mme. s.: Waiter was good but food was the pits.  Unripe tomatoes for a $15 salad!  Risotto which was in no way risotto, more like rice in a sauce with seafood.  Tomato sauce on spaghetti which seemed utterly commercial.  $84 for one starter, two mains and a kids bowl of pasta with no drinks was outrageous.  We will never be hungry at Stanford Shopping Center again.  Totally empty but they wouldn't give us a banquette for the kids to boot.  Did I mention stale bread?
3 - Nicole D.: My friend and I decided to stop into Babbo's before hitting the road back home. A pricey establishment hiding behind a little cafe veneer. There wasn't a menu posted (which is very strategic of them), so we figured we'd go in and grab a few slices of pizza and a salad.  When I opened the menu, I was rather surprised by the high prices for such a no-frills place. Sandwiches were around $16 and entrees were upwards of $20. I'm aware that it is located at the Stanford Shopping Center but I receive a better overall experience at Pizza My Heart, which is a cheap in-and-out pizza joint. 

My Margherita Pizza was pretty good. Served nice and hot from their wood-fired oven with a host of flavors. My friend had the Eggplant & Goat Cheese Sandwich. The eggplant was a little bitter but brightened up with hunks of creamy goat cheese. Portions are decent -- she had enough to take half of her sandwich home. While all the food was pretty good, $50 for a pizza and a sandwich (with water) wasn't quite what we had in mind. 

Our server was a nice older man but he couldn't keep pace with the volume of restaurant patrons (which was three tables btw). Suffice it to say, his presense was very scarce. 

I'm not saying I'll never go back in but I'm not really jumping to return.
3 - Jenny L.: It's listed as a pizzeria in the mall's directory, but the name says it's a bistro.  Either way, it also has nothing to do with Babbo in NY.  Perhaps I should have tried their pizza given the name.  Instead, I had a mediocre seafood puff pastry for $25 that was priced twice what it's worth even with scallops, prawns and mushrooms in a strong sherry wine sauce.  

Service is fast and friendly.  The ambiance and decor has nothing special worth noting especially outside with the awkward seating.  Parking is tough in the lot since it's usually packed.
3 - Cathy C.: My boyfriend and I ended up at the Stanford Shopping Center the other day because of the BOGO Facebook coupon for Sprinkles cupcakes, and since it was around dinner time, we decided to eat dinner at the shopping center instead of driving around and finding a new place to try. We ended up going to Babbo's since it was the closest restaurant (yes, we can be VERY lazy sometimes) to Sprinkles.

We were seated very quickly but it was at a very awkwardly positioned table next to one of the columns in the restaurant. My boyfriend barely had room to move around since there was another table right next to us, so that was kind of annoying (you can see it in one of the pictures on Yelp). The waiter, however, was very friend and service was very speedy throughout the whole meal.

I ended up ordering their penne pasta while my boyfriend had one of their pizzas (can't remember which one right now). In all honesty, I thought the meal was just okay because I don't remember much of it even though we JUST had it not too long ago. Their bread, however, was very delicious!!!!! It's home-made (supposedly) and full of flavor - although I had to ask for it because they totally forgot to serve us bread...

I have to complain about their bathroom system because there is a sign about having to use a key (which I almost missed except for the fact that I actually paid attention before I opened the door to go out back for the bathroom). However, when I tried to go to the bathroom, it was apparently locked...and then when I tried to force open the door, another person actually was trying to get out of the bathroom!!!!! (I guess he missed the sign on the door about the key & the door just happened to be unlocked so he was inside taking care of his business while I had the key outside ready to unlock the door...)
That was quite unacceptable...it made me super paranoid the whole time I was in the bathroom because I thought someone else would now try and open the door on me while I'm on the toilet!
4 - Jikhan J.: I could enjoy this restaurant!

I tried 
Smoked Salmon Appetizer : just good.
Tuna Crilled Nicoise : was awesome.

Seafood puff pastry looks very good.

It was little noisy to have good conversation.

Standford shopping center is always pleasure place to go.
3 - Stephanie W.: Sat outside on a Saturday for lunch.  The menu has a nice selection - I chose the prawn salad which sounded way better than it actually was.

The bread is YUM.

The service was very warm and friendly.  I would go back and try something else.
3 - Valerie B.: The hubs took me here for a post-Valentine's dinner. We ordered a pizza to share for appetizer...too big for an appetizer, but good. I forgot what kind we ordered. Sorry. For the entree I had the seafood puff pastry. It was pretty good. I don't remember what the hubs ordered, but it was pretty good.
It's a bit pricey.
Service was good, place is small...pretty tight...but they were very accomodating when we came in with our stroller.
Not sure if I'd come back though.
1 - M M.: Always read Yelp reviews before dining out. I should have followed my own advice to avoid this place. What a consistently horrible experience. We sat for 10 minutes before the waiter handed us a menu. Then another 15 minutes before our order went in.  45 minutes after arriving our cold and tasteless pizza arrived. My Caesar salad was limp and soggy; the dressing consisted of a cup of a salt and a blob of mayo.  I was so thirsty I asked for a refill of the watery iced tea and found later they charge for refills. My companion had a glass of wine for $9.50 that he left untouched as it was undrinkable. The bill came to $65 for horrid pizza and a salty salad. This place only survives because people don't want to wait for a table at Max's Opera Café.
3 - Julie W.: Our lunch here during the shopping spree yesterday was pleasant and enjoyable.

We were warmly greeted by the waiter upon entering; the aroma of Mediterranean food made us really hungry. We walked by the open kitchen and were seated at the end of the half full dinning area. 

The waiter was very friendly and accommodating, the focaccia was served promptly, an elderly gentlemen (owner?) came by the table to chat with us as well. For four of us,  we shared :

Mussels - good flavor and fresh ingredients, portion was slightly smaller then average but enough to share. 
The pizza Babbo - flat bread with feta cheese and olives, very salty, a bit soggy, just average at best.
Paella - decent amount of prawns (6) as well as chicken, sausages, some clams and mussels. Pretty tasty and enough to share.
Fillet of sole over spinach and asparagus - tasty and well cooked. Portion of the fish can be a bit more generous.
Three of us had coffee which were refilled frequently; we sat for quite a while and was not rushed. 

The bill came to $96 before tips which was on the pricey side. The overall experience was OK/good but not fantastic; including consideration of the convenience factor.
1 - Jennifer G.: $15 for a sandwich?! Maybe if it was the best ever! And  if it was accompanied by some fantastic side, but alas, that was not what I experienced at Babbo's at all .
 I went to Babbo's for lunch with my boyfriend and we decided to split a sandwich when we saw the prices on the menu. We each order an iced tea(which never got refilled) and a Focaccia Liguria. A  grilled spicy chicken sandwich. All the while the owner was sort of hovering around our table trying to start a conversation with us..Awkward!
     When our order came what arrived was an open faced foccaccia, of a sort, with a thin strip if chicken on top of 2 slices of  a toasted bun. In the center of the plate were 4 tomato slices, some grated carrots and some watercress sprigs all for US to put on the sandwich ourselves! Nothing else on the plate! Just the sandwich! Which , by the way, was not spicy in the least. It wasn't a bad sandwich, just nothing special and certainly not worth $15! 
When we got the bill the grand total for lunch for 2, who shared 1 entree, was $25!
 I say skip Babbo's and head for the $8 baguette sandwich at La baguette!
5 - Anna P.: I have been coming here for at least 10 years and I love this place! Every time I'm in Stanford Shopping Center I make sure to stop by.

My favorite things on the menu are: crab cakes, prawn salad, seafood in puff pastry and of course the dover sole!

First of all the crab cakes that they make here are absolutely fantastic. I'm a big fan of crab cakes and am very picky, but this is the perfect size. The main dish comes with 2 small ones that you can actually finish on your own and with a pepper sauce that ties it perfectly together.

The prawn salad is perfect if you want to share for a light lunch or for a healthy meal. It is separated into prawns, avocado, black beans, corn and salad.

My dad always gets the dover sole. It's light and the portion is a pretty big one. So if you are hungry and are still going for something healthy this would be your dish.

The last one is the seafood puff pastry which I eat on the days which I'm just ready forget about my diet needs. It comes baked with different seafood inside. I wouldn't say it's very heavy but not on the lighter side.

I have to mention that this restaurant is not cheap so, but with the size that you get is worth it.

I'm not sure why there are so many mixed reviews here. In my opinion if you don't want to go to an expensive restaurant then don't go. Why would you give someone a low rating if you can't afford it or just don't want to pay....

Enjoy! Can't wait to be back here again!
2 - Jessica C.: I ate here once with my mom about a year ago, and we decided to return with my family and boyfriend for Sunday lunch. Most AWKWARD experience

Everything is very overpriced (around $20 for a pasta dish and $15 for two tiny crab cakes, etc.), although some dishes are pretty tasty. The crab cakes and the creamy orange sauce are delicious. The fish entrees are also very good (the sauces are very flavorful). The pasta...is alright. I like how it's cooked nicely al dente, but the broths could use a LOT more flavor.

One of the things I remembered from last time was the complimentary focaccia bread being quite good - and it still is - although today it was STALE which was disappointing. 

The owner...is extremely bizarre and I'm not quite sure what his intentions are, but he just comes off as excessively disrespectful.

First, while we were waiting for our food, my dad got a call from my aunt on his cell and had a short conversation on the phone. The owner walked by during the call and said "he's just like a teenager!" --- what a nervy comment.

When our food arrived, my boyfriend started to put some black pepper on his pasta from the pepper shaker on the table. The owner walked over, TOOK the pepper out of his hand, and said "we don't do that here, these [the salt and pepper shakers] are for decoration only." Later when my boyfriend asked for a box to take the rest of his pasta home, the owner was like "you want a BOX..." starts laughing mockingly..."was that your second pasta?" 

Everything that came out of his mouth was beyond rude and it was borderline funny because it was just so unbelievable! He succeeded in making us just want to get the eff out of there as soon as possible away from his cray cray ass.

And why does he come over to the table and just STAND there staring at everyone  for stretches of time without saying anything and then walking away?...
1 - Bing Q.: Very poor service!!!!!  I went in to ask for a table while my family waited outside.  It was a hot day so my family saw an empty table and sat there to be under the shade.  The host came out and asked for now many and I said 4.  He said where's the rest of your group and I pointed outside and he sees them sitting on the table.  He said you can't just take a table like that, we're so busy.  Really???? There were no other people waiting.  I explained to him i understand and they're just sitting there to get some shade.   He wouldn't listen and kept rambling on how you can't do this or that.  Unbelievable!!!  At the end of his non-sense rambles, they give the same table.  What a joke!  We left and went to a more FRIENDLIER and PROFESSIONAL establishment.
5 - Jim G.: What a fantastic surprise! I had a simple prawn salad that was so reminiscent of meals I've had at little outdoor trattorias in Italy that for a moment, I forgot I was sitting inside the Stanford Mall. This place is a definite must visit on your next trip to the mall. Sit outside under an umbrella and watch the people walk by while you nosh on the most delicious Mediterranean fare in the bay area, prepared with great skill using the freshest of ingredients. Cannot wait to go back.
1 - J l.: i went here long time ago but there is a real reason why i quit going here. i dont mind the food . but the owner he charges you extra for refills. The food was good but other than that be carefull when you order a soda and want a refill. if i knew back then i wouldnt order a soda i would have order water. ps i am still surprise this place is still open.

ps. becarefull of ordering refill he doesnt put that on the menu as disclaimer
3 - M T.: My wife and I have been here many times over the years, most recently in August 2012.  On this most recent occasion, water service was lacking.  Perhaps the server took us for granted since we have been there so often.  My wife typically orders the Quattro Stagione Pizza.  I sometimes do the same.  I have also had the salmon sandwich a number of times.  Food is good, but prices are pretty high.

Babbos Pizza - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2934281, -120.6678253) ()
4 - Brad S.: I like Babbos for their specialty pizzas.  It is good for indecisive people such as myself who are too lazy/hungover to pick out toppings.  Each time I have been here they have been missing an ingredient(such as bacon or pesto) but have been generous in replacing what they don't have with whatever we wanted.  The place seems a little slow for eat-in dinning, which makes it a little dull.  However, on Thursdays they hold Beirut games.  There is also a HUGE pizza you and a buddy can attempt to eat, and if finished it's free.  I believe the rules are as follows: No bathroom, no puking, no leaving the room, and it must be finished within an hour.  Above all beer is very cheap here.  A large High life pitcher for 4 bucks and pints for 1.  Babbos is somewhat hidden behind the Shell station off Santa Rosa Ave.  It would be nice to see this place more happening, so give it a try.
4 - Alex H.: I was introduced to this hole-in-the-wall pizza place by my roommates, and they have great pizzas.  The sauces they use are quite tasty.  My roommate would always order a pepperoni pizza (boring, right?) but that pizza tasted amazing, not your standard affair.  They have cheap beer too, so if you're out to just have some pizza and a beer, this place is great.  Too bad the place is hidden away behind the shell station, because it is a great find.
4 - Lori K.: Babbos makes the most gigantic pizza I've ever seen.  I'm not sure on the exact diameter but to give you an idea, the pizza was so huge we could barely get the box through the door.  And once we got the pizza through the door, the summed up reaction of the rest of our friends was "WTF?!"  Now if you've got a big group of hungry Cal Poly kids, Babbo's giant pizza is definitely not a bad idea.  The price of this huge pizza depends on the toppings you get.  The other night 8 of us split a sausage, mushroom and pepperoni for $43.  Not bad at all.  We even had lots of leftovers.  So the value is definitely a plus.  

What's even better is the pizza tastes great!  I can't say it's the best tasting pizza I've ever had but, it's definitely good enough.  Their pizza has good sauce, perfect amount of cheese, and yummy toppings.  Where else can you get a reasonably priced huge pizza that tastes really good?!  Babbos Pizza of course!
5 - Robin B.: I LOVE THIS PIZZA!!!

A little hole in the wall pizza place that has some of the best pizza ever!!! GIVE IT A TRY!!
5 - Catherine M.: Uh, BEST BEST BEST BEST pizza in SLO.
Woodstocks is flimsy and sucky.
Calzones here are incredible and you can also just get a "slice" which is HUGE and comes in 4 little slices.
Specialties are really good too.
4 - Guy S.: I really like this place. I lived pretty much across the street for two years, and went there whenever I really felt like I needed a treat. They are the only place in slo that has green olives on pizza (so much better than black olives), and their calzones are great. The place is expensive if you've got only one person eating, but the more people you have, the cheaper it is (try the 36-inch pizza if you dare). They also work with clubs and other school organizations, so props for that. 
I will say that it can get pretty rowdy, as there are  always people playing beer pong (with such low prices on beer, I'm not surprised). This also means that if you're not planning on hanging out there, I'd call and order ahead, because they make everything to order, and it can take a while.
4 - Jimmy H.: Three freaking feet pizza. This place definitely has the biggest pizza I know. I was told that they only make the max of three feet because any bigger, the pizza box could not go through a door flat. 

The pizza here us great. You can personally order a single Slice of pizza and they will cook it fresh for you. Of course they have pretty decent price beers and they have some video games that you can occupy yourself with. The owner is pretty awesome and nice. Their crust is really good. They make it thinner than most places. I like thinner pizzas.

The place is behind the gas station and is a little difficult to see. Just drive in the lot and go to the back.
4 - Ryan S.: Great place for a cheap lunch: $5.71 for a HUGE slice of very tasty pepperoni (equivalent to about 4 slices of Round Table pizza), and a fountain drink. Be sure to bring cash though, because any card purchases under $15 are charged a $0.75 fee.
4 - Paul C.: Pizza is pizza!  You can't go wrong, but I give these guys a 4 star because they have the biggest pizza!
5 - Tony B.: My girlfriend and I went into Babbos for a quick slice of pizza this past saturday.  As we were eating, a strange man kept initiating small talk with us about the restaurant, asking how we like it, etc.  I know Babbos has been up for sale for a while now, so I had a feeling this guy was either looking to buy it, or was just some wierdo.  Turns out he was one of the new owners.  He mentioned to me he was thinking about having sushi there as well because "he hears college kids like it" and "there's not another sushi place around."  THIS IS A BAD SIGN FOR BABBOS LOVERS.  He obviously doesn't realize that good sushi is something SLO has more than enough of.  Pizza and sushi don't exactly beling together.
5 - Eric W.: Being the avid pizza-lover that I am, I've been known to be quite critical of my pizza. Must of started when I realized I loved pizza while trying to emulate the TMNT when I was a little kid.

I'll criticize the crust, the sauce, the way it's cooked, thickness, and even the smell. However Babbo's really has everything going for them in my book. I liked it so much that I included them in my Pizza Speech for Speech Class at Cal Poly a couple years back. 
It's definitely a little more pricey then other places in town but very much worth it. Their ingredients are pretty good quality. Their specialty pizzas are the best. I've tried a couple of them and nothing seems to beat the Rastafarian. I have so much I constantly have to keep myself from continuously ordering cause I get nervous that I'll stop liking it. But it hasn't happened yet!

The Rastafarian: Sausage, Cheese, Pineapple, Cayenne Pepper Powder, Spinach under the cheese with White Sauce. 
I get it every single time. 
The other specialty pizzas are great too, the Rastafarian is just my favorite though. 

They also sell pizza by the Slice for lunch at good price. Also the amount of salad you get for their price is very reasonable.

Thier beer prices are good, I believe it's two dollar pints everyday for MGD.
5 - Sky M.: I'm not a pizza lover & I love the Pizza we got from Babbo's. We picked up a Rastafarian and it was scrumptious from beginning to end. It's right behind the Shell station, it looks a little like dive, don't let that scare you. Stop by, get yourself a yummy pizza and you'll get more that your money's worth :-)
3 - robin w.: I've been here about 6 times and this is an ok place to take a group of friends who are really hungry for some pizza. 

Their have a good amount of toppings to choose from. This place is also famous for it's large pizza, which is about 28 inches in diameter! It's huge and can satisfy 10 people. The pizza isn't anything to go crazy for though. 

I'd come here if you have a big group or just looking for something that isn't a chain pizza place and just wanna get some decent local pizza.
3 - Saturday night a to Z.: We went to Babbo;s for the first time the other night, although we used to live just down the street.  It's located where Campus Donuts used to be.  We were worried about being overrun by Poly students so we went early (5:00) and we were the only people in the place.

The food was good.  C got an antipasto salad (huge) and a pasta dish.  I got the meatball sandwich.  It was just right--large meatballs, tasty sauce and lots of melted mozzarella--not just a sprinkle of parmesan like some places give you.

So I can't recommend the pizza 'cause we didn't get one, but I'd definitely go back.
5 - Chris D.: On a recent trip back to SLO, a few friends and I stopped at Pizza on Tap, formerly Babbo's Pizza. The pizza was still fantastic, and they had a much better selection of bottled beers. The ownership may have changed but the pizza and the atmosphere are still awesome. Still highly recommended.

Babette - Berkeley, CA (37.8681313, -122.2565107) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
5 - Bacon Lover M.: YUM! Just picked up an excellent scone (cacao nibs and orange) that had the perfect scone texture and the flavors were delightful. I also tested out their iced tea (which is my caffeinated beverage of choice 99% of the time) which was tasty, fresh and strongly brewed - just how I like it!

Can't wait to come back for lunch which looks impressive (at the top of the menu board today was pulled pork and I do loves me some pork products! veggie folks they had things on there for you, too)

So glad Babette moved into this area of Berkeley, wishing them great success!
4 - Kenneth R.: Remedy has come and gone; now Babette has rushed in to take Remedy's place; today is Day Six of the new operation. Babette is worth a look.  Superficially, we have Remedy Bis, but the caterers who have taken over the location are likely to be offering breakfast and lunch items that differ from Remedy's.

The coffee is still Ritual's.  They're doing pour-overs of the Ritual "Chely" for $3.50.

Hours are 8-4:30 during the week.
2 - Jann R.: The Babette barista who just prepared my pot of Derjeeling tea filled the tea strainer to brim with tea leaves and now my drink is unpalatably strong and bitter. This place certainly has potential and I wish them well but at least one of the employees needs a remedial course on tea.
4 - Ian A.: Just stopped in yesterday, surprised to see that Remedy had changed names. Had the shepherd's pie and it was great. Individual brewed coffee was good too, but maybe not worth the price. Shared an excellent chocolate tart.
5 - Jess Z.: A better selection of food than the prior Remedy.  Hearty, tasty soup. ($5 bowl) Nice vegetable salads. ($3 for 1; $8 for all 3).  Good serving sizes -- just right for lunch.  Haven't tried the sandwiches yet since they're a bit more expensive ($9-10), but I think they come with a side salad?  Decent tea selection, though a brewed chai would be nice.  One quibble: cut the fig bars into equal-sized pieces!  My money should buy just as much as someone else's.  Oh, and bake a little longer... the bottom crust needed it.
4 - Joyce B.: Philz coffee definitely made me a coffee addict and I've started to diverge from Philz and try some other places. Stumbled upon here today actually while on my way to Strada and the phrase "Ritual Coffee" captured my attention. Looked interesting, so I decided to check it out. It's located right inside the art museum. The ambience is really nice, kind of like Gourmet Ghetto and not your typical college town coffee shop. They have 3 selections of coffee and I tried to ask the barista what they were but he was not very helpful :( and barely answered my questions. 

I just ordered the brazilian one (forgot the name). The coffee was surprising and extremely smooth. I definitely want to come back here next time to try the other coffee and hopefully will receive a more welcome service. Also, the entire time I was there, I kept smelling aroma of food cooking from their kitchen and it smelled so delicious but they didn't have a menu for food so I wasn't actually sure if they serve food as well. 

Interesting little hidden place.
4 - Julia P.: YUM. pricey but good.

- beet tart
- pulled pork tacos with mango salsa
- gallete? fruity plum tartlet

And the blood orange grapefruit soda was delicious.
5 - Diana T.: This place is amaaazing! I come here every weekend for either a soup or lunch entree, and the food never fails to make me swoon. :) I am a huge fan of their homemade grapefruit soda--it is so good & tastes so refreshing! I recently tried a wine soaked tart/pastry (I can't remember the name), and it simply was heaven. They are always changing up their menu, and I love trying out the new selections. I love the food, love the people--I love everything about Babette!
5 - Margaret H.: I love this place! Every time I have been there the food was delicious and all of the salads packed with great flavors that went well together. The sodas are also perfectly flavored with fruit but not cloyingly sweet. I will be coming here alot.
5 - Chelsea B.: Babette is a treasure, and manages to combine everything I look for in a study spot in one place, with free, quick wi-fi, excellent coffee that is both smooth and strong, without giving the jitters, friendly staff, and divine baked goods. The scone that I had was flakey and rich with nice, simple flavours, however, if you are veggi or vegan make sure to ask if the baker is using lard, butter or vegatable shortning.
3 - Edward W.: Babette conveniently located for those visiting the Pacific Art Museum or passersby on Durant. 

The pulled pork tacos with yam tasted okay, but too pricey. The advertised mango salsa was nonexistent. Instead I had pickled radishes and vegetables that had too much sauce, which the taco absorbed, resulting in a sour experience.

Strawberry Tart tastes so good! Not too sweet yet fresh and only $1.50. Great for a sweet tooth.
4 - Mae S.: Babette--the name is sassy and classy at the same time. The cafe has a really nice color scheme and design. Ordering can be a little hectic, especially if they're busy. They use an app on their ipad if you want to pay with credit card or if you want your receipt emailed to you, but older people have a hard time figuring out how to use this.

The food is pretty good--I got the spring veggies ($3) with ginger dressing. It had peas, red onion, asparagus and mushrooms. I thought that the portion was small, but this little bowl is actually quite filling--not to mention delicious. All the ingredients tasted fresh, and even though I don't usually like food strongly flavored ginger, their vinaigrette left a clean, yet tangy aftertaste. It's food like this that makes me consider being vegetarian! They also had a lot of really tasty looking pastries--apple galettes, plum tarts?, scones, cookies, and fig bars, all which are made in house! 

Anyways, four stars for now because I've only been here a couple of times and haven't tried their coffee, but I will certainly have to come back for their fig bars (yum).

P.S. Their music is awesome--nice mix of stuff, everyone's friendly, and there's airbears access
3 - Lisa K.: I stopped by because I wanted to try something other than cafe strada as I was walking up Bancroft. My $3 iced coffee was mediocre at best... A pitcher sits out unrefrigerated on the counter and they pour it over ice. Hmmm.
4 - Vivian C.: I stopped by Babette Cafe today, originally intending to pick up a cup of coffee from Strada, but realizing that I had no cash. 

I was very pleasantly surprised. The bright orange and green color scheme and modern decor was a refreshing change from all of the places in Berkeley that I've been to so many times. The staff was really friendly and joked around with me while I waited for my coffee, and tried some of the pastries. The pastry was really delicious, and the mocha that I ordered was okay. It seemed a little watered down. 

Overall I really like the ambience here, and would definitely come back here to study and try more menu items.
4 - Jennifer S.: New favorite study spot near campus - a hipstery little slice of heaven. 

Pros:
- The food is really good. I highly recommend the salad choices of the day, though I've noticed it's much more economical to get 1 for $3.00 versus 3 for $9.00 as the single serving ends up being really big and a better bang for your buck. Yes, I'm cheap.
- Very friendly and cute staff
- I feel cool hanging out in an art museum
- Delicious remedy coffee
- Good Cal wireless
- Clean, modern space that you never want to leave

Cons:
- Service is really slow. Yes, I like that you use an iPad and Square instead of a register but it takes a really long time to check out...
- Expensive! $3.50 for a cappuccino and at least $9 for lunch
2 - Leslie P.: When the French Onion tart arrived with about 5 leaves of a mixed green salad, my hungry heart sank.  I've had more generous appetizers and this was supposed to be lunch??11  $9.00.  It was, however, adequately tasty, with plenty of onion and a flaky if soggy crust.  The latte was less than generous and somewhat watery, however, the apple strudel-like pastry was top-notch.  But pricy at $4.00.  No price advertised on the tea, but that was $3.00 for a tiny pot (maybe I could have asked for a refill?).

Though I wouldn't use the "h" word, the decor and clean, airy, ambiance were pleasant, esp. with the plants embedded in the wall.  If you were on or near campus and wanted a bit more "grown up" place to have lunch (other than the student-oriented places), this would be it.  However, with so many other restaurants in Berkeley and North Oakland that deliver good food AND good value, this will not be a return place for me.
5 - Margo M.: Hands down, the most delicious food in Berkeley.
3 - Deanna Y.: This place is more of a "lets grab coffee" kind of place rather than a "lets hit the books" joint. Modern, hipster vibe. 

I got a strawberry rhubarb tart w/ brown butter. It was almost $4 which felt a little pricey, but I really liked it and it eased the pain for the test I was studying for.

I couldnt get over their checkout technology - ipad, sign with your finger, swipe the credit card on this little attachment on top of the ipad - very cool. 

Towards closing time they played music from star wars and indiana jones, which I thought was hilarious and pretty unique.

Personally for me, the cafe just didn't feel very cozy, which is why I won't be back to study, but I still think it's a cute little spot that's worth a trip to check out.
5 - Mark B.: Food is fantastic, espresso drinks were excellent and beautifully presented, deserts were irresistible!  Love that the menu changes regularly.  They focus on local foods from the farmers' market, so everything is fresh and tasty.  Gazpacho was just right, obviously made with some of the best heirloom tomatoes ever; pulled pork sandwich was amazing and served on perhaps the best roll I've ever had with a side of pickled veggies that complimented the sandwich perfectly.  The place is nice, clean, has a sort of neuvo/retro thing going on, and is quiet enough for a conversation or a meeting.  Indoor and outdoor seating are both great, as you're surrounded by the Berkeley Art Museum, which is a great architectural exhibit on its own.  Highly recommended!
5 - Foodiemom O.: Perfect lunch at Babette. A sunny afternoon, delicious glass of Austrian rosé, super friendly staff and sumptuous food. Minimal, thoughtfully designed seasonal menu has something for everyone. A hidden gem that is now permanently on my radar!
4 - Samantha C.: Probably THE cutest coffee place/cafe in Berkeley. I loved the decor and modernness to the place! Pretty quiet with lots of natural lighting, so a great study spot. 

I got a pour-over coffee for $3.50.. a bit pricey for a small, but it was really good! I don't remember the name, but it was some blend of dark chocolate/nutty flavor, I think.


Definitely a hidden gem in Berkeley :)
4 - Arturo V.: Fresh ingredients, adequate portions and sensible prices. Service is friendly and the location is unbeatable.
1 - Mini A.: I love the location of Babette's and the food ingredients are always fresh and wholesome. My espresso, however, was pretty bad. 

And they have changed the portion size for salads. I paid about $7.50 for some orzo and some baby broccoli. I was expecting two filled bowls, as they usually serve their side salads in, and I got two little piles on a plate. An embarrassing amount of food. I should have sent it back.... It tasted great, but was waaaaaay too small. I think they did not make enough food for the day and were trying to skimp on portions.
4 - John P.: I live across the street from this delightful gem in Berkeley. Its very homey, I love going in.  They make home baked deliciousness and some seriously tasty coffee.  You pay for what you get here, so it isn't a bargain per se, but its worth it to treat yourself right.

Haven't had a meal here yet, I am lookin forward to it!
4 - Sarah A.: Awesome little hipster coffee/breakfast/lunch spot attached to the Berkeley Art Museum. I can't tell you how often I've been stopping by this place lately. I'm SUPER obsessed with their breakfast options! The menu is said to change weekly, but the breakfast menu has been the same for the past few months..

This is what I'd recommend: 

For BREAKFAST:
* Depending on how hungry you are, I'd say order the BACON, EGG AND CHEDDAR SANDWICH if you're super hungry, and the POACHED EGGS WITH GREENS if you're moderately hungry. The BACON, EGG AND CHEDDAR SANDWICH is tantalizing! The toast is perfectly crisp and compliments the Bacon, Egg and Cheddar incredibly well. The egg in the sandwich isn't too runny but perfect with some yolkiness which is perfect with the toast and bacon combination. To die for. The POACHED EGGS WITH GREENS is a healthier option, and the greens are perfectly seasoned and have a pleasantly sour taste to them. Perfect. The poached egg is super delicate as well.

Lunch is alright. It's a little on the pricier side but I do enjoy the prepared salads that they make. Fresh, flavorful, and healthy. What more could you ask for?

As for drinks, i LOVE THAT THEY SERVE VERVE AND RITUAL COFFEES! Soooo bomb. I usually keep it simple by getting the iced coffee, though. The baristas are super adorable and really sweet as well. One of them told me about a little drink called the GIBRALTAR, which is totally worth trying if you're into cappuccinos but in a shot version.

Babies R' Us - Latham, NY (42.757813, -73.767871) ()
2 - Amanda M.: The service here isn't great. Seems like the mangers don't train half the employee's. You get thrown around to 3 different people before you can actually get any help. And when they say they'll "carry it out to your car" expect to wait about 15 minutes.
4 - Jess K.: When I walked in I was directed towards the clearance racks which was super useful.  I didn't end up buying outfits from it but if I was a mom and just needed to stock up on outfits I can see why that saves a ton of money.  I came in for two outfits and a gift card for a co-worker and this was accomplished.  I wandered around for a while trying to look for an outfit for my nephew that was a good deal.  He wears 18-24 months but not really a 2T yet (so I was told by my SIL) and I don't think that size exists at Babies R' Us.  But this store sells absolutely everything and anything a baby could need and I see why it pretty much has a monopoly on the market.
1 - Matthew C.: Employees were NOT helpful, nor did any of them have any regard for their customers. I once watched a managers scream at one of the employees by the crib section and his choice words were definitely not kid friendly.....

NEVER will I EVER go back to this location again.
1 - Chris T.: The following is a letter my wife wrote to Babies R Us describing her experience at this store. We have written multiple letters and it has become very clear that NO ONE AT ANY LEVEL OF THIS COMPANY CARES ABOUT THEIR COSTUMERS.

------
To Whom it May Concern:
 
Yesterday afternoon, my mother in law and I went to your Babie's R Us location in Latham, NY, to buy some things for my baby due in October. See below:
221 Wade Road Extension, Latham, NY 12110
(518) 783-0632
 
I am registered on the baby registry which entitles those who are registered to 15% off items purchased from that registry. While shopping, I selected several items that were not on my registry. Upon checkout, I inquired of the cashier if I could possibly get the discount extended to those items. The cashier asked to clarify this with the store manager, Michael.
 
Michael came out and proceeded to address this simple, everyday situation with explosive anger. He was verbally abusive toward my mother in law and myself. When my mother in law spoke up and implored him not to speak in such a manner to a pregnant woman, he proceeded to raise his voice and become more irate and even went so far as to call her a jerk. At this point, I was on my way out the door when it occurred to me that the District Manager was in the store that day and I requested to speak with her to report his conduct toward myself and my mother in law. The District Manager did not work to quell the situation at all. She allowed Michael to continue to shout, cut us off and speak over us when we were trying to explain what happened, and at one point he was yelling "she's a liar!" in reference to my mother in law. There was a substantial crowd of people watching the confrontation, including store employees and at least seven customers, two of whom walked out of the store, shaking their heads in disgust. Needless to say, we did not purchase any of the items at your store, which would have totaled well over $300. 
 
This complaint has been forwarded to the Federal Trade Commission and Better Business Bureau and has been accepted.
 
Please understand that neither myself, my mother, my sister (who has a baby of her own) , my mother in law, nor my sister in law (who is a mother of four) will ever purchase any merchandise from Babies R Us or any of your affiliate companies until this matter reaches a satisfactory solution, if ever. In addition, we will not be content with reporting this to your corporate headquarters, the BBB and the FTC. We will make sure that this outrageous abuse of power, public humiliation and abuse are made known to any and all potential consumers so that no one, certainly not a pregnant woman, should ever be forced to suffer this type of public degradation again. I am a member of numerous local parenting groups on Facebook and have shared my story with the other participants-- all 320 of them-- and many of those women have similar, if not identical, stories about not only the Latham store, but other stores in the Capital District, as well.  In addition, many of those same women have pledged to stop shopping at Babies R Us and will instead take their business to Buy Buy Baby, a far superior store in terms of products and customer service.  If you are not willing or able to take on this matter, as your District Manager seemed unable to, please know that we are.  Local television news and radio stations have already been contracted on this matter.
 
I fully expect that there will be a response to this outrageous matter, or I will assume that you support the behavior of your store manager and I will take the liberty to continue any and all of my correspondence publicly with that as my platform.

Babo: a Market By Sava - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2803524, -83.743327) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - Dave Y.: This place is one of its kind in Ann Arbor. It's a neighborhood grocery store that's a bit reminiscent of Dean and Deluca. It's full of eclectic stuff ranging from cool and fun snacks to imported goods to produce to some high-end foods. They also have a pretty good deli counter w/ great cheeses and cured meats, and even fresh pasta and meats. And they have a pretty awesome soda collection (my favorite so far is Fentiman's Tonic Water). They also have really good locally-made ice cream. The prepared foods is really awesome and pretty reasonably priced. And the list of food stuff just goes on and on... They also have a coffee bar that serves coffee from the Ugly Mug. I'm a coffee freak and I'd rate their coffee bar as one of the top 3 in A2, along with Comet and Lab. And to top it all off, it's also a super awesome hang-out place. The space itself is absolutely beautiful and beautifully-decorated, and they have this gigantic communal table that's made of two old doors. Zingerman's is kinda like it but it's not as nice of a space to hang out there. Overall, this place is a real gem. The people are friendly, the space is pleasant, the food is great as is the variety. In fact, if I lived in the apartments above it, I'd probably never go anywhere else.
4 - Keith S.: Beautiful decor, great variety of items to choose from and reasonably priced. This place reminds me of what a corner market would be when there weren't any large grocery chains. The people are friendly- the guy behind the deli offered samples of items and made recommendations. The place is buzzing with energy but has a welcoming feel. Sava greeted me both times I visited. If you want to shop in a place that has unique items -this is the place.
5 - Jessica Y.: My only sadness about Babo is that, being a market, it is not zoned as a residence and thus I cannot live inside of it.  My goodness, though, is it glorious.  The closest thing we have in A2 is Zingerman's, the commonalities being high-quality specialty goods, a beautiful interior, and generous and friendly counterpeople.  The difference is, simply, that there is space to breathe in Babo.  The ceilings are tall, the decorations are sparse but chic.  It reminds me of NY markets, and I kept walking around because I just didn't want to leave.  Lots of prepared foods, from coffee and bakery goods to hot and cold food by the pound to sandwiches and cheese and meats.  Also lots of high-quality pantry items... tea and coffee, jams, butters, ice cream.  Even some produce that looked beautiful!  

Other pluses: good location with a couple bike racks right outside, an area to sit inside to eat, lots of individually sold spices.
4 - Susan C.: What a twee place.  But there's a dearth of markets downtown, and this one is very cute and hip.  It's not terribly overpriced for some items, and has most of the boutique and gourmet items you seek.  The deli case was stocked with some good looking pancetta and the prepared foods looked appetizing.  It's definitely a good addition to the area.
5 - Michael C.: Dropped by to see this place yesterday while in town visiting some friends.  Awesome decor, love the industrial chic.  It was great to see such an amazing selection of locally sourced, organic products.  Delicious coffee, with a great little place to enjoy it.  I didn't get a chance to try their prepared foods but they looks fantastic.  Don't live in Ann Arbor, but if I did I would be here all the time.  Check out their Zingermans sourced cheeses while you're there!  This place deserves to catch on.
4 - Jess R.: If Anthropologie and Plum Market had a baby, Babo would be it. A delicious selection of artisan cheese (samples if you ask), meat, pastries, and a coffee bar that serves pour-overs. The prepared foods case was awesome and cleanly presented without the chaos of too many choices to pick from. The packaged food area had a nice selection of some of my favorite things and also carried French lentils which I was impressed with. A "high tea" was being advertised for 3pm which I was sadly unable to attend,. The only drawback is the location --perfect for downtown Ann Arbor-ites, but a little inconvenient parking-wise for those who live outside of town.
5 - Nicholas D.: I first visited Babo today and it was wonderful. I had recently read the Ann Arbor News review which convinced me to stop in for lunch. I am so glad that I did! The atmosphere is great with a steady stream of customers, jazzy music in the background and the wonderful aroma of fresh brewed coffee. The spread of fresh cold and hot prepared foods was impressive. I ordered orange sesame tofu, mixed grilled veggies and a single roll  (pasta shell-like) of turkey, lentil and Gouda. With these three items the plate was full. The hot prepared foods were about 12 or 13 dollars per pound as I recall and I believe the cold prepared foods were 8 or 9. In addition to the food I ordered a large dark roast coffee (pour over brewed). The food was excellent. I particularly enjoyed the texture and flavor of the tofu. The turkey pasta-roll was also delicious. The coffee was incredible! I would rank it n the same level as French press coffee from Zola's and coffee from Comet. I consider myself a coffee connoisseur and their coffee was great. The type of coffee that some might consider a sin to add cream or sugar to. All included I paid 13 dollars. I consider myself cheap and I left feeling as though I got every penny's worth. They have great decor and seating for around 20 if I were to estimate. There is one long table and a counter facing the window with about 5-6 chairs. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for quality food to go or even a quick meal for eat-in. I plan to take my wife there in the near future for both the food and the coffee.
5 - Robert B.: Honestly, I won't ever buy a sandwich anywhere else. The food is extremely fresh and delicious along with the coffee. The service and atmosphere top everything off just like her Restaurant. It has a beautiful set up with a great verity of grocery items along with unique, healthy and organic products as well. Sit down and eat and grocery shop all at once at the best place around to do both.
5 - Jules E.: Babo has become my favorite cafe/lunch room/boutique market. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable about the inventory, the decor is funky, and most importantly the food is delicious! Excellent baked goods and sandwiches, I have yet to try the hot bar. The selection of pantry items is not large, but adequate for the average baker/cook, and the quality of what they do have is quite good. Babo cafe has a good atmosphere for working or studying that is completely unique from other cafes. Plenty of light and space, the feeling is of high productivity and very energized, no doubt because it is connected to a happening market. However, if all you want is a relaxing break, it's also easy to sit back and watch the activity from a seat at the amazing table, constructed from converted doors. Drink selection at the cafe is scrumptious though normal, which is rather a pity; a place as hip as Babo needs a signature special!
For first time though, try the Spanish Latte. Also, a macaron if they have some. Not quite like Cecilia's but good calibre nonetheless.
4 - Elyse G.: I work across the street from Babo, and I waited with bated breath for it to open. And the day they opened up shop, I was very pleasantly surprised. The have a huge, and ever-growing, selection of products. Their hot/cold prepared foods bar has high quality, delicious selections. And better yet, their prices are really reasonable. I've compared Babo sometimes to Sparrow Market or Zingermans, but it really is its own thing. A wider range of products than Zingermans, but not as much as Sparrow. But quality of products are higher or equal to Sparrow but not as exotic as some of Zingermans' goods.

The only things I don't like are the fact that they don't have public WiFI (at least since the last time I was there)... you have to connect to WiFi from a different building nearby. 

Last but not least, their staff is super helpful!
4 - Claire A.: Babo is super impressive. For a small market, they have a great selection of produce, frozen foods, pantry and snacks. I kind of want to live in 411 lofts -- the apartments attached to Babo just to be able to go here all the time.

The employees REALLY want to help you. With everything. They'd probably write your English essay for you if you asked, they're so eager. I'm one of those socially awkward 'nah I'm perfectly fine on my own' kind of people, but I guess it's nice to be in an excitable, knowledgeable environment.

Like the other reviewers, I'm a fan of their prepared foods. I will even say their selection is much better and cheaper than Whole Foods or Plum Market's prepared foods. The roasted vegetables and mac and cheese were close to perfection. And they have a terrific baked goods selection, including Avalon cookies (!!!) and their own homemade cookies/bars/brownies/macaroons. YAY, Babo!
5 - Mike H.: This place is great.  Get a cheese plate from Clair, she knows everything about cheese.  Get wine with it.  

The hotbar is amazing, try the mac and cheese or the pep calzone.
5 - Stephanie T.: Ann Arbor has something special in this part market, part cafe, part wine bar. The store's visual aesthetic is stunning - with the floor to ceiling windows and the obvious attention they've paid to the decor and detail it's just a beautiful place to hang out.

As it turns out they also have a wide range of delicious food, coffee, wine and beer that can be taken to go or casually consumed while enjoying this wonderful setting. Add a cheese plate and you're pretty much in heaven. I'm pretty sure if I lived in the apartment complex above this storefront, I'd be here more or less all the time. The store also conveniently sells a wide variety of normal groceries and specialty foods, perfect for that dinner party you're going to or hosting.

I just wish they'd consider opening up shop in San Francisco!
4 - Jonas L.: Beautifully curated high-end grocery at somewhat exorbitant prices, coupled with a deli that puts together fancy versions of rustic sandwiches. If you've been to Zingerman's (and obviously you have), you know what's up at Babo. The downtown location makes it a welcome alternative to the perennial favorite.

But Babo's got some tricks of its own as well. The mac and cheese croquette is a genius invention that perfectly combines two sins for maximal pleasure. The other prepared foods also provide a welcoming departure from Zing's palette. With a coffee bar and some seats, this place could be good for a day break.
4 - Jiah C.: A friend and I went to Babo on Labor Day for some wine and snacks on their covered patio. We had never been there before and needed some instructions on how to work this dine-in idea... the staff there were incredibly, ridiculously helpful. Every staff member I came across asked if I needed any help or offered me unlimited samples on everything in their display (cold/hot foods section). Their wines by the glass selections weren't bad, and their salad bar is amazing! The bacon was so crispy and crunchy and bacony, I almost couldn't stand it. The euro cheese platter was quite euro-stinky but I thoroughly enjoyed giving my palate something to think about, and I'm happy to see that they offer so many varieties of cheeses here.

Their actual store is also amazing. I didn't even get to go through all of it, but I know I want to go back. I really give them Kudos for their well trained and very competent staff.
5 - Hope D.: Omg- the food: so GOOD! The staff: so friendly and competent! Great food, incredible service and friendliness every where you turn a corner in the store- soooo yummy- endless samples! Beautiful market- awesome seating at the bars. I love their great salad bar too - it's creative and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
God this place always makes me feel good/better on a weekend morning. Ahhhh just right.
5 - Luke A.: I have never had a bad time going to Babo. I frequent the market as it is right down the road from me and every time I enter I am greeted with smiles and a hello. The people that work there are almost too helpful. The store is beautiful and you can sip on a beer while you shop. I have had food to go and in and each time it hits the mark. Happy hour from 3-6 is 20% of beer and wine (and some of the meat and cheese plates I think). The patio is nice especially because they put up the sunshades. 

The only negative I have ever had was a crummy espresso but hey that happens and there are other places to go for just that. All in all a top notch place. I will continue to shop there.

Babs - Atlanta, GA (33.77676, -84.383171) (Midtown)
4 - J. D.: This is a cute little cafe in th eheart of Midtown's new condo district.  Regulars here get to know the owners and staff and feel like part of the family.  Sandwiches and salads round out the menu that is complimented by cakes and coffees.
5 - Layla G.: As I write this review, my husband FORCES me to give it 5 stars.  Just as well as he FORCES me to have breakfast here whenever we are in-town.  I say this jokingly, of course.  Its quite delicious.  Almost went unnoticed.  Tucked away behind the 805 Peachtree condo building, a little "hole-in-the-wall" restaurant.  I initially BEGGED my husband to take me.  He did, reluctantly.  The service and owners were soooo friendly, but not to the point of intrusive, love it! And when the food came, I thought to myself "why didn't we share?!?!"  I don't like egg white omletes and i don't like omletes, so I have NO IDEA why I even ordered an egg white omlete.  Maybe I was trying to sabotage myself so that I hated the food because I was convinced I would never get my husband to go back?? Oh no!  It back fired!  I'm in love with egg white omletes now! Or is it egg white omletes AT BABS?  Or is it just BABS?  Oh hell, you get the point!  Its awesome! And it is going to bankrupt me because I can't keep my husband away.... "oh, i'm just going to get a cup of coffee"  which turns into a big, fat yummy breakfast that I can't resist eating it! And if he didn't bring enough for me? I have that divorce attorney on speed dial, baby! Who gets the rights to Babs?  FInders, keepers!
5 - Donna C.: I found Babs by accident while walking with a friend through the neighborhood.  Wow what a freaking find!  We went at the tail end of Sunday brunch, which closes at 2:30, not the advertised 3:30 by the way.  I had a massive roast beef sandwich, piled high with roast beef and turkey, covered in cole slaw, and a thick slice of tomato on toasted bread.  It was served with sweet potato fries and a curry sauce for dipping.  The fries were just crispy enough, with large flakes of sea salt.  The sauce was a delicious yellow curry sauce, that if I had a gallon of would probably not be enough.  My friend got a breakfast stromboli, which was phylo pastry dough, filled with ricotta, turkey, spinach, eggs, and cheddar cheese.  Unfortunately, since we came in near close, they only had one left, the one my friend got, or else I would have gotten one in addition to my sandwich just to be near it .  It was that good.  This is a local place I will take out of town friends, in town friends, family, complete strangers, and so on.  The staff is friendly and accomodating, and will treat you like family.  Try it out, you won't be sorry!
5 - T M.: Great for weekend brunch or a full lunch meal. Owner has a dry wit and goes out of his way to please customers. Exceptionally high quality food.  Why wait forever for a table at Einsteins when you can walk a few blocks to this gem!
4 - Elaine O.: I love how secret this place is.  It's past Avra and right under Veruca.  Walk by too quickly and you'll pass it.  

We walked in for brunch and I felt like we discovered an undergound breakfast club.  There was a group at the other end of the restaurant exploding with laughter..was totally gigglefest '96.  I got an omelet with spinach and goat cheese that was scrumptious.  The tuscan potatoes were yummy too, not overcooked like some places.  Boy got the Juniper Street Wrap.  They were good size portions and very good quality, very fresh.  Service is excellent!  The owner was totally hobnobbing with us.

I'll def come again for lunch.  They also have a few tables outside.
5 - stan f.: I've been going to this place for years, and I have enjoyed a nice majority of my experiences here. You get excellent, freshly-prepared food, with herbs from their garden, and in limited quantities of their specials.

While some people have shared their thoughts on the service being a bit rude, I would say to them that the chiding and the mocjing is really part of their charm. For a place named after a John Waters character titled "The Filthiest Person in the World", the kitsch and relaxed atmosphere of the place, peppered with Divine memorabilia makes the place dear to my heart.

On weekdays, this is my secret place to have a satisfying lunch without going to a bustling restaurant with lots of din. On the weekends, I jump at the opportunity to have brunch with friends here. Just remember to get there before 3pm!
4 - Michael H.: From the outside, this place looks...eh, just OK, but when I walked in I thought...hmmm, this place has something going for it. The food is pretty good, the mood is very casual and lighthearted, and everyone seemed to be very friendly.  Its exactly what you want for a low-key, quick Saturday breakfast. The server told me what sides I was going to have...he said "there are choices, but I'm making them for you today."  The neighboring table learned over and told me to trust him, that's just how it works at Babs.  The crab cake wrap I had was great!  The sweet potato fries were a little too sweet and too salty for my taste.  The "I would've never expected this here" atmosphere and friendly service make it worthwhile.  I'm definitely adding it to the rotation.
4 - Andrea T.: So glad I was able to find this place through yelp and pass the tip on to my sister that goes to Tech.  I was visiting for the week and looking for a good brunch place when this popped up in the listings.  Decided to give it a try and ended up walking into a place that felt like a long-time atlanta midtown institution.  

There's no such thing as nicer service.  The food was also perfectly to order, and the menu had exactly the things that I wanted.  For anyone else who understands the importance of toasted bagel with cream cheese, this place is for you.  They also have a special themed brunch every sunday with items like challah french toast or wasabi hollandaise on poached eggs (samurai theme).

The only reason I'm giving 4 stars and not 5 is because there was something a little off about the black coffee, but I'm weird about that so don't listen to me.  This place is awesome and has free wifi, check it out.

ps - this is not just a breakfast place, it also has a lovely looking lunch menu, but I didn't try it and so can't comment.
5 - Evan B.: To start, there is more parking than will ever be used and it's safe too. You enter next to the patio area with tables for nice weather amongst vegetable and herb gardens when in season. Even the window boxes have herbs-and everything is used in the kitchen. Almost entirely organic, the food is quite good! There are some fun twists on standards and the menu changes very often. The staff are sweet and nice-and won't allow you to order the wrong item-you'll get the breakfast that you want and it will be excellent! My mom says the oatmeal is the best she's had in years. If you're lucky, Randy, (owner), will be there and you'll get a heads up on what's coming up on the menu for special occasions! There's a catering menu on the table-if you work anywhere downtown, check it out! It's nothing like the usual and thank goodness for that.
5 - Shawanda M.: I can't seem to understand why I've never been here before!  Cute restaurant that I've already suggested to two friends.  I had the chicken & brie sandwich with sweet potato fries and it was magnificent!!  The way the flavors from the fries and the sandwich mixed together in your mouth...simply can't be put into words!

will definitely be back!!! (with friends!)
4 - Kathleen M.: The chicken, brie, and apple sandwich was divine. The wi-fi was strong. The setting was cozy. And I could walk from my apartment.

Why oh why had I never been to Babs before? Why are there so many Midtowners who seem to be in my same boat, having never tried this cozy little spot out? I can't explain it, as this neighborhood joint has a lot going for it.

Service is what I'd describe as "European": you've got to get their attention to order, but they'll be friendly about it and never rush you. 

I'll be back, and I'd recommend you check it out as well. Certainly a new local hangout to love.
5 - Brett H.: Shock.  Awe.  Love.

This place rocked.  I love the chicken and brie wrap.  I love having a little place I can get a bloody mary, good food, and privacy.

Great place, try it!
1 - Ari K.: I went back to Bab's, thinking I'd give it another chance because I did like the food. I had the same server (the place is small, so I think I have about a 50% chance of having him as my server), and, unfortunately, the same bad experience with him. It's just not worth being harassed (and although I'm sure he thinks it's cute and funny, it's really not -- and I'm pretty lighthearted), so I'm done with Babs. If you have a very high tolerance for that sort of thing, then by all means go, because it's pretty tasty. As for me, though, I'm done with the place.
4 - steven c.: Bab's storefront and signage faces the wrong way on a one way street. A tricky move I'd like to use as a metaphor for my dining experience. 

Backwards logic.

As our waiter Randy managed to berate us in a friendly and enjoyable manner, the coffee was lovingly refilled.

As my future plans were mocked, I was served a delicious omelet.

And as we paid our bill, he suggested that my fashionista friend's shirt was from Sears.

I left hangover looming, but in a surprisingly good mood. I'm sure the attention would be adjusted accordingly, but we were all having fun  and I feel like I have a new friend.

I probably drove past two or three breakfast places that I love on my way, but I'll make a point of coming back. Just remember to keep your eyes on your rear view mirror.
5 - Chris E.: Been going here for years!  Love the food - changes regularly.  Randy is a hoot, and I love his off beat comments.  They allow dogs on the patio, and it is just always a great experience!
5 - Henrik C.: Went to Babs for Brunch. This is truly a neighborhood gem. It is in the same area as AVRA, Singles, Mitra, ... You could easily miss this great place as it is hard to find, in the basement of another building. 

The restaurant does not look as a special place from the outside. However it has a lot of atmosphere (greek/European inspiration). The style is informal and very friendly. 

The menu card is by far not the largest I have seen but everything on there is truly delicious. We have tried most of it by now and all of it is very tasty and very well made. 

The service is "informal" and you might have to request their attention. However, they are very friendly and they take good care of all the customers. 

Promise this is a great place to hang out or to meet. There is much more atmosphere / ambiance here than the regular chain stores around the corner. I would strongly recommend people to try it.
5 - Jay L.: What a great place. Food was good but what was great was the service and the atmosphere. I will go again when I  am next in Atlanta.
5 - Mark B.: Thanks fellow yelpers for this find. I have walked past the building many times and never had a reason to go in, until I read your reviews yesterday. I've even had coffee several times in boring old Starbucks a block away, to wash down a dry oversweet pastry. But this morning I went to Babs instead and met the famous Randy and had a really good omelet. Its a good experience, and will elevate your day from boring to special.
Just dont be sensitive when Randy insults you. Cause he will!
5 - Diane B.: Loved it!  We went for Sunday brunch and I got the the GBLT in honor of Pride Weekend.  It came with the famous sweet potato fries.  Amazing curry dipping sauce. Nice coffee too (great after a long night).  Patio was wonderful.  Randy was great. One of the girls I was with demanded having a picture with him.  He knows he is fabulous.    My husband got the stromboli special.  Delish.  Can't wait to go back!
5 - Nicole J.: I have been trying to get to this place for over a year and for some reason it never ends up working out.  Now that I have, I'll be visiting again and again and again.  We went for Sunday brunch and I got the the Stromboli Special.  Layers of French puff pastry, cream cheese, ham and fresh tomatoes.  Holy Moly.   Due to the dishes richness our server, Dale, recommended that we split it.  Yes, the dish is rich, but you will NOT want to split it.  Too delicious to share.

Fantastic coffee and our water glasses were never below half empty.  Randy is hilarious and gives Babs that "Cheers" feeling that makes you want to support any and everything he does.

HIGHLY recommended.
3 - Alexa g.: After an extraordinarily late drunken night before, headache looming, and stomach growling, I trudged down Juniper street with our "yelp empress", and oversized sunglasses in tow.  I needed food stat! You could probably miss this place if you drove by to fast, but thank goodness I had aguide to show me the way. They have a pretty small brunch menu which consisted of a few breakfast items, and sandwiches.I ordered the big butch breakfast ( hey it was gay pride weekend so they had special dish names lol) Which was a plate of french toast and other goodies! Can't wait to go back and try out their lunch!
4 - Bobbin W.: My favorite thing about Babs is that the restaurant is named after Babs Johnson from John Waters' cult flick Pink Flamingos. A framed portrait of the female impersonator sits on the windowsill in one of the dining nooks. 

Anyway, I discovered this charming basement eatery while searching for a Midtown lunch spot near my friend's office. Many a Yelper sing its praises, so I printed two free beverage coupons off Babs' website and headed on over. 

Both of us enjoyed the day's salad special: pecan- and panko-crusted chicken over a bed of mixed field greens, shining with balsamic vinaigrette. Chopped red pepper and squash plus dollops of goat cheese added the perfect gastronomic ka-POW! 

With my free cup of piping tea, my lunch total rang in at just under $10.
5 - Doug B.: I often forget that Bab's is there, but am always pleased when I remember. Randy and the rest of the crew make you feel at home, and you can never go wrong with their specials.
5 - Tim J.: We were driving thru on our way to Florida and hit up Babs after reading the stellar reviews. Without repeating too much, I must say that all the good stuff said here is well-deserved. We ordered a breakfast including an omelet with salmon, crab, and avocado hollandaise that was fantastic and a baked dish with eggs, ham and cheese. Both dishes were great, with thoughtful presentation, featuring fruit and an attractive garnish. The coffee was also very well roasted and brewed. The service was fast and friendly, and not at all impatient with our cluelessness. 

We were in and out of this quirky joint in 20 minutes and were very happy for the brief detour into Atlanta.
4 - Jason H.: This is a cool little place. Randy, one of the owners is so funny. He joked with me about my own incompetence! (I'm still laughing.)

I had their french toast. Oh la la! D-lish. My only gripe is that Babs didn't have real maple syrup, but this isn't Vermont. :) Instead I ate the french toast with the sweet fruit compote that came with my order. 

I'm def gonna go back. You wanna join me!
5 - michael m.: Incredible experience for such a hard-to-find place. It's really the people in the place that make the place awesome, but the food was flawless and incredibly delicious, as well as being a great bang for the buck! I can't recommend this place enough =)
4 - Donald R.: Okay this place is pretty much the definition of casual - it's a bit shabby and tiny, but the food here is good...prepared with just a little extra flavor and attention to detail. The staff is very friendly. I love the peach walnut chicken wrap - I would never guess that peaches and walnuts taste good in a chicken wrap but it does.
4 - Chrissy S.: What a great little place!  I have walked past dozens of times and never gave Babs a second glance until I read the reviews on Yelp.  Thanks Yelpers - I'm definitely a fan.  The goat cheese, spinach & mushroom omelette is amazing - STUFFED full of goat cheese.  Roasted potatoes were heavenly.  Randy is hilarious!  I will have to bring a snow globe to add to his collection.
5 - MsBond N.: Absolutely amazing! I love the food and I love the people. Randy and I often sit and talk as I eat (when and if it is ever slow or quiet). 

What really won me over was the fact that when Randy, who had just learned of my dietary restrictions for Lent, made a special plate just for me. 

I love the personal feel when I go to Bab's and you miss that when you go to your classic chain. The food is fresh and tasty. And the sweet potato fries are to die for (yum).

I will definitely be going back and I am definitely telling all of my friends to give Bab's a try!
5 - Ginger S.: This place is really good.  We've been here several times for breakfast.  We like their juniper street breakfast, pastry puff, and omelets.  Their breakfast potatoes are excellent as well.  The omelets that we like are their special "different" omelet with chicken and their "special" omelet with salmon.  

On Sundays, they make fresh squeezed juices, which are SOO good.  This morning, they had orange, apple, and ginger.  

The service is really great, very friendly, and personal.  This is one of our favorite breakfast places!!
5 - Alana D.: this place is the tits!

oh man, the chicken & brie panini = to die for! and sweet potato fries that were better than the vortex's! the curry dipping sauce was delicious as well!

randy, the owner, is so crazy. but in a good way :P

we'll definitely be back!
5 - Jason E.: Went to Bab's yesterday for a quick lunch with some coworkers. We had Scoutmob, and had never heard of Bab's, but boy were we in for a treat...

We sat outside on the small patio area... wish the weather was a bit nicer, but the meal made up for it for sure. 

My two dining companions both had the chilled tomatoe soup and raved about it until their bowls were wiped clean. I had the Roast Beef wrap with Sweet Potato Fries.... WOW! It was AMAZING. PERFECTLY wrapped up, nice and tight... never came loose. Everything about it was super fresh and ridiculously good. Katie and Michelle both loved their meals as well, one being the Chicken and Brie Panini, the other a Chicken Salad of some sort, don't remember which one.

The service and ambiance is great at this place... the guys don't try too hard... quite the opposite. They are VERY comfortable with everyone that comes in, and are more than happy to tell you all about their neighborhood, their regular customers, and their snow globe collection. Service isn't what I would call normal, but it goes perfectly with the place... it's a neighborhood cafe, nothing more, nothing less... the guys were SUPER friendly, and never wanted for anything at all.

I will be returning many many times and have already sent three people there... what a great little discovery for a lunch on a whim!
5 - Bryan D.: Your Yelp search should begin & end at Bab's.  We were in from Chicago to check out Atlanta for a job relocation.  We prefer to dine at locally owned restaurants that offer something a little different on their menus or ambiance.  Bab's delivered on both accounts with a little help from Randy.  Many other reviewers have commented on his "presence," and he delivered indeed.  We were there on Saturday morning and while there were several tables occupied, it was no-wait around 10am.  Had the Crispy Omelet and Sunday brunch at Bab's is definitely on our culinary bucket-list.  See you SOON, Randy!
4 - Chris T.: The Scoutmob-Tour-of-Atlanta continued this morning/afternoon with a trip for brunch at Babs.  Upon entrance to Babs, we were overwhelmed with a staff willing to help us with whatever we wanted.  One thing can certainly be said of Babs: the quality of service is excellent.  We were well taken care of during the entire meal, and the staff was extremely friendly.

The second thing to note about Babs is this: for what you pay, you will get a veritable feast.  All of the dishes were enormous given the price, and while the menu was small the variety between dishes was great.  There were a lot of options, from the standard waffles, eggs, and sausage (my choice) to a "stromboli" of sorts.  The fruits served with each dish were fresh and delicious, and not your standard grocery store pineapple-melon-cantaloupe-grape mix.  We're talking fresh strawberries, orange slices, and huge apple wedges (this should be a model for other aspiring brunch places).  The only reason Babs gets 4 stars rather than 5 is because I was slightly disappointed in the quality of some of the other food.  Their potatoes were perfect, and their eggs scrambled exactly how I like them, but the waffles left a lot to be desired.  The texture of the waffles was too dry, and it was difficult to get through a whole waffle without drowning it in syrup.  The pork sausage that - by request - accompanied the waffle was cooked just a bit too long, and was a little chewy for my tastes.  

Normally, these issues would be enough for me to knock this down to a 3-star, but the exceptional service, good atmosphere, and general attitude of the staff definitely earns them enough of a bonus to get to 4 stars.  If you're looking for a nice, relaxing Sunday brunch, this is your place.
3 - Diana L.: Sunday brunch. Sat outside. Ordered: 
- sweet tea - OK
- grilled chicken and brie panini - DELICIOUS
- goat cheese and portobello mushroom omelet with sweet potato fries - OK
- some kind of "Asian" salad with strange-looking grilled chicken breast - OK

Service was OK, friendly, but after we got our food nonexistent. 

If I ever went again, I will stick with the paninis.
5 - Gianna R.: This is now my fav Breakfast Spot Ever....  The Atmosphere is cool and funky and looks something Divine would Throw Up in a good way...  The Food is Organic and a lot of the Ingredients Grown in their garden...   I started with the Fresh Squeezed Pomegranate Lemonade with fresh Mint it was so Good and then for my meal I got The Different Omelette.. Sliced Chicken, Roma Tomatoes, Mozzarella Cheese & Avocado Slices with Roasted Pepper Hollandaise.. It was the best Omelette I have ever had...  My friend got the Crunchy Omelette and he agreed with me the only thing is that I wish we would have ate here every day since I was only in town for a cpl of days and I had to go to my other lil local spots but next time I will make more room for BABS and at least go a cpl of times on my trip...  Oh and also the service was great...  Its a total 5 star joint...
5 - jw s.: I had a treat today as a friend and I experienced Bab's for the first time.. sorry it took so long to try it... the food was great and the service was great too. I look forward to trying some of the sandwiches during lunch time! Thanks Randy!
5 - Jennifer P.: It has been a long time since I have been to Atlanta, but I had been pre-scouting the restaurants before coming. What I quickly realized is that not many got good reviews. This place, on the other hand, has and SG thought it was a good spot to walk to and have breakfast. He had eaten here once before and enjoyed it. 

This is a pretty unassuming place off the more major street. It is in the downstairs/basement area of a mixed retail building.The building has some character with brick and the outdoor seating is surrounded by gardens and fountain.

The weather was slightly uncharacteristic Atlanta, warm but very comfortable and a very light sprinkle. We stepped inside to let them know that we would be dining outside. The waiter came out immediately to offer drinks and menus and cleaned our table. The coffee came before we knew it. The special of the day was a crunchy omelette with hash browns inside.... intersting. But not tempting enough. 

The menu is small. No pancakes or french toast. Some very appealing omelettes, wraps, etc.Both of us found the omelettes appealing and ordered.I ordered the smoked turkey with cheddar and scallion omelette with sliced tomatoes instead of potatoes. SG got the ham, swiss and roma tomato omelette with the potatoes. Both were served also with a bread side.And, they were $7 or a$8 and change respectively. CHEAP, relative to most Atlanta fare. There was also a decent amount. 

Just moments before our breakfast was served, I heard the door open behind me and then reopen again just under a minute later.I smelled the best smell of basil after than. I knew there must be a garden near by. Sure enough, breakfast came out and the waiter had taken the liberty of dressing up my sliced tomatoes with fresh basil. I am a sucker for fresh items. As it turns out, they grow most of their herbs that they use in their food and have a small garden with tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, spearmint, and most of the common cooking herbs. 

The omelettes were very fluffy and full of the fixins. The bread was good and the butter on the side for your own skimpy or generous application. The potatoes actually looked great! Overall, very generous for the price and DELICIOUS. I loved the combination of the cheddar and smoked turkey and SG seemed to really like his ham and swiss. My tomatoes and fresh basil were great. The basil really added to the tomatoes was SOOOO FRESH and not even a browned edge on them. 

The waiter was excellent. He made sure the coffees were never low and that we were well taken care of. He even showed me around the garden and shared the restaurants passion of using fresh herbs. I have great respect for that and both enjoyed my meal and the special attention that we got during out breakfast. I am glad this is close to SG so that he can enjoy it often.l
1 - Alisha L.: Clearly all the positive reviews were written by the owners friends. The food was equivalent to a country breakfast offered at a motel. Nothing looked fresh.  Our waiter straight up lied about the $3 orange juice being fresh squeezed when I specifically asked him before ordering.  With so many great restaurants in Atlanta, there is absolutely NO reason to go here!
1 - Brooks K.: We went there this morning with some friends. Overall, it was very disappointing given the high reviews! We ordered OJ because the waiter said it was fresh-squeezed. It definitely was not, tasted more like minute made OJ. I had a vegetable montage wrap and it was pretty boring. The ingredients seemed pretty low quality. The one high point were the sweet potato fries with curry dipping sauce. The others weren't too thrilled with their meals either. Also the music was pretty random inside.
1 - Shadi K.: Honestly, this is the first time I am yelping because I love Yelp and usually Yelp does not disappoint. I was so excited to try out this place  because of all the great reviews, but it was terrible. The food, decor, and music were all random. I went up the street to the Bakeshop on Peachtree for a good cup of coffee to cheer myself up.
5 - David M.: Babs was our best eating experience in a recent trip to Atlanta. Great, eclectic and casual atmosphere in a mostly ressidential neighborhood. 

We came on a Sunday morning for brunch and had some delicious never ending glasses of Blueberry Lemonade, an italian egg white omelette with Steak and Mozarella cheese as well some traditional scrambeled eggs, with bacon, a fruit salad and home style potatoes.

Everything delicious and the staff was wonderful!
4 - Oscar G.: Bab's is one of the best brunch places in Atlanta. Randy is a hoot to talk to and always knows what you want before you do. I recommend the Artichoke Bites and ordering whatever the special is.

This is a regular spot on my brunch list.
4 - Joi M.: I ate here for breakfast early one sunny Sunday morning before going to an outdoor festival.  It was a great meal that did not leave me hungry, perfect for a day of walking around outside in the summer sun.  I ordered the French toast, one slice of bread, sliced into two triangles, 2 eggs scrambled with cheese, two big, crunchy, but not burnt, pieces of bacon and fruit.  The fruit is what keeps me from giving Baba 5 stars.  The fruit consisted of: one half of a strawberry, a half of an orange slice, a piece of melon.  I would have liked 2 whole strawberries, a whole orange slice, and no melons.  The French toast was my favorite, flavorful and cooked without being too soggy or burnt.  The weather was great and so was the meal.
5 - stacey h.: i dont give many 5's... i actually think this was my first but this place was good! the people were very nice even though all we wanted was eggs and bacon. They were very attentive and very quick. I will go back again
3 - Ben B.: I went to this restaurant based on reviews of the area, and I have to say that I think that people are throwing 5's out a bit too easily.  I would like to give it a four, but I think that a three is more fair to try to even things out a bit.  We were there for a Saturday brunch about 11:00 AM.  Three of us had omelettes (two "crunchy" omelettes and one goat cheese and portabella), and one had the Juniper street breakfast (bacon, eggs, toast and fruit).  

Pros:
Excellent coffee
Good entertaining service
Generous meal portions
Affordable price

Cons:
Food was good, but not mind blowing like other reviews led me to believe.  

The crunchy omelettes had ham, cheese, and hashbrowns inside.  Again, tasty, but for me it was a bit too oily, and the hashbrowns were not very crunchy.  A great idea, but the execution was so-so.  

All this being said, I would go back, and I would suggest others to go.  However, I personally believe that a place with 4.6/5.0 should pretty much blow your mind, and Babs just didn't do that for me this time.
5 - Julie C.: While visiting Atlanta a few weeks ago we discovered this little gem while looking for brunch that wasn't too crowded. So glad we stopped here! The food was just incredible (omelet with balsamic infused tomatoes, shrimp, goat cheese and basil on trip one and roast beef panini with gorgonzola and caramelized onions on trip 2) and the owner, who helped us most of the time, Randy was fun and hilarious. It seems a lot of their items are grown on and off site by the owners which is a double bonus.

 We loved it so much we came back before leaving Atlanta  with more friends. Definitely come with not only an empty stomach but a sense of humor and/or thick skin because Randy will tease you to death!
5 - Charley W.: While visiting Atlanta with my partner the first week of August, we were pointed to Babs by the lovely desk clerk at our hotel (Hotel Indigo,) when we asked for a great place to get brunch that would be pet friendly. We opted to sit outside on the patio (that reminded me of the porches my family had in the South when I was a child,) because we had the dog in tow. Not only was the staff accommodating, but relished in giving the dog treats and petting her as she ate it up like the love-sponge she is.

The omelets we ordered were amazingly delicious and impossibly fluffy, and the Bellinis  were heaven on that typically humid August morning. The entire meal was completely worth sitting outside (though the ceiling fans helped to cool it off a bit,) and enjoying nature.

Afterwards, we decided to ask the staff if they knew of any LGBT friendly places we might go to make our Saturday night a bit more exciting. Turns out, we asked the perfect person! Randy not only knew of every place in town we *had* to see, but he gave us door passes and drink tickets to use at a bar that night. Though we didn't make it to that bar, we did make it to the Palomar rooftop for drinks and Ecco for dinner as he recommended. 

Anyone visiting Atlanta and looking for a great meal in a lovely atmosphere and all being overseen by a wonderfully helpful, knowledgeable and friendly staff needs to make sure to stop in Babs! It will clear up any questions you have about what exactly it means to have "Southern Hospitality".
3 - Holly v.: This was a pretty solid place for brunch.  I had sweet potato waffles which came with eggs (mine were scrambled with cheese), potatoes sprinkled with parmesan, two strips of bacon and a cherry topping for the waffles.  It was pretty good fare, although the bacon might have been a touch over done (I am picky about my bacon!).  

I really liked the casual, laid back atmosphere as well.  It was nice enough to sit outside, but I opted for an indoor table.  I was alone, but never felt weird, like you do in some places, eating by myself.  Other patrons were friendly towards me, eyeing my big plate of yumminess when they came in.  

The service was great and they were all very friendly and prompt.

Probably the best part was the pomegranate, blueberry lemonade.  I would go back just for that!
5 - Matt L.: By far the best place for brunch in Atlanta.  Came here with my family before headed over to the High Museum for the Dali exhibit and I think the brunch overshadowed the art, no joke.  The atmosphere is great and the staff is very friendly and had a lot of insights to offer an ATL newbie like myself.

I ordered the waffle, bacon and scrambled eggs with cheese and it was all absolutely phenomenal... probably better than mother's home cooked breakfast but I wouldn't say that in front of her (she enjoyed her brunch just as much, and loved the compliments that were being showered on her from the staff).

The restaurant is a quaint and cozy little place and the menu is quite short... but all that means is everything on it must be fantastic.  I will be frequenting Babs often, whenever I'm in midtown and need a good breakfast to shake a Saturday or Sunday afternoon hangover.
4 - jennie b.: Delicious, inventive menu. We went for brunch. Dining here is an experience - you're really treated like a true guest. Don't pass up the pomegrante lemonade. Come eat here! Sit outside while the weather's nice. You will be so glad you came!
4 - Evan R.: Great neighborhood spot! I eat breakfast here probably three times per week. The staff is friendly and funny and the food is solid. They are open for breakfast and lunch and do a great job at both. Highly Recommended.
5 - Steven B.: First off, easy parking.

 From the outside Babs doesn't look like much and it would be easy to pass right on by. Once inside, though, you find yourself asking "who are these crazy queens and what's that stuff on the walls?" (drag queens, snow globes, movie posters and a high number of fish for a restaurant that's not Asian). Once you ask,  the crazy queens are more then happy to explain it to you. 

The food is your basic standard fare reorganized and served in a non-standard way if you so choose. Listen close to the specials since they are usually the most adventurous spins on old favorites. 

Also available are canned preserved vegetables and jams. It's like a  visit to grandmas house for brunch if grandma had tattoos and a passing love affair with Divine.
3 - i. e.: Friendly place.  OK food.  I went with my husband a few months ago.  I forgot what he had, but I ordered jambalaya (could've been the special of the day).  While the sauce was very tasty, it was served over a bed of extremely overcooked mushy rice.  I haven't been back to this place although we live right around the corner.  I can't trust a chef who can't cook plain white rice.
5 - steve u.: this was a mere few blocks from a nerd conference i'm attending at the loews and when i asked the yelps for info regarding local lunch spots.  babs popped up on the map and it was totally walkable.  

now i know everyone raves about the sweet potato fries.  with good reason, they're sprinkled with crack.  however, you should note well that they have a helluva lot of good stuff on the menu.  that said, be sure to listen to the special list, it's damn good.  this was a point of some minor sensitivity on the part of the manager.  he seemed keen to point out that they do a lot of good cooking in there.

he then proceeded to run through an impressive list of daily specials.  i opted for the sriracha chicken salad wrap.  holy crap that was good.  there were a number of other items on the list that i was jonesing to try.  my coworker's gazpacho was served double bowled with ice.  hardcore. 

check it out.
3 - Nate S.: I have to say I was pretty excited to find a place downtown that served breakfast in the afternoon. The setup of the place is cool and the staff was friendly. The menu was pretty limited - lots of interesting sounding choices. I had an omelet with ham cheese and I believe hash browns inside. It was pretty good and light, but a little small. It just wasn't a 4/5 star omelet. We wanted to be but just weren't blown away. It's worth trying out.
4 - Ty D.: This was an interesting place.  Being from California, i wished i could have had a mimosa on a sunny Sunday morning... but since we are in Georgia that was not possible.  But besides that, i really enjoyed Babs.  Friendly and socialble staff, pleanty of parking, and good food!
5 - Anita L.: What a great place! Went here for breakfast during our trip to Atlanta, and we felt very welcomed. We sat outside which was a little warm, but the food and service was outstanding. We had the special corned beef hash and steel cut oatmeal with dried fruit. Mmmmm, both were SO good. Corned beef hash had the perfect runny egg. Definitely LGBT friendly which is great!
5 - Matt U.: This place was awesome! We're in town for the weekend and stumbled across this place for breakfast. The crunchy omlette was one of the best breakfasts we've ever had. Cornmeal waffle was incredible and the coffe was fantastic. We'd be here weekly if we lived in town!
5 - Stacey S.: My husband and I ate here this morning-what a great place! I had the bagel and salmon plate, he had the juniper street breakfast wrap, both were really yummy. Randy also brought over some fried green tomatoes they had picked from their garden that morning, and they were awesome, with a delicious sauce. It was really nice to make a connection with the guys there, they were super personable-I'll definitely be back next time I'm in Atlanta..
4 - Missa U.: We went here for breakfast while in Atlanta for a wedding.  We thought it might be nice to get something local, instead of the ol' Starbucks standby, and I am so glad we did!  

We were greeted by their very friendly staff as soon as we approached the door.  Now I'll admit -- my first inspection of the menu was a little underwhelming.  It just seemed pretty basic and like nothing much to get excited over.  Standard breakfast fare: eggs, toast, etc.  We decided to go for it anyway, and upon being seated, our server gave us the run-down on their specials.  That's where it started to get good!  Nearly everyone in our party ordered one of the specials.  Most notable were the corned beef hash (absolutely delicious definitely homemade, but not so homemade that it stops tasting like good old corned beef hash!), the cornmeal waffle (amazing!) with huevos rancheros on top, and the crowd favorite: the "crunchy" omelette, which was a really delicious omelette of ham, tomatoes, cheese, and I don't know what else but there were CRISPY HASH BROWNS also folded in!  Awesome -- such a good idea, I can't believe we've never thought of it before!

I'm not a coffee drinker, but throughout the meal, everyone kept commenting about how good the coffee was.  Apparently they have it specially imported -- like I said, I wouldn't know it from Folgers, but those who know said that it was darn good coffee.  

Basically, we left very full and very happy, and feeling like the people who run Babs really care about doing a great job and serving great food.  

I highly recommend it -- we'll be back on our next trip to Atlanta!
5 - lisa b.: Feels like you are entering a literal "hole in the wall," but as is true with many other places described this way, you will feel like you stumbled on a gem.  The staff is super laid back and friendly (full of jokes actually), and the menu seems to always be offering something different and fresh.  The blackened chicken sandwich is hands down THE BEST thing I have ever munched for lunch. Don't get me started on the sweet potato fries.  Try to eat just one... Anyhow, I love this place.  Free parking too.
3 - Will I Am N.: Definitely local on the low down. The food is average, the service friendly and price is right. Great if your really hungry and need to eat now. Otherwise find a better venue with tastier treats.
1 - Tai C.: got there at 1:30 pm on a Sunday .. it was not busy Ok the service was extremly slow. Considering it was not that busy .. had plenty of empty tables.. I think our server must have been tired or something..When he finally took our order I order the waffles with cheese eggs and bacon. My partner got the standard breakfast scrabble eggs with cheese potatoes and sausage.  We got our food about 27 minutes later  the food 75% of it was COLD. The eggs had no cheese in them so he brought out some shredded cheese to sprinkle over the COLD eggs... how ghetto! The food preparation was nothing special it actually looked like Mcdonalds big breakfast served on a plate triple the cost. Along with that either it was the manager or host he was talking VERY LOUD with another guest , making jokes which I am all for having a good time but not to where its disturbing other guest.. Even though eating the cold eggs was not a HIGH POINT..  I must say this is my first and last time coming to this severely overrated  and over reviewed restaurant. I would not come here if the FOOD WAS FREE.  I'm just glad I got a parking spot where I didn't have to pay for that too.. I really think they owners need to rethink their how they come accross to customers . also make sure YOUR NOT SERVING COLD FOOD  and with SLOW SERVICE.
5 - Becky B.: We needed a place that could accommodate 14 of us (ranging in age from 8-80) for a birthday brunch before the Nutcracker. We live in Seattle, so we had to choose a restaurant using only the Internet as our guide. Risky! Luckily, we found Bab's--could not be more pleased!!! Randy was extremely helpful when my husband called to make reservations; he even offered to arrange for a special cake for my mom. Once there, we all loved the funky decor and hilarious service. Kudos to Randy and staff!
4 - Jennifer D.: This place brings a smile to my face. It's small and unique and cozy. There are lots of things to look at, from snowglobes, to dolls to framed art. The ambiance made my dining experience entertaining.

I chose a breakfast of eggs, bacon, French toast, potatoes and sangria. The sangria came in a nicely portioned, large glass which is exactly how I like my sangria. It's like Babs was reading my mind.

I'm not joking when I say that everything was delicious. The eggs were scrambled well, yet still fluffy. The French toast was spackled with powdered sugar. The bacon and potatoes followed suit and were equally yummy. Just what you'd expect from a good, homemade breakfast.

Service was great. I even had a second server check in on me. And because of the friendliness of the staff and the atmosphere, I got to know fellow patrons at a table close by, as the staff heard us talking about the same thing and decided to introduce us. 

Definitely a cool restaurant with a fun vibe.
3 - Tom V.: Food: 
pretty basic brunch food. limited menu. executed pretty decently, but nothing really sets it apart in my mind.

Drinks:
dunno, we were there before noon on a sunday. OJ was not fresh squeezed.

Value: a couple dollars more expensive for each of the menu items than i might expect based on what we got. 

Ambiance: This is a great spot for locals. the decor is unique and the staff is fun. Relaxed atmosphere - didn't feel rush.

Service: good.

Recommended for locals.
5 - Florence Y.: Once again, why didn't I write a review for this place last time I came? Oh...cause I was busy eating the chicken/brie sandwich and sweet fries...whilst driving to SC!! LOL

I came by again because I needed to relive that taste of brie melting in my mouth...so I dragged the fam in at 9am on a weekday. They open at 8:30am! :) Got myself a chicken/brie sandwich to share with Dad and my sister and mom shared the omelette and they didn't quite like the crabmeat in it. ( I think it's their Asian tongue..so do not mind them.) Randy...got me a wonderful choc/mocha coffee goodness served in a Friends cup...it was perfect, no sugar needed...i had to get one to-go!

Once again...the Southern hospitality was welcoming...and tempting me to come live here! 

Tip-bits:

Sweet fries a must!
Private parking lot
The cafe is on the R on the one way street
Dash and dine parking available
1 - David M.: Really.....this should not be noted on Yelp as a "go to" brunch place in Atlanta, which was why  decided to give it a try. Without question one of the bleakest meals I've had in some time. Ok, I get the charm of the patio and the basement of an old house and the irreverent host and all, but that can't save the food here...OMG. Some thing they called split pea and hamhock soup was about as natural as the bouillon and water based flavorless stock this consisted of, with not the slightest sign of a pig part anywhere near this promodial broth..There was nothing about this soup being made from scratch..trust me..ick! The mimosa glasses came to us looking like they had been reused without going through the dishwasher, evidenced that they were all poured at once some hour or more earlier by the way they stuck to the table and the room temp of the drink. And the sandwich was marginal and the fries cool. Maybe its a place that does the sweet stuff better then the savory, but I would choose wisely and that means choosing the many other stronger options for Brunch in Atlanta...go to Bluebird, La Tavola, Murphy's, Highland Bakery,..anything, but trust me on this...Wow!
4 - sarah b.: Friendly neighborhood place!  Good food, great coffee.
3 - Felix C.: This is a a decent breakfast place but I don't understand the fuss. 4.5 stars?

It is a small, intimate place with a friendly staff. The food was okay. A small menu that is executed pretty well. 

I can see it being a good spot for locals but it isn't a destination place in my mind.
3 - Colleen B.: I am not a fan of thick lunchmeat sooooooo read this review knowing that.

We had lunch to go from here today and... eh. the ham just was too thick, I know - I'm a spoiled northern girl who loves paper thin lunch meat.  This sandwich just didn't do it for me. However, the cucumber salad with tomatoes, cheese and peppers, made me wish I orders a huge portion and added sliced ham on top. So good!

I also tasted someone's order of sweet potato fries and they were a winner!
4 - Faith W.: As an out-of-towner we tried to find an adorable, unique place to eat breakfast while visiting Atlanta. We found it here! The place is tiny in size but the menu is loaded with deliciousness. We sipped mimosas and stuffed our faces with crabmeat omletes for a solid hour till we surrendered to Atlanta goodness. Not five stars only because of the man waiting on us... who we wanted so badly to love because he was a hoot and a half (not to mention the locals seemed to love him) but he literally visited our table to gab about local gossip and other randomness every few minutes. So often, my husband and I barely finished a sentence shared just between the two of us. Bless his heart for trying though!
5 - Mary L.: I came here when I was really hungover one Saturday and it was the best decision I made all weekend. The server was fabulous and he knew just what I needed...a mimosa! I am not even sure I told him I wanted that or actively ordered my food, but everything was on point.

The food was great, and the waiter topped off my mimosa for free. BOOM. I left here very satisfied and then had a food coma....perfect.
5 - Steven W.: Love the staff!  Always, feel welcome and appreciated.  Never ordered anything that wasn't well prepared and very good.
5 - Peto F.: Food is amazing. The restaurant is inside the basement of an old brick house. Very unique. The wait is not bad at all. No reason to wait 1.5 hours at blue bird cafe when you can have better food and no wait at this hidden gem.
5 - Liz M.: I got the goat cheese and portebello omelette which was delicious! It came with generous sides (perfectly seasoned red skin potato hash browns and two slices of toast) and it was exactly what my friends and I needed after all of the booze the night before. The waiter could tell we were all hungover and had some fun with us, but he was hilarious. I'd definitely go back!
4 - Jason M.: Unique little spot that offers a great menu. Not a ton to chose from but what was there was perfect; quality over quantity. Really enjoyed their omelet which was prepared to perfection. Only negative was the food was a little pricey but worth the trip to eat somewhere different.
4 - K K.: Such a cute and cozy place for brunch. The food was excellent and the wait was less than .15 minutes. Highly recommend and be open to the nice selection of champagne that Babs has to offer. I am a fan and I will be back again with friends. Highly recommend....................
5 - Casey K.: This place is the polar opposite of artificial and stingy. Excellent food, excellent service. One of a kind.
5 - Maria S.: As an eight year midtown resident, I'm embarrassed to admit I'd never heard of Babs until this week. I needed a good spot for a morning business meeting with free Wi-Fi, and thanks to my fellow yelpers I found it. 

It's cozy, not too crowded, there's free parking, and the Wi-Fi connection is excellent. That's all I needed to fill my requirements, but Babs has so much more. First, there's Randy, who is a warm and gregarious host and knows how to sell a lunch special. Second, the food is really good! The Tuesday lunch special was a spicy chicken adobo, served with saffron rice and a small baked potato topped with cheddar cheese. On Wednesday, I had the minestrone soup and half a chicken-Brie panini, along with a small order of sweet potato fries. Everything was absolutely delicious, especially the crispy fries. Served with a spicy sriracha sauce, they were totally worth the splurge.

Babs is a great neighborhood place, and I plan to be a regular!
5 - Proma R.: A hidden gem!

Thanks to the random "best brunch" search we did on Yelp, this 6th spot winner is the best in my mind (and locality!)

This smallish place is right on Juniper, but they don't have a sign board on the street( cost big bucks to have one, said the owner).  But I am not surpised that there are 90 reviews for this hidden gem. After all, I probably had the best omlette of my life here.

Crunchy hash browns inside the omelette? Oh yeah.  It tastes sooo good even with a congested upper body and a hangover. 
Tomatoes and cheese compliment the crunchiness and deliver the most perfect omlette.

The panini I tried was equally fantastic.  

Great little spot to go back again and again with a friend or two.
5 - Otis H.: This is quite a find! The food is scrumptious, the service is wonderful, and the atmosphere is both fabulous and laid back with several different seating options, an outdoor patio, an area with a sofa, and then tables for a typical restaurant flare. 
The sweet potato fries are simply the best you've ever put in your mouth!
5 - Nikhil P.: Great food, fast and friendly service. Italian-themed brunch was fantastic.
3 - Jessica O.: I'd like to visit this place again, but I really enjoyed my first visit.  It's a tiny place, and the two men working there do everything from taking orders to making the food to taking payments at the register.  My chicken parmesan panini was delicious (could have used a tad more sauce) and the soup was good, too.  Overall, it seems like a great place for lunch.
5 - Caroline W.: When I woke up in the morning, my mission was to find Babs and eat breakfast there.  I decided a quick run to my destination would mitigate the fact that i was going to be loading up on greasy deliciousness.  I missed it the first jog past because the sign is on the side. Babs is very homey, it is in a cozy little house.  I ordered the crab omelet which was packed with real crab meat, mozarella cheese, and tomatoes -- my favorite!  the breakfast potatoes were crispy and tasty with nice garnishes of stuff i can't name.  The portion was more than enough for me, and the price was still so decent!  You should take a morning jog there also.
4 - John F.: I arrived in Atlanta from Houston early Sunday morning determined to not eat any food at the airport.  I looked on Yelp for a good place for brunch near Piedmont park before I go out on a run and they recommended this place.  I almost drove past this place and appreciated the standard free parking lot  since I've had to pay for parking or parallel park everywhere else.  The place is kinda smallish as most of the tables more suitable for 2-3 people.  I was recommended the olympic breakfast which was a largish puff pastry that had scrambled eggs, various meats and I think spinach along with two slices of panni and a few slices of pineapple and orange .  They also made sure that I had plenty of italian coffee that I needed to wake up.  Overall, I enjoyed my experience and felt that it was a great way to start my visit to Atlanta.
5 - Eric M.: Babs is an amazing Atlanta must have.  With all of our "reservation only" breakfast and lunch spots, Babs is a welcome change with its comfortable atmosphere and friendly staff....Randy is amazing......you must ALWAYS educate yourself on the specials before you order, that is if they don't describe them in full detail to you before you have even looked at the menu.  On a normal day, they create incredible dishes that you would definitely not expect.....Also, the sweet potato fries are an absolute "center of the table" must.  

I have lived and worked in Atlanta for a long time.  I am in constant search mode for the best places in each category.  Babs takes the winner's circle for creativity, quality, and experience.
5 - Andrew O.: So delicious. The crab cake wrap and chicken & Brie sandwich were amazing and the sweet potato fries with the curry dipping sauce were unreal. My wife and I will definitely be back soon.
5 - Nick W.: Wonderful place in the cut, yet smack dab in the city. The owner is wonderful, so friendly, and wonderfully attentive, down-to-earth while being professional at the same time.  The food is wonderful, the sweet potato fries and the crab cake wrap are especially good.

Oh and be sure to take a friend and get a pitcher of their wonderful sangria!!!
4 - Nadeem P.: Breakfast here was delicious. They have some creative gourmet menu items which have things you wouldn't think go together, but end up being delicious. I had the crab omelette, and it was chock full of fresh crab. The only thing a bit lacking is the service. It's a small shop and as a result service may not be the quickest, but it is definitely worth the wait!
4 - Heather S.: I love this little friendly place!  They don't have an extensive menu but the options you do have are all amazing.  The coffee is really good and the staff always makes you feel so welcomed.
5 - Jeff S.: Awesome and creative food and drinks and engaging conversation.  We love this place especially for brunch.  Almost never a wait.  Come for the food, stay for the conversation.
4 - Meg B.: We went to Babs for lunch on a Tuesday and was delighted. I had a crab cake roll up and my friend had the chicken w Brie sandwich Both were very good. The sweet potato fries are wonderful. we'll go back again- the environment is funky, eclectic and homey w a wifi corner w a sofa and arm chairs.
5 - Demetrius C.: This place is awesome! The food is great and the customer service is superb. The owner was very personable and exceeded our expectations of service. You must go. :-)
3 - Daniel B.: When I stepped inside Babs, I was immediately reminded of breakfast and brunch cafes in San Francisco.  It's small, cozy, and has an original, neighborhood feel.  Babs is hidden in the basement underneath an old Midtown home.  The employees here are friendly and the owner is the type of person who isn't afraid to tell it like it is.  Babs catered the Yelp Elite event at Halo almost a year ago and didn't make the greatest impression with their small table of crackers, vegetables, and spreads.  However, this restaurant has a devoted following.

Each Sunday, Babs' brunch menu changes themes.  The theme when I went was Greek.  I chose the "Olympian Breakfast," which was ham, tomatoes, eggs (whipped), cream cheese, and feta spread wrapped inside of a puff pastry skin.  This was similar to an omelette.  It was rich and very filling.  The meal was accompanied with two slices of toast (nice and crispy), steamed potatoes, watermelon, and a slice of orange.  A complete meal you could say.

I also ordered their blueberry pomegranate lemonade, a special advertised on the whiteboard outside.  It was good stuff.  The juice had tons blueberries in it and was served with fresh strawberries, slices of orange, and a small piece of raw sugarcane.  The coolest thing about this drink was that we got free refills.  Overall, the food and drink quality at Babs is good.

The restaurant is small and therefore not conducive for groups.  I'd say four people max if you'd like to be seated within a reasonable amount of time.  On the weekends during brunch hours, you can expect waits of up to 30 minutes.  They have patio seating and free Wi-Fi.

Coming south on Juniper, you'll see a sign for Babs' parking lot.  The restaurant itself is hard to see from the street, especially from the direction you'll be coming (Juniper is one-way), but once you turn into the parking lot, you'll see Babs right away.  When we arrived, a valet attendant asked us if we were going to Babs.  When we said yes, he let us self-park in the lot for free.
3 - Jennifer B.: We visited "Babs" for the 1st time on Mother's Day of 2011. 

The service was a tad standoffish & at certain points quiet rude. I'm a girl who runs with people who know what they like & don't need to be told what they want. If you are like us then this might not be the spot for you. Having hung out plenty of times with people of that nature we adapted quickly, but if your not prepared it will take you off guard. I ordered the Crab Cake Wrap & the others got told what they wanted without an explanation of what it was they were getting. My mother (who was the most important) LOVED it & Randy. She got the sparkling pome. drink with the Stromboli breakfast special. My brother got what was only described to him as a "crunch omelet" & was less than pleased. The hash browns that were inside the omelet were of the frozen kind & came with a side of freezer burnt. My Crab wrap was...o.k...not bursting with flavor, but I did love the sweet potato fries with the spicy curry dip. Yum! 
My boyfriend after getting "schooled" on his attire ordered the seafood omelet & didn't have much to say.
I figure Babs would be a FANTASTIC "cheers" type spot where "everybody gets to know your name", but on mothers day it was no shinning gem, with little to no service, freezer burnt food & unnecessary rude comments...left us feeling less than confident about this place, BUT if I am in the area again I will give it another go...It has such great potential. Maybe it was an off day...It's ok. : ) Mom loved it & that's all that mattered, : )
5 - Jason A.: Bab's is fantastic! Just listen to Randy - he won't steer you wrong. Also dogs are more than welcome an everyone treats them like family.  I went there for Mother's Day this year and Randy told us we were getting his version of French Toast as an app. It was amazing - similar to a pancake but with strawberries, blackberries, blackberry sauce and whipped cream. And that was just the beginning. My mom was tres impressed and loved it.
2 - Necota S.: Fail. How do you serve someone coffee with two used sweet and lows floating in the bottom? What is the appropriate response? Do yourself a favor and go to Einsteins on 10th. Food is better and you don't have to drink someone else's backwash.  I get being a small business, but attitude issues from the owner (soup natzish) isn't cool.
5 - Lance R.: One doesn't write a review for the food or service alone.  It's an intangible quality like the one you get at Babs from the  moment you arrive.  The lovingly cared for garden area where the grow some of their own herbs.  The children's table next to the flowers and fountain.  The little birds that peck from the feeders, and from little bits of food thrown in their direction.  This is as "Disneysh*t" as it gets.  

On one of my last visits, a day off from the rat race if ever I needed one, I sat outside on a gorgeous sunny Friday under the shade of an umbrella near the fountain and felt instant nirvana, even without food or drink.  A member of the staff came out almost instantly and I ordered a mimosa, no sparking fruit filled beverage as it was Friday unfortunately, and a cup of the watermelon gazpacho.  The plate had ice around the bowl to ensure it stayed chilled.  It was light, spicy and spot on perfect.  No extra seasonings needed.  As I was in the mood for one of the regular menu paninis, the chicken/tomato/brie, I got half of that with the previously mentioned soup of the day.  But I could not forgive myself if I didn't get Randy's sweet potatoe fries.  They're crispy and tender but a little outdated of  course.  What saves them and makes them something I have to get on each visit?  The curry, siracha mustard sause that's served with them.  I want to be embalmed with this stuff when I die.  It's creamy, spicy and just plain damn addictive.  

So for someone who needed a much deserved day off from work I get instant nirvana, a refreshing, spicy cup of watermelon gazpacho, half of a solid panini, addictive fries and a mimosa.  Total... 18 bucks.  I'll take this over a spa visit any day.  The service was wonderful as always, and yes they can be quirky at times (one of the reasons I eat here), and helped add to my eventual pleasure coma.  So much so that I left a 35 percent tip.  It was either leave the rest of the cash with me that I had taken out for the day or throw it away on something later.  I think I made the better choice.  

So if you go on a weekend for brunch, and don't listen to Jennifer B who make comments like "people of that nature", let Randy order for you.  I made the mistaken of not letting him do it last week and though the food was good, it didn't have that unexpected zing like some of the past things he's selected, like lentils with poached eggs and a side salad, toast and fruit.  I won't be making that same mistake again, i.e. ordering for myself.   And most of all, just relax, linger and enjoy yourself.  After all, in this increasingly corporate logo driven restraunt game, little gems like Babs need all the loyals customers they can get.  I'm definitely glad to say we will be two of those.
4 - Kristin G.: I went to Babs because of Daniel B's review.  Wow, boy was I glad I did!  This might have been my favorite part of the trip to the ATL.  I'll admit, we were slow, we just thought it was called Babs.  No, it was called Babs in honor of THE BABS, THE Barbara Streisand Babs. Update, this last statement was untrue and Deedra H clarified, "I loved your review but wanted to clarify one thing, Babs is actually named in honor of the John Waters character, Babs Johnson (aka Divine, for all you John Waters aficionados). "  Thanks Dee!  This Babs is just as fabulous and does not deter from the experience.  There were pictures of drag queens in the corner and the music was excellente!  Breakfast was fun; our waiter had us in stitches.  I was very much reminded of being in SF.  The place was quirky, the staff was quirky and the food darn good.  We had leek risotto with two eggs over medium on top and sweet potato waffles.   Yeah you heard me, sweet potato waffles.  

Now as a reminder, which I continue to forget, you cannot get mimosas until after 12pm on a Sunday.  Even so they have very refreshing non-alcoholic options.  Give it a try!  Next time in the ATL, I will be back!
5 - John P.: There is nothing more I can ask for on a Sunday morning than a unique brunch, a bloody Mary, a friendly atmosphere, and a little bit of sass. I can find all of that at Bab's.  Having patronized the joint 3 times in the last month, I have encountered 3 different menus and experienced 3 fantastic meals. Plus, Randy has the unique ability to humiliate you and make you feel incredibly comfortable in the same instant. He halts my normal rapier-like wit and leaves me laughing hysterically.  I cannot speak highly enough about the food, service, and atmosphere at Bab's.
5 - Cooper G.: Love this spot!  Randy rocks (I wouldn't want to be on his bad side) and the food was incredible.  Sitting in the garden area outside we felt like we were not in Atlanta.  Loved the brunch, atmosphere, and everything about Babs.  I'll be back!
4 - Broderick G.: On my last visit to Atlanta, I had the pleasure of eating at Babs. It was a short walk from my Midtown hotel and the food was amazing! But more than that, the feeling of warmth and hospitality by the staff was a welcome change. I consider it an honor to patronize places like this.
3 - Mark B.: After reading some extremely favorable reviews, I was prepared for an amazing experience at Babs. Unfortunately, I was a bit underwhelmed. We went on a Sunday for brunch - and it wasn't very crowded, which was nice. There were two guys doing most of the serving - I overheard the infamous Randy talking to other tables, but he never really made it to ours. The other gentleman (the co-owner?) was prompt, but not too personable at all.

As for the food, it was good. The descriptions were exciting and unusual, and it appeared the menu was thematic and to change often. But when the plates arrived, it looked like pretty much any other breakfast. The included fruit, toast and potatoes were not substantial - one piece of toast and an orange wedge. It wasn't BAD by any means, but not nearly as exciting or delicious as the reviews made it out to be. The coffee was delicious - but for the price point, the meal was lackluster.

I'd go back I suppose, but not after trying all the other plethora of brunch options out there.
4 - Leanne E.: From what I understand the menu changes weekly and is thematic. This off the beaten path restaurant is quite good. The staff is attendant and opinionated from everything from two ply toilet paper to feedback on one's haircut and believe me they hold nothing back. The food is comforting and will keep you coming back.
5 - Ezra F.: This place was such a treat. It was pretty busy because of the Peachtree Road Race, but our service was still fast and sassy. Randy was great. Pomegranate blueberry lemonade, fluffy french toast... my friend really enjoyed his corned beef hash too. All in all, it was a great time.

Plus Randy stuck around to chat with my table when things slowed down. He also works with Affairs to Remember, a catering company, and they happened to cater the wedding I was in town for. Also delicious. Would totally go back to Babs.
2 - Hannah L.: There was nothing special about Babs when I went for brunch. It was dark inside and the blinds were down in all the windows (i think to keep the heat out) giving it a kind of medieval dungeon feel. The food was good, but nothing amazing like I would expect given how many stars it has on here. Also, although I had heard great things about the waiters, they didn't really seem to like my friend and I all that much and were just moderately nice to us.
4 - Daniel B.: very, very high quality food for the price! Always delicious and interesting.
4 - James M.: Came in with a group of friends and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  The staff was super friendly & fun (Randy & Katie). Our brunch was delicious- I started with a yummy Prosecco cocktail then had a sweet potato & chicken hash with some fried eggs on top (perfect meal for my hangover). We'll definitely be back & will recommend it to friends.
3 - sarah p.: I finally rolled into Babs after years of hearing about it. My friend lives in 805 and after a rough night at Johnny's Hideaway, we rolled into brunch here sporting last nights's smoky hair and Sunday's big sunglasses.

I had never been, so I didn't get the theme thing, but apparently every weekend is a riff on their brunch dishes. Lucky for me, it was greek day and I can't get enough of feta and spinach. 

I had the greek stromboli - oh my goodness - eggs, feta spread, spinach, tomatoes, rolled into a puff pastry and sliced off.... perfect, rich, exactly what I wanted.

The sides were completely average and good - crunchy toast, some scattered fruit, and some crispy potatoes.

The iced coffee was delicious - we sat outside with a cool breeze even on the hottest of days. 

Such a lovely, not-stressful, perfect Sunday brunch...
5 - Julie G.: One of the great perks about living in midtown is being able to live within walking distance to the best dives around. Babs is literally 5 min away! I ventured into this teeny restaurant expecting amazing food after all the yelp reviews i read. i was soo not disappointed. the staff here are friendly and attentive. i ordered the corned beef hash special and my friend got the cruncher ( hashbrown inside an omelette. seriously? could it get any better?) our food came out 15 min after we ordered which was very impressive considering it was a sunday morning. also, one of the staff came by every table offering jalepeno chow chow and peach jam. these are a must when you visit! the jam was peachy and thick while the chow chow was not too spicy and it went great with the corned beef. too bad i couldn't finish it all. if only people had an extra stomach to consume all the world's deliciously goodness.
2 - Jayraj J.: Went here for breakfast on a Saturday morning, More like one and half stars. The main points of my one visit (I don't plan to return) are:

Positives:

1. Cheerful, attentive service
2. Nice location and establishment; tucked away (almost can't be seen from the street)

Negatives:

1. Mediocre food - I ordered a breakfast egg wrap and was thoroughly underwhelmed. I don't really remember what it tasted like; neither the taste, nor the texture distinguished themselves. The coffee also tasted like percolator-style, burnt Waffle House brew; not bad by itself but overpriced for what it was. Which brings me to the second point...

2. Overpriced - Everything about Babs' food screams "greasy spoon diner", except the prices and the names of the dishes. I paid an extra $2.25 for "fruit and potatoes", only to find out that "fruit" means a thin sliver of watermelon and a slice of orange that was more peel than (dried out) pulp

To summarize, I'm not going back.
5 - Chrissy C.: as promised, my yelp review :) the staff is super nice and fast!  & the food is amazing with really hearty portions (no dieting at this place!).  you must try their sweet tea and their jalapeño poppers!  the place is really cute, great lil breakfast/brunch date spot~ and to top it all off~ THEY HAVE A PARKING LOT!  this is like gold to a nyc girl!
5 - Daniel C.: Great friendly helpful owner. delicious breakfast - the peach elixir was a treat. we also purchased some of the peach & honey jam after trying it on our toast because it was so good!
5 - Justin C.: We flew into Atlanta for brief visit and decided to visit Babs based on other great review we read here on Yelp.  It did not disappoint! 

Randy was a friendly, entertaining host who made witty conversation and even picked peppers from his garden for us to try.  The food was innovative and presented beautifully. The bread pudding was decadent, and everything had a very fresh taste.  Loved this place- would definitely make a point to return in the future!
5 - Amber C.: For the past year, when family and friends come to visit ATL I'm always sure to bring them to Bab's for lunch.  I love the atmosphere and yummy chicken and brie panini with sweet potato fries done just right with a good dipping sauce and in the summer they'll serve up a thirst quenching champagne cocktail with strawberries, blueberries, and lime and lemon zests that always hits the spot. 

I never have to wait for a table and there is always a spot to park for free (huge plus!).  And I love being greeted by all of the guys when I walk through the door.  The service is always quick and delicious and Randy and the guys are a hoot!
4 - Stephen W.: Great place for brunch!  Local restaurant, and many of the vegies/herbs are grown outside the restaurant.

Staff is friendly and funny, and the menu is great.  We had steak eggs benedict & an omelet with ricotta cheese & shrimp.  Everything was delicious.

Oh yeah - Best Coffee in town.  Go for the coffee.
5 - John M.: The amazing brunch here is only outdone by the great atmosphere and service. This place is a staple of my weekends and a MUST for anyone in or around Atlanta.
3 - Ben D.: I think they must have ran out of flavor the day I went.  But they do serve the kids drinks in sippy cups, which is something every restaurant should copy.
3 - James A.: Cons:
Hungover-Aged-Drag Queen Service
Flavorless Potatoes
Copper Blinds (srsly)
WAY too much laughter when someone said "swallow".
Silverware was just disgusting. there's no other way to say it. 
Bitch, I don't care how long you've waited tables, or how many tips you had to earn to pay off your '92 Mercury Sable that runs solely on the energy produced by the 800 rainbow stickers covering it - SAY "YOU'RE WELCOME" TO A CUSTOMER AT LEAST ONCE IN A MEAL. 

Pros:
The wrap, with half a shaker of salt, was delicious. 
The chef should've been named 'crackers' and had a boiled egg addiction. 
Making fun of the staff really made my day.
The coffee did the trick.
5 - Brian K.: Great friendly place with wonderful homemade food. Try whatever's the special.  They also make their own jellies and jams -- the Pumpkin is delicious.
1 - Meghan M.: Friendly service but terrible food. Everything seemed like it was cooked the night before and we were only one of 2 tables there that morning. Huge disappointment.
5 - Adam C.: A great breakfast in midtown. The staff is serious about food.
5 - Bianca D.: First morning in Atlanta and our stomachs were rumbling for something good to start off our long day. Saw pretty good reviews on Yelp and off we were. 

Beautiful day outside so we sat outside and the waiter quickly came over to help us and explain the menu and specials. Brought us our orange juice and champagne along with some pumpkin butter that we could try. Tasted so good that I had to force myself not to spoon it before I could use some for my toast. 

We both got the Crunch omelet (hashbrowns, ham, tomato, and cheese). Very good. Also loved the potatoes and panini toast. 

Not only the food but the service gives this place 5 stars. Attentive, friendly, hilarious, and just what we needed to get my vacation off right.
5 - Jaime D.: Amazing hidden gem - I love babs for any meal.  There are always tons of fresh and wonderful specials with food fresh from the garden.  The atmosphere is relaxing and friendly, I take work there and do it on their free wifi.  Randy and his whole staff are great to talk to and have really established a Midtown mainstay.  Go to Babs!!!
1 - Jane E.: I've never given a 1 on a review, I hardly believe in it-- I'm ALWAYS the kind of person  to give any and everyone the benefit of the doubt. But my recent experience at Babs was just SOOO BAD that 1 is the only appropriate rating. 

Okay, so it's day 2 of my friend visiting. This time I'm like, "hey, lets try a breakfast spot, I heard Babs is super delish". So, we take a stroll down Juniper, and find it nestled in a corner/on the side, right past Mu-lan and that other restaurant. It's easy to miss, so be sure to keep your eye out for the sign. We go in, the guy tells us we can sit wherever-- there's only 2 other people in there.  (It's about 1:20ish)

So cool, we sit down and get the menus. We're in breakfast mode, he tells us the specials, and we both nod, attentively listen, smile, yanno we give him ad-lib "oo-aww" "that sounds good" "mmm" etc. He leaves, we go through the menu... hmm, no true to heart breakfast stuff, ok yea there's eggs and what not, but no waffles, pancakes, or french toast.

He comes back over, we explain to him that we're in the breakfast mood. In a sort snarky way he says "Sorry, we don't have breakfast, that's only on the weekends" "I can bring you the brunch menu."  So, I'm thinking he has an attitude and doesn't want us to eat breakfast items, but will go ahead and bring us the menu so that we can order from that. He brings it to us and repeats that brunch is ONLY on the weekends, but that they have other stuff AKA 'here's the menu to look at, but you can't order anything off it.'

My friend wanted to leave, but I'm like let's just stay and order something small. It can be our appetizer to the place we'll actually go eat at. He comes back over we explain that we really did want breakfast, but since we've heard such great things, we want to try something. And that's when the rant began.. Nothing BUT attitude. Passive aggressive attitude.

SERVER GUY: "Well, I mean y'all can just leave I won't be offended"
MY FRIEND AND I (PATRONS): "Oh no, we understand, but we've heard such great things about Babs, so we wanted to at least try something since we're here"
SERVER: "Don't think you have to stay just because I brought you water"
FRIEND AND I: "Yea, we understand, and we did want breakfast, but we'll still try something"
SERVER: I don't know where you're gonna get breakfast at this time of day anyway, but there's a IHOP down the street"

*screetch* (step on the brakes) Did this fool say that THE ONLY breakfast spot open in Atlanta right now is the IHOP off Ponce?! Are you brand new to the A? Or do you just think we're not from here so you can just make reckless comments like that? Either way that comment alone REQUIRED a negative yelp review. 

Despite his attitude, we decided to order the sweet potato fries. The sauce wasn't too complimentary, but the fries were very tasty  (the 1 star on the rating). We eat, drink a little of the disgusting tap water (worst restaurant water ever, smelled like it came from the toilet). Then left. We should have NOT tipped, but we did. Fries were just $4 we gave him like $7. So pretty much a 75% tip, but whatevs... my friend just gave what he had in his pocket. 

SUMMARY:
1.) You close at 3PM. 3PM!! So for u to be mad & give me attitude for wanting breakfast/brunch is bananas, like straight rachel zoe "BA-NA-NAS". It's crazy!  You're in the freaking breakfast brunch category for goodness sakes. Its pretty much the MAIN reason people come to u. Don't give me attitude for wanting that!

2.) The fact that you showed me a menu that has waffles on it, MEANS you have the ability to not just make waffles, but pancakes too. Sure it's not Saturday or Sunday, but there's literally, like LI-TE-RA-LLY 4 people in this restaurant and 2 have already finished their meal. You can make us some effin waffles if you want. I mean, wtf happened to customer service?! You have a waffle maker in the back, and it does not take much to whip up a small batter. BUT NO. BABS, THE BRUNCH & BREAKFAST PLACE, *ONLY* MAKES BREAKFAST ON WEEKENDS, ONLY 2 DAYS-- SATURDAY & SUNDAY. How dare they tell us such foolishness, you betta get in the back and make my waffles!

3.) IHOP?! Really. The server/front man/possibly owner at Babs tells me that IHOP is the ONLY place at 1:40PM that I can get breakfast. I'm just hoping that you're blissfully ignorant, otherwise... what a douchy thing to say. And just FYI, let me tell you a few places I can get breakfast on a Tuesday afternoon in Atlanta, Ga sir:

- Let's just start w/ the basics: The Majestic (24 hours) & The Silver Skillet. Sound familiar? They've only been here since, idk, like FOREVER!

Now I'll go into places that are BETTER than Babs, definitely better ambience and service: 
- Ria's Bluebird 
- West Egg Cafe 
- Thumbs Up Diner 
- Highland Bakery
- I mean do you not realize The Flying Biscuit is within walking distance of you?! I basically walked passed it coming here. 

And that's just a few.

Basically... Babs sux!! 

Don't go there!
5 - Jimmy B.: Our favorite place in ATL for breakfast / brunch ... food is always great and Randy & co. always entertaining!
3 - Anastasia T.: Overall we liked our breakfast (only bumped we were unable to try their mimosa's as they cannot serve alcohol before 12:30 pm on Sundays...Geez, thank you Atlanta!)...The "main" courses (jack frost omelet with egg whites, mushrooms and crabs and the crunchy omelet stuffed with hashbrowns) were tasty...mostly interesting rather than tasty but we were happy with them. The sides were meh, in fact the potatoes were under-cooked which I hate (how can you get that wrong people? it's really easy to bake/fry/boil potatoes) the fruit were OK and the toast was pretty good, but hey, I am not going to get excited because they toasted the bread to perfection, especially not when their little cute menu is a bit pricey...

The place is nice and cozy and after having read the reviews here I was expecting the service to be more memorable but it wasn't. It was, however, efficient and for me, that is the most important thing when it comes to servers.

I do recommend Bab's and we will go there again in hopes that next time we'll eat something that will make me add a star (or two) to this rating.
4 - Brent B.: Returning to Atlanta for a weekend visit, I HAD to visit Babs.... Today I had the special breakfast, pulled pork over corn bread with a fried egg. DELICIOUS!! This place continues to be a gem!
5 - Patricia Mary H.: I have not eaten here all that often as brunch doesn't go over so well as a solo affair--but let me say that when it is, with these guys you would know it. The staff is incredibly friendly in a "you've known them for a while" type way and the food is always incredible and creative. I enjoy looking at the menu, not knowing if i will like it, and leaving it in the hands of the chef to put a lovely concoction together.

I once asked them why on earth it wasn't crowded--I am from philly and a place like this would have a guaranteed half hour wait minimum through 2pm on a sat or sun morning. 

Portions are wonderful and don't bat an eye if something needs to be gluten-free. 

I hope to walk the two blocks more often, but people should know about this place.
2 - Zadi M.: very hard to find. very cozy. very cute. very nice wait staff. not impressed with food. my lunch companion and i both were very underwhelmed by the food. i will return because the place is just that cozy and cute and the staff (owners?) are just that nice. now that i know how to find it, that takes some of the frustration level off too. i will try brunch next time. maybe lunch isn't as much their thing. not giving up on it. will be back. and will repost.
2 - Christine R.: I'd heard/read such great things about this place and am always up for a new place.  Babs has tons of potential...quirky decor with exposed brick and fireplace in the basement of an old house. We went for breakfast.  The food was ok and the portions were oversized.  Service...horrible!  No eye contact, our server kept walking off as we tried to talk to him, didn't offer water, didn't come back to check on us, and just seemed rather distracted although there was only one other couple in the place.  The first cup of decaf had a ton of coffee grounds in it, the second still had some but we felt like we were an inconvenience so we didn't press.  And to top it off, the place could use a good cleaning.  The blinds haven't been cleaned in a few years and there were crumbs on the tabletops...under the glass.  Get it together people!  Just a little extra effort and you'd have a gem on your hands.  It's a shame, we live a block away but won't be back.
5 - Anita N.: Love Babs! Love Randy! My husband and I recently moved to Atlanta and love going to Babs for breakfast/brunch. The sweet potatoes are amazing :D 
Randy is wonderful :D
5 - Xavier G.: The best place in Atlanta for good food and good fun.
5 - Chuck K.: Babs is a one-of-a-kind Midtown eatery. Don't judge a book by it's cover because this unassuming breakfast/lunch joint will surprise you. We stop in often and always have a great experience. Randy manages every detail of the menu incorporating fresh ingredients and seasonal produce. One of my favorites is the spinach, portobello mushroom and goat cheese omelet, it'll melt in your mouth. Everything's delicious, especially the Blood Orange Marmalade!
5 - Dorian B.: Babs is my favorite breakfast/brunch place in Atlanta!  The food is always amazing.  I love the staff.   They are fun and personable.  Randy is the BEST!  I love to sit outside (when the weather is nice) and enjoy the how quiet and nice Atlanta can be.  You can still look up and see the buildings to know that you are in the city, but it feels like you are having breakfast on your patio in the suburbs.  Sunday brunch is my favorite, because they have a special that is super yummy.  If I have out of town guests, this is the place I ALWAYS take them for breakfast.  Hands down- BEST unknown spot in Atlanta!
5 - Damon C.: This place is the best breakfast spot I've been to in Atlanta. Check out the daily specials, they are varieties you'd never think of.  Place is hard to find, but once you do - you'll return.
5 - Katherine W.: Love! Tasty food, good service, nice lowkey neighborhood atmosphere, no wait at all on a Sunday at brunch time, and free parking.  What more can you ask for? I got a faint vibe of barely-there kookiness from the place, too -- in a good kind of way.  Definitely a new fave breakfast spot for me.

The breakfast menu is small and manageable -- it covers the breakfast basics, with a couple slightly more interesting options.  According to the website, Babs does themed Sunday brunch specials.  On the Sunday we went, I didn't notice a particular theme, unless "generally being delicious" counts as a theme.  We got an omelette with ham, cheese, and hash browns inside of it (!!)... sogood.  We also got a dish called Cowboy-something... pulled pork in BBQ sauce with two eggs over it, all served over jalapeno cornbread (with an extra slice on the side).

Go! No, don't.  Let me keep it all to myself.
4 - Emily G.: Fantastic food aside, Babs is not for everyone. Its not for those with bland taste-buds, lame personality or the faint of heart. For reals, this place is 50% personality, 50% food.

... and when I say 'personality', truuuust me, I mean it. The owners and servers have tons of sazz and they have no problem making fun of you and throwing witty remarks at your face. 'Whaaaaa?' was my first response, I hadn't seen this vibe in any other restaurant in Atlanta. But after a couple sips of cold water, I fully woke up and toke the jokes like a champ. After all, great service doesn't mean you have to be a 'yes mam' lame-o sort of server right?

Right!  But still, let this be my warning to you. If you can't take the heat... you know, don't go to a kitchen fire or something.

Joking aside (literally, hehe) the food was surprisingly good. I love a small menu, but I didn't see anything on the breakfast side that I was totally in love with.  Luckily, mister smarty pants came over and described like 5 'today specials' that sounded soooo delicious, I couldn't decide which one to order. I decided to go fully bold and asked for the black-eyed pea risotto with scrambled eggs, toast and fruit for about $10.75. I know, who the hell orders risotto for brunch? Luckily I was more than pleasantly surprised. The risotto was a punch of flavor, creaminess and scrumciouliciousness (i know its not a word, but... it could be). The toast was tasty and the scrambled eggs went surprisingly well with the risotto. I could have eaten that as a breakfast, lunch or dinner option and it would have still been incredibly appropriate for the occasion- it was a very versatile dish. 

Would I come back? Absolutely.. but I'd practice my comeback jokes first. I'll be back with a vengeance!!!
5 - John H.: Super Sunday Brunch!  Well conceived and perfectly executed omelettes complement the fresh squeezed juices and what can only be very freshly roasted coffee.  The staff is wonderful and quickly make you feel like an old friend, even on your first visit.
4 - Asma A.: Great for a weekend brunch... I had the smoked salmon wrap with eggs and it was very good...
4 - Tonia W.: Talk about the luckiest walk down Juniper EVER!

Not sure where to go with this. . .the food, the atmosphere, the service.  They were all AMAZING.  I went out on a limb for me and did the special of the day and was SO glad I did.  This great little place is exactly why I miss Atlanta. . .superb food in a quaint atmosphere that's fabulous and just quirky enough to ensure you're paying attention.  

I'm a sucker for the details, so the carafe of sweet tea and the mantle full of snow globes sucked me in immediately.  Bab's will be a do-again!!
4 - Jake C.: Parking isnt free anymore, it's $3 required valet in the lot directly in front of the restaurant. Everyone at Babs was apologetic though and explained that the landlord wanted it valet because non-patrons were filling the lot. Whatevs! Food was great and service was AMAZING. Sat on the porch and it was a beautiful day for brunch. It was also the restaurant's 8th birthday, so they gave out complimentary cake for dessert. It even had a lit candle!

Can't express how good the service was. This was my first visit, and I'll definitely be back many times. PS no wait for a table at 1230 on a Sunday.
4 - Nick W.: So today I had the privilege of trying the tasty little establishment they call Babs. I am really big on breakfast nooks and this place fits the bill. Right off Juniper in Midtown, Babs is one of those places that you would never be able to find on your own unless you were looking for it. But once found, what a discovery!

Posters of some drag queens and multi-colored chairs scatter the place with a random couch or other furniture here and there.  Definitely kitschy and a hole in the wall, but very Midtown and charming. Had a little bit of a wait to be seated, but I was in no hurry, and once I was the two guys running the place were really nice..and a little sassy (the waiter was good at talking me into getting what I got and convinced the table next to me to order caffeinated instead of decaf coffee), but it was playful and fun. 

They have a small menu, but always have about 3 specials that they change up often, so the menu doesn't get boring and they tell you about their food, so you know they really care about making good food. I had the omelette with hashbrowns, tomatoes, cheese, and scallions inside and it was DELICIOUS. I wanted to eat the whole thing but it was so big, and came with tasty cubed potatoes and some toast, I had to try it all. A complete, tasty meal. Also, important to a breakfast place...good cup of coffee!

GO: If you like good food, fun but quiet atmosphere, fun waitstaff,

DONT GO: Big groups, in a rush, don't like fun in the morning.
4 - Christine L.: I'm not for franchised morning places, and by franchised I don't mean your typical run of the mill diner Waffle House or IHop but even places like J. Christopher's and The Flying Biscuit don't quite cut it for me. I'm not much one for breakfast foods but every once in a while I run across a little shop that just takes me away. A few months ago I ventured out of my comfort zone to a place called Le Petit Marche. Located in a very obscure area of town I had noted it was one of the most relaxed, European-style cafes I had been to in a while. When I first walked into Bab's it had a similar feel to it, brick walls with an eclectic décor hanging on the walls. It's a bit difficult to find as their location is underneath a Health and Wellness house but look out for a red awning with a white Bab's stamped to the front.

 As I walked in I was greeted with a cheerful "I'll be right with you" from the do-it-all host and server. Charming and hilariously over the top, this man made the restaurant, his name as I found out later, is Randy. Randy, oh Randy... what do I say about this man who made my dining experience THAT much better. I'm pretty sure he's gay. Hell, it's on Juniper St. in the heart of Midtown. I expected to walk in and have a relaxing breakfast with my friend but alas that is not so when you have a bombshell waiter. He advised us for food, emphasizing on the time old tradition of trying new things and "living dangerously." He convinced, perhaps even pushed me and my friend to have what he called "Sake Mary" with a dash of Sriracha. It's essentially a Bloody Mary with Sake, it's a excellent invention, and the recommendation for a dash of Sriracha won me over instantly.

 As for the food it was lovely. I settled for a daily special, a Cuban wrap grilled panini style with sweet potato fries. The pork cuts were a bit chewy but overall the Cuban was a success, with a nice sweet hint to balance out the salty ham and briny pickle I devoured the first half happily. The sweet potato fries were something else. I had grown accustomed to the idea of overly sweet, sweet potato fries but these fries came served with a tangy honey mustard and curry dipping sauce that was absolutely divine. It complimented the soft and subtly sweet fries. 

Overall, a wildly different and kookier experience than I had expected. A sake-mary down, filled with good food I left Bab's smiling having a different eclectic yet all together relaxing morning. I recommend this place, if you're looking for something quiet or if not chat up with Randy he's a bombshell of a guy and by far one of the best servers I've had so far.
3 - Jacob P.: Good breakfast. You really could miss this place if you were not overly looking for it. Staff were polite and friendly. Coffee was on target. Although, the corned beef hash was really good, it gave me gas for the rest of the day. I did think it was a great dish because of the fresh beets that it was made with. Eggs were farm fresh. Bread was baked local. People sitting on couches were really nice, which gave it a community feel. This is definitely a locals place to get a good bight to eat.
4 - Howard W.: Our new favorite place! Having from moved from the land of John Waters, we've been looking for great food in a fun, funky place. Finally-- we found it at Babs. We went for Mother's Day today and had great service and great food. Sweet potato waffles? OMG-- can you say "amazing!" When the waiter mentioned them, the wife and I thought to ourselves "sweet potato waffles? Hmm, maybe not." P.S. we were wrong! WOW. They served an "elixir" that was kick-ass too. The wife had a "cruncher" omelette and the has browns inside were homeruns. I had a mother of a seafood omelette chock full of so much crab meat that John Waters would feel like he was in Bal'mer.

Did I say the service was fantastic?

We'll be back. OFTEN.
4 - Jeremy A.: I thought this was a great spot for brunch. They have a pretty limited menu, but everything on it is really good. 

I had the sweet potato and egg scramble and it was fantastic. They have their own parking lot which is tough to find in midtown plus the staff is very fun and provide great comments and service :)
5 - Sharon B.: YUM!

This place has great food and fun service.  We were met by a vivacious server who had strong opinions about what we should order.  He talked us into trying the Saki Bloody Mary and boy am I glad we did.  I'm not even a Saki fan and this Bloody Mary was goooooooood!  

We went for breakfast and our food was great.  There were several other things that looked scrumptious that we will definitely go back to try.
4 - Niki A.: Great food, huge portions, reasonable prices and the friendliest wait staff I've ever experienced.  They were attentive and incredible nice.  Brought us free jam and pineapple upside down cake-- all homemade!  This place was fabulous.
4 - Darrien J.: The food is great and the ambience is inviting. The service was impeccable. I recommend this spot ( Gents, great place to take a date for brunch )
2 - Jeremy M.: I'd hate to be the lone dissenter here, but we had a pretty "meh" experience here.

We came here on a Sunday before a trip to the aquarium.

First, yes the waitstaff are fabulous, and quick-witted and kept the (small) dining room entertained.

However, the food we ordered (brunch special and an omelet) were mediocre at best.  The hash browns were raw halfway through, the eggs were rubbery and overcooked (and the chef added cheese without me asking, which was totally cool with me, but you know...some people have allergies), and I ordered a side of bacon which never actually arrived (and to be fair, we weren't billed for it in the end without having to complain).

But the most egregious "wha???" moment came when I noticed that my sweet tea was coming out of a container of supermarket brand pre-mixed stuff.  Really? There is NO WAY that buying pre-made sweet tea is a better investment for the restaurant than making their own. Cost-wise alone, it was a strange decision, but cleared up exactly why my tea was ridiculously sweet.  [Edited: Deedra from Babs contacted me to say that their sweet tea is in fact fresh made, but just stored in gallon jugs to aid in their service.  It was still way sweet for my tastes, but I appreciate the clarification]

As the waiters were entertaining a large party across from us, they were provided with bloody mary mimosas... from a bottle. As in, bought at a liquor store bottle.  Lame sauce.

I wanted to like this place, especially because the servers and manager did really seem to be doing their best to keep things lively, but the food itself was very meh.
4 - Belinda B.: you have to pay for parking here.  

I'm going to admit I didn't pay too much attention to the food because I was so into my conversation with my friend.  But I did have leftovers that I took home, microwaved, and it was gooooood.  I think I had the special jerk chicken wrap, it was tasty and spicy (I love spicy food).  Coffee here is pretty good, but be warned it costs extra if it's more than a cup (for that unlimited coffee refill). 

Servers here are easy to talk to, very casual, it's nice--makes me feel like a regular.  (First place I've eaten in Atlanta.)
4 - Michael K.: They serve great, creative breakfast specials here. The owner sat down with us and described the specials in meticulous detail. The grit cakes were awesome, but the seafood omelette was just okay. One of the guys there had some homemade jalapeno honey and it went well with the toast (in our opinion. If you don't like jalapenos, then you won't like it).
I also overheard him talking about a Sake Bloody Mary which sounded enticing, but I quit drinking a couple of weeks ago, so I couldn't get it! :(
4 - Alex K.: What a great little breakfast joint, with a cool owner who grows his own vegetables. We got a crab omelet and a grit cake, which was on special, and were very satisfied with everything. The grit cake was especially good, and super unique. I rarely come across grits, let alone a grit cake. 

The kicker that really brought extra life to our meal was the jalapeno honey. I'm not a big fan of honey in general, but this was superb! I put it on my bread and a few other things because it was so good. One of the waiters said he put it on vanilla ice cream and it was delicious. Hilarious!

The portions were not huge, but then again I am a big eater and very greedy, especially when it's that good. I left totally satisfied and would definitely go back next time I'm in Atlanta!
5 - Sarah D.: I was in Brunch Heaven !!!!
5 - David B.: One of the coolest brunch spots in all of Atlanta. 
The menu is incredibly diverse. Very fair pricing. 
The atmosphere is homey & inviting. 
The staff is quirky & electric. 
An exclusive ATL local hotspot. :)
4 - Patrick C.: Every city - every region - every country has its food vocabulary. In Atlanta, that's what?  Local. Seasonal. Fresh from our chef's garden. Bravo.  And Yawwwwwwnnnn.  

And there's also a service vocabulary, which for 99% of Atlanta's restaurants - thanks to the early trendsetting of the chalkboard-special-du-jour of the Peasant chain - is "friendly." Sometimes overly? Maybe?

Stop the presses. Here's a true neighborhood joint that breaks the service paradigm. Call it fun. Call it quirky. Call it "I love it when you entertain me!"

Call it ANYTHING but standard. 

Love it or fear it, Babs is unique. No Midtowner can claim his homestead without this experience. 

FULL DISCLOSURE: I have known the owner for 20+ years. FULLER DISCLOSURE: I still think he's crazy-wacky-totally-cannot-miss-this unique.
4 - Bob B.: Great farm to table. Had a great cruncher omelet that was on special. Funky interior and a nice vibe. Will definitely return.
1 - Karen S.: This was the worst brunch experience ever! We were first told that our wait was 20 minutes, but got seated 1 hour later, then waited an additional 30 minutes just to order. We tried to call ahead of time and make reservations, but no one answered or called us back after we left a message. To top it off, when we got there, we were scolded for not making reservations!! The place really wasn't that busy, I just don't think they were well staffed, or well prepared. Thankfully, the mimosas were so good that we were too tipsy to be too upset or complain at the time. THEN, our waiter proceeds to complain about other customers to us and express his annoyance for people with food allergies and that they should call ahead before arriving to order their food so that they don't inconvenience the wait staff!! The omelet we ordered was very good, the potatoes were awful and dry, and the side of fruit was one pineapple chunk. As far as the atmosphere goes, it was definitely a cozy thrift store chic kinda place that is just plain out dated and needs to get with the times. It felt dirty honestly. I should have checked the health code rating. I wish I could at least say the food was good enough for me to come back, but it wasn't.
3 - Chris H.: On my son's recommendation, I decided to make this a place to meet for business on a Saturday morning, which happened to be during music midtown.  There was no one there, which made me think it wasn't open. I walked in and asked if they were and if we could sit outside. Answer "Nooo!  (long pause) Yes... hahaha." Being off guard, I still wasn't sure if they were open or if we just couldn't sit outside. Finally we sat down and another waiter came out with an even more difficult disposition to gauge. I realize that catty humor is fun to a lot of people, but that's not what I want at 9am and when I am with a client. I was called "small" several times (even though I was always seated), and the person I was meeting with was insulted by what she was wearing (and she was dressed very professionally, by the way) and it just got over the top quickly, even to insist that we pay with cash to support small business. When I paid with a credit card, they suggested that I work it off in the garden.

I dunno... it could have been just me but I had a really good breakfast meeting despite my attendee being put off by the out of drag personality of the staff. The food was pretty good, the prices were decent....but I just don't think I am going to go back. The waiter later said he has comped the bill for people before if they would agree to just not come back.  I totally believe him. He admitted that many just don't get his humor.  I "get" his humor, but I think it killed the experience, honestly.  I think it would be a great place for someone to take a friend that enjoys being ridiculed for fun...but it's a terrible place to take a business associate or a client.

Bottom line, Babs is what it is... and people seem to enjoy it for the humor.  I just don't enjoy flying daggers of insults as entertainment.
4 - Annette M.: Great food, entertaining and no-BS service. Great farm-to-table spot I never knew was around the corner from where I lived. I'll definitely be returning!
5 - Steve W.: After a very hardy new years party, Zach Brown concert and Auburn vs Virginia we decided on brunch with babs. 

Nestled in the bottom of a house in mid town very cozy and welcoming.  Bring your snow globe from foreign lands to add to the owners collection.

Breakfast was outstanding and the waitstaff was very helpful.

We will definitely be back!
1 - AJ K.: Came looking for a relaxing brunch experience...the food was OK

However, the service was absolutely horrible. Bad enough to make me never want to go back. He charged one in our group twice, and getting drinks/meals took FOREVER. When we asked him to split up the check, he said he would "Maybe get it right"

I dont recommend....
1 - Katie J.: Do not go here. 

The staff is extremely rude and have no concept of customer service. They brought our drinks out at the end of the meal and completely messed up the charges on our credit cards for a party of three.

The food is just okay, but definitely worth it if you have to deal with the rude staff.
4 - Stephanie U.: Babs has a cozy atmosphere built inside of an old house with inside and outside dining. The waitstaff was very pleasant but seemed a bit distracted. 

I ordered the Safron Pumpkin Infused Risotti with two eggs served over the risotto, delicious! I was also a fan of the Bloody Mary twist. Because Babs does not serve hard liquor, they substituted cold Sake Draft for the vodka in the Bloody Mary and it was actually quite good. 

Overall, the food was great, the staff was friendly and I will definitely be back!

Baby Berk - Amherst, MA (42.366667, -72.516667) ()
4 - Paul M.: The truck is new and run by UMass Dining Services, launched the end of September this year......I was at the UMASS football game and saw the bright shiny yellow food truck.   Ordered up a Worcester Burger (had to order one up in honor of my hometown)......Awesome burger guys!   I'll look you up the next time I'm at McGuirk!
5 - Cal F.: Baby Berk Burgers are the best I've ever had! It's a mobile food truck so it does move around campus - but you can follow it on facebook/twitter. 

I've eaten burgers across the country and these ones are SO GOOD. They aren't greasy and made with fresh ingredients. I recommend the "Baby Berk Burger", it's a delicious blend of avocados, applewood bacon, cheese, lettuce, and a hint of salsa, on an all-natural beef burger. They also have the "Hampshire Burger" with a friend egg and  aoili sauce - yum! And some innovative veggie burgers with goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, and red onions. All burgers are really well-priced and the food truck it open until 3 am some nights. 

And they accept u-cards!!!! :)
5 - Michael W.: Baby Berk is excellent. Staff makes it a truly great experience.

Baby Blues BBQ - Philadelphia, PA (39.953442, -75.192424) (University City)
3 - Natalie G.: Overall, good experience. I'm cutting this place some slack since they just opened and are adjusting to the swing of things, but I can't complain. I had the brisket platter with cream spinach and potato salad, which also comes with corn bread. Everything was delicious but, my goodness, the cream spinach was AMAZING. I don't know if it's because I'm a college student used to indulging in my Lean Cuisines, but that spinach was just splendid. 

The service was a little frantic, and the space definitely too small so that you have to awkwardly move around as you're trying to get to your table, but I suppose the smell of BBQ wafting outside and luring you into the restaurant makes up for it. Hopefully, these people will get their act straight with time and the service will be a little more ordered. However, everyone was very friendly.

I would come back!
2 - John R.: Baby Blues BBQ is your typical below-average BBQ restaurant.  The only reason I gave this place two stars instead of one is because the service and the Mac N Cheese were excellent.  I don't appreciate spending $25+ on a meal where the portions are small and the food is forgettable.  It was my first time here, and I wanted to try a bit of everything, so I order the Blue Devil Platter (4 meats and 3 sides).  Let's Break it down:


 - Meats - 
Pulled Pork:

The pulled pork was somewhat juicy but a little overcooked for my taste.  There was just nothing special about it - nothing that grabbed me and was like: finish this now or order more.  It was just decent.  If you love pulled pork, then I would suggest Tommy DiNic's 100 times over Baby Blues.

Memphis Ribs:

These were the spicier of the two ribs.  I found them to be a little too fatty and without much meat on the bone.  The most striking thing I can remember about them was that they were charred. 

Baby Back Ribs:

Smaller and leaner than the Memphis Ribs, the baby back ribs were alright -- I actually wanted to finish these ribs, but like the Memphis Ribs, they were charred, and I ate more burnt meat than anything else.

Shrimps: 

All the employees were raving about the shrimps, so I ordered them.  The sauces on them were good, but that's where it ends.  They weren't big and not very good quality for shrimps.

 - Sides - 
Sautéed Okra: 

First time I have had sautéed okra and the probably the last time.  They were salty...salty broccoli. 
 
Corn on the Cob:  

Nothing special: a thin piece of overpriced corn.

Mac N Cheese: 

This my friends was the star of the show.  If you decide to come to Baby Blues make sure all of your sides are mac n cheese.  Try them with the hot sauce, they don't disappoint.  


Conclusion

I know this is Philadelphia and BBQ is extremely scarce here, but a BBQ place in the heart of University City should be a lot better than Baby Blues.  I would compare the food to Tony Roma's...not a great thing.  I'm originally from Southern California, and I was shocked to learn that there are 2 Baby Blues in Los Angeles -- I certainly had never heard about them.  Now I know why.  Do yourself a favor: save the $25, head on over to New Deck and have some drinks.
4 - Alexa R.: Oh, what a night.....late October back in 2010....the Phillies brought it back and we ate well. My husband, brother in law and sister in law stopped in after an event at Penn last night. We sat at the bar. The owners are brothers and come from a family of ten boys (I think) and you can tell. There is a great camraderie in the place and we had a blast. Everyone but me ordered the brisket and were very pleased. I intially wanted to catfish, but they were out, so I had the shrimp. They were delicious, as were the mashed sweet potatoes. The space is cozy and Philly-themed decorated. Compared to the prices and quality of Percy Street BBQ, the meats are less fatty (in a good way), there are more choices of healthier sides (not that any of us selected them - ha ha!) and the prices are more reasonable. I can't wait to come back!
5 - David Y.: okay, im yelping today because i ate here last night...

let me say it was f*cking awesome.  I ordered the little anthony(beef brisket and cole slaw on a long roll) with fries(mixed yam and potato) fair prices great atmosphere cool staff.   its too bad the world has deemed smoking such a horrible thing, because only one thing would have made this meal perfect , a nice cigar afterwards.

i expect more great things to come from this place.  Its about time ucity got some good bbq, and not another gay steven starr joint 

okay, ready for the cure for any hang over? 

 beef rib + hush puppies + bloody mary + bloody mary= cured

I will stand by this.  Sure you pay around 50 bucks but who wants a hang over.  and I'm talking HUNG HUNG HUNG over.
2 - Jim M.: I was a little nervous about this place after reading it was a franchise out in California, since I've never heard anything good about bbq in California. Still I wanted to keep an open mind and I do like good bbq, so I went here for lunch.

I was seated right away, but it did take some time for my server to get to me, since it was a little crowded and they appeared to be short staffed on the waitress/waiter end. Once my waitress came over, she took my drink and food orders very fast and efficiently.

Like the Yelper Kalina I, I too had what tasted like a watered down drink. In my case it was a Sprite. Though on second though, I wonder if someone didn't set the mix/mixer right. Usually those are prepackaged though, unless technology has changed.

I ordered the Carolina style pulled pork sandwich with fries and coleslaw. When it comes to bbq there are 4 things you need to do well: Meat, meat, meat, and sides. The meat was tender, but had absolutely no taste. Now if its a Carolina style meat, it should definitely have some taste ie a rub or vinegar/sourness to it. 

The fries were a mix of sweet potato and regular fries. They were ok, but nothing noteworthy. The guy who brought my order over said "Try this apple cider vinegar with peppers in it on your fries. It's delicious". I did so on a small portion of my fries, and well it tasted like vinegary fries. No real apple or pepper taste. So unless my tastebuds are completely shot that was a waste. The coleslaw tasted like it had been made fairly recently, since it had some crunch to it. However there was no zip to it(needed pepper or something else) and it wasn't creamy enough. It also irritated me that they served the coleslaw on TOP of my meat on the sandwich. I'm not sure if that was intentional or just a plating error. It's possible I missed the description of the sandwich, but thats the first time I ever had coleslaw dumped on top of a barbecue sandwich. And I've eaten my fair share of bbq sandwiches at this point, especially after living down South for graduate school.

Service was good. Kalina was right about the servers. If I was 10-15 years younger and single I'd be back almost every day just for them.

The space was nice but there is one flaw. The bathrooms are located downstairs with the kitchen/prep area. This wouldn't be a big deal except there is a narrow staircase. So you have to play chicken/who goes first in order to get back up. I did actually see some burnt ribs that could have been Kalina's. I"m glad she sent them back because they looked scorched.

I might go back and try something else at some point. The ribs actually looked and smelled good that were upstairs.
4 - Larry M.: Went for the first time this past Saturday afternoon with my wife and a friend. It was pretty good I had  3 meats (Babyback Ribs, Beef Brisket, and Pulled Pork)  and 2 sides (Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Smoked Chicken Rice). The meats were very good and the sides were excellent. The service was good, décor is very nice. The only down side for us was the table was a tight fit our chairs were right up against the chairs of the table behind ours but I understand they have to get as many people in there as possible.

I will be going back to tryout what else they have to offer.
2 - David T.: I just got back from eating at Baby Blues and to be honest, as soon as I go home, I went straight to write this review. I left the ribs I took home in the car...they're probably gonna go bad.
 
I'm no expert in the BBQ world, but I do manage to grasp common knowledge from watching the Food Network, which does an excellent job of depicting how quality BBQ restaurants prepare their signature  dishes. Here's a video to help you understand the difficulty and effort that goes into great BBQ: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu-oobRhesU

Recently opened Baby Blues is pricier than other places and your ROI is not so great, as the food is pretty mediocre. The platters run from $14-20, and each comes with cornbread and two sides of your choice. 

I ordered the pulled pork, which was decent, flavor-wise, but a little overcooked. The portion was small, but the sides made up for it. I had the mac and cheese and creamed spinach, both of which were extremely delicious! The mac and cheese is a must-try - rich and creamy, and elevated by its bread crumb topping. The creamed spinach was a tad salty, but that's how I like it.

My friend ordered the baby back ribs which were okay, but definitely not something I'd think about if I'm hungry during class. The mashed potatoes we ordered were EXTREMELY sour. I gave it the benefit of the doubt, thinking that it was excessive use of sour cream and NOT spoiled butter or milk. However, the waitress was friendly and asked us if we wanted another side and later informed us that they were still fixing their menu and our comment was beneficial to their business. 

So overall, not that great, especially for the price you're paying. I'll give it another shot sometime in the spring so they can fix themselves up, but until then I'll walk a few more yards and eat at New Deck or Mad Mex.
4 - Tracie P.: ate here for lunch today with a few law school friends to celebrate putting the mpres behind us (at least until scores come back). i got the pulled pork sandwich, which was solid. i like the semi-unusual long roll, and the three kinds of bbq (hot, sweet and regular bbq). bonus points for the mixed sweet potato and french fries on the side (i heart sweet potato fries, and fries are my weakness in general). all in all, not mind-blowing bbq, but i'd take the pulled pork over phoebe's any day. i'll definitely try again.
4 - Annalise C.: Really delicious meat! Spicy for my mild palette but plenty of options. The shrimp is really great. Mac n cheese was superb and the staff and very friendly and attentive.
Baby back ribs fall off bone, no need for fork for any of it!
4 - Michael C.: Small place, full of Penn students all the time.  Waitstaff still needs to get their act together but the food is delicious (though BBQ is so good in general that you have a pretty wide margin of error).  

I ordered the baby back ribs platter with cornbread, mac and cheese and collard greens.  Ribs were tender and tasty, cornbread was actually the highlight of the meal, while the other two sides were decent.  

I also ordered a $3 tall boy of PBR and they brought it 20 minutes later and claimed that someone knocked it over and the bartender had to make me a new one.  I was like "o rly?" to the waitress.
2 - Stephanie Y.: 4 stars for getting rid of Bubble Tea House .... overrated drinks and prices. .... however ... ONLY 2 stars for this place. I was pretty excited to try this BBQ, also there aren't any other restaurants on campus like this. So a group of 5 go there, they were going to put it in this itty witty table rubbing backs with the tables near us. I asked to move to another, good thing the waitress let us. The last person who came to our table, 10 minutes later, got his food before us. Actually, the table who ordered after us got their food before us. I'm not sure why it took so long for a BBQ place to give us briskets and ribs. My friend's pork ribs and briskets were sooooooo dry I had to down a gallon of water before even wanting to try it. 

I got the "Gargano" Texas style beef rib... @ Market Price. I learned something today, didn't know meat would have daily changes in the market. Luckily my beef ribs were pretty good, not dry. I believe it's the fat to meat ratio that did it. 

The wait staff is definitely lacking something. All the girls seem like they just walk around in circles and everyone is tripping over each other. The restaurant should probably go through some renovation to make sitting and table arrangement more comfortable for the diners.

There is a PLUS ... the sweet potato fries were pretty awesome! I practically ate half the basket myself on top of the HUGE beef rib.
2 - Jessica R.: I really wanted to like this place, but it's just not good.  The atmosphere is fun and they did a great job re-doing the interior, but the food is really sub-par.  We had a sampling of appetizers - chicken drumsticks, cornbread, various salads and mac and cheese.  I was really excited to try the mac and cheese because of everyone's rave reviews, but I was disappointed.  There was far too much cheese and not enough noodles!  The cheese was also too runny for my tastes.  The cornbread was super oily and the salads were just okay.  The chicken drumsticks were definitely the best part - really well seasoned.  Unfortunately that was the only item I enjoyed.
4 - Allie Y.: Hush puppies! Not only is that a cute term but they are delicious pieces of fried cornmeal cake that you must get if you come here. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I didn't have problems with it being too cramped or busy. Maybe because I ate at 7pm on a Tuesday night, but my brother and I enjoyed ourselves. I could see how this place could get more crowded on a more popular night, and how the wait staff might be a little overwhelmed, but the girl waiting our table was pretty attentive and service was good. 

The food:
- HUSH PUPPIES. Do I need to repeat myself? Cuz I just did. 
- Beef brisket and Memphis style ribs were both pretty good. I'd like to see how their baby back ribs are ... maybe next time. At least for me, the brisket beat the ribs. 
- There are four sauces available to go along with your meats... I wasn't the biggest fan of the really hot one but the rest of them were pretty good. 

I don't know where everyone else has been getting their BBQ, but for convenience being close to where I work and decent prices, I will keep this on my list of go-to places for a chill night of BBQ.
4 - Ritu K.: Three words- pulled pork sandwich!! That's all you need to try here and you will be a fan as well.. My delicious meat o rama arrived in a toasted bun with coleslaw on top (we're off to a good start).. Sweet potato and regular fries danced around my fattening piece of pork heaven- yummm!! 

The pulled pork (unlike the one served at Pub and Kitchen which I profess I do love) was not dripping in sauce or flavoring but I liked it that way. You could really taste the meat and then could add as much sauce (many flavors provided) as you pleased. Having an aversion to super drippy BBQ this suited me just fine.. Fries were equally delicious. Yeah another nice addition to the W Philly food scene.
2 - Irv N.: First time at Baby Blues BBQ on Weds.  Big disappointment! Brisket plate was tasteless (but tender). Honestly, my brisket is better (ask my son who was with me).  Mashed potatos were soupy and no flavor.  Beans were just ok.  Will I go back?  Maybe.
1 - Ed D.: They got me. Oh yeah you don't even get bread to go with it. To the Owner of Baby Blues please don't come out to talk to me until you improve your food. It's nice to be sociable but I rather have good food I already have friends.
Total cost of the meal 
$38.00 that is with no hard drinks or desert
3 - JEAN S.: I was very nervous about my meal here because when we were seated(at a very cramped table), there was rice on the table, an old cup with a straw and napkin in it, and my place setting had something yucky on the napkin. If I wasn't starving and it didn't smell amazing in there, I might have suggested to my friends that we choose another restaurant.  The waitress quickly removed everything from our table and seemed both surprised and embarrassed that all of that was left behind. Once we started looking at both the drink and food menus, I started feeling excited again. Pretty much every cocktail sounded both delicious and dangerous, I went with a vodka-spiked Arnold Palmer. We started off with some hush puppies and some mac and cheese. If you like mac and cheese, you should just get your own, you won't want to be sharing. We moved on to sandwiches - two of us got pulled pork and one got bbq chicken. The pork was served on long rolls which threw us off a bit, but it was so good it didn't matter. All the sandwiches came with mountains of regular and sweet potato fries. Portions were very generous. When the check came we had a little discrepancy where we did not receive the day's drink special, but once we finally found our waitress she happily corrected the problem. Overall food was good and service wasn't bad - just a few kinks to work out but when I am in the mood for pure gluttony I will keep this spot in mind.
3 - J. Christopher E.: Been here twice. Once had a BBQ chicken dish and once had baby back ribs. Not the best BBQ I've ever had, but pretty good and maybe the best BBQ I've had in Philly. They could improve by having a larger draft beer selection and coming down on their prices a few dollars. Overall, I'll go back (should be best on a summer day if they are able to open the windows) and I'm glad there's now a BBQ place in West Philly.
4 - Kristin W.: A pretty tasty Carolina-style  Pulled Pork Sandwich - I wish the meat were a little leaner (but honestly, when you're eating BBQ, how low-fat can you get?) and that there were a vinegar-based option from the array of sauces.  That said, the fries are so delicious (a la Bojangles seasoning), that I can look past the comments above and just be happy with Baby Blues.
4 - David W.: Damn you, proprietors of this fine barbecue eatery. You have certainly doomed me to many an unwanted lb. Sure, it will be delicious and authentic. Sure, I'll have fun washing down platefuls of savory, slow-cooked meat with glasses of cold beer, but that's not the point. The point is that I pay good money for my gym membership, and summer is fast approaching.

I hope you're happy with yourselves.
3 - Ted C.: Decided to try this new place that took over the Bubble House.  It was a nice BBQ jiving atmosphere.  Cool wooden tables that look rustic.  Neat seating area in front of the grills and burners.

Got the Lasker Burger.  Nice mix of blue cheese and a sweet bbq mustard sauce.  Very tasty.  Burger could of been a little bit more juicier but that's just me being picky.  I was a big fan of the fries which ended up being regular and sweet potato fries mixed together.

The sauces were great.  Sweet, Hot, and XXX.  The XXX was very good and had a strong bite at the end.  Keep to moderate consumption with this one.

Overall the price range was great.  Food was good.  Definitely not a 4 but somewhere in between. 3.5-3.7.   I would definitely go back.
3 - Stephy S.: Good-bye Bubble House, welcome entertaining fire bbq pit! Just went, packed (Friday night) and the service/food was a little slow. Took about 2 hours start to finish. No biggie. I had forgotten how long and narrow this building was, and I was not amused while waiting for a table since it is so cramped (visualize this: barthenstooolsthenwallwithnowalkway). Yes, and if you tried to read that, you got irritated and claustophobic....that's what it's like real time when packed with people waiting.

I ordered the Willie burger, and my friends ordered the willie also, pulled pork sandwich, and the pulled pork platter. The fries are of a regular and sweet potato medley, and were OK...almost boring...but you can add one of their sauces they have on the table (XXX, hot, bbq) to add some life to them. XXX sounds scary, but is mildly spicy. Then again, my spice threshold is pretty high so don't douse your food until you sample it! Note: i can't wait to try Han's and try their spice!

My burger was decently done (similar to New Deck's, which is next door), so props since I consider these places more like college bars...aka i don't expect anything too spectacular in taste. So, nothing gourmet and beautiful like Village Whiskey's burger (you have to tryyyy it, it's a masterpiece). The pulled pork sandwich oddly does not come with any sauce in it...i guess youre suppose to put the bbq from the table on it, which is what he did. He said it was good once he did that.

All in all, fun vibrant environment. I saw multiple several feet flames coming from their center kitchen unit. Fun fun, UC needed some spice.
4 - Vidur M.: I'd eat anything with malt vinegar on it :)
3 - Joe M.: Went here for lunch. Small place with a cool interior. Friendly service. Had the brisket and rib platter, and it was very good. The sweet potato fires are to kill for. A good start to this place.
2 - Laura S.: I was all prepared to come here and give these guys 4 stars and talk up the food - I had steeled myself for disappointment, but I had a solid lunch here. Except now I'm pretty sure I have food poisoning. Sad face :( I want to be cautious about attributing this to their BBQ, though. I'm a scientist, after all. These results have yet to be replicated. I'll keep y'all posted.
2 - Tim S.: I ordered the brisket platter at a BBQ joint and I received a far less version of my Mom's 'sunday dinner' beef stew. I didn't think for one second that the brisket would be braised (yes, it clearly states this on the menu, my bad I guess...). I assumed I would receive sliced brisket with a smoke ring, etc. - like I have become accostumed to at Percy St. It was a pile of stringy, slow-cooked, boiled, pot roast in my opinion.

This was after attending the Erin Express and on my walk home from 
Cavanaugh's, so I was not hard to please at this point. The fact that I am writing about this two days later is telling. I love BBQ and was disapointed. I will give it a second shot next St. Paddys.

Service was good and the sides were average.
3 - Won Ho K.: Good service, good food. When I came (a Saturday night in early May), it wasn't very crowded. But it is a bit expensive, I think, for what you get. We did order a lot of food, but we each ended up paying about $30 a piece.
4 - Chris U.: This review is for the unfortunate soul wandering in search of a bite, sans dining partner(s): I enjoyed a perfect brisket sandwich and cold draft at their bar. I enjoyed a brief conversation with the bar staff, sized the place up and stayed for a bite.
Friendly, but not overbearing or coddling, service; good beer selection; delicious sandwiches.
Don't fight your temptation to have the sweet potato fries - which, when combined with any of the sauces, is just fantastic.
4 - Monet E.: So,

About a week after returning to the North East from Memphis, Tenn for work, I arrived at this restaurant after leaving the Penn Relays festivities.

I was with my best friend and new one and we were in search of a new great place, that housed delish food, and good alcohol; WE found it.

I must say, this place really gives Percy Street Barbecue a run for it's money.  Well, anyway,  the ambiance, fully stocked bar (including drink specials, a shot of bourbon and big can of Yuengling Black and Tan) for only $6.00 mad me rather happy!!!

So, I ordered the barbecue chicken, mouthwatering corn bread, and the Mac & Cheese.  This restaurant really makes the one's that I ate at in Memphis, put to shame.  I loved the smokey and sweet flavor of the sauce applied to the chicken before it was grilled.  Wow is all that I have to say. 

Oh and upon finding out that I love bourbon, one of the managers was loving me and came over with another shot of bourbon for he and I, and yes, I took the shot.  Who wouldn't? 

Anywho... the waitress was a sweetie and everyone seemed happy to be working there, which also made my experience that much more enjoyable. 

Oh and the prices are reasonable and you get a nice amount of food. Just do it like Nike and Go..

Signed, Sexy Robot
2 - Nancy P.: My experience at Baby Blues wasn't horrible, but I don't think there was much that would encourage me to come back. The prices are fairly high for the quality of food you are getting. We ordered the wings as an appetizer. They weren't bad, but I was very grateful for the different sauces. Pulled pork and the brisket sandwiches were too chewy and sort of dry. 

The best part of Baby Blues that night was the fries (both regular and sweet potato).
4 - Erin M.: I went to BB's with seven coworkers today for lunch. They were able to seat us at a table downstairs. There's more to BB's than meets the eye, they have two floors and a secret room behind a revolving bookcase. No joke. 

I have to say I find the menu mascot a little risque. When I opened the website at work before heading out, I was a little freaked out by the drawing of a nearly naked lady... I didn't want to get in trouble for looking at naughty pics at work. Nonetheless, the menu intrigued me.

My friend and I split a BBQ chicken sandwich and ordered the sweet potatoes as our side. We ordered baked beans for an additional side. The chicken has a nice mild BBQ flavor, very tasty, and is served on a delicious, fresh, crisp roll. I enjoyed it with a little extra sauce (on the table, conveniently) and some cole slaw. The sweet potatoes were tasty and not overly sweet. The beans tasted  healthy, not sweet, a little watery, not quite what I was expecting, and were just okay. The service was a little on the slow side. A full five minutes after we were served, the waitress finally brought us an extra plate, because we were splitting our food. Everyone else at the table seemed pleased with their ribs, fried okra, greens and more. 

I'll go back next time I'm in the mood for BBQ, however, I did find the sides (or "fixings") a little on the pricey side at nearly $4 a pop.
2 - Gervasia S.: Today I had a terrible craving for barbecue and decided to get a pulled-pork sandwich to go. I'd heard some not-so-encouraging things about this place but thought I'd give it a chance.

I lived in Memphis for two years (actually close enough to a large barbecue establishment that my neighborhood was often permeated by the smoke) and there they always put sauce on the sandwich--first the meat, then the sauce, then the coleslaw that has a little mustard in its dressing. 

So anyway it didn't occur to me that I would get a sandwich with no sauce--not on the side, either. Coleslaw was just ok, the cabbage should have been cut smaller. The meat--well, at least it was pleasantly free from gristle and excessive fat. But the texture was strange, or maybe I should say lack of texture. The flavor was strange too, as if the not-all-that-apparent smoke flavor was not 100% natural. Overall, it seemed like something that had been on a steam table. Having experienced sandwiches made from chopped-while-you-watch meat--this was not that fresh. In all fairness, I did get it at an off time on a weekday in the off season, but still...) The sandwich came with a LOT of fries which were good but a mite overcooked.

So, probably won't go back to Baby Blues. Haven't gotten to Phoebe's in a while but I've had much better sandwiches from there. 

When I was in Memphis I missed hoagies. Here I miss barbecue but then there's porchetta! 

Monet, you were somehow deprived of the Mid-South's great food!
2 - joe h.: Overpriced fatty (not flavorful) BBQ. At least it's a cheapo happy hour up in there if you can stand the douches.
2 - Annie C.: One of the great things about this place is that it makes you want BBQ, because you recall how good BBQ can be (somewhere else).  At least that's my experience.

With caddies full of sauces and a white-washed interior, the setting is styled picture perfect for a good southern meal.  Unfortunately, the thought that was put into the shabby decor didn't transfer to the meat.  

I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with a side of collard greens.  For a place that specializes in this stuff, I expected something at least tender and moist.  My BBQ credentials aren't great, since I can be persuaded by almost any BBQ sauce or rub, so I judge purely by the meat.  The pork was dry and teeth catching - that is, it got caught in my teeth.  Good pulled pork  melts into the bun and needs little chewing.  I chewed and sipped and added more sauce and chewed and added more sauce.  On the bright side, the collard greens were good, stewed in large full leaves instead of the usual rough chop.  But they could not save the meat; the restaurant is not called Baby Greens BBQ.  

A toothpick later and $13 lighter, my soul hungered for some more BBQ, but unfortunately to be satisfied elsewhere.
3 - Kendyl C.: The food was was ok. I'm not interested in straight up BBQ, I really prefer southern soul food; I was under the impression that's what was served here. More BBQ, less soul food. 

The chicken was very juicy and flavorful. The Mac&Cheese gave me the impression of more instant than homemade. The coleslaw didn't have much sauce on it, almost dry. The potato salad, was not to my liking. It was very sour, the waitress says they use apple cider vinegar. The BBQ sauces are delicious. They have a normal hot sauce, a sweet sauce, and then an XXX sauce-it's a combo or at least I like to think. It starts off kind of sweet then sneaks up with spice. 

I think if you're into real BBQ then this place is good, but if your more into soul food, this is not the place for you. I wouldn't go back, but only because I dont prefer that type of BBQ.
4 - Loren H.: I'd like to thank the overly zealous door-dude at Mad Mex's who turned away me, my friend and her neice and nephew because her 13 year old niece didn't have ID. I mean it was 5:30pm, not even real drinking hours. (lol, okay even I don't believe that, but still...it wasn't that late) Without someone's gunning for a promotion on the backs of hungry 'tweens we'd have never found this place!

I was already bummed walking in the door because I really wanted some quasi-Mexican food and a big slushy alcoholic drink, so for me to become a BBB believer after one visit was no small feat.

The place was cool and woodsy. Literally cool, it was 97 degrees outside, and a dim wooden booth was right on time. We were seated across from the bbq bar, where one can pull up a stool and watch the experts whip up succulent experiments with meat. 

The service was good. I don't understand the perplexed look the waitress gave me when I asked for some carrots or celery to much on until our food came. I guess I can attribute that to maybe no one looking for snacks of the rabbit kind comes into Baby Blues BBQ for dinner. But the food came quickly so it was a non-issue.

And what a dish it was. Me and my friend shared a beef rib the size of a UFC fighter's forearm. Huge, tender enough to cut with a school cafeteria spork, and close-your-eyes-eat-it-then-hum good. Good enough to eat without the sauces. But you CAN"T not sample the sauces, that's like going to a strip club for the architecture. I won't go into elaborate descriptions of every one, but the sweet didn't disappoint, the bbq was tasty, hot delivered as promised, and XXX was just enough kick for the semi-daring (I could have taken an extra X in mine, but that's my only compliant). 

It came with two sides and we got a third. The mac 'n cheese, which is one of those dishes that can be real easy to f' up, was delicious. My friend had stewed tomatoes. I can't comment because the concept of a stewed tomato is kind of bizarre to me, but she liked them, so they were probably pretty good. The yams were decent, I can say I would've preferred a bit more sweetening, but I finished them down to the last bite, so who am I kidding? 

The kids had a shrimp salad and a burger, which they finished, so I'll assume they were good. Actually they're probably the best judges, if you take a 9 year old boy and a 13 year old girl out to eat and they finish their food, you can almost whole-heartedly believe it was good, because kids are the harshest food critics. But I digress...

The beer was average priced, there was something respectable on tap for $3.50. I have to have that when I return, because I WILL be returning. Did you hear what I said about the forearm sized piece of meat? I can't believe it took me so long to get here. I'm sorry for whatever business this place replaced (because it's fairly new) but actually I'm really not.
3 - shanee g.: The decor and atmosphere is perfect for the fare. You can't go wrong with the selection of food---but pick accordingly. I LOVED the memphis style ribs, the fried green tomatoes and the delicious whipped yams that taste like they're made with a TON of molasses. The cornbread is rich and velvety and the  hush puppies are perfect. 
Also wonderful is that  they always have a beer special. Service is prompt and friendly. A few things are lacking: cole slaw, potato salad, and the collard greens. It's definitely worth the trip if you're into bbq but it's a bit disappointing that they don't have a pork hotlink.
5 - Matt F.: LOVED Baby Blues BBQ. They have a huge menu with a lot of options. It's also semi-reasonably priced, especially the sandwiches. 
I had beef brisket and it was amazing! I dream about that brisket... Just waiting to get back to Philly to stop in and have it again.
The sweet potato fries were really good and the mac and cheese was pretty good (i have high standards for mac.)
I've recommended Blues to a few friends and they have all enjoyed their BBQ.
It has a great decor and set up... and the staff was very friendly.
It's worth going to at least once.
4 - Kevin J.: Great BBQ I had the Memphis ribs. the meat was tender and the sauces were great.
2 - Lenny Z.: This place was barely okay.

I felt that took a somewhat weird and bland approached to BBQ food.

But that's not where it starts. When I first arrived to pick-up my order, they were really confused. I was sent to the crowded bar in a small space. They did not know where my order was, but after an inventory check realized it was under the name of some guy named Steve who had a tab running.

Also, they left out my drink, and only because I checked did I get one added to my order.

All of this would have been forgiven if I enjoyed my meal.

I ordered the pulled pork platter. It was cooked well and that's about it. It was the plainest, most bland, flavored pulled pork I ever had. I was desperate for BBQ sauce to douse on it. However, I was no where near it so I had to tolerate the boring pulled pork.

One of my sides was creamed spinach, or what they claimed was creamed spinach. It was more like sauteed spinach with some cream sauce poured over it. It didn't taste so bad, but not as good as the real deal.

My other side was mac n cheese, probably one thing that should be easy to get right. But guess what? It too was bland. My god, this place sure specializes in flavorless foods.

My wife ordered the smoked link. Another, eh, maybe okay dish, but really not that good. It was nothing she expected. It was the kind of link that has a mushy inside, which she did not like.

She got a side of whipped sweat potatoes, possible the one thing that was good, not including the desert. Her other side was baked beans. What the hell? It was like cooked beans with hardly any sauce that added any sort of flavor to it.

After getting through our boring meals, we were at least pleasantly surprised that their key lime pie was really good.

So, if we ever return, it will be for cake, and nothing else.
5 - Shaun O.: Great new addition to the Penn neighborhood. I went here for lunch two weeks ago and loved their selection of beer and meat based platters (note not a place for vegeterians).

I had their grilled catfish sandwich for lunch, and it was really tasty. The server was really on top of it, as she took the time to give us pointers on the menu and answer all of our questions.

I really liked the decor of the place, as they have photos of old-time Philly sports legends in the bar.  I definitely plan to hit this place up again, as they have a bar too and looks like the perfect place for drinks and catching a game.
4 - emmalee c.: I'm not sure why the reveiws here are so lame?

 I've come to Baby Blues a few times,sometimes with my boyfriend, sometimes with a group of family members. The wait staff is always attentive and very polite. I am always seated immediately, even when I came in with my big family group. The food was hot and deliscious, not the best bbq i've ever eaten, but whatever.The price is reasonable for bbq and it's nice to have something new in the neighborghood. FOR SURE it's a better option than the shitty "texmex" chain up the street.
4 - Mike G.: Perfect place for visiting Penn students, right in heart of University City and close to Inn at Penn (walking distance, which is key).

Warm and cozy atmosphere inside, even if cold outside, great "escape" feel.

Classic BBQ, with BBQ Gulf Shrimp, Brisket, Blackened Catfish, Corn Bread, you get the idea, true Bayou food.

Great service, aims to please, good night all around.

Only a couple tables for more than 4, so call in advance if you have 6 (hard to seat more than that).
3 - Danielle P.: Not the best, not the worst. I really like the atmosphere in Baby Blues BBQ, but the BBQ sauce isn't the best, which is the whole point of getting BBQ, right? The quality of meat is very high, the ribs and wings fall off the bone, and my chicken is always perfectly cooked, but the sauces just don't do it for me. They are missing some sort of zing. 

I do, however, love the sweet potato fries and salads. Also, the drinks I've gotten there are well-mixed and they don't skimp on the booze!
4 - Jenny L.: Went on a friday night with some friends for dinner. Place was more crowded than i expected so definitely recommend making reservations. The 4 of us were seated pretty fast though. 

The BBQ was decent. Expected more from a place that does all BBQ though... maybe it's because I've been in the south for the last few years. Got the brisket platter which was pretty good. The sauteed okra was perfect but the collards were meh. Service was really good. We were served undercooked hush puppies and as soon as we pointed it out, the server got us a replacement order and took it off our bill without our asking (major brownie points in my book). 

Price is kinda high for a BBQ place (otherwise it'd be 5 stars) but I'd go back.
1 - Rachel S.: I went here for dinner a few Saturday nights ago. I was hoping it was going to be good, but it turned out not to be.

First thing I was not happy with was my table. The four of us were sat next to the door, and it was a cold Fall night, which sucked. Luckily, however, we were also sat at the table which was directly below the heater, so we just aimed all the air right back at the four of us.

The food was not good. Mediocre at best. The chicken was the only edible thing we got. We decided to do the meal for four then get an extra set of ribs in case it wasn't enough food. The ribs were fatty and undercooked, and the sides were not good either. We opted for the mac n cheese, creamed spinach, and mashed sweet potatoes. the sweet potatoes tasted like nothing but butter, the creamed spinach was in some sort of yellow-ish sauce, and the mac n cheese was just ok. 

The service was even worse. I had asked for a refill on my soda, and had to ask a second time 15 minutes later for a refill again. The waitress we had was friendly, but not too helpful. She actually had suggested the big beef ribs for all of us when we were ordering our food. I really did not want to act like a Flinstone while I was out to dinner with friends!!

I am definitely not going back there if I have a craving for bbq... there are much better places out there!
3 - Wilson Z.: I did enjoy the side dishes (fixin) you can get when you order platter. They are delicious. the cob on blue cheese is the first time I have tried this way of cooking, and I have to say I like it. my friend and I both ordered ribs, and I do think the 1/2 rack of baby back is a good value of that price, at least better than what you can get from Chili's or Applebee's. I think the rib they offered is really meaty and the smoked one I had is well cooked, not fatty and a average level of crispy.
2 - Sally Y.: Ordered baby back ribs, which I was super excited for because I'd been craving ribs for a while, but was a little disappointed by them.  I like my ribs to be super tender, with the meat just about to fall off of the bones and I found these ones to be a little on the dry and tough side.  The sides however were decent and the set-up of the place is neat with the grilling all done in the middle so people can watch if they so desire.
4 - Andrew H.: This place is very good. I only wish they kept their pulled pork in barbecue sauce already, because then it would be moister, but their options of sauces are good.
2 - Mike H.: Let me start by saying its got a great location, perfect decor, and the nicest staff on Sansom Street.  What it doesn't have is a clue about pit or smoked BBQ.  I'm the first to admit that I am a BBQ bigot, but it only takes a few things to keep me coming back.  First, a brisket needs some evidence of a smoke ring.  Second, it needs at least 18 hours in the pit.  Lastly, it has to be cut into slices.  If you really want to make it perfect, it needs some sort of bark (the crispy outside edges of intense flavor).  What I had tonight was a pile of stringy, chewy, cold, meat with minimal flavor.  The sauce selection was excellent, but it didn't make up for the undercooked entree that was basically shredded along the grain.  Without sounding like I've spent my summers hanging out with my cousin Bill Bob cooking pit and drinking beer, this particular brisket didn't spend enough time at 190 degrees.  By the way, the last I heard Bill Bob lost his county road crew job and was looking for work in Philly.......
1 - Rachel M.: DRY IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. Holy crap their food is super dry. I was starving one night and decided to order in from BBB and got the baby back ribs, mashed potatoes, baked beans and cornbread. Thank GOD I had two 20oz Arizona teas in my fridge, otherwise I don't know how I would have gotten that food down!
4 - Melissa E.: Just to get this out of the way: I went to Baby Blues for dinner around 5:30 on a Monday night, and as soon as we sat down, the waitress informed us that they wouldn't have any pork or beef for about 30 minutes since they had run out and they were waiting on more to cook. This was fine by me, since I wanted chicken anyway (yes, I checked the menu online the beforehand and picked out what I wanted, so what?) but it does seem a little off that they didn't plan/prepare for the dinner shift in advance so that customers wouldn't be so limited in their choices (because having no pork or beef cuts the menu in half, if not further). However, to be fair, it might be the case that they had an especially busy lunch shift that day, and the situation couldn't be avoided. Like I said, it didn't bother me much, but it happened and I thought I'd share. 

So, as mentioned, I had the BBQ chicken. I ordered a platter, which came with 2 sides and cornbread. I knew it'd be a decent amount of food, but I ended up taking home a little more than half of my dinner, and I was pretty hungry that day. Portion = BIG. I chose mac and cheese and mashed potatoes as sides, and both were fantastic. The mac and cheese seemed to be made with breadcrumbs or something similar that gave the cheese sauce some extra texture. The sauce itself was pretty thick and stuck to the pasta well. The mashed potatoes were super creamy and had pieces of skin mashed in. My date had gotten the potato salad as one of his sides, and that was equally delicious- not too much mayonnaise, which I think completely ruins a potato (or any) salad. The corn bread had some sweetness to it, and there were pieces of corn baked into it. Overall, a good, hearty meal. Though I think the pricing is pretty reasonable here, when I factored that I actually got two meals out of mine, it made it even more reasonable. I'll definitely be back here, especially since it is about 4 steps outside my office door.
3 - Julia S.: I've been here a few times and I keep being underwhelmed. The mac and cheese is decent and the pulled pork is just OK. Plus, it's expensive given what you get. My boyfriend loves the fried okra though. It's decent BBQ in Philly (I haven't found any better, not that I've looked to be honest) but nothing to go out of your way for.
4 - Luna S.: I haven't had barbeque in several years, so I'm not sure how authentic it was, but the food was definitely delicious.  I ordered the pulled pork platter with sauteed okra and collard greens.  I really enjoyed their regular bbq sauce mixed with XXX.  I didn't care for the hot sauce or apple cider vinegar, which was oddly flavorless, and I didn't try the sweet bbq sauce with molasses and brown sugar.  The pork was savory and so juicy, it soaked my cornbread.  The okra was seasoned and cooked well- not slimy at all, and had some stewed tomatoes for sweetness.  I feared being served mushy collard greens, but these were pleasantly soft with a little chew and a lot of flavor.  Our waitress was very friendly and attentive.  This restaurant is highly recommended!
4 - Bob C.: Great food.  I had the open-faced pulled pork with some collars greens, cornbread and sweet potato fries and it was nothing short of great.
5 - Rachel T.: My fiance is an avid BBQ lover, and choose this place for his 30th birthday celebration. We had a wonderful, wonderful night here! 

Now to be honest I'm a vegetarian, but all of the meat lovers around me were very happy with their food. My fiance had the ribs and thought they were delicious. I was happy with the option of ordering a platter of sides, guided by our server who thankfully was very clear about what was and was not veg friendly (no collard greens for me as they are made with pork, but the mac n cheese and the mashed sweet potatoes were quite tasty, as was the cornbread). 

Mostly though, my rating is for how very kind and accommodating the staff were. They let me arrive early, put up some "30" decor, and were even kind enough to put the boston creme pie I'd made for my fiance (his fav) in the fridge for us. Our server was wonderful, and took great care of our large group. At the end of the night when I offered to help clean up the decorations I was reassured by multiple people that it was okay and they were happy to take care of it. 

Thanks for helping to make my fiance's 30th b'day dinner a great night! We'll be back for more low key nights in the future :-)
3 - Carol H.: I loved the food the first time around! Granted I wasn't exactly sober (it was Erin Express!!), but the Willie burger was perfectly cooked - medium rare. I also tried two sides: mac & cheese and the chicken smoked rice. The mac & cheese was okay. Nothing special, not really worth the $3.75 price tag. The rice I thought was too dry and hard/crispy. But the burger just left a great impression.

Came back here again and ordered the brisket platter with cornbread, mashed potatoes, and fried okra. The brisket was very dry (yet oily, is that possible?) and stringy. I had to use a lot of the XXX and sweet sauce to get some flavor. The amount of brisket was surprisingly small - about the size of a side. 

The mashed potatoes were really good. I usually like my mashed potatoes super creamy, but this one had some lumps and skins & I still loved it.

The fried okra was over-fried and too crunchy. The cornbread looked off. I almost expected it to taste like carrot cake and have raisins because it wasn't the usual cornmeal yellow.

I would give this place a 2.5, but because I really liked that burger and the waiters were attentive & pleasant, I'm gonna round that up to a 3.
5 - Olivia J.: I know why this place gets such a low rating and people seem to get disappointed against their high hopes.  IT'S BECAUSE THEY ORDER THE WRONG THINGS.

GET RIBS.

When I go, I always get Memphis Queen for $24.95.  Yeah, it's pricey, but it's big enough of a dish for two people (M and I were comfortably full one time we went, and when I went with a girl friend another time, we came out feeling super full).  The dish comes with 1/2 baby back ribs, and 1/2 memphis ribs.

You also get to choose two sides with that, I believe.  Their Mac N' Cheese is pretty good.
3 - Meg S.: Such high hopes, so meh. I went here three times within the space of a couple weeks due to friends visiting and friends at Penn wanting to go for the first time. It truly was a blur of crappy service and unremarkable BBQ for a high price. 

The sides, I remember, were pretty bad as well. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I did not like the mac and cheese. 

Honestly, I wouldn't argue against someone who really wanted to go, but I would be fine without ever going in again.
3 - Christopher C.: I sure am thirty! The service today is really a problem. Multiple people in our party have had empty glasses for 15 minutes and the appetizers ? At least the food was good
2 - Ray B.: Loud, greasy and not very good.
3 - Danielle F.: This is a 'tweener rating (between 3 and 4 stars, not sure why I picked 3 over 4).  I was staying in the area at the end of a business trip and was meeting friends for dinner.  Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate and we were not able to eat outside, but we had a enjoyable evening here nonetheless.  We ultimately ended up sitting at the front bar and enjoyed attentive service from the bartenders.

There was a good sized beer selection, though mainly in bottles/cans.  There are about 6 items on tap.  I ended up selecting the Victory white beer, which was definitely a solid choice (so much so that I never changed).  I am not sure if they had a beer list, though it was not listed on the food menu and it would have been helpful to have (shame on me for not asking).  After a full day on the go in the city, I had a pretty good appetite and was not disappointed with quality or size of my meal.  I ordered the grilled shrimp and ordered it with mac 'n cheese and potato salad (per some Yelper recommendations).  I was pleased with everything that came on my plate.  Luckily, there was not a lot of the remoulade sauce, so the flavor of the grilled shrimp really stood out and I could try the sauces that were available for sampling.  I ended up trying the BBQ sauce, which had some zip to it but was not too hot.  The consistency of the cornbread is more like a moist cake, but I must say I kind of liked it.  Of all the sides, that was probably my least favorite (but it was still good).  

If my travels bring me back to the University City area again, I would definitely stop by again.  Not only was the food good, but I found this to be a great neighborhood bar to hang out at as well.  There were clearly a lot of locals coming and going throughout the night, which I feel is always a good sign about the level of service the spot provides.
4 - Robert C.: As a purveyor of good BBQ and a southerner, I actually have to compliment this place.  I didn't have high expectations, but was surprised to find out that place was pretty good.

Their pulled pork and mac & cheese are excellent.  Baked beans and cornbread are different then down south, but weren't too bad.  This place did have some great specials going on for Beer Week and was a nice place to sit on the patio or sit inside and watch the games.
2 - Jon D.: Am guessing it's better to just come here for beers. I went for lunch, and it stunk. 

Honestly, this was probably the worst pulled pork sandwich I've ever had. I wasn't surprised when I read all the other crappy reviews of it on here before posting this. On the bright side, the skin on my friend's chicken (haha) looked awesome, so order that if you ever decide to give Baby Blues a try. 

Anyways, as far as the sandwich- the bread was soggy, the seasoning was not appetizing at all (think kitchen sink of spices and odd flavors - not savory, tangy, delicious BBQ), and worst of all, the meat was horrendous. I was pulling pieces of inedible fat (not even the chewy kind) out of my mouth every other minute. On the flip side, the cornbread and mac and cheese were pretty damn good, and our server was really nice. 

Pulled pork- 0.5 stars
Cornbread & mac and cheese - 3.5 stars
1 - David C.: A sharp downhill tumble seems to have overcome what used to be a pretty great bbq place that I went to often. But my last experience there was really horrible.. the ribs were all horribly tough, difficult to cut even with a knife, and service took a very long time. It was really much worse than it has been in the past.
5 - Steve N.: I was tentative in going as the reviews were muddled, but after enjoying drinks and excellent BBQ, I'm glad I went.

Joe, the bartender, was awesome. So was the owner Steve. Super nice. Super personable. Oh ya, the food was delicious!

I hope they're not teasing when they talk about opening up a spot in Oahu... that's something to definitely look forward to.
1 - Androo J.: I've been to BB a number of times in the past and received excellent service.   went today just after 1pm and waited over an hour for a takeout sandwich.  i was told initially that the bartender couldn't place my order for 10 or 15 minutes b/c the kitchen was backed up..    i told the bartender that wouldn't be a problem.    little did i know how dysfunctional BB had become.

I waited an hour before they placed my order with the kitchen.  There was no one at the bar and very few people at the restaurant.  mind you, i placed a take-out order so i could get back to work in time. 

the bartender did comp me a beer but had forgotten what i had previously ordered and gave me something different.  i didn't have the energy to argue with him.

i will never go here again.
3 - Hrishikesh H.: Went there at night for a drink. Had a Guinness but I thought the taste was bit off. May be it was not popular in the bar.  The bartender served me Guinness in a regular glass rather than a Guinness glass. Service was good because when the other bartender realized, he immediately gave me another beer this time in proper glass for free.  French fries were so-so
2 - Jay J.: Very small place.  The food is overrated.
5 - Tom K.: Great food, great service. The staff and management were very friendly and helpful with ordering. Joe the bartender was awesome.  Tori the waitress was very personable. If you are cool enough they might even show you the secret private room.
3 - Carter P.: Not too much competition for bbq in Philadelphia, so this is a great addition to the Philadelphia food scene.  The atmosphere is great and is a good alternative to the UPenn food court or other restaurants on Sansom.  As far as the food goes, it is worth the lunch special prices, but be careful when ordering from the main menu - the food is overpriced when it gets above $18 an entree.  I had a sampling of a smoked link, beef brisket and pulled pork.  The meats were good and the sauces on the table were all great.  XXX and Sweet on pulled pork was my favorite combination.  For drinks, there's a different drink special every day of the week.  Be advised though, if you know what good Guinness tastes like, you will be disappointed in the pint from here.  Something didn't seem quite right about its flavor.  However, the waitress quickly offered to replace it and I had an Allagash instead which tasted great.
3 - Kevin C.: Let me start off by saying that if you want authentic southern barbecue, Baby Blues is not the place for you. Their barbecue is a second rate knock off at best, and for the price this is not at all acceptable. On my most recent visit with my fiancee I got the pulled pork sandwich with two sides (mashed potatoes and mac & cheese with complimentary corn bread) and she got the Memphis Queen plate which consists of a half rack of baby back ribs and a half rack of Memphis ribs with two sides. Because I was born in the deep South (Southern Arkansas) and lived there until I was 13 I am extremely picky about my barbecue, so it's understandable that I would be less than satisfied, but my fiancee was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and even she thought that it tasted like something you would find in a Boston Market type eatery.

While the meat was way less than satisfactory their sides are probably some of the best I've ever had (I know, I was shocked myself), and I would definitely recommend ordering their side sampler platter. The mac & cheese is super creamy and cheesy with the pasta achieving the perfect balance of soft and firm, seriously this might be some of the best I've ever had. My potatoes were creamy with chunks of potato, just the way I like them, and the brown gravy was super flavorful, definitely worth trying. My one gripe with the sides was the cornbread which tasted like it was right of a box, plus it was riddled with kernels of corn which the Southerner in me just wasn't used to.


The service was good, nothing to write home about, but acceptable, and the beer list was beyond satisfactory. True connoisseurs of barbecue will leave feeling underwhelmed, but if you're a vegetarian looking for great sides with a solid pint of beer, or if you like your barbecue candy sweet, this is the place for you.
3 - Jill L.: Even though I tend to try to eat veg (especially when eating out), I am a sucker for BBQ.  I am embarrassed to admit how many times I've been to the Famous Dave's on Columbus.  So needless to say, I'm always on board when it comes to some BBQ action.

I had been to BBB a year or so ago for lunch, but I couldn't really remember how it was when my husband and I joined his parents and sisters for dinner on Sunday night.  The first thing I noticed that the waitress was oddly sarcastic/jokey with the customers (including my father in law who totally did not understand her jokes) but other than that, service was good.

I ordered a platter of pulled pork, with sides of creamed spinach, mashed sweet potatoes and cornbread.  I thought the pork was delicious- super flavorful and juicy.  And NOT fatty- I hate biting into a big piece of fat when eating pulled pork.  

The homemade BBQ sauces were super tasty too.  I thought it was odd that they had a bottle called "HOT" but it was hot sauce not hot BBQ.  weird.  also weird they had a bottle of sauce with no name on the label-- I think it was regular.  try the XXX- it was perfectly hot.

I was a bit underwhelmed with the sides.  The potatoes were good but super super sweet.  The creamed spinach was more of a sauteed spinach in a light cream sauce (which I actually liked alot but it wasnt creamed spinach in my eyes).  The cornbread was the star of the sides- moist and not too overbaked (no hard edges).

While this place is FAR superior to Famous Dave's, it doesn't stand up to some of the better BBQ establishments in the city.  Instead, head 30 blocks east and go to Percy Street BBQ.
3 - Ted K.: Coming into the city for a show at the nearby World Cafe on a Sunday nite and with a good line of thunderstorms approaching, I tried asking where there was a good bar or a place for food.   Geeky Ivy students hadn't a clue and many of the nearby spots to WCL were closed (you'd never find that in Manhattan).  So the search began and after ping ponging a bit, I made my way away from town when the storm hit, and not a bar nor food place to be found.  I sought shelter at the Starbucks and was cursing my bad luck (and I wasn't going to order a blessed thing from them either) when one of the staff who was bringing in the tables & chairs told me the alley behind the store had some places.   It still pouring, I made a beeline that way (under the scaffolding) and found this spot.    Made my way to the bar in the back and I was in my element.   They could use a sound system to make the place a bit more lively, but that was my only complaint.  Waitresses and bar tender were friendly.  I only ordered the suicide shrimp and the mac & cheese.  Recommend both highly.  Nice presentation on the shrimp dish over cornbread and a jalopena mayo and a nice cole slaw.  Mac & cheese was as good as it gets and tops any of the very decent places I frequent near my home.   As I return to University City, I'll surely return to BBB and try some of their ribs or brisket the next time - that'll be the acid test.

Baby GAP - Palo Alto, CA (37.4432611, -122.1726978) ()
5 - Jasmine L.: I like going to this store because they put extra attention into the giftwrapping.  Less people, higher quality service too because it's in an affluent shopping center.
4 - Ginni S.: For some reason, this Baby Gap feels so much cozier than the other Baby Gap stores.  It is in this store that I discovered that Baby Gap has thicker brown shopping bags instead of the standard Gap shopping bags.  Everything here is cute and adorable.  

The store is well stocked but will be temporarily closed for renovation during the summer months.
2 - Laurin A.: Wayyyy too small.  Impossible to get around pushing a stroller.  They have a decent selection of sales items that aren't all last seasonish...  I have to say the one at Valley Fair is much much better and has a huge selection.
5 - Delaine Z.: Stanford Mall is my favorite shopping center, so right off the bat, this place gets extra points for being located here.

I have an amazing granddaughter for whom I love to buy clothes.

I have a former student who works for GAP at its headquarters in SF, next door to our apartment building.  She sends along discounts when they come her way.

So, all those things come together at this store and make me extremely happy.  It is a lovely store; service is good; clearance racks always have plenty from which to choose; the clothes are well made and fashionable.  I'm a big fan.
4 - Mara T.: It's official. I am addicted to shopping for my kid.

Why? Well baby jeans are $20 instead of $200. Also-- while my kid is growing like a weed, I can guesstimate his range aka 12-18mo and figure he'll fit in it for at LEAST a few weeks.

Also, when babies have muffin top it's 'awww' not 'ewwww'.

Baby Gap is one of my staples for spending some money. Of course like almost everyone else in the Bay Area, I got a Groupon. Well actually, I got two. And props to this PA store for letting me combine sale/clearance items with my Groupon for all sorts of ridiculous savings--the Valley Fair store was not quite so accommodating.

Quality of their stuff is top notch too. Wash and wear 100 times and it will still look great. We got a few hand me downs of Baby Gap stuff that I was fine with him wearing.

Lastly, their sales are bomb. Clearance stuff can be $3.99 when the original price was $30. I can't pass up a good deal. Toss three of those hats in my bag, please!!
4 - jen n.: I never thought of myself as a Gap person, but for kids stuff they make it really easy. Although people say it's expensive I couldn't argue that based on some of the boutique clothes I've looked at.

Baby Girls's Bubbles & Cleaners - New York, NY (40.806403, -73.953501) (Harlem)
4 - Sam P.: A 24hour, ful service laundry and dry cleaners!?  Man, there are times in my life when I could use one of these in HK.  So minus a star for being out of the way, but otherwise this place is da bomb.  And suprisingly un-sketchy considering its locale.  Not sure I'd want to come here at 1am, though, but then again, i never pass up a chance to do Laundry at 1am, even if its in Harlem.
1 - PJ G.: I love this place- it's sparkling clean, open 24 hours and for the most part, the people who work there are really friendly and helpful.

I once accidentally left a pile of clothing there- I had been working on deadline and the brain freezes. Ran back there a few hours later and the stuff (all of it) was still there in a bin under the tables.

One caveat- do not ask any of the attendants to break money for you, they won't do it. Yes there is a change machine,  but I don't want $20 in quarters.

update 1/23/08 - I no longer go here; the management (I think) has changed, and they don't seem intent on maintaining the machinery. I've seen the workers scream at customers when it was clear that the customer was in the right. If a machine malfunctions, they don't refund your money.

What was a nice, clean, cheerful, "clubby" place has turned into a disaster. 

It's only saving grace is that you can drop off dry cleaning ( a bit pricey) and have it back quickly. Baby Girl is open 24-7, so you can pick up your dry cleaning at 3 am if you need it.
4 - Emile N.: I like this place a lot. I can't think of much else I'd want from a laundry place:

Lots of washers, different sizes.
Lots of dryers.
Change machine.
Pretty clean.

I suppose I didn't give it that last star cause, I dunno. I feel odd giving a laundromat 5 stars. Maybe if they added a Slurpee machine...
4 - Bryce A.: Lol...Weird to talk about a place like this on Yelp, but it is a great place to go in with dirty clothes and leave with clean clothes! =] 

~different washer sizes
~open 24/7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~25 cents to dry your clothes for 8 min, that is just great!
~you can always can change from the workers! 
~everyone is nice~
5 - Megan G.: If you need your clothes picked up and dropped off, this is the place. 

I was on crutches recently and found myself at the mercy of my local laundromats. Of the ones that claim to have delivery service, this is the only one that had no ridiculous rules (my usual self-service spot, Broadway Bubbles, won't do less than 40 lbs.) and had courteous employees who explained the service to me.

What's more, they give you a one-hour time slot and the man actually shows up during that hour. FreshDirect can't even do that. 

They even honored my request to not use fabric softener (allergies). I'm still not able to do my own laundry, so I'm going to call Baby Girl's again.
1 - Deborah L.: I came here for dry cleaning because of their extended hours. There are several cleaners in the area and I recommend going to any of the other stores. The staff ignored me when I arrived to drop off or pick up my dry cleaning. After serving other patrons before me, they were at best unfriendly and at worst rude. I'll never return.
1 - A M.: horrible, horrible place. like i want to spend a monday night arguing with you over whose turn it is to use the dryer? 50% of their machines are broken-- and it's way overpriced for the sheer chaos you encounter. the hours are the only plus but i'd much rather go to one of the tiny mom and pop laundromats that actually works.
2 - Brian N.: So, not bad for getting to do laundry at 2am in Harlem, and the prices are pretty damn good: it was $3.25 for a triple-load washer, and the dryers are cheap. However, when I came to get my clothes out of the dryer, there was smoke pouring out of it, which continued for some time, and my clothes were so hot that after 10 minutes of sitting with the dryer door open, they still burned my fingers. So, plus on the hours and prices, but beware smokey dryers. You probably don't need your clothes to be in there very long. Clearly.
5 - Alex G.: Oh my God. How do you even begin to describe Baby GIrl's Bubbles and Cleaners?

They come to my apartment about once every two weeks. I give them a bag overflowing with dirty clothes. They come back 24 hours later (right on time! sometimes early!) with my socks all matched up, my underwear folded to perfection, and my shirts neatly washed and dried and all my garments wrapped in plastic to protect it from the elements.

Baby Girl, I love you and I won't ever leave you.
1 - C. C.: I have been coming here for a year to do my laundry (so I can't speak to the drop off service). There were a few annoyances here and there, like machines that were constantly out of order, general disarray, or crowds, but not enough to motivate me to do my laundry at the next closest place instead. 

Until now. When I walked in I placed my basket with dirty clothes in it on a table. One of the women who works there told me I can't do that. I have no problem being corrected for doing something wrong. (Though, I have seen others doing the same thing many times before and done it myself, and none of us have been asked to move our baskets unless it's crowded and there's not enough table space for folding clothes. There is also no sign anywhere saying no laundry baskets on the table.) Nor do I have to be told in a simpering or beseeching manner. What I do have a problem with is how shockingly and unnecessarily rude she was about it, even muttering audibly about how stupid I was - and, no, saying it to yourself does not make it okay when you're saying it so loudly that everyone else can hear you.

I will spare Yelp the rest of the ridiculous details but needless to say her attitude was way out of line in response to an honest mistake by a non-confrontational customer. So out of line that in the future I won't be doing my laundry here again.
4 - Jay O.: I use their drop off laundry service (the delivery guys are never working when I get home from work), but I love the 24 hour turnaround. I've never noticed anything lost from my laundry, and this place is cheaper than the laundry services I used when I lived in brooklyn. I think this is the best option in the neighborhood.
2 - C V.: Incredibly rude staff. Malfunctioning machines. Very unpleasant experience.
1 - Taiwo O.: Rude staff. Machines do not get clothes clean. My clothes came out with mold spots on them. Waited for the managers call for a month. As I was told: "[Beware], use at owners risk". Good luck. I have since moved to another laundry mart down the street. Although not as clean an enviroment, my clothes come out clean.
4 - Michael W.: At 4 am I have no worries. It is quick and easy.  The place is very clean. Bring TP. For the Bathroom. Just in case. A double load machine at 2.25 works for me.  Some dryers are hotter than others. Pay as you go in 50 cent increments. Just in case. Some of the staff is friendly. Some are conditioned by neighborhood interactions.  Don't take it personally.
1 - Gwen M.: Oh man... where to begin? I haven't lived in the neighborhood long so I can't compare to many others, but this place is bad news.
I went there a few weeks ago to do a TON of laundry. I made the mistake of asking them to wash everything on hot because I was afraid I had bedbugs, but I explained to them that I had had my place inspected and I did not, in fact have bed bugs ( I'm paranoid- my friend had them and she'd been over and I saw a beetle in my bedroom, yeah yeah, I know). Anyway, they insisted on charging me 50% extra for this. At this point I had 60 lbs of laundry there, I didn't see much choice so I agreed. 
I finally sorted out everything, paid my deposit and left. That was about 10 am. At 5 pm I got a voicemail saying that they forgot to charge me ANOTHER extra charge, so that would be added on. I showed up at 11 to pick up my stuff and called them out (nicely, I might add). I said that I understood the extra charges in the first place, but it was really unfair for them to charge me something else when at that point I had no control over it.
The girl chewed me a new one. She said it was their policy to charge this and it was my fault because I had distracted the girl during the interaction (by asking for my coins from another machine). On and on. She was WAY out of line and also lying through her teeth, she obviously had no idea what the actual interaction had been. Anyway, all this for $10. You'd think for $10 they would suck it up, realize that they had quoted me the wrong price and get on with it. 
Then to top it all off I'm missing socks, I have a blue teeshirt (that used to be white) and stains on brand new sheets and towels. 
Wouldn't recommend it.
5 - Douglas H.: I've been here in NYC for almost 3 years now and I always wash @ Baby Girl's.  I usually go late in night when its quiet.  Most of the staff is cool, except for one little girl in there with an attitude (probably a Bronx rat) but no issues in general.  If ever I had an issue with a machine, the staff was glad to put me on another machine and reimburse me for use.

Currently they're renovating and sending everyone across the street to the jamaican dry cleaning spot but im a lil sketchy on those guys, they charge too much.

But in short, I love Baby Girl's and don't plan on going anywhere else.
1 - Kim A.: IF YOU WANT CLEAN CLOTHES, DON'T BOTHER WITH THIS PLACE. Initially, I was sooo excited about "Baby Girl's". The clothes came back super fresh, clean and folded perfectly. Soon after I realized the first time must of been my lucky day with whom the random clerk was, who handled my order that day. I continued to give them the benefit of the doubt because they were so nice, convenient  and even excepts credit cards for payment. Then I started to notice that my whites would come back dingy and dirty, I'd report to one of the managers by the name of Sherma. She would investigate the situation, and i'd have them pick up the "dirty" items and redo them. Which was a pain in the ass cuz I always felt compelled to tip the delivery guy for both dropped offs...and I'd tip well too. It happened a second time and at this point, Sherma said she'd put in her system "bleach whites" so that the clerks would make sure they were clean. I also started to notice that the clothes barely smelled cleaned, my color wash clothes would be hard and have lil bleach stains..... and on one occasion they even left one of my dresses behind. STILL, I'd let them know and give them the benefit of the doubt one more time. On 8/23/12, their services for me went straight to hell. I called to pay and reminded them again that  they bleach my whites properly. They said it was noted in their system and taken care of. Later that day my laundry was delivered and my whites were once again dirty. It looked like it had been washed without bleach AND detergent. I called to report this to Sherma once again. initially she said she'd have delivery pick it up and and rectify the incident...to my surprised she called me back to say after reviewing video confirming that her clerk had bleached them correctly, all she could do was make note to use extra bleach next time. I pleaded with her  there was no way the clothes were bleached at all and how the clothes were so dirty the couldn't be worn and that it didn't matter what she viewed on video, the clothes are visibly dirty and she'd see that if she had them picked up.  She even claimed they used Clorox Bleach which was impossible in the condition they were. She insisted that all she could do was rectify the issue the next time I PAY to use their services again. What a load of crap, clearly I was wrong about Baby Girl's and they could care less about cleaning clothes properly, so as long as the "clerk does what the surveillance camera says. Never mind the fact that the end result were dirty clothes. I told them I won't be using their services EVER AGAIN. It's very disturbing how I was willing to give them chance after chance and even recommend others to them, only to be treated nasty by them. Clearly,  quality service means nothing to them. How do you have a laundry service that doesn't provide clean clothes??? EPIC FAIL. STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE OR YOU WILL REGRET IT.

Baby Tommy's Taste of New York - Atlanta, GA (33.786472, -84.39901) (Westside / Home Park)
4 - Amanda W.: It looks like they have opened pretty recently (they took over from another pizza place in the same spot), so I don't think they have all the menu items ready yet.  I tried to order the Granny and the Sicilian, but they didn't have either.  If you're looking for slices, seems it's best to peruse what's been made already.

I settled for a slice of the cheese and a slice of the artichoke and spinach. They were generous with the toppings.  Along with a soda, it came in under $7, so that's not too bad for a quick lunch.  Service was fairly quick.  It wasn't the most amazing pizza I've had, but seemed fairly close to authentic NY pizza.  

I'm looking forward to going back to try the gyro and maybe one of the calzones.

Parking can be tight, so try to get there before noon or after 1 pm.
2 - Laura K.: Really just not good.

I ordered a slice of pepperoni and mushroom.  While the texture of the crust was good....canned mushrooms?  Really?  Gross.

Also the paper plates were quite annoying.  And talk about lack of atmosphere.  At least get some music.
5 - Stephanie U.: Every year since I was born, I go to NY about 4-5 times a year to visit family. I LOVE NY pizza, and find a new place to try there every day that I visit. I CANNOT stand it when people advertise as having "NY Pizza" when it doesn't even come close! I have tried so many places here in Atlanta and never went back to any of them.

Baby Tommy's Taste of New York was AMAZING. It is very authentic, and even better than some of the pizzas I've had in NY. We had the pepperoni pizza (Jumbo size, which is 20", it was HUGE) and it was delicious!! The sauce and crust and everything is just perfect. 

The place just looked like it opened recently - but it was very clean. It's neat you can see them make the pizza too. The staff were all very nice and friendly. 

I would 100% recommend this restaurant for its friendly staff, clean and homey atmosphere, and DELICIOUS pizza!! I'm definitely coming back as often as I can!!
3 - Robert M.: There is something about this place that made me want to leave quickly. Was it the sterile, too clean with granite countertops atmosphere? Was it the Sbarro lineup showcase as soon as you walk in with lots of things brushed in butter? Was it because it was painstakingly quiet in there? Was it because they still had an "All Star Pizza" sign out front (that's scary)? All of the above? It really makes me rethink my glowing 4 star review of their Marietta location. 

Then....to make me even more anxious....when I say "Two slices to go"...he looks at me and says the hated "Two slices oooof......" line with a quizzical look on his face. He made me say "cheese". Deflated again. Then, he types it into his computer...while I didn't see what he was busy typing it was probably something like "Slice" CHECK! "Cheese" CHECK!. "CHEESE SLICE CONFIRMATION?" CHECK!!!! 

It's not done. He then prints the ticket, turns around and yells "Two slices of cheesssse pizza please". CHECK!! Then, to piss me off even more, when it comes out a different guy hands it to me and says "Here is your two slices of cheese pizza sir". As if I already didn't know by now there is friggin cheese on my pizza. Thanks pal. 

Crap. 

OK....I understand I'm not in NY and people may not understand the whole 'two slices' thing just means 'give me two plain slices....WITH CHEESE!". However, this place definitely needs some NY attitude if you are going to call the place "Taste of New York". 

So onto the slice. 

Not nearly as good as what I had in Marietta, or what I remember from Marietta. After all, whenever I am in Marietta, I am lost. Incredibly lost. Whenever I see the big mocking chicken, I am officially frazzled AND lost. So maybe my Marietta review of Baby Tommy's is completely wrong. 

The slice wasn't horrible. It wasn't great. The "cheese pizza" in the showcase looked pretty horrible. It did look better heated up, slight char, cheese had pull but just didn't taste exactly right to me. Sauce was too sweet and too spare. Toppings across the board looked of low quality...even though I only ordered the "cheese pizza". Crust was acceptable, a little on the dry side but fold-able (if you need instructions on this please visit Varasano's for a clinic in folding pizza while watching a slideshow of Jeff eating pizza, fun fun!). But overall it had that 'mush' taste in my mouth. I think ordering a fresh pie here would be the better bet. 

It gets my 'average za in Atlanta' rating....barely 3 stars (I'm being generous)....from the NY Pizza Guy.
4 - Vance O.: First time staying in Atlanta and had to try the local pizza, so we tried Baby Tommy's. Was a little worried with some of the reviews on here, but went for it anyways. Pizza was quick, delicious and definitely worth the reasonable price. You should go for it if you're in the mood for pizza and in Atlanta!!!
2 - Leeanna L.: The signs says in really big letters "Taste of New York" and in really small teeny tiny hard-to-read letters, "Baby Tommy's." I still don't know what this place is called and I won't be able to tell you the name even after I finish my review (it was a cut & paste job). It's located around the corner from Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches so you won't be able to see it from the street.

When you walk in, you have a selection of pre-made pizzas, strombolis, and stuffed pizzas to choose from. Impressive but looking at cold congealed cheese is not my favorite way to make a lunch selection. I guess that's how they roll in New York. My Stromboli ($6.50) was ok....6 hours later anyway. 

I was the last in a party of 6 to order and my order got fudged. It took 2 inquiries for it to come out. My Greek Salad ($4.95) somehow made it out finally, thanks for nothing, so I got to eat that and then got the stromboli to go since my party was already done with lunch by then. Next time, I'll leave the tip afterwards. Maybe. 

It was good. It did the job but I think it's a glorified Sbarro's.
3 - Wendy H.: I actually like canned mushrooms, in making Pizza Quick Sauce pizzas at home kinda way, but was bummed to find the slimy little things in my calzone here.  Maybe canned mushrooms are New York Style?  

Anyway, I'm very happy to have a slice place near my work and it seems like there's potential for good and reliable here but I have to agree with other reviewers about being slapped in the face with Sbarro's right as you walk in the door is a little disconcerting.  

The slice was good enough to get me back in and I hope to add a star in the future but for now it's just three.
3 - Susumu K.: We were craving for a good food here so we tried a calzone and baked ziti, calzone was thin and resembled a flat pancake... but the baked ziti was wonderful, many other places over bake them and it ends up very dry, but this was delicious, if you feel like pasta I would highly recommend this baked ziti! ... the Calzone... it needs a better presentation.

Although we spent over $30 that day even had a delicious Canolli, as soon as the owner Steve came in, we felt very "un-welcomed", felt as if he wanted us to leave and don't dine-in...

Steve, don't you want a repeat customer? We don't live near midtown, I'm coming from Roswell, because we had a craving for your good food.
4 - Sabrina S.: Love-love-love their pizzas! Usually we get a pizza to go and everything is always amazing, from the basic cheese pizza to the decadent buffalo chicken or barbeque chicken pizza..... Y-U-M. Also have been there for lunch to get slices and they are good too. 
There's one lady that works behind the counter that had been rather rude to us on several occasions, but I'm still getting pizza there regardless. When we got a pizza last night, we paid with a credit card. when we asked if we had to sign anything, she ripped the receipt off the register and slammed it in our faces. Ok, why do you need to do this?
Anyway, pizza is awesome everytime I've had it and I recommend it to everyone!
3 - Sydney Y.: The food was pretty good. The pizza didn't meet NYC pizza standards, however, it came to a close second. The pricing was good for the quality of food. I definitely would go here again for an informal lunch with friends.
3 - Sarah E.: Let me preface this review with a disclaimer.  I am not a pizza snob.  

I ate pizza at Antico, and even though I'm pretty sure the Earth was supposed to shudder on its axis and time was supposed to stand still... none of that happened.  It was pretty good, but the crust was burnt ("crunchy and black" does not equal "the perfect char" to me, sorry).

So anyway, when I say that my pizza from Baby Tommy's was "pretty good", you might want to take it with a grain of salt.  I will say this much - I don't think it really tasted (as advertised) like New York Pizza.  I can say this with (relative... okay, kinda shaky) certainty because once back in 1998 I ate at Ray's Pizza in New York.  I have checked out the Yelp reviews of Ray's, and it is apparently good New York pizza.  Baby Tommy's pizza does not taste like that.

It does, however, taste pretty yummy.  And one slice of the stuffed meat pizza should be more than enough for most people to eat for lunch.  It cost only 4 dollars and was literally spilling over with delicious meaty, cheesy goodness.  So while I may doubt this establishment's claims that it is a "Taste of New York," I'd still recommend it.
3 - Shyam S.: That night that my friend and I were at Baby Tommy's, EVERYONE was there because of a Groupon. What made it all fairly absurd was that we were all parties of two with $25 coupons. The result? A ridiculous amount of food with plenty to take home.

Based on other reviews, I wanted to try one of the stuffed pizzas but forgot from my Chicago days, that those things take time. I was told 40 minutes but since we didn't have that much time, we just had a large, vegerarian pizza; garlic knots; and drinks. The garlic knots were good, but the pizza was just okay. Nothing about it - sauce, crust or veggies - was exemplary. It tasted like a large, average pizza.

On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being Old School Pizza at Vinyl and 10 being anything at Antico's, I give this place a six.
3 - Jenny B.: Got takeout pizza here tonight. The tomatoes were fresh, and the onions, but the mushrooms were definitely canned. Ugh. The crust was good, which is why it gets three stars. 

Average.
3 - Jeremy A.: We went with the vegetable pizza here which was pretty good except for some of the ingredients were canned. We also got the lemon pepper wings which were ok but not any that I would order again. 

Its a takeout place but they have tables if you order in similar to the NY pizza joint. Service was friendly and they had my order ready as soon as I came in to pick it up.
3 - Jennie K.: It was a bit unappetizing to see the cold pizzas in front of you as you're deciding.  However, it is cheap ($3-4+tax) for a huge slice of stuffed pizza, easily enough for ANYONE's lunch break.  Any more cheesey goodness and I would bet on an instant food coma.

Tried the veggie and the chicken cordon bleu.  Veggie definitely used frozen broccoli pieces, and was fairly plain.  The accompanying marinara made it better though.  The cordon bleu was really good, I'd definitely get it again if I went back; but the question is, will I be back?
4 - Robert C.: Stick with the very basics, and you'll be happy, though not blown away. Stray from them, and things will be a little hit or miss.

Their regular pizzas (e.g., cheese, pepperoni, etc.) aren't bad. Not the best I've had, but they're really quite solid. Spaghetti and meatballs? Spaghetti and sausage? Cannolis? I've had them all, and they're all fine by me.

But some of the stuff just isn't that great. I went with a jumbo 20" veggie pizza one time, and it was pretty disgusting. The center of the crust was soggy by the time I opened the box, and some of the toppings were really quite vile (e.g., the canned mushrooms). Other toppings just weren't to my liking (e.g., the way-overcooked slices of bell pepper).

Another time, I went with a large 16" stuffed vegetable pizza. It was enormous; one slice is enough for a filling meal. But it was really quite bland, saved only by the marinara dipping sauce. All that cheese, broccoli, spinach, tomato, and garlic gets a little overwhelming, really fast. Not a fan.

Lesson learned? Just stick with the basics.
4 - Jessica B.: I'll have to say from the moment that I walked in, I was instantly feeling welcomed and appreciated as a customer! It was very well lit and the pictures on the wall were suitable for being so close to Ga Tech. Within close distance to it, too! A nice walk from it on a spring day!

    The guy behind the counter was very patient and was laid back and friendly, glad to help me pick out things for both me and my husband.  I was pleased with the wide selection, husband says the wings were "Pretty good!'' He loved the taste for the price which was VERY reasonable!

  I loved the Mediterranean chicken pizza, very tasty and fresh ingredients if you like Greek food! Try the bread knots WITH cheese FRESH from the oven! I loved it!

    The place was rather clean and the waitress I could see was attentive in working on keeping it clean.

   So overall, Good food (with HUGE pizza slices and selections!), great staff, and comfortable sit-in atmosphere, perfect place for an afternoon bite to eat after the game or seeing your friends!  They surely don't treat you wrong here, better than any pizza place I usually order from!

  They treat you right here!
4 - Eddie D.: New York style pizza in Atlanta!   Finally a place where I can get the real deal and enjoy pizza the way our friends up north get to enjoy it.  I will be stopping by here on the regular now.  Kudos for awesome pizza.
3 - Daniel B.: The original Baby Tommy's is located close to where I work.  This one is located close to where I live.  Midtown Baby Tommy's, located just a couple blocks south of Atlantic Station, serves New York-style pizza.  This means huge, thin slices.  This location opened in February 2010.

When you enter the restaurant, you are greeted with a massive wall menu featuring a bevy of pizza options (stuffed pizzas included), hot sandwiches, calzones and strombolis, pastas, and more.  It can be a little daunting at first.  You can check out the pizzas and calzones already made, sitting behind the glass, to get a good idea of what you're ordering and how big the slices will be.

One good thing about this place is they're open late (until 1am on some nights).  The space, while not terribly large, is relatively new and clean.  There are two HDTVs with DirecTV.  The owner was nice enough to hand me the controller so I could find ESPN and watch some NBA.

Some of the food I tried included their antipasto salad (pepperoni, salami, capicola, provolone cheese, and red peppers), their "Works" pizza (pepperoni, sausage, peppers, and onion), and their pepperoni roll.  I was a bit disappointed with the food and I'm not sure if it's because we came so late at night (around 11pm).  The sliced meats and cheese in the salad were cold and hard and the red peppers were soggy.  The pizza was okay, but I think all they did was throw some cold toppings on a premade cheese slice and reheated it.  The pepperoni roll took about 15-20 minutes to prepare since it was almost made from scratch.  It was good, but comparable to eating a giant Hot Pocket.

I like the original location in Marietta and think that one still holds the edge over this one.  The service was very friendly and I wouldn't mind giving this place another try during normal business hours when they're busier and the food is fresher.
3 - Sidney E.: Unless you're specifically searching for it, Baby Tommy's Taste of New York is easily overlooked because of its location directly behind Jimmy John's.  You should know that I've only once been in New York and have only eaten one pizza while there.  That aside, I wasn't impressed by Baby Tommy's Taste of New York.  I ordered a slice of stuffed chicken cordon bleu, and well, it tasted like you'd expect a reheated slice of pizza to taste.  I also had a stromboli, which I did enjoy, and even the small size is HUGE.  My friend ordered a Philly chicken sub that she didn't bother to finish or put into a take-out box, so that tells you what she thought of it.  Furthermore, the tables are all rather small, so if you go in a group of five or more, someone will have to rearrange some furniture.  On the plus side, the staff was quite friendly, and they didn't really hassle another friend of mine whom decided to buy food elsewhere and return to sit with the rest of my group.  

Bottom line:  I'd rate their pizza with two stars, but because the stromboli was better and because the employees were hospitable, I'll be generous and give three stars to Baby Tommy's Taste of New York.  And to be fair, another friend ordered wings, and he seemed to like them.  Again, I've only been in NY once, but I remember the pizza tasting significantly better than this.
3 - Elizabeth S.: Im picky about my pizza being from NY and all, and This is the first pizza I had after coming to Atlanta. I figured with NY in the name I had a pretty good shot at getting a good slice.  The first pizza I had was great, maybe 90% of the real thing. The 2nd time it was just good. This last time it looked unbelievable but the sauce was so sweet it tasted like Prego :( I guess I have to look for a new spot.
2 - Tim M.: pickled garlic. canned mushrooms. poor quality cheese (that just doesn't cook right). guys, there is no excuse here. you're cutting corners and you know it, and if you think your customers dont, well...

at least there was a lot of it, but then again, i paid a lot if you consider the substandard ingredients.

i seem to remember when i first went to baby tommy's, it was delicious. prolly for their first 2 months or so (could have been longer). i was hooked, but then it's been mediocre since then, and i've given it so many chances too. there must have been a change in management or the capital ran out or something.
4 - David K.: Did I really just drop $17 on pizza and wings?! Yup. It looks like I did. My friend Kerry told me to come here after seeing my review of J.R. Cricket's on Facebook. She said the wings were awesome and I'd have to agree. My only criticism would be for them to be a little more crispy, but I'm sure that's something I can ask them to do in the future.

Pizza by the slice is awesome here. They're big and delicious. Some places just add toppings to plain pizza. Not here. It's the real thing.

If it weren't for Kerry's directions I don't think I would have found them. I actually drove past the first time and even on my second time I didn't see it. Their sign is red and New York is more prominent than Baby Tommy's. It's on the same side as Moe's BBQ, so if you're going down 14th toward Northside Drive just turn at Moe's and you'll see them on the left.

The employees were really nice. I was doing carry out and kinda expected them to make me stand and wait for my name to be called. I was actually able to sit down, drink some of my soda, and they brought the order too me. That might seem trivial, but I thought it was nice.
2 - Terry C.: Please forgive me - I must have sinned by using a pre-paid discount offer! I have been to Baby Tommy's on 14th several times, but my visit on 11/3/11 was quite the disappointment. My past experiences would indicate that this is a fun, light-hearted, easy-going crowd, with some pretty good pizza. My first mistake: I was told I could not order a stuffed crust pizza with that voucher - no worries, despite that I have done so in the past and nowhere did it read on the voucher that I couldn't, I was in complete agreement to simply order something else. I made my second selection, to which I received the stare of annoyance from the woman at the register. I was interrogated with questions such as: "When did you get this voucher" - apparently, using her smart phone, she could not get the QR code to scan and as a result, she had to resort to a manual search. "What's your name?" "Not your first name, your last name!"  OK, to order a pizza has now turned into a 15 minute ordeal. I finally got a pizza, which was actually pretty good, but I probably won't be back. Everyone working there seemed to be uptight and I'd have to say based on my experience, the woman referenced is probably a manager/owner and the cause. There is a reason why restaurants lure people in with discounts, and it's not always just about the food.
4 - Jeff L.: I'm a NYer so I will perpetually be a "pizza snob".  And no, Chicago doesn't have good pizza.  Anyways, on to this review.  Baby Tommy's is near me (walking distance) and I couldn't be happier.  It amazes me how people will talk about Papa John's and say "oh my god Papa Johns is so much better than Pizza Hut."  Well, they both suck.  Is Baby Tommy's just like getting pizza in NY?  No, not quite, but here in Atlanta, it has quickly become one of my favorites.  I've had multiple pizzas (with different bases) and I've liked them all.  The one thing that really sticks out is when you order multiple toppings.  At many places it seems that no matter how many toppings you order, in total it's the same volume of toppings.  So if you order 1 topping, you'd get 3 ounces just say, but if you ordered 3 toppings, you'd get 1 ounce of the 3 toppings.  So you'd pay 3 times, but get the same amount of food.  Here, they pile it on.  Last night, I got the Bacon, Tomato, Garlic pizza and added meatballs and chicken.  The pizza was COVERED with toppings.  I paid $4.00 extra for the 2 additional toppings and I definitely got my money's worth.  Glad to have a good pizza place nearby!
1 - Lisa B.: I really hate to do this as a one star review but Baby Tommy's really annoyed me with their lack of customer service. I purchased a Half Off Depot voucher for Baby Tommy's after my friend's told me about how awesome it is.  Naturally, I forgot about the voucher but found it one day after it expired.  I figured that Baby Tommy's would take it anyway - I have had similar situations before and have yet to come across a merchant who hasn't honored a voucher even if it was expired.  There is a first time for everything right?  They wouldn't take the voucher even though it had just expired yesterday and they told me instead to contact Half Off Depot for a refund or a new voucher with a valid expiration date.  Well that was a bunch of garbage because naturally HOD said its up to the merchant and they cannot help me.  Anyway, the whole situation has just rubbed me the wrong way. I will dine at places with mediocre food just because they have great customer service and value their customers. It seems like this isn't a priority for Baby Tommy's which is why I have no intentions of returning. The voucher had literally just expired and they definitely could have made money off me in the future with my return business since pizza is my favorite.  Oh well...

Maybe I just got a taste of New York hospitality?
4 - Adrian L.: Came here a few weeks ago with a friend for dinner around 11PM. We decided to split a full-sized stromboli which they made on the spot. It took about 20 minutes, came hot and fresh, and was loaded with ingredients. And it was pretty damn good.

We ate 3/4s of it and were both pretty stuffed. I'd be willing to bet that for the combination of quantity and quality you get for the amount of money you pay for this, it'd be one of the better bangs for your buck.
1 - Voss G.: My neighbor recommended the place..said they had authenticate NY pizza.
I guess my neighbor has never been to NY. 
Greasy  and doughy...and to top it off bad attitudes.
3 - Howard Z.: This place gets plus points for trying, but minus points because I've lived near NYC for most of my life and this kind of drops the ball.

Come here for a TON of food  I don't think there is such thing as a small portion.

Atmosphere is ok; I feel like its just a couple items shy from being an awesome place to watch games or something (They have TVs).  Can't quite put my finger on it though.  Default place to go watch games is something like Taco Mac.

Overall, food was ok, but nothing was super impressive.

Bacaro - Champaign, IL (40.1168584, -88.242436) ()
3 - Patrick B.: Bacaro (pronounced bah-kah-roh') is a trendy little ultra-modern wine bar.  The food is largely excellent, though portions are modest.  Bartenders and waiters are generally quite knowledgable about the huge selection of wines they have, which is a great plus.  And prices are rather reasonable, though not great.

Perching yourself at the bar for half-off wine and some dessert on Sunday night is a great way to enjoy the ambiance of this hip little place.
5 - Tammy N.: One of the few places in Champaign to test your palette.  next to cafe luna,  i would say this is the perfect place to escape for excellent wine, food, and dessert.  Thad is serious about his menu and you feel it when you experience his creations.  Libby always recommends the absolute perfect wine for every course...don't even bother trying to compete with her pairing knowledge.  The food is rather smart and inventive.  the interior is very reminiscent of blackbird in chicago.
5 - iren a.: another great experience last night at Bacaro. Over the top with wine and interesting food. I did the chefs choice starting with an incredible assortment of meats everything from house cured proscuitto to blood sausage and veal sweetbreads. We moved on to a great salad of raddichio and goat cheese with hazelnuts, a few more really incredible plates-A great atmosphere with friendly and knowledgeable staff
5 - Marcus E.: Very expensive and not particularly large dishes.

If you're okay with this first statement, this place is a great place.  The food is really good and the interior is very stylish.  Also, the service is great.  This is a very professional place that you wouldn't expect to see in Champaign.
5 - Sarah L.: I had the 6 course tasting flight tonight at Bacaro and it was incredible.  My friend and I ate and drank wine for 3 hours, and I felt completely taken care of but not intruded upon by our totally awesome, knowledgeable, helpful waiter the entire time.  

100 thousand props to said waiter, who didn't give the check to my male dining companion just because there were two of us and my male dining companion was male.

I can't agree with the other reviewers about the portions; I was FULL by the end of the third course and still had half a meal to go.  I think if I had even just ordered the linguini that was our 3rd course I still would have been full.

This is definitely a special occasion kind of restaurant, but I will certainly go back if I ever have a special enough occasion again.
2 - Alice M.: This place was a bit of a disappointment for me.  I was really excited to try it since I heard the chef was an apprentice of Iron Chef Mario Batali (yes, I love the Food network).

The service wasn't great, and even though it seemed fancy, the decor wasn't all that great either.

The food is expensive (which I was expecting), but the pasta that I got was pretty bad and for some reason tasted a lot like bacon (which I wasn't expecting).  Don't get me wrong, I love bacon, but not when it doesn't have bacon in it and isn't supposed to taste like that at all..

I definitely wouldn't go back here, but it was an interesting experience.
4 - Daniel F.: Have eaten here MANY times over the years, from when it was just a panini joint to just the other day.  I think this place's most inventive time was its best time, about 3 years ago, maybe a little more.  Food items are less adventurous and price point has increased with time.  That said, the desserts under their pastry chef of the last year or two have been TOPS.  Service I have always found to be very good and knowledgeable, esp. about wine.  I am curious to see how the metamorphosis of the former Persimmon Grocery into a mozzarella bar (is CU ready?)/wine lounge/private dining salon will go.
5 - Samantha O.: I have NEVER ever had a bad dish here. The service was always so spot on, but then again that might just be because they know me.
I am always impressed with the ideas Thad's crew thinks of...and I am such a fan of ANYTHING the dessert Chef Allison makes, that girl is incredible!

Sure it is pricey, but it is mostly local products, which makes me more than happy to fork over more. They seem to be particular to detail, which is a plus to me!
The wine is top notch too.

Honestly, anyone who finds Bacaro pretentious must be insecure, or needs to be more social. Good Lord, fine dining people!! You pay for what you get.

ALSO!! Thad has also mentioned to me how he likes his business to have less seating so its about quality, and not quantity. RESPECT that!!

I think I need to save to go there again, so worth it!!
3 - Deanna C.: What one would consider fine dining - especially considering the fact we're talking about Champaign - Bacaro's boasts of an extensive wine selection and the best of traditional Italian cuisine.  We ordered the smoked salmon appetizer, and, because I wasn't feeling very adventurous, chose the oven roasted chicken as my entre.  Overall, I found both these dishes a little too salty (maybe the chef was just having an off night?).  The portions are modest, but you would probably expect a little more for the price you're paying.  They did have a decent cheesecake and the check came out with a couple yummy chocolate chip meringues, but overall I guess I was a little disappointed.

In consensus with what many others have said, service was very attentive, but I felt it was almost to the point of pretentiousness.  Based on this experience alone, I would most likely not recommend Bacaro's nor dine here again, but I really don't want to dislike this establishment and would like to come back again sometime in the future and give it another chance.  Until then, I say stick with Radio Maria.
5 - David S.: Who would have thought that I'd pick a place in Champaign for my 600th review!... Well, Bacaro certainly deserves it: I finally went there for dinner last night (after wanting to go for several months), and I was wowed. I'm still salivating thinking about it.

I went there with pretty high expectations (I'd heard great things about it from several friends and coworkers): that's usually not a good thing as it makes it easier to be disappointed, but Bacaro did not disappoint. In fact, I'm happy to say that my dinner there was on a par with my best dining experiences in NYC.

First and foremost: the food. My boyfriend and I decided to share a bunch of dishes. For appetizers, we ordered the fresh mozzarella with heirloom tomatoes and pesto, as well as the roasted suckling pig with homemade sauerkraut: they were both absolutely delicious (don't miss the suckling pig!). We then shared one entree: we got the braised pork shank, which came with sauteed spinach, mushrooms, bacon, and fig sauce: soooo good! The portions are not huge, but two appetizers and one entree turned out to be enough food. For dessert, we got the panna cotta with fresh fruit: simple but just as outstanding. That was some seriously great food!!

As Bacaro is also a wine lounge, their wine selection is quite extensive. We got a sampler of three wines by the glass for $14, all of which were pretty good. Not to forget the 10yo port we got with our dessert (very generous pour...), which was good also.

Service was great, ambiance was great (although it's a shame that the place was so empty)... it was really a great dinner (sure, it was not cheap, but entirely worth it!). By far the restaurant in Champaign, in my opinion. I'll definitely be back.
3 - Helen H.: Decent food, but not spectacular. The grilled watermelon salad sounded better than it actually was -- it was drenched with vinaigrette...  Anyway, I had the scallop dish, which was cooked nicely... but slightly bland. 

 I think the wine here is better. had a really awesome special pinot grigio with literally peaches floating around!!! It was so great. I have to come back here  to try more of their wines. I think it's probably better to come here just for wine than for dinner

And like what everyone else said, the service was great!
4 - Jo C.: Expensive food but quite delicious and well presented. Portions are a bit small, but if you're going with appetizers and dessert the amount of food will leave you full and happy without being too stuffed to leave your chair. The waitress made a great wine selection to go with our food. The restaurant isn't very big, the decor is modern. A good place to go on a date if you're willing to spend the $.
5 - Sunshine M.: This place is amazing.  I've only been their twice since each meal costs half a months rent.  It's totally worth it though. Also, the waiters are great with the wine parings, I've had some of the best wine experiences of my life here!
5 - Chaya S.: I have to admit, I've only had dessert here but WOW it is amazing! I've even been here twice just for the desserts, once with my mom, and another time with my bf. 
I first tried Bacaro when my mom and I stumbled upon it after a good saturday night dinner at Radio Maria, up the street, when their dessert menu didn't tempt us. At Bacaro we got blown away at how awesome the two desserts were. We tried the chocolate and red wine budino (Italian for pudding) and my personal favorite- the meyer lemon tart with super fresh fruit. Waitress was fast, and courteous. Another plus is they serve french press coffee! 
My second dessert trip was also perfect. My bf is the type of guy who never dresses up to go out, and hates places where he cant wear jeans. Somehow i convinced him to put on some khakis and we went on a thursday night like 10pm. He loves chocolate, and hates lemon so he picked the budino and I had the tart again because I knew he wouldnt steal any! They were both perfection. What made our experience even better was how nice our waitress was, and the ambience within the restaurant.  So calming and chill! But according to my bf the highlight of his night was when he requested the bartender play some Radiohead and she happily obliged. (I wrote that there is a dj because im sure they would try to play your request for you if they have it!)
The waitstaff all seems super nice, and well-informed about the menu. And the women's bathroom is super cute with real towels, and sweet smelling lotions! I want to try dinner here too but haven't been that adventurous. I'll update if i do!
1 - Tim H.: I can't help but feel this Restaurant has fooled many. 

While I've read the food described as "Authentic Italian," I felt it was anything but.  I've been to Italy, and this ISN'T Italian...

I suppose the entire visit was lackluster. The decor had a lot to be desired, but the wait staff were great. 

However, once we ordered wine (and, by the old menu at least, were supposed to receive the standard 4oz glass) things went downhill. While we were savoring the tiny portion in our glasses, the bartender was doing his best to overfill the glasses of the pretty girls at the bar. When questioned, we were told "they asked for doubles." Who orders a double Merlot? 

We chose what appeared to be a special at the time: a smoked duck panini. 

What arrived at the table was a glorified ham and cheese sandwich. No, I'm not complaining about the sandwich itself, but they had substituted ham instead of smoked duck, then claimed that I wouldn't know the difference. 

I'm not sure if it was just this visit or the one that followed that biased me, but I'll never return.
4 - crizmon d.: I am trying to think of what to add that hasn't been said... 

I think this is one of the outstanding restaurants in Champaign-Urbana. I have had many meals there, most were superb, but this is reality, and once in a while I have been disappointed, as can be seen in some reviews. Overall, they rock.

This is not the typical "american-italian" restaurant. Perhaps it is more helpful to think of the Italian philosophy to place importance on food that is local, fresh, and in-season. As this would indicate, the menu changes frequently.

This is not an all-you-can eat for cheap place. Portions are human-sized, and thus smaller than what we have become used to having to carry out in a bag or leave on the plate. Prices reflect the cost of quality ingredients and a skilled staff. 

There's a nice wine list that favors Italian varieties. The staff can make good recommendations. 

One more thing that is not well-known - they are now open for lunch Tuesday-Friday.

And why do I compliment highly, acknowledging it is far above others in the region, yet gave 4/5 stars? I have to save a star; there are better restaurants in the world.
2 - R H.: I don't see what all the fuss is about. I lived in Chicago for many years so maybe I'm spoiled. I don't mind paying $27 for a steak but the steak I had was average at best and one of my friends had a rabbit dish that was just okay. Third friend had a seafood risotto that was the best of the three entrees. The entree selections were very limited and tried too hard to be different or unusual.

Waiter was nice but new I would guess because he seemed nervous. 

Not rushing back any time soon.
4 - Tony B.: Quite expensive and very fru-fru, this place would have earned only three stars had not our waitress been so impressively good.  A consummate professional.  She was also Miss Champaign County at the county fair a few years ago.  Beautiful, and maybe the most talented waitress I've encountered in years.  Very impressive, even for this guy who lives and eats in downtown Chicago.

The food came in very small portions, but it tasted good.  The $10 Pork Belly appetizer was smaller than a golf ball, but around CU this piece of seared fat is more popular than even one of Tiger Woods's nuts.

Three people and the two cheapest bottles of wine gave us a tab of $192 before tip.

The men's bathroom is literally carpeted with Astroturf, and there is a putter and golf balls next to the urinal in case you get bored.  Very weird, but pretty cool for Champaign, Illinois.

As pretentious as Bacaro sounded, I humbly admit I was surprised by the quality of the food (if not the quantity) and the professionalism of the cute, talented waitress.

I will be back.
4 - Thomas B.: I'll confess that after nine years I never took the time to sit down in Bacaro for a meal before last night.  I always preferred Radio Maria, Escobar or some other place for a nice meal. So before we set out on a Friday night for Bacaro, I decided to Yelp it and I was (and still am) very suspicious of a few of the reviews. 
 
Here was a place with lots of 1 & 2 star reviews and yet a couple of 5 star reviews, written in great length and gushing detail by Yelpers for whom this was their only review.  So who writes their first and only review in great length and never mentions anything they ordered, just summarizing it as an excellent restaurant, then never subsequently reviews any other restaurant?  I may be a cynic, but it raises red flags....

So, we set off to do our own independent research:  Three people on a Friday night.  The place is full, we get one of a couple of available tables, with no reservations.  The waitress was wonderful.  My first requirement to enjoy a restaurant experience is good service, and she was great.  She knew the menu, she was unequivocal when we asked her what she liked.  She kept her distance and watched us for cues, never interrupting a conversation and never rushing us nor ever making us wait.

The wine list is huge, the drink list is equally huge, but both are very pricey by Champaign standards. My wife's martini was a very full glass, all the way up to the "c" section as we Assembly Hall fans would say.

We had a risotto special with fish "for the table", one mixed green salad, and one fried pork belly starter.  The pork belly was $10 and was the size of a large marshmallow in the center of a 12 inch plate, humorous by its dinkyness. But good, like a chunk of fried bacon fat.
Then we had three entrees, all were very good.  Mine was the grouper ($28) and frankly I don't recall my companion's meals because we also knocked down one martini and two bottles of Cote D' Rhone between the three of us.  The Cote D' Rhone was $28/bottle and the lowest price wine on the list.  Several other wines could be had in the high $30's, and then the rest of the list was north of $40.
One apple pie ala mode later and the three of us were out of there for $192 before tip; and she was worth the $40 tip we left, so by the end of the day it approached $77 per person.
So if you start a Yelp review at a three, this place gets one more star for having a great server, one star for being in DT Champaign and being beautiful inside & out, including cloth hand towels in the loo.  Then I'll knock one star off for being too pricey for the market, but if Yelp allowed half-stars I'd give Bacaro 4.5.
4 - Austin A.: My only complaint was the waitress was a complete moron. 

I am very forgiving of servers too, being a former one myself. She had no idea what was good on the menu and just kept saying "Im a vegetarian." With that being said, in Champaign, I haven't had a better meal. I had the veal and it was wonderful. I can't recall much else but in a town without much choices other than the usual college fare, this ranks up there.
3 - Eric R.: The menu was confusing, but overall the food was excellent.  My only complaint with Bacaro is the service.  Our waitress was attentive, but a complete airhead.  She couldn't effectively answer questions, and constantly interrupted conversation by rearranging items on the table.
5 - Matthew L.: Bacaro has been through some subtle but incredibly effective changes. I am happy to say it has taken back it's rightful spot as both my favorite and simply the best restaurant in town... and one of the my favorite spots anywhere. As I mentioned previously the decor and staff are superb, but Chef Thad Morrow is now to be seen frequently in the dining room, and is doing a much better job of maintaining food standards than than the previous Maitre D'. Food is now flawless, and portion sizes have increased somewhat too, which for most was a welcome change. There is also a new Bar snack menu, which combines comfort-food with nouveau twists, like spicy homemade pork crackling! Bacaro could compete on a world stage, and do very well.
5 - Chris n.: Simply put, this is, by far the best restaurant in town, and one of the top 5 in the state.  I eat out a lot, and I always look forward to eating here.  I actually had the single best dish I have ever had in my entire life here, and same goes for the best dessert I have ever had.
I also like that the menu is never the same twice.  While I do have a favorite dish a some places, I always know that it is going t be an intelligent, pleasing, and not over sized meal.  This is a place that I go to before I go out, and I like that you can eat and function after.  I like the decor.  I have read a few reviews that did not like it, and I do understand them, but I love the Danish modern look.  It was done tastefully, and with some thought.
If I have one complaint it would be that when I am there I can't decide what to get.  Small menu, but you end up wanting everything on it.  
I lived in Chicago for many years so I had a LOT of great food around me, and I always made a point of going there.
2 - George K.: For the price that this Central Illinois establishment charges, one would expect basic restaurant treatment.  I waited for 15 minutes even though I had a reservation.  The host was a snooty, inconsiderate person to which I told him, "relax, this is Central Illinois, there's nothing to be snooty about." And most importantly, the food was over priced, did not taste good and the portions were small.  All in all, not the greatest.
4 - Damien L.: My boyfriend took me to Bacaro for an amazingly romantic dinner date.  I was impressed with the atmosphere, the knowledgable waitstaff, and flavorful. I would definitely return.
3 - D D.: Hmmm, what to say, what to say.  I came here for dinner the other Sunday night, place was quiet but very nice in terms ambiance.  The menu was very nice.  The service was excellent.  The food would have been good, even excellent except the chef was very heavy with the salt, every dish was salty, excessively so.  Not enough to send it back but one more grain of salt and I would have refused to eat it.  My companion suffered the same fate.  

The wine list was either very expensive, they did not have it or Slovenian, not sure what's up with that.  We ended up drinking beer because we could not find anything we liked.  I'd give the place one more try just to see if perhaps this was an off night.

To the other raves comparing this place to the top restaurants in NY or Chicago I would say "oh please"!  It was good, showed promise of things possibly greater but comparing it to a dozen places I could name off the top of my head in either city Bacaro was good but at these prices it should have been better.
3 - Jigna P.: My date secured us a reservation here for Valentines Day.

Pretentious. Server was snooty, bar man was snooty. The patrons also the same. Crammed seating.

It was crazy expensive, I understand local farm products, different menus, blah blah blah..but in Central Illinois? Seriously, $28 for a chicken leg? No thank you. 

The prices were a turnoff and the food was OK, maybe we picked the wrong dishes. 

The whole time my date and I were staring at this couple that did the at the time $98/person tasting menu...one YOUNG lady and a very old man... and they were a riot so I guess we had fun watching them. Other then that, Meh.
4 - Jamie S.: Tranquil, calm and romantic
Wine bar is pretty decent and deserts taste good.
3 - Derek L.: I just went to Bacaro for my girlfriend's birthday and got some mixed feelings about it. Here's what we ordered:

Grilled veal chop with red beets and pearl onions
Grilled sirloin with red cabbage, potatoes, and braised oxtail, in a red wine reduction

Apple cake with creme fraiche ice cream
Chocolate brownie with graham cracker ice cream and roasted marshmallows
Persimmon and pistachio bread pudding


The entree and wine were splendid, although a bit on the salty side for the sirloin. However, the dessert left a lot to be desired, in particular the persimmon and pistachio bread pudding. It was just plain soggy and tasteless. I recommend not ordering dessert here if you do plan on coming. 

In regards to the waitress and hostess, they were very helpful and courteous, in contrast to many of the other reviewers who saw them as "snooty" and pretentious. The atmosphere was pleasant and the ambient music was suitable for the occasion.
5 - Brett J.: Excellent service. They were very busy so the food was slow but they kept our mouths entertained with free bread and appetizers. Of course it is pricey but it is worth it. Food was excellent.
4 - Sherwin C.: Pretty good food but a bit pricey for what you get. Compared to higher end restaurants in Chicago the food here isn't really that expensive and the quality is generally very good. However, there are many places in Champaign which both cook well and charge lower prices as well (usually ethnic food though).

Seating is limited and parking can be difficult to find but there's really no doubt that the food served here is the best in Champaign.
3 - Patricia Y.: Went here for dinner in February 2011.  Extensive wine list, great service.  Food was not so great.  I had the duck dish for app and monkfish for my entree.  both were too salty. Maybe it was just that day? 

Also kids who wail/scream should not come to wine lounges! (the rest of the crowd was fine, just these two kids who sat at the table next to us...)

I would probably go back here but just to try the other wines...and sit at the bar.
4 - Dorian G.: I can't complain about the prices.  The food was expensive; the food was good.  There was presentation to the entire experience, which is something I've found a little lacking since moving to Champaign.
I wouldn't want to eat in the bar area on a Saturday night, and if the hostess hadn't been able to move us into the other room we would have had to leave.  My dad can't hear very well and his hearing is better than my lip reading.  The bar area is really nice and I'd love to eat there on a Tuesday, which I have.
The good:  The food.  Three people, three different dishes, and everybody liked theirs.  I had the halibut and mom had the rabbit, and if you're going in there soon, I'd recommend either, and even more I'd recommend the vichyssoise with crab and asparagus.  If you're hardline vegetarian (I eat fish) then you'll have problems with the menu, but I believe the waitress at least implied that the chef would make allowances/prepare something else?  Either way you should call ahead and see.  I have no complaints about oversalting like other reviewers, perhaps they listened?  The malbec we drank with dinner was a nice random choice.
The bad:  Our waitress was new.  At least I hope she was new.  The service was great but she wasn't as familiar with the menu or wine list as someone working at that caliber of restaurant should be.
The manhattans were terrible.  I suspect Bacaro of being yet another restaurant who thinks they should have their own special manhattan, with exotic bitters and cherry juice and... do you think you're going to save me from scurvy or something?  I want bourbon, bitters, and sweet vermouth, and go easy on everything but the bourbon.  This is no time for creativity.
The dessert menu is stupid.  Who follows octopus and rabbit with banana bread and ice cream?  Hire a dessert chef.
I would totally recommend Bacaro if you need "fancy dinner out." Sometimes I do.  Sometimes I have parents who need impressing.
5 - Roena H.: This is, hands down, the best restaurant in Champaign right now.  I go frequently and will continue to go.  The food is consistently good, the service is consistently good and the atmosphere is very pleasant.  Way to go Bacaro!
5 - Melissa M.: Haha, came to review this place and realized I reviewed it four years ago, when I ate the admittedly boring student prix-fixe. Hopefully they don't do that anymore. Since then I move to Stockholm and then New York City. I was back in the area for a few days and decided to try Bacaro again. It was really very good. Yes, despite the fact that there is a lot of mediocre food in the area, it's not the area's fault. Champaign-Urbana has fantastic terroir. There are many producers nearby making food that is world-class and Bacaro uses these ingredients to great effect. I LOVED the goat cheese salad and my rich creamy risotto. Fried sweetbreads were luscious. My boyfriend's chicken with chicken liver was delicious. 

I guess the only complaint is that the prices here are the same as in NYC...
5 - Ben K.: I rather enjoyed Bacaro.  It had a really nice atmosphere, quality food, and good wine.

I was impressed that time was taken to talk to my wife and I to find a wine to pair with both of our meals.  The pairing was correct and the wine went well with our meals.  It was somewhat amazing also the fact that it wasn't a very expensive wine that was suggested.

This is a very good place to eat in the Champaign area.  The reason I gave it 5/5 (instead of 4/5) is because even though the food is a little over priced in my mind, the service, atmosphere, and location lend to it receiving a 5/5.
5 - Scott K.: This is our favorite restaurant in Champaign-Urbana. A little pricey, but worth every penny. Incredible wine selection and a staff that loves to help you find that perfect food and wine pairing.
5 - Miri K.: Bacaro is a restaurant that I would reserve for a special occasion....or just to treat yourself to something a little different.  My favorite is the Market Monday prix fixe menu with ingredients selected from the saturday farmers market.  to go from fresh local ingredients on saturday morning to a full 5 course meal and wine pairings by monday night is pretty spectacular.  The last couple market night meals that i have been to have been around 40 dollars, and for an additional 25, you can get some awesome wines (highly recommended). The courses are so elegantly prepared with amazing presentation and you won't go home hungry.  I've noticed the dishes are a little too salty for my taste... actually, they're consistently salty to me (but then again this is coming from someone who barely ever salts their food) but i think you can get around it by indulging less in the amazing sauces.  and the desserts-- so delicious.  the desserts truly capture the seasons and the feel of the weather so perfectly.  I honestly don't know a better way to start the week!  if you have a bad case of the mondays, treat yourself to some bacaro.  and your spirits will be lifted. 

I have gone several times and enjoyed several of the menu items, and a few market nights (i hear they're introducing an occasional VEGETARIAN!!!! market menu!!) and i have never been disappointed.  The service is great, and they are very attentive.  Some servers are more knowledgeable about the wines and others know a little more about the food and preparation, but overall, they are a pleasant and fun to talk to group.  If you ask them a question and they don't know the answer, they are probably equally curious to know the answer as well-- meaning they will find you an answer even if it means hounding the chef :-) 

I think you definitely get what you pay for.  and for a city like champaign, bacaro is definitely a lovely gem.
3 - Tracy W.: My husband and I went here for the first time for our 25th wedding anniversary dinner.  We decided to go to Bacaro on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend thinking it would be nice to avoid the crowds on a Friday or Saturday night.  It is a beautiful, modern looking restaurant.   When you walk in, there are two rooms -- the first room behind the hostess stand has more room and tables are further apart.  The second room to the right behind the hostess stand has the long bar in it and tables are very close together down the left side of the room (one long "banquette" sofa on one side of the tables).  The 3 or 4 tables in front of the window in this room were all taken already.  

We had high hopes for the restaurant given the reviews we'd read / heard and that it has been open for quite a long time, would seem to be a tried and true restaurant.  (My hobby since high school 20+ years ago has been finding / going to good restaurants at home and travelling.)  But first strike happened right off the bat with the hostess.  Apparently they were not seating in the first room -- she showed us two tables, one not cleaned off in the middle of the seating on the left and the other in the very back corner next to an already occupied table.  Since it was a special night, we really didn't want to be shoved in a corner so we asked for the middle table.  Wonder why she wouldn't have cleaned off the table first and then asked us which one we would like?  

The tables are uncomfortably close together -- a group of 3 was to our right.  No one was at the two tables next to us.  Second strike -- instead of trying to give people space that was available, the hostess set a couple right next to us instead of a table over.  We found out later that the next room did end up being used and we could have had a table with much more room / privacy.  It was awkward all evening being that close to two other tables.  

Third strike -- it was apparent very quickly that the restaurant had only two waiters handling the whole restaurant.  I don't know if someone didn't show up or if it was poor planning.  Maybe they thought it would be a quiet night and that two would do it.  We could tell our waitress was harried from the moment she arrived at our table and as I watched her throughout the evening, she never stopping running from the kitchen throughout the room.  I'm sure she was one tired girl by the end of the evening.  

Fourth strike -- we don't drink and ordered ice teas.  No sugar offered and she was so busy we hated to even bother her.  Finally at some point we managed to sneak in the ask.  But why did we have to ask.  

Fifth strike -- three of the items I was interesting in choosing from for my entree had mint in them.  I am not a big fan of mint so when the waitress came to take our order -- I needed to know if I could have the kitchen hold the mint on whatever I ordered.  She said she could check but then waited to take our order which I really couldn't give until I knew the answer.  Awkward moment.  So after hem hawing a moment she finally headed to the kitchen to ask.  I felt bad because I knew she was harried and didn't need this (and I didn't want to make the chef(s) mad (i.e. "soup nazi"?!) but at the same time if I'm going to pay close to $100 for a dinner for two, surely I can ask?  (Later the lady at the table next to me also had a special request for the kitchen which made me feel better!)  Fortunately, they were able to accept my request.  

The dinner started off with an amuse bouche of a tiny square of frittata.  It was cute, one of those fun things you get at nice restaurants but just okay.  I wished I had ordered the heirloom tomatoes as a starter but got flustered because of the above -- we both ended up ordering a salad w/ goat's cheese and peaches.  The peaches were heavenly, deliciously ripe, sweet, and juicy  -- my husband ate every last bite of his salad but mine had too many stemmed pieces of lettuce so I didn't do as well.  

Sixth strike -- I had ordered the shrimp risotto and my husband had ordered chicken.  I noticed on the menu that it was $28 and thought hmm.....  Mine was fine, not blow-me-away good (which was too bad because risotto I had recently at Silvercreek was WAY better) but husband's chicken....... well, you know that credit card commercial on tv where the couple goes out for a nice dinner and they get so little food, they go out for sandwiches afterward?  That's the kind of dinner my husband had at Bacaro.  It arrived on a large white plate with nothing on it but a sliced chicken breast, a chicken leg, and essentially a chopped garnish of picked corn, bacon, etc.  And NOTHING else.  He was stil hungry after he ate it.  (He was already asking what would be for breakfast that night when we went to bed because he was still hungry.)  I read someone else's review on Yelp that also said $28 for chicken?!  (yelp says I'm out of space, will have to finish in another post.)
5 - Cris H.: For Champaign, this is the best food around.  I really appreciate what this restaurant is about: good local food presented in a sophisticated yet approachable way.  The Monday arket menu is a great price too.  The staff is not pretentious which is always nice to see.  This is a diamond in the C-U rough.
5 - Ashley B.: Awesome. I went here with my boyfriend on our 2 year anniversary and we totally spoiled ourselves. The food was interesting, nicely presented, perfectly portioned and delicious! We had the chef's tasting menu and I'm so happy we did. There were things that the waitress brought out that I would have never thought to order but ended up loving more than the others. I'd definitely recommend this place!
4 - Katie R.: Bacaro is very "hit or miss" -- there have been times I have loved my food, and other times where the food has been average (but has been expensive!).  Overall, it is a consistently good restaurant in terms of service.  However, there are certain dishes that are more tasty than others.  I would definitely recommend trying Bacaro at least twice in an attempt to determine the types of dishes you like and don't like.
5 - Ryan D.: FANTASTIC!

I've been wanting to go to Bacaro for awhile, but my husband and I have been too busy.  We finally made time last night.

Atmosphere: 5 stars.  Great atmosphere, dimly lit, very nice.

Service: 5 stars... we found the service to be extremely high caliber without being 
snooty.  We ate at NOMI in Chicago a few weeks ago and the service was comparable.  Quality and Kind... just the kind of service we adore.

Food: PERFECT.  I'm not a "foody" but I adore good food.  The octopus was the best I've ever had.  The gnocchi was incredibly savory.  My husband tried the steak and I had the lamb special.  Both were FANTASTIC.  

Wine suggestion: 4.5 Stars.  Wine was good, not great.  I'm not sure if we failed to describe what we wanted.  Would be nice to have some descriptions in the wine menu.  We've been to several nice restaurants in Chicago that provided descriptions of at least a subset of wine choices.  This is such a minor point though.

We did not eat dessert as we were stuffed.

I can't say enough good things about this very very special restaurant.  I'm just disappointed we took so long to finally get around to eating there.  We will be back... this is now my favorite restaurant in Champaign Urbana!!
3 - Steve B.: I wish I could give Bacaro five stars. To be fair, there's a lot to like about it. The quality of the ingredients is high. The ambience is great too. The servers are among the most professional in the C-U area. The food is genuinely sophisticated. However Bacaro's commitment to local, seasonal ingredients, while being one of its strengths, is also one of its greatest weaknesses. The menu at Bacaro is constantly changing based on what ingredients they stock. This tends to result in inconsistent dishes whose preparations are constantly changing. Of three visits I've eaten some bad, ok and great meals.

Visit 1:

Had halibut with some kind of crust in a mint-gazpacho. The fish was fresh and of excellent quality. This was frustrating however because the fish was coated in a greasy crust that became soggy from the fish sitting in the mint gazpacho. The gazpacho was also greasy and was not pleasantly minty. What could have been a complex, herbaceous broth, wound up tasting like greasy mouthwash. Fantastic ingredients but badly executed prep.

Visit 2:

Valentine's Day prix-fixe. Three courses all of which were delicious. The appetizer was some kind mediterranean type salad if I recall with olives and I think preserved lemon. Delicious and fresh! My main was halibut again, with some kind of vanilla saffron sauce. The fish was perfectly cooked and the sauce was complex and homey. My girlfriend got the steak and it was of great quality with a strong preparation to match. The dessert was a chocolate torte with blood orange sorbet- good flavors that were well-executed.

Visit 3:

Pork loin with mustard spaetzle. The spaetzle were delicious! I could eat that spaetzle every day. The pork however was DRY. Really, really dry. I was trying to conserve the mustard sauce on the plate in order to make sure there was enough to get on each slice of pork. It was that dry. 

So in closing out of three, expensive visits, the food has been good maybe 1.5 times- with me being able to say I enjoyed one complete meal (valentine's day) and the side of one of my mains (the spaetzle). If the food was consistent, Bacaro would be an easy 5-stars. Hopefully they can strike a balance moving forward between rotating fresh, seasonal ingredients and maintaining a consistently-executed menu.
5 - Carolina D.: Just writing an update since it's been 1.5 years since my last review of Bacaro.  I'll keep this short and sweet: Bacaro is still deserving of 6 stars.  Mmmm.
5 - Steve b.: I only gave it five stars because I can only give five stars. I was in town for 24 hours, it probably will not return to Champaign again. I wish I could take this restaurant with me on the road. It was a pleasure to have this restaurant available in the middle of Illinois. The scallops and pork were delicious. The grilled octopus salad is a must. Portions are not huge, but adequate. In my party, one person have the ribeye. It was fantastic. The other person had the grilled salmon and it was equally good. All in all this restaurant must not be missed.
5 - Lydia M.: My partner and I went here for our anniversary and got the chef's tasting menu + wine pairings. It was probably the best meal I've ever had. Every dish was perfect, and every pairing was perfect. I've never been for a normal dinner off the menu, but I probably will eventually. I'm happy and impressed that a restaurant this nice exists in this little town.
One complaint, and not really their fault: A few times now I've walked past to see people in bright orange Illini sweatshirts and other "lay-on-the-couch" attire eating dinner. I can't believe someone would go to such a nice place dressed like that! Put on a tie, son! Or at least a button up shirt. Maybe Bacaro should have a dress code.
5 - Esteve E.: By far, best restaurant in CU.
5 - Matthew H.: I've lived here for three years and eaten at probably every restaurant in Champaign, and Bacaro is by far the best.  Bacaro has the best & most professional servers, the food (albeit expensive) is of the finest quality, and the wine selection is unmatched in southern Illinois.  I've eaten here at least 50 times and only had a handful of dishes that were not amazing (and on that rare occasion the staff and chef were quick to make it right). 

If you have a special occasion, Bacaro is the only place in town you can completely trust to make the experience perfect.  The environment is very lively yet classy.   Make friends with your server and he or she will treat you like royalty every time you come in.   Thad, the owner, will bend over backwards to make sure you leave his restaurant happy and telling everyone about it.  Watch out though, he may even get you drunk on fancy wine :)

If you're new to Champaign and have the money, you'll certainly want to become a regular here.
5 - Rachel B.: A M A Z I N G.  I'm originally from NY and was visiting the area.  This place blew my mind it was so good.  We chose to do the tasting menu which was about 6 courses, complete with a cheese course and dessert.  I paired it with the wines too. The wine list was definitely impressive.  Lots of interesting wines at very fair prices. They are considered a wine bar, so I was hoping for a good list.  But I was impressed with the prices, there were many bottles on the list for under $30 which is always great to me.  It's easy to fill a list with great expensive bottles, but it is indeed very difficult to pick a variety of great wines at reasonable prices. The wines paired perfectly with each dish, I was so happy.  About the food... I was just so impressed.  The octopus over german potato salad was unlike anything I've ever had, and just so delicious.  Yes, it does sound strange but it was so well done, and the octopus was cooked just perfectly, it was so tender.  I was so thrilled the chef has decided to include this as one of the courses.  We had a big scallop seared and served over corn salsa which was almost sweet but just delicious.  We also had braised rabbit, which again was tender and also quite flavorful sitting in a pool of broth, with some tomatoes, and homemade pasta.  The rib eye for the main course was flavorful and again very tender.  The cheese course was fun.  And I loved thin very rich slice of chocolate dessert.  To be honest, I was simply amazed at the quality of these dishes.  Sure it is a more expensive dinner out, but for the quality and caliber of the dishes, it is a steal!! This is easily one of my most memorable and favorite dining experiences.  Easily 5 stars for Bacaro!!
5 - Jennipher W.: Not only is the food amazing, but the service splendid.  The server was knowledgeable and able to recommend items.  She could talk the talk!  I'm not going to embarrass myself with trying to revisit the foods and their special ingredients, but it was all delicious.  We had oysters, sea bass, pumpkin cake and pressed coffee with Frangelico.  We also had a wonderful bottle of wine.  The view from our table of two, looked out over a busy and entertaining Walnut Street.  This is now our new favorite restaurant.  It was also very easy to make a reservation on the iPhone.  We had set out that night to go to Biaggi's.  I'm glad that they were too busy to take our reservation for two.  That led us to Yelp to find another white table cloth, Italian style restaurant.  Anybody can do Biaggi's; Bacaro's really stands out.

Bacaro - Providence, RI (41.8217121, -71.4051363) (Fox Point)
4 - Daniel B.: It is so sad to think that there are people who will not eat pork. 

What a delightful restaurant, butressed by its over-achieving salumeria and wine bar.  The restaurant has an extensive menu.  But when I was presented with the list of meat's and cheeses available, I put down my menu, and picked up my pencil.  

You see, ordering here is a bit of a different experience.  Our waiter told us there are a lot of different kitchens and things come out at different times, when they are ready.  To order the deliious meats and cheeses, one must actually fill out a form.  Luckily, the waiter has an extra supply of golf pencils.

This ordering gambit can be a bit tricky, especially if you are with people who are interested in all sorts of different things.  

For me, a highlight was the thin cold slices of roast suckling pig.  I have no idea how they did it.  My guess is they deboned a whole baby pig, tied it up, and roasted it with herbs.  Then put the whole thing in their hand powered meat slicer.  

A little more education from the staff (a plate of 3 meats was dropped off without acknowledging what each one was), smaller portions of the gargantuan entrees (with slightly lower prices to match), and a slightly more accomodating ordering system would make this place unbeatable.

Oh, and the pizza is fantastic.  Just don't bring a child who loves pizza and think that THEY will be happy with pizza.  It's a bit rustic.  Thin and crispy and delicious.  But it doesn't LOOK like pizza.  After all the anticipation, when it came, the little one burst into tears.  Hearbreaking, truly.  Luckily the kiddo filled up on prosciutto.  

That's my boy.
4 - aaron t.: 4.5

Environment: 4/5
Food: 5/5
Service, 3.5/5

I finally had the chance to try out Bacaro after reading endless reviews of the now former Al Fornos restaurant chefs new home Bacaro.

I was somewhat scared away from the prices, but i was in town with some other foodie friends and said hey, lets do it! (I ended paying 50$ for my share which included an exxcellent wine! My meal included an a shared antipasta, wine, and a main dish with bread)

We came a bit early for dinner, around 6, so the tables were a bit emtpy, but around 7-9 the tables were jam packed. Parking is easy...its located in a parking lots for 50 or so cars...and if that is packed, theere is plenty of parking on the streets for free.

The menu is huge(almost overwhelming) and delightful. Tons of variety with everything from pastas, to starters, to desserts, to seafood, and a very cool salumi antipasta thing (it's like sushi for antipasta)which was amazing! The wine menu is also flawless with a larger variety from all over the world.


Service: It took some time for our waiter to service us for some reason even though the place was empty. Lots of waiters standing around...so we were a bit confused, but eventually our waiter came over (I think he was new and a bit shy) He was informative but was unfamilar wine pairings, so he sent over the manager who was very knowledgable of her wines, but also yawned a few times even apologizing because she was tired (even if you are tired, dont tell us....your shift just started and you have another 6 hours to go!)

Environment: the first floor houses a large lit up bar overlooking the entire restaurant whch is nice. Near the stairs to the upper floor is a mini meat fridge holding all the dry meats and cheeses for your antipasta. It's a nice rustic setting though the I'm a bit picky on interiors and though they could match the furniture and wall colors to the rustic smokey vibe of the bar and open kitchen...the Open Kitchen is upstairs...you cant really see much action, but it's well lit and it gives youa nice fresh vibe for the food to come.

Food: Excellent!!!!! I had a tasting of the duck, scallops, and al dente pasta! the breads also fresh...no complaints here...just damn tasty. 5 starts for sure. The wine might have helped some, but the food still rocked!

Audience: The crowd is the genral Al Fornos crew; dress nicely, wear a tie and a coat, and dress to impress italian style. The nice thing is that the restaurant doesnt feel like a must for this, just a hint. I wore a fancy shirt w/jeans, so, no worries on the dress code...just wear something comfortable that's dark cause it seems everyone including the staff does so. Keep away from shorts and sandals though.

Come here for a dat, with a crew of friends, een a large crowd. There were several tables setup for 8+, including one corner for 20 people.

Hopefully i'll get to come here again, perhaps sit downstairs and compare, though the kitchens upstairs, so I i my food hot! Be prepared to be a bit confused about ALLLlll the dishes on the menu. I was a bit overwhelmed, but this only calls for several more visits.
5 - Lee H.: Excellent dining experience at Bacaro.  My wife & I recently went with a friend of ours and had a thoroughly pleasant dinner.

The salumeria selection offers a great way to start a meal.  In addition to both cured meats (try the speck) and cheeses, there are also some small plates (both hot and cold).  The menu offers a range of options from a full blown multi-course meal to individual options like pasta or wood-grilled pizzas.  Excellent wine selection as well, heavy on Italian wines though plenty of options from other regions.

Place itself is reasonably open w/ high ceilings.  There's seating both downstairs and upstairs, the former adjacent to the bar and the latter offering a view of the kitchen.  Service wasn't exceptional, though still very good overall.  But the food was definitely outstanding.
5 - Victoria K.: I think I'm in love.  No, really!  I think I'm officially in love.  My dining experience at Bacaro was nothing short of exquisite.  I was dining with a very large party (about 30 people) and the restaurant was able to accommodate us, which was fantastic.  My table ordered a bunch of Italian tapas to share.  I tried the following:

Stuffed "Mortadella alla Griglia" - Grilled purses of mortadella stuffed with talleggio cheese and served with Mostarda Fruits: Incredibly good, perfect combination of salty and sweet with a spicy fig jam.  It was remarkable how well the flavors worked together.

New World Bruschetta Buffalo Mozzarella, Roasted Red Peppers Agro Dolce & Wild Rocket: Really good, flavors went great together, bread was crisp and toppings were just the right amount.

Grilled Figs drizzled with Local Wildflower Honey: So amazing!  They were warm and delicious and just melted in your mouth.  A burst of fresh flavors... absolute perfection.

Gratin of Scallops and Pancetta: We should have ordered more of this.  We only had one and I probably monopolized it!  The scallops were chopped up with the pancetta and then covered in the herby bread crumb mixture.  Really delicious!  It was a novel take on Scallops with Bacon!

Wood-Grilled "Piadina" - Grilled flat bread with chickpea puree, Jerusalem artichoke chips, smoked capsicum, lemon, crispy parsley & virgin olive oil: Such a great vegetarian option.  Sounds like a lot of ingredients, but it all worked well together.  The Jerusalem artichoke chips were great!  My first time trying that!

Fried Olives: Again, something I had never tried, but it was surprisingly good!  The olives were still hot!

Crostini with Salt-Cured Foie Gras and Homemade Sweet Blackberry Jam: My first experience with Foie Gras and I really did enjoy it!  It was sliced thin, so it wasn't overwhelming in any way, and the blackberry jam was the perfect accent!

Next it was time for dinner... shockingly I still had room in my belly to polish it off!!!  I had the Wood-Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Wild Mushrooms and Fresh Rosemary, homemade apple sauce, mashed potatoes.  I usually shy away from ordering pork at restaurants.  I never feel compelled to.  I stick with chicken, beef or seafood, but I'm SO glad I chose the pork because it was honestly the best pork I've ever had.  The tenderloin was so juicy!  The applesauce and mushrooms were a perfect accompaniment to the meat.  It was a little bit of heaven!  I also tasted a friend's Wood-Grilled Steak "Pizzaiolo" -bistro steak topped with roasted San Marzano tomatoes and sweet garlic with roasted potatoes, which was also divine!

Finally, dessert.  Wow.  Seriously.  Wow.  I had the sweet potato and pumpkin crostada which was soooo good.  It wasn't overly sweetened or seasoned.  Just very fresh flavors in a delicious crust, swimming in a pool of happiness aka creme anglaise.  The lavender panna cotta was amazing!  So creamy... just absolutely incredible.

Soooooo, there's the long version.  Short version is, this place has incredible food!  It's not cheap in any regard.  But now that I've had a taste, I don't think I can stay away!  Raman Noodles 6 nights a week... I'm saving up for another visit here.
2 - Kevin S.: My wife and I are foodies and eat out  over 150 nights a year.  We were disappointed with Bacaro during our visit on a recent Saturday night.

Good things:  The salumeria selection was great.  The meats, cheeses and jellys were excellent, and I liked the room and general look of the decor.

Bad things:  I believe when the check exceeds $100 for a couple, its not unreasonable to have a higher expectation level.
My wife's pasta dish was served about 5 minutes before my duck dish.  She was 3/4 done by the time my food arrived, and during that time she was uncomfortable--should she eat, should she wait?  The end result was that she didn't enjoy her meal, since she felt badly eating when I had nothing to eat.  When mine arrived, my duck was cold (not warm...cold)--probably left waiting for delivery to the table too long. 
She didn't enjoy eating without me, by the time I got my second meal, out of obligation to her, I had to rush to finish it.  
So we both basically neither one of us enjoyed our meal.
Another point to note was that our server, a very nice woman had WAY too many tables.  She was running around like a maniac and getting her attention wasn't a problem, her finishing delivering another meal or taking another order, and then getting to us was a huge problem.....another person or 2 on the floor would have made a huge difference.

My second duck dish was ok.  Just OK.  Based on the lineage of the chefs, it was a disappointment.  Small amount of blandly flavored duck, lots of greens, should have had more meat on the plate.

Lastly, we were told the desserts needed to be ordered at the beginning of the meal because they are cooked to order....we ordered an apple crisp.  Undercooked apples and lukewarm...the server then told us that this was the way it was served.  I've never been told that FRESHLY baked to order apple crisp is supposed to be cold.  That was insulting.

A TOTAL disappointment based on how it was described by our server and looked in the description.

Lastly, in my opinion, the red wine by the glass list was poor.  I tried 2 of the 4 (maybe 5) selections and again, basic, not great.

I'm sorry to all who all others who reviewed Bacaro and had a great meal, that I had to post a bad review.  What I wrote was truthful---maybe they just had a REALLY bad night....but for $150 (with tip)  for 2 people, I'm not inclined to risk it again.
4 - Daniel L.: I want to really really love this place, but I can't quite get over the top.  

My fiancee and I have been here a couple of times.  The first time, we weren't sure about serving sizes, etc, so we completely over-ordered, with several salumeria selections (olives, a couple of hot plates and a couple of cold plates), a pizza for an appetizer, an entree for each of us, and a dessert ordered at the time we ordered everything else.  Almost everything we ordered was quite tasty, but near the end I was so full that I couldn't really savor the last bites.  And I do have to say that the apple tart that we had to order ahead of time wasn't that great.  Neither of us was impressed or could tell what the big deal was.  It seemed like something that could have been store bought and warmed up.

The last time we went was this past weekend.  Knowing what we knew, we limited ourselves to some more salumeria selections (spiced olives and 3 hot plates), a pizza for my dinner, and a scallops entree for her.  We finished with the assorted selection of chocolate truffles.  Not being stuffed by the end of dinner definitely helped.  We really liked the our salumeria selections, and she loved her scallops (and I enjoyed her leftovers the day after for lunch).  The crispy squid pizza I ordered was just okay, though.  I give them props for being creative, especially since pizza and calamari are two of my favorite foods.  However, the crust wasn't really crispy at all, and that definitely detracted from my enjoyment, as a thin crust pizza should be crispy and not limp in my mind.   I took some home and heated it up in my toaster oven the next day, which crisped up the crust and made it much better.  I didn't want to make a stink about it at the restaurant, because everything else was so good, but the pizza we had the first time had a crispy crust and was great, so maybe the chef was just  bit off on this one.

Anyway, as the other reviewers have said, this place can get quite pricey, especially if you aren't careful with your salumeria choices.  It's very similar to how you can spend a ton of money at a sushi place when your eyes get hungrier than your stomach and you end up putting a mark on half a dozen or more rolls.  The service is good, but not over-the-top great.  I've had better and I've definitely had worse. 

Bacaro is a somewhat unique dining experience and I'm sure it'll become part of our rotation of restaurants we visit 2-3 times per year.
4 - Hilary M.: Had a romantic and wonderful meal there last night for Valentine's Day -- which is often a hard night to get good drinks, great service and fine foods.

Our food was fresh, hot and absolutely delicious. I'd highly recommend it.
5 - steel m.: This place is really wonderful.  Everything is super fresh and flavorful.  And, seriously, the persimmon tart is one of the tastiest desserts I've ever had!!  Great ambiance, too.
3 - Jeff F.: Impressive decor and atmosphere - if I didn't know I was in Providence, I could be convinced I was in SF or NYC. I'd recommend sitting upstairs and having a view of their open air kitchen.

I know that the food is exceptional based on my experience with their Southern Board which gives you a small flavor of this restaurant's depth as a SALUMERIA/CICCHETTERIA. The Southern Board had a little of everything. My favorites were the Buffalo Mozzarella, Caciocavallo, Castelvetrano Olives, Roasted Peppers Agro-Dolce, and the Roasted Nuts with Honey and Assorted Jams.

We misordered on the entrees - Crispy chicken was eh, but the Pasta Fagioli was perfectly executed and almost made up for the chicken. Our second entree - a simple pasta dish with squid and calimari called Scuie Scuie was very good but not a dish that blew my mind I could recommend. Finally, the molton cake came out lukewarm at best.

Normally, based on the food alone, I would throw this place two stars, but I'd consider going back because I recognize the talent in the menu and the food, I just don't think I had the best they had to offer.
5 - Sarah T.: friggin awesome!

this the real deal, italian gourmet, skip the crappy tomato sauce and tasteless mozzarella pizzas. say HELLO to salumi boards, figs and cheese, and more! 

had some raw oysters with cherry vinaigrette topping. fabulous.

the menu is a bit intimidating, yes. there are about 200 hundred things on it. just skip it and ask the waitstaff for reco's. 

fresh. well-thought out. not an everyday place. go when you feel like having the best in local produce and gourmet execution.
4 - Cassie B.: Went with three others, ordered 9 plates off the sushi style salumeria menu, and two entrees to share around. Started with some cocktails which were nice. 

Some highlights foodwise were the warm figs with honey, the scallop was perfectly seared (altho 7 bucks for one scallop is a lil silly, Rusticy bruschetta, marinated mushrooms were lovely, fried stuffed squash blossom. The other options we got included fried meatballs, which were good. Arancini which were surprisingly a lil bland and in need of sauce, and not as creamy as other arancini i've had. Marinated olives and artichokes were standard. There was also a little grilled cheese thing, that the runner never told us what it was, but it was also just ok. 

Two entrees were a parradelle with sweet corn and mushrooms, that was a favorite, liked how you could tell the corn was cut right from the cob, gives credibility to their local food usage. The other was a baked shells and cheese "in the pink" dish. Which was ok, but needed seasoning, and was a little soupy. 

For dessert we got the chocolate platter, and beignet-like things with a blueberry compote. 

Service was really good, very personable and helpful. Went over how things worked, as we'd never been there. Was entertaining, and seemed knowledegable despite having only worked there 1.5 months. He had good suggestions, and kept water filled! There was a lil snafu where a 2nd server came over to take drink orders from us after our first server had taken then. We were thankful she wasn't our server through the rest of the night, cause she seemed kinda cranky...she also dropped one of the hot plates without telling us what it was, which was confusing. 

Really nice ambiance, sat overlooking the good ole' prov river. Would definitely go back to try some more things from their small plate menu.
5 - A. M.: This is my favorite restaurant in Providence.

Let me start off by saying that I am an absolute sucker for Tapas, and this place has, by far, the best tapas I've ever tried... at the same prices as any other Tapas place I've been to. About $5-9 each, which serves about 2 people.

If you're living off the Tapas menu and skipping entrees (I'd recommend it, a much more exciting meal that way), get about six or seven tapas for two people. The rule is usually about three per person, but the portions at Bacaro are a smidge smaller than other Tapas places I've been to.

Onto the food review.

CHEESE

Try the Pecorino Al Tartufo- pasteurized sheep's milk cheese from Tuscany with white & black truffles.

You'll get two big slices of this cheese with a very potent truffle (garlic) taste. Made a bit milder with the sides of marmalade, spiced nuts and fig jam. I love garlic, so I love this. 

CICCHETTI ITALIAN TAPAS

Since I come here every chance I get, I'm just going to go ahead and list my favorites:

Stuffed "Mortadella alla Griglia" - Grilled purses of mortadella stuffed with talleggio cheese and served with Mostarda Fruits.

Taleggio in "Carozza"- battered & pan fried sandwiches of Italian Taleggio cheese.

Crispy Glazed Pork Belly- sweet, spicy, rosemary. AWESOME.

Roasted Cracked Baby Potatoes in their Jackets with White-Truffle-Scented Crème Fraiche, Sea Salt and Fresh Chives.

Crispy Fried Fontina & Prosciutto Stuffed Meatballs with Pomodoro.

They also have these  fried balls of potato, onions and cheese, which are great.

DESSERT

The dessert is simply fantastic. Again on the smaller side, so you might not want to share. 

Cannoli Cones are AMAZING  - Sweetened Ricotta, Orange Water, Rose Water, Chocolate Chips, Candied Fruit, Pistachios in Marsala-Scented Cones. 

Every time I take a bite, I make a noise. Really, they're awesome.

EVERYTHING ELSE

This place is pretty dressy, but not over the top. Don't be surprised if you see a few guys in jackets (but no ties). Expect your bill to come to about $100 for two people.

The view is nice, on the 2nd floor you have a view of the open kitchen as well as of the river. Very nice place to take a date.

And they have plenty of entrees to choose from too if you want the traditional route, but since Tapas places are hard to come by, I'd come for those.
4 - Catherine F.: O! Bacaro, what more can I say than, "you are divine!"   We dined here recently for the first time over a business dinner.  Wondering where the narrow wooden staircase was taking me and not sure which was creaking louder--my knees or the stairs themselves--the staircase opened into the open kitchen-exposed brick and beam restaurant and yes, I liked the urban loft feeling.  Noise level was moderate and not a problem to hold a conversation.  That is when we weren't oohing and aahing over our assortment of tapas.   True to other reviews, the tapas portions are smaller than other RI offerings, but perfectly and exquisitely executed.  Who would have thought salt encrusted red skinned potatoes in a puddle of creme fraiche could present such simple delight?  And while the crispy pork belly was tender, sticky, and delicious, it was the cheese with honey and chutney that left me craving more, especially as I write this.  The tomato and mozarella bruchetta was softly char-grilled and toothy.  Thanks to the recommendation of our professional attentive JW graduate waitress from Danbury, CT who had no accent, I now have an all time/all place new favorite pasta dish, the pasta fungi--truffle oil infused poached egg and mushroom yumminess, rich, delicious, and comfort sating--mere words cannot describe--stop by Bacaro and try for yourself!  Leave room for dessert, the molten chocolate cake is truly worthy.
4 - Jeff G.: Very Impressive Ambiance, well trained staff, and the food was excellent - just like "Al Forno", and you can never go wrong when replicating Al Forno's menu.

I recommend eating upstairs, with nice westerly views of the Providence River.  There is one huge blank wall upstairs (north wall), that could use some Tuscan countryside murals, (or something creative) to give one the feeling of eating in Cortona, or another Tuscan village, but I'm sure Brian will figure that out in time...  

Much of the food was perhaps too much like Al Forno...  The Pizza Margarita, Caesar Salad, Scallops and mashed potatoes were clearly taken from Al Forno's menu.  I was hoping to find more of a variance from the restaurant that Brian trained in, and ran, for so many years, but  I guess I can understand how a chef will do what he knows.  I was just very surprised with the menu similarities, and in some cases, identical duplications...  

The quality of food, and food preparation was as excellent as I expected it to be.  I'd just recommend to Brian to lose the Al Forno signature dishes and show us more of his own originality, which I'm sure he has...
3 - Stephanie C.: at first i put 2 stars, but the ONLY reason why i gave this place 3 stars is because of their delicious pizza. i love both the margarita and the goat cheese & caramelized onion pizzas. they're not greasy, have a super flat and crispy crust, and are baked fresh from a wood fire oven. 

in terms of the rest of the food...ive had wayyy better. especially for much cheaper. this place is super overpriced for so-so food. the portions are big enough that you can take home leftovers, but honestly...i was not happy with paying almost $30 for a big bowl of pasta shells in sauce and melted cheese. i can make that at home [and it'd probably have more taste to it]. 

another more minor thing i didnt like about bacaro is that they don't do anything nice for you on your birthday. ive come here once for my birthday [kind of wish i didnt] and again for another friend's bday celebration. both times our waitresses knew that we were celebrating a birthday but they didn't offer anything at all or go out of their way to make the night a little more special. not very classy or hospitable of them.
5 - Joe M.: This is a 'looking back' review as I'm new to Yelp.  I found Bacaro when I was looking for a special place that Mary and I hadn't been to for celebrating our then 1 year anniversary of being together.  I also wanted something convenient to the Providence Waterfire event which was also happening that night.  Honestly, we could have ended after leaving Bacaro and felt the night was great.

To begin, Bacaro is situated right on the Providence River which actually is very nice at sunset and even better once the torches are lit for Waterfire.  We were able to get a window seat, all the better as our meal overlapped both.  The waiter was incredible- aside from his enthusiasm he was very versed in all of the dishes and wine pairings.

We started with a wonderful cheese and olive board and pinot grigio that was perfectly chilled.  Mary is a big risotto fan so that was her order, and she was more than satisfied with how it was prepared.  I had the pork chop and mixed vegetables which was equally terrific.  

For anyone thinking of heading there before Waterfire, try a 5:30 or 6:00 booking to give yourself an hour and half or so.  You'll want it to truly enjoy all that they offer. Parking at that time and in that area on the street is usually available, another plus.
4 - Kristina S.: I love to eat and through my travels around the world I have come to really enjoy small plates and sharing food while dining. I know it's not for everyone but for me it's the only way to go! 

I was treated to my 37th Birthday dinner at Bacaro and was not disappointed. My hubby and I toasted with delicious basil muddled gimlets dined on oysters on the half with bing cherry granita, grilled mortadella stuffed with Taleggio (my favorite cheese) served with amarone chutney, wild boar salumi and buffalo mozzarella with arugula, we had to add an order of homemade papparadelle with grilled swordfish cherry tomatoes and toasted breadcrumbs, and the delectable ricotta canoli was our dessert. 

I would say more cheese in the grilled mortadella and taleggio and I had wished the sword fish was whole and not cubed, those would be my only suggestions... change for the better! 

We shared all dishes and you can multiply those gimlets by 2 each and the bill was just over $100... I think a fantastic deal for happy and full birthday celebrating bellies!! 

I also like the options for dining, you can chill on the patio, mingle at the wine bar, or take on the course challenge at a quite table with a city view.
5 - Bern D.: Foodie Alert..........if you would drive 150 miles for a meal then you are a true foodie..  the entire experience was great from beginning to end.
Apps and mains are outstanding.  Wine menu is robust with some very good values and reasonably priced.
We are "hard core NY'ers" and are bringing our peeps!
5 - Peter R.: I'm headed to Bacaro tonight for a visit!

Though I just discovered it a few months ago, it's now one of my favorite Italian restaurants in Providence.

Start with a Caesar salad (don't forget it's family-style and enough for two to four people!) and split a pizza and seasonal pasta dish. We tried some pumpkin gnocchi in October which was superb. 

Or, split a pizza and accent your dinner with options from their Tapas-style menu full of wonderful and authentic options. 

Never had an issue with the service. If you ask to sit upstairs, there is a little more ambiance and you'll be near the kitchen.
5 - andrea s.: Definitely my new favorite Provi restaurant.  Went here for New Years and loved everything I tried!  The atmosphere was nice.  Liked that you could see all of the action in the kitchen.  Theres a really fun menu.  You can get different meat and cheese boards and choose from a list for different hot and cold apps.  And the pasta entree was amazing!
4 - Jennifer W.: Obviously one of the better restaurants in Providence.

Parking : easy access into the parking lot and accessible wheelchair ramp into the building (can only stay on 1st floor however)

Best experience : go to 2nd floor and try to get a table by the window.
The bad news is that we reserved a gorgeous table by the window, and had to wait 45 minutes before they told us the table was still unavailable and placed us in the middle of the restaurant.

The food was very similar to Al Forno's. The upstairs ambiance is so much more worth it ... even if it takes you longer to get seated. If you grab a drink downstairs at the bar, be prepared to smell waves of pizza take-out orders from local Rhode Islanders dying for some Baraco pizza : it' s to die for.

Overall, worth the experience and close to everything downtown. The wine selection is unusually broad including Italian, French and newer continents (South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Chile).
3 - Ashley G.: Don't get me wrong, Bacaro is one of THE BEST restaurants in Providence. Their food is absolutely delicious and unique, from their tapas menu to large selection of entrees to their tasty desserts which make my mouth water every time! 

Some of  my recommendations include the pork belly from the Tapas menu, the beet salad, the pumpkin pizza or any of the pasta dishes. Each season the freshest ingredients are used and incorporated into the dishes. I'm particularly a fan of the penne with with the squash flowers and goat cheese! 

Don't forget about dessert! Although a bit pricey, it can't be missed. The little donuts with nutella are spectacular as are all the fruit tortes.   

The reason I cannot give it 4 or 5 stars is because the service is lacking. Sometimes you can wait what seems to be an unusually long amount of time for a glass of water or utensils. It's unfortunate because this delicious food is right in front of you and the aromas are begging you to attack. It seems to have gotten a bit better but every time I go and hope for a better experience, it's usually the same. 

Would you rather eat good food or enjoy the ambiance? If you prefer great food, you have to stop in and try for yourself! Be sure to ask to be seated upstairs....there's a great open kitchen!
4 - Steve L.: Great pizza, tapas and service!
3 - Harold O.: I go here very often.  I wish they were open on Mondays, but you can't have everything.  The food is absolutely awesome.  You can order a cheese and meat board pre-designed or build your own Tapas creation.  The only two down fall about this place is that they do not have a television at the bar which is not that big a deal unless the red sox are on.  The other down side is the bartender sometimes has an attitude. Which is also ok because the table service is always awesome.
4 - Margaret B.: Went there with my husband and had a wonderful time.  My husband had been wanting to go there for  quite some time and we were not disappointed.  We dicided to skip the pizza and try the boards because that is what Bacaro's is known for.  We ordered about seven or eight dishes.  The waiter said that they would come out one oe two at a time.  All the dishes were fabulous.  My favorite was the pork belly and the scallop with truffel.  We also really liked the cured meats and jams.  The waiter was extremely knowledgable and patiently expained each dish.  He even suggested dishes.

My only complaint is that the dishes came out all at the same time.  Apparently the kitchen got busy.  Because we were unfamiliar with the dishes it was difficult to distinguish which dish was which.  The waiter was attending to his other tables so we were left on our own.  The waiter did apologize and we will be back but next time I will speak up.  For the price of the dinner I do no want to be rushed.

Overall great service and wonderful food.  Next time I will hold out for a table on the second floor as stated in the other review.
4 - Mark T.: What a great surprise!  Really interesting food.  Terrific service.  I entertain for business regularly so it takes a lot to capture my attention.  I though Bacaro was great!
5 - Snuffles B.: Such a total package place: perfect location for dinner before migrating to see Waterfire (and has a parking lot!), warm but spacious dining room, friendly and solid service, reasonable prices, and most importantly, an insanely extensive menu of delicious cicchetti, salumi, and cheeses (not to mention the standard and comprehensive Italian menu).

For 7 people:

Bad: Nothing

OK:
Bread
Foie
Eggplant parm
Cippolini onions

Good:
Speck-wrapped mozzerella
Salumi (no idea what kinds I had though!)
Pork Belly
Pan seared scallops
Eggplant caponata
Chickpea puree
Pizza w/prosciutto and arugula
Pineapple cake/coconut ice cream

Great:
Duck breast on brioche
Wood grilled flatbread w/ chickpea puree
Peach Tart (made to order!)

$ after Tax/Tip: $37 !!! Can you believe it? =) 

I wish Bacaro would give a cue to the Boston Italian restaurants and show them how it  should be done. (Yeah North end, I'm lookin' at you, take some notes!)
5 - Cody H.: Certainly one of the best in Providence. Food is always, always excellent. The salads are huge and delicious. Very fresh ingredients and home made croutons. Main dishes are great. Pasta outstanding. I have had fish and pasta many times. Delicious, and imaginative. Chef changes the menu frequently. Service is good, excellent atmosphere. Bacaro's also has its own parking which is a nice bonus. 
One thing nice is that on Saturday night you can get a huge meal, but you can also go by during the week and get a salad and pizza! The pizza is great.
Great selection of deserts. 
Hard not to recommend this place, delicious and fun. What more can you ask?
4 - Catherine S.: Good place for a leisurely meal before strolling over to see the waterfire.

We had a reservation and were promptly seated in the main upstairs dining area.  This is a nice space with high beamed ceilings and an open kitchen. 

Service was friendly and helpful.  

The tapas were fun to try and if I were dining here again, I would probably elect to just do tapas and not order a main course just due the variety or textures, flavors, and fun involved with selection.  I enjoyed our wine very much and would highly recommend trying that if you go and do tapas.  The stone fruit dessert was also a winner.  

Wine:   lodolaia 2007 / syrah maremma toscana

Tapas:  Friend stuffed squash blossom, cauliflower with truffle oil, duck break crostini, scallops, cheese and meat plate.

Appetizer:  Pizza Blanca

Main Courses:  Carbonara, Salad

Dessert:  Stone Fruit Tart
4 - Courtney D.: I went to Bacaro with my husband this past weekend after seeing a very positive review on the Phantom Gourmet. I'm also a huge tapas fan so the concept of Italian tapas seemed intriguing. We arrived for an 8:00 reservation and were seated promptly upstairs. This is the more desirable seating area as you can see the view of Providence from the large windows which line each wall. There is also an open kitchen which adds to the atmosphere.  The first thing I noticed about the restaurant is how loud it was. My husband and I were shouting to each other sitting just inches apart. The ceilings are very high so the acoustics aren't the best, but minor issue. We received our menus along with slips of paper to select our tapas. I ordered a glass of Prosecco with white peach puree. I'm still thinking about it! What a deliciously light and summery drink. My favorite thing about this restaurant is how inventive the menu is. They were participating in Restaurant Week, but I was so enticed by how large and unique the menu was, I had to bypass the Restaurant Week menu. We decided to order a bruschetta tapa to start which was amazing. It was your traditional crusty bread with buffalo mozzarella, roasted red pepers, a sweet balsamic reduction and wild Rocket (arugula). It doesn't sound like much, but it was delicious. We also ordered a caesar salad which was good, but it's pretty hard to mess that up. I ordered a proscuitto stuffed chicken breast which was served over sauteed beet greens, mashed potatoes and mixed greens. My husband had sea bass served over a sweet corn and tomato salad. Both were delicious. For dessert we ordered the mini ice cream sandwiches which were yummy as well. Although they could have used some type of chocolate drizzle or dollop of homemade whipped cream. In Providence there are a lot of fantastic Italian restaurants. Bacaro is something different. The dining experience is interactive with the tapas concept, while still offering an abudance of full-sized entrees for the more traditional diner. All of the food-the tapas, the cheeses & meat offerings, the appetizers, soups, salads, entrees and desserts are all so unique and different from the same-old Federal Hill style Italian menus. It's a great spot worth trying!
4 - Brian B.: Went for dinner with some friends a few weeks ago for the first time.
I was simply amazed at the wide selection of appetizers, so we ordered a few for the table.

The waiter, who was very courteous, first brought out a basket of warm fresh bread and olive oil which we all devoured. 
The appetizers we ordered looked amazing but portioned smaller than I would have liked for the price.  But they were great!
The date stuffed gorgonzola wrapped panchetta was probably the best thing I've ever put into my mouth. Almost a perfect balance of a sweet, salty and smokey flavor. 
We also ordered the grilled sausage with spicy mustard and the arrancia fried risotto stuffed with with mozzarella that were amazingly good. 

For dinner I ordered crespelle in the style of apulia which was basically a pasta crepe with burrata cheese. Very good but also very filling. One thing about the main entrees is the portions were were very satisfying.

My friends ordered a grilled corn margarita pizza off the special's menu, which was fantastic. An entree of assorted seasonal vegetables which was huge and had at least 7 different types of really fresh vegetables. And some sort of white fish dish, that although tasted good, the plate somewhat resembled a bloody crime scene.
 
A bit pricey for your typical night out, yes. But overall the food and dining experience as a whole was very satisfying.
4 - Mike D.: Fine-r dining in Providence with a beautiful view of the canal.  The service was good, the food great, but there was just a piece missing.  Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed this place but a return isn't my first priority.  I should stop whining though, because the food really steals the show here.  We ordered a bunch between four of us and passed the food around quite liberally.  We started with the scallops and truffle mushrooms, a tapas style appetizer, excellently crafted and divine.  The octopus, both on the salad paired with squid, and alone was fantastic.  The pizza was thin, crispy, and delicious, and the roasted vegetables as a side were plentiful and not overdone.  I was also able to sample some pasta, and a fish special which I cannot recall.  There wasn't anything I had which I didn't enjoy.  Save this place for a nice occasion though, I think coming here the night before a big race has my mind somewhere else, as I didn't fully get the true Bacaro experience.
5 - Hilary H.: I tried Bacaro again, and this time I got it. Totally and completely and quite happily, too. We came in and our waiter, John, totally swept us off our feet. We started with glorious oysters on the half-shell and a really fabulous bottle of wine. Then, we moved on to the creamy bakala over seared polenta, which was perfection. Up next? The stuffed squash blossoms with marinara and Narragansett Creamery Ricotta... I know, right? How RI-Italian can you get? Needless to say, we were giddy with pleasure. But I haven't even gotten to our entrees yet... or dessert. 

I had the amazing and delectable saffron-scented rice with little necks and chorizo. OMG. OMG. It was like a take on paella, but without the crusty bottom and loads of other meats. It was beyond good - beyond. My companion and dear friend Sarah T had some outrageous pasta dish with truffles and a perfectly fried egg on top, but to be honest I was so involved with my dreamy goodness I can't remember a thing about hers other than that. All I know is this: we were both so happy and overloaded with joy we wanted to make out with our waiter. 

Then he brought out the dessert. 

Sarah was too full, so she left it to me. It was a puff pastry filled with local figs and topped with a melted cheese akin to camembert. Yup. It was a non-sweet lover's dream dessert. Crispy, gooey, sweet and savory. It was genius. Dreamy. 

So, I may have been a little harsh last time. Just a tad. But the service that time really was bad and that can ruin a meal for me... especially when it's supposed to be one of the best restaurants in town. But being able to admit you were wrong is a sign of dignity, right? Right. And John made all the bad things into good things, and my meal was, well... perfection. 5 stars, kids. They earned every single on of 'em.
4 - Kay R.: Yum.

The menu can be overwhelming.  Entree?  Mouth-watering tapas paper-menu check list?  Northern, southern, or self-selected board?  You know what: take your time, enjoy whatever you select and change your mind as your meal unfolds.  Well, at least that is what we did.

Our server, Adam, deserved 5+ stars.  Fine dining attention to detail, knowledgeable to the nuances of the menu, and a wonderful personality.  He truly made our meal spectacular.

Not to say the food wasn't phenomenal as well.  It was.  Narragansett-caught oysters and grilled pizza to start.  I had the pasta with mushroom, and truffle infused egg: to die for.  It seemed impossible for a meal to be both so light and so rich!  I can't remember everything the rest of our 5 dining companions had: but we shared, and it was delicious.

The ambiance is nice, brightly lit and somewhat minimalistic.  This can be nice, but also can make a busy night quite loud and difficult to carry on conversation with your table.   But the food and service: definitely out of this world.
5 - Jeff G.: Loved this foodie haven. The cheese board was spectacular and the duck was cookek to perfection. My only regret is that our budget makes it an anniversary spot. Go as often as you can. It is great.
4 - Monika S.: Yummy food, great outdoor seating, the oysters were a bit fishy, but the other small plates were amazing. The special beets and blueberries salad was out of this world - imagine the two together it's difficult I know but then when you taste it, wow, what a wonderful experience for my tastebuds!  I especiallly enjoyed the fried donuts with an orange glaze for desert. I need to go back and try more on the menu!
3 - Mr. W.: Great selection of apps salumeria was great. I got the veal rigitoni bolonese, was unimpressed, it was bland and could have been any meat. Wine and cocktails were top notch and desert was great.  Service was spacey.  Was a little over priced for my taste.
1 - Robin K.: Would not recommend.  It's the kind of place where if you're a regular you get seated quickly, and even if you're not, regardless of having a reservation, you wait....Food is good, but not great in comparison to other fine italian restaurants (like al forno).  Atmosphere is a little noisy but otherwise is very nice.  Menu is seasonal with many options, but overall, service is hit or miss....
5 - Ran D.: It's hard for a new Italian restaurant to impress me given all the heavy hitting Italian restaurants that have been around forever, but WOW! It feels like your eating in some futuristic part of Italy. 

The whole dining experience was so different and unexpected.

The tapas style antipasti was perfect. We assembled our favorite combos of meat, cheese, and olives, with none of the fillers or overly large portions that keep us from getting it for just the two of us. It went perfect with their Italian bread! 

We shared the pasta with egg plant and it was incredible. The pasta was so fresh and oddly shaped (in a good way) that we asked if it was homemade. Nope, just flow in from Italy. Flown in by a De Lorean I wonder? 

This place was not gimmicky at all. Just really great food in a nice modern, light and airy atmosphere. While it may be more of a splurge then then your local Italian restaurant, for us it was completely worth it. Bacaro is a really fun.
4 - Greg V.: My partner and I went here with his Dad and Step-Mom.  His father was born in Italy and loves real Italian food, and he got it at Bacaro.  We did a sampling of meats and cheeses that were mouthwatering and a great start to the meal.  The wine we ordered was priced reasonably and absolutely wonderful (good enough to order a second bottle).  The entrees were absolutely superb.  We ordered the Cioppino, Bolognese, a pasta dish with Brussell Sprouts and the Scallops.  They came out hot and delicious.  My partner, a self-proclaimed Bolognese, aficionado, is still raving about the dish.  His Dad asked for more bread so he could soak up every last drop of the delicious sauce from the Cioppino.  The scallops were done to perfection and the pasta was complex and wonderful.  The menu said that the Cioppino included all locally sourced seafood, including shrimp.  My father-in-law was curious about local shrimp, and when none appeared in the dish, he questioned the server, just out of curiosity and the server retreated to the kitchen.

When he returned to the table, a bit embarrassed he shared the chef forgot to add the shrimp and that he would be bringing us an apology....and shortly a gorgeous display of the most delicious hand made chocolates appeared.  We were not complaining, just curious.  The service was outstanding....if you go there ask for Andy.  He was attentive, knowledgeable and very friendly!

I will be back for sure...
5 - S. P.: We dined here on a recent Saturday night around 5:30 PM for the first time.  Our server was Andy and he was excellent at explaining things on the menu and making suggestions.  He was around when we needed him and didn't introude upin the meal at all.  The pacing of the entire evening was great as well.  We chose a few on the hot apps from the checklist and while they were very small. . they were quite good.  We each ordered a pasta dish - my hubby had the Bolognese whihc was amazing and I ordered papardelle with mushrooms, a poached egg on top and truffle oil.  It was one of the best pasta dishes I have ever eaten.  For desert we shared the apple tart and it was delicious.  All in all a great night with some amazing food. We would def. go back as the menu is varied with many good sounding dishes.
4 - Annie J.: 4 stars for the food, but 5 stars for the atmosphere!

First of all, let me just say that this restaurant is beautiful.  High ceilings, exposed wooden beams, and amazing views of either the river and downtown or the bustling kitchen makes this a really lovely place to spend an evening.  The first floor has the bar, but if you go for dinner, I'd definitely request a table on the second floor which seemed more lively to me (plus, that's where the kitchen is!).

Bacaro has a huge menu of salads, charcuterie, pastas, pizzas, fish, meats, desserts, etc., and also a tapas menu filled with a ton of different small bites.  We came here for the restaurant week prix fixe, but we just couldn't resist trying one of the tapas dishes.  They all looked so good!  We decided on the duck breast with blueberry chutney on toasted brioche.  It was amazing.  Loved every bite.  

Our other food was good, but not as delicious as the duck breast.  I had the pasta con i fungi (basically pasta with poached egg + mushrooms + cheese + butter) which was served perfectly al dente.  Future husband had the crispy chicken over pasta fagioli which was decent but a little bland.  

For dessert we had the doughnuts filled with a Nutella type sauce and the quince and apple crisp with caramel ice cream.  The crisp, which came out piping hot, was by far the better dessert.

We will definitely be coming back to Bacaro, but next time I think we'll stick to the tapas menu!
4 - A J.: Great place for a special occasion. Love the menu especially the salumeria and incredible wine list. Pricey but worth it for the experience.
5 - Evan K.: Awesome place! I would consider it to be true Italian (old world) food with a modern twist on things. They also source their food from a number of local farms which is always important in my book. 

When I was here I had the wood fired filet Mignon, which was delicious. The wood fire gave the meat a unique taste you would not get from a gas, or even charcoal grill. The pumpkin & pancetta pasta my girlfriend had was delicious, and a huge portion to boot.  

The cheese/meat plates were also delicious...though I wouldn't have minded a slightly larger portion of food for the price. The atmosphere and view from the upper level tables was beautiful as well.
5 - JM G.: Took my boyfriend here for his birthday last week - WOW.  Such amazing food, service, ambiance.  Everything was done just right.  Highly recommend the meat/cheese board and the Pizza Bianca.  So delish.  We will definitely be back!
5 - Tom R.: Bacaro is absolute a notch or two above most/all of the providence RI dining  scene- and that's saying a lot.  Great locate, atmosphere, home made pasta and deserts.  Good wine list and better than/or as good as Al forno wood grilled pizza.   Worth the extra $$ .  Knowledgeable staff too.   Will be back.
5 - Kat W.: Can't say enough good things about this place. We've been many times since they opened and never disappointed. Just had the pleasure of introducing my visiting family to Bacaro and they were blown away by the food and service. They get many ingredients fresh locally and you can taste how much the chefs care about their product.

Some tips from our many visits:
Try whatever seasonal pizza they have at the time, especially if it has pumpkin or corn on it.
Save room for dessert. Check the dessert menu early as sometimes you have to pre-order with dinner for items to be done in time.
Their two menu staples Pasta con Fungi and Crispy Chicken are both seemingly simple but wonderfully executed. I could eat the crispy chicken every night.
Have wine. If you're unsure, ask. Their servers all seem to know their way around the list and I've found them quite helpful when making decisions on what to order.
They have an outdoor patio in the summer that looks beautiful, although I've never eaten out there.

If you haven't been to Bacaro, you must go try it soon. You will not regret it.
2 - Sarah V. M.: I hate to be the barer of bad news, but if you're looking for a special 5* dining experience please take note - Bacaro might not be the place to fully experience all that you're wanting.  The food is good, the view amazing, but this restaurant is missing certain things that make for a true 5* experience.  For $30+/plate I have to review based on what I believe we in Providence have come to expect from fine dining.

For starters, what about the simple things in life, like taking our coats?  Nope, can't be bothered.  Why don't you have any music playing on the second floor?  You've got a view of the river but without ambiance my table of four couldn't help but focus on the click clack of the forks coming from the only other table (of 14) in the restaurant, oddly placed smack dab next to us.

Our server, bless her, knew NOTHING.  Nothing about wine, couldn't really make food recommendations, and had a general air of insecurity about her.  The manager stepped in at certain points to accommodate our cohort's gluten free needs and help with the wine selection, and call me caddy but she was way too casually dressed to be given any street cred.  Pink and brown striped Old Navy V neck with jeans doesn't really scream I should be spending a lot of money here.

I will say the bottle of wine we were pointed to was excellent.  But call me crazy, where I come from, wine bars offer wine flights and I got a blank Bambi stare when I asked for one.

We started with the pork belly appetizer, a small plate served salty and glazed.  Then I moved on to the duck breast over risotto.  The duck was too bloody for my taste so I passed most of the middle on to my partner, and the rice portion tasted like the butter it was made in had been accidentally burned during preparation.   With the richness of the dish it was sadly lacking in the vegetable department.  Michael had a whole fish as they were out of the other two pesce options on the menu.  It was fine but not satisfying.

If you're looking for some place special I have a list of top 5 in the state.  Go to anyone of these establishments http://www.yelp.com/list/big-5-in-little-rhody-providence and enjoy the total package!
4 - George S.: Stopped here for a bite to eat on my way home from the airport.  I had a very nice dinner at the downstairs bar.  The bartender Beckey was excellent and the food was great.  I am a big fan of Olives and they have quite a varied selection....not seen to often.  Worth a stop.
5 - Jamie C.: I've been to Bacaro several times including last night for a work dinner.  Every time I eat here I walk away thinking "wow, this is as good as food gets!"  LOVE it!!!
5 - Tex B.: This is one of my favorite places to eat Italian food in RI. Really at the top of Italian food offered in RI. Everything is fresh and well prepared; I have never had a bad experience at Bacaro. 
The salads are extremely fresh and well prepared, the meats aged to perfection, the fish is always fresh and well prepared. I can't recommend it highly enough. Try Bacaro you will NOT be disappointed.
4 - Jon D.: Bacaro is pretty solid. My parents hate it, and I've heard some poor reviews from other friends...but that has never been the case on the 4 times I've dined there. 

In short, more than half of the menu mirrors the one from Al Forno, but Bacaro succeeds in capturing the same high degree of quality, so I guess that's what matters. Everything is executed well with great presentation and robust flavor. Moreover, they even have some dishes that have since been removed from the Al Forno menu while others are novel and equally as delicious. Ingredients are of the highest quality here. As far as the service- the wait staff has always been excellent, friendly, knowledgeable and attentive, even those who were new...so no complaints there. 

Food:
-Grilled pizza- best grilled pizza in the northeast (unless of course, you get it at Al Forno)...they also offer their own unique takes with prosciutto or goat's milk cheese. These are fantastic, a must if you go. 
-Chef's Salumi Board- really interesting, and an awesome, diverse offering if you are willing to spend the $32
-Traditional Caesar Salad- also excellent, well dressed, and the freshly grilled croutons make it. 
-Rigatoni With Veal Bolognese- this will be one of the better bolognese you'll ever have. 
-Pasta Con I Funghi- good if you are a fan of truffles and mushrooms. it is really rich though, so keep that in mind...I couldn't finish it. 

Dessert:
-Be sure you leave room for the tarts...they truly offer the perfect finish to the meal. Don't get caught up with the having to order them early...don't hesitate, just order something with your apps/entrees, you won't be disappointed. 
-Assortment homemade chocolates- personally, I thought this was over-rated. But it might be a lighter finish to a filling meal. I'd definitely try the other desserts, namely the tarts, over this. 

Last, and more importantly, don't come here without getting the CRISPY CHICKEN. 
Crunchy chicken, buttered noodles, and salty parmigiano reggiano over pasta fagioli. Honestly, other items might sound more appealing...but give this a try. It is one of the more popular dishes and really is amazing.

One more thing, I haven't been since they changed the prices...but as good as the dishes may be, I don't think they are worth $30 a plate.
1 - mindy a.: i have been a professional chef for 30 yrs; i am very picky about all aspects of the restnt dining experience. Last night we ate at bacaro for the first time and we will not be returning. The reason is that , after an expensive evening of very good food (pastas $24+,entrees $30-35) the owner chose to have a very unpleasant and rather vicious 40 minute show down with us over six dollars which we believed we were overcharged, based on our previous communications with our server.

i have never had an experience like this in all my years of dining out.  have you ever met a public business owner who just should not be interfacing with the public? well, that's what we encountered last night. With a very intentional smirk, she walked away from our final bill reckoning with the words ' I'm sorry you found out that we are NOT the right place for you.'!!  

there are too many good restaurants in Providence with very professional and welcoming maitre ds and servers (and owners) and excellent food; so we see no reason to return to bacaro. I really feel for the chef there and hope he will find another good spot to showcase his talent , with a supportive and positive boss.
2 - L S.: Food was OK but the service was awful and the prices are shameful.
4 - christian C.: It was a lovely evening, so we chose to eat in the outside dining area, which was an area partioned off from the rest of the parking lot out front by giant concrete blocks.  Planters were on top and around them to try to hide them a bit, and there was a faux fountain in the middle, whose gurgling helped to establish a bit of a garden setting between the interruptions of car headlights sweeping over the area as they entered the parking lot. 

Began with the octopus appetizer, which was served with white beans in a sauce flavored with sage.  The octopus was outstanding - perhaps the best I've ever had.  Perfectly cooked and seasoned. If I was rating this meal on this one component alone, I would give it a five. 

The two fish entrees were OK.  The swordfish was substantial and it had a nice sauce, but it was overall a little over cooked and by the end bland. Oddly, it came with a lump of Jasmine rice.  I guess it's fusion.  The other entree was the trout which was served whole and was well prepared.  Each entree was at least $30 which seems a little steep.  

I must have missed something, because I only saw 4 wines on the list, and this place bills itself as an enoteca.  After our first order of wines arrived, the waitress asked what we thought of them and I was honest that mine wasn't that good.  To my pleasant shock she removed it and gave me another one (much better) and didn't charge anything extra for it. That was impressive (and earned them the 4th star overall)!
4 - Alyssa A.: I went to Bacaro tonight with 9 of my coworkers to celebrate life, food, and..

Restaurant Week 2012!

I ordered from the pre-fix menu.  I enjoyed all the food, the service, and the bustling atmosphere.  Bacaro is definitely fine dining.

Thanks for a fun night!
5 - George T M.: We arrived early at sat at the bar.  The bar tender was friendly, conversant with the menu and wine list and treated us like royalty.  We shared a few tapas dishes and a pizza.  The food was, in a word, excellent.  Fresh, carefully prepared, beautifully presented and was just simply out of this world.  The view and atmosphere are just perfect.  I just can't wait to go back again.  I would say it was a lot like al forno, however the people were warm and welcoming and not snobby at all (unlike Al Forno).
4 - Jessica S.: Went with a group of 8 a couple months ago. Overall everyone loved their food. Margherita pizza was good as was one of the white pizzas. The pork belly was a bit burnt tasting but I think that was the intention. Had the fried cheese with marinara and that was good. Server could have been more friendly. Ice cream was just ok and overpriced for what it was. We were't impressed with our desserts. Pricey but the ingredients are good. May try one more time
5 - Brian R.: Went last night for a birthday celebration food was great, view amazing and wait staff was very knowledgable on the menu. I will definitely be back.
5 - Veggie T.: I've been here several times and it never disappoints. The menu changes frequently because they offer seasonal items. When you go here, they hand you a regular menu along with a two sided paper tapas menu and a pencil. It's nice because you can order as much or as little off the tapas menu as you want. So if you want to try the squash flowers, you can get just 1 rather than commit to a full appetizer. Their pizzas are slammin - nice and thin and crispy.  Entrees are always delicious too. One of my favorites is the grilled vegetable plate. It's $28 but the plate is huge and I'm never able to finish even half of it. It's a different selection of veggies every time you get it - you're getting whatever is fresh and in season. 

The restaurant is two levels. The bottom level is the bar and a seating area. Upstairs is an open kitchen and a larger seating area. I prefer to sit upstairs because there are huge windows that overlook the water. There is also outdoor seating available.
4 - Lauren L.: What a great meal!!!  Several Yelpers had told me that this was a great restaurant and were they spot on. 

We had friends in from out of town who love tapas.  We had a blast going through the extensive menu of meats, cheeses, veggies and other delectables.  The hardest part was not ordering more.  Everything that came out was perfect!  We loved the mini panninis, the eggplant rollatini, the charcuterie plate, duck breast, tapenade, polenta (with speck and with the grilled onions) and the olives.  The only miss (and it was slight) was the not so flavorful caponata.  Otherwise, all four of us enjoyed our plates a great deal.  While the dessert menu looked to die for, we passed because we were too full. . . next time for sure!

Our server was prompt, courteous and helpful.  The atmosphere featured a great view of the river but it was a bit dark.  More than one patron (ourselves included) needed to use a flashlight to read the menu.  This would be a very nice place to take a date as a more dressy attire would have been appropriate (three of the four of us were wearing jeans and we didn't feel too underdressed).  There is parking on site.  The wine list was very nice and extensive- we got a very tasty bottle of Montepulciano for about $40 (not too terrible a mark up) but they had a wide variety of options including half bottles and tasting sizes (3 oz).  

Overall this was a highly enjoyable meal and one of the best we've had in Providence.  Without a doubt we will be back with more friends to try out the whole tapas menu and the rest of the desserts.  A Providence gem for sure!

Bacaro LA - Los Angeles, CA (34.034478, -118.28342) (South Los Angeles)
5 - Natalie F.: Last night we attended the opening night of this Italian wine bar.  While it might not be the ideal night to base a rating on I can already tell this place is going to be a winner and one I plan to frequent often.  With veteran sommelier Santos Uy (AOC/Silverlake Wine/Nunchux) at the helm, the place was packed with a line out-the-door.  Despite the (friendly) crowd, the drink flowed freely.  The small plates didn't come often enough but what we tasted showed care and expertise in the kitchen especially for an opening night.  We were duly impressed.  One wall of the restaurant is entirely a blackboard that lists the available wines and small plates.  A review of the wine prices on the website showed a large selection of red and white wines and a few sparkling ones at  reasonable prices.   This place is a sure hit on many levels and I can't wait to go back.
4 - Steve M.: I've been here three times, which in itself suggests how much I like Bacaro.  If I were to compare Bacaro to Uvinum or BotteRock, it would come up short because of the somewhat limited wine offerings (about 6 whites, 8 reds, and a couple roses) and the simple food offerings.  But that would be the wrong standard of refenece.  Bacaro is a neighborhood wine bar.  Show up twice and you're recognized.  Santos is happy to serve, teach or inspire depending on your inclination.  The food, while simple, is well executed and offers a nice breadth of flavors to match with the wine offerings--each of which fills a unique roll on the list.  Its two fairly recent USC grads trying to get a start and what they may lack in capital for fancy decor they make up with in thoughtfulness and energy.  I'm a fan and will continue returning.
5 - Kim S.: Friendly, welcoming, comfortable - a great feeling to this place - no pretention here!  The personal approach that Santos Uy brings will surely make this a hit!
4 - Lauren U.: This place is a hidden treasure amidst the cracked out neighborhood of USC.  I love the casual and welcoming decor - wine bottles line the ceiling and the menu (which literally changes daily for both food and wine) is written on a floor to ceiling chalk board.

The waiters/sommeliers are so friendly and informative, taking the time to sit down, explain wines, and chat with you.  You can truly tell their hearts are in their business.  I've been twice now and loved the food and recommended wines.  My only gripes would be the lack of selection and range.  I told them I enjoy more full bodied reds like merlots and cabs, but what I received was pretty light and tranquil, they made me a convert to Rose', however.  Considering the owners continue to mix it up - I'm intrigued to continue what I will find next time I come.

The Cichetti are great tapas appetizers to share, though I'm not sure I'd be full if I made them into a meal.  The salumi plate delivers a great range of cured meats, the small, one piece bruschetta is a great nibble, and the cheese, date, almond, sage-honey crostini is perfect.  

I love this place to meet with friends or grab a pre-dinner drink.  Its worth checking out and making a favorite - because they most definitely attempt to get to know their customers and make regulars. out of them.
4 - Julie G.: It's new wine bar season in Los Angeles. After my visit to Vinoteque the other week, I received an invitation to try the newbie Bacaro L.A. and gladly accepted. Located in the cement dustbowl that surrounds USC, I had no trouble finding the place, nor parking nearby. I felt a bit like I was crashing a party as the neighbors sized me up, but hey, this fish doesn't need water to swim, so I pressed on. 

Once inside, I felt more in my element. The place is dark, with one full wall of chalkboard paint on which they write their menus. Wine, Lunch, and Dinner are all there, including my fave special, the Double Fist, which gives you two Moretti beers for $5 at lunchtime. It has the advantage of sounding like a Kung Fu movie and being quite appealing to many folks I know. 

I selected a particularly floral red from the wine menu, which Santos, the co-owner and sommelier, said was his favorite. I can see why he liked it, although I deemed it too floral for my taste. But it was quite interesting. Then my partner in wine arrived, selected a glass, and we ordered a cheese plate and some olives and almonds to snack on. 

We slipped easily into conversation, stopping to comment on how delicious the Marcona almonds and olives were. Well done, boys. Marcona almonds are top notch, and putting them in with the very good olives is a nice touch. The cheese plate did not particularly impress me, but they did include a very tasty cranberry studded bread that paired fabulously with the blue cheese. It wouldn't be hard to step up the cheese selection, but I won't knock them points for that. I supposed they're still working those kinds of kinks out considering they just opened their doors recently. Or maybe they really liked those cheeses.

We arrived at 8pm on a Wednesday, and there were tables both full and free, so it was a nice mix of busy and not. There was a very large party there, I think they were Santos's family as I heard him address one of them as Dad, but we were still attended to in a timely fashion. We both got second glasses of wine, I opted this time for the Shiraz, my companion got the Nebbiolo. Incidentally, the pricing on the wines is quite reasonable. The glasses range from $6-$12, bottles $22-$46ish. The food is similarly priced, and starts at just $3 a plate.

Bacaro is a very nice freshman offering by two young foodie businessmen. You can feel the youth in the place, and I think it's refreshing. There's no pretense, just excitement. I doubt I will ever just find myself in the neighborhood, but I will gladly return on purpose to visit Bacaro again. In fact, it would make a very nice place to set down after a trip to the California Science Museum to see the Body Worlds exhibit. Perhaps I will suggest that.
5 - A. and M.: It's pretty rare (among moderately-priced restaurants, at least) to enter a new restaurant, be greeted by the owners, and made instantly to feel at home.  And at a wine bar, of all places.  

We've visited Bacaro a few times for dinner since its opening.  The owners, Santos and Danny, have never failed to give us the latest scoop on what's new at their establishment, from giving us samples of their newest wines to asking us to try out the new dish that Santos  meticulously concocted that afternoon (In each case he has never failed to amaze).

The restaurant itself is small and comfortable, dimly lit, with dark wood for tables and trim, and a sort of skylight above, highlighting hundreds of empty wine bottles.  Good music, too.  Well done!

The wine list is distinct and exotic.  Bacaro has helped us to appreciate Italian wines, which at first seemed intimidating just from the sheer difficulty of pronouncing the names.   If you are sampling wines there, be sure to ask for "Lacrima".  It's strong and rosy...a new favorite.

As for the food, the portions are small and made to be shared and sampled.  Sorry, no all-American portions here, though I wouldn't mind having a whole platter of the bruscetta or a dozen orders of the eggplant atop a polenta square all to myself.  They did inform us that all of their produce is organic, which is good to know.  They also use a lot of sheep's and goat's milk in their cheese dishes, which are all quite unique.  For dessert, I'll suggest the strawberry nutella panini (so simple yet so good), or the gorgonzola, date, and walnut crostini...very interesting.

-M
4 - Ellen S.: wow, finally a low-key place to grab a drink with classmates near usc other than cafe two-nine :p the wine was tasty and reasonably priced, and the service was great. there's also a few beers on the menu for the non-wine drinkers in your crowd. they seem to have some fun ideas on the menu...like an all-you-can-eat steak special, if i remember correctly?! nice to have some additions to the usc neighborhood.
4 - Thao L.: Do you ever meet people at businesses who treat you well and you respect what they do?I really want Bacaro to do well for those reasons.

I used to go to the Silver Lake Wine Shop's Monday wine tastings with some regularity in the past.  Barcaro co-owner Santos Uy was knowledgeable and helpful while wearing the hat of our pourer. When we saw co-owner Santos at AOC in March, wearing his sommelier hat, we told him we would check out his new wine bar. 

Bacaro is located near USC which may seem to be an unlikely location for a wine bar. It makes me think that the area is an economic empowerment zone. 

I like it's understated feel and the ability to order wine by the glass from a good selection. Co-owner Danny Kronfil spent some time with our group introducing himself and giving us an introduction to the place until Santos came along. They both spent some more time to talk about sports with our group. 

We had the Tuscan white bean bruchetta, polenta square, handcrafted salumi, the cheese, and crostini platters. I would suggest some uniformity in the sizes of the "cicheti" (snacks), since they varied from "too small" to "just right"  but over all I like Bacaro.

Bacaro is off to a good start when it's name evoke Bacchus, God of Wine.
4 - enhage r.: We need more of the unexpected in the USC University Park Neighborhood - and this was definitely different. Moderately priced wine and beer in a understated but hip and somehow elegant atmosphere. Tapas and more tapas to sample. The owners and chefs coming right to your table to disagree with you about which wine you're drinking is the best. And after a leisurely two and a half hour lunch, you realize you'll never be able to go there on your lunch break again but you loved the pace anyway.
4 - Cherry D.: I had a great time at my first visit.  My friends had steak and delicious red wine.  We met the charming owners and really enjoyed the experience. I will be back in the Fall for a Meetup event that I plan to have their since I liked it so much!
5 - z l.: OMG, please help keep this place in business!!!

at the moment, this is truly the ONLY upscale restaurant/bar around USC university park campus!!!

if this was in an area where there were better restaurants and bars generally, I would give this place a 4 star. I give it 5 star for being a true oasis in the dull dull desert around USC UPC.

The environment is nice and respectable and relaxed, the food is excellent (but small portions) and  the wine is ... um, I don't know much about wine, I assume it is good. They also do all you can eat/drink  New Jersey style beefsteak feasts once a month which I' havent been to, but sound good

AMAZING "burger". I recommend it.
4 - Cecilia S.: Dear Bacaro,
 Oh, Dispenser of acceptable wine and Delicious food, how may I tout your virtues? 
I went for their $25 beefsteak and wine (all you can eat and drink) Sunday venue.  What more can I ask for? The wine was ever flowing, only one type Spanish red..I think, maybe from South America.  It was light and slightly chilled, the way a light red should be.  All you can drink beer too, but Bud light on draught does not do the food justice. The steak?  Sliced thin atop crustini, ranging from medium rare to well, nicely seasoned and tender to the bite.  Good rosemary potato spears accompanied the steak, but really...who comes for the potatoes? For this event, this is what to expect, though you can order other things for extra.  Service: solid, bringing plateful after plateful, glassful after glassful.  Overall a great experience.  Come with friends, get ready to spend some time and a little money, chatting over good food and drink and leave happy.  
As for being close to USC, thank goodness! No need to go downtown for a good atmosphere.
4 - raphael l.: Bacaro is a new gem in the slowly-being-forged crown that is the gentrifying West Adams. This small wine bar offers many different hot and cold small plates, and a wide selection of wines and beers by the bottle or glass. Some my wife and I have loved were: bruschette with tuscan white beans (damned good!), polenta squares with roasted eggplant, grilled octopus, the bacaro burger (open-face, with grilled onions and a creamy, delicious sauce), and the roasted artichoke (damned good). The olive plate is good, and the cheese plate option (pick your own) with add-ons like quince paste and sage honey, is also really good. We've had a few different wine selection, but I like the Chupacabra ale, which is cold, creamy, and delicious.
4 - Merris W.: It is so cool to have a wine bar in the neighborhood.  This is a casual place to go for a leisurely glass or two of wine.  The atmosphere is laid back, and you can sit for a while and not feel rushed to get out.  The staff is really friendly, and anxious to talk about the wines, where they are from, what they are like etc.  No pretentious "wine" attitude here.  The  bruschettes and paninis are delish!  Try a cheese plate with your wine.  Plenty of vegetarian options (except on Beefsteak night)
4 - Stacey M.: interesting wines
delicious cheese selection
amazing burger
3 - Kate T.: Had problem finding parking around this place... they do have a private lot at the back, but it was packed, so I had to circle around and look for street parking..the neighborhood wasn't exactly the place I would want to leave my baby there.

Came here for yelper's Teem's bday.. and the owner was nice enough to give us AYCE & AYCD deal on a Saturday night, but the time slot they gave us was kindda odd.. 5pm.  The deal comes with all you can drink wine (only one kind), it's dry and bitter...the beer was not bad tho, I had two sips...normally I don't like beers but I kindda like the German beer they gave us. There's baked potato and steak in the all you can eat menu.. potato is pretty good (but filling) and steak is excellent.. it's about medium rare, tender and juicy.. just the way I like it.. but it's pretty raw for many people in our group tho.  Forgot to mention the time limitation, 1 1/2 hr only, so some yelper show up really late and didn't get to eat much.. (so I think they might go for second round food else where)  I would of give them 4 stars but the lack of selection in the AYCE menu will have one star shy.
4 - SERGI B.: the seating isn't all that comfortable, the Chimay and wine kind of short, BUT it IS Chimay on tap, and the wine menu is extensive, and the scallop tapas dish we had was delectable, and the staff was very cordial, and it's only 10 min from Silverlake.  Looking forward to going back for more.
4 - Kevin F.: 3.5 stars.  2.5 stars for the average food we had plus an additional one for the hospitality, rounded up to 4.  I went here last weekend for Teem's birthday dinner.  It's a pretty small place and we had about 20 people so we took up about half of the restaurant, but the owner (a great host) was nice enough to extend their all-you-can-eat and drink special to us on Saturday night, even though it is usually only offered once a month (I believe the first Sunday since they were having it the next day anyway).  The special is $25 and included pieces of steak served on small pieces of bread, roasted potato wedges, one of their wines, one of their beers.  
 
The steak was decent.  I'm not sure if we were ordering too fast or if that is the way they serve it, but it seemed to get more rare with each plate brought out.  I know the birthday boy didn't mind since he eats his steak still moving, but it was a little rare for my taste.  The potatoes were also good, although they were pretty salty.  Maybe to get us to drink more?  But the deal included all-you-can-drink too, so I would think they wouldn't want us to drink more.  Hmmmm...maybe it's just they way they make them.  I didn't try the wine and I'm not sure what kind it was other than red, but some of the people in our group that did have some liked it.  The beer was a called Spaten Oktoberfest and was a tasty German amber beer.  I'm not sure if they usually do it, but for those in our group that wanted something other than alcohol, they hooked us up with pomegranate green tea.  For dessert, we had some of their bread pudding with cranberries, raisins and vanilla bean gelato.  A nice finish.  
 
Overall it was good.  The salt got pretty heavy and I got kind of tired of the steak and potatoes after a while, but wouldn't mind coming back here to try some of their other food.  It seems to be a big USC hangout since the owners went to USC and it is near campus.  They had the game on Saturday night and the other people that were there seemed to be there to watch it.  Oh, and they have parking in the back.  I didn't know that and it took a while to find street parking.
4 - Derek Z.: New Hours:
4-10pm Sunday-Thursday
4-11pm Friday-Saturday

They are no longer open for lunch  :-(
Damn it, i need to find a new place to drink wine during lunch.
5 - Debra B.: I'd been looking forward to trying this place ever sine I saw the reviews on here. so when I landed a job and my friend/USC grad student passed an exam, we decided to come here for a celebratory light early dinner. 

Well, this place did not disappoint my high expectations. We decided to get there early to partake in the weeknight happy hour. At about 4:30pm, it was mostly empty. We were greeted warmly, and told all of the food was $5 instead of $7. Yay! We decided to get some sparkly beverages (me prosecco, her a rose from Michigan, both $7/glass - my prosecco was nice and she said she enjoyed her rose) and split a bunch of the cichetti. We had the olives, artichokes, scallops, and steak (one for each of us). 

I tasted everything except the scallops because I don't like seafood (but I can say that the corn/tomato mixture it was in was fresh and very tasty). She loved the scallops, I loved everything else. The artichokes were canned (I asked, they told me they were premium canned hearts from Italy.), with some parmesan and then broiled, served with a lemon. So simple, so delicious. The olives with marcona almonds were also really tasty, marinated in good olive oil added a nice touch. The steak was wonderful. I got mine "medium rare" and it was pretty rare, but that's fine for me. It was seared and really smoky/charred on the outside, but juicy and tender on the inside. Whatever it was marinated in, it was delicious, and the steak was sprinkled with really great high-quality salt that added that "high-class" touch. 

Total for all of this plus our wine came to about $42. For the quality of the ingredients and the fact that everything was darn delicious, I think it's a pretty good deal. It was enough to eat - I was not stuffed, but I also didn't really need any more either :p 

I don't have the money to come here every day or even every week, but it's a hell of a fun place for a group to get a bottle or two of wine and order a bunch of dishes and just laugh the night away or even just a couple of friends like us to sample some things and celebrate our mildly good fortune. But my parents are well in their 60s and I think they'd love it too. Next to us was a table of professors discussing statistics, so the crowd is pretty eclectic and it all seems to work. I spent a couple weeks in Italy last year and this place definitely has that kind of feeling. Homey, casual but high-quality, atmospheric, etc. 

By the time we left, a few groups had come in and the atmosphere was getting lively. The place is smaller than I imagined, maybe only 10-12 tables, but it was homey and has a nice decor. The service was great and they were knowledgeable about the wine and food and answered the questions we (and tables around us) asked. What a find. I hope they can make it in this economy. I wish I lived a little bit closer!!!
5 - sara l.: Bacaro is wonderful!  The owners are SO nice.  One used to work at AOC, and this place is like a mini AOC, without the ridiculous priceyness.  It's especially nice to have something like this in the area.  The inside of the place is great, too!

You can get a nice appetizer, small plates and a glass of wine for $20.  We shared the bruscetta which was nice, and a salad.  Can't wait to try the lunch specials, and the hot small plates.
5 - hercules r.: This place is just a great, new , comfortable wine bar. 

As others have stated Danny and Santos are excellent hosts.  I went to USC more years ago than I care to admit, so the neighborhood doesn't scare me (in fact, I lived with in screaming distance of this place)

Unlike a LOT of other new winebars in this town which have been opened by  oenephiles, not true professionals , the guys who run Bacaro have a real pedigree. We know Santos from Silverlake Wine and A.O.C. so we trust his knowledge. The wines are adventurous, the best thing to do is ask for suggestions.  

The place is spartan, but still comfortable, and the food is a hell of a lot better and also more adventurous than it needs to be.  

There idea is an American version of the Venitian Wine Bar, it's succeeds in spades. 

And btw,  it's reasonably priced.
3 - J P.: Cute little spot.  Easy, casual, and good tapas style food.

Beefsteak Sundays - disappointing.
Went on Sunday to check out their all-you-can-eat-and-drink and was bummed at the lack of options.  All you can eat consisted of small pieces of steak on baguettes and potato wedges.  That's it.  Plates and plates and plates of it - but no variety, which was a disappointment given that they do have a decent menu.  And only one wine choice - a red syrah at every table which was fine.  But no white wine, unless you order it separately.  So it's all you can eat of one dish.  And all you can drink of one selection of wine.  

Also, some of the servers are a bit clueless.  Felt like we had frat boys that were in between jobs waiting on us.

Nonetheless, I like this place.  I'd go back.  But I'd skip the beefsteak Sunday unless I'm ready to overload on red meat and bread.
3 - Edmond T.: Dear Bacaro,

I read of all the hype here on Yelp about your Beefsteak sundays, and I quickly made a reservation. After a month of waiting I finally sat down at your establishment and was pumped for the food and booze!

I was a little dissapointed that we weren't really getting a full cut of steak rather slices of steak on top of a baguette and some potatoes on the side.

Regardless, the slices were delicious at times when you cooked it rare (im not usually a rare guy), and so-so when we got some well done pieces (a bit chewy to have on a slice of baguette). The seasoning of your flank? cuts are very Churrascaria'esque so I devoured many plates, I think 10 plates..

You served a decent bottle of Syrah wine and bud light for the beer. Overall for $25, its a great deal.. Best deal in town like many praise? No.

A great social experience if you plan to go drinking with a few friends with some great snacks but if you plan on getting full you're best off eating at this event with only 1 other friend. I'd give you a 3.5 if I could, and a 4 if you served bigger and quicker portions..

Thanks!

Ed
4 - Tim C.: I stumbled across this restaurant when I kept on seeing it on the front page of Yelp. I was reading their website and saw that they have an event for AYCE and AYCD. What more can a Yelper ask for? I figured, that would be a great event for my friends for such a special occasion.

The monthly event for October by this time has already been fully booked. I missed the opportunity. The owners are very courteous and patient with my hundreds of questions. They were really accommodating where if I told them ahead of time with a reservation, I could still have an opportunity for the same event.

Unlimited wine, unlimited beef cooked the way I like it. It's served like hor d'oeuvre on a slice of baquette. With a little bit of sea salt, brings out the flavor nicely. It did seem eventually a little bit salty overall where we did get even more thirsty. The hospitality is astounding. Because we were here celebrating 2 birthdays, they were nice enough to serve us bread pudding with ice cream. Not too sweet and yet it hits the spot nicely.

With almost 20 people, 3 of them children, we had a wonderful time here. We didn't know how big this place is so I kept the invitations to a minimum. What better yet to watch the USC football game while hanging out with good friends. Of course, they win. Just been a little delayed for this review.
4 - Mia L.: 10.4.08: I can't say I love this place and I can't say that it's terrific. So I would say overall this place is about 3.5. Let's start witht the food. I was a little hungry but I came here for a party and well it was AYCE and Drink. But one downfall there was only two things on the menu. It's not their fault someone loved the idea, but I went with it. The food was ok, a little on the salty side, well actually too salty. I think for one peice of beef I had one glass of tea. Seriously! 

I swear I saw that cute decorated toilet of theirs about 5 or 6 times and I was actually only there at the restaurant for about an hour. 

I can really say the service was pretty attentive, the place is a little too small for a big crowd but they somehow made it worked. The tables were actually as wide as my body. Yes that's how I measure things by body parts. Anyhow one thing I liked most was the artistic thing on the wall. It was a drawing or chalk thing that it had going on. I really liked it alot. Very different! 

So overall not too shabby, but  next time I'll come for their food in general rather than taking advantage of their ayce menu.
4 - Thia G.: SUCH a cute place.  Stepping inside Bacaro makes you feel like you're in Santa Monica, or Pasadena, or some other city with lots of cute small sidewalk bars/cafes.  You'd never know you were in South Central unless you looked out the windows and were reminded of the disgusting-ness that is the USC area.  So basically, it's a diamond in the rough, especially since it's only a mile away from campus (right next to the Ragazzi room).

I came here during happy hour when all the sides were $5.  The food itself is good, but it's way pricey for the portions offered.  I knew it was tapas style, but I was expecting bigger tapas.  Oh well, can't demand too much from a nice place in this area.

We had the wine flight which was awesome!  Sauvignon blanc, Riesling, and the last I can't remember, but it was the best one of the three.  Went really really well with the scallops + corn.  Also went well with the lamb sliders (DELICIOUS btw).

Ambiance is nice, rustic-feel but romantic, and I LOVE the chalkboard wall!  It lists all their wine offerings plus cheeses and beers, and has a section for artwork / special events etc.  Gives an artsy cool feel to this place.

Overall, good first impression.  I want to come back for the beefsteak night!!  Can't go wrong with all you can eat and drink for $25 right??

4 small plates, wine flight, and glass of wine = $50 for 2 people.
4 - Jodi B.: I just went to the "Beefsteak Sunday" event, and it was delicious! For $25 you get all the tender beef medallions on crostini, yummy potatoe wedges, and red wine that you can handle.  We went for my friend's birthday, and it was a great way to spend time with Friends! Danny was a great host and we were all pleased with the food, drink, and service.  There was a red wine, white wine, and beer available as part of the package tonight (though, red wine is the norm).  We tried both the red and white.  Both were good wines; nothing outrageous, but what do you expect when it's "all you can drink?"  Overall, I had a great experience.  I hold off on giving them five stars, because I want to go back during regular hours (or other "events") to see what it's like.  I look forward to trying some of their other food options, and I hope they continue to add more! Keep up the good work, Bacaro!
4 - s o.: Came here last night with some friends that generously bought us dinner. Went through 3 bottles amongst 3.5 of us (one is pregnant so she only had a couple sips) and had almost everything on the menu. Eating out with more people especially tapas is so much better so you can get a taste of everything. We all got to pick 3 dishes each and added a cheese platter on top of that. This was more than enough food.
Some memorable dishes were:
-Scallops with a creamy corn mixture. This was my favorite although I didnt taste any scallops.
-Beet salad with crumbled goat cheese and shredded basil leaves. Yummy but it nothing out of the ordinary.
-Polenta squares with eggplant puree. This was a favorite for 2 of us however I found it a little too salty.
-Grilled artichokes with lemony sauce. Simple and good.
-2 kinds of Bruschetta topped with white bean and the other with a roasted garlic. The garlic was really good and the oils from it moistened the bread beneath and was perfect. After eating this, I felt that my breath was a little offensive but since everyone ate it I was okay.
-3 crostinis. My favorite was the fig, cheese and honey. We also had the sun dried tomato puree and the tuna something.
-Hangar steak. Im not usually a big meat person but this was actually really good. They came in little cute bite size pieces.
-Panini filled with carmelized mushrooms, gruyere cheese and tomatoes. I ate it when it was cold so the cheese already hardened but it was still good.
-Burger which I did not eat but it looked really good.
-3 cheeses (goat, pecorino and blue) we added dried figs and sage honey. Honey and cheese is so freakin good! 

The place is small and cute. I really enjoyed everything about this restaurant. There was not one dissapointing dish. AOC use to be my favorite tapas restaurant but I now bacaro is.
5 - Veronika B.: Truly great gem! Service, presentation, knowledge and the food quality were all surpassing all of my expectations.  Good selection of eastern european wine and especially rare sparkling Hungarian wine! The scallops are to die for as well as the artichoke and brussels sprouts!
Over all very pleasant experience, this wine snob will be returning!
4 - Susan K.: I really enjoyed my visit during happy hour one evening (I had no idea they had it).  I read about them in an LA Times article and decided to stop by my old Trojan grounds.  :)

All the food was incredibly inexpensive for happy hour.  I think everything on the regular menu was $5 (it's a tapas-style restaurant).  I don't drink so I can't speak to the wine experience, although they definitely have quite a bit to choose from.  I had a delicious cheese plate.  Extra condiments are $1 each (nuts, sliced apples).  I have to mention that I love their bread!  I can't remember if we started out with some bread (maybe... it's been a few weeks since this visit), but they use it in the bruschetta (yum to the heirloom tomatoes and roasted peppers) and the open-faced burger (wow).  They had a scallop order in a corn and tomato sauce/salad that was amazing.  The scallops were done perfectly.  The grilled hangar steak was delicious.  I could taste the thyme in it.  The chicken palliard was nicely done, too, but I wasn't expecting it to be a salad.  All the food was really excellent, but their salads fell flat.  They use a lettuce mix that is something similar to what I buy from Trader Joe's.  I was expecting something a little more "baby" than what they used.  The salads were way overdressed with a tangy vinaigrette (red wine variety, I think).  I could hardly eat the salads, especially at the bottom of the bowl.  I tried the nutella panini for dessert (seemed like white bread with nutella spread with a small strawberry on the side).  I'd pass on it next time.  The waitress recommended the bread pudding, but since we had eaten so much bread throughout our meal, we thought we'd go with a "lighter" bread product.

I do highly recommend this restaurant.  :)  Note the tables are narrow.  Stagger seating... you'll understand what I mean when you get there.
5 - Tatertots Rock X.: Bacaro has out-done themselves again with amazing customer service, beyond-excellent food/wine pairing.
Thank y'all for taking such great care of all of us during the yelp event last night.
I am SO IN LOVE with those little BURGES and the BEEF CHEEKS!
AMAZING food last night!
WOW!
5 - George S.: Loved this place. Came here for the Yelp Wine Club event. 

The service was impeccable. The resident sommelier was informative, funny, and helpful. Most sommeliers that I have met come off a little arrogant or pompous but this guy was super cool and I would totally hire him to help host a wine tasting sometime.

Though the inside is a little small it's pleasantly cozy. The entire wall on the right side is basically a large chalkboard listing the current wines and food available. I love a place that has it's menu on a chalk board. Just gives you that sense that their menu is ever living and changing and that everything is fresh. 

The wines were obviously fantastic and the food pairing was spot on. Some highlights I had was the Pinot Nero Bianco, served with the grilled cheese and caramelized onion. I also loved the braised beef cheeks and Bacaro sliders. The were succulent and delicious. 

I can't wait to come back here for an entire dinner sometime.
5 - Robin Z.: Bacaro's is a humbly comfortable restaurant with enough cred to please my street-wise comfort zone yet tastefully cultured enough to appease my picky and decidedly sophisticated palate.

But my nemesis, my doppelganger, was in full regalia last night, rudely flipping me off, sight unseen, from across the room as I again met some wonderfully friendly and intelligent Yelpers for the first time. And therein lies my problem, my Yelp "dilemma"...the dichotomy of valuing Yelper "niceness" versus penning the blisteringly critical or potentially "psycho-disturbing" review against the grain.

 Like a saccharine slide to ennui, I see my bonding with Yelpers as a questionable side benefit and wonder if I'm not losing my edge. You see, in surfing, if you lose your edge, you're sucking salt water. Not a big deal as long as you know how to swim. In writing, if you lose your edge, you're penning a diary and not an article that a dozen or more reviewers will rave as avant garde, biting, or dare I say...FUC-able.

That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole evening at Bacaro and kudos to Shelley W who put the event together. The wines, from the Torley to the Cannonau, were the perfect accompaniment to the mouth-watering roasted artichoke appetizers and grilled panino, Bacaro sliders and braised beef cheeks on gorgonzola polenta entrees. I even stole a cheeky piece from Carrie D while she was chatting with Steve, hehe. The owners and staff were friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating and their eatery quaint, warm and clean. I might nit-pick the parking but we parked right in front.

The dichotomy?

The Yelpers I met this night were the typically adorable, witty and caring culinary exploring muther-fuckers I've grown to love. Fuck that doppelganger.

Maybe I still have that edge. Only time will tell.
5 - Austin S.: Yelp Wine Club UYE.

Parking is on the street.  Honestly, the locale is a little "suspect", but the 2 co-owners are both USC alum and wanted to bring a little something back to the community.  How philanthropic of them, hahaha.

But seriously, this place is, as John C. would say, "tits".  The place is small with dark wood plank tables and comfy (sort of) ottoman squares as chairs.  One wall is, like George S. said, is basically a big chalkboard that serves as their menu.  The server area/bar was well organized and the kitchen as well was "quaint".  Seriously, I took a peek inside and it was only about 15 x 10.  One cool thing about the decor was the ceiling... rows and rows of impaled wine bottles, with the lights shining through.

It was pretty cool because they seemingly closed the place down for our event.  They kind of had to because our group of 30-40 Yelpers filled the place out.

Santos was awesome.  He started us off with a Hungarian sparkling wine which wasn't too bad.  I'm not a super huge fan of sparking wines, but I was happy to try it out.  And throughout the night, he made a speech about each wine, briefly describing each wine, the maker, the grapes and what food he paired it with, even explaining why he paired it with such.

So without further adieu, this is what we had:

1. 2007 Biancale di San Marino, CONSORZIO di SAN MARINO which was paired with parmesan reggiano roasted artichokes.  The salty parmesan and earthy artichoke brought out some oaky notes of the wine.

2. 2007 Pinot Nero Bianco, Oltrepo Pavese, CA MONTEBELLO, paired with a grilled panino with cheddar and caramelized onions.  The sweetness of the caramelized onions brought out the "bitey" note of apples in the wine.  Erica F. said it was like caramelized apples.

3. 2006 Ruche di Castagnole Monferrato, MONTALBERA, paired with open faced Bacaro Sliders, which were made with.... bah... I forgot what kind meat it was, but was served on a square of toast and had a slice of shallots, cherry tomatoes halves, and a sauce which was good but I forgot nor could I immediately identify.  The cherry tomatoes helped bring out the cherry notes in the wine.

4. 2007 Cannoau di Sardegna, "Templum", CANTINA GALLURA, paired with braised beef cheeks on a creamy gorgonzola polenta.  Now, I'm normally not a fan of gorgonzola cheese of anything of the fungal cheeses, but I would have to say overall with the really tender and juicy beef cheek, was a good dish as well.  The wine was a little fuller in body and stood up well against the heaviness of the braised meat.

Thanks to Shelley for putting on an AWESOME event that made for a very informative and delicious night.

Boobs!  There... that's my comedy of the review....
5 - Carrie D.: I really love Bacaro! My most recent visit was for Shelley W's most excellent Yelp Wine Club event. First, kudos to my dear friend Shelley for putting together such an amazing event! Second, kudos to Santos and Danny for the great food, wine, and service. Everyone has already written great reviews of the UYE and the menu, so I will make this review my ode to the Bacaro Burger.

The Bacaro Burger experience is very visceral. It is at once emotional and sensual...and maybe even a little bit sexual. As there has been much pooh-poohing of the use of the terms "orgasm," "foodgasm," and "yumgasm," I will refrain from using the aforementioned in this review. 

Imagine sitting in a wine bar with good friends...you are a little tipsy, laughing, talking, and having a great time. In the distance your eye catches sight of a hot guy. He is a tall, dark, handsome, hunk of man and he is looking at you. Your eyes meet and you feel a small jolt of excitement, but being cool you smile and look away as if you are embarrassed by the attention. You stay cool. You flip your hair a bit, continue talking with your friends, but all you can think of is that guy. Suddenly he pulls up a chair, sits down next to you, and introduces himself. You are thinking this guy is pretty bold...maybe he is just a jerk. Maybe he is just smokin' hot on the outside but shallow and empty on the inside. He buys you a drink...in fact he buys all of your friends drinks...and you start talking. The conversation is really, really, good. Suddenly you realize that an hour has passed and you are face-to-face, inches away from each other, and no one else in the world exists but the two of you. The conversation is amazing! He isn't just good looking on the outside, but turns out to be deep, warm, and fuzzy on the inside...in fact, he is kind of dorky. He loves old movies, comic books, science fiction, cuddling in front of the fire on a rainy day, and he is good to his Mom (O.K. this is my dream man...your mileage may vary...feel free to insert your own dream man/woman fantasy characteristics here.) The night ends, you have a date next Friday, and you are on cloud nine. You are driving home and all you can think about is him.

The Bacaro Burger experience is kind of like that. You are hanging out at Bacaro with friends, having a great time drinking awesome wine and enjoying the cozy ambience. You see the server in the distance bringing your burger and you are thinking, damn, that is one good-looking burger! As it inches closer your excitement builds...your heart beats just a little faster, your mouth begins to water, and you cannot take your eyes off of that hot piece of meat. The burger is placed in front of you and you just stare. You take a couple moments to savor the beauty that is the Bacaro Burger. For a moment you try not to get too excited...what if it looks better than it tastes? You take your first bite and realize it tastes even better than it looks. All conversation stops and the rest of the world disappears...you are one with your burger. You finish the last bite, let out a loud, satisfied sigh, and realize your friends are staring at you. One says, "Dude, next time get a room," and you suddenly realize all of the loud moaning and "nom, nom, nom" sounds were not just in your head. The night ends, you are driving home, and all you can think about is that burger.

Oh, and the beef cheeks with creamy gorgonzola polenta was pretty damn good too!
5 - John B.: shelly w really deserves an award for picking such spectacular venues to host the yelp wine club. santos, the owner, pulled out all the stops and selected some great wines for the tasting that night. the food pairings perfectly complimented the wines we tasted and i couldn't have been more impressed with the wines bacaro had in stock.

any place that has its menu on the wall is already off to a great start as far as i'm concerned. albeit, it's like a giant chalk board but that only goes to show that they are constantly switching up their wines depending what's in season and what not. the interior is really quaint but i think a wine bar should be intimate as wine should be enjoyed as such. locating this place can be a bit of a challenge since it's not in an area with heavy foot traffic or with any discernable landmarks. basically, once on union st. its sandwiched between 23rd and 24th streets so keep an eye out for a red awning. also,  word around the camp fire is that they have ayce the first sunday of each month. awesome, that is all.
5 - Anna A.: After another go at both Cobras and Matadors and Bacaro I would like officially retract my previous statement that I would rather go to C&M over Bacaro (as if you really care, but just in case you do). Heck, I would choose Bacaro over any wine & tapas bar in LA!

The wine and food pairing experience was the equivalent to going to the Science Discovery Museum back when you were in elementary school: you're excited to go somewhere new and learn something new and it's organized and you have a guide holding your hand and explaining everything to you the whole way through. But it's better because there's food and wine and you don't have to get in a stinky old sweaty school bus. 

We started off with a refreshing Hungarian Prosecco, followed by a pairing masterpiece theatre of a different type of wine to match with each of the following: artichoke hearts & parm, grilled panino with caramelized onions, sliders, and beef cheeks with polenta. It was all glorious! 

The Yelp Wine Club event was amazing thanks to the owners of Bacaro for hosting us so graciously and Shelley W. for being such a badass organizer. Boom!
5 - Jeffrey O.: Seems as though if you order the flank steak, it takes forever to cook.  Second time coming where a flank steak took a long time.  My friend didn't receive his for over an hour, however the owner gave it to us on the house.  

Despite the amount of time it takes to get the flank steak, this place is still great.  It's a place where you WANT to take your time.

Visit http://www.sixtaste.com/blog for more reviews.
5 - angelica n.: cute wine bar! 

the vino was great & i liked the paired down, sleek vibe.  i didn't try the food, but as a lounge it has a nice, laid back atmosphere. 

my biggest wish is that it was open later as a bar, particularly through the weekend.  if they got a DJ it would be perfect.
5 - Yvonne D.: I'm in love...again! 
Yes it's true I've managed to find another unique gem in the City of Angels. Bacaro LA has officially stolen my heart. First off, it's a little out of the way but that's part of its charm. Second, the owner Santos is da bomb - he use to work over at Silver Lake Wine and has now opened up his own shit (good for him!). The atmosphere at Bacaro is cozy, charming, and low key. They have an interesting wine selection, a good tapas style menu, and decent prices for good quality food and wine. No bullshit here, just good vibes and good times. Bacaro I love you.
5 - Dave L.: Good wine selection + delicious tapas = winner.

I came here with one of my professors and we were pleasantly surprised to find this gem in an... unlikely neighborhood. The server was laid back and described the wines well. Most sommeliers talk like assholes, but this guy was cool. He let us try a couple, and we eventually picked a bottle. The tapas were consistently tasty and paired well with our wine. The ambiance was great too -- I liked the chalk writing and use of bottles for decor. Definitely a good place to hang out and catch up.

Tips: Located on a triangle intersection.
5 - Ryan F.: This place is great!  The food and wine are both spot on and the customer service by the owners is above and beyond.  I was there tonight and these guys actually get it.  They're smart and this place is run well.  The wine is always changing so I'll save my time and not recommend anything but you cannot go wrong with any of the food.  The Scallops are great, so is the Beefstake but I believe their assortment of cheese is where this place stands-out from other wine bars in Los Angeles.  These guys take pride in what they are doing and it really comes across in what is served.
5 - Corianda D.: The Yelp reviews don't lie.  Seriously, this place is amazing. I've been raving to anyone who will listen for the past three days.

I was in charge of planning a double-date hangout this Friday, and after scouring Yelp for places, found Bacaro.  Incredible. The decor is awesome, the food amazing.  Every dish that came out (and we ordered a lot- the 3 for $20 dishes is such a deal) got 'oohs' and 'aahhs' and repeatedly, 'holy shit-you HAVE to try this.' We hung out for an hour or two laughing and talking and indulging-  it was an awesome night, and Bacaro was the perfect hangout.  Two couples, a bottle of wine, and enough delicious food to make us more than happy came to under $50 a couple. My new favorite place!!
3 - Nancy D.: I hate that Yelp doesn't have the 1/2 star option. I give this place a 3.5 and I feel realllyyy guilty as I'm like one of two people not giving it at least a 4. I came here yesterday with a huge group of friends for dinner (including Janani S. who beat me by yelping this first - you whore!). They have great deals for wine. We got two bottles for about $70...not bad. I am a huge cheese snob and their cheese selection was very limited. :(

Here's what I tasted:
- cured meats plate
- cheese plate (fourme d'ambert, brillo pecorino, brigante)
- caprese salad
- crispy polenta squares with eggplant
- crostini - 3 (ricotta & olive tapenade, gorgonzola & dates, mascarpone & sun dried tomato tapenade) 

The cured meats plate was nothing special. The cheese choices we got were good...really liked the fourme d'ambert (great for stinky cheese lovers). What was strange that they made us pay extra for accompaniments. The cheese plate only came with bread! We paid extra to get figs and apples! The mozzarella in the caprese salad was fresh, I really liked the pesto on the side. The polenta squares were alright - too much acid = killing my tastebuds. The crostini looked really good but some of the ingredients just did not taste right together (ie the dates and mascarpone). The olive tapenade was yummy but the sun dried tomato one was not so tasty. My friends all got the bacaro burger which looked really good! I am for sure trying that next time. 

This place is great for group get-togethers! Make sure to call ahead and reserve a table if you're going with more than four people as seating can be hard to get. I wasn't totally wowed by the food but as far as wine bars go, this place has great prices for what you get. I found out about the all you can eat/drink deal on weekends which is only $25! I would definitely come back to check out that.
5 - Cweb C.: A new friend took me here last night- I don't think it gets any better than this. Amazing wine selection, food is to die for- The service was impeccable and we the last to leave- The food was so good we almost ate the plates. Easy off the freeway access for us west side beachers... I will return here soon- Very soon. I recommend the eggplant dish and the bread pudding desert. It was also nice because the owner is there and was very friendly- There are not many places in LA like this one.
3 - Kelly H.: Meh.  I came here with my fiance because of all the stellar reviews on yelp.  Probably because of our high expectations, we were generally disappointed.  

We made a reservation, which turned out to be a good idea because it was pretty busy on a Friday night.  I ordered a glass of champagne, him red wine, and both of these took a crazy long time to be delivered.  Everything that night took a long time to be delivered/ ordered/ acknowledged.  

We ordered bread and olive oil, beet salad, crostini (ricotta, gorgonzola, mascapone), gruyere panini (basil pesto, carmelized onions), and scallops.  I really wanted to save room for dessert because I love me some bread pudding.  So... I agree with another reviewer that the marscapone crostini does not work, the flavors are kind of odd to me.  Was not a fan.  The other two crostinis were really good.  The panini was whatever, tasted generally ordinary.  The scallops were pretty good, for some reason I really don't remember them at all.  The beet salad was good and tasted fresh, BUT WAS THE TINIEST PORTION EVER.  I mean, seriously, it was hysterically small, the smallest I've ever had.  Like that commercial of the people in the fancy restaurant.

So here's the rub.  I think I am tricked into thinking that the restaurant is moderately priced because of the idea that you get three plates of food for like 20 bucks.  But seperately, the size of the food portions are ridiculous for seven dollars each.  Who pays seven dollars for a grilled cheese sandwhich with no sides?  I guess I pay that much at Artisan Cheese Gallery but its freaking huge there.

I'm the type of person who orders food, eats for a very short amount of time before I get full, and then I complain for an hour about how full I am.  We left satiated, but definitely not full.  I lost interest in ordering dessert since everything took a while in the beginning.  Don't think I will be coming back.
5 - Julianne L.: $25 for AYCE Beefsteak and roasted potatoes plus AYCD Wine/beer.  Needless to say, my friends and I majorly pigged out and were a little more than tipsy when we left.  The beefsteak came out on some very crusty crostini with a side of roasted potatoes. Steak was between rare and medium.

The food was good and for what we paid, it was well worth it.  What stood out the most was the wine and the service.  We sampled both the red and the white wines available that night and both were very good. So good in fact the one of my friends bought a bottle to take back!

Both of the owners were there that night and were fantastic.  They answered all our questions and even brought out plates of sourdough for our friend who was vegetarian (she was there for the wine).

Definitely check it out if you haven't already.  I can't wait to go back and try their regular menu next time!
4 - John P.: Caught Happy Hour there (ends at 7pm).  All the dishes were $5!  Lamb sliders special was twitterific.  Garlic and white bean bruschettas, scallops, steak, and cheeses on bread were great.  Great different date spot.
5 - Sue Z.: yes, i know i'm updating...AGAIN. but i went with Julianne L. and Letitia W. today. and i just wanted say. Bacaro rocks. and the only thing that rocks harder is Santos. enough said!
4 - Paul S.: I came to Bacaro with a group of friends (including Janani S and Nancy D) as a middle of the week, "let's bring the weekend to us" get-together. There were nine of us. Thankfully we had a reservation, because even on a Wednesday, we would have had some problems getting a table in this tiny place. 

Now, I really did the style of this place. There's a whole chalkboard wall full of special selections of wines by the bottle and glass, as well as the cheese listings. And the ceiling was decorated with empties. 

The vibe is essentiallya hip wine-focused tapas bar. And it certainly delivers.

I just had a couple gripes. The tables and chairs are really un-utilitarian. The tables are stylish dark-stained wood, where the planks aren't flush to each other, and aren't level with each other. Every time I put my wine glass down, it would slide down a little. And since the seats on the walls were booth-like, and you had to slide down, you needed to put your weight on something. And that was the rickety table with wine glasses on it. I expect they get a lot of broken glasses. 

Some of the plates clearly aren't worth the 7 dollars (the polenta cakes), but I'm always for tryin things and making your own mistakes. 

And god damn I love a good cheese plate (but why oh why must I select my own accompaniments and pay more for each I want). 

All in all, I really liked Bacaro. And the wine is really reasonably priced. And the staff was really nice and accommodating, even for our unwieldy party of 9. 

I definitely plan on a return.
5 - jin y.: i love this place. it's like a dream come true and it's so close to school. we waited next door at the ragazzi room until they opened at 5pm and we were the first ones there, just chilling out and enjoying happy hour. the crostini's were delicious and they had chimay, my fave. i also took home a panini for my bro, who devoured it in 10 seconds flat. crostini, two beers, a panini for around $20 something dollars. yum!
4 - Dennise d.: Quick second round at Bacaro on Monday. 

Unlike the frighteningly loud Friday nite, this time is much chilled and cozy.  My friend and I tried the specials (lamb sliders and carpaccio), another cheese plate, the hanger steak, and 5 glasses of wine in total.
  
Although I have to agree paying extra for fruit and nuts is somewhat mysterious, it's a minor issue for me. 

The lamb specials are both great, so is the hanger steak. Both seasoned and prepared well with touches of herb flavor. Portion-wise, it's indeed towards to the "small" direction but I wasn't hungry at all when we left.

Taking price and quality into consideration, I must say Bacaro will be good on my book until I find another compatible wine bar.
5 - Victoria C.: Why, oh why must Bacaro be so far from my house????

I went here back in January and I told myself I would be back soon.  But I haven't.  :(  I'll have to work on that.

Anyway, we came here for a wine tasting paired with some small bites.  Both the wine and food were excellent.  The sliders and the grilled panini with caramelized onions perfectly accompanied the wine.  The best part was that they poured with a heavy hand.  No skimpy servings here.  Yes, the Vixen was quite happy.  

So yes, I will be going back soon.  "When?" you ask... well, that will be the first Sunday of the month. Yes, my friends... that is a very special day.  On the first Sunday of each month from 5:30 - 8pm, it is All You Can Eat grilled hanger steak, bread and butter, and roasted potatoes -AND- All You Can Drink red wine and beer for ONLY $25 for two hours.  Ohhh yes.  I will be returning then.  Care to join me???  Better yet, care to drive me???  ;)
4 - Gloria G.: Unlimited beefsteak  + alcohol = bliss.  Bacaro should be applauded for doing the poor alcoholic community a huge service in this crappy economy.  Yes, for $25 and 2 hours on Sunday, loading up on wine, beer, beefsteak topped baguettes, and roasted potatoes was just the therapy I needed to end my week.  I would've burned a deeper hole into my clearanced wallet  purchased from Ross had I dined elsewhere.
5 - Andrea Z.: UH-MAZING! Who knew that Bacaro was just around the corner??

I've been looking for a cozy and classy place like this one! And hooray! Its in my South Central neighborhood! :)

Affordable prizes, super friendly service! (Danny the owner is very nice and very cute!)

I had a lovely time here the night of my first Art Exhibit next door at the Ragazzi Room! http://www.yelp.com/biz/ragazzi-room-los-angeles#hrid:iNUweC1D3G3ZtaL_a-axww

I love their bruschette with roasted garlic!

I want to come back and try out one of their awesome all you can eat sunday steak brunches!
5 - Heather L.: This place is great!  We had girl's night dinner here last night and we couldn't have been happier.  The neighborhood is a bit rough, but there is a parking lot in back (enter on 24th) and we felt very safe.  The ambiance was nice, a bit swanky but still relaxed.  The service was very friendly and quick.  We got there in time for happy hour (b4 7pm) so each plate was $5!  The highlights for me were probably the polenta with eggplant, the artichokes, all the crostini, and the bread pudding for dessert.  However, everything we had was amazing.  Our vegan friend also had tons to choose from with a tweak or two.  The 5 of us ordered 3 bottles of wine and 3-4 cicheti each and got out to there for about $40 including tip.  It was a great night!
5 - Brooke S.: I had another phenomenal evening at Bacaro and am pleased to say that the woman straddling the toilet is gone.  The decor was much prettier and more minimalist than last time--now everything is perfect as far as I'm concerned.
4 - Dao N.: bacaro is the kind of place you want in your neighborhood--a casual, unpretentious wine bar with delicious small bites. i sure wish it were in mine. the beauty of italian food is its simplicity, and though the food here is more mediterranean-inspired meets gourmet pub grub, it leaves you with the same comfort food satisfaction.

except for the leeks that came with the seared scallops being overly salted, i'd recommend most of the cicheti that we tasted. they include:

bruschetta w/ roasted red peppers & white beans - you get a choice of two different bruschetta from their selection. classic, tangy vinegar marinated toppings on crispy bread. they were as good as they looked: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluepupae/3396909460/in/set-72157616007154301/

crostinis: chevre w/ dill, ricotta w/ olive tapenade, & mascarpone w/ sun dried tomato pesto - all were great creamy, soft cheeses paired with a salty and/or sweet spread on slices of crunchy french bread. photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluepupae/3396098083/in/set-72157616007154301/

artichokes, parmesan - fresh artichokes topped with parmesan and browned. photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluepupae/3396097327/in/set-72157616007154301/

estancia grass-fed beef burger - bacaro's version of a burger. a quality piece of juicy, smoky meat on a thick slice of toast with sweet carmelized onions, heaped with a creamy sauce with a slight kick. thank goodness i could eat it with a fork. photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluepupae/3396096455/in/set-72157616007154301/

i will definitely come back to try their vast, ever-changing selection of wines, cicheti and their sunday all you can eat steak special. for the quality of food and drink you get, this place is also a great deal, especially compared to what they charge at other restaurants for similar food. even the wine is reasonable.
5 - Susan C.: I am wholly impressed by the wine selection, the menu, the prices, and the overall vibe of this cozy little place.  

Hats off to you savvy mother fuckers is all I can say.  

Bacaro has great wines ranging from $5 to $10 a glass, all of which are rare or low production.  In addition to reds and whites they have sweet desert wines such as Moscato and port, pitchers of sangria, and also a small but tasty looking selection of draft and bottled beers.

For the first time in what feels like an eternity, I was pleased with every single dish that came to our table.  The dishes are small, so you can order a motley assortment of things:

-Bruschetta; a thick slice of deliciously crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside toasted bread, topped with your choice of tomatoes and basil, roasted garlic and balsamic, or a white bean concoction.  Favorite.

-Pan-seared scallops, leak, and butter sauce.  Favorite.  

-Butternut squash soup with creme fraiche.  Favorite.

-Mixed green salad with butternut squash and goat cheese.  (This was really good but there are limits to the excitement one carnivorous gal like me can feel towards leaves).

-Braised beef cheeks nestled in a bed of cheesy polenta.  Really good.

-Hanger steak.  **Note** this was good but  a little lackluster if only because it came with nothing else.  I recommend ordering some bread and cheese to go with it and you'll be good to go.  

-Mini-burger served on the same bread as the bruschetta and smothered in a fantastic sauce.  yum.

-roasted artichoke hearts with Parmesan (These poor guys came out last and compared to everything before them, they really never had a chance.)

On a final note, $25 Beefsteak Sunday?  Come on.  I haven't even been to that yet but who cares.  

Bacaro kicks ass.  No question.  No contest.
5 - Sam B.: great place = Cool interior, great beer, delicous tapas. Even their olive oil was amazing. Very low prices too. A must hit.
3 - Bill C.: I've driven by Bacaro many times and always wanted to stop in and try it.  I finally did.  I liked the casual ambiance.  The service was casual, pleasant, and welcoming, unlike most venues in Los Angeles.  The atmosphere was lively because all of the patrons were relaxed and enjoying themselves in this unpretentious environment.  I tried several of their different red wines by the glass.  I didn't think they were great.  Maybe it was my palate, but I was a little disappointed largely because I felt that it was a bit overpriced.  Given the location and the atmosphere, I was sort of hoping that I could get some wine and light fare for a reasonable price, but they charge 3rd Street prices.  So this is a mixed review.  I  liked the place, but I would probably make an effort to go back sooner if I didn't have to pay so much there.
5 - Kat B.: Two words: BEEFSTEAK SUNDAY.

Seriously---all you can eat and drink for $25? Deal. The ambiance is great, and despite the smallish size of the interior, Bacaro is a super awesome place to go with friends. My boyfriend and his friends live across the street, and it's definitely their #1 hangout spot---especially on Beefsteak days.

The food is delicious, and there's an ungodly amount of wine to choose from. I'm a wine junkie, so naturally, when I go to Bacaro I'm in heaven.

The staff is also really amazing.
3 - Brent S.: Strange location; however, decent wine-beer bar.

I went to their year anniversary (which was overcrowded but cheap) and got very loopy by help of a red wine from Portugal. :)
It's small, but cute and I'm sure but perfect for a small group to have a nice quiet night.

Wine selection and desgin very intriguing I must admit.  Diverse crowd, young USC students in sandals to mature wine affectionados.

Good overall.  Any place with flavorful wine is good in my book, but then again, I don't remember everything that night.  Good sign. :)
5 - michael w.: amazing. 
cozy little minimalist tapas bar.
italian tapas, small plates, $7 each of 3 for $19.
i went for the open face burger, (you HAVE to have it topped with a fried egg for an extra buck), hanger steak slices with lemon olive oil and roasted beets with goat cheese and fresh tarragon.
to endure the anticipation i got an old school german wheat beer from the city of muenster which my dad used to talk about: pinkus mueller.
dom had some fried polenta squares with sauteed eggplant, garlic and olives and there were a few plates of pan fried scallops floating around the table....hungry yet?
usc area, hoover and union...
4 - J W.: What an awesome little place! 

Hung out here with girlfriends tonight and we had such a great time! :D
The Burger, Scallops and Crostini were all a must-trys!

Normally, I am a love to taste but can't finish a glass type of wine drinker but tonight, I actually finished my glass of red wine for the first time!!! Kudos to myself :D Must be the right food, right atmosphere and right company.

Would love to return! the owners are your waiters and they seem really cool and friendly

o yeah.. this is another instance where I parked on the street two blocks away feeling lucky that I found a spot when in fact they have their own parking in the back  -___-
4 - Lauren W.: I was a little nervous about taking my boyfriend here for his birthday since I had never been, but I needn't have worried. It was fantastic.

We went for Beefsteak Sunday, which is the first Sunday of every month when for $25 per person you get all you can eat steak, potatoes, beer, and wine. They won major points with me because they were willing to bring me a cheese plate instead, since I'm a vegetarian. 

The cheese was awesome, and my boyfriend was very happy with the steak. This vegetarian was tempted to try it because it looked so good. They brought us a basket of just potatoes since I kept eating his. The meat and potatoes keep coming until you ask them to stop or until you fall off your stool, whichever happens first.

The wine was phenomenal, and they took the time to talk about it at each table. I wish I could remember what it was - the white was a Torrontes from Argentina in a cardboard eco-friendly "bottle'" and it was AMAZING. They brought us our own bottles of red and white, as well as beer. I was a happy and tipsy girl.

My only complaint is that we got seated a little late because the 5:30 crew was slow to finish and leave. When I do Beefsteak Sunday again, I'll go at 5:30 instead of 8. 

Great place, love the atmosphere, and the staff were fantastic. I think the two guys there were the owners, but I'm not sure. 

I can't wait to go back and try their regular menu. Highly recommend Beefsteak Sunday - grab some friends and go! It's family style, so don't be surprised if you're seated with other folks if there are just one or two of you.
5 - Nancy T.: My employer (STUHO Student Housing) frequently hosts events here and I always look forward to them. I don't know much about the prices because these events are always open bar, but I do know that everything is always good. I really wish I lived in the USC area and/or had any desire to be in this area on a Sunday, because the raves about Beefsteak Sunday are really piquing my curioisty.
4 - California G.: This place embodies everything I love about a small plates restaurant. The owners work there and it's small, quiet, and unpretentious - Not to mention a big bang for your buck. 

They have an excellent wine selection and one of your waitstaff can always make a great recommendation. Or do a tasting!!

I love that the plates are $7.00 a piece or 3 for $19.00. This enables you to order almost everything on the menu - and you should. 

I recommend the friend polenta squares with eggplant, the beet salad with goat cheese, the fried artichokes and definitely DO the Bacaro burger with Friend Egg!! 

Looking forward to coming back for more.
5 - Celestia A.: LOVE bacaro.
The place itself is pretty small, but that's part of what makes it great. The selection is pretty fantastic, and the owner's definitely know their stuff so ask them what they recommend! It's a great place to relax with a friend over a bottle of wine.
5 - Catherine B.: Being an SC student, I'm constantly looking for ways (and excuses) to get off-campus. Don't get me wrong, USC is great and I love every minute I spend here, but sometimes, you've just got to escape and retreat to (one of) your happy place(s) - the farther away, the better. I used to relish in sitting down at a restaurant far, far away from the hub of campus life, from the Row and from all of my classroom buildings, just to enjoy a glass of wine and unwind from my life within the Trojan bubble. Imagine my delight when I discovered that I could have the best of both worlds - this same feeling of escapism, without the hefty toll on my gas tank and wallet. That day, that was when I discovered Bacaro LA.

A stone's throw away from my cozy home north of the USC campus, Bacaro LA is truly in a class by itself, especially considering the (depressing) caliber of restaurants and establishments that surround it. This place is truly a breath of fresh air for foodies like me who prefer to savor a Thursday night by sharing a bottle of wine and delicately-crafted, Venetian-inspired small plates with a close friend or loved one, rather than sipping on mysterious "jungle juice," choking down shots of nameless liquor and ending my night with a tummy full of Jack in the Box "tacos" (apparently, no meat in these "meaty" tacos...). The first time I ever stepped foot inside Bacaro, the co-owner Daniel greeted us warmly and encouraged us to ask questions and explore his impressively cultivated menu that pulls from local artisans like BREADBAR (my personal favorite for all things bread), sustainable farmers and authentic, indigenous wines. While Bacaro is committed to using local ingredients, I really appreciate the philosophy behind their decision; using organic and sustainable products as often as possible, but particularly when the ingredients are the stars of the cichetti (tapas), the minds behind Bacaro strike the perfect balance between environmental consciousness and the reality of attempting to run an all-organic restaurant from the ground up.

One of the many great things about Bacaro is its versatility. I can take anyone here - my boyfriend, my parents, my best girlfriends - and have completely different, yet incredibly enjoyable experiences that leave my guests wondering, "Why haven't I come here before now?" and before you know it, they, too, instantly begin to formulate their own lists of companions to bring along on their next visit to Bacaro's small, dark and intimate setting. With no more than ten tables, Bacaro's ambiance softly whispers of sophistication that is neither stiff nor overly-serious. Rather, Bacaro fosters quality conversation, along with delighted outbursts at every first taste of the next tapas to come out of the back kitchen and always, always, the request for more little dishes than simply the three you ordered when you first sat down. Among my (numerous) favorites are: the crispy polenta squares with roasted market eggplant: the roasted rainbow beets with chevre and tarragon: the Gorgonzola, date, walnut, and orange honey-draped crostini; the hot artichokes with Parmigiano Reggiano; the pan-seared scallops with melted winter leeks and spicy crostini; and the very sinfully delicious nutella panino with strawberries. WHEW. If you think that sounds amazing, just wait until you cast your fascinated foodie-eyes on the sprawling wine list scrawled out in chalk on the far right blackboard of a wall. Along with tantalizing your tummy with advertisements of $1 nibbles like almonds, figs and apples, an assortment of fine cheeses, and baskets of tender, crisp slices of BREADBAR bounty, you'll find an impressive compromise between offerings by the glass and libations by the bottle from all around the world. Bacaro's special focus on Old World wines is a refreshing departure from the blase trendiness of Australian and New Zealand wines, and the friendly wine experts are more than heplful in helping you pinpoint what exactly you are hankering to enjoy with your over-indulgence in their sensational small plates.

But, don't just take my word for it. Give Bacaro a try soon (actually, now), and you'll be pleasantly surprised at your amazing dining and drinking experience at this dimly-lit, street-side wine bar. The more I go to Bacaro, the more often I go back, and naturally, the more people I introduce to Bacaro's refreshing, alternative offering on a Thursday or Friday night at a university known for its extremely localized night life. Each time I end my night at Bacaro, I promise them that I'll be back soon, and soon enough, there I am again, asking for wine recommendations and greedily eying every cichetti I cast my eyes upon. Maybe I've come with a new friend, maybe I've come looking for red wine instead of white, but one thing about my experience at Bacaro LA always remains the same: before I've even left, I've already decided that I'm returning soon, very soon.
5 - Elvis H.: Bacaro is charming
Bacaro is delicious
Bacaro is awesome.

This wine bar is pretty much down the street from my apartment at USC, and it's an excellent, excellent place to chill at after dinner. They have a good selection of wine which I am just starting to explore. For a small place, their menu is pretty big. For example, they have two different rosé wines from different regions...one more fruity, one more dry. You can have whatever you like!

For people that I take here, the cabernet sauvignon is usually a good pick since it's very accessible, and very solid. But really, nothing that I've tried here has disappointed.

I usually come after dinner-time when their kitchen is closed. Danny, one of the owners who is usually around at those hours, is a chill guy that is interesting to talk to and ask questions to. Both of the owners are USC alumni, and I get the feeling that they do this for the love of wine, food, and people. Which is good, because I love those same things!

As far as food goes, their cheese is pretty good. Personally, I think the brie stands out as borderline incredible. One time I ordered their burger to-go and drank a beer while I waited. For $7, I didn't really know what to expect. It came out open-faced and a little on the small side (since it is a small-plates type of place), but once I took a bite all was right with the world. It was so delicious!

Whenever I go, the parking is painless. And of course, the interior looks great. They list their menu on the walls made of chalkboard, and the ceiling is strewn with empty bottles. I like it a lot.

Highly recommended!
5 - O I.: My bf and I had a fabulous time at Bacaro last Saturday evening.  We got there around 7 and were the first people there.  It slowly started getting packed and by the time we left around 9, all the tables were taken up.  Keep in mind, there are only about 10 tables, and they each seat rougly 4 people but a lot of couples come in so it's 2 to a table which leaves little room left.  

ANYWAYS - our experience was thoroughly enjoyable.  We ordered 2 bottles of red wine and a bunch of food.  We had the scallops (a little too undercooked for my liking but I still gobbled it up), the panini with gruyere and tomatoes, and pesto basil (SO SO SO GOOD), 4 different cheeses which came with regular bread and then this yummy cranberry bread, the artichokes (delicious!), amd the bruschetta (a little too oily, I didn't eat this).  They have a great deal where you can order 3 dishes for $19.  By themselves, it's $7.  They serve it tapas style, which is awesome!

It's located by USC, but the neighborhood is a teeny bit sketchy for my taste.  I am told that they do have parking in the back but I'm not sure how big the lot is since we took the bus there.

The prices were great.  I think most of their bottles ranged from $25-$60, all afforable.  I got sooooooo wasted! 

We are definitely going back.
5 - Steven S.: An unpretentious delight! With a wine list that is individual and unique and small dishes (cichetti - the Italian tapas) that are delicious and inventive + pair perfectly with the wine.  Highly recommended for anyone in LA...
4 - Tanya H.: It's hard not to come to this place every day after work!  If you want to get away from the crowds, this is the perfect spot.  The wine by the glass selection is not as extensive as I would like, but there is always something new and delicious for everyone's palate.  They compliment the small dishes perfectly.  The menu is also small, but the food is spot on and flavorful.  The open-faced burger is consistently sublime.  Whether you're by yourself or with a couple of friends, you'll always leave there content with a smile.
3 - Shirls K.: Came on a Friday evening and both the owners were there. One was friendlier and more of a people-person than the other. 

After asking for recommendations, we ordered the following 6 cicetti dishes (3 for $19):

Lamb sliders - 3.5 stars 
Bacaro burger - 3.5 stars
Pan-seared scallops - 4 stars
Roasted rainbow beats -3.5 stars
Bruchette - 2 stars (too oily)
Grilled hanger steak - 3 stars 

It's a bit pricey for the portion. So, I would recommend dining here during happy hour - Mon-Thurs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 


Parking: Street parking in front of the restaurant and more can be found behind the restaurant.
4 - Ro S.: Happy hour goodness! This place is well worth it. 
I came here for a meeting a few weeks ago and it is quite lovely. The panini is wonderful. I wasn't blown away by the burger like a few other folks. The scallops are DELICIOUS! Our server suggested a white wine that perfectly complemented the flavor. And everything was $5 each for happy hour to boot! My kind of prices. 

The area is not that bad. It's mostly family and students. There is usually plenty of parking on the side streets and occasionally in front. The service is good and the atmosphere is laid back. It's just what the USC are was missing. The owner is an alumnus (Fight on!). Bacaro is just what this area needed. I didn't give it the 5th star because I was literally starving when I came for happy hour. I would have eaten my own arm but this food was a much better option. I will definitely go back, though, and I hope it tastes as good as it was the first time.
4 - Maria O.: First time there and felt like home. Laid back athmosphere, we weren't given the stink "smells-like-poors" eye you can get at some grand caca places. We had a bottle of moscato wine, the humboldt fog, camembert and other cheeses with figs and bread service. About $47 for 2. Good musical taste some of the milder stones and led zepplin stuff and some newer indie folks. If Bacaro was a person, I'd have goose bumps and good nights.
5 - Dennis R.: Love this place. The original "nice restaurant" in the area (and basically still the only one), Bacaro is a great place to come and eat really good food while slowly getting blitzed off of foreign wine.

Cool atmosphere, friendly staff, slightly pricey but well worth it. The menu changes seasonally, but everything I've had there is awesome. 

I should note that my relatives from upstate New York ordered the "steak" and the "burger", thinking they would get a good ol' American (pr. uh-MURR-a-cun) steak and burger, and flat out refused to touch their gourmet food when it got there as some kind of misguided protest, but that's basically a plus in my book.
4 - claudia g.: Stopped in for a bite and drink while my tire was being repaired up the road @ the 76 Station.
They were officially closed and having a wine tasting event for many local LA restaurants but were generous enough to allow me and my friend to stay and drink while they got ready to open up for dinner.
Food: Scallops 5 stars excellent- fresh and delicious
Friend had the hanger steak and enjoyed every bite 5 stars
The brushetta sampler and bread pudding 5 stars
Wine Selection is excellent and they have something for all budgets.

Overall their Vegetarian/Vegan options are very limited but what they have works and Service does not disappoint!

I'm looking forward to taking advantage of their 5-7p.m. happy hour
4 - Ben G.: I love this place. I am trying to think why I didn't give it five stars and I don't know what is stopping me. The food is aaamazing. The staff is very friendly, even the chef sometimes comes out and socializes. The wine list is fantastic. I don't eat the meat stuff but I've heard it's great and I can tell you that everything that I've eaten there has been terrific.
4 - Diana W.: Really charming little wine bar. It is authentically Italian in its simplicity and ease of comfort. Anyone can just walk right in this place, not knowing a thing about Italian wine, and enjoy a reasonably priced glass of something great. If one of the two owners are there, they are really knowledgeable about the wines and the waitstaff is pretty friendly and helpful as well.
The ambiance is great. There are a handful of small, hardwood tables that can easily be squished together for larger groups and the menu is cleverly written on their chalkboard wall. Take a look up at the ceiling next time you're there and check out the awesome wine-bottle-light-fixtures. 
Their brunch is banging. The selection is wide from braised beef cheek to a burger or just plain ol' grits. The last two times I went they offered sangria and a blood orange mimosa as the morning libation. Both were outstanding.
Also, be sure to visit the restaurant when they do Beefsteak Sunday. It's an all-you-can-eat-and-drink of wine/beer and steak and potatoes for $25. Does life get any better than that?!
4 - Josh F.: Another great place that is unfortunately located too far downtown for me to frequent. An interesting selection of wines and really good food. Especially if you go for their brunches(fried egg on top a burger is fantastic if you have a low cholesterol). It's a super cool, young, and hip place to check out. And it's owned and run by a young college grad. Not too shabby.
1 - John R.: I was very disappointed with the food here, it was unimaginative and bland.  The wine was awful.  My wife turned her red lacrima back for a beer (An IPA, which tasted dang good!).  The hamburger sits on toast and is covered in a strange gooey gravy.  The artisan cured meat plate was more like chorizo, some inferior prosciutto and tons of small pickles (cornichons).  Artichokes were drenched in cheese and tasted pretty good after the horrible red and mediocre white wine the waiter recommended.  This place was filled with high-falutin' USC students so I can't blame them for serving up crap to unwitting youth on endless bank accounts.    How can I get in on this business?!?

The Yelp 'questions' following my review look more suited towards a bar/club than a restaurant.   Live DJ, best nights to go?  Odd restaurant with a cool ceiling.  I actually hit a parked car leaving this place and just took off.  Hey it's a tough neighborhood!
4 - Nirali K.: It is great for USC students, right on hoover. It is not hard to find some street parking. It is a really cute place for a date or a night out with your girlfriends. They have a great wine and beer selection at reasonable prices.

The the food was awesome however it is not a place to go if you like a a big dinner. they have tapas style serving. So you need to order lot of dishes to be full. 

overall very young and trendy. I loved it !
5 - Amy L.: Bacaro is truly a hidden gem. The quirky community surrounding bacaro only adds to the eccentric nature of this wine bar. I just ate here last week and fell in absolute love with the new menu detailing several additional types of bruschetta as well as the specials for that evening. My boyfriend and I shared the jalapeno and brie pizza (omitted the bacon since I'm vegetarian) that was absolutely divine. The spices from the fresh slices of jalapeno added a nice pop to the creamy smooth taste of brie paired with a nice glass of hoopla. And my oh my..the bread pudding served a la mode with vanilla bean gelato was seriously... incredulous!! As soon as my boyfriend and I put one bite into our mouths... we looked at each other with bulging eyes as we couldn't believe just how amazing this bread pudding could possibly be. Everything about bacaro is wonderful, the excellent variety in distinct wines..the ever-so friendly and wise service ... and the ambience is cozy and intimate enough to lack intimidation while being chic enough for that la crowd. I LOVE YOU BACARO!!!
5 - Michelle H.: I don't know very much about wine but when i come here the the waiters are always super nice and helpful. They make sure that you fine something that you like that will go great with your meal. 

From their menu i definitely recommend the Crostinit. My favorite two combinations are fresh ricotta with the olive tapenade and the fresh goat cheese with sun dried tomato tapenade. I also LOVE their scallop dish. Their portions for that dish is really small but very very tasty. Craving meat? Then the open face burger with a fried egg is the way too go.

If you are fortunate enough to remember to go their on the first Sunday of the month though they are offer and all you can eat grilled hanger steak and roasted tomatoes are a delicious. That in combination with the all you can drink wine is definitely worth the $25. Also I had a vegetarian friend who doesn't drink and they gave her have an all you can eat cheese platter with unlimited soda instead for $15. So keep this in mind for dinner on Sunday with friends! (The place isn't very big so call before and make reservations for this special)
4 - Jasmine V.: Awesome little wine bar and the tapas are amazing (full roasted garlic cloves on cichetti, need I say more!).  Everything is written up on a chalk board wall but the waiters are very knowledgeable about their wines and can help you pair.  The portions are enough for two and we tried 6 different dishes on the menu, all very good.  

It's a small place (maybe seats 30) so you'll want to make reservations.  I called two hours before hand and they had a free table and put a reserved sign on it for me!  The vibe is just...chill... great food, good wine...nice crowd...never too loud... and you can sit for hours without being hassled.

Highly recommend the downtown gem.
4 - Victoria T.: This is a gem!  Hidden away in a little neighborhood near USC, this wine bar offers a sophisticated selection of wine, beers, and small savory dishes.  It is an excellent place to bring friends and co-workers and they have a great happy-hour!  The inside is small and funky, but it really has a great atmosphere.  Well worth visiting!
3 - Andrea L.: The food really redeemed this place for me.
Mostly my problem with Bacaro was the service. 
The server seemed inexperienced or frazzled or maybe he just had an off night.  Whatever was going on with him, the result was that he did several things badly. Most notable, he was simply inattentive. We had to flag him down to get anything done - order, get more water, get our food, get plates cleared. This is basic basic stuff that he just dropped the ball on. I don't really think that the issue was the amount of customers either as this place is tiny! He forgot to tell us about specials and handed us our bread after we'd finally asked for it after 20 minutes of waiting, along with all the main courses. Pacing is definitely an issue here.
Perhaps, the chefs had a hand in this too as we often waited a loooooong time for our food only to have multiple dishes come at once which just complicated things like table placement. 
However, the food is good. very good. though a tad salty. and even though you may think, especially as you're waiting and getting hungrier and hungrier, that the portions are not going to be large enough, it will turn out that the amount of food is just right. 
I went with 2 friends and we ordered about 8 dishes which ended up being 1 dish too many. While there were some dishes, I wish I'd gotten one bite more of, I did leave feeling very satisfied and after the final dish, an eggplant pizza,  left feeling stuffed. 
We had a group which saved us about $20 on the bill. Recommend the hangar steak, the burger and the pizzas. 
Bacaro is a very nice place with good food. but there are better places where I don't have to wait so long and can be treated better.
4 - Cresta R.: USC students...I envy you...

I envy you for the mere fact that Bacaro is so local to you

Downtown folks...get ready Bacaro is opening Mignon sooner than you think..

::sigh:: 

If I were to stumble on a lamp while hiking one of these days, I'd rub it till it's sparkling clean and wish for Bacaro to move to Glendale =)

Sundays~AYCE hanger steak and AYCD for $25
Mondays~Half off selected wine glasses

Plates $7 and 3 for $19 ~ Who said you couldn't enjoy good food during our recession obsession.

Share with Others (Some of the things I usually order)

BRUSCHETTE:
Heirloom tomato
Tuscan white bean
Dalia's open fire roasted bell peppers 

CROSTINI:
Fresh goat cheese, Balsamic endive marmalade
Mascarpone, Sun dried tomato Tapenade 

GRILLED PANINI (Gruyere, heirloom tomato and basil)

The bacaro burger

Pan-seared scallops

Deconstructed BLT

Grilled Hanger steak

Margherita Pizza

Gimme Sugar:
Bread Pudding!!

*I just completely advertised myself as a garbage can for food.

As for wine:  Bacaro has some pretty good and decent selection of wines...If you come across something you like, you might want to check out K&L for the bottle.
5 - Andrew S.: Really nice space, but small - call ahead for big parties. Service was okay - our server seemed a bit peeved throughout the evening. We weren't in a rush, and that's a good thing, because there was another large party there = log jam in the kitchen. 

The beer list was carefully-curated: two abbey ales on tap (Chimay and Affligem) and half a dozen bottles. Out of these I tried three. Skipped the Chimay because I have that pretty frequently. London Porter - a very drinkable stout. Raisin and chocolate overtones, with little aftertaste. Affligem - blonde belgium abbey ale, $4 for an 8-oz glass, bright with lemony overtones. Finally, the Pinkus - a large organic hef from Germany that didn't really do it for me. A little too syrupy with fruity (banana?) overtones. 

Caprese salad was really made special by the tomatoes -- I'm a big tomato fan, and these were the most flavorful and succulent ones you could imagine. The hanger steak was more rare than the medium-rare I requested, but that was just fine because I usually say medium-rare just to avoid truly bloody steak. It was excellent. 

I'd definitely go back. Nice place for a night out. Could be quiet or loud, depending on the crowd.
5 - Gordon C.: a small random place but AMAZING - i didn't really order the wine but next time i will. the tapas style small plates were seriously incredible. Each one kept getting better. Very close to USC. Part of me wants no one to know about this small place because its soo good. But the other part of me wants them to do really well because the one owner i met was a really great guy. 
Go to this place ASAP
3 - Carla P.: "um... baby, turn around. you're garlicky."

This might be a nicer version of what we muttered in our sleep last night after our light din din at Bacaro. But please, don't let our subsequent upset stomachs/breath deter you from their attributes.

- My favorite part was the intimate atmosphere. It's small and the tables and benches (+ wine) foster the whisper-sweet-nothings-and-reach-across-and-touch-me date quality. :-) Also, they had an eclectic soundtrack, including Calaveras y Diablitos by Fabulosos Cadillacs.
- Their wine list is on the chalkboard wall. Can't decide it that's a good thing.
- Their menu is almost entirely tapas style which is fun because you can try different things. Perfect for the indecisive type, especially at 3 for $19.
-We had the:
artichokes - yummy 
bruschette w/tomato and garlick - decent
spinach/mozarella panini - tasty
bread pudding w/ice cream - awesome!
- Plus, they're close to home. Closer than the downtown joints 5-10 minutes away and way closer than Hollywood, or even Culver City.

Overall, I want to go back in heels and have a couple more glasses of wine. Then sober up and drive home responsibly, of course ;-)
5 - Risa Y.: Every first Sunday of each Month @5:30PM and 8:00PM, Bacaro has their AYCE, AYCD menu called "Beefsteak Sunday" for $25 a person. It's all you can eat grilled hanger steak, bread, butter, and roasted market potatoes with all you can drink red wine and beer.

This past Sunday was Octoberfest Sunday.  It was $35 a person, but they added bratwurst sausage and sauerkraut.  Bratwurst was awesome~ but honestly, it wasn't worth the extra $10 per person.  But I am not taking a star away for it because it was a great promotion and the sausages were awesome!

The plates of beefsteak and bratwurst came with sliced bread and potatoes.  They probably do that to fill you up but they didn't seem to care if we didn't finish the bread.  In the beginning we ate all the bread thinking that we were supposed to lol~ but out of 8 plates that we devoured between 4 people, we stopped eating the bread around plate #4.

I would definitely come back for another Beefsteak Sunday.  The beefsteaks were cooked perfectly medium rare, seasoned just right and they were SO DELICIOUS.  And you got the AYCD beer and wine?  I'm going again in November! Who's down!??!
5 - Kid F.: Talk about not judging a book by its cover. This place is truly a hidden gem given its location near USC in a pretty nondescript block. However, once you step inside you are transported to a world of great food and drink. 

The food is served essentially tapas style and quite tasty (my favorites are the hanger steak and bacaro burger with egg).  Their "Beefsteak Sunday" events (first Sunday of each month generally) is a definite must- all you eat steak and all you can drink wine and beer.

An added plus is that the service is really good. They really go out of their way to make sure that you have everything you need to make the experience enjoyable.
5 - Peggy K.: A friend of mine forwarded an email about a sparkling wine they feature called "The Black Chook".  Being that I'm a champagne-lover, I had to try it!  The 'chook' was great, as promised...and so were the Bacaro burger and cauliflower dish I had.  And, the Monday night prices - 1/2 price glasses and $5 menu items 5-7p- made it that much better!  Cannot wait to go back and try more menu items (all sound fantastic!).  Can't say enough about the place - easy parking, attentive service, delicious food, reasonable prices, pleasant atmosphere....okay, I'll stop.  Check it out, you wont be sorry!
4 - Jaclyn S.: 4.25 stars

Yesterday I came here for the second time and it was just a perfect end to my day. During happy hour the small plates are just $5 each so my friend and I split three of them to share and got glasses of rose wine as well ($6.50). 

The atmosphere is dim and relaxed... big black chalkboards, skinny wooden tables. It feels divey but simultaneously manages an effortless chic. The long narrow room has a coziness that lends itself well to romantic dates but also rambling and lively chats with a small group of friends. When I came here previously for my birthday we had squeezed in 12 or 14 people at one table but I don't recommend you try it unless you're all about sitting shoulder-to-shoulder, hip-to-hip. 

Anyway, back to yesterday. We sampled parmesan artichokes (served warm, could have eaten an entire bowl of them), cauliflower florets in a chipotle sauce (intriguing but best in small doses), and three crostini (goat cheese and dates, always a good combo). We enjoyed our wine, which was clean and mildly fruity and the perfect amount of tart. 

And then I looked up at the chalk board and saw that under the cheeses was a listing for 'humboldt fog' - a goat cheese that the website for Murray's cheese describes as like 'biting into a cloud.' Instantly I was sold. So we had to get that too. It came w/ two different kinds of bread and was delightful.  

So why not 5 stars? Portions are a wee bit small and seating needs to be improved. But in terms of options around the USC area, I think this place is going to be a fave.
5 - Hyerim L.: I've always been meaning to check out this place since USC's newspaper The Daily Trojan advertised it, and since BlackboardEats.com had a special promo for 30% off it was perfecto.  My friend and I came with seriously empty tummies and excited by all the wonderful Yelp reviews.

Due to blasted traffic we were running 30+ minutes late, but I called in and they very sweetly kept the "reserved" sign on our table even though there were people waiting and standing around.  The place makes me feel like I'm in New York - its small size and narrowness, the decor (loved the bold dark emerald wall!),  the chill atmosphere, the loudness of people talking and glasses and silverware... totally takes you away from south central.  There were two guys waiting and serving, but my only complaint about this place is that there were loads of people and they seemed a little frazzled with the amount of people to deal with.  We had to wait quite a bit for them to take orders, and they didn't come around once to check on how we were doing.  

Now onto the food.  We went during happy hour ($5/plate) and on a Monday (1/2 off wine), so I was ready to FEAST.  Started off some pinot noir and pan-seared scallops, which was tasty and really unique.  The scallop itself was ginormous, and the sauce + corn + tomatoes were hot while the scallop itself was a bit colder.  Why did they do that?  Felt a bit weird to me biting into the tomato, expecting it to be cold but almost burning my tongue on all the boiling juice inside.  Eek.  But delicious nonetheless and I especially loved the creamy sauce.  The grilled hanger steak was good too, I love the little rock salt sprinkled on it but that was a bit cold also.  Hmmm.

The white pizza was yummy also, but of course that's because there's bacon on it.  And bacon just makes everything taste better.  The garlic pizza is reminiscent of something that'd be served at the Stinking Rose, so be warned that while it's savory and delicious and the garlic melts like buttaah in yo mouf... you will leave with a breath that will be smelled for miles around.

Lastly, we had the goat cheese, mascarpone, and gorgonzola crostinis.  Goat cheese was meh, mascarpone was my favorite with the sun-dried tomatoes.  Good for someone like me who doesn't like heavy cheeses.  On the other hand, this was the first time I've had gorgonzola cheese and it was no bueno... I totally had a moment similar to Anton Ego when he tasted that ratatouille and had a childhood throwback.  But when I tasted that gorgonzola, I was transported back to the New England colonial reenactment villages I visited as a kid, and the gorgonzola smell/taste matched the inside smell of those rank houses.  Ugh.  Clearly not my thing.

Gorgonzola aside, I loved the food, price, ambience, and service here.  I'm definitely coming back for the famous beefsteak Sunday!  This place and the Ragazzi Room right next door are some of the few legit places worth visiting right around the USC campus.  This adds to the already too-long list of reasons why I wish I was still going to school... :(
4 - Ahmad S.: Alright where do i begin with this little gem near USC.  So we decided to hit this spot up on a Monday (1/2 off booze all night)  for happy hour ($5 plates from 5-7pm). Went with 2 friends.  We found a table immediately, no wait....always a good thing.

I asked our server (also the owner) what he recommended for a crisp fruity white...I cant remember the name of what he brought out, but 4 glasses later, I'd have to say, he chose well.

The food is all small portions (tapas style).  We each ordered 2-3 small plates and just shared it all. Everything is super delish.  
We started with what sounds like a simple (Estancia grass-fed)burger.  Quite the contrary friends.  About the size of a white castle burger but oozing (literally) with all sorts of yummy toppings/flavors.  The table behind me even asked us what this explosive looking dish was. We liked the Bacon Brie pizza (perfect mix of flavors) over the Margherita (not bad, just didn't compare to the burst of flavor that came from most of the other plates.)

Im an east coaster and this joint reminded me of those small eateries in the Village.  The kinda gem that the locals know and frequent but rarely ever let any outsiders in on.

We all hands down left feeling good about dinner, drinks, prices, ambiance.  3 of us put down $30 each.  If you are looking for a place off the beaten path to hang with a couple people and just talk and drink and nibble and hang with other 20-somethings, I highly recommend it.
4 - marlon e.: After eating at Papa Cristo's me and my friend weren't so happy about it so we end up going here.

According to my friend this is what we got.

Spicy Eggplant Pizza with smoked pepper sauce and goat cheese, Roasted Garlic Pizza, Pan Seared Scallop on a corn, cherry tomatoes, chive sauce, Open faced burger (grass fed beef) with some kind of sauce on it and grilled onions, Bruscette topped with roasted garlic and another topped with fire roasted red peppers

And i had 3 different dark beers. Sadly i left drunk and drunk texting.... 

wtf was i thinking?
4 - barbara b.: I love the tapas!  The open faced burger was juicy, the bruschetta garlicy, and the cheeses smelly.  If you split a couple things with friends, it's truly affordable.  

My only issue is that if you don't know much about wine or cheese, you might be kinda lost.  Some restaurants bring out a cheese cart and explain what everything is.  Here, they just have the names of cheeses written on a board and you just have to guess at what you might like.  I lucked out in that I liked my cheese but my friend didn't care for it so that left me with a chunk of goat cheese to eat on my own.
5 - Love C.: D E L I C I O U S

... and at $7 a plate or 3 plates for $19, you can afford to go all the time - if you feel you're not gonna get shot at on the way there, of course!!

white pizza - bechamel sauce, bacon, scallions... 7 inches of pleasure... (uh-huh.. yeah... not quite like THAT... but pretty close)... this was fantastic.  the crust is thin and light. 

crostini (pick 3) - little crispy slices of heaven... i mean toast - the goat cheese with the balsamic endive marmalade was my favorite, however, the mascarpone and sundried tomato one was excellent too... the flavors went well together... and the gorgonzola with honey and dates was like a dessert... i have yet to try the ricotta with olive tepenade... that's next.  

artichokes - all hearts.  omg.  and they give you a bunch.  marinated in olive oil and lemon and perfectly delicious!

scallops with sweet corn - my 2 scallops were cooked perfectly and sauteed in a light, tasty broth with sweet corn.  soooo good!

cauliflower - i don't eat cauliflower but tried this because for some reason, it looked like calamari to me and it was surprisingly good!  and super spicy!

the burger with egg - this was my friend's... but it was extremely juicy and bursting with flavor... the egg was a nice touch too!

cute, small place... probably not the best for big groups... 

service is good - the 2 USC alumi / owners were there taking orders and serving people... and stand behind everything on the menu.  

sweetest part was that the 30% off coupon we got via email from blackboard eats... and yes, of course we tipped on the original amount.  

i can't wait to go back and try the steak and their bread pudding... which they were out of that night.  bummer it's so freaking far for me!
.
4 - Melissa Y.: Great food, great wine and great service - this place is a little gem!  I loved the wine bottle ceiling and the chalkboard wall.  Cozy ambiance...

I came here with 3 others so we had to order several of the 3 for $19 combos, but it didn't turn out too pricey surprisingly.  We ordered two bottles of red wine - I particularly liked the one from Portugual, but unfortunately I can't remember what it was called...

We started of with 3 different crostinis: fresh ricotta w/ olive tapenade; gorgonzola, dates and walnuts with orange honey; and marscapone and sun-dried tomato tapenade - all very good, especially the marscapone!  We also tried the bruschette - heirloom tomato and roasted garlic w/ basil pesto (didn't care for the garlic one, but the tomato was good)

After drinking cuttting the crostinis and bruschette into 4 little pieces - we had to order more!  

The Bacaro Burger - really delicious!  except it wasn't served on a burger bun, it came on 2 pieces of a thick toast bread.  The sauce surround it was so yummy and i loved the fried egg on top.

Pan seared Scallops - This dish was good, it came with a mixture of corn and tomatoes bui they should leave out the "s" at the end - there was only ONE scallop!

White Pizza and Roasted Eggplant pizza - The White Pizza was mouthwatering!  Every bite you could feel the cheese and bacon melt into your mouth...MMM I'm salivating just thinking about it again!  The roasted eggplant was OK - I guess it was not as tasty after following the white pizza!

I definitely would recommend making reservations  - it's a small restaurant and gets pretty crowded.  Also - be prepared to order 2 or 3 of everything if coming with a big group - portions are small!  Otherwise, I think this place is perfect for two  :)
5 - Kate F.: 1) awesome ambiance, great musical taste, cozy
2) walking distance from USC
3) GREAT FOOD
This is the kind of place I was hoping to find near campus - student-budget friendly, hip, fun, and delicious. The crostini are incredibly tasty, especially the belgian endive marmalade one. Their pizzas are delicious, and when I went there was a special mussel dish that was freaking incredible. 
My boyfriend and I aren't huge eaters, and with three dishes and some baguette we left, not stuffed, but totally satisfied. 
and the bill was under $30!!

be warned, on the weekends it can get crowded and its SMALL!
4 - Jessie M.: Finally got to try their famous Bacaro open-faced burger with a fried egg. Everything I expect it to be. Can't wait to get over there for happy hour and order about 20 of them. Also had the hanger steak, crostini (marscapone was the best) and the chipotle cauliflower which were both excellent. The chipotle sauce definitely has a kick and isn't for the faint of heart. Don't worry, it's all vegetarian too, it kinda tasted like bacon which freaked out the veggie eater with us for a few minutes. It was funny watching his smile slowly fade into a terrified grimace of sorts. I love freaking out the vegetarians.
3 - Enjella L.: To sum it up - A comfortable, laid back neighborhood wine bar with good food.  A little too dark though and chilly inside. 

Peep them: 
Bacaro Burger - an open faced heavy burger with a creamy sauce drizzled all over it on a piece of brick toast. I thoroughly enjoyed this burger.  No cheese on this burger or needed for that matter because it is so flavorful. 

Croque Monsieur - the special for the night. Very salty. Also served atop a slick of brick toast. Fried egg - $1 extra. 

Roasted Eggplant Goat Cheese Pizza - Spicy and dry. I felt like I was eating a dry Celeste pizza with dried up hot sauce over it. I did not enjoy and had to force myself to finish a slice. 

Butternut Squash - there's butter in there alright, but can I taste some squash? It might as well have been called butter soup. That is all. 

Panini - Pastrami, Mushrooms, and Mozzarella. So salty that it made me pucker. It was good but greasy. The bread had a good crunch from the grill. 

Beaujolais - very light and refreshing. 

I really did like the food, but for entirely different reasons, I am debating whether to give this place another chance.  Hmf.

Location - might be hard to find via GPS or mapquest becase it's on Union Ave and 24th street where the street is in the shape of a  triangle.  

Parking - street
3 - Sandy L.: Wine bar and tapas!!! YUMMM...kinda.
The food was yummy but they could've kicked back on the salt. Do they do that on purpose so that you drink more??? WTH.
Cute lil cozy spot, good for a small..I said SMALL!!! (3-5)group of friends or a 2nd date spot. Their bruschetta were yummy, all of them...really oily but eh..drink more wine you'll forget about it.
They took FOREVER for a simple ham panini and their burgers to come out. I though they went out to catch a cow and make it fresh from the back. -_- took THAT long. but it's ok...we drank away. 
Scallop cream corn soup thing...skip it. Salty...but drink more wine and you'll forget about it.  Some type of the goat cheese they recommended really kicked my ass...smelled foot everywhere after I took a lil nibble of it. PHEW!!!!
4 - Helen K.: I came here last night for the AYCE Beefsteak Sunday for $25. The place is small, cozy and cute. I love the wine bottles they have decorated on the ceiling. We started off with some wine while waiting for L & A to arrive... It's awesome that you not only get AYCE beef but AYCD red or white wine as well. If the wine was not included, I doubt this place would do as well for this event... cuz cmon, you can get AYCE korean bbq for 10-15 dollars, right?

Anyways, the meat was delicious, but the potatoes were quite salty. The bread, lets face it, is just there to fill up space in your tummy. I'd definitely recommend Bacaro esp for beefsteak Sundays. It's a great deal for those who can put FOOD and ALCOHOL away.
4 - BeBe D.: Really cute & cozy spot in LA. Its a bit hard to find yet worth trying out!
A small group of us had a few appetizers & some glasses of Red wine... obviously they specialize in Italian yet had a great French wine.
Great place for a date or significant other ;)
5 - kristen p.: the food here is amazing.  you would never think that a hamburger could taste this good.  every entree i had was delicious!  what stood out was the scallops, hamburger, steak, and cheese plate.  lots of wine to choose from, but they are in another language so i just randomly chose one.  small quaint little place and decorated with wine bottles on the ceiling.  you could walk right past it and not even know it was there.  it is the perfect place for a date or even a birthday party.   highly recommended.
5 - Andrew O.: Bacaro LA a great little hideout near downtown and USC. 

Food: Small tapas rule this place. Expect small portions packed with flavor. I always order bread to keep me sated after too many sips of wine.  I recommend the bruschette, paninis, and caprese salad. 

Service: The service is usually good and they remember you after a few visits. Very knowledgeable and will do their best to get you waht you need. A for effort. However, the last time I was there a couple actually walked out because they didn't get service....I didn't know what was up with that. 

WIne & Beer: They have an awesome list of imported beer. I personally recommend the Fischer. Not only are the bottles awesome to play with, but its smooth and crisp. If you want some new, exotic, and exquisitely dark try the Xangu from Brazil. So every visit warrants a new taste of a new wine. I usually ask for a recommendation, but they let you taste some wines before making a decision. HOwever, if you are lucky (sine the seem to ALWAYS run out) order a glass or beter yet a bottle of their Tintero Moscato. Absolutely sweet and delicious. My friends and I liken it to sugar in a cup. It's just a super fun drink. I've ordered too much of this wine in my lifetime. Also Monday's are half off all glasses. So it's simply a steal!

Atmosphere : Quaint. It's hip and cool and some people get stylish when they go, but totally not necessary. Above you is a wine bottle stained glass light fixture, which you don't notice at first, but realize it mid way through the night (it took me 3 visits to realize it). The huge chalkboard wall displays the wine list and maybe even a sketch or two of one of the workers. 

Overall: Great place. Very small, but I never had to wait. If you come in a group come early or try to get lucky. People are friendly and conversations come freely. Worth any drive or casual drop-by if you are in the area.
4 - Ris A.: I'm definitely a fan of Bacaro L.A. My only complaint was that the food is a tad bit to salty, but other than that it's a great place to visit.  It's really convenient for usc students, such as myself, to go to and hang out with friends.  They serve the perfect amount of food.  My friend and I ordered and shared the three appetizers for $19.  We were full by the end of the meal.  One thing to keep in mind-you might want to make a reservation in advance.  This place has limited seating and gets crowded pretty quickly.
5 - Jill R.: Great place for a bottle of wine and tapas. Great owners who pay real attention to their patrons. Can be a bit loud during the school year but absolutely the best place to be during summer and winter break. Highly recommended! Great prices too.
4 - Anita I.: I love the atmosphere in here!  The decor and overall vibe  of this cozy little restaurant has a rustic urban feel with the chalkboard menu on the wall, the wine bottles hanging over your head, as well as the wooden tables.  I made reservations here for a party of 4.  It took awhile for us to get seated, but the service is awesome!  There was a man bickering with the owner? about how he got here first so he should get the table... but we made reservations at 7 so of course the table goes to us.  hmm..  I'm not really sure what restaurants he goes to that seat him before another patron who had made reservations.  any who, the food is amazing.  My favorite of the night was definitely the pan seared scallops.  You will most definitely want to order one for each person because its that good!  If only I knew the recipe for it!! They have an awesome 3 plates for $19 which is a pretty good deal! The burger was okay.  Actually our burgers came last, so i was super stuffed by the time it arrived, I only took one bite and seriously could not eat anymore!!  The only problem with the tables i have is that they are tiny!  so we had to eat kinda fast so we could make room for the rest of our dishes!! I love the beer they have on tap.  I tried both, but don't remember the name unfortunately.  I'd recommend coming here with a very small group or else be prepared to wait quite awhile! 

ps.  They need to fix their front door.  it keeps breaking!!!
5 - Ashley H.: YUM YUM YUM! NOM NOM NOM! 

that was me last night hahaha my friend and i ordered the bacaro burger (w/ the egg...amazingness), the scallops (loved the bacon & brussel sprouts w/ the balsamic reduction), the bacon and brie pizza (do i need to explain why its so delish!?!?), the honey thyme chicken (eh not my fav), hanger steak (eh again), and the caprese salad (WHICH I LOVED! they ran out of basil pesto, but simple basil is perfect for me) 

i will definitely go back...hmm maybe tonight for happy hour :]
5 - aldo b.: Amazing. 

Had a little Reserved sign at our table to make us feel welcome and a little VIP-ish (as silly as it sounds). 

Had the Scallops (AMAZING), Bruschetta (the garlic/pesto was yummy), Prosciutto, Artichokes, and the Eggplant Pizza (awesome with a nice little kick). Everything was awesome and delicious.

Service was great, the Chianti our waiter recommended was yum, and my Fischer beer was perfect. 

Definitely a good meal. A+++++++++ Will come back again!
4 - Nick W.: Excellent food.  Pleasant decor. I wish they had more comfortable seating, but otherwise it's a really great restaurant.  And in a part of town where the next best thing is Denny's...
5 - Alexander M.: Amazing USC wine and tapas bar - hopefully a sign of things to come for South Central. When I lived around the corner on 24th Street, this was our go-to place for a fun, chill night of endless wine and delicious food. The proprietor is a recent USC Marshall alum, and started Bacaro as a way to help fill the gaping shortage of food and nightlife options around campus. Because it's in a small space almost a mile from campus, it hasn't yet cemented its position in the collective USC psyche. But in the last 2 years I have witnessed a huge surge in student awareness and patronage. They even won "Best Wine Bar" by the readers of LA Magazine. The decor is genius - wine bottles stuck to the ceiling, long communal tables of lacquered wood planks, and a (very extensive) menu scrawled in chalk on one huge wall-cum-blackboard. While there is a bar in the back, the place is small enough that waiter service is reliable. Bacaro refuses to carry popular wines from traditional locales, so you can forget about that Rhine valley cab or Napa zin. Instead you'll be treated to an ever-changing selection from places like Croatia or Argentina. Also the bottle beer, which isn't their specialty, is quirky and surprisingly good. The food deserves a whole 'nother review entirely. While the price-to-portion ratio might be prohibitive of a full dinner, each small dish complements the drinks wonderfully. There are open-top burgers, crostini, mixed root vegetables, and bread/cheese plates. There is a discount if you order three. Beefsteak Sundays are also unbeatable. $25 might seem like a lot, but unlimited wine, beef, and french bread is hard to pass up. 

It will be a long time before I find a comparable bar.
5 - vanessa c.: I absolutely love this place! The food is fantastic and the price is "just right"! But even better than the wine and culinary side of Bacaro LA is the customer Service!!! Danielle (one of the servers) is simply great. She knows the menu, wine selection, and is always welcoming.
4 - Darin L.: I wish this place was around when I was still in school - I would be a regular. A wine bar and tapas place food utilizing local, organic ingredients is not something you would expect in the USC area...but it should be! 

On this night, we tried:
"noa's" cauliflower
Artichoke hearts
Grilled panini with cheddar and mushrooms
Bacaro burger
Grilled hangar steak
Roasted garlic pizza

Some of the highlights were the cauliflower - a little spicy and creamy from the chipotle aioli, balanced by the mixed greens; Bacaro burger - served open face with caramelized onions, slices of cherry tomatoes and an aioli; artichoke hearts - tender and flavorful with golden brown parmiggiano reggiano on top.

The pizza was also good, with a very nice crisp thin crust. The only thing that was disappointing to me was the hangar steak. It was a good portion of beautifully-cooked meat, but it was rather tough. Too bad.

I do recommend checking this place out in you're in the USC area. It's really a welcome and needed addition to the dining scene, and I hope it inspires other eateries of its caliber to open up in the area.
4 - Daphney B.: Grilled panini, glass of Tintero and great atmosphere. 

Very close to USC, so it was the go to spot for me and friends in my cohort. The owners are great and helped us out for an event. The food is good-you have the option of small snacks or eating enough to leave full. Great seating for a group of chatty friends to enjoy bottles of wine. Parking is somewhat tough because of the surrounding area. Get there early and don't walk too far.
4 - Stephanie W.: Adorable place with yummy eats in the middle of a not so great neighborhood.  I was looking for a place to meet my Westside friend somewhere near downtown and fellow Yelper Peggy K. recommended this little gem.  Lots of unusual wines to pick from and their small tappa like dishes are good to share.  We had to wait for a table on a Tuesday night around 7 pm, but as soon as a table freed up they sat us right away.  Service was super friendly, but once a big party arrived, our waitress got busy and ignored us for a while.  The other waiter stepped in helped us the rest of the night. The roasted garlic pizza has been my favorite eat so far!  Huge cloves of garlic topped the perfect crust and light layer of cheese. If you can get there earlier (5-7pm) they have a better deal on the food.  For 2 of us, we shared 4 dishes and a dessert, and both had a glass of wine, and the bill was about $45.  Not bad for a fun little meal in a fun little place!
5 - Diana K.: This place is adorable - it was the first and most memorable meal I've had in LA. My best friend had just picked me up from the LAX airport and straight to Bacaro we went. Admittedly, it's located in a sketchy part of town, but the restaurant is truly a diamond in the rough. It's got a homey hole-in-the-wall feel to it; though clearly, the food surpasses the quixotic standards of one.

It's tapas style, so you get to taste a little bit of a lot of things. I think we ordered about 5 plates between the two of us - everything, and I mean everything, was delightful. The food paired nicely with the house wine and the setting was cozy and intimate, so we got to catch up and had a terrific time; great conversation, which was undoubtedly fortified by the food and relaxed setting.

The bartender, who was also our waiter (who doesn't love a multi-tasker?), was extremely informative and helpful - everything he recommended was top-notch. The scallops, hangar steak and bacaro burger were my top 3 favorites. The food also came out fairly quickly and in good pace (2 plates at a time). We were both stuffed at the end, but not to the point that we were going to regret our meal in any way.

I can't sing enough praises about this place - Love, love, LOVED IT.
3 - Sandra V.: My friend and I had a good time at Bacaro last night. I work in the area, and I'm glad Bacaro exists as a nice, cozy, after-work spot with good food, good value and friendly service. 

That's sufficient for a one-line review. After all, what more can one ask out of an experience than that a good time was had by all?


Bacaro was solid on all points--food, service, ambiance. Their menu is split into two main categories:  vegetables and dishes that are some combination of meat/cheese/bread. We ordered a couple of each--the beets and the cauliflower, the bacon/brie pizza and the crostini combo with gorgonzola and dates, mascarpone with sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese with endive marmalade.

Everything was good but not particularly memorable. The veggies were a tad too salty for my taste, but the cauliflower, spiked with some kind of spice, had a healthy kick. Also, the gorgonzola/date crostini doubled as a nice piece of dessert. 

My only complaint was the size of the plates. I get that it's a tapas bar, essentially, but were it not for the $5-a-plate happy hour price, I would have felt a bit ripped off by our portion size.

On the wine-side of things, we stuck to two lighter reds, the names of which, pardon me, I cannot remember. One was a syrrah and the other was ........ something else. They were definitely drinkable, but the syrrah was better.
5 - Ryan N.: I visited this place in November of 2009.  I loved the atmosphere and the food was great.  Small plates and fairly expensive for what you get, but I felt it was worth it.  I recommend the olive plate.  I would definitely go back.
3 - Megan C.: It has to be said. I was sent an apology letter based on my last review. THE VERY NEXT DAY! Now that's costumer service. I really appreciate such kind attention.
4 - Anthony T.: 4/2009
Let's just say that it is amazing the 6 of us made it out alive and I am here willing and able to blog about our shenanigans. Last night was Bacaro LA's first anniversary party and lordly was it packed. The party was scheduled to start at 5:30. Anthony and I arrived at around 7:30. We waited for about 20 minutes before the rest of our party (Derek, Eddie along with friends Timmay and Red Vern) rolled through. The wait wasn't too long, doorman was courteous. As soon we received our little pinky tattoos we stepped in and line-danced our way directly to the bar. It was open bar you see, so all you can allllllll niiiiiiight long. Immediately the 6 of us started double fisting beers and wines. Making it to the bar was the easy part but no one had forewarned us of the danger that was taming an empty stomach. The "all-you-can-eat" specials of cut up paninis and hummus topped french bread chips were in short order. The kitchen underestimated how desperate and wolf like humans can be when they are inebriated and are in dire need of munchies. Luckily we were able to secure a look out post in very close vicinity of the kitchen door and window. We then proceeded to bribe the chefs in hopes of landing a bite to satisfy our aching taste buds.

Many burnt palates later we managed to score a large bottle of free wine and as a result continued our journey to plastered. Soon enough our watches were rearing 11:00 and our tummies were pointing to fool so we decided to step outside for a bit before heading out. From this point on lets just say our two most inebriated guests (Eddie and Vernan) then insisted on establishing a friendship with the nice man who lived above the restaurant. They then preceded to discover what was behind the nice man's "Mystery Door." The adventure of "Mystery Door" took about one hour to solve. We then decided to move our party back to the South Bay because Eddie tried to eat a clear plastic cup five consecutive times.

All in all, Bacaro was a very cute/quaint little place. Line bottles line the ceiling and their right wall is a big black chalkboard. We were disappointed that all they offered were a few sandwiches and french bread crackers. But I do believe that we might return to try out the rest of their menu or at least hit up their all-you-can-eat hanger steak on Sundays. (Open bar included)
5 - brooke h.: GREAT unpretentious neighborhood wine bar just a few blocks from USC.  Good atmosphere, crowd is mostly students, grad students, low key middle class intellegensia 20-somethings.  Nice bar staff.

Choose your wine from the chalkboard menu-- also has tapas to compliment.

Excellent wines, good prices, reasonably easy parking considering the neighborhood.  Yes the hood is sketchy, so watch your back.

If only I'd have found them before I graduated from USC!  Perfect place to meet up for a drink, or bites with friends.  

Went on a Saturday-- only complaint is it's a little small-- so they run out of room on the busy nights and you might have to wait a while (30 min+) for a seat if you don't make a reservation.  Also-- not really chairs at the bar-- only tables with chairs.
5 - Meena V.: Amaaaaazing! -- but I've got to admit I found myself wondering what exactly was going on with the neighbourhood/ if I was really, really lost when I got there -- especially given how dark the place looks from the outside.

But no-fear, this is a fabulous, fabulous dining establishment tucked away in a just fine neighbourhood. Granted, you have to parallel park, and I won't recommend jogging around here at 3AM -- but come on, guys. Perspective.

Now on the to the food -- really, really good, and shockingly moderately priced! I (unreasonably hungry) met up with two (also ravenous) girlfriends here on a weeknight, and despite eating till we couldn't anymore, the check was less than $60! For some really interesting, off-the-beaten path small plate dining, this is a STEAL!

Wine list is mostly Old World for bottles, with a couple (apparently rotating) glass (CA/ WA/ OR) picks -- and super great deals on half-off Monday nights. DAMN I wish I lived closer!

Also, extremely vegetarian friendly -- I've got a vegetarian's trained eyes, and don't even pick up on the meaty options, but even my co-diners ended up picking all veggie options all meal, without even meaning too. Granted we got two orders of the beautiful roasted garlic bruchetta and carried the faint aroma with us for the next few days -- but so, so worth it!

So here's what you do -- get a glass of wine, plan on waiting (yes, even on a weeknight). Eat slow, get a few plates at a time, and share -- you'll order a couple times. And love it.
5 - Lily H.: I absolutely love this place. Great wine selection and perfect atmosphere.

It's best to go with a few friends and order a bunch of things like crostinis, bread with artisan cheeses, almonds, cornichons and cured meats. 

all of it is so delicious! make sure to order the pizzas- they are to die for! I usually finish one by myself so keep the portion size in mind. The burger is my favorite for the main courses- i'd skip the scallops. 

BREAD PUDDING!!!! RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME.

fin.
4 - Edith R.: Great new local place.  Felt like I was in San Francisco once I was sitting inside.  Got the 3 cheeses + olives, if it's any sign for how the real food is, I'm excited to go again!   Definitely dark from the outside, but go on in, it's worth it.  

I posted not good for groups because it's so small, but there were a few groups of 8 sitting there when we went.
3 - Jenny I.: Okay, I may get blasted for this but I need to knock the rating down a little because I depend on Yelp so much for my eating and entertainment these days. And the 5 star reviews set my expectations up too high.

First, I want to say that the food and service at Bacaro are every bit as wonderful as everyone says here. Chef Lior rocks!!! But with that said, I want to remind people that Bacaro bills itself as a wine bar. So for that reason, I can only give this place 3 stars. The wine selection was actually disappointing and more expensive than anyone in our party ($180 for 4) expected.

But if you want a great relaxed atmosphere with some delectable tapas dishes, then I definitely recommend stopping by.
5 - Drew T.: Fist time last night.  Me and the girlfriend have been on a budget lately and planned on just getting three plates and sharing an inexpensive bottle of wine.

Problem was, the first three were so damn good, we ordered three more.  Still didn't crack $71.  

We.  Shall.  Be.  Back.
5 - Simon C.: a fantastic new find!  thanks niko and jaz!!!

bacaro is a tiny but super quaint little wine and tapas bar in a semi-hoodly area near usc.  as such, the place was packed with students and hipsters galore getting their food and drink on at very reasonable prices.

beers ranged from $4 to $8 a glass, wines from $6 to $8 per glass and averaged $30 a bottle, and tended toward european palates.  i had a white like a sauvignon blanc, a prosecco, and a table red that were all good, if not spectacular, but much better than the pathetic selections at bodega.

the food was suprisingly sophisticated for such an earthy little wine bar, with bold and yet restrained and well balanced flavors.  the kitchen is incredibly well run, because bacaro was packed when we went and the dishes came out well-paced and executed perfectly.  amazing.

tapas were $7 each, or 3 for $19:

roasted rainbow beets with chevre and taragon - nice starter.  the taragon really kicked it up. 

the bacaro burger with fried egg - rich and flavorful.  make sure to get the egg!

margherita pizza - excellent crust and sauce.  very very well executed.

seared scallops with charred brussel sprouts, bacon, and balsamic - again very good flavors.

bacaro has a cozy but cool and energetic vibe with wines and food that blow lesser wine bars in the same price range like 55 degrees, bodega, and vertical away.

parking is in the street, but none of our party of 10 had any issues.  bacaro can get quite busy, so call ahead to reserve tables, especially for groups.  even then, you'll probably have time for a couple glasses of wine from the bar while you wait.

happy hour is 5-7PM, with tapas only $5 per plate.
4 - Stacey P.: Great $5 plate deal. The place is small so get there early.
5 - Antoinette K.: The food is AMAZING! I recommend the burger with egg on it.  Their caprese salad with pesto is yummy.  For dessert, their bread pudding wants you going back for more. It's dangerously good.  The atmosphere is lovely, the service is great, the wine is perfect with the food.  It is definitely a must try!
4 - Chelita G.: Went there for the first time tonight and I will be back! I enjoyed every single bite. The service and ambiance were great. I didn't know until the end of my dinner  that my waiter was also one of the owners. He was very attentive and welcoming. The prices can't be beat. Good spot for a date.
5 - Brendon D.: Danny totally took care of us.

Great vibe.  Not too dressy, not too sloppy.  That's the way a wine bar / gastro pub should be.  Seriously.  We got:

cauliflower
bruchetta
black beer from Brazil
warm beet salad
bread pudding
pizza

It was all so good.

Don't half step.  Come early and with a small group so that you can get a table.  FYI, it's about the size of Father's Office in Santa Monica.
5 - Kylen B.: Cheese please! This place is great. Food flavor is high class and prices are for the everyday Joe. Be the first to discover this place befor it's featured on food network tv shows. I'm not kidding when I say this neighborhood gem will hit you a homerun on a date.
4 - Tony Y.: this place has very very very good wine if you like fruity wine with a bit of body (i know, hard to imagine, but just try). it also has very good beer too (the beligum one on tap) the food is tasty, but a bit small portioned. 

its a good happy hour place, with some interesting people to say the least. the collective is a bit hipster, and maybe rockstar bums? i dont know how to describe them, maybe the panhandlers of pandora? (the radio not the planet)

but the waiter was cool, even when he screwed up and brought the wrong class (with bright red lipstick when our table had no one wearing such) being i could say naively genuinely apologetic.

overall, its  a bit pricey, and i didn't get to try everything, but from the little things i sampled, plus the booze, it was a great experience, and pretty close to USC.
5 - Kwiri Y.: At a fine dine restaurant,
 ~ this is the approximate pricing I usually come across. 

Vintner's Table:$65-$150 up/ per person
Chef's Table $85~150 up/person
Omakase : $35~300 up/ person

Vintner's Table: 1 Appetizer 1 entrée,  1 dessert
Chef's table: 6 courses ~ 12 courses
Omakase: depends... but usually ~6/20 small dishes as well

At Bacaro: $28 per person ( Including drink/tax/tip)

$19/ 3 tapas ( pretty big portion for tapas)
$5/ dessert

We all hate reading the menu.... 
So we asked the awesome waiter to bring us ANY tapas, that he thinks we'd like... ( Omakase style, but choice by the waiter instead of the chef). 

Group of 5 hungry/ epicurean/ spoiled food bloggers.
All got a round of fabulous awesome choice of wine/ beer, 
Shared 10 plates of tapas ( pizzas, etc) + Desserts. 
...
1. Ambiance is fun/ cozy/ interesting.
2. Food quality/ creativity is amazing, 
3. Portion is just right for hungry kids in their 20s. 
4. Service is up to par,
5. Parking is GREAT ( even though it's in the HOOD, PLENTY of street parking available)
6. And the highlight...the Price... is just unbelievable. 

We all walked out happy/ Full/ buzzed/ and a satisfied vegetarian from the group.

P.S: Special Props to Brother Simonster for recommending this venue. 
Mr. Simonstelier! I officially Nominate you as the guru of all the awesome wine bars in LA.
5 - Jimmy C.: Bacaro's been around for a couple of years as a quiet but cool winebar. Perhaps its because I don't enjoy wine, is why I didn't look for it. But lately, I have been more daring and wanting to try more wine, with the films Sideways and Bottleshock.

Bacaro is on the fringes of Downtown LA, just south of the Santa Monica Freeway. You could almost say it's a College Bar, since the close vicinity of USC. Yet, as you walk in, the dark hues and spartan benches and tables give it hipster feel. I like it, as did my friends.

We got there just as the place was filling up with happy hour on its way. So we quickly ordered our tapas - in this case our dinner, with their open face burger with an egg, their white pizza, and one of their cheese plates. Their burger was really good with their almost-like-big-mac-special-sauce with the egg. I could ate it all by my self. Seriously this was a Great Burger with the Texas Toast. Next time, I might ask for the other bun and eat it all by myself. The white pizza was also tasty, yet a bit too salty. I know salty is a common theme when it comes to bar food. I know Miss B and Miss C didn't care too much for the over zestiness. We also had the Pan-Seared Scallops with Charred Brussel Sprouts, Bacon, and Balsamic. I almost forgot to mention the Noa's Cauliflower. This was presented and cooked in a way that I have never seen or tasted. The chipotle spice gives the Cauliflower great personality. Non-veggie guys might like it and can compare the meatiness of the cauliflower to a carnivorous meat. Though the scallops were quite large - they were ho-hum. The Nutella Panino was quite a treat. I didn't think I would like or would want to have dessert, it was quite good. (I am not a big dessert guy). This dessert was like a grilled sandwich, except with nutella and strawberries.

Anyways, this is a nice place to go where the food is good. I like how the menu features names like Noa's, and Dalia's. I wonder who they are. The wine list is something that I'll have to study later.
5 - Angela C.: super dope place. all the food we had was delicious...the pastrami panini with gruyere cheese and carmalized onions was crazy good. was really surprised how much i dug the nutella and banana panini. a group of 5 chics and no complaints at all!! the only bummer was that we wanted to try the bread pudding but they had run out. next time for sure!!!
5 - Nancy L.: Stellar establishment. Cool bartender, awesome wines, great food. 

There's an awesome vibe inside. One entire wall is a blackboard with the menu and wine list written across. Along the same wall, behind the bar, is a hand drawn map of Italy. Beyond that is a list of all the servers for the evening complete with caricatures. Along both sides of the narrow room are small wooden tables. I wouldn't recommend coming with a large group.

Props to the bartender Friday night who recommended the Singularis Alentejano, a delicious full bodied red. I could drink the whole bottle. But that's another story.

I love a wine bar with great food and Bacaro has some amazing food. These are all considered small plates, but the portions are pretty big for tapas. There's sufficient variety on the menu to eat enough for dinner.

Grass fed open faced burger on a brioche like bread, topped with a slice of tomato and slathered in a savory aioli. WOW! This rivals some of the best burgers I've had.
Shrimp with spicy sauce, shaved fennel. This was one of the night's specials and was very tasty.
Eggplant pizza with goat cheese and spicy pepper sauce. Squeeze some of the lemon on top for an interesting twist.
Scallops with fried capers, parsnip puree. It was alright but I wouldn't get it again.
Panini with gruyere, beef and walnut basil pesto. Great combination of flavors.
3 - Sarah B.: The customer service is so, so, so bad. The food is good, but it doesn't matter, because they'll never bring it to you.
5 - Laurie S.: WOW this place is good. 

I went here a few months ago with a group (go early, as the place is small and fills up fast!) and so was able to try several things on the menu... and it was Happy Hour, so we saved some money too! 

Their special was a peppered fig wrapped in bacon. (AMAZING!) 
hehe.. I ordered it twice!

Everything we had there, the scallops, the panini, the crostini (the best one is definitely the one with gorganzola, dates, walnuts and honey). the pizza, the hangar steak, and more, was exceptionally tasty. 

I went again with my parents a few weeks later, and since they were in town for the Pac10 tournament, ended up getting delayed. Bacaro was very nice in pushing back our reservation (twice) and were still able to seat us within 10 minutes of our arrival. And once again the food and wine were amazing!

I love this place!
5 - Julia W.: Very quaint and small place, and awesome. :D Half off all glasses of wines on Mondays. The food here is tapas style at a decent price. I absolutely love the crostini, especially the gorgonzola/date/honey one. The pizzas are individual sized, and the ham panini was rather tasty.

Owners seem to know their wine list pretty well, too. Feel free to ask them for suggestions.

Very friendly service, especially since they closed before we decided to leave (oops), but no hurry with the check or pushing us out.

Close to SC, and definitely a place I'll frequent from now on. Mmm wine + cheese love.
4 - Alex T.: Ate here with friends, a big group of 10 people. There's not much space inside so we pretty much took up a quarter of the restaurant. That being said, there is a bit of a wait during busy hours. There's not a whole lot of room, even with the small tables, and it was difficult to find a place to even set down your glass.

Worth it? Yeah. The food was overall really well prepared. The Bacaro burger was my personal fav. We had two orders of the hangar steak and both tasty different, which was a little strange. Pizzas were top notch, although the roasted eggplant was a bit strange with goat cheese and fairly spicy. Even though I didn't like some things, the different tastes offered on the menu were very distinct. It just comes down to a matter of opinion. Portions small, but this makes it very easy to get a whole bunch of different items and share family style.

So my advice would be definitely try it as there's bound to be something up your alley! And also, try to make reservations or get there early otherwise you might starve to death watching other people eat while you wait.
2 - BONNY C.: I can't believe people rated this place so high. I thought the food was WAY too salty. Everything was salty. I think the only good thing I had there was the open face burger and you must get it with the egg. 
- Scallops- salty
- White Pizza- salty
- Noa's Cauliflower- salty
Did I mention salty? 

Also got the cheese plate, but really, what kind of preparation does that involve. And the Nutella panino, which was actually good. But I love nutella and if you gave it to me on sandpaper, I'd think it was good. 

And the happy hour didn't include alcoholic beverages. What the. Blasphemous! 

But just my opinion.
4 - Dee Dee X.: Bought a certificate for this place from Bloomspot so I thought I'd check it out.  

I was surprised by how small the restaurant is!  It's only got about 10 tables and man are those tables narrow!  I loved the decor of the little place though: the ceiling is covered with wine bottles and the wine list is written on the chalk board wall!  

The food here is very fresh. I guess we came around the end of butternut squash season and actually got the very last order of it for the entire season!  It was so good we tried to order more but there was no more to be had.  We ordered practically everything on the menu, since the menu is really not that extensive and we are apparently fatty mcfatties.  Other highlights included the Bacaro Burger, which you must get with the quail egg- so much better, and the Bacon and Brie Pizza- doesn't that just make your mouth water?! 

They have an interesting selection of wines.  Many of which I've never heard of but were quite good.  The owners were a lot younger than I thought they would be, but they are knowledgeable.  Ask them for recommendations!  

Good place for small groups, date night, or catching up with friends.  I'll be back to take a different set of friends.
4 - Maggie C.: There is a reason why I like yelping new restaurant with Nick H...he is full of surprises and (almost) always find cool places.

So that was my first tapas experience ever and It was yummylicious!!  The place was kinda cool with wine bottles on the ceiling and wine menu on the wall (the wall is a blackboard).  

This place is owned and operated by 2 USC alumni...that explains why most customers were from USC.  You can join the mailing list at bacorolosangeles.com.

Artichoke Hearts with Parmigiano Reggiano: wow wow wow....super delicious.  5 stars!!
Pan Seared Scallops:  I do not like scallops.  The only scallops I like are from Hatfield's.  2 stars.
Poached Shrimps: yummy... 4 stars.
The Bacaro Burger with Fried Egg:  I really like this burger.  4 stars.
Honey Chicken:  not my favorite.  2 stars.
Home Made Ice Cream with Honey:  4 stars...love the honey drizzled on top.
Nutella Sandwich with Strawberries and Banana:  I like nutella sandwich.  3 stars.
Sparkling Orange Drink:  refreshing.  4 stars!!

The prices are reasonable.  $5-7 for Happy Hour.  I will be back!!

4 stars!!

Bacaro is yummylicious!!
4 - Nick H.: Delicious Tapas And Inexpensive..Fresh, High Quality, and a must try! 

4.5 Stars!

This restaurant is tiny, yet up beat. It is stylish and contemporary. The minute you walk inside you know you are going to have a good time. Immediately, your eyes move upward where hundreds of bottles of wine are resting..on the ceiling. Yes, on the ceiling. 

So, Yelper Maggie C and I hit this place up in desperate need of something new and different. This place was both..a very unique experience. 

****HAPPY HOUR: Everything on the menu is 5 Bucks!**** 

The restaurant separates its Tapas by "Cold," "Hot," and "Grilled." 

~The Hot 
1.Artichoke hearts with parmigiano reggiano: Delicious-4.5 Stars 
2.The Bacaro Burger: Add a fried egg for a buck. Absolutely Delicious. 
4.0 Stars. 
3.Pan-seared Scallops: I don't like scallops to begin with. My least 
favorite. 3 Stars. 
4. Honey Chicken- AOK- 3 Stars. 
~The Dessert 
5. Home made Ice Cream with Honey-4 Stars. 
6. Nutella Sandwich with strawberries and banana-3.0 Stars. 

This is a must try place. Totally unique. Fantastic Happy Hour. They do take reservations on some days so call ahead. This place is right by USC, so you will see many students and, possibly, a few teachers. 

Can't We All Yelp Along!
3 - Marjorie V.: Came here last Friday after hearing great word of mouth. 
Bacaro is a cute little wine bar/restaurant, and it's a much-needed addition to the USC neighborhood. I liked the ambiance a lot - dark walls, dim lighting, and tiny tables make for an intimate atmosphere that encourages lots of wine drinking and stimulating conversation... or at least that's what I gathered from the groups sitting around us. 

The food, however, is just okay. I recommend the bruschette with garlic-something.. I forget the name. I also loved the Bacaro burger (definitely go with the egg on top!) and this one Belgian blonde beer I had.  The scallops were tasty, but the sauce was too powerful, and there were only two pieces. The hangar steak, though, took FOREVER to cook, and was a little too salty. And the bread pudding was.. okay. 

Overall, I'd come back here for happy hour... but I feel like this is a place you go to primarily for wine, not food.
5 - Lauren P.: Have I really not reviewed this place before?

lovelovelove.

Brennan B. and I really like food. And wine. And sitting and talking. 

This is a good place for people who like those things.

We've been a few times, most recently for the Bacaro Anniversary Party, which was great.

I love the tapas style food, which means you can try a bunch of different things, and the small plates are really reasonably priced.

Things that are really good:

bread w/olive oil & butter & kosher salt
roasted butternut squash salad
caprese salad
tomato basil bruschetta
roasted garlic basil pesto bruschetta
fresh goat cheese, balsamic endive marmalade crostini
BACARO BURGER with fried egg
margarita pizza
roasted garlic pizza
bacon and brie pizza


These are our favorites, but there are still things we haven't tried, which means we can go back for more! :)
4 - Mr. O.: Wine bar close to USC.  Who would have thought.  I thought college students only drink beer and wine coolers...

I can tell this place was used by the USC frat duch to get laid.  As well as it should.  A rustic but classy atmosphere.  I'm a fan of the chalk on the wall.  Great job whomever did that.

Wine, not bad.  A good selection, but not enough "New World Wines."  I ended up trying wines by the glass.  I wished the had flights.  I assume the drunk college idiot deters from the flight idea.

The food looked good, but sadly I didn't digest dinner yet to eat.  I guess there's always something for next time.

Great service, good wine, and love the ambiance.  If I'm stuck in the USC area again, I'm most diffidently dropping by.
5 - Marc P.: I used to live on 23rd by Bacaro when they first opened. As a USC graduate, I knew they were catering to my type as the owners were also USC graduates. Let me tell you that everyday after work I would pretty much go for happy hour even when I was unemployed; best way to drown sorrows, you know. I've gotten to know the owners as well as everyone who works there; a couple of whom I was friends with previously. I remember staying past close on regular weekdays and even Beef Steak night. This place has a great, welcoming atmosphere; a place to sit and talk. For all those worried about the surrounding neighborhood, it's really not bad having lived in the area for over 6 years. Let's call it up and coming with all the Figueroa Corridor/USC rebuilding. Like any area, you've just got to be courteous and careful with the neighborhood. Now enough about the background.

The prices aren't too extraordinary as they do cater to professionals, and the alcohol/food they serve is well worth the price. I mean, you can get 3 tapas style plates for $19. Dessert is $5. I have pretty much tried everything, but when I go, I alternate between a few things (Bacaro burger w/ fried egg, rosemary chicken, sliced steak, the panini), but sometimes I can't even decide. They can also help you with that.

Alchol-wise, they have beer and wine. I've heard the owners' (Danny and Santos) stories of traveling to different countries to find wines for Bacaro. Whatever they've recommended, I've liked; my personal preference is syrah/shiraz. I pretty much get Fischer Blonde, which comes in a large "re-sealable" bottle. Gotten several personally in one sitting with friend's having done the same thing.

I really enjoy this place; it may seem biased because I have a good rapport with most of the people that work there, but I get no preferential treatment (except maybe during the yearly anniversaries - they always ask me what's up and what I want immediately. Awesome!). Hit up Beefsteak, which is every first Sunday of the month (5:30 and 8:30 PM), for a great time. Hope you enjoy it as I have.
5 - shery p.: I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. The neighborhood is a bit shady, but the food is amazing!!!! Great tapas for $7 or $ during happy hour. And it gourmet people! The burger with the yummy sauce on brioche bread, with and egg over easy, the bacon pizza, the steak, and even the honey thyme chicken. Everything is outstanding! And they have many different wines to try. I wouldn't do the Sunday all you can eat beefsteak though. Less gourmet, lots of potato's and lots of bread. Less meat. Everything else is an A++++. It's not romantic, it's just amazing gourmet grub for an outstanding price! Great job guys!
4 - Emily O.: A perfect happy hour with your girlfriends with delicious wine and great ambiance!
2 - Elsie N.: I'm thinking more of a 1 star kind of place, given my specific experience.  But I may try it again so I have to give it something higher because by my own rule, I can't return to a 1-star place!

First the good:  the area.  Others have commented on the dark scary place that is by USC and DTLA, but I disagree.  By no means is it a great area, but it is good that a place such as this is in this area.  If that makes any sense...

The bad:  I agree with Bonny C that everything was way too salty.  Really.  Easy on salt, chef!

The terrible:  I got sick that night.  Felt like throwing up and just really sick in the stomach.  I wondered if others experienced the same.  I don't remember the exact date of my visit but it was in March sometime.  Maybe enough time has passed and it's only fair that I try this place again, given the great response from so many others.  I'll try different menu items.
4 - Peter P.: Yelp has bestowed on me yet again a new favorite dinner destination spot.  How did I not discover Bacaro sooner?  I guess one reason would be it's small, inconspicuous location located in the heart of South LA just down the street from USC's campus.  It really is in a random spot.  But despite the rundown neighborhood and dirty streets that surround it, Bacaro is a hidden treasure.

Bacaro specializes in Italian tapas and wine.  While I don't know nearly enough about wine to give any insight on it, I do know food.  Or more accurately, my taste buds know what they like when it comes to food.  Tonight they screamed, "Bacaro! Bacaro!  Bacaro!"

Putting it in layman's terms, Bacaro's food is bomb diggity!  For $8 a plate or $21 for 3 plates, you can treat yourself to some delicious tapas at an affordable price.  My date and I feasted on 6 different plates.  Here's the breakdown:

1. Poached Shrimp - Delicious!  Love the citrus chili sauce.
2. "Cabecou" Marinated Goat Cheese - Very tasty when spread on the toasted baguette with the fruit compote.
3. Grilled Panini (Roast Beef, Mushroom & Gruyere) - A bit on the salty side, but cooked perfectly and love the build-it-yourself aspect.
4. Pan-Seared Scallops - Came in a butter sauce instead of white truffle oil.  Didn't really care for it and probably wouldn't get it again.
5. Grilled Hanger Steak - Yummy steak!  But there were only 7 small pieces.
6. White Pizza: My favorite tapa.  Hands down one of the best pizzas I've ever had.  I want more!

While food came out fairly quickly, it did take nearly 15 minutes to pay our bill because the waiter was busy in the back.  Not a big deal, but a little bothersome.  Aside from that, service was superb.

The restaurant is really small.  There are maybe 10 tables (even less when larger groups come) so I was very surprised that we were seated right away despite going on a Friday night around 8pm.  When I called ahead, the waiter said it gets a little slow in the summer so you don't need reservations.  I'm not sure if this is always the case, however, so I would still recommend calling in advance.

To wrap it, I will most definitely be returning to Bacaro in the near future.  Their happy hour (Monday - Thursday, 5-7pm) sounds like an amazing deal.  $5 a plate?  I'm so there!

4.5 Stars
4 - Tyler D.: Bacaro L.A. is a really cool little place right by USC. I went with a large group before and event and they were very accommodating. The owners are USC grads themselves and do a good job running the place. Sundays are all you can eat and drink for 25 dollars, pretty sweet. And their happy hour kicks butt too.. 5 dollars a plate. Although it would probably be hard to find if I didn't go to USC, I highly recommend checking this place out.
5 - Erin A.: This place has a great ambiance, laid back and approachable staff, and a really cool, eclectic choice of mostly italian wines by the glass or bottle. There are some obscure varietals, but the owner was really helpful in educating us and offering tastes until our table agreed on a delicious Soave. The cheese plate was incredible and we got to choose our own accompaniments. If you're in the USC area, I highly recommend this place!
4 - Ani H.: My experience at USC was difficult; I'm from New York City and I just couldn't understand all those sun-baked frat and sorority droneheads in red and gold La-La land. So Bacaro was more than a restaurant to me - it was my haven. 

I nursed half-off glasses of wine on Monday nights, sampled beers from all over the world with Santos (the co-owner) and the staff during the week, and nibbled on scallops, crostini, and beets on weekends with friends. 

I just connected with Bacaro's philosophy - good wine, good beer, good food, good times - not because it is anything new, but because it was delivered in such a real, approachable and effortless way. Santos may have a copy of The Wine-Lover's Companion, but there is not an ounce of pretension in this restaurant. And in Los Angeles, even South Los Angeles since the area is brimming with USC kids, that's saying something.
5 - Liz H.: Couldn't ask for anything more.  
The menu isn't that large, but they cover all the bases.
The Scallops were unbelievable.  Hangar steak also very good.
The beet salad... more please.
We also got the burrata and baguette, and the prosciutto de parma.  
Everything just  hit the spot.

The wine list is also small, but again, hits everything you could be looking for (in my book).  We didn't have any beer but the varieties they offered seemed to have something for everybody.
1/2 price wine by the glass Monday nights, reasonable prices to begin with, plus friendly and down to earth owners.

Doesn't get any better than that.

**Also - appreciated their tip on the chalkboard wall -- seating is TIGHT, so best opportunities for getting a table are at 5:30 & 8pm.
Wouldn't try to bring a large group (more than 6) there.
5 - Stephanie C.: AMAZING. PHENOMENAL. Words cannot describe how I feel about the food at Bacaro LA! Although it's placed in a rather inconspicuous and somewhat "shady" area, Bacaro LA has done it's job in providing food lovers with a delicious array of tapas, wines and beers at a great price and wonderful atmosphere. Some of the highlights that I enjoyed were:

-Caprese salad (caprese-anything is goooooood)
-Burger with fried egg (MUST GET THE FRIED EGG)
-Scallops (I'm not a big scallops fan, but the corn relish sauce was to die for)
-Bacon-Brie Pizza (melts in your mouth--who can say that about pizza?!)
-Artichoke Hearts (i could've licked the sauce right off the plate)
-White pizza (see description for bacon-brie)

We also asked the server for recommendations on the white wines (my friend and I have different palates when it comesto wine--sweet vs.dry), and he recommended a perfect wine that satisfied both of our needs!

Bacaro, I will be back!
5 - Matthew L.: Amazing food + 1/2 off wine on Monday = win!
5 - Alyssa B.: Food was quite simply exquisite. The prices are surprisingly good as well. Some of the portions are a little small but the burger was one of the best I'd ever had.
5 - francis d.: As far as tapas go, this palce will surprisingly fill you up. They have a 3 items for $21 deal. I only ordered two items and took bites here and there from my friend's dishes, but left feeling pretty satisfied. 

Setting: 4/5 the general area is a little bit shady, but once you get inside it's a world of difference. They have pretty cool decor, wine bottles on the ceiling, chalk board wall, some interesting paintings. My only complaint is that it's pretty small, and the tables are definitely not wide enough. Parking was easy for us to find on a tuesday around 7, but I can imagine it getting a bit hectic on busier days. 

Food: 5/5 The two items that I ate were really really good. I got the Baccaro Burger, the patty was cooked sooooo perfectly, I always hate it when they overcook medium rare. But here I could see the pink in between (I must say that I love the pink in between). The burger only has one bun which was strange to me, but it was a mighty tasty and fluffy bun. Its also a very saucy burger which is my personal preference, I really dislike fathers office because there is no sauce on their burger. The whole thing together is simply amazing try it out for yourself. My second dish was the stuffed eggplant. Not many people have mentioned this dish on yelp, it's pretty underrated. Do yourself a favor and get this. I can't even describe it to you, the sauce on top is really flavorful, but not over powering. It is stuffed with lamb, onions, and other fancy things unfamiliar to my tongue. It looks like a meat patty, but it definitely taste alot better. 

tip: I also tried a few pieces of their pizza, I wouldn't reccomend them, they are good, but I think their are better things on the menu. Yes, I even tried the yelp acclaimed white pizza, its good but the burger and eggplant blew the pizza out of the park. My friends just got he pizza because they were afraid that they weren't going to be full after their meal, but rest assured the portions will be bigger than you expect. 

Service: 5/5 the waiter was nice,I asked him about his own preferences and he recommended the eggplant. Food came out in a relatively fair amount of time, about 10 minutes for nine dishes total, pretty decent. 

Bathroom: 3.5/5 bathroom is sub par. the bathroom handle is right by the urinal. The window has bars on it, maybe so people can't escape without paying? It also smells a bit funky. however! you do get the bathroom to yourself which is always a plus in my book. 

Overall: 5/5 i would definitely come back here. Food was great, service was great, and it's a good spot to bring visitors. 

I will be coming back on sunday to get the all you can eat/drink steak/ wine/beer buffet. Will update soon.
5 - Chip Y.: Went here during happy hour: 5-7pm / $5 plates / 1/2 off wine by the glass.  
So many different (vegetarian) options and friendly service!  Some favorites 
were the beet salad, olive tapenade crostini, garlic pizza, and chipotle aioli 
cauliflower.  The bread pudding dessert twas good.
4 - Kristle S.: Small, cute, chill spot. Small intimate tables which fit the size of the small plates nicely and also perfect size to make it easy to have conversation with the person across from you. They have this chalk board wall that has their menu of wines...very charming also. The service is great. The servers are very knowledgeable, attentive and friendly.

I had their seared scallops and white pizza. Both were amazing. The scallops were very flavorful. The white pizza was unbelievably good and it was this plate that impressed me. The pizza crust was slightly fluffy and still crispy enough on the outside. The pizza had plenty of melted cheese in every bite. Their wine is also great and it compliments the food very well. Can't remember which one I got, but it was a red wine that the server recommended. 

I really enjoyed this place and I can't wait to try it again!
4 - Michelle T.: 4stars for HAPPY HOUR MONDAYS 5pm - 7pm  makes this place amazing 
All plates at 5 dollars and 1/2 off glasses of wine 
Get there early though, tables fill up quick during happy hour! 
Definitely get the Bacaro Burger with an egg ( +$1) , its really good  and their panninis fill you up too ( I like the mozzarella, pesto, mushroom). For wine, if your a girly girl and only loves sweet wine: get the mascato! its the best mascato I've ever had! 

Also, there is always street parking around, and if you are a USC student, i think you can take a campus cruiser there since its of a mile radius.
5 - Mitsi T.: made it to happy hour on a monday.  got there at 6:00 and was seated right away, but a line started forming right after we arrived.  on mondays wine by the glass is only $5!  and happy hour menu (5-7pm) is the normal menu except all the plates are $5! non happy hour prices are $8/plate or 3 plates for $21.  service was super fast and as soon as we finished one plate, the next would arrive!  favorite dish was the stuffed eggplant with lamb and a fried lemon chip.  for 2 people, we ordered 6 plates of food, 1 dessert, and 4 glasses of wine. the bill came out to $55!  UH-mazing.  seating is not ideal for large groups, but if you have a party of 4, it's perfect.
5 - Barbara J.: Some of the best food by USC.  I have been to this place many times but have yet to write a review. The tapas are a great size for sharing and always good.  Their happy hour is 5-7pm mon-thur and tapas are only $5 and on monday wine by the glass is half off all day long (i recommend going on monday).

Their Bacaro Burger is amazing (open faced and the perfect size). Their bruschette and crostini are great appetizer options.  

I would recommend trying it out if you are in the neighborhood.
5 - Khanh H.: The Bacaro burger is my favorite!!  Love the eggs with beef cooked medium rare.
5 - Rebecca F F.: Casual, unpretentious wine bar with good ambiance, excellent food, and affordable yummy wine selections. We had Noa's cauliflower which was hands down the best cauliflower either of us have ever had. We also had the grilled eggplant pizza with spicy tomato sauce which was delicious. Worth a drive if you don't live nearby!
5 - Cindy W.: Seating is tough given the tiny location, but if you have the patience, buy a drink and enjoy your company... and your seats will soon follow!

I'm not a big wino, but it seems that if you're quite the connoisseur (or just enjoy the taste), this is the place to come. I'm a big foodie and I still enjoyed my visit immensely! Their dishes are essentially tapas styles, so think small plates, average prices, but insanely delicious tasting!
4 - Gilda B.: This place is awesome. For a crap area, it's a classy little bar nuzzled in the streets of the hood near USC.

The only problem is that there really isn't seating for large groups. I once brought a group of 16 into this bar and the owners were nice, but seemed a bit rude about how large of a group we were. 

The prices and food is great. I definitely recommend checking this place out if you are near the area or a USC student, but not if you have to go out of your way.
4 - Jocelyn M.: Not 5 Stars because it took so long to even order our drinks and 1st round of food.

Otherwise, the place was fantastic!  It is a small place, like other reviewers mentioned, but it's worth it.  When we were there all tables but one were full on a Thursday evening.  No trouble with parking, enough street parking.  What we got:

-Olives & Almonds: Very tastey and ate it throughout our meal.
-Poached Shrimp:  I'm not a fan of cold shrimp, but this was really good.  The sauce was a little sweet, but it overall had nice flavor.
-Bruschette:  Had the Roasted Garlic & Dalia's Bell Peppers.  Wow, both of these were awesome.  I don't have a fav of the too, just so yummy.
-Artichoke Hearts:  This one was probably the tamest in bold flavors, but I really enjoyed it, this dish had more subtle flavors.
-Grilled Panini:  This was good, nothing dramatic about this.
-Grilled Chicken:  This one had a lot of flavor, but the sauce was a little on the sweet side, almost too sweet.  This actually tasted better dipped in the sauce that came with the Poached Shrimp.
-Deconstructed BLT:  I was very surprised how delicious this was.  It's kind of hard to eat cuz it's hard bread, and if you break the bread in the wrong part then you can't put your BLT on it, but it was still very flavorful.

I would definitely come back here.
5 - Diana C.: I wish my boyfriend & I found out about this place sooner! I've been here twice now & I can't wait to go back again.

I've been here during happy hour only & since this place is quite small, it gets packed easily (not good for big groups). Parking wasn't that much of a pain since we got there around 5pm. 
Anyway-- the food is amazing. Since they're all tapas, you can order & try several plates without that overwhelming "I can't finish all this food" feeling. 

You HAVE to try the Bacaro burger with the fried egg. So, so good.
I'm not big on wine but they also have half off wine by the glass on Mondays.
2 - Joey M.: After checking out Mignon, I decided that I wanted to explore other wine bars in the Los Angeles area and Bocaro seemed like the perfect place to start. As soon as I arrived I noticed that the area surrounding is...let's just say it's not Beverly Hills or anything. We walked in and were promptly seated, ordered our bottle of wine (they didn't have our first one and it took them a while to tell us so we had to switch) and some small tapas styled plates. The food was very good, and the bread was phenomenal. The wine was also excellent--they have a wide variety of wines from all over the world and the wines by the glass are written on a chackboard on the wall (very cool). All in all, the place was okay but not amazing. The subpar decor, shoddy service and bright lighting make it a 2.5 star restaurant.
4 - Alex H.: This place is SMALL but their affordable wine list and delicious tapas ROCKS!

Their assortment of salami and cheeses went well with their wines.  Surprisingly their mini pizzas were good and their artichoke hearts were probably the best I ever had.
5 - Caitlin M.: Absolutely LOVE this place!!! The food, wine, and service are all phenomenal. Also, happy hour or not, the prices are affordable. Best addition to the USC area in a long while.
5 - KAREN H.: I was not expecting much at first.. just wanted to meet at a place to have happy hour with the girls. It turned out to be quite a Culinary Delight =)
I got there right at 5pm when it opened and I had no problem getting a table. It got all packed after 6pm. Love the feel of the overall space. Very urban and non pretentious. Very random location near USC.

We tried about 3 different red wines and 1 White wine. 1/2 off for happy hour 5-7. 

Here is what we tried:

Gorganzola, Walnut, and Honey Crostini - Oh my.. this was the perfect start. The cheese thick creamy went really well with the walnuts and honey drizzled on top. They were not stingy with the amount of cheese on each crostini.
Fresh Ricotta with Tapenade (olive spread) Crostini - This was a more savory one.Their fresh Riccotta was SO good. It was also very creamy and tasted so fresh. I don't remember being so satisfied with crostinis!. 
Sea Scallops with Corn Chowder - WOW one of our favorite dishes of the night. The scallops were seared perfectly with a nice crust but  were extremely tender and juicy in the middle. 

Fried Cauliflower with Chipotle Aioli - I figured this was my vegetable dish =). To my surprised I equally enjoyed it as much as the other dishes. I was really impressed by how much flavor the Chef was able to add to a vegetable that had little flavor. It was lightly fried and sprinkled with a combination of dry spices which tasted like paprika, onion powder, garlic. Hard to tell. The flavors were very complex. This came with the Chipotle Aioli. It was Smokey, Creamy, and decadent. I could have drank the Chipotle Sauce it was so good. I asked the Chef about this dish also but he would not tell me the secret recipe. 

Bacaro Burger- Gourmet burger. The burger is served open face. The bread they used was a Pain de Mie. Per the Chef Pan de Mie is one level below Brioche in Butteryness. I remember making this in culinary school but mine was not as fluffy and tastey as this one. The meat patty is thick and juicy and as you bite into it you really get that irony, bloody flavor of meat. I always get my burgers med rare. What also makes this burger quite special is the sauce. It reminds me of a demi glace with cream. The sauce added an extra layer of flavor. With the addition of carmelized onions and a fried egg, this burger is a masterpiece! 

Our group also shared the Lamb and Eggplant dish  along with the Poached Shrimp. I did not try these dishes. But the 2 other pp in my group  that did, raved about it also. 

For dessert we had the bread pudding... compliments of the Chef. That was so nice of him. The bread pudding had a nice toasty top and a fluffy center. It was topped with their homemade vanilla which was heavenly. You can tell it was rich by the color. It was very yellow which meant that there was quite a bit of egg yolks in it.. I don't mind I LOVE eggs. 

My friend was so impressed with the food she asked if the Chef could come out.  He was very charming and extremely humble. He told us that he had been trained at Jean Georges in NYC ... one of my favorite restaurants. The Chef has a fine dining background and it definitely showed in his food. We had a good conversation about the restaurants in LA. He was so grateful to hear our compliments. You can he was very passionate about food and it was quite inspiring. 

Conclusion : Excellent prices for Fine Dining dishes in a corky, hipster environment. With the recession we are in, this can easily be my weekly treat. =) Service is friendly . The location itself and the wine selection was ok.. but the FOOD.. man that is what I crave. Can't wait to come back and try the other items!
4 - Kazuma K.: walk here with your friends and drink during happy hour, half off glasses of wine and 5 buck small plates...

got the white pizza and bacaro burger with egg, and was full... very tasty and makes you full quickly because of the full taste.

i don't know anything about wine but i chose random ones and they were all good. except the puppeteer white wine tasted like sand.
4 - helen k.: IWent here on a Sunday night to take advantage of the Groupon deal and was very pleasantly surprised! I've been on a hunt for an LA equivalent to my beloved Twisted Vine in Fullerton and I think this place might be it. I'll have to go back on another night and see how packed it gets since I went on a Sunday and got seated right away. I'll also have to go back with a bigger group so I can try more of their dishes. The prices were very affordable, service was great, wine was awesome.. I'll definitely be back! 

MUST TRY:
The bacaro burger with fried egg and the scallops dish was phenomenal! Both dishes had very unique sauces which I thought was the key to the deliciousness. 

AVOID:
Hanger steak and white pizza. Hanger steak just tasted like olive oil and the white pizza was way too salty.
3 - Alli Y.: I wish I was a wine drinker b/c the place is cool. Very nicely decorated. 

We got there shortly after 5 so we walked right in to get a table. 

Started w/Crostini Got 2 mascarpone, sun-dried tomato tapenade & 1 Fresh ricotta with silan syrup. Didn't really care for the silan syrup but that's a personal preference. 

Pan-seared Scallops with garlic parnship puree CRISPY CAPERS & WHITE TRUFFLE OIL was excellent indeed!! We actually ended up ordering 2. 

The Bacaro Burger made with estancia grass-fed beef & Fried egg was also excellent! But for $5, you can get 2 in & out hamburgers. 

Also got the grilled chicken w/capers & Parmesan risotto. I didn't care for the sauce and the grilled chicken was a little dry. The risotto was excellent though. 

Overall it was all $5 and was good.  But for $5 a piece you could go elsewhere too.
5 - Michelle J.: Went here with a coupon, but I'll go back without a doubt! The service was good, it was full by 6pm on a Sunday and now I know why. We had 5 of the small plates plus a dessert between two and it was perfect. If the scallops with corn are on the menu try them, easily the best thing I've eaten in recent memory. Great food in an unlikely spot. Can't wait to go back.
5 - Christine C.: Alright, I might be a little biased since I came here for my birthday, but who cares.  I loved the place.

First of all, the place is a lot smaller than you think from looking at the photo reviews.  The interior pictures that you see? pretty much *the whole restaurant*.  But everything else from the pictures--the art, the decor, the ambiance, is pretty dead on, and it's perfect for intimate parties and happy hour (or so I've heard).

Judging by the menu, being vegetarian here is a breeze, so I already like the place.  The roasted garlic pizza and the bacon & brie pizza (minus the bacon) were perfectly sized and baked to a thin, cheesy crisp. MMMM.  Keep in mind that portions here are generally pretty small (for the average American), so all you heavy eaters out there--don't get all butt hurt when you order the pan-seared scallops and see that only a quarter of that delicate, small square bowl is filled with food.  We also got a super sweet champagne that may be a little too sweet for some people, but was the perfect way to end the night for me.  The waiter was amazing and attentive.  I will be back to hit up happy hour.
4 - Clark H.: Friendly service. Great wine. Good food. We arrived late at night just after the kitchen had closed but we still enjoyed red wine and a delicious assortment of cheese, salami and prosciutto.
5 - Madeline H.: It's like a little slice of San Francisco dining heaven in a bizarre part of LA.
5 - Matthew R.: Great tasting foods, really creative menu! Great service, too.  Don't be put off by the neighborhood, it's worth the trip...I think we had one of just about all the little plates, and they are all excellent. Seems like a bad choice couldn't possibly be made!
5 - Tyler M.: Bacaro L.A. is simply my favorite restaurant. I have been here 3 times in the past month. Restaurant owner Danny does it all at Bacaro. You'll see him cooking in the kitchen, serving drinks at the bar, or even serving food. The food & wine is delicious, but the exceptional service is what keeps bringing me back. The small atmosphere of the restaurant makes each and every visit a great all around time. The happy hour is a great way to wait out LA traffic and order an extra dish or two. You can't beat a deal like this. The Bacaro Burger is a must, I get it every time. Not only do you want to eat the beef with your hands, but the fresh farmers market tomato with the sauce is simply delicious. My new favorite dish is the stuffed eggplant, and the garlic pizza is always a great way to finish the night off. Can't wait for the winter produce and the return of the butternut squash salad. I'm looking forward to my next visit in a week or two!
4 - alela s.: Had dinner here last night! Great, great, great! 
I am giving it 4 stars because of the food. The SERVICE was a little tiny bit above okay. Since it is a laid back environment the sever was chatty with his co-workers and didn't really stay on top of checking in with us or giving us the check- so much so to wear my husband went up to the counter to give our check and pay. So that is the minus in this review. However I can try and over look that. The food was great and I want to go back to try other things! The crostini's are wonderful and the scallops had the best taste!!!! I can't believe that it was tucked back on union so subtle. Happy hour here I come!!!
4 - Steven L.: I came to this place knowing very little about it. I was very excited because I had heard that the food at this place was incredible. In fact, though it seems that many people come here for the wine, my friend told me that she comes for the food, so I was ready to really enjoy my dinner.

Yes, the food was incredible. I definitely recommend the prosciutto di parma, the flank steak, the bacon and brie pizza. Those were probably the best things I had.

The wine was good. The selection was many things I had never heard of, and the waiter was knowledgeable and made a recommendation that didn't require an extensive knowledge of wine to comprehend.

Also, happy hour is a great time to go, because each small plate only costs $5, which is an amazing price for these delicious dishes.

The only reason I am not giving this place 5 stars is because I was somewhat disappointed with the service. After bringing us our first dish, it took them about 5 minutes to bring over silverware and napkins. Also, we asked for water, and it wasn't until we asked again 10 minutes later that the water came. Once we were done eating, nobody came over to ask if we were done, and so we were sitting there for a long time with predominantly empty plates waiting for someone to come and clear our table and offer us the check. Just not the speedy and attentive service I was hoping for.

But, service complaints aside, the food was incredible and I will definitely be returning to Bacaro! Thanks for a great meal!
5 - Devi B.: If you're a USC student looking for a reasonable and delicious wine and tapas bar this is the place to go. You can even take Campus Cruiser there if you tell them the intersection is Union and 23rd. 

It's a small bar that seats about 40 people. If there are no seats you can stand by the bar and have a glass of wine there. I suggest the Moscato if you like sweet wine. The waiters are knowledgeable about wine so if you tell them what type of wine you are looking for they will bring something for you to try.  

On Mondays they have all wines by the glass for 1/2 price. Their happy hour is from 5-7 on Mondays-Thursdays where all tapas places are $5 each (normally $7).

I highly recommend the crostini. You choose three of six options and my favs are gorgonzola/dates/honey/walnuts, fresh goat cheese/balsalmic endive marmalade, and masacrpone/sun-dried tomatoes. You also can't go wrong with a panini or the scallops. Either of the desserts are worth trying - (1) a nutella and strawberry (or banana) panini and (2) homemade cranberry bread pudding. Extremely tasty but rich so you may want to share with a date or a friend. 

I recently left Los Angeles and really miss this place. You should definitely give it a try!
5 - Rebecca C.: I've heard about this place a year ago, and  finally went on Wednesday for Happy Hour. Man, oh, man, I wish I came sooner! This place is so freakin' amazing. The food is really fresh and the prices won't rob the bank. The herbs, so fresh!

Mondays wine, by the glass, is 1/2 off!
Happy Hour 5p-7p all plates are $5!

For two people, we ordered:

CAPRESE SALAD - "GIOIA" MOZZARELLA, TOMATOES, BASIL PESTO
The cheese was phenomenal--so soft and buttery.

ROASTED RAINBOW BEETS - WITH CHEVRE, TARRAGON
One of my favorite dishes.  The tarragon was a great touch. It really made the dish.

CROSTINI:
FRESH GOAT CHEESE, BALSAMIC ENDIVE MARMALADE
MASCARPONE, SUN-DRIED TOMATO TAPENADE
DILL GARLIC RICOTTA, ANCHOVY FILET
I loved all 3, and I can't wait to try the other options.

THE BACARO BURGER - MADE WITH ESTANCIA GRASS-FED BEEF added FRIED EGG $1
Great burger!

PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS - GARLIC PARSNIP PURÉE, CRISPY CAPERS & WHITE TRUFLE OIL
Scallops were PERFECTLY COOKED.  Puree was very buttery, not my thing, but my friend drank it like soup. To each their own.

STUFFED EGGPLANT - WITH GROUND LAMB and....
It was perfect.  If you like lamb and eggplant, just get it.

HOMEMADE CRANBERRY BREAD PUDDING - SERVED WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM
It's a very gooey bread pudding. Not what I expected, but so great nonetheless!

It's almost impossible to try a restaurant and absolutely LOVE everything you ordered. Everything was cooked so perfect. The ingredients were top notch.  I was blown away! I am anticipating the next time I come here so I can try the rest of the menu!
5 - Kaleb K.: I just realized that my only other reviews on here are critical, so as not to appear a total cynic, I thought I had ought to actually write something complimentary about a restaurant I like.  Thus: my Bacaro LA review!

Bacaro LA (or as I like to refer to it, Bac-a-ro-lah) is a tiny hole-in-the-wall wine & tapas place that YOU NEED TO CHECK OUT!  First off, the food here is sublime.  Seriously, they only serve delicious food here.  Hold the menu in your hand.  Close your eyes.  Point to something.  Order it.  I promise you, it will be excellent.  If you insist on me recommending something so you are not just ordering blindly, try the Bacaro burger with fried egg (over easy).  Heaven!

Second, they have an excellent (and ever-changing) wine list.  The sommelier is a wine expert, and he brings in small-production wines from CA, Tuscany, France...  The prices are average (though the pours are admittedly a little short), but it's worth it to get to taste a wine you aren't going to find anywhere else.  They also have a solid selection of bottled (and a couple draft) beers, for the beer drinkers among us. 

The ambiance is cool.  It's got little rustic tables and a wine bar you can stand at to eat and drink when the place gets packed (i.e. most of the time); the complete wine list is written in chalk on the south wall (which is an enormous chalk board); and the ceiling lights are hidden behind a wall of wine bottles, which has a really cool effect.  Also, the place is always full of well-dressed coeds & young professionals, so it's got a great vibe.

In summary: great food, great wine list, great ambiance, great people.  What's not to love?  Five stars!
4 - Gina Q.: I still like them but they replaced their estancia grass-fed beef on the burger with "all angus beef"...whatever that means. WHY?? support grass-fed! let's all petition....

side note: the rest of the menu is still great. and they got a lot more beer! cheers to that
5 - Kevin T.: Bacaro, you never cease a moment without a surprise. 

The decor of the place is hypnotizing, with every corner marking a sweet denotation of how the food would taste. 

For the two of us, we ordered:
- Pan Seared Scallops  (only two scallops; but amazing texture and flavor)

- Roasted Eggplant Pizza (a little spicy with a hint of goat cheese)

- The Bacaro Burger with Fried Egg  (an explosion of surprises- my favorite)

- Stuffed Eggplant with Lamb (with a good punch of lamb flavor, bravo!)

- Banana Bread Pudding (one of the largest portions among the dishes ordered- excellent ending!)
 
Every dish came out at the right time and portion. Good for parties of 2,4, or 6, so every dish can be split proportionally in half. Great recommendations from staff, great wines, and charming atmosphere. 

Highly recommended.
4 - Jessica Y.: -my kind of food-
Depending what you get, their plates and portions can be considered tapas style. 
$8 / plate
$21 / 3 plates 

I will definitely be back for their Happy hour and Sunday special.  Sunday AYCE beefsteak and drinks for $25? What?!! I'm so there.

I came here for my dear friend's birthday. They're quite strict about reservations for parties, she had to put down a deposit?! Unheard of...
For that kinda treatment, they could have accommodated a bit better!

Our party shared a couple wine bottles ($26+) and we had some per glass ($7+). They had all the single drink servings written on the chalkboard.  A lot of squinting and pointing.. a bit reminiscent of grade school.

I was bummed out that they ran out of goat cheese that night. I had the Bacaro burger with the fried egg.. A++
I also tasted the pizzas, BTL, and chicken on polenta.. all tasty!!

But A+++ for their bread pudding. I was incredibly full AND I don't particularly like dessert, but I couldn't stop eating it. 

I'll be back!!
5 - Monica B.: I love this little place! The decor is very interesting. I love the wine bottle design on the ceiling. I think it's awesome that one entire wall is a chalkboard and the wine menu is written on the chalkboard. The people that work there are very nice and friendly. I've been to Bacaro at least 20 times and I've never had a bad experience. The price is just right- surprisingly it's not expensive at all. The food is delicious. I love bringing people to Bacaro, they always love it and want to go back and introduce others to it. Everything about this place is just awesome. I highly recommend going.
5 - Andrea C.: Bacaro, you always give me a party in my mouth! The wine list is extensive and I always love the beers on tap too. The Bacaro burger, grilled hangar steak, and roasted eggplant pizza are must trys! And with the plates being only $7 or $5 during happy hour, you can sample a lot of different things. Came here with three friends last time and ordered almost everything on the menu along with two bottles of wine. The bread pudding is also amazing!
3 - R E.: This is place is a lot smaller than I excepted. The tables were small and it you have a party over too people you may be a little cramped. 
Other than that all the food was good. The wine was very good. And the service was on point. Parking is not very convenient .
4 - Paula L.: I came here for my birthday and they made me put a deposit down and told us there was a $20 min per person. Even though I did ALL of this I was kind of upset that we didn't get better service. The waiter messed up our order twice and was kind of slow in bringing our food out. Maybe it was just busy? But still...There was only 1 waiter from what I saw for the whole place!
The food prices have been raised to $8 per plat or 3 for $21.
I was worried about portions (which were KIND of small except for the pizzas) but 2 plates pretty much filled me up.
Wine bottles are all in the $30+ range with quite a large selection.
Glasses start at $7.
The white pizza I got was very saltty! Everyone loves the burger (with egg).
The bread pudding (like everyone says) is pretty amazing!
The place is A LOT smaller than I thought and if you don't come at the perfect time you will not find a seat!
Overall I would come back for happy hours and maybe the Sunday beefsteak night.
4 - angela s.: this place is a little noisy gem...

walking into the narrow space, with the afternoon sun streaming in, i felt relaxed and ready for a great time.  they were expecting a large party so they very kindly set up a little table to me and my friend.  translation:  staff are super friendly and helpful.

i love the blackboard wall with the wines by the glass.  the wine list is well edited and staff is knowledgeable about what they serve.  our server led us to a great slovakian (i think) white that was creamy and delicious.  

charcuterie and cheeses were great.  i especially enjoyed the dried fruit compote that went so well with the blue cheese.  the roasted cauliflower was delicious - you got the flavor of the chipotles without an intense spice, which makes it user-friendly for the spice averse ;)  we also had the roasted garlic, which had the fun addition of balsamic - so yummy! tender chicken breast on the risotto parmesan cake in the caper sauce also recommended.  

overall, a wonderful experience - great place to spend a lazy afternoon.  just beware of the evening crowd.  it filled up fast!  we were seated next to a super loud n rowdy young group that made it really hard to hear one another, much less the server.  the petite space means that when it's crowded, it's LOUD. 

i'll definitely be back for more...
5 - Frances C.: OM NOM NOM my oh my delicious!!!

Boyfriend and I, accompanied by a lovely Groupon that only helped the experience, just spent 2 hours at Bacaro, the first part of which found us standing, nonetheless drinking and eating. Small space yes, but hey if they're not greedy about wanting to serve more people, who am I to judge?  We had the following: 

- Bruschette with Tuscan White Bean - - big hunka bread with beans piled on top, lemony, refreshing
- Bruschette with Roasted Garlic - - sweet & garlicky
- Crostini with mascarpone, sun-dried tomato tapenade - - these are obviously smaller, delicious and also very aesthetically pleasing
- Crostini with dill, garlic, ricotta, anchovy filet - - tastes exactly as it sounds
- Crostini with fresh ricotta with silan syrup - - - sweet and fluffy
- The Bacaro Burger - open-faced with a cute fried egg on top. yom
- Grilled Hanger Steak - - cooked perfectly medium rare, an explosion of flavor with just the right amount of sea salt and option of squeezing a slice of fresh lemon on the slices. 

I had two glasses of Moscato D'asti, can't really go wrong there, and BF enjoyed a glass of white, mas neuf or something or other, he couldn't really pronounce it ;) 

NO complaints and simply had a great time and great food from start to finish.  I'm usually more critical but when someone does it right... it's just right.  Will be back for sure!
4 - Laney K.: Great food, nice environment and good service.  The interior is stylish, a little small and warm.  I liked how one wall was entirely a chalkboard where they wrote the drinks menu.  They have a tv which is a plus for sports fans :) I would give it five stars except the "caprese salad" was not a salad (and I was craving some veggies) it was just mozzarella cheese, pesto, and cherry tomatoes. Very good but I was looking for some lettuce with my "salad".

 Anyways the pricing of the menu is unique.. $8 for each dish or $21 for 3.  I got the panini which was perfect portion and delicious.  I Rarely drink alcohol but the Prangster beer they have here is sooo good! 

I tried the Bacaro ice cream which was $5..it was good but not something I would crave to have again.

All in all - I would recommend going here. Can't wait to go back!!
4 - Camellia C.: My gals and I like to call ourselves the Food Club because we love food so damn much.  Or I guess the fatty club if you wanna be real here.  We were finally reunited for another feast and decided to give Barcaro a try due to all the raving reviews.  

Location: Barcaro is pretty dark and hidden to find but look for a Café and you are close.  Parking should not be too difficult but beware of walking by yourself at night, it's a little ghetto and near $C. Ew. 

When we arrived, it was a lot smaller than I anticipated. It was intimate and small with only a few tables.  We waited about 20-25 minutes so two of my gals started out with some wine by the mini bar as we waited for a table.  My friend got a red wine they called the "woo woo" ::raise the roof gesture:: haha. 

The waiters were on top of who is next in waiting for a table, there are some sneaky ones who tried to steal a table!  

When we finally got seated, we were famished! So I just went all out and got the $21 for 3 items on the menu...for myself.  You can get a dish for $8 each but what fun is that? There's so many items you will want to try!  We somehow managed to squeeze 10 dishes on our table, it was GLORIOUS. 

I got:
Roasted Eggplant grilled pizza (spicy smoked pepper sauce, goat cheese):  http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/8polKN4I6fJx1t8pPxogVw?select=MDfH68ORDrkmKBeDR9ZKGQ

I asked the waiter which pizza he recommended and he said you can never go wrong with the roasted eggplant.  It was different and delicious, the goat cheese was very soft and blended into the pizza well with a hint of spicy sauce.  However, I tried my friend's roasted garlic pizza and actually preferred that one.  The crust is thin, crispy and light just the way I like it.

Pan seared scallops: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/8polKN4I6fJx1t8pPxogVw?select=rSjDvQFymSp0EiF3TElrXA 

Omg chika chika wow wow! This was one of my favorite dishes.  The scallops were perfectly cooked where it had a nice crisp on the outside with oh so tender and flavorful meat in the middle.  It came in this buttery (jizz-my-pants) sauce with corn where I drank it like soup.  A little lickage on the bowl may have occurred.  

Bacaro burger made with estancia grass-fed beef, fried egg ($1 extra)
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/8polKN4I6fJx1t8pPxogVw?select=0a-dNbne2NiEGPzJ2FTR7g

All four of us gals ordered this and this juicy burger was delicious and one of our favorites.  I've never had an open-faced burger but it worked well with the fried egg on top!  Get the egg, just do it.  I prefer to eat my burger as a whole with my hands and get down n dirty w it, but this was the only exception when I had to cut my burger properly. It's not a fancy burger with a bunch of condiments and toppings on top.  Just a fried egg, some grilled onions, and a yummy glaze of sauce.  The bread used underneath was a great replacement over the typical burger bun.  

Homemade bread pudding with Vanilla ice cream: 
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/8polKN4I6fJx1t8pPxogVw?select=ElTKRAgqP-8Y3Cx3zoZrRA

By the time we got to dessert, we were definitely ready to unzip our pants from trying to breathe.  But we manage to always save some room for dessert!  Ironically, the bread pudding was a bigger portion than the other dishes we ordered.  It had a nice baked crisp on the top and a light creamy fluff in the middle. The vanilla ice cream definitely added a lot to it.  Our waiter was definitely sweet talking his way towards his tip and offered us an extra scoop of ice cream.  Way to charm the ladies with the sweets. 

This place was a solid 4.5 stars and I definitely need to come back here for happy hour next time.   

When I got home...I was fat and happy.  Food coma hit me so hard that I passed out like a baby and fell asleep with my phone in my hand. Now that's when you know you had a good meal.
4 - Verlan K.: I came here a while back on a friday night because I had bought a groupon. When we got here, the place was really small but we still liked the space. It was filled with SC and downtown hipsters, but the vibe was good. 

one entire wall is chalkboard with their extensive wine/beer menu.  So we ordered some drinks while we waited. 

The food is all small plates items. The open-face burger was cooked very well, but i'm not sure I'm a fan of the pizza. We also ordered some cheese appetizers and scallops. Overall, I'd return again and try some other things on their menu.
5 - Karmen H.: i LOVE THIS PLACE. 5 stars.

I come here with my classmate every monday night to take advantage of their happy hour. half glass wine. and $5 entrees. 

5 stars for eggplant stuffed with meat. orgasmic
5 stars for the decor. wine bottle ceiling and chalkboard as a wall paper. 


all the pizzas are pretty good except for the "white pizza"
atmosphere is really chill. its a neat little place to take a date here.
3 - Martin S.: Found this little place thanks to you other yelpers while looking for a place to chill before a show at the Shrine ( Arcade Fire)  The place was charming and a pleasant 10 minuet walk from the event. The wine selection is decent and the small plate menu has some nice offerings. We had the almonds and olives ( great) stuffed eggplant ( also very good)   
The margarita pizza( meh) was just a cheese pizza with no basil or tomato and the caprice salad (also meh) consisted of a few cherry tomatoes, small balls of fresh mozzarella and two leaves of basil. So we hit 50% with our food order. If your in the area and are in need of wine and a bite this is certainly a nice enough place to get your fix.  I'd go back again.  One last thing. The staff although very nice and attentive didn't seem to be very knowledgeable about wine. Not a big deal but odd for a wine bar.
4 - Justin C.: Decided to try this spot as it was near the Shrine for a show we attended on a Friday night.  It is a very small place and we were glad to get there just before 6p as it filled very quickly.  There's only about 10 tables and the waiting masses clog up the place all night long.
The employees there are very friendly and helpful to first time customers.  We ordered the three plate special and the olive/almond starter plate.  I'm not a fan of olives but my girlfriend is and this one was outstanding.  The marinade is laced with chilis and the almonds were a kind I never tried before.  They resembled macadamia more than almond.  Wonderful little dish to activate the appetite.
We had standard fare for the three plates: Bruschetta, Pizza, and Goat cheese with compote.  All three excellent and the brushcetta was a surprise we weren't ready for but delighted in.  They top two large olive oil soaked pieces of baguette, one with cherry tomatoes and fresh basil, the other with roasted garlic pieces.  It was amazing if not a little haphazard trying to get it into our mouths.  I wanted to finish the garlic as I'm an addict but my girl didn't want me to sweat it out during our show! The pizza was very cheesy and the goat cheese was delicious but we wanted more of that than the fruit compote (the cheese was a little bigger than a double stuff oreo cookie).
The wine is the feature of the establishment and I tried a Sangiovese that was fine but not worth a second glass.  My girl tried a white which was recommended and that was fruity but dry and light.  I'm not a wine connoisseur but I do wish they'd carry US wines in addition to the European selections.

Almost a five star experience and will go back as soon as we get around to that area again.
5 - Richie B.: Prior to tonight, I was content being solely a receiver of Yelp-formation. But I've just returned from a dinner at Bacaro L.A. and keeping this singularly awesome experience to myself would be just plain wrong.

I'll keep this short and sweet. Go here. Go here with some friends, and for the love of all that is sacred, order the Bacaro Burger with the fried egg.  Savor each forkful. It will be easy to do so; the dish kind of demands that level of respect and attention. 

Try some of the other savories on the menu with some wine and great conversation. When you're ready to consider the three item, five dollar dessert menu, skip the deliberation and go straight to the homemade bread pudding with the vanilla ice cream. I don't believe it's possible to adequately prepare for the first bite of this sublime concoction; the explosion of culinary comfort and joy in the mouth will most likely catch every first-timer off guard. Gentlemen, to be safe, it may be a good idea to bring along a clean pair of boxers.

As you walk out to Union a changed person, having experienced true gourmet bliss over the previous hour or two, say a prayer of gratitude that places like Bacaro exist, and at a Yelp two dollar sign price level no less.
1 - mellow y.: i literally got a yelp account just to write about how awful this place is.
let me elaborate...the food is actually good. it really is. i won't lie. the wine is kind of eh, but if the room weren't so ugly and the staff weren't so fidgety, drunk and slow, i may have overlooked that. i wanted to walk out just so that someone would try and stop me so i could say "oh, really? you noticed i was still here?!". like i said the food is tasty, but sunflowers in empty wine bottles is freshman dorm level decor. the glassware is cheap...and considering that they're a WINE BAR, it might be nice to have decent wine glasses. as for the staff...there's just no excuse. if every one of the 12 tables in that place had been full (which they were absolutely not) there is still no excuse for how slow and annoying they were. sitting at a table with dirty dishes for 15 minutes: not awesome. a waitstaff that can't make a recommendation outside of "well...it depends on what you like" (duh?!): also, not awesome. it's cheap and tasty, but i went in for respite and walked out annoyed. grosser food in a nicer environment would've beat this dive, hands down. i wish there were a zero stars option.
5 - Al S.: This is an awesome place for a date.   Delicious food to share, tasty wine and the perfect ambience for a night out.  The prices are fair, just don't come here expecting all you can eat bbq.  

I always find myself ordering the hambuger, and since I'm no Wilfred Wong, I ask the friendly staff for recommendations.  Boy, they have never disappointed me.  Every time I've gotten a brief explanation on where the wine is from and what to expect.  

Since the place is rather small, it could get crowded quickly.  I have always arrived before 6:30pm and the longest I've had to wait was 10 minutes.  Not the same story for the folks who show up after 8pm, but I don't think anyone cares, as there's plenty of standing room as well.
3 - Heather Z.: Love the happy hour - half off all wines by the glass and 5 dollar dishes but honestly food was just OK. everything was pretty buttery and heavy, even drinking 5 glasses of super dry reds didn't help to wash down the fat. wish they used the proper wine glasses for red, white and dessert.. i'm very big on presentation, drinking red wine out of a tiny white wine glass just doesn't do it...
2 - Karl F.: A friend of mine had a groupon so he convinced me to try this place.  We were quoted a 15 minute wait and it was 90 minutes before we were seated (with only ONE couple ahead of us).  During that time I got a couple glasses of wine to drink because, apparently, Monday is cheap-wine day.  (I imagine this also factored into the wait time because there were several tables not eating a damn thing and just nursing their $3 wine... more than one such table persisted when we left around the 2 hour mark since we had walked in.)

The food was, overall, very nice -- but small and pricey.  We dropped $80 for two people (including two glasses of wine) but we were curtly informed by the waiter that the Monday wine deal would not apply with the use of the groupon, and we'd have to pay full price.  This left a bad taste because we had waited a full hour standing around the bar with little else to do.

With good service I'd have given 4 stars.  Killing one for the horrible wait time and another for the poor customer service dinging us on the wine after dealing with such a mis-quoted wait time.  Another issue is the price: while the food was good and I understand the concept of tapas, we were still hungry when we left.  Unimpressive value; not likely to return.
4 - Chris S.: Just visited this quaint place on a Wednesday night with my girlfriend, and we really enjoyed it.

Atmosphere: 6 stars!
   *small, but not cramped
   *no loud music blaring on sound system, but rather very appropriate tunes at a reasonable volume
   *dimly lit, for a chill/relaxed feel

Service: 4.5 stars (gave us salad last, forgot we ordered it, not a biggie, but at least .5 stars off for that...) 
   *otherwise, very helpful with decisions and recommendations; very friendly and attentive as well

Food: 4.5 (we tried six things total, see below, and that was plenty for two people!)
   *burger (amazing)
   *two specials: salad and eggplant (highly recommend trying their specials! both were possibly the best of the night)
   *crostini's, all of which were great (I even ate one of them the next day, cold, and it was still delicious!)
   *roasted garlic pizza (nicely baked, cheese browned on top, a good balance of crispy crunch with soft center)
   *scallops (our least favorite of the six--just not flavorful outside of the uber buttery sauce it was soaking in!)

Access: 5 stars
   *located in an 'interesting' part of LA. but parking was easy on the street (being a Wednesday night probably helped a lot)

Therefore, overall a 4 star rating, as I don't want to easily give out 5's... ha!
5 - Casey S.: This wine bar is as good as it gets. The food is awesome. We ordered the eggplant dish with lamb, the pan seared scallops, the roasted garlic grilled pizza, and a Bacaro burger. We also had the homemade bread pudding. You won't be dissappointed by the food, wine, or service at this place. The only downsides are the size of the place and the parking situation. It can be difficult to find a seat when it's crowded and the parking in this neighborhood is difficult. Regardless, I still say it's worth every bit of it.
4 - Jenny S.: DIAMOND in the rough!!.. (you know the rough of usc.. . GO BRUINS jk ;)

Bacaro is a cute tapas/wine bar w/ spunk! wooden picnic-esque tables w/ chalkboard wine menu walls! & wine bottle covered ceilings

It's $8 per plate or 3 for $21 dollars! (i think the menu online is outdated, unless saturdays have diff menus?) so for two people we got 4 plates PLUS dessert for $5 and i was STUFFED

---Bacaro burger + $1 for fried egg! an open face burger reminiscent of in n out  w/ that thousand island.. nice crispy toast! but not the best burger i've had
---pan-seared scallops take you to FLAVORTOWN in that bold parsnip puree (MY FAV dish!)
---stuffed eggplant w/ lamb! this was a wake up call for the taste buds & in a good way!
---bread pudding w/ vanilla ice cream. honestly up there as ONE OF THE TOP 3 bread puddings i've ever had!!!

great & helpful staff!!

RESERVATIONS: only for parties of 6 or more!! but on a saturday night for 2 we were seated right away since we came early

PARKING: it seems shady but find it in the neighborhood & just be safe and check signs!
5 - Janet K.: Ok, first off, I think my taste buds are growing or expanding...

After trying the Burata at Obika Mozarella Bar in Culver City, I wanted to try other Burata's and other cheeses.

I came here with my cousin and she ordered. It seemed like a lot, but she said the portion and plating were small. OMG! It was interesting and delicious. Some I could steer away from and I don't think I would try again. We got:

            ROASTED RAINBOW BEETS
            BURRATA DI STEFANO
            CROSTINI  with gorgonzola, dates, walnuts, orange honey; fresh 
            goat cheese, balsamic endive mamalde, and mascarpone, sun-
            dried tomato tapenade)
            THE BACARO BURGER ** this is an absolute must!!** it was so  
            delicious
            BACON & BRIE (not a real fan of bacon, but the combination of 
            bacon pieces, oven cooked brie and jalapeños were great)

There was this California dish, but I think it was a special. It had chipotle sauce and OMgoodness, I fell in love.
5 - Tiffany D.: You should never spend a Monday night any other way. Ever. Period. 

It was perfect, from the 1/2 off all wine all night to $5 delicious tapas-size plates till 7, to the sunflowers lining the walls, to the grand windows and wood tables. Just perfect. 

Close friends. First date. Whatever.  Just come here and enjoy. Rinse, and repeat.


Of particular deliciousness, I'd recommend the burger. It's amazing, and it's just a freaking burger.
2 - Lily L.: I really want to give a better review. I have had an article about them on my refrigerator, then my wall for about 7 months now. Life happens and this got way delayed but the article was on my wall for so long I had very high expectations for Bacaro. 1st they were training my server. Ugh. 2nd the timing of the food was so wrong. I asked for a wine but then asked for another one to drink alone while I would drink the one I first ordered w my meal. I didnt ask the server to take the first on but then he did. Then my food came super fast so I wanted my original wine. I was done with my food and had to walk up to ask for the first wine. I ended up drinking the wine I wanted to drink without food with food and the one with food without food. I felt so dissatisfied at this point I ordered more food hoping it would get better. It did get better but much much later. I ordered the zucchini blossoms and scallops at first. The blossoms were not their strength but the scallops were good. Then I ordered the bruschetta with tuscan white beans another bruschetta with peppers and an eggplant pizza. If I had just ordered the last two items I may have been more content. I don't know maybe my tastebuds aren't boujie enough. My total bill was $31 and I would have been super upset if I had to pay regular price for that. I feel like most of my dismay was due to the service and ordering their weaker items so I will come back for Beefsteak Sundays with my boyfriend in hopes that my expectations will be met.
5 - Amar M.: I've only been here once but I really liked this place. I've actually been meaning to go back. It's a bit small, so you have to make sure you get there at a good time. 

The food is excellent. Great bruschettas and various other tapa sized foods. We had the scallops and bacaro burger as well. We enjoyed everything we hate. 

The decor is intimate and kind of small, but it's worth it because it's one of those little places that you actually want to support and also feel like you're getting your money's worth.
4 - Susie S.: Really great winebar with excellent food.  The only loss of a star is the location.  It's kind of in the middle of nowhere.  Otherwise, the food is great, the wine even better, and I can't wait to try the Sunday AYCE/D steak and wine.
4 - Eva K.: Happy hour 5-7pm Monday through Thursday! 

Relatively affordable wine and tapas. Low lighting. USC crowd. 

The crostinis are delicious, as is the burger with egg. 

Street parking. Friendly waitstaff. 

This place is cozy, good for dates or just to talk with friends. =)
4 - Lesley P.: I'm somewhat of a failed Korean.  Exhibit A: I don't play Starcraft.  Exhibit B: I can't drink for shit.  In light of Exhibit B, one might ask why I frequent Bacaro LA, a wine bar, for their monthly all-you-can-eat/all-you-can-drink Beefsteak Sundays.

The answer: what I lack in drinking ability I make up for in stomach capacity.  $25 for unlimited hangar steak, potatoes, and bread is a great deal in its own right. 

The food on the regular menu is also quite tasty.  The Bacaro Burger, Crostini, and Nutella Panino are solid food choices.  Despite not being capable of drinking, I WILL sneak an occasional glass of Moscato here and there.  I'm a little perplexed by the large variances in portion sizes, though; $7 can either buy you three measly scallops or a four-slice pizza topped with bacon bits and brie.  It's also somewhat overpriced for what you get.  Still, I have a soft spot in my heart for this place since I spent much of my last year at USC unwinding here.

In a magical world where Yelp believed in half star ratings, I would give this place 3.5 stars.  Since that's not the case, I'm giving Bacaro the honorary half star of nepotism solely because the owners are USC alum.  Fight On!
3 - Julia H.: I went here for a close friends birthday I want to say on a Wednesday night.  First of all, can someone please tell me why the place is so freaking dark.  From the outside, it doesn't look like its open.  I carpooled with a friend and we COMPLETELY missed the place because it was so dark and small.  It is really hard to find street parking and I wouldn't go far from the store.  The neighborhood gets....interesting...The place has about 8 really narrow but long tables.  If you have long legs, I'm sorry, be prepared to play footsies with the person sitting across from you.  

The food is $8 per plate or 3 for $21.  I got the deconstructed blt, the pan-seared scallops, and the grilled chicken. You would think that that would be enough food. NOOOOOOOOOOOOPE.  Don't get me wrong, the food was really good.  But personally, I don't think I would go back.  It was like $21 for appetizers.  The pan-seared scallops came with 2 scallops, the grilled chicken was at most the size of my palm, and the deconstructed blt was pretty small too.  One of my friends and I looked at each other then laughed because we thought the portions were pretty ridiculous.  

For dessert we had the bread pudding.  It was really good.  I think they gave us more bread pudding then actually entries but hey it was an experience.
5 - George M.: It was worth the wait, but they need another location away from USC. It's overwhelmed by sorority girls, with reservations in large groups - wait when has that been a bad thing. When you're with your girlfriend that's when. Thankfully the food and the wine will steel the eyes front discipline that will save you from untimely awkwardness.
3 - Scott H.: Ambiance is nice...good music, minimal and rustic decor, dark but not too dark lighting.

I can't swear by all the food, but the roasted garlic, balsamic, pesto bruscetta was absolutely amazing.  This is a must try.

Also had a Gruyere and ham panini...eh...too salty.  Just ok.

I'm glad to discover they serve beer, though I think they could beef up their craft beer sampling.  Wines are good, but pricey by the glass.
3 - Jennifer J.: Had the food not been so good, I would have rated Bacaro a solid one star out of sheer frustration.  I'm going to go out on a limb here and say if you run a small wine bar that holds maybe 50 people, you should not allow for large party reservations.  On both times we came here, over half of the available seating had been reserved, and what remained had a lengthy waiting list.  On our first visit when it happened, we just grabbed a couple of glasses of wine at the bar and decided to come back another time, assuming it had been a fluke.  Second time confirmed that this is standard practice.  The clientele seemed to be made mostly of USC students, all of whom were well behaved (though I had serious doubts as to the age of some of them and didn't see any carding enforced).  But it just made me feel of out of place.  Like I was a chaperone at a prom instead of an adult trying to have a nice night out with my sweets.  

That out of the way, if they moved to a different location and/or changed their reservation policies, I would happily return here for the food.  We had a bacon and brie pizza that was ZOMG amazing, followed by the famous and equally delicious burger with egg (served open face).  We also had a trio of crostini with a collection of delightful spreads.  And I also credit the wait staff for being very apologetic for the wait and even graciously comping our wine.  But despite the great food and nice servers, ultimately it's just not worth the frustration.
3 - Allen D.: Bacaro L.A. provides something different  in the LA food scene.  Italian tapas and wine at reasonable prices.  The ambiance is nice with an eclectic crowd that you would not expect in this area of town.  The place however is easy to miss if you do not have a GPS device to pinpoint the exact location!

The food, was good, nothing over the top.  The PAN SEARED SCALLOPS would be my favorite.  The Bacaro Burger was good, provided on a half bun, which was unfortunately burnt, as was the eggplant pizza.

My major complaint was that the tables were extremely small and our seats had no backrest.  Also since the tables are small I would have expected the waiter to have the foresight  to bring the dishes out at a moderate pace, instead of all at once!  We had to wolf down most of the food in order to clear space for the next dishes!
4 - Karen K.: The wait was finally over for happy hour here. The place was not packed for Thanksgiving Eve. I think people were trying to get out of town or getting ready for Thanksgiving. I ordered the pan seared scallops and the burger. I sampled the beet salad and it was really good. They had different types of beets and they were really fresh. It was tossed with goat cheese and fresh herbs. The scallops were served in a sauce and potatoes and onions. They were perfectly seasoned. I took a few bits of the open faced burger with a fried egg and it was good. We also ordered the white pizza. It was not bad. My friend had the stuffed eggplant with lamb and that was tasty also. The lamb didn't have the gamey taste to it. Mmm dessert was really good. My friend ordered the pumpkin bread pudding with pumpkin ice cream. I will definitely come back here since i sill have my groupon to spend.
4 - angela w.: parking can be tricky.  the seats are limited - it wouldn't be the place to be for a group of more than 4, i would think.   

b.u.t. man, oh man, their burger with fried egg on top was just delish.  i'd definitely go back just for their food alone, but i also loved how intimate and relaxing the place was.  the service was great too.
5 - Kevin W.: This place rocks.  One of the best burgers in LA in my opinion.  Good vibe and the people who work here are very friendly.

They KNOW THEIR FOOD and WINE.  Awesome.  Been many times and will keep coming back.
4 - nancy n.: Thanks to Nich for telling us about this place and you totally missed out! So I came here with a party of five, had a reservation at nine and it was pretty packed. We waited about 10-15 mins for a table to clear. So the place is very small, not ideal for big parties of prob six or more. 

For the entire dinner, we ordered two bottles of red wine and i cant remember the name of it but it was a pinot noir. 

Now on to the food:
Each of us ordered three plates and all shared. Remember the plates are small, tapas style.

Baguette and Olive Oil Infused with Garlic:
The bread was nice and crunchy and OMG you have to try the garlic oil, nice and sweet. We cut up the garlic and put it on top of our bread and it was heaven. 

Caprese Salad-
Buffalo Mozzarella that is light and melts in your mouth. The Tomato salad with sea salt brought it together. Im usually not a fan of Pesto but this was good. Not too gardeny tasty(if that makes sense) and was combined with other favors to balance it out. Def a crowd pleaser.

Prosciutto Di Parma
The Prosciutto was very flavorful, thinly sliced. Yummy

Crostini: They really pack on the cheese.
Fresh Ricotta w/ Olive Tapanade-Gross, if you love olives then this is for you, if not step away.

Gorgonzola, Dates, Walnuts and Honey- This was my fav of the night! All the flavors combined, explosion in my mouth

Mascarpone and Sundried Tomato Tapenade- Very refreshing and light. also a crowd pleaser. 

Goat Cheese and Balsamic Marmalade- Goat Cheese was good but the marmalade was way too sweet for me. 

Bacaro Burger:
Reminds me of an Office Burger for some reason. It was good, the spicy sauce really made it stand out

Hanger Steak- it was okay, average, didnt really stand out, not very flavorful but tender.

White Pizza- not a fan of this, flavors were bland, dont order

Bacon and Brie Pizza- it was okay, not the best pizza i have ever had, but it also didnt stand out either.

Chicken w/Risotto Cake - Omg, another dish i was amazed by, The citrus and Jalapeno flavors really stood out for me. Everyone should try this. 

We were so bummed they ran out of scallops! We def want to come back and try this.

On to dessert:
Nutella Panino-Who can say no to nutella?Nice and warm with nutella oozing out of it. yummy.

Bread Pudding-what a disappointment this was. It was bland and something was missing from the dish. Wont be ordering again. 

So to some it up, a great new place to try and I will def be coming back!
4 - Eric C.: Finally finding this place after circling the block once with my girlfriend I found parking right in front of the venue. When I walked in, WOW this place is packed on a Thursday night. There was a waiting list but we didn't mind, rarely I ever see a wine bar full of people. Being that this place is close to USC, I guess it bring the college crowd. It's a nice small place, for small groups.
After getting our table, we order 3 dishes. A good deal they have, 3 dishes for $21. These are small dishes, don't expect to have dinner here. And a bottle of Merlot that cost $32. If you're going to DRINK, order a bottle instead by the glass. The glass are small, you'll be getting your money worth by ordering a bottle. We were one of the last group to leave. They employees were nice enough to wait till we finish, they didn't rushed us at all. When we finished, the bill came out to be $49. They only charged us $28 for the wine(NICE!). All and all, we had a great experience there. Definitely on my list for local wine bars.

Pro: Ambience, food, imported beer selection and cool menu chalk board wall.
Con: Street parking(hard to find close parking), USC crowd.
5 - Dan F.: From 5-7 everyday, all plates are 5 dollars.  Monday is 1/2 price wine by the glass.  You come here at the right two hours on a Monday night and you're entering The Perfect Storm.  

Mark Wahlberg is their fresh-faced 2009 Beaujolais (3.50 for a glass), George Clooney is their delicious gri(zz)lled Hanger Steak (grizzled because he has a beard in that movie; the steak is anything but tough), and John C. Reilly would be the eggplant, I guess, because what other vegetable would John C. Reilly be?   Waiting at home (or at the end of your meal) is Diane Lane, Karen Allen and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio - a delicious crostini trio.  I go with these three, of the six you can choose from: mascarpone and sun-dried tomato tapenade...fresh goat cheese and balsamic endive marmalade...gorgonzola, dates, walnuts and orange honey...in that order.  The gorgonzola is so sweet it qualifies as dessert, but the gem of the bunch is the goat cheese.

Yes, I go there a lot.  Yes, I've had nearly everything on the menu (other standouts are the Bacon and Brie pizza and the Burger).  Yes, I used too many parentheses in this review.  Yes, I spent way too much time researching the cast of the Perfect Storm on imdb. 

Yes, you should eat here.
5 - Natalie V.: Cool spot by USC, creative menu that will keep your foodie friends intrigued. Very intimate with a college ambiance, excellent beer and wine selection. Definitely a keeper.
4 - Olivia Y.: We decided to try this place out because we wanted to celebrate my friend's 21st birthday, and we also knew of a promotion for 15% off and free dessert for the week. 

The restaurant is a small, cozy place that doesn't fit too many people. Thank goodness we made a reservation in advance, though. I snuck in a cake to the chef so that they could bring it out lit up at the end of the meal. 

Food was awesome, though the portions were pretty small. Prices increased to $8/plate, or 3 for 21. I think it would be ideal to get one item from the appetizers (perhaps the balsamic garlic pesto bruschetta - delicious!!), one from the hot dishes (burger, panini, or chicken), and dessert! That should be enough for two.

Anyway, this place really had awesome service. They were apparently unfamiliar with the promotion, but they were so nice about it and just gave us the deal and free dessert, PLUS they brought out our lit-up cake, cut it up and served it on nice individual plates for us, all free of charge. Also, we had a party of 7, but they didn't charge us gratuity, which was nice. Keep in mind that this place was crowded, and there were at least two parties waiting to be seated, but the server still let us take our time and enjoy celebrating my friend's 21st.

They are really considerate here, and I was amazed so much that I just created a yelp account and am writing this review, even though I have two finals to study for this week.

Anyway, if you're in the area, definitely stop by and check it out!
3 - Giang C.: I really wish that this place was here when I was going to school..!  The Pan seared scallops were amazing, and the Panini was really tasty.   It's pretty small, but really cozy and cute.  We were there with an extremely large group, we pretty much took up literally half of the restaurant. The waiter was really helpful, even though we had a really big group.  The portions were a bit small for our group, but with wine, and many courses we all left pretty full---but I probably could have gone out to eat after Bacaro. I definitely want to come back for the Sunday steak, or happy hour one day--the food was amazing, atmosphere was really hipster-y.  Come for the wine list and the Balvarian Beer!
4 - Susie S.: I'd rate it a 3.5 but I'll round up because of the overall pleasant experience. The bacaro burger and grilled gruyere paninis were my favorite dishes. I also enjoyed the caprese salad, prosciutto and pan-seared scallops. However, I thought the crostini and pizza were mediocre, and the bread pudding was terribly flavorless without the ice cream (which there was too little of). I liked the nutella panino, but my friends didn't. Overall, I enjoyed the atmosphere quite a bit, and I liked the wine. It's a very tiny space, so I think it would be awkward to go with more than 3 or 4 people.
5 - Vanessa N.: I recently threw a bday dinner here accommodating 13 ppl and each and every one of my guests were in LOVE with Bacaro LA! 

But let's back track a little bit to when I first arrived to this hidden gem of a restaurant... Located near USC, I thought I was lost upon arriving. The awning outside the restaurant keeps it hidden but when you walk in, you could definitely feel the liveliness and coziness of the place.

Since we had a large party, Bacaro LA seemed fitting because it had just a little bit of everything for everyone. Plus, who can beat 3 for $21 small plates and $20 all you can drink beer/house wine?!

I had ordered the Caprese Salad which just melts in your mouth. Gooey mozzarella with a hint of basil pesto that leaves you wanting more.. I also ordered the Bacaro Burger without the fried egg and it was made perfectly. I always like my burgers medium rare and it was still juicy while slightly pink. The last plate I had was by far the best on the menu. It was the pan seared scallops on top of this corn salsa. I could have eaten 4 of those pan seared scallops plates! 

All in all, a great place to either have a small dinner party, (since the place is not that big) dinner for two, or even Happy Hour since their specials are great.
5 - Tina A.: One of my friends who lives in the area first discovered this place over summer and took me with her a week later. Since then I'd say we frequent this spot at least a couple times a month.  Everything about this place is awesome from the food to the ambiance. The decor kind of reminds me of the type of wine bar you would find in New York, but they one up the typical wine bar with a great beer selection as well. 

By now I'd say I've pretty much sampled everything on the menu, but here are some of the favorites:

- "Noa's" cauliflower - you've never had cauliflower like this before, so much flavor it's almost overwhelming
- The Bacaro Burger - open-faced and decadent
- Burrata di Stefano - simply amazing, a staple every time we go
- Bruschette - the tomato and the Tuscan white bean..mmmm

And you can't go wrong with any of the pizzas, paninis, or various other little snacks. (and the cheese selection, good lord the cheese selection)

My only complaints are things that can also be seen as a plus, depending on the situation. The tables and seats are tiny, which makes for a great intimate or date setting but sucks when you go to happy hour (which is awesome here) with a few friends and are restrained by the lack of table surface area. Also the size of the place makes it kind of a hassle to get a table depending on the time you go, but once you do have a table you appreciate the small cozy feel and fast service.

They also have a great selection of music, not that the volume inside is ever low enough to enjoy it, but the attention to detail is much appreciated. All in all, a really chill place that hasn't been overtaken by the masses yet. I think I may have just talked myself into going there tonight.
4 - Diane K.: Happy hour is awesome-food and wine for $5.  It is a great place to pass time if you want to wait out LA traffic.
3 - Brian G.: Surely we must have hit Greek week because half the restaurant was awash in drunken fraternity and sorority SC college kids who were dressed classy, but definitely not acting classy.  The noise in the restaurant was stratospheric - on par with dining at Bottega Louie downtown.  It's entirely possible that the 1 hour wait standing up while having to listen to drunken college kids colored my opinion of Bacaro so I'll give Bacaro the benefit of the doubt.

Moving onto the positives.  The wine list is extensive and filled with some reasonably priced options.  Given the number of good bottles between $30-$40 we found ourselves buying bottles over glasses. The menu also has some highlights.

The interior is simple and has a small NY wine bar vibe with the exposed brick walls and cozy, contemporary feel.  The most decorative item is their wine bottle light fixture.  Assuming the noise levels are within reason, this would be a perfect spot to hang with the lady friend or meet up with friends for wine and a bite to eat.
4 - Andrew T.: the order.
baguette
poached shrimp
burrata
noa's cauliflower
grilled panini
bacaro burger
pan seared scallops
grilled chicken
grilled filet
lamb stuffed eggplant
white pizza
bread pudding

two friends and I went to the happy hour on a monday evening and ordered a majority of the menu, as we were excited to try the tapas. each plate costs 5 dollars during HH. im a fan of happy hours that offer the complete dinner menu at a discounted rate. 

the great thing about bacaro's tapas is that it caters to a diverse palate. all the flavors pull from all sorts of cuisines, which is quite exciting when you're drinking wine. on their part, it shows culinary prowess.

the place is nice but doesn't have that finished look. it still looks like a converted hole in the wall space. the seating was a bit uncomfortable for someone about 5.10 and taller. the tables were a nice  picnic table style touch but were on the narrow side. it would have been impossible to fit all our orders on the table. luckily our plate turnover rate is quite impressive. 

we started off with the baguette, which i felt should be free. it's bread, after all. however i must say the garlic infused olive oil was nothing short of spectacular. paired so well with the fresh baked bread. no complaints about the 2 dollar price tag.

the poached shrimp was a miss for me. the shrimp were delicious and quite plump but the thai style sweet chili sauce didn't really do it for me. but i will say that the dish was well prepared and added to the diversity of our meal. 

the burrata was way overpriced even at 5 dollars. 4 sourdough toasts and cheese. i like the dish but was underwhelmed by the portions. this dish was made for 2 people max. 

noa's cauliflower was unexpectedly delicious. i don't normally eat cauliflower but would more often if it were sauteed like this. the spiced aioli really added a kick to the cauliflower, which by itself is a bland piece of fiber.

the grilled panini was a bit of letdown as well. good portion but small offerings of cheese and meat. there was literally one small slice of roast beef in each mini sandwich. basically, the cheese and meat were lost to the bread. i have no gripes about the flavor. the panini, though a bit over done, was good enough.

the pan seared scallops had two scallops. i love the sauce they used. light, rich and delectable. the scallops were cooked to near perfection. but i hope what they served us was a happy hour portion or else this dish would be extremely overpriced.

the bacaro open faced burger had potential but all of that was lost to the crazy saucing of the item. (ask for easy sauce) i'd personally order this next time medium rare, as they cooked my medium on the well side. and the meat isn't super juicy. adding egg helps the flavor a bit but you won't miss it if it weren't there. 

the grilled chicken had a nice piece of semi-juicy breast. cooked nicely. way too much acid. i had to drink some wine to get this dish down. they need to tame this dish as it was blatantly sour. the jalapenos didn't do much to subside it for me.

grilled filet had nice medium cooked pieces of meat. minimally seasoned just the way i like it. the quality of the meat isn't spectacular, more on the average side. a solid tapas dish. 

lamb stuffed eggplant was good. the crust on the eggplant outshined the ground lamb meat stuffing but the dish goes well with red wine. and if you're a red drinker, you should definitely order this. 

the white pizza was a nice cheese-y pizza. the crust was a bit hard for me but pizza is a must if you come with a group. it's always going to be a crowd pleaser. this wasn't anything special but it was solid pizza with good cheese.
 
the bread pudding was recommended to us by the waitress but wasn't that great. it was just good. it was on the mushy, soggy side. im not a fan of baby food-like items. the vanilla ice cream they served it with was delicious though it was a small tea spoon sized scoop. i wouldn't get this again. 

im not completely in love with this place but i cannot deny that their offerings are diverse and delicious. no single dish was below average for me, which is always a good sign. it's on the pricey side, especially given some dish's serving size. but i think it's worth it if you come with a party of no more than 4; 3 is ideal.

and take advantage of happy hour to take bacaro for a test drive.
4 - Jannice A.: I always support USC alumns who try to open something innovative and new around the SC area. Barcado was great--- tasted the wine, the british beer, and tried almost everything on the menu. place gets pretty packed during school session. . .  lots of sorority birthdays and events ( Expect a lot of white girls as in from 2  to a  5 million)--- and the regs are def gona be taking up the tables (seen my asshole friends do this-- ordering "coffee" for 5 hours on a busy night) 

service is great, food is delish, and you're awesome and from SC, the boys will hook you up. they sure did for me.
5 - Annie G.: I've been here several times for happy hour and beefsteak sunday. I love it. I'm so sad I only just discovered it this fall (despite attending USC for 2 years prior!). I only go for happy hour, since 5-7 (mon-thur) is the perfect time in my day for a quick, delicious dinner. 

My favorite is the stuffed eggplant. It's got lamb in it, but even my roommate (who dislikes lamb) loves the dish. Also delicious are their Bacaro burgers and beefsteaks. The steak is the same stuff they serve on beefsteak sundays, cooked to about medium/medium-rare and delicious. During beefsteak sundays, they also provide this delicious baguette bread. 

If you're there for beefsteak sunday, I'd recommend getting the steak on bread combo at the beginning of dinner (because it IS delicious), then asking them to provide only steak (to maximize stomach space). The establishment is super chill, and it's all you can drink on beefsteak sunday. The setup for beefsteak sundays is also really nice in that you all sit side-by-side so you get to rub elbows with total strangers who are also there to enjoy a good meal and have a great time. 

I love this place, and it's one of our default dinner choices when in a rush. :)
1 - Nicholas W.: Came to Bacaro because I had a Living Social coupon and arrived at 6:45. Two tables are marked as reserved which I find interesting for a restaurant that can't even hold 40 people. The bartender, Kandiss, was friendly as she let us taste a couple of wines while we waited. 

FINALLY got a table at 7:40 after no acknowledgement or apology from waiters/managers for the wait. I've never felt that invisible before at a restaurant. We even had to flag down the waiter to put in our order. I know it's customary to give a few minutes for customers to decide what to order, but after almost an hour of waiting, we had known what we wanted for a while.  The first dish came out after a few minutes but we had no utensils or water. 

We asked Bobby for some water but did not get it after eating 4 dishes. Yet after asking Andy for water, he brought it over immediately. 

The food and wine was pretty good. Unfortunately, the petite filet had ran out by the time we ordered even though we saw 3 of them come out of the kitchen while we waited.  The panini (gruyere, roast beef, onions), crostini (marscapone, gorgonzola, goat cheese), and Bacaro burger (w/ fried egg) were my favorites. Still, it was hard to get the bad service out of my mind.
1 - Shannon L.: Worst service ever - the only person who was nice was the bartender kandiss. The other servers didn't even acknowledge that we were waiting for a table - kandiss was the only one that said "sorry for the wait your table is almost ready" I understand we had to wait but at least acknowledge that you have customers waiting. We waited for almost an hour and even once we were seated our server didn't even come take our order - we had to flag him down to get service. Never coming here again. There are other better wine bars/tapas joints in la.
4 - Andy L.: Overall, this is a terrific wine bar. Excellent service, cool ceiling decor, great wine selections, but the one thing preventing it from being 5 star is the space. Just know that this place has very, very limited seating. If you come here on a busy night, there's a very good chance you'll have to wait around until people leave. You can make a reservation ahead of time, but ONLY if you have a party of 6 or more people. 

Which brings me to the next point: People, if you're going to make a reservation, then show up on time! Last night, when I came with 3 of my friends, we waited over 40 minutes before we were seated. The reason we couldn't be seated was because an open table had been reserved, and so the hosts were waiting for the party to show up. Their reservation was for 8:00 p.m. I checked my watch and it was already 8:30. Half an hour late? That's unacceptable. So basically we waited around staring at an empty table that could've been filled. There were also complications with seating because another large party of 10 was coming in soon, so they had to clear out space for that arrival. I think Bacaro needs to be stricter about its reservation policies: assume forfeit of reservation for parties who are unreasonably late, and accommodate the needs of customers who are actually present. 

During our wait, we polished a bottle of red and considered leaving, but we brought our complaint to the hostess, who did apologize and offered us some appetizers on the house - the olive/peanuts and the bread. It tasted fine, but for putting up with all this seating nonsense, we had expected to get a little more in return, but oh well. They finally took the reservation sign away and gave us the table. After we were seated we did have a good time, ordered the delicious bread pudding (must try!), and drank another bottle of white (Fallanghina). We used the LivingSocial deal too, so we paid $20 for $40 worth of the bill. 

Moral of the story: Expect limited seating, and if you are going to make a reservation, please be considerate of other people's time and convenience. 

Also, if you want to get away from the college scene, you can go to their second location in Downtown LA called Mignon. I'll review it later.
4 - Lindsey L.: This was my first time to Bacaro, and I went because I had a Groupon that was due to expire soon. I went on a Friday night around 8pm-ish. 

The good: the food was excellent! My boyfriend and I had the scallops, crostini, margherita pizza, caprese salad, Bacaro burger (no egg), and the bread pudding. We really enjoyed everything we had, with the added bonus of seeing plates on other tables that looked delicious. It's always a good feeling to know that you want to go back to a restaurant and try other dishes. Our waiter was as attentive as possible (it was VERY crowded), and brought us free dessert wine to go with the bread pudding due to the wait. We left very satisfied and wanting to return. Tip: the portions are small, so order about 2-3 plates per person to feel satisfied. 

The rest: the place is VERY small. We got there before the big crush of people, but still had to wait about 20-30 minutes for a table. You can order a drink at the bar while you wait, which is nice, but I feel sorry for the poor bartender because she has to handle everyone waiting for tables while still filling drink orders. There really isn't a designated waiting area for tables, so everyone was just standing around in the corridor from the kitchen to the tables, trying to squish against the wall and not get in the way. And because Bacaro is small and crowded, it gets very loud in there. For me, all of that was worth it because the food was so good, but I can see how it would be annoying. 

So if you want good food and good drinks, don't mind waiting for a table, and are okay with eavesdropping on your neighbors' conversations (the tables are very close to each other), then definitely check it out!
5 - Joyce L.: I came to Bacaro because I had bought a Groupon. Bacaro is a cosy, casual winebar. Most of the wines are European that aren't widely distributed. The food is served tapas style. Everything we ordered was delicious. 

For cold dishes, we got the caprese salad. It came with basil and pesto which complimented the mozzarella and tomatoes really well. We also ordered the Burrrata di stefano which is basically toasted bread with olive oil and burrata cheese. LOVED IT! Our last cold dish was the roasted rainbow beets which is an assortment of different types of beets. This dish was good but the beets were a little too firm. 

For hot dishes, we ordered the bacaro burger. This dish was AMAZING! It's an open face burger served on toasted bread with a cream sauce. I love that the burger was on a slice of bread because sometimes I feel like hamburger bun can be too much. You can also choose to have a fried egg on top for an extra $1. We also ordered the scallops which came in a puree sauce and white truffle oil. This dish was also good but only came with 2 scallops. We got the Noa's cauliflower which came in a aioli sauce with mixed greens. We also ordered the white pizza which came with bacon and scallions. 

For dessert, we ordered 2 nutella sandwiches, one with bananas and one with strawberries. It's nutella, you can't go wrong. YUM!

All the dishes were excellent. Our waiter was very friendly and helped us choose a bottle of wine to our liking. It was a great dining experience. I am definitely coming back even without a Groupon!
5 - Nadia A.: Came with the groupon and had a great experience. Tiny and cozy with a small but delicious menu...service was also wonderful. A really young, USC crowd but fun to people watch, and easy to ignore with the right company :-)
the shrimp, burger, and eggplant were all really yummy.
4 - Rina C.: small and cozy.
all the dishes taste great!
we ordered a bunch of tapa dishes all the dishes taste great!
4 - Kathleen T.: HAPPY HOUR: $5 PLATES (FROM $8), 50% OFF WINE BY GLASS
TIME: 5-7PM

Breadbar Baguette w/ Olive Oil
Bacaro Burger
Pan-seared Scallops
Deconstructed BLT
"Noa's" Cauliflower
Margherita Pizza
Stuffed Eggplant

Bacaro gets packed really quickly.  Maybe it was because I came on a holiday, but I was one of the first to come in when they opened at 5 and when I left at 6, the restaurant was full and it looked like about three parties were waiting to be seated.  

On to the food, the olive oil for the baguette was garlic infused and it just gives it the perfect extra kick.  I really enjoyed that even though it was just olive oil.  The Bacaro Burger and Pan-seared scallops were just fine.  The bacon for the deconstructed BLT was over-cooked and it just tasted like charcoal so it wasn't too appetizing.  Probably the worst dish of the night, followed by the Margherita Pizza which is basically just CHEESE pizza.  There's no basil!  My mind doesn't comprehend.......haha.  Best dish of the night, the Cauliflower followed by the stuffed eggplant, recommended!

Overall I really enjoyed Bacaro.  I'd definitely come back again.
4 - Jim M.: When we first arrived it was pretty slow and the service was really good. Once things picked up that changed really fast. What was fast, efficient, and friendly became slow and less personal. There is nothing more frustrating than wanting more and having trouble flagging someone down. I could swear the servers ignored attempts to get their attention. 

That being said the food was very impressive. Everything was cooked well and had a lot of flavor.
4 - Dayae K.: Cute cute atmosphere.
This restaurant is tiny and it's kind of hard to find.

Anyways, I came to this restaurant thanks to Groupon.
They have a large variety of wine which I always love.
I totally forgot the wines I ordered, but I did feel a bit tipsy after I drank 3 glasses.

I didn't really eat any of their small dishes except for their brie and jalapeno pizza. The pizza was very delicious especially because of the brie cheese.

I think everyone should check this place out if in the area... BUT the wait can be long, but I think it's worth it.
4 - Caroline K.: So it's been a bit over a year since I'd been to Bacaro - I had a Groupon that I needed to use.  We got there around 6:45 on a Saturday and there were still a few tables open, but that changed once the night progressed.  Soon, there were at least 10 people waiting for tables.  They had a large table reserved, so I guess you can make reservations for larger groups.  Food was tasty, but I noticed from looking at my pictures from 2009 that the portions got smaller!  The pizza was definitely smaller than before (it's a very mini pizza) and the bread pudding was also half the size.  Even the scoop of ice cream was smaller! Reminds me of the grocery stores charging the same prices for smaller-sized products.  

Anyways, services was okay - there were only two guys who were kept busy the whole time.  I liked the bread pudding this time much more than the first time - it appears they've changed the recipe?  The burrata was a bit too salty as they sprinkled salt over it.  I also found the chicken to be a bit too sour for my liking as it had really sour lemon/caper sauce.  I really enjoyed the bacon pizza, which had a nice crisp crust.  I heard they opened up another tapas bar called Mignon in downtown, so I'm curious to see how the two will compare.
4 - Sonya P.: Great food and wine selection.  It was a lot louder than expected for a wine bar - but it was still amazing!  The place is relatively small but that's part of what makes this place great.
4 - Hannah P.: Very cute restaurant, got there right when they opened so we were the first ones there but as half an hour passed by, there weren't any tables left. Street parking was okay but if you don't get there early, you might have to walk a bit. 

Ordered the scallops, the cauliflower, caprese salad, bruschette (garlic&tomatobasil), two bacaro burgers, and bread pudding. Let me just start off by saying everything tasted really good! We started off with the bruschette and the caprese salad. The bread of the bruschette was SooOoooo buttery and crispy, sooo delicious! I normally like a strong garlic taste, however the garlic on the bruschette was more of a mild nutty garlic flavor but still so tasty! The tomato&basil bruschette was typical and nothing too special. The caprese salad was also very good, had fresh mozzarella and pesto.  Then we got our scallops and cauliflower, and I know everyone raves about the scallop, but the scallops were just good, not extraordinary. On the other hand, the cauliflower was AMAZING! I don't know what kind of seasoning they use, but if everyone made cauliflower like this, kids wouldn't have any problems eating their veggies! We got our bacaro burgers, with the egg of course, and it was a unique way to eat a burger, but unique in a good way. By the end of all our small plates, we were incredibly stuffed. Thought the small plates wouldn't be enough to fill us but I think we were definitely wrong. Still we couldn't leave without trying the bread pudding and OMGGGG i'm drooling as I type,,, i definitely had a mouthgasm *sigh it's super fluffy, buttery, with a soft texture yet some of the ends of the little mushy bread pieces were crispy all topped off with a heavenly scoop of vanilla ice cream. What a way to end the meal! 

Loved this place, ready to come back and try some of the other dishes. Our waitress was super nice and friendly. All in all, a wonderful experience!
3 - Tara B.: I have a mixed review.  I was happy with the food, not as thrilled with the wine, and concerned about a few other things.  

I had called ahead to make sure I didn't need a reservation and was told, "just show up and we'll take care of you".  However, when we entered the restaurant, the first thing we saw was a packed house and 1 table was open.  As we got closer, there was a "reserved" sign on it!  That was my first bit of annoyance.  

We did have to wait, but it was no big deal.  We found out later the reserved table was for a party of 10.

The food was really amazing.  The menu on-line said they serve Estancia Grass Fed Beef Burgers but the menu there said something about Angus beef.  I am picky, but I forgot to ask what that discrepancy was about.  The burger was really tastey and served with a fried egg on top!  We had a great beet salad and some artichoke hearts.  It was all really good.

The wine though, threw me for a bit of a loop.  I thought it would be tastings but you could only get wine by the glass.  The size of the glasses were small and it felt like I wasn't getting as much as I get elsewhere.  It's all good, I probably didn't need any more than I received but my perception of it was off.

Then, in the middle of eating this amazing meal, we smelled the really strong smell of BLEACH!  I don't know what that was about but it wasn't good.  We left pretty soon after and the smell had dissipated but if I were a restaurant owner, I wouldn't let bleach out of the bottle until all my customers were gone.

Just telling it like I saw it.  Bacaro is a "must experience for yourself" kind of a place.  I think it is doing wonders for the neighborhood as well--taking it up a notch!!!  Enjoy :)
4 - Christina L.: Another review while on break from homework and reading...

My husband came here as a snack before a real dinner.

We didn't order any wine (I know...why go to a wine bar if you aren't going to order wine), but we did order nine tapas plates...

Here is the run down of the food

Scallops- You basically get one scallop, cut in half.  I was disappointed on the portion size, but the mixture that it sat on top was sweet and complimented the scallop nicely.  I could have gone without the orange puree.

Shrimps- Now this is worth the price...the plate was filled with large shrimps.  If you like Thai food, this is your plate.  The shrimp was swimming in a pond of sweet chili sauce.  My husband was ALL over this plate.

White Pizza- wasn't the best pizza I've ever had, but wasn't the worst either.  The bacon made it very salty.  The best bites were the ones with the scallions and bacon combines...great flavor.  The crust was thin and crunchy...gave it a light touch.

Bacaro burger- the hamburger patty itself was bland, but the bread that it sat on top with the sauce made it yummy.  The sauce had a kick to it and made up for the bland burger.  I would order it again, considering...

Artichoke hearts- was topped with this cheesy goodness and baked to add a crisp texture.  I enjoyed it very much.

Caprese- Was good....there isn't much to say.  I feel like Caprese is a self explanatory dish...the only time I would have much to say is if it was bad...which their version isn't.  

Overall, they get 3 stars for food, .5 star for creativity (FYI: you should make a reservation...it's a VERY tight squeeze and it gets packed in a blink of an eye) and and extra .5 star for service (it may be crazy busy, but the waitress always had a smile on her face).
4 - Esther P.: went here on a saturday night right after five.
there was one other couple already seated.
the place filled up pretty quick but never saw a line.
this restaurant is realllly snug.
came here because i found a deal on living social.
niiiice. so happy i bought it!
the food is really good. 
service could have been better but i won't complain.
my favorites: cauliflower w chipotle aioli, shrimp. 
we ordered 2 drinks, six tapas.
total was around = $55, not including tip.
definitely going back.
4 - Frances L.: Bacaro L.A is a fantastic wine bar located near USC in south LA. The first thing that you need to know about this place is that it is TINY and if you don't have a reservation, you should brace yourself and be prepared for a wait. The second thing that you need to know before you come here is that because of it being a very small space, it can get INCREDIBLY LOUD! I couldn't even hear myself think, and at one point during our 30 minute wait on a Monday night, I almost packed up and left. HOWEVER, I did have a Groupon that I needed to use, and I was super famished, which made me tough it out. I am SO SO SO glad that I did, because our meals were absolutely delicious and made the wait, the noise, and the slight discomfort definitely worth it. 

Bacaro boasts a pretty decent wine list featuring wines from all over the world. They've got about a dozen beers, but it seems as though many of those get snatched up pretty soon, so don't always count on them having them when you visit. I had a great medium-bodied red from Hungary as well as a very interesting refosco from Slovenia; a country that I had no idea made wine in the first place! It should be of note that despite the absolute chaos, everyone that works here is awesome. Kandis took good care of us and made sure to keep us up to date on where we were on the list, and our server Johnny was (in all chaotic glory) a totally awesome dude. 

The order: Pan-seared scallops with carrot puree- AMAZING. Some of the best scallops I have had in this city. Perfectly tender with great carmelization from a perfect sear. The carrot puree was perfect and the scallops came out piping hot. My only gripe is that at $8/order, I kind of wanted them to either be slightly bigger in size or at least come with 3 or 4 scallops instead of 2. We ended up ordering two of these throughout the meal.

Grilled petite fillet: Perfectly cooked! I ordered it medium and it came out perfectly medium. Pink right in the middle, but perfectly seared and medium-well towards the outside. Juicy, tender, and adequately seasoned. The thyme was fresh and the lemon wasn't even necessary. 

Bacaro Burger: an open-faced burger with all sorts of goodies, hollandaise sauce, and a fried egg. The boyfriend loved it! A very manly and messy burger. 

Grilled White Pizza: So gooey and delicious! This white pizza came out bubbling with perfect cheese, scallions, bacon, and a decadent bechamel sauce. A must try, and a good way to start off your meal. 

Bread Pudding: SINFULLY DELICIOUS. Next to Eva's bread pudding, this might be one of my favorites in LA. 

Strawberry-Nutella Panino: Tasty, but a tad on the dry side. It's what you'd expect from a panino filled with these things, but I could have used a double dose of the bread pudding instead. 

Service was spot-on, parking is manageable (street), prices for wine and beer are fair, but some of their small plates could either be of better value or a little less expensive, but the quality of food is great. Nice, friendly people, who obviously love what they do. And it shows!
4 - N C.: Went here on Monday night for the hapy hour.  For Monday happy hour, the food is $5 and wine is half off.  Service can be slow and the wine is allright.  However, the food is excellent and can't be beat for the price. They also have a good selection of beers and the bread pudding dessert is awesome.
4 - Steve V.: Came here for the infamous Beeksteak Sunday and it was all the hype. For drinks, there was a white wine, red wine, beer, or champagne. It was just 2 of us, but I had red wine and my wife had champagne, and they left both bottles on our table.

The beef was great. They were also good about bringing us more meat when we still had potatoes left. There was so pressure to finish it all before getting the next round. The service was friendly and quick. It is definitely an event though as there were many large groups enjoying themselves and this is the only meal you can get (you can't order off the menu during Beefsteak Sunday).
4 - Tati R.: Bacaro is a small little restaurant near USC, if I hadn't been looking for it I would have driven right by, but I am glad I didn't. I came in around 6pm with a girlfriend and the place was packed. To be fair it was the last night to use their groupon although I can see that it would normally be popular. We made our way to the back were a lot of people were waiting and we saw one couple standing and eating right at the bar. 

There was no organization to put your name in so we waited and after couples who came in after us had there name in we finally got some attention, so farther on the list then we should have been, but we weren't up for a fight, just a nice evening out. 

We got a good amount of room at a counter/bar area and set up camp. The menu looked great and we ordered several small plates. The food came out staggered and the beer was great. We ate, got full and still ordered dessert to make sure I used the whole $40 groupon. An hour and a half into being there, our table was ready. We were basically done but enjoyed dessert sitting. The only flaw with the food was the dessert. They called it a panini, which I didn't exactly except it to be served on white wonder bread. Everything else was nice, we made the best of the crowd and I would come back here.
2 - Steph C.: What is with the rave reviews of this place?  Is it USC?  Did every 21-year-old on campus discover this wine bar and start to feel sophisticated?  Because usually 4.5 stars with over 300 reviews means a reliably wonderful dinner.  That was not my experience.

Granted, Matt and I went on a Friday night, which I will tell you now is a horrible idea.  The place is small and very popular.  We put our name down and were up against an hour wait.  Fortunately, the staff encourages standing around the bar.  The downside, of course, is that the area gets crowded.  The host explained to us that we could order wine and food while we waited, and I misunderstood him.  This was my bad - I thought we could order our food so it would come as soon as we were seated.  In my defense, his wording was vague and I didn't think it was possible to eat dinner standing around the bar.

We did order a couple of glasses of wine right away.  The choices were listed in chalk on one wall, which was a pleasant touch, and I asked the bartender how she liked a couple of the listed wines.  In response, she gave me tastes of the wines, without so much as a word.  I appreciated the samples, but it was clear that she didn't know anything about the wines.  This bartender was also pretty bitchy to us at the end of the night, but more on that later.  The wines were decent, if not special.

Once we put in our food order, the food started to come out pretty quickly.  As soon as I realized the misunderstanding, I asked a waiter to send out the rest when we actually sat down.  He said he would do what he could to communicate that to the kitchen, but he failed completely.  We ordered six items and the $2 bread, and every single thing came out while we were standing at a short counter near the bar.  The last items were scallops and petit filet - there is no way that these had been started when we put in our request.  I understand that part of this is my fault, but once we made our intentions clear, I think the staff should've made a tiny bit of effort to make our experience better.

All might have been forgiven if the food were as good as I expected.  This was just not the case.  The best dishes were the ones that required little more than assembly, and some of the food was simply lackluster.  Moreover, I thought the prices were really great when looking at the menu, but the miniature portions mean the owners make a killing every time someone walks in the door.

The baguette with olive oil was good and crusty, but $2 for sliced bread seems criminal.  After that, we got more bread, with expensive things on top.  First was prosciutto di Parma with sweet butter and baguette.  This was excellent quality prosciutto, and thus a success.  Same with the burrata Di Stefano with sea salt, cracked black pepper, and grilled sourdough.  The cheese was oozy and oily, and the salt and pepper made it vivid.  We also got the bruschette, which came with two sizable pieces, each split in half for easy sharing.  The tomato and basil was a great basic, and I loved the one with roasted garlic, balsamic vinegar, and basil pesto.  It was sweet and pungent, and my breath was deadly all night.

The rest of the food involved a little more cooking, and the results were not favorable.  A margherita pizza with tomato sauce and mozzarella was so boring I left it alone after a couple bites.  The pan-seared scallops with garlic parsnip purée, crispy capers, and white truffle oil were pretty tasty, at least.  The scallops were of fair quality, cooked gently, and the flavors of the dish came together nicely.  Unfortunately, the meal ended with the petit filet, which was actively bad.  The meat was sliced thin and served with thyme, lemon, and sea salt.  Perhaps this was one steak dish that would have benefited from more embellishment - some distraction was needed to mask the stringy consistency of the poor quality meat.

When we got the check, we presented our server with a Groupon.  By "our server" I mean one of the three or four servers who tended to us haphazardly throughout the meal.  The bartender from earlier in the night came back with the adjusted check and started to explain how it had been broken down to include the Groupon.  She was talking to us like we were morons, so Matt said something like, "Oh, so this is the pre-tip amount?"  She must have felt interrupted, because she glared at him like he'd insulted her paraplegic mother.  It was so crazy, I thought I'd imagined it until Matt mentioned it later.  I'm deducting a whole star because of that spiteful look, as it really colored our experience.

In an ironic turn, I bought two Groupons for Mignon right before my visit to Bacaro.  I'm much less excited to visit Mignon than I was Bacaro, but I suppose I will at least be less disappointed.  As for this place, I doubt I will find my way back.  The food was decent, but not worth any kind of hassle, and I hope I never see that dumb bitchy bartender again.
5 - Omar R.: My best friend brought me to this place because she had a coupon from Groupon. The food was amazing and so was the wine. Their spicy pizza was really good, but spicy. Not for the weak taste buds. Their wine selection is amazing... I specially loved their red wines. This place is cozy, but it can make a perfect first date place. Just make sure you arive early since seating is limited.

I recently attended their "All You Can Eat Beefsteak" event and it was truly amazing.  You get unlimited amounts of beef, bread and condimented potatoes plus all you can drink white or red wine. Although the wines were not the expensive types, they were really good. All of these for only $25.00 per person. They were not skimpy on the food either. They would bring a new dish as soon as you were done with the one in front of you. You didn't even have to ask for it. I would highly recommend it for guys trying to eat good and drink cheap (good wines though).
3 - Lena B.: i SERIOUSLY don't get it!!! 

did i MISS something here? am i THAT difficult to please? 

bacaro has a few things to rave about, but the most important aspect, food, is not one of them. the concept is super cool. cozy, casual, bare-bone wine bar serving familiar tapas menu near usc...quite appealing to hipsters and young intellectuals (although i would never equate trojans to intellectuals :)). 

we came on a saturday evening, just before the weekend crowd started forming a long line. i got a glass of white wine, recommended by one of the owners, and the hubby went with sirah (wines by glass on their chalkboard menu is not as extensive as by bottle on the regular menu). we started with tomato/basil and roasted garlic/balsamic/basil pesto bruschette. they were not bad, but nothing special, except the garlic pieces were whole cloves. 

our next dish was pan-seared scallops on top of parsnip puree. there was nothing overly exciting about this, especially given the portion (three tiny scallops) and $1 extra charge. 

next came the highly anticipated open-faced burger with fried egg on top. this was the main reason we wanted to dine at bacaro, and it totally did not live up to the hype. where's the novelty with this burger? the over easy fried egg? the open-faced part? MEH. the bun was completely soggy and the patty lacked beefy flavor. on top of that, i just could not buy into a burger that needed a steak knife to cut through. 

we ended our meal with a nutella panino with strawberry slices. i love nutella, i love bread, and i love strawberries, but i hated this thing. it felt like a pb & jelly sandwich made by your evil stepmother. 

our dinner bill came out to be just a couple bucks over $40, excluding tax and tip, but i don't think it was inexpensive considering the portion and ingredient used. i can't imagine sharing each dish with more than 2 persons, and more importantly, nothing made me feel wanting more.
4 - Duke C.: Since I had a Groupon, decided to have a little date here and when we got there, found out that there was about an one hour wait which genuinely surprised me since it was a weekday and even if the place is small, I didn't think it would be this popping.

For their small plates, they are $7 or they are 3 for $19.  Definitely go for the 3 plates since they really are quite small and you'll want more after your first bite.  We ordered the poached shrimp, pan-seared scallop, and the margherita grilled pizza.  The poached shrimp sits in a citrus chili sauce that's got a good kick.  The scallop was definitely our favorite.  The carrot puree surprised us and the whole dish was made even more savory with the caramelized fennel.  I never knew you could caramelize fennel like that.  You also have the option of adding truffle oil to it for an additional dollar, but we totally forgot about it.  Sad.

The margherita is your traditional pizza with tomato sauce and mozzarella.  The crust is great but what stood out to me was the garlicky tomato sauce.  Would've been better if there were more basil but that's cause I'm a basil fanatic :P

Also ended up ordering a plate of the prosciutto di parma.  Again, I'm a huge fan of prosciutto so I loved it but it did cost me a pretty penny for that additional plate.  You get a bowl of baguettes and some melted butter along with it.

Their wines by the glass are all great.  There are wines from all parts of the world but for me the Podero Sangiovese was my favorite.  Next time, bringing a few more friends to order wine by the bottle!

Service was a bit mixed.  There was a younger server that had this attitude with her but the rest there were great and attentive!  

They do have an happy hour but better get there early for it!  Yes it's pricey if not happy hour and definitely those once in awhile sort of place for me, but I like the whole feel of the place.
4 - Imran H.: Most of you yelpers have already covered the bases for this establishment and have said everything that needs to be said-good stuff. I'll just add that the Oktoberfest all you can eat was amazing, better than the usual beefsteak Sundays ($25 all you can eat and drink, nuff said). Seating is intimate. Happy hour (s) is just right. 4.5 ATW
3 - Christine K.: In terms of decor and feel to the place...it's worth checking out...however I wasn't too impressed with their food...nothing was memorable...but they have a pretty decent selection of wine~ However, if you want to order something I suggest their Bacaro burger.
3 - Cynthia C.: Don't know why more Trojans don't come here...! I didn't hear about it until my sr year of college, and it was only a 5 min walk from my apartment.

Small, cozy little place, good for a date in which you can share food and sip wine. The food was nothing special. Portions are small, so I'd recommend sharing several orders. I am dying to come back for their "Beef Steak" night, a once-a-month gluttonous carnivore & carb feast.
4 - Yawen C.: Happy hour $5 plates! I came on a Thursday night around 5:30-6pm, and thank God we did! Snatched the last table, and after us there was a huge crowd of wait at the tiny little bar HAHA sucked for them. 

First, I gotta say that the place is so so cramped. The tables are so close together that I can't leave my seat without worrying about knocking over some other table's drinks. Seriously, so close that I couldn't talk freely for fear of the next table overhearing! The whole setting was extremely uncomfortable and it was soo loud, I could hear the table of girls at the other end of the restaurant. This is the only thing that cost this place a star and that prevents me from going like everyday. Shame, cuz the idea is kind of cool. The ceiling is a bunch of wine bottles, and the beer and wine menu is written in chalk on the walls. 

Crostini
- Gorgonzola, dates, walnuts, orange honey: my favorite of the ones we had! Something about the sweetness and the slight saltiness of the cheese.
- Fresh goat cheese, balsamic endive marmalade: meh. The strong taste of goat cheese PLUS the extra sour from the balsamic was no good for me.
- Mascarpone, sun-dried tomato tapenade: also very good.
- Ricotta with Sicilian syrup: sweet but light! 

Grilled panini
- With pastrami, carmelized onions, and mozzarella. It by no means was a loaded panini, but the flavor was good. A tad greasy, but I would definitely order this again.

The Bacaro Burger
- With the fried egg on top. OMG YUMZ. Must get it with the egg. It's an open faced burger with a huge patty of meat. Ordered medium rare, but honestly, I was a little bit scared of salmonella. The beef was mostly red and squishy, and the egg was runny. But alas, I was fine. This is a must. 

Bacon & Brie pizza
- Whatever. I wouldn't order it again. It is however much bigger than I had imagined it to be when I ordered it. 


So this fed 2 people...and we almost couldn't finish! 
----------------------

UPDATE:

White pizza
- I like! Light flavors with the white sauce, bacon, scallions. 
Bacaro Mac and Cheese
- Really liked this dish too. Very cheesy, though moreso of the liquidy type of cheese.
--------------------------

UPDATE2:

I can't stand the noise anymore. It's soooooo loud in there....gave me a massive headache. Other than that, I have fallen in love with the pan seared scallops. The sauce is made from carrot puree and is absolutely delicious. The scallops are great...but $8 for 2 scallops? I'm practically letting you steal from me! Even at $5 during happy hour....almost couldn't take it. The grilled chicken breast was really really dry, the bed of risotto it came ontop of was fried so it was like McDonald's hashbrowns, and the lemon caper sauce was too sour.
2 - Chantelle T.: What's great about this place?

- The food
- The wine
- The ambiance

What sucks about this place?

- THE SERVICE

I've been here twice already and each time I've had HORRIBLE SERVICE. The first time we waited for almost 2 hours for a seat and during those two hours the workers didn't even acknowledge us. In fact, the only time they spoke to us was when they grunted for us to get out of their way. The eventually gave us a menu so we could drink some wine during our wait, but that was about an hour into our wait.

The second time I went, it wasn't crowded at all. Things were looking better already. The service was fine for about half of our meal, but once people started to file in, the service was HORRIBLE. By the time our waiter came to take our order again (we had told him that we were going to order again) we were already feeling less hungry due to the 20 minute wait. Did I mention the workers there all look like they hate being there?

I can understand that as a very popular business with very little space it's hard to provide good service...but seriously. If you notice that people are getting that upset that often, you should sit your employees down and think of ways to improve the service.

Honestly, I don't think I'll be going again unless someone pays for me to go there. The horrible wait and horrible service can't be canceled out by some great (but overpriced) food and drink.
5 - Bryan C.: I love this place!! I have traveled around the world, literally, and I am always in search of the new "Find".  A great place with amazing food, great people at a good value.  Bacaro L.A. is my new favorite find. 

Out of the path of areas i usually go, I was lucky to find this place. It is like a little piece of the West Village, NYC transplanted in SoCal.  It is cool, urban, hip and has a great vibe for a date or gathering of friends or family.  

After the first time, i must have called all my friends and told them we MUST try this new place. The food is beyond some of the most delicious and innovative food i have ever had without being complicated.  The Chef just knows how to make the flavors come alive. 

I would put this meal up against any 5 star restaurant in town.  The flavors just keep unfolding in your mouth.  This Chef is going to be one of the Chefs to look out for.  From the amazing burger to the cauliflower (and i usually hate cauliflower) to all the dishes... i had to try several because they were all so good. Bacaro is near perfect.

The service was great too.  Our waiter was informative, knew the food, recommended a great wine with it and was not pushy or assuming.  

A very comfortable atmosphere.  I hope they open another one closer to my area in Miracle Mile or Santa Monica. I would love to have this as a local place.  It would be my new hangout.

I took my first friend there and he loved it then i took another friend and my mom there and they all raved about it.  

I am telling you, this is the real deal.  Go bring your friends and you will be the hero.

It is not expensive and you get a quality meal, a cool relaxed time and you get to have fun with your friends.  

Bacaro I will be back again soon

B
4 - Stephanie L.: Pros: This place is all about small bites, which is great cause you get to try different things on the menu for a fairly cheap price ($7/dish or $19/3 dishes).

Cons: I'm still on the fence about how they decided to price everything though. For instance, you can pay $7 for their Bacaro Burger or $7 for Prosciutto di Parma, which is just sweet butter on a baguette...that's a pretty big difference in product for it to be the same pricing.. 

Burrato di Stefano: This was my favorite cause it was simple. Good quality burrato drizzled with olive oil, sea salt and pepper and served over sour dough toast. Bread and cheese? Yeah, I can eat this all day. 

Panini w/pesto and mushrooms: A little salty for my liking but, that could have been the pesto.

Garlic Pizza: I like that they have actual garlic cloves on this pizza. It was second best for me only cause it was a little bland.

3 dishes were enough for my friend and I. We weren't stuffed but, we left satisfied. I would probably come back again for another casual night...You're probably also wondering why I didn't get the burger since I made a fuss about it huh? My friend's a vegetarian!
5 - doo w.: bombay. awesome food, great wine at good prices. only bad part is wobbly uneven tables make me nervous about tipping and breaking every frigin wine glass on the table and wasting all that wine.
5 - Lynne C.: its really not fair that i review this place bc i really havent officially 'been' but i'm starting this review in the hopes that i will have an official meal here in the near near future.

it was valentines day and we had reservations for the first seating--i think normally the set-up is different and more casual but i guess for v-day they have some pre-fixe thing going on...bc los angeles traffic is the biggest FAIL of all time (srsly v-day fell on a MONDAY, i got out of my orientation at ucla at 430 and it took ONE HOUR to get to brentwood like 2 mi away. THEN of course it took me an HOUR to get home--i srsly tried every side street and wanted to scREAM. anyways it was stressful, and no surprise we made it right at the end of the first seating...but just as the second seating was starting..

the reason this place gets 5 stars is bc the manager really was sympathetic to us and offered to let us chill at the bar in case anyone cancelled or failed (like me). the place is teeeny tiny though and there literally was not an extra space that we could have squeezed into. they still poured us some champagne and let us chill--everyone was so nice.

20 min later, the last seat was taken. we had to leave, but that champagne was so good--i believe it was an american bubbly, and bc neither my date or i can remember what it was, but want to get our own case of it we have to go again...asap. it was also kinda awesome to start the night off with a little fizzy buzz on the house ;)
4 - Bryan W.: Found divinity in small plate eggplant stuffed with ground lamb!

Chef was kind enough to let me put in an order for a grilled pizza after last call. I'd missed the small plate concept and was hungry after devouring the delectable but diminutive mousaka inspired eggplant.  The pizza madea comlete meal, note the Margherita is a straight-up cheese pizza lacking the conspicuous fresh mozarella slabs, saucy sauce, and basil- still a convenient way to fill up if you're dining alone like I was.  I've grilled pizzas and was delighted to see the parallel grill lines on the bottom of the crust.  If you've not tried this style of pizza jump into it.

Good beer and wine selections.

Vibalicious atmosphere and crowd sharing communal tables - patrons range from USC undergrads to couples in their 40s and 60s.

Staff looks way cooler than I am but they were also gracious and delightful.

Thank you Yelp for your Nearby searches.  I found Bacaro L.A. looking for a place close to the Natural History night that was open as First Friday's was winding down.

Bacaro L.A. you rock!
5 - Debbie Chiou S.: yum! good steak. good potatoes. maybe a little salty, but it's a good salty. tasy wine. tasty beer. great service. romantic setting except that the acoustics make it so that it's very loud. for the price of the beefsteak sunday, i'd definitely go back, and i'm not even a fan of ayce.
4 - Kaitlyn M.: This gem is located really close to the USC campus and we went out to dinner there on a Wednesday night and still ran into a few of our classmates. It's cozy and cute (a little too cozy, the chairs are more like benches and you're back-to-back with other dining patrons which I did not mind but it bothered my taller and larger date). 

The small plates looked delicious and we ordered quite a bit - the menu was very foodie-like and we were both drooling over the many possibilities.
We started out with a small plate of dates and tomato and garlic bruschetta. These were yummy appetizers. For more of our meal, we ordered a bacon and brie pizza (yum!) and each had our own panini (mine, blackforest ham, basil, and goat cheese, his, roast beef and cheddar) since we were hungry and heard the plate sizes were small - but the paninis were a good size.

Overall, great place with a lot of options, on the pricey side for what it is. 
My regrets were not trying the wine or beer selections since it seems like the place to go for a nice brew with your appetizers, and like I said the seating situation could have been better. But overall, I was impressed with this little hole in the wall and its unique atmosphere that I was not expecting so close to campus.
3 - Xin S.: We came here on a Friday night with a group of 6.  BIg mistake!!! waited about 1hr 20 mins for a table. 
Bread with garlic olive oil...AMAZING!
garlic pizza...a lil on the salty side.
Scallops...were good fresh, and the puree was delicious but there is this preserved veggies in the puree that was a bit too salty. 
Burger...was juicy and good but i was stuffed with all the other dishes i dont remember.  
Great atmosphere.  but do not come on fridays with a big group...without reservations!
4 - Veronica H.: Pros: 

- Great happy hour pricing. $5 a plate. Ordered a beer, an appetizer (bruschetta), and a small plated entree (lemon chicken) for under $20. Both really tasty!

- All plates are tapas style, but can fill you up so don't be deceived. Also tried some of my friends' pizzas (one, an eggplant-- a little bland; two, the house pizza-- spicy but flavorful!). 

Cons: 

- Small space and gets crowded quickly. Visit with a max of four people in your party. Otherwise, good luck.

- Considerably understaffed and can understand why a waiting party will have to wait as long as they do.
3 - Jenny Y.: it was good. food was tasty in the moment but forgettable a week later.  it does its job.  the challenge is its location...not the "best" neighborhood for a lone lady to be traipsing around...but the interior is clean and modern.  when we went late last year on a cold winter's night the place was BUSTLING on a thursday night for happy hour.
5 - Jen S.: quaint little place to grab some friends, a bottle of wine and chat the evening away.  This place is small and has chalkboard walls all around that features the menu. Cute.
Lots of USC kids as campus is just down the street. They have a pretty good selection of beer and wine.
4 - Katie C.: Street Parking.
Small Place (Banner is hard to miss so keep on the look out)
Cute seating and menu board = wall
Food is delicious but can be small
Totally be worth trying, especially during happy hour!
5 - Vitto V.: Bacaro is a total Hole in the wall.  Don't get fooled by the location. Cute petite, dimly lit restaurant. It has great Happy Hour deal, and gets packed very quickly for that you must get there early. The food is Tapas which is great cause you can take couple of plate and share with your partner. That way you  try varieties of tastes. Great service, Delicious Food, Fantastic wine selection.
5 - Ivy L.: I LUV this place!!!!  The food is amazing! They do take reservation if you have a big party (not sure the min # of ppl thou).

Pros: Good ambience, Great Food, Great Wine (Their Moscato is T-H-E B-E-S-T!), Happy Hours $5/plate, Special Monday - Wine 1/2 off by Glass. The Chef looks cute too~ haha..

Cons: street parking, limited seats, could be a bit noisy (depends on how 'excited' customers get)

Recommendation:
Wine: MOSCATO! (if you love sweet wine like me~)

Cold Plates: Poached Shrimp - very crisp, sweet and spicy
                         Bruschette - Roasted Garlic, Balsamic, Basil Pesto. Yum~

Hot Plates: "Noa's" Cauliflower - with Chipotle Aioli and mixed greens
                     The Bacaro Burger - This will fill you up. Remember to add Fried Egg on top ($1 extra)
                      Grilled Hanger Steak - Tender, Juicy, and Flavorful
                      Pan-Seared Scallops - Another must try!

If you still have room for dessert, both the bread pudding and Nutella Panino are good~
4 - Rhoda J.: I came here with a couple friends for my birthday and it was really very tasty! It's a wine and tapas bar, so small treats and good eats.

It's a small place, so don't bring crowds of your friends unless you have a reservation ...or enjoy waiting for hours at an end... and then still be cramped. It's more of a place for small intimate dinners.

I think happy hour are weekdays 5-7, and on mondays the wine is half priced. Hooray!

I won't name everything we ordered, because it was nearly the entire menu, so I'll just call out the highlights:

We ordered the seared scallops with the carrot puree and (I think?) pickled fennel...I'm unsure. But it was delectable! I adore scallops, and this dish did the shellfish justice! The pickled whateveritis was salty and went well with the sweetness of the carrots. I was sad when my plate was empty.

Cauliflower tossed in chipotle sauce doesn't sound too appealing. But by golly, it's amazing. I don't know how to explain it. Just trust me.

I'm not a huge fan of lamb, the gamy taste usually puts me off. But we ordered the eggplant stuffed with lamb, it was really very good. It was tender, and there was some sort of lemon/tangy/cream sauce. Topped off with fresh scallions.

The lemon chicken with capers and jalepenos and fried risotto was good. I think the chicken might have been a tad bit over done, but the flavors of the capers/jalepenos were surprisingly very well suited. The fried risotto was like a fancy tater tot, I'm all for tater tots.

The Bacaro burger is also good, get it with the fried egg. 

They have a nice selection of cheeses and salamis too. Which are perfect little starters... or enders...

I had to dock a star because of the pizza. They were the only thing I didn't enjoy so much. They weren't bad, just nothing special. And with so many other  good eats on the menu, they were just kind of a downer. We got the white pizza and the margarita (Where's the basil!). Both kind of tasted the same, and both were salty. I'd skip out of these next time.

I will surely be back.
5 - Michael Z.: My boyfriend took me to this place and I didn't know such a cool place existed in a working-class neighborhood.  In fact, it was right next to a Mexican market.  All that aside, the decor is nostalgic, and although the seating situation is a bit cramped, the food more than makes up for the lack of space.

We arrived for happy hour, but we decided to use our LivingSocial coupon because we ordered 6 small plates and 3 glasses of wine.  We ordered the burger, the deconstructed BLT, the filet mignon, the chicken, the shrimp and the margherita pizza.  I left more than full.  Everything we ate was amazing.  The seasoning and sauces were just right.  The presentation of the food was creative.  I liked how the BLT ingredients were mixed in a bowl with buttered bread on top.  And the chicken with the crispy potato patty underneath was awesome.  The food is some of the best I've had in this city.

We were served by Madison, who was a very friendly gal.  There is not a lot of wait staff, but they keep busy attending customers.  I will definitely be returning.
5 - Alexis M.: I was in LA for a very short layover and my friend met me and took me to this place.  It was a Monday evening around 9pm and the place was packed.  Fortunately there was a table for us and we settled in to chat.

Our order was taken nearly immediately by very friendly staff.  It was also nice to see the owner and chef in the dining room talking to their guests and making sure that everything was to the diners' liking.  We ordered 2 glasses of wine (ok, there may have been more after that) which were recommended to us perfectly to fit our budget - half off by the glass wine on Mondays!! - and our dinner.

Let's start with the food concept before we move on to taste - the places are "small" but each was more than enough that we were able to comfortably share and have a decent taste of each dish; you get your money's worth.  The selection is really unbelievable - plenty of vegetarian and carnivore options. 

The food was delicious.  The first thing out of the kitchen was the cauliflower, which so many others write about.  I was not disappointed and the only sad thing about it is that I will certainly crave this dish when I'm 3,000 miles away.   I don't remember what else we ordered really because it was all delicious.  We demolished everything, including the bread pudding, which is saying a lot because neither my friend nor I like bread pudding.  

Chef Hillel was charming and attentive, as was our server, yet both left my friend and I alone to catch up and chat.  The atmosphere was great - perfect for a date or a girls' night out.  (But if you're on a date, you might not order the roasted garlic pizza - though delicious, perhaps not the right choice for that particular occasion!)

I'd recommend this place to all my friends in LA and will certainly be back on my next trip.  Thanks for a great experience.
5 - Ryan H S.: I've been using yelp for a while now and I never felt the urge to review a place, until now. Last week, we finally went to Bacaro LA and I have to admit that it was one of the best dining experiences we've had in a very long time. The atmosphere is young and hip, the decor is appropriate and very comfortable and the food is awesome. Every single dish we ordered we wanted to order another one of, they were so good. We just didn't want to stop eating. By the end of the night we were so full with bites and bites of yummy original combinations of flavors, but we had to order the bread pudding. I can still taste that warm heavenly pudding covered in vanilla ice cream...
Seriously, we can't wait to go back to try all the other items we didn't get the first time.
If you love good quality, original and flavorful food, Bacaro LA should definitely be on your shortlist of LA eateries.
5 - Jackie B.: Each time I've gone here, whether it being with a friend or a bigger group; I always have a good time here.  The happy hour is awesome.  I've been coming back since the early days.  Staff is always friendly and dependable, especially when you're not quite sure what to get.  I've invited many friends to try this place out, because I always leave here content and happy.  And this place kept me calm and sane during grad school.
4 - jennie t.: Great food, small plates... Decent wine list.  This is a small and fun place, but a little too small so minus one star because of the long wait when the house is full.  Even a bigger plus... its in south L.A.

On the serious note: must try, food is good, its not pretentious. its just fun!
5 - Julie J.: very rich, intense food.  don't think i had anything "light", maybe it's what we ordered so you might want to try to mix it up or else you could come out very satisfied but heavy feeling from all the rich food.  not that that's BAD, just if i had to do it again i'd try more variety maybe?  that said, this place is *awesome* - all then notes are right = service, atmosphere, food, & price. a total treat in an unusual location.  you're a fool to not drop by & try it!
4 - Nancy L.: Best to come during happy hour. Weekdays 5-7pm and all the dishes are $5. 

Pan Seared Scallops- I LOVE their scallops. Always cooked perfectly with some tasty sauce

Bacaro Burger- Juicy and delicious

Cauliflower with chipotle sauce- Definitely got a kick to it and there was a lot of cauliflower

Bruchette with roasted garlic- Man this was tasty. I love garlic and the spread was delicious

Their service is friendly, but I wish they were better about filling water cups. Or maybe just get bigger cups!
5 - Maikie M.: i wanted to give it 4.5 stars. 

the food is great, and they have interesting selections of drinks ive never seen before (im not a huge alcohol connoisseur anyways).

why 4.5 strs: only downfall is u have to order about 5 main-dish selections to get near full. i guess this place is more for just snacking and having a drink with your friends.

table is also really small. so if ur fat get it togo. or put 2 tables and 2 chairs together.... jk
4 - Annie D.: 4.5 stars

The food here is amazing.  Quality ingredients.  Wonderful flavors. Good wine selection.  Very exciting menu ideas that you wouldn't find anywhere else.  Everything was cooked perfectly. We came during happy hour and got about 5 plates.  Bacaro serves small plates, not full entrees.  So keep that in mind when ordering. I liked the pizza and the scallops the most. 

Why not 5 stars?  Although I like the decor and ambiance, the restaurant is ridiculously tiny. It's really only meant for parties of 2-4 and all the tables are close to each other.  So don't say anything you wouldn't want the guy sitting next to you to hear. 

Can't wait to come back to try other things!
2 - Jackie O.: This place is very small and very easy to miss. It's a niche place that seems to cater to the USC student body. I wouldn't recommend it to someone looking for an established wine and small plates restaurant. The 3 plates for 21 is a little steep but I guess when you're spending student loan checks or mom n dads bank, you can afford it. It's cute for the neighborhood but not some place to travel to from the West side or downtown.
3 - Eric B.: Good food, mostly small plates, but a lot of variety.  I'm not much of a wine guy, so that aspect doesn't really turn my crank, but I like this place, and when I'm in the neighborhood, it's where I suggest if I'm meeting with friends.

Good atmosphere, wine at about $5-7/glass, some beer selections, good food at about $7-9 per plate.  Two plates and you're set; it's a good casual two-hour chat-meal spot.  I'd never go here alone or with people I didn't really know, though.  It's not great for that.  A nice play to go with friends as it gets late, though, and they do tend to have occasional, random, excellent deals.
4 - Lisa K.: Delicious small plates in an intimate setting. I liked everything we ordered, including the burger, which was highly recommended by a friend.
3.5 stars.
5 - Grace P.: Definitely 5 stars!!

My friends and I did a reunion dinner last night since we hadn't all gotten together since last year when we traveled to China together. Bacaro is an absolute must for USC students, but surprisingly I hadn't been till yesterday!

We came super late after 9, and I did feel bad about that since it closes around 10 10:30. So we got our food order in quickly. Sadly I started a new diet so I can't have carbs after noon, but my scallops with carrot puree was amazing as was the beets and goat cheese my friend and I shared. And I don't even normally like beets! But I definitely need to get that open-faced burger with the fried egg next time. It looked delicious!

Of course the absolute best part of getting a group of 8 friends together - the drinking! We all did the all you can drink wine / beer. It's supposed to be for 2 hours and about $20 / person I think. Since we came so late, we couldn't get the full 2 hours but Johnny (USC alum or student...I can't remember haha) was the best and totally accommodating. So we had tons of bottles of wine and a few pitchers of beer. And even when they ended it, he brought out a couple glasses of white wine for us since we were asking for another bottle. We probably consumed way too much wine and beer that night, but hey what else do you expect when you get a group of college students together?

Keep in mind this place is TEENY and the area a little sketch- but the decor and service (and that it's owned by 2 USC alums) totally make up for it. Definitely planning on coming back a ton more :)

PS Sorry Johnny if we didn't tip well last night... Trust me not an indication of the service or you! More of an indication of our inebriation.
5 - Ching T.: This place was intense and amazing. Its not set in the best of neighbourhoods and doesn't look like much from the outside, and once you're inside you see that its a tiny space that packs a huge punch.

We ordered a startlingly easy bottle of red. The entire selection is reasonable and incredibly well suited to the dishes served. It was me and a friend and we worked through 5 or 6 of the dishes and that was plenty for us. The scallops that came out were perfectly seared and I couldn't get enough of the relish and the puree that accompanied it. We were recommended the cauliflower dish that was flavourful and packed a bit of a spicy bite, which went well with the wine. The brie and bacon pizza could have been improved on but I guess they needed something more American on there to appeal to their audience base.

The bacaro burger was slightly run of the mill but I liked the way that it was really cooked medium rare and not overcooked. We finished with the mignon filets which were delicious and very beefy tasting. It was garnished with some rock salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Perfection. 

Overall its a bit pricey for a college student budget but well worth it if you want to try something different and well made.
5 - Christine C.: Do not let the shady neighborhood scare you!  In contrast from the trashy littered streets you will park at, this small little almost concealed entrance opens up into a lively trendy wine bar.  Wooden tables, menu written on chalk boards.....you get the picture.

Now, one thing you must participate in if you go to Bacaro: BEEFSTEAK SUNDAY!!!!!  
- Happens every first Sunday of the month at 5:30 and 8PM.
- All you can eat grilled hanger steak, bread, butter, and roasted market potatoes with all you can drink red wine and beer.  (I know I know, almost too good to be true).  The steak, bread, and potatoes come in bite sized pieces, are well-cooked and delicious, and unlimited!
-$25/person, maximum 2 hrs
- You must make a reservation beforehand.  (Make it early bc it's rather a small bar, with very limited seating).  

Our apartment had a great evening here last Sunday, and we all loved everything about this place!  I don't want to keep repeating myself, and I know you don't want to read a long review, so JUST GO HERE!  



P.S. Although I don't agree with this, my roommate would like to tell yelpers that she thought the steak was a bit salty!
5 - monica m.: Fucking score!! (can we curse on yelp?) This place has been reviewed upwards of almost 400 times and it still maintains an almost perfect rating. I have no intention of rocking the boat. 

I don't even really know where it is, somewhere in south LA. I drove an incredibly long way and my navigation system assured me it was "on the left" and then when I didn't find it and had to make a U-ey, it assured me it was "on the right". I could not find it, rather I saw a weird corner store and laundry mat. No bother, this tends to happen in LA, a gem buried amongst run o' the mill stuff. I finally just ditched the car and found it on foot. Thank god because I was thirsty for delicious wine!! and my friend was starving for some small plates!

nitty gritty: ambiance...so great. It's not typical of most of the places I go in LA but maybe that's because my lame ass friends won't go to the right neighborhoods with me enough (I live in weho). It's sparse, industrial with concrete floors and long wooden tables lining the wall. Oh and it's itty bitty, which results in a very communal kind of vibe (the chic that was sitting next to me showed her date her bra so me and my friend got to partake in the bizarre show). Chalk board menus adorn the walls which is always a win.

Service comes with a smile and buttoned-up plaid shirts, (ie. lots of indie hotties running around with plates of food and bottles of wine.)

The booze: DELISH Had I not been driving and had I not lived essentially another state away, I would've indulged more. As it were, I had a few of the whites (while I adore reds, they go straight to my head) and they were new to me, eclectic and not easily obtained at any ol' restaurant or wine shop. 

The food: Who the hell is Noa and how does he make cauliflower so good?? I didn't even want food until the plates kept arriving. Bruchette, Noa's cauliflower and petite fillet, all so flavorful and pleasing to the taste buds. 

love love love.
4 - Jennifer C.: Nice little wine bar with high quality foods. Portions are small, you're meant to just sip some wine, munch on some goodies, and have conversation. So don't go there with a rumbling in your tummy, you won't get it filled up here. 

The mac and cheese was incredible, and the open faced burger with a fried egg was phenomenal. Good selection of wine and specialty beers! 

The place is pretty tiny, so don't come with a big group. I would recommend just your favorite gal pals or your significant other. 

Cheers! :)
5 - SF To LA Y.: This place just doesnt get old!  Had dinner with the BF here last night and it was amazing as usual.  We had the crostini, the baked goat cheese dish, the chicken, the burger with the fried egg and the mac n cheese.  We celebrated our 2 yr anniversary of meeting each other and I don't think we could have gotten a better meal for this occasion elsewhere.  Only thing I noticed that was a bummer was the fact that they added a TV.  I do not like TVs in my eating establishments, but I understand they would probably need to attract crowds for games and such, but in my opinion, TV's cheapen the look of a place.  Either way, it didn't detract from the food's yummy factor.  Keep up the good work!
4 - Taylor C.: Great little spot right near USC. The area outside might throw some people off but the owners (USC grads) have done an amazing job turning the inside of their establishment into something special. The small wine bar atmosphere is created with menus on chalk boards, dark wooden tables and a cozy environment. Come to munch on sharing plates of finger food and to sip some wine. The place is small and isn't the best bet for big parties, but smaller get-togethers and dates work really well here. The happy hour will give you the best deal but the prices aren't outrageous if you miss out on that window. Although I have never been, I have heard rave reviews about the Beefsteak Sunday and the deal you get. Definitely recommended for anyone in the USC area
4 - Visvamitra L.: 4.5 stars? Possibly.

I really enjoyed it here. Good, innovative food, pleasant service, nice quaint size, interesting wine selection. 

I would definitely return if I lived out there.

Why minus 1/2 star? No strong reason, but food was not *amazing*, and the space was hard to talk in. Hardly an issue, but I am picky with my 5 stars like that.
4 - Brad F.: Among the major reasons to like the place are that it's the only halfway classy venue in West Adams.  The food and wine are another reason.

Mostly it's strictly tapas style, with small (but delcious!) portions.  Some of the combinations are inventive (honey, blue cheese and PEPPERMINT on a crostini?).  Others, like tarragon and beets are less innovative, but really solid.  I like the fact that a couple of the options are a little more substantial.  The panini are really, really good (the caramelised onion... wow) as are the pizzas.  So if you're with a group, and some of the people are hungry, it's fine.

The wine selection (of course) is good, and there are always some nice cheap options.

The venue is really cute, and informal.  I love that one whole wall is a chalkboard.  The big problem, though, is size.  It's a small place, and often over crowded.
4 - Mike C.: Bacaro is a gem of a low priced wine bar.  The price points appear to be aimed at the grad students and faculty of nearby USC.  With most red wines about $7 or $8, they are pouring wines which probably retail for little more than $10 per bottle.  While not for the more sophisticated palettes, it should more than satisfy the 20 something crowd which no doubt largely makes up it's customer base.    As a point of comparison, nearby Corkbar and Bottlerock commonly feature wines in the $14 to $16 per glass range.  These winebars are pouring better wines but Bacaro certainly has its place in the winebar spectrum.  I tried only one food item, the pan seared polenta with eggplant, and it was surprisingly good.  It also paired nicely with the Monterey County pinot noir.
2 - Eli G.: Burger #206: Criminal Naming

I arrived at Bacaro wanting to fall in love. I wanted to love their 3 for $21 small plates. I wanted to love their "burger". But I couldn't. The food just wasn't up to par with others and the low prices generally matched the small quantity. 

Four slices of prosciutto for $7. It was good, but my Hebrew half cringed at the portion size.
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/8polKN4I6fJx1t8pPxogVw?select=D19OjZwMUWRRG7ky5zHVnQ

Two tiny wedges of cheese.
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/8polKN4I6fJx1t8pPxogVw?select=M_eC3NQPELkQTG0EGfp_mw

An open faced sandwich that was impossible to eat.
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/8polKN4I6fJx1t8pPxogVw?select=1xmD0kTI3ZvGG73P34mHOQ

Oh wait, that's their "burger". Bacaro please rename that dish. It is NOT a burger! At least preface it with "open-faced" or "burger with no top bun so you can't pick it up". Beyond the poor construction and naming, the flavors were muted and bit too mingled. 

We did really enjoy the pizza.
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/8polKN4I6fJx1t8pPxogVw?select=ioFl0XVveZFC2eeAqH4B_w

$7 for some roasted cauliflower seamed silly.
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/8polKN4I6fJx1t8pPxogVw?select=w2Ip0JbO5KpS56O0W70EnA

Oh well, can't win 'em all.
4 - nicole s.: The brie and bacon pizza, crostini plate, cauliflower, bread pudding and Falernia wine are all reasons why I can't wait to go back again. I highly recommend Bacaro. The plates are small so order lots, and family style is the best way to get a taste of everything.
5 - Claire G.: When it comes to neighborhood wine bars with yummy tapas, Bacaro LA is the place to be. 

The owners are SC Alumni, and are very welcoming and accommodating to anyone and everyone who steps through the door. As far as atmosphere, things are kept simple with basic tables and benches, a menu of cheeses and wines scribbled in chalk on the walls. 

The menu changes with the seasons offering an always delicious serving of scallops and a variety of flatbread pizzas. This is the perfect place for a few glasses of wine and some tapas-sized plates.
4 - Natasha W.: Small and crowded and had a hard time finding un-shady parking (ended up parking on Hoover/Union where I could see my car from out the window -- although I don't feel like shady parking areas are an uncommon occurrence in this area) but I had a great time! Super close to SC campus, great tapas-style food. There were three of us and in total we ordered 6 small plates and that was more than enough. Service was pretty good too considering there was a pretty intense game going on on TV! 

Favorites: Mac & Cheese (w. bacon), Bacon & Brie (sub. mushrooms for jalepeños) Pizza
4 - Heather M.: The hub & I had a great experience here one night a few months back.  The vibe was eclectic as was the variety of wines and beers...some from remote places such as Romania.  My only complaint is that we waited for what seems like FOREVER to get a table.  This place is tiny, and you feel like you're sitting on top of people.  The food and drinks were good, though, and the service was top notch.  We will definitely be back.
4 - Kimberly B.: This review is for happy hour! Mon - Fri, 5 - 7 PM, $5 for all food. Very very good deal. My friend and I got the bacon & brie pizza, bacaro burger, and the bacon mac & cheese. Everything was so tasty and went well with our drinks. 

However, we were so sad to find out that the roasted eggplant pizza was not available because eggplants are not in season.

See you in the winter, Bacaro LA. I'm coming back for that pizza!
5 - Joshua L.: Wow. Just...wow. We did 3 (yes, 3) rounds of their 3 for $21 special and every dish was better than the last. The pizzas were azmazing...the bone marrow w/ baguette was devine and the chicken AND burgers are drool-worthy. As many times as I said, "I'll try something else next time", I'm having one of those 2 dishes again. Oh, and dessert? Fuhggetaboutit- bread pudding and pecan pie were perfectly sweet punctuation to the savory- not excessive in the sweet department, but just enough to feel 'done'.
5 - Hannah p.: wow. wow. wow. 

One of those places you DON'T want other people to find. True gem in 'de la ghetto'. Chef is superb, food is delicious,reat selection of wines. Quaint and tasteful. SHHHH.... don't tell anyone about this place!
4 - Jess A.: Burger with egg is solid. Fav wine: moscato d'asti. They have other good small tapas style plates. Good chill out place for USC kids..
5 - jacquelyn m.: Love this place!! 
I have gone tons of times with friends and family, but it does get crowded easily. We normally walk there from my apt cause 1 glass is NEVER enough! The food is awesome the price is a little much for the quantity but the quality is there.
4 - Jeanie S.: Quality trumps quantity at Bacaro's. 

Came here for an impromptu bday dinner on a Sunday night and boy was I blown away. We skipped out on AYCE beefsteak (glad i did) bc it was the least of my favs on menu. Ordered staple white wine from Spain (forgot name), signature bacaro burger - has a freakin quail egg sunny side up yumm!, scallops - perfectly seared and seasoned, spicy roasted eggplant flatbread - delish! (and i dont even like eggplant), bread with side of roasted garlic infused in olive oil - roasted garlic yumm, beefsteak w. taters - dry and boring, and a yummy spongey cake for desert - sooo good. Mind you all dishes are tapas portions so you can order away to your hearts content w.o having to commit to any single entree. FYI, for people who love sampling a bite of everything but don't want to break too much bank, they have cool deals like 3 dishes for $21. 

Till we meet again Bacaro~
5 - Barbara L.: I love this place! Great fun atmosphere, great appetizers and really good wines. What more could you want. It seems to be run by some young guys who are very relaxed and fun. Very small place with small little tables, but surprisngly comfortable once you sit down. I didn;t have but saw some great desserts on the table next to us and the people were raving about them. We have been back three times in the last few weeks and I think about it almost everyday. You must try!
4 - Eric M.: Solid wine bar/tapas style that is very intimate yet hip.  It would be 5-stars but the place is small and there may be times where you wait for a while.  However, they do allow you to hang out at the "bar" and begin your order.  They do not frown on sampling wine as some other places will.  

They were recently on Living Social which was a great deal.  Never mind the "bad" area as it is usually filled with local USC students or folks who have discovered this gem.
3 - Laurice F.: Bacaro LA is one of joints where if it wasn't for their food and drink, they'd get about 1-2 stars. But look - they were good enough for me to rate them as A-OK! I'm not a big tapas person, and this was the epitome of tapas-dining. The place is TINY and hiply decorated but definitely gave off the pretentious vibe - no need for that in the ghetto, people.

A gf and I dined here, thanks to a Living Social coupon. Being the middle of the week we definitely needed alcohol - I highly enjoyed a refreshing glass of the 2007 Slipstream Sauvignon Blanc Western Australia. We then ordered the following (complete with taste verdict):

POACHED SHRIMP (with citrus chili sauce and shaved fennel) - Yum! This dish was flavorful and tender and we got a good amount for the both of us.

BRUSCHETTE (tuscan white bean and roasted garlic/balsamic/pesto) - The tuscan white bean was better than I expected - nice and hearty and flavorful without feeling heavy. The roasted garlic bruschetta was A-MA-ZING! I wanna learn how to make this beautiful dish! I'd wanna get this for both orders next time!

OVEN ROASTED BONE MARROW (balsamic reduction, sea salt with baguette slices) - I wanted to be all Anthony Bourdain-like and have marrow. I've had it before, but not in this manner. It arrived steaming and the half of the bone I chose was still pulsating from the heat! It was kinda freaky but cool. Anyhoo, the taste wasn't anything AMAZING. Honestly I didn't even taste the balsamic. It was just pure fatty fatness. Meh.

BACON & BRIE PIZZA (with tomato sauce and jalapeño) - This was fine. I did appreciate the jalapeño not being spicy.

This was a satisfying and yummy "meal." I was happy with the dishes, but don't think I can handle the priceyness for tapas, let alone the college-vibe this literal hole-in-the-wall gives off.
5 - V z.: love!! everything is good, staff is wonderful! def coming back ;)
5 - Nadav I.: Great place! I live close by and really love coming here. try the brie & bacon pizza...
4 - Alison B.: Bacaro is small, a little hard to miss. Its worth finding though (: I've been here a couple times and always get the Bacaro Burger ... soo good. Its always cooked exactly how I wanted it. The other food I've had there is also delicious, including the desserts! There's a great selection of wine and beer, and the staff usually gives very good recommendations. Its not cheap, but I think its a pretty fair price. They have a good happy hour, $5 a plate.

The reason I can't give it 5 stars is because of the service... last time I went we didn't get our menus until we were just sitting there for about 15 minutes.. and there were only 2 other parties! It also took them a while to get our order... The other times I've been the service was slow too. That's really the only thing I think they need to work on though.
4 - Eugene S.: I came here on a Thursday night with a buddy of mine and the first thing I noticed when we stepped in was we were the only 2 guys in the restaurant (minus the staff).  I did a 360 turn and wondered if this was sorority night.  All you single fellas reading this review, try going to Bacaro on a Thursday night and see if you have the same luck.

The place is small and the tables are even smaller.  We were seated at a table that was meant for 4 people, but it was too small just for 2 guys.  We had to get into yoga poses to avoid playing footsie under the table.  Also, we were practically brushing elbows with the girls next to us.  

We ordered the caprese salad, bruschette (tomato and basil/Dalia's open fire roasted bell peppers), Bacaro burger, margherita and roasted garlic pizzas, 2 Chimays.  My favorite was the Bacaro burger.  You must order this with the fried egg.  In the middle of our meal, a server kindly asked that we be seated at a table for 2 to accommodate a party of 4.  We happily obliged and were rewarded with 2 Chimays on the house.  When it gets busy, it can be hard to get prompt service, but the staff tries their best to be fast.  

I'll definitely be coming back......on a Thursday night..
3 - Wan L.: The pan-seared scallops with carrot puree is a MUST ORDER!  It's delish!!!  We ordered the bacaro burger, artichoke hearts, chicken breast, mac & cheese, bacon & brie pizza, garlic pizza, bone marrow and of course, the SCALLOPS!  The only other thing I would recommend is the bacon & brie pizza.  The others were bleh.  For the burger we asked for medium and it came out well-done so it was dry...gross!  The chicken breast was kinda tough and dry even though it was drenched with lemon caper sauce.  The mac & cheese was too cheesy and tasted bitter.  My friends liked it though.  The bone marrow would've been good if it wasn't so darn salty. Too much sea salt!  Nothing really special about the artichoke hearts and the garlic pizza was too garlicky.  They put whole cloves of garlic.

Remember to get there early or expect a long wait because this place is tiny!  We got there 15mins before they opened and they was already a couple outside waiting.  Within a few mins after we got seated, the place was packed.  The servers were really welcoming and helpful, thumbs up!  My only complaint is the noise level.  My ears started to ache.  It was so loud in the restaurant.  I felt like I was in a club minus the music...
4 - Stephanie C.: I came here for my friend's birthday, it was definitely a hard place to spot!  I had no idea if I was even in the right neighborhood because, lets face it, there's not really anything that great around USC.  But when you step inside, you feel like you're in a wine bar in silverlake!

This place is definitely small, but they accommodated my friend's party really well!  The waiter kept making sure everyone was happy and content, and the atmosphere is very laid back yet chic.  It's designed really well, and although there was no music playing, it was really loud in there because of all the conversations going on.  

Everyone ordered small bites, and the food looked soooo good.  Those small bites will actually fill you up, especially since they are all extremely rich.  I ate dinner beforehand so didn't order any, but I sampled a few and they were all delicious!  I think I maybe come back for the happy hour if I'm ever in the area!
5 - ruby w.: Good food, but this place is really tight. Our food was barely able to fit on the small table. 

Bacaro burger was by far the most favorite item on the menu. We ordered 2 of these with the runny egg of course. Their sauce is a perfect match for the burger.

Panini w/ Roast Beef, Black Forest Ham & Mozzarella -- simple, but crispy and good. Cheesy, yet not overly rich because we told them to skip the butter.

Petite Fillet -- beef was tender, but lacked flavor compared to the bacaro burger.

Lemon Grilled Chicken Breast -- way too sour and the jalapeno & lemon sauce just didn't work for me. The chicken was tender and risotto cake was one-of-a-kind. 

Garlic Pizza -- delicious, thin, and packed with garlic flavor. We like. 

I would love to hit this place up during happy hours to get $5 plates. That would be awesome.
4 - Jenn Y.: THE VENUE: 
located in a random neighborhood near USC, seems sketchy but you'll be fine. This place is a super small but cozy lil wine bar and great for all different types of groups (but keep the groups kinda small!)

THE FOOD: 
Pan seared scallops: OMG my fav...this was soo dang good! 

Mac n Cheese: Yum...this one's a crowd pleaser :)

Burrata di Stefano: tasty, not my fav but its def it's worth a try

Prosciutto di Parma: I lub me some Prosciutto; just give me more bread with it!

Oven roasted bone marrow: my friends really enjoyed this one

Zucchini fries/onion rings with chili aioli: it was ok, but the aioli was the star. This has a Kick!

Bruschette (with white bean): nice texture on the beans and good flavor
Bruschette (with roasted red pepper): also yummy, tasted like tomato

Poached shrimp: Also a fav...the citrus chili was a nice touch

Margherita: this was good, but it wasn't THAT special...

Breadpudding: ratio of ice cream to pudding needs adjusting. flavor and texture was just okkkkk........

THE SERVICE: 
Everyone was very friendly and gave good suggestions on food

OVERALL: 
I will def frequent this place cause there are several things I still need to try. Just come and make an adventure of it, I promise you'll like!
3 - Christine C.: Friends and I got: the crostini plate, bacaro burger, garlic pizza, and polenta. 

Crositini plate was delicious. Three different ones with different cheeses/sauces on top. While delicious, it was messy to eat. Particularly, the one with the honey and walnuts on it. The honey dripped all over. And it was really, really crunchy; so it's hard to break apart and share.

Bacaro burger was alright. It was very juicy, hence a little messy. But it's a fork and knife kind of deal. I bet it would be good with the egg, but friends vetoed the egg. Oh well.

Garlic pizza was also yummy. They had whole pieces of garlic on it, carmelized and almost sweet. It was very tasty and it came out really hot.

Lastly, the polenta was really good. I forget what was on top; I think it was eggplant. I don't usually like eggplant or polenta all that much either, but this was tasty and I liked it the best.

Food all around was tasty. Wine selection was good enough. The wait, however, was horrendous. Over an hour at least. And if you think about it, you're waiting for small plates of food. Not really worth it to us. The restaurant is small too and so you really have to wait if you have a crowd since people like to linger over their wine. If you're hungry, just go to the taco truck across the street.
4 - Alen L.: The breakdown:

Pan-Seared Scallops w/ Carrot Puree and White Truffle Oil: 5/5
Bacaro Burger w/ Fried Egg: 4/5
Roasted Garlic Mozarella Pizza: 4/5
Cranberry Bread Pudding: 3/5
Nutella Panino w/ Strawberries and Bananas: 3/5

My Food Rating = A-

Ambience: 4/5
Service: 2.5/5
Clean: 4/5

My Experience Rating: B+

Location: 2/5
Hours: 4/5
Parking: 3/5
Wait: 4/5

My Convenience Rating: C+

Pros:

- Solid wine menu. 
- Creative food creations.
- For a small restaurant, it has a nice ambiance and a lot of character. Eclectic. The ceiling has a wine rack filled w/ wine, one of the walls is a chalk board menu.

Cons:

- Small restaurant, tables are small, and they pack quite a bit of tables in there. The person sitting next to you can hear you even if you whispered. 
- Took a while to get our orders taken. The place feels a bit understaffed. We sat there for about 10 minutes before any server came by. 
- Waited quite a while for food. All the food all came out at once and we ended up getting our dessert before the pizza.
- The portions are so small. With the 3 small dishes for $21, I think I could have ate at least 9 dishes myself and still been hungry. 
- The food, while innovative, were not amazingly good by any means. 
- Because of the unbelievably small portions, this restaurant should be rated $$$ instead of $$. We spent $66 between two people and left hungry.
- Only street parking, no lot. 
- Not a very safe neighborhood.


Tip: This is not a great choice if you have a larger group. And 4 people is a relatively large group.

Tip: This is not a bad place to bring a first date. 

Tip: The crowd here is mostly young college students. 

Tip: Try not to stare too long at the chalk board menu, the people sitting and eating right next to the board might think you have a staring problem.

Tip: Go During Happy Hour: Mon - Fri, 5 - 7 PM, $5 for all food. 

Tip: Wines by the glass are 50% Off on Mondays.

Tip: Beefsteak Sunday happens first Sunday of every month between 5:30PM-8PM. All you can eat grilled hangar steak, bread & butter, and roasted potatoes. The beer and red wine is AYCD. 2 hrs limit and $25pp. Reservation is required.

Bottom Line: Great place for wine and tapas. Not a great place to grub.
4 - Mina M.: What a cute HIDDEN GEM!!
Good food, good ambience, cozy & cute!
however, the service could be little slow but can't complain since it could get pretty packed and Food here is AMAZING.
Don't forget to order their Burger! soooo DELISH!

they really did good job on decolating with such a small space.
even if it's in ramdom place, it's definately worth a trying for!
4 - Jessy B.: Liked the scallops and the Bacaro burger. Wish the place was more roomy but you can say it's part of the experience :)
3 - Lisa S.: The bread pudding is disgusting.  I know I'm starting with the dessert, but it's how we ended our meal, so that totally took down my star rating.  I love bread pudding, so I was really excited, but we should have spared ourselves the money and the calories in trying it.

Everything else was pretty good.  The only dish I didn't love (besides the pudding) was the burger.  I anticipated a burst of flavors with the bacon, the fried egg, etc., but it was strangely lacking in taste.  I wanted to pour ketchup on it or find a salt dispenser.   I probably wouldn't order it again.

The chicken breast was great!  It was like a piccata, and it was topping this thick, savory hashbrown-type potato patty.  Sadly, this came out last, so we were really full at this point.  I wish it was one of the first items out.

The beet salad was flavorful with the salt crystals, but I was a bit overwhelmed with the amount of goat cheese.  The steak was decent (not great, but not bad), the macaroni and cheese was alright, and the scallops were tender and sweet.  I could have had more of the scallops.

The price was a little steep, however.
3 - Smitcha B.: I really wanted to like or even love this place. I've been eyeing it for some time now; it's been sitting idle in my bookmarked places to try. With all the great reviews, the cozy atmosphere, and the appealing bites, I was ready to roll into Bacaro LA with much confidence and swagger.

We arrived around 7ish on a Thursday night. I attempted to make reservations beforehand but the guy told us that they had changed their ways to first come, first serve basis. Fair enough, no prob. Parking was hit or miss. You weren't too sure if your car would still be sitting on the street after you finished your meal. After all, you are slightly north of USC and it's not technically Irvine friendly. Luckily, some spots freed up in the front of the restaurant so that was a score. We wrote our name on the chalk board as we were unpleasantly nine parties behind. I'd have to say we waited a good 45 minutes to an hour for our table that was no bigger than my baby nephew's potty trainer. It did help that a few parties before us got impatient and just peaced out.

As we sat and stared at the menu on the chalk board, we never received any book menus until we had to flag one of the guys down. Finally, it was our time to order and see what the hype was all about. We ended up ordering 6 small items because they're pretty petite and also because it's 3 for $21 or just $8 each. The waiter did apologize to us saying that it's been a crazy week because their livingsocial deal was expiring at the end of the week so everyone decided to bombard the place as if a dealer was giving away free crack.

The presentation of the food was unique yet simple and gave off the perception that it was going to be a solid dish. Unfortunately, not all of the six were winners. The first that came out was our Mac n' Cheese. Our waiter apologized immediately and said, "I don't know why there's no bacon, but I'll go back and bring you some." That never happened. This dish was rich enough to put Scrooge McDuck to shame. The bacon was not needed because after the first few bites, you realized how salty it was.

Of course the Bacaro Burger was ordered because it's one of the top dishes people rave about. Just look at how many photos of it exists in the picture selection. Also, the egg ($1 extra) was pretty much given. Who doesn't like an egg with their burger right? All in all, it was good but not great. Next!

The Grilled Chicken Breast and the Grilled Petite Fillet was quite mediocre. FYI, it's a risotto CAKE that comes with the chicken and not your typical normal risotto. I could have gone without ordering both of these and I wouldn't have felt like I've missed out. I don't remember much else about these two so that tells me a lot about it.

The good was their pizza. The Roasted Garlic pizza made on super thin crust that was very warm, moist, yet the texture was still crunchy. We enjoyed the full on roasted garlic cloves and I wished we had ordered maybe two of these. Tasty treat indeed!

Saved the best for last: the Pan-Seared Scallops!!! They were... I don't know, you tell me. They ran out & didn't inform us until we overheard it from the table besides us. The end.

Bacaro LA has mass potential and I can see why people oogle about this place. It can be a nice date spot if you don't mind yelling across the 3 feet table to your companion(s). The place is incredibly loud. I walked out feeling like I spent the night in the speakers of a rave party. On top of the loud conversations that were screeching throughout the restaurant, they had music blasting in the background. I can almost tell you what the topic of discussions were for the tables around us, not because I was eavesdropping but because it was all forcibly echoing off my ear drums.

They do have an extensive wine list for you wine connoisseurs. That night was probably not the greatest night to have visited. I don't blame the wait staff because they were running furiously throughout the night but it just felt like they were understaffed and we had to flag them down for every little thing. We never asked for much and kept it as simple as we could because we were darn hungry and just wanted to eat and bounce. Even at that level, the whole night which probably could've been accomplished in an hour turned out to be a 2.5 hour dining fiasco (including the wait). I'm sure it all would've went down smoother if the place wasn't so packed off the wall but if it's like that every night, you guys can have it.
4 - Dayna C.: So I got a Groupon for Bacaro LA. It is the second "wine bar" that i have been to in L.A. I say "wine bar" in quotations because I don't really consider this place to be a wine bar since they have such a limited selection of wine that I just can't count it as such. 

Anyway. I went with a friend, on the last day that I could use my Groupon and the place was packed. The wait staff said they expected a rush of people because it was the last day to use the deal. There had to be setting for only 20-25 people in the whole restaurant. So, we ended up standing in line for about 45minutes waiting to be seated. With that said, I still give this place high marks because the food was delicious and decently priced. 

I ordered smoked salmon corn fritters, a panini with Gruyere cheese, pastrami and caramelized onions, and mac and cheese. Everything was amazingly good. These were small plates, but I was so full afterwords and it was only $21 for the three different items. The mac and cheese alone...I will go back for. 

My friend had the Nutella panini with strawberries. She loved it.
4 - Scott S.: This place is pretty neat. I've been a bunch of times so when Living Social had a $40 for $20 deal many months ago, I grabbed it... and then waited until the last possible day to use it. There were three of us. We each chose two dishes (six total) and I think that was just enough to leave us pleasantly full, but not overstuffed.

We had:
baguette with olive oil (not part of our 6 items)
cauliflower with chipotle aioli and mixed greens
pan-seared scallops
artichoke hearts
and three things from the specials menu written on the chalkboard (sorry, I can't remember what they were)

I had a glass of a white blend and a glass of Tintero Moscato (which was, as always, deliciously sweet).

One of the really neat things about this place is that the owners and staff are not pretentious at all about wine. Can't pronounce the name of the wine you want? Who cares? Butcher it. Want to try something before you commit to a glass or a bottle? Go for it! Not sure what to get but know (at least, generally) what you like? Tell your server and have him recommend something.

It's a tiiiiny place, so be prepared to wait if it's busy. If you're not in a rush, I'd say stick it out (even if the line is long).
5 - Los Angeles N.: Compliments to the chef! Possibly the greatest tapas restaurant in L.A.
5 - Byanka F.: Bacaro LA Beefsteak Sunday is amazing.  The service is excellent, the onion rings are so crisp, the meat is tender, the bread is soft, and the potatoes are delicious!  I don't have one complaint.  Your glasses will be full and your stomachs satisfied! Make a reservation for this and enjoy a wonderful Sunday dinner.  This event is only the first Sunday of every month so book soon.
5 - cloe l.: Love this place! Very good food at reasonable price.
5 - Antoniette M.: Attended the BeefSteak Sunday for the first time yesterday...was very glad I did!!!  
    Although, there was a mix up with the reservation, the chef still accommodated us.  The chef and bartender went above and beyond making up for the lost reservation.  As we waited for them to find a table and chairs we were served some delicious champagne.  
    Our table was set-up by the kitchen (a makeshift Chef's Table) and it was all uphill from then on. I don't think that our glasses were ever empty. As a starter we were served onion rings (so good and crunchy!) and some spicy and tangy red bell pepper sauce (it went really well with the onion rings and the steak). Then came the steak...  Its served family style sliced on a baguette slices alongside the potatoes.  The potatoes were ok and were a lil greasy, but we still ate them all. The meat was good quality and served at  varying degrees of done-ness.  Which was good since not everyone at my table likes their steak medium rare or rare. 
    Overall, we left with full bellies and swollen livers.  Very good experience.  The staff was very friendly and just awesome!!! Even though we probably wont be able to be seated at the "Chef's Table" again, I will definitely come back for Beefsteak Sunday and probably back another time just to check out their regular menu.
5 - Vanessa J.: Amazing amazing amazing food and wine!! Everything is fresh, unique, and flavorful!!! I enjoyed every bit of food (esp. the scallops, burger, cauliflower, roasted garlic pizza, and crostini!!) And I walked away super satisfied! Fyi: For dessert, get the warm bread pudding with vanilla ice cream on top!!! A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!
4 - Fiona W.: Went during happy hour.  Really cheap!  The scallops were so good!! though you only get 2 big pieces in one serving.  My friends had mac&cheese and the burger.  Looked pretty good.  I wish the tables could be a little wider....
4 - Grace H.: The Brie and bacon pizza is YUMMYYYYYY
So are the scallops, and the Bacaro burger!!

The waiters are super friendly and down-to-earth, and they gave us complementary bread pudding and champagne samples (Their jasmin and citrus white wine is really really good, btw!).

My tummy hurt after though, I think it was the bread pudding.. :(
5 - Lisa F.: One of my favorite places to get "wine happy."  You know, that sublime moment when the warmth from the red wine coats your insides and your cheeks start to get pink, and your eyes narrow a bit and you smile that slow one-sided smile that makes you look alluring, mysterious, sexy even Yeah that's wine happy and Bacaro is one of the best purveyors of wine happy in L.A.

Really amazing food, our favorite is the chicken breast with risotto cake and the open faced burger. OMG, that burger! Order it with the fried egg and you swear you've died and gone to heaven, which for me is apropos because in my head, heaven looks like a dimly lit bar with amazing wine and cocktails and food and jazz, and people dancing slowly on an even more dimly lit dance floor and everything's in slow motion.  No jazz or dance floor here, but it's still pretty awesome.

Tips: If you want more than one glass of wine, and you will with their wine selection, order a whole bottle.  And while the place is small, they can accommodate bigger parties with a reservation.  If you are gonna do that route, save some $$ and bring your own great wine for $15 corkage.
5 - Edwin S.: Went here on a 1/2 price deal from the Entertainment Book.
Was completely blown away by how great this place was.
The inside of this place is really cozy with bottles of wine laying horizontal in the ceiling configuration.  It has the friend's house kitchen feel that makes you want to return over and over again

We had
Grilled Panini with Black Forest Ham and Carmelized onions
Pan seared Scallops
Grilled Petite Fillet
Roasted Garlic Pizza

The food far exceeds expectation of what to receive at your typical wine bar.  The food is gourmet, tasty, yummy, take your pick.  Wine lists were fantastic and service was so on point.  I tried my best to find a downside to this place, but wasn't able to.   Bacaro LA, you are the best.

.
4 - Ctam G.: Great food with plenty of choices and not your typical food combinations.  Cauliflower dish was totally new for us and just one of the several dishes we enjoyed......good wine and drink selections, place fills up fast.  Not a big fan of the seating arrangements especially if you want to sit next to your partner.  Will continue to drop in whenever we're in the area.
5 - J H.: It's been about 2 years since my first review and I'll have to say that this place has definitely withstood the test of time! Delicious food. Friendly service. Great atmosphere. Despite a small bump in pricing (from $7/plate to $8/plate), I still highly recommend it! They've added new items to the menu and they have specials daily. Absolutely the BEST happy hour - for food - in the USC area (5-7 Mon-Thurs; $5/plate)! Plus, if you're there on Monday it's 1/2 off wine by the glass too. So...some items that are--in my humble opinion--a must try:

Cauliflower with chipotle aioli
Lamb burger (medium-rare) with tahini sauce
Bacon and Brie pizza
Seared polenta with eggplant tapenade

I've had everything on the menu and the above items are 'go-to' favorites. Also in regular circulation at my table are: the Bacaro burger (with egg), Di Staffano's burrata, house-cured olives and Bacaro's homemade ice cream.

The service is great too... but you should know that this place is small and it gets crazy BUSY! Especially when USC is in session. So, word to the wise - either show early or be ready to drink a glass of wine (or two) while you wait.
4 - Joyce M.: YUMYUM, it was my first place trying this place and I'm definitely a fan.

The place is tiny and quaint but very loud. I could barely hear my cousin who was sitting less than 2 feet across the table. The table itself was pretty small so we didn't have much room to put our stuff...anywhere.

We ordered 5 tapa plates. 
1) BRUSCHETTE: "Dalia's" open fire roasted bell peppers AND roasted garlic, balsamic & basil walnut pesto. I really liked both but the roasted garlic one definitely stood out more than the other. It was slightly sweet, very aromatic, and I love the different tectures of the ingredients.
2) CRISPY PIG EARS WITH CHIPOTLE AIOLI- I've had pig ears before but not fried. I was surprised by the tecture at first since it was crunchy & chewy at the same time. It was definitely interesting but I grew very fond of it by the last bite.
3) OVEN ROASTED BONE MARROW W/ BALSAMIC REDUCTION, SEA SALT, & BAGUETTE- hmmm, this was alright, it didnt seem like there was much in the bone marrow to begin with and I could only really taste the balsamic reduction
4) PAN SEARED SCALLOPS WITH SAUTEED MARKET CORN, SCALLIONS & CHERRY TOMATOES- this was Very VERY good. It only comes with 2 scallops tho, so that made me a bit sad. The scallop was fresh & cooked to perfection.
5) LAMB STUFFED EGGPLANT, LEMON GARLIC EMULSION, LEMON CHIP, SCALLIONS- this was our favorite dish. As a fan of eggplant, I never thought to have a stuffed one but regardless, the lamb made it so perfect.

Although the food is good, it's a bit pricey for each dish. I think it's about $8 each?? If you eat slow, it'll fill you up, otherwise if you're looking to feast, this isn't the place.
I would definitely come back here again.
I think my friend told me that the first Sunday of every month = $20 for unlimited wine & steak? I could be wrong but definitely try this place!
5 - Lauren M.: This place is AMAZING. I could eat here every single night without ever getting sick of it. Every single item on this menu is delicious. And then there is the wine. A great selection of wine from vineyards around the world. This is the perfect destination for wine lovers looking for new, off the beaten path, wines to try. Accompany the wine with an absolutely phenomenal menu and you're set for the night. 

The plates are small, so you can try a lot of different things. I suggest starting with a few plates to share, and get one plate for yourself. Also, definitely get a cheese and save room for dessert! My favorites:
the chipotle cauliflower, bruschetta, scallops and the bread pudding for dessert. An absolutely wonderful hidden gem in the USC area. 

Also, take some time to get to know the owners and the chef. They are all wonderful people and will make your experience even better.
5 - Prisca Y.: Food: Extremely yummy! everything I have had was absolutely delicious. Two of the must try are the scallops and the open face burger. They also have great wine selections.

Service: Attentive. Although they were busy, they still took the time to take care of us.

Price: priced well for the food.

Other: very tiny. Not good for groups.
5 - Ben R.: By far the best restaurant near USC. No question. Enjoy fantastic hard/soft drinks (they even have ORGANIC wines/beers -- damn!). 

The food is a dream. I love tappas. If you don't, forget about this place. It's all small dishes, meant for sharing -- meant for tasting. They've perfected some of the flavors of the Bruschette and crostinis. I'd HIGHLY recommend the 1. roasted garlic, balsamic, & basil pesto. and the 2. tomato and basil bruschette. 

Bacaro is ridiculously good. It's the only restaurant in the neighborhood that I would come down here just to go to. Nothing else is really worth a visit... 

Also, since it's a wine bar, be prepared for that sort of atmosphere. It's VERY small inside. Although, I think that's definitely part of its charm. Don't expect to have a private conversation -- unless of course you don't really mind who may overhear. 

PS
If you can organize a group of your friends, DEFINITELY do the Beefsteak Sunday. I promise you'll be satisfied (unless you're a vegetarian who doesn't drink.... boo)
3 - Aidan B.: I came here with my Costa Rica/Ride o' Die friend of mine for drinks & tapas. 

I order the Bruchetta, the garlic pizza, & the mac & cheese. 

The food was sooo awesome. The service was ok. 

The reason it gets 3 stars is because the food woke me up at 6.30 am on a Saturday because i almost SHAT MY PANTS! 

I thought i got food poisoning! I text my friend the very embarrassing TMI moment i was experiencing and it turns out... she was on the john too!! BECAUSE OF THE FOOD WE ATE! 

So next time i come to this place, i will have the Pep-to for dessert. 

Yeaaaahhhhhhhhh....
4 - Salem S.: Cute place, not so cute neighborhood.  Be careful, you just might pass it up.  The seating was a lil too close for my comfort, however, the food was good. The burger was delicious. Great flavor! Tomato n basil and roasted peppers bruschette was....ok. Bacon n brie pizza was yummy, we LOVED the cauliflower, but the mac n cheese was bland (ask for a lil salt n pepper and you'll be ok).  Panini was good, but we hated the dessert (cookie dough, choc ganache, walnts n cream).  Ok service. For the place to be so small, I waited too long for a  glass of water....i'd go back.
4 - Jenna B.: This place is a hidden gem! Came here on a Monday night with some friends and was able to take advantage of their great happy hour. We ordered so many things, I don't think I can remember them all, but some stand outs were- the roasted garlic bruschetta, the barrata, the burger was to DIE for! The cauliflower was cooked perfectly and had the most interesting spicy flavor. We also had the stuffed eggplant, the mac and cheese, the scallops, and the bread pudding. I enjoyed everything. My only complaint would be that the service was incredibly slow so we had a tendency to order several things at a time which meant that it all came out together. The tables are small so that was not convenient. We felt as if we needed to eat quickly to make room on the table. We also asked for individual plates 2-3 times and never actually got them. Overall, I would totally go again.
4 - Chris K.: The wait here was long. They are a very highly rated place, and it's safe to say it was worth it.

Their tapas are really tasty and anything you order off the menu will pretty much be delicious.

Regardless of a reservation or not, the wait is inevitable. Parking is hard to find and you gotta scour the streets for a space.
5 - Angela S.: Randomly happened to find this place, while searching for pizza. And it pains me to say this because the rest of the food was really good, but the pizza here sucked. I suspect they either didn't rest the dough or decided to use a rolling pin to make it because it was one thick, crunchy pizza. Don't get it. Although the garlic pizza was hilariously garlicy. Even more funny because you are sitting one foot away from your party. So, for the sake of remaining friends with my lovely friends, I picked off most of the cloves. 

Oh yeah it's tiny. You will be all up in someone's face/side/back. It's tapas, but the "table" can hold maybe 4 dishes max so don't come with a big group.

Now that that's out of the way.... the food was awesome. Had the burger, scallops, crispy pig ears, two pizzas, mac and cheese, ice cream, cookie dough weird thing and the pecan pie/ice cream/heaven. 

Also the glasses of wine are half price- awesssoommmmeee! The Sunday supper deal sounds great so I'll be back.
3 - Erin K.: This place is ok. I was excited to have a nice little joint in the area where I live since there aren't that many nice restaurants around.  The food was good. Not mind blowingly great. There was a red rubberband in our artichokes. We still ate it and just didn't say anything. I think the waiter was nervous after he walked away with it on our plate. We went during happy hour but I would never spend the full price for these plates. The chicken had capers on it and it was super salty and sour! I tasted like they poured some of the caper juice on it.

There were USC students eating at a table and talking and screaming so loud that I couldn't really talk to my boyfriend. Two ladies came in and got sat next to that table and asked to move as they clutched their ears.  The place does have an echo which makes it worse.

Hoped for better but would return only during happy hour or a groupon.  Probably best to go in the off season for USC like in the summer.
4 - Jenna R.: Great place!
5 - Basile B.: Really good small plates. We got five and a dessert and it was amazing. The happy hour is an amazing deal and the sangria was phenomenal.  I will be going back soon.
5 - John P.: Places like this, makes LA....LA. Came here with my girlfriend to use our Groupon deal right before they were closing. Very small place, but food, service, and vibe was AMAZING!Never felt rush to leave, was even asked if we wanted anything else when there was no one left in the place. Burger, roasted garlic bruchette, scallops, and roasted garlic pizza was all delliiccciooussss!
5 - A L.: I have been to Bacaro La twice and I love it. I tried it at first with a groupon deal.  The prices thought are extremely reasonable for the small plate size and quality. I have not had a bad experience with any of the food so far. They also have a happy hour from 5-7  on Monday-Thursday where the plates are only $5. The housemade sangria is $14 for a large carafe. 

I have never had a problem finding parking. It is such a small location and off the beaten path but you can usually find street parking. I went with my boyfriend's brothers' fiance and she is a vegetarian. She easily found 4 plate options that we shared. 

I highly recommend going if you like dont mind the small scene setting and are looking for some good food at a nice price, where you don't
 have to pay $20 for parking.
4 - Matt Q.: A friend who went to USC brought me here and I've loved it ever since. Great prices on bottles of wines, and their tapas are amazing for their price (3 for $21). Some of the highlights are the cauliflower, bone marrow, lamb burger, and scallops. Plus, I love anyplace that writes their beer and wine list in chalk on the wall. If you want wine and tapas, you've got to try this place.
5 - Stewart L.: Love this place.  Straight up walk into an urban outfitters..but not.

The walls are brick, and the writings are in chalk.

Parking: Park on the side.  There's not really an official parking lot.

Food: Poached shrimp with citrus sauce and fennel.  They don't mess around with these tapas style poached shrimps.  I guess you could call this a wine bar / tapas joint.

Good for happy hour.  Artichoke hearts bro, you know them girls love them artichokes, some new age vegetable sh**.  Gotta order this one, it's got that parmigiano reggiano on it, LEGIT.

If you're feeling even more legit, go for the pan seared scallops.  Something about fennel and truffle oil gets me.

Pizza: Margherita.  Cooked to a chewy crisp.  

Date Place? Sure, why not, every chick loves a new place to go to that looks different than the previous place that you took her to.  

Bank: It won't break the bank sick.  Actually it will if you order a lot, but come towards happy hour.
3 - Bob B.: Good Food, But an Incomplete Dining Experience:

First time visit.

The physical space of the restaurant easily could be improved:

First: upon entering the restaurant I immediately felt it was too bright, then I looked up to find florescent lights (like an office or classroom) inartfully hidden (sort of) above a bunch of empty wine bottles serving as decoration (and to hide the florescent lighting).

Second: The tables were comically small, we might as well have been eating off of a lacquered 2x4 on legs.

Third: the seats have no backs; they are basically ottomans, which becomes uncomfortable (and they were made of vinyl, which I find can cause my butt to sweat!).

The food deserves four stars and I would still recommend the place in spite of these shortcomings.
4 - Soo H.: Cute little wine bar with good wine and great food.  Only downside to this place is that it's packed with USC students who are really noisy, but as long as you come expecting that, it's not too bad.  

I had several different dishes here and they were mostly delicious - among them were the following:
*  burrata (always good)
*  the bruschetta (super garlicky and amazing - I could have probably just eaten this all night)
*  pig ears (eh, pass  - too salty)
*  cheese plate (always good)

They are really big on encouraging reservations for private parties, so sometimes it can be hard to find a seat because they will be packed with really big private parties in a bar that's not very big.  However, if you manage to snag a seat, it's a really nice low-key place where you can just drink and chat with friends.  The plus to it being a rather noisy bar is that you can just yell and talk crap with your friends and not have anybody harass you about it.

Waitstaff here is also super friendly and nice.  

I want to come back and try the beefsteak Sunday and bacaro burger next time!
3 - Elle E.: My boyfriend and I visited this place for appetizers and drinks on a Friday night. I liked the decor and the communal tables they had in this tight space. We ordered the tomato and basil bruschetta, along with the petite filet. They were both incredible and complemented each other so well. 

The only miss was our drinks. We ordered a carafe of sangria and was very disappointed with the absence of fruit. This was also very diluted...fail! I looked at the wine list and it looked decent. Perhaps, a glass of wine would have made this visit more enjoyable.
4 - Young Mi K.: My cousin took me to this place and I am definitely a fan.
1) Artichokes--EXCELLENT!  Cheesy.
2) Panini w/the mushrooms--Crunchy, in a good way.
3) Mac & Cheese--Again, cheesy and addicting.  Sinful.
4) Burrata--Good.
5) Pizza--I forgot what kind I got, but it was good.
Share a bottle of wine...we were super full and I'm pretty sure we didn't finish all the food.

We went early on a Thursday, like at 5:30, and the place was half empty.  So, we got a seat right away.  But within 15 minutes the place was packed and there was a crowd waiting near the kitchen.  So get there early if you don't want to wait.
5 - Sd S.: Need a great place to eat that you can tell your friends you found on your own. Go here. Great food, great everything.
5 - Grace J.: Yum yum yum!  

Been here countless times and I love it! :)

The tables are really really cramped, especially after you order a bunch of food, but the cheap prices and good food def make up for it!

Happy hour prices until 7 pm...so all dishes are $5!  after 7 it's 3 for $21 

Fav dishes:

Roasted cauliflower w/ chipotle (best cauliflower dish ever)
Scallops with corn (seasonal...i don't really dig the scallops when they come with carrot and fennel)
Roasted garlic pizza
Bacaro burger w/ egg
Roasted garlic bruschette w/ pesto
Gorgonzola w/dates, walnut, orange honey crostini

Order a bottle of wine and enjoy!~
5 - Lauren L.: Went with a friend for Beefsteak night. Food was wonderful-all you can eat steak, fries and onion rings plus unlimited house beer and wine for $30! Our waiter, Andy, was super chill and made sure our glasses and plates were always full. 
In short- good food, good drinks, good atmosphere. I'll definitely be back!
4 - Daisy R.: One of my favorite places to eat and drink. My favorite foods here are:

- the open faced burger with fried egg
- their chipotle cauliflower
- their corn/carrot puree pan seared scallops
- gorgonzola, walnuts, orange honey and dates crostini
- fresh ricotta with silan syrup crostini
- tuscan white bean bruschette
- their super (I repeat, SUPER) spicy eggplant pizza
- grilled petite fillet
- dalia's open fire roasted bell peppers

And for dessert, their bread pudding was pretty good.


I believe it is considered tapas style so this is why the portions are sometimes small, depending what you order, but the flavor really makes up for the small portion. Their Amber Ale beer is fantastic too. 

This place is a bit small, can get crowded quickly and is pretty loud. But i put up with it because I LOVE their food! Their menu changes with the season...a heads up as i did end up missing some of my favorite dishes when I would go back a couple of months later. But I highly recommend it!
4 - susan l.: tapas? happy hour mondays were all wine is 1/2 off? happy hour were al the dishes are only $5? ... SIGN ME UP!

what i ate:
- bacaro burger w/fried egg: whoa. i think i made the mistake of having this last. it was way too rich. the burger meat itself had this delicious crispy edge from the griddle. the sauce strangely enough reminded me of in n out special sauce. the perfectly fried egg just oozed over the entire thing. this was heart attach on a tiny plate, but classier. while it was good, i think it was too rich.
- scallops: two perfectly seared scallops lovingly nestled in a bed of sweet corn and cherry tomatoes. the cherry tomatoes gave it that nice acidic zing. i wish i could have this for dinner every night.
- roasted garlic pizza: roasted garlic, i love you. as a korean i am unashamed of my intense love for anything garlic. bacaro did it right topping thin crispy pizza with just the right about of cheese/sauce, and lovingly studded with roasted garlic jewels. ... okay, so not a first date kind of dish, but hey, if he was really into you, he wouldnt care, right? :P
- burrata cheese (cold app): simple. cold burrata cheese, fresh cracked black pepper, a seductive splash of olive oil. oh lord, im salivating as i write this. scooping dollops on perfectly crusty bread? a marriage made in heaven. what is bread except a vehicle for cheese? i think though this could have been stepped up a notch if the bread had a rub of garlic. 
- mac n cheese w/bacon: oh cheesy heaven. oh, cheesy cheesy heaven. the shells were perfect, the penko bread crumbs a nice contrast. add bacon for a $1 more?! yes please! perfect amount.
- bread pudding w/ice cream: though tasty, this was nothing to write home about. okay, okay, maybe it was the fact that i was STUFFED that i couldnt appreciate the awesome deliciousness of the bread pudding. but it was good! and we were able to eat half. 
- house sangria: not the best sangria in the world, but pretty darned good. though, i wish i had a straw (yea, cause im classy like that). the sangria was iced, and there was more ice in my cup. it deterred me from swigging that sangria like i meant it. 

pros:
- food: PERFECTLY portioned. i loved the sizing. it wasnt too much, it wasnt too little. i mean, if it was too little, you didnt feel that guilty about just ordering another dish. and everything we ate was amazingly delicious. the type of food i LOVE eating while drinking, or just while eating too
- wine: though i got the sangria, the wine list was pretty decent. everything was reasonably priced and there was definitely something for everyone.
- service: it was a bit of a fumble early on because we came in at the start of happy hour to a very empty bacaro, but i appreciated that they were willing to change a neighboring table's wine when the neighbor stated she didnt like the glass of wine she ordered. 
- price: $5 tapas plates during happy hour? amazing! even the glasses of wine werent expensive at all! definitely affordable. monday happy hour: 1/2 price wine. happy hour mon-thur all plates are $5! ... and on sunday they have AYCE + drink beefsteak night for $30? wuhht? im curious! ... regardless my friend and i ordered 6 dishes and sangria and it only came out to ~$20/person! 

cons:
- SMALL: space is TIGHT. oh so european of them i think. the neighboring tables were a mere hands-breathe away. talk about awkward when you try to squeeze your fat ass out from between the tables, cause youre left with the question, ass or crotch? one wall was lined with two tops, while the other wall had about 5-6 tables for four tops. though, i think the two top tables would easily combine to make larger tables. not really the place to bring a group of 20. unless you want to rent the entire place out. 
- sorry to bash on whoever writes out the wine list on the chalkboard wall, but help a sister out and make it more legible! i had to squint and tilt my head in the romantic lighting to see what was on the wall. 
- location: ghetto. 


would i go again? YES! i think more visits would bump this place up to 5/5 stars. hoping to go again sooooooon!
4 - Alex V.: While the ambiance is great, the space is a little cramped.

But the food is great and the wine bar is a plus. You really get your money's worth.
3 - Tom M.: Small Wine Bar with Small Plates of Food Near USC

The USC area was known for fast food and nothing more.  Barcaro, started by two USC students is a very small and uncomfortable, wine bar.  The wine is generally lesser known, but always good.  

The food menu varies from day to day, but is always very good, albeit expensive and very small plates.  You should expect to order 2-3 things for a dinner, as they are appetizer size.  My favs are the burger (very untraditional), the cheese plate, and a roasted root vegi plate.  

Don't go there with friends after 6:30 as the place only holds about 25 people and on Thursdays and Fridays, the place is invaded by students, so getting a table is impossible and you're only recourse is to stand around for 30 minutes or more.  

The seating is bench style, so if you have a bad back, it will be very uncomfortable for you.  Parking can be a challenge, but if you go around the block and approach Union from 24th street, you'll see a gate leading to a small back parking area, holding about 15 cars tops.  Its a secret, so you ought to find a spot there.  

Hard to resist a bottle of wine and a few small plates of food, so this place will set you back probably $30 for dinner.  My advice is to go early.
4 - Jennifer J.: An unassuming booger of a wine bar near USC with a wall chalkboard full of wines.  Tapas are hit or miss depending on your taste.  Ambiance is claustrophobic or quaint/cozy depending on how big you are and how crowded the place is.  I'd go back for an intimate dinner to spill secrets with a close friend or a date with good conversational skills.  

1. Hangar steak was pre-sliced and satisfactory. 
2. Eggplant pizza was a tiny thin crust that got cold super fast so was not as yummy as I hoped.  I'd try other toppings.
3. Briggante cheese with apples hit the spot.
4. Open faced bacaro burger was overwhelming in appearance and flavor in a good way.
5 - Jason B.: So great to have a fantastically gourmet yet cozy and casual wine bar near me! This place just knocks my socks off. It mainly serves college students and cool hipster adults, so no cougars, MILFs, business Daddies, and that kind of aged cheese.

Even though there is a strong presence of Sorostitutes (that's sorority girls + prostitutes), they usually huddle up in a taxi soon after you arrive. And while they're there, they are pretty tame too. Usually they're trying to get their old version of an iPhone to make a greatly over-elaborated Facebook post how much fun they are having (even though "Nathan" or "Matthew" flat-out ditched or no-show'ed them). It's like Nat'l Geographic.

I can't complain at all - happy hour 5-7 M-Th. Wines are definitely unique, sangria is a little sweet, and the beer selection is pretty chill too. And how about that food!?
4 - Ryan C.: This was an interesting experience. I came with my friend and put our names on the chalk board to get in line for a table. They urged us to order wine at the bar in the meantime, where we got two glasses and placed orders for 6 hot dishes. All 6 promptly came out while we were standing at the bar, and we just started munching away while standing. About half an hour later, we were next to be seated, but we had already finished all our food, so just paid the bartender and left. 3 hot plates per person is sufficient to fill you up, in my opinion. It was not a bad experience at all... just unexpected. The food was tasty, and the drink was good.
5 - Helia C.: One of my favorite wine bars in LA. It's small but they have such an amazing menu that it's worth the wait. It gets pretty crowded during USC games so I'd try to go when things are quieter, or during the week. They know a lot about their cheeses and wines, which I respect.
5 - Kristina B.: Quality stuff here.

Libations - the sangria is excellent.  I also enjoyed the Schneider organic edel-weisse beer.

Food - we tried 5 tapas and one dessert and they were all great.  The scallops were cooked perfectly and served in a (very hot) dish with a corn and cherry tomato mix.  The lamb burger was exceptional.  Such a wonderful variety of flavors.  The macaroni and cheese was solid.  Not amazing, but a good dish with a nice dusting of panko crumbs on top.  The Bacaro burger (with fried egg of course!) was great.  We could have shared another!  Again, the mix of flavors was incredible.  We also tried to cauliflower with a chipotle-aioli marinade, which was surprisingly delicious.

Definitely get the house-made baguette with olive oil for $2!  Warm and crispy baguette accompanied with an olive oil and balsamic vinegar dipping sauce, which also had roasted garlic and sea salt mixed in.  Really good.

For dessert, we shared the chocolate ganache, which was pretty good.  We were kind of stuffed at that point, but we still finished the plate.

All in all, this place was great.  I loved the ambiance and the guys working there are very good with recommendations and have the passion of small business owners.  Will definitely return if I'm in the area!
4 - Amy H.: Reservation for 6 on a Saturday evening at 6pm - so glad we had a reservation and beat the dinner rush!  There was long line of people waiting, starting around 6:45pm. 

Tried 9 dishes + 2 desserts with the 3 plates for $21 deal.  My favorites were the scallops, bacaro burger, and bread pudding dessert!  Our server helped us choose a bottle of pinot noir, which was very good. 

Warm, cozy atmosphere.  Service was okay...could've been better.  We each had to individually ask for a glass of water at different times instead of him asking if we all wanted a glass of water after one person asked. 

Found street parking by circling around - not too bad.  Looking forward to hitting up their beefsteak Sundays! 

A definite must-try for all USC students since it's so close, and it's one of the nicest places near campus with great food and wine.
5 - Vincent W.: single handedly the best dining experience of my year.
i had no idea what this place was. though the space was small, it gave off a homey and very "hip" vibe. definitely reminds me of bar & grills from the movies. the portions are really small, but their 3/$21 deal will get you full, along with a nice brew. i went with a group of seven and i shared a 3/$21 deal with a friend. since everything everyone ordered was so good, my friend and i got 3 more dishes. it
2 - Joseph E.: A friend of mine loves this place, so I thought I would try it out with her.  The owners pay as much attention to their food as they do to their cleanliness.  This place is more for undergrads who don't know any better and are used to living in muck.

Food:
1) pork belly skewers were burnt to a crisp, not tasty, and dry (dry pork belly?)
2) mac and cheese should be called shells and cheese soup
3) scallops were okay, but gritty
4) bread pudding with ice cream was pretty good
5) garlic bruschetta was my favorite savory item  

Setting:
The bar is small and dirty.  There was a long line of benches to the left of the place when you walk in.  I rested my arm on the top of the benches to find that the entire span was covered in a thick layer of dust.  I thought, "GROSS! My cashmere!".  The shelve behind the benches looked as though a dirty snow had just fallen on it.  It was decorated with rotting sun flowers in green water.  There were what appeared to be blood stains on my seat.  How did that get there? I hope it was wine.  Either way if I can see this much FILTH in their low lighting, then you know this place is hardly ever cleaned, if ever.

Would I  return?  Hell no...
4 - Kristina R.: Learned about this place via my mother's Cheap Eats magazine! We were intrigued by the picture of their Tuscan White Bean Bruschetta, so we decided to come here for her birthday this past year.

Bacaro LA is a small spot. Its out in the open, but almost hard to find. The atmosphere is rustic, but with the warmth and class of a hip wine bar!

Came here with a relatively big group for a place that serves "tapas" style, but with that, we were able to try a great assortment of their items. 

I think we just about enjoyed every dish we got: the white bean bruschetta, the burrata, pan seared scallops, petite filet, mac and cheese, and the bone marrow! All were deelicious and very decently priced! I'd recommend them all. 

I look forward to coming back here again --most likely for their happy hour! And I shall partake in their libations, as well! :) Will report back soon.
5 - Irwinn G.: Bacaro was delicious. This review is long overdue, I went right before Thanksgiving when my friend came up from San Diego.
The place is pretty interesting. If I recall correctly there are nice wooden tables with ottomans on the outer edges and then the seating against the walls was just one long restaurant booth styled bench. 
Anyway,
The dishes were delicious. 
The first couple of dishes we tried were the scallops and the artichoke hearts. 
Both very good.
What stood out the most to me there was the shrimp and the pork belly.
Both plates were so well made and cooked perfectly.
The char on the pork belly skewers was perfect. And the meat itself was succulent. 
I'm drooling at the thought of it.
They've got a good deal there too, 3 plates for $21.
The only thing I was disappointed in was the Mac & Cheese. The cheeses sounded interesting, but it wasn't as bold or rich as I expected.

I'm not to great at reviews.
T_T
But I know what I like. And I'd definitely recommend this place.
2 - Ian M.: Used to be very good but quality has declined precipitously (and what small portions!!). The cook must not pay attention when salting the dishes - our three plates were virtually inedible. "Rainbow beets" were undercooked, chevre was tossed on haphazardly amidst huge chunks of salt. And there was only one type of beet. Caprese salad featured low quality mozzarella and unripe cherry tomatoes, with a dab of pesto on the side. Scallops were the best of the three, but decidedly unmemorable, lurking in a baby food-esque carrot puree that managed to both be salty (continuing with the theme) and bland. 

Go to AOC instead. About the same price and much, much better. It's unfortunate, because the neighborhood needs more cool hangout spots and I like the vibe and the eclectic mix of people at Bacaro, but otherwise it's the worst small plates restaurant I've visited in LA.
5 - Hannull C.: love this place! realllly good food! i mean incredibly good! i love the bacaro burger! i usually come here with my some friends as their third wheel. not always but most of the time i am the third wheel but for bacaro thats a very small price to pay lol
5 - Jenn L.: I love to staff.. The UYE !
5 - Dipali P.: I absolutely feel that this is the best place to dine in LA!  Though I am a creature of habit, all the items on the menu sound so divine that I stepped out of the comfort zone and have tried a variety of dishes. Each item has its own unique flavor and is simply delicious. The best part is, its tapas style and you get just the right amount of food to tickle your palette and leave you satisfied. 

I also love that the owner and chef are so approachable and get to know their customers. They are great hosts and definitely are gracious and show genuine appreciation when people enjoy the food! I absolutely recommend this place to any and everyone who loves good food in an intimate setting.
4 - Carol T.: Happy Hour is Awesome! 

This hole in the wall is difficult to find. Be careful when you are there. Street parking is also difficult during the school year. The server was casual and laid-back, which was agreeable to the ambiance. This restaurant is too small in my opinion, and they should really consider expanding. When you are sitting in the booths, your back my be touching the other person's back. 

Food! My friends and I ordered an array of food. The mac and cheese, as other reviewers have pointed out is too soggy and not flavorful enough. I took note of that before ordering. We ordered the garlic/tomatoes pizza & white pizza. Both were good in their own definitive taste. I personally prefer the first. The burger is a 5 to me. For only $5 during happy hour, I thought the flavors were there, the proportions of meet to patty (btw it is an open burger), the patty was not too soggy, nor was it too difficult to bite into. I also tried the cauliflower (chipotle aioli -great seasoning), also tried the polenta (one dish I probably recommend). 

For a perfect meal, I suggest getting there around 6, to get seating-since it is such a small restaurant. Order either a burger/pizza, and then order polenta. For men, order another one if you are really hungry. 

I would definitely come back again to try the wine!
4 - Jasmine F.: Went here with my friends to celebrate the end of finals, and it was fantastic! The guys working that night were really cool about things and tried to make sure we got to a table as fast as possible. The happy hour prices really made my college student's wallet incredibly happy! The food and wine was great, and I was really excited to find a place so close to school that serves delicious bone marrow (:

One thing that made me pause a bit- while ordering a cheese platter, we opted for a goat's cheese that was described as creamy and soft. When it came, it was hard and flaky (almost like a parmigiana). When we asked about it, the guy said that it shouldn't be like that and went into the kitchen to check, and then came right back out and said that he had made a mistake and it was indeed a goat cheese! A little suspicious, but everything else made it really easy to brush the incident aside. 

Will definitely be back here again, very soon!
4 - Feng H.: This place is tiny (and cute)! I came here for my birthday a couple of months ago and it was pretty good.

Some of the items are hit or miss. The burger with the fried egg on top was very good, but the flat bread pizza was not. They also do bruschetta very well, specifically the tomato one. It was fantastic. Some of the portions, like the salmon plate, was very small, but it is a tapas place, so what do you expect? I saw their happy hour specials and it seems like a great deal, so I will be returning some day soon. For a small place, their wine selection was decent.
4 - Ilana S.: Simply delicious fare.  Small plates are a great opportunity to try a lot at once. We were hungry and shared the pork belly skewers, spicy cauliflower, beef tenderloin, lamb stuffed eggplant, mac and cheese and a pizza. The pizza was not as remarkable as the rest of the meal but everything else was phenomenal. 

Prices are on the high side, especially because they come out quickly and its a relatively quick dining experience ( also because they're quite busy), but well worth it. 

Monday nights are great, the wine is half off each glass!
4 - Chandler B.: Bacaro is a well kept secret just a few blocks away from the USC campus. With black boards for walls, the small venue and narrow tables makes for an intimate yet casual atmosphere. What a great place for a few friends to share laughs and a bottle of wine! 

With small portions, Bacaro is ideal for a late afternoon snack, appetizers, and late night drinks and desserts. The bread pudding is absolutely delicious as well as any dessert covered in nutella. 

For those of you that are wine fans, Bacaro has an all you can drink deal for 25$. But, I usually spend my 25 trying all sorts of small dishes ranging from mac and cheese to pig ears! Hard to go wrong with anything on the menu.
2 - Sarah M.: My husband and I came here to check it out after reading the reviews on Yelp~ The pictures looked amazing and when you get there it looks just as amazing in person... 

I got the bacaro burger... and it looked so good when it came out.. I asked for it to be cooked medium... when it came out it was RARE as can be and it in my opinion was disgusting... it actually made me LITERALLY SICK like no joke.... 

The only reason I'm giving it any stars is because my husband said his panini was okay and actually the White pizza was pretty freaking good... so maybe its a hit or miss... We might go back just to give it a whirl one more time... and maybe the review will change... but for now.. I have a bad taste in my mouth.... OH and the prices are pretty freaking good during happy hour... 5 dollars a plate.... but I ordered a coke... and it was 3 dollars... (no free refills) thats pretty much a rip off... but whatevers~~~ 

We'll see if it gets any better ... maybe we'll give it a try again.. Someday....
3 - Nicole A.: came here with a few friends to try out the tapas style restaurant. the food was pretty good. my favorite had to be the scallops. i love any seafood! lol. the burger was also pretty tasty as well. its a nice little hidden spot placed in a random neighborhood.

 its small and intimate and a good place to catch up with friends over good food and wine. expect to wait at least 30 minutes to sit down, that's what we had to wait each time we went. 

overall this place has good wine, decent food and cool ambience. definitelty should try it out for yourself.
4 - John N.: Fun! We need more of these places.  Good tapas and it tastes even better if you come for happy hour (I think it's five bucks a plate).  I always end up ordering the burger with the egg (a buck extra for the quail egg but worth it).  The place is tiny so come early or wear comfy shoes to stand around.  Order the cauliflower too... it seems everyone orders them but I haven't tried it yet.  The more people you bring the more items you can try.

Wines are cheap and taste watered down but you get what you pay for.  Still I really like this place.  It is a gem.
4 - Jesse S.: I stumbled in here for a quick bite while my buddy was taking care of some business at USC, and got to enjoy the best mac and cheese ever made! It had perfectly cooked, tender, macaroni, was extra cheesy, topped with thinly sliced green onion and crumbled bacon. The dish was so savory, it warmed my soul. And it only cost $5 during happy hour. 

I was happy to see that they had a nice craft beer selection and washed my meal down with a cold Chimay Tripel.

I definitely have to come back soon to try more of their menu.
3 - BestPromoter A.: Wine is good
5 - Michael L.: Just fantastic. Perfect place to have dinner with friends, especially if they like experimenting with new tastes. Good wine and beer selection, and very well presented food. Took a group here before the LA Phil's Mahler 8th at the Shrine, and it was the perfect start to an amazing evening.

Not to repeat everyone else, but try the seared scallops. And the mac & cheese.
5 - Gordon L.: Hands down one of the best eateries in the USC area. The ambiance is great. It's a small restaurant with few seats. It's quiet, the tables are small and it's dimly lit, so you get an intimate experience with whoever you're out with. Bacaro experiments with a lot of unique flavor combinations, and executes them consistently well; brie and jalapeño and bacon pizza? Yes please! The food is somewhat tapas style - smaller portions that encourage you to order multiple different dishes and share with others at your table! The beer and wine lists are excellent as well - this is the closest place to USC with a decent selection. I always recommend the Chimay to those who have never had it - a premier import that is well worth the cost. Some fo my other favorite dishes are the always popular Bacaro burger, the mac and cheese, and the pork belly skewers.
4 - Celia A.: If you're ever over by USC and wondering where to get a great glass of wine, look no further.  I like this place for its casual approach to good wine and food.
4 - Sara C.: Bacaro LA is one of those that USC students fall head over heels for. Not surprising, considering that this restaurant is one of very few upscale restaurants within walking distance that serves quality food.

I came here on a Saturday night at around 6:30. We had made reservations before, so we were seated instantly. Otherwise, I think would have had to wait.

Regardless, we got our menus and while half of us decided to do their own thing and get 3 small plates for $21, three of us, myself included, decided to split six tapa plates amongst ourselves. 

Bacaro LA knows how to make their tapas sound enticing. We took such a long time deciding on what to get not because the selection was limited, but because everything sound amazing!! Finally, the three of us that were sharing decided to get: Fresh Herb Gnocco Frito, Bacaro Burger, Oven Roasted Bone Marrow, Bacon & Brie Pizza, Pan Seared Polenta and the Black Forest Ham and Basil Pesto Panini. We also decided to get the Olive & Almonds and Brown Butter Cookie Dough for dessert. Here's how each dish went:

Fresh Herb Gnocco Frito
Reminded me of a higher end of a deep-fried mozzarella stick with a side of balsamic vinaigrette dipping sauce. Definitely could have done without this dish.

Bacaro Burger (+ fried egg!)
VERY good, though it really is not a burger. For one, it is much too small to be a burger. Nevertheless, the natural angus beef that they use is SOOOOO good. And you MUST get the fried egg! It MAKES the "burger."

Oven Roasted Bone Marrow
Ever since my first taste of bone marrow, I've always been a sucker for it. Not surprisingly, I wanted to try Bacaro's version of bone marrow. Yes, it was good, and yes, it did melt in your mouth, but they give you SO little bone marrow... stick to Church & State's Bone Marrow and don't waste your money on Bacaro LA's rendition.

Bacon & Brie Pizza
Perfect for sharing! There was a slight kick from the jalapeno and the bacon and brie worked magically together. This was definitely up there with the Bacaro Burger.

Pan Seared Polenta
Great stuff! Unique texture and taste, but it all worked. Also up there with the pizza and burger.

Black Forest Ham and Basil Pesto Panini
Definitely better tasting than your usual ham panini, but it did not blow me away. Yet, if you're looking for a dish to split, look no further! The panini is here to save the day.

Olive & Almonds
I can't say if it really is worth $4 a pop, but both the olives and almonds had such a smoky and fragrant tastes. I could have eaten this all by myself.

Last but certainly not least...

Brown Butter Cookie Dough
This is what I was waiting for after a friend of mine told me that this is the one thing she consistently orders at Bacaro LA. This dessert comes in a narrow dish that is divided into three sections: one for their light whipped cream, another for their warm candied walnuts and the last for the cookie dough smothered in chocolatey ganache and topped with caramelized and bruleed bananas.The thick and rich cookie dough honestly could not have gone better with anything else but the bananas, walnuts, cream and ganache!! This dessert does wonders. I was literally licking my dish until it was as clean as a whistle (sorry for the badly placed cliche). 

So after we were done and leaning back on the chairs, caressing our bellies and noisily licking our lips, we received the check... a very shocking check indeed.

After gratuity, tax, drinks and the tapa plates themselves, the bill came to around $37 per person (keep in mind that the plates are very small). I mean, it could have been worse, but for the amount we ate, the bill was a bit exorbitant.

But I can't get myself to give Bacaro three stars. The food was very good, the waiters were funny and affable and though Bacaro is a small place, they really know how to play up the atmosphere with their signature ceiling of empty wine bottles and blackboard wall. 

My suggestion? Come during happy hour... THEN it's worth it.
5 - Al L.: My boyfriend and I went to valentines day dinner again at Bacaro and it was superb as always.  the stuffed peppers were delightful.  we chose the duck confit panini and the fillet mignon with foie gras as our main courses, and loved them both.  the duck confit panini had goat cheese which made it tangy and tasty.  The fillet mignon was perfectly cooked, and was just as easy to cut into as the foie gras.  And the desserts were decadent (the chocalate bomb and pistachio cake).  Great job!!
5 - Selina P.: I am a big fan of tapas/wine bars.  I had purchased a groupon for this place brought a friend along with me to try it out.  I loved the decor and ambiance of the place.  The chalkboard walls and wine bottles on the ceiling were a nice touch.  

We ordered the pan-seared scallops, bruschetta trio, the oven roasted bone-marrow, and a bottle of Falerinia wine.  I definitely recommend trying the bone-marrow.  The balsamic reduction and sea salt on top just adds to the richness of this dish...so good!  I can't wait to go back.
4 - Emily B.: Always come during happy hour. ALWAYS. A bit cramped but very cozy. Love this spot and come here at least once a week. I would say its one of my favorite restaurant s in LA.
I generally stick to the white or brie-jalapeno pizza, bacaro burger and paninis (though the paninis are somewhat salty). The only thing I really dont care for are the desserts. They just are not impressive.
3 - Renita K.: So... this used to be like, my favorite restaurant, but the other day I went back and it just wasn't the same.

First off, the margherita pizza looked and tasted like a regular old cheese pizza. Maybe I'm being a princess, but I expect margherita pizzas to have dollops of fresh mozzarella and some basil on top. This was really just kind of disappointing.

The burger has also progressively gotten less and less amazing. It's still good, don't get me wrong, but it's no longer my favorite burger in LA. They used to use a thicker slice of brioche bread and firm heirloom tomatoes. I also think it's gotten smaller and smaller, or maybe my appetite has just gotten bigger and bigger.

The cauliflower that used to be SO amazing is now only alright. I ordered it the other day and there wasn't nearly as much sauce as before, and it didn't have as much of a kick to it as it used to. 

The bread pudding, however, is still the best ever :-9
4 - John K.: Average place but awesome food. Friend of mine and myself, we had a great lunch and my first thoughts were wow. Food is really rich in flavor and looks. Cook at his best I would say. I recommend this place no doubt about it.
5 - Corielle H.: This is a GREAT (but hidden) destination in South Central.  It's situation on a little side block off Hoover (the main vein into USC).  Its generally populated by students, which has never posed any issues as far as noise/over-crowding.  My friends and I live near-by, on Scarff Street, so this is ideally located.

The food is WONDERFUL.  Everything is very original or exotic.  My friend claims to love the bone barrow tapas, but I generally stick with the friend gnocchi or their FANTASTIC specialty burger (topped with a fried egg).  

The staff is always VERY friendly, accommodating and eager to please.  They always have sports on TV (a huge plus), and the atmosphere remains cozy.  It is by far the most genuine/authentic tapas joint in downtown LA.  I recommend it over any other restaurant in the USC area!
5 - Allison Y.: 3 items for $21, $5 each during happy hour on weekdays from 5-7. seriously a STEAL

My favorite tapas bar in LA. I've been here multiple times and have ordered different things each time. I've never been disappointed.. so really there's no point for me to list out everything i've tried since they're all amazing but in the off chance that you may not like something, which is highly unlikely, I don't want to be the one responsible for steering you wrong lol so here goes

-open face burger: a wonderful ground beef patty cooked to your liking; PLEASE get the fried egg for an extra dollar

-scallops: i've had two variations of this since their menu changes occasionally.
a. seared scallops with truffle oil, carrot puree. sounds kinda weird like baby food but its not weird lol
b. seared scallops with roasted corn. honestly anything with corn...you know it's good

-pork belly skewers: loaded with flavor, crisped to perfection

-bone marrow: my first time having bone marrow so i can't compare to anything but i thought it was good! good flavor, very oily but i imagine its supposed to be

-chicken with rosemary cream sauce: love the unique sauce with the tender chicken

-white truffle mac n cheese: panko crumbs give it this amazing texture. not too gooey or cheesy, simply amazing and a fairly large portion too

-salmon and capers pizza [not part of the 3/$21]: not a huge fan of crunchy crust but can't go wrong with super fresh salmon

-filet mignon: i love my red meat! 

-roasted cauliflower with chipotle aioli sauce: i don't like raw cauliflower. this was fully cooked and crispy and yummy. awesome

ummmmm yep i think that's it! enjoy!
3 - Vince A.: Decent atmosphere, drinks, and service. The food looked great. I will update once I dine!
5 - Val Y.: i abso-freaking-lutely love this place! its a really cute place, yes a bit on the expensive side especially for college students but tapas are expensive and for what you get, i'd say its affordable.

i came here with my sister and we both ordered 3 dishes as well as their baguette (DO NOT PASS ON THIS...SOOOO good and only #2?!! you cant go wrong!) and we were STUFFED with some leftovers but not too many.

we got the mac and cheese: SOO GOOD, bruschetta: yes yes!, white pizza: good but i wouldnt' say you HAVE to get this, pork belly: omg..melts in your mouth!!, chipotle cauliflower: one of my fav dishes. My sister also got the shrimp dish (i dont eat seafood) but i tried some of the sauce and it was some good stuff

i love this place. its a great place to take people when their visiting especially since USC is surrounded by fast food joints or run down looking places.

Bacaro LA is a gem!
5 - G Z.: Whatever has already been said about this place, it's probably not positive enough. Food is punching WAY above its weight. Absolutely extraordinary. We had seven dishes between the two of us and everything was delicious. Wine was also on-point and affordable. We'll be back!
4 - Peggy Y.: I love coming here for their tasty selection of tapas.  I love it even more because of the deals that they offer:  $21 for 3 tapas plates and $5 each during happy hour!

Bacaro LA is a great place to go if you're livin life, ballin on a budget.
4 - Ingrid L.: This place is adorable. The chalkboard walls and cute little tables give the place a cozy hipster vibe. 

Came once with my friends for happy hour after class and dragged my bf along. Things I've tried: 

Lamb burger- This was good. Surprisingly filling too for how little it was. The parsley tahini sauce went well with the lamb and radishes

Bacaro burger- the open faced-ness of the burger made it a little hard to share so we just dug in with our knives and forks. the sauce that covered it was super tasty and delicious. 

Roasted fresh tomatoes pizza- oh man this was spicy! we were warned though and it was the perfect amount of spicy for us. we didn't really like how big the pieces of tomato were though. They ended up falling off while we were eating. 

Lamb stuffed eggplant- my favorite! the lamb ended up being green though which we were sorta weirded out by but the flavors went together perfectly. 

This place is definitely on the pricier side but it's decent during happy hour from 5-7 every Monday through Thursday when all places are $5
4 - Jen C.: The area of this place is questionable and upon looking at its exterior it doesn't seem like it would be awesome but this Bacaro LA packs some good eats in here! The bruchette and artichoke hearts dishes stood out. The interior had a very industrialized feel to it. Very different (for me at least) and I liked it!
5 - S.y. W.: My friends and I were super impressed by their tasty tapas dishes. I think people can easily pass up on this place due to it's obscure location. It's super small inside but with the quality of the food they serve it is a gem. Some of our favorite dishes were:
Lamb Stuffed Eggplant
Noa's Cauliflower
The Bacaro Burger
Bacaro Mac and Cheese

But the highlight dish of the night would go to their dessert, the Brown butter Cookie Dough. It's a must-try!
5 - Maggie C.: I am pleasantly surprised by this little space near USC. As a Trojan I constantly mourn the limited options we have around campus for high quality cuisine, but Bacaro offers just what we need. Nice range of tapas options from American classics such as mac and cheese to more adventurous, "trendy" dishes such as roasted bone marrow and fried pig ears. All of the food was great and the portion size just right for tapas (they are not miniscule so you do get full).

In terms of decor, the ceiling with the wine bottles was cute and creative. The chalkboard drinks menu gives it a college bar vibe. But it's more than just your average college bar---the food here is WAY more amazing than normal fries and onion rings. 

Will definitely come back for happy hour and try their sangria :)
4 - JR C.: Eats: Bacaro Burger with Fried Egg, Roasted Garlic Grilled Pizza, Oven Roasted Bone Marrow, Bacaro Mac and Cheese with Bacon.

I was lucky enough to grab the last table on a Monday night. If that's how it is on Mondays, I see this place easily filled on other nights. The Roasted Garlic Grilled Pizza was the clear winner here. There was a good spice in the sauce which surprised us. A second bite got a bit more spicier, which wasn't bad at all. Good flavor in a flatbread pizza. The Bacaro Burger with Fried Egg was second best. This open faced burger got most of it's flavor from the seasoned medium rare beef. Even the fried egg on top wasn't too necessary, if only to make the open face burger prettier to look at. I'm a typical burger fan so this isn't really a surprise.

The bone marrow and the mac and cheese were a bit of a letdown. The bone marrow was served with 4 pieces of bruschetta bread which to me did not match any of our other tapas dishes in terms of flavor or quantity. It was neat to try once, but I'd probably just grab another burger instead as I would have enjoyed that more. The mac and cheese was not as flavorful as it could have been either even with the truffle help. There's more menu items to choose from which also looked plenty enticing, so just another reason to return.
5 - Ulysses D.: Super yummy!! Get the eggplant!
4 - Angela B.: Great happy hour! Sangria and food has always been perfect! Sangria's so popular that 1/2 the time it's out before I get there, but that's because I'm usually late.

It get crowded with students, and I feel like the old one sometimes, but it doesn't stop the great food/drinks.
4 - Rob W.: What a cute little spot in a crappy part of town.  

The space is small, but perfect for appies and a group, sorta reminds me of las cuevas in Spain, only this one is Italian.  Italian, but also serves Sangria and even nicer for me, Fullers. 

The Food:
I had the eggplant stuffed with lamb, which was really flavorful.  Also had the cauliflower to keep "healthy", which had a nice kick and had beets with cheese, which were flavorful in a nice vinagrette and something that I usually don't appreciate, salt.

They also had a note stating that they are expanding their space in April, which is good since they had people waiting for seats while i was there.
4 - Meredith M.: I snagged a groupon deal that was offered sometime last year: $20 for $40 worth of food and drink.

So on a Saturday night, me and the boyfriend made the trek from the Valley to USC area-ish.  The surrounding area is a bit sketchy so I was relieved that we found street parking really close to Bacaro.  

Upon walking in my first thought was damn, this place is tiny. My second thought was damn, this place is packed. We placed our names on a wall mounted chalkboard to be seated...the wait time was close to an hour. So we spent our time standing at the bar ordering drinks and half of our food:

-2 beers and 2 glasses of wine
-bacaro burger (my favorite)
-roast beef and onion panini (the boyfriend's favorite)

By the time we were seated, we had finished our drinks and proceeded to order:
-bruschetta (1 tuscan white bean which was yummy & 1 roasted garlic w/ pesto which had a god awful amount of garlic) 
-margherita pizza

All in all with the groupon deal, our bill came out to $6.10 (excluding tip).  We both had a nice time trying something new that offered good food at a bargain.  We plan on going back for their beefsteak Sundays.
5 - Daniel M.: I came here on 03/30/12 and my god did I enjoy the food and ambiance. This little restaurant that is expanding this month ( thank God) was just what doctor ordered for me. My gf and the other couple I was with practically starved ourselves all day so we can order half the menu. Here's what ordered: 
Me - crispy pig ears (delectable and so savory), the bone marrow ( so good), the sangria (so refreshing),  the lamb burger ( I ordered it medium well and it was perfectly cooked and covered in their green tzaziki sauce, and the filet medallions were cooked perfectly and so tender, finally I ordered the  truffle/bacon Mac n cheese - Bomb! Out of everything this is a must try. It's gewey inside and crispy tasty on the outside, one of the best I've ever had! 
My gf: she had the goat cheese chipotle pizza - spicy and tangy but not over powering. She also ordered the Bree jalapeño pizza yum! The Bacaro burger with the fried egg - amazing and the friend egg was cooked perfectly and oozed right down the the angus beef waiting on the bottom - scrumptious 
The couple with us: ordered the Mac n cheese and the bone marrow and the garlic pizza - crispy garlicky and savory, and they also had a Bacaro burger each.
We did not have room for desert but as busy as the place was - we waited an hour because we got there at the dinner rush, but the staff was so attentive and got our food right out. I'd like to give this place six stars because as busy as they are the owner and head chef still managed to personalize this experience for us. They came out and spoke with us. Very cool! I enjoyed all the food ( had left over the next evening) and the staff is friendly, attentive and more then anything very informative on the menu. I will be back very very soon, so will my friends :)
4 - Lauren W.: I've only been here once, but it was exactly what I needed. A small place to gather with a few friends, small tapas to share, and good selection at the bar (definitely great even if you're under 21). The food was delicious, but it took me a while to decide what to order... the titles and descriptions are complicated, with a lot of atypical ingredients, but everything I tried was great. I ordered a very standard ham & cheese panini, keeping it simple, and just one plate was plenty (they look small, but don't let that deceive you!).
3 - Chris M.: Uncomfortable chairs... a little loud... kind of overpriced... but really good food.
5 - Justin B.: Super friendly staff and great food.  Lively and fun atmosphere.
3 - Kevin L.: +: Food 
    Decent prices (during happy hour). 

-: Very small place (lots of hovering folk waiting for open spots)
    Service wasn't that great.

Probably wouldn't be my first choice, but I wouldn't object to going back.
5 - Christopher M.: Came to this tiny restaurant and was nothing but impressed, by the quality of the food, the prices,  and the service that we got for as packed to the fucking brim as this place was. 

There was a wait when we arrived, and we wrote our names on the chalkboard, and probably waited about 15 minutes. I prefer when it is this way that way i'm not bothering people asking, "when will we be sat" etc. We sat down and it wasn't hard to see that the two servers on were working their tail off to serve everyone, turning tables etc., but our orders were taken right away and our orders were taken right away. we ordered :

1 Bacaro burger with the additional fried egg: no brainer for coming to this place. get it rare or pan-seared.
1 Grilled Panini with tomatoes and basil pesto: delicious
2  north coast old stock ales: 6 dollars each- not a bad mark up for one of north coasts best beers.
the "creme" cheese plate with a side of figs and honey (only a dollar each!) 
Bacon Brie pizza-the spicier dish of the three, very flavorful

our cheese plate didn't come out at the same time as our figs and honey. when we asked our server he said that that shouldn't be happening and docked it from our bill. it totally wasn't a big deal, but i totally appreciate this level of care by a server, especially when its ridiculously busy and the likelihood of all dishes coming out at the same time is small.

the bill came out to 42 dollars. would have been 47 if the cheese plate came out. we both left full and happy and i am telling everyone about this place. The loud tight ambiance wasn't totally my thing but my comfort resided after a glass of old stock and some tasty food.

i will totally be back here.
4 - Edison T.: Like everyone says, the seating is quiet cramped in this petite place, but the food packs BIG flavors!

Bacaro's dishes are sure not to disappoint. I came here and ordered almost everything off the menu that I wanted. However, since there were only two of us, I had to leave a couple of items off including the Bacaro Burger because I chose to go with the lamb burger instead.

The lamb burger was delicious and was juicy and flavorful and no "lamb" taste, at least not the taste of lamb that's not prepared right. The bruschetta was delicious and I love the big cloves of garlic. The bone marrow was extremely light and sure hit the spot. The pork belly skewers were phenomenal and just seasoned perfectly, I felt really guilty because I know I was just eating pure, heavenly fat.The spicy tomato pizza really did pack quite the kick, the spiciness really stood out and brought the rest of the pizza together. For dessert, we ordered the chocolate ganache and just all the other parts to the dish made this dish quite fun to enjoy. The banana brulee lightened the chocolate a little, the candied walnuts gave it a crunch, and the whip cream actually lessened the sweetness of the other parts and made it just right.

Overall, I highly recommend Bacaro L.A.!!!
2 - Stephanie B.: A 4 star wine bar with an excellent burger within a stone's throw of USC?  Sign me up...

Apparently, it was sign me up for disappointment.  I should have known better.  Look at the restaurants that USC students keep open along Figueroa - the gnarly taco stand that actually smells like urine, the greasy italian joint, etc.

We came in at 6:15 on a Friday night expecting the 5-7 happy hour.  Apparently, that does not include Friday nights, because the usual $5 per plate during HH was not there either.  And, their plates are $8 each or 3 for $21, but if you order 5, you will be charged 3 x $7 plus 2 x $8 rather than 5 x $7.  Seriously?!?!?!

Okay, so I did not know all of these facts until the check came, but even then I was disappointed.  I started with the Bacaro Burger, which was the best thing that I had and is the only thing saving this review from 1 star.  The base is a piece of honey wheat brioche, which is surprising because of its tenderness and nuttiness from the wheat.  This is topped with a slice of the most flavorless tomato that I have had on a burger supposedly of this caliber.  Then, there was a about 6-7 ounce patty that, while a little lean, was cooked to a perfect rare as requested and topped with a TON of caramelized onions, which I certainly appreciated, and a delicious sauce.  This was a very tasty burger.  Alas, we peak early and go down hill.

Next, we had the Noa's Cauliflower with Chipotle Aioli and Mixed Greens.  The cauliflower was roasted and set atop a bed of greens and covered with the aioli - except this is $8 and there is a cup of cauliflower under a sauce with so much chipotle that you cannot taste aioli and the greens are inedible because the chipotle is slowly killing your tastebuds.  I like spicy, but this was like eating chipotles from the can.  Yuck!

Then, roasted artichoke hearts with parmesan and bread crumbs.  Maybe half a cup of split artichoke hearts with a little parmesan and bread crumbs which are roasted.  Sure, they're fine, but not $8 fine.  Boring and small.  Not well executed.

My girlfriend ordered the Smoked Salmon Pizza.  A 7 inch crisp round was topped with parmesan cheese sauce, smoked salmon and capers.  This was also tasty.  And, like the burger, it was reasonable to pay $8 for it.  They are amply sized for the price point and tasty.  The pizza was less impressive than the burger, but it was good.

So, we ordered the pizza with spicy smoked pepper sauce, roasted fresh tomatoes, goat cheese and sea salt.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!  DID YOU PEOPLE DROP THE CAN OF CHIPOTLES IN THE SAUCE?  This was so hot, it was nearly inedible.  And, the same flavorless tomato that was in the burger was sliced and put on the top under little scads of goat cheese.  Epic fail.

At this point, I have had about three carafes of water, because I have to calm the fire in my mouth, so I have to go to the restroom.  OMG.  Is this a frat house?  The smell of urine hits your nose as soon as you open the door, and there is trash and muck everywhere.  Disgusting.

The servers were very nice, and you cannot blame them for the food.  But, I think you need to be a sauced college student to enjoy this place.  If you are an adult, drive two miles east into downtown and check out cork bar or gorbals or baco mercat.  Skip this place.
5 - TJ T.: I've come here once in a while to check out what's good with the 'SC hood, and this is definitely picking up the class.  Lots of white chicks, Kappas, triDelts, peeps from the Row, wine, cheese, and beer.  Also, highly recommended are Rose and Andy the bartender if you see them there (they are the shit).   Excellent wine and hors d'oeuvres selection.  

They recently expanded also, so it's not crowded as fuck.  Parking is pretty good (on the street and around the corner).  Also, I've noticed that some crowds can be assholes and fail to tip correctly, so don't be cheap!

Highly recommended: Mac and cheese + all the desserts.  And of course, all the booze.
3 - Anna K.: bruschette - dalia's open fire roasted bell peppers & roasted garlic, balsamic, basil pesto
grilled lamb burger
crispy pig ears
oven roasted bone marrow
baraco mac and cheese
breadbar baguette with garlic and salt olive oil

small small space
tables arranged in communal style
with breaks in between set up
for smaller parties.
service is spotty.
usc students next to us
were given much attention.
us working folks, not so much
even tho our table for 2
ordered as much as their party of 6.
decent food, true tapas-style portions.
im glad i came to kill my curiosity.
2 - Manny y.: BACARO!...I've heard so many great things about you and you let me down!
Service: I met a couple of friends here because of friends' recommendations and when I showed up at 6PM on a Monday found a note that said they were closing at 7:30PM fror a private party..this was after speaking to them just an hour earlier. 

We immediately felt we were being rushed to order drinks and tapas, and then we were brought the check, the universal sign that we needed to get going. Not cool.

Drinks and Food: I ordered house wine which was really great, especially for $3.50/glass for happy hour! We ordered a number of appetizers and what I liked the best was the Burger and stuffed eggplant. I'd stay away from glazed pork belly.
4 - Jennifer Y.: Love their happy hour that the offer.  Also if you go there on Mondays wine is 50% off all night.  Although the place is a bit small it's very cozy and it works.  I love the variety of the menu and loved pretty much everything I ordered, especially the Mac & cheese with truffle oil & their Brie pizza with bacon and jalapeño.  Definitely going back soon.  The only complaint is the parking.  Or lack there of.  Not in the best location and it's hard to find parking close by.
5 - Kevin L.: Bacaro is one of those places that deserves a magical 5 Stars. There isn't much around the USC campus that I would consider "real restaurants" but... Bacaro is one of those. It is a great place to hang with friends, drink wine and indulge in terrific food. 

It's your hole-in-the-wall winebar. Delicious. What I love about this place is the amazing selections of great wines -- you walk in and you're immediately met with walls covered by exotic and international wines. 

The food is amazing -- I love the Mac n Cheese and their wild variety of bruschetta. Even their simple breads and oil -- sour dough and garlic oil -- is delicious. The atmosphere is always bustling and the service is amazing. 

The place is a little pricy -- but it's definitely worthwhile. Six of us went in and the prIce came out to be about $160 ($26 / person). I love their sangria and I will keep coming back to Bacaro.

Also: Happy Hour till 7PM Tuesdays.
5 - James H.: I thought I had written a review for this place but apparently I have not! (It's been a year)

First, I'd like to personally thank the people at BacaroLA for a great night of food and drinks. I was there for my birthday celebration and they were able to accommodate my big group of 18 people! They asked what I wanted as a set menu so they could have it all ready by the time I arrived. 

The food? Absolutely amazing. Small portions but with loads of flavor. They have plenty of wines that you can pair your food with. Great for dates! 

It is extremely intimate(tiny) in there so be ready to get friendly with others. 

The staff was very friendly and wanted to make sure that we all enjoyed our time there. I definitely recommend this place. :)
5 - Jeniffer H.: Hands down one of my favorite tapas place! I think I'be tried practically everything here already and nothing has disappointed! I always wish I had more stomach room when I come here because I usually want to order the entire menu. Do not go without trying their Bacaro burger with a fried egg! Must try. This place is so also decently priced with $5 a plate during happy hour!
5 - Amber L.: Tonight was our first night at Bacaro- and the food was AMAZING! Our server Rose was an absolute delight and had so much knowledge of wine, all of her suggestions were incredible!!! We will definitely be coming back! The tapas and wine list is beyond words amazing!
5 - Maryam M.: I LOVE Bacaro LA! I've been a huge fan for over a year now and I've introduced both friends and family to this place. When I brought my grandma, Lior, the owner/head chef personally came out to introduce himself and ensure we enjoyed our meal. That was awesome and really left a great impression on us. 

Tonight, I finally made it to their monthly Beefsteak Sunday. Everything was SO good!! It was my first time eating hangar steak and I mean I want more hours later. The flavors were so amazing. 
My only complaint is that tonight, our 2nd and 3rd servings of the steak were COLD. That was weird considering that every other time I come the food is piping hot. Too hot to eat initially. But it was so good that I kinda ignored that and destroyed that meal. AYCE and drink for $30 a person, I'm so down. The cold meat I'm guessing was a fluke, so I'm definitely making reservations next month. I wish I could give 4.5 stars cuz they only lost 1/2 a star because of the occasional waits and tonight's cold steak, I gave 5 because they deserve more than 4. 

I'd totally recommend this place. The scallops are heaven. The burgers is among my favorite burgers ever (with the egg on top). The lamb stuffed eggplant is amazing. And honestly, the cauliflower is the BEST cauliflower I've ever had (and I don't like cauliflower). I can go on and on like a little cheerleader. :D

Oh just FYI: it's pronounced BAH-kah-row.
2 - Pia S.: Update 6/3/2012: 2nd time here; I guess they only pay attention to you when you're in a group! Service and food this time around was very sub-par. The two of us came because Beefsteak Sundays sounded really great, for $30 a person it's AYCE grilled petite fillet steak, bread, potatoes, wine, etc. but the first plate we got - the meat was nearly raw, and the onion rings and potato wedges were too peppery, our lips were burning. We downed it with some Sangria and even that seemed weak and watery; we barely got a head change from it. 2nd plate of steak was a bit overcooked even though I asked for it to be cooked medium, not well done. Server only came by when we asked for something, never on their own. To their credit, they were nice - but it seemed like they were too busy hanging out and servicing the larger group tables. It really felt like we were ignored, they couldn't even bring us our check. Oh well, screw it. Maybe in a couple of years we'll roll in a big group and try this place again...maybe.
5 - Tammy Bahtina-Fox N.: Love love love. love. love. 

I've been here twice and it has been consistently Yum. 

I've only been here during happy hour, so my review may be clouded by happy hour deals and steals. 
During happy hour... 

a 1/2 liter of Sangria is $5 and a liter is $10
$5 for every dish on their menu

My top 3: 
- Pork belly skewers. Delicious. You get 6 cubes of perfectly cooked pork belly. Not to 
jiggly and not to chewy. 

- Mac and Cheese YEEEEUM. Helloooo truffle oil! 

- Bone marrow. Delicious. It is half a bone, not huge but enough, accompanied by three pieces of toasted slices of bread. The marrow has a light seasoned breadcrumb topping and sea salt. Rich...you betcha. 

It is a MUST TRY! Street Parking here can be difficult, but if you get there right when they open you won't have to wait for parking OR a table. The employeees are super nice and welcoming. I can't find a fault in this place other than the food needs to come out and into my face faster.
5 - David M.: I love this place.

Seriously one of my favorite places to meet friends in the LA area. Sure, parking kind of sucks and it's pretty small if you have a large group, but its a fun and inviting atmosphere.

The servers are all really friendly and knowledgeable about the different kinds of wine, which is helpful when you're with a group of girls who know nothing about wine. 

Try the margarita pizza - it's delicious. 

Oh and also, if you're going to drink you might as well just buy the entire bottle of wine. In the end it's a way better deal.

I forgot to add: Don't let the bougie USC hipsters deter you from checking this place out. They usually keep to themselves and aren't that annoying, contrary to popular belief.
5 - Stuho H.: My colleagues and I come here all the time. It's an awesome atmosphere with great service. The food is awesome and the drinks are awesome. Great unique place around USC.
5 - Sonia H.: I love this place so much! Really wish i could set up a tent at the corner and just live there forever! the mac and cheese is delicious as well as the poached shrimp and seared scallop. Seriously haven't tried a dish that I didnt enjoy yet!
3 - Jen T.: My gf is such an avid fan of this place. She works right down the street so she comes here all the time. Anyways, we had a living social deal so we decided to go and meet a friend here. It's a small little intimate place with a nice friendly vibe. The wait staff was very attentive at first, but as the night went on we never really saw them. Maybe because we were in the back corner of the restaurant, but my water never got refilled and we never got asked how we were doing. Kind of sucks because i really wanted to give this place 5 stars. The food was amazing, they're all small plates, but don't let that deceive you because they're all very filling. We ordered about 7 plates for all of us to try. I got the Bacaro burger with a fried egg on top, I'm still not quit sure what's in the burger... but I pretty much licked the plate clean... =/ I also tried the cauliflower with chipotle aioli and that was delicious. Just the right amount of kick. The mac and cheese was really good, but I found the garlic pizza to be a bit too salty. 
Anyways... our bill also got messed up a bit and we got overcharged. NO big deal it got dealt with but I saw the mistake after paying so that was kind of a bust for being overcharged. I would love to try this place again and would definitely come back for that burger.
3 - Lois K.: Trekked into Trojan territory for a friend's farewell gathering. It was pretty easy to find parking in the residential streets around the restaurant but I ended up parked in the lot behind the restaurant (the entrance is an unmarked opening on 24th St.), which I read in one of the reviews before going. Our group just missed the happy hour ($5 small plates from 5 - 7 pm) since we were meeting for a later dinner. Next time, I'll be sure to go during happy hour since the small plates really are quite small. Since it's $21 for 3 plates, the 6 of us shared 9 plates.

Burrata - it's just very soft cheese. Was okay but didn't taste that special to me. Would go with a different appetizer next time.

Lamb Stuffed Eggplant - sounded good since I like lamb but didn't taste good. We didn't finish this dish.

Cauliflower - pretty good. It came with an extra pack of chipotle aioli to bring home, which I used the week after to flavor a bland burger/salad I had packed for lunch.

The Bacaro Burger - we ordered 2 and one came out really delicious with the beef very tender. However, the patty of the second burger was hard and tough to eat. Guess it can very hit or miss?

Mac and Cheese - really yummy! Definitely get this!!!

Bacon and Brie pizza - delicious. Don't be scared by the jalapeno. It gives it a bit of a kick but isn't overwhelmingly spicy.

White pizza - okay, but I liked the flavor of the Bacon & Brie better.

Chicken panini - really yummy and filling! Definitely get this to ensure you are full at the end of the meal.

For dessert, we got the Brown Butter Cookie Dough and it was the weirdest dessert ever. The walnuts and whipped cream were in their own compartments and the cookie dough was in the banana brulee and had an odd spice. All the flavors were just very odd together and it was difficult to eat/share.

The restaurant is small and can get very packed. Would suggest getting there earlier if you want to get a seat at your own table rather than at the communal table. Although some of the dishes we chose were not that great, the ones that were good were REALLY good. Because of that, I would give them another chance (esp since I nabbed a $20 for $40 deal on livingsocial). Hopefully they'll have the seared scallops when I'm there next!
5 - Ran Jaden C.: Bacaro Burger w/Egg = I just went to heaven.

They have Chimay on tap. Is it possible to go to heaven twice?
3 - cat t.: Cute little spot near USC. Wish it was there while I was attending the school!

The tapas were tasty and perfect for sharing a few bites. We ordered the seared pork belly, it was amaaazing! The grilled chicken panini was awesome too. The bruschettas were OK and I was expecting more from the crispy pig ears and the bone marrow. We also ordered the bacaro burger with egg, that was ok, nothing special, but overall the food was good.

The place is really nicely decorated, all of the walls are chalkboards! It's a little difficult to read the food items written on the wall when you're sitting down though. The seats are really close together... the place is tiny so some tables share a bench... Like my butt was touching the girl's behind me. Kinda weird.

The day I went, there was a group of girls celebrating something and they were loud (OK annoying loud), walking around in their crop tops singing "Call Me Maybe"... Gag me. Also, they messed up on one of our orders - gave us grilled chicken breast when we ordered the chicken panini - and the server looked at us like we were lying or something.. that was kinda lame...

Not a bad place to stop by for happy hour if you happen to be in the neighborhood or go to USC... wouldn't go out of my way to get here though
3 - Ji-In L.: Ah, so that's why it was so loud on a Tuesday night.  I didn't realize this was a USC stomping ground.  I made a reservation for us on Open Table for 9:15 pm thinking we could enjoy a nice quiet date at a wine bar after a long day at work.  It was definitely not the quiet intimate setting I was expecting from a wine bar.  

He tried a couple beers and I tried a couple wines.  The wines were ok, but nothing to rave about.  As for the food, we got olives, caprese salad, clams, lamb burger, and one other dish, but I can't remember now (not very memorable, I guess).  My favorite was the lamb burger.  It was flavorful, juicy, and perfectly cooked.  My only criticism was that it's a very hard (and messy) dish to share and that should probably be taken into consideration for a small plates restaurant.  Same for the caprese salad.  There was plenty of mozzarella and tomatoes to share, but just one big piece of basil that we awkwardly cut into pieces. 

I probably wouldn't rush back (especially not for a date), but wouldn't complain about going back either.
4 - Sophack S.: This place is super hidden. Would have never known this place existed on my own, but with all the talk from friends then I had to go. 

Food is pretty good. Ordered the crispy pig ears and the grilled chicken panini. The chipotle aioli goes well with the pig ears. The panini was solid as well. Sadly didn't have any of the wines when I made my visit

Atmosphere was pretty cool. Problem I had was the noise level. Way too loud then what was expected, but was bearable. 

I only wish I had came here when I was going to school.
3 - Joe T.: This is where women convene after seeing Magic Mike down the street. Do your remember those old commercials by alleged millionaire Don Lapre talking about taking out *tiny* classified ads from his *tiny* 1 bedroom apartment?

Yep this is it. Except in rectangle form. The writing's on the wall, literally, with what you want. The beer selection leaves much to be desired, and for God sake's man, give me a BEER MUG instead of a glass for my "beer."

If there was ever a knee jerk reaction to punch a server in the throat, it was one of those times. Anyway, the size of the tapa selection would make a bulimic girl tremble, so don't bother working up on appitite, or even a craving for drinks. My suggestion is that unless you've been coerced by your fellow USC trojans (or trying to impress a Helen of Troy), are a woman, or a displaced Silver Lake hipster, make a break for it to Pete's Burgers or hell even  the 23rd street cafe.

Oh, and small people should not use their restroom. Their handle is just a tad high and you might get stuck in there ala fridge trap.
4 - Jessica M.: Way underrated restaurant! 

I blame the random sketch location, though it's perfect as a hidden gem for USC students. For the quality of food they serve here, I could easily see Bacaro LA being successful on Fig, Grand, Larchmont, Wilshire, Santa Monica, any of these popular dining areas. We SC students are very lucky to have it close by! 

TIP: The owner is an SC alum (I believe), which may explain why there are almost always Bacaro deals floating around campus. If you're an SC student, odds are you get some sort of discount with either your ID card, discount cards (that the randos pass out at the beginning of the year), USG cards, or just random fliers in your bike. Keep an eye out!

Food: awesome. A little pricey for tapas-style eating, but worth it because each dish fills you up pretty well. The menu has gone through several changes over the years, and in my opinion, they've taken away some of the best dishes. 
But you must try the:
- Bruschette
- Bacaro Burger (I love the egg on top!! Almost loco moco status!)
- Grilled Chicken Breast (the lemony sauce is heaven)
- Bacon & Brie Pizza (skip the garlic pizza... it was so garlicky that my roommate got heartburn) 
- Nutella Panini (!!! Must-try! Nutella is the patron saint of college students... AND it comes with strawberries or bananas. I'm drooling just thinking about this. Pick this over the bread pudding; the pudding is tasty but gets too rich after 3 bites.) 

Don't know much about wine, but I like the Sparkling Wine selections.

Parking is all parallel/street/meter. I usually like to park across the street where the janky theater is, to avoid having to do super tight parallel parking maneuvers, then just cross the street to Bacaro.

*RECENTLY EXPANDED! My only complaint with Bacaro is that it is so packed, all the time. Thankfully, they've recently blown out the wall and bought and added on the space next door, so the restaurant is much bigger now. Even so, you'll still have to wait most of the time.

Decor is great. Dim lighting, trendy low tables, chalkboard walls that look like JGL's room in 500 Days. It's so cute that you almost forget you're not in the Art District and that you're really still sitting next door to a ghetto supermarket with a graffiti mural in the middle of Hoover.
4 - ChristiAnn B.: Classy place for being in the USC 'hood. 4.5 stars!

FOOD:
Small plates. Order 2-3 plates per person. Love the Bacaro burger! This is a must get! Nutella panino for dessert is lovely too. 
Nice selection of wines by the glass including Italian, French. For the non-winos, they have good beer too. 

ATMOSPHERE:
Dimly lit, cozy atmosphere. Small place, small tables. Can get noisy. Seating has always been an issue here since this is a popular place, but they added a side room for seating!  I have been here 4 times and the last time was on a Tuesday summer night. There were a few tables available, but still was pretty busy.

SERVICE:
Not quite 5 stars since the service can be hit or miss. I feel that the servers are given too many tables so they are always rushing around. Other than that, this place is amazing!
4 - Lucy K.: Great spot! 

Came here with my friend to celebrate her birthday. Its definitely a pretty small location, but if you get there early your good to go. Seems like pretty much a USC crowd - oh and no valet so make sure you try to find some street parking. 

Chalk boards are on the wall with their menus and drinks. We ordered Sangria and although it came with no fruit (slightly disappointing) it tasted PHENOMINAL! I could have took down another carafe easily! 

We got the baguette to start off which is so reasonably priced at $2. We also ordered the Bacon and Brie grilled pizza and it was BEYOND delish! Perfect mix of everything I would want on a slice! Loved it. We also had some bread pudding a la mode and it was hot like fresh out of the oven and soooo good. 


Really loved this place! Good eats for sure!
4 - Jenn S.: I arrived two minutes before happy hour ended at 7PM and the server was kind enough to take my order for a half liter of sangria with the happy hour price! So nice of him!! Most places would never do that for a patron.

I read rave reviews of the sangria and my expectations were fulfilled! Very fruity but not too sweet. Even my boyfriend liked it and he's not a fan of sangria. 

We ordered 3 small plates and it was enough for the two of us. 

Bacaro Burger - open-face burger with a sauce that tastes similar to thousand island. Add a friend egg on top for $1 for added flavor and texture.
Bacon & Brie Pizza - with tomato sauce and jalapenos. They serve the waxy part too on each slice so if you don't like that part, then I wouldn't get this pizza. 
Grilled Romaine Salad - it was okay. I wish it was grilled a little bit more and served with more beets. 

The funniest part was when we were outside the restaurant walking across the street to our cars and a man opened the restaurant door and yelled "Thank you!" I believe it was the owner, who else would do that? So odd but sweet! A little bit of kindness goes a long way. I like this place :)
4 - Diana W.: $8 tapas, cute small place. 3 tapas for $21. 

Don't recommend the bone marrow.
Do recommend the shrimp dish, pizza, & mac cheese.

However, this place is still pricey for certain dishes. Guess they make it up in other dishes. 

Atmosphere: Seems like a dim lighted hip date night place? Came on a weekend, so maybe its more low key type of place then. I'd imagine weekday happy hour evenings would get super loud and crowded here, tapas for $5!

Food takes some time so be patient. If you're starving, please don't come here.
5 - Sofia M.: My friend have been telling me about his place and she loves the food here. There was a deal on Living Social and I decided to get it. $20 for $40 worth of food. Not bad at all. 
My friend and I got there about 7ish and it wasn't too crowded yet. About an hour later it got extremely busy. The place is small so I would recommend arriving early. 

Here's what we ordered-
A pitcher of Sangria (very tasty)
roasted garlic, balsamic, basil pesto (MUST GET) & tomato and basil Bruschette (Very good)

"noa's" cauliflower with chipotle aioli and mixed greens (Very good)

bacaro mac and cheese parmesan, cheddar, point reyes blue, mozzarella, with white truffle panko (OMG! I'm not really a big fan of mac & cheese but this was so delicious and will get it again when I go back)

For dessert-
bacaro ice cream vanilla with walnuts & clover honey (Very good)
Homemade Cranberry Bread Pudding Served with vanilla ice cream (Good)
5 - Eric A.: Love this place. It's a cool spot with an underground feel, perfect for taking a girl on a casual date. Or their $20 all-you-can drink wine/beer/champagne is a nice change of scenery for a power pregame with your friends. Keep track of time though, because they pull all the bottles at 11 sharp!

Also, non-USC students beware. This halfway-to-hipster hangout used to be a lot farther off-radar, but it has gained a lot more popularity over the last 1-2 years with USC students and is now part of Trojan territory. If you're looking for a quiet, relaxed night at Bacaro LA, then make sure you stop by on a weekday!
5 - Boris D.: The food is simply amazing! Don't let the location deter you from going there. The food is just fantastic. Pork belly is to die for. I live in West Hollywood and all the places are just the same - too expensive, fancy and service sucks for the most part. Bacaro is different. If you want to try something different with great food - this place is must visit. I will definitely go back. i want to try going on Sunday for steak and potato day. It was 4 of us and the bill was about $160 with wine. We kept ordering and ordering. Next weekend we went to Bazar and spent $560 and brought our own wine. While waiting for dishes at Bazar, I was craving Bacaro.
4 - John H.: The food is good! The ambiance, nice! Nice little spot to go to in the hood. Had a good time here with the roomies.

Only complaint is that the food is a little pricey for the portion sizes they offer. Other than that, yum :) Will be coming back for more.
4 - Michael K.: happyhourhappyhourhappyhour.

I'm a big fan of the happy hour! 

I've never gone at any other times but the prices are excellent during happy hour. Well, excellent compared to the norm I would imagine. Snacks and stuff are still expensive for the amount of food you get. Come here for the alcohol instead?

Also, parking sucks but there's usually a spot down some residential street. 

Sangria, yeaaaaaaaaahhh!
5 - Chanel H.: Bacaro has become a USC institution over the past few years.  The food is solid, the service is great.

Bacaro is really worth it for happy hour.  Also, Mondays are half off all wines by the glass!

Favorites:
Roasted Garlic Pizza (SOOOO good, for all you garlic lovers out there)
Lamb Stuffed Eggplant
Poached Shrimp
Seared Scallops
Cauliflower (it's topped with this great chipotle aioli)
Mac n Cheese (get it with bacon!)

Definitely don't miss the BROWN BUTTER COOKIE DOUGH for dessert.  I don't even like cookie dough... :)

 Also lookout for groupons and living social deals, as they have had quite a few in the past.

Beware, Friday and Saturday nights are crazy crowded, although they have recently expanded to offer more seating. And Greek has basically taken over this place...
4 - Vlad R.: Finally, after 5 yrs of grad school at USC I managed to give this place a try. I was really impressed. Everything came out fast and delicious. The plates are really small, I wish they would send out slightly bigger portions.
We tried the burger, the hanger steak, the panini, the margherita pizza, the chipotle cauliflower and the mac and cheese. My favorite was the cauliflower hands down. Please don't pass on this dish. I wish it was a slightly bigger portion...cauliflower is dirt cheap. I'll be back for sure, happy hour seems like a good deal.
3 - Julie S.: DISCLAIMER: Do not be disappointed like me and come here for their Pan-Seared Scallops because it's no longer on the menu and apparently hasn't been for over a year according to the waiter!!!! (Sad, sad face.)

With that said, we still were able to enjoy a plethora of delicious eats including:

- Poached shrimp
- Cod cakes with lime/dill sauce
- Mac n cheese
- Open-faced Bacaro burger (we forgot to ask for the egg topping, darn it!)
- Chicken breast over risotto cake
- Noah's cauliflower
- Clams
- Hangar steak

My favorite dishes were the cod cakes, cauliflower & hangar steak.  The ambiance is relaxed, typical wine bar look & feel. The tables are unfortunately very tiny and cramped, especially with so many little dishes flying our way so rapidly and a lot of wine bottles & glasses fighting for space.  The service was okay, but they seemed rushed and less attentive than they could have been. 

We didn't come during their happy hour, but next time I'll make sure to catch it.
4 - Michael C.: I've had the pleasure of dining at Bacaro on 2 separate occasions and its definitely my kind of place and my kind of food.  Happy hour (5pm-7pm) prices are ridiculously cheap at 5 bucks a dish (normally $8/plate or  $21/three which is also pretty damn good) you really can't go wrong.  Not to mention that you can also get a 1 liter carafe of sangria for 10 bucks. Hellllllooooo after work special.. 

Overall I would say that the food was pretty damn good, and for the value it can't really be beat. There were a few dishes that I probably wouldn't get again. but for the most part I loved it.   My favorite dishes include the burrata, cauliflower, hanger steak, and pork belly, which in my opinion are definite must haves.  The poached shrimp and caprese are also great options.

poached shrimp - 4/5 - just a tad sweet but perfectly executed.
burrata di stefano - 5//5 - burratta nuf said.
caprese salad - 4/5 love the pesto and basil that it is served with.
noas cauliflower - 5/5 - flash fried and tossed in a delicious sauce, more please!
fried cheese - 3/5 - not really my cup of tea but prepared very well
bacaro burger - 3/5 - not a huge fan of the bread choice or that its open faced but otherwise pretty good.
roasted garlic pizza - 3/5 - lil to doughy for me but the garlic was quite good.
hanger steak - 5/5 - perfectly cooked and just flat out delicious.  should have ordered 2!.
seared pork belly skewers - 5/5 - love every single perfectly cooked bite. don't leave bacaro without it!

Service was also quite spectacular and the ambiance is great. Perfect place to go to catch up and get a bite to eat.  They have a huge selection of wines and a also a great beer selection.  

If you haven't been you definitely should pay them a visit.  I will definitely be back and am particularly excited to check out beefsteak sundays!
4 - Andrew M.: It's a shame this place isn't in West LA, otherwise I'd come here more! I guess the Trojans deserve to have some good eateries nearby :P

First of all, you must come during happy hour (5-7 pm), it makes it even more worth it to try more things! $5 per plate/pizza (Mon-Thur), $5 for half liter/$10 for full liter of sangria, and on Mondays, it's also half off all wine by the glass!

I came to try Bacaro with my fellow Yelp Eliter Karen W. to check out my first wine bar!  There was plenty of street parking in the area, and most signs expired by 6 pm. It's such a nondescript place that it's easy to miss on first glance, but it's that hidden gem you'll be glad you found!

All the decor adds to the charm of this little place. The ceiling is lined with wine bottles and all the lights are crafted from bottles too. The little tables are like little jigsaw pieces that can combine with others to make larger tables. 

Karen went for the poached shrimp and Noa's cauliflower, and I had my eyes on the fried egg pizza and the lamb stuffed eggplant--all of which were delicious. 

The poached shrimp went so well with the citrus chili sauce, topped with basil (and apparently parsley as well? I did not taste that at all). The added crunch of the thinly-shaved radish slices boded well with the shrimp's texture.

The chipotle aioli made the cauliflower dish special. The cauliflower was just the right chewiness, and the mixed greens complemented well. The sauce made all the difference.

The pizza had a slightly runny fried egg oozing over the dish. The mixture of caramelized onions, spinach, and cheese just blended well. I can't believe I'm enjoying it so much without the aid of meat!

My favorite of the night, however, was the lamb-stuffed eggplant. Lamb and eggplant are already two of my favorite ingredients, and Bacaro just adds the finishing touches to blend these marvelous flavors. The lemon garlic emulsion (aka the white goo you'll see) had the perfect saltiness and melded the flavors together. The lemon chip on top added the extra bit of texture that put the dish over the top. 

Of course, we were tempted into a bit of dessert at the end, so we went with the nutella panino. I'd never had a sweet panini, and this little treat of strawberries/bananas and nutella was sprinkled with powdered sugar sure took the cake! 

I'd highly, highly recommend this place as a place to enjoy happy hour after work, catch up with friends, bring a date for a bite and a glass--it's so versatile! 

I can't wait to come back to try more of the menu! And this time, they better have that sample bottle of chipotle aioli the menu promised me!
4 - Karen W.: CROWD FAVORITE and I can see why! 

I really connected with this cool hole in the wall and the happy hour menu that came with. 

This place is dressed in all dark features: floor to ceiling chalkboard walls plastered with big writing listing out different wines, beers and other beverages. 

A key interior feature is of course the wine bottle ceiling. You'll also quickly notice the other creative wine bottle lighting and furnishings around. There are lots of small wooden panel tables for two that can be pieced together like a puzzle, which means this place has the flexibility for larger parties (also larger table seating in the adjacent area). 

M-TH 5-7PM: 5$ tapas and housemade Sangria specials!

FOOD to share:
* Cauliflower with Chipotle Aioli: smoky, spicy, slightly tangy...take note, this will make you like your veggies / cauliflower! 
* Fried Egg Pizza: thin, potentially flaky crisp crust, super soft, barely set egg on cheese and something green. 
* Poached Shrimp with lots of basil and Sweet Chili Sauce: good shrimp swimming in lots of sweeter-than-spicy (or tangy) chili sauce; slightly reminiscent of something Asian, and the basil...win!
* Eggplant stuffed Lamb with Lemon Garlic Emulsion: such a memorable concoction! there's a slice of fried lemon that totally adds to the cheese-topped eggplant lamb. The lemon and garlic emulsion is the perfect component to this. Enough said. 

* dessert / Panini with Bicycle Honey Wheat Bread, Nutella and Banana: sweet sandwich grilled? yes. not too sweet and the best part, they use bicycle bread! love that co. 

Seats are pretty comfy but if you sit along the central small tables and long booth area, you'll be cozy close to your neighbors...in which case, makes for the proper time and place to stare and point, ooo and ahh about what other people are ordering.
4 - Jamie V.: I love Bacaro and have been coming here for years! Their wine and food is excellent, and the servers are all super knowledgable and helpful if you're not sure what to get. If you go, definitely buy the 3 plates for $21 deal - the portion sizes are perfect for sharing. 

My favorite night to go is on a Monday when their glasses are half off -- otherwise it can get a little bit pricey. But their pitchers of sangria for, I think, $18 are a great deal and delicious. On the first Sunday of every month they have unlimited all you can eat steak and wine, but you do have to make your reservations in advance. I made a reservation and went with a group for my birthday last year and we had an amazing time. Every so often they also clear out the space for dancing and have Cork n Wax nights which are extremely popular - I went two or three times last semester.

On their most popular nights it can get a little packed but they recently opened up a new addition and now they practically have twice the space! By far the best wine bar in the area.
4 - Jackie D.: FYI: the scallops have been taken off the menu since April. sad times :(

Foolishly, I did not come during happy hour. The menu says items are $8 each, 3 for $21. So I ordered 6 items thinking that the latter 3 would also be $21. This is not the case. Be weary that all items after the initial 3 will be the original price of $8.

I tried the following: bacaro burger with fried egg, clams, mac & cheese, hangar steak w asparagus, bacon & brie pizza, polenta topped with eggplant salad, and the nutella panini with both strawberries and banana. Oh, and the sangria. 

I definitely recommend the clams (my table's favorite), the burger, the mac & cheese (topped with panko, very yummy), and the bacon & brie pizza (unexpectedly quite spicy). The decision on the polenta was split. I personally did not like it while my friend ate every single bite. The eggplant salad on top of it was EXTREMELY salty, so be weary to scrape a lot of it off when you take a bite. The hangar steak was whatever, nothing spectacular. And I did not like the nutella panini at all. I was actually the one to urge the rest of my table to get it -- who would've guessed that anything with nutella in it could fail? The panini was just too dry and sadly, did not go well with the nutella. It was quite an ordinary dessert, if not subpar.

The sangria.... Let me just start with the fact that I am a beer drinker and I do not like wine. To me, sangria is like a grapier, slightly less bitter wine. However, the sangria here was actually quite good and I think sangria connoiseurs will thoroughly enjoy it.

However, if it comes down to USC's Bacaro vs. UCLA's Palomino, I would say Palomino wins ;)
5 - Katy L.: BACARO LA .. I heart you not only because you are you close to my work but you are one of my favorite places to go to for your awesome ambiance and delicious food. I've been here a couple of times already and I"m surprised I haven't written a review at this place yet! Tapas and wine is probably one of my favorite combos and dining experience so you can see why I really like this place. 

Ambiance: It is in a sketchy neighborhood but Bacaro is definitely nice and great place to catch up with some friends or to bring a date to for dinner. Love the wine bottles on top of the ceiling. They expanded the place so there is a nice group table on the left hand side of the restaurant which is separated from the rest of the restaurant. The blackboard walls allow the staff to write their wine/beer list and food menus which gives the restaurant a more urban and modern feel to it. The space is super small so come early because there will be a wait. 

Food:

Poached Shrimp- Citrus Chili Sauce, Shaved fennel. Overall good acidity to the shrimp, a little bit on the sweet side but the shrimp was perfectly cooked and a good appetizer to get your palate going. 

Lamb stuffed eggplant with lemon garlic emulsion, lemon chip, and scallions. This dish was no bueno. Something about it did not taste good.. flavor feel flat and texture was mushy which is not a good thing!

The Bacaro Burger- Made with all natural angus grass-fed beef served on bicycle breads handmade grilled honey wheat with a fried egg. Definitely my favorite dish of the night. Burger was juicy, flavorful, and anything with a fried egg in it is delish! Definitely a must get when you come!

"Noa's" cauliflower with chipotle aioli and mixed greens- This is a unique twist to the ordinary boiled cauliflower. I like the sweet tangy sauce in the aioli and if my mom made cauliflowers this way when I was a kid, I would be all over it! The cauliflower was tender and not overly cooked which is important. Another great dish!

Grilled Chicken Breast with parmesan risotto cake, lemon caper sauce. I've ordered this dish in the past and loved it but this time around, it was not as good. The chicken breast was overly cooked and dry. The parmesan risotto cake was greasy and overly fried as well. Overall, the dish was too oily. 

Grilled pizza of margaherita and tomato sauce and mozarella- Grilled pizza was good, it was the thin crust which I love and overall flavor was decent. Nothing to complain about this dish. I would be open to trying the bacon and brie next time. 

I've had a better experience in the past but this time around it was still good. It won't stop be from coming back.  :)

*FYI: They don't take reservations so come early!
4 - Arnold W.: I don't want to come here for years since my friend recommend this place. It has tapas here so happy hour is a great deal, come here with friends try lots of things. The burger wasn't that great, it was dry and I've had a lot better.  We tried to cauliflower lots of flavor. The skewered pork belly was so delicious lots of flavor lots of fat juicy, everything. The garlic bruschetta... was Full of whole garlic cloves, not what we expected. The Panini sandwich was just okay. It's pretty cool to come here for happy hour the sangria was pretty good. I'd come back again.
4 - Darlene Y.: My friends planned a dinner here for my birthday, and it was wonderful to say the least. Its located near USC. The area is somewhat of a sketchy area, but the restaurant is far from that. The restaurant seats I want to say 40 people, hole in the wall type of place. Their drink menu is written on chalk board walls that give it a sense of casual bar/ restaurant. The sangria is what their known for, but I didn't see what the big deal was. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious, but it tasted like all the other sangrias. Their style of serving is tapas, so its good for grabbing a light meal and some drinks. With ordering, we all paired up and ordered the 3 tapas for $21. My friend and I ordered the spicy cauliflower, lamb burger, and their take on the mac n cheese. I don't know what it was but the cauliflower and mac n cheese were to dieee for! So much flavor was infused into making the dishes. As for the lamb, it was good, and full of flavor, but it was a bit too salty for my palette. If you like strong aromas and flavors get the lamb burger, it would be the best fish for you. In terms of dessert, we had the nutella and banana sandwich. Simple and sweet. Overall it was a very pleasant experience, and I would definitely come back here! Enjoy! 

PS: its street parking so you don't need to pay. :)
4 - Andy C.: Food was delicious :). Service was bad. 
Me and a guest ordered a Lamb Burger, poached shrimp, margherita pizza, brie and bacon pizza, roasted garlic pizza, and a happy hour special pizza. For dessert, the bread pudding. 
The pizzas with bacon are not worth it. So damn salty. 
The Lamb Burger was amazingly juicy and the parsley tahini sauce complemented it so nicely. I'll throw this in there just because my friend complained about it.... this is an open faced burger. (Note to self... don't come here with friends who think McDonald's is the epitome of burgers :).) So just one "bun". 
The pizzas were great but a bit heavy so next time I would order only one. 
Dessert was delicious and I'd recommend that plate again. I'd say the portions are for two people. 
Now... the service!
Maybe because I came in my work attire, maybe because it was full... maybe for whatever reason, but my table got ignored A LOT. 
I had to wait 30 minutes for my margherita pizza and it came BURNT. :( I was also in a rush when they brought the check so I had to go and hand it to them myself. I don't think that's their fault though, I usually hate when restaurants try to hurry me out. 
Few tips.... this place is extremely loud even though there's only about 12 tables. I mean i couldn't even hear myself speak. Also those small plates add up quickly in terms of price. I came out paying 69 dollars for two people. The sangria was 16 dollars but i ordered it during happy hour so it was 8 :D. 
Overall if the atmosphere and service would improve i would give this place five stars. Also those damn salty pizzas.
5 - Lauren L.: Yes, Bacaro LA's happy hour makes me very very very happy. 

Since I find the small tapas type dishes to be a tad bit expensive I would recommend everyone to come anytime Mon-Thur from 5-7 pm for the happy hour. My personal favorites are the seared scallops, bacaro burger, and any of the pizzas. Try to come in with a few friends, each order something different, and share family style. I remember one time my friends and I each ordered our own meal and I was secretly eye-ing all of their food. SHARE people...you'll leave happier and with a taste of a bunch of Bacaro's dishes!
4 - Christine K.: my must have when i go to bacaro (if they have it available)? SANGRIA! Their sangria is delicious, but be warned...there's no wine taste to it so it tastes completely like juice! Depending on who I am with, if they've never had the bacaro burger I definitely order that with a fried egg on top. I think it's not that their pizzas aren't good, but in comparison to all the tapas availability that they have it definitely seems lackluster. I'm sad that they've gotten rid of Beefsteak Sundays, it was always nice to grab a group of friends to catch up during the 2-hour limit and snack on steak, onion rings, potatoes, bread, sangria, wine, etc.! One star deduction for the noisiness, but it's not really their fault.
5 - Norah C.: This is my second time back here and it is my favorite place in the area. Being a student at USC, this is the perfect place for me to kick back with my friends, have wine and great food at great prices. Quality of food, service, ambience is superb. 
-Ambience is great
-Fabulous wines
-small plates so you can order a lot to try and share with your friends
I had:
-bacaro burger: good meat, I like it with the fried egg on top
-pork belly skewers: unreal, but I love pork belly so its hard to go wrong for me. Some of the skewers were a little overcooked
-beets
-cauliflower: this was my FAVORITE! A must try! Their house sauce is to DIE for!! They bottle it up now and sell it there, Im going home with a ton of it!!
- didn't try any deserts because we were so full, but the desert menu looked amazing as well.
5 - Jena S.: bacaro is an absolute staple in anyone's list of places to enjoy wine with friends in LA. In a funky part of south LA right next to USC, this amazing wine bar has everything you need, with great selections listed by the glass or bottle on their chalkboard walls. Great great place to bring friends
5 - Jennifer H.: GO HERE!!!

This place is beyond amazing!! Rose was our waitress and she was the BEST! Our food was mouth watering. Each bite was better than the last. We had a Gilt City Coupon and we got 2 hrs open bar, 4 plates and a dessert. 

The grilled chicken and polenta cake was so good! The bruschetta blew my mind, mac and cheese was sooooo rich and yummy! The lamb stuffed eggplant was LIFE CHANGING I just didnt want it to end! 

Basically you can't go wrong with anything you get! SO go here to eat and drink, the staff is wonderful and ask for Rose she's a great server!!

Tons of street parking so don't worry about that! 
I LOVE this place :) 
You really need to go here!
5 - Patrick C.: Bacaro a la shameless PAC-12 style:  An undercover Bear, whose name I won't mention, wandered into Trojan territory looking for a delicious meal.  He found it at Bacaro LA!  

The only other source of food to impress the Bear around the nearby area had been Papa Cristo's.  However, Papa Cristo's closes so dang early.  GGRRRR...  The Bear was not so keen on entering a place owned by Trojans, but the potential for a good kill was too good to resist.  

Upon entering the restaurant on a Tuesday night, the Bear was happy that there was no wait and comfortably warm inside.  The space has expanded with a few more areas to sit yourself down to and cozy up.  The Bear was amazed at the great service given to him by the Trojan wait staff.  

The Bear thoroughly enjoyed feasting on Bacaro's burger, bursting the fried egg so the yolk glazed over the burger.  The scallops were a bit small for the Bear's appetite, but all in all, the flavors of every dish were worthy to be celebrated.  Tasty beets, that powerful garlic bruschetta, and flavorful pork belly skewers are all great, but the Bacaro burger and Lamb Stuffed Eggplant are beyond amazing! GROWL!!!   The Bear washed it all down with some wonderful white wine.  What a selection!  

Well, this Bear now appreciates the Trojans a tiny bit more for their successful restaurant.  Excellent food is a great way to make peace between a couple of good ole PAC-12 rivals.  GO Bears!  This Bear is shamelessly in love with a Trojan.  Sigh...
3 - Andrew L.: They messed up the orders both times I was here.
Once they forgot to put in any of the food, and the kitchen closed, so we walked away hungry.

Second time they simply ran out of a dish.

The food is good though, just wish the service was better.
3 - Castleman C.: The food is as good as it looks, but served in small quantities; Everything is "tapas" style. The prices are not cheap, but you are paying for the quality of the food. 

The wine is OK, not spectacular but did the trick

The ambiance is quite annoying. Very loud, a lot of drunk college students. 

Be warned -VERY LOUD-

This place was worth trying it once.
5 - Jenn L.: I love it here! It's a must try place. Great selection of wine and beer. Their housemade Sangrias were freaking good, I was literally downing my cup of sangria, it tasted like juice!

Must try tapas:
Pig ears, beet salad, steak, clams, and their polenta eggplant.. amazing.
5 - Katie L.: Wonderful Spot.

Lior, the chef, is personable and made sure everyone in the restaurant was happy. He went above and beyond good customer service.

The Sangria is very good. Like others have noted, it does not taste strong, but we surely got toasted.

My favorite dish was the lamb stuffed eggplant. Wow, it was delicious. The eggplant was cooked perfectly, it was not mushy or sour. The bottom had an amazing crispiness to it. The lemon sauce is the perfect compliment to the dish. 

Other favorites:
clam dish (that sauce!, wish there was more bread!)
lamb burger was cooked perfectly. It's a little hard to eat but worth it. 
Bacon & Brie Pizza... I don't even like Brie but this was SO GOOD! The flavors worked so well together.

BREAD PUDDING! holy moly it was so good. 
Cookie dough dessert was ok but I definitely recommend the bread pudding!

I definitely recommend this place!
4 - Larry K.: Great place not to far from USC. Friendly people, awesome food, and a vast selection of wine and beer. Try the Gonzo Imperial Porter, I love it. It's a dark beer, not too heavy, not too light, just perfect. 

Advise: For a party of 2, walk ins are fine. But if you are more then that, make a reservation.
3 - Russell I.: Had the burger with fried egg...did not expect it to not be on a bun, but on sliced bread. The "burger" did not come with bread on top either so it seemed half completed. The meal was a bit small as well. The drink list, although creative with being on a big black board on the wall, can be hard to see if you are sitting against the wall. Other reviews say their tapas and other things are good so until then, was not too impressed with Bacaro. Will need to come back and try other things.
4 - Rebecca H.: Yellow diamonds in the light And we're standing side by side...We found love in a hopeless place We found love in a hopeless place...

When I first moved down to the Bay Area, there was definitely some culture shock. However, I found love in a hopeless period of my life at Bacaro LA. 

The food, the variety of tastes and textures in one dish, the wonderfulness of being able to experience many different dishes, tastes, and textures at one time, Bacaro LA had it all. 

It was crispy, it was soft. It was sweet. It was savory. It was salty. It was yummy. 

My personal favorite is probably the lamb stuffed eggplant. It just hits so many different notes in one dish. You have to taste it and just enjoy. Don't think of anything else, but putting it in your mouth and chewing it like you mean it. Do as the penguins from Madagascar said.

By the way, eating in is definitely the better option of eating in vs take-out. 

And for the starving student, Happy Hour means that most dishes are $5!
4 - Leslie C.: TAPAS?

The first time I had tapas I may or may not have had a fit ending with me yelling WHY AM I PAYING $$ FOR A SLICE OF BACON. So when my friend said we were eating here (and I suppose left out the part about it being tapas, smart), I agreed. 

But you know what? I'm down with tapas. $21 for 3 plates? BRING IT. Portion-control Leslie is out to play. 

So five of us headed to Bacaro and ordered four hot plates and two pizzas -- The Bacaro Mac & Cheese, Lamb Stuffed Eggplant (I was strongly against this as I am strongly against vegetables in general but I am telling you: this. was. so good. And let me note: IT WAS EGGPLANT.), Grilled Chicken Breast and the Hangar Steak.  All of them were really good, but I would definitely get the Mac & Cheese and that Grilled Chicken Breast-- so lemony and good. Andd THE PIZZA. 

A whole new paragraph for the pizzas. I wasn't too big of a fan of the Magherita Pizza but the White Pizza (BACON, HI) was so good. I almost didn't want to share.

Anyways, the service was amazing, they were so kind and extremely attentive. My friends (and namely one friend) loved the sangria, so if you like that sangria lovin' -- it is said to be delicious (so delicious, that you may end up drinking three glasses before the food arrives...but don't do that).

Downsides are the parking (but its LA so... whatever) and space. We were fortunate that the place wasn't full yet but I can imagine that it definitely does during its peak hours! Such a fun place, I wish I came here more last semester!
5 - Julio D.: Amazing food, love the hamburger tapa with an egg on top!
4 - Drake H.: Their Sangria is the best!
5 - Andrea M.: what a find! This gem in the hood is as good as it gets! Great cutting edge menu items with beer & wine options

Bacchus - Troy, NY (42.7304851, -73.6917378) ()
3 - Meredith S.: Pizza is one of my favorite foods and I was quite curious to try out this new wood fired pizza spot in Troy, after hearing some good things about it.  The decor seems very cavernous, with dim lighting and many tables hidden in nooks and crannies.  The beer and wine list offers selections I was surprised to see at a small pizza place, and the menu offers a variety of pizza and pasta dishes.  We settled on a pair of salads, some drinks and the margherita pizza to split.  The food was pretty good, though I wouldn't say the salad or the pizza were overly noteworthy.   I'd probably try the pasta if I went there again, or maybe a pizza with a little more pizazz.
4 - Skye J.: Mmmm..... Bacchus. I love their pizza, but you won't leave without your wallet feeling the hit. Pizza here is wood-fired and thin crust, which is my favourite kind, but it does mean you stuff in way more slices than a regular pan pizza. It's some of the best pizza I've had up here in the Capital District, and my friends and I have come up with interesting mix-n-match combinations for delicious gourmet varieties.

Bacchus isn't cheap, and your margherita 12-cut pizza will cost about $12, and if you make your own, each additional topping is about $1.50 to $2.50 and before you know it, you could wind up with a $20 pizza! They have a delicious alfredo base to try as well as white pizza, pesto, and traditional red sauce. 

I was impressed by their simple garden salad ($2.50) which was fresh and well prepared. The atmosphere is cozy (I love the exposed brick), and it is wheel-chair friendly (entrance through the back). They are also open Sundays, and those of you based in Troy know how awesome *that* is.

I still feel like DeFazio's wins out with sheer quality, but Bacchus is a lovely addition to downtown Troy and it does what it does well.
2 - Ari S.: I like friendly service but Bacchus's wait staff were so enthusiastically overfriendly (and seemingly genuinely so) that it felt utterly overwhelming ("HOW YA DOING WITH THAT?"). But that's probably more my problem than theirs. The pizza though is theirs. I love thin crust pizza but the wafer thin slices were too thin to be filling. Not merely insubstantial, the margarita pizza was just plain dull. The pasta was overcooked to the point of being soft and mushy and came with a bland sauce (I ordered the spicy sauce but spicy can also be flavorless).  I'd go back again if I was hungry and in the neighborhood but that says it all.
3 - Spencer F.: I love the food at Bacchus. The garlic bread is great and so are the pizzas. The only problem we had was that the waitress was not friendly and came off rude and aggressive. It was like she was working the bar in a western saloon. "What'll ya have"?  Very gruff and off putting. This is my second time here and the first time we had a different waitress who was good. Bacchus - check who was working on the eve of July 16 and give her some training in customer service.
4 - susan k.: This restaurant felt intimate and the staff was friendly.  A variety of seating arrangements are available -- from street-side to a unique nook with waterfall and sofas.  I tried the special -- a shrimp pizza.  The combination was perfect.
2 - Crystal C.: we had the 16" clams casino pizza & a friend had a 12" pie...when brought over to the table they appeared to be pretty much the same size, only we were the suckers that paid more for basically the same amount of food. The pizza was tasty, but definitely order the 12" and save yourself some money.

UPDATE: it seems the pies are now either 8" or 12". I was back today for a business lunch and descided to get the Clams Casino again because it was so good last time. Thing is, that this time it was TOTALLY DIFFERENT and kind of tasted nasty. And the waitress was really weird...sassy, but not in a good way...in a "I kinda really hate this job and wanna tell you all about it" way...soooo....I'm not sure what I think of this place anymore.
3 - Anne D.: Stopped in mid-week for pizza. Ordered the garlic bread & the Kennedy pizza (can't remember its name). I didn't fall in love with the food--dry garlic bread, alright pizza, but it was a comfortable place to hang out. Low key, non-pretentious.
3 - Megan E.: So I rated it three stars because it seems like a high class pizza place and that all around intimates me. But the pizza is absolutely incredible and for the price its in my top two for pizza in troy! I really appreciate that even though there are pre-thought out pizza options you can throw together a creation of your own which is always great and delicious.

I also really liked the beer selection although I was kind of bummed when I went in the bar side of this restaurant that you can't be pitchers. call me low class (I mean we are in troy) but I love a good pitcher. 

The service was really great, although I felt horrible for our waitress who was the only one on duty who had to serve both inside and out of the restaurant but I thought that she was extremely friendly and did a great job. This pizza is definitely on my mind when I get a good pizza craving.
1 - Karden R.: Staff is unbelievably rude, unprofessional, and unhelpful.  Pizza is mediocre at best, pasta is a complete waste of time, and for what is given on a plate, prices are steep. Decor is fine, but after three or four deplorable experiences here I will certainly not return or suggest Bacchus to others
1 - Vincent C.: If I could give this restaurant zero stars, I would.

My girlfriend and I tried this place in summer of '09 and the pizza was not bad, albeit overpriced. The service, however was borderline hostile. I could understand the attitude if we walked in around close, but it was 6:30 PM. We had to flag the server/bartender over to our table for anything we needed, which was met with rolling of eyes and an audible sigh. 

After about a year we decided give the restaurant another shot. Unfortunately we were met with similarly terrible service and the the food was not even redeeming. 

Worst ever, will avoid like the plague.
3 - akin t.: I've made three trips to Bacchus, once for takeout the other times I dined in. I will agree with the other reviewers that it is a bit pricey. It seems that most of the pizza joints in Troy have their own schtick - DeFazio is cash only, I Love NY is for the "drunks". And Bacchus' is "pricey pizza in a classy environment". Which makes it a good choice for a date, a poor choice for anything else.

Pizza at Bacchus is good, thin crust, fresh ingredients as good as the famed DeFazio. But the Bacchus pies are smaller and more expensive, on the other hand Bacchus doesn't have fluorescent lighting and takes credit cards.
4 - SUSAN R.: I am surprised that some reviewers describe the atmosphere of Bacchus as classy or upscale. It is casual all the way! Love that they offer outdoor seating. Great beer selection...cold glasses- next I  would like them to go even further and have frosted mugs! What could be better with pizza than almost FREEZING COLD beer?
The pizza is delicious. Expensive- yes...I would not mind if they did not skimp on toppings. I think that there was way too little spinach on the pizza with meatballs, garlic, and spinach. 'LOVE those bubbles in the crust! 

Service was excellent- very friendly- I wonder what happened to some other reviewers. Are we talking about the same place?
This was our 1st visit and will not be our last.
4 - Beau C.: Really like the wood-fired pizza, the toppings are soooooo good. Cool, semi-basement atmosphere with a couple of tables outside. Friendly service all the way. I eat here all the time, always satisfied. Pasta dishes are HUGE (kinda ridiculously so). Good beer selection, but it's beer and wine only (although you can go upstairs to Daisy Baker's and grab a drink and bring it back down). Trivia night on Tuesdays.
4 - Jennifer K.: This is the best woodfire pizza around the capital district (and my favorite place to eat in Troy).  I love the character and casual atmosphere.  Excellent beer and wine selection too.  I usually order the margherita or mozze bella pizza, salad, and roasted garlic bulb.  Makes for a great meal to share.
5 - Mrs M.: Bacchus never fails to deliver the goods, by which I mean the greats: great pizza, great beer, great atmosphere, great price.  Mr M & I tend to crave a Bacchus night at least once a month and usually on a Friday or Saturday night.  We have never been disappointed and I solidly recommend it for anyone looking for a casual tavern-like atmosphere for dinner or drinks.

I should start by saying that of the different venues within Bacchus (which I didn't realize was so big until my third visit), I've only been seated in the bar area (our favorite), the very front, and the blue-light room.  I've never been seated at a booth so I don't know if the service or experience is any different there.  I prefer sitting at the bar or at a table near the bar - it's quieter, the bartenders are usually very accomodating with samples and recommendations.  I have only had to wait for a table once - that was when we had a party of 6, didn't call ahead, and I think it might have been around Halloween.  It was packed.  We waited at the bar, then were seated in the blue-light room (very cool cave-like place!) until a table opened up.  We might have waited a little over an hour but no one seemed to mind.  

Bacchus' beer collection is unique.  There aren't many places you can find some of those beers on tap and their seasonal selections are tempting.  I almost always order Switchback because I haven't seen it on tap anywhere outside of northern Vermont.

A must-order: Garlic bread WITH cheese.  I get this every time.  And I will say that it's made a little differently every time - I've had it with the cheese stuffed inside the bread, on top of the bread, in slices, in one large chunk...  But, you really can't beat buttery dough with melted cheese.  Mr & I will usually order this and a pizza, and we usually still have a few slices left over.

The food menu doesn't have a huge selection - pizza, pasta appetizers.  I have only ever ordered appetizers and pizzas.  The pizzas are good - their best quality is in the quality of the ingredients not necessarily in the amount of food on top.  It's kind of a delicate but flavorful pizza.  I don't have a favorite, I just go by whatever mood I'm in.  (The spicy pizza is HOT - I like spicy foods but it is a litle potent).  A large is big enough for two or three people to split for a meal. 

I don't consider Bacchus to be very upscale, but I do try to dress like I'm going out with friends - meaning skinny jeans, boots over the jeans, cute jacket, etc.  That's not to say there aren't people in sneakers there, but the basement restaurant appeal makes it so metropolitan I feel like I should at least TRY to look hip.  ;)

The bathroom is upstairs in Daisy Baker's, which might be an inconvenience for some.
2 - J W.: after reading all the glowing reviews posted here, i feel compelled to add mine. it does not glow. nor, in my experience, does the food at bacchus. 

ate there last night for the second time in four years, along with a friend who loves bacchus and is a regular, and another who was there for the first time. they both ordered salads and individual pizzas and were not disappointed in their selections.

i, on the other hand, tried the pasta and was completely turned off by what i got. on my previous visit, four years ago, i had tried the pizza, which was mediocre at best. my friend on that occasion had ordered the spicy rome's inferno pasta, which he shared with me (owing, in part, to my bland pizza), and which i remember was delicious. so last night, i ordered from the pasta section of the brief--and unchanged--menu. 

i decided to try "making my own" dish of cavatappi, spinach, and sausage in olive oil (a listed sauce). i also asked for it a little spicy and flavored with a few anchovies. what arrived was a pile of greasy sausage surrounded by a cup (at best) of pasta. a small handful of spinach had been thrown in, and the entire dish was sitting in a pool of olive oil which had no flavor of its own other than that imparted by the meat. it was close to $17, as additional items are variously priced. i ate only the pasta, adding parmesan from the table's dispenser in an attempt to offset the heavy oiliness. it was a completely unappealing and unsatisfying dish.

so my advice is go for the rome's inferno, the snug and comfortable atmosphere, the fine beer selection, and the service, which was friendly and laid back. the wine selection is also good, and the bartender was very accommodating in letting us sample all the reds offered by the glass, as they were out of the wine we desired.

and then you'll be sure to glow.
3 - Jenny G.: My boyfriend and I went to Bacchus for a late dinner recently and were pleasantly surprised based on the mixed reviews we read on yelp. At first glance, your attention is drawn to the super cool wood stone oven. The sculpted face with a mouth full of fire greets you as you walk in the door. Besides that there isn't much atmosphere to speak of though. We ordered the spinach artichoke dip as an appetizer and had mixed feelings. The artichoke and spinach favors were over powered by a strong taste of cream cheese. However, the bread that came with the dip was great. Freshly baked in the wood stone oven, the bread was light and fluffy, very tasty. For our main course, we ordered pizza. It seemed like the only reasonable choice to make considering the wonderful oven that was literally staring at us. The pizza was good and it is nice to find a decent thin crust pizza in Troy, NY. That being said, it wasn't anything spectactular. One of the better parts of the experience was the drink specials. They had a decent selection of good beers for very reasonable prices.
5 - Jonathan R.: Just had the gourmet variety lunch buffet. Two pasta dishes to chose from and lots of different pizzas.... Awesome! Keep em coming!
4 - Polly F.: Great pizza, casual atmosphere.
4 - Danika A.: I have been craving their roasted garlic bulb and fresh made bread since I had it a month ago. Simple menu done right. If you're in Troy and looking for great pizza and a glass of wine, this is your destination.
2 - Phil C.: The only thing good about this place is the nice atmosphere and location. I had a terrible overbaked pizza there and my fiance had a overcooked pesto pasta that looked like really unappetizing. They forgot to add the fresh mozzarella she asked for so they took the plate from her without asking, threw the already overcooked pasta back in the pan with some mozzarella and returned it to her without her fork. WTF? The impatient waitress kept pestering us with the phrase, "You guys all set?" while we were finishing our beers after that disappointing meal. A small pasta plate and a personal sized pizza with two small salads ran us $40 into the ground. I will say the bar was nice and had a friendly barkeep. Don't buy into the "wood-fired" pizza BS...go to DeFazio's and then go to Bacchus to drink.
4 - Frank Z.: My girlfriend has frequently told me that I should never doubt her restaurant picks. I have to say, there's good reason behind her statement, and Bacchus is a prime example of it.

I'd heard of Bacchus but had never tried it. In fact, several of my fellow Albany Yelpers have spoken very highly of it. Still, I never went there.

After a few failed attempts at getting to Bacchus at a time when they were actually open, I finally made it and tried their pizza. It was phenomenal, as was the garlic bread. I also fell in love with a beer that they serve, called Session. Since then, I've been back a few times and it's consistently been a great experience. The atmosphere is pretty cool, the oven looks impressive, and the food they put together is excellent. Especially considering the price, it's really not an easy feat to beat Bacchus.

A word of warning that is unrelated to the food: Regardless of the cell carrier that you have, reception will basically suck inside the restaurant. They offer free wifi, but that too seems to be pretty unreliable.
4 - Kate H.: Stopped at Bacchus last Sunday night with a group of 5 other people. First time ever going and I'm definitely a fan. 

We sat in the bar and started out with some stellar drafts. They had a great selection, all reasonably priced. I can't remember what I had but it was a Delicious pale ale.  

We shared the roasted garlic, cheese bread and three different pizzas. All of them were outstanding. The pizza had a really thin crust, not quite what I'm used to but all were delicious. 

All together with a generous tip my share only came to $21, definitely a deal.
5 - Emma S.: I am in love with this place!

First, they have the coolest pizza oven ever.  That alone deserves 5 stars. 
The atmosphere is funky basement brick.
The music they play is great.  

Next...the food. Oh, the food!  I love it!
The pizza's are thin, crisp, light and very fresh with endless topping 
Same for the pasta.  Huge portions with endless pasta/sauce/ toppings combos.
We didn't get pasta but saw what was being served next to us and we will be back to try some of that!

The libations include a revolving selection of microbrews and wine by the glass.  We ordered  a glass of Carmenere and a pint of Goose Island Harvest.  Both were excellent.  Our serve told us that the draft selection constantly changes to reflect the seasons.

There was trivia happening in the bar tonight (Tuesday)' so we chose to sit in one of the booths instead of the bar area.  The space is divided into several dining areas.  Bar, Booth area, dining room by the cool pizza oven or outside if you can manage to snag one of those tables.  they also have a funky little hidden room!

We ate a lot but weren't put into food coma status because of the light freshness of the food.  We ordered the garlic cheese bread to start which was unique and so good. I think it was made with their pizza dough and It came with a side of mixed stuff such as lettuce, spicy peppers and feta cheese.  And it was plentiful when it came to cheese and garlic.  

Then came the pizza.  We ordered two.  WOW!  We asked our server what pizzas are the most popular and we ordered the Mozzabella consisting of home made meatballs, home made fresh mozzarella , baby spinach and fresh garlic and basil.  This was really good.  The next pizza was one with fresh pesto , mixed cheeses and very fresh large shrimp.  We loved both.

As stuffed as we were we ordered a dessert to split.  We saw our server bring something to the table next to us that looked so good.  She told us it was a lemon raspberry cake.  We asked about the other desserts and chose a chocolate, peanut butter and brownie cake that was also to die for!

The food was beyond amazing.
Our server was great.
Our bill was something like $45 for 2 drinks, an appetizer, 2 pizzas and dessert.
YES YES YES!
5 - Colleen M.: Not just a place for delicious wood fired neapolitan pizza, but a place for awesome craft brew and a short but decent wine list AND yummy desserts.  

Something they don't  emphasize enough is how much is made in house: dough, mozzarella, sauces, and desserts and often from local sources. 

In addition to pizza and pasta you can get a salad with any of the toppings generously piled on fresh greens.  

I also had a conversation with the owner one time about some of the earth friendly circumstances of the building itself and the operation.  (I was under the influence of several glasses of wine so I'm a little foggy on details)

The crust has improved over the years and is still light and crisp and is at its best when the humidity is down.  Sadly, I do not think the pizza, the crust being a delicate as it is, travels well, so it is best to eat it in house.  

Despite Daisy Bakers claiming to be the unofficial after party spot for Troy Night Out, it really is Bacchus Wood-Fired that everyone is hanging out at.
4 - Matt B.: Went in with a small group for dinner 9ish on a Saturday night - was immediately able to be seated at a high-top in the bar area. The waitress / bartender was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable on the extensive tap selection. The wood-fired pizzas were great - crust cooked to perfection. Be sure to get the shrimp artichoke dip appetizer. And definitely save room for dessert!

Bacchus Market & Catering - Philadelphia, PA (39.9487104, -75.179093) (Fitler Square, Rittenhouse Square)
4 - Kelly W.: How am I the first to review Bacchus!?  My oh my, what to say about this place.  

The owner is wonderfully friendly and inviting and the staff are very helpful.  This catering company sells ready to eat gourmet delights, heat-and-serve meals, made-to-order sandwiches and wraps with fresh ingredients, local baked goods and La Colombe/Phoenix coffee, and has a great supply of gourmet cheese, condiments and sweets.  

Perfect if you want a sandwich on the go, some gourmet cheese and crackers for your next cocktail party, or for when you are coming home and have no ounce of energy left to make your own gourmet meal.  

Dog-friendly, they even supply water for your pooch and sell gourmet dog biscuits!

My only wish is that it were open on Mondays.
4 - Heather M.: Bacchus is a great neighborhood market -- despite the small space, a suprisingly large menu and accomodating staff.  Plus, they have ciao bella ice cream and other tasty treats that you usually have to go to Whole Foods for.
Note that they have a $15 minimum on credit cards. AND are closed on Monday.
5 - Perri E.: Never ever go anywhere else if you want the very best pannini in Philadelphia....and this is from someone who's recently sat on the Grand Canal in Venice eating panninis.  The grilled vegatable paninni is chock full of yummy things and when you ask them to use the multigrain bread, it's hard not to think you've arrived in Venice yourself!  The only bad thing I can say is that they run out of these amazing suckers, and you better not wait till the evening...I did once and was crushed! 

Aside from the panninis, the take home food (brussels sprouts with carrots, mashed potatoes, burritos, grilled chicken cutlets and more) is well worth the time it takes to heat it up...okay, that really doesn't make much sense since it does take much effort to do that, BUT SERIOUSLY!!!!! this food is good, better than good, better than homemade.   Try it.  You'll be hooked too.
4 - Kate L.: Although I've lived around the corner for a few months, I went to Bacchus for the first time this weekend, and man am I glad. I had a veggie panini and my pals had meat panini's. We all agreed that they were delish, and we'll be back. The wait was a little long for a sandwich. And for all those who didn't pay attention during middle school mythology, (like me), Bacchus is the Roman name for the Greek god of wine and intoxication. Thanks, wikipedia.
5 - Alexandra W.: After an unfortunate experience at the Institute, I have to remind myself about Bacchus.

During the Tweed Ride's stop in Tanney Park for lunch, a few old time-y guys and gals and I went searching for a place to pick up some lunch. Bacchus was on our way to get some old time-y brews, so we stopped in to check out the menu and decided to come back in on our way back to the park.

A woman who is either the owner or manager (I think?) was very excited to have us there because of our vintage garb. She was so nice and more excited than we were about the Tweed RIde. She graciously and happily took our orders, allowing me to substitute brie for cheddar on my roast beef pannini. "You can have anything you want, baby!" she said. The guy that rang us up was also incredibly nice. He complimented my choice of beer (Ommegang Dubbel).

After such a pleasant experience in the store, we were extremely happy to find that our sandwiches were DELICIOUS. Like, one of the best sandwiches I've ever eaten. I applaud my own choice of Stewart's Cream Soda (purchased at Bacchus) and the Dubbel (purchased elsewhere). 

I hopped back on my trusty metal steed with the rest of the gang with my stomach full and my body happy.
5 - Karen C.: So I basically lived at Bacchus during law school, and I can tell you everything they make is delicious (don't believe me?  ask for free samples!).  It's pricey for some items, but they use high-quality ingredients so it is worth it.  The best deals are the sandwiches, which are big enough for two--my faves are turkey and brie and the roast beef.  The cookies are literally the best thing I have ever had (the white chocolate and cherry combo is my fave, but the chocolate-chocolate is also incredible... as is the peanut butter... and the M&Ms...).

I've also had them cater three events for me, most recently my sister's baby shower.  Every time has been great, but the shower was really above and beyond... I wanted to do a proper English high tea, and even though the things I wanted weren't on the menu, Tracey (the owner) managed to get them all for me.  The little tea sandwiches I requested were actually cut into cute little flowers!!!  Everyone was totally amazed.

I cannot recommend Bacchus highly enough... I mean, when I had to move to a bigger apartment, proximity to Bacchus was actually a factor in choosing a new place!
5 - Melissa P.: I will be 'backus' to Bacchus!  This little food shop is so charming.  My roommate and I are new to the neighborhood and the staff greeted us warmly and even gave us free coffee cups!! 

The Snickerdoodle La Columbe coffee is exactly what I want in a cup of joe.  The staff was super helpful/friendly.  He even googlemapped something for us while toasting our bagels.

The vegetarian pizza that the chef was making in the back looked downright delicious....  The overall presentation made me want to stroll around, drink coffee, have a few little nibbles and repeat!
4 - Stef A.: I love Bacchus. I live a stone's throw away and find myself in here constantly for La Colombe coffee, a bagel with cream cheese and tomato, or the turkey, brie and apple butter panini (YUM). It's sad that they are closed on Mondays though when I need my coffee the most. Also, I don't understand why they don't sell sandwich rolls or fresh bread. 

Other yelpers are right that it's pricey for some items but they use high quality ingredients. It's also good for grabbing a gourmet dinner when you don't want to cook. I picked up a chorizo, chicken, and sweet potato burrito last week for $5.25 and it was delicious. 

FYI - $10 minimum to use your debit card ($15 for a credit card - makes no damn sense). Pain in the butt as I rarely carry cash so I do find myself not going as often as I would normally go if they didn't have the minimum.
4 - Ben D.: I've passed Bacchus a few times since I moved to the area, and finally stopped in today to pick up some lunch.

I just finished eating the turkey, brie and apple butter panini I ordered, and it was so delicious I had to write a review. Simple but still full of flavor and very fresh.

The girl who rung me up seemed slightly annoyed at having to do so (if you're reading this - just a smile can go a long way!) but the woman who made my food was warm and friendly.

I'm glad I finally stopped in and look forward to many more delicious paninis.
3 - Cara P.: If catering, this place is awesome, if buying food for just your household, it's overpriced and not as amazing as the catering (the opposite I feel is true for Tastebuds... catering, not so great buy reg food muy bueno).  I have been to two parties catered by Bacchus... always delicious and eclectic appetizers and dishes abound!  I went there over the summer, got a smoothie that was neither smooth nor tasty and on another occasion, tried an orzo that had very little flavor.  

Additionally, the cashiers I encountered never seemed happy to have to deal with customers (or people in general).  I agree with Ben D.: a little smile can go a long way!  I give this place 3 stars for great catering but not so great in-store food and peeps.
3 - Maggie T.: Good food, but service is sometimes slow and not always terribly friendly, especially from those working at the deli. As someone else said, a little smile goes a long way, especially at a local neighborhood spot frequented by regulars.
5 - James S.: This place is awesome.  I just moved into the neighborhood and I swear I eat here 2-3x a week. 

They have great fresh salads, with dark greens, which are surprisingly hard to find. I find them better and lower priced than others nearby (see my review for Healthy Bites).  

Every sandwich / panini I've had has been great.  The gazpacho available during the summer is fantastic.  The cookies are nice and soft, not all crusty and over-baked like some places.  The brownies are great, too. 

And I find them super nice, if sometimes a bit slow, though maybe it depends on who's working.  It's certainly a welcome departure from many of Philly's quick-bite-type establishments where I feel like I'm annoying them with my patronage.
5 - Marie C.: I joined Yelp specifically to review Bacchus for its catering service. Tracey was phenomenal! She was able to give great ideas for my party and the prices were reasonable. Also, the food was amazing!!! All my friends loved the food. The people are honest and I had the best experience for my first catered event. This will be the only place I go to for catering, hands down.
5 - a r.: This place is just plain excellent.  Fresh, local, tasty combinations they've got everything from a melty, gooey brie panini to a healthy soup or salad, and some roasted veggies and glazed chicken or salmon to take home for dinner.  Let's not overlook the pastry section.  They've got cookies from chocolate chip to sugar with RAINBOW sprinkles, to a peanut butter chocolate combo that will have you coming back for a second.  Add to those a selection of freshly baked scones, muffins, and cupcakes, brownies, bars, a chocolate bread pudding, and even your more typical bagels with a variety of spreads.  Lastly, plenty of sauces, jams, granola and other treats to take home along with Capogiro's world famous gelato, bassett's ice cream and some others.  They also have la colombe coffee and a daily latte special.  To sum it up this is the one place in Philadelphia that I could survive off of for the rest of my time here and be entirely content.

ONE thing, though I know it's not possible, I wish so, so badly that they had tables and wifi so that one could study here.  It's probably for the best however...

$10 credit card minimum ! A sandwich and a cookie will run you just over so it's not likely to be a problem. And yes, that means that they are a tad more expensive than some other similar locations.
5 - Jack M.: I've had the pleasure of using Tracey's company to cater two events at my house. She's been amazingly flexible, helpful, and proactive every time I've worked with her. I've been able to host 50 person dinner parties for less than $20 per person, when I was looking to save a few bucks. My guests thought I'd easily spent twice that. The food is exceptional. Tracey's team is very professional and helpful. Finally, Tracey is a dream. I hope you'll use Bacchus when you have the chance, either to cater an event for you or pick up a quick meal. 

We should really be supporting more local, exceptional businesses like Tracey's. I plan on continue to do so!
5 - Rachel S.: I love love love this food. Tracey, the owner, is MORE than accommodating and very willing to work with each and every customer. I just graduated from grad school and used her to cater my party, and the food was PHENOMENAL. I didn't like the way a few of the things on the menu on the website sounded, so she changed them to suit my tastes better.

Everything she makes is so good, you don't realize how healthy you are eating as well. All of the salad, chicken, salmon, and other side dishes were just so good!

Please please use Bacchus if you have a party or anything else you want to have catered. The guy who came to deliver the food clearly looked like he and Tracey had been up all night cooking (which they had, considering it's graduation season... and, he said so :)), but he was so nice. He went through everything I had on the menu and showed me each food item, explaining if there was a sauce that went with something as well.

I cannot recommend Bacchus enough!!
4 - Daniel C.: I think this place catered a lunch at my workplace today.  I'm not totally sure because when I asked what the name of the catering company was the woman spoke very softly, and after asking her to repeat it three times I felt awkward and just pretended that I understood. But if this is the same caterer, their sesame noodles are amazing!
2 - Erica C.: We stopped in here for a bite on a beautiful Sunday afternoon and decided to share a sandwich. Before we ordered, one of the employees informed us that they were out of panini rolls but they could use multigrain bread. Fine with us. We ordered a turkey, brie, and apple butter sandwich. Sounded delicious on the menu, and while it was okay, it was nothing fantastic. It was NOTHING worth $8.95! I saw the size of the sandwich as she made it, and when I saw the price she rung up on the register, my mouth literally dropped open. We opened our sandwich to find half of it stuck to the foil, and some of the turkey cold. The ingredients were good, but nothing spectacular. For $10 and change for a tiny sandwich and bottle of water, we won't be back.

Back Alley Bikes - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9099073, -79.0641974) ()
5 - Kianna M.: The service here is amazing, the owner is really down to earth and friendly.  If you're waiting for a fairly quick repair like I was one day, he'll tell you stories about the locals on the block, which can be quite entertaining.  The store has recently moved into the space where The Merch use to be (and they've moved down the road a bit).  So if you're use to going down the alley, hold your horses and look closely through the glass & you'll see Jason or Leo working diligently on someones bike.  The prices for repairs etc. can't be beat by anyone in the area, that I'm aware of at this time.  They'll build a bike for you, with bike parts that they have in the store and sell it to you for a very reasonable price (Cash or Check only). The back wall of the store has posters of MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice & The Nelson's to name a few.   If you love bikes, being entertained while you wait a few minutes and great service then stop by Back Alley Bikes.
5 - Harry P.: Rebuilt my road bike and my mountain bike. Will trust my bikes to no others in the area.

Rob and Jason started up this little hole of a shop, but oh what a glorious hole it is. I heard about it from my neighbor who described them as "my guys". These guys won't bullshit you. They don't have a giant store that they need to keep slinging the latest wares of Trek or Specialized, so you can trust what they say. They're services are well priced and if it's something that would take like 5 secs to fix, they've fixed it for me no money asked.

Rob and Jason used to work at some local bike shops as mechanics and decided to do their own thing. Support these guys as they're good and just doing it for the love of bikes. They fix up and sell some used bikes and do consignment for others. I usually walk in and check out their wares. They've had some sweet bikes in there. Oh if only they were my size!
5 - Sean C.: Fantastically helpful and knowledgeable.

They have an improved space with an assortment of used bicycles for sale.

Goods and services are well priced. Craftsmanship, workmanship and general niceness are without reproach

They always take a minute to explain things.
2 - Oliver C.: I had a completely different experience at Back Alley during my one and only only visit. There were completely rude and dismissive. They practically laughed when i asked where tail lights were. They have very little inventory in accessories and those that they do have are overpriced. 

The only reason to go here is their selection of used bikes.
5 - William A.: Sweet selection of consignment bikes.

The BEST place to go to have any work done on your bike, they cater to everyone from people riding 3000k mountain bikes to commuting beaters with flat tires.
5 - Jennifer C.: I have an entry-level mtb that I use for commuting to school. On recommendation from a friend, I took it in to Back Alley Bikes to get my derailleur fixed.

They got it done many days before they said they would and charged me less than they originally quoted. I rode it today and sweet mary, it feels like a totally different bicycle. No longer does it kick my feet off the pedals when I change gears. No longer do I have to hold my gear shifter in place with my thumb to keep it from moving when I go bouncing over Durham's crappy roads.

Thanks to these guys, I arrive at school much happier and less sweaty than I used to.

It is true that they're not the most warm and friendly people I have ever met. But who cares; I'll take results over attitude any day.
5 - Spence F.: I have had nothing but good results from their work and I have used them probably 5 or more times in the past couple of years. They have never been condescending to either myself or my spouse.

Recommended highly.
4 - Mike O.: Friendly, super helpful, honest staff. These people not only want your business, they want you to know that you can run a business with integrity. Came in around the flurry of semester-bike-buying-madness and got some helpful advice and honest answers. If you're looking for a great, cheap bike here, it's about luck, and you're probably best off going at the end of semesters when people don't want to ride in the cold, or when the school year is over. The potential downside of this place is the limited staff for all the customers who want the great service (that and the metal music blasting in the background when I visited there...ugh). Of all the bike places in the CH/Carrboro area, this is my place.
5 - Dan W.: One of the best places in town to buy a good used bike or a new and affordable Kona or Surly.  Great mechanics, friendly too.  Can't go wrong.

Back Bay Acupuncture & Massage - Boston, MA (42.353603, -71.080456) (Back Bay)
5 - Bacon M.: I've been seeing Stephanie for three years, and think she's just plain awesome. When I first saw her, it was as a last resort before going to see a doctor; my back was so messed up I could barely walk. One session later, I felt incredibly better. 

More recently, I've started seeing David for acupuncture, and his gua sha and cupping have been a really effective complement to Stephanie's massage.

Both Stephanie and David are alumni of Boston Bodyworker, so you can read some older reviews of them over on the Boston Bodyworker yelp page. Stuff like "I've never gotten a better massage, and Stephanie is about the nicest person ever." and "Stephanie is definitely THE person you want working on you." and "I have to give a shoutout to Dave A., who's helped me with what I thought was unavoidable lower back and hip pain." 

Basically, they're like bacon. If you don't just plain love them, there's probably something wrong with you. (Or your back is a vegetarian and therefore deserves to suffer.)

In addition to the service itself, the general atmosphere of the place is comfortable, relaxed, and friendly. And the online scheduler is extremely convenient.
5 - Katie R.: I normally don't write Yelp reviews, but I have to spread the joy of Stephanie's massages - yes, they're THAT good.  I've had constant tension in my neck for as long as I can remember, and have always sought out a massage therapist who will focus on getting the knots out of my back rather than playing the right soft music or using the right aromatic oil.  

Stephanie will find out what your needs are, how much pressure is comfortable, and will leave you feeling rejuvenated!  Her technique is incredible and she's always able to relieve the tension in my neck and shoulders.  Simply put, these are the best massages I've ever had, and Stephanie is an incredibly sweet person to boot.

Oh, and did I mention that there's a discount if you have health insurance as well as a no tipping policy?  It doesn't get any better!

As another reviewer mentioned, Stephanie and David are alumni of Boston Bodyworker so if you want to read more 5-star reviews you can check that out as well.
5 - randi w.: A Western doc suggested I try acupuncture for a shoulder problem.  Off I wemt to see David Appleton, who conducted one of the most thorough medical histories I've ever encountererd. 

I've followed David Appleton from Boston Bodyworker to Boston Massage and Acupuncture to Back Bay Acupuncture and Massage, overlooking the Charles River.  There is no finer acupuncture to be had in the area.  David diagnoses and treats what you need even before you can articulate it.  Take home selfcare instructions are a plus.  .

If you are even tkinking about giving acupuncture a try you owe it to yourself to contact David.
5 - Janet S.: I have been to several acupuncturist, but keep going back to David. I have had Multiple Sclerosis since 1996. He has treated me with both needles and herbs. Very knowledgeable about the body, diet  and how the seasons affect ones health.  Great guy and easy to talk with. If you are unsure of the treatment he is giving you, just ask him what it is all about.

Back Bay Dental Care - Boston, MA (42.3499325, -71.0938369) ()
5 - Morgan F.: I have been told by several doctors that I have "really sensative, prone to decay teeth" and in the process have had about 7 root canals. I am sure NONE of this had to do with the fact that I used to drink 3 cans of sprite a day, eat TONS of candy and for about a week in 4th grade when I went to summer camp, not brush my teeth at all because it was "not cool".

My OLD dentist was really bad at being proactive about things, he would let cavaties become big enough that they were then ripe for him to charge me lots to fix. NOT AT BACK BAY, I have been to just about everyone in the house (at least 4/5 doctors) and they helped me treat everything so that now I just have to go in for regular teeth cleanings.

Oh, and the lady who does the cleanings is a kick, she is obsessed with Barbara Streisand and will tell you how she toured the world to see her. 

Also, the women at the front desk are entertaining too!

So, in conclusion, if you want great dental service that is ALSO entertaining, head here!
2 - Lauren F.: yikes. yikes yikes yikes. 

let me begin by saying that i spent the majority of my childhood in the dentist's chair. i had braces at 7, and now, in my mid twenties, i have had a grand total of 37 fillings. that's right, my friends. i am a dentist's wet dream. 

having said that, i like to think i know the ins and outs of good dentistry. holy mother of god, back bay dental is no good. 

i made an appointment here about two years ago when i noticed my wisdom teeth were growing in. it was the first appointment i had made with anyone other than my primary dentist, but the reviews were pretty good and i was anticipating a good experience. everything started out well enough, with a super friendly receptionist and x-ray technician doing their thing as expected. then i met the hygienist. here's where the yikes begin. 

if this woman was not hitting the nitrous in the back before i came in... well, she was. i'm sure of it. there's just no other way to explain her glassy eyes, slurred speech, stumbling around (honest), and non-sequiter attempts at conversation. this lady was properly jacked. i was tempted to feign illness and escape at this point, but they already had my $20 co-pay, so i decided to stick it out. 

enter the dentist. the highlight of my interaction with this man began when i told him i made the appointment because my wisdom teeth were coming in, at which point he retorted -- without even having looked at my teeth yet -- "no they're not." 

excuse me? what, then, are the hard, white, tooth-like objects erupting from my gums? this he did not have an answer for. he merely argued that my x-rays didn't show wisdom teeth; therefore, there were no wisdom teeth in my mouth. did i mention that he hadn't looked at my teeth yet? 

upon actually doing so, he shrugged his shoulders, said "your wisdom teeth are coming in," did a half-assed job of cleaning my teeth (i had to go to another dentist two weeks later), told me i had four cavities, and sent me home with a fee assessment of the work i would need done to fill my cavities, the grand total of which was: $4,000. 

once again, i know cavities. $4,000? i think not, tooth-man. i think not. 

but wait, there's more. not only did this place make me want to go crawling back to my old dentist, it introduced me to the concept of voicemail spam. apparently my single visit was enough to get my digits put on their auto-harass list. two years later, i STILL get a phone call from their automatic message ONCE A WEEK reminding me to come back. come baaaaack. and i can't get taken off the damn list. i have tried. 

the only reason i gave this place two stars instead of one is because the receptionist was so nice. suffice it to say, i would not touch back bay dental with a ten-foot pole. this place has malpractice written all over it.
1 - W D.: These guys are hustlers. Do not go there. 

I went there for a couple cleanings and had more "cavities" than I have had in my entire life. They used some fancy-smancy gun that supposedly detected decay below the surface of the tooth, and made me come back in for more than ten fillings. When I went in for the fillings, they used the cosmetic white filling without asking me. I really took it in the ass on the bill because my insurance doesn't cover that stuff. My next visit (I had to schedule two visits because I had "cavities" on my top and bottom rows) I asked them to use the regular metal filling. The dentist (I can't recall his name) told me he didn't want to! He said he didn't like to use it because it contained mercury, which puzzled me because I already have some in my MOUTH! After a frustrating conversation during which he refused to pay for the difference between the white and metal fillings, he grudgingly put the poisonous metal in my molars.

My brother went to this dentist and got the same diagnosis -- a shit load of cavities. He went to another dentist for a second opinion, who told him he didn't have any cavities. Draw your own conclusions, but I think I was ripped off. I haven't had a single cavity since, and my teeth have not rotted out of my head. On the bright side, I have nice white fillings on the top row of my teeth, so you won't be able to tell I have any fillings if you ever catch me hanging upside down on a jungle gym with my mouth open.
1 - Ryan D.: These bastards diagnosed me with more cavities than I've ever had in my life, installed white fillings that were not covered by my insurance and that I didn't ask for, and years after I cut all ties with this place, they still bombard me with pre-recorded telemarketing phone calls.
4 - T L.: This place is by far the best dentist I have ever been to, hands down. I only give them 4 stars because when I see other dentists other than Jack Klausner, I have not been as happy with this place, however, he is fantastic. 
I went to him to start because I was grinding my teeth, and this was exposed when I had some work done at another denists office, and when I PAGED the other dentist (on Common St in Belmont) due to the amount of pain I was in, I got no response. New dentist time! 

So I went to Jack, and now I dont loathe going to the dentist anymore. He is a practitioner of pain free and stress free dentistry. And I have loathed and hated going to the dentist my entire life. 

They use all the latest technology, ask lots of questions, are incredibly responsive and caring and decent. I'm sad he is going to retire sometime in the next couple years. 

To the person who gave this place bad reviews because of wanting mercury fillings: clearly you'd rather be dead than spend some money. Yes its more expensive to put non-mercury fillings in your mouth, and yes the insurance industry is a huge scam, but maybe you should read up on what mercury can do to your body before smacking a place that cares more about you than you do.
1 - Karmen C.: I have bad, bad teeth. I've been to my fair share of dentists and this place seemed OK at first. My cleaning was OK, the receptionists are nice and informative. They sit you down and go through the treatment plan with you so you know what to expect.

The reason why I am giving this place a one star review is because of my experience this past Saturday. I made a Yelp account just so I could spread the negative word-of-mouth on this place. 

I went in for four fillings with Dr. Mathew. I feel a little bit bad for naming him here but I also feel that if you're going to pay so much money for a service that involves your health, then everyone deserves a fair warning. I only wish I read the other Yelp reviews before going to Back Bay Dental.

The drilling was actually painless. I didn't feel a thing. But I think he might have given me too much novocaine since it took SIX HOURS for it to wear off after the procedure. I'm no expert but something tells me this isn't normal. He had a huge problem trying to scrape off the extra filling/bonding material. At one point he was pushing my bottom lip against my bottom teeth so hard that I thought my teeth were going to cave in. The scraping was really horrific, it made ungodly noises and I thought he was going to chip a tooth. And I suspect he did so. One of my teeth now feels really rough, like some surface enamel had been scraped away. Also, the biggest problem is that I now cannot get floss in between two of my teeth in the back. Again, I'm no expert but I don't think this is normal at all. 

I just gave them a call and the receptionist said that sometimes fillings can "move" so I have to go in for a bite adjustment. I also mentioned my  "chipped" tooth and she didn't say anything about that. I already paid for some other fillings so I asked to be switched to another dentist but honestly, I just don't want to go back here anymore. I'm going to try to ask for a refund.

This was kind of long-winded but again, I think everyone should be forewarned about this place. Just because it's in a swank neighborhood doesn't mean it is great because I, and the other reviewers here for the most part, have learned the hard way.
4 - alex l.: I have always had a good experience here.  I have a mouthload of cavities and have had numerous root canals.  I saw Dr. Klausner here who filled some cavities and did 2 crowns for me.  The endodontist woman there isn't overly friendly but she numbed me up and i didn't feel a thing and that is most important to me.  The front desk staff are a little pushy ....for instance I went in for an evaluation with dr. matthews(who i would totally trust) for a nice set of veneers and they were trying to get me to commit then and there after i clearly stated i wasn't in the financial position to do it then but when i was ready i just wanted to be confident that i had a good dentist to do it..  I also talked to then about changing some silver fillings to white ones but wanted to wait b/c of the $700 price tag and they are just overly pushy with trying to get you to commit.  But other than that I had a good experience with the dental staff here and i would go back.
4 - Stacy K.: I'm extremely squeamish when it comes to any sort of medical procedure, and have been so pleased with the service I've received at Back Bay Dental. The staff is very friendly and kind, and they're careful to check often whether or not you're doing okay with the procedures. 

I recently had to have my first filling at this location (my only previous one had been with my pediatric dentist back in NJ) and got nervous at the prospect of Novocain and needles. The doctor took a look at the situation and said we'd be able to get by without it, and he was right! The drilling was over in under a minute, with only minor discomfort. I've also had regular cleanings and bonding done in this office, and both went well.

They're very high-tech, too, which is pretty cool. They check for cavities with a laser and have temper-pedic cushions on their exam chairs.  They also let you listen to your iPod while your having procedures done, which is a nice touch.

I'm giving them 4 stars instead of 5 because the first doctor I saw there pushed veneers pretty hardcore, even though I don't think I need them and can't afford the expense anyway. I've since switch to another doctor who's never mentioned them at all.

Kinda still wish I didn't have to go to the dentist at all, but you've gotta do what you've gotta do, I guess....
3 - Lynda M.: I guess my husband will have to find a new dentist!

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/07/three_injured_1.html
4 - Greg H.: i've been happy with the care here for the most part, although for some reason i end up paying more here out of pocket, compared to other places... even though i've had the same dental plan.

the hygienists here have been pretty good (not too bad ito pain factor), and i've had good experiences with all dentists... except dr.klausner.  that guy can inflict a lot of pain.  when you wince, he asks if you're okay, then just carries on with torture (so why does he bother asking).  

i last had an appointment here in the spring.  is this place still operating after the fire?  their website makes no mention of anything.
4 - Ben Z.: I was really overdue for my cleaning. At work they told me to go to Back Bay Dental Work since they take our MetLife plan and the insurance really works well there. The office really looks real nice and very clean. 

I printed the health questionnaire from their website, a real time-saver, but when I rushed to the appointment, I forgot to bring it. I told them I had no medical problems, but they would not see me until filled out the health questionnaire again. It took me almost twenty minutes to complete, so there was not enough time to get my cleaning. Instead, I had x-rays and a checkup. 
The dentist who checked me, Dr. Pham, was pleasant and asked if the wisdom tooth on the left side ever bothers me. I said that about every 5-6 weeks, the gums around the tooth get swollen and painful. When this happens, I take Advil, garlic pills and lots of hot green tea until it gets better. The area also bleeds when I brush back there, so I brush around it. Dr. Pham said that I could have the tooth removed with sedation. I have been advised this before, but it is my one and only wisdom tooth and I want to hold on to it. Not that I am afraid, which I am a little, but I believe that there must be some good reasons that they were put there and that they call them "wisdom" teeth. I will spare details about the tooth I broke in the back on the upper right side last summer while chewing on ice.
My philosophy is that when it comes to dentists, if it does not hurt, leave it alone. I had to come back another time and had an absolutely great hygienist clean my teeth and they now feel cleaner then I ever remember.  I will definitely go back to see Kaitlyn for a cleaning in April and I will  see Dr. Pham if I ever have a real problem.
2 - Sen M.: Great receptionists but they do cancel your appointments a minute before. One hygienist was great and thorough but my last one was lazy lazy. They do suggest unescessary and very expensive treatments. Beware.
5 - Jeanne M.: The entire team at Back Bay is phenomenal!  I had avoided the dentist chair for many years for fear of dental procedures, I am now a couple of procedures from getting my oral health to near normal and actually look forward to going in for the treatments, not only are my fears alleviated, having regular checks enhance overall good health. My hat off to all of the dentists, hygenists and receptions at Back Bay.
5 - Tchad R.: I had my first visit at Back Bay Dental Care today and saw Dr. Bufo. I had a great experience (as far as dental appointments go, anyway). Everyone was friendly and professional. They explained exactly what they were doing and why for each step, and generally made me feel completely comfortable. I don't have dental insurance, so I paid out-of-pocket for my visit and the bill was reasonable for all of the services performed. Bottom line: I recommend Dr. Bufo and Back Bay Dental Care.
4 - Kimberly T.: Like some fellow reviewers, I was overdue for a cleaning and am not particularly fond of the dentist. I live right down the road from Back Bay Dental and finally years after walking past their office, one snowy afternoon my boyfriend and I decided to stop in and see if they took our insurance provider.

We scheduled appointments and a few weeks later we were both in to see the doctors. The day of my appointment there was some confusion and I arrived to the office, no answer at the door or on the phone. Luckily living nearby, I walked home and before I even got settled at home, the rather short and snippy receptionist called to remind me of my appointment. It was a little suspicious, but I walked back and was promptly seen. Catherine was wonderful and despite her rummaging and cleaning my pearly whites we had a great conversation. Dr. Perdomo was next and albeit a brief encounter, he was very nice, explained my x-rays to me and sent me on my way with the usual: brush more, floss more, come back in 6 months and then the dreaded: Go see an oral surgeon for a consult about your four wisdom teeth. GAH.

Needless to say I'm anxious about it the oral surgeon at a later date, but overall my experience at Back Bay Dental was great. The hygienist and the dentist were nice, the facility was clean and new, so I will definitely be going back.
1 - Megan E.: Maybe it's not fair for me to leave a review since I was not actually seen... but that's kind of the point. Their website promises 7 day a week availability for emergency appointments. I just (Friday night) cracked a crown in the front of my mouth and look like a jack-o-lantern... I'd say this was an emergency. However when I called their number the receptionist said that they actually DON'T have a doctor on call and offered to set me up with an appointment on Monday. She couldn't think of anyone to refer me to either. This flies in the face of the promises they make on their website (which I'm pasting below). Ugh.

FROM THEIR WEBSITE:

Do You Have a Dental Emergency?
We have a dentist on call to deal with any dental emergency --7 days a week--including weekends and holidays.


When calling our office after hours, you will be directed to the dentist on call. You will be able to speak directly to the dentist or a dental staff member - not an answering service.


You'll get an immediate response to any dental emergency. No more waiting and suffering!
Broken teeth, lost crowns, abscesses, lost teeth, root canals, and tooth pain can all be dental emergencies. And you shouldn't have to wait to get them taken care of.


Toothaches and dental emergencies don't know if it's the weekend or a holiday. That's why we make sure to have an emergency dentist on call.

Back Bay Galleria Cleaners - Boston, MA (42.3504417, -71.0894587) (Back Bay)
1 - Emmy G.: Honestly....I joined yelp just so that I could warn everyone about this horrible cleaners.  I began using their wash-dry-fold laundry service after my old cleaners went out of business.  Back Bay Galleria was extremely cheap but NOT WORTH THE SAVINGS.  I picked up my clothes one day and everything was dyed blue....and they still made me pay for it.  Everytime I was in there, someone was complaining to them.  They are the most inexpensive place in town....for a reason.....stay away.
3 - Suzanne M.: We've been going here for years. They lost a tablecloth, but that's about it. 

10% discount for students. Great wash/dry/fold and dry cleaning prices. No delivery but great service!
4 - Ryan K.: affordable dry-cleaning for students. They missed a deadline for me once on a suit, but I haven't had any other problems with them. Not the fastest (next-day service can get swamped at times), but at least they'll be honest and suggest that you try your luck elsewhere.
3 - Nana J.: Pro: location, cost (about $5 for pants, jackets), speed (most items ready next evening), nice staff

Con: Haven't run into any yet. I hope they don't lose my clothes (like in other reviews).
2 - Denis A.: Horrible. They are very cheap, which is why I went there. They did my dress shorts fine, but I don't think they used soap for my laundry. Most items still looked dirty, and several items were extremely wrinkled. Will not return.
1 - J K.: DO NOT GO HERE!!!!
For awhile, they did an okay job for us.  They ruined a few suits by pressing them on high heat even after we specifically requested low heat.  But that was not the worst thing.

I took a *BRAND* new Tory Burch dress to have it cleaned here.  When I went to pick it up, I noticed that the entire dress (blue and white) had become faded blue and light brown, dark brown around the sleeves and edges.  Also, the v-neck was completely ripped apart.  When I brough this to the owner's attention, she told me that I ripped it, and that the color ran and it's not their fault.  I insisted that they reclean it and fix the ripped edges.  After arguing with me, she reluctantly agreed to redo it.

I went back several times - the brown never came out.  She also did an amateur job sewing the v-neck.  When I told her the dress was brand new and this was a result of her dry cleaning, she was very mean to me, denying everything, telling me it was my fault.

I am a reasonable person and can forgive the fact that they completely ruined my dress.  I cannot forgive the horrible treatment I received from the owner.

I would steer anyone away from this horrible, terrible business that doesn't care about their customers.  Do not go here, you will regret it.
1 - sarah s.: I'm not sure where to start - as my issues are endless - but BEWARE - DO NOT GO HERE.  This place just happens to be a stones throw from my abode - so I gave them my business for a LONGG time - even after having multiple HORRIBE experiences. 

First of all- I came to the conclusion that they don't really clean your 'dry clean only' clothes - every time they came back the spots were still there... don't get me wrong - I know sometimes stains can be stubborn but not consistently. I had a few spats with the moron behind the desk but her language barrier seemed to work to her advantage EVERYTIME and I never got them to clean something again without a fee.

 I won't go through each and every issue but I no longer bring ANYTHING here because while "dry cleaning" a brand new skirt of mine the hem came out.  I brought it back and was called a "liar" and they refused to fix it for me unless I paid $16 for them to re-sew the hem. After a heated argument it became apparent that this place isn't even worth the convenience anymore and I have since brought my business elsewhere. Save your time and your money (I think it is super overpriced) this place SUCKS.
1 - Christine S.: DO NOT GO HERE! This place is awful. I have been bringing my laundry and dry cleaning here for some time now, only  because the location is convenient.  I have had more awful experiences than I can count.  

#1) They've lost countless items of mine, including a Ralph Lauren queen sized sheet probably the most annoying of all.  They will never replace lost items.  More on communicating about lost items to follow...

#2) Awful job with Wash and Fold:  On more than one occasion they have dyed my clothes in their wash and fold service. The funny thing?  I SEPARATE MY CLOTHES FOR THEM.  This means that when I drop off clothes, I drop off a bag of Whites, a bag of Colors, and a bag of Delicate/Gentle darks.  I suspect that they take all my bags, and throw them into an oversized washer on HOT with 10 other people's clothes and dump in some stop and shop brand detergent.  Maybe that will explain why my stuff's always missing and I ALWAYS get someone else's socks or underwear in my wash. No joke, every time. 

#3) Terrible Dry Cleaning:  I've gotten back lightly worn suits that are just NOT clean. I swear, they take them into the alley way in the back, spray them with some febreeze, throw a bag over it and call it a day.  That is, if you're lucky enough to get your clothing back undamaged, IF AT ALL (see #1).  Sometimes things come back with missing hems or, my favorite, missing buttons.  

 #4) Communication:  They flat out don't speak English.  So if English is your primary method of communication, move on from this place.   This is very helpful when they lose things.  Just try and talk to them or ask them about it - I dare you.  No matter what your approach - be it polite, angry, upset, business-like and firm, whatever - they will act either dumb and unable to understand English (the woman) or angry and hostile and call you a liar (the man).  It is virtually impossible to communicate with these people.

#5) Finally, price: Whoever said it was cheap is wrong. Perhaps with a student discount but honestly, it's not that cheap at all.  I would drop off wash and fold and dry cleaning and walk out of there spending $75 at times.  Their rates are higher than most wash and fold places and they charge $15 to patch jeans, $5 a button and dry cleaning a suit is also not cheap at all.  Whatever, the point is that it's worth going somewhere slightly more expensive and guaranteeing that your clothes won't be destroyed or lost. Period.
4 - Jimmy B.: This place gets the job done.  I've had every single one of my shirts laundered here for the past 3 years with no problems.  I also use the wash and fold for all my laundry and have had no issues.  $11 for a huge bag of clothes is a great deal!
1 - Raoul C.: Bad bad bad, these fools left rust/weird splotchy stains on my white shirts.  They were new, yo.

The lady managing the place seems nice enough, but was ultra-stingy with my wash per pound situation.  Hit up Dependable Cleaners on Newbury instead, they have an amazing turnaround time and your clothes will thank you.  I'm still trying to bleach the heck out of my soiled goods :(
1 - Rachel S.: THIS DRY CLEANERS IS AWFUL!!!  I went there once because of the student discount, and they nearly lost a really expensive blanket of mine!  When I went to pick it up they tried to give me someone else's comforter (my blanket is blue and brown, not a white down comforter).  I had to go back two more times until they finally found it.  Plus, the pants I had cleaned with the blanket were ironed improperly with the bottoms wrinkled and my back pocket flaps ironed in the wrong direction.  It was so expensive and they refused to give me their advertised student discount.  NEVER GO THERE.
1 - Yu L.: it is true, I think they do take your stuff in the back alley way and dust it and perhaps spray some stains.

I only went there once. while i was picking up, someone in front of me was complaining about a ripped sweater. 
My coat came out with new stains.
1 - Glenn C.: They used to be right near my house in Brighton so I though may as well use them. Well I brought 2 jackets to be cleaned and mended. I put them in for service on a Thursday and they said they would be ready the following thursday. I went  to pick my jackets up then and when I got to the store they were all moved out and there was a note on the door saying they moved to 29 mass Ave. I cant believe they didnt tell me they were moving when i dropped my jackets off. To top it all off, after picking up my items and getting them back home I discovered the biggest tear under the arm of 1 jacket wasnt even touched! I though about bringing it back but it is so far out of my way and you cant get there easy from public transportation, which the main reason I selected them from the start was because of their location near my house.Looking at all these negative comments makes me wish I read these reviews before I Galleria.

Back Bay Laundromat - Boston, MA (42.350359, -71.088886) (Back Bay)
2 - Patrick C.: Down the street from my old apartment. It was really nasty down there, and semi-expensive at like $10 for the whole wash/dry experience.
3 - Matthew A.: Uhm.. well, I gave this place an OK because it serves it purpose and def gets the job done. I live close so I walk my laundry over and the employees are always very nice and friendly towards me. The wash and dry experience is kind of expensive, but this is BACK BAY, Boston. Every effin thing around is expensive. So if you're looking for super cheap, this isn't your place. I'm a broke college student and i maintain just fine going here.

Concluzzzion: Good/ Serves Purpose / ?Expensive?
3 - Emily A.: Agree with the other reviewers, better than not having a laudromat at all, but dang it's expensive!

Wash costs currently: $3.75 for 1/2 load washer, $4.25 for regular, and $5.25 for double-ish load.

Short of driving out to Brighton, which I used to do to visit the Laundromax (which got more expensive under new ownership), you don't have much choice buy to pay high prices in this area. 

It has newer equipment than the Charles St laundromat. The employees have been nice and helpful. It can get a bit tight on space when it's busy, but I'm able to go during the day weekdays, so I haven't had too much trouble. 

Machines here only takes quarters- no laundry cards, so bring plenty of cash for the change machine!
3 - Denis A.: Yeah, the building is crummy, and the prices are a little much to wash/dry. But let's remember that they are in the Back Bay on Marlborough St.; not exactly cheap real estate.

They have three sized washers and big dryers.  I've done some dry-cleaning with them, and they did a great job with that.  They also have a laundry service and do clothes repairs.  And their washers and dryers do the job just fine.

Bring your own soap, or buy some there.  Also, they do have a change machine that can take up to a $20 bill.
4 - Keith T.: Currently, washers are like 4.50-6.50 depending on the size and dryers are 0.25 per 4 min.  I'll try and double-check the prices next time I wash and then update.  I think the washers run for something like 20 minutes.

I'm used to having a washer and dryer in the basement for like 1.50 per wash and 1.50 per dry.  But I moved to an apartment without a washer/dryer (I'm told it's fairly common here).  At first I tried laundry service, but the best you'll find is something like 1.25/lb for that.  And depending on the provider, you may have to wait around for pickups and/or service fees and minimum loads.

So although the prices are high compared to normal laundry-in-building prices, it's much cheaper than laundry service (I'd guess that my most recent wash was about $14 here vs what would've been about $40 for laundry service).  And you have a lot better control, so you can make sure to get your clothes as clean and soft as you care to.

As for this place as a laundromat - the machines work pretty well and pretty quickly.  I've never had to wait for a machine to be available.  I'd rather that the washers ran a little longer.  There are two or three benches to sit, ample carts, ample counters, and a handy back door.  The change machine takes up to $20 bills and hasn't been out of change when I've gone.

Back Country Ski & Sports - Blacksburg, VA (37.1853309, -80.4089874) ()
1 - Patrick M.: Avoid this place at all costs, it sells everything at MSRP, which is way over what the same stuff sells for on the internet and other stores.
5 - Dave H.: We are a Back Country family for life.  It's a 4 hour drive for us, but there is no other outfitter that compares.  We continue to go back because we get to talk with experts who not only know their products, but people that use them.  You don't get BS when you shop here; you leave with the RIGHT gear..   No upselling, just what fits your needs.  You can tell the employees enjoy the outdoors and believe in the quality products.  It's genuine customer service and the expert knowledge that differentiates.  .  

Thanks for the sick Moto boots for last season's snowboarding; they really made a difference and fit my riding style perfectly.  We'll be back soon to gear up for the winter!

Back Door Cd's Records and Tapes - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9143159, -79.0555815) ()
5 - Rod O.: S M A LL!  Size is definitively part of the Charm here!  Definitely! !! !!! You might be able to fit 6 close friends in here at one time (or a dozen Cools), it is tight and cool, with Cd's, DVD's and some Vinyl too!

Though small there is still a lot of merchandise here!  Of course he is playing something cool that I have never heard!  Don't you love visiting a music store and hearing and buying your next favorite and Yes this guy knows Music!

Back On Track Physical Therapy - Cambridge, MA (42.371967, -71.122983) (Harvard Square)
5 - marie c.: Jaime was AMAZING.  I had some problems with my hip  (Yes, I'm secretly a 78 year old), and I went and saw Jaime and it was just an absolutely wonderful experience.

I've never had PT before, but I learned a lot of great stretches and exercises.  In about 6 or 7 visits, I went from walking being painful, to being able to use the elliptical again (albeit for only a few minutes at at time).

I really felt like Jaime gave me everything I needed to recover, and once she felt I was solidly on my way, she told me I was all set and that I could do the rest of it on my own.  I really appreciated her honesty about closing my case, and saving me the time and the money!

Another big plus in my book was that it was easy to get an appointment at Back on Track, and the location is really convenient for those of us without cars (right in the Charles Hotel complex, actually in the Wellbridge), just a few minutes from the T at Harvard Square.
3 - Eric H.: Be advised:  This is not a real, full service PT clinic - this is a one-person, one-room operation inside a beautiful upscale health club in Harvard square.  Parking is never easy unless you are willing to pay, in which case it is easy and abundant.

My PT session was not long enough for critical analysis.

Let it be known:  I am a BIG fan of Back On Track in Brookline.
1 - Penelope C.: Be Careful!  

My therapist here was good, but the people who work in reception & billing really messed things up for me.  They canceled my first appointment 30 mins.  before I was meant to arrive, then when I was 10 mins late to the second appointment, they refused to see me.  They don't know what they are doing with insurance.  They ordered too many appointments, appointments I did not need and the had obviously NOT consulted my therapist about.  This messed up my insurance & will end up costing me a lot of money.

STAY AWAY!!!!!!!!!!  go somewhere with professionals who will deal with your personal information with respect.

Backroom Pizza - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2748579, -83.7346011) (South University Ann Arbor)
4 - Andrew L.: Backroom Pizza is a little treasure that Freshmen will find as they drunkenly walk back to their dorms after a night of partying. Down the road, they will realize that it will become a staple of their post-partying adventures; and for this Senior, it most certainly has.

Everyone gets a bit hungry after trying to push through crowds of people at house parties, or making a trek to a hot spot, or even playing a tough game of beer pong. For those looking to get their munch on for less than $2 a slice, Backroom pizza is the place to be. 

The pizza is surprisingly good for such a cheap price; and that's while tasting it sober! So you know it seems like a culinary oasis when there's nothing but carbonation and hops in your liver. 

The employees are quick and there never seems to be a shortage of pizza. You might even tip them a little extra because their service, the pizza, and the satisfaction was spectacular.

The only downfall is that this place is tiny, which means the lines can become incredibly long. The good news is that the service is quick, and they always have pizza ready. So if you're patient, you'll get your pizza in no time.

Also, I'm not sure if they accept credit/debit cards. At a price so cheap though, I don't see who would offer. I've never tried to pay with anything else but cash. So just make sure to have cash handy. 

Cheap, quick, and delicious. After a night of fun, no matter where home is, stumble on down to Backroom for some surprisingly good pizza. Just make sure it doesn't come back up before the night is over you inexperienced Freshmen!
4 - Amy N.: I discovered this place one drunken night coming home from a party as well.  All I did was follow where my nose was leading me.  I don't know if it was the effects of alcohol that enhanced my tastebuds but Backroom Pizza is probably one of my top choices for tasty, cheap pizza.  It's opened late and so if it's 3 am and you swear you will murder someone if you don't get food ASAP (always the case for me), then you can always count on Backroom.  

There usually is a long line of drunk, hungry, rowdy college kids so it's quite an endeavor to get past the line but the reward is well worth it.  Come right before they close and sometimes the nice staff there will even give you a whole pizza pie for a few bucks!

I reccomend sprinkling on a load of parmesan cheese and chili flakes to further enhance the flavor.  I have to warn you, the grease literally drips from the pizza crust and will make your napkin transparent.  I had it when I was sober and I felt quite sick after, but when you're drunk, who gives a damn.
5 - John R.: I'm so glad to see this place is still here!  I had heard that Backroom and the Brown Jug had closed down years ago - they're a cornerstone of my undergrad education.  Backroom and Brown Jug share a kitchen and are on cross streets.  If you're checking out Ann Arbor yelp reviews you already know all about Backroom, what else is there to add?  It's cheap, it's HOT, it's basic, and it's ready when you need a slice in a hurry.
4 - Sarah W.: Good, quick and cheap pizza! That's what we like to hear.

I first started coming here when pizza was $1 a slice. Affordable, yes. But even when you didn't have a dollar you could still scrounge around in your car and find that much change to get yourself some food. It's still super cheap to get a slice of pizza here.

This is the best place to come after your night out and you have drank almost all the cash out of your wallet. Grab a slice, sit on the table outside if there is room and prepare to watch all the spent people dragging themselves home or getting pizza. Usually lots of drama unfolding here. Excellent entertainment.
3 - Michael C.: Backroom? Meh!

I was never impressed with Backroom once I sobered up. Honestly kids, if it only tastes good when you're wasted, then it's probably not good. In fact,  aren't most things like this?

When the pizza dough is slimy, you know, when you go to bite into a piece and you notice that the bottom of the slice is as greasy as the top, then it's going to be rough the next morning after that goes through you. That I know for a fact.

Still, I too have fallen victim to the siren song of Backroom on a stumble from the bar. I can't knock them too bad when they're not charging an arm and a leg for their pizza, and at least for the moment I was content.
4 - Foxy M.: This is not your average after hours grab a bite pizza spot.  Bar hoppers walk from all over the U of M campus to get a slice of this piece of heaven after a night out.  This isn't a dine in place, you simply wait in line FOREVER smelling ooey goodness, grab a slice of whatever they just pulled out of the oven, and sit down on a picnic bench outside, or walk and eat.  I not only love the pizza, but am FORCED to go here every time I visit by friends that need their fix!  It might be the fact that most people grabbing a piece of backroom's pizza is because they had a night of drinking and are craving some sort of food.  Still....its one of the only places open serving food at that hour.  I recommend stopping by if you've just walked around the corner from a night out.
3 - Tyler B.: Backroom pizza is synonymous with being drunk and young in Ann Arbor. And while I am still a drunk, I am no longer young.  This may be lamentable on several levels, but being able to only afford Backroom after the bar is not one of them.

Don't get me wrong, its not hyperbole to say that 2 well timed slices of Backroom saved my life more than once. Its cheap and available - the two most important things people look for at 2am.  But as I get a little on in years and a little more cash in my pocket, I can spurn the Backroom for the much tastier (albeit more expensive) NYPD. 

I'd be remiss not to give a nod to the pizza of the proletariat however.  Thanks Backroom.  Keep on soaking up the booze in the stomachs of undergrads.  You're doing god's work.
4 - Parisa K.: Backroom is best for late night, un-sober pizza.  It's actually good anytime of the day, however.  It's not anything special.  But it's good and cheap.  You get a slice of cheese or pepperoni, which you can top with a handful of things like Parmesan, lemon pepper, oregano, etc., but there isn't really much else.  You cannot go there and expect much.  If you do, you'll be disappointed as soon as you walk in the door and realize there is nothing to the place but a counter to order and pay at.  But there is something about the greasy pizza that will draw you back to Backroom again and again.
5 - Eric C.: Every town has it's absolutely scrumptuous cheap late night pizza place where most of the revenue is made between 1:30 and 3:00 AM.  The gold standard of these is Backroom pizza.  Every town in America that has ever served a beer deserves to have this quality of pizza.  It's cheap, so the undergrads are happy.  It's near Rick's so many of the grad students are happy too.

Also, if you can persuade your server in the Brown Jug you can get them to sneak you pizza through the kitchen.
4 - Richard L.: great if you are looking for a late night fix after rick's/the jug/charley's and don't have the budget to go to btb cantina or panchero's

just a warning: the crust is made of an 85% cardboard mix..but for $1 a slice ($1.25 pepperoni), i can see past that

and if i remember correctly, they also accept credit cards...even on $1 purchases.  i felt like such a dbag when i whipped out the tcf card, but meh...what can you do
4 - Eric M.: Whether you're walking around campus and looking for a bite, coming back from a (hopefully) big win and need some energy, or wandering home drunk after a crazy night Backroom is the best pizza you will find. The crust is salty enough to provide some flavor, the cheese is melted perfectly, and you can't beat the price.
2 - Jonas L.: As many people have said, one reason for this place's existence is to dispense fat and carb that soak up alcohol. My reason for this place's existence, though, is for that time of the month when I run out of money and all I can afford are their $1 pizzas.

Probably shouldn't go here otherwise.
3 - Dave R.: An institution.  Pies based on the recipe from partner store The Brown Jug (they share a kitchen).

Dollar for a cheese slice made a great meal on the way to class or drunk off my a**.  

Only complaint is for false advertising: they NEVER had the "bagel dogs" on their menu.  I remember going back every day for a week, asking for bagel dogs, and being laughed at like I was on the outside of a big joke!

Great service and faster food than just about any place in town.
4 - Erin G.: $1 cheese slices, $1.50 pepperoni, and not much else. It's not the best quality pizza, nor is it the most well-seasoned, nor do you get many choices. You can't have meat-lovers, and no, they don't have supreme. But when you've been out drinking and could probably use some food in your stomach, it'll do you good. When you're running late and have 30 seconds to grab food, Backroom is there when you need it. When you have to count out your laundry quarters, wishing you had enough money for something to eat, it dawns on you that you can afford a slice of Backroom, and the greasy goodness saves the day.
3 - David M.: Oh, backroom.  I would never, ever eat at a place of a lower quality than this.  But if you want the absolute cheapest slices in town that might not kill you, here's your place.  Pretty much only appropriate after a night of heavy heavy drinking, probably a night that ended at Rick's.  When you're so drunk that cardboard would taste good, this will be a nice treat.
5 - Gfiddy F.: My personal favorite in Ann Arbor.
3 - Emily G.: How many stars do you give to a place that you only eat with/after/right before/ alcohol?

Granted, the pizza IS really good when you are drunk, or desperately needing food so that you can drink... and thats because at those times we crave oily/greasy pizza that is (preferably) nice and warm.

I give it 3 stars because it is 5 minus the "needing alcohol to enjoy it" element and minus the drunk retarded dudes outside the place that kill its "overall environment".

If you are coming out of charley's and craving some  nice junk food, i'd come here.
4 - Craig R.: My favorite pizza place in Ann Arbor by far. 

You could stop by in between classes and grab a slice super quick, or you could join the line around the corner late night when everyone is walking home totally hammered. There is a picnic table sitting out front for the nice days as well since there's barely any room inside. 

The pizza is delicious, but SUPER greasy. If you don't handle greasy food well, stay away from this place. 

Cheese slices are a dollar, pepperoni are a $1.50. Dirt cheap, great for college students, but careful eating it too often cause you'll gain a ton of weight hahaha....
5 - Jeremy W.: I am not kidding or trying to boast but I used to come here a decade ago when it looked like a dingy lil hole in the wall.  The slices were a $1.00 and im glad they havent raised the prices.  There was never a line and didnt seem to be a lot of traffic in there (I think it was because back then there were a few diff pizza spots around there).  Anyway I thought I had found the oasis.  I am happy to see that the secret is out, as for the pizza what can I say.... its a buck.
4 - Joseph W.: What can you say about Backroom Pizza. It's probably the ultimate after drinking snack. The pizza always seems to taste awesome. I don't know if its the cheese or the fact you're only playing a dollar for a giant slice.

It's only downfall comes that sometimes there can be a huge line. Which can suck during the winter. But once you sink your teeth into that slice, you'll be in heaven.
4 - Alan W.: Solid super Cheap Pizza
3 - Justin Y.: It's good on a night when you are drunk or if you need a $1 dollar slice of pizza. But the quality of the pizza itself is hit and miss. You only have cheese or pepperoni to choose from so variety is low. During the day, when pizza doesn't go as fast, pizza tends to be on the miss side. I'd go with South U Pizza instead.
2 - Matt G.: Backroom is like the taco bell of pizza; you've had it about a hundred times in college after the bar, but have never actually had it sober. 

The sad thing for me is, even after a night of crazed dancing and drinking at Rick's and Charleys, as I'm stumbling to get home, thinking I'm half human, half garbage disposal, as I mow down a piece or two or ten of backroom pizza, it just never has hit the spot for me. Maybe its because I can't find the coordination to place the pizza in my mouth, or because I accidentally get crushed red peppers in my eyes and it feels like someone splashed liquid hot magma (Austin Powers reference) into my eyes, or simply because I think my slice of pizza is apparently a pillow and I wonder why there is pepperoni in my ear when I wake up the next morning. Either way, when I look at the pictures from the previous night to recall what I actually did, when I see that greasy and glistening piece of pizza in my hand, I don't really get feeling of joy and elation, rather feelings of, why did I do that again (I'm talking about the pizza here people, get your mind out of the gutter). 

Until next time...
2 - Bryan B.: Cheap late-night food. Not high quality, but it hits the spot at 3 AM
4 - Derrick P.: If you just want a fresh, hot, standard slice of cheese or pepperoni pizza that you can pick up in just a few minutes, then seek no further, this is the place for you. 

Whether it's after the bars close down (beware of the long lines) or just for a late night study snack on my way back to my place, I've always appreciated that a warm slice of pizza seems always available no matter what time it is.

Don't expect the best pizza you ever had, but don't expect the worst either (this place still beats dominoes). But if you want a quick late night slice of warm pizza for a dollar and a quarter, it's Backroom pizza all the way.
4 - Puneet S.: Pretty good pizza, especially if you are looking for something quick and cheap and/or want food after all the bars on South U close.
2 - Justin G.: Super cheap, open late.  Definitely what people get when drinking.  Past that, go somewhere else.  I preferred NYPD when in the area.  They were twice the cost, but had much better ingredients.
3 - Bea G.: Highlights:
* Cheapest pizza you can find at night
* Good drunk food

Lowlights:
* No seating
3 - Becky H.: It is what it is--cheap, greasy pizza that you can get late at night. Nothing stellar, so just 3 stars. It doesn't reek as bad as South U's pizza, so I much prefer this location.

Backstage Coworking - Palo Alto, CA (37.4428562, -122.1628638) ()
4 - kim n.: One of my old co-workers  wanted an excuse to work in downtown Palo Alto so he created a co-working space that doubles as an office. Now this is very much a work in progress, as it's inside the Dragon Theater behind the stage (literally). There are talks of upgrading to a bigger more modern office but right now it's lean, mean and low key. If you ever need work space in Palo Alto, check it out, it's pretty informal. I think most of the referrals come from Entrepreneur Adam Rifkin so the secrets just starting to get out.
1 - Jamie M.: According to web site, it is closed

Backstreet Atlanta - Atlanta, GA (33.7775379, -84.3843769) (Midtown)
5 - Bella I.: This was the place to be when all the night clubs closed down and still wanted to go dancing... The music was awesome and the drag shows they used to put were worth waiting for to get into the place.
5 - No N.: Bella you are so right...I SO miss this club...was the best in Atlanta....nothing more fun that a night of BONE THUMPING house music...all night long...leaving at 7a.m. feeling like a Vampire as the Sun burned your eyes....

Atlanta has become such a sad dreary place. We lead the U.S. in unemployment. The City Council saw fit to reduce to rubble...a LEGENDARY Night Club, 30+ years of History--Several Generations of Family ownership. 

I'm sure this club paid *MILLIONS* in Pouring./Sales/Liquor taxes, all for what?

So they could tea it down, build Condo's that are 90% vacant. 

The 1990's were the best years Atlanta will ever see, will never be the same Again. They destroyed Buckhead, then Destroyed Backstreet. 

Hope the Council is happy as every year they face massive Budget cuts to maintain the City Budget....

Backstreet you are missed!

Backstreets Restaurant - Blacksburg, VA (37.2281068, -80.4125301) ()
4 - Patrick M.: Good pizza, but great calzones and salads! Plus they carry Sam Adams Cherry Wheat for 2 bucks a bottle and you can sit outside.
2 - Amita R.: I had fond memories of this place, especially their pizza, which is one of the reasons we decided to try this place out for brunch on our way out of town. After being there, I kind of wish we hadn't. Their food wasn't terrible by any means, but it wasn't too great either. My fiancee had fried eggs with a side of bacon and toast. The bacon was terrible, which we immediately told our server about. (She was nice enough to take that off the bill) The eggs were little bit runnier that we had hoped. I had their 8" NY Style Pizza w/ Green Peppers and Red Onion. When I think of NY Style, I think of real thin and crispy kind of pizza. This was far from it. Again, it was okay, but not really what I was hoping for.
3 - Misono A.: I just remember the gyro pitas (with grilled spiced beef and lamb strips) here were really good! Their bruschetta was delicious as well. Apparently they are known for their pizza, but I don't believe I ever tried it. A nice sit-down restaurant with good ambience; sometimes there is a very long wait, though.
3 - Kim T.: The best thing about this place in my opinion is the pizza and calzones.  The rest is pretty average Italian fare.  They have some things that are on the pricey side but the calzones and pizza are at a fair price.  The service can be a bit slow but overall it's not bad. Their lunch buffet is good if you don't mind not having too much variety.  They usually put out a few pizzas with a few options for dessert.  The quality is great but the variety not so much.  I'd go here again but only for their pizza or calzones.
3 - Kevin O.: When I moved here, I was told to this was the place to go for good pizza. I tried it and was disappointed. It's not bad, but it's not good either. I've only been back a couple times since, there are several better choices for pizza in the area. I did recently return to try their breakfast. The menu items were intriguing, giving a bit of an Italian twist to traditional breakfast food. I ended up splitting the Grand Combo Plate with my wife, (which is pancakes,eggs, bacon, sausage, fruit, toast, & potatoes, nothing exciting) along with an order of beignets. They were out of fruit, so they offered to substitute with an item of our choice, no big deal. The potatoes were seasoned rather heavily, and the pancakes had a strong grainy taste. Otherwise, no real surprises, everything was prepared well and cooked as ordered. I'd like to come back and try some of the more interesting options, but I'm in no hurry.
3 - Amanda P.: I don't get it.  Backstreets generally has good food, though it's hit or miss, and how can the service be so slow when the restaurant isn't busy?  The last time I ate here, my sandwich was somewhat scorched, though I ate it anyway because we were in a hurry to catch a flight out of Roanoke (and our food had already taken long enough to arrive!).  It would have tasted really good if it hadn't been burnt.  The fries, however, were good, and everyone else at my table enjoyed their calzones.  I know that Backstreets is capable of more than this, because we had some good food here when we lived in the area about two years ago.  I used to love the baked ravioli, so I hope it's still as good as I remember.  The parking lot is cramped, but there's a parking garage across the street if you can't find a closer spot.
4 - Micah P.: Overall, this is a good place.  You get a good mix of Italian and New Orleans style cooking.  

I usually get the Cajun Spicy Shrimp Alfredo and I recently tried their pizza and it was delicious!  The bread is homemade and they have a big selection.  I tried the cajun pizza to get a similar taste of the Cajun Spicy Shrimp Alfredo and I loved it!  The cajun shrimp on top tasted just like the shrimp in the alfredo and all the peppers and chicken on top of the pizza were a treat.
4 - Julia W.: My fiance & I came here for lunch on a Friday afternoon and were pleasantly surprised. 

It is located on the corner and has a lot of other restaurants nearby. We chose it because it looked like it'd offered a good lunch selection as well as having free parking on site. 

Our waitress seated us outside and we were able to mull over the menu. We had just missed the lunch pizza buffet (it seemed to be a great deal with many choices & cheap prices). 

We ended up ordering the meatball sandwich as well as a individual pizza. They both were delish and we had no leftovers between us. 

The only small callout was that our waitress seemed to forget about us (we were seated out back with another couple). We had no napkins or silverware and had to track her down to get some. Only a big deal as pizza and meatballs were being eaten and can make a bit of a mess. 

Other than that, I'd be back as the pizza was great. Definitely shoot for the buffet as you can get by the slice.
1 - Tom V.: It was AWFUL. I ordered the dinner sized portion of eggplant parm for delivery. The order came with a portion of garlic bread and a spaghetti side. There were 4 pieces of eggplant, each one had the exterior breading burnt and every bite had a charred taste to it. The side of pasta was incredibly small. Not even enough to coat the bottom of one of those silver delivery containers. There was hardly any sauce on the pasta or on the eggplant and when that was combined with the burnt taste of the eggplant, everything came off as dry. The garlic bread was properly portioned, but had the opposite issue in that it was doughy and undercooked and rather bland for garlic bread. This disaster of a meal cost me a whopping $17.30 +tip for delivery. Can't say that I'm ever going back. Absolutely zero standards for quality control.
4 - Marc D.: While the menu looks VERY different than it used to when I was a manager of this place, I fondly remember their pizzas.  
They had the best Chicago style deep dish pizzas that I had tried not in Chicago.  Their owner was always creating new dishes to change up the menu, and looking for ways to expand business.  It looks as though they have taken a Cajun spin.  Hopefully, that is working out for them.
Incidentally, I met my ex-wife there.  Yes, she was an employee.
Yes, I am an awful human being.
But, you knew that already.
I have many many stories from this place, but I suspect it is best not to share them here.  Or anywhere, really.
2 - Zach R.: Food arrived 1 hour, 40 minutes after delivery order placed.  I ordered the chicken parmesan and BBQ chicken strips.  The food was cold, the chicken parmesan was burnt and a challenge to eat.  The chicken strips had no BBQ flavor, was more than 50% fried-coating, and each "strip" was the size of a roll of dimes.  Would have been a 1 star, but the spaghetti under the chicken parmesan was tasty after being microwaved.

Big disappointment, I will not order again or recommend to others.
5 - Lun H.: Best pizza in town! The price is not too high! Definitely worth to try. Love this place
2 - John K.: Greasy.

Bad Horse Pizza - New York, NY (40.8068839, -73.9535485) (Harlem)
5 - Harlem r.: A casual, relaxed, and therefore very comfortable space. 

Terrific pizza. Perfectly thin crust, absolutely fresh and high-quality ingredients - evident right away. My significant other, a very selective diner, loved the "bad horse" (marinated steak) and my half, with pepperoni and black olives, was wonderful as well. The pizza was just moist enough while not being greasy at all. It is a wonderful combination with the crispy crust. We also had salads, fresh and delicious with a subtle, non-cloying dressing (mustard ? honey mustard ?). When we ordered, we were advised that it would be around 20-25 minutes for our pizza, as we had expected, but we received our food far more quickly. 

This could be one of the first Harlem restaurants that has its act together service-wise. The hostess took our names (there was a short wait), frequently checking back and inviting those waiting for a table to sit at the bar whenever spaces opened up. The wait staff was very professional, seeming experienced and without the odd self-importance that we see just about everywhere else in the area. The owner was on-hand, seating people, interacting with customers,  working alongside his staff. All were accommodating, friendly, and appropriately solicitous. 

We will definitely be back.
3 - greg s.: pizza crust  5 stars, service 3 stars, prosciutto on pizza was negative stars, more like big tough chunks of salty ham.

Dont get the goat cheese and prosciutto toping.
2 - Peter A.: I am something of a pizza fanatic.  I live nearby and would love to give this place a neighborhood bump.  In fact, there isn't much truly good pizza north of like 80th street, at least on the west side, so this place has staked out a valuable niche.  But this is just not good pizza:

*the crust is thin, but thin alone doesn't make good pizza.  It's undercooked, especially in the middle (the oven is clearly nowhere near hot enough--I looked through the window, and it looks like they're baking these things in a toaster).  It also doesn't have the savory, developed taste of pizza dough that's been left to rise for 24 hours.  It also should have more salt and no olive oil--the great pizza places (Lucali, DiFarra) don't use olive oil, because it throws off the texture.  You can get the flavor by using EVOO in the sauce or putting it on top after.

*the cheese is good, but nothing special (just your usual fresh mozzarella, with a little parm).

*the sauce isn't right.  I can't pin down the problem, but it wasn't that flavorful.

*the toppings were fine, but did not at all stand out (I'm a vegetarian; I got mushroom and the meatless pie, which has eggplant [not a good pizza topping], sliced tomatoes [but there's already tomatoes in the sauce...], artichoke [fine]).  The basil that comes on top isn't anything special.

The atmosphere is good, and I think this will be a fun place to hang out.  I am sure that people who are looking for a hangout will enjoy it.  But I was looking for some top-notch pizza, and this is nowhere close.  Even leaving price aside, any New York slice joint (e.g. Giovanni's, at 110th and Columbus) has better pizza.
2 - Brenda M.: We ordered delivery so I cant judge ambiance. This is for the pizza only. While the pizza had good toppings and had a thin crust. It does not compare to the traditional NY pizza in that it is NOT made in a brick oven. Therefore the crust is not the same. Like someone else mentioned. The crust is thin but the middle is soggy. Also the crust itself is lacking in flavor. The toppings however make up for this lapse.

The pizzas are SMALL compared to the price. My bf was upset when he saw the size after paying almost $20 and getting a personal size pizza. This is NOT acceptable. Especially considering that you can go to the best brick oven pizzas in NY and they cost about the same price for a LARGE pizza that can fill 3 people easily. This pizza was meant for ONE not even two people. 

Although I wouldnt write them off completely. They need to improve their crust, size and cost to compete with the best NY pizza joints. They do have the advantage of not having much competition in the area but they are OTHER places where we can get pizza.
4 - Edward B.: I want to love this place a lot; Harlem needs a better restaurant scene. 

Comments others have made on the pizza are true (thin crust, soggy middle, small compared to the price, good toppings), and although I think the pizzas overall rate high (for thin-crust), they are way too expensive. The salad we had was excellent though simple; light dressing with flavourful greens. Service was very good (we were in late on a Sunday night), and the decor--although sparse--seems right for the neighbourhood. Hopefully the owners will up the value quotient.
2 - Syd J.: I was so excited to see a sit-down pizza restaurant in Harlem.  I love thin crust pizza, New Haven CT - Pepe's has the best to date.  I ordered the shrimp and artichoke pizza.  The shrimp were bland, no seasoning and were not sauteed in garlic as stated on the menu.  The crust was tasteless, however the tomato sauce was flavorful.  I think the plain cheese and pepperoni are probably a safe bet.  Hopefully they will work out the kinks, a good addition to the other Harlem restaurants
4 - natalie m.: just got back from dining here. i got there early enough to miss the line, but wow, was it hopping! nice to see a local place getting such good business.

i'm probably being overly forgiving of the pizza itself since i'm so excited to have decent pizza (and service) in the neighborhood, but honestly, i really liked it. the crust is not superb, but it's certainly not bad, and i loved the fresh sauce and the way it's not tooo cheesy. we had the bad horse pizza (jalapeno marinated steak with onions) and it was delicious. we also tried the rio grande pizza with pulled spicy chicken, which was tasty but not as good, in my opinion.

service was really friendly, and though it took a little while to be served, the staff was honest about it and attentive while we waited. the prices are admittedly a little bit ridiculous, but i'm ok with paying a little more to get such a nice experience in the neighborhood. 

overall, really happy with this place and looking forward to dining there more in the future!
4 - Stephanie R.: Went opening night, and it was PACKED!  The neighborhood was definitely anticipating this restaurant, a welcome change from Pizza 123 up the block. I could not get a table,  so I tried again this weekend.  I'm so glad I did! I love this place!  Oh, it was still packed!
I'm a huge pizza fan, especially thin crust. My bf and I had the mixed greens salad,  simple and yummy, and we tried the Bad Horse Pizza- very, very good.  I usually head to Posto for thin crust and because of the atomosphere, but now I'm super delighted I can stay in my neighborhood and have a slice or three with friends.  Yes, the price is a bit high, but I don't mind. It brings a different element which coincides with the rest of FDB, aka, Restaurant Row, which is totally fine.
4 - Patrick M.: The salads and the pizza are actually very good.  The cheese is some of the best I've had.  Great toppings for the house pies.  Much better than your usual pepperoni and sausage selection.  They don't have their liquor license yet so you can bring your own bottle.  I like that option anyway.
2 - Marshall P.: Stopped in tonight with high hopes, but it turned out to be a mediocre pie--the sauce was lackluster, the cheese was nothing special, and a pet peeve--pizza sauce should never have onions in it.  This one did.  Service was spotty and the ambience gets an incomplete given the horrible weather.

There's a gaping hole in Harlem for a decent pizza place, but I fear Bad Horse won't be filling it.
3 - Olaf K.: We were very excited for this place to open up - this neighborhood is still lacking in many cuisines and this place definitely fills a hole.  We tested it out on a Monday night.  We were extremely satisfied with the pies we ordered - a 10" bad horse pie ($19), and the 16" secaucus ($26), althought i wish it had been the other way around because that bad horse pie is out of this world.  Extremely delicious.  

We like the name a lot and think that it brings a bit of downtown uptown.  The decor is still a bit sparse, which seems to be the affliction of a lot the restaurant in this street.  Bad Horse could easily add another two tables to the dining room; this will add energy to the space.  Restaurants should always avoid anything that make it look empty; space should be filled up so that it can feel cozy.  

Anyway, we're extremely happy with the quality of the pizza, although it is really expensive.  At Luzzo's its 12" is between $17-$20 and its 16" is mostly $23-$24.  Motorino's small pie is about $16-$17.  Franny's $17 (small pie).  Bad Horse is definitely overpriced.  We understand that it caters to the "new" residents in Central Harlem, but c'mon.  If we want to spend that much $$ on a pie, we'd probably just go to a downtown joint after work instead of traveling uptown for it.
3 - William S.: I want this place to succeed so hopefully they will read these reviews. Service is typical Harlem. Lackadaisical at best. The night we were there they started stacking chairs on tables and it was 9:15. Even worse, they were the tables by the window and the restaurant was still open. Who closes the prime section of a brand new restaurant?

From a service standpoint, our waitresses were confused. Let's just leave it at that.

The pizza, which is why we came to Bad Horse, was tasty. The sauce and the very scant toppings (more please) were flavorful and yummy. The one sticking point was the crust. It's basically flavorless. Even a little salt would go a long way.

The good news: the ambience (when not stacking chairs) is great. And we need a good pizza place in the neighborhood. I still think Sezz Medi on Amsterdam and 122 wins the beat pizza award, but if bad horse gets it together they can be a contender.
1 - Brendan K.: Boy was I hoping this would be good.  No luck.  Soggy pizza combined with crazy prices.  Very bland.  Really a shame cause this area could use another good restaurant.
4 - Roxanne L.: Had dinner there. It was great. The meatless pizza was yummy and the price was totally acceptable. We need more places like this in the neighborhood.

Only gave it 4 stars because they didn't have appertizers yet (they will be adding them to the menu) and the salad was just OK (the dressing was too heavy). But all in all - a good experience and will definitely be going back.
2 - Rebeca P.: I really wanted to like this place.  The waitstaff is warm yet professional but the food is very mediocre, worse than what I can make at home (and I am not a trained cook) and is very overpriced. We had several types of pies, a salad and a bowl of pasta and it was all very blah!  Perhaps it is all due to growing pains.  I did like the space. As I said before, the waitstaff is great. I'll give it another try soon.
3 - Steve M.: No sign atop Bad Horse Pizza.  Maybe this is a deliberate move to fit into the new vibe of SOHA.  In fact they still have the old Corcoran Group canopy.  Anyway, pizza here was enjoyable.  Fresh ingredients made every slice tasty.  Though I do think they can improve the crust, the fresh ingredients made every slice nice.  Clean joint adds to the cool atmosphere.  Service can be sped up a bit.
4 - Chandy S.: Love this place!  Very chill and laidback vibe. Stumbled upon it while wandering down 8th Ave. looking for a place to grub. My date and I split a large garlic shrimp, artichoke heart, and basil pizza. Scrumptious!  The hard apple cider went with it quite nicely.  They'll def see plenty more of us...so many other tasty pizzas to try.
3 - Liss C.: The pizza is great but I'm docking two stars because it is SO overpriced.  A 10" personal pizza is $19 bucks.  Wowzers
5 - dorothy h.: a welcome beacon of light in an otherwise gourmet pizza-less hood. great space, great staff, great menu, great ingredients. all of these combine to form a flawless dining experience. i will definitely be back and can't wait to see how bad horse evolves!!
5 - Nick V.: I have been there at least once a week since their opening and it just gets better. Finding new meat and veggie combinations that make their already amazing ultra thin crust pizza even more so (bacon and mushrooms are now my fav).  Desserts are now offered; We shared the most amazing apple dumpling with ice cream (thanks for the suggestion Paul!).. so large, two can easily share. Ohh they now serve beer and wine too...!    

A cool look and vibe, great tunes, and really great pizza, salads, pasta and now desserts AND beer... all at prices that won't break you... What else can you ask for?
2 - Jillian T.: I was really excited when this place opened up in my neighborhood, but the time I went there was only so-so. The restaurant interior is cool and modern. The pizza was a bit overpriced for the portions, and the crust was bland. The waiter went on and on about how thin it was, and it was basically a cracker. I've had plenty of delicious thin pizza (try Keste in the East Village) but this doesn't qualify. It was a bit disappointing.
2 - Jason M.: Man, they weren't kidding about the "bad" part.  First of all, with venues like Grimaldi's and Patsy's still in existence, with their legendary pizzas, no one else should be charging $26 for a pizza pie.  No one.  Least of all a venue in Harlem, and I love Harlem, to its core.  

Warning: do not order any salad.  You will feel cheated.  I've seen better salads in a pre-packaged plastic bag.  

The pizza here is decent, but it is not by any means worth $26 for a pie.  That's ridiculous.  We ordered the pizza with prosciutto, but the pie came out with pancetta.  I don't mean to knit pick, but there's a difference between prosciutto and pancetta.  If you're going to overcharge for pizza, f-ing get it right.

On the good side, they have a fine wine selection here, the atmosphere is great and the layout of the venue is pleasantly rustic.  Sort of takes you back in time.  But they need to up the ante on their "salads" and come down on the pizza prices, without question.
3 - Tarra T.: Great neighborhood gem!  The servers are kind and the restaurant is cute and rustic.  They delivery as well.  

You can have pizza's anyway you want them (personal and large sizes) and the ingredients are fresh!  Keep in mind, the pizza is traditional, not NY style, it's thin with more sauce than cheese.

I've had the pasta, which is a a pick your own combination kinda thing with homemade sauces, and though it was okay, I would not order again.  I also had the stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer and it was barely enough for me to eat, so don't order thinking you'll share the small three mushrooms that they give you because you won't!

Stick with with pizza, order a glass of wine and enjoy the place if you're in the neighborhood!
5 - Richard D.: Ok, saddle up NYC Pizzalero's, there's now a new way to argue about which NYC Pizza joint is best.

Does it deserve five stars?  It did tonight, perhaps the stars were in alignment, perhaps it was the beer I had before I came in.  Perhaps it was The White Album on the stereo, I don't know.  It's yelp, my reviews are worth every penny you pay for them.

So, this is good pizza, and yes, you pony up one thousand nine-hundred pennies for the 10-inch pizza I had on my first visit.  Yes, that is on the upper fringes of the range for both this neighborhood and this genre of cuisine.  Fine, maybe this place won't get over-run immediately and I can get a table when I want one.  I can part with a $20 for a meal when it is this good.

This is an artisanal experience.  The people behind this place aren't looking to shut down the Chucky Cheese up the block.  There's been buzz about this place being a little hard to order from on the phone, about delivery being spotty, and after sitting at the bar and watching the staff, I can see why.

They are focused on the human beings in the restaurant.  They'll let the phone ring if they are in the middle of a discussion with a customer.  They'll put it down for a sec after they answer it to freshen a drink.  These people are crafting a dining experience here.  Their attention, such as it is, is here.

I had the Bad Horse Speciality Pizza, which is topped with  skirt steak, onions and jalapenos.  The gentleman taking my order warned me about the heat, the jalapenos, and I waved him off with "I'm from Texas."

He ended that discussion with "say no more."

For a Texan, the pie had a mere suggestion of jalapeno, a jalapeno nuance, shall we say (for the NYC palate, yeah, it's hot, but not Thai hot).  The skirt steak was tender and well-seasoned.  The sauce had the distinctive note of fresh basil that is the hallmark of a well-crafted pizza sauce, and the crust was cracker-thin, yet yeasty, a true artisan's pie.

They care.  It brings a tear to my eye.  They care.

The decor is Modern Park Slope, exposed brick, it looks like the southern interior wall was once an exterior wall.  Very nicely done.  The lighting is so dim you'll be taking your date home afterwards, candles are needed to sign the credit card receipts.

The wine list is bold and quite interesting, particularly at $8 a glass.  The beer list is comprehensive, you'll find something for every beer-drinker's taste here (all cans and bottles).

They were doing a brisk take-out business.  The buzz has been that the thing to do is call up and pick up,  Obviously that word has gotten around.

I like this place.  I like Grimaldi's, too.  I think I'd go here instead of standing in line at Grimaldi's.  Shoot me, like a bad horse.
5 - Nerissa A.: OMG!! The pizza here is amazing!!! The prosciutto pizza is my fave! Nice thin crust.I love the rustic decor and the casual atmosphere. Of course it is more expensive corner store shop but this will help elevate the area.
2 - Tazjuan S.: The pizza was good but the terrible service we received pretty much undermined the whole experience. My second time going there, we arrived at 9:45pm. Though the place closes at 10, we were turned away due to their lack of effort and interest in pleasing a customer. By the way, the other reviews are correct: definitely overpriced.
4 - sandy k.: interesting pies (had the greek pie - very good, would recommend), a gem in this great neighborhood. friendly staff (albeit, our waitress seemed to forget our drink order, but quickly responded when we asked her about it). decor is simple and functional, which I can appreciate.

Also had the mac & cheese w/ bacon which was definitely unique, and good, but not great. either the cheese or bacon packed a smokey-punch which some may love, i'm more of a classic mac & cheese type gal.  also prefer my mac & cheese to be more creamy, less dry.

one thing I can definitely appreciate about our dinner was the fact that the waitresses were very diligent about refilling our water cups. I am always very appreciative of that.
2 - Joe D.: Watch out for their pricing structure:
You can order a specialty 16" pizza for $24 or $26, or you can order it a la carte by choosing exactly the same ingredients for $19.50 to $20. We pointed that out to the waitress after placing our order, and before the pizza came and she refused to adjust the price down. 
Ordered the penne pasta with additional toppings and it was bland as can be -- where is the penne.
On the positive side the pizza was good but not extraordinary given the price. 
So, if you want to go here, the best thing to do is to order the pizza but choose the ingredients individually
3 - F M.: Agree with most everyone else's comments: good pizza but overpriced.
4 - Kristin M.: I really loved the pizza we ordered, the Pig & Goat, which had goat cheese, prosciutto, and roasted red peppers.  The combination was delicious, and the crust here was delightfully thin and crispy.  It is, however, a bit expensive for pizza (for two beers and this pizza, the bill came to $42 with tip, though we did have two slices leftover for lunch the next day). 

The service was very attentive, and they left a nice, if bizarre note on the back of the receipt thanking us, which I always like.  The decor is simple, but nice for a pizza-place, and I really loved the big wooden shutters around the back windows.

I'd be back, but I think it would be for the happy hour special - plain large pie and two beers for $20.
2 - Lorenzo V.: Pros: ambiance is great, waitstaff very nice, finally a pizzeria in West Harlem!
Cons: quite expensive, service slow, pizza so-so.
Tip: order large pies and share!
I live nearby so I'll come back!
2 - Taj H.: Overpriced and nothing special, I won't be a return customer.
3 - Clare B.: I am so excited there is FINALLY  decent pizza place in Harlem! Woot!

The women who served us was literally the sweetest person ever, but she was REALLY slow! My fiance was complaining that his butt hurt because we were sitting for so long.

The pizza is super expensive and not, amazing or life changing-- it it is decent.

The ambience is super nice!

I am happy all of these new places are opening in Harlem, I am just waiting for that REALLY solid place :)
5 - Julia D.: Bad Horse is Bad-Ass.  

You know when you're sitting at work and counting down the hours to lunch, and you begin to day-dream about the incredible all-star pizza you want to make carnal love to? No? Is that just me? Bummer. In any case, this is the pizza I dream of. So fresh, cripsy, perfectly cheesy, and piping hot.  

It could also be the ambience that triggers my romantic longing. Bad Horse is set up to exude a rustic, yet romantic feel with its wooden tables reminscent of cork, topped with checkered cloth napkins and dim lighting. The menu is somewhat pricey, but fantastic, and the Acropolis (greek feta, baby spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and olives) and the FDB (butter sauteed garlic shrimp and artichoke hearts) are seriously killer pizza's. If you like your pizza with wine, they've got a small but nice selection, and I highly recommend the Vina Robles Syrah. And if you're a beer fan, you can't go wrong with an Allagash or Duvel.

And let's not forget the service. These waiters want you to day-dream about their pizza; it's like by keeping everything together and giving you exactly what you ask for, they're trying to instill in you that lusty seed that will keep you comin' back for more. Last time I came here the pizza was taking too long by the waiter's standards, so we got a salad on the house to keep us happy, and they didn't charge us for one of our beers. Now here I am three days later, cravin' a b-b-b-b-bad horse pizza. 'Tis the circle of life.
5 - Justin T.: Excellent pizza. Fresh ingredients. Cravable crispy thin crust pizza and they don't skimp on cheese, sauce, and toppings. 

Complained about service being slow and the owner respectfully explained that the kitchen is small and it gets backed up. Gave me a beer on the house. Good times.

People may say that it does not yet stand up to the NYC pizza greats. It opened in April. Give them a freaking break. Delicioso
5 - Jennifer M.: Love this place. The pizza is AMAZING. And not particularly pricey, especially considering the quality. It can take a while because they are cooked to order, but so worth it. I daydream about this pizza. Order an appetizer and a pizza and that is great for 2, with a little to take home. Well under $40 including a drink for each person.
4 - Katie D.: FINALLY!  A pizza joint in Harlem where i don't need to pat the grease off the top.  They make their pizza with fresh, fun ingredients, and the crust is thin and crispy- the way I like it.  and i didn't even need to specify how to cook it!

The staff is also super friendly.
I'm looking forward to my next visit when I can try their other offerings.
5 - Rodger W.: Fresh and. Relative interpretations of my favorite base meal!!!!
3 - Abigail J.: I would order from here every few weeks if the Pizzas were not so overpriced.  It's good but come on! Luzzo's is less expensive! (AND better).
4 - Cherie B.: Regarding Delivery:

They are Great on the Phone
Delivery is quick 
Pizza is thin crust fancy 
Pizza is delicious, fresh ingredients
Salads are fresh and delicious 

There is not much in Harlem that can compare.  The rest of the pizza in the neighborhood is fast food pizza and this is a real treat.
3 - Missy J.: The pizza is good. It is not $26 good.
3 - Joy P.: I tried this restaurant tonight with my husband. As a lot of other reviews have said, the pizza is pretty nice but not great and definitely not worth $26, especially considering how small the pie is.
The service was very good though!
4 - Charles S.: I love Bad Horse Pizza because the pizza is fantastic.  The price is considerable, but worth it given the friendliness of the service and the deliciousness of the pizza   My Gf and I use to love it when it was BYOB because it made the bill smaller.  Pig and Goat pizza ROCKS (Proscuito and goat cheese is an amazing combo).  Secauss and the bad horse pizza are also good.  The mustard vinaigrette dressing on the mixed green salad is what we always do for an App and the dressing is really good.
3 - Dee B.: I should preface this by saying that I am not really a pizza person. With that said, the thin cracker crust is what really stands out at Bad Horse. The rest of the ingredients on my pie were very light, especially the cheese. It just hit me that I spend close to $50 on a small pizza and salad. The salad was $10, I had a soft drink which was $2, the pizza was $18, then I had a glass of wine that was probably about $9.  I would have loved grilled shrimp and other seafood (sans the artichoke) with a smattering more cheese to make it really shine. While one reviewer warns you away from the salad, you might want to order it to fill up on in case you order the small pizza. It's nice to have this type of pizza place as an option in the neighborhood, but goodness the price point is definitely too high for such a simple meal. I've paid about half as much for 3 courses.
4 - Courtney W.: Went to Bad Horse for the first time last night with a group of friends. It was great to see so many vibrant new restaurants in the area and this one was great! Our group ate the Rio Grande and the Secaucus, and while many people hear have complained about the price, after two affordable bottles of wine, I thought the check was pretty reasonable. 
This type of restaurant is meant to be a relaxed enjoyable place to eat, not the next best slice in NYC. I don't know why yelpers get so incensed about their pizza perfection but I suggest you visit Bad Horse when you are looking to share some time with people over some drinks and some delicious fresh food. 
If you want the most pie for your money, there are a million places to order from. This place is about more than that.
5 - Stephen B.: We typically get a large with kalamata olives, garlic, and mushrooms, and it's really yummy. Some might not like it, but for us, an added plus is that the large pizza is a pretty reasonable amount of food for two people and I don't weigh three pounds more the next day. When they first opened, they didn't have a license and it was BYOB, have to admit that I preferred that setup.
5 - Joe A.: I stayed in Harlem for 2 weeks and this was the best restaurant I went to. 

For a pizza place, it's upscale. But ask anyone who knows the area, and they'll tell you Bad Horse had the best pizza. 

I had the Bad Horse Pizza with jalapenos, steak, and few other ingredients I can't remember right now. It was awesome. The pizza is thin crust and doesn't quite fill you up, but it's freaking awesome, so delicious. 

The restaurant is had dim lighting and candles so it's a great place to take a date. 

Another cool thing: the subway is right underneath the restaurant so it the whole place vibrates a little bit when it goes by. I'm sure that's not unique to just this place, but it adds to a cool experience.
5 - Clarissa M.: Great prices! Great staff/owner! They also deliver, which is fantastic!

Whenever I visit BadHorse (which should be called "bad ass horse" because their pizzas are bad ass) they always have one or two tasty additions to their menu. If you get a chance, try whatever new addition you can get your hands on-you won't be disappointed. 

The vibe/ambiance is a welcome addition to the Morningside/Harlem area. Family friendly yet NYC trendy chic. Love it here.
4 - M M.: Great spot. Pizza with a gourmet flair but zero pretense. Tasty thin crust, fresh toppings with a bunch of creative choices. Bonus is a spacious room with fine tunes playing.  The only bad in bad horse is in the name.
5 - Triple D.: Top 5 pizza in the city!  Actually...maybe top 3. Staff is super friendly and they go the extra mile to make the customer happy. A rare trait in NYC. Oh yeh...they deliver too.  If you love pizza and you're in the area, this place is a must to visit.
5 - Trevor I.: What a great addition to Harlem!  Friendly and casual atmosphere.  Wonderfully tasteful pizzas and a price that's not too bad.  It's my new "go to" for pizza in the SoHa.
4 - John D.: Best pizza ever!! So fresh and thin crusted... Way better than artichoke pizza... Best to go there when they have a deal for the pizza. which I believe is Monday and Tuesday... A big pie and two drinks..beer or wine for 25... Would not wannna pay 26 dollars for a large pizza Only... They do have a limited menu... All they have is pizza.. Lasagna and maybe two other pasta dishes... I tried there lasagna with a balasmic dressing salad and it was so fresh... It would be cool to see them have more food available on there menu... I would definitely recommend this place... For parents out there you can bring your kids here... Great service and awesome fresh food...
P.s.s. Get pizza with bacon and mushrooms on it..... Its to die for
5 - Emile N.: Best pizza in the area. And by "area" I mean "world." Super delicious pizza. Thin crust, not super greasy, not super doughy. Perfect Pizza. Plus, heckof a nice owner!
5 - Mike L.: A friend and I decided to have an early dinner here after we read the menu and decided that we wanted pizza. We were actually there before 5pm (4:45pm), but someone from the restaurant was gracious enough to seat us and take our order before 5. 

What I liked about Bad Horse Pizza:
+the aristocrat pizza and salad (can't remember which one I had) were absolutely delicious
+the inside of the restaurant is clean and has an intimate vibe 
+the staff are friendly and accommodating 

What I disliked about Bad Horse Pizza: 
-the salad I had was overpriced in my opinion, but the food served here is definitely of high quality

Score: 4.5/5.0 stars (I rounded up to 5 since I don't think 4 stars would do the restaurant justice)
2 - John M.: More like "Slow Horse Pizza."
1 - Damien B.: How this place is still in business while charging 18 dollars for a four slice 10" pizza (with only cheese) makes no sense to me. I'd possibly give it a pass if the food was anywhere near as good as Roberta's or Motorino or even L'asso, but it's not. even. close. While I thought the parmesan/red pepper/oregano shakers were placed on the table with some irony, I later realized that this faux artisan pizza needed any help it could get. The last time I used industrial grade parmesan on a pizza was a dollar slice at 2Bros and I must say I enjoyed their food much more than here.

The wait time for any pizza is ~25 minutes, which is a great opportunity for them to up-sell you a salad, appetizer or more drinks (and they will try). I know West Harlem is struggling to maintain decent quality, family friendly restaurants, but Bad Horse is trying very hard to capitalize on the lack of decent local options at their customers expense.

This place is a joke, and the joke is on you.
4 - Hunie K.: Bad Horse pizza is hand's down the best pizza in Harlem.  

My wife and I ordered the stuffed mushrooms that were yummy and we ordered a large pie which we learned that you could split 50/50 with two types of pizza.  Love that because you're not "pigeon-holed" into choosing just one type of pizza.  We went for the Trifecta (vegetarian) and the Pig and Goat (non vegetarian, obviously), nice balance and both delicious.  I'd give a slight nod to the Trifecta because it is just as satisfying as a pizza with meat for all you carnivores...and the flavors are bang'in.

Interior is nice and mod, and service was on point.  Nice for groups.
4 - Andy R.: Bad Horse is BAD in that negative word awesome experience kind of way. This is really really good thin crust pizza. The type that neither scorches the ingredients nor makes them goopy. You pick up a slice and bite into it and a crunch of flavors. The service was amazing. 

I was not happy they did not have Peroni, but the waiter suggested a Belgian beer that surprisingly, was actually better. Scusate i miei amici italiani.
3 - Desiree V.: The pizza at Bad Horse was good (because of the fresh ingredients) but not great. 

It sucks to pay $25 for a personal sized pie that is not great.
1 - Georgi P.: I reluctantly just finished ordering my gluten-free pizza from Domino's. I've asked a few times if Bad Horse offers a gluten-free option they've pretty much laughed in my face.  Pizza IS in large part about the dough, but if Domino's can do it, I would expect my local pizza place to at least be considering it for the members of their public who would like to avoid ordering from chains or enjoy the restaurant with their wheat-eating friends. I've even groveled, encouraging them to stock a frozen crust, which they could pull out at any time as a courtesy to the gluten-sensitive (not the Celiac disease sufferer - I know there is really no salvation for them in a pizza place).
5 - Mr F.: I've been here several times.  Bad Horse Pizza is a fantastic pizzeria!  I've ordered the regular thin crust pizzas and also the speciality pies, and both are delicious.  My favorite is the "pig and goat" - with prosciutto, roasted peppers and goat cheese.  The trifecta (basil pesto, roasted garlic, and sundried tomatoes) is the preferred non-meat option. 

The salads and appetizers are solid, but not spectacular.  One of the best aspects of this place is the setting.  Bad Horse offers a welcoming environment in a decor that is sort of rustic-meets-sleek and modern.  And now with the daily specials I have more of an incentive to go.  

One issue I could bring up is the wine list - it is not extensive.  I'd love to see them add some more wines to the list, particularly more very northern and very southern Italian wines.  Speriamo!
4 - snafu m.: Its really good pizza and the only restaurant of its kind in the neighborhood. Its not your run of the mill pizza joint either, its more upscale with unique artisinal ingredients and a good wine and beer selection. The staff are friendly and welcoming and most everything on the menu I've tried has been really good. They deliver too which is nice.
2 - Natalia J.: Sigh...I really wanted to like this place.  The toppings sounded so interesting and fancy pants.   We ordered the steak and jalapeno pizza.  The steak itself was nice, but the jalapenos were barely there and there was little spice to speak of.  They also included a heavy dose of Parmesan cheese, which is unfortunate, because I happen to hate parmesan cheese.  A little warning in the description would have been nice.  We also ordered a salad that was supposed to include bacon and ended up having zero bacon.  I would have forgiven the misstep, except that we paid almost $50 for a pizza and salad that we didn't enjoy all that much.  Not surprisingly, I haven't  ordered since.
4 - Sej D.: This is a great place if you want to have a great pizza with a great ambiance.  

Sure, the prices are high, and it surprises me that restaurant-wise the prices are higher on  Frederick Douglass than on Broadway from 110 through 125, but I guess that is the pitfall of an upcoming neighborhood.

If you go in a group of 3 and order the large, then it's just perfect!  The wait staff is attentive and extremely sweet and the pizza was just delicious.  Try and finish your pizza though as it doesn't taste as good when you re-heat it back home.

Badass Burrito - Troy, NY (42.769237, -73.676028) ()
3 - Michael S.: We've been watching with excitement over the past few months as the opening date for the new burrito joint drew closer. Having a place right down the road to grab a tasty burrito for lunch seemed like a blessing. You can only haul out to Albany so many times for lunch. Plus, after working downtown for five years, you get a bit bored with the same half-dozen quality establishments that do lunch. (Sorry, friends!)

Before I get into the guts of the review, I should mention we're probably going to give them another try in a couple weeks since they've only been open for a little while.

We checked them out last week, but were slightly disappointed. The burritos were kind of small. Although the size of the burrito is clearly stipulated on the menu, I guess I was expecting something a bit bigger. As dudes who are used to Bombers and (dare I mention) Moe's, we're used to ridiculously large burritos. I was still kind of hungry (as were my co-workers) afterwards.

The extras (guacamole, sour cream) were included as sides. This may have been due to a last minute goof up, but typically it's my understanding that the guacamole and sour cream go inside the burrito. I unwrapped my burrito and chucked the guacamole and sour cream inside myself. Again, this could have been a one time thing, we'll have to find out next time.

The burritos came with free chips, reminiscent of home-made Doritos, which were pretty good -- I just wish there had been a few more. We also got a free drink included with the burrito, but to be truthful I would trade out the free drink for a slightly bigger burrito and maybe some more of those really good chips.

All in all it looks like a pretty promising venture and I'm sure it's going to make the denizens of downtown Troy happy to have a burrito joint to call their own. Good luck guys!

N.B. When I invoke Bombers, I mean their circa 2003 incarnation -- that place is just not the same as it used to be. We hardly go there anymore.

Update: Oh dear. This review is actually for the downtown Troy location. I'm not sure if someone goofed up adding this business entry or if there is in fact one up in the 'burgh.
5 - Pete C.: I feel a need to step up and defend my new favorite burrito joint.  (This is for the Lansingburgh establishment, although I've been to the downtown Troy location on one occasion, and found the burritos to be roughly average-sized, albeit completely delicious.)

Basically, this is the burrito place I've been dreaming of my entire life.  I've dropped hundreds of dollars at Bombers and Chipotle in search of that delicious meal-in-a-tortilla goodness, and I've always been reasonably satisfied with the offerings.  Bombers has always had a few creative offerings and an interesting vibe, and Chipotle has brilliant ingredients, even if I walk away with a lighter wallet and emptier stomach than I would personally prefer.  Badass, though, is an entirely different experience.

First, you walk in the door, and either the girl at the bar or one of the intimidating-looking owners greets you instantly.  Make no mistake, though, because everybody inside the building will probably redefine who you consider to be the most courteous person you have ever come across in a food establishment.  Every time I was approached to find out how the food was while at a table, the question was one of genuine curiosity and near-concern, rather than the throw-away obligatory inquisition at every other restaurant I've been in ever.

The food, of course, is quite good.  I'll be honest and admit that I have only sampled the standard burrito offerings off the menu.  The composition skews more toward the savory than the spicy, with richly flavored meats, refried beans, and seasoned rice composing the bulk of the content, which suits me just fine.  The burritos themselves are sized to feed entire families -- my first venture here marked the first time I was unable to finish a burrito since my first Bombers run early on in high school.  They're priced to move, too, as the standard offerings come with a modest portion of very well-seasoned, freshly-made tortilla chips (that are worth a trip on their own) for a grand total of $6.50 plus tax, undercutting Bombers' $7.00 for a far less satisfying burrito.

Apart from the standard burrito fare, the menu branches out into offerings not typically encountered at the typical burrito joint, with some rather intriguing-looking plate offerings with a surprising variety of ingredients, like blackened fish.  You can even get a Reuben burrito, which I've been meaning to try but haven't yet had the opportunity to.

In short, Badass is cheap, friendly, interesting, and most importantly, extremely delicious.  When I finally move away from here, if there's one place I'll make sure to visit on trips back, it's Badass.
4 - Audrey L.: I really like these guys and it's awesome that they have a downtown location that offers lunch and breakfast (new as of this week!).

Badass in Lansingburgh has more variety and longer hours than Baby Badass in Troy.  They also now have a liquor license (Lansingburgh location)  so you can have a beer or a margarita with your burrito.  Over all I've always found the ingredients fresh and tasty.  My personal favorite combo is a mix of the chicken and roasted veggies.  They seemed to have taken out their salsa bar in the 'burg - not sure if there were plans to re-install it or not.

Baby Badass is great if you work in Troy and want to stop in for a quick lunch.  For less than $7 you can get a burrito, quesadilla or tacos with chips and be on your merry way.  I find the burrito a good size, I certainly never leave hungry and it's a better lunch portion than Badass 'burg which usually ends up being two meals.

Since Chipotle opened I find myself alternating between the two - I like them both and can't say that I prefer one over the other though I find that they do each have their own distinctive taste and style.
3 - Lai-Yee B.: Fun bar. I think their drink prices aren't too bad for North Troy. There aren't many other options in the burgh for watering holes, and Badass has a young vibe, and all of the staff have been beyond friendly. There are drink specials nightly, and they usually err on the stiffer side of pours.

I'm not a big fan of their food. It's okay, but not really my style - the ground beef is on the greasy side. Kind of American Tex-Mex overall. Prices aren't killer - most of the menu is under $10. 

What I wish they would have is some of their awesome jerk chicken on the menu! I went to their 1st Jerk Off competition last year (competition to see who had the best jerk chicken. get yer minds outta the gutter!), and one of the owners (Howie, I think?) made this BOMB jerk chicken. Tons of awesome flavor and char. Said he got it from a little old lady in the city. So flippin awesome, I'd be back weekly for a dish like that.
2 - Terry T.: Honestly I had nothing but high hopes when this place first opened.  I was so excited a burrito bar was opening right around the corner from my house. That being said I'm very sad to say how dissapointed I have been each time I've gone.
First off I'd like to say the staff is great. They are the only reason I didn't give a 1.  I've had a pretty good sampling of the menu since they've opened and nothing's been very good. The most recent visit I had the chicken badass burrito. The beans were over cooked and had terrible consistency.  The chicken was very dry and tasted like it had been sitting for quite a while. In total it was a pretty bad meal.
I would love to give it another try but I'm going to have to call it time out at 6 visits.
3 - Mike L.: Not at all what I pictured. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. I was just expecting a typical dingy, order at the counter burrito joint. It was actually more a bar than a restaurant and the decor was actually kinda dark and classy. Seems like a good local watering hole. Very friendly service. The nachos are HUGE and reasonable. You definitely want at least 4 people to eat them if you plan on eating anything else. Friday is also .50 wing night and I was in the mood for wings so I got a dozen. These are not your average jumbo chicken wings. They should be called giant. And they make a very interesting and delicious homemade hot sauce. I had to ask the waitress when they came out if they were in fact hot because the sauce is dark and smelled similar to BBQ. She explained it was their own recipe. Once I tried it I could tell, it had the right amount of heat and many other flavors. And when I got home I found out why Its called "Badass" burrito. My stomach was not happy. Hopefully this was a one time thing as I would like to go back and try a burrito sometime.
1 - Randy H.: Closed.

Badroni kickboxing - Los Angeles, CA (34.0604252, -118.4460598) (Westwood)
5 - bella s.: This place is wonderful. The first time I came there, I was scared on my first day. But everyone there was so helpful and nice. I love this place. I have told everyone about this place. I will say I am a huge fan of the sport
4 - Jackie D.: Great place for a good workout!! I could feel the burn...definitely going back!!

Bagel Barn - Princeton, NJ (40.4019053, -74.6502434) ()
5 - Alexis J.: I can't believe Bagel Barn does not have any reviews... it has a cult following throughout the greater Princeton area. 

A great selection of fresh bagels, deli sandwiches, salads, cold cuts, and snack. Every time I go home I head over for an egg and cheese on an everything bagel. The staff is always friendly and although it is usually crowded, you never wait long. 

I have rarely ever been to the Barn and not run in to a former classmate from MHS. It's like a mini-reunion... the only downside is, I usually crave a bagel after a night of drinking and head over in my PJ's.
4 - Paul L.: Bagel Barn has the best bagels in the Princeton area.  Period.  However, I docked it 1 star for two reasons:  First, Bagel Barn is in a crap location (sorry Montgomery).  Second, if you order your bagel "for here," you get charged an additional $.15.  That is whack!  I am not penny pincher, but I disapprove of the philosophy.
5 - Elizabeth B.: Best bagels around, NO question!
Speedy service, but come early on weekends as everyone wants some and the good stuff goes fast!
5 - Shauna S.: I have to agree with nearly everything that the reviewers before me said... The Bagel Barn has simply the best bagels and sandwiches around! It's our families' "go-to" place for breakfast sandwiches and lunches... hands down!  The service at the counter is not the "warmest" but they more than make up for it with their food, service and price!
5 - Renee M.: Best bagels. Ever. So effing fresh and delicious, it makes me sad there is no place that compares to this fine establishment in Boston. Cream cheese is whipped (I think) so it's light and tasty. I also got lox from there once too, and once again- amazing. I should have taken advantage of this place more while I was in high school, seriously nothing around me now compares. Weird thing about this place is that I ALWAYS see someone I know in there from high school. ALWAYS.
5 - steven m.: Great bagels. My favorite is the bacon, egg and cheese. This place can get busy, but the wait is never long as the staff are efficient. Guaranteed to see lots of locals every time you go in.
4 - Stephen K.: Ditto great bagels.  Big as a softball.  Chewy outside, soft on the inside.  Cinnamon-raisin tastes like cinnamon & raisin.  Same thing with blueberry.  Gets crazy on Saturday morning.

Location kind of sorry (strip mall), but lines attest to the quality.
4 - Andrzrej K.: Is this the only bagel shop in Princeton? There really doesnt need to be another one. Whenever im driving on Route 206 on my way to catch a flight at Princeton Airport, I always stop at the Bagel Barn- and although its hidden within a plaza that mysteriously hidden behind houses and very hard to actually find the entrance- its worth the hunt.

I do not know if they are hand rolled or not, but the connotation that hand rolled brings to my mind is hard and dense and actually being rolled by a machine that is maybe operated by a human- finger rolled is probably a better way to say it, but, who cares how these bagels are made, they are great- and the owners are very friendly

The only strange thing about this place, or maybe all bagel shops in Central Jersey do this, is the way ordering takes place. There seems to be an extra step that promotes jumbling of bagel eaters during rush hours.
4 - Lauren T.: Stopped in after a workout for snack.  Great selection and service. Yum!
5 - Lindsay M.: I have lived all over, even had a brief stint in Brooklyn, and these are by far the best bagels I have ever had. A toasted everything with cream cheese tomato and bacon!!! Heaven.  I have never had a bad experience with the staff either, so friendly and chatty. Who cares about a line? It's worth the wait!!!!!!!!
4 - Roberto B.: HUGE, ultra fresh bagels with generous amounts of cream cheese and other add-ons make these the best around.  It's been our go to spot for Sunday mornings for a long time.  They get dinged one star for their appearance.  Place could really use a top to bottom sweepin & scrubbin, but who cares when the bagels are so good.
5 - Emma H.: I remember on the way home from soccer practice when we stopped to go to Taco Bell...and saw this place being built. Never went to that Taco Bell again. Bagel barn is really great. I know it's hard to tell the difference between bagels, but I love the freshness in their selections and of the dairy products. The service are always really friendly and fast. One of the best bagel places in NJ!
4 - David P.: Their bagels are out of sight!
5 - Tyler R.: Fact:  The best bagel sandwiches are born and raised in Princeton, New Jersey.

Super Fact:  That is 173 miles from where I live (currently.)

Optimum Fact:  This distance does not deter me from gormandizing Bagel Barn whenever (and as frequently as) possible.

My girlfriend grew up in Princeton, and has been consuming these magnificent entities since birth.  I, however, have only been in the picture 3.7 years, and am way behind.

Located in a very nonchalant looking plaza, Bagel Barn has a huge deli area, bagel area, and some picnic table style seating.  The deli selections are fantastic - more salads and meats to choose from than you would ever imagine coming from a bagel place - or even a normal sized grocery store.  Great variety of bagel types - just as you would expect.

Get food bagels everything eat it now.  Depending on the time of day and how long it has been since my last visit, I get a...

Breakfast Bagel Sandwich - Bacon, Egg, & Cheese on a blueberry bagel.  It is not actually a blueberry bagel unless the bagel itself is blue, and these are as blue as they get.  Real egg.  Real bacon.  Real cheese.  Really melted.  Really blue.  Super good.

Lunch Bagel Sandwich - Tuna on an everything bagel with lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, and spicy mustard.  Get.  This.  In.  Your.  Mouth.  Now.

I don't know what it is about their tuna...but it is amazing.

So depending on the time of day, I get one (or both) of those sandwiches, and then take some bagels to go.  The people that work there are super nice and make you feel right at home, even if you don't know exactly what you want super fast right away.  

Watch out, they close earlier than you would expect most days (3 or 4pm) so don't dilly dally on your way there.

Do yourself a favor and go get some bagels, bagel sandwiches, and/or some bagels and a few more bagels bagels.

BAGELS.  BAGEL BARN.  Carb up like tomorrow's a marathon.
4 - Jessica I.: Bagels are good, yes. But I get the feeling that a lot of the reviewers here have either been eating really bad bagels their whole lives and stumbled upon some decent ones finally and are thereby glorifying them, or I must have been eating somewhere else. Many places in Mercer County offer bagels JUST like these, and in some cases, do it WAY better. You guys need to spread your bagel wings and fly some. Onion and herb cream cheese IS way killer, I will give them that much!
2 - Rebecca P.: I'm really baffled by the high rating here...maybe there just aren't any other options in Montgomery? Drive to West Windsor or Plainsboro - there are two much tastier establishments (Bagel Hole and Bagel Street, respectively).

What's wrong with these bagels you ask? After all, they're enormous and should therefore be delicious, right? Wrong. When it comes to NJ specialties (i.e. pizza and bagels), there is no correlation between size and deliciousness (this is a fact). 

The bagels here are way too bready...there is a certain "chew" that one looks for in boiled bagels. I'm not tasting it here...

In better news, good cream cheese/variety in bagel offerings. That said, suck up the gas costs and drive east for bagels.
2 - Shantanu D.: The bagels are pretty good actually. The density, crunch, pull, chewy factor and flavor are very good. I have had better but not that often. 

But the cream cheese ratio is always off. This ruins the experience. The flavored spreads are lackluster. 

Other bad news...a bagel with Lox and cream cheese is $8. I have had great smoked fish that I will pay roughly any price for. But this is not what is served here. Add in a cup of coffee and the bill is  now over $10. 

Dont bother with the breakfast platters. The potatoes are plain old bad, i dont know where they buy their eggs and the bacon is precooked (overly so) and then reheated to order. Not the correct way to treat bacon. 

The burgers are indicative of everything that is wrong with mankind. They are emasculated little beasts. Devoid of flavor, texture and joie de vivre. The bun basically gave up any hope of future glory while the dough was still wet. I think they get their tomatoes from someone who hates tomatoes. This foolishness is overcompensated with a massive amount of very nice french fries, like a small-membered paunchy balding man ensconced in a porche. 

Credit for the chicken salad. I do eat this frequently and the dill is a nice touch.
4 - David P.: Went here for breakfast while waiting for car maintenance down the road. What a nice discovery! We almost went to Wawa for coffee which would have been a sad mistake. We got breakfast platters here. Very good non-factory/non-chain bagels in lots of varities, which we can't find in Princeton downtown. We had the rye and the cinnamon-sugar. Very big any chewy, gave our jaws a workout. 

Non-bagels: the eggs and potatoes were good, coffee and sausage ok, bacon not good.
4 - Dipan P.: Great find for someone new to the area. Went with my 5 year old for our Saturday morning breakfast and we both loved it.  Lox was fresh, and bagels were fresh as they can be.
4 - Alan K.: Hats off to Bagel Barn for its great sandwiches, bagel choices and really nice staff. I don't get there much because Udo's at the Manors Shopping Center in Lawrenceville makes the perfect bagel. I do try to stop in to BB when driving up 206 headed for New England.
1 - Dan O.: I use to love this place until I placed a catering order with sarah for a platter of 15 sandwiches which I wasn't told the price over the phone. I love to support local business so I figured I would spent 60-70 bucks but when they told me $138, i fell on the floor. i left a message for Sarah to call me and she never did, then I left another message, still not return call and then another.....at this point I will just stack it up to poor customer service and make my own breakfast sandwich going forward. It's a shame but you can't run a business like this guys- Sarah and Orlando....shame shame shame on you!

Bagel Factory - Pittsburgh, PA (40.456766, -79.930303) (Shadyside)
4 - rosie r.: Lots of options. The sandwiches are moderately priced and good. Avoid the cupcakes - they are dry.
3 - Nick S.: Alright, bad news first. Sadly, the Bagel Factory wasn't quite as good as La Bagel Delight (my favorite Brooklyn bagel shop/deli). I went in hoping for something that would rival LBD's Mr. Bagel, and I'm sorry to say that in that regard, the Bagel Factory fell a bit short.

On the other hand, this is Pittsburgh, not New York City, and the Bagel Factory is by far the best bagel I've had here. Brueggers and Einstein don't even compare.

The egg in my bacon, egg and cheese bagel sandwich left a lot to be desired. It definitely seemed like a premade egg product that was simply heated for my sandwich. Fresh, scrambled eggs would have earned the Bagel Factory 4 stars here. I imagine this place would be excellent for the standard bagel and cream cheese.

The service was friendly and fast, the place was clean.
2 - Kiersten S.: It is rather unfortunate that Pittsburgh doesn't have ANY privately owned strictly bagel joints. Bagels, in my opinion, are one of the best breakfast alternatives to actually sitting down to a nice breakfast. I want this - being a student, basically full-time server, volunteering - my life pretty much requires a bagel breakfast every now and then. However, I'm in Pittsburgh, where can I go?
Eisteins? Brueggers? These place are virtually the same. Panera? I used to work here so not only do I dislike the taste, but I have a natural aversion to eating anything from this place. 
Bagel Factory! Yes! No...these bagels are about the same you would get anywhere. Just as chewy, that taste of "this is feigning fresh because it is warm and was just heated up, but it's definitely not fresh fresh."
Sadly, this is what Pittsburghers must settle for. I we can hope for is that one day a kind Philadelphian or New Yorker will show us the light, and bring us light, fluffy bagels of my dreams!
3 - RONALD W.: First thing, service is extremely good. Folks behind the counter and register were very helpful.

The bagels a smaller and more dense than what I am familiar with, so they could be more authentic, ala NY variety. Personally I am accustomed to and prefer the Noah's, Einstein's (OK I hate their use of corn meal as nonstick at stores but not Costco), Bruegger's bigger airier variety (Costco being one of the best places to procure these in bulk Noah's or Einstein's depending on geography, Einstein's in Pittsburgh).

I had the daily sandwich which was chicken salad on a croissant ironically. This was very good. Unlimited self-service coffee refills (at least no one asked me to pay) was good too with two regular varieties and one decaf.

All in all I suspect opinion on the food will be what you think a bagel should be like...

Metered street parking...
4 - Rebecca G.: Best bagels in Pittsburgh. It reminds me of the bagel shops I grew up with on Long Island. 

The bagels are appropriately chewy, and they've got a great selection. I've had a bunch of different types (salt, everything, sesame) and they were all delicious. They also have a selection of desserts and other foods.
5 - Jessica C.: Best bagels in PGH!  I usually bring bagels back with me when I visit my parents, but since moving to Pittsburgh and finding this place, I have no need to anymore!

If you get there first thing in the morning the bagels are still warm and the cookies are still on the cookie sheets from baking.  

The cream cheese tastes great, but does have a mild off-putting smell.  Kind of more a sour smelling cream cheese.  

They periodically put 50% off coupons on Living Social/Groupon sites.  I always snatch up a few when I see them.  I can't get enough of these yummy bagels!
4 - Zachary A.: Good bagels and great variety! They are more than just bagels, which is the best part of the Bagel Factory. You can enjoy breakfast sandwiches ALL DAY (which is a blessing for those of us that are sad after 10am) and a large variety of other sandwiches, sides, soups, and treats throughout the day. The only problem I have is that they tend to seem to be more focused on their large catering orders and less on individual sales (at least the Ellsworth location). Otherwise, I love them!
4 - Teresa T.: I am not sure what makes a perfect bagel but after eating at Bagel Factory I am pretty sure I am darn well close to it. Don't let the drab decor of the store fool you. Bagel Factory churns out delicious perfections of bakery like no one's business and we were told that the Penguins get their bagels from here too so we know we are in the right place. I've ordered the lox sandwich, and egg ham and cheese sandwich - both on everything bagels. The lox I think is my favorite and I'd love to come back to try a Cinnamon one. Soft and fluffy with a bit of crunch. Watch out, you'll find this tasty bit gone within seconds.
5 - Zach R.: The BEST bagel place in town.  Hands down.  Not even a contest.  The bagels are boiled (the traditional style) and not overly large and doughy.  Their lox sandwich is amazing.  A sizable hunk of lox with fresh tomato and onion, perfect.  I eat here frequently, lox sandwich, bagel and cream cheese, tuna salad, roast beef, pastrami, you name it, they make it and its good.  But I'm not done yet, saving the best for last: french toast.  Their french toast is delicious.  Fast and easy, it is the perfect weekend breakfast without the hassle of going somewhere crowded like Pamela's.  If you love bagels, Bagel Factory is the only place to go in Pitt.
3 - Rebecca M.: I do not see what all of the fuss is about - maybe it is due to the lack of authentic bagel options in the area? I agree that their bagels are authentic, and the lox sandwich is pretty darn good with an ample amount of each of the toppings. Everything else is pretty average to me, and the service has been below average on each of my several visits. I will go back and try some different pastries, and will hopefully have a positive update.
2 - Ryan P.: The food at this location was about the same as at the Squirrel Hill location on Forbes Avenue (not bad, not great), but I thought the service was far worse. One of the male employees helping us referred to one of the females as an "old hag" which I thought was extremely unprofessional and uncool. I'm sure he was joking, but that's still not something he should have said around customers. This tainted the whole experience for me and I probably won't be returning. My dining partner agreed.
2 - Amber B.: Bagels were okay and they had the usual assortment of flavors. Cream cheese flavors seemed lacking- not much flavor.
I like that it is a local bagel place. 
However, I find it in bad taste when an establishment changes their prices for those using a Groupon or other coupon. I am using the coupon (which your store issued) to save money and then they increase their prices for those using the Groupon!
1 - Ryan B.: First visit, they forgot to put my sandwich in my to-go bag.  Second visit, to get my forgotten sandwich I was charged $4 for coleslaw.  I don't care what the food is like when I don't get it and then get charged too much for it.  Boo...

Bagel Gourmet - Providence, RI (41.823516, -71.399098) (College Hill)
3 - Giuliano P.: Every time I visit Providence, this place provides consistently good bagels, breakfast sandwiches, breakfast burritos, and surprisingly authentic mexican food at very reasonable prices.  To boot, they have a very extensive selection of beverages.  Sometimes the line can be out the door, and the place can get crowded, but overall, this place is pretty quality.
5 - Arturo V.: I'm not surprised this place had the longest line for breakfast in the latest Brown alumni reunion. Nowhere else in the world you'll have such an amazing egg and cheese bagel. I know, it is probably one the most unhealthy breakfasts you may have, but once a year it is worth the treat.
5 - Ashley P.: When you are in the mood for a breakfast sandwich, think first of Bagel Gourmet!  I have visited this small bagel shop on several occasions now and have been delighted each time with the quality of my purchase.

Bagel Gourmet's breakfast sandwiches blow their Dunkin Donuts counterpart out of the water.  One defining difference. . . made with REAL eggs!  The kind you crack open on the griddle, not the pre-formed patties that disintegrate in your mouth.  Lots of gooey cheese, meats cooked to perfection.  Served on a bagel of your choice and wrapped in wax paper and aluminum foil to maximize warmth for transport time.  

Breakfast sandwiches are not the only thing you can partake in.  There are an infinite amount of bagel and cream cheese combinations, breakfast burritos, and a variety of Mexican dishes served after 10 am.  Reasonable prices!  Sausage, Egg, and Cheese on an Everything bagel costs approximately $4.

From what I recall:

Types of Bagels:  Plain, Everything, Sesame, Cinnamon Raisin, Poppy, Sunflower, Cinnamon Sugar, Blueberry, Onion, and more!
Types of Cream Cheese:  Chive, Vegetable, Strawberry, Olive, Jalapeno, Sundried Tomato, Cinnamon Walnut Raisin, and Garlic & Herb.   

Four refrigerated cases of drinks to choose from including milk, juices, energy drinks, sports drinks, etc.  Can get very crowded in here on a busy morning.  I do not recommend sitting to eat unless you enjoy having breakfast in a crowded subway car setting.  Keep in mind, they do not accept credit cards.  ATM nearby!  Completely worth the wait, quality meals!
4 - Chris K.: Great little bagel shop, sometimes can get a little crowded and has a very disorganized ordering system( a lot of confusion as to who has ordered and who has paid and who is waiting and who is just looking at the drinks-- its madness).  Nonetheless the bagels are chewy on the outside and soft on inside.  Bagel with lox is the real winner.-  This bad boy costs like 8 bucks but comes with a ton of lox rather than the infamous "lox cream cheese" which contains only small traces of salmon goodness.  Prices are fairly cheap- I hear the mexican food is decent but have yet to muster the energy to make my way over in the afternoon.
4 - Shana B.: whenever i found myself visiting brown university, i grew to crave bagel gourmet
they do a great egg n cheese bagel sandwich 

and surprisingly some of the simplest, most authentic mexican food on the east coast (burritos, breakfast burritos)

yes, sometimes -- especially the times youre starving -- the line is out the door, but it's worth it
and they have a great drink selection (apparently, for me, this means...arizona iced tea)
4 - Meghan A.: I know, I know, I know. Four stars. You would think someone who goes there at least once every weekend (at least) would give it five stars, but I can explain.

The first time I went to Bagel Gourmet was when my brother was going to Brown undergrad. After a long (and very fun) night, sometimes the only thing to bring you back to life is a bacon, egg and cheese with some hot sauce. Now that I live in Providence, it's becoming a weekend ritual to go there at least once.

My favorite items juggle between an onion bagel toasted with cream cheese, a bacon, egg and cheese or a simple egg and cheese. I give major props to Bagel Gourmet for using real eggs. No real eggs? No business from this gal. I have never felt that my order wasn't cooked well, and I haven't had to worry that I'll get the wrong order. Somehow despite all the activity that is constantly flowing through the establishment, they are able to keep track of who ordered what, how they wanted it, and whether or not they need some hot sauce.

Like everyone else has said, there is no avoiding one thing: the line. Sometimes it's small and you get in just in time before the crowd magically appears, sometimes you're stuck at the end. The crew tries to move the line as quickly and efficiently as they can. I would say the only issue is that some people hover around the counter while they wait for their food, and that causes the massive pile up. Stupidity and impatience is a learned trait.

Why four stars? I don't think it's the cleanest place in all of Providence. That could have to do with all the people coming in and leaving their trash on the tables instead of throwing them away in the conveniently located trash cans, or it could just appear to be less than sparkling because the building itself isn't in the best shape. But to date I have never seen a rodent that doesn't belong and I have never had anything, but an awesome breakfast from Bagel Gourmet.

Pick up your trash, damnit!
5 - Paul M.: Delicious bagels! There's lots of variety, but I'm usually just looking for a tasty onion bagel with cream cheese.
5 - Hilary H.: How do you know when a bagel is perfect? When toasting it would ruin it. Yup, that's what I said. If you can slice it, schmear it and eat it with no further ado, it's perfection. Bagel Gourmet creates such bagels. 

My favorite favorite favorite is the everything bagel - it's so well balanced with salt, poppy seeds, garlic, onions, and sesame seeds that I might not need to add the schmear of garden veggie cream cheese, but why deprive myself of further gluttonous joy? This cream cheese is SO good - and fresh. I can tell because they use red onions, and they still have their color. 

Seriously kids - these bagels are a no-brainer if you're looking for authentic, tasty, and satisfying NY bagels. Do it!
5 - Stephanie C.: the guy behind the counter complimented my nail polish, so this place automatically gets 5 stars.

just kidding.

but my point is that the employees here are friendly, always up for conversation, and attentive. ive never been ignored or overlooked and, like it is with bagel gourmet ole on thayer st, im always happy to see the same faces when i walk in. i go to the thayer street location much more often based on the convenience of the location, but if you are a brown university student and live in new dorm or grad center, you might as well come by here to avoid big lines or a trek up thayer. 

the bagels are fresh and come in a huge variety, the coffee is always piping hot and flavorful, and the prices are pretty cheap and reasonable. bagel gourmet is definitely something im going to miss about providence/brown.
4 - Uncle K.: Love this place and go out of my way to get there several times on every trip.  Star deducted for lack of variety.  Bagel Shack in San Clemente and Absolute Bagels in Harlem still have them beat.  You won't be disappointed here unless you are looking for that perfect cheddar jalapeno bagel...you need to go cross country for that.
3 - Abhay Kumar A.: Staff is friendly, ambience is good, but food is average.

Can't get a decent whole grain bagel. Servings are miniature. Bagels, cheese, eggs etc from any NYC street cart will be better and cheaper!

Good for college crowd though.
4 - Sarah E.: After living in NYC I have become a bit of a bagel snob. I for the life of me cannot find a single one that I like in Maine. So I was a bit skeptical when I was told this place was almost as good as NYC. 

First off- bring CASH or CHECK. no CC taken here folks. 

Second- be prepared to wait. It seems there is always a line. 

Third- it is best to take it to go. not much seating and people are bumping into you and you just feel in the way. Go home and sit on your couch and enjoy it. 

Ok now the food.  Caper cream cheese is sooo good. I had it on the sunflower seed bagel with lox.  yum. 

To be honest this is all I have had here every time I have come (all of two times haha). But it is so worth it. My only complaint is the price.  Holy cannoli almost 9$ for that bagel. Lox or not that is expensive. My fav place in NYC does it for 7$.  Even the drinks range in price from 2$ or more here.  

I like it. You should try it.
3 - Kel S.: Decent bagels, got them mid-afternoon on a rainy Sunday, and the guy suggested getting them toasted as he alluded to the fact that they may not be the freshest. Well, the jalepeno cream cheese and chive cream cheese made up for the mediocre bagels. The cream cheeses were unbelievable. The place was crowded even at an off hour in bad weather. I'll go back early morning next time to get the "proper" experience.
4 - Charles S.: i have been hearing great things about Bagel Gourmet for years but have never had the chance to venture there myself, until this morning. I'm happy to say that all of the rave reviews I had heard were not exaggerated. 

At first glance there's nothing fancy to behold, just a counter, a drink cooler and a few tables. But what immediately caught my eye was the hand-drawn cream cheese menu on the wall that seemed to whisper sweet nothings as I perused its contents. A nice selection of bagels as well, but I'm admittedly predisposed to always order the "everything". 

I went with the lox spread and topped it with red onion and tomato. The cream cheese was noticeably fresh and the bagel itself had a perfect crunchy to soft ratio. 

I would say that the only downside would be their cash only policy, which I understand the purpose for in small businesses, but still manages to peeve me this day in age. Apart from that I would say that this is just about the best bagel experience I've had in providence thus far, and I'll eagerly await my next visit.
5 - brian l.: best bagels in providence, in my opinion
small, i agree with take it to go and bring cash and, well, there may be a line...
4 - Anya R.: I don't think there's anyone who went/goes to Brown who hasn't been here and loved it! The cream cheese selection is INCREDIBLE. I just wish they had tofu cream cheese! But it was worth the tummy ache for this lactose intolerant girl to eat a bagel with half sundried tomato and half cinnamon raisin walnut cream cheese (my two favorites! I love that I don't have to choose). They also have delicious breakfast burritos and sandwiches. It would be great if they took credit cards though. Luckily, there's an ATM next door which they always remind you of.
5 - Jody S.: YUM!  Get the pumpernickel bagel with olive cream cheese!
4 - Alma C.: dense, chewy, satisfying, inexpensive bagels
5 - Cato M.: A true College Hill legend, and home to the best bagels I have ever had. My personal favorites from Bagel Gourmet are the sesame seed bagel, breakfast sandwiches, egg salad and guacamole. I wouldn't recommend going on a Sunday morning or early afternoon (because the small building will be packed with hungover college students), but at any other time, you're bound to have a short wait and a very tasty experience!
5 - Ashley A.: Everything bagel toasted with creamy chive cream cheese- sounds amazing right? This place is so great. I love their wide selection of cream cheese spreads and their selection of fresh bagels, despite if I always stick with the everything bagel. Recently, I was informed that they also make most of their bagels in wheat as well, so there is the alternative if you prefer wheat. Don't be fooled by the name, they also have a selection of breakfast sandwiches, fresh potatoes and macaroni salads, even burritos! There is also a location down city located in the Brown University Medical Center. It's almost a hidden gem, because it's not as busy as the other location.

Bagel Gourmet Cafe - Providence, RI (41.819064, -71.408276) (DownCity)
4 - Bailey M.: This cafe is located on the first floor of the Warren Alpert Medical School. It is located on the first floor and is open to the public, not just med students and staff. Because it is nestled inside such a large, spacious, and brand new building, the atmosphere is quite bright and welcoming. 

They have two refrigerators with selections like Naked Juice, iced teas, red bulls, and fruit juices. Their menu consists of your regular deli items--burritos, bagels (obviously), simple sandwiches, pre-made salads, and some dessert items like cheesecake. I can't comment on the food since I've only purchased drinks there while on my walk to work. 
Nevertheless, I have great hope that this will be a good addition to the food selection for the Jewelry district.
4 - Evan M.: Spacious, clean and comfortable atmosphere. Friendly staff, good selection of bagels / toppings. My wife and I both had bagels that were both very good. I can't speak for the other food on the menu, but there is quite a bit of it, from salads, to deli sandwiches, to tacos / burritos. Worth a stop for a quick meal if you're in the area.
4 - Valerie Z.: The bagels here are delicious and decently priced.  They also make a great coffee.  I usually have a seasame bagel with jalapeno cream cheese and a hot coffee with soy.  Fantastic.  

They also have baked goodies like muffins and cookies...I don't think they are made there, but I would love to know who the hero is behind the pistachio muffin!  I've seen (and eaten, duh!) this muffin in several places!  

Must. Have. Pistachio.  Muffin.
3 - Cookie M.: Sometimes I sit at my desk at work, stare out the window and daydream of a day when a lunch place I really like will open in the Jewelry District. The bagels at Bagel Gourmet are pretty good, especially with a choice of seven or eight types of cream cheese, but the other food I've had from there has been mediocre-to-bad. I think they should stick to what they do best and stop trying to have a giant menu.
5 - Laurie M.: The only place to get a decent bagel downtown.  And I have tried just about everywhere.  I used to walk to their other locations because nothing else could compare. I was so excited when I found out they were opening a new location that's closer to me.
5 - Elsa D.: To say I was ecstatic when Bagel Gourmet Cafe opened would be an understatement. I always get one of two things, and each is always so good. too good. If you haven't had these things ... well, you're definitely missing out. 

1. Chicken quesadilla. With the red salsa. They now have a new green salsa. Don't do that. Do the red salsa. 
2. Toasted everything bagel with chicken salad. Lettuce, tomatoes, no onions. 

I know nothing about their cream cheese, though they seem to have a large selection. I've heard good things. I still hate cream cheese. 

Their coleslaw also left my boyfriend speechless, it was that good.
4 - Taylor T.: I'm a fan of Bagel Gourmet on Brook Street, and this location is basically a newer, cleaner, less crowded version of that, which makes me happy, especially on a Saturday morning when I wake up slightly hungover and desperately need a coffee and a bagel to revive me. I usually stick to a pretty basic bagel (blueberry, everything) with peanut butter or chive cream cheese (respectively). They really go overboard with the toppings, even when I request a 'light' amount of spread, so I end up wiping about half of whatever I order off, which is my biggest complaint since it seems wasteful. However, I can really appreciate the little things, like the time they take to melt the sugar for the iced coffees and wrap leftovers to go if you need that. 

I sincerely hope they get a ton of business during the week, because whenever I've been here on the weekend, there's no one else around (I am an early riser, though). My other half is a fan of the lox cream cheese spread, egg sandwiches, and even the breakfast burrito from time to time. They prep all of the eggs and bagel sandwiches to order, which makes them hot, fresh, and worth waiting for. 

Street parking is your best bet. Meters are free on Sundays.
4 - Alma C.: very clean, good bagels, courteous prompt service, below average/fair prices, lots of options.
4 - Cato M.: If you can manage the walk, try commuting here on a weekend morning instead of to one of the other Bagel Gourmets - it's much less crowded at peak times. The foods I like at the other locations (sesame seed bagels, egg salad, guacamole, breakfast sandwiches) are just as good here.

Bagel Gourmet Ole - Providence, RI (41.8278157, -71.4006351) (College Hill)
4 - Sara B.: This place has some amazing chicken tacos.  The place is small, so it's more of a takeout place then anything else, and it's not fast, because they make everything up to order, but maybe that's why they taste so good.  The toppings always seem fresh, and they've got a super sauce. 

I hear the bagels are good too (always seemed like an odd mix of specialties), but can't vouch for them myself.
5 - Lauren W.: Definitely the best quesadillas on Thayer Street (possibly the only ones). Gourmet Ole is a place to get-food-and-go since their seating selection accommodates only 4-5 people on a very small table along the wall. The staff is friendly and if you go in a lot (as I do), they'll remember you. Reasonable prices for generous portions.
3 - Sushi X.: It's okay. Prices are a bit steep for what you're getting. Taste wise I say 3/5 stars. This isn't NYC quality bagels. I highly doubt if you check it out you'll find a seat as I think there are only 4-5 seats in this tiny shop.

I think this place tries too hard to be two different things. A Jewish bagel shop and a mexican joint all in one?
4 - Trix S.: Ok, obviously this is not fine dining, since there's hardly anywhere to sit and the menu is pretty limited.  But, with that in mind, i LOVE this place!!  

Bagels AND Mexican food??  Why is this the perfect combination??  I think I go here so often because despite its small size, the menu offers lots of options!  If i feel like a giant, hearty quesadilla filled with delicious salsa, meat, etc... where do I go?  Bagel Gourmet OLE!  When it's early, or I'm hungover, or I'm just plain in the mood for a delicious Sausage Egg & Cheese on a bagel, where do I go?  Bagel Gourmet OLE!  When it's lunchtime and I want something that's the perfect size and super tasty (ie. their turkey sandwich on an everything bagel, or salmon with veggie cream cheese), where do I go?  haha, well you get the point! 

 The people there are always super nice and while the service isn't lightening-fast (because they make it fresh to order.  With real eggs, etc!), it's still really easy to pop in and out to pick up a quick lunch!  It's definitely a take-out place, but one of the best on Thayer!  YUM i think i'll head there tomorrow...
4 - Stephanie C.: if i have some extra time between classes to grab a bite to eat, chances are i'll duck into this lil place and grab a bagel and coffee. i dont know what coffee they use but it is deliiiicious! ill take it over abp or starbucks coffee any day [i think my wallet thanks me for that, too]. their bagels are fresh and have just the right texture/chewiness. the service is also great - every time i walk in im always happy to be greeted by the same warm and friendly people. 

beware: if you ask for cream cheese they REALLY get generous...so i usually ask for it on the side. 
also, they really overdo it with the sugar in their iced coffee when you ask for sugar, so you end up having this thick ring of undissolved sugar at the bottom. just specify "a little sugar" so that you can stir it up yourself.
4 - Alex R.: I've always been a bagel fan ever since my venture to the east coast.  Long Island has some delicious bagels and a good friend of mine loves her Jersey bagels.  Venturing to Bagel Gourmet Ole I was hoping they had two things: an egg bagel and lox.  I was in luck.  For under five dollars I got my friend a bagel and I got mine as well.  The only downside is I like lox on top of the cream cheese, instead of their lox spread, but nonetheless the bagel was toasted to perfection and reminded me of a snack to enjoy while taking a brisk walk on a east coast winter's day.
4 - Stephen T.: Pretty damn good prices, pretty fast service, good bagels, and great cream cheese. Great for breakfast or lunch and even better to cure a hang over when combined with a gatorade.
4 - Carly B.: Providence is lacking in bagel awesomeness; I think Bagel Gourmet is the best around. But even more often, I'm here for the OLE!

I've heard through the grapevine that the whole bagels/Mexican food odd combo started at the Brook St. location, when the staff would start cooking *themselves* up some burritos for lunch and customers would catch these incredible smells and peek to the back saying, "whoa! Gimme summa dat!!" 
And so now we have Mexican served on Brook St. and Bagel Gourmet Ole... 

There is no better burrito to be had outside of an authentic Mexican restaurant - which means this is the BEST for East Side. And they give you the most joyously tangy miracle sauce on the side. Pick up a Providence Phoenix, pull up a side stool and chill for a few - this isn't a Subway-style affair - they nurture that burrito to life so it takes some time. The staff is friendly and cool. I just wish there was more space for seating - I'll only order to-go here.
4 - Sohini R.: It took me a long time to get here, but OLE = OMG best breakfast burrito ever.

I'm not a big fan of bread, so bagels aren't my thing, although if they were I would get them here or at Bagel Gourmet (what other bagel establishments even exist near Brown?).  Bagels aside, I have been hearing about these breakfast burritos since the fall.  The inn on campus at Brown even recommends them to visiting speakers/interviewees.  Why did it take me so long to finally try one?  Yelp told me the address was 228 Thayer instead of 288 Thayer....I once stood for about ten minutes at Angell and Thayer, searching the complex where Tealuxe and Juniper sit for Bagel Gourmet Ole.  Oh, the disappointment.

If you make it further up Thayer to the right address, past Kartabar, $5.00 will get you a small (but sizeable) breakfast burrito full of fixings that provides energy without sleepiness.  Egg whites are also available, which is a nice touch.  I took my burrito to go, and it was wrapped to maintain its structural integrity during the walk to my office.  Color me impressed!  Also, the enclosed salsa/sauce on the side is delicious.  Looking forward to my next trip.
5 - Monica G.: I'm writing this review solely because I so often crave the bagel sandwiches that sustained me for years on end. I lived on Thayer, above one of the stores so Bagel Gourmet Olé was right across the street. I was a regular. Good customer service -- fast and reliable. Bacon, egg, and cheese on a plain or everything bagel. I'm in heaven. Prices are decent and I will forever love you Bagel Gourmet.

Also, yeah not Mexican food. Thank John C. for clearing that one up.
5 - Irene Y.: Best place for a breakfast burrito, hands down!! Portions are large so I usually get the small size. So delicious, sometimes just tempted to travel all the way over from the East Side just for this! 

To note, they only have a smaller counter with maybe 5-6 chairs for sitting, so it does get a little crowded if you're planning on eating here. Most people take their burritos to go. 

FYI they also have green pistachio muffins. Delish!
4 - Ryan D.: Small breakfast burrito? Bagel Gourmet Ole you are genius. Sounds pretty crazy that someone wouldn't have sizes on their burritos but unless you are coming off a rough night, who really needs a large breakfast burrito? 

Seeing the wide selection of bagels and cream cheeses, I really would like to come back and try some.

This is a take out place primarily, very small eating area so don't expect to sit and enjoy a coffee and bagel. However, with quick food, people are moving in and out if you do want to sit down. 

So until the burrito place across the street (Chipotle) starts to do breakfast, you can count on me going back to Bagel Gourmet...Ole!
4 - Karen L.: Just happened to walk by one morning with an itch for something tasty for breakfast. Saw Ole's chalkboard and a breakfast burrito (small) that I just had to try. Amazing! Can I say that I went back 3 days in a row for this bundle of sausagy flavor explosion? Chock full of tasty toppings and fluffy eggs with a side of "hot" sauce to give it an edge. 

Ditto on the small space but service is quick and pleasant, the ambiance cozy.

What a great find on Thayer.
1 - Peter G.: Went to get a quick breakfast with a friend.  Ordered 2 large Iced coffees, a large breakfast burrito and an egg, cheese and bagel sandwich.  When the register showed just under $20 I was shocked.  First my friend questioned the cashier and he said "taxes are not shown the menu".  Well that didn't make much sense so I then added up what it said on the blackboard menu of what we ordered.  2 large iced coffees at 2.50 each is $5.00, a large breakfast burrito $6.02 and the egg sandwich on a bagel $3.45.    so that is $14.47 plus 8% tax which is a total of $15.62 which is already on the high side for what was ordered, not to mention the "LARGE" (16 oz.) Iced coffees looked like mediums as compared to anywhere else.    Anyway after adding I approached the cashier myself and questioned the total and his answer was:
Those prices that are posted on our menus are the "OLD" prices, we haven't posted the new ones.  I said why are the old prices still posted and he said either  "I only do what I'm told" or "I only take orders".  Not a good answer.  just wanted to warn anyone who thinks of going there.
5 - Meaghan K.: Damn good bagels. Wow they are so fresh and heavenly, they make Dunkin Dounut bagels look like dog food. They have so many different types of bagels but the onion and everything are my favorite. Everything has the right about of every ingredient so nothing overpowers, instead everything just works together symbiotically. If the bagels weren't enough the cream cheese is good enough to eat on its own, yes I've done it and you will too, just dip you finger into the little container and taste what I believe is cream cheese euphoria. My office moved from the East side, a mere 5 minute walk from this Bagel Paradise, and I walked the last morning to Bagel Gourmet for my bagel and I have missed it everyday since. Hey Bagel Gourmet, want to open a branch in Pawtucket? Until then I guess I'll have to make a few trips and stock up on bagel goodness.
4 - Ryan D.: Best Mexican food on Thayer- and maybe Providence. 

I'm a big fan of their quesadillas and breakfast burritos, obviously the bagels too. The only downside is that everyone else on College Hill is also a big fan, so the lines get pretty outrageous on weekends.

Pro-tip: call ahead and skip the line. Make sure to smirk at the novices waiting for their food.

Bagel Place of College Park - College Park, MD (38.9818553, -76.937803) ()
4 - Adam P.: truly one of the few gems in college park!  

this bagel shop looks a bit rugged from the outside, but the inside is cozy and features the typical college park decorations of UMD paraphernalia.  but the best part is the BAGELS.  in my opinion, these are the best bagels i've had in the DC area (even beating out whatsabagel's in cleveland park!).  big and thick -- NY style!  

they also feature plenty of creative bagel sandwiches, involving lox and deli meats.  my favorite is the power bagel, with TONS of veggies and muenster cheese.  and if you're really not a bagel person, they also make salads and deli sandwiches on bread...  though i've never bothered to try.

it also features an espresso bar with decent enough baristas to help you avoid the starbucks across the street.
4 - Natalie F.: As far as bagels and bagel sandwich's go this place is very tasty. I like the Spinach pizza bagel. It features a HUGE bagel open face with cheese and fresh spinach. It's Delicious!! It is also a decent place to sit down and eat. They also have a coffee bar in the back of the place which I have only had iced coffee from, but was also very good. Try it sometime!
4 - Molly R.: This is the only good bagel place I know of in the College Park area. They have tons of options for different bagel sandwiches, muffins, and some pretty good soups. The bagel sandwiches are a little pricey ($5-$8), but you're not going to find anything like this anywhere else around here. 

The bagels are really good and you can even buy huge bags of day-old bagels for pretty cheap.

I recommend getting your bagel open-faced because they give you a lot more toppings that way.

This would get 5 stars if it was a little cheaper and had more interesting vegetarian options.
4 - Tammy L.: If you arrive early in the morning, you get to watch them make bagels with their bagel making machine!  Bagel Place has tons of good sandwiches and as mentioned in the other reviews, a wide selection of bagels to choose from.  I've tried quite a few things from the menu, but the items I ordered the most were the breakfast bagel sandwiches, jumbo pizza bagel, terrapin, tomato basil soup with ravioli, and just a regular multigrain bagel with cream cheese.  Service is pretty quick and only once have they lost my order, but they were really polite about it.  The atmosphere is relaxed and you really can't go wrong if you just want a casual meal.  They also sell day-old bagels for really cheap, but be sure to refrigerate or freeze them if you don't plan on consuming them very quickly.  When I was at school, the only time Bagel Place was not a good idea was when it was super busy and there was no time, and when it was closed.
5 - Alexandra M.: I love you, Bagel Place.

Thank you for being there for me at 6:45 in the morning when I'm driving home from god-knows-where. Thank you for making me delicious sandwiches on generous sized bagels with lots of veggie toppings. Thank you to the espresso lady in the back for making awesome vanilla lattes, to which I am addicted. Thank you for playing CNN so I can indulge my other addiction. Thank you for giving me a nice way to begin my day.

Please don't change.
4 - Carol H.: Bagels are great. I love getting a bakers dozen to take home. You get 2 fresh cream cheeses (many varieties to choose from) with the brunch pack.

Coffee is so so. Lattes I have had tasted burned. I took my bagel sandwich and headed to Starbucks across the road.
5 - Bethany P.: When your addiction to bagels has gone too far, this is not the place to go.  They have day old bagels for 1/2 price.  After 5pm, they have day old bagels that are already 1/2 price...but also buy one get one free.  That's 12 bagels for $2.50!!  That's nuts.

Their sandwiches and handmade cream cheese are to die for.  In fact, I think I might go there right now.
5 - Aaron A.: Best breakfast in College Park - hands down.

Opens early, Freshest bagels and coffee, unique sandwiches, decent subs, cappuccino, close to campus.

Try the sunrise on (fill in the blank).  Sustained me for years.

Jalapeno bagels are good.  Old Bay bagels are better.

House blended cream cheese (seems like a dozen varieties) is top notch - don't miss it.

Two thumbs up.
5 - Lindsey S.: Bagel Place is good for the following things:
- Fresh, flavorful bagels
- Tasty cream cheese
- All types of bagel sandwiches at all times of the day
- People-watching (particularly late morning on the weekends)
- Getting rid of a hangover

Bagel Place is not great for the following things:
- Getting a quick breakfast on a weekend between 10am-noon.
I think the longest I've ever waited for food after walking in the door is 45 minutes; average about 20.  But it's worth it.


I've graduated, but whenever I come back to CP, I make sure to stop at Bagel Place.
5 - Vivian H.: Best bagels in Maryland. I remember this place well. Spent many mornings here after being post-call. Ate many delicious bagels here. Fond memories of this place. Everything bagel with jalapeno cream cheese. So so good. They also have very good soups. Love this place, really miss it, wished they had something like it close to me now. Thats a huge compliment considering I love in the City of Bagels AKA NYC.
5 - Amanda A.: Best veggie cream cheese, ever. With actual vegetables, and all the bagels I've tried have been fantastic. A few vegetarian options too in the sandwich/pizza bagel sections and a couple vegetarian soups!
3 - Chris K.: I think this is getting high marks because of context. For anyone reading this who lives outside the College Park area, don't feel the need to come here. This isn't the place New Yorkers come because they can't live without bagels only as good as the ones in kosher delis in NYC and complain incessantly about it. In fact I'm predicting the yelp reviews to finally come in that are something to the tune of "THIS IS OKAY BUT DOES NOT COMPARE TO AUTHENTIC NEW YORK BAGELS!!!". I think people love it here because its only place you can easily get breakfast food and coffee to nurse your hangover in College Park. Besides that, the bagels and cream cheese etc. isn't especially awesome here.

My routine for coming here usually involves zombie-walking over here at 9am to get a small coffee and a chocolate chip bagel. Usually then I grumble to myself about how there are only like 3 chocolate chips in the whole damn bagel as I splash my coffee all over my shirt walking to my first class. This only works, by the way, on week days, as on weekends this place crawls back into the collective consciousness of College Park and the place is a fucking circus. The sandwiches I've had here are fine, but seem kind of sodium heavy and again, the bagels range from just regular 'ol bagels to where-the-fuck-are-all-the-chocolate-chips? In any case, this place will still continue to get my business as they're my one hope for morning rehabilitation.
4 - Jen C.: YUM.
i have their catered plates sometimes and it is so fresh and delicious, with all the meats and bagels. great for group events.

it was nice seeing them making fresh bagels in the background while checking out your order...whenever i think of CP now, this is definitely a signature spot. 

-bacon/scallion cream cheese is about $3, love the cream cheese
-love the 'everything' bagel
-morning bite is cozy; theres also outdoor seating. i got the 'sunrise' and it was delicious and fresh. SLIGHTLY too salty for my liking, but balanced well with the egg. Friend was hooked on the blueberry bagels (its actually blue!) with egg/cheese, which looked awesomely willy wonkafied.
3 - David S.: hummm lets see..... Not much to say about this place. Its not awful but  not a five star place either. How do you mess up a bagel anyway? I went in on a Tuesday Morning ordered a Bagel Sandwich. It was ok I threw out half because it tasted like eating cardboard but what can I say.. the orange juice wasn't bad.... The service fast and the girl ordering in front of me had a great ass. hello?  Bagel place= 3 stars Great Ass 5 stars.
Will I go back again? of course... No other bagel place in College Park is there?
4 - Lia D.: I was in College Park helping my friend move and I got really excited when I saw Bagel Place...I could just tell the food would be yummy.  I ordered a toasted hummus sandwich on a salt bagel and it was amazing.  The quality of the bagels is excellent, and they loaded it up w/fresh lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, and good hummus. I'd LOVE to try the cinnamon sugar bagel. YUMMM.  I don't think I'll ever make a special trip here, especially since I live near Bruegger's, but if I'm ever in the area, I'll definitely pay a visit.
5 - Erika K.: I have been going here for YEARS AND YEARS...every hung over UMD student knows that bagel place is THE place to find a cure

Their bagels are super fresh and perfectly doughy...All of their meats are delicious and also fresh, and their various sandwich options are awesome (the red & white is fabulous)

They also sell all of their daily made cream cheeses in a fridge near the cash registers...try the bacon and scallion cream cheese..YUM although, seriously, all of them are delicious

If you are in college park, you should def. try the Bagel Place!
(I also love their truly original name haha)
5 - Heather R.: Freshest bagels EVERY SINGLE DAY!! A huge variety - at least 15 or so.....they even do catering - bagel sandwich platters. My favorite is the Terrapin!
3 - Jen F.: great bagels, closest thing to ny bagels. lots of options for toppings too!  if you feel like waiting on the enormous line there in the morning...
4 - Grant M.: The number one place in College Park for breakfast! Great bagels and bagel sandwiches! Also, their day-old bagel bags are always a great deal for still (mostly) fresh bagels.  The biggest mystery about this place is the smell. Bagel Place has a unique (not so great) odor that seems to stay on you all day after you have eaten breakfast there. This doesn't keep me from going back again and again it just means that when I've had breakfast there people know it.
The only negative is if you try to go there on a Saturday or Sunday at about 11 am, the line is very very long.  However, if you are able to get in at about 9:30 or 10, the line isn't bad and you get to snicker at all of the hungover people "walk-of-shaming" home (it's mean, but you see some hilarious things).
Great place and a staple of College Park life.
4 - Louis W.: Bagels are made fresh with flavors you won't find anywhere else.  (Hint: try the Old Bay bagel).  My go-to order is the sunrise bagel--ham, egg, and cheese for $3.  Lines can get really long if you go during the wrong times, and in that case, it's not worth the wait.  Compared to the other places in CP, the bagel place seems great but it really isn't anything special.
4 - Krissi H.: I tried the everything bagel, toasted, with light cream cheese. Yum. The bagel was delicious; perfectly covered in the goodness that makes up the "everything" part and really fresh. But like every bagel place, there was too much cream cheese. Definitely going to order it on the side next time.

The menu seems pretty extensive. I'll definitely have to check it out for lunch someday.

The place is pretty big and centrally located to the college. I completely missed the espresso bar at the front of the place on my way in. I was looking for espresso drinks on the menu, didn't see any and so ordered a small coffee. Do not order coffee from the bagel counter. I'm assuming that's why they have an espresso bar. The coffee was really light and tasted basically like mildly coffee-flavored water. I like my coffee strong, I'll admit, but even regular-strength-kind-of-folks would have complained.

My favorite thing about the place? You get to watch the uncooked bagels coming down a conveyor belt behind the counter to be put on a sheet pan and baked.
5 - Geoffrey H.: Best bagels around. Been going for years and never disappointed.
4 - Chrissy S.: Bagel Place is heaven on earth.  I never knew I was such a breakfast fan until I came to College Park.  The huge sandwiches like Pride of Baltimore, Sunrise, and Power Bagel are delicious but WILL send you into a food coma afterwards.  Also, prices are pretty steep (they pretty much have the monopoly), lines can be super long (their credit card machines take FOREVER), and you're bound to run into creepers you met last night at the bar...  Also, their coffee could be better but their bagels are wonderful.
4 - Adam J.: Um they have bagels...and they are not bad bagels. Avoid the long lines on weekends and get there before 930. BTW, horrible espresso, AVOID THE ESPRESSO.
4 - Sam L.: Hands down the best place to get breakfast in College Park. Every town needs a... well, bagel place, as good as Bagel Place. Breakfast is their specialty, as you'd imagine. Reasonable prices and good options.
3 - Ken M.: I hadn't been in this place for years but I happened to be driving back from a house in nearby University Park and decided I'd like a breakfast bagel.  The place hasn't changed.  It's a little low on ambiance but what can you expect for a place that is mainly a student hang-out or quick eats place?  After all it's literally right across the street from the University of Maryland's main campus.

I had the egg and sausage and muenster on egg bagel and it was great.  I like the fact that they have a wide selection of cheeses and the food is made to order and definitely several steps above Mickey D's.  They also have a ton of choices for bagels.

The price is reasonable and they have a nice espresso bar in the back (not where you order food).  All in all, a nice place to catch a quick bite if you happen to be in downtown College Park.

Downside:  Meters which you MUST feed or you WILL get a ticket.  The in and out from the parking lot is also a little tricky...and watch out for the cop around the corner.  I got nabbed for no seat belt.  I was going 5 mph around the corner.
4 - Luke T.: I've been coming to this place since I was little and it's pretty great food. The bagels are always fresh and they have a pretty decent selection of flavors. They also have a good selection of house-mixed cream cheeses, my favorite being the bacon scallion. I like the sausage bagel sandwiches and white pizza bagels the best though. The place is nothing fancy on the inside but normally pretty clean and the staff are always nice. Though if you're going on a weekend, go before 9 so you beat the huge lines.
4 - Swatee G.: Now that all my bags are packed and I'm ready to move onto a new phase in life, I want to hold on to EVERYTHING I did in College Park. I don't think I could forget the Bagel Place which has been part of my early morning Breakfast or mid mornin g snack cravings for over 2 years! I worked on the UMD Campus part time while studying, and since my office was so close to the downtown, I loved grabbing  abagel from here.. for myself, for my boss, or thw whole office sometimes even! :p

I love most of their bagels.. right from the evreything bagel (my FAV), the Onion Bagel (close second) to the sesame bagel (weird face).. all of them are awesome. BUT whats best about this place is definitely the light veggie cream cheeese! I just LOVE the flavour, the texture with veggie bits in it..it's OUT of this world! :p

Also, if you are brave enough, try the pizza bagel, it is smothered in cheese( gives me an extreme guilt feeling afterwards...sigh), and i can never EVER finish the whole thing, but it still tastes AWESOME! :p

Also, please please please.. DO NOT frget to have their orange chocochip mufin. It is mindlessly aweome! MUST have! :p

sigh..will misss you Bagel Place!
1 - Andrew C.: College kids revolt!  You go here in mass so they have no reason to get better. Service is extremely slow and the staff just does not care nor capable to process orders timely. Breakfast wraps very small and muffins consistently have freezer burn taste. Oh, yes and if you are able to find parking, it costs.  Bagels are decent though.
5 - Kathryn M.: One of my all time favorite bagel joints, anywhere. The coffee is usually mediocre but the bagel, oh the bagels. Not to even mention the kick ass cream cheese spreads. In particular I have to give a shout out to the Garlic bagel with chive and bacon cream cheese. You should breath around anyone for a while but wow, flat out awesome.

Basically, everything is fresh and made in house. You even get the unmistakable sound of the employees slapping down the bagels precooking. So good.
4 - Praveen N.: Very nice bagel place. My NY friend told me that it's as good as the bagels there. That aside, the bagels are indeed excellent. I usually ordered the everything bagel with halapeno cheddar cheese or scallion. No wonder then that it's often crowded.
4 - Kevin W.: This place has great bagels and even better cream cheese. I tried it for the first time this past Sunday, on the advice of my fellow Yelpers. I wasn't disappointed. I had a red & white (if I recall correctly), which was a bagel sandwich with roast beef, cream cheese, lettuce, and tomato. It was excellent.
4 - Rosario G.: Yes it's awesome... go there! I LOVE their Old Bay bagels.. yes they have a bagel seasoned with Old Bay goodness that tastes great with egg/ham/cheese or anything really.. I have yet to try it with cream cheese spread.  I'm also a fan of the sesame seed, chocolate chip, and multi-grain bagels.  Stay away from the "jalapeno" bagel they make it so mild you might as well just order plain and the everything bagel is just TOO salty.

Their lunch bagel sandwiches are packed with goodies and haven't had one that I didn't like.  The pizza bagel is HUGE and really tasty.

We often have breakfast potlucks at work and I always stop by and get dozen bagels and some lox cream cheese and regular to rave reviews at my office.  

It's true the lines are LONG on weekend brunch hour and the coffee really does taste like plain MD water (avoid!).  I always have a giggle at the college girls and boys going in there post bar some of 'em don't look like they ever made it home... I would NEVER have that happen to me... :P jiji
5 - Shannon D.: I wish we had one of these near us.  We were in town for a wedding and I stopped by for breakfast alone (pregnant and couldn't sleep).  It was so good I brought my husband back the next day.
5 - Talia R.: I come from a Jewish family, so my bagels are very important to me. More important than my bagels are what I put on my bagels... Most importantly, the quality of lox and whitefish.

I can't stop going here and ordering the whitefish platter, lox platter, or pride of Baltimore. They are all amazing. They live up to my stupidly high standards for bagels and fish spreads or smoked fish.
4 - Betty H.: Good bagel flavor variety. Their white spinach pizza bagel (with added mushrooms) is among my favorite pizzas ever. Loud/crowded midday on weekends, and not very pretty or clean.
4 - Maseeh R.: Definitely of fan of bagel place, even if it doesn't quite own up to an actual bagel place in NY. 

The bagels are good, and cream cheese portions are generous. The real star for me is the giant pizza bagel...ask for grilled chicken to be added, and it is absolutely DELICIOUS. 

Fresh squeezed orange juice is also a plus...as are the cheap prices.
4 - T R.: Great little place if you like bagels. Not sure about anything else they serve but the bagel experience is nice. I also like the feel of the space. It invites you in and says sit a while. Not from overly comfy seating but from it local vibe. 

Go for breakfast or lunch. Grab a bag of day old bagels for a real steal.
4 - Libby F.: I swear when my friend and I walked in yesterday around 3pm we were the only chicks in the whole place. Then, as we left we saw a huge flock of female coeds walking down Baltimore Ave. It was Sorority Rush Week. 

Anyways, it's all about the bagels and these are some of the best! I can't resist my old faithful, the salt bagel. The Bagel Place doesn't douse their bagels with an overload of salt. Oh, there is a lot of Kosher salt atop these large babies, but blended with mounds of cream cheese it's perfection. 

They are always fresh, crisp on the outside yet soft on the inside. Kinda how I like my men. And young college ladies... if that's what you're looking for, then come here on a weekend afternoon!
5 - Ashley G.: One of best restaurants in College Park.  Especially good because it is one of the few non-chains in the town.  I go here most mornings.
5 - Cat T.: There is no better place to nurse a hangover on this planet. Of all the places in College Park that I've missed since I moved, I miss this one the most!
5 - John S.: Legit as F***.  The "Terrapin" is great.  They take a cream cheesed bagel then bake a second type of cheese on top of that (cheddar is my favorite).  I have adopted this practice and do it at home now.

Also, it was funny to go to this place on Fri-Sun morning and see people who had clearly "Walk-of-Shamed" right to the bagel place.  Nothing says "I don't give a f***" like strolling into this packed place of your peers in last nights heels, bed head, and the lingering smell of sex.  It's like breakfast and a show.
5 - Mckenzie G.: Having grown up with good bagels, I never appreciated this place when I went to school here.  Now that I live in a city with very few bagel places, I was so excited to eat and enjoy the bagels and fresh cream cheese when I came back to campus to visit.  

They offer about 10 different types of bagels and 4 different types of cream cheese.  As others have stated the pizza bagels are amazing as are the other bagel sandwich options. I definitely miss this place.

The one draw back is that you have to order and pay for specialty drinks separately.   Other than that a great bagel place in the heart of the college campus.
5 - Karen A.: The best bagels in. the. world. With 99.9% of UMDs student population seemingly being from New York, bagel capital of the world, you know this place delivers. 

I have such fond memories of rolling out of bed in the UMD Commons on Saturday morning still half drunk, stumbling across Route 1 to Bagel Place for a toasted everything bagel with veggie cream cheese/coffee/OJ, and then devouring my prize in a hungover delirium at my part time job at the MBX next door. Ahh, life was so simple then. 

Bagel Place offers a wide variety of bagels, all of which are made fresh each morning and all of which can be toasted with a selection of flavored cream cheeses (also made in house) or made into sandwiches, melts, or pizzas. My favorite combos are everything with veggie cream cheese, cinnamon with strawberry cc, toasted everything power bagel sandwich and the old bay bagel tuna melt. All of the bagel pizzas are equally amazing. The bacon scallion and honey walnut cream cheeses are also delicious. Prepare to wait in a long line if you visit on Friday-Sunday mornings, everyone and their hungover frat brother comes here for breakfast.
5 - Farida B.: When I find myself at the same establishment for the 3rd time in 4 days.... I know it's time to dust off my Yelp notebook and write an entry.

I stopped in for an emergency coffee run on Sunday afternoon and was tantalized by the menu board.  Since it was the afternoon, I stuck with my coffee and made a mental note to return.  The days later, I made a detour from my morning commute and stopped in for an everything bagel with veggie cream cheese.  YUM!!!!

And today, as I rushed to get to work on time, the siren song of the Bagel Place lured me off my normal path to work and I found myself calling in an order for a cinnamon sugar bagel with lite plain cream cheese.  It was ready when I got there 3 minutes later.  And it was delicious.

Buying breakfast every morning won't be good for my wallet so I might have to stop in and grab some day-old bagels to save me money (and time) in the future.  But trust - I will be back!
4 - Christine L.: The day-old bagels are a HUGE bargain! I want to try all their different types of cream cheese. They all seem delicious!
3 - Jenny T.: Breakfast sandwiches are pretty good, could use a little more flavor, moderately priced. A huge variety of bagels and spreads to choose from, and the atmosphere is pretty cool--I love that the whole place is illuminated with light from the windows... good place to wake yourself up in the morning. Bagels are a bit on the chewy side, but the staff is delicious to look at.      ...lol.

and you can watch them grab the bagels from the bagel making machine to put on the tray before cooking!!! So cool!!!
5 - Sara L.: The bagel sandwiches, as another reviewer mention, are a tad lacking in flavor when compared to the large amount of surface area that is a bagel. The bagels themselves are chewy and perfect. My favorite so far has been the Old Bay bagel, and I think the reason why I keep getting it is because the idea is pure genius!

There are so many varieties of orders you can get, and everything is always made fresh. The day-old bagels are a great deal at a little under $2.50 for a bag of six, and I hear that the variety of cream cheeses they sell is fantastic. Coffee is great too. Can't believe I found this place during my last year at UMD T-T

Bagels, sadly, aren't that great for you nutritionally speaking, but its definitely a great treat one in a while
5 - Lauren E.: Let me tell you something - I love bagels. Now. But when I first entered Bagel Place, I didn't. It's not that I hated them, it's more that I regarded them simply as weird shaped bread. I went to Bagel Place because I needed  a place to sit and do my work and it was one of the few places in College Park that I didn't find utterly repugnant.  

Now, I LOVE bagels. If I'm ever convicted of a serious crime for which I'm sentenced to death, a cheddar cheese melt on an everything bagel will doubtlessly make an appearance in my last meal request. Alternatively, if I'm not given the death sentence but am released from prison for after a lengthy stay, I want Bagel Place to be among the first places I eat after reentering "the outside." I will probably continue to love Bagel Place even if I never go to prison at all. 

I live in New York City now, not in Brooklyn, but close enough that I am able to regularly test a great many Brooklyn bagels. You know what? Eventually I will stumble upon a bagel that will win my heart the way that Bagel Place did, but, like so many other things in New York, I will just have to keep looking.
4 - Beth L.: The bagels are good here.  I like the everything bagel.  Lots of bright light and big windows.  It gets crowded in the mornings.  The cappucino is good, too, here.
2 - Mel S.: This place smells gross and the cashiers are very rude. I cannot be sure if they are slow or unable to understand directions. The worst part is they are rude to one another and it is awkward to stand there while they argue amongst themselves. I have only stopped by here when my roommates wanted a quick, cheap breakfast. The positives are: the food is cheap and the french vanilla chocolate chip muffin is great when it is fresh. :)
1 - B W.: I hate this place.  

Bagels - ewwww...  Who wants to eat that much bread at a time.  Sure, you can put globs of spreadable cheese on it, but it's still 4 pieces of bread.  What a crock of a sandwich.

In 2011, they are probably (if I think really hard) the only establishment, at least in downtown College Park that accepts cash only.  I get it: "established in 19XX", but it's 2011.

Waiting for a $ 8 sandwich for 20 minutes that I could have made at home... seriously people.  It's not even that good.
4 - Martin B.: Ah delicious hangover food. One of the gems of College Park, Bagel Place is a bagel lover's dream. They've got a whole slew of bagel varieties, including an Old Bay bagel. I ordered a Terrapin, which is a bagel of your choice with cream cheese. Oh yeah, and with actual cheese melted on top (they've got a few, I picked muenster but should have gone with cheddar). I ordered this all on an Old Bay bagel, which honestly did not have as strong an OB flavor as I was expecting. The coffee was also very good diner-type coffee. I'll definitely be coming here again.
3 - LaToya E.: One word of warning- Stay away from this place on UMD game days! I have had their bagel sandwiches catered before but made the mistake of stopping in on the morning of a UMD football game and was in line for 30+ minutes to get ham on a bagel. The food is decent and they have a good variety of breakfast bagels but the wait is no where near worth it!
4 - Ben J.: I'm indifferent to bagels.

Anyway, the bagels here are good as far as I'm concerned. I like their spreads. I end up paying a pretty penny for breakfast when you consider I get a bagel and yogurt (both pretty large helpings) for 7 dollars. But I'm full way past lunch. There are so many bagels I've yet to try.

I've come here a lot. I'm also paying each time I use the meter. They run a small TV that usually shows CNN or ESPN. You can come with a friend and be comfortable. They have some cold drinks along the wall, and a lot of fun options. There are vegetarian options. I'd say you're safe coming here if you're a picky eater.

The service is okay and considering the large amount of orders they get, the bagels are made fairly quickly. I don't have a problem with Bagel Place, and I enjoy coming here (and I'm sure I'll continue coming here for years).
4 - Monika C.: Although I love Noah's/Einstein's, this local bagel shop has  a piece of my heart. Good bagels, good bagel sandwich options, plenty of seating, cheap prices, parking. What else can you ask for?

They serve coffee from the bagel counter or from a coffee counter if you're pickier. I likey.
4 - Erin D.: A no-fuss, no-muss bagel/sandwich shop that has a variety of sandwiches, bagels, salads, soups and espresso coffees.  Food is a tad bit pricey, but they have quality meats, cheeses, and they don't skimp on either. Service is good, staff is pleasant -- this joint has become my go-to place when I'm craving a good ol' fashioned sandwich. The Old Bay bagel is yummy and so is the Red and White sandwich (roast beef and scallion cream cheese).

Plenty of (metered) parking on the street or the bookstore lot across the street.
2 - Ryan M.: Bagel Place is a dump. There is no charm, and it is not fit even for the college town of which it is a part. Unfortunately, the bagels do not make up for this shortfall, as despite that they are made in-house, they aspire to be much less lumpy, dense, and homogenous. This is not a New York bagel, and I do not know why you would have a bagel under any other name. Beyond that, I surprisingly noticed many people ordering their breakfast sandwiches on toast. Toast! Need I say more?
4 - Andrew C.: Ah, Bagel Place, so glad I found you.

You know, for a Northern(ish) city, DC has a shocking lack of good bagel spots.  If you're thinking, "But there's Bruegger's," then you have no idea what I'm talking about.

Bagel Place is not a Jewish bagel spot.  It's more of a sandwich shop, with really good bagels.  The Old Bay is my favorite, and is amazing on the Pride of Baltimore (essentially a loaded nova lox sandwich).  The Reuben is also outstanding.

I usually get a PoB on Old Bay, then grab some assorted bagels and cream cheeses to go (oh, the bacon and scallion cream cheese is killer).

The one drawback to the place (and this is not really their fault) is that it's basically ON campus, so it's often crammed with hungover, sweat-suited undergrads.  The lines can get long, and finding an empty, clean table can be tricky.  

Oh, and they have a separate espresso bar, so popping in and out for coffee is easy.
4 - Dahna S.: Great bagel-centric breakfast creations! They have so many types of bagels and cream cheeses, you can get something different every time. I stick with a sesame bagel and the bacon & chive or jalapeno & cheddar cream cheese.  

Some of the food gets a bit pricey, especially when it comes to their sandwiches. There is often a long line, especially on the weekends, but it tends to move quickly-- they're good at what they do.

Whenever I'm there I grab a bag of their day-old bagels to throw in the freezer and enjoy throughout the week!
5 - scott e.: My favorite bagel outside of NYC!
4 - Susie K.: mmm....bagels....
I'm from NY and the bagels here are not too bad. I came here a lot my sophomore year hungover and it always hit the spot.
In all honesty I am not a huge fan of just bagels and cream cheese. But I am a huge fan of bagel sandwiches.
I've tried and loved the pizza bagel (it's actually the size of 3 bagels combined...seriously), the powerhouse (full of veggies like sprouts, tomatoes, lettuce, some cheese... yum), and a turkey sandwich on an everything bagel.
Everything is better on an everything bagel. Minus the poppy seeds stuck in your teeth.
Only downside is the price. Pretty pricey for College Park, and bagels at that.
Service is quick and there's plenty of seating. Just watch out for a crowd on weekend mornings
5 - Mike S.: It's trite to say, but they have the best bagels outside NYC. One major reason is that they're baked fresh on-site; behind the counter, you can see the machines they use to mix the dough and roll them. None of that frozen and re-thawed stuff.

It's also good quality even compared to fresh baked in NYC (speaking as someone who lived there). As they say, "it's not just for breakfast anymore." My favorite sandwich is the tuna melt, and the pizza bagel is good too.

Bottom line, when I lived in College Park, I went there at least a couple of times a week. 'Nuff said.
2 - Andrew G.: I give two stars for their disgusting microwaved eggs. Bagels are decent, select sandwiches are top-tier (red and white, tuna melt, pride of balt), but its hard to rate a bagel restaurant high when they cant make a proper breakfast sandwich.
4 - Kristin M.: God I love this place. I recently stopped in here for the first time in years, and it was... gloriously unchanged. Bagel Place is just off the UMCP campus in the Route 1 strip mall to the left of Cornerstone, and it's frequented largely by college students. I ordered the same thing I used to get, which I recommend if you're in the mood for something savory that you can convince yourself is relatively healthy: a multi-grain bagel (toasted) with lite herbed cream cheese and slices of tomato. Really refreshing, and remarkably filling. Only edible, though, if you scrape off about half the cream cheese first - the amount they put on there is insane, and if you just bite into the sandwich as is you'll end up with a fistful of cream cheese.

If that doesn't float your boat, they've got a ton of other bagel types (cinnamon bagel with butter is a great sweet choice), a wide variety of toppings, and pre-designed bagel sandwiches you can just pick from. There's also an espresso bar, which is pretty solid and a little cheaper than Starbucks. I used to get plain iced coffees and dump like 4 of those little vanilla creamer things into it. Money. They also sell their day-old bagels for $2.50 a bag, available on a rack to the left of the cashiers, though those are generally snagged by mid-day.

This place is awesome for hangovers, perfect for grabbing on the go (takes about five minutes to wait for your order, unless it's a game day - then it takes forever), and a fine place to sit for a bite with a few friends. There's a number of tables, including outdoor seating, and it has a super casual, college diner feel.

Bagel Street Cafe - Berkeley, CA (37.870489, -122.2666254) (Downtown Berkeley, UC Campus Area)
4 - Laurel B.: I love this new addition to downtown Berkeley! The people are really nice (they always ask how my day is going and are very pleasant throughout the whole bagel transaction) and make my order FAST. The bagel variety is insane--I try a new bagel every day--and they're a great price (about $3.50 for a toasted bagel/schmear and a coffee). They have about ten types of cream cheese, including a scallion cream cheese with freshly chopped scallions. What I like most are their made-to-order sandwiches! I recommend the chicken salad, but they also have a whitefish salad which I am excited to try.
5 - Linda T.: If you're in a hurry to get to campus from the West end and need something quick to eat on your walk up to work/class, this is the place to go.  They have a wide selection of hearty bagels, bigger than Noah's--yes, in this case, bigger is better.  You can load it in a variety of ways, including lathering it up with sweet honey butter... mmm... or stuffing it with eggs, meats, avocados, etc.  

What I really like about this place is not only that it is run by this nice couple, but also that they make such an efficient team.  The man took orders from everybody at the same time, while the lady somehow multiplied her arms ten-fold and made them all for us.  From the time I ordered to the time I walked those few steps to the cashier, I had my hot, toasted bagel waiting for me in a bag.  

Go, breakfast!
5 - Dana G.: I really liked this place.  My boyfriend and I miss having bagels like this one shop in Brooklyn we love, and Manhatten bagel on 4th street just hasn't been cutting it.  There is a vast amount of bagel choices (I got marinara, the first time I've ever seen that!) and a lot of cream cheese choices as well.  The bagels are big, light, and fluffy, and tasted like they came right out of the oven.  Also, the man behind the counter was really nice, and I always appreciate that.

Give it a try!
4 - Alice M.: One morning while frantically searching for a place to grab breakfast before work, I randomly stumbled across Bagel Street Cafe.  I'm sure I'd seen it before, but this was the first time it struck me as a place to step in.

Selection of bagels -- great!  So many options and the bagels are pretty cheap!  I reaaaaaally wanna try a chocolate chip one.  They also have eggwiches -- bagels with eggs, and other things if you want them (such as bacon and sausage, mmm).

I ended up getting the pizza bagel (when pizza's on a bagel, you can have pizza anytime!  I'm not the only one that gets that stuck in my head anytime I hear pizza bagel, right?).  Takes about 5 minutes to toast it with the cheese melted, but it's pretty yummy, pretty cheap (with pepperoni, $3.79), and the service is pretty friendly!  All in all, pretty good!

Thank you Bagel Street Cafe for saving me from starvation in the mornings.  I'll be back to see what else you got!
3 - Audrey B.: The bagel didn't blow my mind, but the staff was wonderful and friendly and the prices are great. A good crap-i'm-so-late hearty breakfast choice.
2 - mass f.: Finding truly good authentic bagels can be difficult but Bagel St. Cafe is a poor choice nonetheless (Marin Bagels are far superior, maybe the best in the area, and can be purchased everyday at Berkeley Bowl and Monterey Market).

This review is for the bagels themselves and not for any bagel sandwich or the convenience and ease of a quick snack or meal for nearby students.

Bagel St. Cafe bagels are light and airy with very little flavor and none of the dense, chewy goodness of a true boiled/baked bagel.  They are not bad to eat - any fresh breadlike substance is satisfying on some level - but are a bit expensive, poor defrosted-before-baked(?) quality and should be avoided unless no better options are available.

Lastly, and not trivial, their ValPak advertising coupon received in the mail shows five offers for discount.  Like similar coupons from other businesses all the offers are valid.  Only one of the offers on the coupon is usable per customer.  Instead of tearing off the one offer you'd like to use and save the others for another time, the employee asked for the entire coupon to be forfeited.  The coupon makes no mention, and is a petty policy, to show five offers but to only allow one.  Not one per visit but one total.

Again, Marin Bagels sold at Berkeley Bowl, Monterey Market and perhaps elsewhere are solid, quality bagels at 69 cents a piece and far, far better than Bagel St. Cafe.
3 - LLL L.: This place is about convenience. The line is short even at lunch hour and they were very quick to assemble my chicken salad bagel sandwich thing. I'm not a bagel person, but it tasted fine. A bit wet / leaky for a sandwich but the flavor was good. 
Fair price and quick service.
5 - Devy E.: Every Thursday afternoon I've stopped at this little shop to grab a quick lunch before heading to class. At a little before the noon the line becomes super long but the owners of the place are amazingly efficient in taking your order and getting your order ready. I've only had their bagels for lunch but getting a hummus bagel with whatever you want on it is wonderful. The prices aren't bad either. Like everyone has said, the selection is huge and the owners are incredibly friendly. I highly recommend them.
1 - Jude B.: It made my first and last visit to Bagel Street today. I was using a coupon from Living the Good Life in Berkeley for buy-one-get-one-free sandwiches. First, the woman at the counter couldn't speak English. Her accent was so heavy that all I caught was "cheese." Don't call me prejudiced--I've traveled all over the world and work with foreigh-born students. Some people just don't have sufficient language ability to work directly with the public. She got very suspicious over the coupon. The boss came over. First he said it was good only at other locations. Then he said it expired in October. I said, yes, Oct. 7th, which is tomorrow. Then he complained that I'd cut out the coupon (which had dotted lines around it) instead of bringing the whole page. Then once he stopped hassling me about the coupon, I had to place my order with the woman who doesn't speak English. Never once did someone smile at me and act with courtesy. That place is a customer service disaster!
Sincerely,
Jude
4 - Joanna L.: My office is on the same street, so I'm here at least once a week. The family that runs this place is extremely nice and is one of the reasons I like coming here so much. The bagels aren't the best ever, but they're good, and there is a wide, interesting selection. 

I have had four types of bagel sandwiches here:

- bagel with cream cheese: Can't go wrong, and they don't go overboard with the cream cheese like a lot of places do.

- veggie bagel sandwich: This comes with plain cream cheese, onions, sprouts, avocado, lettuce and tomato. It can be really messy, but it's delicious.

- eggwich with cheese: These are good, but the eggs are very plain. I always end up adding salt and pepper.

- pizza bagel (plain and with veggies): I'd recommend getting the honey corn bagel for this! It's like a real pizza. The bagels could be baked longer so that they're hotter and the cheese is more melted.
4 - Myra M.: The first thing that attracted me to this place was the large variety of bagels. There are sweet AND savory bagels.

What made me a fan was the custom-made bagel I ordered. I told the owner that I wanted a bagel with ingredients in a combination not on the board. He was totally willing to do it. He even told me to come back since he knew how to make it.

Will definitely get my comfort food from there.
5 - Angellica Y.: Plain bagel with cream cheese for breakfast. Turkey club sandwich on asiago cheese roll for lunch. Tuna salad bagel for dinner. Bagel Street Cafe is taking over my life. 

I call in my orders for pick-up, and it's amazing. I only have to say, "Hi," and the man/owner already knows who I am and what I'd like to order. That was the second time I ordered. I've been here about four times now, and it's definitely one of my favorite, simple lunch spots in Berkeley - fast service, cheap (about $5-$6 per bagel sandwich), and they're so sweet. 

I didn't really want to share this review with the public because I'm like VIP here hahaha. I didn't want to lose my special treatment, which I'm sure they give to every single customer, but I can't help it... gotta share the wealth with my Berkeley folks! :)
3 - John S.: I feel pretty guilty writing this review.  I'm a big fan of Cafe Rio next door--actually, Cafe Rio used to occupy Bagel Street Cafe's current space--and just coming here felt like a betrayal.  But I experienced the experience, and once was enough to ensure that I won't return.

So why three stars?  Well, it's efficient, and they do have plenty of bagels and bagel options.  I must give credit where credit is due, but this place also feels like a downtown-financial-district-of-a-huge-American-city hole in the wall, but Downtown Berkeley is not Downtown Houston, or even Downtown San Francisco.  A place here needs character, not an assembly-line mentality.  I'm not talking about friendliness.

The bagels and bagel sandwiches may be more expensive at Cafe Rio; but would you rather spend more money or chip away, however slightly, at your soul?  The choice is yours.
4 - frankie c.: Open on Christmas?!?!?!  I love you!
4 - Michael B.: This eatery is not located on Bagel Street, as the name would have you believe, but on Center Street. They've got a great assortment of fresh and tasty bagels, they're friendly, fast, and best of all, inexpensive. I've rarely paid even $5 for my lunch there. The staff remembers what I usually order before I say it, although lately I've confused them by switching back and forth between two favorite items (turkey sandwich on onion roll, and pizza supreme on everything bagel).
4 - Kevin B.: They are nice people and they make tasty bagel sandwiches, but they do not include a napkin in the bag with your to-go orders. I find that tough to swallow.
5 - Jay P.: Also, the NY Rye with Sun-dried Tomato and Garlic Cream Cheese.
3 - Tracy A.: The bagels were a bit dry and airy compared to Noah's. I had one with cream cheese and lox and the toppings were yummy but the bagel was sorta lacking. Hubby had a bagel all by itself and had the same complaint but at the time it sure hit the spot.
5 - Ben L.: Best bagel place in Berkeley. Blows noahs out of the water. Delicious bagels, great sandwiches, big selection, low prices and nice people. If you like bagels you'll like this place.
3 - Mike H.: Lots of flavored cream cheeses to pair with an even larger selection of bagels. Bagels here tend to be on the lighter side: big and poofy. 

The guy behind the counter is very friendly and knows his regulars!

This is a good spot close to campus, but it tends to run out of bagels towards midday, especially the popular varieties. Toppings are pretty expensive.
5 - Grace S.: Highly recommended if you want all that is BAGEL. 

Best bagels: cheddar jalapeno or sundried tomato with cream cheese. 

Best bagel sandwich: california club on dutch crunch (or choice of bagel). watch me walk in and the lady says "california club for you?" and i'm like YES! for around $6 for a full on sandwich with bacon, turkey, tomatoes, sprouts, everything. 

The service is quick and the people who work here are just small business owners who are friendly and attentive. AND they take credit card which is a huge plus for me as i don't carry cash often. 

So the next time you're at Starbucks up the street and want an alternative hearty breakfast option, stop by this place. There is barely any line and the amount of money you pay for a meal is a bang for your buck. 

i think i want a bagel right now...
5 - Tiffany L.: This place is great!!!

They have a HUGE variety of bagels, although if you go later in the day, they won't have much options left.

They're all GOOD and come in a variety of ways!

I usually get the egg salad, since I'm a totally lover of eggs, and it's just...no words to describe it! WONDERFUL!!!

They're really fast too so if you're in a hurry to get to class and need food, this will be the best place to stop at!

Also, there is no credit card limit, from what I can tell. A definite plus for us college students who rarely ever carry cash around...

So to sum it up.

This place is cheap, fast, and TASTY!

What more can you ask for?
5 - Marie J.: I will never go to Noah's on College again. They USED to be good, but I got totally ripped off last week. But I digress....Bagel Street bagels are excellent!

They're very generous with the veggies (tomato, cucumber, paper-thin sliced onion) that I always ask for. They pile 'em on my toasted whole-wheat sesame bagel with veggie cream cheese.  Mmmmmmm!

While there, I saw the best looking bagel dogs in the window and asked for one. The guy says "regular or spicy?". WHAT?? Of course I had one of each for later.  Both were delicious toasted up in my oven, but the winner is the hot link because it's just spicy enough to balance the bagel wrapped around it.

I don't care for pizza (I know...un-American!), but they have a really good "White Pizza Bagel" that my son coaxed me into trying. It's garlic butter spread on any kind of bagel you want -- I went for the spinach/asiago -- then topped with mozzarella cheese and put through the toaster. The owner then offers to put some Parmesan on it too! Pizza hater that I am, I have to admit that it's unbelievably delicious.

The place has a huge menu, and I'll be back to try other things....often.

Best bagels in Berkeley, hands down!
5 - Vino L.: I come here whenever I'm hungry - breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, EVERYTHING! It's the perfect stop for a quick yet VERY filling and tasty meal. This place is so good that it turned me into a huge fan of bagels from the originally "ew who wants bagels when I can get a croissant slash sandwich" type of person that I was.  
They have many varieties of bagels and more excitingly, a huge variety of cream cheeses. Their bagels are on the softer side which I like, they are easier to eat. I usually get the pesto bagel with the sun dried tomato cream cheese, which is off the charts good. The honey almond cream cheese is also really yummy - the nuts add a great crunch! Their cream cheeses are light, so you don't feel fat and gross after devouring your bagel. 
Be wise and cautious with your bagel and cream cheese pairing though, since some pairings are just awfully wrong like almond honey cream cheese with the sourdough bagel. Coming earlier in the day is also a better option, since the popular bagels run out soon. I still haven't tried the bagel sandwiches, but they seem very promising! The service is so efficient and speedy, I love it!!
4 - Josh O.: I like this place because it has a large variety of tasty bagels. The couple who work there are friendly and efficient.
4 - Erin P.: Love bagel sandwiches. This place is good!
5 - Allister D.: Teamwork! wow the husband and wife blew my mind away this morning! they work like crazy and know what the hell they are doing! bagel blood runs in their fam. The shop has that local feel to it which it is. The shop sells different kinds of bagels and might sell a bit under Noahs. Anyway, the menu is large and sells plain spreads with plain bagels, sandwiches, rolls and dogs, drinks and coffee...what more? 

This shop draws in a bunch of students and hard working men. The prices range from $1-$7 and they taste delish! I ordered their pesto bagel with a turkey melt and veggie sandwich. My gf ordered their bagel with veggie spread and a pizza bagel. The price...$12 in total! cheap and sooo fulfilling. 

The place is very clean and everything is made fresh here. Make sure to tip the family!

I will def come back for more!
5 - Elizabeth C.: The owner is very friendly and remembered me and my usual orders even though I had only gone there a few times.  The bagels are delicious and there's a big variety, but make sure you get them early because a lot of flavors run out by noon!
2 - Nazhat S.: I got the sun-dried tomato bagel with jalapeno spread and an egg bagel with lox for my friend. I do not know how she felt about hers but my complaints are that:

1. The bagel was not toasted. It tasted good but not better than one bought at a grocery store.

2. The spread had too much cream cheese flavor and not enough jalapeno flavor.

The staff did their job quickly so that was nice, and it was not an expensive breakfast but I would still go to Noah's instead.
4 - Lia P.: A great selection of bagels and lox and smears to your hearts content.
5 - Kevin L.: Never had a bagel sandwich before. Tried Bagel Street Cafe. Now eat BAGELS ERRRDAY (everyday)!

Obviously an exaggeration, but nonetheless, the bagel roll sandwiches here are phenomenal. The California Club is really tasty. The BSC Club is also a solid choice. They do charge extra for the bagel roll instead of a bagel, which is way better!

As a four year foodie on the Berkeley campus, this is my lunch staple now.
5 - Mario G.: Mouth watering, quick friendly service w/ a smile & the Pizza Bagel for only $4 wow!  Good for breakfast or lunch, value for the money the biggest huggest bagels I have seen in my life!  With fresh ingrediants A MUST!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Wish I could rate a  100!  GOURMENT!
4 - Jay M.: Really good bagels (no wisecracks from New Yorkers, please), generous portions, great prices and super friendly owners.  This is a go-to for satisfying and affordable bagel sandwich and other things bagely.  Enjoy.
5 - Ryan M.: Very inexpensive and open fairly early in comparison to other locations around Berkeley. Their bagels are fresh daily and go great as one of their breakfast sandwiches. Plenty of seating and fresh OJ, good breakfast spot for reading, or just waiting for the sun to rise.
5 - Jamie R.: This place is awesome.  They have a huge selection of fresh bagels and anything you could possibly imagine to go with that bagel.  The owners are amazing - they seem to remember everybody's order and they are insanely fast and efficient.  Don't let a long line turn you off.  
You really can't review a bagel place in Berkeley without comparing it to Noah's, so here's what I have to say about that - Bagel Street Cafe is cheaper, faster, and has a bigger selection than Noah's.  The breakfast sandwich at Bagel Street Cafe is about an inch or so thicker than the one at Noah's.  I try very hard to limit my grain intake, but I really love this place and find myself getting a bagel at least once a week.
Five stars!  They are the best.
5 - An V.: OMG The bagel roll sandwich here is SOOOOOOOO good! After the first bite, I was thinking, "WTH??? Why is it so good?! I hope there are no drugs in here XD"

IMO, they have the best sandwiches in town. I had the BSC special (turkey + avocado + lots of other veggies). You will not regret it. The sandwich is literally 3 inches TALL with the proper generous amounts of bread, meat and vegetables (pickles, pepperoncini, lettuce, tomator, red onion, sprouts, avocado) plus mayo mustard salt paper + the bun is toasted. Also, their prices and services are also really good.

At first I was concerned about giving the place a try since there is often not many people in side. But that's just because their service is so FAST - my order was ready in just a couple minutes. Even though their decore and concept seem a bit ghetto (who has bagels for lunch??? I guess me now...) - I will definitely be coming back.
5 - Kay B.: I love Bagel Street Cafe! Their bagels are fresh, tasty, and have the right amount of chewiness. 

I am a big fan of getting an eggwich, usually with cheddar cheese and bacon. It is the perfect breakfast. For lunch you can't go wrong with a pizza bagel or a California club sandwich. 

The owners are nice and friendly. They remember your orders right down to which type of bagel you chose. I would suggest this restaurant to anyone and everyone.
5 - Jamie L.: I'm addicted to the hot link bagel dog!! I also get onion bagels w/ sun dried tomato spread. Perfect breakfast spot. They have a large affordable menu and I always want to get something new, but have a hard time straying away from the dogs and toasted bagels. One of these days, I'll order something more interesting. The people who run the shop are crazy friendly, and have a very efficient service set up, making your bagel get to you in a matter of moments. You can tell they have a ton of stone cold regulars, too. Legit.
4 - Amy G.: Got a dozen bagels of assorted exciting flavors for $9.50 which is comparable to the prices in grocery stores that stock freshly baked goods. I'm eager to taste them all, one by one. So far, the cinnamon crunch bagel and honey corn bagels, the daring choices for me, have not disappointed. The cinnamon crunch one mimics a donut, with a comprehensive coating of sticky sugar. The honey corn one has a cornmeal covering that becomes pleasantly crunchy when toasted. Toast the bagels to renew the essence of bread straight out of the oven. 

The staff are not the most cheerful people in the world, but it's not like they serve you so that really does not matter. Also, I thought a bakers dozen was 13, but they only gave me 12 for their "dozen" deal. However, I will most definitely come by early in the mornings--early because they run out of flavor options later in the day--in the future to buy their unique and authentic bagels. Maybe they'll get to know me and give me freebies...can't wait to taste more flavors!
4 - Katie L.: Came here on a rainy day and this definitely brightened up my day!

I ordered a ham egg and cheese bagel and a caffe au laite. No complaints about either! The bagel was very filling and I didn't have to eat lunch that day.

I would like to try some of the other bagels if I happen to be around the Center area.
2 - Jon A.: I'm giving bagel st cafe 2 stars.. one for pure existence and one for the decent variety they have there. I've been on a quest to find a decent bacon egg and cheese in the bay area after moving from the east coast and this place was another disappointment. First off, they microwave their eggs which seems to be par for the area and which I find offensive. Their bagels have no flavor either. They also mixed my and my girlfriend's order up (i believe they were foreign). Coffee is weeeeak sauce. Girlfriend said she would like to barf it up to start her day over. Call me spoiled by quality east coast breakfast sandwiches but this place doesn't cut it.
5 - Angie M.: Came here with a friend during a long day.

Seriously. Super plain, but blueberry bagel with honey butter & some starbucks later, life is good! :)
4 - Derrick W.: Bagels have recently become my addiction and this place definitely hit the spot. The only thing I found strange was that they cooked the egg in the microwave using a plastic container. I guess there really isn't another way that is fast and convenient. 

P.S. Try the lox spread (smoked salmon) if you haven't had it before, because its delicious!
1 - JJ H.: Awful!  I was here on Saturday ready to order some breakfast when I saw the guy behind the counter digging a grave into his nose.  Needless to say, my friend and I left to Starbucks.  Thank God we didn't order anything.  Won't be coming back here again.
1 - Daniel D.: Health Hazard!

I ordered an egg and cheeses bagel sandwich.  The eggs are made by pouring eggbeaters into a plastic cup and microwaving.  The plastic cups are reused without washing.  

While making my sandwich, the employee dropped half of the bagel on the floor.  Instead of simply using a new bagel, she picked up the bagel, put it back on the sandwich and handed it to me.  When I asked if she picked it up off the floor, she turned away.  

Protect your health and avoid this place.
5 - Stu S.: Got a lox bagel sandwich today, and it was excellent. The bagel was solid with a just the right amount of exterior crunch. They had low-fat cream cheese and the red onion slices tasted very fresh as did the tomato slice. Oh, yeah, the lox was great too.

I was kinda expecting something run of the mill because it looks like an ordinary sandwich shop. It is hard to find a good bagel in the area, but they find them.
1 - Rebecca R.: Brusque, belligerent, asked me what i wanted twice with impatience -- I was bullied into ordering quickly and didn't have time to look at the full menu, so I ordered a lox shmear sandwich. At other bagel shops these come with vegetables, but the sandwich was undertoasted and spread and when I said "wait, I wanted veggies" she glanced at me and sliced it anyway. Then when I said it again, that I expected vegetables on it, she said "you didn't tell me" and got really huffy, threw the sandwich out and moved on to the next customer (of which there was only one, so there was no need for rushing through the order). The other counterperson told me I should have ordered a different sandwich if I wanted veggies. He explained this three times even though I said I understood now but it wasn't clear on the menu when I was reading it.
He remade my sandwich but used rancid/moldy lox shmear.  Now i'm sick for simply trying to get a quick breakfast in downtown Berkeley. 
Crappy service, crappy bagels. Avoid.
5 - Ruth R.: Favorite bagel place in Berkeley. Very convenient for commuters/students who are walking up to the UC Berkeley campus. So many options! You want a bagel with cream cheese? Be prepared to pick a favorite flavor of both (not good for the easily overwhelmed!). Want a bagel sandwich? No problem, choose away! (I recommend the veggie with cheese and avocado.).

My favorite/go-to bagel? Whole wheat with honey almond cream cheese.

Sometimes I even buy a container of the honey almond cream cheese to take home with me for when I'm too lazy to walk on over to Center St. It's that delicious.

Definitely worth checking out !
2 - Nelson H.: Not sure how this place has 4 star average.  My guess is their principal patrons are hungry college kids.  I dunno.  My expectations were set high due to the 4 stars, though.  BOTTOM LINE: the bagels were nothing special.  They do have many choices, but I would rather have fewer choices and better tasting bagels.  I tried the lox sandwich (not just the spread) and the ingredients in between were fine, although i couldn't taste the capers.  Again, the problem was the actual bagel.
I've also tried the pesto bagel w/sun dried tomato cream cheese.  Also disappointed.  Sorry, but I've tried better bagels at Raley's and Safeway and, of course, in New York.  Maybe I just expected too much.
5 - Sunny K.: Fast, Cheap, Friendly AND Yummy! Lox Shmear! Honey Butter! A lot of bagel varieties (my fav is strawberry just saying ;). Close to UCB campus. What can you ask more at a bagel place? :)

Bagel Street Grill - Plainsboro, NJ (40.32761, -74.5754303) ()
5 - Elise E.: We get free bagels delivered to our office every Wednesday morning from another bagel shop, but the "bagel connoisseurs" amongst us veto those bagels in favor of making the trip to Bagel Street and buying our own.  If you like dense, chewy, crunchy bagels then nothing else comes close.
4 - Matt F.: We don't go out for lunch too often during the work week.. but when we do we often stop in at bagel street cafe. It's close by, they have good bagels and they have specials everyday. I highly recommend the sweet potato fries to accompany any sandwich you might get. They always get the food out pretty quickly and have a lot of pretty good baked goods (cookies, muffins, brownies, etc. - I appreciate a good chocolate chip cookie) 
I'll be working NYC soon, so my days of going to bagel street are limited.
5 - Megan C.: This is more than a bagel shop. It's also a deli and cafe, and they have amazing variety. The salads and pancakes are large, the waffles impressive with all their toppings, and the bagels are tasty. They even have contains of regular cream cheese & their specialty cream cheese (and even of their lox) if you're picking up breakfast for a small army. 

It often gets busy here, weekends and some mornings, but they're usually quick about getting you the food. They have no problem with custom orders (like cheeseburgers on a croissant) and outrageous omelets. They also do gift certificates, but it's only a strip of paper and not a plastic card so they have to mark off on the paper each time how much is left. 

Everything I've had here is delicious and reasonably prices, and it's a favorite of ours because they have something for everyone, no matter what time of day it is.
5 - Daniela S.: such a great place for breakfast! staff is so nice and the food is always good!
4 - Rebecca P.: I love Bagel Street. It is probably my favorite bagel place in the WWP/Princeton area (Bagel Hole in the old Acme shopping center would probably be next). The bagels taste great and they have a great selection.

Their coffee selection is also pretty good. They stock creative flavors such as Cookies N' Cream, Pumpkin, and Chocolate Raspberry, just to name a few.

I don't know if this has changed, but be warned that there is a $10 minimum for credit cards.
5 - Marisa C.: I am SO lucky this place is within walking distance to my apartment. Hands down, the BEST FRENCH TOAST IN THE WORLD. I kid you not. If you frequent this place, try them. 

Expect a line on weekends. The girls who work here are very friendly.
4 - Ginger G.: Great bagels made from scratch. It's a little small, so on Sunday and Saturday morning it gets really packed. I've never been on a week day.
5 - Jane S.: This is a pretty fabulous bagel shop, although what previous reviewers have said is true, they do a lot more than just bagels!  I just haven't tried anything else- I just want a bagel from a bagel place, and this is the place to get a good one.  Love their specialty cream cheese, especially the veggie.  Their coffee is always hot and fresh as well and you make it yourself, which is always a plus in my book.  The employees are friendly, although more friendly after 9am I'd say (the early morning crew are about as happy as I am before my coffee).  Overall, I would say this is a great place to start your day.  Recommended!
5 - Cris T.: Best bagel place! I haven't been in a couple years since I moved but I can still remember their wide selection of bagels and my perfectly toasted bagel with just the right amount of cream cheese. 
Great service, too. The staff were always very friendly.
4 - Sandy K.: They have lots of options! They have pancakes, french toast, eggs, bagels, and basically any breakfast food! Also a good variety of coffee and drinks! 

 I tried the French Toast bagel, toasted, with cream cheese and it was a little less than $3.00 which I think is pretty pricey for some dough and dairy. But, when I had the first bite I thoroughly enjoyed it! It was a perfect combination of sweet but not too sweet and it complimented the cream cheese and it was was perfectly toasted and a good combination of chewy and soft. 

I usually go to the Bagel Hole in West Windsor, but I would highly recommend this place as well. Their bagel variety isnt as extensive as the Bagel Hole but they do have the basics. 

Next time I go I will be trying the Super Cinnamon bagel!
5 - Krishna J.: Best bagel this side of the Hudson.  Firm crust and doughy inside, great variety of the standards and some innovative but not strange flavors.  Favorite order: Jalapeno/Cheddar bagel with veggie cream cheese.
5 - Pooja K.: I should really be a regular here, but i forget to check in on yelp! 
Never once have they screwed up my order ( and i practically go there 3 xs/wk even more some weeks). Everyone is usually very friendly, and i love places with no morning attitude! 
 I usually get their jalapeno cheddar bagel w/ cc.  Today i tried their super cinnamon... very very very yummy!! They have an extensive breakfast sandwich list and lunch list. I think they close after lunch. Their coffee is always fresh and they have tons of flavors and many different canisters, so people aren't crowding over and forming lines!

Oh and someone mentioned a 10$ min for credit cards, i'm not sure that's effective anymore. Sometimes i get a bagel and just charge it on my credit card. Prices are very very reasonable.( bagel w/cc= $2.13). Also, our local coupon packet ( the blue envelope all residents get in the mail) usually have some sort of dozel bagels deal ( idk ive never used it but i see regulars comin in with those all the time)
Obviously im returning, theres no where else id rather get my breakfast!
5 - Chris M.: I love this place. Was a regular when I was lucky enough to live right down the street and just revisited while on vacation. Nothings changed, same great bagels and service that has always kept me coming back.

The Bagels are always fresh and delicious, big fan of either the everything or onion breakfast bagel sandwich. They have a great selection of flavored cream cheeses and plenty of other choices if bagels aren't your thing...like banana pancakes, waffles or french toast; all of which are topnotch. Great service and great food keep me coming back every time!!!
4 - Danan R.: The onion and asiago bagels are great here.  The texture is perfect and they go perfectly with the scallion spread.  The walnut raisin cc is fantastic too.  Try it on a cinnamon raisin bagel.  The service here is always friendly and the coffee fresh.
5 - Jay I.: 5 stars for jalapeno bagle

This was very close to my wife's place before we got married, so you often walked (or drove) there for breakfast or brunch.  They have a really good menu, and they bake their bagle right behind the counter, so very fresh.  Especially, as noted above, the japapeno bagle is one of a kind, at least to me.  I haven't been able to find an equiavalent ever since I left New Jersey.  So here it is, five stars.

Before I got so obssessed with  their bagles, I had the regular brunch menus (omelet, etc).  They are tasty and reasonably priced.  3.5-4 star quality.
5 - Ari S.: Gotta love Bagel Street.

My boyfriend and I go here almost every weekend for a yummy, inexpensive breakfast.  Their eggs, bagels, and chocolate chip pancakes never disappoint.  They also have tons of self-serve coffee choices, which is nice.  You order at the counter, then sit down and they'll bring you your food (always promptly).  

Consistently delicious, friendly, and with reasonable prices.  What more can you ask?
5 - J T.: Best one around, a shame they don't open until 630. Loaded breakfast sandwiches, and much more. The very berry waffle looks amazing, muffins are good, coffee refills for 50 cents(one).
5 - Sally B.: Amazing bagels for a decent price.

The location in a strip mall made me wary of this place - how good could it really be if it's down the sidewalk from a Subway?  The answer: AWESOME.  The bagels were fresh and doughy, though by the time we got there at 11 options were very limited.  The service was friendly and there were lots of seating options.

I had a bagel with egg and swiss - delicious!  Just a word to out-of-towners: they won't toast your bagel unless you ask.

Definitely worth a stop at for breakfast, coffee, or even just bagels to go.
3 - Lucy C.: Good place for breakfast. There is a huge variety, including bagels, pancakes, french toast, and breakfast sandwiches. A bagel with nothing on it is $1.00. Not the cheapest around but definitely inexpensive. While the bagels aren't as good as Bagel Hole's, I enjoyed the french toast bagel a lot, especially with the walnut cream cheese. There are plenty of seats and it seems to be pretty busy. The service isn't great and there is a serious lack of ambiance but I'd definitely come back again, since it's the only place of its kind in the WWP area.
2 - Mahir S.: Came here for lunch and it was fairly crowded, but the line moved quickly. The service was fast and friendly. I ordered the bacon cheeseburger and a small order of fries. Little did I know that I was in America and a small order of fries means a whole plate of them! I asked for my burger medium well and waited about 5 minutes until they brought it out. I was embarrassed as I brought my whole plate of fries AND a BACON cheeseburger back to my table...I looked like a fat person in a skinny suit and ended up covering the fries with napkins to hide my shame. The burger was overcooked and tasted dry, but it did come with a little slaw and a pickle. The fries were probably from the freezer and were under seasoned. I couldn't even finish half the fries. For $11 the meal certainly wasn't cheap, and wasn't really good, but I might come back to try their specialty bagels and/or breakfast. But this time I have to give it 2 stars.
3 - Geoff c.: Impressive. Ordered food for 10 people to be delivered. They didn't mess anything up. Got it all right. The grilled chicken sandwich was a bit dry. Not the cheapest option, especially with subway in the same plaza. But thats just for sandwiches.
5 - Jason N.: I have never had better bagels and I am a harsh reviewer. Friend or foe you are getting the truth but this place was great. It was staffed by every polite staff and they were nice to everyone. Its a very busy place plus the service is fast and when the bagel came to our table it was still hot, excellent! My daughter, wife and son had the french toast bagel, I am not a huge fan of french toast so I decided to get the super cinnamon with its sugar crust and it was the best damn bagel I've ever had. The coffee was pretty good too. Why did I give this so many stars?

1. It smelled great in there.
2. Super Clean, I watched staff making sure tables were clean and ready for the next customer.
3. Bathrooms were super clean too. I have a girl and boy and had to visit both for washing hands before we started again on our road trip. 
4. I wish this was a chain but jewels like this are hard to find. 
5. Best damn bagels on the planet!

Bagelmen's Inc - Urbana, IL (40.110569, -88.203507) ()
5 - Ellen M.: These East-coast bagel gurus give good bread!  Grab a box of a dozen, don't even think too hard about the flavors because they're all great, and any cream cheese will be perfect.
4 - Julia B.: Love Bagleman's!! I always used to come here to get the Sesame bagel with Veggie Light cream cheese. They have a very large menu with everything from bagels, to soup, to sandwiches. They also have a drive up windown which is nice if your in a hurry!
2 - Ed T.: Bagelman's is closed.

Regardless, I'll give them a posthumous review:  WHY OH WHY did you have to change?  You had wonderful NY-style water bagels.  Crusty on the outside, yet dense and soft on the inside.  I would have happily given you five stars just for your plain bagel.

But then you changed.

You closed your bagel factory and started shipping them in from some crap food distributor.  They had the consistency of cardboard and no flavor.  None.  Even the blueberry bagels:  they were purple, like there might be a hint of berry flavor, but no.

You might as well have bought square ones.  At least you could market that.  (Squagles!)

But I'm proud of you for closing up shop right after you started sucking.  It was the honorable thing to do, so you get two stars.
4 - Virginia T.: Yes, these used to be my favorite bagels-but as the previous reviewer pointed out-they changed, and then closed-which was probably the best thing they could have done. 

I will miss your formerly delicious bagels. 

RIP.

Bags & Bobbins - Claremont, CA (34.1076, -117.730731) ()
1 - Lisa Y.: AWWWWWWWFULLLLLLL!

(edit: after I posted this, the owner of the shop clearly had people log in/create accounts (if not herself) to give great reviews.  PLEASE NOTE ALL THE 5 STAR REVIEWS ARE BY PEOPLE WHOM HAVE ONLY WRITTEN ONE REVIEW--THIS ONE (AKA: FAKE ACCOUNTS) AND ALL THE 1 STAR REVIEWS ARE BY HONEST YELPERS WITH MANY, MANY REVIEWS UNDER THEIR BELT.)

Original review:

Why are you in a job that calls for courtesy and respect and helpfulness (sales) if you hate people? 

I walked in because I saw this place out of the corner of my eye as I was driving by. I said "hello, i was just passing by when I saw your store...I have an old sewing machine, a singer, and it's missing a part...I was wondering, do you have the ability to order from the manufacturer...or do you only sell comlete machines...? 

Here is the reply I got: 

How am I supposed to know?! What model? What make?! What part?!? Do you HAVE the machine WITH you!?!
 
Me (taken aback by bring snapped at, but still trying) "um, no, I don't have it with me...as I said, I was driving by and just saw the store and stopped in to ask if you could order parts. It's a singer, as I mentioned, model 5525--CAN you get parts for older machines? Or do I need to take it to the repair shop?

Her (elevated snippiness)"WELL, WITHOUT THE MACHINE, HOW DO I KNOW IF I CAN GET THE PART OR NOT?!? I NEED TO LOOK AT THE MACHINE1"

I shrunk back, like a bad child, and thanked her and left the store.  I'm 45 years old, and NEVER have I ever been treated like that by someone who, conceivably, would like my money.  I worked retail sales as a 20 year old, and learned to treat the customer with respect and courtesy...I'm currently a nurse, and I take care of people in intensive care...am I some kind of dirt bag that deserves to be yelled at for merely bothering her in her store?

Wow---I don't normally drive around with broken shit in my car. But I can tell you I won't even put the broken machine in it to take it to her...she'd only be pissed off and yell at me again. Which is a shame because she could really use the money to pay for some courtesy lessons--I'd hate to have to live with this bitch and get snapped at like that all day long--jayzus! 

FYI: the machines they sell are for quilting, big and expensive looking and brands I have never heard of before--and I thought I had heard of them all!

I bet she can't even GET any parts to any real sewing machine...why she sells those odd/off brands.
1 - Mike H.: After reading the other reviews about the store I wanted to add some comments. In reading  the review by "Ronald P" I can assure him and others that there wasn't any malice intended when I wrote my review.  I wrote about my experience and nothing more. If "Ronald P" hasn't had  any similar experiences, that's great. The salespeople / owner may be family members for all I know. Obviously if he's been going there for some time and has probably developed friendships. That's fine, but my review stands. An absolutely horrible experience.
5 - Kelly O.: I've been into this shop twice and have found the people working there to be incredibly friendly and helpful, and never once made me feel like I was being pushed to buy anything.

In July I was looking for a sewing machine and decided to come by to look for a new sewing machine.  I'm a college student on a small budget, so I nearly walked out when I saw the first few price tags.  The woman working there convinced me to look at a few more affordable ones with her.  She set up several for me to try out and gave me advice on what to look for when buying a sewing machine, and basically gave me my first lesson in sewing machine use.  They offered me a discount on the machine I liked there, but did not push for me to buy it that day.  In the end, I decided to get a very cheap model through Costco, but the visit to this shop helped me make a much more educated decision.

A few days ago I started working on a quilt and found the fabric was bunching, and figured out I needed a walking foot.  I called the shop to see if they had the part (which they did, for a comparable price), and they suggested I bring my machine with me so they could show me how to use it.  I went there yesterday and, once again, they were super helpful and in addition to showing me how to attach the walking foot, they gave me some great advice on how to take care of my machine.  

One day when I actually have money for a decent sewing machine I will definitely be coming here.
5 - Betty M.: I found Bags & Bobbins to be the most helpful shop I've been in.  They answered all my questions, and when I cane back , gave me the best deal on the perfect machine for my purposes. I have also gone in a couple of times a few years after I purchased my machine for extra help, and they have gone out of their way to assist me, even giving me an individual lesson (free on my machine) on how to make button holes! They have always been very pleasant to be around! But I do like Cost-Co for just about everything else!
5 - Genevieve G.: I love this place. I have been coming here for years and have never had a bad experience. I have taken a few classes and participated in numerous sew a thons. Everyone that works here are great. You can tell they all love their job. They all treat there customers with respect. They treat you like family and make sure you get what you want and you are happy.
1 - Julie M.: i am in the hunt for sewing lessons...however, i too have been in this store for other service and left there thinking i need to go somewhere else as my experience has been poor customer service and attention on other repairs. i decided to see what others thought about Bags and Bobbins, and was frankly surprised to learn i am not alone in feeling that the customer service is poor here. Does anyone know of a good place to take sewing machine lessons?

Bahama Breeze Tanning Salon - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4270536, -79.9385535) (Greenfield)
4 - October R.: Spring is around the corner and summer will not be far behind!! With that comes vacation time and swimsuits. If you're fair skinned like me then you have to get that base tan so you don't burn. BB offers spray tans as well as an array of beds and packages. Each bed type has its own price point package, starting with the standard 20 minute bed which 10 sessions will cost you $60. After that each bed type decreases in time and increases in price. 

The shop is clean and the bulbs are hot. Beds are automatic, goggles and towel are provided. Employees sanitize everything after you leave. I want to say there are 10 beds total and no appointments are necessary. You also have the option to join for a year and can freeze your account twice.
1 - Michelle C.: Let me start this post by saying, "the newest and the best" do not always go hand in hand.  I found this place to be unorganized, with poorly trained staff.  The beds at my old tanning salon were much more comfortable and I feel like I get a more consistent tan.  I regret buying my deal through Living Social - its been one of those times that you really get what you pay for.

Bahamas Deli & Grocery - New York, NY (40.8137455, -73.9600455) (Harlem)
3 - Dan T.: 'Tis what it should be. Typical NY deli/grocery open late/always with a decent smattering of items you can grab quickly. Just grabbed a sixer and some candy here, average experience. Quite a few similar stores along the strip but I'm sure they do OK. Nice enough service and average prices, nothing special, nothing horrid.
4 - C.J. T.: This is really just your average bodega, but they usually have iced coffee available and it is pretty much the only bodega I've been to around here where I can shop without getting hit creepily on by the men who work there. Once in a while one of the employees at Bahamas will try to get away with it, but most of the time they are pretty professional, and the owner is always very nice and un-creepy. Sadly, this alone puts it way above the other bodegas in the neighborhood, and it's the only one I feel comfortable going into.
3 - Chelsea D.: My friend lives a block or so away, and this is his favorite deli so we come here often.  I think he is mostly amused by the name, because it is an otherwise average place.  Just what you'd expect -- sandwiches and bodega-worthy groceries at typical prices.
2 - Pia V.: It's always open and has the basic essentials ... I came here around 1am one night and the place was still pretty crowded.

I find it a little funny, however, how the guy behind the register will literally watch you as you shop ... well more freaky actually =\.

None-the-less, if I'm passing through this side of the area ... then this is a good place to stop at to get what you need.  But for the majority of the time Apple Tree is the place for me!
3 - Dimitrios D.: Okay to buy chips or soda or toilet paper.

Do NOT buy any hot food, however, as you WILL feel it the next day.
4 - Wojtek S.: Good score for being open 24/7, having hummus, nuts and healthy protein shakes. Hot foods to be avoided (go Chinese or Arabic across La Salle). Guys inside are funny though they sometimes behave and sound like the Lebanese mafia.

Baierl Fitness Center - Petersen Events Center - Pittsburgh, PA (40.443061, -79.962273) (Oakland)
4 - Lili X.: A very cool gym at Pitt ... It's spacious, lots of natural light, many cardio & weight machines and a good number of racquetball courts. They are also great about leaving out disinfectant wipes for people to help clean up. You will get a pre-workout walking up "cardiac hill" to get to there, but I suppose your upper thigh areas will thank you.

I think the gym is only for students, so you get a steady crowd of freshman and twenty-somethings who are more focused on their own physique, instead of various versions of Older Lurchy Guy - you know, that dude who has ulterior motives for showing to the big-chain health clubs.

If you can get in, go get your workout on!!!
3 - Johnny Y.: Pro-
Good hours, early to late
Good amount of cardio equip
Racketball court, dance studio, showers
Good Dumbell sets
Power-cage squat racks
Plenty of free weights and machines

Con-
Extremely crowded during peak hours, which is pretty much 4-7pm most of the school year
Crappy benchs for bench press-none of which are "one-piece" construction, all are designed to be flat and inclined benches with a hole right where your ass should sit....you kinda have to see it to appreciate 
Nothing is lined up to the ceiling or walls, which makes for some awkward and off balanced squatting and benching
No Glute-Ham situp machine
Inferior in pretty much every way for weightlifting when compared to nearby trees hall.
and did I mention crowded as hell
4 - Susan D.: As a music fan, I've often wondered why?  Why is it that some older acts continue to play the same old songs year after year, touring the beer/rib festivals, and generally sounding worse and worse playing rote versions of their most obvious hits?  Hootie & the Blowfish and Gin Blossoms were already on this circuit only a few years after their biggest hits.  I think I saw an ad once for Foghat appearing at a local car dealership.  The Beach Boys?  We won't even discuss them.  

Whereas other veteran artists continue to pay attention to their craft and continue to write and record solid music even if it doesn't sell as well as it used to.  They still sell the larger venues and still put an effort into their shows.  I'm talking acts like John Mellencamp, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Robert Plant, Carlos Santana, John HIatt, Bonnie Raitt, and a few others.  They also seem adept at attracting younger fans.  

Neil Young clearly falls into the latter category.  

And that's who my brother Paul, my dad & I saw this past week at the Pete.  Neil Young is clearly an intergenerational artist.  The dad loved his music the first time around and the bro and I got into him back in the 1990s when he started appearing with Pearl Jam, Nirvana, & others.  Neil Young is also multifaceted.  You're either going to get Acoustic Neil (a la the movie "Neil Young:  Heart of Gold") or you're going to get the hard rock, distortion, fuzz tone Neil, especially when he plays with Crazy Horse.  And that's what we got!  

Curiously, the set began with Neil's roadies setting things up, dressed either as construction workers or lab technicians/scientists.  One of 'em,  apparently the leader (wearing an Albert Einstein wig), was giving directions as faux amps were lifted out of their faux crates.  Then they applauded themselves as a huge novelty vintage mic was set up center stage.  It was really bizarre,  especially when you consider that Neil Young is not known for his sense of whimsy.  They also played a prerecorded version of the "Star Spangled Banner", but since Neil's Canadian, shouldn't they have first played "O Canada" like at the ballgame?

The band then went into thundering versions of some of their best known material like "Love and Only Love" and "Powderfinger".  He then went into a new song (don't roll your eyes), "Walk Like a Giant" which addresses some of his generations successes and failures.  "Walk Like a Giant" ranks up there with the best he's ever done.  And those of us who like Acoustic Neil were treated to a haunting version of "The Needle and the Damage Done" and "Twisted Road", an homage to Bob Dylan and Roy Orbison.

Oddly enough, Neil Young & Crazy Horse did not perform any material of their 2012 album, "Americana".  But we did get "Cinnamon Girl", "Hey Hey, My My", and "Like a Hurricane", which was the encore.  

The song "Hey Hey, My My" tells us "It's better to burn out/than it is to rust".  Ironically, sitting there I could not believe I was watching a 67 year old man on stage.

Bain's Deli - Philadelphia, PA (39.96244, -75.19993) (Mantua)
3 - Ni K.: Great food, high prices, small portions!!

Anytime I had a sandwich from Bain's I was not disappointed.  The lunchmeat (I usually get turkey), is always fresh, and so is the bread.  

The people behind the counter are "OK", not the rudest, but surely not the most happy go lucky folks.

The process is fast and streamlined, and I like the food a lot.

However, the prices are outrageous, even for center city.  I paid over $8 for a sandwich, a 16 ounce soda and bag of Herr's (now 30 cent) chips. How that equals $8???  I have no idea!!!! To make it worse, that was a special they have going, if I would have purchased that seperately, it would have been more.
4 - Ryan C.: I have fond memories of going to bain's deli as a child and I had the privilege of introducing it to my wife.  My wife knows what she likes, and she likes Bain's Deli.  Super fresh bread and ingredient, fantastic egg salad.  I feel like every sandwich is made at home in the best kitchen with the freshest stuff.  That said, it's pretty simple fair.  Located in the food court at Liberty Place.
4 - Carey G.: Wow, very impressed from a food court restaurant.  I tried the corned beef special with thousand island dressing, and coleslaw on rye bread.  It was fantastic!  I would definitely go there again  A little pricey, but you get what you pay for.
5 - Taeho L.: Not a big fan of deli's but I walked around the food court twice and resorted to Bain's, was not disappointed. Everything was so fresh, bread, meat and vegies. top notch deli and very satisfying.
4 - Ro M.: Order what you want, eat what you get!  Service was eh.  Food tasted great.  It was lunch time rush around noon and the pork wasn't ready for another 10 min.  Huh, it's lunch hour!?  We placed entire order of three sandwiches and waited.  When the order came one sandwich had ham instead of turkey and the other had mayo when we said just meat and cheese and they forgot to pack the slaw.  Not a big deal and too much trouble for a do-over.  Overall nice location and good food for break from Liberty history sightseeing.

Baja Fresh - Pasadena, CA (34.1408333, -118.1317422) (Pasadena)
3 - Marcus S.: Oh baja. With your tasty taco's and burritos, who couldn't love you.

Well, actually I don't but thats partially because i'm biased. The thing about living in southern california, especially a city as large as pasadena, is that you have a mind blowing assortment of places to get mexican food. I mean, you turn the corner and chances are there's a place to get a taco and a burrito.

The problem with baja fresh, is while their food is well seasoned and appropriately enough, fresh, it's really too expensive. I suppose their price is justified (considering that their food in indeed healthy and fresh) but not so good as to make it a daily lunch spot.

This particular Baja also just so happens to be located next a wahoo's. and a koo koo roo's, and a hamburger hamlet, and a jamba juice, and a Tony Romas. You get my point?

There's cheaper good food to be had, but if you're one of those people who freaks out if the tomatos weren't picked right in front of you then this is probably your spot.
4 - Kim B.: Great, competent, friendly service.  And damnit, that counts for a lot.

I went in to this location with a LARGE take out order for several people who, of course, had lots of special requests like "no tomatoes" and "extra beans" and "could you please ask them to do a little dance in front of my burrito before they wrap it up and put it in the bag?".

Not only was everything made completely to order with no mistakes, they were fast, friendly, and helpful.  They even offered to help me carry everything to my car.  And, the final result was quite tasty.  

I'm a Mexican food snob so I just can't bear to give 5 stars to this chain.  But for a chain, especially a quickie one, it gets my top rating.
1 - Lyn G.: It tastes like ... well, like a microwave dinner version of Mexican food.
4 - Leni A.: mexican?  questionable.  fresh?  yes!

i won't vouch for anything but their BURRITO ULTIMO w/chicken.  everything else...bleh.  it's rockin with sour cream but i'm trying to keep my bootiliciousness in check so i normally ask for it on the side (for the hubbs).  even w/out the sc, it tastes just as good especially topped w/the black salsa and extra tomatoes.

for me, the burrito ultimo is baja fresh's only saving grace.
5 - Gerald S.: Their burritos are killer!  Their burrito ultimo (steak) is just delicious.  It's even more delicious when you add their fresh salsas onto it.  Their baja burrito is also very good (I usually order it).  The nachos are also great and the portion is quite large.  The only downside is that this place gets crowded during lunch time.
5 - Wes M.: Baja Fresh is to my California restaurant experience what Elvis' Sun Sessions were to rock music: try to go back in time any farther and the airwaves may as well have been static.  

Sure, I went out to eat in high school, but Baja Fresh was my first regular joint as an independent college student (ok, so it was still my parents' money).  And boy did I love it.  The Burrito Ultimo was my #1 staple, and it was just perfection on a plate.  A flaky tortilla stuffed with sour cream, grilled veggies and rice, it was very different than the Mexican food I was used to.  Yep, this is all-out Cal-Mex, and while my wife will never give it any respect (she's Tex-Mex all the way), its freshness was like a ray of sunshine into my hitherto slumbering food-consciousness.  

Truthfully, I haven't had Baja Fresh since I left Pasadena, and San Francisco has certainly exploded my palate beyond all conceivable limits, so I'm very curious to see if Baja Fresh can still hold its own.  Quite possibly I can never re-experience the original glory.  But who knows, it could always turn out to be my "From Elvis in Mexico"...er, Memphis.  And if nothing else, it will always be better than Chipotle.
4 - Michael K.: Good fake mexican food. 

Their burritos are pretty good.  Baja Fresh Salas is good, but for some reason messes up my mouth (I'm probably allergic to something).  

If you want mexican food, that is made by mexicans and created by Americans this is your place.  

Very bad for you though (check their website for the calories).  Seating sucks.  A/C is usually good.  Bad acoustics for talking.
2 - Gerard I.: My best friend was starving and since let me borrow his car for 2 weeks the least I could do was spot him a plate. 

We stopped by really quick before closing and he ordered a chicken burrito (Baja style or whatever).

The total with tax...wait for it.....

$6.97

Yeah, $7 for a mediocre burrito. 

Never again.
1 - Janice K.: I was going to eat here today for lunch but this Baja Fresh business location is now closed.  This location has been around for 14 years.  I will miss this location.

Baja Fresh Mexican Grill - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2817278, -120.6595744) ()
4 - matt c.: Sadly, this is the best Mexican food in SLO. I have searched long and hard, and I keep coming back to Baja Fresh. It isn't mind blowing but it is consistent. If you're downtown and craving a burrito--this is your best bet.
3 - Nick D.: Don't bother looking for this Baja Fresh.  It closed in late April 2010.

Baja Peninsula - West Lafayette, IN (40.4674568, -86.9396175) ()
4 - Matt G.: In my opinion, this is one of the most under-appreciated restaurants in Greater Lafayette. The food is great, especially the polenta. They serve great Baja style cuisine, and do it well.
The only minus I have is the location. It is next to a convenience store. The exterior does not send the same message as the interior. 
Do yourself a favor, and try it when passing by. I think you'll like it.
5 - Rmj C.: Best food in Lafayette! 
Prices are reasonable.
Service is good.
4 - Kyle G.: No mexican as yelp says.  Appetizers, soup of day, several salads, fish/chicken/steak/pasta entrees.  A beer/wine menu that could use some work.  Entrees were excellent and full of flavor. We used restaurant.com coupon for $50 off if we spent $100.  Good experience and a much better option then most commercial chains.  You could consider this a hidden gem.  Might want to get a reservation, especially on weekends.
1 - Andrew D.: Wow.... Prices are WAY too high for the atmosphere, food, and area.  Over seasoned fish, under seasoned chicken and instant mashed potatoes should not cost $50.  Won't be back.

Baja's Burritos - Providence, RI (41.829378, -71.400636) (College Hill)
3 - Lou P.: A huge meal, low price
Don't ask, all toppings are free
Froyo with your food

Man, talk about carrying a burrito baby around. The fully customizeable burritos from here are not only enormous, but all the ingredients are so fresh and crisp (where applicable) that you probably won't want to put the thing down until it's all gone. Definitely don't figure on any productive activity after lunch here.

Oh yeah, and they're open from 10:00 am-2:00am. Note that bars generally close at 1am, and burritos are a great late night eat. Just sayin'.
 
On the burrito (white or wheat wrap), all the 'extras' are included in the flat cost of $5.99, so feel free to load up with as much stuff as you like. All the normal options are there, but I'd definitely reccomend the carnitas. It falls apart without them cutting it, and has a ton of flavor even through all the toppings. A nitpicky thing I always notice that pleased me here is that when they serve the beans they make sure to drain them before slopping them onto the wrap. Small I know, but it helps at the tail end of your meal when you're not getting 'burrito juice' all over your hands and forearms as the wet wrap disintegrates into mush.
 
The cheesesteak is definitely Philly style, closer to the "real thing" than most other places, but sitll not quite there. The bread is a bit to flaky for my liking, and as unhealthy as it is, the meat just doesn't have enough fat and grease to really reflect when I seek in a cheesesteak.
 
On the rest of the menu, the grilled steak dinner combo tops out at $10, so nothing here will really put a damper on the wallet. Perfect for a college area, and for anyone in the area looking to save some scarole.
 
The interior is uncredibly narrow, and seating for more than 2 can be difficult. The upside is it's quite clean inside, and the bussers take care to make the rounds frequently to pick up your mess. In the case mess we usually use the indefinite article "a" mess, but they'll take your trash right out from under you so it's quite clearly your mess The small televisions at each table seem like a bit of overkill for a place that doesn't serve alcohol. Instead of watching TV, score a table outside in the springtime, bring your sunglasses, and enjoy the scenery.
5 - Alex R.: Who would have thought that amidst the white collar area near Brown University I would find some of the best Mexican food on the eastern seaboard? Bajas Tex Mex has got to be the most authentic Mexican food I've had since  leaving beautiful Southern California.  I have a friend at school who is Latino from LA and has the exact same palate as me when it comes to Mexican food.  One day we decided we would try every Mexican food place in Providence and find the one that tastes as good as SoCal.  Our first venture was to Cilantro Mexican Grill on Weybosset Street, after research it appears there are five of these shit-holes in the state of Rhode Island.  We walked into the place and noticed the not-so-fresh selection of fillers and "pulled pork" instead of "carnitas".  This was a white person's oasis for a Taco Bell replacement. When we ordered our burritos we watched the employee open up a new bag of garbage tortillas, or what East Coasters call wraps.  After making a steak burrito with 75% rice and beans, I knew already this would end badly.

If you want a dry, bland, heart attack of a burrito Cilantro is your place, but if you want delicious, authentic Mexican Bajas is hands down the best you can get here.  When facing Bajas you can't help but notice how narrow the actual establishment really is.  Much like a New York City dive, this place has a lot in what little space it offers.  In the front window, it's very common to see one of the employees carving a large amount of pork; watching it fall apart oh so tenderly can immediately draw you into the place.  Similar to most modern Mexican dives, there is an open bar of meats, cheese, toppings, and salsas.

Here's the deal, I think anything Mexican is great so ordering is a bitch and a half for me.  I always get carnitas with crispy fish on a wheat tortilla.  Even though fried fish isn't the healthiest item on the menu, it sure is the tastiest.  To counter act the unhealthy but delicious choice of fried fish, eating it with a wheat tortilla and black beans at least makes it remotely healthy.  Sometimes I order the hottest salsa, and trust me, it's very hot.  If you don't want to turn red and burn the inside of your mouth, I'd say order the  salsa verde.  It has a mild kick and doesn't leave you gasping for water.  The burritos are descent size but you never leave regretting how much you ate, unless you order two, or a side of their made-to-order nachos.
5 - Raj M.: Bajas Tex Mex is an amazing place for all you burrito fanatics out there.  I'm originally from the SF bay area and am accustomed to delicious mexian food, and this is my haven while at school.

5/5, delicious ingredients, and open till' 2am (perfect for my late night studying-burrito cravings)
2 - Bailey M.: Yeah, ok this place is authentically mexican. But its Meixcan in the ways we don't like such as -- insanely loud ranchero music and piles of cooked chicken that is probably growing bacteria. 

For your own sake, do NOT order the non-mexican food items. They are generally gross. 

If you stick with the quesadillas, burritos, fajitas, etc. you'll probably be pretty happy. The price is right-- if you're really broke you can come up with a meal for yourself for around $5.
4 - Alishia J.: Very good burrito! Fresh ingredients, extremely friendly staff.  Plus, the prices were beyond reasonable.  Definitely a place to which I shall return.
4 - Mandy D.: Really great selection of toppings, everything is FRESH, and the price is unbeatable. Most places charge extra for guacamole, but at Baja's you can put anything imaginable on your taco/burrito/quesadilla/etc. for a flat price. The decor is really funky and I enjoy the mini flat screen TV's at each table (I just wish they would give us a remote!). And I LOVE that they're open until 2am :)
3 - Edwin L.: Now I wouldn't say they have authentic Mexican. But this joint reminds me to baja fresh... just a tiny, non-chainny version. This spot is tiny! Nevertheless you can get a mighty burritos, quesadillas, warpped fajitas, taco salad ,soft/hard tacos, tex-mex dinner combos, bugers, hot dogs, wings, philly cheese steak and even a garden salad. WOW they have everything!

At the moment, I am on a Mexican high... need to try everything Mexican! So I got the pork burrito (no it's not el pastor), with refried beans, cilantro, sauteed onions, rice, shredded cheese, guacamole and sour cream. I also had a jarritos to wash it all down.

Now, it's not amazing awesome... just simply good and filling... ideal for a typical college student. 10 bucks = full; unless you are a mega beast...


i love the fact that they are open till 2am... :)
3 - S D.: This place is ok. The menu is quite diverse. I feel I always walk into here intoxicated and in need of food. I love how they give you free soft serve ice cream with a burrito.
5 - Derek L.: So me and my friend stumble into this place after checking out a couple of the lounges tonight on Thayer Street.  We order the steak and cheese, I ordered mine with jalapeno peppers and he orders his with no bread.  I get like a pound and a half of meat and his order is like three pounds!!!

The french fries with my order are freaking delicious and we both only manage to eat around forty percent of our meals.  I don't know about the Mexican food but our food was insanely delicious and we got there just before the crush.  So leave that club a little earlier to beat the mob!!!
4 - Mike P.: Anyone familiar with Thayer Street in Providence knows it has become a haven for Mexican food.  There are three different restaurants on the same 300 ft stretch of road.  Baja takes the cake in my opinion.

It has extremely fresh ingredients and a large selection of free toppings.  They offer a variety of type meat for burritos quesadillas that can not be found at the local competition, such as pulled pork and buffalo chicken (I recommend mixing them).  Their hot sauce has a great taste while providing a good amount of spice.  If it is too hot they often give a free cup of soft serve ice cream with your order that is as equally delicious.  I have limited myself to only ordering burritos simply because they are so delicious so I cannot comment on their other food.  It looks delicious but I have learned to not judge a book by it's cover.  

There is limited seating and the restaurant is awkwardly narrow.  I tend to get my order to go because of this.  However if you are in the area and are looking for a good burrito I highly recommend Baja.
5 - Bill H.: Went there at 11pm with party of 4.  Awesome select of toppings and well seasoned meats.   Fresh vegetables, great salsas and very very friendly staff.
4 - gina p.: LOved it! I had a veggie burrito.. Lots of fresh toppings to load into your burrito. Also had the loaded nachos. Flat screen tv at every booth- thought that was cool.  I have walked past it before, however, decided to try it out. Full. I will return.
3 - Ryan D.: I had a bit of a hankerin for a cheese steak. Lo and behold there was one on Thayer. 

Now a cheesesteak outside of Philly, I had very very low expectations. So I tried to make it easy on them. Not a whole lot of toppings, no crazy versions (like a pizza steak). 

When I got it, it was actually fairly good. Not too too greasy. Also the sandwich meat was shaved fairly well. Up here in New England, they don't get the meat shaved right for some reason. Also, many places don't know how to correctly cook a cheesesteak. You need to throw that bun right on the griddle and grill it! 

Their fries actually are what set them apart from just a sandwich place. Baja cooks them just right, getting them crunchy on the outside but nice and soft inside. You'd be surprised how many places can't perfect that. 

Their selection of food is actually pretty nice for a sandwich/tex mex place. 

I want to go back just to get their fries again.
5 - Annamarie T.: While trying to decide what to eat while on Thayer,I decided to stop in Bajas. After seeing the bright sign and festive decor from the out side i figurd here would be a good place to eat, yes i did judge a book or in this case a restaurant  by its store front  but once I saw all the food options and got to try the food I was not dissapointed with the contents of the restaurant.

I chose the shrimp quesadilla, which was really good and came with salsa, salad, and sour cream in the side. My friend tried the pulled pork dinner meal which was delicious and a great value, the pork was perfectly simmered and the meal came with plenty of food.

Over all this was a  cute little mexican place with lovely decor, good service, and good food this place is def worth checking out.
4 - Liz T.: Baja's is college Mexican at its best.  Is it the BEST I've ever had?  Probably not.  If anyone's ever had Salsarita's or been to Texas, there's better Mexican out there.  For New England, though, Baja's is fresh, satisfying, and affordable.  I love that the toppings are unlimited without distinction between run-of-the-mill salsa or "premium" guacamole.  They even have a really well-seasoned fish taco freshly grilled upon ordering.  Ironically, the Philly Cheesesteaks are also delightfully random and tasty.  

As far as food goes, my only complaint is that the chips are a little mundane and lack the fresh and crisp texture that you would expect from an esteemed Mexican establishment.  Why are they circles and not triangles?  Why do they taste like they come out of bulk generic-brand bags?

Service is unbeatable.  One of my favorite baristas at Baja's always dishes out little cups of complimentary ice cream.  They once ran out of plastic cups for water so another barista washed his personal water cup and offered it to me.

Baja's has fresh and satisfying food albeit ordinary chips, wonderful service, and a classic college-Mex feel.  Thumbs up most def.
5 - Tizzy Z.: I really liked this restaurant- prices were reasonable, and my burrito bowl was huge!  All the toppings were included, so this restaurant trumps Qudoba and Chipotle!  My burrito bowl was yummy and filled with fresh ingredients.  I would definitely come here again!

They also included some free ice cream with any purchase- but the ice cream was so small... I must say it seemed more like a sample than anything...  But, I was beyond full with my burrito bowl, so I didn't need the extra calories anyhow!
3 - Jess Z.: Pretty decent burgers, sub style. The pulled pork burrito is pretty good too. There isn't really anything about this place to make it stand out from the other places on Thayer, but if you are constantly in the area, its a good place to go once you get sick of the really good places.
4 - Melissa F.: Not-very-important update ahead:

The food is good but not 5-star-worthy, but I was definitely onto something with the service. :) I wandered in, wanting to bake tortilla chips, so instead of taking a Zipcar to a grocery store, I figured I'd try to buy some tortillas off of Baja's. They were very nice and charged me under $3 for a huge stack of corn tortillas. And they threw in some cilantro (I'm pretty sure) for free because I asked nicely. Viva Baja's indeed.
4 - Megan N.: Sometimes bizarre combos turn an otherwise ordinary experience into something magical.

This is not exactly the case with Baja's. But it's close.

With every burrito, you get a free small dish of soft serve ice cream.  Why?  I have no clue, but I like it!  Is it impractical to get ice cream at the same time as your meal?  Will this ice cream melt before you've finished said meal?  Does this mean you'll have to eat the ice cream BEFORE the burrito?  Yes.  

But I like it!

And the burritos aren't too shabby, either.  They offer whole wheat tortillas and--get this--grilled shrimp.  For close to the same price as beef or chicken.  The shrimp aren't those puny little things either, they're decent-sized buggers and Baja's doesn't skimp on 'em.  Take that Chipotle!

Toppings are fresh and bountiful and the guac is included in the price of the burrito.  

Baja's has nachos, quesadillas, and sandwiches too (I don't understand the combo of steak 'n cheese with burritos, but who am i?) though I haven't tried those.  

Prepare to stand in a very tight little space that 's toasty hot from the grills going--not the best place to sit down and stay awhile, but if you're looking for something on the go, something tasty and inexpensive, and something with a side of ice cream, well then, Baja's is your place.
5 - Rich B.: There are sooooo many options for a quick bite on Thayer St. Especially if you frequent the street as often as I do. A friend of mine and myself do a radio show over at Brown University on Sunday nights. We always grab a post show bite on Thayer. Baja wins about 95% of the time.

The steak quesadilla and the taco salad in the taco shell bowl are top notch. Fresh veggies and perfectly seasoned steak. 

Very reasonable on the prices. I always take food home.
4 - Aly K.: As a URI alum, when I heard that "Falafel Dave" of Emporium fame  opened a place on Thayer St, walking distance from my office, I had to give it a try.

Baja does not disappoint. The cheese steaks are awesome! The burritos are good. The fries are awesome, but be sure to ask for the seasoning on them!

The store is narrow so when there is a line, it is a little difficult to move. 

Overall, give this spot a try! And really, don't forget to "shake it, and take it!"
4 - Geoffry M.: Of the three on Thayer this fall, this is the best burrito. You can't argue with Chipotle's cleanliness of shop and of flavor, but the slow roast pork and (local?) tortillas make this place my favorite. As always, heavy volume keeps their steam table fresh! So I try to go often and do my part.
4 - Eric W.: This place is pretty fantastic. If I could give it 4.5 I would as half of that star is partially to my ineptness.

This place is pretty busy but service and turnover on seating is pretty quick as I imagine most patrons are trying to get a quick and cheap meal between studying. It took me a long time to try and figure out what I wanted from their large on-the-wall menu and as I couldn't decide what kind of burrito I wanted I decided to get the 'Loaded' burrito, assuming they would just, well, load it up with everything. Well, I was wrong, they just asked me what I wanted on it just like any other burrito, so... I'm not quite sure what the 'Loaded' burrito is. My fault for not asking, and as I didn't want to hold up the line as they seemed to want to rush me along to get to others in line, I proceeded to essentially make a steak burrito.

Every topping no extra charge? Sweet.
Unexpected small cup of soft-serve ice cream? Amazing!

I'm sure that little bit costs them mere pennies, and heck, I'm even lactose intolerant, but daaaamn, little Dixie cups of ice cream is gold - white, creamy, melt in your mouth, gold.

And the burrito was great! Steak was juicy and tasty and all the toppings were fresh and tasty as well. Filling too! They don't skimp on their burritos and was impressed on how well they wrapped it up.

Overall, great place, food is quick - perhaps even rushed, although partly my fault for not just asking what 'loaded' entailed and I'm pretty sure I still got charged that amount, but oh well. Also a lot more seating than appears from outside even when the place looks packed! On another note, my friend ordered a taco bowl and it looked a-ma-zing.
4 - Sarah V. M.: We stopped in for a quick, cheap eat before a movie, and my burrito was was so good that I found my mind trailing off half way through the flick wanting more of where we had just been.

I cannot say enough good things about my carnitas burrito.  The pork, pulled and shredded, was... I'll say it, mind blowing.  Melt in your mouth, salty enough, with crispy ends.  All toppings come complimentary, so I stuffed my burro with seasoned rice, black beans, corn chutney, perfectly homemade guacamole, pico de gallo, cheese, sour cream and a combination of medium and mild salsa.  I prefer a higher quality cheese, so I'll just skip this next time.

Staff is fast, kind, and generous with gifting a swizzle cup of tangy frozen yogurt emblematic of frozen sour cream.  Yum.

We might just make this part of a New Year's Day tradition:
1. Brunch at Ferns and Flowers
2. Nap
3. Burritos at Baja
4. Movie
5. Digestifs and cheesecake at none other than the Factory.
3 - Erica G.: I had a chicken burrito here - as a recommendation from my brother who lives close by. I love Thayer St and this place is a good lunch option if you're wanting mexican food. I will definitely return to try other options. My sister had the fish tacos and loved them. Good cheap prices too!
4 - Leesha Z.: Yummy! I ordered a black bean and rice burrito and it was huge and delicious. It was packed as hell when I came, which was around 530 pm on a Saturday. The staff was quick and efficient and I did not wait long at all.
1 - Jeff M.: I'm sorry, the people at Baja to learn how to clean. The food looks good, but all the grease on the street by their business is from them. It smells like trash. And there's a drainage pipe behind City Sports that is from their kitchen. I've stepped in that crap while walking to work. I will never eat there because of the trash, grease, and grime they litter on the street. They should be shut down for health code violations. Take a look for yourself around the business and by City Sports / FedEx and you will see what I mean.
5 - Holly S.: So good and cheap. They actually had carnitas!  I gatta say, New England isn't know for their Mexican food or Tex-Mex, but this place is really good.
4 - Francis S.: Fast, easy, good tasting and fun.
3 - Tonya R.: Can't say I see what all the hype is about. The only thing that makes this place better than Chipotle is that it's open later. The price did seem fair for a shrimp buritto, but the rice was hard. The service was fine, but not great.
1 - Nona N.: Avoid eating here if you can help it.  

Greasy unauthentic Mexican plus the incidence below happened today at International Pocket/Cafe URI (owner's main businesses)- **repulsive.**

The owner (David Boutros) forced his employees to rip down bird's nests full of live baby chicks and throw them away into the trash.  A few were dropped on the sidewalk and slowly died.  The momma birds were confused and watching the chicks, then picking up feathers trying to rebuild their nests.  

He claimed it made his place "look ugly" (I personally didn't even notice them since they're wayyy under the awning).  What really looked ugly was watching the baby chicks die (other business owners came over and watched in concern too).  Apparently he does this every year btw (why he doesn't clear the nests *before* eggs are laid is beyond me).

Anyways, the food is a step above taco bell but far from real mexican.  There's a taco truck parked wayyy at the bottom of Thayer that's authentic-- and I lovvvve La Lupita and El Rancho Grande (found it through other awesome yelpers sharing the wealth),  It's super cheap and about as close to the real thing as it gets in RI. Good luck :-)
4 - Roberta D.: Fast, delicious food with reasonable prices. My biggest pet peeve of this place is the set up when ordering. The first station is for burritos, quesadillas, or tacos and you immediately go up to there and order and pay at the last station. However, if you're ordering any type of sub or salad or anything of that sort you have to go to the last station to order and pay. This definitely gets confusing is there's a ton of people in the place!
3 - Betsy R.: Okay, so first of all, this ice cream thing is news to me. 

I come to Baja when I want an East Side burrito...and I choose it over its trendier, slicker, chain-operated cousin up the road...

Prices are fine...and the selection of toppings rivals said cousin up the road. The burrito men whip you in and out of there pretty quickly (although everyone behind the counter seems to be in perpetually grim moods). It's narrow, so prepare to be squished while you're ordering. The tables are in the back, but I rarely stay to eat there. It tastes just as good in my apartment five blocks away. 

Everything is fresh and tasty, and this is definitely my go-to for takeout on Thayer. While I normally go for chicken in the burrito, I've gone entirely vegetarian lately, and it's all so good, I didn't even miss the meat. 

Just a few concerns: Could you have given patrons just a few more inches to move? Why is everyone so dour? Seriously, people, how did I miss the memo about the free ice cream?
5 - Rogaa S.: I F***ING love Tex Mex. that's what i call it.. I've been coming here religiously since they first opened. a lot of late drunked nights have ended here with a fat overly stuffed burrito ending up in my hair ear and lap. but i ain't mad.

place is small no doubt about it. especially late at night when everyone is getting out of the bars and got them late night munchies.

This place is awesome way better then Chipotle down the street. you ask for a lil extra guacamole they charge you a buck fifty. Not at all here 5.99 for a burrito and as many of the toppings you want in it. and it looks like a burrito when they hand it too you. not a ball like the place mentioned above. I've had most of the meats they offer and they are all very good and flavorful, i personally like the chipotle chicken best (how ironic hah)

but this is definitely the place to go when you got those munchies and you feel like you can eat the world but got no monies hit up Tex Mex foooo sure

Baker Catherine MD - Palo Alto, CA (37.4402229, -122.1610427) ()
1 - Kathryn B.: Thus far, Dr. Baker is the worst primary care doctor I've ever had. She seems unwilling to try more than one treatment before referring to a specialist, and only gives that referral after having a follow-up appointment (even if symptoms haven't changed or worsened). She has even referred me to a specialist in lieu of giving me a prescription refill for a very benign face medication that was already working.

However, if you have a problem actually requiring specialist attention... watch out. When seeking a referral to deal with a complicated, chronic health issue, Dr. Baker suggested I "contact Stanford, or UCSF, which have a lot of doctors," but said she "didn't know any specialist [herself]. 

Thanks, Dr. Baker; glad I paid over $100 for you to tell me that I can Google a specialist for myself.  I was kind of hoping you'd help me figure out which one to see, but I guess that will require a follow-up.
1 - c b.: Hippa violator!!!! Patient beware... I attempted to speak with her about the matter. She refused to return any form of response. I had to file a formal complaint via the Dept of Health and Human Resources...she never even apologized.

Baker Street Pub & Grill - Houston, TX (29.7161863, -95.4153001) (West University)
2 - Cory O.: All that is horrible about Rice Village can be found here.  The skanky girls.  The disgusting guys.  The overpriced drinks.  The unnecessary cover charge.  

The music isn't always all that bad, but it is usually too loud and way too crowded.  If you find a night that they're not overflowing from each entrance, you can find a nice booth and have a great conversation.  Otherwise, be prepared to have drunken sloppiness all over you.
3 - Jeffrey C.: This place gets pretty ridiculously packed on the weekends. The live music is generally better than the Sugar Land locations, and is also quieter; in the Sugar Land location, it's hard to hear yourself think. The crowd is also much more amiable to the live music.

Not sure that makes up for the packed quarters and pricey alcohol. If you're in the mood for liquor and don't want to go fancy, then Baker Street is the place to go; if not, I'd suggest sticking to Ginger Man and Little Woodrows.
4 - Stephen L.: If you want live music in Rice Village, this is your place. It is usually hard to find tables on weekend nights, but if you can grab one, you're in luck. Most of the bands I've seen perform here are pretty good. The food is edible, but most of the time I stick to beer. I wouldn't say the waitstaff go out of their way to make you feel welcome, but they are fast enough and it is a bar, after all. In reference to one of the other reviews, I don't think they charge cover, even on weekend nights. 
Also c.t., FWIW there are actually two men's restrooms...one is the really small one closest to the bar, and the other is much bigger and in the same hallway, but farther down, closer to the garage.
3 - Chi N.: its in an area where all the people who went to college in tx go to in houston to hang out apparently... cuz there isn't anywhere else different to go to?  why?  its just a college hangout... and yet its not cuz people who've graduated way long ago still come back here as if they're still trapped in the college mindset... all u do here or can do here is sit, drink, mingle, and maybe listen to the live band playing on the weekends if u can hear over the loudness...  girls are dressed like they should not be revealing that much skin at that age... its super crowded, its filled with rowdy people of all ages... there is a line if u come late but people move in an out of there quite often so its not that bad to get in...

eh...
4 - Dee Y.: I think this is a pretty good place to hang in the Village. It usually attracts the college students and grad students from the various colleges around town and the med center.

I have generally had positive experiences here. The food is average and so are the drinks. But I've had some friendly bartenders and waiters, although occasionally the service can be downright slow.

The music can be too loud at times, and one time I went there was a person playing the guitar but not all that well. The prices are pretty decent.
4 - Jeff R.: I ate here with a friend this past Saturday at about 12:30 and was shocked to see we were about the only ones indoors, though there were some folks out on the patio.  Of course, the room was packed later on, but my food (can't remember what it was) was quite good, and the service was spot-on.
3 - Sarah C.: We headed here to chill after dinner at nearby Kubo's, and while the place was busy, we were able to grab a table. Service was friendly and efficient, which was impressive given the number of people milling about. Once the band started, though, I could barely hear myself think, let alone have any sort of conversation. The band itself was decent (although I can only handle so many "Sweet Home Alabama" covers), but we ended up heading out pretty soon after they started to find a place more conducive to conversation. I can see this place being great if you're looking for a slightly more raucous experience -- that's not my typical scene, but I would visit again.
2 - arturo p.: It was Fat Tuesday night and I was wanting to celebrate so Baker Street was the place to do it.  I go there sat at a table and waited, 10 minutes later and still waiting. 20 minutes later I got up went to the bar order my drinks took them to my table. the manager pass by and I mention what had happen and he apologize. Throughout the night I had to wait or get up and look for the waitress to ask for my drinks.  It was  frustrating .... well to make things worst she even over charged me which I had to get up and talk to the manager and get him to fix the ticket.  The place was not full to be doing this kind of mistakes.  I guess i will stick to what I know and Brian O'neals has never done this to me.  I hope when ever ya'll go do not experience this.
4 - David N.: For all the times I've been to Baker Street I never actually ate their food.  They have an extensive menu and their kitchen is open until 2 am.  

I tried their sliders.  Nothing special but actually better than little bigs, YES I SAID IT, BETTER THAN LITTLE BIGS!!!

It makes me sad that little bigs gets so much hype because any place can make sliders and better too.

It was chilled here and what I was hoping for when I come to the village.  The problem was you could still hear the crap coming from Bronx bar across the street.  

The service was fast and the food was good for a late night meal.  

Will start hitting up the kitchen more often.
3 - Larae M.: So I chose this place for  Wednesday happy hour. I've been hopping around different places lately but settled on meeting a friend at this one since it was close to my work. I've been here a couple of times prior, and it hasn't really changed much in years. I will say that it was good patio weather, and my friend & I enjoyed that very much. 

We had a couple of beers and he ordered chicken tenders. I didn't eat, but did manage to get ranch all over my freakin' shoes!!! The servers here aren't very bright, and they were either dropping our utensils, getting ranch on my shoes, or forgetting our orders. It's a good thing that I was with good company, and didn't really let that bother me a bit. 

Overall, it was "meh" at best. $2 draft specials were good and if you're hungry, there's a full 4 page menu of bar food. But really, just stick to the drinks and you'll be fine.
4 - B P.: This bar is not as good as it gets, but the management is unbelievable (in a good way). We had some issue with our waitress concerning her checking on us... so bad so that we had to get up from our table to order drinks at the bar. Also, when the food was ordered, there were things missing from the entree, which is not the waitress' fault, but she didn't show up so we could rectify the problem... meanwhile my blue cheese burger was getting cold. We quickly addressed the problem with the mananager that busy weekend evening, and he corrected the problem, took that plate off the tab and spoke to the waitress.

Moral of this story? It could have been an awful experience, but it was more than made up for. I love this place to gather friends and listen to live music. If you love to play pool, you will only have one pool table stuck in an awkward corner. There are dart boards right next to the pool table.

I would definitely recommend ordering food from this place. AWESOME food. Scottish eggs are my favorite there... sausage wrapped around hard boiled eggs. Yum.

This place is stuck in the Arcade Village Shopping Center with a parking garage to park! There is actually an entrance from the parking garage, and it can be validated.
4 - aldemar r.: This joint has not changed at all. I came here last night to hang out for a while. I used to come here alot last year but stopped going there.

Last night I was invited to go and I shure had fun. I am so glad they dont do the cover charge there. Becouse it really would have been not cool.

 I dranked miller lite draft and whosh. Like nike, JUST DO IT. Took shots of patron right after a few drafts and bam bam later on that night arriving home was regreting it falling hard on my bed.

Oh well it shure rocks, The band rocked. Funny thing is that the band somehow is every pub I have been too.They rock the joint all the time.

for a small bar they shure now how to bust they butts in helping everyone get they drinks. mad kuddos, for this joint. The negative thing about this spot is its restrooms. but hey it seems like every pub somehow lacks big restrooms.

funny moment last night was the big show, some random .huge dude I met, made me laugh as we waited to use the restroom. You couldnt miss this guy if you went there last night. I thought for a minute linemen for the Texans?
4 - Josh M.: We hit this for a quick dinner last night when we didn't know what to do.  They have a pretty big menu of bar food and cover about all the possible facets.  We had a few beers and went on our way.

The waitress was pretty attentive and our food was all good.  I'll probably be back when we're in the village and need some grub.
5 - Khoi L.: It wasn't packed last night like it usually is because of the cold. The place is usually shoulder to shoulder w/ people.

Dos Equis pitcher: $14.00
Crown Royal & Coke: $4.75 - relatively strong & cheap
Jack Daniels & Coke: $4.50
Jim Beam & Coke: $4.50
Bud Light bottle: $3.25
Miller Light bottle: $3.25
Service: 4.5/5 - The staff has always been friendly every time I've been here. Our waitress was attentive regularly making sure we weren't thirsty.
Ambience: 4/5 - good type of people here...You won't see fights break out.

Tip: You could park in the garage & enter through the back door, especially helpful if it's raining. Get a validation ticket from a waitress for free parking.
3 - Chris S.: Friday's & Sat nites can be packed here, so that encourages happy hour for those of us who prefer a relaxed setting. The last time my girl & i came thru we heard a live band.They played loud enough for girls to pretend not to be able to hear when bad-breath suitors tried to "holla." 

I've been to enough bars to know good service from really good service. Here's where you get really good service. Too many ppl can be stuffy in here on weekends, too many drinks can be slippery anytime. I will return.
4 - amit k.: Sometimes I take you for granted Baker Street. You are old and reliable. Never have shown me a bad time, yet I do stray from you often. Every once in a while I stop by to reminisce, say hello, and you remind me why I love you so. And now I learn the kitchen is open until 2 am. :) 

This place can get packed at times which can be frustrating for someone who wants a quiet watering hole, especially on the weekends, however the drinks are reasonably priced. They usually have a live band as well which is good. 

The wait staff is always helpful and reliable. There is a reason this place has been in business for so long in the same location. 

The kitchen being open late means more late night eats here. sounds good. or dangerous. or both.
4 - Elana V.: I love this bar. I've been coming here for years, and it never disappoints. The prices are cheap cheap, and the bartenders and waitresses are awesome. I made buddies with one of the bartenders a couple of years ago, and every time I come in, he greets me buy name, and usually buys me a round. 

They have bands most Fridays and Saturdays, and I am not gonna lie, these acts are pretty hit-or-miss. Sometimes they're great, other times, I've felt like they were an assault on my ears. The crowd is your typical Rice Village crowd: a mix of college and grad school kids, along with some older people. 

Bonus points: Sunday Funday awesomeness. $2 wells, beers, an other drinks  ALL DAY LONG. Think about how many drinks you could down at this price point. This may lead to problems come Monday morning, but hey, you're only young once.
4 - Philip H.: If I'm out and about in Rice Village on the weekend, I will definitely be in or around Baker St for the majority of the time.  It is a staple of mine, whether I head to location near the River Oaks Kroger or to the Village location, I always have a good time.  

Friday night we were riding the high of Baylor's absolute domination of St. Marys in the Sweet 16, taking into consideration the fact that we needed to both eat and drink, we decided to kill two birds with one stone and head to Baker St.  

Those of you who drive, there is a parking garage right next to Baker St and while the sign says $10, Baker St will validate your parking so just ask your waitress or bar tender and poof kapow! free parking! 

There were 6 of us and we were able to snag a table right up front, seems odd right? Well, that would be because we were right in front of the speakers and when the band came on all hopes of conversation died.  Which personally I was fine with since we were having a good time listening to the band.  On that note, Baker St always has live music on the weekends, mainly cover bands, but isn't that better at a bar anyway? 

Food is really good for bar food, they have all the usuals-burgers, wings, etc.  Bonus, they run happy hour until 9 with half-price appetizers, really cheap draft domestics (I want to say they were $2, but I might be wrong).  Prices are cheap even after HH is over too, we were there for about 2 hours, everyone split a few appetizers, the girls drank wine, the guys split 4 pitchers and out tab was $70.  That my friends is a deal.
4 - Diane Y.: For as long as I have been coming here, I don't know why I haven't reviewed it yet.  My friends and I keep on coming back here time and time again because 1) we try to party it up like we're young but we realize we're getting too old to go to clubs, 2) we can play darts when we're in the mood, 3) there's live music if you're into that kind of thing, 4) we love the outdoor patio.  If it's cold out, there's a heat lamp.  Remember that first day this year that it got below freezing in Houston and everyone was freaking out?  Yea, I was here chilling (literally) on the patio.  Good times are always had here.  The service is great.  The food could be better, but you could always eat somewhere else and then come here after.
4 - James R.: As a recent convert to the Age of Legal Consumption, I went to Baker Street with some friends of mine. Splitting a pitcher of Blue Moon, we eagerly began sharing stories and conversing...

Until the live band that was no more that 8 ft away began playing. All conversation was reduced to short bursts of disfunctional yelling. Luckily, our food came out two or three songs into the set. 

I ordered the Baker St Reuben and sincerely enjoyed it. Not as greasy as I've had it at other places, not as overly cooked as I've had it, and a sizeable portion for a guy my size. 

The pitcher emptied and our waitress was prompt and courteous with all the refills. My compadres had a burger, Shepherds pie, and the quesadillas and I heard no complaints. 

After a good meal and conversation, then getting rocked out by a cover band, I wouldn't mind coming back if Buffalo Wild Wings seems too much of an obvious guys night choice.
5 - Holly M.: Stumbled upon Baker's Street Pub late on a Monday night after getting into town really late. Only place open in the area that late with real food. Plus a great selection of beers on tap. They had all my favorites. Food was great. Hubs had the fish & chips and said it was better than most he's had. I had the salmon filet with red potatoes and seasonal veggies. Down right delicious. The sauce on the salmon was great. It wasn't packed which was nice but there was a good crowd around the bar & on the patio. Great find. Went back the next night after an Astros game for dessert & irish coffee for me and the hubs had the wings & a pint. Highly recommend.
3 - Cameron B.: My co-workers always want to go here for lunch so I was determined to find something on the menu to get excited about and the results are the club salad and the fish tacos. Both great!
3 - Gina L.: Went there a couple of Sunday afternoons ago with my BF.  He and friends do happy hour there all the time, but I had never been.  Nice pub-ish atmosphere.  The waitstaff was either a little confused over who was waiting on us or was not every good.  First served got us a couple of beers (we had already eaten) and she returned after we had taken a couple of sips and asked if she could get us another or anything else.  We said "no" at the time.  Well we when finished those two beers, she never returned.  We finally flagged down another waitress.  She got us 2 more and said she would be taking care of us.  Oh well, probably just a mix-up.  I would certainly go back again.  I'd like to give it a try when it's a bit more lively!
4 - AJ E.: Baker street is a decent little pub in Rice Village. They have a good selection of beers and mixed drinks, with a number of drink specials throughout the week. The complaint I do have is that on weekend nights they will have a live band. This place is way too small to have a live band so do NOT expect to be able to hear each other at ALL. Now the bands we have seen there have often been real good, but that wasn't why we came to Bakers street, so we ended up just sitting outside. 

Their food is actually really good too if you come here for a meal. Sandwiches are always good, and their fries are perfectly seasoned. The green beans are yummy as well. Sundays they have cheap beers and wells, and their appetizers used to be discounted, but I think they stopped that part. 

Parking is free and plentiful in the garage as they do validate.
5 - Lauren B.: Love it!!  Great atmosphere, love the drinks selection, and live music!
4 - Jodi M.: I have been coming to Baker Street Pub ever since it was illegal. Yeah, thats right...they were pretty easy with fakes (back in the day). 

Since it was one of the only bars in Rice Village I could get into, I decided to thank them for their generosity and celebrate my 21st birthday there many years ago;) They treated me very well, lets just say the toilet was my best friend the whole next day.

It is a great bar, with a good beer selection, food, games, and a nice patio. Some days they have a GREAT live band, but you have to get there early in order to get a table.

It is fairly cheap and parking is easy. If you cant find parking in the center, or on the street, park in the garage and they will validate your ticket.
4 - Amanda V.: happy hour = $2 draft beer! say waaaaaaht!
2 - Sherwin S.: I would like this place more if one of two conditions were true: 1) I was white or 2) I was younger. Given how neither of those conditions will ever be met, unless I somehow transform into Benjamin Button, my only alternative is to take my desire for whiskey elsewhere.

I was pretty much ignored the entire evening while at the bar.  Yes it was a Thursday and the college crowd was out and about, but a paying customer is a paying customer.
4 - Bo Y.: I really like the entire franchise of Sherlock's/Baker's. This place seems much more of a pub than Sherlock's in Clear Lake because the decor is better and it serves delicious food. It's always bustling during happy hour because it's a fun, chill place to meet friends. $3.50 draft pints and $2 Shiner bottles and $7 Shiner pitchers and other deals on beer for happy hour every weekday 4-9pm! I'm hoping to become a regular here just like how I've done so at Sherlock's.
3 - Cullen E.: This places gets pretty frat-tastic on the weekends but I guess that's just par for the course.  It gets extremely crowded on the weekends but I guess that isn't their fault.  Be prepared to spend 20 minutes getting from one side of the bar to the other!
2 - Ellen C.: This location is only marginally less nightmarish than the Sugar Land one.  The no smoking Houston ordinance makes it little easier to breathe inside, which may or may not be a blessing - not a blessing only because I can't whine to friends about how I'm suffocating to death when I desperately want to leave, when in fact it's a myriad of other things. 

Cheesy cover band - check.  As if there were any other type of music know to Baker Street!  Perish the thought!  On any given weekend this place is packed to the gills with younger silly nilly girls in their scantily clad best (maybe they're en route to Washington?) shrilly screaming and shrieking to one another.  The males here, oh boy - typical early-twenties attire and behavior.  Look, I know you might have recently graduated college and the afterglow of your fratastic status hasn't yet worn off, but really - calm yourself.  

You might as well bring some nice reading material while waiting to be serviced at the bar and you'd fare better donning your comfy shoes as space is extremely limited and the seating areas - nearly extinct.  The restroom lines sometimes feel like someone's idea of a cruel joke.  

Maybe you can't tell (because you possibly adore this place, which is fine, um yeah), but I'm not a fan.  I rather venture to Brian O' Neill's across the street.  I don't even particularly love O' Neill's, but paired with Baker Street - it's like some kind of stark contrast and I never want to leave for fear that Baker Street might follow me all the way home.  Okay, I am being dramatic, but if I never returned to Baker Street - I'd die happy.
2 - Kristin H.: I don't know if it was the fact that I frequented on a Monday night or that I had certain expectations of Baker Street Pub and Grill due to the fact that they are affiliated with Sherlocks Pub Co., but Baker Street surely did dissapoint me.

I came... I saw... I went. And I do mean that quite literally.

The college crowd doesn't quite do it for me (even if I am of college age) and the night I went, I was looking to mix and mingle. Unfortunately, it seems like the patrons there weren't as willing to chill with a stranger as my friend and I were (two pretty girls... can you believe that!?).

The bar food smells amazing, but the entire time we were there, we weren't approached by a server once. Boooo!
3 - Sandy H.: Didn't realize that Baker's happy hour goes until 9PM!  They have a lot of drink specials and honestly, I can't repeat it on here because its just THAT many.  

The food there is decent... and what you MUST try is their tacos (I know... at an English bar... you prolly think I'm nuts to suggest that, but seriously try it!).  

I love the patio here.  Its pretty chilled and spacious.  They also have heat lamps for cold nights and it feels great (when it working).  Generally, the crowd is a mix between the older crowd and college kids.  You'll see men in suits coming in to avoid the rush hour traffic as well.  Over the weekend, there's a bouncer at the front and back door checking IDs, but during the work week, I don't see them out as much.  

Again, its a pretty chilled bar and smaller than Sherlock's (which is Baker's sister bar).
1 - Michael C.: SLLLLOOOOOOOOWWWWW!!!  

I used to like this place but then I came to the realization that every time I go there, it takes them 10 years to realize that I am there and 10 more years to serve me.  When it's not jam packed, there is no excuse for slow and crappy service.  I have since moved across the street to Brian O'Niell's.
3 - Gilbert L.: This is not my favorite of the Sherlock's Pub Co. establishments. I do come here when I am in the Rice Village area. I probably come here after I hit up Gingerman or Little Woodrows. 

The best part about this place is mostly the happy hour. The food is not bad. Better come here with friends though and in many cases be prepared to flag down the waitstaff as things get so crowded and busy they are going a mile a minute. 

My biggest problem is the fact that management continues to have live bands play without an actual stage area. Rather, they cram a band i the front left corner and mess up the flow of people traffic. This is not the bands fault however as most of the time they sound pretty good. I bet the bands that play there will sound much better in a proper staging area.
2 - Necie G.: I guess I'm not a pub kind of person because this place doesn't impress me. The food is just ok and the service leaves much to be desired. I've only been here a couple of times and it's always with a group -- this is not a place I would choose if it were my turn to pick.
4 - MsAshley W.: I am a fan! I have been here quite a few times, its usually crowded and the crowd is really diverse...good for people watching I guess. They have a band sometimes, a pool table and darts are an option as well. For you the "18th Hole Types".. they have a golf game (I have never seen anyone actually use it but its there). They have really great food... the spinach artichoke dip is unbelievably delicious! Oh yeah... they have drink specials too!
4 - Sue D.: Damn, I used to love coming here when I was in college, and now years later I'm still a fan of this location in particular. Cool live music, extensive beers on tap and the food is surprisingly tasty. It's not the cheapest spot for college kids but you can't beat the primo locale.
4 - Rica R.: This place is prefect for lunch, not too crowded during this time. Good happy hour. I've tried a number if dishes here and like most, except for the fish tacos. 

For food I recommend: 
The bacon cheeseburger-great burger for reasonable price
Chicken nachos
Warm green bean salad-interesting salad when you're in the mood for something a like different.


They have free wifi, which is a bonus if you're having a working lunch. This place is also great for nightlife, with live music.
2 - Jessica A.: The food and the service at Baker Street seems to have gone down hill over the last couple of years. We live in the area and used to go all the time. 

A few months back we had several times we tried to go, sat down and were completely ignored, and ended up leaving. 

I finally did succeed in going again. The food was never more than average, but seems to not be as good as I remember. 

The final straw for me though is their policy of requiring you to open a tab to eat there. They'd previously required that for drinking, which I can understand. Now though, even ordering burgers only I was told we needed to give the waitress our credit card first. Other bar/restaurants don't require that, including other places in Rice Village.

In addition, we went about two steps from the table we'd been sitting at to ask for a parking validation from the bartender, and were asked to show our receipt. That and the requirement of a credit card to order food just left us with this impression that they really don't trust their customers at all and I'm rather feeling turned off now. I don't think I'll be back.
4 - Chris C.: I come here too much.

Why?

Because HH lasts till 9PM.  

Say what?!?  And honestly, this trumps some of the negatives of this place.  Because once you're buzzed, who cares about anything else?


Unfortunately, no discounts on food, so perhaps that's at least where they recoup some of their costs.

Be sure to ask for their daily specials, as they'll also have it written on the chalk board near the entrance.  

It's pretty hard to find a table inside at nights, so you'll have to hang out around the bar area.  And don' worry about sitting outside, as there are fans for the summer and heat lamps for the winter!

The projection TV is somewhat fuzzy but OK, and it pulls up at night for the live bands.  When they're playing, wow, you really can't hear someone inside!  That's one drawback since the place is so small.

They can't make frozen margaritas, but you can always get it on the rocks.

People-wise, it's a good mixture of races, so don't worry if you're a minority.  During the weekend days, you see a lot of shoppers comer in and have a drink/meal.

Service is really spotty. Sometimes you get a good waitress who comes right away after you sit down. Other times it's an eternity.  But usually the food comes out pretty fast once you do secure your order.

Food is good, as I've had the fish and chips (great portion), grilled chicken (actually had flavor), BP burger (average as the patty was frozen but then again i'm a burger snob), ice cream brownie.

Don't get the Scotch Eggs.  I don't understand British people.  It's like I'm eating throw up fried into little balls and using dipping sauce to mask the funkiness. This would apply to any place that serves this, unless someone else wants to prove me wrong?
1 - Sisi Z.: So bad! I gave this place a second try and left feeling nauseous. The only thing acceptable between my Atlantic cod, shrimp, a friend's chicken tenders, fries, and the various dipping sauces....was the water. Seriously??!?! Also, the wait staff, on both occasions, had no idea how to deal with any kind of complaints.
1 - Christopher N.: So I came back to give this place a second chance.

Ordered the chicken tender platter and the "London" platter (fish n chips + shrimp).  You'd think a chain this successful could fry single pieces of meat, right?

Wrong.  Chicken, shrimp, AND fish were all soggy and flavorless.  The $12 London platter came with only one piece of fish - even the fish appetizer comes with more.  The fries were inconsistent - heavily seasoned on the chicken plate, no seasoning on the London platter.  They were mediocre but too starchy.  Tartar sauce was too sour with no full body flavor.  Ranch looked watered down, tasted more like salad dressing than dipping sauce.  Honey mustard gets a "B" as it was the only one not full of unpleasant surprise.

Waitress asked how the food was, and when I lightly voiced myself, she said "ok" and walked away totally incapable of any action apparently.

Used a groupon, thank God.  Bill came out to 0.00.  I only had $20's on me.  She walked off and never came back, so I couldn't even tip.  I left walking right by her - no recognition of my passing whatsoever.

Baker's Street, you are DONE in my book.  The ONLY reason I will ever come back is for the happy hour priced drinks ($2 domestics).
4 - Christie A.: Not many people know this but not only does their happy hour starts at 2pm and lasts until 9pm, it's also on Saturday. So if you go out and your hungover from Friday, you can go to Baker St. and they'll serve you up a delicious Bloody Mary to take the pain away

The menu here is American offering cheese sticks, buffalo wings, and nachos as your appetizers. They've got club sandwiches, burgers, and salads for your entrees. I personally love the Spicy Buffalo Chicken Sliders. They're got just the right amount of spice to make me get another drink on the Happy Hour Menu!

Definitely parking is a bit challenging in Rice Village, but the Happy Hour here is unbeatable and completely worth it.
3 - Suzanne R.: Went to Bakers St. Pub for the first time this past Sat. LOVED the band!!! Our waitress was very nice, a little hard to find at times, but overall good service!!! I'll definetly go back. ;)
3 - Erin E.: It's kind of just OK.  I'm not sure why it's so frequently packed considering its thorough OKness.  The service is pretty good and quick.  They do some weird thing with credit cards where they require you to open a tab even if you're at a table, then charge you again at the end of the meal.  I ended up with two charges on my credit card which I thought was weird.
4 - Kylie S.: I was here on a random Thursday night and had a great time!  We had the chicken quesadillas and the 3 pick sampler.  The food is fairly basic bar food, but good none-the-less.  The drinks were basic as well, but generous pours at the right price.

The fun thing about this place is the live music.  There was a great duo playing most of the night and they took request.  It made for a fun night out with the girls.  

The only reason for the 4 instead of 5 stars was the fact that service was quite slow (and it wasn't busy).  Yet, we were there to chill so we didn't mind really.
4 - Alicia F.: I like this place for their everyday Happy Hour (2-9 Mon-Sat, all day Sunday) and relaxed atmosphere. The food is nothing spectacular (pub food, like tacos and burgers with the usual mozzarella sticks, fries, and other appetizers), but 2 dollar wells and 2.50 or 3 dollar beers are a deal that no other bar around here can match. The service is usually pretty quick as well.

Oh, and they validate parking in the garage behind the restaurant!
3 - Rachel W.: I would give this place fewer stars, but it would be unfair because even though it isn't that great, my friends and I keep going back...so there must be something that makes it worth it.

What I can say about this place is that it is a young-ish crowd, has ok-ish food (stay away from anything with fresh vegetables, like salads or the hummus- I have consistently gotten stuff that was browning and gross), and ok-ish service. We have had some pretty rude and sloppy servers and some that were a little better. I think we keep going back because of the happy hour and the atmosphere is pretty good. They have a large outside patio and a pretty big bar inside (I will say the bartenders provide good service).
3 - Mariah D.: I am going to make this real straight forward and rate this place on 5 criteria and give it one star for each thing it gets right. 

* Good entertainment - Yes! One star for good live music and oversized board games. 
* The crowd - I like diversity, and this place caters to people from all walks of life.
* The location - Can't beat a corner unit in Rice Village with ample outdoor space and easy access to lot, street and garage parking. 

The food & drinks - Meh. Many frozen food items that get deep fried. The cocktails are pretty chain restaurant reminiscent. Nothing original here.
The service - Leaves much to be desired. Not particularly friendly or quick.
4 - Helen V.: $5 grey goose? After living in san Francisco and paying around $10-15 for a grey goose and sprite, I was completely I'm shock when I was visiting Houston and closed out my tab. I love saving on premium drinks. Lol
4 - Tammy N.: Really great vibe.  I love the mix of the crowd, a little on the younger side when I went on a Friday night.  I went here on my birthday and the manager gave me a free shot!!  I'll be back!
3 - Esther S.: Went in about 12:30pm during the week and it was pretty empty. 

Food: I ordered a club sandwich. It was ok. The homemade chips were excellent. Normally, i HATE house made potato chips but these were seasoned well and was the perfect thickness. 

Service: Hmm. Our waitress in short shorts was nice enough. Would have been even nicer if my order had come out right. I ordered a club sandwich on wheat with no mayo. My husband also ordered a club sandwich on white with mayo. We both received a club sandwich on white and both with no mayo. We didn't point it out to her although it irked me, it wasn't THAT big a deal. 

Atmosphere: I'm sure at night and when this place is hopping its probably a really great place to toss a few back with friends and indulge in greasy pleasure foods. However, in the soberness of daylight... its just not that appealing. It's got that dank bar smell thats pretty overwhelming. Seeing  waitresses in short shorts in the afternoon and in a freezing restaurant is just kind of sad as well. 

Overall, this place is just eh. I'd much rather come here for after hour drinks than lunch.
3 - Chintan P.: First off I'd give it a 3.5/5. 

You gotta make their happy hour prices work for you! 

My first visit I ordered the fish n chips and it was pretty good (might have been the post boozing that made it good, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt). Upon  subsequent visits, the portion/size have gotten smaller and smaller and the flavor has become sub-par.
4 - Wendy L.: Came here before our Company Christmas party with some coworkers. I've only been here at night to drink but since we were all starting to get hungry (and not expecting much of the food at the party), we all ended up ordering fish and chips. This was based on one guys recommendation at our table and glad he didn't disappoint. They were delicious. The fish was flakey, the fries were crispy! Only thing is that they don't give you much. Two pieces of fish and a decent amount of fries. But they were still delicious!
3 - Michael E.: This particular Baker St. is much better than the one in Sugar Land because of the fact that it draws a younger crowd. However, being surrounded by other great bars, Baker St. doesn't really offer much to keep me coming back when I'm in the area. I'd rather go to the bars across the street (Brian O Neills or Little Woodrows). 

Aside from that, I do like that they offer drinks for an affordable price. I went on a Saturday and there was a live band that was pretty good. A lot of the songs were hit or miss, though. They can get pretty busy so if you come late, you will probably have a hard time finding a table. They have outdoor seating which is a plus but the live band is inside (although that may be a plus for some). I haven't tried the food so I can't comment on that but from what I saw, it looks pretty good.

Parking isn't really an issue if you park in the garage ($10). I usually am able to find a spot outside the stores but sometimes this may take awhile. I'm not sure if they validate your ticket or not and I never have gone through the trouble of finding out. Most of you are already familiar with Baker St. so expect a similar atmosphere compared to other Baker St's but this one has a younger atmosphere being at Rice Village. Overall, a good spot to enjoy some alcohol with the company of friends.
4 - Katie R.: Good food and good atmosphere.  I ordered the salmon, and I was admittedly a little nervous about ordering salmon from a pub, but it was delicious.  Pair that with their selection of beers and I was a happy customer.
3 - May N.: My friends and I were out and looking for a place for a late night bite near the Medical Center and after calling a few places, this was the first option where the kitchen was open til closing.  It was a Monday night so it wasn't hard to get parking or a booth.  There is a large patio in the front, but there were just enough smokers out there to make me want inside.  The music was a mix of old school 90's R&B/rap with 80's hits - fun and not too loud that you couldn't carry on a conversation.  It definitely feels like a chain with a menu comparable to Bennigan's (do these still exist?) or Chili's.  I enjoyed my wings, but overall the food is average.  Service was good, bathrooms were clean, and they were very accommodating in splitting the tab 5 ways.  Guess they're used to students coming around!
4 - Charlene I.: I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of food and all around great service. Plus they had bingo!! I ordered the Avocado bacon burger w/ sweet potato fries yum!!! It was perfect not too heavy, or messy and very tasty. Service was excellent our waitress had only been employed there for 2 days and she was great! Speaks for the level of training and to me quality of service the restaurant offers. I definitely will be a returning customer!
1 - Andy R.: I like pubs.  No, I love them.  I spend an awful lot of time in them.  But you cannot beat this place for sticky surfaces, poor service, unoriginal cod British theme and poor beer choice.  Do yourself a favor and head across the street to the Ginger Man instead.
4 - Alan S.: No cover and generally they have life music... that's a win in my book.  Okay... the music is a little too loud and perhaps not that great, but what do you expect for free?  $2.50 happy hour drinks aren't bad... and the service was great, but after 10 on a Friday night when it got busy we started seeing our waitress a little less.
2 - Jim G.: This is one of those places that should be rated on atmosphere... and the atmosphere is good... if you rate it on the food, it would be one star.  A poor excuse for English Pub food.  Their signature dish seems to be fish and chips which is an over-battered, over-cooked piece of frozen cod.  Not good.

Most of the food seems to be designed around pre-prepared Sysco crap.  I got the chicken pot pie.  Shameful!  A frozen puff pastry shell filled with chicken and broccoli in a heavy sauce.

Go for the atmosphere and leave when you get hungry.

Four stars for atmosphere minus two for the unbelievably bad food.
1 - Paul D.: I love pubs, and pub atmosphere, but this place is crap.  Pretty much like the other pubs associated with this chain.  As I walk in, the bar area is really dark.  It is hard to see my hand in front of my face.  The inside smells of mold and grime, and the bathrooms are a nightmare. I want to like the patio, but the concrete and no real shade makes it hard to stay out in the heat.  

The service is clueless, the beer list sucks, and the food is really generic pub grub. Not fresh at all.  There is really nothing here for me to recommend.
2 - Erika M.: I went in for takeout only so this review is based purely on the food and service.  I called my order ahead and when I got there, it was ready.  I noticed the package seemed lightweight, but I over looked it.  I orders the Fish and Chips.  I can truly say that I will not order it again.  The presentation of the dish was great (even down to the newspaper looking container liner), but the fish was dry and the batter was bland.  There weren't even what I would consider a nice portion of fries.  The tartar sauce was good, but otherwise, spend a few more dollars for fish and chips and go somewhere else.  The young ladies working there were very nice and cordial.

Baker Valerie L MD - Palo Alto, CA (37.436742, -122.178125) ()
1 - Marcel D.: I couldn't even have an experience to write a review about this Dr. I scheduled an appointment about one month ago and explained to her staff that my wife was pregnant and we needed a Doctor to take care of the pregnancy, I was explicit on the phone mentioning she WAS ALREADY pregnant. Unfortunately this morning I got a message on my voicemail saying that they don't take care of expectant mothers only of women trying to get pregnant. For this reason I don't recommend her if you or your wife is already pregnant.
5 - Pauline E.: My husband and I visited Dr. Baker last week.  I have PCOS and see a regular endocrinologist but was told that if we want to have children we need to see a reproductive endocrinologist.  For the person who first reviewed the doctor, they should have been aware that her title is reproductive endocrinologist and she works at Stanford Fertility center, therefore, if you are already pregnant you should NOT be seeking this type of doctor or care.  

That being said, our experience with Dr. Baker for the first visit was nothing but pleasant.  She answered all of our questions and told us what we need to do in order to have children.  She was positive but also very up front about the procedures involved and directed us to call her staff to find out about the costs.  She did not make us feel rushed, she spent close to an hour with us and went over every single question we could think of.  The center also offers classes which cover all the other questions that you might have, classes are offered every Tuesday of the week.  We are planning on going next week.  I look forward to working with Dr. Baker and her staff.  So far, they have all been wonderful to work with, from front desk, nurses, accounting and the doctor herself.

Baker's Cove Seafood Restaurant - Waterloo, ON (43.4546961, -80.546851) ()
4 - Susan D.: I've been here twice so far. The first time, I was impressed. The second time, I was indifferent. It is mostly fish and chips, and they are a fixture in the plaza--while other places come and go, Baker's Cove has been there for years and has many loyal customers who go there faithfully, as established regulars. This made me want to give it another chance. 

This time, my companion and I both started with the clam chowder, which is made in house. It is runnier than many but really tasty--nice use of spices. I had the haddock and chips. Both were golden, crispy and good, and the tartar sauce was home made! Yum!  My companion had a daily special--haddock with creole sauce--delicious and spicy--with lemony mashed potatoes. 

In all, a delicious meal, with plentiful portions. The only sad thing was that we didn't have room for dessert!
5 - Hisham A.: Great seafood restaurant. Huge selection. Nice homely setting. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Evident that they are proud of what they do. 

Food is great and everyone enjoyed it and would come back again.
4 - Stephanie M.: Baker's has been around for 26 years, and although I've driven past it many times when I lived there, I had never visited.


Upon reading positive reviews on Baker's Cove, I made a reso for a Father's Day late lunch.  It's a small, cozy restaurant. The aroma when we walked through the front door was lovely.. garlicy with the scent of sea air.

Karolyn, the owner, greeted and served us. She was friendly and had a bright smile. The menu is quite impressive, I knew what to expect from my research. Despite the great choices,  I knew what I wanted to order.  Classic fish and chips.Turns out our table all wanted the same thing, so we ordered the family fish and chips and ordered the battered mushrooms as an appie.

First of all, you know when you've had really terrible batter? Or worse, you can taste how old the oil? Well not the case here. Batter is made in-house and is so light, and tasty. The oil was not an after taste in our mouths.  The fresh batter and deep fried shrooms are served with an in-house made dijon/dill sauce that was a perfect accompaniment.  

Fish platter came, it was awesome. FRESH delicious, light and not greasy. Not one drip of oil on my plate. Served with mushy peas and coleslaw.   The french fries were decent.. not the best I've ever had.  I would have loved to see them serve fresh-cut with skins on the ends. Like fry trucks, you know? The tartar sauce was fresh, homemade and in a squeeze bottle. Perfect for peeps like me who have no shame in covering a large portion of their plate in sauces and condiments.  

Overall, I will definitely be returning and trying the maple fish with lemony potatoes and other delights on the menu. The seafood platter looks awesome too.

Karolyn has a little hidden gem in this little mall and you should go check it out if you want quality seafood that's fresh and obviously cooked with love.

Baker's Peak Deli - West Lafayette, IN (40.4532825, -86.9232229) ()
5 - Tiffany P.: Wow.  I can't believe I didn't know about this place.  I wanted to order a cake but didn't feel like getting a generic one from Payless or Marsh.  So, I searched online and Baker's Peak popped up.  I figured I would give it a try, and I'm so glad I did.

1. They made a birthday cake for me with only 1 day's notice.  Understandably, it wasn't anything fancy or crazy.  It was a simple 8" round cake, but they decorated it nicely without any direction from me.
2. The cake is delicious.  It was just a chocolate cake with white buttercream icing.  
3. The cookies are good too.  I got a chocolate crinkle and a chocolate chip.  So soft!

I haven't tried the deli food, but the baked goods are awesome.  Plus, I went there around lunch time, and it was PACKED, so I'm going to go ahead and assume their lunches are tasty as well.
5 - Allison O.: My Dad & his new wife had cupcakes from here for their wedding reception a few days ago.  I wish I'd known about this place sooner!! Ooooooooooooo....these cupcakes....they have me needing a cupcake detox program!  I had about 2 (Had 1 1/2 at the reception, then my husband and I snagged a few to take home...gave one to his mom and split the other one that night!), and I honestly could've eaten like 17...provided I had some ice cold milk, that is!  The cake itself was moist and fluffy, kind of springy, but still dense enough.  Yummmm.  This girl doesn't normally even LIKE icing, and the height of it was rather formidable, but I dove in and somehow managed to get my mouth open wide enough to take a real bite, icing and all.  It was perfection.  Rich but not too sweet.  Kind of had that nice "crust" on the outside (almost like a fondant, but not), and creamy inside.  Oh, Baker's Peak...what have you done to my slim-down-for-summer diet???  I'm glad I live in Cincy now, but I know where to find you.  This could be a problem in the future... ;)
1 - Kristen B.: Wedding cake was the wrong flavor, so yeah.
3 - Jeremy S.: delicious "carrot bar" which is a decadent piece of extra-moist, nut-free, frosted carrot cake + fresh-baked oatmeal chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies, lunch is served weekdays

Bakeshop - Atlanta, GA (33.7791391, -84.3841384) (Midtown)
4 - Deanna S.: I will definitely come back to this place.  It's a great little local spot for a quick gourmet sandwich, breakfast, or pastry. I tried the bratwurst , the ham and cheese croissant and the turkey sandwich.  I was expecting sandwiches I could make easily at home, with not much flair- but not so!  The were very tasty and had their own twists to them.  For example, bleu cheese added to the turkey sandwich and the fresh-baked breads on the others were perfectly soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.  I was able to switch out to whatever bread I wanted.  I also like how the place is casual with a warehouse feel, almost industrial. Like you're in a real back shop!
4 - Travis N.: A spartan industrial place that relies on its food to sell itself.

and for one meal we had there it succeeded. 

The seating appears to be an afterthought, a bar along the front window, and several shop sized tables that tend to force you to share your meal with the other customers.

Its a bakery, so the meals are limited to sandwiches, pastries, and desserts.  And it's a true bakery so much of its business will be loaves walking out the door.

In all this is a positive addition to the ever growing midtown culinary scene.
5 - Michael F.: Off to a great start!  Bakeshop has only been open for a few days and the place is excellent.  I have sampled a few of the baked goods and delicious coffee and I am a big fan.  It will be great to have Bakeshop in Midtown.
4 - Kathleen M.: So, I went to the doctor this morning and he suggested pretty much banning unnecessary carbs from my diet (after informing him that beer was indeed a necessity), just to see what happens. So what did I do? Walked down to the new EVOS and had a salad. Even ignored the two times I was offered free fries. 10 points for me. 

And then we stumbled upon Bakeshop. And I decided to go in, you know, just to check things out, cause I'm a good little Yelper. And then I saw their goods. Almond croissants, chocolate croissants, CHOCOLATE ALMOND CROISSANTS. Okay, okay, I can resist. It's not breakfast time. I'll come back for breakfast. Then we moved on to the next case: fruit tarts, mint chocolate bombs, éclairs, S'MORES TART WITH TOASTED MARSHMALLOW. 

So I bought one. And I bellied up to one of three of the communal tables and ate the whole damn thing. And it was heaven. And I vowed to come back again and again and get my delicious carby fill in the form of baguettes, sandwiches, pastries, and more. Sorry, Doc. I lasted about 5 hours carb-free.
4 - James H.: Mmmm...sweet, glorious gluten!
4 - Tom K.: In a city where finding good bread can be a challenge, this place fills a real need.  I walked over for breakfast this morning and had a very high quality ham-and-cheese croissant along with a tasty mandarin orange danish.  I would have been happy with either were I in France or Belgium (where I have lived previously) - consider that a strong recommendation. The outside of the pastries were perfectly crisp, without totally falling apart, while the interiors moist and flavorful.  They also used good-quality ham & cheese, and the mandarin slices were certainly not bog-standard.  The [American style] coffee was very good as well, although I should have had an espresso so I could really compare against the patisseries I enjoyed while living in Europe.

The employee I spoke with told me that fresh baguettes are ready at 2pm in the afternoon.  I will certainly return to evaluate their lunch and other breads, and have confidence they will be similarly excellent.
1 - Jeremy B.: Living right across the street, I was so excited to see something open like the bakeshop!  Aside from Publix, there aren't any true bakeries in the immediate area.  So I decided to try it today, and I must say, their food was as bland and stale as the employees working in the place.

I ordered two sandwiches with different breads and a cheesecake dessert.  The first sandwich was on sliced wheat bread, smoked turkey and blue cheese.  The two measly pieces of turkey was great!  The bread, however, was hard and stale as if it had been left out on the counter for 2 days.  There is no exaggerating here.  The other sandwich was on a baguette, had prosciutto (thickly sliced?), with baby spinach and some shavings of parmesan or romano.  Again, the meat was good...but the bread was burnt, stale and hard as a rock.  

Next, came the cheesecake, which came out of a pastry bin that was 3/4 empty with signs inside that did not correspond to the actual pastry.  The cheesecake looked good, was very fresh, had some great blueberries on top, but there was absolutely no sugar in it at all!   No flavoring, no sweet taste, just basically baked cream cheese and egg.  Again, it was fresh, had a great texture, just totally bland.

The staff working was equally as stale, boring and almost unfriendly.  The menu was a bit confusing since I hadn't been there and no one seemed anxious to welcome me and give me the tour of the new venture.  

To top it all off - the two sandwiches, cheesecake and chips were $23.  I should have dug a hole in the ground and thrown my money in it.  Maybe that's an exaggeration...the bagged chips were yummy.
3 - Keith H.: WANT plain or chocolate almond croissants baked fresh everyday, WANT bear claws, you heard me, bear claws, fruit danish, cinnamon rolls, flavorful fruit tarts, carrot cake in a jar(my fav), creative pastries like the smoked Salmon tart, flourless chocolate cake, the list is endless, you want it, you GOT it @ the BAKESHOP!

I know it's fresh 'cause I watched the baker in action.  Want homemade loaves of bread, a good cup of  coffee, delectable cookies, sour dough baguettes, even pizza from scratch, they've got it! 

So the next time you are Midtown,chillaxin,  bring your laptop,sit a spell, soak up the FRESHNESS of the Bakeshop!  If you see me in the neighborhood, invite me in, treat me to the carrot cake in a jar(carrot cake, complimented with coconut, pineapple, creme fraiche)  Bon Appetit!
3 - Pam L.: I really wanted to love this place, instead I just liked it.

Stopped by solely to get some pastries.  I like what they've done with the space.  All the goodies looked delicious: cookies, cakes, fruit tarts of all sorts, croissants, breads, etc.  Ordered a chocolate almond croissant, pistachio pear tart, and a flourless chocolate tart with graham cracker crust.

While all the pieces were good, they just weren't as good as I expected them to be (especially for the price).  The pistachio pear tart was ok, nothing to write home too and the chocolate tart should have been smoother and dare I say it, richer.  The best thing was the chocolate almond croissant - nice and light with a lovely chocolate filling with just a hint of almond.
4 - Joe P.: I am a fan!

I went in the other day for the first time and was surprised.  The atmosphere is that of a trendy upscale bakery, just what Midtown needed!  All of the staff was very friendly and helpful.  It's clean, smells good and everything is fresh.  

They have an excellent assortment of pastries, cookies, cakes, tarts, breads and other goodies.  I got a dozen for my condo staff for the holidays.  They all loved them!

I'll certainly be back for lunch.
4 - al p.: A solid addition to midtown great breads. Super cresents--  fab grilled cheese sandwich. yum yum yum for the tomato soup... Let's hope the keep the prices reasonable and don't go all midtown glam on us .... it pure keep it simple.. oh and please put a bit more almond cream in the cresants
4 - Maria S.: Before it opened, you could get Bakeshop goodies at the Piedmont Park Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings. I'm a big fan of their cheese danish.

Stopped into Bakeshop this morning, and it was a feast for the senses: enticing aromas, beautiful pastries and breads, and the happy conversations of satisfied customers and friendly staff.

We took our order to go: cheese danish, natch, plus a blueberry muffin and a mini ham and cheese quiche. Loved the quiche, with its surprising addition of fresh goat cheese in the center, but was a little disappointed with the muffin. Great top, but the inside seemed a little underdone. 

Nice to have a quality bakery within walking distance of home. Welcome to the neighborhood!
3 - Broderick S.: Downgrading my review by a star. I've been back a few times. and although their coffee is great (kudos for supporting a local roaster, 1000 Faces) the pastries are lacking - especially considering their Concentrics brother Parish Market does a better job. The cupcake is super dense and  the croissants could be better.  Bagel dough imported from NY? Not sure why.
5 - Anthony G.: I only had the peanut butter cookie but it had to be one of the best peanut butter cookies i have ever had.
3 - Carrie B.: Soooo....I have wanted to try Bakeshop for some time being a huge European bakery (and Concentrics) fan, but i'm not sure they hit the mark I was expecting them to. I like it enough that it will save me a trip to Theo's Brothers in Roswell, but they didn't have anything that compares to the sourdough and multigrain boules they have at Theo's. It's possible too it was late in the day and they were out so I will report back and up the rating if things change. The coffee I ordered was tasty, but took longer than I would have expected it to, especially considering there was noone else there. Still not a bad addition to the Concentrics group and not a bad location, though don't get me started on the parking!
4 - Zack E.: Another update.

After several visits, I've kinda gotten a feel of what Bakeshop does best.  There are some extremely awesome pastries to be had here, but they don't "kill it" on everything and I've learned that I can't pick the winners by eyeballing them.

Losers - 
Cookies.  I'd say avoid them in general.  I've tried them all and they're average at best.
Chocolate Ganache Tart.  It looks amazing, but the texture and taste aren't all that.  It was a bit tough, a bit too crumbly and too weak in the flavor department

Winners - 
The majority of the baked goods.  Panettone is amazing, almond croissant is very very good.  Raspberry, apricot, etc etc danishes all tasty.
Butterscotch cup is dangerously delicious, so is the my personal favorite, the espresso pots de creme.
Chocolate Caramel tart - awesome flavor.  Nice solid chocolate with a smooth soft caramel layer inside.  Decadent but oh so good. 

This update looks like a mess, but Bakeshop is either getting much better, or it's growing on me.
1 - John S.: Live in the neighborhood and always happy to find new places opening up. Checked out Bakeshop a few weeks ago and was pretty impressed with their turkey sandwich. Went back the next day for a croissant, it tasted very store bought and almost like Publix. Went back today for another turkey sandwich with a friend. The bread used for his chicken sandwich was like a crouton. I couldn't finish my turkey sandwich, day old bread and turkey that tasted way to wild. Officially off my list now. Sad.
4 - Mariana R.: I am obsessed with the Bakeshop. I truly believe it has it all: 
- Great service
- Awesome atmosphere (really like you are inside a bakery)
- Great food
- Amazing pastries (The real deal for french baking in this city)

Had the soup and 1/2 sandwich combo with turkey minestrone and was really good though I did not eat the turkey because it was cubed turkey breast and not meat but it was still really good and the turkey breast sandwich on sourdough bread with guacamole and some aioli dressing on each slice of bread and lettuce and tomato. My boyfriend had the tomato bisque and the reuben, which I have to say was the best reuben I've ever had, very delicious and cute looking indeed. I was kind of full but had to order dessert so I grabbed a pear & hazelnut tart to go which I am eating right now and I gotta tell you that it is perfection you can tell they bake daily. Stop by the bakeshop you won't regret. 

Oh also the chocolate croissant that my boyfriend had was great!
2 - Lucy W.: I tried the lemon raspberry tart- it was almost too perfect looking and tasted ok...but at almost $4 and the nearly 10 minutes I waited to pay while someone was counting the cash from the register...totally not worth the cramped parking, line, and wait.  Verdict's out on this one.
4 - J W.: I have returned multiple times and can feel like a few items deserve special mention:

* Challah - great loaf, wonderful as is or as toast, great consistency, and I find that we want to have one slice each day with whatever is for dinner
* Chocolate croissant - two bars of chocolate, very nice pastry, worth returning for
* Coffee - not sure why anyone would go to Starbucks down the street when the coffee here is so good and atmosphere is much more conducive to thinking, reading, writing, chatting, etc.
2 - Amrita R.: This place really wasn't all it was hyped up to be. Maybe I tried the wrong items... I *might* go back and try a sandwich, but it's iffy... Perhaps if I was in the area and really convinced...

I stopped by on my way home from work and picked up a chocolate almond croissant and a chocolate/vanilla cupcake.

The croissant really was good, very nicely made, with a decent amount of chocolate inside.

My biggest complaint was the cupcake. This cupcake looked so tasty! I was so excited to try some.. until I tasted it.. Isn't there enough salt in regular food?! Why is my cupcake SALTY?!?!?!
It was the worst cupcake of my life. And I didn't even know that was possible :(

I was so disappointed.. The frosting was strangely salty, and the cake part was odd and dense as well. I could barely eat it. I can't believe my total for these two items came to 6.75.. Such a waste! 

Since people on Yelp seem to like it, I would think about going again to try something new, but I definitely need to make some more money before I can afford to blow it all on small pastries.
4 - Rachel P.: This is my second review of Bakeshop, my new corner bakery, and I can only say that my love grows fonder every day.  

This weekend I bought a white chocolate mango cake to take to a birthday party and what a delight.  The perfect pairing to afternoon coffee, a beautiful cake in the european tradition of cakes you can enjoy without needing an insulin shot.  Wonderful flavor, and just the right amount of sweet.  

My italian roommate approved the Chocolate Pannatone as authentic and delicious.

All this and a cozy and neighborly atmosphere.  Bakeshop, you make my neighborhood!
3 - Gaurav A.: The moment I entered this place my first instinct was this is more of a hit/ miss place. It has a lot of potential given
the experience of the owner. This place is there and yet it feels something is missing. In short I wasn't disappointed and also not impressed . May be I will give this a second chance and see how it goes may be try the deserts this time( I bought  a loaf of bread and wasn't happy with it).
4 - Jinny Y.: Love love!  I first heard about Bakeshop from my manager at work.  She was in a good mood and brought me a chocolate cheesecake muffin.  It was so good I had to check it out myself to see what else they had.  

The bf and I went and spent a fortune on all their goodies!  We went for brunch on Sat.  At the suggestion of the waiter, I got the Eggs al Forno.  Very good, but a little on the small side.  You get a small iron skillet/square with a piece of sourdough bread topped with carmelized onions, red bell peppers, cheese (maybe gruyere), and two baked eggs.  It was super yummy!  Again, if it were slightly bigger I would feel like I got my $8 worth.  

The bf got a turkey avocado sandwich...?  It was good, but now I can't remember the details of the sandwich so I guess it wasn't that memorable.

Baked goods we tried:
- Chocolate almond croissant:  OMG heaven!  Flaky, buttery croissant with chocolate filled in the bottom half of the pastry; topped with thin almond slices and a sprinkle of powdered sugar!  What more can you ask for?  =)

- Chocolate cheesecake muffin:  We ate this the next day and it was still of perfect consistency, not too spongy, not too dry, just perfect.  If only I could get MY muffins to come out like this =P

- Red velvet cupcake:  I would give it only 3 stars.  The icing was yummy, not too sweet, just enough cream cheese.  The crushed walnut or pecan topping was a nice touch too.  The cupcake part of it was disappointing.  We ate it right out of the window display and it was a bit dry and crumbly.  Sad.

- Coconut cupcake:  2 stars~ it was super dry!!  =(  the only unsatisfying goodie we tried.  It was the very last thing we tried, so it sucks that it ended our experience with a blah.  It may have just been an off batch. 

Overall Bakeshop still gets 4 stars!  Can't wait to go back and try the rest of their goodies :)
3 - Scott M.: This place has arrived with a shit load of fanfare.  Most of it undeserved.  Service was great, the guy that brought over my sandwich and soup was funny and polite.  A lotta smiles, energy and kind folks at the Bake Shop.

I had a tomato soup and a half a grilled cheese sandwich.  Both were pretty tasty, but if you want the best grilled cheese in the bizness, head right up Peachtree and sit that azz down at Tap.  The grilled cheeses there are amazing!

The place is set up really ackwardly, its like 3 long azz picnic tables, and a couple of spots to sit next to the windows and get a great view of peachtree.  However, its really ackward because it reminds me of cafeteria seating.  In fact, it kinda makes the place suck.

THe Bakeshop is very much an open space, and you can see all throughout the kitchen which looked very clean to me.

I just dont like the set up of this place, its kinda annoying.
2 - Edward S.: I can't tell you how badly I wanted to like Bakeshop. The location is great and the decor is fantastic. I just wish the food was 1)larger servings 2) not overpriced 3)ummm...tasted good. 

It's amazing that with the open kitchen, cooking apparatus, and Cordon Bleu embroidered aprons, that a decent pastry would result. Compare this pastry to Parish or Alon's and it will be subpar. The croissants are hard, non-flakey, and the chocolate one just had a hard stick of chocolate in the middle. 

Again, I really want to like this shop. Just wish the food was even at par level. Maybe it'll get better.
3 - Brian N.: This place has the makings for something grand. Key word: "makings."

Among all places within a five block radius this is the only place you'd want to go for a pastry/baked good. Your other options are Starbucks, some middle-Eastern delis, and a noodle house. So in that sense, this place has cornered the market on a quick bite to go with coffee. That means they don't really fee the market pressure to improve on their "Ham and Cheese" croissant....

That's really unfortunate when a place hasn't nailed one of the basics. These guys seem to be fantastic at the breads, with some innovative ones too like a Bacon Baguette, but please get the Ham & Cheese croissant right. Here's my two cents and maybe they'll see this and think about it: the beauty of the ham and cheese is keeping the fillings moist and allowing the flavors to meld within the pastry. I think that's even more important when you're using Gruyere which is a drier cheese that will be helped by the insulation and moistness of a pastry pocket. Anyhow, the problem with their croissant was their having taken a normal butter croisssant, sliced it in half and stuffing it with ham and gruyere. Picked the right kind of ham (black forest) and the right kind of cheese but the wrong execution. On the bright side, the waitress did offer to toast it for me, which is a rarity among many bakeries. 

Pros:
(1) Almond and chocolate croissant with filling all tucked inside and baked together [unlike ham & cheese].
(2) Ample almond filling in above croissant
(3) Free wireless!
(4) I really appreciated their putting out little dishes of butter and apricot jam to be used as you like. The apricot really helped to offset the dryness of my H&C Croissant....but it was also great apricot jam in and of itself.
(5) Bus your own dishes. Always a fan of this at cafe's. 
(6) Tahitian vanilla syrup available w/out cost at the coffee accoutrement station.
(7) GREAT music selection. Some lounge, some hip hop instrumentals. 

* Dessert case looks stunning, but I didn't have any so I can't comment
4 - K K.: A few things I've noticed/felt about my visit to Bakeshop...

1) Atmosphere: really liked the whole industrial bake shop look, but felt they were getting sloppy with the oddly stacked boxes and unruly bread for sale rack.

2) Cupcake: was a little disappointed, thought a bake shop would be able to produce a moist cupcake.

3)  awesome fruit tart, one of the most moist and buttery crust/cakes ever.

4)  the open kitchen

5)  surely plan to return for bread/sandwiches
4 - Chris L.: Got three cupcakes, three huge chocolate croissants and a sweet roll with white chocolate mousse for $20.

All were delicious and the atmosphere is great. Would have given it five stars but only had a few things. Looking forward to going back.
1 - Robert M.: I'm always excited about any bakery that opens up in Atlanta, since we really lack good bakeries. Everything about Bakeshop seems right, but it just doesn't add up. 

I just ran in to get a few desserts to go. Service seemed incredibly disorganized. Typically, when I walk into a bakery and order a few desserts they get dropped into a bag as soon as you pay and you are on your merry way. Not at Bakeshop. 

No. After paying, I waited over 15 minutes for one of the FOUR people behind the counter to simply grab the THREE desserts I ordered and drop them in a bag for me. How is that? I understand they are preparing lunch orders as well back there...but considering you have four people, maybe one of them is assigned to quick 'to go' orders that take all of 30 seconds to complete while the other three people can work on lunch orders? Hmmm....maybe that idea is just too novel.  Or maybe they are too busy dropping it into a bag, tieing it with a ribbon, then dropping it into a fancy box, and then into another bag...you get the idea. 

To their credit, they did throw in a free chocolate croissant for my troubles. My other orders were an almond croissant, a chocolate caramel tart, and a bread with vanilla creme in it. 

Both croissants were dry. The bread was dry as well, and while the vanilla creme inside was tasty, they put maybe a thimble of creme in it...it was all bread, dry bread. The best order was the chocolate caramel tart, which was actually very good with a crispy crust and a nice layer of caramel in it. 

What a disappointment overall, maybe their sammys are better? I had a sample of one of their breads and that didn't impress either. 

So as of now, I'm still hoofing it to E. 48th St. Deli for the best homemade bread in town, and I'm still hitting up White Windmill and Mozart for pastries.
2 - Mike M.: Inconsistent. Shame.

French Country Sourdough - not sour, not right.
Baguette - again, bland, pale, spongy. Shame.
Semolina - pale, spongy, bland.

Bummer. They need to work it out.

Or maybe this is really a soup & sandwich joint that poses as a bakery?
3 - j w.: They have some good brunch dishes like the eggs al forno and fried egg sandwich.

This is offset but a chaotic space, spotty service and bad coffee.
2 - Kisha M.: Stopped in to see what sweets they offered.  I am on a mission to try every cupcake in the city. I gasped at the $3.50 price tag for one small cupcake, but handed over the money as I knew I am not always in the midtown area.

The girl working the counter wasn't warm or friendly and made me feel like SHE was doing ME a service.  She blandly asked if I wanted a box or if I just wanted to carry the cupcake and go.  Excuse me, miss, but for $3.50 I'm taking the damn box.  Even if I am sitting on the fuggin floor in the middle of the establishment and eating it!

I waited until I got home to try it.  Eh.  For a coconut cupake it wasn't very coconut-y.  And the cake part had little to no flavor at all.

Muy unimpressive.

But the restaurant is cute.  Perhaps their sandwiches are better?  I'll probably never know.
1 - Mark B.: I gave them one more chance. I really did. They are SOOOO close to my house. I needed bread. They blew it. Lost a star, this one for service. No more chances. Except they are SOOOOOO close.
3 - Sumier P.: Ah Bakeshop. There are so many things I love about you. The atmosphere and decor is lovely. The desserts looks amazing (I haven't tried them yet regrettably), and the bread samplers are great. Even though you're a part of concentrics (or maybe one of the other big groups, can't recall), you still manage to have that neighborhood mom and pop coffee/pastry/sandwich shop feel. 

So, even though I haven't tried the dessert yet. I have tried their sandwiches on several occasions and their coffees and teas. Now the coffee is by 1000 faces which is an Athens, GA joint that believes in direct trade, microlots and all that good stuff that are the new buzzwords in the coffee business today. And they are really good brews too. The tea variety is absolutely amazing as well. Speaking of buzzwords, did I mention they had community tables? Yes, community tables. You know, everyone has one of those now. Antico pizza does too. Apparently forcing strangers to sit together promotes a feeling of community. But ok, whatever, i'll bite. 

Points for keeping simple syrup, honey, vanilla syrup etc on the side for customers. You may want to rethink using a soap dispenser for the honey though, its consistency isn't really made for small pipes, unless you guys sit back there behind the counter sniggering to each other while you watch chumps like me give themselves a rotator cuff injury trying to get a teaspoon of honey out. If thats the case, snigger on.

Now you may think to yourself, why Sumier, why are you giving the Bakeshop only 3 stars if you like so much about it? I'll tell you why. Because their sandwiches are less than stellar. I have had the pleasure of trying multiple sandwiches there since they have opened, and they experimented a lot with their menu in the early days. Which was great! I remember a grilled chicken sandwich that was excellent and one with cured meats that was delicious! Now, they seem to have settled on the most mediocre ones of the lot. The chicken salad tartine tastes ok but is a mess to eat. There's a tad too much curry powder in the chicken salad (hint: when you start tasting a grainy powdery texture in your chicken salad, STOP adding curry powder!), and i'm sorry, the arugula doesn't go great with it. And yes, just because you call it a "tartine" doesn't make it anything better than an open faced chicken salad sandwich. The turkey sandwich has so much bread and so little filling I couldn't taste any of my sandwich! The seared chicken sandwich tastes great, but its a tiny tiny sandwich for 8 dollars. Now i'm not one who expects Cheesecake Factory portions, but come on, I want to be full after lunch! I guess what i'm saying is Bakeshop, maybe just maybe you have your head up your butt a little bit? Perhaps you should stop trying to be uber-hip, and just make a seriously good, well made set of sandwiches with strong flavor profiles, paired with the right bread for the fillings and a decent size?

So Bakeshop gets 3 stars. Its actually 3.5, but hey, its Yelp, i gave up wishing for a .5 star scoring system a long time ago. If they revamp their lunch menu, I'll bump it up to 4.
2 - Vanessa r.: ok really so I am so over it. Why is it so hard to find a good, honesty artisan bakery in Atlanta.

I was so excied and then I acutally left there kinda pissed off.

I mean really guys the cheese danish - are you kdding - give me panera.  

Dry desserts, Dry breakfest and umm the bread - well I can make a better sandwich with bread from the Dekalb Farmers Market.

And to the owner that is not tomato bisque that is tomato soup. Where is the bisque?  I didnt see any bisque!!!!!

And yes I timed it. It took every customer at least 10 minutes to get there meal. Does it really take 15 minutes to toast and add cream cheese to a bagel.

You guys are so full of yourself.  Good food does take time butt  what are you making?  You are putting stuff together.

And there are always a ton of hired help in the building doing nothing- and one lone helper doing everything.

Walking around in your chef scrubbies doesn't make this place a good bakery.

Seriously - please get over yourselves.

I will say I like the decor much better than the other business that was here before so for that I will add a star.
2 - Cara M.: Eh. I wish I could say better about this place. I really really want to like it, because it appears to be everything that would have made H&F Bakery work as a retail business. It has a great, laid back atmosphere, cool interior, and good music playing. After being here twice though, the staff is a mixed bag. The guy that took my order the first visit was helpful and friendly, but they guy overseeing the counter (I guess? There were like, 3 or four people back there, but he seemed to be in charge) was pretty rude. He was the only person working along with an older lady that seemed to have no idea what she was doing when I came in for my second visit.
Both times I went in (twice in the same week) they had Chicken Gumbo advertised as a soup of the day. I am a fool for good gumbo, so I tried ordering it both times.
The first time a bowl of decidedly not Gumbo was brought out to me without explanation. I brought the bowl back to the counter to ask if I could get the gumbo I had ordered, and the rude guy, after a lot of fuss and confused looks, told me they had not made gumbo that day. Fine, whatever. I ended up picking through a reasonably good bowl of chicken tortilla soup (there are things I can't have in my diet in all of the soup choices except gumbo there), mostly disappointed over the soup I had been expecting. On the bright side, the croissant I had with it was delicious and buttery. My mom seemed to like her sandwich and my aunt raved about the grilled cheese she had. 
My next visit wasn't much better. Again, the food wasn't bad... it just wasn't what we ordered. My boyfriend and I had stopped in when the place was all but deserted for an early dinner. Granted, by the end of the day I expect some things to run out, but it was still hours from the restaurants closing.
There were no raisins on the French Baguette my boyfriend ordered, and after trying a bite of it, I thought it was rather bland. He loved the shrimp and corn chowder he had with it though. 
I tried, once again, to get the advertised gumbo. The same rude guy took the order, rang me up, and then said 'oh wait, there's no gumbo today'. Well, I've already paid for my meal, so whatever, I'll just get the soup that'll be least destructive to my diet (the tomato bisque). I thought he bisque wasn't bad (my boyfriend complained that it tasted like marinara sauce), but again, it was just a bowl filled with dashed hopes. The half sandwich I had with it, Turkey on Honey Whole Wheat, was decent and the ingredients all tasted fresh, but the thing that intrigued me enough to order it--pepper mayo--was absent, and so all in all... it was also bland.

I suppose this isn't a bad place to go if you're in the area and want a fresh sandwich or soup (full disclosure, I actually worked at H&F and the food tastes a LOT like what was served there) at a reasonable price, but you might be better off going down the road to Noon.
I'll also try to update if I make it in for one of their deserts (which do look REALLY good)

Sorry my reviews are so wordy!
1 - Megan J.: I was so excited to try Bakeshop, but found it to be really disappointing.  The mozzarella and tomato sandwich was dry and not satisfying.  I was expecting a nice think slice of fresh mozzarella only to be served some shredded cheese.  Also - where was the basil?  Not only was the food lacking, but the service was terrible.  There were four people standing behind the counter and they couldn't be bothered to break up their conversation and take our order.  The kicker was when we politely brought our plates back in when ordering dessert (since no one was busing tables outside) and instead of taking them from us the girl behind the counter asked us to walk across the restaurant and put them in a bin.  Hello?!?  You're in the S-E-R-V-I-C-E industry -- if you can't be bothered get a job elsewhere. The owner really needs to get his staff in order.  Also, whoever laid out the space wasn't thinking.  The only positive thing was the almond croissant I got to go, but by no means is that enough to entice me to go back.
4 - Tanya C.: I came here to get for brunch today and ordered the eggs al forno with an iced latte. I was a bit surprised that it came in a little skillet all baked together but it tasted pretty good with some black pepper and Tabasco sauce. The latte was nice and strong. The service was great, the food was pretty quick and the space is inviting. Overall nice and enjoyable. Also the baked goods table was calling my name so I also got a cheese danish. It was pretty good but nothing extraordinary~
4 - Shelley D.: Okay, I'm not hatin'. 

I have never had a bad experience at bakeshop...so i'm incredibly surprised at most of the stuff that I've read. I've only ever been for breakfast...so everything was super fresh and the tea is delicious. I LOVED the almond chocolate croissant thing as well as the nutella/chocolate one. 

I suppose that if I were to complain about something it would be the staff, but even then...that's pushing it. I mean, who really wants to be up at breakfast time serving businessmen pastries? Not I. So I guess that's just nitpicking. Overall, the baked goods are awesome..the tea is awesome...Concentrics did a good job.
3 - Relle A.: This place is a-ok and if I lived closer maybe i would come here more often. Three stars mainly for pastries and desserts.

The pastry I enjoy most is the apricot scone with candied fruit peels and nuts. The brownie is super moist and fudgy and has some kind of caramel in it which tastes super sinful. The butterscotch creme pot, and the blueberry cheesecake pot are creamy and sweet and I can even use the glass pots at home for ashtrays (take out only, in-dining that is stealing!).  The nutella croissaint sounded better than it was.

For lunch I have tried the half shimp gumbo soup with a half curry chicken salad tartine (open-faced sandwich.) Sandwich lacked in flavor in spite of the curry and my order took around 20 min. The food did taste fresh and soup was nice, but they could pick it up a bit for a lunch spot.


I do like their drink options which include coffee drinks and flavorful teas and their condiment station has different and sometimes exotic syrups to add. 

Worth a try.
5 - Sarah E.: Tucked away in Midtown is Bakeshop. 

A boulangerie & patisserie rolled into one. The bread is all natural, no preservatives, the taste is phenomenal! 

The selection of morning pastries is abundant and the eye candy that dwells behind the pastry case just entices the palette and i walk by. 

My husband and I went in a enjoyed:

pecan apricot scone: delightfully moist, nutty, fruity, and just a hint of sweet...everything you'd expect from a scone and more. 

fresh fruit tart: simple, elegant, fantastic summer time dessert...it offers fresh fruit with diplomat cream and a hint of almond cream for the added flair. 

blueberry muffin: fresh, crunchy from the streusel, and wildly amazing. 

among our favorites are...

creamy chocolate jar: rich, creamy, and decadent with a tease of olive oil to wet the palette...drives you crazy really. 

espresso pot de creme: superb for the coffee lover inside...layered with mascerpone mousse, chocolate crumb, espresso sable, and espresso panna cotta, it is everything you'd every want in a dessert. 


The coffee bar is nice too...there are people who actually know what they're doing behind the bar! 

All in all, a great find!
4 - Joseph L.: Please note: this rating is about 90% based on smell alone.

My friend and I had already eaten lunch, but we stopped here for some tea, and.. wow. This place smells delicious. The tea was good, but nothing compared to the aromatic experience. My friend and I sat outside, but before we left we had to duck back in for one last sniff of freshly baked bread. I will definitely be back for proper food. (And furthermore, there seems to be some promotion involving waffles and ice cream on Sunday afternoons. But I'll re-review once I've actually eaten some of their food.)

You know, in retrospect, I should have bought some bread to huff on the way home.
4 - Andrew M.: After a wonderful brunch downtown, a friend and i decided to explore this wonderful bakery that we had heard so much about. So after a few wrong turns, we finally got directions to this wonderful little bakery known as "Bakeshop" in Midtown, ATL.

Wednesday, June 09, 2010:

     As we first walked in at 11:20 am Wednesday morning, the wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread quickly filled our noses as myself and a friend walked in. Looking around, there were not many seated at the tables when we walked in (most likely due to the busy work schedule of Atlantians.) 

     As we made our way over to the counters, my eyes scanned the restaurant. Many baked goods lined the counters and the kitchen was wide open so i could barley peak behind the shelves of bread to see the baking of chefs in the back. 

     Looking over the pastries i could not see any items that looked healthy besides the breads. Knowing how much my mom likes scones though, i quickly noticed the delicious looking pecan-apricot scones. So grabbing one of those, i stepped aside to let my friend pick out what he would like.

     He got a pistachio-fig tart. It was a small and moist square cake that had two pieces of fig, and pistachio. He said it was very moist and soft. It was still warm too as it just came out of the oven about an hour ago.

     So after paying the lady, the price of the scone and tart equaled to less than 6 dollars. Not too bad for something so enjoyable.'

     Though i did not have a chance to experience this restaurant due to my healthy diet, i gave this restaurant four stars due to the wonderful atmosphere, the great service of the wonderfully happy cashier, and my friend's extreme happiness to his tart.

     So this restaurant is not for the health nut. But if you have a sweet tooth and want something hand crafted and baked fresh to fit any craving, i with out a doubt  would recommend this restaurant.

-Andrew D. Morrison-
2 - Brett H.: My word of the year describes my recent trip to Bakeshop.  I say this with great amounts of sorrow.

FAIL.  Pronounced with a bit of my Jersey gusto "Fayle".

We both had soup and sandwich.

The shrimp chowder was the same temp as the sandwich, ironically this was the same temp as the room.

The turkey panini....  warm slimy avocado (baby food slimy), warm slimy onion, there looked like some turkey in there too.

My Curry Chicken....  Slice the roll right next time, and um....  Isn't it supposed to be cold?

The cupcakes got a second star for this quite sad review.  Tried the strawberry and cream and a chocolate ganache.  I was so sad that the curry sandwich, slimy panini, luke warm soup, and sweaty room killed any chance of finding sugar bliss.  

I really REALLY hope it gets better, I want to try Bakeshop one more time....  Maybe it was a bad day.  Maybe the boss wasn't looking....  Maybe.  Hopefully.
4 - Maxine C.: I had lunch here the other day. I didn't get overwhelmed with the smell of fresh baked bread but I was impressed with the display. And the bread was obviously fresh.  A friend had the curried chicken salad and I had one of the premade italian panini. They were both quite good. we split a sticky tofee pudding and it was good but I could detect some sort of aftertaste. Maybe baking soda? Or maybe it was just the tin it had been in. Something metallic. I bought a few croissants to go, they were ok. nothing to bring me back. I would definitely go back if I were in the area but I wouldn't make a special trip from my house.
4 - Jason J.: Tried the ham and cheese croissant and iced mocha, wife tried the chocolate almond croissant. Both were flaky and fresh. Mocha tasted like illy. Going back tomorrow morning to try more!
2 - Love T.: There is way too much hype about this place. I've visited on several occasions, each time hoping it would be better than the previous time. Sandwiches are decent but not enough to feed a grown person. The bake goods are generally dry especially toward the end of the day so always go toward the morning.
5 - Kan B.: I know why this place gets a bad rap. The sandwiches suck. atleast the one i tasted. chicken something. tasted like the lean cuisine chicken artichoke i get. But the black/which cheesecake muffin really good. the strawberry cupcake.. tastes like artificial ( wait, hear me out) strawberry flavor. u know what i mean. but the cake it self doesn't tasted processed. what i mean is, it's good, delicious in a kiddie kinda way. DH liked the chocolate croissant one of the best he says and trust me, we've tried a lot. chocolate/chocolate cupcake is good. too. i like bakeshop. A lot. and  i hope it stays around. heck I walked 30 minutes to it. In the hot sun today. it's good enough for me.
3 - Sarah B.: I want this place to be awesome.  It looks like it should be.  It smells great when you walk in and you are greeted by a wide array of appetizing-looking pastries.

I have tried Bakeshop twice.  The first time I ordered a grilled cheese.  It took about 15 minutes for my grilled cheese to be ready (this was a to-go order) when I was one of three customers in the restaurant.  It was, unfortunately, a greasebomb.  It was so heavy and greasy that after three bites I just felt sick and overly full and I wasn't able to enjoy the sandwich.

The second time I went for breakfast.  I ordered a ham and cheese croissant and a cafe au lait.  I was a little disappointed that they didn't have simple syrup for the cafe au lait but hey, nobody is perfect.  They asked if I wanted to croissant hot and I said yes please.  When I got the croissant it was maybe lukewarm on the outside and ice-cold on the inside (which was interesting because it had been sitting on the room-temperature counter).  The server told me she wasn't sure she had put enough coffee in my cafe au lait and there was more coffee on the sideboard if I needed it.  This is not what I want to hear when I have just paid $4 for a cafe au lait.

I'm really sad to say that I can't say Bakeshop is anything more than mediocre.  As many other yelpers have noted,  there is just something missing here.  I am sure there are some hidden gems on this menu but I don't know that I have the patience (or the cash) to search for them.
3 - Bridget U.: Cash only folks!  Also, they have new "summer" hours so be forwarned this means they close at 5 pm.  Not sure if they have updated these back or not.  There is an atm for cash.

Love that it is local and a great place to get coffee that is not starbucks.  Staff has always been very nice to me so not sure about that part.  Food can be hit or miss.  I have had the grilled cheese more than once where it tasted kind of soapy.  May be they hadn't made anything in panani maker since they'd cleaned it...

I LOVE their tomato soup- this alone is worth a visit to me.  Crab cake sandwhich has huge slab of crab cake on it.  Sometimes danishes and pastries can be old and hard so be careful- if it doesn't look right save your money for another day because it probably is not right.
4 - Anisha H.: I am really surprized by Bridget U comment.  They do accept credit cards, I have been here several times and they have never told me no to using my credit card...hmm.  
Can I just say "YAY" I am a fan!! I love love this place.  There is never any long waiting lines.  Its communial sitting.  So you stand in line to get your breakfast and then you sit on one of the long tables and have a conversation with ur friends or "New" friends..whichever you prefer :D 
I heart their egg fried sandwhich.  Its my fav!! and their chocolate crossiant is to die for..literally, I always feel I went to heaven and came back! lol
It such a cute neighbourhood boulangerie, I can't get enough of it.  I have made sure to take all my friends from out of town here, just to exprience the wonderful quick goodies and treats they have to offer.
2 - Ashley M.: I'm sad. As a self-admitted chocoholic and dessert extraordinaire, I was so excited that there is a bakery right down the street. After a most excellent dinner at Little Azio, Hubs and I headed next door to satisfy our voracious sweet tooths (teeth?) at Bakeshop. 

Cons: 
Selection: Not much of one. Granted, it was a few hours before closing time so maybe all the good stuff was gone already. 

Price: 14 bones and some change for 1 cupcake, 1 slice of cake and 1 torte. Really? On the bright side, at least now I know what it feels like to get a swift kick in the balls. For $14, it better come with a foot massage. 

Taste: Epic fail. Hubs' chocolate cake was flaky and dry (how does cake frosting flake?) I made a chocolate cake last week for Hubs' birthday (out of the box, just add water and an egg) and it blew Bakeshop's chocolate cake out of the water. My chocolate pecan torte was so salty that it was inedible. The chocolate cupcake was decent but I ended up giving half to the beagle because the chocolate frosting was weird...more like a mousse but with a strange flavor that I just can't place. The beagle seemed to enjoy it though... 

Pros: I like the communal seating. The guy at the counter was super nice and helpful, we asked a bazillion questions he answered them all without getting irritated. The maintenance guy (or Bakeshop employee assigned to mopping the floor) was totally nice and pleasant! I want to go have a cup of joe with him. They each get a star.

I will give Bakeshop another try. I really hope they were just having an off day.
4 - Marissa G.: I have never had a more delicious blueberry muffin than at Bakeshop! Finally a place that serves delicious coffee, crusty bread, and European Esq pinions. I also enjoy the environment because of the fact that there are long tables it does feel more inviting. Also if you go later in the afternoon many of the pastries are discounted 

Pros: Muffins, Coffee, Bread 
Cons: A little pricey for everyday, during busy days a line can form.
1 - Felix H.: I've tried and tried and tried to like this place.  After all, Midtown NEEDS a good bakery.  But after coming back over and over again to see if it could redeem itself, I'm sad to say that I'm done.

Today, I walked in, looked at the spread of croissants, scanned the chalkboard menu and decided I wanted a Croissant BLT breakfast sandwich with the fried egg in it.

"Sorry, we're out of the croissants and we have to substitute it with ciabatta. Is that okay?"

To which I respond, staring intently at the croissants between us, "But aren't those croissants?"

"Yes, but not the kind that we use for the sandwiches."

"Well, can you just use those, anyway?"

"Sure.  But are you sure the ciabatta isn't okay?"

"They're completely different kinds of bread."

To which she rolls her eyes and writes down my order.

And she's not the only one.  Poor service, poor ventilation in the dining area (open kitchen- there was a day when we couldn't breathe while we were eating) and they deal dough like a drafty warehouse under the pretense of a neighborhood bakery.  The baked goods have generally been stale.  My friend's Dulce de Leche cupcake was dense and inedible save for the delicious frosting.

Please fix this or close.
3 - Gloria W.: I was hungry, and we wanted baked goods. Still, I was looking for some real food, but I didn't see anything on the chalkboard menu. I settled for chocolate almond pastry and hot chocolate. Mm, chocolate.

I had a bite or two of my friend's mango mousse cake thingy, and I liked that much better. I tend to do that.. like someone else's food more. My other friend "inhaled" her muffin, so I thought she liked it. But I don't think we'll be coming back the next time we have cravings for baked goodies.

We did like sitting outside, though.
2 - Denise H.: Took two trips to the Bakeshop. 

Trip #1: With the hubby. We stayed for about 60 seconds and my hubby decided that he would not under any circumstances eat from the pile of exposed pastries with more then a few flies buzzing around so, we left. 

Trip #2: I left the hubby at home this time. I took in the selection and decided on a piece of quiche and a juice. I was hoping they had something fresh squeezed or at least 100% juice and all they had was a bottle of 5% juice Minute Maid, that was the first disappointment. One of the inattentive staff members took my quiche to the back to be heated and 5 minutes later returned with the quiche on a nice little plate with a napkin and fork. I dug in only to get that ugly WTF! face (go ahead, make the face, you know what I'm talking about, lol). The quiche was still cold. Not hot on the outside cold in the inside, flat out cold cold. My next thought was "what did you do to my quiche in the back for the last 5 minutes?" Sitting on the uncomfortable Ikea chair with my Minute Maid and cold quiche, I did like my husband and just left. That quiche had potential though, if hot, it could have been something good. D for effort.
1 - Liz T.: I had such high hopes for this place, just paces from my condo.  The staff doesn't know how to make coffee or what is on the menu.  Often at peak lunch time they are out of sandwiches and salads....which it too bad since a croissant and cupcake does not a meal make. 
Hopefully the staff will get better training and prepare enough food for patrons because at their high price point, I don't see how anyone would feel satisfied.
5 - Marty M.: My wife and I eat here every sunday for brunch.  We have never been dissapointed with anything on the menu.  French Toast is the best we have ever had.  Club sandwich is an interesting mix of ingredients than all work great together.  The scones are great with the coffee that is served here which is also awesome!  The bread made, is the best in the city, baguettes, Brioche, Small burger buns, etc... the list goes on and the quality is great!!  I hope it stays around for a long time.
2 - SS H.: If I were to rank this place on food alone, it's a solid 3.  The red velvet cupcake is probably a 4, but the rest is just mediocre.

If I rank this place on service alone, it would be a big fat ZERO!  What a disappointment!  I was so excited when this place opened, filling my head with fantasies of weekend strolls over to the neighborhood bakery for some good bread and pastries, or a sandwich. But I have never been able to get my order filled within 20 minutes even for the simplest purchases -- read, one croissant and a cupcake.  And mind you there were never more than 4 people in line in front of me.  But these people cannot knock out orders for the life of them!  I can't say the service people are full of attitude -- they're not really. They're just really, really, really slow.  I really don't know what their problem is. 

If I rank the place on value, it would be a one star.  I will not purchase their sandwiches again.  I've bought plenty, paying more than 8 bucks a pop, keep hoping that one day, their brilliance will dawn on me. But I ran out of patience.  

So, Bakeshop, as soon as I find a decent red velvet cupcake elsewhere, you and I are over.
4 - Kent S.: I would have liked to have had more time to snoop around this place. After a couple of visits, I had come to the conclusion that it's just a straight-forward bakery that creates very traditional and tasty good. The coffee was great. The aesthetic is sterile and utilitarian. 

Browsing menus at other restaurants helped me realize that Bakeshop has become a bit of an institution in the area. 

My hopes were for the crazy crap that I'm used to in Chicago. Perhaps a watermelon mini cupcake and a pumpkin empanada with chai frosting? Nope. They won me over though. I'll always be a sucker for a perfectly crafted croissant.
4 - Elizabeth B.: Any place that has big tubs of Nutella on the communal tables has something really good going for it.

I wish I'd discovered Bakeshop when I was hungrier, but I stopped in a few hours after a big breakfast, so all I wanted was something small and a cappuccino.  Few things on the menu could be described as small or light, but the server was happy to ring me up for a sandwich roll - crusty and perfect - and my cappuccino, which wasn't the best I've had, but was certainly a step above your garden variety Starbucks foam. 

Bakeshop isn't inexpensive, but it is a nice place for an afternoon treat.
1 - dan k.: i went to the bakeshop last friday - it was about an hour before closing time-  I got a piece of key lime pie and also another pastry -- both to go -- i took them home and ended up throwing them away -- they were really bad -- pie tasted like it had old marshmallow topping on it or something that tasted like that - yuk!     so the pastries at the bakeshop get a big thumbs down -- unless you want to lose weight
3 - Peter M.: Good pastries and bread, sandwiches could be better for the price, cookies should be way better. The bread and pastry is worth coming back for but the rest is only so-so to me. I like the atmosphere and feel to the place and would go if I were in the area, but not a place I would go out of my way for.
3 - Cynthia S.: Disclosure: I'm a sucker for croissants. :)

With that said, the ham and cheese croissant is yum along with the chocolate and plain.  They were out of ham and cheese when I last went and I am still sad about it. 
The tomato basil bisque was flavorful but I didn't care for the chunks of tomato inside.  The carmelized onion, cheese, ham quiche was super flavorful with a firm yet delicate texture.  BF had a sausage/egg on a ciabatta roll and it looked and smelled divine.
Its a pricey joint so your tab of goodies can add up pretty quick but with Scoutmob's 50% off (good till April, I think) it helps splurging within your budget.
Staff is alright and the set up inside is cool and only annoying when it gets crowded- worth the wait though.  

If you prefer your croissants warm- like me- be sure to fully express this to your server.  I have asked every time and still have yet to get that request filled. :(

Overall, I like this place and will continue to patronize.
3 - Chris T.: Since my first visit to Bakeshop, I've reluctantly returned several times.  The service personnel seems to have improved quite a bit.  The food is still very good as a whole, but for what you get it's pretty expensive - I'd definitely call this place overpriced.

However, for the restaurant's sake, I will say that my first experience here was an outlier, and since then I've received fairly good service.
2 - Michelle B.: Two stars for just being able to hang on at this location...I understand that this is a tough draw here.

I can't comment on the food. Each time I've come here, either I was invisible or I was a bad smell that turned up the counter guy's nose...sorry, but I can't spend my $ in a place that holds my business in such disdain no matter how good everyone else says it is. The ladies at the cake counter in Publix are friendlier, and don't treat you like shoe-bottom-scrapings...and the eye rollage you get when using the Scoutmob coupon is almost comical.
4 - O K.: We went here for dinner the other night.  Scoutmob had a new coupon out so why not?  I had a flourless choco cake slice and my buddy had a cupcake.  Both were accompanied by a hot beverage.  Yes, this was dinner, don't judge.

So we decided to split each and WOW!  They were delicious!  I think the frosting on the cupcake is made with mist.  My friend said unicorn urine but then we agreed that maybe it was flavorless mint.  It was super light and cool, like the feeling mint gives, but the taste is so light and airy!    The cupcake itself was good.  I'm kind of over the cupcake fad but this one worked!  It was think and delicious and it was like they shoved a finger down in it to make room for more frosting!  GENIUS!
The cake- this too had whatever magical ingredient in it.  The wind whipped through my hair and it was like an epiphany!  YUM!  More exclamation points!!!!!!!  We almost couldn't finish the sweets but it was our own fault for having sweet chocolatey drinks WITH our meals.  

Since I am not 4 starring this place, let me talk about the downside...So they have this counter.  It is COVERED with yummy looking baked goods.  But nothing is covered.  Zuh?  I don't think that is serve-safe as there is no sneeze guard but you won't die.  I just think things will get stale.  I'm no Frenchie so I don't care if bakeries all over France are like this.  I'm not in France and I have never seen items so close to a 3 year old's licking range.  

I did not check out the bread but I bet it is good.  They also have Nutella on the table!  This place is not cheap but if you want cheap go to publix.
4 - Lisa P.: I've been to The Bakeshop a few times but always ordered a pastry and never had any complaints. The first time I ordered breakfast I was using a groupon and enjoyed the BLT croissant. It was heaven. I've been back three times since then, including today and saw Jonathan St. Hilaire. Seeing him today, I knew my BLT would be great and it was. I haven't tried any of the desserts but they look delicious.
3 - Gisela S.: The food is good but expensive and portions are tiny. After paying more you don't want to be still hungry.
3 - B. Nicole G.: Sunday morning rolls around again and finds the Man sitting on the couch swearing at his new XBox game, and my stomach swearing at me for ignoring it.  So I peruse my scoutmob app to see what we haven't tried yet.  I remember during the recent snowmageddon that the Bake Shop was twittering their heads off about being open, so I decided I'd trek over the interstate to get a take away order.  Upon walking in I was not surprised at all to see the place packed to the gills.  

I walk up to the counter and I'm instantly greeted by a sweet guy who is helpful with suggestions and personal preferences.  I decide on two sammiches; the club and the grilled cheese with bacon along with a bowl of the tomato bisque and the chili, each.  While I'm waiting on my order I am tempted by all the lovely pastries that line the counter and I'm overwhelmed by my coveting desire to obtain several of the danishes and a whole French baguette.  When I eagerly step up to the counter with my treasures I inform the girl at the register I'd like to use my scoutmob coupon.  She smiles and says 'sure,' but promptly forgets to apply it to my total as she slides my credit card through the reader.  Instead of being miffed, though, I am too pleased with all of my noms and tell her I'll use it next time.  Soon my take away order comes and I head home with my bounty.  

Now this is where a 3 star rating could have been an easy 4.5.  The food is really good, save two issues.  Each sammich was burned when it was prepared: the club only slightly less so than the completely charred grilled cheese.  What has added insult to injury, though, is it seems instead of informing me of this issue and/or simply making new sammiches (which it didn't take that long to make the first two) who ever packed the food into the boxes decided to turn the burned sides down to hide the error.  *tsk tsk*  Bad form, guys.  REALLY bad form!  The soups are delicious, however-- the man's only complaint being the chili seemed 'thin'.  

I'll give these guys a try again, sure.  Next time, though,  I'll make sure my scoutmob is used and I'll eat in house in order to keep a tighter rein on the amount of char applied to my meal.  On a side note: it would be nice for Mr Jonathan, the chef and owner, to keep a few nice locally sourced cheeses and spreads on hand to be sold along side the 8 or so breads they have available.
3 - Dante B.: There are a few things that you may want to know about Bakeshop, some good and some maybe not so good (depending upon your specific needs)

1.   Everything's available for take-out, including a great selection of breads.  Every bread that I've tried there is good, but the croissants sometimes seem to be a bit burned, sometimes there are large size differences between some of the products.  While this may be an indicator that everything is made locally and not commercially processed, it also is a detractor if you are looking for consistency.  Watch out, or you may get the burned one.  Good news is that you can pick it yourself (hopefully using the tongs provided) and bag it up.

2.  The prices are kind of high for the mixed baked goods (croissants, danishes, etc) and the coffee is bleeding expensive!  Of course, it's unlimited, serve-yourself-style in the bakery, so I suppose if you are really in the mood ....  If you are taking the coffee to go, it's definitely high for brewed coffee.

3.  The seating on long bench-tables is great - very communal, relatively friendly and a nice way to enjoy a small meal.  There isn't any lingering, though - no reading of a newspaper, book, or the like.  I don't even recall any overhead music.

4.  Some of the people who frequent Bakeshop are kind of sketchy and there are no protective covers over the food - it's all right out in the open.  I can't personally say I've seen someone cough or touch the food with their hands, but I can't imagine how it doesn't occur.
 
5.  Communal dinners upcoming!  Take a look at the fliers within the store for more details.  Sounds intriguing.
2 - Addy C.: I learned today that if a restaurant calls itself Bakeshop then maybe I should just stick to ordering their baked goods. Instead I tried their Chicken Salad Melt Sandwich and a disappointing Pistachio Pot de Creme for dessert.

The last time I tried Bakeshop was part of the SugarComa Tour in January 2010, and Bakeshop's Butterscotch Pot de Creme ranked as my most favorite and most memorable dessert on the tour ... so yes, I probably had high expectations for today's visit. 

i came here for lunch, and got the Chicken Salad Melt based on the staff's recommendation. The description sounded good: roasted chicken, greens, candied pecans, and swiss cheese on marble rye bread. However there were no greens or candied pecans, and the chicken tasted a little funny. In fact, I opened my sandwich several times just to inspect and see if maybe the greens & pecans were very finely chopped or something. But no ... I did find some chopped grapes though. But rather than bash them in a review, I decided I should let them know so they could fix the problem so that others would get the correct sandwich. I told the person, it looked like she went to the kitchen, and then that was it. I'm just glad I had a Scoutmob so I didn't have to pay full-price for the $8 sandwich. FYI - their lunch menu has 7 different sandwiches, 1 salad, and 1 soup.

I also didn't care for the Pistachio Pot de Creme. I loved the butterscotch version, I love pistachios, so it seemed a natural choice to try their pistachio version. However it just didn't woo me and I couldn't taste any pistachio flavoring at all ... boo :( Again, glad I didn't pay the $4 full-price.

On the other hand, the croissants smelled really good and I'm thinking if I were to come back, I'd probably just stick to ordering their croissants.
4 - Micah W.: Bakeshop, you had me at Nutella on the tables. 

This place smells amazing the minute you walk in the door. The fresh baked bread and yeasty smell of deliciousness. And thankful, the baked goods do not disappoint when eaten. I bought several croissants- the ham & cheese filled was perfect for breakfast the next day with my Early Grey tea. They were light and flaky and oh so good. Also got a couple desserts. The cakes looked beautiful, but the guy working behind the counter recommended the smaller individual pies. I got a lemon tart and a coconut cream pie, which were both delicious. 

I will definitely be going back to Bakeshop whenever I have another croissant craving, which is like every freaking week. And I am looking forward to trying some more of their desserts- the cupcakes especially. I'm also looking forward to sitting at those nice big tables and enjoying my food whilst I simultaneously get high on the smell of bread.
2 - Elaine O.: Stuff white people like...expensive sandwiches, and def not worth the $8.  Barbecue chicken sandwich isn't barbecued at all.  It's smothered in sweet bbq sauce.  I think quality has gone down since it divorced from Concentrics.
4 - Julia D.: My first trip to Bakeshop was an accident. I'd just moved into the neighborhood and didn't have Internet at my apartment yet, so my boyfriend and I ventured out in search of free WIFI. Starbucks was packed, so we walked a few extra blocks and ended up at Bakeshop. 

The first thing I saw when we walked in was the pastry case. And oh my god was I sold. I have a serious weakness for cheese danishes, but the chocolate almond croissant was calling my name. So, naturally, I encouraged my bf to get the danish, and I had the croissant. 

Both were heavenly. The coffee was equally delicious. The WIFI was incredibly slow that day, but who cares about WIFI when you have a flaky, buttery croissant filled with chocolate and some kind of magical 
creamy almond stuff?   

I noticed several people complaining about the sandwiches, but I can't speak to anything but the pastries. Every time I go to Bakeshop I get one of two things: chocolate almond croissant or danish. Both are always good, although my ONE complaint is that they give you the tiniest amount of chocolate inside the croissant. Maybe they're looking out for my figure? They can stop doing that. This place ain't cheap, so it kind of sucks to feel skimped. I also saw complaints about the service--never had a problem with it. They're not overly friendly, but they make a mean latte and don't judge when you stop by twice in one day.
4 - Jeffrey B.: I really love a good display in a bakery. With the delicacies piled high, spread out before me, I feel the way that I imagine a child would feel... were said child in a candy store. I don't know for sure, I've never been a child. 

I was wandering through the city on foot and I stopped by to reorient myself using their wifi. I decided to grab a chocolate cream cheese muffin and it was the best muffin I've had in a very long time. Wonderful texture.
2 - David K.: You know it's a damn shame when you can't even give your cupcakes away. I'm not even talking about sex, although I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about.

I don't know if this is a proper explanation, but all I can say is I'm glad I got 50% off with Scoutmob. Many of the other reviews had to do with poor service. I actually had a fantastic customer service experience. My sadness came from the lackluster cupcakes.

I bit into one and it tasted like they made it four days ago. That probably wasn't the case. I just don't know how else to describe it. I took two home and I gave one to a friend... he gave half to another friend... and they both returned it to me. That's just awful.

Also, I bought some brown stuff in a jar. It was described as "pudding meets creme brule." Um, no. Maybe chocolate mousse. I still have half of it in my refrigerator.

#Yelp365 - 62/365
4 - James E.: I love the Bakeshop.  The Desserts and coffee are great!
5 - Felix C.: This represents the accumulation of a half-dozen meals there. Overall, pretty good. Excellent baked goods. I don't eat many pastries but they are very good here. 

Here's the rundown on some of the sandwich items. 

Lamb panini - ok but a bit bland. I really expected a stronger lam flavor. 

Roasted tomato bisque - Overly thick and not very tasty. 

Ham and cheese croissant - One of my favorites. This is a great breakfast item that is just enough on a weekday. 

Almond, chocolate, or chocolate-almond croissant -  These are very good. Flaky yet soft on the inside. 

Chopped salad - They run out of this often when I go. Very good.  

Here's a big mystery to me. I'm never sure about tipping here. It is mostly self-serve so I don't know what the level of tipping should be. 

The pulled pork sandwich is pretty good.
3 - Joe L.: I thought Bakeshop was pretty good. 

Probably one of the better croissants I have had buttery, moist and with good flavor. 

The cheesecake chocolate brownie was to die for. Super chocolatey with a crisp yet moist cheesecake crust on top. It definitely wasn't grainy or taste stale at all. I liked it so much I got two. And then finished both. There. On the spot. Yeah I'm crazy.

The banana nut muffin.... not so much. It not only exploded/fell apart the instant I pealed the wrapper back, it didn't really taste like anything at all.

The triple chocolate pistachio cookie was pretty good, though for 2 dollars it absolutely gets dominated by Highland Bakery's Chocolate brownie cookie and Murphy's 1 dollar double chocolate chip cookie. 

So all in all, come here, get a croissant, sit at the big table, read a newspaper and people watch. Get the chocolate cheesecake muffin as well, but skip the banana nut.
3 - Christian B.: I think I'm sticking to breakfast. My lunch on Thursday -- a two-cheese grilled cheese with bacon -- was tasty, but a bit expensive at eight dollars with no side. Once I added a Coke Zero and a bag of chips, it bumped me up to $11!

I did grab a peanut butter cookie on the way out though, and it was soft and delicious. The baked goods here continue to impress. I stop in about once a week for a chocolate croissant, danish or apple turnover. 

Even the coffee is top notch -- it's all Batdorf and Bronson beans. A cafe au lait is my go-to, but I'll get a drip coffee every now and then. They usually have two types brewed. All in all, it's typically about $4 for coffee and a pastry. 

I've never had any of the pies or tarts at Bakeshop, but they look pretty good. They've even recently added a small case of frozen ice cream treats. 

In short, you really can't go wrong here in the a.m. Just be prepared to empty your wallet at lunch.
4 - Dayana R.: Stick with the breakfast items - chocolate, ham & cheese, almond chocolate croissants.  They will not disappoint.
4 - Pamela O.: Prompted by the recent scoutmob, I returned to Bakeshop since it is right across the street from my office.  I ordered the club sandwich... and returned to Bakeshop two days later to pay full price for it again!  The service was so much better, no sign of the handful of smug employees I had encountered in the past.

I wanted to like them from the beginning.... and now I do!  Win-win!
4 - Andy R.: Bakeshop had me at croissant!

Having discovered Bakeshop only recently during the Scoutmob promotion, I now stop there on the way to work at least once or twice per week. It's worth going for the sights and smells alone. My preference is for the pastry, especially the almond croissant and the cheese danish. I like the self-service concept, so I can take my time to look around and choose what I want. The coffee is from Dancing Goats, which makes me happy. I've also had a soy vanilla latte and a cafe soy-lait, which were both fine. 

Overall, I'm one satisfied customer!
3 - Shaun K.: Pretty much everything I've had at Bakeshop has been delicious, from ham and cheese croissants to cookies to muffins to sandwiches to loaves of bread. Good coffee, too. A tad on the pricey side. Best thing in the history of the world might have been the unlimited pancake breakfast after the Peachtree Road Race last year. Watching the throngs file up 8th St. back to MARTA for two hours after I finished while scarfing down fruit topped pancakes was awesome. I hope they make that a tradition.

I get the impression, though, that they're more interested in their wholesale business than the storefront.  The coffee station doesn't always get all the attention it needs (cleaning, refreshing, etc..) The ordering process can be a little disorganized (and they keep changing things around which is annoying for those of us who fear change.) All in all, though, I am glad Bakeshop lives across the street from me.
4 - Ronald T.: Great atmosphere. The banquet style, cafeteria setup that forces people to be social is quite refreshing. The sandwiches seem to be available depending on the shipment during the week, but I actually don't mind that. I'm not a big fan of pastries so I won't critique, but I had the famed Chocolate Almond Croissant and it lives up to the hype. The coffee is nothing short of perfection, they really put love into them. The Service here is stellar, everyone smiles. Ask for Marcella she'll take great care of you.
2 - Jean D.: Oh, Bakeshop. You have such potential! With a large variety of baked goods, Nutella on the tables, and a great atmosphere, I wish I could say I wasn't disappointed. I really really do. 
Some of the pastries are fine, really. But most of them are dry and stale, and don't get me started on the cupcakes. They're the cupcakes that were picked last for kickball. It's sad. Just don't go there.
I like that it's self serve and I'm also grossed out that it's self serve. There are no sneeze-guards. People pick things up with their hands. But at least you get to pick what you want and move along at your own discretion. 
The worst part of Bakeshop, unfortunately, is the staff. A lot of them are SO NICE! But good god, they do not know what they are doing. If there were ever a place where it seemed the employees had no pride in their work, it would be Bakeshop. 
If everything here was run just a little tighter, and the pastries were a little fresher, this would have been a five star review. 
I'll try again next year, when hopefully, I'll be able to write that review.
3 - Stephanie W.: I was a little confused when I walked in on a Saturday morning.  But finally, I figured out that it's self service.  Grab a pastry, move to the register, order coffee drinks, pay, sit and eat.  I never did figure out where one would procure jam, so I put a generous helping of the chocolate hazelnut spread that was sitting on the table all over my really fantastic croissant.  

I think I was expecting something slightly different, and I think it's one of those places I will like more as I feel more confident about the ordering process and figure out what's on the menu - I felt rushed by the crowd and a little confused and in the way.  But I've caught myself thinking about that croissant ever since my visit.
2 - kelly h.: What a disappointment!  I went to Bake Shop the first time over a year ago and ordered a quiche and it was great.  It came with a salad and everything was delicious. I went today and I will never go back again.  I ordered the quiche, but this time, it came with no salad or anything...just the quiche.  The bad part was that there was nothing on the menu small enough to order with it because everything else was a lunch item. I ordered a piece of bread but it was not filling. The quiche was tiny.  Everyone in my group (about 8 of us) felt the same way. All you get for 9 bucks is a little sandwich or a little piece of quiche. Not worth it.
3 - Lucy L.: Mixed feelings about this place.
4 - Michael H.: The coffee here is very good and baked good are as good as one might expect from a place called the bakeshop -- which is about 13,829 +/- 2 times better than anything at Starbucks. Two things I keep coming back for: the egg sandwich, and the pancakes. Plus the coffee. Its not a bad place to get work done for a couple of hours, and I'm a fan of the communal tables, although the chairs tend to persuade my butt to leave sooner than I might otherwise. Free WiFi, good background music, and I noticed recently they are providing more power strips for computers.
3 - Qiong S.: Pastries are good
Yogurt Parfait is horrible and overpriced (canned orange is not seasonal fruit)
Customer service is lousy!
1 - Christy P.: Bad service, but good latte. Instead of playing on your phone, you might want to help the customers that are patiently waiting in line.
3 - Sunny D.: They only get stars because their croissants kick ass.  I especially like the ham and gruyere croissant.  Their cookies are good, too.  These are the only things I've tried here.

My gripe with them is that (1) the shop layout is confusing and (2) the employees here seem like the unfriendliest people ever.  Those in for the grab-and-go items never know where the line starts and those wanting to order never know where to stand or what to do after ordering.  And I know you're in Midtown, but would it kill ya to smile or make your customers feel like you want them to be there?
4 - Leanne E.: This well designed relaxed atmosphere offers parking and absolutely delightful treats. I dined here for lunch and had the curried chicken salad and a cup of tomato bisque and for dessert a chocolate almond croissant. The service is not so great- they forget to actually put orders in and their organization leaves something to be desired so go in on a day when you're hungry but not starved.
2 - Emmy K.: I went here with a friend, who swore she had only heard good things about this place.  I'm calling shenanigans.  Either that or the people who recommended it have really low expectations.  After what felt like an eternity to get an employee to acknowledge us, we ordered fried chicken bisquits, a coke, and a coffee.  We took a seat at the communal table set up, which was filthy.  As we waited for our food, we grabbed 2 forks, which were also filthy.  Apparently standing around and being surly is too much work for the employees to do such menial tasks like well, clean.  The food was disappointing and kind of pricey given how little we got.  I will not return.  I can be ignored, overcharged, and eat in squalor at better places.
1 - Lauren H.: Came in here to get some goodies for a coworker's birthday. Lunch crowd was milling about, but I was able to get to the counter pretty easily, only to realize they were out of chocolate chip cookies! I figured they would have more, but no. Was just told that she had recently wrapped up 15 and they were gone. Surely they had made more than 15 chocolate chip cookies for lunch time! I settled on a brownie and an oatmeal raisin cookie. We ended up splitting them at the office, only to find out that they hadn't been baked! It appeared as if they had from the outside, but were NOT COOKED on the inside! Both were not good. Don't get me wrong, I like some soft and gooey cookies, but this was raw batter. Will never be going back here.

Bottom line: Change the name to UNbaked Shop.
3 - Brian K.: Bakeshop is a quaint, contemporary, and seemingly bipolar bakery in the heart of Midtown. I use the term bipolar because my experiences here have been nothing short of a culinary grab bag; everything from "simply extraordinary" to "when is the candid camera crew going to emerge".

Food: Bakeshop offers a diverse array of baked goods, from breakfast pastries to breads and desserts. They also offer an assortment of sandwiches. That being said, the only items that I can recommend without reservation are the breakfast pastries; the white chocolate apricot scone is truly exceptional and the croissants are among the best I've had in Atlanta. However, the desserts are unimaginative and flavorless, while the sandwiches are unmemorable.

Service: One of my major, and frequently recurring, issues with this place is the extremely poor service. The ordering process is not readily apparent (pastries are self-serve, while all made-to-order items are ordered at the check-out counter) and the staff are completely oblivious to the people and circumstances that surround them. They also fail to take your name or provide a number at the time of order, so you essentially have to sit down and pray to baby Jesus that someone will eventually appear with your food sometime in the foreseeable future. On one occasion, I waited for nearly 20 minutes for a sandwich that was apparently "lost in the kitchen"; anyone who has been to Bakeshop before can appreciate what a sick joke such a comment is (see atmosphere below). 

Atmosphere: I really like the contemporary atmosphere of Bakeshop. However, it is incredibly cramped; the kitchen, ordering counter, and dining area are all in the same room. It's also imperative to note that the dining tables are communal; coming from the North, I'm still trying to get used to this seemingly invasive concept.

Price: Fairly pricey, but worth it depending on what you order. Again, pastries and some of the breads are a plus, but nothing else is worth the trip, particularly the desserts. A cup of coffee and one pastry will run you around $5. Sandwiches, which come with no sides, are around $10.

Other: Bakeshop occasionally features 3-course evening meal specials throughout the year. I have never been, but the menu offerings are seemingly appealing. Space is limited for these evenings, so advanced reservations are necessary. Also, their regular evening hours are virtually non-existent; they close at 7PM, so after dinner dessert is not an option. However, as can be inferred from the above, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
1 - Nancy R.: I was excited to this place since I love baked goods, but was very disappointed.  

FOOD:  I got their vanilla cupcake ($2.50) with vanilla icing.  Gross!  The cupcake was dry and crumbly; it had a dollop of lemon inside; and the icing was tasteless.  I guess they don't specialize in baked good....ironic.
3 - Ron R.: I had the key lime pie..... it was good but not the best....... I am still looking for the ultimate key lime pie
2 - David D.: This place is pretty hit-or-miss.  The prices are pretty high...but I could overlook that if the food was all really good.  Unfortunately, I've had some things here I don't like.  Their sandwiches are just OK and their cupcakes are nothing special.  Makes me really miss Chocolate Pink (RIP)!

Something I do like, though, are their scones.  The apricot and white chocolate scone is very delicious.
2 - Cristina K.: I like that their large tables encourage strangers to sit together. Unless your table companions are too busy playing Bejeweled on their iPads, you can generally chitchat with strangers or catch up with Midtown acquaintances. 

The chocolate croissant was just OK-- very skimpy with the chocolate and while it was nice and dark chocolate, it felt chalky and dry. The ones at DeKalb Farmer's Market are much better for a fraction of the cost. 

The butter croissants are a little better-- flaky, buttery. Small for the price. The ham and gruyere croissant was tasty too, but again, cheap on the filling.  

The sandwiches look good and the mozzarella and brie grilled cheese was pretty tasty. Fresh crispy bread and melty cheese can never go wrong.

The baguette is very good and you can dress it up with their butter, jam, and Nutella. However, I do wonder how sanitary those Nutella jars are. I'm sure there are double dippers or people who contaminate it with a knife they used for butter. So far I haven't heard of people getting sick. 

Their coffee is very good and they keep making a fresh batch when it's busy. Overall a nice place for weekend breakfast if you don't mind the marked up price to subsidize the high rent. Or you could just wait for a Scoutmob deal (they've had 2 so far).
4 - Laura M.: The boyfriend and I went to Noodle next door to this bakery yesterday.  We  passed on dessert in the restaurant in hopes of finding something scrumptious in here.  

The second we opened the door our eyes immediately fell upon the case full  of cakes, pies and whoopie pies.  All homemade (obviously), all looking outstanding.  Available options were: whoopie pies in standard chocolate and with creamy center, red velvet cake, cheesecake with strawberries, tuxedo cheesecake and banana cream pie.  

I opted for a piece of banana cream pie.  It was delicious.  I can't put my finger on it but it was almost like there was a hint of savory in the crust.  Whatever it was, it balanced out the sweetness in a lovely way.  I would love to go back and try their coconut cream pie.  

Boyfriend got a blondie brownie with coconut or something like that.  It looked really good but I'm never a fan of blondies so I didn't really like it.  He loved it.  He barely let me sneak a tiny taste.  

While we sat and ate I noticed their selection of baked goods-croissants, donuts, muffins, etc.  They all looked delightful and I was tempted to try a donut.  I then noticed a case that said something about ice cream.  Not sure what that was (aside from, perhaps, ice cream) but I'll be back to check it out.  

It was too hot in the store for a proper latte or coffee (I like to try a store's hot beverages before their iced) so I passed this time. 

Aside from the too warm temperature I really enjoyed the atmosphere.   The large tables really give a communal feeling to the place.

I will definitely be back to try it out.  I'm glad I didn't know there was a scoutmob deal for it until I read a previous review because I will be loading up on tasty treats in the near future.

The staff was friendly.  There was a young man behind the counter who offered me his honest opinion on the goods (that turned out to be true).  The other staff said hello or good bye and I could see someone in the back making more goodies.
2 - T S.: I keep coming back to this place hoping that it will improve but it simply never does.  The service is ridiculous -- you can stand at the counter for a long time before anyone turns around to wait on you and it takes forever to get even a coffee.

If the food made up for the service, I'd hardly mind but that's just not the case.  The brie grilled cheese is skimpy -- there's nothing to it and it's just thrown on a plate without any ceremony whatsoever.  The same goes for every sandwich I've had.  They're nothing special despite their sizeable price tags. 

Please, Bakeshop.  I beg you.  Get better.  You can do it.  We need you in the neighboorhood, but at the moment you're just not worth the time or the money.
3 - Carla C.: I went here with a friend last week.  Had a Scoutmob coupon and an itch to try something new.  Gotta love the 50% deals!  Any-who, I had no idea that this place was in the old Goldstar Bakery spot.  Not that I was sad because I was never crazy about the place.  It just surprised me to see a new name on the building.

The waitstaff seemed a little disorganized when we walked in.  My friend asked where we should order and an employee told him "the register."  But before we could make it there someone stopped us and asked for our order at the opposite end.  The girl at the register was not the friendliest either.  But it was Saturday and I was in a good mood and determined to not let snotty folks ruin my day.

My friend ordered the chicken biscuit and I ordered the peach spiced pancakes (I'm a fool for pancakes!).  I also picked up some of their baked goods: a croissant, a ham and cheese croissant, and something else that I can't remember (must have not been TOO special, huh?).  The croissants were good: buttery and flaky.  I could tell the ham and cheese would be amazing if it were warmed up.

I was not impressed with the peach pancakes but my friend was.  In fact, he liked my pancakes more than his biscuit and I REALLY liked his biscuit.  So we swapped.  The chicken biscuit is like a sophisticated Chik-fil-A biscuit.  The seasoned chicken strip comes on a bona-fide Southern biscuit (I could taste the butter AND buttermilk).  It has a slightly different flavor with the sauce but I liked it.  And my caramel latte was really good.

I really liked the decor.  They have three large bar height tables that could easily fit 8 or more people.  It has a communal feel to it.  Very industrial look.  Kinda had a NY vibe too it.

My biggest qualm about this place (outside of the notoriously bad parking for this little strip of shops) was the way their utensils were set up.  They have folks, knives, and spoons organized in three small silver buckets in the middle of each table.  While this is adds to the communal theme and the metal buckets match the decor, I could not help but think "How many people have mistakenly (or not mistakenly) placed their dirty utensils back into the silver buckets?"  In fact, the first fork I grabbed did not look the cleanliest.  GROSS!
2 - Jeff L.: I've been wanting to try Bakeshop for ages, but I'm rarely in the area for breakfast/lunch and it's not open for dinner.  I worked from home one day and saw that Bakeshop was on Scoutmob, so I figured I'd drive over for a sandwich and a sweet.  I ordered the $8 Turkey & Bacon panini.  It was essentially a turkey BLT with Mayo.  While the sandwich tasted fine, I literally had to look twice to make sure there was turkey on the sandwich.  There was literally a layer one-two slices thick.  For $8, there should be a bit more turkey.  Considering I paid $4 since I had the 50% off, I wasn't as upset, but based on the small size of the sandwich, I don't plan on getting sandwiches there again.  Mind you, I don't have any issue paying $8 for a sandwich, but I feel it should be a bit more substantial for $8.

But I figured there was still hope.  After all, Bakeshop is a bake shop.  I ordered the red velvet cupcake.  The cupcake had a nice deep red color with white cream cheese frosting and filling.  It was a "normal" sized cupcake.  Not one of the huge ones, but still a good size.  Again, regarding price - it was overpriced in my opinion.  It was $3.50 for 1 regular sized cupcake.  Again, since I paid $1.75 with my discount, I wasn't so concerned.  I also wouldn't be concerned with $3.50 if the cupcake was delicious.  Sadly, it wasn't.  While the frosting and filling were good, the cupcake itself was extraordinarily dry.  Very disappointing.

I wanted to like Bakeshop.  The space itself is great.  The concept is great.  Maybe the loaves of bread are their specialty, but I won't find out.  Based on the prices and  the portions, I don't plan to return.
4 - Phillip G.: This little bakery is simply fantastic and I don't use that quiet often. However the Bakeshop is deserving of praise. From the pastry's down to lunch sandwiches everything is delicious. I personal keep coming back for the Chocolate Almond Croissant which is down right delightful. I compare it to angels on Heavens playground doing cartwheels in my mouth. The lattes are better than any Starbucks coffee item. The Lamb Panini was my favorite lunch sandwich but this new recipe sucks belgian blue balls... Bring back the old recipe!!!
2 - Angela M.: Perhaps I've got a sour taste from being stood up by my lunch date, but I just wasn't that impressed.  I'd had plenty of time to peruse the printed menu during my wait, and I decided on the half sandwich-half salad combo for $8, choosing the caprese panini (since the curried chicken salad was not an option) and the watermelon panzanella.  The ordering process seemed slightly haphazard, with the employees adapting to taking orders wherever they are standing when there are several people in line.  The cashier was patient as I dug through the car seat and baby bag to find my phone and claim my scoutmob discount.  And when the server brought me my basket with sandwich and salad, she grabbed a fork and napkin for me since she saw that my hands were full with the little one.

Honestly, it reminded me of airport food - an attempt to be upscale that just doesn't taste like much of anything.  The most flavorful part of the whole lunch was the olive oil on the panzanella.  The watermelon in the salad wasn't that ripe (and this is watermelon season!).  The caprese panini wasn't cripsy and all I could really taste was the bread, which I expected to be better at a bakery.

Next time, I'll just stick to the sweets and baked goods.

Also, parking is a challenge.  There's a small lot in the back that can be a challenge to get in and out of.  It used to be valet, which made sense on account of the tight spaces and turns, but now it's up to you.  Fun times.

#Yelp365 - 227/365
5 - Saumil D.: Yes, it's overpriced.  Yes, it's too hot in the summer cuz the A/C can't overpower the ovens.  And yes, the pastries are not that good (especially considering that it's called Bakeshop).

But I love this place.  The baguettes are better than any outside of Paris, and the large tables make for the perfect place to do pretend-work on a laptop. Bonus: they're usually playing good music (not too loud as to be overbearing), so if I forgot my headphones, I'm still good to go...
4 - Lauren L.: Last week I had to buy a birthday cake for a coworker. They didn't have any whole cakes that morning, but thank goodness...because the lemon blueberry cheesecake I got instead was absolutely amazing. So was the ham & gruyere croissant that I chose for myself...
4 - Tiberius G.: Came by here the other day after driving by a ton of times, What a find. We met Sarah at the counter and had a very nice chat with her.  She was very helpful andI was able to finally decide on the Tuxedo cake... 

Might I add that is was probably one the the best piece of chocolate cake i've had in a while...

All in all this is a very cool spot, and somewhere I will definitely frequent more often... For my next adventure I intend to check out the Sunday Brunch offering...

Pro-tip: They have a Happy Hour thing here, i'm not sure of the time frames but I got my slice of cake for half off... Pretty good deal if you ask me...
2 - Alisa R.: So like others have mentioned this place is hit or miss. What you can count on to be good is the ham and gruyere cheese croissant and the scone. An inconsistency is the plain croissant is dry, crumbly, and not good. Danishes also had dry pastry despite good filling. My latte was done right. I have not extended beyond breakfast here. 

The ambiance of the shop is nice. Butcher block tables and modern decor. The pastries are self served on open selves with tong and bags near the register. I am not sure about this... it kinda grosses me out. 

It will do in pinch I guess. I only went back because of Scout Mob.
4 - Sherry W.: I like the interior -a balanced combination of contemporary minimalism and a European bakery. We ordered some pastries to take home with us and a slice of cheesecake, which we ate there. 

I like how the tables are long so that everyone shares tables. I also like the metal utensils that are in the middle of the table but sometimes I'm a little skeptical as to how clean they are. I love how there's free self serve water and self serve coffee. I definitely have to come here next time I want to study. 

The almond butter croissant was great -moist, fresh and buttery. The chocolate croissant -not so much. It was a little stale, hard, and lacking chocolate. I probably shouldn't have grabbed it after seeing that no one had taken any. Note to self: only grab the pastries that seem to be constantly replaced. 
 
The cheesecake, on the other hand, was divine. I think we got a chocolate cheesecake and in my opinion, it's significantly better than Cheesecake factory. The crust is the perfect texture and the cheesecake is creamy without being overly sweet. I didn't feel like I was dying for milk afterwards. 

I definitely want to make it back!
5 - Matthew D.: Ok ok, it's a little pricier than Starbucks, but the food is top notch. I have never had a drink or pastry here that I didn't think was delicious. My daughter and I come here constantly and really appreciate the unique experience. 
Hint: Take advantage of Scout Mob or Midtown Alliance and you'll find the prices a little more agreeable. 

Oh, and they don't put it on their main menu, but ask about the New York Breakfast, if you're a salmon fan it's perfect.
4 - Charlene W.: I walked over to Bakeshop last weekend for some breakfast. I think the price point for their desserts is on the high side, so try it out while the Scoutmob coupon is still in effect (50% off). They have tons of pastries and freshly baked breads that all sounded delicious. The interior is contemporary and hip with large communal tables inside and small tables outside.  

I came for the lemon ricotta pancakes and at the last minute switched to the fried chicken biscuit. This was a little on the small side for me, but it was delicious. The biscuit was super fluffy and I loved the spicy kick of the chipotle mayo. They even threw a few sundried tomatoes in the mayo. The chicken was juicy inside and the cheese was actually melted, which I find more and more often restaurants forget to do. My only complaint would be the skin on fried chicken could've been a little crispier. It would've been nice to have more of a crunch for some texture in an otherwise soft sandwich. My friend got a fried egg BLT, but for some reason it doesn't come with T (tomatoes). Overall, I was pleased with my meal and I definitely will be coming back to try more -- especially the lemon ricotta pancakes and that ham & gruyere croissant.
1 - AxeMe A.: Our love affair is so over. Dead, Honey. Dead. Your velvet cupcakes were all the rage when no one wanted to eat the $70 I splurged to get dried out cupcakes with a near flavorless taste. Oh, and your breakfast has gone done hill: all overcooked and a tad less than fresh. That paper towel roll thing finally got me leaving your place knowing I'd never see your ass again, babe. It's threw. Don't even call.
3 - M I.: We walked over for breakfast this morning...it was our first time.  It was crowded which I always think is a good sign :). The staff was courteous. We had bagels and chocolate croissants.  The croissant was excellent, the bagel was good...I think I am spoiled by NYC bagels though.

I think it would be nice if they had regular napkins on the tables instead of the roll of industrial brown paper towels.

The one negative was the coffee containers both bring empty we had to wait in line again to let the staff know that both coffees were empty.
1 - Tatum C.: AWFUL!!!  Stopped by to grab some baked goodies b/c I had a scoutmob.  Customer service was TERRIBLE... no signs to tell you what the different desserts were and the lady literally rolled her eyes at us when we asked.  It was so obvious, I thought she was kidding... but nope!  So rude!  And I believe the manager was working right behind her and didn't seem to mind the way she was acting.  We used our scoutmob which was 50% off, and our total bill for one cupcake and a cookie was STILL $3.  I will and have spent far more than that on desserts, so that's not my issue... my issue is that the cupcake was DISGUSTING.  Like not kind of disgusting, but spit-it-out-in-a-napkin-so-I-don't-digest-it disgusting!  You will leave here dissatisfied.
2 - Jen T.: I love almond croissants, so I was looking forward to finding a place in Atlanta to sate my cravings.  Bakeshop isn't that place.  The prices are high, the croissants are small.  The pastry was stale, cold, and the almond filling was more gritty butter than almond paste.  Both coffee containers were also empty, and the staff didn't seem like they were generally on top of keeping them full.  Overall it was disappointing.  I did enjoy the wooden wall decor and communal tables with nutella jars on them... but they didn't balance out getting a stale, unsatisfying pastry.
1 - Laura S.: After having lunch I proceeded to drop off a package at the UPS store across the street. When I returned 10 min later I had a boot and a 75 dollar ticket for "leaving the lot" I will never give my business again to a restaurant with obviously little value for customer service.
2 - Ash S.: I previously gave a review stating I had an excellent lunch from Bakeshop.  Upon my second visit though the experience went WAY downhill.  I ordered a turkey panini to go - nothing fancy, nothing different.  When I arrived in my office I discovered that my panini only had cheese and thin apple slices.  $8, really???
I was so livid of the waste of my time and money that I plan to not return, again, ever, no matter how much they try to tempt me with Scoutmob deals.
5 - Praful G.: Excellent place for brunch or breakfast. Try their quiches, cup cakes, croissants, sandwiches or soups. They brew Batdotf and Branson coffee as well. They have free wifi too!
4 - charrity p.: I work about 2-3 blocks up from the Bakeshop and had a chance to buy their LivingSocial deal. I have tried a little bit of everything from their now and almost everything was great. 

I love the feel of the place...everyone sits at long tables. It feels like your eating with family. Its in a small complex with Noodles and Azio so parking is tight. Im lucky because I walk down. Just keep that in mind. Overall its a great place for lunch and pastries. Their prices arent bad about 8 bucks will get you a sandwich, no chips, drink or side. Just the sandwich. 

I hope you all give it a shot!
1 - Jennifer E.: This is the type of place that makes you weep when you think of what it COULD be. 
My first visit to this place was a couple of months ago when to my horror, the counter service person headed to the microwave when I asked if my chocolate croissant could be heated. Thankfully I was able to yell him down before he ruined a perfectly good pastry. Now I could understand such nonsense at a run-of-the mill mall or airport counter, but a BAKERY with the ovens in clear view??? 

Either way, I decided to give it another shot today as I headed back to ATL after a business trip to Maryland. In the mood for a tasty salad and soup, i thought, what the heck - let's give these folks another try.... 
Again, I had to get out the tissues, because this time I did weep and left before I could be further disappointed. 

What happened you ask,(well even if you didn't I'm going to tell you) - I stood in the 4 person line and saw the gentleman in front of me, kind of looking around as if he might have left his keys on the counter earlier, I soon discovered that wasn't the case when he turned to me and said, do you see a lunch menu? 

I told him no, and then he asked one of the folks behind the counter and she said we only have the two paper menu's and the people in front of you have those, so we will just have them pass them back when they are done. 

REALLY? Is there a reason that you wouldn't send your staff down a couple of doors to the copy shop, or better yet PRINT A REUSABLE MENU or post it somewhere on a chalkboard? 

Sigh.....so, I scanned the limited menu and when it was my turn I ordered the half salad and cup of soup only to be told they were out of soup.....it was 1:00pm..... 

I give up. I encourage you to spend your money somewhere else where the owners have trained their staff, invested in a menu and hired staff with a bit of initiative. And somewhere where they wouldn't DREAM of putting a croissant in the microwave. So sad, lots of potential unfortunately is misses the mark and disappoints.
1 - jm l.: What's up with the surly employees at these upscale bakeries in this town? I've already abandoned A***'s in Va.Highlands bc of such poor service & I'm really thinking I might have to do the same with Bakeshop!
But it's so convenient to my house & a great spot to meet up with neighborhood friends for a cup of coffee & a morning pastry. 
The self serve coffee is nice and strong and fortunately requires limited interaction with the grouchy cashier! The pastries are quite good too and the smell of the breads is wonderful, but the service is a horror.
I think I had pleasant service, once upon a time, long long ago.
Today I stopped in for a slice a carrot cake - that looked so beautiful and enticing in the case.
For $4, the slice was at its width ~1.5", and was so crumbled by the time the Grouchy Cashier sliced it & got it into the to-go container, it looked like all she did was scrape the remains of previous slices off the knife & scooped it into the box.And btw, it wasn't so good.
Looks like I'll be walking a short block further north to Empire State South from now on.
I'm  small business owner and if ever any of our staff approached any client with such non chalance and indignance as Grouchy Cashier AND  had the nerve to suggest a TIP, I would fire myself for being a bad boss.
3 - Ben E.: My addiction to the ham and cheese croissant and the apricot-white chocolate scone was recently broken. Those two treats from Bakeshop remain among the best savory snacks I've had anywhere, but a recent visit confirmed a pattern of degenerating service.

The superior baked goods there are, it seems, less precious to the business than their WiFi. Walking in last week to meet a friend for a late lunch, I asked an associate for the WiFi access code, and found myself in a testy post-Socratic dialogue:

Me: "Hi! Would you please tell me your WiFi passcode?"
Her: "Well, are you going to buy something?"
Me: "Yes, lunch, when my friend arrives."
Her: "Well,lunch ends in 10 minutes. Let me know."

It's not exactly Mamet, but perhaps you get the point. Bakeshop is more artisan bakery than friendly cafe, and that is not an unadmirable status. No other place in Midtown can offer pastries and breads of remotely similar quality. Few can match the curmudgeonly attitude too.

Three stars as long as you get your food to go.
2 - Inspector G.: when i first stumbled upon this, i thought, "wow what luck!"
then with the price and the food, that ratio isn't worth it. mediocre food for UGH food. my grandmother makes better bread.....
1 - Gina R.: Wow. I mean, just horribly, awfully wow. I ordered the curry chicken salad sandwich and asked if I could have something other than a croissant. The rude gal had to check with her boss (really). I also ordered a loaf of bread. When she totaled it all up, it wasn't correct, so I asked if she had included the loaf of bread. She said no and recalculated. When she brought out my sammy, she said that she hadn't charged me for a loaf of bread but rather charged me more than a dollar to put the chicken salad on plain bread, "because it's more expensive." Than a croissant? Really? You mean more expensive than a butter-laden baked good as opposed to the flour and water I actually got? So, I left without paying more for a loaf of bread, but with an awful sandwich. So the food? I paid $9.50 for a mediocre chicken salad of a paltry amount on flavorless "ciabatta" bread. With something they called salad, which was really just bad, wilted lettuce with some oil on it. 

I will not be back and encourage you not to go and waste your hard-earned cash on this place.
4 - Amit H.: Yay Bake Shop, LOVE this place, fresh baked goods taste so yummy so i was so happy to see this place in my neighborhood... breakfast pastries, quiche, croissants, they have it and taste sooooooooo gooooooood!!!!

Oh YEA they bake their on breads too, so its perfect if you want something different from the store brand breads. Breakfast their is a must pancakes, Breakfast sandwich worth going and trying if you haven't already :)
5 - peters g.: this place is very good to relax and eat alone. VEry large place and high ceilings.
staff are very friendly
2 - June S.: Nice location, which will be relocated soon to somewhere else anyway.
Pretty expensive.
I get it it's tasty, but shouldnt you cover ur fancy little batches from dust and bacterias warming around indoor?
I dont know how they passed health inspection.
Anyway, good place to get an americano with a muffin or a croissant cuz they at least taste better than starbucks's bakery items.
4 - Helen H.: All of the pastries, sandwiches here are pretty tasty... and drinks also
But what I love about this place is on that on the weekdays during the day.. it is wayyyyy less packed than the starbucks down the street, has free wireless, and has such a cool, clean, industrial feel to it that makes you feel like you're an almost hipster with a mac at an indie coffeeshop :)
Anyhoo... I do agree though with some of the other reviews that the people who work here are a tad on the rude side... but it's not like you're coming into contact with them beyond ordering at the counter so it's okay..
3 - Joi M.: On my first visit to Bakeshop earlier this year I ordered chocolate almond croissants, a cheese danish, and a slice of red velvet cake.  Everything was delicious.  When I returned in the fall the croissants and a chocolate muffin I ordered were burnt.  However, the lemon ricotta pancakes were delicious.  The lemon flavor was strong but not overwhelming.
5 - Megan E.: I love this place, and not just because it's a short walk from where I live. I've been here twice now and both experiences have been great. I highly recommend the apricot white chocolate chip pecan scone-it's delicious, huge and will fill you up for most of the day, but it's a bargain for only $4.  I just wish I would have asked this to warm it up for me-I bet it would have been ever better.  My husband has ordered several sandwiches there and really enjoyed them. The dining style is so fun an unique-community style seating and rustic long tables and aluminum high chairs. The fact that they serve Nutella on all the tables as a condiment-amazing!
5 - Cédric T.: Best croissants in town. Well worth the price. Go for the sweet almond ones.
2 - David Z.: Came in again for lunch, and was re-disappointed. I had the Turkey, Apple and Brie sandwich ($8). It came with no side, and the size of the sandwich was shockingly small. Plus the two employees seemed to be having a spat as my party ordered our food.
1 - Ff S.: Found out this morning Bakeshop is closed and a Mexican place is going to reopen in the space...I live two blocks away and honestly won't miss this place....it was just weird and seemed kind of cluttered and dirty to me.
1 - James A.: - UPDATE: 2/1/12

 CLOSED?...I can't imagine why...GOOD RIDDANCE!!

-ORIGINAL REVIEW:

"Welcome to BakeShop -YOU'RE WELCOME" is what I was expecting the early twenty something girl behind the counter to say when i approached the counter and so RUDELY interrupted her reading trash magazines in order to give her business and money. She proceeded to take my order WITHOUT MAKING EYE CONTACT ONCE, and when payment was expected, like helen keller working at a needle factory, she blindly reached for my credit card missing twice until i literally stuffed it in her hand at which point she looked at it and back down at the magazine. 

"Coffee is over there - get your own pastry". Good work little girl, wow, do you ever wonder why you've ended up working behind a woodblock counter making 3.10 an hour plus the tips i don't give you??...do you? Cause I don't think you should. ever. You're kind of terrible. 

NOT to mention my second visit where I decided to ask the most GOD AWFUL, ILLOGICAL QUESTION EVER KNOWN TO MAN!!!: "Do you guys have a blueberry muffin? or anything with blueberries in it?" and without hesitation, the brunette version of a baker-Gollum FLIES up from whatever she/it was doing behind the counter and practically shouts; "WE DON'T HAVE BLUEBERRIES ONLY RASPBERRIES! WE NEVER HAVE BLUEBERRIES!" - well holy shit girl, go get your wooden stake and cross and end my blueberry loving life. 

  Anyway, enough said, YAWN, this place is pretentious and really loves that they're the only "independent" bakery in the area, they're shop is disgustingly dirty, the outdoor seating area is covered in soiled diapers and roadwork cones drenched in dirty fountain water. Spare yourself and give someone else your business cause these asses don't appreciate it.

Baku's African Restaurant - Amherst, MA (42.3797753, -72.5200946) ()
4 - Andrew J.: I think this place is great.

Best lunch deal in town, by far. I think it is $5.50 for delicious chicken rice and beans; you can't beat that deal. Their homemade special sauce is outrageously luscious. Clearly non-traditional fare to be eaten here.

Dinner fare is good but expensive; I would consider it relatively easy to rack up a decent bill for the style of dining, generally $10-14 a plate.

They are gluten and lactose free, for whom it concerns. It's also ripe with delicious delicious meat, including the elusive goat meat. The teas and juices are quite swell and satisfying. The owner is an extremely nice woman, small place. Makes you feel good all over.

Interestingly enough, they employ red pepper instead of black pepper to accompany the salt shaker on the tables. I would consider this to be a feature.

Worth a visit.
4 - N. P.: Sometimes it seems like the owners have no idea what they are doing but my experience eating here was great. It felt just like a home-cooked meal. Since there are no other West African restaurants around that I know of, I am thankful for this place. Try the goat!
4 - d w.: food: pretty good.

service: wonderful

get's 4 stars bc there are no other west african - or any african - restaurants around. the rice is yummy. plantains were dry and not ripe, but that's not the owners fault. the chicken in a tomato sauce - super well cooked, although the sauce was a little bit plain.
5 - Theo B.: I must confess that I love African food more than most foods on earth so my opinion is is very influenced by the fact that this place just exists close to my mouth, er a I mean house.  The men is limited and the seating is not that comfortable but the food is 100% organic and is the real deal.  When I ray real deal I mean made by African people like you would get if you were invited to a buddies house in Nigeria. It's really good home style african food.  My only complaint is that there is not more of it.  I wish the menu would expand.  One great thing is that the signature sauce is for sale there and at Whole Foods and the Co op in Noho so you can try and make some of the dishes at home.  I have put the stuff on everything, pork, chicken, random fish etc.  It's all good.
4 - Megan T.: Great atmosphere, small and cozy. Great food, wonderful owner! It's an experience if you want it to be. Beer/wine not served, but you can byob.
5 - Cap U.: Great service, very friendly atmosphere. My wife and I were looking for a nice place to have dinner and stumbled on this on Yelp. Absolutely phenomenal food - everything was great. We had Ginger/Honey Tea, Mango Ginger Beer, Vegetarian Soup, Lamb and Salmon Entrees. Will definitely come back again!
5 - John R.: Really great, I wish they had more consistent hrs. Home cooked right there, intimate atmosphere, nice owner/family, great stuff. Dodo with the sauce is tremendous, and my Jollof was dynamite!
4 - mabel N.: Wow! This placce is so good. I got the chicken curry with peas, plantains and rice and it was delicious! I didn't love the peas but the chicken was cooked to perfection and melted in my mouth. Slightly disappointed at the 3 plantains that came with my dish--they were good but I wanted more! The sauce was the same for everybody at my party of 7--but it was delicious. Also the Mango ginger beer was great! Overall, a great experience. I would probably come back for lunch next time though--the prices seem significantly lower. 

Delivery through delivery express
4 - annie w.: totally no-frills, fun atmosphere. order and then take your seat. they serve mango ginger beer and cinnamon iced tea! chicken curry came with 3 perfectly fried plantain slices (dodo) and gently spiced rice (i think i tasted coconut) and a curry that was saucy and tomato-based in a big way. peas for vegetables, mid-sized portions. salt and african pepper (with a nice kick to it) on the table -- curious as to the name of the pepper, to add to my general collection.

an ample woman came out mid-meal saying she was making our food, and had to ask whether we enjoyed it. yes, yes we did! mm.
5 - Steven H.: Great service, casual dining, and very friendly. You are being served by the owner Chichi Pat Ononibaku herself and she cooks up a delicious dish of authentic African food. Definitely try the cinnamon iced tea. And this is the only place I've every had goat. It was good, but I preferred the lamb. This is probably as I'm not used to the stronger flavor of goat. Truly a unique restaurant.
5 - Heidi O.: Simple, clean wonderful flavors. If I lived closer, I'd be a regular.
4 - Steph L.: The owner was very nice and talkative. She runs the restaurant all by herself, taking orders, serving and cooking!
Everything on the menu seems to be cooked by her homemade sauce. Food was premade, cause it all came out within four minutes. A little overpriced for the small portions, but very tasty!
Mango drink came out of a goya can, wasn't self-made.
The food is like homecooking...sorta
We got the chicken curry, expecting for it to have a curry taste...but it was more like tomato sauce. I liked the yellow rice though.
 I would recommend for lunch, but not for dinner.
4 - Edwin C.: I'd give this place 3.5 stars if it were possible, but 4 because the owner (whom is the cashier and the chef) was so nice. Never actually tried African food before and thanks to my gf and my appetite after a 3 hour bus ride, I was ready to eat anything. Must admit I was a little hesitant on trying because I've heard horror stories from friends, but when I finally faced it, it was nothing like I expected. The food was pretty normal actually. I ordered the chicken curry. My plate came with yellow rice, a few pieces of fried plantain, string beans, and the chicken curry (chicken in tomato sauce). For 13 bucks and some change, I was far from impressed, especially when the gf ordered the rice and beans (for less than half the price of mine), which was essentially the same thing as mine, minus the string beans, plantains, and chicken. The rice was good, chicken was tender, and curry wasn't curry. Ohh and I ordered the mango juice, it was good, but I frequently buy the Goya juice so I know where they get that now. Food is good, place is small & cozy, and is worth a try.
4 - Jenny Y.: Savory, filling, cheap eats in Amherst! Aw man, everything is so tasty there, but I'm especially fond of the lamb and the goat curry. Both entrees were beautifully tender and came with super tasty rice and string beans. I would've licked my plate clean.

Baku has delicious drinks too! The mango ginger beer was sweet and had a great spicy kick to it. 

I'm not sure why this place doesn't get more traffic! GO EAT HERE.

Balance Chiropractic - La Jolla, CA (32.8707403, -117.2361339) ()
5 - Liberty H.: I visited Dr Hedrick for the first time recently after experiencing intense foot pain after a marathon.  Dr Hedrick was kind, listened well, and his treatment and recommendations were exactly right.  Less than one week later I was able to begin running with no pain and will definitely plan to see Dr Hedrick on a regular...preventitive...basis!  I would recommend him to anyone.
5 - Julie Z.: Dr Hedrick is very nice and professional.  He helped my neck and back heal from an auto accident.  I would recommend him to anyone.
5 - Frank M.: I can't say enough good things about Dr. Hedrick! As a former cage fighter with ALOT of old injuries, finding a good chiropractic doctor is a must and Dr. Hedrick fits that bill. He doesn't just go from problem to problem, but treats the person as a whole, taking into consideration how one condition sometimes feeds into the other. Anyone from fighters, former fighters/athletes, or accident victims should seriously consider him.
5 - Rhylie C.: Rich Hedrick is amazing! I am a hairstylist, always on my feet and stuck in awkward standing positions sometimes for several hours a day. finally the nonsense had caught up with me and at the mere age of 21 I felt as though I was 85. Walking around half bent over because standing up straight hurt. Breathing hurt. turning hurt! everything hurt! I also have to add that i've always had a major fear of my neck/back breaking via falling or doing somersaults, and even chiropractors scare me. BUT, Rich gave me his card a while ago, and he is very easy going, positive, and  just  the absolute nicest guy, and not at all scary so I called! He was able to figure out where I needed to be adjusted, gave me a few pointers to keep me in check on a daily basis, and even did this electrical heat stuff which felt amazing. Since that visit, my back has reverted back to being 21 instead of 85 and i have never felt better. I recommend him to everyone!
5 - Lisa L.: I have had back pain since I was a younger from a gymnastics accident.  Very skeptical of chiropractors, but Dr. Hedrick made me feel comfortable and at ease while treating me.  Definitely a must see.  I highly recommend him.
5 - Kelly H.: Dr. Hedrick has magic hands! Before meeting Dr. Hedrick I was seen many times by another Chiropractor and Orthopedist due to back and neck pain from a car accident.  I had so much pain and felt like no one can help me.  I almost swore off Chiropractors after failed results from a previous Dr... but I'm so happy I was referred to Dr. Hedrick.  He is so passionate about making people feel better and getting results. Within ONE visit I felt so much better.  I will continue to recommend him HIGHLY and encourage anyone that wants to feel less pain should run to see him.
5 - Clare P.: I was amazed at how good I felt after Dr. Hedrick adjusted my back. I had never been to a chiropractor before and was a little bit skeptical about whether it would really help. I have pain and stiffness in my back from sitting at a computer all day, and he made all of that go away! I'm a believer and I will definitely be back.

I also recently discovered his blog, which is full of great information about natural ways to stay healthy. I just learned a ton about turmeric- so interesting! http://www.sandiegospinedoc.com/info/

Balance Studios Jiu-Jitsu & Yoga - Philadelphia, PA (39.9522319, -75.1788586) (Penn Center, Rittenhouse Square)
5 - Scott H.: If you are looking for a place to launch your MMA career, learn self defense, or just get in shape, while meeting some friendly patient people this is the place to do it. The strength of this place is definitely Jiu Jitsu with about 80% of the classes being Gi or NoGi. However they do round things out with Judo, Muay Thai, Wrestling, and MMA classes. The price range here is moderate and varies with the amount of classes you plan on taking. The best thing about this place is the people who train and  teach here. There are no egos at this gym, no roided out meatheads trying to snap your neck off. Everyone here is understanding, patient and not judgemental.
5 - Jooyoung L.: The sign at the front entrance really captures the spirit of this place: "Please leave your shoes and ego at the door."  

This is an amazing place to learn BJJ.  As a beginner, I was impressed with how much time instructors spend on learning techniques.  Each of the instructors are eager to help and encourage you to ask questions.  I have never felt like I was asking a "dumb" question here.  This is very different from the previous place I learned BJJ, in which people are thrown into rolling and drills with more experienced people on day one.  Although this is a great way to get into shape, it was frustrating and lead to a number of preventable injuries.   Balance has a very different approach to beginning instruction: They focus on technique and foundation.  I found my time in this class very useful, as it allowed to figure out a few basic things that have resurfaced in the advanced class.  

The social environment is also a plus: Everyone who trains here--from the casual person to seasoned MMA fighters--are very down-to-earth and humble.  Like most gyms, Balance has a social scene off the mats.  Often, you can find people sitting around, rolling, and sharing information about BJJ and other martial arts.  This makes for a great place to learn and develop as a martial artist. 

Lastly, one thing that is also great about this place: They have a very flexible schedule.  The advanced class has multiple sessions per day, which makes it easy to fit a great BJJ workout into a busy schedule.

In general, if you're interested in a great and fun place to learn BJJ, Balance is your place.
4 - Ari P.: I trained here for 9 months about a year ago.  I didn't fully appreciate the quality of instruction and sparring partners until I left Philadelphia and looked for a BJJ school elsewhere.  First, Balance offers a ton of classes, so you if you have free time, there's likely to be a class offered.  Second, the students and instructors are great - no ego, happy to answer specific questions, and roll with a beginner like me.  Third, they offer a few quality non-BJJ classes, including Judo, Muay Thai, and wrestling takedowns; throw in the plentiful no-gi BJJ classes and they're most of the way to a solid MMA gym, while excelling at classical BJJ in a way that MMA gyms never do.  Fourth, there are a lot of students, including a lot of purple, brown, and black belts, so you're always going to have someone around who can challenge you.  Finally, the beginner program is well organized and transitions nicely into the full program, which is also well organized.
   The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 was that after I got injured at the studio and had to take a year off on doctor's orders, they kept billing me for several months after my repeated complaints.
5 - Sarah B.: My husband has learning BJJ here for years. They are by far the best in the city, hands down!

Balanced Therapies - Claremont, CA (34.107035, -117.7178735) ()
5 - Anna G.: I had a great experience with this massage therapist. He came and did a group event for many people and did a wonderful job. He was kind, reasonably priced, created a relaxed atmosphere and was great to work with.

In addition you can now pay online at his website www.balancedtherapies.com which is so convenient.

I would highly recommend Balanced Therapies.
5 - camille m.: I have to say Balanced Therapies is as good as it gets! If you live in or are ever in the area, I seriously encourage you to make an appointment and check it out. It's the best massage i've ever had. Super professional, great prices and lots of helpful advice on how to stay balanced. You can't beat it!

Baldy View Gymnastic Center - Upland, CA (34.1086403, -117.6982633) ()
1 - alma p.: I have to agree the place is very small. I went in to get info on enrolling my daughter there and the lady in the front desk was very blah showed no interest in us didn't explain anything. There was a class going on too and the teachers were making them jump from one pad to another. Poor kids looked bored.... I do not recommend this place to any parent, they make you feel very unwelcoming. Very unprofessional. I wonder if they know? lol.
1 - Espie M.: I took my children to a trial class on a Saturday. The ratio was 1instructor to 14 children. The kids were all over the place. I was later told it is hard to predict how many children will show up because of trial classes. I asked if there would be an additional instructor the following Saturday. I was told no... So if you sign up for classes at this gym, the ratio won't be consistent and how much will they really learn? They could solve the ratio problem if they prebooked their trial classes. Maybe the real issue is they need more instructors.. Who knows..

Bali's Self Serve Frozen Yogurt - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2805748, -120.6615276) ()
5 - Ariana N.: Dirt cheap, self serve, load on the toppings goodness.

Don't go to the one on Foothill.  Its yucky, just like everything else on Foothill.
5 - Franz v.: Bali's truly sets the standard for how FroGurt should be done. Self serve, huge selection of toppings, pay by weight! Not to mention the FroGurt is super cheap. When eating downtown, makes a nice cheap dessert.

All other FroGurt places should follow Bali's example.
5 - Haley S.: Yummm...  A unique idea that appeals to locals and college students alike.  Bali's will be around for years to come.
3 - Katy D.: ok so i used to work here and at the one on foothill. 

it is good to an extent. the flavors are always changing with some regulars like chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. we usually had a good mix of fruit flavored yogurt. the choice of toppings was extensive.

however, do NOT eat the strawberries or brownies. the strawberries were fresh from thurs night farmer's market, but would sit out during the day. the brownies would get pretty gnarly too. 

if you are a super sanitary person, which i became after working here, then this is probably not the place for you.
4 - Jennifer L.: Definitely a great place to get yogurt.

Love the self serve concept - less the idea that there are obnoxious childen/teenagers/college-age people that are breathing into all the toppings.

That aside, it's cheap, there are always a variety of flavors to choose from (and they change them around), there is nearly every topping you could desire, and it's simply a great, yummy, dessert.

This is surely one of my favorite places to hit when I'm in San Luis.  But, I like the one downtown better than the one on Foothill, because the one on Foothill is small, cramped and seems dirtier.

Verdict:  Try it at least once - and make sure you go downtown.   You'll either love it or you'll hate it.  I love it.
4 - Stephanie P.: If I'm in down town SLO and in the mood for some Frozen Yogurt, Bali's is the place for me!

I can't complain about this place. They have a good selection of frozen yogurt flavors and an even bigger selection of toppings. Inexpensive and pretty good tasting, it's a great place to go for a dessert or a snack on a hot day.
5 - Heather N.: You go in, pick your yogurt flavor, pour it into your choosen size, pile on any toppings you want and then weigh it to see how much it costs. Such a great idea! I really miss this place and I wish more would show up in other cities.
5 - tricia r.: Bali's is a lifestyle.  

It's an awesome little self-serve frozen yogurt place that's very straight forward.  You pick your flavor, shake in some toppings, go back for more yogurt (if you like) and maybe more toppings, weigh it, pay and ENJOY!  I lived up in the Bay Area for the last two years and I could not find a frozen yogurt place that could fill the void of me needing a Bali's fix.  I'm so glad I'm back!!
3 - Amanda B.: Yum yogurt! Oh... it's sooo sweet. This is definitely you're average yogurt. The upside to this place is you serve yourself, so you can dump as much crap on your yogurt as possible. The downside is they have a tip jar. Why the hell do they have a tip jar? For ringing me up? 
Thanks for taking my money, here's a dollar. No no. 

The only other downside I could see to this place is if it were open 24hr. a day and you were constantly high. You'd probably need to get a personal trainer. 

I'm gonna suggest going here, despite my mediocre score. It's yogurt after all, and you do serve yourself, just like you were at the buffet with grandma!
4 - Alex G.: I don't think Bali's is as much about a GREAT ICECREAM EXPERIENCE or an ORGASMIC MIXTURE OF FLAVOR as it is about walking downtown on a balmy summer's evening and living your childhood dream of piling whatever flavors and whatever toppings you want into a huge cup and having the end result be within your price range.

Besides, it's frozen yogurt, and when is frozen yogurt ever bad? It's no gelato, but I think it's pretty good. Also, its priced by weight, and if I was stoned I could spend $5 for my creation - which was a freaking lot of frozen yogurt. Most of the time I could get by on $3. (I am speaking in the past tense cause I no longer live in SLO.) 

It always bugged me that they don't take credit cards but if we're still going with the childhood fantasy thing it works cause kids only have cash.

And to the people talking smack on the Foothill location - yeah it looks a little more ghetto (its surrounded by domino's, Hollywood Video, a nail place, and a Buck Wild Dollar Store) but if you want to pick up cheap pizza, a couple of movies, some fun items priced under a dollar, and top it off with fro-yo, its awesome!
4 - Sylvia Y.: Cheap.  Lots of options.  Wouldn't call this place genius, but at least you can customize the amounts of both yogurt and toppings that you want.  Want a ton of cheesecake froyo with oreos, gummies and sprinkles?  Or just plain?  Sure - whatever you want.  That's why this place is good.
4 - Colleen C.: Well, if you're looking for the best quality frozen yogurt in town, then Bali's shouldn't be your first choice.  HOWEVER, there is much to be said for being able to create your own yummy fro-yo concoction with as many flavors and toppings as you want.   Bali's typically has at least 6 different flavors a day, with the standard chocolate, vanilla, and peanut butter always available.  I'll admit that while I was a student at Cal Poly I had the Bali's locations' phone numbers posted on my fridge so that I could check the flavors...well, on a daily basis.  Note that they only take cash or local checks, and that your dessert price could be higher than expected if you really pile on the toppings.  Which is what its all about anyway!
2 - Michelle C.: I know a lot of people that love this place.  I get it.  It's really cheap yogurt.  I love yogurt.  However, I can't eat at this place.  It's dirty.  On the rare occassion I did eat here, I got yogurt only and no toppings.  I don't have any desire to serve myself some toppings after the sticky little kid (or college student) in front of me put their still grubby from eating ribs at the Farmer's Market hands in the container.  

Thanks, but no thanks.  I'll stick with The Golden Spoon for my yogurt.
2 - Nikki M.: Ok, this is not the best frozen yogurt at all, don't really know why people like it so much. I think it's overrated, and just ok. It's convenient when you want to serve your own yogurt and it's not that expensive. It was the only place I knew of in town to get fro yo, otherwise I'd just go to Coldstone.
5 - Sarah P.: This place is ammmmmazing...period.  I despise frozen yogurt...especially chocolate frozen yogurt. It never satisfies me and is never rich or decadent enough.  I went to SLO the other weekend and found a thin slice of heaven after a trip to Bali's. Not only is this place a fantastic bang for your buck (b/c they charge you by the ounce), but its self-serve.  I have an insatiable appetite when it comes to sweets and fro' yo' servers NEVER put on enough toppings.  B/c this place is self-serve you can load up the toppings to your heart's content...and believe me I did! I particularly enjoyed the cookie dough, chocolate syrup, fresh strawberries, Reese's peanut butter cups, snickers, gooey fresh chewy chocolate brownies, oreos, and graham cracker crumbs.  I hate delish peanut butter frozen yogurt (next time I will have to branch out and try the snickerdoodle flavor).  I've discovered the secret is to put a thin layer of fro' yo' in your cup, an insanely thick layer of toppings, and then repeat this process.  Do not make the initial mistake I did, which was to put too much fro' yo' and not enough sweet topping goodness into your cup.

While this may not be the most cleanly or hygenic fro' yo' shop, its by far one of the best I have encountered.  It made a die-hard chocoholic and ice cream fan adore fro' yo'! I cannot say enough good things about this place! My fro' yo' creation made me want to cry tears of happiness! I am drooling just thinking about my creation....true perfection in a styrofoam cup! This is paradise for broke college students with insatiable sweet tooths or those with a serious case of the drunken munchies!

Can someone please open a store like this in the South or East Bay? Then again, if they did, my arteries would be hard in a second!
5 - Ashley N.: I loveeeee Bali's! I recently graduated and moved far away from SLO, and I miss Bali's so much! No other yogurt place can compare... I have been searching for a replacement in San Diego, and although everyone raves about Yogurt World, it just isn't the same. :(
5 - Sharee R.: It's so cheap, and so good!
4 - Amy W.: It's average tasting frogurt. It's good, not great. (You want great frogurt? See Yumi Yogurt in the San Mateo.) I like the idea of getting as little or as much as you want and being charged by weight. It's genius because my cup always costs less than a dollar. :)
4 - Ed C.: Who came up with the idea of letting me arbitrarily decide how much fro-gurt I wanna eat?  Very dangerous.

Bali's Self Serve Frozen Yogurt is exactly what the name says it is, self serve frozen yogurt.  You walk in, grab a cup, fill up your cup (with fro-gurt), and dump whatever toppings you want on top.  Now they do have a sign that posts the pricing by weight (toppings and all), however you don't get a freebie weigh-in before you pay.  Now the problem with having free reign at fro-gurt and toppings is that a chubby guy like me does not know when to stop so when it comes time to pay, somehow my cup cost 6X's more than the girlfriend's.  Not to mention I never finish...  

Decent fro-gurt, good selection of toppings, and cheap prices (as long as you know when to stop).
5 - penney c.: best fro yo in the world! great staff, too! don't know why more don't agree with me! bali's is the best!
4 - Janney B.: A good deal of the Freshmen 15 I gained in college came from Bali's.  I got an additional five from an ex-boyfriend (to see how that turned out, please see my review of The Cheesecake Factory).

One of my best friends worked here, so we had the hook-up.  We'd run around the store, scooping oreos, reese's peanut butter cups, and m&ms. Piling on the toppings until you couldn't even tell there was frozen yogurt in our cups.  We would eat this for dinner, after getting in some healthy fake tanning down the street.  

I'm glad I don't still live here, because if I did, then I'd probably be a fat orange Bali's regular.
4 - Raquel R.: who doesnt like cheap cheap frozen yogurt that you doctor up yourself. with fresh strawberries from thursday night market. When they dont have the strawberries i sort of lose it, because let me tell you vanilla froyo with soft yummy brownies and fresh strawberries is heaven.
4 - Kimberly B.: You can't beat  cheap frozen yogurt that doesn't taste cheap. If only I lived in SLO, then I'd be at this place at least once a week.

Seriously, after going here, I realized that all Bay Area frozen yogurt places are a rip off. Bali's is so much cheaper and does the exact same thing. Their facility isn't as hip and posh as some of the new frozen yogurt joints are up here, but the decor doesn't really matter. They have a wide selection of syrups, frozen yogurt, and mixes for you to choose from and the total price afterwards is always very reasonable. I wish they had one of these puppies here in the Bay!
4 - Esther C.: This place is a nice and friendly joint if you are strolling around Downtown San Luis Obispo, esp. on a warm day. It wasn't warm the day we went but who cares, i like yogurt so we stopped by. The yogurt is paid by the ounce (about 30 cents/ounce) and about for less than $2, you can get a pretty good heaping of yogurt with toppings of your choice. The place isn't super clean or organized but the staff is friendly and offers samples of the variety of yogurt they offer. Wish they had that tart yogurt that's all hip and happening at the other yogurt places. Oh well, still good and the location is great!
4 - Christine L.: This place is great! You can get however much frozen yogurt you want with whatever toppings you want! Perfect! They have different sized cups that you can fill with the yogurt. Their flavors change pretty often; I like to stick with the chocolate/vanilla swirl. They have all sorts of toppings including granola, fat free granola for the health conscious, gummi bears, oreo cookies, graham crackers, m&ms, various other candies, strawberries when they're in season, caramel, hot fudge, and the list goes ooon. They then weigh your cup and charge you accordingly. Very reasonable prices; I never spend more than five bucks on my yogurt, which is waaay cheaper than the typical places that serve you! A great snack or dessert and they're even open late on some nights!
5 - Amelia D.: Is it a bad thing or a good thing that Bali's exists?

I'll start with the bad. The bad: you will forever be disappointed with all other frozen yogurt joints ever, as they will appear overpriced and lacking in.....what is that word? Quality.

It's true that Bali's is cheap.....I think it's up to about 18 cents per ounce. Which buys a lot of whoa for not a lot of dough. Be careful. A venture to Bali's is an easy way to get a stomach ache due to poor combination choices. For example, oreos and bananas and captain crunch and granola and fresh strawberries. That doesn't appeal to me, but I've seen it done and I've witnessed the consequences. Not good.

What I think I can appreciate most about Bali's is that it's just freaking good. I like the cappuccino flavor with alphabet grahams. If they still have those. I haven't lived in SLO for a while.

One thing to note, though, is that Bali's changes up their flavors. So don't get attached to orange cream or blackberry or peanut butter or something crazy. Get attached to chocolate or vanilla if you're looking to swoop in every night and get the same thing.
4 - Christopher B.: I've never been to a self-serve yogart place but I loved this one. The flavors and yogarts were excellent. Most importantly to me, I don't feel compelled to have an extraordinary amount of ice cream that I need to finish because I paid for it. A lot of times I just want a little bit and this place allows me to do that! The only problem I had, being a newby, was what to do! You walk in and it's chaos! That's ok, next time I come I'll be a professional!
5 - Tracy O.: I can NEVER make up my mind on anything; what drink to buy, where to go for dinner... so this place was heaven for me. Can't decide? Get everything! My yogurt always had layers... squirt of yogurt, scoop of sprinkles, squirt of yogurt, scoop of cookie dough, squirt of yogurt, scoop of berries... etc etc etc. Holycrapyum.

Just beware of the shop on hot summer days; there will be a line out the door, the machines will be tired and slow, and toppings will be melted! Luckily with the cool slo air, it almost never happens.
5 - Laura D.: Oh geeez. I'm lactose intolerant- but that never stops me from going to Bali's, the original fro yo heaven (in my book) when I visit home (slo). Oh Bali's, how I missed you during those 4 years at UCDavis, the town with no fro yo shop (lame how the summer after graduation they put 2 in!). Bali's has at least 6 different yogurt flavors and toppings galoooore. Reeses, brownie bits, snickers, heath bar, pokies (true experts know these), caramel/chocolate sauce and other fruity/sour toppings for those of you who believe in mixing fruit with dessert. Personally as a chocoholic, if there's fruit in the dessert- it's too healthy and a fake dessert. Tip- always, always put toppings on bottom, middle, and top of yogurt. Ugh. I miss Bali's.
1 - George F.: First, this place is FILTHY inside.  I don't think I've ever been in there without sticking to the floor and I refuse to place anything on that counter.  

Second, toppings look like they've been sitting there for over a month.  And that's the just prepackaged ones, I don't even want to think about the fruits after seeing those things.  The selection is VERY small and half of it is your typical vanilla and blah blah.  So if I ever get dragged into this place, I either don't get anything or I get a cup with no toppings (if they actually have the tart yogurt which they rarely do).  

Finally, like someone else mentioned, that tip jar.  ?!?!?!??!?!?!?!!?  Please, explain that to me.  They don't even weigh the yogurt for you, that's the least they could do if they wanted a tip, or just give the shit to you.
3 - Leslie P.: This was one of the first frozen yogurt shops before all the other ones opened. There are usually 6 flavours to choose from. There are plenty of toppings too. But minus 2 stars because it's dirty and looks kind of sketch when you walk in. My friend used to work here and he said that some food preparations aren't very sanitary. Nevertheless, I still ate here. 

I eat here less often now since Yogurt Creation opened almost across the street. The staff here are all very friendly! They try to strike up a conversation everytime you're weighing your cup and paying. The cost is about $0.38 an ounce now. It might have gone up a bit since the last time I've been here.
3 - Wally W.: Cheaper than Yogurt Creations, but it's always dirty inside.
5 - Lolia S.: Fro-yo girl here.  This place is fro-yo heaven for sweet/classic fro-yo lovers.  They don't have any tart flavors (at least they didn't when I visited) but they have the best sweet fro-yo from HONEY HILL FARMS, loooow prices (30 cents an ounce, self serve yogurt + toppings), 8 fro-yo flavors a day, and tiki décor.  

Flavors of the day:
* Coconut
* Vanilla supreme (sugar free)
* Belgian chocolate
* Vanilla classic 
* Irish mint
* Peanut butter
* Pecan praline
* White chocolate

They have about 40 toppings including cookies, candy, chips, nuts, granola, brownies, syrups (and even fresh fruit - but the strawberries didn't look so fresh).  No mochi balls.  For $2, I received a good amount of vanilla classic fro-yo which I topped with crushed Butterfingers and Oreo cookies - a delicious combination.  The fro-yo is creamy, thick, sweet and rich, a perfect complement for cookies and candy. 

I can't say I understand the negative reviews.  They don't understand how lucky they are to have Bali's.  

You know you love me.  X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
5 - Meg T.: I love it!

I get the vanilla with peanut, strawberries and oreo cookie toppings. I'm kind of boring. They have a wide variety of yogurts and toppings
3 - Kristin W.: Decent frozen yogurt if you want a rich flavor like chocolate or just vanilla with candy topping. If you want better flavors and fresh toppings, wait in line across the street at Yogurt Creations. Bali's still works if you're in a hurry and aren't counting on fruit. Not well decorated or particularly clean.
4 - Lauren D.: Bali's is where I first became addicted to frozen yogurt. My friends and I would use any reason to go here and it was such a bargain that my poor college ass could treat myself here all the time. I would give it 5 stars if it spent some $ cleaning up the place and renovating a little. It needs a little tlc from the owners.
2 - Sara W.: Even before Yogurt Creations came to SLO, I wasn't too crazy about Bali's. I didn't see what was so special about it. I wasn't too fond of the flavors, and the toppings were regular. The prices weren't bad. I wish there was more seating.
1 - Janette M.: I wish we'd heard about Yogurt Creations before we came across Bali's... guess that will teach me to hit up yelp more *prior to* rather than *after the fact* :)

Totally wasn't charmed with Bali's.... the place itself was pretty messy... the toppings bins were either empty or almost empty so there wasn't much variety.  I wanted to get a small size and whooooosh!!!!  Way more yogurt than I wanted ended up in my cup-- I don't know how to explain or  describe this exactly but it just felt like the machines were set too fast so then you end up with way more yogurt... which would be fine with me if the yogurt was really tasty... but it was blah and boring... just cold with not much flavor.

I do have to say that it was very crowded when we visited, though, so it must be quite popular!
1 - Jesse B.: Before Yogurt Creations I might have given Bali's a 2 star just because it was dirt cheap and open at all hours.  They "sometimes" had fresh fruit toppings but most of the time the employees/owner could care less.  Oddly enough sometimes the vanilla fro-yo isn't even all that "fro" aka frozen.  It has a high gloss of half melted whatever surrounding the steady stream of yogurt coming from the spigot. So rather than that classic star shape you get when you do fro-yo, you get a round half melted turd shape.  Rather un-appetizing.

If you're looking for a yogurt spot that you can consume something cold and cheap while drunk this is your fro-yo spot.

If on the other hand you want quality yogurt, great taste, and fresh toppings.  Do yourself a favor and go across the street to Yogurt Creations... or Yogurt Land (if we ever get one in SLO), or Pink Berries (see previous)... or essentially any other fro-yo spot.

This isn't a Coyote Ugly style decision, but it's definitely not one you'd make if you knew the other existed.  So maybe more along the lines of the girl who was the cutest in the bar when you first walked in, but that was before you noticed the entire back room full of cheerleaders, beauty queens all of which are solving math equations on the glass while discussing the latest NFL matchups.  Get my drift?
1 - Catherine M.: YOGURT CREATIONS SON!

Bali's always looks dirty to me, flavors are not even comparable to yogurt creations..this place needs a serious face-lift.
4 - J R.: I currently work at Bali's and have for about 3 years. I will be unbiased in this review and let people know the real deal. It is a great job for someone in college.

First, I do think that the yogurt comes out a little more runny then most people like. This, however, happens for several reasons. One, your tongue is more sensative to flavor when the yogurt is not at such a cold temperature. I never get brain freeze or frozen tongue. Second, the machines are getting old. The owner is working on upgrading them, but they are more expensive then a high end car to purchase, especially new. We also have a high turnover rate (in the afternoon-evenings mostly) and when it is really slow or really busy, the machines either "fall asleep" or cannot keep up with the demand. If it is too runny, you should just ask and the person working will look at it, and decide whether or not it is. Just remember that it is not going to look like YC or other competitors, because it is served at a lower temperature.

I am also dissappointed at how the store looks when I go in myself for a treat. This happens because since the job is great for college students, they get a lot of employee turn around and not all of the employees care. Sad, but true.

We fill toppings almost everyday. All of the cold toppings are chopped daily and we keep an eye on all of them to be sure they are not stale or bad. In my 3 years of eating yogurt from bali's, I have had maybe one topping be stale on my yogurt.

And I know I may not be supposed to do this, but someone mentioned the tip cup. By all means, it is your decision to tip or not. I would not tip someone who was not going out of their way to be helpful or nice. Nor do I expect one. But it is a kind gesture and we appreciate it. The workers do a lot of work behind the scenes that you will never know happens. They get there an hour and a half early to get the machines ready and stay past midnight to clean them up. They have to cut up toppings, change yogurt flavor, and deal with complaints from people who are just having a bad day. Normal job stuff, yes, but I think a tip cup is acceptable.

Another tip, if you want to know the flavors of the day, just give the store a call!
4 - My Tu D.: I was a fan, then I de-fanned myself. And now I'm a fan after trying their Euro Tart flavor here. I love the tarty flavor, tasted just like Vietnamese yogurt. It's $0.30/ounce. Definitely worth it. They have plenty of flavors and plenty of toppings (includes fresh fruits). It's non-chained and the older gentleman at the counter is very nice each time I come here (since college). I'm usually happy with 2 toppings (almonds + sliced strawberries).
4 - Paul S.: The whole concept here is so cool. Your own creation with half a dozen flavors of frozen yogurt and a bunch of toppings that you put together as you like. Then you pay for the weight of the final sundae. 

Just a cool idea that is kinda of for interpretation. It really is up to you with this one. But with you in control, you should find just the thing for you. Enjoy!
5 - Josephine H.: This place was the inspiration for YogurtLand in LA.  Bali Yogurt has yummier creamier yogurt (the Peanut Butter is delish) and the toppings are expansive -- to have mochi in SLO is impressive.  And um, it's super, duper, unbelievably cheap.  I mean, it's like $4.00 for TWO cups of yogurt with toppings.  My.belly.is.happy.
4 - Leigh R.: I cannot believe how cheap this place is. Then again, I'm from SF, where everything seems to cost an arm and a leg. Pretty awesome for the price. I got blackberry and strawberry fro-yo with granola, and I think it came to just under $3. Sweet.
3 - Rylan C.: This is the first-ever by-weight froyo I've ever been to. That was about 6 years ago. I was amazed by the concept and I'm glad it has actually caught on with other frozen yogurt places. 

I think this place though because it's such a SLO institution and it is the Froyo place to go to in Downtown SLO. 

In terms of selection, you'll find less frozen yogurt selection but many topping selections.
2 - Christopher L.: Pb cup is good. The chocolate was awful. So were their cheap ass graham cracker crumbs
3 - Francesca L.: My friend finally joined the frozen yogurt craze and wants some everywhere we go ;) I love it too, and of course the yelper in me always wants to try new places I see. 
Stroll in and see there are 6 choices, I want the peanut butter, but I wanna get a sample before I commit. The sign says "we will gladly get your sample for you", but there is only one girl working and 5 people in line. Am I really going to wait 10 mins for a sample or am I just gonna leave? :(
Well, I decided to take the plunge and get the pb anyway. They have a ton of toppings, great selection. I got chocolate mochi (YUM!) soft and chewy, plus a little bit of butter finger crumbs. It was great.
The place is small and univiting, but the pb yogurt is worth it. Plus 30cents an ounce is reasonable.
3 - Samantha S.: I'm accustomed to bigger chains of fro-yo so when I walked in here I was disappointed at the number of flavors.  I also didn't want to ask for samples because it makes me feel like an irritation--just give me my own sample cups and trust that I'm a big kid and can do it!  Since they aren't a chain they won't take credit unless it's over 5 dollars (which, between two of us, we didn't manage to do because it's so cheap) but we didn't have cash so it ended up being a .50 charge for using card.

They did have my favorite, peanut butter and chocolate, but on that machine you couldn't swirl it so I ended up with an uneven ratio and way more than I intended to get (boo hoo, I know).  That being said, they have a lot of toppings and the yogurt was delicious!
3 - Winter Lee S.: They've changed their tune. which is great!  Smooth, tasty- the way it should be!
4 - Aaron R.: Don't quite understand the obsession with frozen yogurt in SLO (where there are more places per capita than probably any other place in the western hemisphere). The sheer number of options at Bali's, though, boggles the mind, considering that they have every fixin you could imagine ever putting on yogurt, and some that I'm certain you wouldn't have ever thought of. It's pretty cheap, although be sure to take some cash with you -- they want $0.85 for your card unless you really heap on the yogurt and toppings.
3 - Victor G.: bali's is a small shop with white walls and depicted pics of  a sleeping man on a deserted isle. there's a few steel framed chairs and tables in the shop

froyo availability: (sticker of machine: swirl-honey hill farms)
-cake batter
-red velvet cupcake
-belgium chocolate
-peanut butter- watery :out of order
-swirl-out of order
-swirl-out of order
-vanilla
-boysenberry

pricing: self serve, .30 cents ounce froyo & toppings, 2 fruit toppings, 4 crumbled cookeis, 12 syrups, 2 fudges, 50ish dry toppings in minibins with spoons

frodrips:
-electro freeze froyo dispenser, styro cups
-honey hills froyo sticker on machine. funny, froyo doesn't taste of honey hill quality. lacks sweetness.
-froyo mostly creamy and lacking in flavor. no tart flavors seen.
-3 pours not working, thus 3 stars.
-wacky wabbit wating: 3 stars, didn't see mikey, mikey's probably in the alley at powell's sweet shoppe.
-in the middle of downtown slo, parking so-so.
2 - Meg S.: 100% Meh. Only came here because Giordano's was mysteriously closed and I was in a hurry to find a replacement that was close-by. I guess I just prefer fruit freezes over frozen yogurt these days, because Bali's didn't impress me at all. 

I got a 16oz cup with Euro Tart and Acai Berry swirl. Tastes just like cold yogurt to be honest, nothing frozen about it. And the topping bar is mostly candied, crunchy things. They have a small selection of fresh fruit towards the front- and by small, I mean they had strawberries and blackberries, and they looked as if they'd been sitting out at room temperature for days (according to some former employee reviews, that's apparently not far from the truth). I'll give it to them though, they have a lot of syrups to choose from. I don't think I've ever seen that many at a self-serve frozen yogurt place. 

All in all, I really wish I hadn't spent any money here for such mediocre frozen yogurt. Even if its cheap, it's not worth it.
5 - Kimberly K.: This place is O.G. First fro-yo place i heard of in slo, first one i went to, first one i fell in love with. Bali's is awesome. it doesn't have the glitz and glam of say yogurt creations, but it's chill laid back and still serves fro-yo. 

I give this place 5 stars just cause it was the first and it was the best. I dont go anywhere else, unless it is the last option.
4 - Pricila H.: I had never been to a self serve fro-yo place before Bali's so I was excited to put it all together myself. I love the red velvet and cake batter. They had so many toppings to choose from. The "fresh" fruit that was out with nothing covering it did gross me out though. Its only 32 cents an ounce. They do charge 50 cents if you pay with your card though!
5 - Mike M.: Stupid cheap, but incredible quality! Great assortment of toppings with a few frozen yogurt flavors to choose from, but really this place shines because of the price to value ratio - I think I got a cup of more froyo than I could eat for about 3 bucks. This is definitely on my list of "must visits" for when I pass through SLO!
4 - Adam M.: Great price, great product, great staff.  Just a triple win if you want something smooth, creamy, and sweet!
4 - C K.: A classic. The original.

They do take credit cards, but I think they charge a fee.
4 - Kris G.: Delish!
pick your size cup, fill with yogurt & toppings of choice (of course pay for this tasty treat) and ENJOY! I love this mostly guilt free treat spot
2 - J W.: Need better selection of toppings.  Euro tart flavor is nice.  Belgian Chocolate was disappointing.
4 - Janelle T.: The yogurt is great and so is the staff. You can't beat the price and the selection of yogurt and toppings are decent. I wish they'd update the interior decor and get a website with the flavors of the day. Other than that, this place rocks. Best in SLO.
4 - Kang T.: I like this place.  Its kinda of a dive.  Students man the counter.  There aren't a great variety of flavors, especially those with no sugar added, but the old college kid in me just like it for some reason.  They open late and they charge the lowest amount per oz in town.  Parking at this location is difficult to find during earlier part of the evenings.

They have fresh fruits, and tons of toppings to go along with the yogurt.  I like that I can use my credit card, but you will get charged a fee for totals under $8.
5 - Kristin C.: In my heart, Bali's will always be the best Self-Serve Frozen Yogurt place. The Peanut Butter is the best. It's the Peanut Butter Fro-Yo that I judge all other Peanut-Butter Fro-Yo's on. Plus, its super cheap compared to all the chains like Yogurtland or Menchies, etc. I am so glad I was able to stop off here while I was in SLO. It was as good as I remember it being. 

Get the peanut butter fro-yo, with graham crackers, reeses peanut butter cups and chocolate sprinkles. You will not be disappointed. 

They accept Credit Cards now, but there is a 50 cents charge for anything under $8.
4 - Alex P.: right across the street is it's competition, but regardless, this is a fairly fun place. choose own size cup, flavor, and do whatever you want!

i like to walk across from this place to it's competition and combine the 

flavors, since they have slightly more fruity flavors than the other place.

can't really choose, since i combine yogurt from here with the other place, so i'll give 4 stars cause i AM A FANn!!
3 - Vince A.: Decent yogurt with plenty of topping options.
4 - Michele R.: I Love Bali's! I think I go here almost once a week (Don't judge! It is better than buying a tub at the market to taunt me each night!). The inside of Bali's is not as pretty as some other frozen yogurt shops in town, but the flavors of frozen yogurt offered are always just as unique and tasty as its competitors. For example, their graham cracker flavor is fabulous!  I also have had a great tart green apple, cake batter, and devil's food cake. 

I also think that the toppings at Bali's (other than the fresh fruit) are in better condition than other vendors in town. I have tried a local competitor a couple of times who's toffee crunch always ends up more like toffee dust.  I ended up sifting through the dust looking for the actual toffee bits.  What? I like toffee bits in my frozen yogurt. Anyhow, I have never had this problem at Bali's.   Finally, Bali's is more affordable than the other local competitors, which is part of the reason I can get my husband to take me once a week or so.
5 - Rachel W.: YUM. Local and delish!
4 - Melissa H.: On a hot day, Bali's is an excellent stop if you're downtown. I try most of the flavors, but the peanut butter is still my favorite! It's also a good deal.
4 - Jessica S.: Bali's is a great place when you're craving something sweet at night.  They have fantastic yogurt and many toppings to choose from AND they're a local business.  But here's my little dilemma - they use styrofoam cups and their competition across the street uses paper cups.  That's the only thing keeping me away from them now.
2 - Nick F.: Too sweet but the texture was nice. 32 cents/oz. Not too many fresh fruit toppings. The strawberries looked syrupy like you'd find in a milkshake.
3 - Janet S.: Nice to be able to serve yourself your own dessert exactly the way you want it.  Great selection of toppings; the price of the toppings has gone up to 32 cents, not the 30 cents shown in the picture.
4 - Sophia W.: Love the consistency of the yogurt here! Bali's has a lot of toppings, although not as much as Yo-Cre. Bali's was the original fro-yo place in SLO, so it holds a special place in the hearts of those who knew it as that.
5 - Jeanna D.: Just back from a two day trip to SLO, and I went to Bali's twice. 

I think that says something... Bali's is THE frozen yogurt place as far as I'm concerned. I went there long before there was a Yogurt Creations, Yogurtland or PinkBerry, and always looked forward to it as a little treat back in the "good old days" of college. 

On this most recent trip, I was pleased to see they've added a ton more toppings, way more than I see at Yogurtland or anywhere else I go on a regular basis up in the Bay Area and also a huge number of syrup toppings. Best of all Bali's is CHEAP! What would normally cost be $3 at Yogurtland was $1.50 at Bali's. Can't beat that.

Plus I love the cheesy murals, tikis and in general, its delicious. 

Vanilla, fresh strawberries, brownies, hot fudge and sprinkles has always been my go-to here :)
4 - Paul S.: There's almost 100 reviews for this place already, so I'm going to skip to the most important part.

Any place that offers Jelly Bellys as a topping gets four stars in my book. The only reason why they didn't get five is because they charge an extra fifty cents if you use a credit card.

The end.
5 - Christina G.: Euro tart amazing!  Pinkberry, eat your heart out.  Bali's is so much better, cheaper and healthier.  If this place were to ever leave SLO I don't know what I would do.  It's the perfect treat at farmer's or after a summer walk through downtown.
4 - Lindsay M.: I went here for the first time last night. They have the best flavors hands down. This is where I will get my frozen yogurt from now on. I left off one star, though, because of a 50 cent charge for using my debit card. Rude, I say. I'll just have to carry cash for my cravings.
5 - Diana G.: @Rylan C. - this was my first by weight Fro-Yo, too. @Christina G. - love the Euro Tart!

Let me tell you, one can really get carried away when you have such large cup options. But I enjoyed every spoonful of the cold deliciousness.

Went here last month and it was comforting to know that in 40 degree weather there was at least 13 other people indulging in a FroYo treat.

The yogurt-tender - great attitude. Very smiley - in a good way, and it seemed she truly cared when she asked how our evening was going. Loved the fact she also admitted to spending her entire paycheck on VS underwear, as my sisters and I were carrying around bags of the Christmas season discounted "small" pieces of stitched fabric that probably cost cents to produce.
5 - Gabriela G.: I am a self-proclaimed froyo connasseur and Bali's Self Serve has to be the best frozen yogurt my tongue has ever tasted, the creamiest smoothest and fluffiest my mouth has ever encountered. Might consider making the drive from LA all the way to SLO just for a taste of marshmellow clouds frothing in my mouth!

Decor is so minimal it's borderline ghetto; but product is so good, who cares about the rest! Lots of toppings that did look slightly unsanitary but hey....it's all about the froyo and this place has the magic recipe!

Inexpensive (at $0.30 per ounce) 
$8 min for credit card. If your order is under $8 and you got no cash, be prepared to pay $0.50 surcharge on your order.

Girl behind the counter was mellow, laid-back, friendly.
Froyo is weighed. You serve yourself and add your own toppings.

No line (when I went)!
2 - Anjelica C.: i really wanted to like bali's. i have respect for them being the original froyo place in slo and i feel bad that so many other stores have opened up and taken business from them, but i finally tried bali's a few weeks ago and i was pretty disappointed. their frozen yogurt was decent although they come out of the machines super fast. they have your standard flavors and ingredients. my big problem with them is that i'm a fruit person when it comes to my froyo toppings. when i came in, the strawberries they had out were not even close to fresh; it was very unappetizing to see. and worse, they didn't even have mangoes! they kinda lost me cuz of that.,.
5 - Debora L.: I must stop here every time I'm in the area. It was the first self serve fro yo place I tried and (still) has a special place in my heart.

3 yeas later, the yogurt is extra creamy (but not too much dairy or dense; more like soft serve consistency), still affordable at 30cents per ounce, and they (still) have the best Euro tart flavor I've tried. My favorite topping is the gooey brownie (omg, my own weakness); plus, they have a plethora of other chocolate toppings to satisfy my cravings. My only complaint is that it could use a bit of upgrading; the decor is bordering dingy...
4 - Katie L.: visited SLO and was craving yogurt. I cannot remember what I ate AT ALL (what is wrong with me!?) but it was damn good.

My mom also thought it was damn good. 

Tons of toppings, great flavors, super creamy. and cheap!
4 - Garrett F.: Really good yogurt here. I just tried their white chocolate and macadamia nut flavor and was very impressed. Good topping selections and they all tasted fresh. Like another poster mentioned they have a very limited supply of fruit, maybe like one or two types. Kinda disappointing, but not major. Good prices, a usually friendly staff and they have a ton of good flavors. Good alternative if your downtown.
3 - Emma G.: I don't understand why everyone's saying this place is 'AWESOME' and 'AMAZING'. For me, it's just okay. I mean, you can't really hate ice cream or frozen yogurt unless your lactose-n-tolerant. It's a small joint and clean, but I just don't see why it's so special.
3 - Suzanne M.: The yogurt is delicious but the young plain looking girl behind the counter that "helped" us was rude! What a bother it was to answer our simple questions or smile. Yuck! We wer so happy with the yogurt but could not get out of there fast enough because of the bad unwelcoming attitude of the cashier.
2 - Camellia S.: This is a really small location and a bit dingy but I lived about a 5 minute walk from here and would stop by for a little treat now and then. The yogurt is a little watery and melts fast for some reason! I dont really know why, maybe their machines aren't cold enough. 

Also, the people at the counter who are running the store always look high out their minds...... just an obvservation!

Take the extra drive over to Teaberry my friends.... its worth it

Bali's Self Serve Frozen Yogurt - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2940977, -120.6696544) ()
5 - cat k.: This place is probably the smartest idea ever. It's like a cold-stone using frozen yogurt and you pick the toppings you want.  And it's weighed by the ounce. Always get this hugge cup of ice cream for like $1 or $2. You've gotta go check this out.

favorite: vanilla with graham crackers, brownies, strawberries, hot fudge :)
2 - Jennifer L.: Bali's is simply great - but the foothill location is small, cramped, usually crowded and just feels icky.  I'm always sure to head downtown if I have the time.

See review on the other location for info about it's wonderful-ness!  

http://www.yelp.com/biz/5XQPGHByJcMr_GqRZNwYMw?fsid=SBEaZfO3O-dT1csO3SOd6A

Verdict:  This location stinks.  Go downtown for a wonderful yogurt treat!
3 - Ronald W.: They have great frozen yogurt with a decent selection of toppings. The idea of self serve frozen yogurt priced by weight has now been copied by many other competitors (especially in other college towns) and has been improved upon by many (like Yogurt Land in Irvine, CA).

Bali's small location, slowly rising prices (I think its up from 26 cent an ounce to 30 cents right now, it fluctuates), and the improvements that other frozen yogurt places have made with more flavors and more toppings, keeps it at 3 stars.

With that said, it's still one of the great places that makes San Luis Obispo a special place.
5 - Lilani E.: My friend used to work here our second year and charge us like 2 cents for 4 pounds of yogurt and gummy bears. LOL

Bali's kicks Pinkberry's pinkberry because:

1)  It's good and tastes like ice cream
2)  They have different flavors every day!
3)  Toppings of ALL sorts
4)  Self serve - came and go (for those of you that don't know, they way your cup at the end and charge by ounce)
5)  Cheap - only place you can go and get something with the change from your cup holder in your car
5 - shannon l.: great price, good fro yo, could you ask for more?  this place was ahead of its time.  i wish there was one in San Diego, I get made to pay $4 for what would have cost me $2 at balis.  I LOVE THIS PLACE!
4 - Emily Y.: Seriously, where can you get cheap, delicious frozen yogurt in SLO other than Bali's? I used to live at Stenner so I'd walk over with some friends and indulge myself in some healthy sweets. There aren't a lot of flavors to choose from, I always choose the swiss chocolate and layer it with tons of toppings. I can never get over the fact that I pay less than $5 everytime and still feel satisfied afterwards. It is definitely rewarding.
Great place to go when you're feeling stressed from midterms and finals. 
Definitely treat yourself in the summer when days are muggy and hot.
4 - Calvin D.: A very affordable self service yogurt shop... 
They dont have too many flavor selections, but they sure do have lots of toppings!  And the price is right too!  Somewhere around 28 cents a ounce i think!  Compared to the fricken 38 cents an ounce i have to pay down here in orange county!!!  
I tried to get a job here once, but I guess they don't hire asians lol!  No love loss though!
3 - Leslie P.: This was one of the first frozen yogurt shops before all the other ones opened. There are usually 4 flavours to choose from. There are plenty of toppings too. But minus 2 stars because it's dirty and looks kind of sketch when you walk in. My friend used to work here and he said that some food preparations aren't very sanitary. Nevertheless, I still ate here. 

The staff here are all very friendly! They try to strike up a conversation everytime you're weighing your cup and paying. The cost is about $0.38 an ounce now. It might have gone up a bit since the last time I've been here.
2 - Quanghuy L.: I don't know if it's just the place, but I couldn't finish the yogurt.  The selection is a lot smaller than other yogurt places back in the Bay Area.  At least the cashier was friendly.
1 - Patty N.: Ick! Where's the captain crunch, the fruits, the original tart flavor?! This is the first frozen yogurt place that i've been to that lacks many of the essential toppings; strawberries are the only fruit available, most of the other toppings are granola and things that look like granola. On the plus side the mango yogurt was pretty good and the employees were nice, so one star for you bali. Sorry maybe i'm just a yogurt ho.

Live, Laugh, and Lunch
Patty
3 - Kanika L.: Its sooo close by to where I live, that I have to give it an extra star for being there when the urge for frozen dairy products strikes. Definitely not as extensive as its downtown counterpart, but has the occasional decent flavor. Watch out for a couple flavors, since they tend to be super drippy and melted coming out of the machine. Toppings usually just ends up being fruit for me, because the toppings in the clear plastic containers look like they've been chillin' in there for a LONG time.
3 - Aaron P.: Pretty good value. Not very good frozen yogurt but if you want a cheap treat this is the place to go. You just have to find out what frozen yogurt flavors work best for you.
3 - Nina Y.: I went here with the same friend as before. I enjoy a good frozen yogurt, but there were no good tart flavors there. I like my froyo with some fruits, but they didn't have fruits either. It was weird. 

I think that the other flavors are overall pretty good. My friend loves to pick out the white gummy bears so if those are missing, you know who took those. He goes there all the time. For me, I like the orange ones. 

Overall, if I was in San Luis Obispo again, which I probably will be, I will be going there again.
1 - Cindy C.: This place is dirtyyyy. Sure, they have cheap yogurt. And sure, it's close to Poly and student housing. That's probably the only two things keeping this place open.

The but the moment you step inside, this icky grimy feel overcomes you.
The last time I was here, a friend managed to drag me along despite my protests. There was one employee up front cutting fruit and working the cashier at the same time. I watched as a small cockroach crawled onto the cutting board and the employee swept it away with his knife, then continued to cut the fruit.

I don't care how cheap or close this place is...go somewhere else!
3 - Samantha B.: I'm a big fan of Bali's, but I much prefer the Bali's in downtown SLO.  This one is really small and the last time I went, it was really dirty.  The floor was all sticky and there was some frozen yogurt spilled as well.  Also, there aren't as many toppings as the Bali's in downtown and there really isn't any seating outside.  This one does has the same number of flavors as the one downtown and I'm usually able to find something I like.  Otherwise, I just go with plain vanilla.  Despite the lack of cleanliness and toppings, the price (32 cents an ounce) is the cheapest around and this place is great for stopping by if you want to quickly get frozen yogurt without the hassle of going downtown and having to find parking.
4 - Aj S.: Good fro-yo. Wish the place was a little cleaner.
2 - Tracey A.: This used to be a go-to don't-miss-spot every time I was in SLO.  Sadly, this time around it looked a little unkempt, like a girlfriend who's let herself go.  The place looked like it hadn't showered in a while and like they'd stocked the yogurt out of the leftover's pile.  And the "pink lemonade" yogurt was downright inedible.  

Still, I concocted myself something topped with Snickers and Heath Bar crumbs and it could have been dirt under there, for all I cared.  

C'mon Bali's, pull yourself together!
4 - Abby M.: Delicious yogurt, great toppings, but the place is a bit small and when there are more than like 8 people in there it tends to get awkwardly crowded. It could be cleaner, sometimes it can get pretty gross. Also, they have a tip jar for the people working the counter which bothers me because these people aren't even getting you your ice cream, all they do is ring you up. If I'm going to tip you, you have to do a little more than punch in a few numbers. Overall though this place is good.
5 - ashley s.: Gooey brownies, vanilla froyo and hot fudge!
5 - Kristina L.: Would come here on almost a weekly basis in college and I keep coming back whenever I visit SLO! Love this place! Great fro-yo, TONS of topping options, and super cheap. I like this location better than the downtown one. This location is smaller but I've always found the yogurt flavors to be better. They usually have the generic vanilla, chocolate, swirl, but then they have a few fruity flavors and then some other specialty flavors (cake batter, snickerdoodle, mint, etc). Toppings include everything from oreos to brownies, to candies, chocolate chips, fruit, and fudge/caramel. Wish they had one by me but then again its probably a good thing its a 3hr drive away!
1 - sarah j.: I never thought in a million years that I would ever give Bali's a one star, but lately, this place has been a one-star establishment! 

I've always been a big supporter of Bali's, a frozen yogurt place that has been around for years, long before Yogurt Creations waltzed in with its clean counters, bright colors, and tables. BUT Bali's truly is FALLING APART. The toppings have gone stale, the counters and floor are generally dirty, but - worst of all - one employee is SO rude. There was a leak coming from underneath one of the yogurt machines, and, after I slipped a little, I told the guy working. He did nothing except say that there's a leak. Yeah. I got that. I also asked about whip cream. I shouldn't have done that. Don't ever do that. They don't seem to like that.

Bali's management needs to be a little more present for what's going on daily, or they're going to be in trouble!
3 - Camellia S.: This one isn't much better than its twin store located on Foothill but it is a little larger and more centrally located (hence the +1 star).

But I am still not happy with the watery, melted yogurt. These machines need to be fixed or something because the yogurt turns into soup in 3 minutes!

The toppings are also a little gross, the containers look dirty and totally rummaged through! 

Needs a makeover or something- sorry Bali's!

Balloons & Tunes - Carrboro, NC (35.9109929, -79.0763274) ()
5 - Stephanie B.: The service here was great! I needed a helium tank for a party at work, and I found Balloons and Tunes through a Google search. I called to get prices, and their customer service over the phone was amazing-- it was some of the best customer service I've ever received. The woman taught me the differences between the sizes of balloons and gave me prices for several tanks. When I went to pick up the tank, they also showed me how to blow up a balloon to the correct size. The prices here were great (much cheaper than Party City), and they even cut ribbons for on 2 cents per ribbon, which saved me so much time! It wasn't  a problem to pay with a tax-exempt state purchasing card either. There were also a lot of fun party supplies available in the store. I will definitely be returning here for my party needs in the future.
1 - Lisa G.: This place is filthy...complely filthy.

Took my kids in and had a hard time getting them to leave because of all the toys (which btw...all of which are made in China...so much for keeping it local)

Seemed like nice enough people but i removed my kids as soon as i could...they really REALLY need to clean that place...its a health hazzard!!!!!
5 - Jean v.: Wow! I bought twenty long-lasting balloons for my five year olds birthday party, and the balloons were the highlight for all the kids (don't get me wrong, the party was a very fun one!). They were so pretty and made such a great atmosphere. 

On the business side, the lady running the business is super nice and advised me for quite awhile about products even though what I was buying was on the very inexpensive side for them. They also sell for large parties and weddings and so forth. They had a nice selection of party items in their shop as well, which my kids enjoyed checking out when we picked up our order (which I placed an hour before I needed it, by the way!)

Just so, so great to deal with. Balloons will last over a week and kids are just really enjoying them. Kids really love balloons. I forgot that from my youth. I will definitely be making this a birthday tradition for all my kids, whether they have a party or not!

Bally Total Fitness - Houston, TX (29.7191604, -95.4172912) (West University)
3 - Jordan N.: One of the better Bally's in Houston. If I remember right, there are 5 floors here. It's impressive, with a lot of machines. Popular hangout for gay buff men. Good spot to work out as there are places to eat around it -- kind of defeat the purpose of working out though. Haha.

No shower stalls by the way. Seems to be standard for Bally's. If that bothers you, steer clear from it.
1 - Latisha R.: This is the worst gym I have ever been I member of.  I have previously had a membership at LA Fitness but I joined this gym when I moved to Houston because it was near my home.  Yes, it has all the basics that a gym requires. Thats what earned it one star. Everything else sucks.  The classes are horrible, the equiptment is old, the mats look like they have been dragged through dirt, and I often have to search for parking.  On top of everything else, they require a 3 year contract for the same rate as 24 hour fitness (contract free).  Dont make the same mistake I did!
1 - Long T.: This location is now closed due to the bankruptcy restructuring by Bally Corporate.

Bally Total Fitness - Hyattsville, MD (38.9659824979625, -76.9571685791016) ()
3 - Alexandra M.: This gym is pretty large and well-equipped, though I would really like an assisted pull up machine SOMEwhere at this location [is anyone listening to me??]. The pool is decent, and there is a sauna which I've never used and hot tub that I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. 

The cons of this gym: it is SO CROWDED from 5-8PM and the weight room is a little intimidating. Plus it's in PG Plaza, the big hotspot for crime in Hyattsville. So one of the big pros of this gym, that it's conveniently located within easy walking distance of my place (and metro accessible), is somewhat offset by the fact that it's probably not very safe to walk here after dark. Their selection of classes is pretty good, but why oh why do most take place between 10AM and 5PM?

Overall, I'm glad to have this gym in my neighborhood, and technically they can't do much about how crowded it is after work, but if a competing gym were to open up nearby, I would definitely consider switching.
3 - Johnathan A.: Great equipment, great classes, always crowded. They also allow people to workout in jeans and khakis and workclothes, totally not cool. Locker room and sauna are great as well. Not nearly as large as it appears from the outside. customer service is prett good too. The crowds and the poor dress code drive me crazy. 

Very close to metro and parking is never a prob
1 - claire o.: I was really excited about this gym, because I can park at the metro and go to the gym and then jump on the train to work- totally convenient.  At first, I tolerated the crowds, which are awful.  I also tolerated the people working out in their timberlands and jeans (management recently posted a sign prohibiting this).  What I can not tolerate is the abysmal housekeeping. Every time I leave a machine and need to wipe it down, the paper towels and spray bottles  are empty.  I have to walk to 2 or 3 to get enough paper and spray to wipe down the machines.  At first I thought I had a run of bad luck, so I started going in the morning to avoid the agitation- but no, even at 8am they are not stocked.  What is the deal? What pushed me to the brink is that I have been in the ladies room, and every toilet stall has been out of paper, and there are 5 women ducking in and out of each stall trying to find some paper. Give me a break. Also the toilets in the evening are filthy.  

Besides that- they gym is pretty well equipped, and so convenient.  My advice is to get the month to month pass, and see if you can deal with the inconveniences.  And bring your own toilet paper.  I'm considering changing to a gym in Silver Spring, myself.

8/23/09: Update:  Downgrading from 2 to 1 stars. Today I found my lock on my locker forcibly removed and the $5 I had removed from my wallet.  Granted it was only a luggage lock, but still.  Who is attending this gym with the means to break metal.  When i looked around the locker room floor I saw the shrapnel that was once other people's locks, so i deduce this might be a regular thing.  Thanks for at least leaving my phone, wallet, and car keys.  The gym membership will be canceled in the morning.
2 - Jeffrey D.: This place is slowly going downhill.  It opened in 2008 and is already on a gradual decline.  I go here less and less and, if it weren't for the good deal I got on a membership (you get what you pay for, most definitely), I would pass on my contract to someone else.  It's only major advantage is that it is right next to the PG Plaza metro station, making it easy for me to stop by before or after commuting.

As has been said, the housekeeping is somewhat horrendous (no soap in 3/4 of the dispensers in the bathroom - gross).  It does get pretty crowded (though at 5pm, what gym doesn't?).  It is next to impossible to find the dumbbells you want because no one ever puts them away.  Also, people don't generally like it when you ask to work in on a machine between their sets (you're just sitting there, for crying out loud!).  The variation of machines isn't fantastic and they are missing some key stuff.  

All in all, not my favorite place.  However, it came at a dirt cheap price when I was basically broke but still wanted to work out, so that about covers it.
3 - Lauren P.: Pros:
-classes are fun, even if they do get a little crowded sometimes
-friendly desk staff (in my experience anyways)
-relatively clean overall, but patrons could be better about wiping things down (especially mats). At least the paper towels/sprays are usually stocked.
-Stairmasters :)
-location: right next to metro/bus stops. Across the street from mall and target

Cons:
-Pool sometimes feels as if there's way too much chlorine (it's a small pool if that matters, 3 lap lanes. I just sometimes do water aerobics classes)
-Locker room isn't always clean (especially women's toilets - gross sometimes! do they even have housekeepers anymore?)
-Waits for cardio machines during evening hours. I feel as if this happens more often than it did when I first started using this club about a year ago. Also there's more machines "out of service" these days. 
-Could offer more evening/weekend classes
-sometimes the music is a little loud...like, over my headphones even
-most of the free weights (under 15lbs...hey I'm a woman lol) are locked up and only available to the classes

I've been using a few different Bally's gyms over the past 2 1/2 years, and overall I have been satisfied with most of my experiences there. I would recommend first trying this gym out during the daytime, especially on saturday or sunday afternoons when it's pretty quiet. I would say I rate this a little higher than the Rockville bally's, and probably about the same as the Wheaton location.
2 - Jus A.: Definitely not the greatest gym experience, in fact in my short life this is prob the worst gym I've been to... make sure you're sitting, I got a laundry list of issues with this place...


-There's no complimentary towel service, which you would think would be standard
-The showers don't have curtains.  Such a simple and cheap thing to install, because I'm not the only one who doesn't want to see a show, nor put on a show.  Plus, if you're going to shower you need to bring your own towel(see first negative comment)  
-Only some cheap foam soap is provided, no conditioner and shampoo (shout outs to NYSC)
-The sauna is not in the locker room, instead you have to go through the pool, which is annoying if you routinely use a sauna after work outs
-During peak time, very crowded, difficult to find a bench, treadmill or even a pair of dumbbells
-There are 3 machines that do the same leg exercise, why not sell off one of those machines and put in two more benches in the dumbbell area??
-Small thing, but there are no barbells at all, only one bar in which you have to put plates on
-Another small thing, the staff doesn't seem friendly at all.  Before I joined the gym I was given a tour and what not, paid my dues, came back to the gym 2 hours later.... and the same guy who gave me the tour acted as if we didn't know of each other.  I gave the universally accepted man nod to him, and he played me!  I gave him a second chance the following day, and he just put his head down as we headed toward each other... what a bird.

Bottom line, I only go to this gym because it's the nearest gym to my home.  I've only been a member for a week, hopefully things will improve.
3 - Dante W.: Okay, this is my review on yelp,

It is not the best gym per se, its more or less modest at best. I've been at this gym for over year. They are more cons than pros for this gym like the equipment always broken, bad lockers, no curtains for the shower, not enough equipment which cause waiting period to use said equipment and over paying for items such as bottled water and protein shakes and Sub par parking. But, this gym has it good moments, like it's very reasonable prices memberships compared to Gold's or WSC, location wise it's next to a metro/bus station and it's right across from PG Plaza. I use this gym for what it's meant for a place to work out and exercise/develop my body. The times to go this gym for open which is 5:30 am to 3 pm, it's a ghost town at times lol. I went to this gym during off peak hours (4 pm to 8 pm), BIG MISTAKE. I was basically waiting on everything from the ellphical to the trendmill. All in all, I take this gym with a grain a salt, it's has it good days and it's terrible days.
1 - Rea H.: My husband and I signed up when the club first opened in April 2008. My husband had double bypass surgery just prior to that, and we wanted him to get back in shape.  As it turns out, the club was so crowded and due to our jobs, it became quite difficult to find a time we could come. Then, my fatigue level started climbing and by fall, I realized something was not right.  Ovarian cancer was the diagnosis and all my husband's time began revolving around my needs. Bottom line: we had made the mistake of signing up for a 3-year dual membership which we probably used less than 12 times.  Stupid us, we could not get Bally to cancel the contract.  So they have milked our bank account for three years and are now trying to continue milking our bank account beyond the membership expire date.

Lesson learned: Never, ever sign a membership agreement with Bally.  If you die, they will charge your estate. They do not give a damn about the customer and their personal circumstances.  For 3 years, we have paid for services never received.  They are rapacious.
1 - AJ N.: Dirt cheap membership with emphasis on the dirt.  Locker rooms always smell and towel dispensers for wiping down equipment are always empty or broken.  Also half the lockers in the locker room look like they've been broken into, what's up with that? Dudes working out in jeans and Timberlands used to be standard, but I admit I see less of that now.  Too many machines are broken at any given time and forget about working out during prime time, you'll spend half of your time there waiting for machines.   This gym plays on its convenient location and preys on its members.  The only reason I use it is because its a short walk from home and has a pool.  This club is oversold  and management  obviously doesn't give a damn because the money keeps rolling in.  People here generally accept less than they deserve, but I'd pay a few bucks more for a gym that cared more about its members. Its time to think about driving to a better club.
4 - DD P.: Some of you cupcakes are pretty ridiculous asking for complimentary towel service for the showers in a gym that only charges $10-20/month without a contract. Granted that some locations of Ballys are pretty old and dirty, this one in Bellcrest is so clean and new in comparison that I can't believe what you people think you should get for a whole $20/month. It certainly is not great, but it's a cheap gym that has a POOL, SAUNA & WHIRLPOOL. No other $10-20/month gym has a pool, sauna nor whirlpool. Personally I think this hurts Bally as they must allocate funds towards maintaining the high overhead of such amenities, thus skimping on other areas of services such as cleaning people who are always on the clock rather than just the closing time, cleanup crew. Why don't you go to Sports Club/LA in DC? Oh wait, you can't afford $160/month. Ever been to a fighting gym that stinks of sweat and blood for $150-200/month w/a mandatory 1-year contract, where the changing room is a large closet.....and showers....haha, what are those? I guess the furthest things on your mind would be...how clean the mats are or the quality of the sound system when you're being punched, repeatedly, in the face.
4 - Katie R.: I am amazed at all the complaints and poor scoring.. I dont know, maybe my expectation are just too low. Here is what I expect:

1. A gym within 15 minutes of my home (check mark)
2. A gym that has decent hours (check mark)
3. A gym that has decent equiptment (check mark)
4. A gym that doesnt break the bank (check mark)
5. A gym that has helpful staff (1/2 check mark) 
6. A gym that is clean (2/3 check mark)

As a plus, this qualifies as expectations surpassed, they have a pool, sauna, whirpool, and private showers. Also they have classes, not the best schedule but they exist. My last gym membership was 24/7, cost the same price but had no classes- so to me this is a perk.

Balzac's Coffee - Kitchener, ON (43.4514435, -80.4988594) ()
5 - Joshua H.: Ok, the hours are bad.  But everything else is great.  The baristas are friendly (and attractive).  The coffee is the best I've had since Cuba - this includes other Balzacs locations.  Always a cool techie Tannery crowd, and usually dece music.  Plus its got decor like a Parisian coffee shop.  Like all their locations, Balzacs at the Tannery shines.
5 - Nicolle H.: Amazing coffee and excellent service! Jessica the barista does amazing coffee art!
1 - Julian A.: I know Balzac's Coffee from Toronto District and yes it is a 5 star service and coffee Here in Kitchener service is zero I had to wait for about 5-10 min for one of the girls to come to the counter being to busy talking with some friend at a table
I asked for two latte and I was served with two questionable latte in a glass cup 
I asked for something different but I end up having in paper cup
The latte was the worst ever. I am not going back in there until they will change staff and explain staff what Balzac Coffee means.
5 - Mdaw T.: Been here many times. Excellent coffee, and great place to chill or do work. Service has always been good in my experience.
4 - Mary T.: Was pretty excited to learn that they have a Balzac's in Kitchener, as I'm a big fan of their latte's.
Very cool space - really impressed how nice and trendy they made the whole tannery complex. Parking spot was very hard to come by however.
Prices are compareable to any other coffee place, and had a nice selection of treats although I did not try any.
Staff was nice, and did not have to wait long for my drink either.

Bam Bou - Houston, TX (29.7152743, -95.4174466) (West University)
3 - Cliff J.: I'm not going to knock the Bam Bou bar in this review, because it is exactly what it set out to be...and just because its not really &quot;my personal vibe&quot;, I'm sure that there are plenty of people who may love this place.  First of all this place is what I would classify as a more upscale (in cost if nothing else) R&B and hip hop spot.  

My only experience was on a Tuesday night.  I arrived wearing jeans, and a button down short sleeve shirt.  I was moderately under-dressed.  The women on Tuesdays go all out for the most part, from the skirt and blouse to some of the more skimpy attire.  The guys are a mixed of slacks and jeans type.  

The cover at the door was ten dollars.  There was someone named Ozio singing live music.  He wasn't a bad gig and spent most of the time I was there singing upbeat R&B.  During the interlude, there was this other guy who I think is hoping his career as a comedian will pop off from this humble beginning.  The guy is pretty funny.  He doesn't do skits, so to say, I think he just kinda gets up there and talks about whatever comes to his head, from the patrons to the music to the musicians and staff.  

There was also a guy that came and hit us with a little poetry.  I enjoyed that.  I wouldn't mind finding a spot that was exclusively poetry one or two nights out of the week...and maybe there is somewhere in Houston.  

As the 11:00pm hour approached, the DJ began to put music on which was more hip hop and rap.  Totally cool, but probably something that attracts two different crowds.   Up until 11:00pm, it was definitely somewhere I would have taken my wife to sit down, have a couple drinks and relax.  After, 11:00pm, it was definitely more of a place for me to go with my boys and take in the eye candy.  

Drinks were fairly expensive to me, the beer in particular.  I started the night off with beer (Bud Light) which was running $5.00 per bottle.  The Captain Morgan and coke ran $8.00.  Looking at the ambiance of the place, I expected I would be paying more for drinks.  

Then there is the whole second bar and left hand side of the place that was for VIP.   I'm not really a fan of the VIP, but then too I'm not one to go and buy a bottle of Grey Goose for $225.  But that's totally my own preference.  Especially when I can go to somewhere like Mafrelles (The Blue Door) and get a bottle of Moet White Star for $40.00.   The VIP section was rather large and a significant portion of the seating from the center of the club and to the left was VIP and RSVP seating.  

The music was great.  I was with a coworker out of DC and he had a good time.  So, I am comfortable giving this place three stars.  Would I come back...yeah.  I may bring my wife one night for an early live music outing, but I am much more a bar type rather than a club type.
2 - David N.: To my surprise this club is still open.  It's better now.  Not much but I think they have a new promotion crew and they were able to draw a decent crowd.  Drinks are still expensive but the crowd was hotter.  I still am not a fan of the dance area.  Only can enter from the front so once you're in there you're stuck like a pig pen.
3 - amit k.: So we checked out Bam Bou this past weekend. I used to really love going to this place when it was the Gatsby. Think upscale hip-hop club with a diverse crowd. Unfortunately that was then, this is now. 

Cover has always been 10 bucks here for as long as I can remember. I'm ok with that since parking is never an issue, the bouncers are usually friendly at the door and I've never had an issue of getting in (even when i rock the diesel casual sneaks)......

The music on sat night was purely Latin. Not that the music was bad, in fact it was really good, as well as the guy to girl ratio. The dance floor wasn't as packed as I expected and the patios weren't that packed either. 

I like this place, it offers an alternative to the norm, but just be prepared for what you are getting into
3 - Pukar R.: This was the first club I went to in Houston and it was PACKED with asians.  Luckily I dig asian girls so I didn't have a problem but my other two buddies weren't feeling the atmosphere.  The drinks were pretty cheap (3 Crown & Cokes were like $18).  The bartender was nice and promptly served my requests.  The music was hip hop/rap and it was good music to dance to.  I wouldn't mind going back.
4 - Ellen C.: I recently visited Bam Bou for the first time since it was transformed from Gatsby.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but I really like the decor inside - it's upscale, with trendy white sofas, and a decent sized dance floor.  I've been there twice, each time on a Fridays with the same DJ playing hip hop / top 40.  The music was better at the beginning of the evening and for some reason he started playing songs that were more difficult to dance to towards the end of the evening.  Drinks are priced about the same as what you'd find in any sort of nicer club environment, meaning $7+ for non-well drinks.  Bouncers are pretty nice.  The crowd was mixed on both occasions that I came here.  I think this is a nice change of pace from the Washington crowd.
1 - Ryan S.: So... with a visitor in town, the ladies were looking to dance. We signed up with a Meet Up group to do an event here.  We were supposed to get free entry and one free drink with the group.  Upon arrival the manager(s) stated they didn't know our group and didn't think this party was for the current night.  We would have to pay full cover therefore... which equalled 35 bux for the three of us... me thinks not...

Upon talking with the group the next morning others apparently also had trouble... including one person who was told that the group didn't exist and then after further prodding was told the group had been there but had already left...hmmm fishy....

as if I needed another reason to never try to go to a dance club... methinks not.... Sublime cover band anywhere else... here I come!!!
3 - Alex R.: I have been to this place a few time and I must say i really enjoy the atmosphere of this place as well as the music they play here. The dance floor is a decent size and the overall decor is nice. There is a cover charge of $10 per person.The drink prices are pricey compared to others but I'm assuming the reason is the area but not sure. I would say have a few drink else where before coming save you some cash. Over all cool place with good music.
5 - Peter C.: Shocked to see the low reviews for this place. The venue is actually quite nice. This place has two bars, a dance floor, and two outside decks with couches so you can sit and chill. The DJ uses video mixing throughout the night so I thought that was a plus. I came here on a Thursday and there is no cover (that is always a plus). Drink prices are average and if you contact whoever is promoting this place on Thursdays, they have good pricing on bottle service.

The plus about coming here is when it comes to closing time, the food truck "OH MY GOGI" is right down the street and they open until 3am. This is my new Thursday night spot.
4 - Monique H.: So I'd say I've been to Bam Bou once or twice... or three times. I can't remember. The last time I went for a evening out with some girls I didn't enjoy myself at all. It could have been cool, given it was free entrance for those on the guestlist and the setup of the place is nice. I just hated the DJ and there's no getting around that one. Also, there were a whole bunch of random professional athletes that I'd never heard of and a lot of ladies who were trying to get chose by them. Not the makings of a fun evening for me. 

Anyways, I more recently attended their "Poetry Lounge" Sunday and I must say it easily deserves five stars. Seriously good poets, an amazing DJ, great MCing and a very nice grown and sexy crowd. I was definitely feeling the vibe and I more than enjoyed my evening out. It was probably one of the best nights out that I've had in Houston. The ambiance was very classy yet down to earth.. the MC "Se7en" the poet, was dope.. very funny dude. And the music was amazing. It was just overall a good evening. I definitely recommend it and hope to revisit again soon!
4 - Mr W.: NICE SETTING FOR Poetry night ..BUT BUT BUT.got to sit on the patio to eat....KINDERGARDENISH
3 - Maribel H.: I went on a Saturday Night... the parking was free...the staff was nice...the drinks were good and it had a good crowd. I heard they played latin music on saturdays and that there was a band...well there was not a live band its basically people playing rock band in my opinion so i was soon over it and bored...if your looking for a fun place to go dancing I would suggest some place else. But if your looking to mingle and enjoy some drinks Bam Bou will do!
3 - success f.: The first day I went was on a Friday night, was bored at home, music played was amazing no doubt, irrespective of the face that I don't understand much of spanish, but just love it.  But kind of sad when you have a club field with men, rather than women.

Bambinos New York Style Deli - Austin, TX (30.2928304, -97.7416535) (University of Texas, West Campus)
3 - Steven N.: Bambinos is a new sandwich joint on the drag - right next to Kasbah. The location was previously a resale clothing store.

They've gone with a cute "Mobster" theme for the place - with sandwich names like the "Machine Gun Kelly" and big framed photos of old school gangsters on the walls.  Of course, they had Frank Sinatra playing on the stereo inside.

Ok - what about the sandwiches?  The menu is prety basic - about 7 or 8 cold sandwiches (typical variations of meats/cheeses), a meatball sub and one salad. Your choice of wheat or white roll and various veggie toppings. They do not appear to have toasting facilities at this time.  Sandwiches are about $7 (including tax I believe) or they have a daily special which rang up as $5 after tax.  

I tried the "Tommy Gun Tuesday" special which was the aforementioned Machine Gun Kelly - a tuna salad sandwich. My  sandwich roll was a standard soft wheat hoagie roll - about 8 1/2 inches long. The tuna salad was pretty normal (i.e. didn't knock my socks off) but did have a slight pickle relish tang which was a little different.  A pretty decent sandwich - not stuffed to the gills with fixins, but the good sized roll makes up for that a bit.

Thoughts :
- $7 sandwich? Hmm... Seems a dollar too expensive to be competitive with other area sandwich joints.  I'd probably only visit for the daily special which makes for a good value at $5.

- I had to ask how much things cost as the menu board did not have prices listed. Not good. Perhaps they are still figuring out pricing? They've only been open a few days (10-16-2007).  Also the typeface used on the menu board is hard to read. Not sure if this was hand lettered or not - but it took me awhile to decipher some of the text.

- Location is spacious and in good proximity to the student population, so they have that going for them.

- So far it's hard to say what would draw me to this place over JJ's, WW or TCloud.
4 - Shane H.: Bambino's is located in the same building as Magic Wok right on The Drag.  It is a great location, conveniently located close to the University and close to everything else that makes The Drag worthwhile.

I haven't had a chance to eat inside the place but I have walked by and peeked in a few times to check it out.  The decor is cool and a good change of pace from typical eateries on The Drag.  

One huge bonus is that this place delivers, I am not sure how big the delivery area is or how late they deliver but they do.  

The menu is limited, which is great, because they have the perfect number of sandwiches, not some massive menu you have to stare at for an hour to figure out what you want.  

They offer a decent number of veggies to add on to your sandwich, but some things are sorely missing (like avocado).  They have a decent variety of sauces and the house "Special" sauce is great.  It has a nice little kick to it and is really the highlight of the food here.  The meats themselves are good quality and quite tasty.

Unfortunately the bread wasn't very good.  The rolls may be pretty large, but the bread itself was certainly not on the same level as Jimmy John's or even Subway.  It tastes like store bought bread with a springy, spongy texture, not good.  

If I could put the meats (times two) and the sauce from Bambinos on Jimmy John's bread I would be a pretty happy camper.  Of course I would also need avocado from Jimmy John's.

Overall, this is a cool place to stop and grab a decent sandwich in a place with a cool vibe.   It's a very welcome addition to The Drag and has some of the coolest people in town working there.


UPDATE:
_________________________________

I finally had a chance to visit the restaurant and eat inside and I must say it has a very cool vibe, clean simple setup and a great staff.  I do agree that the menu can be a little tough to read but the food is good and the vibe in the place makes it a cool place to hang out and chat.  

Still not the biggest fan of the bread but I realize they get it from Texas French Bread so it isn't really their fault.  Oh and I still want avocado.
5 - Rebecca S.: Bambino's is my new favorite sandwich place! It has a great location..the drag across from the Villas. The service is great...it feels like a family when you go. The theme is really cool..New York/Gangster. The food is soooo fresh and great tasting. The bread is really soft and the Sammy Spread is great on anything! It's a little pricey for sandwiches but you can split one they're so huge.
5 - A S.: This place can make quite the impact on the UT strip, if it can just hold on.  The owners are great guys.  The product is excellent and the decor is exactly what you would expect from a NY style deli.  The special sauce is hot, which is exactly what most in Austin appreciate and the fillings,,, lets just use the word stuffed to be more appropriate.  I  truly love this place and hope they are are around for many a years to come.
2 - Shanna P.: Today I thought of yet another reason I haven't moved to New York, which I've pondered for years. The New York Italian guy attitude would grate on me so fast. I'm a bit of a shy wallflower, so it clashes with me like oil and water. 

I came upon this after having made a run to Bambino's at lunch with a friend. We spent the whole ten minute walk back to the office discussing that whole ego-driven bravado-fueled attitude and what we don't like about it--after it took about 20 minutes to get our sandwiches made for lunch in between the sandwich maker's tangential and almost-lewd stories and amusement of my friend's Italian ancestry.  

Ok, all that over with, the sandwich is alright. Ok, it's pretty good, minus the Sammy Sauce that dripped all over my desk. But it's nothing phenomenal, and not worth the social awkwardness, long wait, and high price (despite the fact, it is huge). I swear I spent like $9 on my lunch combo, when one sign said the chips/drink were free with a sub, but he said they were $1.50; nothing is priced on the menu; and then he got me and my friend's orders switched, so he gave us the wrong change. I have no idea what anything cost after all of that, but it's too pricey regardless. 

I can't believe they've been open since October. It has a just opened feel and they didn't have any take-away menus either. I guess they have the Italian-Mob-lite thing going for them though, if you're into that... 

One star for playing "Baby, It's Cold Outside" (because I love that song, even though it's warm outside) but minus a star for the mobster mannequin in the window that's hokey, but still makes me jump when I walk by. One star for the sandwich, but minus a ton for the annoying interaction and price. Sigh, too sleepy for math.
4 - Jay I.: Forget about the dry reviews...

Myself, as a native Austinite, am the first to curse "Ill-annoy" license plates when they cut me off on mopac, come on imports, at least wave...
We WAVE in Texas, even when we do something stupid! 

I must say I was reluctant to hit some "Yankee's joint" on my beloved drag.

The owner, Jey welcomed my toddler son, my wife and her sister(all Italian decent) and I into his place and made us feel like family. The atmosphere was comfortable, and the food was out of this world. I LOVED the garbage bread.

How cool is it to tell the owner to "just do something special for me" and have him whip up an out of this world sandwich.

I found a new place to find a badass sandwich, and it's Bambino's.

Jey, welcome to Austin, my friend!


-Jay
http://nativeaustinite.com
2 - Andrew I.: Strike 1: I went in on a Tuesday at 12:30 and waited for 25 minutes because there was a single employee making sandwiches for the entire store.  How in the world could a sandwich place take 25 minutes when I'm the first customer in line?

Strike 2: I thought I was getting a sandwich, but I actually got a "garbage panini", which was basically filling in a grilled tortilla.  It's fine that it's different, but I want to know it will be that way

That's all the strikes needed for me not to come back (think of it as kickball where you start with one strike).  There are plenty of quick, tasty sandwich places on the drag, so there isn't a lot of leeway for a place that doesn't have their act together.

As for the food, it was pretty good, but not worth a 25 minute wait.

Bamboo Express - Los Angeles, CA (34.0248982, -118.2838585) (South Los Angeles)
2 - smriti k.: Do you want to fall sick and make your folks not force you to attend school?Or do you want to eat oil? Come here!!!!

    So bad so bad,i can't say how bad it is! Oily food and tastes ok.They have the stereotypical chow mein,rice tofu and other chinese entrees.
The lady is really sweet. But that doesn't make my tummy feel happy.

    *Gets off the Bamboo Express to catch a better Express*

-smriti
2 - Michael K.: Curry chicken - ok
Chow mein - meh
Black bean chicken - meh
Kung pow chicken - ok
Low quality, very greasy, probably will not get again
Also, slow when you order something made to order
I agree with smriti
3 - C S.: It's in the UV food court. They have an A grade at the moment, but no Anti-MSG sign, so I presume they use MSGs.  

There's an egg roll special if you like that sort of thing--2 for $1.50. 

I had the "B" menu option--two entrees and fried rice/chow mein sans the chow mein 'cause I'm not a big fan of it. The girl got kinda mixed up and thought I meant double chow mein not double fried rice, but I corrected her and it was all good. 

I also got beef/broccoli and a tofu vegetable mix. 

The beef/broccoli combination had really excellent broccoli for some reason and was a resplendent contrast to the mediocre beef that I left on the edge of my plate. The tofu veggie mix was similar--the cabbage, zucchini and carrots were all pretty good, but the tofu (one sad triangular chunk) wasn't stellar. 

BUT! They had generous portions that filled the entire Styrofoam container. Albeit, piled upon one another like my grandpa says they served Thanksgiving in the army. Fortunately the rice didn't get too soggy.

Half the menu was in Chinese, I noticed. But there was a group of (presumably Chinese) tourists that loitered a long time looking at the menu that ended up drifting away. 

I found myself wishing halfway through my meal that I'd got something from the nearby CIlantro Mexican grill instead. Or something from the Health Hut. 

Find it funny that Bamboo Express, according to the awards tacked on the wall, is one of the top Chinese food vendors in the nation. Gotta ask--how many chains are there with which to compare?
1 - Jackie G.: I agree with other reviewers: OILY & for some reason doesn't sit well in my stomach even though I only had a couple fork-fuls of chow mein & broccoli. 

I hope that I remember to never eat here again.
2 - Nerses A.: For fast food Chinese it is not that good. I wish I did not eat here and waited a few more minutes to go get some Panda Express... Their food is way too oily and not really flavorful. I rather pay a little more and get better food elsewhere. Probably would not eat here again... It is located inside UV (University Village) near USC.
3 - Jim A.: Good cheap Chinese fast food. I'd rather go here than panda express.
3 - Olga L.: It's not the most amazing Chinese fast food, but it's a vast improvement over Panda Express.

I came here with a friend and got some lo mein with orange chicken. Now, I am a huge fan of authentic Chinese food so I know that what they serve is Americanized Chinese food but it was still pretty good. I have no complaints about the quality or the oiliness; nothing about it seemed particularly or excessively oily to me. It's the UV, what exactly did you expect? 

And the food is so cheap you really have nothing to complain about it. If I'm craving Chinese fast food, I will probably come here again since there are very few good Chinese places close to campus.

While they do accept credit cards, there is a minimum charge so be prepared to either bring cash or spend a little more money on a drink to use your card.

Bamboo Tea House - Claremont, CA (34.0960348, -117.7178956) ()
4 - Dan H.: I'm sure you will never see another yelp from me about a tea house.

My specialties are dive bars, ethnic restaurants, beach bars/restaurants, ma & pa establishments of various sorts, most anything but tea houses.

This was one of those days spent with the lady friend when we do something I like, and something for her.  I admit I am not good at compromising when it comes to doing something I don't want to do.  That's why I am happy most of the time being an old grumpy bachelor.

We started the day off for an early dim sum breakfast in Rosemead with a close friend of mine.  The next "event" on the days schedule was to have been the LA Arboretum as I had never been and it was a perfect 75 degree January day.  

She, at breakfast; "I'm not sure I am into the Arboretum (oh lord here comes the first curve ball of the day), I was just there recently with my daughter".  "Have you ever been to Claremont"?  Huh?  Why would I?

She; "It has a very charming old town area and there is this famous tea house that I have always wanted to check out".  

Me, thinking;  damn, it's f'n 70 at the beach and all of my buddies are down there drinking and watching bowl games.  This day has the makings of being majorly sucktastic.  

On the way to Claremont, I make a last ditch attempt of saving the day, for me anyway.  

"Hey, Santa Anita is close by, what an awesome day for hanging at the track for a couple hours, then we can head to your tea house after".  She excitedly agreed!  BTW, we both cashed some winners and I hit a nice exacta.  Dim sum, and then sum paid for! 

Oh yeah almost forgot; the tea house.  I guess my hand was tipped by the 4 stars.  This place is very cool.  When you walk in you are immediately hit with the most incredible array of aromas.  So many types of teas from all over the world, and they have a brew of the day you can sample as you browse the very small shop.  They also have lots of tea related knick knacks and a nice selection of high quality/expensive pots.  Expensive as in $200-300.00+. 

I'll admit I enjoyed the vist to Bamboo's and we had a great time strolling the area.  Oh, they even have a huge Rhino Records store there.

Frikken Claremont...who knew?
5 - Pam S.: This is my favorite spot for purchasing loose leaf tea to make exotic Iced Tea during the summer and beautiful aromatic hot teas all year long. Being from Boston I am a Tea ADDICT and I take mine with cream and sugar so I need a strong black tea. I love the selection the proprietor offers for all teas... Green, White and Black - Loose leaf and boxes of pre-packaged tea bags as well. 

My favorite for brewed Cold Teas that they offer is the Black Currant and the Tropical Passion Fruit blend. They have a delicious Apricot Tea and Earl Grey one that I have bought consistently for the past 7 years. 

Also you can find unique gift items here as they have the traditional asian gift offerings i.e; Hand fans, sushi dishes, tea pots and cups, jewelry and art work. They have a Farmer's Market on Sunday if you are looking for something to do and downtown Claremont is quaint so take a browse over to the Bamboo Tea house I think you'll like the atmosphere. 

Respectfully Reviewed
4 - Visvamitra L.: Minus 1 star only because their tea selection is catered toward white Claremontians. In other words: flavored tea in all permutations of floral and fruity styles. 

I hate flavored teas. It is like flavored wine...they only flavor the crappy teas because they are not good enough on their own. At least this is my take on it.

HOWEVER, their selection of tea drinking paraphernalia is wonderful. I am particularly fond of the elegant stuff from Japan. All kinds of gorgeous things. Being an orchid enthusiast, I also appreciate the flowers they have blossoming around the shop at any given time.

The lady at the front is always sweet and informative. The only thing I am not in love with is the tea selection. Sure they have some that are not flavored, but not as many as I would like. The prices are more than one would expect to pay in Chinatown or Monterey Park....but those places are far from this area. Sometimes the stressful drive is just not worth the extra selection.

This all being said, I thank them for opening a shop out here in the I.E...because shops like this are far and few out here. It seems like Yelp searches for similar establishments only yield those stupid boba cafes.

Also, if you like Yerba Mate, be sure to get their Taragui Sin Palo. It is the best Yerba ever...very clean taste.

--Anthony
5 - Cristela M.: Best teas in town. Great for our tea parties, Love this place...
4 - K K.: Great place to pick up teas when I don't want to order online.  They have some bagged teas but the main selection will be loose leaf teas.  They usually have a tea of the day brewing for sampling which is great.  My favorite tea is the almond cream black tea.  The store stock is very unique, some of it is pricey and some pretty affordable.  The owner, I believe is an asian lady, she is very nice.  She does hire two other ladies that have little bedside manner, kinda rough around the edges.  There is another location in Pasadena.
4 - Jules C.: I'm impressed! The asian lady who owns the place truly knows her tea. I had some pressing questions during my first trip and she totally read my mind. She assured me that I can put full trust in the quality of the tea sold there. 

Bamboo Tea House protects their tea in sealed tin containers. They block the air and light, thus keeping tea freshness to a maximum. I've been to another tea shop in Pasadena (won't say the name) and they stored the tea in clear glass, exposed to sunlight. I'm definitely not going purchase from them anymore. 

The shop is covered head-to-toe in tea cups, pots and all sorts accessories. I could spend an hour or two just browsing for something special. You really need to walk in and see for yourself. 

I want a gaiwan and/or a small pot so I'll be coming back real soon. 

Update: I found an authentic brown betty pot in the shop! It has the markings of those made in Stoke-On-Trent (UK), so no fear of getting a different product as opposed to buying online.  Also, I finally met one of the women who care for the shop when the owner isn't around. She definitely needs a lot of work on her social skills.  I really do wish Anna hired people who would complement the appeal of her store.
5 - Jeff J.: I have been going to the Bamboo Tea House for years.  I have always been impressed by the quality and freshness of the teas there.  Although you might get loose-leaf tea at other stores or even the supermarket, Bamboo Tea House has high-grade teas, many of which are single-estate teas.  I mostly buy black teas there.  My favorites are Assam and a blue-flower Earl Grey, which I recommend.  If you've only had the Twinings, Bigelow or Tazo Earl Grey the difference in quality will amaze you!  The store also has a wide range of green teas (including powdered Japanese Matcha plus all of the implements for a proper tea ceremony) plus many flavored teas, yerba mate, and chai. 

Now that the Pasadena store has closed I order by phone or through their Website to have my tea deliver since I'm seldom in Claremont.  My orders arrive within a day or two and usually come with a small sample of something new to try.  

In addition to teas, the store carries an extensive array of tea pots, cups, tea paraphernalia (scoops, canisters, etc.) plus some Asian gift items.  If you are a tea lover, it is worth a visit if you are in the area, or check out their offerings online.
4 - Mike L.: This is , as my wife would say,  a cute store. Im not saying it :-)
It has a lot of cool tea items. We have always liked tea but we are on a big tea kick right now, so we where happy to find this store after walking past it many times. 
Havent tried the tea yet but the lady is really nice and it is a neat store.
5 - Scott and Lydia L.: The Bamboo Tea House in Claremont sells over 150 kinds of tea and herbs for brewing  (I counted!). Some reviewers have implied they only have flavored tea for sale. That is untrue. They have black and green teas from China, India, Japan, Vietnam, Kenya, and other places. They have Oolong from Taiwan. They have scores of flavored teas if you like those, Yerba Mate, and specialty "flowering" teas. They even have powdered Mattcha green tea from Japan. They DO NOT serve tea or food . . . it is a store to buy tea, loose leaf (very fresh!) and tea bags if you need those. They per ounce price is fair and reasonable unlike some of the mall tea places. It is a shop in the old style, like you would find in an ethnic neighborhood run by an authentic shopkeeper. Check it out, but don't bring your Starbucks drink or corn dog in . . . you'll be asked to leave so as to not affect the aroma of the teas inside!  Maybe that will offend you, but it is a good thing in my book.
5 - Sal A.: Bamboo Tea House makes me happy to be alive in the morning.  The only downside is, I am now a spoiled tea snob and will never be able to drink tea from a bag EVER AGAIN.  The samples and the woman who runs this place are just delightful.

 BEST TEA EVER!!!!!
1 - Lee G.: I went to the Bamboo Tea House the other day to get some special tea as a gift for our new daughter-in-law. The lady working there was rude and not interested in helping us at all. I didn't know of any other specialty tea shop around, so we just blindly picked out some tea. I will not go there again if I can help it. No customer service at all.
5 - Mallory L.: This is the cutest little tea shop, they offer a huge variety. I liked that they have both loose leaf and bags of tea. The shop owner is super sweet and helpful. I recommend checking it out if you are in the area.
5 - Lisa B.: my favorite lil tea shop in my favorite little city.

the owner is the sweetest lady, always ready to offer advice, suggestions and answer questions...she's so knowledgeable about tea/brewing!

prices are reasonable, and variety is amazing! beautiful tea sets, cups, etc. as well.

well worth the stop in! be prepared to turn your cell phone down/off, and hide your food outside, as to not ruin the tea aroma and peacefulness inside...well worth it I think at least!

my favorite tea, although it is a flavored tea which to some isn't very authentic, has been the Yellow Peach Black Tea. Smells and tastes amazing!
Medium sized bag for $8.
5 - Ariz G.: I really love quaint, little, low key tea places.  Lots of selection of teas from all over the world.  I happen to like their floral and the different black tea.  I love their black plum.  Very affordable too.  The lady who helped us was pretty friendly and sweet.  I cannot wait to run out, so I can go back and try more flavors.
4 - C.ray. R.: Very happy I discovered this tea house and their wonderful blends! 

I highly recommend the Moroccan Mint Green: a wonderful green blended with a spear and peppermint for an exhilarating hot or cold drink; Fruity Bamboo Leaf is a light herbal beverage that tastes best hot to me, but I could see one adding ice for a nice warm weather sipper; and Hibiscus Punch: very citrusy and perfect as an herbal punch to serve with BBQ, or at a picnic also works great as Vitamin C zinger when you're feeling sniffly.

If you need any help choosing teas or selecting from the great array of teaware and accessories in the store, the lady who is always in the store is very helpful and knowledgeable. I think she might be the owner. Last time I was there she had a sample tea brewed. That's always a nice touch!

Steep for 5 minutes. Enjoy immediately.
5 - Ashley L.: HANDS DOWN, best/cutest tea shop ever! I rarely visit Claremont Village, but every time I do Bamboo Tea House is my first stop. There's almost an infinite number of tea selections and everything is of the highest quality. Their Christmas tea is a must-buy during the holidays and runs out pretty quickly. The store is completely packed with cool little items that can't be found anywhere else....antique books, lamps, plates, tea sets, chopstick holders, incense....you name it, they've got it! Everything is pretty fragile, so don't throw a fit if the owner asks you to leave your food/drinks outside, or gives you a weird look if your kid is running around like a hyena. Like most places...you break you buy! Anyways...I'm pretty sure I love tea now because of this shop :) It's also a great place to buy gifts for any occasion! (Hint: Mother's day is coming up, so get on that!)
5 - Lindsay M.: The Bamboo Tea House is, in my humble opinion, the physical manifestation of the perfect tea shop. One wall is all an eclectic collection of various pots, cups, and tea paraphernalia (including some lovely Yixing pottery), and the other is all big tins of loose leaf tea. The owner is a poised and lovely woman who is very friendly and informative. I've been looking for a place to buy some good quality pu-erh to try, and she showed me the two they have. I bought the Pu-erh II and some Yunnan Gold Tips. She also informed me of something I didn't know before... when I told her I wanted to get a really good quality pu-erh to try for the first time, she said what she has in stock is considered an everyday pu-erh -- the "really good quality" pu-erhs are sold at auction for thousands of dollars in China! They are considered to be as unique and valuable to a connoisseur  as really fine aged wine would be in France. You learn something every day!

The prices are what I would consider very good and the quality of the Yunnan Gold and the pu-erh were impeccable. The selection of fine unflavored teas isn't gigantic, but it's pretty good for the area the shop is in (super white Claremont). You have to cater to your customer base, after all. They have a few single estate Darjeelings, from 1st flush to autumn flush, that I'm excited to try next time. I will definitely be back!

Bambou - Houston, TX (29.7150822, -95.4173824) (West University)
2 - Chris S.: Saturday 'Salsa' Nite at Bambou can be something serious if it's the right crowd. Most of the Papi's & Mami's came well put together in fly style. Before we went in i asked my lady "Can i be seen with you looking so sessy?" Nah, it wasn't a compliment to get her to pay the $10 cover, but that element of the lounge was fine. 

In the mix we listened to a Latin/salsa mix drinking mixed drinks while mixing with the locals.  We didn't stay til' close but what we saw was convincing enough for us to cha-cha our way back...maybe not soon but someday.
4 - Janelle O.: Great music! Great atmosphere! Bambou was just what I was looking for on a Saturday night for salsa dancing! Arrived around 11 pm to a $10 cover charge (typical) and not a huge crowd which was nice! I had room to walk, room to get to the bar, and room to dance. The DJ played all the great club songs and when the live band came on, it really made the night! They sang everything from Lady Gaga to Enrique Iglesias to Black Eyed Peas! After awhile, the salsa music started and as the saying goes, "time flies when you are having fun!" Even at 1 AM, I could still move around easily through the crowd to the dance floor! 
Expect a strict dress code guys, no tennis shoes! Ladies, this place is for the classy, not the skanky! It seriously is a dress to impress place. Also expect to pay for pricey drinks. My Midori Sour ran me $8. That was the only downfall. 
I will definitely be back to Bambou!
2 - Michael E.: First off, let me just say that Bambou is located on the second floor of the Rice Village complex. It took me awhile to find it since this was my first time here. Parking can be found both upstairs and downstairs so you don't have too park too far which is a plus in my book. Not to mention, it's free if you park downstairs. 

I ended up coming here for a friend's birthday party and she wanted to go somewhere that would be playing salsa. If that is what you are looking for, Bambou is the perfect place to come to get your salsa fix. I'm personally not a big fan but I had a good time regardless. There is a cover charge of $10 and drinks are similar to what you'd pay at other clubs. 

The club itself is pretty nice. It's not as nice as some of the Washington Ave clubs but it was clean and the atmosphere was pretty poppin'. I was disappointed to see that this club attracted an older crowd but I was there with a group so I didn't mind. The music was okay but I'm not a big salsa fan and the live band they had was good only some of the time. The band covered a few popular American songs but those were few and far between. There is a big dance floor so you don't have to worry about pumping into people when you're getting getting your Ricky Martin moves on.

If you're looking for a place to enjoy salsa on a Saturday night, this is the place to be. If you're looking for a slightly younger crowd, it's probably best to head to Wash Ave. Either way, this was a pretty decent place but I don't see myself coming back here any time soon simply because it isn't my scene.
2 - David N.: I was shocked this place was still open.  It's always off during the week and it's barely alive on the weekend. 

It was a night out with some friends and we were bar hopping throughout rice village and one of my friends wanted to dance instead of just drinking, so we opted to see if Bambou was still open, it was...but barely.  Only about 20 people were inside.  Instead of being a dance club, no one was on the dance floor and it turned into an overpriced bar.

They did have go-go dancers, which was just strange because no one else was dancing so either you were a creeper staring or just bored.
2 - Diana B.: I was there a friday. The majority of the crowd is black. The place looks really nice, and they have a patio/balcony for those that want to smoke or just rather be outside.

If you are looking to dance your a** off do not go there. The dance floor was empty, people prefer stand around and stare at each other. The music was ok, The night I went, the game(rapper) was there. Those who like him were happy.

It was just ok, I didnt really had fun. But experience may differ lol.
3 - Laura S.: It's been a few years since I have been to Bambou and I have only been there once so my memory for my review is going to be a little foggy, but hey...I'll try.

The location of the club itself is kind of cool. It's right in the middle of the swanky Rice Village shops so it's kind of random but somehow works. But there's not much parking after a certain time.

I don't remember if there was a cover or not. Probably not b/c if there was I would remember and there would be a star downgrade. The club isn't that large, small-ish actually. But it's a pretty cool atmosphere. I think there's even a stripper pole on the dance floor. Ha.

When I went to the club a few years back, the music selection was good, I remember liking it and dancing quite a bit. But it has probably changed now to alot more house/techno songs which is really unfortunate.

Here's a major warning: The type of crowd that was there when I went (which probably hasn't changed much over the years) was mainly GTL-ers. Dudes in their Ed Hardy shirts, overly gelled hair and obnoxious dancing. Like...right out of the Jersey Shore. Seriously! It was very humorous! So it might be worth a visit just to check out (and make fun of) that type of crowd. Lol...I'm so mean.
3 - Ha N.: **valet parking is mandatory** $10
Or park downstairs for free & walk up

It's been a long time since I've been clubbing. Last time I was here was about 2 years ago. It was Latin/mix night I believe. It still is a Latin mixture in music. The place still looks nice and very cold at first when you enter. But once your on the dance floor it's like a sauna. 

If you remember Club Venue( that was  on main street) with the live band they had on Saturdays. They have a live band too that plays house & oldies songs. Only thing is there will be repeat of the songs from the DJ spinning earlier. I believe the band comes on 11:30 or midnight . 

I believe there is cover charge, but I was with a group with bottle service. 

Overall I had fun with my friends. It wasn't too crazy or over crowded.

Bambu Batu - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2793546, -120.6649434) ()
1 - Mary Rose N.: Caveat emptor in purchasing items here. I invested in several tops ( same style, different colors ) here last winter, which began to pill after only two washings. In several approaches to deal with this, the owner just shrugged, and offered only that "the company is really nice." Now, I have quite a bit of money into tops that look very shabby.
5 - Tasha P.: High Quality versatile apparel/kitchen/housing selections made from Bamboo! green and stylish. Down home vibe, clean, and smells great too. Right across the street from a top notch brewery. Win Win Winning! 

$$
4 - Keith C.: Everything bamboo and more!  Clothes are so soft and so are the new sheets I picked up today. They have all sorts of unique things tucked throughout the shop.    It's amazing to see all the wonderful products that can be made from bamboo!!  Not everything in this cool shop is bamboo. There was a beautiful candle holder I found with exquisite wood grain. When I asked about it I learned it is made of mango wood in Thailand. So I bought one.  Definitely a store you will enjoy browsing through.
5 - Sandy P.: enjoyed seeing unique products made from bamboo.  brought home unique fountain that i cant wait to set up at home.

Bambu Tattoo Art Studio - Providence, RI (41.817899, -71.4107023) (DownCity)
5 - Lilly H.: A friend from the Providence area recommended I check out Bambu. I called on my way down from Boston to see if they were taking walk ins- they were. I talked to Rob and gave him a general idea of what I wanted and let him know I'd be there in a half hour or so. It was just that easy.
I got there, climbed the stairs to the 3rd floor, and was instantly impressed when I walked through the door. The layout is open/spacious, the place has a really nice vibe. I flipped through the artists' portfolios while Rob sketched what I wanted. Perfect the first time. (A shaded dog paw print with the name "Lucky" underneath.) Paperwork was quick and easy.
I wasn't sure where I wanted the tattoo, but Rob's advice helped me decide to get get it on my hip. I was a little nervous only because I haven't gotten a tattoo in two years and kind of forgot what it felt like. Rob's a really cool guy, good to have a conversation with while getting a tattoo. He's got a good hand, really steady and not too heavy. It went pretty painlessly, seemed to go quickly too. He did a beautiful job with the shading and the name "Lucky" underneath is flawless. 
When he finished, I showed him the tattoo on my chest and he offered to touch it up, no charge. It's just some simple outlining, but I thought it was pretty awesome of him to do it for me.
Definitely impressed by Bambu/Rob. An incredible and easy experience. They also don't charge way too much like a lot of other tattoo places. I bet they could get away with it though, in my one time there I can tell they are just that good ;)
2 - Katie R.: So to be fair I will start with the fact that I got my tattoo done here over 5 years ago so maybe their work has improved.

I got my first tattoo done here and the guy who did it f'd it up royally.  I wanted a shooting star and i got a falling one and also he didn't fill in one corner of the star.

Boo.

I gave it two stars because the location is pretty cool.  they have a gorgous loft right in downtown providence.
4 - Ender D.: The really great thing about Bambu is that you can literally get whatever you're aiming for. You want beautiful, airbrush style color work, graffiti or comic style pieces? Joel or Joe are your go-to guys. Got a piece with some solid line-work, or a piece of art you have your heart dead set on replicating? Rob will take care of you no problem. Working within a budget? Ask and you shall receive. These guys are super sweet and willing to work with you for whatever it is you're looking for. It's tough to get time with Joel (and you'll want to set aside a good chunk of time, he's a talker), so make sure you call well in advance! A month at least. Otherwise, walking in is fine.

Banana Leaf Cafe - Seattle, WA (47.6554111, -122.3132506) (University District)
4 - Craig R.: I'll start this by saying Thai Tom sucks.

With that caveat out of the way, this place was impressive. I feel like I was at a completely different restaurant than Sara M. in the first review. The service was prompt, food came quickly, we took our time, no rush, and were in and out in a little over half an hour. They also served a delicious rice based desert free of charge.

I had the PAd Thai,  of which I am generally critical. See Thai Tom caveat. But here, it was quite good - not the best I've ever had, but definitely tasty - I would order it again. Then I tried my girlfriends drunken noodles... WOW. I know what I'm getting next time.

A good value, every item on the menu was 6.99 (add 2 for shrimp), and we both had leftovers. And as a warning 5 out of 5 is SPICY (I always order 5 out of 5 on the Ave, and have never had anything this hot). Plus they comp those little rice deserts.

Got out, after tax and tip, for less than two Thai Tom take outs (but they did charge the actual price here - man i hate thai tom). luckily, I will be able tp go back to this place.
4 - Jill L.: Good food, quick, affordable.  Their cilantro is very fresh!  Yum!  I recommend the chicken satay, very good and they give you a good amount as well.

A nice new option for Thai food in the U-dist.
2 - Ema N.: I had larb gai for take out. It was sub-par and kind of boring. There were huge chunks of purple onion (these were pretty big slices still stuck together!) and not much cilantro in the mix. I've had better and you'll probably have better elsewhere. 

Also, if you order take out, you need to stand on the side. There are no seats/benches to sit and wait while your food is being made.

The 2+ stars is because they were able to make the larb gai without fish/oyster sauce. However, it is possible to make larb gai taste better and not so boring/bland even without the fishiness.
3 - Lindsey M.: Before I start, I am sad that what was once the Allegro Cafe is now the Banana Leaf.  It's not like we need another Thai restaurant in the U-District but oh well.

I work at the ticket office across the street so this place is really easy to get to.  The Pad Thai is tasty and I like the fact that the noodles are kinda wet as opposed to some that are dry and have a lot of spice.  

The garlic chicken is also delicious.  My choice is to get the combo meal for $8.95.  It's a lot of food that is worth the price.
5 - Halo L.: This restaurant recently opened in the old location of Cafe Allegro at the College Inn.  The place is simply and beautifully decorated, the staff is friendly and polite (i.e., not bossy about tips!), service is great, and the food is not greasy or swimming in sauce, but still high on portions!   This is the freshest, tastiest Thai food I've had in Seattle.

Note: the food will come a bit spicier than you're used to, so order 1/2 to 1 star less than you normally do!
3 - Paul F.: Banana Leaf Cafe cafe isn't great.  But none of the Thai restaurants are great.  It gets 3 stars because of the nice decor and feel of the restaurant which used to be a Cafe Allegro.  But it's got big windows and a large, tasteful statue in the corner and there's a little bar in the room next to the dining room.  I liked that.  I liked how it's calmer than the thai restaurants more north on University Way and how, honestly, for me it's close to my best friend's apartment so it's a natural place to go.

The food is almost exactly like most other thai places here in Seattle be it Jai Thai or Thai 65 or Thai whatever.  No glaring mistakes, my curry was better than some places I've had but obviously nothing special.  There's a discount before 8 on weekdays, so the price is reasonable.  I also felt like the night I was  here the service was good.  Our waiter was friendly and frequent but not too frequent.  I'll probably be back because of the convenience and nice decor, but don't expect to come here for a culinary orgasm.
3 - Iffy P.: Ate here today for lunch with a couple of friends. Had the phad see iew, very flavorful, full of vegetables. The presentation of the food looked great. Price is normal for thai food. there's not much to choose from the menu.
5 - John V.: I've eaten here about twenty times since they switched to Thai, brought visitors thrice, got take-out another fifteen times.  It's conveniently close to my office.

Friendly staff, very tasty.  I most like the pad thai and the curries, they have a two-entre combo so I can get both at once. Can be salty and spicy, four stars is tops for me and I ask for less salt.  Good for take-out, convenience store next door can supply a drink and a dessert.

Lots of Thai options on University Ave, but this is closest to much of campus, and the big sunny windows and thai artifacts and decor drive me here much more than the others.

Better to show up before noon, as the tables can fill up.  The back room has a big quieter table for 8 or so, not obvious from the street.
2 - Bonnie C.: This place is... meh.  I went in since it is really close to my office and has reasonable prices. The service was reeeeaaallly slow and the place seemed under-staffed. I had the rama rice dish - way too greasy and not very flavorful. I asked for two stars because thai food in the u-district is usually overly hot for me, but what I got seemed cooked for an infant's palate, ie not a speck of spice. Sad. 
The atmosphere and decorating is nice, but they don't get points for it since the people who ran Allegro out of the space did all the work for them. It appears Allegro even left their espresso machine there. The Cafe was much better in its former reincarnation.
Even though Banana Leaf is convenient, I won't be going back.
4 - Stephanie S.: Everything I've had here is good.  I like the Swimming Rama and the coconut soup.  The space is filled with light & has natural brick walls.  The wait staff is friendly.
3 - Faith Y.: It pains me that whenever a new location opens up on the Ave, it's inevitably 1 of 3 options: thai, teriyaki or pho. Really? Really?! 

The food is fine but the price is the true attraction here. $5.99 for ALL entrees during Happy Hour which lasts all afternoon until closing on most days. 

I'm all about popping in for a quick (and difficult to screw up) Thai Iced Tea for the road but save yourself the long waits for mediocre food and have something more exciting for dinner.
3 - Linda H.: Came here for lunch for the first time today and I thought the food was pretty decent and the service was good.  I ordered a 2* dish and it was spicier than I normally can handle because I ended up drinking a lot of water in order to calm the heat in my mouth.  However, I did enjoy my dish.  I sampled some chicken from my lunch buddy's dish and it seemed more tolerable than mine even though he had gotten a 3* dish.  Maybe my noodles were cooked in a different wok right after a spicier dish.  I'd come back and try it again, but I'd probably try a 1* next time around.

I also found service to be very good.  My water glass kept on nearing empty, but it never made it all the way because the servers kept on refilling it for me.
3 - Alex Z.: It's an okay place.  The service was friendly, but the sunlight is really bright during dinner... kind of distracting.

The food itself is light, with reasonable ingredients, but somewhat bland.  It's more in the tradition of buddhist thai food than ave thai food, in that it's fairly clean and light.  

I personally liked the cafe allegro that was here before, but whatever.  The layout and decor hasn't changed much since then, but things are definitely a bit cleaner.

Still not sure what this restaurant has to do with banana leaves other than in the name.
3 - Lori M.: I was really sad when this place took Cafe Allegro's old spot (I still dream about their tuna melts *drooool*). And when I heard it was ANOTHER Thai place, adding to the bijillion that already live on "The Ave," I was really annoyed.

Then I tried it (in part because they're so close to UW where I work). Their fried tofu won me over. And unlike many many many places in Seattle, they can actually give me spicy food if I want it. (For the record, their spice level is rather inconsistent, and they have some trouble actually mixing in the spice so you'll get some spicy clumps and some non-spicy clumps). Also, the scale for spiciness is not evenly spaced. Three stars is not at all spicy, and actually a bit bland. 4 stars jumps to a nice warm level of spice (normally perfect for me). 5 stars is great for me on cold days and can make my stomach feel the spice!

Sadly, I think the consistency of this place has gone down. Their fried tofu is only so-so now. And sometimes the flavors just don't hold it together. It's still better than many thai places on the ave, but I mostly go here because it's close to campus.

Their menu is pretty small so it's easy to get bored of things quickly :( They don't have any good Thai salad dishes which is too bad. A good papaya salad would go a long way for me.
1 - Sweetp G.: Good service, but the food was blegh.  How hard is it to get swimming rama right?  Also, the music was horrible.  Methinks not.
3 - Tye R.: $5.99 happy hour special is what caught my eye.  The food is alright, spice level is inconsistent
3 - Yiling W.: Service was kinda lazy but the food was decent. We ate here because it was a rare winter sunny day and we wanted to still soak in the sunlight during lunch (rather than, say, going downstairs to the cozy pub with no windows). My 2 friends and I split 1 curry dish and noodles with fried tofu, and a giyoza appetizer for lunch around 2pm, and it was enough to be full but not sick.

While it's not a priority concern for me, the decor was also nicely not-too-cheezy/obnoxious, nor plastic, with nice giant leafy frond plants.
4 - Jason C.: Pad see ew was great here. Good ingredients. Cooked really well, and a modest presentation. On a 5-star scale of 'how hot', 4 or 5 you feel the kick of heat. Anything lower is really just some spices put together for flavor. It was $6.99 +tax. 

On the Ave, there are many Thai places. This ranks 2nd to Thai Tom. There are a lot of terrible Thai places on this block, but this is one worth checking out. 

Get the phad thai too. It's good, not great. Come in company of 3 or less. It's a small dainty place, but very nice. The service was great. I have a soft spot for lemon in the water. *shrugs shoulders* What can I say.
3 - Denise L.: Ever since freshman year of college, I've always passed by this quaint little restaurant, curious as to what kind of food it served. Two years later and living right next to Banana Leaf, I decide to explore.  

The place is dimly lit and very small. It takes a while for the staff to bus tables (maybe because there's usually only one waitress), so sometimes you'll have to wait. 

The happy hour special of entrees at 6 bux really got me. 

The food was pretty good! I was actually surprised. I'm a big fan of chili sauce so the tangy sauce served with fried tofu and spring rolls  really added a kick to the appetizers.

The downside is that I normally eat around 630-7 PM and that's when it's really busy. They normally only have one staff member and one chef in the back, so it takes a while for orders to be taken and food to arrive. Last time, my appetizers came after my entree (whhhhattt?) 
So take note of that and plan to arrive on a semi-hungry stomach and not a dying-hungry one. I noticed some people with to-go orders to be impatient, since it seemed like they were waiting forever for their food. The upside to this note is that the menu is online (correction: I found out later there is not menu online..which makes it very difficult if you don't know what to order ahead of time).

It's definitely worth the try especially during happy hour!
3 - Jim D.: Super close to my office, so I come here very often. It's probably as solid as Thai 65, but sometimes can be super slow.

It's worth eating at, but not gourmet. I like their Pad Thai, but pass on their thai iced tea - WAY to sweet!
4 - Celeste T.: Good prices, good food, and very helpful/nice waiter. 

I had the green curry with tofu, it came in a largish but still reasonable bowl with two prettily perfect scoops of rice on the side and an orange slice. My friends had the fried rice and the Pad See Ew, with various meats. 

The curry was as spicy as I expected from my three stars, and had a great flavor. It had green peppers, eggplant, and some other stuff in it too. (Kaffir lime? Basil? Some green things :) 

My friends' food looked good, too. The fried rice is huge, and the Pad See Ew looked pretty yummy as well. 

The only odd thing is that they add a gratuity for parties of 5 or more. However, our waiter kindly wrote on each of the credit card slips that they'd added the gratuity. So that was super nice. 

The atmosphere is very pleasant - all the windows make it bright and sunny during the day. It's clean but not fancy, and the chairs are comfy enough.
4 - Richard T.: First off, this is coming from someone who dislikes many restaurants on the ave... so it should mean something!

We came in here with low expectations, but thai food with happy hour prices?! Who could resist giving this place a try. Typically, the dishes are $6.99; during happy hour 4pm-8pm weekdays and all day weekends all entrees are $5.99. This is definitely a steal for thai food! Oh, it is also cash only in order to get the happy hour discount! It isn't posted on the website, but there is a sign and the waitress tells you up front. No funny business! Okay so the food is cheap and the waitresses are friendly... on to the food!

We ordered a pad thai chicken (4 stars) and drunken noodles w/ fried tofu aka pad kee mao (4 stars) and both were surprisingly well put together! The pad thai was tasty and the spice was perfect. The chicken was a bit dry for my taste, but there are other meat choices. Asked for extra lime, she brought it without problems. The drunken noodles were very tasty and the tofu was perfectly fried. The vegetables included bell peppers, onion, cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli... which is much more than other thai restaurants. It was a pleasant surprise. Both dishes were a very good size for the price they were and also came with some rice. We are pretty particular about our thai food and this place definitely passed!

People were nice, food was good, price was right, space was a bit tight and didn't get much of a "thai" feel, but overall it was a pretty solid visit. Will definitely be back again and hopefully they keep it solid.

Two dishes for $13.18 after tax + tip is a steal...  give them a try :)
2 - Ben D.: Good prices, decent food, inconsistent spiciness (i.e. when I say 4 stars, I want it to actually be at least somewhat spicy), weird seating.

Why only 2 stars? First, we didn't need another thai place in the U-District. Second, we especially didn't need one at the expense of a place that served some great sandwiches and breakfasts!

They do still serve breakfast here. Props for that and the fact that it is reasonably priced. However, when I ordered the veggie scramble, it was advertised as containing tomato, onion, and spinach, I believe, but came with onion, carrots, broccoli, and tomato -- the veggies they use in their pad thai and other dishes. It even had the star-cut carrots. It actually wasn't that bad, but not as advertised. Also, only one refill on the coffee.

There are better options for both thai food and breakfast in the area. I think this place survives because it is cheap and because lazy students and faculty get to it before they get elsewhere.
4 - R H.: Prices: Deserves 5 stars.
Quality: 3-4 (But again, the prices are reasonable)
Taste: 4 (4-5 for the price bracket)

No, this isn't the best Thai restaurant in Seattle, but it is my favorite (as well as many of my friend's) on the ave. 

I'd recommend the pad-see-ewe and tom yum.
4 - Tyler H.: This is probably my favorite Thai food on the Ave.  While I won't claim the food is the best around (3 stars generally), the value is great. I tend to only eat there for the happy hour 3-8 pm (5.99 entrees). Service is good too, and it's really close to campus (the closest place to where I  work).

5 stars for music selection. The first time I sat down to eat here, they were playing the entire The Campfire Headphase album by Boards of Canada (one of my very favorites). I said something to the waiter, and he was like "uhhh.. okay?". Must have been the cook staff. Other times I've been there I've heard OK Computer and some other really great albums.
2 - Chris B.: Count me as one of those silly people who is reviewing something other than the food.  In general, Thai food has gotten kind of boring in Seattle, but some of their food is pretty good.  

They get two stars because of their silly happy hour.  I went here at 3:50PM.  I could have easily sat outside for 10 minutes, but I thought that since there was no one in the restaurant, no one would care if I was there 10 minutes before happy hour prices started.  Long story short, when I left, the lady said that I couldn't have happy hour prices because I came in before 4:00PM and they were very strict.  Were you so strict that I won't ever come back to your restaurant?  I guess so.  Don't worry, I'll tell all my friends about it too.
3 - Frank G.: Read as 2.5 stars...it has HH pricing! 

It's an OK restaurant that turns into a great spot for college students because of the Thai food at Happy Hour pricing. However, don't let that fool you, as it's only for students who are paying with cash (as far as I remember) so if you don't have cash on you and have a credit card, happy hour prices there are negated and coming here for other than maybe its relative location to Condon Hall (late class), or if you're a freshman living in the dorms of Terry/Lander, is basically useless as there are much better, albeit more expensive places to eat excellent Thai food on the Ave.

SERVICE: The service here could be better......I take it back, the service needs to improve 10 fold. But the reason why I'm giving it a *** rating is because I like the food here so +1 * . 

The service here however is absolutely horrendous............they for some reason have the smarts to hire 1.......................I repeat....ONE  waiter/waitress to serve almost the entire place which seats about 45-50 people. 


In other words what that means to you, the customer, is long periods of waiting, even for take out orders...I find myself oftentimes just going up to the counter to serve myself water.


Bottom line: Good for happy hour if you eat that early, otherwise don't waste your time. If you're a freshman go to your 1101 in that area and or hit up the 8. I go here rarely. Only if I'm in that area for happy hour and I'm absolutely craving this Banana Leaf I'll consider going but even at that I'd rather go to Little Thai which is much more consistent in spiciness, flavor, quality, etc.  ^^
4 - Nicole M.: I have tried several different Thai restaurants on the ave, and this one is by far my favorite. I love love love their pad see ew and thai tea. I absolutely love the waitresses, they are always so nice and cheerful!
The only downfall is that during happy hour, you must pay with cash in order to get the happy hour prices. I rarely ever have cash on me, which means regular menu prices. 
Banana leaf is great for college students who live in Terry/Lander. While I was living there, I was a regular because it was almost just across the street.
3 - Oliver S.: I've definitely experienced better Thai food (2-star), but overall I felt "OK" (3-stars) about Banana Leaf Cafe.

For the most part, I think Banana Leaf knows it's clientele and it's not trying to impress anyone with it's cuisine. Located on the corner of NE 40th and University, Banana Leaf is surrounded by University buildings. Thus, the restaurant has a consistent customer base as a function of their convenient location. As a result, I think much of the way Banana Leaf works is a function of the demands put upon them by these loyal customers. Usually, this means fast meals (that at least are average on the tastiness).

Banana Leaf creates freshly made meals fast and the taste is average. It's great if you're trying to catch a meal between classes or during a lunch break and you want something freshly prepared.

I've ordered the swimming rama, pad thai, and pad see ew here, and I've appreciated them all. For most of the dishes, you get to chose the type of meat you would like to include (i.e., chicken, beef, seafood, or tofu meat!). Each meal comes with a cup of rice and salad garnish on the side. I've also had their fresh rolls which are pretty standard. Nothing out of the ordinary. The portions are appropriately sized; they don't give so much that you'll have to goody bag some of it.

They have an extended happy hour on the weekdays (4pm-close) and weekends (12pm-8pm) that makes this place more worth it, but you have to pay cash in order to get the happy hour price.

Overall, Banana Leaf is okay. Perfect for those times where you can't really commit to a complete sit down experience, but you aren't necessarily on-the-go either.
3 - Anna F.: LOVE their Pad See Ew!! 
Tried all the places on the Ave and it's the only place that's not too oily to give you that after thai food acid reflux. The portions are great for the price especially if you come durning Happy Hour! ONLY $6!! (if you pay cash)

Favorite: Pad See Ew, thick shredded rice noodle and less sweet than the Pad Thai :)
Darn to try: Green Curry, super good! even better if you get the combo so you can get pad thai too!
Note: They aren't as spicy as other restaurants so add a couple stars to what even you order if you want hot!

A Must Eat on the Ave! Clean, friendly, and great ambiance!
4 - Angie K.: Good lunch spot, and today I noticed a sign saying if you pay cash at dinner (4-8 PM) you get a "happy hour" price of $5.99. If you use your plastic, you pay full price, which is still mostly around $6.99, with a few slightly more expensive items.

Of the Thai places on the Ave, this is one of the best, and by far the cleanest and most well-lit (with two walls of windows looking out on the street. The menu is limited to about 20 items, mostly sort of "lunch plate" style items (entree with a scoop of rice) with a few combos and appetizers. They have all the Thai classics and when I order 3-star spicy, they gave me actual spicy food (not the whitegirl 3-star I get in some places). Service is quick and friendly.
4 - heather s.: very good. got combo meal and i like that u can choose whichever 2 dishes u want from the menu. i had pad see iw and cashew tofu - both were excellent - although i did ask for no mushrooms and onions and they left them in - allergic to them but i picked them out. service was very fast. took off one star for leaving in stuff i didnt want and for the cramped area. 
sorry other people got yelled at. my girl was nice. a lot of people were getting take out and i could see why since u are practically sitting on the persons lap next to u.
4 - Amy G.: Yummy thai for a great price.  Got the combo meal.  I had panang curry with tofu and phad thai with tofu.  Both were really tasty.  Also the portions were great for the price - I just finished the leftovers and they left me wanting to go back!
4 - David X.: Banana Leaf is not really authentic Thai food - but don't let that get you down. I personally think it's the best amongst the bunch of Americanized Thai restaurants near UW. And it has $1 off during happy hour if you pay with cash.

My favorite is probably the Drunken Noodles or the Rad Nah. Yes, they are a little bit sweet but not overly sweet like some other UW Thai restaurants are prone to. For $5.99 during happy hour, it's a great value. The taste will not amaze you but it's definitely more than satisfying for your typical college meal.

The only complaint I have is that the spiciness is really inconsistent. They say you can order up to unlimited stars in spiciness but when I ordered 7 stars once, it was less spicy than when I ordered 5 stars. I guess they thought I was joking when I said 7 stars and made it 7 out of 10 stars. Next time I'll just say as spicy as possible to avoid confusion. And they charge excessive gratuity when you come with 5+ people but every other Thai restaurant does that too.
4 - Angela S.: Seriously. This place is so good! I still have yet to try anything other than their pad thai because I love it so much! Maybe next time; you never know!

Also, EVERY time I come here, I run into somebody I know. It's uncanny.

I would come here even if it wasn't so convenient to campus. The food is good, the service is quick and friendly, and it's a cute little cafe. 

One negative thought: They could  use some shades for the window. The sun is a little too shiny-in-your-eyes sometimes.
3 - Sarah L.: It makes me sad that I can only give them three stars. 

I used to really really like this place. It was convenient, super close to where I studied all the time, super good service and I could always call in to make my orders to-go and jet out of there after getting my food. Food was/is mediocre thai food, but pretty good portions. Oh, and their happy hour is great with only $5.99 for most entrees (you have to pay with cash to get this price, however)

But for me, restaurants should always be consistent with their food. I know when you have more than one person making the food, which is a lot of places, it is harder to do, but lately it has been dramatically inconsistent. It is such a hit or a miss and I don't like my food playing games with me! Some days, it will be super good and other days it is soooo bland and dry. 
Another minor quirk, I always ask for extra lime in my to-go order and they always seem to "forget." Consistently.
3 - Alice L.: Its not bad but I've had some ups and downs with this place. I've always gone here when I was still in UW as a college student trying to find something good to eat. The phad thai can sometimes be a hit or miss. And one time my boyfriend ordered something a pad sew ew for three stars but it came out to be the spiciest dish with red pepper flakes all over like it was above a 5 star dish. Sometimes I had mushy rice...

But when its a hit the flavors are right and the spice and for the price its alright. They have their happy hour prices which is basically $1 off each dish at certain times during the weekdays and all day weekends but only if you pay with cash. Today I went for the first time in a while since I've graduated and the portions were so big!! So that's a plus! And my boyfriend's mom did enjoy the food. We ordered the fried rice and phad thai. We both liked the fried rice. The phad thai was okay, I've tasted better but it was fine. I can eat it later for another meal! Brought home the leftovers! Overall I was glad because my boyfriend's mom is a picky eater and she approved.
2 - Madeline T.: "Meh. I've experienced better." - Perfect way to describe Banana Leaf Cafe, thanks Yelp. 

Its saving grace is the fact that it's literally a walk away from my friend's dorm, and that if you pay with cash you get Happy Hour prices ($5.99 for Pad Thai? Don't mind if I do). 

We went on a Thursday night and there were two other tables besides our party of five. We all ordered Pad Thai in varying shades of stars (from the mildest 0 stars to the spiciest 5 stars) and meat (chicken, beef, tofu). 

The wait for our food was excrutiatingly long that we began watching the construction worker going for a joy ride on the tractor outside the window. Our server would come to our table every fifteen minutes to tell us, "Sorry, we're very busy... I know you hungry but it's coming in five minutes okay?" Fourty-five minutes later, we get our food. 

And it's meh. The serving is plentiful, yes, with a side of rice along with a giant plate of Pad Thai, but the flavor to me was so just meh. It felt like it was missing something, maybe even mixed with the Pad See Iew or something. It was just...off. Still edible, but didn't quite taste like the same sweet, peanutty Pad Thai that I am used to. Two stars (slightly spicy) had like no spicy factor to it at all.

Meh. I'd rather walk a couple blocks up to some other Thai place.
4 - Dominique F.: I don't understand why this place gets so many low reviews, but then again: I've been eating the same dish everytime I came here and didn't really try anything else.
The Pad See Ew is delicious though!!! Seriously, get it and for the price during happy hour you can't beat it. Be aware though that you'll need cash to get the happy hour price!

Enjoy :)
4 - Candace F.: I spent many long nights across the street at the now demolished Theatre Design Studio.  This place always had great food at a great price.  The portions are pretty big.  Go during happy hour to get an even better deal.  I've tried most things from the menu... the panang is pretty good, as is the pad see ew and the good old fashioned fried rice.  I would recommend Banana Leaf to anyone who wants a quick, inexpensive, and tasty meal.
4 - Dustin H.: I've passed by this place many times but haven't dined until very recently.  The menu has a decent selection of curries, noodles, etc. for good prices.  Happy hour rates are cash only.  The interior is bright and cheery and wait staff sufficiently nice.

I went in for an early dinner of Pad see ew, which was tasty.  My only complaint is that the food arrived at an unnecessarily long interval between my friend's dish and mine.  It wasn't busy, so I hope this isn't a bigger problem during peak hours.
4 - Michael N.: "Great food takes time"

4 stars. And I'm not talking about my spice level. The food at Banana Leaf is delicious. The pad thai comes near perfect all the time ( they forgot a lime one time, but no biggie). I can see that the cooks at Banana pay attention to detail for every dish that goes out. Massive props for a place that's consistently busy.

Your patience will be rewarded if you decide to dine here. 

Tips:
-pay with cash
- avoid the lunch and dinner time rush
-prepare to wait at least 15 minutes or more (yes, I timed it)
4 - Susan N.: Good thai food. But  very awkward with the whole pay with cash for happy hour, only because they ran out of change. He couldn't break a 20 so i was scrounging to pay 6.59 (total for pad thai with tax, not bad!). I wasnt able to tip because I had no more money.  Next time I'll bring my card, although it is a bummer to have to pay extra for each entree when using a card.

Good food. I almost gave 3 stars but I felt bad because the service was good and so was the food. Maybe because it was 6pm on Sunday night.
4 - Maria G.: I have been there once for dinner. It was very crowded and I had to wait for about 15 minutes for the food. The staff was friendly but the service was only okay.
4 - Tyler N.: I usually order to go here and the waitress is very helpful. Most of the time the food I order is ready when I arrive in about 15mins. My favorite dish here is the cashew chicken and the Vietnamese vermicelli with bbq pork.  I would say the portion is small for the price you pay for the Vietnamese bbq pork dish, but the taste makes up for it. The vegetables are usually fresh which is a bigggg plus. The thai food is decent compared to other thai restuarants on the ave. Many times the pad thai taste a little dry to me.
4 - Tory J.: This is my go-to place on the Ave for consistently delicious Thai food. Unlike many of the others, I have yet to hear complaints about heath code violations or general gross-outs while dining. This place was a little-known gem when it first opened 2 years ago but it has now been discovered due to the high quality food and large portions for such a reasonable price. They have even extended their $5.99 entree happy hour (cash only) to 4-9:30pm I think. The only downside is that with their well-deserved success, the rushes have become crazy and the small staff sometimes has a difficult time keeping up with the demand. Unless I'm meeting friends for food I tend to order out during happy hour. The pad thai and the pad see ew are equally delicious but I tend to favor the pad see ew with fried tofu. There is something about the proportion of noodle to veggies to tofu to egg to spice that can't be beat! Also- if you're absolutely starving or can't decide on just one thing the combo plate is the way to go- 2 entrees of slightly smaller proportions for $9. Satisfying and plenty of leftovers for that midnight snack or tomorrow's lunch.
4 - katya l.: This place is great. $5.99 entrees during happy hour, 4-9.30, cash only, so that you're able to escape having only spent a total of $8 and carrying a full takeout box because their portions are enormous. The service has always been fast and courteous, although they are a bit slow at times about water refills. Last time, we grabbed a pitcher from the bar (a big group of us was seated in the back bar) and they seemed to get the hint.

The food is consistently good. The pad thai is delicious, as is the tom yum noodle soup. Spice level is hearty, so consider ordering a star below your normal pick. I've never had a dish here I didn't like.
4 - Stephanie C.: I wished I knew about this place when I was still knee-deep at UW. I found out about this place a few months before graduations. 4-8pm HH and all day Sunday I think? $5.99 for Thai food? SOLD! 

It's pretty solid Thai food, service is nice albiet disorganized sometimes, very cramped and not good for large groups. Cash only for HH prices... two noodle dishes came out to $13.18 pre-tip. YUM!

I'd come back if I happen to be in the area, but sadly I'm not.
2 - Kevin C.: The food was ok, acceptable but not great. Service was mediocre, and the staff i feel is kind of incompetent. 

I had the phad thai and it wasn't spectacular. It was a bit on the salty side, the color of it is way different than most other thai places, I think they use soy sauce, where as most thai places don't.

On top of that, they have a "cash only" happy hour, this is the part that ticked me off, because they post outside "happy hour from x-pm to x-pm" but when you go in and sit down, it says CASH ONLY for happy hour prices. Bait and switch!
4 - Alex H.: One of my favorite affordable Thai joints in town! My favorite dish here is the Pad Kee Mao. I'm pretty picky when it comes to the right squishiness of noodles but they've got it down pat.  As mentioned by countless others, be sure to come here for their happy-hour 6$ specials for (almost) all entrees with cash, which seems to be pretty much active all the time. It doesn't hurt that they've got a nice sense of decor and a chill music mix to give the right atmosphere.
4 - lauren d.: Thank God we finally found decent thai food in Seattle. I've been living here for almost a year and all the thai places we've checked out have been failures (what's all this hype about thai ginger? yuck). Thai food is my favorite but here I've learned to run away quickly the moment someone says they want to get some thai food. I just didn't do that this this time, thank goodness. 

I got the pad see lew and my friend got the pad thai. It took them a while to prepare the dishes :( but they finally brought them out. These dishes didn't taste like the typical ones we had in chicago resturants (trust me, its pretty legit over there) but they were still good. I wasn't expecting much anyways. 

Oh yeah, they are very serious with their SPICY rankings. They let you choose from 1 to 5 how spicey you want your dish. I choose 2 (medium) and I was actually sniffling after! It had more than just a kick to it! 

My complaint with the service is that my glass was dirty (ew!), the water they poured in it was lukewarm, and they never refilled our glasses which is a first for me. 

Overall, I'd say this place is pretty good and I'll be going back for sure. I just recomend going with TAKE OUT so you don't have to deal with sloppy service and gross glasses.
2 - Angela K.: their phad see yew: dry, burnt rubber taste, and overcooked/soggy noodles. go to Bai Tong Thai in redmond/bellevue if you don't mind venturing outside of seattle
4 - Sherry S.: I was surprised to find this place had turned into a Thai restaurant (or cafe, whatever you want to call it). What stood out for me when I got here were the signs on the table that said Happy Hour. Darn, too bad we were too early :) 
Anyway, I ended up getting my usual when I don't know what to get - Phad Kee Mao. I swear I wasn't that hungry but it was pretty darn delicious! It had the exact Kee Mao flavor that I love - the noodles were the right texture and color, and I was able to enjoy the whole thing with a smile. My cousin had the phad thai and it was pretty darn delicious too! 
Service was great and I would gladly come back again. Not a bad place to try out.
4 - Jake L.: The Pad See Ew and BBQ pork are worthy of a try but the spice level is inconsistent a 3 star sometimes tastes like a 4 or 2... etc. but overall the food is delicious, I do recommend giving this place a try!
4 - Jenn L.: Super spicy pad thai? Oh, yes.

Even as a spice enthusiast, I can tell you that their 5-star scale is RIGGED. As in, if you usually get 3 star, you should get 1, maybe 2 on a good day. That being said, I usually get 5, and the first time I had a 5-star pad thai from here I thought I was going to die... Since then, I've gotten accustomed to the ridiculous spiciness of the dish (that should tell you how often I've been... I AM a UW student after all) and I'm addicted.

Their happy hour cash deal for 5.99 is a steal since they also give you a huuuuuuge portion, but if you're eating in, be prepared for pretty poor service. They're crazy busy, and severely understaffed during those hours. Also, their chairs are way too low set for their tables... It's awkward. Get take out!
5 - Annette C.: Really great Phad Thai in a relaxed atmosphere.  Friendly service and reasonably priced.
2 - Linda V.: Don't get me wrong. This place isn't disgustingly terrible, but there are SO many thai places not only in the Greater Seattle area, but specifically in the U-District. Competition is tough and if you aren't particularly memorable, then..... Well...

The food was ok. It wasn't that good. I got Pad Thai with chicken. It was really mediocre, and I had a bunch left over, but I didn't even want to box it because if it wasn't that good fresh, the thought of eating it day old was even less appealing to me.

PROS:
- It's nice and clean
- Staff is pleasant and friendly enough
- Very convenient for UW students, particularly the dorm kids I'd assume. 

CONS:
- Food was seriously whatever. Forgettable. If not forgettable, then memorable in the sense that it really wasn't that good

I only went because I went with a younger crowd-- a bunch of UW students still living in the Udistrict. I'd skip out next time. They seemed to not mind their food, probably because they don't often venture out of the Ud to find better. I know that for me personally..I'm not paying that much for a plate of sub-par pad thai again.
2 - Harley P.: I'm a local (my college building is just across the street of this restaurant) and I would like to rate Banana Leaf for 2 stars only for the following reasons:

1. The taste of their dish is not consistent. As a real frequent visitor I can tell you sometimes their dish is salty, sometimes oily, sometimes too dry. It is not stable. When you are lucky you get really good food. And you know their price is probably the best on the whole University Way. But when you are unlucky...especially at their peak time...wow, frequent visitors all know what "wow" means.

2. the owner is obviously trying too hard to save money. Tell me, how can a restaurant only hire 2 waitress (one of them has to do cashier work) at peak time when it has over 30 seats/18 tables in its interior?
Incredible, again.  (locals know what im talking about. We hate to go there at noon time. It is extremely slow)

3. I dont know this is a cultural thing or what....a waitress once asked me for higher tip. The same waitress once asked my friend for tip before he did the tipping action. (when my friend put his cash back to his wallet and was thinking how much to tip, the waitress said to him: "tip please".)
Unbeleivable! Who trained this waitress? Is this appropriate?
5 - Amy S.: As a local student living in the U-district I've tired almost every Thai restaurant on the ave. I'm giving Banana leaf a 5 star rating because it has never failed to let me down. I always get the combo special,  two entrees for 8.99!!! Definitely the best deal anywhere and they're full sized entrees! My chicken phad thai and thai fried rice is always outstanding! The only thing is the dishes always lean toward the spicier side so if you order two star you might end up with a three star dish. They are definitely understaffed but I have always received friendly great  service, my water glass is never empty. My husband and I stopped going there for about 4 months because we moved and now it's a bit out of the way. When we returned last week the server recognized us and asked us where have we been and remembered what we order!  If that isn't outstanding service I don't know what is. Banana leaf is the only Thai restaurant I will ever eat at in Seattle!
4 - Alex T.: Two words: HAPPY HOUR.

Seriously. 6 dollar pad thai, pad see ew, drunken noodles, etc? Their dishes have generous servings, taste great, and have just the right amount of spice for me. Clean, vibrant atmosphere, and decent service.

Only warning though: pay in CASH for happy hour.
3 - s z.: it's good, not great.  it's close to campus.  their curries are meh.  pad thai is meh.  their thai iced teas are meh.  their seating capacity is meh.  the amount of people in there at any given time makes me say "meh".  it's meh.

it's food.  it ranks a little off the "meh" median and onto the "pretttttttyyyyyyyyy preeettyyyyyyyy good" (david cross reference) side.
1 - Sterling K.: Food is definitely isn't as good as people say it is.  I can deal with that.  The service was extremely slow; probably the slowest service I've ever had.  We waited 40 mins for the food and then 10 more mins for the check...which we asked for 3 times.  Then when we went up to pay, I didn't tip.  The waitress said, "if you don't know how to tip, look at this sheet."  Worst service ever.
3 - Jordan C.: I've written a review on Banana Leaf before and as you would find out if you read it, I gave it a five stars.  Banana Leaf is great. Just don't do take-out.  It's not that the food is bad, it just seems like the portion is smaller.  So if you have time, I definitely recommend eating in and take your time to enjoy the food!
2 - Lyna N.: First of all, the service is eh .. I really do not like servers/cashiers who pressure you into tipping them. That seriously does not make me want to tip them. My friend and I paid separately and she didn`t tip, so the cashier was talking to me about how tip works and shit. Well, I was planning to tip anyways because I liked the Tom Yum noodle soup I got but c'mon ... But anyways it's an ok place. 

I would have rated 3, but it gets 2 stars now for the tip thirsty woman. It seriously is annoying.
4 - Rachel A.: Cheap if you have cash
Good group seating, but beware:
No liquor license!
3 - Rich X.: Pros: I ordered the phad thai and I got a big dish with rice and noodles. Really cheap for the amount of food you get and the service is really friendly!

Cons: The food was only ok. Pretty plain phad thai and the rice was long grain and cheap. 

Overall only mediocre
1 - Jennifer B.: One time too many.

With as many Thai places on the Ave. I'm surprised they didn't have better service. I waited 40 minutes for my take out order. There's no place to wait so eventually after getting the door slammed into me many times I waited out in the cold When I first got there it was busy but after 30 min. it wasn't and I still hadn't gotten my food. I got the phad see ew with beef and it had about 3 pieces of beef. Once is enough and not coming back.
2 - Michael M.: Nice decor but...

The green curry was watery and definitely not the 5 stars I asked for.
The phad thai was lumpy and not well mixed.
There was not enough rice for amount of curry that came with it.
And it wasn't even busy at the time.

With all the other Thai restaurants on the Ave, I don't think I'll be back for a while.
4 - Annie L.: They have the best rice noodles on the ave!! phad thai, drunken noodles...they are all delicious! I cant stop going back.

the only thing I have to complain about it is that the staff aren't really that friendly..and often they demand for more tip from people, which I find quite rude.
4 - Lauren B.: Fast friendly service - we bonded over playing Draw Something on our phones. Delicious garlic chicken with plentiful rice. In and out at lunch time in maybe 20 minutes, perfect for a workday. Love it!

Update: came back for a late lunch and got the Pad Ka Pow, which was super delicious and again absurdly fast. Also, pay with cash 4-8pm M-F and all day weekends to get happy hour prices, in this case meaning I paid $5.99 instead of $6.99. Mathematical!
3 - Chris C.: Cheapest Thai on the ave (with cash). Extremely rude staff regarding tips though, and slow service during busy times.
2 - May N.: Food is decent.  Glad that there is a happy hour option - but it's cash only

I'm writing because of the RIDICULOUS tipping policies.  It has become infamous for mandatory tip.  If you have 4+ people it's an auto 18% gratuity.  Don't get me wrong, I usually tip fairly well (15% minimum).  But for only serving FOUR people with mediocre to crap service, 18% is not deserved.  

To top it off, if you don't tip or don't tip "enough", they admonish you for it.  Some of my friends run out the door to avoid the awkward "well, I didn't tip a lot because you didn't do anything to deserve it" moment.  

I'll stick to Little Thai.  It's closer to more things on the ave and nicer service.
5 - Brandon H.: Great Thai place on the Ave! Great Happy Hour prices (with cash), and a nice big table for large groups.
5 - Mahdi M.: It's a cute restaurant, lots of light and friendly staff. They have a dish here that I might actually kill over. I don't remember the name, but it's a Vietnamese inspired vermicelli noodle bowl with grilled/barbecued pork, fresh fruit, fresh veggies and a dressing very unique to the original. I haven't been able to try anything else. It's literally the best thing ever.
2 - Jessica G.: I've been here five different times now, deciding if I like the place or not. A lot of my friends don't like to go here any more because of the service mainly. They have been lectured on tipping (I'm not really sure who taught them that this is appropriate). 

I've noticed a few things about this place. The food is very inconsistent. I've ordered several things off their menu, the traditional pad thai being one. I was not impressed. I have ordered the Phanaeng curry at 5 stars, expecting some spice, but there was none. The curry was incredibly runny and an overwhelming amount of onions in it. Three out of the five times I've been here, the food was alright. The other two times were enough to make me not want to go back

They do have a happy hour here for cash only which is from 4pm to 8pm. It's not an impressive happy hour by any means (I think its actually a dollar off original price), but the prices in general are pretty low here anyways, which is nice.

The atmosphere is alright. It lives up to the "cafe" part, because it is smaller (and does serve coffee). The decor is nice and simple. When it gets busy during lunch, it is a loud place. The service isn't that great either. 

I give it two stars because the prices are good, food is edible. But I would recommend choosing one of the other (there are many to choose from in this location) thai places.
2 - Lily N.: I love Thai food and I used to firmly believe that it is a cuisine that is near impossible to mess up but this place has proven me wrong.  We ordered green curry (medium-hot), pad thai (medium), and the combo of panang curry (hot) and pad see ew (also hot.)  The green curry was like eating sweet coconut cream.  The 'medium' pad thai was unevenly seasoned where it was sweet on one side of the dish and more than 'medium' hot on the other: it was almost unbearably spicy for a medium.  The panang was also extremely sweet and the pad see ew was a salt bomb!  I'm not saying I'm a thai food expert but this was the first time I did not finish my food not because I was full but because it was just that unhappy to eat!

Extra two cents:  The service was decent; we were seated right away and the waitresses refilled our water glasses often.  Our food came out relatively fast but be warned! Parties of four or more are charged an 18% gratuity which is understandable but a little off-putting since it's typically larger parties that have gratuity attached.  

I'd definitely recommend other Thai eateries closer up the Ave but if you ever find yourself at the end of it, Banana Leaf would be an okay place to feed a non-picky, extremely hungry stomach.
4 - Gotapia T.: Best pad see ew on the ave! Service has been better lately. Happy hour is nice, except it is only if you have cash....

Banana Republic - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2811928, -120.6609595) ()
3 - Maria C.: This BR was pretty small, but great location is in the heart of SLO. Decided to walk in just to see what they offered. I kinda noticed that the employees are a little older??? Interesting... 

For a week day, the line was a bit long to make a purchase. Somewhat annoyed...

The clearance items were all an additional 30% off. I scored a cute gold/silver going out clutch for $30! NICE!!!
4 - Jon K.: Ok, so most of my clothes do come from hear, and I am very happy with the fit, style, and the deals I have been able to get hear. I always take advantage of the sales and promotions and my wife and I even recently used the credit card for two months during a triple rewards promo for all our expenses and paid it off right away and we ended up getting a few hundred dollars in free clothes! not bad :)
4 - Timmy S.: It's a smaller version of most any Banana Republic. It's well stocked and I found some good deals on shirts in the men's sale area. What prompts me to even write anything about this store is that the staff here is fantastic. Everyone was eons more friendly and helpful than what you find in most clothing stores.
1 - Claire J.: I love Banana Republic and its clothes, but the service at this particular store is awful! The last time I went in the store, some of the workers were very condescending. I just spoke to one on the phone who was not willing to help look for a type of shoe because I did not know the exact style name (it is no longer on the website- so I was trying to describe it to her). She treated me like I was an idiot- not okay. Customer Service needs a BIG upgrade here.

Banana Republic - Atlanta, GA (33.7841674, -84.3977345) (Georgia Tech, Westside / Home Park)
4 - Katie W.: This is the closest Banana Republic store to me so when I go to Banana Republic, this is the one I usually go to.  I think Atlantic Station parking is annoying when I am just trying to run into this store for a quick visit so I try to go during the week before lunchtime; at this time of day I can usually find a metered parking spot on one of the streets near BR which is so much easier.  If I don't find a street spot, I just don't go in.

This store seems much smaller than many other Banana Republic stores.  It still has a lot of variety and many products, but not as much as at other stores.  They don't have a petites section and the sale racks are significantly smaller than at other stores.  The dressing rooms are nice and spacious and I have never seen a waiting line for them, even during more peak times, although I am sure they do have a line from time to time.  

The staff members at this store are always really nice and helpful.  They help find things, offer advice in fitting rooms, handle returns and run the checkout very well, and are downright friendly while doing so.  Sometimes the checkout line is very long but they seem to get through it fairly quickly and pleasantly.

For the size and variety at this store, I would give it 3 stars but the pleasant staff earned it another star.
4 - Ivan S.: So I recognize that my Asian self proclaiming an unnatural and unholy love for Banana Republic is akin to extolling the virtues of fuzzy logic rice cookers and bragging about my collection of Hello Kitty merchandise.  It's downright embarrassing to fit so easily into this stereotype and one that, probably up until now, only other Asians knew about. But I do what I must.

Now I'm old enough to remember the Banana Republic of yesteryear, a strange spinoff capitalizing on Indiana Jones and surplus military gear.  I also know that some give it a bad rap by referring to it as Old Navy's scaled up cousin.  Seriously though, I always seem to find what I want from Banana Republic.  Granted, I also tend to wear solid colors with tailored, conservative lines and, to me, black is usually the new black...and the old black, unless you're talking about gray. So their selection is, ahem, tailor-made for my closet.  Also, because I'm not rail thin, cigarettes and manorexia sufficiently unappealing to me, BR's stretch fabric does wonders for my fit.  So take that Sisley and shove it where the Eurotrash don't shine.

So from one Banana to another, 4 stars.
3 - Ken T.: I don't mind me some BR from time to time, though I consistently feel pretty underwhelmed by their design, fits, and selection. This store is not any different. It is a lot smaller than the Lenox location for obvious reasons, but the selection carried is pretty limited as well. This was very apparent when I saw that 80% of the men's sale section was the same shirt in different sizes, while the women's ranks were bursting with clothes hangers. The store was very neat and organized, so the empty spaces were clearly displayed.

Either all the guys raided this place and plundered in their work appropriate spoils.... or maybe the employees are just as bored with the brand, like most of us are, to care.
3 - B B.: I like Banana Republic, in general, for a conservative, straight-laced, look that doesn't scream 1959.  Also, their jeans are great.  They are reasonably priced and look/feel almost as good as the really expensive stuff (luke Nudie or True Religion).  Yes, those other jeans are better.  But, are they really $200 better?  Not to me.

This location is my favorite in Atlanta.  Nice people, attractive store, good selection.  The necessary sizes are available.  This should not be taken for granted!
4 - Joshua R.: One trend that you will see throughout most of the reviews is the amicability of the staff, which isn't always the case at other retail stores in Atlantic Station. I've been to this location a couple of times and have never been disappointed (except when I've picked up an article of clothing that looks perfect and then quickly realized that is ridiculously expensive). 

Their selection is great and the store's inventory of dress attire is hard to beat. If you wear business casual attire on a regular basis then Banana Republic should be on your short list of places to shop. 

An added benefit to this particular location is that Old Navy and Gap are right next door - so finding something that you like at the right price isn't terribly difficult.
4 - Dru M.: I heart Banana Republic...from their gorgeous clothes to lovely accessories to beautiful purses to delicious perfumes...it's pure heaven to me. And this location is one of my favorites. Not only does it sit within Atlantic Station (another one of my go to places), but a great size with a large sale section and very friendly employees.  

Note - parking garage no longer offers first 2 hours for free, but if you go during the day/week...there's a good amount of parking on the street. Just make sure to bring quarters for the meter. 

Overall...whether you want a new suit, fragrance, scarf or just in the mood to browse...here's a place for you!

Banana Republic - Seattle, WA (47.6632853, -122.300746) (University District)
4 - RowerRob C.: good fit
4 - Kat F.: I love this place...I usually hit U Village to check out a sale at Gap and then make my way over to Banana Republic.  I blow right past the full priced stuff on the manequins and head for the sale racks in the back.  I think on an average day they have more items on sale/clearance than they do regular items.  I can usually find something cute for a reasonable price.  Tip: if you love that top but they don't have it in your color or size on sale anymore, come back in a couple of days.  They seem to get pretty backed up with the fitting room rejects and it often takes them a while to put stuff back on the floor.
4 - Chad Y.: I am a big fan of Banana Republic for the styles, fit, and price...I usually hit up this location at U-Village simply on the basis that it has readily available parking, they offer a really good selection, and they usually have a fantastic sale section. 

The staff have been really accommodating when I have wanted something in particular and they didn't have my size. On many occasions they have called other locations to see if it were available and have had it put on hold. I seriously felt like I was getting a Nordstrom experience...but at a Banana Republic! Who would have thought!
5 - Cathy S.: This is my favorite Banana Republic in all of the greater Seattle area and the Eastside.  Like another reviewer stated, this location ALWAYS has tons of stuff on sale.  I always find shirts and pants in the sale rack here that are more than 30% off the original prices.

They also have a decent sized petite section and I can usually find the smaller sizes on the first visit, without calling around to other area stores.  Everyone is very helpful here and personable when you check out at the counter.  I normally wouldn't review stores, but this one is just fabulous.
5 - Samantha E.: It's a chain so it's pretty much like every other Banana Republic you've ever been too-- except for they actually have a petite section with stuff in stock!  Being vertically challenged, it's always frustrating to go into a store and be told "oh, we carry that online!"  I can't try it on online, can I?  Customer service is friendly and helpful, too.  Definitely a good store.
5 - Ninette C.: The people here know me.  They do at the Bellevue Square location too. 

Banana Republic pretty much epitomizes my style and this store is nice and big, has parking (sort of, but look at least they offer it unlike the downtown location) and a petites section! Overall, the sales people are pretty nice and give me coupons. 

I was just here Monday! haha
5 - Michelle C.: Great customer service & great sales!
5 - Ryan N.: Smaller men's selection compared to their Downtown Seattle store. 
Only thing this store is missing is the Men's Monogram collection. 
Always my best bet to find my size here.

Staff customer service is EXCELLENT at this location - floaters, cashiers, fitting room attendants, all the way down to their inventory check.

The company as a whole rarely had any promotions early on. But that all changed in the past 2 years (props to their marketing/sales dept). Weekly sales throughout the year (40% off Wednesdays). Biggest bang for the buck are duing the end of season sales where sale items are additionally marked down.

QUICKTIP: signup up for the email notificaions to get the deals!
2 - A. B.: Do yourself a favor and just go to the Downtown store. There's never anyone in their men's section who can help. This really doesn't bother me but when I go to pay they have the nerve to ask who was helping me out. You guys obviously know there's no one working mens. Also, downtown carries a lot more because they stock the full collection.
5 - Michelle D.: Came in again tonight...and wanted to update to note that shopping here is SO MUCH BETTER than other places and that they have a ton of new stuff in, which means the sale section is pretty huge right now. A lot of good garb at 30% off! Another cool new thing: PERFUME! I'm a perfume slut so this is exciting for me but I realize your mileage may vary. That being said, if you like fresh new scents that don't overdo it, it would behoove you to come in and check out their new stuff. Wildbloom is a fruity floral breath of fresh air that won't overwhelm you or your date...unless you elect to bathe in it, and that's clearly going to be your fault. I can admit that I wasn't shopping for perfume, but I bought it on the spot....sucker, or girl with superb taste? You decide. 

Also want to give some real props to Daniel who works here. Dan is the man. Helpful, polite, and yet non-intrusive. He's always doing his thing and starting me a room before I know I need it - like even if I am holding one thing. How does he know soon my arms will be loaded up with sweaters, slacks, suits, etc.?! He just knows. My idea of excellent service in any setting includes anticipating the needs of the customer and providing products they may not even know they need yet. Dan is on that like white on rice. Boy knows his stuff too. He doesn't mess around and tells you exactly where the sale stuff is, what it is, and where the new collections are. Done and dusted. Hey, don't have a Banana Card yet? He'll tell you why you should make it happen.  

I LOVE THIS STORE.
1 - pitter k.: Warning to non-white customers: 

Don't expect to get good customer service here; or service anywhere near the level of all the white customers in the store.  

I have been to this location three times.  Three strikes, you're out.  Each time I've gone to the store, I've had multiple saleswomen ignore me but then greet every white customer who enters.  White customers get asked quicker and more often if they'd like to start a fitting room, and same thing for once they've tried on their clothes.

I've asked myself if the treatment I receive is not because of my skin color but because I've been dressed more casually than others in the store.  If that's the case, then I feel like the store is taking a page right out of Pretty Woman.

I'm pretty disappointed by the trend at this Banana Republic, but it's certainly not the first time I've experienced this.  (Anthropologies all over the country, I am looking at you.)

Banana Republic - Princeton, NJ (40.3498015, -74.6615594) ()
3 - Jacquelin K.: My heart wants to give Banana 5 stars based on the exceptional experience I had today, but my mind cannot allow it....  Overall, Banana's pricing is ridiculous and prohibits the vast majority of folks from shopping here on a regular basis.  I'm also not in love with the women's line, which I find to be too muted for my tastes.  But with that said, great customer service is hard to come by these days & it can be found here.  

I visited during what must have been a low traffic time, although I can't imagine this place really has any high traffic periods.  While looking through blazers and shirts, I asked the manager for his opinion on sizing and he engaged me in a conversation about an item's styling and pricing.  He even tried it on to demonstrate the fit.  There was no pressure--just a genuine interest in talking to me about the product, and I appreciated it since I know very little about guy clothes.  I was also asked several times throughout my visit if I'd like them to take my selections to the register.  Although this is clearly a maneuver to turn a maybe-purchase into an actual purchase, it's nice to get the crap out of your hands when you're digging through racks.  

So hurrah for interpersonal skill & mens style, but boo for pricing & ladies style.  If you have the wallet and the taste for it, there are great times to be had at BR.
2 - Nadia B.: I don't typically (or ever) rate actual chain store locations but this service was so horrible that I needed to. I usually find assistance or someone asking me if I needed help but the three women at this store barely cracked a smile. I did not receive a "hello" as others did when they walked in. 

I usually receive some style tips if I ask a question (especially from what BR sells it's employees as style consultants) but I received a crappy pretentious reply about the "season" that item was from, and she turned away really quick. 

Also, I find this particular location is really late on sales compared to other locations, and I'm sure it has something to do with the Princetonian kids who probably pay full-price for items even though the sale rack has an identical item (slightly exaggerated, but I'm annoyed and its allowed). 

Manager of BR.. I went 1/27 afternoon and did not like a young lady that worked their in particular, or any of the three employees there since I was NOT once asked if I needed help with anything (and we were there for 30 minutes). 

A little bit of style assistance and "that looks nice" would have encouraged me to make a purchase on the $140 blazer I liked but they were too pretentious; I rather go to another location and getting real BR assistance.

Banana Republic - Pittsburgh, PA (40.451478, -79.932874) (Shadyside)
4 - miss l.: I know they are evil, but I can't help myself. Try living three blocks away. I don't know why, but I love everything they are selling.
4 - Michal A.: Now listen here, I do not shop in Banana Repulic in Miami. But you know what they say, "When in Rome"..er .. Pittsburgh. 
Wandering in with a skeptical approach, and partially to avoid the freezing rain, I was immediately curious. I found myself in a hallway/lobby with stairs to the different levels and apparel sections. I had literal Déjà vu to the last Banana I had stepped into: the Soho- NYC location. Just like in soho, the womens sale section is in the basement. Naturally, and like a local pro, I headed straight down those stairs and scored plenty of super marked down size 2's & 4's (an impossibility in Miami!).
3 - Jessica S.: Square footage wise, this Banana Republic location is pretty large, but I'm surprised that for a store that has 3 stories, that there is not an ability or offerring to carry the Monogram or the Heritage collections.  You would think that a store on Walnut Street would be able to carry these collections.  Sadly, I do not think that ANY of the Pittsburgh locations actually carry the two collections.  

The saving grace is that they carry some petitie collection items.  

Ground Level: More work-friendly women's attire, belts, jewelry and some formal wear if the current collection calls for it.  
Basement Level: Casual women's wear, on-sale items, accessories and the petitie collection
Second Level: Men's attire

The service here is not bad, but my complaints really are why such a large store does not offer more in selections.  Sometimes, I really surprised that certain sizes are gone, so early in the collection's season, which just means that they do not do a good job having the popular sizes in stock.
3 - I.E. C.: By chance, I seem to always be there when a sale is going on.  Although the store can get rather busy, and you may end up waiting for a fitting room to be opened for you, the employees handle it well and have a good sense of humor.  The store is clean and modern.  

I definitely will be back.
4 - Maher H.: There is a certain sartorial magic that happens when you try on a pair of chinos and instantly know that you two are destined for each other. And that you can afford said bewitching accoutrements. Spirit Fingers!

Yes, it's usually expensif. But keep an eye out for the sales; they always seem to have something on offer in-store or online. This store has a pretty decent selection and friendly service. I can usually find what I want in my size. It's BR - you get good quality, modern clothes. I also appreciate that BR offers emailed receipts in addition to paper copies.

Banana Republic - Houston, TX (29.715819, -95.415802) (West University)
5 - Erika V.: This is my favorite Banana Republic store because it is never too crowded...

They also have a continuous stock of sale items that usually includes high heels in my size, which always makes my day!!

I love this store for all its great basic staple clothes that wash well and don't fall apart quickly.
3 - Daniel L.: "Will, the Banana changed my life." -- Jack McFarland 

You too can dress well at an affordable budget. Especially in the autumn/winter months nearly upon us when EVERYONE looks better in a sweater - only children wear hoodies. You need some argyle all up on that.

Like Erika says, this one is never that crowded and that matters. Getting swarmed by the argyle zombie horde is never fun. This one lets you stretch out, swing your arms like Racquel Welch, and browse before you finally decide what it is that you absolutely need to add to your closet.

Banana.

Bananas Hair Design - College Park, MD (38.980191, -76.93641) ()
4 - Swatee G.: I am only unhappy I did not discover this place like 2 years ago..! All those PAINFUL afternoons spent at Oho Nails for waxing..sigh! Well, I believe this is one of the best salons in College Park! They are spacious, clean, helpful and not too pricey either!

I am also super surprised that I am the first person reviewing this place! Whatever happened to all other UMD chicks?! :p

Anyways, I've been here for a haircut and wax. My underarm and arm wax was so good! The lady who did it was a wee bit talkative, but it worked well for me, cuz I needed something to distract me from the fear of pain anyways! :p  Well, she was polite, smiling, deft and very professional! She made my arm/underarm seem so much less painless and quick! 

For the haircut, well, I believe it might have been a bit pricey, but she did a good job, asking me what I specifically wanted, and then doing the same.

So on the whole, I love the place! 

p.s: The lady who owns the place, is nice to her customers, but at the same time really strict with the girls who work for her! :( I am not sure if I like that!
4 - Tracy L.: I just started going to Bananas this summer.  I was so desperate for a hair cut that I walked in and made a blind appointment.  I have been going to a salon in Columbia for about ten years.  I love it, but Bananas is closer to me.  And, like I said, I was desperate.  I came back for  my appointment with Kathleeen.  She was amazing!  She has a great spunky personality, and my hair cut was wonderful.  I usually don't get my hair blown dry because I am lazy and never do it myself.  She asked if she could dry it, so I agreed.  I felt like a movie star!  My hair was so beautiful that I left the salon calling everybody I could think of to go out that night!  I wish my hair would grow faster just so that I can go get it cut and blown out!!
A  note to people who complain about salon prices:
My step mother owned a salon.  Growing up, I got free hair cuts for many years.  Some good, and many not so good.  (a lot of experimenting on me)  When you find the right artist to do your hair, you shouldn't mind if the bill is $15 or $50 as long as you love your hair.  "you cut it to grow it, you grow it to cut it"
1 - Jennifer S.: The cut itself, while an inch longer than I would have liked, was acceptable. By no means was it great or good, but my hair isn't falling out. This review is purely about the service.

At first everything seemed fine. The stylist was nice enough enough, I got a good shampoo, everyone seemed friendly. However, it soon turned sour. The stylist would not stop talking about how difficult my well maintained, medium length curly hair was. First of all, it is thick, but it is not tangled, and not THAT thick. Second I really don't like being like being essentially ridiculed by someone I am paying to do a job. I don't ridicule others when they come to my place of work and I expect likewise. 

Initially I had asked for 2 inches off. She took off maybe an inch. I then said I would wait until after it was styled to decide if I wanted more off. I did and after her accosting me for 30 minutes I decided I wanted it just a little bit shorter, to shoulder length. She tried to dissuade me solely because she didn't want to do more work, which she blatently said in order to get it shorter she would have to cut all of my hair (duh I wanted it even, not the mullet look). She then cut all the way up to my chin, not my shoulder. Ok fine. It's not what I wanted but it is hair. 

After the haircut (and miserable blow drying job, which left it frizzy and still half curly), she bolted to the desk. When I got there she was whispering to the woman at the desk. I was given the traditional first customer discount which brought my price down to... the price it was supposed to be. The website says $42-47 and after my $5 discount I was quoted at $47. Um what? Yes the woman had charged me $5 for my hair, my medium-length, well-maintained, albeit curly hair, was too difficult. After she moaned the whole time I was already fed up, then her cutting the wrong length and telling me I was wrong, she charged me extra.

The manager was nice enough, and I'm very unconfrontational (in fact this is my first ever review), but I will NEVER go back and plan to tell everyone else I know. There is no excuse for rude behavior, especially since it is your job and at nearly $50 it's not exactly the cheapest cut ever.
5 - Christa F.: I have been going to Bananas for the past ten years. Kathleen does excellent color, cuts, and blow drys and she's an awesome person!  Whenever I come in with a particular look I want to try, she does exactly what I want. Cathy does a great job shampooing, it's like getting a massage:) Everyone is super friendly and I just love going there. I moved to Texas last August and still get my hair cut and colored there when I'm in town. Why mess with a good thing? 

If you are looking for an all-around awesome experience getting your hair done, look no further! The stylists are great and they listen to their clients.
5 - Alison G.: I have been going to Bananas off and on since I attended the University of Maryland in the '90s.  In college I would just do a walk-in and always had a different stylist.  As that my hair was long, layered and color-free, I never could gauge the quality of the cut - I was happy, the place was nice and friendly.

After college I tried many salons in the DC/MD area and no one seemed to know how to cut my fine (yet plentiful) slightly wavy, slightly curly hair.  I went back to Bananas just because I was in town and for the first time in years got a quality cut.  I continued to visit that stylist, and even when I got married I had my entire bridal party have their hair done at Bananas (and I also got my bridal manicure there).  All the updos were lovely, and my nails looked pretty yet subtle.

When my regular stylist moved away, the manager suggested I start seeing Kathleen.  Best decision I had made in a long time.  Kathleen totally got not only my hair type, but my personality and style.  I can go in and say, "I trust you" and come out with amazing color, a fabulous cut, and a great experience.

The other stylists are also quite talented - I have had my hair cut by John and Michael in the past and they are both artists.  I like to see loyalty and see stylists who have been there since I used to go in college.  Casey is the owner and she is regularly there, cutting hair, chatting with clients, fully aware of her business.  

Bananas moved in the past couple of years to a larger location off Knox Road.  The place is modern, cheery and always clean.  They have brand new tanning beds, waxing rooms, several chairs for cuts and washing, a color bar, and chairs for manis and pedis.  The place always seems busy, but I usually can make an appointment same week.  And a bonus - free parking (almost nonexistent in Downtown College Park)!

I find the prices are reasonable, competitive.  They often do promotions where you can get a discount on services if you refer a friend, etc.  They also have competitive prices on salon products by brands like Pureology and Redken.
5 - Andrea J.: I've been going to Bananas exclusively for my haircuts for several years. I have had long hair cuts and now rocking a cute choppy bob. I constantly get compliments on my cuts and have referred several people (all with excellent results). The staff is quite friendly, the salon is clean, and appointments always run on time. And if you're looking for an awsome wax job, there is no place better (no place more economical either). So if you're looking for maintenance or a funky cut, Bananas is your place. BONUS: Free parking - which is nonexistent in College Park.

Cheers!
5 - Anne H.: Kathleen is a color maestro and gives a darn good haircut too.  I really trust her to work magic on my hair.

The salon is unpretentious and comfortable and the prices are decent.
5 - Rania N.: What the heck? I am surprised there aren't more reviews for this place! This place rocks! I have been getting so many compliments on my new hair!

The last designer to touch my hair is located out of state leaving me to find a replacement back home in CP, MD. After lots of searching and back and forth I decided to give Bananas a shot.

At Bananas, I had my highlights redone but asked for bolder ones near the nape of my neck, toner to blend my roots and the rest of my hair + a haircut. The owner did my highlights and my oh my. She surpassed my expectations. Then Jillian arrived... she designed a pretty ok cut . She gives the best hair advice which is a plus.

To sum it up... my highlights came out UHMAYZINGGG. I was VERY surprised. My cut was OK.. I was hoping for a precision cut and to thin the weight out along with a frame for my face for the days I throw my hair up but instead I got layers for volume which I didn't ask for. I had to guide her for the frames and to define it more.. A few days later, I took some scissors in my bathroom and gave myself the frames I wanted.

Next time I will just have the owner do both...my highlights and cut. She owner is a genius.

I was afraid before going in because honestly, it is located in college park, md. I was afraid they wouldn't give me style and trend with some funk. I did not want to look like an old soccer mom. A High end salon in college park. I... love....it!

On second thought, I don't see too much good looking hair in CP so this probably is indeed a hidden gem. I am glad I do not have to drive far for a high end salon.
1 - Andria D.: Never again. Low-end work with a high price tag.

Casey (the owner) and Kathleen seemed to be the only competent ones there. And the reviews here echo that.

I went in asking for dark red hair, specified that I wanted it more violet than orange, and brought three photos. I was extremely disappointed with the color it turned out to be, and politely expressed this to my stylist, Jannett. She said she would try to fix it, and proceeded to complain that it was a lot of work the entire time. After Jannett's second attempt at coloring my hair, I still looked like a nightmare. You could have taken my picture and put it next to the definition for "hot roots." I've added a photo to demonstrate, along with one of the three photos I brought in. I left in tears. I couldn't justify giving them a third chance at coloring my hair. I was genuinely afraid there was a chance i would walk out without any hair left.

I expected to walk out looking like a goddess. Instead I'm stuck coloring over it with ammonia-free dye until I can condition it enough to be willing to try coloring it again--elsewhere.

I noticed a curious sign stating that tips could only be in cash, because taxes have to be reported for all credit card transactions.

Check the filtered reviews, they all seem valid.

Rania N., why do you give five stars when your cut was just okay, and you wound up having to modify it yourself shortly after? Surely that is not "as good as it gets" for you.
5 - peggy m.: Went in today for the first time. I brought in a picture of the haircut I wanted. Jillian, the stylist, looked at the picture for 3 seconds and started cutting. Thirty minutes later my hair looked even better than in the picture. I have very thin hair and can never get it to do anything. Jillian actually gave me volume and shape to my hair. Very clean and professional place. Will definitely be going back.
3 - Danielle P.: I was recommended to this place by my friend's daughter who gets her hair cut there. I really just needed a trim, my hair was growing out, looking unruly and I had an event to attend the following day.

Michael cut my hair and styled it. He did a good job. I was happy when I left and I didn't have to go home and re-do my hair afterwards because the style looked good.

There's plenty of parking, its a block off of Baltimore Avenue, but not terribly close to the College Park metro if you are walking.

I'd go back, it was clean and the people were friendly. They didn't try to up-sell me on hair product and I appreciated that.
4 - Jen H.: Great!
5 - Karen Q.: I used to get crazy overpriced haircuts and color done at a fancy salon in Chevy Chase. One day, when I couldn't get an appointment there, I tried Bananas, hoping for the best. Well, after that day I've been back many times, always with my awesome stylist, Katie. She is an amazing colorist, cuts my hair exactly how I like it, and always on time. I love talking to her; she has a great personality and is just so talented. The salon is laid-back and relaxing, with professionals who know what they're doing. What more could you ask for?

Bancroft Cafe - Berkeley, CA (37.8686742, -122.2585531) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
4 - Angela N.: Bancroft Cafe has the meanest BLT-A's ever, bar none.

The breads are freshly-baked and sliced thick off their loaves, the bacon is made-to-order, and the sandwiches themselves are HUGE.
4 - Jill k.: when i used to come to berkeley during the college years via the mills van, i would wait right in front of this place.

not surprisingly, i became fond of it.

because it's a bargain, because it's tasty, because it's fresh, because it fills you up.

i don't think any college student, especially one waiting for the mills van, could ask for much more!
4 - Cris L.: Great BLTA + good soup = great lunch.

What else is there to say? This is the best sandwich place I know of. Usually the bread is what you use to hold the ingredients. Not here. The bread is an ingredient in its own right. Add fresh veggies and crispy bacon that's still warm, and you've got a winner.

Oh, I think they also make sandwiches that are not BLTA. Maybe I should try one of those to make this review more complete, but why bother?

Update: This place closed somewhere in the summer of 2006. Hopefully, some day, some Mod will accept the changes I made to this business' info...
4 - Matthew C.: I think this place is closed now... so sad, but if it is still open after what may be renovation, please stop by. They have a really good deal, half sandwich half soup combo. The soups are chunky and for some reason, I really like the mayonnaise here. Pasta salads are good, too! Right across the street from campus! Do it. -Matt
4 - Nico A.: This used to be the lunch spot for me and a couple friends from campus. Go there more than three times and they'll remember what you order. Show up for two months and they'll remember your name. Though their sandwiches aren't much better than what Mom used to pack, some times when you're at school, that's just what the doctor ordered...
1 - Joy C.: Hit or miss with this deli. I like how they have the option of 1/2 a sandwich for only $2 or so. I've had great sandwiches, and I've had ones with VERY stale bread.

Bancroft Clothing Company - Berkeley, CA (37.8687298, -122.2583789) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
4 - Kat C.: This place is one of 3 good places to get Cal paraphernalia: Here, Futura and the UC Bookstore. 
While sometimes I can't tell what the buyer is thinking in terms of women's clothing, they usually have 1 or two cute things.
They always have reefs which is essential as a student.
Also, there is a clinique counter so I'm always there for the bonus days. 
All in all, it's pretty decent if you don't have a car and are in Berkeley.
5 - Joshua G.: They have some good sale prices now and again.  The best part of the store is the huge selection of Cal gear...  Tons of t-shirts, hats and sweats to choose from.  This store is great!!!
5 - Jim L.: This is basically a department store for Bear attire and lots of other assorted clothing and shwag.  The left side of the store is where most of the Bear rah rah stuff is.  If you ever wanted a pair of Cal boxer shorts, this is the place to find them.  The entire upstairs is devoted to shoes, and the right side of the store is basically various ladieswear including tons of jeans and dresses.  There's even a mini Clinique cosmetic counter.
1 - Niko V.: this place really is not up to par. ok, so you want to buy some cal gear, sure, then come here. but this is not the only place - cal gear abounds all over berkeley, including the much better student store just across the street.

but the rest of the store is atrocious - it's like they read the book on how to run an efficient and welcoming store with a clear layout, plentiful and roomy changing rooms, easy-to-find merchandise and helpful and knowledgeable staff, thought about it deeply, then tore it up, tossed it out the window and decided they should take retail back to stone ages. 

seriously, the choice of non-cal gear is appalling, there are 2 shitty little changing rooms, the staff doesn't know jack about anything and the layout is crowded. 

if you want non-cal branded clothes, go anywhere else, american apparel, gap, anywhere, just not here.
4 - Nikki c.: I adore this place for the HUGE selection of Cal gear!  This is a great place to find stuff for myself or as gifts for others.  When i was in college i stopped here to get my make up when i didn't have time to trek to SF.  I've lost track of how many pairs of shoes I've bought here over the years, they've got an interesting selection.
3 - Mari J.: The shoe section here is pretty decent.  The prices are ok, not great.  I haven't really looked around in any of the other "departments" so I can't really comment on those.  For some reason it is ridiculously hot up in the shoe area.
1 - francisca c.: This place has the most incompetent staff I have ever encountered in my life.  Trust your insticts and stay away.
(I wanted to give this place NO stars, but that was not an option)
4 - Evan K.: I looked long and hard one weekend for a pair of Saucony Jazz shoes.  Normally they are a woman's shoe, so it's hard to find a pair in my size (11.5 Mens).  I called Bancroft Clothing Co and they had a pair in stock in my size, and offered to reserve it for me.  I did just that, and it was easy to go in and get my shoes at a reasonable price.
3 - Janet K.: this is a good place to go if you're looking for Cal attire/knick knacks.  their shoe selection upstairs is good (more athletic/casual shoes though, not too dressy) but the prices are average.  although, it's the cheapest place to get guy's chucks if you ever need them, they always seem to be on sale for under $30.
4 - Mel C.: I LOVE looking at their huge shoe window display....  so many cute shoes!!  I used to just pause in front of the window, like a kid in front of a candy store...  on my way to class and back.
3 - Luci H.: They carry a lot of the nicer brands in the Juniors department here compared to the main store in Lafayette (McCaulou's), including Lacoste and Free People. Their sales racks are always stocked with great finds and they also have tons of shoes (every brand, color and style of canvas shoe that you can think of). The service and atmosphere here are a bit lacking though.
4 - Kalyani Y.: Shoes, shoes, shoes, shoes, SHOES! From Uggs to Cal rain boots to Rainbows to Vans to Converse to Keds, Bancroft Clothing Co. has an AMAZING display of your everyday, comfy, practical shoes. Even if you don't really care much for shoes (like me), when you pass by their window display you will be unyieldingly drawn inside by that impulse you never knew you had. Really.
2 - Amy R.: I have weird mixed feelings about this place.  They did have some cute clothing, and I did manage to find a few things...but they have little to no customer service skills (as in smile at your customers when they walk in instead of looking at them like they're from some strange universe far far away).

It's weird that you have to buy shoes upstairs...is it a different store?  How am I supposed to pay if I'm not allowed to bring my bag up there?  Why can't I bring my bag into the fitting room if you have ink tags on the merchandise and you're hanging a number on my door?  

May I go upstairs now?  Is it ok if I try this on?  May I look at the jewelry?  Am I allowed to touch the merchandise?  I've never had to ask permission so many times in a store.  I felt like a little kid.

I almost bought something by this brand:
http://www.algstore.com/index.html
...until I was offended by this (am I oversensitive?):
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-48655173025862_1951_5526714
3 - Nicole S.: Definitely has a very wide selection of Cal Gear, and a nice shoe department upstairs. It seems to be a store geared towards the students, considering the brands and styles they sell, but much of the clothing is very pricey, not at all what I expected going into what appears to be a discount-label store. I have to admit, I've found a decent number of deals in this store, but you really have to search to find something that is discounted (and actually worth buying).
Also, they seem to be trying to push away the student customers that enter- they are very stringent on rules such as "no drinks inside" and "check your bags at the counter". This is very inconvenient and often I choose to pass the store by because of the rules alone.
2 - al l.: I'm writing this review simply because I can't believe so many Yelpers think that this place deserves 4 or 5 stars. I'm all for non-franchised locally owned businesses, but this is a perfect example of retailing gone awry. The store itself is not organized at all, sells clothing that looks like the stuff my parents would DONATE to Goodwill, and prices them like they're brand names. 

Granted, their Cal gear department is on top of things, but I've realized that they sometimes sell them for more than what ASUC asks for, which makes no sense at all. There's a decent shoe section on the (wheelchair inaccessible) balcony, which is the only reason why they get 2 stars instead of 1. My feeling is that this store only survives b/c there's a large student population supporting it; if this were located anywhere else, it would have shuttered already.

Staff is worse than what I encounter at Best Buy; they almost gave away my backpack that I checked in to another customer, but (luckily) caught them before.

I won't be back.
4 - Rue M.: Don't sleep on this store because of its proximity to Cal. A GREAT selection of shoes and sunglasses. Trendy, but at good prices you don't mind experimenting. The sales gals are also sweet and helpful.

The clothes can leave something to be desired for women, with mostly tiny sizes, but it's great for males, including your Cal alum dad and the Cal gear in general here is a much better deal than on campus.
5 - angela l.: i'm one of those berkeley natives that detest cal, so i could give two shits about the massive amount of cal gear you can get here. but dear god, there has NEVER, ever ever been a time that i came in here and did NOT buy something. i've never had problems with the service here, they've always been very kind and helpful for me. bancroft has a good, wide selection of jackets, pants, shirts, casualwear, etc. add in the clinique counter and the shoes upstairs and you're in retail heaven.
3 - Mark D.: Bancroft is the closest thing to a mall in Berkeley. The store has a comprehensive collection of Cal paraphernalia to the left of the main entrance and near the rear of the store. The women's clothing section on the right side of the store has cheap looking stuff that looks like to Rave or Juicy Couture rejects. Bancroft also has both men and women's tennis shoes.
4 - sarah i.: good selection of cal gear.
4 - Berna T.: I HATE YOU, NORDSTROM.

I am really flipping mad that I found the purse I just bought at Nordstrom here at Bancroft Clothing Co. for 25% less than I paid.  It looks like they actually have some of the same accessories vendors that Nordstrom does, so check here first if you like good deals.  They also have some pretty cute dresses, sweaters, and tops that seem to come from the same vendors as some SF boutiques....but at about half the price.  Definitely geared towards the starving student budget, which is useful when you have excessive spending habits like moi.
5 - Jenni D.: I placed the following ad in the Daily Cal:

"Single, budget-minded undergraduate seeks store to clothe her and offer her a few necessary extras on the side (Cal Nalgene? Clinique lipstick? Cal cowgirl hat? Obviously)."

Bancroft Clothing responded, and we embarked on a five year, mostly-exclusive relationship!  Ask and ye shall receive. Cal Tees for less then the price of a notebook at ASUC, swimsuits for last minute trips up to Tilden Park for the lake, umbrellas for the ungodly February storms and even wholly inappropriate party wear for Greek Invitationals. And all of it affordable. 

Now that I'm steadily employed, our relationship has fallen by the wayside, but I hope we can still be friends!
2 - Inari T.: okay shoes.

kinda cute clothes. 

i dunno.

however....

its really cluttered and the people in the store are kinda snooty.

oh well.
3 - terra d.: i hate the whole check-your-backpack-in thing. its totally annoying and makes me feel like a delinquent. 

i always feel so pwt when i step foot in here and im not sure why. but i got a couple of cute tops. shoe collection is le-poo.
2 - eric k.: I've learned to kinda hate this place....

When I was younger in high school, I would go in there and marvel at all the really cool clothes and hope that one day I would be able to afford some of it...

then I grew up... had money to spend.. but they changed the store and I didn't ever want to buy anything from them.... mostly because I coudlnt' justify the prices that they charged, and the style seemed to have changed.

Bummer... the staff was always nice and the place was clean though... so there's a star for each.
3 - Irene S.: good enough, cheap clothes. plus cal stuff. (i'll even admit it, i have a cal sweatshirt. but i went to cal, it's my right. & anyway, i'd never ever wear it out of the house. god.) plus a selection of good, cheap shoes upstairs. awesome and yet, not awesome. i've spent way too much money on shoes here over the years.

photobooth out front!!
3 - Ada T.: I think I have some sort of affliction/disease/whatever that necessitates my being in a store surrounded by racks upon racks of clothing at least once every few days, or I start feeling like something is missing in my life. Maybe we can call it SAD. Instead of Seasonal Affective Disorder, I have Shopping Affective Disorder. Does that make sense? Maybe not. 

Anyway, Berkeley is fairly lacking in stores, so to address SAD (or my version of it, anyway), I make more stops in Bancroft Clothing than I'd like to. I think in my three years at Berkeley, I've bought one pair of Reef flip flops, 1 green shirt for a stoplight party, a handful of Clinique products, aaaaand...oh, I think a pair of black tights. That is not a lot. I could do that amount of damage within 30 minutes in the right store. 

For the most part, Bancroft Clothing's clothing is not really great and more often than not borders on cheap looking/tacky/trashy. As one friend astutely observed, it's trendy in an 18 months ago kind of way. 

It does carry a few good brands (Free People, Puma, etc), has a random assortment of designer jeans at very low prices (I've seen JBrands for $50, for example, but the jeans are usually a brand's weirder styles), and for awhile they had Lacoste polos at 50% off. The store also has a good tote bag selection and a wide selection of Reef and Rainbow flip flops. Finally, the Clinique counter's service is mediocre, but the gift bag w/ minimum purchase promotions are a good deal. (protip: sell the stuff you're not going to use on ebay) 

happy shopping kids!
4 - Farrah F.: I love this place solely for the 75%-off racks at the back of the store. Last year, I came across two shirts I really liked here. Nothing fancy--your basic v-neck t-shirt. One of them apparently had a hole in it, so it was $1.98. I looked high and low for the hole (it took a very long time to locate; that thing was miniscule), and asked my friend to find it. She took a good five minutes, and I was sold. $2 shirt? Awesome.

The other shirt was $3.
4 - Karen W.: 3.5 stars.

Bancroft Clothing Company is sectioned into three parts: Cal Clothing, Girl Clothing, and Shoes (upstairs).

Never got any of their shoes, but I've been able to find some cute girl-clothing once in a while. Annoying part of BCC is checking in your bags and purses. 

You get what you pay for here--most items are moderately priced. The more "expensive" stuff is good quality--soft, yummy fabrics. I love the 2 for $10 Soffe shorts though...these rock my world and I really should get another 2 rather than wearing them every other day. The variety at BCC is great: you'll find cute cocktail dresses, summer dresses, flowy skirts, business wear, all sorts of jeans, sports wear, bras, panties, swimwear...

Clearance stuff is pretty ugh though.

There are also very cute accessories: Knee socks, leggings, fuzzy hats, convertible gloves, Angry girl tote bags, and the like. It's one of the few solid clothing stores near campus.
3 - Oski B.: I think the last time I'd come here was in 1997 and I swear it was the same layout in 2009 as it was then.  Browsing for clothes is not unlike shopping at Walmart on Black Friday.  Okay, it's not that bad (but only because nobody gets trampled to death here), but Paco Underhill just might have a stroke if he were to assess the buying experience here.  Not much room between racks, seemingly no rhyme or reason as to why some clothes are adjacent to the others, and no real signage.

It's imperative to bring plenty of patience, but there are some deals to be had here like my new $6.50 yellow Cal t-shirt that will be all the rage here in Philadelphia.  I don't know why people are hating on the customer service.  As far as I could tell, everyone there seemed nice enough.  

Okay, Oski needs to go take a nap now.
4 - Linda C.: "Toto, we're not in Nordies Land anymore..."

:: cue green-faced witch swooping in, wearing a CAL Sweatshirt and drinking a $3 latte, cackling :: 

"No, you're not, my pretty!!!!!!!!"

:: more cackling....cackle cackle cackle ::

I haven't been smoking green. I promise. 

Bancroft Clothing Company, the one stop shop for Cal students - where else can you get your poopy-pant sweats (for boys) and your Juicified "Cal" watch my ass sweat-tights (for girls) AND your department store Clinique AND your 75% off socks and trendy accessories AND your classic converse hightops? 

BANCROFT CLOTHING COMPANY, that's where. 

Home of the one stop clothing shop for many students, I happen to think this place is bitchin'! ....and I am not a nerd. This place has great deals, and I often visit for accessories (trendzzzzz) and 75% off sales racks in the back. 
 
Although I have yet to buy anything ridiculously cheap, they have some pretty consistent deals here such as their 10$ scarves, 25$ Converse hightops in BLACK (do Cal students live in Converse hightops???) And trendy accessories and funny "recycle" themed bags and angry little girls bags, complete with all sorts of biznatchy slogans. 

PERFECT! 

Again, hit or miss,! This is not Nordies, but seriously, what do you expect? When in Rome, do as Romans do. When in a college town, do as college students do!

Four stars and a 40 of bud light (cuz it's the cheapest I could find!) and SALUT! to college life!
4 - Jen Jen W.: I actually kinda like this store...one side it's got ladies clothing and the other side is all Cal's stuff...and then you have a Clinique counter in the middle and upstairs all shoes...hahaha...wow..random huh! But I've bought a jacket and two sweaters from here and the prices were awesome!  I always like to stop by here everytime I come to Berzerkeley!
3 - Sally L.: I may have only given it 3 stars, but that doesn't mean I don't have love for Bancroft Clothing. They've got a good selection of Cal gear with a good portion of it usually on sale, but that's not why you go here. You go because of all the OTHER clothes they have.

You can get jeans for $20 or $70; dresses for $20 or $80; pjs for $10; tote bags for $15, & socks & undies & accessories... oh & let's not forget the shoe section, with a whole separate floor (half floor, if we're really being honest with ourselves).

The sale racks are pretty much always packed & I've never failed to find something I could totally justify buying. Good thing I have some semblance of self control.

Sometimes.
4 - Maurice C.: I can't speak for any of the 'regular' clothing options, as I shop for my clothes at Walmart and Eddie Bauer outlet, but for getting Cal souvenirs and Cal shirts, Bancroft Clothing is hard to beat. They have good selection of affordable Cal shirts, nice hoodies for people higher on your list, and some neat trinket-type Cal souvies too. Plus, it's right next to campus, so for you undergrads who are scrambling to buy some 1st year Christmas gifts for your buddies back home, this is the place to get it.

Word.
4 - Tiffany K.: It's been awhile since I've bought a Cal T-shirt. Fifteen years to be exact! Wow. How time flies...

Anyhow, I had no idea that Bancroft Clothing had such a large selection of Cal memorabilia. Last time I was here back in the day, they just had pretty average clothing. I used to come in here for the Clinique stuff when they had their gift with purchase going on and I was a college student. 

A good client of mine - Cal alumni - requested a T-shirt and so after doing my research online, thought this would be the best place! I don't like fighting the aggressive panhandlers and crowds looking at jewelry vendors on Telegraph. So this location is pretty convenient for me. 

The prices are very reasonable. I bought meself a Cal T-shirt that says (you'll never guess) "Cal". It was a kid's extra large (I think children must be bigger these days than when I was a kid) and it was marked down to $7! Sold. Also got a coffee mug too. 

I guess I really AM getting old because I feel a bit put off by those presumptuous signs that state: Check in all bags and backpacks at the counter. I'm assuming those signs must thwart off the amateur shoplifter otherwise they still wouldn't be posting them. 

(On a side note, this was an idea I came up with when I was a teenager. I thought one day it would be funny to throw in a mannequin hand and cover it with ketchup and then check the bag in....)
4 - anonymous i.: i always pass this store up on the way to urban outfitters..but today, i decided to take a look. this store is 2 floors. the first floor has all a berkeley student needs, fully equipped with cal everything! of course! the second floor has all the shoes. some shoes worth checking out.

they have nike, saucony, new balance, vans, circa, sperrys for men. for women, they had toms, some sandals ( no known brands), minnetonkas, vans, and some other stuff.

i got a pair of shoes, and the guy who helped us was great! he even thanked me for my patience, but i said no, thank you for your patience! i made him go back in forth like 5 times!
4 - Yael V.: I stepped into Bancroft Clothing Co. today just to take a look around, and walked out with a summer dress, two vests, a tank, a pair of leggings, and a hoodie. None of these items were over $16-- most of them were $8-10. You can skip their (expensive) new items in the front of the store; just  take the time to sift through their sale racks in the back, and you can probably get lucky (like me!) and find yourself some gems. The staff were friendly and chill, unlike your typical Buffalo Exchange employees, who, in my experience, have been a little pretentious.
4 - Chuck N.: Heeeeeelllla Cal gear (GO BURRRRRS!). The other 3/4 of the store has 'normal' clothes too, with an outdoors and (oddly enough) skater trend. A limited collection of shoes up stairs.

I've only bought Cal stuff here during sale season and it's a pretty good bargain. My best catch was Mesh Cal Men's Basketball shorts for $15. 

Customer service was giggity: had to return a few gifts but they handled it swiftly. There was one instance where an issue came up with my credit card and their manager resolved it for me.

+ Lots of Cal clothing options, cheaper and competitive to the surrounding stores selling similar stuff
+ Good customer service, yayeah!
+ Clean store, clothes are where they're supposed to be

Final Call:
When there's a sale and I need Cal gear, I'mma swing by. If I wore more outdoorsy and skaterish stuff, I'd shop here more.
3 - Jamie L.: You know what the three stars are for? 

The shoe selection and a VERY nice manager. Thank you to Eve for taking the time to speak to me tonight. 

My boyfriend already knew where he wanted to get his shoes and that was at Bancroft. We walked up and went our separate ways. Me to the women section with my daughter in toll and him to the men section. The female assistant only spoke to my boyfriend in terms of assisting him if he needed her. The male assistant did not acknowledge me as he was assisting someone else. 

I did my own thing by browsing and admiring the TOMS shoes as I waited for my boyfriend to find his new pair of shoes, I sat around or looked around. I noticed the assistants had nothing to do but to just socialize with each other, and even getting a photo together on the female assistant's cell phone. And you know what that didn't bother me, but it was not something I would do when customers are around. And their personality wasn't spectacular, just enough to scrape the surface of basic customer service. 

Now my daughter who is growing a lot wanted to check out her shoe size. So we went over to the women section to find out her size. And sure me, my boyfriend and my daughter were the only people there aside from the two sales assistant ... so when I found out my daughter was a size 7, I used my corny little expression of saying "Holy Moly" out loud to my amazement. Now this was a public outburst but this is who I am. I say "geez", "golly", and yes, "Holy Moly" with my 10 year old. We left and started to walk down the stairs and I hear the female assistant say,  "did she say "Holy Moly"?" (and further commentary) to the guy assistant and laugh. The guy assistant says, ""the look expression on my face says it all." Then they laugh again. 

You cannot imagine how hurt and upset I was to hear someone make fun of me. These sales assistants had the balls to do it and I was only eight feet away. My boyfriend just dropped $80 on shoes and was happy with his purchase, but it soon turned into him wanting to go back and share his dissatisfaction of the employees actions. I told him that I'm a firm believer in karma, so I said whatever with it. 

Yet, their actions still bothered me. So I called the store and asked for the sales assistant name, then asked to speak to the manager, who happened to be the lady I was speaking to. I didn't yell or come on strong, but explained in detail what happened. Eve was generally sincere and embarrassed at my complaint. And she explained that though the assistants actions were unacceptable, they would care about what happened. Well I hope so. I hope they feel genuinely bad about how they treated another human being. And I could GO there. I could give my opinions about these assistants, but you know what I won't. 

We'll see if I'll ever set foot in there again. I'll ask for Eve and know I'll be treated in the way I'm suppose to be treated.
5 - troy m.: Old man style sweat pants are currently on sale for $10.

So you know how sometimes you go into a clothing store, buy a pair of pants, throw away the receipt, and realize that you bought the wrong size once you get home?  Well, probably not, because you are not that stupid.  Unfortunately, I am.  Lucky for me, Bancroft Clothing will happily make the exchange without so much as laughing at me.
3 - Keith W.: Now I know where to go to get my Cal gear.

I have to admit, though, some of those Cal shirt colorings are a little bit off ... I still question if those things are authentic or not ....
1 - Paula H.: I called to ask a simple question and the girl was EXTREMELY CONDESCENDING. I could not believe her attitude. I'm not sure what your problem was, especially since i was about to purchase a handful of shoes, but you will no longer get my business nor any friends/family. 

Please try not to be so rude on the phone. I don't care who you are, a hipster, or what not, absolutely unacceptable.
4 - JonnyBoy K.: They kind of have everything... but it's not the most exciting place in the world.  It is always worth a look for inexpensive apparel.
4 - Katie R.: this place is really great for buying cheap berkeley t-shirts.  they also have over half the store devoted to "normal" clothing (non-berkeley stuff).  i've always found that a bit weird, but maybe it caters to all the frat boys who live down the street and can't be bothered to buy their clothes elsewhere.  anyway, i digress - good for berkeley gear.
2 - Diana C.: This place has a lot of stylish clothing, but it is very overpriced. Today I went in to their shoe section to see if they had any water-proof spray and they didn't...that's why I went to another shoes store and I found just what I needed.
4 - Rick C.: What's up cheap Berkeley gear! I got some tees when I was a freshman for cheap and also picked up some gifts and a sweater for my parents, score! The other non-clothes Cal merchandise is really hit or miss depending on when you go. I've been to Bancroft Clothing when things have been dirt cheap for essentials (shot glasses and random things like Cal nerf balls, I'm looking at you) and other things they're the regular price (toooo much dinero). What's up with that?

The shoe department upstairs is pretty legit though. I get to rock my Rainbows like a bro? For sureee! Clearance rack where I can get some cheap rockin' Chucks? Yess! Cheap clothes in the back because people are really lazy to look through them are WINS for cheap invite and party attire.

Bancroft Clothing, you rock!
4 - Bonnie Z.: Aside from the Student Store, this is the next best place to get Cal gear due to its variety and quality.  

But I love their general clothing and shoe area the best when they have sales. Always check the clearance racks in the back! At the end of every season they usually have lots of sales on items (i.e. 50-75% off on winter coats in February). I've occasionally picked up a nice coat or sweater here during sales. 

Shoe dept: wide range of shoes--from Vans, Chucks, rain boots, normal boots, flats, sandals, etc. Again, take a look at the sale racks. I've gotten cute flats for ~$7 - $10 when they were normally retailed at $40. Their most recent sale is 20% off of flip flops, so I got a pair of Rainbows for $35 instead of $45. 

This is a good place to do some general clothing shopping (for girls) if you don't have time to go to SF or Emeryville. But I really wouldn't pay full retail price on their items unless I was in a fashion emergency. Its convenient location on Bancroft allows for a little retail therapy after a harsh round of midterms!
4 - Bridget P.: I travel to Cal about once a year for business, and make it a point to stop by here. Mostly for the amazing shoe selection, but also for the wide variety of moderately-priced clothes and great sales. The back half of the womens' section seems to almost always consist of all clearance racks, and I've found some great deals that I always leave extra room in my carry-on for. Name-brand stuff as well as basics, accessories, jeans, and lower-priced Cal gear. Hopefully I'll be back soon!
4 - Akvile H.: Wow, what an interesting store! Definitely a fun and unique mix of things within but I like it!

Seems like one of the better Cal student stores in the area because it's fully stocked with just about anything and everything Cal related for awesome prices. They also have an entire shoe department upstairs where you can score some dope kicks. Whether you are looking for some Nike's, Tom's, heels, boots, flip flops, or sandals, they have it all.

Downstairs, you can find a bunch of Cal and non-Cal clothes and there is a random, but nice to have Clinique counter right in the middle of the store. Their sale racks are also worth taking a look at, there are LOTS of good deals on them!
5 - Kimmie M.: AHHH love this store.
First of all, the prices are great. If you go down a block to American Apparel, you see t-shirts and tanks 2-3 times the prices of the 'basics' they have here! Glad I held out to restock on some black tees and tanks for work. The clothing here is all very trendy, and the quality seems pretty nice for many of the items and they carry good brands. I was a tad overwhelmed--it is a very large store with so much to see! I didn't even get a chance to look at the accessories. All in all, I loved this place and can't wait to come back when I need to freshen up my closet!
3 - Belle B.: This store is right off campus, and pretty much has it all.  There is a wide selection of merchandise for men, women and children.  I loved all the different t-shirt designs.  There were a limited amount of sale/clearance items, but I'm sure there will be much more in the Spring.  Most of the items are Cal items, but there were also many Oakland branded items.  Most of the the Cal items are licensed items, so you know that there is some quality and authenticity to the items you are purchasing.  The only disappointing feature was the pricing.  I had hoped to score some better deals than the Cal Student Store, but the prices were pretty close.
5 - Daniel F.: I was absolutely stunned when I discovered this store at my second semester at Cal. I had noticed it on a few occasions, but never bothered to go inside. Thankfully, I checked it out.

This store has an absolutely AMAZING selection of all clothing, apparel, and shoes. First off, they have a massive selection of cal gear - better then any place I've seen, including the online store and the Cal store. Example: The Cal store had four versions of Berkeley tank tops, and they were sold out of every size aside from XL and XXL. Bancroft Clothing, meanwhile, had at least 15 different styles and colors, with every single size available!! 

On top of that, they have a very good selection of clothes (for men, i don't know about women's), including flannels, t-shirts (for a party, casual, or dressy), socks, boxars, tank tops, etc. Meanwhile, their shoe section includes all of the Vans, Nikes, and other shoes. It is essentially a perfect store to do shopping for a small item that you need. I needed a belt, and I didn''t know where to get one. Bancroft clothing had a good belt for 16 dollars.

Their prices are reasonable, not extraordinarily cheap or expensive. Some specifics: Cal tank tops are 13.99 (compared to 13 at student store), sunglasses are (~10), flannels are (~30), etc. For a college budget, they are solid prices. Also, they have occasional sales.
4 - Lily W.: Nice place! They sell a whole bunch of things from handbags, backpacks, to a variety of women's clothing (including some UCB stuff), shoes (upstairs), and make-up. I did see a lot of higher end brand names like free people and some other brands that I can't remmeber at the moment. Prices are steep (especially for a college student). 

Right in front of campus/near campus.
4 - Jennifer S.: A delightful store to shop. I got a couple of great gifts for the sports fanatic and the prices were some thing to raise an eyebrow about. The store is spacious, clean and friendly service.
4 - Laurie H.: I'm oddly obsessed with this place. I love to go in, yet often don't come out with much. Not sure exactly why. Cute dressy things in the front, casual in the middle, lingerie in the back....all on one side. Other side is Cal gear and men's stuff.

Upstairs is shoes - Converse, Tom's, etc.

I'll keep trying....
5 - Samantha D.: Despite starting grad school at Berkeley in August, I never gave this place the time of day because it looked grungy on the outside and the "Cal Gear" sign gave me the impression it was just another merchant in the soulless college gear store wasteland.

But, turns out this place is awesome.  I live in SF and love Ambiance, and it appears that a lot of the same stuff is sold here, but for much, much cheaper (and geared more for a teenage crowd).  Their back section has things on super sale, and it isn't all stuff that you'll find at some Goodwill in 20 years when you go to ironic parties about the twenty-teens.  Cute shirts for $10, dresses for $15-25.  I got a coat for $20.  Even their regularly priced items aren't too pricey.

I spoke to someone who might have been a manager, and she says they get new stuff every day (apparently a bunch of other stores unload unsold items here), so this is definitely going to be my guilty pleasure until I graduate!

Bancroft Hotel - Berkeley, CA (37.8691644, -122.2549795) (UC Campus Area)
4 - Captain V.: "Their reception room restores my faith in humanity."
4 - lisa g.: This is the nicest hotel close to campus - I know because before some family members came to visit I personally inspected all of the better hotels nearby.  

If you have really picky out of town guests the Claremont is the only choice near Berkeley, but if your visitors are just a little willing to make due, they will enjoy the charm and location of the Bancroft.

The rooms are small, there is no elevator and don't expect super high thread count sheets or anything, but still it is a nice little hotel.  You can't beat the location right across the street from campus and next to the UC Berkeley Fine Arts museum.

The reception room is a great place to have an event.
4 - Kat C.: I had a gf who worked at the front desk. This is a really nice hotel. Not much in the way of parking though.
5 - diana s.: The rooms are, let's say, "quaint."  Small but very tasteful and nice.  Parking, as others have noted, is fairly abysmal, but there are plenty of lots in the area.  My friend had her wedding reception here, and reserved just about the entire hotel for her family (she's got lots of family, but it's not a very big hotel).  The staff really took care of us--there was a room upstairs for the bridal party to get dressed in, they brought us water and mirrors, and let us leave our civilian clothes there to pick up later.  The reception hall is beautiful--very classic and tasteful.  It's huge--there were over 200 of us--with a dance floor at one end.  There's even a rooftop terrace where you can go and look out over the campus and the Bay Area.
4 - Shalee S.: Overall my experience with this hotel was great, we did have a few hiccups when planning my wedding reception there but in the end it worked out.  My husband and I rented the entire hotel for our wedding reception.  The thing that attracted me to this place was the ability to have our guest stay in the same hotel but more importantly we had the hotel to ourselves from check in to check out.  Also this place does not have they typical ballroom feel.  It has beautiful stained glass through out and great wood bookcases which we filled with pictures and candles.  This was the only place that we found where you don't have to be out by midnight or something like that.  We were truly able to enjoy our guest and relax without having to rush around to get everything wrapped up.  We ordered pizza after most of the guest had left and hung out until 2am.  The next morning we had a catered brunch and the hotel also had it's own spread of homemade granola and other things.  The only negative things were some confusion on billing and being billed without notice for a broken table that was broken when we arrived.  They were supposed to charge our guest for the rooms and reimburse us since we had paid the entire bill already.  The did but it took several times of explaining as if no one had done this before even though they have it as an option.  They were also telling our guest that the day they wanted to reserve a room was booked, yes it was for our wedding and our guest.  Even after my friends explained to them they still had some troubles.  We figured it out and the wedding was beautiful and I would not have had it anywhere else.  At the time we were able to bring your own caterer but I believe they have their own now.  We used Shai's which does amazing beautiful food, that taste just as good as it looks.
2 - Geoff K.: I'd rather stay at the Bates Motel.  I suppose one could call this place "cute," or "quaint," but I'm going to go with "really frigging tiny."  My hotel room was literally the size of my bedroom in my one-bedroom SF shoebox apartment.  The shower was so tiny I felt like a chicken on a spit in there as I turned around with my arms by my side ("Set it and forget it!").  

What other amenities were there...oh yes: a 13" television, rusted bathroom fixtures, and a bleach-stained carpet.

But what annoyed me much more was that I stayed there for three days for my buddy's wedding and the Cal-Tennessee game, and when I checked in they informed me that the room rate had gone up because of the game.  Oh, and so had parking.  Nice bait and switch.

Two stars because the supply closet across from my room had a big bottle of brandy in it.  Random.
2 - Eric L.: Location, location, location.  And that's about all I have to say that's positive.  You can't beat waking up across the street from campus and next door to Caffe Strada.

The rooms themselves are small, and the decor is unintentionally shabby.  That's all well and good; I don't need the Ritz or anything.

I'm giving the place a low rating because of the hotel's shady practices, previously alluded to by Geoff K.  It was my wedding that weekend, and people associated with the wedding (including myself and my now-wife) filled up about half the rooms in the hotel.  We made the reservations over a year before the wedding, and were quoted a certain rate for the rooms and parking.  Later on, when the Cal football schedule was released, and it was revealed that there was a game in Berkeley that weekend, I called the hotel to ensure that they would honor their quotes for the rooms and parking.  No problem, I was assured.

Wrong.  They jacked up the room rate by $10 per night, as well as the parking by $8.  When we complained, we were met with an indifferent shrug, as if to say, "Where else ya gonna go?"  

If it were just me that they messed with, I'd probably just write it off as a poor experience.  But the fact that they messed with so many people in my wedding...screw these guys.
4 - Sarah G.: This hotel is RIGHT across the street from campus but if you need a room for  game weekend or graduation be sure to book early!! This place doesn't have too many rooms since it is kinda small, but for convenience it is awesome. They have parking lot too but parking is additional in cost. The rooms are too bad in price either. All of the rooms are fairly small but decorated nicely and there is even a rooftop balcony you can hang out on too. You won't find another hotel as nice and as close to campus as this one. And if you need a banquet hall or something to rent out, they have a great one complete with a small stage and the staff is very easy to work with here.
3 - Carrie S.: This hotel is conveniently located for anyone wanting to visit the university.  And I usually love staying in historic hotels. Although it possesses historical charm, the rooms are small, with hardly anywhere to set 2 small duffle bags, and ours had a rank, musty odor which was somewhat relieved by opening the floor to ceiling windows.  The noise from the cafe next door would be quite obtrusive to anyone who is noise sensitive. You definitely know that you are in a college hub when you stay here.  The parking lot is small and awkward but we were lucky to always find a spot. The staff was kind and helpful.
3 - Mj W.: I'll start with the bad.  There is no air conditioning.  Only a weak floor fan.  I was having some real bad allergy problems, so opening the windows for an extended period of time was not helping.  The room was real small and stuffy.  The bathroom was even smaller.  There are only stairs, so getting my back up the small stair case was difficult.  You need to request an ironing board.

The good.  They have free wi-fi.  The customer service is top notch.  Chantel at the front desk was super nice.  She gave some great recommendations for food and things to do.  The free breakfast was not bad either.  I actually enjoyed the granola and fresh bananas and apples.  The coffee was decent as well.  The location is right where you want to be in Berkeley.  I would not stay here in the summer, but any other time would be fine.
5 - Emma K.: My wedding was a blast.  We rented out the whole hotel (only 22 rooms, so just close friends and family stayed there) and had both our rehearsal dinner (80 people) and our reception (120) there.  My expectations were blown away - the staff had thought of everything and executed my ideas to perfection.

The rehearsal dinner turned into a regular hootenany - with relatives banging away at guitars and a multi-generational party carrying on up on the rooftop into the wee hours.  I stayed in a room by myself the night before the wedding and went to bed at a reasonable hour, and was entirely oblivious to the ruckus that was taking place a few floors above.  My family and friends were able to party with abandon (maybe a little bit too much abandon the night before the wedding?) and spend quality time together, before ambling down the stairs to their rooms.

The wedding reception itself was pure bliss.  The staff obligingly set up the bar at the very last minute so that we could take family portraits by the beautiful stained glass front windows.  I had communicated all details over email to Andrea, who followed every last one of my requests to a tee.  The bartenders were fantastic, serving up my custom drinks with gusto (including the "Green Freedom of a Cocktoo"  - a labor of love for which I had made about a gallon of ginger syrup).  I had no idea where the cake was going to be displayed, but there it was when I walked in - at the front of the stage with plates, napkins, forks and a serving knife all ready to go.

The food was delicious and the buffet thing worked as artfully as a buffet can.  The alcohol kept flowing (in fact we bought about 30% too much booze - but it's hardly an area in which we regret overspending) and so did the party.  I'm not sure what time the DJ left, but we had the hall rented until 1:30am and many of our guests stayed that late.  Also, between myself and my husband (!), at least three of our cousins hooked up with three of our friends.  At the very least, that indicates... something.

I had picked the Bancroft because it created a central location for guests to spend the weekend, and because my friends and family could party late into the night and then walk upstairs to their room.  I also enjoyed meeting Kelly, the events manager, and everything seemed reasonably priced, including the small bar setup/bartending fee, which allowed us to bring in all our own alcohol at a much cheaper cost than other venues.  I would recommend this venue wholeheartedly - it served as an elegant-yet-homey-feeling place for our guests to celebrate our wedding.
3 - Andrew K.: This place has a really pretty exterior, nice balconies, a free European-style breakfast, and very nice desk people. However, the room is small and outdated, the TV worked only intermittently, and the bathtub was tiny.
2 - Megan A.: I probably would give the Bancroft 1 star, but for the granola, which is legitimately awesome. Was it worth $150 /night though?

The downstairs lobby/ballroom area of this hotel is really beautiful, as people have described-- I can see why it would be a great wedding venue.  The exterior is also nice, and the location is directly across from the Cal campus, so hard to complain there. But the rooms are TINY and not just outdated but seemingly poorly decorated to begin with. Worst of all, I can't even begin to describe how little water pressure we had in our shower.  You know how you turn on the faucet just a little bit so you can run the water while you brush your teeth without wasting a lot of water? Like, a trickle? I promise you it is no exaggeration to say that this was a more consistent stream of water than was coming out of our shower.  It would have been comical, had it not been miserable. 

They do have free wifi, but who doesn't these days? They do have a yummy free breakfast.  But I wish I had been able to get a room at the Hotel Durant, a block away, which I hear was much better-- at the very least, their showers work...
5 - Oaklandish a.: How many times can you say that absolutely NOTHING went wrong at a wedding?   We had our wedding here in June 2009 (which as I write this review is only a few days ago), and have zero complaints.

THE ROOM:
The Great Hall is a simple gorgeous room in the Arts & Crafts style.    The hall is huge, but because of the way it is set up, can work for both a smaller wedding and a larger wedding.    The hall has a lower middle section, with a raised dance floor at one end, and another raised section at the opposite end.    For our smaller sized wedding, we put all of the tables in the middle section, and used the upper section for cocktails/bar, the cake table, presents table, and just a place to sit on a comfy sofa.   For a larger wedding, both areas could be used for tables.

The room has beautiful stained glass windows, and is lined with bookshelves.   Because of the detail of the Arts & Crafts style, you do not need to decorate the room at all.

THE FOOD
We served sliced roast beef (succulent, tender, yummy) with a demi-glace and horseradish sauce, fresh fruit, spring green salad, roasted vegetables, polenta with mushroom sauce, and bread.     Apparently the Bancroft caters for a number of venues in the area.    Part of the reason we chose this venue was because the cost of catering was so reasonable.    It is not often that you go to a wedding and are wow-ed with the food!    The chef is very flexible - if you have a favorite recipe or childhood dish - they'll make it for you.    

THE EXTRAS:
I've already mentioned that you do not need to decorate this space!   Tables/chairs are included in the cost of the room rental.   In addition, the staff provides tall eiffel tower style vases for centerpieces, flickering candles for the bookshelves and tables, all of the plates/glasses you need, etc.    As opposed to many places we looked at, this was more of a one stop shop where so much was taken care of for you.     You can provide your own alcohol without a corkage fee.

THE BEST PART OF THE DEAL:
Kelly, the events coordinator, must have been doing weddings for years.   We did not have to lift a finger in terms of setting up the room.    She has great relationships with many vendors and goes out of her way to make your day stress-free.   Unlike many places, she is extremely responsive to both email and phone calls.   If you use the Bancroft, you do NOT need a day of coordinator.    All of the staff were extremely attentive - the manager, the servers, the bartender - no complaints.

IN THE END...
We walked into the room filled with our friends and family and had the time of our lives.    It really was our dream wedding.    I was (am) recovering from a lengthy illness, and couldn't do a lot of planning.    The Bancroft really just made it all possible.

ADDENDUM  12/14/09:   I noted Penelope's review mentioned that sometimes emails to Kelly have to 'marinate' a day or two; the very first time this happened, I was indeed frustrated.   However, after a quick phone call I realized that the reason for the delay was that my wedding was 8 months away, and she was working on setting up a wedding for the very next day.       No matter what venue you work with, this is something to keep in mind  ;)    I simply happened to be thrilled that the Bancroft would work via email at all LOL - so many venues do not work with folks over email, which I found unbelievably frustrating!
4 - moto t.: I did not know this hotel was built as a private clubhouse by College Women's Club in 1928.  That makes sense; cozy room with minimum decoration.  
Their soap/ shampoo were really nice with good scent.  Bath towel was super comfortable.  
They might want to keep an original (?) floor carpet for some reason but I would suggest to change it...it is a consumable goods.
My personal note: I saw 3 receptionists on 8/7 and 8/8 and all were so beautiful.  Was it a coincident or one of job requirement?
5 - Penelope r.: Adjectives for the wedding Kelly arranged for us here:  "Absolutely beautiful."  "Perfect."  And these are direct quotes from my (incredibly fussy, immigrant) MOM.

The Oaklandish A review is detailed and almost exactly what I'd say, too.  So just to emphasize certain key points:
We gave Kelly lists and spreadsheets, we met a couple times in advance to discuss the details and execution -- then on the day of, we just threw up our hands and let her take care of things.
It was effortless.  It was warm, and friendly, and fun.  The room is classy and cozy, and the hotel feels intimate, personal.  We enjoyed our wedding thoroughly, and cannot recommend the Bancroft enough.
Kelly is absolutely TERRIFIC.  She's like having a built-in wedding coordinator (and a bit like a fairy godmother).  She gives great advice (like on how to SAVE money), knows her venue inside and out, runs a top-notch staff, volunteers to take care of all kinds of details that other places charge extra for, and is incredibly accommodating of special requests.  Incredibly.  
They laid out placecards for us, directed traffic, even orchestrated the timing of the processional!!  The ceremony started on time, and we never ran late.  All evening, whatever we planned to do, just happened; I feel like all we had to do was turn around.

I read in a review elsewhere, though, that during the planning stages, micromanaging brides may have a fit with Kelly's style.  I can see that; she's awfully busy, so if you need someone at instant beck and call every day, you're not going to get that here.  There will be times when an email has to marinate.  But if you're willing to be a normal human being during the planning (as opposed to a freaked-out bride), then everything turns out fine.  Better than fine.  Better than you'd dared to hope.

Thank you, Kelly.  You've made the Bancroft a bright, warm spot on the map for us, for always.
4 - Amiee H.: To be perfectly clear, I didn't stay here, I just ate lunch here. My review is only a critique of their food, service, and dining hall ambiance; nothing more. 

Food: 
-Thai curry chicken
-Stir fry noodles with vegetables
-Assorted fruit: cantaloupe, honeydew, grapes, pineapple, watermelon, strawberries
-mandarine orange salad
-variety of desserts: brownies, cheesecake, cookies

I thought the food was pretty good. I really liked the salad because I didn't feel like they overdid the dressing like most other places do. There was a hint of the dressing on it, but it wasn't too overpowering. The veggies they used for the salad also tasted very fresh. 
The fruit was very fresh tasting and sweet too. 
The noodles were a little overdone. Tasted like mass produced cafeteria noodles. You know what that tastes like. 
The Thai curry chicken was a little dry despite being drenched in the Thai curry, so I can't imagine how dry it would be WITHOUT the curry. But if you ignored how dry the chicken was, the curry tasted pretty good. 

Ambiance: 
Cute place. Very high ceilings. The dining area has this classy, retro feel to it. I liked it. It would be a great banquet hall for a upscale wedding. 

Service: 
Very attentive to our needs; very respectful and welcoming. Not bad :)  

Price: 
I didn't pay for it, so don't know how much it cost, but I'm guessing not cheap?? 

Overall: I'm very impressed by the decor of this place, but the food needs a little extra work to match the grandeur of this dining hall. Overall, I had a good dining experience :)
5 - erika f.: This review is being written much later than it should have been.  I had my wedding here in 2008 (like I said, this is coming much too late) and Kelly made it absolutely perfect down to the last detail.  She helped us fit an impressive 180 people into their great room.  With purple tablecloths and sunflowers and wildflowers everywhere (done by her friend Shawn just down the street next to the old Cody's) and family members' wedding photos in the bookcases, the room looked absolutely beautiful.

Really though, this review is about Kelly.  The night before, she realized that I hadn't made a list for guests to see which table they were at (I had totally forgotten) and she was the one who came up with the idea of writing a small number on the placecards and placing those in front instead.  Problem solved.  When we were headed to the church from the hotel in the morning, Kelly came to send us off.  We realized the flower girl didn't get any flowers.  Kelly called her friend Shawn (who did our flowers) and ran down to his shop and returned with a mini bouquet for her (that perfectly matched our flowers) before I hardly had been alerted that something was wrong.  A few days before our event I asked about getting ready and taking pictures in the area on the second floor (almost like a ladies sitting area with two pedestals).  Although it wasn't ordinarily included, she let us use it and had water, brought up to us.  At the reception itself, the food was amazing, the event moved along effortlessly (well, at least it felt effortless thanks to Kelly).  Kelly knew just when to get the waitstaff to send tables to get food, bring out the cake, or pour the toast.  At Kelly's suggestion we had ordered part of our cake in sheets so it came out very quickly (and we still had a sizeable and pretty one to display and cut).  She's full of really helpful suggestions.  She made our day perfect, she had so much excellent advice for us.  Because of her, we got to enjoy our wedding day (instead of stressing about details or bumps in the road like so many do).
5 - Aimee K.: We had our wedding here and it was PERFECT.  We had originally booked another restaurant that went out of business shortly before the wedding - luckily, the Bancroft was available and it was beyond amazing. I'm so glad we ended up here instead!

Kelly was wonderful to work with -- she and her staff took care of everything. She was relaxed but had every detail covered -- a rare combination. We had a buffet dinner and the food was delicious -- several people told me it was the first time they ever had seconds at a wedding (the lemon ricotta ravioli --  to die for). The service was impeccable -- everyone was attentive, helpful, polite, and completely on top of it. 

I can't recommend the Bancroft and Kelly highly enough -- gorgeous venue, outstanding food and service. If you're considering having your wedding reception here, do it. You'll be thrilled and your guests will tell you, as they did us, it's the best wedding they've ever been to.
5 - kristi n.: On the 31st of July we had our reception at the Bancroft Hotel. I could not recommend this place more. From day one talking to Kelly we felt as though we found the perfect place, we were right. The banquet hall is beautiful, the food is delicious, the staff are attentive and friendly and everybody that came had the time of their lives. Great place with a comfortable and elegant feel. Thanks for making our day.
5 - Lori G.: We didn't stay at the hotel itself so I can't comment on the rooms. However, every staff member that I encountered at the hotel at the front desk or in the catering department was excellent, and that is the reason for the five stars. 

Kelly is the catering coordinator for the Bancroft Hotel and your main contact if you choose to have your wedding/reception here. She is very busy so expect a little delay in getting a reply, especially initially. After all, there is probably an event they are catering outside of the hotel or there is a wedding or event that weekend. We got married this past weekend and with all of the chaos, it turned out to be a wonderful event at the Bancroft.

The Great Hall has a lot of character of its own so we didn't bring in much decoration, which is what we wanted. Our reception fit nine tables of ten settings (altho' we didn't have that many at each table so it was roomy at the actual table) on the center floor. There was plenty of room and a lounge for the cocktail hour. The dance floor rocked. 

The food was delicious! I received many compliments on the food and the abundance of it. And even as the bride, since it was a buffet-style setting we selected, I got to eat as others were getting their food. The meal and the whole reception, really, was incredibly reasonable in price. We had a Sunday lunch reception with beverages and it ended up being less than Kelly's projected proposal. 

As for Kelly's coordination, I couldn't have been happier on the day of. While there may have been a delay in the planning process to calm my bridal nerves  (after all she isn't just sitting there waiting for inquiries), everything I asked about or was concerned about was taken care of. The room was perfect; just as I envisioned the reception. I tried to be as organized as possible to also make things easier for her and her staff to implement, and I think she appreciated it. Enough so I was happy but not enough "organization" that I was Bridezilla. :-)

What else? I think Kelly and her staff went well beyond our contract to make my wedding day a wonderful, memorable, and relaxed (!) event.
4 - Steve M.: Decided to stay in Berkeley for our long weekend. The rooms are small, but hey were clean and you can not beat the proximity to restaurants, bars, and my favorite Yogurt town. There is a coffee place right next door and they offer a free continental breakfast which included some yummy cookies and pastries. The beds were good, the TV was flatscreen, and bathroom had some good pressure and some hot water. Hotel Bancroft will definitely see us again. Oh yeah every person that worked the front desk was very helpful in suggestions and directions and took the extra time to make sure they answered your questions.
5 - Analisa S.: I never actually stayed at the Bancroft, but I did book a block of rooms for some guests for my wedding in Berkeley. Michael was great to work with, he honored the group rate, even after the deadline had passed. (I had some late bookers). He was attentive and sent me a list of those who had booked in my block. The week before I dropped off the guest bags and they were given to each guest upon check-in. My guests were pretty happy with the hotel and the polite staff. If you're planning on staying in Berkeley, I recommend the Bancroft. If you're looking to book a block of rooms for your guests, they will be happy at the Bancroft. (I highly recommend staying away from the Claremont, which I had a horrible experience at, I wish I had just given all the business to the Bancroft)
3 - Don H.: I almost always prefer a local hotel to a chain. The Bancroft fits that. I am not sure on the history but I imagine it's been here as long as the university. And it sorta looks like it was dorms.

Which isn't to say it's not nice. It was a very nice place: super-clean, well appointed rooms with new TVs and my room had a window that opened to a view of a tennis court which was really nice.

For what we needed, it was also a great location. Tons of food aroud. Late-night coffee shop nearby. In the morning they had a continental breakfast. (Since there's no kitchen, I am sure it was brought in.)

My biggest beef was price. For that I'd go 2.5 stars. But I am giving them the benefit of the doubt. My room alone was more than $200 a night. That is a lot. That might be decent for the area, but that's a nice room in downtown Chicago, too. Eek. But that's the price to pay for location, charm and history.

(UPDATE: I just learned, for special events in the city, sometimes the prices do go up. I don't think we realized it when we booked. Still, I'd come back.)
5 - Abby F.: Stayed here while in town for a concert at The Greek. My fiance put together the weekend for me for my birthday. We had a great time pretending we went to college here and really enjoyed Berkeley! 

Everything is walking distance from the hotel. The hotel staff is great with directions or any questions you may have about the area. 

We loved the room and the windows, it was great! 

I had booked the room online and prepaid. When I got to the hotel and checked in on Yelp, I noticed the discount and pointed it out to the front desk person. She gave me the discount and credited my credit card for the difference. Easy and fun visit. I would stay here again!
4 - Jeffrey A.: Great location.  Rooms a bit small but honestly as much space as you need.  We had a spot in the back and didn't hear a peep the whole time.  Kind of old-timey, with charm.  Very organic and environmental-based.  The front desk clerks were really helpful over the phone and email, but a little preoccupied when we physically walked in and out; but they're likely students and probably doing homework- when we said hi they picked their heads up and were always very nice.  We would definitely come back.
4 - Victor K.: This place has a yelp discount therefore it is the best hotel in the area! No  but seriously, it's not a bad place to stay. My parents stayed here and they showed me their room. Clean, cozy, nice decor, and an amazing location if you are visiting campus or going to a show at the Greek Theater.

I don't know what organic bedding and organic mattresses are, but they have them. They are probably just abusing that adjective for...profit yo. It's kinda annoying.

Best thing is the customer service. They take care of you, they really do, at least that's what my very trustworthy parents told me. I believe them. They are my parents and would almost never lie to me. The only time (I think) they ever lied to me was when they said my dog was going to a farm, but he died, or something like that.
4 - Atsuko I.: The Bancroft Hotel is the perfect place for an extended stay. We had just come from staying at the Westin (for a conference), and I have to say that The Bancroft was much nicer in the way that it is homier.  If you prefer a cozier feeling - as if you are renting a small studio in Europe - something clean and very, very accomodating, this is the place for you.  

***It is important to note what your own priorities are, however.  I noticed some of the other reviews mention size and certainly, it is European Boutique style - very nicely-preserved building with all the original vintage qualities both inside and out.  This has a wonderful charm against the more sterile environments you may find in newer/chain places.  The rooms are small, but very quaint! :)

Highlights For Me:

- the view! great lighting in the bay facing rooms..  :)

- so clean!
 
- We both agreed that the bed is amaaazing!

 - the ultra healthy multi-grain hot cereal served with the complimentary breakfast (alongside freshly baked pastries, fresh fruit, and things...)

- the wonderful rooftop patio!!

- the people who work there are stellar!

Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Bancroft Hotel.  ;)
5 - Macey N.: I'm a Berkeley resident and I stayed at this adorable hotel off and on between apartments. I have stayed at other hotels in Berkeley but this seemed hands down the best value, most central (across the street from campus, 2 blocks from Telegraph, and walking distance from College or even the Gourmet Ghetto), and charming. If you're looking for a blingy style "destination hotel" with a pool, room service, and in-house restaurants where you can spend the day at the hotel, look elsewhere. This (historic) boutique hotel was once a women's clubhouse and then a dorm (?)--not certain about the history, but the layout is more homey than hotel-style with a very small lobby, narrow stairs (climbing them will be quite a feat if you have heavy luggage) and not much (in fact, nada) going on in the way of in-house restaurants/bars. But it is perfect for families visiting their loved ones or really anyone who wants a clean, pleasant, central place to stay.

The rooms are small but spotless and tastefully decorated--also equipped with a flat screen TV, alarm clock, small desk etc. The service is impeccable (I dealt mostly with Brynna who was just lovely---incredibly pleasant and attentive). The room linens are organic and the toiletries are EO products which are eco-friendly and made of natural oils and scents--bonus for me because I use the stuff anyway. You are provided with (free) internet access and the (free) continental breakfasts are just enough to get you going in the morning with homemade granola, muffins and the like.

I love this charming little hotel, and it will always be my home away from home if ever I need a place to stay in Berkeley!
5 - Sandy T.: Choosing and working with a caterer is just about the most stressful wedding-related task but working with Kelly makes it easy. Bancroft Catering catered my wedding of 120 in Clayton, California and it was a great experience. Kelly and Sarah really have things under control from beginning to end and they think of EVERYTHING. They also have a lot of advice to share, and, as other Yelpers said, they actually try to save you money. It's so nice to work with people you can trust. Highly recommend.
5 - Lance S.: Wonderful location.  Right on the edge of campus, right next to the UC art museum and across the street from the anthropology museum.  Also located next door to Caffe Strada.  

The building is a gem.  Built in the late 1920's it still retains all of the original beautiful architectural features while now boasting a green footprint.  

The rooms are cozy, the beds are very comfortable and the staff are genuinely pleasant and helpful.

Our favorite place to stay in the East Bay.
5 - A. C.: Kelly and her team were yet another great find in making our wedding go smoothly. We held our reception at the Bancroft in the Great Hall, and it was just lovely. She is so sensible and totally understood our needs right away. She took charge and gave us a wonderful Mediterranean dinner by candlelight. The sound system was perfect and the guests loved the wood and stained glass ballroom. We thought the food was delicious, and received compliments. Cupcakes were moist and flavorful. Everything was where it was supposed to be, when it was supposed to be. The staff bent over backwards to make the event a success, especially with many of our guests (including the wedding party) staying at the hotel. It was such a relaxing way to say bye to everyone. Thank you a thousand times.
5 - Jennifer J.: Really good venue for events! So this review is for the venue - not for the actual hotel stay. Great big room, they help you set up banquet style OR auditorium style. Though you have to be out by 10, they're pretty lenient and don't charge you extra if you're just a wee-bit late for your reservation. Problem is they are so popular that it's hard to get a reservation. Also, if you want food, they have to cater - which is the standard for most of these places/reservations.
2 - Serena F.: The place was really tiny and had no ac in it. It was a hot day and we figured it would be a hot night too. I think without the fan we bought we would have been sweating up a storm. There wasn't a screen on the windo either so we couldn't have the window open all the way. The only upside is that it had a comfy bed.
5 - freshta m.: Vety cute and historic building. I went here for my brother;s graduation from UC Berkeley and UCSF JMP program and the hotel was the perfect place! Great deco and ambiance. Restrooms were clean and service was super friendly,
3 - Helen S.: A little old and eclectic but the rooms were wonderfully comfortable. The staff were always gracious and accommodating. It is a convenient location to all of Berkely, so much in walking distance right across the street from UC Berkeley.
5 - Kirstin M.: Thanks to great yelp reviews, we chose Bancroft Hotel for our wedding reception and it was perfect.

Kelly was really easy to work with - and she made it all worth choosing this hotel.  Interviews with her were great, we just had a few decisions to make, she gave us really useful suggestions, and we got exactly what we wanted:  a gorgeous reception that we could just enjoy.  It made our life easy, and with wedding planning, that is worth a lot! 

We considered a lot of options for our reception, trying to seek out budget friendly locations, and I realized that once I added up the costs of the venue, catering, and all the hassles I would have to handle on my wedding day or hire someone to do it for me, I was surprised to discover that it would be no less expensive than just having our wedding at the Bancroft Hotel - with less expense and hassle and fewer people to worry about.  That made it worth it to me and my fiance.

Kelly recommended our favorite florist, Shawn at La Nana Flowers and Ashby Flowers, and had tall and thin fluted vases for elegant, tall flower arrangements for each table.  They looked gorgeous with the flowers draping from the vase, while our guests could still see each other.  She showed us pictures from previous events so we could get an idea of how this would look at the reception. 

In fact, when Kelly heard that my fiance was going to pick up the flowers on the morning of the wedding (to save a bit on delivery costs), she insisted on doing it herself!  At no cost to us, because she is awesome and went above and beyond the call of duty.  She delivered the flowers to the church for us at some crazy early hour.  

The Great Hall was gorgeous - a beautiful Arts and Crafts style room with fireplaces and so much style.  It suited us perfectly.  The parking lot was convenient for our guests, and staff did a wonderful job.  The plated food was delicious (we both had the roast beef -yum!) and most importantly, everything went smoothly.  We both got to just enjoy the day without one worry or hassle.  Kelly even ran to get tylenol when my new husband had a headache.  

Honestly, it was a lot of fun working with Kelly, and she gave me the best wedding gift:  a wedding reception that was beautiful and easy to enjoy.  Worth every penny.
4 - Hillary B.: We came to Berkeley for homecoming weekend and loved this place! The hotel is quaint, clean, and extremely close to campus which was a huge plus for us. We were walking distance to the stadium, Telegraph area, and the bart station. The bed was extremely comfortable and our room had a patio with a fantastic view of campus. They provided a small, complimentary breakfast in the morning which was just enough. The staff was extremely helpful and attentive to all of our needs. We will definitely book this place next time we come!

We would have given it 5 stars, but if you are traveling with a lot of luggage, the tight staircase may be an issue (no elevator). Also, you must be prepared for some street noise and maybe some music from nearby frat houses.

Bandido's Mexican Cafe - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9140521, -79.0538635) ()
4 - Carolyn D.: Bandido's is probably my favorite "traditional" Mexican restaurant in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area. I liked the Carrboro location better than the Franklin Street one because it just felt a little bit cleaner, it wasn't underground, and they had parking. Unfortunately it closed down in early 2008, but I'd still recommend the Franklin Street or Hope Valley Road locations.

The Bandido's menu is very typical for authentic Mexican restaurants, and everything I've ever ordered came out looking and tasting exactly as I would expect... except for the quesadillas with roasted (or grilled? I can't remember.) vegetables. I think the vegetables come from the freezer section in the grocery store. I didn't expect to find pea pods, red peppers and broccoli in there, but I'm not complaining. It's really yummy, and I still order it all the time.

Bandido's gives you free chips and salsa when you sit down. Their salsa roja has a kick to it but is very flavorful. You can also request other varieties of salsa (verde, pico de gallo) or get it yourself from the salsa bar.

These are my favorite things about Bandido's...

1. The really cute lamps that hang above the tables. They have little pieces of colored glass through which the light shines. I want one for my house.

2. The entree called "Nada mas queso." It means "Nothing but cheese," which is exactly what it is... a plate full of cheese. Cheese enchilada, cheese burrito, cheese tostada, etc. Don't forget to order the cheese dip as an appetizer, too.

3. El Gigante. El Gigante is a burrito larger than anyone should ever endeavor to consume. I witnessed a friend down it in 18 minutes, and I couldn't eat all of my own dinner because I got so full just watching him. If you finish it, they give you a free t-shirt to wipe your mouth with after you have to throw up from its sheer volume.
4 - Jake S.: Bandidos is by far my favorite Mexican food on Franklin Street where the market is flooded with burrito options.

This joint is hidden underground in Amber Alley (located below "Players" nightclub, and between Firehouse Subs and Shrunken Head), and is a neat stop on the Tour de Franklin. 

The fare is a solid collection of traditional Mexican offerings. Bandido's is best know for "El Gigante". This behemoth burrito weighs something like 5+lbs. and makes for a very lively dinner. It is a tasty burrito, but has become the subject of much lure. The restaurant offers a free T-Shirt and eternal bragging rights to anyone who can knock it out in one sitting. It's tough, but it's also a lot of fun to try. 

Whether you stop in to conquer "El Gigante" or just for some good food from South of the Border, Bandido's is a great option.
5 - Rebecca T.: Love the cheese quesadilla stuffed with black beans, on a honey wheat tortilla. The one in Carrboro used to be my fave, but it's closed. 

Sopapilla for dessert is a must (fried flour tortilla with honey and cinnamon and some vanilla ice cream).

The ones in Hillsborough and Durham are pretty good, too, and they have free parking.
4 - William J.: Ah, Bandido's... light of my Mexican life.  I've been going here since I first moved to Chapel Hill, and it's an absolute staple of life on or around campus.

It's a tiny hole in the wall place, kind of a cave, really (If you're tall, remember to duck when entering the main dining room).  The ambiance is fantastic, everything bright and gaudy and ridiculous, but very charming.

Starting out with the complimentary chips and salsa is neat, mainly because there's a do-it-yourself salsa bar so everyone can pick their favorite from a half-dozen types of salsa.  I usually go for the enchiladas, which are excellent.

A couple people I know complain that the food here is "soupy," which is fair to an extent.  Occasionally everything will come out of as a shapeless mass of cheese and chicken so dense that light itself is trapped within.  That being said, things are hot and flavorful, everything that you'd really expect from low-class Mexican fare.

Beware El Gigante.  It will destroy you.

The service is adequate at best, but again, that's to be expected.  Look elsewhere for beer specials.  Pay in cash and they enter you in a drawing to earn free food.  If you're looking to save cash, go for the A la carte selections on the back of the menu... there's a decent amount of food there for very little coin.
3 - Christina G.: I have several friends that worked here, so it will unfortunately forever-more be branded in my mind as BandiLdo's. Ah. Anyhow, despite all the stories (nothing too scarring, I promise!) I still stand by the confetti chicken and the mojitos. I have never ordered El Gigante, but a friend of mine was able to wolf one down; not sure if it was worth it for a tee-shirt, given the ensuing indigestion...

A little tricky to find, since it's below street level in an alleyway; and a little scary on the outside, perhaps to some. But despite the dim, dark exterior the inside is warm, bright, and usually pretty friendly. The Durham location scores better in my book for cleanliness, though.
4 - Adam L.: Very cool basement atmosphere with bright colors and a definite Latin feeling. The food is quick, typical Mexican with very affordable lunch specials. The tortilla chips have a kick ass seasoning as well. Go for lunch for a quick bite.
4 - Rob M.: Recently moved to the area and have been looking for a good Mexican restaurant. I think we've found the place. 

The staff were friendly and welcoming. We started off with the Taco Queso Dip. I had the Pollo En Mole and my wife had the Chimichanga. We enjoyed the food and look forward to going back.
4 - Bill G.: Bandido's is a dive joint of a family restaurant that's been serving up solidly good Mexican food for 15 years.  They have a big menu, generous portions, and modest prices.
2 - Stacie N.: Honestly, I'll never understand the attraction to this place. The food is merely mediocre Tex-Mex, and for a much higher price. It's not awful, but there's really nothing special to recommend it except maybe its salsa, which you can also get at the (much cheaper) Chubby's Tacos on 9th.

For authentic Mexican (or even just better Tex-Mex), I'd much sooner drive to Graham for Fiesta Grill, hit up the taco trucks, or go to any of the many delicious places in Durham. For California-ish Mexican, I'd stick with any of the burrito places on Franklin, since they're just as much food for significantly less money.
5 - Steven P.: One of my good friends attends UNC grad school so I decided to visit him in November 2009. Before I even came out there he was talking about "El Gigante" from Bandido's which is there mammoth of a burrito. So When I went out there I had to try it.  

We walk down these steps into an alley in chapel hill to get to this mysterious Mexican restaurant. It has a cool local restaurant feel with Polaroids of customers on the walls and plenty of seating. 

The burrito had everything on it. Lettuce, enchilada sauce, guac, sour cream. And that was just on top of the burrito. But this burrito even though it was so big, I never got tired of eating it. Every bite was just as delicious as the next. 

I however ate only half and saved the rest for later. I wanted to go out later so I didn't want to slip into a burrito coma. Someday I will go for it all.
4 - John L.: There are two things that stand out for me at Bandidos: Oreo Fried ice cream, and the anthropomorphic pepper with a mustache.  That guy freaks me out though, so this is the last time you'll see a mention of him in this review.

Bandidos, to their detriment, have one of the weirder placings on Franklin Street.  However, despite the lower-level restaurant area, they do have a decent amount of space in their little hidden area in the alley that one would take to get to Joe's Joint.  

They do have a diverse menu, with a variety of Mexican options.  We had the Groupon, so we were able to get lunch for 4 people plus a dessert for around $6+tip after the Groupon.  So it's relatively cheap if you're doing lunch, even before Groupon (about $6-7 for large burritos, etc)

The burritos are okay: it was basically nondescript, and the shredded chicken didn't do much for me, but it filled me up, so I appreciate that.

The free chips were good, and the salsas that they offer with those were actually really good: the medium salsa was particularly good. 

Really, the greatest thing here is a little thing called the Oreo Fried ice cream.  I've put a picture in the profile.  Go up and look at it.  Don't worry, I'll wait for you.  I'll even fill in this section with random facts about things I just learned on my Twitter feed:

- Pacman Jones apparently got a tryout with the Bengals.
- Common squirrel has gone to sleep.

You back?  Good.  Did you see it?  You want it?  You do, don't you.  Yes, yes you do.    It's a thing of decadence: vanilla ice cream, covered in Oreo crumbs and deep fried.  It's quite good.  Is it good for you? No.  But you don't order Oreo Fried Ice Cream for the nutritional value.

So, in summary: Relatively decently priced at lunch.  Burrito, okay.  Salsa, good.  Oreo Fried Ice Cream: OM NOM NOM NOM.
4 - Jon M.: What can I say about this Chapel Hill icon? Good Mexican food, cheap prices, fun atmosphere, and a loving history (I've donned the sombrero for several b'day pics). My old Mexican standby on Franklin St. continues to come through.

Don't go here for fine dining... go here for reliably good nuts and bolts Mexican.
5 - Johnny B.: I've only gotten food to go from this place, but when I go in, it looks like a great place to bring some friends. The food has always been good. I especially recommend the soft chicken tacos and dessert churros are FANTASTIC!

Definitely try this place out at least once.
5 - Samantha E.: Good Mexican right on Franklin? Yes! The food, chips, and salsa are all delicious and you should definitely go when a friend tries El Gigante. It is both entertaining and disgusting. A great spot!
5 - Jordan-Marie S.: I love love love Banditos. I talked about it for a week after I ate there. When I went there, UNC just played a game and it took about ten minutes to get into the door and ten more minutes to get out of the line and be seated. It's very likely you'll see people you know here and it's a great place to go with friends. Let me just say that Banditos changed my outlook on chimichangas forever. The have set the bar. The meat seems supreme and since I'm that type of person to take a little bit off of my friend's plate, I can tell you that it's likely everything from here tastes great. It's intimate, cute, and very authentic. It's great for late nights, since you can't see outside. It's clean and friendly, despite the dive-y demeanor. It's worth every penny.
4 - DJ Y.: This place is awesome, and blows Cosmic (Cantina) out of the park.  

It's hidden, requiring you to descend steps to even see it.  They have great lunch combos, great service, and friendly staff.  There's a salsa bar in the back room.  I've never been charged for extra sour cream (which is truly a necessity), and offer great burritos and enchiladas.  Highly recommended for tar heels craving a mex-fix before their 1:00pm MWF (or the dreaded 12:15 TR classes ).  Never a bad experience here.  

1.  Unlimited chips & salsa = awesome
2.  Margaritas are on point!  
3.  Decently priced (barato) without compromising quality of the food.
4.  Hit up the burritos / enchiladas, you won't be disappointed.
5 - Greg J.: If you want good old roach food this place is great.  Defiantly more Mexican than american, unlike a lot of "Mexican" places.  Been there a couple of times, and at other locations a few times.  Best place I have found for Mexican food that me and my wife actually like.  You place your order and get a number and go sit down.
5 - Christopher P.: When I first saw Bandido's this summer, my mind instantly thought this place is pretty sketch (Its located within an alleyway in a building where there is a club located at the very top) and despite that it is one of my favorite restaurants on Franklin Street.  In a society of Taco Bells and fake Mexican inspired restaurants my idea of Mexican food is pretty much non-authentic and Bandito's gave me that real authentic Mexican food experience.    

The food is pretty amazing, they provide really big portions that you really can not help but try to finish because they make it delicious.  The pricing is pretty good, considering your portions and your access to the salsa bar so you can get your moneys worth.  Service is also pretty good, the waitresses are really nice and don't mind going the extra mile.  One of the things I love the most is the decor and design of the place where you get that authentic Mexican food experience in the bottom level of building.  I definitely recommend this restaurant to Tar Heels and other people in the area.
4 - Denise B.: This is a very good Mexican restaurant off of Franklin.  The food is good and I really enjoyed the salsa bar for one to get all the sauce one wants for chips and dinner.  They also have good drink specials.
3 - Liwei Y.: Huge portions...giant giant burritos....if you can eat a lot, try the burrito challenge. Everything tastes pretty standard.
4 - B R.: One of our favorite spots to get some good mexican food.  They always start you out with a wonderful basket of chips with your choice of different salsas.  We ate the grande burrito with the shredded beef.  The waiter was very nice and quick.  The place can get loud, but it is a testamount to its popularity.
4 - Josh C.: I love coming to Bandidos for many different occasions. The last time I went there, I enjoyed 2 enchiladas (beef and chicken) with rice and beans. In the past, successful dishes have been fish tacos, steak fajitas, and so many more. As always, the food is great and my favorite part of the meal is the chips and salsa. 

The atmosphere of Bandidos is always fun and friendly, they usually have a few tv's going and there seems to always be a steady crowd of people. Its a great place for friends to have a casual meal and the best part is that the food is really good for the price you pay. 

Overall, I would definitely recommend this place for people in the Chapel Hill area, especially students, who are looking for a relatively cheap and delicious Mexican meal.
4 - Daija P.: I love this little Mexican place! Off Franklin St. and down a slightly sketchy alley is this gem of a place. You can never go wrong on any dish and if it's your birthday you get to wear an awesome green sombrero and get fried ice cream! :) haha
4 - Jared T.: I got the Lunch Combo #11 which was a generous serving of food including a tostada, cheese enchilada and veggie burrito.  This comes with a basket of chips and limitless salsas from the bar for only $5.95.  I had about 9 cans of salsa.  The quality of the food is great for the price, but honestly I would rather eat at Carrburritos for a little bit more.
3 - Hannah P.: 3.5

L-10: fajitas with grilled chicken; comes with a side of tortilla chips and a drink.
They have a salsa bar with different types of salsa. I regret not trying more of them because the mild was pretty tasty.
Chicken came sizzling on a small pan with grilled green peppers and onions. There was a side of beans with melted cheese on top that looked fake. LOL It tasted fine though! There definitely wasn't enough vegetables for all the wraps and meat that was given - only three diced tomatoes with a small handful of lettuce.

Note: never use restrooms in Mexican restaurants.
4 - Jordan P.: I'll start off by saying this isn't a spot you go for ambiance, at least not for the full package. You stroll down a dark staircase, see the remnants of the Rathskeller to your left, and enter a basement restaurant known as Bandidos.  However, once inside, you realize that yes, you are in a kitschy Mexican joint and, after spotting the epic salsa bar in the back and seeing steaming plates of fajitas and enchiladas cross your field of vision, you know you're in for a treat.

Affordability is key here and, with their new menu offerings (i.e. giant quesadillas with no sides of rice/beans because, let's be honest, sometimes you just want tortillas, cheese, and fillings) there's something for everyone.  The lunch deals are great, and you get a LOT of bang for your buck. I tend to come when I'm ravenous, so I rarely have leftovers, but on a normal day, a serving is at least 1.5 meals right there. 

They have the BEST black beans I've found at any Mexican restaurant in the Triangle and that is one big part of what keeps me coming back.  Another thing is their endless baskets of chips and extensive salsa bar.  The chicken filling is great, the fajitas are fairly greasy but equally delicious, and as far as the rice.... I could do without it.  LUCKILY, that's an option!  You can always replace a side of rice with more beans, or something else more your liking.

The 'ritas are tasty and they normally have some weekly deals which are worth checking out.  The waitstaff is attentive, and my cup's rarely empty.  They will always refill your chips (though sometimes begrudgingly) and most of the time we leave with full bellies and semi-full boxes to take home!  

A Franklin Street staple, in my opinion, there's a reason that this place has stuck around as long as it has.
3 - Pam G.: We stopped in for dinner at Bandido's when we were moving our oldest into school. I was hoping for a little more ambiance, but that seems to be hard to find on Franklin street. i was able to get a pretty tasty margarita though with fresh squeezed juice and the food was quite tasty. They have a salsa bar with a variety of salsas and jalapenos to choose from. My DH and I got one of their meals for 2 and it was more than enough food for both of us. The chile rellano was quite good. The only thing that we didn't really care for was the tamale. I'm not sure what kind it was, but it just didn't have much flavor at all. The best part about it is the price. Four of us for dinner with drinks for around $40.
4 - Dustin B.: Good food and excellent margaritas! Eventhough its in an alley, I'm still diggin it!

Go Heels!
4 - Elissa H.: Quality tex-mex in a town with a lot of disappointing tex-mex restaurants. The salsa bar alone puts it above the competition. The lunch specials are a great deal--tasty and very generous portions. You will not leave here hungry or unhappy.

Bandito's - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2798628, -83.7473308) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
3 - Mae S.: Informal unadorned atmosphere, nice Mexican lunch or light dinner items.
4 - Clarence C.: I don't think they have fish tacos, but the food is a lot more authentic than Qdoba or any of the other fast-Mexican places. 

I like to get a burrito or tacos. No need to be creative. Try the really-meaty macho nachos. I suppose they would be a good appetizer to share with someone, but I've had them for dinner. They had what seemed like about a pound of meat on them and a lot of cheese. The salsa and guacamole were served on the side so the chips didn't get all soggy.

Service is very efficient. The owners (two of them) are the only people I ever see when I eat here. I think they do everything, and that's probably why the service and the food are so good.
3 - Lisa W.: Bandito's is located around the corner from the video rental place I used to work at, so ordering take-out from here was super-easy.  It was a little pricey on my video clerk budget, but I'd get the taco salad and be fine for two meals.

My favorite memory was when I went here once for the sole purpose of looking at my friend's art installation, and the only place you could see it was in Bandito's and looking out the window.  There was a big table of people celebrating the installment.  Bandito's knows how to show people a good time, and they were very gracious about having us stay around to observe the lights of the installation.  With the right company and this food, you can have a great evening.
3 - Zach S.: Banditos is perfectly passable Mexican fare. It's nothing particularly special and the prices are a little on the high side for what you get, but it's not a bad dinner option if you want Mexican food with table service in downtown Ann Arbor, as opposed to driving somewhere outside the city center. The portions are quite large, which is nice. I like their salsa although it's fairly average. I would definitely recommend the shredded beef as far as meats go. I always order a shredded beef chimichanga which is reliably delicious and an enormous amount of food. The beans and rice are above average. I wouldn't expect great service, though. Every time we go the servers are kind of indifferent to us and are generally bad at refilling drinks or even bringing chips and salsa quickly when you first arrive.

So, recommended with reservations. I wouldn't bother with this place if I didn't live a few blocks away and eat out every weekend, necessitating some variety. If you fit that description, give it a shot.
3 - Erica G.: Bandito's is decent Mexican food, and we go there maybe once a month.  It gives really large portions at a reasonable price for a sit-down place.  The service is quick and neither friendly nor unfriendly.  My vegetarian friends are usually satisfied, but the choices are pretty much what you'd expect.
3 - Adelais T.: I haven't been too many Mexican restaurants so I don't have basis for comparison, but I thought the food was pretty good. They give you decent-sized portions and they have pretty good guacamole (although I suggest ordering just the guacamole by itself instead of the chips and guac appetizer... it's cheaper and the chips come with it).
3 - Chelsea M.: At first I didn't understand why everyone was rating this restaurant three stars when the reviews were so great.  After eating here I understand.  I had a good meal.  I ordered a platter and two out of the three items were pretty good, the third left alot to be desired.  I like that I got chips with my meal and I enjoyed a good beer.  My friend enjoyed his platter.  The service was fine, nothing outstanding.  Overall, it's a decent place, I'd go again, but there are better Mexican restaurants out there.
3 - Nick H.: This is a very passable Mexican restaurant for what you get - there's just nothing that really struck me as being great about it.  The portions are large for the price, and you can tell everything is made fresh at the restaurant - something I always like.  The shredded beef they use is very good and their guac was nice and spicy - however not the best I've had.  But the beans, rice, and chicken enchiladas were just okay.  The service was fine but nothing to write home about.  The homemade lemonade is terrible - tastes like water and RealLemon juice mixed together - and you don't get refills on it - not that I wanted any.

Really, my rub is that the food is just not very flavorful.  I like spicy food, and with my additions of hot sauces, the food was good.  If you like Mexican but do not like spice, this would be a good place to go.  I also think it would be fun to go with friends and eat chips & guac and down margaritas.  But that's just me.
2 - Rachel Y.: Ok, so my boyfriend and I were looking for reasonably priced Mexican food. If that is your ONLY criteria, then you will feel as though Banditos was worth your while. Otherwise, I think you get better Mexican at Chipotle or one of those other fast food chains. But we wanted a margarita and a place to sit and enjoy our meal, so this also met those requirements. The services, as mentioned before, is neither good nor bad... it just is. I had the chicken soft taco and we ordered a 4 oz. *side* of guac... thats key since its cheaper than ordering the guac as an appetizer. The food will not blow you away, but if you find that you live within walking/biking distance, then you should give it a try...
3 - Erin S.: Can't beat the prices and the portions. The service is rude but fast. The food is average: "Mexican," meaning beans and rice covered in a pound of cheese. I'd compare it to Chi Chi's minus the hepatitis.
5 - John B.: Awesome.  As long as you go in not expecting, anticipating, hoping for hardcore mexican cuisine.  The family that owns the place is actually Indian I believe. But the quality of the food is far above that of similar establishments in Ann Arbor.  I always have to remind myself that Tios is Tex-Mex, Banditos is Cali-Mex, Prickly Pear and Sabor Latino are more legitimate.  So comparing them is not always clear-cut to me, but I will always put Banditos way above Tios and while different, they do have similar items prepared similarly.

Regardless of the legitimacy of the food or the experience (because honestly I could care less) I think it's great.

Servings are plentiful, prices are reasonable, salsa is great, margaritas are great, and The Guy is awesome.
5 - Jon C.: Pure Ann Arbor. If you want a standard out of the box Mexican restaurant go elsewhere. Banditos has unique and different sauces than the norm. Always Fresh and clean. How many places do you really get to have the food served and cooked by the owners in Ann Arbor? Love this place. Our family ate here twice in one week. Burrito sauce is so different and I am addicted. Get it with a side of sour cream.
2 - Rachel K.: This food was mediocre, at best.  The chips and salsa were okay - the salsa lacked flavor but was pretty standard fare.  I ordered the chicken fajitas, and I swear the strips of chicken were the pre-cooked frozen kind.  They had a really weird and unnatural texture.  The rest of the fixings were good, I like that they cook the onions and peppers in lemon which gives it a very distinct taste.  As far as sides go, the rice was incredibly bland but the beans were tasty enough.  I also tried one bite of my boyfriend's taquito and prompty spit it out...there was nothing redeemable about that mouthful.

Service was friendly but awfully slow, especially considering that the restaurant was almost empty.  Overall it wasn't the worst dining experience of my life, but I won't be going back any time soon.
2 - shannon r.: This is the kind of place where you walk in and the tabletops and vinyl booths are still wet - not damp, wet - from a wipe down. We had to open our silverware sets to use our napkins to dry off our seating and then ask for new napkins. 
Everything about this restaurant is mediocre: service, decor, food. The bean nachos were incredibly unappealing to look at but fine tasting. The liberal addition of salsa, guac and sour cream definitely helped. It's edible stuff in the sense that beans + chips + cheese is rarely bad, but there is such a lack of effort put into any aspect of this establishment that I see no reason to ever return. Compare this to Tio's which has pretty much the same quality of food but they've got character, ambiance (not great ambiance either, but it's something), and milkshakes. Tio's makes eating crappy food fun and ironic, Bandito's makes eating crappy food depressing and dark.
I got a really strange vibe from the interior as well. We walked in to the sound of a screaming child (some relative of the owners) and dined to the sounds of random dudes coming in off the street and talking to the owner about how they didn't have enough money (to pay what I have no idea). Why oh why do I have to go to Ypsi everytime I want Mexican food. Get it together A2!
5 - Erik M.: Californian-style Mexican tacos. Isn't that like Detroit-style Canadian Bacon? That said, this place is a fine stop for semi-authentic Mexican food.

I stopped by here not expecting much and was pleasantly surprised. This place reminds me of Xotiomiliotos in Detroit's Mexicantown, except I can spell it. I ordered the tacos and I got three amply packed tacos, served with beans and rice for $8. Not terrible considering you get chips and salsa as well. Throughout the meal I could hear the food being prepped fresh. 

The decor is very American-Mexican, such as the Corona bottle pinatas and Chilies with faces. Fun times.

All in all, this makes for a fun stop in for a good meal in Downtown Ann Arbor.
2 - Stuart D.: The first thing you need to understand about my selection of 2 stars is that I am directly channeling the literal Yelp description gods who have given us this gem of direction, "Meh. I've experienced better." In my mind, I should not have to check my expectations at the door to give or take bonus points for authenticity or anything like that. I just want to enjoy a decent meal. 

To that end, you must know that Banditos does not seem to be an authentic Mexican restaurant. The explanation that A friend gave me regarding the "California Style" thing was that it supposed to be more fresco in the fresh flavor sense. I did not experience too many fresh flavors. The impressive points to me were the salsa and guacamole. Beyond that, I did not experience anything particularly special, not to mention fresh. 

The meals are what you would expect from an average American Mexican place. We tried the queso dip which we found to be very runny and came topped with shredded cheddar-Jack cheese that looked like it came straight out of a bag of fancy shred from the supermarket.

The service started out OK but got progressively worse. When the bill came, the server offered to help us split it if we needed the help. We told him that we in fact did need the help and he turned into the most unpleasant person. I've served table before so I understand the frustrations that can stem from splitting a bill... But you don't go around offering to help and then turn to the dark side. 

So while the food will fill you up and you may be able to enjoy an OK Americanized Mexican meal, I simply think that there are better ways to fuel up and enjoy the experience at the same time.

While the following had nothing to do with the meal, I thought I would share because we found it somewhat enlightening. While we were dining, a gentleman kept walking back and forth outside of the restaurant staring in from time to time. One of my friends though he was staring at her and started to feel uncomfortable. The moment that I noticed all of the staff was in the kitchen, the gentleman came into the restaurant and headed directly to the restroom. It turns out that he was homeless and was looking for the appropriate time to sneak in!
2 - Mick C.: Stopped in on a Friday night when every other restaurant had a 45-minute wait. Our greeter instructed us to "sit wherever you want". From that point, service was fast but without care - no discussion of the menu, suggestion of specialities, or mention that they were out of fajitas - we werent sure exactly which part of the fajitas they were out of, given that the same ingredients are typically present in most other dishes!

We had the chicken burrito, which was extremely bland, and the enchilada platter, which was similarly flavor-free. It's as though the food is warmed through without the addition of spices and seasoning. Back in Arlington, VA I used to go to a restuarant that I eventually nicknamed El Blando - maybe this type of food is naturally bland.

Also thought it was a little expensive for Ann Arbor - $12 for an entree. The portions were large though. I had a margherita, which was rather small, but ok.

I wouldnt rush back.
4 - Zee S.: Mmmm good stuff!
4 - Jennifer B.: Okay, so it isn't really "California" style. I lived there for several years, so I should know. However, I have had lots of Mexican food and it served its purpose. I was shocked at how limited Ann Arborites are in Mexican choices. I thought the food was delicious. The chicken was white meat chicken breasts and unlike many mexican places I've been to, food wasn't shlepped all over my plate into one big runny mess. The owners are not Mexican, but it doesn't matter. They do a FAR better job than those clowns over at Tios. I enjoyed my food there very much, their prices are reasonable and they make a delicious Strawberry Daquiri that tastes like strawberry, unlike Tios who served me up lemon sour mix disguised as a Strawberry Daquiri. Loved the chimichanga and chicken tacos...they don't charge you for chips and the chips taste good, not like they were mass produced (ie. the yellow gross ones from tios), they smother your food with cheese and don't charge extra for it, ie. Tios, and the service was great, ie. unlike Tios. The salsa is tasty and the food tasted fresh. There were actually tomatoes and lettuce on my plate, unlike tios. I give this place thumbs up. Anyone bad mouthing it has got to be from evil tios. One big plus and something to look for in a restauraunt: cilantro. If they use it in their sauce, then they are at least aiming at authentic..
1 - Tom C.: I need to remember that when I don't go to a place for awhile there's probably a reason. :/ 

The decor is somewhere between grandmas kitchen and cheap Mexican. The service was fast but with an attitude and then got the order wrong. Granted she did eventually realize and apologize.  After I was done with the meal. :/

The food is the real tragedy though. It's bland. Not northerners-can't-take-the-heat bland but actually boring and tasteless. Had the enchiladas. The chicken seemed fresh and was well cooked but taste like they boiled it in water and didn't season it. I'm pretty sure the sauce was made with velveeta. The rice was as boring as the chicken. Really I'm just writing this review to remind myself never to come here again. So many better choices for Mexican just blocks away.
5 - Diane V.: I can't believe people don't love the food here. I think maybe because it's not greasy like most Mexican restaurants. My family LOVES the food here. We first ate here during the art fair about 2 years ago. All the restaurants that were on the art fair streets had long waits and this one didn't. We decided to try it.. It was great!! We have been here many times since then. We live about 30 miles away but it is worth the drive. The same man waits on us every time (owner?), and he is always so nice! The decor is nothing special, but It is inviting and cozy. We make the long trip to Banditos every time we want Mexican food. It is so worth it! If you want Mexican food that is full of grease, it's not for you. If you want tasty fresh food, this is the place!
3 - Christine E.: While Banditos may be a step above Qdoba or Chipotle, that's really about all that can be said for it. The food is eminently forgettable and a bit overpriced, but the salsa and guac were good and the enchilada sauce at least was different, which was interesting. My friend and I were also mildly amused when we noticed that the place was run by a South Asian family. #multiculturalism#win
4 - Nancy S.: I love the food!!! The staff is good and helpful, and the prices are nice ((:
5 - Steven V.: I love this restaurant! From the decor to the food this place is awesome! The chips and salsa are superb. The ingredients are fresh. I am a cheese quesadilla fan and have eaten them all over- this restaurant has the best cheese quesadilla I have ever had! It is full of cheese, tomatoe, onion and jalapeño and served crispy. Its a party for the tastebuds! It's amazing to see how small the kitchen is and what comes out of it! The beans are whole and a different style then I am used to but rival any in flavor. That would be the best way to succinctly describe banditos- fresh ingredients and full flavor! There may be a little wait because everything is made fresh, but it's worth it!
2 - Brian D.: I am really tempted to give this restaurant a 1. This restaurant is everything that is wrong with Mexican restaurants. You couldn't staple enough pinatas and beer ads on the walls to make this bland, insulting food taste any better. There are many ways to make Mexican food poorly - some places are too greasy, some not spicy enough. Banditos manages to make the particularly rare mistake of not flavoring their food. They might as well just blend it all into a protein smoothie and feed it to me through a tube. 

On this particular visit the service was so-so, if not rushed. I'm fine with that, but a bit of friendliness would be appreciated. We ordered chips and salsa, and although the salsa was quite good, the chips were cold and stale. I've had complimentary chips and salsa that put these to shame - it was a surprise. I ordered chicken tacos and my date ordered the chimichanga. Both tasted the same, regardless of their difference in ingredients. I ended up just pouring hot sauce on my food to add some taste, before pushing my plate away from me with a reserved sigh of palatal dissatisfaction. 

This restaurant is an insult to what Mexican food can, and should, be.
1 - Josh M.: Update: Just got a message from a not-so-friendly Yelp who may or may not work at Bandito's... He's previously given the place a 5 star rating, and the words "don't come back" in his message to me imply he's associated with the place, and the only pictures he's got up on yelp are of Bandito's.

He basically said never to come back, insulted me with an R-rated profanity, and called me cheap for using the LivingSocial coupon. If they don't want people using them, they shouldn't offer them.

Anyway, I didn't think my review was rude, just truthful. I thought that was the point of Yelp.

My apologies to Bandito's if the guy who wrote me is just some random rude guy who happens to love your food and was offended by my previous rating. Feel free to contact me and clear this up if that's the case...
4 - Kyle S.: This place is great. I was here the other day after finding them on restaurant.com and was pleasantly surprised. I have never heard any reviews of this place so I didn't really know what to expect. 

We ordered the bean nachos as an appetizer and I must say they were the best nachos I have ordered from ANY restaurant. Every single chip on the plate was covered with toppings. Just great.

For my entree, I had the bean chimichanga and I don't have anything bad to say about it. It was hot and tasty.

The service was spot-on & very friendly.

The only thing I would suggest is trying a new rice recipe. The rice is lack luster and leaves much to be desired.
1 - Kelli J.: If you enjoy a little spice in your life, don't go here!  All of the food tasted so bland (comparable to what I would imagine pureed toilet paper's flavor to be) that I had to stop eating my meal even though my stomach was still growling.  There was absolutely no taste in anything on my plate, and I felt as though I was eating merely for survival purposes (surely wasn't eating for enjoyment).  About ten minutes after my order came, the waiter brought my check and asked if I wanted a box...while I was still trying to consume the tasteless mess Bandito's called a "burrito".  Never have I been rushed out of a restaurant like this.  The most shocking part was that nobody else came in to the restaurant the entire time we were there, and the table that was already eating when we arrived was rushed out shortly after we showed up by the wait staff.  Weird, strange, blah.  Don't waste your money.
4 - Mallory L.: I've been disappointed with many Mexican food places in Ann Arbor, and found Bandito's to be one of my only good options when craving Mexican. For the most part, they serve basic, cheesy, unhealthy, but delicious Mexican food... nothing fancy. I've liked everything I've ordered here and really enjoyed their guacamole and margaritas. The price is affordable as well.
2 - Katherine P.: Mexican food is my favorite favorite. It's hard to find good Mexican around Ann Arbor (though I hear this is changing - I'll get back to you on that.) I've only had Bandito's delivered so I can't comment on the building or the service. That being said, I've found the food to be... okay. It wasn't bad but it wasn't great. I've tried it a few times and my overall review would be: bland. I also find it to be overpriced for what it is. Perhaps I wasn't in love with it because I prefer more traditional Mexican, complete with cilantro, spice and what not. Bandito's describes themselves as California style.
4 - Michael S.: I wanted to give this place 3.5 stars, but I'll bump it up to 4.

Finally stopped in here least night.  Had a chicken burrito, the dish by which I judge all Mexican restaurants.  It was quite good.  Not as good as some I've had, but toward the top of that list.  It came with beans & rice; they were good, too.  Plenty of food on the plate, too. I was a little less thrilled with the chips and salsa.

Service was good, but we were the only ones there.  Prices were reasonable.  I was impressed by how clean the seating area was.

I'm not sure I'll go back, since there are so many other places to eat around there,  but I wouldn't mind being dragged in.
5 - Beth H.: I added a star to this update for Bandito's consistancy - Bandito's is one of the best  values you will find for lunch in downtown Ann Arbor and it hasn't changed in the seven years since my office moved downtown. Quick, good, fresh, friendly and consistant. 

Only thing that would make it better would be a bar with a good margarita happy hour.  Just sayin'! :)

Had another great lunch today. One chicken, one cheese enchilada lunch special. Oh and here's my tip: there is something about root beer and mexican food that is just really good.
3 - Dominic V.: I had heard good things about this place for a while now, but for some reason hadn't bothered to come in. I was pleasantly surprised after trying out other mexican places in the area and being pretty disappointed in all of them. My only wish is that they carried Daiya so that the vegans could have "cheese" too.
5 - g m.: If you live in LA like I do you can get good Mexican food on every corner of the city, but what is really hard to find is a chimichanga, so when I went home to Ann Arbor I stopped into Banditos and had a great chicken chimichanga!  I have had more tacos and quesadillas in LA than I care to admit but I missed chimichangas!  Banditos was priced good and the service was really quick and the waiter was really attentive.
4 - Nancy G.: Liked the salsa and their original cheese sauce for their enchiladas.   The owner and son were very friendly, enthusiastic about how their dishes compared to other restaurants in ca that we love.
1 - Elroy D.: The "Mexican" food at Bandito's was so bad it made me never want to eat food ever again.

Bandwagon Brew Pub - Ithaca, NY (42.4396647, -76.4990466) ()
2 - Frank R.: Overall, Bandwagon Brew Pub is a disappointment and tries to be extraordinary without doing the basics well.

I was very excited that a brew pub opened in Ithaca. Its the only style of restaurant I felt was missing from the local dining scene. I made it there for dinner on 12-Jan-10. I sampled all the beers they brewed and I was thoroughly disappointed. The raspberry jalapeno has an overwhelming smell of peppers in the nose but the body is lean with little taste of raspberry. It finishes quite acidic and unpleasant. The color is light caramel and the head dissipates quickly. The black pepper porter has very subtle hints of black pepper in the nose but is missing from the watery body. The chocolate cherry porter has a calm nose and acidic aftertaste. There is no real taste of chocolate or cherry to speak of. The mouthfeel is awkwardly thin and unsatisfying. A lingering taste of soap and metal permeates the tongue during contemplation. The Russian Imperial stout is as much an Imperial Stout as I am a body builder. I have never had an imperial stout this flat in every dimension. The body was thin as the thinnest stout I had. The flavor was had no other flavor than roasted malt. A real imperial stout has insane amounts of complexity in the flavor that ranges from coffee to toffee to caramel to brulee to vanilla and has a very creamy texture. This one totally misses that essence and should be called a stout at best. If you did a blind taste with the Russian Imperial Stout and Black Pepper stout, you might not tell the difference, which is a shame. It was as authentic a Russian Imperial Stout as a Rolex on Canal St. The only beer I might try again would be the strawberry cream ale. It had a good sweetness in the body that came on early and late and became subdued in the middle. the body was like a rusty, dark colored hefeweizen that was opaque. I would like to see this in the context of a lighter beer like a filtered wheat or pilsner style. It would be a refreshing summer time beer like the strawberry wheat from Lancaster Brewing Company used to make. The consistent trend I noticed with the beers is that they were all heavily roasted or cloudy beers. I feel this hides imperfections in the brewing process that cannot be hidden in an IPA or other less opaque beers. The point is, I feel they tried to be too complex without mastering the basic points of each style. I see this all the time in the food and beverage business. I think if they tried to refine their recipes to be a simple porter, stout etc, they might make a tastier beer than trying to make something that should be reserved for more advanced brewers. Thankfully they have other beer on draft and bottles. The prices are somewhat reasonable so I was happy to try a really good Southern Tier Java on draft. Southern Tier makes some fantastic beer and I was more than happy to be reminded of it while I was at Bandwagon.

The food was average. I had the focaccia and grilled pork tenderloin. The focaccia was airy and crispy but undercooked in the area underneath the tomato and cheese. This happens a lot when making thick crusted breads. I think its best to precook the bread for a few minutes before adding the toppings on thick crusted breads. to avoid undercooked regions. The two pieces I got were cut at inconsistent angles. I know this is a subtle issue that doesn't affect flavor but it shouldn't be too hard to cut consistent slices of focaccia. I see it as a sign of inexperience. I thought it was tasty and edible but it could have been much better. I expected a lot from the pork tenderloin because it took about 45 minutes to prepare. When the plate finally came, it looked like cafeteria food and wasn't much better. The tenderloin was unevenly cooked and the tip end was a noticeably drier than the rest of the portion. The tenderloin was completely unseasoned and bland. There is no excuse for not adding salt and pepper! The sauce was a bit heavy on the mustard but helped with the flavor of the tenderloin. Tenderloin typically cooks quickly when grilled. It should not take 45 minutes to grill a tenderloin. Any time longer dries out this cut. The mashed sweet potatoes would have been better if it weren't for the large chunks of undercooked potato. The poblano pepper and corn side dish was really good though. I could have eaten a full serving of it, and, in retrospect, I wish I would have.

The servers were really nice and friendly. I spoke to three of them and they all made me feel welcome and appreciated. The one male server and I discussed beer for about 10 minutes. They are an asset. 

The interior reminded me of basement bars in old buildings that I used to visit in Lancaster, PA. The exposed rock walls helped with this atmosphere. I appreciate the copper bar because its hard and expensive to work with in terms of a service area.

I hope Bandwagon works on these problems in the near future to make me a fan.
4 - Helen J.: I liked this place.  First we got a bowl of the butternut squash and pear soup--delicious.  But I'm generally a fan of those sorts of soup.  I've never seen that combo before though.  The thing I really liked is that there were veggies on the menu, not just fried potatoes, cheese, and meat.  We got the brussels sprouts and they were good too.  I'm not usually one for super salty dishes (this one has garlic and sea salt mixed in with the brussels sprouts) but since the salt was a showcased flavor, I think this worked.

Next, I got the chicken with grilled onions and peppers and polenta and my husband got the shrimp and andouille sausage with an awesome creamy spicy sauce...I forget the exact names of the entrees.  Both were excellent.  The chicken was (thankfully) not over cooked, it was moist and super tender.  The sauce the shrimp and sausage dish came in was incredible.

Since the meal was working out, we decided to get a dessert to share too.  We tried the pineapple and blueberry crunchy cake (I forget what it was called too) and it was super tasty also.  Delightful, in fact.

And then there's the beer.  We each got a pint of their own brewed beer: a jalapeno raspberry and a chocolate cherry porter.  We both liked them.  The jalapeno raspberry one had a strong jalapeno flavor which I felt made it unique--I haven't had many chili sort of beers and the chocolate cherry porter was nicely balanced in flavor.

The staff were attentive and timely too.  Overall, a great experience.
3 - Alice B.: Generally a really fun place to go, although I've only eaten there once. I got a pasta and squash salad, pasta was over cooked and it seemed odd to me to serve summer squash in the middle of December (I assumed that it would be butternut or something similar). My husband really enjoyed what he had which was some sort of pub grub. 

MY humble suggestion for this place would be to stop bothering with being a full restaurant and just serve pub food type appetisers throughout the evening along with their already expansive beer selection. 

None of their home brews are really special, but I like going there to drink beers and goof off with friends.
4 - Angie B.: I really liked Bandwagon Brew Pub... very comfortable ambiance, good service, and really good food.  I had a burger that was excellent, and I really enjoyed the raspberry jalapeno beer.  I will definitely come back, as I think this is a great place to hang out with friends and enjoy a night out.  Try their fries with curry mayonnaise, they are excellent!
3 - Taylor D.: Bandwagon is a good place to go with a small group.  It has a nice clean atmosphere with plenty of space.  Their menu is heavy on the spicy foods for some reason, but they have some interesting dishes.  The beef tenderloin with garlic mashed potatoes was great.  I've also heard that their jalapeno/berry beer is supposed to be good, but they were out when I went.  The North by Northwest beer is a good brown ale.  Also, if you're looking for a starter, check out the breaded and fried swiss cheese with spicy marinara sauce.
5 - Lola B.: I've only eaten here once so far, but they nailed it - it was awesome.  I ate there with three other people, and I think that the fact that we all practically licked each and every plate clean (apps, entrees, and desserts!) is definitely saying something.  I had actually been reluctant to go - not being a fan of basements and I was thinking that it was much smaller than it is.  They really did a nice job with that space though - it felt much roomier and welcoming than it ever did as B&J's (or any of the other random short-lived businesses that have been housed there).  Now I feel like I've been missing out!

I had some cheesy potato wontons that were fried and yummy, and an awesome plate of shortribs with asparagus and killer mashed potatoes.  I meant to only eat half of it and save the rest for lunch, but I devoured the entire entree without ever seriously entertaining a to-go box.  The ribs were perfectly seasoned, tender, and flavorful.  I could eat that meal for dinner every night.

And dessert!  I had a perfect flourless chocolate cake - always kind of a crapshoot in my book.  They're so often too dense, too dry, or just way too sweet.  Not the case here - it was delicious and its texture was perfect.  These guys have come a long way from microwaving souffles at the LDC.

I can't personally speak to the beer as beer isn't my thing - but my dining companions really (*really*) enjoyed the Russian Imperial Stout - which (I could be wrong about this) might have a pretty high alcohol content!  Either way, they loved it.

Great meal and great people.  Glad things are working out for them.
4 - David K.: This lower level basement restaurant is the future of fabulous casual cuisine in I-town.

My last week in Ithaca, December 2009, I went to Bandwagon three times the week after they opened, the Burgers and Fries are amazing.

Great selection of bottled beers and whiskey and very interesting homemade brews fermenting in the kitchen.

Go see for yourself, its just downtown, several paces from the corner of Cayuga and State.
3 - Jessica Q.: Overall: Certainly one of the better casual places in Ithaca with unique character, but some room for improvement. 

The good: Inexpensive and yummy beer flights, good variety on the menu, generally pretty tasty, and all around a pretty good value. Some of the items tasted really fresh and delicious. Had the cajun shrimp  on grits waffles which tasted good. A good casual date spot.

The bad: I'm sort of a stickler for good lighting, and this place didn't have it. Unevenly dim and some florescent-type stuff going on in the display case. Sat next to the air conditioner and it was really too drafty. Also the chairs and tables sort of reminded me of a cafeteria.  Also, I swore the berry cobbler was microwaved? The topping wasn't crispy at all, but was just a sugary mush. And the grits waffles were really heavy. The bun on the veggie burger was way too dense too. 

I really want to believe in this place because I think they are doing some things really well and they fill a niche in Ithaca eating that I was really missing. With a few improvements, this place could easily stand head and shoulders above every other place in Ithaca.
4 - James B.: After two visits, I have to say one of the better places in Ithaca. First time got the hangar steak which was delicious, and got the half-pound burger the second time which was very good, albeit slightly undercooked. Service is good, but the place is small, so ideal for groups of 5 or under.

Definitely a place worth coming back to.
5 - Stephanie M.: I just moved away from Ithaca, and Bandwagon ranks in the top three things I miss (after my best friend and Wegmans). I love this place and miss it constantly; it will be among my first stops next time I visit.

In the short few months since Bandwagon opened, I went probably over a dozen times in a number of contexts - big groups (10 people), small groups (3 people), multi-course meals, just drinks, with new friends, with old friends, with family... It became my go-to place any time I had an excuse to go anywhere.

My favorite aspect of Bandwagon is their microbrews, and the fact that you can get a flight for like $8. I've yet to try one of their beers that I didn't like enough to finish, and I've had several that I LOVE and can't wait for them to bottle so I can take them home to Boston - raspberry jalapeno, strawberry cream ale, nearly every stout... Plus, if you're not an adventurous type, they have a decent selection of other beer on tap and in bottles, plus liquor.

As far as food goes, truly everything I tried was fantastic. My favorites have included the beet salad (listing a salad as a favorite seems ridiculous, but it's true), the boneless Buffalo tenders, the potato & cheddar wantons, the burger, the fish & chips, the fettuccini with chicken & shrimp & bacon (which I asked for without the shrimp, which was no problem)... There seem to be lots of options for both omnivores and vegetarians (and probably vegans, though I haven't looked hard), plus they've seemed pretty accommodating.

The service has been consistent and great. They keep the water full, notice when you've finished your beer, offer suggestions for food and drink. They seem very experienced and knowledgeable, but not in that pretentious way that some seasoned servers have.

The only negatives are that the space is dark (it's in the basement, so that's kind of a given, but the lights are kept dim) and can be loud due to the stone flooring and walls. This isn't bad enough to detract a star, though.

Overall - great food, great beer, great service. I can't wait to go back.
3 - Chris J.: Different aspects to comment on: 

The food is quite good. Reasonably priced, reasonably local, and reasonable variety. 

The service is quite good 

The beer is a mixed bag. The guest taps from other breweries are interesting and you can try them as part of a sampler. The beers they make in-house are pretty blah. 

The surroundings are dark and comfortable, being in a basement of course, but beware of rainy days. Being in a basement with exposed rock walls tends to make the the place smell kind of funky. 2 our of three times I have visited it was raining and the aroma was musty and public pool like (I think they need to coat the brick walls i some clear coat to keep the moisture at bay, just a thought). 

Worth a visit if you are in Ithaca (along with the chapter house and Ithaca brewing if you are in town to try beer).
5 - Shorna A.: Great menu...best kept secret in Ithaca!! Also kid-friendly :)
5 - Neli K.: Love it!  If you are a beer-drinker, you will too. Get a flight of the in-house brews.  (They brew about 20 gallons at a time, of 5 beers, and when they run out, change it for a new recipe.)

This place writes a new menu daily, as their pantry changes with seasonal availability from local farms.

With them changing the menu so often, the chefs have to get very creative from time to time.  This results in occasionally, poorly constructed dishes.

Ask the service staff, they'll tell you which dishes are really shining that day.
5 - Rachel B.: Wonderful emphasis on local, fresh, sustainable foods.  Their meats are always local and most veggies too depending on the seasons. Cool ambiance, great food, and amazing service.  Plus, I recently learned they serve (technically a limited menu but it's nearly half of the main courses and every appetizer) until late.  I usually get their chicken pasta dish full of vegetables, or their local 1/2 pound burger, a serious steal at about 10 bucks with a side of fresh cut fries. It is a smaller place so call ahead for reservations to be on the safe side. Seriously though, go to this restaurant!!
5 - BDevan S.: This has become one of my favorite places in Ithaca.  The food and beer are good and reasonably priced and the atmosphere is very down to earth. Definitely worth checking out.
5 - Alicia L.: Just an update: They are now making their own ginger-ale and it is fabulous!!
5 - Ed B.: Really good! Perfect food but be prepared to take your time.
2 - Jocelyn S.: I can't speak for the beer selection, but the food was just bad- horrendous, sloppy, childish plating, steamed vegetables with absolutely no seasoning and underdone, and despite knowing I was gluten free they piled the bread directly on top of the cheese on the cheese plate I was sharing with someone. I went in because some friends had said it was good (maybe they had a bit too much beer to drink before their food arrived...) and was excited about the fact that they advertised using local product (no one is getting broccoli local right now and it was their only vegetable). I got the duck which was overcooked (no one even asked me how I wanted it...) and covered with some jammy, too sweet sauce and my date got the pork which, if it was local, was an abuse of perfectly good meat. His plate was a huge pile of mashed sweet potatoes, with TWO chops on top of each other with a sickly sweet BBQ sauce poured on top like they were a short stack. Then someone had arranged the overcooked broccoli at five points around the plate. He couldn't even cut into the pork on the plate because the potatoes would smash down and slide, pushing the broccoli off. He had to use his bread plate to cut it. Given the price point, it was possibly the most I had paid for diner quality food. So I suppose if you have low expectations and don't mind overpaying for your food- go for it. If not, save your money for real locovore restaurants like Hazlenut Kitchen and Suzanne and just come here for happy hour.
3 - Kateland M.: For now, Bandwagon is good enough, but could definitely improve. I eat there at least once a month. I've had issues with their in-house brews tasting flat when I get them. Once it took nearly 10 minutes to get a beer, it was clearly the bottom of the barrel (literally), and it tasted dreadful. I would have rather ordered a different beer if given the choice. 

The food I enjoy, but find the portion sizes to fluctuate too often. I was also disappointed when not once, but on two different occasions, I was charged for an entree salad when I ordered a salad as my appetizer The sever never even asked which size I wanted. I know this seems petty, but I think there's a big difference between a $7 and a $11 salad. If you get the fries, the Malt Vinegar Aioli is pretty tasty. The check gets expensive quickly so unless you have lots of money to spend, choose wisely. 

They are open late for Ithaca standards, and you can find something to satisfy you even on their late night menu which they offer until 1am. Very convenient to say the least. 

Lastly, watch your step when you are going up or down the stairs to enter the restaurant. It's slippery when wet, and I've seen lots and lots of people trip up the steps on their way out. Sit on the benches outside long enough, and you're bound to catch a glimpse of this phenomenon.
1 - Aura A.: We heard good things about this place so we decided to check it out. It was Saturday night at 10:30 pm and the place was pretty empty since it was summer time. We were a group of 3 and once we walked in we stood there for a few minutes without anyone acknowledging us so we thought it was self-seating. It took another 5 minutes for someone to give us menus where we told that we would have drinks first then food. Then another 10-15 minutes past before we finally hailed down the waiter only for them to say that if wanted drinks to go to the bar. Service was extremely rude and unhelpful. Definitely won't be coming back.
3 - Christine S.: Bandwagon has a good menu and beer list, but I've seen a lot of inconsistency after going there for a year or so. 

Consistently good menu items include: fries and the accompanying sauces, the waffles with andouille, and the potato and cheddar wontons. I've had both good and mediocre iterations of most of the other dishes. The same goes for beer: the peanut butter chocolate stout was phenomenal, but I've also been served a glass of the jalapeno beer that tasted more like herbal tea - it was flat, and also tasted a bit watery.
3 - Jessica E.: Yikes!!  When I am in a new town, I always like to check out some of the local brews.  So I stopped at Bandwagon and ordered a flight of their house beer.  It tasted like bad home brew made with extract.  The most palatable was the rye IPA, but that was still only mediocre at best.  I would definitely steer clear of their beers.

To be fair though, they had lots of other quality beers (and beer flights) available and I enjoyed the atmosphere.  If I were in Ithaca again, I would stop in for something other than their brews.
3 - Erika A.: We went with a large group for 10p-1a happy hour on a Friday night and got what we wanted: beers for not a lot of money.  The raspberry jalapeno beer was an interesting novelty and the cellar atmosphere was fun but
not too crowded.   Though we didn't try any food I will definitely be back.
5 - Scott C.: Amazing beers, always changing. Try the flight and then find your favorite.

The food is amazing, it is well prepared and always has something interesting. If you like spicy try the pasta. Or the chicken and waffles is always great. I've tried almost everything on the menu and it has always been delicious and it seems like they care about their food and menu.

Go for the amazing beer, stay for the great food.
5 - June A.: Bandwagon has a unique flavor that I haven't seen elsewhere.  Whoever runs the place is crazy.  As consequence, the menu is never the same, the beer all over the place, and you will never have the same experience twice.  In a small town, I love going here repeatedly just for that.

That being said, I'd definitely say about 60% of the experiments are incredible.  For the lady's tastes in beer they have a roving selection of cheery, raspberry, and chocolate beers.  For the more traditional, they have a selection of hoppy to scottish to wheat beers.  They have a particular kind of lighter taste to their beers that put me off for a little bit (I'm partial to stouts).  But, I have found that it works very well with most of their experiments.  In a flight of their on tap beer, you'll find 2 that are okay, 1 that you hate and trade to someone else, and 2 that you love and could never have imagined existed.

Oh, and when they say spicy - they mean spice that will prevent you from finishing the dish until the morning after.  Which, of course you will do as soon as you can, because it is that good. (pineapple pasta)

Ah, and for the non-beer people, their mixed drinks, while pricey, are very good.

The food can be described in much the same way.
3 - matt h.: They brew some decent beers here, but they also brew some pretty terrible ones. I really like the north by northwest, but my favorite is the Strawberry Jalapeno. This beer is not smokey like your traditional chipotle/spicy porters, its a bit lighter, crisper, and dare I say spicier. While its not that spicy, a spicy drink can really get you compared to spicy food, as it tingles a bit down the throat. This beer is not for the faint of heart, and its quite unusual, most people either love it or hate it. Unfortunately, usually I have to settle for the raspberry jalapeno beer, which is not as good, as I have not seen them serve the strawberry one since the first time I tried it. 

As for the food, the focaccia bread I had here was raw in the center (gross!), but I love their fries which come with 3 different types of dipping sauce, of which my favorite is the curry aoli.

Happy hour is shockingly from 10pm -1am, which is great. Finally a happy hour for the night owls!
3 - Rebecca Y.: 3.5 stars. The food is creative and innovative in concept, but sometimes it just doesn't hit the mark in terms of execution. The hand cut fries with catsup, malt vinegar aioli & curry mayonnaise ($5.50) were pretty good. The shrimp, andouille, spinach, & cherry tomatoes in red pepper-chili sauce over cornmeal waffle ($17) is one of their most popular items, but I didn't think it was amazing, it was just alright. Service was decent. Decor is nothing special, it'd be great for a casual lunch or dinner with a group. I might come back in a couple years after they've worked out the kinks with their food.
5 - Jonathan L.: I love this place! Service gets a little slow when it's busy but the food is well worth the wait. Try the fries if they're on the menu when you go.
3 - Olivia F.: I can't rate it higher than this because of my very odd experience with a certain notorious pasta. But I'll get to that.

So I tried Bandwagon beers for the first time at AppleFest. The raspberry jalapeño beer was great, but the oatmeal stout was AMAZING. Off to a good start.

Took my boyfriend here for his birthday, since he'd been once before and raved about the fish & chips. We were both hugely impressed with the pecan/barley veggie burger, which had aioli and green curry paste that brought it to another level. The fries with it were also incredible (I'm picky about fries).

Here's where it gets weird. There's a pasta on the menu that comes with a disclaimer because it's spicy. It has habanero, banana, pineapple, etc. Sounds weird right?

...CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

Except...oh my gosh, it was terrifying. It was spicy, sure, but also just the weirdest flavors ever and not in a good way. We both pretended to like it for a few bites, then I totally gave up. He kept at it for a few more minutes and then also gave up.

This is one of the first legitimately bad dishes I've ever had. And they warned us on the menu, so it's our own fault. But really, it threw off my entire night and I wouldn't recommend it. Everything else was good but don't get the fruity pasta.
5 - Corinne l.: Great Beer, great service, & delicious food.  This place rocks.  I love the underground location in the catacombs!  The split between the bar/lounge space and dining room is great because you can have two very different experiences when you visit.  I prefer to eat a sit-down dinner first then move to the adjacent lounge for drinks.  They pride themselves on using fresh local and organic ingredients.  Very foodie friendly!  The cornmeal waffles with spicy shrimp anduille is killer!  Their burgers are amazing....HUGE and incredibly juicy.  The french fries (appetizer portion) are THE BEST IN TOWN.  I've also had the spicy habanero pasta.  It's a must try if you have high spice tolerance and are looking for a challenge.  I really enjoyed it but it's not for lightweights!  I'm thrilled that Ithaca is hopping on the Craft Beer Bandwagon!  I brew beer at home and moved here from San Diego which has arguably the strongest craft beer culture in the country.  I don't think I would have chosen to go to school here if I hadn't visited this place and recognized that Ithaca truly does love beer and good food.
1 - Arian P.: Rude!! The worst service for mediocre food & drinks anywhere! My fiancé and I arrived fashionably late to a dinner party for one of his classmates. We were given two chairs which were casually thrown at the head of the table. A few minutes later a few more people showed up so my fiancé and I scooted down as the other guests added 2 tables and some chairs. After being ignored when they walked in, a rude blonde haired girl comes up to the new addition of guests and very rudely proclaims they cannot add anymore tables or chairs due to "fire hazard" clearance. When we asked how we could figure out a way to fix our dinner party, she rudely answers back, " you can't! You reserved for a party of 10 NOT 20!"  Wow! I have NEVER been to a place that was angry that they were getting more customers than expected. If you're going to use store bought bread pudding and water down your mixed drinks, you better have KILLER service.
5 - Lena L.: Came in here as a grumpy bunch after a morning of things not going our way. Despite being (once again) disappointed that their kitchen wouldn't be open for another three hours, the bartender was super friendly and nice and made sure we were well fed with chex mix while we tried some beers. Favorites:  Their Scotch Ale and 3 Heads's Smoked Maple Amber.  

Bottom line: We were super happy another hour or so later. It seems that everyone who works there is just genuinely super nice, which is kind of a rare thing. We will definitely be returning for food.
5 - Virginia G.: Bandwagon is hands-down my favorite restaurant in Ithaca, and the one where we usually take out-of-towners if we don't want to get super fancy. It is moderately priced, has a cool stone-basement sort of atmosphere, they do their specialties well and mix in a few seasonal dishes, and they have a very decent menu as well. 

My husband brews his own beer and while he said that Bandwagon's own beers were a little hit or miss, he usually sticks to the other flights being offered. I'm not a huge beer drinker, but the featured cocktails and wine I've ordered have always been good. The service is consistently above par and as someone who drinks water like there is no tomorrow, it's really nice that my glass is always refilled before I can even finish it. I also applaud them for trying their best to accommodate the groups of students who come in and expect to be able to add more and more seats to a table as their friends show up late. Come on, this isn't Applebee's--make a reservation if you think you are going to have a large group.

Bandwagon's food is delicious--I've never ordered a meal that I didn't like--and they try to locally source as much of their food as they can (especially the meat). One of their signature dishes is the shrimp, andouille, spinach, and cherry tomatoes in a red pepper and cream sauce over cornmeal waffles. Definitely try this! It's really rich and I've never actually seen anyone finish the whole thing (hmmm future Man vs. Food challenge?) but it is a real treat. Their housemade pecan, bean and barley burger is also amazing, either traditionally in a bun or over one of their salads. I was brave and tried the habanero fettucine once--just so that I could say that I did--and will never do it again. If spicy food is your thing and you want to heed the disclaimer on the menu, then by all means have at it. But as a fellow lover of spicy foods, I found it strangely spicy and bland at the same time--maybe it was SO spicy that it completely wiped out any of the other flavors--and I had to drink a Cayuga Lake's-worth of water to even finish half of it.
3 - James D.: Good selection of beers updated daily, depending on what kegs they have on their 24 taps. I had the flight of the beers that they brew. The Raspberry Jalapeño  was pretty good. The taster is a good amount, not sure I would want a full pint.

The food choices were interesting and a good mix. I had the roast duck with a cherry port sauce. The duck and the garlic potatoes were both excellent. 

It losses a star for being very loud, being in the basement, they badly need some sound absorbing wall or ceiling stuff. It was nearly impossible to hold a conversation across the table.
3 - Danger C.: Go for the drinks, not the food!  

Bandwagon offers a really solid selection of beers, wine and liquor. And I appreciate that it has a more welcoming environment than Ale House for a 30s and 40s crowd.  The only problem is the food is pretty subpar. Out of the four times I've eaten there, I've been sick to my stomach twice.  My advice is to just stick to the fries!
5 - Jim B.: I love this place with the fiery passion of a million dying virgins... okay maybe a little too far there... but I really like the Bandwagon. I have lived in Ithaca for about a year now and the Bandwagon has become my favorite local place to hang out, grab a drink and eat some very good (and often creative) food.
The bandwagon is a basement brew pub, which if I was trying to describe my idea of heaven to someone may be the first words I use. The atmosphere is great and there are plenty of tables for people to sit at and have a meal. There are also lots of nooks and crannies where you and your friends can sit and have a drink.

The food is consistently excellent. They are always tweaking the menu and trying new things, often very creative things. Most of these ideas work very well too (like the cornbread waffles with Andouille chili). Occasionally you'll get a meal that you're not too happy with if you insist on trying everything, which I do (beware the spicy fettuccine; it will turn your stomach into a pit of lava). Fortunately those meals are few and far between and honestly the fact that they are willing to try new things, even if they aren't always great, makes me like them even more. The same can be said about their beer, some if it is great and some of it is just okay, but they really do try some creative combinations (like raspberry jalapeno) and I really appreciate the creative effort.

As usual I have to address the fact that not everybody is going to feel the same way about this magical place that I do. If you do like open spaces and natural light don't go here... it's a basement (I may have mentioned that). The food is great, but it's also pub food, so if you're looking for really refined food bandwagon might not be the place for you (if you're looking for simple creative food on the other hand...). The service can be a little slow (although very friendly), so don't go if you're in a rush. The Bandwagon is also a little meat-o-centric, so vegetarians beware. There are vegetarian snacks and appetizers that are brilliant, but the full meals just don't match up to the ones that include meat (if you're a pescatrian GET THE CATFISH!). 

The Bandwagon is the first place that I suggest to people when they ask "what's good in Ithaca" and nobody I've sent there has had a bad word to say about it. So try it, see if you like it (I bet you will).
2 - Amity W.: Oddly for a brewpub none of the homemade beers were any good. Too watery or too hoppy or...well generally bland or overblown. The none house beer variety is very good though, although there are many places in Ithaca that offer a similar selection. The starters are not great. They hide behind 'local ingredients' for flavorless meats and general blah. As an Ithacan I know there's better out there and I don't take that as an excuse. However, the burgers and mains are generally very good. If you go and choose a non house beer and have a burger, you could have a decent meal.
5 - Chris R.: Bandwagon brews Cornell university's official beer called Ezra's Red ale. It's unbelievable and a must try if you are in the area
2 - Timothy K.: Was not pleased with the service AT ALL. After sitting at the bar it took 7 minutes for the bartender to stop having social hour and acknowledge us. After that it was 25 minutes from the time that we sat down until we got our first beers. The place wasn't overly busy either. No excuse for this!  The beers were good however, only saving grace from 1 star.
2 - Jung P.: The service was terrible. The rotini with habanero, bananas, and pineapples had enough spice but a terribly slimy texture. If you want to cut bananas into your pasta dish, it shouldn't cost $13.
3 - Tess C.: I really want to like this place. I've been there several times now, and I keep wanting it to impress me. There are a few dishes that have, like the fries and a pesto pasta with mushroom and chicken. But there are lots of items, like the veggie burger and habanero pasta (not really spicy, despite the warnings!) that just fall flat. Plus the house-brewed beer, which should be a proud focal point for a brewpub, is very hit or miss. I've had one or two Bandwagon beers that I've liked, but many others are just bleh. 

It's a fun atmosphere for a casual dinner, but the prices are a little too high to appreciate it as a "dive." The menu is ever-changing and sounds great when you read it, but the culinary sophistication suggested by the menu is lacking in the food as actually cooked. Overall I would say good, but not great.
4 - Amanda R.: I had to waver a bit before choosing 4-stars for this review.  The pub is as others have described....all over the place.  One thing's for sure: you never know what's in store for you on your visit.  If you've got plenty of time and enjoy a bit of drama or chaos, you'll find the bi-polar nature of the place very much to your liking.

On our most recent visit, we all were very pleased with the food.  The two burgers and one pasta my friends ordered were really good.  My pork tenderloin was fantastic...tender, perfectly spiced, with fresh and delicious sides of potato and vegetable.  

Not so pleased with the service.  I don't know what the problem is, but it seems they never manage to find or keep employees who can deliver.  Sometimes frazzled, sometimes indifferent, but never excellent.  

That's too bad as the cocktails, beers, and the upscale pub grub is good.  Stick to the burgers and meat entrees and you won't be disappointed.
4 - Evelyn I.: Well shucks, after living in Ithaca for over a year and exhausting my dinning options I gave Bandwagon another try.  I've gotta admit I had it wrong with these guys, or maybe they worked out a lot of their kinks since they have been open.  I would now put them in my top 5 Ithaca restaurants.  Why not 5 stars?  Well, though their beer has improved ten fold, their food reached a consistant level of tasty, and their late night bar scene is totally my jam I still want to give them a little push to keep working at it.  These guys are clearly bound for excellence, and I don't want to sell them short of it.
2 - Carol M.: We looked forward to a local brew after attending a swim meet at Ithaca College. The beer was fine, but the server was inattentive, to start. After slowly delivering a beverage and an appetizer, she took our order for dinner. And then the wait began. Our neighbors at the adjoining atale ordered, received and completed their dinners, including their toddler's meal (and we all know how slowly kids can eat). Atill no dinner and no word from our server. After looking at her pointedly a few times with no results, I called her over, only to be told that, yeah, she had just asked and the beef tenderloin was taking a while. ok, no need to update us. Once we finally received our meals, we found the meat to be ok, the garlic mashed potatoes - meh. The broccoli? close to raw and no seasoning whatsoever.  
The beer was quite enjoyable - but not enough to lure us back to such an atrocious evening.

Banfield Pet Hospital - La Jolla, CA (32.8646667, -117.23181) (La Jolla)
1 - jennifer r.: I just called Banfield at the the La Jolla, Ca location and was extremely dissatisfied with the customer service.

My husband and I are leaving town this evening on business and will be boarding our cocker spaniel for the weekend. We are having her groomed before pickup and our question to Banfield was if it was an option to have her teeth cleaned during that time. The woman seemed disgusted and told us that they could not accept a pet from the hotel. The answer, I could understand- the attitude, I could not. I asked her if I could bring her in today and she said, "absolutely not", with no explanation.

I asked her how does one go about ever getting a dog's teeth cleaned. She said that they needed to see the dog for an office visit first. I explained to her that we were just at another Banfield in Lake Mary, Fl a month ago before we moved and that we had her wellness certificate still and that all of her vaccinations were done at that time. She said that she still needed to come in for an appointment with the doctor at that store to see for themselves that she was in good heath.

She said that if I signed up for the ($400) wellness program that they could take the record, but since I hadn't, they could not.

The whole reason for us going to a Banfield as opposed to an individual vet was that we would be able to easily transfer the records to another store.  This clear ploy to make extra money on an extra visit just to prove what another vet within the chain already put down on record is appauling.

I don't know if this is an actual policy that the individual Banfield locations do not trust other members of the same organization or if this was just more of the rude, unaccommodating receptionist's attitude coming out. If it is policy, I suggest that it be rethought, as it makes me wonder the true quality of care that my animal has received at Banfield locations that other vets at the same company do not trust.

I will not support a veterinarian whose policy it is to nickle and dime the customer at the expense of a dog that is petrified of office visits as it is.
1 - Sunny C.: nurses are really nice. however, the vet was very condescending and full of himself. i took my puppy in because he had ear infection & he asked me where i got my puppy so i said from a private breeder & he goes yea that's what you get. pretty ridiculous in my opinion since it should've been none of his business. I didn't pay that much of money to look at his disgusting face with his dumb attitude.
1 - Olin H.: Complete sharlatans. They gave me a price quote for $80 for vaccinations. I accepted then the vet came in and asked me to approve more than $300 in additional charges including about $200 to test for worms and another $100 to treat for worms. I pointed out that my dog had no symptoms whatsoever of having worms. The vet then tried to scare me that there was a risk of members of my household could go blind if we got worm from the dog. When he left, I went online and saw the statiscal risk was about 1 in 10 million. When he returned to the room, I pointed this out and he dismissed it. Then I asked why he would want to treat a dog that is asymptomatic prior to getting test results. He said they treat all dogs. Then why test?

Clearly, this is a place that uses misinformation and fear to sell services that are both unnecessary and pose risk to the dogs they treat.

Avoid at all cost. You're better off treating your dog at home.
5 - Scott W.: Is bedside manner in the eyes of the beholder? 

Having lived in NYC, I never minded "outsiders" labeling us as rude & cold. I don't expect professionals to be particularly warm & cuddly, but I do insist a Doctor be exceptionally competent, honest, & armed with the right instincts. Dr. Dave Schlereth always met my expectations through the best & worst of times in my sweet dog's life. 

"Toto...we're not in Kansas any more".  The latest technologies  in Modern Science and Medicine have  swept over the quaint veterinary practices of the recent past,  overwhelming us all with shocking price increases year after year.    Banfield Corporate establishes the prices and "required" procedures for their employees, including Dr. Dave, to implement.   

Dr. Dave may be guilty of associating with Banfield, an organization with despicable terms of condition, dubious discounts and questionable accounting.   Dr. Dave was always busy, perhaps too busy for some of the negative commenters on yelp.  Rather than be offended by his direct style of communicating, I took an odd comfort in knowing this highly trained professional was obviously in great demand by other exacting clients like myself.  Most important, whenever my dog needed emergency care, Dr. Dave promptly rearranged his busy schedule to meet me, ASAP.  Never a delay getting my dog Nigel into his office, but sometimes a missed lunch for the Doctor and his staff.

When I relocated to San Diego in 2003, my then 14 year old spaniel was on his "last legs". Maybe it was the fresh ocean breeze, or perhaps the healing art practiced by Dr Dave, but somehow my beloved Nigel regained his fountain of youth and vigor, living to celebrate his 20th birthday. Nigel's extended life in La Jolla was full of good years and surprisingly  decent health.   When it came time to finally "put down" my Nigel, Dr. Dave and his entire staff were fully prepared for my quick entrance.   We didn't chant nor hold hands, but Dr. Dave's brief words of consolation brought tears to the eyes of this curmudgeonly ex-Marine.  I don't blame Dr. Dave for the worst day in my life; to the contrary, I gratefully thank him for his strong guidance and reassurance before leaving me alone to say my final farewell to Nigel.  

If there is a dog heaven, rest assured Dr. Dave, a NYC transplant himself, will be in attendance.
1 - Dan X.: The staff are not very professional and they extremely overcharge you!

The only reason I went there was because I received a coupon for free office visit and physical exam. When I called to make an appointment, they seemed to be pretty open. I think I now know why.

The nurse didn't seem to be very skilled and had to take my dog to the back to get his body temperature. I told them that my dog might had some infection in the ears, although he didn't seem to be shaking his head any more. Then they gave me a quote of $188 including a $40 microscopic test , $36 for ear cleaning, $41 for anti-fungal treatment called Conofite (which you can buy at $14 online) and $23 GlenHaven  (which is an ear cleaner exclusively sold at Banfield). They told me that they need to do the microscopic test in order to tell whether it was caused by bacteria or yeast, and then use different drugs accordingly. When I asked them how different was the drug used for treating bacteria v.s. the drug for treating yeast and what was the effective ingredient in those drugs, the nurse turned to the doctor for help. Then the doctor came in with Remicin (which is also exclusively available at Banfield), which treats both bacteria and yeast.

So I ended up paying "only" $41 for Remicin, instead of the $188 which included everything.

The only good thing I have to say is that the doctor seemed pretty patient even when I questioned their procedures.

Still, I will NEVER go back again.
2 - J C.: I took my cat here as he was dying of feline leukemia, a disease he'd been born with 10 years prior. He could no longer walk and was very weak. 

While the other staff that I dealt with were very consolatory and took great care of him, the vet was not so much.

He stood and lectured me that I'd not taken good enough care of my cat and made me feel terrible. "What if this was your child?" he lectured and conveyed that I should have brought him in sooner. Did I mention I was visibly quite upset already? Did I also mention that this cat meant the world to me and I was already willing to do anything I could to save him? He basically WAS my child! This vet made it sound like he was going to report me to the authorities! 

If you ask me, the fact that he lived so long with such a disease and had a great quality of life up until he was no longer able says I took damn good care of my darling boy.

They did what they could over the course of 2 days and he ended up having to be taken to a different animal hospital (UC Davis off the I5) that was better equipped for the last ditch effort to save him and eventually to be euthanized. If they didn't think they could help him, they should of told us to go to the other place off the bat. Granted, he had almost no chance of making it at this point, but it all just felt off to me.

All in all, we spent around $3k just here, which is expensive and considering that the vet should perhaps look into another field where he doesn't have to be a nice person, I don't know how well worth every penny was.

But we did everything we could to save him and that is what matters to me. 

Even if the Banfield vet doesn't believe me.

I give them two stars for everything they did to help my cat. I take away 1 for the vets terrible bedside manner and 2 for the price and wasted time, respectively!
4 - Ha N.: I am a regular at Banfield Pet Hospital and I have a puppy plan that help reduce the cost of vet visits.

My vet is Dr. Shannon and she does an amazing job with my akita/chow; Panini. I used to live in the UTC area but had moved a few miles further out, but still make the drive to come see her. I took Panini to another vet and she wasn't too happy with her experience with the other vet at Petco. Driving an extra 15mins isn't as bad, and I think Panini appreciates the care she gets from Dr. Shannon. 

Dr. Shannon knows Panini by name, which makes the experience a bit more pleasant when the vet knows who you are and who your pet is. When I first got Panini, I went to another pet clinic and the attention given to my pet was not up to par with the price I was paying for. 

The receptionists are extremely helpful and nice. Usually when I am in Petsmart, I stop by and ask them questions all the time (flea medication, etc). Often, I take Panini to the vet for a single cough (an advantage i have for having the insurance plan is unlimited vet visitation) and the receptionists make room for me that same day - which is appreciated by me and Panini.

I give Banfield 4 star out of 5, because I am dubious about the corporate structure that this Pet hospital operate. At times, I feel like I leave with more than what I need and overcharged for the items that I buy.

Other than that, I don't feel it is necessary to be extremely critical of the staff and vet because of the parenting company that employees them. So, I only took one star!
5 - Jenna S.: **i wish you could go to any banfield for prescriptions without having to pay and have to do a doctors visit**

i had originally gone to the location in kearny mesa where my dog was getting his flea medication (prescription) but just because they have the same name doesnt mean they can transfer your prescription to all of the hospitals unfortunately

now for the service-EXCELLENT, PERSONABLE, FRIENDLY, PROFESSIONAL

Clean, organized, good smell, and wonderful staff!!
3 - Tara G.: I agree with what people have said about running up your bill.  Every time I leave there I'm somehow shelling out over $300 and am not entirely sure why.  But I'm glad that they got rid of the old vet that was there, Dr. S. something--he was very rude and arrogant.  Everyone there is very nice.

Banfield Pet Hospital - Ithaca, NY (42.4321656, -76.5080426) ()
1 - C C.: AVOID THIS PLACE AND THE ASIAN FEMLAE VET THERE!!!
I was in Ithaca from out of town needed a shot for my dog a general health exam for travel. I brought my dog and her paperwork (recent shots ect). She accusing me of FORGING my pet's previous documents!! I was in shock. Everything was official. There was a contact number but they wesn't answering the phone so she flat out denied to accept my SIGNED AND OFFCCIAL dogs rabies, parvo, kennel cough shot document needing a shot for my pet for travel. I explained to her that I am a good person and that I even have pet insurance that will verify that the information was correct. She simply walked away. ?!?!?! 
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! WOW!  
A Pet Smart vet cannot afford to be this rude to people.

***Because this was a time sensitive issue I needed the shot and exam by morning. This woman knew that this was my only option after trying since noon to be seen. Waiting unitl 4pm to screw me was her plan, I realized. Honestly this person was so bitter for no reason, I'm glad she didn't touch my Goldie. Go to VETERINARY CARE OF ITHACA. I would have if they hadn't been booked.  They are good people. Stay AWAY from this vet.

Bang & Olufsen - Palo Alto, CA (37.4435206, -122.1723639) ()
1 - Mitch A.: Overpriced garbage.  Only one step above Bose and that isn't saying much.  Their stuff looks real nice but isn't very musically accurate.
1 - A K.: Bad Peops.
5 - Matthew l.: This is what I get for just casually stopping by can checking out their products. I walked in Bang & Olufsen while my mom was at the market next door to check out their headphones. Amazing sound! Omg. They make the Bose headphones sound like crap. I continue to browse to see what other products they have and the store manager Michael turns on the BeoSound 8. I wasn't even really paying attention to that system he just turned on but the sound that came out of that thing blew me away! Crisp clean undistorted sound, it was truly amazing. Michael was very patient, knowledgeable and explained the product depth. I couldn't decide on two products they had because they both sounded amazing. I ended up buying the Beosound and the service from Michael was excellent with no pressure. If you want high end sound quality you must checkout this store. Make sure you bring lots of cash and your unborn because the stuff is nowhere cheap, but worth every penny for quality.
4 - Nick C.: While I cannot make an accurate judgment of their products, I can say the service at this store was phenomenal. I was browsing around one day hoping to replace my blown out Cambridge Soundworks (big surprise there...tip: to your research) computer system, and I happened to wander into this store. I inquired about the products and the two salesmen working were very happy to answer my questions and throw in a little product education as well. Needless to say, they ended up informing me about different products outside my brand that might've been more suitable for my needs (that's rare...) Before I left, the manager asked if I had time to check out their cream of the crop systems...and I did. Walked into a back room with $30,000 worth of home-audio goodness and listened to Journey. Even though I walked out empty handed, I felt like my trip was well-worth it.
3 - G B.: 5 stars for esthetics of speakers and concepts.

3 stars for size and organization of office...the actual store doesn't match the sleek persona of B&O marketing. Stuff everywhere... Messy little store. No Feng Sui.

4 star for television and equipment. There were so many equipment on, had a lot if interference with quality of sound.

2 star for price... Too overpriced.  C'mon...it was good, but I wasn't blown away for the price.
1 - Am H.: Horrible unprofessional service. They can talk, sell and promise but after the point of sale everything else has a whole lot to be desired unless you are one of their top customer. 

1/5 service
1/5 billing 
1/5 communication
3/5 product

Bangkok Balcony - Pittsburgh, PA (40.437974, -79.9211783) (Squirrel Hill)
4 - Matt L.: I grew up with this great Thai place near where I went to high school - it was cheap, fresh, and cheap. It's still the best Pad Thai I've ever had.

So I must explain this is why I only give Bangkok Balcony 4 stars. Bangkok Balcony is still great, it is flavorful and tasty, and I've never had a bad meal there. It's just not quite as fresh as the Thai I grew up with. 

I recommend their curries - the sauces are very tasty and savory. The staff is very attentive and it's always a good time.
4 - Oren L.: This is a great Thai place where you can easily share an entree between two people.  Service is quick and the food is tasty.
5 - Scott D.: The Balcony is probably my favorite Thai place in the Pittsburgh area: their menu is varied, their service is consistently stellar, and their food has never let me down.  On top of all of this, the Balcony sits mightily atop Norka Futon, meaning there are four "tables for two" that give diners a nice view of Forbes avenue below them, meaning you can enjoy your food with a nice dose of people-watching.

For the year I lived in Squirrel Hill, the Balcony was one of my main eating locales (especially since they're open a little later than most Pittsburgh restaurants tend to stay open), and even after moving away from there, I still eat at the Balcony with some regularity.

Although the Balcony has been around for a while and has undergone multiple owners now (and several different variations in menu design), their food has remained pretty much the same - which is a good thing!  Their core curries and Thai noodle/rice dishes are presented well and taste flavorful without being overwhelmingly greasy.  Their more exotic fare, although sometimes less filling, are often presented even more nicely and taste just as good.

All of the food is brought on oval plates with serving utensils, which sit on your table in addition to everyones' own dinner plates, encouraging sharing of dishes among the party.  Their drinks (Thai Ice Tea and Coffee, and various juices including mango) are a nice treat for fans of Thai beverages.

With reasonable prices and a short walk down the stairs to walk off the meal afterwards, there's not much more one can ask for.
3 - Alexis G.: I was more impressed with Squirrel Hill itself than I was with Bangkok Balcony. My friend and I found this place on a "vegan's guide to Pittsburgh" type Web site, and they were open late, so that worked for us. We found street parking very easily. I was disappointed that most of the clothing stores were closed, because there was such a great mix of vintage and new fashions. 

I digress. I really liked the layout of BB... how it's on the top floor and everything is modern without being sterile. We both really liked the flatware they use here, and that's something we almost never comment on. They had a good selection of tofu items and I loved how they asked me to tell them how spicy I wanted my food "on a scale from one to ten." The food here is also more inexpensive than I would have thought, seeing how packed the place was and how nicely decorated. 

Overall, it was good, but I'm biased -- I love Thai food so much that I could eat it all the time. The reason I'm only giving this place three stars is because we both felt a little sick later on in the evening.
4 - Susan K.: Good.... didn't know quite what to order. The menu was a bit daunting, seeing as I've had Thai food only twice before in my life. Still, my friend wanted to go, and I got some tasty fried rice and and very good french martini. Definitely a good place to eat.
4 - sarah beth S.: Two words: Thai Samosas. 

Puffy crispy sweet potato triangles with a sublime sticky honey dipping sauce. Words can't describe how yummy they are. Okay, my words can't.

Very nice location, loved to sit by the window overlooking Forbes. Squi Hi, as I called it, is tre adorable.  

The entrees are decent. But sometimes the pad thai was hearty as hell, sometimes I was like "where are all the noodles?" 

I had really terrible service here once. I don't blame the restaurant, just the one guy who had no business being in the service industry. He refused to bring me a side of spring roll sauce (I wanted it to spruce up some some bland entree) because "that dish doesn't come with that sauce". Even though I had already eaten an order of spring rolls! What a freak. 

Overall, another great Pittsburgh/Squirrel Hill asset.
4 - Dynne S.: Fresh spring rolls and pad thai!!
3 - Jenney C.: I give Bangkok Balcony 3 stars, bec. I think generally it's one of the more  overrated restaurants. The food isn't bad, it just isn't the best Thai in the city. Portions are on the small side and the restaurant is pretty noisy. I've been there at least 3 times. The service can be uneven to the point of really horrible.

It's also not the freshest or most authentic Thai food in the city. The Massaman curry had a strange sour taste. The green curry was a little better. The coconut soup was okay, but was an extremely small portion. The pad thai was not bad, but I don't go to a restaurant to eat street food. It was the typical oily sweet mess of noodles you find it most places. I would not recommend this place for a romantic dinner.
3 - Lili X.: This place has grown on me. I think their spicy scale is on the mild side.... 

Waitress: "How hot, on a scale of 1-10 would you like your dish?"
Me: "What do you usually get?"
Waitress: "A 10..."
Me: "Ok, give me a 10."

I think my glass was still half full by the time I had finished most of my dish. I think their 10 was more like a 7 or 8. But who knows, maybe that just says something about me? :o)

Food is pretty tasty, the staff is friendly, and I really like sitting by the window-wall. I think the only way inside is to hike up the stairs, so keep that in mind for the stair-phobic.
3 - Ellen L.: A little overrated on the scale of Thai restaurants in Pittsburgh.  I'm a much bigger fan of Thai Place in Shadyside (plus there's shopping in the area! Who can turn down shopping?!)  I find it very inconsistent.  Sometimes the experience will be great.  Sometimes it just plan sucks.
4 - caitlin o.: Bangkok is pretty good. Living in Squirrel Hill, it's one of the nicer nearby restaurants ambiance-wise, and their menu is quite extensive. I've enjoyed everything I've gotten there, the portions are rather large, and their specials are usually very tempting. I will say their alcoholic beverages are on the pricier size, but not bad.
5 - Patrick Gage K.: Sort of biased - ha, but great thai food, and conveniently located on Forbes in Squirrel Hill. Their spicy levels are very precise on a 1-10 scale, though it doesn't get real spicy, and their curries are very good. I think the pad thai is probably slightly better at Silk Elephant - but they are owned by the same people and so that likely varies with the chef for the evening.
4 - Michael B.: We have been here a bunch of times. Every time the service and food are great. The drinks are also tasty.
3 - Emily H.: I visited with a friend last night and had a pretty good experience here.  The atmosphere is nice, it wasn't too loud, we were seated with no wait (around 7pm) and as another reviewer mentioned, their flatware is pretty darn cool.  The only thing that bugged me is that the lights kept flickering, but that's a pretty minor gripe.  The service was attentive without being intrusive.

Some of the appetizers seem pretty pricey, but it's only $3.50 for two spring rolls which were pretty good.  We split a pumpkin curry and the bean thread noodles, both with tofu.  I usually like my tofu crispier and pan-seared on the outside and theirs looked like it had barely touched the pan.  I also thought the sauce on the bean thread noodles was pretty bland and sparse.  But the pumpkin was melt-in-your-mouth delicious and the noodles were generally pretty good.  I've also tried a panang curry, which was delicious but the spice level of 6 was a bit much for me, and the pad thai, which was ok but a little bland.  It seems like the curries have much more flavors than the noodles, so maybe keep that in mind when ordering.

The total for the spring rolls and 2 entrees was $31 before tip.  Even though I wasn't blown away by the food, I am looking forward to coming back to try more.
3 - Angela C.: I remember when Bangkok Balcony still opened. I was a college student at CMU, right down Forbes Avenue. Lemongrass used to be in that location, and it was pretty good. So, I was wondering what the new place would bring. Well, at that point I was pleasantly surprised by the renovated restaurant still making good use of the 2nd floor windows overlooking Forbes Avenue. The food was tasty and, coupled with the fact that it was close by, I remember coming here all the time. Someone's birthday? Bangkok Balcony! Stress Relief from Finals? Bangkok Balcony! Hungry and Procrastinating? Bangkok Balcony! 

I went back for the first time in many years this past week and was let down. The food just wasn't what I remembered it to be. It's still okay, and for someone who doesn't walk in with high expectations, it probably will do. I had a very safe dish - the Penang Curry, which was decent but there are better ones in Pittsburgh (Thai Cuisine in Liberty, for one). The rice wasn't really that good either - and really, how do you f*&k up rice? Two of my dining friends had the Pad See Ew, which they really didn't like. One of them said "it tastes sour, like vinegar." While I'm no expert about what ingredients should go into Pad See Ew, the look on her disappointed face told me the vinegar taste was not appreciated. 

Overall I would give it 3 stars because I think a lot of the experience was tainted by high expectations. Even tho I still like the location and feel of the restaurant, I don't think I'll be going back because I just don't want to waste a good meal. I can enjoy myself much more with the Pad Thai from Spice Island, or the curry from Thai Cuisine. 

Oh - and yes I admit that I have f*%&ed up rice before, but I don't cook and make other people pay to eat it. Restaurants don't have the same leeway!
2 - Chuck R.: Bangkok Balcony is a nice spot, but it isn't the best Thai in town.  The tables are a little cramped, but if you're by the window you can enjoy the view of Forbes Ave.

The price is decent, but I don't think I've been able to get in and out in a decent amount of time.  Between waiting for a table and the slow orders expect to be there a while.
2 - Jessica L.: The ambiance in this place isn't bad and neither is the food.  But that's the problem.  Their food is pretty average and not something I'd expect from a restaurant.  I could throw together their curries easily enough at home.  When you add in the difficulty of finding a place to park in Squirrel Hill and how crowded it can get, I would suggest eating elsewhere.  If you want amazing Thai food maybe go to Bloomfield instead.
4 - rosie r.: Awesome lunch special. $7.95 for a generous entree portion and salad. The curry is pretty good.
4 - Marcos W.: My wife & I have been here twice now & both times were very happy with our food. I highly recommend the yellow curry. It's so sweet, but with a slight kick... just right! I somewhat agree with previous reviewers that the service wasn't lightning fast, but our waitress was friendly & it wasn't expecting "fast food," so wasn't disappointed. Finally, while the fact that this place is on the 2nd story makes it a bit tricky to spot the first time, the view is nice as you can watch people stroll around the shops at Squirrel Hill. We'll definitely be returning to this place when we're in Pittsburgh again.
5 - smriti k.: The best Thai place in Pittsburgh.This place is pretty crowded and the service is acceptable.But they have great Panang Tofu,Green curry and all other yummy veggie rolls.Their peanut sauce is great and i am actually running out of words because my mouth is watering :(
   I would love to go to this place again,when i visit Pittsburgh.And for some reason the name  "Bangkok Balcony" seems very classy and attractive.My friend suggested this place,and i owe him one for this :)

-Smriti
2 - Jamie K.: After further review, this placed sortof sucks.  I came again, by myself this time. ( I am not ashamed.  I actually enjoy it.)  The crab rangoon was obviously frozen.  It was cold inside.  If I'm going to eat something bad for me, I want it to be good!  Then I had a shrimp lettuce wrap thingy.  I don't know what it's called.  I was trying to be healthy by getting my vegetables in.  The idea of it is that the ingredients are wrapped in lettuce & you eat it like a burrito.  I chose the wrong thing, clearly.  It was iceburg lettuce.  Way to not only over-charge me, but then be a cheapass & give me the crappiest, cheapest lettuce.  I was not happy.  At all.  I also got a $7 mango mojito, which was ok...not fantastic.  All & all I spent $24 on something I could've made at home, & I am confident that I could've done a better job than them.
4 - Ryan P.: Had a nice dinner here on a Sunday evening and was surprised that the restaurant provided live entertainment in the form of Thai dancers. All the food we ordered was delicious, especially the pumpkin curry which had nice large chunks of pumpkin in it. As this restaurant is located on the second story, the best seats are near the window looking out over Forbes Avenue. The people sitting at the table next to us ordered a whole fish which was somewhat alarming to look at but apparently tasty to eat! No complaints really, highly recommended.
4 - Bethany T.: Not only is it a really nice looking restaurant, the food makes me very happy as well.  I've compared their Spicy Basil Noodle to all other thai places in town, trying to match BB's quality without success.  Thai Cuisine in Bloomfield is the only place that can come close to rivaling BB's crushing awesomeness.
2 - Johnny Y.: Average thai food, nothing really impressive, fairly expensive for what you get, typical below average thai restaurant in Pittsburgh.  

One good thing, at least they have some sort of asian wait staff
4 - Ana L.: The spicy basil noodles with chicken are delicious. The pad thai is also very good- not as good as the recipe from Pim or Cooks Illustrated that I make at home, but best I've found in the PGH area. The springrolls are addicting, as is the chicken satay with the delicious peanut sauce and sweet cucumber sauce. The Beef Salad leaves much to be desired. Too much salt and fish sauce, not enough lime or lemongrass or cilantro. The calamari is bad, and horribly overpriced. The mussaman curry is delicious- but I hate that they cheap out and give you mostly potatoes and almost no chicken.

Overall, the food is very good...unfortunately it's overpriced and sometimes I feel like the owner is gouging his customers on dishes.
5 - Praveen K.: Tasty curries!
4 - B P.: Average at best (by my standards - thai classic back home in chicago blows this place away) but Id have to say the best thai I have had in Pittsburgh - thats why I gave it the extra star.    I judge all my thai food by 1 dish - Panang and this was good but nothing that left me wanting more - may not even order it again from here.  Wife had a tofu dish with basil and eggplant - had good flavor.  

Dining room is nice and a little more up-scale.  Still a little over priced but for some reason - dining in Pittsburgh in general is overpriced for the quality and quantity of food.  $40 for 2 entrees, a chicken satay and we picked it up as I dont think they offer delievery.  

Portions are average to small but that also seems par for Pittsburgh.  I would go back and would not hesitate to take an out of town guest here.  

spicy is on a scale of 1 -10.  I went 5 so I could share my dish... I would say 8 is still being safe if you are looking to share with somone who does not like spicy food.  They dont seem to use chili paste but rather red pepper flakes.

They also have a bar which is a plus.
3 - Tracy K.: Decent food, nice space and attentive service. 

Two in my party ordered the duck curry and both seemed to enjoy it.  Another ordered pad thai, and I had the pineapple curry.  Mine was tasty, but not at all spicy, even though I requested a 7/10 spiciness. We all ordered tom yum soup, and I found it to be not nearly as good as I am used to eating elsewhere.  I also thought the rice to curry ratio was lacking and that the food was a bit overpriced.  

Our waitress was very efficient.  My water glass was always full, and it did not take long to receive our meal, have leftovers wrapped, or to settle the bill. 

The space is pretty large, and they have some pretty cool lights on the ceiling.  The bathroom was clean.  

I would come back here for Thai food if in the area, but I would stress that I want to feel the heat and would not order the soup again.
4 - Donna H.: Best Thai in the city. Great service, fresh food and now delivery!
4 - keri k.: placed a to go order here last night and our order was ready when i arrived.  mind you i drove all the way from the other side of town just to eat thai food that i knew wouldn't dissappoint.  i had the pineapple chicken thai curry dish.  generally speaking, i dislike peas but they are a nice add to this dish.  spice level was a 7.  absolutely delicious!  my boyfriend opted for the chicken cashew dish which included broccoli.  we both ate every last bite.  we're both fans of the place.  it was good getting it to go too.  it did seem a little pricey being just short of $30 total for both dishes.  it's worth it though- get that thai food fix!  oh and they do deliver now- they had a sign in the window......
4 - Paul S.: Place is easy to miss since its not on the ground floor and the door isn't exactly well marked. Went here over the weekend with my girlfriend (great place for a date).

Inside, the decor is quaint and not overdone. In fact it feels a hell-of-a-lot swankier than the menu prices dictate.

I had the pineapple curry with chicken and my girlfriend had the mixed vegetables with beef. The pineapple curry was rich and flavorful, with the perfect level of spiciness (~7 out of 10 scale, they ask when you order). Best asian curry I've had in Pittsburgh in fact. The sweetness of pineapple seems to work great with the savoriness of the spices added to the curry. 

The mixed vegetables dish was standard fare for an asian restaurant, so go for the curry dishes on the menu if you do come here.

Service was mediocre, but the food came out surprisingly fast. We also ordered a Mango Manhattan, which was thankfully stiff.
4 - Devin W.: The seating is great, it's a very nice place for a date.  I had lunch there and could easily imagine being on a very nice date there.  My food was pretty good.  I wouldn't go on a limb and say it was outstanding.  It was good, and it wasn't too expensive.  The waitstaff was helpful and sweet.
4 - Ingrid K.: Everything here is overpriced thai food and similar tasting, but I would sacrifice my firstborn child for the pumpkin curry at bangkok balcony. I'm not ashamed to say I keep a pumpkin curry fund in my budget just so I can shovel $18 per pumpkin curry(curry, tax, and tip) to feed my crack-like addiction. 

Pumpkin has a texture that's better than sweet potato, potato, carrots, or taro for a perfect marriage with thai curry that will never ever end in divorce. If that EVER happens, I will be one VERY unhappy child.

One negative is the silverware. The head of the forks and spoons in my hand outweight the mass of the food, leaving me unsatisfied.

PUMPKIN CURRY!!
4 - Kristan H.: Bangkok Balcony was really my first foray into Thai food, and it set the bar high. The environment is relatively elegant (particularly for the Squirrel Hill area) and the food is delicious. I particularly remember having great service; some the waiters even started to recognize me, and I didn't go that often! (I also remember the neat, weighted silverware, but that doesn't exactly figure into the review...) Anyway, I was a big fan of this place for all 4 years of my college experience. Definitely recommend if you're looking for a non-hole-in-the-wall Asian food experience.
5 - Sheryl T.: Bangkok Balcony has the BEST Yellow Curry I've ever had in my life. The END!
4 - Vamsee K.: I use to frequent here often when i lived in Pittsburgh - it was one of my favorite thai places and the food was great +1 ! 

I practically tried out most of the menu here! One of the few places who can actually make it spicy enough for me +1. 

Service was always good and great place to come with friends +1

Inside the place is nice and def looks swanky - however the menu prices are not, reasonable prices! +1
3 - Wyatt L.: This is a solid, middle-of-the-road Thai restaurant.  If you're craving Thai food, this place will probably satisfy, but it's nothing special.

I've had their Crab Rangoons (very good), Veggie See-You Noodles (mediocre), and Veggie Pad-Thai (mediocre).
4 - Anna L.: This is the first Thai place I've ever been to in my life so this place holds a special place in my heart.  I probably went here for every birthday that I had in Pittsburgh.  I think either my friends are too lazy to find a new place or they know that I'll like it anyways haha. 

This place is great for groups!  Really nice, loungey environment, bustling yet nice intimate lighting and quiet enough to have deep conversations with the person next to you.  

My favorite dish is the chicken pad thai (yea i know) and I usually get a 5 on the spicy scale.  I believe if you LOVE spiciness you can ask them to go off the scale all the way up to 15 (instead of 10).  The soft shell crab here is also quite good.  I've tried other dishes like pad see ew, green curries (mmm good) and their appetizers and everything is pretty good.  I've never had a bad time here.
2 - Tatyana K.: Very cool decor and a nice spot to peoplewatch if you sit by the window. But the part of Forbes between Murray and Shady must be cursed with untasty food spell (ice cream and donuts not included). I tried the egg rolls (tiny!), tofu fried rice (eeeh, I make better tofu at home and I suck), and fried banana and coconut ice cream (YUM! for ice cream, banana - eh)

With this, I give up reviewing Pittsburgh restaurants because I don't want to sound like Debbie Downer in ALL my reviews.
4 - October R.: Incredible!

I had the pumpkin soup - a favorite of mine - this was the second best I've had. (#1 belongs to Abay). I also had the tofu platter, veggies were spot on, cooked until soft but still retaining shape, color, and texture.

My companion had the vegetable coconut soup which was overflowing with all sorts of veggies and the broth was just heavenly. He also ordered mussaman chicken curry which consisted of big chunks of chicken and potatoes that were simmered in the sweet yet spicy mussaman sauce.  I actually ended up dipping my veggies in his sauce, it was so wonderful.

We both got a spice level 9 which provided just enough heat without making your nose run. The staff were friendly and efficient. Can't wait to go back.
4 - Justin C.: I love this place.  Lots of vegetarian options.
5 - Buster B.: I went back to Pittsburgh recently and went out of my way to come here (again)! Even during the high Friday night crowd, they were able to seat a group of 6 within 5 minutes. Of course, I had a coconut martini, which was as delicious as I remembered! I tried the pumpkin curry with tofu; it was AMAZING! The pumpkin and tofu were perfectly cooked! 

Hats off to you, Bangkok Balcony!
5 - Sylvia L.: The best Thai restaurant in Squirrel Hill. Enough said.
3 - pracheta t.: Every time I go to Pittsburgh and I want thai food (which is often) we come here. The food is not terrible. The pad thai is a little on the sweet side and I feel like they play it safe with flavors. The decor is a plus and they are very well equipped to handle large families and groups. Check it out though.
4 - Shilpa D.: I love Thai food and have been coming here since my undergrad days. I must admit, however, that after trying several dishes on the menu, I just keep gravitating back to the Lemongrass noodles with tofu. Everything else feels sub par after you've had that one! 

The Thai iced tea is great but overpriced. The servers are always courteous, which I cannot say of the bar staff. Overall, this is one of my favorite restaurants in the burgh.
2 - Chris S.: Bangkok Balcony may be deserving of 3 stars, but the fact that it's been voted best Thai in Pittsburgh - well, we expected more.  Crab Rangoon, one of the popular apps was devoid of any crab flavor or noticeable chunks.  Instead, it was mostly just cream cheese.  And it's accompanied by the typical out-of-the-bottle neon orange corn syrup sauce.  Would it be that hard to mix up an original dipping sauce?

Green Curry with Thai Spaghetti was tasty, but the noodles seemed overcooked and mushy.  Unless they are supposed to be that way, it didn't add anything to the dish.   The curry was good, with a fair amount of shrimp included.  My wife had the Tofu with Eggplant, and it too was pretty tasty, but not special.  The tofu seemed overly fried, with no tenderness.  

As far as Thai goes - this is just your average Thai place.  What makes it Best in the Burgh is still a mystery to us.  We don't really see the need to go back - especially since the prices really don't reflect the quality of the food.
5 - Jen L.: Hands down the BEST pad thai I've tried in my entire life. 

It was my first time having pumpkin curry, but I don't think anything could top the experience here. Chunks of soft, buttery pumpkin with a light coconut milk-infused curry sauce. I wanted to lick the plate when I was done.

Nice decor, service was quick and polite, and this place is open late. What more could a college foodie ask for?
4 - Meghan C.: I've been to a lot of Thai restaurants, and Bangkok Balcony is a favorite in Pittsburgh. I've only been there once, but I was definitely impressed.

Being a pumpkin lover, my choice was obvious--the tofu pumpkin curry! And a good choice it was. Thick, hearty, very pumpkiny, and very spicy. Usually 8/10 is a comfortable level of spice for me, but this definitely got my sinuses going. No complaints from me! The portion was large and the dish was very heavy. The tofu helped to balance it out a little, but I still had a lot to take home. Still, this had to be one of my favorite Thai dishes anywhere, ever.

I would give Bangkok Balcony 5 stars, but my dining partner's Panang curry was somewhat bland and watery. I also wasn't too impressed with the fresh spring rolls. They were good, but I've had better. But the pumpkin curry...! I gotta give the place props. Now that it's fall and I'm in the pumpkin mood, I have to make another visit soon.
1 - Vivian C.: The food is good but the service is terrible for delivery. I ordered pad thai for my whole club and they gave me an estimated time of 25-30 minutes for delivery. Well turns out an hour later, our meeting ended and Bangkok Balcony was half an hour late. I called them and asked what the hell was going on and they said " we don't guarantee that the delivery comes within 25-30 minutes" and for me, maybe 10 minutes late is understandable but to give me an estimate that is half an hour off is a bit too much. I turned out having to pay for everyone's meal because most of the members left. 

Thanks Bangkok Balcony for possibly the worst delivery service ever.
3 - N N.: I've been in Pittsburgh a while and I've been missing good Thai food, so I decided to try Bangkok Balcony (without expecting very much).  Overall, the food was okay (not as bad as I'd feared, but nothing special).  The service was nice and it's a nice spot to dine (if you get a seat by the window overseeing the street).  However, I didn't care much for the decor or the table setting.
3 - John C.: Meals are great, but $1.75 is too much for a second bowl of rice.
5 - Jason G.: Love this place!! Great atmosphere, service, food and beer selection! Love pairing one of their fantastic curries with an Anchor Porter. And don't forget to get spring rolls to start out!
My favorites are Panang Curry or Red Curry with Beef...spice level 7. 
If you aren't a curry fan try the Basil Leaf w/Beef.
3 - amy h.: *3.5 stars* Came here with a Thai craving and it was a good fill :) The staff was nice, the restaurant was quite large and we were sat right near the window of the 'balcony' with a lovely view of snowy Squirrel Hill. We asked if they had BYOB since we were actually planning to go to a BYOB restaurant, but the cork fee was $15 so it wasn't worth it. They do have a nice bar, so that's completely understandable. I got the usual, and now I kind of consider myself a pumpkin curry expert since it's the 4th place I have sampled it in PGH. My boyfriend got a sweet potato basil curry with chicken. Both of our heat levels were pretty weak, I ordered a 5 and got more like a 2, and boyfriend agreed. But overall the food was quite yummy, although mine literally had only 2-3 pieces of tofu, which was kind of disappointing.  I would definitely come back here though!
3 - Theresa C.: Place use to be better but after new management came in, dishes weren't as good as they use to be.

The food is good, but with the price tag and the portion they give you, it really is just ok.

There are better options for Thai food in the area.
4 - Jessica G.: This is what a dinner out should feel like. The food was interesting, but when I ordered Pad Thai I got a Pad Thai I recognized. Even though we were in the middle of the room, I could hear my dinner partners. Service was fast and courteous. The missing star is because there was nothing exceptional in my meal--it was good, solid, nicely prepared and served Thai food that I could expect to find in any mid-sized city in the U.S.
4 - Meredith B.: Bangkok Balcony = nom.  I've never eaten in here, but I've gotten take out twice and it was awesome both times.

We ordered a ton of food to feed five of us last week, and still enjoyed a few days of leftovers.  We got.....
-Thai Spring Rolls (some with chicken, some with shrimp, some veg) - all crunchy and delish.
-Coconut Soup (my boyfriend likes it, I didn't try it)
-Pad Thai 
-See You Noodles
-Mussaman Curry
-Panang Curry

And everything was really good.  The curries were a huge hit - I loved the mussaman, but everyone else was raving about the panang.  The see-you noodles (Pad See Ew, essenially) were delish, that's one of my favorite standards.

It's pricey, for Thai....well, it's pricey for take out Thai.  Back in Chicago, my boyfriend and I were happily living in the land of $7 curries, and the idea of paying $14 for curry was ridiculous.  I'm bummed that there is no cheaper Thai place near us, so we don't go to Bangkok Balcony as much as I'd like to.  But when parents are in town, or if you want to sit down and really have a dining experience, I think it's worth it.  And it's really high quality and delicious so that makes the price more justifiable.  Sort of.
4 - Amy R.: A bit pricey for dinner, but their lunch specials are great!  For ~$12 (lunch) you get a spring roll, a little salad and your entree.  Everything I have tried here is really good, but my favorite is the pad see eu.  The wonton soup is quite good as well.  Once I had pumpkin curry, which was also amazing. 

I also believe they have started to deliver. 

Highly recommended!
5 - Heather M.: Great food
5 - Aditya M.: Best Thai food in Pittsburgh.
Eaten in and ordered takeout a bunch of times here.
Loved the ambiance of the place.. excellent place to dine with friends.
5 - Danielle B.: Best Thai food that I have ever had!
The good was amazing.  We had the dumplings, crab ragoons, and pad thai.  The food had great tast.
The waitress was very attentive.
The mood was relaxing.  There were candles and it looked over looked the street.  Sit by the window, you won't regret it.
4 - Tia W.: Having eaten in many Thai restaurants in New York recommended by my Thai friends, at first I didn't expect much from Bangkok Balcony. But I was proven wrong the minute I was seated by a very attentive and kind waiter. 

We ordered green curry with chicken, grilled beef, and steamed rice. The food arrived in a timely manner and they were delicious! I wouldn't say that they were the best Thai food I've ever had, but I really enjoyed them. There's the spiciness level, and we chose an 8 I think. It wasn't  spicy at all for me :p The waiter offered us some chili sauce, which made the meal even tastier. We only ordered 1 steamed rice, and it was certainly plenty for my husband and I. 

We went there for dinner, around 6pm. By the time we left the place (8ish), the place was practically full. Everyone dining seemed happy; a good sign, no? I would definitely go here again!
5 - Chris S.: Today my gf and I had the pineapple fried rice which is one of my favorite dishes. My gf decided it was the best she has ever had after searching all of the local Asian restaurants for a better one. Highly recommend. The pumpkin curry is also delicious.
3 - Pragna H.: Always have had awesome service. The curries here are decent, but I don't think it's easy to mess up a Thai curry, unless the restaurant is baaad. However, this place is not my fave in Pittsburgh, nowhere close. I would rank, Smiling Banana Leaf, Thai Cuisine, Green Mango and then may be BB. Well, after that remains the blah places (ahem Thai Place). In our latest venture, we asked for an 8, for each of our entrees. One tasted like a 3 another like a zero. The flavors were good, but nothing be wow-ing about, specially at that price-point. I think BB tries too hard to be the "upscale" Thai place and misses out on the "good food" part. I say focus on the food, not the frills.
4 - Julia M.: This is the probably best Thai restaurant I have found in Pittsburgh - the Tofu Mussaman Curry is fantastic and the spring rolls are always worth it as well. Never had a bad meal here!

It's on the second floor of a building on Forbes Ave in the heart of Squirrel Hill, and if you get a seat near the big glass windows you get a nice view of the hustle and bustle below. It has a great ambience and the staff has always been friendly.

The reason I deduct a star - last time I was there with a friend who is also a vegetarian, we ordered a tofu pad thai and found a few small pieces of chicken in it. Probably an understandable mistake, but still sort of unnerving. The service and the food was otherwise great, so we didn't make a fuss about it.
4 - JIM B.: Great Thai place.  I go here often and will continue.  If you like Thai and are in Squirrel Hill be sure to go.
1 - Louise C.: Went today to have lunch with my husband and daughter since it was a holiday.  Now it was a Monday at lunch.  My daughter does not like Thai food and Five Guys is a treat for her. We clearly walked in with her burger and after 15 minutes and when our appetizer was served, our waitress stated "No outside Food".  Now, if they had told us that upon entry, I would have understood. They do not have a children's menu or any Amercain food.  We were not there for dinner and it was after the ususal lunch rush.   I wanted my daughter to finish her burger and then sit quietly but the waitress was quite rude and told us no outside food again.  We got up and left and too bad they have lost good paying customers in this ecomomy.  We have done this all over the country with our daughter, hopeful she will enjoy Mom's "smelly food". We traveled 30 minutes to get Thai Food and will never go again.  BAD customer service. We got up and left!
3 - Erica D.: Beautiful atmosphere but way too pricey! They're skimpy on providing rice and tend to hold back on flavoring their entrees. Spiciness doesn't make bland food into good food.
4 - Matt C.: Another worthy member of Pittsburgh's fantastic Thai scene, the Bangkok Balcony doesn't disappoint.  It's a little pricey, but the atmosphere is wonderful; the staff is competent; and the food is good.

The pumpkin curry is an especially fantastic fusion delicacy, and having unsuccessfully tried to replicate it at home, I keep coming back for the good stuff.
5 - Dante B.: My friend and I went there last Saturday night. Parking, as always, was a little tricky, but we found a spot right across the street from the place. It was filled at around 8 when we came in, but we just had to sit at the bar for about 15 minutes and we were shown to a table right by the window. 

Definitely try the Thai Iced Tea with coconut milk(?), it's excellent. We started off with the wonton soup, which was really good; there were a lot of good vegetables in it. I had the Panang Curry with pork and I couldn't get enough of it. For every meal, you have to pick how spicy you want it to be on a scale of 1-10. I did a 1, and it was mildly spicy but not bland or anything. The atmosphere was warm and inviting and out waitress was very attentive. The food came quickly for how busy it was. There was no loud music or anything like that. I've been coming here since I was about 12 years old, and it's still my favorite place in Pittsburgh for Asian/Oriental food. Lunch is great, too.
5 - Lisa E.: This is by far my favorite Thai Place to dine in. My favorite dish is the Panang Curry with chicken. Great eating environment.
2 - Will H.: "I...don't...know...what the hell that was, but I'm not eating it." That was my reaction to the steamed dumplings at Bangkok Balcony last night. I spit the dumpling out, and threw the rest away. They tasted like an old mildewy dishrag or something. One of the foulest things I've ever tasted. Seriously.

It was our first experience with Bangkok Balcony. We got takeout, and my first impressions of the place were good. The hostess was nice, and the bartender who gave me my food was also really nice. It looked like a great atmosphere for dinner, as well, so I left the restaurant excited to try their food and already thinking about coming back to dine in.

Then I had to ruin it by eating the food:(

Perhaps we should've gone with one of their curries that had good reviews on here, but I just wanted something simple last night. I got pad thai, and It was okay, but definitely not worth going back for, and I didn't even finish it (a rarity for me, as I usually finish my meal AND whatever meal my wife orders).

We also ordered the fresh spring rolls and dumplings. I already discussed the disaster that was the dumpling order, and while the spring rolls were okay, I'm not sure I'd order them again IF I ever go back. They were poorly rolled and the tofu inside was so ridiculously big that all you could taste...was tofu. One positive was that their brown dipping sauce was good enough to get you through any bland spring roll you could ever encounter.

Overall, it's going to be a tough pull to get me to go back. I'd hate to hinge that decision on something as simple as pad thai, dumplings, and fresh spring rolls when their curries get such good reviews. Unfortunately, I wasn't in the mood for a curry last night, and just wanted a basic first taste of Bangkok Balcony...and that first taste was thoroughly disappointing.
1 - Faith A.: I know that a lot of people like BB, but I have to be honest here and speak from experience.  This was NOT A GOOD EXPERIENCE AT ALL!  Especially after having such great eats at places like Nicky's Thai Kitchen and the Smiling Banana Leaf.  

Pad thai... dry and no flavor.  WE figured they would have gotten one of our orders right and at least one of them would have been tasty... well that was not the case. 

Their steamed dumplings were dry, inedible and just downright nasty.... one bite and we tossed them away.  

The only redeeming part of the meal was the fresh spring rolls which were at best, decent.  

I won't be going back here after our experience.  Like I said, with better Thai options in town, it makes sense to continue to go there at this point as they have always been good and never failed us.
4 - Ingrida R.: One of my favorite restaurants in Pittsburgh! Great food, good prices. Spring rolls, See-you-noodles, pineapple fried rice, and pad thai are my go to dishes! The dishes aren't fancy but I have gotten consistently great Thai food here for many years. Staff is nice. There is a parking garage on the corner of Forbes so its pretty convenient.
3 - Sara C.: Bangkok Balcony is probably one of the nicest eateries in the Squirrel Hill area as far as atmosphere, view, and spaciousness goes.  I'm not entirely sure that fancy chopsticks and a tasteful decor make up for the priciness of the food.  The awesome service may somewhat balance it out I suppose.

While tasty, the food lacked in spiciness despite the fact that my Partner In Cuisine and I ordered a 9 and an 8 respectively.  I also felt the portions were rather small considering the price we were paying for noodles.  I think that we'll return on occasion, but at those prices, I don't think we'll ever be considered "regulars."
4 - Rotem G.: The upstairs location makes this gem a little hard to notice from the street, but once inside you'll be glad you noticed this gem.

The heat level of all dishes marked spicy are made to order on a 1 to 10 heat scale.  My wife and I had lunch here, the meal consisted of:

Me Kraab - A little greasy but delicious! Ask for extra cilantro with it, balances out the dish very well.
Three Flavor Fish - A sea bass, fried and covered in a spicy sauce. Not too greasy, the sauce was very flavorful, not just heat. (We got it at a 7.5/10 heat)
Red Curry - A red curry dish, we got it with beef. The curry was very good, I would highly recommend the dish overall, but the beef was underwhelming - get it with shrimp or chicken. (Also at a 7.5/10)
3 - Alan S.: An ex-gf and I used to walk here from her apt. down the street and it was a good pad thai they did.  Then they had the fire and were closed for along time .  I have heard they will refuse to seat 1 person (if you're alone.)  I don't like this policy at all .  
Owned by same guy who owns Silk Elephant, around the corner on Murray Ave.
Portions are on the small-side .  Interesting interior decor and very colorful .
4 - Teresa T.: If my friend hadn't suggested we meet here for dinner, I don't think I would have stopped in at Bangkok Balcony due to the dark exterior but I'm glad that I experienced this spot. We were seated near the black tinted window and the lighting made it all feel cozy but a little like we were warped back in time. Also the silverware I was not a fan of (they look like fiddlesticks which are ugly to me!). Anyway...

I couldn't decide between the yellow and mussaman curry so I asked the waitress. She said the yellow curry was good but on the sweet side and then her eyes totally lit up when she spoke about the mussaman curry, which was more of an Indian curry and of thicker consistency. I was sold on her description for mussaman and another friend actually changed her mind to order this too. By how excited our waitress was for us, we knew we were in for a treat.

Out came a pot of the mussaman curry and a bowl of rice. While the volume looks small, the contents are quite filling. The curry was absolutely delicious (I had a spice level of 5), not too sweet with a peanut coconut curry taste in potatoes and chicken. The potatoes were soft but the chicken was just the tiniest bit overcooked however once I smothered some of the curry sauce I ate it all up. Actually I ended up eating the whole thing up by putting the curry sauce on everything even though I was full!

Pleasant experience with the service and extremely satisfied with my dish that I will venture back.

Bangkok Bistro - Ithaca, NY (42.4395145, -76.499833) ()
4 - Joel N.: Very tasty, will definitely be back.  It can be kinda hard to find, as they don't have any signs up.  

I would recommend the Kai Kra Groob (E9), the fried chicken was very well light and crispy, the sauce sweet and spicy and I always adore fried basil on top. The thai iced tea was a little too sweet for me, but my girlfriend said it reminded her of the homemade ones she used to get from her friend's mothers.
2 - Alicia L.: Awkward service and mediocre food. 
Coconut vegetable soup was very bland compared to other Thai restaurants around town.  The other dishes we tried were fine/passable, but I cannot really remember much about anything we ate even though we came here not very long ago. Service was super awkward and the food came out slowly because there was only one person working in the kitchen.  I think we'll have to pass on coming here again.
As an aside, why would someone open yet another Thai restaurant in Ithaca?  We have at least 5 or 6 others -- almost within walking distance.  

I'm hoping for an Ethiopian restaurant or something else that we do currently have 6 of.

Bangkok Thai and Pho 911 - Champaign, IL (40.110554, -88.232373) ()
5 - Shelby R.: I first went to Bangkok Thai a couple weeks ago after finding it on complete accident and I was the only one in there at lunch time. It's sad that there's no sign outside the building advertising it, because I'm sure if more students knew it was there they would go. My favorites are the chicken fried rice and pad thai. If you like spicy, this is the place to go.
5 - Thomas L.: New and great place. The owners are very friendly and the service is pretty quick. The Pho and Panang Curry are my favorites here.
5 - David S.: So convenient, as i live right above this place, but that doesn't add to my bias. This place is tasty.
5 - Aaron O.: Fantastic Thai food for great prices. Their pad thai is great, and it can feed two for around $8. During the week they offer specials for $5, choice of rice and meat, generous portions. Their crab Rangoon is unique and is pretty good, worth a try. The owner is a very nice guy, provides great service! If you're in the mood for thai on campus, this is the spot to check out first.
5 - Taylor M.: Don't let the building and decor fool you--this place has DELICIOUS and authentic food! My boyfriend & I were searching for a good thai place around campus and finally found it. The man that works there is always so cheerful and friendly. They definitely will make your food spicy if you request it, so if you don't like your food spicy, make sure to tell them a "0" or "1" spicy level. The prices are pretty average for a thai restaurant, but the portions are generous so you can even save it for an extra meal :)
5 - Liz K.: Bankok Thai is such a hidden treasure! It's hidden in that little nook on the corner of Fifth and Green Street. It's in the location across from where Bombay Grill used to be. 

The staff is very friendly and are very welcoming! Whenever I go in or even call in, I'm always greeted by a happy face or a happy "Hello!"

The pho here is awesome! I always order the beef pho and it never disappoints. It's around $9-$10 for any pho and they give you a heaping plate full of additions! The broth, noodles and bean sprouts are more than enough to make you feel full and satisfied when you're done. 

Bon appétit, friends!
5 - Ravi P.: Best spicy thai food on campus by far. Everything on the menu is great.
3 - Rakesh K.: Food is fine but the wait time is too much. We had to wait more than half hour to get our pad Thai at lunch time!
5 - Li Y.: A bit hidden and relatively new.. but I keep going back for their Thai food! Everything has been wonderful and freakishly quick. They are also very nice.

I think they have the best Pad Thai and Pad See Ew on campus!
4 - Dan H.: Just discovered this place in the sport where Zyggyz used to be.  I've only been there twice but I've been impressed both times. Being a vegan I've ordered the Penang Curry w/ tofu twice and it has been ready in less than 10 minutes every time.  It is the best Penang curry you can get on Green St. as far as I know, the only thing missing is that it could use some more veggies, like peas and carrots perhaps.  The spicy scale is between 1-6, and I like spicy food and a 5 works fine for me.  Big bottles of Sriracha are available if that's your thing.

For beverages, they keep many pitchers of ice water ready for self service, and as someone who likes to drink a lot of water with their meals this truly is a nice touch and I wish more places did this.  I hate having to wait to have someone refill my water and it's a lot easier to have a pitcher at your table if you are among a group, or to just be able to stand up and refill your cup on your own.

As far a service, I'm going to second what most people have been saying: very friendly service, and always with a smile.   As stated previously the dish that I usually get comes out quick, but the times I've been there haven't been very busy. 

Pricing is 8-10 dollars for an entree, which might be a bit steep, but the portions are adequate and not too filling.  

Overall, great Thai food and an excellent lunch option.
4 - Jane Y.: Came here at closing time.
The cashier was super friendly, and super nice.
We got our food fairly fast i'd say. The owner was nice to let us stay for a while and to also order more!
The food was not bad for a small town. 
Portions were not too big, and price was okay!
4 - Angela R.: I love going to this place! The man who works there is such a nice guy and always remembers you!  Whatever you order, he'll ask you to rate a 1-5 for spiciness and it is always just right!  Their Pad Thai is delicious and is my favorite. My boyfriend and I are able to split the Pad Thai, making it a perfect portion size for two.  The Pho is delicious but I think it is overpriced.  They have good lunch specials each day so check them out.  Definitely best  Thai food on Green!

Banh Mi Saigon - Hadley, MA (42.3445618, -72.5778732) ()
5 - Josh B.: Finally.  Banh Mi Saigon has brought the first truly good version of its namesake sandwich to our region.  The banh mi, perhaps the only good thing to ever come out of right-wing colonialism, is the perfect sandwich and this restaurant is doing a great job of making it.  The bread was fresh and flavorful.  The daikon and carrots had the right pickled balance of sweet and sour.  And, the grilled chicken was well grilled and had a nice sweet (but not to sweet) glaze to it.

I used to live an equal distance from both of the banh mi huts featured in that This American Life episode, and I have to say that these guys are playing in that league.  

Right now they are also offering spring and summer rolls (nicely available by the roll for around a dollar-something), pho, and bubble tea.  I will update as soon as I try the pho, but I definitely recommend checking this place .
5 - Pete S.: I had the Beef pho one day and the chicken the next and I have got to say that both were excellent.  Talked to the owners and said that the stock is made from scratch the night before... go to say tastes like it as well.  Tried the summer rolls one was pork and shrimp the other tofu, both taste great especially with the peanut sauce.  GREAT FOOD!!  Definitely recommend to those craving good Viet food.
5 - Leah U.: Stopped by and had the pho with tofu and vegetarian spring rolls- both were absolutely phenomenal, and ranked with the best Vietnamese food I've had (which includes what I ate while IN Vietnam!). The broth for the pho was amazing, rich and flavorful, and the portions were enormous. I felt bad for not being able to finish my noodles after having devoured the spring rolls, but I couldn't pass up the peanut sauce, so no regrets. This is a new business, so we were happy to stop in and support them, and highly recommend that you do the same!
5 - Lauren H.: Awesome food!   My husband and I stopped here after a 4 hr car ride and were impressed with the food and prices. It's not generally something we have near us.  We got one beef and one pork sandwich and they tasted great.
5 - Benjamin B.: Amazing sandwiches. Great spring rolls as well. Incredible prices. This place is the best!
5 - Marc B.: I've been here 4 times so far and I can't wait to go again. So delicious and well prepared  I keep getting the pork banh mi and a summer roll. I think I'll try the pho next time.
5 - April G.: I went here on Wednesday and I can't wait to go back! 

I'm from Central California, where there is a huge Vietnamese population and many options for banh mi. This was the best banh mi I have ever eaten. 

I had barbecue pork, spicy style of course, and it was...oh, it was delicious. The pork was so juicy and succulent, with the perfect spicy sweetness. The pickled veggies were nice and fresh, and perfectly tart. And the bread! The bread is, yes, perfect. It's sturdy enough to soak up all the delicious pork juices, but not too chewy. It's just nice and light and excellent.

If that wasn't good enough, the sandwiches are only $5!
5 - Jill D.: Driving home from Vermont to Hartford. Wanted noodle soup and found this place on Yelp.  It is AMAZING!  Been to MANY Vietnamese restaurants and this is by far the best!  Don't miss it! Small menu and delicious food!  Banh mi far exceed anything else we've had, fresh rolls were, well, fresh, and the chicken pho was rich and complex.  We talked to the owner and we were shocked to find out they've only been open six weeks.  Bummer we live in Hartford but at least now we have our stopping spot when traveling north.
5 - Donna R.: What's not to like about Banh Mi? It has always baffled me that the other Vietnamese restaurants in the area have not offered it. 

We ordered the BBQ pork and grilled chicken banh mi. Both were excellent. The BBQ pork was delectable - slightly sweet and very tender. The chicken was very moist and well flavored. 

We ordered them "hot" - this means they put sliced serrano chile on the sandwich (it does not mean as we thought that they would add chili sauce to the mayo).  Speaking of the mayo, it was amazing - does not do it justice to call it mayo. The carrots and daikon were tasty, and there was just enough cilantro. My partner thought he would have liked a little more meat.  I thought it was just right. The bread was crusty and not too chewy. All in all, really great. And for $5, you can't do better. 

We've had banh mi in Berkeley and Alhambra, CA, among other places. This was as good as the best we've had, although the California places had more options.
5 - Co W.: Oh my...BBQ pork Banh Mi is HEAVEN....lightly toasted bread + sour sweet pickled carrot and daikon + mouth watering BBQ pork + delicious dressing.  Simply the BEST sandwich I've ever had. Huge portion, and it costs less than $5. I can be fed on this forever...

Pho is also one of the best I have ever had. Similar to Le's in Boston, better than Miss Saigon in Amherst, and way much better than Pho Vietnam in Northampton.

Bubble tea is so so, tastes like its made from tea powder and milk powder, and bubbles are not cooked to perfect state. I won't recommend ordering.
4 - Ardeshir P.: While the decor is unassuming, the pho was fantastic! I spent about a month in Vietnam eating nothing but banh mi and all the pho I could and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the broth. 

I would have given this place 5 stars if you could choose between different sets of meat (rare steak, flank, well-done steak, brisket etc). That said, the beef balls (I can't believe I'm publishing this) were excellent. Have yet to try the banh mi, but I'll be back.
2 - Amy C.: I have been to a lot of pho restaurants in many areas, and when I saw all the great reviews on Yelp about this place, I decided to give it a try. I am sad to report that my experience at Banh Mi Saigon was not that great. I much rather eat at other Vietnamese restaurants around here. (Note: My review is strictly for dishes other than Banh Mi.) 

Here are my "2 cents": 

1.  Quality of ingredients was questionable. 
The meat in my egg roll tasted funny, and so did the beef in our pho. My friend couldn't eat the beef, and she actually had to take them out of the soup. 
2.  Not a good value for the price.
It seems that they have increased the prices on some menu items since they first opened, however, the amount of ingredients they put into each dish is very limited compares to other local Vietnamese restaurants in the area. For $8.75, I got a medium bowl of beef pho with 5 slices of not so fresh beef and 2 meatballs, and THAT IS IT. At other pho restaurants I could get a LARGE bowl filled with beef slices, briskets, tripe, tendon and meatballs for $7.50 or less. The small egg roll was $1.75, and they charged $2.50 for a summer roll which had very little ingredients besides the rice noodles. 

Anyway, this place might be know for their banh mi, but for pho, I would go elsewhere.
5 - Brian F.: Great take out Bahn Mi Sandwich.  The owner is nice, and the food is priced right.  Fresh ingredients and quick service.
5 - Ben R.: 5 bites into what is quite possibly the tastiest sandwich i have ever eaten. Oh my. I started with some tofu summer rolls. Light and refreshing, perfect balance of ingredients. great peanut sauce! 
Onto the BBQ pork Banh Mi I am currently devouring. I have heard about these sandwiches for a few years but never found myself searching them out. Well today was the day. wow is all i can say. my one gripe would be it seems a little light on the meat section but eh whatever!
5 - Cate R.: This place serves crack in sandwich form.  My name is Cate, and I'm a banh mi junkie.

I'll agree with all the other reviewers who said it's a divey strip mall deli, and the banh mi are the real deal, on a par with big city sandwiches.  And just think, you don't have to fight your way through a crowd to get to the counter like you do at some city banh mi shops.  The family owners are friendly and nice.

I've only tried the beef banh mi and the summer rolls.  The beef banh mi is, well, I've eaten them for dinner the last two nights in a row, so you guess.  The summer rolls are perfectly good.  Nothing transcendent, but fine.  The banh mi is scary good.

I could go on, but just go there, get yourself a sandwich, and be happy.  I've lived in the Valley 20 years and now if we can just have an Ethiopian restaurant and some really good food trucks, I will never have to leave.
5 - Dylan G.: Five bucks for what amounts to a really tasty sub. Tried it for the first time today, and I thought it was delicious, with a tasty, tangy sweet sauce on the pork sandwich. Definitely worth a try. Service was excellent too. Cash only under ten dollars.
5 - Ethan K.: Best Vietnamese food I've had!!!
2 - Hana T.: I don't really see why this place has gotten such rave reviews. First of all, any authentic banh mi over $4 should be questioned. It seems that Banh Mi Saigon has jacked up all their prices...typical, since there aren't many competitors in the Pioneer Valley (especially Hadley). 

This place is fairly new, so I tried not to be too harsh, but the interior was so dingy it really made me uncomfortable. The least a casual joint can do is to provide a clean environment in which food is prepared. Cheap paper hangings here and there, dirty linoleum floor, and dark fingerprints all over the bathroom door. Gross. 

That aside, I took the advice of fellow Yelpers and ordered the bbq pork banh mi. It looked tasty enough with fresh cilantro and pickled carrots/daikon atop a bed of juicy pork morsels. Sadly, my happiness ended there. The baguette had a crispy exterior, but didn't have the interior substance of a true baguette, and almost immediately collapsed in a soggy mess. The bbq pork is kind of tasty, but I really wish I had ordered some other kind of meat - the salty sweet tang of the meat didn't bring me back to my childhood days of eating the popular Vietnamese sandwich.The mayonnaise that was slathered all over the bread was tasteless and horribly oily. 

It's possible that I'm being overly critical, but being of Vietnamese descent, I expect my banh mi to be exactly what it's supposed to be - perfection.
5 - Wouter V.: I've been here a few times now, and this place continues to consistently serve me delicious banh mi at what I consider to be very reasonable prices. Agreed, the décor isn't anything to write home about, but for a place that doesn't have any pretentious aspirations, I find that to be of little importance. If anything, it proves my theory that the best food is often found in very unassuming spots.

As for the food, I have only had the beef and BBQ pork banh mi, and the summer rolls myself, and those dishes have been delicious every single time. A friend who accompanied me one time (and has spent considerable time in Viet Nam) had the pho, and pronounced it both delicious, and "the real deal." I can't speak to her claim of authenticity, but having had a small sample from her giant bowl o' pho, I can attest to its tastiness. 

In the sea of Pioneer Valley restaurants that promise you the world but ultimately fail to deliver, Banh Mi Saigon is great example of a restaurant that under promises and over delivers. A great value, as far as I'm concerned and thus highly recommended!
4 - Judith M.: Perfect, its not. Here, it is. Eat, you will.- Yoda.
5 - Josh L.: These sandwiches are perfect. PERFECT. Oh, waaaah, you want your sandwich served on a silver platter on a linen table cloth in some country club estate. Bummer. This is a strip mall. The sandwiches all hover around $5. I'm vegan. I get the tofu one, no mayo/fish sauce. It's perfect. PERFECT. The pho is huge, delectable, filling, an experience. A sea of bean curd, vegan meat roll, and tofu awaits you. Boy choy, carrots, roasted garlic, noodles, lime, mung beans. P, the affable counterman, assures me it's made with love, whatever that is. I don't speak Vietnamese. This place makes you realize for the first time in your life that maybe you should have been eating Vietnamese sandwiches every day before that first bite, and while nothing can fill that void, the spring rolls are also very good. Great view of the Holyoke range rising above the historic fields of scenic Hadley, Massachusetts. You're not better than this place. Fall to your knees and be sure to tip.
5 - Meira S.: This place is awesome!  Recently moved here and was looking for a place that served pho and found this gem.  The sandwiches are awesome here, as is the milk tea.  Very fresh food and very friendly staff.  Love the place!
4 - Matt B.: As mentioned in other reviews, Bahn Mi Saigon is an unassuming storefront in a strip mall with a few Asian grocers and a Chinese place (Wing Wong, also recommended).  While the Bahn Mi is good--it seems a little light on meat--the real star here is the Pho.  The broth is delicious, the ingredients fresh.  I cannot say enough about how good it is.  The staff is friendly and learns your favorites quickly.  I go every Friday at lunch for an away-from-work oasis, and I've never been disappointed.
5 - Patrick N.: Just as a preface, I grew up in a Vietnamese household and I'm originally from the greater Chicago area-- so, when I moved away to the Pioneer Valley for college, the only times I was able to have the food I grew up with were the infrequent times when I cooked it for myself (Vietnamese cuisine is always a labor of love, and therefore nearly always time consuming!), or during my even more infrequent visits home. 

That being said, I've been here almost every single week since they opened in June! The other Vietnamese restaurants in the area are garbage (the truth hurts) as far as authenticity goes-- Over the past four years,  I've had so many of my white friends pursue the novelty of telling me how "awesome" the new Viet place in the valley was, only to be sorely disappointed, my eyes rolling out of their sockets. 

You couldn't have blamed me for not expecting much when another friend of mine asked me to come to lunch with him at Banh Mi Saigon. Hopeful, I obliged-- and words cannot express the satisfaction that ensued! I walked away from my first encounter with literal tears of joy streaming from my eyes. It was also, and continues to be, an amusing experience to see the pleased expression on my friends' faces as they dig into their first authentic Vietnamese dish...

Maybe it's just my nostalgia speaking, but Banh Mi Saigon is truly a cultural and culinary gift to the Pioneer Valley. The food is amazing, the menu grows each and every week, and the people who work there are about as friendly as you can get. Although the decor is certainly lacking, it brings me back to my mother's kitchen, and to the hole-in-the-wall restaurants--in my opinion, the best kind-- in Chicago's Chinatown. You will simply have to try it yourself to see what I'm talking about.

To the management at Banh Mi Saigon, thank you in ways that only I will ever understand.
4 - Jenn M.: 5 stars for service.  It is a family owned business and the man who works the counter is very nice and engaging.  The pho was good and tha banh mi was great but could have used  more meat (I will admit an I am very carniverous).  We will go back to try more.
5 - Grace L.: My husband and I both love Pho and after reading the reviews on Yelp, I decided to try it out. I surprised my husband with a weekend getaway and this was our first stop for lunch. We shared an order of the Beef Pho and the BBQ Pork Banh Mi. The Banh Mi was delicious!! The bread was crisp and the ingredients were FRESH! The Pho was big and very flavorful! I recommend this place 100% !

Banh Mi Unwrapped - Seattle, WA (47.6638445, -122.3132196) (University District)
4 - Nath, A.: If you stand anywhere on the Ave and walk one block in any direction, you will probably pass at least one banh mi shop. They're all cheap (most are $3 or $3.50), and most are consistently edible. So what's the point of yet another banh mi place?

Basically, choice. There's a lot more to choose from here than the usual chicken/pork/tofu/combo. Those options are all on the menu, but they've also got meatballs, anchovies, beef stew, five-spiced duck and several other choices. They also have a variety of customizable spring rolls. And, of course, the all-important Vietnamese coffee.

This place is brand new, still quite bare, and, frankly, a little creepy. When I walked in late one Sunday afternoon, the only sounds were an unidentifiable industrial hum and the tinny audio from a mobile TV thing that was entertaining the only other customer. But the two people behind the counter cheerfully greeted me and pointed me to the menu.

I got the cold cut combo ($4) and the duck ($5). The bread was a little different from the usual baguette -- a little more roll-like, not quite so abrasive against the roof of the mouth, but still light and crunchy. All the usual foliage and spreads. Good topping quality. Overall, decent sandwiches. Not the best in the area (that honor goes to Pearl Bistro), but I'll be back to try more of the unusual options.

UPDATE: They've settled in nicely, and lost that bare new business feel. The spring rolls are light and crisp and fresh, and you should definitely try them on one of the three remaining warm days we'll have this year. The coffee is nice and strong, and not oversweetened.

And then there's the pho dip: rare roast beef in a baguette with the usual vegetables, dipped in savory, onioney pho broth. It's exactly as good as it sounds. The broth was good enough that it took conscious effort not to drink it all before I dipped the sandwich in it. The bread soaked up the juice, but didn't fall apart or surrender its crunch. Some Chinese mustard would rock with this.
5 - Katie R.: I've been on a quest for the best banh mi on the Ave since I started working in the area mid May. Banh Mi Unwrapped is totally the winner. Yes the sandwiches are a bit more expensive than the traditional bahn mi but it makes up for cause everything about it is AWESOME. (At 4 or 5 dollars per sandwich it's still a killer deal.) 

The mayo is made in house, the bread is baked fresh daily...the veggies have the perfect amount of pickling. I've tried 4 other places on the ave (one even claiming to have the best Vietnamese sandwich) and none of them even come close to Banh Mi Unwrapped. 

I hope it sticks around for for the long haul!
5 - UT P.: Banh Mi Unwrapped is a newcomer among the plethora of shops and restaurants on the Ave in the U-District, but as a shop specializing in banh mi among the numerous Vietnamese shops that serve these delectable Vietnamese sandwiches in Seattle, it may be a contender as one of the BEST!

Not many can tout that they make their own French bread from scratch every morning. When the smell of the buttery bread hits your nose, it causes a stirring in your olfactory and immediately, the salivation begins! Also from scratch is their garlic aoli and pate (which I always ask for extra on my sandwiches)! But what sets Banh Mi Unwrapped apart from your typical Vietnamese sandwich, is their unique selection of sandwiches. 

They serve your standard banh mi sandwich with ingredients such as Vietnamese cold cuts and xiu mai (meatball), but for the carnivorous, the addition of their 5-spice duck (cooked in a smoker for 8 to 12 hours), Chinese sausage, and pulled pork are not to be missed! Their recent menu addition of "Pho Dip" which is their version of the roast dip with meaty ingredients generally found in a bowl of pho but served on a bed of warm bread and accompanied with an au jus sauce consisting of pho broth is very hearty and can stand on its own as a meal. For the Pescetarian, Banh Mi Unwrapped also serves up a herbacious lemongrass fish and sardine sandwich. They also cater to vegetarians with non-meat sandwiches such as tofu and pepper stewed mushroom.

Being a banh mi connoiseur as I've tasted my way across multiple locations starting with Seattle all the way down to Orange County, CA and also across the globe to Viet Nam where it originated, I have to say that Banh Mi Unwrapped is as authentic and delicious as they come! Make sure to get a café sua da (coffee with condensed milk) on your way out. For those of you with a sweet tooth, try their insanely good BMU coffee and ice cream smoothie or one of their exotic fruit flavored smoothies such as avocado. If you think this fruit is a savory ingredient only found in dips, you are mistakened my friend. With its smooth and unctuous texture, it's only natural that avocado lends itself so fantastically well to smoothies.

If you're a hungry student looking for a quick bite to eat or an adventurous eater bored with your typical banh mi sandwich, Banh Mi Unwrapped is definitely worth a try!
4 - Michael M.: They did not have rice wrappers for my spring roll order. There is an Asian market down the street that sells rice wrappers I suggested to them. I ended up with a lettuce wrap instead. The pork bahn mi was good but they need to stem the cilantro. I was pulling stalks out in-between bites. Not a delightful way to experience my sandwich - they stem the cilantro down the ave. This might have been a four star review but it's the little things that get you. They are relatively new to the neighborhood, so maybe they will get things down better. Nath, A is right about the ambience. They need to work on it. I definitely did not feel comfortable. The staff was nice.

Update: They had the rice paper wraps! The fish wrap was really good. Great flavor - you didn't need the sauce. The cold cut bahn mi was tasty as well.
4 - Yen T.: I feel so welcomed here!
I was waiting for my friend at one of the seats and was asked if I would like a glass of water. The water was lemony, which is a plus on a hot day!

I tired the Duck Banh Mi this time and it was YUM!

What left my tastebuds RAVING:
The buttery aoli sauce! It really melds all the flavors of the banh mi together.
3 - Matt S.: Overall a very good sandwich (great pickled veggies, good sauces, good bread), but vegetarians beware--the tofu is not well prepared.  It is just a big hunk of uncooked tofu.  Most banh mi places will deep fry or marinate the tofu.  This tofu tasted raw and unmarinated.  I'd love to come back, but first spice up your tofu!
4 - Kara R.: Banh Mi Unwrapped is a great place to get a cheap delicious lunch in the U-District.

There are lots of places to get banh mi in the U-District, but this is the only place that has delicious duck and homemade aioli. For a flat five dollars to boot!

The service is friendly and fast, and the restaurant is clean, well-lit, and smells great. 

Also, there's free wifi, delicious housemade yogurt, and vegan popsicles.
5 - Meg V.: i dunno how long this place has been here, but i'm sure i've walked by it a few times without even seeing it, since it's all up in the sky. i guess that was probably the reason for the demise of its predecessor, da vinci subs, which i still have a coupon for, goddamn it.

so there's tons of banh mi on the ave, aforementioned, but most of it is, ahem, not of quality. for like 50 cents more than the cruddy cockroach places down around 43rd, you get an actual baguette (not subway-grade margarine-flavored bread, like at [redacted]), all the correct veggies, garlic aioli AND soy dressing, and tons of selection.  we had the 5-spice duck and the grilled pork today--both were ace and left me kind of wanting to order another one immediately, just cos there are so many to try.  excited to sample the tofu, the pepper mushroom, and the cold cut combo.  as in: i will probably go back tomorrow and do that.

this place has also done me a great service in that there are plenty of sit-down dining options on the ave, but when i'm in a hurry, i find a dearth of quick lunch spots that serve anything of nutritional value. (sorry, pagliacci, i still love you.) 

hell of a deal for four bucks too. big fan of your work, banh mi unwrapped.
4 - Linda B.: I love Vietnamese sandwiches! This place is a little different but good different! Their ingredients are very fresh and their bread is perfect. Nice and soft on the inside with a crispy outside, like you got it right from the oven. There are lots of choices, I got five spice duck, which was delicious. They don't have the classic spreads and it is a little more pricey but I would definitely bypass the 4 other Banh Mi shops on the AVE and walk the extra distance to this place. The owners are really nice and they have a sweet little junior worker to take your change.
2 - Michelle F.: The place was clean, and the girls working were very friendly and sweet.

The banh mi made me sad, though. I would have thought that for a specialty shop that focuses specifically on banh mi, it would have been better... Given, the sandwiches are cheap. But banh mi anywhere is cheap. I had gotten the meatball sandwich, and perhaps that's where I went wrong.

I will try it one more time, but i'm going to be really sad if their regular banh mi sandwiches are as depressing as the meatball sandwiches. Far as I can tell so far, you're better off taking your money to any Vietnamese shop on the ave and getting your banh mi with them.

If I try it again, I will update...
4 - Jessica F.: at the recommendation of a co-worker I check this place out.  I had the shredded chicken bahn mi and the tofu spring roll and both were good.  The bread was crisp but didn't ruin the roof of my mouth and the spring was also satisfying.  I would definitely go back.

they are still in the soft opening phase, staff was friendly and the bread is from the mother's local bakery in South Seattle.  she also does all the pickling of the veggies.

I say check them out.
5 - Gary P.: I love this place! Always fresh, always flavorful, always friendly. My favorite spot on the Ave.
4 - Zoey Z.: Delicious sandwiches! Friendly staff.
4 - Samara S.: I was pleased with both the tofu banh mi and the crispy fish sandwich!  Great chewy yet crusty bread, generous size, good amount of fillings and tasty sauces, including an herbed mayo.  The spring roll wasn't very good--plain and sloppy.  But I might try one again.  One of my favorite banh mi joints.  Oh, and for both visits only 2-3 other customers were seen.
5 - Olive H.: Delicious. I've personally never seen sandwiches so full of ingredients. There are plenty of places I've gone where the meat and vegetables are served in meager amounts. 

I ordered a few of the pork banh mi. Took a few minutes to make each one, but I appreciated the thought and carefulness (watched them make them with diligence). 

The sandwich is so flavorful. Meat is chewy, tasty, and the pickled radish and onions just back it up! And you get a hefty loaf for $4 (I know a place that sells sandwiches for $3, but half the size compared to what they serve here). It's $5 for special sandwiches. They also serve tea, too. 

I don't think this place will disappoint. And if you have the Pirq app, they have 20-50% off menu prices, depending on the hour. Give this place a try, totally worth the money and walk from UW.
4 - Hallie D.: I recently went on a mini self guided banh mi tour of the Ave and tasted seven different sandwiches in three days! I tried the three most popular Vietnamese restaurants: Thanh Vi, Saigon Deli, and Banh Mi Unwrapped. The pork sandwich was quite tasty but I got a few little bones and it wasn't quite as good as Thanh Vi. The five spice duck was really good and unique and there were lots of other interesting sandwiches you wont find at any other banh mi shop. Both had right amount of good pickled vegetables and good bread, but this place is just a little more expensive than the others.
5 - Melissa C.: I've always lived in North Seattle but I grew up in the south end when the BEST Vietnamese sandwiches in are made. Well, until now, that is.

Tony's bakery is the OG of Bahn Mi deli's, and from what I understand is that the same family owns Bahn Mi Unwrapped (I was nearly in tears when I heard this).  It's like they heard my prayers one day and set up shop in perhaps the hungriest, most Asian part of North Seattle- the Ave. 

Prices are just a little more expensive than Tony's but a $4 very meaty and very well seasoned sandwich is better than a sloppy "$5 foot long" any day.

When I went in I saw their special of the day- a "Pho Dip." Their version of a French Dip. Brilliant.

Definitely check this place out.  I'm pretty sure that with the number of times I think about Bahn Mi in a day, I'll be running into you soon enough.
5 - Compu B.: My quest for the best bahn mi of the University District has a winner. They have lots of different kinds and every one I've had is great. The fresh bread is key. They are also have fast and friendly service too.
3 - Judy M.: After getting the pirq app, had to come here. Ended up with three banh mis for $8.25!! I love good food. But, Unlike hookers, cheap, when it comes to food  is just sexy!

We came at about 11:50, and surprisingly, we were the only ones there. The place is clean with decent amount of seating.

In general, the bread is freshly made and it pays off. It's soft, yet has a nice crust. 

Their veggie toppings are generous and pickled well.

Now on to the particulars:

Pork:  I liked it, but I wanted more meat.  And I'm usually the one pulling some meat out of my sandwiches.  Although the meat was a bit overcooked, the meat to bread ratio just wasn't on par. 

Duck: This was a little gamey for me.  To be fair, I mostly like duck when it's smoked because of that.  My friend on the other hand, loved it.

The Pho Dip:  This joint right here was the bidness!  It's pretty brilliant.  I like to taste everything first plain, just to get the essence of what I'm eating.  So, at first, I thought it was just ok.  I then added sirachi and hoisin (condiments I add to my pho) and then dipped it in the broth, and it tasted a lot like pho in a sandwich.  I really liked this conceptually.  

I would give this place 3 stars without the pirq.  Mostly because, I think they're a bit chincy with their meat.  Let's face it banh mis are usually cheap, and pretty generous.  

With the pirq, I definitely give it a 4, because at $2.75 a sandwich, I don't expect as much.  Good, cheap, eats.  Not the same as good food, that happens to be cheap.

If in the area, and you have the pirq, definitely worthwhile.  Any other time, I headed to the lower Ave for my bahn mi.
3 - Lolia S.: Laptop camper here. Camp and eat banh mi at this new spot close to the University of Washington. The traditional banh mi sandwiches are $4. They also have specialty banh mi sandwiches ($5) like beef stew, lemongrass fish and five spice duck, plus drinks, smoothies, homemade Vietnamese yogurt, spring rolls ($1.50 a roll) and Asian popsicles. They make their own sauces and spreads.

* Grilled pork banh mi ($4): Liked their baguette - it was small, thin, and light, soft on the inside and lightly crunchy on the outside. The veggies were fresh (cucumber, pickled carrot and daikon, onion, jalapeno, cilantro) but the veggies needed to be pickled longer (not tangy enough). The small bits of marinated grilled pork were tasty but I'd prefer larger pieces. The homemade garlic aioli didn't have a strong garlic flavor. They didn't add too much soy. The sandwich was smaller than usual.

Laptop campers, I didn't see any power outlets and the seats aren't comfortable. The wi-fi is free and secure.

You know you love me. X0 X0, laptop camper.
5 - karen w.: Today was the second trip into Banh Mi Unwrapped for my sweetie and me (Nook was closed, bummer) and for the first time, I tried the lemongrass fish sandwich. Holy mother of jebus, it was delicious! Plenty of tasty fish and veggies, and a creamy bright green sauce-dunno what's in it but it was delicious! I may have to come back for it once or more a week. 
If you like good music, or even not-so-good music though, get your sandwich to-go. We were subjected to tween pop on the radio. Pretty sure it was invented by the government to torture political prisoners.
4 - Riley M.: i don't know how i blew it, but when i went to Vietnam in 2008, i didn't even know about Banh Mi! I had a great time. beautiful, lovely people, incredibly interesting culture - and yeah, i had some great meals,  but also ended up a few meals that were definitely lacking. 

Turns out i should have been asking for Banh Mi. 
i found out 2 years too late.

these guys do the Vietnamese Sandwich right. every ingredient is perfectly proportioned and delicious. i usually order 2 and save one for later.

also: highly recommend the fish sandwich (though i usually get pork), and the fresh rolls are a great deal at $1.50. 
only thing that i'd skip? the milkshakes. advertised as 'fresh fruit', it tastes anything but (the strawberry one anyway)
5 - Nanako E.: This place needs more recognition. It's hidden up the ave, and people just don't realize there's a banh mi shop here. It's sad, I want them to get more business so they can stay! I got the tofu spring roll and grilled pork banh mi. The spring roll came with a peanut sauce, and it was delicious. The pork in the banh mi was super flavorful, and came with a garlic aioli that just made the sandwich. Coming back for more, for sure. And all of this for just a little over $6. You will leave here completely full and happy.
5 - Sara B.: This place is awesome. Not only is the food so tasty (I have had the shrimp rolls and tofu banh mi twice in a row), the ladies that work there are so sweet. I'm serious, I think I am going to dream about eating a banh mi until I go there again for dinner this week. I just can't get enough of this place. 

Also, the desserts are great! I recommend the yogurt (the perfect mix of sweet and tart, not your typical American yogurt) and also this 5-bean (??) dessert that was delicious and perfect after eating a fantastic tofu banh mi!

Check this place out!!
4 - May N.: I came here because a friend recommended it and I had a Pirq deal for 30% off.  I figured, hey why not?  I love me some good banh mi and I love me some 30% off.  

They offer the traditional options (cold cuts/ham, grilled pork, chicken) but also a huuuuge variety of 'modern' options (duck, pho dip, etc).  I love the variety and the ideas they've come up with; they're all totally up my alley.  They even have shakes and desserts so you can enjoy something sweet alongside your sandwich.

I was able to try both the grilled pork and 5 spice duck banh mi.  They bake the bread fresh everyday which is great.  The size is quite decent, although I wish it had more of a toasty crunch.  I got mine to-go so maybe the walk home didn't do the bread justice.The pickled vegetables that the sandwiches come with are nicely pickled and each sandwich had a nice amount of veg.  They also slice the jalapenos very thinly (yay!) as opposed to most places that give you a GIANT chunk (boo!).  I really like the ratio of meat to vegetable, it creates a nice balanced flavor.  People that prefer heaps of meat on their sandwiches may not feel the same way.  The pork was OK - it had good flavor but didn't have much of a grilled flavor or texture at all.  The duck had a good flavor but was perhaps a tad dry - not anything to really complain about. 

I was also able to enjoy a nice avocado shake.  Refreshing and creamy.  I'm an avocado shake lover :)  

The place itself is quite a bit larger than I expected and probably the largest Vietnamese place on The Ave.  It's clean and modern and nothing like the usual hole in the walls.  They have an area for small groups (a couple groups of 4 or 5 perhaps) and a long seating area along a wall, kind of like a bar(?).  I noticed a small table and little mini chairs for kids to draw and play which I thought was really amazing, so it's great for families too!  Not many places on The Ave can say that.  

Service was really nice even though I didn't sit down to eat.  They were happy to wait and let me log onto my iPod with their (free!) wifi to use my Pirq deal.  They gave me my avocado shake first when it was ready and even thanked me for waiting when they came out with my sandwiches. 

Prices are quite a bit more than the norm for banh mi.  It's probably more worth it for their 'special' sandwiches than for the types you can get anywhere else, but I totally understand their prices since their place is quite a bit nicer than other places.  I noticed that the attention to detail really shows! 

Overall I like it and although not my favorite banh mi in town, I truly believe it's the best banh mi on The Ave.
5 - Nikolas M.: Love the 5-spice pork. Summer rolls have a tiny spring roll in the middle that adds extra crunchiness. Bread could be crunchier on outside and softer on inside to make the banh mi excellent. Staff nice, friendly and fast.
4 - Ivan M.: pho dip!? it's a take on french dip but instead of au jus, it's pho broth. the sammich is a banh mi style baguette but stuffed with the same fixin's you might find in brisket pho (veg includes: sprouts, basil, and jalepeno. couldn't discern whether lime was squeezed or not). there's also some kinda aoli (we opted for the spicy one) spread to keep it lubed up. omfg! this is so simple! why didn't i think of it?!?? BRILLIANT! my homeboy just recently schooled us on this place so me and another homeboy (tam n. http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=1BpcysESohW3WEacYQvakw) decided to check it out. i'm glad we did. just north of 45th on u-way there was plenty of street parking on a sunny saturday. prolly because classes ain't start at u dub yet, tho. we strolled in and since it was late afternoon, the place was pretty empty. staff was attentive and friendly. i also got a goi cuon with duck. it was bigger than i thought it would be but was missing something. just needed a smidge more salt, perhaps? otherwise, for $1.75 (it's just slightly more expensive for the duck than the other rolls) it was still a good deal. the baguette is made fresh daily at Tony's Bakery down in the south end. it was perfectly crispy on the crust without cutting your whole mouth up, like you were trying to gargle broken glass, while the insides were soft and airy. holds up well to dipping into pho soup. i actually want to try the pho here now because of the dipping soup. haha. i was told that everything is home made, made from scratch too. i'll definitely be back when i need a fix.
5 - Trisha F.: If I were a lesser woman my review would look like this: 

"$%#$#^$, this $%#% rocks my #@%ing socks off!"

As is, I will try to put into words the goodness that Banh Mi put into my mouth today.

Lucky girl that I am, my office had a huge mass of their tofu, shrimp, and Chinese sausage spring rolls and a large quantity of their grilled pork and shredded chicken sandwiches. I had a grilled pork and more tofu and Chinese sausage spring rolls than I care to admit to in a public forum.

Not only are the ingredients fresh, unique (fried green onions), delicious (better than anything I've had in a long while), they are very pretty and obviously prepared with the utmost care and diligence. Not only was each actual item utterly a taste revelation, the sauces were amazing! Peanut sauce is SHI% until you try BMU's version. Chive relish? Yes, please! 

I've never had the pleasure of Vietnamese food before, but now that I know about this gem you can rest assured I will be eating and singing the praises more often.

Bank Street Book Store - New York, NY (40.8056084, -73.966681) (Morningside Heights)
5 - Diana B.: Good children's books and books on education.
4 - Heather H.: A great children's bookstore.  Sometimes I end up buying more stuff for me than I do for the kids.
5 - Sienna K.: The awning of Bank Street Bookstore reads, "For children, teachers, and parents". And though I am not any of those, except perhaps a child in mind and at heart, I still very much enjoy visiting the cramped bookstore in Morningside Heights.

Bank Street Bookstore is a rather large shop run by the folks at the Bank Street College of Education (the school was originally located downtown on Bankstreet and has kept its name despite moving neighborhoods). And maybe because it is overseen by people whose professions and passions are dedicated to children's education, Bank Street is an excellent children's bookstore. While the Scholastic Store downtown is much larger and probably more exciting for kids to visit, Bank street Bookstore is still a treasure on its own with its stronger emphasis on the actual books themselves and a very knowledgeable staff.

The store is crammed with books for children of all ages (from squishy books for little babies to novels for young adults) as well as books for teachers and parents. In addition to the books are maps, toys, globes, stationary (including this awesome dinosaur one), and other things designed to entice a young mind. I visit here to get gifts for family members, but sometimes I just like to come here for myself. After all, a good bookstore needs no age limit to be appreciated. Plus, I really like the dinosaur stationary.
4 - Carol C.: Bank Street Books, a gem of the Upper West Side, is a small book store which hosts author readings, children's events, among other things, and has a great selection of teacher's and children's books.  The staff is incredibly helpful and very friendly.  It's always a pleasure visiting.

Check out our last visit to the store to meet Debi Derryberry on The Adventures of an NYC Mama (http://nycitymama.com/2009/02/debi-derryberry-at-bank-street-books-nyc/)
5 - Mark B.: Every time I do a reading, storytelling and book signing at  Bank Street Books, I'm amazed. I had no idea there were so many books for kids, parents and teachers!

These days, the big chains have a policy of only stocking the items that will sell quickly. You just can't find a random but excellent piece of literature or storytelling for kids in those huge stores.

Bank Street Books is packed, floor to ceiling (two floors!) with books. Sure they have some games and tchotchkas, but mostly there are shelves upon shelves of books... Books... More books... And of course some CDs too.

CDs for kids are fast going away in favor of digital downloads, (I know, because I still make them), but here you can find some wondrous choices of gifts that people can actually touch... and then listen to.

The staff are great and clearly love what they do.
5 - Nancy F.: I had come to think that good customer service no longer existed -- that is until I shopped at Bank Street Book Store. This quaint shop is a throwback on many levels. The store specializes in children's books --hardcover and paperback  -- for all age groups. Award winning titles are prominently featured. You are greeted at the entrance with a warm hello. When I asked where I would find the Judy Moody books, the salesperson took me to the exact location rather than pointing. Because they specialize, the staff is knowledgeable and quick to offer up many interesting suggestions. In addition to two Judy Moody volumes, I left with a beautifully illustrated book on farm animals.  I was encouraged to sit on the steps and read through the book before buying. Overall, an excellent shopping experience. I think my six-year-old friend will be pleased with her birthday gift!
5 - Anne G.: I LOVE this place. Just came in here today, looking for some NYC-themed gifts for my little cousins. Great selection of books, coloring books, activity materials... The staff were very nice and helpful. There is a ton of books in this little, but well-organized store, and the staff helped me navigate the shelves and find everything I was looking for (picture books and coloring books about NYC, 3D-puzzles, stickers...). Highly recommended.
5 - Larissa M.: Bank Street Book Store is a gem, and I have been really impressed with the staff. The people who work here are incredibly knowledgable about children's literature--they are a great resource to help you find books and to discover all there is to be discovered about children's books. I don't think I can go back to Barnes & Noble the same way again!
5 - Kristin H.: I love this place. Every time we have a kid's birthday party to attend, we stop by Bank Street first and find the perfect book or toy... and they wrap it up with no charge and make it look great. Everybody else in the neighborhood must have the same idea. The red and white wrapped presents always pile up fast!

They not only carry tons of kid books, they carry tons of really good kid books. Books that you wouldn't find at the much larger Barnes and Noble. The staff is always super helpful, and if you ever need a workbook or a game to help your child out with some problem area, there is a great selection. 

It's one of my favorite places in the neighborhood!
5 - Finlay L.: They really do have every kids' book, from the new and cool to the classic and wise. They have a selection of books on every topic you could want to expose a child to in a thoughtful, engaged way, from gay rights to African American history to all sorts of holidays and cultures...you can definitely tell they're attached to a progressive school. :) They also were able to rustle up a copy of Paul Rand's picture book for me! Ask for recommendations if you need them; they'll definitely have ideas. Or peruse their ever-changing window displays.

In addition to the books they have a great selection of toys, games, and educational materials. They also do author readings and other events. I don't have kids, but that didn't stop me from signing up for the frequent buyer card here (buy 11, get the 12th free, if I recall) and checking out all the cool stuff they have. A visit here might just get that curious spark inside you going again.
4 - Alison R.: A jewel box of a bookstore.  I find favorites from my childhood and excellent new books each time I drop in. 
 I guess the only downside affects my nieces and nephews. The awesome collection of children's books has turned me into the aunt who gives books for Christmas, birthdays, even Valentine's Day.
5 - Margot B.: Incredible bookstore, the staff are so helpful and friendly and the selection is pretty insane. my only gripe is that I wish their section of critical studies was more than half a small shelf, as it is right down the street from Columbia...
5 - Bonnie G.: Terrific bookstore for kids, with some  toys also.  Staff gives good advice, and is happy to wrap presents.
5 - Alice G.: This bookstore is wonderful!  It deserves its 5 star reputation.  Whether you're a Ph.D. student (like me) trying to find something fun to read which isn't on her Orals list, or a young mother who wants the best picture books currently available, Bank Street Book Store will help you.  They never make me feel embarrassed that I'd rather read the Hunger Games books than what I'm supposed to be reading--Neuroscience and Modernist Poetry.  They helped my mom, who doesn't walk very well, into an elevator and selected a lot of really great books for her!  
Every salesperson is knowledgeable, and if the salesperson is new, he or she is very eager to send you to someone with more experience, and learn.

I love Bank Street Book Store!

Alice
3 - Tailisha G.: Great assortment of educational materials for young children, but the staff isn't the most helpful.
5 - J D.: I just moved to the neighborhood and was thrilled to find an independent bookstore- not just Barnes and Noble.  They have a great selection and the staff was very helpful in assisting me find what I was look for.  There was a HUGE section of children's books!  They also offer a book club- buy 10 books get the 11th for free.  I am sure I will be visiting this book store quite frequently.
4 - Bria D.: I like!  

I dropped into Bank Street recently to pick up a potty training book for my son, and the staff member helpfully directed me to a whole section of potty books from which to choose.  The space feels just a little cramped, but that's because it's stuffed to the gills with an impressively rich selection.  Maybe I can take my kid up to Bank St soon to pick out a nice book about trucks and animal sounds (his two obsessions of the moment).  If they don't have one in stock, I'm sure the friendly staff could direct me to one I could order.

Bank Street College of Education - New York, NY (40.8128415, -73.9615493) (Harlem)
1 - Mary X.: Too bad you can't leave a rating lower than this. This place is awful. The school is expensive and they do absolutely NOTHING for you. If you want to be ignored and mistreated, by all means spend too much of your money here.
5 - Tanya L.: I am still considering attending the Bank Street College of Education for my second master's degree, an MS in childhood education. I was very happy to be admitted. 

In my dealings with Bank Street, I was extremely impressed by their caring admissions office. Their Head of Admissions took time to greet me at the Open House in person with a friendly handshake and smile. 

Also, the school took time to interview me one on one. I also like the school's emphasis upon academic advising, because Teachers College was weak in that area. 

The MS in Childhood Education program at Bank Street seems as if it also exposes you to a lot of actual in classroom teaching in elementary school that you can utilize to build your resume. 

The admissions office also seems to be organized. They sent me a huge acceptance packet in the mail with well-written, printed materials. I also enjoy the school's library: it was peaceful and cozy in the inside.
5 - Marie L.: I'm just about to finish my dual master's degree from Bank Street College in December, and I have nothing but wonderful things to say about the institution. I felt that the professors were warm and caring, the philosophy of the college promotes supporting the whole child, and the people I've met have become friends and colleagues in the field of education.  I'm not sure why anyone would give it a low rating, as everyone I've met (inside or outside Bank Street) has positive things to say about it as a place for future teachers to learn and grow. It is expensive, yes, but I've met teachers who attended some other schools, and I must say that you do "get what you pay for."  It has helped me get a job at a wonderful school in the city, and I feel prepared to teach my students this fall. If I could recommend this place any higher, I definitely would.

Bank of America - Los Angeles, CA (34.0631646, -118.4452818) (Westwood)
5 - franky d.: I know I know... I can already hear it now...

"what are you doing giving Bank of America 5 stars!!!"

But hear me out. I know BofA has a bad rep for being a big corporate bank and all that jazz. However I'm rating THIS location, not the company as a whole. I LOVE this place. The location is soooo big! Like seriously I don't think they need all that space! 

The lines move really quick and they almost always have someone walking around in there seeing what you need. If the line does get long they have a TV playing different movies you can watch while you wait in line! C'mon how cool is that.

The service is friendly and the people are way cool. Plus its on westwood blvd which is easy walking distance from the UCLA campus or anywhere you may be in Westwood. 

They have lots of open space and high celings. It almost gives the feeling like...we got so much money we could rent this huge space in Westwood just for you! It felt good. I felt like you get star treatment (even though I'm no star...well at least not in anyone else's eyes.)

Loved the experience and thats saying something b/c I know how much B of A can suck.
2 - Matt L.: This Bank of America is a wonderful place to go if you would like to experience examples of terrible customer service, either through gross incompetence or a lack of communication skills.

A few months ago, I needed a $500 cashier's check to put a deposit down on an apartment.  So, off to the bank I went.  I asked for, and duly received, said cashier's check, and went merrily on my way.  How blissful I was in this state of ignorance, unaware of the underhanded shenanigans going on at this branch.

I checked my account online the next day, to find that $1000 had been removed from it.  As the value of my cashier's check was only $500, this left me rather confused.  To the bank's credit, they did rectify the situation with alacrity, but I'd prefer a no-nonsense kind of bank to these pranksters.

A few days later, I needed to get a cashier's check for a larger sum of money, again for said apartment.  Foolish though it may seem, I decided to give this branch the benefit of the doubt, and patronize them again.  After waiting briefly in line, I was called to the desk by a woman who seemed incapable of understanding the most basic of requests.

Strange Lady: Hi, welcome to Bank of America, how can I help you today?
Me: I need a cashier's check for x dollars.
SL: Ok.  Do you want a credit card?
Me: What?
SL: Would you like to open a credit card account with us today?  You can get a credit card.
Me: ...No, thanks.
SL: It's a good way to build your credit.
Me: No.
SL: Would you like to open a savings account?
Me: ...No.  I already have a savings account with you.
SL: Oh.  Would you like to open another kind of account, that is better than a savings account?
Me: NO.

After thorough interrogation, she finally got around to doing the thing I had asked her to do in the first place.  Not only was she insufferable, but I'm not sure why she presumed my credit was poor enough that it needed building, or that I was young enough to not have good credit, when I came to get a cashier's check for an apartment building that had already checked my credit.  Nor do I agree with the fallacious reasoning behind her statement that simply opening a new credit line will help improve my credit.  If I see this woman again, I hope she is prepared to throw down.

In summary, avoid this bank at all costs.  I will admit it is spacious, and the ATMs always seem to be in working order, so hit those up if you are so inclined.  Otherwise, stay away!  You have been warned.
1 - Nikhil B.: There is really no reason to review a bank, unless your experience at a particular bank was exceptionally good or unbelieveably bad. In my case, it was the latter. 

We got a deposit check back from the property manager and so I walked in to this branch with my roommate to cash/deposit the check. Walked up to the counter and was told that they could not accept the check because of some technicality about endorsing signatures that I had never heard of and didn't quite understand. The teller could not have been less interested in my situation and when I asked her to clarify, her response was basically "I'm not gonna do that".

Fine, on to the manager then. He told us the same thing and explained the situaton a little better. It had to do with the teller taking on liability by accepting this sort if check and basically, thus particular teller didn't want to. Instead of trying to help us, the manager suggested that we deposit the check through the ATM where it might be returned or TRY ANOTHER BRANCH. WTF? 

We needed to deposit the check so we tried the branch on Wilshire and there were absolutely no problems. The teller here took the check and deposited it, no questions asked. 

I think I'll just bypass this branch in the future and bank at a location that knows how to take care of its customers.
4 - Courtney L.: I've never had any great or horrible experiences at this particular Bank of America, so I would normally give it 3 stars.  However, I've never been to another BofA that had 4 easily accessible ATMs.  Because I rarely need to actually go into the bank (I normally either just need to deposit a check or withdraw some cash), these four ATMs are really great for me.  There is never a line, and the location is pretty safe, so I don't worry about anyone coming up and stealing my money.  Overall, I usually come here for my banking needs.
5 - P Q.: I've pretty much only had positive experiences with BofA but I love this branch most of all. I guess others have had bad experiences but I personally have not encountered any problems here. Great atmosphere and nice people.
1 - Asher B.: What an impersonal bank in every way.  This review isn't just for this branch only, but the whole Bank of America System.  B of A fees me on everything.  There is literally no one to talk to to get the fees removed.  When you go into the branch, they tell you to call an 800 number.  Then I wait for a year on hold until some surly cubicle dweller tells you they are "so sorry, but can't reverse the fee."

Why do they even have people in the branch if they can't do anything?  Why do they have people in their call centers if they won't help you?  B of A fees you on everything and literally there is no one to talk to.  Did I mention that service stinks?  

I don't know how they can remain in business.  I've gone to other banks and they have such better customer service.  I'll start banking elsewhere.
1 - Trish G.: WOW. They need more people working here towards closing time.  It was 5:15pm and I was in a line of at least 15 people.  There was ONE teller for the longest time and then another one came on, which did help but WOW really?   Most people that get off work at 5 head to the bank to make it before the 6pm closing time and the last thing they want to do is wait in a longass line.

Bank of America - Pasadena, CA (34.145584, -118.132042) (Pasadena)
1 - judy w.: Un-dearest Marine,

Congratulations for being the first teller in all my years of banking to accuse me of shorting you $25. 

Marine: "This has never happened before. Something must have happened to the money after I gave it to you."
Me: *dumbfounded at her inclination* 
Marine: "I'm going to give you the $25 but I'll still be short the money."

I don't know what they're teaching you at Bank of America but honesty, responsibility, integrity, intelligence, respect and common sense aren't apart of the curriculum. There are cameras pointed straight in our direction. Maybe if you counted the clips of bills before handing them to me? That might be a good start in keeping track of your cash. Or apologizing for making me wait while you balanced your entire cash box? It would have been appreciated and retained the little respect I had left for you while this was happening. Continuing to conduct yourself in this manner isn't a very smart thing to do especially when there are plenty of honest, hard-working and competent folks in line for your job. 

Here is some helpful advice on how to keep yourself employed:

GROW A BRAIN AND DITCH THE ATTITUDE.
BIY0TCH.

Yours truly,
judy w.

P.S. Ever heard of the Employee Handbook? They have a section called, "Dress Code". It can help guide you in putting on a shirt that's your size because I'm sure exposing your muffin top to customers was a direct violation of this policy.

.
4 - Paul M.: I'm pretty sick and tired of all the whining about the Big Evil Banks.  And how they caused the Great Recession.  And how they charged you $15 because you used your debit card to buy a $40 bong  when you only had $5 in your account.  And how their executives are getting millions of dollars in bonuses while you can't afford to feed your sixth child.  Blah, blah, blah, blah.

Here's my advice:  opt out, drop off my grid, and for the love of all that is holy don't be in front of me in line when I'm trying to make a fairly simple transaction.  Because dimes to donuts right when I'm about to breach the velvet roped arch to the teller, your ugly pie hole is yapping away about how the bank is cheating you out of your Constitutional Rights, and how dare they this, and how dare they that, and how they can't possibly be the manager because they're like a Mexican, and are they even in this country legally, and I'm praying the cameras are malfunctioning so I can pick up the hollow brass and orb topped pole holding aforementioned velvet rope and shove it up your overall covered ass with virtual impunity.

Seriously, this branch is pretty good for what it is.  Ample parking, conveniently paced ATMs, DRIVE-THRU ATM's, spacious and comfortable lobby, and tellers who have the patience of Job for dealing with the unwashed masses.
1 - Rene A.: This bank is a fraud.

Bank of America - Houston, TX (29.706467, -95.404564) (Braeswood Place, Medical Center, West University)
2 - David S.: For a premier national bank with a big impressive building in a prime location, this is a pretty sleepy branch.  Does OK on routine tasks and nice to have the drive through bank across the street, but lobby hours are limited (closes at 4PM on most weekdays).  When you get beyond the basics this place struggles.   In preparation for a trip to Europe, I tried to withdraw a couple of hundred Euros.  Turns out that they don't keep foreign exchange on site.  It would have to be transported from another location with fees galore.  And it is not like a Euro is all that obscure a currency.
1 - Todd S.: They're "too big to fail" because you enable them to be.  Think that you're saving money on fees (probably not)?  How about if you include the tax dollars that the government gives to them?  Find a credit union or a local bank that was financially solvent and didn't need to be bailed-out.  They're robbing the middle class.  I worked in this building and still refused to use these crooks.

Bank of America - Cambridge, MA (42.3734696, -71.119342) (Harvard Square)
1 - cassy f.: WORST customer service. Every time I talk to a customer service staff, they're slow, incompetent and rude.  They all act that they rather not be there, talk over you and gossip while doing transactions in front of the customer. Excuse me, but when you're counting my money, pay some attention and not yell over to your colleague about what a bad hair day you're having. The branch itself lets the phone ring for over 10 minutes before even picking up, transfers you to the wrong department and while transferring, their phone service automatically hangs up on you. Once, I talked to a teller and asked her manager if I could have that specific branch's phone number so I can call about any questions I have about the transaction I made that day. She gave me a 617 number. Later when I called it turns out that 617 automatically dialed into their national 1-800! How rude and sneaky is that? It is most disrespectful to give the customer a national number when she asked for the branch's. This is a bank that does not understand what customer service is about. AT ALL. It's amazing that management at this branch just lets their staff be so rude to their customers. Maybe they all need a lesson on customer service.
4 - Kza W.: I never been treated unfairly here, the service was great every time I came. & still is. This is where I will be doing my banking for the next 2 yrs. I've never had to wait longer than 10 min. for a costumer service agent.
2 - Sean F.: They say you can always tell a Harvard man; you just can't tell him much. One thing they do know however, is that there are some things dad's Amex Black card can't buy, and for those things there's dad's Bank of America ATM card, linked to a portfolio of financial assets which include an interest-bearing, yet somehow tax-sheltered, trust fund. In short: CASH.

Harvard men know that cash is the duct tape of upper class society (actual duct tape is still the duct tape of lower and middle class society). Fortunately, the magic walls of this lobby can dispense enough cold, crispy, oddly-fake-looking new American dollar, dollar bills to patch up your proverbial Titanic, no matter what iceberg Ivy League life sends floating your way. Whether you want a little crush-n-snort "study break" in the Widener bathroom, or need to retroactively re-brand a minor bout of "date rape" into just another "crazy Wellesley party", cash can make that happen.

While even China realizes that US currency is a worthless fiat-backed shell game, everyone in Harvard Square is too busy downloading new Twitter apps for their iPhones to notice or care. Businesses in the 02138 are still surprisingly willing to accept greenbacks in exchange for everything from ironic t-shirts to ...well ...regular t-shirts.

When entering this glass-facaded cathedral, built on fractional-reserve lending, $29 overdraft charges, and the occasional sub-prime loan, one can't help but be awed. I sure as hell can't explain why these ATMs need to be housed a room roughly the size of Hogwarts' Great Hall, but clearly these BoA folks know what they're doing -- they are no AIG, or WaMu or Lehman. No sir. Not these guys.

While you're well-protected inside, you and any attaché should exercise caution when exiting with your new Benjamins. The hundred or so feet between this swipe-card-protected temple of capitalism and the insular gates of the Yard will test your resolve like no other challenge -- except perhaps that time when you were 13 and you took a fifth of Johnnie Walker Blue Label and dad's J105 out for some night sailing around the Vineyard. Thankfully, as a minor, those records are now permanently sealed. 

Still, the denizens of the Square, buskers, communists, and filthy activist-bloggers, know that you now hold on your person the very fuel by which the social injustice machine purrs along, and they will stop at nothing to deprive you of it. Begging, propaganda, cardboard signs, more begging, and the occasional mutilated Bob Dylan song are only a few of the weapons in their considerable arsenal. Avoid eye contact and walk briskly across Mass Ave. 

These people are not your problem.
1 - A T.: The clerks at this BofA are absolutely useless. When I had a BofA account it was like pulling teeth anytime I went in here to get a check cashed. Different associates would have a different answer or comment in regards to any query I had about my account.

The icing on the shit cake though is that last month I came in here to close my account for good. They gave me a cashier's check and withdrew all of the funds from my account. I asked whether my account was really closed and whether I could have some sort of confirmation that it was. I was told I would be mailed something.

Well, I was never mailed an a confirmation. Instead I got a note today in the mail, from BofA, telling me about some charges on my account that were incurred after I'd closed it...and asking me to pay some hefty fees.

Really? So I "closed" my account with the stellar group staffing this mad house and somehow someone else used my card a few days afterwards? And I'm liable for the fees.  Give me a freaking break.

I love that I tried to sort this out by calling the BofA service line. I work late so it was about 9:45 when I got on the phone (supposedly the call center stays open until 10:00). The automated assistant put me through so many prompts that it was exactly 10:00 by the time it would transfer me to a real person...and guess what? I got hung up on. "The call center is closed." Awesome, thanks for wasting my cell phone minutes too. Is there any more of my money you'd like to drag out of my shallow pockets BofA?
1 - Anthony L.: Horrible customer service. I know I'm echoing the others, but it needs to be said. Every time I go in here for anything more than an ATM visit, I end up walking out angry. Simple transactions are frequently disasters. Such rudeness I've never before experienced in a bank.

Today was fun. I brought in a bag of pennies. This wasn't like eleventy billion dollars in pennies, it was like 10 dollars or so I found in my house. I thought it would be a quick errand to drop them off.

They refused my pennies!

They actually told me to take them to a Cash Star machine (no thanks, I don't feel like paying money to use money, on principle.) Oh, I could have spent my lunch break wrapping my own pennies, but weren't penny-counting machines invented, oh, like 50 years ago? (Actually, I just checked: a Mr. Wilson T Young apparently invented a counting/wrapping machine back in 1933.) So, basically, BofA has no excuse, other than that they can't be bothered with little things like customer service. They're too busy dropping hot cash-money into their own bank accounts (probably gold-plated mattresses) and funding congress to keep their oligarchy stable.

I hope Harvard's own Elizabeth Warren takes these clowns down, and hard. Not to reign in their sinister penny practices, but to force the banks to work for their customers again. In the meantime, this silly little penny matter will be the straw that broke the camel's back. I'm leaving this joke of a bank.
1 - Joshua L.: worst banking experience in my life. The female teller was very rude.
they refused to answer my simple question and directed me to swipe my card so that they can work and be done.
1 - Amy S.: Total scumbags. do not open a bank account at this evil entity!!!! I am serious and you have been warned : )
1 - Sallie M.: Bank of America robbed me again.

I had a savings and checking account with Bank of America when it charged me a $70 fee for transferring MY MONEY from my savings to my checking. That's literally just a matter of seconds to automatically change the digits in the system. No hassle for anyone or anything. So I asked the stuck up Bank of America representative for why I was getting charged for no good reason, she said WORD for WORD, "Well, it's your savings account, you should be saving anyway." Even if she didn't have the power to change BofA's sleazy rules, at least don't be a total bitch about it and act like I'm the unreasonable one. Customer service at this particular branch is abysmal and the corporation itself is fat, corrupt, and disgusting. BofA needs to stop using America's name in vain.

Bank of America - San Diego, CA (32.8688056, -117.2336059) ()
3 - Jeanette D.: Always busy but this is a convenient location in the same shopping center as CVS, Whole Foods, and Blockbuster.  The staff is friendly and efficient. The drive through ATM is convenient.

Down sides:
1. Parking can sometimes be difficult to find.
2. No safety deposit boxes available.
4 - Dan K.: What am I doing reviewing a bank?! 
I know I know. It's like "Who cares, everyone has to go to their local bank. A Yelp review won't keep people away from the bank."

But I just wanted to say thank you to the tellers in this branch. At a particularly testing and stressful period of time (money seems to have a knack for causing these problems eh?), the staff was very friendly and fantastic at taking care of my banking efficiently and quickly. And any questions? Zap! Answered. And usually I hate small talk with strangers because it tends to get really awkward for me. But this time, I appreciated it and it made me hate going to the bank a little less.
1 - Carol G.: I told the teller the specific amount I wanted to withdraw. Guess what? She didn't pay attention and processed an amount three dollars lower.

The branch manager would not be bothered with the additional $3. In fact, NOBODY could be bothered with the $3 more. They would not simply void out the transaction and re-do it.

And don't kid yourself about the "convenient location" either. Getting in and out of the parking lot here is NOT CONVENIENT. It gets PACKED at lunchtime AND after 5 o'clock. The traffic signal at the south entrance should be a BIG tip-off. 

Also--if you're considering opening an account with B of A, keep in mind they handle a lot of government accounts so they are not very customer-friendly. In fact, they don't care about you at all because they've got bigger business in other respects. Also, if you even think of a home loan with them--keep in mind that they do their foreclosures in-house as "ReConTrust" so you're not likely to get fair treatment in your time of hardship.
4 - Brandy C.: This is funny that I am reviewing a bank!  
But I still want all the yelpers to know that the bankers here are very nice.  They answer all my questions.  

The banker told me and teach me how to save more and how to use credit card wisely (reward...)  The service is great!
1 - Deborah L.: I wish I could put zero stars but I can't. I normally don't review general banks, markets, etc. I usually stick with restaurants. But I received such HORRIBLE service today that I HAD to put a note in my agenda as a reminder to do a review on this bank..!

I basically got seated in front of the representative, Chelsea Y. (Yes, her service was that bad I just HAD to remember her name.) She was extremely unfriendly. I was trying to explain the situation of how I got charged an account fee TWICE when it wasn't my fault. I never had this problem before. I had not made any changes to switch to a different account or anything. She basically cut me short and said that they could only waive one. I had called the customer service hotline prior to this and the lady on the phone said she would waive one for me over the phone and if I physically went to the bank, a representative could waive the second one. As a professional representative, Chelsea should have apologized for her bank's mistake on their behalf for not being able to waive the second one. Instead, she flatly said no with no empathy whatsoever. Throughout our entire conversation, she spoke to me in a coy attitude. When she asked me to sign my form, she dropped the pen loudly right in my face and flung the paper at me. She kept sighing and looking annoyed at my questions... 
Well...EXCUSE ME but forgive me for trying to ask for clarifications since YOU GUYS were the one that screwed me over with an extra service fee for no damn reason ...! 

Isn't BOA supposed to be known for their good service? Usually back at home, I get greeted as I walk in. This gives me a distorted representation of what BOA stands for.
This unpleasant service I received today made me almost want to CANCEL & close my bank account right then & there & march to CHASE bank(it's located in the same plaza) and open up a new account. SERIOUSLY..I'm thinking about it right now as I write this review.
3 - Mj J.: I must say the line moves so slow...there were only two teller. Yikes!
1 - Chrystal Z.: Dear Mario: Your automated ATMs are more useful than you... and they have a lot less attitude too.

Do I REALLY have to come here three times to get a debit card sent to the right address? Don't you just enter my address as I say it to you into your computer and click on something that says "send"?

My home BoA NEVER fails to take care of me. Actually, no BoA has ever failed to take care of me, even when it comes to returning money to my account for their mistakes. You'd think that in a high class place like La Jolla, you could get a debit card sent to you without attitude on the side...

No... nothing is wrong with my debit card, and yes, I just want a new one, but is that a crime? Then why are you acting like it is? Why do you have to say, every other sentence, "Yeah we're not doing anything wrong", "We're not at fault here"... I came back three weeks after the first card never arrived, three weeks after the second card didn't come, and now I'm waiting on another one with a little hole in my heart that used to hold out hope for BoA.

The best part: this guy, after throwing around attitude and repeating his mantra:"It's not my fault", has the audacity to say to me, "I noticed you have no credit. Have you thought about building your credit yet? You need to get started on that and build credit and open a credit card with us. I can definitely do that for you". At that point, it took all of my self-control not to laugh in his face. You can't even send me a piece of plastic after a month and a half of regular visits to ALL of your bankers, and you expect ME have YOU manage my credit card?? He kept trying to push this one credit card on me, and I was just not having it, and he goes, "Well, you do whatever you want." Well you're right about something. I will do what I want... like write this review about your incompetence and call you out on the Internet!!

I've ALWAYS defended the service at BoA. But the Chase in the very same plaza seemed like a haven for lost souls after I left that afternoon.
1 - Jimbos B.: The shopping mall that this bank is in is always packed. Dangerously packed. It's hard to cross the parking lot just to get to the bank. Avoid this branch if possible. Avoid the ATM here if possible.
3 - Dianna C.: Parking sucks here. ALWAYS. But the tellers are nice and the personal bankers are normally pretty helpful with the questions you have. At least they have drive thru banking!

Bank of America - Claremont, CA (34.097337, -117.718292) ()
4 - Sergio R.: Outstanding service
Great people
Even the customers are nice!

Rarely do I step inside (ATM), but when I do it's always a pleasant experience. When I make my half a year trip to exchange my rolled up coins, they make me feel like they're thankful for them. "Thank you so much for these rolls up coins, Sergio. I love counting them. Hope I get you again next time :)"

There's street parking, ATM parking, private BofA parking, and then public parking - you're gonna find parking

When going to Europe for the summer they advised me that travelers checks weren't really necessary. I was gonna be staying in Germany and Deutsche Bank withdrawals are free of charge. I know they're for emergency purposes but I just took a lump of cash out when I arrived, stored it, and I was good.

Non-teller services can take a while due to lack of staff at the desks...but even then it's usually under 10mins
4 - Stephanie P.: #250 Considering the amount of foot traffic I see at this location, I'm surprised there haven't been any new reviews of the place in more than three years. Though, the lack of reviews should definitely not be a testament to the quality of this particular Bank of America branch. First of all, Sergio R. is totally right about the fact that you CAN. FIND. PARKING. The Village is never bursting to the seams with visitors, so there's ample space within a 1-2 block radius. Not to mention, with 4 ATM stations, people are always coming and going, so a spot will definitely free up before you know it. The employees are especially friendly here, as are most service representatives all throughout the Village (location, location, location, people!). However, I knocked off a star just for the fact that this place is in desperate need of an upgrade. They've given their ATM's a glossy, new look, but the inside is dreadful - '70s colors and decor galore. =\ Everything is also strangely placed incredibly far apart inside, which confuses me. Regardless, it's definitely my favorite BofA.
5 - David C.: I'm not a fan of big anything- big banks, big food chains, big ladies. But this B of A makes big feel small. It's still old school like it was back in the late 70's early 80's the way the building still looks. It's huge! The people that work here (at least the older ones) have been here for years! And they remember my name (probably because I haul in boat loads of cash at a time).  It's one of the few banks that I'm happy to see the older tellers over the younger, hotter ones. The people here are always friendly and always eager to help- and not be an obstacle. 
I asked one of the tellers why the bank was so huge. She told me that they used to have huge filing cabinets to hold all the paperwork for their customers. With modern computing technology, there is no longer the need for all the filing cabinets, so now it's just the big, open bank. The hardware is old, some of the people are older- but it's what you call keeping it real, and keeping it intimate.
5 - Katherine C.: #21. I keep coming back to this BoA because it's one of the best branches I have been to.  They have their own parking lot, but there's village parking and street parking, so you won't be circling the place forever.  I haven't been inside, so I can't comment on the service, but I've never waited more than a couple of minutes to use an ATM.  Saves me so much time!
3 - Hailey R.: Just ok, better than other B of A's I've been to.
1 - Jane L.: I am normally not a BOA member so I had no idea how rude their service was till now. I had received some government money and decided to go to the bank issuing the card so I would not get charged for taking that amount of money out of the account. 

The teller was rude to me from the get go. I waited in line and she called me over. I explained to her that I had a card and wanted to remove all the money on the card. She than asks me if I had a pin# for it and when I said yes she said than you have to take it to the ATM because only the machine can tell you how much money you have. Wtf. Someone please tell me why a machine can tell me how much money is on a BOA debit card and yet the teller cannot. After heading outside to  check the ATM machine for my balance I get the same teller again. I give her my card and the ATM receipt and tell her I would like to remove all the money from this account. To which she rudely goes to the back without saying a word to me, mentions something to a supervisor about charging me a fee, comes back and tells me to sign receipts. So I asked is this for the money? I'm not being charged anything am I and she says no when the receipt clearly says payment on it. At this point I was already irritated by her and wanted to leave so I signed it. She used a machine to count out the money and than just said the total. Never once showed me the total on the machine nor re counted the money for me to see. Just roughly shoved it in an envelope threw the change in the slot and threw my card and ID in the slot as well. Never once said thank you. Asked if I needed anything else or offered any other help. I than re counted the money before leaving the window to be sure all the money was there. Put things away in my purse said thank you and left. Her attitude towards me was unwarranted. I wish I had gotten her name. They were not busy or about to close. It was just me and one other person that was already being help. So there was no excuse for her rude behavior. BOA never again. 

Happily I am a Wells Fargo member and have never in my ten years with them have they been rude to me.

Bank of America - Cambridge, MA (42.362126, -71.0843005) (Kendall Square/MIT)
4 - Jeremy K.: This is where I go for all of my banking needs. The line is never too long and the staff is very helpful. They have 4 ATMs which is also very convenient and its located right next to the T, in Kendall itself. The only downside is that you can't park anywhere near it.
3 - Susan D.: I have avoided this location for a long time because I had a bad experience where I opened up a checking account and later found out that they misplaced the money somewhere. It took several days for them to relocate it  to my account, but it was enough to keep me away for several years. Yesterday, I had an emergency of sorts (needed new bank card - 800 number people send it to the wrong address) so I came here. Apparently they have hired new, younger, more computer savvy associates because it was a cinch telling them what I needed and they got me out of there in less than 5 minutes. I can finally forgive them.
3 - Doerte S.: I had mixed experience at the Kendall Sq branch. We now do all our banking transactions at the branch at the MIT Student Center at Mass Ave because the service there is great; consistently.

For example, the lady that took care of my request for a new credit card at the Kendall Sq branch was not that friendly. She told me several times that I should be able to do that myself online. Maybe, I should have because the card never arrived. Instead, I went to the branch at the MIT Student Center. Cheryl took good care of the issue. She even followed up via phone and did everything to make sure that the new card will arrive.
Thanks!
5 - Jim M.: On my recent visit to Bank of America,  I was very pleased with the staff who helped me with a problem with a checking account error, turns out it was my mistake and not the bank. It had been a while since I had been to this location. I didn't wait very long in line and that's an improvement.. This visit just just seemed different in a great way, it was a whole new atmosphere. The new manger was very helpful with answering my questions 

I would recommend this location 226 Main St Kendall Square for your banking needs.
1 - Clementine S.: Bank of America I's the worst bank! To have to charge you to have An account I's bad no bank should

Bank of America - New York, NY (40.801878, -73.967453) (Manhattan Valley)
1 - Paskesz K.: Very stupid tellers.
2 - Craig B.: I went in here once because I needed change. I had 20 dimes, but needed eight quarters for laundry. So after waiting in line I asked the teller if he could give me the change and the teller said: "No, we don't do that."

I was a little surprised by this and explained that I had an account, and again he told me that they don't make change. 

So I stood there tapping my finger on the counter and finally I asked: "You do still take deposits, don't you?"

And he said: "Of course, this is a bank."

So I said, I would like to deposit these 20 dimes. I had to slide my card and he took them. 

Then I said: "Now I would like to make a withdraw. You do withdraws, right?"

He said: "Of course, we do withdraws."

So I said: "OK. Great. I would like to withdraw two dollars from my account. And I would like that in quarters."

Livid doesn't even begin to explain it.
1 - Helene R.: Bad ....teller not knowing how to write a cashier check....charging to correct...really?
Shame

Bank of America - Houston, TX (29.725811, -95.419034) (West University)
1 - Emily M.: i H-A-T-E bank of america. i cannot tell you the hell i have had with these people. let me start by saying that if you make a deposit, do not expect for it to go through and into your account until five days later, no matter when you make your deposit. they will, however, pass any and all of your purchases through right away, and charge you an additional $35 fee for every one that goes even a cent over. they suck and i will tell anyone and everyone i know. man, i sound a tad psycho, but they have driven me to it. sheesh. if you find yourself heading toward a b of a,  run to wa mu or wells fargo as quickly as possible. trust me. oh, and i find it pretty ironic that bank of AMERICA is owned by a company in GERMANY. haha.
1 - David N.: fees, fees, fees, did I mention fees?
2 - Melissa M.: This drive through is crazy! Be careful with your car. There are cement poles that are too close to the drive through. It's hard to get close enough to the chutes to reach without almost hitting the cement poles.  I think I'll be avoiding this location from now on.

Bank of America - Seattle, WA (47.6627526, -122.3130901) (University District)
5 - Winona R.: This branch of Bank of America employs some of the friendliest people you will ever meet while banking. I don't frequent this location often, as it isn't convenient for me most of the time, but whenever I do, I walk out of there with a smile on my face, shaking my head as I think "are bank employees supposed to be that nice?"
Seriously. It's like they are all zombies from planet Nice, here to infect Seattle with Niceness starting with the U-Dist and working their way throughout the city. And, unlike other BOA branches I have been to, they never seem to be crazily busy, so you can get your business taken care of in a hurry. You WILL leave with the feeling that your banking experience was oddly pleasant. Just sayin'.
4 - Angela S.: In my experience, this BoA branch is full of very kind and helpful bankers.  I've never had to wait in line, and they have accommodated all of my more complicated needs (for example, switching a Massachusetts account over to a Washington one) without complaint.  

The one drawback that you may want to be aware of: the public notary at this bank will ONLY notarize a form if the other signer(s) have an account with BoA.  My parents needed a form notarized, but were turned away, even though I have an account and the form was for our insurance on my behalf.  It was very frustrating.
5 - Don M.: This is probably the best bank I've ever been to. Everyone is really nice and helpful. As a bonus the girls are really cute also.
4 - Nate T.: This is a fantastic bank. The people there are extremely helpful the second you walk in the door. The girls are very cute and friendly which is a bonus also. My only complaint would be that you usually have to wait in line a few minutes longer than most banks because they only usually have 3 bankers and a lot of closed windows but they try to help you quickly.
2 - Lilly A.: I hate BOA, but I hate this particular branch a little less than most. The tellers are nice, but I had the most silent "conversation" with one of the people assisting. I think I sat there for 5 minutes in quiet and he put me on the phone.
1 - Tim B.: Mis-informed on a available balance by $300. When I called to speak with branch it rang without being picke dup on 3 seperate occasions. After speaking with BofA's "Wonderful" customer service they were able to get ahold of thwe branch no problem. After explaining my situation for a third time on the phone and being quite mad about this situation, I was hung up on. Thanks B of A, you'll see me later today to withdraw my accounts. - Tim
1 - Angus H.: I don't write reviews often, but I had to put one out there for BoA because they SUCK. We have been great customers for nearly 20 years, had a home mortgage with them, then paid off our condo and set up a home equity line for borrowing as needed with a lower interest rate. They recently froze our home equity line b/c of lowering property values, but they had already lowered the credit line to far below the value of the property. Now they are coming up with all sorts of lame excuses why they can't reinstate it (even thought I documented sales in the building this summer for $100K more than our line of credit was valued at). We are moving and for once actually need to borrow some money!! Anyhow, I will never, ever bank with them again, and we are going to move all of our accounts (including our premier account) to another bank. This is a very large bank with absolutely no interest in treating their customers well. Good-bye BoA!!

Bank of America - Palo Alto, CA (37.439678, -122.170597) ()
5 - Stephen L.: This branch is a quick bike ride or walk from work. Much closer to Stanford than the Lytton branch in Palo Alto.

Some cool things they've done for me:
1. They don't yell at me if I don't fill out a check deposit form when I deposit checks. (See my MIT BofA review.)
2. They reversed bank fees that I got because the Lytton branch lied to me when I opened up my account.
3. They upgraded me to a better account when I had a question about my old one.
4. They give out lollipops.
3 - Will C.: They need to take down those CampusEdge tote bags, because they have been out for months and the displays are just up there teasing me.
2 - Soul B.: No matter the time I go to this Bank of America (BoA) branch, it's busy. I know it's not their fault but I find it hard to believe that we all pick the busiest times. There are even 6 tellers and it's still slow. They even have someone hang out with the line to ask if you're just doing a deposit and they try to direct you to the machines outside. A little message to the line monitor: "Hey...I'm not stupid. I saw the two f*cking machines when I walked in. Maybe there's a reason I decided to wait in this long ass line for a teller. So don't *suggest* the damn ATMs to me anymore."

Another thing I don't like, which just might be all the BoA's because it's not the first time it's happened to me, is small talk with the tellers. I don't mind the usual: "how are you today?" That's it. That's all I want to hear besides: "Have a nice day." Don't ask me any more questions. I DO NOT want to make conversation while I'm there. Waiting in a bank line is the same thing as waiting at the DMV...You just want to get in, finish the transaction and get out as quickly as possible. Don't talk to me. I just want to move on with my life. When I'm in line at a BoA, it's my temporary hell. Don't try to extend my stay with small talk. If anyone is wondering why I prefer the teller to the machine it's because whenever I deposit a check I want to hand it to a person. I don't feel too comfortable with the machines and the possibility that it may lose my check deposit. Although I had a bad experience last year where the teller lost my deposited check. THE TELLER. The person I handed it to...lost my check. I made a huge stink about this (had to show the receipt, don't ever throw away your receipts until the deposits clear) and they credited my account *for their mistake* (so generous. Even though they thought it might have been mine). They had me talk to someone at their customer service, on the phone, while I was in the branch. I couldn't talk to a person there because they had no clue what happened. So I'm sitting there on the phone complaining to a BoA on the phone at a BoA branch. Amazing.

Another thing, don't look at my balance and make a comment about it. I feel weird enough being there. I don't need you commenting on how much (or in my case, how little) money I have and how a different checking or savings account will help maximize my money or minimize my fees. I DO NOT want to stay here. Let me out and let me live the rest of my life out.
1 - shawna v.: Ugh! The worst BOA branch! F- you rude lady teller! I swear i can never get any actual help here.
2 - Kkona I.: I could have had a heart attack and nobody would have known.  Too few tellers.
5 - Mike L.: Probably the most helpful and friendly bank of America around.

Bank of America - Berkeley, CA (37.8680044, -122.2589304) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
3 - Herra Chink y.: I can't believe I'm the first to review the Bank of America on Telegraph and Durant!  Bank of America seemed like the obvious choice for a bank when I moved to Berkeley from Southern California.  They were the only bank with an actual location on Southside (Wells Fargo only had a group of ATMs next to Ned's Den on Bancroft, and WaMu had one ATM inside of the MLK Student Union).  Bank of America also had ATMs in various locations on campus (I recall specifically one at Haas Business School) and also another location on Shattuck Avenue near the Berkeley Bart.

Going back to Berkeley after I am no longer a poor starving student, I had forgotten how many places were cash-only, and Bank of America was the perfect place when I was a student to get cash.

The only downside (other than the fact that Bank of America will indeed anally probe your derriere with account-draining fees) is that this particular location also seemed to be a hangout for various local vagrants at the time.

I recall one time I parked near IB's Hoagies on Durant, realized I had no cash, and walked over to the BofA ATM late at night.  A homeless guy was sitting right next to the ATM, sees me walking towards the ATM and actually has the balls to say to me:  "Wow, you're BIG."

"I know I'm a big person, but oh HELL no, no homeless guy is gonna fucking call me fat!" I think.

So I blurt out the only response that came to me at the time.

"Wow, you're HOMELESS."

I'm going to straight to Hell.
3 - sibani b.: The location of this BofA is perfect. Well, perfect would be in the ground floor of my building, but in the real world, this location is as perfect as it gets. Parking is poo poo, but it is very convenient for lunch breaks and class breaks for the surrounding Berkeley neighborhoods.
I had a perplexing experience there. You know that little locked area? I think it takes you to the deposit boxes. Well, I just needed to make a withdrawal and the teller was available so she called me into that little vestibule thingie. What was weird was that she handed me a stack of singles, but did not count it out in front of me. I guess she thought she was through with me, because she called in the next customer and there was this awkward period in which the next customer did not know what to do since I was still at the counter. I mean, duh, I am going to count my money, especially if you do not. Other than that, this BofA is pretty convenient.
I love how they had facial tissue and antibacterial gel at almost every teller's station. That was way cool.
5 - Samantha W.: I've heard good and bad things about Bank of America, but honestly, I don't get why people say that they are soooo terrible.  I've been banking with them since I opened my first checking account 4 years ago, and before that I had a savings account set up by my parents when I was a little kid (but that's long gone now...).  I've heard that the fees can be steep, and it's true, the couple of times when I've been reckless with my spending and haven't wanted to face reality and check my account balance online, I've been hit with overdraft fees that REALLY hurt when they all added up.  But if you are responsible and pay on time and don't overdraw your account, you should be fine!  
I think the reason why I really like them is because their customer service in person and on the phone is always excellent.  They are really helpful, and will work with you if you do happen to get hit with some fees.  When my wallet was stolen and I was freaking out about having all of my money spent by the thief, they were very helpful and reassuring, and I had my account completely in order in about an hour or less.  It was great!  Now I have a cool new debit card from the Cal Alumni Association... and it says Cal on the front... OK it's kind of dorky, but whatever... =)
4 - jamie c.: my bank! the tellers are so friendly and there's always lollipops at the desk. it's very, very, very, very convenient as a cal student (location is ideal, atm's are on campus, another bank of america near bart station).
5 - Jane S.: Minus the wait at times, the tellers are awesome. I don't know about you, but I really like when cashiers or tellers are friendly enough to strike up a conversation with you. One time when I was depositing my paycheck, the teller asked if I was from Glendale seeing that my home address was written down on the deposit slip. Then he asked if I knew of the famous Porto's bakery. Yes!!! I exclaimed. Soon after and while waiting to process the check, we pretty much just started gushing about our favorite Porto's pastries...the cheese rolls, potato balls, elephant ears, etc. It totally made my day. I don't care if talking about something like pastries is unrelated to banking or cashing a check. They definitely get an A+ in customer service.
1 - Chrystal L.: The employees at this branch need to check their attitude. The only reason this branch still sees a constant stream of business is due to its proximity to campus.

In three years, I've never once had great customer service here, but today takes the cake. I had a problem with my account and the teller couldn't help me. He instructed me to sign my name on a clipboard and wait for assistance from a personal banker, who could give me a phone number to contact some customer service department. I saw one person waiting so I figured I could wait 5-10 minutes for a phone number and to maybe find some other way to directly fix my problem.

I waited 40 minutes. There were still two people in front of me. I asked one of the personal bankers if there was any way they could speed up the process or shift some workers around (several of the tellers were sitting around doing nothing). He very condescendingly told me they were understaffed because several people had called in sick and said that maybe the manager could help me, "but he's taking care of some stuff." Taking care of some stuff? Really?

Another 5-10 minutes later, I asked to speak to the manager. He gave me the same line about how people had called in sick and he was sorry for the inconvenience but there was only ONE person in the entire bank who could help me. Then he finally asked me what I needed, and after visibly showing his annoyance and anger with me, wrote down an 800 number. I was out the door in two minutes.

It only took two minutes to get me the number I needed but I waited an HOUR and was treated both rudely and dismissively. Bank of America has never treated me well. Once I move out of Berkeley, I'm closing my account and going elsewhere.
1 - terra d.: what is going on with this branch?! 2 robberies and an ATM on fire... jesus.
4 - Jake V.: Wow. I just got Yelp and decided to post about some of my new favorite places in Berkeley when I saw a very rude comment down below by "Hate B." 

Funny I should see it because I know exactly what she's talking about because I was the next customer after her. 

The Breakdown: This branch has always been super busy, there's no doubt about that--but the same can be said about everything on Telegraph: college students = long lines. But the tellers are pretty quick and they're always so apologetic when the line seems to be too big. I come in pretty often because I get checks from the school and from my work. Now this one time I went there, a few days ago now, I was waiting in line just like everyone else was. I waved to a few of the tellers who have helped me in the past and they waved back happily. Towards the end of the line I see one of the tellers who has helped me before and there's this girl at his window yelling at him and demanding her money. I don't know all the details but she was very irate and continuously interrupted the teller trying to talk to her. She made her business known to the world that day--she kept yelling at him about how "The bank lost my check! That's not my problem, give me my money now!" And I mean, I agree--banks are supposed to be secure, but the poor guy was trying to talk to her and explain some stuff--she wasn't having it. 

By the time she stormed off everyone was looking at her--the teller had kept his cool and just called the next customer with the customary "May I help you here?" Lo and behold--I was the next customer.

I hand him my checks and he asks "How are you doing today, Jake?" And I tell him, "Seems like a lot better than you, man." He shrugs and says it's okay that he's there to try and help customers but if they don't want to hear what he has to say then there's nothing more he can do.

That conversation I had with him really opened my eyes--that we as customers are sometimes too blinded by our own problems. We forget that tellers are people too and that yelling at them to give us money doesn't automatically solve our problems--even if they weren't ours to begin with!

I'm giving them a 4 because everyone makes mistakes and that girl's problems could have been avoided if everything had gone right in the first place--but at the same time we shouldn't feel entitled to yell and complain because they're in a service position. I've had my share of headaches and overdraft fees and stuff--and I have complained a few times but I know that all-in-all the tellers here are students too (some of them at least) and that they are first and foremost--people.

Rock On, BofA--just don't charge me another overdraft fee haha.
4 - Sandy K.: 4 stars for the ATM machines. 

The staff are efficient & the location is convenient. I've never had a problem with the staff or my experience - pretty standard bank.
1 - Ibrahim A.: yea i agree there customer service sucks!!!! fucken sucks!!!! u bank of america pieces of shit can go to hell .....loool not all banks of america just this shitty telegraph one
2 - X S.: I avoid this branch when I can because depositing or withdrawing cash at an ATM in front of a gaggle of leering bums is unnerving.  The one on Shattuck has a more sheltered ATM and a security guard.  Also the times I have gone inside there has always been major sexual tension between the bank clerks.  They are always eyeball banging each other while handling my money and I find that awkward.  Also, F U BofA for charging $7 for cashiers checks.     

But I hate Bank of America in general because they allowed my debit card info to be stolen.  Not from a website I ordered from, or identity theft, and no, I wasn't mugged.  Someone got my information from BofA itself.  They sent me a new debit card, told me to activate it and use it and then they failed to connect it to my account.  GENIUS.
4 - Hilary S.: I like this branch a lot, but maybe I got lucky with the personal who helped me.
John Little has dealt very patiently with all my issues, and I have lots of them since I am from Canada. I don't have a SSN or a driver's license and I pretty much cause him a headache every month, but he is always able to fake his happiness to see me very well! He's walked me through countless processes (buy money markets, buying cds, and applying for a credit card) and put up with me relaying my parents demands from another country countless times.
As for the tellers and the atms outside, I would have to agree with the previous reviews. I usually get cash from walgreens cashback instead to avoid the hobos outside of the atms, and I don't interact with the tellers unless I can help it. When I sign my name on the clipboard for the personal banker, I always put my banker's name.
Graham has also helped me several times when John was very busy, and he is also attentive and patient. I must be one lucky fluke!
4 - Jay P.: Service was good. 
But the attendant did not know the finer details of the plan, and had to ask for help a few time.

Other than that it was fine. I don't have any teller experience yet though.
5 - Maryam R.: the manager of this branch, he is a tall blonde guy is amazing. he is totally patient and really nice. I like the people in this bank..they always ask how I am, and are super sweet. :)
4 - Austin W.: It's a bank. I don't know what else I can say about it...

Service is always pretty good. I always get what I need done and the wait is never too long. When the line's long, there's always a person who comes to each person in line to ask them what they need done and the person tries to expedite the process by having you fill out some forms first.

The ATMs here are super convenient. They're right on the corner so you feel pretty safe getting cash during any time of the day. There's six of them if I remember correctly so you can count on not having to get in line to get cash.

Located on Telegraph and being close to the Asian Ghetto, the location of the BoA is really good. The above average service, and the random fact that they always give me bills are are more crisp than other places (no seriously!), this place gets a solid 4 stars.
4 - Diana C.: The reason I opened an account with BofA was because of this place. I wanted a bank that was super close to campus. In addition, they also have an awesome Cal debit card option that has a nice logo of Cal on it. I love to use it especially when I'm away from school.
4 - Melody L.: A pretty solid BofA, with fantastic ATM location. The line is never too long, and the people are quite polite and friendly for people who have to deal with college students all day.

Extra plus points for the lady manager person! I came here over the summer to open a savings account on my own, and while I had no idea what was going on and definitely feared getting roped into some small print fiascos, the lady was super nice! Also, since I'm originally from Southern California (so my checking account is registered under that district), she made an effort to reduce future consistency hassles between my two accounts by using her old employee knowledge (she used to work in SD) to make my savings account Southern California too!
4 - Akvile H.: Conveniently located on Telegraph, amidst many restaurants, bars, and stores that are cash only, this BoA is spot on for its location!

With an abundance of ATM's surrounding its outside walls, you can stop in and complete your transactions quickly and efficiently. Just don't forget to take your card out of the machine when you are finished since it's on a busy corner.
1 - Adam B.: As a 15-year Bank of America customer, I've seen a lot of BofA branches--from Palo Alto to Baltimore-- and this one is as good as they get for small personal-checking customers like me.  The staff is friendly, committed and capable; the facilities are spacious and conveniently located; and the ATM's are state-of-the-art, with check scanners and cash counters.

Sadly, recent drastic declines in service mean that even the best BofA branches earn just 1 star, because basic banking there so often feels like pulling teeth.  

For starters, it's almost impossible to call this branch-- or any urban branch-- directly.  When I use the local number listed above (510 649 6600), it rings a few times, and then my call is routed to a national customer service switchboard.  I have to wade through an awful pre-recorded menu, and I'm finally handed off to a representative in a different time zone who has no way of speaking directly to any local employee.

And it's not just phone calls that clumsily roll over to the national office.  Branch tellers are also bound to impractical corporate restrictions and unreliable chains of information.  These ill-thought-out systems have recently caused the following inconveniences:

1. When I reported that $500 belonging to someone in Seattle whom I'd never met was mistakenly deposited into my account, I was required to wait in the Telegraph Ave branch for 45 minutes--doing nothing-- while my teller and her manager investigated.  BofA policy stated that these employees could only look into the accounting error if I was present.  What a waste of my time, for a mistake that didn't involve me!

2. When an $800 deposit that I made in person at this branch never posted to my account, I was again required to wait-- doing nothing-- for 90 minutes (I clocked it!!) while the bank manager made calls and tapped keys, in search of my money.  Again, policy dictated that I be present while he fixed his bank's error.  Good thing I brought a book this time.

3. I had to file my change of address, not once; not twice; but THREE TIMES.  First, I filed the form in person, and my teller assured me that the address would be updated.  It wasn't, because a bureaucrat somewhere lost the form.  So I filed online, and I got an e-mail promising an update.  Still no dice.  So I called the branch.  No answer, and a transfer to customer service, where I dictated the address change to an operator.  Again, it didn't work.  Finally, I called the 800 number directly and nearly wept to some poor dispatcher in Albuquerque.  Somehow--probably in pity-- she found a way to make it happen.

I am an EASY customer to please.  The excellent Telegraph Ave employees--and the occasional Albuquerque dispatcher-- do their individual jobs very well.  But collectively, this bank has turned troubleshooting into a nightmare.  And even though I've filed grievances in person, in writing, online, and on the phone, I have yet to receive even an e-mail in response from BofA.

Maybe BofA's inattentiveness stems from my unimpressive account balance (I'm a "hundred"-aire).  If so, I wish them better luck with bigger fish. And I'm taking my loyalty elsewhere--to a small, local bank that picks up the phone when I call, and fixes its own mistakes on its own time.
4 - Kathy W.: Located near UC Berkeley campus. There are 3 ATM's located for convenient depositing or withdrawing. I came inside to exchange a couple dollars for 8 quarters. The lady was really kind and I was able to get quarters to pay for parking. There wasn't a line so that was even better.
2 - Joe O.: I've only been here twice. Once I came to deposit for my friend's business into his account. They transferred it into the wrong account.

Several weeks ago, I came here to place a deposit for rent into my landlord's account. I was told by the teller that I could not do this unless I had an account at the bank. This is not true.

Poorly trained tellers. Maybe the next 10 would be properly trained, but for now they are 0-2.
3 - Angie M.: I've been here numerous times to deal with credit and debit card issues. Michael is such a sweatheart.

Everyone else is helpful, too. only downside is the sometimes long wait.
2 - Jennifer K.: Rude. The bankers here are not very helpful, and they take foreverrrrrr. 

The ATMs have been known to malfunction OR get tampered with, so dealing with a teller is the safest. Time consuming, though.
1 - Becky C.: Came here my freshmen year (2010) to apply for a credit card. Never heard back from them (neither through mail/e-mail nor phone calls)  so I assume that I was rejected. 

But I checked my credit score last month and noticed that no applications for credit card was ever submitted from Bank of America.

Bank of America - Hampshire, MA (42.3729739, -72.5045857) ()
2 - John R.: I don't bank here. I do go here from time to time when I need to cash a check that has this banks name on it. When I do, you are treated as if you don't deserve to cash it because you don't have an account there. Even on a day when the lot is full of cars when there is no where to park, they love to tell you that because you're not member, you're not allowed to use the drive up. And I have to say, they are pretty adamant about it. There isn't another Bank of America anywhere else in town and the parking lot is usually filled with cars. 
Now their website says they are closing and possibly moving across the street. That should be interesting, since the lot is smaller and I'm sure the same policies will follow.
5 - Caitlin F.: Best Customer Service in the ENTIRE world. Jason Carlisle= Best Employee Ever. Had a LARGE problem with BOA and everyone made it their number one mission to fix it, including the branch manager. Really work hard to keep your business.

Bank of America - Los Angeles, CA (34.0765722, -118.4443638) (Westwood)
2 - Peter O.: I'm only writing this review because of the lame ass wheelchair ramp they put in recently.  I'm all for equal access, but why are they making everyone use it?  There should be a step for people right in front of the door for people who don't need the ramp.  It also inconveniences the people who need to use the ramp because it is so narrow that really only one person can use it at a time.

Bank of America - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.28199, -120.6591324) ()
2 - Nicola V.: People don't know how to count here. Customer service is horrible and I really wish my organization didn't do business with this bank.  And one last but dorky comment...

BofA makes me want to Barfa.
3 - Kris A.: I usually come here just to withdraw money from one of the 4(?) ATM's located outside of the building. There is usually always one that is not in use so an average visit would take me about 5 minutes in and out, which is efficient.

There was only one time where I had to go inside to get a cashier's check. It wasn't busy at all, I was second in line behind an elder lady, about 5 tellers were helping their customers. This visit was about 10 minutes in and out, so pretty good.

Nothing bad to review about.
1 - Supa B.: The tellers and managers here are idiots.  I asked to make a withdraw, not a cash advance.   I literally said no cash advance. .All they heard was cash advance and they did what I told them not to do.  Now it's 2 weeks later and I still can't access my funds because they did a terrible job canceling the request for the cash advance.  This could all be fixed with a letter from the bank written on letter head but they are so scared of their own mistakes, they told me everything I wanted to hear, but said they can't put any of that in writing.  This is a bank run by morons, and their shameful lack of a reply became an mountain of problems for me.  I'm still trying to fixing their mistake.
5 - Stacey S.: Best service in town. There is no bank in town that delivers top notch service like this institution.I have banked here for years, and within the past few years it seems the bank has really turned things around.

Bank of America - Carrboro, NC (35.910165, -79.07216) ()
3 - John L.: It has an outdoor ATM, which is convenient and across the street from the police, so also safe.  Otherwise it's a Bank of America branch.
3 - Mike O.: I came to the ATM a couple nights ago, and I stand behind this middle-aged lady clad in her finest Carolina summer whites: t-shirt and shorts to complement her deeply tanned skin. She withdraws a certain amount of money and takes her time with it, printing the receipt, counting the cash. Then she deposits the money back into the machine, printing her receipt and reading it. Finally she prints her account summary and takes her time doing this as well. I'm standing here an awkwardly long amount of time and she's acting like she's the one who is annoyed. I don't know why I told this story, but maybe there needs to be two ATMs here, or maybe there is another one you could go to. There's also like a $3 fee for non-B of A people, which is preposterous.

Bank of America City Center - Providence, RI (41.820514, -71.413211) (DownCity)
4 - Kate B.: This is a great place to go for a little winter fun.  Yeah, it's $10 all told between skate rental and admission, but the admission tag gets you four hours on the ice!  Not bad at all when you consider that you pay the same amount at lots of Boston area rinks, but only get to skate for an hour or two.  The best part is that the ice is relatively uncrowded and for the most part, you can skate at whatever pace you choose without worrying about knocking someone over or being knocked over.  Yes, you do have to dodge your usual Mount hockey boys who are whizzing around the ice at top speed just waiting to take you out, and your little munchkins who are hanging onto Mom's hands for dear life.  You'll find that anywhere, though.  My only real complaints are that the music they pipe in is terrible (Madonna mash-ups?  Fallout Boy?  Are they for real?) and the fact that they seem to be morally opposed to sharpening their rental skates.  Otherwise, it's really a great rink.
4 - Bailey M.: I agree with Kate B.'s review. Obviously, did not visit the skating rink, but sometime in January....

If you go on a weeknight, you will have the rink almost completely to yourself since the high school kids have to be in bed. Cheap skate rentals make this a lovely date night. 

The best part about the rink is the location-- when you are skating you can see the towers that make up downtown Providence, and enjoy the fresh cold air.  Its like Rockefeller plaza, except much bigger and less crowded, and less expensive.
5 - Carly B.: RIP Fleet - this is the "Bank of America City Center" now

A few laps around this awesome rink always reminds me how much I love Providence. If the cheery snowflake lights, cheesy pop music, backdrop of cool PVD surrounding landmark buildings, and working up a little sweat in the cold air doesn't chase your winter blahs if even for an hour - you are hopeless! Get out of New England and move to Florida!

I notice the Zamboni to be predictably diligent contrary to other reviews. Mornings, afternoons, nights - the only time I've felt it to be too crowded was Bright Night New Years Eve. I love the diverse cross section of people that come out to get their skate on, and I really love how it's a part of Downcity - that you don't need to pay to skate to hang out or pass by and watch.

You can get on their email list and there's always a $2 off rental coupon at the footer. I'm happier since I just bought some cheap skates at Bob's to avoid the process, torn laces, etc., even thought I only go a few times a year.

A couple of heads-ups... yes, do watch out for those three-year-old-hellions-on-ice and know they will dominate and shoot pucks between your legs after the P-Bruins open practice sessions. 
If you want to rent a locker (cheap. $1 or something) you have to pay AT THE FRONT, not in the actual locker room. 

Happy skating!
5 - Francis S.: The Tape Art Installation Closing was wonderful. Great family fun. The Public Tea was a brilliant idea with a nice selection of biscuits, The Julian's Omnibus had not only a good pulled pork wrap but excellent upstairs dining. The Extraordinary Rendition Band added to the spirit of the community removal of this awesome Tape Art Installation all caught on film . The whole day was a joy and a work of art. You should have been there!!!
5 - Jennifer E.: Weeee!  There is nothing like whizzing along the ice, wind in your hair, and enjoying the glow of the Providence (the few that exist) skyscrapers looming above.  This is ice skating at the Bank of America City Center at night and it rocks!  I went on the opening day this year, Thanksgiving evening to be exact, and had a fantastic time.  Sure you might need to pop on your ear buds in order to drown out the obnoxious popular music blaring out of the speakers.  Aside from that, it is a lovely, and cheap, time regardless of the horrible music and masses of teenagers.  It is only six dollars for the skating and four for the rental (if you need it).  That is cheaper than seeing a movie nowadays.  So, bundle up, strap on those skates, grab a friend or your significant other, and go out and have some winter-y fun.
4 - Lizz W.: I love that Providence has a public skating rink!

I went last week with my boyfriend and I must say its so cute to ice skate on a weekend looking at downtown. 

Although I really, really suck at ice skating. Its so fun and an awesome cheap date idea!
5 - Orlando R.: Let me just start off by saying that I can NOT for the life of me ice skate. I fail miserably in that arena, but I can't help but enjoy myself at this ice rink. 

Being in the middle of the city of Providence makes this rink a great spot for any occasion, preferably a nice date with your sweetheart! I took my girlfriend here for a date a few weeks ago and she enjoyed herself so much. Who wouldn't enjoy skating on an awesome winter day in the city? Bank of America, I salute you!

Cheap tickets + convenient rentals + ice = sweet skatin'.
3 - Glaciala A.: Solid skating opportunities here, small feel and easy to rent skates and pretty cheap as far as ice skating goes. Great place to be outside on a cold day and get some exercise & have some fun at the same time.

Bank of Ann Arbor - Ann Arbor, MI (42.280532, -83.74584) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - Mary K.: We were first time homebuyers and very nervous about the whole situation - Kevin made us feel very comfortable, spent lots of time with us, explaining the whole process, and got us a great interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage.  And did not make us feel like chumps because we were getting an FHA loan for a relatively small amount, Ann Arbor-wise.  AND gave us a little housewarming gift at the closing.  Total winner!  I don't bank there generally - we just got the home loan there - but if I still lived in Ann Arbor I would probably bank there.

Bantam Cider Company - Cambridge, MA (42.3647559, -71.1032591) (Central Square)
5 - Karen W.: Bantam Cider is amazing. If you think you don't like cider, you will be blown away by this.

Their current offering, the Wunderkind cider, is blissfully dry and sparkly with just a touch of honey to balance out the tartness of the apples.

Bantam makes their ciders from locally available apples which are pressed at an awesome apple orchard I found last year, Carver Hill Orchard. (As an aside, if you like apples, check them out!) They blend several different varieties to make the cider taste complex and refreshing.

Best cider I have ever tasted, way better than Harpoon, Woodchuck, or whatever else may have you either apathetic about cider, or annoyed and grossed out by the whole idea of cider.

I'm putting in a request at my local beer and wine go-to shop, Marty's, for the stuff. I need to get this cider into my life asap.
1 - James D.: Bantam Creates what they call  Modern American cider. So, if  a pale, flat, sulfur champagne is a  'Modern American cider' they hit the nail on the head.
This a blatantly over priced, over fermented massacre of  local apples.  This cider pays homage to Amelia Earhart,   which is ironic because I think this cider belongs at the bottom the ocean with her.  The nose is quite pooish and a touch of rotten eggs on the pallet, with subtle hints of horse processed hay.
5 - Sarah A.: Be prepared to redefine your notions of what hard cider is all about. Over the last year or so I've seen a bunch of new offerings from both big-name producers and the craft industry hit the shelves, but Bantam Stands out from all the rest with a clean, refreshing taste. It hits the palate as just slightly dry with a touch of sweetness(and I mean just a touch) and it really is so drinkable with just about any cuisine. In fact a good friend and I are thinking about cooking with it to see what it brings out. 

I'm glad to see this is readily available in Boston and even happier that these guys are local to my hometown. Can't wait to see what they come up with next. If this is their maiden voyage, it can only get better.

Banyan Tree Healing Center - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.285755, -120.652112) ()
4 - trogdor b.: angela is awesome. i found her when i had a SLO passport several years ago and was trying out every massage therapist within a reasonable distance. out of seven I've tried in SLO and several outside of SLO, she's still the best. i've sent dozens of people to her and they all pay her a visit when in town. 

forget your day spas, for a massage...go see angela. if you've found a better massage in SLO, inform me, cuz I don't believe you.

if you pre-pay for three massages in advance, you get a discount. :)
5 - mary v.: I've been going to Angela for years and always have thought she's awesome. Can't even tell you how many people I've referred to her or bought gift certificates for with her. Recently a very painful back issue had me there for more therapeutic work, and I can tell you she is a master at her craft! I'm even more of a fan now.......
5 - Sara B.: Have to agree 100% with the other reviewer who said to forget day spas, and come to this gifted massage therapist, Angela. I couldn't have been more happy with my 1st session today. She really listened to what I needed and hoped for from the massage, and was very responsive to feedback during the session (though I hardly needed to say anything besides "Hey, that pressure is perfect!" because she is so intuitive.)

I'll be back again soon, definitely.
5 - Rebecca J.: My husband and I live in San Jose, but will come to see Angela anytime we are in town.  Her massages are that good!

She provides a very therapeutic and relaxing experience.  She is respectful and doesn't talk your ear off (which is one of my pet peeves). She is very responsive to your body and your feedback throughout the massage.  At points I felt like the pressure was borderline painful, but the knots were melting away in her hands.  By the end of our session, I'm amazed at how different my body feels from when I walked in the door. 

I wish we could find someone like this where we live because we don't get to SLO that often.
5 - Julie F.: I've been a massage devotee for 30 years. I carry stress in my body that can cause headaches if I don't stay on top of it. Angela performs miracles on my overstressed, tight, knotted back and neck once a month (6 years now and counting). Her uncanny ability to coax my muscles to relax, progressing by layers, enables me to receive and enjoy a "deeper" deep tissue massage than I could get with previous therapists (and I've had dozens).  She is consistently gracious and professional. Nice perks: her massage table is heated which I love, office is in an easy-to-access, quiet spot on the creek in San Luis with good parking. I can't say enough about Angela and her skill. I leave restored every  time. She's a gem.
5 - Tina T.: I'm only writing a review of this place, so that I could have it on my profile for easy reference.  (I had to do a search again on Yelp, since I only remembered the business name started with the letter 'B' and referenced a tree.)  BUT NOTE: I have been DREAMING of doing an overnight trip TO COME BACK here from the Bay Area.  SLO is a great mini-vacation spot, but Banyan is the cherry on top.  I found this place on Yelp in Feb 2010, on a last minute decision to get a massage, which happened to be the day before I got married.  I truly believe that because my massage here, I was so relaxed the next morning, that I forgot I was getting married that afternoon.  This place is top on my list for massages.  The lady is intuitive, and reads the body well enough to remove the knots and even the tiny "bubbles" to smooth out the muscles; esp. in my back where I hold most tension. (I plan on coming here in two months, so don't you dare take my slot when I come in! :p)

Bar Barry Liquors - Lafayette, IN (40.425587, -86.90814) ()
4 - Mary R.: A decent liquor stop located at the outskirts of Purdue University. We needed to stock up on alcohol.....lots of alcohol.....for a Notre Dame football game the following day, so we stopped in here. 

The store is located at a busy intersection (especially during school hours, since college pedestrians are constantly crossing the street at will) but provides a lot to park in. 

We were the only group in the store for the duration of our entire shopping spree (I was kind of surprised....it was first week of classes at Purdue). 

We grabbed a few cases of beer, some vodka, champagne and wine. There were four of us, including my dad (in his 50's) and the dude still needed to see all of our IDs. My dad made some sort of joke about feeling better about his youth that the humorless employee didn't acknowledge. He did, however, give me a slight head nod when I returned the shopping cart into the store after we loaded up our car. 

This liquor store also sells liquor infused whipped cream.....the first I've ever seen. Trendsetting in the Midwest, are we?
4 - Erik N.: This liquor store has one of the better selections in the city.  On wine I would say they have the best, whiskey they are 2nd, beer they are in close contention, vodka 1st, the other liquors im not sure on.

Ive been here quite a few times and the staff is always helpful. I stop in for random beer for having a few friends over as well as stopping in to get a nice bottle of scotch.  The prices here are about the same as everywhere else, some things are higher some are lower but in the end it evens out. 

The good news with this place is they sell a decent amount of 'accessories' , like glasses, mixers,etc as well as a good selection of mixers and other stuff you made that is not directly alcohol.

Bar Guiliani - Champaign, IL (40.110635, -88.229994) ()
4 - Melissa M.: One of the nicest coffee shops on campus. Seating is haphazard:  a large number of teeny-tiny tables and a few larger tables that would be nice for group work, but are typically monopolized by a solitary and grumpy looking person. Lighting is good though. People here tend towards the quiet, so if you come here to chat, expect angry looks. 

Can't comment on the coffee (I hear it is good), but for those of us who don't like coffee, this is the place. Tea is high quality and the chai is fantastic, unlike Royale's Chai, which is watered down and awful.  They also have gelato here, but the Crepe Cafe's gelato far surpasses it.
5 - Robin S.: I joined yelp just so I could provide a counter-review to the one by Tom. It's not that I don't believe him, it's just that I think that is far from the average experience there; he probably had the misfortune to get someone who just started working there or somesuch.

Let me tell you, I love Bar Guiliani. The only drawback is that like many of the cafe's in town, it's only open til 11 at night, because I would glady stay there to study and drink their coffee all night if I could.

Why? Because their coffee is spectacular, and I love little independently-owned coffee shops, especially ones that have nice employees, awesome seating for studying students, and as I mentioned, some fairly kickass coffee. (With REALLY pretty cups if you're not taking it 'to go!')

I do agree with Melissa that most people there are fairly quiet, but at the same time it's not unwelcome to talk with others as long as you're not obnoxiously loud and you try not to sit next to a group of studiers (which is easy to avoid, since there's so much seating)
4 - Bryan james C.: Fantastic coffee! Beats the Espresso Royale chain any day and has a great atmosphere (feels like a real cafe). GF loves the hot chocolate with peppermint as well. Don't listen to reviewer, for the quality you are getting you should let them do it their way...
4 - Betty R.: Sadly, Bar Guiliani no longer exists.  It was the best coffee shop in campus town.   The space is now part of Murphy's.

Bar Louie - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2795194, -83.7433138) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
3 - Mae S.: Evidently an upscale chain, not to expensive --Burgers, Pizzas, Sandwiches, Salads, "Large Plates" -- all the usual suspects. This one has beautiful outdoor porches facing Liberty and Division Streets, a large interior, and it opened yesterday.

Has anyone eaten there? I'm putting three stars as a guess.
1 - Anthony N.: Hey it's Bar Louie, not Louis. Haven't gone to this new one but in Chicago it's a preferred spawning ground for post-frat and sorority idiots. But since Ann Arbor's not exactly short on meatheads and preppy types, this location should do well.
1 - Nathan A.: The food was freshly microwaved and the decor crafted to make an Ann Arbor News restaurant reviewer settle for adjectives like "hip", "urban", and "chic".   The more appropriate adjective would be "suburban", as in Novi mall restaurant.  One redeeming factor - $2 14 oz. beers during happy hour.  Given its proximity to campus (and the aforementioned drink specials) this place will quickly morph into Fratlebee's.
2 - Sam S.: It's 9:30pm and I am awakened from my disco nap by the crunk tones emanating from my mobile phone. I check my messages. They all follow the same pattern: "Bar Louie just opened. We're heading there now." I remove the crust from my eyes, throw on some jeans, a military shirt, a tie (!), some pointy toed laceups and bounce.

You see, whenever a new place opens up in sleepy Ann Arbor, it generates a buzz among the local hipsters, freaks, and alcoholics. I am not sure which category I fall into (this concerns me). Anyway, the bar is only a block away from my place, definite bonus points there. I arrive and survey the scene. I see the Nigerian diamond merchant, the Percocet queen, the sluttified floozies who I all call "Jane." It seems the gang is all here.

The atmosphere seems alright. It's like industrial chic meets Mall of America, but I'm getting some negative feng shui vibes. I pause at the bar to get some drinks. The bartender stops by and exclaims, "It's gonna be so much better once we install all the big screen TVs," while pointing at the various boxes of 40- and 50-inch screens laying in the corner. "We're gonna have every game on." I am aghast. I can't stand television, and especially television at the bar: it just makes conversation go to shit. 

As I place my order, a bunch of douchebags walk in. It seems my spidey sense was correct. They are wearing sleeveless western shirts with 4 buttons undone ala Saturday Night Fever. Terrible enough, but they've cut the sleeves off WITH SCISSORS. They begin ordering shots and within five minutes are completely raucous. The fat one answers his phone, "DUUUDEE, we're at bar *LOUIS*, bring the ENTIRE house." Another exclaims loudly, "This bar is AWESOME, I'm telling all my friends to come here from now on."

I quickly finish my drink and leave.
5 - Peter W.: I love Bar Louie.
2 - Marissa B.: I made it to Bar Louie on Day #2 of business.  The decor of the Chicago-based chain could best be described as swanky sports bar... if there is such a thing.  The focal point is the large bar in the center of the restaurant which is surrounded by scattered high-top bar tables and large semi-circle booths towards the back.  There are two outdoor seating areas - one out back, in a cement "courtyard", and one out front along the street.  The back outdoor area is too sunny for my taste in the evening, the front seating is shaded by the building.

When I entered the restaurant I was struck by how inhospitable the hostess was.  No greeting, no "how are you"... nothing.  It was almost uncomfortable for me to approach her.  Come on now, they've only been open for two days!  How can she be THIS miserable already?!

Happy Hour runs from 4-7pm, offering $2 beers and $5 martinis.  Unfortunately we missed it so I indulged in a regular priced $8 chocolate martini.  While the presentation of the martini was nice (chocolate swirled glass, strawberry on the rim) I was not so impressed with the martini itself.  At this risk of making myself sound like a lush, I know my martinis and this was way too weak to be an $8 martini.  

Bottom Line:  You're in Ann Arbor!  There are so many great, locally-owned restaurants downtown that you should visit first before spending too much time in Bar Louie.
2 - Tony C.: Just another bar chain run amok.  It can't decide if it's going to be a meat market or sports bar.  What's odd about Bar Louie is that no matter what I wear, whether it be dressed up, shabby chic, or downright shabby, I always feel dressed inappropriately for this place.  Regardless of its upscale sports bar decor, let's rate a bar on what people care about:

1.  The Booze - expensive and the bartenders don't seem particularly talented with their pours.  Not good.

2.  The Food - Gross.  About the only thing I've eaten there that was finished are the breadsticks.  How do you mess up breadsticks though?

3.  The People - Some have already commented more on this than I care to write.  Lots of people trying to look good and failing miserably at it.  If you're going out to stare at rack, then go to a place where that is its distinct purpose.

All in all, Bar Louie is an undistinctive bar.  About the only thing it may have had going for it was the fact that it had Fat Tire beer from New Belgian Brewery in Colorado, but alas, they do not because even the big chain could not get around Michigan's beer distribution issues.
2 - Tyler B.: I almost cried when I saw that Bar Louie was opening an Ann Arbor location.  I'd visited several of their establishments in the Chicago area, and without fail, they were all populated with the most unbelievable assortment of douche bags imaginable.  The place is permeated with most vile, smug, vapid and vacant lot you've ever seen.  Everytime, every Bar Louie.  So I swore I'd never set foot in the A2 version.  They can suck it.

But then I get a txt message.  After months of telling everyone what cest pool the place is, a friend writes me "I don't know how to tell you this, but Louie has $2 Oberons, almost every day 4-7"  Damn you Bar Louie! So naturally I went.  And I do feel vindicated - the service and people were exact replicants of all the Chicago branches I'd been tricked into visiting.  BUT A2 Louie's does have two patios... so I guess if you bring your own company, you can sit outside and make fun of your bar going cohort whilst enjoying some cheap booze and appetizers.  There's worse things...
2 - Jonas L.: Happy Hour + $2 beers = 5 stars (maybe more if you can get drunk quickly enough)

Any other time = 1 star (only because that is the minimum)


Now let us do some maths, by averaging proportional to the hours:

5 * (3/15) + 1 * (12/15) = 1.8
I'll be generous and round up to 2 stars.
3 - Dean S.: Apparently I miss the crappy times (post-Happy Hour), but as I've only been mid-afternoon, it's always fairly empty and moderately priced ($2 pints as a previous poster referenced). The food is not cheaply priced, so be prepared to shell out even during Happy Hour.

That being said, I won't give it more than 3 stars if the non-HH environment is as uninviting as the other posters have said.
2 - kevin k.: This is the ultimate yuppie bar in Ann Arbor.   Everything is overpriced,  and its just full of douche bags.  When i was sitting at the bar,  the bartender actually rolled her eyes when i asked for a coke..i had been getting beer but wanted a break.  The food is not that great, although to be fair the burger is pretty good.
1 - Kate B.: I've been to Bar Louie around 10 times as I am frequently downtown at the lunch hour. The food is all pretty inedible - except for the sliders/burgers which are A-OK. The staff are quite nice, but the food always makes me feel greasy, ill, and bloated. 

Q. Why oh why have I gone back? 

A. When I am dragged there as part of a "work thing".
4 - Abby C.: I know that Bar Louie is a chain.  I know that some people in Ann Arbor would rather see a bar unique to Ann Arbor go into this space.  

But Bar Louie is one of my go-to spots for numerous reasons. 

1) The number of beers on tap.  I am a beer drinker, and other than Ashley's, it's hard to find this many beers on tap in most bars.  The list of beers changes up w/ the season, and you can find beers from Bell's, Arbor Brewing Company, Sam Adam's (although not my fave but I know other people like it), and many more.

2) As someone who has been out of undergrad for many years now, it's nice to go to a bar with a nice interior, where you can watch a game on tv, hold a conversation with your friends without screaming and yelling over the music, where there's a good size crowd, that doesn't serve drinks in plastic cups, and with patrons who are not so loud and rowdy.  The food is a lot better than your Applebys or TGIF variety.  It is bar food so it's a little on the heavy side, but I'd choose Bar Louie any day for food over the other chains you might think of. 

3) When it's actually warm outside, there's a really good amount of outdoor seating.  When it's starting to cool off a bit at night, the outdoor seating in the back has space heaters throughout the area so you can still sit outdoors and be comfortable.  

4) Happy Hour: Buy 1 Get 1 Free on select appetizers and it's actually a significant number of the appetizers on the menu and several of them are sized to be meals by themselves.  A lot of beers are $3, and there are martini specials but I don't drink those so I have no clue as to what they are.

5) For the cheapskate in me, $1 burgers on Tuesdays.  I will say that the quality of the burgers on $1 burger Tuesdays has declined since they initially introduced this, but I rarely make it out for this night anymore since it gets so crowded.  Happy Hour specials are also still good during this promotion if you go during Happy Hour time.  I should mention that $1 burgers are only $1 if you don't order anything special on them.  If you add cheese, veggies besides lettuce, special sauces and other special toppings, the price incrementally increases.  But you can still eat a decent burger for a couple of bucks and tater tots are only a couple of dollars extra.  The staff at Bar Louie is noticeably more disgruntled on Tuesdays, but I can't say that I blame them having been a server at a different restaurant at one point in my life.  It's crowded but cause the bills are low, the tips are low, too, so you're working your butt off for not that much money.

I have to say that my favorite item on the food menu is the pretzel appetizer.  The pretzels are large and soft, served with honey mustard, regular mustard, and a queso dip that is delish.
2 - Adelais T.: Not a big fan of their happy hour... the service is a little slower than other places and somethings are a little pricier.

On the other hand, I end up going here a lot to meet up with friends. The atmosphere is nice and the staff is friendly... they do have great mojitos.
3 - Bryce B.: There is really no good reason to go to this chain bar/restaurant.  Nothing on the menu is anything better than mediocre.  At best, this is a decent happy hour place.  Yet, I have probably been to this establishment 6 or 7 times.  Why?  The excellent selection of beer on tap.  They have 30+ quality beers, including many local beers like Bell's and Arbor Brewing Company.  It is also conveniently located in the same building where our office is.  Those are my reasons, such as they are.
3 - BD Traveler R.: Overall pretty standard sports bar type food and ambiance. They do have a good selection of burgers and sandwiches, some of which are original. We also enjoyed their selection of appetizers, which came with a great assortment of dips/sauces (we recommend the lemon aioli that the fried zucchini came with). Didn't have a drink, so I can't comment on their selections in that department. 

I had an "Angry Louie", which is basically a burger topped with whatever they could find that was spicy. It was quite flavorful (and a little spicier than I expected...) and I would point you in that direction if you are of the hotter persuasion. In particular, I did like that Bar Louie will customize any burger with a turkey or veggie patty instead of beef with no additional charge. I believe that they have burger specials every Tuesday (or it might be specific Tuesdays) when they are $1 (toppings extra), and I'll probably try to take advantage of that someday. 

The ambiance and service were typical - no complaints, but nothing worth noting here. We were a large group (about 18 people), and they weren't able to seat us any any one table, so we had to be split into two groups. While that was disappointing, it probably isn't too rare at other places as well. 

At least worth a try. I would choose 3.5 stars, but decided to round down as average sounds about right.
3 - David M.: I haven't been here for the nightlife, but I've eaten here a couple of times.  I don't remember anything here being to special, "standard" is a good way to describe it.  Someone raved about the fish tacos once, but I got them and they were bland and flavorless (and redundant!).  

I'll probably be back if there really are $1 burgers on Tuesdays though.
3 - mariah c.: It's not the best, it's not the worst. It has the somewhat anonymous tone of a chain place - there's nothing in particular that attracts me to the place, except the fact that they have outdoor seating. I feel like that gets them some extra credit.  

They had cheap happy hour drinks -- except the "last call" happy hour drink I was offered ended up being charged at a very non-happy hour price.  The fried zucchini was tasty, but it got taken away before our table was done with it.  

Our server was friendly and sweet -- just getting the hang of things while training, and she did a goo job -- just bummed she didn't watch that the happy hour prices she offered actually appeared on the bill. 

It was a decent place to celebrate(?) my friend;s pink slip party, but unless I'm feeling frugality over searching for character in a place, I don't know that I'd be apt to return.
1 - Dan R.: WTF is this place for? I have been a couple times because friends of mine were already there watching a game. This confuses me because you can watch sports at any number of Ann Arbor establishments (SKeepers, Frasers, Arena). Do you really want to do it at a place that pretends to be classy (but really caters to side-of-beef-heads) and serves terrible food at high prices?

Once, when my wife and I went, they did not have the first two things we tried to order. So we got chicken nachos. They were made with frozen chicken that had not completely thawed by the time it got to our table. And I don't care how happy the happy hour is, the drinks are not cheap.
1 - Eric G.: Can you Say Yuppy Frat boy ville. Terrible, Unless you have your collar popped and a pink polo shirt on, stay away.
3 - Casey S.: Consider the review above to be devoted to a VERY limited use of this place.

During the warmer months, Bar Louie has a great deal of outdoor seating, and it's easy to walk up and get a seat without ever having to enter the place at all. A glance at the beer list looks dire, but if you ask your server for the full list of beers on tap, you'll get a much longer list that includes brews like Arrogant Bastard and some Unibroue beers that you wouldn't expect from such a fratty seeming place.

The bartenders actually seem to care about beer, too. On one visit, they were out of two beers in a row that were on the list. After the second order that couldn't be completed, the bartender came out with a complementary sampler of five of the better beers on the list to apologize for the hassle.

Sure, it's no Ashley's, but for sitting outside and having a beer in the summer you can do a lot worse.
3 - Laura K.: I know it's a chain, but this is one of the better Bar Louie's I've been to (and the one in Pittsburgh is on gorgeous waterfront).  They have a great happy hour (cheap beer and 1/2 off apps). I prefer bar louie when I want beer and a late cheap sandwich (the luigi is very good). They also have a great big bar that is actually nice and feel like you're in the middle of the action.
2 - Sara C.: Star #1 - Great beer prices at happy hour
Star #2 - Ample outdoor seating
Star #3 - $5 "real" martinis if you special order them at happy hour
Loss of Star #3 - serving a martini in a warm glass that smells like bleach. 

This place is basically one step up from Applebee's in terms of ambiance and food. That's not really a compliment.
3 - Jason C.: Ah... Bar Louie... It's a bar that targets the working professionals in downtown Ann Arbor.. the location is ideal, because it's few blocks from the campus and it's next to Google office and couple blocks from the main street.

I have been to this Bar Louie several times but didn't really yelp about it... so here I am... Yelping :)

I like the happy hours... last time I was there... my two beers were more than the food I ordered... granted this will only happen if you go during happy hour...

As for the food goes, I only like the loaded tots... I have tried other food, but to be honest... charging lot of money for some prepackage food shipped out of Chicago, heated and served... yeah, I don't buy that... anyways, the service is hit or miss, depending on when you go.

I think they changed the layout, because it seems like there's less tables then when it first opened up... can anyone confirm this?  I like how they have outdoor seating by the main entrance and out in the back... parking is also a challenge... street parking or pay some money parking in the lot a block away... give it a try.
3 - david b.: The food here is average, drinks are good, and happy hour prices are great!! The atmosphere at night tends to be a bit classier which is why i will go here on occasions. The beer selection here is probably the number one feature of the place. I think they have about 40 different beers just on tap alone.
3 - Gina V.: I feel like people hate on Bar Louie for being the anti-Ann Arbor bar. It's a chain (from Chicago, no less) that caters to the yuppie crowd and makes no apologies for snubbing birkenstock-wearing locavores. This is exactly why I go here - because every now and then you just want an ample selection of cheap beer on tap, half price appetizers, and a big screen TV. 

On the contrary, I hate on Bar Louie for their inability to handle large crowds. As soon as a waitlist forms the witching hour begins and all hell breaks loose. The host stand turns into a revolving door of multitasking employees and no one has any idea what's going on. 

Example: Last time I was there they said it would be an hour wait. Meanwhile, two large tables sat unoccupied for at least 20 minutes.
5 - Brittany G.: Went in for a burrito and came out a happy girl. This is the first burrito I've ever had in a restaurant that had fresh jalapenos on it. Service was fantastic and the bartender was friendly as always.
4 - Stephen H.: I think its great that there is a bar louie in ann arbor and its even greater that the place snubs the birkenstocks wearers. Chain you say? I wouldnt have guessed but its a great place to watch a hockey game or meet a friend after work for a drink or two.
Try the vesuvio melt in a wrap. The service is always excellent, 
bar-none.
1 - Nancy K.: Never again.  This Birkenstock wearer is pretty new to Ann Arbor and didn't know this was a chain at first.  I'll admit, despite my usual "non-chain only" attitude I was impressed and a few times when we've had people in town (our parents, non-Birkenstock wearing friends) this has been a standby for decent food when they've gotten sick of the tofu, tempeh, etc.  

While we've only been here six times, we noticed some things with each visit: namely that they cannot handle a crowd and that each time the food wasn't quite as good.  When a salad that comes with chicken is delivered without chicken you have to wonder what's going on.  Also, after our second or third visit they changed the veggie burger to something with way more rice in it - not nearly as good as it used to be.  A huge fan of the oriental burger (veg option) I'm sad that it's not orderable anymore.

For some unknown reason we decided to go to Bar Louie last Sunday... we never go when it's just us but whatever, stranger things have happened.  By the end of the meal my husband, who had ordered a chicken sandwich, wasn't feeling very well, was doubled over by the time we got to the car and by the time we got home he was running to the bathroom to experience some of the most violent vomitting I've ever heard.  Not sure if it was food poisoning or something that didn't agree with him, but he was incredibly sick for a while.  After about 30 minutes of almost non-stop puking he took a nap and then felt a little better.

Wish we had stuck with our local-only policy... we will from now on.  Also, our waitress was kind of an airhead who kept forgetting things.  She was nice, though, and apologetic.
3 - Molly H.: So, this review comes with the major caveat that I have only been once, it was at 3 or 4 in the afternoon on a Monday or Tuesday and we sat outside on a gorgeous day. So if a restaurant can't succeed given these conditions, well, they've got a whole lotta problems.

What pulled us in was the chalkboard declaring their happy hour specials which are truly very good. Hard to turn down a $5 martini. Anyway, our service was excellent--very attentive, very nice, good sense of humor and very fast. That being said--I'm pretty sure we were the only table this guy had. I got a chicken quesadilla that I believe was also on some sort of happy hour special--it was HUGE for the price and really good. Great bar food. 

We got a few drinks and that quesadilla and the bill with tip was less than 20 bucks. I can't really argue with that. So, my advice: go in the early afternoon on an off day and sit on that patio to enjoy yourself. I really can't vouch for anything past that.
1 - Matt B.: If you think TGIChilliBees is good food, you're going to be disappointed. This place is actually a step down. The atmosphere is uninspired, noisy, impersonal. So is the menu, down to the beer selection. 

In short, this place is a duche magnet.  If you are an aspiring date rapist and use the term "bra" often, you're gonna love this place. Loud huge televisions dominate the room, drowning out your party's conversation. The decor is cheap and derivative. The burger I had here may as well been a hockey puck.  I have not seen a more uninspired menu ever.
2 - Dharma A.: It took me quite a while and a school-related happy hour to get me into this place.  I never liked the corporate look from the outside.  And what do you know....the inside matched the surface impression!  Perhaps it's not fair of me to give a low rating, because it's just not my style....Bar Louie is probably fine for what it is.  It reminds me of buffalo wild wings: too clean, too many tvs, what appears to be little knowledge or appreciation of beer on the part of the staff, and mediocre bar food. Too much shine, nothing special.
2 - Anya P.: What people find appealing about this place I'll never know. The music was too loud to talk to anyone, the waitress' (who disturbingly all looked alike) were inattentive, and the most important thing was lost: the quality of the drinks. 

We went for a pre-movie cocktail and were so disgusted that we just left with our drinks nearly untouched. If we weren't late for the movie- the drinks took a while to get to us- I would have made a big fuss, but let's just say never again. 

Oh, also nothing has a price mark, which means they are trying to avoid sticker shock, but it's Ann Arbor. Seriously. 

One last thing- the cocktails were made with syrups. Like coffee house syrups. ew....
1 - Steven H.: Food there is garbage and the beer there tastes stale when I get it on tap. They DO NOT clean their filters.
2 - Illi F.: My boyfriend and I used to love Bar Louie. The half-off appetizers at Happy Hour were great, the service friendly. We went at least once or twice a week for drinks and an appetizer when we were first dating. 
Lately, though, the place has really gone to crap. First, a new corporate policy was instituted so that all of the good appetizers are now no longer half-off during happy hour (there is a list now of those which are included in the half-off special). We've had our dollar burgers come out nearly raw (as rare as I'd eat a fine steak), and completely hard and charred, depending on the night. 
Tonight, though, was the worst. It was a Tuesday evening, and myself and 3 friends waited an hour and fifteen minutes for a table after being told by the (rude) hostess that it would be a 20-25 minute wait. There were 3 parties in front of us. Meanwhile, the restaurant had allowed reservations to be made for large parties, and there were maybe 2-3 people sitting at groupings of 4-5 tables meant to seat at least 12 or so. Why allow reservations on a Tuesday evening? And why seat incomplete groups and allow 2 people to take up 2 tables each while there is a crowd waiting to sit? Finally some tables cleared, and we thought we'd get seated--- no, the people who FINALLY showed up for their reservations realized they had more friends coming, and the tables went to them rather than to people who already had had their names on the list with the hostess for an hour. 
Management at this place just sucks and is so disorganized. I don't know if I'll be back.
1 - Benjamin S.: I would give this place no stars if I were able too.  Bar Louie used to be a decent place to go but these days it is just an overpriced, rudely served dump.  The guys that work there are absolute d-bags and the women are even worse.  To quantify this, I recently went with a group of friends and order a dry vodka martini, a friend ordered a dirty martini.  The waitress then brought me what she call a "dry dirty vodka martini".  I politely informed her that no such thing exsisted and the proceeded to bitch about me to the rest of the staff.  (We had more friends sitting at the bar listening to this).

I dont know what happened to this place, but it sucks now.  Stay away.
4 - Jay K.: I can see why so many people hate on this place. But if you like beer, this is the place to be for happy hour. They have 30+ beers on tap, and more than half of them are from decent microbreweries (dogfish head, bell's, founder's, etc). They also have a few European beers (The last time I went, they had Delirium Tremens, Piraat, and Weihenstephan). At $3 a pint and good hours (M-F 4-7 and sometimes W all day), it's a beer lover's heaven.

Food is mediocre, and they only have average mixed drinks (not worth it for the price you're paying). So I'm giving them 4 stars only for their happy hour beer. If you're not a big beer drinker though, probably avoid this place?
4 - D N.: Good for happy hour and dollar burger days. Expect a wait on dollar burger days though. The only thing that's really good here are their tater tots. I don't like tots but I admit theirs are yummy. 
Went for their Sunday brunch once. And I've never had so many mess up on our order and bill in my life.
2 - Matt S.: I do like this place, but I guess I have never felt the need to be cautious in Bar Louie until yesterday. Sitting at the bar during happy our and enjoying conversation and a beer with someone I recently met. The all of a sudden my bar mate starts fishing something from their mouth. What the hell! A shard of glass was in the beer. 

The person is alright, thankfully, but my gosh what would of happen if that shard was not caught before the good beer was ingested. So after finding the glass you would have thought a bit more sympathy from the management or staff, but to no avail. 

My new motto is "No Fruit or Glass in Beer"
1 - Joel S.: Ouch. The absolute worst brunch service I've ever experienced. Took almost 30 minutes and asking 3 times to get my cup of coffee, and a little longer than that to get my bloody mary (ordered at the same time).  Food was pretty standard brunch fare.  Too many other options (like Zingerman's) to ever go back.
2 - Julie C.: I've been here a few times, mostly dragged out for the dollar burger, which I don't even like. And with a drink and toppings, the bill ends up being about $10 anyways. The food isn't good, but there is a large variety of beers.
1 - Steve G.: Not worth coming here. For anything. Ever.

When Bar Louie first opened in Ann Arbor several years ago there was a decent happy hour w/ half price appetizers and relatively cheap beer. At those prices, coupled with the ability to sit outside on a nice day, Bar Louie was a decent (although less than spectacular) bar option. But over time they sank into an abyss of poor food, even worse service and gradually higher prices (even on their happy hour "specials"). After several less than favorable experiences, most of my friends decided to finally write off Bar Louie for good with no intention to return...especially since so many better bar options exist within a few blocks.
3 - Dan M.: If my most recent experience was my only one with Bar Louie, it would be my last and this review would be far more painful. 
Thankfully I've visited a few times and know this to be an average, though of course claiming to be more, chain restaurant. With the special shaped serving 'baskets' and such they come across as pretentious. In reality its a relatively generic bar chain. They have burgers, fries, fish-n-chips, sandwiches, etc and fit the basic ho-hum American food bill for the masses.
The environment is generally energetic and the portions are huge so you really do get what (and maybe more than) you pay for. The waitstaff seems relatively attentive for the most part.
They do have two things I LOVE-Tater tots (and the thought of someone not loving tater tots is downright silly) and the BLTT-Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, and Turkey. That sandwich is a great flavor combo without being too heavy. The salads can be good, but the quantity of ingredients seem to vary substantially over time. The Fish-n-chips was essentially flavorless despite having a 'special' Blue Moon batter.
For a quick lunch or maybe a drink in the afternoon this is a good spot. For dinner, not so much in my opinion.
3 - Beth H.: I hit the bar for happy hour, yesterday.  I believe they have really downsized their happy hour specials.  It was still a good value; just not as good of a selection.  At least the small wine list had some decent bottles. The food was hot, fresh and out quick. 

The service was good, and the girls were friendly enough, but they seemed incredibly out of place. Dressed more like they should be in a biker bar than Bar Louie, and they didn't seem very happy at all.  

Definitely A-OK for a stop in if you are in the area, but for the construction that plagues that corner, lack of nearby parking and difficultly of getting to the location, I won't be making a point to stop in again anytime soon.
5 - Vivek V.: well we must just have been lucky because our experiences at Bar Louie were a lot different than most reviewers have had.  In our short five day visit to Ann Arbor we ended up at Bar Louie three times, Thursday night (NFL), Saturday afternoon (GO BLUE) and Sunday Afternoon (NFL).  Ther service was excellent each time and happy hour prices seemed reasonable (but we are from the San Francisco Bay area so everything in A2 seemed less expensive).  

Thursday was mostly watching the game and drinking beer.  The beer selection is ample but i am sure you can find better in Ann Arbor.  We tried several local beers and enjoyed them all.

On Saturday we tried the popcorn and pretzel sticks.  The pretzel sticks were warm and salty and the popcorn was light and fluffy.  The beer of course was cold and tasty.   Even though the place was full our server was attentative and the service was fast.  

On Sunday, we tried the meatballs (and popcorn) and found them to be soft and delicious.  The server regularly filled our club sodas and came by asking how we were doing often.  We had started at another place but they did not have the Pittsburgh game (Xfinity was not showing it).  Bar Louie was showing the game and we stayed for the 49er game too.  The Detroit game was on the TV one over from the one playing the Pittsburgh game so it was really fun to watch both games side by side.

When we return to Ann Arbor and want to watch sports, drink beer and eat, Bar Louie will be our choice.
.
1 - Kevin S.: OMG this place was a bad dining experience. The music was so loud we could not hear each other. I went here with my deaf friend David who wears a hearing aid and he had to turn the hearing aid off because the music was so loud. Our waiter smelled like Weed & Cigarette smoke and to top things off my chicken sandwich was borderline burnt. I will come here for cocktails just not dinner anymore.
3 - Christopher F.: Bar louie is what it is, a bar with some upgraded pub food.  Their pretzel sticks and cheese and honey mustard dip are really good an A.  Their pizza however, I found average a C.  I also tried their toast and bruschetta and tomatoes which was ok.  There menu mainly consist of burgers and sandwiches nothing spectacular better than your average bar food.  They have a nice selection of drinks and a good happy hour!!
5 - Elle W.: Not sure why there are so many bad reviews! Great (patient) service, good food, and fun atmosphere. I will definitely be back!
4 - Bea G.: We went to Bar Louie for drinks after dinner, so we didn't try any food.

Highlights:
* Easily found a couch/table for our party of six.
* Quick and nice service.
* Bright ambiance with lots of TVs.

Lowlights:
* Harder to mingle with others.
* Feels a bit more like a restaurant than a bar.

Overall: Would go back to, but it's not on our frequent rotation of places.
1 - Becky H.: Um... that was really nice of the female bartender behind the counter to aggressively flirt with my boyfriend while I was standing right next to him. I understand that she was trying to butter him up to get a nice tip, but COME ON! I WAS RIGHT THERE!
2 - Jay L.: An acceptable place to have a couple beers. Avoid the "food.'

Basically the chefs at Bar Louie st down with a bunch of cheap ingredients and said how do we make people think they like this? Oh, we'll just add a boatload of salt. The only flavors you'll find here are salty, fatty, and salty/fatty.

Also I was annoyed that I asked what the happy hour specials were and was told calamari was one of the items that's half off. I tried the buffalo calamari, which is actually OK but don't eat it by yourself, and found out when we got the bill only regular calamari is at happy hour price.

It gets more than one star because the beer selection is good and the prices are reasonable by downtown Ann Arbor standards.
3 - Briza Y.: I'm not a bar go-er, so I'm not the best type of person to rate this place, but I'll put in my 2cents since I was there on a Friday night. I ordered the BBQ Salad and it was good. Luckily for them, it's pretty hard to mess up a salad. The hockey game was on, so that was a plus. I do wish the sound was a bit lower so a decent conversation could also be had. Overall, it was a fine experience.
1 - Linda S.: I guess I should not expect much from a burger that costs $1, but I wouldn't have guessed that the smoky haze in the restaurant when we walked in, was from the crispy overbooked burgers. We have had good and (very) bad service here, and they are surprisingly kid friendly considering they are a bar, but the food is just not good.  I have had many dishes here (not just the $1burgers) and have never been impressed. They have a respectable choice of draft beers, but Ashley's is a much better place to go if that is what you are looking for when heading out in Ann Arbor. If you are looking for food, go across the street...
3 - Khom V.: Happy Hour and Burger Tuesday deal is the best.
3 - Carlos O.: Had a two-hearted beer and the southwest burger. Loved it!

Bar Louie - Providence, RI (41.8259791, -71.414308) (Downtown)
4 - Mark S.: I went this past Saturday night for drinks only.  The place was very crowded and loud.  

The service was awesome.  The bartenders are on the ball and hustle.  It drives me nuts when you see service staff standing around doing nothing.  Not the case here.

The music was a pretty funny mix.  They'd play a new hip hop song followed by Def Leppard's Pour Some Sugar On Me.  Awesome.

My one complaint is that they tried to jam a table into every conceivable nook and cranny in the place.  If you didn't have a bar seat or a table it was awkward to find a place to stand and have a drink.  You were constantly in someone's way.

Overall, this is not the type of bar/restaurant I would normally hang out but I had a good time and the service was great.
3 - Jeff G.: It's ok.  Went for lunch once and it wasn't bad.  Service was nice and the food taasted pretty good.  Went for $1 burger night, it was busier, service not quite as good.  I drink beer but my pals informed me that the drinks were pretty weak. I'd go back, but not rush back.
3 - Stephanie K.: We decided to check it opening weekend. As to be expected it was super busy. we were able to get a table at the bar within 15 mins which wasn't too bad. 
Being a holiday weekend they should have been ready for the masses of kids home from collage and kept their kitchen stocked. The were out of a lot of menu options.
What they did have was pretty good. Their beer was over priced. 
Might check out after a couple of weeks when it slows down a bit.
4 - Paul W.: Great food and service. Hard to believe this is a chain. 5 of us had 5 different apps and 5 different entrees. Not a single complaint. No screw ups. Burgers cooked to order. Special requests done as requested. Pretzel app with several sauces is worth a try. Making this a regular stop!
3 - Kara S.: After work crowd. Good atmosphere, but kind of pricey for the type of bar/restaurant it is. The drinks were priced a little much for a menu of bar food. Service was pretty good tho.
4 - RIRI S.: Went here a few nights after it opened. Got the soft pretzels to share with the group. It comes with 3 different dips, honey mustard, cinnamon/sugar butter and a cheese one. They were pretty good. Had the tuna steak sandwich as a main and it was excellent. My boyfriend got the fish tacos, it comes with 3 or 4 and you have the option to get fish or chicken, we asked if they could do a few of each and they wouldn't do it. Kind of a bummer. The fish tacos were OK, not super memorable. Another small downside was the price of the cocktails, the price isn't and after ordering a bunch and then getting the bill we realized they were $10 each. Seemed kind of pricey and probably wouldn't have ordered as much if we had known. Would go back again.
2 - Sarah E.: Made a return visit to Bar Louie recently for lunch with friends (including one who made the initial trip). 
We all ordered sandwiches. The portabella wasn't bad. The portions were surprisingly small for the price ($10-13). I think our fry portions were at the end of their batch. We each got maybe a handful of itty-bitty fries.  All of us cleaned our plates and remarked how that never happens. 
Our server was very friendly and attentive throughout the meal, although she shorted us a few bucks change on the bill. 
I've been to a few other locations and have always enjoyed the experience. I know they haven't been open long so...
3 - Dani G.: My recent experience was consistent with the other reviews. Food ( apps and salads) was good, drink menu was complex and interesting, pricing was a bit high and service was good. No complaints and will return.
2 - Vinny G.: Cool vibe, expensive beers, average food.  I'll probably go back but won't really make a significant effort to do so.
1 - Kristen T.: Bar area very small and layout not comfortable on a busy weekend night. Where we were standing we kept getting pushed and getting frequent, rude "excuse me!!" shouts from angry waitresses. Bar service was okay, until trying to close our our tab. We asked politely to close out our bill and the bartender continued to pour drinks and take orders for 5 minutes. After grabbing her attention again and frustrated since we were holding up our group of friends, she huffed "YEAH WHEN I HAVE A MINUTE" and continued to pour drinks. Unbelievable. Finally she came over with our bill...but did not bring our credit card. Um, hello?! Are you serious? Had to wave her down again and ask for our card. She rolled her eyes, huffed something at another bartender, and finally grabbed our card. Terrible experience.
4 - Sarah L.: The girls and I frequent this local hot-spot. Tuesday night 1$ burger night is always a favorite! Burgers start at 1$ then 50 cents per added topping!! Pair it with a 20 oz Blue Moon and a giant helping of Loaded Tater Tots and you will be in heaven!

Great atmosphere with a perfect mix of oldies and new music that gets you dancing!

A must go to in the Providence night life scene.
4 - Michael G.: I was lured into Bar Louie by the promise of $1 Burger Night (every Tuesday 5pm - Close).

My wife and I each enjoyed a $1 Burger (options are Traditional Hamburger, Turkey Burger, Chicken Breast, or Portobello Mushroom).  I opted for the traditional hamburger while she ordered the Portobello Mushroom Burger.  We also ordered a basket of tater-tots and I had a beer.

Here is the catch on $1 burger night.  For $1 you get a burger with lettuce on a plain bun and the privilege of ketchup.  Additional toppings range from $0.50 to $1.50.  So my $1 burger turned quickly into a $4 burger with the addition on Tomato, Jack Cheese, Onion Strings, Bacon, and Guacamole.  

In no time at all, our meals arrived.  The Burgers were good and the tater-tots were totally worth it.  

Soon thereafter, the check came.  I look down.  $16.00?  How did I spend $16 on $1 Burger night?  I didn't eat 16 burgers!  My wife didn't.  Did she?  No, she didn't.  But that's the hook.  The toppings, beers and tater-tots inflate the bill, thus making $1 burger night profitable for Bar Louie.  

All in all, $16.00 plus tip for a decent night out?  I'll take it.  Maybe it counts as a mid-week date night?  Yeah, I'll count it.  Bam! (yell it like Emeril)  

Next time I will try out the Miserly Strategy: Order a several plain burger with a side of water and no tater-tots.
2 - Churk L.: Place is very busy everytime I went. Usually isn't any room at the bar area, so u have to either get a sit down dinner table or a high stool table. The drinks are around 10 - $15, on par with Boston, given that it is in Providence, I think it is a bit much. There is a paid parking lot or if you feel lucky you'll find parking in surrounding streets. Being a native of Providences, I opted to walked a few blocks to save some cash. (I am cheap).

Pretty good selection of drinks, even have ginger beer to make Dark and Stormy which I am happy about. But stay away from the food like a plague. Nothing but disappointment there. Last time I had the chip and dip. The salsa was ground to a mesh where there is no taste of tomatoes, while the cheese was worse than reheated cheeze wize, which the top layer is still hard. And the time before that I had nachos, and I don't think I have words to describe that.

I would have given this place 3 stars if weren't for the inconsistent service. As soon as we sat down, our waitress ask if we know what we want, when we said give up a minute to look it over, she could have served 1/2 the restaurant. After she brought us our drinks, she'll keep coming back asking if we are happy until our drinks are about to be gone. Then she disappeared again.

I probably would return since this place seem lively and has good selection of drinks.
1 - Ronnie S.: I've had plenty of good experiences in Providence, and i've been to other bar louie locations. This one just plain sucks. The night we were there it was busy, which is normally a good sign. we found two seats right at the bar and were hoping to have a couple of drinks, until--- the bartender immediately treated us to an attitude of disdain, like she was doing us a favor by waiting on us... BOOO! Next, asking us for id's (all the while with attitude and impatience) So, my GF is over 21 with a valid AZ dl, after taking it and looking at it (for 5 minutes) with the manager, he returned it telling us that he could not validate it's authenticity and couldn't accept it. What? Apparently, they are so busy they don't mind blowing off some people who wanted to spend $. BOOO again!
I understand that people want to follow rules and liquor laws, and I  understand when it's busy and it takes awhile to be served, but I really CANT STAND IT when I get a shitty attitude or the staff acts like they are doing ME a favor by doing their job...
There's plenty other places in close proximity that will treat us (at least) in a civil manner- I suggest you avoid this chain altogether and go somewhere that wants your business.
4 - Annamarie T.: Stopped in on a Saturday for a couple of drinks and had a great time! Great music, great people, great atmosphere. Had the option of standing by the bar or grabbing a table so we grabbed a table and our server was great! Havn't tried the food yet but was a pretty good spot for a Saturday night out!
2 - Melissa F.: Bar Louie is a chain. I guess there aren't many around here, but there are quite a few around Chicago. I really didn't like the one in Evanston (Illinois) and found it totally overrated. 

Still, I tried to keep such biases in check, since this was a different location, after all. I still found Bar Louie disappointing. I went there on St. Patrick's Day, and I didn't eat food, just had a drink with friends.

I'm not a beer person, but I got an Amstel Light. It was served in a gigantic stadium cup and $8.50. Stadium prices, too! It was a big cup, in all fairness, but a) I didn't want that much (and definitely didn't finish it...) and b) $8.50 for a middle-of-the-road import is a bit silly, especially since I would've been content with much less of it too.

As it was a consecrated national holiday for day drinking (though we were there at about 8pm), some Jameson brand rep gave us free shots! It was nice. I am not a Jameson person, but Jameson and ginger ale went down easily enough. Also, I thought it was champagne at first, and what does this say about me, etc.

I can't even give Bar Louie 3 stars, really, because it's not that special, it's overpriced, the service is aloof and slow, and the layout is kind of not great. It's just not special. Providence is so full of local businesses, and although I would not try to tell you that I don't like a good chain (e.g. CHIPOTLE), this chain really does not add much to downtown Providence.
2 - Gerry M.: Place had a good vibe. Nice and new inside and food was good. Waitress was terrible. Not even a hello...... got a "What do you want?" after we were handed menus. Then she was missing for the next 15 minutes. Didnt even get my soda I asked for twice. When  it came time to pay, we couldnt even do that. We asked for the check and she went missing again. What was supposed to be a few drinks and a app turned into 1 drink, an app and 2 and a half hours.
4 - Jean R.: I had the pleasure of going to Bar Louie for a ladies night out and had a great time!  I had been to the Bar Louie in Foxboro but didn't know what to expect in RI.  It was a little louder than a typical restaurant/bar but we enjoyed great music, a fun, steady crowd of people and it's an overall great addition to providence.

This place is unique and I hope it is successful - it certainly seemed busy when we were there!
3 - Chris M.: Went to Bar Louie on Wednesday night with my younger Brother and have to say it was pretty good.  When we arrived, about 6:00, it was pretty quiet.  We pulled up to the bar and we were greeted quickly by our bartender.  I ordered a Sam Summer, my  complaint is she did not ask what size, I was just given the largest beer glass they have, I switched on my next beer (the size) but it was super cold and delicious.  My Brother got Stella which he was very pleased with.  Then, we were starving, and our bartender continuously passed us without asking if we were ready to order.  Finally, the other bartender (only because he had to close a bill out right in front of me) took our order.  The food came out in a timely fashion and was pretty good.  I had the chicken melt, it was fried, topped with American cheese and tomato and lettuce.  It was pretty good, not greasy at all, very tasty, and the fries were good, nothing special but complimented the sandwich.  My Brother got the Chicken Quesidia's and he thought they were fantastic. 

I have a feeling on busy weekend nights this place/bartenders would get easily overwhelmed.  And, be prepared, the bar stools SUPER uncomfortable.  I know that seems kind of "nit picky" but when you are sitting there for 3.5 hours and there is no back support, it gets very uncomfortable.

Overall, good place for a quick bite and cold beer.

Below based on 5 stars 

SERVICE               ** 1/2
FOOD                    ***
ATMOSPHERE     ***
PRICE                   *** 
LOCATION            ***
OVERALL              ***
5 - Kyle C.: Had an outstanding experience at Bat Louie last night. 
Our server, Tes, gave impeccable service. We were all pretty blown away by her personality and attentiveness!
The chef came out and discussed my girlfriends food allergies face-to-face (rather then sending the server back and forth) which was a really nice touch.
The cocktails were tasty and came on time, every time. My only gripe with Bar Louie is their price point on beer: $7 bucks for a 14.oz draft of Long Trail IPA... but it's quite easy to see past the cost of beer when receiving such great service. 
Bar Louie was such a great spot for us to start our night, we ended up returning for last call, hours later. The bartender was friendly and knowledgeable in his craft, even when it was almost time to close. 
Definitely a new favorite.
4 - holly s.: Ok, at first glacé you might think its just pub grub, not! And the drink list is extensive. The pretzel sticks are amazing, crunchy yet gooey! And they have appy hour during the week
1 - Matthew F.: I've made a few trips to Bar Louie since it opened and have yet to have a good experience.  Be prepared to wait, as each time we've gone the food took a good hour to hour and a half to come out.  The consistent culprit was kitchen delivering the food to the wrong tables, or never following through with ticket.  

The waiters and waitresses are also treated extremely poorly by management.  They are given a ridiculous amount of tables to wait (probably part of the problem). We had one instance where our waitress had a sprained ankle and was being forced to limp around waiting tables because she management wouldn't allow her to go home.

I don't have experience with the bar, but would recommend staying away from the restaurant portion!
1 - Jeff M.: What do you get when you combine a lackadaisical bar staff, mediocre drinks, and a loud, lost and bubbly waitress? You'll have to tell me, because I wasn't sticking around long enough to find out.  

Really, really bad.
4 - Izabela B.: Bar Louie, even though you are a chain restaurant... I admit, I have an itty bitty crush on you. 

It all started when I met your big brother over at Patriots Place. I thought he was okay to look at, but nothing special. But there's something different about you, Bar Louie Providence. 

Is it that amazing coconut mint cocktail I had? Or the great apps menu? Or those big windows that open up for a night breeze? The friendly waitress? 

I don't know, Bar Louie. I don't know. But I'll be back to find out.
2 - Amanda L.: I really wanted to like Bar Louie when I heard about their $1 burger special on Tuesdays. I headed down on a Tuesday, eager to check it out. We were seated promptly and the server was friendly, but she explained to me that in order to get the $1 burger you had to each order a drink (other than water) and also had to get at least one side. That was fine, so my husband and I both ordered beers.

The beers come in 14 and 20 oz, which is kind of annoying. Why am I being shorted on 2 oz of beer for a standard draft? The Sierra Nevada was $6.25 for 14 oz and the Woodchuck Cider was $5.25 or $5.50 for 14 oz. That is pretty pricey for Providence, and especially considering you only get 14 oz. 

Then the burgers came. You do have to pay for the cheese and the toppings which is fine since the base price is $1, but my burgers was so charred as to be completely inedible. It just tasted like a burnt hockey puck. My husband had the turkey burger which was actually really good, though.

We also got the smothered tator tots as our side, which at $9, was also ridiculously expensive. They were very good and topped with a spicy and smoky queso, bacon & scallions. They were definitely the highlight of the meal.

In conclusion, the place seemed over priced to me for the area. I would rather do Luxe or Ri Ras right next door. Better food and better prices.
4 - Peter R.: For my birthday, a big group of friends brought me to Bar Louie. Both the manager and staff were accommodating and friendly. 

A big cupcake cake from Duck & Bunny highlighted the night along with their Gold Medal mixed drink.

You can eat here late-night and it's a nice change to the restaurants that have been trying to survive in this spot.
3 - Joie S.: Went to Bar Louie for a few drinks with three of my friends last Saturday night. They had a DJ, someone said that's not normal there but it should be, the music was great and it was a really fun atmosphere.

The drinks were expensive. $10.00 for tiny martinis and pretty small margaritas. Instead of ordering expensive glasses of wine we just went with a bottle of Canyon Road Merlot which at $17.00 for the bottle was pretty affordable. 

We didn't eat dinner but one of my friends did order one of their flat breads and they said it was really good. 

The service was a little slow but overall we had a fun night, I'd go back again!
3 - Melissa S.: This bar sells a brand, all of the individuals working there are pretty alternative in nature. I'm into that, that's cool with me. You guys want some scene points? I giving them out today. The drinks are not cheap but not redic either. The chicken nachos have been pretty spot on each time I have got my hands on them. I have had lunch there a few times as well and service is normally friendly and quick. I like the way they have utilized a smaller space, it is far smaller than the giant Bar Louie at Patriot Place but the idea stays the same. Nice place for an after work drink. We had a large group there the other night and they took good care of us even as the night went on and we got louder, you know what louder really means, it means more drunk, are you glad I spelled that out for everyone? Ok, so as the night went on they were just as attentive to our tab as ever (that might bed due to how large it was getting....) It isn't super busy packed all the time so the bar allows for conversation as well as debauchery. See you guys there, maybe you will buy me a drink?
5 - Michael R.: Great place for late night dinning.  Food is amazing!
2 - Rebecca B.: Blech!  That's what I thought.  We went on a Sunday and they were promoting their 1/2 price apps.  Not sure if they were going for 1/2 the quality but the spinach and artichoke dip was a bowl of milk with some spin and art and cheese and no flavor.  And the housemade chips for dipping were so oily that they were actually malleable and had no crunch.  Meals came and the fries were cold.  Overall the food was greasy and nothing special, especially for the price.  And I forgot to mention the agita that later insued.  It made me regret my meal even more.  I'm all set with Bar Louie.
1 - Little T.: I came here last Sunday with my bf and ordered a garbage salad, adobo shrimp skewers, and the sesame seared ahi tuna with vegetables and rice on the side.  The garbage salad was alright, fresh enough, and the shrimp was pretty good. 
Main entree: 
The ahi tuna dish was terrible! The broccoli was looking very old and almost rotting, with brownish black rotting edges. It was mushy, small, and not fresh at all, and I did not even touch the other vegetables on the place as they looked even mushier than the broccoli, like someone stepped on them, and unappetizing.  The rice was undercooked in some sections and was very hard (was it cooked or burnt?? why would rice be that hard - i have no idea!) that I chipped one of my molars on a piece of rock solid hard rice! The fish was ok. The sauce was not flavorful, I think it was just a horrible tasting dish all in all. Will NEVER come back here. The bf was unimpressed with his BLT as well.
2 - John L.: Been here twice for the Tuesday $1 burger and it is awful. The ground beef is tasteless, the toppings were ok but not worth it once you start ordering more than three toppings. 

The service is awful too. My and my party arrived at 730pm. The waitress came by to take get our drink orders but I wanted to sample of one of the beers. It took her a good ten minutes to come back. We then ordered our burgers. This brings us to around 750pm. We ordered two burgers, and for some reason it took 40 minutes to come out!! The waitress did not explain why it took so long nor came back after to see how our food was. 

Now, you might think that since we went on Tuesday $1 burger night that it must have been super duper busy. But guess what? It wasn't! There wasn't a line coming through the door, nor there were all tables occupied. 


So that is the last straw and never again.

Bar-B-Q Heaven - Champaign, IL (40.1063691, -88.2412504) ()
4 - Tony B.: This business is owned by Jimmie Smith and Otha Burrage.

They pay $312 per year for a City of Champaign street vendor permit. I've seen them set up at the corner of State and Bradley in Champaign on Saturdays.

The half chicken meal was $5.75 and came with a lot of chicken, two slices of Wonderbread and a bag of chips.

Chicken was amazing - smoked to perfection. But the barbecue sauce was extra, extra mild and had that fresh-off-the-grocery-store-shelf taste. A real barbecue joint would make its own sauce and it would make at least some of it hot. Who eats barbecue with mild sauce? Soup sandwiches do - that's who.
4 - Arkuz K.: This is a truck parked at the corner of State and Bradley. They usually set up on Fridays starting just before noon. Things are little slow in the winter, so they are irregular and you just have to see if they are set up.

I picked up 3 platters of ribs and tips a couple weeks ago for my family and we have been craving them ever since. Tender juicy meat that falls off the bone, nicely seasoned, with sauce on the side. The sauce is tomato-based, like something off the shelf, but nothing I'm familiar with -- probably customized a bit. It's mild, sweet-sour-tangy but not hot/spicy. I happen to like it a lot, but I know others want more heat.

The ribs and tips platter is $8 and enough to serve 2 people or 1 very hungry person. Comes with bread and chips.

These ribs are great, and I can't stop thinking about getting more. Just the smell is awesome. In fact, these guys have no signage -- the smell is what sells it.

I understand they also do catering. You can find their number if you do some deep Googling, but I'll leave it off here in case they don't want too many random calls.

BarSALONa - Ann Arbor, MI (42.279536, -83.7466832) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
4 - Lara E.: BarSALONa is a new salon that opened up last fall in Ann Arbor, located under Afternoon Delight in the business suites in the basement of the building. 

You are more than likely to see their little sign out front advertising their awesome specials of like $25 Shampoo, Cut and Styles * $15 Mens Cuts * $10 Waxing * $20 Wash and Styles * which are a fabulous deal. They are mainly a Redken product salon, however each stylist has their own inventory of professional products.

Also they offer massage therapy and nail services. 

Lizzie Rock does my hair here and she is flawless every time, from trims, up-dos, therma styles, drastic cuts - I'm always satisfied. I appreciate a stylist who I can trust and who goes beyond for me - like emergency trim-ups and such. 

Lizzie also has fixed many of my hairstyles that I was dissatisfied with from other places. Lizzie has never colored my hair before however she has dyed my friends hair more times than I can count and it still looks healthy! She really cares about her clients!

Best part for me about this salon is that dry styles are allowed! No need to always shampoo, thus makes the price not so expensive :) 

Also I've gotten great discounts here through referring people! So ask about that! 

Overall: Reliable. Clean. Reasonable. Quality, and Contemporary!
4 - Dera S.: I really liked this salon and the stylist, Lizzie.  I just had my haircut today with her and it was fast, nice, and reasonable ($30 for a shampoo, cut, and style, which is very moderate for long hair).  There was nobody else in the joint at 4:00 on a Friday, so if you're hoping to get an appointment quickly it is a good place to try.  It's in the basement of a building so I doubt they get much street traffic, but the atmosphere was decent even though there weren't any windows.  There aren't any amenities like tea (something I've always liked at Aveda salons), but really for the quality and price I can get tea after the haircut.

Barack Obama Georgia HQ - Atlanta, GA (33.7648111, -84.4038958) ()
5 - Bill S.: I walked in here today to get an Obama bumper sticker and get my wife and I re-registered to vote, something we had so far failed to do since moving intown.

After the caucus last night, there was a lot of activity in the office, but despite all that. a volunteer greeted us at the door immediately, and assisted us with getting registered and then got me a bumper sticker and button. They look like they have a great organization here in town and I plan on volunteering with them.
3 - Shonda K.: I was so excited to go to Obama HQ.  (Whispering) I hadn't contributed to the campaign yet so I bought a sign and some bumper stickers to support the cause. 

OBAMA!!!!!

Baraka Café - Cambridge, MA (42.3628537, -71.1045093) (Central Square)
4 - Mitali D.: excellent affordable moroccan food in a cosy low-key setting
2 - Juliette V.: I had eaten there once and thought it was just okay.  Thought I would give it a second shot when I learned they had Bastilla. However, this house specialty dish requires atleast 24 hours advance notice. I called with the required notice but then learned they would not prepare it for a table of only 2- you have to be 4 or more. This is not advertised anywhere on their menu. I was very disappointed.
4 - Ellie L.: The kind of place where you talk softly under exotic colored lamps and spear tidbits off your friends' plates because the food looks--and is--THAT good.  A great find a few blocks from the hustle&busle of Mass Ave, Baraka Cafe serves unbelievable lemonade alongside filling food with bright spicy sauces that create whole layers of flavor.  I highly recommend a late lunch there--try the Algerien crepe, and make sure someone orders the pomme frites, if only for the magical orange stuff they're dressed in.
4 - Angel S.: loved it! check out the pics i uploaded and be sure to order the lemonade, fries, and flourless chocolate torte... very affordable. It is a peaceful and comfortable setting too.
4 - Anna S.: A lovely little setting that really gives you a tunisian feel.  The food is wonderful.  It is fileld with great spices and there is lots of variety.  It is small, so it feels more like a home cooked meal, and the fact that you can see into the kitchen also adds to that sensation.  The prices are very resonable and the portions are perfect.  It is also set in a quite location, so there isn't as much traffic outside.  The one down side to Baraka is that they are very slow.  Make sure you go with people you really want to talk with.
5 - Alice K.: Ultimate proof that size does not matter and that a tiny(seats ~20) restaurant can pack quite the punch.  Baraka Cafe is a cosy little Tuisian restaurant in Cambridgeport, with a small menu (maybe twenty items total) which Mediterranean at its unique best.  The staff (all three of them) take a personal interest in your enjoyment of your meal and the decorative accents give just the right mood without being overbearingly cultural.  Highly recommended: rose water lemonade, the three meat kebab platter.  Warning: the place is usually packed on weeknights and does not take reservations, so pick your arrival time carefully.  :)
5 - rishi h.: This place is an amazing little gem tucked away in Central Square.   I can't believe I've been living just down the street and never stopped in even once to eat.   The food is delicious.  Everything I tried gave me that home cooked feeling without sacrificing any appetite wetting presentation.  Also -- if you're just trying this place for the first time, don't miss out on the Tunisian lemonade.  It's out of this world good.  I really haven't had anything like it before.
4 - Heather H.: A rare treat, Baraka Cafe brings Tunisia to Cambridgeport. Don't come with a large group, because there isn't room for you. And believe the proprietress when she tells you what you want to eat. She is right. And like everyone else says, drink the rosewater lemonade.
1 - C. N.: Last time we ate here, my girlfriend and I were each puking out both ends for a full day afterwards.

Caveat emptor.

Oh, and the food wasn't very good, either.
4 - Kai L.: Writing a review is for Baraka Caf is almost like writing a love-hate affair novel, but I keep going back there, so I think I have move love for it than frustration.  It has great authentic Northern African food.  I have tried almost every dish on their very limited menu, pretty much everything is good.  It is difficult to go wrong on any dishes on the menu.  That being said, I still want to stress that their lamb dishes are great, as are their appetizers.  I don't usually like sour stuff, but I just cannot pass its lemonade---a must have---even if you don't like sour stuff or lemonade.  Dessert menu is very limited, but certain still maintains high quality.

The environment is sooo homey and intimate.  If fact, if you have a group large than 4, they can hardly fit you with comfortable seating.  So, it is great if you want to just bring a couple of friends along, but certainly not for a big crowd.  The ambience is warm and authentic.  They didn't try too hard to decorate, but that is actually the beauty of it, less pretentiousness and a little bit more of homey feeling.  The entire restaurant is so small, probably only seats 20 people the most at a time, and the kitchen is even smaller, only has about 2 chefs working the most.  Unless you go early (5 or 6pm for dinner) or on week nights, it is almost certain that you have to wait, both for a table and for food.  But still, I keep going back even though half of the time I had to wait.  

The staff had very unique personality.  The first time I went there, I didn't enjoy it much because the owner was a little loud (and it was very much amplified in a small restaurant).  But as I went there a couple more times, I began to love this place and its staff.  The owner is actually a very warm woman and yes, she sometimes talks a little bit more, but she does treat you more like a friend.  Because of that, she is more straightforward and expresses herself more than your typical restaurant owner.  She did not try too hard to please you, but I actually enjoy her straightforward friendliness.  The dinning experience there is more like going back to your hometown and eating at a restaurant you grew up with, even if this is your first time to go dine there.  Another frustration is that it only accepts cash, but there are tons of ATMs on Mass Av., so it shouldn't be a problem.
5 - Ashley S.: I'm loathe to tell you about my awesome dinner because I want to keep Baraka on the down low. But it's a hidden gem that deserves praise. If  you've tired of the same old Central Square haunts, Baraka is the perfect place,  just a few blocks off the beaten Mass Ave path.

The cuisine is Tunisian, which is similar to Moroccan (no surprise). I started with a warm Zataar bread topped with caramelized onions and spices, and my friend got a Mediterranean cheese and fig plate. Both were large portions, suited for sharing, and very flavorful. For an entree I got Melkha, which was eggplant stuffed with olives, feta, spinach, gruyere and spices. It was served with a saute of roasted peppers and caramelized onions, all over cous cous. The cheeses packed a strong punch but surprisingly worked in the dish. My friend got the traditional couscous. It was more aromatic (think nutmeg, all spice) than I'm accustomed to it being prepared but was really tasty. We were too full for dessert after eating every bite of our dishes.

The wait staff was super friendly and made you feel like you had been invited into their home for dinner. The restaurant, while tiny, is casual and cozy. You leave smiling and thinking about when you'll be back next.

footnote: The restaurant is cash only and does not serve (or allow) alcohol.
5 - Annie W.: I looooved this place and definitely want to come back many many more times if I'm ever back in Boston. The atmosphere and decor is cute. I went there to lunch with a friend on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and got seated right away. 

I loved the Cherbat lemonade....roses are always a plus =) We got the cheese plate (three different cheeses, all somewhat sour with different textures) which came with pieces of the pita-like bread; we also both got the open chicken sandwich with spicy pommes frites..yum yum. 

Not only is it delicious, it's healthy too!
5 - Liza H.: Tunisian food served in a cozy hole in the wall.  Frequent menu alterations with specials. Fabulous bastilla, although you must call 48 hours in advance to arrange it.  The vegetarian du jour plate is an ever changing array of wonderful mezze dishes.  The owner was the pastry chef at Ambrosia on Huntington.  Her creme brulee is sublime, the 5 spice moulton chocolate cake is delightful too. No liquor served here, they are observant Moslems.  Do sip on a lemonade redolent with rose petals, orange blossom water and cinnamon instead. I eat here for my birthday every year.
4 - Penelope T.: Delicious Tunisian food  (albeit too salty ) with beautiful presentation.  Nice cozy atmosphere.   You must try the rosepetal lemonade.  i love it, and i don't even like lemonade.
4 - Tracee D.: Baraka cafe is a a great place to be. The small space is comfortable and beautifully decorated. The service is great. In fact, I wanted to bring home some creme brulee for my boyfriend and they let me take it home in one of their plates, as to not ruin the presentation.  Its like eating in your friends embellished living room (if that's in Northern. Africa). Share the smaller dishes to find out what you love. The only thing that's not as awesome as everyone says is the rose hip lemonade I liken it to glade potpourri spray, not very delicious. No alcohol is permitted here, on the menu or in your pocket so keep that in mind boozers.
4 - Tom E.: I can only really echo the other reviews on this site. This is a wonderful restaurant-slash-person's living room that really feels like home cooked goodness. It's quite a unique place and even a not-far-from-alcoholism person like me had no need for wine or beer with the rosepetal lemonade. A good place for a small group meal or even better, a date.
4 - David S.: Baraka cafe is pretty good (especially for Cambridge!...). I miss North-African food a lot, as it is not very common here in the US, so I'm always happy when I find a good spot to pig out on couscous. The food at Baraka Cafe was pretty good: not the best I've had, but very reasonable. I would have tried the mint tea, which is a pretty typical drink in Morocco, but I ended up having the rose petal lemonade, which was surprising but totally worth it. The restaurant is really small, so if you plan on going with a bunch of people it's probably a good idea to make a reservation. The service was friendly although very slow...
4 - Mihir S.: I ate here a few years ago before I was a Yelper. Not sure if it has changed much and I hope it hasn't.
A very unique experience it was. Felt like sitting in someone's kitchen as you could see in the corner the chef preparing away on conventional kitchen equipment. There were only six tables and the room was very cozy.
When you go, be sure to try at least one selection from each section of the menu. My suggestions:

Rose Petal Lemonade

Teklia

Bedenjal Mechoui

Merguez D'Alger

M'Katef

Melfouf la Kasbah

Green Mint Tea - this  is a must!!!
3 - Richard S.: Pretty amazing, though for some reason I stopped eating here after a major binge last fall.  Too much lamb?  Perhaps. Or maybe it was that crazy ass 5 spice chocolate thing.  I think there's turmeric in there, and it was rich but not sweet which really wins with me.  I didn't eat there.  I've never eaten there, but always taken out, and actually had to defend my behavior to the owner when coming to pick up the food - something like, "without the atmosphere, you can't appreciate the meal," she says, then makes me feel guilty for not being on my way to Mecca.  But in a friendly way.   It's an easy place to get a crush on.

reference location: www.restmap.net/yelp/BarakaCafe.kmz
use: earth.google.com/download-earth.html
3 - Jim S.: The food was very good and very unusual - this cuisine is not well-represented around here.  The atmosphere was also intimate and cozy.

But:  1) The proprietress spent an enormous amount of time talking on her cell phone instead of paying attention to the clients.  2) For $18 the portion of the sea scallop special was very small, there was no starch at all in the dish, and I came away hungry, particularly after the tiny creme brulee dessert (the chocolate cake looked a lot bigger).   Maybe I ordered wrong but when you are in a place with an unfamiliar cuisne, the waiter should help you out a bit I would think. 3) No wine on the menu nor can you bring it in.  While it may be authentic to the owners, it is not the case that authentic Tunisian restaurants in general cannot offer wine.   And a nice meal without wine doesn't cut it for me.  At least let us bring your own.  We are not "boozers" we are just civilized.
4 - Jon D.: I really enjoyed the atmosphere, food and the server. Actually, the server was probably the best part about dining here; she was very welcoming and I couldn't help but smile when she was at our table or socializing with the kitchen staff.
This a great place for vegetarians, as most of the food is meatless. I am a picky meat-eater, so instead of having lamb or salmon, I went for a eggplant and couscous dish. For dessert I had a chocolate torte that was very tasty. And as everyone says, get the lemonade.
4 - Daphne A.: I have never been dissapointed by the food here.  It's always delicious and interesting, and sometimes I can't figure out exactly what it is I'm eating, which is kind of fun.  The service leaves a lot to be desired though.  We waited an eternity while our waitress sat at a nearby table talking to some customers.  That was a drag, but also not typical.  The vegetarian sampler and mint tea with nuts makes it all worth it.
5 - Carrie N.: Cozy and off the beaten path, Baraka Cafe is something special.  I can get my North African food fix and finish with creme brulee for dessert.  When I found out I could speak French with the proprietress, I was duly smitten.

The menu is short and doesn't change much, but the standbys are excellent and worth return trips.  Dishes I love:
Zaatar Coca.  The smoked salmon coca is even better -- check the specials.
M'Katef.  More like mmm'katef!  This is my favorite: lamb, saffron, mint, leeks, and a tiny but divine almond tartlet.  (I am such a bloodthirsty lamb fiend, and Baraka satisfies my sanguinary tendancies.)  

And the best lemonade EVER.
5 - Jane C.: I love this place! It is too small, but otherwise so wonderful. They o not serve alcohol, which is a blessing because they DO serve their own version of cherbat, a flowery lemonade that I am convinced is an aphrodisiac.
The spreads, eggplant, carrot, all the usual culprits for the north African/Algerian style, are delicious. We had lamb last time off their entree menu and boy, that was wonderful, with couscous, and in a ras al hanout based sauce, that soaked into the cous cous - it was so good!
4 - Slackercat H.: A cozy Tunisian cafe in Central Square.  Everything I had was delicious (the lamb leg was so tender and juicy).  And yes get the lemonade, order a whole pitcher!
3 - Anne W.: This place is okay... it's dark and frankly a bit hot since they have no a/c or lights really.  I wish they had a bigger menu.. and a better wait staff (it's just one woman and she's not exactly fast).  

I tried the lamb and couscous (okay.. but a little overpriced).  The salmon dish is pretty good... and so was their vegetarian platter and smokey eggplant dish.  I also really enjoyed their desserts that were anything but African.  The lemonade was also great... definetely worth a try since it's different from any type of lemonade you've had (it's got rosewater and mint).
5 - Julie A.: WOW. What an amazing little secret this place is. It's so easy to miss, a few blocks up Pearl Street in the kind of humble storefront that usually houses hair salons or quickie-marts. It's super tiny. And it did take a little while for our food to arrive, but I understand this is because there's one woman back in the kitchen cooking everything to order, so five stars anyway.

And OH. The food. The rose lemonade is the stuff of dreams (GOOD dreams), and I'm not usually a huge fan of lemonade. What got me -- not just in the lemonade but in everything we tasted -- was the magic they worked with spices. You've never had seasonings like this (unless you grew up in a Tunisian home with a cook as good as this one). Nothing is overpowering. Everything is absolutely fascinating. From my harissa-laced chopped olive salad to the crispy birds' nest style baklava we had for dessert, every single bite was so astounding that it distracted me from the conversation. 

I'm moving to DC shortly and could KICK myself for not finding this place sooner. For sure I'll be eating there a few more times before I go.
5 - Sara S.: Lovely, intimate place hidden on a side street off Mass. Ave.  The unassuming storefront and location are such that they don't attract many drop-ins; the diners at Baraka Cafe are those who know to look for it.  From their tiny kitchen, the chefs produce delicious, surprising North African dishes containing flavors I have not encountered elsewhere in Boston.  Many reviewers have already mentioned the refreshing cherbat (rosewater lemonade), so let me also recommend the Turkish coffee; it's fun to peek at its preparation through the kitchen door.
5 - Kiwi H.: This place is the epitomy of a warm, intimate, cozy restaurant packed with culture and delicious unassuming offerings of home-style food. 

I love that the menu proclaims their North African dishes unabashedly without over-detailed descriptions or translations. I love that the warm staff, particularly the lady of the house, looks and acts completely in her element between both the culture she hails from and the one she lives in, reflected in both her traditional clothing and her relaxed and laid-back manner. Hint about for life advice, and she will give it with a knowing smile and lots of wisdom.

I love that they play great music from rai to rap, from Faudel, Cheb Khaled, Rachid Taha and Cheb Mami to IAM or Passi and the like (I even heard Bryan Adams once). I love that this place has a distinct Algerian flavour to it, with one Algerian and one Tunisian chef, since although there are many good Moroccan places out there this place is not Moroccan, and it's not too often you'll find a Maghreb restaurant boasting dishes from Al Jaza'ir! 

The decor is sweet, romantic and dim, and there's a certain charm in the miniscule kitchen and it's tiny bathroom (with a humorous sign saying "Press button for maid service. If no answer, do it yourself!) 

Thick and syrupy with some mysteriously addictive ingredients, their rosewater lemonade (cherbat) is utterly delectable, the meats are succulent and don't forget to inquire about daily specials since they are usually excellent as well. The 7 spice chocolate torte is almost like a mousse in a cake form, and with the fruit compote and ice cream, it's heavenly. Overall the dishes are quite delicious and really well-prepared. This is definitely in my "top three favourite restaurants in Boston" list, and one of the most wonderfully intimate as well. I will definitely be back with my loved ones so they, too, can partake.
3 - Keith A.: Fabulous food; calamitous service. Arrived at 7:35, was seated at 8, ordered at 8:05, got the first of my food at 8:25, was finished by 8:50, didn't get out until 9:05. Which, if I'd been with a group of schmoozy friends with nowhere to be in the morning instead of dining by myself and having to be up at 5:30 AM, might have been enjoyable. In my case, it wasn't. I'll be back -- but never, I swear on my life, when I have to work the next day.

Oh, and the alleged friendliness? I didn't see it. In fact, I was ignored like a panhandler for my first 20 minutes in the restaurant. OK, so you can't seat me just yet, I get that; at least acknowledge my presence.
4 - Ligaya T.: Marvelous little North African restaurant in Cambridge. Despite it being intimate, your meal will have space. No hovering service, but a warm cordial hostess/server that is as true to her roots as a banyan tree. Leisure is the name of this game. 

Allow yourself to sink into the experience, breathe a little more slowly, sip your Algerian (?) lemonade with herbs and rose petal, try to have a meal without missing alcohol. I began with the merguez sausages with red peppers. Great flavor and texture. Then the vegetable cous cous with a medley of goodness including squash, potatoes, carrots and green peppers. 

In short, fantastic, authentic homestyle fare with charming ambiance conducive to hand holding across the table and many smiles.
4 - Bevin C.: The best part about this place is the lady who runs it.  She will yell at you if you order the wrong thing.  Once I came in with a cold sore, and she told me if I pray, it will go away.  Another time, she gave me some nice books about Islam.

The food is absolutely delicious too.  I love the flatbread, and I love the merguez, and the little plates of olives, and the cheese with figs.  

Leave an hour and a half for lunch, two hours to be safe.
3 - Julian H.: A group of us went to Baraka Cafe for our first Muslim friends dinner in Summer. It was actually my first time dining out in Boston after arriving in July 29th. I had the shock when seeing how small the place was. The tables were lined up very closely together with a long wall bench shared between all patrons seating at the wall. You practically have to hold up your hands to make sure you won't hit other peoples' heads when coming through. WIth that kind of space, the owner still manages to provide a walkway inside the cafe!

I've ordered Lamb Shank and when it arrived, I was very pleased. The portion was generous enough to make me felt a little breathless afterwards. It tasted really good as well. It was cooked to perfection and the lamb was juicy till the bone. We ordered appetisers and other dishes as well but the Lamb Shank just simply erased my memory of other things there accept for the special Lemonade which was also very very good!

Another downside was the limited availability of some dishes, including the mouth-watering Lamb Shank, and canned drinks.

As many have said, the lady of the cafe was really friendly and descriptive of the menu. Baraka Cafe should have received my full 5 stars rating. I had to deduct two, one for the cramped settings and another for the limited availibility.
4 - Maria V.: After spending a bit of time in the banlieues of Paris, I was beginning to miss hearing North African French and tasting North African food.  Not long after I came back to the US, I was invited to a dinner here and was delighted to hear and taste the familiar. 

Things to make sure you try:
1) Meze, which are the near-East/Mediterranean version of tapas. Expect lots of lemony overtones, eggplant, garlic, chickpea, the good stuff. This can easily be your whole dinner if you like; I've done this many times and it's always delicious and a welcome alternative to just one entree.
2) You have not properly been to Baraka until you try their Cherbat, which is an Algerian drink.  Rose water and orange water are what give Middle Eastern cooking its flair, and this is -- basically -- very sweet rose water-infused lemonade.  Some folks I've been here with have had to water it down a tad it was just too sweet for them.  I like it as-is, and it's amazing. Do not miss out on this.

There is a difference between Moroccan food and more "general" North African fare, so despite the Yelp listing this is more specifically food from Algeria and Tunisia, not so much Morocco.  Still, this kind of cuisine is really hard to find anywhere, let alone around Boston, so you really should give this place a try at least once.
4 - Chris W.: Baraka Cafe is a really small hole in the wall, decorated well, and with fairly loud music for a restaurant. 

Expect a wait, we went on a friday night and needed to wait almost 20 minutes to get seated. And that's not where the waiting stops either. Long waits to order, and long waits for food. Extremely long waits. Expect up to a 2 hour dinner.

The food was very good, though. We started with the soup of the day, which was a spicy tomato soup. One cup was $1.95 I think. One of the best things about the soup was the warm piece of bread that came with the cup. 

My entree was the various grilled meats over french fries. All the meat was very tender, the sausage was delicious, and the fries were great as well. The dish cost around $12. My friend got the pork chops ($18), and those were very tender and juicy. 

Every dish has just the perfect slight amount of spiciness. Not enough to make your mouth hurt or make you sweat (and I am definitely a sweater) but enough to make the food have that little extra kick. 

The portions aren't that big, slightly on the small side for restaurant food.
4 - Neno S.: When you walk through the door you get the feeling that you walked into someone's house.  It's pretty small, the tables are shaky, they don't serve alcohol, but the food is SOOOOO GOOOOOOD that I've had the pleasure to try everything on their handwritten menu.
Sometimes it takes them a while to bring out the food, but the wait is worth it and you can kill some time while sipping on serbet and having meze.  The lamb is simply amazing (served in a wooden bowl over cous cous) and so is the turkish coffee that you can have after your meal. 
Don't be shocked if the hostess/server sits on your table and joins the conversation.  She is really pleasant and if you have any questions about life she will tell you what the prophet Mohammed  would do :)
Forget the shaky tables, the lack of wine and the small space that you are allowed.  You go to a restaurant to get food, and they definitely deliver when it comes to satisfying your taste buds.
4 - Tarah H.: I came in here not very hungry and left wanting to lick the plate.

As we walked up, I couldn't tell if the place was open. (in my head, I was preparing my teasingly angry text to the friend that recommended we go here) The second my friend and I walked in the door, he said "I love it already." I had been thinking the same thing. The evening was cool, but inside was warm and cozy. Delicate aromas of food being prepared and exotic spices wafted from the kitchen and filled the room. The music was at the perfect volume to be heard over, but not drown out the din of patrons enjoying good food and conversation.

And my but isn't the food good. We both got the lemonade which was like no lemonade I've ever had...must have been the roses and other unique additions. The lentil soup was, hands down, the best I've ever had. The accompanying bread was soft, flavorful, but subtle. My dinner partner and I split two of the entrees...one a special that night, a spicy crepe with a side salad. The salad was fresh and had a light, creamy dressing. The crepe itself was a little thicker than I'm used to, but both the pastry and filling were phenomenal. Our other entree was the classic couscous. The couscous was cooked to perfection, flavored subtly and accented with chick peas and a few other vegetables. We both wanted to lick the plates. No joke.

The server was just perfect and fit the space wonderfully. Helpful but unobtrusive. She seemed to float about and drift from table to table, keeping everyone happy. If I were to describe her in one word, it would be "gracious."

I think I forgot I was in Cambridge for an hour. This place is a hidden oasis and I think I'm in love. I'd love to spend a cold, snowy evening in January nestled up in this restaurant. But I sincerely hope it will not be that long before I return.
4 - Nate Y.: When we approached the door the sign said "Closed" but I knew it was dinner hours so we try the door and it was open. We enter and see a woman dressed in a very colorful dress that I believe is traditional for Northern Africa/Mediterranean. We asked if they were open and she tells us yes and seats us immediately. The atmosphere is very soft and natural with low lighting and earthy wooden tables with colorful cotton table cloths. Everything we ordered was very aromatic with spices that are incredible. The Teklia and Bedenjal Mechoui were so good that I could see eating here without having meat, and for me that's saying alot! We did have meat though in our main dishes with lamb and chicken kabobs, and sausage that were very tasty. Don't miss having the fragrant lemonade and the silky and oh so decadent chocolate torte.

The service was wonderful. Make sure to bring cash since they don't take credit cards. There will be more visits to come.
5 - Jessica D.: We're pretty well decided that this restaurant is adorable, cozy, homey, friendly, worth the wait, etc etc. I also had the meze plate, which was marvelous (spicy enough, but could have had more heat. mama likes heat), and the lemonade....sweet fancy moses, the lemonade. I had to take a moment after my first sip as I was verging on religious-epiphany tears or needing to run down Pearl Street screaming. It's INSANELY tasty, the kind of thing that overwhelms your senses: you can't decide if the smell is more heavenly than the taste or if those are indeed tiny angels dancing around on your tongue. Hyperbole, no way Sally. 
The food is gorgeous, the music was cool and appropriate, I had no wait (got there just after dinner hours started, then watched the line form, they got seated soon enough tho), the owner was very kind, and the bill wasn't as heartbreaking as the reality of not being able to eat there every day.

Everyone must go there, but be sweet to it. We need this place.
4 - elizabeth s.: this place has the BEST. LEMONADE. EVER.

freshly made with rose petals and mint and lots of spices. really,  you have to try it.

service can be a bit slow, but the nature of the place makes it excusable. don't come here if you're in a rush!

the couscous is perfectly cooked, the onion and zataar galettes are really good, and the hummus, carrot, and pepper dips go great with the homemade bread.

the owner is really friendly and loves to strike up conversations, sometimes rather long ones. my friend once bonded with the cook there about hookahs, and i think they became smoking friends...
5 - Laura M.: What a great place for a date. On a rainy night the cafe was warm and cozy, and we could smell its delicious spices on our way up the street.

The signature lemonade... well, it was good, but I couldn't quite get over the association my nose made to floral smelling soap when I got a whiff of the powerful rose aroma. Still tasted good, but in a weird sort of cognitive dissonance way. Everything else we tried -- roasted eggplant, lamb chops, flourless chocolate cake, and mint tea -- was just plain delicious. Very reasonably priced, and the service was friendly and helpful.
5 - Samuel K.: atmosphere: amazing.  an understated gem.  i'm wary of reviewing it because I don't want it to become any more popular... 

come early in the evening.  by the time they are taking down the room dividers that keep the entrance seaprated from the nearby tables, in order to add a few chairs on the outside of the room, the wait can be up to an hour.
4 - claudia g.: Wonderful, delicious Moroccan food in a tiny, authentic-feeling whole-in-the-wall kind of place.  Many great vegetarian options, such as eggplant and couscous.  The mint tea is amazing.  No alcohol, though (for religious reasons, I believe).
4 - Roni E.: It all started with a phone call Saturday morning. We were going to have a large group coming in and they graciously took my reservation. 

Although, the reservation wasn't necessary as we were the first and only ones there that morning, it is still a good idea for any party larger than 5 (as per their voicemail). It is indeed a small dining area. 

If you plan on coming here, make sure you are not in a rush to go anywhere. This place is very laid back. The very nice woman serving us seemed to have been the only one serving, maybe the owner? She is much older and only has 2 hands.  

The rose lemonade was delicious and a must have. You can not come here without getting a pitcher or two. 

I also had the Chicken Djadje and for $4.95 - how can you go wrong? I agree with Jessika that it didn't taste very Afrian/Moroccan, but either way I was very satisfied. It was pleasantly spiced and wasn't dry, but just the right moisture (you know what I'm talking about). The bread was the perfect thickness, texture, and softness. It also came with spicy pommes frites. These were okay, but not bad. Though I would have expected them to be spicier. It was more like fries with hot sauce tossed on top. But hey, for $4.95 I don't really care about the fries since the sandwich itself it well worth the price. 

Definitely would not mind coming back here either for a date or another group outing. Please see Jessika D.'s review on the decor.
5 - Kenny L.: *2008 US Presidential Election Results*

Baraka C.:
1. Chicken djadje - Landslide win!
2. Homemade grilled merguez - Landslide win! 
3. Classical couscous - Landslide win! 
4. Spicy pommes frites - Landslide win!
5. Cherbat (Algerian style homemade lemonade with rose petals and North African spices) - Landslide win! 
6. Lunch for party of 7 - $61 (cash only) - Landslide win! 

Hillary C. and John E.:
Still waiting for tables :(
4 - Huan z.: It's a cold day today and it's very cold in the restaurant. Waitress forgot one of the order we had. It's very dark that you can't see your food very much. 

All these above didn't make us feel bad, because the food is so delicious. Yummy at beginning and yummy to the end. The chocolate desert brought a perfect ending for the night!
4 - Renee H.: AWE-SOME! There food was unbelievable!

I went with my sister while she was here from FL. We try to pack in as many ethnic restaurants as possible each time she comes, and Baraka will definitely be on the rotation whenever she comes back!

We started with 3 appetizers: The Cheese Plate, The olive and marinated roasted veggies, and the flatbread with sauted onions (sorry, can't remember the real names). Each one was better than the next! The flavor of each item was unbelievable and so powerful without being too much.

We then shared the couscous with 3 meats (usually chicken, beef and sausage. We scrapped the beef for an extra chicken) The couscous and chicken were DE-licious! I would skip the sausage though, every thing else was too fabulous to waste any calories on something that was meerly good.

For dessert we had the chocolate thingy that came with homemade sorbet- again, fab!

The thing that made this meal even better was the server. She was so wonderful and helpful. She explained everything on the menu in detail, and gave great suggestions.

Their Moroccan Mint Tea was the best I have had in ages. And the rose lemonade was exactly that...rose flavored lemonade! Nothing more, nothing less, I loved it!

The one down point is that the place is a little smokey from the stoves. But the food and service definitely makes it worth smelling like food when you leave!

All in all, this experience was far better than I even expected. I will definitely take all of my out of town guests here!

Cash Only!!
4 - Geoffrey R.: My lil lady and I went here due to popular Yelp Reviews.

This place is off the beaten path... WAY off. Walking down Pearl St.... Walking down Pearl St... Walking down Pearl St... sketchy sketchy... dark and cold... maybe we missed it... maybe this isn't a good idea... What is that sketchy green light... BOOM!

As everyone says, it looks closed. Then you walk in, what an amazing transformation, BOOM! you are in a Bazaar!

IF you are going to go they offer some amazing meals that you have to call 36 hours in advance for. We saw someone eating them. ORDER THEM!!!

We had the H'Rissa, which was decent, but we loved the Dates in a really thick yogurt (special) and the Zaatar Coca for starters.

She had the Rose lemonade (refreshing and very different) I had the green mint tea (very nice)

We shared the Melfouf La Kasbah. (Mixed Grill) which was quite good, but the couscous Brochettes looked great.

The service was slow but really great. The waitress was really sweet and wanted to make sure you had a nice visit.

I would say food was a 4, service was a 5, but speed was a 3.
If you want to just enjoy and chill, go for it, if you are hungry... HiFi is around the Corner?!
1 - Eugene H.: Was I just there on a bad day? The service was horrible...the slowest waitress in the world. It was lunch time but she gave us a dinner menu. Had to ask three times for our drinks and it wasn't even busy. Took 40 min to get our food, which was decent but not worth the horrible service. The other positive reviews surprise me...because I found it to be craptastic
4 - Kat C.: My bf and I thought we'd try out this restaurant since it's close to where we live.  At a glance from the outside, it did look like the restaurant was closed which could turn a lot of people away.  Once you enter the restaurant, you instantly get a waft of the gas from the stoves which was a bit annoying.  After a while, the aroma of the food did overtake it so I forgot about it.  Because the restaurant is small, it felt cozy and warm with the decor and the dimly lit lights.  Definitely a place for a first date.  

After looking over the menu, I ordered their signature drink, Cherbat and we decided on the Zaatar Coca (flat bread with caramelized onions) as an appetizer.  This dish was quite interesting in a good way. There were many different layering flavors within this dish. It gave this dish many dimensions rather than just caramelized onions on a bread.  The different spices definitely came through with each bite.  For our entrees, I chose the Melfouf La Kasbah and the bf chose the Melkha.  Both our entrees were good.  Nothing to rave about.  I wouldn't mind coming back to try out other dishes on the menu.  I will have to say that the Cherbat was very good.  The drink was not over sweet and it had a hint of tartness which complimented the rose petal flavor.  I would definitely recommend people to try this place.
5 - Meagan H.: L.O.V.E. this place with all of my heart and tummy. Tucked into a sliver of a space on Pearl Street right off of Mass Ave, Baraka serves up Moroccan delicacies, fabulous music, and not to mention a totally great and cozy atmosphere. A perfect date place. Keep in mind that Baraka only accepts cash, so come prepared. And definitely try the couscous in any form.
5 - Emily A.: This is my favorite restaurant in town. Period. It is small and slow-paced (eg not necessarily good for business meetings or lunch on the go) but for festive occasions, it's perfect. My favorite dishes are the melkha eggplant, the lamb chop with almond tart and couscous, merguez and fig/cheese appetizers, and the occasional scallop special with pear. For lunch, I almost always get the spicy tuna salad with labne cheese and harissa. The rose-lemonade is also a treat, despite tasting a little like perfume to the uninitiated. And the desserts are always excellent. Beyond that, the owner is so friendly and cool. She always brings me a dessert on my birthday...I visited many parts of Tunisia based on her recommendations (and loved it)...the one time I was there during a power outage it was even more festive than usual...I am so glad a restaurant like this exists!
5 - R E.: I've loved everything I've had here, and it's not too expensive. It's dimly lit and cramped which I always hate but it's easy to forget that when the food is so solidly done.
5 - Abby R.: Absolutely LOVED this place - it was totally fab - we can't wait to go back.  We went for my hubby's birthday and they were super nice about it, they even have a cheesy birthday song they play which is nice.  It's got great decor, it's like you are eating at someone's house (in fact, I'm not totally convinced that they don't live upstairs).  We had both the mint tea and the rose lemonade -  you must get both.  The lemonade was a bit strange - it tastes like Crabtree and Evelyn rose soap smells - if that makes sense.  We had the couscous and an eggplant dish, as well as a cheese dish and some other spread.  It was amazing.  That's right, you heard me, AMAZING. The owner was great too and showed us books about her home town.  I can't wait to bring my friends here!
4 - Kaopectate P.: great place.  just expect to wait a LONG time for food.  serious.  expect 1.5 hours after you get seated to get food.
5 - Nick L.: This place was awesome!  A native Bostonian took us Californians in for a treat.  Aside from the appropriately sweet name during the 2008 primary season, Baraka Cafe had food to happily suit a vegan, a kosher vegetarian, a soy-allergic diner, and an omnivore.  We showed up a few minutes before they opened one night, only to find out that the entire place was booked for a birthday party.  We started to walk away, but they stopped us to ask how many we were - they found every last chair in the place to accomodate us as well as their large party - how awesome!  Service was warm, welcoming, unassuming, not pushy, and generally wonderful.  

(For wheelchairs:  it's street level, but it may have a narrow door, and inside spaces are crowded.  Nonetheless, they're super-nice:  I'll say yes.)
5 - Sun Y.: YUM. Go here. It's a hidden jewel tucked away from civilization. It's authentic, tiny in a great way, the decor is lovely, the service is friendly, and the mood is romantic.
4 - Lys W.: A fellow yelper and I were hungry and wanted to get out of the house.  Neither of us had ever had North African food, so we wanted to try it.  Like everything else in my life, anymore, we found Baraka via Yelp.  It had received good reviews, so we went.

We met at Central, and started walking down Pearl Street.  It was kind of odd, because it is such a residental area, and I thought we had missed it.  

The place is so cosy and only holds 20 people.  I went to the restroom to wash my hands, and it is IN THE KITCHEN!  I wanted to stay and watch the cook work. :)

The food was delicious, and we both got vegetarian dishes.  The cheese was succulant and the couscous has become my new favourite dish.

The woman who waited on us was very nice, but she tended to hover.  She made it very clear that we should eat EVERYTHING on our plate or at least take it home for later.  She did not want to have to throw any food away, which I do understand.

I tried cherbert for the first time, and it was amazing.  I am completely addicted, and I will come back to Baraka just for the drink!
5 - Erica S.: Wow. I'm still in a state of ecstasy after my first dinner at Baraka last night.

So, it was Valentine's Day, and my honey and I didn't want to go the route of making fancy reservations, but then also didn't really feel like cooking. Since Baraka only takes reservations for groups of 4 or more, we knew we'd be battling it out for a table with all the other reservation-less couples, and figured we stood a decent chance.

We waited all of 15 minutes, and all the while the hostess/ waitress was laughing, smiling, and joking with us and every other customer, passing the time quickly. We were then seated at a cozy table for two, behind a carved screen to give us a small amount of privacy from those still waiting for tables.

The menu was exciting-- my boyfriend is vegan and I don't eat meat, and we were both thrilled with the North African menu options. I opted for the traditional vegetarian couscous entree, served in a hand carved wooden bowl and ladle. He chose a vegetarian special, packed with zucchini, eggplant, chickpeas, and thyme and served in a lidded ceramic bowl with basmati rice. Both were to die for, so we shared.

We also shared a couple of appetizers-- first, the Bedenjal Mechoui, a dish of smoked eggplant, roasted red peppers, garlic and spices served cold with crunchy herbed flat bread. Then, the Zaatar Coca, a grilled bread topped with carmelized onions and a variety of exciting spices, like thyme, sage, and sesame seeds. We were both practically licking our plates all through dinner (I would have if there hadn't been so many people around).

Best of all was the award-winning lemonade. It is made with rose petals and North African spices, and possibly some crack. Don't even think about skipping it!

Just as notably outstanding as the food is the service. You're family here, more than the Olive Garden could ever boast. The waitress cracked jokes all through dinner, at one point telling a story of a woman snatching a dress out of her hands at Filene's Basement (we've all been through this). And she hugged me good bye after the meal, insisting that we return soon. I didn't have to lie to promise I would.

Not bad for an inexpensive, romantic Valentine's Day dinner without reservations. I'll be back for more food, lemonade, and hugs very soon.
4 - Tanvi D.: I went there with a few friends after reading rave reviews on yelp.. And, I was a "just a little' disappointed. The food was good. Nicely spiced,  but, the quantity was too little compared to its price.. They seemed to have only one person serving, hence service was slow as well.. 

Ok, enough of ranting.. Here are all the "Good Things" about this place - 
Ambience - Very nice and cute and cozy place
Spices in the food - I had the salmon special. It was good. Didn't feel like it was sitting under a heat lamp while other people's food was being cooked
Cherbet  - their lemonade with rose petals... YUMMY!! 
Creme Brulee - Huge dish of this dessert.. Was wonderful.. 
Prompt seating - We had made reservations and didn't have to wait at all. 

Will I go again ?? --- Absolutely .... Maybe not on a friday..
4 - Jocelyn C.: My boyfriend took me here for Valentine's Day dinner. He called the day before to make a reservation, but the person on the other side either didn't get it or thought it was a silly request. So, we got here early (around 6:15pm) and good thing! This tiny place filled up about 5 minutes after we were seated.

We weren't sure how big the plates would be, so we started with one cold and one hot tapas platter (the lamb sausage and the eggplant). They came and were really too small to share, even though we did anyway. Both were really good. We also ordered (and shared) the baby lamb chops entree and the classical couscous, both of which were deliriously delicious. 

During the meal, we had a large pot of the mint green tea. That was refreshing, and surprisingly sweet. For dessert, we shared the creme brulee, which was the perfect ending to the meal. Overall, the food (and tea) here is just so damn good, how can I not come here again?!
4 - Peter V.: The lamb shank was a bit too gamey for me but I tried my friend's vegetarian plate and it was excellent.  I would like to come back and try this place again at some point.
5 - Kiki B.: rose-petal filled lemonade.  all i need to say.

but for those who need a little more info: down a little sidestreet away from central square and absolutely adorable.  very small, so we saw some groups get turned away because there was no room.  we had some mezze and then a larger entree/salad combo, and all were delish, but absolutely the most amazing part was the lemonade.  you may think you don't need a pitcher, but really, you do.
5 - caitlin o.: Beautiful and romantic!

I have to agree with everyone else who raves about the lemonade...mmmmm

The food was beautiful -- perfectly sized portions (I wiped my plate clean!) and an awesome choice of daily specials and standard menu choices. Every dish was simple and executed soooo welllll.

The decor rules, too. Very cozy, like you're stepping into someone's living room. I wouldn't suggest coming with a group, though -- as a couple we had a little bit of a wait to get a seat.
1 - Susan J.: This place came highly recommended, but we didn't have the wonderful, savory experience that other Yelpers did. They do not take reservations for two people, and when we arrived, they told us it would only be 10-15 minutes. An hour later, we were finally seated, and 20 minutes after being seated, we got our carafe of lemonade. The frustration does not end there. 

I'm a vegetarian, so I ordered the vegetarian sampler platter. It arrived with some skewers that looked mysteriously similar to chicken. My boyfriend sampled them to confirm and found a large sausage underneath. The waitress apologized and quickly brought me the correct dish. So, I dug into the salad and found a PIECE OF PAPER nestled between the lettuce and cucumber. Umm... I don't even know what to say about that. 

I was too embarrassed to alert the waitress after sending back the skewers, but my boyfriend asked the waitress to take my entree off the bill. She did and offered us free dessert, too. I think they handled the situation politely, but I doubt I will be going back, because there's so many other restaurants in Cambridge I'd like to try.
3 - Olivia L.: I expected to love this place, but...

The lemonade was actually way way too sweet and heavy for me.  It wasn't refreshing, and didn't mesh well with the food.  The Moroccan Mint tea was actually bitter -- perhaps overbrewed in boiling water?  

The small plates were very good, but the entrees left much to be desired.  I basically figured out that you should just get whatever is on special because that's what my friend did and his food was delicious, and mine was mediocre.  

Finally, the decor is just totally over the top.  Please!  No more mirrored, tasseled, beaded, kitschy...you name its.  Not romantic!  Distracting!
2 - Rebecca T.: I really wanted to like this place - it's beautiful, romantic, and how many Algerian restaurants are you likely to find around here?

Unfortunately the food and service just didn't measure up.  We were seated immediately and the place was not that busy, but the server spent most of his time talking to the people in the kitchen and hardly gave the customers any attention.  The appetizers - an olive mix and a kind of chickpea custard - were just OK.  The lemonade that gets so many rave reviews here tasted a little like soap to us - maybe we're just not used to rose water in drinks.  And for our entrees, we ordered the couscous, which was seasoned nicely but the vegetables were very overcooked.  My boyfriend got the couscous with meat skewers and he said the meat was gristly, he didn't touch most of it.

The most annoying thing, though, was that even though we were seated right away and there were plenty of empty tables in this small space, and we didn't order anything that would take an especially long time to cook, we spent about forty-five minutes waiting for our entrees.  Also, the server never came to check on us - I spent a long time trying to get his attention (in a room about the size of my bedroom) to ask for a glass of water (the food is very salty, and they won't give you water unless you physically get up and chase the waiter down, apparently).

Really disappointed - I'm giving it two stars because of the ambiance, it really is a beautiful spot.
5 - F N.: This place is not Morrocan but Algerian-Tunisian 

We ate at this place about two years ago. The whole experience was delightful. Our meals were delicious, the service was excellent. The lemonade was really different since it is made with rose petals, not too bad but I am not really crazy about fragant flavor.

Delightful place, cozy, quiet and memorable.

Ps/ Please note there is no alcohol served at this establishment.
5 - Jess P.: This place could really use an Open/Closed sign, since if I hadn't been warned by other reviews I might have assumed from the dead-looking exterior that it was closed, but once inside, my reaction to the decor was "ooh shiny!" A little tacky maybe, but it works.

My friend and I started with a pitcher of the famous lemonade. We concurred it tasted like, well, tasty potpourri. But in a good way! I don't know that it would be to everyone's tastes, but I'd say worth a try at any rate.

We started by splitting a special, a scallop appetizer. It could have easily been a lighter entree, with five or six well spiced and perfectly cooked scallops over some thin slices of pear and a bed of greens in a gorgonzola dressing. Delicious. 

Both of us went for the lamb for our entree, and I was surprised when the proprietress/server recommended that we order the chops medium or medium-well, since usually lamb is considered ideal at medium-rare. She was right though, as the chops, while only having the slightest hint of pink, were still tender. They were served over couscous, a bit of a tasty sauce,  a mixture of some greens and shallots, and, tucked away under the couscous, a sweet and flavor-packed puck of an almond tartlet. Exquisite, and to my mind a good portion--not a ton of food, but not skimpy either.

The service had been great until that point, when we were left waiting what felt like a really really long time before our plates were cleared, long enough for me to go back to poking around the bones and discover a missed bit of lamb, but just shy of the amount of time it would have taken for me to abandon etiquette, pick up the bones and chew off the remaining shreds. Tempting though. 

Once she finally came back, she asserted that the spiced chocolate torte was the dessert to split, and oh man. Do not doubt the server here, as she steered us right each time. Rich dark chocolate with hints of cardamom and anise, served with tart raspberry sorbet and whipped cream.

For $40 (bring your cash!) per person, including a generous tip, I found it a good deal for such great food, and will absolutely be back.
3 - M.M. S.: Very good food (four start) but the server/service put a damper on things - thus the knock down to 3. She was pretty cold and rude. When I asked for menus after sitting for 10+ minutes she literally threw 3 menus at our table of 4. The server did not create a hospitable environment or make any of us comfortable at all.

Lamb was not really so good but the vegetarian dishes were great. Loved the feta cheese. When we asked for more bread she brought us someone else's leftovers!!

Lemonade not up my alley but my sister loved it. Little too aromatic for me.

Would give it another try and maybe the service will be better .
4 - patty b.: i love cafe baraka!  it's a quirky little place with a *lot* of character, from the atmosphere (i love the decor!), to the menu, and the owner as well.  service has always been great, friendly (one can be made to feel like family within minutes!) and warm.  i've never had a bad meal there, and everyone i've brought to this place has loved it as well.  sometimes i've had to wait for a table, and one time i had a weird allergic response to something i ate (but that's me, not the fault of the restaurant)... but i would be very sad if places like this no longer existed in cambridge!
5 - Colin N.: Baraka is my secret date spot. Here are some tips you'll need to know for a trip to Baraka.

No booze is served here.  Be prepared to be interesting and not drunk. 

The menu is Algerian - think couscous, lamb, fish, eggplant, tomato.

The service is unhurried and not pushy (almost to a fault). Be in your own world and they will take your order when they are ready.

Bring cash - I usually end up spending $60 for two (incl. tip) for a big meal - appetizer, lemonade and main course.

I'd recommend you go during a weeknight. You may be lucky to have the restaurant all to yourself. 

If the date goes really well, have a nightcap at the Enormous Room.
4 - Chanpon N.: My newest love for lunch.  They have a small selection of lunch items (mainly open faced "sandwiches").  They used a hand-made Berber bread, so don't expect two slices from a loaf.  Whatever that bread is, it's wonderful!  Chewy with great texture, almost like a naan but not as buttery.  The djadje and the tuna sandwich are wonderful - excellent flavor.  The djadje is grilled chicken and comes with a side of spicy pomme frites.  They sound great, are tasty, but suffer during the walk back to my office (I have to do takeout due to the hike).  I can imagine they'd be excellent if eaten there.  The tuna tossed in harissa is divine!  Nice spice without being overwhelming; never been a fan of mayo covered tuna salad and this is such a wonderful alternative.  And the best part, is that they cost about $5 each.

I have to make it back to try this place for dinner, and look forward to tasting so many more of their dishes.
5 - Sam M.: Baraka Cafe is one of my favorite restaurants in the Boston area.  It's exactly my style of restaurant, cozy (six or so tables), usually good service from the one waiter, and phenomenal food.

Try the lamb shank or the cornish hen.  Both are served on a bed of couscous and are cooked to perfection, tender and delicious.  And of course, have a pitcher of Tunisian lemonade with any dish you order.  The lemonade is made with mint, rosewater, and plenty of love...it's the best lemonade I've ever had.

They take reservations for parties of 4 and up, and it fills up quickly.  Shoot for a weeknight if you want to be able to sit down.  They only take cash and it can be expensive if you go for the specials, which are $30/person.  It's worth every penny.

Great place for an intimate date, even though they don't serve alcohol.

A word of warning -- the only time I haven't been satisfied is one night when we had an awful waiter.  I guess it's a downside of having only one waiter - if he/she's a dud, everyone suffers.  Don't let that dissuade you, though, the food is wonderful regardless of who's serving it.
5 - Teju P.: Y- You will be pleasantly surprised by how good the food is! Do try these veggie items H'rissa, Melkha and Zaatar Coca.

U - nwind in the pleasant intimate atmosphere. They only take reservations for parties of 4. Its nice for dining just for 2 or even alone. The staff is friendly and the place is like a home away from home.

M - ake sure you bring cash. They dont take credit cards
5 - Aaron S.: When it comes to eating out, I've found that a food's deliciosity is inversely related to the size of the kitchen it comes from. Baraka Cafe is a case study in this fact.

Ordering the Cherbat was the best decision I've made this month. It's the most fragrant, refreshing, and delicious beverage known to (this) man. If Baraka could bottle it, I'm quite convinced that there'd be world peace. 

Lunch was excellent, the grilled merguez sandwich. Nicely spiced, not too heavy, and paired with tasty sauce. If I had eaten this by itself, I'd be raving about it. Seen in relation to the rest of the meal, however, it was ONLY really, really good. 

The chocolate torte made me break out into fits of giggling and pleasure sounds. If I had words to describe it, God wouldn't have made taste buds. All these humble fingers can tell you is that I haven't had a better one. Order it with a turkish coffee to remain conscious.

Lunch for two. Thirty bucks. This is a no brainer, folks. And what a nice lady that brings out the food!
3 - Seth H.: I really wanted to like this place more than I did.

After seeing all the good reviews, the first impressions were of a small, cozy place that had great atmosphere.  There was one woman acting as the only waitress/server/hostess/busboy, and it had the charm of a small family restaurant.

We had a bit of wait for a seat, and our meal started promisingly.  The Cherbet (lemonade) was very good and our appetizers were tasty.  We had the sausages and the crepe (from the specials menu).  The crepe was a thick, hearty round piece of flatbread with some cilantro and tomato inside that flavored it well, and the sausages were covered in red pepper and garlic.

The entrees did not do as well... the mixed grill had 2 small skewers (one chicken, one beef or lamb) and a small sausage.  They were flavored well, but the portion was smaller than I would have expected, and the rest of the dish, pomme frittes drizzled with something didn't have much flavor.  The stuffed eggplant was also just OK... the topping was flavorful, but the eggplant itself did not seem to be particularly spiced.  And thats what I like about middle eastern food is the warm spiciness (not chili spiciness, more of a cumin/cinamon "spicedness").

I was hoping to come away being able to say "I know this sweet little family restaurant... the service is slow but totally worth it".   Unfortunately, I came away thinking "that place is cute, but I probably won't eat there again."
4 - Kerry-Ann G.: In order to give restaurants a fair shake I do try to go with a bunch of people that way I can taste a variety of dishes and really comment on everything.  Overall I really enjoyed my experience.  The dinner was a little pricey and the atmosphere was "intimate" though I liked the overall ambiance and the fact that it seemed family run.

The two drinks I tried were the Cherbat and the green mint tea with nuts.  For those of you who don't know Cherbat is lemonade infused with spices and flowers.  Really reminded me of my mothers perfumed lotion growing up, people either love it or hate it, so my advice is to skip the pitcher and go for the glass if you have never tried it.  The tea was great and just the perfect relaxing cup you need after gorging yourself.  The creme brulee was really good had a strong vanilla taste and the blow torched top gave it the perfect feel.

We tried the Melkha which is a roasted and stuffed eggplant, this dish held so much promise because of the variety of foods that it was stuffed with and the cheeses but it just didn't live up to it.  It ended up tasting bland and run of the mill, maybe just a case of too high expectations.  We devoured the M'Katef which was a plate of New Zealand baby lamb chops. Spiced to perfection and at the end it became one of those scenarios where everyone eyed each other to see who would get the last piece.  For our last entree we had the Catch of the Day absolutely delicious and not overcooked, though when we had this dish the couscous was drowned in the sauce making it inedible.  Out of the two appetizers we tried one was a sort of flat bread pizza with caramelized onions which was fine and the other was a dish in which we dipped the  "house crackers" thin long soft bread sticks in this great chickpea concoction.  Loved the house crackers and it was the perfect thing to nosh on while our food was diligently and lovingly prepared.
5 - Alex P.: Romantic, intimate atmosphere and great food. Make sure to order the flourless chocolate cake; it is AMAZING. Do try to show up on the earlier side, especially on a weekend, because it has only a few tables, and they fill up quickly. 

Most people rave about the rose lemonade. I didn't love it; I thought it tasted a bit like detergent. But... it was definitely interesting (and worth trying).

And again, ORDER THE CHOCOLATE CAKE.
4 - molly f.: To be fair, I ate all the cous cous I promised my boyfriend I would share with him. Now that I've come clean, I can honestly say this was one of the most pleasantly surprising meals I've had in YEARS. seriously. We didn't know what to expect when we walked into the tiny restaurant tucked away on a side street in Cambridge, but we were absolutely blown away by the charm, decor, service & food at this cozy neighborhood restaurant. I would note, however, the cuisine they serve is not Moroccan, rather Algerian which has some similarities but the flavors are quite different.  One of my favorite parts of the meal was the Algerian lemonade that came in a carafe with rose petals and some other spices that made it absolutely delicious & like nothing I had ever tasted before. They had some beautiful tagine's that i'd like to go back and try soon. My boyfriend sum's it up perfectly when he say's this place is "magical."
5 - Henry B.: This is not just one of my favorite Boston restaurants. It's among the top restaurants I've ever been to.

My first meal here made that night a night to remember. I've only been back twice - this is the sort of place you want to go to with special people on special occasions (the friend who introduced me to it took a couple of us there as his farewell to Boston; he described one of the other times he'd been as the best date he'd ever had). The food is absolutely incredible. I bought a Tunisian cookbook not long after my time here. I took a friend there, and not much later she bought a Tunisian cookbook.

As others have said, the service can be slow. For dinner (Tu-Su), go late (remembering that they close at 10). You'll miss the crowd, and you'll be free to ask questions when placing your order (they're great about giving recommendations).

For food not prepared in advance they can substitute oil for butter if you need that. Remember to bring cash. And try the rose lemonade!
5 - Experienced g.: Superb: cosy, inviting decor; mind-altering lemonade; Middle-Eastern cheeses with dates; seven-spice flourless chocolate cake; baked eggplant stuffed with vegetables and spices; fish specials worth a journey; etc.

Go tonight.
4 - Stephen K.: This little North African place is located right outside Central Square in a very small space. I would guess they can seat only 20-25 people here, there's about eight tables, with very little buffer room between the dining area and the kitchen. The interior is dark and soothing - old, unfinished wooden floors, benches with tapestries and pillows, lots of pictures from Tunis, Algiers and Tripoli - the place feels old, it's great. I've been here a few times for lunch and dinner, and it's great. At lunch the place is practically empty, and the only server was a kind older woman in a headscarf. There appeared to be only one person in the kitchen as well - which is the cause of the only downside to this place, which is that the service is very slow. It takes a while for your food to arrive - which is awesome if you're relaxing, but if you're in a hurry, you'd be better off eating someplace else. The dinner menu is more expansive than the lunch one - I would recommend the h'rissa, which is like a red pepper pesto/tapenade type deal, the beef and lamb sausages and the kebabs. I usually don't care for sweet drinks,  but their lemonade is great.
4 - Aye M.: The category belongs to North African cuisine. Yelp doesn't have Algerian as a category for restaurant. How lame. 

The place is tiny, about 7/8 tables? total. There were people waiting outside for 6:30 on a Saturday night. Make reservations ahead if you can to avoid the long wait. 

It was great food. Stand out appetizers were Spicy Carrots and Chickpea Custard. I had braised lamb shanks with couscous and it was one of the best lamb shanks I've ever had, perfectly seasoned with the fall-off-the-bone tenderness. My boyfriend had North African Bouillabaisse and he enjoyed it a lot. These two were not on the regular menu and they were the specials for the day. The rest of the group got the standard stuff from the menu such as Melkha, Couscous Brochette etc. And everyone cleaned out their plates. I think that's enough evidence that the food was beyond tasty. 

I didn't give it 5 stars cause I wasn't in love with the rose lemonade that others seemed to be raving about.  It's probably an acquired taste but to my unfamiliar nose, it just smelled like poupouri. I got Mint Tea as well and it wasn't that great either.
2 - David X.: Part 1 .Hmm.... how should I start this review?  "the first 2 hours of dinner were extremely uncomfortable, but the third hour was only mildly so"  or "have you ever seen the soup nazi seinfeld episode?  'No soup for YOU!'  or "The food was good, if they could just leave the drama at home".

So, we arrived at Baraka Cafe on a Saturday evening at 5:10pm and already a line was forming for dinner.  I had misread their website and thought the place opened at 5pm, but alas, not until 5:30pm.  We waited patiently and then around 5:30pm, a little man opened the front door, and walked away.    We sat ourselves, as did the other groups of people, and then waited.  And waited.  And waited.  Everyone in the restaurant looked at each other,  trying to figure out what was going on.  Was this a candid camera episode?  No waitress.  Nobody at all.  It felt like we had intruded into someone's home, unwanted guests.

at 5:50pm, the man walked to each table to take orders, but he spoke no english, so we needed to point each item, and forget it if you had questions.  And then, the man disappeared for another half hour.  Around that time, another threesome entered the restaurant, and after standing in the doorway for 10 minutes, the man finally saw them and seated them.  One of the other customers asked him if he was in the restaurant alone and he responded 'yes, til she come in an hour'.  

I am not sure who 'she' was, but luckily (or not) it didn't take that long.  Around 6:30, she came in with a bag of groceries.  I don't know if she is the owner, or the man's wife, his boss, or what the relationship was, but she started yelling at him, for a HALF AN HOUR, so that everyone in the restaurant could hear.

"No, when I'm not here, don't take no orders. I don't care. They can wait!'  And then she just went on and on about it, storming around the dining room (it is one room only) and slamming cabinet doors and taking out water pitchers and slamming them on the tables as she angrily had to put up with people being in her restaurant at 6:30pm on a saturday night. 

I understand Algerian women cover themselves head to toe in black garb, and normally that's fine.  But when you are in one of their restaurants, which apparently has no lights or electricity, and this woman is ranting and raving at the poor helpless chef, well, I wasn't the only one who commented that she looked like Death and we better not let her touch us.

First she brought out the rose lemonade, which everyone in the restaurant ordered.  Okay, Yelpers, I get that so many of you raved about the lemonade.  But hell, it is Wyler's with some mint leaves and rose petals tossed in it. Sheesh!   I imagine on a warm summer day on my porch, laying back in my reclining chair enjoying the sun and breeze, that this would be a wonderfully refreshing drink.  But when trapped in a dark room with a lunatic, well, Jesus, like I said, it's just Wylers!!

My friend nervously said 'don't say anything. just thank you. don't make eye contact.'  Unfortunately, the girls at the table over from us didn't heed that advice. 'We ordered a carafe, not a pitcher'.  IDIOTS!  Don't you know not to make her mad!  

"This is CARAFE!" She stormed away.  Came back with a pitcher for the next table which was in the identical plastic pitcher except it was filled to the top instead of just under the spout.  She shoved it in their faces.  "THIS IS A PITCHER!"

I swear. I'm not making this up.  You could see the terror in the girls' eyes.  Hell, I was about to jump out the window and make a run for it.

Fortunately, she stopped yelling at the customers for so rudely intruding on her evening, and went back to yelling at the chef.  "Tell him he's late! Get off the phone! 30 seconds is all you get on phone!"  And "When I tell you to go to Shaw's or Stop and Shop, you get THIS. Don't you read the menu.  What you got isn't on the menu!"

In rapid succession, she began bringing out each table's appetizers.  'This is for table 7??! They don't need 3 appetizers right now! They can wait! I don't care!'.  The coupld at table 2 were, well, IDIOTS! Doesn't anyone LEARN!!!  She brings them their appetizer and the gentleman says 'excuse me, we didn't order this.'  His wife then tried to add 'it is probably for a different table' but before she could, the woman yanked the food away, stormed to the kitchen and screamed at the chef for getting the order wrong.  Not only had he stupidly taken our orders when she wasn't there, but he GOT IT WRONG TOO!!"

I think everyone had sympathy for that poor, poor, poor man who must have done something wrong in a previous life to end up in this hell.  The Gentleman then got up and ran to the woman and said 'We changed our minds. It looks delicious. We'd like it after all.'  But the damage was done.  She now hated that troublemaking couple.

Then we heard she was bringing appetizers to table#4.  'Don't look her in the eyes! Don't say a word!'  (part 2 coming..
4 - Christina X.: I was definitely at this place the same day as David X., and he's right--it was totally a carnival. But I disagree with him on the overall experience. What better to season a meal with than trilingual drama?

The food is, as everyone has already said, delicious. I will add this though: I was TERRIFIED that there wasn't going to be enough food, because I always am when going to places with "Cafe" in the name. I always assume "cafe" is French for "spend lots of money for tiny portions." However, I was pleasantly surprised.

For three people, we ordered 5 tapas (and got 6--see: carnival) and an order of the classical couscous. The couscous came with lots of yummy root vegetables stewed in a tasty sauce, and all six of the tapas were delicious. I was especially a fan of the smoked eggplant. Keep in mind that if you ask for more bread, it'll cost you $1.50--but it's well worth it!

The lemonade, as many people have said, is heavenly. Potpourri like, yes, but absolutely wonderful.

In short: yummy food, decent portions, don't expect much in the way of speedy service. Definitely coming back, and I hope the owner is around when I do!
5 - Jo-Ann K.: This place is very hidden gem in Cambridge.
You will love and I say love their lemonade.
The dishes are are good amount and the lamb is very tender,

Good for intimate date or a group of close friends.

The staff is very attentive and patience.

They only accept cash.
5 - Dika K.: My first visit was a few days ago, but never the less, as I remember the soft savory deliciousness of my lamb shank, the couscous raining down my throat and the bouquet of roses that blossomed in my mouth with every sip of my lemonade, I drool. I'm really starting to salivate now and need to push my key board out of drool's way. 

The appetizer portions are for one person. Strange, I know, so don't go into getting an appetizer thinking you'll share with a friend. 

The neighborhood is quiet and the restaurant is cozy, staff is very pleasant, and I am officially a fan.

Terrifically tasty Tunisian treats for the tummy!
3 - E C.: This place has delicious food, but if you add the waiting time, I would not say that it's worth it. My partner & I waited at least 45 minutes before we even got water on the table. Also, minus a star for the Islamic evangelism pamphlets. P.S. The rose-petal (and whatever other marinated herbs) lemonade tasts like Bath & Body works soap.
1 - Laura M.: Low rating due to post-dinner visit from a wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beastie.

I read the other Yelpers and decided I was willing to risk the loud servers and long wait.  We arrived on Wednesday evening about 9pm and were seated immediately.  

The only server was a gregarious woman who enjoyed lecturing the customers about eating right, saying their (Muslim) prayers, etc.  Service was slower than a normal American restaurant, but I expected it from the other reviews, so my husband and I just chilled and enjoyed the extra time together in a pleasant setting.  

We had two tapas and split the M'Katef entree.  Husband was more into the tapas than I was, but the M'Katef was simply delicious.  I enjoyed the lemonade until the food came, then switched to water as the spices made the lemonade taste funny.  We ordered the spiced chocolate dessert, which didn't blow me away, but was fine.  

I'm all ready to go home and write a good Yelp--nice hostess/server, good food, welcoming atmosphere.  Then, out of the corner of my eye I see something moving across the floor.  Oh, please  not a cockroach, I think.  So I look, and in the shadows under the table next to us I see a little mousie looking out at me.  Cute little mousie.  But I wish he hadn't been there.  I wish I hadn't seen him.  Damn my peripheral vision!
4 - Alex W.: This cozy Algerian restaurant hidden on Pearl Street is one of my Central Square favorites.  The atmosphere is great, the owner/hostess is always good for conversation and a laugh, and the food is delicious.  Be sure to order the rose petal lemonade and plenty of the appetizers.  I will often go for a selection of appetizers rather than a main dish.  For dessert, you can't beat the vanilla creme brule.

The wait can occasionally be long because there are so few tables and all of the food seems to be cooked to order.  But chill with a glass of lemonade, take in your surroundings, and enjoy some of the best north-African food in Boston.
3 - EricaLynn J.: "It's weird," Yelper Allix T. mused over a private message a few hours before we were all to meet at Baraka for a Kenny Celebration, "I told the restaurant we're going to be 9 but she keeps saying 5.  And I say 9, and she says 5...and so I hope all of us get seated..."

As I got off the train and met my friend to head over to Baraka, I secretly prayed that the disconnect would magically disappear  and the prior claims of space issues would be resolved and everything would be peaches and cream once we got there.  Or couscous and lamb.  Whatever.   I casually mentioned to my friend that I had heard the space was small and we could be packed pretty tight for the evening.

You know, like a cute, fuzzy Yelp slumber party.

Speaking of slumber parties, if you've ever been to any, then you know how there always was that one person who attended the slumber party who was either afraid of sleeping in other people's homes, or was just so ridiculous and nuts that they threw tantrums all night over absolutely nothing and the rest of the slumber party-goers just kind of sat there in amazement and then when the irate one left the room (or finally fell asleep, or got picked up by their mom), everyone had a good, hearty, laugh?

OK, so my friend and I walk into Baraka and I'm immediately taken by the overall design of the place.  I would venture a guess that the entire restaurant is smaller than Paris Hilton's closet.  But, my word, Paris Hilton has *nothing* on the style in this place.  Purple sequined tablecloths.  Beautiful, beaded oddly-shaped mirrors.   Satin pillows in deep magentas and soft oranges.   

And as Yelpers arrive, I barely even notice the tight quarters until a loud shriek comes from a woman who, I come to find out later, was wearing track pants and black Crocs under her hijab.   "YOU SAID FIVE PEOPLE AND I SEE MORE THAN FIVE!!!"

Oh, no she di'int.

She seemed to hold a grudge throughout the entirety of our stay there, though intermittently gracing us with moments of absolute sweetness, which only made her not-so-lovely actions seem even worse.   The menu was full of interesting (and what we found out to be very yummy) choices, but any requests for substitutions from the menu were not just frowned upon -- some were outright refused.    Vegetables instead of fried potatoes? No!  The reason: the food tastes better with the fried option.  And she's probably a trillion percent right.  But as a girl who pretty much always has to make some sort of substitution with restaurant food (due to allergies to most dairy, spicy food, and nuts), I have to be certain that I can get things made to order.  Luckily, I ordered couscous with vegetables and didn't need to sub.  But had that not been on the menu, there was not one dish that I wouldn't have had to ask for *something* to be omitted.  And I don't know how I would have been able to take "no" for an answer.

However, the woman's demeanor was so off the charts that it simply became comical.  It was one of those trainwrecks where you just could not look away, no matter how much you wanted to.    Homemade cakes for Kenny and Allix were sitting in boxes on the table and as our server went to clear our dishes off the table, suddenly her mood became almost angelic.   "Is that cake?" she asked sweetly.   We all nodded our heads in unison and I will admit that for a fleeting moment, I thought she was just going to open up the box and stuff my head in it and cackle.  "Do you want a knife to cut it? And plates?"  Yes! Yes, we do!  And forks!  

She comes back and throws the knife on the table. About twelve forks cling in unison as they, too, are dropped, and then she threw the plates down.   "Hurry up.  I need you all to get out  of here." 

Two minutes later, she gestured at the three Yelpers who weren't able to share the same table as the rest due to space issues.  She points to them, all of two feet away from us, and says sternly, "your FRIEND wants cake now."

Then, a bill was tossed on the table and I took the bill and swatted at the two or three bugs that kept flying around the entire meal, eating Yelper Orly's nose and my thigh repeatedly.    We paid and ran out of there and took lots of pictures outside of the restaurant, and I think that we all had the same look of bewilderment on our faces.   

Funny thing is, the food was awesome.

I just don't know if I have the courage to return.  I am so perplexed by the whole situation.  Like the way I was perplexed when I was younger and that weird kid would freak out at slumber parties.   Everything is cozy and yummy until someone threatens to smother you in mint and rose petals and lemons until you suffer!
3 - A T.: I want to go back and try Baraka out as it's meant to be - a nice, intimate, date place.  The restaurant is tiny. It's cozy, it's intimate. It's good for having a tete a tete with your honey but it's not good for a reunion dinner with a large gaggle of folks.

When Kenny and I were planning our group outting we both talked about the space concerns. I called Baraka earlier in the week and they said a party of eight would be no problem. The woman on the phone was very sweet and said she couldn't wait to see us.  A few hours before dinner I found out that we had one more in our party so I called the restaurant to see whether that would be an issue. A different person answered the phone and miscommunication of the worst kind ensued. I was on the phone with the person for about ten minutes. They couldn't find my reservation name, couldn't understand me, and when I said "nine" they kept repeating back "five people."  I repeated several times: "I called yesterday, made a reservation under the name 'Kenny.'  The reservation was for eight, you said that would be fine. Now we have one more. So we have nine."  

"Five people?"

"No, we have a reservation for eight. One more is coming, we have nine now."

"Don't worry, we'll see you at seven, everything is all set."

Eesh. We got there and everything was not all set.  I felt awful and guilty but mostly embarassed and a bit shocked when the hostess came up to me, got in my face, and said: "you made this reservation? You did this? Hmph."  I could tell she was annoyed, but I didn't know what to say really. I'd called and made a reservation initially for eight - if that wasn't a problem, why would nine be? Even more so - had they just lost the original reservation when I'd called back?

Eesh.

The food was alright, but dinner was harried. We couldn't ask questions about the dishes, so I ordered two items that seemed to be vegan. Though neither mentioned it, one dish came out with a HUUUUGE scoop of yogurt on top. I was pretty shocked especially given that fellow veggies had recommended the dish.  I scooped it off and all was right with the world.

Still I don't think I got to give Baraka a fair shot. And I'm damn sure that they didn't give me a fair shot. So I'll be back...once my hair grows in and I look completely different - I'm pretty sure if I were to go back too soon, I'd get a swift kick out the door.
3 - Cara P.: I'm too scared to come back.  The wonderful and gracious Allix T. organized our little dinner outing and was up against some mighty scary competition. Our waitress. There was no winning, so I think we just decided to make a night of it and celebrate Kenny...easy to do since everyone at the dinner table rocked!!

Our waitress hated us (until it came time to pay) and I will not take any chance on her noticing me on a return visit...maybe I'll wear a wig?

HHmmm...Visual....Go youtube the soup Nazi episode of Seinfeld. Picture him, but a women in a track suit and hijab, plus purple sequined table cloths, big ass pillows, small quarters, and bugs. 

Though the food was excellent, my couscous and veggie dish  and the little penis Orly gave me, could never make up for being scared of our waitress, being literally pushed out the door come check time and viciously attacked by bugs. 

Plus... Any lady that doesn't completely adore one of Biba's creations is off their rocker...our waitress wasn't satisfied with the lovely cake Biba made for Kenny because there was paper on it.....FAIL.

At least I was in good company;0
5 - Orly M.: I had a fabulous time at Baraka Cafe last night with about a dozen yelpers to celebrate the brief return of Kenny.  
 
The restaurant is charming but the furniture is uncomfortable for those os us with a bony butt.  Ouch!  The polyester filled pillows weren't doing the trick, but small price to pay for a delicious meal.
 
So, Baraka Cafe is truly an experience.  At first the service was pretty, how do i say this nicely, brisk (that's code for rude).  Perhaps it was our motley crew -- some Jewish ladies, a couple of Italians, some Asians, a Deaf pregnant black Jewish teenaged lesbian who is actually a gay man, and Sinead O'Connor's hot sister, to name a few.  But like Seinfeld's soup Nazi, the server had her own charm.  She as very impressed with Barbara Ann's beautiful ketchup bottle shaped cake, but after seeing that the label was made from paper, she exclaimed "she cheated!" which was classic. 
 
I ordered a tasty dish consisting of a delicious salad -- whatever that dressing is, i want to marry it and make babies-- some skewers of meat, vegetables in a spicy tomatoey sauce, and cous cous.  It was supposed to come with pommes frites but i didn't want those, which the server thought was a travesty.  The meat was really tasty!  Apparently the red meat was lamb leg, which i asked about because it tasted very gamey but i knew the place was Halal so was wondering if it was buffalo or what?  But it was bambi.  There wasn't much meat, but i felt like the portion sizes were perfect, especially with Baraka's philosophy of not wasting food.  There was also a sausage that looked like a little penis that I gave to Cara so I can't comment on it.  The server was concerned I didn't like my cous cous because i didnt eat much of it, and i didn't want to tell her i wasn't going to eat her evil carbs so i just said I was full, which was acceptable.    By the end of the evening, I think she really warmed up to us, she's my new best friend.  
 
I would definitely go back for the delicious food and unique experience
4 - Vanessa C.: good for dates, BAD FOR LARGE GROUPS! I must have told fellow yelpers this a dozen times, which they choose to ignore. twice. ok fine, but dont complain when the crazy lady who works there is giving you the death stare! you're a bunch of knuckleheads and you deserve it, and I'll be the first to say  "I told you so!"  heehee...

thinking back, I came here on one of my first dates with the bf. it really is the perfect date restaurant, whether its a first date or a 10th anniversary, its cozy and romantic and for the rose petal lemonade alone, its worth it!
prices were reasonable but I was picky about their meat - it was fine, I just wasnt a fan. otherwise the flavors were great, I would probably stick to something more vegetarian and the chocolate cake was great too.

Baraka is one of the few places that I actually round up just for the interior (union bar & grill is another - strange, I know). make this your go-to place for a nice date!
3 - Tatsu I.: The main chef is Algerian, but co-owner, Ali (Alia) the woman everyone has different reactions to, is Tunisian, via Paris. Since they are so close in cuisine, it's impossible to state whether it is one or another. It could come down to the style of harissa they use, or "Les Patisserie Orientales" they serve or don't serve, but it is not a useful barometer. It's a Magreb or North African place, but not Moroccan for sure.

Another more important barometric indicator seems to be Ali. Ok, she has mood swings. Sometimes she's sweet, sometimes she's unhinged. I know a lot of North Africans and I can tell, nothing out of the ordinary. She just has a larger personality than you do, different peccadilloes. The track suit and hijab thing? Hell, half of all arab girls dress like that. The track suit is somewhat de riguer in Marseilles and Paris, tracing it's roots to early rap artists here (RunDMC, etc.) when expatriate Arabs easily picked up on rap way before the English or other cultures. 

The food is pretty good, but quite honestly, me and my friends make the best cous-cous. 

Well, if you have a problem with Ali, try this. Just go nuts. Wave your hands wildly. She will do the same, and might kick you out, or you might get what you want. I've observed many, many near-death shouting matches between my friends. After I will ask one of them, "What's that about?" He'll say something like, "Oh, they were out of turkey." If you don't express yourself with the same intensity level, you might as well be a carpet. That's just they way they roll. 

Baraka rhymes with "Malaka" but don't ever ever say that or you will get kicked out.
3 - Demitasse E.: Baraka Cafe was a nice little find in Central Square, but nothing I'm too excited about.

The food:
Cherbat (house signature rose petal lemonade) - lovely, lovely, lovely.  Lemonade served with rose petals... while the recipe could have been better, I appreciated the attention to detail of adding the rose petals.  You could probably make your own at home using a standard lemonade recipe + rose water (the petals are just for flair).  Theirs was too syrupy sweet for my taste, but I give them credit for the originality, and it does taste pretty nice.
Jbinet with Berber Karmous (plate of Mediterranean cheeses, appetizer) - a letdown.  there was only one type of cheese in said platter, + a handful of onion, leafiness, and figs.  The cheese tastes nice alongside the figs.  No more comments.
Melkha (Eggplant + feta and gruyere on couscous, entree) - nice idea, but I wasn't crazy about the gruyere + couscous. This was not my dish though, I just tried it from someone else.  They thought it was pretty good.
Melfouf la Kasbah (sampling of meats + vegetables and french fries, entree) - ummm $18 for a measly lamb sausage, a teeny chicken skewer, and a teeny lamb skewer next to some fries? and what veggies?  I call overpriced.  Tasty, but still a ripoff.  Maybe on better days they are more generous with the protein.
Classical couscous (vegetable couscous, entree) - served in a wooden bowl with a wooden spoon, I guess that's supposed to feel pretty authentic.  It tasted good, though they were a tad skimpy with the vegetables.  I could name the 5 chunks of plant matter I had in my bowl right now, but I won't bore you.  Oh, and I counted two garbanzo beans.
Dessert of the day - some traditional fried cookies sprinkled with sesame seed.  They tasted sweet, greasy, and a tad dull, kind of like donuts, but they're worth a try and served with mint tea.
Turkish coffee - ok now this is interesting stuff.  I haven't tried Turkish coffee elsewhere, so I can't compare this relative to other places.  However, I will that if you like coffee, you should try this.  It is *strong*.  Strong as in, it gets chewy towards the bottom.  Oh yeah.  It comes out sweetened and spiced with cardamom, which lends it a distinctive taste, but they use no cream.  That's for sissies.

Locale and service:
Baraka Cafe is tiny.  I would estimate it seats about 25 people max.  They take reservations for groups of 4 or more.  Do yourself a favor and make a resy if you can.  Even if you think you're going earlier than the crowd, it's such a tiny place you just don't know if it could fill up.
A staff of three was running the cafe on a Friday night: 1) a waiter who doubled as drinks preparer, and I think made some dishes as well.  2) the apparently psychotic chef (who was on good behavior the night I went, despite my fears after reading the reviews on here), and 3) an older guy who mainly sat around, but sometimes pitched in preparing food and bringing it out.  Bottom line: Service is friendly, but sloooowwww.  Go when you have time to kick back and wait for your food, else you won't enjoy the experience as much.

3 stars.  I liked Baraka Cafe, but not enough for a "whoo hoo" or even a "yay".  I'm considering upping to 4 stars for Boston rating inflation, but hmm I dunno.
5 - Zach B.: This place was soooo good!  I went with my bro, but if you brought some cute little hunny here there is no way you would strike out later that night...the food is tight, as is the decor.  The pricing is just right for a date too - you won't break the bank, but you won't seem like a cheap jerk either.  The $15 entrees are good for keeping away the cambridge riff-raff (which is abundant).  The waitress (and owner?) is hilarious, a real stand up broad.  I can't recommend this place enough!!
4 - Karen C.: This Algerian-Tunisian place is literally a hole in the wall, noted by the 1/2 of an address, but the food is amazing. Expect your hostess to be your waitress and cook too, thus, making the service pretty slow, but the food is worth the wait. The portions are a healthy, moderate size and feature vegetarian and meat dishes, including quail that you can call 36 hours in advance for. Their Rose lemonade is the best in Boston.
3 - Dana L.: I thought the food here was good if not truly exceptional. The rosewater lemonade was very good, and I also had the Algerian crepe. The crepe was tasty, although less food than I would have expected. I would suggest ordering more food if you want to eat an entire meal.

The service was quite good, and although the ambiance was pretty plain.
3 - Blair H.: So, apparently my experience here was a bit different from others...

Baraka was a nice little off the main drag eatery.  The lady that everyone is talking about was very motherly and nice.  If she seems loud and aggressive, that may just be a cultural difference.  She was pretty helpful with picking out good eats and making us feel at home.  Though the service was super slow, I didn't really mind.  

The food was good, a sort of combination of Mediterranean and middle eastern cuisine.  We had lamb, cous cous, merguez, and some other items.  Nothing was super-awesome, but delightfully different.  The lemonade tastes like soap to me, but I'm not much of a fragrant person.

I went here with a small group of four and though the service was slow, they handled it pretty decently.  The food all came out at once, which doesn't happen in some nicer joints.  Side glances at the kitchen also looked pretty tidy, so I wasn't that worried about food borne stuff.  Prices were also a little more than I expected, especially on the specials.  However, the lamb shank was pretty good.

Give it a try, and don't worry about larger groups if you're early.  Don't count on them keeping the reservation.  The dude was like...huh?  And I called about 20 minutes before.
4 - Dori P.: I enjoy the ambiance and unique flavors of Cafe Baraka (which have already been covered in detail by other posters) very much. Just wanted to warn new diners about the Baklava: a tiny (but admittedly tasty) sliver of the stuff sells for over $5. Yes, it comes with tea. But your money will go much further if you go for the chocolate torte or another dessert.
4 - Gloria L.: Wish we had met The Lady that's so infamous on this page, but she wasn't around. We had a nice male waiter instead. I'm happy to report that he was eccentric, too. We asked to order our food ahead while waiting for a table (we were the next ones up), and were simply told "No." No explanation. The look on his face told me not to bother pushing the issue further.

I don't think they sprinkle the spices into dishes here, they pour them. My friend got some of the most delicious kebob I have ever had. Though it was also the tiniest plate of kebob I've ever seen. He had just gotten back from a workout and I'm pretty sure the meal only filled him up halfway. 

The rosewater lemonade was interesting, certainly beautiful. It was too sweet for my taste, though, and the smell made me feel like I was drinking soap. 

I spent the day looking forward to the flourless 7-spice chocolate torte, but it was already 10 pm by the time we got around to ordering desert, and the sold out! Time for a really sad face. We had the creme brulee instead. Perfection. Creamy custard, crunchy caramelized top, and the perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness.
3 - Bill H.: Baraka's a cute Moroccan place off of Mass Ave near Central Square.  I went here with three acquaintances before a show at ImprovBoston.

Baraka's cramped.  Really, really cramped.  Some couple left their $2000 stroller near the front door, and patrons literally had to side-shuffle their way through the door to the half-dozen tables in the restaurants.  At least it's cute, though -- it's definitely first or second date material.

The menu is very big on lamb, and fortunately the kitchen staff serves it up perfectly.  Stay away from the lemonade -- it was so sweet that we asked for glasses of water to dilute the pitcher.  The dessert menu is nothing special, lots of items that you'd see anywhere else.

Overall, a good experience.  I would definitely give Baraka another shot.
4 - Danielle S.: The first time I went to Baraka Cafe, I walked right past it.  Camouflaged underneath a strange green glowing light and by curtains that are always pulled shut, you can mistake the restaurant for someone's house.

However, inside is a whole different story.  Though there's not much decor and it's a tiny, tiny place (you will be bumping elbows with strangers here), I loved the food.

Baraka Cafe serves traditional North African fare such as couscous and lamb as well as  delicious rosewater lemonade called Cherbat.

I personally love the lamb kebabs, which also come with french fries and a salad.  The couscous is a good choice as well.

You will have to wait...and wait for your food.  Service is slow here, so if you're looking for a quick  bite to eat, I would suggest eating somewhere else.
3 - Hannah M.: The ambiance was quite nice: exposed brick, jeweled lamps, intimate seating. The food was ok; it was nothing spectacular, but tasty enough. 
What realy stand out in my mind is the majorly surprising, kind of awkward, but definitely entertaining experience which we were witness to. Reading other reviews, I see now that the hostess/head waitress has a mixed reputation. I personally had no complaints with her service; the food and drinks were served expediently, and all seemed to be going smoothly. Then, all of a sudden, a young woman walked in the door in an agitated state. Our hostess immediately grew upset, started yelling at the visitor in their shared native tongue, and a battle erupted. 
My dining companion and I had no idea what was being said, except for a few times when English words would be tossed around, words like "disrespect" and the phrase "I'm calling the police." The young woman rushed out, leaving the door wide open to the frigid night, and returned a few minutes later with an older woman. Another round of shouting, fussing, and threats. Keep in mind, this was all happening in one tiny room with an open kitchen. 
We giggled and tried not to gawk but were certainly intrigued and obviously engrossed in the fiasco as we finished our meal. Eventually, after about 15 heated minutes, the young woman was pushed out, yelling, by her older companion, and relative peace was once again restored. 
Go to Baraka for an intimate dinner and some foreign grub, but know that on any given visit you may bear witness a potentially volatile--certainly entertaining--display of social drama.
4 - Sophie R.: Baraka is tiny and cozy, quiet, with very attentive, friendly waitstaff and a relaxed feel, pleasant for a date or just a chatty meal. This means don't go there if you've got to get to a movie in under an hour, or maybe even two... they have a leisurely pace, and it's not a bad thing, just be aware. The labna cheese with dates is delicious as an appetizer, and I've ordered the appetizer of seared scallops with pears and greens as a main dish a number of times it's so good. I've unfortunately been less than impressed by the various entree couscous combinations, they seem a bit bland for the hefty price tag. The flourless chocolate cake and the creme brulee are both incredible, as is the rosewater lemonade, although I like to dilute it with a bit more water. I've been meaning to stop in for a way cheaper lunch sometime, but haven't gotten around to it yet.  Also- no cards, bring cash!
3 - Sara S.: Late Lunch Review. 

Hisham K and I went to Baraka Cafe for a late lunch. I arrived and waited by myself for about ten minutes. There was one man working the whole time who was the waiter/chef. While I was waiting, I wasn't given a menu, nor was I asked if I wanted any water/beverage. Kind of annoying. I finally flagged him down and got a Rosewater Lemonade. AWESOME. One of the best lemonades, if not drinks, I've ever had in my life. It was beautiful too, topped with mint and dried flowers. If you don't like rosewater, don't get this, because it has an extremely strong rosewater taste. 

We both got the open-faced chicken sandwich, which was suppose to be spiced with North African spices. Hisham asked for his mild, but I specifically asked for mine as they would normally serve it. Either they prepared mine and Hisham's the same, or the spices are incredibly mild, because the sandwich was literally bread, greens, and dressing topped with plain grilled chicken. No spices on it at all. Mind you, it was still yummy yet healthy, but I would have never thought it was anything CLOSE to being a Algerian specialty. Pretty disappointing. 

The fries were good. Not overly fried... just perfect. 

Very cozy atmosphere. Service was atrocious, as I mentioned previously. Additionally, when we were given the check, the waiter didn't come back for 25 minutes to give us our change. 

The sandwich was $4.95 including "spicy fries" (NOT spicy... WTF is with Algeria's misuse of the word spicy?). What a ridiculous value. Everything was good, just not what I was expecting at all. I was looking for something much more authentic. I will be back for dinner to try one of their more authentic-sounding dishes.
3 - Ellen C.: I had fun here! The Turkish coffee is a little weird, but still delicious. Just make sure you have something to eat with it.

I really liked my couscous. Perhaps because I hadn't had couscous in forever. But generally speaking, the atmosphere was very nice (calm) and we sat at our table and talked for forever. This may have been partially due to slow-service, but I have no worries about being late when stopping in somewhere late in the evening for a late meal.

Check it out!
5 - Jamaica K.: My dad took me here for lunch yesterday, and we were their only customers. The woman who owns it with her husband was fabulous; we could hear her loudly teaching a new worker how to do everything, which kept us laughing. The food was absolutely delicious (we got the spicy pommes frites, the cheese plate, cold eggplant dish, and the chickpea tart), and they were all so good. My dad and I liked different dishes better, so we split them all up, but we were more than satisfied. We were astounded at how inexpensive the food was for being so fabulous! The woman who owns the restaurant was very obliging when it came to making changes to our orders (I don't like red peppers, but my dad loves them, so she split one of the dishes and gave him all the peppers), and was great about the fact that we're vegetarians. She was happy to suggest things and wanted to ensure we had a wonderful time. 

The decor is great; beautiful traditional fabrics and pillows, gold paint, great colors. While we did have to wait a bit when we first arrived (I think this was because the new worker didn't know what to do), there were great Middle Eastern photography books to look at, which kept us entertained. I loved the whole experience, and can't wait to go back and bring all my friends.
3 - Kristine M.: The rose lemonade is indeed delicious, and the tapas appetizers were very good.  My only complaint was that they were stingy with the bread.  I expressed my unhappiness about this in my previous review, but got a very kind email from the owner and their willingness to remedy the situation was much appreciated.  

The portions are pretty big, and I had leftovers.  Service was very slow but courteous.  The environment was comfortable.  

If they have the smoked salmon and pear special on the menu, I recommend it.
4 - Jess L.: This place quickly became one of my favorite restaurants in Cambridge.

This intimate spot has a short menu, but everything was great. This is not a place for the non-food-adventurous, though. 

I recommend the Melkha (eggplant with cheese!). The lamb skewers were good but a little small on the plate (i.e., not enough of it). We each tried the various appetizers, and they were all good.

The lemonade was tasty. Someone in our group mentioned it tasted a little like the wet wipes in its after-taste, and I kind of know what he was talking about... but, still, it was tasty. I swear!

Great service! I would definitely come here again.
1 - T.-A S.: So after I wrote my review of Baraka, I received a cheeky response from the owner.

Here are some ditties:

"I think a couragous girl like you who has travelled around the world should have face me like a big girl... this again has to do with the way you been brought up with not be taugh PATIENCE! and for that I understand your remarksand lack ofmercy that push you to an extreme ATE! I ask Allah suabhanuhu watahala to Give us all patience and people who have issues with modesty and and have high aspectation when they think they are spending money no one needs to be part of this experience and the feelings on my part i share with you your abusif treatment that you choose to express behind a computer. now your remarks on the lemonade and the food this is your right and the best for that is to  i suggest t go to places where people like you hangs out! this is not a blessed place for you. I honestly wish you all happiness and best luck making the lemonade my dear sister. and the same for your kind. \oh by the way my name is alia also i need to add i tank God  The Most Merciful evryday that He kept me in business very successfully for 11 years and may He grants me obedience to HIM and protect me from US all from eviless sincerely."

Exqueeze me? 

Incredible that with all the humility granted to the Missus, she cannot take a fair critique. I stand by my original review.
3 - buckminster f.: the food here is tasty (in the four range), but the service is pretty awful. it's too bad, because i really wanted to like this place, and with the great location (close to mit and central square), i thought we were off to a good start. that's when we walked in the door. there were two empty tables (each a four seater), which was more than enough to seat both the couple in front of us and our party of two. still, they kept us waiting until the two seaters cleared. even that, we had to figure out ourselves, because the waiters didn't acknowledge us until there was an open two seater, and they waved us toward the table with the menus. we ordered a karafe of rose lemonade, which was very good. we shared the garbanzo bean salad, the cheese plate, the red pepper mezze, another mezze I can't remember (the first one on the menu), and the eggplant entree. The salad and the eggplant were probably best out of the buncht. I couldn't believe how stingy they were with the bread, and trust me I am no carb enthusiast. We asked them for a refill, and they brought us four meager slices the size of band aids. it's really a shame that this place doesn't have better service, because the food is quite good.
4 - Nicole W.: A cozy, locally-owned spot with great food. The green mint tea was amazingly delicious when I had it there on a cold, wintry night. The owner was our server, and she was friendly. The service was leisurely, so don't go there if you are in a hurry. They only take cash.
5 - Soumeya B.: My friend and I went to Baraka for the first time last week. My sister had recommended it to me on numerous occasions. The words that come to mind when describing the ambiance are "cozy" "French cottage" "exotic" and "lively". The art on the walls is mismatched and colorful, the table cloth on the tables are checkered and crisp, the silverware speaks of the history of the place, the walls are not whitewashed but sparkling clean, the space is not too big and the owner is the one serving and seating every customer. In other words, the beauty of the place is in its uniqueness and the quality of the food. If you want to impress your clients with how well you know your wine, you should not even consider Baraka but if you want to impress your friend or date with your knowledge of the gastro world, this is the place. And before we leave this topic, if you are in a hurry, this is not the place either... the frozen food at the Olive Garden might be a better choice instead. 
So my friend and I ordered three appetizers, an eggplant dish, merguez, and cheese in olive oil. We got our freshly baked wild oregano bread with it (Alia replenished it as soon as we were done with our first so we appreciated the new hot and fresh batch all over again). For our entree we ordered the lamb chops and the couscous. Both were amazing, my friend and I shared them so we got to taste both. The lamb chops were served with succulent greens that added both taste and texture to the medium rare cooked lamb. It was simply amazing and the only place that I know of that serves couscous this way! Just from that dish you can tell that the culinary influences on the chef are both European and North African. 
Their lemonade is worthy of an Ode! I could wax poetic about it but since so many already did, I will just say, you will be doing your self a disservice if you forget to order it. 
Amazing deserts, their creme brulee is better than many I have had at French restaurants! In fact, I will go as far as saying that theirs is the best in Boston. If you had the the creme brulee at Balthazar in NYC you will know what I am talking about. 
The chocolate cake is perfect, my friend had it and both thought that the flavor was rich, it was not overly sweet... unlike a lot of chocolate cakes that look brown and don't actually taste like chocolate this one does... and it has bits of chocolate in it that go so well with the ice cream! 
Of course, you can not go to a North African restaurant and not order their mint tea! Baraka's is the perfect combination of mint and tea leaves and they bring a fresh pot for the table if you ask for one. My friend and I went through two pots! Remember to ask them to hold off on the sugar if you don't want it with your tea (I am one of those few who drink their tea sans sucre... I do make up for it with the deserts though). 
Last but not least, I see that the owner has generated a number of reactions from other reviewers. In any other restaurant, the owners are usually behind the scene or just so "blah" that they are not worth talking about. Not Alia. You can tell that she is there not as your typical owner but more like a mother serving her children, making recommendations, inquiring about their health, and if you have the time she will offer you advice on any topic you have in mind. We all have our prejudices and I must admit that because of the way she dresses one assumes that her life has been limited in some ways... Let me tell you, that's so wrong. She is worthy of an anthropological study. If you have the time ask her and she will tell you about her life as business woman (with multiple ventures mind you) as a European and as an American.
1 - Anya S.: Good lemonade.  Definitely has some potential. 
There was only one waiter/host/server/person working, and even though there were only two other couples there, we got no water and no menus. So we just sat there for at least 15 min before anyone came over. 
The portions are small, the prices are high (for the quality and the taste).
The food is lacking taste and proper presentation.  
Could be improved thought.
4 - cambridge y.: You must visit this place, at least once! Best Lemonade I've ever had, this restaurant is wonderful and charming. A bit on the expensive side(around 30 or 40/person for an appetizer+entree), but I would say definitely worth it, despite the very small portions!
4 - Kendall G.: I struggled with the idea of giving this place 5 stars, so please think of this as more of a 4.5 star review!

Anyway, this is one of the most unique and enjoyable restaurants in Cambridge.  The restaurant is intimate and atmospheric, making you feel transported to North Africa.  The dining experience is great, as the menu features unique dishes that are available no other place.  

If you go, I strongly recommend bringing a few friends along and taking your time.  Order from across the menu and enjoy the delicious starters, main dishes, and deserts.  Don't expect a quick in and out experience or a lot of familiar food (unless you really know your way around North African cuisine).  This place's greatest strength is that it is unashamed to be unique and rewards those who understand that!
5 - Ryuji S.: I love this place so much, despite the cranky old lady who will greet you. You'll love this place if you like small, friendly, cozy place and north African food. Don't go there with your neighbors if you want to come back there and find your seat. Just go there with special out-of-town visitors! Rose lemonate gets mentioned zillion times, and there is a good reason for that.
3 - Alec Y.: i think perhaps i just don't like african food that much. i'm not so sure.

this was a fine meal. the food was decent. i ordered melfouf la kasbah. its basically two kabobs with papas frites and a side salad. i was very excited to eat a baraka cafe. but i found that it didn't live up to my expectations. the meet was cooked well with plenty of flavoring. it was slightly tangy. but i felt the meat was a little overcooked and especially the white meat, it wasn't very tender and very dry. the two sides i felt were very boring. the salad was just like any other salad. and the papas frites tasted like those potato sticks that come in a can. i mean, it brought me back to my childhood which was great, but i wasn't expecting something to taste so mass produced. HOWEVER. the lemonade, the rosewater lemonade, cherbata was excellent. i loved that. it was sweet and refreshing and beautiful. the roses were very pretty,

the service was nice. there host/waiter wasn't memorable at all. but there was this old man that came out with an apron and he was much more attentive. not to mention just absolutely adorable. the food does take a while to come out, but its a very independent operation so i give it the benefit of the doubt.

the decor was very very cozy like many of previous people have mentioned. i love the exposed brick and the long drapes over the windows. the plates were actually taken from a cabinet, which gave it that family kitchen feel. i enjoyed the decor. might've been a little cramped, but its just a little location i can't expect any more.
1 - Caroline W.: I had heard good things about this place from a few friends, and since it was right around the corner from my place, I thought it was worth a try.  BIG DISAPPOINTMENT!  I ordered the special seared scallops to start, and it was inedible.  It was completely burnt not to mention had fallen apart into little pieces, probably bc they were scorched onto the pan.  The chef should have been embarrassed to send this out.  After a rough start, my main dish was also terrible.  I ordered an eggplant dish and it tasted really bitter and the cous cous was not great given it's in almost every one of their main dishes.  My fiance's dish, the lamb chops, were decent, but definitely not worth $18.  Even after getting the scallops removed from the check, we still spent $45 (incl. bev and tip) and went home hungry.  I have to wonder if it was an off-day... the restaurant was pretty busy, so I assume people like it for a reason.  I will never go back though.  Worst meal I've had in awhile.
5 - Dan S.: Baraka Cafe is a great little treat tucked away at 80 1/2 Pearl Street. Everyone will tell you to get the rose lemonade cherbit, and they're correct - it's delicious. Another popular dish is the 3 cheese appetizer, again for good reason. The food was delicious, the setting is small and quiet with very attentive service. Try it out if you're in Cambridge.
4 - Jenn Y.: I walked past twice before seeing the entrance, but am very glad my friend Rosaria told me about this place!  There were many things on the menu I wanted to try, and ultimately ended up ordering a smoked eggplant soup (served chilled) and the vegetable couscous.

The soup was deliciously smoky and went well with the grilled pita.  I'm normally not particularly excited by couscous, but the waiter recommended it, and it was excellent.  It was a beautiful consistency with the softened vegetables melting in your mouth.  Lovely lovely flavor.  I will definitely come back to try more of their menu!
4 - Abby F.: Went there for an early dinner with an ethnic dining club and we had a blast!  This tiny place serves authentic-tasting North-African dishes, with attentive service.  We had a selection of appetizers including scallops, grilled veggies, cheese plate, all of it just delicious.  Then I had grilled salmon with grilled more veggies, and it just was mouth-watering good, with olives and herbs to die for.  And of course, there's that lovely rose-flavored lemonade to be enjoyed throughout the meal.  Tiny, slightly cramped place, so go there early--otherwise you'll stand in line a long time.
5 - Shaina P.: For a taste of the exotic screaming with Mediterranean flair, head to Baraka where in the style of meze (small plates) and bowl filled entrees, food of North Africa (Tunisia and Algeria) spice up your taste buds and fill your bellies with pleasure.

Now that Dave and I are steps away from this place, I know 100% that we will return monthly if not weekly.  Baraka (cash only) is warm and welcoming, but small with very limited seating.  Thankfully, the menu is limitless with its small sharable plates (each plate the perfect size for parties of 4) and reasonably priced entrees (meat dishes up to $18, vegetarian in the low teens).  Be sure to pair your meal with the homeade lemonade, Cherbat, flavored with a subtle hint of mystery spice, rose petals and mint.  It is the perfect complement to the flavors of every dish we ate.

The two of us shared meze of:
  + Jbinet with Berber Karmous :: Mediterranean cheeses of feta and some other semi soft amazing cheese
  + Merguez D'Alger :: spicy lamb & beef North African sausage
  + Karentika :: Oran famous savory chickpea custard with harissa tapenade :: like polenta cake; warm and lovely
  + Zaatar Coca :: traditional Bedouin galette of sage, thyme, sesame seeds, lemon juice, caramelized onions on hand-stretched grilled Berber bread

And for our entree we shared the eggplant stuffed with feta and fire roasted, served with cous cous.  Sharing was key!  But there are many other items that we want to try later.
4 - Steve L.: Just enjoyed a very filling burger around the corner at Green Street with friends, when they told us we had to go get desert at Baraka.

So here I am with ground beef digesting in my stomach thinking to myself, ok now I'm going to go eat a flourless choclate tort that's so heavy handed that my first bite and I'm done.

Boy was I surprised. this hole-in-the wall cafe (for the size), seats about 8 tables or so. And has an entree with the median price of $11 (as i recollect) , and smelled absolutely wonderful, why the heck did I not eat dinner here!.

So I share the 7(?)-Spice chocolate tort with my girlfriend and order a turkish coffee (Lost my TC-Virginity that night), and couldn't believe how delicious, delicate, and complex the tort tasted. It also came with an apple-sauce sorbet (that's what it tasted like to me), which also was deliciously interesting. BUT the Turkish Coffee (TC), oh man, I can not rave about this enough, it was the blackest, sludgiest stuff on earth (well maybe not as dark as Walt Disney's heart), but damn this stuff was good, and spiced with cardamom. mmmm, I will be heading back for a full dining experience very soon!
4 - Shirley Y.: a couple friends introduced me to this little gem of a place, hidden just outside of central square right on pearl street.  i walk into a very intimate place with dim mood lighting, lit by beautiful moroccan lamps.  the small room had posters of tunisia and numerous zagat ratings hanging on its walls.  we sat at the banquette seating, which were somewhat tight quarters, but very comfortable with their velvet throw pillows.  be careful when walking in -- the wood floor is slippery.

the menu selection does not fit the term "cafe."  highly recommended was their house drink -- lemonade made with rose petals and mint.  a swig of it leaves an aftertaste that was somewhat fun and frustrating to name:  cinnamon.  the appetizers were flavorful and delicious.  we ordered the sausage appetizer, which was probably my lesser favorites, unusual for me as i crave all things meat.  the bountiful vegetarian selections were great for my vegetarian friend, who also enjoyed the eggplant, the mushroom ravioli and the olive tapenade [despite her aversion to both mushrooms and olives].  

while ordering, the specials for the entrees caught my eye and we ordered the tilapia, even though the lamb and chicken both sounded fabulous as well.  we also added the eggplant entree and couscous.  little did we know that when the eggplant arrived, it was already accompanied by couscous.  nonetheless, we scarfed it all down, leaving nary a morsel remaining.  

i will definitely come back here again with my boyfriend, who loves middle eastern food.  the service was just ok, and the reason why it did not receive the full five stars.  keep in mind the place is cash only, but the prices are very reasonable.  the portion sizes were generous - thank goodness we shared it all family-style, but i will be back for the flourless chocolate cake that caught my eye on the dessert menu but was not able to consume!
5 - Nik B.: Foreign and sultry. It doesn't get better than that. Stepping into this place you immediately feel that you have been transported to an exotic location that is full of mystery. Foods, smell, and sounds are all unknown to you. 

It is a very small space, very intimate and the lighting is perfect. 

The menu is limited, which means that each dish is really good.

We shared a pitcher of the charbat, the rose petal lemonade, which has great flavors. However, I thought it was a bit over-sweetened.

I had the Smoked Salmon Coca as my dinner, which was great. It was essentially flat bread topped with layers of caramelized onions, smoked salmon, some very tasty sauces, and a big pile of fresh greens on top. This dish was delicious and was the perfect portion size. I will definitely come back here for more.
4 - Holly M.: If a restaurant can be seductive, this is it.  Central Square, Cambridge and some of the walk to the restaurant is not ideal if you're alone at night, but take a group to Baraka and you're in for a treat.  It feels like you're in the warm, homey, living room of a family.  Seats are covered in authentic North African fabric cushions.  Serving platters have a rustic, well-loved look.  The single best thing about the restaurant is the lemonade.  It's real, definitely had roses and ginger in it, but it's a special recipe.  Order the pitcher.  You won't regret it.  The plates are small and a bit pricey (I'm a college student), but bring a group and try lots of different dishes.  Pilaf seems to be a central ingredient.  Many good options for your vegetarian friends, but they have to be willing to try exotic (the eggplant is surprisingly good!).  A great place for an unusual date or to impress your parents with your wide range of cuisine interests. Make reservations or expect to wait.
5 - Tiffany Z.: Intimate, cozy atmosphere that reminds me of small restaurants in Europe.  The North African trinkets decorating the walls give it a homey yet exotic feel.  And, what's most important, the food is outstanding -- my personal favorite is the baby lamb chops (perfectly spiced, best when medium rare).

The service can be slow so certainly don't come if you're in a rush or starving and note that the restaurant can sometimes be cold in the winter & hot in the summer.  Perfect for a couple or a group of 4, especially if you're looking to have a slow-paced meal that provides ample opportunity for conversation :)

Cash only!
4 - Christopher W.: Attention hungry eaters: the portions at Baraka Cafe are small. The prices seem very reasonable at first glance, but if you need a full meal you might need two entrees or multiple appetizers.

Luckily, everything is stupendously delicious, and just as importantly UNIQUELY delicious. 

Visit with your closest friends. It's just that kind of place.
4 - Tanya T.: Mmmm... Baraka Cafe.  The hidden pearl on Pearl Street.  Intoxicating, sexy lemonade.  Hand-stretched Berber bread.  Mediterranean cheeses.  Carmelized onion.  Olives.  Spices.  There's little more to know.  Except that its little-- as in "only parties of two-to- four" little, and "expect to feel a little close in your little seats as you wait for the little staff from their little kitchen to deliver your big flavors that make up for it all" little.

See, I don't like to be grumpy here, but what's up with Kenny's party of nine?    Are you nuts? Who picked Baraka for a party of nine?   I worked in a small restaurant for three years and it grated my nerves when large parties reserved.  I wish our owner had the integrity to have a 6-and-fewer reservation policy.  I'm sorry... I'm being rude.  But the lure of money is strong and I wonder if the same was the case for Baraka?  Even if they say yes, unless your reserving the entire restaurant, it seems illogical to me.  A big party in a small restaurant is like choking on a hairball... annoying and you can't wait to be free of it.  It overwhelms the kitchen, the serving staff, the experience for other guests, and the ambience and charm and experience you chose the place for in the first place is ruined.  Why bother?  As an excellent server, I can't condone Ali's behavior but I COMPLETELY understand it.

Yelp!

Baraka is one of my favorite restaurants in Boston.  Go back in a party of two or four (MAX), cozy up, share some dishes and a pitcher of cherbat, and go with the sultry flow.  That's its vibe, thats what its capable of, I don't recommend going against that flow or you'll be gypped of all they have to offer.  That's what I think.
1 - AB D.: I will never go back to this restaurant despite the tasty food.  We arrived at 6 pm on a Saturday night (group of 4) and one of the owners, a woman, sat at a table behind us yelling on the telephone at (literally) the top of her lungs.   I am not exaggerating! I looked over at her a couple of times, but she continued to yell so loud throughout our meal that I couldn't hear what our friends were saying.  By the time we left at 7:30 pm, the place had filled up so we couldn't hear her any more.   It was one of my worst restaurant experiences ever.
4 - Rachel N.: Went on an adorable date here--it's an unexpectedly cute surprise, located in an unassuming house on Pearl (I think?).  Waltzed in during the week, and although it was packed, our table pour dos was accomodated quickly.  Service was spotty, but the food shone.  The portions are not massive, so it's ideal for sharing a bunch of small plates, which allows you to explore the menu.  I consider myself a med afficienado, and at the risk of sounding totally ignorant, many of the combinations I had that night were totally new to me.  

Baraka is a journey for the tastebuds, and go expecting as though you were actually traveling to North Africa, b/c it will take abt that long for your meal to occur--but nevertheless, it's always enjoyable and delicious.
4 - Katherine L.: Definitely a fan of baraka. I love the atmosphere here. Went with two friends who are veggies and we shared 3 appetizers and 2 entrees. We also shared a pitcher of the rosewater lemonade, a nice added touch to the meal. The appetizers we had were the 3 cheeses, a chickpea custard and a pepper pesto spread. The cheeses all tasted very fresh and the spread had a nice kick to it. The chickpea dish had a spongy texture that I didn't love but was still tasty. 

For entrees we had the vegetarian cous cous and the eggplant. The eggplant has a very nice smokey flavor to it and I think was my favorite dish of the night. The cous cous wasn't anything special in my opinion. 

The highlight of the meal was by far the cheesecake for dessert. Since the dessert were on the specials page I'm guessing they change but the cheesecake was amazing. I would come back just for that! Real, creamy cheese on top of a nice crispy crust  and blackberries on top. The portion was very generous, as well. 

We spent just over $20 each with tip and all left very full and satisfied. Would definitely recommend baraka!
1 - Midou N.: this has been a dispointment at all levels. 

The food wasn't great at all. I am from North Africa and I can confidently attest of this. We were three persons and tried/shared different dishes. None was impressive. You can definetly sample better north african foods in other places around Boston. 

The staff was really unprofessional and LOUD. The waiter didn't even know what's in the menu, or bother making an effort explaining. It's like you won't be paying ....
I couldn't believe how loud the kitchen staff was. It was really unbearable at certain point. If you are looking for a quite conversation while you are dining, don't go there. 

In short, this place is a disaster!
4 - Caitlin C.: I never thought a tuna sandwich could taste so different and amazing. Also, the flourless chocolate torte was amazing. I need to campaign to go back to this place. I only get to Boston/Cambridge about once a year and it has been 2-3 years since I ate at Baraka but I remember the torte...

The service may have been slow. I don't remember. I know it is a tiny place and I think I recall only one server, a lady in traditional dress, working.
4 - Kylie B.: Baraka was a very pleasant surprise, not in that other Yelpers don't love Baraka and rave about it, but that I would enjoy it as much as I did.

The rose petal lemonade is my new favorite lemonade ever. The floral taste is so distinctly different and such a welcome departure from the usual lemon drink. Not too sweet, not too tart, just smooth.

I had chicken cooked in a tagine with couscous, date, apricots, raisins, etc. It was very moist and the couscous made me want to scrap the bottom of the tagine.

Before that, we'd started with some type of bread with caramelized onions. It was very fruity and delicious. I think it shot ahead of naan in my mind as the perfect beginning of an exotic meal.

Perfect date feel, very dark, smaller tables, intimate setting. You almost miss the place driving past. We only have a green light over the door to guide us.

It'll be worth any parking hassles or difficulty finding it. Dinners for us was around $50. I'll be back!
5 - Janine A.: Oh, if only I could give you more than 5 stars! Fresh, fabulous food made to order. The staff were really nice and I'm trying to replicate that lemonade with rose hips!
5 - Rebecca S.: I'm kicking myself for letting a few YEARS elapse without going to Baraka Cafe.  What was my problem?

We had a lovely meal last night; I had the melka -- eggplant with pepper and onions, fresh spinach, gruyere and feta, lightly suffused with lemon, over a bed of couscous.  The flavors were a subtly complex medley that intrigued with every bite -- and the dish was substantial enough so that I sadly couldn't finish the last few bites.  My companion had New Zealand lamb chops, served with spinach and also (I think) couscous, and was equally pleased with his meal.  We both had the lovely rosewater-mint lemonade.  He's somewhat of a regular at Baraka, and I think I will be too!  The ambiance is warm and low-key, the food is delicious, and the prices are reasonable.  If you want to get an after-dinner drink, Green Street Grille is just a few blocks away.   Perfect.
5 - Lauren G.: Baraka Cafe is a truly fabulous experience!

Yes- it feels a bit hole in the wall from the outside but inside it has a charming, romantic feel.  The place is tiny ( think the max seating is ~20 at a time) but the food it great.  The menu is quite limited however there are enough choices to accommodate a variety of tastes.  The lemonade is a must have (just order a pitcher)- the taste is truly out of this world.  My favorite appetizer is the mergouz (lamb sausages) that taste just heavenly.  The mafouf is my favorite main dish (a combination of different meats on skewers with salad and potato), other favorites include couscous and the last time we went they has a special lamb shank that was much appreciated by the boys at the table.
  The service can be a bit "relaxed" (this is not a quick dinner kind of place)- but if you appreciate good food, a cozy atmosphere and a relaxed evening then Baraka Cafe really hits the mark.
2 - Damon D.: Ate here with a friend this evening. Quick summary:

Lemonade: Fantastic
Food: Medium to Good
Price: Nice
Service: Meh. 
Atmosphere: Cramped but cozy

I'm glad I found this place and will probably go back again if only for the awesome Lemonade and tasty appetizers. I can't say the food blew my socks off. It was nice to find a place with some authentic mid-east food, and I give it high marks for that, but the food itself wasn't so good as to make me think "I need seconds." For selection, big winner, but I can't say the actual meal I had was 3 star, not at the price I paid. 

*Not feeling great about having religious literature (pamphlets) in my face at the door. Especially from a place where a sign reads "we only take cash." Does anyone else find that a little sketchy? I've seen that kind of thing at a few other places (several different sects and religions) and it always raises an eyebrow. Certainly won't stop me from eating there, but it made my guest very, very uncomfortable.
4 - Courtney H.: First off, five stars for the lemonade infused with mint, rose hips, and other spices. I would drink this every day, if I could.

Baraka Cafe has an interesting menu if you're in the mood for something different. You can have an evening of tapas, or choose an entree instead. I highly recommend the cheese and fig compote plate. The little bread pieces served along with it are divine.

Service is friendly, but not very fast, and it is a small place, but I would call it more cozy than cramped. Also, they are cash only.
3 - Tricia C.: To get 5 stars people, you've got to do it ALL right!

I arrived at 5:30 yesterday (Thurs) to meet a party of 4 (+2 children).  It is a cramped space for larger parties but that is why we called ahead of time to ask if it was ok and arrived early.

It had to be over 30 minutes before anyone came out to take our order.  We went looking for someone.  I prefer a relaxed dining pace but some "hello" or glass of water would have been nice.  A man finally came out.

His demeanor may seem aloof.  I'd rather think of him as misunderstood, like the soup nazi character from Seinfeld.  Don't bother him with your questions, just order - and stay out of the way.

We had the charbat (rose flavored lemonade) veggie platter, zatar bread and labna with dates - beautiful presentation, fresh & clean flavors.  Shared a chicken (with couscous and dried fruits) Braised lamb tagine (fabulous!) and the Dolma (stuffed cabbaged leaves).  I enjoyed the couscous, though I've never been a huge fan.  Ordered another pitcher of charbat - SO good!  Chocolate cake was ok - I preferred the katayef dessert.

Most items/flavors were familiar to me being of Lebanese descent.  This kind of healthy food with such variety and color is my kind of soul food.  

We got out of there for $25 a piece (cash only!)  Worth the price.  I will go back after getting a little more exposure to N African food.  2 star service, 4 star food, 3 ambiance - overall a 3
1 - babyroo j.: After waiting for 30min in a cramped room behind a wrought iron screen with thick cob webs all over it, we were finally going to get seated. We (2 people) requested to be seated at a different 4 seater than the 4 seater they offered us. Then 2 min later they seated a couple on the table we asked for!! (NO reservation or anything either!) Anyway, as I put my elbows down on the wet (very wet) table and began to read the menu, the odor of mould greeted us from the wall behind us... GROSS!!! We waited another 15min for the waiter so we could arrange to sit somewhere less mouldy, .... no waiter, no water, no menu offered... nothing.... 
We left.
5 - Brian K.: This is my favorite restaurant in Cambridge/Boston.

The food is absolutely delicious.  The menu is vegetarian friendly.  The cozy dining area has a wonderful atmosphere, with beautiful artwork and decorations.  This is as good as it gets.

PS:  Plan ahead - they only accept cash.  Also, no alcohol.
4 - M J.: Get here early to beat the crowd. The cafe had slow service but that made for some nice conversation. Its very intimate dining setting means  that you are almost sitting on top of the patrons next to you and the door kept opening up blowing in cold air. We could hear the kitchen staff yelling at each other throughout the meal which proved more entertaining than annoying.

That said, the atmosphere was pleasant and romantic with the lighting and exposed brick, and the food was great.  I got the lentil soup to start- spicy and hot. For my main course, I ordered the veggie platter- basically every delicious dip you can think of on one platter and not such a huge platter that you wish you had skipped the appetizer. For dessert, my boyfriend and I split that chocolate torte. 

It was a perfect meal, we felt full but not stuffed, the flavors were fantastic and just spicy enough, and it was cheap. I normally like wine with dinner, but the overall experience was sufficiently pleasant to make the lemonade a perfect accompanying beverage.
5 - Josephine L.: This place fills up fast after 6pm most nights, so get here early if you can.

I am thoroughly in love with Baraka. It satisfies that cozy, dimly lit, intimate feel I like, the hole-in-the-wall appeal and the delicious, richly authentic, ethnic food I crave. Oh, and the prices are so reasonable too.

As pretty much everyone else will say, get the rose lemonade and prepare to be blown away. I love the Merguez D'Alger, but I love merguez anywhere because let's face it, sausage-shaped lamb is delicious. 

The Melfouf la Kasbah is delicious and I love the little American addition of slender French fries. I often order from the specials too, and love the stewed chicken with apple slices (forget the name). And for dessert, the creme brulee is surprisingly delicious. Not sure how authentic creme brulee is, but they make it well.
3 - projectshave l.: Had the dates and labna. The labna was good. Had the veggie eggplant dish. It was ok, but they used what tasted like cheap gruyere cheese slices from a deli. If you're in the area it may be worth trying.
1 - Kate W.: Before I begin my review, let me clarify: 1) I love the food here - having lived for a time in Paris, where there is an abundance of authentic North African food, I was happy to find that Baraka Cafe could hold its own. 2) I am writing this review because I had one of the most traumatic service experiences of my life, and I have had some bad service in France and China, two countries where I have put up with a good deal of dismissive and negligent behavior from restaurant staff, so I am not easily disturbed by bad service. 

I had been to Baraka Cafe before and had decent service and delicious food, so to celebrate my graduation, I made a reservation two days in advance for a Commencement dinner on May 27, 2010 with my mother and two close family friends for 7pm. My group and I arrived at 7pm, and thought that we were to be seated at a 4-person table near the window. Instead, an older lady (the owner, I presume) who I had not seen before barked at the waiter, who told us we would be sitting at a wooden table in the darkest furthest corner of the restaurant near the kitchen, where the old lady was currently watching over a platter of baklava. She ignored us, got up, and ordered the waiter to direct us there. They made no effort to clean the table, put a tablecloth or silverware, and just indicated for us to sit.

I asked the waiter if we could sit at the window booth, and he replied that there was a party of 5 coming. To which I replied that I thought the table in the corner could accommodate 5 as well, and since we were first to arrive, could he give us the other table. The old lady yelled at him when he asked her, and he told us that he could not. I then politely asked him if he could put two smaller tables together near the entrance instead.

After we had sat down and were ready to order, the old lady came over and started loudly lecturing me in front of the other patrons about how rude I was to ask the waiter to put us at the window booth. She said I was thoughtless because how could she put a group of 5 in the corner table (it would have fit 5 people). I was shocked, and could only politely respond that we had made a reservation, we arrived first, and it was my graduation so I preferred a better location near the window. 

Dear readers, she did not stop, but continued to vociferously berate me in front of the entire restaurant. In front of my mother. In front of my closest friends. On the day of my graduation, which she knew because I clearly told her twice. I asked her to stop yelling at me, and she said, "I'm not yelling at you. I'm just telling you how rude you are for asking to switch tables." etc etc. 

I simply could not take this unwarranted and exceedingly rude behavior anymore, and got up, told the waiter "I love the food here, but I am never ever setting foot in this restaurant again." I left with my group, and as I was leaving, she kept on yelling at me from the kitchen. I must admit that I finally lost my cool and told her to shut her mouth. I was mortified and extremely vexed by this public humiliation.

Luckily, we were able to find another place to celebrate, but I will never darken Baraka Cafe's door again. In my humble opinion, a restaurant should not only offer delicious food and a suitable ambiance, but also friendly service. I feel sad for the people who work under her, because they were clearly scared of her and under her thumb. Although my friend suggested that since she is North African, a former French colony, and the French have a different service tradition, this might account for her behavior. I don't think this is the case - I have never been yelled at or chastised in any restaurant in France, no matter how desultory the service. In any case, there is NO EXCUSE for what she did.

Apologies for the long review, but I think that everyone should know how this restaurant is run. Sometimes the lady isn't there (such as the first time I was there), and sometimes she is, but in either case, I'd rather not patronize a restaurant that engages in public humiliation of its clients.
4 - Maki P.: This place was such a pleasant and magical surprise! I felt throughout the entire course of the meal as though I were having dinner in another country. The atmosphere is so intimate that my relationship with the waitstaff made me feel like I was back with my Peace Corps host family (in a good way). And the food was all delicious, across the board. We were really lucky that we happened to drop in on a night when there was  a table available-- we arrived quite early and by the time our first course arrived, the whole (tiny) place was packed. All the flavors were genuine and subtle and the veggie dishes were unexpectedly flavorful and rich. The tagine I had was amazing, but I think I enjoyed the tapas that we started with the most (though I wish we'd had more of the bread, which was toasty and divine).

A great date place. I can't wait to come back here and try everything on the menu, but it's hard to plan around the unpredictable seating situation, and it's the kind of place that easily sucks up 2 hours plus for dinner. Not a great place to stop by on a busy evening.
4 - Jenny H.: LOVE their house lemonade - very complex tasting, sour, sweet, with spices... Really good eggplant dish that has this intense smoky flavor. Yummy cheese/fig plate. Their 'crepe' with the special African sausage was only so-so... not a fan of the sausage... maybe it was too...crumbly? Highly recommend the lamb chops, very tasty, although maybe not enough (portion-wise). Couscous is good as well, although a little too much (overload) if you just eat the classical couscous dish.Turkish(?) coffee was intense... don't really suggest it. I think the best way to eat here is to order a number of the apps and do it tapas style - maybe with an entree or two (of couscous) depending on # of ppl eating. The Melouf/Kasbah dish isn't really worth it - few pieces of meat, too salty, and soggy frites.  LUNCH: the tuna salad was... interesting, its got this nice sour/tartness, but i don't know if I'm all that excited about it.
4 - Alexis S.: I was nervous to try this new restaurant on one of the hottest days of the year.  I was not in the mood for no ac, a line down the block and snippy waitstaff.  Other yelp reviews said "great food" but bad attitude and always a line.  Today was a day to stay indoors, not to venture forth.  But my trusty dinner partners are more adventurous and we forged on.  I had a back up plan (a list of area restaurants with ac!) but there was no need at all!  Cafe Baraka may have at one point not had ac but it does now.  There was no line- the small place was full but we sat down right away and were not rush throughout our meal.  The waiter was fantastic.  Courteous, helpful and prompt without rushing us.  And the food was amazing as well.  Other yelpers have more eloquently described the food than I could but suffice it to say, I agree.

I'll be back.
5 - Shelley L.: This place is a charming little hole in the wall in Central Square. At first glance, the place looked closed because the lights are set so low and evoke the feeling of dusk. The restaurant appears to be family run, and my friend and I were served by a really nice guy who we thought was the son of the owner. We were starving and the service was perfectly timed so that new courses were always filling our tables and our water glasses were never empty. But now to the best part, the delicious food.

We started with a fried eggplant dish with some sort of creamy topping. Amazing. I had a dish consisting of three types of kabob (sausage made from beef and chicken, chicken and beef). The side was made of a mix of potatoes, red peppers and onions. The spices were "Bedouin" and I was pleasantly surprised that my taste buds had never tasted anything like it before. A mix between Nepali, Afghani and Mediterranean, it was simply scrumptious. We shared a carafe of the delicious rose water lemonade with a hint of mint which went perfectly with each delectable bite. Even though we were stuffed, we went for the seven spice chocolate torte with two scoops of handmade ice cream and pretty much were in food coma heaven.

So, I really recommend this place as a romantic date spot, a gathering of 4-6 friends over a different kind of meal, or when you're in the mood for a food adventure. Because this Algerian food, is pretty amazing. 

-Also, this place is cash only, so just remember that when you go in.
5 - Elizabeth B.: My husband and I had an exquisite meal at Baraka Cafe several years ago when were just dating and on our first vacation together.  It was the sort of relaxed and protracted meal that you see in movies when the characters are on really good dates - you know, laughing over drinks, staring into each other's eyes, lit by perfectly flickering candlelight.  Yeah, it was like that.

I can't recall most of what we ate, but I do recall the rosewater lemonade, our dining neighbors telling fortunes in the grounds of their coffee, and that everything we ate was amazing.  We ordered dessert, and our waiter sadly informed me that they had run out of my selection - some kind of cake, if I recall correctly.  When a piece of said appeared for the next table over, he was all apologies, and insisted on sending me home with a piece in a box.  By that point we were SO full of SUCH good food that we couldn't dream of eating another bite, but who says no to free cake?!

We haven't been back to Boston since that trip, but when we do return, I will insist on another meal at Baraka.  It's amazing.
3 - Amanda F.: My dining companions were extremely late, so the sweet older woman who must have been the mother/grandmother of the other employees, invited me to have a seat while I waited, and she kept bringing me water.

My friends finally arrived, and we were seated.  We got 3 pitchers of the rosewater lemonade, and it was well worth it.  We also shared a few appetizers.

For my meal, I got the cheese and olive stuffed eggplant.  It was pretty good, but a bit mushy, and a bit more cheese than I expected.  I love cheese, which is why I ordered something described as "stuffed with cheese"  but this was a lot of cheese, even for me!

Overall, a good experience!
5 - Rachel B.: To avoid describing yet another restaurant as a "hidden gem," I'm instead going to break out the thesaurus and look up each word separately to find new phrases that might not mean quite the same thing, a la Eugene Hutz's character in Everything Is Illuminated. Today's phrase: clandestine paragon. Yes, that'll do.

Well, Baraka Cafe is certainly a clandestine paragon. When you step inside, though, you feel suddenly transported to Tunisia (cue Night in Tunisia here.) It's tiny and charming with an uneven wooden floor, brick walls, art and photos of northern Africa, and sparkly tablecloths (yes, sparkly.) Dinnerware is carefully stored in a beautiful, imposing piece of furniture that looks like a family heirloom. If you peak into the kitchen through an arched wall opening and doorway, you'll see a giant stove that looks like it came out of a fairytale. (You'll get a great look at the kitchen if you use the bathroom. You'll have to squeeze through the cramped archway to the kitchen, and the bathroom is right there. Real estate is tight.)

My meal was spectacular. For a detailed account, check out my full review here: http://forkitoverboston.blogspot.com/2010/06/baraka-cafe.html
5 - alana c.: Hands down one of the best meals I've ever had in my life. Amazing flavors. Must haves: the Lamb and the rose lemonade..the open kitchen...the decor.the chef and waiter were so so kind...plus it's in this residential area so you'd never know it was here..was told lunch time Is a great deal here!!
5 - Sarah C.: A hot steamy night in Cambrige meant that my friend and I did not want to cook.  We sought refuge in this restaurant which proved to be a a culinary oasis from the heat.  I had the cold soup which was refreshing and light.  Then we split the vegetarian platter. 

Great food. The service was a little rusty but I have to hand it to the one waitress who took care of us and the whole restaurant.  Come here if you love long conversations since the food is served at a leisurely pace.
5 - Sushmita m.: Baraka means blessing in Arabic, and what a blessing it is to stumble upon this cozy cafe. Tucked away off the main bustle of Central Square, its unassuming exterior lends no clue to the treats that await inside. Walking into Baraka Cafe is like being transported to Tunisia or Morocco entirely.

Yes, the mint & rosewater-infused lemonade is a requirement if you decide to come here -- order a carafe & pair it with the date and cheese platter for an otherworldly melange of flavors. And unlike the slow service that everyone else has mentioned, service was impeccable during my visit -- the entrees came out before we had finished the appetizers and nothing was left for wanting.  

This has been my favorite Cambridge meal by far.

As a side note, the cafe is cash only.
1 - Kim L.: I was looking forward to trying the Chorbat (mint/rosewater lemonade) but although we ordered it, no one ever brought it.  We would have simply reminded the woman who was "serving" us, but she was way too busy SHOUTING AT THE TOP OF HER LUNGS at the cook to pay any attention to us.  At first, I felt tolerant of her behavior - thinking to myself... sometimes I lose my cool too!  However, when I lose my cool, it lasts for a couple minutes, and HER yelling went on for closer to an hour (at least).

The service was awful.  The food was ok (blackened crepe, cold merguez).  The decor was delightful.  But in the end NONE of that mattered due to the bizarre, alarming, and hostile behavior of the server.  My lunch was wrecked because I kept having visions of the cook, who had disappeared from view.  I imagined he might be bloodied and in need of medical attention somewhere in the back.  What should have been a pleasant lunch with an old friend turned out to be an incredibly unpleasant experience for me.  I will not go back.
2 - sara s.: This was my experience:
When I received my vegetarian order - which was described as a potato and cauliflower cake in tomato broth - I started to eat it and could see there was something like cheese inside. I asked the waiter, is there cheese in this? I told him I was allergic to dairy. He said no, absolutely no cheese. I said thank you and kept eating. As I got halfway through this potato/cauliflower cake I kept spying in it some stringy substance that looked like cheese. I worried about getting sick. So I went back to the kitchen and said, is there cheese in this dish I am eating? I really am very allergic to dairy. My waiter came over and said no cheese. I said, are you sure? The cook overheard us and said yes there is cheese. The waiter turned to me and said, sorry yes there is cheese. ARghhhh!
5 - Steven L.: Amazing food, great tea, wonderful interior, sublime lemonade and a really hot waiter.

Points for the poster of Palin in the small bathroom.

Excellent, go, now.
1 - nm n.: I just went there for lunch and I'm afraid this place is on it's way down.

I had been there previously 5 years ago and the food was quite interesting, but a lot seems to have changed.

I ordered the grilled chicken with salad and pomme frites.  The salad was totally wilted.  I got three pieces of skinny chicken and the pomme frites tasted like they'd sat around for a while in grease.  All this sat on a piece of store bought wheat bread (definitely not made in-house) and served in a cheap looking basket that was too small for everything.  Couldn't even cut my cucumber in that tiny basket.  Gee's...no plates? C'mon!

My friend ordered the salad with spicy tuna.  It smelled and tasted bad. Lemon, parsley and olives should not alter the smell or taste of tuna.  They should enhance it, which tells me that the tuna was probably old and had sat around for too long.

Like many restaurants, it appears that she is being affected by the recession, but the way to stay in business is to maintain your high standards so that your customers can feel it was worth it, not lower them and make your customers feel like they got totally jipped.

The place also smelled bad -- like mold.  My friend said it smelled like sewage! I don't know. 

The owner needs to get back into the kitchen and stop spending her time yelling at the cook and listening to Islamic sermons on her laptop. The food is deteriorating right underneath her nose (literally).
4 - Yvonne W.: We went here to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday yesterday, and it was incredibly good! The place itself is really small, quaint, and toasty (I was seated right above a heat vent!). 

We had a flat bread, the pumpkin lentil ginger soup special of the day, the smoked eggplant appetizer, lamp chops with a very fine couscous and vegetables, along with the special meat skewer plate with chicken breast, lamb, beef, and lamb sausage that came with a salad and seasoned rice with vegetables and spices. Everything was so good - well spiced, seasoned, with meat that was cooked perfectly. The couscous was such a surprise - it was a lot richer and finer than I was used to. The vegetables that it came with were also cooked really well, and together they all melted in my mouth. The lamb chops were one of my favorites - it was cooked perfectly and was so juicy. 

We also had a carafe of the cherbat - the lemonade with spices and rose petals. While it was really tasty and complemented the meal well, we both agreed that it was a bit too sweet for our tastes. We actually ended up diluting it with a lot of water and enjoyed it a lot that way. 

We're so happy we found this place and definitely plan on coming back to try other things on the menu. The prices are very reasonable, and the service is pretty attentive. Everything we ordered last night we would order again.
5 - Ja H.: Great food! All the good ratings are true! I'm a picky eater and everything I've tried is really amazing.

Just remember to bring cash. Service may be slower on busy days, but it's so worth the wait!
4 - Emily W.: Really like this place. It's very cozy, dark and quaint, perfect for spontaneous dates in the cold winter. Every dish is packed with flavor, if not at times a little too much salt.

I'm actually not a huge fan of the mint and rosewater lemonade as it's a bit full of...roses? There's just a lot of stuff floating around and I usually have to dilute it with water. I'd get a glass to share because you can easily make two glasses out of one and get the flavor to be more reasonable.

Absolutely love the eggplant dishes (Bedenjal Mechoui, Melkha) and lamb entrees (M'Katef and one of the lamb specials). Can't go wrong with the daily specials!
2 - Kevin G.: I'm giving the Baraka cafe two stars.  It would have been one, but I really liked the atmosphere of the room.  It's quiet, quaint, with north arfrican decor.  

Baraka lost stars for its lousy service.  It took 15 minutes for a waiter to come over.  After he came over my girlfriend and I said that we'd each like to have eggplant dish.  45 minutes later our dinner was served.  One dish. Obviously he assumed we were going to share one entree.  When asked about the 2nd, he said he was sorry for the misunderstaning but did not try to rectify the situation.  (I wasn't going to wait another 45 minutes for my food.

The eggplant dish was rather boring.  The rosewater lemonade reminded me a bit too much of the swell of a urinal cake to get too excited about it.
2 - Fab W.: I can only speak for take-out but I didn't get the urging desire to ever dine in the restaurant anyway and it had less to do with the food than the atmosphere itself.

The owner CAN be charming and will even go as far as trying to marry you to her brother (that item is not on the menu, Ladies ...), but it can be hard to tell there is an ounce of human sensitivity in her with her screaming at her poor cook (he's no chef) right in front of you for all to hear.  That alone is a major turn-off for any business. 
 
I understand the poor man has been working there for years (17 to be precise) so I'm sure he's used to the abuse, although his level of anxiety seemed to rise as her decibels kept going up.

The food itself was edible.  It may be a different thing when dining on-site and I am happy for Baraka to read others say so.  If you order couscous to go, make sure to ask for an extra side of sauce as it can be a bit too dry and don't nuke the merguez at all unless you like a little beef jerky in your dish.  
Oh and get some Harissa to go.  I think that's really what was lacking for me.

I wouldn't mind trying the food in the restaurant but I'm not sure it's worth another episode of Tunisian Gordon Ramsey pimping out her brother.
5 - Ciao H.: I've never been disappointed by this place. Its a small little place off the main roads. You walk in and it feels like you're eating in someone's home as their guest--its a small, cozy place. The pace is slow, don't expect to go in, grab your food and get out--this is a place where they take their time to cook your food and you have time to savor it. 

The flavors are bold and wonderful, a real Mediterranean range of tastes: fresh olives, cheeses, grilled breads, lambchops, fish in papillote. The deserts are just perfect. The waiters have always been very polite and offered to answer any questions. 

This is a cash only establishment, so bring money, and unless its Sunday everything around it is Cambridge permit parking, so be sure to find a spot on Mass Ave or one of the public garages a couple blocks down. 

A nice quiet little spot to take your special someone.
4 - Selena J.: We've been here twice and it's been great both times. Most recently we ordered the pumpkin lentil ginger soup, dates with labneh, melkha, and the classical couscous. The date dish could have been half the portion and price, but was very interesting and tasty. The soup was great and I wish we would have gotten and bowl instead of a cup. Both entrees were excellent. We also had a carafe of the cherbat which was really good, but we probably could have just share a glass. We finished off the meal with the flourless chocolate cake and a turkish coffee, which were (unsurprisingly) excellent. 
In stark contrast to some of the other reviews, bizarre interactions with the owner, screaming, huge delays in getting food, and lousy service were completely absent from both our visits.
4 - Joseph T.: This place is a little out of the way gem. I've eaten here a number of times and I'm always quite satisfied. Yes, the service is a little slow, but why hurry? Everything is cooked to order. We ate there the other night and I had white anchovies for an appetizer. They were yummy. My daughter had the spicy sausage appetizer--a favorite of regular customers. I had the stuffed eggplant which was flavorful--stuffed with cheeses, spinach and scallions. It came with couscous topped with a mildly spicy sauce. My daughter had the pan-seared sole which melted in your mouth. The sole came with flavorful jasmine rice and a tasty vegetable medley. Yes, the spiced chocolate torte is as good as they say. It was a busy night, but the food arrived on time, and the service was friendly. Granted, the waiters don't fall over themselves for you--but I'm not there to make friends--only to eat delicious, unique food in a small, old-world room. It can be a bit cold in winter near the front window or with the door opening and closing. It's a small place. Closer to the kitchen it remains warmer. Lemonade is great too.
3 - Tiff T.: Baraka is a small, "family-run" African restaurant in Central Square.  I say the restaurant is "family-run" because I don't know for sure if that's the case, but it sure seems like it by the way the servers yell at each other, shouting orders and gibes back and forth between the kitchen and dining room.  The kitchen and dining room are basically in the same room, and the entire restaurant only has a few tables.  

For dinner, I had a stew of chicken with rice, carrots and other vegetables, and olives.  The chicken was extremely tender, and although the dish comes with a single leg of chicken, it's the biggest leg I've ever had.  The rice was also good, but I actually thought there was more meat than rice, so after a while, I was just eating chicken.  It would have been nice for the dish to be a bit more balanced.

I also had the Cherbat, or the spiced lemonade with rose petals, which was very refreshing.  

Remember to bring cash; it's cash only!
5 - Kara B.: I was back as recently (my mommy was in town!) and this charming place hasn't changed. We had a leisurely lunch. The meurguez sandwiche with pomme frites is still excellent. 
The lovely owner was also there and she was extremely welcoming and wonderful as always.
4 - Heather W.: Very small, so get there early (we got there at 7 on Friday and the place was already totally full). I also saw that some people had reservations and it was quite clear no table was set aside for them (basically they just got bumped to the top of everyone else waiting). 

Friendly, but hit or miss service (Chris asked for a glass of water about three or four times and we didn't get one until the check came and I asked for one) 

Someone below mentioned that the rose lemonade slightly reminded them of a urinal cake and, though having never used a urinal (nor smelled one of their cakes) I have to say -- I think I get what they mean. It's not that the lemonade was bad, but it's like walking into a Michael's (arts and crafts store), capturing that potpourri smell, and putting a straw in it. Good for some people; urinal cake for others. 

The food is quite good. Their specials are noticeably more expensive than their standard fair but the selection is great and the flavor is good. 

I'll give a shout out for their Turkish coffee with cardamon -- it was awesome!
1 - Nho H.: My boyfriend and I were super excited about trying out this North Africian place down the street from us cuz we've heard great reviews. It's a cozy small restaurant that has a great vibe, a good setting for a date. We got Bedenjal Mechoui (Algerian classic smokey eggplant with roasted peppers, garlic, flat parsley, olive oil & house vinegar topped with labna) and that was so good! I was extremely excited to try their Rose Petal Lemonade and to no surprise, I was so pleased. The lemonade had the perfect hint of rose. So far, our dinner started out wonderfully. 

Then came our main dish which we got catch of the day... and well, to cut the story short, we got food poisoning from it. My boyfriend devour into the dish before I did and got more sick than I. The moment I put the fish near my noise, I knew something wasn't right.. The fish was so bad that it made the vegetables taste like garbage. Oh, the bad memories. Our stomach was not feeling good that night.

I really wanted to like this place because everything up to that point was good but the bad fish really ruined our evening. I don't think I am brave enough to give it another shot. That fish was pretty horrible... you would think they know if it's bad fish or not, right? i mean, the moment I smelt it, I knew it was a goner....
3 - Vivian C.: As instructed, I preordered the chicken bastilla torte.  I also tried to get a quail, but no luck... kosher quail are tough to come by, I guess...

Ironically, both my dc and I got/felt a tad lost on our way to the restaurant.  We were meeting there, and were each individually under the impression that if this restaurant was on Pearl Street, then it must be about a block in on the left.  Ah, no... that's Rangzen Tibetan Place...  But we both managed to arrive at our destination - I by accosting strangers for their smartphones, and she by simply continuing onward and upward!

While the restaurant  had a dinner rush of several parties arriving one on top of the other, the place never completely filled up the weeknight we were there.  This was probably a good thing since there was only the one waiter handling the entire room with a maximum of 8 tables - maybe 3 for parties of 4 and 4 for parties of 2.

We started off with the Zaatar Coca :: traditional Bedouin galette of sage, thyme, sesame seeds, lemon juice, caramelized onions on hand-stretched grilled Berber bread :: $4.50.  The bread was nice and soft, and the topping, although primarily tasting of the caramelized onions, still was fragrant with the other seasonings and flavors.

It took a little bit before the main course arrived - Classical Bastilla Torte :: requires 36-hour notice :: filo pastry layered with almonds, cinnamon, saffron, parsley, marinated squab or free-range chicken with figs, mint, parsley, orange blossom infusion :: market price ($14.95 on our night, I think).  But when it did, it arrived as a ball of fillo in a bowl... not quite what I was expecting... I've only experienced this dish once prior - as an appetizer at Tangierino.  Called Chicken B'Stila, it was a savory yet sweet, flaky bundle, fragrant with cinnamon ... I was hoping for a similar complex experience here.  The version at Baraka Cafe was tasty but simply savory, the filo was more moist than flaky, and the expected cinnamon was visible but not particularly evident otherwise.

For our sweet ending, we selected one of the desserts of the day - a vanilla condensed milk and mascarpone cheese cake $6.50.  This was a sweet, densely creamy treat.  The fruit sorbet helped to cut the sweet for my less sweet toothed friend.

In honor of my friend's birthday, the cheesecake arrived lit up with a candle, and preceded by a rather sedate variation of "Happy Birthday" streaming over the speakers.

A single bathroom rests to the right of the narrow hallway to the kitchen.  Be wary as you enter and exit, so as to not run over anyone or break any dishes.

Reservations are accepted for parties of 4 or more, but if you preorder the Bastilla they will take reservations for a party of 2.  Cash only.
4 - KoreanSoup S.: 4 stars here!!!
The food was fantastic. The boisterous owner is kind, interactive, and gives you the Tunisian experience whether you like it or not!
Flavors mixed to perfection. Would definitely go back!!
4 - Megan G.: I thought the food was delicious and the menu had ample options for all. Various vegetarian options were available, as well as a generous amount of meat dishes cooked in tagines and appetizers to share with a group. The restaurant is small (so not a great option for more than 3-4 people groups), and the service is incredibly slow. Regardless, I liked the intimate ambiance, thought the prices were reasonable (cash only) and would definitely go back.
1 - Raymond K.: GF and I came for lunch on a Tues.  I ordered a grilled merguez sandwich and GF got a Djadje sandwich.  GF liked that there were lots of greens in her sandwich, however, the sandwich itself was rather flavorless.  The merguez in my sandwich was small and dry, and my sandwich... equally flavorless.  The only redeeming part of the meal was the flatbread, which had a nice heartiness and tenderness to it.  Service was rather slow.  The owner was very outspoken and slightly amusing, but her semi constant spray of spittle was rather off putting.
4 - Hana T.: The cream brulee at Baraka Cafe is so damn good, that it's almost worth it coming here for that alone.  However, it'll be very stupid if you to do that, because the food here is excellent.  So, don't miss out. 

I'm hungry thinking of their food already.  Some things not to miss out: Zaatar Coca, Bedenjal Mechoui, Melkha (stuffed eggplant), and the homemade rose lemonade...  Delicious.  I can drink that all day!  There's no alcohol here, but the excellent turkish coffee makes up for it when you have it at the end with the cream brulee or the spiced flourless chocolate torte.  But if you still really want a drink, Green Street is just a stone's throw away.
3 - chanda a.: The food is ok, but the special lemonade with rose petals is to die for.  

I like the middle eastern atmosphere, and the owner, the algerian lady is super friendly.

I wish, that they would make the portions a bit bigger, and improve the quality of the food, it not bad, but there is definetly room for improvement.
4 - Ioan B.: Great deal for lunch, good for dinner. Service may be slow, but entertaining.
4 - Alyssa K.: Delicious food! I highly recommend any type of lamb dish and couscous! The lemonade is fantastic (but drink with a straw- Rose petals attack!)

One time I got to- go and they gave me the wrong order. I offered to bring back the original dishes since I hadn't touch the baby octopi dish. The guy insisted I keep them free of charge. They ended up giving me my actual meal (I had to pay the difference) and told me not to worry about the two dishes that were accidentally given. I basically got 4 dishes for the price of 2. It was very nice of them and they freely admitted that the whole thing was their mistake by not asking for my name when I went to pick up my food.

Make sure you bring cash since they don't take credit cards!
4 - Jason B.: I really only have one thing to say to you: Ultimate Vegetarian Platter du Jour.

Well, that and the mint tea, of course.
5 - Tanim I.: Wonderful North African food. They have the perfect mix of sweet and salty/sour food dishes. Remember to get there early, or you won't find a seat!
5 - Susan B.: This place is spectacular.  From the cheerful, warm service, to the delicious meals, to the epic lemonade - and all for a reasonable price!  We've been a number of times and have the same great experience whenever we go.  Icing on the cake - we're never hustled out of the restaurant after finishing our meal, and are instead clearly welcome to sit and relax until we're ready to leave.  Hands down one of the most reliably enjoyable all-around dining experiences on this side of the river!
1 - Christine k.: The Cherbat (rose lemonade) is good. That said, everything else is awful.

We got the cous-cous (traditional) and the shish-kebabs-onion-rings main dish. The cous-cous was bland (grains + some spare veggies, a few beans) and tasted like something I'd eat at a Third World country prison. The meat dish was dry dry dry.

My husband didn't touch his food at all, and after we left the restaurant, he explained that he saw the man who was serving us scratch himself inside his pants, twice, while we were there. At that point I was horrified and even more upset.
4 - Erin C.: LOVE all the food here (lamb is particularly delicious) and the rose water lemonade is awesome! Everything is very flavorful. I also like the tininess and hole in the wall feel of the place.

My only beef is that the portions are a bit small for the price, especially in comparison to some other delicious places like Helmand. But I still come here on a regular basis.
4 - S K.: This place is awesome. The food was delicious. It is a very small place, in a busy city, so parking can be a problem. The place is tight. But the food is really good. I loved the Lamb with cous cous. I did not like one of the roasted chicken dish. But the LAMB was very good. For dessert  had creme brulee, and it was very tasty!
3 - Celia Z.: "Ok, I've narrowed it down to three restaurants: Cambridge 1, Veggie Planet, and Baraka Cafe.  You make the final decision."

First of all when it comes to food, I hate making decisions.  I want to eat it all.  If I could, I would combine all world cuisines in one central area and cut them into little pieces, enough to savor, but small enough for variety.

But life is about decisions.  And thus after doing due diligence on Yelp, I finally went with Baraka Cafe.  I was feeling adventurous--African food was outside my comfort zone.

It's hard for me to judge the food because it was so exotic.  Deciding to take advantage of the cheap small plates, we went with the Bekloula, Zaatar Coca, and Bedenjal Mechoui.  The zaatar coca, a hand-stretched flatbread with caramelized onions, was delicious.  The onions had a sweet, tangy flavor, and the wonderful aroma of sesame seeds.  The bekloula was an ordinary salad; the dressing a tint above average.  Meanwhile, the Bedenjal was a huge hit-- the eggplant and olive oil--served cold--really complemented the thin pieces of flatbread.  And lemonade?  It's embedded with a taste of herbs, so subtle that when don't pay attention, it's gone.  

The service was disappointing in that the waiter messed up our order, giving us Karentika (the savory custard was just too foreign to my not completely diversified tongue) instead of Zaatar Coca, and then getting angry and charging us for both.  That was what brought it down to three stars.  The food was exotic but made with enough care and detail to be worthy of praise; the cute interior was heartwarming and a perfect place to catch up after an entire summer.  But the tension in service brings it down.  The bad apple spoils the basket.  At least in my Yelp profile.
4 - Roscoe R.: I've been to this neighborhood restaurant 4-5 times over the years. Everything I've ever ordered has been really tasty -- well-spiced and perfectly cooked. The rosewater lemonade is great on a hot day, too! The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars vs. 5 stars is because it's cash-only.
4 - Eunice R.: This place is so charming. The food is great- definitely try the couscous and the lemonade -and the walls are covered with fascinating north African decor. The owners are Tunisian and they are so pleasant to talk to! I came on a Tuesday evening and I was the only one there so I got to talk to the woman there for a bit. She was very nice and wonderful! The only downside is that it's kind of off the beaten path, but definitely worth the visit if you are in Central Square. Also, remember they only take cash!
5 - Austin R.: I came here with five of my friends a few nights ago and had a really great time. Upon entering the place, I was first struck with alarm at the feeling that I'd just intruded into someone's home, namely the two north African grandmothers who were sitting and chatting with two little girls, presumably grandchildren, in tow. The couple sitting by the window eating, however, along with the very warm welcome we immediately received from one of the ladies, who we later learned is named Aliya, quickly assuaged all worries. 

This place is small and extremely cozy due partially to the decoration and partially to the proprietors. The specialty is Tunisian food and they offer a number of mezze dishes that can work as an appetizer for one or provide a few bites to each member of a party of six. My group chose the latter route and got to sample five mezzes in all. Some particular standouts were the zaatar cocca (caramelized onions on a pita) and the very simply constructed dates and labneh (literally just dates with thick "greek-style" yogurt but both ingredients were exceptional). 

I ordered the appetizer du jour for my entree and had more than enough food. It was mushroom stew with ricotta ravioli and it was killer. Best of all, it only got better the longer it sat and all the flavors mingled as I ate it. 

Two of my party got the white and red meat plate and seemed a little underwhelmed and the other three got the eggplant entree with couscous which I tasted and thought was pretty good but certainly preferred my own dish. I guess I'd recommend going heavy on the mezzes and trying the specials. 

We also of course ordered a pitcher of rose lemonade for the table that was outstanding. The seven spice chocolate cake piqued my interest but the group was set on Toscaninis for dessert so I let it go. This is a great under-the-radar (but not too much thanks to eater.com) restaurant with some remarkable North African cuisine in a comfy setting. Also, don't slip up like I did and forget to inform your party that it's cash only until halfway through the meal.
4 - Sarah G.: One word: LEMONADE. It really is that good. And I need to know what those glorious, magical little flowers are and how Baraka makes it taste so good. No wonder it is award winning. Seriously. Get the lemonade. 

And if you want to be sure to get that lemonade you should make a reservation, because this place is pretty tiny--almost like you are eating in a Tunisian/Algerian dining room which I totally dug. I especially felt at home when only half of our tables dishes were brought out and you could hear the wife yelling at the husband in the kitchen ha ha It really made me wish I spoke the same language so I knew what she was saying!  

But this tiny restaurant makes some pretty tasty food. It isn't cheap, but I think it is worth it for the unique foods and flavors and cooking styles they offer, and the wife who is the only server for the whole place is hilarious. We started with 4 appetizers/tapas and the Merguez spicy lamb sausage definitely won that battle. A close second was this chickpea custard that just was so fun to eat. We also got their eggplant that was so smokey it almost tasted like their was bacon in it, but there wasn't. Magical, I tell you. And we got their dates served with a special cheese too. Then the main dishes came and my special salmon cooked in a clay tagine made by the "delicious hands" of the cook (her husband and yes that is how she described him, and no it was not one of those times you think a phrase is lost in translation, I think she really did mean he was delicious!) which was awesome, the boys got the cous cous brochette which had some steak on one skewer that the boys were almost literally drooling over, and Anna B. got the chicken special with some pesto flavoring and more olives than  you could even get in a jar at Costco it seemed. The woman even called us out for not eating enough  olives, so of course we got a tuperware from her and took them home. We wouldn't want to disappoint her and get yelled at like her husband! But this place was an awesome, unique dining experience, and if you are in the mood to try new things, this is worth the short walk from Central.
2 - D R.: I don't understand all the reviews that say the food is great. OK, lemonade IS good, but not great, and not worth the hassle or price.   Maybe we were there on an off night?  It did appear that maybe someone was training in the kitchen, but not sure.

Food, even less worth the price, and service was truly some of the worst I have ever experienced.  

We were a big group, so perhaps that overwhelmed them in the kitchen, but basically they should be able to serve a full capacity restaurant (especially since they are so small) and they seemed incapable of doing so.

It took close to 90 minutes for our food to arrive from the kitchen.   

Dates with cheese were good, but really just that, not worth $8 price tag.

Couscous was underwhelming.

Vegetarian platter du jour (basically mezze appetizer plate) was also good, but not good enough to justify the price (I think $12).

None of the food was great, or even very good, and I would need a really good reason to return to give them a second chance.
5 - Asya T.: Delicious food and homey slightly hole-in-the-wall atmosphere in the most endearing of ways make this place a winner. Came for dinner and tried a few mezze (chickpea custard and harissa), followed by eggplant entree, and was wowed by the dishes. It's not a fancy place by any means, but the ingredients and ways in which they're combined make the food really savory. Took some home and reheated the next day.. still really tasty!
4 - Chris H.: Food is good--the lemonade is amazing
3 - Melanie M.: Went here with a couple of vegetarians and they had a pretty good amount of options to choose from. We got the lemonade of course, and it was very different and really good. You can order the lemonade by the pitcher or one glass at a time. Just get the pitcher. 
The service was interesting, our waiter asked us how to spell one of the entrees we ordered. It definetely has some charm, none of our silverware matched and we were entertained by how many different styles of silverware they own.
The food was tasty with strong flavors and served with lots of couscous.
5 - Alisa K.: This is one of my favorite restaurants in Cambridge.  It is a hidden gem. The rose-petal lemonade is the best lemonade I've ever had.  Their couscous is great and their pastilla (which you have to order a day or two in advance) is flaky, well-seasoned, the perfect blend of savory and sweet.  The restaurant is small with limited seating but has a very charming, authentic, eating in someone's kitchen feel.
3 - Ye Z.: Food is really good. I went there because of a friend who lives around. I probably would never be able to discover it myself.

The place is tiny. So be prepared for the wait if you get there late. Also, they tend to only sit the appropriate number of people according to table size. So when we were there, there were two 4-person tables open but the waiter won't sit us because we only had two person in our group. Kind of frustrating.
2 - Yiwen G.: I don't understand why this place is so highly recommended , service is very very slow, only one waiter. Food portion  is very very small .
Food is ok but over priced 
After came here twice , I decided not to come back again
4 - Rebecca C.: I actually REALLY liked this cafe! 

My friend and I walked a good 15 minutes from our place to this cafe at night. This place is pretty small so waiting for a table takes a while. The service is really slow here, which is the only complaint I have. My friend and I decided to share the lemonade and the vegetarian couscous. The lemonade was delicious!!! It looked so pretty too! It was in a jar and decorated with flower petals and mint leaves. The couscous was interesting- cabbage, beans, squash, zuchinni, etc. were all mixed in with the couscous. I enjoyed it and it was only $10.

Interesting little place here.

Baraonda Italian Restaurant - Atlanta, GA (33.774062, -84.385486) (Midtown)
5 - Chris S.: This is definitly one of my favorite places to eat.  Great food (got to get the Fra Diavlo), great service.

If they only had a better beer selection.
4 - Debbie K.: Food: The pizzas are nice and thin & crusty.  The cheese tortellini was delicious and the halibut special was nicely prepared.  Some of the dishes seem to be a bit heavy handed on the salt.  The calamari starter in particular was quite salty, as were the sides that came with the halibut.  Liked the wine choices.

Service:  It was uneven.  This last time, the hostess seemed distracted and the bartender (we got drinks while we waited for our table) wasn't very nice.  We liked our waiter though he forgot one of our drink orders until we reminded him. 

Overall: Easy, low-key place for Italian food. Good place to get a bunch of friends together and start the night off .
4 - J. D.: Yum and yay, real Italian tratorria fare in Midtown!  And golly gosh, the owner is Italian, and from Italy no less.  Watch the crowds on Fox event nights as the restaurant gets way over crowded.   I like to sit at the bar here and order the Caesar salad and a pizza.  No you cannot share!
5 - Danilo G.: I get to Atlanta quite a bit.  This place hit my radar a few months back when I started staying at the Indigo.  I went in on MLK day for an early cocktail, and found their selection of bourbons very good, and resolved to give them a shot over a corporate meal soon after.

Baraonda gets grief for not being too regional.  I think that's fabulous, since there are so many specialty dishes from so many regions, Baraonda can't be pigeonholed.

Two days later myself and three compadres walked through the front door with a big appetite.  We had appetizers:

Carpaccio
Caprese
Bruschetta

Bourbons all around.

Dinner:

Strozzapreti with Wild Boar
Veal Scallopini
Lamb Chops

Big bottle of Italian Red

Dessert involved Strega and Limoncello with Tiramisu.

Oh my God was the service and food fantastic.  Our host, Adriano, made damned sure that our waitstaff and food was top notch, recommending some fabulous stuff and keeping us laughing so hard we were hoarse the next day.  Everything was amazing and the entire evening was so wonderful I can't wait to go back.

The Wild Boar, Lamb Chops and Carpaccio stood out.  The Carpaccio was cut so thin you could read a newspaper, but yet the portion was plentiful.  The Lamb Chops, which can be a "phone in", were anything but.  Beautifully herby, well-presented and completely off the ubiquitous scale, I haven't had anything like them and I've eaten enough Lamb to cause a panic in New Zealand.

And then there was the Strozzaprete with Wild Boar Ragu -- What a perfect mix.  Strozzaprete means "Priest Strangler".  It is long and curvaceously U-shaped, and perfect for Ragu, or meat sauce.  The Wild Boar is a traditional dish from the Marche' region of Italy (think east coast, mid-way down the Adriatic).  I cannot say enough about this dish.  We had two orders, and when I took a bite I was utterly speechless. 

As I write this I'm trying to recreate it in my kitchen.  It will take me weeks and hundreds of dollars to get it right.  To hell with it.  I'm getting a plane ticket and going back.  Don't go in a hurry -- I think that a lot of people try to catch a quick bite on the way to the theatre.  This is Italian food.  It should and will take hours if you want your money's worth.

If you want Italian in Atlanta, I don't think you could do better.  Make friends with Adriano and you'll never be sorry.
5 - Margo R.: Completely divine. This is a great date place - impressive location, nice lighting and a menu that would please almost anyone. Delicious drinks and rich Italian dishes color the menu at this tiny restaurant. I loved the Carfuncella - a pink sauce with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. I am picky about pasta, and I adored this dish! Definitely recommend this place to fans of Italian food and those in search of a romantic spot.
5 - Karen F.: Baraonda Haiku Review

Is there such a thing
as less than great Risotto?
Not at Baraonda!
5 - T. Murray -.: What more can I say. Pizza, Italian food, and all things saucy. This one can't go wrong in my book because we are talking about my favorite type of food. I've had all sorts of things off the menu and have never been disappointed. I used to go here alot for lunch when I worked in the area. A cheese pizza with a little grilled chicken topping ordered here will never fail.
5 - Lori F.: Amazingly good pizzas, tasty house cabernet, and it's right next to The Fox.
4 - Naveen D.: The pizzas are good - Fritti is better. But, the lamb chops here were awesome!!
4 - Yvette J.: I have to agree with Karen F. - best risotto ever!

The only downfall was when my husband ordered a bourbon and coke. Our very Italian waiter brought him a coke and a bourbon - in separate glasses.
5 - Michael M.: Take it from this 100% Italian guy from New York..This is the best italian food in the city. Excellent Pizzas, pastas and wine selection. Great place to go out with a group....This is where me and the boys from the Italian club meet..that should say it all.
4 - Courtney N.: I feel like they kind of don't deserve the title of being an Italian place since 70% of the entree options are pizza or calzones (there are like 4 pasta options and 3-4 secondi options).  With that in mind, it was absolutely delicious and they were VERY accomodating.  Here's what we ordered:

Free bread -  Great flavor from seasonings on top, crusty foccacia style
Calamari  - Light breading, crisp, not greasy, lacked seasoning
Veal Scallopine Marsala - Breading was a little mushy but overall it was delicious.  The marsala sauce is to die for and the mushrooms were perfectly sauteed.
Chicken Piccata (NOT ON THE MENU) - They made this for us by special request because they happened to have a salmon piccata as a special for the day.  For just throwing something together, this was delicious. 
Bottle of Sartori Pinot Grigio

I would definitely go back next time I am in Atlanta.  The decor is fantastic and inviting. Dark woods, spacious seating, dim lighting but not in a way that is too intensely romantic that you would feel awkward going with friends or a group.

If they added 2 or 3 more pasta dishes to the menu, it would definitely bump them up to 5 stars in my book :)
5 - chelsa v.: Had a late Monday evening dinner here with a girlfriend of mine,  awesome night to sit outside enjoy the weather over a nice glass of red wine and good company.  

The pasta dish I ordered was good.  
The red wine was nice and spicy, just as I requested.
Our waiter,  with his cute accent, made ordering fun!
The patio had the perfect ambiance.
Great hours to accommodate for last minute plans. 
Close to my house. 
Good enough for 5 stars, if you ask me.
4 - duane m.: Now, I'm gonna start with this: I ain't one to pay high prices for a dinner, but I have to say, this place was more than meets the eye. While my meal was more than I would normally rather fork out, I managed to have a few beers, and a delicious pizza for about $25. 

I went for a friend's birthday celebration, and was pleased to see us seated with reserved tables for our party. The service wasn't stellar, but it wasn't bad either; she split the check for me, and totally improvised with the pizza requests I had.

Now, I don't think that this will be a place I chose frequently, but if people suggest that we go here, I will be all about it; I had a great meal, a great time, and look forward to similar experiences in the future.
2 - Blissful G.: I really think the quality at this place has slipped over the past couple of years. Their pizzas are just not the same...
4 - Drew W.: I usually keep my Italian/pizza outings low-key, but I decided to give Baraonda a try before a show at the Fox. I've had some less than stellar experiences at "gourmet" pizza establishments (yes, I'm looking right at you Piebar). Baraonda was a nice change that shows that you can use better ingredients, charge a little more for it, but not take yourself so seriously (ahem, Piebar) to be obnoxious.

In the evening you get a nice mix of after work midtowners and ITP'ers venturing into the scary city to see a show or meet friends. Baraonda has a nice selection of affordable wines, and they are frequently having specials. Most importantly, the bartenders aren't afraid to use a heavy hand when you order bourbon. Or maybe I just look like the type that needs a lot of bourbon.

I can't remember the specific name of the pizza that I tried on my last visit, but it had some peppery arugula and lots of slices of prosciutto on top. Pizza with cured meats? I could eat that every day until my heart explodes. Which should happen just about....
4 - Julia B.: Go see my buddy Spencer the bartender.  He is hilarious.  A few glasses of big, bold, red wine and a thin crust pizza split between myself and Spencer's wife along with some fabulously fresh salad made for a terrific evening at Baraonda.

It goes without saying that this and Bazaar are some of your best pre- and post-Fox Theatre outings.  But Baraonda is worth the trip for any old day as well.  It has consistently served delicious food, atmosphere and wine every time I have paid a visit.
1 - Sudhanshu K.: I really don't understand how this place received so many good ratings. When I looked up Italian on yelp this place recieved almost exclusively 4 or 5 star ratings. So I assumed this place was going to be great if not really good. But, I was extremely disappointed.
First, we made reservations, but somehow, the hostess didn't note it, despite us calling her twice to make sure, and we ended up having to wait an additional 20 minutes. Then when she sat us down, she was not sincere at all, dropping the menus on the table and running off. Our waiter seemed like she was in a real rush, and that we were not important to her at all. Seriously, she was walking away from us while we were ordering.
Now the food, to be honest first, I am not a big Italian food fan, but this place was as bland as they come. We first had the Calimari, which was average at best. Then for main course we split a Pizza and the Ravioli Special they had that day. The pizza had no taste, well cooked but lacked any substance. The Ravioli, was as bland of a ravioli as I have had, the Ravioli in a can has more taste. The crab meat was hard to taste, the only way I knew it had crab meat was by texture. But the crab taste was overpowered by the sauce they had. 
Maybe I went on a bad day or something, but this place did not live up anywhere close to the standard Yelp reviewers gave it.
4 - Liz L.: Even though we had one of the worst waiters known to man at this place, I'll still give it four stars.  And I'll still tip nearly 20%.  Because people have bad days, and I can acknowledge that with the best of them. 

So.  On to the food.  And the divine prices.  Calamari.  Excellent.  Pizza.  Suburb (and by "suburb" I'm pretty sure I meant "superb").  Salad.  Pretty good, but I'd ask for the dressing on the side, especially when ordering the Caesar salad, which apparently was slogged down in liquid to the point of being nearly inedible.  Also kudos to the hostess who gave us a nice warning to come in about 1/2 later than originally planned so as to avoid the Fox Theatre crowd.  I've had too many run-ins on the phone with hostesses of the "I'm-too-busy-to-take-five-second-to-actually-be-a-human-being-and-talk-to-you-slash-do-my-job" variety, and this was a welcome departure from those.  

Plus it's a great location.  Although I'm still not sure what I think about its sister restaurant, Enoteca Carbonari, having a space right next door.  I understand the theory - the lower priced pizza/pasta parlor in an slightly upscale environment, and the more formal Italian restaurant right next door, but it almost seems like over kill to me.  However, I haven't been to Enoteca Carbonari yet, so I suppose I'll have to sacrifice myself for the greater good and go there to eat, and see if it's worth it.

Sigh.  I have it so rough...
3 - Amber M.: Took my sister here for pre-Nutcracker afternoon show at the Fox. At first it looked like a chain restaurant but once we settled into two seats at the bar it started to grow on me. 
Odd music but fabulous place to split a pizza and a salad. Everything was very fresh, cold when it should be cold, hot when it should be hot. Moretti on tap, skip the bloody mary.
Big windows to watch people freezing their behinds off, pushing through a windy day. 
I'll definitely go back for the pizza on another day, no show at the Fox required.
3 - Valentina V.: Baraonda is always my spot for pre or post Fox visits, and if you have a soft spot for good looking waiters, this is your place! When I visit before the shows I usually have drinks. Their flavored Martinis are good, and the Brandy Alexander is great. Wine list is pretty decent, too. Usually is a good time to hit this spot because is not as packed as the apres show time. 

Oh, and after a blissfully happy night at the Fox (I've been blessed with just gooood shows at my favorite theater of all times) then it's dinner time! Baraonda is a must for this plan always. But listen (or read) very carefully: this restaurant has good pizza, really, really good pizza. DON'T even look at the pastas. The one time I had pasta I was extremely disappointed. Salty penne with "italian sausage" that I could barely eat.  My fave pizza is the Cafuncella, a delicious blend of prosciutto and brie cooked to perfection in their brick oven. To be fair, I often order the Cozze (mussels in white wine and garlic sauce) and I have to say, it is lush and mmmmmm!

Expect a loud, and crowded place after 7:30 PM. That means a fairly long wait. Reservations are not especially honored, but yes, the hostesses are nice girls. And it's definitely a spot to go see and be seen.
3 - Travis N.: I don't know why I always end up at this place in odd hours, (eating lunch at 2pm, eating dinner at 530pm etc).

The first time I went I ended up having the Ravioli of the day, which was a little crisp for a pasta dish (either it was sitting out too long, or it was a little stale).

The other times I've stuck with their pizza, which are very good.  One but of advice though, their Margherita pizza is just a cheese pizza with basil strips, it's good, but the first time I got it I was looking for the tomatoes on top (apparently when it says tomato on the menu they mean tomato sauce).  In the scheme of things not a big complaint, but  something to be aware of, if you're a tomato lover.  

The staff seems hit or miss, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt considering the bizarre times I've been eating there (shift changes etc).

I'm not sold that it's a life changing Italian restaurant, but they're pizzas are unique and worth stopping in, and taking back home, if your in the neighborhood.
2 - Dan R.: Ordered the antipasto and mussels appetizers which were very good. The entrees we ordered however, lasagna and veal masala were definitely not worth the price. Very very salty, not tasty at all.
3 - Amanda S.: You know what I love about Yelp?  The fact that, when you're in a restaurant, they don't know you're going to yelp about it, so they treat you like anyone else.  And when my boyfriend and I came here for a nice dinner last night, we certainly didn't receive any special treatment.

I made sure to check showtimes for the nearby Fox, and there wasn't a show until 8pm.  We arrived at about 5:15, and waited for about 20 minutes for a table for two.

We were seated in the back corner, right next to the pizza oven.  The smells were fantastic.

A guy (not our waiter) promptly came over and filled our water glasses.  It wasn't until about 10 minutes later that our waitress showed up.  When she asked for our drink order, I said, "I'll just have water, thanks."

The waitress looked at me as if I were a moron.  "Okay, your water's right there."  She pointed at the glass of water that I had already drank from as if trying to communicate with a chimp.

Can you tell I was offended?

She then said, "Do you guys want to order now, or what?"  So we ordered, having looked at the menu while waiting for a table, and she rushed off.

Every 5-10 minutes, the little guy would return to refill our water glasses, but the waitress only showed up whenever I made eye contact with her when she was at another table.  It was pathetic.  I mean, I can understand her being busy, but it was simply ridiculous...and rude, to say the very least.

Our food was brought out by someone other than our waitress.  Brad & I split a pizza and a bowl of pasta.

We ordered the Penne Sausicia, a penne dish with crumbled sausage in a white cream sauce.  It was wonderful.  The pasta was perfectly al dente, and the sauce and sausage was an intriguing combo.

Our pizza was the Funghi Pizza, meaning that it was just topped with mushrooms.  The mushrooms were fresh and thinly sliced.  The crust was thin and flakey.  It was good, but not fantastic.

Meanwhile, some elderly people were seated beside us as we ate.  Their party was being split in two because there wasn't room to seat a party of 6 on a Friday night without a reservation, which wasn't clearly expressed to them before the 6 of them were escorted to a tiny 4-seat table.  They looked baffled.

Once they (or at least, half of them) were situated, the waitress (our waitress) came over to them.  She introduced herself as Sonya (the first, and only, time all night that I'd heard her name) and told them about all of the specials they were having.

Specials?  I didn't even know they HAD specials.  Thanks, Sonya.  Really.  You're a doll.

So yeah...I'd say 4 stars for the food.  The pasta and pizza are both authentic Italian.  But 1 star for the service, and only because of the prompt little guy refilling my water glass.  Sonya gets 0 stars for making me feel completely insignificant.

EDIT: Forgot to mention this.  As we were leaving, we heard a guy complaining to the hostess, "You said it'd be 20 minutes.  Twenty minutes does not take over an hour!"
4 - Loren S.: I visited Baraonda for the first time last night, and boy was I impressed!  The restaurant does not look especially big or impressive from the outside, but the layout and decor definitely delivered.  

The tables are great for intimate meals with friends, the hip layout is at the same time alluring and relaxing.  While there were families at a number of tables, I wouldn't generally think of Baraonda as a family restaurant.  If you don't have time for a full meal, but still want to soak up the amazing atmosphere, they have a full bar and an extensive wine list.

The menu is long and there were numerous specials last night, but we were all about the pizza.  I recommend the 'Specialita', with an addition of spicy salami.  This harmony of wood-fired flavors is amazing: cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, arugula, goat cheese and the aforementioned salami on a thin, crispy crust provide a fresh, slightly salty combination that is beyond delightful.

At just $12, this pizza for two will not break the bank.

Others have described this restaurant as great for people-watching, or a great dining location for a night out at the Fox Theater, but give Baraonda its due: this restaurant is just plain great.
4 - Guru P.: This is one where I wish we could give stars in 1/2s....  The food was good but the seating was highly uncomfortable.  The service was below par.  The waiter took 10 mins to get my son's soda.  This at the time the place was half empty (the show was about to start!!).  So, I wish I could give them 3.5 stars!
The pizzas were good as expected.  The drinks are decent.  So, all in all a good place for a casual dinner.
4 - Emily H.: Great place for dinner, very intimate and dark. I enjoyed their pizza (many different kinds to choose from) and wine. It wasn't too busy when we got there around 7PM, but it definitely picked up later with only standing room available. I would recommend reservations if possible.
4 - Rhonda C.: I love to swing in here after a show at the Fox.  I've had quite a few different pizzas here and I've enjoyed them all.  Good drinks, great wine list, and the atmosphere is cozy with dim lighting.  I do have to say that during one of our visits, we had to suffer through service that was sub-par, but overall I've had great experiences at Baraonda.
4 - Anelya S.: I was visiting Atlanta, and had lunch at this restaurant with good friend of mine, and I loved my garlic and cherry tomato linguinie and he was pretty happy about his spinach ravioli. 

The one thing we noticed was service. During our conversation small accident happened and glass of water spilled on the table. Waiter was right next to us, he saw it smiled and left. Never got back, we wiped everything out with napkins. Then manager came by just to pick up tab, and "managed" not to notice wet pile of napkins on our table. 

Overall food is good and not that pricey, but I won't be back.
3 - Kaitlin L.: In the spirit of seeing Mamma Mia - we thought we would do a nice Italian meal before hand.  Being a Saturday night - we got there around 6pm and waited about 30 minutes for a table.

Everything was just OK.  Service was good - but impersonal and I felt like we were being rushed through.  Food was good - but small portions.  I even asked the waiter when I ordered their special lobster ravioli - is this going to be a tiny portion?  No - its entree size.  Yes the plate may have been entree size - but there were 5 pieces!  

So I probably wouldn't go back - but I wouldn't steer people away - it was exactly how I expected it to be after reading all the reviews.
4 - Joel C.: Leslie, Robert and I were heading to the Atlanta Pride Parade and got off at the North Ave exit.  As we approached Peachtree Street we ran into a bunch of our neighborhood friends.  Then without warning, it started to pour.  We ran into Baraonda and to our surprise, they were able to sit us at a window table facing Peachtree Street!

We started with the fried calamari, which was delicious.  Leslie and I ordered pizzas and Robert ordered a pasta dish.  I really enjoyed Robert's pasta dish more than my pizza (well actually Leslie enjoyed it more by practically eating the entire thing!), but the pizza was very good.  The parade started and we had the perfect view!  I totally felt like VIP at this years pride parade and may have to think about doing this again next year if it starts to rain as hard as it did today!
4 - Ray A.: Great spot for lunch.  The waiter was friendly and knowledgeable. Attentive, but not overbearing.  I had the Cesar salad, which was perfect. Just the right amount of dressing. I particularly like the enclosed patio.  It gives the sense of being outside without the 90 degree sun and traffic noise.  I'll be back regularly.
4 - Kristine M.: I have yet to have a real complaint about Baraonda, after several visits and several delivery orders through Zifty.  Whenever I'm actually in, I've already eaten or the ravioli du jour is lobster (nrom nrom nrom), so I've gotten that.  When I get delivery, it's usually pizza, which is good, but not nearly as good-looking as when it's pulled fresh out of the brick oven and piping hot.
 
Decent wine selection, good service.  Ok but not write-home-about-it decor.  I'd take family or friends that were in town.  Not sure I'd bring a must-impress date or business colleague.  (Yet.  This could change.)
4 - M M.: one word, YUM! been wanting to come here for a while and now Im upset I took this long to frequent this wonderful Italian restaurant. Divine pizza's, great starters and a cozy atmosphere. The server was friendly , service quick and all the dishes (for the 5 of us) arrived on time. If you are a thin crust fan, this is the place you want to go to, highly recommended ! (oh and dont forget to try the deserts!!)
5 - Katie W.: I've always enjoyed the pizza at Baraonda but had not written a review since it had been a while since I'd actually been there.  Then, last week, I had the good fortune of eating at Baraonda twice in a single week!  And, it was very good fortune because I do love Baraonda.

I mainly stick to the pizzas here because I really cannot miss with them.  I've never had a bad pizza here.  In fact, I've never had one that was less than delicious.  I used to always stick to the Quattro Formaggi with added arugula but I branched out this week to try the Capricciosa and the Specialita (with added gorgonzola).  Both were excellent.  I love the thin crust, the char on the pizza and the foldability.  And, the ingredients are very fresh and flavorful, too.

I also had the fried calamari this week and tried Kit's special risotto.  The risotto was delicious and it makes me think that I should consider the specials and the pastas when I eat here in the future (although it will sure be tough to sway me from the pizza).  In the past, I have had salads here, as well, which were very good.

The service was overall very good, the wine list has a nice selection of wine by the glass as well as full bottles, and we received our food very promptly.  I do like the décor and I think it is fun to eat here.  It's also kinda fun to sit at the back bar where you can watch them making the pizzas (although it can get a little warm - sit here in cold weather, not summer).  I also hear that they only take reservations for parties of six or more.

I am so happy my memories of Baraonda were so pleasantly refreshed.  I will definitely be back soon!
3 - Vida M.: I've eaten here a few times, none too recent. I've always had some sort of pasta, and it's always good. Nice ambiance.
4 - Robert M.: Margarita review:

Baraonda used to be a regular haunt for me, what a great place for a quick meal.  A few weeks ago I got back to Baraonda for the first time in a long time, and quickly remembered why it was a regular haunt.

This is one of the best pies in Atlanta, brick oven style.  Beautiful thin, charred crust with a smoke infused flavor, fresh ingredients and taste, good amount of sauce with the right cheese ratio.  

Just as surprising though, is that their pasta was very good.  I was never big on Baraonda's pasta but it clearly improved.  Would I choose it over their za though?  No way...
3 - Christian B.: Good, but pricey. One of the few places to get a decent meal before a show at The Fox.
4 - Kelly H.: I have to agree with everyone...this pizza is AMAZING!!! the ingredients were soooo fresh and tasty. I ordered the fra diavolo which had tomato sauce, spicy salami, mozarella, and i paid 1.50 extra for them to add chicken. I called in my order since i would be eating my pizza alone :(. I went to pick it up and there was no parking.....little did I know that there is free validated parking in the bank of america bldg on 3rd street. so i drove around for 30min till i finally found one lil parking spot. I went in and the people weren't too friendly. I waited at the bar while the bartenders stared at me which pissed me off....then they finally decided to ask if they could help me and i got my pizza. I went home warmed it back up and hmmm hmmm hmmm......delicious....right amount of cheese...tasty spicy salami..the chicken i paid extra for was WELL WORTH IT. I will definitely be going back to experience eating at the restaurant.
3 - Colt C.: Baraonda is a neat spot to eat at if your going to the Fox theater. The location is perfect for everyone who wants to park once for dinner and the show.

We were sat in their heated and covered patio area, which was really nice. It was a lot quieter here. Inside is so loud you cant even hear the person sitting next to you!

Now to the food... Its good, not great. They have both good whole pies and various pasta dishes, but nothing to wow me. I had their ravioli of the day which happened to be lobster ravioli. Again, it was pretty good, but nothing to write home about. Their house salad needed extra dressing, I felt that I was eating just lettuce. Now that im writing all this, I think I should change the rating to 3 stars...
3 - Diana L.: I remember the first time I had arugala was here. We were complaining about the salad dressing, that it had too much... something :) Haha. Pizza was good. The night I went it was super busy and the place was filled with all kinds of people. I am going again next week and hope to become a fan then.
2 - Patrick C.: Baraonda is the perfect place to eat before a Fox Theatre event. Our party of six dined there prior to Wicked (which is another review altogether.)

Reservations for larger parties are tricky, and Baraonda didn't make the grade. Unfortunately, one in our party is diabetic and must eat on a rigid schedule. Let's just say she didn't have a good evening.

Reservations aside, my eating partner and I split the calamari (which was somewhat rubbery, had little flavor and possibly was a frozen product) and a Margherita-pizza-add-Italian-sausage. The pizza wasn't as good as we had remembered from a previous visit, and the quality of the Italian sausage wasn't acceptable. A nice bottle of Italian wine helped matters along, but wine does not a meal make. (Well, I suppose that's debatable...)

In fairness, this place was packed, so they're doing something right. I try not to judge too harshly the *potential* of a restaurant when it is at full capacity. Seventy percent capacity is best - it keeps the food turned over and fresh, keeps everyone on her/his toes but doesn't make the staff crazy. This staff tried to overcome the craziness, but insanity is contagious, yes? The management needs to rethink some things or they will kill the goose that laid the golden egg.

Not recommended prior to Fox events; however, we'll return when it's not so bizzycrazy.
4 - Jeremy A.: I would come back here for sure based on my one visit. I had a italian sausage penne dish and it was very good. My girlfriend had the tagliatelle and it was pretty good as well. 

I can see parking being a huge pain in the ass here so try to go during the week or park down the street.
2 - Foodie Buddha F.: Lois Griffin: So, Peter, where shall we go for your week off? 
Peter Griffin: Well, I... I was thinking we could all go to Purgatory like we did last year! 
[it switches to the Griffins floating in front of a plain white background] 
Lois Griffin: This isn't bad... it's not that good, but y'know... it's not that bad. 
Brian Griffin: It's so-so. 
Peter Griffin: Yeah... more or less...

Ah yes, my neighborhood Italiano.  Though Baraonda is a very popular eatery, it is a spot I find distinctly "so-so."  The restaurant puts itself out there as an upscale casual Italian eatery, but I find the experience is often mediocre at best.  There are a number of decent things about it; unfortunately, I just can't get too excited about this place anymore.  Now that La Pietra Cucina is just up the street - I will forgo Baraonda anytime I need my Italian fix.
 
With that, let's talk about some of the good things and the things that are neither promoters nor detractors.  The atmosphere and vibe are decent.  At lunch time, Baraonda does good business serving the local business folk looking for a nearby lunch spot.  At night, the crowd is made up of theatre goers and casual dinners.  It's definitely a popular spot anytime there is an event at the Fox (okay - maybe not if the event is Widespread - but you get the idea).  You may consider that good - or you may consider that bad - what it does mean is that it will be crowded.  The restaurant seems to like "organized chaos," as they leave you feeling like they have no idea who is waiting for what.  However, they always seem to figure it out.  Personally, this type of experience gives me an anxiety attack.  Service is usually nothing more than "existent" as it is neither particularly good nor particularly bad.

Though the kitchen is hidden away in the back, the pizza oven is on full display.  Viewable pizza arenas are passé.  Unless the restaurant tosses the dough (and I'm pretty sure this one doesn't) - there isn't much to see.  Now when customers have a full view of the kitchen - then I get excited; unless of course we're talking about a pizza restaurant that doesn't toss the dough.   I'm not going to deduct points; but, the open pizza oven does not inspire me to eat here.  I find the menu is diverse but not overwhelming.  Though I have felt they should pair it down a bit - the offerings are streamlined, and your options fit neatly on one page.  They do a great business, so it's got something going for it.

The cuisine here is a general failure in my opinion.  In all honesty, it alone does not necessarily warrant the 2-star score; but I've eaten here enough that it is a fair description.  They try way too hard.  I feel that the restaurant truly thinks of itself as a culinary treat... far from it.  I find the employees are taught to carry themselves with an aura that does not fit.  This extends to the food itself as the ingredients are basic.  You will not find any exotic dishes here; and that would be just fine - if they only knew it.  I wish the kitchen would just focus on making good simple food.  Instead, they make simple food that they think is exotic.

This is the mass marketed type of Italian that is anything but authentic. People have spoken highly of their pizzas; but I don't think most in this city had the pleasure of eating a really tasty pie.  As a result, it is hard to differentiate between good pizza and rubber turf.
As I've told people - I am not a big fan of the 5-star system that you are forced to use on Yelp.  I find that does not allow you to differentiate the nuances of a given experience.  I've eaten at Baraonda enough to know: Everything they do, they do "okay" Nothing is good and occasionally, it's bad.  I leave Baraonda feeling like I just spent 90-minutes in purgatory.
4 - Adam K.: My wife and I have been to Baraonda a few times over the past couple of years, and every time we have gone there it's been a pleasant experience. Their pizzas are baked in a wood fire oven creating a pleasantly crunchy thin crust (If you love only deep dish then you may want to get a pasta dish instead.), and the toppings they use are both high quality and creative. To top it all off their coffee is rich, full flavored, and a nice way to end such a tasty meal.  

The service here is extremely friendly, and in fact our waitress remembered us from the last time we were there 3 months ago.  

The only warning I have for Baraonda is that you keep a close eye on whether or not there is something going on at the Fox Theater because people like to come here before and after shows. 

They also validate your parking ticket from the Bank of America lot, but it is about a half block away, so if you have someone with you who has mobility issues, you may want to drop them off at the door first and then park.
4 - jacqueline b.: Love the four cheese thin crust pizza from a brick oven. And there is validating parking in a nearby garage. As someone who resents handing my car over to a valet, that alone takes this pizzaria above the rest of the downtown venues. I was intially introduced to Baraonda by an finicky Italian and he compares it favorably to places back home. Be prepared for a wait if you go before a show at the Fox is about to start.
4 - J. B.: I got turned on to Baraonda by some friends of mine from Italy who worked there.  They were telling me that the food there was really close to where they live in Italy.  Well since I have been to Italy, and wanted real Italian food...I decided to give it a try!  Yes, they were right...it was delicious!  I do wish their food menu had more selections, but I LOVE the pizza there. That is all I ate in Italy when I went, and now I can have it here in the ATL. Who would have known!!  After living in NYC for a while and being able to get any type of pizza I want...this will definitely do the trick for me! Grazie Baraonda!
Also if you are going to a show at The Fox, make a reservation here before or after the show!
5 - Lynn H.: I've been eating weekly at Baraonda since they opend, what, eight years ago. Sometimes it's lunch, occasionally drinks and/or dinner. The fact that it's amazingly convenient to my office helps, but it's the food and quality of the service that brings me back. 

If you are not going to the Fox, and there's a show that evening, try to avoid the rush. It's kinda like I-75/85 South at 5 PM on a Friday, although things move a bit better. Far better to find a night where there's not a play, or wait until after the crowd evacuates and then relax in the pleasant, nicely lit place.

Food is always good, and often great. Love the brick-oven pizzas, sandwiches at lunch and the calamari. The pasta dishes are uniformly good, and the chicken parm is a huge amount of food for very little money. 

Best of all, the owners are great people who work hard and are willing to offer good value for your dollar.  Same with the wait staff.
4 - Jason U.: Baraonda is one of the best Italian places in Atlanta (and ATL is BIG!).  I hate parking myself, hate being in a downtown area, and /hate/ crowds.  But I will gladly put up with all three to eat here.  The pizza and pasta are always good, and the waiters actually seem to know which wines will taste good with which meal (maybe they have a cheat sheet?).

Now that we have moved away I find myself missing the good eats there.  This is definitely on the 'Tour of Atlanta' I plan to take when I finally get to go back for a visit.
4 - Bootsy L.: The food is as delicious as the hunks serving it up. Homemade pasta and brick oven pizza to rival Rome. I kid not. You want this.

(5 stars if they had backed off on the salt.)
5 - Michael H.: This place is great...for lunch, for dinner, for wine and for dates (if you're secure enough).  The lasagna is huge, cheesy goodness (maybe a little too cheesy), and the personal-sized pizza's have a wafer-thin crust, with several interesting options - I tried the specialita recently and loved the heaps of arugala and goat cheese (I think it was goat cheese).  For lunch, lots of corporate types during the week (but they're OK, they can't help it), and for dinner the place is always full of loud people eating, drinking and enjoying themselves...an authentic Italian experience, or people on their way to the Fox.  Someone commented on the hunky waitstaff -- yeah, the hunky male waitstaff will hit on your girlfriend as though you're not there; no worries, the waitresses are all super cute too with a bit of european attitude.  The Italian dominated wine list is killer, and reasonable (which may explain the volume and happy vibe of the place at night).  For the thin-crust pizza, its 5-star -- the best you'll find in ATL, for the wine and lunch its 5 star for the value...not the best you'll ever get, but good value, especially for the location.
3 - Fiona S.: Stopped in for lunch before seeing The Nutcracker at the Fox. First thing to note - great decor. A little rustic, a little cafe-y, a little home kitchen-y, and the bar is just down right cool looking. 

Servers were very curtious and friendly. I had a spinach salad, which was quite yummy, and a pretty big portion. I need to go back and have a real meal here, but my first impression is that it's definitely worth trying again. For a downtown restaurant, the prices weren't out of control either. Not sure what parking would be like on a regular night, since we parked at the Fox's lot. Need to make a point of going back to try some more things.
4 - Diana S.: This is a cute little place with some nice little romantic nooks. We went on a Monday night and had one of the wines for $15. It was....ok. What can you say, it was a bottle for $15. The calamari and salad were both great. My tilapia was on the salty side, as was the side of sauteed spinach. However, my friends really loved their dishes. I'm giving this place the benefit of the doubt and hope that the over salting was a one time thing.
3 - Emily K.: I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Baraonda. The food is good, but the wait can be agonizing if you go at the wrong time. The restaurant is fairly small, so it can take a while to get a table. I'm one of those people that hates eating "outside". Why do I want to stare at a parked car while I'm eating? However, I'll suck it up because often the outdoor tables free up more quickly than ones indoors.

The staff is friendly and knowledgable. It's not too loud in spite of the fact it's fairly small. The menu isn't huge, but that means that the kitchen can master them rather than be only okay at a wider variety of dishes.

I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here, but if I'm in the area and in the mood to wait a bit, I'd stop in and get a bite.
4 - Paolo B.: I'm from Italy and whenever i want to eat real Italian food, i chose Baraonda! The owner is Italian, the food is really good and not expensive. The wine is also good, you can find a lot of types of wine from all over the Italy.  
The restaurant is nice, just a little bit small.. but if your party is with 6+ people, you can book a table.

If you like Italian food, you may love Baraonda!
4 - Henrik C.: The restaurant has both an patio/"outside" area and a regular indoor area. The indoor area is a joint bar/restaurant. The outside area is on the sidewalk and you might have exhaust as an integral part of your dinner. Some might like that, personally I prefer dinner without exhaust. 

The restaurant/bar area is rather noisy and can be rather busy. 

The food is traditional Italian with a good variety of antipasto, pizza and a variety of pasta. The menu is limited but overall the food is fantastic. We have tried ravioli, lasagna, and pesce giorno. All of the dishes were really great. 

They have a Monday night wine taster. Stay away from it, the price is good but the wines are not. Other than that they have really good Italian wines. 

If you do not mind the noisy ambiance or sitting on the sidewalk this is a great place to get Italian food.
2 - Scott C.: Really wasn't impressed with Baraonda.  I was there with friends after a Fox event this week.  They were quite busy for 930 pm.  The service was just adequate.  Our server was very soft spoken in a loud restaurant.  I kept having to ask him to repeat himself.  His accent didnt help, but I can live with that.  Either turn down the music or turn up the voice.  

Decor was fine, but I see those same posters in Target and TJ Maxx.

Food was not flavorful and was a little on the high side.  $19 for a pizza, diet Coke and tip is ridiculous.   A few sun dried tomatoes, Italian bacon, grilled onions, cheese and crust.  Flavor was lacking and the oven had some hot spots on the bottom of the crust.  

I would have been happier at Slice, Oz, Johnnies or Felinis.
3 - Marie P.: I'm usually pretty reluctant to try a lot of the restaurants on Peachtree in Midtown because of the sheer volume of people. So, I was a little skeptical about eating here but after a friend's rave, I decided to go for it.

I came here with an old friend for dinner. The space was packed because of a show going on at the Fox but there was only a 10 minute wait. While waiting outside (it was a perfect spring evening) we actually debated going to Enoteca because there was NO ONE there. But we stuck it out and waited for our table. We were seated outside on the small patio which was surprisingly loud. So much for a quite dinner. Our server took FOREVER to come to the table and when he finally did, the first thing out of his mouth was "Know what you want?". No "How are you" "Welcome" "Can I take your drink order" or anything polite and welcoming. It was jarring and it totally threw me off. After being completely stunned by that, we ordered the Caprese to start with before we decided on entrees. It's pretty difficult to mess up tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese and this one was enjoyable. Decent mozzarella and the roma tomatoes were perfect. We decided on a pizza and went with our server's suggestion of the Specialita - mozzarella, goat cheese, arugula and cherry tomatoes. Our server suggested adding chicken but we decided to skip it. And the pizza was excellent. The pizza dough was so yummy. It reminded me slightly of naan bread, which I'm always a fan of. 

Overall, the food was pretty good and I enjoyed it. But the service really turned me off. About 10 minutes after being seated, everyone left for the show at the Fox, so the restaurant was empty. Plus, it was a Thursday night. But that's besides the point. The restaurant was empty! Yet the service just sucked. There was no excuse for our server being so rude and absent. I still can't get over how he greeted (or didn't greet) our table! Ugh...
5 - R Dot K.: I Love Baraonda! This is my fav when I want to drink wine and eat Italian food... oh and definitely when I want to RELAX on the patio. The menu at Baraonda is fabulous, and the specials are always delish. Eat at Baraonda.....arrive at 4pm
4 - Broderick S.: It's just a couple of blocks down from me but I always seem to forget it's there. I went with a couple of friends and ate at the bar. The bartender was friendly and had a great time. I chose the caprese -- the pizza not the salad. They actually brought the salad, as I didn't specify that I wanted the pizza, but they gladly returned it and the pizza came out very shortly after. The Moretti beer on draft was cold and tasty. They closed at 10 on Sunday but we didn't leave til after 10:30 and were never rushed. Keep an eye out for the schedule at the Fox Theatre nearby as it will definitely impact availability, the pizza was excellent (the salad looked delicious too) and I'll definitely be back.
3 - Ginger W.: This is usually my choice before events at the Fox. I believe that they do the best job possible trying to seat tables when they are busy. They always have plenty of servers and food comes out fast. This place is good, but not great. It's maybe a touch overpriced. I have probably eaten here 20 times. I usually get a salad and split a pizza with my friend. I have never eaten here on a non-Fox event night. They do have a great patio area that stays warm even during winter months. If you are headed to the Fox, arrive about 90 minutes early and give Baraonda a try.
1 - Nikkie F.: A small group of friends went here for an evening birthday dinner, but nothing about it struck me as special. Average waitstaff, average atmosphere, slightly crowded and loud... but what did strike me as out of the norm was the food. Horrible! 
I ordered the chicken, and my husband ordered the fish. Both were dry, overcooked, unseasoned, and bland. And if that were not enough - to pay that much for food that bad?! I don't know if it was a fluke - or perhaps just a bad menu choice... but I won't be going back. 
It's a nice enough place, and convenient if you're visiting the Fox Theater just down the street - but don't look to be blown away.
3 - Lucy W.: Pre-theater choice for restaurant- I went here before going to a show at the Fox Theater about a block away.  I sat at the lively bar, and got a delicious and generous-sized pizza- ham, artichokes, mushrooms, fontina cheese.  The bartender recommended a great wine to go with it.  Overall, convenient, pretty tasty pizza.   It's crowded pre-theater so make a reservation if you are on a time schedule.
4 - Randy G.: Every time I come here I say, why don't I come here more often? I really should as I live just blocks away and walk by it often.

I have never had a bad meal here. Maybe it isn't the most amazing but it is always really good and at a reasonable price. And I always drink a glass or four of some interesting Italian wine and leave happy!

The decor is nice and relaxing. The aroma of the pizzas fills the air nicely. I usually order one of the specials if it sounds intriguing. Otherwise I will order the Linguine Pescatore. 

Service is good, especially when I sit at the bar. Had a great conversation with the bartender last night.   A real enjoyable evening. Good food, good wine, good service.

Yay! I'm a fan.
3 - Courtney C.: For always being so crowded after shows at the Fox, I thought Baraonda was going to be "fa bene" fantastic. Well, the shirts the waiters wear certainly are adorable, but the food was just "A-OK." 

Our waiter was lively, and the wine was good (not sure what we had though), but the carpaccio was under-seasoned, the calamari was under-seasoned and a bit greasy (but not rubbery at all and not over-breaded so that's good), and the bruchetta bread wasn't as crunchy as I like it (but the tomatoes were good and fresh and plenty garlicky). 

As for the entrees, two people at the table had to send the halibut special back because it was dry. My pizza (the romana) was dry. Another tablemate's pizza was...you guessed it, dry! The lobster risotto was very tasty and full of lobster, so that was definitely the winner. 

I'd say that this place needs to revamp itself or risk losing business, but its premiere location next to the Fox Theater makes me certain it'll maintain its flow. If I return I'll try their risotto of the day or maybe a pasta. And I'll definitely try to buy one of their adorable t-shirts!
3 - Ryan S.: We came here for lunch and were in a bit of a hurry. No worries. The staff was friendly and the food came quickly. The olive oil for the bread was a little thick, not what we were expecting. 

The vegetable pizza was fresh and quite good. For a "nice" restaurant, we were able to get in and out quickly, which was to our advantage since we were heading to Turner Field right after.
5 - Carrie Neal W.: Yesterday, I wanted to want my usual beloved checca. But . . .it just wasn't quiiite what sounded perfect. So after a bit of menu-perusing, I went for the calamari (and decided I could always get the pasta to-go, and have it for dinner!).

For $7, a huge plate. Even better, it was delicious - all "rings" (the tentacly pieces creep me out), lightly fried just so, and with a yummy marinara sauce and fresh lemon wedges for squeezing over the dish.

Exactly what I wanted, as it turned out - and certainly something I'll order again!
2 - Wendy S.: I have eaten at this place a few times in the last year when i visit atlanta.  it happens to be the closest place to grab food near our hotel.  tonight was my first take out experience. i ordered salad + pizza and was told that it would be ready in 10 minutes.  I arrived for my take out in 10 minutes and it was ready.  I picked up my dinner for $19.45.  Now I know why it was ready so quick.  1.  the pizza was not cut, thus i am left here in my hotel to rip it into pieces.  2.  the salad looks good, but just a pile of greens with some shredded carrots.  

If you have not other options, then hit this place up.  otherwise, keep looking.
5 - PC S.: On the rarest of occasions I found myself actually ignoring my workaholic tendency and ventured out to have a social life for a few hours with random strangers I barely knew.  While it would be highly entertaining for me to review my companions for the evening, for those with weak stomachs or lacking the ability to appreciate accurate stereotypes, I will stick with reviewing Baraonda.  I pass this place daily when trekking past the eager homeless and the downtrodden derelict, but this was my first time venturing inside.  For an appetizer we split the calamari which was fantastic!  I mean, who doesn't love squidrings! I also liked how their calamari doesn't come with the little, sad looking fried baby squid that makes me feel like a total cruel and heartless barbarian as I devour its friends.  Weirdo #1 ordered a pizza which looked impressively like what you imagine pizza would look like if it wasn't delivered in a cardboard box and was made by someone truly Italian.   I ordered the Linguini Pescatore, which  is a pasta tossed with shrimp, clams, and crab in a tomato sauce, mostly because Weirdo #2 also ordered pizza and I felt like one of us had to be daring enough to order something other than some variation of my regular Friday night meal.  It was really, really good!  Too good in fact, as I gorged myself on the meal.  Granted this is due in part to my tendency to avoid all things carb laden now that I am in the post-lard, semi athletic phase of my life (see my reviews on my personal trainer for more on how I found muscles), but still I devoured it like it was my last meal on earth.  The flavor was distinctly authentic tasting and is right now causing my stomach to rumble as i post this review.  

The Weird Ones then insisted I have something called tiramisu (sp?) for dessert, as apparently my redneck tendencies that I thought I kept buried deep down enough not to give me away, sold me out when I gave them a funny look when they asked if I had tried it before.  SIgh.I confess, I didn't know what it was...I have so much to learn to become cultured.  I still don't know what it is to be honest, but it was worth the harassment I'd receive if I ever admitted I now secretly love...whatever it is.  

While normally I'm not much of a wine fan, there was a really good wine they forced upon me, the name of which escapes me.  I'm pretty sure it was something fruity and spicy.  It was great. In fact, it made me rethink my hesitancy to choosing wine over beer.   You should ask for that wine..specifically.  The fruity spicy wine drink that goes great with squidrings, pescatore, and tiramasu..tiramisu..tiram....that really good italian dessert.  I'm sure they will know which one I'm misremembering.  Food was awesome, service was prompt, atmosphere was appropriate and on target.  The next time I miraculously find myself actually going a date, I'm seriously gonna have to upgrade from Taco Bell to Baraonda.  My transformation continues.....waaaahaaaahaaa.
4 - Rick F.: Light Bite after the show at the Fox Theatre.

Caprese Salad was excellent just the right amount of fresh basil and Olive Oil.

Spicy Salami and prosciutto de Parma and Arugula Pizza was above average.

Service was great, friendly and entertaining!
4 - Erin B.: Good stuff...the pizza's are the best and love the decor.
2 - Timber W.: I have no idea why I've been to Baraonda more than once.  Most recently, one of my friends suggested we go there with a group.  I decided to go with the flow and kept my protests to myself.  This proved to be a mistake.  The service was terribly slow and neglectful.  My asparagus risotto was bland and unimpressive, and I had no water in my glass to help force the tasteless arborio rice down my throat.  I'm not sure any of my companions enjoyed their food.  

Next time, I intend to speak up the millisecond after a person suggests this place.
4 - Jesse W.: So we popped into Baraonda after sneaking out of a horrible presentation of Grease at the Fox. After such disappointment at the theater, we were really hoping to turn around the evening with some good food. We weren't disappointed.

We started with a Caprese salad that was a great way to start the meal. For my main dish I ordered a wood-fired pizza since that seemed to be what many other folks were ordering.  Not sure the name of the pizza but it had broccoli, zucchini, onions, roasted red peppers, and very little cheese (if any). The crust was thin and crispy, and the toppings were light a very tasty. It certainly wasn't the kind of pizza that I would go back to if I had a real hankering for pizza, but as an off-the-beaten-path kind of pizza, I couldn't have been happier.

Service was good, the place was maybe a little loud, but other than that, it was a solid dining experience.
4 - Todd P.: Business lunch meetings are great for several reasons. 1) It's lunch! 2) It's paid for by the company. Yeehaw!

My most recent venue for tasty food and a little bit of shop talk: Baraonda. I've been meaning to try this place for some time and was glad I got the chance. Hopefully I can make it back again soon since this first visit made me smile.

I ordered their daily fish special, a grilled tuna steak served with a generous pile of steamed spinach and a slice of tomato dressed in olive oil. Simple, perfectly cooked, delicious. And healthy!
4 - Mea A.: I had my first dinner at Baraonda last night and really enjoyed it. The patio is a little tight but it was nice to sit outside. We love to share meals so our waitress made some good serving suggestions. I thought the food was top-notch. We split the Bianca Pizza (mozzarella, olives, goat cheese, parmigiano) and the Penne Checca (with fresh roma tomato, mozzarella, garlic, basil, olive oil). 

For the most part, the staff was great. Our waitress was just a little delayed getting to our table so another waiter came over and took our salad order and told us about the specials. I didnt even think we were waiting that long so I wasnt bothered at all. 

***DO NOT park at the Georgian Terrace! Before we left we checked the website and it definitely said that you could park there, so we did. The hostess was hesitant to stamp our ticket assuring us that we were wrong and that it wouldnt matter. We ended up paying $9 to exit the Georgian Terrace but when we got home and checked the baraonda website again it definitely said to park there. Today the website says to park at Bank of America and there is a sign outside of the restaurant that also says that.
3 - Andrew D.: Baraonda I think was fair, its decent italian food, the drinks are good and the price is reasonable. I wasn't a big fan of the pizza but the calamari was good
4 - Karl H.: LOVE this place!  My $12 pizza was awesome -- I'm so happy I finally checked this place out.  I'll be going backa a LOT.
5 - Mike D.: I'm an Italian from the North East and this is the only Italian restaurant in Atlanta that I will go to. The food in Italy is prepared with simple ingredients. The reviewers saying it taste bland might just be to used to the Olive Garden to enjoy this place.

I've been several times and have always enjoyed the food. I have had several dishes specially prepared that are not on the menu, that were very good as well.

I took a date here one time and one of the waiters sung at our table in Italian. It doesn't get any more romantic than that! This is where the Italians in Atlanta go...nuff said.
5 - tracy r.: Lady at the table next to me accidentally spilled wine all over me.  The restaurant bought me dessert - how nice was that.  Overall great eats for a good price.
5 - Sandra K.: DISCLAIMER:  I've never eaten here.  I've only had some beers.  Yet they quickly accommodated a group of fifteen, so I liked them already.

So why am I writing this review?  Because I saw a bartender at this place, who will go unnamed, make sure that a damsel in distress made it back to her hotel up the block safe and sound.  

I exited the bathroom and saw the server (going off shift) offering to help the girl who was completely incoherent.  To make things not-sketchy, he turned to me and asked if I would help him escort her two blocks away so that she could get home safely.  I didn't know him, I didn't know her, but I was happy to help someone out.  This man is a hero.  And now I have a friend for life.

If the rest of the staff has a heart like this guy, then five stars all around for Baraonda.
4 - John H.: This place is part of the reason I moved to Midtown.  Walking distance from my new place.  Close to the Fox for when I goto see live music.  The list goes on.

So, I'm going to Ray Lamontagne this past Sunday night and needed somewhere to eat.  Those asses at Antico were not open, so my money went to Baraonda.  I've always heard it was good so it made for a logical second choice.

First, we got there at about 5:45pm.  I swear it was perfect timing because within 15 minutes the place was packed.  We saddled up to the bar immediately ordering wine.  I have a weakness for wine.  It seriously is the best conversational beverage out there.  Baraonda's wine list, albeit a bit limited in depth, is pretty solid.

Well the bartender (I believe his name was Andraio) was pretty good.  I think he was getting mad at me calling him Fulvio though.  Hey, Fulvio just sounds cooler.  So I kept on doing it.

I decided to go into my "Dumb and Dumber" routine and ask what the "Zuppa del Giorno" was?  "Fulvio" responded in a thick accent, "it's zzzz zoup of zzzz day".  I said, "I'll have that".  It was pretty good to be honest.  I can't really remember it cause it was gone in about 30 seconds flat.

Move onto ordering the pizzas.  I do like thin crust.  Love it actually as I used to manage a New York style pizzeria owned by two Italian guys from Brooklyn in my college days.  Oh how I miss thee Clemson.  

I do truly appreciate the fact that Baraonda is kind of minimalist in their ingredient combinations.  It allows for you to truly taste 3-4 ingredients incorporated properly without being overwhelmed and dealing with a mess.  

I went with the Bianca, adding Prosciutto, while my friend ordered some vegetarian nonsense and then proceeded to coat it with Red Pepper.  I thoroughly enjoyed the pie, figuring out pretty quickly that I could have easily eaten the whole thing if I was feeling particularly slovenly.  

It's about that time that "Fulvio" asks if we want more wine?  My answer will 99% of the time to yes to such a question.  After that the night got a little hazy watching Brett Favre bitchslap Green Bay again and then listening to Ray Lamontagne be pretty funny between songs.  

All in all, Baraonda is better than expected and I do like the fact that I can walk to it easily and sit at the bar.
3 - Cousin D.: Been here a couple of times.  Loved it the first time and was not so impressed the second time.  Service was good.  Casual, which I like but just not a place you think of going when you are thinking of a good place to have dinner.  Sorry, don't love it.
4 - Chris T.: Outstanding. Maybe my expectations were low based on the other options I was seeing on Peachtree st., but this place was really excellent. Highly recommend. Lasagna was so good I was actually slowing down to savor.
3 - Roshanda P.: Just happened to try this place out for dinner before heading over to the fox. I didnt get chance to try of any of the pasta's which looked really tasty by the way... 

I had the chicken cesear salad... and a Magirita Pizza which are really basic items... but all really tasty, it was a not expensive at all I ate there for tax and tip for understand 25 bucks... My waiter was very helpful... and they had quick services....
2 - Ullrich M.: When my three friends entered on a Sunday at 5:10 before a Fox performance (I was parking the car), they were refused to be seated until my wife loudly talked about writing a bad Yelp review - presto, the sat. 
The nice waiter said "Absolutely" to having Campari, but it was out. The same happened to one of the white wines. 
My costoletto d'agnelo was so salty that I had to return it - they brought the replacement out in 12 minutes, but did not have the time to put on the sauce. The rest of the food was very nice. 
I would give the place another chance, but probably only on a Sunday when Publick and and Dogwood are closed.
1 - Christopher H.: My theater buddy and I had wanted to try Baraonda for a long time, so we had dinner there before catching a show at the Fox.  We arrived around 6:00, and were seated immediately on the plastic-wrapped patio.  It was a rainy night, but not cold out, so we weren't real sure why all the heaters were on (it was sweltering on the patio).  

Our server was friendly and attentive, with the other server on the patio helping out when she wasn't immediately available.  After placing our orders, the food came out fairly quickly.

I ordered the vegetarian linguine with red sauce, my "date" had the rigatoni norma.  While I can't say the linguine was awesome, it was tasty and the portion size was excellent.  I ate every bit of it.  My partner seemed to enjoy her rigatoni; there weren't any complaints.

When considering everything, including the prices, we decided Baraonda was an OK place, but nowhere near the best Italian available in the city.  As we were leaving, the comment was said we wouldn't be in a hurry to return.

Several hours later... my opinion of Baraonda changed from "eh" to "never again".  I can assure you the vegetable linguine tasted much better going down than it did coming up.  Doing a postmortem with my friend, we realized the only thing I ate that she didn't was the veggie linguine.  We both had the same bread, same red sauce on our dishes, same everything other than the linguine. 

I can't tell you how wonderful it is to puke up a $40 dinner in this economy!
1 - Josh B.: I sat at the bar , ordered the Clam appetizer, they where ok. The bartender was friendly. I ordered the Pollo alla Picata - chicken breast,capers,lemon,white wine topped with poached cherry tomatoes,potatoes. I have had a similar dish several times & this was the worse. It was awful ! The pizza's coming by me looked good, but I would stay away from the plates .
4 - Lee P.: Plan on going after the show starts at the Fox. Then tables can be had pretty quickly. The pizzas are excellent!
5 - Jen K.: This is our go-to pre-Fox Theater dinner date place.  I truthfully think this place has the best pizza in Atlanta.  The only runner up in my opinion is Fritti, which can't beat Baraonda's perfect Peachtree location.  Baraonda also has great outdoor patio seating, which they close in and heat during cooler weather.    

I have had about 10 different pizza combinations, and must say that each and every one of them has been excellent.  Thin, crispy, real Neapolitan style pizza cooked in wood burning ovens.  I've also tried a good selection of their appetizers (beef carpaccio, calamari, salad caprese, and bruschetta stand out in my mind) all of which met my expectations.  It is prettty rare that I have gone to a restaurant so frequently and not had at least one or two things I didn't like. Great wine list which offers a lot of affordable options.  

One thing to note:  the service.  If you are coming on an evening when there is a show at the Fox, be prepared for mayhem!  It is usually packed to capacity, although the servers have always been very good about getting us served and checked out in time for the shows.   Give yourself plenty of time though and it won't be any stress at all.  Other evenings are much more chill, so keep that in mind if that concerns you.  Overall, we have always had great experiences whether we there during busier or slower services.
4 - Liz C.: If one of my BFFs didn't like this place more than breathing (okay, maybe not that much, but pretty close), I might have never tried Baraonda. And what a shame that would be!

On a recent dinner visit to Baraonda with the aforementioned BFF and her mom, I tried the Anatra pizza. I swapped the sundried tomatoes for mushrooms, which were delicious. But the true highlight of this dish was the duck breast. I'm a duck fanatic, and this did not disappoint. I was stuffed to the gills from gorging myself on my duck pizza, so I didn't have any dessert on this visit, but I've had their tiramisu before and I can safely say that it's one of the best I've ever had anywhere. They also serve up a tasty and rich cup of java.

I think the service here is good and the atmosphere is relaxing. It's a great spot for a date or dining with friends and it's proximity to the always awesome Fox Theatre makes it a great pre-show spot.
4 - Brett H.: Ok, I went here a few years ago and it wasn't so good.  Tried again tonight and it was shockingly good!

Great portions, good prices, awesome location!  Keep it up guys!
2 - Jessica O.: The pizza was good - nothing extra special, but pizza is usually pretty yummy.  Service was prompt.  It gets packed when there are events at the Fox.

On our second visit, we were there for lunch, and it was quicker getting seated.  However, they don't have a menu with lower lunch pricing (because they're right beside The Fox, they don't have to), which I think is not a good business move at all, as we spent $50+ for two people at lunch, and the food was only so/so.  Don't get the tagliatelle with mushrooms - I didn't eat it, blech.  My husband liked his mixed vegetable ravioli better, but it was a special. The highlight was the mimosa for $3.50.
3 - Mark B.: Wow. We had the rudest service of our lives here. But a pretty good pizza. In fact, the pizza rates five stars simply because it is Atlanta's best. Thin crust, charred, with excellent toppings. Priced right, all very European.
But Craig, oh my, what an unbelievable attitude. He tried to explain it later by saying most people were trying to get to a show at the fox and therefore wanted to be out really quick. Like being waited on by a stormtrooper.
Come here for the pizza and Europeeish charm but do request someone other than Craig!
3 - Shaun K.: I've worked next door to Baraonda for years and it is pretty much the only restaurant  in the neighborhood that my boss will eat at, so we come here All. The. Time. for lunch. Like, sometimes I want to shoot myself because we're going to Baraonda AGAIN... but then again, when the boss is paying... but I digress.

The pizzas are generally excellent. Pastas can be hit or miss. Proscuitto de parma panini is great.

Finally made it over for dinner the other night, and it was as I expected. Pretty much the same as lunch, but a slightly expanded, more expensive menu.

I feel like the quality of the server pool has been diluted a little bit since the owners opened Publik, though, as several folks moved over there and they have a lot of new people now.
4 - John N.: We ate here last night after not finding Enoteca Carbonari...  Which was a bummer since they didn't have carbonara in the menu (my wife's fave).  That was the end of our disappointment however since we loved everything else.  The chianti hit the spot.  The foccacia was really more of a flatbread, but delicious.  Cesar salad was fine and the vongole had a great kick.  She had a tasty feta pizza, but wasn't fond of the ...  My eggplant pasta was delicious.  Finished with a light tiramisu and we were quite satisfied!
4 - Heather I.: Another one of those places that I have driven by for probably 10+ years and have never been and for that, I am sorry. I have usually shied away from Italian restaurants due to my dairy allergy because usually the ONE thing on the menu that I can actually eat tastes like Chef Boyardee...but that SO wasn't the case at Baraonda! We ordered the calamari and Bruschetta as an app and the portion sizes were large enough to feed four people easily. My entree was the penne with vegetables and WOW I just want to rub this stuff all over my face it's so good. It even had eggplant in it, of which I am not a fan on Facebook, but they did something to this eggplant to MAKE ME LOVE IT! Our server, Han, was awesome; very attentive and made sure we had copious amounts of fresh ground pepper. The ambiance was sexy and fun and I definitely can't wait for another reason to come here again!
3 - Stricky T.: This used to be our weekly Italian lunch cuisine (from work); its location was perfect and accessible. I recommend asking for the daily specials (a surprise awaits)........I have a favourite........... Linguini Pescatore - shrimp, clams, calamari, white wine, garlic, red chili, cherry tomatoes. The brick oven is a bonus and I must admit I was a little excited about that, fresh baked bread; good olive oil and nice parmesan reggiano (crushed black pepper)........tidy. Anyway, an Italian meal that is not too pricey this is a very nice place and you will enjoy the food.....................
3 - Matt Y.: Alright, let's start with the good stuff.

The food,every time I've been here, has been excellent. Well, on my last visit the ravioli was a bit too al dente, but it wasn't worth complaining about at the time because it was still quite tasty.

The price, well, it's a bit more on the expensive side I would say. Don't come here if you're trying to be frugal but it's not prohibitively expensive.

My one complaint, no iced tea. What continent are they living on? Atlanta  is hades hot in the summer, even at night and they can't get the proper equipment to brew some freaking tea? FAIL. If I were paying in Euros and not using deodorant then I'd expect them not to have iced tea, simply because the concept of ice has yet to hit the Europen mindset, and that's fine, for them. However, they have ice in the water and they can go through the trouble of having a full bar so go brew some iced tea already. For this huge oversight, they have achieved an epic fail, so three stars is the best I can give them.
3 - Christopher P.: proximity to the Fox + crispy thin za + kind of pudding-like tiramisu = the only place I pre-game for the Fox.

the pizza is always baked nicely.  the ms. and i ordered the specialita sp?, cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, and arugula.... yum

service was decent.  i'm not a big fan of dessert but I've never had a pudding consistency tiramisu....

most events at the fox start around 8.  we got there at 630 and were finish in time to be early....
4 - Sara R.: I went here for lunch a few weeks ago after not having been in a long time. It was a Friday afternoon and the place was relatively empty so our party of two was seated right away. 

We ordered a special that day, the crab cake appetizer. The crab cakes were small, but for $5 were a relative steal. There wasn't any filler like you see in some crab cakes. 

We also got the Caesar salad, which was also great. The dressing is made in-house and you can tell - it has a lemon, garlic, and anchovy flavor that you just don't get from the premade stuff. 

Finally, the main attraction for me: the pizza. We weren't feeling any of the meat-heavy combinations, so we opted to create our own pizza with the toppings that they offer. I can't remember for sure, but I think we got eggplant, mushrooms, and zucchini on the pizza. It was absolutely delicious! The crust is thin and charred in a few spots, and it stayed crisp even with all of the water-intense vegetables, cheese, and tomato sauce toppings. 

Service was attentive but not so attentive that you feel like you're being watched. All in all, a wonderful choice for a light and inexpensive meal (it was less than $25 for the two of us).
4 - Lisa B.: Went here for dinner on Friday night before "Dream Girls" at the Fox. We had called ahead of time to see what time we would need to arrive to make it to an 8:00 show at the Fox. They told us that if we were there by 6:00 that we'd have plenty of time to get to the Fox. So that's what we did - when we arrived just be 6:00 the place was pretty much empty, by 6:30 the place had filled in nicely and our entire area was full.  Note: They do not take reservations unless your party is 6 or larger.

First impression of Baraonda was it was a much larger place than it looks from the outside. There are three different areas - the main dining room, a smaller dining room and then the bar area. There is also a small patio off of the bar.  We sat in the main dining room which was dimly lit with wood tables and chairs. If you have a hard time seeing you may want to bring a pocket flash light or request to be seated elsewhere.

Our server came over immediately and was attentive at first. As he had more tables seated his attention to us began to fade and he seemed more rushed with every interaction. Service wasn't terrible but it was a little slow. 

I started with the Casa salad which consisted of field greens, carrots, cucumbers and a vinaigrette dressing. My only complaints about the salad were 1. it only had one itsy bitsty teenie weenie cucumber and 2. there was barely any vinaigrette on it. It's not like I want a salad that is swimming in dressing but there really was like none on this salad. Oh well. For my entree I went with the penne checca pasta - penne pasta, tomato, garlic and olive oil - and I opted to add grilled chicken per our server's suggestion. The pasta was good, the tomatoes were full of flavor but I wish I had skipped the chicken. It was really dry and just seemed processed, not like fresh chicken breast hot off the grill. Next time I may try a pizza instead of pasta because they looked REALLY good. For desert I ordered the sorbet - two scoops of blood orange, one scoop of wild berry. The wild berry was great and the orange blood was good but too tart for my taste. I'm going to try the tiramisu if I ever go back...it looked amazing! 

Overall I enjoyed my meal at Baraonda. I highly recommend it if you are going to the Fox because it's really convenient - you only have to park once! The food was good and the service was average. I would definitely come back and try some of their other offerings.
2 - Michelle B.: Had to update my review...
I'm not sure if they've gotten new management, but the food has gone WAY downhill in the last couple of months. Maybe it's just 'cause I get it to go, but STILL...!!!

Pizza Margherita is SUPPOSED to be topped with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella. That's what it says on the menu. That's what I got when I had it in Rome, New York, St. Maartin and every place else in Atlanta. That's what they show on their website...several times. 
That's not what I got here the last couple of trips. 
All I got was cheese pizza with a couple of basil leaves on top. I can do that at home. To make matters worse, I was told I didn't know what True Margherita pizza was when I called to complain. EXCUSE ME??? I wonder if the person I spoke to on the phone was the same one who told me I couldn't get a job there unless I spoke Spanish? WHATEVER!!!
4 - Carrie B.: Somehow it escaped me to review one of my "old-faithfuls". The hubby and I love popping into Baraonda for a pizza and salad or antipasto and rarely have any issues. When the weather is nice the little patio is cute and cosy and reminiscent of a little cafe in Key West or New Orleans. It's a great place to grab a quick bite or grab a bunch of friends and make a night of it. They generally take reservations for 6 or more, but when there's a show at the Fox they won't take them until after 8pm.
4 - Nique F.: Great location near the Fox, or Hotel Indigo if you're a business traveler. Food is hearty, and seems authentic enough. They've got a cozy low-lit dining room, bar area and private dining room. 

As for their private banquet/ event space, the staff was really skilled at keeping our large group of 30 happy. We especially enjoyed the "authentic" Italian waiters who didn't skimp on the charm, "would you like some more wine, my dear?"

I had the luscious caesar salad, heavy on the anchovy flavor but fine with me. Then came the tender sea bass with sauteed spinach. No complaints - it was on the light side for an Italian meal, until the tiramisu came. Of course I had to clean my plate!

Nice spot for a well-rounded Italian menu.
4 - Dustin W.: I use to live in Midtown for a while and have been working downtown for years and never have had a desire to stop at Baraonda. I only wish I would've stopped here sooner. Probably the only Pizza I've eaten in Georgia that I haven't been disappointed with. I really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere.
4 - Michael G.: Really good. Went there on a quick business trip to Atlanta; front desk recommended this place and once we found it, which took a little longer than you'd expect, we were not disappointed. Food was great, typical Italian, but genuine, with the usual big portions that you get at an Italian place, but not too much. I got the lasagna and finished the entire thing, enjoying every bite.

We got the bruschetta for an app., and again, really good, made with some Italian love. Most importantly, was no more expensive than an Olive Garden.
4 - Kelsey P.: I'll admit I've (somehow) never tried the pizza, but I really think this is the best pasta you can get in Midtown. I used to work a couple blocks away, and this was a favorite lunchtime destination for our office.

Anyway, every pasta dish I've tried there has been excellent. I'm particularly partial to the Penne Salsiccia -- perfectly cooked al dente penne, a rich cream sauce, and some very flavorful sausage. I'd also recommend the spaghetti polpettine.

A couple minor complaints I have are that it can get pretty noisy, and Friday lunches tend to require a wait. Other than that, two thumbs up.
2 - Brian K.: Disappointing. I've had better Italian fare from fast food joints....in airports....in Asia.

Food: Baraonda offers a diverse array of predominately Northern Italian cuisine with an American Continental spin. They taut their pizza on the menu, but I've had far better and more authentic at Antico. 

Service: Unfortunately, the service is glacially slow. Moreover, on the two occasions I've been here it's seemed as if the servers weren't the least bit familiar with the menu. On one occasion they were out of several different wine options and the alternative recommendations the server was providing were not even close to the options originally ordered (e.g. originally ordered a sweet white and server recommended dry red).

Atmosphere: The atmosphere is eclectic and the dress boarders on trendy casual, which I think is due to it's proximity to the Fox.

Cost: Moderate. Appetizers are in the $7-$10 range and entrees in the $10 to $20 range.

Other: The proximity of this place to the Fox Theater is ideal for a pre or post show dinner/lunch. However, they only take reservations for parties of 6 or more, so arrive early or you might end up eating on a paper plate at the pita joint down the street.
4 - julie w.: My husband and I took our 4 and 6 year old kids for a special dinner before Peter pan the play. We were in a bit of a rush and let our server know right away. We put in a pizza and pasta order for the kids and in less than 3 minutes the pizza and pasta were on the table! I have never seen food come out that fast even in mcdonalds! The pizza was amazing and we all devoured it almost as quickly as it came out.

 We immediately ordered another one, this time we tried the margarita one. It was the cheese pizza with a few shreds of basil. Certainly NOT a true margarita! Pasta was a bit firm and undercooked, drenched in butter. Even worse, each "side order of plain penne w/ butter" was $10! Total rip off. 

My husband and I split a clam appetizer, casa salad and the fish of the day. Clams were delish. The broth was perfectly seasoned. The basket of bread was stale. Salad was a small mound of field greens with 2 slivers of cucumber. Only plus was the yummy dressing. Fish dish was on the small side with a tiny mound of spinach on the side. It was drenched in red sauce and should have been in a bowl. It needed a side of pasta and not worth the $24 price tag! Luckily, the 2nd pizza was all we really needed and we left most of the fish on the plate. 

I'm being generous with a 4 star rating, because we will definitely be back for pizza and salads and was great for the entire family. Here's the breakdown:

Service: great
Prices: besides the pizzas overpriced and small portions
Pizza: fabulous
Other food: good, not great
Ambience: warm cozy upbeat and fun; great pre-theater meal
4 - Jason R.: Great Carpaccio, very talented staff! 
This place is a staple of Atlanta's Italian offerings, and now I know why. Everything from the decor to the wonderful wine list is stylish and authentic.  The bartender Justin was so charming!
Definetely will be back.
1 - Nadia B.: Very bland food. Could be what we ordered--ham, potato and ricotta ravioli and the chicken picata. So disappointing and overpriced. Service was fine and the gorgonzola salad was okay, but nothing to go back for. Will not return.
4 - Adam W.: Man, it was late when we got there and had a party of about 15 people. I did not expect what we got. STELLAR SERVICE! Half my party was drunk, and kind of getting stupid, and they still served us like we were cool. Hopefully the tip we left made up for the spilled beverages and occasional yelling from our party in the back. 
Everyone ordered mostly pizza and apps. All of which were good. I have already recommended this place to some friends and would again.
5 - Alex D.: Went to Baraonda on Friday night last weekend .My friends and I went here to celebrate my birthday with a dinner here. It was GREAT. I was nervous at first reading the reviews about the service, but it was EXCELLENT. I had the linguine with clams. IT WAS SO GOOD! I especially liked my friend who had the Shrimp in ravioli (can't remember their Italian names ha) The music is loud but I enjoyed it--the music actually got louder a little into our dinner which was fine. Even my friends thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at Baraonda. With great ambiance and great food, at reasonable prices, I would definitely recommend this place!
2 - Ryan V.: Went to Baraonda after a movie at the Fox last weekend.  Unfortunately, the experience was not as good as I had remembered from several prior visits.  

The primary problem was the service -- slow, inattentive, and unapologetic.  The kitchen lost our order, and we were there over an hour and a half before we even saw our waiter to ask him about our food - to which he gave us a weird look, rather than words.  When he realized what had happened, he said "sorry" under his breath, offered nothing to compensate, and said our food would be out "soon."  Another 15 minutes later, we got our food, which was good (Ortomisto pizza, shrimp ravioli) but not good enough to endure the service experience.  No accommodation was made on the bill at all, with no comment from the waiter.  

With service, I understand that things happen outside a waiter's control.  It was very busy when we got there, but by 9:45 or so (about 15 minutes after we arrived) the place cleared out considerably.  Nevertheless, our drinks weren't refilled until about 45 minutes into the meal, and by another waiter, despite sitting on a patio in 80 degree heat.

When Baraonda opened, it was one of only a handful of places with traditional Italian pizzas, and its location next to the Fox gives it a great platform for success.  I hope their service returns to the levels its food and location deserve - otherwise, the development of the area and the growing gourmet pizza market will threaten what has been a Midtown gem.
2 - Stacey D.: We went to Baraonda after a movie at The Fox theater on Friday night. We had friends who were already there and luckily we were able to sit at the table next to them on the patio.  In fact the patio was only about 60% full. Since it was not packed out I was surprised to receive the service or lack of, that  we did. Our friends had the same waiter as we did, and he was not nearly as rude or forgetful with them. Maybe we looked funny...

Anyway, we gave him our drink order after sitting there for 15 minutes waiting to meet our server. We ordered wine and beer- not too complicated- but yet it took another 20 minutes for our drinks to arrive, in the meantime another waiter stopped to ask us if he could get our drink order... Really? They seemed to be very confused on what table belonged to who. After our drinks finally arrived, our waiter did not ask us if we were ready to order, he just walked off. Another 20 minutes later, we decided to skip ordering food and go across the street. It still took another 20 minutes and me asking two other people to get our check for the wine and the beer.  So in around an hours time, we were able to drink one glass of wine and one beer.  On my way out, I stopped at the restroom, which was dirty and absent of paper towels to dry your hands.

I have been to Baraonda before when it was standing room only and have never experienced such a disaster.  I know they get rushed before  events the Fox, but we arrived around 9:30 to a restaurant that was not even remotely full.  No matter what, even when the food is good, if the service is terrible- it ruins the experience.
4 - Mike C.: I love Baraonda and don't eat here enough. Probably because it's very loud and I like to talk. The pizzas are just delicious. Make sure not to order too much on your pizza. Makes them floppy. Try my favorite the Fra Diavolo and add capers. Not much better can be found my friend. The margherita is pretty damn perfect as well.
For pasta try the Penne Salsiccia; italian sausage, onions, and mushrooms in a delicious white sauce. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Yikes! As a matter of fact I've never been dissapointed by any pasta dish here.
So stop by. And if you see a fat dude at the bar with a liter of S. Pellegrino and a smile on his face, that would be me.
2 - Jerry C.: I just have a few things to add.  Granted, we stopped in before a sold out show at the Fox (Mumford and Son- awesome), but Baraonda bills themselves as a place to go before or after a show at the Fox.  And  they weren't even slammed.
  We were offered immediate seating on the patio then promptly ignored.  Eventually we wound up with warm beer and cold pizza- both resulting from an inattentive server not getting the product to the table.   The pizza came before the salad  which they took off the check.  Nobody seemed concerned as to whether we would have enjoyed a second beer (except us) until we had finished eating, with empty glasses. The pizza's had a nice char on the outer rim but was soggy in the middle by the time we got it. Possibly the crust was a bit undercooked.  They must rely on the fact that people who stop in before a show are reluctant to send a dish back due to time constraints.  

We sat under a speaker which was blasting a techno loop that appeared to have no beginning nor end but lots of thump.  Annoying.

On the positive side, the spicy salami slices on the  Fra Divolo are really good.   And the guy who fills the water glasses did a great job!
5 - Bob M.: This place has waiters for the single woman to die for!!!!! Dont miss out! Luca is your man.  If he waits your table you are in for a treat!!  I am still sweating from the hot sauce!!:)
I have no idea why anyone would be interested in the TV?!
2 - Bryan R.: Eh. Eh is the best word. 
It was packed on a Saturday night, but I wasn't sure what all the fuss was about. The food was decent, but nothing MINDBLOWING.  I was disappointed by the lack of menu options... Half the menu is specialty pizzas, and I found the pasta choices lacking for an Italian joint. Also, no joke the bathroom was disgusting... Filthy, unflushed toilets, and what I hope was just water all over the floor.
As for the food, I had veal ravioli, it was pretty good, and I was surprised that the portion filled me up. The calimari was also pretty tasty.  Overall, the food was just "not bad" but the atmosphere was a little high volume, and the menu a bit small. My suggestion is look up the menu online before you go.
Overall: B

UPDATE: the ravioli made me extremely ill.  Will not be returning.
4 - Kenneth N.: Friendly staff, Good Food, Try the Calamari, it's tender and lightly breaded. Not a large beer selection but you can probably find something you like in a pinch. Like the Peroni, or Abita Jackamo.
4 - Lisa T.: I love Baraonda because its my go to place when I need a pick me up (I work close by but I'd go here even if I didn't).  

What's super good: I get the Rucola Salad all the time! It's really fresh with arugula, and the shaved  parmigiano, carmalized shallots, and bits of pancetta give it really good flavor. The lemon olive oil is makes it super light.  I also love the Carpaccio and it's only $10 (cheapest I've ever seen).  Lasagna is great, it looks small but is very filling. Butternut squash ravioli was light and not too sweet.

Not so good: My sister got the Gargenelli Pasta..if you like sauce do not get this.  The Tomato Basil Soup is a little too salty.

I like the atmosphere...very loud but fun.  There's an outside patio, bar, and 2 dining rooms.  Service is usually very nice...sometimes slow so if you're getting pasta don't be in a rush.
5 - Jimmy B.: Hands down the best italian food & brick oven pizza in metro Atlanta.  I've been here for 11 years, tried virtually every recommended Italian eatery around & they still always come out on top ...
2 - Michelle C.: I was underwelmed for the price paid. We went here because we were going to the Fox and I've always heard decent things about the place. While the atmosphere and decor were fabulous, the food wasn't up to par.  We ordered the calamari to start and it was definitely the frozen kind with no flavor and slightly too chewy.  We also got two of the pasta dishes and the portions were small!  Mine tasted fine, but wasn't anything I couldn't make at home and was not worth the $16 price tag.  We enjoyed a nice bottle of wine, but once again it had a screw cap and was overpriced at $32.  The shot of limoncello ($6) was worth the price and super delicious.  I doubt we will be back though.
4 - Dave L.: Great restaurant!
Being so close to the Fox you should make sure that you are in the door by 6pm.
Two friends and my wife for this venture.
Service was excellent.
Food was a mix. My wife and one friend found their a bit on the spicy side, so I traded my wife a great penne dish with shrimp for her crab ravioli. It was too spicy for her but I enjoyed it.
Desert was outstanding! Terri sue as I love to call it was outstanding, this is a must.

Only negative was the two groups of people beside/behind us. We were center restaurant where everything was four table settings, the place was packed with a wait outside the door. There were two tables of four that came in that turned into 16! Next thing our table was up against the door and one of our friends had to move three times. At first nonissue then it became annoying since one little man had to much to drink.

One would think the manager would stop this from happening as they were there for a long night, annoying other diners, and most of all the waitstaff who saw their tip opportunity dwindling fast.

Less that it was a fabulous time with great food and service!
5 - Leann B.: Fusilli Zucca and Penne Checca were both outstanding. Bruschetta to start was very fresh and full flavored. You won't go wrong here.
3 - AngryYoungMan X.: I visited this corner tucked A-e-talian restaurant last weekend. 

On a cursory glance, it seems to have decent inside seating area but  patio seating is much nicer. My visit was for a late dinner so the place was pretty thinned out by then. Generally, I don't pay much attention to music in restaurants as food and drinks take precedence over everything... present company included. However, rocking Top of the Pop Chartbusters doesn't cut it in a dimly lit, Italian restaurant either.  If thats something that bothers you, skip rest of the review and look for another place. 

Wine selection was a little disappointing. The first bottle had to be sent back... it tasted refermented. Super Tuscan bottle of wine should not be tasting like Champagne! 
We started with an order of Salumi Affetati - a LARGE platter of cured meats. Salami and speck were especially delicious.  Entrees were tagliatelle with shitake mushroom and garganelli with sausage. Sauce was good on both orders but overall they were nothing extraordinary. Same thoughts for the dessert which was a large slice of Tiramisu. I am not an Italian food snob but I have developed my taste buds eating in some of the oldest Italian restaurants of Chicago so I am a bit spoiled. 

Baraonda fares better than your regular chain restaurants like Maggianos or similar, but it fell short in meeting expectations. I don't regret the first visit but it's not worth a second round.
1 - Nicole G.: UGGGGH! It is a beautiful place with great seating outside and very close to the Fox. We were going to a show at the Fox and tried it out. The bruschetta was ok...it wasn't bad, but I've had better at many places. I orderd the seafood pasta...the menu didn't say much other than it was in the pasta section and listed clams, other seafood, and wine. I would assume then that it was a wine sauce. But it came with a spicy red sauce....too strong to be able to taste any of the seafood and misleading because the menu didn't say anything about the sauce other than it mentioned wine. My mother got a smoked salmon salad that was arful in how it was displayed on the plate, but it wasn't that great. The service wasn't great either. In my opinion, this is another restaurant trying to be fancy in presentation and in atmosphere, but the food just isn't very good. From reading other reviews, it looks like the people that ordered pizza gave it a good review and the people that ordered anything else gave it a bad review. I'd rather go to a whole in the wall with great food or just sit home and eat a box of mac and cheese then spend the money to get food here again...just wasn't worth the time or the money. I'm not hard to please and have never taken the time to write a bad review....just sayin'....
4 - Trevvor C.: For a Sunday afternoon wine-and-tapas type of visit, Baraonda nailed it pretty well for my wife and I and our hosting couple. The crowd was light, the weather was very pleasant, and we got a good seat on the patio (until the sun dropped a little lower and blinded half our party for a while). Our waiter was friendly, helpful and attentive without hovering overmuch.

Two hiccups in the evening: our wine choice and one of the appetizers we ordered were unavailable. However, there were plenty of other good-looking appetizers to choose from, and our waiter was vigilant enough to have a wine recommendation ready, which we accepted and enjoyed. The calamari was the best I've had--it was thinly sliced, lightly fried, and excellently seasoned with a bit of bite on the end. The steamed mussels were good as well, but those are something I've had far less experience with and thus have little to compare them to.

The restaurant has a rustic feel to it with rough-sawn tabletops inside and granite for the patio tables. Bathrooms are in the rear of the restaurant (men's on the right, women's on the left) after passing the bar.

I'll definitely shoot to visit again when back in Atlanta.
2 - Cricket B.: Food was tastey but the service was lacking...in fact I felt our server was quite rude.  Enjoyed the gorgonzola salad and the ravioli of the day was very good but the overall experience was just not good, unfortunately.  Again, the server, just rude.
4 - Megan E.: I've been here twice-once with my husband, and the other time with both my husband and parents when they were in town visiting for a weekend. To keep things short, our first visit wasn't that great. The food was pretty good--although I must say, if you're looking for a traditional margherita pizza with the huge gobs of mozzarella and fresh basil, theirs is not it--but our waiter was mostly MIA and downright weird that it made it hard to enjoy our dinner. 

Our second visit was 10x better (no sight of the first waiter).  We each ordered something different (the margherita pizza-again, really quite good but not what is to be expected, grilled chicken and fingerlings, ciociare, and veal scaloppine).  Everyone really enjoyed their meals-the flavors were all so great, and the serving sizes are perfect for the price. Our waitress was very attentive and great at giving recommendations. Since it's only a block away from our apartment, I'm sure we'll go here again very soon.
2 - Christina O.: This restaurant came highly recommended to me when I asked friends about a place to go that is near the Fox. I was a little let down (as were my two girlfriends), though, mostly due to the lack of courtesy shown by our waitress. She acted annoyed by our menu questions, did not refill our drinks, we were not given silverware, bread was late and not brought by the waitress, she did not ask how we wanted the check divided and when we put three cards in the book, she chose to simply split it three ways without knowing whose cards were whose. 

It was really unfortunate because the restaurant truly has a charming atmosphere and the food was wonderful. The servings are not large, so I was hungry an hour later. I would go again, but I certainly expect better service for a restaurant of this caliber.
3 - K B.: Can be a little loud but a great date spot. The grouper is amazing, but I was not impressed by the lamb. Also our waitress was inattentive at best. The martinis were good as well.
5 - Jessica B.: The first thing I noticed was the warmth of the place as well as a noticeable but not overwhelming smell of freshly cooked Italian food in the air upon entering.  This place seems to go for the epitome of fine dining while keeping it a laid back and friendly atmosphere!

  The hosts here are very nice, very bright and warm invitation on in if you are looking for a great meal and prompt to seating.  And though the place can seem busy, I noticed that the staff was very well organized and collected about what all they were doing! The managers will even stop on your way out to wish you a good day. I noticed TWO as we left!

  My husband and I were seated closer to the kitchen at a small table, which this part he didn't care for because of the size of the table but I personally found romantic (and glad to have him so close for such a perfect day for a date to the Fox!).

  We were greeted by Alan, who was very prompt and had A FLAWLESS WAY of describing and recommending his favorite dishes on the menu (ask for this guy when you go! He is a fantastic server!).  He keeps great eye contact and is very open and friendly, making sure everyone is comfortable on his watch!

  The food portion was average to perhaps small to some but as I'd hoped, filled with fresh ingredients and filling, nonetheless! These guys know what they are doing!  I had a seafood pasta and I cannot remember the name, but it was quite delicious!

  All in all, though it's a bit on the pricey side, for a great and warm place to stay close with family (or with a date, he-he!), this is the place to go for that special ''Night out on the town''.  

   Bon apetite!
2 - Meghan A.: I am in town on business and was really excited to try this restaurant which is adjacent to my hotel. I called and placed a take out order and was told I'd be called when it was ready. After 45 minutes had gone by I called to check on my order and was told it was ready and had been sitting out. When I asked why they didn't call me they said they wait at least an hour before calling.... this didn't make too much sense to me but I still asked the hostess who answered if my order would be hot or cold. She said she'd check  on my order and came back to say it was fine. I walked promptly over to the restaurant picked up my order came back to eat it at my hotel and it was practically inedible. I had to force myself to eat it because everywhere else had closed. I really don't think this is the best policy regarding take-out orders and feel I should have been told the food was cold or the restaurant should have warmed it up or made a new one for me.
4 - Liz S.: Great atmosphere and service. They asked if we needed faster service due to our show and gave us a table promptly. My chicken dish was amazing! To die for - pollo something under the secondi - really recommend it. Excellent excellent excellent. Our waiter was okay, forgot our bread and came by every so often, could've been better.
4 - Alice T.: Went on a business trip last week and a friend of my coworker took us here for dinner.  Wait was not too long and food was amazing. 

Starters: 
Carpaccio ~ raw beef tenderloin, arugula, capers,
parmigiano, lemon oil dressing (really really good but the beef was really hard to pick up on the plate because it was super thinly slice)

Cozze ~ mussels, garlic, red pepper, white wine (very tasty and sauce was good to dip with bread)

Prosciutto di Parma ~ tomato sauce, Parma ham, mozzarella, arugula, parmigiano (topped with a lot of prosciutto and pizza was thin and tasty)

For my entree I had the special porchetta.  It's basically a small pig with the skin.  The skin was really crispy and the meat was not dry.  All tasty.  

Coworkers had the veal and the lamb chop and I had a chance to taste those too and it was good.
5 - Meagan L.: Great food, great atmosphere, and friendly people...always!!!
2 - G. C.: Here's the heartbreaking thing about Baraonda:  you cannot enjoy their truly delicious Italian cuisine for the techno-beat pumping through the restaurant. 

As other reviewers have noted, this dimly-lit, perfect date/anniversary/business lunch or dinner locale is completely ruined by the head-thumping music. The couples sitting to either side of me tonight had to yell to talk. My friend and I heard their entire conversations (made easier, of course, because we could not have a conversation at all due to the music and subsequent yelling.)

This restaurant is obviously prouder of its sound system than its food. Truly, it's sad.
2 - Maggie R.: I hate to say it, but I wasn't all that impressed with my experience here.

The bread was nice, but it wasn't good enough to where I would continue eating it (which turned out to be convenient, since our server was not reliably around that often).  When I'm served bread with olive oil, unless it's a specific olive oil tasting (see: Sotto Sotto), I've come to expect a balsamic vinegar option as well. No such luck here, and the olive oil wasn't special enough to hold its own.

My dining partner ordered the Mahi Mahi, which was a special that day, and I ordered the special pizza for that day, which included pesto, chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and mushrooms. My pizza was a little difficult to maneuver, as all of the toppings kept falling off. I feel as if the mushrooms were a little too prominently featured; they almost became a nuisance, and had there been mozzarella on the pizza, it would have mellowed that flavor enough to where it wouldn't have been overkill... but it was a pizza with no cheese. It was mushroom central, and when the two main features I'm getting off a pizza (pesto and mushroom) don't necessarily complement each other, I get a little worried.

The crust was... weird. Definitely "real" Italian crust, for sure, but the type of flour dusting on it was more sour than I was prepared for. I wish there had been a way for it to be sweeter, which I think would have been more suitable for the pizza.

The Mahi Mahi was well-prepared, but it was essentially just the fish, with very few spices or seasonings, and it didn't taste fresh enough to where I trusted it to stand on its own. The vegetables that came with it were a little bland.

It's totally possible that I was here on an off day in the kitchen, since many of the other reviewers seemed to enjoy their experience a lot. I'd consider going back one more time. The atmosphere was certainly nice, and they validate parking in the Bank of America building, which is a quick walk from the restaurant. When our server was around, he was very nice and very accommodating... he just wasn't around much. Oh well. I'd try it again, but it won't be top priority for me by a long shot.
4 - Christy M.: I had dinner at Baraonda on a Friday before catching a movie with the girls. It was my first visit, and I was pleasantly surprised! 

First, parking, which can be a nightmare in this part of town. Super convenient, validated parking across the street. 

The atmosphere in the restaurant is really lovely, kind of a wine-cave sort of feel. The server was prompt and friendly...she kind of disappeared in that good way, where things happen as if by magic, if that makes any sense. 

Of course, the food is the most important thing, right? We shared the calamari appetizer, and it was awesome. Perfectly fried, very tender and crisp. I'd be tempted to make it my whole meal, actually. But since there are so many tasty things on the menu, I'm glad I didn't.

I ended up ordering the liguine pescatore (seafood pasta) and it was amazing! They definitely did not skimp on the seafood - several large shrimp, a half-dozen or more mussels, and loads more of the tender, perfectly cooked calamari. The tomato-ey sauce was just right, not too intense, so the seafood really stole the show. It felt like about 2 pounds of food, honestly probably more than a person ought to eat at once (but like I said, we were going to a movie after, so I had to eat it all. Oh darn.). 

Overall, it was a great experience, and I'd love to stop in at Baraonda again, maybe before a show at the Fox or just for a nice night out. It was moderately pricy (total before tip for 1/4 app, 1 glass of wine, and my pasta was $31), but all in all, a good value.
4 - Jamie P.: Great atmosphere and wine selection. Loved the pizza!
1 - Steven B.: I called... I was sent to a computer. I went to the front door. Locked. No note on the door, No outgoing message.. Did this place close? 

The stars don't matter since I love the pizza there normally and it's very close to me. But restaurants come and go so fast in Midtown without notice I wouldn't be surprised if it was gone too. 

At best they decided to close on Easter Sunday and failed to let potential diners know the situation. Poor customer relations. At worst they locked the doors and sent the employees home for unemployment. I hope they at least got a bottle of wine.
2 - Chris H.: The host started the meal badly by seating us at a bad table when there were several good tables available. The food was overpriced for the quality and service.  I would avoid if you can find something else.
2 - John H.: The food was ok but the service was very bad.  The waiter treated us like an inconvenience or interruption in his day.  There is much better Italian food, with significantly better service, right up Peachtree at Cucina Asselina.
3 - Raymond H.: Awesome food...poor service.
5 - Joelle G.: Excellent food. Excellent service. And the wine list is superb! Would highly recommend :-)
4 - Jerry N.: I had dinner here last night with a few colleagues and it was very pleasant - we found it on Yelp but didn't really read any reviews beforehand. 

The food was excellent and very moderately priced. For starters we had bruschetta and calamari - both were very fresh and flavorful. The caesar salad was excellent and I followed up with a Penne Checca which was excellent. I asked the waitress to have the chef spice it up a little and they did with no problem whatsoever. My colleagues had the Lasagna Casalinga and Garganelli Pugliese and gave great reviews for those dishes.

This place has an extensive wine list of decently priced wines (mainly Italian as you would expect)...we enjoyed a Reserve Chianti and it paired nicely with the dishes we had. Great, friendly wait staff and I will return on my next visit to Atlanta Midtown!
4 - Christina B.: We went here for a business lunch and it was great.  The space is very pleasant and charming, the waiter was attentative and gave frequent refills, and my prosciutto panini was delicious.  It might have been better on foccaccia rather than sourdough, but it was still great--especially the addictive homemade chips.
5 - Joelle G.: Excellent food. Excellent service. And the wine list is superb! Would highly recommend :-)
4 - Jen U.: Good pizza and ravioli! Worth the trip.
1 - David K.: Six of us stopped in after an evening at the fox for a night cap. No hostess so we seated ourselves. Sat for about 5 to 10 minutes while being ignored by the wait staff. Finally asked the bartender if we had to order at the bar. He said no someone would take our order. Waited 10 more minutes then left. Is the food good? Might be but I'll never come back to find out.
3 - Maressa M.: This is a cute little wine bar just down the street from The Fox.  If you want to miss the dinner theater crowd, plan on coming after 7:30.  We had the place practically to ourselves on a Friday night.  

The food wasn't bad, but I didn't find anything exceptional or innovative on the menu.  I ordered the white pizza with sun dried tomatoes, and that ended up being better than the other pasta and meat dishes that everyone else tried.     

I think the selling point for this place is the location and the romantic feel (low lighting, small space).  The few other people eating dinner seemed to be couples.    

Some of the other reviews mentioned poor service, but our waitress was great.  This might have had something to do with her not having any other tables to wait on though...
4 - Jen L.: I thought this place was pretty great! The Calamari is AMAZING! It has a VERy slight kick to it because the put red pepper flakes on it - they are very lightly breaded so its not greasy or anything. I had the pasta meal - it was great fresh pasta. My only thing that kept me from giving them a 5 was that they were SOOO busy that it was harder to get service - but our server (when she had time) was amazing - super friendly!! Great time - will go again!
5 - Connor L.: Location, brick oven pizza and caprese salad are huge hits. Very cool atmosphere... big corner windows and inviting decor -- and VERY FUNNY shirts the staff wears.... make sure to read the quote on the back. Goes something like this:

"HEAVEN is where the police are British, the cooks Italian, the mechanics German, the Lovers French, and it is all organized by the Swiss. HELL is wehre the chefs are British, the mechanics are French, the lovers Swiss, the police German, and it is all organized by the Italians" :)
4 - David M.: If you're going to a show at the Fox, well, first hit yourself, then stop here for your pre-show food.  There will be a line so get there early.  The staff does knock themselves out trying to get you to the opening curtain in time but don't make it worse than it already is.

Now for the non-theatre crows, go during the off times like after a show has already started for a calmer experience.  Have wine at the bar with the typically handsome bartenders.  Maybe even order food while there.

This is the place we go when we have groups of friends or colleagues in town.  Its my favorite for oven fired pizzas.  I tend to go back and forth between the Bianca and the procuitto di parma.  Neither can be beat.  Parking is a bear and don't trust meter parking at night.  Not only is it a scam by the meter enforcement company but its also Midtown and there's breakins.  Like the guy who broke my window to get my cheap GPS on my birthday at Baraonda a couple years ago..
4 - Barry B.: On a busy night service was attentive and prompt. Wine was a nice Montepulciano d'abruzzo. Entree was a wonderful papperadelle with lamb ragu. Flavorful with large juicy chunks of lamb. Very tasty meal- when back in Atlanta I'll visit again!
4 - Tiffany N.: my grandma loves this place. there's a guy that works there that she is completely in love with, haha. i believe i ordered the margarita pizza (i know there's an "H" somewhere) & it was good! the service was on point too.
4 - Amanda D.: Delicious, yet limited food menu with extensive wine list and yummy cocktails!  Reservations recommended.
4 - ERIC B.: Our friends from Athens took us to Baraonda for a quick dinner before the Ringo Starr concert at the Fox. We quickly realized, from all the Beatles T-shirts, that no show at the Fox theatre is complete without first grabbing a bite at Baraonda.

We all had brick oven pizzas, but 4 different kinds. I chose the Capricciosa and couldn't have been more satisfied. The crust was thin and just the right combination of crispy and chewy. The ham was savory and plentiful. The mushrooms and olives were a perfect complement to the artichokes. I washed mine down with a glass (ok, two glasses) of the house Cabernet.

We all agreed it was the best pizza we'd ever had and have been drooling at the memory ever since.
4 - Dave B.: Baraonda is a new delight. I've had the Penne Salsiccia 3X in the past week. Customer service is A+.
1 - Stephanie S.: Food was good. Waiter was good. Hostess and restaurant owner/manager horrible. Hostess was extremely pretentious and treated my fiance like garbage (after my table spent almost $400.00). The manager was throwing his arms up at us as if he was attempting to pick a bar fight. Horrible customer relations. They did NOT make me feel welcomed in my neighborhood eatery. I most likely will not spend another penny here.
3 - Matthew D.: Located right next to the Fox Theatre, mentioned because if you want to actually get a table there check to ensure nothing is playing at the Fox.  I wanted to try out Proof & Provision for some libations across the street, so this seemed like a logical choice to grab a little dinner after my bar exploration.

Having never been I went basic with some pizza, the Fra Diavolo ~ tomato sauce, spicy salami, mozzarella.  It was good, Antico isn't going to lose any sleep over it, but it was a fine pie, brick oven style, which always seems to had some character to anything it cooks.  

The waiter seemed a little put off to serve the table and a few simple requests were forgotten and when reminded he didn't seem annoyed, he just didn't seem to care.

Seated at a little table, maneuvering around the pie was a little more work than it should have been.  The service could have made the experience better, but it did the opposite, not offensive, just apathetic.

To Recap:

The Good:  The food was worthy of going back, if I was seeing a show at the Fox, it would be the perfect spot to hit prior to. 

The Bad:  Ho-Hum service.  The wine list was nice, but it was all Italian wines (I know, I know, it is an Italian restaurant), it would have been nice to see a few California wines, just a suggestion, not a knock.

The Band This Restaurant Most Resembles:  Ra Ra Riot.  A few things stand out and the location for shows is a hit.
2 - Steve B.: Located at Peachtree Street and 3rd in Atlanta, Baraonda is an Italian restaurant that has some nice touches.  The ambiance is pleasant, the wait staff is nice and its location - one block north of the Fox Theatre - is great.

Recently, 7 of us met for dinner and ordered 7 different dishes from the menu.  There is nothing wrong with the food but, ostensibly, Baraonda is billed as a notch above the crowd - the reason we went there.  In the opinion of our group, it really isn't.  I'm not knocking Baraonda but, at this price point you'll need a reason to select this restaurant above others in the general area - perhaps, a show at the Fox or a business client staying in a close hotel - or, you live in Midtown.

If you go to Baraonda, there is parking across Peachtree St. behind the Bank of America building on 3rd.  It was easy to park and a quick walk up 3rd delivers you to the front door.

Bottom line:  I have all intentions of giving Baraonda a second shot - then updating this post.  I'd say try it for yourself, you may love it.

Barbara Cheatley Antiques - Claremont, CA (34.096063, -117.718291) ()
5 - rebecca t.: I love this place. Yeah, the staff are a bit uppity and not always very friendly, but the goods are really incredible and the shop always inspires me to create and write letters and I really enjoy it a lot! The only place around to buy special greeting cards - very anti-Hallmark in look and feel, thank god!
5 - Nicole P.: Fear not, young shoppers. I have taken many a friend who doubted the stores somewhat "Country Living" appearance. But once you enter, you are sure to find something for even the most finicky hipster. They have some neat  things here! Jewelry,vintage  silhouettes, unique and GORGEOUS ribbon, knick knacks, fun books, all kinds of goodies! I love going upstairs and looking at the cookbooks, and found my beloved Bollywood laundry bag here for 12 bucks! And my husband always finds me wonderful and special gifts and my favorite ring here. 

Also, love the time spent decorating for each holiday, plus friendly sales girls!
5 - Mike L.: First time in this store after visiting downtown 30 times, My wife and daughter loved it. They have all there christmas stuff out. We ended up buying some ornaments and some of my favorite soap, Honey Almond. love it !!
5 - Audrey W.: Every year we buy each of our daughters a Christmas ornament - something well chosen to represent their year. Since we just moved to California I had two issues to resolve: 1) find a new place to get ornaments; and 2) find ornaments that represent our move to California. I tried two different shops in Upland and didn't find what I wanted.  Both recommended I try Barbara Cheatley's.

Barbara Cheatley's is the friendliest shop I've been in for quite some time. For a Friday at the end of November, I was surprised by how busy the place was. There was an ample sales staff and each of the women I saw knew the merchandise very well. When I told one woman what I was looking for she took me around and showed me all my options. She wished I'd been there sooner because they sold out of a number of things she felt I would have liked.

I did find an ornament for each of my daughters and when I went to pay Barbara Cheatley came over and introduced herself. I had the feeling that mine was an unfamiliar face and she wanted to welcome me. The whole shop has that feel. Kind of the "anti-big-box" store. Barbara seemed to know everyone. Anyway, she shook my hand, asked if I'd seen the goodies she had upstairs and, when I said I didn't have time, she invited me back. Now, it's her shop and she wants to make sales, but it didn't feel like that was why she invited me back. And that feeling of being warmly welcomed is the best thing about Barbara Cheatley Antiques. Oh, and while I was chatting with her, the sales girl wrapped my ornaments - no charge. The packages were lovely.

Barbara, you're my go-to for ornaments and gifts as long as I live here. Thanks for the comfort.
5 - Kim P.: My sister and I go to Barbara Cheatley's about once a year to treat ourselves to something special.  It might be just a small fun item. We are both artsy and love this place because it has one-of-a-kind fun stuff. You can get both country and hip gifts. I enjoy just looking in the windows when I walk my dog in the village. Gets my mind thinking about stuff I want to make myself. If you need a special gift, this is a place to check out. Warning: this is not a guy store.  My husband refuses to go in.

Barbara's Alterations Plus - Champaign, IL (40.114852, -88.239452) ()
2 - A J.: I went here to find out about wedding dress alterations.  I wanted to find out more about Barbara and her prices, etc., before I committed to a tailor for my dress.  She was rude and short with me and seemed offended that I might want to find out more about the person to which I was entrusting my wedding dress.  I would not recommend.
3 - Solar O.: I had an old pea coat that I needed to be taken in to fit me better.  The coat came back looking much more svelte on me (I got compliments) and the lining looked good.  The proprietor can be a bit brusque, but not rude.  The alterations took about a week.
1 - Louis B.: I also found her rude, unwilling to answer questions.
5 - N. K.: She has been doing repairs for me for years. She is excellent and fair priced. I cannot believe ratings of one and two from people who did not even try her. She actually did alterations for my wedding dress and it was perfect.
3 - Nicole L.: Barbara altered my wedding dress on somewhat short notice (about 5 weeks out). She took the sides in at the top for me and it fit perfectly after one visit so I would highly recommend her if you just need something fitted. I am quite petite, however, and even after two visits the dress was too long and the bustle was dragging on the floor and one spot was kind of left out of the bustle party altogether (which she was not concerned about even though it looked pretty awful). Barbara's response when I tried on the dress for the last time was "well, you don't have your shoes on" and I did ... all five and half inches of them. All night at the wedding reception, people kept asking me if I wanted to bustle my dress and I had to reply that it was actually already bustled as myself and others trampled on it in dance mode. But at least the top stayed up perfectly and really, that is the number one concern,  I think. 
In conclusion - YES for Barbara if you need something taken in. If you need a long dress shortened or bustled, give yourself enough time for 3-4 visits. I am sure she could rock it out had I given her more than two attempts to shorten and bustle.

Barber on 24th - Philadelphia, PA (39.9466785, -75.1806039) (Fitler Square, Rittenhouse Square)
5 - Ian J.: I've been getting my haircut here for a few months. Very chill place, in a great area. I was getting my hair cut at Chopshop for years, decided to try this place out instead and very happy I did.
5 - Eric E.: An old-fashioned barbershop with a little grit, Barber on 24th serves local Schuylkill River area. Apparently, the owner, Mike, has been cutting hair in philly since the age of 12!  The place caught my eye with the door always open on nice days.  As I walked by his dog would look up and practically invite me in. Operating at a relaxed pace, he was unflappable about a schedule. The attention was on the atmosphere, the music, the conversation at hand. It had numerous compilations on graffiti art to keep me entertained while I waited and solid music.  I was on Phalla's schedule; she runs one of the other three chairs.  I took out an old ID and told her I'd like to go back to that style.  She propped it up on her stand and did a great job well worth the $25.

It isn't a chopshop to get you out in 15 minutes. And it isn't a salon that makes you pay $40 for a cut just because they wash your hair.  The pace of the place originally pissed me off, but then I realized that slowing down is the point. It has the neighborhood feel and the right attitude.
5 - Shreyansh S.: I've been going to Barber on 24th for about a year now, and am a big fan of it.  I feel like most haircut places I had gone to previously (the hair cuttery, I know)  were factories designed to cut your hair and push you out and I would always have really awkward conversations with the stylists and be generally unimpressed with the cut, but alas, not Barber on 24th!  

Every time I've been there, it's always  just a few calm, relaxed people hanging out and talking about random entertaining things.  The owner's dog is always lounging about and is super friendly.  Both of the female stylists I've dealt with have been super nice and give me heads up on fun events in the city and always make really interesting conversation and sound genuinely interested in what we're talking about.  I also dig the fact that the owner is a cyclist (and enjoys Santucci's Pizza, YUM!).  The haircuts are 25 bucks, cash, and there's an ATM down the street at the 7/11.  I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking to get a cut!
5 - Cara F.: I'm so glad that Katie moved here. She's been cutting my entire familys hair for years. We love her work and we'll never go to anyone else!!! Tell her I sent you.
5 - Brad P.: This place is awesome!  Placed in a nice neighborhood, the three women there seemed extremely friendly and fun.  They all seemed to be able to hold conversations with all of their customers and for 25$, it's not a bad price for the city (2 streets away, I was told 50$).

I have to admit, I hadn't had my hair cut by a woman since I was young, and was a little worried when I first walked in, but it was probably one of the best haircuts i've had in a long time.  The woman was friendly, gave me tips on where to go in the city, and overall I had a great experience.

Would highly recommend the place to anyone in the area!
2 - Schuyler L.: All the haircut placed in UCity were booked, so I looked further, across the river, for a haircut... same-day.

First impressions:
Called and got an appointment very quickly, dude on the phone sounded friendly.
I walked through the door and at the exact time of  my appointment and had a dog bark at me for a good two to three minutes until the dude that answered the phone earlier could ask if I had an appointment.  I said when it was and who I was.  Then I promptly waited 15 minutes while a rather large boxer/weimaraner mix, with pearls and gold chains instead of a collar, climbed all over me as he did with all the customers.

Don't bother trying to see how they're doing with your hair when they're cutting, the light from outside is too bright to see your hair in the mirror.  All you see is a shadow of yourself when they ask you how it looks.

Last impressions:   Unevenness can be found on all sides, including one set of hairs at the front that are a good 3/4" longer than the rest.  The unevenness of the sides are most noticeable to me.  The right side is about as long as my finger is fat and the left side is more than double that, plus there's a valley going down the length of the left side (top) of my head.

I really wish I could be convinced to give this place, it had so much potential!! But $25, for a standard men's cut, without a wash is just too much for too little for me to return to The Barber(s) on 24th.
5 - Scott B.: Amazing haircut place! I just moved into the area and had been searching for a place to try out. I ran by 24th and check it out on yelp. Firstly, the dog in there was extremely friendly and so chill it barely noticed I was there. My stylist asked my a couple questions about what I wanted done and she got started. She was great to talk to and recommended near by spots (bars, grocery, stores ect.) I was curious about. I enjoyed the atmosphere inside, some exposed brick for a rustic feel. I really like my haircut and I'm definitely going back. Highly recommended!
5 - Michael G.: What's the number one thing I hate about moving to a new city? It's looking for all the "new stuff." Dentist, Grocery Store, Bike Shop, waiting for Comcast to set up your internet/cable.....  Oh yeah, and a place to get your hair cut/did.

Today was the day -- I couldn't wait anymore to get my haircut, I was just annoyed with my fro'.

Called -- found out that they were open and I came by. Great haircut, quick with enough attention to detail so that I wasn't there all day, but still felt like she took enough care with what I needed.

This place is in a nice little neighborhood convenient to those who live in Center City.

Although it was a tad bit more than what I would like to pay, I will definitely be back!
5 - Dan H.: Just used this place for the first time, and I was thoroughly impressed.  My last haircut cost $50, and for half the price this one was just as good.  

Loved the old school barber chairs, the adequate reading material, and the complimentary Vitamin Water during my short wait to be seated.  

Customers inside seemed to be regulars, and conversation was natural; not that strained chit-chat you get at some places.  Not to mention a 3 month old pit bull puppy that seemed to be elated to have the run of the place.

Will certainly be booking my next haircut here!

**Update - I've been getting my hair cut here (and shaves now, too!) for over 2 years, and this place just keeps getting better.  Although the free Vitamin Water disappeared somewhere along the way.  If I call early in the day, I can usually get someone to take me that evening, so there is never a problem booking a time.  I don't think that pit bull is a puppy anymore, but there's usually a dog roaming around somewhere in the shop.
4 - spam a.: This is a very cool barber shop that definitely takes care you.  Mike's a great guy.  I used to go to Nicole who recently went to Hair on The Square. Now that she left, Pharra and Mike have done a good job in her place.  

The atmosphere is really cool and they never make you wait long.  You won't walk out disapointed.
4 - Kevin P.: Reliably great place to get a haircut. I've been here several times and always been happy. Important to note that I've also never made an appointment, but have never had to wait more than about 2 minutes.

Call me cheap, but the ONLY reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because I feel like a simple guys haircut should be a max of $20, instead of the $25 they charge. But of course, this has not kept me from returning several times. Locally owned, good people. Worth the extra few dollars!
5 - Jack J.: If you ACTUALLY care about a good haircut this is the place to go. Well 
worth the $25 for a precise haircut that isn't just a bowl on your head.

Ask for Mike
2 - Zack W.: A pretty average barber shop.

I was able to get a walk-in which was nice, but the atmosphere was a bit off-putting.

The man that (I think) owns the shop lets his dog sit on the stoop and go crazy at anyone passing by the shop. At one point he started messing with me and asking me if I knew who's dog it was. Eventually I got the message.

The woman cutting my hair did an alright job, but asked me a lot of bizarre things about the age of the universe and other things. The only thing I can figure is that she and the owner decided I was a weirdo and a nerd and decided to have some fun with me.

I have no problem with a stylist/barber having some fun at work, but if I'm paying you, you could at least let me in on the joke.
5 - john c.: Great cut. Mike is a very cool guy who knows what he is doing with the clippers and the scissors.
1 - Malcolm M.: I've tried this place and had some good haircuts there but have on three occasions been stood up at my appointments.  They are completely 
nonchalant about having wasted my time driving down from Mt. Airy.  The owner just shrugged it off like it was business as usual.  Was a big fan of Phala before this.
5 - Ellie S.: I was a little nervous getting my long thick curly mane cut at a barbershop but I heard great things about ~ Kyle at Barber on 24th ~ so I thought I would try it out .... 

He did the most amazing haircut! Usually my hair is difficult but it was perfect when he was done and has grown out SO nicely! I can wear it curly or straight and it looks outstanding. 

The best thing is that he *really* listened to me and did exactly what I wanted. It came out better than I ever could  have imagined.  Kyle has flexible hours, great product recommendations, and seems to really look at doing hair as an art form and not as an assembly line, which is so rare to find!  He does color as well and I can't wait to go back to him for that too! 

I would absolutely recommend going here to get your hair done by Kyle!
2 - Zach M.: Went here on a whim since I live nearby.  The place looks like it's boarded up or something, but no, it actually IS open.  Why don't they work on the exterior of the building or get a new door?? I waited about 10 minutes as a walk in, not too bad.  Atmosphere is a bit off putting as someone else mentioned, which wouldn't be that big a deal....if the haircut was good. 

The asian chick who cut my hair was really nice but didn't have any suggestions for me. Not too big a deal, but a good stylist always has SOMETHING to say.  Plus, I'm not a stylist myself so my ideal haircut experience goes something like this: walk in, tell the stylist "do something awesome," come out looking like a BOSS.

Anyway, at one point she asks me if it's short enough and I ask her politely to make it a little shorter.  I don't think she wanted to do this because she made a few really quick cuts resulting in one side being a lot shorter than the other.  I'm not sure if this was intentional or if she was just being passive aggressive (as she cut my hair unevenly with a smile) but it resulted in a rather odd looking haircut.

My roommate had a mediocre haircut here as well and he said the only reason he might go back was for the hot stylist.  Meh.

Unless you're a dude with a buzz cut, I wouldn't go here.  Even if you are I might not go here because I'm sure your buddy would be willing to buzzcut your hair for a brewski.

TLDR; pretty average indeed & many better options in the area
5 - Q X.: So here's the skinny... I like this place, I go back all the time and will continue to as long as I am in Philly. There I said it! If you want more - Read On...

Like most people on this planet, I have had good haircuts and bad haircuts. I seldom trust new barbers after nearly 30 years of traveling in the gray area of good and bad haircuts. Growing up I went to the same barber all the time without exception. In college I followed the saem barber from the dorms, to a chair in a shop and then to his own barbershop. Then, the bad times came... Bad hair cut after terrible haircut and then just "Why do you have clippers in your hand?" haircuts. I had all but given up and was resigned to just using a number one and trimming my beard at home. 

Luckily, in a fit of laziness, I stumbled into Barber on 24th. I met Mike, and he seemed like I could trust him with a bit more than just the beard. A few moments later BLADOW!!! This man sharpened every line, point and faded the back/sides on my head. Simply put, this boy can cut!! 

It's impressive!

He's not the only one with skill there (though he is the one I go too). He has a mix of guys and girls there that seem to have happy folks in and out of their chairs. 

Straight, Curly, White, Black, Full head of hair, or barely holding on the strands... This guy and his crew create masterpieces, everyday. 

Sidenote: If you're not a jerk or too douchey, you'll probably have a great conversation here as well. These guys talk about everything. It's like Grand Central Station (well, 30th Street Station) of information, people and events.

I'm just saying 1.) Best place to get your hair taken care of, 2.) Coolest people since Kool-Aid said "Oh yeah!", 3.) Leave all douche-baggery a the door it doesn't thrive well here...

That is all.
4 - David L.: I was shaggy, I needed a haircut. Same old story. I didn't want to leave Center City or spend a lot of money. Was this possible?

I arrived at the barber shop, walked in, had a zero-minute wait, and was led to the chair by Phalla, my stylist. She was personable, fun, candid, and talented. (A hidden plus: her iPod mix.) More importantly, she gave me a stellar haircut, which was the ideal combination of my dull specifications and her lively craft.

I was on my merry way less than thirty minutes after entering, looking a whole hell of a lot better than when I entered. 

Yep, I'll go back, the next time shagginess rears its ugly head atop my ugly head. 

Kudos.
5 - Lou P.: Convenient time slots
A relaxed environment
Very pet friendly

I've always struggled to find my regular hair spot. When I moved back to Philly almost two years ago, I was coming off a few years of bouncing around from barber to stylist and back with no real go to person in a regular rotation.

I have simple need as far as haircuts are concerned: cut it really short and deal with the cowlicks. That's it. I like all the peripheral features of this spot, which is why I keep coming back. Of course I love the haircut but since that's such a personal thing that's fairly irrelevant. I like Barber on 24th because it appeals to what I'm looking for in a place; if it sounds good, try it out and if you don't like the haircut don't go back. Easy.

I scoped out Barber on 24th a few weeks after moving in because it was close, and haven't been anywhere else since. They have big windows and a good selection of magazines in the waiting area, which makes it less awkward in the rare instance that you've got to sit for a bit. All the folks who work there are very friendly, and will make an appointment or take you as a walk in, usually within a few minutes.

They play music off of an ipod, so depending on who's working you get anywhere from top 40 (rarely) all the way to hardcore, screamo, and various other types of music. Stay open minded and you'll be fine.

I've seen the owners dog in there a few times, and at least one of the stylists has a super friendly pup she brings in occasionally. The whole atmosphere is not stuffy at all, and I've had some great conversations with other customers in there, over haircuts or while waiting. It's a very social place, and I feel right at home there.

And of course, I'm usually pretty happy with my haircut. Shout out to Katie, who I have been seeing there for a while now and is super awesome.

Bottom line: If you're the type of person to make conversation during happy hour, with a stranger at the bar, you'll feel right at home here. The haircut is your opinion!
5 - Timothy D.: This barber shop has a real nice feel to it. Comfy chairs and a well stocked selection of magazines. Excellent range of clients too, people from all walks of life. Katie has done a great job cutting my hair for years. Good stuff.
1 - Boyu H.: Completely unprofessional - my lady never showed up for work to cut my hair, wasting my time just sitting there for over 45 minutes.  Plus, I think the recent price hike to $30 for a men's haircut is completely ridiculous.  I'm not sure why anyone would think this would be worth it when there's a hundred salons/hair cutteries around the city that would cut your hair for less... and show up for work on time.

Barbieri Ron DDS - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.280489, -120.657374) ()
5 - Caroline C.: he is HILARIOUS and you can totally tease him about how the typically overpriced dental work prices are paying directly for his son's wedding, or whatever. 

pleasant atmosphere and the staff is generally on top of it, too.
1 - L D.: I just wonder if the other reviewer went to the same dentist I did?! This guy is a major egotist! He cracks jokes alright, that aren't funny, and then laughs at them himself.  He also has the worst breath for a dentist! I went one time and never returned. Talk about feeling uncomfortable.
5 - C G.: I went to Ron for over a decade before I moved out of the area.  He and his staff are very professional, courteous and all around good people.  I'd unequivocally recommend Ron to anyone looking for a dentist on the Central Coast.
5 - Bob C.: I have been a patient of Ron Barbieri's for over 35 years. Always professional, insightful, listens to my concerns and thoughts, humorous and empathetic. The staff is wonderful as well. Recommend Ron without reservation.

Bare Escentuals - Palo Alto, CA (37.4416479, -122.1714008) ()
5 - Ruth C.: HAPPY DAY!  Bare Escentuals now has a store in Stanford Shopping Center!!

No longer will I have to endure the horrid Valley Fair Shopping Mall to get my Bare Escentuals goodies and service!

I am such a fan.

I LOVE Bare Escentuals products.  I remember other foundations, and all of them were so heavy on my skin... even the ones that claimed to be light (seriously, wtf Shiseido??).  I've tried them all, and nothing can compare.

Mineral foundations are the best thing that could happen to the makeup world, and I love that all Bare Escentuals products are so sensitive to all skin types.  The colors blend well and my pores have never been happier.  The Mineral Veil is also a blessing since it acts as a matte and really helps the makeup last for 8+ hours without need of touch-ups.

I also LOVE the Buzz Latte lip balm.  Recently I've found that my lips are quite sensitive to some chemical in most lip balms and chapsticks.  I haven't figured out what it is, but I've tried so many different moisturizers and my lips always grew puffy and irritated.  Nothing worked until I tried Bare Escentuals.

It's true that you can find Bare Escentuals products at Sephora (and long has that been my place to go for my BE fix at Stanford until now), but going to the BE store means you can take advantage of their frequent buyer discount cards to save on your BE purchases.

So all Bare Escentuals fans (and people who want to try BE) take note!  This cute little store is located near the Abercrombie.  Their eye shadow displays are super cute and you can check out all the colors.  The salespeople are incredibly nice and really enthusiastic about their products as are they eager to give you a free makeover!  They are also extremely attentive to the supplies and quality of the makeup that is set out and check that they're in order, refilled, and not dirty.

This place isn't as big as the one in Valley Fair, but they have all the BE products and even some I've never seen before.  Definitely more BE stuff than at Sephora.  Check it out!!
4 - Erica S.: I am a fan of BE products and I went into the store to buy an eyeliner and was amazed at how nice the place looked!  I felt like I stepped into a high-end boutique!  There were so many lights and the pink and black decor made the store look very classy.   The eye makeup was displayed well.  I was happy that they had the eyeliner I wanted in stock as I had gone to the Valley Fair store numerously and they never had it in stock.  Although it's a smaller space than Valley Fair, I'd rather shop here since they seem to have better stock.  Also, the staff is more friendlier as well.
1 - Karen S.: DO NOT USE THIS. I used Bare Escentuals for 5 months and it made my skin itchy and red. My skin was okay before but after using BE it made my skin break out so much that it became a viscious cycle where I couldn't leave the house without BE because my acne was so horrendous but at the same time my BE was causing my acne. Whiteheads started to pop up on my forehead and chin. I have gone 6-7 months BE free and my skin is beginning to heal just now. BUYER BEWARE. Like many reviewers here I was praising BE initially to all my friends and recommending that they get it. I thought it was the awesomest thing ever that I could go to bed in the makeup. Do not be fooled. No makeup can actually clear up your blemishes for you and nothing is ever healthy enough for you to sleep in like their marketing team claims.
1 - Juliana C.: My cousin and I came to pick up some eye shadows, restock on mineral veil, and grab a make-up case. We were the only two customers in the store and the salesperson was super nice. However, we returned about 15 min later with my mom to get some foundation for her and we were completely ignored. There were two salespeople - 1 was just chatting with her friends that dropped by and the other was busy with a customer. We stood waiting to be acknowledged and were completely ignored - no greeting, no "do you need help", no anything. We eventually left. I don't know what the salesperson was thinking or if she felt like she already spent a lot of time with us, but I was severely disappointed.
4 - Stephanie W.: Super friendly service. They were super friendly and willing to help out with my cosmetic needs. 
I had used BE products before and just needed to get a new foundation. I blame the winter for my polar bear like color. 

I had gone to their store in San Jose and just didn't recieve as good of service as I had today. The customer service associates were just lovely. Thanks :)
5 - Amy S.: This it the second time I've written about BE in PA. Dani was there again (last time I was at this location was back in August of '10), and before she recognized us as having been her customers before, she was super nice and helpful. It really speaks to good customer service to have someone treat you that well, help you find what you need and to go above and beyond (looked items up online for me, and showing me some of her own that the store didn't carry so I knew what it looked like before buying online). I LOVE this location, and I REALLY LOVE how great Dani treated us! She's the Penelope Garcia of Bare Escentuals in Palo Alto!!! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penelope_Garcia) for those who don't get the reference! I refuse to go to any other locations as long as Dani and her awesomeness are still of service in PA!!!
5 - Marva M.: I love BE.I went in this morning to have my make-up done for a special occasion. Loren was AWESOME!! All I informed him was the color of my dress & left it up to him. I can honestly say I couldn't leave there any happier. The staff is always very helpful in helping me find what I need. For my very first experience of having my make-up done I got to say Loren set my expectations quite high. I will definetly recommend him to my sisters & friends:)
5 - Shannon m.: I still love this place i get treated awesome too, i have Loren, Ashley and others do my make up. everyone is good and they remember me my name. There customer serice is great too.
5 - Shyer L.: I love this store, the product and the fact that they are so helpful!!    A couple of weeks ago, I needed to go to the store to get a few items that I was out of.  When I got there, Inolisa greeted me at the door with a very pleasant hello and asked me if I needed some help.  She also informed me that they were having a 'friends and family' sale that day and that I would get an additional 20% off my entire purchase...so it might be a good time to stock up on anything that I needed.  She helped me pick out some new items from their skin care line...(awesome), some new lip glosses, a new brush I needed, a limited edition foundation color (being offered for their 35th anniversary), and a few other miscellaneous items.  She even stocked me up on trials when I was done paying, which I shared with my mom and my mother-in-law. Overall, I got close to $400 worth of products for about $300...score!!  I never have buyers remorse for purchasing items from this place...and my husband doesn't even complain because I spend so much money on my makeup...he says it's one thing that he's glad I don't skimp on!!  The only downside to this was that I was so distracted from exitement of the 20% sale that I forgot about the original items I went in for and didn't purchase them...but that was ok.  I got plenty of stamps on my frequent shopping cards to get $10 off a few items in the future.  I went in the next day to get the items I forgot, and Danielle greeted me this time.  She was just as sweet as Inolisa and when I told her about my purchasing endeavor the previous day, she gladly honored the 20% discount I was originally given.  I was so delighted that I even purchased a starter kit for my mother (who I have been trying to get to try BE for years now), as well as a few other items that I didn't get the day before.

I've gone to other BE stores and have never gotten the personal touch that they give at this store!  Between the staff and the product, this is hands down the best!!!
3 - dominique r.: phone does not get answered.
help at the store in person is friendly but all i have is a question and i have called several times.
4 - Jennifer L.: Went in to pick up some mineral veil. The girl that helped me out was pretty friendly and let me try a few of their products.

Bare Skin Beauty - Los Angeles, CA (34.1072182, -117.7042827) ()
5 - Mary Jane G.: Always look forward to having facials with Heather. She uses the best skin
products and has improved my skin with her magic touch.
 The product Heather has me using, has made my face looking
many years younger than my age.
Thanks to Heather my friends keep asking what I have done to keep looking young. With Heather's facials there is no need to visit a plastic surgeon.
3 - m d.: just taking advantage of my Living Social deal before it expires.  Bree was really nice and explained everything. Had a pleasant experience and would have taken advantage of the offer for additional sessions but I was always having problems trying to get here as I had to travel from Orange county and they are located adjacent to the San Gabriel Mountains the foothill area.

Barfield Home Inspections - Austin, TX (30.2961708, -97.7389543) (University of Texas)
5 - Tory K.: Randy has been my go-to inspector for the past three years. I trust him with all my clients. Randy is honest, thorough, reliable and super easy to work with. 

A+ service. Randy is *THE* best home inspector in Austin.
5 - Dillar S.: What's not to love about a vendor or service provider who consistently offers great service?  Randy came out to do my 11 month walk through, even though this is a brand new home and he had just come out, he did an amazing job.  Thorough, and detail oriented.  Randy caught a major problem in my new home --- my AC wasn't cooling properly.  I didn't notice because I had nothing to compare it to.  He asked me about my bills and if anything was not right, I just said "well I pay around $120 a month" instantly he thought that was too high for a house of this size and less than 1 year old.  I informed my warranty company, and yep... he was right.  A tiny part was broke on the AC and yes, my bill should be about $15 - 20 bucks less a month... doesn't seem like a ton but 12x20 = $240 a year!  

Happy customer here!
5 - Adam V.: My realtor referred me to a service that had "partnered" to provide a "$25 off coupon."    They quoted such an outrageous amount that $25 off meant nothing.   This led me to start calling around.   Based on Yelp reviews I called Randy.   I wanted to see if the reviews were hype or not.   I could tell from the questions he asked and how he handled himself that he backed them up!   Randy asked me questions to scope the house and quoted me a rate and told me availability.   He said if he couldn't get me scheduled he would refer me to someone else who could.  Thankfully the seller was able to be available when Randy was so we booked it.   When it comes to the inspection, the saying "you don't know what you don't know" truly applied to me.  I don't know ****  about home inspections. Randy took 3-4 hours to do the inspection and educate me about his findings as he went along.  He told me about conditions to be aware of and preventative measures to take for protecting me new home (i.e. getting wooden steps away from moist, dark area that touches the ground, to avoid termite stuff)   Pretty basic I guess but he completed the job at 5pm on Tuesday and I had a detailed report (including photos) the following morning at 9am.  Very thorough and responsive.
5 - Crystal A.: Based on stellar Yelp reviews and a referral from a friend, we gave Randy a call after our offer was accepted on the house. He answered right away, and was available to do out inspection within a few days! He was polite and professional on the phone, and asked questions to make sure the quote he gave me would be accurate and so he'd be prepared to do the job.

Randy showed up on time and ready to inspect the house. I was not there, so after he was finished they called me and put me on speaker phone. Randy was cool with all of that. He told us what few things needed to be fixed and the level of severity.

I gladly refer anyone buying a house to hire Randy! And after reading Dillar's review, what a great idea to have him check everything out before your home warranty expires!

Barfly - Champaign, IL (40.1171629, -88.2434059) ()
3 - Sarah L.: I don't understand, and will never understand, why people will stand around at Cowboy Monkey for an hour waiting for a table when there are 10 tables open 5 feet away at Barfly.  We sat at the Barfly table closest to Cowboy Monkey and we could still hear the band and see into the club, so it was exactly like we were at Cowboy Monkey except the service was about 10 times faster and we didn't have to wait for a table.  Barfly is clean, it didn't smell like a disgusting cigar smoked in ammonia like Boltini does, and there weren't a bunch of tramps giggling around and exposing their nipples (as recently at Guido's).  

I did feel like kind of a loser for going in there since it's always so empty.
2 - Anne W.: Barfly is owned by the same group that owns Cowboy Monkey.. so it's no surprise that the place is teeny tiny inside.  They do have an outdoors sitting area but since it's cold here or really hot here.. it's not really that useful.  I think I preferred the booths they used to have here before.. they have kind of cheapened the place with these cheap tables and lots of neon lights.  So, since it's not really a lounge spot.. and too small to be a dance spot.. I have just stopped coming.  It's never that busy anyways!
3 - Erin M.: Went in at midnight on a Saturday, and the place was mostly empty. Agree with Sarah L. that it's definitely better than waiting for a seat at Cowboy Monkey, and the drink specials were decent. I was also a fan of not having to wait for some poor sluttily-dressed 18-year-old waitress to get groped at fifteen other tables before she could bring me my beer. But at Barfly we couldn't get *any* outdoor service except for shots, the inside looks like an 80s strip club, and there were no bar snacks or other people to look at. 

So it's a draw. Not great, but not a nightmare either.
2 - Matthew L.: Great location, awesome outdoor bar, but the clientele and I hate to say it, bar-staff, are pretty trashy. It's weird..
4 - Helen H.: Even though no one else likes this place.. I'm a big fan! Can we say cheap but super yummy mojitos? And a nice ambiance for a Saturday night! I can actually hear people talk without having to sit two cms away from them or having to shout. How awesome is that? this is the chill bar that I've been looking for..  Who wants to deal with the pretentious crowd across the street at Boltinis anyway?
3 - Teej T.: Barfly makes no sense.  I mean, who are you trying to attract?  Are you trying to get the pseudo-cosmopolitan crowd that drink classy martinis?  The frat bros?  The townies trying to look elegant?  Disaffected grad students with afros?  

Barfly seems entirely schizophrenic, with two music systems (one inside, one on the patio) competing with each other, and it is chronically under-attended.  I dont' get it, it has decent drinks and a lot of potential, but it is also somewhat confused.

Basically, Barfly makes about much sense as this cover song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCBku0A_Io0
I'll still give you another try, B-fly.  The drinks are great.
1 - Rick And Jessie R.: It's closed!  Thank goodness!

I was hear once with some girl friends and a couple of guys started chatting us up.  During the conversation one of them started to look really ill, they were both obviously drunk, and before we knew it the ill-looking one was vomiting in the corner of our table.  It was disgusting.  
We immediately notified the bartender who then mopped up the vomit with a dirty looking rag and declared the table good as new for incoming patrons.  Needless to say, we warned the next people who attempted to sit there.

Barking Hound Village Westside - Atlanta, GA (33.785448, -84.410665) (Westside / Home Park)
5 - Lori F.: I love Barking Hound Village Westside because it definitely gives me peace of mind when I have to leave my dogs for the weekend.

They have a great facility and different types of boarding options, as well as daycare.  My dogs enjoy using the indoor and outdoor play areas during their stay, and they share a large kennel together in the evening.  I bring their beds and toys, so they feel at home.  You can also opt for the luxury suites, which is a bit more quiet and relaxed (good if you're going for a long trip).  The staff is friendly and attentive.
4 - Lesa T.: For our long vacations we board here.  We spent an entire Saturday looking at most all places in ATL before choosing this one back in 2005 an have used them since.

We always pay for a suite, it is quieter and they get more interaction with the front desk and just seeing everyone coming and going --  nosy fur babies!

We have been very happy with service and the updates when I call in daily.  I bring the bed, toys and own food and treats.
1 - Julie M.: Literally the WORST haircut my dog has ever had.  I think he's even embarassed!
5 - Cathy L.: I have been using BHV Westside daycare/boarding for about a little over six months, and I couldn't be happier. The price is reasonable, the staff is friendly and helpful, and perhaps most importantly my dog always goes in and leaves with her tail wagging.  

I take her about once a week for daycare- shes a small dog so they put in her a play group with other small dogs. They'll take meals and medications if your dog requires any of those things during the day. She always leaves super happy and exhausted.
5 - Shilvi L.: Thank God for BHV Westside!!! We were starting to go crazy not having a doggy daycare acceptable for our sweet Yorkie in the Dunwoody area. Since I work in Downtown, I am now able to bring him to the BHV Westside location. I love the staff, the facilities and Simi always seems so happy when I pick him up. I can't wait till they get video cameras so we can see what our doggy does all day.  Love the big dog/little dog separation and the outdoor pool for them to cool off in the summer.
5 - Kristin B.: I am PICKY when it comes to who watches my precious doggies when I travel.  BHV Westside is the ONLY place I'll board my pooches.   They care for my dogs as if they were their own.  The accommodations are great and the staff always takes care to give my senior pup his meds.  Barbara is a wonderful groomer and they always come back smelling good and nicely trimmed.  The real test is that my four legged kids always get out of the car with their tails wagging and come home to me the same way.   Thanks BHV Westside for allowing me to relax when I travel because I know my kids are well taken care of!

Barley Works Bar & Grill - Waterloo, ON (43.4670908, -80.5230263) ()
4 - Daniel B.: Snitzel is very good, portions are generous.  Nice to go out and enjoy the patio in nice weather.
4 - Duck D.: I really like this place.  Any of my last visits to K/W (including New Years Eve) have been spent at this place drinking their homemade beers.  Big fan of the wheat beer too, garnished with an orange slice, delicious in any weather but especially summer.  Had their breaded "famous" chicken wings last time and can honestly say they were delicious.  Maybe it was the 12 beers or so talking but they were definitely one of the best breaded wings I can remember having in a long time, very crispy.  I reccomend this place and think its a gem for K/W since i don't know of any other similar brewpubs in the area.
4 - Fern H.: Checked out the Huether for a few drinks after a graduation ceremony at Waterloo.  

It was a nice sunny Saturday so we sat up on the huge patio.  Lots of seats and plenty of sun/shade spots to choose from.  They had a bit of live entertainment with singers/guitarists which was nice.

We decided to order 3 pitchers ($15 each) of the local brew - Lion's Lager, Wuerezburger Lager and the feature house brew which was an india pale ale.  All three were good but the Wuerezburger was my favourite.  

Also wanted to order a pitcher of sangria but was told they didn't have it on the menu.  They do have wine on the menu and a full bar so they could slap some orange juice and brandy in a pitcher with some orange slices and call it sangria?  We didn't try any food but I was told that the wings were excellent.

Pitchers slightly on the pricier side especially since the Huether is known as a local student hang out.  How can these kids afford to drink?  By comparison, you can always get a pitcher of Great Lakes beer in Toronto for $10-$12 (if you know where to look).

Service was friendly and prompt.  Definitely a great hangout for a sunny afternoon. 

On our way out, we picked up a 12-pack of Lion's Lager to go from the brewery store ($14).

I love to try out local brews...glad to have found this place because when I think of KW breweries, I always think of Brick.
1 - j h.: went in for a drink, and some food... sat at the bar... waited.. watched the apparent bartender screw around, break stuff, draw some pints for waitresses and ignore me for around 15 minutes, then i left.  during the time i also saw two different cooks wander through the bar looking like they needed something to do. that never bodes well.
3 - Lexi B.: Does anyone else feel like the stairs for this place from the patio down to the street are nearly suicidal after a few beers?! I foresaw many many drumbles (drunk+stumbles) down those stairs and did some serious white knuckling while I was walking down them. 

Besides that, the food is decent--nothing to write home to my beloved states about, but safe. Their beers were great, and I had a homemade brew that hit the spot. The food is traditional pub food sprinkled with some randoms (fajitas and white-folk nachos). All in all, it's a good find in a place that I felt was lacking anything else going on. 

If there is a social hub in KW region I was determined to find it, one yelp review at a time.
3 - Joanne H.: There is a beautiful patio with heated lamps. This is one of the few places that we were able to find that is open late. If you are in the Waterloo area looking for food past 10 pm, check this place out. 

The food was tasty, not necessarily gourmet, but good bar food.
1 - Ritesh K.: Under no circumstance should one ever come here.  My experience was awful but I will boil things down to one event so ridiculous it will leave you in awe.  The waitress brought my drink and dropped it when transferring it to me, she was balancing the tray on one hand while making me take my own drink off the tray myself.  After it fell she insisted I still pay for it! The argument got so heated a third person had it get involved and pay for it.  Which still left me with a bad taste because another customer ended up paying for it just to settle things down, which really should have been what the manager should have done.

Avoid this place at all costs.
3 - John T.: I've been to this place many times, both for lunch and after work for dinner and drinks. 

If it is busy, which is usually only during the summer months in the weekends,  then the service is quite slow.  You will be waiting for everything, your drinks, your food, your bill etc., the service is pretty good at other times.

The food is typical pub fare but done competently. The portions are huge, everything is well seasoned and seems freshly made. The standout for me is their wings. You can get them unbreaded which is my personal preference and they come out piping hot. In my opinion these are the best wings in the city, far better than any chain or Morty's.

Barnard College - New York, NY (40.809267, -73.963688) (Morningside Heights)
5 - Heather H.: In the summer time, this can be a little oasis away from the maddening crowd.  Some of the buildings are beautiful and some of them are hideous, but sitting out on the lawn near Milbank on a warm day is heavenly.
5 - Diana B.: It's also a good women's college, part of Columbia University.
5 - Ben C.: I really hadn't had the interest or opportunity to check out Barnard's campus until just recently while taking a mid-term that was being proctored there.  Overall, Barnard's campus and buildings seem much more welcoming and up to snuff compared to Columbia's.  Worth a sex change? ... Certainly not!  But, I plan to wander over there more frequently now.
4 - Dan T.: The campus, if you can call it that, is a great institution with some powerful and aspiring female students.
5 - Emily R.: I had an incredible 4 years at Barnard.  The school is challenging and you get the benefit of the most amazing backdrop ever- NYC.  Beware though, its not a party school nor is it for the faint of heart.   And it is certainly not a dainty little women's college.  You will work hard or you will go home.
5 - Crystine W.: Great university with clean facilities and accommodations.  I came here for a film screening of Cargo (feature film raising awareness on sex trafficking) & everyone here was so nice in helping with the preparations and getting us settled.  It also shows that this is a university that believes in, and supports, worthy causes.  

Location is very convenient & safe, just steps away from the subway station & many local eateries.  Two thumbs wayyy up for any leading university that offers all of this!
5 - Rachel H.: I'm a Columbia student but I've taken a few classes from Barnard. The classes were challenging and the faculty was wonderful. I took Intro to Higher Mathematics with Prof. McDuff as a freshman, and remember struggling through the class. But she agreed to meet with me so many times a week to help explain what I don't understand. The TA for the course - Yael - was equally wonderful! We continued to exchange conversations as we ran into each other in math building over the next few years of my college career. I have also take a Ballet class there, which was very nice and relaxing. The instructor was caring and actually gave each of us personal attention. 

The food at Hewitt was very good! Even now, I don't have meal plans anymore, I still go there once in a while to have lunch or dinner there. $8,50 for lunch buffet, and $11.50 for dinner buffet? It's a steal!! One time, the cashier lady just let me in without having to pay (I think they didn't want the hassle of taking cash and they were nice). I just love coming to Hewitt for decent food, nice desserts, and a few cups of French Vanilla coffee. 

My favorite event at Barnard is the Midnight Breakfast! Omg, it was so festive there!! So crazy! Mountains of donuts, bagels, bacon, eggs, pancakes, waffles, ice-cream, tater tots, omggggg WONDERFUL! It was a nice break to go there with a few friends and just hung out for an hour after having studied for finals the whole day. :)

Barnes & Noble - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2798637, -120.6611991) ()
5 - Haley S.: I can't explain it.  Whenever I'm having a bad day I find myself here.  Browsing the bookshelves with a coffee from the cafe never fails to cheer me up.  Although I rarely buy new books, I love just perusing the shelves or curling up in a chair by the window to watch people walking below.
4 - David P.: Whenever passing through SLO, we always stop off for an hour or two to let our kids run around, read stories and generally decompress from all the over-stimulation of the likes of Legoland and Disneyland. Children's book area has a small table and chairs. Its darn convenient that their Starbucks is right next to the kids' section. I'd don't feel especially guilty about using the place as our private place space since we inevitably buy something.

Oh yeah, there's also lots of books for adults with comfortable nooks for reading. I plum forgot about those...I haven't had the free time in ages. At this rate, I won't be able enjoy reading during retirement: I'll have to work two jobs 'til I die to pay for these family vacations!
4 - Gerard I.: I would never buy a book from Barnes and Noble, I had to punch myself, because I almost succumbed. I saw the coffee table book of Yoshitaka Amano's Coffin: The Art Of Vampire Hunter D. It was 60$ or some shit. Beautiful too. Then the switch in my head went off. "Amazon has it for more than half off, wait a while."  

When I got home and checked, BAM, it was 26$. YES! 

4 stars, because I like the layout of the place. They have the cash to make it look really nice--that goes a long way for me.
5 - Michelle L.: Depends on what city you're in, there's always a Barnes & Noble and a Borders and one is normally a better environment and selection than the other.  It's different in each city, but I prefer Barnes & Noble in San Luis Obispo.  Other than the quirky fact that it's the only place in SLO with an escalator, it's got a great selection and good crowd since it's right in the heart of Downtown SLO.  To my knowledge, it doesn't have a lot of audio or video (cds and dvds), so you're probably better off going to Borders if you're looking for that (and a Borders "membership" is free).

I could just stay in the store and wander the book isles for hours pulling off books and sitting down to read.  The chairs are wooden and stiff, but I guess they want you to buy the book instead of read it lol.

On the flipside, while I love the environment, I do have to advise that unless you have a coupon, membership, or have to have the book you're looking for instantly that day, then go buy the book online instead.  A 30% or 40% off coupon might sound really appealing, but you can find most books online at that sale price as their regular price.

To find parking, park in the parking garage across the street which is free for a little over an hour.  Or park on the street at a meter if it's after 6pm or on a Sunday.  Happy book finding!
5 - Benjamin P.: Barns and Noble is a great place for people who like books. I like looking at books, smelling the books, but not necessarily reading the books, except classic car, WWII, and housing books. However what is real nice about Barns and Noble is the layout, cafe, and I will admit that the books are nice too. Down Town San Luis Obispo would just not be the same without Barns and Noble.
5 - B. W.: Love this Book Store
5 - Saralee S.: It's a rainy day and the drops pattering on the roof remind me of why I like this Barnes and Nobles.  Apart from the fact that they used to have big comfy chairs that you could sit in and read, it still has the best selection of books in this university town on the central coast. 
 I used to live a few blocks away from the Barnes and Noble's mother ship on Broadway in New York City.  There weren't many other retail stores in that neighborhood near the Flatiron building then, and Barnes and Noble was always good for a rainy or snowy afternoon.
This store in San Luis retains that comfy feeling with a Starbuck's located inside with a long bench and tables, which overlooks the courtyard of the downtown center.  It's a good place to meet a friend for coffee and watch the shoppers go by.  
They will order almost anything you need.  They also have a discount club, which makes purchases more affordable.  The travel section is good, and the art and history books are fascinating.  There is a discount section up front that features overruns.  They also have great calendars, diaries and cards.
2 - SLO L.: Generic chain warehouse bookstore. They push the stuff publishers pay them to push and carry all the expected popular hits while managing to have far fewer genuinely interesting books than their massive square footage would imply.  

Any given section is about half as 'deep' as you'd like- you're unlikely to be surprised by anything you find on their shelves.

The employees are mostly  friendly and well meaning, which makes up for their general lack of knowledge.  I realize high turnover prevents the accrual of institutional knowledge, but as a group they're distressingly prone to things like confusing "out of stock" with "out of print" when they check the computer.  

East of Eden, out of print?  Really, now.

They're serviceable at what they do, but what they do doesn't coincide with my idea of what a bookstore should aspire to be.
4 - Perry N.: One of your everyday Barnes and Noble. I like this Barnes and Noble because of its Starboucks upstairs. You can always go in grab a drink and browse magazines at your pleasure.
4 - Anthony B.: Found this B&N to be rather nice (and unique). It's not often one runs into a two story book store. 

This place still manages to capture an old bookstore feel to it. The staff was helpful and friendly in trying to help me track down some wine log books (after lots of searching it was found the store was out of such).

Great selection of books and especially magazines. I managed to find some magazines I can't find in a lot of bookstores (Retro Gamer, etc).
3 - Paul S.: I used to spend a lot of time here at this B&N when attending college in SLO. The layout is a bi-level one, with a Starbucks upstairs for those looking to sip and nibble. The staff at this particular location has always been friendly if required, plus they do have a few deals on their clearance section towards the front of the store.

This is not a very good Barnes and Noble to sit down, relax and work on the laptop or read a book unfortunately. They used to have lots of very comfy chairs scattered throughout both levels, but somewhere along the way they decided to replace them with a few rock-hard brick chairs in an upstairs corner where nobody treads. 

I get the idea that you want your customers to buy books, that's fine. Even still, there are those of us who enjoy taking in a chapter or two before pulling the trigger, including those of us who don't way to have to pay for a chiropractor later down the road. Bring back the awesome chairs and much will be forgiven.
1 - Deborah D.: I reserved a book through the Barnes and Noble website to pick up in person in downtown SLO   The website gave me a price of $9.46, confirmed that it was available for pick up this afternoon in SLO.     B&N sent a confirmation email a few hours later confirming the price of $17.99.    I knew that this of course had to be a mistake.    I spoke to the manager, Leigh Tacker, and she more or less said "That's just how we do it, it's all about e- commerce".    I explained that isn't acceptable, doubling the price because I want to pick it up.  I would rather give my tax dollars to SLO.   Her response was "Too bad you feel that way".   She wouldn't budge.   I will not be shopping at Barnes and Noble again.
4 - Cliff R.: Three star book store in a 4 star location.  The store itself is clean, well lit, and spacious.  The selection of books is fine for me needs.  If you are an academic or rare book rat, I can't say you will be dazzled by the rather mainstream selection.

The location is great though.  I love the upbeat and vibrant college town feel of San Luis Obispo.  Always something happening along Marsh, Higuerra, and Monterey Streets.
5 - Sc M.: Miss Borders book store, it was a nice place to stop by for lunch or whatever to buy something that I quite enjoyed. I miss that and the location too.
3 - Mike B.: I usually like Barnes and Noble but this specific one is a little hard to love. It had a decent selection of modern titles but the layout is a bit awkward and the restrooms are a little unkept. For the location, I was expecting more.

Barnes & Noble - Seattle, WA (47.6626542, -122.299099) (University District)
3 - Rod O.: Of the big-chain retail booksellers, B&N is probably my favorite.  This must have somethng to do with the atmosphere, because 60% of the time, they don't have the books I'm looking for (although they can order them).  And there's something about the University Village store that I like--although that may just be my familiarity with the layout, coupled with the fake wood paneling.  The cheesy, cookie-cutter portraits of famous authors bedecking the walls appeal to my postmodern kitschy side, although the artisitc uniformity comes off a bit creepy.  Baudrillard would call it a "simulacrum"--every element has been carefully considered and designed to approximate some ideal of what the bookstore shopping experience "should" be like, yet somehow everything has the patina of slick marketing and commoditization, like a Hollywood ghost-town set with nothing behind the facades.

What irks me the most is that they have stopped carrying Penguin classics and other popular series in order to shill their own in-store line of classic literature.  I mean, c'mon.  That's like replacing Little Golden Books with "amazon.com Kiddie Classics" (God forbid!).

But I do have to give the fine folks at the B&N props.  Their section on Asian philosophy and literature is unparalleled, and their fiction shelves constitute a fairly cohesive mingling of contemporary greats, classic novelists, and relatively obscure authors.  I recently purchased fictional works by Ha Jin, Philip Roth, Herman Melville, and Haruki Murakami.  The science and literary criticism sections are notably thin, but that is understandable given the exigencies of shelf space and marketability.  The ubiquitous "bargain" tables are presumably a predatory marketing ploy designed to lure impulse buyers, and while that too is to be expected, I would prefer the space be used for a wider range of titles.  The store also features a nice music section, with lots of great jazz and classical CDs to complement the requisite rock and pop.

There are plenty of comfy chairs and tables available for reading or napping.  A coffee vendor and a nice periodicals section round out the experience.  It's not difficult to lose two or three hours in the place, and if you get hungry, Delfino's pizzeria, Mama's Diner, or Blue C Sushi are just steps away.
3 - Maria C.: After reading Rod's excellent review I must add my 2 cents worth of thoughts, though they may be worth considerably less. B&N is also my favorite of the soul-less chains but it has to do more with the service and services than the atmosphere. Injecting soul where none exists is difficult at best and there is obviously an interior decorating firm behind the scenes trying way too hard to make a big space cozy. I do like the writing and reference section upstairs, however, with the chairs that are easy to get into and hard to get out of and the library like silence in that section of the store. The injection of humanity back into the store really does come from the helpful, friendly staff who have just as obviously been thoroughly schooled in excellent customer service.

Recently, 5 pages away from the end of the 14th book of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series (Master and Commander) at 10:30 pm and realizing I had hours left to read that night I panicked at not having the rest of the 20 books. I called B&N, they had them in stock, got the books and left them at the cash register for me. 15 minutes later I was back home with my books.  They will go to the trouble of hunting down books in their store and holding them for you for 3 days so you never have to go beyond 10 feet into the store if you'd rather not. I love this service. 

While I'd have to say that more than half the time they don't have the books I'm looking for sometimes they surprise me. In the midst of writing an article I needed Lady Murasaki's Diary right then. The local library didn't have it - it's a little obscure to most folks - but B&N did. I also picked up one of their cute, little hardbound Collector's Library classics because it fit so nicely into my purse (AFTER I bought it) for lunchtime reading. The Brothers Karamazov. Later I realized it was ABRIDGED. Stay away from abridged. 

The only reason I shop the brick and mortar store is when I need something RIGHT NOW and don't have the patience to wait for something to be shipped from their much cheaper online store. Or when I run out of Sudoku puzzles. Ok, that's often, and if you're like me, get their $25 Membership card. It really will save you money.
3 - Matthew C.: Awesome store with tall ceilings. Books from the front to the back and to the second floor. What was really charming was the Mezzanine area which is accessible by the stairs in the back corner NOT the escalator. I thought I was out of my mind when I was headed there up the escalator only to find myself in another book section of the store. I thought I was hallucinating and that I probably just imagined rows of tables with college kids studying perhaps in reminiscence of my younger days. (Haha, about a year ago.) Anyway, it is a large, quiet, and coffee-scented scene perfect for studying or just looking like you are studious with friends or strangers. For the first time I felt like this was a real bookstore where discoveries of cool books and people are made and not just some corporate idea transplanted into every major revenue-generator hub that is University Village. Great place to read a book while you may be waiting in the long queue for Blue C Sushi! -Matt
3 - Dawn A.: It's always busy in here, no matter what time of day I visit.  I guess that's true of most U-Village stores, but when I go to B&N, I want to browse and sit in chairs and have some quiet to decide which of the 9,000 books I've picked out I can afford to buy.  They have a good selection and it's a big, attractive, well laid-out store... which I know is why it's so crowded, and I like it a lot... it's the store I frequent most often if I'm going to head to a chain with such a selection / if I'm in the area (vs. Elliott Bay). Just don't try to go during the holidays!
5 - Mel R.: this is my mecca. don't get me near one of these, you'll lose me for hours.

no joke.

hours
2 - nazila m.: Um, the store is busy, do you think perhaps you could have more than one person at the reference information desk? Oh and perhaps make that person a leetle more customer service oriented?

Okay, other than that, it is an awesome place to let your screaming children run wild before you pick up your other kid from the Kumon tutoring place and check out the latest issue of "guns,ammo, bikinis and playstation".

I did get my book for book club there, I was too lazy to drive to the U bookstore and was in the village anyways. Let the lightning strike me now.

A  plus - they do have some  nice cards and a decent travel section, useful if you need a guide for Botswana at 9:15 pm.

nm
4 - Alex G.: This is typical B&N and pretty close to my house. I've never been to a quiet B&N and I have to say that I don't really notice constant loud noise anyway, so hadn't considered it noisy until I started reading other reviews. The store is big with two floors and contains a children's area and music/DVD section. The selection appears pretty broad although I couldn't find a decent planner there. The have some other fun and useful items there, like bookends, laptdesks, moleskins, etc. I like Barnes for getting out of the house and perusing books (as opposed to searching, then you may want to call ahead), maybe getting a coffee, but wouldn't really attempt studying there.
4 - Kat F.: I love this Barnes & Noble.  It is huge, with lots of places to sit, and a friendly, helpful staff.  You can find these things at many locations.  What makes this place different is the cafe.

I recently went to the cafe in the middle of a coffee crisis.  The crisis was that I hadn't had any coffee.  

Barista: What can I get started for you?
Me: I need a double shot americano.  Immediately.
Barista: What size would you like?
Me: I don't even know!
Barista: So this is an emergency.  How about a 12 ounce cup then, get the job done?
Me: Yes, please.
Barista: Flavor shot?
Me: No.
Barista: Room for-
Me: No.
Barista: I'm going to just make this myself for you, instead of putting it in the queue.  
Me: I will marry you, if you would like.
Barista: Thanks! Maybe next time.  

This woman saved my life.
5 - Cathy G.: I feel generous today.

I love books. I love reading.
i love presents.
I hate being offered to be in their club.
Parking was nonexistent and then another  building was added. I have a fold up car.
1 - Jason S.: I used to love this place, and have spent thousands of dollars there over a ten-year period.  But not any more.  I'm tired of waiting in a line 10 or 15 people deep, while the sole person at the cash register goes on an on to try and convince a person trying to pay for their books to get the book company's special customer loyalty card, all the time the rest of us are left cooling our heels, waiting our turn to get the sell job.  When I go to the check out line, that is what I want to do:  Check OUT!  I don't want a lecture on the different amounts I would save for different amounts of purchases.  Put it in a brochure and hand me the brochure.  Even if I didn't hate to be upsold (which I do), I certainly hate having my time wasted by cashiers who are told to push their loyalty card at the expense of my time.

Hey Barnes and Noble, I have three words for you:  Amazon dot com.
3 - Doug C.: Since some of my more recent reviews have been a little bit long, I'm offering the Cliff Notes version at the beginning of this one. 

Things you may learn from this review:

1) Literature can be bought here (using the term loosely; I saw the Miley Cyrus biography here)
2) Guns and Ammo magazine isn't in the Healthy Living magazine section
3) I'm a guy

Now, the longer version:

Like you might expect, Barnes and Nobles has a wide variety of books. Typically, I order my books through Amazon because sometimes checking out with a copy of Mein Kampf and the latest issue of Guns and Ammo magazine raises awkward questions. But there are a couple of reasons to come here: if you don't like the three day wait to have books shipped to your house from SoDo (I wonder what the Kindle will do to this) and you can't find it at your local used bookstore, you can probably find it here. There's obviously a large selection of books as well as a vast section of periodicals. Books on tape, music and a nearly scandalous level of tacky calendars top off the inventory here. Also, did I mention they serve coffee here?

Plus I learned a useless fact or two here. When I walked up to the register (no line!), the patron before me had racked up a bill of over $1500. I couldn't help but ask what they were buying and was told it was from a local school. I didn't realize that some schools just bought books over the counter. Do they really just walk up with 150 copies of Catcher in the Rye? Actually, I was going to guess that the patron was either about to sail solo around the globe or was a felon getting ready to check in for a long prison sentence. My first choice was the felon, because after all, not every prison is as swank as Shawshank.

One downside. The staff is overly helpful here; to the point where it becomes intrusive and they become Helpstapo. From the cashier who put the hard sell on joining the Barnes and Noble book club to the sales clerk I had to brush off three times (!), it was a bit much. I realize that this may not be a downside for everyone. Some people like to have staff lurking over them, (over) eager to answer all questions. But I'm a guy. I could be wandering lost in the desert for weeks without water and I'd still rather continue to try and figure out how to make a compass out of a cactus than ask a passing Bedouin for directions.
3 - Kat R.: **** NOTE*** this is for the Cafe 
Study place? Not so much. There are 2 outlets here (as far as I can see). 
If you are not near one of the 2 outlets, forget working! However, there is free wifi. Do you want to get your 15 minute internet fix? Okay, here you go. 

Okay, Okay. So were you here for the books? 

There are two floors of books -- laid out in a neat style. 
The people here are pretty nice and I've never been bothered while I perused the sections. They have a customer service desk and they seem friendly enough. 

Why does this place get three stars not four? 
Well..... The outlet problem. One star for each outlet and one for the great service! 1+1+1 = 3. 

I'd give this place a 3.5 if I could -- I love Barnes and Nobles, but for my needs as of this moment (I want a place to study and grab a cup of joe with a lot of outlets) it doesn't fit in right now.
4 - Samantha E.: I am a Barnes & Noble addict.  There is probably a group for us somewhere.

On an unfortunately regular basis, I attempt to "stop by" B&N only to find an hour passes while I'm not paying attention.  This store is particulary distracting, as they have a huge selection, well-organized on two floors (the cafe is on a separate mezzanine level-- this confused me on my first trip).  The cafe makes a good cup of coffee.  

It's a good place to study because the WiFi is free, even if outlets are scarce.  I usually have better luck finding a seat here than at the Starbucks a few storefronts down.
2 - Caesar I.: The following review is for the Barnes & Noble CAFE. 

I have been a regular patron to the cafe for so many years. I love the atmosphere, coffee, and sandwiches from this cafe. However, since the cafe offered a free wi-fi, I have regularly seen people were asked to leave because they had been sitting with their laptop "too long," even though only half of the tables were filled by customers. I sometimes felt uncomfortable sitting too long in the cafe because the store manager would stare at me when it happened. This is a very unfortunate change because it deters myself from coming back to the cafe that I used to love. 

Other than that, this is a great cafe.
5 - Kidron C.: You really can't go wrong with books. And you can't really go wrong with a super-huge bookstore with thousands of millions of titles, many sections, floors, comfy chairs, friendly staff... and a wonderful super-special Starbucks cafe upstairs (thats the only place you'll find the Coconut Mocha Frappucino! Other Starbucks don't have coconut syrup apparently??). When I first walk in, if even only to look for a certain book then leave quickly, that 'book smell' realllly gets me. AHHH the smell of books, how I love thee! Then I am there all day and end up spending $65 I don't have on all sorts of books ranging from the true history of Pirates, to the history of the Dust Bowl in the Great Depression, old classics, Zombie horror, sci-fi silliness, and of course the risky choice - a Dan Brown book maybe some of you have heard of called "The Da Vinci Code." I'll let you know how that one is, maybe you'll want to read it.
4 - Lisa N.: I love getting lucky and coming upstairs to the cafe only to find that they've just pulled out a batch of freshly baked cookies. Soft and warm with a crispy, chewy outer edge and yours for less than $2! Paired with a london fog (earl grey latte with vanilla), it's the perfect pick-me-up for a rainy day.
4 - Opal D.: The sales associate was very helpful and when the book I wanted was not in stock, offered to find a copy for me at the Northgate store, and asked them to hold it. I like to come to pick up a book for last minute vacations, they have a very large cafe which is usually full of UW students studying. Prices not as good as Amazon, but the instant gratification of having the book immediately keeps me coming back.
Located within the U-Village, there is free parking everywhere.
4 - Yumiko K.: When my boyfriend has some work to do on a weekend, this is the place we'd go and hang out while he works and I read (and wander into other stores located in U-Village when I'm bored). The Starbucks inside the bookstore is often crowded with UW students, but that's where we usually camp out with coffee and tea. The staff at the cafe would actually help you find a table in the cafe if it is really crowded. (They'd just kick out those who are taking up a table but not buying anything from the cafe.)

I love the smell of freshly baked cookies wafting through the cafe while I read my book there. MmMmmMMM!
4 - Joshua B.: This is your typical Barnes & Noble megastore, but I mean that in a good way. Tons of selection and a good layout. The kid area up top was a total lifesaver in the early days when I struggled to find things to do with my little one that didn't cost an arm and a leg. They've got the train table, the story time area, and lots of space to spread out and read to your kid (read: kill time between naps on a rainy day).

On the more grown-up tip there are plenty of books here for all tastes, and the special event area on the 2nd floor (I think it's where about 1/2 the slowly shrinking CD/music store once was) is a nice touch even though I've never been to a reading/book signing. They've also got every magazine you could ever want.

There's a Starbucks-branded cafe on a mezzanine level which is a good place to get a quick drink/bite, but is always crazy busy and like most B&N starbucks, doesn't accept your Starbucks cards (annoying).

My only real complaint is that they need more of the computers around that help you locate the book you want (or at least a second help desk upstairs) and sometimes the lines for purchasing get long.
4 - Ken L.: Large bookstore in the University village that is seemingly always packed and busting at its seams.  I typically head up the Mezzanine to their cafe area to work on my papers.  Cookies are good IF you make sure they heat them up for you and couple them with a hot cup o joe.   My major complaint is that there are hardly any electrical outlets to plug in laptops!! Dear Barnes and Noble manager, please install these outlets and you ll find much more happy patrons.  Nice staff in cafe too by the way.
4 - Sean N.: I love how this B&N has an entrance on both sides if the building. It is so nice to walk through the bookstore and glance at best sellers and magazines. Also the mezzanine is a great place to grab a coffee and read. Only downside is that the mezzanine can get very very busy during finals and on the weekends.
4 - Susan M.: The layout of the store is great! There are two floors of books and an additional floor where Starbucks is located.

My friend works at the village and sometimes I wait at this Starbucks for him to finish work.  The staff here is friendly and there is a good amount of seating throughout BN.  One of the greatest perks about hanging out here is the free WiFi.  

The downside of the Starbucks floor is that it gets very crowded on weekends - on Sunday there was a book club meeting there that took up quite a few chairs/tables.  It also tends to get more crowded when the weather is bad.
4 - Alper S.: I wish all Barnes & Noble stores were like this one.  Large enough to separate moderate and quiet areas, huge periodical section, helpful staff, and a huge and welcoming children's book section.  I loved coming here as a kid and getting the "new" Tintin books.

I recently bought a nook for my father here, and the introduction by the salesperson (unfortunately her name escapes me atm) to the device was stellar.
5 - Katja G.: I love this store! Casey, the manager is the absolute best. Wish all stores could be like this one! Love the gals in the cafe too. They are always friendly and knowledgeable about the products they're selling.
3 - Shannon M.: This Barnes and Noble is typical of most any location you go to.  I did like how the place was organized and laid out, compared to other Barnes and Noble stores because I didn't feel like I was on top of everyone else which was a plus.  I did hear though that this location will soon be closing?
5 - Michelle D.: Damn it, B&N...

Missing you so much. You know, for me it feels like someone died at U Village...can't imagine how it is for you. Why'd you have to leave like that on New Year's eve? I know Village management is getting too big for their britches and the lease terms were unconscionable, but couldn't you have worked something out...anything? I'm not really blaming you, just so much sadder than even I expected. The past two weeks I've fallen back into my Village routine but it's not the same without you. It never could be. My visits to the Village are shorter in duration. I cant come in to chill for a bit anymore and read the paper or browse before continuing on with my experience. Having that taken will impact over all sales at the Village..i think. I hope. You hear me, management? When I'm shopping up a good storm and I'm done at The Gap, Eddie Bauer, and J Crew, I needed B&N to get me ready to continue on to places like Cole Haan, Banana Republic, Pasta & Co., or the Apple Store...even for a QFC run. I'm not the only one. More time spent on the grounds means more money for you. But whatev. I'm sure that crap furniture store you're going to stick on the second floor will be great....or not.
 
They say all good things must come to an end, but I don't buy that. The community loved you. And I loved the way we would aimlessly come in during the evenings to browse periodicals, wander the clearance, and take the escalator up to look for new music. That didn't have to end. Now Village management says they would "love to have another bookstore." WHAT? But they couldn't come to terms with their All Star? Hard pill to swallow for me, so I assume you're just sick over it.  But don't worry about me. Now that I'm back just really feeling the loss yet I will carry on... Just like with A la Francaise (all time worst for me), Ernst, Fine Threads, Betty Sue's Urban BBQ, Mom's, Honeybee Hams, Eddie Bauer Home, Sundance (ouch..that one still cuts like a knife), Miller Pollard, and countless others who have gone before you, I will keep your memory with me. But this is a big one...two floors of community and literature leaves big shoes. 

So thanks for the memories, the thousands of hours, and all the times you let me escape from a chaotic day, week, month...year. I was 18 when we met and I'm 34 now. Time flies!

Please write.

Love,
Michelle

P.S. Thanks for nothing, Village Management. Every time I think you can't get any greedier...

Barnes & Noble Booksellers - Pittsburgh, PA (40.437339, -79.922962) (Squirrel Hill)
4 - Susan D.: Okay, so I'm a shill!  There are some chains that I do like.  And I like Barnes & Noble.  I come from a family that loves to read, so B&N always has gift ideas for my family.  So maybe they don't have old, rare books.  Who cares?  Considering that I like the classics such as Charles Dickens and Mark Twain, my husband likes contemporary writers such as John Grisham, etc, there's always something to find here.
5 - Courtney P.: The melting pot/salad bowl that is Squirrel Hill (the strange, eclectic, dirty, rich, young, old, homeless, hipster, Jewish) all come together in this two-storey haven of hiding spots, book-clad aisles, cafe tables, and window seats.  They serve Starbucks coffee (although not to Starbucks' standard), it's impossible to find an employee, and you can sit in the aisles and read for hours undisturbed (except maybe by a panhandler or a high-school kid). I hope the fate of this gem differs from its Smithfield Street (downtown) counterpart which closed its doors last year (but not before having an all out liquidation sale at which I procured a fabulous tote bag for a few bucks).

Barnes & Noble Booksellers - Lafayette, IN (40.394272, -86.854116) ()
4 - Amy D.: so the employees here are friendly and the prices way better than borders. they have a good selection of music and movies, if only they were as cheap in the store as they are on the website.
4 - Meg M.: I used to think that there was no real difference between Barnes & Noble and Borders, but now I've changed my mind. 

I prefer Barnes & Noble because their staff is friendly and knowledgeable, they have come out with their own e-reader, they now sell Vera Bradley bags, and their merchandise is generally not as over-priced as Borders. 

I love that Barnes & Noble offers free wi-fi and has several nice places to sit and read or talk with friends. It's definitely one of the best spots in town to kick back with a good book or just browse.

If you're looking to buy books, you should go online for the best deal.
3 - Rob R.: Seems like the Starbucks is a bigger draw in this cookie-cutter Barnes and Noble locale.  Considering this place stays open well past mall hours, its hard to imagine they get much business outside lattes and cappachinos.  A place I would frequent in my latter years at PU, it was great to return to this place.
4 - Juan A.: Not much to mention about this Barnes & Noble; just about the same as any other one. The only thing worth mentioning would be how effective their cashiers are... When I was ready to pay there was a line of about  five people ahead of me and between two cashiers they were gone in the blink of an eye... Very impressive :-)

Barnes & Noble Booksellers - Hadley, MA (42.3560909, -72.5542613) ()
4 - John R.: A few years ago, my wife was very sick. There were several nights that I would stay awake or wake later in the night so that I could give her medication. So, I started to read...a lot. In about a year, I read the better part of 40 books, most of which came from Barnes and Noble. It has become one of my favorite stores in the area. With a built in Starbucks, comfy chairs and stacks of books, the only thing it's missing, is a fire place. Of course, if they did have a fire place, I probably would spend to much time and money there. The prices are at or slightly above market as compared to Amazon.com but when you consider the service and savings on shipping, it usually works out to a wash. Besides, it's nice to be able to talk to someone especially when it comes time to pre-order or look for that hard to find book. 
Okay, here's my only hang up. Some people I think take advantage of the stores comfy-chair areas. There have been several instances when I've seen people sleeping, reading tons of magazines with absolutely no intention in buying. Giving the rise in active Karma, I'm sure they'll get their due.
4 - Diane H.: I loveeee book stores, so this being the closest one to my school is js awesome.

They have a starbucks, that doesn't accept starbucks giftcards, BUT does take the barnes and noble discount so it's nice to just grab a cup of latte and sit down with a nice..book :).

There are chairs and tables in the SB sections...and random chairs throughout the store. It's a great atmosphere, and I always have a great time just sitting there with my cup of coffee, i mean half the people there are just reading anyways. I can spend 1+ hours there just browsing. They have sale section at the front when you enter..and it's pretty big but it's hard to find books sometimes, but there are people everywhere to help you..especially at the info counter in the middle of the store.

Barnes & Noble Booksellers - Ithaca, NY (42.4335454, -76.5081081) ()
3 - Jennifer G.: I know it's downright un-Ithacan to support chains, but I found myself in Barnes and Noble recently to watch my brother's band perform.  One of his bandmates had been chosen as B&N's "artist of the month" so his artwork was available for viewing while he played.  The atmosphere was extremely mellow - and this B&N actually has a pretty decent space in which to grab a book, relax and listen to music.

There are so many coffeeshops and other venues in this town that cater to folks who want to zone out for a few hours in a good book or use their laptop while drinking a delicious coffee drink - and many of these places are locally owned and run, and deserve our support.  That said, this isn't a horrible place to find yourself, as long as you can get past the blatant chain bookstore thing.
4 - Dominick M.: Barnes & Noble are masters at knowing what the consumer wants. B&N are known for there huge selection of books, there psuedo Starbucks cafe, and their cleanliness. But just when i thought they were all the same... I was in Ithaca for the day and needed a place to work from. B&N is always a go to when I need coffee, a snack , and internet. When I went in and cased the place, wow, there were huge tables lined up with chairs everywhere.

This is a road warriors dream.
5 - Amanda R.: The days of feeling guilty when buying a book at a chain store are over for me.  Now, I'm part of the fight to keep even one physical store in our town.  Luckily, we still have two great ones:  Buffalo Street Books and Barnes and Noble.  This review is limited to the latter.

The Ithaca BN has alot going for it:  convenient hours (open till 10pm most days); the most expansive collection of books in the area; a nice cafe that serves Starbucks coffee, snacks and sandwiches; plenty of tables to read or use your laptop via free wifi; and best of all...a great staff!

I've shopped at plenty of Barnes and Nobles and can confidently say that the staff at the Ithaca store are as good as they get.  Knowledgeable, freindly and quick in helping you find stuff.  

I love it and hope it will be here for a very long time.

Barnes & Noble Bookstore - Princeton, NJ (40.311667, -74.662825) ()
4 - Jen B.: Barnes & Noble is a great place to browse and purchase books and have coffee or tea in the cafe.  It is not, however, a very good place to purchase movies or music because the prices they charge for these items are usually ridiculous.

For example, a DVD of a new-release movie that could be bought at Borders for $19.99 will probably cost $29.99 at Barnes & Noble and will cleverly have a sticker attached for 15% off (with the intention of fooling idiots into thinking they are getting a great deal).  Of course, in the end, the DVD will still end up costing you about $25.50... approximately $5.50 more than you would have spent elsewhere.
4 - Vlad K.: Markfair's B&N has to be one of the better B&N locations I've been to... the layout of the store actually makes sense and unlike most other locations they have not one, not two, not three, but four "New in Paperback" tables, which I think it totally cool...

Won't give them five stars as the Starbucks here sucks....
2 - Daria C.: In terms of selection and location, it's good. They carry a more extensive selection than many other locations, probably because of their proximity to the university.

My problem is the staff, who often seem overwhelmed and unable to help me when I need it. For example, today I called to ask if a book was in stock and I was bounced between various staff members and put on hold for SEVEN MINUTES *before* I could even get someone to look the book up on the computer! Completely unacceptable (and this was NOT during a busy time).

I usually try to save myself the aggravation of dealing with these people and either order online or go to Borders (whose rewards program is free, by the way).
3 - Tony F.: I like the store.  I enjoy browsing there, and I do occasionally buy books there, although more often I'll try to get the books at a discount from online booksellers.  It's also a good place to buy calendars and holiday cards.  

However, the real truth is that I miss the smaller non-chain bookstores that used to exist in this area a few decades ago, and I think the entry of the big chains had a lot to do with these small businesses declining and eventually closing.
1 - Christopher Y.: I was very disappointed when i got here. I'm going to singapore/hong kong for a trip and went to their travelers section. hong kong was okay, but i couldn't find much for singapore. i managed to grab their last copy of "lonely planet: singapore encounter" which had the map ripped out in the back. also, they have little to no maps of hong kong and none for singapore.

Barnes & Nobles - Christiansburg, VA (37.158, -80.4237846) ()
3 - Julia W.: I have a friend's daughter's birthday coming up and she is getting a Nook for her birthday. 

My husband & I stopped in to this location before a movie to pick up a gift card thinking that it would be the easiest. 

While we were there, we browsed the store to see what new books were out, etc even though we are both Kindle owners. 

I have to say that I was a bit disappointed in their book selection for such a large location. There were many book shelves that were completely empty and had nothing on them. It's as if they've cut back on their inventory and aren't even going to pretend to move bookshelves off their floor to make it not as obvious.

The giftcards were a bit strange as well as they had some at the front counter and then some behind the check-out line as well. 

They had some super cute ones catered more to children but they were sold out so we ended up just getting the best we could and calling it a day. 

I know brick & mortar stores are falling by the wayside and I still support bookstores but it's hard to when it doesn't feel they have what you need or want.
5 - Brittany M.: Love their selection! Have a ton of books and a huge selection of audio books. Staff very helpful. Lots of big armchairs to sit in. Baristas great as well, made lots of great suggestions when I wasn't sure what I wanted. Very good experience!

Barnes and Noble - Columbia University Bookstore - New York, NY (40.8070335388184, -73.9643325805664) (Morningside Heights)
4 - Kimberli M.: Columbia University's bookstore is a Barnes and Noble College shop.
They take the Barnes and Noble membership card for the usual discounts and they have a decent selection of books for being a small shop.
There is no cafe in this shop, but you can get Columbia clothing, text books and stationary needs filled.
5 - Sara M.: I love this place! They have a good selection of popular books and will order anything you request. They also carry Spanish-language books for the readers En SAP. You can get your Columbia para here... and some cute little trinkets, they also have really nice giftbags, cute mugs, Burt's Bee's products, Jelly Bellies and Ice Cream. And the manager is the GREATEST LADY IN THE WORLD! 

The security guard is also very knowledgeable about politics, he doesn't speak much English but the man knows what he's talking about.
3 - Anna L.: The Barnes and Noble part of it is ok, but the Columbia Bookstore is shameless. At any given time their apparel section is so ill-stocked that you'd think the entire Columbia Community wears a XL.  That's XL for months and months to come. What management...
2 - Andrew M.: Plus: It's a bookstore. They have all the stuff a bookstore should have.

Minus: not especially helpful finding textbooks. overpriced columbia crap. super loud staff can be grating, especially when they are loudly bs-ing when you're stuck trying to figure out what (if any) logic there is to the organization of textbooks.
2 - Hank C.: I small version of a Barnes & Nobles under the Student Center at Columbia.  Crammed underneath and with a recent renovation, I can't say this is a bad place.. it's an option for mainstream books and media, but it has a limited selection, and mostly caters to university students (and you can get a bunch of Columbia-branded gear like t-shirts, etc. here) and visitors to campus.

One good thing - a window for coursebook buy backs. Useful.
2 - Dan T.: Picture: graduation rush, huge lines, frustrated students, lax employees, under- or poorly delegated staff. Outcome: lost business. B&N needs to take the reigns more, as unpatrolled this place is a bit of a mess.
4 - Linda L.: i was happy to find the Moleskin notebook for RECIPES. the entire moleskin notebook has cute sections like for each part of the dinner, and then time limit, wine pairing section, how long did it take to prepare, and how many guests will it feed.
2 - Pia V.: The place was looking pretty dirty when my friends and I went, but I guess there was some renovation going on.  They have a wide selection of Columbia gear, but a lot of their shelves weren't fully stocked.

Something I did love was their variety of planners ... yes planners.  What can I say?  I love them.  =P

The service was OK, the employees weren't very helpful and everything here is priced on the high end.  Yep, ...
3 - Dimitrios D.: In a basement.

Large and good selection of Columbia apparel.  

Rip off prices.

Long lines (at least when I was there- around X-mas time).
1 - Candy J.: I've tried to order online with them twice and it's been an absolute failure.  The first time, they cancelled my order and told me the item wasn't in stock, but it was still listed on the website 2 weeks later as "in stock."  I tried to order it again and the same thing happened.  

When I placed an order for different items, a MONTH LATER I was told the items were not in stock and that my order had been cancelled.  And it's three weeks after that and the items are still listed on the website.
2 - Angel C.: Like others I ordered online to pick up in store however I never got through to anyone; no one picks up despite all permutations of attempting to reach someone. Frustrated, I went to the store where customer service was apathetic at best. I found my item and cancelled the online-order without too much hassle. I would have happily done this originally if they simply don't suggest the possibility of speaking to someone in store. Not being able to reach anyone over 3 days is deplorable. This is also the most unloved poorly designed b&n ive ever visited.
3 - Eunice E.: Your typical college booktore + NYC = laughable prices. But, hey, it's worth putting a smile on my brother's face to get him a bunch of official Columbia gear before his first year here. The employees are usually students, so they're not exactly high-end retail associates, but the store is set up so that there's very little confusion as to where everything is. You stroll downstairs from Broadway, and end up in a sea of sweatshirts and books. Find what you need. Check out. QED.

Barnes and Noble @ Georgia Tech Bookstore - Atlanta, GA (33.776722, -84.388733) (Midtown)
4 - Stephanie S.: Georgia Tech fan and wondering where you can get one of those frizzy, yellow wigs that those crazy, shirtless Tech men where behind the goal posts at football games? The Barnes and Noble @ Georgia Tech is where you can get everything Tech. Prices may be high, but if you stick to the sales racks in the back, you can find t-shirts and other Tech apparel at a discount. Expect this place to be packed during home games and during the month of August. 

If you are a student at Tech, you know you can get new and used books all year round here. Even better, they will buy back some of your text books at the end of each semester. They do a great job at setting up booths around campus during finals week for students to sell back their text books for cash. This past semester, I tried selling back a book without the companion CD and they wouldn't take it. Luckily I tried selling it at another tent they had set up and the person taking the book didn't notice that there was no CD in the pouch and paid me over 90 dollars for it! Also, if you can't sell back your book one semester, try the next semester because I've held on to books for a year that they didn't take back, but finally they did and I made over 200 bucks.
4 - Katie W.: I like this bookstore because I am a Tech fan and this is where you can buy all your Tech stuff.  And, they do have the best selection of Tech gear around (since it is the official Georgia Tech store).  This is also the Georgia Tech bookstore where Tech students can buy their textbooks and other miscellaneous school needs.

But, this is also a regular Barnes and Noble store.  The non-textbook area definitely seems smaller than in other Barnes and Noble stores but that is not to say that they don't have a decent selection and a wide variety of books.  This is the closest bookstore to me and I have gone here on several occasions when in a pinch to find something with great success (including a Czech dictionary/phrasebook and the book of Hoyle card game rules).  It also seems like the regular book section is never crowded so it's a good place to browse.  If you are looking for something more obscure, you may not find it here, but you may be surprised.  

They also have this little convenience store at one entrance where you can find little necessities that you may need (gum, greeting cards, bottled water, candy, playing cards).  It's very handy. 

And, you can always buy a Georgia Tech t-shirt, too!
3 - j w.: a paltry selection of books. they shouldn't even be allowed to call it a B&N. don't come here to browse. most of the space is given to GT paraphernalia.

does have a starbucks and a lot of seating. nice to have in the neighborhood but midtown still needs a real bookstore.
5 - Kiara B.: Wow, I came to this bookstore and I was tremendously jealous. It made the bookstore at my school (Emory) look puny and inferior in comparison. I came to this store out of curiosity and was pleasantly surprised when I walked in. The store was incredibly large, and actually had a pretty good selection. Also, there was a massive coffee shop connected to it that was bustling with activity. The store had a great variety of Tech stuff and had a good amount of other college-y needs. Overall, I was incredibly impressed with this bookstore. One of the best I have been to so far.
5 - Tracy P.: Wow I've died and gone to Buzz heaven! My daughter will be an incoming freshman this year and thought we would take a visit to the GT bookstore! By far the best B & N I've ever been to! But I guess I'm bias now....Go Tech!
4 - Kevin F.: GT book store is great for browsing books or even just chilling before class.  I loved comming here just to get out of the hot sweltering atlanta weather.

The prices are very high, but who buys books in book stores anyways (amazod[dot]com is much cheaper).  They have a great atmosphere and all sorts of GT attire/accessories.  I wish they would update their wallet line, consider mine of 10 years is getting slightly gross...
2 - Adriel H.: As a GT student, i come here for my textbooks, and that will be the only thing i come here for.  The textbooks are very expensive, even the used ones, and they rarely have any used ones in stock.  It is way cheaper to buy your books off Amazon as they have free 2 day shipping for students.

They have a wide variety of Georgia Tech gear, but they are overpriced.  Their selection of books aside from textbooks is so limited, you will most likely not find what you want.

Also, there it is almost impossible to find parking there, as 5th street is very busy with limited street meter spots.

Only reason there is 2 stars here is for the spacious starbucks inside.

Definitely don't get anything here besides starbucks.
3 - Rick F.: Did not find what I was looking for! I was pleasantly surprised to find an Apple Store in the same building. They have a very limited selection of books, mostly geared towards text books for the students.
4 - Joshua R.: Quality book store with a great selection. They also have a pretty decent selection of text books for those of you who are still doing the school thing.  They also have a great selection of GT apparel you need some yellow jacket gear. 

I usually go there for the Starbucks, but there are other coffee shops in the area. If you work in or around the 5th Street area then take a stroll over and look around - it's well worth it.
3 - Lindsey G.: If you're coming here looking for non-textbooks, you'd be better off running to one of the used bookstores for a better and more affordable selection.   I'm not a Tech student (I go to state), but it seems like I'd need to have deep pockets to get all my text books here.  At any rate, I am also an English Lit major, so...I literally can (and have) bought my books from a used bookstore. 

I used to come here all the time to read my gossip magazines (don't judge me!) when I lived in Midtown, and I still do occasionally because it WAS quiet and peaceful.  But they've been doing construction for the past couple of months so...I'll only stop by to feed my need for salacious gossip if/when I'm in the neighborhood.
3 - Scott D.: This is a typical College Book Store, although they wouldn't honor our Discover Card coupon.
5 - Tyler G.: What does a fan do after their undefeated Yellow Jackets beat UNC?  Go to the book store and stock up on some GA Tech gear!  Or in my case, get my bro to buy me a new baseball cap.  This store rocks because of the nice selection of GA Tech stuff.  As one can imagine, it gets pretty crowded after a home game.  

P.S. THWG!!!!!
4 - Liz S.: Barnes and Noble at Georgia Tech is a busy, bustling bookstore. We usually make a stop at Barnes and Noble just to grab some Georgia Tech gear.  You can park across the street for a small parking fee.
  I like the variety of Georgia Tech goodies they offer.  I love the smell of coffee as you walk in the store.  The store really feels full of energy.  College students are everywhere buying books, chatting and sipping coffee.  
The place is usually really busy.  I'm not really shocked by the high prices.  I guess I just never expected items in Barnes and Noble or Georgia Tech gear to be cheap.  I mean it's rare for us to even find Georgia Tech items in area.  I'm willing to pay the price to gear up for the game.

Barney's Beanery - Los Angeles, CA (34.061638, -118.446763) (Westwood)
4 - Patty F.: 3.5 stars rounded up to 4

so this place opened over the weekend and replaced the good earth (which was gross anyways so yay).  it's much better than the one in third street if only in terms of televisions.  literally, you get your own in each booth against the wall.  then there's bigger ones on the other side (which have markedly better quality).  then at the bar, there's three HUUUGGGEEEE screens so it's perfect for watching a lakers game (like last night)  and the waitstaff is super chill about it too. after we finished our food  she told us to feel free to chill around for as long as we want, even though we weren't at the bar.  of course, in terms of service, there were some slight kinks to be worked out but nothing unforgivable considering how new they are.

finally, about the food, they DO NOT have a happy hour.  instead, with valid bruin id, they have something called the bruin menu, which i will admit is genius.  it's available whenever they're open, and it's a list of appetizers and breakfast items for only $5.  but before you guys all go running out on here, here's why it's a scam.  the portions are TINY (or at least the hot wings were) and it's actually a worse deal than happy hour on third street.  there, not only do they offer loaded irish nachos, but the portions are bigger and it's cheaper.  on the normal menu, the prices are under 10, which means on the bruin menu, ur paying more for the convenience of not having to make happy hour.  

so we got the hot wings...which were only drumsticks the size of a man's thumb.  flavor was good though. but we got less than 8 so that kinda sucked...and it was ranch dressing, NOT bleu cheese...

the full rack of ribs however, was AMAZING.  it was huuuugggeee and meaty and tender.  honestly, it would have taken me two meals to finish it because it came with sauteed veggies (bland) and a side.  I picked half and half of fries and sweet potato fries.  the normal fries reminded me of the wedges at kfc's, but better.  sweet po were okay...i think i've been spoiled now by flavored ones from native foods and food trucks in general...it also comes with a salad, which was PATHETIC.  few pieces of romaine, slices of cucumber laid on top of that, some random shaved sticks of carrots....honestly, i could have made that at home...

overall, for the environment, it's a pretty good place to hang out.  DO NOT come here for a quiet time
4 - Chris H.: 3.5 stars rounded up to 4

If you LOVE TVs you will think you died and went to Heaven!  I have never seen so many TVs stuck, screwed and plastered in every conceivable nook and cranny of an establishment.  During my late lunch today -- the TVs easily outnumbered the guests by a factor of 5.

The only thing outnumbering the TVs was the sheer unabashed volume of Tchotchkes!!  Record album covers, bumper stickers, neon beer signs -- good lord. . .

Why did I lead with the above and not the food?  You will FULLY understand on your first visit.  It feels as it you walked into a huge closet full of TVs & Crap -- all about to avalanche down on your head.

But don't get me wrong, it is not a bad thing.  It is just so sublime and completely overwhelming to the senses.  If the Lakers were playing, I bet the whole place would be an awesome Alice-In-Wonderland terror of Purple and Gold!  

On to the food - pricey, especially by Westwood standards.  But they have to pay their undoubtedly massive electricity and cable bill -- so it is understandable.  I had the Chili which was good (not great) and my buddy had a summer salad (OK to good) which, he reported, was too light on the dressing.  But this place is clearly more about the potato skins and draft beers, so critiquing the food too heavily is a bit misguided.

In conclusion - definitely come here to knock some back with your friends while watching a game.  Don't expect gourmet cuisine, but who the hell would.  It is an experience in and of itself and a VERY welcome addition to Westwood Village.  I will be back, but next time when something better than a repeat of the Madrid Tennis Open is on. . .
3 - Michael F.: My eyes have not been this over stimulated since the last time I went to Vegas! Barney's Beanery has tacky lights and decorations everywhere, but they also have an insane amount of televisions. This would be a great place to watch a game, or better yet, several games at once. It is pretty much impossible to have a seat in here without having a clear view of at least one TV. 
The menu here is WAY overboard! There are just too many things to choose from. The menu is literally the size of your local newspaper, and can take a full afternoon to read through. I was finally able to decide on the Kobe beef burger, which was AMAZING! For the amount that it cost, it should have been orgasmic...and it was damn near close! I honestly cannot remember the last time I had a burger this good. I had onion rings to go with it, and they also had some of the better onion rings that I have ever tasted. My meal already has me thinking about what I want to get the next time that I eat there...it was that good! 
Everyone that works here was really nice, but you could tell that they had just opened up and are still getting their stuff together. I'm giving them 3 stars for now, but I could easily see myself giving Barney's at least 4 stars in the future. The decor is completely overboard and flashy, but it is a great place to watch a game and hang out with some friends. I think I may have found one of my new favorite places in Westwood!
1 - Ian F.: I went to lunch with a few friends from work and they kept bringing us our food one plate at a time.  Then they finally forgot my food, after reminding them they brought it out....and it was cold fish...very disgusting.  When she came to check on us I told her the fish was cold and she offered to heat it up.  By this time all my friends were done eating.  The manager came over and paid for my friends food.  The intention was nice but it wasn't thought out.  All my friends got a free delicious lunch and I didn't get anything but a waste of my time.  This is my first yelp review.
3 - Andy N.: OH MAH GOSH... TVs... EVERYWHERE!!!

*rubs eyes*

Yep, I am definitely in a sports bar.  Barney's Beanery is a new addition to the dying (sadly) Westwood, and replaced a restaurant I never checked out anyway.  This two story building was packed when my friends and I went for a quick dinner once we realized sushi happy hours were closed.  Inside was loud, flashy, and fun.

We were seated in a booth upstairs with a... you guessed it, TV directly next to us.  There was another huge TV screen next to us playing hockey, and another with a baseball game on... did I mention there was another TV showing a golf game in the back?

Anyways, Barney's Beanery serves a lot of American foods including sandwiches, salads, burgers, etc.  The one problem I had with the menu was this it was BIG.  You literally read it like a newspaper, and it took me a good five minutes just to flip through everything and see what they had.  Most of the dishes are going to be more than $10, so it is a bit steep compared to other diner places in Westwood.  I would definitely watch your wallets here, especially because there is no happy hour here either.  (There is a UCLA Bruins section with $5 appetizers, but I hear the portions are small)

I ordered a roast beef gravy sandwich ($10) with a side of seasoned wedges.  The sandwich was actually pretty good, and was a good serving of meat on top of it.  I also ordered a Barney's Brew ($3.50 for a pint) which was alright... definitely not the best tasting beer I've had, but not bad for the price when every other drink was going to cost at least $8.

Bad side?  Service was slow after we had ordered our food.  My friend finished his meal before his water arrived... Heck!  Our drinks didn't arrive until after our food was served (which took a little over ten minutes to prepare).  My friend's Mai Tai was also poorly made... all of the alcohol was concentrated on the top that what was left after some big sips was the cocktail juice.

Other bad side?  Apparently they have the Avatar DVD playing on one channel but they forgot to press "play" on the DVD menu....

Overall, a good place to kick it with friends if you don't mind loud noise and TVs everywhere penetrating your every sight.  Parking is available on the street if you're lucky, and also in a lot right across that is free after 6PM.
4 - YaoYao W.: I heart Barney's, wherever I go. 

It's just a shame that their bars upstairs and downstairs are not linked so if I open a tab upstairs, I can't access it downstairs. The upstairs bar doesn't have as many beers on tap as the downstairs bar. I guess you can't have it all.

But the layout and everything is pretty awesome. Huge screen with 2 rows of seats upstairs in the back. Awesome.
4 - Loran H.: Came here to grab a beer last night with my friend.  It turned into 2 beers and an intense game of shuffleboard upstairs.

I have to say, the setup of this location is awesome, it trounces Santa Monica's Barney's.  TVs, TVs, and more huge TVs.  They're everywhere.  It was beautiful.  They have a pretty good beer selection, both draft and in the bottle.  The food is nothing to get excited about, except that it's the biggest menu of bar food you'll probably ever see.  Is it really good food? No.  Is it good for drinking and watching sports? Yes.  There are a couple of really great spots to watch a game on huge projection screens, but I'm not going to give the secret away and have those spots get crowded.  

All in all, I really enjoyed it, it's already my favorite Barney's given the sheer size of the place and TVs.  The only downside: no happy hour.  However, the Barney's Brew is $3.50 and decent, made by Firestone Walker Brewery in Paso Robles, CA.
4 - Chanel C.: GREAT BAR! its a great place to watch games and ufc fights. the menu is ridoonnccuulous...its endless. i literally sat there for 15 minutes reading the menu like it was an actual newspaper. god, this place had me doing more reading than i did in college! (hey, i was an art major! dont judge me lol )

 there is a downstairs bar as well, but its usually lame down there. you wanna be where all the action is...UPSTAIRS. i dont know if this is true, but i heard there is an upper level with pool tables? when i find out...i will update this review. 

the table tops are super rad too. someone spent a lot of time making those collages! and i spent a lot of time looking at the whole thing!
4 - Jay M.: I came out here for the first time earlier this evening to watch the Laker's game.  It was crowded.  But the first thing I noticed: TV's EVERYWHERE.  It's the perfect place to watch a game.  The big screens in each booth is a little overkill, and they occasionally freeze, but it adds to the excitement. 

You HAVE to try their mashed potatoes.  It's laced with some cream or cheese and cocaine (jk).  It's addicting!  Their fries are pretty good too- but those mashed potatoes are so much better.  Actually, you should order both of them!
4 - Tim T.: The first thing that came to my mind when I walked in was that I can't wait til football season. I used to work in an electronics store, and I can honestly say that I have never seen so many TV's in my life. I came here to watch a Laker's game and got this sick booth that was C shaped and contained two TV's in the middle with three surround satellite speakers dangling from the side. Basically, the perfect setup to watch Kobe doing work. 

For some reason, I am a sucker for any place that gives a Bruins a deal. And this place had their own Bruin menu that is true blue and everything. They had about 20 items that were $5 so I ended up ordering a breakfast burrito, a burger, and a Hoegarden. This place has one of the largest beer menu's I have ever seen. My mom is Thai so I gotta rep the Singha beer. The Barney's brew was also good and was dirt cheap (something like $3). The food was just okay, but still a good deal for $5. 

This place is honestly perfect for watching games. I recommend sitting in one of 3 places: 1) my booth immediately to the right 2) the seats upstairs directly across from the 100 plus inch projector that's as big as a V8 engine. 3) The back wall that's only 4 feet away from a row of about 20 TV's. I really hope they are here to stay because their food is dirt cheap and their electricity bill is going to cost a fortune.   

I am so glad that the "good earth" restaurant got replaced by an electric sucking restaurant that will bring me many years of beer and football.
1 - Serena L.: i normally don't review restaurants and this is my first review. i just have to share something about this restaurant's bouncer. the bouncer tonight is either a newbie or blind. come on, do you really need to test me if i knew my own birth date, then cross-check my driver's license with another form of ID, AND call the manager over to check both my IDs??? I AM NOT EXAGGERATING. our group of 5 ppl literally took 5 minutes for all of us to get in...ridiculous. we were so fed up with having to wait for the bouncer and manager to cross-check each of our IDs that we left without giving them any business after we got in. this place is RIDICULOUS, and, from the looks of it, expensive. no wonder why it also looked so empty on a saturday night. i'd say hit up brewco or o' hara's or palominos next time instead.
2 - Lissa G.: The good: I had fun with my friends on a Friday night!  As everyone has mentioned, there must be a gajillion tvs.  Yes, I counted, a gajillion!  Also, there was a cheap lot right next door.

The bad: pretty much everything else. Well, anything that involved getting food or drink from our 'server' Kessa.  She was cute but otherwise pretty vacant.

-So no Happy Hour?!?!  Absurd.  I was told it's because it's near UCLA, which is ridiculous since tons of people there are over 21 and should be able to drink if they want.  Just another reason to love USC; we had a bar on campus!  
-I ordered a 21.5 oz Asahi and asked for a cold glass. She asks Jim G. if he wants a glass too; he ordered a Guinness on Draft.  He better get a glass!  Kessa returned to tell me that they were out of Asahi, so I get the 21.5 oz Sapporo.  Kessa brings me a standard bottle.  As I comment on how they must not have the 21.5 oz (since she mentioned nothing about it), she says, "This is 21.5 oz"  As I point out the 12 oz on the bottle, she says, "Oh, yeah. I guess there wasn't a button for it."  
-We were thinking of nachos, so I ask Kessa (my mistake perhaps for asking her such a tough question) if they have cheese sauce.  I know some people think cheese sauce is a little gauche, but, a rocking cheese sauce is so much better than rubbery melted cheese which always makes one large nacho!  She says she doesn't know, which is fine, but she'll check.  She follows up with, "We do have cheese fries that we melt cheese on."  Hello?  Non-sequitur much?
-So we order the Nacho Mama's Nachos.  i ask for the sour cream and guacamole on the side.  Kessa assures me, "It comes on the side."  The Nachos come with the sour cream on one side of the nachos, the guac on the other side of the nachos.  OMG! She's priceless, really.
-I debated between ordering the turkey chili or the texas chili; Kessa recommended the turkey chili, so I ordered it.  I got the Texas Chili.  It was good, no doubt, but damn she can't get anything right.  She asks me, "How was the chili?"  I say, "It was good. I got the Texas Chili instead of the turkey chili."  She responds, "It was supposed to be the turkey chili."  I retort, "Yeah, it was supposed to be."
-This isn't even counting all the problems with getting beers, water, etc.  We asked for forks and napkins to eat our nachos and appetizer combo plate.  Literally 15 minutes later, nothing, even though she's walking by the whole time (as we're sitting in the bar, right up front).  We finally wave someone else down and she gets us silverware immediately.  No joke, 5 minutes later (for a total of about 20), Kessa walks over with silverware and looks super confused that we have some.

In summary, decent chili, ok appetizers, good beer selection (but no happy hour), great tvs.  But, if you see that you have a cute blonde waitress named Kessa, you need to move tables, STAT!
3 - Jim G.: Great place to watch a game. I couldn't even count how many TVs were available to watch games.

They have a real nice beer selection. The food was typical bar food, nothing special. The main con for me is they don't have a happy hour.

Ultimately great for a game, but kind of expensive without happy hour for after work.
4 - Laura T.: Great atmosphere... great drinks just a little pricey!! the food is okay but considering UCLA students eat for $5 I love this place!! Fun bar scene and if u wanna laugh at all the wasted hipsters come on the weekendd!!
1 - Aron S.: As an avid Boston sports fan, I had to find a place to watch the Celtics-Lakers match-up and Barney's seemed like the perfect place. You won't find a better place to watch sports: regardless of where you are, there are at least 10 flatscreens to watch. The centerpiece is an enormous hi def flatscreen surrounded by 12 smaller (42") TVs.  Great selection of beers, including Amstel on draft which I can't find anywhere. 

BUT, and this is a BIG BUT...DO NOT EAT HERE UNLESS YOUR IDEA OF FUN IS FOOD POISONING.

Seriously, I went there twice in four days and each time got food poisoning. I might go back there for the sports and beer but never for the food. Ewwwwww. 

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me
2 - Ben L.: Barney's Beanery,

Shame on you!  You tricked me into thinking you were a really good restaurant as i saw many customers inside and out on the patio.  You seated us fast. Thanks for that. But your lunch service! Oh your service! Too slow.  Food came late. At least fourty five minutes.  Your BBQ sandwich was cold so they had to refire that.  Your fries were cold and the chicken fingers were not that good.  But i liked your atmosphere inside; very sporty.  You're someone I would visit to drink, chill and watch sports.  But other than that, you're just a booty call.  

Bye Bye Barney's Beanery.
3 - francis d.: Barney's Beanery is simply OK. 

The problem lies in the bar's overcrowdedness when it is most needed. I came here with a buddy for the lakers game, and the place was stuffed to the brim. We could barely stand, but i guess you can't really blame them, it's westwood for a championship game. Other than that there are so many tvs here of all different sizes and shapes. Their beer selection is vast and the bartenders are pretty accommodating. 

We will see how it goes the next time I come here
5 - Eliza H.: Calling all sports fans! If you're a big sports fan and don't have a formidable set up to watch big games then this is the place for you. 

VENUE: This is the reason why I gave it five stars There are so many televisions here -some of them smaller and in booths and others just plastered on the wall - and they're HUGE. No matter where you sit you have an excellent view of any game you want to watch. We came for one of the NBA semi games when it JUST opened and it wasn't too packed but around finals, it was PACKED.

FOOD: Ordered the BBQ Wings and had burger. They were pretty standard. The wings were marinated nicely on the outside which is where most of the flavor stayed but the meat on the inside wasn't as good. Burger was a good safe "go-to" item. The food would have lost a star or two for me but as stated above, this place is heaven for game days.

SERVICE: Our waitress was friendly and helpful.
3 - John H.: Come here for the drinks, come here for the TVs and sports, just don't come here because of the food.

The food is simply just bar food, though with an admittedly large and varied selection. All this food, however, is not priced like bar food. As an example of they're high prices, you're likely to be paying about $15 for a burger that is honestly done much better down the street (At In-n-Out). In the future, I'll eat before I come here and just settle for starters most likely.

The drinks, though, are a positive. I ended up paying less that $5 for a beer, and that's always a good sign. And they have a pretty solid selection of beer on tap, bottled, domestic, imports, or their own brews. You can't ask for much better from a bar in Westwood; I'm glad that Barney's got this right.

And the atmosphere. Pieces of flare galore and so many TVs that you can literally stand anywhere in this place and not have a good view of the game. This isn't even boderline, it's a gross misuse of soooo many flat screens here. But you know what? It's cool, and no matter what game's going on, I know it'll mostly likely be on somewhere here. I wonder what it'll be like during football season?
3 - Jon E.: One Barney's Beanery is as good as the next.  The only thing that really changes is clientele, but even then it's usually the fratty and the sports minded.  This Barney's location is no different except that we could actually find seats at 11:30PM.  I guess the UCLA crowd is still getting used to something besides O'Hara's (I almost said Maloney's) and Brew Co.

My main problem with this place (or any Barney's for that matter) is the sensory overload.  I think there are more HDTVs and lights at this Barney's than on the entire Las Vegas strip.  Really, it's too much.

If you live in the area, I'm sure this will be a great place to watch UCLA football and basketball next season.  Other than that, it's not really worth your time driving to go to this specific location.
3 - Ariz G.: They finally opened another bar in Westwood.  The bar scene was supposedly dying.  http://www.dailybruin.com/articles/2010/1/5/new-restaurant-and-bar-barneys-beanery-liven-villa/

I went here the first time... I think the second day after it opened.  OMFGWTFBBQ to the second power, they have a lot of TVs.  I was blinded the first time I went there.  The screen was so bright.  O___o  They fixed it now.. I think.  

Watched the playoffs here.  Wooot LAKERS!  

Drinks are alright.  I never really ate anything substantial here.... only appetizers with my booze.

wooooohooo Lakers!
3 - Alex H.: Definitely the best sports bar in Westwood.  I haven't had a chance to check out their food menu yet but I will be back soon for that.

They have a GIANT beer cooler on the first floor so they get an extra star for serving up the coldest beer within a five mile radius.

On a side note, if you've been out of college for some time, your going to feel like a shark in a gold fish pond.
1 - Chris S.: I was here last Tuesday.  They called last call at 12:30, turned on the lights at 12:35 and started pushing customers out at 12:45.  

On the way out I was rudely stopped by a waitress who was obviously the drunkest person in the bar.  She said I underpaid my tab by $3 but had no idea who I was and where I was sitting.  She wasn't our waitress.

The employees like to drink and go home early.  I think the management better pay attention.
3 - Michelle L.: I wasn't too satisfied with my experience at Barney's last night.
We got there around 11 and the place was relatively uncrowded. After ordering our drinks at a bar my group of three proceeded up stairs to sit at a quieter booth. One of the nice things about this bar is that there are a bunch of TV's: on the walls, and in the booths.
After deciding that we wanted to order one of the $5 bruin menu items, we waited for a waitress to come by and take our order. Unfortunately, there were no waitresses up stairs, so we had to move downstairs and take our order there. We ordered the nachos, which were mediocre. I guess they were only 5$ but it comes with crappy cheese on chips and a tiny container of salsa and sour cream. Yawn. Not impressed.
The reason why I deflated this review a little bit was because our waitress (Christine?) wasn't the best at customer service. She forgot to bring by drinks we ordered multiple times and was rude to our table (but was nice to the table of guys next to us. interesting) We also had to chase her down to pay our tab. Ridiculous.
However, I couldn't bring myself to give Barney's two stars for two reasons:
First, the bartender (Chris) was very nice to us and made our experience a little better after the not so amazing waitress. Second, compared to Maloney's and BrewCo, the other two bars in the area, Barney's definitely comes out on top. There are places to sit and enjoy friend's company as opposed to the crowded stuffy environments at the other bars. However, Barney's closes at 12:30 on weekdays and 1:00 on weekends (or was it 1:00 on weekdays and 1:30 on weekends?) Not sure, but definitely earlier than other bars.
I'll probably come back to Barney's because of the limited number of late night hang out places in the area. I hear that it's crowded for games so get there early!
3 - Melissa N.: i'm surprised i'm only the 28th person to review this place.  it's definitely a great sports bar...tvs are everywhere like...literally...everywhere, and it's pretty hopping for a bar/restaurant in westwood.  i'm so happy it's here! great old school food (burgers, hot dogs, etc.) and great selection on the menu.  i know a lot of people who say that they don't like a big menu like the cheesecake factory, but honestly when it comes to greasy comfort food...you want all the options you can get!  

i got the burger and added a fried egg on it and it was absolutely amazing.  the fries were great, drinks were great..i really can't say many bad things about barneys.  it's a fun hangout and there are usually tons of people there and if you like watching sports while you eat, this is pretty much going to be your heaven.
2 - candace r.: So I've been to ALL the Barney's and I was so disappointed in this one :( The set up was actually impressive to me; I really liked the space this barney's has to offer compared to the others. The reason why I was disappointed was because 1) THEY DON"T SELL PITCHERS!! and 2) they close at 1 am vs. 2am like all the others....I can guess the reason why this Barney's is different is the fact that it's super close to a campus and they don't want to be liable for idiots abusing the location. Still, it just doesn't have the same Barney's feel that I get whenever I'm at one of the other ones. Plus, why am I going to pay $6 a glass of beer when I can easily get more bang for my buck with a $13-$15 pitcher?? ughh

Our waitress was pretty nice and we got our drinks and food in a timely manner. What kind of annoyed me was that they turned the lights on around 12:30 and started kicking us out! If they close at 1, why can't we sit around and talk til then? I probably will give this place another try since it's right next to my school....I just hope it'll feel like the other barney's down the road.
4 - Johnny M.: I'm not really into sports, but if I were, I would totally come here to watch the touchdowns and the hoops and the base stealing, etc. This space is so much bigger than the original location in West Hollywood with enormous flat screens that take up a large space over the bar and into the rafters. There is even a second floor with event seating if you'd like a private gathering. 

I'm a UCLA student and came here with my classmates for happy hour. This place JUST opened so they didn't seem to have a happy hour in place (although I wonder how difficult it is to get that set up). Their website stated that all locations had happy hour going on so they need to update that. However, when we told our waitress that we went specifically for the cheap drinks, she gave us a massive discount because we were UCLA studens. Big props for the great customer service.
4 - alex C.: This Barney's Beanery is my new favorite place to pretend to get work done.  It's great.  They've got wi-fi (perfect for all the UCLA students), TVs everywhere, and all the varieties of beer you will ever want.  I think their beer collection is even more impressive than Yardhouse (because of their stock of international bottles).

The vibe is great too.  People here are friendly and make you feel welcome whether you're working, watching sports, chugging beer, or having dinner.  About their food, the breakfasts I would recommend.  Their dinners are pretty decent as well.

Honestly though, you should be coming here for the beer and TVs.  If that's what you're into in this college town, Barney's is your spot.
4 - Mohib Q.: After years of having a number of failed businesses at this site, it looks like Westwood finally has a nice bar again. 

Perhaps we may all remember Madison's, a bar that was very popular here for many years. Allegedly, it was shut down for letting in under-age kids in here, among other violations. Barney's seems to be a good fit for this exact location, because it takes off where Madison's left off-with a good bar and food spot. 

Westwood, as the locals may know, has a number of failed businesses, or a high turnover rate each year. It seems that chains seem to the only ones immune to the harsh ebb and flow of student money coming from UCLA. 

On this occasion, I came here with a friend to quite simply have a chat. Coming into the place, I was told to sit anywhere and well, I sat upstairs to only be surprised to see a number of sports games greeting me. I thought about the cost involved in such the start-up of the business, and was glad that Barney's invested in this neighborhood. I also thought it smelled funny and then I realized it smelled like Home Depot because the plethora of wood was relatively new and varnished. 

The menu was huge, and I didn't know where to start. So I started where people usually start their day: breakfast. I order french toast and decided to scarf it down. It was a reasonable meal, nothing all too special. The usual Aunt Jemima syrup, and butter was the main accessory to the toast. I would give the food a 3, or perhaps a 3.5, because of the toast wasn't anything special like that of, let's say Toast in San Francisco or Marmalade Cafe.

Be sure to figure out parking, as it may be difficult for you to find a street spot. If you're coming after six, just park at the lot across from Barney's because it's the cheapest you'll get-$3. 

I'll probably come back here if I'm looking for a spot to relax, and to try out more items from their huge menu. Also take note, Bruins with ID can get some items for $5.
1 - X X.: Barney's Beanery is the same restaurant as in West Hollywood that posted an anti-gay sign in their business in the 1960's.

Spend your hard earned dollars on another restaurant where everyone is treated with equality.

Please do research on this establishment an educate yourself on its history.
3 - Olivia G.: Barney's Beanery is the newest cheap eat in Westwood. They have a 5$ bruin menu that is not the best food, but worth trying. The crowd is usually pretty good for sporting events, and i think this place is attracting most of the crowd from O'Haras (Maloneys) for sports games. They have stadium seating upstairs in front of a big projector.
 I would highly recommend this place for 1. NBA finals, 2. World Cup Soccer, 3. Superbowl. Having said that, you should plan on showing up at least an hour early for these games. And don't expect decent service during these times.
3 - Michael D.: Okay let's start off with the good: Barneys has a sick atmosphere, undoubtedly the best sports bar in westwood. There's always a TV in sight and all the route 66 decorations are fun to look at. Its a friendly, social place to be, and they have mgd for 2.50 all the time. 

BUT, the food here is just average. they may have a billion items on their newspaper-like menu, but i havent had anything that makes me wanna cream my pants. i like coming here to hang out, and grab a few drinks, but i wouldnt recommend the food. 

So to sum up, I suggest come here to hang out, watch a game or two, get a little buzzed, then head over to bella pita or in-n-out to satisfy your munchies.
4 - Vanessa F.: Loves the beanery!!! I wish they had this year when I was going to UCLA...I'm sure my friends and I would hit this place up every week.  I recently came here with friends for a bon voyage type of deal.  This place it insanely insane!!

THere are so many TVs here I feel like I"m in TV heaven.  I loved the boob tube probably more than I should and so have literally like 100 everywhere you look is pretty fun.  Definitely adds to crazy atmosphere they've got going on here.  You can even challenge your friends to a friendly game of Madden on one of the flat screens above the downstairs bar.

Upstairs you have a lot of booths, each with their own flat screen.  And in the back they like a mini theater going on.  I have yet to see that in use but it looks pretty cool if there was a Lake show going on.  

What I also love?? THE SHUFFLEBOARD!  YES! Now that I've found this oh-so-glorious piece of equipment I no longer have to drive 30 miles to get to the nearest DNBs or build up the courage to go to Cozy Inn in Culver. Heh. Best part is that you don't have to pay!  You literally walk up and start shoving some shuffleboard pucks around. Yay for free!!!

What I'm sure they are really known for here are the like 200 beers on tap.  It's crazy how many types of beer they got here from all over the world.  The bartenders are really nice.  My friend asked one of the bartenders to suggest a drink.."something light" and they let her taste about 5 different beers before she chose one she liked.  Pretty cool in my book.  

I have yet to try the food here, but I was waiting to go during happy hour so I get on their cheap deals.  Pretty cool place to chill out with friends.  Music can be a little too loud sometimes but what can you expect from a bar in Westwood?? 

Will be coming back soon!
3 - Brian W.: BEER!!

Ok that's about the only reason we come here. And the big TVs.

The french toast is very solid, as are some of the appetizers-- it's hard to find fault with this place-- but it's hard to sing its praises otherwise, either.

Besides at 7am my friends have many fond memories of the World Cup in the past few months here...
4 - Ricky H.: Now I'm not stuck going to Maloney's (Ohara's) or Brewco if I wanna drink in Westwood.  Barney's is my usual choice for lunch/midday beer or to watch a game.  With a large flatscreen at every booth and dozens of other TVs you never have to sit awkwardly just to catch the score.  The staff has always been really friendly too with the exception of the bouncers.  One of them was even taking bribes from people to skip the line to get in for the world cup semis and then had the nerve to look me in the eye and tell me to calm down.
The drinks and food are typical LA prices, but the Barney's Brew is only $3.50 and brewed by Firestone, so that's usually my choice.  They also have a $5 Bruin menu if you show ID.  I hope they keep up the atmosphere they have now and don't turn into either of the other crap bars previously mentioned.
4 - Justin B.: I'm a big fan of Barneys Beanery. Why? Well Duhhhh, because its a fun place to watch the game and eat great food!

Barneys is the kinda place that just makes you feel better when you walk in. The entire restaurant is covered in hubcaps, license plates, and random crazy memorabilia. There are motorcycles in the walls and tabloids all over the tables. The best part about Barneys (other than the food of course) if the gigantic wall of television screens. This really is the place to come and watch the game. There are atleast 2-3 TV's in every direction you look, including the mac daddy wall which houses a gargantuan billboard sized screen surrounded by eight 60" (or bigger) LCD screens.

Aside from their unheard of amount of televisions, they have an unheard of giant menu. Everything you could ever want plus more! The Potato Skins are an absolute must every time i come here, and as of last night, The Dagwood Burger might be a Barneys staple of mine too.

Check out this one of a kind place for yourself (and if your not into the college scene, since its located in the heart of Westwood, check out one of their other locations)
3 - Kimberly H.: It occurred to me that there was a change in nightlife from the previous "Nature's Way" restaurant. Move out the veg-heads and move-in another bar for students to get drunk, is exactly what Westwood needed. It was less divey that O'Hare's, less upscale looking than Palomino's, more kitchy than BrewCo, and well more beers on their menu and screens on their walls than you could count on your fingers. 

My friends and I stopped in for one last hurrah during commencement weekend after the parents had bid goodnight. We scored a large table for our 12+ group. Great variety of beers all around and few servers tended to our table. It was a great because "there was something for everybody." With variety (and a namesake like Barney's Beanery" comes higher prices and a cookie-cut-out feeling of a restaurant/bar. But again - hey! it gets the job done. 

The coolest thing on their menu though for late night munchies is their tableside s'mores plate. For less than 6 bucks, you can eat s'mores and pretend that you're amongst (college) wildlife and sip your imported beer. It's fun! 

Coming back for more? 
Not in this post-grad life! But if you're hitting the books, it's a fun place to go to steer away from brain cells that you'd probably lose anyway. 

Cheers!
4 - Ai C.: TV's and lots of it...a great place to watch games... almost everywhere you sat has a television in front of you. And if the game playing is not to your liking...no problem, your server can change the channel for you. The decor here can be a bit overwhelming, I find myself looking around with all the hubcaps, old beer bottles,  license plates ..etc,...and Oh, Did you guys know that if you bring an old license plate here, they give you a free bowl of chili? and  the food is great, the chili is good with their jalapeno cornbread. The Burgers are juicy, the calzone is huge-- great food, great place, great service! Yep, I'm a fan! looking forward to watching a great game here soon :)
3 - Seung Eun C.: A trojan in enemy territory..  That was me accompanying my bruin husband to Barneys to watch his Giants as they struggled to clinch the Western Conference.

I'll admit it's way cleaner here than the one in Weho..  But then again, it's only been open for about 6 months.

The food here is MEH and Pricey.  We had the usual wings and nachos..  Definitely nothing to write home about.

The coolest part was that almost every table had their own personal flat screens.  We watched our game and also got to glance around at the giant screens for the other games.

Typical sports bar..  Good selection of beer..  Above average service!
2 - Katie B.: So, I was supposed to be going out for lobster with my date but he got stolen from me on a business call and we didn't get out the door until after 11pm.  Ya, I was not a happy camper!  Looking for an open place on a Wednesday night, Barney's is where we ended up.  The atmosphere is cool.  Lot's to look at on the tables/walls.  

He ordered the clam chowder, I ordered the crab cakes and threw in some potato skins as an afterthought.  Thank goodness I did!  The clam chowder was definitely "ehh", especially after having it at Duke's in Malibu two days prior.  The crab cakes were definitely from the frozen section of the local market (and I'm not talking about Trader Joes's frozen crab cakes...those are great).  The potato skins were the only thing good about the food.  Loaded with cheese and bacon.  YUM!

The martinis made the night a little better too.  I had one pomegranite and one caramel apple and they were prepared very well, especially being that we were at a "college" bar where their main focus is beer and vodka-tonics.  

The waiter was friendly, but rushed.  And the security was trying to get us out of there before I had even finished my second martini.  It's not the kind of thing you can gulp....ya know?  I'm in no rush to go back, but will give it another go.  

I give it a 2.5
2 - Andrea L.: "Drinks?"

"Yeah."

"Wanna hit up Ohara's??"

"That spot's a little heavy on the dorm-freshmen vibe... You know, where everywhere you turn you wish you were catching something on vid for its youtubeability."

"Huh. You're too critical."

"Yep."

"Try Barney's Beanery yet?"

"No."

"You'll like it, it's better. The 'dorm-freshmen' have aged a few years."

"K. Can we watch the game there?"

"Yeah, which game?"

"Does it matter?"

"Not really."

"You're driving."
3 - Francis A.: Barney's Beanery brings back a feel of the college town Westwood used to be. Although being a chain, the atmosphere definitely has a college pub feel with lights strung about the restaurant.

The reason for the three stars is because I only had a drink after a day of studying. I will post another review once I try the food here. The beer menu features selections from many US states as well as more countries one would see at a normal bar in Westwood.  It's accented by a cocktail menu

Service here is great. The comes around enough that you don't wait too long but not hovering around the area. 

Overall, I think that this place seems like a nice place to grab a casual bite to eat with some friends.
4 - Gary L.: With the huge line at BJ's a block away, we decided to try Barney's. I've heard it usually gets pretty crowded on game days, but we just walked in and easily got a booth in the back.  The place is decorated very nicely and it had a nice atmosphere. 

I really like the booths that they have in the back area, because each one has it's own 20+ inch flat screen TV. They got other bigger screens in the front area that have other ball games playing.

The waitress was really nice and came by frequently to refill our drinks. The pizza we order was pretty good, but not the best I've had. Pricing was pretty reasonable.
3 - Jared F.: They have a huge menu and tons of TVs. . . but the food is neither inspired nor particularly cheap and there are no real deals on beer either.  
However my real gripe is that although the staff is friendly, they are way too few.  While it seems to be getting better it can take forever to get an order in and even longer to actually get it. 
 I want to give this place a lower rating but it's the one place in Westwood that consistently has a crowd and at the end of the day it was always a good time.
4 - Suji C.: Recently opened in WW. Reminds me of Friday's, but definitely nicer, not sticky, and more hip. The place is a pretty spacious, so it's accommodating for bigger parties. Plus, they have TV's everywhere - perfect for games & guys friends who love games. 

All the foods are like a million calories: cheesy, greasy & crispy. 
The menu is wide ranging and the portions are humongous, so if you're a girl don't hesitate to share any of the dishes.
4 - Jen H.: This is the sports bar I wish we had in SF, where we N Californians only half-heartedly try and pretty much fall short of greatness for one reason or other.

Barney's has a ton of giant-screen TVs everywhere so you're always up close; truly not a bad seat or table in the house, as every one feels like a front row seat.  Multi-level, so even though it's a big place, you still feel like it's cozy b/c the space is broken up into many smaller room sections.  Plenty of comfy seating, lively crowd (pretty cool crowd in Westwood during MNF anyway), friendly & fast servers.

The menu has a ton of choices, from super healthy to heart-attack worthy, so your destiny is truly your own.  Only things that keep it from easily being 5-star is (1) street parking can be a real B in WW; and (2) if you're wine snob (or at least not a beer or cocktail drinker), you're in trouble.  Otherwise, this place is sweet.
3 - Theresa T.: If you are looking for a no frills sports bar with lots of beer options on draft and enough food to constitute a newspaper sized menu, look no further than Barney's Beanery. The Westwood location, despite being so near the UCLA  campus never seems to be overrun with over anxious collegiate individuals steaming with sports frustration and excess adrenaline. 

BB's has enough TVs to induce an anxiety attack, and their servers are pretty on top of drinks and food. Their selection of beers (especially on draft) is impressive. They have plenty of fruity beers, wine and a full bar to please every palate. As far as food options they have breakfast everything, menu pages of soups, salads, and sandwiches, and pretty much anything you can think of from loaded baked potatoes to seafood entrees. 

They have a small patio out front that is nice on lazy afternoons and everything is very reasonably priced. 

Cheap, loud, tons of TVs. Fine by me, and an A+ for any sports fan (or serious beer drinker).
4 - Hong T.: I like the place. Went here with the roomies for one last outing before we all move out. 

They totally hooked us up on the shots and cocktails. The food was good and the service was good too. Should check it out!
4 - Amanda N.: I actually like this place. great to hang out and watch some sports.  prob the only decent sports bar in westwood.  their kobe beef burger is actually pretty good almost as good as father's office and love their sweet pot fries. huge selection always something for everyone.
4 - Jeff B.: If you're looking for a place to watch the game, this is definitely it.  A rather large place, but feels cozier than you'd think.  Food is quite good, and the beer selection is probably the best in Westwood Village.  I definitely recommend the veggie chili with guacamole.  Mmmm...
1 - Kristine N.: I only gave this place 1 star because I could not give it anything lower.  This Barney's is crap...absolute crap, it sucks to know that it is taking up valuable bar space in westwood. Augh. Slow service, expensive menu, too crowded, too loud to think, and RUDE...beyond RUDE managers.  Incompetent staff overcharged me on my bill, took it up with the manager who did nothing, and then i had to file a claim with my bank to get my money back. Do NOT go here. Go to Glendon's, Brew Co, Palomino's or Maloneys for better service and drinks.
3 - Eileen L.: As conveniently located as Barney's is, I would rather go elsewhere to enjoy a beer and watch sports. The decor is cute. there are tons of old license plates hanging along its walls, dozens of brews on tap, and like 88 televisions of various sizes around the two story bar, but quantity clearly isn't quality here. i have been really disappointed with the service every time, and I couldn't care less about the food.

i remember this one instance when we got there a little past midnight. A few minutes after we seated ourselves, the server comes by and tells us it's last call. my friend orders a beer sampler... 4oz shots of 5 beers. 10 minutes after he gets his beer, the bouncer goes around to each table kicking everyone out. my friend didn't have any of it so he continued to drink his beer. the bouncer came to our table at least 2 or 3 more times to hurrying us to get out. Barney, if you wanna be considerate to your customers... please give at least half an hour after last call to close the bar!

so the menu is like a book here. there are probably 20 pages that adds up to approximately a thousand food items. I've had the sweet potato fries here and chicken fingers. the sweet potato fries were soggy and way too salty and the chicken fingers were not bad, but not exceptional.

i try to steer clear of this place and come only when a group of us have defaulted to it. Barney's is a good spot to watch sports.. but I doubt Barney's will ever replace Maloney's or brewco as ww's most popular late night hang out spot.
5 - Marc M.: Unlike Magic Johnson's TGIFs, there IS a ton of crazy shit on the walls here; and I love it. 

Shuffleboard - awesome. 

TONS of TVs, and tons of fans to enjoy your victories and frustrations with. Not the place you want to go if you just want to get a drink and chill out. Directly across from the Broxton parking garage, and directly next to a $3 parking lot - the location is great. Within walking distance of coffee, ice-cream, and multiple movie theaters.
3 - Justin N.: DO come here to watch sports. Any sports really, Barney's has an amazing TV setup so you can watch every NFL game on a Sunday, any basketball game during the week, or any other sporting event you can think of. For the sports fan, this place is epic. I'm talking huge projection TV surrounded by large screen HD TVs with other TVs placed all over the place. Absolutely epic.

DO NOT come here just to eat or get your drink on. The booze/beer is overpriced and so is the food, the food being just OK in my opinion. I paid $9 for potato skins that were simply a split baked potato with onions, jalapeños and avocado. I had no cheese on them, no sour cream, no butter, just what I mentioned above. So yea, $9 for $0.75 worth of produce is pretty crazy. 

So here is how I get down: Eat a little at home. Have a glass or three of bourbon, get a little buzz on, THEN go to Barney's and watch the game. I'm already mildly tipsy so I can just sip on a few beers with a snack or two over the next 3-6 hours.  Much cheaper than heading in for a day of football on an empty stomach, that shit will break the bank.

It's a good sports bar, plain and simple, but not a go-to regular bar or restaurant. Find me here on a Sunday afternoon or two, but that's about it.
5 - Jenny B.: Barney's Beanery in Westwood is a fun place to hang out, watch a game (or multiple games if you so choose), have a drink and grab some food.  Chris and Cassie, two of the bartenders, make really good mixed drinks and are very friendly.  There are multiple levels with lots of seating.  There is a shuffleboard table upstairs, which is something not offered at most places and fun for a group.  Barney's Beanery has trivia (Wednesdays)  and karaoke (Thursdays), which is always entertaining.
1 - Aprilyn S.: Came here after my friends' graduation. "Hay, this is new. Wanna try it?" "Okay." Bad idea. Anything here but drinks is just a waste of money.

Interior: Great for sports fanatics. Nice set-up. I especially liked the upstairs because you have the option of watching several different games, since there are TVs  E V E R Y W H E R E, or you can just people watching down below. Always fun. 

Service: Terrible. The service was so slow. Having to catch ANY waiter for our food, drinks, or check, just because we hadn't seen our waitress is at least a half an hour is never a good thing. 

Food: Terrible. This is definitely not the place to come for food. Barney's Appetizer Combo: Fried everything and not in a good way at all. Potato Skins with chili, Spicy Cajun Shrimp, Mushrooms, Onion Rings, and Mozarella Sticks and the only thing delectable from that entire dish was the Spicy Cajun Shrimp. And the Chicken Fingers I ordered, forget it. They came out 40 minutes after everyone else's food came out and we couldn't find anyone to ask about them. Once they finally came, they were burnt and nasty. "Sorry, we have a new chef." Is that supposed to be an acceptable excuse. If you noticed my chicken fingers were burnt, why would you still bring them out? Good thing a few of my friends took advantage of the "$5 Special Bruin Menu with UCLA ID," despite the fact that some of them left undergrad about two to three years ago. I forget what else my friends had but it was obviously unforgettable and towards the end, we just wanted to leave. Good riddance, Barney's Beanery!
3 - Julia B.: This is a great spot to catch the game on sunday afternoon. There are booths with personal TV screens so you can watch your game of choice. the waitresses have always been friendly and prompt, but are good about leaving you to cheer for your team in peace ( WHO DAT!?).

The food here is very average. The menu is huge, so you can get pretty much anything, but everything will be mediocre. 

After football season is over, I will likely not set foot in Barneys. But for now,  you can find me there on sundays- rooting for the SAINTS!
3 - Jamin B.: Wow, there's a Barney's Beanery in Westwood now??

I was walking to O'Hara's when I saw the latest incarnation of what used to be Madisons back when I was a UCLA underclassman.  I never made it to O'hara's because I was curious about how this place would be.  I guess that is the power of a brand name!

This version of the Beanery is the best I've seen so far.  (I have been to the Santa Monica one many times, and the Pasadena one once.  I haven't yet been to Hollywood.)  I love the huge screen over the bar -- this must make it great for watching important sporting events.

I went tonight, a random Tuesday night on the tail end of a Laker game.  There was a solid crowd for a weeknight, but that is somewhat expected being in college town.  The drinks were good - I got a solid buzz off of four Jack and Diets.  The food is exactly the same as any other Barney's.  They are becoming McDonalds-like in their homogeneity, but at least you know what you are getting.

And that's really what it comes down to.  All the Barney's Beanery's are basically the same.  You've seen one, you've seen em all.  This one has a big edge being right next to college town, though the Santa Monica version has a lot of hotties as well.  I don't know how long this spot has been in place, but I think it's gonna succeed and should be around for many years to come.

(One thing about this and all bars in Westwood -- NO DANCING ALLOWED.  The residents of the village really need to get rid of that law.)
3 - Kimmie H.: A typical college bar. Tons of TVs, tons of fans, tons of chairs, and tons of UCLA kids. There are so many TVs that I couldn't decide to choose which one to watch. But if you are young and looking for some sport bar to hang out with friends after dinner then yes, this will be a good place. 

Oh, the chairs at the bar are weird. The owner of the place needs to do something with the restroom. It is very stinky. I did not like it at all. For this reason I gives it 3 stars.
5 - Shervin S.: Too much fun, and they serve HINANOS!!!! (Tahitian Beer)
4 - Nicole L.: The first thing you notice when you enter Barney's is the sheer number of TVs. Yes, it is a sports bar and TVs are a must but they went above and beyond in that area. There was a wall of TVs above the bar, some more behind the bar and one at each table as well as a few other scattered around. Someone commented that there might not even be any light fixtures in the place, everything was illuminated by the flat screens covering every surface.

The selection of food was even more impressive than the number of TV sets. The menu was literally a small newspaper and had just about anything you could possibly want to order. Luckily, I had a general idea of what I was in the mood for (which NEVER happens) and just had to dig through the menu and hope they had it. Many in my group had to spend quite a bit of time trying to figure out what they wanted. Luckily for them, our server was fairly inattentive so they had plenty of time to figure out exactly what they wanted from the exhausting menu.

The beer selection was also fairly decent. The drink menu was organized by origin of the beer, be it state or country. They also showed different specialty draft mixes that could be ordered. For example, it explained the different beers that could be mixed with Guinness (black & tan, black velvet, etc.).
4 - Jonathan M.: Glad there's finally another bar in Westwood, because there weren't enough when I was in school. This place is a great place to hang out before a basketball game; its walking distance to the school. Everything is new, with an awesome projection screen to watch games on. Great beer selection and friendly service while being surrounded by fellow Bruins. But the food can be overly salty and the place gets crowded fast. But if I can find a place to sit, this would be my go to spot in Westwood.
3 - Maira M.: Avocado Melt was amazing, but it was game night and we had to cram a group of 10 or 11 into a tiny table on the patio. Service was kind of slow, and the waiter didn't seem to really care unless we wanted more beer. Their fries were really good, though.
3 - Sandra M.: I only like this place for 2 reasons:
1. It's got shuffleboard
2. It's a change from BrewCo

That's it. I go here because I have no choice for a quick happy hour after class or work in the Village, not because it's great. They always manage to mess up the bill somehow. Last time, my beer didn't taste like what I ordered, but I was guaranteed by the waiter that it was indeed what I had ordered. Anyway...like I said. Choices in Westwood are limited. It's nice to be able to say choices plural now.
4 - Mark W.: It's a good place to watch games, and the beer menu is out of this world.  The only bummer is that it's a slightly older crowd, so if you're a UCLA student, don't expect to see too many of your friends there.  Drinks are a little pricey compared to other bars in westwood, but the vibe is much better.
4 - Yong Oh C.: I visited Barney's Beanery with a friend today to watch the Packers-Bears playoff game. (go packers!) It's definitely the place to go in Westwood to watch sports. A lot of TV's, good food, and good atmosphere for sports.

They also have feature a huge menu in the form of a newspaper; it's hell for someone who's indecisive. If you're a UCLA student, they have this thing called $5 Bruin grub. It's basically a limited menu where everything is 5 dollars. It includes wings, chicken fingers, 1 topping personal pizza, breakfast burritos, etc. I think it's a great deal if you're a UCLA student. My friend and I definitely took advantage of this. 

Also, they don't pester you to order more/impose minimums if you're just sitting there watching the game.
4 - Jon K.: BEST. ONION. RINGS. EVER.

Literally. I have yet to try a more satisfying ring. And trust me, I've had my fair share. It's one of the things I order everywhere I go. 

The batter...crispy but smooth, the onions...thick and generous, the ranch dipping sauce...delicious and cool, and the price...very reasonable ($5). 

For their rings alone, I can bump this review back up to 4 stars.

MAKE WAY MR. FRODO! MAKE WAY GOLLUM! ALL HAIL THE LORD OF THE RINGS! (har har har)
4 - Andrey G.: Went here with some of my fellow Judokas for the UFC fight this saturday. Long story short, great selection, good prices, good service, AND none of the affliction hollywood bodybuilder crowd. Got there at about 6:30 and still were able to find seats for about 10 people. Will definitely be back. Oh the $3 dollar flat rate parking lots right next door are a huge plus.
4 - Jay S.: Drinks are well priced. 
Food is below average. 
BUT-
It is impossible to avoid seeing a tv, which is amazing.
5 - Daniel C.: My favorite drink spot is barneys. Its such a lively atmosphere, its hard not to get sucked into the fun. Especially when they have special events sensitive to the various sports games, UFC fights, etc. They had such a big crowd for the DUKE game the other day! every move to the basket, every action by the players were met with a loud yell from the crowd. 

Basically, its a place where you can relax, knock back a couple of beers, and just be rowdy if you want to. The service is great (considering its a bar and you always have to wait hours for your drink) the food is plentiful and tasty. their happy hour for the food is amazing if you can catch it before 7pm, and they have such a wide selection of brew, you can never get bored.

BARNEYS is the place to be in Westwood.
3 - Lauren O.: This place starts at 3 stars for just adding to the Westwood/UCLA bar scene. Now there's O'Haras (::cough cough Maloney's) for a dive, BrewCo for a date, and the Beanery for sports.

Lots of beer on tap, which was great. More tap, more better.

Decor is ktichsy, feels forced, but hey, it's a sports bar- you're not trying to impress anyone here.

Food is typical bar food, not Los Angeles-chic-bar food. Batter dipped and fried everything. Menu is HUGE (which means they do nothing really well).

Good deals for those with BruinCard.
3 - Sam M.: The big pros are:
- Gorgeous staff
- Thousands of TVs
- 3$ Barney's brew
- near UCLA, perfect to chill out after a study day. 

The little cons are:
- Food not worth the price ($10-12 burgers are just passable)
- Gorgeous staff that may distract you away from the game.
- Thousands of TV that may distract you from the staff
- The crowd, 20-35, mostly students, is not here to meet new people. Just watch the game/the staff between friends, around their little table.
- Dancing is against the law in Westwood (really?). The funny thing is that they do enforce this law.
- Smoking is not allowed, even on the outdoor patio. Could be a pro for some, though.

Conclusion : This place is convenient, pleasant, and offers cheap drink options. That's enough to make it among the best of Westwood. The best for sports and other eye-candy, not to meet people.
4 - Amanda N.: Best place to watch a game in Westwood.  Just try to get there early enough so you can request they play your game on the big screen.

This Barney's location is pretty big - two stories so there's usually plenty seating. They have a huge food menu with some pretty awesome $5 Bruin meal deals.  Food isn't great, but it ain't bad either.  Drinks are decently priced and probably better mixed than at Maloney's and BrewCo.

The staff is OK, but sometimes they get busy and it's really hard to get a hold of someone.  But if it's a slow night, they're always friendly and helpful. Overall, I'm a fan of Barney's.  Honestly, it's just nice to have a chain sports bar in the neighborhood.
1 - Pathu S.: The opening of Barney's was supposed to mark a new era for westwood nightlife. Options beyond Brew Co and Maloneys?! I almost peed my pants when I heard the great news!

When I finally checked out Barney's, I was more than disappointed. The drinks and beer selection are just okay and the food is horrendous! I tried their veggie calzone and my friends had their burger and chili. I would avoid their food at all cost. Sure they have good deals for Bruins with student id. But don't be fooled! The food is just plain disgusting!

The crowd here is also more along the lines of Maloneys except less crowded and less fun. Music is blasting and I can barely hear our conversations. I recommend sitting outside so you don't have to deal with that. I'd rather go to BJs for better beer selection and better food. It's also cleaner and less belligerent people there. 

One thing I do like is that DDs get free soda. What a great idea!
4 - Julia P.: Ok so I'm not a HUGE fan of Barney's food- it would probably earn more like 3 stars in that department--their menu has almost anything you could ever imagine on it, but nothing I've tried so far is out of this world.  

Barney's, though, makes up for it's lack of tasty cuisine by being THE best sports bar in Westwood. Almost every seat in the entire two story restaurant/bar has a view of a TV, and they always have the top games going (and will usually change one if your game is not being shown). The atmosphere is fun with car seats as the bar seats, license plates hanging on the wall, and cut out photos everywhere.  It's always packed during popular sporting events, and the crowds are lively and cheerful. Their draft beer selection is incredible, and supplemented by a crazy amount of bottled beer and liquor. The prices are reasonable too, so you wont' break the bank by going and having a few beers and watching the game.

Really awesome place to go watch sports, my only complaint during the day--the total lack of windows can make you feel like you're wasting the day if you stay there too long.
4 - Donald B.: I came here for the Margarito vs. Pacquiao fight. It was packed, but you could see a TV from anywhere in the place, except for the bathroom stalls. They should probably fix that. But seriously, great place to watch sporting events. I've never tried to the food here, but I haven't heard any complaints and the waiters have been very friendly. 

My only issue with this place is that, while it's better than Brew Co and Maloneys for sporting events, it just feels very, very similar. I don't know if it's just the UCLA crowd or the fact that they all feel like sports bars with slightly different niches.

Good place to come for sports if you're in Westwood.
4 - Jennifer I.: I love Barney's. Well, this Barney's. It's in the middle of Westwood, yet it's never crowded. There's always a spot at the bar - in the super cool bucket seats from old cars - and the bartenders are pretty cute. My fav not-quite-neighborhood bar.
4 - Cindy B.: Never would I have thought I would actually like a Barney's location but I really liked patronizing this one. 

I came here with a large group and it was hard to get a table to accomodate all of us but we were finally able to. Our waitress was extremely patient with all of us. I admit, some of us were more difficult to deal with than others, and she did a great job. 

I was also impressed by the food. I ordered the Kobe ultimate burger. It came with caramelized onions, swiss cheese, and greens. It was really good!

Overall, everyone in my party was happy with the experience.

Also, for people that want to watch the game, they have a ridiculous amount of TV's in there, including a huge TV on the main level.
4 - Candice N.: Cheap alcohol, top 40s, and plenty of space on the 2nd floor on St. Patty's Day? 2nd stop on my St. Patty's Day pub crawl, and it was so much fun.  They had karaoke blasting downstairs (terrible, but so much fun listening to it!) and had Wedding Crashers playing (I had never seen it, so it was fun watching it while drinking. 

Happy (belated) St. Patty's Day!
2 - Wendy L.: Oh Barney's.... you have beer, ample amounts of greasy foods, and televisions for every sport that's on TV and yet you disappoint me. I've been here a number of times. I keep hoping that just one trip will be pleasant and Barney's will redeem itself but alas, it's all just wishful thinking. 

I came here the first Thursday they were open. I realize Thursdays are college party nights at UCLA so I expected it to be busy but what I didn't expect was a ridiculous line with a bouncer who split our group and took bribes in plain sight. Really? This is a casual sports bar with no dress code, they didn't earn the right to be that snooty.  

Despite that sour first taste, I came back again when a friend wanted to come check out their happy hour. Beware of their happy hour! First, there was no printed happy hour menu (this should have been a dinger from the get go). The waitress just told us appetizers were half off but in reality, only select appetizers are half off and she didn't tell us which. Although we ordered appetizers right off their menu, she still tried to charge us full price for what we ordered. Also, only a few types of drinks have a happy hour price (i.e. their one beer of hte month) everything else is regular, aka overpriced.  

The food here is generally terrible. I had thought that greasy foods are usually pretty good given the amount of fat included, but somehow Barney's manages to defy all expectations. The spicy chicken wings are over-fried (as in everything including the meat is hard) and the appetizer platter very average. It came with onion rings, deep fried mushrooms, mozzarella sticks, and chilli in what I assume was half a potato but I can't be sure because it was so hard and over-baked. They top it off with watered down ranch and marinara sauce.

Barney's gets two stars from me simply for the incredible number of TVs and the over-the-top decorations but they lose three stars for being overpriced and having disgusting food.  Even when ordering off the $5 bruin menu I felt like I was getting ripped off because the food was so horrible. You might as well buy some frozen mozzarella sticks and a case of beer from the supermarket and watch the game at home -- it's a better deal.
1 - Holmes M.: 45 minutes for food to arrive. 6 person party. They screwed up my burger. The place wasn't even busy. Never going back.
2 - The Screaming B.: We were pretty stoked when this opened in Westwood Village last year for it has been a ghost town for years due to that innocent lady getting shot by The Crips during a crossfire in 87. Not only that but slumlords (from a country I won't mention) have raised rates on all the business which have lead to closures for over 24 years! So it is a shame to see restaurants and places to go and eat disappear over the years. 

If you go here.... and don't want to sit with 50 drunk (I can't hold my drink UCLA students.) I advise you to go in the day when they are all hungover and sleeping  from watching March Madness the night before and drooling in their beds on some fake silicon breasts. It gets noisy at night with the future of UCLA America (meaning our future doctors. lawyers, etc.). Isn't the USA grand nowadays? ;)

Anyway, The waitresses (not all) can be slow and bitchy when it is not crowded or crowded.  They look at you like... I wish I was getting my nails done and my feet being manicured by fish. The food is OK. I think the original one in West Hollywood is far better.  The stuff mushrooms are good, as with some of the omelets like.. The Irish one.  The food is overpriced and the drinks could be better. Go to In & Out Burger around the corner. :)
2 - Mark G.: The hamburgers are nasty. And there isn't a comfortable seat in the whole damn place.
3 - Jenny N.: The menu has everything you can think of, but apparently the breakfast food is "mediocre at best". The deli sandwiches are good, everything I've tried so far is decent but I wouldn't say great. Definitely a good place to watch a game though, the tvs on every wall are sick. They always have some game on, they even have hockey!
2 - Kristen F.: LOUD atmosphere. Went here for a social night after a grad school visit and found it so difficult to talk to someone RIGHT in front of me that I decided it wasn't worth it! A smaller group ended up leaving and going someplace else. 

The food looked like typical dive food- mostly fried appetizers and cheese covered mysteries.  

One plus was that the service was quick and the waiters were super friendly. 

Seems like a good idea and something that Westwood needs, but it definitely could be done better.
3 - Rachel S.: Came here while visiting a friend at UCLA and DAMN! That menu is unbelievable! It's so large, they print it newspaper-style! I love that they have specials for UCLA students. Gotta love a place to respects their college students.

Their chili is also very legit. However, be aware that a cup is extremely small. My friend ordered a cup and it wasn't nearly enough food. However, the waiter was understanding and "upgraded" her to a bowl without charging her for an entirely new order. Very cool.

We were there during a slow period (around 2pm), so the only people eating were out on the patio. However, it seemed like the waiters were never around. We had to wait a really long time if we needed anything, and sometimes had to ask twice.

Still, this place is worth checking out. The tables have their own TVs, and the atmosphere of the place is the fun in funky. I especially loved the collages in the bathrooms! I wish I lived in LA, because I hear their Happy Hour is incredible.
4 - Cali E.: Went on a Sunday afternoon and sat outside. Great weather, good service, yummy chili and delicious sweet potato fries.

Seems as though they also have a budge menu for college students who show ID which is pretty cool as well.

I'd definitely go back for more as I didn't get to try any of their long list of beers! :)
5 - crypt g.: My experience watching the Manny v Pacquiao fight here exceeded all of my expectations. This was as good as it gets!

I never dreamed that watching sports at a bar in Westwood Village could be a dignified experience, let alone enjoyable.

Giant wall of TVs + large TV in every booth + TV every where you walk. The experience is UNREAL and you will not miss a second of your event if you watch it here.

Not noisy. My friends and I conversed during the whole fight.

We watched in front of the big screen upstairs, no one was blocking our view, and right behind us is a fulltime waiter/bartender. No need to get up from our high chairs.

Parking is only $5 on Saturday night in the adjacent structure.
Stella Artois is only $6.
4 - Eva H.: I'm not usually a sport-bar girl but I had a great time here!! The first thing about this place I have to warn you - it can be a bit over stimulating- visually and audibly. They have countless of flat screens around the restaurant showing sports games that elicit thunderous cheers every once in a while. 

The fun thing about this bar is that every freakin' INCH of this place is covered in a collage of pictures and memorabilia. The women's bathroom is plastered with pages from fashion magazines. Our table top was infused with UCLA Bruin pride. Check out the ceiling when you walk in!

On to the food- according to my friends the beers were good and come in various sizes for the dainty sippers to the chuggers. 

MY favorite part: they serve breakfast ALL DAY!!! All their meals are pretty affordable and college student-friendly: great hang-over remedies and greasy bar food to go with those beers.  They have a special $5 BRUIN MENU. Nothing fancy but I got the "classic breakfast" and it made me happy. 

The waitresses were really nice and even informed us when they switched for breaks. 

Overall I was pleasantly surprised by this place and wish I tried it sooner!
2 - Jacob C.: The pizza I ordered was a joke. The only reason it was at all palatable was that I literally hadn't had anything to eat all day so I was ravenous. I had an inkling upon seeing the giant newspaper-style menu that the food would be sub-par....

I ordered the "Johnnie's Favorite" pizza, expecting just a basic restaurant pizza. What I got was a pizza I would expect to be served at a Costco. The cheese was an immobile white mass. The pepperonis were thin, rubbery coins of generic flavor. The crust was starchy and bland. "Johnnie's Favorite Pizza" was nothing more than a frozen pepperoni pizza with jalapenos and cilantro sprinkled on top. I'm assuming Johnnie is an overweight 10-year-old because his taste in pizza falls under the "It's not delivery, it's DiGiornio" category.

Pizza had seemed like a safe choice because the two guys sitting next to me were eating one that looked pretty good. The crust on their pizza was thick and substantial, unlike my cardboard crust. Their cheese looked gooey and stringy, unlike my congealed fermented milk glaze. Maybe they ran out of dough or their "homemade pizza sauce" and had to use one of their back up pre-made pizzas. Either way, for the price ($21 for an extra large!!!!), I was expecting way more than what I got. Plus, I had serious indigestion after the meal, which, since I didn't eat anything else that day, can only be ascribed to the pizza. I gave my leftover slices to a homeless man, and I just hope that my act of charity didn't end up screwing him over....

Although the pizza was wretched, the beer was good. Beer was the deciding factor that brought me to this restaurant. I liked that they had an assortment of local brews on tap, and I ordered the Barney's Brew (brewed in West Hollywood) and the Fireman's Brunette (brewed in El Monte). Both were good. Plus, unlike the food, they were cheap. The Barney's Brew was only $3.50 a pint that day, and the Brunette was $3.75 a pint. The pizza was there to sop up the beer, which is the food's primary purpose at Barney's Beanery. I would come here again for drinks, but that is all. I suggest that you do the same.
3 - Lino K.: good place for sports events or if you just want to hang out for happy hour...good selection of brews and tasty concoctions, i personally like the black and tan (guinness and blue moon) and their mixed drinks aren't too expensive (diet coke vodka $5)...appetizers that are decent are the irish nachos which come with chili, sour cream, and guacomole, with a smothering of melted cheese on potatoes. the chicken tenders are decent too, sometimes over-fried.

overall, a decent place...the food isn't great, but it's certainly a good place to catch a game on the tube
4 - Elizabeth A.: I've never seen so many gigantic TVs in my life. Their trivia nights on Tuesday are okay, but I mostly go here to sit in the big comfy bar chairs. The menu is huge and though it is a bit pricey and can sometimes be way too loud, overall this place is pretty fun for a sports bar.
3 - Sharon L.: Come here for the expansive TV set up (2nd floor) and beer only. Great for playoffs. You'll feel like a sports commentator with all the different screens in front of you. 

Don't bother with the food. Mixed drinks are o-k.
4 - Mike A.: I've been a fan of the Beanery for quite some time now and this time I was visiting home, I came across this new location in the heart of Westwood. The location is real nice full of spunk with a homey sport bar feel. The service was great and the outdoor seating made my sunday even more of that relaxing. 

The Food is Fantastic. I got the Kobe Blue Burger w/ onion rings. My burger was so good i took baby bites and the Rings were awesome too. My GF had the Cobb Salad it appeared to have perfectly cuded pieces of chicken and the dressing was superb. I also got a Black and Tan that was served alright.  

Will i Go back? Def. Yes!
5 - Will G.: Huge selection or food.$5 well drinks. And best of all, SHUFFLE BOARRRRRD. Can you tell how excited I am?
4 - Stephanie L.: I don't know if it was the magical undertaking of me entering my first bar after turning 21 with two of my closest friends, or because I was just so excited about this new chapter, but I have come here 3 times now and can tell you I actually really liked this place.

There are tv's EVERYWHERE. If there is ever a game on, especially an LA based team like the Lakers, be sure to come here. 

When I came here two days after my birthday, my friend told the bar tender it was my 21st birthday and he said "i'll take care of you for tonight." 

I fell in love.

I have also come here to eat, and they have a "bruin menu" which is really cheap food for students who want to eat something while drinking so they wont get obliterated. don't come here for dinner or a 5 star experience. this is  a fun college bar. 

I really like Barneys and will come again if i'm ever back in the westwood area.
4 - Belinda l.: Fun for watching games.  All the food there is heart-attack ready... but a fun environment none the less.
4 - Sharon W.: GREAT selection of beers. some are pricier, but you can't go wrong with pear cider or mgd64. service is great, karaoke on some nights. the bruin grub is only $5, but the quesadilla and pizza are far too greasy and plain. i'd just stick to the beers!
2 - Fanny H.: Big ups for atmosphere.  Your classic sports bar that caters to folks who wanna grab a drink and a bite and have a good time.

I came here with a LARGE party so I don't blame the staff for being not-so-great.  However, our waitress was really nice!  Despite some mishaps with the others and pretty long wait time (which was expected), she tried to ease our party with freebies when she noticed the mistakes and long lag time.

Food-wise, meh.  Typical diner-esque meals.  They're most known for their chili and I tried the turkey chili...which in my opinion should not pass for chili, but okay.  My chili burger was also NOT a chili burger, what I expected at all.  They gave me the chili on the side and I sat there for a good while trying to figure out how to go about eating my "CHILI BURGER."  But it's okay, I'm not trippin' over that.  I'm just not too impressed by this place, hence the two stars.
3 - Jennifer L.: This was probably the first sports bar I had ever encountered. I went with a big party, and I'm glad the staff was able to put up with us despite all the orders and such. 

I didn't really have the stomach nor patience to nom on much, but it was still quite the experience, looking through the newszine-like menu and looking at everyone's orders while I sat around eating some chicken fingers. It was pretty good. The food definitely looked filling; I'll probably get one of their specialties (the chili, I heard?) the next time I come here. 

Could've been a better experience by all means... I think everything would've been more fun if there was a big game on or if I was slightly intoxicated.
4 - Brittany A.: Your quitessential sports bar filled brand new flat screen TVs and a clean atmosphere thanks to the fact that it is rather new.  In fact, every table has a flat screen TV.  The old Barney's Beanery, although awesome, smells like mildew and spilt beer. The beer here is reasonably priced, around $5-$7, and they have a ton of beers on tap.  

For UCLA students, you can always order food for $5, although none of it looks appetizing.  Come to trivia nights here. It makes for a good time with a group of friends.  Also, this is a great place to come to watch a sports game!
4 - Nessa N.: I came late on a Thursday night. I couldn't care less that it is a sports bar. But it's a fun place to mix and mingle. The karaoke upstairs is entertaining. The patio is just filled with people.
3 - Nico L.: Best bar in Westwood (for now, and not counting palominos here) and the best place to watch sports on TV (if you can get a seat). 

so why only 3 stars? because despite having a shuffle board table (who am I kidding, this is awesome), multiple places to order, and the highest concentration of flat-screen televisions per square foot in the area, finding a table (or seat for that matter) is impossible whenever I visit.

A place this popular will always have this problem and it might be pointless to even mention it, but could they do something about the people who come alone and find it necessary to sit at the biggest tables. please!
1 - Mike T.: I was not pleased with this my time here.  I've been to Barneys before in Pasadena and this place sucks compared to it.  We went here for my friends birthday.  Our group consisted of 4 guys and 4 girls.  The girls ordered 3 shots for each of them within the course of an hour and the bartender cut us off (that's 3 shots per person over an hours time).  No more drinks for our group, period.  It was still early - around 11:30 too.  The guys in the party didn't even drink because we were designated drivers.

I can see the bartender cutting us off if we were being noisy, irresponsible, or causing a ruckuss but we weren't.  Our group was acting responsibly.    To reiterate half the group wasn't even drinking because we were DD's! 

We complained to the bartender and server, telling them we were being responsible but they didn't listen.  

I do not recommend this place to anyone and will not be coming back.
3 - Z Z.: I've come here for lunch a few times. The burgers and fries are pretty good. The other dishes weren't too bad either. This is probably one of the few places you can get a good Kobe burger without having to dress up too much. I prefer this place compared to the nearby chains like In-N-Out or Fat Burger. The service has been great every time I have been there. Being in Westwood, parking is almost nonexistent. If you want to chill out with a few buddies for a while, this is your place. Each booth has a TV, which I find a little distracting...but it's there. If you want a quick takeout, you might want to go elsewhere.
5 - William L.: This is the best sports bar in LA! Not only does it have the most comfortable bar seats of any bar I have ever been to, (they are seventies car seats, bucket and bench)  they have so many screens its unbelievable, there isn't a bad seat in the house, if you can get one during big sporting events and the food is equally awesome! If you live in the neighborhood, they give a 15% discount, 20% to UCLA students and they always have the $5 Bruin menu.,
 
As far as watching sports no other place has it covered, the amount of TVs, large, extra large and Gi.-normous, has every game you could think of and you can control the ones at your table, thats right every booth has its own TV.

Did I mention the food? An extensive Menu , that has something for everyone, There are only five things that I get there (i've been a lot, I know my favs) but I still have to look over the menu, just for the fun of imagining all the food, I guess. My favorite is the Chili, I am a big fan of Chili and they do it right. They also have a great menu of beers and make your own bloody Mary bar on Sundays, that'll help with you hangover from Saturday night.
3 - Kali M.: I went with friends, and I must disclaim that I have no ability to comment on the food because I could not find anything edible on the menu.  I am a snobby eater a lot of the time, and I must've been feeling snobby that night.  Lesson: don't try to eat a meal at Barney's Beanery while in a snobby food mood!

We hung out for about an hour during the meal, then migrated downstairs for some karaoke.  Our waitress upstairs was friendly, but the girl running the karaoke situation was adorable!  She clearly enjoys her gig; she was having so much fun (or was really good at faking it).

I felt a little nervous parking on the street with my USC license plate frame.
4 - Mike W.: Back again. I'm pretty sure this place should always get 3 or 4 stars. Never bad but never amazing. They went up from 3 to 4 stars cause the chili burrito was pretty damn good!  And you can't ever complain about a million televisions and 100 beer choices. But, come on, do a better job covering up the vomit smell near the bar upstairs.
1 - John B.: do not give these people your credit card.
4 - adam z.: We ate outside because we had kids and it was pretty loud inside, luckily it was a nice day. The service was good except the waitress didn't have any idea what the featured menu item was for the 4square special but at least she went and asked.  Everyone has commented on the bar, tvs, and decor, so I'll leave it alone. 

we started with the Irish nachos so we could try the chili and it was pretty good, I mostly enjoyed the guacamole. I got fish and chips, they were hot and crispy and their herb tartar sauce was pretty good. The wife got a juicy Lucy(hamburger with cheese inside) with grilled onions and liked it a lot. kids got pizza and a BBQ sandwich. The pizza was surprisingly good, very thin and great tasting sauce. The sandwich had good flavor and a good sauce. the salad that came with the sandwich was a really high quality baby greens salad. I would come back if I was in the area for sure!
3 - Thy L.: I don't really know how to critique places like this since it's really not about the food is it?  People who come here want bar food while watching some sporting event.  Unfortunately, the food was mediocre to me.  They have quite a selection, including breaksfast, which they serve all day long.  I got the cajun chicken melt with sweet potato fries.  I enjoyed the fries more than the sandwich, which i didn't finish and didn't care to take home.  Service was quite slow.  We came on a Sunday morning and it wasn't that busy, but the food took 40 minutes to come out after we order.
3 - Jenny N.: After realizing that we couldn't do anything about my dead car, my boyfriend and I said "F*ck it" and walked down to Barney's Beanery one June night. I walk by this place all the time when I'm in Westwood, and for some reason, had the impression that it was some cool Irish/British joint from the outside. Stupid me. 

We sat down and took one look at the menu, and it was anything but. It was probably one of the most random menus I've ever seen in my life. They had all sorts of food, but I don't think it translated in a good way. It really had no focus, and it was shown in the quality of the food they put out. 

I ordered the clam chowder... I don't know what it was, but it was definitely not clam chowder. It tasted sour! Ew. So I didn't really have much to eat that night. Their onion rings were okay, but I think every American bar should get that down, so no kudos for okay onion rings. Rick said his burger was okay.

But it is a bar, and we still had fun despite the bad food. Its a great place to hang out and to drink. It got pretty rowdy in there, with all the karaoke. It's one of those bars that decorates by sticking random objects, pictures and gadgets on their walls and ceilings, which is fine by me. Kinda cool looking at all the random stuff. We talked, enjoyed a couple Tecate beers and watched Caddyshack on their many TVs. 

Bottom line: I'd come here to drink, but not to eat.

Jen
www.foodforhunters.blogspot.com
4 - Annie D.: I love love LOVE Barney's Beanery! From the eclectic decorations to their scrumptious meals, I can not get enough of this place. Not only do they have the best chili that I have ever tasted, but they also have a fun and competitive trivia night on Wednesdays. Definitely a "Go-To" place for people visiting out of state. 

The only reason why I gave them 4 stars is because their wait staff isn't always on top of their game. Most girls are more concerned with getting off work and getting on break. Sometimes, I've had servers not come back to my table and a new server would wait on us. Sucks, but it doesn't prevent me from coming back.

Oh, I forgot to mention the million TVs inside Barney's Beanery. There are even TVs inside your booth. . . very convenient for couch potatoes, sports fans, and movie lovers.
4 - ben w.: The Good:  Barney's holds a special place in my heart, maybe not at this location but it feels like home whenever I go to one.  They have a huge newspaper like menu.  If you go with newbs you might be there awhile for them to look things over.  I love how they serve breakfast all day and I noticed a new item, the mish mosh.  It was basically a scramble with spinach, bacon, cheese and jalapenos.

The Bad:  It's a shame there's not one near me.

The Ben:  The original one is in WeHo, which is still one of my favorite bars.  They had Kendal as a waitress, ah Kendal, the best of the best.
2 - JJ J.: Overpriced and over-rated. The beer was good ;) I got the chili and let's just say it had several blobs (teaspoon-tablespoon size) of fat in it.......not for me, maybe something else is better there---I will never know!
4 - Marjorie U.: Service, Beer and their chili totally rock'n!!!
4 - Jean L.: It's a little sub-four stars, but I am inclined to give four instead of three for the great service.

Self seating, attentive servers, TVs everywhere, and an overall good atmosphere.

The food is really...whatever.  I mean it's kind of glorified pub food, but there's something oddly soothing about walking into Barney's Beanery on a cold night.

I recommend it :)
3 - Amanda M.: Great place to watch sporting events with ALL THOSE TVs! Service is meh, but the few times I did see our server, she was nice. Food is mediocre. The chicken strips were LARGE, but not great. Same with the wings. The chili was OK. I'd probably come here for Happy Hour to share drinks with friends, but otherwise I'll pass.
3 - Paul A.: This place was a lot of fun and I can tell you that if I hadnt been alone it would have been even better.
Or if I had been here to have a drink instead of just here to buy time before an appointment.
Great Chili-
3 - Kristin Leigh M.: To those of you who got good service here - I am envious.

I almost walked out, I was so tired that no one came to take our order after being seated for almost 15 minutes. I didn't think I was invisible - actually - I think I had on a bright pink shirt, if I remember correctly.

That aside, the service didn't get any better throughout the meal. The waitress seemed like she just didn't give a damn and would rather be anywhere else. Maybe she was new? Or maybe that was just her.

Service aside - pleasantly happy and I can see myself becoming a regular here. Good food selection (chicken parm sandwich was OK; burger = tasty!) and an even better beer selection. Great for game watching. Or people watching, if you're sitting outside.
5 - George V.: Tulani-Eva-Vicky-Trish-Nicky are the best bartenders there!!!!!!!!
4 - Erin H.: It was a sad day for the Bruins this past Saturday when I went. Actually, "sad" is an understatement... it was more like .. tragic, embarrassing, utter demolition and failure. 

Before everything started to absolutely SUCK, I was excited to see there was a DAILY BRUIN SPECIAL (with valid UCLA student ID). $5 for menu of 10 or so items. I ordered the hot wings (7 wings with ranch sauce), and my fellow Bruin ordered the chicken fingers (with honey mustard and fries). Pretty good deal, I'd say. I would say the portions are pretty generous. 7 wings doesn't sound like much, but it was good for me; they were a bit salty though. The chicken fingers were like huge pieces of country fried chicken steak lol

ERRDAY, THEY HUSTLIN` with $3 beers on tap. Only 4 on this menu (I got the Amstel Light and friend got Heineken). With the game going the way it was, we got a couple beers to drown our sorrows. 

As for the interior itself, there are sooooooo many TVs! It's a great place to watch games. Pretty much, wherever you sit, you can see! YAY! There's even this nifty section in the back that has stadium seating, so you're watching a hugeee projector screen! That would've been a great seat if we were watching a great game. I was satisfied with my 3 flat screen tvs above the shuffleboard. 

Although I've been here on a sad occasion, I'm down to try again.. hopefully for a better game :]
4 - Chris V.: I gotta admit, of all the bars and sportsbars in Westwood, Barney's has grown on me.  Maybe it's the Thursday night karaoke, or the spacious upstairs area and shuffleboard?  Or maybe the 100 TVs they have in the bar.  I think it's just a mix of all of this and the quick and friendly service.  

I would highly recommend Barneys if you're going with a big group and looking for a place in Westwood to catch a game.  I feel like it's one of the bars that can actually accommodate big groups without stuffing you all into 1 corner and having everyone stand on top of one another.
3 - Omar Q.: I have a love/hate relationship with Barney's Beanery. I think it is a welcome addition to Westwood, and at times, it can be a great place to hang out with friends. My problem with this place is how inconsistent the service is. It can range anywhere from nonexistent to unbelievably amazing. The food is okay. It's what you would expect from a sports bar. They do have a huge menu, which can make picking something difficult at time. For UCLA students, they have some pretty good deals on the $5 menu. Overall, it's a pretty good place to hang out and watch a sporting event with your friends.
2 - Scott K.: We have walked and driven by this place so many times and it always smelled great, so we finally decided to check it out.

First, the good.. the service was excellent.  They were friendly and quick and kept everything flowing nicely.

Unfortunately, the nice wait staff couldn't control the food.  

Okay, maybe we just ordered the wrong things because they are known for their burgers, but neither one of was in the mood for a burger... so I got the "fish and chips" and my wife got some type of turkey melt.

The fish was a mess... you bit in and the fish pulled out of the fried shell.  The fries were just greasy.

The bacon on my wife's sandwich was chewy/stringy .

Maybe if you are going for a drink or burgers, this place is great, but I wouldn't recommend going there for dinner!!
2 - Marika P.: I went here for the first time about a year ago with a friend when it first opened. Good drinks, mediocre food, some overpriced but the ambiance was cool with music and tv's everywhere. I just went again about a month ago with my sister and experienced the worst service I've ever had in a restaurant. 

We were sat in a booth all the way at the end of the restaurant. It took about 5 minutes for someone to come by and see what we wanted to drink. This wasn't even our waiter. He asked US if we had been helped yet. When we said "No.", he went away for another 5 minutes until some guy comes out of the back. He walks up to us, eating food, covering his mouth. Apparently he was interrupted or something, but he asked us what we wanted. We ordered. We waited another 20 minutes for our food (which was incredibly awful. Do not order the tostada), which arrived by him sliding our plates rudely on the table. I wish I knew his name. We kept having to  ask passerby bus boys for napkins and refills. The waiter never came back and attended to us. We finally tracked him down to get us our bill. He put it down, and said "Thanks", and walked away. We tracked down the bus boy and handed him a tip, and left without leaving the "waiter" one. What awful service. I will never go back to this location again.
3 - Winston S.: I've been to the West Hollywood location several times over the years.  This was nice, because it wasn't too crowded.  I met with a small group, to watch the UFC event.  My server checked on us quite a bit, then vanished for a while.  She was probably tied up with other tables.  The one thing that I noticed, is that she didn't automatically refill our waters, which is a bad sign.  

Chili with rice was pretty good, just like the other locations.  Girls that work there seem to rely more on looks, than on service.
4 - Traci K.: I come here quite often. I like their food and the atmosphere inside and the service is pretty good. :] Their menu is quite massive, and they have a $5 section for UCLA students which is nice.
4 - Dustin T.: Great selection of beers, great food, great atmosphere. Barney's Beanery is what their next door rival BJ's Brewery is trying to be. Every time I come here I have a good time. It's a great place to watch sports or to bring a group of friends to have some drinks. On Thursday nights they have Karaoke which is always fun. If you haven't been I strongly recommend Barney's, or if you're going to BJ's STOP!!!! and walk a few doors down ;)
2 - Chanh H.: Always disappointed when I come here.  Food is terrible and drinks are expensive.  Service is poor. The only good thing is the hundred or so TVs strewn around the place.  Still not enough to redeem all the terrible experiences I've had here.
4 - Jason G.: I've been here twice. The first time was a quick stop-off so that my buddies could down a couple of beers before boarding the bus to Santa Monica to go to another bar and down more beers. The interior is very nice and welcoming, and there are at least 2 million TVs in the place. Don't like what's on? Ask a waitress or bartender and they'll have the operator change the channel for you.

My second time here was a 6+ hour stint to watch two football games and a basketball game. It was super crowded during a Niners game with rowdy SF fans, but you can't deny the excitement in the air. After that game ended, the crowd cleared out (except for the hoard of really loud Brazilian guys watching the NFC fights... what's up with that?) and my buddy and I snagged a seat at the bar. They have big, soft, comfy chairs here that you can just sink into.

Drinks: Just can't beat that $3 pint selection. Who needs that expensive dark stuff? Not me, my friend. Keep the Newcastles a-comin' all day long and I'll be set. Strange that they didn't have PBR on tap... I'm one of the 0.001% of the population who actually likes it.

Food: My friend and I got the wings and chicken fingers from the $5 Bruin menu. It's not a lot of food or the best food by any standard, but hey, it's five bucks. Plus, our bartender forgot the chicken finger order and had to put it in again, so he gave it to us for free. 

By the way, our bartender was Austin. Funny dude who makes off-hand remarks about how hungover he is during his shift. He'll take good care of you. This is officially my go-to sports bar in Westwood that is sure to help me cope with 5 years of graduate school.
1 - Caryn B.: Wow, I was really not thrilled with my experience here. I thought I would have a nice lunch with a friend that I haven't seen in a while, but it was really just a shit show. The service was slow, the waitress kept sending our drinks to another table, and the food took FOREVER to come out. I'm a pretty patient person too, but for a casual lunch place the wait was way too long. The food was over priced as well.
4 - Michelle W.: This place is nice! The chili is definitely my favorite here! They have a lot of different types of food. The menu looks like a newspaper which is pretty creative! The tables have collage of celebrity photos which is always fun to look at! 

The fireman's chili was really good and definitely worth a try! It has tri tip in it and is a little bit spicy!
4 - Marie G.: I love Barney's Beanery!  Yay for the $5 Bruin menu!  TVs everywhere!  And I love the little booths with their own TVs so you can watch whatever you want.  I've only ever eaten off the $5 menu and it's pretty good.  I usually get a cheeseburger (it's a little extra for the cheese) and it's dependably good (unless it's a super busy night).  The fries are great too!  They have a huge selection of beer and $4 margaritas!  It gets pretty loud inside but that's expected.  The service here is a little shoddy.  Sometimes the servers are really attentive and great, but most of the times I've been there it's been hard to get their attention and the service is really slow.  I also recommend getting there early if you have a big group since it gets pretty crowded, especially if there's a big game on.
4 - Eric M.: Better than Pasadena.  Same looking decour but the set up is better.  TVs EVERWHERE.  Even the individual tables has pretty good sized TVs.  Great place to watch a game.

$3 happy hour beers ALL DAY, including New Castle, Anchor Steam, Heineken, and Alaskan White.  Nuff said.

Half off appetizers 4-7pm.  Nachos sucks.  You can get chili with it, but they put it on the side and is a very small amount.  The wings are pretty good, but they only offer drumettes.
3 - Joseph H.: Great place to watch a game in Westwood. My buddy Andy and I went here last weekend to root for our Chicago Bulls. Our boys ran all over the Bucks... I digress. The TVs in the booth don't have all the channels, so you just need to get the manager to get your game on other TVs throughout the place. I had the chili and spaghetti and it was pretty good. It was funny because I first had this dish in Milwaukee while visiting my buddy Jeff at Marquette. Good times... Andy got the foot long chili dog and he had some massive heartburn after. Poor guy. Anyhoo, the barney beer was actually pretty decent and came in giant mugs. Def the best place I've found so far to catch a game. Fairly cheap too actually for LA. Giant freakin menu which always bothers me. Getting a burger next time.
2 - Bridget P.: I've been here several times since my last review, including last night. Whenever I'm here, the service never seems to fail to be disappointing. I love the atmosphere, evergy, drink selection, and the fact that it's one of only 3 bars in Westwood.... and I'm sad that it almost always lets me down. 

My brother, his girlfriend and I came in around 11 last night for a few beers. We sat at an upstairs table right across from the bar, which was surrounded by people. The rest of the upstairs area was pretty empty. 

We waited a good 20 minutes (no lie), talking, when we realized that no one had even acknowledged us. We weren't sure if we were supposed to go to the bar and order, but we had seen waitstaff downstairs. Finally, the bartender yelled over to us, "How long have you guys been waiting? About 15 minutes?" 

"Not, really, only 10," said my very, very nice brother.

He had us yell our drink orders across to the bar, and then AFTER taking and filling orders for the whole bar, he had to go downstairs to get them, and brought them to us. While describing my brother's sampler (in which he forgot what a few of them were), he dropped my beer bottle on the ground. We kind of expected him to get another one, but no, he waited a few minutes and gave me my frothy, overflowing beer. 

After that, no one ever talked to us, asked us if we wanted more drinks, checked to see whether we'd paid, anything. We probably could have walked out. Most good places will knock off one of the drinks or make SOME mort of gesture for making us wait that long, but no.... same prices. I left the standard dollar-a-drink tip but then felt like that was too much. 

Maybe they don't think college students tip well, so why bother? I don't know. It's really a shame, because this place could be really great.
1 - z f.: The worst thing about this place are the employees.

We went there to watch a soccer game, and the line was out the door. There were about 8 or so people, not too bad, so we decided to wait. Then we watched as one person left after another, yet the door man still wouldn't let us in. He said "one person in, one person out," but apparently he can't count because nobody was let in.

The guy at the front of the line had just stepped outside to feed his meter, and the door man wouldn't let him in! HE JUST STEPPED OUT TO FEED HIS METER! Then the guy was clearly agitated after waiting 15-20 minutes, he said "fuck it, I want to leave, I'm going to close out my tab." But the door man stopped him and said "sorry you can't go in, we're over capacity right now." The poor customer tried to explain that all he wanted was to close out his tab, but dickhead doorman was grandstanding and being a five-star asshole.

Finally they brought the guy his bill and he left. We waited patiently until we were second in line, and then 3 people came up to the door and we expected the dickhead doorman to give the same spiel about how they were at capacity, but suddenly he turned around and signaled one of the servers. She came over and let them in because they were her friends. We were livid, and people started shouting at the doorman because he was being such a nepotistic asshole. At this point, he wasn't even letting people back in if they stepped outside to smoke.

He told one of the customers to "fuck off" (and this was before any of us started swearing at him). Finally after another 20 minutes, the manager showed up and we let him have an earful about his dipshit employee (he might have been the manager's son). We totally narced on him about telling a customer to "fuck off" and he denied it, being the chicken shit that he is. By this point we were very agitated, and rightly so (none of us were drunk, and it was 2 PM in the afternoon). The manager asked us:

"Why are you guys so mad?"

"BECAUSE THIS GUY'S FULL OF SHIT!" I yelled back. We'd all had enough. Finally he told the doorman to go do something else, and he started letting people in, one out, one in like they said they'd do all along. I promised not to spend any money there.  Afterwards, the dickhead doorman came up to us in the bar and apologized, and offered us free beers. We turned him down because he seemed like he was doing it to cover his ass and save his job, rather than sincerely apologizing. Fuck that guy.

This place has a great atmosphere and lots of TVs to watch sporting events. Too bad they're staffed by morons.

We went back two other times, and while we didn't encounter that dipshit, we did have a waitress who ignored us for 20 minutes at a time. This place would make so much more money if their servers came by in a timely manner to get us drinks. Oh well, we'll buy our beers elsewhere from now on.
3 - AndrewScott S.: HAPPY HOUR: They have all day happy hour deals. Not really a typical happy hour. It's alright. 

AMBIANCE: Very fun atmosphere with elaborate decorations. An awesome place to watch you favorite sports games. They have 43728467328 different tv's to choose from.

Seems like a standard good old american place to go to. Went here for the Knicks vs. Raptors game. J. Lin for the WIN!!!! The whole place went wild.
3 - Christopher H.: This place is definitely chill, especially upstairs. Their beer selection is huge and relatively inexpensive. What I loved about this location in particular was the amount of TVs they had. I'm not a fan of Barney's food and it did seem like a sausage fest, but the inexpensive beer made up for it. I mean $3 for Amstel light is a bargain. Definitely a better alternative to BrewCo and O'Haras.
1 - Rod G.: let me say I am a huge fan of barneys just not the one in Westwood.   We waited 2 hours for our food and then had it explained to us that we were a big group and the kitchen got slammed.   30 minutes for water?  2 hours for soup?   Go somewhere else if your group is bigger then 2
3 - alex d.: service is slow and it wasn't even busy.  waitress hardly came back to refill drinks or to see if we needed anything.

big selection of beers at decent prices.

however food is just so-so and depending on what you order can get pretty expensive.

the wings are not bad though.

very average place.
1 - Robert C.: I'll start out by saying I love every other Barney's. I dig Barneys #1SM, #2WeHo, #3Burbank and even #4Pasadena Old Town.

Worst experience ever at this place. 

First bartender, Heather, asks me what I want. I say whatevers cheap and light. We decide on Miller Light which would have been fine until I find out they have a happy hour going on with $3 Amstels and other premium beers. Very weird and dishonest. What for? To milk 4 extra dollars out of me...

As if that isn't enough she leaves, next bartender, Angie takes over. After switching to Amstel I asked her if they have any food specials. She gives me a menu and says anything in yellow is half price now.

When she gives me my bill I see I was charged full price for the mozzy sticks I ordered (which by the way came out with no ranch like I asked).

She does a little investigating and tells me she was wrong, the food specials start at 4pm not 3pm... And leaves it at that. TRANSLATION: I fucked up and told you the food was half price when it wasn't... but please still pay full price. Thank you come again.

NO THANKS man. I'll stick to the other Barneys locations. Stay away from this one.

The one thing it has goig for them is the hottest wait/bar staff I've ever seen at a Barneys. Both said bartenders were wannabe actresses and they had another server that literally had her boobs out on a platter. She would win a look alike contest for Pamela Anderson... just statin' not hatin'.
4 - EJ T.: If you want to sit outside with friends and feel like drinking some beers, or you want to watch sport with your fellas, this is one of the best places to be in Westwood. Fair food, good deals, nice atmosphere. Also good service by the happy waiters. I'll be back here a couple of times to enjoy the warm SoCal evenings on their terrace.
4 - Barney C.: i've only been here once, but it was f'n amazing. I had the foot long coney dog. it was great. no, it was epically great. good atmosphere.
4 - Chris K.: If for whatever reason, the producers of "How I Met Your Mother" decided to transplant the entire show from New York to Los Angeles, Barney's Beanery would be the new McLaren's Pub.  The reason?  Because just like the character it's named after, this place is awesome.  

The decor is whacky, the beer selection is great with all kinds of inappropriately named brews that I just had to try.  And the food is pretty good too.  I'm a fan!
3 - Valerie W.: Nothing compares to the one in weho....
2 - Paul D.: I think Yelp hit it right on the head.

Meh.
4 - Nemish P.: I went there on a Friday night with a couple of friends.  It's a great place for a beer, sports, and a nice laid-back atmosphere.  They have some sort of special everyday of the week. It's a pretty cool looking place covered in old license plates with tons of flatscreens so chances are you'll get to watch which ever sporting event you want to watch.  It's essentially a college bar, but not grimy as you'd expect it to be.
3 - Bonnie C.: Not sure you can have the highest expectations here, as it's a sports bar, located right in the heart of a college town. 

Similar to the one on 3rd street promenade, the menu is practically a whole newspaper. But stick to the bar food, as clearly that's what they specialize in. Excellent wings/nachos/etc. Don't ever stray and order a salad or anything..no point in being healthy coming here :P

Also, it's one of the few places around that will show UFC fights, and I'll give some good credit to the girl who serviced us. Great service for a packed night.
3 - Megan R.: Ahh Barney's Beanery. It really has the potential to be a super cool sports bar, but it always seems to fall short. The place is huge compared to most restaurants in Westwood, with a lower bar, a smaller upper level bar, and table seating all over the place, as well as several outdoor patio booths. There are televisions everywhere, and you will always be able to find what you want to watch.

However, the food is insanely overpriced given the quantity and quality of each item on the menu. The burgers are ok if you want to fork over $12 for one, and when I pay $10 for buffalo wings, I expect more than five of them on the plate. On top of this, the service is usually pretty bad unless you sit directly at the lower bar. The servers always seem so clueless (they do know that they're working for tips, yes?). On busy days, Barney's can also get pretty dirty, though I suppose that's typical for a neighborhood sports bar.

I do love Barney's for its enormous draft beer selection, and they always have some good monthly/daily drink specials. Barney's is great if you want to watch a game and drink a few good beers, but that's where it ends.
5 - Alicia P.: I had an amazing time at this restaurant! The food, service and drinks were amazing. Scooter was on his game. I would definitely go back.
4 - M P.: Cheap alcohol (I mean, it has to be since its next to UCLA right?), fun and cool vibe with this venue.  Everyone here is pretty young (but with fake IDs?) haha.  They have a shuffleboard upstairs which adds some more fun to this venue.  Barney's has a Karoake night on Thurs, which makes this place full of really really bad singing, of really cheesy songs, sung by drunk undergrads.  I cant' comment on the food, but they have a large selection of drinks.
4 - Deborah L.: Since they have opened, this restaurant has been a standard for excellent food at reasonable prices... especially considering that they are more a sports bar than anything else.  The food is always excellent, they pour a fair drink, and the service is also excellent and attentive.  You get the feeling that the servers are truly concerned wtih your enjoyment of your experrience at this establishment.  Noisy, but fun!  They also go out of their way to try and seat you where you are comfortable... not tood difficult and their are dozens of monitors all around the restaurant.

Walk-ins welcome and so are children and families.  Their Santa Monica location is just as excellent.  Give yourself some time to look over the menu... it is over 8 pages long!
4 - Jeff M.: There's not a whole lot to say about the food here. It's typical American bar/restaurant food. Although the mozzarella sticks are a great bar snack, I definitely wouldn't come here just for the food. If you're coming here, it should be to check out their incredibly extensive list of beers (and a few ciders!) and have a good time with some friends. 

That being said, the beer is very reasonably priced with monthly specials that are especially dirt cheap. And if you come here on Wednesday nights at 9 (as I did), it's trivia night, which is a ton of fun. Bring your A game though, it's pretty competitive!
2 - Leah H.: This place has so much potential!! It's gigantic and has so many different areas and beers to explore. HOWEVER, mearly all of the service at this establishment ranges from piss poor to downright hostile.
  On three occasions, I have patronized Barney's in Westwood. The first time was outstanding! Amazing bartender was happy to recommend and allow us to sample new beers. The next time, our waitress took over 20 minutes to even put in our beer order and forgot to even bring them to us, prompting us to go get our lukewarm beers that had been sitting at the bar for over 10 minutes at this point. When we pointed out that it took us over half an hour to get our own beers, the waitress got extremely flustered and told us she was "doing the best I can" and then we heard her call us bitches to her boss when she relayed why we were asking to speak to the manager. On another occasion, a different waitress tried to remove us from a table because "other patrons asked to move to the table". Umm... The sign says seat yourself and that's what we did.  She even had the manager come over to explain why we should move but at least he had to common sense to realize that it wasn't going to happen. 
Lastly, the food. Wow! Hair in the marinara sauce, special requests not honored, and really- how hard is it to evenly distribute the toppings for nachos?? Really guys, it's not rocket science.  
If your current staff isn't measuring up- there are literally thousands of others out there.  You don't have to settle for the snobby, entitled UCLA undergrads that you're currently employing.
On a positive note- the new manager (bald white guy, early 30s) is awesome and deserves a raise along with hire/fire privileges!! Let him fix the weak links and you'll have the five star drinking establishment that Westwood really needs!
3 - James S.: Two Barney visits in a week span. This time I found myself at the Westwood Village location. 

While at the farmer's market I could hear all the oohs and ahhs coming from this place. The moment I stepped in I heard chants of "Italia Italia Italia!" then counters of "Germany Germany Germany!" If you read my previous Barneys experience I was overjoyed with the authenticity I found of the fans cheering on their countries. I guess that's the anthropologist in me not being ego-centric. 

This place was PACKED
I walked around in the first floor then up the stairs where there is a flat portion that had seating with 3 flat screen tvs but nothing. So I went up to the second floor and I found nada. Business looked like it was booming today. 

Would I be back?
If there is a big sporting event I would plan to get here early and parking isn't such a pain if you park in the structure across the street or the lot next to the place itself.
3 - Priscilla Z.: Not a place for food. 
It's just a sport bar with a lot of TVs. This is great, and makes it so packed on a game day. Food can be really really really slow when the bar is packed, expect 30-40 min wait.
Food tastes okay, or a bit sad. Just enjoy a bottle of beer and the game!
5 - Henry D.: There are 3 major reasons I will always return to Barney's Beanery to eat/drink/party when I am in the city of Los Angeles:

1. The atmosphere and the clientele
2. Hands down the best Apple Pie in the history of Los Angeles (yes, better than house of pies, etc).
3. Melissa McQueen, the lady who MC's the karaoke nights is a riot. To me, a wonderful and essential person to one of the most historic bar chains in LA.
4 - Guybrush T.: Extensa y variada carta. Calidad suficiente y aceptable. Muy buen ambiente joven debido a la cercania a UCLA. Excelente para ver cualquier deporte con sus mas de 60 pantallas de tv. Gran variedad de cervezas autoctonas y de importación. Excelente lugar para ir con amigos.
4 - Lisa Z.: The set up here is perfect for watching a game as there are a gazillion flat screens everywhere. Otherwise, it's a typical college sports bar--mediocre food and the tables are a little sticky. Totally a fun atmosphere though.
3 - Scottie B.: The menu can be overwhelming, but the portions are big and there are options for everyone. I've been here a lot, and while satisfying, I've never had anything that was truly terrific. Food is OK = minus one star. 
There's lots of delicious beers for decent prices, which is the real reason for coming here. But here's my reason for writing this review: I ordered a second beer from my server, and when i turned away, a busser came by and just took my first away EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A WHOLE GULP LEFT. Never do that again, Barneys.
Annnnd the bartenders are pretty cute.
3 - Thach N.: Love their 5 dollar bruin specials! However besides that, this place is not that special. Not quite a bar, not quite a restaurant. I remember when it first opened everyone was so excited, but it definitely disappointed. Brewco/maloneys r still the to main bars. This is a distant third. The food is okay but the beer is great!

Also have karaoke on some nights.
3 - Jessica S.: Barney's is always a safe bet for a place to meet up.

Good selection of beers, good vibe, funny karaoke sometimes, some games...

This is a good place to meet up with people in Westwood, maybe come here before or after a movie.  

The adjacent parking lot is only $3.00 for parking, that is actually amazing!!!
1 - C S.: What a horrible, horrible place to eat.

I have been dragged to this s*** hole several times because they are a sports bar and have several tv's showing different sports. But the food is horrible.

Here is a recount of an experience I had there recently:
I asked the waiter if the breakfast was good because my previous experience with the food was sketchy at best and he assured me it was.  So on his recommendation I ordered two eggs, toast, sausage and waffles.

It took F O R E V E R, but when it did finally arrive the toast, waffles and sausage were cold, the eggs were a little undercooked and luke warm.

Later he returned to see how it was so I asked him: 'do you really want to know?"  he said yes so I told him.  Moreover I told him that it was so bad, and such an easy and basic meal to make, that I was tempted to go downstairs and show the cook how to make it properly.

His response --' this is Barney's Beanery, what did you expect?  You should come back for he beer, our beer's are great'

If you want to watch a game and have a beer, it might be OK but for the love of God, do not eat there.

Again -- do NOT eat there.

Note -- this is not the only time I have eaten there, this is just the worst experience I've had there
4 - Danielle S.: Was here a couple nights ago and I loved it! There was karoke, beer, and good food how can you go wrong. The bathrooms were kind of dirty though. That's my only complaint. Besides that I love this place.
5 - Dorothy X.: I'm bumping up to 5 stars because the last time I came, I brought 12 international students with me, and our server seated us in front of the TV AND split all our bills (12 bills)! Too bad I didn't get her name, but she was so great. I made sure to tell everybody to leave her a good tip!

Everything on the Bruin menu is $5 (UCLA students/staff get this perk), but it's a secret menu that changes constantly so you have to ask the server. Our lady was nice enough to write it all down for us to look at, then wait patiently for everybody to make their orders. I had a $5 dinner that night!
3 - Peter C.: For some reason, I've never eaten lunch here.  Can't really explain why, but after a productive meeting, it was time to blow off some steam.  Barney's has an absurd amount of televisions showing sports and WAIT!!!! THE RYDER CUP IS ON!  Umm... can the kitchen make my food super extra slow?  The Ryder cup is on!

I got the ruben sandwich and it was pretty good.  I really wanted french fries, but it's great that they offer healthy sides, too, so I got a small salad with honey mustard dressing.  The food definitely gets 3 stars but if your favorite game is on TV, this is a great place.  Barney's must be packed on Saturdays when the UCLA game is on!
3 - Sonya Z.: Sticky countertop kind of place
3 - Nicole A.: So because Emily and I were looking for a place to drink and I wanted clear liquor for rich women on diets, we ended up here where I ordered a gin and tonic, she ordered a vodka tonic. I had two, both were delicious and strong. Since she couldn't really finish her tonic, I drank a bit of it and it was pretty good as well but it didn't have a strong taste. :( She devoured the chicken fingers and they looked good but I wasn't really hungry. The service at the bar was awesome! Seriously, the guy was so attentive, it was great. Tons of students.
4 - James T.: Ok. The quick and dirty of Barney's:

Good:
-TV's up the ying-yang. Seriously. There's personal TV's at the table, huge monolithic TV's at the bar, there's a projector upstairs with a mini-stadium seating setup, there's even huge 60'+ TV's on the staircase. TV's everywhere. This is like 5 sports bars combined. It's ridiculous. And it's FREE. To you NFL/MLB/NBA fans that may not mean much but I'm a UFC fan and 95% of places I've seen that stream UFC will charge a cover (around $10) to enter during the fights. Half the time I don't even get food. It get's packed though so try to get there a bit early. 

-Service has always been awesome. I've just sat a table for 2 hrs watching the fights and ordered next to nothing and they never pressured me or anything. Great, understanding staff.

-The decor is SO GOOD. So much attention to detail. Barney's used to be a pitstop for truckies (it opened in the 20's) but eventually turned into a celebrity/hollywood oriented roadhouse. Janis Joplin had her last drink there. Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison all hung out there. Tarantino wrote most of Pulp Fiction there. That's some rich Hollywood history. And the decor reflects it. Any one vaguely familiar with cultural history will be astounded by how specific the decor is. The tables have pictures of 90's celebrities from end to end...and each table has DIFFERENT pictures meaning it's not some cardboard cut-out tapestry they put over the table. The walls are lined with license plates, the bathroom with magazine clippings. The whole thing is basically a work of art. I mean, if someone called it a quasi Hollywood museum I wouldn't disagree.


Bad:
-The food isn't anything to shit your pants over.I mean it's what you expect of your classic diner. For Bruins, they have a really cool Bruin menu where everything is $5--which is a really good price in Westwood. 

Overall, it depends on what you go there for. Don't go there just for the food. Go for the ambiance, the TV's, the price (if you're a Bruin, although regular prices are pretty normal...think $10-12) and the full experience. You come here for only the food you'll probably have an average experience.

Barnside Diner 111 - College Park, MD (39.0061904, -76.929915) ()
4 - Kaya A.: I like hole-in-the wall establishments.  I like it even better when my significant other shares my enthusiasm in some of those places.  Barnside Diner is one of those place where it holds sentimental value for the both of us.

He introduced me to the place one late night.  I got annoyed that everyone and their mother wanted to talk to him during our tutoring session, so he suggested a quieter place.  He drove us from the College Park campus to this shady joint out of nowhere on Route 1.  The place was apparently open for 24 hours, and when we came in, the entire staff (1 cook and 2 servers) greeted him.  Apparently, he was a regular (and I soon discovered that it doesn't take much to be one).

The diner is built on the foundation of fast food, and while the staples are made fresh, don't expect them to make homemade ice cream or hot chocolate.  The low prices have to be compensated somewhere.  My regular order (usually done after a long night of studying or drinking) is the barnside burger, two eggs sunnyside up with toast and hot chocolate (I get really hungry), and it totals to $5.  My fiance -- then tutee -- eats enough for 3 people (and has great metabolism -- damn him) and pays only $10.

So if you're a Terp and looking for a place where you can find a quiet space to study and a late night snack, this is the place to be.
4 - Jim B.: This is a real diner. Not that fake bit that Johnny Rockets or Silver Diner tries to pull off. I mean a real late-night diner where the coffee only comes in two flavors - dark and bitter.

I was drawn in here one night by the promise of the $3.95 special they had posted on their sign. Two cakes, two eggs, two sausage. The previously mentioned cup of joe will run you a buck and change more.

Don't expect culinary miracles here, but the food was definitely solid and much appreciated at that hour. Feel free to sit and take your time, perhaps chatting up the regular at the other end of the bar, or just scanning the place and wondering what strange circumstances brought the other patrons to this place at this ungodly hour.
4 - reuben j.: How in Blazes did I forget this place? Oh, diner gods, forgive the oversight.... It is, as Jim B. reports, a straight up diner. Grease reigns-and rightly so.... You know the food is doing to your arteries what traffic has done to nearby Route 1-but the simple bliss of a break from the pretentious, power-driven vibe of this area is its own culinary/metaphorical reward. Is the food out of this world? Well, no. But it is tasty enough-filling, and reliable...(Now there's a K Street law firm for ya!) Somewhere, Jack Kerouac is smiling. And gently reminding you to ask for another cup of Starbucks-free coffee.
5 - Danny P.: Barnside Diner (now known as College Park Diner) 

http://www.yelp.com/biz/college-park-diner-college-park

Is a Hole in the Wall favorite of mine....when I lived walking distance from here I use to frequent this place ALL THE TIME!!!! No its nothing glamours about this place, there are no hot, sexy staff that works here (no offense anyone) the interior isn't beautiful...its a plain ole Awesome food Diner!!! 

This is one of those 8:00AM breakfast spots or your typical 2:00AM After the club spots!!!! I walk in this place find a nice corner for my friends and I and we will literally sit there all night long eating and laughing and acting a plum fool over some down home soulful breakfast. 

I favorite meal here and yes I do not switch up..I order the same thing every time. I get the Famous SOS meal (Cream Chipped Beer) over two toasted slice of bread served with 2 eggs scrambled hard with 3 buttermilk pancakes. And I wash that down with a large Southern Ice Tea mix w/ Lemonade!!!!! 

Mmmmmmmm

Barnsider's Mile & A Quarter - Providence, RI (41.820827, -71.404175) (Fox Point)
5 - Tamara M.: From the moment we walked in we were treated to the ultimate in pampering.  I've been three times and it's always been a treat.  From the hostess to the waitstaff to the gormet food, everything was absolutely perfect.  I recommend the filet mignon, deliciously seared on the outside and cooked to order on the inside.  The bar upstairs is the perfect place to have an intimate drink or a casual chat with friends.  Can't wait to go back!
5 - Ren H.: This is one of my all time favorite restaurants!  They have the best salad bar in the state and the staff is soo nice and accomodating.  The bartenders upstairs are great.  Every Monday night they have a dinner special where you get a free bottle of wine with two entrees. You really can't beat that!
4 - Alyssa N.: I enjoy the steak there. The unlimited salad bar is always a welcome addition to a meal, but make sure not to fill up on the great bread they keep up there. The wait staff is usually very attentive. They have an on-premise butcher shop.

What I dislike is showing up at 5pm on a Monday, seeing an almost totally empty restaurant, and being told by an obnoxious Host that they're booked solid and I can't get in until 7pm. 

Me: (looking around) "But it's practically empty..."
Host: "We have reservations that start at 6pm."
Me: "It's only 5pm now. It's not like it takes the 2 of us that long to eat."
Host: "I can't do it."

Meanwhile, a Hostess comes up behind him. I explain the situation to her. He helplessly gestures at the reservation book. She looks at it, looks at him like he has 3 heads, and says "Follow me." Sounds like they still have some training to do.

Barr Philip D Dent - Providence, RI (41.822579, -71.405427) (Fox Point)
4 - Stephanie P.: Dr. Barr's office is nestled in the row shops on South Main Street. It is in an upstairs suite and from what I can tell there is not elevator. This puts people with needs in a disadvantage, which is a shame because Dr. Barr is a wonderful dentist. He is thorough, polite and explains everything as he is performing it. The ladies who work at the front desk are extremely polite and there is usually an appointment available the day you call or at least within the next few days. The office accepts most insurance and they file with your insurance before requesting any payment from patients- which is a rare quality in a medical office. The only downside about this office is that the office isn't up to date with them most contemporary x-ray equipment. They do not use digital x-rays, they still use film. This does not put the patient at a disadvantage however, because film is always going to be better than digital ( just ask any photographer).
4 - Beverly S.: I have to agree with what the previous Yelper wrote - that there is no elevator, only a narrow staircase to Dr. Barr's office.  IF that does not deter you, I would give him five stars, but I worry about the day that I won't be able to navigate the stairs, myself.  Aside from this, Dr. Barr is really a terrific dentist.  He gives a person a feeling of security that he really does know what he is doing.  He explains everything in advance.  He lets you know in advance if he thinks he might hurt you (he rarely does).  He has a terrific personality, ie, good "bedside manner."   He is funny, smart, witty, kind and just a wonderful person AND dentist.  He seems so at ease with each of the MANY procedures he has performed on my pathetic mouth (I eat a lot of candy).   He doesn't hesitate, he is so self-assured, and he has never made an error in my mouth.  This may sound like a no-brainer, but I once had a dentist who made a couple of huge errors, which I will not go into here.    I would always recommend him to any and all of my friends.  I drive from Warwick to the East Side to get Dr. Barr's professional services, because I sincerely like this man, and trust him, and know he is not out to get me to purchase every single service he sells (like my previous dentist did).  I wish he were a preferred provider with my dental insurance, but you can't have everything, now, can you?   I would give five starsbut for the stairs - and that he does not work on Friday.  Hooray for him, but sometimes Friday is the only day I can get there.  I may still go back and give him five stars.  A bit later :-)
4 - Shauna M.: Coming from Los Angeles where I had dentists who catered to the stars I was not looking forward to finding a dental office in Providence. Hey, I'm being honest. Dr. Barr was recommended by some employees of Brown University and I finally gave him a try yesterday. The outside of the office is very lovely but you follow a dingy hall to get to the door to Dr. Barr's office. Once inside it looks like any other well used dental office and quite busy with patients. I immediately noticed his mention in the 2011 Rhode Island Monthly about top dentists and got more comfortable with my decision to test run this shop. The staff were friendly and helpful. The hygienist was competent and efficient. And the dentist himself, Dr. Barr, was terrific! Very nice, thorough and honestly interested in the long-term health of your teeth and gums. So far, I'm impressed. Let's hope it stays that way!
5 - David V.: This is exactly the kind of no-frills dentist I love. 
While more and more dentists have begun to focus on cosmetic enhancements, Dr. Barr and his hygienists are most concerned about the health of your mouth.
My hygienist, Pam, was personable, sharp and very experienced. She didn't try to push any cosmetic treatments, clearly explained what she was doing and seeing, and recognized that I was a "boring, in a good way" kind of patient. Dr. Barr has been doing this a long time, and is "old school" in the best way.
If you're looking for a no-drama experience in the dentist chair, these folks are as good as they come.

Barre Bee Fit - Ann Arbor, MI (42.280227, -83.7426324) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - Faith C.: Until Barre Bee Fit, I have never tried a Barre class before. I do pilates and yoga on my own, but this is completely different-better! I love the cardio blasts they include where you really get your heart-rate going to burn those extra calories! The instructors are all so welcoming and helpful. You don't need to bring anything- they provide the weights, balls, and all that you need.  You feel so comfortable even if it's your first time trying. You really do feel great afterwards and the day after. I never felt so energized and relaxed at the same time. The environment is warm and friendly. I highly recommend it!

I really appreciate it how they are always looking for reviews/feedback-that shows they care about their clients!

You just have to get there a bit early to find parking since it's in downtown.
5 - Jen L.: Barre Bee Fit is a great ladies fitness studio!

A barre workout combines aspects of a Pilates workout with bursts of cardio and lots of stretching.  This is a great workout for all fitness levels.  Beginners do not need to be intimidated but it can challenged even the fittest of individuals.  

Staff is friendly and knowledgeable and focused on helping you to get a great workout and enjoy yourself and be comfortable.

This brand new facility is very nice.  Come check them out!
5 - Libby B.: I got one of the best workouts at Barre Bee Fit that I've had in years!  The class is challenging, interesting, and leaves you feeling great afterwards.  Adri -- the gym owner, who also teaches classes - is nice and extremely competent.
5 - Tammy C.: I've taken two classes so far--these are extremely challenging and interesting.  I am confident that this will give me the muscle tone I've been striving for.  As an avid Jazzerciser (which I love as a fantastic cardio workout that also provides effective strength training) I found that this provided me a different challenge, as it has more of an emphasis on Pilates.  The studio is very fun and engaging--I highly recommend it!
3 - Kate S.: I've been here once for a barre class on a Saturday morning after taking classes at Pure Barre on Felch. I like the other studio a lot more because of its classes, but the advantage of this one is that it's much, much cheaper. Like the other reviews have said, Pure Barre on Felch feels like a more vigorous exercise, but it's twice as expensive as this place, which is really important for students like me.

This place didn't have individual mats, so it felt kind of grimy. There were also a lot of people packed into a room. I still might end up getting a membership here because I need an exercise class to whip me into shape. I think it does its job, but I do hope that different instructors will have different levels of intensity because the one I went to wasn't that difficult.
3 - Lilly R.: After going to Adri and Alex's classes, I can say they both provide much more of a challenge then my previous experience.  This still isn't an intense workout, I like to go on my off days from lifting as the classes have quite a bit of stretching.  I still think pure barre is more intense overall in comparison.
5 - Beth H.: I just finished my second class.... Wow I can barely walk as I worked my legs to failure. Feels great!

Tips Tricks and ideas
- you have to wear socks, no shoes or bare feet
- bring a towel, you will sweat
- do what you can
- walk there if you can, parking sucks

I wanted to at least get my second class in before reviewing, as I was grumpy on the first day and didn't know what to expect. Parking is crap, but there are options. $3 after 3pm in the garage attached. Unless you get really lucky to find a meter open and after 6pm. So plan on the garage or walk. 

I am hoping the weather stays nice and I will use the free motorcycle parking in said attached garage. BONUS!

My first class, the owner was the instructor. She was super friendly and happily gave me a run down of how the class works, pointed out the bathrooms, and lockers. The space is modern, well-organized, bright for lack of windows, clean and minimal. There is a changing space or you can use the shower/bathrooms down the hall.  

To attend a class, reserve a spot online or by calling, as only so many can fit around on the barre. Don't worry, plenty of space per spot.  You aren't packed in like sardines, just don't make my mistake and think you can take a high barre just because you are tall.  I am 5'10" and happily showed up early to my second class to get a spot on a short barre. It's all about your flexibility. 

If you are out of shape, you probably won't be able to keep up. I am overweight, but athletic. I can do about half of all the instructed moves. This class is challenging.  I worked muscles that I don't usually use playing volleyball or using the elliptical at the gym 3 times a week.  You can work at your own pace and get one hell of a workout.  This class will strengthen, tone and tighten all those nice lady-cruves. 

I throughly enjoyed the second class more and look forward to the rest of my 10-pack.
5 - Deborah C.: I just had another class and my first hot barre class Monday and realized that I need to Yelp about this place - 

it is truly an inspired business that seems very well run and provides an excellent service. From the owner Adrianne down to the instructors, everyone is very professional and teaches a top notch, challenging class. Having lived in DC for quite a few years and worked out in New York City regularly, I can easily say that the quality of the instruction at Barre Bee Fit is as good as what I was used to out of town. The workouts will kick your tushy, but they will also firm that tushy up and you'll come out standing taller and feeling stronger. 

Run ladies, run and try the hot class. Not being a hot yoga fan I thought I would hate it, but it was so much fun and so nice to be able to really deepen stretches and work out with the heat making you more limber! 

I would definitely agree to bring water - the great thing is that you can shower there and the facilities are clean. While parking is a pain downtown in general, I've always been able to park in the structure above and just scoot on down to my workout.

Barrelman Wine & Cheese Shop - Atlanta, GA (33.776784, -84.3845751) (Midtown)
4 - Katie W.: Barrelman is good for cheeses, crackers, oils, spreads, dips, sweets and other yummy food items.  They have fancy things so they are pricey but still really fun to try.  It is fun to browse their items because they do have very interesting things which I think are very carefully selected for the store.  They make great gifts but might be a little too expensive to use as everyday products.

The staff can be very helpful, especially if you are a repeat customer.  They seem to warm up once they have figured out which price range you are looking in and what your tastes are - I don't get the feeling that they recommend the same things to everyone.

I really enjoy their wine selection because it is so different from the selections at other stores.  I have researched some of the wines I have bought here online and have seen lower prices listed at other places, however, given the wine import laws in Georgia and given that this is the only place around town I have seen many of these wines, I can't really complain.  And, really, the price difference was not that much.  I like that they really do offer choices at a wide range of price points.  They carry a lot of wines at around $15 (some are even less) and then they progress upward.  I have been pleased with many of my $15-$20 purchases.  Again, I think they do carefully select the wines to sell at the store and the staff really knows a lot about them (and they probably have tried them all).  These wines are chosen with love.  Many of the wines sold here are also sold by the glass or the taste at Eno next door so, if you have the time, you could try them there before buying the bottle.
3 - Broderick S.: Barrelman's a nice little wine shop right on Peachtree that has a carefully selected variety of wines. Like the restaurant ENO next door, it specializes in wines from around the Mediterranean and the Old world. West Coast wines from California, Oregon, and Washington hold some shelf space as well. I've been going here for years, and Julia, Doug and their staff know their wine. 

Great juice from Australia? Esoteric wines from Israel, India, New York State??? Unfortunately you'll have to look elsewhere. As Hardy hinted, they know what they like and they seem pretty reluctant to try anything new, whether it suits your palate or not. 

They do have excellent wine tastings and frequently host winemakers for wine dinners, and host casual tastings at Eno next door. My only wish is that they'd step outside of the box they've created for themselves a little more often
3 - Jessica M.: Barrelman - Closed!!!

We had dinner at Eno, and then decided to check out the cute wine and cheese shop next door.  While we were there we decided to buy some wine, and join the wine club.  We never recieved our order for this month, so I called them.  Eventually (by leaving voicemails for each other multiple times) I found out through a voicemail from the owner on cell phone that Barrelman's has closed.   I guess it will re-open in late June under the name 5th Street Cafe.  Not sure what the wine selections will be, but I am sad to see this wine store/wine club/cheese shop close.

Barry Johnson Design - Palo Alto, CA (37.4407102, -122.1594113) ()
5 - Linda H.: Barry Johnson is a great interior designer & easy to work with.  Barry is creative and fun and has done wonderful work for my residential and hospitality projects!  He now also has a new retail store called Brick Monkey on Broadway in Redwood City. It's worth a look to see his new furniture designs and holiday gifts. The store/ staff makes shopping easy and you do not have to go to the mall:)
5 - Steve C.: I recently walked into the new Barry Johnson retail store called "Brick Monkey" in Redwood City. I was impressed at the unique home furnishings they had available. The prices were VERY REASONABLE, I was shocked honestly. I have walked into so-called designers studios that want $1200 for a trinket or what-not, highway robbery in my book.

I bought a really beautiful Metal Jewelry Box for less than $50.00 for my wife. You can't buy a piece of plastic for less than $75.00 these days. They had really nice glass platters and dishes for about the same amount.

If you like a more eclectic Z-Gallerie style or an alternative to Crate & Barrel check this place out.
5 - Kerry T.: I've known Barry for 27 years. He is the nicest, person in the world. He is talented with color and design and now even has his own store "Brick Monkey" in Redwood City.  He is so helpful and always "right on" in his decision making process and advice. He saves me time which saves me money in the long run. I am always so happy to have a project to work with him on!! He is #1 in my book 5 Star all the way!
Thank you Barry!!

Barry Olivier Guitar Lessons - Berkeley, CA (37.8689555, -122.2567822) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
1 - eric a.: He's a jerk. Tried calling him to ask about guitar lessons, and he literally hung up on me. Great service!
5 - Jenny L.: I have been taking lessons with Barry for a little over 2 years. I look forward to every lesson. I came to Barry with very little music background an no guitar background whatsoever. I felt very intimidated at first but with Barry's experience in teaching and encouragement I am now breezing through songs that I would have never thought would be possible.
5 - Susan A.: Took lessons from Barry in my 20s and 30s...he helped me learn about so many techniques, and is the reason why I started songwriting.

Bart's Homemade - Amherst, MA (42.37722, -72.519143) ()
4 - Andrew K.: They have beer flavored ice cream and chocolate croissants. Enough said.
5 - Gavin A.: Looks and feels like an ice cream shop should, with all the right stuff on the menu (Egg Cream anyone?).
3 - Mats K.: I had their ice-cream once, and it was fairly pleasant.

Nothing to write home about though.
3 - Q S.: This is where I go when Rao's is packed.  They have free wireless which is nice, but only two boothes that have outlets for your laptops.  The ice cream is really good considering that they give you two big scoops for a pretty decent price.  Most of the time, it's inhabitted by middle/high schooler so it can be a bit noisy.  But it's a good stop to make if you're in the fix for some good ice cream.  I would recommend the jitterz flavor.
3 - alice t.: The ice cream just ok. The blueberry I had was icy and the frozen yogurt was over-sweet yet watery-tasting (if you go to Amherst College, Val's Columbo frozen yogurt is at least as good, if not better). However, the flavors involving coffee, chocolate, cookies, or candy were ok. Flayvors and Atkin's are both much better.
5 - Maria V.: Good god, am I the only person who ADORES their ice cream? Guess so.  Well, there you have it, I freakin adore their ice cream. This is run-down-your-arms-so-sticky-so-worth it GOOD ice cream. Worth getting a cone no matter the time of year.
4 - Rachelle H.: i miss this place. aside from the (fantastic) ice cream, their baked goods are awesome. i'd go in here for gooey, chocolate chunk-y cookies and awesome croissants (i recommend both the chocolate chip and the ham and cheese varieties). 

the service was sometimes a bit slow but it's because a lot of quality work was going into preparing whatever was ordered. there's a huge selection of stuff anyway, so you'll need that extra time.
2 - Kiernan G.: Bart's in Amherst used to be good. The ceiling was kind of gross, as were the bathrooms, but they have pretty affordable food, not badly priced coffee and scooped you some nice sized cones.

They are now under new ownership....

I have to agree with K.A. on this one  The new owner hasn't trained the new staff well at all.  The scoop sizes vary dramatically, usually on the miserably small for the price size.     Prices have gone up on most things, and the entire non-icecream menu has disappeared.

You want good icecream and frozen yogurt? Go to Northampton and hit-up Herrel's  or GoBerry.  

Want icecream in Amherst? Hit up the Crepery -- They have good gelato, and the meal food that Barts ditched.

The decor inside is nicer than it was, although the bright pink walls are a little intense.

Oh, and they ditched their free wifi  :(.
5 - Courtney P.: CHOCOLATE CARAMEL TURTLE ICE CREAM.  I legit eat this shit by the gallon. You must try it. End of story.
5 - Derek W.: Okay, a coffee frappé with top quality ice cream and a shot of espresso will get you five stars every time. Plus, the establishment itself is pretty cool.
3 - Justin B.: Good locally made ice cream and unique flavors
3 - A F.: Bart's ice cream itself, available in pints at local stores, is awesome. especially "Mass Mocha" and "Black Tiger".  But the ice cream shop itself - ugghh. It is awful ever since change of ownership.  apparently the people who make the ice cream, in Greenfield, are the same which is why the ice cream is still great. But i will NOT go into that bubble-gum pink place, where the ice-cream eating cow is gone, and ....yuck.
4 - Cindy D.: In searching for a flavor that I could not get from a tub of ice cream at the grocery store, I found it in Deep Purple Cow. 

It's a smooth blackberry blend with white chocolate peppered throughout. The consistency is what you expect for homemade ice cream and the flavor was not overwhelmingly sweet like the other chocolate flavors I tried. [I had a taste test of at least 5 flavors!]
4 - Jessica M.: Bart's has some of the best flavors of ice cream around! My absolute favorite ice cream is their Coffee Heath Bar and on especially hot days they make a great Margarita Sorbet. 
Sandwisch selections are a bit sparse after the re-opening but still delicious. There are also pastry options like pies, cookies, bars, and more. Price is good for the quality and amount of food. 
There is a small patio out front perfect for people watching and enjoying Amherst spring and summer. 
Can also pick their ice cream up at our local Stop and Shop.
4 - Kelly M.: It's pretty hard to screw up ice cream.  They have lots of other sweets as well.

They have a (small) patio so you can people watch on N Pleasant St. as you eat.

Personally, I like Herrell's in Noho better but I'm also not going to trek over to Northampton every time I want ice cream.
1 - Mel G.: Such teeny tiny portions.  Everyone I know only goes there because there's no other ice cream or dessert places in town.  Kind of sad.  

If they were Herrell's maybe they could get away with their teeny tiny portions, but they are not.  Unless you really have a thing for one of their flavors, their ice cream is nothing special.  It is way too sweet, and did I mention their teeny tiny portions?   I have  tried to like this place a number of times, but every time I go their with a friend, we each get nothing any bigger than a "small", and the bill never fails to be at least $8, and we leave saying what a waste of time that was, and how we still want ice cream, and how we should have sucked up and driven to Northampton.  How is this even possible?

Employees tend to disregard specific requests.  Lately I have been trying to cut dairy where I can because it also bothers my tummy just a bit.  So,  I ordered one scoop of coconut sorbet, with a "tiny bit of hot fudge, and a smidge of whipped cream".  Don't know why I even bothered.  The scoop was dime-sized and slathered in loads of sauce and whipped cream.  Aside from specifying that I only wanted a little, that is NOT how you make a sundae!  Yuck.  The sorbet tasted okay, but was loaded with guar gum or some kind of thickener. I should have had them make me a new one, but didn't bother.
1 - Andrew J.: Worst business. Guy is a shithead. Absolute scumbag. Treats good people like garbage. Used to be a classic spot for years (my entire life); they ditched the cow licking the ice cream cone in the glass case for horrific pink and green candyland decor about a year or two ago. Very sad. People come in and complain all the time that it has changed; sometimes they are just being rude and nostalgic, but it's overwhelming and jaw-droppingly true. When I walked in, I literally said "What the f*** happened to this place." This isn't like 80s fashion nostalgia, but genuine disgust. Has worse turnover rate than the Green Bean in Northampton, and that's saying something. Ice cream still rocks but it's way too expensive. Save yourself and buy a pint at the store. They sell it literally everywhere. The sooner that place changes hands, the better. Thankfully, Go-Berry has opened next to Amherst Coffee, and that place is fantastic. If you're desperate for a quick high, hey, hit it up, get the hot fudge, and drown your waistline sorrows in a bowl of expensive, extra dense ice cream.  They used to make coffee frappes, now they cost $7-8. Great job guys. The place has no soul and should die. The sooner the better.
3 - Nom D.: Great ice cream, but chaotic service. No one knew where to go because the wait staff wasn't helping and there were signs saying 'order here' but very confused people in two large lines who werent sure where they should be. The black raspberry ice cream with choc chunks was delicious. Needed better ac!
4 - Sasha G.: They have the best coffee ice cream ever.  Other really good flavors are black russian, white russian, and black tiger.  They are kind of stingy with the portions.  One thing that annoys me is when they bother me about buying a pint with a credit card.  A pint costs around $4.80 and the minimum is $5 but they shouldn't be so uptight about it, you're not supposed to hassle your customers.
3 - Nathaniel L.: Was recently back in town and made a pilgrimage to the hangouts of my youth that are still extant, including Bart's.  Can't fairly compare it to halcyon memories, so here's how it stacks up against other ice cream shops of today.

The service wasn't great...was there on a Sunday night and the counter was unattended when I walked in, with five customers milling about the counter ahead of me.  Eventually someone emerged and we were all served, but then I couldn't get a refill on my coffee because the employees had all disappeared again.

The variety of ice cream flavors is decent, but not exceptional.  The prices for ice cream are more expensive than any other place I normally frequent, and the quality of the ice cream isn't good enough to warrant the price.

Basically this place is toast if/when a Coldstone opens up in the area.  There's nothing exceptional about it other than the pricing.
3 - Barbara A.: If I am in Amherst and want ice cream, I will come here to the first ice cream place in the happy valley I ever went to - of course, in those days, the seats were tiny and uncomfortable, unlimited cups of coffee and in the same are but down the alley in a whole in the wall.  When the moved and added the giant cow eating the ice cream cone, it just endeared it to me.  However, if I am on my way to Noho later, I will wait and have my ice cream there at Herrell's (forgive me Barts).  I like the renovation and the new seating out front AND you still have rocking coffee ice cream ... but just not the same as the good old days.

Bartell Drugs - Seattle, WA (47.663653, -122.300731) (University District)
4 - Rachel P.: This Bartells has been my family's neighborhood drugstore since I was a kid. They've got a full service pharmacy, a photo center (that I haven't tried), some grocery essentials, some gifts, and lots of shampoo, over the counter stuff, everything you normally have in a big drugstore.

Recently parking in U Village has been awful, but don't despair - remember that there's a huge free parking garage near the Blakely St entrance, and it ALWAYS has space. Always, as in at 2pm on December 23rd it was only half full.

I prefer Bartell's to the other large drugstore chains in Seattle because I like to support this (admittedly huge) local business.
2 - Kathy S.: Bartell's in general is a pretty good locally owned drugstore.  But I guess my rant would be the U-Village customers that shop there.  The U-Village used to be pretty nice for alot of people, now it's mostly catered to the uppity, nouveau riche, yuppies.  I've seen these kinds of people treat Bartell employees like dirt, flaunting their "I have money and you don't, so I can treat you like crap" attitude.  Luckily, I have a Bartell's close to me so I don't have to see or hear uppity snobs.
4 - Renee D.: As for being the neighborhood drug store, it fulfills its purpose.  It's convenient and usually has some good deals.
2 - Kat F.: I live in Wallingford, near the Bartell Drugs on 45th.  I like that place a lot and go there often, if I am walking because parking is not so easy.  I stop at the U-Village Bartell's if I am on my way home from work because there is a parking lot...if you can find space.  I tend to be disappointed in this particular store though, and often wonder why I go there.  

The staff isn't particularly friendly or helpful.  (Did I seriously get an arched eyebrow for buying condoms? I'm in my twenties and it's a drugstore for crying out loud.  This can't be the first time you've seen this, lady.)  Often they are out of things that should be in stock and seem irritated if you ask them if there are more or when there will be more. (I'm polite and don't interrupt people who look busy.)  And yes, it is true, the yuppies that shop there piss me the hell off.  They cut in line, bitch at staff and block aisles to yell at their obnoxious children.  I guess if I were an employee there I'd be rude to customers too.
3 - Sarah B.: It's not my regular pharmacy but I've used them on occasion and been very happy for the most part. 

Whenever I'm in the area and need something, it's a great place to stop.  Though the parking can be tricky since UVillage has some of the worst drivers.  The staff has always made this place great.  We get our pumpkin prowl tickets here too.  

But the same can't be said on the phone.  Trying to find out flu information on the phone this year and calling them twice proved to be futile.  There were curt and rude.  While I understand this flu season has been hectic, there's no excuse for that behavior.  Next time just do make a recording since the pharmacy doesn't like talking to people.
3 - Honesta Y.: They were so unhelpful when I called to ask what the symptoms of chlamidia were. Who knew that they get so many inquiries? They need to setup a hotline or something.

But they sure filled my prescription quick!
1 - Stacey H.: I am so frustrated by the lack of attention to detail this pharmacy has. They have filled my prescriptions incorrectly twice. They omit safety information on the bottles. They label things incorrectly: once instructing me to take a medication: 2 tablets x 2 times per day when the prescription said 2 tablets once per day. The pharmacist was rude with me when I corrected her, even though letting her know saved the pharmacy money. What if an elderly person received it and just took them according to the bottle? Not good. The latest is letting me know that their "wholesaler" purchases the least expensive generic drugs, whatever one happens to be the cheapest. If you are giving people drugs that are totally different than what they've been receiving, maybe you should let them know? Instead, I got home, opened the bottle and realized they were different, called, and was told that once I take them home I can't return them. The pharmacist then said, "Okay, I'll order you the ones you had before". He didn't. Five days later, I've contacted the pharmacy and I've been told again "Okay, I'll order the ones you had before". I'm switching to Rite Aid on Capitol Hill. They provide amazing customer service. They always provide safety info. They call if me THEY have questions. They let me know when my prescriptions are filled. They don't have an attitude when I ask questions. I'm very disappointed in your safety, customer service, and your pharmacy in general. I'm looking into how to report you to the Joint Comission and the Health Department for "mistakes".
3 - Nick C.: Bartell is just your typical drugstore where the prices are higher than regular supermarkets. This Bartell is big though, which is pretty much the only reason I shop here, although sparingly. Because it's so big, it pretty much has everything you would need if you don't have the time to stop by Safeway or QFC. I don't use the pharmacy here so I have no comment on that, but the staff here is nice. Lots of parking since it's in the U-Village and this location is open til 11PM, later than the one on the Ave.
4 - Michelle D.: Sad that this Bartell's has poor reviews, because I love it. Like really, love. 

I've been coming to this location for years...prescriptions, candy, snacks, magazines, random household products, photo, greeting cards, etc. I like to get all of the above here, because they always have a little of everything. And while it sounds like other people have been less fortunate, no one has ever been rude to me or less than helpful. 

Bartell Drugs is Washington's own drugstore, you know. This is the oldest family owned drugstore in the nation. Trusted since 1890. The real deal. So c'mon, keep it local. Screw Rite Aid or especially Walgreen's. Spend your money here!

The only Bartell store I prefer more is Roosevelt. It's not far and has easier parking if that's an issue for you, so try that one if coming to U Village is too stressful.
3 - Lana H.: Prices were what I would pay at CVS or Walgreens. Nice selection of everything. Workers were friendly and helpful.
Store did look older with some fixtures looking outdated.
But I found what I needed at a decent price!
5 - Rachel P.: I know most people think one Bartell's is the same as the next, but I have to disagree ... this one is the best! 

Not only have they recently had a face lift, have an awesome liquor selection (self medicate or prescription medicate, the choice is yours). More importantly, the staff is super friendly and always there to help.

I recently had a neck sprain that needed minor attention, but not that of a doctor. I popped over to the prescription counter and the lady behind the till ushered me to the on duty pharmacist, She was able to set me on the right path of which treatment was best, and saved me mucho $$ so I didn't need an expensive Dr.

Also, as a U Village employee, this location is the prefect one stop shop for so many varried items. I'm all about getting everything in one place ... I was even able to get a few local extras to throw in out of state family Christmas gifts last year!!!

Thank you Bartell's for being so close and convenient!

Bartell Drugs - Seattle, WA (47.661173, -122.313111) (University District)
4 - Thomas D.: I get my Metro stuuf here.
4 - Alice R.: this is where I bought my first taste of aplets and cotlets.
4 - Rachel S.: A drugstore's a contradictory sort of place, the way it combines immediate fulfillment of the widest possible array of basic needs with (if you have a prescription to fill) long and aimless loitering.

This kind of impromptu, involuntary anthropological survey can yield pleasant surprises (Hey, look at this, Hallmark is selling Chinese New Year cards! I was wondering where I could get those!) and discouraging discoveries (Depends figures someone with a 40-inch waist and 46-inch hips is a size S/M?). Or it can become the engine of enlightenment, as when, on a damp December evening, a long wander of the aisles brought me to a Chapstick-shaped product called HeadOn.

"If I'd ever had a headache," I asked my dad, "Would I be better able to understand how this might possibly work?"

Indeed no, he assured me (veteran headache haver that he is). But the object startled him as much as it did me, and we stood in befuddled contemplation until a monomaniacal guy in a red vest moved us aside so as better to pursue his passion of getting everything on the shelves lined up perfectly straight.

Long have I suspected I've come irretrievably untethered from the historical moment, but not until I pursued HeadOn through Google and Wikipedia to YouTube did I realize the extent to which what is a curious novelty to me is, to everyone else, old hat.

I have Bartell's to thank for my education.
3 - meghan c.: one of the pharmacists that works here is a total b-word, and so I (as well as most of my friends) have a personal vendetta against her. But all the other people who work at this Bartell Drugs are great. So she really stands out. I'm going to give it a 3.
3 - Me H.: Not all Bartell's are created equal; I learned this the hard way a while back while in the U-District.  I see a lot of movies at the Varsity with the Warren Report and so I'll stop in here beforehand to grab water and something to snack on during the movie.  The layout is ODD I don't like it one bit, and the variety is that more towards a student than someone stopping in to pick up a few things, if you know what I mean.  I guess I can't complain too much they always have water and they always have what ever it is I want to sneak into the movies: gummy worms, Swedish fish, hot tamales, dove dark chocolate bar, M & M's, red vines, they have it and the major plus is they are always FRESH, I hate it when I grab a treat and it's stale, hard gummy worms are yuck, soft fresh gummy worms are yum!
5 - Isha Z.: I am at this Bartell every day in the morning to buy Cheerios. Except Mondays...on Mondays I also buy five packets of EmergenC for the work week. I also always grab a spoon from the fridge (very convenient and nice to have). 

All the morning employees are awesome beyond words. I get no less than three smiles and good mornings as soon as I get through the door. Then as I'm checking out my favorite cashier will chit chat and occasionally tell me about the baseball game she attended or any autographs she got. I always leave with a smile and ready to continue on with the work day.

The store is kept pretty nice and always stocked. I did go to the pharmacy one day after work and ran into no issues. Just sat in the massage chair for a little while and waited for my order that took no longer than any other pharmacy.

I highly suggest putting this Bartell in your routine. They rock!
5 - Cathy G.: This is one of the busiest corners in the Univ. Ave area. The workers need to be patient, quick, give information and asauge the feelings of hurried bus waiting customers. They are and they do!

They are fanttastic aboutt it There is more in this store than meets the eye until you go exploring. The aisles are very narrow.. Thats how they have it all crammed in.
4 - Ivy L.: This place has decent prices, but the place is small, and it's like a maze. I still like it though, the check out counter could be bigger.
1 - Karen R.: WTF?!  closed on a saturday at 7pm!?!?!  this is the u-district where the ave is constantly active!  how can you be closed so early on any day?!  what happened to being 24 hours?!  we were headed to eat on the ave and my friend was sick and needed some serious cough medication.  when we got here we found the place dark... had to drive all the way to the one in queen anne since that is the only one i know that is operated 24 hours.  arrgh!

as cathy g. said - this bartells is located on one of the busiest corners of the ave!!  wake up people!!  extend your hours!!
3 - Jennifer B.: You can find most things you need here. The workers are nice and helpful. It's convenient and a local drugstore, which I like.
2 - Kayla S.: I use Bartell's on the Ave. to pick up my prescription. The last few times I've been in, the pharmacist assistant has been extremely awkward, in turn making me feel awkward. I asked a question about a prescription and she made me feel stupid for asking. 
As for the rest of the place, the photo developing area is chill, the people are super lax. The front cashier also sports a nicer crowd. But sadly, I'm not a fan of the place because of the pharmacy staff.
4 - Riyal V.: Always closed when I really need it (I think they close at 9 PM) but always surprised at how convenient having a Bartell on 45th is for people living around here.
4 - Tina G.: It's really a necessay place for us Udub students...We can buy almost all articles of daily use here which is juz convinience...and mee sum is juz across to it so we can go there after shopping~ahaha
4 - Norris B.: Bartell is a Seattle institution.  Their pharmacy staff are uber professional.  I love that they keep late hours.  They carry a wide array of health and not too healthy (Skittles baby!) products.  Their U Village store is my favorite.
4 - Uhura J.: I've been to a few different Bartell Drugs and I gotta tell you, this location totally saved my bacon when I needed to come up with several quality, low cost stocking stuffers for a holiday party. 

The employees were helpful and plentiful. I was surprised at the selection of toys, food items, candies, and games that weren't crazy expensive. I also found my new favorite lip balm here (eos, in case you're wondering)!
3 - Kittiya P.: I usually love this Bartell, but not after today's visit. Usually the staff is really nice, especially an old gentleman whose name I don't recognize. He's super nice.

Today, I went in to pick up a bottle of dish soap. Before Bartell, I bought something from the u bookstore, and they didn't have a decent size of a bag for my stuff. One was too small, and the large one was too big with no handles. I bus and it was raining outside; it was difficult for me to carry it. So, I asked for a big bag at the Bartell's register, which I think is totally fine. This lady, someone must have really pissed her off earlier or something, gave me a horrible and disbelief look as if I told her that there are pink elephants flying everywhere. I explained it to her why I wanted the bag, and she gave me the same face. The other check out lady was nicer and understandable. I resisted the urge to tell her to that she really needs to work on her customer service skills.

Other than today's experience, this place is nice.
4 - Ashley D.: I'm not sure if my review made a difference or not, but since my last review the pharmacy staff has completely made a 180 in their service. The staff is fast, friendly, and helpful. Also, I had one occasion where I could not find a toothpaste I had previously bought at this location, and the employee looked everywhere to see if she could find it. I've had multiple employees give great service and help me find anything I'm looking for. The prices are still a bit high on a lot of things, so I'm giving 4 stars. Though, they definitely get 5 stars in service. I'm really glad that their pharmacy staff has worked on their customer service, and I now enjoy coming here whenever I have a prescription to fill.
4 - Shekinah S.: Changed my mind.  This Bartell is twice as big as I thought it was.  Half of it is kinda sorta hidden away.  My bad.  The service here is always super friendly and on a recent visit they had exactly the brand of silver polish I was seeking.  It's a smaller store but an upgrade is in order.

Bartender of America - College Park, MD (39.01287, -76.927888) ()
5 - Scott T.: I enjoyed the classes and learned how to make some good drinks.
1 - Ernest F.: I attended this school and I have to say that all they did was give me a book with 100+ drinks and the instructor only taught me one drink off of each chapter then I was on my own.

I paid extra for my TIPS class and I NEVER RECEIVED MY TIPS CERTIFICATION. THEY NEVER MAILED IT.

The instructors here were either in the other room on the phone or on Facebook or Worldstar hip hop.

I learned everything I know now through live experience on the field and all those drinks were not even applied to the real world. Each place has their own menu of cocktails and maybe just maybe some well known drink will pop up like a Mai Tai or Rum Runner.

Please reconsider and choose another academy.

Bartos Sara MD - Austin, TX (30.289083, -97.728117) (University of Texas)
5 - Patti R.: I moved to Austin from San Francisco 1 1/2 years ago and I am so happy I found Dr. Bartos.  She takes her time, has a great personality, great staff, and she is so thorough.  I liked her from the very first - so much, in fact, that I made an appointment for my husband and he really liked her to.  If you want a really good primary doctor - try Dr. Bartos - you will like her and the way she practices medicine.
5 - Sarah F.: I've been seeing Dr. Bartos for 10 years.  Her staff is excellent- friendly, and efficient.  Dr. Bartos is thorough and attentive.  She listens carefully, asks great questions, and doesn't overprescribe medications.
5 - Jenny H.: Dr. Bartos has a no nonsense approach that I find very comforting.  I hope she won't be retiring anytime soon because finding this level of comfort with a physician, who is willing to actually spend the time to really listen, is hard to come by.
4 - Kealie G.: I went to Dr. Sara Bartos for my annual check up, and I have to say I'm a fan. Not only was she extremely professional and efficient, but very honest and listens well. She told me that health professionals should inform and not dictate, which I appreciate. 

They do most of their labs on site, so you don't have to go somewhere else for blood work. They also have an online patient portal where you can view your lab results and other useful things I have yet to explore. Dr. Bartos also informed me that they always have urgent care appointment available that same day. 

As with any doctor, I hope I don't go back to see Dr. Bartos (because that means I'm sick!) but if I do, I know I will be well taken care of. 

PS. I'll reserve five stars after I go a couple of times.

Bash/Pepper Roofing - Champaign, IL (40.1229642, -88.2425009) ()
1 - nifty c.: I used this company three times: to re-line the built-in rain gutters of my Victorian home, to re-coat the porch roof, and to build a cricket around my chimney.  Their prices were competitive, but I was not satisfied with two of the three jobs.  My first call to them was about leaks in the porch roof gutters.  Re-lining the gutters and re-sealing the roof was their prescription.  It cost $1000 but the leaks continued.  

First they denied that it was leaking, suggesting that I needed to clean my gutters more often.  (Huh?)  Then they offered to do my other roofing job (building the cricket around my chimney) at a good price and to fix the first job at no charge.  The estimator said they would do "whatever it takes" to get it right.  As it happens they didn't do anything.  They did the chimney cricket but never touched the porch again.  Then they didn't return my messages.  

Now I have had two other roofers out to try (again) to fix the leaking porch roof.  Both of the other roofers are skeptical of the materials chosen by Bash-Pepper for the job in the first place.  One asked me why I chose a cheap roofing material that wouldn't last -- this was suggested as the best strategy by Bash-Pepper.  The other asked why my re-lined gutters had big gaps in the lining.  He put his finger into a gap to show me.

I'd stay away from Bash-Pepper.
1 - Pat L.: Our experience with Bash Pepper has been unfortunate. We live in, and are restoring an architect
designed home in Urbana, Illinois. We have flat roofs. In 2009, Bash Pepper applied a Lucas # 3000
thermoplastic aluminum coating to our upper roof, and lower carport roof.


Unfortunately for us, and the integrity of our home, the upper roof is cracked throughout its surface, and oozes water from under the membrane coating. The lower roof is pocked with bubbles of various sizes. Some of the bubbles have broken open.

Their salesman was extremely positive and enthusiastic about the Lucas product after looking at our roof and told us that the Lucas system was the ideal coating and completely compatible with our preexisting surfaces.  Prior to applying the coating, Bash Pepper "prepared " our roof areas, using a Lucas product. At no time did he, or any employee of the company express any concern about either of our roof areas, or have any misgivings about the longevity of the Lucas surface. The original proposal stated a 10 year warranty.

When we discovered the deteriorated condition of our roofs, after a recent leak, we immediately called the company. The original salesman promptly arrived to check our roofs, and appeared genuinely shocked by the condition of the carport, and upper roofs, promising to take action to remedy their defective job.


However, after repeated calls to Bash Pepper over a period of two weeks, the elderly owner of the company came to our home, examined the surfaces, and blamed the entire problem on our old roof. Although my husband extended every courtesy to him, he was immediately defensive, and offered my husband no apology or explanation for the condition of the roof areas, nor any recourse. 

Because of Bash Pepper's defective job we are in urgent need of a new roof and we are out $3700.

Basha Bistro - Atlanta, GA (33.7859, -84.400864) (Georgia Tech, Westside / Home Park)
4 - Ari S.: Food comes out quickly and was very good. Staff was very friendly and let me try a lot of different things on the menu.
2 - Dina C.: I am very glad that something international has opened in this spot versus a boring chain establishment like Five Guys or some other dreadful burger place that West Midtown does not need.  

The ambiance is like Mediterranean Grill.  You order at the counter.  I think that this place has promise, but it still getting its bearings because it is relatively new.  The staff were very friendly. 

The beef was tough, flavorless, and overcooked.  The rice was very bland.  I was surprised that the food was so mediocre and flavorless considering that it is right next to a mosque.  

It may have an upswing, so I might check it out again and review again.
4 - Lori F.: Great little place with a good assortment of options.  I had the chicken shawarma  wrap, which was delish.  The chicken was tender and not dry like some other places, and the wrap was sauced perfectly.  I loved the addition of their homemade pickled turnips!

The staff was super friendly and even offered us a complimentary baba ganoush and house made pita chips to try. Looking forward to trying more things and making this a regular lunch spot!
5 - Christopher D.: this place is soooooooo awesome. 
just went to basha bistro again. for lunch.
the owner hooked us up with some of his new baba ganoush, which was amazing. really great.
then we had a kofte wrap and a chicken schwarma, both were outstanding! 
to wrap it up, he gave us some baklava with berry reduction. it was seduction! it was sooo good. 

i will definitely be back again, and again, and again. 

[chris]
5 - Chris P.: Updating these guys to a 5.  I've been here a few times since the first couple of the visits, and the food has been consistently excellent every time.  Everything is very fresh; in fact, some items are made to order.  (Of course, people should keep that in mind.  This isn't the fastest place in Atlanta by any means, but I'd happily wait a little longer for food this good.)

The baba ganoush is seriously killer.  At present they've added some kalamata olives to the baba, and it mixes well with the smoky eggplant and garlic flavors.

And this is the first tabbouli I've had in the south that resembles actual Middle Eastern tabbouli.  No cucumbers as filler.   Fresh lemon, good ratio of parsley to bulgar, just the right amount of salt.

The chicken schwarma was also good, but I can't say enough positives about the veggie options here.
5 - Cara B.: Mmmmmmm, I really like this place now.  Yes, the service is still slow, but going in expecting it to be slow means that I don't feel so bad when we wait.  Now the boy and I have the attitude of "get some tea and hummus and then relax."

Boy do I like their regular hummus.  It's the perfect consistency, perfectly creamy, not too much garlic or tahini. Delicious.  By far the best hummus I've had in atlanta.  Like I've said before though, I still don't get the "spicy" hummus.  I'd recommend sticking to the regular stuff.

Everything I've had off of their menu is great and the kitchen seems to be finding their groove with quality products and appropriate cook times for meats.  I'm so glad this place is open in my bf neighborhood, and hopefully this will be the last star adjustment I make for this place.
1 - A. N.: I'm Lebanese and have eaten at just about every Lebanese/middle eastern place in town. I was very excited to try this after reading about how good it was, and I get really homesick for food from home. Well, this was probably the worst "Lebanese" food I've eaten.

Food: the beef and chicken shawarma wasn't shawarma, it was cooked on a grill! The kafta was dry and overcooked. The chicken shawarma also had no garlic. Come to think of it, I don't know if they even use garlic there. Typically, chicken shawarma is served with a thick garlic paste made from crushed garlic, lemon, and olive oil (and it's a key ingredient!)

 The rice was simple, not bad but not Lebanese rice. I will admit the hummus is very good, and they use good pita.

Service: This was strange. We walk in, and no one is at the counter. There's some guy in the corner who sees us and starts talking. The cook, who speaks little English, says he's waiting for the manager because he can't work the cashier. 5 minutes pass and the guy in the corner says he'll take our order and help out but that he wasn't the owner/didn't work there. We pick things out and the cashier runs in, late. She rings up my girlfriend while I chat with the guy, Rafik, who turned out to be Lebanese, in arabic. He said he was a doctor(?) and then said he *was* the owner(??). So if he is the owner, he sat there for 5 minutes staring at us before taking our order. If he's not the owner, he is not helping whoever is, because he's kinda sketchy. The cashier also overcharged us so we had to fix that too.

In summary, I have no idea why this place has such great ratings. If you want good Lebanese/middle eastern, the absolute BEST, most authentic place to go in Atlanta is Mezza Lebanese Bistro in Decatur. It's about as close as you can get to Beirut- ya habibi! Or just go to Med Grill. Even the mediocre Mediterranean Bakery in Chamblee has better food, and they at least give you garlic paste for your chicken.
3 - Ray L.: I'm in like. But I don't think it's love. It was good... just missed the mark on a few things.

My plate
Hummus and bread: Pretty good. Hummus had good flavor and texture; nice and creamy without being over processed. The bread came piping hot, which is a plus - but a little over toasted, which took away from the hummus.

Falafel and tahini sauce: Flavors were right, texture was not. The falafel was dry. I definitely needed the tahini sauce to get it down.

Chicken shawarma plate: The flavors were well-balanced. Didn't need more or less of anything on the chicken. The rice was a little dry, and I'm pretty sure it lacked saffron (understandable... did you know saffron costs more than gold, by weight?). Veggies were good. Zucchini and yellow squash is my favorite side veggie :).

Would I come back? Maybe. But I think I'll date around first.
3 - Bob B.: Solid shawarama, good salad and good baklava.  Went for lunch at 2 on a Thursday to use the scoutmob.  It is an order-at-the-counter to type of place.  The food came out shortly after my order.  Waitstaff was friendly and decor was new and clean.  Will go back for lunch when I am craving med food.
2 - Song S.: The kibbe is good. The kofte sandwich meat was tasty. But how can a restaurant run out of food? At 1pm. Unfortunately, this happened on 2 occasions, which does not endear it to this impatient reviewer. Compounded by lackluster service and a general feel of disorganization, I don't feel compelled to revisit even though it is oh so convenient.
4 - Charlie F.: I am pretty picky about mediterranean food. So naturally am a little hesitant about trying a new place. My husband and I put a lot of stock into every meal, which I admit at times can be a little paralyzing. We are huge fans of shwarma, however, neither of us are fans of lamb so finding good beef or chicken shwarma is important...very important. 

My husband has high standards for non-lamb shwarma since he left LA (blame Zankou Chicken). Basha isn't quite true shwarma but a close replacement. They grill their meats which can be much healthier. I am forever a victim of being served dry chicken out at restaurants and the highly rated Mediterranean Grill is no exception. But that's a review for another time.
All that rambling done, this place will be seeing my husband and I a lot more often.
Lebanese rules!
2 - Elaine O.: Ehhhh...

The chicken biryani was flavor explosive, homey, and comforting (though I didn't grow up eating biryani).  Good size portion too.  My beef shwarma was slightly overdone and lacking in portion size, especially compared to the biryani.  The hummus was good, and a fairly big serving but was served with whole dry pitas, totally unacceptable. 

Poor service - I don't mind paying the automatic 15% (or more) gratuity on a Scoutmob deal, but there was literally no service.  Most of our plates were chipped and he even found a piece of the chipped dish in his food!  Dark, lonely, and shoddy service.  My mind couldn't help but wander to the brighter Mediterranean resto up the street...
3 - Addy C.: Nice to have another Mediterranean option near work. Thanks to Scoutmob otherwise I'd probably never notice the place. They're located right next to the huge mosque on 14th Street. I've been twice and both times there was plenty of available seating. Order food at the front, and then wait ... great to know your food is cooked to order but service feels very slow. During one visit, I ordered just 1 falafel for comparison sake. The falafel didn't arrive until after I was almost done eating my lunch. 

CHICKEN SHAWARMA PLATTER - $9.95
I got this b/c the cashier said this was her favorite. Looking at the other reviews, it seemed like everyone else thought the chicken shawarma was the best dish, too. Chicken was good, veggies (squash, zucchini, green pepper, onion) are supposedly grilled but tasted sauteed to me, and the rice was surprisingly my favorite part of the meal - I think it was the butter :) Meal portion was generous - enough for 2 meals. My friend had gotten the Chicken Shawarma Pita ($5.95), and really liked it a lot.

BEEF SHAWARMA - $5.95
On another visit, tried to order the Kofka but they didn't have it that day so I opted for the beef shawarma. The beef shawarma was kinda fatty and chewy :( Also ordered waffle fries for an extra $1.29 ... they look and taste just like Chick-fil-A's waffle fries.

BABA GANOUSH - $2.95
Nice smoky eggplant flavor, and very good. The baba ganoush comes in 2 sizes - we got the small "single serving" portion but it was plenty for 2 people ... maybe even 3. Comes w/ 2 large pita bread, too.

FALAFEL - $.99
Their falafels are donut-shape, and more heavy & hearty tasting than others I've had. Definitely tastes homemade. It's too bad you have to pay extra to get the Tahini sauce. Overall ok but a little disappointing after having to wait what felt like forever for one falafel.

Overall 3.5 stars but rounded down to 3 for service. The folks here are very nice ... just need to speed up the service.
2 - J. G.: This place used to be good when Ramsy was managing it and using his grandmother's recipes. 5 star good easily. It's under new management now and the food is fairly disappointing. It's a shame.
4 - Clare D.: The hummus alone is worth the trip.  Super nice owner whose staff deserted him tonight, but he served us anyway.  And the pace was perfect!  He brought out the hummus from my mezze plate first, and that kept us busy until the felafel, then later the rest of the mezze plate and the chicken shawarma. The chicken shawarma was a standout, too, with the veggies and rice.  Great prices, too!  We will definitely be back!
7/20/12:  tried them back again a few months later for some takeout and the super nice owner is gone, replaced by some whose English is a little sketchy.  The steak kabob was gone and the new owner talked me into the ground beef kafka, which I wasn't fond of.  She didn't seem to understand "steak" meant not ground meat.  Anyway, won't be back.  Too bad.  The hummus is still great, tho.

Basil Thai & Bubble Tea - West Lafayette, IN (40.4258686, -86.9080655) ()
4 - sheila B.: I love their curries!! I've been to fancy Thai restaurants in Chicago, and yet I prefer Basil
4 - Amy D.: This is the best Thai food around. Grab a seat when you can, it's almost always busy. If you can't eat in, make sure you get something to go. Love the Thai tea here.
3 - Nancy H.: This place is good but really options for thai food are limited here in west lafayette, in so we have to take what we can get.  If you don't mind going further, I think Exotic Thai is better.

The pad thai needs more to it, it was kind of skimpy  The chicken satay with peanut sauce is very tasty.  I also really like their salads, cold and refreshing.  Bubble tea is okay but sometimes the tapioca is not chewy like it should be.
5 - Jamal A.: absolutely the best thai in our area
2 - Ethan H.: I was very disappointed with this place. if it really is the best in the area (as another review claimed), than W. Lafayette really doesn't have a lot to offer!

Basically, the problem was in the food, which ranged from uninteresting to bad. My beef red curry, for example, certainly packed a spice, but it was actually pretty boring -- as if the spice was the only interesting thing they put into it. Ever worse, the beef had that grainy, I've-been-frozen-defrosted-and-refrozen-again texture to it -- and there's simply no excuse for that regardless of how much rice costs these days. 

My dad's pad-pak chicken wasn't any better: the chicken was fatty and the whole thing was doused in a sweet syrup that, for both of us really, made the whole thing inedible. 

And, just to be clear, we are NOT picky eaters!

Long story short, if people think THIS is the best in town, then either Lafayette is a pit or they're not looking very hard. 

(Two stars, because at least I didn't vomit ... though I kind of wish I had.)
2 - Sho K.: Probably the worst Thai restaurant in the Lafayette area. The only reason they're always busy is because of its location. It's conveniently located within walking distance from campus. The food isn't terrible (one star), and the fact that they serve bubble tea is also a plus (second star).
3 - Anant H.: A marginal place for Thai and really the only place on campus. A few of the dishes will definitely please, but its a bit pricey for how much food they give and their bubble tea is a bit sub par.

Lafayette/West Lafayette really lack good Thai restaurants and this one is about the same as Thai Essence (same owners) and its definitely not worth a trip to the other side of town to eat at Exotic Thai (lets face it this one sounds like a strip club) If you are like me and can't go more than a month without Thai food this place will do the job until you can get to a larger city.
3 - Heather H.: Basil is no frills and casual. I've been here a few times, and it's not memorable, but if I must have Thai and only Thai, I know I can get decent vegetarian dishes here. I ordered a Jasmine boba recently that was the one and only tasteless milk tea I've ever had. Maybe it was an off cup. Hope so.
3 - Maurilio M.: Good place to find some quality Thai food in West Lafayette.  I would have to agree with alot of the reviews that there are not really any other Thai places. Space is fairly small needs to be a bit bigger, gets crowded during lunch time.  Overall really good food.  I would give it 3.5 stars.
3 - Cindy L.: Basil Thai is one of the most popular Thai resturants in West Lafayette. They have a pretty decent sized menu but the prices are a little on the expensive side.

I always get the pad thai ( they are the only people that make a good pad thai). They also have some other interesting dishes that I stayed away from due to the interesting coloring in the food. 

Their apple green tea bubble tea is pretty good. But if you want an extra scoop of bubbles, I was charged $3 extra just for BUBBLES! Again, it is pricey. The restaurant is cramped and the owners aren't very friendly. Its certainly not the best Thai food I've had but it is decent for West Lafayette, IN.
4 - Min H.: I love Basil Thai and it saddens me I didn't eat more of it while I was at Purdue. Despite hearing complaints about the price, I've always found the prices to be more than reasonable given the amount of food provided, which is alot. 

Its a bit small so it can get crowded at times but there's always takeout and of course, bubble tea.

Dishes that I've always liked and recommend 
-any of the curries, for those afraid of spice the yellow is fairly mild and sweet. I've always liked the red since it was spicy and flavorful 
-basil fried rice 
-mango and sticky rice if available
3 - Jennifer B.: Green curry with tofu was alright, lacked the flavor punch I'm used to but I've definitely had worse.
3 - Jessica C.: Stopped by here for dinner a few weeks ago.  

Not the best nor the worst Thai food I've ever had.  The crispy spring rolls were tasty.  My pad ginger was fine, but nothing special.

I'd eat here again, but it didn't blow me away.
3 - David S.: It's a bit pricey. The food is meh. They put a weird twist on thai food, adding ingredients that don't belong in the dishes. Huge chunks of Egg plant? Bell pepers? In my curry? I think they do it to fill up space in the container, to make it seem like you get more food. I asked them not to add bell peppers or egg plant in my curry, and they only filled the container halfway. Jerks. 

That said, it's mostly delicious. Employees are friendly enough. There's no other thai restaurants except for thai essence, which is owned by the same people.
5 - Siraaj M.: Small and quaint, very friendly staff, my kids loved the bubble tea
2 - Laureen S.: The dining options in West Lafayette IN, are geared towards Purdue students. I get it. They are on a budget and need a laid back vibe. I get that too. But friendliness, cleanliness and freshness should never be optional. Keep walking, this place is bad news.
5 - Batu Y.: Great food. No joke hands down best Thai in Lafayette
1 - Chris M.: Not good.  Flavors were lacking in the curry, and had absolutely no spice level.  Vegetables were soggy and not fresh.  Service was ok, but the restaurant had a bad odor.
5 - Cindy L.: my favorite thai restaurant in whole world. not kidding. tom yum noodle soup with chicken. omg freakign legit. everything is good. the curry the pad thai the pad kee mao the basil fried rice. omg loooooooooove this place. this is where i would get my last meal on earth
4 - Clayton N.: The pad thai here is excellent. I've eaten at several Thai establishments in different states, and nothing can match the sauce they use with the noodles. Thai Essence is owned by the same people, if you live further off campus, but is a tad bit pricier. Don't bother trying Noodles and Co's Pad Thai, just come here instead!
1 - Adrienne K.: Horrible service. I have been many times and there seems to be only one nice person that works there. Everyone else is downright rude and unfriendly. Which is too bad because the food is pretty good. It's a dingy hole-in-the-wall place, which is usually where you find the best food. I love the Pad Thai and the Tom Yum soup. I tried to overlook the service but will no longer go back. If you don't mind being treated like you're putting them out by being there then by all means try it out. At least the food won't disappoint.
3 - Sharon R.: 3-4 for the food, 1-3 for the service (depending on which server you get).

Not all of their food is great, which is a problem because if you get something that is either not well cooked or doesn't taste great you won't be able to send it back. They have a strict policy against sending food back. Their menu says something like "we are very proud of our food and the way we cook it so we won't accept any food back." Really? Modesty, people, come on. This one time I had an awful mango salad there that was just drenched in some extremely sour dressing and clearly I just ended up not eating that night. 

Some of the curries are okay, the pad thai is decent, but I usually get the pork with eggplant which I find to be pretty good. The only problem is that they put so much sauce that by the end its almost inedible because of all the salt added to the salt. The bubble tea is also pretty good, many times I just go in and take out the bubble tea.

As other reviewers have pointed out the service is a huge problem, probably stemming from very bad management.  The owner sits in the tables closest to the counter and I've heard her sit there yelling on the phone or loudly making fun of customers that weren't in the restaurant. One of the waitresses rolls her eyes (even when there is really no need) as she's talking to you. The white blondish waitress is really the best to get. Also, I feel like this is the only Asian restaurant I've seen that you actually get treated BETTER if you are white. Personal observation. The food can be pretty good (specifically ask for less sauce) but bad management/servers take out a lot of the joy of dining out.

Basil Thai Cafe - Champaign, IL (40.110554, -88.232373) ()
4 - Sassy P.: Great Thai restaurant on campus. They have good portions and a great menu of your basic Thai dishes. I came here often during college, and I've had times where the food is amazing, and other times where it was just ok. They have different chefs so it tastes a little different each time. I love the Pad Se Ewe and Pad Thai. Inexpensive and great place for thai.

Highly Recommended.
1 - Kwoky L.: This place is very affordable and is a favorite among UIUC students. However, the food is practically tasteless. It seems to me that meat and vegetables are quickly tossed with some spices and they call that a meal.  Simple said, the food lacks the depths of flavors that is present in authentic Thai food. I have lived close enough to Thailand to know what's good and what's not. This, I have to say is a major disappointed. Avoid at all cost.
1 - David S.: Ugh... Or should I say: Eww...

I was trying to find a place to have dinner tonight. I didn't want to eat at one of my usual spots and was feeling adventurous, so I just walked down Green St with the hope of finding something interesting. After a few blocks, I ended up passing by Basil Thai House, which I'd never noticed before.

A quick look at the menu: it looks pretty standard. Prices are cheap ($7 entrees), but this isn't too unusual considering this is a college town. I find myself thinking: "Eh, I like Thai food... how bad could it possibly be?" and walk in.

What was supposed to be a rhetorical question turned out to be quite appropriate as the food, I found out, was... quite bad. I ordered the fried spring rolls, the basil chicken, and a Thai iced coffee. Pretty safe selection, one would think. The spring rolls were okay, I suppose, though really not that great. The problem was really with the basil chicken: it was honestly quite gross. First, why do they use ground chicken? That's just wrong. Ground chicken is wrong. As are most other types of ground meats, in my humble opinion, but chicken even more so. And the dish was just not good. I ate a little bit of it and was done. For the next half hour I had a gross taste in my mouth. Eww.

Lesson learned: even Thai food isn't always a safe choice.
4 - Alice M.: Food's mediocre (I usually get Pad Thai or Pad Kee Mao and it's not the best obviously, but it's not bad either), but plus 1 star for being sooo cheap and sooo fast and sooo close to everything on campus!
1 - Eric P.: i recently went on thai food kick around town... and to make the comparison fair decided to have basil chicken in several places... Thara Thai, Nitaya Thai and Basil Thai in campustown. the latter (Basil Thai) is by far the worst. as one reviewer already wrote before me, this is made here with ground chicken which is tasteless, too little food, and covered in a litre of sauce/broth. WTF? the tables and chairs in this place also seem sticky... covered in some weird nasty film. in summary, two words: stay away.
1 - Helen H.: Ugh. A curry dish with barely any veggies? No, potatoes do not count. They're not green. Even some basil in this so-called  "basil thai" restaurant would have been nice. Curry is hard to mess up because it has such strong flavor. However, given a choice, why go and have bad food?
3 - Andrew T.: Good, cheap Thai food. I'm a sucker for what is probably inauthentic peanut sauce, and their "peanut sauce lover" was a frequent indulgence. The red and green curry is also awesome. Don't miss their red chili sauce to add some real heat to your dishes - it's always very very hot.

If they delivered...I would have lived on this stuff in college.
4 - Iris M.: Basil Thai is good for exactly what it is--convenient, cheap, dependable Thai food on campus, served hot and promptly.  I haven't shopped the whole menu, but I like what I regularly get, and that's fine with me.
5 - Brent S.: (Note that Basil Thai has moved from Green Street to S. Gregory near the Krannert Center.)

Basil Thai has fast service, moderately cheap food, and a plain no-nonsense decor. There is no table service: diners order and pay up front, choose a seat, then the meal is brought to the table when it is ready

The dishes, of which I've had a broad sampling, are prepared to order using fresh, cuisine-appropriate ingredients. My only complaint is that they seemed to have lightened up on the seasonings in my favorite dishes in the past year or so. However, they provide fish sauce, soy sauce, and hot chile sauce for those who want to spice it up a bit.

In spite of the plain decor I've given this restaurant five stars because it succeeds in being what it is-- a fast, fresh, tasty presentation of Thai food.

I'd like to address a comment from another reviewer regarding the use of ground chicken in their Basil Chicken, (one of my favorite dishes). Like it or not, ground chicken *is* appropriate in that dish; I make it at home using authentic recipes and that's what is called for. Furthermore, cuisines the world 'round feature ground meat, often but not exclusively in the form of sausage. To rant about ground meat, though mildly humorous, shows a distinct lack of familiarity with food in general.
4 - Mike L.: Great place for a quick bite.  The mango sticky rice was terrific.
2 - Tristan R.: When I want a quiet lunch after church and I do not have the means to trek elsewhere for thai food, I come here. If you are on the north quad, the journey I don't think is worth it. Their service is quick and relatively inexpensive. However, there are better sit-down thai restaurants in town. They have a "free meal deal" if you use cash for 10 meals and the 11th is free.
5 - Maria K.: For what it is, affordable thai food, you can't beat Basil Thai.  I grew up in Champaign and now live in LA, and this place is on my list of about 5 places i HAVE to eat at when I come back home to visit.  The Pad Se Ew Beef is amazing & the chicken pad thai is to die for.  I usually order both because I need my fix when I'm home.  

I would eat here about 3 times/week when I was in business school.  I miss Basil Thai:(

Basil Thai Urbana - Urbana, IL (40.106437, -88.221653) ()
2 - Melissa M.: This location is much nicer than the one in Champaign- better lighting, a decent ambiance, and table service. Its a particular favorite for groups because you pay up front and don't need to worry about splitting the bill. 

The quality of food really depends on what  you order. Chicken, except for the satay, is typically not high quality. Beef is the better choice if you like meat. Vegetarian dishes are quite good here though and they do use a lot of vegetables I like such as zucchini and bell pepper. 

I like the curries and they are pretty spicy, but lack a certain complexity in flavor present at other Thai places. The only truly atrocious curry, which you should avoid, is the panang, which is almost like vegetables in a thick sauce rather than a curry.

Besides the curries, I love the Thai veggie egg roll appetizer- noodles and vegetables rolled in a rice pancake. Beats Chinese egg rolls any day. Unfortunately the spring rolls are not so good. They are assembled bizarrely so you can't really eat them without seeming just a little rude as they fall apart in your hands and you are forced to gobble each piece in one giant bite. The peanut spring rolls are the worst offender, as they are both improperly assembled and drenched in a sweet sticky sauce. 

Not the best Thai food, but a good choice for groups and vegetarians.

Just to warn you, but their tray system is idiotic. You clear your own tray and the rack you put them on doesn't fit the trays well. Glass breakage and embarrassment ensue.
3 - Erin M.: I agree, way nicer decor than the vaguely scummy-looking one in Champaign. The price is right, but the food is extremely hit-or-miss - the fried tofu tends to be leathery, and everything I've ever ordered that came with a non-curry sauce has managed to be both bland and cloyingly sweet. The curries make up for it, but make sure you order it about twice as spicy as you think you should.
4 - Christa S.: Really great Pad-Thai! Clean restaurant and friendly service.
3 - Chelsea V.: If someone were to ask for a recommendation for Thai food in Champaign-Urbana, I would not send them here. That said, this is usually where I go when I'm looking to get Thai on campus. The staff is always extremely nice and the prices are not terrible. The food is not the best, but it's always edible (by college student standards, at least).

The main issue I have with their food is the overwhelming greasy-ness. I've never had a pad thai so oily and "fried" tasting. It's good, but it's heavy. And it's not what I'd consider "pad thai", rather some sort of Basil Thai original creation. The other noodle dishes are all the same way. The main dishes with rice are better, but still nothing memorable. Salads are absolutely not recommended, with greasy meat thrown on top of chopped iceberg lettuce. I have heard good things about the soup, but never tried it myself. 

What I have enjoyed is their curries. I can't remember which specific one I got, but it is the only thing I remember ordering there that I felt fit in with all the other Thai food I've eaten in my life.

The Urbana location is a nice place to sit and eat-in as well, as opposed to the one on Green Street which is far less classy.
4 - Deanna C.: Definitely my place of choice to get some good Thai food on campus.  I usually go for the Pad Thai or Pad See Ewe with chicken, but their other noodle dishes as well with their curries and rice dishes are also tasty.  There is also a good selection for if you are vegetarian (you can replace any of the meat with tofu or mixed vegetables).  Can't say I'm a big fan of their noodle soups though - I find them kind of bland. 

Price-wise, at $6/$7 a dish, it costs approximately the same as if you were to grab lunch on Green St., but this is definitely the place to go to sit back, relax, catch up with friends, study, etc. while grabbing a bite to eat if you have some extra time.

While they do tend to err on the greasy side, I have never been dissatisfied with an order, and their friendly service coupled with the clean, open decor (much nicer than their sister location on Green St.) is very refreshing compared to many of the grungy feeling restaurants/cafes around campus and keeps me coming back.
1 - Dan T.: I'm not the type of person who lets one bad experience ruin a restaurant, I know that sometimes people make mistakes and running a restaurant can't be easy.

I went here 3 TIMES, and every time something bad happened.

First time I went here, food was good if not expensive, but immediately afterwards I felt a sharp pain of sickness to my stomach. Let's end the story there.

Second time, food was alright with no "incidents" until my friend discovered a long black hair in his food. That's flavour country!  OK, so it's one hair - NOPE, there's another friendly hair in his food! The guy working there refuses to give a refund, only offering more of the same food that had made my friend feel like throwing up after his nice discovery. Good business!

OK, Basil Thai - you get one more try. I go there and my other friend orders Basil Chicken which is made with "ground chicken." Upon receiving the order, we notice the chicken is "ground" into pieces of the size of bacon bits, not to mention there was barely any of these "chicken bits." So, we ask for more chicken, since it's a chicken dish, and the same douchebag refuses, saying we should pay for more chicken and that it's "our fault" for not reading the description. He refuses to give a refund because "we already paid for it." What the fuck? How exactly would you get a refund if you haven't paid for something in the first place? Genius! 


No reason to go here, if you crave Thai food - make it yourself and save yourself assholish service and high prices.
4 - Michelle K.: This is a nostalgic review, since I used to live in the Gregory Place apartments above the restaurant and ate here ALLLLL the TIIIIIIIIIIME.  And I really only have experience eating the chicken pad thai, so I can't speak too confidently about their other menu items.  Nevertheless, I give them a solid 4 stars.

Sure, their Engrish is not so good, and apparently they have a no-refund policy even when customers are furious (although one time, I asked for chicken pad thai and they misunderstood me and gave me chicken satay, and they quickly corrected their mistake when I said something and they didn't charge me, so it hasn't happened to me).  It's quick, it's cheap, it's delicious, and it's guaranteed to cure your hangover.  And the restaurant space is white, bright, and pretty!  Sitting by the window is perfect for people-watching.
4 - Nathan D.: By non-CU standards, this is perfectly reasonable Thai food in a pleasant order at-the-counter setting.   By CU standards, it's the best Asian place in town near as I can tell; it's better than Siam Terrace, anyway.   Prices are reasonable, and the vegetarian dishes (which is all I've had) have many vegetables not just no meat.  One weakness: they are sadly lacking an eggplant dish.
3 - Teej T.: Basil Thai would not make any one's top ten Thai list if they included places outside of C-U, but it's well worth a stop if you 're hungry in the area.  The space is a bit sparse, yet it's pleasantly decorated. 

Decent is the watchword for Basil Thai.  The place feels like a gussied up cafeteria with nice little touches.  The curry was...okay.  It was my fault for trying to be super manly and ordering it as extra spicy, and they delivered, but of course that obscured the full range of the curry's flavor for me.  And I went through four glasses of water.  But that's how things go.

So if you've learned anything from this review, please remember: Basil Thai is decent, and masculinity is not safely garnered by eating super spicy stuff.
4 - Sarah H.: I've only ever gotten one thing here, Pad Kee Mao.
First time I got it, I'd been up until 3 (flight got delayed from OHare), had a med school interview at 9, and didn't eat much the whole day. I was exhausted and had no idea where to eat. I wandered around for a while, pausing at manolo's pizza and empañadas, before finding myself staring at BTU's vast menu. I needed something noodley and filling. I ordered the pad kee mao with chicken and walked back to the illini union, where I was staying. I opened the rectangular styrofoam container to find it packed completely full of noodles (this was right after they opened, since then they have raised the prices a tiny bit and the portions are a little smaller). They were greasy, and saucy, and there were a lot of vegetables (good ones too! broccoli, carrots, bell pepper). It was exactly what I needed. The chicken wasn't the best quality.. I haven't ordered it again. I've switched to the vegetables and tofu, which is much better. This is my go-to place when I'm feeling super hungry or a little under the weather. For $7 I get noodley goodness that perfectly fills my tummy! 
A tip: I think that when you order to-go you get a slightly larger portion than when you eat at the restaurant.
3 - Heather T.: You are a solid place, Basil Thai.  I am glad that you exist, particularly because you give the student population (read: not me) a decent Thai eatery.  That's nice of you.

Basil Thai, I walked in at Noon--the height of your busy time--but you just keep churning right through the line.  People were getting their food quickly and no one looked dissatisfied.  Granted, the harried girl taking orders did order me to WAIT UNTIL I GET MY SODA (I was waiting, mind you, I'd just stepped to the side for the next person to order), it was still all okay.

The food was really nothing to write home about, though.  The tofu was a little smushy for my liking (I know, I know.  "It's tofu, Heather, is it supposed to be crunchy?"), and while it was spicy enough, it lacked flavor....given that it was red curry.  I was happy with the amount of veggies you put in, though, Basil Thai.  Thanks for an a-okay meal.
3 - Tuyen T.: Stopped by this weekend while visiting some friends for Unofficial weekend.

I got a Pad Kee Mao with beef. It was okay tasting, not the best I had though. There was plenty of noodles, but I didn't think there was enough veggies or meat. The price is decent though. And they are pretty quick about getting the food done.

The cashier guy couldn't understand what I was saying when I wanted to get a bottle of water. Just be nice and patient.
4 - Alex C.: Quick. Good. Cheap. Pretty large menu. They used to have a location on Green street, but it wasn't as popular.
4 - Bhargav N.: I first discovered Basil Thai freshman year at the University, when I lived at Allen Hall. I'd eat there on weekends with friends before we headed out to hang out and have fun. The first dish I ordered there, Pad See Ewe, I instantly became a fan of. It remains unchanged on their menu, which keeps me going.

For the price of their entrees (~$7), you're bound to leave the place happy and content. The thai iced tea, while a bit on the expensive side, is also a treat with any meal. Unfortunately it's price and the lack of free refills (~$2) makes me feel a bit unsatisfied.

It's certainly not the best thai food I've had, but it's definitely not the worst either. I remain a fan.
4 - Lauren C.: I loved the pad thai from this place. It was little too saucy, but the taste was awesome. And I love the amount of peanuts you got with this. 

They were a little expensive, so that's why I took away one star. Good place to go for lunch though. I frequented this place a lot when I worked at UIUC. 

The decor is also really cool and they definitely have a lot of room for people to sit inside.
1 - ariel g.: My husband tried to change his order literally thirty seconds after he placed it and was told it was too late. When he went to pick up our food, the soup I had specifically requested be spicy was NOT spicy at all and they packaged it up totally carelessly so that most of it spilled out on the way home. When he told them he was never, ever coming back there because of his bad experience, they just shrugged. Since I'm currently home sick and most places are closing and I need spicy soup in order to live through the night I am seriously considering plastering their windows with fliers that say 'FUCKING RUDE ASSHOLES WITH BAD SOUP' after my recovery from the flu.

Obviously, this is totally fucking unacceptable and extremely bad business. 

I order a ridiculous amount of thai food and will never be back to this place - this is my karmic retribution for trying to stray from Siam Terrace.
4 - Andrea B.: Every dish I've ever had from here has been excellent.  My favorite is the Peanut Sauce Lover, for obvious reasons.  I always ask for no onions, and for a place where it is kind of ridiculous to request that, they have never complained and have always left them out.  It is a bit expensive, so I go there when I'm looking for a treat.
1 - Jerry S.: While there were some negative reviews, we assumed that the largely Asian clientele would a good sign. Nope! it's been years since we have had Thai food this bad. The chicken was at best dark meat, at worse - cat. I have not had Tom Yum soup screwed up until this place. Yuck!
4 - Jo B.: The Garlic Pork is very good. My family picks this as one of their favorite places to eat.
1 - Dana B.: This place is bloody awful. I went here one time my freshman year at UIUC and ordered their specialty- basil chicken (with fellow yelper Dan T who reviewed this location as well). The dish was pricey at $8 dollars a plate, but I was willing to give something different a try. Instead, when I received my order I got vegetables with ground up chicken bits that were about the size of the beef you would find in ground beef. I was immensely disappointed so I went up to the front counter to ask for a refund as this is not the dish I expected it to be. Instead, in Engrish, the manager said to me, "you already pay. No refund." Uhm, excuse me?!?! If I paid for something and was unsatisfied, shouldn't I receive a fair refund? Not for this place apparently. Avoid at all costs and go somewhere else!
1 - Vivian W.: This is the place to go if you're looking for a depressing atmosphere and an excuse to miss class because you're too busy nursing your GI tract. It's a cafeteria style 'restaurant' (I use that term loosely), with cleaning carts visible stacked in the dining area. The food in my opinion is overpriced, overcooked, and well dangerous to eat (I got sick after my first and only trip to this place). Not to mention the small portion size for the price you pay - I mean at most Thai places, you can get another meal out of your leftovers, but not here...I also want to mention how empty this place always is when I walk by (on my way to the Subways, or BBQ joint next door) - never a good sign.
3 - Katherine C.: Without much competition close to campus, Basil Thai is pretty much the only viable lunch-time option for students craving a bit of southeast Asia.  The setup of the restaurant is obviously catered towards students; much like other campus restaurants, there is no wait staff and customers are expected to clean up their own dishes when finished.

I've sampled a broad range of dishes at Basil Thai, and my favorites are the tom yum noodle soup and egg noodle/BBQ pork soup (particularly comforting in winter).  While the pad thai and pad see ewe are good enough to sate a noodle craving, they are somewhat mediocre.  I also dislike the tofu used in their curry dishes as it is plain cubed tofu (soft-ish and flavorless), whereas many places often choose a hearty, smokey bean curd instead.

I attend student lunch meetings that are frequently catered by Basil Thai.  The employees are very familiar with our group and the protocols associated with the university (including tax-exemption policies), and they now throw in free appetizers (usually fried spring rolls) when we order. 

Many of the complaints from other reviewers seem to be primarily associated with food poisoning and (strangely) the basil chicken.  I've eaten at Basil Thai well over 50 times in the past 3 years, and I've never personally encountered food poisoning (fingers crossed?).  As for the basil chicken, I am sure that there are all sorts of regional variations of this dish, but I am mostly familiar with the ground chicken version that seems so revolting to my fellow reviewers.  Google a recipe for the dish and you'll see that Basil Thai isn't using ground chicken just to be offensive.
3 - Max V.: I went there with a friend and was kinda broke at the time so I only had the beef fried rice, but it was pretty good. From what I could tell, the rest of the patrons there seemed to be enjoying their meals as well.

There's not much in terms of service or atmosphere and it's not really inexpensive either. Basil Thai isn't a restaurant I'd seek out if I'm looking for a great place to eat, but if you're in the mood for Thai food and you're in the area I'd recommend it. Otherwise I'd look elsewhere.
2 - Angela K.: Dear Basil Thai, here is a business tip: this group of 9 people that I just brought in is not the only large group I will ever take out to lunch. By making me wait for my itemized receipt while you (repeatedly) checked out single diners, you are telling me that you value their business more than mine. I will not trouble you with my business in the future, as you appear to be unprepared and unwelcoming to university (business) diners.
4 - Katie A.: I was prepared for mediocrity after reading the reviews, but was quite pleased, even surprised. I ordered a new menu item they had on a white board by the register. I can't remember what it was called, but it was very tasty! I got the dish with beef and my friend got it with tofu. She said the tofu was cooked well, and my beef was also very good. The sauce was flavorful, not too salty, and the vegetables were cooked nicely.
3 - Hans H.: Don't know why all the hate, it's good cheap thai food. Don't get their peanut sauce dishes, and definitely don't get the spring rolls--they are not the vietnamese spring rolls you might be used to.

Stick to the popular dishes and you'll be fine. Their sliced beef noodle soup is just as good as it was 6 years ago.
5 - Adrienne W.: They serve excellent Tong Yum noodle soup.
4 - Brent S.: Basil Thai has fast service, moderately cheap food, and a plain no-nonsense decor. There is no table service: diners order and pay up front, choose a seat, then the meal is brought to the table when it is ready

The dishes, of which I've had a broad sampling, are prepared to order using fresh, cuisine-appropriate ingredients. My only complaint is that they seemed to have lightened up on the seasonings in my favorite dishes since they moved to Urbana. However, they provide fish sauce, soy sauce, and hot chile sauce for those who want to spice it up a bit.

In spite of the plain decor I've given this restaurant four stars because it succeeds in being what it is-- a fast, fresh, tasty presentation of Thai food.

I'd like to address a comment from other reviewers regarding the use of ground chicken in their Basil Chicken (one of my favorite dishes). Like it or not, ground chicken *is* appropriate in that dish; I make it at home using authentic recipes and that is what is called for. Furthermore, cuisines the world 'round feature ground meat, often but not exclusively in the form of sausage. To rant about ground meat, though mildly humorous, shows a distinct lack of familiarity with food in general and this Thai dish in particular. But I suppose that is one of the hazards of user-submitted reviews.
3 - Sarah E.: The food was quickly served and service was nice, but the food was a little eh.  Had Pad Thai (eh) and Pad Kee Mao (spicy, but lacked significant protein).  Easy spot close to campus, but there are probably better Thai places around the area.
4 - Sivling H.: Yummy. 

Basil Thai is one of my favorite campus eats, so much so that I saved their number into my phone so I could call in orders and pick up after class. Whenever I was away at school, I would crave my mom's curry. Basil Thai is the next best thing and as good as it gets away from home. 

It is always clean, the service fast and really nice, and the food cheap and good. I love to catch up with friends in their cafe-style dining area. 

What is especially nice about Basil Thai and a couple of other campus restaurants is that it is self-service, meaning that you need to clean up after yourself and bring your empty plates and utensils to a cart when you are done. That means no expected tip! Great for any college student. 

The desserts and appetizers are not bad (except for the crab ragoons... they are just kind of a huge glop of cream cheese) but they are too over-priced in my opinion. Their main entrees are consistently good though!
4 - Paige M.: I discovered Basil Thai on a visit to UIUC in high school.  At the time, I was just getting into Thai food, so I had very little experience with it.  I got the pad thai and thought, "Wow this is really good!"  Well, over the years, I've eaten a lot more Thai food and my opinion of Basil Thai has gone down.  But don't get me wrong, I'm not a Thai food elitist (I save that for sushi) and I still do enjoy eating here.

I used to only get the pad thai here, but now my go-to dish is one of the salads, yum moo I believe it's called.  Lots of lettuce, topped with thinly sliced pork, with a delicious and somewhat spicy dressing.  I definitely recommend it.  I've sampled other dishes as well, and they're all pretty tasty.  Not the best Thai I've had, but I still keep going back.  It helps that it's cheap!

In general, I've always had a good experience here.  The food is made relatively quickly and it's always come as I've ordered.  I've come a few times with large groups (12-14 people) and it's actually pretty nice to not have to deal with waiter service.  There's no wait for a table (assuming you can push some together, but you usually can) and no issues with getting separate checks or dealing with tips.  If you're looking for top of the line Thai food, you should probably keep looking.  But if you're looking for a quick Thai fix, definitely give Basil Thai a try.
3 - Jia F.: Food:3
Price:4
Atmosphere:3
Service:3

Basil's Pizza - Adelphi, MD (39.0047971, -76.9698911) ()
4 - Kyle U.: It's hilarious that the word pizza is included in the name of this place. I wouldn't get anything but the burger. It's a cheap meal. For fries, drink and a huge bacon cheeseburger it's like five or six dollars. I tried the Pizza and it's like a frozen pizza from the supermarket or maybe seven-eleven. They have Ice Cream there and I tried it once. Nothing special. Remember - Burgers, Onion Rings, Fries, Subs - It's a cheap hangover treatment method and solution. That's why it gets four stars.
4 - Kristin S.: I would also not highly recommend the pizza - it's not the best, it'll do.  BUT!  The owner (I think) was incredibly nice - even gave me an extra slice just because.  He was super friendly.  My husband had a bacon burger and fries and said the burger was awesome except the bacon wasn't real bacon (maybe kosher bacon?).  Also we got cannolis that were really, really good.  AND they're open fairly late.

So - burger and a cannolli, and support the local business, the guy's really nice!
1 - Timir D.: I went to this place because I was too fed up with traffic to go anyplace better. I got a medium pizza with jalapeno and bacon. The pizza is not even as good as generic frozen pizza, and there were portions of the dough which were uncooked. The toppings were used sparingly at best and I cant say that the bacon was real bacon. I would not recommend the pizza here to anyone but my enemies.
3 - Bradley S.: 3 stars is exactly what you'll get. If you want generic pizza, subs, and sides, head here. I got the pizza, which for the price and quality I expected was great. They also do pretty decent subs, but don't expect anything that'll blow your mind.

Basket Gourmet Shop Flowers & Gifts - Hyattsville, MD (38.9521112, -76.9404781) ()
1 - kara H.: I tried to purchase flowers on their website for delivery to a friend who just lost their mother.  Received a DELIVERY confirmation via email and assumed the purchase was delivered and completed.  Come to find out that the delivery was never made (from my own investigation, not from the florist calling me!), credit card never charged, and the florist won't return my phone calls.  When I called for an entire day (at least 8 calls), no one ever answered. Do not purchase from this place online.  Nightmare.
1 - Emily L.: I am very disappointed. I went to this local florist shop thinking that it would be better to shop locally at one of the towns small businesses. It is a real shame however that they lost my business even before I walked in the door. I parked my vehicle and headed to the door. I pulled and alas....it was locked. I looked at the business hours and saw they didn't open until 10am which I had no problem with, however looking at my watch it was 10:49am and THAT I did have a problem with. There was no note on the door saying they were opening late or just closed for the day. What is most disturbing is that this occurred just days away from Valentine's Day!!! I wanted to purchase flowers for my staff to show my appreciation for them and set up an account with them to purchase an arrangement weekly for my reception desk at my business. I guess it is their loss. First impressions are a big deal to me and if they can't be punctual to work how on earth can I believe that my flowers will be delivered on time? So if any florist shop is interested in my business...please let me know.

Baskin Robbins - Los Angeles, CA (34.0258945, -118.2839596) (South Los Angeles)
4 - Hannah K.: So Baskin Robbins is huge in Korea. Huge. Here, not so much, with all of my friends going crazy over Scoops and Pinkberry and the like. But I went back to Baskin Robbins a few days ago with one of my roommates for a late-night treat. 

And wow, Baskin Robbins changed. They have an area where you can see all the candy and toppings and such. And it was clean, and well-lit, even if it's in a ghetto area like USC. So I was pleasantly surprised. 

Service was fine, even though we went 15 minutes before closing. I wanted something smooth, so I got pistachio almond.  Yum. 

This Baskin Robbins is a four-star because it pleasantly surprised me. Really. It was clean, the scoops were pretty big too. That was awesome. Yes it's small and cramped, but if you want ice cream that tastes the same (delicious!) everywhere you got it.
3 - Patrick R.: Baskin Robbins is your average ice cream store, not as trendy as all those new businesses that are being opened all over Los Angeles and beyond. They have a wide range of flavors, and you can get here from a soft serve to a smoothie to a birthday cake.
Normally we go to the other stores, I am a frozen yogurt lover', but this time I let the kiddo's decide. On my way to Figueroa it was either left to my favorite spot (YL) or to the right, my wife's favorite spot (CS), the choice was however made by my oldest. "I want to go to that soft ice place next to the movie thing, by USC." 
"Your wish is my command, BR it is at the University Village."

In spite of the poor service, my kids loved the ice cream and I enjoyed a brand new soft serve berry pomegranate.

Next time Daddy decides!
1 - Dave and Krystal S.: I went to this shopping center to tan at U-Tan, which is a great place, and I was there for 15 minutes waiting to get served. I asked if I could please be next because they were helping random people walking in and not me. And of course all the degenerates that walked in felt no remorse to skipping me. So basically as I stood there and mentioned again that I would like to be served next or for someone to please help me, they said "of course" but they kept helping other random people that would walk in.

So I walked out and said thank you as I went out. Thumbs down
4 - Jim A.: In UV want some ice cream on that hot summer day? then go here.
Get a scoop a cone whatever!!! ice cream rocks! ice cream taste good.
2 - Erykah G.: Pretty average Baskin' Robbins. Considering the ghetto location, the crowd isn't that "intimidating".  Music choice is a tad too Kiis fm-ish for my taste and all the employees (except for one girl) seem to hate their jobs. Absolutely no enthusiam and they might as well hold off from greeting in and off the customers because it seems it pains them to do so. Came here only because I was really in the mood for the Butter Pecan Shake. Next time I'll just wait until I'm closer to home where the people are nicer. Adds just that much more to the experience.
3 - Keesy S.: Close to USC
Staff is not the happiest. 
But it's consistently the same ice cream  you get anywhere else. 
I don't normally review big chains, but just wanted to add a tip that this place is uber tiny. I think they just have 5 tables in there and they're all crammed next to each other. I mention this because not everybody likes to grab their scoops and run.

Baskin Robbins - Los Angeles, CA (34.0604411, -118.4460562) (Westwood)
2 - Matt R.: You almost have to feel sorry for this BR being in westwood village.  When I was a kid, I used to love Baskin-Robbins, and in a way I still kind of do.  But I don't know what it is about the ice cream here.  Maybe it's that it isn't as novel or delicious enough to compete with the yogurt and gelato joints in the neighborhood.  And the Rite-Aid down the way has a cheaper cone.  Last night was the 31 cent scoop night and I'll admit that's probably the only reason why I would spend money there now.
4 - Kate E.: Ice cream cake.

No, no, not ICE CREAM and then CAKE and then more ICE CREAM.  Not the old style -- the new wave.

ICE CREAM ICE CREAM CAKE.

What?

Ice cream.  Crunchy cookie bits.  Fudge.  Ice cream.

No cake.  No cake to be frozen and then mushy and altogether tasteless.

ICE CREAM ICE CREAM.
5 - Tricia T.: This is a great alternative to froyo if you want ICE CREAM and aren't feeling too health conscious. Plus it's way cheaper.

I admit I was heading towards yogurtland but happened to pass by Baskin Robbins on my way. The reason I changed my mind was because I saw the $1 off Happy Hour sign outside. They have happy hours everyday from 8-10PM, $1 off anything on the menu (comes out to $1.30 for a scoop), so this is a great desert option.

Plus, they have a different deal everyday, where you can get $1 off a different item all day long.
1 - Derek R.: I have some concerns about this restaurants cleanliness and work practices. Went in recently for a smoothie and some ice cream and noticed a couple of kids behind the counter, as in maybe 6 and 10 year old kids. Obviously they were the owner's or manager's kids, not such a big deal. But then we gave our orders and the (of age) actual employee handed our orders off to the 10 year old girl. Who was eating her own ice cream cone at the time. So the little girl is eating her ice cream cone, licking her fingers, etc, then turning around and putting her half-eaten cone on the counter, then (without washing her hands or putting on gloves) proceeds to take a spoon and dish up my smoothie into the cup from the blender.

Having a family-run business is great and all, just please don't let your tiny children actually operate the business, especially when it's a business selling food.
1 - David A.: Sadly, this place closed.

Baskin Robbins - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4380602, -79.9219664) (Squirrel Hill)
2 - Justin K.: 31 Flavors, 
5 (or so) tables, 
4 loud teenagers, 
3 other ice cream choices within,
2 blocks.
1 customer who probably won't be back.
3 - Susan D.: Despite the proliferation of such places as Ben & Jerry's and Coldstone Creamery, there's still a place for the good old basics.  And to me, there's nothing as yummy as good old fashioned chocolate ice cream.  And as a diabetic who loves ice cream, I've become alarmed at the gigantic portions places like this are now offering up.  Even a cone adds unwanted carbs, so I'm glad I can still get a single scoop of chocolatey goodness in a cup.
3 - Lucretiz C.: The cashier didn't seem all to thrilled to serve me my ice cream and for that I have to take away too stars. 

It's Baskin Robbins if you've had ice cream at one then you've had ice cream at all of them. I think next time I'll just eat the Ben and Jerrys I have in my freezer.

Baskin Robbins - Cambridge, MA (42.3721104, -71.115733) (Harvard Square)
5 - Kiwi H.: It makes me so sad that Baskin Robbins here seems to always be just a part of Dunkin' Donuts. At home, Baskin Robbins is usually a shop just on its own and believe me it's worth it!

I think this is definitely some of my favourite ice cream in the world (aside from Haagen Dazs): their belgian chocolate and mint chocolate chip are out-of-this-world. I used to eat Baskin Robbins all the time when I was growing up as a kid. I love the way the chocolate chips and ice cream in general just melts in your mouth in an indescribably delicious way - the flavour just bursts everywhere and ohh I want some just thinking about it now! I'm usually not that adventurous with ice cream flavours, but these tempt me more than most, and all of the ones I've tried among their famous 31 flavours and more have all been delicious. I love looking into a glass window filled with tubs and tubs of Baskin Robbins, armed with many of those familiar little pink spoons and ready to take tubs of the stuff home.

It's creamy enough, but not too heavy-feeling, and doesn't feel as "thick" as some other ice creams and I love that. I've gone into a Dunkin' Donuts that has a Baskin Robbins in it many, many times to get nothing Dunkin' Donut related. Mmm... I wish someone would open a standalone Baskin Robbins shop.. I'd be there in a heartbeat.
3 - Kiki B.: perfectly good ice cream anywhere else in the country, but it's kind of a shame to go here when there is jp licks right down the street...

Baskin Robbins - Claremont, CA (34.1071181, -117.732967) ()
5 - Juvi G.: One of my favorite places to go and hang out. This place has fast and friendly service, and offers a large variety of ice creams, cakes, and drinks at very reasonable prices. Personally, I think their Cappuccino Blast is the best coffee in the world. It's perfectly sweet and creamy, but still has that delicious coffee flavor underneath. It's great for kids and families, and is open late, for those who crave something sweet long after dinnertime has passed. Their ice creams are also very unique and they always have something new to offer. I suggest sampling their flavor of the month. It's always pleasantly surprising.
4 - Ji O.: used to go here more often when my friend used to work there 
and i believe it was either tuesday or wesneday they have cheap scoop days
i love their cherry jubilee and coffee flavor and much more
1 - DonnaandHarold D.: The owner here is a "little" greedy nasty man! I will never go here again.  He is rude and argumentive and can barely speak English. He has poor people skills and provides awful customer service. UGH!
5 - Michelle F.: This place was really nice.  The girl that was there was really nice and very patient with us.  They had lots of different flavors and the fam really enjoyed it.

Baskin-Robbins - Greenbelt, MD (38.998768, -76.910957) ()
1 - Selina H.: NEVER!  I called to oder a cake and without asking me how many people I was feeding told me the cake I wanted would be too small.  He then told me I would have to pay an additional charge for selecting the flavors (not true, I called 2 other stores to be sure), and finally he told me he could not give me the design I wanted because again my cake was too small.  I never completed the order and will NEVER patronize this store.

I wish I could give 0 stars.
4 - Shanae J.: Polite staff. They always have what I want. I like it.

Baskin-Robbins 31 Ice Cream Stores - Pasadena, CA (34.1364058, -118.1324651) (Pasadena)
1 - ericka L.: You might not know this about me, but I have extremely passionate feelings for soft serve ice cream. This is probably due to growing up in the Midwest, where there's a lot of soft serve ice cream, and even more deliciously, soft serve custard. (*pause for flashback soft serve custard orgasm*)

Anyhow, about a month ago, I saw an ad that said Baskin Robbins is now serving up soft serve. Woohoo! I thought to myself. Now I don't have to settle for Carvel or drive to Arcadia for Dairy Queen when I am overcome by painful longing for this frosty delight.

I went to Baskin Robbins within hours of seeing the ad. It was a hot summer night so I had to wait in line for a while. When it was finally my turn, I excitedly ordered a soft serve cone. The sour-faced girl behind the counter stared blankly at me and said, "Machine's broken. What else do you want?" I wanted nothing else, quite frankly, so I left unsated and unhappy.

About a week ago, I thought I'd try again. Surely the machine was fixed by now. Wrong! It was like Groundhog Day. I went through the EXACT SAME EXPERIENCE. Apparently Baskin Robbins doesn't care that they are falsely advertising the availability of soft serve in their stores, because the goddamn machine was STILL BROKEN. And their employees are very sullen.

Screw you, Baskin Robbins! I'm going to Dairy Queen.
2 - Gerard I.: I'm simple folk. I like cookies 'n cream, and that's about it. If they don't have that, I'll try and get a variation of cookies n cream. 

The ice cream isn't bad at all or anything, its that it's overpriced. High prices usually make anything taste like shit. 

My favorite ice cream of all time was Thrifty's which is now Rite Aid. No one has come close to perfecting the formula. Then again, I was eating Thrifty's ice cream cones when each cone was only 35 cents. Damn, who says the 80's were all bad, right? 

I don't go out of my way for Baskin Robbins. Tonight is their 31 cent a scoop night for some sort of charity. The degenerates will be out in force! 

No thanks.
1 - vanessa a.: i'm not sure who owns this franchise but they are totally wasting their money on rent. they don't even have any ice cram in the place. i went a while ago and all of their tubs were virtually empty. i totally had a hankering for a hot fudge sundae i was disappointed but i sucked it up and headed on over to 21 choices.
1 - Rocky J.: My wife bought one of those fund raiser cards at work for a BYGO sundae and below is our conversation on 09/11/11 with the guy behind the counter (I think his name is Vernand, or something like that).

Us: Hello, We would like to use this coupon today.
Him: Uh, I've never seen this before.
Us: Well it has this address on it so what are you saying?
Him: Uh, I have no problem giving you what it say's but I don't know how to ring it up so I'm not going to do it.
Us: Well maybe you can call the manager or owner on how to do that.
Him: Uh, No I can't accept the coupon.  I don't know how to do it.
Us: So what you're saying is that you would honor the coupon but since you don't know how to do it you won't honor it and will not make an effort to find out how to ring it up?
Him: Yes,  I don't know how to ring it up so I'm not going to do it.

So as we're leaving we notice another B/R employee outside on break and I asked him if he knows about this coupon and he says he has and we then tell him Vernand wouldn't accept it he say's "WHAT?" and asked us to follow him back inside to school him.  Not sure if Vernand got his feathers ruffled or what but as he's making our sundaes my wife asked him if a lot of people get the flavor of the month which is French Toast and he replies "I don't know what you mean by a lot of people"  It's called small talk moron.  That's what people do to be social.

If the owner of this store is reading please hire people with social skills as you are in the customer service profession and teach them to remedy a problem instead of creating more of a problem due to them not caring about the effort your customers make to buy your product.  Vernand is an A-hole with absolutely ZERO social skills.

BTW we really appreciated the other guy that helped us.  You need more like him.

We will not be back.
5 - Brett R.: I'm in Pasadena every so often and I love this place.  They let me make up my own menu items.  I like to order a milkshake float, which is a chocolate milk shake and a scoop of mint chip ice cream on top!  And if all else fails I've run into Oscar dela Hoya there a couple of times!
4 - Steph H.: It's a perfectly nice and normal Baskin-Robbins, and the guys behind the counter were funny. We'd stopped in to get a free cone for a friend's bday and when we walked in the guys were like, "Oh, we're just closing" and almost got us. My friend got her cone and I got a single scoop of jamocha almond fudge--I'd have to say their single scoops are generous. No complaints.

Baskin-Robbins 31 Ice Cream Stores - Houston, TX (29.7150574, -95.4154072) (West University)
4 - David N.: I love ice cream!!!

I grew up with Baskin Robbins.  This and TCBY were the places to grab something sweet as a child.  Now there are plenty of trendy dessert places but nothing beats a classic.

Recently I got a classic ice cream cake from here, chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream.  Simple yet O SO GOOD!!!

KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)
5 - amit k.: Dear Ice Cream Cake, 

Why must you taste so good that I keep coming back for more? Why can't you just tell me no more or I'm not in the mood. Why must you make me hate myself in the morning afterwards and go back to the gym with a vengeance. 

Sincerely, 

Amit
1 - Sonya L.: Stopped in for a cool treat and got a surprise instead. There was a staple in my ice cream..ugh. I told the employees about it. They looked at each other like they didn't know what to say.They didn't respond quick enough for my liking but I got my money back. I wonder how it got in there in the first place.
5 - Nowi C.: Great place to go after a hard day's shopping at Gem & Bead, Kalimba, Vickie's, etc in the Village.  Tough job, but someone's got to do it!  Little kids love Baskins...big kids kinda like it too ;)
5 - Erika V.: I can happily say that Baskin Robins ice cream is gluten free :) yay!! Mint chocolate chip here I come!!
4 - Andrew H.: Growing up, we had Baskin Robbins and TCBY. Then along came numerous other shops that appealed because they were new and different. But Baskin Robbins has returned to my top choice among ice cream stores. You can get all of the favorite classic flavors and seemingly any of the newer combinations, like coffee-flavored drinks. Their ice cream just tastes consistently great, and their ice cream cakes are the best. And you can't get Baskin Robbins at the grocery store!!!

Basmati Indian Cuisine - Champaign, IL (40.114132, -88.238369) ()
3 - Ellen M.: Most dishes are Indian, but they serve food I would categorize as middle eastern as well - hummus and others.  I enjoy a good biryani, and they've got it here.  Several dishes are vegetarian, but meat dishes are prevalent.  The saffron rice is sooo good.  The food is all pretty good, so the buffet might be the best way to go.  The service is decent but sometimes pretty slow.
3 - Julia B.: I'm not the hugest fan of Indian food but if I had to eat it this is where I would go. They also have a few other dishes besides Indian which is nice. The food tends to be spicey and pretty authentic!  A lot of what they offer is geared toward the vegetarian crowd.
1 - Unknown S.: Here I am, the food snob from Los Angeles trying to tackle all the food joints we have tried since moving here. Basmati is not good. And no offense to the other poster but authentic it is not! The food is watered down and they use small frozen shrimp for their seafood dishes. The salad at the buffet is always limp, telling me that the food has been sitting around....not something I want to enter my mouth! Anyways, if you know Indian this will not be the place for you. If you actually like good Indian go over to Bombays on campus, now this is great food!
3 - J. B.: When I think of subpar service and waiting in line for a table for absolutely no reason, I think Basmati. It's rarely crowded and yet, you end up waiting for a table EVERY time. The staff means no harm - they are have a sweet disposition - just more on the easy going side and have no ability to move quickly.  

The complaint is the temperature of the food. Nothing I have ever ordered has been sizzling. Perhaps because the food waits on the kitchen counter before it is picked up and delivered to the table. The food itself is just OK... nothing has a distinctive aroma.

I say, go for the buffet on Thursdays or Sundays. Buffets are exactly that subpar to average quality food at an inexpensive price. 

Tip! Check in the back of the Yellow Book for a 50% off your entree coupon when you purchase one entree at full price.
1 - Anne W.: It is an actual restaurant so it's more comfortable to have a large group of people.. but the food is blegh.. and the service is even worse.  You may be waiting for a while to get a table because they are just kind of slow.  The waiters are SOOOO pushy.  It's probably because they don't get enough service and so they always are suggesting you to order more food or drinks.

The food is never very hot and it's kind of pricey in my opinion.  They also don't make their own sauces.. which is kind of dissapointing since I am sure they have the time to do so.  Oh.. and they don't serve South Indian food which is completely delicious and highly recommended to do if you ever get a chance.

I do give it 2 stars instead of 1 because their buffet is decent.  It's only two nights per week.. but it's enough to fill you up for a reasonable meal.

Bass Concert Hall - Austin, TX (30.2849596, -97.7307385) (University of Texas)
4 - Sarah M.: In truth, there's really nothing about the Bass Concert Hall that makes it spectacular. But I've never had a bad time there and my experience has never been inhibited by the venue itself.

Bass is just one of the many performing arts and music venues affiliated and supported by the University of Texas Performing Arts Center, or UTPAC. Although the current exterior is incredibly outdated, the arena is large, with approximately 3,000 seats and a severely sloped balcony. It's easy to see from any seat at the top of the house. I saw a dance troupe one evening from the leftmost seat on the 4th row of the balcony and had no visual blockages. I am certainly no expert on acoustics, but it all sounded great to me!

The Bass manages to recruit a wide variety of highly respected performers, artists, actors, singers and dancers. There is a tremendous variety of events here (mainly brought in through the university, I would imagine), so take advantage of the opportunity to see anything from a rock concert to an off-Broadway show. Parking is widely available, easy and free on UT campus after 5:45pm on weekdays and all day on most weekends. SPOILER: Bass will shut down in May 2007 for a face lift. UT is spending upwards of 14 mil to bring the concert hall up to date on the basics, but also give it a new exterior look. It will re-open for performances sometime in late 2008.

Season tickets here would be awesome.
4 - Jackson R.: When Bass gets the renovation it needs, we'll probably have to go five stars on this one.  When Bass was built, we probably would have had to go five stars on it.

Now it's just not quite what it should be.  It seems a little outdated, a little less intimate than I'd like, but the acoustics are still excellent, especially in a town that sports the Music Hall and the Erwin Center.
5 - Susie G.: I am a super chicken.
Scared of heights and bugs and roller coasters.

So when my boss bought me a ticket to see the lion king at Bass and I saw it said 2nd balcony I thought, aight, Ill be on the second floor then. No harm done. Imagine my shock when I turned up, was told to take the elevator to the tippy top 6th floor and then attempted to walk out, pretty much turning white and looking so strange as I huddled by the door that the usher asked me if I was OK. I told him I was super scared of heights and dizzy and the idea of dangling precariously over a balcony that hangs suspended in the air wasn't really doing it for me. The man escorted me to an usher, who took me to the ticket window, and badda bing badda boom, I was the new proud owner of a ticket on the ground floor.

I love bass concert hall for making it OK to be a chicken.
4 - Tara H.: I love Bass Concert Hall for the following reasons:

1. Tickets are typically abundant for any show I might want to attend. Many a nights I've decided to take in a show (musical, symphony, performer) and been delighted when there were tickets available.

2. You do not have to dress to the nines to feel comfortable. Some semblance of dress up is good, but unlike some places I've been, Bass does not make me feel bad when I show up in dressy casual. (Depends on the event)

3. Sound is decent.

4. Local is great and it's never taken over five minutes to get there. 

Reasons I do not like Bass Concert Hall:

1. Sound could be much better.

2. HOLY STEEP STEPS Batman. I've never been in a theater where the trip to the cheap seats made me nauseous. Blech.
4 - Kevin N.: Your experience at the Bass may vary, but here's my two pennies:  totally agree that this concert hall, a semi-intimate venue (3,000 seats, give or take) is a serviceable room regularly featuring top-shelf entertainment options on the UT campus.  But like any music venue, I found it's worth taking into account exactly who the act is with its proximity to campus.  

Translation?  I found the venue staff above-and-beyond accommodating, the acoustics in the room tended toward great (though the board operator on the evening of the recent show in question apparently was unfamiliar with how annoying the consistent and repeated popping of the letter S can be into a microphone...but I digress).  This is a room that does its job well, one that I'm sure will be a fantastic place to catch a show once the renovations are complete and they re-open in 2009.  

But as it is now, if you are in any way distracted by spasmodic goofballs, you might skip the show that skews heavy undergrads for the next month. Though frankly, looks like they had a fantastic time and will likely recall the same night with adoration, it's hard not to be in each other's business in a room laid out that way.  Lots of "respect your neighbor" talk coming from the act on stage.

Nonetheless:  so impressed by the staff and so encouraged by the promise of the room enhancements, I'm sure I'll be back.  Best of luck with your updates, Bass Concert Hall.  Can't wait to see what you look like when you're all shined up.
3 - Allison P.: My review is mostly based on the Bright Eyes show I caught here on Sunday night. Ugh. I was so disappointed and it wasn't the band's fault. I think it was more of a matter of the band being booked at the wrong venue. I mistakenly assumed this would be a low key acoustic performance, like the Jeff Tweedy show a month earlier. (I missed it, but heard it was great!) I was a little surprised when a twelve piece band walked on stage behind Connor. 

Here are my complaints:
1. The acoustics were terrible! It was so loud that the music was almost distorted. So no matter how good the musician, with bad sound levels, it really doesn't matter.

2. I was excited about the assigned seating. Thought we could sit back and enjoy the show. That kind of went out the window when all of the college crowd all got up and started jumping around. 

3. There was about 1% of the crowd that acted like this was their first concert, had no idea how to behave and kind of ruined it for the rest of the people near them. (I think Connor was holding back on commenting, since he was happy people in Texas would even pay to hear him play here again)

That being said, I could see how catching Elvis Costello, Harry Conick Jr or a live play could be fun to see here. I just went the wrong night.
4 - maryleigh d.: I attended the re-opening of Bass Concert Hall 1/23/09 and found the whole experience great.  The pre-party was the who's who of Austin and really seemed to have a "buzz and energy" of excitement...then again the fresh squeezed margaritas helped. The building looked beautiful as it glowed from the outside looking in through its new modern glass facade.  Inside it had beautiful modern furniture which made it feel like we could be in a swanky NYC night club right here in good ole Austin, Texas!  Estelle and John Legend performed a great show. I look forward to seeing more shows there soon!
1 - pinar d.: **REVIEW OF THE CAFE FOOD ONLY** 

Have you enjoyed the culinary delights of UT Campus cafeterias? No? Well here's your chance! The Bass Concert Hall cafe doesn't require signing up for a meal plan in advance, no long lines, no ugly cafeteria trays...what's the catch? Well, it costs 3 times more than the Jester cafeteria.  (Food catered by Sodexo!)

One personal pizza costs about $10.  It is about the size of your face, has a cheap Tostinos taste about it, and oddly placed meats on it that are skimpy and nuked.  Oh and the wet cranberries placed around it are just weird!! 

I'm sorry, it's crappy and $10.  Oh and don't forget tip too.

The wait staff is nice enough, but very disorganized.  
"We would like to order some food."
"Sure, hon, go have a seat at one of those tables and someone will be right with you to take your food order."
[we find a nice seat and shortly thereafter our wait staff comes by]
"I'm sorry folks, actually I can't take your order, she told you wrong. You need to go to the bartender to place your food order."
[....uh....]
"Actually, I don't care what the order is, can you just take our money and we place our order with you anyhow?"
"Of course!"

Right. So.
Eat beforehand and enjoy your tasty adult beverages on the patio on the top floor.  There's a great view up there of the tower and the Cabernet is not half bad.
3 - Jim L.: I attended a matinee performance of Legally Blond, the Musical on Saturday with a group of friends. We all love this show and were excited that it was coming to town. The renovation looks great on the areas where they obviously spent money, most notably the front foyer and the bathrooms. The seats are still the old ones -- at least that is the case in the balcony. 

This will be the last time I sit upstairs as the mezzanine is built way too far back, just as the Bass Performance Hall is in Froth Worth. Bigger is not better, people! The sound does not carry appropriately toward the back of the theatre, and no additional amplification was used. MY advice would be to spring for the extra money and sit downstairs or at the very least in the lower sides of the mezzanine. Those seemed closer, even if they were toward to side.
4 - Holly P.: I agree with Aimee C. and Jim L. about the balcony seats. However, I didn't have a big-headed douche sitting in front of me blocking my view so my seat wasn't so bad. I also took the opportunity to work on my core and engaged my abs until intermission allowing for a bit better view overall. Of course, a patron shouldn't have to work on her abs to be able to see a performance at the Bass Concert Hall. Adding the extra star for the great company.
2 - Robin M.: I've been here three times in the last 4 weeks since Bass has had it's grand re-opening.  I've sat orchestra level all three times (John Legend, Legally Blonde and Circus Oz).  

The acoustics are still pretty poor - the sound for the John Legend concert was pretty bad a times - I'm unsure if that is because he was used to playing the larger outdoor amphitheaters or if the Bass staff just didn't have settings right.  It's obvious very little of the money in the renovations went to that actual theater itself.  The appearance inside is still pretty poor.  The seats show their age but I haven't been in an uncomfortable one yet.  

We'll keep going back because the prices are reasonable and it's where a lot of the shows head to in Austin.
5 - Queen B.: THis place is really nice & classy... I saw Alicia Keys here & it was amazing... it felt like I was in New York back in the Jazz era.... nice venue.
4 - Autumn C.: Last night I was lucky enough to see Mr.Bill Cosby live at the Bass Concert Hall. We had floor seats 6 rows away from the stage. The place is big enough to fit plenty of ppl in but small enough that you actually get to enjoy the show. The art throughout the place was amazing. I def plan on attending more shows there. They seem to have quite a few great artists come in on a regular basis.
2 - Matt Q.: The wife and I saw Spamalot at the Bass Concert Hall last night. The show itself was excellent, but this is a review of the venue, which is mediocre.

The Bass has been closed for the past two years for renovations so this was our first time inside since the university sank $15M into the place. The new design is beautiful but on the whole I have to score them low because:

(1) The seats are 28 years old and your ass will know it after sitting in the Bass for two hours. Why renovate the building and not upgrade the seats?

(2) In addition to being too small, the seats are too low to the ground. If you are are 5-foot-6 or shorter you probably won't notice. I am a fairly average 5-foot-11 guy and when I sat down I immediately felt like I was sitting in a kindergarden chair, with my knees higher than my hips.

Thankfully the show was great because after a two hours in the low, cramped uncomfortable seat I was ready to stand up. Under those circumstances I probably would have given a standing ovation to a lame performance.

Oh, and thanks for not stocking champagne at the bars that serve the cheap seats in the upper level. Much appreciated.
4 - Neal M.: I had the great pleasure of seeing THE MORRISSEY here on Easter Sunday.  This venue is amazing.  The sound was impeccable and no matter where you were, you had space.  I love a venue where someone can actually HAVE personal space.  Mind you, I didn't hit the bar, or bathroom or anything like that.  It was just an amazing experience and the staff was helpful and friendly to boot.
3 - Husejin D.: I went to Goran Bregovic last night. Okay, first off this guy is from my backyard, relatively. He's from Sarajevo and my family is from the Krajina region in Northwest Bosnia. Bosanska Krupa to be precise. So imagine how exited I was to go to the show. I had not been to the PAC since the renovation, but I was glad to see the new lounge areas and the cafe, never mind that my Margherita pizza was watery and needed to be wrung out. I dunno, maybe that's UT's version. Still, it was nice to lounge somewhere before the show and get a snack with something they call wine. That's okay, cause I was going to see something akin to homegrown music. We sat in the lower balcony, which in other venues would be considered the upper balcony, but still, the music was coming. The show opened with a string quartet entering stage left; they seated themselves and began playing beautifully, not necessarily Bosnian music, but pleasing to the ear nonetheless. Then the sound of brass filled the PAC. It came from the area beneath the balcony. They were entering through the audience below. The quartet and the brass ensemble began to call and answer each other with their instruments. Clever and showy. Signs of a good show. The brass band walked up on stage using the stairs on the stage's right. Six tuxedo wearing men who looked like maitre d's at a restaurant entered stage right and took their places on an elevated platform. Stage left another musician enters and seats himself behind a bass drum, then the Bulgarian female duo follow, also stage left. Finally, Goran enters with his wild hair and shiny silver suit. So Slavic, so Balkan. It is all very familiar. Then the music starts. The strings are playing. So are the brass. Voices, lots of voices. Then there's the drum. Somewhere in there is Goran's guitar, it's heard later after the stage hand addresses the problem with the amp. Still all this sound, together, separate, swooning. Busy! Too busy! But the musicians are planted as if glued in place. One of the Bulgarian singers tries to break into dance. It looks like the kolo, but she keeps her feet close to her mark, probably from an earlier directive. Their energy is stifled. But the music is all over the place. That was the first couple of songs. Things settle and there are a couple of good moments. I am ready to get out of my seat, but I don't want to fall for fear of high places and too much gusto. The PAC balcony sucks! Oh no! There's that busy disjointed music again. It's from the new Alkohol release. And Goran stays seated the whole time! Never gets up. I never see any serious guitar playing. There's a lot of right arm raised with flicking hand movements. Phones are ringing around us and people are taking the calls. My expectation suffers. A lot! I look at my wife. She speaks first. She says, "It's kinda busy." She's Balkan and knows the milieu as well. Wow! We are deflated. There is dancing going on in the PAC, just not in our aisle.
4 - Keri B.: Oh Bass, Bass, Bass...what have you done??  You've completely wrecked me after seeing Maxwell on your stage last nite!  Unfortunately, I didn't notice not one other thing about the theater after being beside myself waiting for this show for a month (FRONT ROW people!)  Wait, was that a decent drink in my hand?  Were the acoustics fantastic?  Is the lobby area really pretty now??  I would say yes to all, but who gives a #@%* when Maxwell is singing 3 feet in front of you about, well, I can't repeat here the naughty things he was singing, but suffice to say I'm wrecked, and so are my undies!  

I have to deduct one star cause there were some timing issues and spotlight foibles which may not have been the hall's fault, but it certainly wasn't Maxwell's fault, as he has none.

Mmmm, purrrr.....what?  oh yeah and one other minor annoyance is the parking.  You can get "express parking" with your tic online but there's nothing express about it.  It's the same garage everyone uses and it's about a quarter mile away (ladies in heels take heed!).  You will save $1 by getting that online.  Is it worth it?  You could always valet for $16.

PS  I just discovered for the past two stressful crappy days at work, that when I take myself to my happy place, this show with Maxwell crooning in my direction is it.  So thanks for that Bass!
4 - Carla S.: Why four stars?  Because here when you purchase a third row ticket, get this --- you are ACTUALLY in the third row (i'm looking at you, Long Center).  

Also, comfy seats (still looking at you, Long Center)

Leaving after the event, less chaotic at LC. 

Saw Bill Maher here last night (that is TWENTY stars, but I'm not reviewing him)
1 - Love to Travel T.: I was SO DISAPPOINTED!  I've been to Bass Concert Hall before they made all their "improvements" and loved it.  The access to handicap parking was right  in front, the ease of getting around with a wheel chair, the acoustics and the outstanding staff was such a great experience!  HOWEVER, I recently attended the "Wicked" performance and was SO DISAPPOINTED with the venue.  There is NO convenient handicap parking unless you  have a UT sticker!  They make you park in a parking garage approximately a block away on a hill no less!  Their signage is dreadful and the ease of finding your way out of the parking garage and to the concert hall is poor.  To get to the hall you have to go down a steep hill, which in a wheel chair is scary...not to mention the obstacle of climbing back up on your return, cross a street, go up the rear of the building (stage entrance) then find someone to open your door as they have no automatic doors.  Not to mention fighting to get into a jam packed elevator!  WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?    Ok, the performance would be worth the hassle of getting in, right?  NOT!  The acoustics are terrible!  You can't make out what they are saying for most of the time...just bits and pieces.  Then when they sang, the sound was so loud that it vibrated the eardrums.  I thought it was just me, but I've asked several others who have attended since the renovations and all say the same thing.  Sound is worse not better since the renovation.  Don't waste your money on this venue, try someplace else.  I honestly don't know what they did with the renovation money with the exception of some new carpet and paint.   I'm NOT coming back here!
3 - Isabelle K.: I have been there several times for the Broadway show tour. So far the best tour is Lion King. Rest of them are all OK. 
Every time I went there, I saw a lot of people dressing up. Last week I went there again to watch "Wicked". I noticed several people wearing witch costume. It looks very funny. 
Every time I only purchased the cheapest seat which is around $30. Sometimes I got the really bad seats in the far behind, and the highest floor. The performers on stage look like ants to me. They shouldn't build the seats that far at all. For the same price, the balcony seats are much better. Although they are on the side, they are much closer to the stage. You actually can see the actor/actress' expression.
4 - piper b.: what's not to love in a re-done theatre with good lighting, comfy seats, and great acoustics?  add to that the fact that you can bring your drinks into the show (watching a show, sipping a drink?!), and i really have no complaints.  they do a great job getting good shows with great performances (saw spring awakening there last week, second row.  oh. my. god.).  minus one star because of some occasional inconsistencies when ordering a double wine, but really...tres bien.
1 - Brad K.: This is the weakest excuse for a performing arts center in the entire country.  The acoustics are dreadful, and the "renovated" seating is equivalent to sitting on nails.  What a black eye for the culture of Austin.
4 - Michelle J.: I've been here both before and after the remodeling.  Last season, I had the opportunity to watch five Broadway shows at Bass Concert Hall (Legally Blonde, Spamalot, Rent, Avenue Q, Wicked).  Each time I had seats in a different section of the theatre.  

While the renovations give the venue a classier look, I noticed that the acoustic quality vary tremendously depending on what section of the theatre you are located in.  With middle Orchestra, row 6 seats, sure, everything is great -- the view, the sound, the lighting, and especially the show!  However, middle balcony and even middle mezzanine do not have good acoustic quality.  The vocals were often drowned out by instrumental accompaniment or sounded like they were being phased in and out.

On a positive note, the restrooms are well-kept and large, so missing the beginning of the 2nd act because of waiting in line should NOT be a concern!  Also, there's plentiful FREE parking around Bass Concert Hall, and post-show traffic is light. Check for angled street parking on San Jacinto or in the San Jacinto garage.
1 - Indy G.: Terrible acoustics. If you come here to listen to actual music, either spring for the orchestra level or some seats right next to the sound board on the first balcony. I'm so disappointed that the money in renovation went for a superficial makeover rather than improving the sound quality.
4 - Megan L.: You can booze in your seats and the shows are pretty neat, on Broadway, on Broadway. They have a restaurant up the stairs and people to guide you to your chairs, on Broadway, on Broadway.

I've had season tickets for the past two years for the Broadway shows coming through this theater. The recent remodel made this all possible and improved the venue by 100%. Season tickets are the way to go because you get 6 shows a year and with the pricing, almost 2 end up being free. 

Just remember fellas, you can booze!! You can score some serious points taking your ladies to a show and the musicals are way more enjoyable with alcohol.
5 - Brittany J.: I've only been here to see musicals and plays, but thus far I have been very impressed.  Having moved from the Boston area I'm used to paying a fortune for tickets and parking while fighting the notorious Boston traffic or taking an hour an a half T ride to travel 2 miles... so to me Bass Concert Hall is a little slice of heaven. 

I can get show tickets for 20-30 dollars (upper balcony), where I can see and hear perfectly, park right next to the venue for $7 (or $6 if you plan in advance-- i'm not so good at that) and get downtown with little to no traffic.

Option Austin compared to option Boston, there's no debate in my mind.  Same shows, half the hassle and half the price.  I'm seeing every Broadway show that comes to town.  

Now, if only I could plan far enough in advance to be able to purchase season tickets...
1 - cathy a.: Horrible venue!  The parking situation was ridiculous, the 15 minute intermission was nowhere near enough for a place with only one restroom per floor, the sound was awful and the bartenders were slow as molasses!  I will never see another show there.
3 - ed S.: My review is more of a word of warning. We picked up some last minute Jersey Boys tixs yesterday (GREAT show) in the 2nd balconey.
Word of warning...if you're taller than 5ft - prepare to sit the entire show with your knees tightly tucked in and expect to have the person behind you hitting you with his/her knees.  Though it appeared both the 1st balconey and main floor have more leg room, the 2nd balconey is worse than coach on an United Airlines cross-country flight. 
Kinda sucked because there appeared to be numerous elderly folks sitting nearby and I can't imagine how their legs are feeling today. Not knowing a darn think about construction, I still can't help believe they couldn't of designed it where the rows were even 3-5inches wider. Guess it's all about packing 'em in and making $$.
1 - Vineet P.: I went here a few weeks ago and I didnt really feel it at all. Even though I was there for the music, there were a lot of distractions which took away from it.
3 - Leslie H.: I have been to Bass Concert Hall a total of four times.  Twice before it was renovated and twice after.

A few friends told me that getting 2nd balcony seats are cheaper and you can see and hear everything just the same as below.  I disagree on this.  Yes, cheaper, however I hated that I had to lean forward through the entire performance of Phantom of the Opera to see over the balcony bars.  Maybe it was just the particular seat I was in?  Also, from way up there, I couldn't see a single thing that was going on during scenes taking place on an elevated part of the stage because of my angle.

My second trip was better, as I was sitting in the 8th row of the orchestra level.  Yes, I paid extra for the seats, but I also got to see everything that was going on in a comfortable position.

From my experiences, the lower levels are for those who really want to see the shows, and the upper levels are for those who just want to say they were there.

Parking was fine when we got there, as there is a garage just a block away from the venue in each direction.  Leaving, however, was a mess - patrons to the next show were trying to park in the garage while we were all trying to leave, plus there was a soccer game that had just ended right next to the garage.  Fun times.
3 - Christina L.: I went to Bass Concert Hall a couple of weeks ago to see "Shrek the Musical", traveling Broadway, and I enjoyed the venue. My friend's work provides free tickets to these events, so I did not pitch in for childlike indulgence. ;) 

I've been to many Broadway shows in New York City, so to see that this venue provides for such great theatrical displays for traveling Broadway was amazing. I was impressed with the sets, which I wonder should credit Shrek the Musical or Bass Concert Hall.

Either way, the employees were friendly. There was not any lines to get into the venue, which I like. Hey, alcohol was also available, even at a kiddie-show. 

Our seats were a bit towards the back of the orchestra section, but I could see everything clearly, even with  massively tall people sitting in front of me. Good venue.
2 - Elizabeth N.: I've seen a number of performances at Bass Concert Hall, including a recent touring production of West Side Story.

My main complaint is how difficult it is for a handicapped or elderly individuals to make their way to the entrance.  You have to drop them off decently far from the front doors.

Once inside BCH, we asked how to get to our seats and were given the  wrong information.  So, we found the proper entrance on our own and waited.  Once they started allowing people to be seated, we were directed to our seats -- walked there, even.  Nice touch, right?  Except that they put us in the wrong row.  So, we had to get up -- and move shortly before the performance was to begin.  Not a problem, normally, but we were with an elderly woman who really doesn't need to be bothered with all this confusion.  Truth be told, directing people to their seats should be a VERY simple job and it's always difficult at BCH.  I'm not sure why but I feel the majority of the issue is likely the type of person they get to volunteer: senior citizens who haven't ever worked a real job before.

BCH has a number of "dead" seats, even in the most costly areas.  It comes from poor design, bad acoustic planning, etc.  We ended up having trouble seeing even though we were only in row R, Orchestra.  

All in all, I'm disappointed with BCH.  Not only have I experienced better worldwide, but I've experienced better right here in Austin.  It's a shame when poor construction combined with poor customer service is the cause for discomfort during what should be a lovely production.
3 - Tiffany W.: I've seen many performances here including Fiddler on the Roof, Phantom of the Opera, and most recently Westside Story. Since I'm still a poor college student, I always purchase tickets on the 2nd Balcony which costs $30 but I usually go 2 hours before show time to pick up student rush tickets for half price. 

The venue is nice and you can catch an amazing view of the sunset with the UT tower from the 6th floor balcony. The seats have limited leg room and the temperature is kept pretty low so bring a sweater! Park at Manor garage ($8 event parking, or free with C+/N+) or you can choose to valet for $16.
4 - David N.: Great venue right on campus.  

Lots of free parking, traffic isn't too bad.

The sound quality is good, the seats are comfy, couldn't ask for anything else.
3 - Brandy C.: They had valet parking on a rainy night. I don't even have to say much more and if you know me, I hate to valet. But I hate to schlep in the rain more. I liked the acoustics and the coziness, but it is hard to make your way to your seat. Your butt is going in someone's face and likewise. That gets old no matter if you're on time or not, but it's unavoidable. And down the street from Eastside Cafe, one of my fave Austin restaurants! I would like to see more here, I'd likely move this to a four star review.
4 - Leah R.: I really, really liked this venue.  It may be because we were 6th row, and the people in front of us didn't show up, but I think I prefer this over any other larger concert venue I've been to in Austin.  They served alcohol even though I didn't partake, and the lighting and sound was nice (though I'm no expert)

Valet parking offered on a rainy night where all we had to do was text to get the car and got a notification when it was ready?  Major props.

Two negatives - I'd prefer the ushers be a little quieter somehow, it was distracting while the opening act was on to those of us on the aisle, and during one song, a stray light hit me and stayed right in my eye.  Other than that, amazing experience.

If I'm on the fence about seeing an artist and they're playing here?  Probably would sway me to say YES.
3 - Julia L.: So I've been here twice now, once for Phantom last year and last night for Wicked.

Staff are extremely friendly. Facilities are super clean. Sound is great. The valet was very quick and courteous but darn expensive ($16!!). Also, the people with luxury cars get to park on the curb, apparently, where everyone stands waiting for their non-luxury cars. We got honked at by two. There should really be a better system for this. Maybe a roped-off area for the cars all the way out into the street? Something. Just seems like common sense to me.

Other parking nearby is $8 on event nights like Wicked, and free parking is far, far away.

We had "bad" seats last night - second to last row, 3rd and 4th seats from the very end. I wish there were a bit more of a slope. I am short, but so was the guy sitting in front of me, and I had a pretty lame time switching between snuggling my husband and annoying the stranger on my other side by switching back and forth. I didn't buy the tickets so that part wasn't up to me. 

Beer prices are completely ridiculous. $8 for a SMALL solo cup (not the regular sized ones y'all, the smaller ones!). "Only $7 for the Bud Light!" the bartender says. Um, no thanks.

Was there a coat check? I couldn't find it. Not the biggest deal but it was COLD outside so we were layered, and it was WARM in the theater, and the seats are small and, you know, old theater seats, so our coats were stuffed underneath. 

Overall fine, but could use an updating to the seats and valet system, which should be able to be funded by the beer and valet prices.
4 - Christine A.: Oh, you are so Wicked, Bass Concert Hall.  You placed your restrooms half a football field from our row.  And your Wicked ways netted us seats where we could not hear some of the words in the songs.  Well, actually, it was a Wicked friend who was supposed to get the tickets but forgot.  But, Wicked was FANTASTIC!  Hubby was wonderful and surprised me with tickets at the last minute.  

The acoustics are not perfect in row, hmmm....what was it?  Q?  Well, at least it was not double Q.  And, after reading Joe D's review, I cut off my liquid intake around noon, the day of the performance.  I did not want to stand in line for the potty for 30 minutes during the intermission (or, "half time" as hubby called it) only to return in the dark and mash down on someone toes or inadvertantly grab someone's crotch as I fumbled my way to my seat.   

The downside for me is always the parking. We left early and still barely made it to our seats because we were circling and trying to out guess where the guy in front of us would park and which garage entrance to use.  I do not understand why we can't just slip into one of those PERMIT ONLY spots for a couple of hours.  Who grades essays at 8:00 p.m. on a Thursday night in a dark and lonely office?
4 - Karol M.: This hall is Austin's best all-around mid-sized performance venue.  Over a span of many years, I've attended symphonic & ballet performances, touring Broadway shows, solo/acoustic performances, and Neil Young (who deserves a category by himself), all in this venue.  Each show was stellar, and priced fairly for such an intimate setting.  The shows seem to be chosen with great care for quality and regard for how they will play in this setting. I love this place.

Perhaps because I'm a UT grad, I like that it's located on, and part of, the UT campus.  It's tucked in behind the Law School & the LBJ School & Presidential library, which is possibly the least congested side of campus (I agree that's not saying much).  Parking is an issue, but there are several campus-based lots within a short walking distance; walking, that is, across pebbled walkways, cobbled streets & sidewalks, and lawns.  So ladies, those cute spiky heels you bought to match your little black dress may need to be switched out for some practical downtown flats.

You will appreciate those flats at intermission, when you will need to race to the restrooms and/or beverage bars located on each floor, to avoid being at the end of the line composed of seemingly everyone in the auditorium, competing for a limited number of bartenders and potties.  Men's shoes are more practical for a reason...survival of the fittest.

While there are no "bad seats," the upper balcony is rather steep, so if you're not good with stairs or heights, don't buy tickets up there.  I've ended up at the back of the ground floor a few times, and all over the first balcony, and both are viable vantage points if you miss out on the front orchestra section.

As another reviewer pointed out, it would be nice if people got to their seats on time, and didn't duck out and back in the middle of performances.  It would be nice if the Hall posted ushers at the doors and were a bit stricter about this.  Nice for those of us upon whose feet they trod, and whose vision they block in their wobbly, fumbling explores down the unlighted path between the seats.  Yes, there are people sitting here.  No, you can't sit in my lap.  Please leave earlier next time, both for the venue, and for the potties, and people won't be talking about you on Yelp.
4 - Cris G.: I've been to a multitude of shows at the Bass.  Opera, rock and roll, dance, I even saw H Ross Perot when he was running for president back in the 90's.  It's a decent venue, especially now that I can afford to not sit in the section strapped to the ceiling.  If you're going and sitting that high up and far away from the stage, you'll give Bass two stars.
If, on the other hand, you get to sit within the first 30 rows on the floor, it's a great venue.  I can't complain about the sound or visibility.
I can complain about the seats.  I'm not real fat, but those seats are too narrow, especially if you're in a packed audience.
4 - Daniel P.: Went recently to go see Daniel Tosh and really liked this venue. Nice seating(enough leg room to let people pass without having to stand up), clean, and best of all the parking garage is near by for a reasonable price. I would def make my back to another show in that venue.
3 - Kelly S.: I saw Les Mis here, Jersey Boys, Avenue Q, Chelsea Handler, Wicked AND Rent and it's always a decent experience. The quality of the show of course depends on the performers but the venue can greatly enhance that experience. 

Here's the thing with Bass Concert Hall: It's not a consistent experience. Sometimes it's really loud and piercing and sometimes the sound is garbled. Sometimes it's freezing... and sometimes you're using that program for a fan. 

A couple of things are always true: Your drinks will be wildly overpriced. $9 for a small cocktail. The programs will be useless and the writing too small to see unless you've got superman vision. Prices will be a little high for my taste (but then I'm cheap) but it's the only place we get these kinds of shows so I suppose I'll keep patronizing... and occasionally bringing a flask.
3 - Nathan I.: My first lucid recollection of Bass Concert Hall in my adult years (if I ever came here during middle or high school for a concert or some such event, it has long been forgotten, along with the very notion I ever went to middle school or highschool), was standing in line for beer and having a woman literally hug my friend Lisha and me for being the only other non-lesbians she had run into since arriving for a Melissa Etheridge concert. While I was happy she had found some sort of kinship, I found it all a bit odd. What did she expect? Like, I don't go to the rodeo and hug the first out gay people I see not wearing cowboy hats or obnoxious belt buckles. Scratch that, because I do.

Naturally, my time spent rocking with hundreds of lesbians and a handful of gay men was a wonderful experience, although that says more about Melissa's talent at singing angsty lesbian love songs than it says anything specific about the venue. The same can be said for when I saw Chelsea Handler with my friend Kirk. By the time we arrived for her set, I had totally forgotten we were at Bass Concert Hall...since I'd been steadily drinking from the time I finished seeing her at her book signing until the time I parked my ass in the seat. Where I continued to drink. Luckily, it was the second show that evening, and Chelsea was hammered too, so laughs were had all around. At least I assume so.

My most recent visit to Bass was for "Les Misérables", one of the few shows in existence I'm largely unfamiliar with, other than I knew it dealt with poor people in France who couldn't eat, but apparently could afford to take choreographed dance lessons. 

I was quite thankful for the valet service available, as I had absolutely not one clue as to where I would park otherwise. The UT Campus is one of those awfully confusing places made even more awfully confusing behind the wheel of a car. So I was glad someone else could take it off my hands. 

The place was packed more than I'd ever seen before. I suppose with this being the final performance in Austin it drew more people in than normal. 

Speaking of, seating is actually quite comfortable, and it helped that we had excellent seats for the occasion. As usual, the space wasn't either too stuffy or doubling as an oversized igloo, so the climate was just right. Acoustically, I already knew it would be above average.

I spent the first act struggling to understand what the hell was happening. Something about stealing a piece of bread and a wildly disproportionate jail sentence made me double check my program to see if this was indeed not set in Williamson County, Texas. There was some dancing, some bitching and moaning, and not one reference to Chanel. Already irritated at these developments, I hopped up to pee during intermission and found a most unwelcome surprise. 

Bass Concert Hall retains the title as the one place on Earth I can say I've ever seen a line for the men's room. Not even at concerts or sporting events has there been a line of males ranging from toddlers to their grandpas all standing around doing the Pee-Pee Dance. This was bullshit. 

So I went up one floor, seeking relief, literally. To my horror, I found the same scenario playing out one flight up. And on the next floor up. And the next floor. At some point I gave up and joined the line three or four floors up from where my seats were. As someone who is pee shy, not only was being surrounded by guys at a urinal pressure enough, but a line snaking out the door waiting for me to complete my business made draining the lizard damn near impossible. Luckily, there were enough audible grumblings among the crowd to confirm I wasn't just being a diva, and that the lines were a little outrageous. I figured the ladies were in their own hell, as well.

Amazingly, I had a few moments to explore some of the costumes they had on display in the hallway. I also found the "VIP lounge" that was roped off, but still in full view. All I saw was one couple standing around, ignoring each other. It was then I realized I desperately wanted access to the VIP area, not to flaunt any sort of prestige, but because I'm almost positive they had access to a private restroom.  

The second act wasn't any less confusing than the first, and even though I read the plot in the program, it just wasn't doing anything for me. I don't know if the Theater Police are going to show up and revoke my Gay Card or what...but I am just one of those people who is not that big a fan of Les Mis. I dreamed a dream the thing would be over with as quickly as possible.  

As I waited outside Bass for the valet to bring the car, I mused at whether the title "Les Misérables" was supposed to refer to the play on stage, or if it describes the audience during the experience. I'm guessing perhaps both. 

Well, the play was boring, but the concert hall was A-OK. Clearly, I think I'd prefer more lesbians around next time. At least it would solve the pesky restroom situation.   

3 Stars

Bass Lessons Unlimited - Cambridge, MA (42.365552, -71.096276) (Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - courtney s.: Bass guitar lessons in Boston.
5 - Ted S.: Riley Hagan is a terrific instructor. He is extremely knowledgeable and obviously passionate about playing and teaching bass. He makes his students feel at ease, and he has a wonderful way of explaining concepts so that they make sense. He sets clear and reasonable expectations for his students, and sets them up for success. He's very accommodating with lesson scheduling and location. And he's a super nice guy! I couldn't be happier.
5 - Earl M.: Riley is a fantastic instructor.  He will teach you the right way, by the fundamentals, and if you follow his lessons (and practice) you will learn.  I have been taking lessons with Riley for several months and have been making steady progress, which I fully credit to his talent and teaching style.  He is also personable and accommodating to changes in your schedule.  The best decision I made in learning to play the bass was signing up for lessons with Riley.  Highly recommended.
5 - Mike E.: I only had one lesson with Riley (I ended up taking lessons form someone more local to where I live) and my experience with him was near perfect. He has a very easy style. He is an extremely talented bass player and is able to impart his knowledge to students very effectively. A big plus is he willingness to answer questions outside of class (via email, etc)
5 - Patti C.: Fantastic lessons. My young players (bass and guitar) thrive with Riley's teaching.  Riley is attentive in gauging both affirming lesson selections according to students' interest  and challenging new territory. His warm support and fun manner welcome kids and adults alike. His own musical talent is a great role model and mentor for young players. His willingness to accommodate our location a plus. We were heartbroken when our last teacher relocated, but we've found Riley! And yes, Riley does great also with beginning guitar. Music as it should be with Riley.
5 - Jose V.: Riley is a fantastic instructor. If you want to learn bass or even refine your skills, i would definitely recommend him.  He is very attentive of how well you are learning and will adapt to you to assist your learning experience.  He is very personable and expects nothing but great things to come out of his students. His lessons thus far has improved my playing (although higher priorities take me away from practicing bass) and his positive reinforcements during lesson make learning fun! So if you're thinking of picking up a bass for the first time, look no further for an instructor!

Bat City Awards & Apparel - Austin, TX (30.2811546, -97.744067) (Downtown)
4 - Whitney F.: Since my initial review, I've been back twice to get other trophies made for karaoke league events and these guys always do a great job.  They also apparently have great memories--every single time I've walked through their door after my first visit they've been like "hey! karaoke league!".  

I think the best part about these guys though has to be the quick turnaround.  They can build you the most ridiculous trophy you've ever dreamed of in just a couple of days...and if you give them a vision (as I do with the karaoke trophies..."make it as hideously tacky as possible") they totally go with it.  

So if you ever find yourself in need of a trophy...go here.  They rock.
4 - LT R.: I've used Bat City Awards on two separate occasions recently and both experiences were wonderful!  The first was for paperweight awards and a gavel for a student organization and the second were some absolutely adorable small trophies with the "lamp of knowledge" for some staff awards.  Both orders were prepared very quickly and at a great price. 

I encourage you to check them out because they are very friendly and have a very speedy turnaround time!
5 - Russell M.: I went to Bat City Awards to have a desk bar made for my wife, she was graduating from grad school and I wanted to get her one made with her new title. I came to them on very short notice. I went in Thursday morning in hopes to have it done by Friday evening. This was not even an issue for them, they even had to order the thing because they didn't have the color marble I was looking for and didn't get it until Friday afternoon! The man helping me up front was very helpful, he showed me what they could get and picked out a great looking font for me. The finished product was perfect, even better looking than what I had anticipated. I do not have a need for this type of service too often but the next time I do I will absolutely be going back to Bat City Awards.
5 - Sally R.: Bat City is one of those small gems in Austin that someone tells you about, you reluctantly give them a try and you are hooked for life!  I was ordering my annual plethora of conference goodies and needed a new place to get a full color banner.  My friend tells me that she gets everything from them (shirts, awards, ribbons, you get the drift). Anyways I give them a call.

That call led to a sales associate, Trey, agreeing to come by my office to see the type of banner I needed to replicate as well as show me some nametag examples.  Did I mention he volunteered to come to my office?  He answered all my questions, made recommendations and even provided me a last minute rush on a beautiful crystal award for our keynote speaker.  

All of the prices were GREAT and the quality of the finished product was OUTSTANDING!  And guess what?  The order was delivered for free!
5 - Rachel J.: We've gone to Bat City Awards for several needs now for our non-profit. Each time, not only have their employees been helpful, their turnaround time speedy, and their quality great, but Trey has worked with us to ensure that we're making the most economical choice AND the best impression on those who see the items we ordered.

They use their years of experience making these items to really help you find what will give the most bang for your buck. 

Here's the biggest reason we'll return to them again and again: Our very first order - only 5 pieces - had an issue with the printing. We brought them back in, and they fixed it within 20 minutes, free of charge. 

It's a rare company that you can trust with your business and know that they're coming up with the best option at the lowest price.

Bat Shea's - Troy, NY (42.7274934, -73.689426) ()
5 - Anna E.: I've Been to Bat Shea's 3 times for dinner and have been impressed each time... First time I brought my "world traveling" brother and we shared the osso bocco on top of creamy mashed potatoes and crispy green peas -  " best he's ever had."  He actually went into the kitchen to thank chef Michael for the awesome meal. Second time I had the Shepherd's Pie (no need to add salt & pepper, so flavorful) and tonight i had the special Mac & Cheese with crab meat. Crispy on the top and creamy inside. A side of carrots  braised in root  beer were an extra treat. Highly recommend. ALE
3 - Colleen M.: 2.5 stars.  

My gentleman friend and I stopped in for apps and some Guinness.  The barkeep attempted to correctly pull the "pint" but may need a refresher course on the 119.52 second perfect pull.  I say "pint" because it was not an imperial pint, but oh well.  

My gentleman friend had the Irish quesadilla (corned beef, mashed, and cheddar, served with Guinness sour cream).  I had a bite or two and it was tasty.  I got the corned beef hash spring roll (exactly as described) which was okay but it was more potato than meat and served with whiskey mustard.  I'd love to see a Celtic Nations pub that serves black & white pudding or blood sausage (mmm, pig's blood).  

The space is cute and green.  It could use a little more in the wall decor department.  I like their music selection (heard Tom Waits, REM, and Roy Orbison while we were there).  Our waitress was almost overly attentive but charming nevertheless.  The bathrooms are "one seaters" but clean.  

While I wasn't blown out of the water, it was okay ish
Suggestions:
serve imperial pints and glasses of beer
serve something made with pig's blood.
3 - Leigh V.: One of the stranger bars I've been to in a while ... Which isn't to say I won't go back. 

Went for the advertised Monday night trivia, but left after realizing it was more karaoke than trivia - not after spending $16 on two drinks (a large vodka soda, and a margarita, which was also advertised as a dollar off on Monday), which seemed too pricey for a watery vodka soda and a mediocre (but strong) margarita.

Bath & Body Works - Houston, TX (29.7150637, -95.4151686) (West University)
3 - Dee Y.: Just the typical Bath and Body Works. Connected to Express. Good service though. Decent selection.
5 - Jodi w.: I was in the store yesterday, February 26, 2010. It was absolutely gorgeous! All the product was in order, and clearly shown. The store was immaculate even the testers were clean. And the piece de resistance was the sales clerk, unfortunately I did not get her name, but she was working around lunch time and had the floor to herself, the store was quite busy but she was able to handle all the patrons at once and not make anyone feel rushed or ignored. She was very knowledgeable not only about the product but about what scents were in stock. I was specifically looking at the scent machines and she was automatically able to tell me which lotion scents were available in fragrance oils for the machine. This store is an EXCELLENT example of how it should be done!
5 - Martha D.: Love love love this location. They are always friendly, helpful and upbeat. I have never seen it disorganized and the lines always move quickly. 

They always have a specials, so don't waste your money and buy full price. I usually stock up with months worth and only refill when the sales return. It will save you a lot of money!

They have moved past just bath and body products. They now have candles and air freshers for your home or car that rival what you can get at Yankee Candle. 

Sign up for their email and you get coupons and specials sent to you. It doesn't bog your email down like other companies love to do. Something great I learned on my last visit is that you can use your Victoria's Secret credit card here! Get your points!

If you park in the garage they will validate with purchase.
5 - Josh G.: Needed a gift and they couldn't have been more helpful. Seriously, she even shrink wrapped the stuff and put it together in a gift basket for me. Took her a while, but it looked damn good.

Bath & Body Works - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2801795, -120.6623649) ()
3 - Isaiah N.: This is a chain of stores that you would typically find in malls across America, and it's pretty obvious what they sell...stuff for bath and body. It's also geared mostly to women (and to a lesser degree, men who like to enhance their grooming habits). Having said that, the selection of lotions, liquid soaps, antibacterials and more are somewhat limited, given the square footage of the place. And you can try out the products before you buy them. They even have a sink where you can test the soaps. Best time to to is during their sales, which happen approximately every 3 months.
3 - Winter Lee S.: B&BW has cleaned up their act a bit.   They have more knowledgeable staff than they did a couple years ago and the scents they have aren't as obnoxious as they once were.  I like the specials they constantly have like 3-4 bottles of hand soap for $15 and their candles last a loooong time (even the smallest ones) and fill your house with fragrance.  I haven't tried their body wash but I hear good things,  but then again...I'm pretty picky.
4 - Jamie T.: I love candles and I sure do love going into this store to smell all of the different scented candles they offer. They are usually offering some sort of deal, which makes it hard not to buy anything!
5 - bebelyn K.: Jack the gentleman that attended me was so calm and inviting, I  walked right into the 2 for 20 candle sale and picked up cider lane and pumpkin cupcake. Jack gave me such great tips about how to burn the candle properly and really was interested in helping me with my purchase! Thanks for a great shopping experience.

Baum Boulevard Automotive - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4541066, -79.9492088) (Bloomfield)
5 - Alex C.: These guys serviced my cars when I lived in Pittsburgh from 2004-2007.  My cars included two BMWs and a Jeep Cherokee.  These guys are professional, courteous and responsible for the work they do.  I particularly enjoyed the work they did on my BMWs.  Since the BMW shop is just down the street from them, the guys at Baum were always able to get me serviced by the next day as compared to the BMW people, which usually required a week.  Their work is excellent.  I will miss them.
3 - Dave P.: I've gone here for car service for the better part of a decade.  Chuck, the owner is a very good man and I've never felt that I have gotten a bad deal from him.  They are pretty picky about inspections so don't be surprised if you fail for something minor.

In short, good, honest mechanics with a convienent location on the 54c bus line
2 - Stephanie T.: I recently took my car here to inspect the cause of my maintenance required light that had been flashing for a good week or so. I'll go ahead and humble myself by admitting that I know little to nothing about cars, aside from the absolute basics (flames shooting out of hood = probably not a good sign).

That being said, I brought my car in and explained the nature of my problem. I was immediately told (without any actual inspection of said problem) that it was due to needing an oil change, despite the fact that my car has a separate light that flashes when it needs one. I explained my rationale and was quickly scoffed at and patronized for not knowing anything about cars, which I gladly conceded to.

In the end, my car DID need an oil change, which they completed quickly and relatively inexpensively. While the process was pretty painless, I was made to feel uncomfortable/retarded/like a pain in the ass for asking the questions that I felt were fairly reasonable. I wish I could give this place a higher rating, but they simply don't stack up to some of the other mechanics I've seen elsewhere. Ah well, looks like I'll just have to keep on searching in Pittsburgh!
1 - Hillary B.: I was really disappointed with the service that I received here. The three men who I talked to were very condescending when they were explaining my car's issues. In addition, they became inpatient and short with me when I asked them to further explain the repairs/costs. I couldn't help but feel like this was due to my being a woman. When I was sitting in the waiting room, I observed the man at the desk (who was initially very rude to me) behave in an equally rude manner to an elderly lady. The price for the repairs were definitely inflated. The expense wouldn't have been so bothersome had the employees actually been cordial to me. They definitely need to learn some social skills!
5 - Michael S.: My dealership quoted me $2000 to repair an electrical problem.  The guys at Baum fixed the issue for $60.  Honest, quick and dependable.  That's what I look for in a mechanic.
5 - John B.: I own a 1997 Toyota 4Runner. A dealership quoted me $1400 for a new radiator and flush the cooling system and transmission. I had it towed again to Baum Blvd Automotive and got everything done for $500. 

A few days later, the 4Runner started overheating and leaking coolant. I had it towed back to Baum Blvd Automotive on a Friday afternoon and they had it fixed that day by 3pm. Apparently, the fan had sliced the radiator hose in half. They fixed it at no additional cost since there was a possibility the radiator hose popped loose as a result of not being properly secured when the radiator was replaced.

Although it was inconvenient that the radiator hose was cut, I was surprised they repaired my 4Runner the same day at no additional cost. I'll be returning to these guys for maintenance.
1 - Elissa A.: I brought my car in for two oil changes. In my first visit, in addition to the oil change I asked them to switch my license plate since I had just moved to the state. When I picked up my car my old license plate was not returned to me, but rather I had to ask for it (I'm happy I remembered to ask), and they searched in the back of the shop and eventually found it. I didn't think much of it, an easy mistake. For my second oil change, everything seemed to be fine. There were no comments written on my paperwork, and nothing pointed out when I picked up my car. However, after about a month my oil pan was broken, which created a serious oil leak. I brought my car to them to be fixed. When I asked how this could've been prevented, or what caused it, they said that likely during the last oil change it was put back on too tight. I pointed out that my last oil change was with them, after which they looked back at the notes. In the notes, there was a comment regarding a problem with my oil pan that they tried to do a quick fix, which was not successful. I am disturbed that I was finding out about this only after a serious problem occurred, and not when my car was returned on the visit in which the incident happened. I had since gone on long road trips not knowing that there was any problem with my car.  Moreover, although they admitted it likely was the result of bad service, they did not offer any compensation or even own up to this being their fault.
1 - Rebecca G.: I just left this place. Such a rip off! They quoted me $30 for an oil change, which is expensive already. Then, I get there and they tell me it's going to be $40. I ask why and the guy looks all confused and says "something was more expensive". Seriously?! So, I say ok whatever and take the $40 oil change. I look at the reciept, it says estimate $30,  new estimate $30 and then breaks down the $40 cost. WTF? I will never go there again. 1. They can't add aparently 2. They add charges without notifying you 3. Their staff aren't competent enough to explain the charges. Thanks but no thanks; I will go back to my $24 oil change. Oh yeah, and some of the charges were for windshield washer fluid... Really?!?
1 - A. B.: After my car broke down nearby, I had it towed to Baum Blvd Automotive, because they seemed like the most reputable place in the area. Wrong - this place is a disaster. Disorganized. Rude. Dishonest. Expensive. 

I knew coming in here I needed a new alternator. Their price - $560. My VW dealership's quote for parts & labor was $430! Another shop right down the street quoted me at $450. Not worth the trouble and cost of having it towed again, and the $40 charge for their diagnosis, I let them do the work.

They also informed me on the phone that I needed to replace my front brake pads, rotors, and left caliper for $650! This is when I knew this place was a joke... brakes and rotors at my dealership cost around $300. As soon I as got my car out of there.. with my battery cover sitting on my passenger seat  (they said it was there when I brought it in... ummmm, no)  I had my brakes checked out. Yes, I needed new pads. However, front rotors were both perfectly smooth. And that broken left caliper?? Just needed a little grease. 

Also, let's not forget the scratch that goes down the entire body of my car that I have managed to buff out.. but not entirely. Or the fact that when they took my wheels off of my car for an alternator repair (this will never make any sense to me...), they didn't put the lug nut caps back on. I've called them for both of these issues, and they refuse to take responsibility for anything. 

I'm already dreading their faulty work on my car & any possibility of having to deal with these people again. They don't deserve your business. Save your money and your headache!!

Baxter Chiropractics - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2894921, -120.66607) ()
5 - catherine d.: Dr. Tom Baxter is a fantastic chiropractor.  He is a very kind, compassionate, professional, well informed, doctor.   I think of him as a holistic doctor who will incorporate nutritional information, exercise, deep tissue manipulation, and stretching for your recovery.   No matter what  problem I have had over the years, I have always come away feeling 90% better after just one treatment.  I have also, sent many disbelievers to him who came back with only positive things to say about their treatment and Dr. Baxter.   Hightly recommended
5 - Dany B.: Dr. Baxter is an amazing chiropractor. Not only does he know his stuff but he also has a great bedside manner. I look forward to having my next visit with him!
5 - Robert K.: My wife had been living with a sharp pain in her lower back for about a year.  After another fall, the pain advanced to sciatica.  Dr. Baxter was able to relieve her of her pain through five weekly treatment.  The pain has completely disappeared.  This was the first time she had been to a chiropractor and is now a firm believer.  Dr. Baxter is an excellent chiropractor.  He will get our business in the future.

Baxter Moerman Fine Jewelry - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2802212, -120.6613405) ()
5 - Elizabeth C.: I have had the pleasure of seeing Baxter Moerman in action during the Contemporary Crafts Market in San Francisco. I have to admit I fell in love with almost every piece. The stackable rings are very comfortable. Every collection is organic but yet very modern. The pieces are timeless but seem very new and fresh...Do you get the picture? What they create is truly artisan jewelry at a very affordable price point. I own a ring Matt Baxter made for me many years ago and have decided to have it redone incorporating the beach stone collection. I will post pictures once it is finished. This is the only place to shop in San Luis Obispo for jewelry!
5 - K M.: Love, Love, Love this place!!  I had them make a custom ring and it is great!!  I wear it every day -  they are really great to work with and were not crazy expensive like most of the other jewelry stores in SLO...  Check it out and you will be amazed at the craftsmanship of there custom pieces; they are so pretty!  The Matt's are really nice and are happy to help you with anything you need.
5 - anastasia t.: If you love jewelry like i do, you will LOVE Baxter Moerman ! From the first moment you walk into their door you are greeted with delightfully elegant decor and warm smiles from the owners and talented artisans, Matt Baxter and Matt Moerman.  And then... there is the jewelry...WOW !!! You will fall in love with each and every beautifully crafted piece. I myself could not decide what to get but I knew I was not leaving without one of their beautiful creations.  ,The Matts' were so nice and patient ( with NO pushy sales tactics) while I tried on one of EVERYTHING until I finally made a choice. I left with a smile from ear to ear and frosted with a fantastic diamond ring that is now my personal favorite. I am looking forward to  shopping with these terrific guys again soon and if you have not already done so, I strongly urge you to go see them  yourself ... You will be dazzled !!!
5 - jonathan r.: I needed some help replacing my wedding ring after I damaged my knuckle in a bicycle accident (my ring no longer fits over my knuckle). Instead of selling me a new ring, Matt suggested that I go to the store where my wife purchased the ring and see if they had a trade-in option (I guess nicer stores offer this) and have them replace my ring with a larger size. An hour later, I had a new replacement ring on order for the cost of shipping. 

I could have very easily purchased a ring directly from Matt but, his honesty and desire to offer incredible service makes this jewelry store the only one I will ever go to again. I HIGHLY suggest Baxter Moerman Fine Jewelry!

Bay Area Green Tours - Berkeley, CA (37.8695472, -122.2664962) (Downtown Berkeley, UC Campus Area)
5 - Paul V.: Bay Area Green Tours Farm to Fork Tour: Capay Valley, Oct. 23.

If you've never been on a Farm to Fork Tour, you're in for a treat.  Fresh organic fruits and vegetables; beautiful scenery; expert discussions on Agricultural Land Trusts and sustainable farming practices and the slow money movement; and lots of very cool people.  I've been on three Bay Area Green Tours, and each one offered a full day educational experience that would have taken me months to organize on my own.  In fact, I probably couldn't have done it, and I definitely wouldn't have gotten the full experience that BAGT provided.  It's fun!  Check it out!  bayareagreentours.org.
5 - Robert B.: For those who love organic produce, I just went on Bay Area Green Tour's "Farm to Fork Tour" yesterday and it was one of the most delightful and informative experiences of my life (really). 

We met at nine in the morning at Gather Restaurant in Berkeley and heard a great talk from their award winning chef about how they source their organic foods from farms in the Capay Valley. We then got on a comfortable bus and drove to the Valley about an hour and half away. The ride was filled with everyone enjoying chatting and meeting new friends. A speaker gave us a talk on the Slow Money movement along the way. 

First stop was Riverdog Farm.  We met the owner, Tim Mueler, who was amazingly generous, thoughtful and interesting. Along with growing produce, the farm has a small organic pig farm with baby pigs running around that were too adorable to believe. 

Next stop was Full Belly Farms where we met the owner, Paul Mullen, who was charming, knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the work his farm does and the next generation of young farmers he mentors. And finally we went to Capay Organics and were given a tour of the farm by the owner, Thaddeus Barsotti, a young guy with an engineering mind, who said he is trying to make his farm a model for the whole organic food industry.

I was absolutely delighted by the day and the opportunity to meet the farmers of the food I buy at our local farmer's markets. They are all trying to change the world in an important way. And they are doing it.

Robert

Bay IVF Center - Palo Alto, CA (37.4305359, -122.1520908) ()
5 - nurse g.: Could not be more pleased with our experience here!  

First of all, the logistics:  ambiance is perfect: modern, relaxing, comfortable. I don't know much about feng shui, but it seems like a master set up their place.  Always enough free parking within steps of the front door.  We've paid out of pocket for insurance reasons, and the rates are THE BEST.  I was concerned we'd get "less than" care for the stated prices, but that is absolutely not the case.  I was previously at an IVF clinic in the east bay that was much pricier and I do not believe the care was even close to comparable. 

Dr Polansky loves what he does, it shows every time we are there (which is frequently!).   He seems genuinely invested in helping us to achieve pregnancy.  He has been at it a long time, but has a spark energy as if he just started practicing yesterday.  He has a very warm bedside manner, I never feel rushed, answers all our questions, and gives straight forward information.  He follows me very carefully and gives prompt feedback.  Some of the procedures I had to have were not exactly comfortable, and he was very attentive to this.

His staff:  Julie is the front office administrator and is just lovely.  On top of things and very kind.  Iris is the nurse extraordinaire!  She has been 100% instrumental in keeping us on track with all of the tedious medication regimens, blood tests etc.  She is so on-the-ball.  She is sweet and caring to boot!  They both have been as accommodating as possible in terms of scheduling as well.

I haven't had much interaction with the folks who work their magic in the lab, but magic they have made for us!  We've had higher than expected success with our little embryos and we owe them so much for their attentiveness.  We even got pictures of them!  How cool is that?

Overall, I can't give high enough praise!
5 - A C.: I just completed my first cycle of IVF and am waiting for the results which will be in a couple of weeks, but wanted to write a review for Dr. Polansky.  I don't think I could have made a better choice when deciding which clinic to choose in the bay area.  He is very direct and honest, answers any and all questions, and you are never treated like a number.  He even pro actively recommended I see my family doctor to check out something that I mentioned I had that didn't have to do with IVF.  

His staff is also amazing to work with, questions and emails were always promptly responded.  No matter what the outcome, I would highly recommend Bay IVF.

Bay State IT - Cambridge, MA (42.3646087, -71.0795139) (East Cambridge, Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - Jamie M.: The exceptional service I received with this company has prompted me to write my first ever Yelp review - I simply could not be more thrilled with the work these guys did...well, maybe if I had a PC that didn't make me want to scream 'serenity now' but I dream too big. 
Anyway, I initially chose Bay State because of their convenience (they have a office close to where I live in E. Cambridge) but, after handing over my non-functioning Dell laptop, I was surprised at how attentive they were to the repair itself, updating me about the computer's condition and the options I had both via phone and text, as well as keeping the cost down. Tony, the technician I dealt with, not only repaired the problem quickly (hard drive failure) but did so at the cheapest rate possible for me. Long story short, these guys aren't looking to overcharge folks for computer repairs, have great customer service, and, most importantly, fix the problem. Moral of the review is Don't buy a Dell but, if you must, keep Bay State IT's number handy.
5 - Gail N.: This is a great company. When you have a computer problem, you want  a solution FAST, because until it's fixed, everything grinds to a standstill.  I've relied on Bay State IT several times in the past three years. They always responded very quickly to my requests for help. They seem to have professionals strategically placed throughout the greater Boston area who can deploy to your home or office the same day, and often within a few hours. They are very knowledgable, and once they diagnose the problem, will take the time to explain it, what's involved with fixing it, how long it will take, and how much it will cost. Most importantly, they tell you ways to avoid losing data, protect your computer, best practices for back-up and maintenance tips. They have always been very friendly (and attractive!!) :-)  Aside from repairs, they also have helped me set up a network, load software, get all my hardware talking to eachother...stuff I would rather not have to figure out on my own. 
Great Service is what I remember most, and it will keep me coming back.
5 - bill d.: Bay State it handle all my business and personal IT. They are timely and responsible. Not having to worry about this stuff is an amazing feeling. That piece of mind is liberating in many ways. Obviously as a business owner, we can't stop because of computer issues. Bay state IT are just a phone call away. Thanks guys!
5 - Matt H.: I run a sign company and as much as I know about my computer program I don't know everything about computers them selves.  I have used Bay State IT for about 5 years for everything from File back-up and retrieval to updates and new computer set-ups.  He has a crew of knowledgable guys that have been able to fix and or assist in keeping my business running.  It seems that things in the computer field change so quickly that a call to Bay State IT is needed to keep me up to date.
Positive: Timely, efficient, knowledgable, easy to speak with and most importantly...within budget.
5 - Carmine C.: Sean at Bay State IT has bailed me out numerous times.  Our family has a business with 20 or so computers, mix of Mac and PC and a server, all different ages. Sean and his team keep us up and running so we can focus on what we do well. We know have a great back up plan and even back up offsite to our house. This is great when a harddrive goes down late at night and we have it saved elsewhere.  Bay State keeps our server up and running and efficient.

The best part is their patience and ultra quick response, they show up on time and fix it right every time.
5 - Joe C.: I have a 4 year old desktop, mother board was replaced last year and I am again  having problems getting the system to load Windows. I just moved and can't find my system disks so can't reformat and reinstall.  I Bay State IT.  I just spoke with Sean (sp?), the CEO.  He counseled me not to spend $$ to have hardware/software fixed as, being an old system, something else is likely to happen down the road. He said he would be happy to take my $110 to do a diagnostic but, if I have data backed up, he would advise getting a new machine, either through him or somewhere else.  I appreciated his straightforward response and honesty.  He could have suckered me in to do the Dx and then told me I needed a new computer. This is a good business model... relationship building with potential customers. I called Bay State because of other Yelp reviews and, after my experience with their customer service, felt motivated to respond.  If their technical work is as good as their general advice, they have a great business model.

Bayking Doughnuts & Pastries - Berkeley, CA (37.86561, -122.2586856) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
3 - Andy M.: I love the smell of this place as I walk by... so tempting and donutty. Sometimes the wafting sugar smell pulls me through the door, but alas, the donuts are kind of average, and I'm not even sure they are made on-site. The apple fritters are pretty decent, but are roughly the size of a large cow-pie - warning: should not be finished by one person unless you want tooth pain and/or adult onset diabetes. If only the pastries were a little bit better... Then again, a fix is a fix; isn' t that right, donut-monkey?
5 - C U.: Best coffee anywhere - as long as you're not into corporate ditch-water that is.
4 - Julie L.: As the person before mentioned... the SMELL of this bakery is just HEAVENLY - definitely has the power to turn this grey/gloomy/rainy Berkeley weather of ours into sunshine (at least in your mind..).

I've only tried a few things- scones and muffins, since I'm not a donut kind of person- definitely recommend the muffins. Muffins are pretty big ($1.75 , I think?) and the tops were VERY yummy - a bit crispy in some places... although it was a bit difficult, I definitely let the muffin top to eat last. I've tried the bran, and also the banana-nut muffin. Definitely recommend the banana-nut.

Will definitely be going back - to try some of the yummy looking danishes and more muffins!
1 - Fire C.: Beware Fat and or Queer consumers: 
Like the other Yelpers I too love the smell of this place. My girlfriend adores the donuts. I'm a diabetic and can't eat them anymore but I still enjoy buying donuts because it makes her eyes light up and on occasion bulge out the a deranged but happy cartoon character.
The products aren't hot but many of them are good- however- if you are a person of size, fat, large, chunky or husky 
and/or 
if you are gay lesbian queer transgender- 
and god forbid - both, be prepared to face anything from horrible service to outright mockery, abuse and insults. 
It's kind of ironic given that fat folks sometimes buy donuts- 
but they are not welcome, at least on the AM shift. It is only one employee but boy does he pack a punch. Last time I was subjected to an over the top limp wristed, lisping, eye rolling flouncing gay impersonation as well as insults (poorly delivered like the service) to my size. 
I've found other sources for my girlfriends donut fixes and no longer recommend them to my neighbors and friends though if you are straight, skinny and white- the apple fitters are good- even if the service is outrageously horrific.

UPDATE- I still don't spend my cash here but I can report seeing happy people of size eating donuts they bought there. I think service has improved.

UPDATE- The abusive staff member (who post this review threatened me and tried to harass my partner) is no longer there. I've heard mixed reviews from my neighborhood friends- some folks like the donuts some don't.
2 - Ryan T.: This _was once_ a good bakery--note emphasis. I used to get some awesome apple cake slices here. But that was back like 6-7 years ago, when the bakery was bigger and you could actually get your treats and sit down in the shop and eat. Now it's just a little hole-in-the-wall type of joint, with pretty standard-fare you can get from nearly any grocery store etc. The chocolate chip cookie I tried seemed as if it belonged to a test batch of dough that had an accidentally sprinkling of cinnamon and an unbalanced mix tending toward the eggy side. If the cookie had been a day-old special, for 99 cents, I wouldn't make a big deal. But for $1.65, I think that's a bit much. I'll think twice about coming back here for my baked goods/sweet fix. The king has lost the crown.
5 - Samantha W.: I walked by this bakery for about a year before I ever set foot inside.  As others have mentioned, the sticky sweet aroma that this place pumps out saturates the air on Telegraph between Dwight and Haste so much that actually taking a bite of the pastries themselves seems an optional part of the experience.   But now that I have finally been inside the lair and tasted their GOODNESS, let me tell you, it is NOT optional.  Yes, they have a few more calories than the smell, but oh are they delicious calories. 

I have not tried everything here (thank god), but after a couple of visits, I covered my absolute favorites: a maple bar, an apple fritter and an oatmeal cookie.  The maple bar was OK.  Very sweet, but a little too soft and doughy.  The icing seemed to be too heavy for the doughnut.  Very indulgent, delicious maple flavor, but very, very messy.  The oatmeal cookie was above-average, well-spiced with a hint of nutmeg and enough cinnamon and it had a good balance of chewy and crispy.  

What really knocked my socks off, however, was the apple fritter.  OH MY GOD.  WHO KNEW that something so HEAVENLY could exist?!?!  It was super sweet like I like 'em, mostly from the outer glaze coating of crispy sugar.  Inside the dough is fluffy and soft and moist and filled with perfectly-sized chunks of apple.  The contrast between the crunch outside and the soft inside is to die for.  Literally.  This thing is gigantic and probably has more fat and sugar than should be consumed in one sitting... although consuming such delicious macro nutrients in huge quantities every now and then is probably one of life's greatest pleasures, right??  I know I'm not alone here! 

 Anyway, try the apple fritter and other doughnuts at Bayking, especially if you like your pastries doughy and sweet... you know, a little more naughty than the by-the-book, restrained and refined goodies that you might see in a patisserie.
5 - Craig M.: Loved the place. Funky and slightly tattered. The scent drew me in as it will to anyone passing by. It wouldn't hurt to at least have one.
4 - Vandana M.: I didn't try any of the pastries yet, but the Cafe au lait I had was yummy, and I loved the fact that all of the edibles had a little description in front of them explaining what the ingredients were.

The best thing about this place, really, was the kind and friendly girl working  behind the counter. Good customer service makes me happy. She was also really nice (and not fake-nice) to a disheveled and possibly homeless man who came in. You could tell they were pals. I liked that.
1 - Bruno R.: The people who work behind the counter here  seem to all be foreigners who are paid slave wages because they probably don't have green cards, but they are a nice bunch of exemplary immigrants. After that it is all downhill with this place. The cheapest possible ingredients are used. Zero creativity is used in what is baked here. It's another place that caters to hungry students who need a quick fix of the sugar and grease food groups and aren't too particular about taste.There are plenty of good bakeries in the bay area these days. This place just doesn't try. If you do  go here leave a big tip for the exploited workers !!
4 - Elon B.: My sweetie and I were looking for a special treat, and thought that donuts without trans fats were a great idea.

Our first encounter was disappointing because the customer service sucked. The man behind the counter was on the phone, and we had the usual questions: "does this have a filling?" "What is the filling?" "Is that a cinnamon roll?" What we expected was for him to pause his conversation and answer our questions. What we got was him assuming that each donut we were pointing to (and asking a question about) was our selection. He kept grabbing them and trying to shove them into a bag for us, at which point we'd have to protest and repeat our question... which really seemed to annoy him. I'm sorry, I thought I was paying your salary, not the other way around.

The donuts were good enough that we decided to try them again, and this time, the service was great. 

I'd say that the donuts are pretty darn good, and really hit the spot we were looking to get hit. We'll be back I'm sure.
3 - Vanessa F.: Every time we do laundry down the street we pass by this place and ALWAYS say "We really should try their donuts sometime." 

We've been saying that for a year, until yesterday.

With only $2 left in our pockets we decided that 2 inexpensive donuts was the way to spend them.

He got the old fashioned chocolate donut, and after a long hard decision making process I chose the white icing with colored sprinkles (it was that or the coconut).

The donuts were tiny... doesn't it seem that everything's getting smaller nowadays? I really wish that seemed true because I was growing past my 5'0", but alas, some day I'll realize I'm just not meant to grow even a half an inch more.

Anyway, the donuts were tasty. But really, who doesn't love donuts? 

We'll probably be coming here again since we do laundry often. Next time I'll choose the coconut or the raspberry filled. 

YUM!
3 - Mark A.: Eh, a little on the doughy side.
4 - cheryll t.: No Trans Fat? You gotta be kidding me???? Dougnuts with no transfat??? 

Hmmmmm.....thinking about this as I passed the bakery....heading for Rasputin...maybe I'll stop by later...

Heading down Telegraph- oh give it a shot!!!!! It can't kill you, one doughnut!!!! And it's no transfat, at least that was what their banner said....

Inside the bakery now...greeted by a nice young lady...looking over the doughnuts and pastries....OK I think I'll have that one- the twisty one...

Not bad $1.75....Now taste it....

Here goes....take a bite....maybe I should have tried some coffee too...yum!  Tasty!  Sugary, glazed taste!!! If this is not transfat- then this is MIGHTLY GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Iam eating myself to a sugar high!!!!

I'll come here again, next time try one of their coffee or latte with another doughnut...
5 - Jason J.: Sometimes I'm in a rush in the morning and I forget to eat breakfast.  Instead of deciding that this day is doomed, I stop by Bayking for their amazing donuts.  Can't buy just one!

Then on the way back home, I buy one of their bags of old baked goods for a fraction of the price.  This is truly as good as it gets.
4 - Berkeley S.: Love this place. Excellent mocha chip muffins (which they brought back to my great delight!) and nice staff. I'll miss this place when I'm not living in Berkeley anymore.
2 - Jennifer W.: $2 donut and coffee. a good deal that i've purchased many times going to class.

$1.50 old bag. also a good deal.

Here is the unofficial (because surprisingly, it was rejected) Urban Dictionary definition by John B.

old bag of donuts:
 
A bag containing several donuts that are at least a day old and are sold at an extremely reduced price. They are naturally a bit stale, but that is also part of the allure. They are also usually purchased after a late night of drinking, but can also be given as rewards for good deeds. Old bags of donuts should never be compared to a single fresh donut since they are completely different entities.
 
"Hey, great job on that mapping work. I think somebody deserves an old bag of donuts!"
5 - Scott E.: The Cinnamon Twist donut at Bayking Doughnuts is by far my favorite donut I've ever had. They don't do bad donuts here. Yes they are greasy and yes they have to be. Love this place.
1 - Mark M.: But the big blonde hair baked right into my chocolate chip cookie wasnt what I was expecting.  I had better expectations upon seeing the "no trans fats" banner in front of the store.

0 stars for the hair, but I will add 1 star for keeping true to the banner  (as far as I know, no trans fat in human hair?)
2 - L H.: Is this really a "donut" shop? Cuz no one seems to be reviewing the donuts. Do they really sell a variety of donuts, or pastries?!
4 - Rohan D.: This place has some delicious cream filled donuts (I can't find at King Pin's). 

They're a good deal and they have a better selection that King Pin.
5 - Marina B.: We had a very good experience with service in this bakery... Sales Lady was so kind and understanding. She gave us a bonus FREE pastry after we said that we liked the taste of their products so much....Nice to have more gifts then expected especially if they are so GOODE :-)
5 - Nicole J.: Quite possibly the greatest Boston cream I have ever devoured
5 - Christopher J.: all these good reviews and the place is closing down ... sad ... sad. ...
2 - Eme L.: Probably one of the friendliest counter staff I've seen in a long time. Too bad that her sense of customer service is undone by poor product. Not sure if was too late in the day (5-ish), but the donuts (1 buttermilk, 1 chocolate glazed) were just not good. I can normally finish a donut, even if it's not great. These? Took a couple bites and throw both away. The buttermilk had an "old grease" smell and taste. The glazed had chalky not-chocolate-tasting chocolate on it and a bitter aftertaste. Too bad.
1 - Garfield J.: there are a couple of things, which I always felt happy, I would  hopefully never see in my lifetime.-----just a few--

a. a nuclear war
b. $10 for a gallon of gas
c. a 7.0+ earthquake
d. my daughter on a stripper pole
and
e. $2+ doughnuts--

well, after BayKing , I have to remove e. from my list------

I went in and ordered a chocolate covered buttermilk doughnut---it was your standard round sized----one which pretty much is sold for under a $1 everywhere in the entire United States---

my wandering eyes see the doughnut holes----they looked pretty good---nice colour, glazing, ----I add 6 of them to my order----

the lady behind the counter, struggles with the register and then her co-worker helps her------the Green LED readout says $4.20---the words $4.20 come out of her mouth-----

the rest seems like slow motion, I look into my bag to see if somehow ordered a Dozen buttermilk doughnut instead of one---nope, just one in the bag-----

I inquire as to why 6 doughnut holes and 1 doughnut is $4.20--????????

she explains doughnut holes are $1.95 for 6 or $3.90 a dozen!!!!!

Honestly-----i know of no other place in this world where a DOZEN  doughnut holes cost more than $2------$3.90 a dozen? you have to be kidding!

the buttermilk with chocolate on top was $2.25!!!----Yes, the same one which will set you back at most $1.25 anywhere else is $2.25

before you ask, no there is no wi-fi---, no bikinii clad waitresses, in fact there is no where to sit inside ---no Four Seasons amenities--

were the doughnuts good you ask?---they were good, but in the same way that pretty much every other dougnut within a 3000 mile radius is good-----

oh---and i like the sign on the back wall which proudly says,this is not Burger King, you can have it one way, our way------so charming and expensive!


will never return
2 - Pauline L.: Bran muffins have become salty, overload of chewy bran fiber, and lack of raisins. Boo. And I don't see bread pudding. 

Day-olds went up in price. Not that much, in comparison to the economy, but still boo.
4 - Janice K.: Came here around 4PM on a cold, rainy day and ordered a caramel hot chocolate and a glazed donut. I had not seen hot chocolate with other additives before so I wanted to try it. It was AMAZING on a cold day and really warmed me up. The donut ($1) was the biggest glazed donut I've ever seen. It took me about 10 bites to finish it. This place may not be the best donut place in Berkeley, but it is definitely very good for the price.
3 - Anthony C.: I don't usually eat donuts because they tend to leave me feeling rather sick but a few days ago I decided to try out Bayking and it was delicious. I had the classic pink frosted donut with the sprinkles on top and I also went a little wild and got the cream filled maple bar(my favorite). Next I will try the pastries which I believe are made in house.

P.S. for those complaining about the donuts being .75 over price QUIT BEING SO CHEAP and support this great local business.
2 - Claire W.: meh. it's overpriced,
i didn't get great service;
i prefer kingpin.
3 - Victor G.: "no transfat" and a bunch of other words were on the hanging sign. curiosity drew me in. can't say i was satisfied. just more mistyfied.

coffee: mr. expresso, passed
eats: glazed donut(1.25)
-very sweet, texture not the normal fluffy, more like pound cake,
-very big donut

raspberry minicupcake(1.75)
-cupcake very moist dark chocolate type, flavor neutral
-topping lots of sweet cream with a dash of raspberry taste.

crumbs:
-fast. friendly service.
1 - munson w.: I've boycotted this place for the last three years. This is why: I purchased an oatmeal raisin cookie from them. Halfway down the street, as I am ingesting cookie, I realize there are nuts in it (I am allergic to nuts). I go back to Bayking, reread and ensure that the placard describing the cookie does not contain nuts (It didn't). I explain to the girl behind counter that I am allergic to nuts, and that I cannot eat the cookie. She gives me a blank stare. No "I'm sorry," no "Let's switch it out for something of equal value that does not contain nuts." Nothing. Then I lay the cookie on the counter in front of her and say, "I guess I'll just leave it here?" Again, she remains silent and doesn't seem to comprehend. I walk out, vowing never to return. Granted, i could have been more assertive and demanded a refund or trade, but I felt she should have offered and been a aware of one of the basic tenets of customer service: conflict resolution. I patronize King Pin Donuts on Durant instead.
1 - Vivienne M.: How many ways can a vendor be surly?  The cook was surly, the lady behind the counter was surly.  If you are expecting anything that resembles customer service, don't bother going to bayking.  The food quality is hit and miss at best, and seems to be heading downhill lately.  We won't be going again.

Bayleaf Indian Cusine - Pittsburgh, PA (40.436539, -79.95473) (Oakland)
4 - Daryl C.: A clarification more than a review. Bay Leaf spun-off from Penn Hill's successful Udipi Cafe, which for years has been serving first-rate southern Indian vegetarian cuisine. I'm trying Bay Leaf tonight for first time, and hope it is as good and offers the same variety of dishes. Glad to note from previous review that poori is still available!
3 - Ryan P.: Cheap is the operative word here. I had the Masala Dosa for dinner which cost me a whopping $6.25. They also have a dinner buffet for six dollars. Not the best food I've ever had, but it was okay.
5 - Maxence C.: Bayleaf is the marriage of Udipi Cafe and the Indian truck at Pitt.  Everything written about Udipi applies (http://www.yelp.com/biz/udipi-cafe-monroeville-2).

While the service and atmosphere are unremarkable, the fare here is nothing short of remarkable.  Try the dosai.  You won't regret it.
3 - Emily H.: Not the best Indian food I've ever had, but certainly not the worst.  A chicken tikka masala, an aloo mutter, and two orders of samosas came to a little more than $25.  The samosas were decent in size and flavor, as were the dipping sauces.  The aloo mutter was a little spicier and saucier than usual, and I thought they skimped on the rice a bit, but for $7 my expectations weren't too high.  The entree size was also big enough that I had tons of leftovers for the next day.

Delivery is available through Campusfood.  I want to try the other Indian delivery places as well, but I certainly wouldn't mind ordering from here again.
4 - Alan K.: I'm surprised by previous comments. I'd have to say some of the best Indian food I've had in restaurants. I've had better at home, in India, but this is right up there. The inexpensive nature of the place is hardly the right note to sound, although it is very welcome too. It's been a while since I've been there again (after 3 previous visits), mainly because it's often very difficult to find a place to park. I recall ordering sequential ordersof the Seekh Kababs, along with chicken curry, sambhar, breads. All excellent, each one tasty in its own way, obviously each dish individually prepared and flavored. I'm headed that way again soon and will update.
4 - Ana L.: I went to Bayleaf  with a foodie Indian friend who thinks its the best in the city. At our table three got the buffet, I got Chicken Lawabdhar, my sister got Butter Almond Chicken. We ordered samosas as appetizer. With the buffet you get freshly made masala dosai. The buffet consisted of several main dishes, veg and non-veg, two soups and a lot more for $6. the chicken dishes were delicious, as were the dosai and samosa,  the rice was perfect...by far our new favorite. One thing we really liked was the food was not greasy, just fresh and delicious! It is also much more affordable- and they deliver.

Baylor Clinic - Houston, TX (29.710066, -95.402822) (West University)
4 - Christine H.: I have only been here once to undergo a "diagnostic service" (MRI, to be exact), so take my review with a graint of salt.  But I have done many MRIs in my lifetime, and I can say this is one of the better places to have them done.  The staff is friendly and professional, and the technician I had was confident.  This is the only place whose MRI machines had headphones so you can listen to music while in the machine.  You can still hear all the loud clickings and rumblings of the machine, but to have soothing piano music or whatever genre of your choice is a nice bonus.  The clinic confirms the tests will be covered by insurance even before you arrive so you don't run into the mess of showing up and then leaving having wasted your time because your insurance sucks.  The facility is clean; the waiting room has The New Yorker (so your friend who accompanied you has something intelligent to occupy her brain while you're inside getting yours filmed); and if you know which doctors' names to throw around, you can even get your parking validated (and you know how much those med center parking costs can be).  The only reason I could not give this place 5 stars is because nobody says, "Woo hoo!  MRIs!!  Give me one, please!"
3 - Renee J.: I've spent too much of my time here recently. They've taken too much blood. And have even seen more of me than I'd show even my dear, sweet beloved husband. 

Some people here are fantastic. Some are okay. I cannot say anyone was rude, or unkind in anyway. Getting tests done isn't fun & cause great anxiety for some people, even for a badass mama like myself.

I feel their organization is run smoothly and efficiently to waste as little time as possible. 

As for the physicians that request these tests, that is another Yelp review for another time. 

Good luck, and good health. Happy Yelping to you.

Baylor College of Medicine - Houston, TX (29.7107363, -95.3966045) (Medical Center)
5 - Ben M.: Baylor College of Medicine is a fantastic institution. It's among the nation's elite in research and medical education but is still very down-to-earth. I love everything about this place.
5 - Colin M.: I have visited Baylor College of Medicine a few times since moving to Houston.  Most recently, I have visited Dr. Marcelo F. Vela (Gastroenterologist) for a stomach issue that I had and had an outpatient procedure done.

Dr. Vela is a great doctor.  He spent plenty of time talking to me during the appointment and answering all of my questions.  He is very nice and very knowledgeable.  

I would highly recommend Dr Vela and Baylor College of Medicine!

Baylor College of Medicine Cafeteria - Houston, TX (29.7107363, -95.3966045) (Medical Center)
5 - Charlie L.: NOTE: review is on the Gumbo only.

I have had my share of gumbo in my life, but nothing has ever come close to the stuff I get at the Baylor College of Medicine Cafeteria. I know, I know, that seems like the oddest place you might find good food - at a cafeteria, a college one at that, but trust me, it's to die for. 

I worked at Baylor for just 6 months (it felt like eternity, really) - kinda like hell, and only a hair cooler in the mid summer Texas heat... but I was blessed with the gift of Friday gumbos. Even today, years after the trauma that is Baylor, when I go home to Houston, I always plan on being there on a Friday and driving the 20 some odd miles to the Texas Medical Center to purchase multiple quarts of gumbo. 

It's worth the effort, but a lot of effort it is... 

1) the gumbo is only served on Fridays
2) they almost always run out within the hour
3) here's the kicker - I'm not completely sure the cafeteria is open to the public

The last few times I can remember, I've had to sneak past the security guards. And I was caught once, and ended up having to drop a few names. 

I donno, may be the thrill is part of the attraction - it's possible that if you asked nicely, they will let you in. But, if you are an employee of the Texas Medical Center, you have no excuse! It's imperative- you MUST go and have the mythical gumbo.
4 - Jenelyn R.: From all the med center cafeterias that I have tried (been to many since I work in the TMC), I feel that the Luby's at Baylor Cafeteria is probably one of the best cafeterias to eat at around area.

I think Methodist across the street is excellent too BUT some dishes at Baylor are cheaper and just as good. Also, the Herman Memorial cafeteria sucks compared to Luby's. If you want fried food, greasy pizzas, and a mediocre salad & sandwich bar that's expensive, then go to Herman. If you want decent food that's not inflated in price, go to Luby's.

BTW Luby's has one of the best breakfasts! I love breakfast here. It's only till 10am though. I like getting the blueberry pancakes and breakfast tacos. The breakfast tacos come with freshly made salsas. YUMMY. My whole breakfast under $3.50.

Luby's has one of the best salad bars just for $.37 an ounce. They also offer soups, pasta/stir fry bar, pizza, calzones, chicken wings, build-your-own sandwich bar, a grill with specialty burgers (turkey, veggie, beef), dessert bar with different cheesecakes(oreo, keylime, strawberry), pies, ice cream, and cakes.  They offer freshy squeezed juices, and have a program called "healthy choice" where meals are prepared in certain portions which fit under a 500 calorie budget.

Anyways, luby's is great. It's clean and has a lot to offer. eat there. they have flat screen TVs for entertainment.
4 - Vanesa V.: Since I've been working at Baylor for over 3 yrs now I have definitely frequented this location. I've had good and bad experiences with this place, most are good though. 

I must say they have really good breakfast tacos for like $1.09. If you are super hungry one might not be enough for you.

As for lunch, it gets overly crowded during the lunch rush hour so I only come here when I don't feel like going far for a meal.  They have lots to choose from like pizzas, burgers, custom sandwiches, pasta bar or cajun bar (certain days), hot foods like fried chicken and such, a variety of soups and a pretty big salad bar.
4 - Peter T.: As a student here at Baylor, it's incredibly useful to have a cafeteria on campus, both for late breakfast runs and lunch. It does get incredibly crowded for lunch (especially between 11:50 and 12:30), so you'd have to get here pretty early or late to make sure you don't wait around in line for too long.

Lots of items on offer - a global cuisine bar that changes every week, pizzas, custom sandwiches (specials change every week too), a salad bar, and regular lunch items like meat loaf, chicken-fried steak, etc. that change daily. Prices are generally cheap for the quality of the food, and items are always warm. If it's too noisy you'll have to raise your voice for the kitchen staff to know what you've ordered.
3 - Mariah D.: This cafeteria meets the expectations I have for a college cafeteria. I go because I work at BCM and it's conveinent. But overall, it's overpriced food that's merely edible. And to clear up the confusion, no, this place is not supposed to be open to the public, but employees from other institutions (Methodist, Ben Taub and UT peeps mainly) come in and eat frequently without any trouble from security. 

The best part about this dining establishment in TMC is that you WILL NOT encounter sick patients. I know, that sounds terrible, but since this is located in a medical school and not a hospital, you won't be dining in what feels like an infermary. MD Anderson, anyone? 

I consider this a perk of being at BCM, but there are actually 2 nice outdoor courtyards nearby that I always enjoy my meals in. Currently, I'm the duchess and you're likely to find me in the small courtyard at the bottom of the stairs. Come over and say hi. :) If you're an inside eater, there is abundant seating inside and the trash cans are never overflowing and the floors are kept clean.

I've tried about everything they have to offer here, including their catering service. The salad bar is nice with a lot to pick from, but it adds up quick since they charge per ounce. The soups are always a safe bet and reasonably priced with my favorites being the seafood gumbo on Fridays and the chicken tortilla soup. The burger station is good when Tanya is working it. The Luby's portion is OK, but everything is oversalted and high in carbs and butter. The pizza is thick, greasy and gross. Even though it's pricey, I like the build your own stir fry or pasta station since it's hot, fresh, and filling. The breakfast offerings are good. The grits are a favorite in our office, and there are a lot of toppings from cheese to syrup and nuts to pick from.

Do be weary of what you're being charged. There are always daily specials that include sides and a drink, but occassionally the cashiers forget these specials and will overcharge you significantly. Know what you ordered and the advertised price and they'll make the adjustment.
3 - Nhan N.: The food is passable, and the service staff is friendly enough. If you forgot your lunch at home, eating here is better than going hungry...though it'll cost you. As reviewer Mariah D. notes, you especially have to watch charges at the register in case the cashiers forget you've purchased a meal "deal."

My biggest gripe is actually the lack of tall straws; they only supply standard-height bendy straws. Yeah, I said it. If you buy a large fountain drink, bystanders will watch in disgust as you orally assault your cup to get the last of your tall drink through a too-short straw. Not an earth-shattering problem, but I've resorted to getting extra straws from McDonald's, Sonic, etc., to bring with me.

Overall, it's decent cafeteria food.

Bazzaar - Atlanta, GA (33.7724866, -84.3849011) (Midtown)
4 - J. D.: One word for this trendy lounge in the haert of the city:  sexxy.  Located next to the Fox Theater, this intimate and stylish lounge attracts a very pretty and ultra trendy crowd.  Comfortable couches and nooks and crannies are scattered throughout this bilevel "loft."  If this places feels European, well its on purpose as the owners also operate Barounda up the street and they are consummate Italian hosts.  Bazzaar has a gourmet tasting menu with little plates stacked ever so delicately with bits of cheese and meats and seafood.  The music pumps from the sound system as the crowd hovers around the bar.  This is true nighlife drama and sophistication that is hard to find in Atlanta.
4 - Ginny N.: Not what I was expecting, it's much better!  
Located in downtown Atlanta right next to the Fox, I'm sure this place gets its share of out-of-towners.  It's trendy, but cozy, and the bartenders can definitely mix a good drink.


http://www.bazzaaratlanta.com/
2 - Stephanie S.: This place is so overrated and so overpriced and so not fun.

I could see maybe if you were going to the fabulous Fox to see a show, and needed someplace to have a cocktail or two before or after the show, this place would be great. I'm pretty sure that this is what they had in mind when they opened right next door to the Fox. It does a great job setting the mood for a glitzy night with the lush couches and drapes, and dim candle lights. However, the crowd here is in their late 20s and into their 30s. Mostly people wishing they had money trying to impress their friends by buying $12 drinks. You also get the gay crowd here, it is next to a show theater, and they are about the most interesting people you will find sipping on drinks inside this jazzy lounge.
2 - Nikki K.: I went to Bazaar once with some gay friends, and although I was in the majority, I wished I wasn't because I would much rather talk to a group of queens than the yuppie nerds surrounding us!

Everyone was around my age (late 20's, early 30's) but I felt really weird and uncomfortable around dudes that decided to wear a suit to a bar, and women who wore dresses just short of being prom-like.  That's not what you wear to a bar in my opinion!  Save that dress for your next sorority sister's wedding!  

I ended up leaving as soon as some dude in a suit started hitting on me, I was there for all of 30 minutes and I had to go- I have nothing in common with a suit, or bohunks wearing button down shirts with their chest hairs proudly displayed.  

But hey, if you like getting gussied up and spending time in a dark bar with super expensive drinks, and chatting with successful folks without a soul, go here.  The only way I will go back here is if I am seeing a show at The Fox, and I am surrounded by dirty kids in hoodies.  I refuse to grow up if that is my fate!
1 - Xanna D.: We stopped by on our way to see Kathy Griffin at The Fox next door. We'd called 2 hours before for a reservation and were told they were only accepting walk-ins at that point. Fine. We walked in. We were seated. We were already sharing a couch with another party when the hostess came over and said we'd have to give up our table in about 10 or 15 minutes. We were shocked. We'd heard this place could be a bit rude, but we had an open tab and a plate of food still in front of us! About 5 minutes later the waitress brought us the check. We were forced to give up our table after only 40 minutes. I followed the waitress downstairs in order to get another glass of wine--yes, I had to go to her for I was now table-less. Then a homeless man, strangely crouched over, entered and craftily negotiated the crowd looking for scraps or cash left on the low table tops. Even when the bus boy tried to push him out, he persisted. Once outside, he sat on the ledge of the entrance and panhandled for a few minutes. I sorta felt a kinship with him: maybe he'd merely been kicked out his table, too? Yes, "bazzar" indeed.
4 - Andre S.: Now this place is right up my alley!  This lounge is a refreshing bazaar of good house music, drinks, and a good dose of trendiness Atlanta needs.

I definitely feel like a sophisticated adult when I hang out here!  

Bonus points for them, they validate parking for 2 hours when you park at the parking lot across the street at the Georgian.
3 - Falicia G.: I like Bazaar simply because of the people watching.  It's great to watch people stroll by through the large glass windows.  Or to watch the cool cats try to pick up chicks at the bar. 

The drinks are a little pricey and the waitstaff can be a little snobby but a good time is always had with good friends around.  So take some people with good energy!
4 - Kaitlin L.: Last Saturday night we had tickets to a show at the Fox.  Instead of making reservations - we figured we would wing it and find somewhere to have some light apps and some drinks.  I thought being right next to the Fox on a Saturday night this place would be packed, but I was wrong. 

We walked in and were greeted a little snobbily (is that a word!) by the hostess who did not like that we didn't have reservations - but we just made our way over to the completely empty bar.  I enjoyed an over-priced french martini - although it was very good.  And we ordered some appetizers.  I'm glad we did not bring our appetite - since their menu consisted of about 8 small plates.  

But it ended up being perfect for what we wanted.  Not very crowded at all and a nice start to the evening.
4 - Sash S.: I like Bazzaar.  It's right in Midtown, a funky and casual vibe.  Cool to hit with the girls before the main event just for cocktails and maybe an appetizer or dessert.  Lots of "fun" boys...if ya know what I mean.  (Be careful ladies because some of them are still trapped in of the closet".  The DJ's have always been good and it's a perfect before the Fox spot. That owner / manager can get really fabulous at times, but he tones down nicely when checked. :-)
3 - Min Y.: This place is interesting and has a good atmosphere but it can be a little snobby at times.  The waitstaff is decent but sometimes slow moving.  The crowd can be both interesting or pretentious, depending on when you go.  It's really a crapshoot sometimes but let's just say one time I walked out of the bathroom and some d-bag told me to wear a tie with my shirt next time.  Yeah...

Nevertheless, the layout is cool and they have really nice places to sit and eat.  Definitely a big time gay crowd but there are also a lot of single straight people here.  Slightly older crowd as well.  The music is definitely house/techno which is hit or miss depending on the DJ.  There is no "dance floor" but just a common area where people just kinda move around.  Watching people try to dance to house/techno is also very fun.
2 - Layla G.: I don't get it.  I just don't get it.

Don't like the crowd, don't like the music.  Why do I always end up on the second floor when I would SWEAR they are not paying their A/C bill?  Bartenders have always been a little cold.  Maybe it's because they cram 500 people into a 500 square foot place and leave one bartender to fend for themselves.

Now, the drag show on Wednesday nights (are they still doing that) is quite fun!  

Bottom line - Bazzaar is so Bazzaar
3 - Kristine M.: Ehhh.  A little pretentious with no real reason to be.  Not unlike certain people.
 
The sofa areas are off-limits unless you are someone special, and on the right list, and even then, your party must be of the proper size to make it worth the bother.  
 
I've had better drinks for the price, the food menu was uninteresting, and the 80's music was all Prince.  What?  No New Order or Erasure or Alphaville?  The nerve!
 
To sum up:  It's there.
5 - adam h.: Never had a bad time here. It's a great spot for locals in midtown. Crowd has lot of regulars who live near by. It's usually full of  friendly and familiar faces. 

Can get a weird vibe when they get a lot of overflow crowd from the Fox Theatre, depending on the show. Music really depends on whose spinning that night. Staff is always friendly and fun.
4 - Joel C.: Still love this place!  After dinner and before the Kathy Griffin show we stopped here for a few drinks.  Again my favorite drink is the fresh homemade orangina with vodka!  It was definitely a great night to go since I ran into so many people I knew but haven't seen in forever.  Reminded me a bit like Pride weekend, ha!
5 - Nicholas b.: Recently attended a political event here, and was reminded of why I am such a fan of this spot.  Ive always been a fan of the warm management, ownership and swift bar staff.

Most of my time at Bazaar has been spent for parties and group gatherings.  The staff has always been more than accommodating to assist in the organization and planning down to small details.  The upstairs offers perfect  space and amenities for larger parties... its not secluded from the rest of the happenings in the lounge, yet is fairly private at the same time.

I already have two dates book for future birthdays coming up in the next few months.  Also great for pre or post theater drinks if your heading to the Fox.
4 - David K.: Last night there was a meet and greet for Taylor Dayne here before her performance in the Egyptian Ballroom at the Fox.  It had been a few months since my last visit and it left me wondering why I hadn't been back sooner.  I really like coming here.

The bartenders are very friendly and there is usually a really fun crowd.  I agree with some of my fellow Yelpers that it's a little more expensive than it should be, but the place is upscale enough to make it seem worth the money.
3 - Patricia Q.: O.K. so bazzaar on Wednesday night is a completely different Bazzaar. The staff is the same (which is always great), but the crowd is different, and the crowd s definitely much more fun.

First of all, people don't dance on the other nights. I have a feeling that this is because the place is so small and the vibe is more of a let's drink and chat and mingle, but I don't like it, and I love drinking and chatting and mingling . . .I can't put my finger on it.

The drinks that have alcohol in them are reasonably priced. . . it is the water that is too freaking expensive. eight dollars for a bottle of water . . . come on . . .when did water become more expensive than two beers or a mixed drink?!?!?!

So, this review is a little discombobulated, and I feel that I need to sum up my views in a few sentences:

1. Wednesday nights are amazing! the crowd is great; there is a little dancing and a little drinking and a lot of clowning! Downside: there is a cover.

2. Friday night was so so. There was no dancing, a lot of drinking (eight dollar water, geesh), and a lot of mingling, but it just did not tickle my fancy. Another thing: I was one of three black people the Friday night that I went, and although I am comfortable in most racial situations, this might have had something to do with why I didn't enjoy myself as much as I though I should have.

3. Bring money for parking. If you do what I do and park at the hotel, you will have to pay about two bucks an hour . . . so don't make the same mistake I did and bring some cash or, better yet, take MARTA if you can.
4 - Heather I.: Attended a private birthday party here and Bazzaar was VERY accomodating!  The space was cozy yet had room for the party to move around so you weren't stuck in a little booth the entire time.  I was DD'ing that night so I didn't really get to try any of their drinks but my husband had the "best amaretto sour he's ever had" and that's quite a compliment!  This may be a con for some people but I did enjoy the fact that you could still smoke in there...so that was nice not having to run outside everytime you wanted to light up.  OH and this place is definitely going on the "Guacamole A-Go-Go" list because they had some KILLER guacamole!!!  Chunky, full of flavor from the cilantro and lime juice, and a good size portion to share!  We will definitely be back again soon for a date night!
1 - Michael H.: So I absolutely loved this place until I experienced their bottle "service" recently.

The music was always cool, but I kept noticing every Friday they played the exact same shit in diferent order. I guess the DJ presumed a different crowd each week but minor detail...it was the shit to hear Robin S "Show Me Love" guaranteed each time.

So, anywho, bottle service disaster.  I get there at 11, before the rest of my group, and inform the door guy I had a table reserved under my name. He looked at me and flat out said "no, you don't, we're completely full."  Excuse me?  I just spoke to your manager about my choice of liquor, gave him my card number, etc.  So he told me to step aside and wait. .... OH and he charged me a cover.  Seriously?

I stood there for five minutes and had to stop him again and remind him I had a table.  Somewhere the light went off and he called some other manager guy and they FINALLY escorted me upstairs.

Earlier in the evening when I spoke to the guy, I asked if we all could pay on separate cards, they said no but cash was fine, of course.  There was absolutely no mention of needing to bring my credit card (after all I gave him the # on the phone, too) to pay up front to make sure the tab was covered. I get that, I mean just tell me what to do before I get there.

Anywho, had to walk back home (luckily I lived close at the time), get the card. I had BARELY enough money on it to cover the whole bottle myself combined with my cash (friends still haven't arrived).  So he takes it, runs it and it doesn't go through...why?  He added gratuity and didn't tell me that was going to be done up front. Again, duh I get you add it and it's necessary, just TELL ME!  So he comes back and was super super rude about it and then left me sitting there waiting at an empty table with a PACKED club watching on and making side comments in an attempt of humor.

I was livid. My server had to apologize and even had to tell her manager to not be so rude. Sad when that happens.  Manager never apologized.

My friends show up. I asked my server if they needed to mention my name at the door or what, she said she'd take care of it and let them know.  My friends walk to the door and are told to go wait in line.  What? The server had to go get them out of line herself.  Lame.  Later, another friend showed up to complete the table and he was even forced to wait after the server let them know at the door.  Seriously?  She had to go pull him out of line, too.

Once we got the tab shit fixed it was on with our Maker's Mark and we had a blast.  The Bazzaar I know and loved.

But really, all of this could have been avoided with proper communication from management on the table process.  That's all it took was a "bring this to cover this etc" e-mail or something.  I would've planned accordingly, had money to cover it, what not.  And don't be an ass because you didn't communicate with me properly.

I haven't been back since.  Coupled with the fact that it'd be a loooooooooong 18 block walk and the table service disaster, I really don't want to give them my business.
3 - duane m.: I went here YEARS ago with a friend and couldn't get in because I was wearing shorts. Then, said friend got us in because she knew the manager. I have to say, it was a LOL moment every time we looked over at the mean door guy; it was hard not to "nana na boo boo" him and stick out my tongue for being so ridiculous. I mean... not wearing shorts... in JULY... in HOTlanta? Whatever. 

Cut to this year...

I hadn't really had any desire to hit this spot again mostly because of its location; RIGHT next door to the Fox, and no parking to be seen (typical Midtown). However, the fabulous Lady GaGa was supposed to be making an appearance, and I HAD to see that show, so I went. I went early to get a great spot, and managed to be right in the front. The show was AMAZING, and I was so glad that I went back to this swanky little bar. However... I do have a few notes that really pertain more to the clientele than the bar, so here are a few reasons that it would take someone like Lady GaGa to get me back in the door:
1) this place really reminded me of everything that I was over 6 or 7 years ago with the Atlanta gay scene; everyone's dressed to the nines, and everyone just seems to be trying to one up everyone else. It is a cold environment, and I am glad I "settled" down and got out of that scene. It's funny how things never change.
2) SEVERAL of the people that were there were just completely rude. There were at least 3 people that thought they had the right to just come stand directly in front of me (I was at the edge of the crowd, right at the "stage"). Well, I'm 6'1", so if you want to bring it, I can serve that dish right back atcha buddy; I came and waited like those around me, so shove off to the back. I couldn't believe how ridiculous some of those people were.
3) overall, I didn't like the vibe; again, too ritzy for my taste. Perhaps I've been "dive bar"-ing it for too long, but I definitely prefer a friendlier environment than this place was. 

All in all, the space is nice, and VERY small, and you have to park several blocks away if you don't want to pay. The drinks were decently priced, but leaned more towards the high end; also, it was pretty tough to secure one, since there were very few bartenders to deal with the massive crowd. I had a fantastic night seeing Lady GaGa, and I know that if I wanted to see someone else perform there, I just need to get there early, and have a few cocktails before I arrive to deal with the crowd. Otherwise... all is kinda good if that's your scene, but for me, I've just moved on. Maybe I'm just getting old...
4 - Katie S.: I've been coming here for years and it's very consistent in what you're going to get.  There is a door guy and they will check your ID and they do have a basic dress code, no shorts no flip flops, etc.  The bar on the main floor is always open, but the bar upstairs is open only if it's busy enough.  The drinks are always good and priced in normal midtown fashion (kinda pricey).  They have a DJ every Thursday night and then also some special acts on other nights, I believe they announce those on their website.  They have a decent late night menu, I think they serve till 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.  The food is good and it comes out pretty quickly.  It's good fare for sharing with your friends, such as quesadillas, guacamole, grilled chicken on sticks (really!).
I recommend coming to this location earlier in the evening and when there is not a show at the Fox because you are more likely to get free parking on the one way portion of Ponce right next to the BellSouth building.  Otherwise, you are going to pay for parking and it will be EXPENSIVE.  If you are stuck having to pay for parking, try to carpool.  I also like coming earlier and leaving before it gets really busy because you can smoke here and later in the evening it gets super smoky and you're going to stink of smoke if you stick around too long.
1 - Mary T.: I went with friends for after-show drinks.  We sat down at a table in the front, had our order taken, and then 10 minutes later were told we'd have to move in a few minutes because the table was reserved.  I feel like we should have been told before we placed drink orders or that the table shold have been marked "reserved."  Ordered hummus, which comes with pita and is pretty good, but needed a vegetable to accommodate a friend who has celiac disease (gluten allergy).  After 4 different servers came to the table to see what it was we were looking for again?  (A Vegetable.  Any vegetable.) we finally got some pepper strips.  Fine.  It was just a strange experience, very unwelcoming staff.
3 - Juli H.: A friend took me to Bazzaar Friday night.  I like the interior design.  A Persian ambience.  Interesting light fixtures, scarlet velvet draperies, light and dark wood paneling, and wood carved small tables between pairs of chairs along the windows facing the street.  We had a beer while seated in the comfortable armchairs along the windows.  It was early, so not crowded.  The DJ was spinning some good music.  Upstairs is another bar with table seating that's very cozy.  I like that there are bathrooms upstairs and downstairs.
4 - Katrina D.: It is saddening to me that I can not giving Bazaar 5 stars...  It has been one of my favorite evening spots since 2007.  The ambience is fab and reminds me of being in Germany (I have been going to Germany since I was a baby as my mother is German).  I always tell people it is comparable to a "European Cafe."

There are booths upstairs while the downstairs is decorated with sofas and love seats to sit and relax with a cocktail in.  It is very romantic.  Many of the staff there are good looking Europeans, and combined with their sexy accent, you cannot help but be intrigued.  

The music is great too.

The reason I could not give it 5, however, is my last experience there.  My girlfriend and I were going to a Death Cab for Cutie at the Fox (which is conveniently located across the street).  We ordered a bottle of wine and a plate of hummus.  While the hummus was good, the chips that were served with it seemed like they were out of a "Pita Chip" bag... And not even the gourmet kind but rather the Lay's brand.  I was very disappointed because, with previous experiences, they had served Pita Bread, not nasty chips that I cringed to eat (it is hard to eat hummus with your hands though!!).

So, to conclude, I will still be going there.  Next time, though, I most likely won't be getting in my legumes... Or chips out of a bag for that matter.
1 - angela y.: This could be a really cool place but, in my opinion they need the following::

1- A maître'd with a personality and a CLUE
2- Better seating.
3- Cheaper prices.

When I arrived and grabbed a seat, I asked the maître'd if he would recommend a drink? He replied ....Ummm I don't drink.  (( okay, didn't ask u that ...i asked if u could recommend a drink)).

Then I ordered a guacamole and chips...and its was soooo bland. I've had far better (and FRESHER) guacamole from Publix!

The high point was their pineapple martini...now THAT was tasty BUT at $11...far too pricey and not worth $11 bucks.

NOPE...not going back. If i wasn't meeting people here I would have got up and left (( Like I saw many other people do)).
5 - Andrew W.: Sad to say, Bazzaar is no more : (

Word on the street is that they will be opening up with a new name called "Public" in early September with more focus on food. In recent years, Bazzaar has strayed away from their food focus and moved to a music/DJ focus, bringing in Atlanta's top DJ's as well as some bigger names. 

RIP Bazzaar, you were always so good to me. ; )

Bb&t - Chapel Hill, NC (35.914868, -79.05461) ()
4 - Harry P.: Some banks can really suck, but BB&T isn't bad. Their online service is really good and they have the "take a picture to make a deposit" thing on their iPhone app, so that's pretty cool.

Sometimes you need to talk to someone in real life and deposit a check for whatever reason, so its nice that BB&T has several branches in Chapel Hill. The drive-thru has lollipops in this branch which is nice for the kids. Reminds me of when I was a kid going to the bank. Good time.
4 - Steven W.: This specific location has been a blessing.  They helped when my card was stolen, refunded everything, helped me in situations when I needed great customer service.  Everyone is friendly and everyone seems to know what they are doing, the managers are awesome and the bank in general has been good to me ever since I joined up, had a few hiccups here and there with the 1-800 number, but the overall experience at this branch has been wonderful.

Bc Smoke Shop - Austin, TX (30.282855, -97.7418312) (The Drag, University of Texas)
5 - Chester W.: Just opened 3 months ago and is already by far the BEST head/smoke shop in Austin!  

Specializing in glass - featuring a wonderful selection of both hand blown, high-end works of art and also more modest pieces.  BC also has an awesomely chill and friendly owner.

Located at 20th & Guadalupe on the side street between Darque Tan & Schlotzskys.
5 - Arielle F.: Some excellent examples of local art glass can be found in this tiny little shop. Clearly a re purposed shed, BC Smoke Shop is a pretty neat place, ably staffed by a suitable know-it-all who cheerfully showed us the newest devices and answered all our questions. What a pal. 

The glass here is impressive, and I am admittedly hard to impress. With a large variety of styles, colors and prices I really could have walked out of BC with an armful of stuff, but was reined in by a trusty friend with more sense than I. So overall, BC blows places like the Gas Pipe and Pipes Plus out of the water, and I shall return to it for all my glass needs.
5 - jenelle d.: i.love.this.place. 

the guys is super knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. 

plus, i got a free pen. sweeet.
4 - Ashley C.: The people here are super nice and informative. They have really cute items but be prepared to pay through the nose since most of them are by local artists. They have a vast selection of bowls and pipes that are especially nice. The cheapest pipe I saw there was 60$ iirc, but it was absolutely adorable.

They are just as nice to female customers as they are to males, unlike many other smoke shops.
5 - Justin W.: It's pretty new on the scene but this already seems to be one of the best headshops in town.    I would say about 80% of the glass is locally produced, and they have some very high quality work.  They have an impressive selection of high quality pipes in all sizes, including very expensive "head pieces" in the $1-2K range.  They do not have much in the way of "cheap" glass, so if you are looking for throwaway pieces you can probably find something cheaper at planet k / gas pipe.  They had a fair selection of nice/pricey glass tubes from brands like phx.  A very large variety of glass-on-glass slides ranging from simple to super elaborate.  They also have a full selection of GoG replacement hardware,  vapor brothers and volcano vaporizers, and what looked to be the full range of volcano replacement parts.

The sticker prices on most of the glass are pretty high, but the staff seems to be happy to make deals if you know what the merchandise is worth.  The staff is super cool - we hung out for 30-40 minutes talking to the guy behind the counter about glass.  Very knowledgeable and friendly.  He gave us some free lighters and even a t-shirt.  I will be back here next time I want to blow a lot of cash on a really nice pipe.  Fun fact: the shop's location used to be "System 7" records back in the 90s, one of the original "techno" record shops in Austin.
5 - Matthew O.: Wouldn't go anywhere else! Love the guys at BC friendly and have the best in local glass anywhere in Austin!
5 - Nikki G.: Really friendly staff, sick glass, lots of nice items in general to be found here. I heart BC.
5 - Kelly P.: What a beautiful shop! Mostly locally made items. A range in prices on grinders too which I was glad to see.

I felt very welcome and loved the look and feel of the shop. Highly recommended, wish we had one in Philly!

ps thanks for the free pens!
5 - Brian S.: Great selection, very friendly guy working, and they don't try to rip you off.

They also DO NOT have an overwhelming stock of doofy t-shirts, stanky incense, ceramic troll dolls, and raunchy gag gifts like most head shops, thus representing the people who shop here in a less stereotypical light. 

They mean business and I like that.
5 - Hunter T.: What others have said about the atmosphere of the store and the quality of the pieces is dead on: it feels closer to a glass collection in a good sized art museum than it does Planet K. Really good looking stuff, and hardy, too: three weeks into possession and two drops to tile from standing height later, my investment retains its integrity. Very friendly but unobtrusive service (the latter as important as the former).  You do pay a bit more, but this is quality product, and there're cheaper pieces to your right as you enter.

Best smoke shop I've been to.
5 - Joey J.: The Best. You'd have to travel to SoCal to find a comparable shop. I miss taking the weekly stroll to droll @ the constantly evolving cases of glass. Oh yeah, what head shop other than BC will pour you up bottled water in their tubes and bubblers to let you dry rip em? No one. They want you to be an educated buyer who's investing in artwork that works to a scientific degree. They are genuinely good people as well. There is not a single shop in town that comes anywhere close to keeping it as classy and genuinely positive vibe wise as BC. Support BC for they aren't slightest bit sleazy or pushy, rather they are respectful gents who have a passion for exhibiting high end glass all day until your ready to add to your collection or start one. Also BC does respect the smoking ordinance and will never smoke tobacco inside.  Anyhow, big up to BC.
2 - Emily A.: Sure, the people are super nice there and most of the guys are pretty attractive as well but I feel like I could get more for my money. The pieces there are so expensive mostly due to their intricate designs. Because they are so intricate they are also very fragile and break easily, and one drop is all it takes. Also, I purchased a piece from Planet K that was only $30 then saw the same one at BC for $65...
4 - Marybeth B.: Unfortunately I have to knock off a star because I haven't always experienced this stellar level of customer service that everybody else describes. 

I went in to buy a cleanser and the guy could not have been less interested in answering my questions about the products. I was lucky to get a few grunts out of him. Thankfully there was a customer in there who had used the Stinger brand cleanser and said it worked for her (it ended up working for me too!). I don't really expect employees to know every single thing about each item but I do appreciate to be spoken to in full sentences (or hell, even just words would be great). 

Aside from that one unfortunate interaction, everything else has been great. I miss the Glassy Knoll but BC has nice pieces so it eases the sting a bit. It's also fun to look at all of the ridiculously expensive, intricate "water pipes."
5 - Eddie G.: The employees are very nice and chill even when it gets busy. Their glass gallery is unbelievable. Every showcase houses hundreds of hand blown pieces that I would be proud to own and at prices that beat most online suppliers. I recently purchased a lovely jar from these folks in which to store my fine smokables and it was $5 cheaper than the online base price which doesn't yet include tax and S&H. BC is definitely the dank!
1 - Joey W.: This place sucks, they can't even ship anything. All purchases have to be made in store. That's BS! Plus the guy on the phone wasn't even that knowledgable on what I was asking about. Pipe and bong are 2 different things idiot!!!
5 - Jenna H.: When I walked in the first thing I thought was this is a tiny space! I immediately didn't think i'd find much especially since there were like 4 other groups stuffed in there. I started looking anyways because I wanted a really nice pipe and know BC has some great stuff.
The guy at the counter was super nice answered all my questions and probably took out close to 20 pipes for me to look at and was very patient. (I am picky when it comes to high quality glass)
I ended up spending a pretty penny but have the most beautiful and durable pipe on the market so it's all worth it.
3 - Sunnie L.: Really nice, super clean place. You can tell the owner really cares about quality glass. Also one of the guys that works there is always nice and very helpful. Unfortunately there's some punk kid that works there as well who blares annoying music and sits there texting at the counter the whole time. Also I've done my research and have found the same exact pieces elsewhere for $10-$30 less. They need more affordable items mixed in there as to appeal to everyone.
5 - Kallan F.: The first time I walked into BC, everyone behind the counter was very informative and polite. Every piece that I have bought from there is high quality glass! In the three years that I have owned all my (6) pieces none have chipped, cracked and they have taken many, many falls. BC is a wonderful company and I support them 100%. They have gone out of their way to bring beautiful, unique pieces of art to Austin and Houston. Anytime I need/want a piece, I always go here first!

Bc Surf + Sport - Seattle, WA (47.6617191, -122.3131112) (University District)
5 - Kevin M.: Excellent shop, cool staff.
5 - Red B.: So I had no idea this was on the Ave! Finally, a store for guys that I can definitely foresee myself spending a lot of time and money in. Like a cross between Zumiez, Pacsun and Billabong, this store carries brands that a lot of guys like myself love (RVCA, Diamond, Casual Industrees, etc), they carry the latest Penny boards, and they have a professional staff of skaters/surfers that are fun and helpful. 

I was in a rush on my way home from dinner when I saw this on the Ave and just had to walk. Didn't get to spend as much time looking around as I would have liked, but I loved what I saw and will definitely be going back quite often.

Bcr Real Estate - Blacksburg, VA (37.2299999, -80.41) ()
1 - Jessica W.: I have lived in BCR apartments in Radford for 4 years. The first two years I lived in a 5-bedroom with four female roommates and the next two years, I lived with my husband in a 2-bedroom. Two times my car has been towed out of BCR parking lot and when I had the tow company call BCR to verify the car belonged to me, BCR refused to verify. The tow company's actual words were, "If BCR tells us to release the car to you, we can do so without charging you. It's just their decision." BCR stated that it was my fault for not displaying my parking pass properly regardless of the fact that I was a resident and refused to allow the tow company to release my car. 

When my husband and I rented the 2-bedroom apartment, we moved in 2 days after we got married. It was just the two of us and one dog. I cleaned the apartment reguarly, we both worked full time and we never had parties. We were quality tenents and when it was time for us to move out, the apartment was rented with the first couple that came through to view it. I kept it in pristine condition. Recently we receieved our 45-day deposite statement back and rather than receiving any of our security deposit back (By the way, we rented a professional carpet cleaner to clean the apartment before we moved out and our dog was kept in a crate during the day when we weren't home), BCR informed us that we OWED over $100 more (in addition to them keeping over $600 in our security deposit). 

DO NOT RENT WITH BCR. They will take your money at any opportunity.Their lease is written obviously in their favor and they make SURE you don't get any of your security deposit back, regardless of how clean your apartment is when you move out. They will NOT hesitate to get your car towed, they will charge you for every single mark you leave in the apartment (for example, of the reasons they stated was "spider webs in corner of ceiling). 

DO NOT RENT WITH BCR. Go with Bondourant or Price-Williams. FIND ANYONE ELSE. They will leave you, not only penniless, but OWING them money as well. Don't allow yourself to be taken advange of

DON'T BELIEVE ME? Google "Don't rent from BCR Radford, Virginia" and read their other reviews fom yellowpages.com, apartmentreview.com THEY ARE TERRIBLE TO RENT FROM.
1 - Caitlin I.: BCR is a scam realty company. They are completely unprofessional, and treat their customers like trash. They find any and every way to take every last penny of your security deposit, and then some. I rented with BCR for 3 years, and each year is got progressively worse. There was never ANY parking available, and I lived in 2 different buildings, in different location during the 3 years...NO PARKING EVER. Also, BCR will randomly have your car towed, even though you display their sticker...still tows. When you tell them you were wrongfully towed, they blame you and won't release your car! SCAM!! When I moved out of all of my apartments with BCR they charged ABSURD amounts of money to fix things, its robbery. They charged to remove insects in my apartment, which for one there were NO insects left in the apartment. I cleaned it from top to bottom, three times! Also when I moved into all my BCR apartment the cabinets and drawers were full of dead cockroaches and fly, the carpet wreaked like urine, the walls mold covered ...DISGUSTING. Also, if you have anything that needs to be fixed...don't plan on it happening. And, the ovens and dryer DON'T WORK. It took us half a year to have a dryer fixed in one apartment. My utility bill was out the roof the amount of times I had to dry clothes because BCR refused to come fix it. They even go as far to LIE to you about what they have and have not fixed in the apartment...they act like their customers are completely stupid! I have to clean, but BCR doesn't!  I along with my roommates contacted BCR for 2 months to come and remove the BLACK MOLD infesting our apartment. After the 2 months of badgering they finally came, and sprayed Clorox on the mold and left. I COULD HAVE DONE THAT!?! Oh and don't plan on complaining to management they really don't care at all. They have one property manager Monica that is a delight to deal with, she is the only positive aspect of the company...and I mean the only thing! Their other manager Hanna, is rude, presumptuous, accusing, mean, and flat out the worst person I have ever had to deal with in any places I have ever rented. DO NOT EVER RENT WITH BCR. You are in for a terror of an experience!

Bea One - Lafayette, IN (40.4182041, -86.8951997) ()
3 - woofgang q.: good, but overpriced in my opinion.
4 - Gail A.: I was a bit skeptical about this place (sushi in Indiana???).  Very skeptical actually.  It's just that I am pretty spoiled when it comes to Asian food, and sushi especially, having lived in Seattle for so long.  Working in Chinatown allowed me to regularly have some of the best Asian fare you can get.  I am also suspicious of a place that serves Korean, Japanese and Thai dishes, while toting itself as a Korean Barbecue.  Thank goodness these were not indicators of the place as a whole, as I was very happy with our meal.  

The vegetable potstickers were excellent (Beef version also available).  Crunchy and flavorful, we were fighting over the last one.  

Miso soup was great - good strong broth without too much tofu or mushrooms to distract.  

We ordered three rolls to share - spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, and the "Canadian" (smoked salmon, crab, avocado and cream cheese).  The fish was about as fresh as you could expect for Indiana.  I have no high expectations there, but a good roll can mask the lack of freshness.  They were good, overall.  Not fantastic - nothing unique, but good and edible.  I truly enjoyed it, and left the place with a full tummy.  

We'll be back - can't wait to try the Bulgogi and crab wontons!
5 - Amy J.: Sushi in Indiana... Hmm... Okay, let's go!
We had a reservation for a Friday night, around 6:30pm for a party of 9. 
No problem. We were seated and greeted right away. We got everything we asked for and our servers were very nice. One girl was training, so we had 2 servers. 

A few of us shared a bunch of rolls and sushi, and all of them were really good. I loved the Spicy Salmon topped w/spicy salmon-um, yes it was SPICY and good. We had some crazy spider roll that was really good, too. 
A few of the others really liked the BEA ONE roll.

One guy loved his surf and turf, but some of the others who had "dinners" were not as pleased with their dishes. Coconut curry was average to below avg. 

The prices are a bit high (about $11-13 for sushi rolls- but they're pretty big so you can actually order less). 

Well, if for some reason you're in Lafayette and you want sushi, you should give this place a try ! I like it better than Kokoro.
2 - Kevin C.: When I was a student at Purdue my girlfriend and I used to come here for the ohhh so tasty and affordable lunch specials.  That was a little over three years ago and I can see much has changed for Bea One.  My girlfriend and I decided to revisit this place over Memorial Day weekend and were quite disappointed.

Let me start off by saying that I was expecting good things from this little restaurant.  I made the reservations earlier in the day with an ever disinterested and uninformative maitre'd.  When we arrived they attempted to sit us in a aisle way with heavy foot traffic even though the place had plenty of room.  We were able to defer and settle into a nice corner spot away from all the foot traffic and noise.  Being an 70-75 degree day outside I would have expected the AC to be on.  Not here, we had to sit in the stuffy restaurant while they saved a few dollars on their electricity bill.

The server seemed friendly enough when we talked to him but quickly realized that was where his skills ended.  We attempted to order some Sangria but it appeared that they were in a transition of opening up another bar/lounge across the street and were out of the majority of their bar.  That would have been nice to know before sitting down!  After we ordered our food it took 25 minutes to come out!  Ive never  been to a sushi restaurant that took this long to make a few nigiri and some rolls.  During this time we were able to take in the ambiance of this restaurant and during this assessment came to the conclusion that it was dreary, dark, and generic.  In other words the ambiance was boring and uninspired.  The quality of our food after the long wait was sub-par at best and the food was quite overpriced for the location.  

In essence, I am ready to walk away from Bea One once and for all, turn a new leaf and venture out to other pastures.  They consistently disappointed throughout the whole visit from there poor service, sub-par quality fish, and high prices.  One tidbit of advice for Bea One, more fish and less rice in the rolls.........
5 - Jean K.: I'm from NYC. I'm not a much metropolitan person myself, but because of my sister's expansive taste, I've had chances to go to Morimoto, Masa, Nobu, and many other sushi places. You think these places would have the best sushi out there right? Since NYC is The City of the World? WRONG! 

I've lived in Lafayette for couple years and Bea One was my favorite Sushi place to go to. I recently moved back to NY, and I've been having such a hard time finding sushi places that would satisfy my taste buds.

I didn't notice how great their sushi was until now. 

I don't know... I mean honestly their presentation can be better, the rolls can be more elaborate since they seem pretty adventurous with their menu. But I have to say... their sushi is the best sushi I've ever had. I'm still trying to disprove myself by trying different sushi places here, but it hasn't been successful. I don't know... is it their rice? sauce? 

OH yea. Try their Kalbi. I lick to the bone whenever I get Kalbi.

Gosh. I can't wait to go back to Bea One. 

Note: 
sometimes their service may be a little slower than you think. 
order a bottle of sake. then you should be good to go. 
oh! and a company of course!
5 - Tiffany P.: Bea One earns another star for their fantastic customer service.  They treat their customers like family, and they are very responsive to both negative and positive feedback.  Their willingness to please and improve is like no other restaurant I have ever visited.  The fact that they listen to and learn from constructive criticism has made their food that much better.  

My recommendations:
1. Wildnerness Roll
2. Black Dragon Roll
3. Millenium Roll
4. Disco Roll
5. Spider Lover Roll

Also, any martini is probably delicious, so just go for it.
4 - Lorne G.: Date I Ate:  Multiple

The Bea One Roll is the one that opened my eyes to how good sushi could actually be. I'm not a fan of the raw-fish stuff and you'll notice that theme as I list the rolls I eat across the country. 

The Bea One Roll has crab, avocado, and cream cheese rolled in the sushi rice, tempura battered and deep fried - yum! I had one just last week and it was a little over done, but still a winner. After many months of traveling around the country trying different sushi rolls, this is still one of my favorites. 

Bea One itself is a Korean fusion restaurant with an eclectic menu outside of their sushi-bar items. There's also a full bar. Great place for a date. 

Their sushi roll selection is very good and moderately priced. 

We're lucky to have several good sushi choices in Lafayette and Bea One is in the top three in my opinion.
4 - John T.: Stopped by for a late dinner with a friend tonight, and everything was delicious.  We had two Spyder rolls, the Canadian roll, a Bizzy roll and the Ecuador roll, along with some salmon, yellowtail, snapper and ebi nigiri.  Among the five or so places I've tried sushi in the last few months, Bea One takes the cake.  Plus the kitchen is open until midnight Thu-Sat.  Well done!
2 - Adam W.: The initial impression of the restaurant was poor. The place was too dark and mostly empty. The sushi chef is standing there doing nothing as you walk in. We just stood and waited to be seated and he just stood there behind his counter.

So when we were finally seated by a greasy-looking guy who reeked of cigarette smoke, I had to ask him to move the table so there was enough room to sit between the next table. Then when he left I noticed the table had been wiped but was still disgusting. Drink rings, sticky marks that *almost* got cleaned. Yuck. Not only that, my wife's soy sauce dish had a bit of food crusted to it. Very gross so far. 

We were not interested in sushi so we ordered from the regular menu. The menu is small. Maybe 12 main entrees. I wasn't excited about anything and it came down to just picking something. I went with some beef bibimbap. My wife ordered the beef fukiyaki. We also got some chicken dumplings as an appetizer. 

The app came quickly and it was good. You get 4 dumplings for $4. They give you a ginger sesame sauce to dip. We enjoyed this.

The bibimbap ($11) was an extremely hot stone-like bowl with rice in the bottom and a bunch of vegetables and mushrooms and a tiny bit of meat topped with an egg cooked over-easy sitting on top. Was wayyy too hot to eat. So I mixed the stuff around, but it continued to sizzle for about 10 minutes. Eventually all the rice got burned. If that's what it's supposed to be like then fine, but as the meal went on I enjoyed it less and less. My wife doesn't like runny eggs, so I had to take that off so we could share. The mushrooms were very strong and there was a lot of them. The sauce they give to put on top was nice and spicy and it definitely made the dish. 

The beef fukiyaki ($11) was like a very strong beef broth with a good amount of beef in it and these translucent noodles. It was served in a big steel bowl. We did not like the texture of the noodles. The rest of the soup was decent, but overpoweringly beefy. Had some cabbage and other stuff in there. Not much spice in this dish. 

Overall I wasn't impressed with anything at this place and I probably won't be going back.

Our carryout container for the beef fukiyaki leaked last night in our fridge as well, so not only did we get a so-so meal last night, but now I get a chore today.
4 - Meg M.: Here's the thing, the atmosphere is a little silly. I reminds me of a do-it-yourself design idea gone bad. But the food is great!

The service is very good, but it takes awhile for the food to come out, so plan to come here on an evening when you're not ravenous. It's a good place to sit with a friend, have a drink, and talk while you wait for your food. 

You must must must order the Frasia Surf & Turf ($21). It's to DIE for!!! Potstickers are great for an appetizer ($6). And my boyfriend, who used to live in Korea, ordered the Dolsot Bibimbap ($13.25) and said it was good. 

They also have sushi and a variety of other authentic style Asian dishes. Please don't let the decor fool you... it's worth a try!
5 - Dave T.: This is my wife's favorite restaurant in town.  She always get this Bea One Roll.  Also I have not had any better Crap Rangoons anywhere!  They are so good we always get two orders when we go.
2 - Lauren L.: The sushi was pretty decent, I will give this place that... beyond that, highly underwhelming. 

The Good:
- Bea one roll... it was good, however, WAY too much rice. 
- Edamame... hard to screw up
- Service... not amazing, but not terrible
- Constant water supply... in shot glass sized glasses

The Bad:
- Dolsot Bibimbop. A previous review mentioned the hot stone bowl burning the rice. This perhaps goes along with service, but it is served to be constantly stirred for a while before serving, and the waitress should have mentioned this. I am a lover of Korean food and Bibimbop is one of my favorites. As the other review mentioned, WAY too many mushrooms. We also had to ask for the Bibimbop sauce... any Korean restaurant worth their snuff knows to bring this out with the Bibimbop. Only two pieces of meat. Not many traditional Bibimbop vegetables (very little zucchini, very few bean sprouts, almost no carrots)... again, all rice. 
- The prices... considering how much rice and not much else there was, the sushi and dolsot bibimbop were incredibly overpriced. 
- Bathrooms... seems like at one point they renovated the restaurant and forgot about the bathrooms. 
-One of the extra dishes that we got had old food stuck to it.  This isn't the first time I've heard that, do they not wash their dishes properly?  That kind of scares me.  

Decor, etc was fine; for the price you can do a lot better, especially in the WL area. Korean food is not expensive to make, in general. The dumplings they charge $4 for 4 of? Probably cost them 50 cents to make. Sushi is FULL of rice; and it's not all that well seasoned. Water is plentiful, but the glasses are too small to be at all useful and you are constantly refilling, to the point where it's distracting. 

Generally underwhelmed. Not as fancy, but green sprout has much better Korean food at a much better price.
1 - Ji Soo Y.: They sold side dishes separately, which is quite offensive to Korean food lovers.
3 - Stefanie S.: The sushi was not that good to me. I went here on a date and tried two different rolls, spicy tuna and a California and both tasted really dry and stale. The Crab Rangoon was small and really overpriced and the pot stickers were about the same.

However, their one shining dish was the teriyaki chicken lettuce wraps, which was simply amazing. The signature sake drink was also heavenly. I tried one of the martinis and it was decent, but a bit too much for me. 

The atmosphere is nice, but not great. I think they could cut down on prices and they would get more clientele.
3 - Eric C.: Simply the best place for Sushi in Lafayette, IN. Their nagiri and maki are first rate.  This place would get 4 stars from me if they were a little more attentive with their service; not bad, just average.

If your visiting and want sushi, this is the place!  If your local, check out the sushi-passport!
3 - Rod Y.: I have been here once and would say that the food was pretty good and made with fresh ingredients. The service at this place was excellent. 

The food seems a bit overpriced. Also, this was the first Korean restaurant that ever charged me for kimchi. If this doesn't surprise you than don't give it a thought, but I found this a bit ridiculous and humorous.
5 - Bryan C W.: This  place is awsome the food, the sevice, the price, everything was soooo gooood!!!!!!! I cant wait to come back.
1 - Nick R.: Bea One is home to the worst dining experience I've had in Lafayette. 

My wife and I arrived around 6PM for dinner. Several tables were filled in the main dining section and we were seated in one of the adjacent areas. 

Where we sat. For 20+ minutes. Completely ignored. 

Finally, I'd had enough, got up, and tracked down one of the staff members. Several minutes later, someone else finally came with water and menus. That's right -- we didn't even get menus. 

After another 10 minutes or so, someone completely different finally came to take our order as another few tables had been seated in the same room. 

Almost an hour after that, our food finally emerged and was, as far as sushi goes, just okay. I've had much much better. And this stuff wasn't cheap. 

Unfortunately for us -- and to top off an already awful evening -- I wound up having an allergic reaction to one of the pieces of sashimi... and though our waiter was nice enough to run out to his car to get me a couple of Benadryl tablets, our night ended early. 

We will not be going back. Ever.
1 - Ella B.: The food use to be good, but this place is falling apart! The walls have holes, they are always out of stuff on their menu, their furniture is runned down and dirty, and the staff is poorly trained and offers horrible service. The table and menus were even sticky and not cleaned! When we asked to see the manager or owner we've been told that she is never there which makes me really skeptical about how well this business is being run... Even worse, the restaurant and bathrooms are a mess and dirty which raises a huge concern about the cleanliness of the kitchen... EW. I'll never return or go to any other business ran by this owner ever again.

Beadles Cafeteria - Pasadena, CA (34.1445298, -118.1331004) (Pasadena)
3 - Joz Joz Joz W.: An honest to goodness cafeteria!  

This place gets an extra star just for keeping an old tradition alive.  But they go beyond that old school cafeteria... the owners have added an Asian flair to the menu... with Chinese, Japanese and Korean items in the cafeteria line.  

That said, the food, is nothing to write home about.  I just stopped by and had a roast pork combo for $6.50.  They didn't have roast pork so they substituted two pork chops and I got to choose two sides from their giant assortment of foods.  I picked steamed veggies (peas/carrots) and "Chinese" stir-fried vegetables (broccoli, water chestnut, celery).  The food was far from yummy, but it was cheap.  

It was pretty empty when I went in there, and there is free parking (validated) if you park in the adjoining structure.  

Here's an article from the Pasadena Weekly:
http://www.pasadenaweekly.com/article.php?id=3333&IssueNum=16
1 - Gerald S.: Blech... gross food.  Only go for breakfast... and even then, order only stuff that they don't make themselves (like bagels).  As for their lunch, don't even bother.  They cater specifically to the retired folks so all their food is tasteless.  It's a cafeteria so don't expect any kind of service besides when you stand in line.
5 - Al C.: Let me be the first to admit this:  I LOVE CAFETERIA FOOD!  And I'm OK with it.  (Yes, I'm a young codger).

This le grand culinary tour through middle America circa 1961.  Where else can you order beets, chess pie, and my absolute favorite, CARROT-FRICKIN-RAISIN SALAD!    You can get a nice fish dish, sides (mashies & gravy), a hot dinner roll.  And where else can you find an oleo patty?

Being approximately 50 years younger than the average patron brings many benefits:  you are by default, the young, hot thing that EVERYONE wants to talk to.  The patrons practically fall over themselves wanting to hang with you--"It's so nice to see the young people here!"  The staff however will look at you askew, like, "What the hell are you doing here, dude!"
2 - Shang-Lin C.: A few months ago I read that Beadle's closed. I ate at Beadle's once, soon after the owners changed and added Asian dishes to the menu. I had an Asian dish which I no longer remember, and I had a slice of pumpkin pie. The pie seemed kind of watery. The main entree was ok, but nothing special. If I feel like cafeteria fare, I would rather eat at Chandler, Caltech's cafeteria.
4 - The Oracle S.: This place, which was a good cafeteria, closed a while ago. I understand I have to write more to get this posted, but I don't know what else to say. I miss it. I will have to try the Huntington Hospital Cafeteria.
5 - nick s.: best best food!! whydid they have to close?? i always looked forward to it when i was in pasedena   froam sacramento  damn damn damn!!!   why do the great places close????????

Beads N Botanicals - Urbana, IL (40.112602, -88.207627) ()
1 - ariel g.: i used to buy incense here on a bi-weekly basis, because it is damn good. then i bought expensive massage oil here, and when the bottle fell off a table a foot from the ground, it broke. my husband tried to return it and the owner basically accused him of being a liar - they actually 'tested out' a separate bottle by filling it with water and dropping it on the floor. well congrats, assholes, that bottle is not dysfunctional LIKE THE ONE YOU SOLD TO ME WAS. beads and botanicals sucks and i hope it goes out of business. the end.
1 - Thaddeus G.: Outright Fraud!!!

Do not patronize this business!! On ALL their websites including 

http://www.wiseweeds.net

and ebay store:

http://stores.ebay.com/Aroma-from-Wise-Weeds-Botanicals?refid=store

they happily take your money and send you NOTHING!! They will not communicate with you either by phone, e-mail or snail mail, no matter how many times you try. Once you give them your money - it's GONE FOR GOOD!!

Bad business practices and bad people - AVOID!!
5 - Erica V.: Cute little store. I went in to look for dried sage smudge sticks. They had a wide selection at various price points. I would go back again.
4 - Helen P.: I've been here for products (lovely stones, excellent incense, nice candles, essential oils) and for Reiki and Reflexology treatments by Marlita.
I've always been happy with my purchases  - the incense and oils that Catherine makes are top quality.

Treatments with Marlita are always special.  No matter how I feel going in, I feel much much better coming out!

I'm lucky this store is not close to my home -- I'd be there all the time!

Beads and Rocks - Berkeley, CA (37.863919, -122.258941) (UC Campus Area)
4 - Michelle B.: Beads and Rocks is a great place to get beads,  rocks and much more at a great price!!  They have all the material you would need to make that beautiful necklace you saw at Nordstroms and pay way less than Nordstrom prices!  They offer a wide selection of glass beads,  coral, semi precious stones, vintage beads and more!
4 - hannah b.: i formally lived down right on tele and channing very near bead & rocks, and i would often stop there if for nothing else just to say hi to the girl working there. she is warm, welcoming and overall extremely pleasant.  if you need anything at all for your jewelry-making needs or even to merely make a pick up the decorations for your outfit-outlandish or conservative-this is the shop where you need to be. opens late and well laid-out, the owner's congeniality makes for a pleasant stop.
1 - colleen c.: the guy who worked there was stoned and had a great time being sarcastic with me. at first it was funny - then it was annoying. i came in to buy stuff, not listen to his b.s.
4 - Gwen H.: Large selection of glass, CHEAP [czech and chinese glass were 25% off when I was in, on top of being same price or less for comparable strands at other local shops], woman working there was very friendly and just the right amount of helpful [checked on me a couple times, then left me alone to browse]. Some stuff I hadn't seen before. There seemed to be a lot of rocks lying about but I don't know anything about those.

One thing I'd ask for is better lighting, it was very dim at mid-day.
4 - J N.: LOVE IT. I walked in right when they opened and the guy working there (perhaps the owner?) was playing drums to some loud rock song on his ipod. He stopped to tell me about the gorgeous bunch of crystals I immediately noticed, and he seemed quite knowledgeable. It's so nice to have a rock shop around...where did they all go? Didn't they used to be everywhere?

Anyway, I didn't find what I was looking for, but did walk out of there with aforementioned crystals for a very fair price.
1 - HeartBeat Radio F. M.: Seconded--the guy who owns this shop is creepy, and will probably make you feel uncomfortable (be especially wary if you are a young woman).  The bead selection is meh and the shop just kind of looks like the remnants of a garage sale all messily crammed into a giant, creepy, cave-like room.  Go to one of the bead shops on Shattuck instead.  

So creepy.
5 - Claudia A.: I really liked this bead shop, the woman that was there was really nice  and helpful. they have a  good selection of beads.. overall the enviroment was nice they had cool music and the vibe was chill.. the prices were really good..Customer service was great  i am definitely going back to this shop!!!
4 - Steven W.: Had a great time checking out the store, even though I was apprehensive after some of the old reviews. I am trained metaphysician and am very tuned into energy, it was a pleasure to meet  the new manager who was more than happy to help and is very passionate about changing the vibe of the store to be a positive, uplifting community destination. I look forward to watching the store bloom into a 5 star destination!
5 - Amy R.: Awesome store that is very welcoming and community-oriented!

This really beautiful store has apparently been totally revamped by the new manager! I was drawn in by some beautiful displays of jewelry and stones and welcomed by the friendly and helpful manager. There is such a huge variety of beautiful stones and crystals for very reasonable prices, as well as so many beautiful beads and other jewelry-making supplies. The displays are set up with plenty of light and walking space, and in a non-intimidating way. You can handle the stones to see which one calls to you if you so desire. 

The shop sometimes hosts jewelry-making workshops, and the manager knows a lot about it so you can ask her anything! She also knows a fair amount about the different types of stones and crystals... she helped me figure out and find my friend's birthstone so I could buy her a gift. I felt like I was really giving her something special. Support this awesome local store!
4 - Bryce N.: I'm so sad to see them go.
Funky selection, reasonable prices, and attitude from the staff.
This place was not polished and slick, it's earthy and homey.
As of today all that's left is a sign.

Beadworks - Providence, RI (41.8299308, -71.4009732) (College Hill)
2 - Caitlin S.: Pretty large bead selection, though not as many unique beads as I have found other places.  They do have a nice selection of the basic beads.  Also decent selection of findings and chains. 

But, service was TERRIBLE.  No hello when I walked in.  The woman working there was helping the only other customer in the store fix their necklace and after picking out all of the beads I wanted which took a half hour and standing by the chains for about 10 minutes clearly waiting for someone to help me I finally had to interrupt her to politely ask if when she got a second she could help me and ring me up because I had to be somewhere very soon.  She said sure and then after another few minutes another woman, presumably the owner came in, did not acknowledge me and both of them helped the woman until I said excuse me again and the first woman came over and helped me.  Seriously?  I won't go back there again unless I am desperate.  The two stars are only because they do have a lot of beads.
4 - Leah W.: I like this store. I like them more at their new location on Basset Street, where they moved in 2009. 

They have even more inventory in their new location, and it is much easier to find parking in the Jewelry District than on Thayer. 

I have never had a problem with their customer service. I have patronized this shop repeatedly and had friendly exchanges. Then again, I could make friends with a tree stump. Maybe you just get back what you put in. 

I'm always about the pearls, and while they don't always have much for a pearl selection, when they do you can sometimes snag strands on the ultra-cheap. Their findings selection... ehhhh... not so much. Price and variety is severely lacking. 

However, it's nice to have a place in the city to grab a bag of beads... say that three times fast!

Beagle Brain - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2782686, -83.7416195) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
3 - Athena K.: I've taken two laptops here. Prices are a bit high. 

Staff are friendly. They screwed up one of my repairs and didn't offer to reduce the price or anything.
2 - Zoe R.: I've taken my laptop here for a few different issues.  Without exception they are pricey,  slow to accomplish and bad at communicating.

Bean & Bagel - Seattle, WA (47.6554081, -122.3128044) (University District)
5 - Rohan S.: Bean & Bagel has some of the best espresso on the Ave. It just rocks the socks off Cafe Solistice. I just cannot put into words how awesome this place is and how good their espresso tastes. I tried my best italian soda here yesterday and boy was it gooood.

The baristas are friendly, the prices are low, and it's right across the street from the UW campus. Just remember to explicitly ask for whipped cream if you want it.
3 - Kristin S.: I don't really like the coffee here :( - the drip is pretty bad and the espresso isn't much better. The bagels are o-k but the peanut butter- jelly bagels are cheap which is nice and it's hard to find a decent bagel in Seattle.
4 - Amy W.: Hey, I like this place!

My first time I here, I stumbled in around 2pm, dizzy from skipping lunch.  I had a bagel with sundried tomato cream cheese, and it felt like fluffy, creamy heaven in my mouth.

Then, I went before my class, held right across the street.  Realizing that the cream cheese that I had before got its fluffy creamy goodness from gobules of fat, I went for the plain, low-fat cream cheese.  Still tasty.  Still probably fatty.  Oh the fat.

The bagels are probably some of the better ones I've had in Seattle, and the coffee is just strong enough for me.  I wish that they had a little more selection of cream cheese - they have plain, low fat plain, and three savory cream cheeses, but no sweetness.  Maybe get some plain with honey?

Also, the music is super.
4 - Nicholas B.: I realize I'm breaking all of the rules of journalism by writing a review of this place since one of my really good friends from college worked here for a while which means I became friends with most of the other staff and generally got the hook-ups if you know what I mean. But, no one called yelping journalism so rules be damned! 

Even if you didn't know someone that worked here, it wouldn't take too long before you would get to know them as well as all of the regulars. This place is pretty much a UW student's Cheers. The music is always good, they always have interesting art on the walls. 

Oh, the bagels. These sandwiches are some of the best in the city no matter what the dough. My fav would have to be the ham and Swiss with stone ground mustard on a toasted sesame bagel with lettuce and tomatoes. Yum.
5 - Kaitlyn M.: Only been here once and enjoyed a plain toasted bagel with plain cream cheese. Adventurous, I know. This place is my definition of fantastic though. Coffee and bagels. Is there a greater combination? Then there is the added bonus of the stellar location, just a block from campus, and by god you'll know where to find me between classes. 

Prices were very reasonable too and the combinations for bagel sandwich creations seemingly endless. 

It's a tiny place with a cool vibe and I will definitely be back.


********
Update. 10/6/07. I feel like a loser doing an update- but i had to bump this place up to 5 stars. It is everything I love in this world. Mainly just bagels, coffee, and a nice atmosphere- it doesn't take much- but this place is great.
5 - S W.: I get my bialy fix here after I tried one for the first time in Bellingham. Yummy cream cheese flavors (plus, no guilt trip when somebody else is slathering the mountain of  cream cheese on the bagel for you). The coffee is great. I used to frequent B&B when I used to live in the student dorms, on my way to class... If I were closer, I would definitely make the trip!
4 - Renee D.: Really nice folks work there and the bagels are delish!
5 - Anna C.: By far the closest coffee to campus without actually having to consume any of the godawful shit they actually sell in the school cafes.  I was introduced to this place because a friend of mine worked here for a couple of years.  Even though I don't get free stuff anymore the bagels are pretty much a staple in my diet.  You can get a toasted bagel with fresh made hummus and fresh vegetables for less than $3.  That's a pretty good deal and my favorite meal walking to class in the morning.  And the iced coffee really hits the spot on a hot summer day.
4 - Jizzo D.: Who doesn't like bagels and coffee?  And who could possibly deny the golden and majestic aura surrounding Dame Laura?  Rock on sister!
4 - Jessica S.: I have been having classes near the Bean and Bagel in Gould, so I go fairly often. First, I really like the people that work there. They are all super friendly and funny, and it's a huge plus that they have an outdoor window thing because it is really small inside and can get cramped.

I usually get the cinnamon raisin bagel. One time I got a plain bagel with cream cheese to go and ended up taking off over half of the cheese because there was an ungodly amount. And I hate to waste-but I could not force myself to eat that much cream cheese. So that was no good. But I suppose you could ask them to take it easy on the cream cheese. Or you could just get the cinnamon raisin bagel because it is delicious. PS-good coffee too!
4 - Nurina J.: I'll preface this by saying I am PICKY about my bagels. I hate the ones sold on campus (too dense, too chewy), I hate the bagged ones sold in grocery stores (there's some sweetness or something that I just can't stand), and... okay, that's pretty much it.

Bean and Bagel has awesome bagels. They're the standard flavors of poppy seed, salt, plain, everything, etc, and three pretty average sounding spreads. I usually get either a lox and cream cheese or a toasted poppy seed bagel with sun-dried tomato spread, and they are both *delicious*. They don't skimp on the spread, either, which is super important to me!

The employees are pretty friendly and efficient, even if they're always swamped. They're also quick to learn your "usual", if you come consistently around the same time! The music's good, the place is cute, albeit cramped. Most importantly, everything's reasonably priced, probably because they don't take credit cards - my specialty bagel + spread = 2.50 or so.
4 - Ashley B.: Aww you're so cute. 

They're always really nice and chatting up regular customers in line ahead of me. I dig the walk up window, the tiny tables in back, the handmade jewelry they sell and the color, robin's egg blue, makes me happy in the morning.

I wish I never had a "real" bagel because now I know that everything else is subpar, but these are the best you can do in this city and I will eat them  just because I like it in here.
4 - Ashley M.: This is a nice place to get a cheap breakfast or lunch in the u-district.  I used to work close to Bean and Bagel and found myself frequently enjoying either the peanut butter and jelly bagel or a bagel with avocado.  In addition, the coffee here is excellent, especially the iced vanilla latte.  

Bring cash with you though!  They don't accept credit cards and the closest ATM is in the convenience store one door over.  You have to pay a charge for that one.
4 - Angie K.: I've stopped in a bunch of times for coffee and bagels. I always think they are pretty delicious, but am inspired to review this morning based on the "basil and walnut" spread I ordered on my bagel this morning. It's so yummy . . . if a little messy, and I can't really work and eat it, but who cares. So I have to take an actual break rather than wolfing something down while answering 100 emails. Tragic!

Service is sometimes a complaint here, and to tell you the truth, service is not that great anywhere on the Ave, but I don't really care that much about service as long as I get what I ordered. It's not the kind of place you'd want to sit down and enjoy yourself anyway. Just a grab and go kind of place.

Re: the reviewers who said it's cash only -- that's sort of right, but they also take checks. I was low on cash, and it's the first time I have written a check for anything but my rent for YEARS!!! haha
4 - Jim D.: Only two things bug me about B&B: 
1. Cash only
2. The woman who I believe is the owner is a dick sometimes. Any bad attitudes I've ever had are from her, and the employees seem to not deal well either.

EDIT: Credit card is now taken

They make such better espresso than starbucks it aint funny, great lattes too.

I have never cared for the bagels, to be honest. I had the onion bagel with jalepeno cream cheese and it was NOT good.

On the whole, its a great coffee shop near the Phys/Astro building where I work. I get a doppio nearly every day after lunch, and have the honor of being in one of the polaroids on the coffee machine
2 - Ruchi A.: Once I found out they buy their bagels from the scrumptious Bagel Oasis, this place lost a lot of its appeal.  I went to the source and let me tell you, Bagel Oasis is a lot better and worth the trip to Ravenna.

The staff at Bean & Bagel can be downright rude or just neglectful.  I once waited 5 minutes just to have someone acknowledge me.  The only reason they do so well is their location. 

There is no reason to treat your customers badly!!!!!!
3 - Annabelle A.: Great place for a quick lunch in the University District! They now accept cards, in addition to cash and checks. Fantastic hummus and specialty cream cheeses!

The downsides? They close at 5pm and are not open on the weekends.
4 - Ben D.: Some of the better bagels I've come across in Seattle and they offer some interesting flavors of cream cheese (I like the smoked jalapeno). There's constant employee turnover (mostly students?), so it's a little hard to feel like a regular, even if you show up here a few times a week. The owner (owner's wife?) is often around these days and she tends to recognize people who stop by often and is happy to chat with people and try to get to know them and their preferences. For a small shop, that recognition factor strikes me as important.

Tasty scones and I see that they're offering yogurt parfaits now, but I can't vouch for those. Regardless, between scones, bagels, and yogurt, they have a pretty decent selection of breakfast-on-the-go items.

The coffee is nothing spectacular, but it beats UW's Tully offerings by a long shot and never tastes burned. Its location on the corner of campus is much appreciated by students and faculty alike, so you can expect a small line most of the time.

The prices always seem a bit high to me, but I guess that's to be expected with a small place that can't deal in bulk. If you get lucky, you can get a day-old scone or cookie in the morning to complete a reasonably priced, unhealthy breakfast with your coffee.
3 - Kimberley D.: Blueberry bagel was okay. Nothing bad, but nothing amazing.

Soy lattes have been burnt all 3 times and too hot to hold or sip without burning my tongue. 

Service is hit or miss. Some people have been friendly. Others have ignored me while chatting to each other / friends, then taken my order and forgotten what it was.
4 - Laura B.: I feel torn on this one.  I really like the bagels so I would give them a 4 (or even a 5 if using the rest of Seattle bagels as a comparison).  But the service...more like a 3.  Or a 2.5 depending on the day.  

They now accept credit cards although I actually liked that they were a holdout.  Now it's just Aladdin's that won't take your card.  Pretty soon there will be no need for cash at all...except wait, then how will be pay for hookers and blow?  Just sayin'...think about it.  

But I digress.  This is basically a fast, cheap place to get a bagel and some caffeine before bolting off to class or a meeting at UW.  Not worth it's own trip but definitely convenient for us locals.
3 - Kerry S.: It's close to my building on campus, so I come here pretty often for coffee. The coffee is decent- definitely a step up from the Tully's fare on campus. The service ranges from friendly to unprofessional. In particular, there are a couple of baristas who would have very detailed conversations about their personal lives in front of me, which was a bit uncomfortable.

If you are a frequent customer, they offer 12 for the price of 10 prepay cards, which can be a pretty good deal. Also, all of the espresso drinks are the same price hot or cold, which makes the iced americanos an awesome deal.
5 - Bonnie C.: They will make your coffee the way you like it. They will make your bagel the way you like it (with peanut butter. With hummus. With sprouts. With lox... many many bagel accoutrements here). They will not charge you too much money, and you can now use your credit or debit card to pay them that money ($5 minimum).

My favored darn-it-not-enough-time-to-eat-breakfast-at-home, light lunch and afternoon don't-want-to-do-work-so-I'll-procrastinate-by-getting-coffee place.
1 - Adrienne R.: I decided to try the Bean and Bagel because it is near the University. I wanted to expand the selection of coffee shops I visit in the area, but maybe that isn't such a good idea.

The mocha wasn't very good. The maple scone seemed to be at least a day old. There is not much seating, it's really meant as a kiosk, to grab coffee and go. 

Lastly, here's a hint for the staff, don't make fun of your customers - especially not in front of them like they aren't even standing there.
2 - Vaishali B.: I used to really like this place, not only because of the proximity to my work, but the quality of the coffee. In the last year or so I've noticed that slowly, everything has degraded, whether its the coffee, bagels, or the service. I usually believe that food and service can be separated such that I will still go to a restaurant w/ bad service if the food is worth it. But this coffee shop has made me rethink my actions. I asked for a single shot nonfat vanilla latte, mostly because I've randomly been getting stomach aches with the standard double shot. Of course, without paying attention to my order, I received a double shot nonfat latte. Usually I would just take it and go, but I didn't want to risk feeling nauseous so I asked them to remake it. When they did, they decided, somehow, that because I ordered nonfat, I would also like SUGAR-FREE syrup. I despise sugar-free syrups, btw, mostly because I can't stand the aftertaste of the aspertame. Anyway, after already having made them remake one of my drinks, I just took this one and left. I don't wanna be 'that customer' who is super difficult and makes the baristas make drinks over and over, but they were driving me to becoming that person. All they had to do was pay attention to the order and care to get it done right. I don't think that's asking much out of a coffee shop, especially in a place as coffee-centric as Seattle.
1 - M S.: The bagel-like product they offer was as fresh and tasty as if someone in a bad bagel shop in New York decided to ship the left over bagels to Seattle in a sail boat, first to Europe, then on a carriage to Turkey and over the silk road to China to be loaded on a ship and sent to, say Long Beach, where it was put on a bicycle and brought to Seattle a couple of years later. 
Haven't tried the coffee though. Maybe that's what keeps them in business.
2 - Jason G.: -4 stars for overcharging me for a veggie bagel sandwich ($6?) The confusing menu (by the topping???) said around $4 for a hummus bagel with a couple of toppings). Not that lettuce and tomato should count as toppings...

I add back one star because sandwich was tasty but not tasty enough to get the "I just got ripped off" taste out of my mouth. Won't be back anytime soon.
4 - Susmita R.: My department is across the road from this place and I am a regular here. I really like their coffee and they have a punch card system which get you two extra coffees on every 10. The bagels are the closest to NY bagels I've had in Seattle. I particularly like the Bialy with CC and tomatoes. Though I must say that I've noticed that the Staff favs cost much more than if you actually ordered the same thing on your own. The Baristas are nice and friendly though sometimes they seem to be a little too involved in their interwork banter.
3 - Clive P.: Coffee is solid, bagels do the trick. The service is very good and that's what I appreciate most, very friendly folks. Also, you can order outside which is a lost art, so much inside that we all need a bit more outside in our lives. Particularly doing things we normally would do inside, like order food, or type.

BeanTowne Coffee House - Cambridge, MA (42.3674546, -71.0899979) (Kendall Square/MIT)
4 - Will K.: A favorite local coffee shop for employees in the Kendall Square, Draper, Technology Square area of Cambridge, near MIT.

The employees are young, funky, and very friendly, especially in the morning when they help wake up a number of customers before work each day.  The lines move very quickly.  For breakfast, there are bagels, croissants, muffins and pastries, as well as handmade breakfast sandwiches (egg, sausage, and thick-sliced cheddar is my favorite).

I'm not a coffee drinker, but I know plenty who are addicted to their coffee as well as fresh lattes and other coffee drinks.  Their hot-chocolate and caramel-apple-cider are great winter drinks.

At lunchtime, they serve freshly made sandwiches and wraps to order (although only on french bread or a few flavor of wrap, not on a full bread selection).  The menu is limited, and recently removed their hot-sandwich selections, which was a disappointment, but the food is good, especially if you get there before around 2:00 when the bread starts to get a little stale from sitting out through the lunch rush hours.  There are often specials and a soup or two of the day.  Especially worth checking out is the 'Farmer's Market', fresh chicken salad with cheddar and apple slices.

There is limited seating in the cafe itself, but having just been renovated, it has an updated and comfortable feel.
4 - A T.: A great coffee house where the staff are attentive and remember your name--usually crowded during the day with Tech Square employees (my nerdy self included).  They have great sandwiches at lunch as well.
4 - Patrick B.: A nice coffee house and sandwich shop during the lunchtime hours.  The sandwiches are prepared fresh while you wait and they usually have enough staff during the rush to keep up and get your food prepared quickly.  Only quibble is that the prices are a bit higher than I'd like (about $6), otherwise I'd come here more often.
2 - Shane F.: I just finished a Reuben Went Veggie sandwich from Beantowne Coffee House. The atmosphere was nice and the staff quite friendly but, the sandwich was by no stretch of the imagination a $7 sandwich. 

The description indicated that there was 'avocado' in the sandwich (I'm not sure why there was 'avocado' in a Reuben). In this case 'avocado' did not mean slices of avocado but a sweet salt and vinegar dressing that may have been thickened and colored with avocados. There was no avocado flavor at all.

Otherwise the sandwich was fairly mundane and probably worth almost $5. The marble rye was tasty as were the cabbage and tomatoes.
4 - Helena Z.: This is a good one. Nice comfy atmosphere and good coffee. Haven't tried the food.
4 - meredith f.: I worked down the road from Beantowne a few years ago and was so delighted that a co-worker introduced me to this place. The cozy atmosphere is fabulous, the staff ridiculously friendly (especially when the rest of us are under-caffeinated and not on our best behavior), and the sandwiches, pastries, and coffee oh-so-tasty. 

This is not to say that I don't enjoy a nice Starbucks every now and then, but the atmosphere at B-towne is a refreshing alternative to the cookie-cutter-esqueness of large corporate chains. If you're not afraid to get addicted, definitely check out the lemon squares - they're almost as good as my grandmother's which says a lot.
5 - desa m.: 
3 - K D.: Small, unassuming sandwich/coffee house in Kendall Sq., delicious wrap sandwiches, a little pricey.  I like it best when it is not crowded. Can grab some soup and read a magazine.
5 - Nik O.: Beantown!  Awesome staff, great sandwiches.  I recommend the Carver sandwich I think it's called, the one with turkey and granny smith apples.  Everything is highly recommended, more people should try this place.  I'm shocked to see only one review before me.
4 - Ryan B.: For sure one of the better coffee shops I have visited.  Love the old mill/factory feel to the decor.  The staff is very friendly and excited to get you what you need.  Supposedly the raspberry croissants are tasty!  

I was intimidated to use my cell phone inside as the place radiates this feeling of  "NO CELL PHONES ALLOWED" but I did not see any postings.
4 - Mags L.: update:  latte good.  people good.

i've been burned before by beantowne.  i ordered a latte once and it tasted like bootie and i swore i would never go back.  however, recently, i was persuaded by some co-workers to go for lunch and boy was i wrong about this place.  the sandwich i had was quite right.  chicken salad, french bread, walnuts and granny smith slices.  yum!  

plus, the staff seemed happy and friendly (what is it about good sandwich shops where the staff seem so content?  that's been my all-star sandwich experience as well.)

3-stars with the next star reserved for when i go back to try the coffee again (and another sammich).
2 - eric e.: I'm not quite sure how to rate this place.  The staff is incredibly friendly and cool, the atmosphere is good for a coffee house, especially in a corporate locale... but the sandwiches are really subpar.  I work in the building and go there often, so I have only myself to blame, but I've tried nearly everything on the menu, and nothing has been very good.  Quick, yes, cheap, yes, but good, no.  The main problem, I think, is the bread.  It's very plain and dry.

I don't drink coffee, so I can't comment on the quality of their joe.  So take what I say with a grain of salt.  But the only reason I don't give this place a 1 is because the staff is so cool and I really don't need any spit in my turkey.
5 - Stephen M.: Great, interesting sandwiches, quality soups, really friendly staff. All that and it's amazingly fast too. Perfect lunch destination
5 - Thomas E.: This place is wonderful! They have a nice selection of sandwiches for lunch and a rotating selection of coffee-beans weekly. Every ten drinks entitles you to a free drink and an entry into their monthly raffle. (You keep track on a card.) 

If you're not a coffee fan, they also offer Ghirardelli hot chocolate, chai, and teas. Just don't bring your screaming bratty, kids to this hip and trendy coffee joint.
3 - Jenna B.: Very friendly staff, great music always playing in the background and good food. I have not tried enough things on the menu to give a quality review of this place overall, but I love it here for the familiar and friendly faces I always see behind the counter and the overall atmosphere. 

Note: They do not take credit cards.
4 - Katy D.: A favorite in Kendall for yummy lunches, great cookies, (no coffee - I get that free in the office), and an awesome, friendly staff. I have to agree with some of the other reviewers on the sandwich bread - otherwise I would give 5 stars. Fresh bread rocks!

Wifi is not "official" but always works. wink wink.
5 - nick d.: Absolutely the nicest service of any coffee shop I've ever been to. The staff is so great here. Their espresso drinks are very well made, and they have some great sandwiches as well. I recommend the Farmers Market.
5 - olivia s.: the staff is amazing.  i go here almost every morning before work for a tasty bagel with the best hummus and what I consider the best brewed coffee in boston/cambridge.  this is what a coffee shop should be - independent, friendly staff, good coffee!  

i also like coming here in the afternoon for another coffee and sometimes a yummy cookie.  

beantowne offers a coffee card where you buy 10 coffees and get the 11th one for free.  they also put your coffee card into a weekly drawing for a free sandwich.  

as others have noted, this place is cash only.  so make sure you bring some money with you.
5 - J S.: only wish it was open later...

-most amazing mocha- ghiradelli chocolate
-good coffee
-free wireless (shh, via flattop grill next door)

no crazy people inside is a definite plus.
5 - Gwen F.: Something really cool about working in the Kendall area restaurant scene is that everyone kind of gets to know each other, sorta.  My restaurant was pretty close to Bean Towne, and as we didn't serve coffee, we relied on Bean Towne to jolt us for the afternoon rush.  I was usually elected for coffee runs.

At first I felt like a jerk, interrupting the morning rush with a 10 drink order, but the staff always handled it with grace and aplomb.  They were always super nice.  Even when the line was about to hit the door, I never saw them break a sweat.  The music was always good, and the movie trivia questions posted on the board both kept me entertained and added to the sense of Kendall communal goodwill.

The best part?  Pomegranate tea!  How can you go wrong with pomme tea?  You can't.  The laws of quantum physics prevent it.

Bean Towne could easily be a mediocre establishment that happens to serve good coffee and tea.  But it's not.  The staff is personable enough to make any trip to Bean Towne memorable.  Whenever I'm in the area, I make sure to drop by and say hello.
3 - Ellen S.: I've only had a few experiences here, and I keep going back because I like the idea of getting coffee from a local shop instead of Starbucks or Dunkin. The coffee is good. It's not too strong or too weak for my tastes. The real problem I have is with their low fat muffins. The first time I bought one I thought that something was wrong with it, like they must have missed an ingredient. It was inedible, tasted like Crisco. I went back and tried another time assuming the first muffin was a fluke... but unfortunately that one was the same. The last time I went there I decided to forget about being healthy and went for the plain croissant, and it was greasy but very delicious. I will definitely go back but I don't ever plan on getting a muffin there again.
4 - Audrey R.: Beantowne is infinitely better than the other coffee places in the area - Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks. Hooray for a place that brews coffee that tastes like coffee rather than sugar water or charred coffee beans. Their staff are also noticeably more awesome than the staff at the aforementioned chains. Sadly, they are not open on weekends.
5 - Mark Y.: This review will be short and sweet, as I am crafting on my iPhone, which doesn't lend itself to poetic waxing (or even decent spelling). 

I came to Kendall on a recon mission to find the newly opened Friendly Toast. That's when I saw this place, right next door. As I'm hitting up the Toast with friends tomorrow, I decided to give the Bean a whirl. 

Wow. I tried the Provence, which was their daily sandwich special. Roast Turkey, roasted red peppers, and goat cheese on multi-grain. Simple, and simply amazing. The service was great, the other patrons were discussing their favorite John Updike novels, and the in house tunes were surprisingly good. 

In closing, I will be back, and I will bring others. Qwerty.
5 - Bretta E.: I just absolutely love this place.  I work nearby and probably stop in at least once a week or more.  The staff is A+.  Always friendly and always competent.  The food is solid and the atmosphere is nice.  Good place to get a coffee and sandwhich on your lunch break!
4 - Stephen Y.: I go here almost every day with friends from work on our coffee break.  

BeanTowne is definitely my favorite coffee shop in the area.  The staff are really friendly.  The coffee is fresh and brewed well; interesting special varieties of coffee are rotated in weekly.  The hot cocoa is thick and satisfying.  As far as the food goes I appreciate that they use substantial French bread instead of fluffy stuff that's mostly air like many delis use.
2 - Aaron F.: I apparently didn't read the top of the page here close enough because they don't take cards so I had to go to the ATM and pay a $3 service charge. Also, they don't make the sandwiches fresh, they make them in the morning or something, so I wasn't able to eat what I wanted from the menu, I chose from a couple wraps they had left over from the morning. It was pretty disappointing. Otherwise the coffee I ordered was really good even without all the sugar I usually add to it. I was pleased with that at least. I don't know if it was worth the trip all the way from Medford, but it's good to know it's here.
5 - Sogol G.: Have gone to this place everyday for almost the entire year now. Coffee is perfect. The sweetest and friendliest people work there. Very enjoyable atmosphere. 
Food the very very healthy. Great unique sandwiches with best vegetables. Highly recommended.
5 - Mr. X.: I have a caffeine habit.  Pre-coffee time is a very vulnerable time for me.  I'm half-asleep, unshaven, unshowered, and possibly in my sweats.  When circumstances (like a lack of coffee at home) force me to go out for my morning fix, Beantowne takes a lot of the sting out of that.  You can get a decent cup of coffee, a surprisingly filling egg-and-cheese-onna-bagel sandwich, and a smile, with change back from a $5.  All power to them.
5 - Silas S.: I come here everyday for my coffee and for the occasional lunch. The coffee is always good and rotates from time to time. I'm a big fan of the roast beef deluxe and the farmers market (cheddar, chicken salad, apples, and walnuts). The staff is awesome too. They always have a smile on their faces when they greet you even when you are having a crappy day. Go BeanTowne.
4 - Ken V.: this is where i get my daily fix.  it's convenient to where i work, they make a good cup of joe and the staff is incredibly friendly.  they have good bagels and sandwiches, but they definitely need to find some new muffins.  

get a 'coffee card' and for every 10 stamps you get a free coffee.  at the end of the week, they collect the cards and raffle 3 free sandwiches per week.  on second though, don't get the coffee card, i like getting free sandwiches.
3 - Lindsay L.: I have mixed feelings about this place.  My hair stylist is in the same block of buildings at Kendall Place, so I often come here afterward to grab a cuppa.  Here's the rundown: I love the service here -- they're super-friendly to the point of extroversion, which is fun.  However, the coffee quality is variable.  Again, that usually tells me they're using a good bean, but that the baristas are not all top-notch.  Don't pass it up, though.  I still come here somewhat regularly, and it's always totally good -- just not AMAZING.  And hey, not everywhere can be AMAZING.  Lemme tell ya what they do really well: iced coffee drinks.  THOSE are amazing here.  I wish they were open later!
5 - David N.: Above all the customer service here is superb. There's nothing better first thing in the morning than being warmly greeted and being served a great product efficiently. Great customer service seems to be a dying art in general but not here. And should anything go awry (which I've rarely seen in many visits) they will make it right with a smile. Lunch menu is good as well.
5 - Tibbs J.: I'm lucky enough that BeanTowne is on my daily walking route to work, but even if it wasn't I would go out of my way to get there in the morning.  

The staff is uber-friendly, knows my order and always has it waiting when they see me in line.

You can't go wrong with any of the fresh baked goods for a morning snack or their delicious lunch time sandwich options.  Plus the coffee is on point, which keeps me coming back morning after morning.

Plus they now take credit cards!
5 - Cwot W.: Great coffee shop amidst the corporate madness of starbucks-ABP and their flat coffee and overheated pumpkin soup. 
Coffee good. 
People nice. 
Music perfect. 
Now I just need a job close to here.
3 - Torin C.: The food was good, and the French Roast was great. Kind of pricey though.
2 - Stephen M.: Slightly better than SBux but more expensive.  Disappointing for an area with this much potential...
2 - Frances K.: Stopped by last week at 3:45--closed.  Holiday hours were posted.  Not posted on Twitter or Facebook.  Came back Tuesday at 2:00.  Wouldn't make a sandwich because it was an hour before closing time.  Came back today.  Got a very dry sandwich on the end pieces of bread from the loaf.  So I'm a slow learner...
5 - Jane E.: Good coffee, great sandwiches, nice staff. What's not to love? Oh, and it isn't Starbucks...
2 - Christine T.: If you're going here for coffee its okay.  My medium latte needed 4 packs of sugar when i usually only use 1, but the java kept me going, and got certain parts of the anatomy flowing...

I'd advise avoiding their cinnamon rolls, cuz they're not really cinnamon rolls, they're more like flat horizontally rolled croissants with cinnamon-ish frosting on top.  If you like croissants with frosting go for it.

During the busy AM rush, service was quick and efficient so no complaints there.  The muffins looked pretty good, and everyone was ordering bagel sandwiches so maybe those are better than my croissant with frosting.

PS step up when you enter the door. It's a doozy...
2 - Dani O.: Pros: The coffee's ok, I would rather spring for Starbucks though. I've never had the sandwiches, but my coworkers are a fan of their breakfast sandwiches. Thai Chicken curry soup is yummy. 

Cons: Some of the staff is friendly, but they are mostly the pretentious type that believe because they are working in an organic-vegan-like coffeehouse that they are much better than the folks that come in. They are annoyed if you ask a single question. 

Foods a plus, just remember if you want to know their soup or sandwich of the day, don't call because you'll just be yelled at for not checking their Twitter page first (The one they update once a week and doesn't usually contain that days specials anyway)
3 - Lauren E.: Given that this is a hip-looking independent coffee shop I REALLY wanted to love this place. I always try to give these guys a fair shot But I left there sadly underwhelmed. I stopped by on my way to an appointment, but the place was empty. I anxiously looked at my watch while it took the girl 8 minutes to make my soy mocha. Now I have to admit, it sounds crazy to be annoyed by that, but I was the ONLY one there (though she was finishing up something when I got there). 8 minutes might not sound like a lot, but when you are on your way somewhere and think you barely have enough time, you might not make it with that kind of wait. Most places really only take a couple of minutes to make a drink. And after all that, the drink was only "so-so," which was surprising given that it was supposed to be a Ghiradelli mocha. I think I'll hold the just-okay-ness against them just as much as the timing, because I don't want to take for granted the fast-food-style coffee that you get at name-brand-chains. Point is, it was decent, not great. All around.

Another plus--the place is well decorated. I think when I have a bit more time, I might stop by to try one of the sandwiches. They sounded creative and tasty. The banter I heard between the staff and some customers sounded a little too cool-indie-pretentious for me, but now I'm just starting to sound judgy, so I should stop.
5 - Kristen K.: BeanTowne is fan-tiggity-tastic!  Why?  How 'bout I list a reason for every star:
1. I have special dietary needs.  On request, they craft my food and beverages to make them Kristen-safe, and they're super sweet and accommodating about it.
2. They have coffee beverages called "Wild Cards".  Ask for one, and let the fun begin.  Just specify any parameters (hot or iced, size, regular or decaf), and then let them get creative and fix you something.  You'll be glad you did!
3. Staff is friendly and fun... no one there has ever been rude to me or given me an attitude.  Sometimes they even join in and sing along with me to whatever's playing on the sound system while I'm in line!  Also, when they ask "How are you?" it's genuine -- a rare find indeed for any modern-day establishment.
4. Comfy seating both indoors and out!  I'm especially fond of the shaded outdoor seating (though there are seats in the sun too).
5. Did I mention that their food is yummy?  Even when they modify my orders for nutrition reasons, it tastes great.
Hip hip hooray BeanTowne!  Thanks for the joy and tastiness you bring to One Kendall square,
2 - Brad P.: Great location, and reasonably product, but the coffee service sucks at rush hour.  All of the regulars will get their coffee and you will be served last, with a totally lame excuse if you bother to ask why.

I won't go back.
3 - Chris W.: Nice change from starbucks, but not much better. The coffee was good, not great, food ok.  Bagels not particularly fresh. friendly service.
3 - Andy B.: Wish I could give Beantowne 3.5 stars...

Their sandwiches are great and are high quality, but their prices are pretty high for what comes down to a sandwich...$7.50 for a full size sandwich.  Like I said, great food, but it comes at a price.  I'd knock them down a half-star because of that.

The problem is spotty QC.  I came here once and got a salad that included about 60% of the listed ingredients, and was quite small (usually their salads are pretty fair) and another time, the wife got a sandwich that included about 3/6 items listed for it, but didn't discover it until she got home.  Almost 8 bucks for a sandwich that doesn't have the apple/cheese/sauce/etc. listed is garbage, and now I feel inclined to check my lunch before I leave so I don't get home and get disappointed.

I go back from time to time and it's good food but you do pay for it.
4 - Matt S.: I will give it fours stars but that is really an average of 3 star coffee with 5 star sandwiches. Honestly if they just took the word "coffee" out of the name I would probably give it five stars. Also even though it is a "coffee house" BeanTowne is not a place to for breakfast. Breakfast there gets 1 star.

The brewed coffee is fine. It is nothing special but also not at all offensive. The two or three times I have tried to get a espresso drink there is has been pretty bad.

Lunch is great and pretty crowed, but they are pretty quick even during the rush. The sandwich assembly line is a very well oiled machine.

Recommendations:
Chicken Bacon Ranch and Vermonter sandwiches.
2 - Nitya D.: It's not bad, but I don't think it's all that great either. I just paid $7.95 for a sandwich that was so gross I threw away half of it. Then again, I got the Hummus and Red Peppers veggie sandwich (I'm a vegetarian and this was 1 of 2 veggie options) and maybe they just don't put as much effort into their non-meat sandwiches. I'm not a coffee person, so I can't comment on that aspect of this establishment, but it made me happy that they had tea as well.

Location is convenient, but if you want a meal on the go, you're better off getting takeout from Friendly Toast right next door.
5 - Corie L.: Fast, simple, yummy and fun people work there.  I always get an ice coffee (which is stronger than what I get at starbucks!) and a sesame seed bagel w/ fresh chive cream cheese and tomatoes.  You should try it!  Decent for breakfast under $5.  I rarely work over there anymore but I still try to make trips there just because when you find something you like, you can never find it anywhere else!

As far as lunch, it all depends on what you like. Some you like, some you don't. Try different sandwiches.  They are semi expensive, but for the quality of food used, well worth it. In comparison with other lunch places they don't charge any more than they do!
4 - Erika G.: Beantown, or BT as we affectionately call it, is the closest coffee to my office- and I try to come here once a week. The staff here are so friendly- it is obvious they are a tight knit group, which always leads to great things...

Although they serve a great cup of coffee- I mostly consider it my delicious go to sandwich stop. My two favorites are the crunchie veggie- which features cucumbers, carrots, lettuce and boursin- and the Mike- turkey, avocado, cheese and honey. They are generously sized and I can usually spread the meal out over two days- so I don't really mind that I pay $8 for a sandwich. 

I do have a few gripes though. ON more than one occasion I have gotten my sandwich and realized they gave me the END of the bread- you know- that last slice that if you were in your own kitchen you would throw in the trash or feed to the dog? While I appreciate it's not wasteful- I really think they could have spared me a fresher piece of bread. My other gripe? When I order a big bowl of soup, it should come with a roll- in fact, I think they used to give rolls for free. But now they are extra. Don't cheap out on me Beantown!
3 - Brenda K.: Warm cozy coffee house. Hung out here for a morning waiting for my sister to get off work. Delicious pumpkin soy chai, free WiFi and a friendly staff that immediately remade my drink when they realized they heard me wrong when I ordered. Great customer service! The benches in the corner were comfy and there was no draft from the rainy day outside. I'll definitely be back!
4 - Kerri Y.: 7 minutes for a pressed sandwich-i'll take this wait any time!  The food here is wonderful, especially for one of the pressed paninis.   I love the atmosphere, the selection of sandwiches and the coffee.  The staff always seems like they are having a good time and it makes me want to work here!The prices are a bit steep but I think it is def worth it. 

Grab you sandwich find a bench outside and enjoy!

Beaner's Gourmet Coffee - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2794771, -83.7419712) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
2 - Haroun K.: Gourmet coffee it is not.  Beaner's took over the American Spoon's old spot.  I, for one, would always take mediocre gelato over bad coffee.  The baristas are pleasant enough, but really ought to be taught how to make a latte.  Starbucks outdoes them 1000%, and is only a few feet away.  I'd even take Espresso Royale over Beaner's (ew).  The ambiance suffers because of poor music choice, poor acoustics - you can hear everyone's conversations no matter where you sit - and the counter seating, where you get every cold gust and rush of noise from the theater crowd.    Apparently it's a good napping spot though.
2 - Mae S.: When you have a cup of coffee here, you can really be impressed: but not with the quality, ambience, or comfortable seating. No, you can be impressed with how quickly the American Cafe Experience went from exciting to ordinary. How could anything make Starbucks look good?
2 - Katy W.: Not a fan.  As others have mentioned, with the other coffee shops around (no mention of Ambrosia yet?), why would you go here?  And while they may get points for trying to please, I was not impressed when the barista offered me a cup of ice to pour coffee over when I asked for an iced coffee.  Oh yeah, and their baked goods are crap, but probably no worse than those at Starbucks or Ambrosia.
3 - Nia H.: I've only been to this establishment once...ran in whilst waiting for a bus on a blistery cold day and needed something to keep my bones warm. The coffee was just eh, typical caramel slightly tasteless latte thingy but it was hot and they made it fast! I didn't miss my bus. The folks working there were quite nice, downright cheery even, and they earned the place another star. But I probably won't go back. I don't take that bus very often.
3 - Clarence C.: Beaner's now has a better name. See the entry for Biggby.

Beanster's Cafe - Ann Arbor, MI (42.278675, -83.738208) ()
3 - Sara G.: Food: 3.5 stars
Coffee: 3 stars
Sheer convenience: 5 stars

Inside the Michigan League you'll find old wood, fancy carpeting, the ghosts of faculty wives past, mock vintage furniture, harried guests, jaded young students-cum-caterers, faculty white rabbits and...Beanster's. 

You'll also find a fast food ghetto in the basement (let's pretend I didn't write that).

When I'm rushed for time, or the weather is dreadful, or if I'm particularly craving a Griffin or California sandwich, Beanster's is a great place to grab and go Go GO!  I also appreciate their modest fresh fruit offerings (apples, bananas). Their salads are generously portioned for being under $7 (and featuring such tasties as dried cherries, bleu cheese, grilled chicken and tuna salad).

Make sure to come early or overshoot the noon hour, else you'll be waiting in a rather long line. Be prepared to play with your smartphone. 

As a study hall or second office, it's a far sight better than the Union, IMHO. Plus: they make a pretty tasty breve.
4 - Megan M.: Because it denotes excessive time spent on campus, I'm sorry to say that I'm able to provide a comprehensive comparative review of the different campus coffee places run the University Unions. 

Somewhat shockingly, Beanster's at the League makes eating on campus a pleasant option. The wood interiors are nice, the dining area is spacious, and the food is actually darn good. I think the kitchen here is bigger than its Beanster cousins at UGLi or North Campus, so they have many more food options, and it's more often freshly made.

They have the elusive vegetarian breakfast sandwich down pat. This semester, they added the Haley's Starter: scrambled eggs, sauteed zucchini, and goat cheese. Delicious, and a standout among the safe but boring field of egg and cheese sandwiches. The egg seems freshly cooked, instead of the egg-flavored hockey pucks from Bruegger's or Panera. You can get the sandwich on a bagel instead of the English muffin at no extra charge.

The workers behind the counter are always amazingly, but not abrasively, chipper at 7:45 in the morning. As Sara G noted, lunch time finds too long a line, but breakfast is usually swift.
2 - Chrissy M.: I've heard that it can be a long wait in the afternoons when the students are about but this morning I wait 20 mins for a freakin breakfast burrito and there was only 1 person in front of me in line. 

Yes, I understand that making food is complicated if you haven't had your moring coffee but the girls behind the counter were quite chipper. They had time to adjust the radio but didn't start on my burrito until 10 mins after I ordered it (and it was the only food order they had at the time). They did have time to make their wraps for the day though.:(

I can't help but wonder if they forgot halfway through the task. 
And the burrito was meh at best. To be honest I was really craving bacon and eggs and since this was the closest thing to my work I thought it might work out.  I could've walked to an actual breakfast place and already been halfway through my meal by the time my burrito arrived.
The girls behind the counter seem to lack supervision and time management.
I should've just eaten my $5 bill, it would've been tastier and less time consuming.
This place gets an extra star for the decent soups they have at lunch time though, once again, if you're willing to wait.
4 - Bryan B.: The Griffin or the St. Charles are my favorite sandwiches. A little bit of a wait (especially during the morning rush), but definitely a good place to get some coffee or grab something to eat. They also have a variety of salads and snacks. You can also use your Blue Bucks there if you are a student
3 - Halley S.: If you have a ton of time and are prepared to wait a while for your food then definitely go here.

I've eaten at Beanster's in the League at least ten times now and every time it's the same scenario- I've arrived at a slow time intentionally so I don't have to wait, I end up waiting an excessive amount of time (20 minutes on average) and tell myself that I will never return, I take one bite into my food and end up coming back. 
 
It's just so sad that a place like this, in a great location, with amazing food options that all taste fresh and make me want to come back day after day, has to be so poor when it comes to making food and knowing the menu. As you can imagine, I've spent quite some time standing by the kitchen waiting for my food and I'm always under the impression that no one is really running the place. They have a flock of people always working but no one seems to be in charge. Employees wander about like they're not sure what they should be doing, asking the same questions over and over and in no real rush to get orders out. Only one employee ever knows the soup of the day, even though there's only one or two at all times. I feel like with just one day of some training this place could explode and be much more efficient. I won't get my hopes up...

Beantown Taqueria - Mid-Cambridge, MA (42.361699, -71.097339) (Kendall Square/MIT)
4 - Raoul C.: Beantown Taqueria is one of the latest resto openings on Mass Ave to take up the challenge of sprucing up Central's food scene.  It's taken over the space previously inhabited by the uninspiring Olive Tree Cafe, and boy, does it have small sandals to fill.

Fortunately, the owners are determined to break the apathetic mold epitomized by the previous tenants, and current neighbours (I believe Chicago Pizza employees currently hold the Cambridge record for the longest and dirtiest fingernails, which, conveniently, double as ice-cream scoops in the summer.  Efficiency!).  Super friendly staff, a fairly innovative menu (well, East Coast innovative) and Latin jamz to keep you entertained while you're waiting.  The place just looks inviting, damn it.

A group of 5 tried a bit of everything:

Tex-Mex tacos ($6): decent, a little on the dry side though.  Maybe if guac/more salsa had been used, but the meal was filling none-the-less.

Super Burrito ($8): juicy, packed with meat, and a good amount of salsa/guac/sour cream used.

Huarache ($6): delicious - it's basically the same as the enchiladas (minus the mole sauce, although they might add it if you ask), except deep fried to crispy perfection.  Especially good with chorizo, although the meat itself was a little lacking.

While the food itself is closer to a 3.5, they get the extra bump because of their attitude; keep it up guys!  One thing I would suggest though: replace the table tabasco sauce with legit Mexican hot sauces (or even something like Tapatio).  Better yet, have a few different kinds out there!  I'm always looking for new ways to damage my stomach lining..
4 - Jane N.: I had lunch here today and wow, very impressed!  As has been mentioned before, they didn't have to do much more than wipe off the counter to improve upon the Olive Tree Cafe, but improve they have.  I had the flautas which were merely refried beans (or your choice of fillings) rolled into 3 corn tortillas and deep-fried but I can't believe how tasty they were.  Topped with fresh, spicy as heck salsa verde, queso fresco, lettuce, more refried beans, and sour cream, they were awesome. For an extra dollar, I could have upped it to a "plate" which comes with rice, beans, and chips.  No way I could have eaten all that!  My friend had a burrito which he said was delicious but it was too soft to pick up and eat so he had to switch to a knife and fork.  

They're still putting the final touches on the interior and the floor could use a solid cleaning but otherwise, this place is destined to become a new go-to spot for lunch.  It doesn't hurt that I work across directly across the street!  Annas?  Who's Anna?
5 - Lisa P.: Finally, somewhere to satisfy my cravings for cheap, decent Mexican food.  If I were still living in the South I'd give it a 4, but I'll go by Boston standards and up it by a star. 

I got the enchiladas with shredded beef and salsa verde and they killed the lukewarm enchiladas I once got from El Pelon.  The enchiladas were 7 bucks and the nice gentleman asked me if I wanted to make it a plate with rice, chips, and my choice of beans for an extra dollar.  Sure, I said.  Making it a plate actually involved piling so much food onto a plate that my chips were sprinkled on top (see photo).  Anyways, I'm not complaining.. 8 bucks (tax already included) for a gut busting meal- great deal!    While peeking into the vats of ingredients I noticed that the ground beef looked mighty tasty and momentarily regretted not getting that, but all regrets vanished once I started eating.  Juicy, savory goodness! 

As everyone has mentioned, the staff is awesome and super friendly (after being greeted, the next thing said to me was, "You know this is authentic Mexican food, right?" which made me laugh).  One of the guys working there mentioned that they serve brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, so I'm interested in checking that out to switch it up from the standard American style brunch.
5 - Carolina H.: The toughest thing about leaving San Diego for Boston was not the weather, as everyone warned us... it was the lack of great, cheap, authentic taquerias we found here. Or rather, didn't find. East Boston has some, Chelsea has some, but they're a hike from our place. But now... problem solved! Beantown Taqueria is awesome. The staff is supercool and always more than happy to smother whatever you order in their amazing, fresh salsas, or mole, or to otherwise tailor your order. Their breakfast burritos are killer- I get mine without the rice, and my husband adds shrimp to his, and nobody minds. They make their own fresh corn tortillas. The play Mana. They have chilaquiles. They even got the chile rellenos right. They deliver. AND THEY'RE OPEN LATE! Where have they been all these years? 

Their hot salsa is really hot, even for heat fiends, so you may want to get it on the side. It's a delicious, fresh, habanero lip-burning eye-watering adventure. I love it, but it's legitimately hot. There are plenty of other options for non-heat-lovers. 

Go check this place out, and welcome them to the neighborhood. You'll be glad you did.
3 - Julia G.: We saw some great reviews on Yelp and decided to try this place out on Cinco de Mayo. We ordered chicken fajitas and chicken enchiladas, and we were very excited for our food. 

Unfortunately, when the food got here, we were instead very much disappointed. I wish I had paid with my debit card instead of cash, and had checked my order before I tipped him. There was barely enough chicken to make two fajitas (the guy said that they give beans/rice so there's not much chicken....strange since I don't think most customers order for the beans/rice), and the sour cream/guacamole that comes with the order was missing. It took us several phone calls to get them to fix our order (they offered us 50% discount on our next order, but we told them that there wouldn't be a next order). They ended up sending a new order and a partial refund. We appreciated their consideration. 

I think they were very busy this day, so I want to give them the benefit of the doubt. But overall, the food was okay, should have just done pick-up from Border's Cafe or even Boca. Probably great for drunk-food.
3 - Jeff W.: I'm not sure why so many people love this place.  I love Mexican, but it's not better quality than the food truck next to MIT Medical.  Very standard stuff.  You don't get that much food, although it's certainly not expensive.  A big plus - it is open very late.  

I prefer Chipotle, Mexicali, Anna's tacqueria, Olecito, Border Cafe (if that counts as mexican)
5 - Mushhoor A.: This place is amazing! I plan on trying everything on the menu because everything looks so good. The portions are great and so are the prices. Everything is authentic Tex-Mex and the guacamole is phenomonal. Great, genuinely caring staff (I believe they're family) and they've just found their first 'regular', will def be back.
1 - Rebecca L.: ugh. 
1. for some dumb reason the only speakers in the whole place are directed right at your head when you order, and if that wasn't annoying enough, as soon as i started ordering my food, the guy at the cash register cranked up the music so loud that i literally couldn't hear the guy making my burrito. even when i was yelling "I CAN'T HEAR YOU" when he was asking me if i wanted hot sauce or whatever, nobody bothered to turn it down.
2. the loud music right in your face would be a somewhat forgiveable offense, but the burrito itself was really mediocre. tasteless chicken, no flavor, bleh bleh bleh. won't be going back.
5 - M J.: So as someone mentioned before, I promised to write a review in a drunken haze, and now that I've finished school, I'm free to wax poetic on this awesome establishment.

First of all, please visit if only for the friendly staff. For newcomers to Central Square, they are by far one of the friendliest/warmest food establishments I've been too in Boston.  They were super nice and accommodating of me and my drunk friends even though they should have been closed.

Now for the food, I've had the steak enchiladas, steak tacos, and quesadillas.  Personally, I've enjoyed every single meal I've had there: sober and not so sober.  Everything is super flavorful and I love their spicy sauce.

I'm just sad that they're only opening as I close the chapter on my life in Boston, :/
5 - Felicia N.: I literally made a yelp account just to write about how delicious this place is. It is open really late and delivers. The employees are friendly. 

The chimichangas are delicious and the enchiladas are fantastic. The rice that comes with the chimichangas is soft and flavorful. 

Also, it is really convenient to have the tax included so you get none of that $5.99 bullshit. 

Overall, I think if Jesús orders GrubHub, he would pick this place.
5 - Jasper D.: Awesome awesome Mexican food. I come here twice a week at lunch time mostly just for tacos but occasionally get flautas or enchiladas. Beantown tacos are the best kind of tacos. Put some kind of meat (carnitas or al pastor for instance) in a soft corn tortilla with onion, cilantro, some kind of magic green hot sauce and serve with a lime.

The 'plate' upgrade for a dollar is a no-brainer to get rice and beans and chips added on.

The people that run this place are very nice. They are legitimately psyched when you order something that sounds delicious.
5 - Stacy P.: Finally...actual Mexican food.  

I love that they separate the  menu into 'traditional' and 'tex-mex'  so people know that there is a difference. 

I've had several different items from the menu, but the huarache is by far my favorite.  As far as meat, I've only ever had the chicken tinga, but it's clearly good enough that I don't get anything else.
3 - Rebecca N.: The homemade corn tortillas make this place worth visiting. I am also very happy there is a taco place close to Central. 

A few downsides though. The ordering system is a little bizarre and anxiety inducing. In addition the person making my food was making like ten other orders at the same time. So when I gave him my order, I wasn't quite sure if he heard me correctly or knew what I wanted. The other person that was helping me seemed kind of out of it. The woman who was at the cash register, though, was very helpful. 

The rice looked sub-par. The fillings in the tacos were okay, a little greasy. I think that they could sweat some small details and make this place into a super awesome taco shop. 

So I say lots of potential!!! Worth a try for sure.
4 - Jason S.: really juicy flavorful burrito.  I love the fact they grilled it.  It was delish and will definitely go back.  The staff was EXTREMELY nice and helpful.
4 - Jeremy J.: I've got a new go -to Burrito Spot in Town. Beantown Taqueria, which opened a few months ago, serves up authentic Mexican and Tex Mex Food in a clean setting. The staff is wonderful and remembered me the second time I was back. The menu is simple without being boring, and the Burritos, with multiple meat options, are nearly flawless. The tacos, while decent, were a bit lacking in terms of ingredients and presentation. Another bonus: open till 4AM on Fridays and Saturdays, which is rare for Boston restaurants. Bottom line: Opt for the Burritos.
3 - Hana T.: 3.5 stars.

I got a huarache with tinga chicken. For Cambridge, the quality of this Mexican food is stellar. For everywhere else...rather forgettable. Still though, I enjoyed the flavorful tinga chicken, and the homemade corn tortilla had a really nice texture.
5 - Amanda R.: This place is awesome! The service is always wonderful. Everyone who works here is super friendly and willing to give suggestions.

Try the chile rellenos or the chimis. Their homemade quac is awesome. I see some less than stellar reviews and think its due to the place being somewhat new. Maybe they are still working out very minor kinks but the quality of the food is superb and the friendly service is top notch. Definitely the best mexican food in Central Sq.
3 - Sharon O.: BeanTaq, I think we got started off on the wrong foot.
I'm not really sure if it's you or me, but I'd like to give us another chance.

Your authentic vs. tex mex menu delighted me.
Your 10" burrito ($7) or 12" burrito ($8) with all the toppings included was music to my ears.
Special fillings like chicken tinga or carnitas enticed me in...
Your line moved right along.
You took credit cards.

But my medium spicy burrito was pretty gosh darn hot. I couldn't taste anything beyond the heat! So my chicken tinga was completely masked. As were the other ingredients. Sad.

I generally like the kick, so I hope the mild still has one... 
Was it a case of mistaken identity? Other people ordered their food "hot" spicy near to my order...

Cute little place, some seating, but ideal for a quick grab and run at lunch.
5 - Sarah D.: I have been putting off writing this because I always get the same thing and I feel like I should probably branch out, but, nah.

Beantown Carnitas tacos. Hot, if you're nasty. Medium if you're a lady. Mild if you're a girl. Black beans and rice. (Question: What makes these black beans so much more delicious than any other black beans ever? They look exactly the same. But they're not. Nothing will ever be the same again.) 

Technically I have also tried the enchiladas, and the chicken tinga tacos. Both of these were also delicious, but I am pretty committed to the carnitas at this point. I guess it just let it get too far. No turning back.

But for real: simple, delicious tacos. Nothing fancy. Nothing alcoholic (but oh man, if I could drink tequila here too I would just never leave). Friendly service. Awesome times. If they were on Foodler I would probably never eat anything but tacos for the rest of my life. They do deliver, but have phone anxiety. TMI. Sorry. I will walk there for tacos anyway, no big whoop. 

So good.
4 - Tough C.: I've had about 12 meals from here so far, always for takeout.  Their enchiladas and tacos are all I've had - generally with the carnitas (pork) filling - but once I went wild and ordered the chicken tinga, which was also very good.  

I tend to get the Green Chile sauce, but wish the sauce to filling ratio were higher sometimes.

One thing they seem to do here is double up on the corn shell for hard tacos ... so you get twice as much corn "wrapper" as you might at other establishments.  If this bothers you, you can get the soft tortillas.

Best dish: Enchiladas with mole sauce added to it, with black beans and rice.

Best features:  Value, choice of preparations (authentic or  "beantown" stiles), variety of fillings and sauces, open late (really late, like 4AM late)

Worst feature: too far away - they aren't closer to my apartment.  Don't be afraid to ask for things.

Beantown Taqueria, thanks for saving me from IHOP!
5 - Shannon M.: Here is what you should do ASAP for your dinner/lunch/drunk munchies (because this place is open until 4am on Thursday-Saturday nights, friends! No more Chicago Pizza for your late night hunger pains.).

1) Grab a friend. These portions are ridiculous.
2) Order the Beantown Nachos. Get them in a take-away container so that all that deliciousness can be contained by the container sides. (I recommend the chorizo. Save the delicious chicken tinga for your burritos or quesadillas.
3) Pay $9. Sorry, let me say that again, in case you missed that: NINE BUCKS. DINNER FOR TWO.
4) Chill at their outside tables and enjoy your still-full wallet and belly.

*Okay, I will grant: if you're not a small female going with a similarly sized small female, you may need a side/another dish. If you're not all that hungry/alone but still want nachos, get the taco plate with hard shell tacos for only $8!

Seriously, one of my saddest moments in undergrad was the day I tried Beantown for the first time and realized that I only had a month left to eat my heart out before I graduated. Their Mexican food is seriously solid, the white folk in me loves their Tex-Mex menu, and their spice range on the salsa is actually accurate-- like, the medium actually has a kick! Well played, Beantown Taq. 

For the ridiculously reasonable prices, the fact that they deliver, the fact that the people working the cash register are always smiling, and the amount of money I managed to spend at this place in a month, 5 stars for you, Beantown.
5 - M D.: Spent the last two years searching for a quality taqueria in the Boston area and this it.

Delicious, authentic tacos with chips, salsa, and beans for $8? Sign. Me. Up.

Delivery and generous hours.

Try the tinga! Flavorful chipotle shredded chicken.
5 - Lillybeth B.: The place is nothing fancy, the prices are average, but the food is delicious. I have no complaints. It can get a bit warm inside so I suggest eating outside when you can unless of course you are into  that type of thing. The tacos are great and the flan is yummy too. oh and they have Jarritos, I love that stuff.
5 - Kevin H.: You might not believe that there is authentic, DF-style Mexican food in the Boston area, but here it is, smack dab in the middle of Cambridge, between Central and MIT. What a delight to find a place that makes delicious al pastor.  Their tagline is "Mexican Soul Food," and you can't leave here without feeling like you've done something good for your soul. Or at least your tastebuds.

I'm not clear why the "Tex-Mex" option is on the menu at all, but I guess one has to play to their customer base. You're doing yourself a real disservice, though, if you're not getting the Beantown/Authentic-style whatever.  Take it from this Californian and skip the burrito this one time, and get yourself some tacos, flautas, enchiladas, whatever. Nom!
4 - Lala L.: yummmmmmmm....fast and really good food! perfect for my short lunch break...and totally addicted to their enchilada!!!!!  It's loaded with cheese, tomatillo sauce, lettuce...etc...and their hot sauce has a nice kick!
3 - Michael C.: A-Ok. Standard Mexican joint in Boston. Had a little bit of a hard time giving my order to the person at the counter. If you're craving Mexican this place should do the trick.
4 - David X.: Good Quality.  Good Flavors.  Average Size Portions (Not sure what some people on yelp were talking about regarding an order being enough to feed 2 people).

However, I prefer Cantina La Mexicana a LOT more.  For example, Cantina gives you 2 chili rellenjos for $9, whereas Beantown just gives you one.  Beantown cooks theirs in an egg batter and Cantina doesn't.  I prefer it without.

Beantown's Nachos said they came with nacho cheese, but it seemed more like a cheese spread, whereas Cantina uses actual cheese and puts it under the broiler so it melts.

Finally, Beantown's Flan portion is small, and tastes like it was bought from somewhere else (i.e. preservatives, slightly off taste), whereas Cantina's is made on site.

So I really want to like Beantown, but find it just a decent alternative.  I think I would pick Chipotle over them too.  But it does seem like they are trying so they definitely get points there.  I mean, if you've tried a lot of the mexican take-out places in Boston, you know that most give you inedible food.  So a decent new one is always welcome.
2 - John S.: Being a Mexican food lover and with the limited options in Cambridge, I resort to Beantown Taqueria but I am always left dissatisfied. I order different items from the menu in hopes that there is something above par, but alas I think I've come to realize that there is nothing good about the food here. I've had the carnitas burrito (2stars), carnitas chimichanga (3stars), chicken quesadilla (3stars), but tonight I may have had the worst tacos I will ever eat (1star). The order comes with three and as hungry as I am I could only get through one before throwing it away. I really wish I could say good things about the food. The service is good and perhaps that's why I go back, but the quality of the food needs to improve before I can return again.
2 - Cristin M.: The food is pretty good, especially for Mexican food in Boston. 
However, delivery earns them two stars. The last time I called to find out about my order, and hour and ten minutes after ordering it,  the woman told me I would eventually get my order. Not even a fake apology.
I don't blame the swamped delivery guys, I blame the restaurant.

Bear Basics - Berkeley, CA (37.8676802, -122.2590851) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
4 - Kat C.: First floor of Futura with T-Shirt Orgy in the basement. They have TONS of cute Cal logo related stuff. I particularly like the T-shirts that make fun of UCLA and Stanford.
Go Bears!
3 - Erica S.: I went in here looking for casual clothes.  When you walk in, all you see is Cal logo stuff, but upstairs is a bunch of everydway wear t-shirts, sweaters, jackets, etc.  Kinda reminds me of Urban Oufitters.  The prices are very affordable especially in the sale racks.  No returns or exchanges on sale items.  I bought myself a long corduroy zip up jacket.  I doubt I'll see anyone with the same exact one.  Yay!
5 - Brendan M.: i just wanted to compliment the service i got from one of the on duty managers today! he was so helpful in finding everything i needed(the first girl didnt know anything). he was a short mexican or native american man in his 20's, semi-sarcastic, yet very helpful nonetheless! i will go here every chance i get now,  and who ever is in charge GIVE THIS MAN A RAISE!
4 - Sheila C.: T SHIRT ORGY!!! TO the Basement!
SO I am a huge band t-shirt person and this place delivers for me.
Lots and lots of tees downstairs from bands, Tv shows and various cultures (scene cultures I mean).
They also have a great poster collection I get all excited in here all that cotton and screen print....YES YES YES!!! Don't Stop!! lol

Honestly Its a cool stop on the Tel...Do stop by.
1 - ZAC O.: This place has been going downhill for awhile. I would visit this place every time I went to Berk and usually buy at least a couple shirts or more from them. Even though, the Cal store on Bancroft has a much wider selection with as good or better prices, I have been a regular here for years and tried to stay loyal. I believe, customer service is a very important aspect of any business but they seem to not adhere to this philosophy. The last time i went they forgot to remove the Ink Tags off of my clothes. I didnt realize this until I made it back to my house, almost an hour drive. I called to make them aware of my situation and to let them know that I would have to come back with a tagged item, including my reciept, to be properly de-tagged and they are treating me as if I should have been aware that the ink tag was left on garments. I would assume that if a security tag was left on someones clothes, that the security alarm would beep as I walked through the door. Of course this logic seems silly to the employees. The one guy I spoke with told me that I would be recieving a call from the manager, but as the days passed and I called back, I was told that the manager didn't want to deal with it and wouldn't get on the phone. I have since written an E-mail to the owner about this problem and after two weeks with no reply, I see that my business is not so important to them. From now on, I will do my shopping one block away at Bancroft's, and tell all whom I know about this turdhole. It's interesting, that in this troubled economy, Bear Basics has enough capital to shit on the paying customer.
3 - vishal k.: Great store for close to campus. I like the large selection of t-shirts. The only things i've bought from there are CAL attire, and sweats. you have to leave your bags with them when entering, this makes you feel slightly unwanted, but the friendly workers compensate.
4 - Corissa S.: Bear Basics is the place to go if you are in need of cheap, knockoff Cal paraphernalia. The CAL merchandise is not the best quality, but it will last you through a football season. This huge store keeps changing its name, so it is sometimes confusing. Just look for the big glass windows on Telegraph.
This is not the primary reason I am an avid Bear Basic shopper. I go for the local Bay Area t-shirts and sweatshirts. I buy all my "Am I not cool in my East Bay cranes shirt?" gifts for non-locals at this shop.
Today, however, I discovered the basement, and I am now in love with the dirty little secret. They call it  The T-shirt orgy, and they are so right. We were on the hunt for a communist party shirt, a very specific one. Did you know these are hard to find?
I walked into the basement and heard a choir singing! I could shop here for hours, and find novelty t-shirts for all of my friends.
Comic book shirts, movie slogans, political satire, religious icons, fighting dolphins, crude humor, nostalgic 80's images. You name it, they got it. My husband finally had to drag me out  before I spent our entire Christmas budget on t-shirts!
4 - Victoria T.: I visited Bear Basics for the 2009 USC vs. CAL football game. To be honest, I'm kind of jealous we don't have one of these in U of SoCal. What I absolutely love is how they have selective American Apparel discounts where v-necks ranged from $12-$14 and even included a Cal printed raglan long sleeve JEALOUSSSSSS!!!!!

Chances of coming back? I THINK SO!
3 - Alie C.: This place is alright. If you are a fan of band tees or those tees with the really dumb sayings on them then you definitely need to check out the store downstairs. On the street level it is all Cal merchandise. On the top floor there is a mini boutique and more Cal stuff. There was some cute stuff in the boutique but when you tried it on you could tell how cheaply made it was. When you walk in, you get harassed by an employee to leave your bag behind the counter. I don't quite understand this. Shoplifting was so middle school. Anyways the employees weren't all that friendly and the clothes were cheaply made and overpriced so I walked out with no purchases.
5 - Michelle C.: This store rocks!  Loved the tee's in the basement.  My boyfriend who is the pickiest shopper left with two shirts.  I found a cute hat.  We both were able to score some merch.  This is a store that has to be visited as long as you are on Telegraph.
4 - Alex M.: I'm not really into all the Cal gear, but I love the t-shirt orgy shop they got going on down stairs! I never leave Berkeley without stopping by.  They have a bunch of comical tees that are pretty clever..  If you're into band tees they have a decent selection for different genres..including on the sales racks and some posters too. The upstairs top floor also has some pretty good deals on more casual clothes.
1 - Andy Q.: Ummm. The workers here are just downright rude. I mean I expect general university level service to be subpar, but Bear Basics is just downright rude. I mean it was rude even on the level of if they were strangers and not being paid to help customers. I asked them for where the fitting rooms were and they first ignored me and were when they did answer were overly bitchy and visibly annoyed. She might have just been having a bad day, but that was just ridiculous. I was going to buy my sweats from there (they were nice) but decided against it solely because of how rude the worker was. I'm just hoping they reconsider who works there and reevaluate their employees/screening process. I don't usually go this far, but I'd say their customer service is just shocking.
3 - Andy V.: This place stands the test of time.  I visited from SF with the idea in my head that I would find a couple cool t-shirts.  They still have a ginormous selection and it's super organized.  I came up on a wicked Stone Roses tee and a Depeche Mode Violator tee as well.

I did experience rudeness at the reg. when I checked out.  Dude completely went out of his way to not look me in the eyes, he was mumbling, and was intentionally being a jerk.  Sup wit that?  I live in the Upper Haight and consider it to be similar to Telegraph in many ways, but the thrift shop droogs in my hood, although hipstery, are way cooler to deal with.
1 - Anne L.: Was visiting from out of state so stopped by to purchase some Cal gear for my kids.  Later in the week, I realized that they forgot to take the sensor tag off one of the shirts. Since we were staying in SF, I called to find out how to get the sensor tag off and the clerk who answered said that I could take it to a certain clothing store (a national store but not easily found outside of California).  I found one close to where we were staying in SF, but when I brought it there, they didn't use the same type sensor tag, so they couldn't remove it.  Called the store back and the clerk said I could bring it back to Berkeley with my receipt and they could remove it.  When I explained that I was staying in SF and would be leaving the next day, he recommended Rasputins Record Store because they are part of the same network, but he didn't know where the store was located in SF.  I asked if he knew of any other store in case they couldn't do it or I couldn't find it, and he suggested that I "would have to do some research by calling other stores on my own" but he couldn't help.   Fortunately, I was able to find Rasputins and they were very nice about it.  Still, I think from now on I will purchase my Bear gear from a nationwide chain with better service - ex. Costco or Target.  Not worth it to support a local business unless you actually live locally in this case.
1 - Andrea K.: If I could give this place 0 stars I would!  I recently graduated from UCB as a PhD and came back to get some paraphernalia.  I picked up a shirt from the bottom of a stack because it was the right size, looked down and saw that the sensor had leaked all over my expansive new clothes and hands, right before an important meeting on Campus.

I told the manager about this and she (Sandee the manager) insinuated that I was trying to steal this 10$ shirt and that it was my fault!!!  She said "these sensors dont just explode on their own" and "if it was already leaking you should have seen it before you picked it up" and "the store is not at fault" 

I have never been treated in this fashion and she is hurting their business because I will never buy from there while she's still working there, and neither will my extensive alumni friends. 

Sandee should be fired for treating customers like thieves instead of taking responsibility for the store's unkept clothing!

Bear Karaoke - Berkeley, CA (37.8678572, -122.2582228) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
2 - Jane S.: This is the new karaoke place that recently opened up next to Minami Sushi which uhh, also features karaoke? To celebrate the end of the semester and to say screw finals, some friends and I headed down to belt out all the slow jams, rap and pop hits we know. They have a lot of songs to choose from in many different languages, including Russian I believe? Cheesy Korean videos, of course.

The rooms are nice and clean and differ in size and price. We had a room that fit about 8 people, and it was $50. Yes, a bit pricey. I'm not sure how expensive or how cheap the bigger and smaller rooms, respectively, are. The couches are comfy, but the only annoying thing is the many strobe lights and lasers going off. A single slow-rotating disco ball would be fine, but some of these lights are seizure-inducing. Just kidding.

Thumbs up for cleanliness and a large selection of songs, but thumbs down for:

1) How the karaoke service itself works. Here you pay by the hour upfront immediately, which I don't think is the best way to go. I've been to a few karaoke places, where you stop when you want to and pay at the end. This is mutually beneficial--we can go on and on for hours singing uninterrupted until sober (and who knows how long that'll take), while the karaoke business racks up the money at the end. 

2) Haunted ride to get to the bathroom. Holy mothereffer, I suggest you go with a friend when you want to use the bathroom. Before leaving, we all decided to check it out, because my friend had said it was creepy as hell when she went alone. The elevator ride is truly scary, there is some rumbling going on for sometime before you reach the second floor where the bathroom is. When you get to the floor, though, you first just see this wide open space with wooden benches, filled black trashbags and styrofoam and some staircase that descends into oblivion. See for yourself, just make sure you're with a friend when you gotta use the can!
1 - Albert K.: I heard that this was the new karaoke joint in berkeley so I decided to check it out with a few of my korean friends this past weekend. 

the entrance is pretty impressive with the strobe lights and such but i found that after a while, it gets pretty hard on the eyes... i appreciate that i dont have to drive over to oakland or sf to go karaoke anymore but their prices are really something ($30) starting for a small room, not to mention you have to pay upfront and not when you're finished which kinda sucks for both ends.. 

other than that, i didnt find a difference in song selection... like most korean karaoke spots, they all seem to use the same machines anyways... no surprise? i wont even comment on the bathroom trip 

overall a convenient karaoke spot considering its the only one in berkeley, but huge minus points for amenities, cost and parking seeing as there really is none.
3 - G P.: I have never been a fan of karaoke, so this review is about my first experience of karaoke as well as about Touch.

My friends dragged me here after a few drinks at Joshu-ya down the street, so the first thing I wanted to know about the place was what I'm sure most people are wondering--do they serve alcohol? The answer, sadly, is no. This didn't stop my group from bringing alcohol in with us, although we couldn't fit much and already had a buzz going. It's important to hide the alcohol because each room has a window which the attendants can peek through.

When I think of karaoke I think of that scene in Lost in Translation: a private room, flashy lights, and bill murray or scarlett johannsen. Sadly, the two actors were not to be found, but a flashy room was good enough for me. There were also sweet Korean music videos with each song, which brought a sort of fresh feel to singing since you could focus on the video's story along with the words. The rooms were furnished nicely and clean as well, which had a welcoming feeling, almost like it didn't matter if you were good or bad.

The actual karaoke was fun as well, but it could have been better. The control is in Korean, so it might be a bit complicated to operate at first, especially since there were features I wouldn't have known about had I not been with a Korean-speaker. The play list, I felt, was a bit disappointing. The English ones all seemed to be very poppy and there wasn't anything that I would really want to sing. Most of the stuff was popular chart stuff, which I'm guessing is pretty typical for karaoke. There were also a number of Korean, Spanish, and other language songs available. If they focused on offering more English songs I would feel more of an impulse to return soon.

I felt it was a bit pricey, but for a private room that's nicely furnished with flashy lights it probably wasn't too bad. We had about 10-12 people for around $65. One problem with their system was that you had to pay by the hour, so we had to decide how long we were going to be there. Also, if you pay for two hours you get an extra one free. I'm not sure of the details regarding this offer, but it sounds good.

Overall I felt positive about Touch. It had a lot to offer for a first timer, but I could see it getting boring because of such a limited English playlist. I'll probably be heading back here soonish, but I think I'm gonna have problems getting people here, so I doubt it's gonna get old for me soon. I recommend trying out an hour with some friends to familiarize yourselves with the playlist just in case anything over an hour is pushing what you would consider fun and enjoyable--or if you sober up.
3 - Katherine B.: Unlike the last yelper, I've ALwAYS been a fan of karaoke. In fact, I often don a shirt that proclaims me a "Karaoke Champion." I'm not claiming to be good or anything (my sister bought me the shirt at Urban Outfitters... what can I say, I'm a poser) but I love love love it.

Tried out this place after law school graduation. It was the night before my bday so my friends were at my command and karaoke it was. Overall, it was a wicked fun time. Here are the pros and cons of Touch:

Pros:
- Overall, decent song selection
- tambourines in the rooms
- large rooms
- reasonably priced
- good location
- really hilarious music videos

Cons:
- Creeeeepy bathroom (you go up a slow elevator, then cross a large dark room full of chairs and unfinished items, then you go to a small bathroom where likely there's no TP)
- No "Summer of '69" on the song list (this makes a bday girl sad)
- Strange "tween's bedroom" design for the room we were in
- no alcohol allowed or sold

I think this was a great place for a fun time b/c with me you really can't go wrong with karaoke. But if you go to touch just be prepared to sing "Summer Nights," instead of "Summer of '69."
3 - Steph L.: I LOVE KARAOKE-ING. uhms, this place like MOST korean places dont have the actual music videos to many of these songs...there's just a random segment of a korean movie playing with lyrics (some scenes are quite disturbing)...

This place is quite pricey, but their SOUND SYSTEM is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G and its really close to campus (for students who dont drive).
2 - Thary D.: This place is pricey. They list the price by rooms. There were 5 of us, and we had to pay for a 6 people maximum room since the smaller room was for 4 people. It was $42/hour. I didn't see rates listed for after you go over the hour, they would probably just charge you another $42/hour which is ridiculous. The song selection is outdated. The printed lists that are alphabetical are old, but they have newer sheets with a mixture of new songs that were hard to sort through. 

The only bonus would be...the tambourines included in the room.
4 - Paul L.: This is a fun place to go Karaoke-ing, and the only place in Berkeley.  I think we were the only people here on a Tuesday night.  
        They have some fairly new songs and most of the classics you would probably want to find (U2 - Beautiful Day, Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl, Fray - You Found Me, Elton John - Your Song, Cold Play - Viva La Vida, Nat King Cole - L is for the way you look at me, Billy Joel - Uptown Girl, Blink 182 - All the Small Things, Aretha Franklin - I Say a Little Prayer, etc...) .  The place is clean, and comfortable.  They have two mics and tambourines in the room to jam along to.  
        The only minuses are that the place is somewhat on the expensive side and we had some trouble figuring out the sound system.  I think it was about $70 for an hour for a room for about 8 people.
        My friends said that there is a place in Oakland that is cheaper, but dingier.
3 - Lucy C.: Bear Karaoke is the closest karaoke place in Berkeley and it's really conveniently located (right across from Asian Ghetto on Durant!). In terms of song selection, they're better than average. They have a lot of older 90's songs, as well as an adequate selection of newer/more recent songs as well!

Getting in is pretty simple- I've never had to wait for a room, so it's pretty instantaneous the moment you walk in. One downside, however, is that you should probably bring a Korean person with you. The remote & menus are in Korean, so if you don't, you might waste a good amount of time trying to figure out how to pick a song.

Another suggestion? Choose songs in a queue so that they start playing automatically and you waste less time!

Bear Market - Berkeley, CA (37.867417, -122.260408) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
4 - Ada T.: I don't really buy here anymore since I don't have points (though I do occasionally mooch on those of others.) But if I did still have meal points, many of them would definitely be going here. In the last two years, Bear Market (and Cal Dining overall) has made a pretty extraordinary effort to be sustainable and organic. The product selection (except for the very corporate Coca-Cola drink area) looks like it was pulled from the shelves of Whole Foods. They sell everything from Amy's frozen dinners to Seventh Generation dish soap to fair trade chocolate to fresh fruit to the best yellow corn tortilla rounds ever. They also carry some more Safeway mainstream things, like Pepperidge Farm cookies, Duracell batteries, sour gummy worms, Haagen Dazs ice cream, etc. In a smart nod to the fact that Cal's population is like 45% Asian, they even carry Hi-chews and nori. 

Their prices are obviously not the best, which is why I'm reluctant to buy anything now that I don't have mealpoints. But I'm honestly quite tempted to, not just because it's convenient but because it really carries some yummy items that aren't so easily found elsewhere. 

(Minus one star for the aforementioned prices, and because, for god's sake, we're college students and sometimes we just need to eat Cheetos, not Fig Newmans!)
1 - Ramon E.: This place makes me sad. It's basically just stealing from rich parents. They sell cool stuff, but c'mon-- I did a survey of 10 products (including Kleenex, frozen waffles, detergent, Think Thin nutrition bars and Odwalla juice) while my friend was shopping, and it was an average 50-60% markup over Monterey Market/Whole Foods (to say nothing of Safeway, if you shop there). I know it's in the dorms, but college kids are poor. Take the bus to Safeway.
5 - Philip T.: This is really simple: If you have meal points, then this place is awesome. If you don't have meal points, then don't bother. This place stays open until 2, which is also a huge bonus.
4 - Dominic T.: I wish there was one located closer to Units 1 & 2 (no, The Den doesn't count). The fridges remind me of Safeway and Walgreens and Cal Dining has got the feel of a grocery store down. You can load up on unhealthy snacks here ranging from chips, candies, to cookies. There are also Asian fruit gummies, Pocky, Sour Patch, first aid materials, lotion, cereal, instant rice, ramen, soups, pre-packaged rice bowls, salads, sandwiches/paninis, ice cream (Haagen Dazs pints and bars, ice cream sandwiches), yogurt parfaits... The standard Coca Cola Company drinks are in the fridges along with Odwalla, Vitamin Water, Synergy, and plenty more that I haven't tried or heard of.
2 - Austin W.: Overpriced!!! Unless you have meal points, avoid this place. I sometimes come here to grab something with a friend who has meal points, or if I'm about to pass out after a work out at the RSF nearby, but otherwise, there's so many better places to spend your money. 

Take a pack of 2 AA batteries for instance. If I remember correctly, they're priced at $9.99 or something absurd. Find a friend, go to Costco, and buy a bulk pack of 24 batteries for $9.99. The markup is insane. Berkeley is really trying to gouge students.

The staff working here are pretty chill about their job. Not very helpful, not very fast checking out, but they get you in an out in decent time.
2 - Rachel S.: A necessary evil.
Come here if you have excess meal points to spend or get sick after eating in the dining halls (me, among others). This place would be great if it wasn't extremely expensive.
Go for: Candy (normally priced), slushies (normally priced), smoothies (great), coffee (fine), and Cal bakery cookies (a good meal replacement/snack).
Avoid: Cereal (like $7 a box), batteries, laundry supplies, and mostly everything else.
By the way, watch out - if you're like me and just come downstairs for a carton of ice cream in bare feet, the manager will yell at you in front of the whole store about health violations. I'm pretty sure if she's concerned about bare feet she should be freaking out about the moldy strawberries and under-cooled ice cream sandwiches in the main freezer... ew.
4 - Alyx V.: a) I have meal points
b) I live in Unit 3

That being said, I love, love, love Bear Market. Oh, Bear Market, where else would I get snacks at 1 AM? Everything else in Berkeley closes absurdly early, so I feel forever indebted to Bear Market for being my late-night booty call time and time again. Next year when I don't have meal points I'm going to stand in the pouring rain, staring longingly at the glass, hoping some Freshman will take pity on me and throw me some meal points. 

Well, the selection does get boring, but still, c'mon, it's plenty.  
(at least it's open on the weekends unlike undependable Cafe 3)

Bear Rock Cafe - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9265084, -79.0280732) ()
2 - Dov C.: I'm continually disappointed by Bear Rock.  The menu looks great on paper, but is pretty blah on the plate.  All the sandwiches are lacking in any real flavor, despite being filled with potential interesting ingredients or on a nice bread.  The soups are fair -  premade/prepackaged so nothing to get too excited about.
3 - Simon L.: I'm not much of a sandwich guy but a business trip took me to the town of Durham and one of my colleagues took us to Bear Rock to get a taste of a local chain.  

The restaurant is clean and the menus are nice.  You can eat pizzas, sandwiches (hot and cold), soup, salads and more.  

I opted for the crab cake sandwich, which comes with a bag of Bear Rock chips - similar to Ruffles.  It was very good.  I had absolutely no complaints.  It's well portioned so that I wasn't stuffed but it wasn't a hungry man meal by any means.  My colleague ordered the french dip pita and that looked really good as well.  

I'm pretty sure you will do fine having a sandwich here.
2 - Katherine M.: Very disappointed. I was at University Mall, looking for a lunch, and I was this close to going into Spice Street but the atmosphere combined with the fact that it was Valentine's Day scared me off. So I ended up here.

I ordered a salad. It tasted OK, but the chicken was gross. An hour later, I had an awful oniony aftertaste (there weren't even any on my salad, or so they said.)  Nothing got rid of it.

For the same price I could've gone to Panera and gotten something about 10 times better.
1 - Adam F.: I've walked past Bear Rock Cafe numerous times while at University Mall, but only yesterday decided to visit with my wife. We both ended up wishing we had kept on walking.

We'd rank the service as 2/10. The girl at the counter was wholly unenthusiastic about taking our order.

The food was 1/10. I order the roasted veggie pizza. While the ingredients appeared to be of reasonable quality, it came to me soggy and stuck to the wax paper it was served on. Very bland as well. A few spices and baking the pizza directly on the oven rack would have done wonders...

My wife ordered the crab sandwich and came without the promised tomato. The promised warm potato roll somehow turned into a bag of bland potato chips. 

The only advantage to this place was the free refills on soda. At least the soda machine was working properly.

There are so many places in Chapel Hill where one can eat much, much better food in the same price range. Skip Bear Rock.
4 - Felecia B.: I used to go to the Bear Rock Cafe in Fort Collins off of Harmony a lot because it really is the only subshop south of town.  I was pleased to find one in CH because I do love the veggie sandwiches and their kids meal.  
The atmosphere reminds me of a Colorado mountain town lodge and is a clean and comfortable spot to eat in and it made me feel at home. 

My stand by is the Garden Sandwich with Havarti cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, red peppers, mushrooms, red onions, cucumbers, and Roasted Garlic Tomato spread on sunflower seed bread.   They also have a hot of the  grill veggie sandwich with Grilled eggplant and squash, Provolone cheese, red onions, mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts and Vidalia onion dressing on sunflower seed bread.  There are also flatbread pizzas and salads and we always end up getting a few of their  cookies.  

It's not a place that I would drive all the way across the town for but if  I am over that way I would stop  by again.  It is quick and easy but without that fastfood, greasy feel to it.

Bear's Ramen House - Berkeley, CA (37.8680531, -122.2580151) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
4 - Irene S.: i like ramen. 

and i like ramen from bear's noodle house. it kept me warm on winter (and summer nights) when nothing else sounded good. 

last night my bf tried to tempt me into ordering kimchi fried rice with spam, but... you know, i've never eaten spam. i don't think i'll start now, thank you. 

(and actually last night, i ended up going across the very crowded way for chinese food. but the bf's ramen was good, which i know from eating several large chopsticks full of it. yum.)
2 - Brian M.: I went in here to order kimchee ramen and I got some instant ramen noodles heated up in boiling water, with ramen, cut vegetables, and what looked like a big heaping scoop of msg or some kind of spices powder. I was thinking, I've never seen headaches measured out in tablespoons before. At least it was quick.

The location is super convenient for Berkeley students. It is in a small food mall with a bunch of Asian restaurants and a donut shop. The place has no table inside, just two counters with about 8 seats and you can watch the cooks prepare your food (that's a plus). The fried rice dishes looked good and the big udon pot looked ok. But instant ramen? No thanks. Wish I had known that before ordering.
3 - Mortiche W.: satisfies that quick Korean ramen fix you have while traipsing around Berkeley. The owners have changed therefore the flavors have changed a little bit, but it's still decent. 

Tucked away in Foodcourtia I hit this spot up once in a while- I know Korean ramen is supposed to be spicy, but my tummy can't handle the spicy. I have asked them to not make it spicy at al, but somehow they usually manage to sneak a little of it in. Oh well!

I usually get their veggie tofu ramen and it's pretty good. Firm tofu, slices of zuchinni, carrots and some cabbage in the soup satisfies me on a cold night if I'm being lazy and don't want to cook. One night I was there eating at the counter and there must've been about 15 orders for kimchee fried rice, almost all with spam within a 45 miutes span. If only I can handle spicy food, I would be inclined to try it- guess y'all just have to tell me what it's like!
1 - Ethan C.: This place sucks asss... Don't go here.. they serve instant ramen.  

Hahah.. check out Lois S. review on this restaurant.  She said, they do not use msg but they use the instant powder soup from the ramen.  HELLO!!  that IS MSG..  Another reason why a lot of reviews are so misleading.. People don't know what they are talking about!!! Oh! the idiots you find on this site!
5 - Lois S.: Bears ramen house is tucked away in the Asian food corner. The place is so tiny it can seat only a few on the counter, but people can also sit outside on the benches. The interior is very shabby, and its not the best looking place. However, it is situated in a very convenient location for Cal students, and its open until 11pm. 
The menu is very long, and of course they sell ramen and also a lot of other Korean dishes like the popular kimchi fried rice w/ spam and even noodle soups. Also note, she does not use msg, I talked to the lady and they use ramen soup powder and various other spices but not msg. Many people take the food to go, and she cooks fast and you can actually view the kitchen while you wait which is quite entertaining. 
Overall, not the best looking place, but obviously don't judge a book by its cover. Great Korean dishes to satisfy your Korean food cravings anytime.
5 - Jeffrey R.: This is a very nice, tiny restaurant.  I come here all the time, usually settling on the mushroom fried rice.  Sometimes while I wait the owner gives me free gyoza.

Unfortunately, I can never go back to this restaurant...  I asked for her to make my food VERY MILD instead of HOT.  Through some miscommunication (she does not speak English very well) the owner got the idea that I am into spicy food and that she should make my food hellishly spicy.  I had to politely eat the food while holding back tears.  Now whenever I go in, she throws extra hot sauce on my food.

I really need to get someone to teach my how to say "Your food is delicious but the hot sauce is killing me!" in Korean.
4 - Donna H.: note: this rating is for the previous owner.. 

i always felt at home, cuz the owners greeted me so happily, or mayhaps they remembered me... :) hmm yes.. i would like to think that... haha.. it's an uber small shop that seats maybe 7 ppl max at the counter..  make sure your turn radius is good, [ie, don't be lugging around giant backpacks and such], or you'll brush up against some sweaty ramen-eating folk.. or maybe you like that kinda thing...

my favorite: kimchee fried rice with spam .... and ... *drumroll please*.. an egg

totally hits the spot.. what spot? every friggin spot...
5 - amy l.: Bear Ramen House makes me feel uber-Korean!  :)  I love the ramen and the fresh guksu and of course the kimchi fried rice w/ spam!  ooh, i get shivers just thinking about it!  If you sit at the counter to eat, you can also figure out some items on the secret menu!
4 - Patrick C.: This place has a nice homey feel and the owners are very friendly.  Come for the kim-chi fried rice with spam and two eggs which happens to be a staple for my college diet.  Ramen is just okay.
5 - J T.: kimchee fried rice w/ spam!!!!

mushroom fried rice!!!

I'm in heaven... they're just so yummy.

*reminiscing the good ol' berkeley days...*
4 - Ryan T.: I heart kim chi fried rice! Curry gooksoo is soo yummy. and even the off-sounding cheese ramen is delicious too. besides the good homecooked flavors, I really like being able to sit at the tiny counter and watch as my food is made in front of my eyes. Great to see the gooksoo made fresh as well.
5 - Nikki c.: Best gook soo ever.  Fresh noodle goodness
3 - Gary L.: There's nothing like a steaming hot bowl of shrimp gooksoo noodle soup from Bear's Ramen House on a cold Berkeley day.  Bear's Ramen House is a tiny hole in the wall restaurant that is known for their ramen.  The soups are cheap and good and warm the soul like little else.
5 - Peggy w.: So basically I was in a sorority in college.  Us girls before we got together for our meetings would grab some food and go on campus to discuss in great detail whatever it is that girls these days gossip about.

The "ghetto" was our go-to place of choice and for me, Bear's Ramen house is a big reason why.  Sure, some days I just gotta have me some Meesha's or a Combo Plate at Vietnam Village.  But the kimchee fried rice, mushroom fried rice, or gook soo from Bear's Ramen House always makes me happy and satisfied.  Esp in dreary weather, the hot soup and chewy noodles, or the nice fried egg on top of fried rice makes me happy to be alive.  There were numerous occasions when my friend who lived on Telegraph and I would just buy it to go then head back and munch away happily and have enough for dinner that night.  It's cheap, it's cash only, it's small, and it's good.  It's what Berkeley eats is all about.

*warning: don't get the ramen.  they dont use fresh noodles. they use the top ramen-esque ramen.  if u like that kinda stuff go for it but im all about the gook soo, fried rice, and dok buk gi.
5 - evie l.: I graduated in 2006, but everytime I go back to Berkeley, I HAVE to make a trip to Bear's to say hello to the owner and order the kimchi fried rice with spam. He even knows to make mine extra spicy, yum! I'm getting hungry just thinking about eating the runny egg yolk on top of the rice. The dish is big enough to serve two people or eat for two meals, for just $6. The jjeol myeon is tasty too, especially during the summer. I would not recommend getting the ramen here even though it is called a ramen house, but if you know what is good on the menu you can feed yourself for a day or two on the cheap.
3 - Kione E.: I like. Very much.
Work many hours. Have many hours of school. Many hours of study.
Get tired. Must eat.
Very good gooksoo. Good ramen. Good kun mandu. Good pajun.
Nice lady feed me. It's good.
Me happy. Wallet happy.
Good. Me come back soon.
4 - Fatty A.: The JA JA mein here is really good.  This was my 4th or 5th time eating this dish from array of places and so far this is the best one i've eaten.  We ordered 5 different dishes and everyone basically shared.  I basically caught multiple STDs and made out with all their boyfriends.  It was AWESOME!  The kimchi fried rice was the rave but I thought it was alright.  The fried rice needed some more fried.  It was too soggy for my taste.  I like it crispy almost like bi bim bap.  The kimchi pancake was also alright.  The star was obviously the ja ja mein and in second place was hand pull noddles in soup broth.  I am trying to think of the 5th dish but i dont remember.  It must have been that good.    I need to pick up my herpes prescription now.
5 - roberto m.: In college I worked part-time across the street from here and would religiously order the Kim Chi Fried Rice (or Noodle, depending on my mood) with tofu to go, much to my coworkers' chagrin.  I went there so much that the owner would periodically give me free bottles of the tiny sweet Korean milk drinks.  Words can't express how much I love Bear's Ramen House.  I once ate there twice in one day and ordered the same thing both times.  And that day happened to be my 22nd birthday.  It was awesome.
5 - James T.: A small and tiny place with delicious food and great prices. 
Kimchi fried rice w/ chicken ftmfw
mushroom chicken fried rice ftw
I love me sunny side up egg!
4 - jamie c.: does it make me a groupie to also enjoy the kim-chi fried rice?
5 - Bill R.: Damn!!
Now this is real noodle!
O
M
G
!
!
This food is so Slamin Good!
I have been searching for that real Korean Noodle place....And yet it was hiding in a place I've walked by for a while. I was so shocked to find it and now find so many reviews. 
I love Korean food and Fish Cake (odeng) Ramen and a side of  rice cake with bean paste (DUK BOK KI) is at the top of my favorites list. 
Bears is a tiny place that can maybe seat 8-9 people inside. There are tables outside as well.
But the real draw to this place is the incredible food. Yes the food is a 10 on the yelp scale. I know, the yelp scale stops at five. Well lets times it by two and you get 10. It really was a surprise to find this bit of Seoul in Berkeley. The main cook is an incredibly sweet woman who puts so much love in each dish. 
You can't sit and chat for long in here because the line is out t the door. But go and eat and enjoy what is really a big gem in the Berkeley food experience.
Now that's what I'm talkin' about!
3 - Sarah C.: I had a mad craving for some spicy kimchee fried rice this weekend, and my cousin raves about the fried rice here, so the bf and I decided it was worth trying. It's odd though, I lived in Berkeley for four years while I went to Cal, but never once ate here. 

The place was easy enough to find, although one could speak otherwise for the limited parking in Berkeley. The actual place (I am a bit hesitant to use the word "restaurant") was really small, with about eight spaces total to sit. Not that I wanted to sit inside because it was burning up. This is the Asian ghetto though, so what was I to expect? It was quite hot inside, so after placing our order, we stepped outside. The lady was really nice and greeted us as soon as we walked in. It didn't take too long to prepare our order, which was surprising considering the number of people in there. 

The fried rice itself was okay, it didn't live up to my expectations. I really enjoyed the egg on top, but spam and kimchee was lacking. The rice was a bit too mushy for my taste, and the entire thing was a little too salty. 

Great price for decent food, especially for broke college students. I don't fall under that category anymore, but I'll probably still come back to try other things off the menu.
5 - brian m.: this place probably serves the best korean food near campus. you can tell when there's a lot of koreans eating there and i happen to be one of them as i often eat there for a quick and cheap meal. i've noticed that most of the customers order the kimchi fried rice w/ spam and that was what i had my first time. however, i would like to ask you guys to please try other variations because they are even better!! i've tried kimchi fried rice w/ pork belly(much like bacon), squid, and shrimp and they were all so good. it costs less than a dollar more so give it a try. they also have other great korean dishes such as dumpling soup, dduk-gook, Cal gook-su, etc. so if you're not into spicy food, you have other options. the owner is very friendly and greets you with a smile so that's a plus.
1 - Ray B.: This is seriously the worst noodle restaurant i've ever been. I ordered a "Kimchi Ramen." This is what they did: 1) took an instant ramen 2) boil it 3) add instant ramen seasoning 3) serve it in a bowl 4) put kimchi on top. All for $6. Wow!
3 - Serena W.: So I had the curry ramen because my roommate was cooking curry in the apartment and it just smelled soooo gooood...

Bottom line: Bear Ramen's curry ramen stained my tongue, teeth, even toothbrush yellow.

Whitening strips! I need whitening strips!!!!!!!!!!!

...but it was pretty good though. very thick and probably very fattening... with only-god-knows-what kinda food coloring.

mushroom fried rice is pretty good too, but I could probably make it myself at home.
5 - Chris L.: I LOVE THIS PLACE!

The owner is this cute lady that reminds me of MOM.  Aww!
It's amazing how many orders she can keep straight at ONE time.

Everyone get's Kim Chi Fried Rice. I recommend Mushroom Fried Noodle.  It's a hidden delight!

I love it so much! *heart*
4 - Kenneth F.: I know the name of the place says "Ramen"...

but if I came here I would DEFINITELY get SPAM KIM CHI FRIED RICE.

mmMmmMmMmMmMm.

I wasn't a fan of the Mushroom Fried Noodle/Rice though a lot of other suggest that.  I didn't know there was a Kim Chi Fried Noodle but now I'm really excited to go try that too!!!!!!
3 - Monet N.: 3.5 stars. Went here for a late lunch. It's a cute small place with counter seats. I got the kimchi and rice cake ramen and the boy got the bears special ramen. Both were very tasty and the price was reasonable. The lady who works there is very cute and makes me want to take her home so she can cook for me. A lot of people seemed to have ordered the kimchi fried rice which I will have to try next time I go there but overall I was satisfied with my visit and if I happen to be in the area again I will definately hit this place up.
4 - Lorraine L.: I only come here for one thing... kimchi fried rice.

i live on this stuff. everytime i go to the asian ghetto, i come here 80% of the time for the kimchi fried rice. i always try to order something else, but in the end i tell the lady "kimchi fried rice w/ spam." even when i'm already super full, there's always room for this stuff!

i have recently tried the mushroom friend rice (only because my friend ordered it) and it is just as good.

food comes very fast too.
3 - Serena C.: I used to love this place because of their kimchi friend rice. However the last time i went this Mexican lady cooked it and it was way too sweet and not enough salt and too much oil. They raised their price too so a fried rice is about $7 now, not really worth it.
2 - ERICA B.: I ordered the potsticker ramen, it tasted ok, but come on it is only instant noodle. Even the curry are prepackaged curry. I won't be coming back again for something that I can make at home.
4 - Esther Y.: I like this place. =) The owner is a really nice Korean lady and she's always there whenever I go. Makes you feel like you're getting good home-cooked Korean mom food. Except I don't even know her haha.

I've had the rice cake ramen soup, kimchi fried rice w/ spam, kimchi fried udon noodle w/ spam (same as kimchi fried rice, but with udon for another 50 cents or something), and some other dishes here. I haven't tried the bear ramen yet though. I think kimchi fried rice is probably their most popular dish. I like it, but definitely could not eat that too often haha.

I like the food here, but my only complaints are:
1. Slow - since she makes each dish as you order, it can be pretty slow getting your order even when it's not busy (I can't imagine what it's like when it IS busy). Sometimes she has an assistant so they can do several dishes at once, but yeah...this is not a place to go if you're really in a hurry.

2. Expensive - well, everything in Asian Ghetto is on the expensive side for the quality/quantity, in my opinion. But then again I might just be a really frugal Asian.

At Asian Ghetto, it's almost always either Thai Basil or Bear's Ramen House for me. =)
3 - LeTran B.: When this place first came out, I was really excited because I get to eat ramen. But that excitement only lasted for a while until the service got really bad. I always get ignored when I try to order. When I ordered fried rice with spam, what I got was fried rice without spam, and when I complain, the lady was fighting me that I said no spam. 

The ramen was okay because it's just instant ramen that I could get from the asian markets. The fried rices were good, as I remember. The seating is super duper tiny but whatever, you can sit outside if it's not raining.
1 - Chris M.: I went here once and never went back.  This place is overpriced and not even mediocre (like the other restaurants in the asian ghetto).  If you are value minded, choose the thai place with their $4.50 lunch.  The noodles come from a package that looks like maruchan top ramen, the broth is not savory, and the appointments on the ramen aren't appetizing (chopped onions, fish cake, mushrooms).

Bottom-line: Don't bother eating here because the food is not good.  I prefer Gypsy cafe, Steve's Bar b q, the thai place (if im feeling cheap) or better yet, house of curries across the street.
3 - Michael M.: This place is the hole in the wall restaurant, along with most other restaurants in Asian Ghetto (not PC, but that's what I call it).  Anyways, I come here for the kim chi fried rice, what they're most known for.  I had the ramen once, and it wasn't anything special.  I also recommend trying the kim chi fried squid over rice (kim chi oh-jin-oh bokum?).

The place is run by a nice Korean lady with whatever helper she has at the time.  She cooks the food as she receives the order, so it can take a while if they're a few people waiting in line.  Not a lot of seats inside, but you can also sit on the benches outside.

The prices are fair and the portions will leave you content.
5 - S L.: Kimchee Spam Fried Noodles!!!!!!
4 - Julie L.: :)

Literally a hole in a wall, but the food is great. The owner is super nice too! Personally love the kimchee fried rice and kimchee fried noodles. It is a little bit more on the pricey side, but they serve good portions.
3 - Chen N.: This place is cute. It's got the old country feel to it and it's pretty authentic I guess?

So why would I only give it a three? Because if I can make the same thing they make without costing me 6.50, you don't deserve my business.

So one day, I cooked Nong Shin instant noodle with Kimchi, some onion, bean sprout, egg and some fish cake and it tasted equally good. O, guess what? The whole thing only cost me $2.50 at most. What does this mean? OVER PRICED!
4 - Anna H.: I dig it. The people there are so nice sort of motherly.  I like to go there alone for some good ramen. I am happy with everything I have had. It is a good hole in the wall.
5 - Lauren S.: KIMCHI UDON SOUP WITH SHRIMP! KIMCHI FRIED RICE! I've died and gone to comfort-food HEAVEN!

Possibly under new management, don't let this spot in the college-kid-inundated "Asian Ghetto" fool you -- It's packed with flavor, charm, quality ingredients, and a beautiful, kind owner who'll make it JUST how you like it, and spice it to taste with a smile.

They're open late and in the best location near Telegraph to find parking.
5 - Marc B.: I get the same thing every time I go here.  Kimchi fried rice w/ spam.  It's my absolute favorite dish on the menu.  The lady who runs the place is very nice, and I just love this little place.  I usually order to go and eat at outdoor tables.  The rice is so good, and I love kimchi.  Plus the fried egg on top is like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae.  So perfect.  

Now that I think about it, I don't think I've ordered anything else except for the kimchi fried rice!  MMmm... my mouth is watering just thinkin' about it...!
3 - Karen W.: It is past 4 AM and I am dead-tired, but I have eaten and therefore must Yelp.

Today, I tried Bear Ramen due to my fondness for good noodles. I'd been advised, both by a real-life person I knew and by Yelpers that the Ramen is just instant noodles, so I heeded that warning. I do my research.

Instead, I ordered the Mushroom Fried Noodle. Why? Because most everything else was Kimchi this and Kimchi that and honestly, I don't even like Kimchi. I had stepped inside the restaurant to examine the menu and was too embarrassed to step out, as the owner had already acknowledged me.

Thus, I ordered the Mushroom Fried Noodles, hoping, and somewhat assuming, that there would be other things in it besides mushrooms. Wishful thinking, you can call it. Once upon a time, I learned that when you ASSUME, you make an ASS out of U and ME. 

So yes, I did make an ASS...out of ME at least. Okay, the noodles were good. The mushrooms were good. The sauce and the oil was good. The one egg on it was good. Was it $7 and finishable-in-one-meal-for-a-short-Asian-girl-who-wouldn't-mind-losing-10-pounds-good? Nope!

Call me demanding, but for $7 in the cheap-ass Asian ghetto, I expect something SOLID in my meal. Meat, please. Tofu. Give me protein! Besides a goddamn 20 cent egg! Even some freaking carrots or whatever.

Okay, it was my fault really. I got exactly what I asked for. Mushroom Fried Noodles. A substantial amount of noodles, lots of oil, and TONS of mushrooms. The same boring mushrooms...
5 - bopha u.: love it
Spam and kimchi and rice together perfection
Curry ramen  yummy 
Homey and folksy 
one time I went there five drunk korean business men where singing a pop song and eating ramen very cool
3 - Theresa R.: i only come here for one thing. mushroom fried rice. 
tried their mushroom ramen the other day, not worth it. i could have made it myself. i feel like they just use those ramen packets -_____-
the owner is really nice though...she messed up on my order and redid it with a smile on her face =]
4 - Melissa S.: This is how I am getting through graduate school.  3 words:  Homemade udon noodles.   This and lots and lots of coffee.
3 - Sarah L.: dont hate. spam is delicious. the hawaiians eat it for thanksgiving
1 - Timothy F.: OK, here's the incident that finally motivated me to register on Yelp:

Today I ordered the kimchi and SPAM fried rice to go. It sets you back $6.95 for a reasonable--but by no means large--portion of red-colored, greasy-with-chili-oil, fried rice that fills 75% of a plastic clamshell container. They top it off with a sunny-side-up egg. I'd ordered it twice before because it's nice and warm (they cook it fresh to order) and has a unique taste. It's a little too salty and greasy, and probably has lots of MSG for the umami flavor (not that there's anything wrong with that), and it's moister than I am accustomed to for fried rice, but it's not bad.

I am eating the fried rice in my room. I put another spoonful of rice in my mouth and... CRRRUNNCH. Yuck, it feels like I've just bitten an eggshell. I spit out what's in my mouth and dissect the unpleasant half-chewed bolus of rice, spam, and wilted pickled cabbage. And so what was the culprit? Not an eggshell. GRIT. No, I am not kidding. There were two hard, white-and-brown pebbles in my rice, like alluvium from a river, a little bit smaller than grains of rice. GRIT. IN MY FOOD. No, not stale rice, GRIT!

So I am never going back there again. (Automatic 1-star for grit. Would've given a 3 otherwise.) Oh, and like Karen says below, the value you're getting is pretty shaky for almost $7--mostly rice, one egg, a few chunks of SPAM, some kimchi.
3 - Darren L.: Prices are a bit much but the beef ramen is pretty decent (even if the ramen looks a bit "instant").
4 - Rosie C.: Yesterday was a pretty bad day, won't get into the specifics because we are talking food here but it was a real bad one.  Anyway, whenever I encounter a day like yesterday if I can I head on down to the Bear Ramen House and get some Curry GukSu Soup.  There isn't anything that can make me feel like I am being "held" like that soup...well I guess next to actually being held.  

This place is a hole in the wall, you can sit at the often crowded dingy counter and eat if you like or opt for the courtyard shared by neighboring restaurants...I usually schlep my soup home.  The broth is seasoned to perfection with just enough spice to pack a punch but not overpower the experience, the noodles are handmade and delicious.  The servings are huge and reasonably priced.

If you have a day that kicks you when your down, guaranteed, the Bear Ramen House will give you a nice warm hug.
4 - bee k.: Sooo good, especially after a bad day. I've only tried the ja ja noodles and kimchi fried rice with spam, so I have yet to try the soups and other things on the menu.

Bear's Ramen House pro's:
-hole in the wall restaurant with an authentic, homey feel
-really nice service
-deeelicious!!

So why did I only give it 4 stars?
- a little pricey (~$7 for rice/spam/kimchi)
- slow (they start cooking after you order)
4 - Jay E.: I've only tried the Kimchi Fried Rice with Spam and the Kimchi Ramen.
Both are pretty good. Friendly people that work here. The korean lady that works here is really nice. So were the 2 mexican ladies. Caught me off guard that there were 2 mexican ladies cooking the food while talking to each other in spanish and listening to salsa music. I thought I walked into the wrong restaurant for a minute.
Good food, decent price. I like the fact that they cook it right after you order instead of having a ready batch of noodles that have been sitting there all day.
5 - Grace C.: The food here is super delicious and I go so often that the lady knows exactly what I want! I get the kimchi fried rice with spam, and I also really like the ramen. It's a really small place, so if you go with a group, you should plan to get take-out.
3 - Jenny L.: Bear's Ramen House and I have a love/hate relationship.

I LOVE their kimchi fried rice with spam.
I LOVE their gooksu (when they don't run out).
I LOVE their prices.

I think they hate me, though, because I'm not Korean.  But I can live with that, I guess.
3 - Melissa T.: YUM!

I love fried rice. I love spam. I love curry.
This place has it all at a good price.

Kim chee fried rice w/ spam and curry ramen for grand total of $11
Can't beat that. 

nothing spectacular, but a very good cheap eats spot.
4 - Mee-Sun Y.: The kimchi fried rice with spam MUST have crack in it because it is really freakin good.  And no matter how many times I try, my attempts to make it at home have not come close at all.

Any of their ramens are good for your hungover days (Koreans know their hangover food), but on every other occasion just get the fried rice.
5 - Rena Y.: During those late nights in studio, the only thing I ever craved was their kimchi spam fried rice. I've tried the kimchi chicken fried rice and it just didnt quite hit the spot like the spam does. The spam adds a nice salty side to the dish. Their portions are huge but when I've been deprived of this dish, i can finish the whole thing. Lethal if you eat it after beat the clock, cuz you'll just clean off your plate. Its so good, I never tried anything else just because it would be one less time i can have the dish.

Just talking about this makes me want to make the drive just to get some of this.

Aside from this heaven sent dish, the owner is really nice. I think I've been there too many times if she recognizes me. She has also noticed when I look a little different (dyed hair, make up, etc) and she'll compliment. That makes me smile.
3 - Roland C.: I'm not a big fan of the ramen here. And for a place that has it in the name, I expected a little bit more. And my dislike of kimchi pretty much disqualifies me from the highly praised kimchi fried rice, although their kimchi-free alternative wasn't terrible. But, I feel like I could get better fried rice at any of the other restaurants in the area too. I wanted to love you so much Bear's Ramen House, I loved the name, but there are just better options in close proximity.
3 - J d.: The noodles they use for the ramen here are the same exact noodles from the instant ramen packages.  Though the noodles are common, everything in the soup was excellent.  I had the "Beef Ramen" and the "Bear Special Ramen".  I can assure you that there are way better ramen places out ther.
4 - Irene D.: Bear Ramen is just a small, hole in the wall place, run primarily by a sweet little Korean woman and an assistant.  The gooksoo(noodles thicker than ramen, denser than udon)  is made fresh so the noodles are particularly good and the broth she uses is made from scratch.

Kim Chi Fried Noodle/Rice is probably the best dish on the menu. Incredibly addictive. The Champong (gooksoo noodles in broth with a variety of meat and vegetables) is also really good, however.

It's an ideal place for inexpensive, quick, casual meals. A quality place for poor, starving college students.
5 - Jennifer S.: With huge bowls of hot/spicy soup, pots of boiling water, one bustling chef, this cozy little nook is perfect on a winter day.  I've taken shelter in this steamy Ramen House many a time, and I have never been disappointed.  I recommend the Cal Gooksoo or the Champong Ramen.  Choose the ramen over the udon; it's nice and chewy.
4 - Jennifer W.: There is a good variety of ramen, gooksoo, udon, and rice meals. The curry rice is too bland and runny for my liking. The gooksoo udon and ramen are plain enough that I can make myself at home. I would suggest the Bear Ramen because it has the most substance in it. Good thing that meals here are pretty cheap, but prices do go up once in a while!

So, why the hype? It's all about the kimchi fried rice. You can either get spam kimchi fried rice or chicken kimchi fried rice. If you don't specify chicken, the default is spam. When I was vegetarian, I asked the lady to substitute in tofu instead. The fried rice is really spicy because of all the chili powder, but I've noticed that it is made a little differently now. The texture is not as smooth as before. It comes with an egg on top, but you can add a second one for 50 cents.

That Korean lady is super nice and probably knew me by face because I frequented this place so often back then. She seemed very motherly. It was as if she was the mom of a friend. She does not always keep track of whether you paid or not, so I've seen people get away with taking their food and leaving or eating and leaving without paying. It's very informal so you go up to her when you want to order and you pay when you want to. She's very trusting. Bad thing is, prices have gone up and portions have gone down since then. One order of kimchi fried rice used to last me 1.5 meals.

cash only.
5 - Kimberly H.: Rarely does the Korean in me crave Korean food, but when it does I always come here for hot noodle soup! I get either kimchi ramen or champong gooksoo. This place is my number one comfort food stop.
2 - Jenny W.: I ordered the ramen with the potstickets...cept there were no potstickers when I got it. Boo. :(
3 - Jane S.: Today, I stopped by Bear Ramen for the first time since freshman year.  Brought back memories of getting fat all because of that damn food court. Anyway, I'm going home in a few days so I can stuff my face with all the Korean food I want, but I was craving kimchi fried rice so a trip to Bear Ramen was in order. 

I really think this is the only thing you should get here. True, I haven't tried every single thing on the menu, but something about the stacked boxes of Jin Ramen is questionable. Next time you're there, just look up and you'll see 'em. Just sayin', you can get a box of it at a Korean market for about $5. They better not be getting their ramen noodles from there...or maybe they are.

Their kimchi fried rice has improved. Sorta. When I had it freshman year, there was a load of oil that would just sit at the bottom. They don't seem to use as much now so that's good, but meh to the lack of Spam. C'mon, throw that stuff in there lady.

Okay, I give props to the lady for busting her ass cooking on her own, with the help of an assistant, but still. Lady needs to get off the phone with her friend when I'm standing there ready to order and when a pile of people shuffle in soon after. Hello?!?! I'm waving my hands in the air like I just don't care.
5 - Catherine S.: I absolutely love this place and the woman that owns it. Everytime we come in, she recognizes us and says hi. Being a fan of soups, I come here around every other day in the winters to order the gooksoo or ramen dishes. The kimchi fried rice is definitely one of the best dishes; I would eat it more often but I'm a real wimp with even mildly spicy food. The atmosphere here is great too, because it feels home-y and is a nice place to relax before heading off to study for a midterm.
3 - Michael P.: I heart my steaming hot noodle soups!  Nothing beats going here for a quick eat when Berkeley's horrible rainy cold weather ruins your mood to venture far away from campus for food.

Beware that since ramen bowls are quick and simple dishes, you get what you order, nothing more.  If you're a decent cook, you can definitely learn to cook them in the comfort of your own apartment, but if you're lazy or on a time crunch, this is the place to go.  Price is a little steep for ramen, but still pretty cheap.

I've tried many of their ramen bowls and they're overall pretty ok.  Haven't come across a ramen bowl that screams "must eat me" or "you will regret having me"
2 - Heather M.: Noodles seem like they were from one of those packages from the grocery store. Broth really needed seasoning. But worst of all, the whole place and the food court it was in was one of the most filthy places I've ever seen.

The saving grace was the sweet smile from the gal who worked there.

Food not good!
3 - Angela K.: The kimchi fried rice always made for a perfect dinner. Owners are super friendly and kind.
3 - Chuck N.: Oh yeah, fast food Korean style! The owners have switched 3-4 times but the quality of food has remained stable. The most current owner is a nice Korean lady who has been in the U.S. for a few years now.

+ Quick food, no matter what you order
+ Cleaner look than the previous owners
-  Don't order the veggie gyoza; too greasy and small portions
-  The free water here is kinda shady (out of a dirty ice cooler in a pint sized cup)

Final Call:
Southsiders with a ramen fix should find their way here.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Munchies:
1. Rice cake gook soo
     + Fresh rice cake and gook soo made on the spot
2. Kimchi fried rice
     + Tastes even better without the spam
3. What's up with the nasty complementary kimchi?
2 - Michael L.: I like the availability of a quick bowl of ramen with lots of options, but why in the world would I pay someone 6$ to make it for me when that's probably all I'm eating at home anyway? The udon is more worthwhile but I always burn my tongue.
3 - Priscilla L.: If you ever eat here, you MUST try the kimchi fried rice. There ramen soups are pretty good too...although I know that I can easily make it at home now and put my own ingredients in it. The service here is great and fast since they're make your food right in front of you right after you order it. The place is a bit cramped up so if you choose to eat in groups, its better to eat outside. There is free water here, but the cups are so small..and the water wasn't cold..so I suggest buy a drink at the convenience store next to IB's.
4 - Rebecca H.: I don't know how to make my own Ramen, so I think this place is a great.  Kim Chi (sp?) Ramen is my favorite.  Perfect comfort food, and they're fast and friendly.  Take out is a slight pain as you need to park - best to have one driver and one runner to pick up the food.  Pot stickers are decent too.
2 - Chang L.: "Where are we eating today?", asked the best friend. 

I handed him a piece of paper. (http://static1.px.yelp.com/bphoto/ZGySgb8QKLXkHTl7tstCzA/l) (The bear is even holding a bowl of ramen! ^_^)

Unfortunately, the mushroom ramen I ordered was not quite as cute as my awesome drawing. Served with white onions, half a fish cake, seaweed, spinach, green onions, bean sprouts, and sliced mushrooms, (http://static2.px.yelp.com/bphoto/mSkSQgnGiPaMWSUPT2j5OA/l) the noodles were fondly reminiscent of the ramen noodles I ate from a bag as a college student.

The noodles were well cooked, and the broth was fairly tasty, but overall, the dish was mediocre, and my attention soon diverted to the pigeons swooping over my head in preparation to poop on me (my large head makes for an easy target!)

The bestie ordered the kimchi fried rice (http://static2.px.yelp.com/bphoto/w62OTTrkzy-4SVmnz7fatA/l), while our friend ordered the kimchi fried noodle (http://static3.px.yelp.com/bphoto/BFEn7l4opMgRDeZ6ak7rcQ/l), both which looked more appetizing than my boring dish. But after our meal, both fellows complained of a need to hibernate, as the pound of grease induced a major food coma. 

Perhaps next time, I'll draw a bear holding some fresh HOMEMADE ramen.

Yes, I think that shall work.
4 - Mimi Z.: great for the price
huge portions
the lady is nice, very small place
im a vege, so i get the kimchi fried rice with tofu and extra kimchi
its like $7 and enough to feed you for 2 meals

never had the ramen though
2 - Lilly L.: How to make kimchi fried rice the ghetto way according to Lilly L. in only four easy steps!

1) Go to Korean market. 
2) Buy pork bulgogi.
3) Fry in pan with butter.   
4) Mix in rice, egg, maybe some MSG for real Asian authenticity and chemically-induced drowsiness?

I like this better. Makes me feel like a real cook :D. 

The rating is for the dish I had. The cute Korean cook/owner totally gets 5 stars for working so hard though!
4 - Stephen P.: Compared to all the other Korean places in Berkeley, this place ranks close to the top. 

Granted, that's not saying much -_-;
4 - Kameron K.: AHHH BEAR RAMEN!  The best place to get ramen in Berkeley!

Not only is their ramen really good they also have a lot of other really yummy dishes.

At first impressions there isn't very many vegetarian options but you just need to talk to them and they can substitute items.

My favorite was the mushroom fried rice with the fried egg on top soooo good.  And the little Korean woman who works here is really cute.  

-1 star because the place is tiny and there is never room to sit inside and I never liked eating at the outside food court area.
4 - Juliana C.: Kimchi fried rice with tofu whenever I was hungry. 
Fishcake gooksoo when I wasn't feeling well. 
Doobukee because there wasn't another place in walking distance to get it.
4 - Mike L.: I haven't been here in years, but it's not becuase it's not good.  I won't lie...there have been times I've been tempted to come back and get some of that kimchi fried rice!  I've heard the owners are have changed, but who cares if the food is just as good!  So many times I came here in my college days...and so many times, they didn't let me down one bit - such a better alternative to dorm food.  In fact, it probably helped make me what I am today....for better worse. =T
3 - Michael F.: I've had the chicken ramen and it was honestly real ramen and not some instant noodle soup. I watched them make fresh pasta and make the soup from scratch with their spices and vegetables. Everything was so honest and fresh.
4 - Vicki T.: After a quick tour of UCB, my friend guided us over to Telegraph.  We walked around area and she mentioned a section called, "Asian Ghetto."  At first I couldn't stop laughing at the strange reference but she assured me that there's a lot of good places to eat in there.  So, we decided to check it out.  The small strip consists of various Asian foods as well as the random donut, Greek, & Italian restaurants.  The fact that all the selections looked like local mom & pop shops really hit home.  

While waiting for some friends to come meet up for dinner, I couldn't help but notice the pictures in front of Bear's Ramen House.  My friend told me that they're famous for their Kimchi Fried Rice.  Intrigued, my friends and I all ordered the fried rice (without the butter).  So good!!  The flavor was just right-not too salty, spicy, or oily (well, maybe just a tad).  If you're nostalgic for some home cooked food, come satisfy your tummy with this amazing goodness!  Plus, the friendly lady their smiles so much, it makes you feel like you're right in your own mama's kitchen (:

This place, as well as all the other eateries on Telegraph, makes me jealous that I didn't have all this accessible to me when I was in college :(
5 - Whitney C.: Okay, maybe the food at Bear Ramen is not the greatest quality, but it's pretty delicious and Bear Ramen is my favorite place for comfort food (hello, kimchi fried rice with spam). It's also the only decent Korean place within walking distance of the UC Berkeley campus. 

The ramen is good, but I'm not enthused about spending $6 for ramen that has maybe one slice of meat, so I've stopped getting it. I love kimchi fried rice - spam and beef are both good. I kind of want to try the tofu one too (does anyone know if it's any good?). They also have surprisingly good fried potstickers. The lady (ahjuma??) is very nice too, and out of all the people who work there, makes the best fried rice and is the quickest.

I just wish they took credit card because there have been too many times that I couldn't buy Bear Ramen because I didn't have cash and no Chase ATM to run to. I don't recommend calling in your order ahead of time because in my experience they forget to turn their phone on quite often. And I wish they stayed open just a littlee bit later. !!!
4 - Ellen S.: Ate here after moving my sister in to her dorm at Berkeley.  It's good - cramped seating area inside (two counter booths with stools, and lots of people piling in to order... hope a fire doesn't break out anytime soon or we'd all be screwed).  There's lots of seating outside though, so it's fine.

I ordered the kim chi ramen which was really delicious.  It was just the right amount of spicy and the kim chi was soo good.  I only wish the noodles were a little better.  They were instant noodle type ramen (she used a block of dried noodles), but the broth made up for it.  I should have gotten the udon instead, like my Dad did - those noodles were made fresh and looked par-fait.

All in all it was a satisfying meal and there are a lot of flavors to choose from.  I think my mom got the fish ball ramen and I love fish balls.  Unfortunately, I go to school in Chicago where the closest ramen they have is... still in California, so poor me I'll have to wait 'til winter break.  Lucky sister and her endless supply of Asian food...
4 - Yun Z.: I've been coming here for a few years now, and I gotta say that this is probably the best ramen place in the east bay. Although the guys (and ladies) behind the counter have changed a few times over the years, the quality of their food has not changed one bit. 

The gooksoo, which is the ramen they make from scratch, is just the right consistency. The stock they serve it in tastes awesome, and isn't oversalted, which is what a lot of other places do. 

This place would be absolutely perfect if they got some more seats and started serving beer :)
2 - Debbie Chiou S.: the pictures of the food look good, but i can't get over the fact that the ramen is packaged as if you can purchase it from any korean grocery store and make it yourself at home. maybe i should get the kimchi fried rice next time... if there is one.
3 - Jennie C.: Kimchi fried rice is really good here! However, I was very disappointed at how little spicy Korean rice cake I got in my order....that made me a little sad. It was delicious Korean rice cake...but...I seriously had like ten cakes in there. I don't know if she just hated me that day or what. 

Foods good, portion size that particular time I went was super bad...so I have some mixed feelings.
5 - Ami Y.: Get their kimchi spam fried rice or spicy rice cakes, you won't regret it.
2 - Andy S.: Does it taste good? Kind of...
Is it a rip off? YES!

The noodles are obviously pre-packaged instant noodles that will probably taste the same if not better if you bought it at an asian supermarket and cooked it yourself with the seasoning packet.

The kimchee fried rice is so simple to make... just watch them make it. You can definitely do that home with minimal ingredients or skill.

Bottom line: The food here tastes alright when you are on the run and craving for some korean-inspired dishes. But it is way overpriced for what it is. The next time I'm going to shell out over seven bucks for instant noodles, I might as well slap myself in the face and drive to ranch 99 for a 10 pack of shin-ramyun.
4 - Marie Q.: Can somebody please tell me where I can get a hefty serving of kimchi fried rice with spam & fried egg for $6 that is better than here? This would literally feed me for 3 meals... Actually, can someone just tell me where I can find this in the L.A. area??? If it wasn't for the cash factor (which annoyed me bc I never carry cash around) and the fact that I've never tried any other dish from here, I'd probably give it 5 stars.
5 - Jean L.: I miss this Bear's ramens dearly after I left Berkeley...
awsome food (bear's special ramen, kimchi fried rice with spam (and that egg!), pineapple fried rice) for about $6.  The place is nice and cozy for a winter dinner study break.  I HAVE to come here everytime i visit berkeley!
4 - Leopoldo U.: studio nights, when i want to feel like i am at home-- kimchee fried rice, vegetable ramen or bear ramen will fixate the situation. thank you for being in the asian ghetto.
3 - Ligaya T.: Before you see "ramen" in Berkeley and jump out of your chair, let's temper those expectations: this is no Tampopo's, no hand cut noodles or laborious, Cadillac of broths. The ramen begins wound tight and dry, wrapped in plastic. Aside from Kingpin Donuts, nothing in the Asian Ghetto is handmade. 

Being that it's Korean run, I'd skip their attempts at Japanese and stick to the kimchi dishes. The champong gives a spicy throat tickle, redolent with onions, heavy with noodles, the occasional tentacle of squid, a pair of shrimps, mushrooms and several requisite spinach leaves, soaking in red chili. Thumbs up! We didn't fare so well with the massive pile of curry, though. It was too humongous to tackle before turning into a cold and gelatinous pile. They need to ease up on the corn starch.

They also saran wrap their register and hover over you when they're trying to close up. It's got class.
3 - Alex G.: Good soup, nice noodles, decent prices.  Very reminiscent of the low-rent ramen houses in old Tokyo.  I'd probably eat here for lunch a lot if I was local.

Side note, ordered the kimchi pancake and it never showed up.  Oh well.
2 - Michelle N.: I should've heeded the warnings of the reviews. This was not real ramen. It was noodles out of a bag and the broth was not flavorful. It only gets two stars for its convenient location.
1 - vivian l.: Don't be fooled by the word "Ramen". It is not ramen, but rather, cup noodles with a tiny bit of shredded beef, bean sprouts and green onion.

Such noodle costs less than a dollar from the Asian supermarket. At this place, they put in some pathetic portion of meat and veggie, it suddenly costs $4. Enough said. 

Oh btw, they actually used the fatty part of bacon to fry stuff. When I looked at the way their food was prepared, I felt like eating here was so unhealthy that it was near suicidal.
3 - Tiffany H.: i always get the beef ramen because i figure this ramen must be healthier than that cup noodle ramen i would be getting from 99 ranch. it's not too expensive either and close to all the units.
2 - Kelly E.: Yeah. So if you're in a mood for instant package ramen, this is the place. Quick, pretty inexpensive, fast. 

I don't know if you can tell from that but I wasn't too excited about their food. 

I think their saving grace is their kimchi fried rice (though I feel the portion size is pretty small for fried rice). It has a different flavor from any fried rice I've had before, has a nice little kick but still retains a little of the sweet taste from the kimchi. I don't think it makes much a difference what meat you get on top. 

Bottom line: if you're in the Asian ghetto, don't feel like waiting for Thai food or Gypsy's you can just grab the fried rice and go go go. 

OR you could just buy a few donuts and pig out as I have often done.
3 - Andrew C.: Despite it's English name, the ramen isn't the best thing on their menu (imo, of course). In Korean the name is Bear Boon-Shik which is a more general casual type of eatery vs. "Ramen House" 

Things I've tried:

Bear Special Ramen: ramen with chicken, mushrooms, and veggies like sprouts, zuchinni, onion, diakon. Noodles are made from instant bricks. Broth is a secret blend of mysterious powders from containers in the corner of the counter. From how my tongue felt, one of the white powders thrown in was MSG. 2 stars for the nice mix of toppings

Gook su's: same powdered broths as ramens but with fresher flour noodles. Bonus points for in-house made noodles. 3.5 stars

Kimchee Fried Rice w/ Spam: Probably my favorite dish here. Nice amount of heat. Tasty spam. Fried egg w/ runny yolk. 4- stars

Jja Jang Myun: Same fresh noodles as the gook su dishes. Sauce tasted a bit off and on the thin side. Didn't have much  meat like you find at other JJM specialty places (Yu yu, Koryo). The veggies in the sauce were total mush. Tasted like it'd been cooked days ago. 2 stars

You can't complain too much. It's a hole in the wall for college kids.
5 - Alan M.: I've gotta say I love the lady who owns this shop. She has the biggest heart for all the kids who roll through. Don't judge when i say this, but she was like my surrogate Korean mama during my four years at UC Berkeley. Whenever i wanted some comfort food i would wander my way down Durant and she'd always offer a hot plate of home style korean food . There's a few other korean restaurants in Berkeley, but none as good as this one! If I find myself back in the Bay area I will definitely make it a point to visit and have a hot plate of kimchi fried rice!
4 - Mai A.: Ok, my beloved Bear's Ramen, I'm officially upgrading you. 

However I found a better bowl of ramen :(  I am however a devoted Bear's Ramen junkie.  

My devotion for Bear's Ramen is it's variety and price.  No other place has such a variety of Korean ramen.  I love it, and the price is just right!

Bear's may not have the best bowl of ramen, but it definitely have a ton of great ramen choices.
4 - Jim H.: GO BEARS!

Bear's Ramen has the most awesome spicy soup base and its cheap.  Come to think of it, I think most of its dishes tasted identical, yet I still come back for more.  Probably cuz most Ramen are Japanese styled and this is one of the few that is Korean styled.  

The place has limited seating so usually you have to sit outside and bring back the soup bowl after you are done.  On a cold day, the noodle soup warms you up almost instantaneously.  Too bad there isn't too much of a variety.
4 - Jenny Z.: please note that this review is solely based on my experience with their KimChi Spam Rice. It's definitely, imo, the best item on their menu. Very filling and cooked perfectly. The rice was nicely separated and absorbed the flavors of the kimchi paste. It was great that the kimchi was cut into small bite sized pieces

The own lady and one helper are the sole operators of the store. I always am awed by how efficient they are because orders come out quickly. I have heard however that their ramen are not great, which makes me not understand the store's name if their ramen is just from instant ramen. 

So when you come, mainly try to kimchi spam fried rice. The mushroom one is good too
4 - Lydia W.: Not really worth the 7 dollars it costs, but a surefire way to satisfaction rests in the kim chi fried rice with spam.  The egg is cooked to perfection, the spam complements the flavors perfectly, and the texture of the rice is hard and not mushy or wet.  Perfect while sober or buzzed.  The owner and her son are really kind and friendly.  The portion is good to share with another.
1 - LLL L.: I ordered chicken ramen to go... really quite disappointing. Not much to review - hot water on 3 tiny pieces of tough chicken and instant noodles with a few bland spices. For $6.50 it was poor value.
3 - Skylar S.: Instant Ramen + Egg + Green Onion = $7?!?!?!?!?!

For a "ramen" place, the quality of ramen sure is subpar.

I'm only giving three stars because some of the food
here, my friends swear, are good. But if it had to
come down to ramen only, I would only give this place
1.5 stars.
4 - S H.: Pretty good Korean restaurant to go to for a very cheap price. The Korean lady who owns this place is really friendly and engages with a lot of her customers while they're waiting for their food. 

I had their ddukbokki, which, IMO, isn't the best I had. (Go to Cafe Expresso for that!) I was really disappointed because everything else that I tried at Bear Ramen was good. Also tried their Curry Rice (yummmm) and Kimchi Fried Noodles (so goodddd). 

The downside: they only accept cash and the place is extremely tiny! It gets quite crowded sometimes.
5 - Lisa M.: I love Bear's Ramen House for a variety of reasons: 

1) The food: delicious! A good variety of dishes--rice plates, fried rice, ramen noodles, ramen soup. Some of my favorites are easily the kim chi spam fried rice, kim chi ramen, curry ramen, and curry rice! 
2) The late hours: much like the rest of Asian ghetto, Bear's Ramen House is open pretty late if you're craving some warm noodle soup in the cold!
3) The atmosphere: I love that you can sit on the bar stools, watch your food being made, and eat it while it's still hot! The place is tiny, but oh so cozy.
4) The workers: the woman (owner?) is always very friendly and quick in getting your order made.
5 - Kaori T.: This place goes into my fondest memory bank. Whether it was a cooler day at Berkeley or a nice sunny one, I never did NOT crave this place. Usually ordered rice cake and dumpling noodle soup. Although it wasn't on the meny wall, the patrons were always able to service made to order. And I loved it. And I loved that they eventually knew what I wanted. 

This place hit the spot in a way that no other spot did. Soup broth was always hot enough, tasty enough, and just the right amount of serving. I would come here atleast once a week or more just to find comfort in the broth and noodles. My home away from home. 

I remember the kindness of the owners, and recall when the wife was pregnant and still working... In such a small little hut, rain or shine, heat or cold, Bear Ramen was always around to serve.

Sometimes when I was in a hurry, I'd order the spicy kimchi spam fried rice, and that was on a class of it's own. I have yet to find a place that can make a fried rice of that calliber.

Until we meet again, I truly miss you ramen bear.
5 - Anna C.: Ok, so if anyone gives this place less than a four star, I want to drop kick your face.  Also, it probably means you don't understand Korean food aka get outta here then.  

The food here is soooo good! I don't usually order the ramen because I have ramen at home but when I feel like I need a home style cooked meal from a motherly figure, I go here.  The owner is the sweetest woman in the freaking world!!! I want to adopt her as my second mother.  The kimchi fried rice or kimchi fried noodle is probably the most popular here for good reason.  It is really really good.  If I can't decide what to get, it's always a good safety.  I've also had the kal gook su and I didn't really have too much of expectations for it but it ended up being just like my moms!

The prices are pretty decent.  I think Berkeley people get so spoiled by the dirt cheap prices that when it's not cheaper than the cheapest they've had, then they automatically think it's expensive.  It's about average $6-8 an entree.  Oh, it's cash only btw.

I LOVE YOU MAMA BEAR!!! HEHE I'M ON MY WAY THERE RIGHT NOW!!
5 - Helen X.: kimchi fried rice!!! :D all my korean friends loooove it even though we could technically make it ourselves x]  the korean owner is soooo cute :)
5 - Danny S.: ORDER THEIR KIMCHI FRIED NOODLE WITH PORK! TRUST ME. If you don't like it, I'll buy you lunch somewhere else.

Berkeley has a very limited selection of Korean restaurants and please, STEVE'S KOREAN BBQ IS NOT KOREAN FOOD! Of all the dishes I've tried at Bear's, Steve, T-toust, and Koryo, Bear's has the best Korean dish. So save your time, money, and disappointment and go to Bear's Ramen House for their Kimchi Fried Noodle.

Good Food, Good Friends, ENJOY!
2 - Christopher L.: A small corner shop with a wonderfully kind owner, this is a convenient place to eat in Berkeley. The food here is humble and the ingredients are nothing special. But for college students or summer program students (as in my case last summer), it's a place of nostalgia where you can have some hearty and filling Korean comfort food.
4 - Dominic C.: Kimchi fried rice with Spam - 5 stars
Sujaebi - 2 stars
Lady in the back - 5 stars

Honestly, my fault for ordering something like Sujaebi at a place like that. Sujaebi is a soup made from seaweed and dried anchovy stock with lumps for flour mix. Almost like a Korean Gnocchi. The place was clearly a cheap fried rice and ramen kind of place and I was fool enough to order something that should only be ordered even at specialty places in LA's K-town with caution. 

I usually don't like Korean fried rice because... well, they use Korean rice and it's just too sticky for me when it comes to fried rice. It tends to come out greasy rather than soft and buttery like the way I like them. But Spam is a miracle meat that makes rice and kimchi come together like pb and j. Add an egg sunny side up and you got yourself a yolk covered treat of spicy, greasy, salty, and mellow all at the same time. There's also something that ruins kimchi fried rice, it's raw kimchi. The kimchi in fried rice should be fermented even longer than the kind you eat because the spices have to soak into the cabbage or else you'll get white cabbage in your rice. This place definitely uses aged kimchi but not so aged that it's sour. Good kimchi is hard to come by, so go here for real kimchi the way it should be. 

Also, I didn't have the ramen but I can tell just by looking at the kitchen that it'll be good because they prepare stock instead of using water. They know the secret to making Korean instant ramen taste like a real soup dish is a deeper stock and not just extra ingredients.
4 - Leeann C.: The only dish I have ever gotten here is the kimchi fried rice with spam, but it's delicious! For that alone, this place is worth a try. The portion sizes are also enormous -- good for 2 meal's worth (or one really huge meal if you're hungry...). I used to come here when I was in college to grab a quick lunch or dinner; most recently, I went back to Cal for a football game and picked up kimchi fried rice. It's still delicious! :)

-L.
2 - Topeka C.: Sorry to spoil the party......but I had to try the place....given  my Cal alumni connection and the rave reviews, especially of the Kimchi Fried Rice with Spam dish.

Being of Asian extraction, and having traveled around the US and Asia sampling fare from China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia, I have had some experience in gorging on some good grub.....and some of it dirt cheap.

Unfortunately.....this little hole-in-the-wall joint, unlike others of its ilk, didn't quite live up to its hype.

The "famous" fried rice dish was unexceptional.......underspiced, lumpy, and small portioned, both in size and ingredients (spam and kimchi).  The best thing was the properly prepared runny fried egg on top.

With tip, the dish ran me a quarter shy of $9......and left me hungry and disappointed, in search of more food.

Although I love supporting little mom-and-pop places, I cannot truthfully say that I will be back here again (granted that the older Korean lady/proprietor was not present on my visit).

For your hard-earned dollars.....I know you can do better.

Sorry......but our fellow Yelpers deserve candor and guidance!
5 - T L.: I had the beef ramen, which was flavorful and delicious.  I'd definitely go back again.
1 - Jay P.: Wow! I haven't felt insulted like this in a while. The Mexican lady that works there has been working for over ten years. And maybe she has gotten too comfortable with her job. So, I ordered kimchi noodles, that is what i normally order and know the portion size. Anyways, after she finished and plated it. She took one third out and put it into another plate put rice on that plate and set it aside. Then she served me my plate with 1/3 missing and then had the gall to sit next to me and eat the rest of my dish. 

The food is pretty good here, though it is overpriced, but the service is subpar and plain rude.

Previous Review: 4 stars
"I have had good and bad meals coming here.
My last one was Kimchi Fried Noddles with spam. Which reminded my a lot of my ex girlfriend. 
The noodles were sweet, which was odd but worked quite well.
The food is over priced, but worth trying. 
But it seems to be really hot inside due to the bad ventilation.

I recommend staying  away from any dish that has curry in it."
3 - Emily L.: "Ramen House" is a bit misleading. This place serves up junky, comfort Korean food to its collegiate crowd. Can't go wrong, and nor can I knock it for delivering on face value. Our group decided to visit this place and try their kimchee fried noodles & ramen, and left satisfied. Fried noodles + kimchee + spam + fried egg = undeniable temptation.

Foodies will cringe: not the freshest, most intricate ingredients nor preparation ... but it doesn't claim to have this anyway! Nothing extraordinary worth a special trip or craving, but I know if I went to school here, I'd probably grab this stuff to go at least once a month!
4 - Daphne L.: "Kimchi fried noodles w/ spam (extra spicy please!)"

^ my typical order when I go in...once a week...

...need I say more?
4 - Chatree T.: I give this place a four star because of their delicious food, price, and excellent customer service. Only had the kimchi fried rice (one of the best) and their ramen. The look of the ramen bowl is funny but I think it's cool. The broth was flavorful, but it needs more substance like corn and more meat! 

It's a small mom and pop show with very little sitting area, but a lot of seating outside. It's nice to eat outside and enjoy the atmosphere.
2 - Stephanie L.: I've only tried one item on their menu and I guess it was the wrong one. 

After seeing a friend eat their curry ramen, I decided to give it a go, since I love ramen and I love curry. I guess my initial thought was that it would be more of a noodle soup than just curry sauce over ramen. When I got my order, the sauce was extremely thick and the noodles were too overcooked and too soft to even pick up with chopsticks. The sauce did not even taste much like curry. I mostly tasted some sort of powder over mushy noodles.  

I've heard their kimchi fried rice is good but haven't tried it myself.
4 - Jimmy N.: What to get?

Kim Chee Fried Rice or Noodles. I'm more a noodle person myself, but a lot of people enjoy the rice dish.

There's spam in there! SPAM! What more could a college student ask for??

Satisfies the lunch time growling stomachs.
4 - Chris L.: To all ramen gurus out there: don't get the ramen if you are craving japanese ramen. I love their kimchi fried rice and the kimchi fried noodles, but you know you gotta watch yourself when you like the rice better than the ramen at a place with "ramen" in its name. that's all i'm sayin. So its a great place to eat, except don't be midled by the name.
4 - Jesse H.: Kimchi Fried Rice is a winner. The owner of the shop is extremely nice (even giving me little dessert yogurt drinks when I came in late once, since I've been there enough for her to know me), as is her son.

Bear Ramen was kinda average. I think most of the Ramen is kind of average, though I haven't tried the Kimchi Ramen yet.
Black Bean Gook Soo looked great, wasn't all that great. Meat was sparse, and the radish was cut too thickly for my tastes.

That being said, since I almost always get the Kimchi Fried Rice, gonna go with a four. Without it, I'd probably rate it a 3. Then add one for the owner being awesome. Then possibly subtract one for one of the helpers always having a grumpy face :/

Seating a bit tiny, though you can always sit outside with the boombox guy in the background.
5 - Kathy D.: I can't believe I haven't written a review for Bear's Ramen yet!

I LOVE their kim chi spam fried rice with 2 EGGS.  Emphasis on the TWO eggs.  This dish is comfort food to its best.  The portion is massive for to go.  I love the spiciness to it.  For $8, it is pricey after trying to make it at home.  

I've tried their ramen before but I prefer ordering the korean dishes here, such as the cold noodles or the cal gooksoo.  Next time I should try the kim chi noodles!

Service is quick. Perfect for a "to go" place. 

They got me to love this dish so much that I just started to make it on my own at home this past weekend!
5 - Jonathan L.: At all hours of the day (and night), I could always rely on Kimchi Fried Rice for a solid dish. Toss in some spam and throw a fried egg on top and you have a winner. Prices are great for students (and non-students).

If you're at Asian Ghetto and can't figure where to go among the mass of stores, you can always count on this place for a great meal. 

5 stars
5 - Jenna L.: This is the place for LATE NIGHT Korean food cravings. I always order the Kimchi Fried Rice/Fried Noodle or the Dumpling Ramen with Spam... and it never fails me! 

Although they have been raising the prices on me each year, I always keep coming back! Quality food at any time of the day, what more can you ask for? 

Only downside is they have very limited (and uncomfortable seating), so take your food to-go and watch some TV at home :)
4 - Krystie M.: This review is only for their KIMCHI FRIED RICE.

THIS PLACE IS CASH ONLY!! (there's a BOA atm 1 minute away)

ATMOSPHERE
Located in the "Asian Ghetto," it's a tiny place with barely enough seating inside. However, you can always take your food outside to the benches/tables in the courtyard (although I strongly advise against this because the tables are eternally oily and gross. Stay inside if you can).

The cashier lady is Korean and speaks very little English, but strangely enough, the cooks are Mexican...

FOOD
Again, I only come here for the KIMCHI FRIED RICE, which is great 95% of the time. The other 5% it's a little burnt and when it's burnt I just can't eat more than 2 bites of it.

This place probably has the best kimchi fried rice in Berkeley and a lot of my Korean friends come here for other dishes as well considering there aren't many good Korean restaurants near campus.

The portions are big and you see them cook it right in front of you, so that's a plus. You can get the fried rice with either SPAM, CHICKEN, OR BEEF. I get beef because god knows what's in spam, but my friends always get it with spam.

TIP: Come with a KOREAN because you can get extra stuff, like extra sunny side up eggs with your fried rice.
4 - Kris G.: the egg is back, baby. for a better part of the 80s/90s, eggs got this bad rap about being chock-full of cholesterol, and were shunned off menus and out of home kitchens. thankfully for oviphiles 'round the world, such as wylie dufresne and myself, eggs have been welcomed back with open arms. they are now placed, poached or fried, atop pasta, vegetables, fish, and anything else that chefs can think of. including one of my more humble favorites: kimchi fried rice. 

while the name of this place says ramen, cal students in the know will tell you that the choice option is the kimchi fried rice with spam. and being that it's been friggin' freezing around the bay area lately, i felt in need of a warm, hearty lunch, and if it comes with an egg on top, all the better! 

a good runny yolk is silky, sultry, velvety smooth; almost like sex personified in food (foodified?). there is perhaps nothing more luxurious than the yolk melting and oozing down over anything lucky enough to be in its way; it kind of reminds me of satin sheets. golden yellow satin sheets, flowing over a king-sized dinner plate. and is there anything more delicious than the spiciness of kimchi mixed with the chewy, filling fried rice, all doused in the creamy goodness of runny egg yolk?? methinks not. definitely one of my favorite dishes with an egg on top!
4 - Melody L.: Yum! I always get some form of ramen here and I love how:

A) It comes in its own "tupperware" container when you order to go
B) SO DELICIOUS
C) There is so much food that no matter how hungry I am, I cannot finish it all at once and always end up eating the remaining half for another meal
D) i see the same people working all the time (the korean lady who owns the place & the hispanic lady). they're always pretty friendly and they make my food fast!
4 - Suzanne V.: Love this place and try to hit it up anytime I am in Berkeley.  I first heard about it when a friend of a friend's boyfriend mentioned how much he loved their kimchi spam fried rice which is one of their most popular menu items.  I normally abhor spam but I do love me some kimchi so my interest was piqued.  I've tried it, it was delicious and I keep coming back for more - they are VERY generous with the portions, you definitely get your money's worth.  It's a pretty tiny place with room for maybe 5 at the front counter and 4 at the window but the service is quick and friendly.  They also have some interesting gook soos I'd like to try.  Great Korean comfort food at a great price.
2 - Johnny S.: Kimchi fried rice was ehh..ok, but the egg that came with it tasted like I could get food poisoning from it the next day. But their ramen is basically instant noodle cooked with some vegetables and egg, something I can prepare myself any time within like 5 minutes. Simply go elsewhere if you want something edible and with....more substance.
4 - Ed L.: I have a feeling business would be a lot better if this place was named "Bear's Kimchi Fried Rice" instead of "Ramen" because everyone I know gets Kimchi fried rice with spam here. They have perfected the dish and you might not be able to find a better one in Berkeley. It is like a Korean mom cooking it for you at your dorm.

It starts with great rice, that's chewy but not overly sticky. Add in nicely chopped kimchi, cubes of spam and a sunny-side up egg with a runny yolk mixed in, you got yourself some comforting "Seoul" food. They serve a great cup of complimentary warm tea as well to go with it.
5 - James H.: Kim Chi Fried Rice with Spam.  Ain't nothin' like the real thing baby.  

This dish alone gives this place 5 stars as it goes down in my hall of fame of cheap, addictive all time plates.  I like to just sit down and eat it by myself cause I don't even want to TALK.  I just wanna savor the moment.
5 - Steven L.: Wow thank you James H. for reminding me of this place.  This gem inside the asian ghetto should be familiar to just about every cal student for providing some of the best tasting homemade Korean food in all of southside, even all of Berkeley.  The Korean lady who I believe still owns and operates this small hole in the wall is so awesome and nice, I used to come here and bust out some of my mad korean skills and I'd be on her good side, and it helps to be on her good side haha.  

I used to always order either the Kimchi fried rice or my favorite dish, Kimchi sangyubsal bokkeum, which is like delicious pork cooked with red hot Kimchi all over rice.  It's a real piece of heaven and reminds me of my mama's cooking.
3 - Elaine L.: I smh. For $7.50 at asian ghetto I expect a big portion but I was sadly disappointed. I was able to finish all of my Kim chi Fried rice and was still not full. It was yummy though but I wish I got a little more for what I paid for. 

My friend ordered the kim chi fried noodle which I would expect to taste the same as the kimchi fried rice... but it didnt. It was too sweet. o__O It was not good. 

The wait for your food is pretty long and it's usually always busy.
5 - Suana W.: 4.5 stars, rounding up for sheer sentimentality. this was my go-to restaurant during my four years at berkeley. not only would i stop by and get my kimchi fried rice with spam, two eggs and extra kimchi 3-4 times a week but i would attempt to divide each meal into two by frying up a few eggs at home and separating it into two perfect portions. now if i'm ever across the bridge, i make it a point to stop by and pick up TWO orders from here (the more, the merrier!)
4 - Stella L.: This was my favorite restaurant when I lived in Berkeley. 

I started out getting the Kimchee Spam Fried Rice (YUM!) but started getting the Kimchee Spam Fried Noodles (EVEN MORE YUM!) when it first became available.  

I went back last December to eat at Bear Ramen, and I must say that this place has gone progressively downhill. Dont get me wrong...it's still very good, but it used to be better.
4 - Eddy P.: Bear's Ramen, you never disappoint! Of course I only come to you in response to kimchi fried rice cravings, but in addressing my needs, you do everything right. Drunk food, study food, a second lunch, it doesn't matter. Key features: globs of butter, diced spam, egg with runny yolk. Damn.
3 - Yushan K.: Ok so to be honest, I got ramen - the Bear's special or something like that - and didn't love it.  A lot of the dishes others were ordering looked better than what I got, so maybe I just got unlucky.

And the staff was so sweet and friendly, making sure everyone got what they wanted.  Note that you can call ahead orders and pick up so you don't have to wait.

I'll have to come back to try something different!
4 - kat p.: get the kim chi fried noodle or the kim chi fried rice. SOSOOSOSOOO good!

ok, thinking about it is making me drool,MUST go there. the kim chi fried noodle is sooo bomb!
4 - Peter C.: A fascinating experience, sort of like stepping off of the real world into the psychidelic Cal campus/Telegraph, only to step further into a rabbit hole that has the size/smell/look of a Japanese alcove.  Food is made to order, very reasonably priced, and quite fulfilling in a cold day.  Nothing fancy, but respectfully large menu.  The two ladies ran the tiny restaurant with military precision, with the fried rice stirred approximaely 20 times (I counted, could have find a reasonable average with standard deviation had I stayed longer).  I can see how many would become regulars, I would have.
4 - Tracey K.: Bear Ramen's food are really good, they don't suck. But it's not restaurant quality. Everything they make you can make at home. But that necessarily isn't a bad thing per say. I personally like homemade korean food, and they make everything homemade style. Their kimchi fried rice with spam is amazing, everyone comes here for that. 
It's not pricey either. If you want your homemade korean food fix, this is your spot. I came here yesterday to have lunch with my friend, the weather was hot and she felt like getting something cold, she ordered the nengmyun (cold noodle in soup). She was scared that it wasn't going to be great, because you can only get good nengmyun at certain restaurants that are known to make it good. But it ended up tasting better than she thought. I got the cheese ramen. I'm pretty sure my friend got sick of eating her nengmyun because she kept taking my ramen lol. The ramen soup isn't like the ones you would make at home, it's really good and more like broth. It costed around 6.50 which isn't too bad. 
You have the option of sitting outdoors or indoors. 

I think next time I'd stick with their kimchi spam fried rice. That's the one dish thats actually really worth it.
1 - Garfield J.: I hate places like this and this place-. Why? 

I am on a recent Ramen fix---tried Santa Ramen in San Mateo finally, and while not perfect, it was damn near with Miso broth that has me chasing the dragon. 

So today I was dead set on Ramen from here, I tried Ryowa a few days ago and found it OK, nothing great, not terrible. 

Things started out nice, I found parking on Durant, on my way to the entry there was a semi-attractive female street type person sunbathing on the sidewalk in her bra-----

I walk in and there were several cues I should have walked out before ordering.....the lady/owner? was on the phone---while on the phone she was coughing, a lot. She finally ended her call and continued to cough up a lung. Rule one, don't go to work when you are a contagious disease  ready to spread. ---I looked up towards the ceiling and see 2 boxes of instant ramen,  product of Korea----I found it odd, were they props?, or does this place serve instant ramen?

I order Miso Tofu ramen with extra noodles  I like to watch "professionals" cook-----so I watch----lady takes out a pot smaller than I use at home, too small to make ramen and adds presumably stock?, maybe water?---she then gets some Miso paste adds to water/stock------then here is where my expectations sank----she goes and grabs two bricks of Top Ramen, freeze dried noodles----yup, the crap you used to get for 12 packs for $1. ---she adds them into the pot, then some misc vegetables------she scoops 6 powders and drops them into the pot. She drops in some tofu cubes. 

Done. ----I am not sure, but I would bet dollars to donuts, at least 4 out of the 6 of those powders are the seasoning packs which the store bought ramen came with.

I get handed my bowl of what I could have done at my own house with much more care, and for about 1/5 the $8 i was charged. 

Honestly, I hate so call restaurants who sell crap which they take no personal expertise to and charge people good money for. --I can drive to Koreana Market on Telegraph and 23rd and buy two packs of the same crap Bear Ramen uses and make it myself----Plus I would be making it in cleaner surroundings and not risking my health with a lady who is so sick she should be home resting in bed.
5 - Tim C.: It was a rainy day and the second I walked in the Winter Sonata theme came on in the background.  No joke.  At that moment I knew what it felt like to be in a KDrama and be beautiful.

Also, the kimchi fried rice is delicious.
4 - Jenny T.: 4.5 stars actually, because I've only had bad service here once. I had ordered on the phone for kimchi fried rice, but when I arrived at Bear's Ramen, it turned out that she gave my order to someone else that also ordered kimchi fried rice, and then she ran out of rice! So instead of just coming in to grab my order, I had to wait an additional 20 minutes for her to ask another restaurant for some spare rice. Good thing I didn't have work or class, or else I would've been even more peeved.

Putting that aside... this is the only place I come to for my kimchi fried rice cravings. All the other korean places I've gotten kimchi fried rice at just doesn't do it for me. Everywhere else has vegetables in it like peas and carrots (which I HATE), but the kimchi fried rice here is simply that: kimchi and rice. It's simple, but it hits the spot for me.
3 - Annie S.: My favorite place to eat at Asian Ghetto!!! I usually eat here when I'm pretty busy because the food comes out pretty quickly (except when it's packed on some nights). The Kimchi Fried Rice with Spam is the best!!! It's better than kimchi fried rice from any other place... it's better than my mom's (sorry mom). I don't know how they make it so tasty because it's so simple. I just wish they gave us more.
You should probably take it to go because there is not much space inside. They also don't take card here, so have cash ready.
3.5 stars
3 - Ava S.: Sigh. This place used to be so good. Too bad it's going downhill with the quality of the food depending on who is cooking that day.

I always get the Kimchi Fried Rice w/ Spam. Either their portions are getting smaller or I'm just getting fatter and need more food because I can finish it and still want more after. After hearing several people tell me how good it was, I decided to spice up my order and get the Kimchi Fried Noodle instead. BAD DECISION. You would think it would taste the same as the rice version, right? WRONG. The sauce was completely different and the dish was SWEET. O____o Last time I listen to people. Psh.

Since this place is a "ramen house", I should probably come back and try their ramen one day.
4 - Emmeline A.: Kimchee Fried Rice with spam and Kimchee Ramen. 
A cheap kimchee fix you can't argue with.
4 - Alice M.: Bear's Ramen House is a boonshik (kind of Korean street food) restaurant known not for their ramen but for their kimchi fried rice. And rightfully so, because it is sooooo good!  If you like spam (and you should), GO WITH SPAM.

I've also tried the ddukgook (rice cake soup) and the broth was delicious and savory.  I tried the labbokki (spicy rice cake) which I had seen before and wanted to try and I would've said it could've been cooked a little longer.. will try it again and see how it is.

I haven't tried their noodles yet because I always am tempted by the kimchi fried rice, but I hope to come back more often so that I try more dishes!

Some notes: Cash only, they cook to order so it might take a little bit of time, and it's the Asian ghetto so seating is sparse inside.  They also have barley tea (comforting and yummy!), but don't expect banchan because this is not that type of Korean place!
3 - Carol N.: Bear's Ramen House is one of the places I will miss after I officially graduate from Cal and move away. It is located right in Durant Square (or what students refer to as Asian Ghetto). I usually order the Mushroom Fried Noodle/Rice or the Kimchi Fried Noodle/Rice with Spam. I prefer the noodles over the rice though. Both come with an egg right on top and cost about $7-8. Eat it when it's fresh! Like Ava S. says, the quality of the food really depends on who is cooking that day. I am most satisfied with the food when the lady who owns the store is cooking. I think her son and a non-Asian woman is usually working the store now, but not always. The owner is seriously the nicest and sweetest lady ever! You can even CALL IN ahead of time to place your order if you're on the run.

If you want to dine-in, I must warn you that it is pretty small. I think there's only about 6-8 seats in there total, but you can always sit at the tables outside of the store. I would definitely NOT sit in there on a hot day. Complimentary water and CASH ONLY (but there's a Bank of America right around the corner if that helps).
2 - Lilian x.: The ramen served here is from the 30cent packs you can get at the grocery store, Top Ramen style, no joke.

After realizing we'd have to stand in line for 30min for a piece of sushi at the Yelp event, Sunset Showdown or something (which sucked by the way), we drove to Berkeley for dinner. I'm pretty big on ramen and have tried all the major spots in SF and Peninsula, so naturally I got the kimchi ramen. Boy got the kimchi fried rice with spam. As I sat there, I literally watched as one of the ladies took a cube of dry ramen and put it in a pot of boiling water. Even the flavoring tasted like packaged ramen. At least they added some kimchi, bean sprouts and scallions? Buuut that does not make the $5.20 difference between what we paid and what I could have gotten at the store. The kimchi fried rice was aite but I've definitely had better. 

So...no thanks!
2 - Elisa T.: I came here because my friends really hyped up the Kimchee fried rice with spam and egg. I really wanted to enjoy it. But the atmosphere just totally killed it for me. We sat outside in the square and there were pigeons everywhere... bugs flying and just plain unclean. So that was in my head... then i eat the rice and... i don't know... it really just didn't hit a spot. It seemed super oily, the Spam was a little gross, didnt seem like the typical SPAM brand spam, if that makes sense.... and the egg... more oil.

But i think it is just me. My brother was with us and he LOVED IT, ate the whole thing up. 

I will have to try this place again to make a final decision because i could have gone on an off day?
2 - Tiffany Y.: Quality and overall deliciousness has worsened in the past two years, preventing me from returning to Bear Ramen. If you have a sensitive stomach and fear food poisoning or salmonella, beware!

I used to come all the time for their kimchee fried noodle. However, the more I ate here the less I liked it; the noodles are more than chewy...they are gooey, and the sunny side up egg is undercooked and also soft and gooey. The taste of the food is okay (though the smell isn't appetizing) Their ramen is just soup plus packaged ramen, and the spam is from a can and too salty. The prices are cheap, most items are around $7

NOTE: This food is NOT good for curing hangovers. The pungent smell and gooeyness will make you sicker!
NOTE: If you have a low tolerance for food poisoning, food will make you sicker regardless of hangover or lack of hangover

Service is pretty slow since there are only two ladies working in the shop. Once I had to wait 20+ minutes because they ran out of noodles and had to stick new dough into the noodle-machine.  Said two ladies also handle cash register money (cash only!) while simultaneously handling food. The restaurant is cramped with very limited seating and isn't very clean at all. 

WILL I come back: Yes, but only once for old times sake
WHEN will I come back: Actually...no I wouldn't come back
WHY not: I don't want to risk getting food poisoning or salmonella
4 - Wendy L.: My absolute FAVORITE place to get kimchi fried rice. I think that around 80% of my visits to Asian Ghetto end up taking me to Bear's Ramen because I just can't get enough of the rice. 

Can't say much about anything else because I've never actually tried any other dishes, but their ramen seems to be pretty popular as well. 

Cons: only takes cash. sometimes rice can be a little too oily.
2 - Sophia L.: Kimchi fried rice is good here but the service kind of sucks... :( I once ordered noodles and I realized last minute I forgot to ask for them to-go so I told her I wanted it to go (before she put my noodles in a bowl!) and she made this exasperated sound and gave me a look :( and I was like sorry Korean mama... also the noodle soups here are reallly bland and I asked to add fish cake once and the Mexican lady cooking gave me 1 piece....great.
4 - Chia L.: Korean Mama's as I like to call it.
The Korean mom who owns this place is so cute and nice I can't help it but fork over my 7.25$ for my plate of kimchi fried rice I could have made myself.

It might be a bit over priced, but on the days that I am craving Korean food, I like to come here. Though you don't get a super big portion, all the dishes there are quite excellent in taste. I've always liked all of their kimchi-fried-anything. Kimchi fried rice, kimchi fried noodle... mushroom fried rice...

The kimchi ramen is not worth the money though. They use instant ramen type noodles, and there's not even a lot of kimchi or vegetables in it. Can get it if you're desperately craving kimchi ramen but can't make it yourself.
4 - Anne L.: It's official - I'm addicted to the kimchi fried rice with spam. I ate it five times in the past week alone..At first I thought the spam made the dish too salty, but I tried it with tofu and couldn't taste anything. 

The prices aren't bad and the little Korean lady is adorable!
5 - Nobidy h.: The food here is fresh and delicious.

Most importantly, the broth is delicious.  The noodles are made fresh all day long.  They are delicate and scrumptious.

The staff was friendly and welcoming.  As someone who often goes out to eat by himself, I often find that I get treated like I'm secondary to everything else the staff has going on with larger groups.  I did not feel that way at Bear's Ramen House.  Friendly conversation and a genuine smile came with my order.

Bear's Ramen House is a small, intimate little ramen house, authentic to the Korean style.

I will be going back next weekend.
3 - Mason T.: Led on by all the hype behind the kimchi rice with spam, i decided to grab an order for lunch.  I've had better back in LA, but it wasn't bad.  The spam to rice ratio was good and the fried egg on top complimented the dish well.  However, I don't think it's worth $7.50.  On the bright side the cashier is nice and the food came out quickly.
5 - Michelle S.: Their kitchen is small, but they have GREAT dishes. They know how to cook!
3 - Katy O.: One of the lesser populated eateries in the Asian Ghetto, it used to be one of my favorites.  I used to come here with a friend all the time for their curry rice.  The sauce was rich and tasty and the portion was very generous.  

I've also tried the kimchi fried rice and the curry ramen.  The kimchi fried rice was ok.  I'm not a huge kimchi fan so I don't think I can review it fairly but I found it to be too sour and too salty.  The curry ramen was good, but not good enough to get again.  The price of all the entrees is a little higher compared to the other restaurants in the area, but the cost seems justified when you see that it's just one little old Korean lady (who's very nice, btw) and sometimes another helper running the place.

I sort of stopped coming here after freshman year though because 1) I think they changed how they make the curry rice and 2) I discovered other eateries that became favorites for me.  Still, I do miss that curry and the quaint little ramen house.
3 - Mailani w.: Let's be judicious when rating a hole in the wall, Korean version of "fast food".  Of course it's not gourmet, the set up is slightly more sophisticated than your dorm room with a communal kitchen.  

Sometimes, home style basics cooked up by someone mom-esque can really hit the spot.  Little reminiscent of plate lunch shops in Hawai'i.  It's cash only, but there is a BofA around the corner.

I dived into my fish cake udon, and it was hearty and complete with a mini heap of fresh bean sprouts.  Loved the piping hot broth, that brought on a sweat and cooked the bean sprouts mildly.  My neighbor was killing his kimchi fried rice with an over-easy egg on top with his ear buds still in.  Solid, good, fast-food, Korean style.  Call ahead for to-go orders since it can get busy in a quickness.
3 - Dongwan K.: I'm from Korea and there are a lot of places like this where they serve Korean noodles, fried rices, and other dishes

prolly the comparion is not fair, but everything's kinda pricy compared to similar restaurants back in korea
but i guess its reasonable for Berkeley

food is pretty good although i wish the portion is bigger since i eat a lot :p

and there are only about 6 seats so it is likely that you will have to sit outside.
3 - Edward W.: This place is cheap and all the college students love it. 

The kimchi fried rice is by far the most interesting thing I've had from South Side Asian Ghetto. It comes with spam, a half cooked egg, and lots of kimchi flavored rice. 

When I'm not feeling the kimchi fried rice, I opt for the bear ramen special. The bowl it comes in is a little small, but it's packed with lots of veggies and chewy noodles, perfect for a student who doesn't eat their veggies.
1 - Shinji T.: So I felt like Ramen.  I know quality can be varied, but I'm flexible.  

This place serves INSTANT RAMEN NOODLES!  e.g. TOP RAMEN!  Give me a break.  for $6?  

I know this is a college town and there are lot of hungry students around.  But man, instant ramen noodles...shame on you!   

Irks me to no end that they use the word "Bear" in the name of the restaurant that serves such crap....

Go elsewhere.  Put this place out of business.  They don't deserve your money.
3 - Janice W.: This place is just OKAY, especially when you're a hungry college student, but most of the time, I can't bring myself to come here unless forced. I've tried their kimchi fried rice, kimchi fried noodle, and mushroom fried noodle on multiple occasions, but this place is very inconsistent. One day, the kimchi fried noodles will be cooked perfectly and deliciously, and the next, oddly sweet yet at the same time, tasteless. I've had consistently better kimchi dishes elsewhere, so I will NOT be missing Bear Ramen when I graduate.
3 - Zeeshan J.: For those of you who like spicy stuff, their kimchi ramen with extra red chili powder can make even the most seasoned spicy food lover cry...tears of glory.
2 - Ruben P.: There is an old lady who is really rude(uses INFORMAL Korean words to seemingly young Koreans), but rest of the workers are not.

well the biggest negative point of them is....FOODS ARE OVERPRICED.
4 - Jen C.: I came here for lunch and let me just say the spam kimchi fried rice (with an egg on top) is so delicious! (And this is coming from Korean so I know good SKFR when I taste it).
4 - Rose Y.: I used to come here a lot as a sophomore in college, but later just visited when I was craving their Kimchi Fried Noodle or Rice. The owner of the store is really nice and remembers you if you go a lot! Since I first came, she has hired a few more people. This is definitely one of the better places in Asian Ghetto. Besides the Kimchi Fried Rice with spam, I would recommend trying the Spicy Pork over rice too! The duk boki with ramen is good, but comes with maybe six pieces of rice cake max.
2 - Mina P.: Got beef ramen from here and was very disappointed. I could make better ramen at home. I only give it 2 stars because the servers here were really nice. Other than that the quality of the food itself.. well lets just say I'd prefer to buy and make my own ramen. If college students don't have the time to cook, are lazy, and are craving ramen, I suppose this is a decent place to go to.
4 - Phan H.: This very tiny hole in the wall makes very good ramens. I had the beef ramen and it was good, although I wished there were more food! The service was friendly, but the service wasnt fast. I came here on a thursday night and it was pretty busy. If you eat inside the place, goodluck because it is very tiny with limited seats and room. Also had the potstickers, which were awesome
5 - Carol V.: The very first Korean person I met was my best friend in college.  As we bonded over silly things on the same floor in Putnam Unit 1, she decided she would introduce me to Korean food at this place.  At the Asian ghetto.  This place probably contributed the other 5 pounds to my freshman 15.

Life changing experience.
Please just order the Kimchi Spam Fried Rice.  The first time I had this I thought to myself how weird, who the heck would ruin perfectly good fried rice by throwing in kimchi, spam, and 2 over easy eggs.  I was stupid.  IT WAS THE BEST COMBINATION EVER!!

Visit number 2: Sick as heck and wanted some soup.  For those of you who know Berkeley, not only do you have to deal with crazy bums on telegraph, rain, and the occasional creeper who follows you while you speed walk to the nearest brightly lit area, you'd know how freaking hard it is to get some good noodle soup.  Ramen here is great!  You have the sweet Korean lady boiling those noodles and you just feel as if chicken noodle soup would never compare.  Quite honestly it doesn't.  

Oh Fast as hell too!
2 - Victor G.: Bear's Ramen House offers korean food at a cheap price. but you (almost) get what you paid for. only 2 benches for seating inside. common area outside has more seating.

menu: udon,  ramen, stir fry, and soups, rice cakes

eats: mushroom ramen(6.5)
-ramen still chewy, not totally cooked
-came with sliced mushrooms, seaweed, bean sprouts, slice of gluten, etc. 
-broth kind of tasty, had cooking wine, salt, pepper, msg, and a little chilie pepper.
1.5 stars saw a couple squirts from bottle, and a few pinches from condiment pans.

banchan:
-ramen is instant (jin ramyon)
-cooked to order on stove (open kitchen, kind of).
-learned how to cook ramen today, now i can do my own.
-for what one gets, fresh and all, seems overpriced.
4 - E. C.: I love their Kimchi Fried Noodle! It tastes really good. I think this is one of the better Korean food in Berkeley. I tried almost every Korean food in Berkeley, and this is one of the place that I will never get tired of. 
When I still live in Berkeley, I went to this place at least once a week, forgetting about my diet and everything. 

Now, when people asked me what did I miss from Berkeley, I will confidently say that I miss Kimchi Fred Noode from this place.
4 - Christina H.: Definitely one of the better places in Asian Ghetto, their noodles are definitely one of the betters in the area. The woman who works here is pretty nice and is super beautiful and elegant for someone of her age. 

What I get here since I can't do spicy :(  :
Mushroom fried noodle - if you haven't tried this, get it! 
Mushroom fried rice

Extra noodles are only $1! :D

Notes: the noodles are hand pulled, so the quality can vary. Usually the noodles came out nice, decently thick, and chewy, but other times it can be suuuuper stretchy, sticks too much together, or a little on the thin side. Nevertheless, usually it pulls out to be SUPER good.
4 - Charles H.: First off, yeah, there are better Korean restaurants out there. Get that out of the way. The place is not about "fine dining".  Think of Korean comfort food without the "uhhhhh, what is that? Am I supposed to eat it?" concerns.

What sets the horrendously-named "Bear's Ramen House" is that "ajima" (that's what she prefers to be called) runs a family-style noodle shop that specializes in a specific (but apparently growing) menu...noodles and fried rice dishes. I've always guessed that this is what an Asian roadside noodle stand must be like, all the way down to the seats that westerners can't possibly fit in (be prepared to bang your knees).

The gook soo (Yelp doesn't support Hangul) noodles are made fresh from scratch daily (not hand pulled, but cut...unfortunately, she doesn't make the noodles at ordering time any longer), the ingredients are basic and tasty, and the soups are quite good.

My personal favorites are the soo-jae-bi (su-jei-bi): hand-torn sheets of uncut gook soo pasta with a semi-mild clear vegetable soup, and the kimchee pancake. You'll probably prefer the fresh gook soo noodles over the standard ramen.

If you are a student going to the Asian Ghetto, buck the "Steve and Thai" late night trend and stop by ajima's place. Tell your friends that you'll be "over there". If you're a Cal fan (or otherwise frequent the south side), add ajima's place to the Top Dog/Gypsy/Bongo Burger/Naan-n-Curry rotation. If you're a "hipster", amaze your foodie friends with your diamond-in-the-rough find.  Don't go driving across the Bay Bridge to go there, but if you've already passed the "Entering Berkeley" warning signs and found parking, by all means try it out!

For you old-timers, this IS the original location of the various "Steve's Food Centers" (which eventually moved to the corner of the Asian Ghetto and became Mexi-rean). The "last Steve" converted it to a noodle stand. Ajima took it from there and ran with it.
5 - David N.: Slap my my Mama! Having just returned from the Seoul Mothership, kimchee fried rice w/Spam & two eggs is the ulltimate experience! Mama and son have their feng shui going on! I'm in tears. Agi yesunim gamsahabnida. And Go Bears!
4 - Christopher L.: Kimchee Fried Noodles.  That is all.
4 - Tina D.: Solely based on the Kimchi fried rice with spam I am giving this place a 3.5 and generously rounding up. I wish it had more green onion. I fried up two more eggs which helped round out the saltiness. I also added a generous dose of sriacha which it needed. With my enhancements, I would give it four stars as far as asian comfort food goes.
5 - Michael T.: One of the better korean restaurants in the Berkeley area. It's cash only, but definitely worth it! The first time I tried this place, I ended up coming back 3 more times in the same week. Get the kimchi fried noodles and kimchi fried rice. GO. NOW.
4 - Mo W.: The owner there is super nice and friendly! The place is very small though, so you must get lucky to sit inside, or hunt for a seat outside in the court yard with the other bums and students, or you can take it to-go. The spam kimchi fried rice is the best with the fried egg on the top. They recently raised their prices but its still not that expensive. The noodle soups are pretty good too. If you can handle the spicy-ness of course.
5 - Evie H.: Seriously, I love this place. During lunch and dinner hours there will usually be a wait here because only the woman and maybe one other person will be working. That being said, I definitely do NOT mind waiting for a few extra minutes to get my Kimchi Fried Noodle. In college, my roommate and I would come here once every 1-2 weeks to get our fix of this dish and while we waited, we would cross over to Quickly's to get a drink to go with dinner (Me, a jasmine milk green tea, no pearls. Her, a regular pearl milk tea). Nothing beats this combo. 

After graduating, I realized that the thing I missed most about Berkeley was the Kimchi Fried Noodle at Bear Ramen. Honestly, it's the best thing ever and I literally feel myself craving for it at least once a week. The noodles are really "Q" (I'm not sure how to say this in English...) and the amount of kimchi plus the level of spice is just perfect for me. I usually get it with spam but you're free to substitute it with beef, chicken, or pork. 

The kimchi fried rice is amazing too but I personally like noodles better. Their ramen is pretty good too although the ramen noodles are closer to your typical cup noodle ramen (Korean style) not the Japanese style ramen. I really like their ddeokbokki (spicy Korean rice cakes) too but be prepared to take the heat (or ask her to use less spice). 

Also, don't plan on eating here. The place is insanely small and there are always students waiting for their food there. It's nicer to bring your food back to your dorm or apartment and eat while watching a good show. Best of all, if you don't finish your kimchi fried noodle, microwave it the next day and it's delicious all over again! Utter greatness. I miss this place so much.
1 - Janet T.: Cheap pricing. I've only tried the ramen, which tasted like it came out of a package with meat thrown in it.  Very limited indoor seatings (maybe 2 by the cashier and 3 by the window). Self-served water by the door. Service wasn't that great, maybe because it was busy.

Next time, I'll try the highly recommended kimichi fried rice/noodles.
5 - Phong Q.: Easily favorite restaurant in Asian Ghetto. It's a REALLY small location and can sometimes get really crowded, but the freshly-made authentic Korean food here is amazing. Go with the kim chi fried rice with spam and share a seafood pancake if you're with a friend. There are other good things (try the kim chi fried noodles sometimes), but those are my favorite dishes and my mouth is watering now even I as I write about it.

Irene, the owner, and Angeles, one of the cooks are also really friendly and absolutely charming if you take the time to chat with them. I used to go shortly after the lunch rush to eat and watch Korean dramas with Irene. Love her!
4 - Samantha L.: I really wasn't even hungry at all.  But because we were in Berkeley and because all of my friends have suggested that I try this place out, my boyfriend and I stopped by Bear's Ramen House last Friday night.

My boyfriend and I ordered a Spam Kimchi Fried Rice to share ($7.50 after tax).  Right after ordering, we saw the man begin to make it.  The place is quite small, with a couple of counters and about 10 seats total.  The guy working seemed to be friendly and my boyfriend described him as "chill."  Within minutes, our order was ready.

The rice was very flavorful and the portion size was plenty for the two of us.  Spam always goes perfectly in kimchi fried rice; but they also have chicken, beef, tofu, as options.  The fried egg on top was picture perfect, until we smashed the yolk with our chopsticks.  The yolk adds a nice creaminess and savoriness to the whole dish.  In fact, the egg was so good, half way through eating our fried rice, we asked the man for another egg ($0.50).  Delicious.  This place lived up to the hype.  I hope to come back!

My boyfriend's parents ordered tofu ramen which they really enjoyed, also.  

Notes:
-Free tea near the door.
3 - David U.: Not too shabby of a place to fulfill a craving for Korean food...

I was hungry and had run out of groceries to do any cooking in my apt so I decided to wander over to the Asian Plaza and see what was available for lunch. I checked out all the other fine establishments and settled on Bear's Ramen House since they had  Jjam Pong (spicy seafood soup) which I had been craving for the past few days. 

I walked in and placed my order for "dine-in" and sat down at the counter ready to eat. The cook took my order and then started preparing my food which only took minutes to prepare. Sweet.

Overall, my jjam pong wasn't the greatest, but it wasn't horrible. I really like the consistency of the noodles, but the broth which is what usually makes jjam pong so awesome to me was pretty watery and flavorless. It tasted like water mixed with that powder stuff from nong shim's spicy ramen. Ok...maybe not that bad, but still, it didn't quite hit the spot for me.

Overall, this place was a good find and I'll definitely be back to try some other dishes and satiate my desire for Korean food. I don't think I'll ever find any GREAT Korean food in the Bay Area though. Being from SoCal, I am spoiled with great and cheap Korean food. All is well though! There is plenty of other great find to try and discover in the Bay. =]
5 - Emily W.: This review is only for the kimchi fried rice with spam, and only made by the Korean lady :)

My version of comfort food.
3 - Greg M.: The Honest Truth: This place is pretty good.  Solid choice at Asian Ghetto.  The Kimchi fried rice is great.  Ironically the ramen isn't anything special.  I'd say the gooksoo is a better option.  The service is always good.

The Details:
I always enjoy coming to this place.  I always order the kimchi fried rice and I'm always satisfied.  However, there isn't much else I'll order.  The ramen isn't that great and I would rather make some instant noodles at home.  The Gooksoo is decent and the other thing I order is the spicy pork over rice.  The quality is typical Asian Ghetto quality, which isn't bad.  The price is around the same 6-7 dollar amount.  The workers are nice and they give you a fair amount of food.  Theres no place to eat inside, so get it to go and eat somewhere else!
5 - Zachary H.: While Bear Ramen is overpriced for what it is, the food is delicious and the location is extremely convenient for Berkeley students. A nice big bowl of Rice Cake Ramen hits the spot on the cold, rainy days, and the Kimchi Fried Noodle is always a great dish. A personal favorite would also be Bulgogi Rice Cake Ramen, give it a try, it's not on the menu! The people who work there are always friendly, so chat them up!
5 - Vivian W.: Hands down best kimchee spam fried rice! And I always crave their kimchee rice cake ramen when I'm under the weather. I have been coming here for more than 12 years....and I'm definitely going to keep coming back for years to come. Love this place!!!!
5 - Patrick T.: I've eaten here many times when I was in Berkeley. It was their kimchi fried rice and noodle dishes that kept me coming back again and again. I've tried these dishes with several different choices of meat and found beef and spam to work well with them. Though not as good as their fried rice and noodle dishes, their ramen tastes pretty good. In addition to their great food, there's a warm family atmosphere created by the presence of the cooks who are mostly part of the same family. I, like some other reviewers, find the Korean lady very nice and welcoming.
4 - Angelic L.: I had the Mushroom Fried Noodle, which was REALLY good, but because there was so much flavor, it became really difficult to eat. I can imagine it would have been delicious as leftovers, but I was going to be out all day so I had to throw it all away. What a pity... The egg that came on my noodles was a little overcooked compared to everyone else's, so the consistency is a little off, but it's nothing major.

From what I've heard, even though this place is called "Bear's Ramen House," you should stay away from the ramen. Stick with the fried rice/noodle dishes and you'll have a yummy meal.
4 - Joan K.: You have to try their Kimchi Fried Rice with Spam!
You have to try their Kimchi Fried Noodle with Spam!

uh... just order something with the thumbs up next to it. lol my favorite Korean restaurant in Berkeley :)
4 - Tuwie N.: Everyone suggests the kim chi fried rice here, and it did not disappoint. Ordered it to go on a sunny day and enjoyed it outdoors. Nothing quite like having the food warm your stomach while having the sun warm your skin.

We also got some fried noodle dish with mushroom, which was also delicious, albeit greasy.
2 - Kevin L.: Seriously small portions, very average taste and regular price? Not sure what all the hype is about. I had the kimchi fried rice and it didn't even fill half of the container! It looked like someone ate half of it. Really slow service, small portions, average taste, and average prices, definitely stay away!
4 - Tram N.: If it wasn't for Bear Ramen, I swear Asian Ghetto would suck even more than it does. 

My favorite dish is there the Kim Chi Fried Noodles w/ Shrimp (because I don't eat meat) but I'm  pretty sure it's more delicious with Spam!  I used to always order Kim Chi Fried Rice until my friend told me to try the noodles. Two words. LIFE. CHANGING. I can't go back to the rice again.  The noodles just soak in the kim chi flavor better than the rice. If you end up with leftovers, it's even better the next day! 

The only thing I wish that's better about this place is that he portion should be bigger. The portion are average but it's definitely not as filling if you're hungry. This place is definitely too small inside so I don't recommend that you should eat there. TAKE OUT IS THE WAY TO GO. The flavors also varies each time I buy it depending on who makes my food. If they're in a rush with a lot of people, they don't spend as much time frying the rice or noodles.
3 - Emily C.: surrogate after-finals mother, 
kind, korean, cooking,
consoling with palettes 
of sauced carbohydrates 
and steaming meat broth

how did you know,
to put American cheese in my ramen?
A mother's intuition.

she hands me home 
in a plate of kimchi fried rice, 
supplicant cubes of spam,
smiling egg speckled with sesame,
lovingly?

"$7.95" 
I pay for my meal,
You are not my mother. 
But your meals taste so homey, 
(although a little greasy)
and all these asian youth, 
huddled hungrily about their steaming 
bowls of consolation 
look like me
4 - Aria W.: I tasted Kimchi fried rice there and it is really good. It is the first time I like something with Kimchi lol
3 - Emily Z.: Best kimchi spam fried rice in Berkeley!  You really can't go wrong ordering this, although they give WAY less than they used to.  Two years ago, I could make an order last two meals, and now it's barely enough for one.  Thank goodness I don't eat a lot, or I'd rate less. 

The kimchi's aged perfectly.  Honestly, it's not hard to make a decent plate of kimchi fried rice, but the difference between Bear Ramen and my kitchen is the kimchi.  Perfect crunch, perfect tang, perfect spice.  Makes the dish taste amaze.

The fried noodles are alright.  A little too heavy for me, and as others say, the quality's inconsistent.  Sometimes, it's Korean street food magic, and sometimes it's just a heaping dish of bland greasy carbs.  

And don't order the ramen.  Doesn't matter if the place has "ramen" in its name; just don't.  Go home, boil some canned chicken broth, toss in some veggies and fish cake and a block of packaged ramen, and top it off with a dash of msg and scallions.  Same exact thing, down to the brick of ramen.  So please do yourself a favor, and don't waste your precious monthly student allowance.

I'd avoid the place when it's crowded.  I'm pretty sure there's a negative correlation between the number of people in line and the quality and quantity of food per order.  Order take-out!  The seating inside's pretty dismal, but there's plenty of seating outside.  Also, they have complimentary roast rice tea, my fave(:
5 - Adele Z.: OOOOMG I do not know how to describe this kimchi fried rice with spam other than it is loaded with some type of foodcrack.

I have ordered this probably 50 times in my time at Cal and SF.  Every time I visit the east bay I fiend for it. Fiend.

I love me some homecooked Korean fried rice, but this just has a different twist to it. I wish I could pinpoint it more, but you just have to try it. Make sure you get the egg on top too!

Tip: call in and order before. There's basically nowhere to sit and this can be enjoyed in the container it comes in (maybe unlike the ramen).

Friends have ordered the dumpling ramen and kimchi fried noodle, but honestly, kimchi fried rice beats them all.
4 - Robert Y.: cheap tasty korean food 

kimchee fried noodles with spam 
The noodles are machined pulled fresh which provides a very chewy but firm texture. The spiciness is just right not too hot not too bland. The sunny side fried egg adds an extra touch. 4/5

They only have 8 seats in the small room so getting to go is a better bet. All the dishes are under $9 and they also have self serve tea and water. I would come back just to try their other things or just get the kimchee noodles again.

PS ramen is packaged here so you can probably make it yourself at home. Get the rice or fried noodle instead.
4 - Tina A.: Kimchee fried noodles with spam
 - amazingly fresh chewy udon-ish noodles with sweet gochuchang with a fried egg on top!  the egg is sunny side so when you mix it, the yolk bursts onto the noodles, creating a rich creamy texture. MMMMmmmm

Champong gooksoo 
- seafood noodle soup with fresh udon and spicy oil on top.  the broth was super savory and the best i've had in a while.  its even better than the casseroles at Toyose (SF).  it's packed with delicious seafood in almost every spoonful and the taste of the broth does not get old

don't get the beef ramen though, both the broth and the ramen are packaged.

beverages are self serve, cooks are super nice and legitamate mommys

i'll definetely come back to try the mushroom and kimchi fried rice everyone is raving about.
4 - Nancy M.: KIMCHI FRIED RICE. One of my favorite dishes ever!!!

My typical order: Kimchi fried rice with spam, extra extra spicy with two eggs. (The extra egg is 50cents more but it is SO worth it.)

I usually call 10 minutes ahead to avoid waiting so long. I am so impatient when it comes to kimchi fried rice!!!!

Oh, and the mother and son who works here are always nice!
4 - Desiree C.: Good stuff! Located inside the asian ghetto. Came here after classes with a friend and we ended up choosing this place because she recommends the kim chi fried noodle. I ended up ordering the kim chi fried rice with chicken. 

Service was fast but the seating is very limited inside. We sat outside eating our warm food and hot tea on a foggy afternoon. Awesome ambiance. The fried rice was good. Not too spicy but just right. I tried a bit of my friends kim chi noodle with spam and I liked it more than my rice. I think they make the noodles themselves in their store and its really good! 

I'm totally getting spam instead of chicken next time. Screw trying to eat some lean protein.
3 - Jana L.: I thought this was Japanese at first but then realized it was Korean after the language that they spoke.  Located in Berkeley's Asian Ghetto, this isn't the big GO-TO place.  I came here for dinner and the fish cake ramen was pretty good.  I would have given it a 4 star, but I told them no bean sprouts in my ramen!  Considering I was the only person there that ordered at that time and that they asked me if I wanted bean sprouts a second time, they couldn't even remember that I didn't want it at all.  -____- About $6 for a ramen dinner.  It was kind of a small portion so if you're hungry, you should go for something bigger!  I wasn't too hungry and the portion was just right.  It was a little bit spicy, too!
4 - Alli Q.: Really cheap food - perfect for a poor student.

The best thing to order is the spam kimchi fried rice - if you're craving kimchi fried rice this is the place to go. It even comes with a sunny side up fried egg - ahhh everything I love about kimchi fried rice.

Ironically, I'd recommend staying away from the ramen. The broth isn't that tasty and the noodles are definitely packaged top ramen noodles - you can get that at home!

Seating is really limited both inside and out. If it's crowded, get it to go!
3 - Tiffany C.: My favorite dish from this place is the Korean pancake. I usually ask for a vegetable pancake instead of kimchi or seafood since I'm a vegetarian and they're very willing to make it for me! :) The other dishes are alright, not the best I've had, and some are a bit overpriced. The place is open late, so I come at night if I'm craving a Korean snack.
3 - Lucy C.: Bear Ramen House is A-OK in my book. Not exactly a standout restaurant, and perhaps a bit unforgettable compared to the ever-popular Thai Basil and Gypsy's.

Typically, I ordered the mushroom fried rice. It's my safe alternative to too-spicy Korean dishes and this dish is rather good! The downside is that you have to eat it pretty quickly, because it becomes really unappetizing when it's cold. BUT portions are pretty large and it comes with an egg! My favorite! :D
4 - sarah s.: #21 Kimchee GookSoo forever. Seriously, I've been coming here for 8 years and I always get the same thing. Their noodles are homemade meaning they are super fresh and have great chewy texture. The broth is spicy and a great cure for any ailment.  If you can snag a seat at the counter you're in heaven.

Beard Papa's - Pasadena, CA (34.1388359, -118.1323869) (Pasadena)
4 - James L.: I'm happy that Beard Papa's finally opened closer to Pasadena!  I believe their opening date was Monday Oct 6.  If not the 6th then the 13th.  My first day in the store was the 15th.  

There's really not too much to be said about Beard Papa's as its becoming a more well known chain.  What's good about a chain is that there's little variation in quality of goods.  Their cream puffs and eclairs are pretty much as good as most other chains.  They're obviously better when fresh out of the oven.  When I went there last night at 8pm, they said they just finished baking one batch at 7pm.  

They also have Cheese Cake Sticks and Fondants, which I've seen at a few other stores but haven't tried yet.  I also haven't tried their boba but will probably do so next time.

Pricing is standard.  Not too shabby, a little under $2 for a cream puff.

The employees are friendly, the ambiance is pretty good: small store front, a few tables, brightly lit.  

Overall I like Beard Papa's has finally made it over to the mainland, that is from Japan to Hawaii and now here.  I like it even more that it's now in Pasadena.  For some reason though, the ones in Hawai'i still seem to taste better.  Last thing: I wish Beard Papa's would start offering more variety or something else to make them stand out because with so many chains and Pinkberry like joints opening, I'm not sure how all these stores will survive.  At least for now, I'll be getting my fair share of cream puffs!
Hours: open: 10am everyday; Mon-thurs close 9pm, fri-sun close 10pm.
4 - Evelyn L.: So this list goes around in my class for this potluck were having. I was thinking what can I make that's yummy and different from everyone else. I was having a brain fart and couldn't think of anything besides my typical cupcakes or cookies that I usually bake. Then few minutes later light bulb went on and I got really excited. Too excited that my teacher thought I was having an attack. I'm glad that I thought of Beard Papa's so I didn't have to bring out my baking dishes and make something. BP totally trumps homemade boxed cupcakes.

Its great I don't have to trek through local SG traffic to get to the BP's SG store. I was lucky enough to find parking right outside the store on a Sunday night. Their phone number wasn't listed on the BP website, which isn't good, but apparently they close late so its all good.
4 - fran d.: god bless ericka l. for she has brought beard papa's into my life. i realize, what are BFF's there for afterall? but still.

i live too far away from this location but since june when she first brought these delicious fluffly cream puffs of ecstasy into my life i have vivid dreams of chance encounters in poorly lit alleyways and dingy downtown clubs restrooms where my mouth and stomach proceed to fornicate with these delicious culinary treats.

and now i must have ericka come visit me in long beach at least twice a month and bring down some beard papa's.

the vanilla flavored puffs are just as good as the chocolate flavored and don't get me started on the eclairs. i want to be stranded on a desserted (get it? dessert-ed?) with these things with nothing but a g-string on and a boombox blasting out barry white songs full blast.
5 - ericka L.: ZOMG caramel cream puff

*orgasm*
5 - Matt F.: It seemed like forever waiting for the Beard Papa's on Lake to open, but it's finally here!  If you don't already know, Beard Papa's is known for making fresh cream puffs to order from natural ingredients.  So far, I've only had the standard chocolate and vanilla, but now that there is a store open close to me I plan on trying all their flavors soon (and hopefully I'll remember to review them later on).
5 - LA Sunshine M.: The best cream puffs I've ever tasted, period.  We went a bit after 9 on Saturday.  The staff is very friendly.  The vanilla cream puffs are HEAVENLY.  The puff tasts like croissant, and the vanilla filling oozes out of the shell.  It's not too sweet and not too heavy.  JUST perfect.  We also tried their chocolate eclairs, but having tried the vanilla cream puffs first, I just have to give my vote to the vanilla cream puffs.  Yummy!
5 - Satoshi H.: I like cream puffs and I cannot lie... (yes, very random)

Anyhow, I'd like to start off by saying that I'm not a huge fan of Beard Papa.  The cream puff shells at Beard Papa are a bit hard for my liking.  

HOWEVER, I'm giving this store 5 stars.  I've gone to several other Beard Papa's (Hollywood, Sawtelle, Gardena...), but this one on Lake fills the content of your preference to the max.  Custard, chocolate, whatever.  Cream is filled until the very last square millimeter, unlike the previously mentioned branches where the puffs are still a bit hollow.  

It's only a few months since the one on Lake opened, so we'll see how long this will last.
4 - Tom E.: Who the hell is this Beard Papa dude anyway?? Some sort of Japanese Caucasian old man handing out delicious sinful cream puffs? Seems pretty weird to me.

Apparently he's none other than.... SANTA CLAUS... but in his summer attire. 

WTF?

Yes, really.

Well that has me verily tickled pink. Beard Papa for my birthday it is then!! After all, birthdays are like Christmas but without the Christmas, so Santa will come as Beard Papa, right?

Well he didn't come today, so instead I came to his clean, bright and funky Pasadena branch for my birthday fix. And blow me, if the puffs aren't full to the brim with cream here. Some very generous cream pumping goes on and things can get very messy, but you get your calorie value worth indeed. The cookie version is good but the original puff is still the best.

How about the eclair version? Well I'll find out soon enough... mine is sitting with birthday candles in right now. Thank you Father Beard Papa Claus!!
5 - rod c.: Parking can be an issue here.  My recommendation if you can't get a curbside spot, use the Macy's/Trader Joe's lower level off DelMar.  If you don't know Beard Papa's then what are you waiting for.  Awesome custard cream puffs.  Business/franchise itself is part of the Asian invasion of global-ish franchises to sweeten up the foodscape (see what I did there?).
Easy to gobble down three at a sitting so lookout if the calorie counting are an issue (and that means everyone doesn't it?).
2 - Carlos R.: I went to the place based merely on the fact that the logo is an interesting cross between Santa and the Gordon's Fisherman guy, but it wasn't really worth it.  The eclairs were kinda old and their innards were less than tasty.  What's with the sudden influx of mediocre dessert places in Pasadena?  They're about as sensible as skinny jeans, and even less appealing.  Get dessert at a real place, or one of the other 23579345645 places that sell frozen yogurt in a two block radius.
4 - Jen P.: Never disappointed with the cream puffs, but I will say the only downfall about the Pasadena location is that they don't have much variety in flavors.  At least in my experience, everytime I've hit up the Beard Papa's in Pasadena, they only have vanilla and chocolate.  Everyone knows the CARAMEL cream puffs are the ISH!!!  Out of all the locations, I think the only place I've actually had the caramel puffs was at the West LA location.  If you haven't gotten the pleasure of sinking your teeth into a CARAMEL puff and they happen to have them available at your nearest Beard Papa's -- grab one of those jammies!  You won't regret it!!!
4 - a d.: Best Boba shake i've had!  They use real fruit (strawberry) and the boba's are perfectly soft and sweet.  A great deal for $4!
5 - Helen L.: I LOVE their cream puffs. Outer layer is flaky and inside is filled with custard. I like custard to begin with. It is sooo good. Cost $2 for one. I brought 6. I was trying to find some place that sells pens and pencils, and came across this place. Didn't find the pen and pencil place, but this place made up for it.
5 - Concha X.: At first i was like eh. Then i was like mmm. Now im  like GIMME PAPAS!! Chocolate eclairs rock more than a crack heads pipe!!
4 - Ani P.: People talk a lot of sh*t about Dunkin Donuts.  But I grew up on munchkins.  I would eat a blueberry muffin with big pieces of granulated sugar on Sunday mornings.  My absolute faves were the Boston Creme Donuts.  I love custard filling.  So my first love affair with custard started with Dunkin Donuts.  Then one day one of my parents' friends made a creme puff with cold custard inside of a flaky puff and I almost swallowed the puff whole.  

It's all about the creamy goodness.  I'm a custard girl -- I live for the stuff.  I always have room for custard type desserts (come to me creme brule).  And if you're like me, then you'll love Beard Papa's.

For 2 bucks you can get a custard cream puff.  My favorite is the eclair -- puff pastry with dark chocolate filled to the brim with cold custard.  I love the fact that it's so stuffed with filling.  I've never tried any other flavor than the vanilla.  I know what I like and I like what I know.

I'm docking one star b/c the Pasadena location doesn't have as many flavors.  But they do have a mango shaved ice that I'm absolutely dying to try out.
4 - T C.: Only get the original and the cookie one.  These are the best.  Flaky goodness and sweet thick cream filling.  Get your head out of the gutter and get some beard papa's...
4 - Frederick D.: This place was tiny, with just several seats available.

Pros:  The worker was took such care to be clean.  We bought a 6 pack of originals because we didn't like the current bonus flavor of Pina Colada.  The outside texture creme puff was just the right crispy while the inside custard was smooth and tasty.  The boba milk tea tasted sweeter than usual, maybe because the boba was actually sweet themselves.

Cons:  I always forget and get the powdered sugar on my clothes.  I really need to learn to eat better.

Next time, I'm definitely trying their eclair creme puffs.
3 - Lauren G.: So I was right across the street from here and I thought maybe I'll try this place. Only a few chairs to sit inside a stark and brightly colored store (think Jamba Juice). There was only one girl working in there.  I sorta felt that I should have been overwhelmed with the smell of sweet bread baking or at least the cream filling stuff being made. It didn't really smell like anything. I got a boba milk tea and one cream puff. I must say I wasn't expecting it to be as big as it was. (that's a good thing!) Boba milk tea was standard and nothing really of mention.  
My cream puff...I wanted it to be warm, I wanted it to entice me with its lovely smell, I wanted it to be wonderful, and it was really just so-so. (Sigh...back to Lee's sandwiches for the Deli Manjoo hot off the little press)
5 - zoran o.: Yummmmmmm.
Complete fluke of running into this place.

It was at the new outdoor mall in Glendale while strolling and killing time. I saw cream puffs and custard and I stopped in my tracks. BUT how great can it be, made in this little Kiosk sized place on the sidewalk...

Well... let me know tell you these guys beat the pants off of 99% of the bakeries out there - Amazing!!!!!!!!!

Been dying for this place since we left Cali - they need to come this way - I know they are expanding now - but I can hardly wait. 

You Cali people must enjoy!!!
5 - Teddy N.: Let me say straight out, this is the best cream puff I've ever had.  The shell is exceptional.  Just the right amount of crunch, not sweet and hold the cream well.  Once you bite into that massive cream puff, you'll discover... magic!  Well not really magic, but the fluffiest, most delicate custard you've ever seen.  Just the right amount of sweetness, not laden with unnecessary ingredients and incredibly delicious.

I'd highly recommend it, and before you decide to buy one, do yourself a favor and just buy the dozen.  Once you start, you can't stop!
5 - jenbug l.: OMG little heavenly pastries filled with fluffy filling...my fav is the chocalate eclair but you can never go wrong with the OG.  The bf always wants to share....downer :( who shares beard papas?
3 - Travis H.: Hard to not stop by here once in a while!
The cream puffs here are good and make 
for a good afternoon snack.
To bad they dont have good tea drinks to go
with them.
3 - Parvin P.: I love cream puffs. That being said I'm happy there's a place I can get my cream puff fix when I need to, but they definitely don't blow me away. They are like a B- cream puff, meaning they have a ways to improve....They kind of taste manufactured, not like homemade or even from a fancy bakery. Oh well, guess there aren't too many other cream puff places around.....
2 - Tawny A.: I am really not impressed. They are not exactly traditional cream puffs, which I love. They are just ok. I rather go to the bakery at Gelson's, where their cream puffs are flaky and full of airy cream. 

I really can't jump on this bandwagon, sorry.
4 - Jade T.: I typically don't enjoy cream puffs because I hate donuts. Cream puffs and donuts are to closely related for me. My friend ended up getting a Sugar cookie cream puff and a chocolate cream puff. I was taken aback when I tasted the sugar cookie cream puff, which was a seasonal puff. It had a burnt sugar topping on and the cream inside was more of a custard then a filling. You could taste the vanilla in the cream. It was reminiscent of cream brule. It was delicious. They chocolate puff was okay in comparison to the sugar Cookie puff.
3 - Nick A.: So I am no expert in the cream puff field. So this review is simply on my taste for the puffs.

And I got to say-I was a little underwhelmed. I figure foreign pastries? sure! But sadly they were not up to snuff.

They were tasty, just not what I expected. I though this place was going to blow me out of the water so maybe I just set my sights too high. Good for a sweet snack if you are in the area, otherwise don't go out of your way for them.
4 - Jessica C.: I have never tried this place before today. I bought two cream puffs so my BFF could try them. She of course had already tried them but it was a sweet thought on my part. I got the cookie one and the chocholate one. I really liked the cookie one. It had a good texture and the cream is good. I would definetly recomend the cookie cream puff, it was delicious. The chocolate one was good but it wasn't special. My friend said that the cookie puff is seasonal so I hope it is there next time I go.
4 - Jessica Y.: I have been a big fan of Beard Papa's after trying it for the first time in Taiwan around six year's ago. And now, I can finally have it in the states since I'm moving to LA!! I didn't get the chance to buy any cream puffs when I was in Taiwan this past December, so I was excited to buy a cream puff at this location when I passed by it!

I get that businesses need to make money, but the cream puffs are definitely smaller and pricier than Asia. I remember them being around $1 and much larger in Shanghai only a few years ago. Granted, I haven't had it the past few years, so maybe it has changed. However, I was not disappointed by the quality of the cream puff! I love the various flavors, but my personal favorite is still the original! And the outer shell is wonderful!! It's really what distinguishes Beard Papa's cream puffs from other establishments. This is the only place I will go for quality cream puffs!
2 - CZ E.: I'm a fan of cream puff. So I couldn't just pass it.
Got in, tasted the original, ah... just o.k.
Well why 2 stars, then?
The milk tea with so much ice doesn't worth that much, right? I wouldn't even expect such a drink at 1 dollar. Disappointed.
2 - Juliana C.: Too much $$ for a cream puff that tastes just a little better than an average cream puff.

I first heard of this place during the holidays but have only recently tried it.

The cream puff texture, granted, is better than some places...but nothing extraordinary--at the end of the day---its just still a pastry that doesn't leave you wanting more. 

The filling (you can choose which ones you want--I tried the Green tea filling) wasn't too sweet but at the same time, also reminded me of the matcha green tea mix that Tap Ex uses in their drinks...

If you're truly craving a slightly above average cream puff, go ahead and come here, otherwise, go satisfy your sweet tooth with a different dessert.
4 - Nola B.: ONLY GET THE ECLAIR WITH VANILLA FILLING- and even so, there is always too much filling for my taste! I've tried the chocolate filling, and the vanilla always emerges as a winner. Also, the eclair is the best because of the crisp cold crunchy chocolate taste combined with the soft pillowy puff is divine, and then when added with vanilla? HEAVEN-cakes. I highly recommend beard papa's, its such a treat!
4 - Corey Tess T.: very good creme puffs and boba teas! 

Parking is free in the structure behind Macys - or meter parking on the street.. the shop is clean and the seating is limited but cute...  they have tons of tempting treats... but I am a creme puff fan myself..

If you want something sweet and you are in Pasadena.. stop by..  I kinda over did it this trip and got a box of six... and they aren't small! I ate one and now the rest are in the fridge, the creme is really fresh.. but they are pretty good the next day, just make sure to refrigerate them. 

There is a Hello Kitty store a few doors down too..  it just seems to go so well with creme puffs lol
4 - Emily Y.: Love it!  The creme filling always tastes so fresh.  I prefer the basic vanilla filling though, with maybe the chocolate on top.
4 - Sue P.: I walked by and couldn't resist the Chocolate Eclair. Bought it togo and ate it in a theatre. It was so good. Didn't leave any evidence on my lips. 

There are only a few seats if you really want to eat inside.

Many months ago, I bought a Chocolate Eclair and a boba drink. I started eating it while walking nearby on Lake Ave. I unexpectedly saw an old friend but I had chocolate all over my lips. I was so embarrased. 

:)
4 - Laila R.: Oh yum! All I can say... is yum!

Went to Pasadena to meet up with a friend for lunch and she'd mentioned Beard Papa's as a dessert option.  I had never heard of this place, but all she had to say was "cream puffs" and I was on board.

We parked in the Macy's parking structure @ no charge, and walked over to Beard Papas.   Seemed like a simple little store with a few wares to offer, but it's a case of quality, not quantity .... :)

We had the choice between regular cream puffs, cream puffs with cookie crumbs on top or eclairs (which are essentially ... cream puffs with chocolate on top....).   Our choices of creams were chocolate or regular vanilla. My husband and I decided to get a 6-pack, we got 1/2 eclairs and 1/2 cream puffs.  He tried the chocolate cream, whereas me, I'm vanilla all the way ...  I also prefer the plain cream puffs, they're good on their own without any added flair, however Beard Papa's eclairs were also really good.  It's hard to argue with the nice, thick chocolate shell that covered the top of the pastry.

They feature different flavored creams at different times, I don't remember how often they switch flavors but I did read of flavors such as strawberry cream, caramel cream, green tea etc.  

The cream puffs are baked fresh @ the store every morning.  After we ordered our cream puffs, they filled them right there in front of us with nice, fresh cream ... yummy!!   It tasted like heaven.  The cream puffs were decent size also, and although I probably could've eaten the entire 6-pack just because it tasted so good, 1 at a time was satisfactory.

We brought the remaining 4 home, and they lasted all week.  I ate the last one about 5 days after we bought it, and it still tasted delicious, although the puff itself was threatening to get a little soggy.   So if you do buy a 6-pack ... you can safely have 1 each day until the box is empty :)

Anyway, I'll definitely be back there for desserts in the future.  Definitely a winner!
5 - Jose D.: ....And for dessert, a yummy , creamy, chocolatey eclair and a green tea boba, dense in flavor and short in ice. Yu...mmy! (keels over in a comatose sugar induced lapse).
1 - Maria K.: Normally, I'm a huge fan of Beard Papa's. Matter of fact, I sometimes have dreams that I am magically transported to a land with unlimited access to these delicious cream puffs. Seriously, I get really bad cravings for it. 

But having said that, not all Beard Papa's are in the same league. I've only been to two locations - Berkeley (Bay Area) and Pasadena (LA). And while I like the city of Pasadena better, the Beard Papa there is horrible. Just awful. I went on two different days, just to make sure the first time wasn't an off day. Sure enough on both days the cream puffs were stale tasting and the custard filling was *gasp* lukeWARM!!!! ewwwwwww.... nasty. A huge no-no. Custard should be served either cold or hot (like a creme brulee). So yeah. Despite my love for the city of Pasadena, I'm definitely NOT coming back here again.
1 - Michelle Y.: so, we stopped by thinking we would be able to fulfill our craving for boba. well, their boba is from a machine that just recycles over and over again. you had the choice between a green pukish beverage or the diahrrea looking one. 

besides that, the "pastries" were sitting out in the open not looking fresh whatsoever. i've been to other locations and have had fresh out of the oven cream puffs. maybe i'm spoiled because of this but i don't want to pay 4 dollars for a cream puff that's been sitting out for the past few hours.
3 - Lina O.: i was in the area with my cousin and we decided to get something to drink so we went to beard papas. the pic of the green tea boba looked good.... but it was not good. haha i dont recommend it. i got a few of the cheesecake sticks, which ive had before but these ones seemed old and dry :( i still like beard papas but i was disappointed today.
4 - Janice L.: It was 8:30pm and I wanted something sweet!  Since I was in the Pasadena area, at the Border's to be exact, this place was just about 5 shops down and I LOVE cream puffs.  These are definitely the best I've ever had, the perfect puffiness.  They had Pina Colada flavor, but that just didn't sound like a good cream puff filling so I chose the regular vanilla, which has the perfect amount of sweetness and you can see the tiny specks of vanilla beans.  Oh yeah, the cheesecake sucks...not worth my fifty cents!
5 - Tracey W.: I love cream puffs. It's a little pricey for just a cream puff but I'll come here every now and then or my cousin who works near by will bring some over. My favorite flavor is the strawberry filled cream puff. The cream tastes like real strawberry and not fake strawberry flavoring. The chocolate is also delicious as well. The original flavor is just okay. If you're going to make the trip to beard papa you might as well try what the special flavors of the week. I really want to try to coffee one and the green tea.
4 - Vegas B.: Love creme puff. Original is the best!
2 - Kat K.: This Beard Papa's needs some work.  I'm not talking about the cream puffs - they're just fine, but their service is absolute crap.  My heart breaks from the lack of business despite a great location.

When we passed by and contemplated walking in, we noticed no one at the front or anywhere visible.  
Strike #1, don't look like you're closed when clearly there is an open sign at the door.  

When we got to the counter, two workers emerge from the back to take our orders.  I asked for a XXX Vitamin Water and the girl picks up an orange bottle.  I say no, it's the purple one.  She takes out three different bottles and have me point to the one I want.  
Strike #2, know your product. 

As we sat down to have our cream puffs and drinks, they went right back into the back and we were the only ones in the store again.  As I was watching the street, I saw countless pedestrians that could have been potential business just slipping away because the place looked closed aside from the awkward signs of life with just three of us sitting in the store.  
Strike #3, at least act like you care and do your job.

This place could use some reviving by handing out some samples, since the cream puffs are going stale anyway by sitting there with no one to buy.  Have a body outside promoting, or at least have a body in the store behind the counter so that it looks welcoming and open.  Fix your beverage cooler because the drinks are warm.  Pump some music into the store so that guests are not sitting in awkward silence.  Do SOMETHING.  Beard Papa's has so much more potential than what this location embodies.
4 - Angela C.: Beard Papa's does cream puffs well.  I've only been to the original location in Japan, so I was pleasantly surprised when I came across this one in Pasadena of all places.  

When I saw the Pumpkin Cream Puff I knew I had to have it.  I love all things pumpkin, and its one of my favorite reasons for the Fall Season!  For $1.95, you get a large cream puff the size of your fist filled with oozing, cold, smooth, pumpkin flavored cream.  The puff itself is light and delicate, perfectly complementing the cream filling.

Yum-o!
4 - Jessica M.: Cream Puffs... Yes Please! When I first found out Beard Papa's I was kind of wary about trying it i mean i have had cream puffs at holiday parties before and eh they are just OK. But Beard Papa's you have converted me I love that your cream puffs are ridiculously large and the cream while delicious is not too sweet.
5 - alexis b.: OMG OMG OMG !!!!!!


    Seriously im not one for sweets really. Im a savory gal at best!  But this name screamed out at me last year when I was coming back from the Langham Hotel with my ex. I was too full from our brunch so I couldn't  think about a cream puff. So NOW in 2010 im ready for a puff damn it!  So im staying in the area and come here with my mom and sis  after lunch at Lucky boys. Cute little set up in there. First visit we ordered one regular brest, ny cheese cake sliver slice and 3 puffs two with regular cream and the other strawberry flavor. Very good , I was thinking I'd give them a 4 star UNTILLLLLLLLLL my sister told me about the strawberry filling one being so good .

   We came back the next day LOL  I had to try this strawberry one , so ordered that and a cookie puff with regular filling. I bite into the strawberry one and holy crap it's awesome. My sister was on point with how she described the taste. The strawberry filling was so fresh, I mean seriously they put in real strawberries . No fake artificial taste of strawbery at all . The cookie puff is very good as well.  

The customer service could use some work!

Im seriously craving this place as we speak and please f'in puhhhhleeeze open on in OC. I mean WTF you guys are about to open one  in Saudi arabi have locations in some ghetto spots  but not OC!!!! Come on!
4 - Joey C.: I'm not much of a sweet-tooth, but when I have a hankering for sugar, Beard Papa is the place to be.

It's located on quaint Lake Ave. which is one of my personal favorite spots in Pasadena. The decor was cute and service was great.

Their cream puffs are absolutely delightful. The flakey crust melts in your mouth and filling is rich. My personal favorite is the original vanilla cream though chocolate was pretty good as well. 

My only qualm is the inconsistency. There have been days where it just wasn't as good as previous experiences. Guess you should try to find out when the bakers have just made them to get the best in the batch.
4 - Michelle L.: I love BP. The only thing I don't like is that they always seem to run out of filling or the shells. This particular night, we rolled up around 8:00. I wanted the green tea boba but, they were out of the tapioca. Then I wanted the plain cream puff shell with chocolate filling which they both were out of. I had to settle for the shells they had already prefilled with chocolate filling and ordered the Paris Brests with regular fill. Even though I did not get to order what I initially wanted, I still was very happy and satisfied. The shells are very light and airy. The regular vanilla filling is so good, it is like velvet and the chocolate is even better.
1 - Ojan K.: Ummm, ok.Just Drove over there only to hear ohh were out of eclairs! Lol, wat do u mean? Its like an ice cream shop running out of ice cream! This was 3 hrs before closing!!! Plus her counter looked soooo messsy! Avoid avoid avoid!
3 - Raymond F.: The cream puffs are okay
The puffs were overfilled which made it difficult to eat
4 - Alyssa B.: I can't say I've had many cream puffs, but these were just sooo good. They were MUCH bigger than I'd imagined-closer to the size of a baseball! 

Pros:
-The outer crust was flaky but you could still taste all of the many buttery layers of puffed up pastry. 
-The actual filling, or custard, was rich and creamy and I loved the flavor

Cons:
-I thought they were slightly over-priced, but for the size it wasn't too bad

The combo of crust & custard seemed like a standard cream puff with a simple dust of powdered sugar over top, but BP's cream puffs have proven to be kind of addictive!
1 - Yiming W.: I'm very disappointed at the service of
 place, I purchased their coupons n drove all the way down to redeem it.  The girl in the store is very cold, no smile on the face at all. I want the mini puff very much, but she tell me they don't have enough unless I wait for another hour, It was just  6 pm , not closing time, I really don't get why they don't, i told her i drove all the way for it. but anyway I ordered sth else. I was ready to pay, she said I can't use the groupon as her iPhone was down. I showed her my num, my scan bar, but no. She want me pay full price for her fault can't redeem the coupon. I walk out the store with empty hand and have to come again as I already paid for thr groupon. I will comment again once I taste one puff from them
3 - Christine H.: Oh noes, where are the different filling choices? They only had vanilla or chocolate. What about ice cream, green tea etc? Anyways, I still like their vanilla cookie puff and gotta have it now and then.
5 - Jeanne K.: Beard Papas is a very odd name, but the cream puffs are heavenly. Wish they could make some low carb that were just as tasty  - that would rock my world!  This will have to be one of those "occasional" treats for me so I can get back to my girlish figure!  :)
4 - Mika C.: The cream puffs are delectable.  My boyfriend is addicted to them.  But because their so unhealthy, we always just share one.  The cold vanilla cream spills out when you bite into the fluffy puff.  I've also tried their coffee cream puff which was not nearly as good as the original.  The only reason I didn't give this place a 5 star is because they always run out of other stuff.  Last time we went they were out of ice coffee, mango ice, and some of the smoothies.  Also the girl behind the counter was hard to understand.  Not sure if it's the language barrier or she is just not paying attention.  Felt like I had to repeat myself several times for her to understand me.
3 - Greg P.: Delicious when made right, but not always the case.  Had 2 Paris Brests and the girl who made it wasnt great, was only half filled. Also store was closed today at 2 pm for about 10 min & no sign on the door saying why. Parking aint cheap to stand there waiting and wondering whats going on. Probably wont go back, and glad I used the Groupon and didnt pay full price for the half filled items.
3 - Monica L.: The cream tastes fresh, but the puff tastes stale. I mean if you're going to make delicious cream, why not also bake fresh puff? The two freshness blending together would have made for a sweet heavenly treat. But that's not the case here, hence the three stars.
3 - James S.: Bread Papa is pretty good and I can't find anything to complain about the product or location of this place. If I were to cite anything is that it might be small and cramped during peak hours BUT it's a dessert place, I usually get desserts on the go so it wont affect me if I were to come in those hours.
4 - David W.: Beard Papa is good but not really worth the price.  I was super excited when they had a Groupon Deal.  
All the pastries kinda taste the same to me.  Eat these fresh or they become nasty.  If you can't, freeze them first . 

Parking is free if you park near Borders down the block.  

They stuff the puffs with custard with this little machine.  Kinda unsettling to look at...-_-
3 - Kerry H.: I generally love Beard Papa but this location's cream puffs are MUCH SMALLER than other locations.  Its about only 2/3 the size of normal sized cream puffs at other locations.  The ones here are flatter and not as wide.  At other places they pump several times to fill each puff but this place only pumped twice to fill a puff.  I've eaten cream puffs from locations on Baldwin Ave in Arcadia, Valley Blvd in San Gabriel (now closed), Atlantic Blvd in Monterey Park, and even Shanghai; the cream puffs at all these locations were much bigger than the Pasadena location.  Minus two stars for the small puffs.

Vanilla is my favorite flavor but the chocolate, strawberry and green tea are good as well.  Just go to other locations for bigger cream puffs.
4 - Alan K.: Today, I used a Groupon deal for Beard Papas. I have been to numerous other ones and they are very delicious. I think they have changed their menu options though as they have a larger variety of deserts. Also, they have a couple of drinks to choose from as well. I got a Thai Iced Tea along with friend with a couple of mini puffs. I think the mini puffs are a great idea and are good as the regular puffs.

I would suggest parking in the Macy's parking structure and walking to Beard Papas. Beard Papas is somewhat conspicious because the letters blending into the facade.
3 - Shreya O.: The strawberry cream puffs are awesome! You can actually taste real strawberry. The chocolate ones are great too, as are the ice cream filled ones. 

The regular cream puffs are just okay, but if you're feeling vanilla, you might like them anyway.
3 - Katy K.: Had a groupon to this place (one of many groupons) so I decided to check it out with a friend.  We got the regular cream puffs as well as a chocolate cream puff to share.  They were pretty decent, although I've had better cream puffs from Persian bakeries in the LA area.  They have a pretty limited menu, so don't come here expecting a variety of choices but if you're in the neighborhood and feel like a dose of pure sugar, check it out you might like it, it just wasn't for me.
4 - Danny H.: Ohhh la la la!!! I used a Groupon deal for this place and now I'm sad because I don't have anymore and wished that I had bought more Groupons at the time. But yes, I agree w/a previous reviewer; you should park in Macy's/Borders parking lot for easiness and convenience. Plus, its free parking.

Anyways, back to the Ohhh la la la!!!  I ordered some mini puffs with chocolate and vanilla fillings and gulped down 2 of them in 2 bites. All I have to say is that these puffs know how to puff the spot! After puffing down some puffs, I felt like a fat kid at a candy store for the first time. I will admit that the vanilla tastes better than the chocolate, but overall they're all delicious. I also tried the cookie puffs, Paris brest, and regular flavor puffs. In addition to chocolate and vanilla, I've tried green tea and coffee flavors. The green tea is good, but not great. My ranking of flavors with favorite first to least favorite last from the ones that I've had is vanilla, chocolate, coffee, and green tea. The cookie puffs and regular flavor puffs are also delicious. The Paris brest is good, but not as great as the rest; then again maybe green tea Paris brest is not a perfect combo. It just tasted a little healthy and not fatty enough. Vanilla Paris brest tasted better than green tea Paris brest. Overall, they're all delicious and my favorite is the vanilla mini puffs because it just oozes out the vanilla filling everywhere in your mouth when you take a puff!
3 - Loretta C.: I'm impressed with all that Beard Papa's has to offer! I remember a few years ago when it had only regular cream puffs and coffee. Now they have other pastries to fill with cream in addition to mini cream puffs! They had 6 mini cream puffs for $4 and when I asked the guy just said, "We don't have mini puffs" with the dullest look on his face. yikes! I ended up getting 2 regular sized cream puffs for the same price. THe regular flavor was better than the messy chocolate..

I give it three stars because it's a bit overrated and not worth getting too often. The service was only so-so, but I liked that it was near the Macy's and other shops (free parking!)
4 - Peter D.: Superb, friendly service. Accepted my Groupon, even though it was not purchased specifically for this location! I came here close to closing, so wasn't expecting much. All that were left was vanilla and chocolate. I wanted to try the green tea and/or strawberry, but no complaints. Cream puffs best in the business. Crisp, outer crust and semi-sweet creamy goodness inside. Dusted with on top with powdered sugar - nice tough. Overall, one of my fav desserts.
4 - Liz T.: Cream puffs have to be one of my favorite desserts and holy geeze! Beard Papas does 'em right!

This Japanese staple only offers cream filled delights. Eclairs, cream puffs...if you can stuff it with cream, Beard Papa's will give it to you (perviness intended). 

There are a variety of creams and the pastry gal behind the counter let us sample the pumpkin. Though it was might tasty, I went for an original puff. The pastry gal stuffed the puff with cream to order and the result was the perfect pastry. Really, it was sooo good. A nice, light, but slightly crispy outside with a delicious creamy inside. It was everything I wanted in a puff. And for $1.95, it's a cheap treat that is totally worth the extra 10 minutes on the elliptical. 

I'm not gonna lie, I'd let Beard Papa's put their cream in my mouth again anytime.
5 - Nicolle G.: Ummm...delicious
5 - Sherryl I.: Beard Papa's cream puffs are little pockets of heaven.  I would choose a cream puff over a cupcake any day!  

I prefer the regular flavor.  Tried the chocolate, but it fell short of my expectations; the chocolate cream is too overpowering for such a delicate pastry.  They rotate special flavors on a weekly basis, I think, with regular and chocolate offered every day.  I was looking forward to trying either the green tea or the coffee flavor during my most recent visit, but the featured flavor of the week was banana.  I didn't think I would be a fan of the banana flavor, but surprisingly it was quite tasty and I would definitely order it again!  

Price per cream puff = $1.95 --- but you get a discount if you buy them in bulk (in packs of 6, I believe).

The boba drinks aren't bad.  I tried the thai iced tea ($2.75); not the best I've ever had, but will satisfy your thai iced tea fix if you haven't had it in a while.

Bummer that there isn't one closer to where I live, so I can only indulge whenever I find myself close to this area.
4 - edith r.: been here before, but got 2 groupons. LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!! this place rocks.
4 - Airi M.: I am not a fan of sweets but these cream puffs got me hocked..... Omg so light creamy and not to sweet..... Yum yum yum yummmmmmmy
3 - Christina H.: Their original cream puff is delicious--light shell with just the right amount of flakiness, and light, fresh, natural tasting vanilla cream . 'Cookie' cream puffs were just okay.
3 - Neen V.: Original cream puff hands down.  So soft and creamy!  You can definitely have more than just one so be careful!!! ;)
4 - Mary N.: Their cream puffs are pretty darn good. I'm just a little picky with their shell which was a little too dry. I don't know if they had it out for too long but it tasted okay. The cream filling was good. The chocolate one is okay and their crunchy cookie puff is also okay. It kinda tasted like bitter chocolate. I would stick with the original.
3 - Susana N.: come here for a light dessert.
5 - Chris W.: Love their puffs! They've expanded their menu for variety. It wasn't busy due to it being a rainy day & the guy working there was super nice & helpful! 5 stars for great customer service!!! Will definitely come again :D
5 - Miriam H.: Just got the eclair cream puff -- a cream puff with dark chocolate coating.  It was very good!  The puff is crispy and light, and the cream filling has a nice vanilla flavor without too much sweetness.  The chocolate coating is rich but not overpowering.  Will definitely get it again!
4 - Phil C.: This place is evil, with the desserts that will put pounds on like an English pensioner at a bingo hall, but it's really good. They have all sorts of cream puff sizes and flavors. The choux pastry is fresh, soft, and lightly moist. The cream is decadent. I just did the original flavor, though I'll be more adventurous next time.

The service was pretty good and the guy inside was friendly. It's too bad the one location in Boston closed years ago...
5 - Angie E.: Delicious!! And the guy works here is so nice!! Although it's only one person doing all the baking, puff filling, selling, so it might be slow sometimes, but you surely get great service & good puffs!!
2 - Chubby T.: Don't get me wrong, I am definitely a fan of Beard Papa's! Their cream puffs are the perfect size and the cream is always light and fluffy. However, my experience from today has made me realize one thing -- don't buy Beard Papa's unless you're served by a worker who actually gives 100% good service.

I had bought a Groupon deal months ago ($8 for $16 worth of Beard Papa's) and today was the last day to use it. So like many others, I had stopped by to buy myself a box of cream puffs. The line was long and I could tell the two workers were trying really hard to get to everyone, but things went downhill from there...

- I ordered 6 original cream puffs and 2 cookie cream puffs. They decided to ring me up AFTER they had put everything in a box. It turns out my total was $14, when my Groupon allowed for $16 worth. I could have got another cream puff or even a drink, but they didn't even inform me. I had only realized this while I was in my car looking at the receipt.

- They were trying to put together so many boxes at once that they finally ran out of work space. A guy worker decided to go in the back, grab some crates, and create a makeshift table. The problem? He grabbed the dusty crates while wearing gloves and used those very same gloves while handling the cream puffs. I was so glad the girl worker handled my box, but I feel bad for every customer behind me.

- They had left cream puffs in the oven for quite a long time and it started to smell burnt inside the facility.. burnt cream puffs? Yeah... no.

- I finally took a bite out of my cookie cream puff and was SO disappointed! They had skimped out on the cream! Normally when I buy Beard Papa's, the cream would overflow.. I mean, better to have more cream than no cream at all! My cream puff was only half-filled! The rest was all bread...

From now on, I'm going to stick to other Beard Papa locations.
1 - Michael K.: Only one worker? Is the owner a greedy idiot?
Slow, out of stock and definitely not a place I will ever go again.
5 - Leslie L.: addictive!  Heavenly!
3 - Thao V.: Maybe I'm just used to the cheaply-made cream puffs I get from the Little Saigon bakery shops in OC.

Maybe I just wasn't craving for a cream puff.

Maybe it was because I was stuffed from sushi.

Or maybe it's because I prefer the soft, pillowy texture that I remember so dearly during my childhood. Yeah, it's that.

+/- Regular Cream Puff - I could pass. These were crispy and crunchy. It wasn't overly sweet and the custard was good, but I'm rather accustomed to the the "whipped" filling I get elsewhere. 

+ Service - Friendly and knowledgeable. It was empty when we came in on a Saturday afternoon with one employee working.

- Ambiance - The color scheme reminds me of Auntie Anne's Pretzels. It's a general sweet shop with one counter for ordering and a couple of short tables and chairs that reminds me of ones you find in a kindergarten classroom.

I probably would not return. I could find cheaper and better cream puffs somewhere closer to home.
3 - Alana K.: First Beard Papa's experience and I was expecting a dainty cream puff a la those I get at Vietnamese restaurants.  These are monstrous and hearty and in a variety of flavors I could not have dreamed of.  Tried the chocolate and the plain as well as the pick of the week, which was coffee at the time.  The original was best (what can I say, I'm a bit of a plain Jane) but all were good.  I've been back twice since my first go several weeks ago and I've never received poor service or disappointing puffs or boba like some earlier yelpers (I think they were just overwhelmed with so many people coming in to redeem last-minute Groupons).  Recommended if you like sweets.
2 - Tina m.: so on their website they have such a huge variety of flavors and i was super excited to try them all when i went in with my $8 groupon for $16. unfortunately, when i arrived, they only had 2 flavors...original and eclair. i ordered a few of both but was utterly disappointed with the limited selection. now being a "high end" bake shop charging $2-3 a puff, you would expect more from the quality but honestly, it tasted like any cream puff i've ever tasted. the only difference is that they fill the puffs with custard right in front of you so you know it's freshly filled which prevents the pastry from that soggy texture.

i definitely feel like i can find better pastries and will continue my mission to find the perfect cream puff.
3 - Johnson W.: I got the groupon deal like everyone else....unfortunately I bought 2. So I need to use them on 2 trips.

1st trip - their machine was down so I couldn't use the deal. So left.
2nd trip - only vanilla was left so I did pick up a dozen. I wanted to buy chocolate as well :-(
3rd trip - empty handed..no caramel cream puffs.

I think they have a severe inventory issue! I shouldn't have to keep coming and leaving empty handed....the cream puffs were decent though..hence I gave the store 3 stars...I doubt I'll be back though since it feels like management is neglecting this store.
3 - Leo C.: Come to Papa! You know it's good when you have white cream smeared all over the top/side of your mouth after biting into one of these delectable treats. This place is so addicting and delicious. It reminds me more of a donut shop that specializes in cream puffs. For $1.95 each, I would rather have one of these then a jelly roll. 

The custard filling is creamy and dacadent. Not overly sweet as I imagine. They actually stuff them with cream when you order them so that the texture of puff stays lightly crispy on outside and cream filling is fresh, fluffy. The original flavors is very delicious and my favorite. Green tea is okay, but lacks intensity in sweetness and flavor as green tea ice cream. Pumpkin is tasty and perfect during holidays. 
 
My only complaint is service can be slow at times, resulting in long wait due to only one worker sometimes taking orders and filling the pastries. They've also run out a few times. It's also a small place with limited seating. 

Might have to try another location.

Overall - Tasty and worth trying. 3.0 star.

Beard Papa's - Berkeley, CA (37.8670217, -122.2587134) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
3 - Po L.: In July be on the look out for a man in a yellow hat and rain coat.  NO, I am not talking about the guy from curious George.  I am talking about Beard Papa's Creme Puffs.

I can't wait to see all the hippies get fat.
3 - Stephanie W.: I wish Beard Papa the best in their cream filled deliciousness, but they will not survive in this location. I have nothing against them, but they will fall the way of Mrs. Fields before them...

I went inside today to discover that this location just opened. The cocking isn't even dry on the windows and there isn't a real menu, but they have the pastries, chefs hats and yellow walls nevertheless. Of course, I tried the vanilla cream puff and it was just as satisfying as any other Beard Papa. The cream was just the right sweetness and right temperature. Additionally, the people behind the counter were quite friendly (though give them time, I'm sure they'll be replaced by bitter college students or stoners eventually).

Beard Papa provided a sweet treat in the middle of my day, but they will not last. When a normal college student can choose between a pizza at fat slice and a cream puff for the same cost, most will go with the better deal. It's simple economics.

Of course, I'm one of those people who purchases $12 jars of jam at Frog Hallow, so I'm not exactly a normal college student and will starve myself for a week in order to buy 4 pounds of mussels on the weekend...

However, I may be wrong. If a cereal bar and a plethora of fro-yo places can survive in that same area, perhaps there is hope for other over-priced desserts that want to invade the market.

I will be back, hopefully when they have a green tea cream puff.
4 - Alexei B.: I don't agree with Stephanie. If a place like Crepes-A-Gogo can thrive here ($7 for a crepe with chocolate and strawberries?!), then so can Beard Papa's. Sure, the cream puffs are a bit expensive, but they're also humongous and exceptionally delicious!

I, for one, am happy to finally have a decent pastry place around here.

Credit cards accepted, but only for orders over $3-something.

UPDATE: They have eclairs now, and they're the best BP eclairs I've eaten. (Cheesecakes and chocolate fondants are also in!)
3 - Ada T.: I live quite literally around the corner from Beard Papa's, and yet it took me more than a week to make my first visit! I'm pretty amazed by my remarkable self-restraint. Just saying.

Anyway, although they're open, it's very obvious that the store is not totally done yet. There are no signs; just some sheets of 8 1/2 x 11" paper tacked up with the options and pricing. I really want to know their hours and thought that I'd be a good Yelper by finding them out and then adding them to the page for future reference's sake. It was kind of unsuccessful though. I asked the girl behind the counter how late they were open until and I think this is it:

Sunday-Thurs: 7:30pm
Fri-Sat: 9:30pm

Then I asked when the store opened, and she replied, "Oh, last week." Hmph. She looked kind of confused though, and a line was starting to form behind me, so I just nodded, thanked her, and placed my order. 

They were open around 8:45pm still (it was a Sunday night) just to sell their leftover cream puffs. I asked for an "eclair" (ie a normal cream puff covered in chocolate), since those are the best kind and I saw one left in the display window. However, the cashier explained to me that it didn't actually have cream in it. WTF? I guess it's like a display eclair cream puff?? Then I asked for a plain cream puff, but they were out of that, so in the end I had to get a cookie cream puff. It tasted just fine, but it wasn't what I had been wanting and thinking about. I realize that they were just selling leftovers at that point, but still. =( sad face. 

I'm sorry to give Beard Papa's 3 stars right now, and I have a full confidence that this will be updated to 4 if not 5 stars soon!

other:
*sells decent drink assortment + coffee
*credit card minimum of $3
4 - Charles L.: Teehee, does anyone get a kick just saying Beard Papa?

"I woke up with Beard Papa the morning after." (true story, two days ago)
"I'm gonna be your Beard Papa."
"Let's put a Beard Papa on that face!"

So I originally discovered this place when I went to the one in Osaka, Japan, and have fallen into a relationship with the Papa. Maybe it's the cute baker costumes I enjoy complete with ascots or the "omgwtfbbq-too-cool" cream injector gadget they have, but I don't even care how expensive these things really are because they get me happy and fat.

Something about these cream puffs is just so... addicting. The puffs are a right consistency in your mouth when you NOMNOMNOM them, and they put just the right amount of cream so it doesn't explode in your hand. They feel firm too, contrary to some pansy croissants I've eaten...

They're a good weight so I guess you can justify your money's worth for $11 a half dozen. It's like holding bags of sand...

Anyway, pumpkin and green tea flavors are my favorite. I don't stray too far from these. Luckily these are the flavors they will have soon so expect me to be there!
3 - Mike S.: Not bad.  But can you screw up a cream puff?  I will have to go back to do more research.
2 - Matt G.: Beard Papa cream puffs are supposed to be bulging, overflowing with custard.  These were concave.  CONCAVE I SAY!  When the SF and RWC locations opened, it took them awhile to get their consistency down, but at least in the interim they were erring on the side of OVERFILLING.
2 - alex d.: i LOVE Beard Papa.... he is everybody's ultimate sugar daddy!!!!

however: I am comparing this particular store to the San Francisco locations.  and the berkeley store does not cut the mustard. 2 workers in the whole store does not make for an order and skedaddle in a hot blissful minute.  it's a new store in a fantastic location... thank god it's farther away from bancroft and telegraph... otherwise, we'd all be getting these addicting puffs to go with our coffee from cafe milano!!!  suggestion: what about a papa beard trailer in front of campus instead?

get the store in order and more efficiently running... and i'd be willing to add on at least 2 more stars.
3 - M.C. H.: I was SO EXCITED to hear about a Beard Papa opening within walking distance of campus, I promptly picked up 15 cream puffs to share with one of my late afternoon seminars.  (discounted by the half dozen or dozen)

Nothing like a cream puff snack to get you through a 3 hour class. And since some classmates were more concerned about their figures then sampling a little bite of heaven, I even had a couple left to take home.

Hey, I weigh 100 pounds and come from a long line of skinny mini Asians, so as far as I'm concerned, Beard Papa does my waistline no harm!

My wallet, on the other hand...

The only reason they don't get five stars is that they're too expensive as a daily snackum. They're also not the BEST cream puffs I've ever had, but no doubt, they're the best to be had in Berkeley.
3 - Ashley R.: The Strep Throat Saga continues...

I have spread my disease to my unknowing/unwilling boyfriend so I decided to apologize with a box of cream puffs. Whoops. My bad...

I was pretty excited when this place opened on Telegraph cause I've been to the one by Yerba Buena Center and it was delisssh...I went to the web site before I went over there today and I was expecting all kinds of puff: allegedly they have green tea! strawberry! pumpkin! and all other kinds.

Deceit little bearded sailor mascot.

The store was kind of dirty and blah. There is a solitary angry pastry "chef"  who only offers three kinds of cream puff: Vanilla, Chocolate and Mocha. These are all decent, but after I was teased with the idea of green tea and fruit flavors I was sadly dissapointed. "Chef" takes a puff shell, inserts it onto a machine and fills it with cream then sprinkles sugar on it. The cream is fresh but the pastry shells were not.

I stole one out of the box of six ($11 friends), so I could get a taste for myself before passing over the rest in apology. Definitely good puffs, but not warm, fresh or anything too special. For the price and the hype, I think the Telegraph location needs to take a note from the BP franchises around. Don't skimp out on us Berkeleyites 'cause you think we're just college kids who won't know one cream puff from another. Where's the green tea cream puff Beard Papa? Where??!!
3 - Sean B.: I never heard of this place, but apparently it's been hyped up enough that my friend was excited, so we popped in to check it out.

Definitely expensive for the size of the creme puff, as people have said. Three different varieties of puff, three different varieties of fillings. So nine options. I went with chocolate covered and coffee filling. Quite nice. But I'm not sure about worth three bucks. It was gone in four bites. I'll try the other varieties, just because... but I wasn't that impressed. But hey, something new...
4 - Jay M.: I had a vanilla bean regular cream puff for lunch. Fresh poofy puff, cold creamy filling. It was $2.25. 

On my way home, I craved it again. So I bought twinkies to satisfy my craving. Tough, spongy cake, with cortisone-like filling.  A pack of 2 was $1.39.

It's not the same.  I should have walked a few blocks farther and spent a dollar more to scarf down another cream puff.
3 - Nuri K.: I don't know what's wrong with me.

For the last three years I longed to have Beard Papa closer to me, only hooking up for sporadic liaisons whenever I happened to be in the city. I enjoyed our brief encounters but wasn't sure whether we could survive the distance.

Then Beard Papa showed up at my doorstep, and now I'm just not that keen on it anymore. Call me a woman. A cruel, hard woman.

It's just that now that it's so isolated in its little corner on Telegraph, it doesn't seem as novel. And because it isn't as popular, there aren't piles of puffs waiting in reserves, meaning there isn't any of that rich, buttery, eggy aroma perfuming the building. And my Beard Papa visits in SF were always so experiential in the complete sense.

And now that it's so close it's just not that special of an indulgence anymore. I've only gone once.

But, I mean, you COULD try a little harder to seduce me, Berkeley Beard Papa, by quitting with that divot bullshit on the bottom of your puffs. You didn't think I'd notice?

Tried the cookie crunch for the first time today, which had a nice savory-sweet, buttery aroma (does that indescribably delightful perfume of rich buttery baked goods qualify as umami?) and a decent crunch, albeit a bit sparse, but I would probably stick to the regular or the eclair, for which BP uses surprisingly silky and dark chocolate. I actually think I'd still rather meet the OG in SF, though-- there's no divot there (or at least there wasn't?!).
4 - Anne K.: A very cute pastry shop - with cream puffs.  Yum!

A little bit on the expensive side, but a great splurge after a cheap dinner, my cream puff with vanilla bean filling was awesome.  Their menu is simple (3 puffs, 3 fillings = 9 staples) and all classic flavors seem worth trying. 

A new business concept I had never heard of but eagerly support (the world needs more dessert options!), I'll cross my fingers Beard Papa's can survive on Telegraph given the pretty penny one pays for an increased waist line!

Because given what I have now heard about the chain, specifically the smell of fresh pastries and many flavors present in SF that are lacking in the Berkeley shop, one can see how this place might not meet expectations.  But for a greenie, it was great!
3 - Juliana C.: I have always liked their vanilla cream puffs. This is more based on their chocolate cakes. I don't remember what they're called, but they cost ~$2.50 and are melty in the middle. Sounds great, right? Well...the cake itself was not very chocolaty and a bit dry. I was really looking forward to eating it until I lifted the little cake out of its paper cup and saw that the bottom was a very light brown color - not chocolaty at all. I heated it up a bit and it was very mediocre. The middle was just like chocolate pudding, but it provided some of the chocolate flavor the cake was missing. 

Bottom line: Wasn't terrible; may or may not go back for seconds.
5 - Inari T.: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH

delicious.

love the chocolate eclair for $2.50

first, i eat the bottom of the puff, and then eat the cream, and then the chocolate part.

sure it's expensive, but it's delicious, and it's been awhile since i had a delicious pastry. 

so.

this is another Telegraph staple for me. Along with Amoeba and Mars.

deeeeeee-lish.
5 - Kenny C.: I just got back from getting a last minute gift of Beard Papa's for my friend (he LOVES beard papa's) and i had got there RIIIGGHHTT as the girl was locking up the door. Thankfully she let me in and i bought 6 creme puffs and a $22 gift certificate.  She was this pretty cute asian girl.  I'd hit it lol, im just kidding (not really), but im just glad she let me in.  

The only thing this place lacks is the freaking phone number, i couldnt find it on their website nor this yelp page.  I had to call 4-11.
3 - Joh W.: The cream puffs are okay and generous-but not much variety here. I wish they would sell more pastries too, plus-no table-I sat down in the window sill!
2 - Bee D.: Bleh. Booooorrrrrinnnngggg! The best part was when I accidentally snorted some of the powdered sugar and got it all over my face and jacket. 

No flavor, not substance, no memory. Just Bleh. I've tasted better tissue (jk, I don't eat paper). To me, too much hype. 

And the service.... it was meh. I was the only customer and the cashier/puff handler acted like she was too busy to serve me. I shoulda went with my first instinct and kept walking. But then, how could I save someone else from destruction?
1 - Alice C.: MEH. In comparison to the Beard Papa's I go to in New York City, the cream puffs here look probably slightly larger. More cream puff would usually mean a better cream puff, but nope! Not in this case: The chocolate filling in mine was pretty much comparable to melted chocolate ice cream.. I may be wrong, but I don't think that's how cream puffs were meant to be.
Also, there's no real selection. Chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla are the only flavors that they have right now.

Never in my [short] Yelping history have I given one star, but this Beard Papa's did such a disservice to my cream puff love that I felt inclined to. Maybe if the place shapes up by the next time I visit, I'll up it's rating by a star or two.
4 - Ali L.: Though I think the ones in SF are a little more creamy, my two vanilla bean beard papas were still excellent.
1 - Jen M.: Attention beard papa's central!!  Quality control alert!!  

I don't know if it was just the guy working there last night who screwed things up or if it's evidence of a larger problem, but the cream puffs my friends and I bought were disgusting!  The filling was so watery that most of it had seeped out of the puff and migrated to the bottom of my napkin.  There were only a few flecks of vanilla bean.  The shells were stale, hard, and flavorless.  

I had a lot of beard papa's in my days back in LA so I know how heavenly these little puffs can be.  The filling should be thick, like custard, and the shells should be light and spongy.  But like most things in Berk, this place failed to impress.  It's a stain on the good name of beard papa's!!!
1 - Marc P.: This place is a shame.  

I'm normally a fan of Beard Papa's.  Used to have one across the street when I lived in Gardena.  Bliss.  

Not bliss, however, with the one on Telegraph.  The custard filling was not custard filling.  Instead, the puff (which tasted stale) was injected with some sugary, watery concoction that left us with a mess in our hands.  Simply an unacceptable experience.  

Notwithstanding the fact that Papa don't take no mess, he left us with one on Saturday night.
4 - Elle C.: Beard Papa's,  you are a miracle!!!!  You have remained purely dedicated to the Cream Puff!!!!
Your staff is still charming and dedicated to yumminess!!

Thanks Mr Papa!!!
2 - vuForce Fresh n.: true story:  so my friend turns to me and says "hey, let's go to bearded papa".

i respond ... "it's 'beard' papa, not 'bearded' papa."

i know, not that great of a story.  but neither is this location, so it's fitting.
3 - Lacey C.: I liked it, but I've been to other Beard Papa's and this was the just meh. It's pretty expensive considering the other locations are a bit cheaper. But the Eclair was ok, not the best I've had from a Beard Papas location though. Maybe since it's new they are still getting their footing. I'll try again in a few months!
2 - Oski B.: How this place stays in business, I don't know.  While the familiar Beard Papa's signs outside indicate that tasty cream puffs await, the interior of the store was about as unwelcoming as the clearly unhappy woman who was filling the puffs.  I'm no interior designer, but this location was pretty fugly.  And I'm not saying that I expected her to sing and dance for her customers, but the puff lady's demeanor was as if someone had just told her that she'd contracted the clap and that it was somehow terminal.  Yay for cream puffs, boo on this location.
4 - Cindy P.: Vanilla bean cream puffs... MmMmMm =)
1 - Vince S.: Seriously.

A glazed donut would have been better.

There are only some things in this world that are deliciously creme filled.

Okaaaaayyyyy
5 - Lisa T.: THA BOMB!!  

Cream puffs!!  It's so good when made fresh right out of the oven.  YURM!  It's not bland, not too sweet.. the filling is made to perfection.  You'd have to savor every bite, because it'll be gone quick.. esp if you're sharing with friends.  hAHAH!  

This week's flavor is Caramel (at this location), but I'd have to say.. Vanilla takes the win over Choco and Caramel.  :)

There's a bench right outside so grab it and chow down.  Be sure to grab some napkins, cuz I guarantee you it can get messy.
2 - Zare k.: I just a chocolate eclair, the outside was good, the inside was so-so. It wasn't bad but it wasn't as good as I expected. Honestly the creme in dunkin donuts boston cremes taste better. Go get a cannoli, at least it will be worth the money
5 - Shannon F.: Oh My Gosh!!! These little pieces of heaven are AMAZING!!

I ordered the vanilla bean cream puff in the cookie shell...OMG...Wow I was literally in a moment a decadent bliss and the moment sadly had to end : ( Truly The Best Cream Puff I have ever had.It  was made right there in front of me and devoured shortly after. Thank you beard papa, thankyou!! I also dropped a Strawberry filled puff off for my mother and I believe she is now and addict...lol

I am really looking forward to try the chocolate éclair! ; )
4 - Reisa J.: My sister came to visit and told me about this place. Her son had taken her to the one in San Francisco the last time she was visiting. I'm a purist so I had the vanilla cream puff. Delicious! The pastry was very good. The filling was yummy.. I gave 4 stars because they mix the custard with whipped cream and, being a huge vanilla custard fan, I would prefer it without. Nonetheless, I'd given up eating cream puffs due to poor quality and now I know where to get one I enjoy.
5 - Michael P.: WAHOO!!!!  Papa Beards!!  (For some reason I can never say the name right..doesn't papa beards roll off your tongue much more easily?)

Their big fluffy creamy golden puffs of goodness can brighten my mood ANY day!  Call me traditional but I love the standard vanilla flavor; can never go wrong with this choice.  Simplicity is key!  

Advice to noobs: Make sure you wipe the powdered sugar off your nose! haha I've seen this too many times.  Be sure to grab napkins
2 - Alesia i.: This is a random place to have a Beard Papa's but since we don't have one here in Monterey it's definatly something to look forward to when we're in the bay. Totally excited I found parking, I walked in like a little kid in a candy store. LoL There was only one employee in there & at first she seemed friendly until I told her my order of 3 eclairs & 3 cookie since the original just came out of the oven & I couldn't cus we were driving back home. She told me it would cost more & I was totally fine with it since I knew it would be worth the trip. But she said it again that it'll cost more and she said it in a way like I couldn't afford it which I thought was really rude. Anyways forward to next day excited bout eating the puffs. They weren't even full of cream, only half. Very disappointed!! If you're in the area & need a quick fix then it's definatly a must have. If not I'd rather get it in San Jose or SF with alota cream inside!! Normally 4 stars.
4 - Winifred X.: Came here again yesterday for DL's bday w/ the Liu family. 

-- got the special of the week:  $2.25 cookie crunch shell w/ pino colada filling. 

heavens!  if you don't count the calories and the $...   this is a great treat once in a while, not cheap though..
2 - S R.: I was thrilled when Beard Papa hit SF a few years ago and for quite a while always made a stop there right before getting on BART to return to Berkeley (so I could get it to the safety of my fridge as fast as possible). So you'd think I'd be a regular once they opened shop here, but something about this location doesn't work for me.

The location alone costs them a couple of stars. They are on an especially filthy corner of ghetto-fab Telegraph Avenue...the stench is enough to kill your appetite before you even walk in. The store feels kind of makeshift, not at all like the slick well-oiled machine in SF. Sometimes nobody shows up at the counter for several minutes, items aren't available, it's all a little weird. And the puffs themselves? Sometimes good, sometimes not so good.

The store is often empty and can't possibly be doing well....I'm sure they'll fold soon. Maybe BP should have opened on North Shattuck, 4th St., or Solano Ave. if they wanted to be in Berkeley.
3 - Katie S.: Same fresh, delicious cream puffs I came to know and love in NYC.  So why are they almost twice the price here?  For the extra buck, this location loses a star.

Having said that:  Mmm. . . cream puffs. . .
4 - Michelle W.: I seriously can't tell the difference between the cream puffs here and in SF. They're freakin delicious and that's good enough for me. It can be quite a messy treat that ends up all over your face and clothes, but it's a mess well worth it. 

Flavor of the week is usually good, but nothing compares to the original. I would rank them as 1) original, 2) green tea, and 3) caramel. I have yet to try the eclairs here since I always dive right into the cream puffs and end up buying half a dozen to bring home, but one of these days when I decide to really break my diet, I'll stuff myself silly with sweets.

Thank goodness they opened one up in Berkeley. Please open more locations! I feel like the franchise is getting closer and closer to home in Union City...
3 - Max K.: Decent cream puff, but definitely not worth $2.25.  Nice clean store, friendly staff, but I won't be going back soon... unless they drop their prices.
3 - Eric L.: This is as simple as it gets. It's like Build-A-Bear, only you can only watch them fill your puff with cream. If it's any consolation though, you get to pick which puff, and what kind of cream! However, both times I have gone, the puffs don't taste very fresh and the cream is nothing but overwhelming. Perhaps they overfill them? Or maybe cream puffs are just meant to spill their guts all over your hands as you bite in and enjoy the deliciousness.
4 - Selina L.: Expensive but amazing! I thought Andersen was good but then I experienced the wonder that is a Beard Papa's cream puff. I suggest walking over here because there's nowhere to park and you'll need to shed the extra two-and-a-half pounds you gain from the joy that is your dessert. The guy on staff was pretty robotic but it doesn't really matter if the food makes up for it. Again, it's a bit expensive so save up your change from your other Yelp pit stops and then come here and pay in small change!
2 - terra d.: quite frankly, im surprised this place is still around (although there arent many dessert places in berk. and with the closure of moo-licious, where are berkeley students supposed to get their semi-late-night (i.e. by 9p) sweet tooth fix?).  

beard papa (btw, wtf is up with the name?) always smells like stiff eggs and really strong amonia, and usually has people outside asking for a buck. the puffs themselves arent all that special and have an odd aftertaste/ film on your throat. bleh. i do enjoy their cute chef hats, though. 

i say, if youre going to have a cream puff, have a cream puff--with all its wonderful trans-fats and all. 

note: like most places, c/c minimum. and, no, they cant break your $20.
2 - Kim D.: I love cream puffs...  and was revved up about my first taste of the classic version at this shoppe.  

"I love it when you call me BEARD PA-PA....!"  was the soundtrack for my tastebuds, but much to my chagrin, I was completely underwhelmed by these cream puffs.  Total hype and slick advertising. 

I was expecting at least a 4 star response, because the shoppe in Manhattan is always a madhouse... and the one in San Francisco does brisk business, too! 

I will concede that I appreciated the a la minute injection of pastry cream with each order, but it had a very off-putting visual element, and the hydrodgenated oil mouth feel made it impossible to eat more than 2 bites.  

I perused the other items on the menu, but was simply unwilling to pay more money to get worked up into a yucky pastry-rage.  

Then again, McDonalds can boast: BILLIONS AND BILLIONS served, so... I guess this chain will keep expanding as long as the population is willing to adore ersatz cream puffs remains loyal/uneducated. 

*shrug*

At least I can still do a credible pimp roll... just not in the direction of BEARD PA-PA, yo.
2 - Jenny W.: I love Beard Papa's and always stop there everytime I go to Union Square, so I was super excited when they opened one right by campus.

The first time I bought one there, it was just as good as the ones I've had in SF.  However, one time the pudding cream filling tasted weird, like metal.  I'm not sure how to describe it.  I gave it another try and it was different, but not as good as I remembered.  =( what happened?
2 - Grace L.: not good at all.
custard is not custard! 
vanilla overpowers and the puff isn't that great either.
not worth it!
2 - Kevin K.: The cream is good but why does the pastry shell differ?  My girlfriend thinks that I am imaging things but I swear some days the pastry shell is really good but sometimes it taste and smell like rubber eggs.
3 - Trish S.: I don't often buy from here, but when I do the puffs are very sweet and yummy. I can't stomach too much sweets so one from here is more than enough for me.
2 - David L.: Taste: 2
Value: 2
Service: 3

Came here when they first opened and ordered a cream puff with vanilla cream. The cream puff was cold and had probably been sitting out on the counter all day. Also, I would have liked a little bit more cream, and it was definitely not worth the money. If they get warm cream puffs out of the oven, then I might return.
1 - Charles L.: I am just really disgusted with the taste of their puffs...and I seriously don't understand how they can sell out of their puffs at the end of the day. It wasn't just due to a single experience: I tried both their regular and strawberry versions of their puffs. I don't think a single chef or worker of theirs has taste-tested how nasty their puffs taste when there is way too much cream inside...don't recommend this place. :/
2 - Amiee H.: I always passed by this place going down telegraph and I've always wondered what it was, so today I finally went in and found out it's a cream puff store. I decided to get some...only to realize that there were only TWO flavors available today. All the other flavors (that looked SUPER good) were "SOLD OUT". It was literally the beginning of the day.....but whatever. So given that there were only two filling options, chocolate or vanilla, and one topping option, crunchy cookie, I got a little of each. Two vanilla, two chocolate, one chocolate crunchy cookie, and one vanilla crunchy cookie puff. 

The filling was not too sweet, but I personally felt like it didn't have too much flavor to it. Aside from a brown and white color difference, I didn't really taste a dramatic difference between chocolate and vanilla flavor. The actual "puff" part of the cream puff was nice and soft, but I felt like had a really strong butter smell. I'm not too fond of that, but that's just my personal preference. I couldn't really appreciate the crunchy cookie cream puff because there was nothing crunchy or cookie about it. Overall, it was kinda a disappointment. 

$11 and 6 cream puffs later, I learned something new today. I learned that I don't like cream puffs. And I am probably not gonna go back to beard papa's because that is literally all they have. And for a shop that ONLY sells cream puffs, how can you be so limited in your options?!?!?! ONLY TWO choices?!?!? Come on! Do you even want business?!?! 

Concluding thoughts: The girl that worked there was super nice. That's about all that's notable about this place....
4 - Kim R.: Finally decided to check this place out and see what its all about and all I can say is....

Tasty Expensive Arse Cream Puffs filled with Happiness.
2 - Adam A.: I'm a sucker for cream puffs at a couple of the Beard Papa branches in LA (sawtelle, and gardena).  This one on Telegraph looks kind of like a Beard Papa, but just fails to deliver on the promise of deliciousness.  A couple of my main gripes:
- Although in principle there are seasonal special flavors (and relatively stable special flavors, like green tea), they never actually seem to have them.  It's not like you got there too late in the day and they already sold out of them.  As in chronically sold out.  (The people who work there will tell you to try back on Tuesday or something, but this never really seems to work out)
- Every time I've gone there, the shells have been pre-baked, probably quite a while ago.  What makes the branches that I love sublime is that you're pretty much guaranteed to get fresh hot choux with cold cream, in a delicious soft and luxurious combination.   The choux that's been sitting around for an hour or two just isn't as good, and always seems a bit limp
- The service is slow slow slow.  This is probably just due to the fact that taking your order and assembling the cream puffs is a multi-stage operation.  The branches that I like seem to always have a crew of ultra-coordinated and cheerful workers who work as an assembly line/team to pull your choux out of the oven, fill it, and sprinkle it with sugar while the one at the end is taking your money.  

(Plus, this branch never seems to have the ultra-cute BP swag, which I sort of have a soft spot for!)
3 - kate b.: Just my luck, the day I went they only had two flavors of cream stuffing, the rest were sold out, so they get minus points for that. I would have preferred the cream to be a bit chilled, so they get another minus for that. 
$2.45 for one cream puff.
2 - Allen Y.: One half a cream puff satified my sweet-tooth after lunch. However, for a more satisfying and healthy dessert, I'd rather grab a cup of frozen yogurt not too far from here. I hate to give this place two stars because they are unique but the puffs were not very impressive and made me feel a bit sick after...what a waste of calories!
2 - Chanel M.: This Beard Papa is not one I like to purchase from. Ive been here and received cream puffs that have a old stale tasting shell. It was so bad I threw it away. The store also looks dirtier than other locations. And they are always sold out of just about everything.

UPDATE: This location closing its doors for good soon
4 - Jeanette S.: If you've tried this place, you should know that it has really delicious creme puffs and eclairs! However, they are a little pricey, and I feel like their location in the UC campus area isn't very good. You won't find many college students who are willing to pay so much for a creme puff. 

But that being said, I really like their green tea filled creme puff. It's so good! And it's not too sweet!!! :)
2 - Shelley T.: This Beard Papa's location makes me laugh.

It's basically a yellow room that happens to sell cream puffs. But where are the cream puff fillings? The only indication that this place sells cream puffs is the sad menu that has most things sold out (and I have a feeling that it's not really temporarily so) and the few hollow cream puff shells on the counter. Other than that, the counters are EMPTY. Not only that, there's no one standing at the register or anything, they're always hiding in the back!

We walk in, ring the bell, order one chocolate and one vanilla cream puff. The guy pulls out the hidden cream puff fillings from the fridge and fills our cream puffs, then gently dusts on the powdered sugar and cocoa powder on top. He looked kinda sad that he was working at a cream puff shop haha. The one good thing about the cream puffs was that the filling was nicely chilled, since ya know they didn't exactly have a line out the door.

I've had Beard Papa's at other locations and I never understood why people thought it was so delicious or why it was so expensive. This location tastes the same as the other ones I've had and they're fine, not great. The setup of this place just amuses me.
1 - David N.: OK. Last Yelp and I'll leave it alone. The store was open today. Cream puffs were on the counter. For Lease sign still up on the window. A different Asian Bro was there.

Me: "Are you open?"

Asian Bro: "Yes." (English is not his first language, but it's cool.)

Me: "Sometimes you are open and sometimes you are closed? Why?"

Asian Bro: "Papa Beard's ours." (Oh, must be new owners.)

[Sinister Asian Chef reappears from the back of the house.]

Me: [Exit stage left...]
Me thinking: "Forget the cream puff. This is all not worth it."
2 - Nikki T.: Definitely overrated.  How did these $2.50 so-so pastries get so popular in the first place anyways? Granted, we bought one at around 6pm, so they might've not been as fresh as can be...but the way I see it, if you are a very well known chain, your product should always be fresh and great-tasting...at ANY hour of the day.  Definitely nothing memorable.  They would be of better value if they cost $1.50 each. 

Nikki not Preferred!
5 - Salma R.: I'm sorry, but Costco Cream Puffs can only satisfy my cravings for so long. I almost died when I had my first Beard Papa's cream puff 2 years ago. It was bliss, sheer bliss. When I'm having a bad day my roommates get my a vanilla cream puff from here and everything is as sunny as the store's painted walls. Yes, the decor leaves a little bit to be desired but who doesn't love the "pastry chef" and his humongous white hat?! However, every time I have gone the employees have been plenty friendly. Also, as long as he/she hands over my $2.50 taste of happiness, I'll turn a blind, but careful, eye to its sometimes sketchy location and lacking ambiance.
2 - K P.: Boo! They never seem to have anything left when I go. And I've tried going in the morning, afternoon and evening.

The one time I got to sample their vanilla cream puff, but it was only average. Oh well.
2 - Nadia B.: Bah. I tried this place once. The cream puff wasn't 3 dollars worth. For that price I can fill my belly on telegraph. They're always out of everything. The staff isn't especially friendly either. Smells good in there though. 

I'm not sure if they're out of business now or not, but last time i was in the neighborhood the place was empty. Hmm.
3 - Jenna L.: It was okay, but it's out of business now! 

:( tears.
3 - Amanda S.: i was surprised at how NOT BAD these profiteroles were...i was a little skeptical about mass produced profiteroles and was expecting them to be somewhat soggy from the custard, but i was delightfully surprised...slightly chewy texture with a nice custard center...not soggy at all...you can even see the small black vanilla specks!!

also impressed that the quality was retained in the takashimaya outlet in singapore...they even had mochi ice cream...and it was actually pretty good!

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5 - Denise L.: What a great place to go to for a facial.  I have been going to Cathy for awhile now and even use her own product line.  She provdes a grea service, good value and great atmosphere.   She has a variety of services that provide instant rejuvination!!! 

The best
5 - Yolanda M.: I can't believe i haven't reviewed Cathy's facials yet!  The way we met was she offered some skin care class parties and I won a free one.  My girlfriends had a great time enjoying some wine and cheese, some great skin care tips and products and getting to know Cathy.  I highly recommend trying a class if you haven't yet.  Anyway, we were all impressed with 1) Cathy's skin--she's basically a walking commercial for her skills 2) Cathy's warm manner and no-pressure approach.

I finally got around to booking a facial for myself a few months ago and I can honestly say that she gives the best facials I've ever had.  For me, I look for the best bang for my buck.  I have been to some decent facials at cosmetology schools that were dirt cheap and some crummy facials at overpriced, high end spas.  Cathy is the best balance of both worlds.  Her prices are beyond reasonable for the atmosphere, treatment and knowledge she offers.  She pays attention to every detail, customizes the facial, even as she goes along (when she tried out the oxygen mask on me and I didn't like it, she immediately took it off and replaced with another treatment that was more to my liking) and lavishes you with personalized treatment that you would expect at a much more expensive spa (and sometimes don't get there!).

But seriously, just check out her skin.  The woman is unreal--if she can do that for herself, I'm pretty sure she can help me out!  LOL.
5 - Dolores V.: I am a continuing customer of BRS. I use the products daily and they truly make a difference.  The facials are customized and Cathy makes sure I am well taken care of.  The spa is wholistic and the atmosphere is wonderful and healthy feeling. Cathy is a beautiful person inside and out and I know I am in good hands with her services..Her prices are very reasonable and she has a great network of other services that can be recommended when in need. Thank you Cathy!
5 - Flora V.: I've been going to Cathy for almost a year now and I love her!  I was scared to try someone new after moving far away from the place I use to go to but I'm so glad I took a chance.  Cathy explains in detail what she recommends for you and goes step by step on what shes doing if you've never had it done before.  What I also love is that she examines your skin every time you go in and knows exactly what your skin is going through and what treatment it needs. I've seen a great difference with my skin and I didn't have bad skin to begin with. I love how personal her spa is, her facials are relaxing, and she is so loving and professional.  She makes you feel special and gives all of her attention to you.  Her prices for services and products are very reasonable and worth every penny.  I'll be staying with Cathy as long as she'll have me!
5 - Sylvia S.: Cathy is amazing! All the facials are custom. She gives your skin what it needs. The products really absorb into your skin and the pricing is reasonable. They are her formula so you're not paying extra money for fancy packaging and advertising. She knows what works when it comes to skincare as she has pretty much tried it all herself. You always leave feeling radiant!

Beautify SD - La Jolla, CA (32.884047, -117.225859) ()
5 - Angela L.: If you are looking for a safe, clean, friendly and wonderful atmosphere to get the best of cosmetic and reconstructive services this is the place to go.
I was terrified to go for the first time and was comforted by Dr. Gupta and Gia. They were so patient with me and explained everything in detail so I had nothing to worry about. Angela and the other girls in the office are so wonderful and I wouldn't go anywhere else.
5 - Sherri F.: Dr. Anshu Gupta.

This doctor is a 10. His results are a 10. His bedside manner is a 10.

I had work done one year ago - he still takes my calls as if it was yesterday. 

I feel like I matter here.
5 - Brittany I.: This is by far one of the best cosmetic medical offices I've ever been to!! The staff, Dr. Gupta and Dr. Mehta are wonderful!! Angela and staff offer great customer service, they're extremely friendly and have always been very attentive to the needs of clients. Dr. Gupta and Dr. Mehta make you feel at ease and very comfortable with any procedures you plan on doing. The office is also very clean and professional. Definitely come here and you won't be disappointed! Get ready for this office to Beautify you in SD!! ;)

Beautique Day Spa & Salon - Houston, TX (29.716516, -95.4168523) (West University)
5 - Vivian H.: I work full time and maintain a busy schedule, and this is the place for me.  I go here for hair styling and facials.  The owner has run this place for years, and he takes great care to make everyone feel welcome and treat his clients with respect.  The thing I value most about this place is that things run on time--no waiting around for half an hour because your hair stylist is running behind.  As a matter of fact, my first hair stylist just moved to another salon on Westheimer, and I stayed at this salon, because it's so convenient.   The thing I liked about both my old and new stylist is that I could tell them what I didn't like about the previous haircut, and they were happy to change things to the way I liked--no arguing or taking things personally.  They also have a great selection of products.
4 - May N.: I've parked in this lot after hours, but I'm not one to pay for spa services so I'd never been inside.  A friend gave me a gift certificate for a massage to relax during pre-wedding planning so I redeemed it 2 days before the wedding.  

When you enter, the first floor consists of a retail area where they sell styling products and accessories.  A hair salon is in the back.  The spa services are offered upstairs so the space is really big and overlooks Amherst.  I was directed to a women's locker room where I selected a locker and changed into a robe and flip flops.  Classical music played overhead as I waited in the lounge for my turn.  

The massage therapist was great after she got my name right and gave me a one-hour massage ($70 value), but they offer other types of massages, too, like aromatherapy, hot stones, and reflexology (more than $70).  She made a lil small talk and let me relax.  I think I almost fell asleep in the dimly-lit room with the muzak gently playing.  She started with me lying face-up, massaging my head, then my upper extremities, then my lower extremities.  After that, she had me turn like a rotisserie chicken so she could work on my back, legs, and my buttocks.  Yeah, that was a little weird, I hope it's normal.  

Then, I had to wake up and get back to the real world.  My fiance called to inform me his boss wanted to know whether they could bring their college-aged son, who just happened to be coming home this weekend, to our wedding.  The kid eats like 8000 calories a day and is a frequent mooch.  I said no after feeling quite agitated at the audacity of some people.  I should have scheduled the massage at the end of the day.  

You leave tips in envelopes at a kiosk by the entrance/exit.  The staff was very nice and friendly to me as I arrived and when I left, even greeting me by name after my massage.
4 - Farrah A.: This place does it all. Hair cuts, color, facials, nails, massages, waxing. There's no need to hop around the city to get pampered anymore. However, I must say that I go here for one thing: bikini wax.

Jennifer (goes by Jennifer 2) is the Who's Who in Houston's bikini-wax world. She even has loyal clients that drive from outside cities just to have her smear their loins with wax. The reason she's the best is simply because she's fast. What normally used to take 30 to 45 minutes at my former place now takes about 5 with Jennifer 2. No joke. Front, back, side to side (woman and men), she'll get you in and out in enough time to grab lunch and head back to the office. 

Cost for a Brazilian: $55
3 - Barry B.: My spousal unit (and mother-in-law when she was living) frequents this place and gave me a giftcard for spa services last Christmas. Finally got around to using it for my first-ever man pedi and I was the only guy in the joint. Not a problem, except I did notice that the ladies present were not so, how shall I say, nice to the women working there. Maybe that's what passes for spa etiquette, I dunno. And to the lady who was eating a sub during her pedi I wanted to say "gross, hope none of it falls into the bubbling pedi whirlpool cauldron thingy because that would be uber disgusting."

Without any basis for comparison I'd have to say the pedi was a good one. My feet (surprisingly not gross, I work on 'em some) were worked on tirelessly for 50 minutes and felt great afterward. I've asked around about prices and people who go to strip mall nail salons have been shocked at the $45 pedi charge at Beautique. Me, I don't care, I got a gift card with a big remaining balance.
5 - Vanessa R.: I've been to other places to get bikini waxes and it usually takes around 45 minutes. Yeaaaa...I don't like being in that awkward position for so long. Bikini waxes are painful to me so I want them done and over with quick and get on with my life...until my next visit. My friend referred me to this place and told me to ask for Jennifer. She said she was great so I took her word for it. Let me tell you, this girl doesn't mess around. You are in and out in about 10 minutes. I love it. Now she's not for the weakhearted cuz she's not gonna baby you. But if you're looking for a place that's quick and does a good job at the same time then this is the place to go. Remember, ask for Jennifer.
4 - Therese T.: I am a fan. Yes, I am.  On Yelpers' advice, I came here to get waxed, and boy am I going back! Silvia is awesome (gave her a good tip, too, hope she remembers me next time). She asks what you want to do, etc, and yes she is fast and yet still careful and very encouraging, if that makes sense. Location is also very convenient, though a bit farther than my usual place to go. But for the quality of service...yeah, I may be switching over to Beautique from now on. Definitely deserves a return trip.
5 - truman p.: Loved Becca...always an awkward procedure and she was great.
4 - Danielle S.: Beautique is a beehive of beauty-related activity in the Village--want a cut and color?  You can have it done here.  Need a mani/pedi?  Beautique can handle that.  Have to get glammed up with makeup?  This is your stop.  It's like a megastore of beauty.  And I'm not kidding when I say this place is huge--yowza!  When I walked in for my waxing, I obviously picked the wrong door, because I went from receptionist station to receptionist station trying to find my appointment.  I found my way upstairs, and after being redirected yet AGAIN, I finally checked in for my session with Jennifer.  But that's where the gripes end and the glowing praise begins.  You Yelpers really were right--Jennifer is AMAZING.  I walked in at 3:48, and by the time I was hairless, paid up and in my car, it was 4:00 on the dot.  I thought for sure you guys were exaggerating at how amazing she is, but she's the real deal.  I'll be back for sure.  Grip it and rip it!
4 - Crystal L.: The power of word of mouth is truly Amazing!! My friend Rod used to be roomies with Jennifer so he told me I should go check her out for waxing. I did so and was totally amazed at how efficient she is. She gets you in and out of there with a quickness! Plus she is not afraid to go anywhere... and I mean anywhere to get any and all hair removed. Anyhoo I told Farrah about my experience with Miss Jen and it has exploded. i should have known once it hit yelp it would be all over. ;) Jennifer speaks for herself though, I don't know anyone who has gone to see her and didn't just love her. 

I have to admit though... I haven't seen Jennifer in a long time because I started getting Laser. Which is the bomb by the way! And when I go to get my legs waxed I just use Alyse because she already does my facials and it seems easier to just stay in one room. 

Honestly though, I would never use this place to get my hair or nails done... just my personal opinion.
2 - Maria C.: I went to Beautique after reading wonderful reviews about the waxing there so made an appt for eyebrows and while I was there I thought I'd get my hair done as well, my first one since moving to Houston.
I had eyebrows with Jennifer and she took literally less than a minute. My brows weren't a huge mess to begin with but she did a fine, quick job. I needed blonde highlights and a cut (my hair was long and I wanted to cut it all off) and had an appt with Lindsey. Color is OK, she just used one shade of blonde. As for the cut when I got home I realized it was not very well done and am thinking of going to any cheap place asap like supercuts or something just to get the cut fixed. I wanted a subtle asymmetric bob, no layers - just straight across (not too drastic like poshe spice) and the more I look at it, the more I see how uneven the ends are; there are some inner pieces which are longer than the outer ones. The cut itself was 70 and the color was 100, Im not sure it was worth it. I will say that they are good about scheduling and trying to fit you in so you don't miss you next appointments. Might go back for waxing, not for hair.
2 - Sarah p.: Though the service was timely I felt like I was in a chain salon and that I was being sold to at various points. 

I've had several facials in the past and felt that the quality was sub par at best.

With the number of salons and spas here in Houston I don't see myself going back to Bequtique.
3 - DYEinTX X.: if you want to get a mani/pedi with your girlfriends this place can accommodate multiple ladies at once. it works out really well.

i'm still trying to find a good eyebrow waxer...i keep trying a new person  every time i go. shaping has been less than i would like but they can easily clean things up ok.
1 - Devon W.: My mom and I went here for a nice post-valentine's day massage at the Town & Country location since our usual place closed down. I am not impressed in the least.

First of all, the decor is cheap. Everything, including the bed linens are straight from IKEA. Most spas have more class than to decorate with readily recognizable less-than-luxury materials and furniture. Also, my mom asked for a "couple's massage" when she set the appointment, but the receptionist booked two single massages, so we were stuck in separate rooms. This mistake didn't peeve me too much, I was just looking forward to a nice, stress relieving afternoon.

My masseuse asked me, before I even took off my robe, the pressure I liked best. I answered "medium," but of course this is a relative term. She started massaging me very hard, and didn't ask if the pressure was okay, so I had to tell her over and over again throughout the whole massage to lighten up because she would forget 5 minutes later and I would be wincing in pain. 

So today I am sitting here with big bruises on my butt, and between my shoulders because my masseuse didn't listen to me. So basically my mom paid for me to get beat up. 

She said that her massage with Helen, however was fabulous. So I guess if you must visit this place, she's the one to request.
3 - Latisha R.: I had a brazilian wax here about  month ago.  The service is really fast even without an appointment.  The first time I got waxed here I hated it.  Its the first time I ever bled after waxing.  However, since its close and convenient I reluctantly ventured to beautique again.  My second experience was much better.  She did an excellent job. I would NOT recommend buying any of their overpriced products,  I spent $50 bucks on a  product that did not work at all.
5 - Shazia C.: I went here with one of my friends who wanted to get derma-peeling. The staff was extremely friendly. 

The skin specialist gave me a free skin diagnosis and told me to come for a facial ,which I never did because I normally get my weekly facial while boiling pasta. 

Oh , this place is also great for eye lash extensions. I forgot the ladys' name but she did a great job on one of my friends.
2 - kelly m.: I came to Beautique for a mani-pedi break while I was taking a "personal day" shopping at Rice Village.  I'd been to Beautique once before for nails, and enjoyed it.  I was able to get an appointment as a walk-in, whithout any wait.  However, when I was seated for the pedicure, I was given a broken massage chair -- and there were a dozen empty chairs!  The pedicure itself was decent, but the service was careless and diminished my relaxing experience.
4 - Melody W.: This review is for waxing only!

Rubina is the way to go.  I've gone to many other places in town (Just Wax It, European Wax Center, etc...), but I always come back to Rubina.

First off, she's fast... and trust me, that's the only right speed with brazilians.  She's thorough (barely ever has to tweeze) and she's very nice.  I'm not sure who Abby Y. had her wax with (and I agree, double dipping is unhygenic and dangerous!), but I've never seen Rubina double dip.  The price here ($55) is one of the best in town, and probably the best you'll find for the service you get.  Also a plus: you can book online.

The only downside is that it's a huge salon and it can be a little loud/disorienting during busy hours.  Sometimes when it's "prime time" you may also have to wait a bit before your appointment time.  Parking can also be a pain (as is most of the Village area).  

Overall- go with Rubina if you're looking for a less painful (we all know there's no such thing as painless) brazilian waxing experience... I heard she also does amazing eyebrow threading, if that's your thing.

*** Update.  I went to Jen2 just to try something new... verdict? Still sticking with Rubina.  Jen2 IS really fast, but I prefer smaller strips of wax (in my experience, this gives a more thorough wax) to be used on me.   Brazillians are never pleasant, but I can definitely say that my experience was more painful with Jen2 since she tends to wax a large amount of surface area in one swipe.  However, some people prefer to get it over with as fast as possible... so to each his/her own.
5 - Melissa W.: I've been going to Beautique Salon in Rice Village since Hurricane Ike hit Houston.  To be honest, I was without power and warm water for 12 days, and I was so desperate for clean hair, so I went in for a haircut.  Immediately, I was pleasantly surprised by the salon.  It's huge, so they were able to get me an appointment at the last minute.  Up until this point, I would never have gotten a haircut without getting lots of reviews on the person first.  However, I was desperate, so it's just luck that I ended up with someone so amazing!

My husband and I loyally go to SHARA for haircuts.  She's amazing!!!  I also get the keratin hair treatment every few months.  I switched to Shara at Beautique, and I haven't looked back to my old salon, an adorable little place in Montrose.  Shara is great at styling, and I've even tried adding color.  Basically, she's awesome!

I used to go to RAZA for bikini waxes.  She made what could be an awkward and uncomfortable situation quick and painless.  I loved her!  The only reason I don't still go to her is because I found a place that is a little less expensive.  I still haven't found anyone who has nearly as much talent at Raza though!

I go to MARCIA for facials and she is so amazing!  I'm trying to balance my dermatologist's medicines with her treatment.  My dermatologist dries out my skin, and yes, I know that's his point.  But I don't want to walk around with skin like sand paper.  Marcia solved my problem skin and now I'm all clear!  I go to her every month and I love her!

Beautique is huge, which can be good and bad.  On the bright side, you can usually get an appointment.  I also love that you can get so many services all at one location.  On the down side, because it's huge, you don't have that charming spa-like atmosphere.  If I was going to a relaxing spa day, I probably wouldn't go to Beautique.  But I would definitely go to Beautique for my regular appointments.
5 - Amanda V.: jennifer (2) is really fast! no joke.
5 - Katherine W.: Still 5 stars, and I must also say that my experience at Beautique improves each time I go.  The dressing room thing isn't weird anymore and my stylist no longer nags me about toning down my rampaging fro.  I had her straighten it a couple of times and then she really warmed up to me.  She actually jokes with me about how I like to have psychotic hair and gives me the same perfect cut every time.  I've gotten to the point where I'm considering waiting all summer, despite being in New York and possibly able to find someone who can handle my hair without tearing theirs out in frustration, to go back to Beautique.
1 - katzzam k.: I was so disappointed, I came out of the salon crying,  This review is for the haircut and the lousy stylist only.  The spa is nice with many services.  I know their waxing and facials are nice, but I go somewhere else for that (see my other reviews for the best wax and facial by Zoey at Just wax it).  I went to Beautique for a haircut recommended by a client of mine.  I had this French lady named Belline.  DON'T EVER BOOK WITH Belline.  Belline is Horrible.  She has no clue how to layer hair, but she is so arrogant (typical french) that she refuses to listen and consider the fact that you might have an opinion).  My hair was long, and she chopped it all off, did not know how to layer, so it took her 2 hours to chop it up section by section.  I look terrible, and will have to wait a very long time to  grow it out.  I complained to the management, they gave me the service at no charge but that is no consolation for the way my hair looks.  I have straight hair so I can't hide the terrible uneven layers.
4 - Lauren B.: I was really impressed!  I read some other reviews saying that it wasn't relaxing because there were so many stylists.  I had a relaxing experience, and my stylist was great!  

I called in the morning and they could get me in an hour after I called.  I have not found that at any other hair salon, and I thought it was great!!

My hair stylist was Angie.  She was very sweet, we had great conversation, and my hair looks awesome!!

The only con is that it's a little more expensive than I'm used to from out of state.  I also don't usually get low-lights, so maybe that was the increased cost?  I got a cut, high-lights, low-lights, and a style--it was $170.  

Also, they only do gratuity in cash.  So, if she asks you for cash back from your credit/debit card, do it unless you have enough cash for tip with you!

I will definitely go back!
5 - C W.: I went to Rubina after reading reviews on Yelp and she's awesome! She did a great job on my Brazilian, and it was on $55 dollars which is great considering other prices around houston. The cheapest brazilian I have found is European Wax and I really HATE going there in fact I'll write a review about them momentarily lol.....Anywho, I'm going to back to Rubina she is now my fav in the Houston area!
2 - Marianne S.: Quick trip. But here's the deal - I pay that much money to get myself neat down there. I don't want to go home and have to trim on the very same day that I got waxed. Shouldn't it be part of the service to trim you? Seriously... Would probably give 4-5 stars if the lady got her scissors out. To think I mentioned it to her. Not going back.
4 - lauren m.: This place is enormous! I don't know if they take walk-ins, but they were super busy the weekend I went, so get an appointment. There's a whole room devoted to manicures, rows of hair stylists, and an upstairs for spa treatments, pedicures, and makeup. If you need anything done, they can do it.
1 - Erin M.: RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!!!!!!!!  I went here for a brazillian wax by Jennifer because a friend told me it was cheap.  Biggest mistake I have EVER made.   First, the place is so huge I was shuffled around to three different "check-in-desks" before getting to where I was suppposed to be.  Jennifer comes out and says "are you next?"  I say yes and she brings me to this closet of a room that resembled a back alley abortion clinic.  She stands there as I wait for her to leave and disrobe but she says "drop trow it's not like I wont see it anyway"  Can you believe this?  You dont make someone get undressed in front of you and climb onto a table with your lady parts for the world to see.  She proceeded to brag about how she can do 40-something brazillians a day because she's fast and it only takes her 3-5 minutes per person.  She then put regular wax (not hard wax like you need for brazillians) on my lady parts and with 3 yanks she had it all off.  Before she was done I tried closing my legs for a breather and she pushed my legs back open and yelled "relax."  I looked down only to find my area bleeding and red.  She handed me a towel and walked out.  I felt so violated on so many levels.  The worst part is that I had huge ingrowns all over down there that were not only ugly and gross but painful.  My husband saw it and threatened to call the state and complain.....for your husband to do that it must be bad,  It took 4 months to heal and I still have some scarring.  I found out in nursing school that a classmate had the exact experience....she had to go to a dermatologist for her vagina after this chop shop ruined her down there too!  Trust me.....pay the extra $20 and go to Wild On Wax or other reputable salons that book 30-60 minute appointments.  A brazillian should NEVER be done in 3 minutes...it's just wrong!  Oh yeah and they double dip....DISGUSTING!
2 - Samantha K.: I was given a $70.00 gift certificate for a mani-pedi.  I upgraded to a "Shellac Manicure" and paid the extra fee of $25.00.  I was diasppointed two days later with my $100 service that chipped completely off!
5 - Caroline A.: RUBINA is the way to go for any aesthetic needs. I have been going to Rubina for 5 years now. She is amazing at eyebrows, Brazilian wax, and facials. 

Another yelper posted about a Brazilian wax w/ Jennifer, that was horrible. I can guarantee you Rubina does not double dip and does not do this in 5 minutes. She takes her time and is very gentle. 

She is amazing! Try her out!!!
5 - Andrea F.: CORNELIA FOR WAXING!!! shes wonderful.... shes also a nurse and makes the Brazilian a breeze with these cool breathing techniques! not painful at all! shes so sweet and talks to you about anything... shes really wonderful and makes you feel very much at home. she uses the hard wax for the more sensitive areas and cleans up SUPER well. i was so happy with the result yesterday :) beautiful! I recommended her to my sister (who went today) and all of my friends! shes awesome and  i will be  going back again and again!!!!
5 - Melissa B.: I have been moving around from city to city for the last 5 years or so, and after spending 3 years in Houston, I still was flying back to St. Louis to have my hair cut and colored until I found VIKKI VEACH!!!  

She is amazing!!!  She is honest and will tell you if your idea for your hair is a good idea or not.  Sure, we would all love to look like Jennifer Aniston, but unfortunately her hair styles don't always look great on all of us!  You can trust Vikki to tell you what style will look best.  She is constantly learning more and more about how to do things differently to make sure that she knows the most current styles and trends!

Take it from a girl who was spending $300 to fly back to St. Louis to have my hair done...Vikki is worth every penny (and then some)!!!!!
5 - Cristina B.: I've been coming to Beautique for highlights and Ally is alwasys fantastic!  Today I went in for my eyebrows to get shaped (my previous place closed down).  I was very apprehensive about trying someone new, but I opted to try Rubina since she had several good reviews and I wasn't disappointed!!!  After looking at my brows she asked whether I've tried threading since I have finer hairs.  I hadn't, but I opted to give it a try.  First of all, she didn't do it all, she started, made sure it wasn't out of my pain threshold and then stopped so I could see the effect.  SHE MADE ME A BELIEVER!  RUBINA WAS GREAT!  Unlike regular waxing, I didn't have to go home and touch up after everything that was missed.  Rubina was super thorough  and professional.  I have found my new aesthetician.  Beautique is lucky to have her!
4 - Jennifer N.: Service done: Pedicure.

I've been to Beautique before, but the Town & Country location for a facial and I wasnt that impressed. However, a couple of my girlfriends wanted to get a spa service done and she had an old gift certificate to Beautique and so we went. 

At first we wanted massages, but since we came here on a whim, of course there were no openings. So we opted for pedicures instead. The receptionist was super nice! (at the rear entrance.) She looked like she was in her 50s and she made sure to schedule us together and well, was just plain hospitable! More bonus points was because they scheduled us to sit together in a private section. There's a "back" section to the pedicure section which can seat 4 people and we were arranged to sit there together. 

I had Tina and she did a great job. I normally wouldnt spend $40 on a pedicure unless my feet come out soft (my feet are pretty dry) and she was pretty successful at doing so. 

My only complaint.... the spa chairs play funky music and "vibrate" along with the beats rather than massage. I really needed some kind of massage that day, too.
5 - Laurel E.: Cornelia is the wax queen...she's the only person I go to for things besides my eyebrows...professional, quick, and effective...I love her.
1 - A T.: I've been spoiled. for the last seven years I've gotten my hair cut by the same person, and she turned my damaged, triangular hair into elegant long curls. Twice. Because ONCE I made the massive error of going to Beautique, and was back at square one.

I know what my hair dresser does - it's not elaborate. She leaves the outer layer long, and cuts layers inside my hair, to make it lay flatter. I described this to one of the three greeters at the front of Beautique. I was in a bind. I was about to graduate from college, and my hair was a mess, and I knew I wasn't going to be able to make it home before graduation to get it cut. 

I had graduation, two major parties and a wedding to attend within a month of this incident, so I was incredibly careful to explain exactly what I needed to the greeter. She assured me "Yes, we have a stylist who can do exactly what you're describing." She sat me down with someone, and I felt so assured that after I explained the process carefully again, I just let the stylist cut. After all, I was just a kid. She did the OPPOSITE of what i had described. I ended up with what i called a "west texas mullet."

It took 8 months back with my regular stylist before I could make myself look pretty again. I have insanely gorgeous hair, I won the genetic lottery big time when it comes to hair. Major life events occurred while my only asset was basically ruined. Your hair is too precious, learn from my mistake and NEVER take risks. Better no cut than this kind of experience.

I am so relieved to be back to normal. But NO ONE should pretend they understand what you are describing just to get a customer. Curly hair is incredibly complicated. Both the greeter and the stylist lied to my face, totally disrespected my needs as a client, and babbled excuses when I came back a couple of days later to explain how badly they went wrong.

I blame the greeter more than the stylist. There is something systemically wrong with a place that allowed this to happen.
4 - Rachel P.: I went to the Rice Village location for a shellac manicure.  The nail technician made a great color recommendation - it is actually not something I would normally have tried but I love it.  She did a really meticulous job - lots of attention to detail.  I definitely felt pampered.  I will definitely return to this location.
2 - Wendy F.: I came for a happy hour pedicure.  The great thing is that they have a conference room you can use for free and you can bring your own food and wine.  I am not sure if there is a minimum for using that room as we had about 10 girls scheduled to do pedicures.

Everything was great - everyone was really nice, but I noticed (after I left of course) that the polish job was awful.  It was uneven and the polish has separated from itself in several places.  I am guessing that the polish was old - or maybe the technician applied it unevenly, but for $40 for a pedicure, I expect a better job or for her to notice, etc.  I've actually never had this happen to me before.

And I do agree with another reviewer that the chairs should be massage chairs.  They play music and the bass from the music vibrates your chair... weird.
5 - Troobies K.: They do a great job on lash extensions (I had no allergic reactions to the products they use and my lashes turned out great!).

They do a great job on haircuts and style.

Massages are wonderful.

They do a pretty good job on manicures and pedicures too.

Beauty and Main - Cambridge, MA (42.3732272, -71.1207928) (Harvard Square)
3 - Heather Q.: This is a sweet little makeup store in Harvard Square.  It's a little too chi-chi to go in just to browse and play with makeup.  If you want that, go to Sephora in the Pru.  

The staff here tend to hover, but when you ask them a question they're kind of clueless.  

They have about half a dozen high-end brands.  Nars, Trish McEvoy, Fresh, Laura Mercier and a few others.  And that's all, so not a huge selection.  But if you need a Nars lipstick fix, it's nice to not have to go downtown.

I have had luck asking the staff to recommend a replacement for a discontinued product.  The sales woman found a perfect match, though she did try to upsell me with products I didn't want.
5 - Heather S.: i love that they carry stuff that sephora doesn't.  and they actually have the whole mario badescu line.  which is worth 5 stars right there since that is my saving skin grace.  also stars for bliss and laura mercier.
5 - Amy B.: Beauty and Main is a great makeup and beauty care store in Harvard Square. You can find all sorts of hard to find and prestige brands such as Creed, Diptyque, Trish McEvoy, Darphin and much more. They have a great layout- very open and light, and their selection of makeup and creams is laid out well. There are ample sampling opportunities, key when looking for the perfect lipstick shade for a certain outfit, or when checking out the new Fall lines of color. The staff is very professional and well educated, and very open to helping you with questions or concerns. This shop is a great option!
2 - Minnie M.: Okay, this one hurts... because I wanna heart Beauty & Main so badly.  Living on this side of the river it's a trek to head to the lab coat mecca of makeup at Sephora for an impulsive lip gloss buying excursion.  But even though I have spent an arm and a leg on goodies at Beauty & Main over the years (and they can see it right in their database) I usually get no love from the staff there. Nevermind love, acknowledgement of my presence and my intent to spend money.  I am a devoted NARS girl, and alot of times they don't have  what I want in stock.  I am also not too keen on their no return policy which is nonexistant.
2 - erica c.: I want to heart this place too Minnie  but just can't.....the service at other beauty shops is much better......and really the selection is not that great....:( :(
4 - Kiwi H.: As others have said, this isn't really a "wander in and browse" kind of store, and although they are nice and friendly enough the staff isn't the most wonderful you'll ever encounter. Still, it is one of the only make-up stores I can think of in this area that are exclusively devoted to this type of stuff, unless there is another one hiding somewhere in Harvard Square? 

They do have a lot of good stuff - mostly some hard-to-find things that you can't always find everywhere else (Sephora included!): Laura Mercier, Bliss, Fresh, Diptyque, Trish McEvoy, Tocca, Paula Dorf, Natura Bisse, Mario Badescu, NARS, etc.... basically, lots of wonderful things! I'd go here for the stuff they carry, rather than the overall experience (although it is quite a cute little store).

Plus, they are the only place in Boston so far where I have found the Laura Mercier Creme Brulee hand cream - a bit expensive, but the best hand cream EVER! (and also smells divine!)
4 - Cara G.: So for $75, which is waived if you buy that much in product, you can get a makeover with their make-up artist, Jessica.  She's not only the most beautiful woman in the world, but she's also funny, sweet, knows EVERYTHING about make-up and how to put it on, and covered in tattoos.  Seriously, she's awesome.  She spent nearly twice the allotted time with me, chatting away and making sure that I understood what she did and why.  Ask questions!  This woman knows everything.   I know I said that already.  But she can teach you this eye liner trick that will revolutionize your take on life.  And she can use the makeup you already have, if you just want to know how to use it better.  

Overall, it was a fantastic experience, marred by only one thing.  When she presents you with the face map and the list of what she's done and what products & brushes & so on she's used, there are no prices on the list.  Nor are there any prices on the products in the store, as far as I could tell - you have to ask about everything.   Having to ask about products on the shelves is irritating, but being presented with a list of products that were used during my makeover, which I feasibly would like to purchase, and forcing me ask the price of each one - that's inexcusable.  I get why they do it - this stuff isn't cheap - but it's a transparent little trick and smacks of a lack of respect for the customer.  

For $75 in product, I'd recommend this experience to anyone.  She'll do whatever you want - I had gone in for a little professionalizin', and plan to go back for a nighttime glam look.  But I hope management changes their no-prices policy.
4 - Jasmine E.: I thought at first I was being too generous with the 4 stars but to be honest this place is deserving of it just with its selection of products alone. They carry brand that you can't really find in many other stores, even Sephora. I was a little disapointed they didn't carry Helena Rubinstein but I'm starting to suspect there's just one store in this whole 50 states that carries that brand (or maybe no store in the u.s. carries Rubinstein *sad*)

I was a little annoyed because they kept pushing Laura Mercier as the first option but I broke down and bought an eyeliner because the girl insisted it won't budge. Otherwise the staff that was there seemed pretty knowledgeable about the products and very helpful and patient.
1 - Jessica H.: A NIGHTMARE!  This shop seemed nice upon first glance as did the salespeople, but I asked a simple question about a Mario Badescu moisturizer and the "licensed esthetician" made me feel like a complete idiot and began to pressure sell me.  I finally decided on the healing cream, but noticed all the jars were dirty (black scuffs, sticky sides, broken seals, half missing), I asked nicely if they had any other jars and an old woman with a bob snorted and said "of course" they wouldn't sell me a "dirty tester."  I think she misunderstood....ALL the creams looked like used testers.  

She looked in their storage cabinet and discovered there were no clean jars.  She then rather rudely shoved a cream that she insisted was "sealed tight" but when I checked, the seal was ripped open and half the product was missing.  When I pointed this out, she told me that was normal.  Wha??!  I said no thank you, that I would check back later and she ROLLED HER EYES AT ME. 

I still purchased another item that I'd come in for, feeling kind of uncomfortable with the whole experience.  I thought, ok, maybe these salesladies are just having a bad day...but on the way out the same old lady actually called out to my back "Was the one you got clean enough for you?" 

Yikes!  The store was practically empty.  I was polite, dressed normally, and didn't think I was asking too much for clean, unused face cream.  What is wrong with this store?

p.s.  Mario Badescu lovers just order online.  Their customer service is excellent and shipping is fast.
4 - A A.: So it loses a star because it's pretty small, but Paula Dorf came there and her people did my make up.  I got the best lipstick and I love it.  One of the sales people was very nice. A tattooed one was less friendly but still okay.
4 - Bridget B.: Ok, I always feel like a big dork when I go into makeup shops. I either know exactly what I want and go for it, or I wander around totally overwhelmed by all the creams and foundations and shadows wondering what the hell would look good on me.

In a lot of shops, it seems like the staff can smell your cluelessness and start throwing random products at you even when you protest "But no, I like being fair skinned, I don't want rouge and self tanner! And my eyes are green, I don't want purple eye shadow!" Which has made me generally leery to ask for help.

I happened to stop in Beauty and Main while waiting to meet up with a friend, and started talking to one of the salespeople, and we started discussing what might be a more appropriate lip color for me, and we tried out a bunch of different colors until we found one that flattered me...and that was it. No eye suggestions, no foundation suggestions, no comments on how to add more life and body to my hair. Just a total experience of "This is what the customer wants, this is what we will look for."

I think it helps that the shop is tiny (as opposed to beauty mega stores like Sephora) so maybe the pressure isn't on as much to do the hard sale.

I love the lipstick I got there, it's continued to flatter me even though I've changed my hair color at least 5 times since I got it, which makes me think that they really knew what they were doing when they suggested it.

So yes, I am very excited that such a great, low key store is so close to where I live.
5 - Joy W.: I actually usually go to the location in Wellesley but... I love Beauty and Main because it stocks many hard to find brands. It's great going to one place and being able to pick up Diptyque Candles, Darphin, Creed, and Laura Mercier.The intimate setting is great. I never feel pressured to buy things like I often have in Sak's or Neiman's, and the help is superb. In the past, I have found that places have not understood my needs and style, but the staff at Beauty and Main have always done a great job of suggesting products that usually exceed my expectations.
3 - Cara P.: Think of Sephora on a smaller scale...bonus NO crowds nor lines for the register. Stand out product lines here are Laura Mercier, Darphin, Mario Badescu, Trish McEvoy, Natura Bisse, Fresh, NARS, Paula Dorf, Mistral, Mustella. This location finally carries Cargo.

Not to be Debbie Downer, but there are a few problems I have with BnM.

1) No return policy. Well most of the time. After I spent $210 on the recommendation of one sales associate, Jessika, that policy was modified  after I had a word with the owner/manager. I only received a store credit that was good for that second, but it was better than the expensive crap she weaseled me into purchasing. She suggested for  my break out prone skin product(s) that basically harvest eruptions on the face. I didn't know better, until my dermatologist laughed when I showed him the bottles.  So just be careful before you make a purchase. 

2) They are pushing Laura Mercier like crack to addicts. One day all I came in for was a simple lipstick. In 15 minutes one tattooed girl has me in the chair with a FULL face of Laura Mercier. I don't wear a full face of makeup...it did look alright, but when I got outside....I looked liked an 80 year old women who just joined the circus and happened to be able to line my bottom lash line perfectly.

3) Their sales and customer service has no medium ground. If you ask any question, they push the sales on you HARD. It is so uncomfortable, I sometimes avoid going in there if I am in the area, but the trip would be convenient. Sometimes I want to be left alone to browse. Yet their open floor set up in such a small area, makes it impossible for them to leave you alone or at least drop the sales pitch on you once. The other thing is, if there are three girls working, each one will come over and spew to you the same old pitch. Can you slap me silly now??? . Ironically, a few times when I actually needed help, I was ignored. Go figure!?

I think if you know exactly what you want or can easily tell someone to fuck off, than Beauty and Main would be an excellent destination (if you can't make it to Sephora.) Sorry, but when I am dealing with cosmetics and makeup, a return policy is essential for me; It takes a few weeks to see if your skin agrees with most products and I will NOT fall victim to store lighting ever again when judging if makeup looks great on me or not. I want to test it at home, work, car and outside....If I don't like it, screw you BnM, I want to take it back!
4 - Amanda S.: So, I found this store pretty intimidating for quite awhile, but when I finally ventured in, I really liked it.  The people who have helped me on each of my visits have always been really nice and given good advice and recommendations.  I much prefer these women than the ones at department store beauty counter who are so pushy.  This store is very pricey, so I definitely don't go in there to buy a lot of items, but it is good if you need one or two things.  They carry Laura Mercier, Nars, Phytomer, Kiehl's and multiple other brands.  It's kind of like a little mini Sephora, and I'm pretty sure it's the only place in Harvard Square that you can get these brands so that's helpful.
4 - Karen C.: My first experience with B&M was 4 years ago when I was a makeup novice. I miss Beauty and Main. Now that I have moved to NY, I am left with a couple of zillion Sephoras and Department Stores to find my favorite makeup brands. I have an odd color too my skin-dark oliveish, a little on the pink side and could never quite find a color that matched me, especially for concealer. I stopped in here and they were really helpful. I explained that I don't want to look like a drag queen when I have on makeup and they took that suggestion to heart-I left with a Laura Mercier concealer, a Nars blush, and brushes to complete the look. 

I didn't feel pressured to buy, but ultimately couldn't wait to-I had products that suited my skin type/tone/and personality. 4 years later, I constantly get compliments on how natural my makeup looks. 

I would highly recommend this store to makeup novices like I was when I first took the plunge here.
3 - Renee G.: Call me crazy, but I don't necessarily want good customer service when I'm shopping for makeup.  I want to look around at my own pace, and play with different products, and generally be left alone until I have specifically asked for help.  Maybe it's just because I'm an ex-makeup artist, but I don't want my makeup done...sorry, but I've never met anyone who can do my makeup as well as I can.  Furthermore, I hate being upsold.  I will buy considerably more if I'm left to my own devices.  I'm not someone who nees to be talked into a new lipstick - more like talked out of it.  For these reasons, I don't typically do well in beauty boutiques.  I just wind up getting annoyed and leaving.

However, on a recent foray into Beauty and Main in search of a tube of NARS Rouge d'Enfers (Hell Red - I am a firm believer in selecting lipsticks based on name as well as color), the one staffer was giving a lady a makeover, and after she greeted me, she pretty much ignored me for the duration of my visit.  I was psyched.  I was even more psyched because they had a sale on, which I suppose is the one major benefit of an independent beauty store - no corporate presence insisting all things must be sold for full price at all times.  The NARS was, shockingly, buy one get one free, and though the selection wasn't fantastic, they had a single tube left of my intended lipstick, and I found another fantastic shade as well.  (Also, unrelated to the shop itself but NARS does the best understated brights ever, if that is not an oxymoron...just FYI).  I was, needless to say, very happy.

Overall, I don't care much for most of the brands they sell here, but I'll always poke my head in on the way by just in case.

Beauty's - Cambridge, MA (42.3665059, -71.0943147) (Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - Michael J.: Great traditional and gourmet pizzas.  Fast delivery, and you can even register with them so they never forget your address or credit card #.  The best part is the loyalty discount..1% off every time you order, all they way up to 20!
2 - HJ U.: The people at Beauty's are very nice and earnest, and their use of technology (they keep track of your past orders, you can email the manager, etc) makes me want to like them...but this is some incredibly mediocre pizza. The kind where you peel the cheese off the top and throw the rest away. Yuck.
3 - So S.: THis rating is solely based on the "Beauty's Best" pizza!!!  OH my gosh, it is sooo fresh, no wilted vegetables, freshly cooked meat....yummm!  If you like pizza with all the fixings (ie. Domino's extravaganza), I would highly recommend this.....just for take-out....get a whole pizza to really get the taste......creative seasonal gourmet pizzas and offer whole wheat option.........technologically advanced for a pizza joint in that they take online orders and like the loyalty discount (other places should follow!!)
2 - annie k.: I think this is not very good.
3 - A T.: Beauty's is fast, cheap, and local so every once in awhile (all three times a year that I stop to eat pizza) I'll order something from here.  The food isn't anything phenomenal, but their delivery service and lowcost make the place worthwhile.
4 - Dachary C.: If you want good pizza that delivers, Beauty's is the way to go. I've tried several different types of pizza from there and it's always extremely tasty. The ingredients are fresh, the smell is enticing, and the flavors pop. Even after you're full, you'll want to keep eating because it's so good. Delivery is quick, ordering is easy - there's nothing not to like about this place.
3 - Patrick B.: Haven't tried the pizza, but the subs are much better than average.  Only thing is they can take a while to prepare, so its best to call ahead with your order.
4 - Jessica R.: I'm vegan and Beauty's has never once screwed up my order and accidentally put cheese on it like every other take out / delivery place.  Also the sauce is fairly flavorful and the toppings are fresh and they don't skimp when putting them on.
4 - Sean E.: I think everyone in Boston/Cambridge knows that there's only a handful of places that deliver good pizza.  And ones that deliver the pizza you actually ordered without a 10 minute hassle on the phone are a gem to be sure.  Beauty's has a lot of things going for it:  1) You can order online through an account that keeps your address and credit/debit card info and a cool add/delete function for pizzas.  2) This also gives you an accumulating discount for every pizza you order online over three month periods.  3) The ingredients are super-fresh and quite flavorful -- no wilted over cooked veg or dried up old meats to be found, top quality stuff here.  4) Lots of good options, even whole wheat crust if that's your thing, and a selection of specialty/chef favorites type pizzas that never fail to impress.  I would say the only thing that doesn't wow me is the crust, and this is something that separates nations in terms of pizzas -- some like thick, some like thin, some like soft, some like crisp.  I like crisp personally, Beauty's does a variation on the soft crust, it ain't bad but if they came out with a new option for a thin crisp crust, it just might put them up there with the Upper Crust of the city.
4 - Mags L.: when i'm in it for the long haul and i want a meal that keeps on giving, i get the beauty's best.  it's a substantial pizza with everything you could possibly want on a pizza.

the subs are only fair (i've yet to find a sub here that can hold a candle to tubby's in michigan - i don't care that it's a chain, their subs are tasty-taste), but I go for the pizza so it don't make me none.
5 - Minnie M.: I think I order from here about once a week, so they keep my payment & delivery info on file, which is convenient.  I love the puttanesca pizza with pepperoni on whole wheat crust.  My boyfriend ordered it when he was in the recording studio with his band and they were pissed that he orderd whole wheat pizza, but they ended up loving it.

They seem to be quicker than alot of other delivery services, too.
4 - Shane F.: Beauty's makes a very good crust. It has a sweetness and depth of flavor that are rare. It plays a much larger role than a usually like a crust to but that's OK because it is so tasty.. The sauce and cheese have a very sharp, spicy aroma but turn out to be pretty mild, giving the flavor an elusive feel. Everything tastes very fresh and a little homemade. Although, I'm not sure if tasting 'homemade' is a good thing in a pizza. 

The slices are reasonably priced.

Update 19 Apr 07: Rating changed from 3 to 4 stars based on further visits leading to an increased appreciation for the sauce. However, I must warn folks away from the whole wheat crust. Although I now enjoy many whole wheat foods including some other pizza crusts Beauty's whole wheat crust perfectly matches my childhood impressions of whole wheat foods; it is heavy and bland. Also, it completely overpowers the sauce and cheese.
5 - Melissa B.: What would I do without Beauty's?  I love the fact that you can order online.  They track your orders, and give you discounts with their loyalty promotion.  The more you order, the more you save!  I do the catering for my company, and we use Beauty's often for our pizza parties.  When I'm ordering for myself, I usually go with their chicken caesar salad, it's so yummy!  I love their garlic bread too, it comes with a side of their delicious sauce for dipping.  They have very friendly service & fast delivery.
4 - sweetand s.: I really love this place!    Even for someone who is not a huge pizza fan this place really takes the cake! :-D  I crave the "Beauty's Best," it is their "Ultimate" pizza with tons of veggies and meat toppings, and a perfect combination of saltiness from the meat and cheese, as well as the sweetness of the tomato sauce and the crispness of the veggies...*sigh*  I think I ordered this sucker 3 weeks in a row!  I love the fresh, crisp, not-canned veggies and their fabulous website and easy ONLINE ordering, where you can specify which 1/2 of the pizza you would like each topping on, remove and add specific toppings, etc.  Very user-friendly and intuitive, and they keep everything on file so you don't need to re-enter.  Also, they have terrific whole wheat crust that even my pizza afficionado bf cannot tell is whole wheat, so I sneak that in for healthiness :-P  The pizza is thin-crust and the cheese, sauce, and toppings are excellent quality; I actually have allergies to certain crappy products, and I find this is one of the few pizza places that I don't have reactions to.  AND their pizzas really ARE beautiful!  The owners are very nice and committed to providing a great customer experience, but I do find that their previous excellent customer service, on the phone and in their drivers, is not quite as top-notch as they used to be.  Hands-down the best pizza delivery in Cambridge.  I have had numerous pizzas and love them all, including the Veggie Lovers, which has delicious! BREADED EGGPLANT and artichoke hearts, among other cool ingredients, and, of course, my favorite, Beauty's Best.They also offer two medium pizzas for the price of one when you initially sign up on their website, and also send out coupons and things, so its definitely worth it to get the hook-up :-P  They also offer an additional 1% discount on each subsequent order, which makes a big difference once you get addicted! :-D  Enjoy!
3 - Patrick B.: Pointing at me vehemently, a coworker insisted I immediately try Beauty's which I announced the worst name for a pizza place ever.  She went on to say that there's no seating--it's either pickup or delivery--and that I was guaranteed a crispy yummy pie.

Intrigued, I perused their website, easily the most involved site I've ever seen for a pizzeria, featuring an illustrated blog of their trip to Italy and the pizzas they ate--kind of like their spin on a Yelp List.  My coordinates were, sadly, beyond the sphere of their delivery map (Cambridge and parts of Somerville only, folks), so I rushed to my girlfriend's place to order.  We were delighted, over wine, to find an online ordering field, complete with a box for special instructions ("no doorbell--please call," in this case).

Given the choice between Classic, where you choose from a list of toppings, or Gourmet, with titles like "All American Bacon Cheeseburger" and "Bombay Beauty," we opted for Gourmet and ordered a large New Orleans Cajun ($12.99) which promised fresh green spinach, sweet red onions, fresh plum tomatoes, spicy Italian sausage, and Cajun dry rub seasoning and an order of Garlic Cheese Bread (3.49).

I won't go as far as to say, like those who expect to find cupcakes at Johnny Cupcakes, that I expected the deliverer to have been plucked from the nearest beauty pageant, but I did expect the "please call" instructions to be heeded.  The only reason I heard his knocking was the break between Monkees songs.  Gave him an even $20 and went right in for the garlic bread which was great.  Could've used another container of marinara sauce, though.

The pizza was a beauty.  All the toppings were there, the green of the spinach lovingly cradling the red tomatoes.  But flavor?  Where was the Cajun flavor?  Absent.  No flavors, in fact, jumped from the pizza.  Not even the onions.  It was just, you know, okay.  And doughy.  Not crispy at all.  Uninspiring.  Even given a night in the fridge, my breakfast piece failed to deliver any aged flavors.  So, I was satiated, but disappointed at the same time.

I filled my coworker in on my disapproval and she said I should have gone for the Classic Pizza and chose my toppings.  This, apparently, is crispy.  Given the ease and speed of delivery, it's definitely worth a second chance, but my ears had better hear a lovely crunch of crust.
4 - Kristin S.: I rather like Beauty's.  We often order lunch here for the office because its easy (you can order online) and quick (warm pizza on my plate in less than 45 minutes makes me happy!)  The pizzas are different and loaded with toppings.  I always have a slice of the buffalo chicken pizza even though its something I would never eat from anywhere else.  The pizza itself is surprisingly good, not overly saucy which is a problem I find with most pizza places here.
3 - Katia M.: I liked Beauty's better than Cinderella's, but to be fair, if I wanted decent pizza and didn't mind the wait, I was usually getting takeout somewhere else.  The delivery was always super fast, though.  I'll give it that.
5 - Vanilla P.: As soon as I hung up the phone with Beauty's, I had just enough time to pop open a bottle of wine before the doorbell rang and the pizza guy was here! 

We ordered: Garlic Cheese Bread, pizza Margherita Francesca, and the Pepperoni Supreme. Garlic Bread: AWESOME. Margherita Francesca: So super cool that they gave me extra basil to dope myself up with (creepy that they knew I am a fresh basil whore). Pepperoni: Didn't try this one bc I was too into the basil, but Hubby loved it. Cost for this smorgasbord? Only $25 -- AND WE'RE EATING THE LEFTOVERS TONIGHT! FYI, that was for two mediums and one order of Garlic Cheese Bread. We probably didn't need to order two pizzas, but I couldn't come to an agreement with Mr. Vanilla about what to order.

Added bonus? You can order online and cut down on the mano-y-mano interaction, if you're slightly anti-social like me. Also, they give you discounts for repeat business. Really cute quotes are on all of their boxes, making for good reading material when you're completely ga-ga about cheesy garlic bread.
5 - Adam L.: I heart Beauty's.  Good, nice people.  Fabulous inventive pizzas.

I order online for myself or groups of folks up to 30 people.

At work we even have a mailing list dedicated to "Who wants Beauty's today?".

Try 'em, and be sure to try their specials (limited time pizzas).

Oh, and don't forget to join and start the loyalty discount.  Plus, it signs you up for Eric's great e-mails which are filled with news and discounts.
3 - Dorothy C.: average-tasting, above-average-healthy pizza for astronomical prices;  but they let you pre-order online, which is very cool, especially for busy families.

the margherita pizza is very disappointing and plain, despite the fresh basil leaves.
pepperoni lover's pizza is fine, though the amount of toppings is quite sparse.

It all tastes fine, and being able to order whole-wheat crust earns the bonus star to 3, because the prices are just too high.

THEY DON'T ACCEPT DISCOVER-CARD.
5 - lora v.: There are 2 things I love about Beauty's -

the food: pizza has a great crispy crust, lots of super fresh toppings like basil and arugula and capicola. The salads are fabulous, no iceberg lettuce here. 

website: order online - i love food that magically appears without ever having to shout my order over the phone to some guy in the kitchen. and the loyalty discount + free delivery.

there are lots of places that try to fancy-up their pizza (i'm looking at you, city slicker cafe) to poor effect, but beauty's makes great simple pizzas with super fresh ingredients.
4 - Nik O.: I used to order from Beauty's all the time when I worked in Cambridge.  The salads and the subs are all awesome, highly recommended.  And you can even order online which is pretty convenient.
5 - Lesley K.: Best Pizza Delivery in Town.

Thin crusted pizza margherita with basil and slices of fresh mozzarella is filling without being heavy. It's simple flavors and fresh ingredients make for the hands down best pizza on this side f the river.
4 - Elysabeth K.: Beauty's is fun, not only because their pizzas are inventive and delicious, but because their online ordering system is so far superior to any other online ordering in the area.  They make campusfood and foodler look like rookies.  

The barbeque chicken pizza is GREAT, and the bruschetta is really really wonderful--even delivered!

The only crappy thing about this place is that sometimes, the drivers get lazy and call you from their car, to have you leave your nice comfortable apartment, and meet them on your porch.  That's lame.
4 - Roberto C.: Got a chicken cesar salad here the other day, very good.  Nice people, great web site & the size/quality of the salad was excellent.  Good take out & delivery if you're in the "zone" w/in where they go to.

Nov 19th, 07 update***
Got the "extra large" italiano w/veggies.  It's a regular sized pizza (don't think it's going to be bigger than a std large) but the pizza was fresh, hot & delicious.  My only beef was that this cost $20 for a large pizza.  It was very very good, but $25 (inclusive of tip) is a lot for a pizza.
5 - Pipes P.: The Roasted Chicken Fillet & Ham Club is the best sandwich I've had in this area of Cambridge.  The Chicken Parm gourmet pizza is great, too.  The quality is on the order of Emma's and cheaper, but keep in mind that the Beauty's crust is doughier.  Whole wheat crust is also an option for an add'l $1.50.

Important to note that there is no seating at Beauty's; it's exclusively take-out and delivery.  That being said, there are outdoor tables and chairs in a shaded area two blocks away by Tommy Doyle's.
5 - Keith W.: Some days it starts early. Real early. The bowl of granola in front of me doesn't seem that appealing anymore. My mind wanders to lunchtime. Standing at the coffee machine at work, I suddenly wipe the saliva from my mouth. The flavorful sauce. The perfectly baked crust. This is serious. I know what I need to do. I keep it to myself for a few hours, though. 

It's noon and I decide to go public with my intentions. Billy's eating Tuna. He doesn't want to order. Mary's having soup again. Oh Mary. She loves her soup. But what about Jay? Yes! He's been thinking about Beauty's all morning too. It's going to be a good day, after all. I pull up Beauty's website and login.

Beauty's makes the ordering experience remarkably easy. Gone are the days of having to scream my order seven times into the phone. I place my order on the computer. Presto! We check off all the toppings we want and then we are done. Simple. And since this is certainly not my first time ordering, I get a discount. Yes, Beauty's rewards repeat customers. 

I am addicted to many things. Beauty's pizza is one of those things.
4 - Srikanth S.: Slick online ordering system and generous loyalty discounts make me feel like I'm gaming the system just enough to keep coming back.

I think each of the gourmet pizzas (predefined toppings) that I've had has been well conceived.  I especially liked the Mexican beauty, which comes with black beans, jalapenos, salsa, and monterey jack. Whole wheat crust can be a nice touch, although it doesn't have quite the bite you want in a pizza.

The subs aren't really an achievement of composition, but they put enough good stuff in there to make it worth your while.

The salads have been a let-down for me so far.  I think the ratio of frills (like pine nuts) to roughage is out of whack - by what I thought should have been the end of my spinach pine nut salad, a substratum of pine nuts and cranberries remained.

Join the mailing list for extra coupons and discounts -- its definitely worth it, as the standard menu prices aren't all that great.
4 - Ladyjane S.: Beauty's has a really fresh, quality taste that is unlike many of the greasy places in the area.  I LOVE their Capicola Francesca! Their regular italiano cheese pizza is great too.  You can also order online and if you join their mailing list they often email you coupons.  We just started ordering from here for meetings at work and everyone seems to love their pizza.
4 - Nupur L.: The Bombay Beauty pizza is very tasty. With the tandoori chicken, red onions and spices, it reminds me of the wonderful pizza I used to eat at Pizza Hut...in India!

That pizza earns it four stars. I tried a really-ill conceived salad with craisins, parmesan cheese and pine nuts. I added their accompanying raspberry dressing but that tasted like Toaster Strudel filling. I generally like restaurant salads to taste as if they hadn't been thought of past midnight while under the influence. With the Bombay Beauty though, who can complain too much? Not I.
4 - Ligaya T.: I like me a sub once in a while. I like em so big that you'd have to cut em in half to eat like a lady. I like em so hot that they fog up my glasses. I like em with tender and juicy meat, the sauce flavorful without that tinny taste, the bread edible on it's own. I like em no frills, pick up and go. I like em ordered online so I don't have have to break my streak of no talking to humans for hours. I like the eggplant parm and chicken parm and bbq chicken and mediterranean chicken and every thing I've ever ordered. But I only like em all from Beauty's.
4 - Dragony F.: Fifteen minutes to eat before an event VS. a huge chicken parm sub

Who wins? it is a draw, the chicken parm is made and eaten in exactly 15 minutes

chicken parm = B+, would have been an A if they breaded the chicken (which I think all chicken parms should be), nonetheless, the piece of chicken breast was huge and quality, smothered in sweet tomato sauce along with a healthy dose of cheese melted on and served open face...perfect

Everything sounds good from their menu...plus you can order online...how awesome is that?

Speedy service, nice people.
4 - Annie P.: In Annie's House.. we are always in a battle between Cinderella's or Chicago Pizza when it comes down to pizza delivery... or so we thought!

One few days ago in a little house in East Cambridge... we researched high and low for a pizza place that would deliver a fresh mozzarella/tomato pie, a plain mushroom pie, two gingerale's and something very artery clogging for the hungover patient... oh and maybe a greek salad too. FatS.O.S

Every place had this or that but never the whole combo we were looking for... so how great was it when we came across Beauty's ..a place we've both eyed many times. They had everything..the ordering process over phone was smooth and plus they came in lightning speed. The still warm and bubbled crust Margherita Francesca even came with a little container with basil. Awwwwww... how unpredictable. The 'Americana style' mushroom pizza was thin and perfect... packaged in an almost stylish (as far as pizza boxes go) cardboard with their personal stickers everywhere. 
Everything was tasty. Yummy cheese good quality garlic bread.. not some mince garlic and slab of butter italian roll. 

Trust me.. order delivery from here if you are in Cambridge.. since Pinnochio;s and best slice blah blah places would need a pickup. What a beauty.. except the name of the place. Beauty (for pizza, subs and salads??) and the font+color used for the sign. Sorry people but typo snob in me wouldn;t let those details pass right on by without mention.
4 - Tracee D.: we ordered 2 pizza's, Greek salad and ginger ale's, me thinks. 
I was hungover (by accident) and needed cheese x a million.
 
The pizza's were great. I'm not really into small pizza's b/c I like the larger than life perfect Pythagorean triangle slice a large has to offer (size matter's) but it was good nonetheless. The basil was fresh. I really enjoyed their presentation. The sticker's, the packaged bread sticks, the silly quotes by Francis Bacon- that's the stuff that dreams are made of. 

Beauty is in the eye of the Be(er)holder. Good job.
4 - Brandon V.: After putting this off for years, I finally gave them a chance last week with a delivery lunch of a large pepperoni pizza.  Usually that honor would go to Dial-A, but they're closed during lunchtime now.

The food was on time, hot, and absolutely wonderful.  Reminded me of the pizza I got back in Buffalo.  Simple, fresh, and VERY good tasting sauce.  I love the thickness of the crust, too.

Their website is wicked fun too.  Very smart attention to detail.  I can't wait until I have another lunch pizza fix and can't get out of the office.
3 - Hana T.: What?  Free medium pizza if I register my email address?  Cool!  

Finally a real use for my 10 junk mail address!...  kikoTaco@yahoo,  pocho33@hotmail, xixi-butter@hotmail, mangosorbet@gmail, MaiChai@gmail...  j/k.   o(^O^)o - o(^o^)o 

Some cool things about this pizza place:  
- delivery
- order online and can specify when you come to pick up.
- free promotional pizza- any of the gourmet or veggie choices you want.
- whole wheat crust available- makes you feel slightly healthier.

Some uncool things:
- blah crust, too thin.  Thinner than Emma's.  I love thin crust, but Beauty's crust is just bland for me.
- burnt and wilted veggies.  The arugula on the Arugula pizza is way too burnt.
- mediocre sauce

............
People say 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder.'  But what is beauty and what is truth?  For me, Beauty's pizza is cheap, but the truth is it is average tasting (x3).

Between Emma's and Beauty's, I'd say Emma's beat Beauty's in the dust.
2 - Terry W.: I am giving it one star at the moment, I ordered online.  Not sure where they are.  I called to ensure they recieved my order cause I recieved no confirmation email as stated when i ordered.  I'll update if the pizza arrives.....

Well it arrived... reciept said it should have been here a half hour ago, but It was quality nonetheless.  A little on the cold side...I am going to give them a second chance though cause the toppings were nice and the pizza was good.  I've moved it up to two stars...pending my second encounter..I am hoping it will be a good one, cause I don't want Papa Ginos or Dominos any longer....
3 - Melissa M.: Short and sweet review:
I have ordered pizza from Beauty's for the past 2 years for work lunches.  People love the variety, the delivery is usually on time and their online ordering is very efficient.  The pizza is good for what it is.  The sauce is a little too sweet on the hawaiian pizza, but the meat lovers is the best in my opinion.
4 - Julianne M.: When we order from Beauty's for work lunches, I have to do everything in my power to eat only two slices. I would eat the whole pie if I could. So good!
4 - shary m.: Beauty's makes a mean sub.  The bread is fresh, and ingredients oven baked and then topped with lettuce and sauteed onions and peppers and some kind of special crack viniagrette.  I tried one last night for the first time and literally wolfed the thing down, and very soon after I passed out cold...I wouldn't be surprised if I was snoring.

Total unexpected food coma.
5 - Adam B.: DELICIOUS...some of the freshest, best pizza I have had around Boston. Not your typical delivery pizza, everything on it tastes so fresh, without an overwhelming amount of cheese (lots of cheese, I normally enjoy).

They have a great website that you can order through but is 100% customizable; from the crust (2 styles and they offer whole wheat) to the toppings (1/2 or whole pizza) it is one of the most detailed online ordering systems I have used. The delivery is quick and the pizza always comes perfect.

The only downfall is they don't deliver all the way out to my apartment but luckily they DO deliver to my girlfriends' place :-)
4 - Tom E.: Anyone who's paid for the telephone code 6969 is a winner in my book.

But you can also add some other goodies:
their big american style delivery pizzas are actually pretty tasty
their cool online ordering gets nerds like Kabir all animated
they gave me a sticker with an Einstein quote about their pizzas. Strange.

This place is definitely a great step-up in the pizza delivery business model.
4 - Cara P.: At first I thought, "I'm not ordering my pizza from a place called Beauty's!"  It just didn't jive with me nor roll off my tongue. The name actually made me think of CVS. They have a line called "essence of beauty."

I gave in, admittedly from severe hunger.

Anywhoo, their pizza is solid. The dough is crusty and crunchy, while having a solid "7" on the chewy scale (out of a possible 10)...  Dare I say their pizza is borderline gourmet-ish?

Prices are on point and  you can create an online account. There, you are able to place your order and they will send useful coupons via email.

The icing on the cake? Their drivers are mad cool. 

Our buzzer is broken, so we requested they call us when outside. The driver, a cute little old man, called my cell to announce he was outside and we got the pizza no problem. 

Long story short,  I somehow called him a few days later (by mistake) and asked him (instead of my friend) to go to the mall.  He actually said yes! A few drinks and a language barrier can lend to a huge mess. (No we didn't end up going to the galleria for a date ;p)
1 - David J.: Their delivery is fast and convenient, and you can pay with a credit card when you order. I asked for a modification to the toppings on one of their gourmet pizzas, and they were accommodating. So for service etc. Beauty's is fine.

But what they delivered was one of the worst pizzas I've ever eaten. The crust was good, as many here have observed. The sauce was passable, and the toppings were (I think) fine. I say "I think" because the toppings were obscured by massive amounts of the worst cheese I've ever tasted. It was oily, mealy stuff that, once it oozed its grease out onto the surface of the pie, congealed into warm scabs atop slices of mushroom and ham. The cheese (or at least one of the varieties that they spread on top) had the consistency and flavor of bruleed cardboard. Oh, and it was ultrasalty. This admitted salt fiend could barely swallow a slice before proceeding to strip the crust of almost all cheese/toppings just to salvage something edible for dinner.

It could have been a fluke. Perhaps they ran out of their regular cheese that night and had to run to 7-11 to restock. I don't know. But it was such an awful pizza experience that I will not reorder to find out.
5 - chris g.: I love there subs and pizza. One of the best in Cambridge by far. They have a great spin on there food and the pizza is much better than the average Greek style pizza new england is so famous for.
3 - Jennifer M.: It's pizza people -- this isn't gourmet stuff. I don't want giant leaves of spinach and whole meatballs draped elegantly over my slice of pizza. I want you to be a little more practical. I shouldn't have to eat my pizza with a fork and knife because I'm worred that things will start rolling off if I try to eat it like pizza was meant to be eaten.

That said, it's not bad pizza. They're just way too into culinary pretention for their own good.
4 - Darius K.: I am happy to report that the pizza here is as good as Yelp has led me to believe. I ordered a plain "Italiano" with fresh basil and fresh chopped garlic. It was superb, and the whole wheat dough they use does not suck like many other whole wheat doughs. Granted, I ate it fresh, sitting outside at one of their small tables. (Whole wheat dough sometimes doesn't hold up during delivery.)

Also, the guys here are very friendly. They complimented my topping choice and then when I said I wanted to eat outside the guy's face brightened up and said, "Oh, we'd *love* have you eat here." And it wasn't even sarcastic.

I'm definitely coming back.
5 - Arthur M.: The taste of their specialty pizzas?  Utterly phenomenal.  Order online and you accumulate discounts?  Now that's truly beautiful.
2 - Dika K.: If you're looking for a good place to get a pizza delivery from in Cambridge look no farther. Beauty's is as good as it gets. With a substantial specialty pizza menu, there are combination sure to please many different tastes. The pizza is crusty and chewy, has a thin Italian style crust, but the chewyness of something more Greek. The pizza's tastiness take a nose dive as soon as it gets cold. 

My one reservation: I am always a fan of BBQ chicken pizza, but found Beauty's variation to be markedly unfantastic.

 EDIT (a few months later): I take back everything positive I've written about Beauty's. Too many times the pizza has arrived cold (no excuse since I live two blocks away), the curry pizza is gross, the new standard tomato sauce is sickly sweet, etc etc. 

I was very reluctant to remove my seal of approval from Beauty's since it was one of the few pizza places in Cambridge that delivered and that I thought tasted good. From now on, I'm sticking to Indian delivery.
4 - Chris P.: Terrific pizza (specifically, pizza putanesca), nice loyalty program that helps offset the loan negative -- pricy. If you can deal with that, great variety and high quality ingredients.
5 - Samantha B.: I miss Beauty's....it made living amongst hipsters in Cambridge worthwhile. Now that I'm in Newton, I haven't had the chance to go. They do delivery and you can order online, so I quickly become a regular. They have a great system where, if you're a regular customer, you get an increasing discount, up to 20%. 

Their regular pizzas are average, with a good crust and ample cheese. But nothing can compare to their margherita pizza....omg. It's kind of pricey, but it was beyond worth it. You can tell that care goes into these. According to my boyfriend, it tastes better than what he's had in Italy. You get to sprinkle on your own basil, so it's not a soggy mess when you get it. Fresh tomatoes, creamy mozzarella and a perfect crust. ::Tummy grumbles::. 

They're also creative with new flavors...the test one pizza goes past its nuclear lab sounding name. The blend of parmesan and other cheeses creates an ooze of goodness. 

Their sides, sandwiches, and salads are also good. Most veggie subs are lifeless and filled with iceberg lettuce, but theirs is flavorful. I'd also recommend their salads, especially the one with raspberry vinaigrette. 

As an aside, I'll admit that the name did turn me off at first. It's not helped by the fact that it's near Glamourama...competing hair salons, perhaps?
5 - Erik M.: Their pizza is unique in it's freshness and lightness. Delicious pizza that stands out amongst the typical uninspired Boston-area pizza joints.
4 - Pokey R.: Friendly service, good-tasting pizza. Offers an interesting variety of slices beyond the normal pizza institution - cheese, pepperoni, mushroom & sausage, meat lover's, and veggie. The salads and subs are decent.

Their system for ordering over the web is quick and seamless.
5 - Megan B.: I LOVE this place.  The crust is light and tasty, and the gourmet pizza selection is great.  The buffalo chicken pizza is best, imo.  A couple more reasons to order from Beauty's:  online ordering system! (gets me every time); super quick delivery; really nice employees. AND a "loyalty discount."  The more you order, they increase the percentage that they take off your total.  I think there's a cap of 3 or 5%, not sure.  But it's kind of like a perpetual, automatic coupon.  It makes me feel loved... by my pizza place :)
5 - Mary S.: My favorite all around place for pizza in Cambridge, and I love pizza! I especially love the margarita francesca, and the spicy sweetheart. I like that you can get wheat crust, and the new pizzas they are always coming out with. 
Another favorite feature and timesaver is the online ordering. Delivery is generally very fast too.
5 - Jocelyn C.: Still five stars, but I just had to say - this place also rocks it for their oven toasted subs! I have been addicted to the Sicilian sausage sub for weeks now, without an end in sight.

The other subs I've tried are amazing as well... I'm convinced that this place just can not do any wrong!!!
5 - Jessica C.: I love this place.  They have a great selection of pizzas, their crust is yummy, the sauce is yummy.  They are very nice when ordering on the phone.  All the delivery folks are friendly and polite, and they have WHEAT CRUST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5 - Norma B.: wow...delicious pizzas, plus the best eggplant parm ANYWHERE.
and the sweetest guys you will ever meet!  I love this place, luckily it is right in my neighborhood :)
3 - Lindsay C.: I know, I know.  Three stars.  It probably should be five.  I have heard nothing but rave reviews from everyone I have talked to about this place, but three big reasons for this:

1.  Everyone in past reviews said how fast they were.  Even when ordering online, it lists the delivery time as 20-40 minutes.  Completely reasonable, if not on the fast side.  However, this was not the case.  My lonely medium pizza and my roommate's sandwich took AN HOUR AND A HALF.  And I'm not the kind of person to call a restaurant to ask where my food is, but I was forced to.  The man I talked to was not very cordial on the phone, offering no apology, but that the driver had "just left".  (By the way, "just left" means it will take another half hour to drive only about a mile.)  Even giving a significant amount of room for traffic/construction/bathroom breaks, this was a little ridiculous.

2.  My roommate specified no onions on her sandwich, and it seemed, in her opinion to have "three times more onions than the next vegetable".  #2 belongs to her.

3.  My pizza was COLD when I got it.  Perhaps something to do with traffic/construction/bathroom breaks...? 

Whatever.  It still was delicious.  It's nice to have pizza that feels almost healthy.  It almost makes up for all of the beer I'm drinking with it.
5 - Julie B.: to be honest: i'm not sure how i feel about giving 5 stars after only one experience with a restaurant, but i was so moved by my first experience here to a) write my first yelp review and b) give 5 stars.  Here's why: as a 3 week resident of the cambridge area, i have not yet established my take-out menu collection and therefore rely heavily on yelp to steer me in the right direction.  thank god for yelp.  

anyway, came home starving Sat. night, sick of indian, just wanted to eat & found great reviews of Beauty, in addition to their free medium pizza deal.  thought it was a weird name for a pizza place, but the reviews and its proximity to my apartment swayed me.  the hours on the free pizza coupon window are apparently incorrect, as I found out when I called at 10:20 that they close at 10pm, not 1am.  The man who answered the phone was, I think, the most gracious person I have ever encountered when attempting to order takeout.  His exact words: "we are closed right now, but if you want to pick it up it will be ready in 15 minutes, I have some paperwork to do anyway." 

 I ordered a special pizza, the "New Orleans" with spicy sausage, spinach, & red onion, and a special spinach salad.  When I arrived to pick up my order, there was just the man I spoke to on the phone puttering around out front, lights off in the kitchen.  He had cranked the oven back up to make my pizza!  

This pizza, by the way, was made with love.  You don't see that very often anymore.  In addition to being delicious, it was truly a thing of Beauty...ahh, now I get it!  A fitting name for a fabulous, beautiful place!
5 - Sara P.: Their new "pizza italiana" with the thinner crust is great, and I love their capicola francesca.  Of the classic pizzas, my favorite is Charlie's BBQ Chicken with whole wheat crust.  And the baked meatball sub is also good -- they're clever and cut the meatballs in half so that you can close the sub and take a bite without shooting a meatball across the room.
5 - happy eater b.: reasons for a five star rating:
-excellent pizza
-good delivery time
-reasonable prices
-exceptional and personal customer service

These guys are doing a terrific job.  This restaurant goes above and beyond in delivering quality pizza with a personal touch.
4 - Samuel F.: Nothing fancy, but the subs and pizza are quality.  Surprisingly good presentation for a pizza and sub joint, too, they earn the name.

If you're tempted by the Tech Square Quiznos, it's worth walking a few more blocks.
5 - Colleen Y.: Mmm, mmm, mmm!  Beauty's has really made my last couple weekends.  I've been rocking the liquid dinner far too many nights, which kills my 2am trivial pursuit playing skills.  So lately I've been ordering a last minute pizza to extend my drinking and playing hours.

Even if the pizza sucked (which it doesn't) I think I'd still order from Beauty's because they have the nicest guy who answers the phone.  He speaks clearly, always says please and thank you and seems happy to be working there.  Also, when you call for delivery, they ask the same questions in the same order.  Which tells me...they are going to get my order right.  And they always have.  

The whole wheat crust kicks ass, the toppings are layered well and the sauce is super tasty.  The sauce is a bit spicy though, so be forewarned.  

"Two very enthusiastic thumbs up!  Fine holiday fun!"
5 - Kate M.: Beauty's is my Cambridge go-to for pizza. The service is friendly and prompt, deliveries are the same, and I've never tasted anything like their 'Greek Beauty.' Plus, the prices are far more fair than the Upper Crust, which I've always considered too uppity anyway.

Enjoy!! Everything on the menu is good :)
3 - Stefanie G.: The guy on the phone - ooohhhh the guy on the phone. It's worth ordering from Beauty's just to hear this man speak.

However, I'm underwhelmed by the pizza. The crust has a good texture, but it's bland, and the sauce is spicy but also sweet. It reminds me of Ragu from a bottle. (I've only had the pepperoni - maybe I'm ordering the wrong thing.) Also, the garlic bread is basically a half-loaf of white bread doused in clarified butter with a shake of dried pasta seasoning - pretty much standard fare.

There's so much good "bad" pizza in Cambridge, one pie place for every palate, and this is just not my favorite one.
4 - Indeo L.: I am adding an extra star to Beauty's, thanks to Yelp reviewers.  I followed folk's advice and ordered some recommended wonders:  Greek Beauty, Pizza Italiana and the special Capicola Francesca.  All fabulous.  Warm, made with fresh ingredients and very tasty.  We learned, tested and avoided the "problem ones"-- the subs don't travel well (mushy bread), some of the salads were uninspiring (a lot of spinach or lettuce, very little toppings...), and a couple of soggy Spicy Sweetheart pizzas (absolutely delicious, but they soaked through the cardboard).  The key to a successful experience is knowing what to order.  Woo hoo! 

Our only regret is that we haven't had a chance to test their frozen yogurt.  They've been out of all flavors, but hopefully-- soon-- we can add a nice cool treat to our pizza adventures, as the weather warms up.
4 - Jeremy K.: Beauty's is a terrific little pizza shop located between Inman and Kendall square. It has recently become my go-to slice shop for multiple reasons. Their ingredients are very tasty and they offer whole wheat crust and they even have a mini-parking lot upfront which they share along with MuLan.

They also have a few small things which separate them from the rest of the competition such as the fact that they label all of their pizzas with a special sticker on the box which allows for easy identification. Mock me if you want but it was very practical when we ordered 6 of 'em that one time...

The only thing keeping me away from a five star is the fact that their prices are a little high compared to other shops in the area. But then again, you don't mind paying a little extra for quality, right?

Bear in mind that you cannot sit inside, there's just a take-out counter. But hey, they deliver and are pretty prompt about it too!
2 - Sharon H.: WOW, i was SOOO excited to try this place out after reading all the reviews here on Yelp.  I don't know if I just called them on a bad day or what, but it was a nightmare.  The pizza itself was fine, until I took a bite and my tongue felt a firm hair-like strand pulled taut between my teeth and the pizza I was taking a bite out of.  Yup, sure enough, as I emptied the contents of my mouth in haste, there it was, sticking out of my pizza between the dough & toppings, a giant, long, thick, wavy dark hair.  I don't know how long it extended into the pizza, but from where I took the bite, it was over an inch and a half long- no joke.  After I recovered, I called them to let them know about the hair.  The guy said he'd send over a replacement pizza (although I wasn't sure I wanted it), but he wanted to see the hair first.  So over an hour later, they finally arrive with the new pizza, and would give it to me on one condition- that less than half of the pie was eaten.  "but, we didn't discover the hair until after we had eaten most of it!  obviously if we had found it earlier we would NOT have kept eating it!"  luckily our delivery guy was nice and understanding, and gave it to us anyway, although he had to explain the situation to his boss on the phone (hope he didn't get into any trouble!) 

then to top everything else off, they ended up charging us 3 dollars more than our tip-included final price we wrote on our credit card slip.

sooo the pizza itself was alright, but nothing to get excited about.  finding the biggol hair definitely didn't help.  so although i've had worse pizza, i'm not planning on ordering from beauty's again...
1 - nicole r.: never again.

the pizza tasted fine, but the service was wretched. we paid with a credit card and i added a 20% tip, and then was charged an extra $3. ridiculous. especially since we ALSO found a hair in our pizza, and they gave us all kinds of grief about that. it was like being on trial. there's too many good-tasting pizza places in this area to ever need to deal with beauty's again.
4 - D. H.: Two words: Pizza Puttanesca. My husband introduced me to their delicious pizza and we're huge fans of the puttanesca sauce. It's so spicy and wonderful--we've ordered this pizza dozens of times and it never disappoints. I like the thin crusts and the whole wheat option too.
5 - Jillian Y.: Best. pizza. ever.

I'm not of the school of thought that says pizza must be comprised of a giant, greasy New York-style slice.  Sure, there's a time and a place for everything, but Beauty's has tasty fresh ingredients, not a lot of grease, and their whole wheat crust makes me think for a moment that I'm eating something healthful.

The New Orleans Cajun Special adds that fifth star to my review on its own!
5 - Kabir H.: After a hectic day and just before a night on the town, I needed a  quick filler to fuel my drunk antics. I called up Beauty's, asked for two slices, grabbed'em and headed home completely ravenous, only to pop the top to see THIS: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/15HG_YyqAPIYpu0ceaSwHw?select=tbmmEB522jnxZezKIbzT7A

SERIOUSLY.

They're also the nicest folks ever. While shooting a sweded version of Spaceballs, we needed a solid base for the Pizza the Hutt costume, but nothing we found worked. In the end, I decided to try my luck at Beauty's, not knowing if they'd tell me to piss off or quit wasting their time. Instead, they happily loaded a pizza box with their perfectly floured, uncooked dough and charged us pennies for it! 

And the fact is, this kind of loves shows in everything they touch. Check out their lovely website and it's tough to pick a pie, since every description is through and through mouthwatering. Moreover, the online ordering setup is the most versatile I've encountered, letting you select toppings for each side of your pizza. The one topping you won't find on the menu is love, because it's already in everything they make.
4 - Roz T.: I was in finals about a year and a half ago, and desperate for some good, flavorful, not overly-greasy pizza. I came across Beauty's, and was all, WTF kind of name is that?! 

Honest to god, it's a name well earned, for Beauty's makes some damned deliciously beautiful pizza. I highly recommend the puttanesca (sp?), the pizza with the slightly spicy sauce made with capers. The pizzas I've ordered from them have always had fresh ingredients, were delivered timely, with friendly delivery people - although occasionally they do mess up a order (ie, toppings on whole, instead of half).
2 - Jon T.: Oh beauty's - what happened to you... You used to have the best classic pizzas in Boston - I've been ordering from you from the start - the last 4 times I've ordered from you, I've been disappointed - both in quality and the recent unpredictability in your delivery times, from 10 minutes to 2.5 hours for a pie when I'm 2 blocks away...  

And now, this... A kickin buffalo chicken pizza fresh from you - one of my old favs - that's entirely inedible.  A mushy ball of goo, that has a taste I cannot describe - but it's neither chicken nor buffalo.  But atleast it was here in 10 minutes...

You're the nicest people still, but I feel your pizzas have suffered from your expanding menu or storefront.  I hope you get it together, but I wont be ordering from you anymore.
5 - Julia L.: I have been in search of good pizza in the Central, Inman, or Kendall area for months now and I just found it now in time for pizza and movie night! Beauty's! Wow! The delivery was fast, friendly and the pizza is perfect! It is hot, the crust is just thick enough and the flavors combine perfectly. All the ingredients are fresh and they don't cheap out on the good stuff! 

My only complaint is the limited hours. Usually when I want pizza it is 1 am! :)

Thanks Beauty's! I'll be back!
4 - Kate H.: Beauty's is my go to pizza place in Cambridge, and I've never been disappointed.  There have been a few Friday nights when I've had to wait a looong time for my pizza to be delivered, but once it gets to my door  I am always psyched.  I usually order the Greek Beauty (fresh veggies & feta) and it is AWESOME.  Great crust - not too thick, not too thin...just right.  LOVE this place.
2 - Little Miss M.: One word sums up my experience at Beautys: bland. It looks promising with the thin crust and large selection of toppings,  but you take a bite and your taste buds are instantly let down. Sorry, while your brain is saying  this will be tasty, your taste buds will counter with "eh, should of gone elsewhere".  And we all know taste buds win.
4 - Kaitlyn H.: Doesn't look like much from outside, squeezed between a Dunk's and a dry cleaner's, I think,  but the pizza is excellent. Delivery was quick. Prices are a little high (but all city pizza is overpriced) and the ingredients were delish and fresh.
4 - Andrew M.: Have to give an update on this.  I really grew to enjoy their pizza more and more during my drunken delivery calls throughout last summer.

If you like spicy and onion, try their spicy sweetheart, not as hot as they sell it as, but then again 5-alarm chili long ago burned by tastebuds away.
4 - Mr. X.: The food is OK, not great, not bad.  The salads are the only thing that really stand out in this regard, being big and extra fresh.  

So this would be an easy three stars, except that they have an online ordering system that Just Works.  If I'm hacking gleefully away but my stomach starts to churn, I can order some dinner in a few seconds without even talking to a human.  A fourth star for preserving my flow on many a night.
3 - Mark T.: It wasn't terrible, but they talked up a big game on the online order form. The "beautiful salad" was totally utilitarian. The "italian style" pizza was totally standard. There wasn't *anything* special about it. You're better off with Cinderellas.
4 - Rally P.: The first time I got pizza from Beauty's, my reaction was... enh. It took another 2 years before I tried them again, but this time, my reaction was... hey, this is pretty darn good! For me, I have to get their "Specials" pizzas. These are the ones that I really like. My faves are the Quattro Stagioni, Arugula Francesca, and the Margherita Francesca. Extra bonus points for having a really good on-line ordering system.
3 - Soham B.: I really enjoy the idea of Beauty's pizza. 

A) It's not perfection. But it's good. and at times, can be quite good. The crust is flavorful-- sometimes a bit chewy on delivery, and the sauce+topping choices are a solid 7/10.

B) Online everything. user-friendly, never a burden, it's the best of it's kind. A huge fan of this. Though It made me slightly sad for humanity when I realized that in a matter of minutes I resolved a problem with an old girlfriend, bought Return of the Living Dead on DVD, and fed myself with a few well-coreographed clicks of the mouse and keyboard.
5 - M N.: Pizza: Really good!  I'm a big fan of their whole wheat crust.  Their combos are awesome.  I have never tried their side dishes.  Their delivery is super fast, and drivers are very friendly.  Order online and you can get a small discount--it's not huge, but it's nice to know they have a loyalty discount.  Definitely worth at least one try.
4 - Natalie B.: this is the kind of pizza that makes my mouth water just thinking about it!  I honestly don't remember what KIND of pizza it was but it hit the spot right away..
you can order online for convenience and for that impersonal flair that you sometimes want to flaunt.  don't be shy!
the last reason you should eat pizza here is quite simply for the name.  
love it!!!  if this was in my neighborhood instead of Aram's I'd probably be at least 20 lbs. bigger but 80% happier.
4 - Dessa R.: Finally! 

Still on the search for my favorite pizza in the Boston area, but at least this one didn't make me want to cry like many of its local competitors. Beauty's offers the added bonuses of: quick delivery, ordering on the net, and an impressive topping selection. The slices are pretty petite, but hey fellas-- it's not always the size that counts.
1 - Michael M.: Oops, this place sucks!

Yeah, we found this place using (drum roll please) Yelp.com. We tried our regular place but their phone wouldn't answer (odd by itself), so we went online and saw this place had (at the time of this writing) 86 reviews, almost all of them 4 to 5 stars.

First impressions count, so we figure with such great reviews, this place must have things down to a science. Everyone seemed to report the online ordering experience goes well.

We took the plunge. The pizza came. Naturally we tried to eat it. 

And it was like eating burnt cheese with a paradoxically chewy crust (not like a pleasant chewy, more like an undercooked chewy) and it was so salted I thought I was eating, well, salt. Despite all the salt I could taste that the tomato sauce was too acidic. And do I taste just a dash of dish detergent somewhere on this pizza? No, not even metaphorically. Dish detergent. What's happening in the kitchen?

I am no pizza snob. I hate to complain. It doesn't take much to please me, and it takes a special kinda bad for me to bother to give a bad rating to a frikking pizza delivery place. And we wanted to give them a chance so we called to see how they might resolve such a horrible eating experience. I also don't usually call, but, I mean, we found them on Yelp.com, right? This should have gone well. Must be a mistake.

But that's what takes this down from 2 stars to 1, because even though we explained in a really nice way, "Hey, you guys had great reviews on Yelp -- I dunno if this was just a one-time thing, but um, the pizza. Yeah, it was just kind of really bad." 

The conversation went on and we waited for the manager to do something like, oh gee, I dunno, give us a refund? He decided to give us a discount for the next time we order a pizza. He had to fight through a little denial and mistrust of our experience too, which felt kind of slimy. He didn't ask if that was a satisfactory way to finish things up, or if we'd be willing to give them another shot.

Well, there obviously won't be a second time. Over $12 bucks down the tubes for some "pizza" that would have been better used to scrub my tub.
1 - Raven J.: Gross, not a fan. Pizza looked old and tasted that way too.
4 - Joe A.: Finally had the pizza (after all this time).  

Not bad.  The sausage was good.  It's good for pizza here in Boston.  3 stars for that.

Extra star for the bruschetta.  Pretty tasty.
5 - Joya B.: yummm... my new favorite pizza in MA

the crust is awesome- doughy yet crisp at the same time. the puttanesca pizza is delicious. delivery is super fast too, and online ordering is a huge plus.
4 - Hilary J.: Sauce? YUM
Crust? Perfect!
Variety? You betcha'
Creativity? Like whoa!
And what's that you say? I can order online? Nice!
Oh wow! You're already here? Thank you, sir. Now have a nice night.

Not too greasy, not *too* anything... except maybe *too* good NOT to have that second piece... or third...
1 - Jonathan K.: Great Pizza - if you like it cold.

Very good pizza, but I have ordered twice and both times the delivery took over an hour and a half. They obviously didn't even have the order under a heat lamp - both times the pizza was stone cold.
4 - Ed P.: I'm gonna say this first part in a really small voice, in case a certain someone is reading, {there's a lot of bad pizza in Boston.} I grew up on, and still smile favorably upon, greasy House of Pizza style pie; overstated toppings, understated sauce, cheese of indeterminate origin and a hit or miss, white breadish crust...and grease, naturally. 

A certain someone insisted that I try "real" pizza and brought me to Patsy's in Greenwich Village. The bar was officially raised. I didn't become a pizza snob per say, I still indulge in cheap pizza, but I also search out better pie now and so far this has only been a dine in endeavor. 

Let's face it, people expect a little less out of their delivery pizza. It's a convenience thing. Not so at Beauty's...this is stellar four star pizza at House of prices with on time delivery. I love the Margherita Francesca. Everything about that pie works for me. I also enjoyed the Quattro Stagioni.
5 - grey b.: Great pizza! Try substituting their whole wheat crust on your pizza.  i've ordered delivery from them four times in the last 4 or 5 months, and each time the order has come very reasonably on time and the pizza has been very warm.  their special pizzas have interesting topping combos.  also, love that you can order online from their website (super quick and easy to personalize your order) and pay online with a credit card.
4 - Kim K.: The straight up plain old cheese pizza was delicious. Crunchy crust, gooey cheese, nice sauce.

We dined in, the service was friendly and quick enough.

The only drawback was that the medium was a little pricey for the size and quantity. Also, I was not impressed with the crazy pizzas, like the Indian one my fiance got. I think Beauty's has a lot of chaos on their menu for show when they should just stick to what they do best - a cheese pie. Still, I'd go back. Yum!
5 - Jessica T.: Beauty's delivers lightning fast to my office, and the delivery guys are always sweet as pie. The food is great, there's enough variety between sandwiches, wraps, pizzas and salads that I never get bored. It's also great for group lunches, they are always on time!
5 - Stacy R.: Synopsis: Yummy pizza & fresh veggies make it worth your while

This is the best pizza I've found in Cambridge!

The New Orleans Cajun can't be beat!  Fresh veggies, slightly spicy/salty sausage.... I'm drooling just thinking about it!  The sandwiches are great too!

Tip: Definitely use their online ordering system, or a site like foodler.com or order in person as the people who answer the phone are sometimes hard to understand...

Conclusion: Order the New Orleans Cajun online, you won't regret it!
4 - Patrick F.: I used to live around the corner and get pizza all the time.  Very good pizzas, quick service.  It is takeout and delivery only.
4 - Badier V.: We ordered a Simple Beauty last night and it was a fantastic addition to our Mega Man 3 playing. Very thin crust, nice big veggies, and great flavor but a little too much oil. The NES controller is still greasy.
4 - Jennifer S.: Great place.  Friendly stave, inventive pizzas, fresh and flavorful ingredients.  What more do you want?  The Beauty's Pepperoni Deluxe is my favorite menu item although, I usually come up with something custom and they are always willing to accommodate.  Yaaay Beauty's!
3 - Dan G.: The only one that I thought was great was the Margherita Francesca. Its quite good.
3 - Michele G.: The breadth of concoctions you put on your pizza here sound fabulous. A friend ordered a cheese for me and a gluten-free cheese for himself today while I helped him out with auditions for his film. I had to go out on an errand to Radio Shack and Tealuxe for tapes and tea, and the pizza was just room temperature by the time I returned. It was okay. I'm guessing it's great hot. I'd have loved to have tried the Cajun pizza, had I known it existed! Again, knowing is half the battle.
3 - Ed H.: OK.  It not that the food is bad.  It's actually pretty decent.  It's just when I order delivery, I would like the food delivered to my door.  Not to the curb outside my door.  I know, stairs suck.  Why do you think I ordered delivery?  Because I don't want to go anywhere to eat.  I want to stay inside and not have to put any effort into getting it.  Hunter/gatherer? Screw that. 
Beauty's, please.  Don't make me walk the stairs.
4 - Lara C.: They have gluten free pizza weee! The first few times I ordered there the crust was kind of mushy and it fell apart on me.  Fortunately, the past few times I've gotten the gluten free pizza from their it's been cooked well.  I do believe that it's a frozen crust which is kind of a downer, but I'm happy that I can order delivery GF pizza.
4 - Danielle F.: Pluses:
 - For under $20, you can get a large two-topping pizza, a two-liter bottle of soda, and include a 15% tip.
- This particular Saturday night during peak pizza consumption time (8:30 during a Sox/Rays game), our pizza was delivered half an hour before the anticipated time.
- Large size pizza easily fed two hungry people with leftovers.
- Toppings were plentiful.
- Word-of-mouth has informed me that their sandwiches are excellent, although I haven't tried them myself.

Minuses:
- Toppings are $1.50, and vegetable toppings (like olives and mushrooms, which should be cheap) cost the same as toppings like sausage, pineapple, etc.
- The sauce is on the sweet side.
- The crust is thin but is soft rather than crispy.

This is not gourmet food, but for what it is - simple, convenient pizza - it's well done.
5 - Alexander W.: Great pizza, subs, and salads. They have a loyalty program which discounts your food if you order online. I eat from here at least 3 times a week.
4 - Jenny B.: Since our office is holding our annual biggest loser contest starting tomorrow, a few of us decided to go out and have a "last supper" sort of lunch (and hopefully add a couple off pounds of cheese to our beginning weight tomorrow morning!)

This was all of our first times at Beauty's - and it was a solid lunch. For $4, I got two slices of cheese pizza and a soda - quite a deal! It had plenty of oozy cheese that will hopefully carry me through the next 10 weeks of deprivation - but if not, they DO offer whole wheat pizzas with lots of vegis...maybe I can fit that into the diet??? I always judge a pizza place by its plain cheese pizza, and this was solid. 

All in all, it is a solid pizza joint with lots of options - can't wait to go back to put some of that weight back on! :-)
5 - Karen Y.: Absolutely fantastic.  They've got gluten free pizza in addition to regular pizza.  Their terrific, fresh pizza keeps me and my husband coming back for more.  If you're looking for excellent pizza for a great price delivered in record time, this is the place for you.  The dining room is rarely full, so there's no problem finding a table if you'd like to dine in.  

Take advantage of their online ordering system at beautys-pizza.com, as you'll get a discount (starting at 5%) and the more you order, the higher the discount.

Beauty's is a hidden gem, I almost want to keep it to myself and not write a review so the secret won't get out and make them busier!  :)
5 - Stacy P.: Who in their right mind, and after tasting this delectable pizza, could give this place 1 star, 2 stars, or even 3 stars?!!!
There are 5 STARS coming from me! ME, the not-so-into-pizza-but-will-eat-it-when-my-job-provides-it-for-lunch kind of pizza eater. I wouldn't normally seek out pizza, but like I mentioned before, my job provided free lunch from Beauty's. And this not-so-into-pizza girl is eating her 5th slice as we speak[type]!
This is the best pizza I have ever had! Mmmmm
4 - Halli M.: Fresh ingredients, good variety, fast delivery... what's not to like?

Okay, they can be a little light on the sauces, so I'd specify "extra" if you, like me, want your pizza to have some gooey goodness between the crust and cheese layers.

But an All American Bacon Cheeseburger pizza with extra mustard?  It is a thing of great beauty.  Get it?  Ha?  No, of course you do.  Never mind.

The Bombay Beauty wasn't quite as curry-ish as I would have hoped.  But any pizza with eggplant on it was excellent.
1 - Lisa R.: So after being loyal customers from Beauty's for 2 years, we will no longer be getting pizza from them.

The sauce itself is quite tasty, but they use way too much of it. The pizza ends up being very floppy.

The service that used to be great is now awful. We ordered a pizza from them at 5:45 PM last night, and it arrived after 7PM, and it was cold. My husband refused the pizza from the driver. He called them up to complain, and whoever answered the phone was quite rude. They were supposed to send another pizza, but it never arrived. Please note that this pizza was already paid for, including tip.  NEVER AGAIN.
5 - Katie C.: Their pizza is soo good- we get it all the time at work. Just the way I like it,Their chicken barbeque sandwich is soooo amazing, their sauce is great! Their salads are nice and fresh, and i love their lunch deal where you get free chips with a drink and sandwich. inside its really nice, they redid the place a couple months ago.It gets packed at lunch so I always call ahead, and even then its a little wait when you get there. Service is pretty good, the people who work their are very helpful and nice.
4 - Aine C.: YUM! If you want some delicious by the slice to go pizza you've found the place. I have had some crappy pizza in Cambridge so far and I think this may be my new favorite place. To me pizza should have thin yet not too hard crust, fresh tomato sauce and a melted mess of delicious cheese oozing off of it. And this place catered to my needs. Great prices too! I will be coming back very soon.
3 - Amanda L.: This used to be my favorite pizza place, hands down. When I first moved to Cambridge in 2004, they were relatively new and they had a fabulous customer rewards program and a friendly newsletter that offered coupons and tips on their new pizza creations. Somewhere along the way, they must have gotten new owners, because the newsletter disappeared and their service got progressively worse. I moved from Central to Inman Square and then to Winter Hill, and even though we are less than 2 miles from their shop, they won't deliver to Winter Hill. Delivery was the best part -- there's really no parking over by their store on Broadway -- so we've had to let them go. Sometimes we'll pick up a pie if we're heading through Cambridge on the way home, and the pizza is still good (still worth the slightly higher price)... but it's not the same old Beauty's I used to love. 

(The worst part? Even though they won't deliver to us, their delivery guy lives across the street from us in Somerville -- so we have to look at his delivery car with the "Beauty's" logo on top every day!)
2 - Jen X.: 2.5 stars, actually.

Really I don't understand the raves here for this pizza place. I've gotten their pizza twice (one pick-up, once delivery) and both times it has been totally underwhelming. Kind of chewy, nothing special.  If you're nearby, it's a fine option, but don't go out of your way.
2 - Aboud Y.: This is really 2.5 stars and is based on their delivery.  

Overall their pizza isn't bad (better than many others) but it doesn't travel well and the crust can't handle more than two toppings before collapsing to a flimsy mess.  We had mushrooms, green peppers and olives on one of ours and it just could not hold up.
1 - April Y.: I would really love to give Beauty's a better rating. Seriously. We ordered subs from them a few times in college, and they were decent. Not amazing, but good. 

However, their delivery and service is what earned them one star. I live two blocks out of their recently-decreased delivery area. Two blocks. We thought it would be fine, but their website says to call to make sure they could accommodate us, being "outside" the delivery area, so we did. 

We called to order (the BBQ Chicken and Mexican Beauty pizzas sound awesome) and had a coupon, because I signed up for their email list. We explained where we lived, and the guy who took our order told us that it would be no problem. Great, right? Well, he waits until the end of our order to inform us that we can't use the coupon code with an "out of area" delivery. We could either "have it delivered someplace else" and use the coupon, or have it delivered to our house, without the coupon.

It doesn't say that anywhere on the website, or in the email I received providing my coupon code. We were left feeling like the guy made it up on the spot. We canceled our order, and sadly won't be trying their pizza.
5 - Girasole D.: love beautys always prompt delivery and super yummy pizza!
5 - Annie V.: I ordered the Pizza Americana with mushrooms, pepperoni, spicy sausage, and green peppers. This was THE classic pizza. It was exactly what I always imagined the pizza the ninja turtles ate tasted like. The spicy sausage was so freaking good. I don't think I ever had pizza that tasted just like this, but its how I have always known pizza was supposed to taste. It's now my go to pizza place.
4 - Hugh R.: I've been enjoying Beauty's ever since I moved into my new place about 8 months ago. Introduced to me by one of my new roommates, Beauty's doesn't blow me away by any stretch of the imagination, but it's "good enough." It's a go to pizza parlor when you're at home on a weeknight watching a game and you really want a pie, but maybe not the sort of place I'm going to make a "destination" for pizza, even here in Boston.

That said, I've lately become hooked on the hamburger pizza, and recently ordered their Italian Sub, which while still a far cry from the sandwich at my hometown pizza shop, succeeded in at least giving me a taste of what I've missed for so long.

What I love best about Beauty's though is their loyalty program. Your first online order nets you a 5% discount, and on each succeeding order you receive 1% more (up to a total of 15% off your order). A truly fantastic idea that requires nothing more on your part than placing an order.

My go-to local pizza joint (for delivery), and I'm even willing to overlook the "substitution" on my latest order of a 2-Litre of Coke for the 2-Litre of Pepsi I'd ordered.

"We're out of Pepsi," said the driver.

I'm sorry, my friend. They are NOT the same.
1 - Eric R.: Never again. They used to be great. That was then...

I feel like I need to expand on this.

I ordered a sub. I received a soggy mess. I learned my lesson.

I forgot my lesson, and went back for another sub. Another soggy mess.

Fin.
5 - Mimi H.: I regularly use Beauty's as my go-to for work lunches for myself and for team meetings.  Their pizza toppings taste fresh, their crusts are delicious, and nothing drips with grease.  The Pizza Americana really is EXACTLY what I ate as a child at the local pizzerias.  Their salads are huge and filling; the Cranberry-Walnuts Chicken Salad has perfect amounts of everything.  I think Beauty's has a good sense of balance -- they serve delicious food, so they don't have to hide it under clumps of extra cheese or grease.

Ordering online could not be easier and they save your delivery info and track your orders to give you a discount reward.  (How neat is that?!)  Each item you order can be noted with special instructions, so you can leave off yucky things like onions and peppers.  :)

I finally went in to Beauty's for the first time a few weeks ago.  Except for a too-loud TV (which they immediately and cheerfully turned down when I asked), it was a great little pizza joint and it was a complete treat to taste the pizzas just moments out of the ovens.  The staff was really friendly and the tables were sturdy and clean with comfortable chairs.

They offer a bunch of gluten-free items, too, which aren't up online yet.  Medium pizzas, breaded chicken fingers, and pasta can all be gluten-free!  Very cool.  And don't forget their desserts -- Dancing Deer baked goods and slices of some fluffy, very nice cheesecake.
3 - Brian C.: Food is good with a wide selection to choose from.  Time from order to walking out is a bit slow, but otherwise the place is pretty good.

One benefit of this place is it is nearly always open so on those Holidays you are stuck at work you know that there is one place you can depend on to be open for your Lunch.  I definitely recommend
1 - Marco V.: The pizza is OK but the staff is SO rude that it really isn't worth dealing with these people
5 - Torin C.: I have been going to Beauty's for 6 years, at least twice a month. Great pizza, and subs.
They only messed up my order one time, but they more than made up for it when I brought it back. The people who work there are good at what they do, and are friendly.
4 - Paula A.: Shocked by the negative reviews. I work across the street & eat here a few times a month & i think their pizza is GREAT! I especially LOVE their veggie lover's -- its loaded with kalamata olives (who wants nasty black, canned olives on their pizza?), broccoli, onions, 'shrooms, etc.  i've never been disappointed. The crust is crunchy, the slices are decent sized.... i'm a fan. The guys working here are always super nice too. 

Only negative comment: don't do eat-in during the winter, for some reason it's always freezing in there, the heating system stinks...  but the pizza is fab.
2 - Lucia M.: We've been ordering delivery from here for awhile now and the impetus for this review is the result of too many mishaps and minor disappointments that just kept adding up. 

The good: the pizza is great, best thing they've got going for them. The bbq chicken and the Margherita pizzas are the best!

Now, the bad: several items in our order were either not delivered or switched without our consent. I hate it when places do that. I ordered baklava (my weakness, it's delicious) and instead of just saying they were out, they sent a piece of cheesecake. If I wanted cheesecake I would have ordered cheesecake. Tell me you're out next time and save me my $3.00. 

Then, we ordered an iced tea. It did not arrive. When I called about these two errors they said "oh we we're out of baklava, we'll give you a free one next time." oh yeah!? You're gonna remember me? Doubtful. They also said they'd drop off the iced tea, and that never happened. 

In essence, we were robbed!

Doubt we're gonna order from here again, which is a shame because the pizza is mighty good.
4 - Maggi B.: Love Beauty's! So easy to order online, which is probably why we do it so often.

The pizza is delicious, but not alway consistent, which is why I didn't go for 5 stars.
4 - Jessica A.: Beauty's is a bit anomalous in a world dominated by *other* kinds of delivery pizza.

The pizza is never too greasy.  The pizza has a delicious crust, but rarely too thick.  The toppings are quite good.  The pizza is baked to be close to perfection.  The whole wheat crust is to die for.  Back when I ate white flour, the other crusts weren't half bad, either.

I will concede to other reviewers that they make mistakes from time to time.  And yes, I've picked off the odd topping that made my pizza for some unknown, unknowable reason.  But, on the other hand, they're very responsive, and, in general, their view of customer service is phenomenal

The on-line ordering system is really just the icing.  For someone like me, who's partially deaf, it's definitely worth every second.  For others, it's simply a convenient way to click your way to dinner, and moreover, it's a dinner that's going to be a lot closer to what you wanted to order than telephoning the pizza place around the corner, where your order may be taken indifferently ... if indeed, your order is taken at all.
4 - Matthew S.: I love this place!  I've been ordering delivery from here for a couple years now and have had a thoroughly positive experience.  The pizza is great, and some of the sandwiches are pretty delicious.  

Importantly, the people are very friendly.  They make it very easy to decide to order again.

As other reviewers have noted, they do sometimes make mistakes and substitutions. It's a bit frustrating, but not enough to stop me from being a customer.
3 - Amy C.: Standard average pizza...interesting topping combinations is what sets it apart.  Pizza isn't greasy, and prices are reasonable, so it's perfect for the college crowd.
1 - Tera K.: Hosted an event this week for three days and pre-ordered the pizza from this place the week prior for about 30ish students each day.... so about $600 of business for them, from us, this week.  Most of my team manages these events from the West coast, so we try to be diligent about planning ahead.

Pros: Pizza was good. 

Cons: they were late every day...by btwn 30 - 45 minutes.  When the guy did show, there were an average of 4 - 6 pizzas that were inedible because the box had been lugged sideways instead of flat.  First day, I called about the 5 pizzas we couldn't eat, they sent some replacements while a group of hungry students waited an extra hour for lunch.... second day, they again brought late and crumpled pizza despite calling to verify the delivery time.  Third day, called in the AM to make sure we were good to go... guy showed up 45 mins late.  When I called the manager, he told me he was sorry and that he would fire the driver... seems like not only a bad business, but a horrible place to work.  

Get your pizza from someplace else!!
4 - Jessie Z.: Fast delivery, big selection, they get it right. Veggies sub, tasty. Veggie panini - even tastier. It's not hard to make a veggie sub, but it is hard to make a GOOD veggie sub - enough veggies, the right about of dressing... great job beauty's.
4 - Tall D.: Beauty's is a special special lunch place for me, since I work nearby. 
The ambience is unique, the HUGE menu is a funny sight in itself, the owners very nice and humble, and CNN is always on with their breaking news about Kardashians.
I love the place, though I only get sandwiches and paninis here (Try the Natalia or chicken parm sub). The food is pretty good overall.
4 - Imran G.: The address on urbanspoon is incorrect, not sure why my fiancee was using that anyways. I think the yelp address is correct though. This caused us a little trouble, but by no means is it Beauty's fault.

Anyways, pizza was great, they gladly substituted pork for another meat option in their New Orleans Cajun. The sauce is a bit sweet, tastes almost like BBQ sauce, but doesn't have the smokiness flavor to it, which of course is nice considering it is a pizza. Crust was pretty good as well, but the middle of the pizza was a bit soggy.  Price isn't too bad either for what you get, the specialty pizzas are worth it in my opinion.

Driver got a little lost on the way to our address. A little disappointing, because I never have trouble getting here with Google maps.
4 - Paul H.: Walked in not expecting much. Walked out very happy with the place. Good portions, good food, clean enviroment. Cambridge police have been seen taking their lunch/dinner breaks here; that's high praise in my book. Parking can be very tough.
4 - Patricia N.: My favorite is the veggie lovers panini, it's an oven roasted garden vegetables (Artichoke hearts, Broccoli, green & red pepper, provolone cheese, sliced Roma tomatoes, Baby spinach summer squash, zucchini, sliced black olive and crisp lettuce with our Beauty's signature dressing.  it's comes with boring potato chips but that's ok, the panini makes up for it.  

The staff are super friendly and I just found out they now serve shawarma, which I will try next time and post a review later about it.

BTW, parking there is not so great.
5 - Janet M.: Best Salads and subs around.  Specialty pizzas are pretty good. 

They only have a $9 delivery minimum so I get lunch from there once a weakish and I haven't been disappointed. 

Their catering isn't great:  (either really early or a little late).
3 - Cathy S.: They deliver fast, convenient, cost-friendly but mediocre pizza. That's about it. SIgh! i wish Peace O' Pie would deliver to my place on weekdays.
2 - Adrienne T.: The other reviewers seem to love the food here. Guess I'm the oddball. Oh well.
I do NOT like the pizza at this place. I find it tasteless, like a frozen pizza, and the pepperoni is just plopped on top and not baked in. Yeck.

The owners and staff are VERY, VERY nice. That's what the 2 stars are for.

Also, what kind of pizza/sub shop doesn't have hamburgers/cheeseburgers? This one.
1 - Emily C.: The delivery guy added an extra $8 my credit card charge, after I'd tipped generously in cash.
Be warned: they will cheat you, and then refuse to refund the fraudulent charges.
5 - Carrie C.: I've ordered from Beauty's twice and I've been pleased each time. The second time I ordered for a group and everyone asked where the pizza was from since it was so scrumptious! Good classic pepperoni and good veggie pizza. The delivery drivers are sometimes hard to understand, but we get it worked out.

Beaux Cheveux Styling Salon - West Lafayette, IN (40.4263283, -86.9089225) ()
5 - Dhananjay V.: Probably the best haircut I've ever had. I've always had issues getting a good haircut, but this time it was perfect. Be warned that if you're not from the Midwest, make sure you know what you want or have pictures, hairstyles are a little different over here.

Price-wise, its about the same as everywhere else - I paid 18 + tip for a men's haircut.
3 - Lauren L.: I decided to come here after reading the yelp review and talking to some girls I know. I came in for a haircut and blow dry service.

I am used to my hairstylist making some sort of conversation with me. Maybe that's because I come from Minnesota and we're all supposed to be overly friendly, but that's always been my experience: you go to the hairstylist, you talk about what you want to do with your hair, and then you have a joint therapy session where you gripe about topics ranging from the weather to men to school to vacations. 

That was not my experience here. I am an engineer... so I am pretty well used to dealing with awkward people (no offense to my peers). I struggled to make conversation with my stylist, and when I asked her questions about herself (like "what are you doing this summer?", not politics, religion, etc)  I got practically one word responses.

My haircut was fine.... nothing special, and for a lower price I could have gotten the same haircut at somewhere like great clips. She didn't blow my hair completely dry. I was pretty much the only customer, so it's not like she was having a whirlwind day. She just didn't dry it. 

I guess I feel like... if I am paying around 30 dollars for a haircut with tip, I would like you to also be my therapist, cut my hair evenly and with some degree of skill beyond a great clips level, and realize my hair is not yet dry and that you should continue to dry it until it is dry. I am somewhat lenient on the first one, but I do feel like you should be able to make at least basic decent conversation (especially considering there's a tip coming, and people you build rapport with will likely give you a higher tip).
5 - Bodie S.: I have only had my hair cut by two local salons while at Purdue; one being Beaux Cheveux. After my friend run-in with a salon in Chauncey Village, I reached outwards towards another, that being BC. I couldn't have been happier with my choice. They cut my hair perfectly each time I went. The first couple times I brought in a picture of how I wanted my hair, and they succeed each time with making it look exactly how I wanted it too. I got a frequent members car, which after some many haircuts, you get a free one. That's how much I support this business. I highly recommend this salon for men looking for a business to cut their hair. You won't be disappointed. It is, however, a little pricey. With tip, each haircut is usually around $20.
4 - Kinsey E.: I started coming to Beauz Cheveux becuase they offered a discount to students in Purdue Musical Organizations.  I always had good hair cuts here, and usually could get an appointment same day.

I liked that it was within walking distance from my apartment.  I never had a specific stylist, because I'd just want "whoever has an opening".  Never had a bad cut here, and always had lots to chat about with the stylist.  

All in all: I'd recommend Beaux Cheveux to anyone who is looking for a new stylist at Purdue!
4 - Juan A.: Very nice haircut and a very good price. The lady that cut my hair was friendly and efficient. I was in and out in less than ten minutes. I will be coming back her to get my haircut from now on.

Bebe - Palo Alto, CA (37.44322, -122.171724) ()
2 - Suzu T.: I noticed that even for the same size, some brands make their clothes bigger, and some make smaller. In addition, style and materials make difference, too. BUT, bebe makes this linen maxi skirt way smaller than the stated size, in fact, 2 sizes smaller than my usual size. Even though it's one of my best favorite style, I am taking 3 stars off for making me feel fat! I was so upset that now I'm on Kanten diet which is currently all the rage in Japanese dieting population. Kanten is a Japanese word for Agar: made of kelp and other seaweed, used as vegetarian substitute for gelatin. It's like 85% fiber, reduces cholesterol and blood sugar, rich in iodine, and most importantly, helps you lose weight. I'll consider giving it few stars back if I successfully shed few pounds as a result.
3 - Yan M.: Friendly staff but the store seemed crammed and congested as it was a smaller space compared to their many locations. However, there were two racks of clothes on sale for 65%. Unfortunately, I didn't see anything that caught my eye.
3 - Meghan P.: I bought a cute turquoise-ish short dress here during high school that I've worn for many events including my cousin's casual wedding.

With this dress in mind, I would always venture back into Bebe in hopes of more great finds. However, I have never again found something worth purchasing... one of my friends often finds cute tops and dresses here though so it really just depends on your taste/style...

Bebe - Westwood, CA (34.0623325, -118.4452327) (Westwood)
4 - Pamela M.: This Bebe constantly has a sale!!  The best time to go is when you  see a sign right out side their door stating "Additional 50% off" it's 50% off their already reduced clearance items! !
3 - jin y.: I Bought something here once. I still have it! I think they always have sales because not a lot of people go there. but then again, it's still there after X amount of years so maybe it is doing well. who knows?
3 - Mia M.: Love to shop here i just don't know why the dresses here getting smaller  and smaller wow!!! by the way i am not getting bigger i am  still size 4  and proud go girl!!!!!!
5 - Marissa B.: LOVE the selection and service here!!!! The workers know me and I am treated so well. Hey, that is what I get for being a member, right??? I love it. I love coming in here....whenever possible.
2 - Brandy L.: I love Bebe 1 of my favs... I went here w/my bf, he didnt have change 4 the meter & the meters in BH take credit cards anywy I was shopping & He went to the register 2 ask to break a dollar she said no go to Coffee bean...WTF we are shopping there...Awful Costumer Service!!!
2 - Sara T.: I love Bebe but I hate the people that work here. One in particular - I don't have her name but it's like I'm bothering her. Excuse me, you only work there, you're not the owner of the chain. Jeez.
1 - Sherry P.: I LOVE Bebe, one of the few brands that really knows how to accentuate women's curves and just flatter flatter flatter. 

Unfortunately, I HATE this Westwood store. The sales associates here won't give a rat's ass about you unless you're completely dolled up and ready to rock the runway and/or look like a Beverly Hills housewife - if you look like the either, then you will receive the best customer service of your life, all hugs and giggles. I've been here on both my good days and bad, and these associates are in-your-face prejudiced. 

Don't ever make returns here, they will give you the silent treatment and an angry whisper of a "have a nice day" under their breath without making any eye contact.

They are in serious need of new management.
1 - Jessica J.: I went to the Westwood bebe store last Saturday march 24th.  Both of the sales girls completely ignored me.  One of them was staring at herself and posing in front of the mirror.  The other was standing near the register.  There were no customers in the store. I walked around several times and waited for assistance but neither of them acknowledged my existence.  The Latin girl staring in the mirror actually gave me a dirty look.  I will never shop here again.  I recommend going to the century city store, they are soo friendly and so helpful.  I will bring my business there.  I LOVE bebe but I think the owner needs to send some secret shoppers to Westwood!!
4 - Dominique M.: I actually have no beef with this location unlike other yelpers. But, it seems to have lost business and not meet sales goals because as of 6/30 this location will be closing... Sniff sniff :(
3 - Amy C.: FYI. This bebe location is CLOSED! Can't say I'm surprised since there was hardly ever anyone shopping here. 

Boooo..

Bebenoir - Manhattan, NY (40.804951, -73.9549577) (Harlem)
1 - M P.: Great selection but unfortunately these items are sold at a 200 percent mark up and you can find the exact same items in Brooklyn at Coup De Cour for 25 to 35 dollars cheaper.  

I love supporting local businesses but I am not a fan of being seeing how these prices for this product are cheaper elsewhere - even around the corner.

Thanks but take your time in Bebenoir to soak up ideas and make an educated consumer purchase elsewhere.
5 - Deidra J.: I love this boutique. I always find great items when I am there whether it's clothing, jewelry, etc. Prices are reasonable & they have events that give back to the community & to their loyal customers. I've shopped here for the 4 years they've been open in Harlem. I wish them many many more years in the community.
5 - Alexis W.: I Effin Love This Boutique , Wondeful Vibe , The Owners Are Really Sweet & Always Very Welcoming Which Is A Plus When Going Shopping . It's Always Something New On The Racks Every Week The Dresses Are To Die For Always An Option Of Business Casual or Club Wear , Many Flawless Accessories To Choose From Like Clutches , Bags , Bracelets etc. ; As You Can See I Would Definitely Go Back Like I Always Do  

P.S There's A Great Selection For You Guys To But I Love The Women's Section
5 - Din B.: Great boutique. They have a great jewelry selection and also they can design and make anything you want. The staff are great and very professional. You can find great earrings for 20 bucks. Every couple of months they have a new designer that comes in and showcases their talents. They also have fab parties with djs, food and great people. I love catching their sales.
4 - Missy J.: I LOVE this boutique! Friendly folks, one of a kind items, and an overall fun shopping experience. I wish they had more items for curvier girls like myself, but then again, after I finish training for my upcoming 10k, maybe my curves will be less of an issue! (Shouts out the treadmills at NYSC!) 

I really love the fact that Bebenoir really caters to the customers. They are ON their social media game, and the cocktail parties are nice. Love them!
4 - Kathryn P.: I adore this place. I am not cool enough for a lot of the clothes, but I still go in and check stuff out.   The staff is super nice-just friendly and wants to help and doesn't look down on my less than chic attire :)

Beautiful fun jewelry, scarves, hats, clothes-fantastic curated selection.

I have bought a scarf and a bag there and get TONS of compliments on both-definintely worth dropping in or checking out their website to see about sales!

Beck's Auto Center - Lafayette, IN (40.4165443, -86.8576646) ()
4 - Christopher D.: My mechanic is sort of like my dentist.  I wish I never had to see them, but they keep an essential part of my life in good shape.  And having found Beck's, I feel fortunate in knowing that my mechanic is also as competent as my dentist.  

The family wagon has over 110k on it and was in dire need of all new brake pads and rotors.  Beck's gave an accurate quote (actually came in about $50 under), and did the job in one day.  Also replaced a cooling system sensor & made that annoying "check engine" light go away.  Labor rates are fair, and parts are marked up reasonably (say about 10-20% over retail).  The staff is friendly and they explain everything in layman's terms when asked.

It's a far cry from the fleecing one gets at the dealer.  If you're going to be shelling out cold hard cash for a necessity, it's nice to know you're not being robbed blind.
5 - Jay P.: I have been taking my cars to Beck's Auto Center for several years now. They're fast friendly and don't try to overcharge for work you don't need. They tell you everything you need to have serviced on your car, and whether it needs to be done right now as a safety concern or that it can wait until the next scheduled maintenance. My wife and daughters have also taken their cars to Beck's and I know with confidence that Rob and his team will treat then with care and respect. I wouldn't take mt cars anywhere else.
5 - Jeff B.: Excellent service, prices are definitely fair and work is done quickly. Went in having an unknown problem, they performed diagnostics and not only fixed what I suspected was wrong but they also stumbled across a few other minor issues to which they fixed for no additional cost other than the price of the diagnostics test. 

However, the biggest reason I will be returning was their customer service. Staff was very attentive and took the time to explain what had been done with the car.

Beckman Bistro - Stanford, CA (37.4257041, -122.1819175) ()
3 - Cecilia M.: This is a decent place to get lunch if you're at Stanford, but not worthy of any expeditions.  My favorite thing here is the Aztec salad (lettuce, chicken, avocado, salsa, tortilla chips, cheese, dressing). Very yummy.  The chicken fajita burritos are also good.  This place gets packed right around noon, but the guys working there whip through the orders and keep the lines moving.  Totally essential quality for any self-respecting lunch place.
Mon-Fri: 7:30am-3pm
4 - Christina L.: the spicy chicken wrap hit the spot...on a day when the School of Medicine was celebrating it's centennial and offering free lunches to the entire, school, staff, etc..but only had enough for 1000,  I was left holding an empty plate...well not really, never even made it near the food...so i ventured off in search of food like everyone else who was SOL...was thinking Luttikens, but everyone seemed to think the same thing...and remembered there was this hidden gem on the lower level of Beckman...line wasn't too long...and even if it was, the guys making the burritos were whipping through them like no tomorrow...the burritos are pretty filling and are moderately priced...haven't tried their sandwiches, maybe another time...good thing i remembered this place, they have everything to fill a snacker's dream or fill you up at lunch...
2 - Daniel A.: I give up on this place.  They use to have decent burritos, but the quality and service has gone downhill.  Burritos are lukewarm at best.  My burrito, when I opened it, fell apart due to a weak flour wrap.  Workers there are super silent and unfriendly.  Also, burritos are flavorless and not spicy at all.  Hint:  Remodeling doesn't change service and quality of food.
4 - Joyce H.: I think this is one of the best places to eat on the stanford med campus. I usually get the Aztec salad or the BBQ chicken burrito, both around $7 for a big lunch. In fact I end up splitting whatever I get with people so it's more like $3.50 for a filling lunch. Sure, service isn't the jolliest, but who cares...the food is good and cheap. Make sure to at least stop by and try this place if you're looking for food on the med campus.
4 - Charitra A.: This place is extremely close to the building where I work...and so gets an extra star in my rating :P :P but seriously....I love this place as far as my lunch at Stanford is concerned. Its burritos are a basic 6.something and fill you up like anything! The Yahoo chicken barbeque burrito is good. So, is the Mojito one...with melted cheese and sause on top of a burrito and chips and avacado on the side...for a whopping 8.something...its totallly worth it!!!!! On days when I am not too hungry...one can always go for the small soft chicken tacos...you can have two of them (one is not that too filling but two of them do it)....but they are loaded with chicken and tomatoes and are kinda watery so you may not like it every day. Have also tried the empanadas...the chicken and spinach cheese one is great! Again...not that filling but good enough. All the other burritos and wraps on the menu are also nice. They also have tortilla chips and 3 different kinds of salsa. Service is pretty good for a cafeteria....the guys whip through every order real quick which is commendable given this place is super crowded during peak lunch hours. 
Sitting is incredible too with outdoor tables under the sun....Right opp. the food counter is the coffee counter with the coffee lady who serves 32 different kinds of drip coffee...for $1.5...love the Ethiopian flavor. All in all...a place totally worth going to!
5 - Holly S.: Great coffee at a great price :)
3 - Lillian Z.: The thing I like most about Beckman is that it's open until 3pm, which is nice when I have to grab a quick/late lunch and still want something "warm." That being said, the most unfortunate thing about Beckman is that they don't actually have a "kitchen" so to speak, and they have to use a microwave to heat everything up. I know a lot of people aren't the biggest fans of this place, but I really don't think it's that bad. Not the best, but still pretty decent.

The burritos at Nexus are made with fresher ingredients, but there's not a bad variety at Beckman. If you're feeling particularly hungry, I recommend getting a burrito "mojado style," which basically means that your burrito and chips will be drenched in cheese and salsa and come with a nice dollop of guacamole and sour cream. It's kind of heavy, but usually a mojado burrito will last me for at least 2-2.5 meals. The spicy chicken burrito is not bad either, but definitely spicy. I also quite like the quesadillas, but if you don't specifically ask for them to make it "flat," you'll probably get yours in a wrap, which is kind of interesting. I've also tried the chicken tostada salad, which is not bad, but I've had better. I do however, really like the Aztec salad. Yummy dressing!

The people who work here may not come off as the most friendly, but they're speedy with what they do, and if you give them a smile and say thank you, they'll be pleasant enough.

tl;dr: Using microwaves to cook food, but still getting things that are fairly tasty? Not bad.

Beckman Cafe - Urbana, IL (40.1156845, -88.2267594) ()
2 - Sarah L.: The Beckman Cafe is notable among University of Illinois lunch counters --and probably lunch counters the world over-- for having the friendliest lunch ladies around.

Greek Salad day is a winner:  sometimes it's all that gets me through my 65 hour long grad student work week.
4 - Sarah H.: I tried the pecan-cranberry chicken salad and it had the perfect amount of mayo! yay! It was verrrry chunky though.. prepare yourself by grabbing a fork too!
I've also now tried the tomato bisque, which is delicious.
2 - nifty c.: This is a strange place but it has its pleasures. It is a cafeteria with extremely plain mid Midwestern offerings. My take: It is what it is. Sometimes I want Midwestern cafeteria comfort food. If I do, it is OK to come here. But if I'm honest I can't tell you that "this is a good restaurant." (Hence the two-star rating.)

Five funny things about it:

1. It's male. It is always full of scientists and engineers from the Beckman and CSL. Perhaps for that reason it is one of the few establishments that I have entered on a busy day and noticed that of the 20 patrons there are zero women.

2. It's university-run. Since it is run by the university, a sign says that you can pay by university purchase order if you want to.  I have never seen anyone do this.

3. The secret garden. You can eat in a garden that almost no one uses or knows about -- to find it you must leave via the West door. It is dedicated to women in science.

4. The regulars. Some people show up at the counter and are served without ordering. I asked a staff member about this and she said, "He's been wanting the mac and cheese for thirteen years."

5. The almost-free salad. I stuff as much into the container as I can and yet after it is weighed I am charged something like 82 cents. (Dressing extra.) Although it is a very plain salad bar.

Most of the food is actually prepared at a food service warehouse somewhere else. I asked when I saw "tortilla crusted tilapia with long grain wild rice and Kyoto mixed vegetables" and the "lemon mist cake." Once you see the place, you'll have a hard time imagining them preparing the tilapia and baking the cake from scratch in the back room, and it turns out they don't.  (But both dishes are OK.)
 
Some of the offerings don't bother. Cream-based soups are a disgusting glop.

Some of the naming conventions on the menu make me smile. "with white sauce." (?)  "Ground beef steak" = a hamburger patty.

Some things... Heck yeah. Jambalaya is good. The pot roast is good. The hamburger ("ground beef steak") is good. I agree with Sarah H. -- the pecan-cranberry chicken salad is the big winner. Delicious. 

And the staff are delightful.  They'll loan you money. They'll change the dishes around for you.  They'll sneak you extra food and not charge you for it if you are even a little nice to them.

You can check the menu online before you go: http://www.beckman.illinois.edu/cafe/

Note that they run out of their main dishes almost every day, usually after about 90 minutes.

In sum. It's a strange little cafeteria. But it may be worth visiting at least once just to hang around a weird cafeteria full of weird scientists.

Beckman Institute For Advanced Science and Tchnlgy - Urbana, IL (40.1156845, -88.2267594) ()
5 - Ellen M.: The key word here is 'advanced' - ask Russ to explain what they do.  Here's my shot: some of the hottest research in the country on artificial intelligence and human intelligence, using supercomputers, world-class research talent, and many other superpowers.  I was more impressed with the sculpture and art displayed throughout, but only because I was a plain old LAS kid.
5 - Sarah L.: I also have an office in the psychology building, but I consider it a good week when I get to spend 100% of my time in the Beckman instead.

Bed and Breakfast William Henry Miller Inn - Ithaca, NY (42.4415506, -76.4957191) ()
5 - Fred V.: This appears to be a duplicate. The *actual* page for The William Henry Miller Inn B&B can be found here on Yelp:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/bed-and-breakfast-william-henry-miller-inn-ithaca#hrid:R7SF7pUnUT-U_XEv_olaNA/src:self
5 - Andre P.: This B&B is just excellent. My partner and I recently stayed a night in Ithaca passing through the Finger Lakes wine country, and decided to go the B&B route rather than traditional chain hotel. What a good decision.

The room (The LIbrary) was gorgeous and charming. The bed was super comfy. The private bath was a brilliant layout - split into two rooms, one for shower and a separate room for vanity & toilet.

The breakfast, cooked by Innkeeper Dave, was amazing, and easily rivaled anything we could have obtained in an outside restaurant. And the nightly sideboard of desserts and coffee/teas were the perfect end to our day of car travel into Ithaca.

The location is perfect, mere steps away from all the shopping & dining options in/around the Ithaca Commons.

Over breakfast in the dining room, we met another vacationing couple on a road-trip from Ottawa, Ontario, who were also doing the wine country jaunt around the lakes. We ran into them again at one of the wineries (small world, eh?), and were able to point them to some new wines to try!

If ever we are headed near Ithaca again, the Miller Inn will be in our sights.
5 - Hila L.: The William Henry Miller Inn is DIVINE!! This was my first trip to Ithaca, and staying here made the trip.

First, let me say that my boyfriend and I were traveling with a large dog. When calling ahead to most hotels in the area, all charge a pet fee (ranging from 20-75 a night) - while the accommodations are severely lacking. While the WHM Inn is a pricey stay - it is lavishly indulgent and special, with a bonus of no extra pet fee.

The pet-friendly sweet is called The Garner Sweet. It on the bottom floor of a separate housing unit, making it convenient to enter/exit with a large dog. The room bedroom is gigantic and clean, with all the amenities one could hope for, and marked with a cozy/thoughtful decor. There is a bonus sitting room with a minifridge, and a very large bathroom with jacuzzi, shower, and even a bidet!

The owners are not only sweet, but know how to please their visitors. They are a wealth of information for activities to try out around town, and also offer delicious desserts and breakfasts each day that WOWed us. For instance, home-made blueberry jam from local farms, with homemade sourdough bread - asparagus and  herb rolled omlette with the most perfect potato concoction on the side - and appetizers while you wait for the cook to individually prepare your choice! Of course, endless coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cereal, cookies, candies are available at any hour.

Last but not least, the WHM Inn is conveniently located in the center of town. Two blocks away from the famous Moosewood Restaurant, and the main walking strip. 

This was the most I could ask for from two nights of lodging. Thank you!!

Bed, Bath and Beyond - Hadley, MA (42.3562652, -72.553883) ()
4 - John R.: If you remember "Linen N' Things" that was in Hadley (recently went out of business), then I'm sure you'll know where this new store is (this store replaced it). It even has the same feel of that old Linens and Things store...Kitchen, Bath, Bedroom, all those finishing touches for your home. 
What struck me as different as the folks there seem to be a bit more interested in customer service. They were very gentle when it came to asking whether or not you needed any help. The store is well laid out, the Bridal Registry office being the first thing you see when you walk in. The store is set up in a "horse shoe" style floor plan so you end up right back at the front of the store when you're and...look at that...right at the check out area. 
I was impressed by the large amount of kitchen gadgets and hardware and am definitely going back to spend more time there.
4 - Jack M.: Bed Bath and Beyond is my favorite of all the big-box-stores, namely because I ALWAYS have those awesome 20% off coupons on me and love saving a good chunk of change here!!!  I checked this place out when I was in the area recently.  It's not quite as large as other BB&Bs, but it was still nice checking it out.  Similar setup as others, too.  This place used to be the "dead" mall because there was nothing here - now you guys go this place and an Old Navy and Trader Joe's!  Lucky!

Bedlam - Providence, RI (41.828054, -71.4003431) (College Hill)
5 - Ashley P.: Bedlam is a charming yet curious, somewhat hidden gem of a store right off Thayer St. in Providence.  Look around!  It's definitely worth the trip here.  Check down the alleyway!  You'll see the sign out on the street near the stairs down to the shop.  

This store supplies fashionable and high quality gothic, industrial, and fetish clothing and accessories.  Though the shop itself is small, it is jam packed with exquisite floor length dresses, well-made lace up corsets, and vinyl pants. . . along with a multitude of other things.  Matt is a wonderful and extremely helpful shop associate.  He knows his store inside and out.  Hand picks the items himself to stock the store. . . great taste!  If one thing doesn't fit or isn't exactly what you are looking for he is able to suggest something of similar interest until you find what you are looking for!

Also available in the store is a second hand section.  Always a pleasure lurking through these racks.  Such interesting pieces!  Bought a 3/4 length black wool skirt that fits perfectly!  Small curtained dressing room in the back corner, full length mirror in the middle store.  Matt is honest with his opinions. . . meaning when you purchase something, you can be confident that you're walking away with a quality item!
5 - Laura L.: I finally made the trip down to Bedlam from Salem, MA last Monday and so glad I did.
Matthew has a great selection of uniquely dark fashions. I bought 3 tops and a skirt. He was very helpful and made sure I saw every detail of each item. I'll be visiting again soon!

Bedworks - Cambridge, MA (42.3655004, -71.1041555) (Central Square)
4 - Anne B.: I actually like this place a lot, though I do not buy furniture often. I need a new futon and futon frame when I moved apartments, so I went to a bunch of different furniture place looking for the cheapest thing I could get. Surprisingly, futons are not that cheap. I ended up in Central Square at bedworks because I absolutely love my brother's futon and that's where he purchased it. The sales people there were quite knowledgable and ended up giving me a discount. This is definitely the place to go if you are ever in need of a futon.
1 - daniel c.: I've owned their futons before and they are very good. However, their customer service is very bad. First, the prices in the store do not reflect what you are actually sitting/laying down on. The salesman, his name was Tai, failed to tell us that until we made the final decision and where surprised by the $200 price increase. Nevertheless, I purchased the futon couch from them and it took them 4 weeks to tell me that the "manufacturer" is out of stock and it will be another 3 weeks before stock arrives. Ahem, isn't Bedworks the manufacturer? They certainly talk a lot about their in-store factory. To compensate me for the time and lack of communication, they offered me a model upgrade where I pay $50 more. I found that a little insulting. No apologies, no  attempts to help me out. I guess when you're selling futons in a college town and you're pretty much the only game in town, you can treat your customers any way you please. Word to the wise, college students, ikea is cheaper and what you see is what they have!!!!
4 - Jeremy K.: This place is great if your in need of a mattress or futon. Their staff is amazing. I dealt with their manager and he was one of the most helpful retail salesmen I have ever dealt with... ever. Kudos to this great man. He helped solve my problems and was very professional and courteous. He was also very honest. He won't try to up sell you on anything and just gets right to what you need. Just awesome!

They have a shop in their basement where they produce their own frames which is really cool and they are extremely acknowledgeable. They can also help you get a special station wagon type of cab and can order stuff if they don't have it. The perfect shop, really! Great service!
5 - Melanie C.: I just purchased a futon here and won't be sleeping on it until September, but I thought this was a great store.  The prices were reasonable (as many people have said) and their futon mattresses and frames are quality.  I bought their cheapest frame and it's made of solid wood (poplar), not fake half-wood or pine, and I was very happy to see that it was only $200, which was approximately about what I expected to spend for a lesser product.  The service was good and I appreciated how in-depth their knowledge of the bedding was, unlike other stores I walked into.

I've had trouble with sleep for nearly three years now and have also been bed hopping for just as much time.  I decided to buy a futon to finally have a bed of my own, but also because it's a less expensive and more versatile option (if I move on to a bed in the future, I can make it a couch!)  I have high hopes for this mattress, and I think it will live up to my standards.
4 - Shaleen T.: *Edit: I am adding a star because we had trouble with our futon cover (the first time we washed it,  the zipper broke), and when we brought it in, the owner was REALLY nice about it.  The lady who helped us first was pretty ridiculous, trying to fix it with scissors and telling us it was still usable if we folded the mattress like a taco and never zipped it all the way open.  We went home and gave that a sincere try, but it was total nonsense and it broke almost right away.  But when I called the owner was SO cool and was happy to give us a new one.  He didn't have any attitude at all and treated us with total respect.  So classy!  Makes me more likely to buy here again, for sure.  By the way we love our futon!

While I have no complaints about the product or the service, I thought this place had hidden fees to the point of making it an unscrupulous sale.  I came in after a thorough search on yelp, having decided that it was worth it to spend a little more for quality and to support a small business.  The prices are very difficult to understand - the prices written on the signs are not particularly related to the futons that the signs are attached to.  We came in on a Saturday and both the owner and the salesperson were friendly and informative.  But it was still very difficult to figure out the prices, even with their help.  Each "package" includes a frame, a mattress, and a cover, but the prices for each listed on the sign don't match the frame, mattress, and cover of the model.  It matches only one of these three things.  We eventually picked out the frame, mattress, and cover we wanted - basically the second-cheapest of everything - and decided to come back later.  We had sort of picked out the most basic package that two non-college-students could get away with having your living room, and we left after spending an hour there looking around and adding up prices, thinking it would cost about $550.  We were pretty happy with our choice.

Well, when we came back a few days later, we picked out what we wanted, and it ended up being $680.  How did it go up so far from what we thought?  Well, we knew this first part - it's usually more than the "package" price in a few ways - first ,it's anywhere from $50 to $200 more if you want to be able to open the futon automatically, or have trays.  Keep this in mind while it's being demonstrated to you.  Second, to have anything the most basic thin mattress, that's another $50 to $200.  We knew that too, but we didn't know is that while we were looking at a frame, it had two sides with two different stains, and the darker stain is almost $40 more!  Another thing we didn't know is that when the package says it includes a cover, it means a basic cotton cover - pretty microsuede covers like the ones the models have are a whopping $90 more!  Be careful when you are looking at covers because most are the microsuede ones.  The basic included covers are tucked away in the bottom shelf.

I thought these fees were harsh because we didn't go in there expecting to haggle or trying to get anything less than what we paid for.  When customers shop here, I imagine that most are like us and have already decided to pay a little more for the quality and overall great atmosphere in this store.  That's why I was extra insulted when I felt like we were sort of tricked into paying over a hundred dollars more than we expected.  When I asked if we could get a discount if we paid cash, the owner wasn't willing to even consider it.  It still might be worth it, because it was a nice place and I was dead-set on a futon.  But if you are considering say a nice couch instead and are interested in value I'd say check out furniture stores - most are willing to put furniture on sale these days, and I would take advantage of it.  Your $700 would probably go further.

Just a couple other notes - the person who loaded up our car was REALLY nice and took care to tie it very securely, even though we told him he didn't need to.  He really went out of his way to do a good job.  Also, they don't take Discover so bring a different card or cash. Finally, they are closed Sundays and Mondays and only open 11-6 on weekdays, so make sure you leave work early!
5 - Barry M.: I went to Bedworks because I was in the market for a new bed and noticed a sale going on.  I managed to buy an amazing tropical hardwood bed in a modern functional style with huge drawers underneath to help me maximize my bedroom space and all at a reasonable price.  Now I can get rid of my dresser.  In addition, Leah, the young woman waiting on me was very knowledgeable and helpful.  Incredibly, I got my bed delivered and put together  within 3 hours!  I highly recommend it.
5 - Mr. X.: I sleep on a platform bed that these guys made.  It cost as much as the rest of my furniture combined and was worth it.  It's a sturdy, handsome and useful piece of furniture.  

What's more, after my last move, so tired that I literally could barely see, I still could reassemble it in 15 minutes flat.  It's as easy to put together as Ikea "furniture," except built to last, nice to look at, and made of real wood.
4 - Christina G.: I can only comment on the floating platform frame, as that's all we've gotten, but oh man is it ever a wonderful piece of furniture! 

We went in after work some evening before our June 1st move after looking at scores of platform bed frames and not feeling good about any of them. We'd been hesitant to look at the floating platform because we'd looked at them online and fallen in love, but were wary of the price tag. When we saw it in person, though, we understood its worth. 

We talked with the owner, who told us the story of how and when he designed the bed, explained his design philosophy (which, as a graphic designer, I appreciate), and was not ever for even a second the least bit pushy. In fact, he explained that the whole bed package is modular (because, he said "everyone has their own situation") and that we should buy what we need when we need it. He left us to investigate some more and discuss it, and we decided to go for it.

We bought the frame and a curved headboard, had it delivered and set up the morning after we moved to our new place. The gentleman who put it together even put our mattress on it and called us in to show it off. It's gorgeous. It's gorgeous and it's comfortable and it's well-crafted and it has a life-time warranty and we want it in our home for years and years to come. We'll be buying the side table and a set of under-bed drawers in the next couple of weeks.

It's not cheap, no, but our first experiences here have been about quality and service and good design, and I'll pay for that any day.
5 - Amy S.: Bedworks is the best furniture store in Cambridge.  I bought one of their platform beds and a mattress and it is the best sleep I have ever gotten.  The salespeople were informative, approachable and kind.  I will certainly shop there again for my furniture!
5 - Spencer D.: Back in the early 80's when we were still sleeping on a mattress on the floor like penniless students (and happy that way :), we decided to grow up some and raise ourselves high enough to store stuff under the bed & so forth... So, we ventured from Allston over to Bedworks in Cambridge, and now back to future in 2010, very glad we did. 

Back 30 years ago, we bought a Bedworks "floating" oak queen platform with headboard bookcase and one drawer for storage underneath (at the time, the bed was against one wall, and we had run out of money anyway, since this was the single most expensive furniture purchase we'd ever undertaken). Do not worry about price much, it is money well spent. I say this as an experienced old dude now... the unit is performing today just like new, and looks like it, too! But there's more to my little story...

I've never strayed too far from my "student on the floor" roots, and so at age 60 when I need to clean up and store my summer clothes somewhere in our smallish suburban bedroom, I finally look under the bed on "my side" and wonder why I cannot have a nice modular sliding and matching drawer like my lovely wife! So I mention it to her, along with "you're dreaming if you think Bedworks is still in business!", and then she goes to the Internet and within a few minutes is on the phone with the ORIGINAL OWNER of the place, still in business and he knows EXACTLY the item and style and size in question, takes the order over the phone, and emails all scanned receipt info to us within hours.

So, if I have to eat crow by falsely declaring Bedworks dead, that's fine. We are very happy customers of a lasting and valued business in the Boston community.
5 - D. F.: Bought a futon here in 2005. It's served well as a couch and as a guest bed. A quality piece of furniture.

We recently moved out of state. During the move a metal piece for the futon was lost. I went to futon stores, hardware stores and automotive stores. No one had that part or even something that could be a make shift replacement. I phoned Bedworks. They said the manufacturer had gone out of business several years ago . . . but they had stockpiled parts for situations just like mine.  They are mailing me the part and charging me a reasonable fee. Great customer service!
5 - Aoife A.: A few years ago I purchased a platform bed with storage and headboard and really, its the best bed and truly a great design. I am looking at their futons for my second bedroom and am looking forward to their no pressure sales. They really are the nicest company. Everything is simple and not complicated when it comes to customer service even up to the delivery.
5 - Lyn S.: I just bought a new bed and futon from Bedworks.  The staff was exceptionally helpful both at the store and when I called with questions.    Since I have been sleeping on my new storage bed, I have been sleeping better than ever!!  It is incredibly comfortable!     A house guest just reported the same thing about the futon.    I wish I had gone to Bedworks years ago - I've been missing out on a lot of hours of zzzz's.
5 - Mark E.: Please read my comments about "Bedworks" Cambridge, MA.

I searched long for a hard to find futon / mattress with inner spring coils.

Many shops previously told me they don't exist but not Bedworks.  Not only were they able to supply me with one that I wanted, but I learned the company president: John B. had been making beds, futons, etc. on the premises since 1975.   John was even there working in the store when I happened to walk in to check the place out.   He and his manager Hallie were so great that they even created for me custom made mattress covers that do not look like fabric but washable leather to fit my decor perfectly.

Trust me, my "expensive looking leather couch"  hides as a firm full mattress coil bed and no one can tell until it is opened.   It's amazing.

Bedworks are the experts and deserve your business.
5 - Helen W.: I'm not sure I can say enough good things. I'd decided to celebrate tax free weekend by getting a new and badly needed replacement for my futon mattress. Store #1 had futon mattresses in the $300 dollar range that were as comfortable as my 10-year-old futon mattress. Store #2 had no mattresses but they suggested a store called Bedworks.Reluctantly, I traipsed through the 100% humidity to Bedworks. My frown turned upside down when I walked in. 

Bedworks had as many varieties of futon mattresses as bedding stores have varieties of flat mattresses. Their saleswoman was about a million times more articulate, helpful and knowledgeable than your average mattress salesperson. And the prices...their high end futons were in the $300 range--making them a bargain (in my opinion) relative to chain store #1, which was selling chintzy and painfully uncomfortable futon mattresses for the same price. 

I wish I'd known about this store years ago. I'd most certainly go back.
5 - Shaun J.: I bought a futon frame and mattress. These guys are great--they really know what they're selling and care about it. (The saleswoman gave me a diagram of the futon unfolding mechanisms that she made herself to explain it.) They think the whole customer experience through--from getting it to your place to disassembling it for a move--and there wasn't any pressure or "upselling." I'd recommend them to anyone.

Bee Removers - Claremont, CA (34.0966764, -117.7197785) ()
5 - Gary H.: Other than the bee keeper guy being a little quirky, they did a spendid job.  I called on a Saturday (we were having a birthday party for my one year old) and they came within an hour and a half,  took the bees away and charged $95.  Good service, excellent response, problem solved.
1 - Alex P.: They didn't show show up on time. The owner is an odd, pushy and not professional.
I should not have used this service but was desparate due to a swarm of bees in my chimney. I told my neighbor what happened and he paid significantly less for better service. 

And to top it off there are still bees hanging around! When I called him back for a return visit he gave me a 48 hrs. service window. He never even showed back up! 

DO NOT USE!

Beijing & Toyko - Cambridge, MA (42.362524, -71.086661) (Kendall Square/MIT)
3 - Hugh R.: Blistering fast service, so don't let the lines deter you. The food is tasty, but I always question myself after eating a Beijing Tokyo lunch. The cuts of meat are gross (the orange chicken - easily the most popular selection here - is made with fatty, gristly chunks of chicken and the sesame pork is always a little tough), but somehow still tasty enough that I keep coming back. Another dish - maybe the black pepper chicken? - is pretty skimp on meat, too. Lots of peppers and onions.

A tip: if you are looking to select two or three options, pause for a second when they ask you "anything else?" In their haste, they'll assume you're only getting one if you don't respond right away and will put another ladel of your first selection on top. THEN go ahead and give them your second selection. Otherwise you're only cheating yourself.
1 - Kevin T.: I was desperate and I guess I had to pay the price. Let's start with all the positives...the sushi is decent and isn't too pricey. Ok, so that pretty much covers all the good things about this place. Let's move on to the negatives. Everything from their Chinese section just looks gross. The food does not look appetizing at all. I wanted to give them a shot and I was sort of craving Chinese food so I took a chance. I failed terribly. I sampled the orange chicken. It was all soggy and crap...so it was a no no for me. I decided to get the calamari and mabo tofu, which I thought was pretty hard to mess up. Wrong again! I think they brined the calamari in salt and then fry it...it was pure salt...i swear! The mapo tofu just had this weird disgusting taste to it. i can't even describe it. The worst part about it all is that most of the workers there are Chinese and I think they spoke mandarin...enough said. I kinda want my money back.
4 - Steph P.: I miss this place. My office was in Cambridge Center and has now moved to a new building with a lake in Weston- we call it Gilligan's Island. I was lucky enough to be in Cambridge last night and pick up dinner. I ordered the Fried Rice and the Mushroom Chicken. Fried Rice was typical and yummy the chicken was not  too salty or mushy and the chicken was normal looking and tasting. (You know how you get Chinese food and look at the chicken and think: "What part of the chicken is THIS?"- not here) Bonus: I wanted an order of Crab Rangoons and they only had 3 ready (6 make an order) so they fried me up some fresh ones! Yum. The wonton to crabcreaminess ratio was a little off for me, but still, the filling was killer. 

I have had their sushi a ton, especially when dieting. The prices are great and the fish is always fresh and tasty. They have stuff in the case, but the sushi chef is always there and will gladly make you anything you want. 

Service is quick but still friendly.
5 - Moe S.: The Chinese is great, but I have never had the sushi.

Beijing Buffet - Blacksburg, VA (37.2194609, -80.4031586) ()
3 - Wes B.: The food isn't bad compared to most Chinese food in Blacksburg, but you'll frequently find your dish doused in some sticky sauce. The flavors are frequently way too loud, for example the onions in the Mongolian Pork overpower everything else in the dish.
2 - Steve L.: It's pretty dumpy inside, but the food is ok - definitely not great. I'd rather pay a few more bucks and get the cleanliness, options, and quality of Hokkaido.
5 - Shaun W.: Granted it's no Hokkaido, but I wouldn't call it dumpy.  The decor isn't anything to write home about but it didn't seem dirty or anything.  But the food is really good and the price is right.  I ate here a lot cheaper than I ate at Hokkaido.  I fed two people for about $18 (plus tip).  They have a good selection, including sushi.  The black pepper beef and general tso's chicken are great.  The three major items you'll find at Hokkaido that you won't find here are the Mongolian Barbecue, the frog legs and the crab legs.
3 - Aaron E.: You get what you pay for. It's a decent cheap buffet. Nothing to get to excited about, but if you want a lot of Chinese food for cheap this is your place. It was clean, but not exceptionally pretty. Overall, a 3-star experience.
1 - Ali S.: One day I decided to try this buffet instead of the newer Hokkaido buffet on the other side of Kroger. They had far less of a selection than Hokkaido, a lot of the food I wanted was not replenished which limited my selection further (I did arrive a little later on the lunch hours but still, the food that was left was just getting cold and inedible by the minute). 

The last straw was that Hokkaido at least had a free drink with it, Beijing Buffet's price was cheaper but when you add a fountain soda to the deal it became more expensive than Hokkaido. 

If I had to choose one buffet, Hokkaido wins this battle, even though both of them are kind of low quality with the food they use.
3 - Daniel M.: This place is exactly what you would expect from a Chinese buffet. We like to go here because it's cheap but it's nothing special.  I would recommend Hokkaido if you're in Blacksburg (for price and quality) or, if you're willing to drive a bit, go to Crown Buffet in Radford.  It's worth the drive.
3 - Eddie T.: It is what it is - very typical Chinese buffet but not necessarily in a bad way. The food is super cheap at $6.10 for lunch buffet. Although I am of Taiwanese ancestry, I'm still American and I love me some cheap ole' American-Chinese food from time to time. 

Also, the interior isn't dumpy in the sense that it hasn't been cleaned or is gross, but rather that it's dated.

Beijing Restaurant - Philadelphia, PA (39.951033, -75.1981223) (University City)
2 - Jon L.: I haven't been to Beijing for a while, but I remember it as a very average Chinese place (average being an insult in a city filled with phenomenal Chinese joints.)

The restaurant is super convenient for Penn/University City kids, and, since college kids love westernized Chinese food almost as much as pizza, I wouldn't expect this place to disappear any time soon.
2 - Dave H.: Beijing is on University of Penn's campus. Met a friend here for lunch awhile ago. Service was quick. There's lots of seating indoors which is good, as the place is usually crowded with starving medical students and passerbys that don't want to (or have the time to) venture to Chinatown. Their menu offers quite a few choices, depending on your meat preferences.

The food I had was somewhat americanized. Had a pork dish which wasn't great. I probably won't return (voluntarily), as I prefer the lunch trucks for their charm (believe it or not), better food and cheaper prices... avoid, you can get better Chinese in Philadelphia.
2 - Anna Marie C.: there's something to be said about a  place that can have your dish out in the amount of time that it takes you to go wash your hands and come back.

there's two categories of chinese food-- 1.  the good stuff that my parents and i go to (the places that whip out the secret chinese-only menu to my parents...and when i go to the same restaurant with my friends they snub me) and 2.  the not-so-chinese chinese food (panda express fits here). 

this place fits in category 2.  i would be embarrassed to tell my parents i eat here.  but you know, sometimes one misses some soy sauce and msg.  yes, there are much better chinese food choices out there...but this one is close to work.
3 - caitlin p.: Service and food are good- last time I had the general chicken. Good on-campus or on the way home food option. I think its the best chinese food in UCity (considering our options).
3 - Evelyn K.: This place is a LIFESAVER when you need to eat in HURRY (or are so hungry you are about to pass out.).  You can be seated, be given water and hot tea, and have your order taken by a server quicker here than you can at many McDonald's restaurants!

I've eaten here many times, and these people really provide attentive and efficient service.  NOT ONCE have I been ignored or made to wait unnecessarily, NOT ONCE have they ever forgotten silverware, water, food, beverages, etc., and NOT ONCE have I (a person who is slightly OCD about germs) felt that it was unsanitary.  For this alone, they earn 3 stars from me.

While the food is not gourmet, the prices are very reasonable and the food and service are consistently good.  This is a no-risk, no-frills place serving standard, hot, tasty, quick, and cheap "Chinese" food using fresh ingredients in a clean environment.  If you want *real* Chinese food, you're gonna have to make the trek to Chinatown!
4 - Audra K.: Perfect, if you just survived Emily's spin class over at Penn's gym. We arrived ready to devour anything in sight and service was speedy, though they brought me chicken instead of shrimp... d'oh! I told them I was starved and asked them to bring some steamed brown rice to tide me over while they corrected my order. Done! 

The peppercorn shrimp with broccoli was amazing for quick food. Honestly it was fantastic. If I still went to school here and I had the chance to return, this would be my official dish. Yum! 

Many veggies avail: bok choy, straw mushrooms, Chinese AND American broccoli, snow peas, steamed spinach offered as a side...

and.... steamed brown rice.... thank goodness!
2 - Adam C.: Figured I should review some delivery places.  Really, it's more important  than anything else to students in West Philly.

Chinese food, like almost everything else, has one food that I always order.  General Tsao's chicken.  Original? No. But it gets the job done.

So, just as any Mexican food rated by me primarily for its quesadillas, Chinese delivery must be rated for its General Tsao's chicken.

And, I must tell, you, Beijing has absolutely the WORST General Tsao's chicken I've ever had.  It's shockingly bad.  I would think that something terrible must have happened the night I have it, and try it again, just to find it just as awful.

The chicken is somehow both dry and pasty, with not even a remote taste of chicken.  The sauce is... mildly spicy, but the only flavor is vague spiciness.  Really, I could barely choke the stuff down.

So why does Beijing get a second star from me?  Because, in its atrociousness, it managed to help me find a second dish I could order from bad American Chinese food delivery places - Sweet & Sour Chicken.  Which was adequate.  So, when others ordered from Beijing, I had something I could eat.

You've been warned about the General Tsao's. Only reason to buy it is if you're going to chemically analyze what it's made of, because that is NOT chicken.
1 - Demitasse E.: Ugh, every time I walk by this place is full!  Stop patronizing this worst-in-class Chinese restaurant, lazy students!  For the love of all that is good, branch out... this is one of the worst, if not *the* worst Chinese restaurant I've been ever been to.

Service was terrible, food was terrible, and worst of all we got ripped off.  I don't want to rant for too long, so I'll just say we ordered one thing, and were served another (less expensive to make) dish.  We never went back, and for deliveries we most often got China Inn (they were really fast!)
2 - Karen F.: Quick cheap and good for college students.

Let me just say that the last time I was in Beijing was 1995.  Really.
I am amazed it's still here.  It's becoming a Penn institution.

Back in the day I'd get the lunch specials. CHicken & Brocolli or Steamed Shrimp & Veggies.  More than a few orders of thick doughy dumplings, too.  (Not the greatest by any stretch.)

Quick and cheap.

Not superb - but a good value.
3 - Tom G.: Average, Americanized Chinese served at a torrid pace (including trying to bus you out) to cater to the grad and medschool students/staff on Spruce.  I'd normally give it two stars as it is no different than your hole-in-the-wall Chinese food but my girlfriend and I had our first date there (hey, what do you expect from a poor college student at the time...LaCroix?) so it gets a nostalgia star. 

I'd probably avoid it.  Go to Kim's truck behind Potruck Gym.  It's at least as good and half of the cost.
2 - Michael C.: Came back for lunch on the bossman. The interior is dark and cramped, with waiters awkwardly squeezing by you every few minutes. Some of the tables are too small for the size of the parties they seat. As for food, it's your average bastardized American Chinese food and tastes like what you'd expect. No dishes to rave about but nothing to hate on either.
3 - Terry C.: My co-workers and I order from here roughly 1-2 times a month.  Delivery can be very slow - up to an hour around lunch time.  They do allow you to substitute brown rice, which is always a bonus!  My favorite here is the Vegetable Fried Brown Rice add chicken.  It's a good price and the food is tasty.  My co-workers usually get one of the lunch specials - General Tsao's, Kung Pow, or Shrimp and Broccoli - and occasionally we'll share dumplings, egg rolls, or scallion pancakes (I refuse to call it Chinese Pizza - wtf?!).  The lunch specials look loaded with oil, the dumplings are sometimes doughy, and the fried appetizers are extremely oily...  But when you don't feel like leaving the office for lunch, it's a passable alternative.
5 - Faye S.: Best. Duck. EVER.

I don't care if this is a "bastardized Chinese" place, it doesn't get any better than roasted duck and white rice!
1 - Susanne J.: If you work at HUP or UPenn, chances are you've visited Beijing. I don't understand the allure. I'd rather work a 12-hour shift on my busy oncology floor than eat here again. The food is greasy and has to be laced with a healthy dose of MSG. The flavors are mediocre and nothing on the menu stands out. The stale smell of cooking oil overwhelms the restaurant, making it hard for your taste buds to actually do their job. At least they allow you to substitute brown rice with no hefty charge. This is hardly the place to find "authentic chinese" fare. If you're a poor college kid/med student/grad student I won't hold it against you. If you can afford it, treat yourself to something classier.
4 - Hector M.: I have very fond memories during my college years (1995-1999).  The tea is calming if you are lucky enough to get a window seat to watch the world pass by.  Grandfather Chicken with Chicken Fried Rice are old sentimental favorites.
3 - Hank C.: Ah, the Chinese version of a greasy spoon diner, this place serves up all the classic Chinese-American favorites plus a smattering of random gems like the sour mustard pork and scallion pancakes.

The dishes are salty, filled with MSG and totally greasy, but exactly right in the way they taste. I'd adjust the dishes with a bit of judiciously used white steamed rice to seep up some of the saltiness and keep your water cup at hand.

Fast service, generally friendly staff, and though a little more expensive than the local food carts, it's a slightly nicer supply of various dishes like the asparagus chicken that you won't usually find at the carts.
3 - Sophie U.: What?! Why hasn't ANYONE mentioned that this is a BYOB joint? Did that one night with a good six to eight friends: best Chinese food group outing yet, despite the seveeeeeeerely lacking dishes. Great location for those who dwell in the area, especially on a drizzly evening when you don't feel like trekking down to C-town.

But seriously, bring a beer; it'll help the food go down.

2 stars, +1 for BYO.
2 - Justin K.: I go here at minimum once per week, for the lunch special (which is slightly more affordable).  I don't like the food.  Why do I go?  The ambience.  I like sitting in the window with friends, watching people we know pass on Spruce (people act so odd when they think nobody is watching), and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, I go to recover from a hangover.

The food isn't great.  It's overpriced.  But the service is so fast that I just keep on coming back.  If Won had a window, everything would be different.

PS It IS a BYO
3 - Amelia A.: The food was pretty good.  I got shrimp fried rice, wonton soup, and some egg rolls.  However, what I can't get over is that they do not devein their shrimp.  Unless you like your shrimp with the poop still inside - I'd avoid the shrimp dishes.
4 - Erin M.: I can't think of another place to fix my brown rice craving. For just 50 cents extra, you can get brown rice with any of their lunch options. I usually stick with the spicy string bean with chicken and brown rice, but have on occasion gotten their house salad. The salad has a nice bed of crisp greens with sliced apples and some other yummy things. What other chinese restaurant serves fresh crispy salads? 

As for service, they're always very fast with your order, whether you're sitting in or taking out. I've come in during the lunch rush, ordered at the register, and taken it out to go all within the space of 7 minutes. 

I tend to get my Chinese fix here, rather than the food trucks, mainly because of the brown rice. The food is a little pricier, but I can usually squeeze two healthy lunches out of the deal. And I don't have white rice bloat later on.
2 - Erin G.: Beijing has some nasty, fake, slimy Chinese food. The price is about average, but the food is far below. I'd rather pick up lunch from Yu Kee, the food truck around the corner, or anywhere, really. The only reason I'm giving them two stars (after the gummy, flavorless odd General Tso Tofu I recently received they are luck to get even that) is because you can order brown rice. Which I love. But they will charge you an extra 50 cents for it.
4 - Timothy S.: Let me start off by saying that I LOVE Beijing.  They offer up a great selection of 'american chinese food.'   Contrary to what many other reviewers claim, this is not your run of the mill, greasy, msg-loaded chinese food.  They use extremely fresh vegetables and tofu in their cooking, and the food never glistens with grease. (though I've heard their meat isn't of the same quality  [I'm vegetarian so I can't say for sure]).  The staff are generally helpful and nice, with a few exceptions - all in all they run a very tight ship with prompt service and great food.  The only thing preventing them from getting 5 stars is their high pricing.
4 - Yaanik D.: Most underrated Chinese restaurant in University City? Great service, bustling atmosphere, and hot chili oil on the tables. Avoid the typical stuff -- General Tso's Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken, etc. If you can't resist, ask them to use white meat or your dish will be stringy. Otherwise, explore the vegetarian options (despite its understated title, the Tofu with Mixed Vegetables is one of the tastiest things on the menu). I dig the new decor.
3 - Natalie M.: Ah, Beijing...  For a restaurant that I don't really like, I eat here WAY too often...  Why?  If nothing else, Beijing is convenient.  For those of us that work in West Philly and are looking for a quick, sit-down place to eat, Beijing fits the bill.  As other reviews have said, the food is fake-chinese, but it's not bad, and sometimes even tasty.  Tea is free (we all like free things), waiters are FAST, and there is rarely a wait of more than 5 minutes.  They'll have you seated and fed before you realize it.  They also do take-out, which is also ridiculously fast.
4 - Schuyler L.: I walk past here enough to always want to stop in and check it out.  Knowing that evaluating a place based on their take out isn't entirely fair, I stopped in with a friend.  Her food was great and so was mine.  I ordered sesame chicken, it came with a steak knife, I needed it.  The chicken was not the best cut but it was all very tasty.  A+ for service.  We were in and out for lunch, some of the best hot tea I've had in a while arrived at the table before our coats were off, and best of all I didn't feel rushed.
The portion size was very large, enough that we both took home a full small to go container.  The price was cheap enough to make me come back.  Overall I'd do it all over again.
5 - Stephen C.: "Four score and unknown years ago, a random grandfather brought forth on this great college campus, a new dish, conceived in a haze of MSG, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are equally deserving of greasy Americanized Chinese food."

Thanks, Abe. Without you, generations since would not have had the freedom to enjoy such paradigm-shifting culinary masterpieces as Grandfather Chicken. I salute you.


------------------------------
Disclaimer: My review may be extremely biased to the positive as I had frequented Beijing at least once a week for all four years I attended college. My fond memories of the restaurant may have impaired my ability to impartially judge the quality of the food. Notwithstanding, I can give no less than five stars to the fine establishment that fed me during my formative years.
3 - Yiwen S.: mehhh this place is just ok. pretty average americanized chinese food. the lunch specials are a pretty good deal, but in general i think everything on the menu is a bit overpriced. i'm used to lunch specials at chinese restaurants where $6 can get you soup, eggroll/salad, rice and an entree. 

for a nice sit-down, relatively cheap chinese meal, this spot can get the job done. but any of the chinese food carts in the area can probably get you the same quality food for cheaper (but perhaps with more MSG).
2 - Jaymes H.: Its not bad : 3stars. It just used to be much better. Tho the ribs are still pretty solid.
It must be a Penn gentrification thing, price goes up quality & quantity goes down.
4 - Stephano R.: When I worked at University City, this is one Chinese place that I would recommend. The lunch time is very busy with to-gos and eat-ins. But somehow they manage to get the orders out relatively on time. If you live in delivery area, they are really fast. My favorites include orange beef, shrimp noodles with scallion and ginger.
5 - Joseph L.: Four words: Best hot sauce ever! It's flavorful, not too spicy, and simply delicious. If I was on death row, my last meal would be rice and beijing hot sauce. What a way to go out.

On to the details... Trust me, I'm ranked as one of the all time spenders at this jawn. Beijing has a huge menu but you gotta stick to the few dishes that they do well. And by do well, I mean do better than most of the restaurants even in Chinatown (and I live there). 

1. Grandfather Chicken- Imagine your typical General Tso's but crunchier, tastier, and simply better.
2. Beef with black bean sauce over pan fried (or flat rice) noodles- their pan fried noodles are actually crunchy. add the black bean sauce and of course the beijing hot sauce 
3. Shrimp with walnut- not recommended as your sole dish but something to share along with your grandfather
4. Chicken with string beans- one of their more healthy options
5. Chicken with eggplant- def heavier than string beans but sometimes you're in the mood for some canned eggplant right?

Rotate these four dishes and you'll quickly realize why Beijing is a 5-star restaurant.

Also if you're a student with an exam and don't have time for food. Delivery is always really fast. Personally I'm a fan of the shrimp fried rice to go. They have small containers of the hot sauce for delivery too.
5 - Pong C.: It's been almost five years since I graduated from college.  I still think about Beijing's hot & sour soup.  It's simply the best I've ever had and I being able to get it anytime I wanted.  Now I have to cross the river, but it's still worth it when I'm in the mood for soup.  The 5 stars is for the soup alone, everything else there is edible and decent, but nothing to write home about.
3 - Caroline S.: As a Penn student, this is where I go on those occasions when I just feel like getting a cheap and fast dinner. I haven't gone there enough to judge the food, but what I have had has been satisfying but nothing extraordinary. The portions are also huge and prices are pretty low.

Great place to to for a cheap group dinner since it's also a BYO.

Plus for fast delivery and a gluten free "health menu".
2 - Huazzy K.: Spent a great deal of time around the Upenn/West Philly area and for some reason this was everyone's idea of Chinese Food. I honestly don't remember how good the food is. I actually think it might've been terrible. In fact I'm pretty sure it gave 67% of us the runs.
However, we will always have fond memories of this place b/c for whatever reason a lot of time was spent here.

Food: D
Nostalgia Factor: A
Fortune Cookies: B-
4 - Tymika H.: Okay, I have been coming here for years, years.  I work in the area and it has always been a great spot to come for lunch.  It is always quick so you can really get adequate time to eat and chat. They redecorated so it looks a little fancy now.

I have always been pleased with the service.  The wait staff don't say too much, they take your order, the food comes pretty quickly, they refill your water, take your check and bring your change. BAM! Since the food comes so quickly, it's a nice place to go for lunch.  

I like their food.  I am a person of the same thing. I get the general tso's chicken with brown rice, the chicken and string beans in garlic sauce with brown rice, the shrimp fried rice, the shrimp roll and the walnut shrimp. with brown rice  All delicious. Their tea is quite tasty too. 

You really can't go wrong here.  It's not fancy, but it is good and satisfying. I still love them.  Old faithful, tried and true.............Beijing!
4 - Erica C.: The Peppercorn Chicken was delish! Definitely had a good kick to it, but not overly spicy. The sauce tasted very fresh and wasn't oily at all. The chicken was good quality as well. Brown rice option is awesome! Highly recommended!
5 - Stephanie Y.: Still the fastest delivery in town!!!! NOW SERVING BUBBLE TEA!!!!! The best part  ... it's only $2!!!! I've tried the milk tea, honeydew, thai ice tea, taro and passionfruit.  

My friends really like the taro and honeydew. Thai ice tea is my fave. Also, they don't fill the cups with ice chips, so you get more liquid.
1 - Elle C.: Found a thick hair in my food. All they said was "sorry". Really, that's it?
5 - Nathan H.: I've found the Kung Pao Chicken legendary. A savory blend of sweet and spicy peanut chicken goodness. The food is very high quality and consistent.
4 - Won Ho K.: Had the grandfather chicken, crispy noodles with beef (?), and salted bake squid today. 

The grandfather chicken is basically a General Tso's chicken dish, but a little chewier than most. It's good; I would recommend it.

The crispy noodles were quite good. Again, recommended.

Salted baked squid is something I order at almost every Chinese restaurant that I go to. It was just okay here. It was very plain: no garnish except for a few bananas peppers and some cilantro, which was a nice touch, but not enough flavor for me.

I'm still a fan of Beijing...very fast service, decent prices, and good food. Just don't get the salted baked squid.
3 - Marissa R.: I've eaten at Beijing a couple times, and am not blown away, but do enjoy their food. Service was fast and speedy; and we were in and out without a fuss. 
Nothing is fancy about this restaurant. You're basically sitting in a plastic booth or a hard wood chair; most likely leaning against the glass window. The menus are basic, and so is the food. 
I would go again, because the price is right, and I've left satisfied. Nothing to write home about, though.
2 - PopSikleZ S.: My BF is a UPENN alumni, and he said that Beijing Restaurant is filled with college memories. So, while in town, we had to stop for him to reminisce, and grab a bite to see if it's still as good as it used to be.

The Grandfather Chicken was his all time favorite. It's a dish he would drool over back in his college days. It's actually a General Tso's Chicken with a fancier name.

After a bite into it, he realized that it didn't taste as good as it used to be. It just has been way too many years, so he has a whole other level of taste for food now.

I can honestly say that I've had better General tso's in Colorado! Perhaps, even better in my hometown, Elk Grove!
2 - Maya Y.: As far as Chinese food goes near UPenn, this place is probably as good as it gets for reasonable prices.  The service is quick and dry, you can go in solo without looking too pathetic, and the complimentary tea (I'm assuming it's some variety of oolong) is usually hot (and not lukewarm), which is admittedly a plus.

I've ordered both take-out and eat-in.  I've often gotten the lunch special which goes for $6.95 dine-in and $5.95 take-out.  The fried rice is dry and veggie-only for the lunch special, but if you order it a la carte it looks tastier (the rice looks less parched and more freshly prepared rather than desiccated from sitting out too long in a giant stainless steel tub).  I haven't ordered the fried rice a la carte, though, so you should probably share an order with a friend for dinner.  The lunch special can also come with brown rice which I haven't tried yet.  

I recommend the following dishes:
1) Eggplant in garlic sauce with chicken
2) Shrimp egg foo-young
3) Pan-fried noodles (veggie or chicken - the beef brisket has a strange after-taste and can get stuck in your teeth).

Do not get the sesame chicken - it looks artificially orange (and not the burnt orange color one would normally associate with the dish).  It is also too sweet for my tastes.  The duck noodle soup is decent, but nothing special, and something I'd probably get if the season were winter.

I will give two grades (one for service, one for taste):
Service: B
Taste: B-

This was my first review, so please let me know if any additional information is needed.
3 - Ben F.: Pretty typical chinese that Americans would eat, fried rice, lo mein and all that. The staff there are nice.
3 - Mike G.: It is fairly good Chinese, standard fare.  General Tso's Chicken, Kung-Pao, Hot & Sour Soup, etc.

Service is good, they care about the experience and we had two personal touches, they brought us more rice when they saw we needed more. In addition, we didnt realize they had closed when we were still there, and they didnt bother us, they just started mopping and cleaning up in another room, we only noticed that when leaving.  

Clearly the owners want to be around another 20 years like they have already.

Location is perfect adjacent to campus.

All around good experience although the food won't be surprising I suspect either on good or bad, its standard Chinese prepared well.
4 - Loulou H.: The food is great, and though the waiters are curt, they are efficient. Get in and get out with a delicious meal.
4 - Lenny Z.: Finally, an okay Chinese food restaurant in Philly.

Thanks you!

Okay, so it's not a knockout. And, if I was back in NYC, I would probably give it more like 3 stars. But when you are in a city with less good options, you need to scale back and be realistic.

The wonton soup was tasty. The broth was flavorful and I really liked the shrimp that was in their dumplings.

The chicken with broccoli was also very good. Admittedly, I went safe here. But how can I not after failed attempt after failed attempt of finding good Chinese food in Philly.
2 - Sean M.: This place is a normal, low-quality Chinese place.  The spinach and tofu was OK, though a little salty.  

Don't get a salad.  The dressing is drenched in sugar.   I was a little irritated when the water asked me, after taking one bite of my salad and pushing it away, why I didn't like it.  He took it away but still charged me for it.  I didn't feel like arguing over $3, but it was still annoying.
4 - Alex Z.: Philly has great authentic Chinese in its Chinatown, and also along Washington Ave. in South Philly; outside of these two areas, it's mostly a desert of abysmal, Chinese-American fast food.  This place is one of the few exceptions I've found.

There's all the standard Chinese-American fare...but there's a fair amount of slightly more authentic Chinese food as well...noodle soups and other noodle dishes, which are fairly well-executed (although, compared with Chinatown's offerings, they do fall short a bit).

This place has a sit-down atmosphere and some of the tables look out on the street, but it's not the best view.  You get to see some of the worst of the institutional part of Penn architecture.  If you love 70's architecture, you'll feel comforted and at home sitting in a booth here looking out on the street, with its big, foreboding structures.

Convenient location.  I found service here to be very good as well. Reasonable prices.  I would definitely go back.
5 - brad d.: Menu: If you like sweet dishes, try the sesame chicken... You won't be disappointed. 

Service: Beijing is extremely efficient. You will never wait a long time for a table. The servers remember the regulars.

Area: Penn has lost some landmark restaurants over the years (e.g. billy bobs, gold standard, palladium), but Beijing still stands strong. 

Crowd: Beijing isn't just for undergrads. Penn med school students and doctors frequent the place too.
4 - Amy P.: Great food, Fast service at Reasonable price

This place is my favorite spot for a quick lunch.
The bubble tea here is not the best but it's far way better than Sankee Sheraton.
2 - Rebecca C.: Food is pretty decent.  I tried the pan fried noodle, grandfather chicken, and the wonton soup.  The pan fried noodle with black bean sauce was delicious! I thought it was going to be like a Thai noodle dish, but the noodles were crunchy.  I let the sauce and meat sit on the noodle for awhile so that the flavor could sink into the noodle.  The grandfather chicken was okay.  An average Chinese dish that you might find at any other Chinese restaurant.  the wonton soup was pretty average too.  There was way too much vegetables and way too little soup that the name should be changed to wonton plate not wonton soup.

For the food I would have given it four stars; however, I was very creeped out by the service... Two waitors were standing a few feet away from our table and were watching us the entire time.  The moment I finished a plate, I saw a hand come down to take the plate.  The service was nice because they were quick but I felt very uncomfortable knowing that in the corner of my eyes they were watching our every move.
3 - Sean H.: Right, so as a former Penn undergrad who spent his first year living literally adjacent to Beijing, the place acquired a certain aura of indisputable awesomeness that I never questioned. Let's just chalk it up to drunk munchies, I guess. 

However, I can't say the same today. I went with some friends over Memorial Day weekend as part of a mini reunion/nostalgia fest. We were all so excited to return to one of our major freshman year stomping grounds, but then the food happened. Well, actually, the bubble tea happened first. Thai tea should never taste like that. Bubble House, may it rest in peace, would never have stood for such a travesty.

The food itself (Szechuan Chicken, in my case) was passable, though I couldn't help but admit that there are any number of places in the city where much better versions can be had at the same (or lower) price point. And my request for "extra, extra, extra spicy" was, of course, summarily ignored. But that happens everywhere...perils of being a white boy who looks like he can't handle his capsaicin. All in all, the experience was unremarkable, which was, in itself, surprising and disappointing. I kind of wish I hadn't gone back so it would still be on its lofty pedestal in the rose-colored glasses of hindsight.
2 - Jon D.: If you are an undergrad who wants to go out to eat with 10 other friends, sit at a big table, and get drunk on boxed wine, then Beijing is for you. If you do not fall under this specific grouping, then this really isn't a good place.  

I came here for lunch with a friend. The food was ready in exactly 5 minutes but I felt so rushed by the socially awkward waitress I couldn't even enjoy it (not that there was anything to enjoy though - see below). That said, I slaved away in a restaurant for 4 years, so 9 times out of 10 I'm sympathetic to the server...but this one took it to a whole new level. In addition to asking if we were done with the same plates TWICE, she stood about 6 feet away and blankly stared at us the whole time, waiting to come retrieve her beloved china. I felt like I was on an assembly line. All that said though, this wasn't the reason for the 2 stars...the food was. 

Food:
We shared the sweet and sour chicken and the sesame chicken. The only good thing was the portion size...but I didn't even take advantage of that because the dish was just so sub-par. Aside from the s&s chicken fluorescing bright orange, the sesame sauce was missing the gooey deliciousness that a good version would have. As far as the actual flavors, the sauces weren't bad...though the former was a bit sweet, but not unexpectedly so. The dishes would not have been as horrible if it weren't for the quality of the chicken, which basically had the consistently of fried tofu...it almost seemed hollow. When my friend asked me if my stomach hurt an hour later while in class, all I can remember is replying "wow, there's no way that was chicken." Thank god it was cheap.
3 - Alexander W.: Best Taro Bubble Team I've had!
1 - Meg S.: I lived near here for over two years, and was dragged here against my will more times than I'd like to admit. I'll preface my review by saying the only item that hasn't made me really sick here is the wonton soup (I've eaten at many Chinese/Korean/Thai places without any trouble whatsoever, so take this as a real caution!).

Other than the food, it's dark (not in a good way!), noisy, and servers disappear for stretches above 30 minutes. On weekend nights, look forward to huge groups passing around handles and doing waterfalls... If this all sounds appealing, then, Beijing is great.
3 - Pri P.: Good food. Was a little weary of the red pepper sauce that's left on the table. I would have tried it if the waiter would have brought it out. Something about it just sitting on the table as if it were salt made me a little stand offish of trying it.
1 - Jen K.: The food here is really horrible and expensive. If you're a student, skip this place and head over to Yue Kee's, Kim's, either of the Le Ahn's, or Sangkee. The food is similar if not better and much easier on your wallet. The only redeeming factor of Beijing is the location, which is pretty central on Penn's campus...but even that did not convince me to eat there ever when I was an undergrad.

Beijing Tokyo - Cambridge, MA (42.3633061, -71.0968574) (Kendall Square/MIT)
3 - Tiffany W.: more beijing than tokyo.

the small corner restaurant at Main and Windsor has been empty ever since its indian predecessor closed down, so was excited to check out the new kid on the block.

since it was the first day open I won't ding this place too much on execution, but a more knowledgeable wait staff, a complete menu (they apparently were out of curry and had no teriyaki because the grill was not in service), and some music to liven up the quiet place would be some nice changes to see.

the menu presents mostly sushi and chinese dishes with a sprinkling of "thai", "korean", and "japanese" entrees.  I include the quotations because despite the diversity of food we ordered, all had a very chinese-food taste to it. 

the sashimi was pretty fresh, which is good news since there's nowhere in the immediate area to get decent (well any, really) sushi... but otherwise the food was nothing remarkable considering you have royal east across the street and mary chung's about a block away.
4 - Judi D.: I got takeout here on Superbowl Sunday. It was completely empty inside as was every other restaurant I passed on the walk over. I like what they've done with the place -- it looks a bit classier than the indian joint that used to be there. 

We ordered a sushi/teriyaki combo, kung pao chicken, a sweet potato tempura roll, hot & sour soup, and edamame. A confusing order, but one that seemed appropriate for a place named Beijing/Tokyo. Our total came to less than $30, which seemed cheap. We got a free california roll for spending more than $25. 

The entrees & soups were really good. The sushi was just OK. I liked the sweet potato roll, but it's hard to mess up tempura. The california and avocado rolls were bland and the nori too chewy. 

Overall I would definitely try this place again: it's cheap, fast and the food above average -- but I'll probably avoid the sushi next time.
4 - Annie P.: sushi/rolls delivery in central square yes??

sold!

it's good too. no joke.
minus the chinese dishes that is.
3 - Jocelyn C.: This is the only place I've found (so far) that delivers in my area that actually has shredded pork in garlic sauce on their menu. 

What?! Yes, it's true. Trust me, I've been keeping tabs.

Besides the fact that they serve this dish (and it's fantastic!), the sushi I got (Green roll!) was fresh and tasty, the wonton soup pretty decent, and dumplings were good. The food overall was average, but I would definitely try them out again. I can't resist a free California roll when the total order is over $25!

My only gripe with this place so far - please do not ring my doorbell a gazillion times a millisecond upon arrival! I heard you on the very first ring, and I need a chance to get to the door. Calm down!!!
4 - JJ G.: I watched this place until it opened, then I watched some more.  It was empty every time I walked by, but I was way too excited that there was finally sushi in the immediate area to be put off by that.  So I waited a little bit more, and then I read the Yelp reviews.
Finally tonight I took my four and six year old to check it out.
And we liked it!
I didn't expect much, based on the reviews, and you know what they say- blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall not be disappointed!
So we were really pleasantly surprised.  The teriyaki dish we ordered as a safety was just what I would have expected.  Bland, sweet, nothing special.  But the miso soup was really good, and the sushi was above average.  Certainly a damn site better than Star Market, which is all the sushi I've had withing walking distance for the past three years (since we moved over here)
Some one mentioned rubbery nori, which it was a bit, but the insides were fresh and flavorful, and the kids dug it.
So I'm willing to give them some growing time, and the benefit of the doubt.  It's no stellar, ground breaking, super inventive place, but for a basic, affordable sushi fest it's a lot more convenient than Porter Exchange, and just as good... no, better.
On the down side there is no liquor license, which is sad. I do like sake with my sushi.
We didn't try the 'Chinese' menu.  It doesn't look very exciting.
My suggestion is to try something with salmon and mango- yum!
3 - Ligaya T.: There's a magic ingredient that pierces your tongue that with it makes all bad food instantly edible and without it most Chinese revolting. Let's have a round of applause for MSG!

Personally, I can't stand the stuff though. I get a dull headache, mouth burn and no pleasure in consumption. 

So my experience goes:
"Veggie lo mein (mi-en, not main). No MSG, please."
"SACRILEGE!" they shouted inwardly. 
And on their newfangled computer they clicked and requested.

On the first bite I learned I made a grave mistake. 
Texture, great! Ingredients, fair (needed carrots). Flavor, NONE! Gahhhh.

That's what I get for being a stupid, picky eater and desecrating the cuisine of my ancestors. 

Viable lunch spot though, immaculate and recently remodeled, and fantastically cheap-o-licious!
5 - Meng M.: Cheap. Googd quality. Generally light instead of greazzy. Offers an excellent alternative to Royal East.
4 - I D.: Is this a replacement for Mary Chungs????  It very well could be.  My coworkers and I have had a few of their lunch specials and they were delicious.  I've also had the sushi, which was good as well.  A little pricey for lunch (since I prefer (need!!!) at least 3 rolls for myself), but worth getting every now and again.

I've never dinned in, but beware, it's always packed during lunch time and could be hard to get a table.
3 - A T.: quick takeout, decent delivery, steamed (and not fried, thank goodness) tofu, plus veggie sushi. Oh yeah and lunch specials for $5 or less.  Woohooo. (My inner fat kid is rejoicing).

Oh - and an extra high five to this restaurant for the ridiculous, absurd, and highly amusing fortunes (the perfect reading material after a company meeting):

"You are a fine and distinguished gentleman"
"Find a place where you will feel delighted and peaceful"
"I'm standing right behind you..."

Wait, what?!
3 - Jenny L.: I wanted to love this place because it has a decent menu at decent prices and it was so close to home. Unfortunately, it was just okay. I ordered the peppered toro appetizer and the sushi and sashimi combo. The bf had the chicken and beef teriyaki. 

The serving of peppered toro sashimi was a lot more than what I expected (8 pieces) but was a little to peppery for my taste. Toro was of decent quality. The sushi and sashimi combo was pretty disappointing though. The sashimi was all too chewy and the sushi just wasn't that fresh. I was almost going to reach across to the next table and grab their big bowl of soba noodles cuz it looked so much tastier than my sushi. 

The bf enjoyed the beef and chicken teriyaki. The portions were decent sized and had a great meat to veggie ratio with he appreciated. We did wish that they served some good Japanese beer to go along with the food.

Overall, it was a decent meal at a decent price. If you're in the neighborhood and want some Japanese/Chinese food, this is a good option. I would recommend staying away from the sashimi and only ordering a couple orders of sushi rather than trying to make it your meal.
3 - Shaina P.: Beijing Tokyo (hint of Seoul) offers Chinese, Japanese, and one "Korean" dish.  Go figure.  It's not a fancy place, but it has plenty of seating and the sushi bar's in the back.  They have one TV.  The guy making the sushi was watching basketball even though there was a Red Sox game on. 'tev.  Comparable prices and a large menu.

SERVICE
Anyway, service was odd.  Me and my gal pal were carefully studying the menu, but the waitress (drunk?) kept asking us if we were ready.  This occurred three times in a period of 1.5 minutes.  Whoa.  Then of course when we were ready to leave, no one came with our check!  Oh me, oh my.  In fact, our waitress just hunkered down with a huge bowl of noodle soup for her own dinner even after a solid ten minutes of our waiting.

FOOD
We ordered a couple maki roll dishes: crazy roll with tempura sauce and some mild tuna/avocado roll.  I was VERY pleased with both.  Big fat rolls, nice sized chunks of raw fishies, there's not much more to ask.  The small wonton soup came fairly loaded with wontons (for only $2), but the steamed dumplings had the thick dough, which I'm not the biggest fan of.  After $28, I was satisfyingly filled.

Bonus: Miracle is close by for an after-dinner drink and their big window is now OPEN.
1 - Chanpon N.: Wow, either i went on a very off day or people's taste buds are seriously distorted.  I grew up eating Chinese and other Asian food, and this stuff's nasty.

I had one take out meal for lunch.  It was so gross I've never ventured back.  In fairness, I generally dislike pan-Asian restaurants.  Just like the saying "a jack of all trades, master of none", and master of none this place proved to be.  I really wanted to give this place a try if only because of the lack of closer options for Chinese or Japanese or even Korean for lunch.  

I tried an udon noodle soup that came in a "shoyu soup base" (that's soy sauce soup base, and is common in Japanese noodle soups).  Ugh.  It's not supposed to taste like someone literally diluted soy sauce with water, but that's what my soup tasted like.  The noodles came with the lamest and cheapest of veggies (think of the typical mix you get from the lunch trucks - the bag o' carrots, bean sprouts and cabbage) and those were the accompaniments, with fishballs (which weren't even good).  Folks, this is not even remotely close to good Japanese style or Chinese style soup base.  A 15 cent pack of ramen tastes better.

And if you can't make soup noodles good, I do not trust you to make good sushi or anything else.  Soup noodles are the fast foods of Asia - simple and tastey.  This place is literally one of those bad lunch trucks but with a store facade.  Avoid!!
3 - Wendy H.: I live in Cambridgeport and I order out a lot. For years I've had to withstand Pu Pu Hot Pot's randomly-quality-controlled food, but I've reluctantly stuck with them because they're the cheapest and fastest.

Needless to say, I was quite eager to try out Beijing Tokyo and see if I can break my Pu Pu Hot Pot habit. I had my doubts though because I always feel suspicious about "Chinese-imitating-Japanese" eating joints.  

I ordered some maki from the Chef's Special list, and just to be safe I also ordered salt-peppered pork chop. I also asked for hot sauce to go with the pork chop. To my pleasant surprise, the maki was quite fantastic! Well, not Oiishi quality or anything, but they're just tasty! I was impressed with the creativity displayed in composing the sushi menu. They seem to like using mango a lot. And the pork chop was good too! A bit bony, but tasty. Only Kantin's (at Super 88 Food Connection) and Chinatown's Hong Kong Eatery serve better pork chop. And being Indonesian, I was especially impressed with their chili sauce. It tasted home made, not one of those generic chili-cooked-in-oil sauce, and I thought I could even sniff a hint of mango in there too.

Bye bye Pu Pu Hot Pot!
2 - Anna G.: We ordered in. I was excited by the Japanese while my boyfriend was into the Chinese. Although we are often skeptical of places that offer both, we took the plunge. I had a hard time ordering and being understood by the woman on the phone. The food was delivered quickly (Chicken Lo Mein for him, Tofu Teriyaki for me) but it wasn't great. The teriyaki sauce was sweet- really sweet, almost like sweet and sour. The chicken lo mein was edible but bland. Nothing special. Also (and this is huge) they only gave us one fortune cookie although we ordered two meals. Lame.
3 - Diane And Allen S.: I've been here with my co-workers twice for lunch. The service was sub par and same with the food. 

Last time I was here, I got the wonton soup and vegetable lo mein. The wonton soup was absolutely flavorless with the saddest wontons I have ever seen. The lo mein was OK...definitely had better. My co-workers always get the General Gao's chicken or chicken teryaki with brown rice.
1 - Mabel C.: The food was not good and the service was not good.  I shared the BBQ eel bowl and the spicy korean beef bowl with a friend.  The eel tasted a little off and the korean beef didn't taste korean to me, plus I felt that most of each bowl were made up of rice compared to other rice bowl dishes I've had at other asian restaurants.  The waitress was probably in a bad mood because she never smiled, she gave us our check long before we were finished, came back to flip the checkbook open 10 minutes later, then attempted to seat a couple at our table while we were still eating and the restaurant was more than half empty (the couple requested to sit somewhere else).
2 - Daniel M.: You should know things may not go your way when there are several nationalities represented on the menu.  All told we received food from "Beijing", "Tokyo", and "Bangkok", a city not mentioned in the name...unfortunately none of these cities should be proud of the representation.  

The miso soup was good, but really it's not terribly hard to make that and I like the stuff from a packet so there's that.  I also had the scallion pancakes which were delicious and HUGE.  That was quite the deal, though they hardened up quickly and were nearly inedible by the end of the meal.  The shrimp lo mein left quite a bit to be desired, mainly flavor and salt control.  Seriously, why restaurants pass off salty browned noodles doused in in an even saltier sauce as food is beyond me.  The shrimp were little and a bit sad leaving me to wonder if perhaps they couldn't have ended their time on this earth instead in a packet of instant noodles.  Hours later and my mouth feels dry presumably since I consumed my week's worth of sodium in the lo mein not to mention whatever ungodly chemicals they added to the "sauce".

We had a coupon for free California rolls so we got those as well.  In addition to being a hot rolled mess (they were falling apart) they were warmed by the rest of the food and this just made them even less appetizing.  You can get better sushi from Trader Joe's.  Really.  I did not have the pad Thai but from the looks of it it was simply a large clump of cellophane noodles with a lime.  The sauce came on the side as did the peanuts (that part is a good idea).  Apparently the sauce did nothing to liven the dish up and it was tossed mainly untouched.  The last dish, crab rangoons, had water chestnuts in them which I am told is "cheating" basically using that as filler.  

This place should really pick one style of Asian food and run with it.  The menu is a bit schizo and though they didn't eff up the order, even delivered it fairly fast I wouldn't go back.  That is of course assuming I survive the sodium induced haze that I am currently in...
4 - sean m.: I work around the corner so i frequent B/T at least once a week.

Their General Gau/Tso, whatever its called is pretty good.  Its probably an 8/10 in boston.  Sauce is rich, and dark brown.  

Sesame chicken is fair:  6/10, above average in boston id say.  the chicken is mixed dark and white meat which is to be expected, and the sesames could be toasted a bit more.  dark sause.

chicken and garlic sause:  i think this is their best "standard" chinese food dish,  9/10  ive only had one place that had a better dish, (new shanghai, down in chinatown)  the veggies are crisp and you get a good balance of chicken/veggies.  light brown sause, good spice and good flavor.

their appetizers are fair, all within 4/10 to 6/10, nothing really stands out.  their chicken fingers are bland, tasteless, and they tend to be oily.  same goes for spring rolls, but the other options are quite good.

sushi:  i would rate their sushi at a 6.5/10  its good for a lunch special, but if you want good sushi you go to a sushi place, not a chinese fusion restuarant.

the spicy tuna roll is fresh, and is available with cucumber or crunchy stuff.  id rank that 8/10

the other rolls are pretty good too.


All in all the food is good, but the service is SLOOOOOOWWWW.

but, they have free lolipops, so im cool with that.
2 - patrick w.: This somewhere between two and three stars. The service is fine, but the food is too Westernized for my liking. 

The lunch menu is cheap, but it's just not that tasty. 

There is little to eat for Vegatrians/Vegans.
3 - Amanda B.: They have a huge selection of food at a reasonable price and they deliver to our house.  That being said, nothing is spectacular, but we are usually pleased with what we order.  Delivery is fast and people on the phone are always friendly.
3 - Paolo D.: You have to take this place for what it is - no frills dining at a very reasonable price.  The sushi is great for the price and the staff is always friendly, throwing in an extra rice or orange chicken with each order.  For the money you pay, you get very good value.
4 - Kerri C.: Indeed..."Yay! I'm a fan." Most likely because the service is fast, the delivery service is also fast, and the food is pretty damn good considering the price. I thought what i ordered was delectable both times we consumed food from there. I got the california roll/chicken teriyaki combo with a house salad. MMMMM and the shrimp tempura rolls were HUMUNGOUS and excellent as well. Considering that there are not too many Japanese restaurants very close to us, this is pretty good and passes my exam. i have had MUCH MUCH worse and MUCH MORE Expensive.

The next time we ordered from there we got the Chinese food...to try that part of the joint out.
I enjoyed it. i was being a lil pig that night and decided to try out the PU PU platter for myself, naturally. I wanted to sample all appetizers. I was impressed. All of them were good...the chicken fingers, i would have to say, were the least enjoyable, but the boneless spareribs were good and the beef terriyaki sticks were MMMMMMM.

The BF chowed down on some pork fried rice and an order of boneless spare ribs...he said it was okay. but blah whatever, that is probably the most basic thing anyone could get from anywhere...so i take my own advice. HAH
2 - gerald l.: The food was not good.  The eel tasted weird one time, and the beef tasted weird the next time.  I don't have a problem with a no frills place.  But as soon as I think I am not eating something fresh, I'm outta there.
4 - Nicole B.: We ordered the Crazy Roll, the Tataki Roll, and the General Tao's Chicken (apparently that's how that dish is spelled there), and all were quite good, but especially the Crazy Roll... yum!  They also were fast to deliver and for some reason included a free California Roll (not sure why, but I'm not complaining).
3 - calypso S.: Very good sushi.  They have a unique assortment of special rolls.

I can't recommend the pad thai. It was completely tasteless if you can believe it. 

Have ordered Chicken and green beans, which was tasty.

This place has one of the worst waitresses I've ever encountered. Completely distracted and absolutely no social skills. She must be related to the owner. I've seen a group ask for a different server, she's that bad. It might be wise to order out - that's what we usually do.
4 - Carol C.: Pluses:
+They know my address and phone numbers by heart. Their delivery guy is either the owner (who is supernice!) or random guys who, when they forgot our soda, went out and bought one for us. 
+They get an A++ for customer service. I am always surprised by an extra California Roll or even a meat and rice bowl in our order because we ordered over a certain price. Hooray, next-day lunch!!!
+If you need fast, good Asian-American food, these guys can do it. 
+Sesame chicken is to freaking die for. I know I'm Asian and shouldn't like this stuff...It is hot and fresh, tangy and savory ALWAYS delicious!
+Great menu selection, anything you feel like from Chinese-American staples, to sushi, to even pad thai. 

Deltas:
-I have to admit, they can be hit or miss, especially with their sushi. Once in a while the avocado is a little brown, maybe one time out of the 20 times we've had it the tuna roll just didn't taste good. Love the Spider Roll, only had it bad once out of the 20 times, again. Otherwise, I am NEVER deterred from ordering their sushi! 
-In person, their waitresses can be awkward and a little hard to understand. I've been going here since it first opened, and they are getting better!
4 - Tony X.: greasy chinese food, but i love this place. food is reliable, they give you a lot, and it's very cheap. they also have a japanese counterpart that's less greasy and also offers sushi; it looks healthier but i don't like it as much.
good for the price and one of the few places open 7 days a week around mit - they keep the food court open just for these two restaurants. also... the food is slightly addictive.
2 - Joel R.: The food at Beijing Tokyo is decent and the lunch specials are fairly priced. I've eaten at this restaurant a few times and been happy. Getting take-out/delivery is a different matter, however. The employees communication skills and ability to accurately take down orders by phone are atrocious. I have ordered delivery at least 5 times and their accuracy hovers around 50%. Last time I ordered from here I only received one entree when I had ordered two. What's worse is that the food that they did bring was not at all what I ordered. When I called to complain I got attitude from an unfriendly worker. I wont order from here any more. It's just not worth the aggravation.
4 - Joseph F.: Their chicken teriyaki bowls are a cheap godsend. I've also had general tso's chicken which was among the better I've had in Boston. I wouldn't stray too far from classics like these in a place like this though.
4 - Charlie T.: love thier food.  
Spicy Korean Chicken, Chicken and String Beans, and Sushi Combos are my favs.  I eat there at least once a week for lunch at work) and order takeout from home all the time.  

Sometimes the waitress won't bring back your change (Did they really think $10 bucks on a $30 tab was meant for tip?)  Maybe it would have been, but I like to be given the option.
4 - Bianca T.: Great food, great service ... everything was so delicious !!

can't wait to go back ...
3 - Erica P.: I order from here quite a bit, as it is fairly close and has what I consider decent food.

Plusses:
- Relatively cheap
- Tasty
- Delivery is always super fast
- They have sushi, and it's usually good

Minuses:
- Totally inconsistent. Sometimes the sushi tastes fresh and awesome, other times it reminds me of the pizza slices left out in the rotating heater - stale and a little mushy
- The girls who answer the phone are rude, incompetent, or both. Several times after reading my credit card number, they've had to call me back because they entered it incorrectly. They've also "accidentally" added onto our bill.
- To go along with the inconsistent, sometimes they forget the spicy mayo in my spicy tuna, other times they make it so spicy my eyes water. I want my tuna with just enough kick, dammit. 

We keep ordering from here because it's the least disgusting of all the Chinese/Japanese around us. Generally we are pleased. I guess we'll keep coming back, unless Pu Pu Hot Pot stops sucking so bad.
3 - Keith S.: no frills but good solid food. The soup was a little wanting in quality but the chow fun (broad flat rice noodle) was properly cooked and not too greasy. Lunch specials are reasonably priced.  I really like the fact that there is shrimp shumai - no pork - pure shrimp and stuff and with 8 pieces instead of other places six - It felt like a great gift. Shumai, steamed - delicious and cheap.
4 - Charlie L.: This is my new favorite hole in the wall... within walking distance... serving mixed Asian cusine... in Cambridge. Okay, a lot of qualifiers, but still, shouldn't be discounted. 

Sushi is fresh, the chow-mein too salty, but also too yummy. The egg plant in garlic sauce is delicious. 

The place is a little bit ghetto fabulous (minus the fabulous) and the staff is bit FOB, but super super nice. I wanted a little white rice with my left over eggplant and they sent me home with a small heaping - no extra charge. That's very un-asian (usually asian cafe are staffed with really unfriendly people). 

That uncharacteristic behavior combined with the yummy goodness makes me want to go back again for lunch tomorrow... eventhough I just had dinner there today. May be I'll even go back for dinner again. 

Thumb(s) up... the number of which is in debate, but the key thing is that it's up. Try it.
4 - Chris F.: very clean looking place

got take out though so didn't sit in.  The Chicken in Garlic Sauce is OUTSTANDING!!!! has a little heat to it but the sauce is phenominal

will go back for sure
prices are comparable to other chinese takeout
3 - Andrew C.: This should really be a 3 1/2 star.  The food is pretty tasty but nothing I would drive out of my way for too far.  I work in the area and go there for lunch. Prices are pretty good for the lunch specials and the presentation is nice. The people serving the food are a bit rough and the AC is always blasting in there but I figure they are trying to save the cooks from overheating.  If your looking for Chinese-Japanese near Central/MIT this isn't a bad option.
2 - Ryan L.: Came here right after I arrived in Cambridge after a red-eye flight from San Francisco. First of all, it was not a good idea to eat from the lunch menu at this place at 10 in the morning (7am in San Francisco) because your body just won't be happy with you later in the day (you know what I mean.)
The food was overly greasy but it wasn't that bad considering the price. It is cheaper than Panda Express and the food is a wee bit more authentic but not by that much. I felt that they give a bit too much food that I was somewhat overwhelmed yet I felt an obligation to eat everything! Don't recommend it unless you are an absolute lover of Panda Express.
2 - Trevor B.: I ordered delivery from Beijing Tokyo.

Pros: Cheap for the quantity of Japanese food; prompt arrival; good packaging (including plenty of chopsticks, soy sauce and little trays).

Cons: Low quality. Also, the Sushi Sampler I ordered was supposed to come with miso soup, which was nowhere to be found.

The main entree was the Sushi Sampler, which I ate as soon as it arrived. The nigiri looked great, but it didn't taste very fresh. (I'm sure there are days when it's better.)

The veggie combo was even worse. Sweet egg? Fried rice balls? Yikes. When I order veggie sushi, I expect, say, eggplant, green beans, and yam. None were to be found.

There was also a pad thai. I suppose you should lower your expectations for pad thai from a non-Thai restaurant. It was basically a big pile of tasty noodles, with not much else.

Appetizers: The spring rolls were cheap, but deep-fried and bland. An avocado salad was basically what you'd get if you stirred avocado, crab and mayo together--not bad, but not something you'd want to eat a lot of.

Oh, and there was a very lackluster vegetable tempura--soggy, overcooked, thin slices of vegetables.

The one (relative) high point was the vegetable soup: thick broth and a good number of tasty veggies. Not exactly an exotic delicacy, but you get lots of soup for the money (it's $4.50 and could be a meal by itself).

In sum: I should've ordered from Ginger Exchange instead.
3 - Farrah K.: Aww, a lot of so-so reviews for this place.

I use to work right around the corner so I have had lunch here probably 50+ times. Once I had take-out. Two wildly different sorts of experiences when it came to quality, so let me begin!

At lunch, this place is usually packed. It's small and the food is good and they are efficient, so a lot of people that work in the Kendall and Central area come here. Get there early. My colleagues and I would arrive around 11:30 to get a table.

As you may discern from their name they serve both Chinese and Japanese menu items. I always got the sushi. I always loved the sushi. I think its very yum dining in! YAY for pink lady roll (I uploaded a photo) and standard fare such as spicy crunch tuna etc etc.

Service: I feel like the wait staff are always super spaced out and usually confused. For the most part, its harmless, I mean they are nice and I get my sushi so I'm ok with it. Just wanted to warn you if you haven't been here, to expect a bit of "doo-ta-doo-ta-doo, what? where am I and who are you?" from the waitstaff.

Take-out: Such a sad story I have to tell: My friend who was preggo and denied the divine pleasures of sushi while gestating had finally given birth. I was going to the hospital to meet her new pretty bundle of joy when she had only one request. "Bring me sushi to the hospital! I want sushi it's been 9 months!" 

Frantically I raced to Beijing Tokyo after placing an order. I arrived and it was waiting in a stapled brown bag. Off I rushed to the hospital with said bag to my darling friend. 

"WTF is this crap you brought me?" OH NO! Sushi quality went from 4 stars to 1 star on take-out. I've never had take-out from them since. BUT for lunch do go, it's sooooo good!
3 - Winston R.: Good example of good bad Chinese food. Has that urban Chinese flavor with large portions just how I like it. Had the kung po chicken and the spicy yellowtail both delicious. not knock your socks off good but will scratch that Chinese food itch
4 - Ella C.: I have worked in the Kendall Square/MIT area since 1999 and despite being so close and "knowing the area like the back of my hand" I finally "discovered" this place about a week ago.

The pad thai was decent, as were the appetizers, but the sushi was really good.  I've since gone back a few times for more sushi and have yet to be disappointed.  It's much better than the stuff that you'd get over at the food court, and fills the yearning for sushi in the middle of the day.  And now that I know they deliver, the danger has grown.

My only complaint is that the place gets so busy around noon that flagging down a server is near impossible.  Usually getting up and walking to the register helps, even if it's just for a drink refill.   Otherwise, it's a great little hole in the wall that serves up some good food that is worth the money.
4 - herp d.: I just tried this place for the first time and I'd definitely order from them again. 

The sushi pizza (Diced sashimi, seaweed salad, and spicy mayo on a scallion pancake) is really good. The pancake was crisp, the seaweed was flavorful, but the mayo wasn't spicy at all. 

Their udon soup was really tasty as well; The noodles were perfectly done and the broth was wonderful. Just the right amount of veggies, too. The seafood was a little overcooked, but since it was both a hot soup and delivered, I was expecting that (The squid was the only thing that was unpleasant to eat, but squid overcooks so easily that this is easily forgiven). 

Their spicy tuna rolls aren't very spicy, but the California rolls were good (I normally don't go for them, but I had a coupon).

Fast delivery (And a nice delivery guy), not TOO expensive, and the girl on the phone was nice and spoke English very well, which is always a plus. Would definitely order again.
4 - Mike P.: There's a lot of fancier Chinese or Sushi places I'd rate at 4 stars that I like better, but they cost a lot more too.  For the price, this is definitely a 4 star for me. 

The sushi so far has been great.  I've gotten takeout 3 times, and ordered large platters each time to host groups.  The quality was very good--better than Blue Fin, worse than Fugakyu.  

The Chinese food was surprisingly decent.  My favorite so far is the General Gao Tofu dish--it's been a little inconsistent in how it's been cooked, i.e., sometimes it's crispy, sometimes it's soggy, but it's always tasty.  

With ambience, it's not the place a young cosmopolitan couple would love, or where a dude would get points for taking a girl out on a first (or 20th) date, but for MIT-type college kids or a family that just wants to get out, it's perfect.  It's a nice place to sit down and have an unpretentious meal.
3 - Brenna D.: Food was mediocre, but did satisfy my edamame craving. The crab rangoon was a little soggy. 

Delivery took an hour, and the guy actually asked for his tip. I was tipping, but clearly he wasn't happy with the amount.
1 - Helen S.: I had a research conference at MIT, and my dad works in Boston so we met up for lunch here. The server was extremely rude. There was no one else eating there, but she was just on the phone for a really long time, so we called for her attention and it still took her another 5 minute to get over to our table. She also never checked on us and seemed really impatient, and everything was pretty slow. 

I ordered the Pink Lady Roll with avocado sauce and I thought it was pretty terrible, and I didn't taste any avocado at all. My dad got an eel roll and it was average.
3 - Arnie F.: Due to the convenience of the location, I have tried the majority of dishes available here. With the exception of the pad thai, all were pretty mediocre. The pad thai was not very good and tasted nothing like I would expect pad thai to taste. I only made the mistake of dining at the restaurant once and was met with very poor service. If I return, it will be only for pick up or delivery.
2 - Chris C.: Delivery didn't take long and the food was just ok, but the guy delivering the food must have been having a bad day since he basically yelled at me for not picking up my phone (which never rung).  Aren't you suppose to ring the buzzard anyways? Won't be ordering from them again.
5 - Janis C.: I've never been to this restaurant before, so I can't comment on it's ambiance. However, I've ordered delivery from this place a couple of times and their food has always been very good and the delivery staff have always been nice. What gives this place a "5", however, is the fact that I'd placed an order through a 3rd-party delivery website, and for some reason, they did not receive the coupon order for our free dish (we'd ordered more than $50 worth of food). They sent a driver over with our free order anyway -- now that's customer service! Problem resolved, with no hassle. I'll definitely continue ordering from them again.

EDIT: 04/02/12
Ruh-roh. The 3rd party delivery website did a follow-up to see what was wrong with the ordering system and why Beijing Tokyo wasn't receiving the coupons, and it turns out that the coupon _was_ listed on the order after all. Mistakes happen, so I'll let the "5 star" stay, and besides that, they really didn't put up a fuss or argue about a free entree. Hopefully Beijing Tokyo will be more careful with their orders the next time, however.
3 - Sharon O.: A-OK sushi for decent prices in the middle of Cambridge.
You can order by phone or "foodler" (an ordering service linked on their website), then run over and pick it up (or get it delivered, for a fee). I highly recommend this, as one person in our party didn't order ahead and it seemed like it took forever for their food to be prepared. Very few people (just one table) were eating inside the restaurant while we were there picking up.

The sweet potato had eel sauce on it- yum, can't get enough of that.
Spicy tuna was just a tad spicy, and the tuna wasn't the freshest but I didn't get sick or die. Hooray! Choosing a vegetable and a fish roll put me at $10 for lunch. 

Besides sushi, they also have other Japanese and Chinese food.
Other reviewers don't seem to think this is the place to get Thai food (which apparently is on the menu but I didn't even see).

Their Chinese lunch specials are cheaper that sushi (sorry for being captain obvious here), so I'll give that a try next time.
1 - Christopher F.: There are multiple reasons why I gave this place 1 star:

Reason #1:

I have never encountered a sushi place that cooked its fish. Sushi grade fish should never be cooked. I order a salmon roll from here and was stunned to see this. The taste, texture and flavor that I am accustomed to experiencing was dramatically altered once this cooked salmon was put into the sushi. Based on this fact I have drawn two conclusions about the fish and therefore the quality of the place itself:

Sub-reason 1. Either the fish is not sushi-grade , which would make sense for such a small place in Kendall Square.
Sub-reason  2. The fish has been sitting around and maybe so bacteria-riddled that cooking it was the only solution for selling such poor fish.

Reason #2:

The food court in Kendall Court has been notorious for having failed food inspections and for having reported rat droppings in multiple restaurants: Beijing Tokyo and Teryiaki Cafe included. It is important for everyone in the Yelp community to know about the health hazards eating at such places cause. 

Do NOT waste your money here folks.
4 - Ross G.: GREAT food! and GREAT service, tough to find both in MA for sure! Honorable mentions, the General Gau's chicken, and terriyaki. I've had several things off of the menu, and NEVER have had a bad meal here. The (hot) green tea is also very good! Great for lunch!

Beirut Restaurant - Troy, NY (42.729976, -73.693921) ()
4 - Nick P.: 3.5 stars Beirut is where a different Lebanese place was and I think it has changed ownership. 

The family that own it are wonderfully nice and pleasant to talk with. They seem like very hard working people who offer delicious food.

Their baba ghannouj was smokey and delicious. I had a chicken shawarma wrap, and my friends got the falafel. Both were excellent.

Im taking one star away because it was a little disorganized. All of our meals came out at different times. I was given some free stuffed grape leaves that did make up for it.  But we all did kind of wait around watching other people eat. 

To be fair, at the time we went the whole place filed up at once and they called in some re-enforcements. 

Talking with the owner is a little tricky since English is his 3rd language and he is translating from French. He is an architect and could not fund work in America. He is also a skilled painter and his images are on the walls. 

I am taking a half star off for using all paper plates and plastic forks. Plastic and paper do not match the integrity of the food here. 

They are keeping a 4 star rating because they have something that is so special that when the secret gets out they never be able to keep up.  It's some kind of garlic dipping sauce. It is smooth, creamy and perfectly sublime in richness and flavor. It's mind numbingly good, and stayed with me all day. Get it, you will love it.
4 - Timothy T.: Beirut has changed owners recently and rebranded from "Albaraki", which has another restaurant in Albany, I believe. Its family owned and run, and its wonderful to hear the owner's stories of Lebanon.

They have a standard Lebanese menu. I'm vegetarian, and their falafel, hummus, and grape leaves are excellent. My friends who have gone and had the chicken and beef dishes also report that it is very good. They have a small lunch buffet during lunch hours that offers a half dozen or so dishes in an all-you-can-eat fashion, and some of the soups and other non-menu dishes they offer during this time are great.

The food is rather cheap, especially for the quality and volume you receive. The decor and atmosphere is low-key and casual. The one thing that prevents me from bringing my friends in more often is the paper dining-ware. Styrofoam plates and plastic forks really shouldn't be used, though its understandable with only 2 people usually working. I'd like to see them expand and add more employees, better tables and chairs, and actual dishware in the future. I still very much enjoy their food and often make the trip down the hill from RPI to grab lunch.
3 - Jess P.: Is it possible for service to be TOO friendly? 

I've been to Beirut twice now and each time, was amazed at just how friendly the family that runs the place is. I felt like I was in some relative's living room with food being pushed on me. 

The food here is good. It's also extremely affordable. If I'm being completely honest, I think the food at Al Baraki in Albany is a teeny bit better, but you can't really eat in there. At Beirut you can actually have a sit down meal and  it's BYOB. How cool is that? Being able to bring in your own bottle of wine is fantastic. 

Beirut is run by a young man, his parents and his sister. When last there with my mother, I think we were asked no less than 10 times if we needed anything else and if we were enjoying our food. There were a few moments when it became almost comical, such as when we were approached by two separate family members just minutes apart while both of us had just taken big bites and were unprepared to answer how our food was. 

I hesistate to complain about overly friendly service. Obviously I would much, much, much prefer this to rude or indifferent service. And this isn't really a complaint, so much as it is an observation -- there were a few moments when the service seemed so eager to please that it was almost a little uncomfortable. But the emphasis is on that "almost."

Here are a couple of things I would change in order to keep with their eager-to-please attitude: Serve the tea in real mugs and not small styrofoam cups. Real glasses with ice for the water would also be preferable. Maybe I'm being anal, but there's just something too incongruous about being served food on real plates and drinks in paper cups. 

I have to agree with Nick P., it is a little disorganized at times. But you feel kind of bad about even noticing it. If you're the type of person who's a very private eater and wants to be more or less left alone, Beirut may not be for you. But if you love garlic, shwarma, grape leaves and other Middle Eastern dishes, and you enjoy getting to know who's feeding you, then Beirut may be up your alley. 

The
4 - Randal P.: I agree with others about the very friendly proprietors.  Really made our visit special.  Food was first rate, too.  If I lived closer, I'd be there every week.
4 - Torben O.: Service with a smile? Special requests? Belly Dancers and the waifing smells of a hooka filled with Lebanese Re....ok no belly dancers or "smoke,"  but a nice down to earth family that tries really really hard to please you. 

Falafel's, Batata with Garlic Sauce, Excellent Lebanese coffee to wash down some sticky baklava.....damn cheap, damn good and damn filling.
4 - Skye J.: Wonderful! I have to echo a lot of what everyone else says: the food is incredible, and service *is* unusually friendly, but I wish they would get rid of the paper plates/cutlery!

Beirut is in a tiny shop on River Street, and this family-run place has done its best trying to pretty the place up with artwork by the owner, but it's definitely a casual meal out as far as atmosphere goes. Everything is excellent -  
  * falafel
  * tabbouleh
  * garlic sauce
  * grape leaves
  * hummus
  * I was especially fond of the eggplant moussaka and moujadara (lentils) for main dishes. 
  * Zaatar and spinach was good - but not quite as good as the above two. 

It's all fresh, flavourful and it feels healthy to me - there's not much oil or grease used in preparation. I liked the desserts very much. I think my favourite is not on the menu - it was a delicious date cookie. It was chewy and just sweet enough from the rich date flavour.

Onto the nitpicks - yes, it would be so much better with Real plates and real knives and forks. Also, a selection of drinks that was not just from the fridge. And get rid of the Liptons tea bag in a styrofoam cup... it's just not cool.

But overall the place is a delight and an incredibly good deal for some wonderful food :-)
5 - Kathryn S.: I love this place!  Service is friendly and attentive and they have a wide variety of menu options.  Its often hard to settle on one item alone.  I also have to say that they serve the BEST hummus I've EVER had!  I have tried hummus over and over again but never like it.  This time I was shocked and pleased to find that Beirut has perhaps the best hummus you'll find out there!  Very small establishment and casual atmosphere.  A great place to go if you're looking for something new or if you want something affordable and casual.  If you go, be sure to try both the hummus and falafel.  Both are top notch!  A pleasure and I WILL be back...again and again!
5 - JB R.: It's cheap, the food is pretty good, and the service is amazing. The family that runs it treats you like a friend, and will constantly bring out new food for you to try, for free. My favorite lunch place in Troy.
5 - Vincent C.: I love everything about this restaurant. 

Every time I walk in Beirut, I am treated like family with a super-warm greeting and even warmer service. The food is genuine, delicious, and you will not leave hungry. 

If you have never tried Lebanese, they will be happy to help you find what will like. They will also make you anything you want, as long as it is reasonable.
3 - Megan E.: I think this is more a 3.5, I'm having a really hard time grading this place. 

Like everybody said in the previous posts, the food is really good. I ordered a shesh kebob and maybe it was me but the meat was a little too dry for me, and I'm not a fan of yogurt sauce it doesn't sit well for some reason. The spice that they put on it was perfect, the owner said he wouldn't go crazy but just enough, and he did. I appreciate that he can pretty much tell by looking at you how much you REALLY want. Thats a plus. My boyfriend ordered Beef Shawarma, I enjoyed the flavoring of his meat better. The hummus, rice, and salad was delicious. as well. Although the salad was a little weird, It was hard to get the pieces in my mouth, but it was delicious.

We also ordered dessert to go and got the two different kinds of Baklawa they had to offer. My boyfriend favored the shredded one, and I preferred the standard type, but they were both delicious, and probably the main reason I'd come back. 

The hippy in me had to take a star away because I was served a plastic water bottle, and paper plates, and plastic forks. I don't use these things at my house, I really only use them as a last resort, I think that as a restaurant you should be more counties of the environment, I shutter to think how much waste is produced from this restaurant as a result of the paper/plastic. 

The service was quick, efficient, and super friendly. 

Fun fact you can bring in your own wine. 

I also took .5 away because even though I found their coupon in an entertainment book they said they no longer accept them, I understand that they probably can't afford to take them, but it's slightly disappointing coming to a place in hopes of using it to find out you can't. 

I felt like I just walked out of a friends house when I left, so friendly, great food, and plastic utensils. I think everyone in troy should go there, and maybe everyone should suggest real plates.
5 - E. M.: my dad eats here every day. i think he's addicted. amazing service, great hummus. very good!
5 - Rita V.: I should've written my review way back when I visited Beirut back in September last year.  I just found my notes and am actually pretty embarrassed that I didn't write it sooner.  This little hole-in-the-wall, is a family run establishment.  It is TRULY a hole-in-the-wall, where service is as honey dripping sweet as their home made baklava.  Everything is made fresh, everyday, portions are healthy and you feel very welcome and at home!  We ordered almost everything on the menu, and still couldn't get enough!  The owner spent quite time talking with us about his family history (I kept asking!), his ties back to MA and a very well recognized jeweler he is related to, the art work and his children.  Extremely friendly folks, who put their heart and soul into their meals.  They serve a garlic excessive yogurt sauce that would make cardboard edible and keep dracula away for a week, and man, we couldn't get enough of it - we dipped FRIES in it!  Their lentils are fantastic, as were the falafel, lamb, salad, rice and other items on our table.  We literally sampled almost EVERYTHING on the menu, for a fraction of any of our normal meals.  It is a no frills "cafeteria-style" place, plastic utensils and paper plates people! where the food is awesome, flavorful, inexpensive and service is warm and friendly!  So why is it a 5 star in my book?  Because you can't beat the value and the soulfulness of simple food really well made, exceptionally well made, that has the character and the passion of the people that cook for you and take your business to heart.  Yes, even I can find 5 star dining in a hole in the wall.  And I'm glad I did - this is GREAT Lebanese food, served and prepared by some really down to earth people!
4 - Francesca C.: As previously mentioned in others' reviews, the staff is super friendly. It's family owned so they try extra hard to sell you on the home cooking/"treat this like your home" setup they've got going. Some may take this as intrusive but I welcome this friendliness as it is unfortunately a rare occurrence in New York. Think of this place as going to your friend's house and he still lives with his parents who are constantly cooking and offering you delicious meals. I never had a Lebanese friend growing up but if I did, I'd imagine this is what their parents' cooking would taste like.

And what about the food? Well, speaking of rare, I rarely like stuffed grape leaves, but I loved them here. I've also never really liked baklava but I loved it here. The hummus was amazing. The falafel wasn't too greasy like some others I've tasted in the area.

Yes, they use paper plates and styrofoam cups - so what? It honestly didn't affect my meal. Sure, it'd be great if this "cheapness" was reflected in the bill (sampler for 2 + garlic fries + baklava = $30) but the food, staff and hours (which they are willing to bend for anyone) are worth it.
4 - Beau C.: Good food for a good price. VERY friendly people and I go there about once a week.
2 - Siobhan S.: The owner's father greeted me before I even walked into the restaurant and was very friendly.  I love falafel (more along the lines of an addiction) and was excited to see so many good reviews for this place.  While the falafel itself was delicious, how many stars do I give for just falafel?  The rest of the meal was barely mediocre :-(
I ordered the falafel wrap and french fries with their "famous" garlic sauce.  I was first disappointed that they didn't have tzaziki, I have never been to a place that didn't offer it with their falafel.  I got it with just the tahini, which was pretty tasty, though.  I was first brought out my wrap and was told, the fries would be a while as "it is homemade".  I was perfectly ok with that as I was looking forward to what I thought would be real potatoes, cut up and fried or baked topped with a tasty garlic sauce.
When I bit into my wrap, the first thing I tasted was not the yummy falafel, but the stale pita bread :-(  As I was eating, the father came in with a huge box, put it on the table across from mine, and said, "fresh bread!"  Bummer, guess I just missed out on the fresh stuff....Like I said before, the falafel itself was amazing, the perfect texture and not too salty like a lot of places make it.  The tahini was delicious as well, but unfortunately, those flavors were overpowered by the stale bread...
Finally my fries arrived as I was nearing the end of my wrap (and I'm an incredibly slow eater); I was so excited until he placed the paper bowl down on the table, I looked inside and saw: frozen french fries topped with a small blob of white garlic sauce.  My face went straight from :-D to :-(  Seriously, frozen french fries??  For $4 and about a 30 minute wait?  Granted, the garlic sauce was good, but not good enough to ignore the fact that it was covering frozen french fries....I guess that's what I get for ordering french fries at a middle eastern restaurant...
On top of it all, there were flies buzzing around my head and the food throughout my entire meal, not really what you want to see.
If I went back, I'd probably order a falafel dinner in hopes that the sides it came with were as good as the falafel itself.
4 - Joni H.: I have been hearing about this place for a while, and finally just visited Beirut this past weekend.  This is a hole in the wall, but it is so cute!  The owner greeted us at the door and is really a sweet man.  I shared the mezza plate, and then ordered the falafel plate as an entree.  I was practically licking the plate at the end of the meal.  Definitely wish I left room for dessert - perhaps next time!
3 - Mike L.: The owner is very friendly and eating here you will feel like part of the family. It is very relaxed here as far as restaurants go. Paper plates and bottles of water. I'm not a huge fan of this type of food but I went with a group of friends who all raved about it so don't take my word too seriously. The garlic fries are very good and worth the wait. The falafel wasn't bad but I didn't especially care for the hummus. The baklava looks a little plain but was one of the best I've had.
5 - Cecee P.: Very homie !!!!! Delicious :)
3 - Yang Z.: The owner is really friendly, however, the food I ordered is below my expectation, the beef is so dry.
3 - Rob S.: Beirut came highly recommended by a few friends. I can see why they like the place, but I'm not sure there's enough awesome to totally outweigh the not-so-awesome.

The restaurant is a relatively small place on River St. with street parking. There is an air conditioner above the front door, but it was not in use when we were there on a fairly hot day. We decided to sit outdoors instead of being too warm inside. We were sitting in front of an apartment building's front door, so we were greeted by the people leaving. We were close enough to the street that someone getting into her car had to ask another dude to move his chair so she could get her door open. Slightly awkward.

The owner as super friendly. After your first visit, you're family, he said. There was a clear understanding that making people wanted and appreciated is important. More restaurants should make people feel that way. This would be a 2ish star place without the exceptionally friendly service.

I asked for water and was given bottled water. I don't remember whether we were charged for the bottles of water. We ordered what amounted to be a sampler plate for two ($16) plus a large order of garlic fries ($7). The sampler plate came out quickly and included tabouli, falafel (4), baba ganush, hummus, dolma, and a couple small vegetables with nuts on them. A basket of pita wedges came with it. I'm not sure anything was absolutely outstanding but I also didn't dislike any of the items.

A not-so-large basket of fries arrived once we were done. The timing was not ideal. Something about the fryer being small so it takes a while. In addition, ketchup was not available. The garlic paste was good, but it was a little intense and dry without ketchup or some other sauce. The fries themselves were fairly standard fries you'd get at a diner or whatever. Nothing special. Not sure they're worth $7. In fact, I'm sure they're not worth $7. There's a $4 small size, but I can't imagine how few you'd get for that.

For dessert, I got baklawa ($3ish). There were 2 pieces, each good enough for a small dessert for one person. It was pleasantly not super sweet as it was not drenched in syrup, but that also made it a little dry.

All of the service items were paper, styrofoam, or plastic aside from the baskets the pita and fries were served in. It felt very not upscale with prices that would imply upscale. This place could be a lot better if the food came out all at once and non-disposable service items are used. I'd be more comfortable paying the menu prices if it felt more like a serious restaurant rather than a family gathering.

I might go back to get a falafel or try shawarma to go at some point, but I'd probably swing by a fast food place on the way home to get more fries for less money and in less time.
3 - Charlotte H.: Tried this place based on the good reviews and also walking distance from my school. 

The owner is extremely friendly. So friendly it's almost awkward.

The food is good enough.
4 - sukruth s.: Tried this place on a weekday evening, as others have mentioned, the owners are very friendly. 
The restaurant quite small, but the food is very good, I tried the baba ghanoush, and the shawarma platter, the salad has a good lemony taste to it, overall a pretty good place and definitely worth visiting, I would be repeating to try other dishes.

The dessert selection is allright, but the bakalava was a little dry for my taste.
5 - Michael G.: Beirut is home to the greatest falafel ever made.  Eli is my personal buddy.
5 - Ed J.: A hole in the wall Lebanese place- the baba ghannouj, shawarma, and falafel are outstanding.  The owner and his father work the store and both are ridiculously nice.  It's also super affordable.  This is really some of the better shawarma I've had anywhere, even compared to Israel.

Bel Air Country Club - Los Angeles, CA (34.0797945, -118.4505625) (Bel Air)
4 - Annie L.: The Bel-Air Country Club boasts gorgeously verdant grounds, unmatched panoramic views of UCLA and beyond, and its white Swinging Bridge.  

When you're out there, you're filled with a feeling of peace and well-being -- definitely a rare feeling when you're in LA!
1 - Greg B.: Was at a reception there this weekend
WORST FOOD I have had in a Long time.  Even my wife said Denny's would have been better. 

Service was HORRIBLE.   They couldn't wait to take the food off the table. I guess they knew it was bad too).   The waiter almost tossed the plates on the table and of course knew SO LITTLE about being a waiter he served all the men at the table first.

Salad:   Good (could have uses some flavor in the -almost missing- dressing

Main Course:   What was it ?  Nobody at the table could tell.  Chicken, Pork?   Looked like something they could have purchased premade at Costco (Oops if it was from Costco it would have had SOME flavor)   "Frenched Beans"   Not too bad,   Baby Carrots (They did Not come out bad). Risoto .. Cold and sticky.

Desert.   Cow Plop with Iced Milk on top.  (Again what was it.) Could have used some decent Thrifty Ice CREAM instead of the refrozen bargin brand they did use.

Valet Parkers;   GOOD FAST SERVICE

Bar Staff:  OK but "to" ready to go home once the meal was served... And what is this $6.00 for a Diet coke...  OK  $6.00 for a Beer wasn't bad.  BUT for a glass of Ice with some Diet coke ?!!
4 - Todd H.: I was a guest with my Uncle for approximately 15 years.  Usually came down during winter in Utah to enjoy some sunshine and bump shoulders with some movie stars and I did see my share.  I, however, knew my place and kept a respectable distance and didn't get strange.  I laughingly would say, "I could kick his ass."   Of course I am 6'4" and weigh 250 lbs.  By best score was an 82 and I did Eagle the first hole once.  I will never get to play again because my Uncle Theron died of cancer a few years ago.   I am a former professional landscaper so appreciated the detail in the grooming and maintenance of the grounds even in the winter.  I can only imagine the Spring and Summer beauty.  The greens are superb.  The course is challenging, yet playable.  You need to know how to play with all your clubs to obtain a respectable score.  That's what makes it so fun.  I am a long ball hitter and it's not just a driver and a 8 or 9 iron onto the green.  Each hole requires thinking and the right club.  The clubhouse served great meals.  Fresh Orange Juice was always my favorite and they do make a great hot chocolate.

Bel Frites - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2789496, -120.663211) ()
5 - Chantal D.: They're open late with a great choice of munchies. Sure it's just fries, but don't you sometimes want JUST FRIES? Cuz I do. Maybe it's a girl craving thing... Try the Jamacian Jerk seasoning and Mango Chutney dipping sauce. Mmm, amazing, especially after hours of gallavanting at the bars.

p.s. i LOVE how they're super clean. even the deep fryers are still shiny and not gross-looking like at some other places..

New edit:
I realized, that this place is the reason why I started to REALLY like beer as a beverage to accompany food, and not just alcohol to get totally smashed off of. (Though it serves the latter purpose very well haha.) Thanks, Bel Frites, now I'm obsessed with Stella Artois!!! But not as obsessed as I am with these beautiful fries. Ohhh man.
5 - Franz v.: YUM!!! I'm really happy to see that there's finally a great place to get some Belgian Fries in SLO. Bel Frites knows how to fry 'em up just right, with a nice golden crispyness on the outside, and a delicious lightness on the inside. Those who haven't had proper fries, don't be fooled, it's a tougher art-form than you might think.

With a myriad of dipping sauces and seasoning choices, skip the ketchup and try something zesty, you'll be glad you did!

Check it out!  And if you go here late-night after closing time, TIP WELL!! These people have to work while you play, so show a little love.
5 - Albert C.: Garlic Fries... enough said. Plus 10 stars for being next to DTB!
3 - Kyu K.: I really think this place is overrated.  The fries are a good late-night snack once the bars close down but they're not amazing.  When I went, the fries with any kind of seasoning were too salty and the sauces (I tried wasabi and thai i think?) weren't even that good.  I think next time i'll just go for traditional garlic fries...
3 - Ralff d.: If you are craving fries -- well this is the place . . . . but 

Two of us split a small order of fries (very good), selected two toppings (okay) and shared a Chimay ale (good, but $8.50 for a small bottle). 

The person behind the counter could not tell me anything about the selection of Belgium beers, over that pointing to the same list posting on the wall and in the menu. 

Bottom line, great fries, but after spending just over $20 (including a tip for miss clues about beers) and considering the small portion and one drink was shared between two of us -- well it seems like an expensive outing for a snack. ($20 at most any place will get you alot more food, service and product knowledge) But they do go their fries down pat!
4 - Don L.: I'll be honest, I don't even particularly like fries and I couldn't tell you what makes Belgian Fries different from any other French fries or other fry varieties. But I must say that these fries were good. I enjoyed them thoroughly. On my visit I had unseasoned fries and "Old Bay" seasoned fries. I had the spicy chipotle aioli, garlic pepper mayo, and fiery "essence" ketchup. I was happy with all of them. I'm not much of a mayo fan but the prominent without overpowering taste of garlic with the taste of fresh pepper won me over. Spicy doesn't seem to mean as much today as it once did but the chipotle sauce actually had a bite to it that didn't punish you for feeling daring. The fiery ketchup which I would have assumed would be too "ketchupy" was not. I would like to try some more of their sauces especially the peanut satay and the sweet thai?. More than just the food the atmosphere is simple and inviting. The decor is very bright and sunny as was the disposition of the woman who helped us. A pleasant surprise for any uninitiated.
4 - Amy W.: The best fries I've ever had, anywhere. 

I really wish I could've gone to Bel Frites more when I was living down south, but a.) it's kinda pricey and I was broke a lot and b.) it has really odd hours and I missed them a few times. Minus one star for both reasons. :(

My favorite pairing: Classic Frites Seasoning (garlic, paprika, chili pepper) + good old fancy ketchup. Call me boring, but it's delightful.

Brb, looking for a Belgian fry place nearby...
2 - Janina U.: how do you get a former yelp elite member to write a review after being on a 5-month hiatus?  go get her to get some over-OVER-over-over-OVVVVVER (did i say over?) over-overpriced sliced potatoes deep fried in what i can hope is 0% trans fat oil, season it with some oregano seasoning you can get for free at Backstage Pizza (the local university's pizza joint) and pay like 95% of your total cost to the best tasting mango chutney sauce ever.  that's how you can get me to revive my amahzuzzzzing yelping habit.

anywho, back to some critical criticisms.  this place is way overpriced for potato fries and dip.  really? $6.03 for a medium seasoned fries with dipping sauce. UM. no.  i would even say getting 2 of those wetzel pretzels for the same price of one medium bel frites fries would be better.  then you'd get two dipping sauce and be more filled with doughy goodness.  ugh, i can't believe i dished out $6.03 for fries while i was SOBER.  ugh... they totally are strategically located next to the bars and open til 2:30 just to snag 75% of their daily sales from them drunkies....

i guess i was just craving a new place to get my snack on while being up late. FRICK. never again. i would say if i was going to splurge on fries, i'd go across the street to big sky cafe and get them sweet potato fries. OMG, those are the best.  can i get those to-go?

sorry to those who thought it was awesome. like, maybe you guys are rich beeeyotches or something, not a poor starving student. save your money for a super burrito or something.
4 - Brad S.: Deep Fried + Intoxicated =  Good combo

Being here many times I finally was sober enough to remember the experience for a honest review.  The staff here is really helpful, they have helped me pair seasonings and sauces when I have been to lazy and drunk to do it myself.  Plus I am sure they put up with a lot of shit, So I credit them for that.  I probably wouldn't come here during normal daytime hours, but it is a good snack late night.  When you are buying drinks that cost five bucks a piece, these fries are not a bad value.  You guys must be too sober.
4 - Nick K.: I really appreciate this honest establishment. Every time I come here, the owner is always working hard, but manages to still be nice despite the drunken idiots coming from surrounding bars. I love coming here with the girlfriend and ordering fries and one of their many fine belgian beers. The combination is really magical. Support this place, and try not to be too much of a drunken fool.
4 - kate r.: Belgian fries are not regular old french fries. They are twice fried and come with some form of fancy mayo-based dipping sauce. 

If you want cheap fries just go to Wendys and you'll get your fix. But if you want some solid fries you can go here, and pay the price for them, cause they're not cheap, but they're worth it!

Other sources of awesome Belgian fries: Pommes Frittes, NYC; Frjtz, SF; and NOPA, SF.
4 - Brian K.: Yes, they are "just" fries.  But they are made well and yummy.

The sauces are fun.  You can sit back, relax, talk, eat.  It takes a while to eat all those little fries.  And they have beer!

Anybody reading this that hasn't tried it, get over there on your next night out.  It doesn't hurt and you may just like it.   ;)
4 - jennie k.: We were starvin' after some late night hot spring.... decided to check this place out since I love fries and sauces!! It was around 12am, and they were still opened!! Awesome!! It was next to a pretty happenin' bar/club!  Since we were the only customers there... our order came out fast and fresh!! The fries were awesome!! We've got the trio sauces, and it was pretty yummy too.  It's too bad we don't leave around that area, or else I would be there all the time!!  hehe..
4 - marisa r.: super awesome belgian beer selection, but not cheap of course.  My husband found they had his fav St. Bernardus 12... was stoked!  Their fries were delish and they had so many different dipping sauces/seasonings... it took us a few minutes to decide what combo to get.  We finally agreed on the Togarashi seasoning (we loved this seasoning in Japan.) and got some spicy Chipotle sauce.  yum.

so it's really unique place, just belg beer and fries.  and they're open so late (230), it would be great after a nite out...
4 - Carol L.: Genius business idea.  Pick a seasoning, pick a sauce.  You're in, you're out.  
$4.60,  $5.60, $6.60 for the small, medium, and large, respectively.  They also sell Belgian beers to enjoy with your Belgian fries!

Seasoning options:  Jamaican Jerk, Barbeque, Lemon Pepper, Cajun Chili Essence, Old Bay, Togarishi, Thai Tiger, Herbs de Provence, Firehouse Tailburner, Fresh Garlic & Parsley.

Sauces: Roasted Red Pepper Aioli, Curry Mango Chutney, Classic Ranch, Wasabi Sour Cream, Smoky Chipotle Aioli, Garlic Honey Mustard, Mustang Ranch Adobo, Peanut Satay, Dill Creme Fraiche, Garlic Pepper Mayo, Fire Roasted Essence Ketchup

That should be enough to have gotten your mouth salivating!  See uploaded pics for yumminess and suggested sauce/seasoning pairings.  Casual, quick, and easy.  They're also open late and located next door to DTB, one of the most popular bars downtown... like I said, GENIUS!  I mean, it's minimal labor with high profit!  The Poly professor who started this must be ballin' by now!
4 - Michaela L.: I was on vacation in Cambria on a gorgeous sunny day and decided to mosey on down 1 and see what I could find -- ended up in SLO and happened upon this place while meandering around downtown. 

I adore fries, but it's practically unheard of to find a place that does them right -- fry once, rest, fry again at a higher temperature.  So these were damn tasty.

For dipping, I tried ranch, garlic pepper mayo, chile mango chutney, and honey mustard.  The mango and the ranch were my favorites -- garlic pepper mayo was, well, mayo, and the honey mustard was a little heavy on the vinegar for my taste (probably the type of mustard used, fine for others, to each his own).

One order was perfectly fine for me for lunch with nothing else, though of course I found myself hungry for dinner a bit early.  Mmm...carbs.  I'd go back if I was in town again, though I totally think we ought to have a frites place up here in the Bay Area closer to me than SF!
4 - Allison W.: Went for the Thursday special: $1 Stella Artois when you order fries. Honestly, I can't order fries anywhere else now because there is just no comparison. These babies had the perfect consistency inside a magical, crispy love crust. Super hot like Giselle, full-flavored, well-seasoned... give me a drool cup please! For dipping, we ordered Chipotle Aioli, Wasabi Sour Cream, and Ranch (as a fallback). I think it'll be a regular pit-stop for me when I'm down in San Luis Obispo.
4 - Skylar L.: Last time I was in SLO I happened on this wonderful little place. This is the perfect late night snack. I am really impressed with the thoroughness of the previous Yelps, there's isn't much more to say. All I can add is an enthusiastic two thumbs up. Great Belgium fries, even better dipping sauces. Drunk or not, give this place a try.
5 - Janine E.: Freshly made frites and $1 beers make Janine a VERY happy camper.  The extent of my love for fries is legendary....even the recent 100+ degree heat wave couldn't keep me away.  The frites here have the perfect thickness and crispiness.  As for the dipping sauces - well, I hate to admit it but I am a creature of habit.  Once I find something I love, I have a hard time ordering anything else.  I'm so in love with the Mustang Ranch Adobo sauce, it'll probably be a while before I can bring myself to try any of the other sauces.
5 - Erin J.: Delicious!!! Absolutely delicious fries!!! I want some right now!!!


and who can argue with $1 Stella on Thursdays??
4 - Lance K.: my new official half way stop while driving home from southern california place.

I found this place on accident. 

I'm a sucker for the thai peanut sauce but try the curry mango chutney and the wasabi sour cream sauce. 

the price is kind of steep but so is a gallon of gas.
4 - Lindsay S.: Crisp on the outside, baked potato like on the inside...these perfect frites are ready for a dipping.  I am always tempted to purchase one of each dipping sauce....but that would just be excessive.  You can also order the fries dusted with various seasonings as well.  I just wish my stays in SLO lasted a little longer so I could try some more combinations!
1 - Steve D.: I love Frites!  NOT these alleged Frites!

This place might work at a carnival or county fair but this is NOT a place I would stop for a beer and Frites though for 2 reasons:

1. THESE ARE NOT FRITES!  Good fries, maybe.  They are fat like american fries and fried in canola oil.  WTF!?!  None of them were really crispy and a few were just soaked through with oil.  I don't mind a little interpretation of the classics like the dipping sauces (corny and way too many) but at least get the Frites close enough to call them Frites if that is the only food you are selling.  

2. The atmosphere here comes across more like an ice cream parlor (including little kids).  They serve Belgian beers which Frites accompany well.  I did not see a list, bar, or cooler with the beer so no idea of the selection.  Anyhow, if I'm stopping for a beer and frites I want a more comfortable, cafe / Belgian bar atmosphere.   Nice decor with nods to the old country but really bright - not a place to linger.

$6 for an order of mediocre FRIES??  I don't think so...
4 - Emilio P.: I have several dramatic and very mixed feelings about this little yellow frites shop and here's why.

Bel Frites is like Chrissy Boner. 
That undeniably hot chick from your senior year of high school. Sure she's mega hawt and popular, but you KNOW shes high maintenance. Surrre maybe she can do the splits and put her legs behind her head, but is that worth her actin like her mama don't feeeeed her. Someones GOT to be feedin her.
...anyways, what I mean to say is these frites are ridiculously tasty. They are golden brown and crispy outside and warm, soft, and moist on the inside. They are the everything you love about fries and nothing you don't. They are the perfect frie.
And with Bel Frites huge selection of different dipping sauces and seasonings, they only add insult to our poor salivating tongues. 

However, while Bel Frites is the ultimate frite + added bonuses (i.e. Chrissy Boner) They come, just like Miss Boner, at a Price.
There's just something that makes me feel kind of remorseful letting six bucks go for fries, let alone letting 10 bucks go for fries, a Stella, and a dipping sauce (which are so good they are basically essential). However if you're not in College and poor and starving, Bel Frites is really perfect fries with great sauces.

One tip though. Getting a seasoning and a sauce is overkill. I recommend either route but not both. Also, please for the love of Jebus try their homemade Mustang Ranch, Roasted Garlic Honey Mustard, or the Dill Creme Freche. 

Bel Frites, you evil temptress. You vile succubus. I wish I could give you 3.7 stars, alas, ill have to settle for 4. Damn you.
3 - Caroline K.: Got a small order of fries and two sauces: Mustang Ranch Adobo and Curry Mango Chutney.  The Adobo sauce was a bit on the spicy side, but I loved the Curry Mango sauce, which was nice and sweet w/ a hint of curry taste to it.  The fries are supposedly inspected and soak for about 12 hours, but they taste like regular fries to me!  The owner also supposedly uses fresh oil and once the oil gets old, he uses it to fuel his car.  It's a bit pricey for what you get ($4 for small fries + 1 sauce; $.75 for each additional sauce), but they offer regular sides such as ketchup and malt vinegar for free.
3 - Alex D.: The Boo and I were hankering for a little appetizer before our dinner at Novo. Bel Frites serves up hand-cut fries and a variety of seasonings and dips to add on. We went for basic fries and a trio of dipping sauces. Overall it was very good, but could have been a little crispier. Make sure to sample some of the Belgian beers they have on hand, served with appropriate matching glass (all priced well below what you would pay in SF). The one thing that is majorly lacking at an otherwise great place is the atmosphere, but if you just looking for a quick bite and/or drink that isn't such a problem.
1 - Chris O.: They may have great fries however I will never know since I stood at the counter, waiting to order, for 8 minutes while the oblivious lady behind it did not even so much as acknowledge that I was there.  Needless to say, I walked out, never to return.
2 - Lindsey A.: I was super excited when I saw this place because it reminded me of my first experience with frites in Amsterdam after a visit to the all-you-can-drink tour at the Heinekin brewery. What better than some delicious frites? Can't beat it. 

I had waited and waited to visit this place in SLO, but it turned out to be somewhat of a disappointment. The fries were decent, and piping hot. The chipotle aioli was tasty. But, the biggest disappointment is that we paid over $5 for their smallest size and it PALED in comparison to Amsterdam frites. First of all, this place is DIRT CHEAP to run, but they charge 75 cents for an ounce of sauce and over $4 for some measly fried potatoes in a paper cone? Who do they think they are? The best part of fry stands in Holland and Belgium is you just dump whatever sauce you want on there for free. You just dump it right in the cone. Even the ranch dressing costs 75 cents at Bel Frites! And the fries never cost more in Holland than $2.50 for a huge cone. Seriously outrageous pricing and for potatoes? Whoever opened this restaurant had a good idea to start, but is seriously delusional about prices.
2 - itl c.: Oh my.  $6.20 for a medium fry????  Yep, that's right.  And guess what?  The fries are just okay.  The fries at Big Skye are 3x as good.  This place is good for one reason only - it's open late.

Other than that, it's a spectacular rip-off.
3 - Stacey G.: I was excited to go in this place, my friend that lives in SLO took us here.  The menu is super pricey, I was hoping to be blown away but the side sauces are too expensive to try more than one. The fries were good but not worth paying that much for.  Don't know if I will go back.
2 - Summer T.: Very smart business, right downtown and stays open after the bars close. When the hunger sets in after all those drinks this place racks in with their fries at very expensive $$$$ prices. If you want good fries go to Firestones and get a large basket for around $2 or $3 .
3 - Courtney Y.: The people that opened this place up were SUPER SMART. It's right next to the biggest bar in town and is open late at night. What would drunk people want more then Fried Potatoes? I must say that these things are pretty damn good. Fried twice?!?!?!  The sauces make them even more unique.  So why not 5 stars?!?! The prices are outrageous! 4 dollars for a small?? 6 for a large?? Now 6 dollars can buy you a full on meal at Carl's Jr. But at this place only some fries?? If they didn't take advantage of drunk college kids that can't control their munchies I would add a star, but until then ONLY 3!
5 - Jamie N.: French fries are hella good.
French fries with numerous options for seasonings and dipping sauce, even better.
And being located right next to dtb so you can satisfy your drunken muchies after a night out!? Fucking perfect. 

Yea, its a little pricey, but whatever. It's good.
3 - Alana H.: I love potatoes, they are one of the best foods created.  With french fries, potatoes decided to step their game up, and it was a good move.  Bel Frites were yummy, we came here as an appetizer before dinner. The bf  and I ordered a medium fries with two dipping sauces: Curry Mango Chutney, and Mustang Adobo Ranch, Ketchup is available but was a little too common for us.  We sat down with our fries, dipping sauces, and were ready to attack these fries. I loved the fries, they were just the right amount of crispy with not an undercooked fry in the bunch. Right amount of salt on them and I found them really yummmy.  We both really liked the Curry Mango Chutney, the flavor of the Mustang Adobo Ranch was ok, but we took to the curry much more.  The fries are little bit expensive when you remember that these are JUST fries, however when combined with the dipping sauces, once in a while one can treat themselves with good fries.  Next time I would like to try them with one of their beers, since I am trying to step my beer game up (in whatever way that could mean NOT becoming an alcoholic).
2 - Emily L.: Bel Frites, I hate you. Okay, your fries are good. I'll give you that. But not great!! Your lightly fried exterior and fluffy insides are overrated IMO. I've had better fries, but maybe I just prefer non-Belgian. Your dipping sauces, very tasty (curry mango chutney ftw). Innovative, I like that. The fact that you have garlic fries, cool, cool.

BUT your prices and customer service...AUGH!!!!!!! It's hard to swallow the fact that you spend $6 and could've gotten more food somewhere else. And you've probably waited 15 minutes in line to order, 10 minutes to get your food, and 3 minutes to finish the fries. WHY!! Hire more than 2 employees!! This drives me crazy. But I always get suckered back in, knowing that this place isn't even worth the prices... after DTB closes or when some friends want to eat here. Love/hate. 
Maybe $1 Stellas Thursdays will make up for it one day.
4 - Rick K.: The fries, sauces, staff, and atmosphere were great. We have fries with dill, mustard, and some other sauce along with Chimay and Stella Artois beers. Yummmm!
2 - Shannon N.: OK, so we hit this place between lunch and dinner time, so it was empty.  Our fries were made to order so at least they didn't suck.  However, the dipping sauce we got - roasted garlic honey mustard - was very lame.  The gal behind the counter was much more interested in texting rather than being helpful.  Given the price and the lame sauce (literally), we'd rather snack elsewhere in town.
4 - Gerard I.: After months of making fun of the this place, it was time to actually walk in and get our grub on! 

I treated my GF and her mom to some fries and some premium Belgian ales. It was 1pm in the afternoon. Niiiiice! 

We ordered a medium order of fries and the three dipping sauce sampler which consisted of: jalapeño mayo, wasabi sourcream, and Mango chutney. I thought the wasabi sourcream sucked ass, but the mango and jalapeño sauces ruled! 

We washed our fries down with some Maredsous 8. I had two of them. 

What's even cooler is that they're open until 2:30am. That's awesome, just in case you get french fry/belgian ale cravings. 

I can has bel frites.
4 - Heather N.: I wish we had one of these by me but then I don't because I know I would be there all the time! They are pretty strait forward and the workers are very helpful and friendly. The small is a lot of fries so I am sure you could make a full meal and more out of the large one. very yummy and great for after the bar snacks. Also they have all the Belgian beers you could want.
5 - Richard R.: Great fries, $1 Stella on Thursday with purchase of fries.
4 - Ronny C.: Great fries! $1 stella on thursdays. I like the caribbean fries myself.
3 - Matt R.: i think the only time i have eaten here is when i have stumbled out of dtb looking for some easy munchies. i'm not sure if i would ever venture into here otherwise. all the fry options are good as are all of the dipping sauces.
4 - Tina T.: OMGoodness HOW I LOVE ALL THE DIFFERENT COMBINATION'S! I live in LA county and would stop by here every time im in the area. 

Pros:
-It's never the same thing
-Beer and fries
-If you can't decide or she/he has mood swings, take them here! So many different dipping sauces and seasoning. 
-Ate is 4 days in a row while I was up there and it was still yummy!
-They have lots of ale and beer (I never drank but I"m sure people love these things)

Cons:
-Small little shop hidden away from the busy streets.

Bel Frites makes me happy when I'm in SLO!
4 - Winter Lee S.: I like this place a lot, yeah they're a little over priced (the small size of fries would fill anyone up so the 4+ bucks doesn't bother me) What I really like however is how fresh the fries/waffles are.  The seasonings are great and so are the dipping sauces.  There are some drawbacks though- its small, and hidden away.  Great for a light meal!
4 - Christine E.: The little "hole in the wall" that Bel Frites is, is exactly what it needs to be.

For any lover of finer herbs and flavors, this is the place to get a quick fix.  The array of seasoned frites you can get along with sauces makes for a hearty hit to the palette, and a far tastier treat than any standard fries fix. Personal favorite is to get three small orders and dipping sauces and mix. 

Open until 2:30AM Tuesday-Saturday for the "after the bar" types. It's not much of a sit-down establishment, but for frites it does not need to be unless you take them up and their beer pairing.
4 - Karen P.: I met a friend from my childhood here, on a very recent trip to SLO. Oddly (or is it?), it turns out that he is friends with the owner! And what a great idea this person had in opening this place. 

These are some damned good fries. They clearly are fried RIGHT - two times - and are simply delicious. There are sauces a-plenty to choose from and seasonings to have sprinkled upon the frites. I was beyond thrilled to see Old Bay as one of the many options. I knew those Central Coast folks had da smarts ;) 

A fun, snackie place to stop in with a date *or* your kids. Or both, right? ;) It's a really nice place that has the feel, kind of, of a yogurt shop. But with fries *and* beer? And the kids are happy? What fun. 

I hope, in time, they add a few things. Not a lot - it would spoil the simplicity. But beer on draught, let's say. Some sodas that are not your typical type (ie: no high fructose corn syrup?). That's all. Really, these are 5 Star Frites. Increasing the menu, just a tad, would really add to the establishment.

It is a good place though, and I'd return. I heard, that MAYBE the owner was contemplating franchising his place. If the integrity of the place, which seems to come naturally, can be maintained, I say - YAY! Because they have made a good little joint, and I'd like to see it thrive :) Perhaps just other locations could be acquired instead. I'll be watching and waiting too see what progresses!
4 - Michele D.: After spending the afternoon exploring different beaches along the coast, we finally ended up in one of my most favorite spots:  San Luis Obispo.  6'5" and I were cruising around on Higuera and, when walking back to the car, decided that we would grab a snack from this very appealing shop.  

We were greeted by a very friendly employee who asked if we'd been in before.  When we told her we had not, she took the time to go over all of their offerings and popular combinations of dipping sauces and frites.  We went for the traditional ones with Jamaican Jerk seasoning, the curry mango chutney and the smoky chipotle aioli.  

Yum. Yum. Yum.

The frites were nice and crispy and the seasoning was awesome.  The don't skimp on the seasoning, but it's not overpowering, either.  The sauces were very good and I would recommend either one with the Jerk seasoning.  

I want to give this place 5 stars off the bat, but would love to try a few more sauces on a return visit.  

And there will be one.
3 - melisa n.: Ok so I would give it like 3.5 but since I rather err on the side of caution I am going with 3 and not 4.  I'll start with what was ordered, a large order of fries with the sauce sampler including smoky chipotle aioli, wasabi sour cream and curry mango chutney.  The favorite was the aioli, the viscosity of the sauce was just right and the flavor on point.  The wasabi was a little too watery and the chutney was right in the middle.  Surprisingly mixing them made a good sauce as well hehe.  The large size is perfect for two.

They do make each batch separately for maximum crunchiness but it can also translate into a long wait if there is a line.  The service was very nice and prompt though.  The price could be a little lower but it it ok for a specialty shop.  Their beer selection looked great but we were just passing by and thus had no time to sample them.  Good stop for a quick snack.
4 - Erica R.: And I thought I had come up with an original restaurant concept at 2:38 am one day--Just fries and beer!  Because really, what more do you need people??  

Well, different flavors would help, right?  So, I would have all sorts of different sauces to dip my beautiful, thin fried potato into.  Of course you'll need something to wash down the salty fries, so a nice craft brew would be perfect, wouldn't it?

So glad the owners of Bel Frites had the cajones to make the concept a reality!  Your cone of Belgian Fries is cooked to order, then you just choose a seasoning (like, "Cajun") or plain salted then choose your dip (like, "Curry Mango Chutney").  They also have plain ole Heinz ketchup and Tabasco on the counter (a place after my own heart).  

A perfect linner treat!
4 - Robert S.: I recently paid another visit to this restaurant and essentially confirmed my previous experiences. 

Their fries are consistently very good but not great. There is excessive interest in the sauces and seasonings but not enough in the fries themselves. I pushed to see if they would consider making fries where they left the skin on and what the employee told me was that they were cut in advance and there was no chance of getting custom cut fries with more skin. 

I really do like their fries but feel like they could do better. The prices had gone up since my last visit and now a large portion of fries costs more than a McDonald's complete meal (I would pick this place any time) but it still seems excessive for fries...
4 - Katherine S.: Love that this kind of place exists!  I couldn't get enough of the Pomme Frites in NYC and when I moved away I never thought I'd meet another.  I was pleasantly surprised with this great find.  To top it off, the owner was excellent and very helpful in giving us ideas of what to do around town.  They also have a great selection of beers that are hard to find elsewhere.  Thumbs up!
4 - Tammy N.: I lovelovelovelovelove Belgium Frites! 

My boyfriend and I got a medium traditional style and a sauce sampler (3 sauces) for the two of us ~$7. 

Frites: Fried-to-order. Fresh and fluffy and crispy! Lightly sea salted.
Smoky Chipotle Aioli: Not too spicy and light. I'm a fan!
Curry Mango Chutney: Slightly sweet. It made me want to eat curry. I'm REALLY a fan!
Roasted Garlic Honey Mustard: I'm more than convinced that she gave us the wasabi one instead because it tasted ridiculously strong and nothing like honey mustard. I was not a fan, I threw it out.

Aside from the little mishap with the honey mustard, I loved everything else. I have a thing for fries but I know have a thing for frites. I'm definitely coming back to try the seasonings and other sauces.
5 - Christine A.: Bel Frites is amazing if you're looking for a late night snack after going to bars.  They're located right next to Downtown Brew and stay open until 2:30 in the morning most nights, long after last call (Closed Monday, closes early Sunday).  

They're a little pricey but sooooo worth it! You get to choose the seasoning on the frites and a dipping sauce--there are so many to choose from!  I usually get size medium seasoned ($5.75--traditional is only $5.00) which comes with 1dipping sauce.  You can always get more dipping sauces but each one is $0.75 extra.  

They have sauce and seasoning pairing suggestions on one of their walls so if you're a first timer, you can get some help.  Although, I don't really like most of their suggested pairings. 

Favorite pairing: BBQ seasoned frites with Curry Mango Chutney dipping sauce! Yummmm.

Lease favorite: Jamaican Jerk seasoned frites (I usually like Jamaican jerked anything, but these were too intense and didn't go well with any of the sauces we got--Mustang Ranch Adobo, Roasted Red Pepper Aioli, and Curry Mango Chutney).

They also serve Belgian beers to go with their Belgian fries.  Pretty pricey, but that's what you have to pay for good beer--though on Thursday nights during farmer's market  you can get $1 Stellas!

Belgian waffles anyone? They recently started selling Belgian waffles here, but only on Thursdays during farmer's and I believe Sunday mornings.  Unfortunately, they always sell out by the time I get there so I haven't actually tried one, but they look DELICIOUS!
3 - Nicole B.: The lady we orded from was not the nicest, I dont expect her to be super giddy, but a smile is nice.  The fries were ok, but not thrilling or anything I crave late at night.  Maybe if I get a wild hair for some fries or the munchies, but other than that...no thanks.
5 - BRIAN s.: I have been here many times and have tried all different types of sauces and seasonings this place is great.  The fries are crispy and perfect for me I never was a fan of the thick fries.  Not happy there closed Sunday but I guess we all need a break.  All the people I have met here are very friendly the drawings on the wall are very creative for decor.   I always try a different Belgium beer and always walk out of here happy.
5 - Carter L.: My friends and I were in slo for a business trip and we were taking a crowd to visit Cal Poly Slo. When everyone else was set for bed, we decided to hit downtown to see what life in slo was like. DT was literally 2 miles away from campus and the taxi ride was simple. We were walking the street on thursday night and sadly, all the places in DT slo were all 21 and up. One of our friends was not 21 and we didnt want to ditch him so we decided to find a place to eat. We asked a crowd of drunk girl who were leaving the club for a suggestion on where to eat and they referred Bel Frites.

The whole concept of Bel Frites is amazing. I love french fries and my favorite type of beers are Belgium white. Their fries were amazing and they had so many different seasoning along with a variety of dipping sauce. I had the lemon peppered fries with the roasted garlic honey mustard along with their thursday night deal which is if you order some fries you can purchase a stella for $1!! Thats a great deal!

So, a bunch of us sat there and drank Belgium beer while eating delicious fries. I would highly recommend trying the Delirium  Beer which is almost 9% alcohol and taste like juice. They were voted World's best beer in 1998. Although its $8 for one beer, it was definitely worth trying at least once. 

While we were enjoying our delicious fries and beer, a car rolls up from the club and out comes a drunk girl gagging/throwing up on the floor. As this was happening, I was outside blowing my nose and admiring the hilarious situation. My friends decided to doodle our night on their post card and pinned it to their wall, if you happen to go visit, try looking for our drawing.

We had the best ending to our night. Once we downed all our beers and ate all our fries, I tried calling for a taxi but one of my friends went outside and some how got us a limo to take us home. So, we decided to go home in style and cruise in the limo and woke up the next morning for breakfast without anyone ever knowing we were gone. =)
3 - Michelle Denise P.: Tried this place out when we were down in SLO, and it's a really great little fry place. I've never been to one before, so I thought it was pretty cool.

I loove french fries, and thought that this was a great place to come in and get a snack. They have a multitude of different flavored fries with a whole bunch of non-traditional dipping sauces. It's quite an experience.

My friends and I got a couple of different things and all were ookay, but then again not the best, especially for the outlandish prices that they charge.

Really, it's just fries with different seasonings and random sauces to eat them with. It'd be a much better place if the prices were cheaper, and the fires were fresh cut like in' n out fries.
3 - Courtney J.: Fries = My Lover

My bro knew how to turn his sis into a bigger fatty by taking me here at...oh say...1am. Yup, this place is open late and serves up my most favorite fried goodness. How could I say no? 

I WILL mention the next day we hiked for 2 hours. That's how badly I felt by consuming large masses of starchy fried potato. 

I have had frites before...in NY, and sadly I must say that they were much better in NY. Pom Frites = amazing. If you are in the area you must try. 

Back to this place though, they did offer spice of the fries (your choice) which actually was new to me. I think we got something along the lines of a Thai spice...I could be delusional, but I'm almost positive it was somewhere around that name. The girl suggested to get it with the Curry Mango Chutney...and yeah...spot on delicious with it. 

The fries itself isn't greasy, they are crisp, soft on the inside and not the super scorching burn the top of your mouth kind of hot...which makes it drunk friendly. 

I will also mention the first thing I saw when we entered was two drunk clowns. That right there made my night.
3 - robin w.: I'd give this place 4 stars for their fries, but 3 because of their prices and proportions ratio. 

Don't get me wrong. These fries are amazing with their different types of seasonings and endless sauces. They have peanut sauces, curry sauces, mango, etc. All are great. The lemon pepper one is really good. You get a tiny bit of lemon flavor in it. Their fries are thick and has a nice hard texture on the outside with a hot soft core. Definitely a place to go to after you drink a bit and craving some junk food. 

However, their prices for what you get is ridiculous! about $9 for a "large" fries and the amount is not what I imagined. I can finish it by myself easily. People just come here because they're drunk and too lazy to go anywhere else. It's just next door to DTB.

I dunno if I would go here again, but their fries sure are good.... damn the addictiveness. Good thing I'm too low on money to buy more. If you want to great tasting fries with zesty/spicy/sweet sauces, this is the spot to be. Just make sure you have some money on you.
4 - Special K.: Thank you Bel Frites for catering to my drunken-ness.  I was going to rate this 3 (price and portion) but I am going with 4 because they do compensate for the awful SLO night life.

Great play on traditional Belgian frites with various seasonings and dips--Jamaican Jerk seasoning with Mango Chutney dip...fantastic.  A bit pricey (small $4, medium $5, large $6; add 75 cents for seasoning) but I can see they put some care into their fries--crisp, flavorful, and not greasy.  You can smell the aroma of the fries from blocks away.  Small and cramped dining area but you can always sit outside or on the sidewalk or on a bum.  

2am seemed like the witching hour here because all my fellow drunks (guilt by association) bombarded the tiny shop.  It was pleasant from what I remember minus the hoes, douchebags, and freak-a-leeks from The Library (who would've thought SLO had some ghetto in it).
5 - Lauren B.: amazing food, and service is pretty quick. The variety of sauces and toppings turns this simple theme into a delicious experience.

I like sticking to the basic fries and getting three different sauces. Great for sharing with friends.

take their beer pairing advice and enjoy an evening out with friends.

Great specials every day too
4 - Jeremy D.: I love how one reviewer said "this palce is dirt cheap to run". Everyone should have to own a small business at one point in order to see that no business is dirt cheap to run, especially in down town San Luis. These fries are really good! And although you pay a bit for them they're worth the price. I've seen them cutting potatoes and I know the ones I've had are fresh.
4 - Daniel A.: Alway love This place. Great place to go after a night of drinking.
3 - jennifer j.: They aren't like the Belgian fries I've had in Belgium or New York (which are much thicker/wider fries), but they're still tasty and have the right crunchy exterior and soft interior.  

We tried the traditional ("unseasoned") fries with the spicy aioli dipping sauce, and I found the sauce a bit too mayonnaisey on its own, but coupled with good ol' fashioned ketchup was very nice.  

Portions weren't terribly large (we had a large and demolished it in what felt like seconds), and it took a few minutes to get our freshly fried... fries, but the lady working there was nice, and it was a fine experience overall.

A guy sitting at the bar in the window left just as we got our fries, so we got to sit and people-watch, too, which was a nice bonus.

Overall, I'd go back and try the seasoned fries-- and I hear the curry mango chutney is the bomb diggity, so I guess that'll be my next fried potato strip adventure.  I'm also curious about the waffles, so I'll update this review when I try those next time, too.

So, as Courtney J. says, Pommes Frites in New York is better, but since they're thousands of miles away, Bel Frites is a pretty darn great (and local) alternative when I need my crunchy fry fix.
4 - Adam M.: Nice little place.  Interesting snack/light lunch.  Taken my girlfriend on a number of occasions and it was always fast, hot, good.  Service is friendly.  All in all, 4 stars.  Solid.

The only bad is seating is limited and poor, but nothing to stop me from going again.
4 - Meg S.: I've been back several times since my last review and have found my favorite seasoning and sauce.

Jamaican Jerk + Mango Curry Chutney is the BEST! 

It's the hint of curry that does it for me, I think. The only down side is you really need two sauce cups; I always run out by the time I'm down to my last 10 or so fries. But of course, you have to pay extra for it. Lame, since you're already paying a bit extra for what is just fries (good ones, but still).

They just recently changed their hours too. They now open at 3pm during the week and close at 2:30am. Weekend hours are noon to 2:30am, except on Sundays, then they close at 6pm. It's sad that I can't come here for lunch anymore, but at least they're always open late instead.
5 - Derrick N.: I still love pom frites, fries.  They call it Belgian frites.  This takes me back to part of my childhood in Germany; fries with dipping sauce.  They are open until really late.  

The fries are not cooked until you order them so you know they will be fresh.  

I wish they would open one closer to me.
4 - Chuck D.: Let's be clear. These ain't french fries like you know and love from McD's or other fast food places. These are to McD's like a Aston Martin is to a Cadillac. 
Yeah, these are potatoes and they are fried. The similarity ends there. These are hot (gotta wait a bit for your order) and crispy with a fantastic crunch. The inside is soft hot and perfect. It is deep fried goodness embodied.  We stopped in and got a small order to tide us over until dinner. Plain salt and the Mustang Ranch Adobo. Yum. I had a De Koninck Ale that was great with the hot salty goodness. Go. Now. Have some fries. You won't be dissappointed.
3 - Aaron P.: I thought it was pricey for fries but good.I should probably come back when I want some beer.
3 - Selina C.: Drunk people like to snack here, kind of tight on space. What more do you expect? Get some fries, get a beer, you're set for a munchie snack.
5 - John C.: This place rocks! It doesn't get much simpler than a place that serves nothing but excellent fresh french fries (or Belgian fries or whatever you want to call them) and beer. Throw in the fact  that they are open late for quick munchies after a night out of drinking and you have a great local snack spot. Just wish I had thought of it! AND maybe that they had more beers to choose from, but I guess Euro selections are kinda the point. If I wasn't already a fan enough, yesterday I had one of their golden, crisp, slightly sweet waffles and it was heavenly! Great finger food. I love waffles, but it also reminded me of a Danish aebleskiver or the taste of a crepe. Sinful snacks and desserts? Sold.
4 - Samantha D.: I came here after a fun night at the bars visiting my friend that goes to Cal Poly. It was an amazing end, and I wish I had a place similar to it to go to for late night munchies.

I got Adobo Ranch and Cajun Seasoning. For a small fry, 4.75 is a fair price, the small came with a ton of fries, I couldn't even finish it! I would at least try it once, worth going to!

Delicious to share, would come again!
4 - Eric C.: hungry from drinking next door at the SLO brewhouse.  walked in and was overwhelmed with the menu.  yet, the staff was very friendly in recommending a seasoning and sauce.  fries were made to order and very crispy.  had the jamaican jerk seasoning with basil cream dipping sauce.  excellent choice by the staff!  

i've been to Frijtz in SF and this place is much much better.  

oh btw, had the waffle too, and it's the ish.
5 - Danielle C.: How could you seriously go wrong with french fries(or is it Belgium fries?)? And last year they added Belgium waffles to their menu and they are seriously delicious.

Although it may seem a bit steep for fries once you try them it'll be worth it. I have really adventurous tastes so I like to try as many difference sauces and seasonings as possible (the thai peanut sauce was pretty amazing) however, my roommates and boyfriend like to stay in their ranch or garlic ways and I'm still never disappointed.

Even if you go with the plainest of plain flavors or something adventurous that you can't pronounce correctly I think you'll be happy as a clam after you've eaten your fries; of course you might be a little sad too since they'll be gone :[

There's so many flavors and combinations I don't think I'll be able to stop coming, my work as a dedicated eater will never be done.
5 - Stephen W.: We happened across Bel Frites while visiting SLO on a Saturday afternoon. My wife had an order of frites which were excellent and I went with a Pearl Sugar Liège waffle with Nutella. Now anything with Nutella on it is fantastic but the waffle was quite good even on it's own. It's not your usual American "Belgian" waffle, there is something subtly different and delicious about it. I do wish I'd taken the caloric hit and had my own order of frites to just to try a different seasoning/sauce combination. Guess that's a good reason to come back.
3 - Molly W.: Ownership changed which was a huge bummer. They stop selling waffles now at 10pm, which is half their menu so I don't think this is a wise choice. And you can't get the Belguim beer with it now, which is half the fun.

We took friends from out of town recently and were so disappointed. Hopefully they get their act together with the new ownership and they become the Bel Frites we all love again! But hey the fries are still amazing.
5 - Saul M.: Best thing to do after hitting the bars in SLO, the fries and seasonings are fantastic and the beer compliments everything so well, YUMMY!
5 - Teresa G.: With all the neighborhood bars in the area, it's the perfect late-night snack. It's yummy and cheap, plus you can choose from a variety of flavors and seasonings.

I like the mango chutney and also the adobo ranch. Mmmm!
5 - FroSays C.: What more do you want after a long night of drinking than some grease. Bel Friets is open late and has lots of wild seasons and dipping sauces to satisfy your craving. Cajun Jerk is one of my favorites.
4 - Nikki K.: I was visiting a few friends in SLO and popped into Bel Frites midway through a night of bar hopping.  I don't think I was the one who paid, so I'm not sure if the fries were worth the price, but I was pretty impressed by the portion size and variety of dips available.

I was especially impressed by the curry mango chutney dip.  I'm not a huge fan of curry, but it was so delicious with the awesomely crispy, salted fries.

I have to say, I was expecting a thicker, more potato wedge-like fry.  But on second thought, skinny fries are probably better for the dip-to-fry ratio.

I'll definitely be back next time in SLO, and maybe I'll grab a beer here as well.
5 - Andrea C.: Yum. These guys are geniuses. Open late and all they sell are $7 fries and dipping sauces. Damn, so expensive but they sure make business from it!! The fries and dips we had were all so yummy, too bad I can't remember what flavors they were. Definitely the spot to go after drinking downtown. =)
3 - Janelle H.: Expensive belgian fries, but I can't help but want to try all their seasonings and sauces they can combine it with! Jamaican jerk with curry dip, creme fraiche with old bay seasonings, what else what else!
4 - Brendan L.: I had the belgian waffles the last time I was there with my friend. It took them awhile to make because the girl said she had to remake them because they weren't coming out right (probably because the griddle wasn't hot enough, but we were "early" in terms of the late night rush). When we got them though, oh man... freaking delish. I appreciated that the worker took the time to get it right. The fries there are pretty tasty too. The last time I was there I tried to be original and try the pepper and something with the chipotle ranch, and my friend got the jamaican jerk with the paired sauce. JJ is by far the best though, and I realized that when I compared my fries to my friend's. So bomb.
5 - Matt S.: Amazing Fries! Great selection & Friendly Staff!
4 - Fiona F.: I love seasoned fries and this place is awesomeeeeee. I want to come back and try all od their seasoning and dip combinations. The waffles are pretty good too. The people working there have always been nice. I LOVE THIS PLACE. (:
3 - A. H.: I ate here for the first time the other night and I had a 50/50 experience.
I went in with a few friends and we all shared a large fry with 3 sauces.
They fries were fried to perfection, great tasting potatoes and just the right amount of salt. Ok I actually like to clog my arteries a little more and add more salt but their amount is good for a normal human being , but not this salt lick licker.

We got the spicy ranch which was my favorite. Nice balanced flavor and a nice mellow heat. Also the Chipolte Aioli which was good, nice little pieces of peppers in the sauce and thick. Last the Specialty mustard one. I really liked a lot but it seemed like it did not go with the fries well in my opinion. They would be great with some chicken strips they have there but at $7.99 for some strips I doubt I will be trying it anytime soon. 

I was really excited to try their specialty waffle and ordered one when the girl at the counter said they turn it off at 10pm. That was a bit irritating and misleading as they advertise this specialty all over their store and they stay open til the wee hours of the morning yet can't make a waffle at , literally 10:09pm? I looked at the waffle machine behind her and all the green lights were lit up and it seemed ready to roll in my opinion. Well when I walked away my friend saw the girl walk over and turn the switches and all the green lights went off. I am no rocket scientist but green usually means go. That was quite rude and makes me really not want to go there again.

The seating is cramped and uncomfortable and it's better to be in there with just one friend because as group you can not sit together there. Overall the fries are good but the seating and the obvious lack of waffle compassion has me thinking I wont ever go out of my way to come here for their taters.
4 - Joe K.: The only real reason I'm giving this place 4 stars instead of 5?  I've just had too many mornings I've awoken and said to myself, "I can't believe I spent seven and a half effing dollars on french fries...". But really, the place is awesome; especially after you've had a few. Sure, its just french fries, but they have sooo many awesome dipping sauces to choose from -- something any fan of flavor explosions would appreciate. I could drink the mustang ranch adobo sauce.
4 - Brian U.: Bel Frites is great for a late night snack after the bars close. The venue is small but the fries are good. Just recently they started to sell burgers which I have not tried.

I would suggest the Thai Tiger seasoning with Mango Chutney sauce.
5 - Mary M.: Best service ever!  The new owners are absolutely fabulous!  Wonderful, young entrepreneurs....  They have just introduced a grilled cheese to their menu, and I am officially hooked.  They are genuine people and have the best fries in town.  I recommend the cajun spice with a Curry Mango Chutney sauce.  Simply sinful!  Sit on the bench in front for the best people-watching in town.
4 - Marlon T.: Well if you like Fries and Beer then this place is for you.
Not much else to say except that this is a valuable gem in SLO.
It's right next to SLO Brewing Company so I'd check out both in one visit if you're having an exploration day/night.
5 - Lisa M.: Awesome!  All the sauces!  Can't go wrong.  It is a specialty place so just relax and enjoy the waffles or fries.  You won't be disappointed, unless you want a full meal and McDonald's fires
, then you are sorely mistaken.
1 - Mina K.: I paid $5 for sub par fries and another $5 for 5 tiny chicken jalapeno poppers. If I weren't pissed drunk at the time, I would be pissed. Actually, I am pissed.
2 - M P.: Nothing to write home about.  I think the novelty of a fries-only place (well, almost fries only) is enough to give it a try for but taste is lacking.  We tried the BBQ fries and 1 other (can't remember which other) and the BBQ fries tasted nothing like BBQ.  The other fries were too salty.  We had three dipping sauces, none of which tickled my fancy.  Again, try it to say you've tried but better fries can be found.
5 - Garrett F.: Definitely some of the best fries in town. With a ton of flavors and sauces you can't go wrong here. They also have waffles which are great. Thursdays you can get a dollar beer with an order of fries. They are open really late too which is nice. Prices are not bad especially on Thurs and they have a great location right next to SLO Brew.

Bel-Air Camera Superstore - Los Angeles, CA (34.06043, -118.446294) (Westwood)
1 - jim z.: Bad service. Overpriced. Avoid at. All costs.
2 - Forrest Y.: They have a decent selection of stuff here and it's not just digital stuff like many stores have become these days.  There's a great selection of camera cases too and they have an equipment rental service as well (which I haven't tried).  There's supposed to be free parking here, but I couldn't find it and ended up parking 2 blocks away on the street.

That said, after I had finished walking around the store looking at stuff and had some questions for one of the ladies behind the counter, I got a definite whiff of that snobby attitude the other reviewers have mentioned.  She made me feel like I was wasting her time by asking to look at their used equipment and came short of sighing outright when I asked to look at some one of the flash units.  The prices on the used stuff was OK, but the new stuff was higher than you can get at any e-tailer.
1 - Brett Y.: One of those places that I have been into about 5-10 times and no one in the store ever helps me out.   
A really big, nice interior, but horrible customer service.
3 - Vincent P.: comeing soon
4 - cindy c.: i was in town for a wedding and was in desperate need of a camera battery charger.  was recommended by the people at best buy to head over here.  it was really confusing trying to figure out who gets helped with what and how.  do you take a number?  do you yell for someone?  who knows?  i still don't know because as i waited in front of the counter, which i have to add was crowded with employees and the people they were helping, a girl came up to me and asked if i needed repairs.  i said no, but i really needed a charger...

in comes the help!  she and another guy she called for looked and tested and made sure i walked out of there with the exact charger i needed!  i now have some beautiful pictures of my very good friend getting married.
1 - Nazli S.: HORRIBLE customer service. You have to throw a rock at someone's head just to get them to notice you.
And the older guy at the film counter is really rude.
And last time I was there (and purchased quite a bit of equipment mind you) I was quickly trying on camera bags. You could tell I was doing it fast as it was ten minutes to closing, and this really old woman was standing next to me telling me the store was closed and go to the register --
So annoying--you're not closed yet--shutup--ten minutes to closing is not closed.
And all my film and prints were bent last time I picked up--and it was a large order.
So annoying.
This place just sucks--I get sucked in because it's literally down the street from me--but honestly it sucks.
4 - B C.: I spent about 45 minutes looking at a ton of different camera bags, shuffling my equipment from one to another, checking the fit, etc.

Nobody hounded me, which I appreciated. Then again, nobody asked to help me either, which might bother some people, but I enjoy being left alone.

The bag I wound up buying cost me $75 and I could have gotten it for $60 online, but I was happy to pay the premium associated with letting schlubs like me walk around touching their inventory.
4 - anoulay t.: NOTE: This write-up is specific to the Rental & Repair department since the sell-through area is utter rubbish.

I love Melvin, Roland and James. Sure they're a bit arrogant but they got the goods to back it up. They were always so very helpful when I had questions regarding anything from camera maintenance tips to suggestions on lenses to crap talking about the other associates in the store. 

My boys treat me well and were always willing to hook me up. All you have to do is be nice and they'll reciprocate.
4 - Al C.: I am a fan after I realized how overpriced Samys was. They were eager to help me  as soon as I walked in the door & hey had lots to drool over. I will be a repeat customer.
1 - Steve R.: Pompous Price Pumpers Pent on Pain!
Go to B&H (bhphoto.com) save $$$$ and no sales tax!
(Nov 2008)

Actually Barry (Bel Air manager), you were the very person I had the displeasure of dealing with when I came into your store of arrogance. I only plugged B&H because they have a superior business model (hint: customer service.)
Did you really reply to my posting two years after the fact? This should be a good reflection for readers.....
(Oct 2010)
1 - stuart r.: i tend to frequent bel-air camera more often than samy's as i live on the west-side, and it's simply more convenient.  booooo to samy's for moving from venice.  anyway, last time i was there i needed a memory card for a camera i bought on line (through B&H).  i bought from B&H because bel air was literally $80 more ($420. vs $500.).  after breaking through the first wall of douchebaggery, i procured a memory card.  when the salesperson asked if i needed anything else, i remembered i was looking for a used flash for one of my rangefinders.  i asked if they had their used equipment inventoried, he said no.  at that moment, an uber-pushy salesman asked what i was looking for.  i told him.  he immediately responded that he had it.  i said, are you sure?  (it's a flash from the 80's for a specific camera).  he said yes, absolutely.  then he gets on the computer and says, yes i have one...$200.  skeptically, i asked to see it (they routinely sell for $50 on ebay).  he said are you gonna buy it?  i said, i would like to see it first.  he then tells me he would not go through the trouble of digging the flash out of the basement unless i was going to buy it.  i told him to forget it.  i can't remember this guy's name, but i had a similar experience with him on another transaction.  it's always the same set-up.  he jumps into another salesperson's conversation with his fast-talking hard sell.  total douchebag.  total turn-off.  from now on, i will shop samy's locally (for new equipment) or that cool little shop in little tokyo (for used).  that is, of course, once i have exhausted B&H and ebay.  i should point out that the students that usually man the film counter in the back are cool and in a pinch i would buy film there.
3 - Matt C.: Video: Great
Still Photo: Terrible

Have shopped every big store in town and have recently been more of a fan of Bel Air (in contrast to Samys and Calumet) despite the fact that they're a drive across town. 

Their video team is top notch, nice and very helpful. Super informed and happy to answer questions or offer recommendations (even ones that send you elsewhere.) Would come to Bel Air Cam for video anytime. Talk to Peter.

The still photo department consistently behaves like a snotty librarian whose attitude is the only thing they've got to justify their existence. Every question was below them, regardless of the price tag. 

If I can't find it online or am feeling extra "buy local", i'd travel across town to Bel Air. Unfortunately for them, I stay away more times than not because i'm just not up for trading thousands of dollars for some snot nosed attitude and a still camera. If they cleaned up their act and actually put some customer service into their still photo department, i'd use them exclusively.
1 - Rachel B.: Just called in to ask if they had a particular camera in stock. One star for getting someone on the phone easily. However, the employee was rude and snobby in response to my question and not very helpful. For that reason alone I would not shop there. ever. Online or even Samy's would be better. And their pricing isn't any better than anywhere else in LA.
2 - sean b.: I have been a frequent shopper of samys camera. and have had no problems there. 

I was looking for a 5d mark 2 and Bel Air camera had some in stock. (Samys did not). so i went down to Bel Air camera and proceeded to purchase my 5d mark 2. I payed half in cash and half on a check. they refused to take my check even though I had the appropriate funds in my account. I had to return the next day to pay for the rest in cash. 

I have payed with a check many times at Samys and have never had a problem. 

good alternative for Samys but the customer service is quite snobbish. make sure your packing plastic or cash.

http://www.yelp.com
1 - Misha T.: GOD DO I HATE BEL AIR CAMERA

I swear the treat me like a goddamn lepper because I'm a college student. They assume I don't have any money despite the fact that i've spend over 2 grand at their store.

The sales people are almost all rude, and they take their time too. Yes TIME MOVES SLOW AT BEL AIR CAMERA

And you know what's so great about that? the parking is only 20 mintues with validation. 20 MINUTES ISN'T ENOUGH TO GET ANYTHING DONE THERE BECAUSE THEY ALL TAKE MORE THAN 20 MINUTES JUST TO GET TO YOU.

If they weren't 3 blocks from my apartment i would never go there.

They are always complete pricks to me and after today I don't think i'll go back. and if i can think of other ways to get other people not to go back i'll feel even better because if they close down and all those rude as hell sales people get laid off, they won't be getting jobs. and then they will realize "darn! i have no idea how to provide customer service!"
2 - J. B.: Let's see:

Limited parking (I live a few blocks away so I walked, I would never drive here though)

Snobby staff (asked one simple question and the staffer answered me like she was kristen wiig on snl as that rich girl who chews gum all the time)

I could not get any help, I just wandered around completely autonomous, no one even glanced at me. Which could be a plus or a minus depending on who you are.


the one plus: good selection of camera equipment and accessories. probably the closest thing in west la with that kind of selection.

But there are definitely better, friendlier camera stores in LA.
1 - e d.: What is it with these Camera store employees?!  Both this store and the even worse Samy's chain have stinking attitudes towards the people that shop their stores, I am waiting for the day they go out of business and all lose their jobs I will be dancing a jig with glee, 
 errr.. ever heard of internet shopping for 1.less money 2.no sales tax and free shipping?  you morons are lucky to still be working!
2 - Z Z.: I recently bought some stuff to clean out my DSLR sensor, so I can't claim to be a high roller at this place. However, I agree that the customer service could be better. The staff seem so overworked, or under-motivated, to help you. In addition, every time I ask how much it is to get the sensor professionally cleaned, I get a different answer from a different person. Something tells me that the employees here aren't being treated well by their employer, and, naturally, take it out on the customers. And yes, parking in Westwood Village is ridiculous. Their parking should be free for at least an hour so that the customer can have time to shop in peace.
3 - Katherine N.: Everyone has a different experience when coming to this store. 

I came here today to try and get some 8mm's transferred to DVD, which the person was very knowledgable with. I think his name was Steven? He works in the developing section in the back of the store, and although this is no 1 hour photo(for my 600ft the service time is 2-3 weeks), I feel good leaving my film with them. 

Steven was straight forward with his answers, and not cocky, not beat around the bush trying to add in mumbles additional fees. I was in and out fast. 

Yeah they are a bit overpriced, and it isnt clear where you attain a specific service, you kind of have to do a walk around the store first before you have a general idea of where to go.

They have a huge selection of lenses, bodies, tripods, etc which is a big plug in this day and age of finding a SLR rarely.
4 - Steve P.: I read all the negative reviews and I'm amazed. Sometimes they are a little rushed when they are busy, but their people are knowledgeable and accommodating. For example i have waited for Michael Lewis to ask him about features of a camera I bought there 6 months ago and he couldn't have been more helpful. Try going to Costco or Walmart and getting that kind of help after you've bought it 6 months ago.
3 - Frank G.: Why this place is even called Bel-Air Camera, I'll never know.  Bel-Air Camera has been an institution in Westwood Village for a long time.  Maybe they should change their name to Westwood Camera, for goodness sakes. 

I used to go here to shop for an art class I was taking when I was just a pup at UCLA long, long ago.  I think they moved locations, but I do know Bel-Air Camera (I have to chuckle writing that) was renovated in the last 10 years or so.

Upstairs used to be where the professional photographers shopped, and the prices were a little lower than the downstairs for some odd reason (not sure if that still applies today).  But, still, going in here brings back some fond memories, which is probably why I found myself here again.

Today I was in the market for a new point and shoot, digital camera.  I already had one, but I was looking for the latest and greatest in photographic technology, so my Facebook wall photos are that much more flattering.  I was considering buying a camera online, but I wanted the expertise of a salesman to guide me through the purchase.  So, begrudgingly, I drove east.

Bel-Air Camera (he he) has their own little parking lot, of about 15 spaces, which makes it interesting when there's a line of cars spilling onto Kinross.

When you enter their double height ceiling store, you get the feeling like you want to buy something.  Along the wall, and inside the show cases are a great array of cameras and equipment.  Have credit card, will buy!

There is no system as to who gets helped first and when.  There are several men (and only men) who work behind the counter, and if you look like you are waiting, they will approach you; so, I suppose it's the honor/waiting system here.

After about 20 minutes of patiently waiting, a man approaches me and asks me if I'm next.  I tell him I'm looking for a new point and shoot camera, with the latest features.  He brings over 2 options for me, one for $300 and one for $400.  And, I was honestly looking at the $400 camera.  

What I liked about his approach was he didn't push me or pressure me into buying the $400 camera, like I would have done to a customer.  He simply showed it to me, because this camera had certain features that had just hit the market.  He also assured me that the $300 was a great camera, and a huge upgrade to the one I'd been using before.

I ended up buying the $300 camera.  And, along with it, I bought a new case, extra battery, and a memory card.  The salesman showed me the off-brand memory card, which was cheaper than the name brand (I appreciated that).  After he rung me up, he asked me if he could assemble the camera for me, and show me a few tricks.  Of course, I obliged.  When I left, I once again, as I did during my college days, felt very well-served and satisfied.

I actually had to return to the store, again, to buy another battery for my old camera.  The funny thing is, the other salesman knew what I purchased earlier, which is why I'm being somewhat vague with my details, in case the first salesman gets some heat for not up-selling me the more expensive camera.

If you are on the westside, this is the only camera store to go to.  The other camera stores do not have quite the inventory, or even the lab services, rentals, and repairs.  I know there is nothing in Santa Monica that can even compare.  

My only complaints are non-issues: I wish they weren't named Bel Air Camera, because they AREN'T IN BEL AIR!; there is a long wait to speak with a salesman; the parking attendant is not the nicest guy.

I will certainly be back in a year, and will buy another camera here, when I have to have the latest and greatest in camera technology.
1 - Kat B.: Rude!!!
I don't understand how the majority of the people that work here are just plain rude. It takes me a long while to really get upset with poor service, and I am usually the first one to offer an excuse as to why we are getting poor service, but the multiple times that I have gone here, they either don't know what they're talking about, and give me completely wrong information, or they're so haughty in telling me wrong information, it's almost a joke. Whatever, I guess I have to continue to support a bad business until something better comes along.
5 - Amie A.: have been going here for the past few years because of there great customer service. I drive all the way to westwood when i want to buy a lens or camera even though i live up the street from samy's in culver city. All though I purchased a defective 85 mm  lens they exchanged it for me with out a problem and even looked up my receipt in the computer since I had lost mine. They all ways have a great attitude and are nice and friendly. i brought my daughter (2 years old) and they gave her some bubble to keep her occupied while they were helping me. About a year ago I needed the sample pack of lee filters for an assignment and i called around to find out who had them and no one else had them except for bel-air camera. They have there own parking lot with security and when you purchase something they validate your parking even if you go over the 20 min. They are pricey but that has more to do with the type of merchandise they have. You wont find a better price at samys thats for sure!!
4 - Jody M.: The guys at Bel-Air camera are always super helpful. I went in the other night right before closing for a microphone and I was able to get what I needed at a pretty good price.  The cumulative knowledge about photography and videography that the Bel-Air camera staff have could fill a small library. Some readers have said that these guys are elitist or snobs. I couldn't disagree more, you don't stay in business for  more than 20 years by not being helpful.
4 - Karen S.: Bel Air Camera and I have an odd relationship; but, as most relationships go, there are good times and bad. I'm going to write about the good: The Rental Department. First, I adore Roland. In addition to just being a really, really nice guy; he's super helpful, has great inside advice about equipment and seems to remember everyone. I am blanking on the other guy who works there (Really nice as well-so sorry I can't remember; and does a bang up job cleaning my sensors).

 The few (and I mean few) times I've had issues with the rental equipment, I've either received a discount or a refund for the trouble (disclaimer: I do rent here a lot; Between March and September, I'm here almost every weekend; every event I photograph calls for better and better lenses; and I don't have tens of thousands to drop-yet). The equipment is well maintained, and, important note, photographers: the labels are totally innocuous so if you don't want your clients to see you with rental equipment: this is a total bonus.
1 - K L.: Nasty, grimy rental equipment; some of the men who work there are rude and impatient; over-priced.
2 - Andy N.: It sounds like everybody has a unique experience when it comes to Bel Air Cameras.  The only time I've come here was to rent out lighting equipment to use for a photo shoot, and it was a bittersweet experience.

When you first walk in, it was hard for me to figure out where exactly to go to ask for rental equipment.  In terms of service, you really need to be the one to approach a worker and ask for assistance.  When I finally found the rental area, I had the pleasure of working with Roland, who by all means was a good guy and knew what he was doing.  However, my main fault with Bel Air Camera was the equipment itself.

I made reservations for lighting equipment, in particular umbrellas.  As I was setting them up, I found two of them were broken and one was barely usable.  Although we continued with the shoot, I was dissapointed because this should not have happened.  It became unclear to me whether the staff checked their own equipment before renting it out to someone else.

Upon return, I explained to him that they had been broken from before and that we would appreciate a refund.  He had to confirm with a colleague of ours first, and informed me that he would call me when he spoke with him.  Now, I understand that this is basic business practice, but I was a bit upset that he needed to confer with someone else before believing me.  In the end, he gave me back 10% of what I had paid before renting it out...

They have decent camera equipment for rental.  Just be sure that everything is working before taking out of the store.
1 - Harvs K.: Overpriced!! I came here to get my camera repaired-- and after searching the parts online, I found that original canon parts were available for $30!  Not a bad price at all. 

Going with that number in my mind, I came to Bel-Air, and they quoted me at over $200!!  And I would have to get my camera shipped to canon because they couldnt do the repair there. 

The guy was very much NOT helpful, and was basically telling "too bad, so sad, tough noogie woogies..."  The only other option.. BUY a new one.  ugh.  

I walked out of here feeling really disheartened, especially because I needed my camera for an upcoming out of country vacation.  

Eventually I found a place to take it to.  And they not only had it fixed IN HOUSE but a shorter time, and a MUCH lower cost!  

And fyi.. the only cool thing about this place is the giant camera outside.

Superstore-- I THINK NOT!
1 - Shola R.: If it would be possible to give these guys a negative star rating, I would do it in a heartbeat.  Man, it takes A LOT for me to ever complain about bad customer service, but if you're even thinking about setting foot in that place, rest assured that they are as bad as advertised.

Seriously, how in the world have these clowns stayed in business for so long?  Their customer service is beyond atrocious.  I don't need someone to roll out the red carpet for me and throw rose petals at my feet when I walk into a store, but a little friendliness and eye contact would be nice.  I batted 0 for 2 on those expectations, unfortunately.

I simply needed to get my camera repaired, so after wandering around looking for an associate, I finally found a very bored-looking gentleman far more interested in poking at an empty camera case than to acknowledge a potential paying customer (aka, me).  When I asked him where the repair section was, he mumbled "over there in the back" without even looking up at me.  Okay, no big deal...maybe he was sincerely fascinated by the empty camera case, who knows?

When I finally figured out where the repair section was, I was greeted by a guy that insisted on calling me "dude" while the older gentleman ahead of me in line got the "sir" treatment during the entire interaction.  I'm sorry, but I hate that crap.  He then went into complete snob-mode and talked to me like I was an idiot for the remainder of the interaction. Not to mention that he had a habit of walking away from me while I was in mid-sentence to answer the phone, without even simply saying "excuse me for a second, I have to get this".  He just walked away, talked on the phone, and then came back and said "uh, so what were you saying again?"  This happened twice.  After about 15 minutes of fighting the urge to punch this guy in the face, I grabbed my camera and walked out. 

Maybe I caught these guys on a bad day, but based on the reviews I've read here, I sincerely doubt it.  I only came to these guys because they're a few blocks away from where I work.  But rest assured, they will never see me again (or anyone that I know or interact with for that matter).
1 - Able A.: If there is a CLASS ACTION, I would join all the customers being treated miserably at Belair:

1. I am ready for an expensive camera/lens (about $5K) and called Belair today. A heavy accent, rude, temperamental man Ovzie answered phone brushing me off as if he had fire burning in his bud and refused to answer simple question.
2. Suddenly, Rika graped the phone, VERY hostile, abusive and refused to reveal job title.
3. Then I was bounced to Barry who was full of rage, furious and barked at me loudly like a mad dog (Reviews show other customers being barked at Belair). Barry falsely accused me  calling Belair before. I told him "NO." How dare Barry named-called me mistaking me as his former rival customers! Would Barry and the above 2 male workers have mental problem!
4. Belair's owner Suzanne Ponder is at Ext.155; I spoke with her today. She only revealed her title as a VP (untrue). As we spoke, she changed title several times to a general mgr. She said Rika works at Belair for 15 years that gave him seniority power to abuse customers.
5. Suzanne has no desire to improve her customer services and retaliated against me for making complaint on Belair's notorious reputation. She mentioned the California law to protect employees from liabilities. I requested her to reference the law in support of her defense; she has no law to cite. Her attitude tells me the ONLY customer who ever complained Belair, so losing me ($5K) means nothing to her; I might be one, but those read my review may think twice being victims at Belair! She is so proud to have made lots of enemies, yet not enough to hurt her business.
6. I would not support this hostile business even Belair is the only camera store in town. Don't count on your blessing if you ran into one descent worker at Belair. Bad apples at Belair are overwhelmingly enormous based on other reviews. The owner Suzanne Ponder acted like a witch being combatant to retaliate against customers who complained. She approved the wicked customer services at her store. What do you expect from the followers when their leader is just the same horrific as them? Belair's own long history records show a pattern of ill-will in doing business. How many have reported Belair to BBB? The only reason that Belair is still in business due to its convenient location. Belair's average rating is ONE star, lowest it can be! 

4 out of 4 (100%) whom I spoke at Belair today are despicable. I am lucky not wasting gasoline driving long distance (60 miles) to Belair to find out such a corrupt and rubbish store. I felt blessed not even make it to Belair's door. Belair would not get one penny ($.01) from me and I would not recommend Belair to anyone!
1 - Jeef H.: Let's get this out of the way: my experience here was utter crap. 

I am by any stretch of the imagination a "photographer" and I had the unfortunate of getting a store associate who thought he was hot s***. I came in just asking for advice on a lens, intending to buy it if I found the right one.

What I got was an excessive amount of back-sass and rudeness. I don't have a thousand bucks to drop on a lens, but I think I can still afford a decent one, but that apparently was not god enough for this guy. It was a very awkward exchange - me asking what were probably pretty basic questions and just getting an stank elitist face in return.

So after a pretty awkward exchange, I said I needed to give it a thought before I made the purchase so I asked for a validation (Don't park in that lot btw) and this is what I got as a response "Well if that's all you came in here for."

Overall probably one of the most god-awful experiences I've ever had trying to purchase something $300+. Next time I'll just go to Best Buy and get the equipment I need sans attitude.
2 - Anita F.: We bought an Olympus SLR from here about a year ago.  I initially met with a salesman names Steve who picked up on the fact that I was new to SLR cameras and flat out lied to my face.  I think, at the time, they were getting commissions from Olympus and he said things about the cameras which were not true.  When I called him on it at a later visit, he lied again and refused to accept he had made those comments (Thank god I had a friend as a witness...I almost doubted my own sanity). Any way, STAY AWAY from Steve.  The only reason I gave this place 2 stars instead of 1 is that they matched the price on Amazon, so we had a chance to play with a camera in their store prior to purchasing it.  But DO NOT trust their opinion on anything. It is all based on commissions, etc.  Will NEVER go back there although it is right around the corner from my house.
2 - Ariz G.: Service wise, bleh.  They can be a little distant.  I bought my  35 mm - F/1.8 - Nikon F here....spontaneous purchase.  I remember waiting in line observing...  The people who work here seems to have this aura of arrogance.   No hello, no nothing.  Strictly business.

I suggest researching what you need online for there's not a lot of help here at all.    Unless maybe you're a woman!!!!   O___o!!!!
1 - ryan m.: What horrible customer service. Here's a tip - bel air - hire friendly customer service people and then train them in electronics knowledge instead of having guys who are "somewhat" knowledgeable and are very bitter and horrible at customer service.  Prices aren't as cheap as you would think. DV or HDV tapes I got for half the price at Edgewise Media and Simons Camera in Hollywood.
3 - Ed K.: This place has generated a lot of negative reviews, and honestly, I know exactly where they are coming from.  Located in the heart of UCLA's Westwood, I go most often for my photography needs including purchasing gear, printing of digital photos, rental of equipment because its the closest to my place thats actually staffed with people who know what they're talking about.

That said, I agree with everyone that the service tends to be short, rude, on the opposite side of friendly and you're often waiting FOREVER to get the attention of someone at the desk, but more often than not its because they're always busy helping other people and if you try to ask a quick question they'll snap back and tell you to wait your turn.  Yes I find the customer service a turnoff, but I do like the fact whenever I have a question or need anything, the guys aren't talking BS when it comes to buying item A vs B and giving their honest opinion on things.

I treat this place like Seinfeld's Soup nazi...if you're willing to deal with the BS, then its a managable store, but if you want friendly, fast courteous service, then this not the store for you.  I would rate this lower, but the fact I keep going back over and over for my needs, I can't justify giving it a lower rating.

Perhaps when i move out of the westside.
4 - Doda N.: David, Rika, Michael Lewis, Francisco will jump through hoops for you  Ask for them.  Sent me a message I will tell you who to avoid.
1 - Garrett B.: Very non friendly associates, over the phone and in person. I dont know alot about camera's and had one guy speak very condescending. to me over the phone.
1 - Marc M.: Wow. My first impression was that these photo snobs should not be working somewhere you have to deal with other humans. Just because your photos were turned down by national geographic several times does NOT mean you should  take it out on people at an over-priced store where you have to tend to others needs. I payed 3 dollars to be put in a bad mood in 20 minutes or less without validation.
3 - Dennis L.: Not sure about the negative reviews below, but my experience was fine here. I liked that this place actually had more than just point and shoot stock.

The service was fast and helpful, though I also came on a Saturday morning when the store's traffic was pretty light.
4 - Jason Y.: I was surprised by all of the bad reviews about this merchant. The service at BelAir was not 5 star resort grade service, however my experience was that the sales person I dealt with was professional, competent, and able to answer all of my questions. The store was moderately busy when I visited. 

In June of this (2010) year I purchased a Tamron lens and a week later I returned it in exchange for a Canon 10-24mm lens. Francisco the sales guy handled the transaction for the buy and exchange, and took care of this without any hassle or problems. At this time I was also looking into buying a Canon 7D camera body. Francisco took the time to show me the camera body and attached a telephoto lens on the camera so I could try it out in the store. He showed me some of the new features on this camera. I was ready to buy, so I purchased this camera on the spot from BelAir. At the time there was an in store discount and a Canon instant rebate so I paid the same as if I would have if I bought the camera and lens on their competitors internet site. 

If the service was as bad as what others experienced, I would have left and gone on the internet to order the lens and 7D body on line. I bought in store because my experience was positive; salesman was helpful and knowledgeable about the product.  I also wanted to hold, see, and feel in person the lens and camera, something you can't do on the internet.

Another good thing is the parking lot which BelAir has in the back of the store.
2 - Fleur L.: I took a photography class at UCLA last quarter and as I had never shot film before I wasn't 100% confident in what I needed. That seems to be the worst sin in this store. Upon asking what the guy behind the counter would recommend film wise i got a heavy sigh and a look that read, i don't want to deal with this. it's so frustrating, and makes you feel ridiculous for even asking, because in this store you feel as if you should be born knowing everything there is to know about film. I get that vibe almost everytime I walk to the back.
that being said, i've been in the store more times than I can count due to its close proximity, and I've never had a good experience with the film roll people (except for a really nice guy who works there, longish hair, shot some great pictures of a cabin covered in polaroids  ask him about it!). wish the staff would learn how to at least fake customer appreciation.
1 - E.A. L.: The new manager sent me an apology to my original review (see below) but  no offer to help.

The lens that was five days over a thirty day store return period was repaired. I used it once after it came back from Nikon repairs and then put it in the camera bag. When I went to get  it out it came apart  in my hands! 

Just like before - the lens literally came apart. So I went back to the store. The same sales clerk said I had to go to Nikon - El Segundo and beg. As I work and just completed a large three year project, the lens that has sat in my closet for eons will now see the light of day and I will take a day off to go down to El Segundo and beg for a replacement. 

I spent over $3,000 dollars in an hour for a camera I have never been able to use! 
So  what has Bel Air Camera done for me as a customer? Nothing - just mistreated me and no exchange. Nice followup note on Yelp from Bel Air Camera but they made no offer to help. 

Oh and a friend of mine dropped over $4000 in one stop there and she tried to contact them by phone (as she lives out of state) to buy a new lens, and they treated her so badly she won't buy there anymore.  It's a shame because it used to be a great store! The staff were pros- knowledgeable, friendly and helpful but they are driving their customers away...
Look at the ratings trend.... loaded with one stars. It's not about getting great service - it's no service and yes they are still busy as the staff knows  how to sell you the right product but no one should be treated badly when they are buying or afterwards. The better ratings lament and compare it to Seinfeld's soup Nazi- but still gave it three stars- only if you like maltreatment.
4 - D. Ryan R.: Im writing this review strictly about the rental department here. When I first started coming in here I asked a LOT of questions. I was probably a very annoying customer. A guy by the name of Roland who works in the rental dept. was very helpful. Always greeted me with a smile, remembered my name and was nice to my 1yr old.  Roland and the other nice people in the rental dept are the reason this place has me renting lenses from them every other week. They stock some decent lenses and are rarely out of stock. I have walked in there a few times on a Friday afternoon and walked out with the lenses i wanted.
2 - A. A.: I've alternated shopping at Bel Air and Samy's (Culver City) and Calumet for years and while I've always found Bel Air's employees to be a bit aloof (no approaches you to see if you need help or acknowledges you at the counter unless you've been standing there a bit), I've never had an outright frustrating experience with them until today.

A rental department employee (the same person who took my weekend rental reservation earlier in the week) tried to pass off an off-market substitute for the Photoflex RUT 45" umbrella that I had reserved in advance. He consistently played dumb even though the reservation order was sitting on the counter in front of me. He wasted over 10 minutes parading out knock-offs and/or smaller non convertible umbrellas before I gave up and took what was closest to what I had reserved.

His attitude was completely nonchalant and at no time did he apologize for not having it in inventory (or apparently in stock in the store).  

This combined with an antiquated method for taking credit card authorizations and for accounting for their rental inventory (they don't use scanners to keep track of what's in or out of the store it seems) equaled long lines at the rental counter. 

Once I've finished this rental I'll be buying and/or renting elsewhere.
4 - Dave W.: When I found an online price that was lower, they refunded the difference even though I had already bought the battery!

I bought a new camera, extra lens, battery, card, and bag from here recently, after comparing the prices online and finding them to be equivalent.  The next day, after I'd opened everything an tossed the packaging, I realized I hadn't double checked battery prices.  When I did, I was sick to see that I had paid 40% over the online price.

Rather than contact the store, I despaired posted a bad review on Yelp.  The manager then contacted me directly and resolved my issue by matching the price.  He was incredibly helpful and understanding. 

They matched a price after I bought.  It could only be better if they were already aware of that online price drop.
3 - Nathan N.: My Review has been updated to 3 stars.  Because if an owner or manager is smart enough to be checking reviews on Yelp, contacting customers trying to make amends and fix any problems, that shows an extra star in my book.  He asked about the problem and how he could fix it, and of course the employee issues, which I hope make it a better place.  Thanks for the response.  +1 granted.
5 - Houman S.: If you want to get real great advise on video equipment ask for Michael Lewis.  He is very knowledgeable and patient with his clients.  I bought the Canon Vixia HF S200, RODE VideoMic, a wide angle lens, lighting gear, and a bunch of accessories.  Michael helped me find the right products for my project and was a pleasure to work with.
3 - Lauren O.: Had to get a battery charger for my basic, costco-purchased point-and shoot camera.

Internet: got a product that didn't actually charge my battery. Fail.

Best Buy: no dice, refferred to radio shack

Radioshack: might have something that works, but I'd had to open the packaging to find out, which means I'd have to buy the $40 item, and I might be SOL. Referred to Bel Air.

I avoided Bel Air because of their $$prices$$, but I walked in and they had a "tester" charger available (already opened). The test was successful! I had found a charger that had worked. I was getting ready to shell out $50 or so, but it was $29.99! A full $10 less than competitors.

This experience gave me reason enough to go back to Bel Air and not just write them off for their expensive taste. I'll probably try them first (instead of last) next time.
3 - yogi b.: Went to buy a Nikon Speedlight sb600. An older gentleman with glasses behind the counter got the item for me and priced it $25 more than what they had it for on their own website. I told him that I wanted it for the price they advertised. He replied that the website is not an updated site and not accurate. 

He then told me that because of what was happening in Japan (earthquake disaster) that the price had gone up. That's when I walked out. To use the disaster to jack up the price was ridiculous. Ended up calling Samy's Camera and got it for an even cheaper price. No mention of Japan from their store. 

I will never step foot into Bel-Air again.


(response to Barry's comment):
You're right, the price is 225 online. I think I got the price mixed up with Samy's price of $219 (about a $20 difference from the $239 in store price). Either way, when I asked for the online price, he said no and brought up the Japan disaster as the reasoning for why the price was not negotiable. That's when I walked out, got on my phone and called Samy's. I work on Westwood and Wilshire in the UCLA building just blocks away so I used Belair in the past since it was so convenient. I can come in and point out the guy but feel uncomfortable doing so. I don't want to cause a scene or anything. Thanks for the quick response though. I think it's very reassuring that there is someone there that I can turn to in cases like this. I will give Belair another shot when it's time to purchase again but honestly, will check Samy's first (which I didn't do before since Belair was so close). 

Thanks Again


UPDATE:
Barry contacted me and offered a number of solutions to the issues and I'm satisfied with his responses. I've updated the star rating from 1 to 3 stars. I will try Belair again based on his excellent professionalism. Hopefully, the staff will take a cue and follow suit.
4 - ct t.: Not sure what problems everyone had here, but I've been shopping here for ten years and never had a bad experience. I went recently after frantically calling around town for a microphone wind sleeve that I needed for a shoot. They had it in stock and less price than their competitors. I went there and was helped in a timely and friendly fashion. All went smoothly, except for the extra sales pitch to purchase an additional item I didn't need nor bought.

Regardless, I will continue to shop here in the future.
3 - Tina M.: I've only ever bought film here so I don't know about hte repairs or cleaning. I will be getting my camera cleaned though so I will update this review accordingly.

As for film prices they seem to be average.
4 - Julian T.: With regards to Renting, I love renting from here. If your on the west side, this is a great place to rent from, their weekend rentals (ie 1 day fee instead of 3 days) Pickup Friday after 3pm and return Monday before Noon, is great! I use this a lot and for the most part can always get the lens I need.  I do tend to reserve early though because I have found that if you wait until its too close to when you need it, if you want one thats popular like a Canon 70-200 F2.8 IS II, it could be reserved before you rent it.  

I usually reserve through email, but I wish I could do it through their website.

I've bought a point and shoot from here before when on sale, and their pricing was better than amazon or others. The No Sale Tax sales are usually pretty good.
1 - David S.: I refuse to give this place my business anymore.  They are pushy, rude and simply out of their element.  It's like talking with a tech geek who doesn't really want to help you as much show off how much they know and how much you do not.  And frankly, the problem seems top-down: management with poor attitude and ineffective communication skills leads to employees who seem really unhappy, pushed around and unable to communicate nicely.  If you're considering this place among others, just drive less than two miles to some of the other options.
4 - Mary Lou S.: New toys!!! I saw the bad reviews after I checked in here while leaving the store but I had a great experience they even matched sale prices from another store!!  I was helped right away when I got there by Gintas and in the middle of him helping me another gentleman with dread locks came over to help as well with his opinion. Gintas gave me his card and told me to contact him for any further assistance. The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is because when I mentioned B&H he said well then you have to pay for shipping. Well I just went on B&H on my phone and did the same sale. Since I paid $101 in CA taxes I actually would've saved $40 more if I would've ordered from even B&H with express delivery... but then again if anything goes wrong with my purchase then I can go back and see how they treat me then ;) oh and I got 100 free prints by checking in with yelp so I will be back soon anyway. Also I have some huge studio lighting kits to buy as well the next time I visit... All in all I did not have the same experience as all the other bad reviews. Mine was quite the opposite. I bought the Canon Speedlite 580EX II with instant rebate for $469 and a Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 wide angle lens for $659 which they price matched another store I found the lens on sale (Original price was $719). My whole time in the store was only about 30 min tops if not less with no stress.
5 - Ann P.: I've purchased a camera and a video camera here.  I was very pleased with the service and knowledge of the salespeople.  They were patient with me and had a genuine interest in everything related to the camera business.  The line to get service moved quickly and I didn't have to wait too long to be helped.  

Prices were fair, neither too high or too low.  Parking can be difficult here, but other than that, my experience was very positive.
5 - Bobby K.: Wow, I'm a little surprised with all the negative reviews on yelp :(   I am a returning customer to Bel Air Camera, and I chose to return to Bel Air b/c of their selection of cameras, and the staff are well-educated and knowledgeable with the products.

My father and I purchased a new digital camera, and we were welcomed and served by a rep, by the name of Michael.  We told him what our exact needs would be--a camera that would take decent photos, and also take video shots of my father's golf swings--in slow motion.  He immediately directed towards two different cameras--a Casio & Olympus.   After much discussion, we went with the Casio, due to its price, functions, and size.  Michael wasn't pushy, knowledgeable with the product, and didn't screw us left to right.  

I didn't even bother to read the other reviews, because I personally had a great experience with this store.  It may not be the least expensive place to buy a camera, but it's well worth it if you don't want to talk to morons, like Best Buy, or any dumba** staffed stores.  

Oh, and parking was a breeze...we chose to park in a structure nearby, but they do have a small parking lot next to the store.

Trust me, I enjoyed my time there, and I hope you enjoy yours as well.

Overall experience:  A to A+
5 - Liz C.: Great Store... friendly knowledgeable staff
2 - CJ J.: Terrible customer service, high prices, no parking. Avoid if possible.
4 - Kenneth S.: This store is huge and it has everything you need for cameras and videos.  They have a great selection of accessories, bags, lenses, etc. 

The only reason I did not give it full 5 stars is that their prices are on the high end.  I can usually get things cheaper elsewhere.  But hey, this is a big space in Westwood Village, I'm sure they spend plenty of $$ on rent alone.
3 - Lucas C.: New Review:
Barry, the manager, contacted me personally after my emotional rage of receiving a broken lens. I do apologize for not giving the manager a chance to resolve the issue first before posting a review here. He did so in a manner that was very surprising. His concern for his customers was unmatched by other businesses. (offering to deliver a replacement lens the same day). But I refused and I said it was fine he didn't need to do that.... I was just glad I was getting a refund because I was not able to use the lens this weekend because of that issue. So Barry thank you for your concern. 

But the customer service I received, in the rental department that particular day still wasn't up to par as I'm used to in other successful businesses. So that still remains an issue. Other employees in the rental department seemed happy, energetic and wiling to help so hope you get an employee to help you out. 

To make this review short I give this 3/5. and as a customer it's always good to test out the gear. I was mistaken as they do test out their gear, but as a customer it's also our responsibility too. I will give this place another shot. But I will bring in my gear to test out the rentals before taking them out so that there won't be another issue like this anymore. 

On a lighter note this store has a great selection and is in a great location. :)

I really do hate giving bad reviews as much as businesses hate receiving bad ones. But  if I have a positive experience my next visit, I will be sure to update this review.
1 - Peter N.: The customer service here is horrible.  I've shopped at Bel-Air Camera several times, and the salespeople have been rude, condescending, and smug.  Only a couple employees are knowledgeable, while the rest have no clue.

The selection is decent, but not great, and the prices can be high when there's not a sale.

I much prefer Sammy's Camera.
4 - Brian M.: The most knowledgeable and accommodating store on the westside. thanks to Ian for hooking me up with a nice Sony 5n. You guys rock.
5 - kim p.: I was delighted to find this store could help me with a camera related and audio related need. They were very friendly, helped me find the highest quality audio microphone for my web video needs and at a reasonable price. I couldn't find any good stuff online and was delighted to get expertise and advice. Then I needed a small tripod for my digital camera and they listened to my needs and recommended a great solution. I'm glad to have a good resource like this in my local area.
4 - Christian L.: Okay, I have to admit that I honestly did not prefer to go here over other camera stores for years because of past experiences.  I was in need of a camera store and read the recent reviews on yelp last week.  I was floored to see the owner personally reaching out to negative comments made on Yelp.  That prompted me to give the store another try--after 4.5 years.  My has the ambience changed--for the better!!  Not only did I find a lens that was better than I found on other stores/sites (SC, BH, Craigslist) but also cheaper than what I was looking for.  Also, I got a Manfrotto 438 from  Amazon 4 days ago and was shocked to see it cheaper in a brick and mortar store--Bel-Air Camera!!  I'm more than satisfied with the help I got from Larry today.  He found me what I needed and didn't hesitate to offer advice when I asked for his honest opinion.  Wow, I'm definitely coming back here.  Thank you so much, guys!
1 - Chris H.: I came in here last week to look at a Crumpler camera bag. They are the only ones around that seem to cary them in stock. 

This is a $500 camera bag mind you and I am leaving on a pretty extensive trip in about 2 weeks so I was ready to buy on the spot. 

They didnt have the size I wanted in stock but the rep that helped me started talking to me about lenses. I just spent about $5000 on a setup for shooting underwater. If anyone know about shooting underwater it is DARN exspensive. 

I am going to spend the majority of my trip underwater but will be going on a brief  Safari! 

She suggested 2 lenses. The first an absolute excellent 18-270 which i was super super happy about as it elimated 2 lenses! space and wieght are everything when traveling. 

The second was the 40mm f2.8 Canon fixed. This would be great for video underwater as it has auto focus. We took it out and put it on my camera and she did a demo of how cool it was. I bought it. 

I ended up spending $1000 dollars and didnt even get the bag I came in for. 

I decided against the 40mm in the end as i have several other lenses and need something for shooting at night. I got the 50mm f1.8 "the nifty fifity".

I went back in about an hour ago to return the lens and was told I was missing the bubble wrap around the lens. I explained that we took the lens out and she did a demo before I left and must have forgotten to put the bublewrap back on the lens. The gentleman went to get the manager. 

The manager came over and told me that he was going to charge me a restocking fee of 15%. I told him that was how the lens was given to me. His response was "why are you returning it?".

I told him that I got something else and just felt i didnt need it at this time. 
He ask what I got instead. 
I told him. 
He told me that was a different lens and asked why I didnt get it at his store. 
I said I found it online and didn't think to get it in the store. 
He said he wasn't going to waive the restocking fee because I didnt get the new lens from him!

I was a shocked. I spent over a $1000 on my first visit with plans to spend more. I live over 20 miles away. I enjoyed my first experience thouroughly and was looking forward to going back. 

After him being condescending, rude and extremely inconsiderate of my time on I will never ever go back to that store. I would rather eat cost of the lens and just never return. 

He lost a potential life long customer over some bubble wrap. It was so inconsiderate to tell me that because I didnt buy the replacement from him he was unable to waive the 15% restocking fee. 

I should have thanked him. He saved me from spending thousands in his store and running into this probelm in the future. 

1st experience 5 stars. 
2nd experience 0 stars.

I dont leave negative reviews but with the amount of money that the a customer spends in a store like this I wanted them to know how they were going to be treated.
5 - Tess M.: "Imaging The City" now through October 31, 2012 at Bel-Air Camera's Basement Gallery. View the many faces of LA through the lenses of eleven, talented members of The Los Angeles Photography Project http://www.laphotoproject.com/events.html, a group of artists committed to document diversity through "...LA's people, architecture, natural and cultural events..." http://www.laphotoproject.com/mission.html.
Explore other works in the galleries of participating photographers Dan Dunst, Rita Hamilton, Lorna Hart, Bill Johnson, Ron Litvak, Judy Raffel, Robert L. Sherman, Margaret Tsai, Leonard Walts, David Williams, and Zhuang Fang here http://www.laphotoproject.com/bios.html but you won't find what moved me at Sunday's opening reception. 
Margaret Tsai's "House of..." series is bold, colorful, visually powerful while thought provoking. Bob Sherman's classic cars spoke to my inner auto geek. And Judy Raffel's expertly executed "Endangered Species", both chronicle and commentary on the potential displacement of Santa Monica Village Trailer Park residents, is heart wrenching. 
So go. See what I saw. Feed your soul. It's free except for the parking, at a meter if you're lucky enough, or at either the Galey or Broxton structures. 
Kudos to Bel-Air Camera for hosting this installation!

Beleza - Atlanta, GA (33.7791016, -84.3824954) (Midtown)
5 - j w.: NOTE: Chef changed after my review. sounds like they beefed up the portions...

hard to do anything unique with restaurants anymore but this is about as unclassifiable as they come. it's either a bar that serves food. or a health food restaurant that serves booze. or a tapas place that just serves fish. or...

the food is delicious, fresh and (probably) good for you. not cheap for the portions. great space.

it's early in the game so i'd like to see how they develop and how they are received by the neighborhood. right now, they are in a soft launch.
2 - Blissful G.: Went to check out Beleza with some friends for a few quick bites the other day. I was pretty disappointed with our experience. We ordered the crudo tasting, the farro, and the sous-vide sea bass. Crudo was not chilled (as I think it should be) when it reached our table and the flavors were just not there. Farro was cooked well, but needed way more salt. Sous-vide fish was a disaster and none of us went back for seconds on that one. Worst thing I have put in my mouth in months. Would I go back? I would try it again to be fair, but maybe only for drinks. It is a very new spot, but I am thinking it is going to be more of a scene than dining destination.
4 - Jeff W.: Exactly what the doctor ordered for Atlanta!  Brought me back to a cool NY scene.

Beleza offers a multitude of flavor sensations from one dish to the next.  And, as your having dinner on a Friday night the mood of the place transforms over the course of dinner. From smooth and inviting to upbeat and fun.  DJ is awesome!

Looking forward to going back and trying the chocolate aphrodisiac dessert.

A
4 - Stephanie M.: Everything on the menu is made from local and organic products which makes it especially good. I had the lobster salad and started with the olives (watch out they've all got pits!). Not a big fan of lobster- however, our server recommended it. I though it was delicious. the veggies were totally fresh along with the lobster meat. Very good. That whole organic and local thing.. doesn't stop with the food. What impressed me the most was the cocktail menu! I Had a grapefruit/ honey martini... I was expecting for it to either be really sweet or bitter. It was neither and perfect.
There is an interesting Blood Mary on the menu that i have to go back for. It is made with celery peppercorn flavored vodka made by modern spirits. ( i wonder what other drinks you can come up with for that vodka?) Sounds good though!
The decor is outstanding. I love the live greenery that is growing up the back wall.
- good place to "pre-game it" before heading over to Halo.
2 - Rebecca O.: Beleza:

Your mojito alone may keep me coming back for more, but I can't promise I'll dine on more than liquid. 

The small venue is cool ... no other way to say it. Love the decorating, love the vibe. The food, however, leaves much to be desired.

I've dined at Beleza twice. I made the mistake of sitting at the bar during my second dining experience. It is here that you witness the mixologists at work (very cool), but it's also the prime spot to check out the guy in charge of plating the crudo. I found it a bit unappetizing to watch him go in and out of a mini fridge to retrieve raw fish in Tupperware. I'll be fair though ... the tuna crudo with beets and lemon zest is quite delectable.

Many a diner goes for the "forbidden rice": black rice, squash, yellow raisins, pistacios, and cilantro pesto. I found it to be a bit too crunchy.

Now back to my beloved mojito, which is served over round, so-tempting-to-chew-me pieces of ice (definitely a plus). Natural sweeteners and exotic ingredients top off the tasty buzz/sugar high in a glass.

They're open 'til 3 a.m. Tuesday - Saturday. Good to know for late-night mojito cravings...
4 - Amy G.: I love their concept. There food and drinks are so different than anything I have ever had. They had a drink that looked like pineapple juice with a slice of star fruit on the side.....it tasted like chocolate! There is a fruit that tastes like chocolate, who knew?! 
Everything is in sight, chefs bartenders...its great. They use high quality ingredients that account for great tasting dishes. 
I enjoyed this place with a group of friends during the week and it was perfect. The only thing I will say is they are new and you could tell, no big deal though.
5 - Sash S.: I had dinner at Beleza last night and enjoyed the experience.  I read the wonderful reviews in the past and just never made it down, but passed by last night and decided to grab a bite..glad I did.  The whole menu is small plates and they have a definite focus on healthful ingredients, like organic grain, agave nectar instead of refined sugar and coconut milk.  My friend and I ordered 6 different small plates which were more than filling for two. We had the Pom shots which were nice as well as the mojitos made with agave nectar rather than simple syrup...equally smooth.  The atmosphere was casual, mature and quaint.  The owner, Riccardo, made his rounds and greeted is customers with a smile and brief conversation.  I really like the vibe of Beleza and could do them again really soon.
5 - Nicole M.: I have to give Beleza 5 stars because of the superior service my friends and I received when dining here.  First, by complete accident, 2 drinks were spilled on me.  Our poor server was mortified but everyone stepped up and took care of us and it made the experience even better.  The food is also very good.

The drinks are cold and really good.  I know they were strong but I was never overwhelmed by the alcohol.  The juices are so good and I'd like to believe they were good for me too (and maybe off-set the alcohol?).

The food is Brazilian-esque.  The kale was my favorite -- it was amazing.  The fresh coconut milk wasn't too heavy or overpowering and I loved the salt and spicy chili pepper accompaniment that came on the side.  We ordered the amber jack sashimi -- it tasted like the ocean, not like fish, which is a good thing in my book.  I liked the forbidden rice -- it's crunchy, which I was expecting -- and has great flavor.  The crab salad was also very good -- i liked the substitution of the coconut milk for mayo.  It made the crab nice and light, not heavy and dull.  Apparently, many people order this and ask where the lettuce is since it's called a "salad" (our server informed us there was no lettuce on the plate).  I wasn't expecting lettuce and what I got was flavorful and delicious.

Finally, after eating and drinking ourselves silly (by the way, I never felt too full), we had desert.  I HIGHLY recommend the chocolate tart -- the pink salt which is sprinkled on top is perfect.  The whole desert is heaven.  The bananas were also really good, but the chocolate tart was my favorite.

Beleza is very cool.  The drinks are great.  The food is great (don't expect a HUGE, ugly American meal) and the service is impeccable.  My friends and I had a great evening even after the drink incident.  It really does take a lot more than spilled drinks to ruin my night.
4 - Kim D.: Great drinks. I have not managed to eat there, but I have stopped here for a night capp on several occasions. Great music and international lounge feel. I should mention that the drinks are not sweet, they are completely natural so it May be an adjustment for some people. They also prepare everything at the bar which is entertaining in itself to watch. I would say the space is small and the menu a touch over my head. But  everyone was friendly and I would def. do drinks there again if not for atmosphere.  Did I mention the green wall - its pretty hot.
3 - Nich G.: If you are looking for a place to enjoy a tasty cocktail, this is the place for you.  

If you are looking for a place for a good dinner, run like the wind!
4 - Miriam W.: HOTlanta indeed.

Beleza's grapefruit & tupelo honey martini was sublime. The nuevo-Latino modern decor helped create a chic and indulgent feel about the place. Their shrimp moqueca was the winning dish of the night for me. Also, don't miss the amberjack crudo.

This spot oozes sexiness, even if you're dining at the early-bird hour of 5:30PM.
5 - Broderick S.: SATC was on the big screen and it'd be a sin to check it out without picking up a cocktail beforehand. Beleza had to be the place. It was hopping on a Friday, the dj was on the deck and people were having a good time. I love their cocktail list, full of fresh juices and inventive drinks. No sour pucker here. I didn't eat on my latest trip, but I've had the shrimp moqueca before and it's incredible. There's really nothing to compare it to in Atlanta
5 - Deanna J.: Did I take a plane to Miami in my sleep? Wha? Where? Where am I? 

After stepping into Cuerno, kinda like the momentary panic you get when waking up in an unfamiliar place, as did that happen when stepping through the doorway. . . definitely a nice departure from the usual. 

Munching our way through the menu and a whole bunch of tapas sized portions gave us a nice tour de menu, and who knew I liked kale? Plates are the right size for a pre dinner drink and munch, or for an after dinner cocktail. Or order a few per person to enjoy a full-on meal. Lots of raw fish, seafood for the sea loving set, too. 

Definitely somewhere I'd return (but next time in much sassier attire - the restaurant shouldn't look sexier than I do, right?!), and also what I'd make a choice for a ladies night out cocktail or a date-ish drink.
1 - T M.: Excruciatingly small servings. Even after ordering 4 tapas apiece, we were still hungry. While the miniscule helpings of various dishes were tasty,  we all left the place still hungry. Very poor value for the money. Substandard service...food delivery from ktichen was very slow, and the waitperson was confused and ill-informed.  Never again.
4 - Kan B.: Nice place. next to Chocolate pink. be prepared to wait . Luckily we found 2 spots at the bar.  we ordered so many items. The actually have REAL passion fruit juice. The bill quickly came to $150. Ouch. for just two people just noshing. It was like the American Express commercial were the woman gets a spear of asparagus. Very small portions.
3 - Aisha B.: I had never heard of this place until I attended a friend
s art show a few doors down at Vankin gallery.  We decided to go there afterwards for drnks, since we scored free parking in the dect across the street by saying we were eating there.  This place was a pleasant surprise.  On a Wednesday night the place was pretty laid back, a few people dining and drinking at the bar.  We had Caipirinhas which were fabulous and my friend who is a true connoisseur of such things (meaning she's actually been to Brazil several times and can order them with the perfect accent) said they were unbelievable.  

The Shrimp Moqueca was really good and a bit bigger than the other tapas sized portion.  After dinner we sat outside and finished our drinks.  It was a nice atmosphere to connect with a friend and have a new experience.  I don't know that I'll make plans to go again, midtown bars are not my thing on a regular basis, but if I'm in the area, stopping for drinks or a light bite would be just the thing here.
2 - Stephen F.: Since I have set the bar rather high for my one star rating, I must give this one two stars.  I went there one night before Margaret Cho and then I had the food during an event at the Botanical Gardens.  Both times, I was so sad.  So, so very sad!

I will say that the drinks at this place are very interesting.  For summer drinks, they really offer some creative options.  All of the ingredients appear to be fresh and I did find them exceptional.  However, good alcohol does not make for 3-4 stars in my opinion.  Since I am a light weight (aka "cheap date"), I need some good grub to coat the stomach.  You will not find any of that here!

My partner does not eat seafood but I always know that there will be something on the menu that he will like.  Oh, was I wrong.  The menu is a mis-match of odd items, the vast majority of which have items that swim in the ocean.  Even though I like fish, I found the menu quite limited.  

The food was also just so-so.  I don't think it was very interesting and I did not find the taste all that good.  We had a ceviche that was terrible.  It was a white fish ceviche and the juice was terrible...it tasted fishy which you never want when you are eating raw fish that has been cooked in citrus juices.

The other sides were not good at all.  Rather plain and tasteless.  It was a while ago (I keep forgetting to put this one on the list) so I can't remember everything but I won't go back.  Very expensive and the portions are indeed "tiny."  I think you are paying for the cool interior (which is certainly not worth the price) but I would not wait in line to get in this place.  I would be pissed if I waited for THAT food.  

Oh yeah, you also are forced to park across the street for $5.00.  I get the whole midtown experience but they really should valet!
2 - Lizzie P.: I will give it an "eh."  It was a definite scene, low lighting, interesting music.  Great place for a cocktail to start out your evening, or for a night cap after a meal.  Just be careful about the specialty cocktails.  They are very interesting, but not necessarily delicious.  I, being a bourbon fan, ordered the Trail Mix cocktail, which sounded like a quirky take on bourbon with some fruity notes.  But nope, it actually tasted like trail mix.  Which is cool if you want to be eating trail mix.  It was like those buttered popcorn jelly beans.  Yes indeed, they taste remarkably like buttered popcorn, but that doesn't mean you want to eat it.
Food?  The menu is really limited.  What we had was decent, but nothing to flip out over.  Or maybe tofu mayo in the french onion dip is just too cool for me, but really, if you are going to serve french onion dip, don't try to "class it up" by using tofu mayo.  I am cool with Hellman's.
4 - Rich T.: I really like Beleza. It's different and cool. But the best thing about it is that despite the fact that it's trendy, they actually care about the food. Every time I come here I am pleased with the food. There are so many restaurants in Atlanta that try so hard to pretend it's about the food, but after one bite, you know it's about the scene. Well Beleza is different. Sure, it's a scene, but it really is about the food. Plus the scene is very diverse. Not your usual crowd and everyone seems to enjoy the DJs and the live Jazz equally. Now with the secret street parking right out front, it's even better.
5 - Nicholas b.: Since Beleza opened, I stop by and get my drink on whenever Im have a "healthy week"... you know, we all have those spurts where we are determined to exercise everyday, eat organic grubs, etc, etc... well, mine usually lasts for about a week, then Im over it and in the zesto drive thru after a night of tequilas on the rocks somewhere on Buford Highway.  Beleza is heaven on a light feathery pillow... the atmosphere is calm and clean, the food is fresh and interesting, and the cocktails - are something to be reckoned with.

A close friend of mine built their booze list when they first opened, and its still running strong to this day, for all the right reasons.  The focus mirrors the theme of the joint: fresh, organic, clean, crisp and for the most part, raw.  All of the fruits and veggies are prepped right in front of you at the hybrid bar/kitchen.  Kumquats, meyer lemons, chilies, herbs, lemon grass, ginger, agave, and acerola are just some of the stars you might spot.

On a colder night my favorite is the Hanging Mary, a play on a bloody mary in martini form:  pepper and celery vodkas, spiced tamarillo juice, pink peppercorns, and sea salt.

On Warmer, summer and especially spring evenings, the Caipirinhas cal my name... my choice of which is most definitely the meyer lemon or the key lime and coconut:  both made traditionally with Cachaca, and muddled with fresh fruits and crushed ice.
4 - Layne B.: This place has had consistent amazing dishes. There is always enough creative vegetarian options for us to keep us coming back. The Forbidden Rice and the Mango Salsa dishes are superb. The organic cocktails are the best in town, and well worth the $10 price. If you like modern design and good dj's, then this is the atmosphere for you. Be careful though, there is a strong midtown deutschebag vibe sometimes; but it is fun to people watch.
4 - Miranda J.: This was a restaurant I had been very excited about. I saw it months before and had been hoping for a chance to eat there, and that chance finally came for my birthday. Everything about it seemed to be right up my alley; organic, fresh, and local. 

As we got there (pretty much right on time, might have been 5 minutes late), we were shocked at how tiny the restaurant was. They had informed us this over the phone, but wow, this is inconveniently small. They also then decide to sit our group at two different tables. This was stated on the phone, but that it would be two tables pushed together. Instead it was two tables next to each other, but far apart enough to be awkward.  

The food was either a complete hit or complete miss.  Same with the drinks.  Some I would rate a  10 and some were about a 5.  The service was INSANELY slow.  I want to love this place, I will go back, and I appreciate the theme so much I can't give it a bad rating. But it's definitely not a good place for groups of more than 5, and you've got to have experimental friends.
5 - Nick S.: Good RAW food.  They have switched to a raw menu.  We had the lobster which was delicious.  Marinated in lemon juice for hours to "cook" it.  Also the quina was good.  The chocolate tart was fabulous and also "raw."  So so good.  I pretended it was also good for you since it was not baked and raw.....
We had the bibb lectuce wraps which were alright.  The carrot miso sauce that came with them was very flavorless.  

The atmosphere was nice.  They have good hot tea and mixed drinks.  We did not end up getting any mixed drinks since we were still recovering from a couple nights before.  Will definitely return.  Their menu is small, maybe 10-15 items.  We joked that we had half the menu so by the time we go again if we get a couple of dishes again we will have tasted their whole menu.

Very nice waitress as well and GREAT music.
3 - Erin D.: I came here on a Wednesday night for dinner, and I left almost as hungry as I came. For drinks and light, expensive small plates, I'd give this place 4 stars. However, if you're hungry and want some substantial grub, Beleza gets 2 stars. 

The drink list is extensive, and I recommend their caipirinha (a Brazilian drink with lime juice, agave, and cachaca). The food menu is very limited, and the portions are very small. Although I do recommend getting at least 2 dishes per person, the cost will climb quickly.  I ordered the lobster ceviche for $10, and it was delicious, light, and fresh, but I needed more! One of my friends ordered the salmon and was disappointed to see that it was served as sushi rolls (the menu did not hint at this). Also, for raw food, you'd think it wouldn't take about 30 minutes to bring to the table...

The ambiance is one of Beleza's highlights; the decor is modern, and it's a very small and romantic layout. Our waitress was a bit pretentious and impatient and the food took forever, so I can't say much about the service. It is a very unique concept, and there's nothing else quite like it in Atlanta. I am glad I tried it, but I can't say I'll be a frequent customer. Overall, I recommend this place as a post-date drink and light bite, but not the place to go if you're truly hungry.
3 - Haja J.: Oh Beleza! The cocktails here are sneaky, you think you're sipping on a friendly, 'TrailMix' weird, looking concoction...then BAMMMMMMMMM! I'm...oops, you're...it doesn't matter. 
Live music, djs spinning...very cool. 
The crowd here is friendly, social and super fun, I've always had a great time.

12/19

I want to thank  Adam for being the creative, generous mixologist that he is. Thank you for getting me drunk on free tastings!

The cocktail list (I just found out) is updated seasonally. There is also a new dinner menu, which I haven't tried yet, but I'm sure is fantastic.
4 - Melonie T.: This place deserves three point five stars. The drinks are great, and as stated by some other guests, a bit strong. The atmosphere is ubber trendy yet cool and refreshing, the green wall rocks! 

The food is pretty good. I lived in Brazil for a while and, while I was hoping this place would bring back fond beach memories, it is only Brazil inspired. Still pretty good and a nice break from the usual line up of tex-mex, Asian, and bar fare found in Atlanta. 

The parking situation is very lame. Across the street? And I have to pay? This is Atlanta, not New York, we drive, please accommodate.
3 - Lily L.: They changed the menu!!!

Now it's just a one page menu with mediocre appetizers and small plates of little substance. I'll still give them 3 stars for their extensive drink menu which continues to be interesting, delicious, and brimming with healthful-fusion-brilliance. 

Great place to take a date or beautiful-people watch. Just eat dinner prior.
4 - louis n.: fast and friendly staff. the owner, Richardo, is a great host.  subscribe to U happenings either on their website or facebook to get invites to plenty of their special events.

They have free valet now! beats playing "Frogger" on Juniper St.
5 - Brett H.: I am in love with Beleza.

Was there last night....  The food was awesome.  Perfect for a night out.  The drinks.... Wow The Drinks.  

I had a Sir Douglas, delicious gin and Strega cocktail, ginger and juniper berries completed this....  The Jungle Juice completed my drinking well, Acai, Guarana, and organic vodka!  YUM.  Healthy Alcoholics, nothing better!

The atmosphere is beautiful, chic, sexy....  Makes one forget about the crescent block for a moment.  The DJ was great, chill beats make the night happen.  I also really dig they had a photographer doing a shoot right there in the venue, apparently they do this every Thursday.  

Overall, I will be back, often.
4 - Alain L.: VERY easy to find in Midtown Atlanta. I'd been hearing about Beleza from a few friends and finally had a chance to check it out. Interestingly enough, where they are located is "mixed use" commercial and residential. The sign, on the entrance door, asking patrons not to make excessive outside made me chuckle.

Walk in and sit at the end of the bar, near the wall. To me, this was a perfect vantage point to see the entire bar and to chat it up with the cool bartenders. Sort of cool to see how these guys make their drinks. They do take their time, so don't expect a quick mixed drink. I had a few of their Caipirinha's, they're VERY good and comparable to any I've had in the Atlanta area.

Their food is yummy, although a little off-putting when you realize some of it is coming from Cuerno, just a few steps away. Just odd to see someone walk in the door with ham croquettes, for instance, that you're about to consume.

The music is vibrant and groovy, really put me in a nice mellow mood to enjoy a good conversation and catch up with a friend.

And finally, the parking situation is a towering inferno of frustration. There's ONE valet guy working and that poor guy is trying to catch up on the backlog. Street parking is at a premium in this part of town, unfortunately.
3 - Shonda K.: The menu was limited and had been changed from what was online, so I was let down (went and ate next door check out my review of Cuerno). This is a nice spot for people that are into these types of spots.  I found a lot of the crowd to be uptight and the space is small.  The bartenders were nice (Hey Navaro:) and were whipping up some pretty interesting drinks.  The DJ was fine.  I'd rather read a book or have friends over at home for dinner and drinks than hang in these type spots.  But I have never been a bar person and don't drink enough to get into the whole bar vibe.

I wouldn't make it  a point to go here unless I was invited to something.
3 - Jeff D.: I could have sworn that I had written a review of Beleza ages ago, but much to my dismay, I found I hadn't the other night when I was on my iPhone at the restaurant trying to look to see what I had said...and this is why.

Up until recently, this had been one of my favorite spots for drinks, food, and music; and would have gotten five stars Unfortunately, they have changed the menu which in and of itself is not a bad thing (I actually like places that are seasonal with the menu), but the change, I'm sorry to say, was not for the better.

Being vegetarian, the appeal of Beleza was the fact that they had several fresh (and organic) vegetarian dishes that were not only reasonably priced, but flavorful as well. While they still have a few dishes (as in three), the majority of the menu now is going to work out the colon of even the most frequent of carnivores. If meat and cheese is your taste of heaven, then your pearly gates are Beleza's glass doors. I always figured Cuerno next door served the hard core meat eating clientele, while Beleza was a lighter bill of fare. Not anymore.

The drinks and music are still good while the service is spotty. We were one of three tables in the entire place and it took about ten minutes for the waitress to take out order. Oh well; still a good lounge that plays something other than indie rock or hip-hop (which seems to be the new pasteurized programming of Atlanta clubs/bars/lounges now). That alone gets them a star at least.
5 - kemp c.: Last night was my first time at beleza. I had heard mixed reviews...Well I have to say if you dont like this place maybe you dont really get it. This is the first place in Atlanta to do the cocktail louge thing right. The drinks are exceptional. I had a drink called "Envy". It was an absinthe drink with honey, egg whites, and basil...sounds strange...soooo good!! I was nervous about the eggs, but the bartender told me "shake em hard and youre just making meringue". He was increadably knowledgeable, definatley a cocktail nerd. Not the place to order a vodka-tonic, you will definatley get a sideways glace, and with good reason,-thats like ordering a cheese sandwich at the Ritz dining room.Aside from the great cocktails they have a DJ everynight and good nibbles on the menu. Ill definatley be back.
2 - Travis N.: I've never had dinner here, but the drinks were interesting.  Not the normal selection of bar fare, these were more organic and more unique in nature. 

The mojitos were muddled and ugly like a true mojito.  The scene is very trendy, I feel like I've walked into some kind of garment disctrict hangout when  I'm there.  

That's a double edged sword though, it's almost too trendy.  I wonder if a place can survive because the trendiness will blow away and what's left for it?  

Also another bizarre aside is the establishment's weird obsession with fashion/art photography.  They seemed to be very proud of their "calendar" that they created.  However, the calendar seemed more like a satire of modern fashion pinup shots than the real deal.  

It's like an upscale mojito joint mated with "America's Next Top Model"

It would be an impressive place for a date if they are into that kind of thing...but go quick, because I'm not sure how long it's going to last.

If nothing else its worth 1 trip to see the scene.
3 - Keith H.: After an evening of groundbreaking performances by the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, my guests and I decided to dine out at a nearby restaurant, of course, most of the restaurant closed at 11pm, next choice a lounge/bar, we decided on "BELEZA" (means Beauty) on Juniper in Midtown.  BELEZA Restaurant &  Lounge is a trendy hotspot in Midtown known for it's Brazilian flair small plates, creative cocktails, incorporating local and organic ingredients. As we entered the door, we were greeted by a friendly host, who escorted us quickly to our table. Bossa Nova, global beats filled the air, as we swayed back n forth in our plush, comfortable chairs.  It's a really cute, well designed..a bit small, however, cozy place to hang out with friends, grab a drink, a quick  bite before or after the theatre. My guests and I, were starved, we decided on the same dish, Moqueca(Bahian Seafood stew, organic coconut milk, organic extra virgin olive oil, Mologueta peppers, cilantro, cashews) it was very good.  To quench our thirst, we decided on a brazilian natural soda(Elderflower with lemon). I must admit, I visited Beleza on Friday also, where I devoured their Acai Sorbet topped with granola, fresh blueberries, and bananas.  If you dig creative cocktails, small plates, funky entertainment on the weekend, Beleza is the place to be!  Its sister restaurant is "Cuerno" which is next door, it features Flamenco dancing on Sunday and authentic Spanish tapas. Whatever you decide, you'll enjoy every moment, minute, hour.
3 - Shannon C.: Nice vibe and scenery, and good drinks. Food isn't my cup of tea though. Has complimentary valet!
5 - Emily B.: I just got back from a most glorious happy hour at Beleza. It's a rainy Friday evening, so my party was the only one in the place - which was PERFECT!

We shared several dishes including the beet salad, ceviche and the chocolate tart. The beet salad was completely divine - even for beet-haters, it's worth a try. I can't eat ceviche, and heard conflicting reviews but it is either good or awesome. The chocolate tart was spectacular with sea salt - surprising, I know! 

And the drinks. Oh, the drinks! Thanks to Navarro for interpreting our totally mysterious blatherings and turning out delicious cocktails for us all. 

We sat at the bar where we could watch all the food being prepared. Beleza is not only cool and delicious - but educational too! The staff is knowledgeable and willing to share. We left full and happy - the perfect end to a crazy week and segue into a great weekend. It is a great after work spot in Midtown if you are in need.
4 - C. G. B.: The drinks here are 5 stars.  Some of the best in town, and one of the few places that you can get a drink that's both strong and refreshing.  I'm a capirinha enthusiast, and their caipirinhas and mojitos are as good as they get outside of the tropics.  If you want to go easy or don't feel like an exotic drink, they've got a pretty sound bottled beer selection and a full bar as well, and also some fresh juices and homemade sodas to enjoy.  The bar staff is knowledgeable and creative, and a special shout-out goes to Navarro.  I've been to several bars he's tended bar at, and with the palette he's got at Beleza, your palate will surely be pleased by his inventions.

The food is well-made, but I'm not that into it.  I enjoyed the Bhutanese Red Rice (not sure if that's still on the menu) and I liked the taro and yucca chips but found the pineapple salsa too sweet for my taste.  I'm not saying they should make it differently, just saying it wasn't for me, but I'm a fairly particular eater.

The atmosphere is solid.  It's a great place to take a date for after dinner drinks and conversation, and maybe even a little dancing, as they often have DJs in.
3 - Marina T.: I really want to give this place more stars because the staff was so nice and attentive.  But...I was quite disappointed with the food.  I should have known that Beleza is better known for their drinks (which were not bad) and not gone here for dinner too.  We practically ordered every plate on the menu and aside from the beet salad, everything else was just meh.  

I DO however recommend this place if you're going out with a group and looking for a fun place with drinks.  It's also a great place if you have the appetite of a bird and prefer organic ingredients.

Complimentary valet!
4 - Juli H.: I visited Beleza Saturday night escorted by a fellow Yelper.  They have complimentary valet parking.  The interior design is gorgeous.  Sea urchin-like light fixtures over the tables.  A wall of live flowers.  The bar is the best place to sit because you can watch the lively bartenders mix drinks.  That is in itself entertaining.  When they "clap" mint or basil leaves in their palms you can smell the scent.  Unique experience.  I did not have the food.  The music was lively and groovy - not too loud.  You're able to have a conversation without yelling.   The management passed around free, small dark chocolate cakes (not sure what exactly they were) that were delicious but very rich.  Very generous!
4 - Lamar T.: Honestly, if you have any social skills, you will like your experience at Beleza.  The bartenders know what their doing.  You can actually customize your drinks...have a conversation with your bartender...it's a bar.  The crowd is mixed and it's not hard to strike up a conversation with someone at the bar or hanging outside.

What I will say is that this place is a neighborhood spot.  If you're looking for instant action at all times, this might not be the place for you.  If you would like a good drink, willing to strike up a convo or chill with the person/group that you're with, you'll like this place.  A loud rancorous good time can be had here too.

I've visited before sundown for a quick drink and I've stumbled in there at 2am just in time to tie one on and I've received the same great service.  Once you get over the thought that this bar just has to be pretentious...you'll have a good time realizing that it's not.

*the owner has been known to pass around shots...can't go wrong there.
2 - Tracy L.: ATMOSPHERE: Very pretty inside! Simple white chairs/ tables with a wall of greenery. Bar with a green glow. Dimly lit. Outdoor seating available as well - couple couches. Got pretty crowded by 11pm. Trendy/cool atmosphere. Lot of pre-clubbing peeps and some older couples. 
DRINKS: I came here because of all the good reviews about the drinks of which I ordered:
1. Traditional caipirinha - I had never had this drink so I decided to go with the simplest option.  The general definition of caipirinha according to the waitress is drink made with cachaca which resembles tequila.  Tasted like tequila with a lot of lime juice. I wasn't very impressed but then again I'm not a huge tequila fan. 
2. Envy - martini with absinthe. I've never had absinthe either. This drink tasted well.... bleh. Hint of cloves and bitterness with a touch of cough medicine. Not very sweet. Again not very impressed. 
3. Jungle juice - a purple drink with acai. This is sweet but had a strong tart taste at the end with some fizziness. I liked it okay and thought this was the best out of all but wouldn't get it again. 
SERVICE: Excellent. Waitress was very attentive and knew the menu very well including vegan/vegetarian options, which most of the menu seemed to be. 
PARKING: Complimentary valet. 
PERKS: Reservations can be made on www.OpenTable.com for those who are point collectors!
CONCLUSION: Hmm....not sure what to say. Maybe I ordered the wrong drinks? They have lots of veggie/vegan options here so I'll be back at least to try out the food.
5 - DJ O.: Sleek, contemporary and tropical, yet cozy as your own living room.  One the most friendly high end lounges in town.  There is a great fine beer list and the cocktails are out of this world (and I'm a beer drinker!!!). They have 4 types of caipirinhas.  All of which are AMAZING!!  The menu is lite tapas....I would suggest the Olive plate for a group or the Shrimp Macaca for two.  Parking is comp valet right out front or on the street if you prefer.  The place is popping pretty much Wed thru Saturday...I prefer Friday nite since the music is a little more diverse than just straight house music (although that is served up on Friday...just in a smaller portion).
4 - Kathleen M.: I'm glad I finally made an excuse to grab a cocktail at Beleza when Andrea R was in town. The space was smaller than expected, but I couldn't help but stare at the gorgeous light fixtures. Seriously, they were like those little bug zappers and I was a skeeter.... I just couldn't look away! So. pretty.

Okay, enough about the lighting. The drinks were tasty and creative, most were light and fruity: perfect for a hot summer day. The avocado dip was like a refreshingly light guacamole, and the other plates I saw sampled looked to be equally delish. This is an absolutely perfect little spot to grab a great cocktail before or after dinner, and considering it's only a few blocks from my place, I'm sure I'll be back sooner rather than later.

nb: despite the website claiming otherwise, they didn't open up shop till 7:30. If you're planning an earlier evening, I'd recommend calling in advance to double check their hours.
4 - Andrea R.: It's all about the caipirinhas here. However, last Wednesday night I was all about the wine. I wanted to be all about the sauvignon blanc, but it didn't come by the glass and I wasn't sure if it was a "drink a whole bottle by myself" type of night. I didn't want my new friends in Atlanta to think that we're lushes back in Chicago- even though we are. ;) And so I settled for a glass of Riesling instead.

I was also all about the décor here. I had visions of putting their cool modern light fixtures in my condo and the rain forest in the back corner was a nice touch.

So yeah, good wine, cool décor...and tasty food too! Since I hadn't eaten in a few hours it was time for my feeding and Kathleen M was kind enough to share the avocado dip with me.  It was basically guacamole, but tasted much lighter and healthier so you don't feel guilty about eating it. 

Oh, one strange thing...
They didn't open their doors on this particular Wednesday night until 7:30pm and I think you'll all agree that good wine and wine in this fun atmosphere should be enjoyed earlier in the evening.
5 - josie p.: I must start with the disclaimer that I came with a large group & we are all friends with the bartender, Adam F, so I realize that he likely upped the anti on my experience. Because we were all so cozy with one of the best "mixologists" in the A, we got to try multiple drinks & shots on the house... Money! Only problem, since we got hooked up with so many drinks, my memory fails me & I can't remember everything we tried, but I can promise that nothing disappointed! I think the entire staff here takes care of their customers, which isn't always the case at cocktail bars of this caliber.
The gorgeous interior with an eclectic mix of chic decor & amazing, dimly glowing light fixtures made an impression on me. We went on a Saturday night, so they had a dj spinning perfectly hip background music to add to the ambiance. I must admit, I was shocked at the lack of patrons in here & we were there easily from midnight to 2am. There were maybe 10 other couples in there besides us grabbing a late night snack or drink before heading home... Adam blames the economy.
Anyway, I'm usually a vodka or wine girl myself, but we got a whole dissertation on why gin is far superior to vodka; Therefore, I believe most of our delicious concoctions consisted primarily of gin or tequila, so keep that in mind if you aren't a fan of either. Actually, I take that back... I've steered clear of tequila ever since an incident in college, but I could hardly taste the tequila in these drinks & I certainly didn't feel it the next day like I did at College of Charleston. 
Check this place out late night sometime for a true, much more involved drinking experience. It has a Brazilian influence, so if you're feeling over-zealous, go on salsa night & burn off those extra calories!
3 - Oscar A.: Beleza, I live in the neighborhood and I've been a fan since you opened. What's with the new late night crowd your attracting???  It's a total turnoff.
4 - Lexi E.: THe food- I have had everything on the menu.  Travis is amazing. -5
Drinks- Navarro is a beast and a gentleman.  -5
Needs a better wine list and more diverse beer list-2
Trey is cute and funny;)  What he lacks for in mixology he makes up for in always perfect hair and charm.
Vibe- wished they were drumming more business -4
Music-  Hit or miss -3

I will cry if the food goes away.  Hard.  really hard. like ugly cry:(
5 - Scott M.: Beleza is one of my new "favorite" bars in Atlanta.  It's cool, it's laid back, it's sexy, and it creates a vibe that is totally undeniable.

It also is very easy to miss if you dont know where the hell you are going.  Sitting right next to Lupe, Beleza is sorta like Lupe's the cooler, but less flashy brother.

I am not sure if they sell food here, but you can definitely try this spot out for some tasty cocktails.  

The bartender was pretty amazing, and seemed to be at ease contributing to conversational topics while making some of the best cocktails in Atlanta.

The drinks have a brazillian influence, and this was my first time having a caipirinhas, if you love mojitos, caipirinhas are like the next best thing.

I love this place.
4 - Edgar B.: Hands down best caipirihnas in town

Belinda's Cocina - San Diego, CA (32.8754964, -117.2383261) ()
5 - Amanda L.: Belinda's Cocina serves amazing Mexican food!

I got the pleasure of eating here at the UCSD Farmers Market.  The Chile Verde is my favorite and I frequent the carneasada street tacos as well.  They have a diverse amount of meats, delicious rice, tasty (lard free) beans... and they will make you basically anything you ask for.  

The service is great and they cater as well!  They serve at the SDSU basketball games and events so I may just need to go to a game to eat with them!

Overall... GREAT food, GREAT service and hopefully they'll be expanding to a restaurant soon so more people can taste their delicious food.
5 - Lauren L.: My dad owns a mexican restaurant in Berkeley, so if there is ONE thing I know it is Mexican food and Belinda's is awesome! It has that amazing authentic Mexican flavor and taste and you can tell all the food is made with love especially because the workers and owner are super sweet. My favorite things there is the super original yet authentic chipotle chicken and I also love their potato tacos. They don't always have the potato tacos but when they do it is such a special treat. I am super picky about mexican food especially down here in san diego where there is a taco shop on every corner, but Belinda's has the awesome service, super fair prices, authentic flavor, and just all around yummmmmmy food.
3 - J X.: I have to knock off a star because instead of telling me flat out that they were out of burrito tortillas, they started making me 3 street tacos rolled up ... the rationale was that I could eat it "like a burrito". What?

I wanted to leave but they kept pressuring me. It was a very different experience from my first visit. 

The food, though cold, was still tasty, but the service left a bad taste in my mouth.
5 - LisaSD S.: Oh how I wish Belinda's had a restaurant open that I could frequent on a regular basis!  I am very hopeful that they will realize that dream soon.  Until then, I'll have to eat her food at The La Jolla Farmer's Market on Sundays or try to catch her at the college.  

Her Chile Rellenos are the best in San Diego with the tasty red sauce.  Her chile verde is also top notch.  No matter what, Belinda always tries to make sure you're happy with your meal.  She has a huge following of loyal fans that love her food and love her.  

Now she has her son Anthony helping her and it can only be a good thing as they take their food to the next level.  When you have someone that has that much passion and that much heart, much success will come!
5 - Sean D.: Recently, my wife and I were in San Diego for the weekend.

About an hour after having breakfast at our hotel, we found ourselves at a Farmer's Market located at the La Jolla  Elementary School (near Girard Ave. & Pearl St.).

There were plenty of arts and crafts tents as well as a lot of produce tents to browse through... but as you approach the school's lunchyard, you'll see a lot of tents selling food. Kind of like a Food Court.

It's not as if the idea of a food court lured us to this section... rather, it was the smell of some wonderful Mexican spices in the air.

Immediately, we found the source of these tantalizing smells.. Belinda's.

The food smelled good and it looked good, too.

As we approached their tent, one of the guys working greeted us and told us about the food...  then, he gave us a sample... chili Colorado for me and chipotle chicken for my wife.

It was soooo damn good, that I ordered a chili Colorado burrito and my wife ordered three chicken chipotle 'street tacos.' 

Did I mention that we had just eaten breakfast an hour earlier?!?

But it didn't matter.. we devoured that food real quick!

Good size portions, good price points, fresh, flavorful foods and friendly people.

Don't bother going to some chain restaurant hoping for some good Mexican food... stop by Belinda's and get some GREAT Mexican food instead!

We have to go to San Diego again in a few weeks and you can bet that we're heading back to Belinda's!
5 - Dont worry G.: I was just driving by and saw this little stand and was like let's try it! I have to say we just got 3 tacos and horchata. The tacos were super good and the horchata was the best I have had in a long time! The guys who run it were very nice. Then we had gone back that night. And we got more food it was still super good and I have to say when ever I am in San Diego I will go there for sure!!!!!!

Beliza Tan - La Jolla, CA (32.8703222, -117.2326571) ()
5 - Julia S.: I've been tanning there for a long time and it's always a joy to come in. The girls are extremely caring and professional. The towels are always fresh, it's smells always good in there and the machines are in a very good condition. Even if I come during a busy time, I don't mind, because it's a pleasure to sit on the comfortable sofa holding fresh magazines for   ten minutes. 
Great place, great rates and great atmosphere.
1 - an o.: I found the staff (perhaps manage/owner) to be pleasant and helpful when they first opened. I had been a regular customer of platinum tan before they became beliza. Today when I went in the tv was blasting and salesperson was extremely irritable. When I asked for eye protectors, she rudely told me (and not quietly) that they were already in there, which they were not, before going to the back to get them. She then overtly rolled her eyes to another customer. It was disrespectful and I don't plan to renew my tanning package or buy airbrushing sessions from here in the future.
1 - Misha V.: This place used to be called Platinum Tan.

Do you LOVE getting burned by some weird tingly cream? How about pushy sales ladies who claim you need to come in 4 times a week to achieve a good tan?

I was burned all over my body after a 9 minute session in a level III bed. They claimed the redness was because of the tingly tanning cream, and that my redness would go away within an hour.

LIES. I was red for a good 24 hours. Very uncomfortable and itchy.

I will not be back.

Belk - Christiansburg, VA (37.1651736, -80.4295943) ()
3 - Julia W.: I'm a little confused by Belk. 

I'm from the Northwest and have never heard of this chain before. 

I walked through with my husband and it seems to be a lower-end Macy's. It has the standard 'bedding' department and the 'clothing' department. 

I didn't really shop through as it wasn't my 'style' but I can see where it would fill in for Macy*s (which is not at this mall)
5 - Stephanie B.: I have lived in other places, but always come back to Belk for a lot of the items that we like and need.  I took my mother shopping last night for the store's grand opening (following their massive remodel).  There are more upscale brands and there were some great sales.....we had Buy 1, Get 2 free on Izod items for all the men on our Christmas Shopping list!  

The cashier who helped us was fantastic and great to get anything my mother needed.  Additionally, she apparently gets free gift wrap with her charge card (some levels do, don't know the specifics).  Her Christmas shopping is done, below her budget, wrapped and ready to go.  

Thank you so much, and good luck with the grand re-opening!

Bell Cab - Los Angeles, CA (34.0631451, -118.4367551) (Westwood)
2 - Jess P.: bell cab only gets my business because they're smart enough to mail out fridge magnets with their number on it. when i first moved to LA, i didn't have any magnets then one day i got a bell cab magnet in the mail. out of sheer laziness, i continue to use them. i should probably look up a better cab company and attach their number to my fridge with the bell cab magnet. 

i live close to the airport. really really close. i've driven to the airport many many many many times from my place, so yeah, i think i know the best way to get there. pretty much, when the cab driver INSISTS on using his gps, i get annoyed. he says he doesn't want to get lost. i say i'm paying for the ride so he should listen to me. i think i trust my own directions over the foreign guy who's been in LA for 3 months.
1 - Melissa L.: Okay I'm not sure which Bell Cab office we dealt with but this lucky one gets my review.  Just assume it applies to all Bell cab offices since I can't imagine any of them being any better.  So we order a van on October 30th for 9:15 on October 31st.  Everything is set. On October 31st at 9:00 PM, they call us to tell us that they don't have a van and they only have two cars and we'd have to pay for each car separately or we can wait an hour for the van.  Awesome.  So we opt for the two cars even though we would have to pay for double the price because we were already late for our party.  So we got in two different taxis to get to the same destination.

Car 1: (the car I was in)
So we're going along for 30 minutes and the driver turns around to ask us, "so where are you guys going?"  
- Silence - 
Okay...where was this guy going if he had no idea where our destination was?  I mean we thought the guy knew because we called in to tell the dispatch our location and our destination in order to book the cab.  So we tell him we are going to Circus in West Hollywood. 
So he replies, "Oh why didn't you tell me?  I passed Santa Monica a long time ago!"  So my boyfriend asks him, "oh so where were you going then?"  He's like, "I was just going to Hollywood in general."  Okay.........let's just say that was an extra $5 onto our bill.  
Then he proceeds to drive South to get to Santa Monica.  But Santa Monica is very busy for Halloween night because of the parade and just Hollywood in general.  So he decides he's going to take some fancy shortcuts which ends up taking us back North again in zig zags.   His path was completely calculated by the number of cars on each road.  I mean obviously all of the roads are packed so every small street he would turn on would be packed.  But nevertheless, he would go to the next one further North.  Awesome.  

Car 2:
So this driver actually KNOWs the address.  We are trying to get to Las Palmas and Santa Monica, which is close to Highlands and Santa Monica.  He decides to take La Cienega which is farther West than we wanted to be.  Then he tells my friends that they are close so he drops them off at La Cienega and Santa Monica.  My friends are completely lost and ask me how to get to the club.  So they walk for 20 minutes eastbound and find out they are still far from the club.  Then, they catch another taxi to take them to Las Palmas.  

I cannot comprehend how these people can run their cab company this way or any company for that matter.  I will never take this company again unless I am stranded in an unknown location with no shoes to walk back, no payphone around and no other cars around so that I can hitchhike.
1 - Brad C.: Worst cab ride of our life. 

I can't say for sure what their policy is but our ride went something like this:

"Where do you want to go? Sure, Sure I know that place."

Drive around in a circle for a while.

"So where are you going?"

Stunned silence.

"I have to type the address in the GPS. It says that address doesn't exist."

Drive around in a circle for a while longer. Threaten to have the driver arrested and demand to be let out of the cab. Give the driver $5 and find a real cab to take you to your destination.
1 - Walter P.: Bell Cab Co...It's not really Bell, not really Cab and not really company.
"Thanks", I missed my flight.
Walter.
4 - Steph C.: I've used Bell Cab a couple of times and barring any disasters, I will continue to give them my business.  Both times I called, I had a cab waiting out front within minutes - the response time was almost too fast, as I tend to account for lag when requesting cabs.

Both of my drivers were first-generation Korean men who were pretty talkative once they figured out I could speak Korean.  Maybe they skewed my view of the company, because I like a friendly cabbie, and I'd imagine that the experience is different if you can't actually communicate with your driver.  I wonder if all the drivers are Korean or if this was just a coincidence related to a Los Feliz pick-up.

Anyway, there aren't a lot of things I want from a cab, but it's still refreshing when one delivers.  It's amazing how often picking up and dropping off a human can trip some companies up.  I mean, if every fare were like Mos Def in "16 Blocks," there would be more movies about taxi drivers, fewer of them starring Queen Latifah.
1 - Scott S.: Recently I flew into LAX for an interview and hailed a taxi for the ride to the office.  To the driver's credit, he realized it was close.  However, his way of telling me that I'd be better off walking than spending $17.50 to go four blocks was really bad.  

Taxi driver - "There is a minimum charge of $15.00 from LAX plus a $2.50 surcharge.   It's posted on the window."

Me - Looking ahead and not seeing anything.  "Where is it posted?" 

Taxi driver - "On the window!"  

Me - still not seeing it.  The driver pulls the flag and begins driving.

Taxi driver - "Over there, on the door." 

Me - "OK, now I see it and now it's too late.  Quite the racket you guys have."

I am fuming at this point.  $15 minimum and a $2.50 surcharge to boot.  If you don't have luggage, walk a couple of blocks to the nearby Radisson hotel and flag a cab there.  LADOT and the taxi companies are out to gouge you!
1 - Lil C.: Worst service. Slow. Inconsiderate. Repetitive. Would NEVER recommend to anyone.
1 - ramin s.: Never take bell cab, THEY SUCK. I almost took them twice. I was picked up at the airport and the dude could hardly speak english, he was asian. I told him to take the 405 north, he went south. He was doing the opposite of what I was telling him to do. I finally got home, it almost took about 25 minutes more than the usual amount of time and he wanted to charge me $55. I gave him $40 and told him that he screwed up. he started yelling and screaming. he said no luggage! he wouldn't give me my luggage. so I grabbed his keys and took out my luggage. he grabbed my shoulder and I almost snapped, then he backed off and left. the other time, the guy wouldn't drive me 6 blocks when it was raining, he said $15. I told him I wanted the meter on and he wouldn't so I got out. I was at  LAX and needed a cab and the next two cabs in line were bell cabs and I told the taxi attendant that I would wait. nobody was in line behind me so I got into the Independent cab and told him to drive and the reason for it. he laughed and said that bell cab has a horrible reputation and they don't know the westside at all.
2 - Emerson T.: I used to be a huge proponent of Bell Cab. I called them for anything and they were the only cab company I kept in my phone's contact list. They were one of the cheapest cab companies on the west side.

Unfortunately, I have had a few poor experiences with them recently. Most notably, this past Sunday. I called on Saturday evening to request 2 cabs for 9:30am. At 9:45, when neither cab arrived I called Bell Cab. They told me one cab had already arrived and picked up me (in a shocking development, I was still at my apartment waiting). The other cab was 10 minutes away. After telling the operator no less than 5 times that neither cab had arrived, she said she would send another one.

At this point, I'm fuming. I needed a cab to take my girlfriend to the airport and I had to be somewhere by 9:45, which had already passed. I was confused to how neither cab could arrive on time.

Another 20 minutes passed and neither cab had arrived. At this point I was downright livid. When you are a service business, I expect you to arrive on time, much less 40 minutes late. I was forced to call another company and request the 2 cabs. 

The first Bell Cab arrived at 10:20, about 50 minutes after they were scheduled to arrive. I got in another cab shortly after. The 2nd Bell Cab called me at 10:45. I didn't bother to answer their multiple calls. I don't plan on ever calling them again.
5 - sarah l.: After reading everyone's site I was really skeptical about their services but I took a chance and everything was perfect! My cab arrived early and was waiting for me outside. DONT let the bad reviews dissuade you... this company is reliable and cheap! The # above doesnt work, use this: 1-888-481-2345.
1 - Madison B.: Let me paint you a picture...

Got in a cab after the bars closed last weekend. On the window it clearly says accepts visa and MasterCard. I breathe a sigh of relief because every damn cab in LA won't take credit cards - like they are the monetary devil. He drives me home, taking the longest route in the neighborhood of course. We drove probably 2 miles total at 2:30 in the morning and it cost $22.50. We pull up and I hand the guy my card. He gets angry and says absolutely not. Ummm what? Excuse me. I remind him that it says on his cab that he takes cards. He says I'm sorry but no, I will drive you to an ATM. What???? You, a strange man I just met at 2:30 in the morning, are going to drive me to an ATM? You have got to be kidding me. I have a perfectly good card right here. I refused. Finally I get out and he takes my number saying he'll call me on Monday. Monday and Tuesday come and go and no call from jerk cabbie. Finally, Wednesday night I get a text from my neighbor saying that he is harassing my neighbors asking where I live demanding money. EXCUSE ME? He was sitting in the driveway of my complex looking into my neighbor's window! I tried calling management and of course they are closed! I plan to call ASAP to get this handled. He cannot show up at my house. Tomorrow if I do not get through I will be calling the police. This is unacceptable behavior. 

All of you...do not use Bell Cab unless it is the only option! I may have only had a bad run in with this particular cab driver, but the fact that I can't find someone to talk to and when I talked to the operator she told me to call the cops versus trying to help me at all is just completely out of line. I feared leaving my apartment because this crazy guy would find out where I lived! 

STAY AWAY!
1 - Paige S.: I called to book a cab, gave them my address. They told me I live in Beverly Hills and they can't come to Beverly Hills. The thing is, I don't live in Beverly Hills. I live in Los Angeles, 90035. I explained this to them, said I could show them my license with Los Angeles, 90035. They said no, I live in Beverly Hills according to their map. 
I asked if their map trumps google maps, the city zoning, my actual city and zip code, etc... They said if I wanted to walk three houses down, they would pick me up. 
No thank you! Ridiculous when you have to deal with such stupidity.

Bell Tower Hotel - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2792483, -83.7398119) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
3 - Sarah W.: I had some friends and family stay here before. It is completely over priced. Also the rooms are tiny and the bathrooms are large. Balconies are normal sized. You will be forced to spill out onto them if there are more than two people in the room. A complete imbalance. There is no parking lot, just street metered parking. You could valet park your car but that is about it. Also it is not a high class as they would like you to believe. It feels very average. 

If you have people coming to town and they need to be in downtown Ann Arbor I highly recommended Campus Inn. Which is nearby, a few blocks over.
4 - Lisa W.: This is a really cute spot.  I hung out here with people I know from LA --there are cute little details in the rooms, like a black iron balcony with patio furniture, feet on the bathtub, and ornate water faucets.

They are also home to the Earle Downtown.

They have great customer service, they safely stowed away my baby carriage when I wasn't even a guest, and they allowed my friend to have her bridal luncheon here in a conference room for free.
3 - Jeff W.: When I'm in town next I'll be staying here again.

This is the tiny sister hotel to the Campus Inn, with a slightly but not-too-recognizable improvement on value. For Ann Arbor you can't do a whole lot better, it gets the job done. It feels like it would be an awesome boutique hotel if Starwood or Kimpton purchased them and updated the styling and made some tasteful improvements.

Overall it is in a great location if you're in town for a campus event, bar hopping, or what have you. Free valet parking (make sure to tip well of course) was a nice plus, and the staff was super friendly.

The room I had was super small, around a few corners, up some stairs, and what not. But it felt like it had character: and by character, I mean I was thinking to myself: "all that's changed since I was born in Ann Arbor... is pretty much the additional of an ethernet plug in the room."  Oh, and no wireless Internet. So a walk to Espresso Royale is required for free web'ing.

(Michigan alum)
3 - Andrea R.: I'm a busy lady these days, but as soon as I have some time (and cash) I'm opening a swanky boutique hotel in Metro Detroit.   But until then if you're coming to Ann Arbor I hear the Bell Tower Hotel is pretty much the best they've got.  

It's a fine hotel, but the wow factor just isn't there...
* The people who work here are nice enough
* The room is cozy and was probably quite nice back in the 80s
* They have internet access, although it's an ethernet cord (hello bell tower- get with the wifi program)
* There's an adequate gym in the basement that has 1 treadmill, 1 elliptical, and 1 weight machine
* They have nightly turn down service (thanks for my chocolate).

The location makes up for the lack of wowness so I'd probably stay here again if the price was right (under $150 seems like a fair deal).
4 - John P.: The hotel is a little old but still nice. The staff is very helpful and very nice. I really enjoyed my stay
3 - P E.: Andrea R's review is on the money. The people at the Bell Tower are very nice, but the actual accommodations really lack the sort of flavor you would expect for this price range. As also noted, the location certainly isn't bad, so if you're in need of a close-to-campus, "intended-as-upscale" lodging facility whilst in Ann Arbor, then the BT is a start.

They provide a complimentary valet service, continental breakfast, awful floral window dressings circa 1976 and dirty, peeling caulk in the casket like shower within the closet-sized bathroom you have step up into. It reminds me of a musty live-in hotel in NYC, just a little cleaner. All in all, it's a pretty rough scenario for the pricing they ask for...

So why three stars instead of two? It's weird and outdated, but the friendly atmosphere coupled with free wi-fi and valet put me in a better mood. The Bell Tower is not *that* bad, but is in desperate need of a facelift. It just sure as hell is not the upscale hotel it presents itself as.
4 - Dawn H.: I stayed here for just one night for business reasons. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the valet and front desk staff who were very pleasant and courteous. The front desk employee handed me a business package I was expecting to be waiting for me. Very organized. I like that. Interestingly, they handed me an actual room key (not a card key), and I was on my merry way. 

The room was spacious enough for two, and everything was super clean, especially the bathroom. Minus one star for the tacky flower-decorated drapes and bedspread. Although....the red, pink, and white roses (real) in a vase on the desk was a nice touch. I know, I know, the irony. 

I'm not sure what this place goes for per night since my accommodations were.....well, accommodated for since I was on business. But I would have to agree with another Yelper that I would not pay more than $150 per night. 

If you want something extremely close both to the Michigan campus and downtown area, this place is worth looking into.
5 - Barack O.: This is an old hotel, but old in a good way. Clean and quaint. I have nothing to complain about: super friendly staff, cozy rooms, and delicious breakfast buffet---all right in the heart of campus.
1 - Bob B.: Awful. Stay away. Overpriced and NOT worth it during Art Fest. Restaurant closed at 9pm. Try the Campus Inn.
5 - Elisabeth J.: I wish I could give 4.5 stars - that would be more accurate. I felt like this hotel deserved a review-update, since most of the reviews are pretty old, and some things have changed (and I disagree with others). I stayed here for 4 nights on business at the University, but I also used to live in Ann Arbor.

First, the good:
- The service is impeccable. Very friendly front desk staff, more than happy to accommodate the various requests I ended up making (down-free pillows, receiving a delivery for me, a knife to cut up my take-out with). Plus, turn-down service, complete with chocolate and a little bottle of water - how many places still do that?
- The breakfast is pretty good, for continental-breakfast fare. Pretty basic. What kicks it up a notch is the lady who tends the buffet, who is maybe the cheeriest, most personable food service worker I have ever met.
- My room was very clean, and exceedingly well-maintained. Nice furniture (if not completely to my taste), and comfortable bed. Everything worked as it should.
- They do have Wi-Fi in the rooms now, and it's free with the room. I am using it right this moment to write this review.
- The windows open. The weather's been lovely here, so it was really nice to be able to let the air in.
- The newspaper they leave outside your door in the morning is the New York Times, rather than that USA Today BS you get most places. Love it.
- The location is perfect for a visit to the University, since it's virtually on the campus. It's also very convenient to the many restaurants and shops on State Street and Liberty, and, at a short walk, Main Street also.

The less-good: 
- It's true, the room I stayed in was kind of small - I wouldn't have wanted to have more than two people in it. For just me it was fine, though.
- The trash pickup in the morning (every day at 6:15, so far as I can tell), is very, very loud, and was right outside my window. I might request a room on a different side of the building if I stayed here again.

I can't speak to value-for-price, because I wasn't paying for my particular stay. But looking at the rates online, the prices don't seem out of bounds for the level of service and comfort the hotel provides. I would definitely stay here again, given the chance, and would happily recommend it to others. It's true, they may not have the very latest in modern design, but it's not heinous - and anyway, to me, things like friendliness, convenience, and maintenance matter a great deal more.
2 - Danielle V.: I arrived pretty late for some career fair recruiting. The front desk people were extremely pleasant and friendly. 

My given room was 401. I entered, a bit small, but lots of little nice amenities. The room was absolutely freezing. I turned on the TV, bunkered in the bed. And then the lights went out. Fuse blown. I called the front desk and someone came and flipped the switch. 

After trying to work with the heater for about an hour and a half, I called down to the front desk again and they said the central heating was off so no heat available. BUT, there is a space heater they could provide. 

Very nice gentleman comes up, and then tries to find a plug for me. Very nice, slightly awkward because the room is small and I am in pjs. 

10 min later fuse blows. Gentleman comes back up, he is not as familiar as the first guy and comes into the room to examine. Goes downstairs, figures something out. 

10 min later. Repeat above. It is now about 1 AM. The lights are out, the room is freezing, I am exhausted. He suggests moving to another room and floor. 

Ok. I pack up all my things. I grab my bag and he comes to move the other things. It is dark because of the fuse, and I leave my earrings in the bathroom, where I had taken them off before showering. 

Every day I ask about the earrings. Everyday there is a new person who has no idea what I am talking about but is very nice and offers to follow through. I stayed there four days, and still no one contacted me back. Last day, I speak with Jessica, very nice, who mentioned she would pass along a note to the head of housekeeping. Wonderful. 

I just called to follow up, and basically, nothing, not really any sympathy, no offer to replace the earrings, and Calvin said "They really should have called you right away". Who is they? He is the head of housekeeping. I have been waiting to hear from him! 

There were four of us, there for four days, and rented out the conference rooms there. On the first night, all of us froze, and in my room change, I lost a favorite pair of earrings. Just felt like something extra could have been done here, or a genuine apology/ call would have been nice. They were only forty dollars. I think he could have offered to replace them. 

On a whole staying at the Bell Tower was pleasant, they were very accommodating with us using rooms for our interviews (we did rent them), and the staff was super cheerful.

I did use the fitness center. It could use a fan. 

So, if you are staying there. DO NOT stay in room 401.

Bell Vision Care - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4600654, -79.9463818) (Bloomfield)
4 - Matt S.: I went for to get a new contact lens prescription because mine had run out and I needed to order more. I chose Bell Vision mostly because they are very conveniently located to where I lived in Pittsburgh.

When I called to make an appointment they where booked for about a week out which I took as a good sign. My only gripe was that is was a bit of a hassle to get all the info I needed for my insurance since the card was at home with my parents. The women on the phone could have been more helpful letting me know what info she needed. It took a couple of tries to get everything but once I did they took my Davis Vision insurance no problem.

The actual eye exam was very good. I have had many eye exams before and he did everything I expected. Dr. Bell was very pleasant and professional.

They also order contact lens for me and billed my insurance for them. They shipped the lens directly to my house, which was a major improvement over places that make you go pick them up.

They might not have the best supply of frames if you are looking to buy a new pair of glasses, but to be honest I did not really look. It is more of a doctors office then a glasses store.

Bella B - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2808389, -120.6620328) ()
2 - Kristina L.: They have a very strict exchange policy (absolutely NO returns) and don't go out of their way to help customers.  While the clothes are cute I don't go out of my way for this place.
1 - April G.: The manager Anna is rude and will do nothing to help you if you purchase a defective product from them. The watch I purchased was crap and she could care less if I returned to her store or not. Don't shop here! They have a "We don't need you, you need us attitude. Well, not in this economy honey!
5 - Cat T.: I stopped by this store on vacation in SLO. I don't know why there are bad reviews here because of the return/exchange policy. I live in orange county where they also have strict return and exchange policys at boutique and small stores, so I am used to these rules. If you want easy returns, people should shop at department stores. The reviews should be on the actual store and I thought it was a very cute store. $3 tank top specials and a nice selection of clothes. The workers were friendly and the store was very clean and organized. If I came up here again for vacation I would mostly stop by again.
3 - Kris A.: Cute little boutique to satisfy a woman's shopping needs.

Went here with my girlfriend so she could look around, and also because she knows the female cashiers that work there. 

Not really much to choose from but they do have some cute stuff for girls (coming from a down-to-earth dude).

If you're just shopping around downtown, make sure to drop by at this place, you never know!
4 - Kristy N.: My husband I visited this boutique on weekend trip we took to San Luis Obispo this past month and I fell in love with this store. They have the most eclectic and trendy selection of clothing. I love shopping boutiques, however most of them are not so organized and neat. Bella B however was a different story. I could clearly see things that are on the shelves and in the racks. They're not all toss around like most boutiques. I couldn't comment on the return policy as I don't make it a point to buy things and then return them. And I'm glad the store has a strict no return policy. It just means they're not selling used stuff to people like me. That's something that low end boutiques do. Try returning an LV handbag and see what I mean. Anna's actually very helpful and was patient with me even though I took forever to decide on what I wanted. Overall, a good buy and great experience.
3 - Mary J.: It has the potential to be a cute, small-town boutique, it's just not there yet. I haven't been there in about six months so I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt with 3 stars instead of 1 (bad experience the last time I was in). I think most of the issues I have with the store is the people who work there. When I think of Bella B I think of two girls behind the counter gossiping about their weekend and not assisting customers or being friendly. The girl who put my items in my bag made it seem like a chore and the tissue paper and Bella B sticker seemed pointless. It's a nice gesture to have a cute bag and tissue paper, but if it's presented to you by someone who's pissed to be working or who seems bothered by customers, just throw it in a plastic bag and say adios. Aside from that, I do like most of the clothes. I'm busty and most clothes fit me weird, but I have found so many tops there that fit me great and I always get compliments (they have my favorite color of blues there) I love teals, aquas and they always seem to have a top with my color which I love. And a few years ago they had this WWF tee that I still wear and hey, it's making a statement about the environment. I also bought a 100% organic basic tee which is sooo comfy. So I do have mixed feelings! Maybe they need some guys (Abercrombie type?) to level things out. The girls there just seem too cool or the kind that would think "I'm too pretty to work" status. I'll be back though.

Bella Capelli - Champaign, IL (40.099626, -88.246989) ()
5 - N A.: Jean G. does a wonderful job with both men's and women's hair.  I've always been extremely happy with every visit and find it to be a good value for the quality.  The only downside is that one has to book an appointment pretty far in advance, but that's OK because it tells me she has lots of happy customers, which is always a good quality in a stylist!
5 - Allison L.: My hair stylist, Debbie Wolfe, just moved to Bella Capelli, and I went there for the first time today! The place is kind of hidden away off State Street, but it is a gem. The salon is quiet and private, and I felt like I was getting star treatment. Debbie was fantastic as always! She gave me the perfect color, and as a blonde, I used to get very nervous about having anyone do color. She is absolutely amazing! She is sweet and easy to talk to, while still doing a first class job on my hair. She talked about continuing to develop as a stylist and constantly learning more. She continues to impress me, and I can't wait to go see her again soon at Bella Capelli!
5 - Loretta G.: I miss Jean G. so much! I live in Los Angeles now, but I still get a haircut from Jean whenever I am back in Champaign. I always appreciated the way she kept me from drastic changes when I was attempting to take out angst on my hair.

Bella Mia Boutique - Champaign, IL (40.0995167, -88.2443461) ()
5 - Tammy N.: bella is a breath of fresh air.  it's like a cross between a mini neiman marcus, barneys, and nordstrom.  you can always find something worth investing in for your permanent wardrobe but also something completely trendy if that's what you're in the mood for.
5 - Chris n.: I have purchased quite a few gift's here, and I will continue to do so.  They have a wide selection of clothing (mens too!) and jewelry and shoes.  They have done a great job of having a wide variety of styles, and looks, and price points.  I hear from people that they think it's a bit pricey.  I am fine with that.  I go to target to buy cheap stuff, I go here to get nice stuff.
My only issue with this place is that there staff do not quite know what to do when guys come it, as it is always mostly women.  They are helpful, but a bit unsure when guys come in.

After writing this review I remembered that they also had a home store in Urbana that they combined with the clothing store.  I got my mother a bracelet there before they closed.  She absolutely loved it, and wore it often for about a week.  Then it broke, and all the crystals came off the metal wiring.  She took it back to the store and they took it back to the vendor to be repaired.  About a week later she had it on again and was loving it.  Unfortunately about a month after that the same thing happened.  Mom again took it back to the home store and this time she was offered store credit.  Later she was at the original location behind Biaggi's and found a pair of shes she liked.  They were great about it and let her use the credit there.  They also got in touch with the jewelry maker.  They ended up having the bracelet restrung with a different type of cord that is still going strong.   I am glad that I remembered this because there is nothing better then a store that stands behind it's products.
5 - keren g.: This store is really not for me (or my budget) but I like to browse and I have to comment on how helpful the employees are. Each time I go in I am pleasantly greeted and asked if I need any assistance. On one particular occasion, however, Bella employees went out of their way to help me. My mother mentioned that she had found a sweater here that she liked and I had planned on going back to buy it for her. When I finally got around to my return visit, it was gone (downside to only having a few of each item in stock). The salesperson working at the time gave my information to their buyer. The buyer called me back and was able to provide me with the needed information about the sweater. I found it online (for about $20 less) and mom is happy. 5 stars for customer service!
4 - Sara E.: Bella Mia's new location houses its great fashion finds as well as home decor items. Though its styles are generally a bit more mature than what a college student would wear, I was able to find a couple pairs of shoes as a college student - it still has something for everyone. The prices are naturally higher than other chain stores, but that should be expected when shopping at a boutique.

When I visited for my first time, the staff was incredibly helpful and multiple women helped me find what i was looking for. They offer a great deal of higher-end clothing items that are hard to find in the C-U area. The best part about it for me, which isn't advertised, is that they offer a student discount of 20% (a big deal for a college student)!
4 - Jade R.: The women who work there are clever. The one that helped me totally lied about a women's size 11 being "common" and that they were "getting more of those in lately" to make me feel at ease. 

I didn't know how to react because it was pretty obvious that she wasn't telling the truth..seeing as how all the shoes around me were half my size..haha...

But hey, she did help me through a clothing "selection process" and helped me match a top and a bottom clothing article. 

But those female clerks are like marketing piranhas, I swear, they are clever. After I had completed the outfit and stepped out of the fitting room, they all smiled at me and were saying "ohh, so nice, ohh you look so good, oh , nice colors" etc.

Overall, Bella's boutique has a nice and varied selection of clothing. Definitely worth checking out. I've found a couple of "clothing treasures" there that I've never seen elsewhere.
4 - Elizabeth K.: I really like Bella Mia, but sometimes can not afford their steep prices. Their clothes are well worth the money because they always have cutting edge fashions and clothes made of the highest quality fabrics. 

One thing that Bella Mia does for those of us that are trying to keep a tight reign on our financial purchases, is keeping a consignment section of the store. Here you can find past season's trends at affordable prices. They also have a sales section that has some really great deals. 

When I can afford some more expensive items this is the place I immediately go. It has the best trends for women, young and old, in the area. They carry women's and men's clothing, shoes, gifts, accessories, and they have a children's boutique called Bella Bambino.
4 - Naomi C.: I've shopped at Bella Mia about 3-4 times over the past year, and I always enjoy the experience. The proprietors choose high-quality garments that are a pleasure to look at, touch, and try on. They are expensive for my budget, but not out of the question for the occasional investment piece. I would rather buy one well-tailored, classic, nicely fitting jacket that I can wear for years than a series of inexpensive but cheaply made jackets from Express or Ann Taylor Loft. 

My one criticism of the store is that the styles sometimes seem too geared towards the middle-aged, Midwestern (albeit put-together) woman--think drapy tops and bottoms meant to hide butt and thighs. Of course that makes sense since that is probably the majority of their clientele, but as a twenty-something, fit, fairly sophisticated dresser, the choices sometimes miss the mark for me. 

The consignment shop upstairs must be one of the best-kept secrets in Champaign. I am only Yelping about it now because I am moving in a few months, otherwise I wouldn't spread the word around so there would be more clothes for me! The consignment shop has a mix of items that Bella Mia is putting on sale and items from other sources. The selection is screened carefully for quality, and everything is in great condition and cheap. For the price and quality, the shop makes Plato's Closet seem like a joke. The other day, I found a pair of high-end $180 jeans in excellent condition for $16. I also found a NEW gorgeous $300 silk dress marked down to $30. It felt like a crime to get them so cheaply. 

Also, the women who work the sales floor are genuinely friendly and not snobby, as I was afraid they would be when they saw I had to pay attention to price tags. 

Bottom Line: Good for investment pieces, helpful staff, excellent consignment shop and sales. Worth the trip!

Bella Napoli - Latham, NY (42.737182, -73.762414) ()
5 - Ian W.: Great Italian pastries and cookies. The bakery has a nice display of cakes, cookies, donuts, and pastries. The Cafe (counter seating) offers good sandwiches and coffee. On the weekends, there is usually a line in the bakery (take a number).

I enjoy stopping here for the Vanilla Pasticiottis (creamy vanilla custard filled mini pies), Pignolis (pine nut cookies) and Cannolis. Sooo good!!
4 - Ticia G.: i am assigning the 4 stars based on it's eye candy potential only. today i brought a friend here to order a cake for her son's christening. 

as we entered we were surprised at how many lunch diners there were, and all of their sandwiches looked good enough to distract them and steal - made on fresh baked rolls too. mmm. anyway, i digress. we were here for cake.

there were a ton of fresh made cakes on display for purchase along with the entire room lined with italian goodies in display cases. they had so many pastries that i truly started to drool. and i don't even Like italian pastries. (i would have had to tackle my daughter and use restraining bands like on csi if i dared to bring her in here) there were simply too many to list, i suggest you go exercise for hours, including jogging miles to get there and then go, with a pocket full of cash.

my friend ordered her cake and was given very helpful assistance - for a while that is. the girl at the counter perhaps was having a bad day but she seemed to be one of those 'you will order what i tell you to order, and like it'  and 'i can't be bothered with special request' types. we needed a 10" carrot cake, with walnuts on the side like almost any other carrot cake i have seen. we were informed that they don't do that but we could have almonds. for $4 more. almonds? on carrot cake? what? and we even pointed out the small ones with walnuts sprinkled on top. but no. so we accepted it (at least my friend did. i don't ever take that kind of answer but wanted to wait to give her my input til when we were not at the counter so as to not create a scene. more on that later.)

she also wanted a plate of cookies or such. they have a nice selection of mini things like canolis and creme puffs that i talked her into going with instead of the bland italian cookie selection that everyone always brings but that get chucked, mostly uneaten, every time.  when she asked if she should order ahead of time we were told that they may not have enough - she only needed enough for 25 people however so that was a disaster narrowly averted (with a roll of the eyes, the statement that they may not have enough was irritating. she was only buying a 10" cake, how many cookies do you think she would need?)

so, on our way out i pointed out the other cakes and whispered the issue over the walnuts and we went back to the counter. the owner or manager came up and told us that of course we could have some. but she still defended, in a polite manner, her employee - stating that they don't usually do that on the birthday cakes as the weight of the walnuts pulled the frosting off. this was ok with us tho as she not only accommodated us but also explained why it seemed as tho they were not before. i was quite impressed and my ruffled feathers were smoothed. and my friend left happier.

i will be back. with some major self restraint in hand hopefully.
4 - Daniel B.: Who would think that an Italian bakery would have some of the best donuts in the capital region?

I was fooled into thinking on my first visit that I should try the Cannoli.  There is only one thing wrong with the donuts.  Oddly, they are a little cold.  But I imagine, you box them up, drive them home, and they will be perfect. 

The kiddo ended up with the winner of the day: powder sugar dusted old-fashioned.  Holy shit that was a good donut.  The missus and I went for the old stand-by: glazed.  And it was very nice and yeasty.  Light and sweet with a delicate glaze.  Great stuff.  Puts the major chains to shame. 

Our only mistake was eating the donuts there, before they had a chance to come to room temperature.  Who knew.
4 - Lai-Yee B.: I'm waffling between 3 and 4 stars, but you know what? When you can get hard rolls and fanciful mini cakes at 9:30 at night, you have earned that star!

While a lot of bakeries close around dinner time, bless them, the Bella Napoli crew stay open later. There's even a lunch counter to eat at. But I've always been so intoxicated by the sweet smell of carbs in the air that I have been unable to do anything but salivate and point at the display cases.

The hardrolls are very good, if a bit doughnut like - very sweet and soft, but overall highly satisfying. Just sweeter than you'd expect. 
If you can somehow resist those sweet little cakes, try them. They're all around $2, possibly less, and they are just so freaking cute in addition to being tasty.
1 - Dave K.: Blechhhhvvvvomit!!!!!!!!! I lived in Albany for long enough to know that good baked goods don't exist in the area,* and Bella Napoli (at least this location) is no exception to that rule.

Believe me, it is with great distress when I say that Price Chopper is where you can get the "goods" in town, but if you've ever been to a bakery in say, any other city besides Albany, you'll know that this place is a dump.

The stale and tasteless baked "goods" sit out for waaay too long, and the employees are rude since they're well aware that they work at the only bakery left in the region.  I have to assume that if there were *any* competition, this place would close.

We have tried many things here, and they have always disappointed us.  Now, whenever I come up for the holidays, I bring stuff with me from the city.  Delicious food + 4 hours sitting in traffic is still exponentially better than this stuff would be fresh out of the oven.  

If you feel that patronizing the Price Chopper bakery for a special occasion would be an insult to your loved ones, then try the Bella Napoli in Troy; it's much better.
3 - a l.: Had a recent order for some cake and rolls ........
so not only was I very explicit when making my order to the Troy sotre as to when and  what time I would pick up the order, but I also called 2 days before to confirm and when I got there to pick it up....they said it was for the day before. At which point I promptly pointed out that I had not only called once to place the order, but also called to confirm the order since it was large and even if it was mistakenly put for the day before, when you noticed we never showed up, why didn't you call me knowing full well you had my contact number??? In the end they still had our cake and rolls...not sure what happened there if it was notation error or the girl couldn't read the order or what....just proved to me not a very organized shindig going on.......

Overall, taste of cake was good and moist and the price couldn't be beat. My main gripe was that I had asked if the half sheet could be split into 2 layers and have strawberries placed in the middle and was told it couldn't be done...well today I was at a shower and was proven it could be done and that cake was still spectacular and no quality was taken away. I find that Bella Napoli is not very willing go try and go out on a limb to please the customer and try something new. 

Overall, not terrible, and the taste was good and prices couldn't be beat at all, but yet another reason why I usually don't frequent Bella Napoli as my primary cake shop and I'd rather spend more elsewhere and get what I want and not have it all confused.
5 - Amanda A.: I've been coming here for years, and it only recently occurred to me to Yelp it. (I don't live in the area anymore!)

First off, let's talk about the sandwiches and other savory fare. They've got a full sandwich menu along with a la carte-type stuff to take home like lasagna and salads. Be smart- get your sandwich on the "famous" Italian bread. You won't be sorry.  My mom loves the Italian sandwich. Gordon likes the roast beef with peppers and onions. There's a small cafe area to eat there along with a counter. Local older folks seem to gather and it feels like a neighborhood-y kind of place even though it's on a major thoroughfare (Rt 9).

First and foremost, though, Bella Napoli is a bakery. Dear god, a beautiful, bountiful bakery. They have an amazing assortment of Italian cookies- you can choose your own or buy premade assortments.

There are pastries as far as the eye can see. Coffee rolls, fritters, doughnuts, danish, cakes, biscotti, cheesecakes. And there are these things called radio bars. They are like old fashioned Little Debbie/Hostess cakes: chocolate cake with marshmallow filling covered in a thin layer of chocolate. DELICIOUS.

They also make bread and rolls that are really tasty.

Love the Bella Napoli. Since introducing my fiance to it, it's now a required stop when we visit Albany.
4 - melissa w.: Went here tonight to grab a late dinner to-go. I got a turkey sub and of course some Italian pastries! The prices were VERY reasonable. The atmosphere (altough I wasn't there long) seemed very "local". People were sitting at a low counter drinking coffee and talking to the staff.

Everything tasted delicious! They rolled up a pickle slice with the sandwich, which I've never seen before! Yum!
4 - Willie W.: Since my wife's Celiac diagnosis, this place is like pure pain for her. But, since I was good all morning out running errands without any fuss we stopped in for some cream puffs. 

Just like my mom used to make, just a bit less powdered sugar on top.

Parking lot is insane though, if it had not been so long I might have just said to forget it and drive away.
4 - Josh A.: Picked up Subs on Sunday. Awesome as always, see previous review.

Got Chili too, wasn't the best (not bad either).
4 - Casey S.: This place is pretty much a landmark. Everything here is good, from the deserts to the donuts to the subs, italian combo is my fav. You can also get some great pizza slices here on the weekends along with a solid breakfast in the morning.
5 - Peter A.: my sister just transferred to the area and every time we visit we stop by for cappuccino.  it has never failed to be good and for the first time yesterday we tried some of their desserts.  a ton of italian varieties (cookies and cakes) and a bunch of stuff for the holidays right now, including 1 foot tall gingerbread men and 1 foot tall stuffed christmas tree shaped donuts!  even with all these great varieties we had to go with our favorites, so i chose the peanut butter pie and my sister the ultimate chocolate pie.  the ultimate chocolate had 4 different styles and was very rich and tasty.  the peanut butter is hands down one of the best things i've ever eaten.  it is very similar to the peanut butter cheesecake at cheesecake factory but blows it out of the water with the addition of chocolate chips to the middle of the cake and a lot more peanut butter since no cheesecake involved.  this was wonderful!  they also make salads and heroes if you'd like.
3 - Esther E.: Came back this week to pick up some pastries. We ordered a box of napoleans, a tiramisu, a acorn horn, a chocolate cannoli and 2 mini cannolis. Service as always was prompt and friendly. The tiramisu wasn't good at all though. It was dripping with the coffee liqueur which made the cake completely wet. The napoleans were the same as usual which was great! The chocolate cannoli was alright---the cannoli wrap was quite hard..eh I didn't like it much.
2 - Colleen M.: I worked at this Bella Napoli when I was in high school. The day that I started working there is the day that I stopped eating anything from there. 

1. The birthday cakes are made en masse and frozen. Yes, that cake you picked off the carousel was more likely than not in the freezer for a few month before it made it out to the floor, which explains why the cake is dry as heck.  Not to mention they use this dye that stains your mouth forever and ever and ever. 

2. The bread is not "all that". I have never understood the hype about this Italian bread.  I think Price Chopper has better bread than Bella Napoli. Its highly processed white flour bread. What is there to get excited about? I generally find all of their bread products boring to eat and boring to look at. (I mean if you're going to bore me with taste at least try to wow me with style). 

3. Fine. The cannoli are good. But just good, not great. And having seen the condition and treatment of the shells in the back room, I'm not inclined to eat them. The riccotta filling has stepped over the line of sweet enough to too sweet.  The texture of the filling is good, but the good ends there.  

4. The Italian cookies are nothing to write home about. Almond extract and vanilla extract flavors with some sprinkles, or half dipped in melted chocolate chips, or with a cherry on top, just doesn't do it for me. 

5. The eclairs...I didn't know that gelatin was an ingredient in custard, because frankly it looks like they took boxed jello pudding and added gelatin to it to get this strange and gross consistency. (It trembles like jello when poked).

6. Fine. Their fudge fancy cookies are tasty, but The Cookie Factory does them better (and I havent' seen the handling of the food at The Cookie Factory, so I'm not afraid to eat those). Not to mention I think Bella Napoli was the last to rip this one off--I think the order in the area was Vanilla Bean (RIP), The Cookie Factory, then Bella Napoli. which is hardly a matter as this particular cookie did not take a genius to create. 

Yes Bella Napoli is a community icon, but I shudder to think that anyone could think this is what a good Italian bakery is. It is not. It is one of the few times in my life that I will direct yor down state (and I rarely belive that we don't have something in this area that gives the down state elitist a run for their money...in this situation, the Capital Region has failed).  

I will say thank you for giving me my first job in high school. My parents appreciated it.
3 - Cheska L.: I've read great reviews about Bella Napoli both on Yelp and in the local magazines that run "The Best Of..." articles periodically. After several times of passing by during errands in Latham, I finally pulled over and decided to try some of their pastries.

My boyfriend and I ordered 2 slices of Limoncello cake, 1 slice of chocolate cake, several cannolis, and several cream puffs. For a popular Italian bakery, one would think they would get the traditional Italian pastries right. I wasn't very impressed with the cannolis and puffs. They tasted bland, and were really dry. I chose the chocolate cake and ended up not eating most of it. Instead I ate most of my boyfriend's Limoncello cakes because they were the only things I liked-- they were moist, not too sweet, and not too tart.  

I liked that the bakery had a large selection, but I wasn't about to waste money to try and find out which items were good or bad. I also didn't like the atmosphere--the staff seemed to be mostly made up of young Jersey Shore lookalike high-school students who seemed like they'd rather be somewhere else. Glad I tried this place out and got it out of my system.
5 - Mike L.: I come here at least once a week. There really isn't another bakery in the area that comes close to this place as far as selection. The breads and rolls are great and cheap compared to grocery stores. The danishes and desserts are also outstanding. The cafe also makies great food. The breakfast sandwiches are cheap and made with real eggs not like those fast food places, and the subs are huge and made with quality meats.
5 - Dan P.: Bella Napoli has the best submarine sandwiches I've ever eaten in 30 states and 7 countries. My Grandparents used to take me here as a kid, and whenever I'm visiting family in the area, I have to stop here (I live in VA). 

This past Columbus Day weekend, I brought my girlfriend here since I talk about it often. She strongly follows yelp reviews, so I was surprised to see it only had 3 1/2 stars. She definitely saw my point after eating here - her first reaction was the large portions for the price. We ended up having some of the baked goods for dessert, which also hit the spot. 

I worked in two bakeries while putting myself through college, and I can honestly say, Bella Napoli has some of the best bread, best donuts, and all around best baked goods in the area. I highly recommend this place for a great lunch or a sweet treat.
5 - Cathleen R.: OMG Bella Napoli... I wish you would follow me wherever I go in the world. I've been chowing down on their butter rolls since I was a kid, and now I have the sophisticated palette to try everything they offer. (Guanti... amazing. LIke the offspring of fried dough and cookies). Haven't yet tried their subs, but their breakfast pizza and coffees are a win, as is anything in the bakery case.
4 - Amanda M.: The prices here seem pretty cheap. We got a slice of strawberry daqurie cheese cake which was $3.95 and it was huge. Deffiently enough for the 2 of us to be full off of. It was really good despite the fridge taste. We also got 2 cappuchino which were good a medium and a large. Total came to $10. Staff was friendly.
4 - Rob K.: A whopping pastry selection and a breakfast counter.  If I were Italian and retired, you would find me here everyday, badmouthing youngsters over coffee and pastries with my other retired buddies.  I blame every cavity in my life on their fudge fancies.  Easily one of my favorite cookies on the planet.
5 - Tracy G.: My father used to take me to the Troy location when I was a little girl for donuts.  I live in the south now, but when I visit my parents I make it a priority to visit the Latham location which is closer to their home.  I  have lived in 5 different states and this is the best bakery I ever came across.  Their Italian bread is my favorite.  The amazing thing is it's so affordable as well.  For those of you who are local and have never tried Bella Napoli, you are missing out on one of the local gems.
1 - emily t.: i have been coming to bella napoli for years. the food is great but the service is awful. the place is run by high school girls who dont pay attention to the customers in front of them with a bag full of attitude. i waited 20 minutes at the counter with no service. if youre looking for a good place to get a sandwich with a smile, look elsewere.
2 - Chuck A.: I was a bit surprised to see what appeared to be a real deal Italian bakery in the Capital Region.  I stopped in and took a look at the Italian pastries.  The full size pastries were on the pricey side, think $3+ per piece.  I decided to go with some minis.  After eating them that night, I would say that none of them were particularly fresh.  One of the women at the counter gave me son a butter cookie and that did appear to be fresh.  The place was packed with people eating lunch so they must be doing something right.  2.5 stars.
4 - Valerie S.: Many an office gathering has included treats from Bella Napoli, but yesterday was my first visit. Wow, there really is quite a bit to choose from!  Last time I saw that many tiny tasty treats was at a neighborhood bakery in the city (but Bella Napoli has enough floor space to turn a cartwheel).

I purchased a dozen mini French somethings (yes, I've already forgotten what it was) for a bridal shower and they were delicious.  Light and flakey, soft chocolate filling, tasty icing. . . yum.  At about a buck a piece, yes, I could go to Price Chopper for less, BUT there is a certain cache that comes with showing up with that string-tied box.

Full disclosure: I'm not a pastry/baked goods aficionada - just give me a little sugar or chocolate and I'm happy - so I can't speak to authenticity.  But the laypeople love it!
4 - Alison V.: After visiting my husband's grandma, we stopped in here for a quick treat.  We couldn't decide what to get so ended up picking up a few things.  We went with some of the small cannolis of different flavors.  The original was delicious and had chocolate chips in the filling.  The oreo was ok, but not a favorite.  The husband had a fruit one, which was ok, but I really don't like fruit in my desserts usually. 

There is a small area to eat lunch here, if you're interested in anything else besides dessert.  Personally, we snacked on our desserts and got a cup of coffee at the bar-style seating, but that was it.  The menu did look tasty though.

There is a wide selection of desserts here and they all looked amazing.  I'll definitely be back.

Bella Pita - Los Angeles, CA (34.0625782, -118.4482403) (Westwood)
5 - Adam L.: Absolutely great falafel in Westwood Village.

I had the falafel pita which was four pieces of freshly made falafel in a pita.  They had a salad bar with all the appropriate toppings and a variety of sauces with which to top your pita.

There are a few window seats in the shop but its really a take away type of restaurant.  The menu is pretty limited, but as far as I am concerned there is no reason to venture beyond the falafel because its so good.   

My only complaint is that it isn't open later.  They could definitely sell a ton of pitas to the late night UCLA crowd.
4 - Mike T.: Bella Pita = all you can grab pita bar.  great falafel.  reasonable prices

Gets crowded at meal times.  really nice owner.  I love bella pita
5 - Azzazaza S.: Delicious!  Everything fresh, hot and just the right portion for a yummy fast food meal.  Loved it.
If you know your falafel, you'll know this is the best out there!
Between the falafel and the bean wowshi, this is vegetarian fast food heaven
The wowshi is yummy too, what a great concept.  Your bread baked with your favorite stuffing right in front of your eyes and so quick given the quality you get.  My favorite is the beef wowshi, so nicely spiced at an unbeatable price, and you can add to it all kinda goodies from the salad bar.
I agree with the other review about opening late, this would be the perfect place for that midnight snack.
4 - Toni L.: Update: I came back and got the falafel pita (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cvER4PVKn_lYqlyWhP5rmg?select=Qq_fV6NFDnu7sKuScVS5Gg). They give you one pita instead of two, but the falafel is heavenly. Mmm mmm. The service was much faster as I didn't have to wait for the meat to cook (since there wasn't any). Also, the manager was super nice and was happy to hear that I was a repeat customer. I have to say, this has completely changed my opinion of this place. If you go, avoid the wowshi and try the falafel!

Here you go Bella Pita. One extra star for your insanely low prices. You are the spawn of Westwood Burgers and Falafel further south down Westwood Blvd, but I think you have some large shoes to fill. 

Food: I'll probably end up coming back here numerous times since I live a block away. This time I got the beef wowshi which, contrary to the opinions of other yelpers, did NOT taste great. The beef was basically hamburger that appeared to be slapped straight from a package onto the grill with no other preparation. As for the cheese, it looked like regular American, but I could be wrong. On a positive note, you can stuff your own pita with all the hommus, cucumbers, lettuce, cabbage, peppers, spiced onions, and sauce you can handle (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cvER4PVKn_lYqlyWhP5rmg?select=EE0M9TTFfp-COT3VdemcbQ). I like that. I like that a lot. They give you two pitas in each order which was enough to stuff my belly and thensome. 

Service: I came in and was told my meal would take 3 mins. I came back in 5 and was told it would take another 2 mins. It's not really a huge deal, but I felt bad having to ask so many times after the misinformation. When I got my order it was so hot that I couldn't stuff the pita properly. Maybe I'm manually retarded, but the little burn marks on my thumb and forefingers suggest otherwise. 

Atmosphere: There's a counter with stools for those who want to eat inside, but there's a good chance you'll become some sort of a spectacle for passersby whilst chomping as it faces the sidewalk. Best to do takeout on this one.
4 - Jason K.: Some of the best falafel I've had in Los Angeles.  The prices are low and both the falafel and pita bread are made fresh while you wait.  But the best part is the condiment bar with a pretty good selection of toppings and sauces that you can add as you see fit.  With Bella Pita in my life, gone are the days that I will pay extra to have both hummus and tahini on my falafel!  Not as good as I had in Israel, but it's as close as I've come in the area (if anyone knows somewhere better, please let me know).

---
Take Big Blue Bus #1, 2, 3, 8, 12, Culver CityBus #6 or Metro #20, 720, 920, 761 or 2 to Westwood Village.
4 - Tiffanie L.: I totally binged here after my last final: tuna pita and fries, which turned out to be steak fries (Say what?! Sweet).

The tuna pita is very light, but it's nothing remarkable. Go with the falafel pita--it never disappoints.

How can you go wrong with a hummus pump? Any establishment with a vat of hummus is good in my book.
4 - O K.: Totally awesome falafel. I can't decide whether this one is better than the Falafel King down on Broxton, because the other establishment puts fresh chips in their pitas and also serves baklava, but I really like 1) the great texture of the pita bread - both soft and crispy at the same time - at Bella Pita, and 2) their falafel is a little more flavorful. I think the good thing about Bella Pita is you get to put your own stuffing inside, because there is something they put in the falafel sandwich at Falafel King which I don't really like (something bitter, not sure what it is). But at Bella Pita you can choose whatever you want!

WARNING: 1) DO NOT OVER-STUFF FALAFEL (or else... falafel will explode :(!! 2) THE HOT SAUCE REALLY IS HOT!

Anyway I do think this place is a little expensive, if only because Sunset Mediterranean on Irving St. in SF sells a falafel sandwich twice as big for maybe $5.50.
4 - Miriam R.: A few months ago I would have given Bella Pita 5 stars, but since the owner's son is not the main guy there anymore, things are not quite as wonderful.  Don't get me wrong, the place is still awesome! Especially for $4.50! 
I love their falafel, definitely the best falafel in Westwood, maybe even in all of LA. Their pita bread is also great, very warm and soft, always tastes fresh. I especially love the toppings bar. You can fill up your falafel sandwich just how you like it. All the ingredients are very fresh, the sauces are really good too.
3 - Denis S.: I don't know why people love this place so much.  The food is mediocre, and while it is not very expensive, they also don't give that much.  Of all the good places in Westwood (including 2 other pita places) this place simply doesn't cut it.
3 - Tommy W.: I had some high expectations for this place, but that was quickly deflate when waiting for my falafel pita.  This place is small and not much of a sit down kind of place you would think that with a simple menu and a build your own pita fixings that they'd have a faster turn over in getting the food out. Instead i waited 15 mins  for a small falafel pita, and I believed another customer got their pita before me who ordered after me. So they loose a star. Otherwise the falafel is good and they have an interesting concept. You first get your pita with whatever filling you order. Then they have the fixings bar where you fill your pita with lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, jalepenos... etc.  and I cant forget the sauces that are there. The Tahani sauce was garlicy but i think it could have been a bit more stronger and tangier. All in all the fallefel was good they lose a star on service and pirce, I thought the the sandwitch could have been 50 cents cheaper (4.50 for fallefel sandwitch). This place could have some franchise potential if they could figure a better process and smart marketing. I will say this is beter than falafel king.
2 - Dorothy S.: Hmmmm...I TRIED to like this place because I LOVE anything in pita bread but I just couldn't lie to myself. I don't know...the food here is so so. There are about 4 things on the menu (ok, I exaggerate - there are 6). The dine-in space is smaller than my cupboard (I don't know why they even bother). It's just not very good at all.

The beef wowshi is soooo bland. And I ordered it more than once just to make sure it wasn't my problem. It wasn't. It's just bland. Period. And for something that almost $5.00, I expected WAY more (I mean portions aren't huge either). Same goes for their tuna pita.

Basically, I'm not impressed. At all.
5 - Mac M.: Mmmm.... Wowshis. There really isn't anything like them. Beef or bean with cheese is the best, in my opinion. You have to wait a couple of minutes for them, because they bake them to order. A fresh-baked pita, full of yummy food, handed to you straight from the oven. And then you fill it with all the veggies you want, hummus, tahini, the spicy chili sauce, and try not to burn your entire mouth.

The falafel is also fried to order and comes out hot and crispy. I recommend lots of tahini, cucumber, onions, and tomatoes. Definitely the best falafel in LA (seriously - and I've eaten a lot of falafel here).

I wouldn't call the food crazy cheap, but compared to everything else in Westwood it's a good value. You get the most for your money with the bean wowshi (and did I mention how good it is?). Someone else complained about the service, but really you're just waiting for them to cook your food to order. It doesn't take any longer than In-n-out.
5 - a e.: YUMTOWN! The falafel pita is excellent.  C'mon peeps, the gayley eateries aren't exactly le cirque - it's not about the ambiance or girth of the menu.  I stopped by this place for the first time this evening as I finished running the perimeter, and my pita (self-loaded with cucumbers, hummus, olive oil, onions) was in my tummy by the time I crossed Weyburn.  I will be back!
4 - Mark A.: As I continue my prowl of cheap tasty and healthy eateries in the Westwood area for lunch, this definitely is worth mentioning.  I mean for less than $5 you can get freshly made to order delicious falafel on tasty warm pita...PLUS the fixins bar just how you like it.  It's hard to find places that put that level of trust in their customers these days.

Kudos to this little whole in the wall place who caters to its customers and gets it done the right way.
4 - Pamela Y.: I've been having ridiculous cravings for pitas and falafel lately. And when I do, I dream about Bella Pita. I absolutely love the convenient toppings bar, where I like to pile on as much crap as I can without getting yelled at or feeling too guilty. The falafel itself is pretty heavenly, I must say. Perfect amount of freshness and grease. The place is tiny, so it's often overlooked. Sad, but more for me!
4 - Lendy L.: 1. Huge fan of the bean Wowshi - other options are the chicken or beef. (FYI: chicken is the only Halal meat served, not the beef)
2. Service is quick if you're on the go.
3. Reasonably priced and won't break your budget with gas prices sky rocketing.
4. Service is friendly. Place is not ideal for studying and music is really LOUD sometimes.
5.  Bella Pita is not ideal for meeting up with friends to have a sit down conversation since it can only seat 4 people.  The place is so small and seems to get crowded sporadically.
4 - John B.: Good, but messy.  And having to put on your own toppings is kind of a pain.  I would never attempt to eat one of these pitas in public, because my clumsy self ends up wearing half of it.  You've got tahini and hummus and whatever else flying all over the place.  It is delicious though.
4 - Penson L.: To kids who walk by and point at me eating my delicious, fresh, made to order falafel pita:

1. Don't point. 
2. Uh, I don't really know what else to say to you. Mind your mother. 

Bottom line is give it a try, I'm glad I did and will probably be back to try the bean wowshi.
5 - Frank K.: Remember when Sidney Poitier surprised Oprah, and she started crying with what seemed like joy? Well, here's an analogy that you won't see on the SATs anytime soon: the beef wowshi that I had today is to yours truly as Sidney Poitier is to Oprah. Yeah, the beef wowshi with cheese reduced me to tears, the "ugly cry" as Oprah coined. It is wow-ish, because the beef isn't packed with spices, just short of being total and utter WOW. Still, wow-ish wowshi is better than wowshi without wow-ish. The pita bread is pipin' hot. Burns your fingers, your mouth, your stomach. But worth the risk of lisping for life.
2 - yunee c.: i first saw falafel's on the food network with guy fieri on diners, drive-ins and dives and thought it looked so good... i just had to try it. when i found out that westwood has a couple of places that serve them, i couldnt decide where i wanted to have my first falafel experience. luckily i have a friend who knows this Mediterranean place on sepulveda that made a mean fallafel. too bad i cant say the same for this place. the falafel patties were a bit dry and flavorless and the guy behind the register barely spoke english, so i found myself asking him the same question over and over again when finally i said, "just give me a falafel."

i do like that they have a condiments bar where youre free to put on your own toppings. the spicy sauce was really spicy which i loved. another plus was that they offer a "bruin special" to cater to us po' college students, but that doesnt make up for the dry falafels.
5 - Daniel M.: Falafel is good, and you choose your own fillings (including hummus, yogurt sauce, or hot sauce), but my favorite is the bean and feta cheese wowshi - the beef wowshi is too rich for me. Imagine two disks of fresh dough with the filling in between and the rim pinched closed and then toasted, so that the dough cooks along with the filling. It is then split in two so you get two semicircles into which you can put whatever toppings you want.
5 - Lulu S.: i LOVE this place.
i went there for the first day it opened since i work across the street on gayley...
and was shocked by the discovery
4 - Noah L.: I was meeting some friends in Westwood for dinner, hopped on Yelp to pick the spot, and had us all meet here at Bella Pita. 

So many good reviews!

None mentioning that its basically a counter-only operation: no seating! 

If you're ready for awesome take out though, this place really is great. We grabbed our (yummy, fresh, incredible) falafel sandwiches, threw in our condiments, and ate 'em next door at the In-n-Out Burger patio.

Falafel: to die for
Pita bread: so fresh! like eating pita for the first time!
Condiments: oooooooooooooo! yumz!

I'll go back there again, especially if I'm dining solo!
4 - Gabe R.: pretty good, and pretty cheap- what more do you want?  the only thing i ever get is the falafel pita, and the best part is the self-service condiments bar.  pretty much, they just hand you 3 fallafel balls in a warm pita, and you go nuts and add as much hummus, tomatoes, lettuces, etc... as you want.  which is tight.  

oh also, they make the fallafel balls fresh when you order, so they're hella good- warm and fresh tasting.
5 - Misha T.: When I got my lamb pita (or wowshi, seriously is that supposed to be a pun or am i missing something?) Based on the amount of food i'd just received for 6 dollars, I was determined not to give Bella Pita 5 stars. But really, it was so good I couldn't help myself. They make a fine pita. The lamb was wonderfully spiced and the texture of the pita was soft and wonderful. I totally dig their little salad condiment bar because a machine that spits hummus is both gross and awesome. 

Really it's like a hummus keg, what a country.

The fries were good and i made a trifecta of saucy joy made up of humus, tzaki, and tahini sauce that made them all the better.

And at the end of the meal, despite how small my pita seemed I was quite full earning them that 5th star. Now if only it wasn't so damn hot in there..
5 - Megan S.: Bella Pita's lamb pitas bring tears to my eyes.  I love this place so much that I'm putting off studying for finals to rant about how much I love it.... sigh.

Ok, back to reality.  Bella Pita is my go-to Westwood joint for great meat.  By far the most delicious thing here is the lamb pita.  It's a freshly baked pita (you can see the dude putting the dough through the machine, a la Chevy's tortillas in the good old days) filled with generous amounts of freshly grilled lamb.  You can then take it over to the "greens and sauce bar" to fill it up with whatever you want--lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, peppers, cucumbers, hummus, tahini, white yogurt sauce, etc.  (Always, always put the sauce on BEFORE you add your greens, for maximum sauce coverage.  Also, their "really hot sauce"--formerly known as "really really hot sauce"--is not that hot, although I think it has a better flavor than their "hot sauce.")  One pita is probably not big enough for a hungry person, so when in doubt, order some falafel (also freshly made) to round out your meal.

I've tried the beef wowshi, but I wasn't that impressed.  It was considerably smaller than the pita (and only a dollar less), and was filled with ground beef, which was not quite as delicious as the chunks in the pitas.  

Seating is minimal (4 stools and a bar), the shop is tiny, and the food is served in a little paper sleeve.  I've probably burned my hands with hot grease every other time I've eaten here, so do be careful with yourself/your clothes while you enjoy your heavenly food.

Notes: free delivery for orders over $20!  Not sure if this offer extends past Westwood, but for you UCLA-ers, you know what to do.  Parking is validated for either 20 minutes or half an hour (can't remember).
5 - cmdr n.: I loved this place, we tried the falafel pita, steak pita, chicken wowshe ( baked dough with chicken and bean in it ). fries, and fried cauliflower.  All of it was delicious.  I loved the make your own condiment bar.  The hot sauces were excellent, and the white sauce tahini sauce.. all excellent.  The prices are a really great deal too.
4 - Brendan H.: The Lamb Pita hands down is the best I've had. I've always wanted to try Bella Pita out because i walk by it many times before. Little did i know i was missing out on some seriously good stuff. Try the really hot sauce because its just great! It may seem mild at first, but it leaves your tongue with an impression. This place is just great for a person like me because  Westwood has been so boring with the selection of food. Thank god for some change because i don't know how long i could have lasted eating nothing but pizza and burgers every time i go there! Try it out, you wont be disappointed!
5 - Florentina C.: This place has amazing food, quick and fresh! This is one of my favorite places for a quick cheap lunch in Westwood! The Bean wowshi with feta cheese is really Woooowwwwshi, so delicious and def fills me up! 

Enjoy!
2 - Kat L.: Okay I would have given this place 3 to 4 stars if they weren't so rude!  So on that day we were looking for a place nearby and saw this little hole.  We debated because it looks run down without a main sign above the store, but we saw the Yelp loves us sign so I said at least that is a good sign!
(http://www.kats9lives.com/2008/11/bella-pita-attitude-needs-improvement.html)

So we went in and saw a review displayed.  Of course Fiona and I start taking some photos since we wanted to Yelp about it.  The guy rudely said that no photos are allowed.  A little taken aback we stopped immediately.  Okay this place is a freaking HOLE, what are they afraid of?  We were in a good mood that soon turned sour.  He wasn't friendly and then I saw the sign on the condiment bar saying how you can't come back more than once.  This immediately reminded me of those Nazi behavior signs.  Dude, you guys need to chill out.

Fiona and I went outside to take our photo so take that! It's basically an open space, the door is right next to the counter.  I ordered the lamb and steak pita.  The lamb pita was a little dry and flavorless.  The steak pita was much better flavored and more tender.  People here talk about the prices being so great, but I think they are just normal.  When I look around there for lunch time, I probably can get a full meal versus a small pita for the same price.  It's not that great of a deal around Westwood but just normal price.  

I don't think this place is anything so special that I would die without and overlook the attitude.  Come on! It's LA, I can find much better food and better prices easily.
5 - Ray T.: Bella Pita is awesome!  I usually order the bruin combo which includes a falafel pita, fries and a drink.  All three items come for about 7-8 bucks which is a good deal nowadays.  The pita is great because of the customization ability with the vegetable bar.  The fries are okay, nothing special but also nothing horrible.  I try to stay away from soda but when a place offers Coke cola made by real cane sugar, I just have to have it. 

First time I went here the owner was taking the orders and he made the place feel very welcoming.   Overall a 5 star place for the great food, nice people and the sugar cane coke.  I'll probably get my order delivered next time.
5 - Rajiv T.: I've been coming to Bella Pita since it opened about a year and half ago and I am mad at mysellf for not reviewing it sooner. It is probably the restaurant that I frequent most often in Westwood. The food is fresh, the owner/workers are friendly, and the price is right. What more could you ask for? It is definitely one of the gems on the westside. 

I think the beef woshi has improved since I first tasted it but vegetarian is the way to go (which is rare for restaurants in my opinion). I generally order the black bean woshi or the falafel pita but occasionally I mix it up with a beef woshi.
5 - Andrea L.: uhm. 
I ADORE BELLA PITA!!!!!! 

seriously. for a "college town" Westwood has some seriously sucky dining options. by that I mean that there's not anything that's particularly healthy and at the same time, also a good deal. Bella Pita definitely fills that gap. 

You can't go wrong with either the bean and cheese wowshi (incredibly filling contrary to its initial appearance) or the lamb pita (which is incredible and totally worth the $7).  The fried cauliflower is a nice treat to pretend that you're eating healthier, and the greek salad is no big deal but definitely a good deal if you feel like purging from Gushi, Mr. Noodle and Chipotle. Not to mention, they have Mexican Cola, sweet cane sugar, how real you taste! *edit* I can't believe I forgot to mention the Falafel Pita. (Someone should stop me before I start adding more !!!). It like, everything else, is made fresh when you order, and it is freaking delicious as well. 

I believe they validate parking for orders over $20 and ditto for delivery.  Staff are nice. Met the owner there once, and we talked about the best vegetable bar process. 

I'm so freaking glad that Bella Pita exists!
3 - Amber B.: Ok What the heck Bella Pita, what the heck?

Stopped by today for a quick lunch with David B. and was hugely disappointed. They make those pitas so flimsy and destructible it's impossible to stuff them with as much sauces and veggies as you want without it literally exploding apart in your hands. David very politely asked for a plate and he was told "ohhhhh. Nooooo. You see? We don't do plates here." Okaaaaaaaaaaay. So then David asked for one of those styrafoam cartons instead that the guy was holding in hand and dude said "Ohhhh, see these are for the salads." Say what? You won't even give us a freaking container to make it easier to eat your food? Lame to the 1 millionth degree.

My other gripes that have brought down my rating for Bella Pita include the disappearance of the grilled and seasoned cauliflower from the veggie bar AND when we got our cups of water the cups were barely more than half-full and the water was room temperature.

Bella Pita, you really failed me today.
4 - Daniel K.: The wowshi, a stuffed pita baked with beans and cheese or meats on the inside, is a fresh break from the same falafel you can get everywhere.
The "very hot" sauce is tangy, sweet, and oh so hot. It's the sauce I swear by when I crave spicy.
But good lord it gets so slow. I can come in there when it's absolutely empty and I'll have to wait 15 to 20 minutes for a pita. Completely absurd and the one thing that keeps me from going there.
5 - John C.: i've noticed a lot of people writing reviews about how messy and hard to eat the sandwiches are. HELLO? couldn't you tell what kind of establishment this was by the storefront? if you're too bougie to get your hands a little dirty on some quality food, then feel free to move along to a place with plates. i personally will take the better food.

as far as quick, relatively healthy (depending on what you order) and most of all, satisfying food goes, this place is the creme de la creme in westwood. it's as good as it gets for middle eastern in the village and probably most of the westside.

all the pitas are great, but i highly recommend the 'wowshi' selections with your choice of meat (chicken is my personal favorite). the condiment bar is perfect for being able to load up on as much or as little of whatever you want on your pita.

they also serve french fries and mexican coke bottles, which is the way to my heart. the staff there is really friendly and accommodating, which is an added plus. the only drawback is the lack of seating -- my friend and i usually go squat in the outdoor in-n-out seating a couple of stores down, but the security guard is kind of a dick.
5 - rachel e.: i don't really know how anyone could give this place anything but five stars! i've been there 3 times in the past week and every time has been great. this is literally the best falafel i've ever eaten, and the black bean wowshi is phenomenal (add a little feta and some of the herbal dressing, so good). they make everything when you order it, the pita, the falafel, and the fried cauliflower - delicious. i didn't order anything with meat, but my buddies had the steak and the lamb and they were both cooked to perfection. the food may be a little messy, but i'd much rather have a sloppy, delicious pita with tasty fillings than a dry, overcooked falafel any day. as far as the staff, i've never met a nicer group of guys (and a lady). we spent an hour talking to the owner, and when we came back a week later the cook even remembered us. this is by far the best place i have stumbled upon in LA so far. i have to get the recipe for that herbal dressing before i die.
5 - Kristina H.: I live across the street from Bella Pita and it's one of my favorite places to get a quick meal. The pita is freshly baked with the ingredients you order in it. My personal favorite is the chicken wowshi or the omlette... very fresh and tasty for the price. The condiments bar has something that will be to everyone's liking. I add pretty much all the sauces they have, such as the hummus, herb dressing, lemon, tahini, hot sauce, etc. Once again, this place is just great because its relatively cheap, healthy, and fresh. The owner is really nice, too. He gave me a free falafel with toppings on it once when I came here. 

Oh, and they are one of the rare places in West LA that sell Mexican coke aka coke in a glass bottle.. and that is just fantastic.
4 - ian B.: Not cheap?  How can you beat $4.50 for a pita stuffed to the brim with falafel, condiments, and sauces?  Plus they have Mexican Coca Cola (No High-Fructose Corn Syrup) and Martinelli's apple cider.

That is all I have to say.
4 - Craig R.: Delicious, fresh food at very reasonable prices.
5 - Alexander K.: okay.. so talk about legitness

i've lived in and around westwood for about four years now..i must have passed by this place in my car at least a hundred times.  no idea where it was before i ventured out tonight. let me say i'm glad i found it!

i figured i should get the basic falafel pita--a choice i do not regret! delicious. but the trick is (since the suggestion is you should only hit the salad/sauce bar only once) you should put sauce first over the three falafel patties before adding any veggies; thus your pita is not so basic when you get down to the bottom.  a trick i must try next time.  also ordered the fried cauliflower, a little salty, but the salt really brings out the cauliflower flavor--plus the saltiness adds to/compliments the 'healthy' flavors of the pita.

must try their bake-to-order wowshi next time around!

another plus is the availability of authentic coca-cola(r) from mexico.  real sugar [greater than] corn stuff.

all in all, legitness!
5 - Samantha T.: I just came back and the new monthly special is the steak pita and fries for 6.45. The steak pita was basically a fresh pita split in half filled with carne asada, yes carne asada at a pita joint. The carne asada was grilled to order and had a good marinade, a little tangy and salty. The pita was filled about half way and I proceed to stuff tomatos, cucumbers, onions, lettuce, cabbage, pepperocini, tahini, hot sauce and just a little hummus. I am sad that the fried cauliflower is now a side dish, but oh well... The fries were also really good. The fries are also fried to order, so I watch the guy measure out the fresh cut fries and fry them. The fries are thick cut fries and cooked just right, crispy on the outside while still fluffy inside. Ask them for a container for sauce, half tahini and hot sauce, a perfect dip mmm... Oh and they sell coke from mexico in the glass bottles. When you order the monthly combo, any drink is only a dollar extra so any bottled drink out front is just a buck. I love real cane sugar coke.
5 - Andrew C.: The beef wowshi is awesome. I came here once when visiting a friend at UCLA and I've been craving these ever since. I really love the small shop with its very few workers and their visible kitchen in the back for all the customers to see. It gives it that nice hole in the wall look.
5 - Johnny D.: I am writing about there 2nd location on Westwood Blvd near SM Blvd. 

A true falafel artisan. I love falafels, and there a truly so few places that do it right. This is one. I ate there 3 times in the last week, that's saying something. I am only interested in the falafel so I can't comment on the rest of the menu. The falafel are made fresh with your order, and you can tell. Load up on your own choice of toppings, and the chili sauce (made by his son) id pretty dam good.
5 - Sophia V.: 5 stars cuz i've tried my share of Falafels and this place is still the best =]

I have the same routine...come in...stare at the menu...even though I know i'll end up ordering the same thing

_FALAFEL PITA!_

the guy busts out the tub of falafel mix..fries it FRESH in front of my eyes

and i THINK they use...uhm...not vegetable oil for the frying

then he hands me the Falafels blanketed in a SOFT pita bread and I fly over to it =]

load it up with hummus and veggies, not a fan of white sauce...and..

yuuuuummmmmm...LIGHTLY crispy on the outside, soft and moist on the inside, flavorful, scrumptious 

and then it's all gone and i look back at the menu...and confirm:
$4.50 well spent =]
2 - Michelle C.: My boyfriend and I came here because the sandwich place a couple places down was closed (which by the way is a great place for a good sandwich...not sure the name, but its a shack a few spots towards Wilshire),  We both thought the pitas were ok, nothing special, not a whole lot of flavor.   We were the only ones there and after we both got our pitas my boyfriend asked about his fries.  The guy told him he already put them out for him and we told him he hadn't, he hadn't even made any!  So, we weren't impressed by the food or the service.
4 - Susanne M.: I love this place. I need to go back to Westwood and give it a go again.

When this place first opened, I definitely was one of the first regular customers. They make the falafel and pita fresh (and sometimes right in front of you, although don't know how it is now that they've most certainly gotten busier since they first opened). I recommend the falafel or the pita with beans thingy. You can just fill it up with delicious hummus, sauces, and veggies and the salad bar they have. A couple stools to sit down, but most likey you'll end up standing or walking with your food. Highly recommend it. My only problem with it would be that sometimes certain ingredients in the veggie bar don't taste that ripe, and they raised the prices, so might be a bit on the expensive side for some students.
3 - Lisa M.: Star-worthy: Fast, cheap, solid. The fill-it-yourself pitas are the best.

Not so star-worthy: The hummus is a bit... odd. And the chicken in the pita leaves something to be desired, both in taste and in quantity.
5 - Mike P.: The bread is really good and fluffy.  Breakfast wowshi is a good deal.  Topping bar is good
4 - Niko X.: Awesome place to hit up when you're Jaleel-in' for something lighter than your average Westwood lunch. It's a crying shame I've gone nearly four years in Westwood without discovering this place. It really is hard to find though, tucked into a small storefront in that no man's land between In N Out and those outdoor counter places. 

I had the falafel and it was made after I ordered it. The pita bread was warm and soft, but substantial enough to hold all the goodness inside without bursting. For $0.75 I added kalamata olives, and put a healthy helping of vegetables inside from the vegetable bar. For around $5 I was very satisfied. 

Be aware that seating is very limited. There is a bar along the window with four stools. As long as it's not terribly busy, there seemed to be enough liquidity of patrons to get a seat by the time your pita is ready.
3 - Dee Y.: Husband LOVES this place. I had the cheese wowshi and he had the lamb pita. It was pretty good. I really want to give it a four stars, but I think it's more of a 3.5 stars (and I always round down).

The food was good. It's not my typical food that I would get. So, maybe I'm a bit biased. I don't like the sign that said, "you can only visit the condiments  box ONCE!" I guess you need that kind of sign when you open a food joint in college town. But I thought it sounded kinda rude to me... Huh...

The place is too small to eat indoor, and I think it's a bit pricey for what you get. It's definitely better than a lot of places in westwood. But it's only 3 hours later, and I'm already hungry again. I don't find it filling... =/

Maybe I was ordering the wrong thing. But I don't share the same type of excitement as husband does. I'm gonna give it another try another time. But for now, it's a 3 stars.
5 - Kevin P.: One of my favorite places to visit in Westwood. It's a bit small, but it's fun to go with one or two friends and either cozy up inside or have a mini-picnic outside. 

I always have to order the same thing--Lamb Pita with feta cheese, with a Mexican Coke bottle to wash it all down. Pure bliss. They should name that the Kevin Special. It would be awesome. 

PS: There is a strategy to the toppings bar! Pita in one hand, fork in another--squeeze the pita so it opens and you can mix the ingredients together. Easy peasy.
4 - Diana H.: I knew what was coming when I loaded my $5.25 baked-to-order chicken wowhsi pita with heaps of red onion, tomato cilantro relish, shredded cabbage, and tahini sauce from the condiments bar at Bella Pita last Friday. 

I knew what was coming when I bit into the tender, warm pita that somehow managed to remain intact throughout the entire 15 minutes I spent noshing on it as I sat on one of the three barstools in the grab-and-go eatery. 

And I knew what was coming when I decided to screw the 80% full rule and finish the whole thing -- even the stray bits of onion and cabbage that had fallen into the crevice of my wrapper. 

For the next six+ hours, I was in for a serious case of stinky onion breath and stinky onion hands. (Possibly stinky feta breath as well, since I opted to tag that onto my order for an extra 75 cents.) 

As the afternoon dragged by in the fashion that most Friday afternoons do (ie. really really slowly), my mouth remained a sarcophagus of deadly fumes. It was just as bad as I thought it would be, and I spent the rest of the day avoiding conversations with my coworkers (which coincidentally is not all that atypical from any other day).

I should have been upset.  I should have been disgusted.  I should have been turned off from pitas forever! 

Instead, I couldn't stop thinking about how much I wanted to go back for another one.  With just as many onions!  And maybe a Mexican Coke too.
5 - ruth l.: True love as represented by flour, water, yeast, salt: the pita at Bella Pita. I don't know that I have ever experienced a more delicious pocket of bread, handcrafted while I waited.

I chose to enjoy my bella, nay, bellissima, pita in chicken wowshi form and topped it with cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, and cabbage. One half I topped with hommus and the very hot sauce; the other, with tahini and white sauce. I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite, though the garlicky white sauce paired rapturously with the chicken and pita.

My dining companions swooned over their lamb pita, falafel pita, and fried cauliflower. Indeed, we were so sated by our true love pitas, we managed to steer clear of the DSW down the street.


A note on the wowshi and pita difference: the wowshi is almost calzone-like, cut in half with the fillings baked in. It allows you to construct two separate creations with the salad bar. The pita is your classic pita sandwich, and allows you the opportunity to fill one large pocket. Both are marriage material. 

A note on seating: 3 stools and a counter facing the street. You'd be wise to consider where you want to eat your magnificent concoction before venturing to Bella Pita.
4 - Claire A.: ah bella pita! my favorite discovery of the year! hidden in the brick building squished between in n out and buck fitty's/gushi on gayley, bella pita is a delicious treasure just waiting to be found (and is being found by many!) and so, making up for the lost time without bella pita, i've been going there to eat at least once a week since January. 

the wowshi has the best bread of all the choices on the menu, that is soft and baked fresh--sealed with your choice of chicken, ground beef ("burger"), bean, just cheese, or "omlette." inside.  Served and cut into two halves, and  with the option melted cheese inside in addition to your choice.  Also a plus of the wowshi is stays put together better after stuffing it with everything from the condiment bar than the other fresh bread, pita.  however, the wowshi 'filling' choices are just slightly less enticing than choices of steak and falafel in a regular pita. 

in the end the choice comes down to what do you feel like more, the filling choices of the pita, or the desire for a wowshi.  (plus the pita comes as just one pita, whereas the wowshi comes in two halves, so this could also be a factor if transportation is an issue) 

in either case, you get to then stuff your pita/wowshi with the items in the condiment bar.  cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, hummus, tahini sauce (white sauce), and "hot hot" and "hot" sauce (similar to harisa sauce served at some kebab places) are my personal favorites for toppings.  but there is also lettuce, peppers, olive oil, herb sauce, lemon dressing, and more for you to personalize your pita.  all delicious, and all guaranteeing a messing eating :-) 

also, they offer the sides of french fries and  fried cauliflower. though the home-fries style of their french fries are pretty good, you can always get that next door at in-n-out, go for the fried cauliflower--pretty delicious especially if you dip it in the tahini/hot sauce.   

though i'm never quite hungry enough to choose one of their "meal deals",   i almost always get a coke--glass bottle, and with real sugar (from mexico) which washes it down quite nicely, and the  martinelli's apple cider looks pretty tasty too.  but you can always ask for a glass of water if neither of these drinks nor their choice of snapple is what you desire.  

i do wish though they would lower their prices a little, but it's so delicious you forget by the time you leave the 3-stool / counter hole in the wall on gayley.  (and maybe some chairs outside too would be nice!)
4 - hannah c.: just experienced bella pita, as it served as a wonderful late night snack after a very long day of work/school event.  we arrived at 1am (they close at 2am) on a thursday night and it was a bit busy inside.  

i absolutely love the concept of this small spot.  order your pita/wowshie and fill it with whatever goodies are available at the bar.  includes onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, cabbage and more.  big variety of sauces/dressings.

i got the cheese wowshi (mozzarella, cheddar and monterey jack), one gf got the black bean wowshi and another gf got the falafel pita.  i added cabbage, tomatoes and onions to mine and gheez la wheez, did it hit the spot?!  the falafel pita was just as delicious and same with the black bean.  black bean may be yummier w/ cheese though.  i didn't overload on fillers, but i'm sure it would have been even more delicious if i had.  

definitely sad that i just tried this spot considering i won't be in westwood as often anymore, but hey.....i travel for food.  relatively cheap considering what you get.  wowshis actually come in a pair.  my cheese wowshi was only $4.25.  that's a steal to me.  so i'll definitely be hitting up this spot before my last two weeks are up.
4 - Marie W.: GREATEST DRUNK FOOD EVER!!!  Actually greatest cheap sober food too!

Waaay better than any of the other places open after 1 in Westwood and they finally have the  schedule right to go along with the good bar nights here.  Open late Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat (2am) I think... 

Try the falafel pita with all the veggies and a ton of the white sauce (yogurt sauce) Its just pure amazingness!
3 - Ariz G.: i inhaled the chicken wowshi.
5 - serge s.: I love this place. You can get a healthy tasty Neal under $5. I love the fallafel sandwich and you get a zillion fixings to go with it. yum yum.
2 - OG H.: Sooo not worth the drive or parking situation over in Westwood Village...actually not worth it even if it had decent parking!

Was looking forward to trying this all morning and headed over there for lunch.  Ordered a chicken wowshi with the 3 cheese blend.  Condiment bar looked ok, except for the "Topping Nazi" sign above it limiting you to ONLY 1 visit to the condiment bar.  Ok, really?  This would even be understandable if they had some sauce containers or little paper plates out to put the stuff on, but when you are trying to assemble a somewhat edible wowshi with 1 hand, while balancing the food (2 halves, wrapped only in a piece of paper) in the other...c'mon now!

Anyway, this would all be fine if the food was even somewhat tasty, but nope.  Bland and blah.    :(    Small chicken chunks looked like they came out of a can with no sign of marinating or spices, 3 cheese blend was like the shredded bagged stuff from Food 4 Less, and the pita was nothing to write home about.  At least the veggies at the condiment bar tasted fresh, but the sauces were again sub-par.

I had been starving, and yet was only able to eat 1/2 the wowshi because I got sick of chewing on that tasteless mess of a pile while trying to avoid eating the paper wrapping and not letting everything spill out.  Took the other 1/2 to go, but couldn't even bring myself to eat that when I had a plate with it.

Overall, very disappointing.  Might be ok if you are a starving UCLA student, but even then I can recommend better use of that $7 bucks.
3 - Jeri X.: Overall, I had a delicious steak pita, but it was quite annoying to eat. The way it works is that they give you the pita with the meat (pretty fast too, within 5 minutes), then you fill it up at the "greens" bar with anything you want -- tomato, cucumber, lettuce, onions, etc. and with hummus and/or white sauce (I think it's tzatziki). Their veggies were really fresh, and the pita was freshly made, warm and little bit crispy. The steak was well seasoned but a little hard to chew. 

But the problem with piling all the veggies and sauce on top, is that you'll only be eating a pita with veggies with sauce in the first half, and then you're left with only pita and meat with no sauce in the second half. I went back to the bar to add more white sauce but technically you're not supposed to use the bar more than once (according to their sign!).

Another thing is that it's very messy to eat. Even though I tried to be careful, I still had I had pieces of cucumber, tomato and steak falling out of my pita. The steak pieces were also quite big and not tender enough to bite through easily, so if you bite into the corners of two pieces, you'll pull both of them out and likely drop at least one because you can't fit it all in your mouth. Annoying!
3 - Stephanie K.: I went to this little spot after a massage at Thai Sabai, and it was a great cheap eat. For what you get, and what it costs, it's pretty darn good. I ordered a vegetarian falafel, and it was tasty, but I do agree with other reviewers, at the same time, when you pile all the good stuff ON TOP of your falafel, it is very messy, and the best bites are the first few. You end up chasing those bites and trying to not let everything fall apart. Well, yes. IT IS A FALAFEL. Falafels fall apart, notoriously. 

The thing I think that could change would be if the falafel maker behind the counter could just put all the ingredients inside the falafel for you, that way, it is a better mix of good stuff all blended together in a bite. I know they make it fresh, but it could be fresher by not having that "greens bar". 
Just an idea. 

But it was yummy and I would go back after another massage!
5 - Dean L.: 5 star fast food
4 - Aaron H.: The wowshis are wowshi but the pitas are a bit of a pita until you figure it out.  Sorry, that was bad..

When you get your steak pita, just take out half of the steak and put it somewhere (I don't know where, just do it... and careful, it's really god damned hot).  Then throw the steak in a little at a time as you fill up your pita with the super-awesome-fun-time ingredients from the bar.
Don't be scared to use the purple pickled cucumbers (those are cucumbers, right?)  They look scary but they compliment the pitas perfectly.

Super mega good time tip: Use the stuff in the bottle labeled "REALLY, REALLY HOT SAUCE".  It's not even remotely hot.  It's just delicious and full of flavor.  Thanks Suren and JB!
4 - John H.: My only issue I have with this place is having to fill up the pita yourself with greens, hummus, sauce, etc. Most of the time I find myself with a front loaded falafel, and during all those last bites I'm left thinking "what have I done?" Other than that, great food. Sooo, it may not be the greatest falafel I've had, but Bella Pita is a nice place to stop by every once in a while.
5 - Christina K.: Mmm yay! This is the first time I've stepped into whatever restaurant that has been at this location (previously some empanada place and a hot dog place).

I had the breakfast wowshie, which is their freshly baked bread filled with black beans and eggs. It was delicious and I loved filling it up with lettuce, marinated tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, onions, and topping it with yogurt and hot sauce. Delish! What surprised me further was how much food you got. I think most people believe you only get a half a pita. Nope. It's the whole thing. Cheap place, fresh food, but they need to crack a window cuz the place is HOT.
4 - Steve L.: Had a really good lamb pita for only $6.50!  Get it to go, though -- place only had 4 seats and is hot.
5 - Michelle A.: i realized that i dont give enough 5 stars. i"m eating m order now. very good. great price too!!
i"ll be back
5 - Ken H.: oh my goodness, amazing place. And the owner is really cool. Try to have a conversation with him and you'll know what I mean. 

Be warned tho, it is not designed to be a sit-down place...more like, an eat your food quickly or eat it somewhere else.
Don't eat your food quickly tho, that'd be a shame. I actually want you to enjoy it.

Also, its open late!!!
5 - Nikhil S.: By far one of the best places to eat in Westwood. Affordable and Delicious food as expected near a college.

The Wowshi is by far their most distinct dish, I recomend the Black Bean Wowshi. A Wowshi is a freshly baked pita with either some meat or beans inside. While the wowshi is undoubtedly fresh tasting and delicious, what makes Bella Pita something special is the fresh vegetables and sauces that you can stuff into the pita. Bella Pita's sauces are amazing and should be applied liberally. Wowshi's and fallafels  can be messy and Bella Pita unfortunately doesn't provide any plates. Grab napkins before you eat! 

Overall an excellent place to get delicious reasonably priced food in a pricey area.
5 - Mathias G.: The best bang for your buck I've ever found in a restaurant.  Get the wowshi (chicken, steak, hamburger), its 6 bucks for two half pita pockets full of chicken, which you can then fill to your delight with veggies, hummus and tahini sauce.  Delicious and economical, what else could you ask for?
4 - David L.: 4 stars for its taste given its affordability.

omgies this place rocks. to think i found this place the month before i officially move out of westwood :(. good thing they have a sister restaurant right near the place i moved to.

the place is damn good and easy on my wallet. it's healthy, quick, and tastes bomb. 

wowshis make me go wow. (ha ha i'm so clever and original)

the owners were soo nice too, they asked me if i found everything to my liking and if i had any problems. i almost felt guilty when i was stuffing the shit out of my wowshi. 

this is the best kept secret in westwood!!
5 - Felicia C.: No one likes a hater.
Some haters are worse than others.
Bella Pita haters are the worst.

Call me what you want but I have to stand up for the gloriousness that is Bella Pita. I've been a supporter of it since the summer of 2007, when that little restaurant first took over their current location on Gayley. When I was still living in Westwood, I used to wander down the street, dreaming of its deliciousness. I'd walk into that little hole in the wall, slam down a $5 on the counter and get the best falafel and the softest pita ever made by man in return. 

Not much has changed in the past two years. Yes, prices may have gone up just a little and they may have stopped including fried cauliflower in the salad bar, but it's still the best bang for your buck in Westwood. I still load up on the veggies (lettuce! cucumbers! pickled onions! tomatoes!) and smother the whole thing in hummus and white sauce. 

For those who complain about running out of veggies or having a pita filled with meat at the end of the meal: use a fork. 
For those who complain about the mess: grab another piece of wax paper.  
For those who complain about Bella Pita: don't be a hater. 
For those who may complain about me: la la la...I can't hear you! I'm too busy eating Bella Pita.
5 - Kelsey W.: For a number of reasons I now regret, I didn't go to Bella Pita until my last year at UCLA. A coworker convinced me to go and WOW - it was so worth it. Since then, I have been back too many times to count.
The wowshis are so delicious. They bake the bread AFTER you order so it is always hot and fresh. I've had the chicken and the black bean which were both awesome. Then, you get to use the toppings bar to put whatever you want on them. Everything is really fresh and I can get all the hummus I want.
And the fries are amazing. I always get the combo with a wowshi, fries and Snapple for less than eight dollars. Amazing. You can ask for the little plastic cups  and fill them up with extra sauce to go. Make sure you add enough onions!
The delivery is only so-so; I just go in if possible - much better.
5 - Ishani D.: Bella= beautiful. Beautiful= Falafel Pita. 
It's rare that I come across perfection....and this was one of those rare moments. My other-half and I came across Bella Pita while on our nightly food hunt in Westwood. I ordered the Falafel Pita ($4.50) and my guy decided to be weird and ordered the Tuna Pita ($4.50) which I told him would suck....but men will be men and he ordered it anyway. Dinner for 2 was $10. That can't be beat! There was no one there so we sat at the counter. FYI the counter only has 5 stools so if they're all taken make sure you find another location to enjoy this heavenly pita. As I'm sure you've read from the other reviews they have a DIY salad bar with all the fixins to fill your pita with. I don't really understand why so many people don't like the salad bar?? Maybe it's the fact that you have to fill the pita yourself, but that way you can put exactly what you want in it! I loved the salad bar....I couldn't believe how fresh all the veggies were! It was so impressive!
Let's get back to my pita....
I ordered the Falafel Pita. The actual pita was so warm and I love the fact that they don't make the pita until you order it. It came with 3 pieces of Falafel and I filled it with hummus, cabbage, onions, tomato and topped it with the "really hot sauce"....no really....it says that on the bottle. Oh. My. GOD!!!! I was in pita heaven!! That hot sauce really made my pita what it was....YUM. There's a sign on the salad bar that says you can only use it once....but I went back a second time because I didn't fill my pita sufficiently the first time....and I needed more of that "really" hot sauce!! Bella Pita is a wonderful establishment and I can't wait to stuff my face with their exceptional falafel pita again. 
Thank you Bella Pita, for a mind-blowing experience.
5 - Nate G.: Best falafel in town! My favorite is the chicken pita. I recommend mixing the very hot sauce with the white sauce for an excellent french fry dipping experience. I love the ingredient bar too! Keep up the great work!

They also have another location with tables inside on Westwood Boulevard near the Westside Pavilion.
5 - Phyllisia K.: Oh so delicious!! I go to Bella all the time. They have yet to disappoint me and always satisfy my cravings for... not dorm style crap food at a cheap price. I've had the falafel and the lamb so far. Both are excellent. 

Also, their fries, fried cauliflower and salad are all great side choices. I really love picking up a salad here because I get my pickled turnip and kalamata olive fix (extra $.75) plus delicious herb dressing. 

Other than that I do have to say that unless you order a salad they usually don't give you a little plastic cup for filling with dips/dressings BUT they do have them!! This becomes a problem when you decide it's just a little to small of a building to enjoy your meal in. If you want one, they have them so just ask and then you can take your hummus/tahini/yogurt sauce/spicy sauce to go without getting it all over the bag by the time you find a place to eat.
5 - Libby R.: So I have this yelp friend who swears that Bella Pita is his favorite restaurant. And being that I make a tri-weekly pilgrimage to Westwood to visit Stephanie H. and Diddy Riese, I knew I would have to try it and see for myself (as said friend is kinda a lying bastard). 

This Saturday, having left the worst wedding in history and needing to get my grub on before my friend date, I decided that my usual trip to Diddy would have a detour at the Bella Pita. 

As much as I HATE to admit that my friend was right (he is a conceited bastard, to boot) I must admit, Bella Pita was amazing. 

A small, unassuming little business, there are only 4 chairs that pull up to bar like table facing the street. However, the food makes this place five stars. 

I ordered the chicken wowshi. What the hell is a wowshi, you are probably asking yourself. Apparently it is fresh pita dough wrapped around a seasoned filling of your choice and fried up to order. And people, it's as good as it sounds. 

The best part? The fresh bar. Bella Pita allows for its patrons to choose their own fixings. Fresh onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, hummus and lettuce just to name a few of the wonderful fresh ingredients that you can add to your order. Makes good food turn into great food. 

I was sitting alone at the bar (what is up with that right?) whilst a cute business suited couple were also partaking of the goodness; 
I actually exclaimed aloud, "Wow, this is freakin' good." Just confirming to the couple WHY I was, in fact, dining alone. *tear* 

Now I'm not saying it's my favorite restaurant or anything, I AM saying that the sting of losing my beloved Buck Fitty is softened now that I have been shown the Bella Pita. 

Perhaps to thank my yelp friend I'll pick him up a wowshi and cookie next time.......NAH.
4 - Rob D.: As soon as you have one bite of their Lamb Pita, the first thought that will come to your mind is "why the fuck did I wait so long to check this place out?" It's THAT good. They grill up your order in a few short minutes and let you pick you own toppings from their toppings bar. I usually keep it pretty traditional and go with the standard tahini sauce, red onions, peppers, tomatoes, and lettuce. They also serve up some very tasty fries too, I might add.
3 - Ryan F.: My review may be biased because I am not a big fan of Mediterranean food.  My friends always somehow managed to drag me there so I have eaten here on more than one occasion.  They will grill the pita for you, then give it to you to fill it up with the various toppings and sauces they offer.  I always get the Chicken Wowshi (sp?) and am satisfied most the time.  If you get a side order, make sure to get the fried zucchini!
5 - Jinal S.: Oh, my darling Bella Pita.  I have nothing but love for this place.  It's pretty easy to find good falafel in LA, but I have never had anything so mind-blowingly amazing as this place.  

Lets start from the top:
-Their pita is warmed to order (and in the case of the wowshis, made to order I believe), and has a hint of sourdough.  It's perfectly chewy, and is likely one of the best pitas I have ever had.  
-Their falafel pita is my staple here.  Their falafel is made-to-order, and put in the fryer with this little scoop thing, which makes perfectly shaped falafel every time.  They cook it just the right amount of time it takes to get the outside perfectly crispy, while keeping the inside nice and soft.  Delish.  
-Their hot sauces!!!!  My South Asian tastebuds haven't been challenged by too much that claims to be "spicy."   However, with enough of the very hot sauce (and I slather that stuff on) my eyes start watering.  It's absolutely delicious, and if they could bottle that stuff up and sell it, I'd be first in line to buy it. 
-The other sauces - Also delicious, but as I said before, I put too much hot sauce to really taste the other stuff as much. But their hummus deserves a special shout out for being some of the most perfect and creamy hummus ever. 

Oh, and if you aren't hungry enough for some of their heftier pita sandwiches, then I highly suggest just getting a side salad in a pita.  They'll warm up a pita for you, and you can go to town on the salad bar.  It's a great deal, too, at something like 3.50. I have been yelled at a couple times for stuffing my pita too much, but...um...oh well.  It's too delicious not to. 

One final warning:  It's really small inside, and the location only has four stools and a narrow counter to sit at.  If you're coming with people, I highly suggest you wrap your pita in the extra wax paper they have on the side (considering how messy it can get), brown bag it, and find a place to eat this afterward. 

Overall, their food is phenomenal, and every single person I have introduced to this place has become obsessed.  Seriously. Also, it's open till two am every night! (YAY drunk food!) 

 So basically, the moral of the story is that Bella Pita rocks my socks.  And it can rock yours too, if you give it the chance.
4 - Sam B.: YUMMY, cheap and good food and clean clean clean....so tasty
5 - Elaine W.: Mmm Bella Pita. You may be tucked away in a tiny storefront on Gayley, but one bite into my chicken wowshi and I'm a fan!

I've never had a wowshi before, but apparently they bake your filling into the pita bread before cutting it in half. The pita has the perfect texture and you can pretty much go to town on their salad bar with cucumbers, lettuce, etc to fill up your pita.

And not to mention, for Westwood the price is awesome!
2 - Hannah L.: i wanted to like this place sooo bad. i ordered the chicken wowshee and put all the crazy toppings in it and was just not impressed. the chicken was almost inedible. it was like fatty? and even the toppings couldn't make it not bland. so disappointed! 

for the amount of food they gave you, it's definitely a bargain. from reading all the amazing reviews, i'm definitely going to go back to try the falafel and maybe steak. but my experience was a letdown. =[ hopefully i'll have more positive things to say soon.
1 - Wen-Wen L.: this place sucks, and i felt like hurling afterwards -i had half my chicken wowshee and had to stop after that.

the pita was doughy.  the toppings were eh.  the white sauce made me feel sick.  

i guess this place is for poor college students.  but seriously, sunin is so much better, so i would just hitch a ride with a friend if you are craving mediterranean...
4 - Kris S.: I come here for lunch about once a week. The falafel is so good, and the fries are excellent. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is the lack of A/C and seating.
5 - Jay L.: The falafel is the best I've ever had. I've tried other falafel places in LA and in Europe. This one beats them all.

I'm a vegetarian so I've never had the beef, chicken, or lamb but I've heard good things.

I've been to places with more variety in the condiment bar, but the sauces and veggies they have are great. Even after tax the falafel pita is still under 5 bucks and once you've filled it with tomatoes, cucumbers, "really, really hot sauce", yogurt sauce, onions, and peppers it will fill you up.

I've found a lot of good places near UCLA but Bella Pita has been my favorite from the day it opened.
3 - Michelle L.: Friends had told me about this place and their must have 'Wowshi'.  Usually I just kept following my nose and heading to  In-N-Out and passed it by.  Well,  I finally tried it and I have to say it was good, I had the chicken wowshi and it was delicious. It's even kind of fun to fill your pita pocket full of lettuce, cucumbers, tomatos, tahini and more.  I would have no problems eating here as often as once a week, except that they really have no seating at their Gayley location and only a little bit at their Westwood Blvd one.
4 - Dustin W.: Fresh baked pita, fresh cooked meat and everything made to order.  To top it off they have a serve yourself toppings bar.
4 - Monica M.: The Chicken Wowshie takes over any late-night cravings I have. The lamb was nice and tender. The pita bread itself is so fluffy and delicious. I favor the creamy green sauce over my meat.

There's nothing else like piping hot pita bread.

Trouble is, I keep chasing a dragon of pita perfection from my youth, from a long-forgotten shop in San Francisco. That fifth star is reserved for them.
5 - Carie G.: I am so happy I can walk to this place from my miserable office...I mean, from the job I love so much!

Everything is made-to-order and you stuff the pita yourself with fillings from the salad bar.  Sadly, arugula is no longer an option, so I load my falafel pita with lettuce, cabbage, peppers, tahini, and the REALLY hot sauce.  They have tomatoes, cucs, and other sauces for those who can't take the heat.

The black bean wowshi is another veg-friendly option and the fried cauliflower is sooo good.  Although, don't bring the cauliflower back to your office...it stinks!
4 - sophie l.: I actually really like this place. I even come here sober (but thank god it's open till the wee hours of the morning for those inebriated nights). My favorite is the kabob pita. The flavor, tenderness, and quality of the meat tastes like it should be at least $4 more. Not a fan of their falafel but the kabob pita! A must. Don't forget to packkkkk your pita with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, tahini, white sauce, and oils! Enjoy
4 - Nick F.: Wow did this place end up surprising me.

I remember when Bella Pita opened and thinking it was awful. The second, third and fourth times were awful too. I don't know what happened, but it seems like sometime in the fall of 2009, this place turned itself around and became the #1 drunk food spot in Westwood Village overnight.

I regularly order the lamb pita (huge fan of lamb, btw), which they prepare very well. The sauces are all very tasty and of high quality.

Biggest complaint: price. I understand that you're going to charge more for lamb, but for a relatively small pita, $7.50 seems a bit steep. Definitely coming back though.
5 - warren S.: Went here twice this last week, including my wrap-up meal Sunday night. This restaurant is my favorite place in Westwood for a cheap, quality meal.

I have never been let down by Bella Pita.  Shamefully, I have only been a customer for about a year, though I had walked by Bella Pita many times over the years.  I can't believe I walked by Bella Pita so ignorantly all these years - kind of like walking past the unassuming yet hot girl next door.  And I am usually so great at appreciating the unassuming yet hot girl next door!  That's my forte!  Boo to me. 

I order the black bean wowshi.  They make it to order, it's quick, it's fresh, simple yet filled with the perfect amount of herbs and spice for balance, and then you get to go to the salad bar and heap lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, hummus, hot sauce, etc. on top of your delectable $5 treat.  

It doesn't get better than this.  And for $5!

Bella Pita follows the necessary axioms of serving great food:  fresh quality ingredients, made to order, and at a fair price.  And it's open till 2 AM.  A much healthier option than fast-food or Benitos for an after bar meal.  Best deal in Westwood.
4 - Isaac W.: I decided to try out Bella Pita while cruising Westwood with my friend who lives in the area. This is one of those places that seems to get ignored by most people passing by because of it's small size and limited seating, however looks can be deceiving. 

The menu has quite a bit to choose from. Despite having no clue wtf a "Wowshie" was at the time, I decided to order it with chicken as the filling option. There is a full bar with delicious toppings to add to your "wowshie" including hummus which was delicious. While this food is nothing fancy, it filled me up and I can imagine that it must be a very popular late night drunk food option for UCLA students. 

Definitely a place worth checking out if you're in the area looking for a quick easy meal.
4 - Mimi T.: The first time I've been here was based on reccomendations from a co-worker. I pass by this place walking along Gayley all the time, but never walked in. First time, i ordered a burger wowshi. It took a bit long to get it because it's baked to order. Totally worth the wait. They cut it in half for you, so it's like you have two pita meals! I loove the dressing bar. All the hummus, lettuce, and etc you want. They started charging for the fried cauliflowers, but totally worth the extra charge. They are soo good. It's been awhile since I've been back, and need to go visit soon.
5 - Patrick B.: This one time, at Bella Pita, I stuck a black bean wowshi in my mouth. It felt good.

Another time, at Bella Pita, I stuck a falafel pita in my mouth. It felt gooder.

Yet another time, at Bella Pita, the cook/cashier saw me and ran out the back door. I stood for 15 min waiting for him to return. He didn't. It made me sad. So I came back the next day. He gave me another black bean wowshi. I stuck it in my mouth. It felt good again.
4 - Russell D.: Bella Pita is delicious!

Bella Pita is one of the few late-night options after a night of drinking in Westwood. It can get pretty crowded after the bars close, but it's worth it. 

My personal favorite is the lamb pita or if you're friendly you can convince them to make you a "lamb wowshi" (which isn't on the menu).

my only complaint is that the food is a little pricey for the amount you're receiving.

Other than that, I highly recommend it, your taste buds wont be disappointed!
3 - Priscilla Z.: I've there twice. 

The first time Wowshi was great! The baked shell was just right. The guy there was warm. And the price is good. 

The second time I changed to Pita. It's kinda less satisfying me. At least it's not that much, but almost the same price. But it's still good.
4 - Patty F.: So I went back yesterday and while I still think it's a great deal and good food, there were some inconsistencies with the salad bar.  In a normal restaurant, this wouldn't be a big deal but considering how at bella pita it dictates 50-75% of your pita depending upon how greedy or skilled you are, this had to impact the rating.  The romaine lettuce wasn't fresh and the tomato chunks were just too big this time.

Additionally, and trust me guys, I have seen some disgusting shit go down around LA but this was the nastiest thing ever.  Some old fat persian guy in a suit who I guess runs the little random market next door came in with a hunk of bread he'd split in half and told the guy behind the cashier to put in through the toaster belt.  Then he took the footlong bread and filled it TO THE BRIM with stuff from the salad bar.  Then he left. WITHOUT PAYING.  Honestly, it wouldn't bother me that much except for the fact that the place specifically has a lamination above the bar which says that we can only use the bar once so they can keep the prices down....but this jerk didn't even pay!  Without going into the details of how gross he looking eating the monstrous thing, I think this is super unfair.  The sign makes me think that I'm paying for that mooch/moron's lunch everyday....which means I would much rather go somewhere else...

Call me terrible, but he's in a suit, in his own d*mn store! Why can't he just eat his own merchandise and charge his clientele??
3 - Jacq L.: i can't believe all the times i've been in westwood i've never noticed this place. bella pita is kinda easy to miss since it's a rather small establishment. i was meeting up with some friends in westwood for lunch and as usual no one really knew where to go until one of the guys was like.. let's go to bella pita. it's between in n out and buck fiddy (or what used to be buck fiddy). 

i got there first and was confused about what the difference was between a pita and a wowshi. in the end, a wowshi is like a calzone, but made from pita dough. 

i got the beef wowshi, which i gave half bobby c so i could take half of his chicken wowshi. sly, right? haha. 

i stuffed my wowshi full of lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, hummus, and 'white sauce'. it was tasty, but super messy. my wowshi was dripping all over and luckily we got a spot at the counter so i could eat over something instead of trying to stand and devour my wowshi. i also got the fried cauliflower and a drink. 15% off if you make it a meal. =] 

i'm not a big fan of cauliflower, but decided to try it because it's fried. everything taste better fried! they ended up being tasty, but super greasy, so beware. 

overall, an a-ok experience. i may be back if i know i can get some counter space.
3 - Stephen C.: A decent option near school.
Wowshi and falafels, yum!
Cheap eats, I'd go back.
4 - Jay T.: I went to Israel last year and had the best falafel ever. I've been on a hunt for the best falafel in LA, and have yet to find anything close.

Bella Pita's falafel itself is only so-so. What is great is the medium hot sauce. I love spicy food, so the problem with the hot hot sauce is not that it's too spicy. There's just too much horseradish. The medium hot sauce, however, tastes amazing.

There's another location a few miles away, south of Santa Monica Blvd.. Same food, same taste. This one's a little smaller, and parking is much more difficult here.
4 - Michelle L.: WOWZA that WOWSHI was delicious!
(just kidding...)
But in all seriousness the wowshi was definitely good. I had heard good things about this place for the past three years at UCLA and never tried it until today.
If you're looking for a place to sit down and catch up with friends bella pita probably isn't the place to go, as there are only two chairs there and the place is tiny. However, if you are looking for a decently priced place to pick up some food before hitting the books I'd definitely recommend Bella Pita (you can call them ahead of time to order it too, to minimize waiting time when you pick it up).
I was a little confused as to what was the difference between a pita and a wowshi, so my friend and I ordered one of each. I ordered the steak wowshi while she opted for the steak pita. Even after ordering them I'm still unsure what the difference really is... From what I can tell the steak wowshi is just a steak pita.. except they put it in the oven after they placed the pita in it and cut the whole thing in half. 
I'd recommend getting the wowshi because they have a condiments bar with fresh veggies that you can place in your order. Because the wowshi is cut in half, you have two halves of pita you can stuff goodies into, which means two openings of the pita you can overfill as opposed to one (:
I'm pretty upset that I hadn't tried this place until now, so I will definitely come back to bella pita again! I want to try this new wowshi they had (something about beef and cheese, not too sure) or the falafel pita! So excited (:
4 - Michael D.: I'm generally not a fan of westwood cuisine. You pay so much and get such a dinky amount. BUT, bella pita is one of the exceptions, if you know how to take advantage of the self-serve, one-time visit to the salad bar.

I swear, you could get wowshi or pita you want, you just need the semi bowl-like nature of either to take advantage of the salad bar. They dont give you bowls, so you gotta be careful about overflowing your pita/wowshi all over your rock and republic jeans (trust me, hummus is a bitch of a stain). The falafel, steak, or lamb pita are all tasty, as well as any of the wowshis, except for chicken (a little dry in my opinion).

I usually get a wowshi because it comes with two halves, which equals more possibility for stuffing. Here's how to stuff your pita/wowshi into a five-pound mass of food that will leave the cashier staring at you as you leave the store:

1. when you get your pita/wowshi, snag a fork to open it up fully and expose the meat/falafel inside.

2. pump any liquidy stuff you want in it (hummus included). use the fork to mix it around and compact everything down to the bottom. fill up with any greens or solid food you want, then put more hummus in, mix, and compact. The hummus makes all the stuffing stick together, which is CRUCIAL in the next step.

3. Top off your pita/wowshi with more greens and make sure it is more than double the diameter of the pita/wowshi. Now you have like, a salad on top of your pita, and a fork to eat it with. sweet huh? Don't worry about spilling, the stickiness of the hummus will prevent it from doing so. And even if it does, it's not your problem; the glaring cashier will have to clean it up anyway.

4. If you got a wowshi, give this half to a friend to hold while you do the same thing to the other half. if youre a science nerd like most of ucla and have no friends, then that kinda sucks. you gotta put down your just-filled wowshi to fill the other one, which i GUARANTEE will spill.

So find a friend, or grab a hobo from the street, and get the most of your purchase at bella pita. :)
5 - Austin S.: 4.5 stars

Long story short: Half way home, all I kept saying was "OMG that lamb was so freakin' good"

Long story long:

Yet another late night, after work find.  Again, some of you know I just recently started working at a restaurant out in West LA, and working primarily dinner service, I don't have much time to really eat a full meal while at work, so by the time I get off at 11 or 12, I'm pretty hungry.  After asking around, Felicia C. as well as someone else (both are Bruins) suggested this place because it is open until 2 AM.  One night after work, I decided to head over.

This place is actually on the edge of Westwood, about a block north of Whole Foods and a couple doors down from In N Out.

Walking in, this is a small store front.  In terms of seating, they have a small little bar with 3 stools along the window.  On one side of the counter is the register to order, and on the other end, the condiment bar with fresh chopped veggies and sauces.  Stuff like sliced cucumbers, tomato slices, red onion, cabbage, and hummus and other sauces.

Their 2 main things are pitas and wowshis.  A wowshi is basically a stuffed and baked pita.  I haven't had one or seen one, but maybe I'll give it a try one of these days.  As for the pitas, they have beef, chicken, steak, and lamb.  I LOVE lamb so I got that.  Instead of all the meat being pre-cooked, they fire all of the meat to order, so if you're in an uber rush, you could call ahead I suppose.  They put some sort of seasoning blend on it.  They also use a conveyor oven thing like they have at Quizno's (if you ever been) to heat up the pita, in which they proceed to cut a little opening on one end instead of just cutting it straight in half.

The fresh cooked lamb smelled good and I couldn't wait to dig in.  I loaded it up with cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes and some hummus.  I originally was going to enjoy it in the comfort of my car, but I couldn't wait and took a bite right then and there.  Holy BeJesus, did God just bless me with such deliciousness that was little bo sheep?  Just saying.  The lamb was tender, not gamey, and just really good.  Being freshly cooked really helps.

The guy helping me was nice enough.  He didn't seem like he just wanted to go home or copping an attitude, but he wasn't totally cheery either at 11:30 at night.  Whatever.  It is what it is (I've been saying that lately)

My only thing was that the $6.50 price tag (for the lamb, other meats are cheaper) is borderline questionable worth it.  I guess if anything, the fact that the meat is cooked fresh and everything is made to order kind of justifies the price.  FYI, they accept credit cards

I have been back since this first visit and I will continue to come back.
5 - Jeff B.: What is it about the pita sandwich that I love so much?  Warm it up, split it open, fill it up ... and make the colors of the rainbow.  As you're hopefully well aware, I was raised to know only one Westwood pita-emporium, and that's his majesty, the Falafel King.  But after getting a couple of heated and ardent Grub-suggestions from my buddies Rapir D., Alexis S., and Felicia C. to check out Bella Pita, I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up my pita-monogamous lifestyle much longer.  And with confidence I can say ... Baby, it's fun to be a swinger.  Bella Pita just offers a different dimension to the pita game, not better, just different.  For starters, you've got a very simple... yet beautiful... process going down at this place. Pick your filling ... from steak to falafel (a fan favorite of my vegetarian accomplice, Rapir D.) and either stick with the pita or go for a "Wowshi." Yeah ... I'm not making it up. The Wowshi is more of a stuffed, grilled pocket-of-flavor, where the pita is a warm, open house-of-love.  On this night The Good Grub followed in the footsteps of our Grub-mate and stayed with the pita varietal ... but with a name like Wowshi, it's only a matter of time before we're back again to try it out.  We got our steak pita, and it starts off with just a warm pita pocket and a healthy base of thick, grilled steak.  And we're talking high-quality, beef put to fire, not the rotating-multi-layered-cone-o-meat that looks like a souvenir rock our Great Aunt Reva brought back from the Grand Canyon (which we actually love on most occasions ... the meat not the rock ... but flame-grilled steak trumps all).  And this is where the journey takes off.  Because to the right of the counter is a do-it-yourself smörgåsbord (yeah ... we're cultured) of pita fillings ... from tahini to humus, cucumber salad to neon-purple-pickled-radish.  This place is like the color-me-mine of the pita sandwich ... but in a good way.  Rapir D. gave us the heads up and we added the "Really Hot Sauce" to our pita, where we're pretty sure the "Really" stands for "Really freakin' good!"  Pair up your pick with a side of french fries or our new-found-favorite-food ... fried cauliflower.  Moms out there, listen up. If you want your kids to eat their vegetables, just deep fry them until they're a golden brown and dip them in your choice of humus, tahini, or really hot sauce!  Pair it all up with a Mexican Coke in a its real sugar glory or go for a bottle of Martinelli's. Sure, it's not the tiny apple sized bottle your grandma used to serve you, but I guess there's a time for every boy to become a man.  Drink and side-order choice aside, this place is definitely worthy of joining the Westwood Grub-rotation.  Because that's what The Good Grub journey is all about, trying new "dude-you've-got-to-try" Grub spots. And we're telling you, the Bella Pita is just one of those place's you've gotta try ... Dude.
5 - John W.: I am really in love, and that's no joke.  

Picture this: It's like 1 AM, you are drunk, maybe with some friends, calling it a night and you need food.  Not something that is going to make you sick, vomit, or just plain nasty.  You want something that will help you go to sleep, right?

I bring to you "Bella Pita" and OH EM GEE, this place is the frikken BOMB!  You walk by and think, "Oh, a little hole in the wall pita joint.", right?  Yeah, you just failed.  This is some legit, cheap, and fast pita and it's the shiz while you are replacing the z with a t.  I am not even lying.  Test me?  Yeah go get plastered and come here after... then buy me my first round when we meet at an Elite Event.  That or come sober and just thank me when you get a chance.

This pita place is BOMB (and I know I already wrote that)!  Part of what makes it so cool is that they have multiple "homemade" sauces for your pita or fries or whatever you order.  From your basic oils to a full blown "secret white sauce" that is made from egg whites and some other stuff that just taste like pure smex in your mouth.  Super hot red sauce and of course "fancy sauce" [ie: Step Brothers plug].  

Fresh fixings on the side just the way you like it.  They cook it up and hand you a pita with your meat inside.  You now do it up the way you like it.  Spicy, ok.  Veggie, ok. Weird with shit running out the side and all kinds of yumminess drooling out your fingers as you eat it, yeah CHECK on that too.

BOMB BOMB and I'll say it again BOMB.  Oh did I mention it's cheap?  Stop reading, go now, open till 2 AM 7 days a week F T W.
4 - Rubína K.: Woo nelly. Brace yourself ladies & gentleman. It's one of those scrumptious hole in the walls that you guys look for to yelp. 

Now I love mediterranean food. Their hummus - delicious. Their pita bread - a fluffy delight. Their color veggies - a refreshing spree. 

Now my handsome boyfriend was feeling a hunger coming and so we drove around gayley in westwood. Now, it was already past midnight so we didn't expect much of a meal. And we initially set on n&out around the corner. But when we noticed this pita shop, we decided to give it a shot (mainly him, since he was the hungry hippo). So with his lamb pita and my fries, we took our seats in this small joint. 

Now, they have a small salad bar for the condiments and boy, you definitely got to try their egg whites/ mayonnaise sauce. Note: HIGH CHOLESTEROL, but a fucking delight!!!! No joke: So yummy.

The man who took our order was really polite. He made a fresh batch of fries for me which is always nice. ) and with that egg white/mayo sauce, orgy in my mouth.

I also had a bite of my boyfriends lamb pita. Now mind you, lamb is not my normal cup of tea, but boy, the gaimy lamb did flow pretty well in my stomach. 

Definitely a worthy place in my book in Westwood.
5 - Henry D.: Went back recently to find that they have expanded their menu and added discounted combos when you add on fries or fried cauliflower (which is really good btw). The combo is allowed to even include mexican coca cola.

I still love this place.
4 - Bridget P.: For being a college town, it's hard to find good, cheap good in Westwood. It's usually a trade-off. I still mourn for the days when U-Dog had this spot, and we could stumble back from Maloney's for some 92-cent hot dogs and the best fries I've ever had, but if I had to pick a place to be its successor, I'm definitely happy that Bella Pita is here. 

I first discovered it while walking by, and was offered a sample of the Black Bean Wowshi. "WOWshi" is right! (sorry, I try to hold the cheese in my reviews, but sometimes I can't help it). I immediately went back for lunch the next day and bought one. Warm, savory, delicious comfort food that you can load with your own toppings such as tomatoes, spicy sauce, lettuce, tahini, etc. I've gone back and ordered the falafel (fantastic!), steak pita, and tuna pita since. The bar of condiments is what makes it special, where you can make it as healthy or unhealthy as you want with everything you can take without tearing your pita bread. There is something for everyone here; you can take those friends who are scared of ethnic food and they'd be happy, too. 

There is almost NO seating, so I'd recommend getting your food to go!
5 - John Q. P.: Delicious! A little more seating at this location and is definitely better for larger groups or a sit down lunch.
4 - Cameron C.: We have started picking up lunch here on a regular basis.  We have been walking by this place for years and it always looked busy and we figured it was probably OK based on the traffic, but somehow we never bothered to try it until a few weeks ago.  We were really pleased, and we've been going back regularly. 

The menu is pretty basic: pitas and wowshi with different kinds of meat.  They have a sort of toppings bar with lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, white sauces, dressings and so forth that you can add to your order after they give it to you.  I have had some wowshis and they were pretty good.  More recently we tried some pitas, including the lamb pita and the turkey breast pita, and they were both pretty good.  This is basic and straightforward fare so the key is the quality of the meat, and they do well on that.

If you're looking for a place for take-out in Westwood, this should definitely be on your list.  There is a small counter if you want to eat in, but this is really take-out.
4 - Meena Y.: Maybe it was the lack of seating inside or the self-serve salad/toppings bar that threw me off, but I definitely waited way too long to try out this little joint. I usually go for the lamb or steak pita, but if I'm really hungry, I'll order the wowshi. The wowshi is this warm, doughy, calzone-like thing, stuffed with the meat that you order, and then popped into the oven for a few minutes until it's baked to perfection. 

Now onto the toppings bar: I start off with a squirt of tahini sauce, then the regular hot sauce, the tomato/onion mix, tons of cabbage, a little bit of lettuce, and then top it off with the herb dressing. If you get the fries, then I recommend mixing the hummus and hot sauce and using that as a dipping sauce instead of ketchup. Yes, I'm a sucker for condiments, and yes, I try to stop by Bella Pita once a week. 

1 star off for the lack of seating, but besides that, I can't complain. It's cheap, quick, and delicious.
4 - S P.: Hands down the best place in walking distance from UCLA apartments and dorms.  It's one of those rare places that can function as drunk and sober food.  

The menu consists mostly of pitas and wowshis (a wowshi is grill pressed pita).  I've ordered the lamb pita, steak pita, chicken wowshi, and cheese wowshi, all of which are fantastic depending on what mood you're in.  I recommend getting the chicken wowshi with black beans, which prevents it from being too dry.  The pita here is phenomenal, which is expected when it is baked fresh (to order in the case of the wowshis).  

The french fries and fried cauliflower are both great options for sides.  How good the food is sometimes depends on your ability to prepare it as you are only given the bare ingredients (in the case of a pita just the pita and the meat) and must add the sauces and vegetables yourself at the salad bar.  There is lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, salsa, hot sauce, really hot sauce, herb dressing, white sauce, hummus, and a few other things.   Both hot sauces are really great in the pitas/wowshis and also make great dipping sauces for the sides.  The herb dressing is also surprisingly delicious.  If you need something portable, I would go with a wowshi over a pita.  Since the wowshi is a stuffed pita, it is easier to walk and eat at the same time.  Both are good options, paticularly the steak pita, which is probably my favorite thing at Bella Pita.  

Bella Pita's biggest flaw is that it is not a great place for takeout.  Last time I checked the minimum delivery charge was $20.  Also because it's a self service place, it's difficult to replicate your personal style of preparation when you get it delivered (although sometimes they'll include a box with all of the salad bar ingredients).  It is even worse if you pick up food there as they do not provide to go containers.  You have to simply throw your food (wrapped in a thin layer of parchment paper)  in a paper bag and hope for the best.  

If you plan on eating at bella pita make sure you know what you're in for.  The location is very small and contains only a handful of seating options.  Still, if you know what to expect, it is a charming place to eat.
4 - Henry S.: Come here if you want a quick meal on the go for cheap. This is not a sit down place, but merely a place that makes good, fast, relatively healthy, cheap food. The wowshi pita here is very satisfying. I don't usually eat fast food but whenever I need some, I come here.

Highly recommended. I think they even take credit card. The owner is very nice and he takes the time to explain to you how everything works. They make it fresh right in front of you.
4 - Jannet V.: Delicious quick bite. I've heard about this place from so many people and finally got to try it. A yummy treat, and friendly service.
4 - Seema U.: This is a little whole in the wall in Westwood with barely any seating and really fresh food. Usually there are only one or two employees so you may have to wait a few seconds till they take your order. It's nice that you can see them cooking the meat in front of you so you know it is freshly made. Usually take 10-15 minutes to get the food so if you're in a hurry call ahead. Like many others said, the salad/topping bar is possibly the best part. I usually add some lettuce, veggies, and then hummus, white sauce (any one have any idea what it is?), and a bit of tahini.

I always get the lamb pita. The meat is pretty good, sometimes I get a piece that is a little chewy or that I would like cooked more. Seasoning is okay, I have found it a bit salty but once you add the hummus and stuff it's pretty good. Overall, pretty good food and it's nice that you can choose what you toppings and such you want to add. The best part is probably the fresh ingredients and made to order food. I still prefer Zankou but not bad for a closer, probably healthier alternative.
4 - Candice N.: My friend at UCLA recommended this place to me, so I trekked over with three guys to try it.  It was a surprise to receive meat in a pita, and we got to make our own.  I ordered the lamb, which was REALLY good, and tossed it with all the toppings you can put on it.  The dressings are really amazing, too (I'm kind of scared to try to REALLY HOT SAUCE, and that's really the name of the sauce), so I'm definitely a fan.  It was a bit odd to have all the lettuce and veggies at the top of the pita, and all the meat at the bottom ... maybe if you could choose your veggies and dressings, they could toss it for you so the food is more well-distributed? :)

AND THEYRE OPEN LATE!!
5 - PAULA D.: the food was really good here....we really enjoyed ourselves...try the steak pita its really good.....my first time there but not my last thats for sure....!!!
4 - Ravi D.: Gotta love the wowshis made fresh.

I came here when they first opened, and can say that their quality and service has remained great.  

Wish the storefront was bigger.
5 - Janelle V.: One of the best places in westwood. It's a hole-in-the-wall place on Gayley that has amazingly fresh pita sandwiches. They'll give you the pita with the meat and you can add all the toppings and dressings you want in the little topping bar. It's way too hot in there all the time, and only seats 3, so you'll probably want to grab it to go. I crave this stuff all the time.
4 - Sandi C.: A Delicious Steak Pita and Chicken Wowshi TO GO! 

In my Stomach:
- Steak Pita  -- Meat was medium rare -- AKA JUICY! (Delicious) --$6-7
- Chicken Wowshi --kinda like lite version of calzone since it doesn't have too much cheese -- (Tasty!) -$6-7

In my Mind: I like the "all-you-can-stuff" salad bar that includes, salsa, lettuce, cabbage and a variety of sauces. As a veggy lover, I stuffed my pita until it was exploding with lettuce and tomatoes. Then I sprinkled it with some medium spicy sauce and white sauce that really gave it the "kick".  

Notes:
- The place is COMPACT, doesn't have much dining space
- Wowshi comes in two halves (which is nice to SHARE as a snack)
3 - Lucas A.: Food is meh, mostly I go there because it's convenient (walk back from UCLA to my apt.). I like the wowshis, although I always order the New York Strip one, so not sure how good the other ones are. I've tried several of the pita sandwiches, and they just aren't very good. The meat just isn't tasty and high quality. Oh and don't plan on sitting to eat, just three or four seats (stools by the window...)
4 - Zohreh A.: The  best, cheapest food in westwood hands down. I work in Berkeley now and I have to admit that Berkeley actually is a college town with cheap, good food. The only place in Westwood that has good, cheap food is Bella Pita. They have a salad/topping bar that I have not seen in any other mediteranian place. It says you should only use the bar once, but everyone piles on the hummus as many times as they can. I love the fresh tomatoes and veggies to add one top as well! It's open late so it's awesome making a stop at 2-3am when you just want to grub on a wowshi. The wait might be long at late night, but is totally worth it! It's the one food place I miss in Westwood so take advantage of it!
5 - Damoon Y.: I didn't believe the hype on Yelp until I tried it for myself. The steak pita is amazing and it's nice to have a cheap, clean pita shop in westwood finally!! It's always exceptionally clean inside and you can tell the workers/owners aren't scam artists cutting back on quality...definitely worth a try if in the area and not in the mood for In-N-Out or Buck-Fitty Burrito stand next door...clean, cheap, delicious...oh yeah and they have a little salad/sauce stand so you can create your own pita...they just put the meat inside the pita for you and you create the rest...awesome!
4 - Santhosh N.: Soft pita bread, absolutely perfect felafel and a clean self-serve salad bar to top it off. All the ingredients were fresh and the prices were spot on. Takes a 5 - 10 min wait for your food but well worth it. Lost a star for the lack of tabolie, but that's the only flaw I could find.
5 - Joel C.: I went back to Bella Pita twice in two weeks! Two reasons:

1) Price - it just opened recently, which is why the menu is simply affordable right now. I have a feeling they're going to hike the price to cover the overhead cost. So take advantage of the current price if you can.

2) Favorite: Chicken Wowshi. And their condiment / vegetable salad bar. The wowshi is a nice fresh dough made and baked only when you order, which means the finished product is fresh and hot. The best part is the salad bar where there's a variety of deliciousness such as lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, salsa, onions, yogurt sauce, hummus, very hot red sauce, etc to complement and stack on your chicken wowshi.

So if you're not feeling In'n Out or Chipotle, give this place a try. Variety is good for you.
4 - Sera P.: Lamb pita hits the spot.

+ Variety of veggies & sauces
+ Quick & efficient
+ The price is right!

- No parking. Sometimes I'll crave a pita but will settle for innout due to the parking situation. Can't hate on them for it though =/
- Limited seating. The place is freakin tiny

Wish they opened later!
4 - Chris A.: Stopped by here to grab a bite to eat middle of the day on a wednesday. Really tiny place so I can imagine when it's busy, it gets packed. But for me, only a couple people so the wait was fine.

As for the food: absolutely delicious! I got the steak put and my girlfriend got the falafel pita, both excellent.  The steak was cooked superbly with great flavor.

My next visit in will have to try the wowshi. Watching it come out of the oven made me almost order one right then, but it'll have to wait. Excellent choice for quick bite!  (When it's not packed)
4 - Nihat Deniz B.: This place is great. the food is awesome great for finals, if youre looking for something fast yet delicious this is the place for you
4 - j t.: Agree with everyone.  Competes well with In-N-Out.  Even better, they're having a promotion til the end of the month.  Bring a friend and get 50% off second order.  Do it now!  I also like adding extra falafel, good bang for the buck.
5 - Eileen L.: maybe it's that whenever i come here i have the drunchies from a successful night of barhopping in westwood... but the food here is spectacular!

the steak wowshi is super tasty... and for those of you who have never ordered here before, a wowshi comes with two pockets... i made the mistake of walking out with half my order the first time i ordered here... lucky for the next guy who got my other pocket :)

the food is pretty cheap and it's open until 2am.. smart move bella pita!
5 - Jennifer G.: Went there for a late night snack a few nights ago with my boyfriend. It's a total hole-in-the-wall.  Minimal seats.  We didn't even get plates. LOL.  But that's not what you go there for......

It's a place for your late night munchies. And for that, it was faaaantastic.  We had the wowshi sandwiches, which are these freshly baked pita breads stuffed with your choice of beef, chicken, beans, falafel, etc.  I had the chicken wowshi and my bf had the black bean wowshi.   

The really nice part was that you get to stuff your sandwich yourself!  Any which way you like.  There was like 7 or 8 different dressings (I suggest the herbal sauce and the lemon sauce).  We stuffed our sandwiches with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cabbage, pico-de-gallo,...

Yum.  I thought it was terrific.  We made a big mess.....but it was because we stuffed our sandwiches so much.  LOL.  

If you're expecting a nice sit-down place, this is not the place.  But if you have a late-night craving, and you don't mind grubbing on a tasty messy sandwich.......I would highly recommend it!!
5 - Ada L.: Two words.

CHiCKEN WOWSHI.

Get it, and you won't regret it.

Bella Pita is cheap, fresh, and tasty. The wowshi dough is baked to order. The portions are incredibly filling, and you can control how much veggies and sauce to put in the wowshi using their DIY salad/sauce bar. I personally put a little bit of every single sauce in my wowshi. 

Great for a late/drunken night, especially after In-N-Out has closed and your only other option is Taco Bell (not that Taco Bell isn't disgustingly delicious in its own right).
5 - Edmund L.: this place is nice and clean with great food and low prices. you can even see the guy making your food and even the entire back kitchen so you know they ain't hiding anything on you. 

the falafels are awesome. this place made me a fan of falafels. their lamb wowshis were very good also. juicy and tender, they made it well.

the salad bar is a great idea. after getting your order, you can assemble your own wowshi pocket and the access you have to the bar is like your own Subway assembly line. Put as little or as much vegetables as you want in addition to the tasty little sauces you can put on. this place is open pretty late too since it is next to the campus
5 - Sunaina R.: I've only ever tried two dishes here:
The black bean wowshi and the fried cauliflower.

Let me put it this way: Bella Pita and Stan's Donuts were the only two things that made living in Westwood worth it.

Getting off work late at night, I'd head over. I would brave hoards of raving frat boys and gaggles of giggling sorority girls, all screaming drunk, all the while nursing aching feet. And by the time I was holding that pocket of warm black bean-y goodness in my hands, it was all worth it.

Stuffed with tomatoes and hummus and spicy sauce and tatziki, it's enough to make a girl go mad.
Top it off with fried cauliflower, lightly seasoned, and you've got yourself a fantastic meal for just about $5.

Love, love, LOVE.
4 - Andrew N.: As a former student at UCLA, this was a frequent stop for me whenever I was in Westwood. They serve various types of pita and wowshis, with a complement of vegetable and sauce condiments. The steak pita is my favorite and consists of beef sirloin pieces wrapped in a pita. Bella Pita provides a nice late night, healthier alternative to the In N Out or the burrito place along the same block.

Best thing about this place: The Hummus Pump. Where else can you get unlimited hummus with your pita.

There's a couple of seats along a counter, but it's more of a stand and eat or take-it-to-go place. Before 6 pm, parking is free at the structure at the corner of Broxton and Weyburn two blocks away. It's difficult to find street parking otherwise.
5 - A I.: I learned of this place because a college buddy raved about this place so much that it seemed like he had the owner's kebab in his mouth 24/7. Nonetheless, the food here is great - love the lamb pita, chicken wowshi, cheese wowshi, burger pita. Good fries, good falafel. Excellent toppings/condiments (try the extra spicy sauce). Would definitely recommend - I invariably end up eating here when visiting friends in Westwood.
4 - Corey M.: Quick, cheap bites!

I just got off a long flight and took the flyaway to Westwood.  Famished, I scoured the streets for something to sink my broke ass teeth into as quick as possible.  Mission accomplished.

Lots of tasty sauces to put on your pita.  I got the falafel, no regrets.

It's super tiny, and not that clean.  At least when I was in there.  Regardless, it's definitely worth a look if you find yourself in a similar position, but don't go out of your way.
4 - Sandra M.: I always get the falafel pita and pile on as many toppings as I can possibly fit on there. It's fresh and delicious and cheap and quick....what more can you ask for. I did get an awesome coupon once while walking in the village that made it buy one get one free. I might ask for more of those coupons. 

I will say sometimes the waiting when it's busy sucks. People get confused and take your order or they didn't make enough falafel pitas and so you have to wait longer and there's never anywhere to sit. But if you want something quick, cheap, and go for on the go, this is the place!
4 - William T.: Worth it.  The wowshi probably has the best value, and make sure to stock up on the salad/topping/sauces bar.  
A little difficult to not get messy, but scrumptious nonetheless.
5 - Momo O.: I LOVE BELLA PITA!

it's definitely one of my favorite places to eat in westwood. i'll get it to-go before a road trip, for a quick dinner, or even as late-night munchies after a night of drinking (its open till 2 i believe!)

my favorite here is the steak wowshi.. honestly i feel like wowshis are a better deal than the pitas here, beccause it's cut in half so it's almost like you have double the amount of food! there's a big salad bar with extensive sauces...so you get to build your own wowshi/pita to deliciousness :)

warning: the really hot sauce is REALLY SPICY. so be careful.
5 - jon c.: i have no idea what a "wowshi" really is or should be, but it's tasty. the best way i can describe it? it's a mediterranean calzone. the chicken version is $5.5 and it sure is a lot of food.  there's also a toppings bar which consists of cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, and some sauces. the white sauce is the one to get, and the "really hot sauce" is, well, really hot. this place also has fried cauliflower--but i didn't try it.
4 - Nick V.: Bella Pita is straight up delicious. Could be a little cheaper, I usually walk out spending about $8 - $9. Get a burger wowshi and falafel cones with lots of hummus and hot sauce.

They're open until 1 or 2 most nights.
5 - Ruth R.: Love it.

I ordered a falafel, fries and a mexican coke (real sugar!) for a cheap amount, ( i have to admit i forgot the price, but it was a fair one)
I love the fact that you can top your sandwich yourself,  it provides so much delicious freedom.  

If I went to UCLA i would visit here daily, but since I don't, I'll come here every time I visit m UCLA friends.

I think there also open hella late, which is always great.
4 - Alan J.: Bella Pita has saved my life a countless number of times during my years as a UCLA student when I was too stressed/lazy/lacking sobriety to find other food. But, in addition to just owing it a good review, I honestly think this place is an awesome fast food joint. 

Favorites are definitely the lamb or falafel pita. Lots of people like the wowshis but those have less stuffing space sooo I go with the pitas. Usually just get fries as the side. Anyway, if you haven't gone yet, the best part of Bella Pita is you get to stuff your pita/wowshi with anything from their salad bar (which has awesome stuff btw). Places offering freedom like this usually excite me... I tend to go overboard with it to the point of borderline pita explosion. If you're like me, my tip is to eat with a fork so you can kinda toss the food and sauces around inside. Otherwise, you'll never find your meat in there.. I guarantee that. 

Speaking of sauces, I really like their "really spicy sauce" because it's actually spicy! I'd really recommend mixing this sauce with the "white sauce" for your fries dip. That is all. Happy stuffing!
4 - Daniel Yoonho L.: I consider myself a big connoisseur of spicy sauces and I MUST SAY that the spicy sauce here is very very delicious. I really really want to come back here with a jug and fill it with their hot sauce and eat it with every sandwich I make. 

WOW the falafel and food was JUST what I needed after an intense Halloween. Best hangover food is without a doubt pho, but this was a close second. Everything tasted so fresh! The beef was so juicy and nicely seasoned! the veggies you get to stuff into the pita are fresh and so tasty!! 

GAH I WANT THAT HOT SAUCE!
3 - Jillian R.: This place is ok. It's great that you can custom make your Pita (the falafel is pretty good). It's tough to get a seat (there are only 3) and if you do the combo, I no longer consider it cheap for what you receive. But overall it's better than Falafel King.
4 - Jessica T.: The Chicken Wowshi is amazing! I love how you can add whatever you like at the salad bar. Since this is open until 2-3 ish, this is a great place for after partying food! The price is very cheap, especially when it is enough for two people. Definitely one of the best place in westwood!
3 - Michael L.: I feel like the falafel balls are undercooked.
5 - Christine C.: A great business run by an honest man who is passionate about his pitas.  (:  He explains the menu so thoroughly every time you go there.

Just a quick grab-and-go pita place that is a Westwood gem!  Found it while looking for a place to eat during my classes in Westwood.

If you only read one thing on this review: DELICIOUS PITAS!  There's also wowshies which are basically sandwiches.

We ordered lamb pitas, and the self-serve salad bar comes with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, sauces (Tahini sauce is the best), and more!

Only downside: you can only access the salad bar once.  So your experience of eating your pita will be a lot of veggies at first, and then only meat at the bottom.  If you can actually wait till you get home to eat the delicious pita, just put everything on a plate and eat it with a fork and knife.  (:
4 - Jenny S.: hole-in-the-wall open til 2AM EVERYDAY! & you can bet it is always swarming with UCLA students! GO BRUINS

i've tried their pita pockets at the other westwood location, but here i decided to try their unique WOWSHIs which is a whole pita cut into 2 halves, stuffed with your choice of meat/beans & then BAKED, adding a great crispy texture!

theEEeen make YOUR WAY to the salad/condiments bar to stuff your wowshi to your own customization with lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, onions, hummus, radish, sauce, cucumbers, etc! 

the chicken wowshi was yummy and so cheap!!! around 5 bucks!

only 4-5 stools to sit on inside along the counter! so you may want to take it to-go (ask for sauce containers so your pita doesn't get soggy!)

WARNING: this meal gets messy!!! so watch yourself!

PARKING: street, unless you can spend like over $20 i think you get free parking in the back!

THEY CATER! they're actually catering my roomate's wedding in May!
5 - Mark Anthony S.: Wish I knew about this place during undergrad at UCLA. I finally decided to give this place a try and BAM it was delicious. I enjoyed the mix of carne asada meat with a mediterranean kick. It is one cheap good eat in Westwood.
5 - Margery C.: ***FRUGAL FIND***

We are always looking for new, tasty but inexpensive places to eat within the Westwood area. BAM!!! We discovered BELLA PITA! Value! Value! Value! This is definitely one of Westwood's Frugal finds. Bella Pita is a little hole in the wall Mediterranean joint located within the Gayley sidewalk shops. I have driven by this restaurant numerous times but due to its size, I continuously overlooked it. However, thanks to an article on the Daily Bruin and with the help of yelp - we found a new lunch staple.
   
I ordered the Lamb Pita, and the Falafel cone side dish and per the yelp reviews, I topped it with lots of their special hot sauce - YUM DELISH! My buddies ordered the burger wowshi, and Steak wowshi (special order) with a side of fried cauliflower and our lunch still cost us less than what some of the food trucks that park on Gayley charge. Bella Pita is definitely a take out place and functions along the lines of a food truck.  You order your food, they call your number, you garnish your stuff and bag your own food and you head out. The service is quick, the staff is friendly, and the menu is simple but tasty.
5 - Jonathan K.: I was shocked when I first tried this place one night when a friend dragged me against my will. Oh my goodness am I glad she did. I absolutely LOVE Bella Pita. Whenever I'm feeling down I walk to Bella Pita and treat myself to a delicious meal.

Although the pita and the filling itself is delicious, the real amazing part of Bella Pita is the fillings & sauces that they have available. I'm a big fan of their herbal dressing with pico, but to be honest they are all amazing. I definitely think you have to make your way through the salad/condiment bar. 

Only criticism is that the place is way too small for its popularity. There are a meager 3 (maybe 4?) chairs. Definitely a place to get food to go.
4 - Matt L.: Meat is cooked well, and the pita overall is very tasty. I don't like the design of the pita though since all the meat is on bottom and the vegetables and sauce are on top lol.

It's a little pricey. The pitas are pretty small for the price.

Drinks here are overpriced, a can is $1.75. The fries are also just average frozen french fries I think. But yeah, obviously you don't come into a pita shop for soda and fries.
5 - Wendy L.: Delicious and affordable - a perfect post-grad dream!

After having passed Bella Pita countless of times during my college misadventures in Westwood, I finally stepped into this unassuming little shop hidden on Gayley. One of the smartest decisions I've made in my last 5 years here in Westwood. 

I ordered the chicken wowshi which was an absolute steal. It comes with two sizeable pita breads filled with hot well-seasoned chicken and a salad bar for you to stuff your wowshi to your heart's content. The bread is fresh (baked on the premise) with a nice crispy outside and chewy soft inside. The best part? This is easily a filling lunch at just a little over $6 (after tax). 

Great place to stop by for a quick, fresh lunch that's light on the wallet. 

Side note: They do validate parking for 20 minutes if you're not coming from very close, but I'd recommend walking if you can. It's just easier.
4 - Lindsay H.: mmm... black bean wowshi with feta and kalamata olives. (not on the menu that way; I pay for the extras. sigh.)

Definitely one of Westwood's good finds. Not much I can add to everyone else's yummy pita imagery. But I can say that this is one of the better places that is open when the bars close. (Other options are a bit drippy with grease. So those are great when you're drunk. Not so much the next day). I haven't actually eaten here post-booze, but I imagine a pretty good handful of students frequent BP after O'hara's shuts down.

My one gripe: they have a "salad" on the menu for some obscene price. Their "salad" consists of whatever you can pick out from under the sneeze guard. In other words, you're paying ten times too much for extra veggie toppings. No thank ya. (I just stuff my wowshi extra full of veggies and viola! free salad!)
4 - Danny H.: Boy I think about it every night and day
I'm addicted wanna jump inside your love
I wouldn't wanna have it any other way
I'm addicted and I just can't get enough...at BELLA PITA! - Black Eyed Peas (just can't get enough)

This place came highly recommended and it did not disappoint. Although it certainly won't get enough attention next to an in-n-out, it should if it had a brighter sign or something. I ordered the turkey pita and there was a condiment bar in which i added hot sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, and a little hummus. Awesome stuff, good size and extremely affordable. Apparently well known in the westwood area, wish more people knew about it. Nice people too.

Food: 4 stars --- Service: 5 stars --- Atmosphere: 2 stars --- Price(value): 4.5 stars
4 - Tracy S.: My friend took me here after a drunken night bar-hopping in Westwood. I shared a Chicken Wowshi with her, which was pretty good. I don't know why, but I was caught off guard when I was eating it cause I thought we were going to a Mexican joint for some tacos. So I was pretty surprised with the flavor when it entered my mouth (mind you, I was still a little buzzed). I headed over to the dressing counter and drunkenly proceeded to dump whatever looked good into my wowshi and tried a little of every sauce. I came to the conclusion that the mysterious white sauce tasted the best!

From what I remember, I enjoyed the Wowshi, but a lot of things taste good when you're drunk! And it was only half an order :( But I definitely prefer Mexican food and dirty dogs way more after a drunken night ;)
5 - Laura T.: My new favorite late night spot. Great customer service and quick, fresh food. TRY THE CHX WOWSHI
4 - calvin l.: The lamb that i had in the lamb pita was absolutely delicious.  the option to stuff your own pita with sauces and vegetables was a definite plus.  However as other people have noted before, it's definitely a difficult eat with the top bites being all vegetable and the meat being all at the bottom.  The only fix might be to dump it all in a bowl which is an option only if you have the patience to take it home and eat it.  
there is a lack of seating inside but our group ended up eating at the 
outdoor in-n-out patio.  

it's a little pricey for the portion size of one-half pita but it's delicious none-the-less.
4 - Katherine W.: Their chicken wowshi is amazing!! And so is the "REALLY REALLY HOT"sauce!! I love spicy food and this sauce is just so perfect! The salad bar has lots of different veggies and everything is so fresh!

If you fall in love with their sauce like I did, then here's an easy tip: layer on the sauce -- add one layer of sauce to your pita, then some lettuce, then more sauce, and lettuce on top of that, and so on... this way there will be some sauce in every bite you take out of your amazing wowshi!

The fresh fries here are also delicious! Perfectly crispy!
3 - Jessica L.: I'm sorry Bella Pita. I really wanted to like you, but honestly I thought you were juts okay. 

What I got

Chicken Wowshi combo: I honestly thought it was dry even with a ton of sauces. The bread however was very delicious and hot (kudos).
5 - Ron P.: Don't miss out on some good grub when you are in Westwood. This place is WAY better than Falafel King and the rest. My friend who studied in Egypt for two years told me that eating food at Bella Pita was like eating at any local eatery in Egypt...pure, unadulterated Mediterranean goodness!
5 - Lauren Z.: Bella Pita can do me no wrong! Oh how I love bella. I come here ~3 times a week and my go-to is a chicken wowshi with fries. The pitas are good to--you cannot go wrong with either. Tips: make sure to put the sauces on first, then the toppings, and then a little bit more sauces for good measure.  Bella sauce is made with 3 parts white sauce and 1 part really hot sauce, so make sure to ask for a little container to make that for your fries. Whether you need lunch, dinner, or a drunken snack, Bella Pita should be your #1 choice!
5 - Anuraag J.: Accidentally wrote a review for the Bella Pita on Westwood Blvd, ironically I've never been to that location, despite how often I frequent the UCLA BP on Gayley! Bella Pita is my jam! I come here at least twice a week, usually getting a Chicken Wowshi if I'm sharing with my girlfriend, or a Steak Pita if I'm eating alone.

The wowshi is the filling of your choice, baked inside pita dough, sort of like a calzone. Something I've learned is always to put sauce on the meat first before the toppings, or else you'll just have a dry few last bites.

I always dress my wowshi with a bit of white sauce, hummus, and herbal dressing, before piling on Pico de Gallo, onions, and cucumbers, before adding some hot sauce, pepperoncinis, and then a little more white sauce.

While many rave about the fried cauliflower, I can tell you as a regular that the fries are way better, especially with "Bella Sauce", made with 3 parts white sauce, and 1 part "Really Hot Sauce."

Bella Pita is honestly good any time of the day, and I've definitely had it thrice in one day (lunch, dinner, drunchies).
4 - Lucy N.: If you're a UCLA student and havent been here, for shame! I came to visit a friend the past weekend and she took me here because apparently everyone raves about this place. One visit and you too shall become a raver. Wtf is a wowshi? Amazingly delicious pita stuffed with flavorful savory fillings. 
Chicken Wowshi ($5.75) - Comes in two pita bread pockets. The pita bread was baked to absolute perfection. Definitely one of the best I've had, and that's saying something. The chicken was grilled and seasoned perfectly as well. When you look into your pita pocket, there doesnt seem to be a lot of meat but don't forget that you're supposed to load up on veggies and sauces from the toppings bar. If you're like me and are always tryna get your money's worth, you might go a little craycray at the bar.
Only downfall about this place is the wait time. Hungry + naturally impatient me made 20 minutes stretch on forever. There seems to only be one person working here so waiting for a while was inevitable. The chicken wowshi was definitely worth the wait though.
5 - Devin M.: I am almost never in this area but the food is so good that I have to stop here even if I was already full.
4 - Jenny T.: Ah, Bella Pita...where you will run into a UCLA student every Thursday or Friday in the wee hours between 1-3am. Yeah, you'll probably run into students during regular operating hours, but if you're thinking about getting a late night snack on those nights, be prepared to be surrounded by tons of buzzed/drunk college students (maybe you'll run into me? hahah JK JK) waiting to get a bite of a delicious Wowshi or pita too.

Aside from that, Bella Pita is an awesome joint. The food is made fresh to order and the salad bar where you fill your Pita or Wowshi up is always full. I recommend the Chicken Wowshi! I've never had anything like it before--in my opinion, its definitely better than a regular Pita. The filling of your choice is baked inside of the dough, so once it comes out, it is piping hot and completely DELICIOUS! The texture of the dough is somewhat similar to a pita on the outside, but the inside is super soft and chewy. Once you get your wowshi you have your choice of veggie fillings (lettuce, onion, tomatoes, onions, etc) and a variety of sauces, such as Tahini, Hummus, "white sauce" (which i'm still not sure what it really is..), Hot Sauce, and Herb. 

I've had friends who say the best way to eat it is to put the sauces on the bottom, layer some veggies, then sauce on top, but I personally think its up to you. Regardless of how you "layer" you'll definitely be satisfied with Bella Pita.
4 - Manoa H.: The Skinny: Westwood's tastiest healthy and fresh fast food.

Ambiance: Dive-y and positively tiny.

The Long of It:
I was an undergrad when Bella Pita on Gayley first opened.  At times, I would wait 30 minutes outside for them to open up, hungry but certain that only Bella Pita's reasonably priced Mediterranean fast food could satisfy me.  

To this day, 4-5 years later, Bella Pita's falafel patties are the best I've ever had: fresh, moist, and fluffy, encased in deep-fried breading.  Unbeatable.

Whether you order a falafel pita or chicken wowshi or even tuna pita, you are given wide range in building your meal.  Once they hand you your pita sandwich, it's your responsibility now to trek to the vegetable/seasoning/sauce bar and fill it up with the necessaries.  As veteran  Mongolian BBQ diners well know , finding the right ratio of toppings and seasonings and making sure they all maintain physical balance atop each other is a fine art.  Filling up your pita sandwich with freshly diced tomatoes, lettuce, banana peppers, hummus, tahini, cucumbers, pickles, jalapeños, olive oil dressing, hot sauce, and anything else that strikes your fancy at the salad bar is an endeavor sadly limited by the size of your pita and its capacity to absorb certain sauces, oils, and liquids.

Luckily, your pita sandwich also wears a paper wrapper that helps with the absorbency, should it be exceeded.

Sure, the falafel patties and cauliflower side dish is deep fried, along with their french fries.  But located next to In-N-Out, it was obvious which was the (slightly) more nutritious option.

So while my classmates and friends dined on thin-pattied burgers and shakes, I'd stop by Bella Pita to pick up a first-rate falafel pita sandwich to go and join them next door.

For those of you interested in taking home more than a one-person serving of the Bella Pita love, they do (relatively cheap!) local catering as well.  The owner is also a UCLA professor, so catering orders to campus are sure to arrive fresh and on-time.  Catering favorites: chicken wowshis, pita sandwiches and deep-fried cauliflower.  Catering orders also include a mini (but more-than-generous) salad bar to complete the sandwiches.
5 - Samuel S.: I love this place and I am never disappointed when I eat here it is consistently good. they give you simple yet flavorful meats and then challenge you to put together the pita of your dreams with their veggie/salad bar. I always order wowshi though because you get pretty much two pita sandwiches for the price of one.
4 - Jordan W.: A tasty little hole-in-the wall I wish I had discovered earlier.  

Pros: yummy wowshis, basturma! wowshis (as an armo this is a huge victory), all-you-can eat toppings bar (pickles, spicy sauces, hummus: how can you go wrong?), real sugar coca-colas, fried cauliflower, late-night hours

Cons: abysmal seating (use the in-n-out patio if the counter's full), expensive pitas (go for the wowshis instead!), so-so falafels

Verdict: great mediterranean food in a pinch
5 - Win L.: The Chicken Wowshi is a really great deal! I love going here for a quick bite to eat but I only go solo since there is almost no seating.
4 - Mimi C.: Don't get scared by the black bean wowshi (around 3 or 4$). It's GOOD and that's what I order EVERY time I go there, and I'm not even a vegetarian. TIP: load it up with salad and hot sauce too! You won't regret it. BP's a convenient place for a quick order and at least it's cheaper than most places in Westwood when you DO cram the pita bursting full. Basically this review is on the basis of one wowshi.
5 - Brandon P.: Bella Pita is absolutely delicious.  I have multiple friends at UCLA and visit them for the sole reason of going to Bella Pita.  Its THAT good.  My best friend and his girlfriend are regulars there and taught me how to wowshi.  I always get the chicken wowshi (because it comes with 2 "pitas" and the chicken is delicious and flavorful) and drench it in the white sauce, herb sauce, and various hot sauces, depending on how spicy i want it.  Then i stuff it with lettuce, tomatoes and a ton of red onions.  Make sure you put the sauce on the wowshi first otherwise your meal will be dry at the end, and no one wants that.  Also, if you get fries, make sure to create a special sauce by mixing the white sauce with the really hot sauce.  Its especially delightful.  Bella Pita is phenomenal and everyone should definitely check it out.
5 - allie R.: Honestly the best falafel pita I have EVER had.   I first went to this place a couple years back.  Deciding to try it again I walked down from UCLA (parking is nightmarish is this area) and try the falafel pita.  The pita bread is baked fresh daily on-site.  The falafels are really quite decedent. No harsh tasting spices (too much cumin or salt) and cooked to perfection (golden brown on the outside and green on the inside).  I love how they have a toppings bar.  Their veggies are always fresh and crisp and sauces are one of a kind (special hot sauce, white sauce, hummus, and other assorted deliciousness).

This place has four bar stools at a counter as setting on and that's about it.  Another issue some might have is that its really hot in here during the summer.  Those very sensitive to temperature might want to have a friend go in and get their yummy, yummy pita.  What this hole-in-the-wall joint lacks in ambiance is definitely made up in food quality and taste. 

Bella Pita, thanks for adding some joy to my graduate school experience!!!!
4 - Bryan V.: Very tasty, authentic and cheap.  No where to sit really, it's more of a to-go place.  Pitas are made fresh to order.  I've had better, but this is great value.
2 - Sharon W.: flavorless chicken. greasy falafel. dried up pita... i've had much better. if anything i'd reccomend the wowshi over the pita because they literally give you two times what you would get for ordering a plain pita, for the same price. ive also tried the lamb pita, and i can say that the lamb is fatty and flavorless. i'd much rather go next door to innout for drunk food.
4 - Steevens A.: Best falafel pita ever... and I didn't even order the sandwich for myself. Incredible. Crispy on the outside and green and juicy on the inside. I've never had a falafel quite like this, and I don't think I will any time soon. 

I had the steak pita and it was pretty damn good as well, but I still want the falafel pita. The steak was juicy and they gave a large serving of meat for a $6.25 sandwich. Once you embellish your pita 'wich with their plethora of toppings you have a monster of a sandwich. I didn't think I would be satisfied with one sandwich, the beast inside me was quenched.

I'm definitely coming back here again... but if only this place was easier to get to in a car... I hate paying for parking in westwood.
5 - Eric R.: Good prices good food. Feels healthier then most food priced this low. Fresh condiments bar!! Awesome place, pretty quick too!

Must go back more.
4 - Russell I.: great pita's. I recommend the steak pita. This place is a self serve kind-a-joint with them cooking the pita and meat then you choosing the veggies you would like to put in them. Pita's range from $6 to $8. They just came out with a new york steak pita which im interested in trying. Overall good place for lunch and dinner if looking for something fast.
5 - Carrie U.: OH MAN. I can't believe I didn't eat at this place until last week since i've been trolling Westwood all my life. 

For $10 you can get a pita, drink, and a side. I recommend the lamb. Everything is made on the spot and burning hot when you get it! After picking up your delicious pita, you can cram whatever toppings you want into it. Believe me, the toppings are incredibly fresh. I don't feel as guilty for eating here as I do at other places in Westwood. 

The only downer is there are 3 seats facing the window with signs obstructing the street view. There's nothing to look at, so get it to go.
5 - Angie J.: My friend and i were walking around Westwood last week trying to decide which of the restaurants we should eat at....out of the fifty bajillion.. haha
I finally chose Bella Pita because i love Middle Eastern/ Mediterranean foods and this place was DELICIOUS!!!!

They have something called the Wowshi. and it seriously is WOW...shi
The texture of the pita or wowshi is simply amazing. You put in your own "toppings" and sauce(s) from the side bar. This place is underrated. I've known people who attend/attended ucla, and they don't even know about this place. They're seriously missing out.

Thank God i'll be going to UCLA this fall! Imma be coming back to eat her FOR SURE!   can't wait!!!
5 - Brennan R.: When considering quality and price, this place is seriously great, it's really a disappointment they don't have better advertising because this place DESERVES business. I found it through Yelp, and now I'm a regular customer, this place is extremely under appreciated! Get a Chicken Wowshie, it's amazing, seriously.
5 - Milan A.: In the food wasteland that is Westwood Village (I pity the UCLA-ers and those that didn't go to school in the bounty of cuisine that was Berkeley) Bella Pita stands out amongst the rest.  There are few places I could feasibly eat at everday day and not go broke or get tired of the food - Bella Pita is up there.  

Surprisingly, a decent amount of my UCLA friends are unaware of this hidden gem tucked between a nail salon and an amateur improve club.  I always go for the Black Bean Wowshi (dump the entire contents of the salad bar in to it) or the Burger Wowshi (fill these up with just cucumbers, lemon juice, and some of that green herb sauce), and always with kalamata olives on the side!  The fried cauliflower is pretty good too but it might be an acquired taste.
4 - Fanny H.: Bella Pita is a hidden gem among the myriad of restaurants in Westwood.  I always walk by and never notice it because it's small, not fancy, and blends in with the stores around them. Plus, being near In-n-Out, Fat Sal's, and Gushi, I can see why I often overlook this place.

However, Bella Pita is an amazing gift that I wish I had found earlier.  For the price you pay for other mediocre and overpriced foods in Westwood, Bella Pita is a steal for less than $10 for amazing pitas and wowshis.

The workers there are all really nice and give you a lot of recommendations if you're unsure of what to order or what toppings to add to your order.  I got the Chicken Wowshi with cheese and it was oozing with goodness.  I'd skip on the cheese next time (almost an additional dollar to add it) and just load up on the toppings.  Really up to you, but lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, hummus, and the white sauce (and some hot sauce for a kick)--and your meal is complete.

Definitely satisfied after my meal here and they give you a whole pita cut in half.  One half fills me up and I save the other to enjoy the amazingness later.
5 - Louis Z.: Delicious and Fresh! I have only ordered the wowshies which is pita dough baked with fillings in the middle and then sliced in half. They are always baked to perfection. I recommend the chicken wowshi for the best value. The burger wowshi is also good but it is a little scarce on the meat. The best part of this experience is the fresh salad/condiment bar where you can stuff your pita/wowshi with a variety of items. So grab your fork, push the meat off the the sides and pack as much deliciousness as you possibly can.
5 - Ramzi E.: Best falafel I've had in Los Angeles and i couldn't be happier that they serve basterma too.  

I've gone two weekends in a row and will most likely go back again this weekend.

I'd addicted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5 - Clare N.: I miss this place so much. :'(  I've moved out of Westwood and have not been able to go to Bella Pita, but I crave it very often!

Their chicken wowshi and kabab pita are so delicious and are my favorite.  I always get the same thing when I go!

Although there's not much seating in this little establishment, I would go out of my way for it whenever I'm in the area.  In fact, I'm going to be in Westwood tomorrow and I am for sure going to Bella Pita to get my kabab pita and chicken wowshi!

This place is amazing.  Such great food for cheap!  I wish I had found this place earlier, but I never paid any attention to it because it was small and almost hidden and unnoticeable.  One day, I just decided to try it out because a friend told me that I MUST go, so I went with my bf.  We went there several times. :D  mmm mm so so so good!  I wish I had more time in Westwood so that I could go to Bella Pita at least once a week and get my Mediterranean cuisine fix!
4 - Sophie R.: I've been using the Yelp app and finding a gem every day.  The food is five stars just losing one because it was like an oven in there - no AC. I got the lamb pitta and fried cauliflower.  The pitta is light and completely different from the store bought variety. The bar to add your own sauces and dressing is great - the pickled turnips are crisp and crunchy and far superior to Zankou's.  The cauliflower is incredible.
4 - Brittany J.: When you're feeling a little guilty about going to In-N-Out or Fat Sal's at 1am, Bella Pita is the haven of all havens. Open till 2am, Bella Pita is a delicious "healthy fast food" stop - whether its for drunchies or a midday lunch. My favorites are the falafel pita and the chicken wowshi. Besides having amazing flavor, the add-your-own-veggie/condiment bar is key to customizing your selection.
4 - Michelle H.: Don't let the looks of the store (and lack of seating) fool you from the delicious goodness of Bella Pita! I've brought countless friends (especially non-UCLA students) to try this place and they keep coming back for the food!

Get the Wowshi, which is freshly baked and not as thick as (and cheaper than) the Pita. You get two halves to share with a friend or save for later. I LOVE their condiments bar. I usually get the really really hot sauce, white sauce, and hummus. I put the veggies in, then add another layer of sauce on top. I also prefer to eat it with a fork so it's not so messy. 

Don't forget to try the Fried Cauliflower or Fries on the side!
5 - Seiji N.: One of my all-time favorite post-drinking places. I always get a wowshi to split with a friend and pack that thing up on their open condiment bar, including lettuce, onions, pico de gallo, the white sauce, hummus, spicy sauce, the super "have a carton of milk handy" spicy sauce. I'm pretty sure I'm missing a few condiments but you get the idea.

The other thing that's great is the deep fried cauliflowers. I normally hate cauliflowers and would not touch them with a 12 foot pole, but this is the exception. These things are so amazing, I have no idea what they do to it, but I love these cauliflowers covered in the white sauce and hummus.

Highly recommend after a night of debauchery.
5 - Aaron W.: Man u love this spot!!!
4 - Elizabeth S.: Hot sauce? HOT.
Variety of sauces, vegetables, SO MANY THINGS!

Got the Falafel wowshi (really they give you two halves of pita and 1 1/2 falafels in each pita... really?) but it's pretty cheap.

Stuff stuff stuff your pita and you get a super filling amazing yummy food. (:

Just wish they had some space to sit or at least a little more room... eh what can you do. I also wish though that their customer service was a bit more friendly. Eh.
5 - Careese K.: came here today cause my friend said it was SO good! and it really was!!!!
the shop is super small and only has 3 seats at the booth but honestly..... who needs chairs when your food is this good!
i got the chicken wowshi and WOW. CAN I JUST SAY WOW???? WOWOWOWOWOWOW it was poppin for real!  the chicken wowshi is basically pita bread stuffed with seasoned chicken.  
THEN you go to the salad and condiments bar next to the register and customize your pita! the  guy working there told me i need to put the white sauce and the tahini(something like that) sauce on the chicken then put veggies then put the white sauce and the tahini sauce again on the veggies so everything is distributed! then you put hot sauce on it and BAM. you have JUST created a masterpiece!!!
when you first look at it it doesn't look that filling but TRUST ME, after i finished the first half i was satisfied already.

i can't tell you how much i love this place, you all just need to go try the wowshi yourself and you will say WOW too!

my new have westwood hotspot!!

def bringing all visitors !
4 - Erin H.: I go to UCLA and I had never been here until a few weeks ago. It just so happened that my friend and I were pretty hungry after Bruin Bash, and this was one of the few places open for a quick munch at 11pm ish. 

Even at 11pm, there was a line going out the door. My friend and I shared the Filet Mignon pita (which was like $11, possibly not worth that much). You get to put in your own veggies from the mini bar and add whatever sauce you'd like! Since it was a mushroom/steak pita, we added some lettuce and tomatoes, and I think we used the white sauce. Not exactly sure what it tasted like, but it was really good. I would def recommend that one haha

One pita is probably not enough for 2 people, but since we weren't too famished, it was alright for us. I think the pricing for the other pitas weren't too bad; we had just decided to splurge on the filet mignon haha Don't do it.

There's only one guy working on Sunday at 11pm, so you'll have to wait a little bit. There are like 3 chairs inside, so we got our food and ate it at my apartment. Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised with this find. No wonder it has a line at freaking 11pm.
4 - Josie W.: Came to check it out with my relative because Damon and Pythias
was closed. The Chicken Wowshi was really good- huge portion- Good hot sauce !  The fried cauliflower was temperature hot and crunchy !  Will
definitely come back and try the other items on the menu !
5 - Jessica K.: Okay, it's definite now. Bella Pita is my favorite place in Westwood. After a whole summer without even a nibble of a wowshi, I came to the conclusion that I can't last any longer without it. Forget the small space, long lines, and the lack of seating. Bella Pita's the greatest. I just wish it was open 24 hours.
5 - Patrick C.: Bella Pita is bomb! 

I've been there twice so far and I definitely plan on going back again soon. I've tried the chicken wowshi, burger wowshi, and merguez wowshi, all great! 

I LOVE that you can pack as much tomato/parsley/cucumber salad, pickled veggies, hummus, white sauce, spicy sauce, and red onions as you can into your pita. So many flavors and textures - it's amazing!

Quick Tip: Put sauces on both the bottom and the top (maybe the middle too), because there's so much goodness packed into the pita that the sauces can't seep down. 

Definitely going back to try everything. Got the fries too - pretty good. Fresh made! Yum. So full after eating. Such great bang for your buck!
4 - Greg D.: Best place for a quick and affordable lunch in Westwood. Fried cauliflower is highly recommended
5 - Emy W.: Though it is home to many UCLA students and Westwood inhabitants, Bella Pita is a dining establishment that is often overlooked by passersbys.

Placed between a sketchy convenience store and a barbershop, Bella Pita is a minimalist's dream. It only takes three steps through the door and you are at the counter, they have less seating than my four-door Acura, and the only décor are their stellar reviews taped on the walls and a whiteboard that gives late-night drinkers a way to amuse themselves.

Yet, their food is anything but minimal. My favorite is the Chicken Wowshi--an empanada meets pita concoction where two pieces of pita dough is filled with flavorful seasoned chicken and then sent through a conveyer pizza oven. Everytime this happens, the aroma of freshly baked bread immediately fills the room and my mouth begins to salivate uncontrollably. The result is a warm sandwich with a lightly crispy exterior and an interior that has the flavor of the chicken infused into the soft bread. The dough is slightly sweet that balances the salt and spices of the meat really well.


However, there are times when the outer layer of the meat can be a little dry, but that is when the self-serve salad and condiment bar comes into play. Here you can dress your wowshi with tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, pickled turnips, lettuce, and red onions. Then they have squirt bottles filled with home-made sauces such as lemon sauce, herb dressing, and different levels of spicy hot sauce. Since I am a masochist, I love to douse my wowshi in tons of their 'really hot sauce' because it is, well, really effing good.

But it does not stop there. They have two stadium-style ketchup dispensers, one filled with their own "hommos" and another with their white "tahineh sauce". It is my first time at Bella Pita three years ago that I learned that hummus has lemon juice in it. Unlike the packaged hummus you get at Trader Joe's or Ralph's, you can taste the subtle hint of lemon juice in Bella Pita's that really tops off the flavors in the wowshi. I love it so much that I need to do bicep curls to warm up for the intense hommos-pumping that has become part of my Bella Pita routine.

Wowshis are cut in half so people are able to try their own concoctions of sauces and veggies. When they come straight out of the oven and into the metal compartmented caddy next to the salad bar, the wowshi looks like it's an easy feat to demolish, but after pimping mine out at the salad//condiment bar, I always have trouble eating the second half and I always regret it when it's gone.

Pair your pita or wowshi with their fries or fried cauliflower though I think that it is a hit or miss. There are times when it comes out deliciously gold brown and perfectly crispy, but there have also been times when they have been soggy and too crispy. They also have Mexican Coke--the kind with real sugarcane sugar.

Bella Pita is reasonably priced and the food is ready pretty quickly. The only thing I suggest is to go in between lunch and dinner time so that it is less busy. Also, if you're craving Bella Pita as a midnight snack, head there before the bar crowd come. Otherwise you will be stuck waiting for your food trying to avoid the obnoxious couple making out in the corner or the homeless man scratching his butt outside the huge picture window that is the front side of the restaurant.
3 - Melissa D.: I've been to Bella Pita twice.

The first time I went, my response was, "Meh." 

The second time, I was drunk and my response was, "OH MY GOD. This food is glorious! It must have been sent down by the heavens to bless my mouth with its legendary hummus-y goodness!!"

...Take that as you will.

I will say, though, that it's somewhat like Garbanzo (Chipotle-style Mediterranean restaurant) except Bella Pita is basically self-serve with a lot less accoutrements. If you ever get the chance to check out Garbanzo, DO SO. You will not regret it.

That being said, I'll probably go back to Bella Pita and it'll most likely be as I'm stumbling my way home from the bars since that appears to be its best moment.
5 - Chris V.: Wowwwwwwwwww shi! Easily the best pita I've ever had.  Call me different, but I was never a fan of Pita Pit.  I went to multiple locations, but everytime my order came out bland.  Bella Pita on the other hand is amazing.  The Chicken Wowshi is well baked and has the perfect mixture of flavor, crunchiness and freshness.  For those who have yet to visit Bella Pita, a cool thing about them is that there is a salad bar where you can add your own ingredients + hot sauces and other sauces.  

Street parking is tough as it's Westwood, but there's a lot of lots in the area.  Service is pretty quick, but this place does get packed in swarms.
5 - Julie L.: My first impression was, "Their menu is so big it's hard to decide...let's go to my handy dandy yelp app!"

WOW sheesh, these wowshies are one of the most creative ways to eat Mediterranean food that I've discovered yet. Take a look at the photos, it's colorfully intruiging. The best part is, it's fast food, cheap eats on the go that still makes me feel healthy AND hits the spot. Very few meals can fit both those criterions! It is  very affordable, and they keep the portions hearty to keep a college budget happy. Bella Pita is the result of a creative idea of a UCLA professor, and we are all thankful for her accomplishments the food field of study. The pita bread is baked to order and really puts it all together. I could definitely just be satisfied with the pita alone. The meats are so tender, yet not too heavy. Topped with your selection of veggies and sauces, it's a guaranteed success. They are not joking around with the spicy sauce. It's a delicious kick to top it all off.

The lasting impression? "So good, you'll go wowshi."
5 - Eric L.: Wow, chicken wowshi.

Wow, steak pita.

I ate both for lunch and they were worth every penny.  You can't go wrong.
5 - Tony F.: Have you ever had wowshi? No? GO NOW AND GET SOME. You won't regret it. It seems as if every time I walk by this restaurant it's bustling inside, and now I know why. They have some really good Greek food at one of the most affordable prices in Westwood. Also, the first pass at the toppings bar is free. Which means unlimited hummus, hot sauce, peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, etc. on your falafel, wowshi, whatever. Do it. Go.
5 - Omar Q.: Great food at a great price. I frequented this place when I was a student at UCLA. You get a lot for what you pay for. The food is fresh, and you can watch them make it as you wait. The pita bread has great texture, and is definitely one of my favorites. This is mostly a take out place though, as there is only room for about 4-5 people to sit down at a time. The service is quick and friendly.
5 - Aasim K.: I love hole in the wall joints - they know exactly how to boil down a meal to its core,  ripping it of the frills and pretentiousness that mark so many other restaurants.  There is something remarkably attractive about a place the lives solely on the quality of its food rather than ambiance, location, and scene.  

Burger wowshii is amazing, be liberal with the sauces and dont be afraid to make a little bit of a mess.  Service is friendly and quick.
5 - Jenny Z.: Oh, Bella Pita. Let me count the ways I love thee. 

1. Thank you to your fabulous staff who always recognize me, greet me with smiles (and perhaps a chuckle or two) and have memorized my order. I am not ashamed to have a "usual" at BP. 
2. Chicken wowshi--you have redefined well-seasoned chicken, delicately caressed in your heavenly pita blanket, and have subsequently changed my life. 
3. All three sides (falafel, fried cauliflower, fries) are always made fresh. Fries are arguably the best in Westwood. They're so good, I burn my tongue on these tasty little morsels served piping hot every time because I'm impatient.  Tip: ask for a sauce cup.  
4. On that note, sauces. Dear god, the sauces. How you make my taste buds dance with joy and ecstasy. The trifecta: white sauce, herbal dressing, and really hot sauce. I'm particularly partial to the really hot sauce. This is not for amateurs. This sauce means business. But the good kind of business where everyone leaves a winner. Really hot sauce, you are a winner. You are like the kind of friend I'd like to have by my side at all times, especially in times of blandness. Or when ordinary ketchup just isn't enough. Like with chicken nuggets. Damn that's a good combo. 
5. Your low prices have induced me into many a food coma with a college budget. Despite my extreme desire to crawl back into bed and avoid all tasks deemed productive, I can't be mad at you. 

My only complaint? That you haven't expanded to Hermosa Beach where I have moved. But fear not Bella Pita... For you, I, of course, shall return.

Addendum: fries have since changed and are no longer the deliciousness they once were = :( + broken heart
4 - Iamserge ..: Steak Wowshi with Add Cucumbers Onions and Romaine lettuce drizzle ( Red Sauce & White Sauce at More Cucumbers) 

Great Spot if you don't have to wait. Sometimes there is only 1 Employee :(

-iamSERGE's Special.
5 - Pauline L.: Oh I love Bella Pita, if only I lived closer this would be one of my regular eateries. Reasons why I'm in love with this place: the fact that it's a place where I can quickly satisfy my Mediterranean craving for an affordable price, and in addition I like how there is a topping bar - that way I can control what sauces and toppings I want in my pita sandwich. I usually get the falafel pita. The falafels are perfectly cooked, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the mixture of chickpeas and whatever else ingredients they use to make their falafels is just so heavenly.

The only thing I can complain about is that the place is a tad bit small, which makes it difficult to wait for your order, move around, and get to the topping bar because it often gets really busy and jammed packed. They have a small counter where you can eat on, but I normally enjoy my Pita outside or at the In-N-Out next door because the stools are normally occupied. Other than that, I LOVE IT!
5 - Ami S.: FRIENDLY, FRESH and CHEAP!

I usually get their chicken wowshi which is kind of like a calzone, but with fresh ingredients inside...and not as greasy and heavy? OK, maybe not like a calzone at all, but it's a pita sandwich that is covered and baked...

You can put whatever you want inside (chicken, beans, beef, lamb, cheese, etc.) and then once they bake it and cut it in half, you can stuff it with fresh ingredients (tomato, lettuce, olives, etc.) and then dump some sauce on it. It's nice because they have a bar with all the fresh stuff and sauces so you can customize your pita or wowshi however you like.

Best part is...the food is very reasonably priced and the owner/employees are super friendly and nice. I find myself always sticking around for long conversations when I'm there. I believe the owner is/was a professor at UCLA.  Smart guy...great idea....great business!
4 - Kasra S.: Since I moved to Brentwood, This place has been my inexpensive restaurant. Considering the quality, their prices are really low. Iove the fact that you can fill up your pita sandwiches with the whatever ingredients you choose in the salad bar.

I have tried a number of items on the menu so far and all of them were delicious! I definitely recommend this place as an inexpensive eatery, specilly late night when no where else is open :)
1 - STEVE V.: How rude!!

I called for the first time to put in a delivery order.  The guy said they don't deliver.????

I called back to let him know that on Yelp they advertising "Delivery". 
Just trying to be helpful.  Then he just hang up the phone.
4 - Travis L.: Honestly, Bella Pita is one of the finest that Westwood can offer, and with Westwood Live, I'm more than glad to give them business. I've always been a fan of the chicken wowshis just for the sheer amount of food you receive, but it's not simply the quantity but the freshness of what it is you're eating. I'm really glad they make each thing to order, and there's a condiment bar with fresh veggies and sauces to use. It's a way to customize your food in a clean and simple way. The falafel's texture is what really puts it all together for me, especially with the filet mignon pita. So delicious, but at times, extremely crowded in such a limited space (especially later at night when people are done partying).
3 - Christina K.: I came here with some UCLA friends. They love this place and its a great healthy choice compared to IN&Out and Fat Sal's. 

I would rate it 4 stars if I came here a couple more times but for now I'll rate it a three.

Things I love
- fresh veggie bar they have for you to add what you want on your pita; genius idea and I definitely took fulllllll advantage of piling my wowshi with plenty of cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce 
- everything tasted pretty fresh and clean

Things I disliked
- the pita did not seem worth the price; I got the chicken wowshi at the suggestion of a yelper and I am glad I did because it was big enough to fill me up but the pitas seemed pretty small for their price
- the hot sauce is REALLY HOT! Be careful in trying to smear that everywhere. My mouth felt like it was on FIRE! I somewhat liked it but at the same time it prevented me from fully enjoying my food 

If I came here a couple more times I probably would like it and rate it higher. Try the wowshis - they are bigger for their price.
4 - Mike P.: Chicken wowshi. They make it, you fill it. 6.25 after tax to be full to your hearts content. Chicken is a little dry but the pita is amazingly delicious and moist. Great on the go food as long as you don't try to stuff your wowshi as much as you can like I did, which ends up being a mess.

Definitely add that spicy sauce too, it's not super spicy but you'll taste it and probably feel it.
3 - Lin G.: Every person in Westwood seems to be enamored with this place, which isn't a good thing on a Sunday afternoon when they have ONE PERSON working both the cash register and preparing all the orders.  WTF????  You'd think a place this busy around lunch time would be better prepared.  

The long line in front of me crept forward and then the real waiting began while the ONE PERSON cooked all the orders.  

The pricing of the menu didn't seem to make much sense and I got a side order of falafel with hummus.  It was okay and for about $3, but wasn't a good deal by any means, just 3 pieces of falafel in a paper bag with a ketchup cup for the hummus.  The tiny place was so packed there was nowhere to wait let alone eat the damn thing so I took it to In and Out and got a double double and ate both there.  Mmmm In and Out...
5 - Jo T.: This place is really a gem. Survived off it when they first opened my senior year at UCLA, and always return whenever I am in Westwood. 

It is relatively healthy, fresh, and affordable! The staff is super nice, and there is nothing better then a hot black bean wowshi stuffed with stuff from the self serve vegetable/hummos bar.
4 - Kevin R.: This a very nice hole in the wall place. The meat and falafel are amazing; you can place your favorite vegetables and sauces (ranging from creamy and mild to hot and spicy) to add to your pita. However, with food this good, they wouldn't reach their full potential without a larger location. That being said, this place is still worth the wait you may experience if you come right after a large group.
5 - Kendall B.: Bella pita is a diamond in the rough! I've been eating there about once a week for a year now and I never cease to crave their falafel pits and black bean wowshis. It's pretty cheap especially if you get a meal deal which is a pita/wowshi, side, and drink for %15 percent off and it leaves you so full and satisfied.
It gets crowded sometimes, especially at night when drunk students flock to it, but it's well worth the wait, especially the herb sauce and tomato/onion topping. Always fresh and delicious!
3 - Lois K.: Their falafel pita ($5) is really good! Not as big as the wowshi but wayyy better in terms of taste!
4 - Kristine K.: My little and I came here for dinner tonight! It was actually pretty good. It was our first time eating here and we both got the Chicken Wowshi. It was 12.50 for both. The serving size was pretty good because they split it in half so you can stuff all the toppings you want inside at the bar. They have roman lettuce, tomatoes, salsa mix, cucumbers, onions, cabbage and a variety of sauce.

I could have easily been satisfied with half of the serving.

I recommend the "really hot sauce" :D SO GOOD! I'll definitely come here again. Yay for exploring Westwood!
4 - Catherine J.: My big (see below comment :D) and I came here for dinner tonight! Very cute and no ambiance in a cute sort of diner way. The serving was a lot! We got the chicken wowshi (per yelpers' recommendations) and like kristine said, half would have been just enough if you have a smaller appetite. The open bar was excellent and the hot sauce was amazing! My only wish would be for the chicken to be seasoned a bit more... without the white sauce and hot sauces the wowshi would have been pretty bland (but maybe that's how mediterranean food is supposed to be?). Definitely a great alternative to heavier cheap college places in westwood (Gushi, In N Out, etc).
5 - jane l.: nothing better than a midnight snack of fresh baked pita bread with all the fixings you can pile on. hits the spot.
5 - John T.: Best place to eat after 12. YUM. It feels way healthier than In-n-Out and Fat Sal's, which are both located within a couple dozen footsteps of the store. Haven't tried much of the menu, but so far, I'm really impressed. The line's not long when I've visited, and the falafel/wowshi is customizable with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and a variety of sauces.

Definitely recommended if you have some late night cravings!
5 - Andi C.: Fresh, delicious, customizable pitas. Nom nom nom! And they're opened until 2am? YES! All of the guys that work here are super fun, no matter how many drunken college student come stumbling in throughout the night. One reviewer described this establishment as 'a diamond in the rough' and I couldn't agree more. This unassuming, hole-in-the-wall will not disappoint. I really wish that more places in Westwood would start serving up great food at awesome prices with the service that Bella Pita does.
4 - David L.: This place is great! I tried my first falafel here and I simply fell in love. The staff is quick and once your order is ready they place it on a little holder next to the salad bar where you can customize it with their various toppings including romaine, onions, tomatoes, and a selection of sauces. The place is quite small with three or four seats and it's pretty hot in here.
4 - Caye B.: Great value, healthy and open late!

Get the wowshi if you want to get your dollar's worth - it's a bigger, better value. I split a chicken wowshi and grilled mushrooms with a friend. Chicken was excellent - juicy and moist. They did not skimp on the mushrooms, which were also very moist and flavorful. The shell was crisp and tasty.

Wide variety of condiments at the salad bar! So many options that I was a bit overwhelmed. Definitely going to have to keep coming back here and trying new combinations to figure out what's best. But I really liked the tahini on my chicken. 
Tip - layer your sauces so that you don't end up with a ton on top of bottom, and try to mix your meat so that you don't eat a bunch of salad and then a bunch of meat at the end.

Also tried the falafel with hummus.. This was was my first time eating falafel. The falafel texture was good, but I guess it wasn't really for my palate. I was very surprised that falafel was such a bright green color inside! Didn't like the hummus. Maybe I've gotten spoiled with my flavored hummuses, but I found the one here (which comes in a dispenser like ketchup) was bland and tasteless.
4 - Nico L.: Wowshi?

More like WHOAA-shi!


Back in undergrad, words like "value", "open-late", and "healthy" usually described a trip to jack in the box. That is, of course until Bella Pita opened up a tasty option to help us dropkick that freshman 30... yes, that's right. What do you think happens to cross country runners when they stop running?! Anyway. 

What I order: Chicken Wowshi or the Black Bean Wowshi

Black Bean: This wowshi is simply delicious! In the past I've ordered this item the most since I would usually roll into Bella on fridays during lent. The bread is baked fresh and its flavor comes out way more to add to the overall taste. The beans are cooked nicely and are not overwhelming. I like to use a heavy hand when it comes to adding heat and fixings, which isn't a problem since they let you build your order yourself!

Chicken wowshi: Chicken cooked well and still juicy. Again the fresh baked bread is what I think really sets their food apart from other places. 

Tip: Want something refreshing? Order some martinelli's apple juice!! it'll make you feel like you're in elementary school again. 

Bottom line: fresh, healthy, and tasty wowshis minus the we$twood prices
4 - Mel W.: Okay, it's delicious, especially if you're here after everything else nearby has closed for the night. A little overpriced for the real world, but seems decent among everything else that is marked up in Westwood. Everything is made to order and comes out so hot that you'll need a napkin to help with the heat as you fill the pita with a variety of veggies and sauce. My favorite is the falafel pita - a little scary because it's bright green on the inside, but the color is easy to forgive because it's sooooo good. Pair it with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and lots of the mystery white sauce.
3 - Rebecca T.: I came here during my lunch break, and I have to say, the food did live up to its expectations!

I only got the falafel pita, and it was way better-tasting than the ones served in the university dorm's dining hall. It was nice and hot when I received it, and I piled the pita with an assortment of shredded lettuce and tomatoes, as well as topped it off with tahini sauce (Bella Pita has a self-served station in which you can customize your pita or wowshis). 

Eating it...was a revelation. Okay, I exaggerate, but it was tasty nevertheless: the falafels (two or three of them stuffed inside the pita) were on the cusp of crunchy and soft, blackened dark from frying, and compressed into a patty shape to make the pita sandwich easier to eat (I guess). Wonderfully seasoned, and with a pleasantly surprising green color inside. The pita was also a beautiful piece of work itself: warm and slightly fluffy. I was almost sad to finish the whole chef d'oeuvre.

The reason why I gave this a 3-3.5 star review: the service. The workers seemed a little distracted, and initially I had also ordered a banana wowshi. However, they said that the bananas were not ripe yet, so they couldn't make it. They gave refund, but I was disappointed.

However, I would choose to come back, and try their other dishes. As well as the banana wowshi!
4 - Ani S.: Yummy and healthy hot pita sandwich with lots of flavor. They make their own pita bread right there in front of you and they give it to you while it is still warm. Place is really small and you'll be lucky to find a chair to sit and eat.
4 - Eunice B.: Used to come here after class/work a couple times a week. Its all about the Wowshis! They don't look impressive when they hand them to you, but after you personally fill it with veggies and sauces the wowshi will plump up in your hand and in your stomach. The "really hot sauce" really is hot, but I like it because its the kind of hot that has flavor to it, not just heat. Its all so delicious and fresh, I wish I was eating a warm chicken wowshi right now.
4 - Yi Y.: This place is so bomb. There's only so much I can say about it. The Wowshi is probably one of the best things on the menu (I've heard the felafel is pretty good too). You also can't go wrong with the fried cauliflower. The prices here are great too!
5 - Steph W.: So good. Filling, flavorful, and quick. Wish there was more seating and standing room but oh well!
5 - andy k.: Wowshies! My boyfriend got the ground beef and I got chicken. The self-serve bar of sauces and veggies is great. The wowshie pita bread is like a hybrid of freshly baked pizza dough and pita bread, warm and toasty deliciousness straight out of the oven. The 2 guys working there were super helpful and friendly. I'll be going back.
4 - Amanda N.: I love Bella Pita because they offer an inexpensive, delicious, and hearty meal that is not greasy fast food.  As someone who eats out everyday, you get tired of the same drive-thru and sub sandwich places.  Bella Pita wowshis are quick and cheap, but actually taste like a real, hot meal.

Forget the pitas - you can get any sandwich as a wowshi and it is WELL worth it.  My favorite combo lately has been the lamb wowshi with feta cheese.  My favorite sauces are the white sauce and lemon dressing.  

Overall, I highly recommend Bella Pita wowshis if you are in the neighborhood and looking for a quick meal.  Their sandwiches are well-priced and tasty.  Bonus points since they are open until 2am everyday!
4 - Lakar K.: Chicken wowshi is sooooooo good!!! 
But nothing tops their fried cauliflower. 

This place is worth a try for lunch.
2 - Sean D.: Yes...it's hard to go against so many positive reviews...but then, everyone is coming at things from a different perspective.

First off - I grew up with a huge Lebanese and Israeli community around me, plus I've been to the Middle East, and spent considerable time in Iraqi, Persian, and Turkish restaurants around the world. So I've eaten some pretty good falafel, shawarma, shish taouk, koobideh, and am familiar with the multitude of modified spellings offered for these items.

Bella does a few things well but not enough.

1. Their chicken IS too salty. And dry. But there is a decent flavor so people like it. I suspect also that MSG is added to their food and/or sauce. Just a thought but go in and tell them that you have a life and death allergy and see what they say.

In effect, what this chicken should be is juicy and tender. But if you have never had proper Middle Eastern food, or you live in LA where its harder or more uncomfortable to find - this could be the spot for you.

2. Lamb - similar to above.

3. Veggie bar - aside from the fact that you're not supposed to visit this bar more than once (which is impossible and ridiculous) - it's probably the best thing about the restaurant.

But it's the experience of eating here or getting food to go that leaves a lot to be desired.

I have never been to a spot that serves Pitas where they won't give you a tinfoil to wrap it in. (although the pics show different). Instead, you get a flimsy piece of paper, and napkins that evaporate as you try to use them. Invariably, food goes all over the place. In addition, because they cut the Pita in two, if you try and fill it up with veggies, it becomes close to impossible to take "to go". 

Essentially, its a MESS. And of course...NO PLATES. Uh uh. So whether you spent 10 bucks or 30, you still need to eat this dinner like you just walked out of Planet of the Apes. Then there is the filthy floor, filthy chairs and filthy counter with droppings of everyone else's food that if you're lucky, you can find glued to your elbow, or shoes, or hand.

Then there is the great open window with the super bright florescent light over your head so people walking by can watch the food falling all over you and laugh as they head to Fat Sals for a healthy Pastrami, Cheese and Chicken Finger sandwich.

Look...this place is an experience. And for College kids that are used to food falling all over themselves, it may be the right vibe. But for anyone wanting better quality mid east food, that is served in a way that makes it edible...this is not the spot. 

As to service...the guys remind me of Armand Assante - kind of abrupt and disinterested. Not quite sure how I feel about them yet but I don't imagine I will be back again to find out.

Alternative: Attari Sandwhich Shop - Much F-ing Better!
4 - Johanna H.: Cheap, delicious, locally owned, open til 2 am and has great vegetarian options (felafel pita and black bean wowshi are both good). You get more food/$ with wowshis, but I usually go for the felafel pita. Fried cauliflower is a bit greasy and I could probably do it better at home, but I love it on a hungry late night. Don't expect a seat, but for lunch you might get lucky. Very loud and crowded when it's busy--especially late at night--but it's usually fine during the day.
5 - Maureen C.: Went here for a post-late night out, and what a perfect place for it.

Tiny storefront, and slightly larger insides.  You order your pita, they put the basics together for you (and heat it up if you choose for a wowshi version - which you would be ridiculous not to), then you fill it up with all the goodies from the pita-filling station (a la salad bar).

I had the special - lamb sausage + grilled onions and peppers + feta cheese (replacing the mozzarella that came with it).  Pretty sure there is no need to ever try anything else.

Incredibly friendly staff; fantastically low prices, and quick to serve.  Only bummer: there are no tables.  You can site at 1 of 2 high chairs at the bar along the front wall, or stand.

I must remember to entice them to open one up in San Diego.  It's a bit of a drive for a quick lunch!
4 - Jamie S.: Chicken wowshi is really good! I like the sauce and condiment bar where you can fill your pita with lettuce, cabbage, tomato, red onion, or cucumbers. Then you have your choice of sauces. There's hummus, hot sauce (really good), herb sauce, olive oil. 

The price is pretty good and theres a meal option where you can choose a pita or wowshi then add a side and a drink. And as a bonus for getting the meal, you get 15% off the total price. I chose the coke glass bottle! 

Not a sit in kind of place, there's a couple of seats but you can definitely eat it on the go. Easy to eat. Other choices are burger wowshis, falafel pita, lamb pita, beef pita, etc. So go ahead and enjoy good pitas here!
5 - Rafid A.: simple and delicious :)
you get your plain choice. Then, you have the side bar to add your favorite vegetables and dressing  :)

the only two bad things about this restaurant is that it increases the price regularly. My first time in this restaurant the average prices was 4.5 and now it is 6.5 
The other thing is the seating area. It is very small and sometimes there is no space to eat 
but it is still a very good choice and it worth the money you pay ;)
4 - Alex J.: Bella Pita reminds me of an old sketch comedy where the catchphrase was "the freshness is you!" Everything seems so fresh that I wanted to devour it instantly. Kind of surprisingly even the condiment/topping bar had fresh items to pick. I There in nothing quite like fresh hot pita bread. I wish they had plates since my wowshi and fries were hot but I still managed with the bag.

I admit I avoided their veggie falafels and salad as I'm not into being healthy but wen I saw someone else order it I was tempted. I'm not sure this place would agree with a falafel purist though as most of their dishes are adaptions.
5 - Evelyn B.: Yum! It was good, and fresh! The worker was friendly too. Lastly , the sign says you can only get condiments once but my friend and me stood next to the counter and just kept refilling. The cashier didn't mind :)
4 - Sharon Y.: My advice to you - get the chicken wowshi and be sure to add the really hot sauce from the fixings bar. The chicken is so moist and tender, and the bread is warm and chewy. The only downside to this hole-in-the-wall is that there's barely any seating, so chances are that you will have to take a little stroll to your mealtime sitdown destination of choice, and by then your meal may be a little colder and a little soggier. But for the price, totally worth it!
5 - Andrea P.: I work nights at UCLA and my coworkers and I were so hungry. It was past midnight and one of my coworker mentioned that this place close at 2am. We walked there during our break and I ordered steak pita and breakfast wowshi. Oh My... it was delicious!!!!!!! My steak pita was gone within 2 minutes. Hahahaha! If we didn't have to go back right away we would've ordered some more. Definitely one of the best! I also like the fact that you can choose your own seasoning, sauces and other goodies like tomato, onions, cheese, etc
5 - Keith J.: When teaching in Westwood, I found myself drawn to this place EVERY time I was there. Not fancy, tiny in fact. But harkens back to the old PitaFeast in West LA, where you got some sort of great Middle Eastern meat stuffed into a pita, and then stuffed fresh veggies, peppers, hummus, etc. into it.  It doesn't promise anything big or fancy, but it delivers with powerful tasty flavor that you will remember for the rest of the day.

Give me the lamb sausage any day.
5 - Michael L.: I'm a regular at the other Bella Pita, so I might as well try this place out. It's right by UCLA, and its open until 2AM. YES 2AM.

I'm a huge fan of the Chicken Wowshi's. It's only $5.75 for a delicious Wowshi that's enough to fill two people up. One order of a Wowshi is split into two halves. $5.75 is definitely a cheap lunch!

When you get your Wowshi, you get the option to top it off with the wide selection of fresh veggies and sauces. The sauces is definitely one of the huge highlights of the Wowshi. I'm a very big fan of the "Very Hot Sauce", "White Sauce", and "Tahini". You get the chance to mix and match the sauces and veggies to your liking.

They also have amazing fries and fried cauliflowers as sides you can order. DEFINITELY try the fried cauliflowers. I'm a huge fan.

This location is pretty small like the other location on Westwood. However this location has extremely limited seating (only a few chairs along the wall). Be prepared to stand while you eat.
4 - Edison T.: I think this place is the only decent place to eat at in Westwood regardless of cuisine. The lamb is seasoned a little on the saltier side but that isn't necessarily a bad thing when it comes to lamb. I also like the steak pitas as well. The salad bar for your veggie toppings offer fresh vegetables and their tahini sauce is pretty good. My favorite has to the their spicy sauce, it actually does deliver the heat and really kicks up the flavors of the pita tenfold. Hey, it's also open late, so what more can you ask for?
4 - Human Dumpster A.: This place is how I envision the future of fast-food: a really great non-burger to-go place where you can get a meal in your hands in well under five minutes. 

I got the turkey pita, which was great. You are able to season it to your liking--they have an abundance of spices, and sauces. I got some tatsiki with their spicy sauce and white sauce. It all tasted great. I also had a bite of the chicken pita, which was also really good. 

Came back and got the chicken wowshi--also really good. To me it's a pita X2. I also got a side of fried cauliflower, which was surprisingly good, tough I wouldn't go here just for that.
5 - Zach F.: I try not to give places 5 stars unless they really do something to stand out, and this place certainly accomplishes that. The wowshi has a very original taste that completely blew me away. Although it's a very small place, you better believe I'm coming back as much as I can.
4 - Phuong K.: My friends and I were having some late night adventures in LA and my friend, who went to UCLA recommended for us to try this place out for some late night eats. 

Their menu is pretty small and simple. The place is small and it does not really have any tables or anything; just a few stools. Its more of place to grab your food and go; or in our case linger outside and eat. 

I got the Chicken Wowshi with three cheeses. It was pretty filling. Its enough for two people; I couldn't finished it. Since it was late and hungry I was feel lazy to stuff it with veggies so I just pretty muched drenched the whole thing in the yummy White sauce and the Hot sauce. So delish.

Its nothing fancyor anything its just simple food. I would definitely come back again if I was in the area!
4 - Karen D.: I seriously love me some bella pita. 

I used to frequent this spot once a week. Mostly because it is pretty cheap, fairly filling, and more of a healthier option than your regular late night fare. I got hooked on the black bean wowshi. My secret? asking for a little container cup and mixing the really hot sauce with the white sauce (what is that stuff anyway?). 

Def. a great late night option!
5 - Thach N.: my GO TO SPOT for drunchies.

cannot go wrong with this at 2am:

1) seeing all your friends drunkenly walk home
2) cheap cheap food
3) delicious chicken wowshi!!

first time? i would recommmend the chicken wowshi, and dont forget to fill it up with toppings. especially the spicy sauces if u can handle it! also nice: fried cauliflower. i would recommend this to any drunken soul at 3am.
5 - Amy L.: This is my favorite place to eat in Westwood! Affordable, fresh, and delicious any way you want it. I love the Wow-Shi's because the fillings are baked inside the pita dough and then cut in half. Blazing hot and feels like you get twice as much food once you fill up each hemi with your choice of veggies and sauces. 

This is basically a To-Go spot as there is only a small counter to eat at with about 2 chairs total. I do wish there was more seating so I could enjoy my pita more comfortably, but hey, maybe standing aids digestion. 

Here's my pro-tip for the toppings: grab a form and open up your pita and make sure all the meat/falafel/beans are spread evenly along one side. Grab your choices of sauce (white sauce + hummus + splash of lemon, hello) and drizzle from bottom of the pita to the opening. Then add your veggies (love the pico de gallo). This way, you get flavor from top to bottom, not just perched along the rim! And watch out, these buggers are juicy. Make sure to have napkins and maybe even another wax paper to catch all the drippings. 

Awesome they're open after the bars close, too, because now you can pig out those Pint Night & AMF induced cravings without feeling disgusting or breaking your wallet. Bella Pita is the best.
5 - Bryan V.: Thank you Yelpers for this one. "Wowshis" here are realllly good. Good pita, good chicken, good veg and fillings. Good value too. Customize your pita how you want.

There are only 2-3 stools for this hole in the wall joint. So prepare to get take out or stand when they're busy.

A friend just moved nearby so I will definitely be back for more Wowshi action.
1 - Akiko I.: - Locale Destination - 
It's on Gayley Ave and Missouri Ave in Westwood. 

I can't write anything about this section since it was brought to me as a To-Go order. It's nice that they are open very late. 


- Gluttony Expedition - 
** If you read other reviews, basically you can pick and choose your toppings like "Subway". The spicy sauce is supposed to be very spicy but I didn't see any of those ;(

Chicken wowshi: The pita was a bit softer than normal pita. (Not fluffy like the ones at "Daphne's".) Chicken itself was moist but a bit "chicken" odor. No garlic. It definitely lacked in flavors. But I didn't put any sauce nor hummus (due to my friend got it for me).. But still I prefer the chicken from "Zankou Chicken" to this. 

The side garnishes: The beets were light and tasty, though I'm not a fan of beets in general. It's not as pink as the one at "Zankou". Sliced pickles were a bit too thin and looked sad. Meh. 


- Conqueror's Deduction - 
I googled the definitions of "wowshi". But it seemed like "the chicken/lamb/beans/ ground beef sandwich" with a pita. But you have choices - either a "pita" or "wowshi" when you order.... I don't know what makes the difference between them.

LA Weekly called it "BEST wowshi in LA" - Shame on you. Neither this pita nor sandwich is impressive at all. What's the hype all about?! I don't know. I won't come back here for sure. You can get a way better "WOWSHI" in OC for sure.
2 - Marc L.: Pro: 
- Food was fresh.

Con:
- Tiny portion for $6.80 Steak Pita. Easily eat 2 for $13.60 and still be hungry.
- Very little meat in the Pita.
- Non-Authentic meat choices.
- Non-Authentic sauces.

Not a bad place, but way too small portions for the price and by no means authentic food.

Plenty of better places with better price and more authentic food around.
4 - Jack G.: I LOVE BELLA PITA!

Fresh, cheap, and absolutely delicious. Did I mention fresh and cheap?!

The "wowshis" are definitely what you want to hit up. It's a pita bread, and there are various options on what your stuffing would be (Black bean, chicken, merguez [beef & lamb sausage], etc.).

The salsa bar is where you customize your pita sandwich. You got your lettuce, shredded cabbage, tomato, cucumber, onion, pico de gallo, hommos, pickle, pickled beets/radish, various sauces (white sauce, tahini, lemon, oil, herbal, spicy, hot).

The one downside? Only two chairs in seating area. You'd think with all the money they make, they could at least get another chair.

Lately, I've been getting their green salad ($3.81), and use both sides of the box to fill up on some salad, and pack that box with everything and eat it there. Best bang for buck in Westwood.
5 - San K.: Another place I only visited recently. Came here my first night at my new apartment. I heard a lot of great things about this place. I definitely overdid myself with the toppings (who can say no to hummus!), especially with the tomatoes and lettuce. But definitely a great place to visit in Westwood.
4 - Jaya R.: If you order anything but the lamb pita, you will be disappointed. The lamb pita, besides holding the esteemed title of most expensive item on the menu, is the tastiest item as well. The meat is always cooked to perfection, hot and juicy. 
To consume the lamb pita the way gods intended it, open the pita, flatten out the meat laterally onto one side of it so sauce and vegetables can be mixed in thoroughly. Add "Really Hot Sause" and "Tahini" sauce for a good blend of hot and cold. Then mix the meat and sauces with a fork. Add lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Mix once more and add a final squeeze of "Really Hot Sause" and "Tahini."
Once sauced and vegetabled, and sauced once more to get all the flavors working together, nothing else on the menu is worth a try. I have eaten 100+ lamb pitas in my UCLA career since moving to Westwood and enjoyed every single one of them.
The chicken wowshi does offer more variety since one gets 2 halves to flavor separately instead of one in the case of the pita, but the chicken wowshis can taste doughy because the bread has not baked thoroughly inside of the pocket. 
If you are looking for a cheap snack, the fries or fried cauliflower for $1.50 each are both stellar options. Fried fresh, they are served scalding hot. The cauliflower can be quite oily but pairs well with the "Tahini" or "White Sauce" mixed right into the bag of cauliflower. 

If I had to complain, the wait for food can get long if they're busy. A couple times, they have refused to even take my order until 3 or 4 other orders are already cooking, and this is the only reason I could think of to knock off a star. 
Also, KEEP YOUR RECEIPT. Don't plan on getting your food if you throw your receipt away. 

Try the lamb pita meal (side of cauliflower and either Martinelli's apple cider, Mexican Coke, or mango Snapple). Thank me later.
5 - Linda M.: Been wanting to try this place for awhile. Got here around 1ish with a friend and miraculously snagged both chairs by receiving our chicken wowshi orders at the same time the people occupying the chairs left. I thoroughly enjoyed having the option to put as much of the salad bar fillings as I wanted into my pita. A chicken wowshi with tax came to $6.25, well worth it! Looking forward to another visit, quite soon.
5 - Isaac R.: By far the best food in Westwood. The breakfast wowshi is the way to go. mmmmmm. I'm sad I can no longer access this via walking and I pine for it.
4 - Josh G.: Healthy, Cheap, Open LATE!

Falafel are really good here, and I recommend sharing the wowshi if you get it(unless you are VERY hungry). The golden prize at this place is the toppings bar! And if you are a fan of spicy, their "REALLY HOT SAUCE" is good!! it bathe my order in that sauce. There's also other tasty dressings available as well. Stuffing the pita is the best part, but try to only go back once especially if they are busy. 

I've always been here late after a fun night out, its a much healthier alternative than getting that 4X4 animal style from in n out next door, or the deadly burritos or dream fries the other way. Highly recommend this place! Go indulge, weather it be late night or lunch break.
4 - Diana P.: Got the chicken wowshi. It came in two pockets, steaming and hot. They had self-serve veggie station on the side. Very convient and fresh. I definitely stacked on lots of everything. I poured white sauce all over with bits of hummus and then BAM!

Nom nom nom! Very filling and delicious.

I would have given five stars if there was space to sit. I had to stand around with a friend until people before us were done. I was already on my second pocket by the time I got to sit down.
5 - Jessica L.: The chicken wowshi is my all time favorite. Found this place on yelp and had to try it before class. The amount of food is great for it's price. There's a small bar where you can make your own wowshi or pita. Selection is small but work perfectly not to over fill you.

The hummus there is good but I love their herbal dressing. Their really hot sauce is overkill if you pour it all over your food.

Definitely one of my favorite late night places too- cheap, fast, and super delicious.
5 - V. R.: This place is delicious! I had the chicken wowshi today and I love how I could customize it to my tastes with the veggie bar. 

There's only a small bench that you can sit at, so good luck "eating in." I'd fill up the wowshi halves and go sit at In N Out.
5 - Joanne L.: I miss this place so much. Bella pita is probably one of my favorite place to eat in Westwood. It's convenient, fast, delicious and not to mention cheap! They make your food right when you order it so it's always fresh! I usually get washi since you can pretty much make two meals out of one. All of them are good! Remember to ask for a container for extra sauce to bring with you for later!
5 - Sarah B.: If you've partied in Westwood you probably know this as a popular late night spot, but let me tell you, I graduated from UCLA 2 years ago and the only thing I come back to Westwood for now is Bella Pita. I do it often and in broad daylight. 

Ask for a little sauce container and mix 1. really hot sauce 2. hummus 3. herbal dressing. My friend and I call this "The Trifecta". 

It sounds weird, but if you're going to make it a meal, try the fried cauliflower. If you're a fry lover, don't mistake this for the healthy option; the cauliflower is better.

I haven't tried any of the meat wowshis since I'm veg, but I have converted mannnny a meat-eating friend to the black bean wowshi. It's flavorful, filling and leaves a lot of room for the toppings, which are the best part.
1 - Emily A.: I came here because of all the great reviews, but I was really disappointed.  The chicken in the chicken wowshi  was really overcooked and chewy.  I liked being able to choose my toppings, but the bar set up was really messy.

Bella Rosie Boutique - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2794992, -83.7464619) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
4 - Lisa W.: This is a great place to find budget pieces.  Their motto, in fact, is "Hip beauty on a budget."  They have both vintage clothing and new pieces.  You can get a great outfit for under $40 -- including shoes and a handbag.  The style is a demure retro, something new to check out after a clothing store slump in this area.

The owners are great -- a mom and daughter duo, the daughter being a former teacher/stay-at-home mom.  They snagged a great but semi-hidden location in Liberty Plaza.  Be sure to look for their sign.
5 - Heather C.: I really love this place. I can't go here too often because even though it is affordable, I find so many things I like, and I could easily spend a lot of money here. That said, I've purchased 3 dresses, a pair of shoes, an awesome belt, and a vintage bag in two visits. The buyer/owner is constantly getting more pieces for her store.

As Lisa mentioned, the owners are great, and really nice and friendly. I'm looking forward to the Art Fair, when they're going to have a sale and more new stuff.
4 - megan g.: Went for the first time over the weekend after the store was recommended by a friend.  Everything is so inexpensive!!!  They don't have alot of each piece which is nice but, it would be nice if they had a few more sizes.  I can't wait to go back!!!

Bella-Napoli Italian Bakery of Troy Inc - Troy, NY (42.7467623, -73.6832399) ()
3 - Lai-Yee B.: I don't really get the hype. Prices are good, but overall... eh, it's a decent bakery. All bakerys should be at least decent.

But like Daniel said - everything is pre-filled. This leads to an unfortunately soggy center. Seeing how much volume they do, though, it makes sense. They probably wouldn't be able to fill their orders on the spot - not enough time.

The counter holds lots of goodies, though. And the rotating cake display really tempts you into buying one of their cakes (tons of icing, decent filling, ok crumb, if a little dry, on the cake itself). Icing flowers always win my heart.
4 - SUSAN R.: 'Wish i could give it 5 stars, but it is mediocre. The best thing are the almond horns. What ever happened to old fashioned bakeries that made real chocolate eclairs filled with delectable french vanilla custard, and beautiful pastel -decorated buttercream layer cakes? Whatever happened to good mocha buttercream?The birthday cakes here  look so unappetizing-  with hideous red and dark blue flowers and piping. C'mon, show some aesthetic taste! Enough with the multi colored sprinkles! Try pale yellow and pale pink roses on your cakes, and fill them with strawberry and raspberry filling. 
I recently had a rather dry Boston Creme Pie - won't buy that again. There is at least potential at Bella Napoli.

2/17/09 Must add on to say that I bought a beautiful heart shaped Rum Cake for a whopping $22.00 over the weekend, but ti was worth it. Really excellent and fresh sponge cake with a nice simple syrup soaking on the bottom (mildly rum flavored) and crispy almonds (not soggy or stale thank goodness! _Inside, a generous layer of both vanilla and chocolate custards - I say, well done! And to boot, appealing, appetizing pale pink rossettes on top - I have to add another star to a previous rating. Also, try the butter rolls, they are to die for. The eclairs still leave much to be desired sadly - 'not enough chocolate on top and heavy flour laden custard. But the choux was still crisp at least. 'Also wish the petite fours were better- but that in itself is an Art. The jelly doughnuts are  soft and satifying, but not as good as Schuyler Bakery.
It is always such fun to visit Bella Napoli  though...everyone  is happy in sugar heaven!
3 - Unmesh K.: Large selection, cheap prices and convenient hours (open till 10!). As the other reviewers have said, the goods are decent though when combined with the affordable prices, I think they are a good deal. I like their italian bread but you can just as easily get that from Price Chopper. Strangely, I thought I could get it fresher from the store but that didn't really turn out to be the case.
4 - Melmel G.: I love this place.  It is open late and the people who work there never make fun of me when I come with my bffls in our pajamas.  The people working there are nice and friendly, they will chat with you while you are taking your time to decide.
I have a ridiculous sweet tooth and the pastries rarely disappoint. They aren't the best in the world but they are the best that I have found in the capital area.
5 - Daniel B.: Donuts!

On my first several visits, I never even considered the donut case.  It seemed a kind of sacrilege to come to a specialized Italian bakery and buy donuts.  

I mean... here you have cannoli, Italian cookies, and other assorted pastry you would not find in a french patisserie.  Not to mention the Italian breads.  All of which require the specialized skill of baking.

Donuts on the other hand require masterful frying.  In my mind, it's two completely separate core competencies.  Although, now that I think about it cannoli shells are fried, so perhaps that is the connection.

OMFG these things are good.

Their cake donuts have a magnificent burnished brown crust that almost crackles when you bite into it.  The interior is appropriately dense, with a fine crumb, not too sweet, with a whisper of sweet spice.  And if you like them a bit sweeter, they come covered in powdered sugar, topped with chocolate, or other fine accompaniments.

I would get these all the time if their yeast raised donuts weren't so good as well.  Light and airy, but with a rich satisfying chewiness.  And they take these yeast raised donuts and do wonderful things with fillings.  Three kinds of jelly:  Raspberry, blueberry and strawberry.  Lemon curd.  Apple.  Boston cream.

Of all things, their glazed donut is a bit of a disappointment.  Which is a shame, because it is often the gateway donut for many people.  The glaze at Bella-Napoli can be thin, which produces a rather anemic and unsatisfying experience.

But putting that aside, holy sh*t these are good.  The best donuts I have had out in the region by far.  Some of my favorite donuts ever.  I think they may be better than King Pin in Berkeley.  If you can find better within a 20 mile radius of Albany, I'll buy you a dozen!

And they are less expensive than Dunkin' Donuts, even when you factor in the gas to drive all the way to Troy.  This weekend I made the 30+ min round trip for a dozen donuts.  It is totally worth it.

N. B. The Troy donuts do not suffer from the problem I experienced at the BN outpost in Latham.  A little birdie told me that the Latham donuts are made in Troy and brought to the store, which could explain the whole thing.
5 - Dave W.: Best jelly donut in the history of the universe. Well worth the 3,000-mile trip.
3 - akin t.: Bella makes great donuts, they even use real sugar instead of the powdered stuff, that goes everywhere. Love those, also the Boston Cremes - anything without the powder or glaze. 

I was unimpressed by the cannolis, but I am not sure it was because Bella makes poor cannolis, rather it may just be that I don't like cannolis. They make serving size cookies, and they are pretty good so far.I also enjoyed the danishes. By contrast, the bread was not that good.
3 - Katie V.: Mixed. The chocolate roll was dry and not very chocolatey. The oatmeal raisin cookie was delicious and buttery. The cannoli was unimpressive. My husband raved over the apple pastry, though. I think I just didn't pick the right things, alas. Next time.

Person behind the counter seemed very offended that we dared enter on a Saturday evening. Having worked in retail, I can relate, but don't rush me when I'm picking out something sweet, okay?
4 - Mike L.: I prefer the one in Latham because they seem to have a much bigger selection as well as the cafe but the baked goods are the same. This location is alot more convenient to my house though unless I stop on my way home from work. The bread and hardrolls are great and cheap compared to the grocery stores. Just make sure you use or freeze them in a couple days because I don't think there are any preservatives. The individual cheesecakes are a great dessert for one also.
1 - Rowan S.: First off, I see a few reviewers here who also say they were treated rudely like the old hag and little twerp working there were annoyed to have to come out and wait for you on a dead weekend evening. Same here too. I can't believe how they treated my aunty until they realized she was with me. I wanted to scream at them even though they were all nice to me, maybe because I'm a young guy? But my aunty told me let it pass.
So here's what happened:

I dropped my aunt off in the middle of the evening to pick up some things. There was an older wavy brown haired woman and a younger dark blonde or light brown girl with a ponytail. These two were in the back and pissed they had to come out and were so pissy to my aunty. My aunty is like the sweetest person and didn't want me to even say anything. When i went in they were all nice to me. The nasty older women was like "Well, hello!" WHATEVER BEAST! Usually this place is ok but I haven't dealt with these two before.
1 - Jessica L.: My review is strictly based on the Troy location as I have always had a good experience at the Latham location. I stopped in today (Easter) to pick up some pastries, and was not shocked that there was a bit of a wait. That was fine because it is a holiday and I expected it to be busy. What I did not expect however, was that the woman who took care of me would be so rude while she waited on me. Just prior to my turn, the woman was flirting and carrying on with many of the male patrons, but once I needed to be served, she became a bit more cold shoulder. She asked me how much I needed, and since I was unsure of the exact amount of pastries, I said I needed a larger box. I also know that often certain pastries do not go in the boxes with everything else, and certain things get separated, so I did not know exactly what number to tell her since I did not know what would end up in the one box. After I said a large box, she again asked me how many items I would be getting. And I said I wasn't sure of the exact, but started to tell her what some of the items I was getting were, which were some of the larger pastries, so she would know I needed a larger sized box. Very rudely she told me she needed a number, so I finally blurted out about a dozen and a half, even though I still was unsure how many everything would work out to. I started to tell her the things I was looking to get, and there were a few times I apparently did not have the right name for things. I typically go to another place, where some of the names are a little different and that is what I was used to calling things. When I would mention the alternate name for a pastry she would snap at me that they do not carry that. 
I felt very rushed by the woman and felt like she was trying to blow me off anyway, and ended up not getting everything I had intended to get upon arrival. 
I understand that it was Easter, and the place was very busy, and the workers probably felt very rushed, and had probably had people yell at them all morning, however, when you work in any customer service business, you should give each new customer a good experience, despite your own feelings. Not to mention, the cookies were very dry and not up to par with how well they usually are when I pick them up at the Latham location.
Obviously from now on I will only be going to that particular store, if I continue to use Bella Napoli at all.
3 - Regular G.: Ok, so I go, and each time hope that it gets better for me. And.........(wait for it)........nope! I mean its serves its purpose, and people rave about it, but I just don't see the quality of the artistry of flavors that I'm looking for. In all honesty, it tastes like everything is from the same pastry batch. I did have one good canoli out of there, but all the other times that I've been, way too much of a lemony flavor to the canoli filling. 

Cakes, meh not moist enough. Ice Cream Cake, meh, at least its not a traditional type ice cream cake, but I'd rather have a store bought Carvel. 

Overall, if you have the time, hit up Villa Italia in my opinion.

There is one thing that gets me at this place though....the butter rolls. 5 STARS for them. They're probably the best rolls I've ever tasted and really think that I can eat them all them time. I actually buy them for our dinners, they're fantastic. You have to go for them, I take it back, I'll give them three stars, saved by the rolls!
5 - r c.: Great!! Love the donuts and raspberry rhugala are my favorite cookies ever! Never been treated rudely at all.

Bellanina - Ann Arbor, MI (42.282285, -83.7472786) (Kerrytown Ann Arbor)
4 - Sarah W.: I came to this spa not really knowing what to expect. I was a little biased to the spas in Asia, since I lived in the country of spas and massage of Thailand. But my Mom thought it would be a good idea.

It's a beautiful spa, when you enter you can see modern artwork up that is done by the owner Nina Howard. And while you wait for your appointment you can shop and browse a good selection of skincare or makeup. Bellanina even makes their own brand name skincare.

I decided to get the "basic facial". I was really surprised at how good it was. I felt comfortable and my face did not become irritated at all. And my pores around my nose area were clean and blackhead free. I also liked the room and thought the seating was really comfortable.

I also came back to get a "purifying body polish". I didn't enjoy this so much because they massage the body scrub on you while you are laying on this hard flat bathtub thing that they rinse and wash you. So while the massage with the scrub feels great, its the pain of laying and being pressed upon this hard tub that makes it hard to take. Of course after the scrub my skin looked great. I think they should change the procedure and apply this while you are on a massage table.

I recommend coming here for your monthly or seasonal facial!
4 - Sam S.: When I was younger, a barber used to cut my hair for $7; $1 extra to trim my Bert-esque brows, which he did with an electric shaver. Hey, I didn't want to end up looking like one of those angry terrorists. Later I graduated to a "stylist", but kept those brows looking tight myself. A tweezer in one hand, a bottle of gin in the other. Naturally, I would end up loaded, which was the only thing that made the experience relatively painless. A gal pal suggested getting my shit done professionally and told me about this place. I hesitantly made an appointment.

The waiting area is filled with Buddhas and Krishnas, somber nature sounds pleasantly playing in the background. It kept my apprehension and Hulk-like rage under control. As for the appointment, normally I would watch like a hawk, making sure I don't end up looking like a drag queen or a guido, but the esthetician was extremely courteous and looked over the printouts of celebrity brows I had downloaded from the Internet very carefully. I felt at complete ease in her abilities. Best of all, a few pain-free pulls and tweezes later, a mirror was presented to me: I looked awesome. I would totally fuck me.

The experience has instilled a confidence in me to try other beauty procedures: collagen in the lips to get them full and pouty like Angelina Jolie's, botox in the scrotum to even out the wrinkles, waxing a Nike swoosh into the pubis. The possibilities are endless.
4 - Coco C.: The Mister gave me a gift certificate for a pedicure here for my birthday. Which was over a month ago. (but that's what happens when you have small creatures called a "baby" in your house...)

Anyhoooo, I thought the digs were pretty swank, but no crappy gossip magazines! (The closest they got was "Spa Professional Monthly" and "Good Housekeeping"- bah,) And I was offered water, only to be given a teeny disposable cup to drink it out of - shouldn't a nicey-nice spa have something a bit more swank to drink out of? 

The pedicure itself was good - at first I thought it was pretty pricey for something that seemed pretty run-of-the-mill, but it's definitely better than a mall pedicure - the technician was able to shave off about three years worth of dead skin (gross, I know), which has never happened with previous pedicures. My toes are nice and sparkly, and I left impressed, even if I didn't get to read about Jessica Lohan Spears, or sip water out of a glass tumbler or something...
4 - Lisa W.: While I'm not a fan of Bellanina's decor -- it seems slightly new agey to me, I am a big fan of their skin care products.  My favorites are their Naturals, which have a selection of paraben-free goods that are also vegan friendly.  They have great gift ideas. 

When I walked in here, I was sort of ignored and that was annoying to me.  Working in customer service, I usually take notice if I'm at least greeted when I walk in.  That day I was browsing their baby skin care products -- they have a nice selection.  Perfect off-registry options for those baby showers that are coming like storms.
2 - Heather G.: I went for a manicure in March and my manicurist was not very nice and though my nails looked great when I left, I goofed them two hours later because they still were soft.  The bottom line is that she felt rushed.  This means that she was hustling to paint my nails and when I accidentally dragged my pinky (while she was holding my hand) on the tablecloth she talked to me like a dog that pooped on her Persian rug.  Her rushed nature also meant that she was applying the polish as fast as possible without giving time between coats.  I will note that this was ONE experience but I feel that because this is a day spa, a place I go relax, I should never feel like a dog when I leave.
1 - Tasha M.: I used to go to Bellanina religiously for the Cosmaseutical Facial. Since I had found a great esthetician, I stuck with the pain of the front desk staff who were nearly always rude. When my esthetician left, I continued to see others for the facial, however was eventually turned off completely by the shortness of the front desk staff. Sorry, folks, it's important that the first people that customers see and are greeted by are smiling.
1 - Al S.: I'd been getting massages at Bellanina (Liz is GREAT.) and so I decided to try a facial here. I had an appointment with Myken; it was a clinical facial, which included extractions. My skin looked okay afterwards but later in the day, I started noticing red dots where the extractions were. The next morning, I woke up and I looked like I had had the chicken pox. My skin looks *awful*, little scars everywhere. I am SO disappointed. My skin looked pretty good before the facial, I just wanted some help with blackheads. I guess I got more than I bargained for. I called to complain, and they were not very sympathetic. Needless to say I will not be going back.
4 - Tony C.: Manscaping has taken the country by storm so I suppose I had to jump on the bandwagon and make sure I didn't offend anyone with any hairy areas that weren't expected on my recent trip to the South.

So, I tried booking an appointment at my normal place, Vie Fitness and Spa, but alas, my favorite torture artist.err..esthetician is no longer there, so Bellanina was the first place that popped in my head.

Courtesy:  Excellent.  The entire staff was extremely courteous including the front desk folks and the esthetician, Amanda.  A+

The Actual Manscaping Experience:  Amanda chatted me up which made it less painful given that I was having huge tracts of hair being pulled off my body.  About the only thing that my old esthetician used to do that Amanda did not was ask me if the wax was an acceptable temperature.  With that said, it was pretty hot, but not enough to make me flinch.  After Amanda was done, she rubbed some protective balm on my back which actually felt really good.

The Before and After:  So, before it was my turn to get waxed, they had me wait in their "Zen Garden" area that is filled with all sorts of Buddha-related trinkets.  Two things really caught my attention though, one curious and the other somewhat annoying.

1.  Curious - They had a container of nuts for you to munch on.  I served up a handful and started popping one piece at a time into my mouth.  Walnut, cashew, almond..and then a Raisinette..whaaaat?  I'm not a big fan of raisins, but this really caught me off guard after eating a handful of the "high brow" nuts.

2.  Annoying - In this area, they have some dim lighting produced by some track lighting...that was BUZZING the whole time.  The BUZZING almost completely drowned out the soothing spa music they were piping in.  Luckily the light switch was right near the couch, so *click*.  I turned it off and finally silence.  It did leave me with a mild headache from listening to it for 15 minutes though.

Overall, I had a good experience.  Amanda's really nice and is definitely interesting to talk to, especially when you're getting waxed.  They need to fix that damn light though...why go through ALL of that trouble to create a tranquil environment to have it ruined by some buzzing lights?
3 - Lindsay N.: This is a pretty nice place but they seem to have a lot of turnover, almost every time I make an appointment I have to pick a new massage therapist because my pervious one is gone.
1 - pamela b.: I think it only fair to note that I did  respond to Nina's offer with 'no thanks.'  My experience there was just that bad. But good business to try. I wonder why two years after the fact?
5 - Greer T.: I had read other reviews about Bikini/Brazilian waxes about Lauren and being that I am not originally from Michigan I had no clue where else to go. 

Since this type of thing is always personal it was great to have someone as cheerful and welcoming as Lauren was.  She was fast and friendly and the experience was not uncomfortable (like it was at other places I have gone).

Pro: Everything, great staff, good prices. They comp parking and are willing to rebook ahead of time or schedule you in later.

Con: The only thing I can think of is that there is not really any on-site parking. I can not vouch for any of there other services.
2 - wendy w.: It pains me to write a semi-negative review for a local business I appreciate, but I haven't been to Bellanina in quite some time and I thought it would be a good idea to share my experience today.

I booked a facial...having had a service there a while back called the Bellavi Facelift massage...more of a massage than a facial, super-relaxing and great. When I came in today, the aesthetician suggested that the Bellavi thing wasn't a "real facial" and said it would be a better idea to get the standard botanical facial with an upsell including a mask. I deferred to her expertise and settled in for my splurge. I waited nearly 15 minutes for the aesthetician to return...she apologized as she had been cornered in the shop by someone who was looking for products. I figured it was no big deal and that the session would simply run an extra 15 minutes.

The products at Bellanina are fantastic...no complaints there. However, in the past when I have had a facial, there was a lot more "hands-on" attention with less of a focus on gadgets and product. This aesthetician didn't do the wonderful massage portion of the facial, but used some kind of electronic muscle stimulation machine, the steam and the mask (the mask was great, but NOT worth the $30 upsell and lack of massage). She also massaged my hands and shoulders for a minute or two, but not the feet, which in the past has always balanced out the facial for me. I feel like she kind of "phoned in" the body work portion of the service.

The procedure was over in 45 minutes, she didn't go over to make up for the lost time, and this was disappointing. In the end, I feel like I wasted my (scarce) "treat" money on something that wasn't really worth it. Perhaps I should have mentioned it afterwards, but I just didn't feel like getting into it with them. I also don't want to hurt her feelings or anything, she was very personable, but it wasn't the all-out pampering experience I have had in the past.

If I had written this review 5 or 10 years ago, it would have been 5 star, easily, because the spa has been FANTASTIC in the past, so I know this may be a one-off bad experience. However in these economic times, it's good to know if you're going to splurge that there may be better choices.
2 - Erica W.: Before I moved away from Ann Arbor I was a frequent customer at Bellanina for Brazilians and always left happy.  I was recently in town and figured I'd book an appointment while I was there.  I saw (what I can only hope) was a newer member of the staff.  The quality just wasn't up to standard and she left a lopsided "landing strip," if you will.  Without getting into too many personal details, I'll just say that she missed a key area and regrowth began a lot sooner than usual.   I'm thoroughly disappointed with the results.  I think that was mostly the result of a lack of experience on the aesthetician's part and I'm sad to say that I will not be going out of my way to get an appointment here next time I'm in town.
3 - kim d.: I decided to try the Bellanina spa for a massage this past weekend.  My experience seems to be in line with the other reviewers in that I was kept waiting and my service was cut short.  That said, the massage was average-I've had better for much less money.

I arrived 15 minutes before my scheduled 90 minute massage, as I was told to do.  I was led to the waiting room which consisted of a couch, a couple of chairs, some citrus water and mixed nuts.  I had some water, and filled out the paperwork.  And waited.  And waited.  When 20 minutes had gone by-past the time of my scheduled service-I returned the paper work to the counter and let them know that my massage was supposed to have started already.  She made some excuse that they were still getting the room ready.  Did I mention that I walked by several empty prepared rooms on the way to the desk and that I was the only customer there at the time?

I returned to the waiting area and tried some nuts-tasty.  I found no raisinettes, as were mentioned by another reviewer.  My therapist arrived and  led me up some stairs to a room with a massage table and bathroom.  It kind of seemed like a master bedroom in a house converted to a spa area.  So, she looked over my paperwork then left so I could undress.  This was 15 minutes past my scheduled start time, so I just assumed my massage would go 15 minutes over-it only makes sense.

The table was heated, and she put a towel over my eyes.  The massage ensued, nothing noteworth to say here-it was pretty average.  When it ended, she left so I could get dressed.  There is a digital clock on the counter, so I could tell right away just how long the massage lasted which was 81 minutes.  I checked out with the cashier-paid $129.  I did not say anything about my time being cut short as I already felt I would not be back.  I could get the same service just about anywhere else for fifty dollars less.  The only thing Bellanina had to offer was some mixed nuts, which I could do without, and a nicely appointed room (forgot to mention the heated toilet seat).  However, with my eyes closed and a towel over my head, the room really isn't all that important.  Pretty average experiece-definitely overpriced. I would have given it only 2 1/2 stars had that been an option.

Bellanza Med Spa - Pasadena, CA (34.144363, -118.125704) (Pasadena)
5 - stacie o.: Bellanza Med Spa offers exceptionally professional and effective skin care, laser and other aesthetic services performed by highly skilled medical professionals. As a client, you can expect gratitude- not attitude- from the nurses that administer the services and Bellanza staff. Visit Bellanza and get to know the owner, Patty. She cares so much she'll follow up with you herself to make sure you are happy with their services!
1 - Jack W.: Worst spa experience ever. 

I was referred there by a friend because she said bellanzo was cheap compared to the competition. Now I see why. 
Patty was arrogant and rude from the start, very rushed, like she didn't really want to be there or be taking care of clients. 

The place was dirty, the bathroom looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a week.

The treatment room I went into for Botox was dusty, and it smelled kind of funky, as if a kitchen garbage hadn't been sitting in the sun.

I was concerned about hygiene and sanitation, and had to watch closely to see if she used a clean disposable needle (which she did).

In the end, the treatment cost much more than had said it would, and still was not particularly effective. I've gotten botox many times before and I know exactly how many units it take to do the job well. I paid top dollar to Bellanze for the same amount of units, and in the end I still had to go get a touch up from some place else a couple weeks later and pay another $150 because I would never go back to Bellanzo.

 I was just happy I didn't get a staff or other infection from being exposed there.
I should probably contact the County Health Department.


That first review above looks exactly like advertising copy directly from their website.

There are too many good spas offering these services at good prices, in clean facilities from people who treat you well.

Belle La Vie Massage - Atlanta, GA (33.7855383, -84.3878138) (Midtown)
5 - Alisa S.: The best massage I've ever had. She  worked out my stress lumps that always surface  in my shoulders!
5 - Jamal C.: i've had Ms. Richards as a massage therapist for 2 years.  I can say, without a doubt, that her theraputic hands will make your back, neck, arms & legs feel like new.
5 - Fat Girl In The A.: I had my usual 90-minute session this morning and of course, it was AMAZING! I've been getting massaged by Donna Richard for two years now. She is simply the best! I wrote a review on June 23, 2010 (copy and paste) and this is what it said:

"Best massage I've ever had.  

Lately, I've been having a lot stress in my life.  I was hoping a massage would take some of it away.  I needed every knot in my neck and upper back broken and everything in my head, but that's a different story.  I walked in and was greeted by a very nice employee named Donna.  She was very informative and asked me about all my needs.  As she pressed down on my skin, I heard the knots breaking up.  She made my back feel so much better, I walked out feeling like Jell-o.  She also gave me an awesome glutes massage. It didn't tickle at all.  Overall, the massage was the best I've ever had.  I highly recommend Donna to anyone who has had a worthless massage. "

Donna is the best massage therapist in Atlanta. I stress to everyone to please contact her if you are in need of a professional massage. If you don't, you are missing out.
5 - Tina E.: I don't know where to start - there are so many wonderful things to say about my experience here!

Shekia is welcoming and friendly, and hilarious. The best part? She knows what she's doing. I'm a smaller girl, and when I ask for "firm pressure", normally there's hesitation - she asked and verified that that was what I was really looking for, and boy did she deliver. It was exactly what I'd asked for. She'll work on trouble spots for you, will go at the pressure you want, and will happily either chat with you during (I'm a chatty one...) or stay quiet and let you zone out and enjoy. 

Her place is in a building that's a medical practice, too, but don't be turned off. She's got her own little (and super relaxing) place upstairs. The massage room is perfectly dim, with music at just the right volume, and it was exactly what I was looking for. 

If I'm ever back in Atlanta, I absolutely would make it a priority to come here again! 

(The best part? Right now, new customers are $45/hour! There's no excuse...just go!!)

Belle Nails and Spa - Pasadena, CA (34.136758, -118.131861) (Pasadena)
5 - C G.: This place just opened about 2 weeks ago, but is run by a very professional staff with excellent customer service.  I decided to go all out and got a special treatment mani/pedi combo.  I really hope this place does well because I think it might just be my new fave.  It is on Lake, so after a hard day of shopping (smile) walk in and treat yourself.  I called before I walked in because I wanted to make sure they had OPI.   I am a huge OPI fan, and they have a pretty great selection.  OPI is really the only polish that lasts on my nails.  Big Fan of this place :)
4 - Hannah P.: Really clean and new place on lake, two ladies were working and they were both very sweet. My friend and I got pedis, I liked mine, she didnt like hers that much.

Beware of street parking! Pasadena parking is vicious, and we witnessed one of the patrons getting a ticket before our very eyes!

The only problem I really had was that they seemed a little short staffed. a total of four women were there and one of the workers had to scramble to accommodate to three customers. There was kind of a wait.. But it really wouldnt have been if that bad if the other girl worked faster! She was sooo slow, she was only doing a pedi, but she had barely started putting on the color by the time the other lady had started on her third pedi.

So if you get that one specific worker, you might be a little frustrated with how long she'll take, but you'll definitely feel the attention, but besides that, clean place, great location, beware for parking.
5 - Reese L.: My favorite nail salon. The place just opened sometime in February or March 2011 so the whole place is brand new: new chairs, new nail polish, new friendly employees. The prices are decent and for the quality of work, prices are great! Vivian, the manager, is a talkative, fun lady. She makes sure your experience is enjoyable. She even went out of her way to bring in some cardboard boxes when I was moving out of my apartment. The other employees do not really talk too much, but they are meticulous and make sure your nails look perfect. They also do a good job on eyebrow waxing (and their waxing rooms are very clean!). Unfortunately, I moved away, but I will definitely be back as much as I can. 

P.S. They get really busy Saturdays when they are sometimes understaffed, so try to go weekdays.
5 - Caroline B.: My favorite nail salon! Super clean and they do a really good job with their mani pedis. The manager Vivian is really sweet and helpful. I used to go to the nail salon on Delacey and though they are cheap I got grossed out by how dirty and disorganized the place was. Well worth the extra few bucks to get your nails done in a nice, clean salon.
5 - CJ W.: So let me start off by saying I am extremely picky about the way my nails are done. I am notorious for micromanaging the mani-pedi process so closely I am known to make nail techs bust a sweat.....but with that said, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this place! Vivian was so attentive to every detail and my nails looked great. She is very friendly and actually listened to what I wanted! The prices are reasonable and the customer service is excellent. To top it off, I have gotten so many compliments on my nails! No gobs of paint sloppily painted on skin. No bleeding from overly aggressive cuticle cutters. This is hands down my new spot!
3 - Dorothea L.: I was in search of a new nail salon and while driving thought to stop in.  The salon is clean and impressive.  No blaring television with inappropriate  TV programs.  I was greeted by Vivian and Tina did my manicure.  I was not at all impressed with Tina's manicure and she almost forgot to give me a hand massage.  She is inexperienced but friendly enough.  
Since this is my first visit I will try again, but Tina is not a good manicurist and she tries to oversell you with "Gel" nails.  She cannot polish very well either.  Discouraging, but since the Salon is so nice and clean and in a "non-ghetto" area I will try it again and review again.
5 - Altina K.: i like this place because i dont feel rush and they take there time even though there busy.They speak great english and love love that they dont have tv. but i recommend to have appointment before coming in.
5 - Naterra W.: This salon is a godsend! After my tough luck with nail salons, I stumbled upon this review and realized that the placed was up the street from my apartment. I headed here after a long day of studying and couldn't be happier. 

The manager is AMAZING! She makes you feel totally at home and the nail techs have great technique. I always leave with great mani's and pedi's that last for 3 weeks at the least.

Head on over to Belle Nails!
4 - Angie W.: I've been going to Vivian to get my nails done for years and was delightfully surprised when she changed from her venue in Arcadia to this location in Pasadena. The environment is really great, they always have soft music playing in the background and all furnishing is new and clean. What is absolutely important for me is the cleanliness of the tools they use. Don't want any nasty infections now x]! 

Vivian is really amazing, she's always happy to see me and makes sure that my nails and/or toes look stunning. I like her other employees as well, but I completely agree with some of the other people who reviewed Belle Nails and Spa, some of her employees do not seem as experienced or they do somewhat of a sloppy job. But if you have anything that you're unhappy with, just let them know and they'll change it/redo it for you right away!

The wait here is decent, depends on when you go. So I would definitely either call ahead or go on a weekday. Overall I give Belle's four stars and definitely recommend anyone who wants to try a new place to get their nails done!
5 - Kaycee C.: Great place! I found it on Yelp and the reviews drew me in. Super clean, friendly, and great mani pedi! I had the OPI gel polish (the owner did) and they look fab! Reasonably priced too!
5 - Bridget E.: After not coming here since my last review in October because I found a place that does waxing around the corner from my house a bit cheaper, I decided to come back because my hair had become a little longer since I failed to maintain it for a few extra weeks. When I came in, although I had only been there only ONCE before, the owner immediately greeted me with a smile and extended her arms for a hug saying it had been a long time since she had seen me.  Honestly I thought that maybe she had mistaken me for someone else because I didn't think it was possible that she could have remembered me after so many months that had gone by and for her to recognize me after seeing me only once, but then she started talking about my last visit and me saying I was hungry and getting a sandwich next door at Subway. Who remembers stuff like that? All I can say is if you do a crime make sure she not a witness because she will remember everything! LOL.

Besides the fact of the great customer service, the Brazilian Wax was one of the less painless ones that I have ever received. Although, as I said before, it had been longer than I had liked since i had received a wax it was less painful than when I visit my local place when I go when I have less hair.

I will continue to say, although this is not the cheapest place I have found, it is the cheapest for the quality of service and atmosphere. It is VERY reasonably priced and affordable. I love this place, I just wished it was closer to where I lived so I didn't have to travel as far, but it is well worth the trip!
1 - C L.: I gave this place a try because it was so close to me. It was during the recent holidays and they had really awful Christmas music playing. I was one of the first customers to walk in. One of the girls working there wanted to chit chat with whoever and Vivian just snapped at her and told her to keep quiet which made me even more aware of the Christmas songs while waiting to get my nails done. The girl who started me off scratched up my finger up. She was working so fast, it started bleeding. To make matter worse I asked Vivian for a specific design and she insisted she could do it, but instead she did such a poor job i asked her to just redo them in a solid color. I could walk to this place and make this my nail salon but it was such a wretched experience, I'll never step foot in this place again.
4 - Julia S.: I've been coming here for a few months & it is by far my favorite nail salon in the SGV. I've brought friends here on numerous occasions & they always leave happy. 
Acrylics are always done neatly & not clumpy. Gel manicures are always perfectly detailed & last me up to 3 weeks. Pedicures are fantastic & the brand new massage chairs are like heaven on earth.
The staff is hilarious & professional. Seriously, every time I go I have a great time. Vivianne is the manager & she's got over 25 years experience. Make an appointment with her your first time & you will most definitely return again to your new found friend manicurist. 
Also this place is super clean! You'll see for yourself. It's impeccable. 
Parking is metered, but there is free parking in the lot across the street. One time my meter was running out during my pedicure & Tina took her own $ and filled meter!!! What? Who does that? I'm telling you... You're going to love this place!
4 - Joanna J.: This is my 4th time coming to this place. Usually I'd write a review right away, but I wanted to make sure that I made an accurate review on this location so everyone really knew how well this business is =)

The reviews are correct. There are only 4 workers at this location. If you want to come, maybe make an appointment or go on a day where there usually isn't too many people like a week day. Today just happened to be a day that was not busy so I had alot of attention from the ladies. 

Vivian usually does my pedicures. But today, I had the pleasure of working with the other two ladies. I don't know what the complaint is. They are all really good. I always where my ipod and play music. I close my eyes so they know I want to relax and they don't talk to me. If you want to talk, then talk. And to be quite honest, on their LESS busy days, they take MORE time on you because they aren't rushed to be with the next customer. 

The place is very clean. Chairs are awesome with massagers that feel extremely nice. There are no tv's which for me is nice because I feel like they are distracting anyways. DO NOT PARK IN THE METERS!! Its only an hour max. Park behind the ROSS or the next block over where the corner bakery/Macy's is. I live around the area so I just walk down the street. 

The girls are always so friendly and its about $30 for mani/pedi. I think for a pedicure alone its $17? I might be wrong so don't quote me. But for the location and for the quality I think this place is awesome!!!
1 - Maral P.: 1 star -- only because I didnt even have the chance to try the place out! 
I called to make an appointment for mani/pedi.. no problemo.. was given a 3pm appointment time. The day of, I was running late/stuck in traffic around 1:45 pm I had a feeling I wouldn't make my appointment time at 3pm, so out of courtesy, called to ask if I could push my time back. .. The lady on the phone (super nice) says "no problem, come in at 4pm"

So why is it.. when i show up for my scheduled appointment, Im told to come back in 1 more hour because there are 2 walk ins ahead of me??
5 - Tash S.: This is a great nail salon and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a good place for spa pedicures. It is a clean, nice, new salon and the nail technicians are all very sweet and kind - Tina did a great job! Price is extremely reasonable, great service and my toes look fabulous! Spa pedicure is only $17 and they take credit cards (except for the tip). Parking is the only downside, but park across the street by Pavilions and grab a Starbucks on your walk to the nail shop.
1 - Valerie J.: It's now two days later and my nails are already chipping.  I am increasingly not happy with this salon.
5 - Diana L.: Great wax at a great price.  Got the "playboy" from Vivian.  She was short and to the point.  Very detailed too to make sure all unwanted hair was out.  Facility was clean and organized.

As for the pain factor, it was medium pain, but what wax down there is painless???

$32 for a playboy?! Yah, I'm coming again.
4 - Raquel G.: I have been to quite a few salons in Pasadena and this by far is my new favorite! I love that when you walk in it's clean, does not smell, and everyone is always so friendly.

You can get a spa manicure and pedicure(includes callus removal) for $35...yes I said it. $35 AMERICAN DOLLARS. Which is unheard of nowadays.  The girls their are very talkative and super friendly so be prepared. 

The only downside is that about 3-4 girls work at this location which means if they are busy they rush through your appointment and it quickly ruins your relaxing experience. So they lose a star but overall a great experience at a very affordable price!
5 - Amber B.: Extremely friendly and accommodating. I was rushing like a manic trying to get my nails, the day I went, and i actually went to another nail salon and they were completely rude.  So I left and looked for another salon and found Belle Nails, they completely fit me in. The owner was so nice and she did an amazing job on my nails. Tina did my pedi and gave an amazing foot massage. Overall it was a great experience and I will definitely be back again. 
The salon itself is very clean, which is so important to me when looking for a salon!!!     And I thought the prices were perfect, $12 for a regular manicure, $30 for Mani and pedi.
4 - Anna C.: this place is so close to my work, that i often just walk in for a pedi/fill.  vivian is SO cute and FAST! boy, she can do a fill in no time!

major heads up..if you need a pedi/fill on saturday, CALL AHEAD! walk-ins are no good on Saturday. Mon/Tues/Weds are best to avoid a wait!

$17 for a spa pedi? heck yes!  i will of course be back!
5 - Evangelina A.: Vivian is so friendly and FAST!  She has at least 2, sometimes 3 ladies working on me, and I am always delighted.  The spa manicure / pedicure and the waxing and massage are the perfect treat after a long, stressful week of work for me.  Vivian and her staff are very entertaining with the stories they have about their experiences and the people they meet in the spa.  Try it; you'll like it!
2 - Rebecca H.: I have been here a few times and I recommended and met friends here several times.  Unfortunately, this salon is ill equipped to handle more than 2 clients at  a time.  I dislike scheduling an appointment and then having to wait a half hour to 45 minutes to be seen.  I also dislike feeling like I am being rushed through because they are suddenly busy.  I won't be back here again anytime soon.
5 - Adriana K.: This is my new nail salon.  Vivian and Tina were both really friendly and took their time even though I walked in a 1/2 hour before closing and I wanted a mani, pedi, and wax.  Attention to detail.  Great massage chairs... and the short massage that each gave rivaled (and possibly bested) the massage place that I went to earlier in the day.  I was so relaxed. No walk-ins on weekends, so call in. Lots of gel nail colors. The ambiance is wonderful.  I love the design.  Bring cash for tips.
4 - Karen C.: I really like this nail salon, I usually drive to San Gabriel to get my nails done but I felt like trying out a place closer to my house.  Tina did a great job on my pedicure and also spoke perfect English which I think is a plus.  I got my pedi a month ago and the nail polish still looks great right now, they definitely use good quality base and top coats compared to some nail salons who use cheap generic ones.  This salon is also the cleanest I've been to, they have a pretty good selection of OPI polishes and their prices are very reasonable.  I love their massage chairs, they are so comfortable, I felt really relaxed after getting my nails done.  I came here on a Saturday morning and it wasn't crowded like a lot of people have mentioned, so I think that would be the best time to come if you want to avoid a wait.
4 - Jen C.: I found a place to get my nails did in Pasadena!
Me, my mom and sis went here on a scorching hot Saturday, around 3pm.
The shop was very clean and welcoming.
All of the polishes to choose from were very neatly organized by color.

There were three women working and they were all busy.
However, when one of them had the time, she prepared the spa foot soaks for all of us to relax in while we waited.
I got THE BEST hand/arm-foot/leg massage from my nail technician.  She was one of the older women there.  I just want to go back for her massages.
All of the employees were very sweet and friendly.

The whole experience took a few hours time since there are only three employees here, but we all left with mani-peds and smiles on our faces.

Total for the three of us was $100 + tip.

I hope they find a few more employees to help with the high demand of their business.
I recommend this nail salon if you have a couple of hours to spare.

**Update** I had the more 'mature' women take care of my nails, and the polish lasted for over 3 weeks!  I'll go back to her, since she also give Amazing massage**
5 - Brenda H.: I love this place! Great work and very friendly people, truly a wonderful experience
1 - Sarah S.: i was really disappointed with my visit to get my nails done for a wedding. 


i asked for acrylic nails and a french manicure which was more than regular acrylic for $33.  i've done both plenty of times in the past. she was very quick (almost too quick), and i felt like she skimped in many places. she did not buff down my nail first before doing the acrylics, and when she asked if i would like it square or round, i specifically told her to do it a little bit square. she then just gave me the fake nails that you press on, as is, without filing them down at all, so i was left with the nail shape that the fake nails come in!  when she was done, she said, ok you're done..and i couldn't believe it. it literally looked like i had press on nails, and she didn't do a french manicure, just put a clear gel coat on top, and said that was it. i didn't look too happy (and trust me, i'm one of those people that anyone can please, not picky at all) b/c it just didn't look right, and even the coating on one of my nails was bubbled up and didn't look right.  i'm not sure if perhaps things have changed since i used to do acrylic nails in the past, or if this is standard protocol now, but everyone that has seen my nails, including someone i know that does nails for a living, and all of them say that they were not done correctly, and that they are way too square, and look  a bit fake. as of right now, it's only been 5 days, and they're already peeling on the bottom of the acrylic. sigh.
5 - J Y.: Great place for affordable nails and waxing. Staff is super friendly. Although the first two times I went w/o an appointment and walked right in, the third time there was quite a wait. I usually go in the mid-afternoon, so it might be good to make an appointment just in case.

Bellisima Skin Center - Houston, TX (29.724841, -95.418304) (West University)
5 - Teresa G.: I got laser hair removal at Bellisima on my lower legs and underarms (3 treatments each) and I am completely happy with the results thus far.  Even with just the 3 sessions, there is already a remarkable difference.  The staff is super nice too and really make you feel comfortable.  I plan on returning to Bellisima for additional treatments in the near future.
4 - Emily C.: After purchasing an UrbanDealight voucher for a microderm facial with light chemical peel, I went to the location at 3355 West Alabama.  It's in a big office building, and I searched the directory for Bellisima, but they weren't listed, so I frustratedly called and found out they're within a dentist's office.  

The staff of the dentist's office and Bellisima are very nice and welcoming.  After a short wait in the lobby, Dr. Zavala welcomed me to her office for a quick consult.  I did feel a little like she was giving me a sales pitch for all the other services, but it looks like this is a start-up center, so it didn't bug me.

During the procedure (which took place in a dentist's chair, so don't expect soft lighting and Kenny G), Dr. Zavala did a great job of educating me about my skin (I have very sensitive, red skin), how to care for my skin, other treatments to solve some of my other skin problems, etc.  She also talked to me about what each step of the facial was doing at a cellular level so I could understand how the process works and why it's effective.

Overall, a good experience.  I will most likely go back for more!

Bello Mundo Cafe - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2816556, -120.661801) ()
5 - Rachel M.: I love this place! Friendly baristas and gooood coffee. Ecco is the best! Great atmosphere to grab a drink and go or stay and chat coffee! You gotta try it out!
8/13/11 Im with Peter, Jenn's cupcakes are the best!!!
5 - trogdor b.: i am an espresso geek. if i see three sizes for a cappuccino on your menu, i'm leaving. that's wrong, very very wrong.

it requires a certain level of lunacy to chase the perfect cup and these people are insane. they respect coffee and you. adjustments are made throughout the day, dialing and redialing, to ensure they're offering the very best at every hour and that's the finest form of coffee advocacy.

bello mundo is not where you squat for hour upon hour surfing teh internetz; you can go to any other cafe in slo for that. bello mundo is all about the coffee. it's a cafe for those in pursuit of excellence who want a barista who pursues the same. you come here for an exceptional product, warm personalities, and an integrity you can taste.

...and the cupcakes! oh, the cupcakes~ the perfect pairing to a cappuccino. sprinkles and kara's be damned.
5 - Adam N.: This place is bomb.com. Becoming my favorite place to get a real cappuccino. They serve Ecco. Great ambiance, only a few tables though. Two inside and a few outside. Great service. Drinks are going to take longer because they really care about pulling great shots and they won't serve you anything bellow perfection. If you care about great espresso, then this is by far one of the best places to go in SLO. They also have freshly made croissants every morning that are amazing. They really know what they are doing here when it comes to quality, easy 5 star!
5 - SLO L.: quick update- the croissants are terrific, the best I've had outside of France.  Slightly puffier than their continental cousins, but with a fantastically chewy crust that muffles any complaint.
4 - Natalie F.: I was so pleasantly surprised to return to the Central Coast to find hand-poured coffee. The selection is not bad, with a few different options. The staff seems fairly knowledgable and is very friendly. I think the first barista I met there is named Braden? Sorry if I got that wrong. Anyway, he was really friendly and knew his stuff! 
A good option since there isn't too much in decent coffee in the Central Coast, in my opinion, but a bummer that there are no local roasters. 
Extra special favor on this place since they convinced my dad to switch from a blade grinder to a burr grinder.
5 - Daniel L.: I visited this place recently during my Christmas vacation in SLO Town on the recommendation of a friend of mine who works at the SLO Court building.

Small, charming, quaint are words I'd use to describe the business and its interior. I enjoyed talking with the gal who served me, Ash. She was very knowledgeable about coffee, the coffee-making process, etc. I enjoyed my coffee so much I visited another two times in the next couple of days. On one such visit I had the occasion to talk to another barista, Mitch, and he was pretty kick-ass company as well.

I love Bello Mundo! My only regret is that I don't live in SLO, and will only be able to enjoy this place every couple of months!
5 - Judes K.: I LOVE Bella Mundo. The Owner and Baristas are top notch. They absolutely know their stuff and make out-of-this-world mochas. And they are REALLY picky about their coffee. They also make delicious baked goods and eats. These aren't kids trying to make a few bucks with a part-time job, they are professional, passionate coffee conoisseurs. Check it out! By the way, DON'T be in a hurry. Pick a time when you are ready for a true, relaxing and incomparable coffee experience.
5 - Joe K.: The coffee is exquisite, the service is very helpful and knowledgeable, and they take great care in preparing your cup.  

If you are interested in imported coffees with a variety of unique and subtle flavors, then this is the spot to go.
5 - vicki c.: Best coffee in SLO. I was at Intelligensia in Silverlake and it pales in comparison.
Great mocha's and heavenly hot chocolate .They have great croissants and cupcakes along with knowledgeable and friendly baristas.
5 - mike T.: What can I say about a place that emphasizes quality. Yummy! Enough said?...no. This place has the best beans in town and the best baristas to brew it up for you. I have stopped putting sugar in my coffee because of the amazing flavors of the coffee here. If you are in the mood for a snack the pastries I.e. cupcakes are to die for. Not that all of the food here isn't amazing, i'm just a little obsessed. :p uhhh the quiche, oh mmmmm ahhhh. The hot chocolate is a killer, you'll drink your weight in cocoa if you're not carefull. The only think you must be warey of is if you are in a rush this is not the place for you. Everything here is hand made and that includes the regular coffee but that is what I love about the place. Quality! Oh the owner and employees are always very friendly, knoledgable and fun to chat with.
5 - Lester M.: We are making the drive from San Francisco to LA. My girlfriend, her best friend with her husband, and me. We decided to stop in San Luis Obispo's Apple store to check our phones and buy a car charger since the one we had sucked. I wanted some coffee so I yelp the nearest coffee place. Bello Mundo was one block away. After reading some of the reviews, I set my mind in a espresso, a latte, and a small cupcake. Yes. All for me. Can you say caffeine overdose? But after such great reviews I could not leave without trying it. 

I walked in and immediately I'm greeted by Jeremy. Now here is a guy, hipster looking dude, who knows his coffee and knows how to brew the crap out of it. And after imparting some coffee knowledge on me, cant help wanting to hang out more with the guy and drink more coffee.

So I start with the espresso. OOOHHH YEAHHHH!!! Are the only words that can really describe this small cup of black gold. Being from Miami you kind of get drown between the Cuban coffee and the pretentious coffee houses brewing designer coffee. Until you have a espresso from Bello Mundo. Then you rediscover a whole new side of coffee. 

Second, I had my cupcake. Read so many reviews that I couldn't pass up, kinda like an offer I couldn't refuse. I decided to go for a bite size instead of a full one and what a bite it was. The cupcake was moist, rich, and every other good adjective you can add to it. That one bite was one moment of pure bliss. Yes, that good.

To finish, my latte. I can not stress enough the fact that being from Miami you kinda get overrun by lattes. From the Cuban cafe con leche to the specialty stores and everything in between. But this latte, was special. Special in a way that I can honestly say it was the best latte I have ever had. Special in a way that it ruins your palate and then the other lattes will not taste the same any more. 

I don't know when I'll be in California again, but when I go back I'm going to Bello Mundo. DEFINITELY.

PS. If you want to make your latte experience that much better, pick up a cinnamon bloom from Big Sur bakery a few miles north. Believe me, life changing.
5 - Andrew M.: Super high quality coffee and excellent service, quiet and peaceful on Sunday morning. Definitely recommend!
4 - Dan D.: Excellent espresso and pour over coffee.  This very small cafe really gets the art of making coffee and you won't be disappointed.  The only shortcoming (if it is one) is that it takes a few minutes to get your coffee.  But, in my humble opinion, the quality is worth the wait.  If you have to rush back to work in a jiffy, then you can always ask for an Americano or the cold filtered concentrate coffee with hot water.  The staff is very friendly, knowledgable, and they will remember you if you show up more than once!  A must visit.  Straight double espresso is my favorite drink here, but friends enjoy their pour overs.  They also have soy and almond milk.
5 - Mariana D.: College has turned me into a coffee connoisseur. I've gone from imbibing gallons for the caffeine buzz to appreciating the flavor and care behind a good cup of java. 

My iced latte at Bello Mundo was one of the best in recent memory. The barista made sure to fill it to the brim (without spilling) and I appreciated every drop. The coffee was strong enough to survive the ice dilution and had notes of citrus/chocolate. 

My mom had a iced tea of the tropical variety that was ruby red and had a mild sweetness. 

What made the stop truly worthwhile was the cheery attitude behind the counter. She made each drink with care. When I popped in to grab napkins to clean up a minor spill she offered to remake the drink and came out with a washcloth to help clean up. Luckily, it was more a dribble than a disaster. 

The chocolate cream cheese cupcakes were perfection. The cupcake was moist and rich with chunks of chocolate. The cream cheese icing was sweet without being overwhelming. 

A stop well worth it in downtown SLO!
5 - Marilynn L.: Freakin' amazing latte. I hate whole milk (I think it clouds the flavor of my espresso) but their whole milk latte is so strong and flavorful that I didn't even add sugar (that may be a first).
5 - Josh H.: Great iced coffee
5 - John R.: Fantastic coffee. I drink my coffee black, and the drip coffee here is varied (based on the beans available) and always delicious.

On the negative side, it takes pretty much a minimum of ten minutes to get your coffee. I go there only when I have time.
4 - J D.: This cute little cafe is full of fun colorful artwork, smiling faces, and relaxing music. I stopped by to check out the wall art and try a chai before work one day and definitely plan to go back. 
They offer a small list of drink options, but an array of coffees, listing the specific flavor notes for each option so you can really personalize your coffee drinking experience. 
One barista was holding down the fort and about 4 or 5 patrons were lingering, enjoy their morning beverages. I enjoyed my chai, even though it was to-go, and definitely will be back to try a "pour-over" which sounds delectable. 
The art on the walls is for sale, along with some handmade jewelry, etc. The great front window is a nice spot to sit and watch the fog roll through or just to people-watch while you sip some tea. 
Thanks for the chai- I'll be back! :)
5 - Joe K.: Bella Mundo is a funky little café with a lot of heart.

I recently stopped there for a cup of coffee on my way out of SLO and I was glad I did.  I was warmly greeted by the barrista whom then proceeded to make me one of the best cups of coffee that I have ever had.  The love and experience she put into making my coffee was impressive to say the least.

I chose the Dabella which is made with Ethiopian beans in a personal drip cup.  She rinsed the filter, heated my cup and freshly ground my beans.  The result was an extraordinary cup of Ethiopian coffee full of the earthy flavors that I have come to love in Ethiopian coffee.
5 - A B.: I love this shop, so small but full of charm. Friendly service and great coffee. This little shop beats any other in the downtown area.
5 - Cristian M.: We were passing through and needed some coffee and found this lovely treasure. I had some Iced T and the man of mine had his drip coffee. We decided to try a piece of the spiced Quiche and it was really unique and yum. The service was friendly and I'd totally recommend to a friend.
5 - Mike B.: Believe the other reviews folks - this place is an exceptionally good coffee shop with heart and friendly service. The barista who helped us (I think his name was Jeremy?) was a refreshing example of superior customer service. The art is interesting and great to check out while waiting on an order.  

My only possible complaint -- well, not even a complaint really... just something to keep in mind -- is that in such a small location, the wait maaaay be longer than normally expected during high-traffic times.  That still doesn't diminish from the score though... Just something to keep in mind.
5 - Syrius M.: need I say anything?
5 - Sharon G.: OMG! Jennifer makes the most delicious cakes and cupcakes!!! I brought a chocolate cake surrounded by mini cupcakes to a party and it all evaporated in less than 10 minutes. All of it. Gone. People raved about it. They swooned! I told them where I got it and how wonderful Jennifer is to work with...and now I'm telling you.

 I hope this brings Jennifer and Bello Mundo Cafe more business. I know they'll get my business every time I'm in SLO (next time will be in January, I think...although I may pass through in November. Hmmm...cupcakes for a roadtrip perhaps?)

Jennifer is a baking goddess and Bello Mundo Cafe ROCKS!

Belly Wine Bar - Cambridge, MA (42.3664258358009, -71.0909682512283) (Kendall Square/MIT)
1 - Roy C.: rudest people I have EVER come across. Especially the wine person. I guess she only cares about her  narrow minded oppinion and not what HER guest is looking for.
Food was ok[especially given it was their 1st night] but we were so "TURNED OFF" by MS. WINE!! that we will never return. too bad;the place has potential
5 - Jill F.: Tweet sent at 1 A.M EST from Nicole V.: "@JillDanielle do you remember the time when you were vegetarian?"  

My response, hungover from a party at the Hawthorne and one too many wines at Belly, 7:30 A.M EST: @CannoliColi: No, when was that...?

I've moved over to the dark side folks, the dark side of what I like to call, Cured Meat Addiction. And yes, Belly is here to feed my addiction. So myself and a couple friends dined in the newly redone space where Belly lives during opening night, and we we all had a fabulous time! 

What's wonderful about Belly is that it fills a space for the ever so wonderful "Wine Bar" classification that Boston/Cambridge doesn't really have. It's casual, chic, and friendly, a place I would gather friends for samplings of delicious charcuterie, wine and long conversations, or meet a date for a "non-dinner" place. It's very obvious that Central Bottle is behind the mastermind of Belly, because the wine list is unique, and thoughtful. Diners can select between 2oz. or 4oz. pours for every wine on the glass list, and they have a very extensive bottle list as well. Our server kindly helped guide us to wines we would all like, and after 6 glasses, we were all happily tasting and sharing each other's.

Then came the charcuterie. Which seems to be the mastermind of the Blue Room right next door. We had the chef's sampling. From a sweet and savory rabbit terrine to smoky chicken liver mousse and tons of other little bites, we found ourselves slowly savoring every last bite from the cutting board. And especially coming from a previous vegetarian standpoint, I really enjoyed them all -- which is quite a feat! Each charcuterie was different from one another. Smoky, creamy, salty, sweet...it was nice to have such diverse flavors for the palate. The rest of the menu sounded really nice as well. From oysters to arugula, Belly had my idea of a night out. Wine and bites -- the best kind of meal. 

And let's not forget about the actual space of Belly, because it's really quite gorgeous. I'm a sucker for aesthetically pleasing environments, and in Boston it's hard to find a place that mixes fancy and casual well. Belly did. Between a marble slab bar, industrial metal tables, and the original wooden ceiling, it felt more like a Wine Bar in Soho than Cambridge!

Now that I've been converted to the dark side, I don't even have to second guess if I'll be back or not, because I will!
4 - Kevin L.: Belly is a classic small plate/charcuterie spot with a great, if a little overpriced, wine selection. The salumi selection was excellent, especially when paired with the 5 cheese selection (tell them your style, and let the house choose). We opted to skip the glass pour selection because of the cost/glass, but found a number of options on the bottle list to be not only more approachable (our bottle was a wonderful French white for $30), but just as interesting in scope as the glass pours. Service was great, 3 of us sat at the bar, and our bartender/server was very kind, knowledgeable and not pushy by any means. I would definitely go back as a precursor to dinner somewhere else, or even as a fun evening of wine and snacks sans dinner plans.
5 - Dale C.: I didn't want to like Belly Wine Bar. Their website sucks ass. However, the food was delicious, the wine was adventurous & the service (Fanny) was absolutely terrific. They've only been open a short time, but there are so many things they're doing right. Once they add Vin Jeaune & something sweet to their by-the-glass list, these folks will be nailing it completely. Well worth a visit.
4 - Angelos K.: Belly is the new place I had the highest hopes of loving given its heritage.  They came close to perfection in my first visit but left me expecting more. Mind you the cheese selections were excellent and pricey (The Madonna had the right balance of quality, substance, and price) and the lamb bacon and eggs dish was unbelievable. But what was lacking was the cohesiveness and storytelling of central bottle's themed wine bars and wine clubs. I was secretly wishing Belly would offer wine flights with a story, like CB does on Thursdays that challenge you to try wines you wouldn't otherwise think to taste. We were confused by their wine list by the glass, so we settled on a bottle of a trusted red. The waiter offered another suggestion, which we also tried later and liked, but I wanted Belly to show me the possibilities and guide the way. I am sure that i will go back again but please consider this feedback moving forward!!!
2 - Catherine A.: I went on a Wednesday night with friends to check out this new spot, and we were all pretty disappointed.

PROS
- the staff was friendly and willing to answer questions about the food and wine
- they let us taste a couple of wines before ordering and allowed us to buy single glasses of a wine that was only on the bottle menu.
- we got the five cheese plate and the chef's salumi selection; in each, there were a few standout items and the portions were decent.
- the wines were good and the staff was knowledgeable about them

CONS
- most of the wines by the glass are overpriced. cambridge is not soho. $15 for (barely) 5 oz of wine? i've definitely had better (and less expensive) wine in boston and cambridge.
- it took FOREVER between "courses". first, we had "snacks", then we had the salumi plate and then the cheese plate. the snacks part was fine, but there was about a 20 min wait after we finished that before we got the meat, and the meat was just plain slices, no accompaniment. we quickly realized that we wanted cheese and bread to go with the salumi but there was no room on the tiny table to fit anything else! we cleared the meat off the serving board and onto our bread plates and asked if we could have the cheese now. after 30 min, we finally got our cheese. we had to ask for bread and after another 5 min, the bread arrived (of which there would not have been enough except for the fact only 2 out of 3 of us were eating the bread). nothing we ordered was cooked, so i can't imagine why it would take so long to arrive.
- for our gluten-free friend, there was no bread-alternative on which to put the cheese. she could have put it on the meat, but they wouldn't bring the cheese 'til the meat was virtually all gone.
- the small tables are hard, slippery plastic. our server put down bread plates, and then put a fork and spoon on top. the weight from the silverware sent the plate sliding into my friend's lap (fortunately, there was no food on the plate). later in the evening, my friend tried to cut a piece of cheese, and the smallest of movements sent the other friend's bread plate sailing onto the floor, smashing into pieces, and taking with it the last pieces of meat (that we had saved to go with the cheese). the server told us that another customer had said that trying to eat on the table was like playing air hockey. he said that they realized pretty quickly after opening that the short plastic tables were not a good choice, so hopefully they will be changing those. in the meantime, they should at least add some kind of covering so your plates and glasses aren't flying around. 
- with tip, the bill totaled $192 for three women -- way too much for the amount of food and wine we had.

We will not likely be going back as there are far too many better options around.
2 - Jared S.: I was unimpressed with Belly.

Firstly, there was a serious lack of breadth to the by-the-glass wine selection for a place that calls itself a "wine bar".  The white wines consisted of mostly sweet wines like rieslings, gewurzes, and moscados, and the reds comprised ENTIRELY of beaujolais, no joke.

I was also disappointed with the food.  @ $14 for a half dozen island creeks ($2.30/oyster), I was shocked at how fishy tasting they were.  My wife and I wondered whether they had been sitting out all day and gone bad.  Not to mention they need to do a better job shucking (there were lots of shell bits in the oysters) and they were served with no accoutrements.  The iberico ham was, well, iberico ham, so that was good, and the chicken liver mousse was also pretty good and a bargain at only $6.  The nail in the coffin, however, was the cheese.  We ordered a pecorino cheese and, for $7, literally got two shavings that wouldn't have satisfied a mouse.

The service was generally friendly, though I could see how someone might be put off by the *slight* air of pretentiousness.  But that goes with the territory of a snooty wine and cheese bar!  Especially in Cambridge, the most egocentric city on the planet.

It just saddens me that the Boston area has no really outstanding wine bars.  Best I've found so far is Bin 26 Enoteca in Beacon Hill - so I'd recommend taking the Red Line one stop in to Charles/MGH rather than Belly.
5 - Lindsay M.: This place is chic, tucked away and cozy.  The decor is perfect down to the patterned tiles and rustic wood beams. The bar seats are comfortable but modern looking.

Fanny, our bartender, was incredible.  She is so friendly and made all kinds of magic happen.  Poof, beet salad.  Poof, cheese.  

We enjoyed a couple glasses of bubbly and parm that was broken of a large wheel on the bar.  A little side of honey complimented my salty cheese and made me a happy buzzin' lil honeybee.  I had the beet salad which had golden beets dressed in balsamic and tossed with chiffonades of romaine.  The beets are mixed with chickpeas and kidney beans.  Every bite was tasty and exactly what I have been looking for.  Nothing over the top, just simple snacks executed well.  

This is the perfect place to lounge and get caught up with friends without going out to dinner. Avoid the times before and after movies though, as it gets a little busier then.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy some vino! Salut!
4 - Richard E.: Went to Belly for the first time last night and we really liked the place. Not to big, not too loud, well decorated and just busy enough for us. The food was great, the duck pate en croute was killer, as was the rabbit rillette.

Only gripes I had was that the cheeses and meats all seemed to come on a huge platter, often the only thing on the plate. I get the whole zen presentation thing but for the sake of our small round table, its ok if some of the meats and cheese share a single plate. They are friends, they will get along just fine together!

The service was excellent although our first courses seemed to take a while to come out, odd given they are just sliced meats. Belly has only been open for 10 days so Im sure they are working these small kinks out and will be well on their way to become a favorite local wine and salumi spot. We will definitely go back soon!
4 - Sonia D.: I am so happy we finally have a wine bar in Boston/Cambridge!!!  I went last night for the first time and I absolutely fell in love.  It's a quaint little spot with nice decor, cheese table in the bar and a cool bar area.  The staff was super friendly and made good recommendations on wine and cheese.  Great music!!!!  We ordered 3 types or cheeses and the portions were huge, which is nice because they are normally small.  

If you are in the arear or looking for a quaint place with good music, wine and cheese definitely check this new place out.
2 - Natalie A.: I saw this place opened and I was really excited. 
One night my boyfriend and I decided to go and we were actually extremely deceived by the evening spent there. 
The cheese and meats was served before the salad. 
When the cheese came out we had no bread-we waited 5 minutes still nothing. So we ate the cheese by itself and once we had finished- the bread was brought to our table.
The wine was not cold enough, so the waiter put it a vase- and it had a whole it leaked everywhere. 
Not to mention, we had 5 different waiters- it was so confusing and also Price range- was very expensive for what we ordered. 
I don't think I will go again. 
However, I also give them the benefit of the doubt that it was their first week since their opening.
3 - Stephen L.: Good wine, good service, and we enjoyed the salumi which are basically cured meats. Definitely needs more food options. Good for a glass of wine and a light snack.
5 - Ankita d.: I had the best time at Belly - largely due to the fantastic folks that work there.  I stumbled in with a friend looking to be entertained, and entertained we were!  The bartender, whose name escapes me now, was amazing - he had the perfect words to describe each cheese, meat, and wine, so that each of us just had to have whatever we were eyeing.  He also answered all our questions (and we had about 3 hours worth) very patiently.  And, he was the first bartender who actually thought it was cool that I was doing a "sober month".  

The food was great, the wines were really unique (never heard of orange wine before), the decor and ambiance outstanding.  I cannot wait to go back, ideally on a romantic date with a tall, dark, and handsome man.

Below Sea Level - Seattle, WA (47.658123, -122.3142544) (University District)
4 - Robyn H.: Its possible to commune with the fishes and not even get wet!  This store (below street level) in the U. District soothes the desire to spend lots and lots of money on aquariums and exotic salt water fish.  I stroll around trying to decide how I would set up my dream tank and then I look at the prices and, surprise!, the desires disappear once more.
3 - Kirsti H.: I went to this store with high expectations, but found a note on the door stating, "be back in 10 minutes". Another antsy patron who was waiting informed me that he'd been waiting over 20 minutes already. 45 minutes after that, someone finally came along to let us in out of the cold.

They had a decent selection of fish, but I wasn't hugely impressed.

Beltway Plaza Hardware - Greenbelt, MD (38.9971722, -76.9068399) ()
4 - Ken M.: If you need a good hardware store that has a lot of personal service by people who know what they're talking about...this is the place.  Prices are decent.  They have a good variety of your basic hardware needs and the owner is knowledgeable and friendly.

Oh...and they make keys!
5 - Joanne D.: I have keys cut all the time because I am a REALTOR.  I have never had a key from Beltway Plaza Hardware that does not work.  They do a great job.

Beltway Plaza Shell Servicenter - College Park, MD (38.998456, -76.916043) ()
4 - Chang W.: I confess: the main purpose of this review is to get me to 90. I am a numbers guy and 90 feels better than 89. I do have something useful to say about this gas station though--it has consistently been the cheapest in town. Last week it was @$2.19. With these rock bottom prices it almost feels like it's 2001.
1 - AJ D.: Worst service station EVER.

I went here to get my tire patched and I'm sure they made the whole bigger.  After 45 mins, they told me it was all done while I CAN HEAR THE AIR COMING OUT of my tire and they attempted to charge me 30 bucks for 2 patches (only 1 patch worked!!).

Needless to say, I ended up getting a new tire the next day.

I went here because it was the closest gas station when I got my flat tire and will NEVER GO BACK.

Beltway Plaza Shopping Center - Greenbelt, MD (38.9972246, -76.907039) ()
5 - Michael G.: If you want a slow paced and chill mall, come here.  I've been shopping at this mall for decades and I love it.
1 - Tierra J.: I'm having a hard time understanding why this mall is still here. Even when I was a kid and was forced to hang out here with my cousins, it sucked. When your anchor stores are Giant, Value City (back in the day) and Burlington, well, you're destined to suck. 
Every store here can be found elsewhere. I agree with Ol' Yella, just go to PG Plaza. That mall (on the come-up for sure) has much better stuff. 
Beltway is where dreams go to die. If you've ever been to Tysons, coming here will make you want to hurt someone. Tons of no name-brand stores line the pitiful "hall way" they call a mall. It smells funny and its filled with dirty ass kids. Unless you want to be unintentionally assaulted by some snotty-nosed non English speaking child running around with a lollipop stuck to their shirt, I'd stay far away from here. 
Most of the shop owners have attitude problems. I want to ask, "Do you know where the hell you are? Because I do. You're in the Skid Row of malls." Hmmph! With a total of 3 visitors to the store a day, you'd think they'd be nicer. 
When I was a kid, malls were to see and be seen. Well, no one wanted to be seen at this mall. If I go here, its for a very specific reason, like I can't get what I am looking for anywhere else or I just feel like driving to Greenbelt and laughing at something (relax, I'm from there. I can talk isht on it).

Belzano Ristorante - Princeton, NJ (40.30827, -74.6685987) ()
4 - Samuel G.: My wife and I tried Belzano not long after it opened and enjoyed our experience. While we looked over our menus, we were served a basket of delicious garlic flatbread and what appeared to be rosemary focaccia, both of which were excellent, and the garlic bread being rich with olive oil. I tried the Cal Italia Pizza (featuring gorgonzola-dulce, prosciutto, fig jelly, and balsamic reduction) and found it to be delicious. There were several other pizza options, most of which were more recognizable to me as pizzas, but the sweet, tangy, and savory flavors made this a great entree all on its own. The pizza could easily feed two. My wife tried the arugula salad and BLT Panini and enjoyed them both quite a bit. The service was friendly and enthusiastic, if a little inexperienced (there were no problems or mistakes, but the timing was just slightly off, as it is for all new servers), but inexperience is quickly remedied. Overall, I welcome Belzano's addition to the local culinary scene and expect to eat there again.
1 - C L.: Based on my experience, the best thing the owners could do is liquidate this restaurant.  It's a suburban nightmare. Upon entering the restaurant, we ran into some friends, who said the place was mediocre at best.  We should have left then, but regrettably didn't. 

We had hopes for something more than "big box" restaurants (.e.g. TGI Fridays, Olive Garden etc.)  amidst our suburban bliss in central NJ.    My meal was served cold three times in a row.   I guess the microwave was out.

From what I can gather, the restaurant serves Costco frozen food reheated in the microwave.     The Ricotta cheesecake was mediocre at best. 

The espresso was decent, but that is it.

We won't be going back.
3 - Arthur P.: Updated on 5-6
No longer there and out of business or changes hands already.  Now a portugese/italian restaurant.  Not sure if its the same folks or not but its not Belzano anymore.


Original
Going with 3 stars as it wasnt great but wasnt bad either.  Going to need to try again 2 or 3x until I can get a good flavor for most of the menu.  Was referred to it by a local consultant who is definitely a fan, and, since she knows food since she is always eating out, I will definitely go back and try something else on the menu.

Relatively new place - very clean and the wait staff was attentive.  Prices were reasonable, portion sizes seemed good.  

Food taste was pretty decent.  Good lunch specials for $8 especially if you are close.   Pizza is good but not out of this world.
4 - Judith F.: If you have a gluten allery and live in Princeton, this is the place to go.  My husband and I go at least once a week. I get one of the gluten free pizzas and my husband loves their Lasagna.
1 - Kev G.: place is closed! drove by a little bit ago. They didn't even make it a year!

Ben & Jerry's - Cambridge, MA (42.3726417, -71.1198562) (Harvard Square)
4 - alejandro t.: Welcome to another wonderful treasure in the Harvard Square Garage. This place has cones of the ice cream you already love. You can sit at tall tables and chat but it sometimes gets noisy in the garage. Overall this place is pretty good.
5 - Joe b.: This ice cream 'parlor' is exquisitte!!! excellent in all ways and flawed in none. Plus Anna works there and she's a Gangsta Fly queenie.

*edit*
anna quit and thus it is less hardcore.
*edit*
5 - Anna S.: The delicious ice cream you know and love along with great new delicacies.  Plus, we scoopers give you excellent service ;-)
4 - Hana T.: Great place to get ice cream while walking around in the Square.  My favorite flavor is Chunky Monkey!!
4 - Ben L.: I like this Ben and Jerry's. They have friendly and fast service and a great location.  You can hang out a Harvard Square and then duck into the garage mall for a quick cone.  I recommend Bananas on the Rum.  When I went I ordered a milkshake and I was a little disappionted that they try to keep it so exact.  They should have a little extra to make sure the cup is filled to the top.  
Also the lid tried to eat my straw.  You know the little pointy triangle bits.  They were trying to massacre the poor fragile plastic thing.  You will know what I'm talking about if it's happened to you.
The straight-ice cream shoppe
What's good-service, location fresh waffle cones
The slap-stingy shake making and violent lids.
4 - Jeremy K.: Here's a dare for you: find a person that doesn't like Ben and Jerry's! Seriously, I mean it. Told you, it's impossible, it's just so good.

This location is located just outside of Harvard Square, in the Garage mall, right past RadioShack on JFK Street. It's clean, open late and the service is fast. Their selection is pretty good, ranging from ice cream to smoothies and milkshakes.

It's great and always hits the spot. A nice addition to Harvard square.
3 - Gordon G.: It's Ben & Jerry's.  In the Garage.  What are you really expecting?
4 - Aaron E.: My high school AP Stats teacher always used to talk about Guinness and how it tastes better the closer you get to where it's made. Is it good in America? Yeah. Is it good in Europe? Yeah, it's better! Is it good in Ireland? Heck yeah, it's delicious! Is it good at the factory? Ummm, yeah, it's best consumed there! I kind of feel the same way about most things, and feel that if you're getting something made in a factory, it's so much better there! While this particular Ben & Jerry's isn't in Vermont, it's close(r) at least, and therefore tastes better than say, a location in Seattle. 

Being a Seattle boy who spent a summer in Boston, I was on the verge of heat stroke the entire time. What saves you from dying of the heat? Ice cream. Duh. I could always, always depend on a creamy, cold and refreshing scoop of any of the wonderful flavors they have here to sooth what ailed me. While I probably might have stuck with a frosty, blended beverage from Starbucks to not only cool me but energize me, the roomie was a fan of this place and more often than not I found myself here (although there was an sbux next door). 

For some reason this location has better service than others... always friendly faces eager to serve customers and typically were generous with heaping scoops! Milkshakes always seemed to take forever, but they are well worth it (although I do agree with Ben L. that they could fill the cups more and that the straws are always squished from the lids!) 

It's Ben & Jerry's free scoop day (as in today only, errr, today only until this time next year) so y'all should gooooo! I mean Ben & Jerry's is worth paying for, but, ya know, go get it while you can!
5 - Greg C.: Just perfect.

Open late, always friendly, always delicious.
3 - Meghana A.: I shall credit this particular Ben & Jerry's for inspiring my craving for ice cream this season. I am not what one would call an ice cream person, I've never LOVED it, like others do.  However, as I walked through The Garage one day in late February, an apparently bored Ben & Jerry's server offered me a taste of the new flavor Maple Blondie from behind the counter. I fell in love and came back for it about 3 times through April. 

On the hottest day of the year so far, and coincidentally, the day of Harvard Square's MayFair, I stood in line for 20 minutes to order my beloved Maple Blondie ice cream. I was crestfallen to discover it had been discontinued as it was a limited edition named for Olympian and Vermont native, snowboarder Hannah Teter! :( 

According to one of the sales people, Maple Blondie may still be available in cartons... I have yet to find it. Nevertheless, the damage has been done. I now officially love Ben & Jerry's ice cream and have graduated another new 2010 flavor 'Milk and Cookies' to the top of my list. It's a mix of vanilla ice cream with chocolate swirl and soft and gooey chocolate chip cookies, right in the ice cream! You can watch your portions and your wallet by getting a kid's size serving for $3.25.
4 - Cait S.: If you would like a free scoop of ice cream on your birthday sign up on Ben and Jerry's website.  The service here was friendly and I got my ice cream quickly. It's either mobbed here or totally dead.  I get my free birthday scoop here every year, free ice cream tastes best.
3 - Lauren E.: A small ice cream in a cup costs the same as a pint in the grocery store...?

That's like 4x the cost...!

But for those of us who might eat too much at the time of the pint-of-icecream-purchase, this might actually be a good way to make up for lack of self control. You just have to pay for it. Literally.

The list of flavors is pretty impressive. You have many choices every time! They even have a few yogurt choices at all times. Last time I had half baked yogurt. Never as good as the ice cream, but still pretty tasty.

There's a little part of me that feels kinda funny sitting and eating in the middle of the garage while all the chaos continues around me. Ice cream deserves to be consumed in complete bliss. Maybe they think that Ben & Jerry's is so good that the taste can make up for it.
3 - Aboud Y.: I like Ben & Jerry's, but I have to place them a notch below JP Licks.  They certainly have more inventive flavors, but the ice cream just tastes better at JPL.
4 - David M.: I always thought of Ben and jerry's as an ice cream place, but lately I've been obsessed with their sherbert based smoothies. I never would have even thought to get that, but with a groupon in hand I went down there on the day it expired.... then I discovered I had two and went again later that day.
4 - Cy K.: A nice little place tucked into The Garage.  The ice cream is good (as always), and the seats - stools right in the middle of the mall - offer perfect people watching.
4 - K. Brooke Z.: We did it...we SLAYED THE VERMONSTER!

If you haven't had a chance to see one of these...you should grab a few friends (at least 4) and try it out.

20 scoops of ice cream, loads of toppings, heaps of hot fudge and a mammoth sized amount of whipped cream (fresh!).

You will feel like a champ if you complete it. The tradition with my friends is to clean out the bucket after a successful attempt and then wear the bucket on your head for the commute back home. Its like a victory crown!
5 - Meagan H.: Still the yummiest and most refreshing chocolate milkshake in Harvard Square!!!
2 - Eva W.: It was truly meh.
I think it mostly had to do with the fact that I tried the mix-it-up feature.
Basically you picked two ice cream, two toppings and they mixed it up for you (kind of like coldstone... but with a machine).
It was.. well, meh. It came out looking like chocolate pudding and it was very soft and spilt everywhere (which is saying something considering I got in in 40 degree weather). Plus, I paid 6 bucks for a small cup... I ended up throwing most of it away because it was way too messy and spilt all over my hands while I was walking and eating.
3 - Rasien I.: "Taste the Lin-Sanity"

Yes, that is the latest and greatest in Ben and Jerry's flavors to follow along with the recent streak of Jeremy Lin fanatics. This location in Boston would be the one to serve this tantalizing new ice cream. According to the article that was released the Friday I got on a plane to Boston, "Taste the Lin-Sanity" consisted of vanilla ice cream, lychee honey, and fortune cookies... the thought of it sounded funny and amazing all at once... I made the cold trek to this Ben and Jerry's that Sunday... and to my surprise... SOLD OUT! The girl behind the counter said that they made a month's supply but ran out in only a few days. I thought that the stars had aligned for this amazing new flavor to be released the same weekend of my trip to Boston, but I was disappointed. Bummed. Sad.
1 - T R.: I found a staple in my ice cream. Nuff said. Tetanus shot!
4 - Nick D.: A Harvard Square staple. Love the limited edition and test flavors that occasionally come through. An early edition taste of their creme brulee made my head explode a few years ago and is still in my taste-memory. Portions are extremely generous but child-size is available to avoid brain freeze. 

Seating inside the garage is always nice and cool. Or walk across the street near Grendel's to catch a park bench seat outside. Even better- walk down to the river. Ice cream travels well.

Ben & Jerry's - Philadelphia, PA (39.9534731, -75.2027264) (University City)
2 - Jacquelin K.: Since in theory, each scoop shop is selling the same product, the only thing to distinguish each from the other is staff, decor, and location.  There's nothing outstanding about this one on 40th.  Of course, lots of Penn students come anyway.  The staff are amiable enough.  Some people swear by Ben & Jerry's, but to me it's nothing special.  Why buy a cup of ice cream for $5 when you can get a gallon for less at Fresh Grocer up the street?  Sure, you don't look very cute in flip flops & a mini skirt lugging it home & eventually eating it all, but that's not the point, people.   I work on top of this store & I like the smell of sugar cones wafting into my office.  The store can be a little icky sometimes in terms of cleanliness, so 2 stars will do.
3 - Kimberly P.: True there is nothing really different about this location. And the ice cream is unnecessarily expensive. But they give away free ice cream once a year and who can complain about that?
3 - Emily P.: Some Haikus:



Free Ice Cream Cone Day:
You closed early, left me out
Alone and hungry.

"Come back tomorrow, 
and I'll give you a small cone
for $4.23."

I smiled and left
Dejected, still hungry, but--
Ten points for humor.


Previously, I
Stopped in for Beer and Donut
Ice Cream. Delicious.

Hooray for Simpsons-
Themed treats and stores that sell them.
(and free samples, too!)
3 - Bill M.: 5 stars for the ice cream and usual service. 3 stars for the usual amount of Penn students that this place brings in. I normally don't have a problem with them as a whole, but here can usually bring in the worst of them. 

It was super amazing for Ben & Jerry's to organize an event like Free Cone Day. and the fact that it had people on hand collecting donations to go towards helping the end of poverty at every single store front was pretty unbelievable. But the fact that the majority of Penn kids in that very long line didn't even stop to give a dime before getting there free cone was pretty ghastly. True a lot of people did and walked away with a useful 10% card when they did. But that spot could have had so many more people doing it.

But enough on that bad afterthought because the ice cream here is a serious vice. I do love me some Phish Food and Half Baked. and overall their good places to hit for your fix. I just think the one by Rittenhouse Square is the better one to go to for it.
3 - Alisha M.: You know ice cream.  I can't belive these places are all over Philly, I've never actually been in a Ben & Jerry's, we didnt have them in Michigan.  It's great because now I can buy a carton of any flavor I want or cheaper than anywhere else right from the source.  Of course the ice cream is fantastic my favi is Phish Food.  But the employees are just blah and I stood around waiting to pay when there was nobody in front of me...  yummy though, I will be back.  Maybe today, as soon as I finish this yaaa
3 - Hank C.: A little B&J's goes a long way in summer.

Also open in Fall and Spring to cater to students itching for their ice cream hankering, it's not open on the winters. You can get ice cream cakes here, as well as popsicles and frozen chocolate-covered bananas and more... it's all the flavors you love and few more.

A tasty treat. Every once in a while they offer a free small ice cream!
4 - Dana B.: It's nice to know that there's a Ben and Jerry's at least somewhere in Philly proper, better yet a few blocks away from where I work.  I stopped in one day, overheated after a grueling 6 hours of passing out flyers on the street and in need of something cold, refreshing, and most likely chocolaty.  I settled on the Half-Baked frozen yogurt, and I was quite satisfied with my choice.  Having loved Phish Food ice cream since I was a youngin', it was hard to choose, but I figured I can always go back and try a new flavor each time.  Live on Ben and Jerry's!
5 - Gerry D.: Ice cream! What you waiting for? I'm so proud that there's Ben and Jerrys store around philly. it's kinda far from my house tho since i live on south philly, but oh well? You could buy cheaper Ben and Jerrys from the sources! Highly recommended.
3 - David C.: Its Ben & Jerry's. You really can't go wrong.
4 - Ben F.: I like this place not just because it's ice cream is delicious, but because after tipping well consistently I received from an employee a 10% card off all purchases from any Ben and Jerry's store and the status of VIP taster. I buy ice cream from here even in the winter. 
This place in particular attracts noisy customers however, I recommend grabbing the ice-cream with intention to go and not eat there.

N.B. Cones are for the wild, cups for the wise.
3 - Nikila D.: This Ben & Jerry's had the standard quality of ice creams / frozen yogurts that anyone should expect of the brand. I usually go in with many friends, and we were all pleased with the delicious frozen delights.

However, the service here leans toward being terrible. Every time I go here, the people behind the counter are grouchy, grumpy, and look like they want to be doing anything but serving ice cream. It's fine if you feel that way, and I'm sorry, but don't project that onto your customers. Last time I came here, my friend asked for two scoops instead of one scoop of ice cream, and got death glares. It's really not that hard to add one more scoop! In addition, last time I came here, I thought I had left my wallet here, so I came back and told them. Their answer was essentially, "Oh, I'm sorry. That sucks." ...okay. No one is in the store. You couldn't care even just a bit more? Even the wallet so happens to be in the cashier box area?

In summary, go here if you want your standard Ben & Jerry's, but don't expect the staff to make you as happy as the ice cream does.

Ben & Jerry's - Seattle, WA (47.663219, -122.29886) (University District)
4 - Kim C.: I lived a 5 minute walk from U Village for awhile, and would often stop at Ben and Jerry's for a quick scoop o' ice cream on the way back home. 

So why review an ice cream place? Well, the service was always super friendly and thus, I'd at least like to point that out. Several of the staff recognized me as time went on and would always say hello and ask how I was doing. The ice cream was delicious... duh!!

Be forewarned: when it's hot or summer, the lines get CRAZY packed.
3 - D.J. Y.: What the heck did I just pay for??? For $8-12 bucks I got a waffle cone, two choices of flavors and a small kiddie cone, oh that must have included a tip....

For cripes sake, what's the fuss over all this "designer" ice cream, Ben, Jerry, is this your mission statement?  Make this so totally addicting, market this stuff to the masses with cute names and colorful packaging and then sell it in our local grocery stores and then shove it down from a top, with these little ice cream/crack-dens to keep us coming back!!??!!  

Well my friends, I'll just have to wait for my local Safeway to have another 2-fer sale so that I can quench my cravings for your creamy mounds of joy...arrrgh!  As for this crack-den, I'm not coming back....well unless I'm near the U-village....
1 - Deborah S.: The plan was to go to Delfino's pizza and then to Ben and Jerry's for ice cream  as part of the week long celebration of  my birthday.  Sadly, Ben and Jerry were closed. For good.

Ben & Jerry's - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9129736, -79.0561926) ()
4 - John L.: I have this addiction to things with Oreos and milkshakes. 

I also have an undying love of Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.

Ben & Jerry's has combined these things.  And for this, I am happy. 

This Ben & Jerry's is a convenient location on Franklin Street, and is locally owned, so that's also very cool (there's some great info on the walls about the owner, a relatively recent UNC alum).  Despite the occasional crowds, the line moves quickly, and service is excellent. 

I may have a place in my heart for Yogurt Pump (there are bits of things in the MIDDLE of my cup of ice cream! :-D ), but this Ben & Jerry's is cool too.
4 - Brenda C.: Their Butter Pecan ice cream is great! The staff is friendly and doesn't mind if you try a few flavors.
2 - Kathleen M.: I love Ben & Jerry's ice cream but this place was pretty dirty. Also, I ordered a cone and was really disappointed when it didn't have any chunks of anything in my Bonnaroo Buzz - they must have missed them when they were scooping...

Ben & Jerry's - Houston, TX (29.722505, -95.418317) (West University)
1 - merelyn w.: Dirty bathrooms.
Sticky tabletops.
Ice cream tasting of freezer burn and that it had been in the case way too long.
Rude - could have been the manager - employee rushing us thru our order - the store was not busy.
Resentfully, begrudgingly gave us the tinniest of a sample before letting us choose our flavors.
Ice cream barely frozen mostly melting.

This Ben and Jerry's reminded me of a now, out of business B & J's in Sacramento. 

Planned to, wanted to, go to Chocolate Bar in Rice Village but gave up after a few drive arounds, finding no place to park.

Corporate headquarters would be/should be appalled that this place is representing them in such a foul fashion.
2 - Chad S.: I do like getting out of the house to eat ice cream every now and then. It may not be any better for my arteries, but it seems far less pathetic than devouring pints of Chubby Hubby at home. 

But the whole concept of a Ben & Jerry's store is beyond me. You can buy Ben & Jerry's in the grocery store, and I suspect that's how most people think of it. B&J's isn't something you eat in public or even with other people. It's what you eat when you're miserable and alone. Am I right? 

This particular location doesn't seem to be doing much business. There was no one else there when I stopped in. In fact it was mysteriously closed for many months not too long ago, and I was kind of surprised when it finally reopened. 

And sadly the three scoops of chocolate macadamia nut I just ate were just plain bland, a far cry from the sublime creations at Amy's. But I suspect this batch had been sitting around a bit too long.

The only plus here for me is that it's in my neighborhood. And they have a nice patio (it's where Dolce & Freddo used to be).
2 - John F.: The only reason I went here was because they had a free ice cream cone day promotion.  And when there's free stuff to be had, the crowd is sure to follow.  I have always seen this location on Kirby but I never really had no desire to go there because the same ice cream is available at any grocery store and there is so much construction going on around it.  The day I went to this location, there was a huge line extending outside.  Noticed alot of smeared ice cream on the floor which I attributed to the rare crowds.  I got my scoop of cherry garcia which didn't last very long considering how long I had to wait in line.  I think I'll just stick to blue bell ice cream.
4 - Shaz B.: Mmm, one can seriously never go wrong with this place. The ice-cream flavors are great, the cones are always fresh, and it's also a great place to just hang out for dessert or a quick snack.

Walking in, you notice that there's a large variety of flavors to choose from. The employees are great at attending to you and letting you try whatever you may need to. You can pick to get your chosen flavor(s) in either three sizes of cups, cones, or even with cookies, brownies, banana splits, or sundaes. They also have some drinks, but I've honestly never seen anyone get anything like that.

My personal favorites happen to be Phish Food and Cake Batter. Phish Food is more the ice-cream whose cartons I buy at the grocery store, whereas Cake Batter is the ice-cream that I like to order while at Ben and Jerry's. The last couple of times I've gone, I've gotten the Cake Batter with the chocolate chip cookie sundae and I absolutely love it! The cookies are perfect and the ice-cream is definitely awesome.

Since it's quite a big location, there are tables and chairs inside, a separate patio to the side, and also some tables and chairs set at the entrance. There's a lot of construction going on on Kirby currently, so getting in and out can be a pain, but if you're up for that, it's totally and absolutely worth it!

P.S. I'm shocked at the bad reviews this place has... I've always been satisfied!
5 - Tiffany S.: I'll admit that I mostly go here for the free cone days, but I've always been impressed at how quickly they manage to serve insane line that's usually out the door. And they never get upset at poor college students for going through two or even three times (or more).

My faves are chunky monkey, phish food, and cherry garcia. Their ingredients are always quality and fattening :). None of those fake sugar foods for me. And I think their ice creams are less sweet than Amy's - which I find overwhelming sometimes.

If you have a lot of friends who are likely to make poor choices like competing in gallon challenges, you should all eat a Vermonster. I dare you.
5 - Thuylieu A.: Yummy!

I stopped by for some ice cream and noticed they had a Kid's Size cup. It's tiny but perfect if you just need a small ice cream fix and don't want to buy a whole lot. 

The milk shakes are really good too. You can mix and match different flavors to make what ever kind of shake you want. P= 

I recommend it for any one who wants just a little ice cream to tame their sweet tooth. The have the perfect size!
5 - Cara D.: Last summer I had the pleasure of actually staying here for some ice cream for awhile when my sister was in town from Russia with her two munchkins. There was another couple there with a little baby, and a toddler, and the two boys, my nephew and the couples' three-year-old, became instant friends. They were talking and laughing and playing. We tried to contain them the best we could, and they behaved for the most part, but what can I say, kids are crazy! The people working there were very friendly and helpful, and didn't seem to mind at all. When the little boy was leaving, he started crying because he had to leave my nephew. "My fwend! My fwend!" he kept saying. The dad was like, "Uh, son, we have to go." Awww. It was so sweet. 

The Verdict: A pretty good activity if you've got some time in the afternoon with little ones.
4 - Mallory G.: Mmmmm... Ice Cream. Ben and Jerry's has a great assortment of ice cream flavors. Some of my favorites are Stephen Colbert's Americone Dream and the monkey banana flavor (can't think of its creative name at the moment.) The price for the ice cream is a little more expensive than Baskin Robins or TCBY, but this is good stuff.

This location also has some tables and chairs outside for you to enjoy your ice cream outside. 

The works are always very nice and will give you all the samples you want! 

Parking at this location really sucks since its right off of Kirby. Just have to be patient. 

One of my favorite days of the year is free scoop day which happens some time in April normally. Watch for it on facebook!
2 - Meg L.: The ice cream is fine, but its highway robbery!!  $4.59 for a small ice cream, and then an additional $0.49 to make it a sundae.  I would rather have a mcdonald's sundae for 99 cents.
4 - Melissa R.: I used a Yelp Deal here a few months back and enjoyed my time at this creamery. The server behind the glass was sweet and she let us try different flavors and wasn't rushing us, even though there were other costumers in line, The customers were all patient and each was kind enough to wait their turn. The Ice cream was great.
5 - Jason A.: What's not to like about Deep Chocolate and Peanut butter?

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2791415, -83.740907) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
3 - Mae S.: I never thought I would prefer another ice cream to Ben and Jerry's but when they moved next door to Stucchi's I found out: servings are smaller, ice cream is no creamier or tastier, and prices are  higher at B&Js. Too bad. Stucchis is always much more crowded, but the counter help is also nicer there. 

So my long jealousy of my sister who lives in a town that had B&J first was for nothing! (anyway B&J in her town isn't even there any more.)
1 - Alayna H.: I have never eaten here, but this place receives one star simply because they opened up shop directly next to Stucchi's ice cream, an Ann Arbor staple.  Not cool Ben and Jerry, not cool.
4 - Min H.: Everyone knows about the ice cream so this review is just about the store and staff. 

As a former ice-cream store employee (Baskin-Robins) the first I do when sitting foot in any ice cream is the sniff-test (which incidentally is also a good way to pick out a nursing home). Ben & Jerry passes with flying colors as the entire store is fragrant with the smell of freshly made waffle cones. 

The staff are super friendly and on hand to help with giving out samples.  In fact, I was encouraged to sample beyond the 3-4 flavors I already tried.  

Love the new milk and cookies flavor! And if you join their b-day club, its free cone and $3 off hand-packed pint of ice cream, so enjoy!
2 - Julia B.: It's a mediocre but slightly overpriced for ice cream. I would go here if you LOVE a particular flavor of Ben and Jerry's, It's definitely worth a try, but it's a bit of a rip-off..

I personally love the Phish Food flavor. It has: Dark chocolate fish, caramel, and marshmallow fluff. It's delicious!

If you're a cookie dough lover: The Half Baked flavor is also great.  It is chocolate and vanilla ice cream, with swirls of brownie batter and chocolate chip cookie dough.

Lastly- The Cherry Garcia is also pretty good- It is chocolate covered cherries with fudge flakes in vanilla ice cream.

Overall, I'd say it's good for a try, but not something I would say, stay home with a pint. It's a better deal.
3 - Shunda B.: First time... Yes!

Hey it isn't my fault there isn't any location closer to where I stay.  There were some weird selection but lucky they don't mind give you free sample -- hey I could have gotten full of the sample.  :)

I tried the "PHISH FOOD"...which was basically chocolate ice cream with chocolate fish shaped pieces inside.  (Woo it cost like $4.50 for a small)

You be the JUDGE!!!
2 - Chris M.: meh. party of 6 and the bill came out to be over 30 bucks, all for mediocre ice cream.
5 - Jeff M.: How can you ignore the tasteful bliss of Ben & Jerry's? This isn't grandma and grandpa's ice cream parlor. 

The flavors are great and unique. Even if you like the basics you can find delicious vanilla or chocolate. However, you really need to explore. Try americone dream in honor of Steven Colbert or any other delicious concoction.
3 - Becky H.: I like the shakes. :) The blueberry vanilla graham Greek frozen yogurt is really good too!
5 - Sherri T.: I am a big Ben & Jerry's fan, and I wish there were more scoop shops around (especially on Free Cone Day each year). I visited the location in Ann Arbor yesterday for the first time, and it was as wonderful as I had hoped! I had a small cup filled with Coffee Coffee BuzzBuzzBuzz and Heath Bar Crunch, and the scooper was super nice and enthusiastic about Ben & Jerry's products. I'll be back!
3 - Christina D.: I feel guilty every time I walk past stucchi's to go here, but I can't get enough ice cream packed with tons of goodies.

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt - Providence, RI (41.8291847, -71.4003614) (College Hill)
1 - Foxy S.: I am veryyyyyy upset that the Providence,RI store was not honoring the free election scoop!
Not only that but they were extremelly rude to the tooonnns of customers that were coming in for thier free scoop!
We were all told and  that we would be honored a free scoop only to show up at the store and have the rude manager turn hundreds of people away! thumbs down!
2 - Kim P.: My opinion of this location changed when I learned they didn't participate in the free scoop promotions. If Ben & Jerry's across the country are participating in the free scoop promotions, this location should do the same. I agree with Foxy S's review of this location - another set of thumbs down.
2 - Taylor T.: It is what it is. You pretty much know what you're getting yourself into here. I had a craving for some frozen yogurt last night, so this is where I headed. It was about half an hour before closing time, so it wasn't busy and I didn't have to wait in line. They only had four flavors of frozen yogurt, which seems pretty limited, but I ended up with black cherry, which satisfied my craving. I got one generous scoop in a homemade waffle cone while my bf had a scoop of cookie dough ice cream with m&m's on top. We hung out in a booth to enjoy our treats and the shop was noticeably dirty. I don't know if it was just because it was the end of the night, but the tables were sticky and there were napkins and cups littered everywhere. The staff didn't seem too worried about it--they were busy rocking out to music blasting on their ipods. Not a big deal, but probably wouldn't fly if there was a manager around and/or a huge line of people waiting. I didn't realize it before, but they also have a freezer stocked with pints of ice cream and yogurt that you can take to-go.
2 - Liz T.: I know that Ben and Jerry's is an institution, and prices are the same across the chain across the country. But seriously?!  $6 for a sorbet splash?? I just can't believe how expensive Ben and Jerry's has gotten over the years. What makes it so expensive? Is cream in vermont taken directly from its cows??

That being said, the actual store is what you would expect from a Ben and Jerry's--but it's still not really the first place I'd go for my ice cream fix. Speaking of which, if anyone knows of a specialty ice cream shop in Providence (perhaps on the west side?) please let me know. I need my "go to" ice cream shop because frankly, I haven't found one as of yet.  For now, I'll go to the super market (or maybe hike up to cape cod) until something better comes along.
3 - Rachael M.: Not my first ice cream choice, but good and consistent and open late.
3 - Jeff M.: This is a four star location but I got really sad reading that they don't take part in the free scoop each year.....so you instantly get deducted for that.  If I hear it changes in 2012, I'll gladly come back and change my score.  How can you not adhere to the national standard?  Shame on you.

Alright, so the store was colorful, inviting and clean.  The staff asked us three times if we were ready to order while we were standing there trying to figure out what we wanted.  The descriptions are tough to read in the smaller letters below the names of the flavors.  I love B&J as much as the next guy but I don't know what comes in the 100 or so flavors, not every single one of them, anyway.

I ordered Jimmy Fallon's "Late Night Snack" after finally being able to read that there were potato chips in it, nom!  I'm glad I tried out a flavor I had never had before after earlier being disappointed that they didn't carry "Chubby Hubby" at this locale.

Six dollars for a shake seems a tad outrageous but the $3.75 for the cone wasn't, so I opted for the cone.  I was happy with everything, including the non-stale cone itself.  

If you're in the Brown University area, this is another standard bearer for the B&J line....just don't go here expecting to get a free scoop in April, unless that changes *hint hint*!
5 - Kameron S.: Um, it's Ben & Jerry's, what's not to like! I get a kid's cone though. No one needs 2 giant scoops of ice cream for a "small"!
1 - Jody S.: Ben & Jerry's is overpriced!  Go to Froyo World down the street!
4 - Toni M.: Great location off Thayer with plenty of seating. This location does participate in Free Cone day every year. The store is clean and they have a full flavor selection, including some limited edition flavors. That being said its Ben & Jerrys.. delicious!
1 - Cato M.: The last time I came here, I was refused service 15 minutes before closing time. Also, their ice cream is overpriced. Try one of the many other establishments on Thayer for your late-night frozen food fix!
3 - Bill H.: It's a Ben & Jerry's! Nothing super-special about it. The staff is friendly even when the store is packed with college kids. This location is particularly spacious, and the accessible water fountain is welcome when you realize that the ice cream you bought will do nothing to quench your thirst.

Ben Bollinger's Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre - Claremont, CA (34.1084473, -117.7214583) ()
5 - Seth G.: The fact that I have been performing regularly at the Candlelight for the past several years is an advantage since I can speak not only from the standpoint of having attended several shows there but also as an hired performer. (I am usually performing solo guitar for the hour preceding the show on Thursdays.)

Mick Bollinger who manages the Candelight runs a first rate theater. I have performed at other dinner theaters in the past; this one is by far the best of them. The vast majority of the shows they produce are excellent. 
The new seating arrangements, which are even more comfortable now, is one example of the efforts to find new ways of improving the audience's viewing experience.

Shows are presented on Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights, Sunday evenings with matinées on Saturday and Sundays. 

The stage and sound crews are consummate professionals. The waiting staff is highly attentive. For what you get, the ticket prices are a real deal.
4 - Michelle N.: I was definitely pleasantly surprised by this place.  I had gone to dinner theater before and was glad to see that not all dinner theater consisted of bad food!  As is typical with these types of places, there are many times in which you may have to share your table with another couple.  That was the case when we went - and it wasn't a bad thing.  We were glad to share the experience with another couple.  I guess it's just luck of the draw!

The service was fantastic and the food was surprisingly good.  I had the red snapper and my husband had the tri-tip - which he raved about.  We also started the meal with the baked brie (i looooove brie!) and it was the perfect amount of cheese!  The meal comes with a starter salad as well.  Other entree choices included roasted chicken and a veggie option.  The server was super polite and friendly and everything seemed to flow at just the right pace before the show.  For dessert I just had coffee, but my husband had vanilla ice cream with fresh berries.  Other options included bread pudding, a berry sundae, cheesecake - and possibly others.

All in all a good time was had by all.  They seem to have a variety of shows to please numerous people.  The one fault was the price.  It was just a tad pricey.  Not too much, but just a little - if not for that, they'd have my last star! We would probably come back just for a change in scenery.

ps.  We had a really noisy table next to us with a loud, obnoxious, drunken man - at intermission, our tablemate made it a point to tell the general manager, who then in turn had a "talk" with the drunken man.  Afterwards, the table seemed to vanish and the GM came and apologized to our table... definitely good service!!
5 - Amy R.: We went and saw another great Christmas show this year.  We did get a talking to from the waiter.  I realize my nephew doesn't have the quietest talking voice, but that's why we take him to the kid-centric Christmas show and not the other performances.  I haven't the slightest idea why anyone who doesn't want to hear children would go to a show where the main attraction is Santa Claus calling all the little ones on stage after intermission.

We got our own private room but there was a little kid squealing downstairs that was far louder.  He didn't bother me either.  Some kids just squeal when they're happy.

So, my point is that if you go to the Christmas show that involves children...um, there will be children there.

As usual, the food was good.  If you like salmon, get the salmon cheesecake appetizer.  I promise you won't be disappointed.
4 - R I.: I only went here once over 10 yrs ago & it's the 1st time I've been to a dinner theatre.  My parents took me here for my 20 something birthday.  We saw Fiddler on the Roof.  We sat at one of the private round tables in the back.  It was very nice & the food was good from what I remembered.

The reason I haven't been here since is because they don't show anything that intrests me.

If I went here again, I'd only want to sit at the private round tables, otherwise, you're sitting w/ strangers.
5 - John P.: I recently saw Women of country music and just LOVED it!!! Best value around for good food good service and always, good shows. Ive been coming here for several shows now, and for sure Ill be coming back.                 John P.
4 - nicci c.: I've been here both as a patron and a performer, and every time I've been taken good care of. Always very high quality performances, and the food.... mmmm! Your entree is included in the ticket price, but I urge you to get "Out Staff's Favorite Fries" as an appetizer. They're incredible! Honestly, I think about them more than I should...
4 - Tobin D.: Candlelight theatre is a great place to go for live entertainment.  The food is almost  as good.  The decor is beautiful.  Season ticket holder for years.  Give them a try and you will come back.  This is one of my favorite activities.
5 - Christina S.: First time to this establishment was last night for my anniversary. This turned out to be the perfect place for it! We decided to start off with a few appetizers (may I recommend the crab cakes) which were absolutely delicious. We enjoyed a bottle of the Jole wine that went deliciously well with the tri-tip. The meal was perfect and the service was great. Waiter was very attentive, but did not overdo it by any means.

During the dinner, there was someone on stage playing the guitar. Although you could hear the music from anywhere in the room, it was not overpowering and it was still very easy to have a conversation.

The play itself was great. The showing was "Singing in the Rain" which happens to be one of my all-time favorite musicals. The production was as good as I had hoped it would be. I would even be tempted to see it again if it was not the last week they are showing it. The choreography was great, and there were many similarities to the movie and yet, a lot of new things as well.

I highly recommend this place for any type of a celebration! May be too pricey for your every weekend thing, but I know I will for sure be back!
5 - m c.: Great family time at a good value for those who enjoy a solid theater and dining experience.
5 - Danmo H.: We discovered another gem in this place!  On Wednesday nights there are throw back cover band concerts for $20.  No dinner, but drinks and all their yummy desserts are available.  A couple of weeks ago, we saw Abba Fab (lots of 70s fun), and coming up, we plan to see the Rolling Stones tribute, and then the pavilion's very own Michael Ryan (he's the wonderful musician who plays Spanish guitar dinner music before the shows).  This is quite the deal!   Hurry before the series is over . . .
4 - Fern R.: The Food Is OK.

The Performances Are Really Good!!!  You Will Really Enjoy The Live Entertainment!!!

You Gotta See The Live Dinner Musicals, It Is Sooo Worth It!!!
5 - Marge S.: The Marvelous Wonderettes was such an enjoyable show! What a talented cast.  Amazing voices!  The food was very good. Service was excellent! I will definitely go back.
4 - Elle C.: Celebrated several milestones here before. One mgr went out to pick up a special candle for a friend's 50th celebration once when our candle broke. That was service above & beyond!  They offer $20 shows for first Fridays of each new show, no meals during these special showings, but dessert & drinks will still be available.
4 - judy c.: The only reason I did not give this five stars is because, sadly for the world, it is too pricey to attend every show. This is a venue for group parties, special occasions, and grey haired people. However, I read postings here of cheaper ways to see performances.  I saw the production of Cats, and Phantom of the Opera with teenage daughters. They were thrilled. Now, exactly how many thrilling, intimate things can you do with recalcitrant teenagers? This is why I bemoan the cost... Sit near the stage if you want interaction with the most excellent performers, otherwise all seating is good. Food was good, and staff generously accommodated my gluten free diet requests, call the cook ahead.
5 - Pedro F.: My wife and I had the pleasure of dinner and a show and let me tell you, WOW! The service is top notch, food selection is good (even for the vegiterians), drinks are good too. The performers are wonderful, I have seen CATS at the Pantages and is was good, however the Candlelight Pavilion took  a step further by bringing the show up close and personal. The schedule changes so check the web. I will definitely be coming back for more.
4 - Katie M.: My niece has been in a few shows at the Candlelight so I take the long trek out to Claremont to show my support. The menu NEVER changes and there isn't a whole lot of options from which to choose but we always get the prime rib and it is really good. This last time we tried the smoothered fries and they were unique and delicious. 

The shows are fun, entertaining and well done. Plus its always fun to have dinner and live theatre. There aren't many places that do that anymore so its a fun place to take a date or celebrate a special occasion.
5 - Shenandoah S.: The Drowsy Chaperone at Candlelight Pavilion was AMAZING!!  
My cheeks hurt from all the laughing and smiling!  Every character was fabulous and the whole show was flawless!
The food is delicious and the selection is great.  I've been to this place three times and each time it is a wonderful experience!  The servers are wonderful and the shows never fall short of wonderful.  See a show, have dinner and come away with great memories!
3 - Vicky L.: We came to see Aida last week.  The performers did a great job and sang very well.  However, during one of the numbers one of the lighting gel frame fell from above.  I was so glad that it didn't hit the person dancing under it.  The performance, atmosphere and service deserves 4 stars.

As for the food...

$5 cocktails - We had the Mandarin Cosmopolitan and Kentucky Stag.  Neither one was impressive.

Appetizers: crab cake was a little dry  but they had a shrimp and mushroom dish was good and the portion was enough to share.

Entrees - Tri-tip and fish was ok. Sides could have been better.

Dessert - There were a lot of options and we landed on a cook-off winner which I forgot what it was called.  That was also just ok since it had a lot of cream.

Beverage - The price of the tickets didn't include any beverage which was disappointing.  Even a soda or a cup of coffee would have been nice.

I wouldn't come back again for the dinner but might come back for the preview nights for just drinks and appetizers.
5 - Mike L.: went to see music man     what a great show  
would definitely go and see more show  amazing performers by all cast member   food and service was also great .
3 - Julie S.: My husband and I watched Miss Saigon here, and the production was wonderful for community theater. The actors were very professional, and the show brought tears to my eyes! The waitstaff was very attentive and friendly. However, the food was horrible. I was so disappointed. My husband had the vegetable quiche, which was an amalgamation of the frozen asian-stir fry veggies, covered in a heap of rubbery cheese. I had the tilapia, which was too fishy and over salted. Even the veggies that came on the side were mushy and over-seasoned, to hide that they were not fresh. Everything tasted really low quality and processed. I never send my food back, but I had to because the smell of the fish was nauseating (I noticed 2 other patrons did the same). I ordered the french fries to eat for dinner instead (because I was concerned about ordering anything else from the menu, and I am a pescetarian), and even those were disappointed. The fries were not bad, but they were slathered in sauce and too much cheese. IMHO, if this place wants to attract a younger, fresher and wider audience, they need a visit from Gordon Ramsey. It is sad, because this place has a lot of potential.
3 - Isabelle D.: I genuinely wonder if there's a way to see the show without having the dinner.

Naturally, I would prefer to review the food and THEN the show, but I don't want anyone to be so discouraged by what will be my food reviews that they wouldn't want to come and see a show here.

We saw Miss Saigon in its last weekend, got front row seats, and THE SHOW WAS AMAZING. We were really impressed by the production value and sets, the actors were on-point, the sound was perfect, and at one point, the performance swept tears into my eyes. And I have to give credit to Eymard Cabling who played the Engineer because he really stole the show for sure with his comic relief.  

Now as for the food, IT WAS AWFUL!!! THE WORST I HAVE HAD IN A LONG TIME!  

It was like...HOMETOWN BUFFET times A MILLION!

(So yes, if you like Hometown Buffet or completely lack taste buds, you'd probably actually like the food here.)

Alright, alright.  Not ALL of it was bad.  The bread and butter was actually pretty good, I'll give them that.  But let's face it, it's difficult to mess up bread and butter and that's the ONLY good thing you will have to consume for the night and it will go completely downhill from there.  

For appetizers we had "Our Staff's Favorite French Fries" which had Cajun seasoning, roasted red pepper sauce, bleu cheese crumbles and pieces of NY steak.  On paper it sounded like a good idea.  FOR A BASEBALL GAME!  It was much too heavy as an appetizer but it did have flavor to it. At least I'm a bleu cheese fan though, so I didn't mind eating it so much.

Then our salads came out.  They came with the entrees but we should have told them to leave it for the homeless rabbits.  It was like a very generic salad that you would get at Denny's or from kindergarten.  Just lettuce, croutons and dressing.  We took one bite and had the waiter take it away in practically the same condition he had brought it in. 

Next, our entrees.  My date had the Grilled Talapia Fillet with zesty orange sauce and I had ordered the slow-roasted Tri Tip RARE.  They both came with what were supposed to be carrots, snap peas and rice methinks.

My date's green snap peas were about 20 shades off from my snap peas.  Mine looked a lot fresher while his looked like........not.  The carrots were like frozen food carrots and the rice was so dry.  Did they raid someone's Y2K shelter?

The talapia was super bland and it's a good thing I always order my meat bloody RARE because I don't think the tri tip would have been good had I not ordered it as such.  We hate to waste food, but you couldn't call what that was in front of our face "food".  

We decided not to do dessert for that reason.

I agree with the reviewer "Julie S." below us, if they want to attract a younger audience, they need a serious food revamp.

It's a good thing the show can override our meal and the service was very top-notch and polite.  We'll be coming back.  But just for the show, the sweet waitstaff, and the bread.

Ben Bridge Jeweler - Seattle, WA (47.663277, -122.3007475) (University District)
1 - Jennifer D.: I've never felt like more of an intruder in a store than here. I walked in to an empty store of customers with 4 ladies standing around doing nothing - NOTHING. They couldn't even take the time to greet me with a simple hello? I asked nicely if I could have my rings cleaned and a mere few minutes later the girl returned with them. I've had my rings cleaned enough times to know that she just did a quickie job and probably didn't even inspect them. Did I mention that I bought my wedding band from this company?? 
 
Never again will I visit this location. Props to Alderwood and Northgate who have all been great with the inspection of my rings and thoroughly cleaning them.
1 - yekta a.: I will tell you why I didn't like this store: THeir attitude is SO cocky here and you feel so uncomfortable from the moment you step inside.

We were greeted by Melissa G and she was NOT very friendly.  I hate to point people out, but, I am very honest so I will tell you the TRUTH.

I think if you are going to help a couple find their engagement ring  you should be open to helping them find the ring instead of not being helpful and acting snooty.

I will NEVER go to this Ben Bridge because I don't like the rudeness.
5 - joe s.: Beautiful women :)
1 - Cat L.: I have to agree with other reviews-- this particular Ben Bridge is staffed with people who treat customers with little respect. I don't know if it is because of my age, but I have always felt that they were focused on making me feel inferior. (Especially when three sales people felt like they needed to chime in, and insist that I was wrong about a particular detail.... )

I think it's too bad that I felt compelled to write this review. A few years ago, I had enjoyed my experiences, and believed that they did good work. However, with my last two visits, the customer service alone is enough to make me never come back.
1 - Betty V.: I too have to agree with the other reviewers.  The people who work here don't seem to know much about customer service.  

I have purchased several items from the other Ben Bridges and have gotten pretty good service but I felt totally ignored when I walked in to get my earrings fixed here.  I stood there for several minutes and a clerk walked out of the back room with her lunch bowl, right by me without acknowledging me.  What about looking at the customer and saying "Someone will be with you in just a moment?".  She walked out of the store and then returned a few minutes later and walked right by me again!  I couldn't believe it!  It took several minutes before I was helped.  I don't think I'll be shopping there.
1 - Liana R.: Oh, my, RIDICULOUS.  The staff had NO idea what they were doing.  I felt like I had entered some kind of weird, awkward warp in the folds of the universe, that's how bad it was.  I brought in a new rubber band I had purchased for my T-Touch to replace the worn leather strap.  I needed a new clasp to fit the rubber band.  The sales associate took the watch and the clasp as I explained to him what I needed to have done (easy, get a correct clasp and put the rubber band on) and he looks at me blankly and says "so you're saying that this clasp is broken?" Arghhh.

Then he takes it to the back room and returns 10 minutes later with the correct clasp (almost $50).  Then I give him back the watch and explain that I want the rubber band put on with the new clasp.  He takes it back and returns 10 minutes later with the new band on the watch.  Obviously it's way too big as it hasn't been sized at all.  I say, "I need this sized".  He takes it back to the jeweler again.  I ask, can the jeweler just come out here to size this? He says, "no, she won't come out of the back.  She's comfortable back there".  REALLY? How about "she's f'in lazy"???

Another girl steps in (most likely the manager).  She runs the watch back and forth between me and the jeweler a total of (no joke) 8 times until it is sized correctly.  

In short, I won't return.  The entire staff needs to be terminated and they need to start over with some competent people including a jeweler who will get off her ass and actually do some work.
5 - Peter S.: I have had a great experience at BB U-Village... Manager Karen has treated me excellently over and over.

From big purchases to mundane requests, the staff has been great.

Ben Taub General Hospital - Houston, TX (29.7116443, -95.3942537) (Medical Center)
3 - Rebecca F.: 4 to a room. No privacy. No frills.  But decent medicine.

People wait days in the emergency room to be seen, but at least this county hospital is the place anyone can turn to for medical care. 

And it's an excellent place to learn, full of residents and students.

The problem is not Ben Taub, it's the medical system.

Oh and McDonalds.  What message are we sending during an obesity epidemic when the only food available is a tiny McDonald's, (and a side cafeteria that's never open).
1 - frank l.: What a story I have.... So my dad has been in and out of the hospital for that past month or so.... ( Methodist SL) and today while i was in a meeting at work.. he was feeling sick at home.. and fortunately.. or maybe unfortunately... he had a friend visiting him.. so his friend brings him to the hospital (and i am very grateful for his help), but he only knows where Ben Taub is... OOOOOMMMMMGGGGG..... when i got there is was just a little before 9:50pm.. and as some of you might know, there was an officer shot in SE Houston, and was transported to Ben Taub.  The shut the place DOWN! No one in and no one out of the patient area. The waiting room was PACKED! And the seats were old and filthy.  So as I finally found a seat to sit, the man sitting next smelled like he had soiled his pants 3 days ago!!!  But in all honesty.. I would have to give the Hospital itself a "negative" 1-star, and the staff, 5 stars... The staff was great!  During all the commotion a staff member saw my "I'm lost, and dont belong here" look.. and was really polite and asked what i needed.. even though they did not allow me back into the patient area to give my dad his food and water, she did find me a nurse that was also extremely helpful.  The nurse actually went back and gave him his food, and read his chart to try and give me a estimated time where my dad would either be discharged or admitted.  OH AND THE BIGGEST AND DISTURBING; they don't have the anti-bacteria lotion there.  At Methodist, it's EVERYWHERE!  Ben Taub provides antibacterial  lotion to the employees, but only the small personal ones. And trust me.. they guard it!!!! I ask one for some, and got rejected with a quickness, " I have to be here all night, and won't have enough later!" was the answer i received!  I MISS METHODIST!
3 - Melissa M.: I've been lucky enough to tour the 'behind the scenes' of several hospitals in the amazing Texas Medical Center.  Ben Taub was our visit for today. We visited the Pathology and blood bank.  I was impressed by how automated everything is. The people who worked there were very friendly and seemed very competent.  I did think that the place could use a really good and thorough cleaning. The machines that were being used look clean, but all the other surfaces seemed dingy. Even the guy who was showing us some stuff used a paper towel to turn the doorknobs and actually got gloves to use a mouse on a neighboring computer (germaphobe in a hospital... I wonder if he has ulcers). 

Would I want to come here for anything other than severe trauma? No.  After having toured several hospitals and seeing the cleanliness levels, I think Ben Taub got a face-lift but needs the tummy tuck now.
4 - Sherwin S.: This is the only place I would go if I were shot and needed medical attention. 

For everything else, I'll chance it with my insurance and primary care physician.
5 - Sandra A S.: On December 1th my grandfather was taken to the emergency room at Ben Taub Hospital, after a few hours and his diagnose established he was transferred to the ICU for a few days, eventually transferred to a room in order to be given hospice care. I have been a Houston resident for many years and see how the County has slowly but surely improved the medical services at this hospital, everyone including doctors, nurses, cleaning staff, treated my grandfather and my family with the most amazing care and respect for our situation, for his last few days, we were also transferred to a private room in order for the family to be able to say good bye to him in private. We will forever be thankful for all the support and assistance that was provided to our family and friends to accomodate our needs until the moment we passed on Christmas day.
3 - Chuck N.: Make sure the nurse or lab lady isn't on her cell phone when they draw your blood in the ER . I'll never forget the time I visited the ER at this hospital. The lady who drew my blood was ON HER CELL PHONE, while preparing to take my blood. When I tried to tell her where people who drew blood in the past have been more successful (while she was still on the phone) she says "I know what I'm doing sir, I've been doing this for a while now." Well, I guess she was too much of a pro to find the vein because she had to call in another person to find the vein. ASIDE from this ONE employee, the rest of the staff were wonderful. So please don't let the issue I had with one "DA" form your opinion for the Hospital as a whole. Her incompetence and inconsiderate behavior is why I say, this is an OK hospital.
2 - Leena C.: Best trauma center -- maybe?? but the rest of the hospital is no bueno.

My guy's brother was in a motorcycle accident and the ER was fairly quick in assessing him and the after care was ok but the wait time for rooms was crazy and the discharge system needs reassessment.

Note to the CNAs - you should NOT EVER stand in a patients room and chit chat with each other or on your cell phone. Please step out into the hallway AND it is never ok to only check on a patient twice in one shift (side eye). 

The discharge process took forever. They didn't discharge him until past 7 pm which to me is too late. He has surgery on his ankle and both of his legs were fractured among other things (he was hit by a car on his bike) so he had to keep them elevated and could not bend them. The wheelchair was too small. We notified the nurse who began manhandling his legs which only caused him more pain and ultimately we had to shut her down....

We macgyvered it with the help of a board his mom had in her car and wheeled him away. NO ONE was there to assist with getting him into the car. For GODS SAKE, both of his legs are bandaged up and he can't bend them. 

And the parking charges are ridiculous. Whoever created it should be ashamed of themselves. If you park anything past 3 hours, it's $10 but if you park anything after an hour and a half, it's like $1 for every 20 min. That is highway robbery.

I hope to never see the inside of this hospital again.....

Ben Thanh Viet Thai Restaurant - Waterloo, ON (43.502488, -80.53118) ()
4 - Clement W.: I'm not sure I'd call this place as the best Asian restaurant in Waterloo but it's up there as far as value goes.  While the portions are generous, I have noticed that they have reduced them marginally over the decade or so we've been eating here.  I tend to eat here almost once a week.  

I'm not a fan of their pad thai - while large in quantity, the flavor and seemed light on anything but noodle.  Their vietnamese dishes on the other hand, offer extraordinary value with pretty good flavor.  It's pretty easy to order with somewhat blurry pictures on their menus associated with descriptions, and anyone who has come here a few times pretty much knows their favorite dish by number.  The most popular vietnamese dishes are broken down into components and combined at your leisure on a platter (that include such things as pickled veggies, spring rolls, meat balls, thin rice noodles), or just some combination of meat and noodles in a soup (also quite filling).  

You might want to check out some of their funky drinks (I'm not too much of a fan myself but a lot of friends are).  My sister is a fan of their condensed milk + coffee though I'm not a coffee drinker myself.  

Personally, my standard is Fish Congee (which is an acquired taste, small or large #702) which I balance off with a side of fried spring rolls so as not to be too healthy.  Whereas chinese spring rolls have a flaky/wafer type wrap, these ones here seem like more of a batter and thicker shell - but I'm a fan of them (they also come included in a number of the vietnamese platters).  

Most recently (yesterday) the bill for the six of us was about $60-70 including tip and we came away full but also with a doggy bag.  Their dinner and lunch menus are the same so you can typically expect to pay about the same - about $10/person including tip. 

Oh and peanuts are everywhere so if you have a peanut allergy, definitely stay away.  

The service ranges between mediocre and good.  It can be tough to flag down someone to help you and they don't really time dishes so that they come out together.  They bring them out as they are more or less ready.  There are some dishes like Congee that take way longer than everything else probably because of volume so if you happen to know before hand, you can tell the waitress to put the order in first while everyone figures out their orders and you might get it at the same time as everyone else.   

This restaurant gets busy though.  While they don't take reservations, you can call them to put yourself on the wait list during dinner or lunch.  If you're trying to avoid the rush, you should try to get there at or before 5 pm would probably be best.  I'd say that they get less busy after 8 pm but it's otherwise always crazy busy there during peak times.
4 - Adilbek I.: One of the best Thai places in the area for sure (if not the best). Everything I've tried on the menu has always turned out good, and the service is (mostly) fast. Sometimes they get really busy and you're left waiting a bit, comes with the popularity I suppose.

I recommend any of the curries, tom yum, and their awesome deep fried wontons with cream cheese. They also make a great bubble tea or thai tea if you're in the mood for those.

In terms of Thai in Waterloo, this is my go-to place!
2 - Ann W.: Once I had their noodle soup and had massive MSG reactions (fast beating heart, dizziness, light-headed). It was so bad that I had to go home and drink tons of water to wash it out.
If you are not sensitive to MSG though, the food is OK, but don't expect too much. The portion is slightly smaller compared to the others, and the taste is mostly built on MSG so everything tastes pretty much the same.
I really can't say this place has good service, or even any service at all. You always have to wait, and the waitresses never look at you when you order.
4 - Ceci Z.: This is my most visited Ben Thanh in the area. As always, the place is nicely decorated and very clean. The services are quick and the waitresses are very friendly.

I've tried most of the items on the menu, everything is quite decent. Don't like their "ketchup" pad thai and the rice wraps, they dry off very quickly. Their special noodle soup is a must try, I've had it for years. Some other nice dishes are Cantonese chow mien, vermicelli bowls, Thai green curry, Vietnamese spring rolls, seafood congee... The food are not as crazy spicy compared to other Thai restaurants I've experienced, so don't worry about chili sign if you are not into spicy food.
2 - il l.: This has always been our go-to restaurant for about a year and while it was a very nice experience in the beginning, it gradually lost its charm. Don't get me wrong, I love the restaurant but I prefer the Cambridge location much much better. First of all their portions are larger (visibly larger) and there is never a waiting line at the door. Second, the latest 2 times I've been here my dishes had a hair in them. This was pretty disgusting so I haven't been to the restaurant in Waterloo since, I prefer to drive 25 minutes and eat well rather than wait a lot to get seated, realize that the portions are always shrinking or that they skip a few ingredients and most of all, question their sanitary protocol. 
In terms of selection, there is plenty for all tastes and I found that even the vegetarian dishes are good. I love their Shrimp tom-yum, the Cantonese chow mien, the sea salt calamari, shrimp cyclones, fried rice... The food is good and the prices are low too. It's a big disappointment that this place in Waterloo decided it was time to disrespect their customers like that. So remember, Cambridge location!
4 - Jennifer Y.: Ben Thanh is one of the more popular Asian restaurants in Waterloo. At peak times (lunch and dinner), the wait can go up to 40 minutes, so if you know you're going to be headed there, make a reservation if you can!

The food is good, no real complaints. The pho tastes better on some days than others, but overall it's pretty good. The random thing is sometimes they run out of bean sprouts, or lime, or basil leaves. The pad thai is alright, and honestly, there are other places in Waterloo that make much tastier Pad Thai (i.e. My Thai). My favourite appetizer is the grilled pork meat balls. They are extremely tasty especially paired with the sweet peanut sauce. You also can't go wrong with the crispy spring rolls!

Ben Thanh also makes some of the best fruit shakes. My favourite flavours are pineapple and mango, though I've heard that avocado and durian are also quite good (I personally would never want to drink a liquefied version of either fruits).

In terms of value, it is average. You can definitely get cheaper food elsewhere, but Ben Thanh has a good environment (large sit down restaurant with nice decor and somewhat attentive waitresses) which is probably why it attracts so many people. Pho runs between $6.75 for a small to $8.95(?) for an XLarge. Pad Thai might be closer to $10 and fruit shakes are around $3.50.
4 - Chris W.: This is a great restaurant. Recently, They have updated the interior of the location and it looks amazing. My favorite items on the menu are chicken pad Thai number 422C, the vegetables spring rolls number 602 and the vermicelli number 209. Only downfall with the location is that the stagger your food and bring items out when they are ready. The kitchens timing leaves something to be desired
1 - ws w.: The entree arrived before the appetizer and one entree was also missing. Asked when the rest of the food will come and was told they would check. Had to cancel the rest of the order after 30 min. since no one came back to bring the food or update us. We were then billed for the food we did not receive. Really poor service and the food was average. Will never go back and not recommended.
2 - Ben B.: The Thai food tasted like Italian food.
1 - Allie M.: I hate to be harsh especially because the service was good. The food was disgusting. First of all the menu is about 40 pages long (maybe longer), how can a restaurant make 40 pages of food well?  It's not possible. The Pad Thai was basically noodles soaked in tomato paste. It was hands down the worst Pad Thai I have ever had in my life, it was almost unbelievable. Some things were okay...the spring rolls and soup. That being said Pad Thai is a staple in a Thai restaurant and should never be that bad.
5 - Sara-Yan Y.: When we first entered the restaurant, I was surprised that there is an Asian restaurant so nicely decorated in Waterloo. That is because, I am not from around here and all the Asian places I've been to so far in Waterloo have been looking a little...eeehhh. 

We were greeted at the front with a smiling waitress, and led to our booth with menus. We knew the restaurant was a bit pricier than other pho places, so we already decided to order a XL pho ($8.95 or $9.95? forgot.) and share it before we even left our home. 

When we were seated, the waitress asked us what we wanted to drink, we asked for tea. We marked down an XL house special pho in our little sheet, and very soon the waitress came back to check on us. She looked at our order and confirmed with us that we were sharing. Soon she came back with 2 bowls and a ladle.

As we sat there waiting for our food to come, we noticed all the yummy looking food the other tables were eating.It made us feel even more hungry. 

When our pho arrived, we noticed that the beef actually came rare. This...well, never happened before. So it was another pleasant surprise for us. The pho was really good, and we weren't extremely thirsty afterwards, so that's always a good sign. The soup tasted great, the noodles were tender (not mushy or hard), and there was a variety of beef. :D In addition, the sweet sauce was not watered down, and they provided a chilli pepper on top of the bean sprouts, basil leaves, and lime. 

I would say this is the best pho restaurant I have ever been to. It looks good, it has great service, and the food is delicious. It is on the pricier side though, but we shared a XL bowl of pho and we were both full from it. Came to $5-ish per person for the 2 of us. So just share a bigger bowl for better value?
3 - Lauren A.: Look, the service is terrible, tables are sticky, and the waitresses are often rude. But most of the food is pretty damn good, and for that reason we usually get take-out. Nice shrimp rolls, varied BBT flavours and tasty chili-salt calamari more than make up for scowly teens manning the door.
4 - Elisa L.: I come here around twice a month with friends or my s/o. Food is always the same. Delicious vermicelli dishes, typical pho dishes, and average everything else. The service is not bad, but they will give you dirty looks if you come in with a large group w/o reservations (lol).

Large, clean, beautiful interior. Food comes quickly for the most part. Portions are generous. A popular spot for univ. students, families, couples, etc. :)

Benchwarmers - Ithaca, NY (42.439576, -76.4976835) ()
5 - Holly C.: Benchwarmers is a sports bar on the Ithaca commons. I recommend Benchwarmers to anyone who enjoys a good burger and a beer. Benchwarmers is a great place to watch sports there are too many tvs to count. You wont miss that game you were waiting for! Good atmosphere and excellent service.
3 - Justine H.: You can eat a fat chick here. Or at least attempt to...
4 - Tyler H.: I spent a solid summer in here watching the last World Cup (soccer - 2006). As sports bars go, this place has an excellent restaurant as well. The plethora of TVs can be a bit much/distracting, but you can be sure they'll have something you want to see. Benchwarmers has a solid burger, pretty huge. It's also really casual, so it's also a great place to just hang out. (No one ever commented on my taking 90 minutes plus commercial breaks to eat said burgers.)

One comment, it's in the center of the commons so expect to walk, or at least not be able to find parking.
2 - Sarah G.: I stopped by here for the last half of the Brazil-USA game yesterday -- nice crowd, plenty of TVs for a small space (some larger screen, others quite small).  One complaint is that the volume was turned nearly all the way down.  It's nice to have a nearly perceptible narration of a game, or even the cheer of the crowd in the background.  I had a local IPA (nice selection of on tap local beers and some decent bottles) and the nachos.  On the latter, the cheese wasn't even melted and it was shredded jack and cheddar from a bag with a few lonely jalapenos moping around the soggy chips.  The service was pretty horrible -- took us about 25 minutes to get our check and I never got my water.
3 - Marcus C.: Wow, drinks are cheap in Ithaca!  

But what's with the last call at such an early hour?  On a Friday!
2 - Michael O.: Review is for food only. Don't get any. It's not very good and it is too expensive for what you get. It's bad, seriously.
4 - Kevin Jiseup K.: Tuesday night 40 cent wings.

Wow, what a bargain, although there are some other places offering 25 cent wings, the wings at Benchwarmers are HUGE. But, besides that, it's a good sports bar with a good atmosphere. 

Although it's kinda pricey for other stuff, we did order super beef/chicken nachos as an appetizer. Because we split everything as a group, I think it came out to be somewhere like $9 each (6 people). It was a nice experience, the food is good, the atmosphere is good, the price was good (on Tuesdays). I don't think I would come here on any other day though, unless I wanted to drink for happy hour.

Benders Caffe - Providence, RI (41.822984, -71.411408) (DownCity)
2 - Jacqueline T.: If you are an avid coffee drinker or tea drinker then this may be the place to go. However the prices similar to starbucks. The hours are great and the location is great. (thats why they get 2 stars)

This place used to be Jimmy John's - which I used to eat at a lot, until their service got shotty. They had $5.00 Wednesday's for students, show your student ID and you get this huge sub with chips and a large soda - oh how I miss them so.

Benders is different but then again similar to most of the places in Providence.

They pride themselves on being "organic" and recycling, which is cool. I have eaten here 4 times; I am a very big cafe guru.

First time I had the California Turkey (Fresh sliced turkey breast, bacon, avocado puree, and Pepper Jack cheese). It was decent but I could have gotten something better and tastier at panera and for 2 bucks less. The Panini bread was a little too hard. There was barely any avocado puree and they must have run out of pepper jack cheese because all I got was Swiss, the turkey was not "fresh" like I expected. The Panini came with a small handful of pita chips and some of the best hummus I have ever had. The pita chips were extremely hard and hurt my teeth; therefore I just ate the hummus with a spoon.

The second time I went I had the Turkey Artichoke, (Fresh sliced turkey breast, artichoke tapenade, Monterey Jack cheese spinach, and pesto). Again the Panini bread was very hard, the turkey again not so good, and this time it seemed like there wasn't much turkey. It had maybe a tablespoon of the artichoke stuff, and again Swiss cheese instead of Monterey jack. It was very dry, and again served with the same hummus.

The third time - even thought I was disappointed with my first two Panini's I went back again because I wanted to try the Hummus Platter, (Creamy hummus in various flavors served with pita quarters and Greek salad.) The hummus was FANTASTIC, but it was almost 9 bucks. Now when you hear the word PLATTER, you think YUM! BIG PLATTER - not here, I got two dollops and I mean dollops of two different types of hummus (again fantastic hummus), hard pita chips, and that is it. The description says that a "Greek salad" is included; there was no Greek salad anywhere on my tea cup plate. I didn't say anything because I am not the complaining type.

So today, I was starving I wanted to get a bagel after class, I hate dunkin donuts bagels and cafe la France always has a line and they are rude. So I went here. It was the owner and another girl working. Both as slow pace. The owner is friendly, super clean, she totally knows about sanitation (I saw her put on clean gloves, realize she needed to touch something else, take those gloves throw them away and put on new ones when she was ready!) It took a while for my bagel, it wasn't that fantastic and I was only give a small square of cream cheese, this is New England, I like a lot of cream cheese. This will absolutely be the last time I eat here. 

They also offer a student discount; my $1.75 bagel was reduced down to $1.70... Hey every penny counts, and it was nice to ask if I was a student. 

I won't eat there again and I won't recommend it, unless some serious advertising takes place and the prices go down. 
Unless you want to spend $30.00 on a bunch of little things to be full, this is not the place to be. 
If the owner reads this - I am only trying to be real - I right many blogs and reviews, good and bad, but I always try to be fair. Again you are awesome and I respect your concept!
3 - Hilary K.: Does anyone know if this cafe is closed forever? I noticed a "we've had a baby" sign, which later disappeared, and since then the door has been locked with no one home. This has gone on for a couple of weeks. I'm sad to no longer have this little local coffeehouse across the street from work.

Benefit Street Antiques - Providence, RI (41.819391, -71.398324) (Fox Point)
5 - Lindsey G.: Beautiful antiques at reasonable prices. The owner was very nice and able to share details about the antiques I was looking at without pushing the items. I bought a wooden step up stool from 1860 for a great price and will be going back soon!
4 - Marcy L.: Adorable.  The perfect petite antique shop, and very well lit and organized.  I grew up in an antique mecca in New Hampshire, so I've seen my fair share of messy barns masquerading as "antique shops" (really, more like a prolonged yard sale...under a roof...for two generations).  Benefit Street Antiques is a unique space filled with light and organized (clearly marked) estate pieces.  Chairs with original (in GOOD condition) or replaced upholstery.  Polished tables.  Organized china and silver.  Even some odds-n-ends (old postcards from hre and away, a string of pearls, old books with a love note scrawled in the cover).  I'm not sure if the woman behind the desk was the owner, but she was lovely (very kind and helpful).
4 - Hilary H.: Benefit Street Antiques is the quintessential antiques shop. They have gorgeous old pieces of furniture, silver, even lace doilies, if you're into that kind of thing.  While the items are arranged in a mish-mash, everything is clearly priced and accessible.

It's a pleasant shop to stroll through, and the owner is lovely and more than willing to help you find what you're looking for, or leave you to brows by yourself. 

I'm no antiques expert, but they have really wonderful furniture that reminds me of the things my grandmother used to have. Their collection of silvery trays is wonderful, and I wanted to buy at least five of them during my visit. I'll definitely back to do some more in-depth shopping - love it!
4 - Elena Y.: Such nice service compared to the antique shop down the block. The owner helped me find a lovely baby blue ceramic bowl for the rattles I bought from Three Wheel Studio. Only $24. Then bought 4 chairs painted "Central Park" green with new seat covers in colors that worked perfect for my Craigslist freebie dining room table. Only $125! Most items are what you'd find in a traditional antiques store with silver and linens yet so pleasantly surprised by what I found, which was a touch more modern. Most of all I appreciated how friendly and helpful the owner was. She even carried out the chairs to my car. I'll head back to find a coffee table.
5 - Meaghan K.: Benefit Street Antiques makes me wish I was able to remember every innate detail of my history of furniture and architecture classes from college, alas I don't but it's nice to look through these insanely cute shop at all the furniture and try to remember. They always have a good variety of pieces as well as silver, books, and tea sets. Last time I was in I bought two beautiful tea cups and saucer for a friend's Christmas gift. I think it's time for me to go back in and find a new treasure.

Bengal Cafe - New York, NY (40.8034374, -73.9637388) (Morningside Heights)
3 - Faye B.: First impressions matter a lot for restaurants, and while Bengal Cafe is nice, it is nearly always empty when I walk by. This is usually enough to make me uncomfortable and keep walking, but I was with a few people who were dying for Indian, so here we were. 

Bengal Cafe is really all right. The lighting is kind of dim, which makes okay for conversation, and the decor is pleasant though nothing to make you gush. There is usually only one server for the whole restaurant (for lack of customers, I can only presume) but they are extremely polite, maybe even a little stiff. I only have ideas of why more people don't come here--part of it is the eerie empty atmosphere, but this is circular problem.

The food was nothing write home about, but still it was very satisfying. I had a coconut chicken concoction that was tasty, and the vegetable vindaloo is quite good. It was more than enough food for the price, which is comparable to the Indian places down in the village (which is where you really want to go for great inexpesive Indian). 

Overall, I think I'd rather order in.
3 - Manesh P.: Faye is right. Bengal cafe is ALWAYS empty which does leave you a bit off put. But, for those that do venture in, Bengal Cafe is a pretty decent experience and probably my choice for Indian in the Columbia area especially for delivery. The food is pretty typical and, despite never seeming to have business, it seems to come out fresh. I've even had fish there once. Really, it's on par with just about any other inexpensive-to-moderately priced Indian place you'll go to. Most importantly, the people who work there were quite friendly.
4 - Carl F.: Others have pointed out that it's empty.  I have no idea why.  I've eaten here many times, and it's one of the better Indian places.  The food is good, the price is right, they serve you quickly and leave you alone unless you need something, in which case they are lickety-split.

Don't let the emptiness fool you.  Give this place a try.  It's nice.
4 - brenda s.: I love this place, but we usually don't eat in the restaurant because it is creepy.   We love it for delivery, especially on a cold rainy night.  The  aloo paratha is very good, chock full of stuffing and never greasy like other places.   The mango chicken is a favorite of the kiddies.   The chicken tikka is good; and they will spice up or alter dishes to your liking.  Very nice and courteous people here.  Try for delivery.
4 - Monique C.: Def. Always empty, which creeps me out, but I always go for takeout.
My routine:
Bring a newspaper, place my order [in butchered hindi while the waiter patiently corrects me], and sit in a corner of an empty restauraunt happily reading my paper.
15 minutes later, 
Someone's grandmother hands me my warm bag of food. That she definitely just made. It's like love in a bag put together by my very own grandmother, were she Indian and not Haitian. But it's the same principle.
Bonus: The average entree is most definitely enough for two meals for an average 19-year old female. The chicken korma is extra good when microwaved with dal and the cupful of cabbage and a bit of the green stuff thrown in.
4 - Kate F.: For Christs' sake get the shrimp poori!!!

One of the more delicious things I've had in a while. And only $3.95. What?!??!

My main, aloo gobi, was also good, though totally overshadowed by the aforementioned kick ass awesome shrimp poori. 

Downers: I found the naan strange - a more bready consistency than I'm used to, and the three traditional chutneys that came with, odd and perhaps mass-produced? Or maybe just watery. Blah. 

Lastly, they make a damn fine raita, which for me, along with finding a perfectly serviceable delivery joint in my 'hood, seals the deal.







P.S. They sent this mysterious paper coffee cup half filled with a yellow soup (I think it was soup? or was I supposed to dip something in it?), that I had no idea what to do with so I poured it over my rice. (I love, btw, the way Indian rice comes with a 6 pea garnish, without fail.) I hope they send that delicious soup every time. I hope it's their "thing".
2 - Michael T.: Ordered delivery from Bengal Cafe tonight since Indian Cafe told me they wouldn't deliver to my apartment (although the last time I called them, they told me they would).... oh well.

Pretty decent food.  Chicken Vindaloo had a nice flavor with a touch of heat.  Nothing compared to Agon on 6th's FIRE, but still it was good.  Did not like the Tandoori Chicken... slightly game-y and hoped for more flavorful, juicy chicken, which it was not..  Samosa was OK.  Naan bread was a little mushy (probably from being wrapped in foil when it was warm; made it wet).  Serving size was good.

Doubt I'll order from them again.  Would rather just make the trek to the East Village when the Indian craving hits, at least until some more restaurants open in my neighborhood.
3 - Emily A.: I had this delivered (I live on W 136th if there any other West Harlem dwellers with a craving for Indian). I'm not the best person to rate Indian food because I've only had it a few times, but I thought this was pretty good. 

The shrimp poori, as Kate F. recommended, was ridiculously delicious. (FYI, though, all their prices have gone up; the poori is now $4.50.) The problem was that I should have stopped eating there. Instead, I ate almost a full order of lamb shaag as well. And topped it off with Ben and Jerry's. But that's my problem. The lamb shaag was tasty, if pretty greasy. It wasn't mind-blowing, but I also have no comparison because it's the first time I've had shaag.

In addition, I also have an order of vegetable vindaloo in my freezer because the delivery minimum is $15, not $10 as seen on this copy of their menu online (http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/bengal-cafe/menus/main.html). So if you want to order in, probably best if there are two or three of you. I definitely ate enough for two and have a full meal left over.

So, three stars for solid food and delivery to West Harlem. Would've been more, but I thought it was a tad pricey (especially after tax and good tip for the nice man who trekked up here) and I'm blaming them for the greasy feeling in my belly after overeating.
3 - Sylwia W.: After being rebuffed at the Hungarian Pastry Shop ("We only serve pastries here"), I went a few doors down to get some actual food instead of subsisting on the hors d'ouevres I grabbed at a Columbia legal conference. I think the waiter/owner(?) was confused that I was alone, but he was still very polite if a little pushy about certain things, like the fact that I was only ordering samosas, paratha, and lemonade. Oh, well.

I got my food about two minutes later, literally, and I noticed that people who had ordered more complicated stuff, like chicken tika masala, also got their food within minutes. The food is good but not well-spiced, as I am used to most Indian food being. The upside of this, of course, is that I didn't get sick afterward! Yay! The downside is that the food is not as flavorful as it could be.

The prices are fantastic; my order, with tip, was $9, and I felt completely stuffed. The space is large but mostly empty, but it's fine because I never felt like I was being ignored (maybe because of that aforementioned pushiness).

Bathroom Grade: N/A. Five minutes after leaving, I had to pee. +1 for me.
4 - Christine S.: I personally prefer the Bengal Cafe to the Indian Cafe because (1) the food is less greasy and (2) the restaurant is quiet.  I enjoy being able to talk rather than yell to my husband.

As a vegetarian, I like the fact that this restaurant has lots of vegetarian options.  Their vegetable samosas are good.  I've enjoyed their Mottar Ponir a couple of times.  But I have to say that my favorite thing on the menu is their Mulligatawny soup, which is delicious.

I've seen several comments about the Bengal Cafe's bread, which is not bad, but is certainly much more doughy than the bread I'm used to having at Indian restaurants.  Could this possibly be a more Bengali style of bread?  I really don't know.

In summary, this is a nice, quiet restaurant.  The food isn't spectacular, but it is good, inexpensive, and the portions are generous.
2 - Danielle A.: I LOVE Indian food. So, this place was extremely disappointing - I got mixed vegetable curry, which was bland and it seemed all the veggies were from one of those frozen mixed-veggie packs. It was also not remotely spicy, even though the menu said it was and I asked for it spicy. The naan tasted more like warm pita bread. The waiter  is decent, and the food does come out pretty quickly. However, I'm definitely not going back.
1 - dan c.: honestly, it was atrocious.  the worst indian food i've had anywhere.

tandoori chicken
chicken tikka masala
cauliflower
chana masala
aloo gobi
a spinach dish
and dal

every dish was bad.  and the naan?  the nan was store bought and warmed on a griddle, no question about it.

save yourself the trouble and just go elsewhere.  but, if you're really that curious, walk by one night and see how many people are inside.  that's always a good barometer....
3 - Insherah A.: my husband took me here a few times and i looved one of the dishes, i think it was a combination platter of lamb, shrimp, beef and chicken tandoori...about $15.95 i think..and it was yuuuuuummmyyy...but yeaaahh like EVERYONE and their MOM has noticed, the place was alwaysss empty! idk why...but loll my husband was bummed that they closed down..he tried to do business with them haah! btw, the server lives in westchester xD

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing - Lafayette, IN (40.4564182, -86.8516701) ()
5 - Isabel H.: 12/29/2010 Same day service. Frank came to my house to install a new water softener. His work is neat, thorough, and he left the work area clean. Matt stopped by to help haul away the old unit. I am very happy with the installation and the prompt, professional attention my request received. Thank you Frank, and owners Matt and Kayla!
4/10/2011 Second time Benjamin Franklin Plumbing has come to our house. This time our water heater stopped working on a Saturday night. Matt came over on Sunday and fixed the problem by flushing sediment out of the tank. It was a simple fix. Matt told us the truth and gave us pointers on how to avoid having a repeat of the problem. You can trust Matt. Thanks again Matt and Kayla!
5 - Kurt W.: I've hired Matt Bugher (Benjamin Franklin Plumbing) on multiple occasions. He has always shown up on time, clearly explained the scope of the work, did the work neatly, and left my home as if it was never there (Clean!). I've recommended Matt to several friends and each time my friend was very satisfied.
5 - Mary Ann R.: I always seek customer recommendations for service, so when Benjamin Franklin had good reviews, I took a chance and called them. So glad I did - Bryan came over, same afternoon, diagnosed the problem, fixed the problem, and referred me to a company to prevent further water damage to my basement.  Cost was reasonable, and crisis averted. Thank you, Bryan and Benjamin Franklin Plumbing.

Benjamin's Restaurant & Inn - Woolwich, ON (43.5401962, -80.5531783) ()
3 - Teena D.: Gord and I drove to St. Jacobs a couple weeks ago.

It was lunchtime so we went to Benjamin's Restaurant & Inn.

Nestled in the heart of the Village of St. Jacobs, Benjamin's Restaurant & Inn offers its guests the charm of a vintage inn with modern conveniences for your comfort. For 150 years, the building which houses Benjamin's has accommodated overnight guests. Built in 1852 by a local Mennonite named Joseph Eby, the original "Farmer's Inn" was a stage coach stop en route from Berlin (Kitchener) to Elmira and all other points north.

I had a hamburger and fries.  The burger was good ... the fries so-so so I just had a few.

Gord ordered the wild boar meatloaf. He had asked to substitute the sweet potatoes fries (he's not a fan) for potato salad and the server ended up bringing both.  He said the meatloaf was good.

The restaurant is quaint and old fashioned ... there was mostly an older clientele when we were there.
4 - Aaron B.: Uniquely prepared and presented dishes with a European bent and an atmosphere to match, with efficient and friendly service. It is safe to say there is something for everyone here.
4 - Miss C.: I came here because 'Jacob's Grill' down the road had a 20-minute wait. I was hesitant at first because it looked like it would be really old-fashioned. I was wrong...kinda. The inside decor is very traditional but it's not rundown and the tables are dressed nicely with linens and fresh flowers.

The service was good, we had a friendly waitress although she seemed just a tiny bit displeased when we passed on dessert.

I had the catch of the day ($16) which happened to be almond-crusted whitefish with corn relish and pesto aioli. It was served on a bed of sweet potato fries with a side salad. The salad was dressed rather blandly but the fish and fries were delicious!

My friend had the bison burger topped with peameal bacon ($13) which came with the same salad as mine. The burger was quite large...great value for the price.

Next time I'm in St. Jacob's looking for a bite to eat I will definitely come here again.

Bennett Optometry - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2808593, -83.7483673) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
2 - mariah c.: I was really excited when I recently got vision insurance. I'd been putting off getting new contacts, and it was time.  I already had a current RX from another eye doctor, so I thought it should be easy to simply order the contacts through here. 

They were one of my vision plan's designated providers, so I thought that the slightly lower price would warrant giving them a shot.

Everyone was very nice, but this wasn't easy at all. When I ordered the contacts, they gave me an estimated ship date.  When they hadn't arrived a few days after that ship date, I called their office (it was getting close to the holidays) to check in.  Evidently, the contacts were on back order, but no one had bothered to tell me. 

Ok, well, now that I knew, could they provide me with a sample pair to hold me over?  Sure, they said, just come in to pick them up.  So, I traipsed over there only to find that no one at the desk could find them, and the woman I'd spoken with didn't recall at first that she's said she would put them aside.  It was annoying, but still, everyone was trying to be nice, if not particularly efficient.

So, last week, I did finally get my contact shipment.  I got two separate boxes, but didn't really think anything of it, since I figured maybe one was my initial order and one was the back-ordered portion.  Wrong again!

While I was out of town on business, I got a call from Bennett that they were sorry, but their distributor had made a mistake and double-shipped my order.  So, could I please sort out those other contacts and bring them back into their office? Another trip?

Arg! As I say, everyone throughout the process was nice, but life was much simpler when I just ordered from 1-800 Contacts.  I have a feeling that's what I'll do next time. I really don't need to spend hours of my time just to get some darn contacts!
5 - Eric M.: Hmm.... read the other review below, and was a little surprised.  So, I'll write this not to contradict the other review, but to give my experience.

I've been going to Bennett for about 10 years now, and they've always taken very good care of me.  The staff is very friendly, has always been on the ball, and has at times bent over backwards to make sure I was happy.

They've got a great selection of glasses, and when I've ordered contacts, they've always arrived quickly without much fanfare.
4 - Diana K.: I'm shocked by the negative reviews! To be honest, I passed by their very prominently located Main Street office all the time but assumed that if they were right downtown, that they were a "frou-frou" office than wouldn't give me the level of customer service and expertise I needed. Well, I was very wrong. Dr. Bennett himself, although he may come off as arrogant at first, is extremely knowledgeable about his field. Having gone to two different optometrists, one through UHS' Eye Clinic and another through UM's Kellogg Center in Ypsi, I was really disappointed in my vision with the corrective prescription I had received. So, trusting my instincts, I decided to get a third opinion and I am very glad I did. 

Dr. Bennett was recommended to me by a coworker in downtown Detroit who makes the trip all the way to Ann Arbor to see him because of the low vision specialty. I have a very strong lens prescription, high astigmatism, and a very visually-demanding job, so anything less than near-perfect, crisp vision is unacceptable. Dr. Bennett thoroughly examined my eyes, listened to my concerns, and was able to diagnose a problem that the previous doctors had never found. Given the reviews below, I'm curious how good they will be with follow-up, but so far, I was pleased and felt like I was in good hands. 

Note: To further help diagnose vision problems, they have a specialty Vision Clinic upstairs at the Main Street location.
4 - Monet T.: We've been going to Bennett Optometry for about seven years now. The past several years, we've been seen by Dr. Bennett himself. He comes across a little intimidating at first, but really, he's a crack optometrist. I don't know if arrogance is the right word, as another reviewer used, but he tells it as he sees it and does not beat around the bush. At all. It can come off as a bit brusque, but I appreciate his candor.

I was super impressed when last time I was in to buy contacts, I brought up the difference in price between what he charged and what I could find online. He matched the online price for me. That was great. I really didn't expect him to do that.

And I've found that they are very accommodating with my schedule and don't seem to mind that I have brought small children into their small waiting room.
4 - Leanna G.: I've always been a SEE eyewear fan girl, and I've also never had insurance, so SEE not covering insurance was never an issue for me. However, I feel like SEE glasses are getting less cute (or maybe I'm getting older, I dunno), and I now have insurance. Bye-bye, SEE.

I headed down to Bennett's because it was the closest place to my work, and I was pleasantly surprised on all counts. They got me in for an eye exam the very next day. Dr Wierenga was very polite, very fast, and very good about answering my many questions, and he was also knowledgable about retinitis pigmentosa, which an obscure eye condition, and was able to discuss it with me. And the glasses selection is actually really cute. You might accidentally pick up a $400 pair of frames, which is a bummer, but I ended up with $190 frames that I'm absolutely crazy about, so cool!
4 - Stephanie R.: My husband and I have been going to Bennett Optometry for several years and have been pleased with the level of service they provide. If you're able to make a morning appointment-- as soon as they open, you'll be in and out in no time. Sometimes in the afternoon appointments can get backed up and you'll be stuck there for a while longer. The staff there are always friendly and the atmosphere is nice as well. They also validate parking, which is nice since the location I go to is in downtown Ann Arbor. I highly recommend this optometry!

Bennett's Greenhouse - Lafayette, IN (40.401824, -86.84049) ()
5 - Toriphil E.: now THIS is a greenhouse.  if you need plants or planting supplies..... TRY BENNETTS FIRST

Benny Marzano's - Blacksburg, VA (37.2294, -80.4151) ()
4 - Mel H.: Pretty awesome!!!! I think it's a pretty fair price for how much pizza you get and the slices are comparable in size to Jumbo Slice (Adams-Morgan), but waaaaayyy better because it's even good when you're sober (unlike... other places in Adams-Morgan...). I'm actually a huge fan of the crust. It's just a really great texture.
4 - Ben S.: The pizza is really good!  The crust was crunchy and substantial, the sauce was good, and the slices were HUGE!  They sell individual slices all day long, which is great when you feel like pizza but don't feel like waiting.  Plus, the price is very reasonable -- $12 for lunch for two people, including drinks (they have a great selection of sodas).  A welcome addition to the Blacksburg food options.
3 - Eddie T.: I was a fan the first two times I came here. I brushed off the third time as an unfortunate result (the dough was too thick). After the fourth and fifth times of subpar pizza, I decided to write this off my regulars list (the fifth time being the guy behind the counter adding sausage to the pizza with his barehands and proceeded to touch all the machinery, money, etc. - when it comes to making food for OTHER people, you should follow the highest standards.) 

In a nutshell, the novelty is nice and the pizza is great from time to time, but it's just way too inconsistent. You need to hit the mark at least 9 times out of ten.
4 - Lorne W.: Huge pizza slices for pretty cheap. It's pretty good pizza, for what I'm used to. Probably worse than whatever New York styles there are, but better than fast food pizza. Only a few topping choices but it's not a big deal.
5 - S K.: I am from NJ and consider myself to be somewhat of a pizza snob, and I thought this place was awesome.  The cheese was declious and the slices are HUGE, so it's a great value.
4 - Mary L.: Came here for lunch with the fiance today and it wasn't the best pizza I've ever had, but it was pretty good. 

At first we we thought $4 for a slice of pizza was a bit much until we saw how big these slices were. 

The pizza was the size of a baby. The length of it spanned 2 paper plates. It was out of control. 

The pizza came out fast, and hot! This place is open until 12 which is kind of nice. It's like Blacksburg's own Jumbo Slice.

I would definitely come back here again.
4 - Jessica L.: Went with the bf and a couple friends and we really liked this place. I'm usually pretty picky about crust when it comes to pizza, but theirs was the perfect medium between crispy and doughy. It was delicious! I got their green peppers and sausage pizza and my other friends chose their usual cheese or pepperoni. It's $4.50 for a huge slice and it definitely fills you up! They also make whole pizzas, which are absolutely gigantic. We saw a couple of girls order one and it took both of them to carry the box to their car, and they had to put it in their trunk! Great for an easy dinner or a late night snack after a night downtown.
5 - Ryan T.: Some of the best pizza in Blacksburg. The pizza spans 2 plates for only $5! Their hours are great. I've gotten a whole pizza once for a party and it barely fit in my car!
5 - Yomy I.: Addendum, labor day weekend, 2012.

It's great they stay open very late.  My son had unexpected medical problems so we got here about midnight.  But we had a great time eating slices, my 7 year old one, my wife one and me two.  That, by the way is a ton of food!  You'd never guess my son would have surgery the next day, nothing to do with the food.  We watched semi-drunk college students weave by on the sidewalk outside but everyone who was here was happy.  My son, now recovered, wants to go back very soon.
3 - Oz V.: The pizza is not bad. Decent sized and comparable-somewhat to Adams Morgan jumbo slice. Price is similar as well. Although, service can be slow due to their limited pizza production setup.  Even on a relatively slow night and the wait is rather interesting. 

The ambiance late night is something else....I would describe it as douche-central. Maybe it is the fact that most guys head to Bennys after a night of drinking and feel the need to prove something. There's always a feeling in the air that a fight is about to break out. I feel like this place could use a bouncer or two and that should not be the case for a pizza joint.

Benny's Carry Out - Riverdale, MD (38.9588, -76.9396825) ()
2 - Jay R.: First, the customer service there is horrible.  It felt like they just want your money and get out. Not friendly, no thank-yous or come again.  It's not one of the cleanest establishments I've ever walked into.  The furniture is uninviting and their food is comparable to the PF CHANGS you find in the freezer section of the supermarket.  The only thing I can compliment that is decent in their establishment is their MUMBO sauce, but even if you want an extra little cup of that be prepared to pay 25 cents more for condiments.  I know this is a carry-out but take some pride in your business.
4 - S T.: Hahaha @ Jay R. why you going so hard on Benny's.

I must admit they can be a lil bit on the rude side but Benny's is one of my fav's especially as a college student they're right on time with the budget. So far I've had quite a few visit since getting put on in July. #Lunchspecial

Benny's Family Restaurant & Lounge - Waterloo, ON (43.4755885, -80.5178155) ()
4 - Liz T.: Fantastic place to get breakfast at a goof price. I find there lunch and dinner menus are hit and miss though.
3 - Edward W.: There breakfast is good as well as the lunch and dinner. I would like to see more of a selection on there menu . There deserts are  big!! It was average as far as price
1 - Rob M.: We couldn't believe they smothered the fresh vegetables with a Prime Rib Dinner with this lame tomato sauce. It was a perfect way to ruin fresh carrots and beans. The wait staff was very good but the chef needs to forget odd saucing. Prime Rib was pasable, not outstanding. probably a good greasy spoon for bkfst & lunch but  not fine dining.
3 - Zelda W.: 3 stars only because the service was so slow the last couple of times I was there--one time we had to leave because 45 min passed and no food! The price is fair for the quality of food. If you want a reasonably priced family meal, this is as good as it gets in Waterloo!
5 - Robin D.: Ahhh benny's. Great breakfast. This place attracts a lot of elderly for good reason too.

They have nice selection of breakfast, tasty and well priced. With Mel's gone, this is the last best breakfast place I know in Waterloo for North American breakfast.

They used to have cool baseball breakfast names like home run and first base, but its a thing in the past. Luckily, nothing else changed! Oh! - And I learned you can park on the street!
2 - Tamara J.: There are way better resturants in the area. My tomatoes tasted like dirt. The waitress was weird. Meh.
3 - Kelly B.: We went here for lunch today and it was ok.  I had fish and chips and my hubby had the liver and onions.  Both of our meals were a special from 3pm to 5 pm which I really liked since most restaurants at that time of the day are between lunch specials and diinner specials.  The price of both meals was $9.95 each and came with soup or juice. My was one small piece of nicely battered cod and the fries were crispy and tender in the middle. The liver was slightly thin and over-cooked but the onion gravy was very good.  The liver and onion meal was served with rice and green beans. Our server was polite and efficient. The decor of the restaurant is slightly dated and seem they really do not have a specific identity.
4 - Drake B.: I go here quite often. Breakfast is the star of this place. It is essentially a diner with a retro theme. I am thinking the theme is by accident and just hasn't been updated since it was new.

The service is good, the food is of good quality and the prices are fair. 

I have been for lunch and dinner as well and that isn't as noteworthy as breakfast. 

The kids menu is pretty decent. I took my nephews here on a Tuesday and I think they both ate big plates of spaghetti and meatballs for $4 total including drinks!

Bentley's Pub - Champaign, IL (40.119931, -88.243878) ()
5 - Chelsea V.: Absolutely amazing. My friend and I drove past this place after giving up at another Champaign bar, heading home to watch a movie, and decided as a last ditch effort we'd head in. Expecting to find dodgy old men and PBR, we were instead greeted with a small crowd, a friendly bartender and an absolutely excellent selection of beers and STRONGBOW. Both bottled and on tap. 

But I've left out the best part. THEY SERVE 20 OZ PINTS. I actually, for once, finally felt like I was out having a drink. 16 oz is for babies. Got two snakebites, my friend got this sweet mango/pineapple thing the bartender mixed for her cause she wasn't looking to drink...all around good times.

I would totally recommend Bentley's to anyone and I'm sorry to be graduating this year, as I'd make it my regular if I could.
5 - Neel V.: This was my favorite bar in the Champaign-Urbana area! If you're looking for a trendy hotspot full of loud techno music, popped collars, and $12 martinis this is not the place for you. But if you're looking for a chill place...with a great jukebox and cheap drinks, where you can actually have a conversation with your friends this is THE spot. Plus they have real darts! 

I also can't say enough about the awesome bartenders- they are absolutely the friendliest, nicest people you'll ever meet. 

So if you're looking for something different from the usual drunken undergrads in Campustown or pretentious hipsters in downtown Champaign, give Bentley's a try...you won't be disappointed.
5 - Heather T.: You know what there's not to like about Bentley's?

NOTHING.

It's a neighborhood bar if there ever was one.  And while it's right on the edge of downtown, it's still in my neighborhood.  

I got a 20 oz pint of Dark Horse Scotty Karate Scotch Ale (incredible, by the way) for $4.75.  It was only mildly crowded for 10pm on a Saturday night, and there was pretty good free music playing.  It's not even a dive bar.  It's actually kind of pretty.

I can't wait to come here all the time and do a two-block-drunken-stumble back home after having spent $15 or less.
5 - Jon A.: I spent a week down here for work and this was they high light of my trip. I drank through 2 bartenders on a Wednesday while listening to an Irish jam session. The music was nice and at the perfect volume. Both bartenders were chatty and provided a lot of useful information for an out of towner like myself.
4 - Tim J.: This is as close to an English Pub as you will find in CU. Some may think of it as a dive, as it does not have a super-impressive street-front presence, but really it is a pretty nice place, with less pretense than Boltini's or other downtown Champaign peers. A great selection of English ales and other limey brews on tap with more in bottles. They often have pretty decent bands here, even though it is not that big and is not "set up" for music. It is a very intimate place to see a band. They have darts, megatouch, and nice long, high tables, which are perfect if you have a bunch a friends with you. No students, which is a huge plus. Service is great. 

I cant give it 5 stars, as it is not super cheap, but if the band you dig is playing, it is a great place to see them. Parking is not great if the bar is crowded. Try on the side street.
2 - Katie K.: I really wanted to like this place, and my first impression was actually pretty good. The first time we visited the bartender was great. A friend and I were even advised that a beer we ordered was not so good, and offered a sample which confirmed the advice. It's also really nicely done inside, with nice woodwork and a tin ceiling, friendly lighting, a jukebox, good seating, and even 10oz beers available at near half-price. 

Each time I've visited since, my experience has been worse than the previous. Since this was  mostly based on the other clientele, I held off on reviewing. 

But my last visit was pretty bad, and not because of the clientele. We waited at the bar for over 10 minutes to be served--which would be completely understandable if it was busy, but there were no other waiting customers to be seen. Also, our table was never cleared the entire time we were there, nor did we see any other cleanup happening at other tables. Worst of all, neither of the beers we ordered was anywhere near it's prime--both were stale and one was noticeably flat. So with poor service and old beer, I don't know if I'll be going back.
5 - Matt S.: This is probably my favorite place to go to do 80% of my drinking in champaign. It's chill and out of the way but interesting people show up. 

The ownership knows what their doing as well as service is always quick to serve and quick to help. 

How awesome is it to feel a good party mood yet ALSO be able to talk to someone!?
5 - Ashley B.: I personally love this bar. It's a bit small, but I think it's comfy, and there's a nice patio area out back. I used to come here every Tuesday after volleyball games for some karaoke. It was just simply awesome because it's usually not packed, so you can come in with a few folks and just about take over the whole place. There's also Rock Band going on now, which I also like. That, and the bartenders are always super nice and helpful. I love this place!
4 - Laurie T.: The music is great!!!!  I only go on Wednesday nights when they have traditional Irish music.  Is makes for a great atmosphere to enjoy your drinks and friends.  They have a nice selection of beers to choose from.  Although there is limited space, I think that adds to the atmosphere.
3 - Steve M.: It hurts me to give Bentley's this rating.  It used to be my go to bar.  It's clean, friendly, has very good drink prices and it had a neighborhood atmosphere.  Even their newish beer garden is very nice.

Unfortunately a couple years ago they introduced the various events.  Pretty much every weeknight and every night on weekends there's a band, karaoke or some sort of horrible obnoxious event (you're exempted from that criticism, Irish Music Night).  That means what used to be the ideal place to hang out and have a beer with friends is gone---replaced by a new crowd with very loud events and bands.  As a venue for bands, it's absolutely terrible, IMHO.  I understand why they've done it, they seem to get much better business now, but I really hate it and stopped going there at the end of my time in C-U.

So go on Irish music night or a night with no bands and this is a great bar, albeit with a shittier new clientele.  But go on any other night and it's a bad music venue you can't even really talk in.

Berard, MD - College Park, MD (38.978933, -76.936875) ()
5 - Heather R.: Dr. Berard has an excellent bedside manner. I have had a spectrum of physical issues over the years and he never fails to amaze me. He's smart and sensitive. My husband and son both go to him as well. If you can't get in to see him, ask for Mary K. his P.A. She rocks too!
5 - Zeynep D.: This is a review for Dr. Berard's practice, as opposed to himself, because I never actually consulted him in person.  However, his entire staff, including the RNs, are very helpful, professional, and friendly.  I have had his practice as my primary care for something longer than five years, and have never had cause for complaint, including in the one medical emergency I have had when I needed urgent referrals to specialists.  I strongly recommend this practice.
2 - Prince G.: Nice people. Good enough care.   I've gone there for years, but now I'm done.

Wait times are terrible (understatement--I forget how bad it is because I don't go there often. And then I go, and wait and wait and wait and watch the clock tick by, and have some deja vu...).  

Last time I was there (it was a morning, not in a cold or flu season, didn't seem like things were particularly busy) I was seen 80 minutes after my scheduled appointment time.  

Who needs that?
3 - Pandora C.: I actually have never seen Dr. Berard. I go to Mary K. or Mary Ellen and they are wonderful -lovely bedside manner and always very caring and knowledgeable. They are worth the wait -bring a book/magazine to read in the examining room though.  

CAUTION: front office staff tend to be annoying and unhelpful. I wish they were as friendly as the nurse practitioners and doctors!

UPDATE: Mary K. McGaffin is now practicing at Riverside Primary Care
Riverdale office: 301 927  0088
Laurel office:  301 725 5652
They can give you more info at either number. The staff at both offices are very nice and accommodating and parking is much easier for both. Wait time isn't long anymore either! I give the new locations 5 stars and Mary K. 5 as always :)
3 - Mel S.: 1) There are way too many people working here doing NOTHING. I am thinking a lot of the employees are family members or friends. How can you have an overstaffed office and work extremely slow?
2) Dr. Berard is rarely in the office, but the Nurse Practitioner's are super nice. Make sure you research what they prescribe you. They prescribe some random things for patients and never explain why to the patient--unless you ask!
3) I work at another medical office and I have to call Dr. Berard's office like a telemarketer to get them to do anything for their patients. Seriously, I have to call at least three to four times a day for a fax.

Beri Frozen Yogurt - Champaign, IL (40.1102758, -88.2304104) ()
3 - Pete B.: I've been to berri a couple of times now, mainly for the super cheap, guilt-free $1 small froyo. I do have a feeling that this place isn't going to last very long unless it starts to differentiate itself. The past couple of times I was there, there're only 3 flavors. I didn't like the mango and the vanilla, so I always get the pomegranate. They need to add more flavors and make sure that each flavor is good. The one reason why I'm not a huge fan of cocomero is because I feel like there're too many flavors to choose from and no one flavor is amazing. Berri should take the Red Mango route and stick with a couple of solid flavors and market itself as a more premium alternative to the self-serve cocomero. 

oh, and also, make green tea one of your flavors!
2 - Cat F.: If you don't mind the sour yogurt flavor, as opposed to sweeter fro-yo around the block, this place isn't bad. I had the small size green tea flavor and was happy I didn't order a larger size.  The green tea flavor pops but the after taste is like a carton of plain yogurt, a bit sour and kinda creamy.  I think the strawberry flavor would have been a better choice... All in all I have had better.
5 - Scotty J.: To premise my review I've been to Beri many times and with many different people. My friends and I are shocked by the low reviews this establishment receives. In my opinion here are the highlights of this place:

Delicious (not overly sweet) Frozen Yogurt
Many Toppings to choose
Friendly Staff
$1 small to satisfy the craving (cash only for the small)
Punch cards
Friendly Staff
Poppings

The first topping that caught my eye that set this place apart from the rest are the "poppings". These are similar to tapioca / bubble tea balls / boba except they are flavored (mango, passion fruit, etc) juice surrounded with a thin coating. These things POP in your mouth. They are great, everyone should try them out. 

They offer many different flavors of frozen yogurt (~roughly 5-6: green tea, pomegranate, plain, strawberry, taro, and some others)

Final note, everyone but one person that I've brought here enjoys this place.
5 - Ken R.: Man, I am glad this place lasted out the semester and I got to try it.  I've been a few times and have been very pleased each one.  

The comparisons to Cocomeru are inevitable, so let's get on with it.  Personally, I prefer Beri for a few reasons.

The first time I was there, they gave us as many samples of the flavors as we wanted.  Since then, they have added numerous new and interesting flavors like litchi and taro.  I thought the green tea flavor was a little too subtle, but I really like the pineapple and litchi.  

The yogurt actually tastes like yogurt, which I like a lot.  I sometimes eat plain yogurt for lunch, so a little sourness is not a deal-breaker for me.  I like the sour hint and the more subtle flavors.

And the toppings are nice, too.  They don't have the topping bar quite like Cocomeru, but I found that a lot of the toppings at Cocomeru didn't really fit with the flavored yogurts.  Here, most of the toppings are fruit based and go pretty well with the yogurts.  You get three toppings with your yogurt, so you might as well try some.

Of special note are the fruit poppings.  They are little spheres filled with flavored fruit goo and a thin outer coating that pops when you bite into them.  I love them.  They are amazing.  They are the best part, though the yogurt's not bad at all.  I have considered getting an extra cup for just poppings.  (I will admit that not everyone I've gone with likes them as much as me, but they're just fun to eat.  The bright colors sort of look like fish eggs.)

The medium size is just right for a filling afternoon snack and the $1 small is a guilt-free little treat.

The anime and game figures in the walls are sort of an odd touch.  The decor in general is unusual, but not really distracting.    

I'll probably be filling up a few cards there this summer.  For more poppings.
4 - Megan M.: I'm only a fan because I pass by here atleast 4 times a day to get to and from class. The $1 small froyo sign gets me...EVERY time. Lucky for me, they have punch cards to reward me every 10 or so times I go. 

Don't go here to satisfy late night (past 7pm-ish) cravings. The 'toppings,' especially mochi, get really hard and dry. I'm not sure what the craze is about 'poppings.' I avoid them like the plague. After they pop, the outer skin feels like...latex...in your mouth. Uh, no thanks.
4 - T B.: I like Beri, a lot. The staff is nice, the portions are nice, and even though haven't tried the Add-ins they look good. Their frozen yogurt is made with Activia yogurt (which is good for the digestion and I believe might have probiotics), which I feel is a plus and I feel tastes good as well. I like Beri more than cocomero, because they somewhat understand ($1) that most of us are college students that don't have mom/dad giving us a daily allowance anymore. Plus I hate playing the weigh game, and hoping I don't go over how much I am willing to spend. I will honestly say Beri doesn't have a huge variety but a decent/interesting (like taro) one or two flavors amongst the typical.
4 - Glo K.: Small froyo for $1 + student budget = good as it gets! Do the math.

Pros
-cool interior (i like how the family of solar powered figurines greets you)
-tasty froyo
-punch cards
-friendly staff

Cons: 
-I wished the moochi wasn't so dry.
-Not really customizable because employee puts the toppings for you
4 - Sonny S.: This place is a pretty good deal. $1 for a small cup of froyo. They have punch cards too so that's a plus. The interior is really modern. I like how there are a wall of asian solar trinkets as you walk in. This place is pretty small and there are less topping and flavor choices compared to cocomero. Additionally, the staff is in charge of putting the toppings on so you don't have the chance to add more toppings/customization. I got the mango froyo here with the lychee poppings, which I found so interesting. Basically, like lychee juice encased in a ball. Pretty cool place.
5 - Li Y.: The service/quality of the frozen yogurt portion of the store has vastly improved since the new(?) Korean owners. As of this summer, Beri has transformed into a Korean restaurant as well (think Spoon House)! 

The location is apparently now Beri/Roll Model with Roll Model specializing in a variety of kimbap. With a price of about $4-5, it's a good place to stop by during lunch and grab something quick to eat. That said, they also have other Korean staples like bulgogi, bibimbap, and more. The price is also quite reasonable and perhaps a dollar or two lower than usual.

We were a little hesitant at first to try Korean food at a frozen yogurt place, but we were pleasantly surprised! We ordered the $4.99 bibimbap special and a bulgogi deopbap for $6.99/7.99. They were served in truly massive bowls and the portions were generous. In terms of taste, it was comparable to other Korean restaurants on campus. It's definitely worth a visit - especially since you can get dessert in the same location!

Berk's - Cambridge, MA (42.3720336, -71.1204129) (Harvard Square)
3 - Melissa B.: Decent selection and good prices when there's a sale, but wow can the staff be cranky.  meow.
3 - Lacey P.: One of the only decent shoe stores in Cambridge.  The staff can be a little too hip, but when I told them I was a waitress while buying Danskos they gave me a discount and they consistently have cute shoes at good prices.  Some socks too and good selection of clogs and men's.
4 - Heather Q.: Decent selection at good prices.  The sale prices are steals.

Half the store is dedicated to "sensible" shoes.  I stay on the other half of the store, but if you have picky feet,  Berks is the place to go.
4 - Jessica H.: Firstly, I have to say that I agree with a previous poster. The staff in Berk's is super cranky all the time! They have nice shoes though, all of the best brands. And, they usually have some pretty good sales.
3 - Ellie L.: A decent place to find neat kicks, with a good selection of Puma, Converse, and even those little Lacoste velcro-sock-shoe things that seem to be all the rage on the sneaker shelves as of late.  They often have dirt cheap stuff piled up outside that's worth sifting through.
4 - Jessica R.: Very small store but packed with cute shoes.  A surprising number of the shoes I saw there had no leather on them which makes me a happy vegan shopper!

Also they carry croc's which I love.
3 - Stephanie W.: Great store for when you are in a bind and need shoes fast. Or if you are in love with Puma sneakers. Either way, you can find both cheap heels and expensive sneakers in this tiny space in Cambridge. Really fun place to browse as well!
4 - Adrienne B.: Great deals- lots of shoes- if you love shoes its definitely a place to check out.
4 - Anna S.: Berks, although a tad on the high end of pricing, has a great selection of shoes. They often have sales though which makes their plethora of options even more amazing.  One of the last good shops of harvard sq.
5 - Lindsey M.: There are only so many small local shoe stores left before DSW Wear-houses and mega chain department stores rule them all!!!

I love berks. Although small, they have always rocked a sweet selection of men's and women's shoes at decent prices. Not to menchion some pretty fantastic sidewalk sales..! You hipsters, preps, earthy granola crunchers, stiletto chics, artsies, or whatevers, Berk's is sure to satisfy any shoe cravings. Puma, Lacoste, Converse, Saucony, Ed Harvy, Dr Marten, Steve Madden and Birkenstock are just a few of the many brands. This cute store is packed with merchandise and often loaded with costumers, so be patient and make your feet happy  :)
4 - Nate B.: Berk's is an amazingly small store with great brand names at low prices.   I have never been let down by Berk's.  I have bought somewhere around 4 pairs of shoes there at the most incredibly reasonable prices that you might think there is something wrong with them.  I assure you there is no logical reason why I can get a pair of white Lacoste shoes for $40.  If you're a woman there are many more options for you with dozens and dozens of styles from heels, to flats....Men you have a more limited array of goodies, although I won't understate the selection or prices that you'll find.  Guys, you can find some great buys  but only if you're looking for sneakers.  I wouldn't really recommend any of the very few dress shoes for men there.  The pairs I have seen aren't that great, and don't necessarily compare to the savings you'll find if you purchase a pair of sneakers.  Berk's has a huge selection of chucks, lacoste, tiger, and many other trendy sneaker brands at affordable prices.  Without sounding too much like an authorized advertisement for Berk's I'll just chime one last comment for contrast.  Berk's is almost always crowded as hell.  Don't plan to be quick if you want to try on a few pairs and buy one.  Plan to be there for a good 20 minutes at peak shopping times waiting for shoe sizes.  Overall I really love Berk's and I think all you guys looking for a comfy, affordable pair of  trendy sneaks should check em' out!
5 - Q S.: I love this place!  It's my favorite shoe store.  I have gotten so many cute in-season pairs of shoes, boots, flats....etc.  The price is also very affordable.  They have racks and racks of shoes on sale.  I usually get at least two pairs of shoes everytime I step in the store. 
  In addition to shoes, they have bags, socks, and accessories.  
  The last time I went there, I got these awesome gray scrunched ankle booties.  I have also found some awesome deals under $20 in the past.  It's next to Boston Tea Stop, so grab a bubble tea after.
5 - eurie c.: always a good selection of what's trendy and also the brands that stand the test of time. i bought a pair of simple brand clogs a looong time ago, and they stretched the left one a bit for me because it was little too tight. always friendly.
4 - Shane F.: I bought a pair of dress shoes at Berk's two weeks ago. They are comfortable stylish and cheap. Overall I was very happy with the staff because they left me alone. Sure the guy was snide and condescending when he told me that the size on display is the smallest size they had as though I was wasting his time with my freakishly small feet. It would have pissed me off if anyone had said it in that manner to my girlfriend, (who wears a size five and had been hearing that line, always said apologetically, for the last three day from assorted shoe sellers). As it was I was merely stunned because the size on the shelf was a 12 and who assumes a man asking for size 10 shoes has ever heard of that smallest size policy? But, all that is beside the point. The point is that I don't know what I'm doing buying dress shoes, I don't like people hanging around while I try on things if I don't know what I'm doing and the folks at Berk's didn't hang around. So, I was pretty happy and then they took like $30 off the price when I got to the register.
3 - Shauna W.: Good luck with the customer service at this business!  They have a decent shoe selection for a small store but your money is better spent elsewhere for the type of respect they give to their patrons.  I visited the store on a rainy weekday and when I first entered the store I wasn't greeted.  Ten minutes pass by and I think its because the employees must be busy with other customers, five minutes pass by and I am the only customer left in the store.  I look up towards the back of the store and there are four employees standing side by side looking in my general direction (with the exception of one employee who was busy picking gunk out of her nails and flipping it on the floor).  I am baffled at the situation, four employees donning clothes that looked like they had scraped up from the bottom of the same hipster closet watching me, that saw me, but failed to offer help!  What!  Finally I asked one of them if they worked there (to be sure they were actually employees) and he replied with a dry "yes" while still not offering assistance by the way.  I had to ask to try on shoes, during his extended absence of looking for the shoes I specified I decided to leave.  I told his coworkers that I changed my mind.  No way was I spending another moment in that store where I received some of the worst customer service in the four years I have lived in Boston.
4 - Kirs P.: I like shoes.  I don't like insane throngs of people trying to buy shoes.  For some reason this store is always freakin' crowded.  So, if you are claustrophobic or agoraphobic like myself, I'd highly suggest you wait to come here until some weekday you have off.

The good news: once you are in there are amazing shoes at good prices.  Well, good sale prices.  I bought two pairs of shoes for twenty bucks and they were the most awesome shoes ever.  Pink and black tweed mary janes, and these asian themed flats that I wear all the time.  

I've always had a good experience with the staff here, but I'm pretty forgiving when it comes to staffing a shoe store.  I once worked in the shoe department of a major store and it was the worst job ever.  People's feet are nasty!
3 - jennifer a.: always worth a wander-through, if not for the sale rack, at least for the latest color selection courtesy of converse hi-tops...

can be a dope place to find an atypical brand/style, though sometimes better to jot it down and search online yourself than ask the employees, as they don't seem to care that your freakishly small size isn't well represented/replenished.
5 - Paul S.: I also like shoes.  I own more than 10 pairs, with styles ranging from combat boots to creepers to wingtips and I also like designer shoes, esp. Bruno Magli's.

Berk's effing rocks.  I first visited when I learned that they carry a brand called underground from the UK.  You can find any high-quality leather shoe here though.

Enjoy.
5 - Alyson L.: I went here for the first time this week.  Wow! They were having a great sale, multiple pairs of adorable flats for $20 or less and the shoes that weren't on sale were very reasonable.  I could have spent hours there!
4 - Julie A.: good selection of shoes, and when they have a sale they really rock!  They are small with too many idiotic customers so it gets pretty claustrophobic pretty fast.
4 - Kiwi H.: Always has a pretty good selection of cute shoes, the thing I dislike about this shop is how tiny it is. As many other reviewers have said, it can get extremely claustrophobic as it is very frequently crowded. Still, they do have a lot of great merchandise, and the sales things really are steals! Just don't go in here cluttering around with a big bag of any sort - it's inevitable that you will knock down at least 1 shelf of stuff if not more.
4 - Beth M.: Great selection-- and really great sales!  There is always some sort of half-off sale going on.  Just got a pair of super cute white leather flats for $20, which was a steal.

My only problem with this place is that it is cramped...even when it's only slightly full.  The way the store is set up, you are always having to squeeze by other people browsing and trying on shoes while you try to do the same.  Kind of annoying, but the cuteness of the shoes keeps me coming back.
3 - nathan r.: I too have mixed feelings about Berk's.  I love the following:

A.  They are a local mom-n-pop shop- not a giant chain
B.  They have a great selection of unique shoes
C.  They have decent regular prices and great sales

However,  the service that I have received whilst shopping has always put me off.  Yes, they are ALWAYS busy, but could someone ACT like they are glad I am looking to buy a pair of shoes?  Could someone please not make me feel guilty for asking to try on a different size/ color?  I mean come on.  

Therefore, I do have to knock them down from 4 stars to 3.  Hopefully, Berk's will hire someone who actually wants to work there- or increase wages or something- for the good of the people who love shoes and want to love Berk's.
1 - Jane S.: While the selection is good and sometimes there are some steals on the sale items, its the staff here that is driving my feet up Mass Ave to Vintage where the sales staff is knowledgeable, cheerful and doesn't look at you with with snide disaffection as you ask for a size 7.
3 - Tom E.: ..and so I was in Newbury Urban, looking at the minimalist shoe selection, thinking 'where are the cool men's shoes in Boston?', and then I realise I'm not thinking but saying, and then the nice Berklee kid serving me said 'I like to go to Berk's, it's at Harvard Square'

**quick cycle up Mass Ave**

..and now I'm in Berk's, mopping off a sweat, and I'm thinking 'where are the cool men's shoes in Boston that AREN'T Converse?', and sadly there is no answer. Boston is crappy for cool men's shoes that AREN'T Converse.

But still, I like Berk's and I like to have a Converse or two. Actually I guess you need two. This is a great little shop with nice staff - I wish they'd improve the men's selection though. It's seriously the underdog here.
5 - Aretha B.: I really love this shoe store. It's small, but the selection is pretty great. Cute shoes, boots, largest dansko selection I've seen in the city.

Despite the size of the store, you can be looking for something kind of specific and generally find it here for a good price.
3 - chungo m.: staff sucks. they have 'tude coming out of their ass. You have to beg them to go find you shoes to try on.  
Moron customers fill up the place and smell like patchouli.
it makes me sick. 
they have a good amount and different styles to pick from, but rarely have anything in my size 10.
4 - Anastasia L.: Oh, the absolute nonchalance of the staff!  If they gave a shit, I'm sure we wouldn't know it.  Last time I went in here, another girl trying on shoes was more helpful to me than the entire staff combined over all the years I've been coming here.

But they've got such a great selection of shoes...  Shoes on the sidewalk, shoes piled in the window, shoes in stacks and on shelves and all over the floor...  Very cool shoes.  Very comfortable shoes.  Very uncomfortable but extremely cute shoes.  Lots of shoes.

Size availability is sketchy.
4 - Christina K.: A nice variety of cute shoes, most reasonably priced. Grabbed a pair of adorable peep toe slingback flats for $17 marked down from $50 yesterday. It's usually really busy on the weekends, so if you like to avoid a crowd stop in on a weekday.
3 - Ligaya T.: In the land of Berk's I wander aimlessly. I look at the landscape of changing colors and topography, scaley ballet flats to chefs Dansko's to Chinese Laundry boots and I am uninspired. To traverse this area is manageable, one can see all the land from every point. And there are surprising finds to the South, supple leather handbags for reasonable prices, a small selection of not notable clothes. The sidewalk sales never lure me in because the quality wouldn't last a day of city trudging. And yet their quaint space is familiar to all and often busy, but welcoming and I know deep down I'll always come to browse.
3 - Jasmine E.: Absolutely positively luv this little store. Cute cute shoes. I would have given it 4 stars if they had better staff. Ok so woopteedoo they work at a shoe store right but at least have SOME idea of customer service. They just stand around looking like they were smoking some weed in the back and came up front just to make sure no one is stealing the sunglasses. Spell apathetic for me pls...

But who cares, I luvs their shoes so I'll keep coming back ;-)
4 - Dragony F.: My sad, tattered indoor soccer sneakers VS. the deep murky puddles of melted snow/strange fluids/bacteria that seem to plague all the crosswalks in Cambridge

Who wins EVEN though I'm still trudging around in my sneakers and dunking my feet into cesspools?  this cramped little store because they carry a pair of absolutely FANTABULOUS shoes that are a perfect present for my friend

FANTABULOUS shoe find = rain boots with a wonderfully whimsical Japanese pond design complete with beautifully drawn koi, flowers and water ripples.

Wide selection of cool women's shoes, unfortunately, very very limited men's selection (just one shelf!)

Service = loopy, trippy, not really there...I could have gone in the back and picked up the shoes myself and I bet no one would have noticed!
3 - Melissa M.: I go here all the time to buy shoes, only, I never pay for them.  I always end up getting second thoughts because they are pricey, but they are not expensive.  Let me clarify, the shoes they sell are great quality, but I have this impending fear that once I buy a pair of said shoes, I'd go crazy and keep buying more.  They do have some great sales, so definitely go there when the season change.  The store is waaaay to cramped to feel comfortable walking around.  I would love to give this place 4 stars but it is too small and I feel like I am literally stepping on others toes there.  Their staff is very knowledgable and pleasant so that is a plus.
2 - Amanda S.: Berk's is an okay shoe store.  If you need Uggs, Danskos, Rainbow flip-flops, Frye boots, then you may want to check here.  They also sell a lot of brands that I've never heard of, and some of these more off-brand shoes are cute, but some are very ugly.  They get credit for having quite a range of styles, from formal, strappy sandals, to working heels, to granny comfort shoes. Lately, it seems that the store is always on sale, with at least half of the shoes 50% off.  When you go in, be prepared to knock into everyone else in the store at least three times, it is so small that this is bound to happen.  They also sell some random clothes, but I've never actually purchased any here.  I actually was in line to buy a shirt once, but no one came to the register for like ten minutes, so i just gave up.  I'd say, if you need a pair of shoes and you happen to be around Harvard Square, you'll probably be able to find something at Berk's.  However, I wouldn't really go out of my way to stop here.
4 - Alena D.: Love Berk's.  Great shoes.  They constantly have sales.

You will find something here. 

Nuff said.
5 - Mabel C.: This store carries great affordable shoes, and I like their clothes as well.  I have too many shoes now because of this store.
5 - Jo-Ann K.: Affordable shoes a wide selection.

If you do not have enought money they have layawy also.

I always come out with more than  I need.

During the fall and winder this is the only place I go for boots and more boots.

Great prices and the staff is great even on[ a hetic day.

Always having sales.. 

Great hours also.
5 - Jocelyn C.: I absolutely ADORE Berk's. They constantly have sales and have the best selection. I can come in here just to browse around, and I almost always walk out with a pair of shoes that I bought ridiculously cheap. This is huge deal for me, since I really hate shoe shopping and I usually have no luck finding shoes that I like anyway. 

Berk's is always there for my feet, and my feet thank them.
3 - Annie T.: They have an expansive shoe selection. For example, there's Arche/Dansko to satisfy the 50-year-old mom, and Pumas/Vans for the kewl kids.

The staff has attitude comparable to that of American Apparel...as in really bad. One girl was all, "I was sooo drunk last night," as customers browsed nearby. Classy!

Still, Berk's is awesome.

Good for: anyone really. Cute flats, boots, everything. Oh yeah- ugly, expensive clothes. Do not bother.
5 - Amar G.: I love the shoes I got here, haven't seen them anywhere else. Staff was very friendly, answered my questions and even helped my decision a bit.

Cool stuff.
4 - Meghan P.: GREAT shoe store! This store was very dangerous for me in college because it was basically on my way home from everything. Going out to get a coffee? Stop by Berk's because it's on the way home... Going to water polo practice? Stop by Berk's because it's on the way home... Going out to dinner? Stop by Berk's because it's on the way home... You get the picture...

The prices are great though so at least my frequent visits didn't leave me completely broke. They have a great selection of shoes too. Make sure to check out their sale section for special steals and their sidewalk sales are even better. You can also get some great shoes for $10! Gotta love Berk's!
5 - Anna W.: I love Berk's! I work down the street and am there at least once a week checking out the shoes.

I like how the staff is helpful but not pushy. They get your sizes fast, and if they don't have your size, they usually bring you the next size up or down so you can try it on. And, they don't hover over you, which I love. I know my own tastes and what I like and don't like!

They also have great sales. I've been able to get some seriously good deals there. They have 1/2 off sales and occasionally, even 2/3 off sales. By then, sizes are pretty limited, so hit up sales early!!

I love the selection of shoes -- Dansko, Uggs, Rainbow, Reefs, Tevas, Converse, Fryes, etc. They have all types of shoes for all different price ranges. They are a no-frills shoe store.
5 - Jamie N.: I gotta' pay respect to my favorite Cambridge shopping spot. Initially, I was turned off by the store's strange facade at the corner of a Harvard Square street. I also figured they only sold Birkenstocks (Berks...sounds correct, right?). Boy, was I wrong. This place is a dream land for kick-ass shoes. You can find anything from sexy to practical here, low price range to extremely high, dude shoes and lady shoes (perhaps kids shoes, but not being a mommy I'm not super sure). If I think for a moment, I can recall buying my winter boots here, shoes for a wedding, summer slip-on's, Crocs, and buckled heels. Variety in styles, variety in brands. Me like. The staff seemed a bit too blase with an indie rock style and shitty attitude, but if you ask them for something, they'll give it to you. Just don't expect a friendly chat or mucho suggestions. 

Recently, I peered around the corner to the clothing and bag section of the store. The bags are quite pricey, designer brands, though good stuff. The clothing is a mix of stuffy pieces and adorable jumpers or sweaters. I bought a few pieces by BB Dakota. Earrings at the register also jump out at me (sorry, guys, this is a bit of a female-slanted review unless you dig crazy earrings). 

Hippies, college students, yuppies, old peeps, young duders, and the average shopper could all find something from Berks and walk away happy. By far my favorite shoe store.
5 - M. R.: Berk's is fantastic! I never go in here without finding at least a couple pairs of every day type shoes that I wouldn't mind owning. They have a bunch of cute rain boots, and the last time I stopped by there was a good selection of Minnetonka moccasins as well. Their prices are excellent and the only time they've ever been out of my size in something was during the last leg of a huge sale. 

I also recently and happily discovered that they stock BB Dakota clothing! So an extra star just for that :)

All in all, definitely a place to check out the next time you're in this area!
4 - Adrianne M.: I have a boot thing. I need the perfect pair of boots. I envision the perfect pair of boots in my mind, before I shop, and then as I shop, I edit and improve said "perfect" boot to acquire neat features I see as I go. "Ooo," I think, "and the heel would be exactly this height. Ooo, and those snaps along the side." Basically, I guarantee that I never, ever find the perfect pair of boots, and destine myself to die sad and lonely.

Oh, except, I have found the perfect boots: two autumns in a row, at Berk's.

Both pairs cheaper, more comfortable, and cuter than anything I found at Macy's, DSW, Aldo, Payless, online, Poor Little Rich Girl, Jasmine Sola, even Mudo. (I am nothing in my boot search if not thorough . . .) 

Knockin' them one star for consistently grumpy customer service, but hey, they got the job done, and for that I am forever grateful.
4 - Emily F.: Had to bump this down a star. The shoe selection has been lacking in cute things lately. Haven't found anything I like there in months. The clothes are still cute though! I have faith that the spring shoes will be great, so I'm holding out for that.
5 - Sally R.: Berks, a compelling reason to go broke. Even compared to Manhattan shoe stores you kick ass.

Highlights:
Frequent sales
All kinds of adorable shoes (they stock Miz Mooz!) I've picked up kicks suitable for a Victorian-style jaunt around the city to ass-kicking boots suitable for a Middle East show. Not just preppy shoes...they have something for the more adventurous of tastes too.
Pleasant staff
2 - Bethany B.: I am a woman possessing ample calves. I have made peace with that. Try as I might not one pair of Berk's tall boots (I tried on 4 pairs) fit. The woman who as sited us was helpful for the first pair but was soon in conversation with a friend and we were forgotten. 

They have a nice selection of shoes -- I'll give them that. It wouldn't hurt though to carry just one wide calf style for the thicker legged among us.
4 - Koizumi Y.: Thank you for the snappy pairs of Sanita clogs in red and black patent leather! Not usually my cup of tea, but they were much too intriguing to pass up. I rather feel like Dorothy in Wizard of Oz, but at least the heels aren't so high I feel like the towering Lurch.

Kudos on swift, attentive, and cordial service.
4 - Luisa O.: Great place, good sales and the people are nice.  Don't spend your money where people are rude.
4 - sara m.: Love your boot sales and your cutey shop girls'  tudes.
4 - Wendy K.: I lived in the area for at least 10 years, and every time I visit Harvard Square, I just HAVE to stop and ogle the shoes at Berk's, even if I have no intention of purchasing that day. I always feel welcome to browse and try on shoes that appeal to me.

On my most recent visit to the area from the West Coast, I stopped in to see if they had my favorite pair of Dansko sandals in black instead of brown. Not only did they have them in black, but they also had them in red, black, and white patent leather! I love that Berk's has such a great selection of the brand that I wear most often. And instead of buying regular old black leather sandals, I got shiny fun patent leather ones. And their prices are what I would expect to pay for quality brands.

And for those of you snickering about the fact that I wear Dansko shoes. I'm a librarian. It's a combo like peanut butter and jelly.

And the staff completely accommodated my request to leave the box with them, since it wouldn't fit in my suitcase for the trip back to CA.

Next time I'm in Harvard Square, you can bet that I'll stop in at Berk's.
5 - Justin S.: Berk's is one of the best shoe stores in Harvard square, if not the best. A little more than two weeks ago I ordered shoes with them, and they were very helpful through the whole process. They even give you the option of picking up your order there or having it shipped to your house. I picked up there. They have a great collection of shoes to choose from, more so for women than for men. But they do have mens shoes as well. It's just a nice store with a helpful staff. I have bought from them before, and will most likely be buying from them again. There's no place better in Harvard square to find shoes.
5 - Meredith a.: I have to check out this store anytime I am in Harvard Square. They have lots of cute, comfortable shoes. All the major comfy brands like Dansko and Merrell, plus some brands I have only seen in this store.The selections is great. You can get everything from black Danskos to yellow high heels!

They also have great sales sometimes!

Their customer service is just great. I was a total pain in their ## one time (not intentionally) when I bought a pair of Danskos and found they were too tight. So I came back and they let me exchange them for a different pair. Then I decided the first ones were really better, and they let me have them back! They were very nice to me even though I am sure I was annoying.

They also have really nice purses, including Hobo brand purses.

I like to make a little outing of going there. First I go to Berks and get new shoes, then go behind the store and get some pizza at Pinnochio's!
4 - R M.: I was very happy with the customer service, location, and overall shoe selection from Berks.  However, I was very unhappy with a purchase of $45 rainboots that I thought would be an upgrade from my $20 target rainboots, but instead are worse in terms of quality.  The rubber seams of the boots split open which I find completely rediculous since I only wore the boots a number of times within the past 4 months.  After posting a review on yelp, the manager responded to this post and recommended I return to the store to exchange my boots. I was extremely pleased with the outcome and professionalism of the employees at Berks. I feel that since the situation was handled appropriately, it shoes that the employees at Berks truely do care about their customers and the quality of their products. I highly recommend this shoe store!!!
3 - Jen T.: So this store is 150% not my style, but I praise it for the kind employees, the uncluttered layout, and the pretty large selection. 

Although god knows I should certainly own more sensible shoes... so maybe someday I'll be a customer.
5 - Matt S.: Being a guy, I find I have a genetic lean not to really give a damn about shoes. Unlike my girlfriend, who needs a stockpile of shoes that could last her until the end of days, I am content with a few pairs at best.

If such is the case, why do I love Berk's so much? 

This is the first time I have EVER had a preffered shoe store. In connection with my stated mindset above, I've always been that guy that just grabs a pair of shoes wherever he can when one is needed. Berk's is the first footwear location that has brought me into it's arms. I've bought my last two pairs of shoes here, and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon.

The place is a bit small, but the selection is decent for Men's shoes. Women certainly have the better selection, but the Men's section has a good blend of casual and otherwise. The prices (especially the sale prices) are honestly very good, although certain pairs of shoes may be priced higher than I'd personally go for. There's also just something that feels more personal about Berk's. I'd attribute it to the aesthetics of the joint, but also the Staff and their kind demeanors. 

Long and short, Berk's IS my footwear destination in the Boston area, and the fact that I can even say that amazes me. They changed my entire outlook on shoe purchasing, and have become a rightful favorite in that light.
5 - Zinat M.: So undiscerning this place, adds to its charm really. Unbelievable selection of shoes, the kinds you will not find all under one roof. Amazing really, Miss Mooz, Classified, Merrell, Danskin, Reef... the list goes on and on. These are quality brands and they had them all under one roof, and prices were not bad! The variety, traditional to the off beat. The sale rack had a nice selection and luckily my size too. They sell clothes and jewelry too.
4 - Angie G.: Great selection! One of my favorite places to browse on my lunch break. They usually feature a few good sales too. Great variety, good prices.
4 - Kate M.: Berk's what what! You're my favorite after work destination, my favorite pre-dinner hotspot, my favorite place to window shop when I'm drunk after a night at Redline (god help me). Sauntered out just the other day with some saucy, pointy navy flats and some strappy wedges...thank you Berk's!! You've helped to make me 2 inches taller and $60 poorer, but what the hell. At least I can always be the old woman who lives in her shoes......
4 - Rich F.: Berk's is a great little shoe store with a great selection of shoes. The women's selection is very large and they have good quality shoes at decent prices. 
I have not bought shoes here because I don't need any right now, but I did pick up the girlfriend's special order Danskos today. They were on sale in the store and they honored the sale price even for the special order. These same shoes were full price at Nordstrom's, so I know they didn't have to.
The staff is friendly, but not pushy. They greeted me when I came in and tehn left me to it. When I approached the cash register they headed me off and asked if I needed something. good customer service.
My only complaint is that the men's selection is a little thin. I like their shoes, but the majority of their shoes are different colors and styles of Chucks. 
If you need to increase your collection of Chuck Taylors or want to find some comfy shoes this the place to go.
5 - Victoria U.: After a miserable experience at The Tannery I ended up here Friday evening.  What a difference!! This place has a great selection, prices are good, and the sales person was VERY helpful and kind.  I ended up having to order a pair of shoes because they didn't have mine in stock.  It was the simplest process and I am looking forward to slipping them on my feet when they arrive!  I will definitely be back to this store for my shoe needs!
4 - Lauren E.: It's always better to have fewer choices when they're made up of better options. That's what you get at Berk's. They have a nice selection of fun styles for both men and women, though their selection of women's shows is definitely larger (fortunately for me!). 

They also have great sales! I have gotten some great deals there. Most recently, a pair of Ugg sandals for $27!
5 - nifty c.: Go for the shoes, stay for the beards.  Seriously.  When I visited, this small shoe store was staffed by two young men, each wearing great suede shoes and the longest beards i have ever seen.  Thanks to the design of the store every time they needed to get a pair of shoes for you to try on they had to go down one flight of stairs to the basement.  Yet they were chipper.  And bearded.  Did I mention the beards?

They were also very nice.  Excellent sales.  Fine selection.  For men they emphasize the canvas and recycled rubber sustainable hemp loving eco customer.  Which is fine by me.
5 - Kerri B.: I always come here when looking for new shoes, they are good quality, brands, variety ect. and are often much cheaper than you would be finding in Boston or even online.
Also their selection of clothes and accessories isn't half bad, although a bit on the pricey side.
4 - M. H.: I became a fan of this place after they started carrying a small selection of MIZ MOOZ.  If you like cool designs but comfort as well, MIZ MOOZ is it (not all designs are comfortable, though).  Before my discovery I could purchase the brand only via online, but now we have it local!  My only wish is that they expand the MIZ MOOZ selection.  

This place being located in Harvard Square gets extremely crowded, and it is a small store so if you would like to shop at leisure, avoid the weekends.  Also, the sizes may go quickly for certain popular shoes so please be aware!
4 - Stephanie H.: I am not a shoe person. Really. Put me in a purse store/department and I am in heaven. Yet all the times I go to this store I love shoes. I find a ton that I want to buy. My hubby and I were doing a afternoon in harvard square, trying to be as hip as we were in our 20's. Well we are not hip anymore but still I like this place. I got a pair of white sandals that are killer and the staff was attentive enough to myself and others. Great selection and very uncluttered which I like.
4 - Ellie W.: For some reason, whenever I'm in the Square, I like to wander into Berk's just to take a peek. And I never leave empty-handed. Hell, who am I fooling? They oftentimes have really cute shoes--I bought one of my favorite satin peep-toe pumps here. 

They have a pretty big variety of shoes--from the more casual sandals and flip flops to trendy oxfords and pumps. And a GREAT selection of cute rainboots. Not those awful rainboots that break after 2 wears and leave you with an annoying gaping hole on the bottom where puddle water seeps in, either. 

It's worth a look if you're in the area and want to hop into a boutique-like store far from the land of Aldo (I have blacklisted Aldo since one of their pumps broke and caused me to stumble down stairs) and Steve Madden.
3 - Su R.: Berks is hit or miss for me. I always stop in when I'm looking for shoes because they do tend to have the newest styles and good quality. The prices are high though. They run sales which can save you a lot on great shoes, however I have never been able to find my size during one of these sales. Tip- They always display the smallest size available. And the store is too small to comfortably browse, they do enough business to have more room. But something keeps me coming back, I mean that is how you get a great find and it is usually called a rare find.
5 - Jackie F.: I shopped here for my first pair of Doc Martens ever and found the staff really helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. A guy named Alex was helping me troubleshoot which size Docs would fit me best. Size 8 Docs seemed like they were just a little bit too narrow, but size 9's were way too big. He solved my problem by offering to have the size 8's stretched by the shop, which I didn't even know was an option when shoe shopping. I bought the shoes and left them at the store to be stretched for a couple days and when I picked them up, they fit perfectly and I just love them! All in all, it was an easy and fun experience buying my first pair of Doc Martens.
4 - Annie C.: Favorite place to pick up new shoes in Harvard Square.

They've always got a great standard selection of converse and vans (which I'm always in need of re-stocking about once a year as I'm prone to wearing out the toes). On top of that they've also got a pretty wide selection of whatever the latest shoe trend happens to be (not so into that but I do take note!). Almost always something on sale there. Really good prices. And their staff is really approachable/nice. Good tunes in here too.

Only beef is the other half of the store...Their accessories/sunglasses/clothes are a little meh for me. Also the men's selection is notably tiny compared to the women's. Guess that's par for the course for shoe places but as someone who shops both sides of the gender aisle it'd be nice to see a bit more selection in "dude" shoes.
3 - Traci K.: Once my go-to shoe spot, Berk's has taken a back seat for me in more recent months. The past couple times I've gone to check out the selection I've been underwhelmed. Gone are the days of affordable & adorable flats and great heels. -le sigh- I'm hoping with the change of the season my love for Berk's will be renewed. 

The service, however, remains tops. The employees are lovely little hipsters and friendly to boot.
2 - Amy B.: Berk's definitely has an identity. If you're a vegan hipster, you will probably love Berk's. I'm not a vegan hipster, so I have some difficulty with the place.

A lot of their shoes are made of synthetic materials, including the uppers. I make an effort to always buy leather shoes because I find them to be more comfortable, supportive, and long-lasting. To me, "man made upper" is synonymous with poor quality (I know it's not ALWAYS true, but it's my rule of thumb).

The styles here would look awesome on your feet if the rest of you were dressed like a hipster. My style is more classic-preppy, so while I think some of the shoes at Berk's are cool, most just don't go with my style.

I've shopped at Berk's many times over the years and share the assessment that the service is meh. It's kind of hard to get the attention of the staff. Once you do, they're very nice and helpful, but they immediately forget about you and wander off again once you've gotten the shoes from the basement. It's like Berk's only hires people with ADD.

Today I redeemed a Groupon at Berk's. I struggled to find merchandise I wanted because of the aforementioned reasons, but finally settled on two cute (non-leather) pairs of heels that I think will go with my wardrobe. Berk's was great about the Groupon, so kudos there. (The fact that I BOUGHT a Berks Groupon knowing that they're not my favorite shoe store speaks to my Groupon addiction.)

Vegan hipsters, please shop at Berk's. It's a nice little local store and it carries shoes you will love at great prices. Meanwhile, you can find me surfing Piperlime for my shoes.
3 - Julia F.: What's not to like?
1. Selection: Do I love Teva's? Not one bit. In fact, they often flood my mind with horrible childhood memories. Vans? I just don't like them all that much. It's rare that I find a pair of anything that look like they are my style, and the odds of them being in my size... mmm.
2. The people who work here, they are less than cheery. They must get a lot of annoying people, tourists, ecc. But seriously. Do you really have to be THAT grumpy? It's like ALLLL the time! One nice chick helped me today, but other than that, they've been man-pony-tail-wearing-sourpusses. 
3. The store is teeny tiny.

What DO I like about Berk's?

1. I always find parking... weird, I know.
2. I have found shoes and boots for under $80 that were originally about twice the final sale price.
3. I really like the sunglasses, necklaces, and bags. I have bought all but the bags, cause... they are like wicked pricey! $250 some odd dollars, holy crap!

Will I go back? 

Yes. I always do.
3 - Jen H.: The first words out of my mouth as I walked into Berk's with a friend was "whoa, they still MAKE those shoes?! I haven't seen them since the late 80s/early 90s" -- she responded with "Yes, they do... and I'm buying a pair."

There were lots of different styles of shoes, a handful were complete throw backs. There were some that were cute, some that were god awful ugly, and some that looked like they cost -- cheap. The ones my friend got were cute little sneakers, and were inexpensive... and I will not elaborate on their smell, but let's just say I hope they air out well. (She claims they do).

There was also an area of the store that had clothing and bags. I didn't really browse around this area as my friend was checking out... but it looked like they might have some cute items.

I'd just say buyer beware here... know what you're getting and the quality you're getting before you decide to buy.
3 - ruth w.: PLUS:  went in to redeem a Groupon during my lunch break and found a pair of cute sandals for my huge-ass feet in 10 minutes. nice selection, good location, reasonable prices.

MINUS: terrible attitude from the staffer helping me--she acted like she was doing me a favor by getting my size. really put me off.
5 - scott r.: I have been so pleased with the customer service and great prices offered by the staff at Go Berks.  I cannot say enough good things about their sales staffs' friendly attitude and willingness to insure customer satisfaction.  I live in Denver, Colorado and to date have gotten three pairs of Sanita clogs and one Frye boot from Go Berks.  In each case, I received my shoes very quickly.

Mikey, a manager from Go Berks, in particular has been so helpful to me.  He is patient, knowledgeable about fit/shoe styles, and pleasant.  He always offers to email me pictures of shoes.   I also like that Mikey often makes helpful suggestions regarding other styles/brands.   He knows his stuff. 

In short, ordering shoes from Go Berks has been a breeze.  I think you should give them a try for your next pair.   I wish we had a retail shoe company like Go Berks where i live.

Scott R.
Denver, Colorado
5 - Face D.: Feet are weird.  I actually hate feet as much as I hate the word "moist."  So, for me to go to a place where people are all taking off their shoes is like a horror flick.

In any regard, I have a shoe obsession, most likely to cover these awful things.  Berks has always been there for me.

Break-up?  That shitty wedding you don't want to be a part of?  First day on the job?  Change of season?  Berks has everything you need for whatever occasion, and will always make you feel better about it.  "Welp, Trevor left me today, but at least these shoes make me feel like a million bucks."

I was in there recently and the staff was excellant.  I always feel bad for asking for my size, I just don't want to inconvenience anyone.  I asked the nice lady for this shoe in my size and they didn't have it, so she brought up one a size smaller (just in case) and one in another color.  I thought that was pretty fucking awesome and considerate.  I got 2 pairs of shoes that were on sale.  One of them is already falling apart hardcore, but they're Soda flats, and I feel like those things weren't meant to last too long... the plus side?  They cost $14.  That's the other thing, the sales here are amazing.  Chelsea Crews are where it's at for me.

There was another girl who was funny and helpful.  These people are like therapists for my feet.
5 - Julia N.: Best shoe store in Cambridge.  Reasonable prices. Good selection. Nice staff.  Great location. Love it here!!!!!  I really can't stand how everything at Aldo is 10 ft high heels, or the prices at the tannery...... Berks girl always right here!
5 - Marley L.: They have the best of everything, Hands down! Stop by if your ever in the area.
1 - Greg N.: This is clearly a place that misunderstands the whole purpose of a Groupon.

New to the Boston area, I was looking for a shoe store to buy a new pair of winter boots, as I hear this place gets a couple inches of snow every year.

Enter Groupon.

I stumble on a Groupon for $50 of footwear for $25 at Berk's.  I do a quick scan of their website to verify that they sell men's shoes and will have some winter boots.

They do.

I buy the Groupon and vow to use it next time I'm in Cambridge.

Fast forward to this past weekend.

I go into Berk's and see 30+ pairs of women's boots in the central display.  This bodes well for them.

I was quite disappointed to discover they had 3 pairs of men's winter boots.  1 pair was priced about $100.  Another was $220+ and the third were duck boots (so not really for winter).

After flagging down one of the preteens working there (because them actually asking if I needed help was out of the question), I was informed that the one pair they have on display is the last pair.  Then she walked away.  She didn't offer to find out if they were ordering more of them.  She didn't ask if I'd like a different pair (of course, I'm not going to pay $220+ for boots, especially when I'm only wearing them to get to and from work and even moreso because they were made by Uggs).

As far as I'm concerned, I'll let the Groupon expire and take the refund.

Berk's had their shot to gain a new customer, and their lack of men's selection (unless i'm looking for skateboarding shoes, which everyone needs in Boston in December) and idiot salespeople ruined that.


As a minor rant, in the age of internet shopping, don't stores realize that the only thing that keeps them afloat is the customer service experience?  Why would I buy shoes in a store when I can almost always find them on Amazon for less money?  The customer service is the only reason.  The fact that I'm able to interact with an actual person is worth the extra cost.  But if places like Berk's allow their vapid dolts of employees (I'm sure that's not true for all of them) to continue ignoring their customers, then they should just close their doors now.
2 - heather l.: I always find myself wandering into Berks when I'm in need of winter boots, and I always have an intense apprehension before I go in.  I'm not mad when I don't find something I like. That's life. I'm not mad that it's the size of a walk in closet. That's location. However, I've finally grown too weary of the staff to ever go again. They were always hipper-than-thou, but it's gotten out of control. I asked the sales girl if a certain shoe came in half sizes and she gave me a look as though I had set her Bon Iver tickets on fire, then snorted the ashes. And whatever you do, don't attempt to be nice to them. It makes them angryyyyyy.....
5 - Elizabeth G.: Oh, Berk's. You have been with me now through many life phases. I turned to you when I needed strappy heels for a sorority formal; a collection of cute flats when I got into yoga and gave up punishing my body with high heels; durable shoes that look good in the office and survive two-mile daily walks.

This place seems to cater to all the demographics in Harvard Square: punk-rock Pit kids; preppy, trend-conscious undergrads; brooding European grad students; office workers who are a little less square than those on the other side of the river; and hippies like myself whose most desired feature in a shoe is a wide toe box so my feet have room to be themselves. Flats, sandals, ankle boots, knee boots, snowboots, sneakers--they have it all!

The best thing about Berk's is the sales. They have an incredibly wide selection, and as a result they are constantly reducing the prices of last season's styles to make room for the new stuff. They make deep markdowns so the shoes will fly off the shelves. If there's a style I absolutely love, I make frequent visits and wait for it to be moved to the sale shelf. Often they still have my size when that happens.

I am also a fan of the super-discounted sidewalk blowout sales. I've gotten (knockoff) Crocs, rain boots, and a couple of other styles here. Sure, they're low-quality plastic, but for $5 or $10 for a pair of shoes, who cares?

Also check out the jewelry and sunglasses--distinctive, cute styles priced less than $10!!!

Berk's has some premium crunchy-granola brands (Birkenstock, Dansko, Rieker, Born, Naot) that never, ever go on sale. This makes me sad. Sad enough to buy these shoes elsewhere, but not sad enough to knock Berk's down a star.
4 - robin m.: I love, love, love Berk's Shoes!  They have a great selection of shoes for women (small selection for men).  Their shoes are stylish with the latest trends and lots of classic shoes.  In the winter they have a large variety of boots and in the summer sandals.  The only downside is they are always busy but they are in a convenient location.  Also, the shoes are a little expensive, yet this is due to high quality products.  Great store!  I stop in often.
4 - Rachel R.: Next stop, shoe paradise!

With 15 minutes to spare til my lunch reservation with my friends, I stopped into Berk's shoe store. Shoes galore, on every which shelf I saw. Prices, quite reasonable and selection extremely varied.
5 - Anna M.: I really like the CLOTHES at Berk's.  Cute and affordable, and the shoes aren't bad either.
5 - Shelby C.: Went in today to buy some work clogs; what a great little store! I was greeted warmly and promptly, and the staff was patient, knowledgeable, and helpful. They even gave me a discount when I mentioned I wait tables for a living and was buying shoes for work! I will definitely be going back.
3 - Marissa G.: The service is distracted and indifferent but the shoes are plentiful and stylish.

Berk's Shoes & Clothing Store - Providence, RI (41.829497, -71.401027) (College Hill)
4 - Ren H.: They've got really cute clothing and shoes here.. its kind of hit or miss, sometimes I go in and like everything and then other days I don't find anything that thrills me.  They've got great sales though, they've always got a shoe rack outside with discounts
5 - Eric G.: Arguably the best thing on Thayer St.

Cool shoes for women, and to my surprise, some cool shoes for men. Whew! I just cut one. Excuse me! Anyway, as I was saying...

You could buy your shoes on the internet, but you shouldn't! Come here instead and try one all sorts of stuff you would never consider. Be surprised. I swear I could have left with at 4 pairs of shoes. They do have those ubiquitous Doc shoes, but they're not the focal point. Phew, don't you hate ones that just hang around. I just can't wave it away and someone's gonna come to my office and DIE.  

Very helpful staff and enough of them to handle the busy times.  

Shop Berk's on a repeat schedule.
2 - Carrie U.: This is the only place to shop for clothes/shoes around on Thayer. Let's not be hasty and take this the wrong way, which would be in a positive manner. There is just literally nowhere else, which is why I had desperately resort on buying an overpriced pair of flats for an event that same day. 
The service is questionable. In shops, typically the retail employees say something like "hi, how are you doing?" but the people who work here don't even acknowlege that you need help finding shoes. I always hear that there are sales here, but the ones i've seen aren't any real discount; they just put the prices back down to what they really should cost. The selection isn't even that great; there are some pairs of nicer shoes and some cheapy brands that look like they will fall apart after a week of use.
Berk's is a bit late in getting things that are featured "now" so i'd say it's better to just head down to Providence Place mall for better prices and selection.
4 - Katie J.: Love, love, love Berks! I always walk out of there with at least 2 pairs of shoes. It's hard not to get sucked in to their great sales! It's not rare to find shoes that are $20 and under there. Be prepared to spend money at Berks!

Their clothes are great, too. If you're looking for cuter, boutique-like clothes that are hard to find elsewhere (except at Nordstrom's), expect to find them here!
5 - Kelly A.: Berks is one of the best shoe stores ever.  They have a huge selection of shoes, but best of all, their selection includes all the varieties you're unlikely to find anywhere else.  Plus their sales are fantastic!  Last night I bought a pair of awesome plaid corduroy sneakers for only $16.  They had entire walls of shoes on sale for 2/3 off, so they even had shoes for as low as $9, and they were all really cute.  Luckily I demonstrated a little self-restraint and didn't buy a whole bunch of shoes while I was there.  But I could have.  Because they have so many amazing shoes, and at reasonable prices.  Plus the salespeople were nice and helpful.
3 - Jennifer B.: Berks has some cute styles and great sales, but the sales items never seem to be available in my size and the two pairs of shoes I have bought there aren't exactly high quality. Also, the service is hit or miss depending on what young lady is working that day and the place is always full of teenage girls. Your opinion of that depends largely on your perspective. I still go there often to look around and hope, though, so it deserves 3 1/2 stars but that isn't an option.

Here is a great discovery: www.endless.com. They have tons of styles in a range of prices with FREE OVERNIGHT delivery, that's right, and free returns. Plus, if you have nonstandard feet you can find wides, narrows, large sizes, etc. Great.
2 - Aggie M.: The shoes are ok , as for the price, I would expect something a wee bit more in the name brands. The sales people are nice, if you're not interrupting them from their daily life.  If you live in that area and don't have transportation to go elsewhere, sadly you're regulated to go there.
4 - Natalie L.: Berks is great!  I was born and raised in Rhody and on a nice day there was nothing better to walk Thayer Street with a definite stop into Berks.  Great selection from sneakers to sandals!  I have a pair that I bought from them like 4 years ago and I still get complimented on them! My friend usually finds really great sneakers, with funky colors.  The staff is pretty cool and they have clothing as well, except the clothing is definitely over priced!
4 - Alexis J.: Since moving to RI for college, I have always adored shopping at Berks. While sometimes pricey, you can always find good dales and an awesome selection. High quality brands that offer latest trends and classics, too.

I have been searching high and low for Wellington Boots in aubergine. They are made in England and very hard to order online. After popping in to Berks I saw that they had a quiet a selection. The helpful sales girl told me they could special order the boots in any style or color. I took her up on it and they called me less then a week later when the boots came it. I went to the store last night to pick them up but decided to stop at a few other stores first (didn't want to carry the boots while shopping). Stupidly, I took too long and got to Berk's at 8:01PM only to find that they had just closed! 

I live outside of Boston now and didn't know if I wanted to drive all the way back just to pick them up. I called the store today to see how much it would cost to ship the boots and they offered to send them free of charge. An awesome display of customer service. It really made my day.
2 - LU A.: I walk by Berk's every time I go to class (topological necessity), and occasionally, I do stop in.

2 observations:
1. I have wide feet, and no matter how beautiful their selection may be, their shoes tend to be pointy and narrow.
2. The salespeople are unwelcoming: little acknowledgment, reluctance to get shoes from the stockroom for you, nary a smile as you hand over your money...
3 - Bailey M.: The major reason I came in looking for shoes was because it was raining and my feet were wet. I got a cute pair of boots for $44.99, that were on sale from like $60. 

The sales associates aren't rude, just not well trained in customer service. They're pretty helpful if you tell them what you want directly. 

The only problem with a small store like this one is that they don't have enough selection of sizes, meaning you may find the shoes you love but then be unable to buy them in the size you need.
4 - Stephanie H.: I find something here everytime I visit. I love their selection of Van's sneakers for women. They also have adorable and funky costume jewlery that I can't resist.
2 - Carly B.: So, Berk's, competition with online shopping outlets and Providence Place Mall got you down? Well, you're not doing yourselves any favors with your CRAZY return policy. I'm shocked I've never returned anything here, but was more shocked when told...

No cash refunds.
7 day return policy.
Got it on sale? No returns. 

Encouraging me to take risks with shoe-shopping is a *good* thing for you - this is a risk killer.
3 - Olivia U.: Berk's is an okay shoe store. Not amazing, but not offensive either. It is probably on level with UO most of the time, depending what each of them have in stock when you're buying. Modern Love or NAVA are the best as far as quality shoes are concerned.

They seem to only carry Chelsea Crew, which is kind of mediocre as far as a shoe company goes. The styles aren't really inventive and the quality isn't great. Some of the styles aren't any better than what you'd find at Forever 21. It's cheap enough though, if you're looking for cheap shoes to go with a single outfit or something.

The sales staff are very friendly. Berk's is alright.
2 - Hilary H.: Sadly, Berk's is exactly the kind of place that has driven me to purchase my shoes from any other shop in the city, on-line retailers or super-enormous department stores. While they have an okay selection of fun brands like Frye, Minnetonka and Tom's, it's the unappealing way in which they are presented, the half-assed service and the - alright, I'll say it - shitty return policy that makes me run for the hills. Seven days? Get over yourselves. 

I've run in here in search of an item or two, and I don't know if it's because the staff are collage students who couldn't give a flying fig abut my needs or if it's because it's cramped and ill-lit, but I felt unwelcome and wanted to leave immediately. I will give them props for having the aforementioned fun brands in cool styles, though it's not like I can't find them anywhere else... and so I do. 

Berk's, I want you to do well. We ALL do. So, get it together: think of your customers (we're out there, and not all of us are college students) and you'll see the rewards.
3 - Lesley B.: Berk's has nice merchandise but an insanely short return period (7days). This is difficult, especially if you are buying a gift for someone. After 7 days Berk's will not refund cash, although they will give store credit. What I found out, and this may help others, is that you can apply the store credit to their online store, which has a greater selection. You enter your refund receipt number in the space for "special instructions." Worked like a charm!
4 - Aly K.: I like Berk's. Mind you, I only buy things when they are on sale, but that is pretty much every day.

They have a wide variety of shoes ranging from flats, to boots, to sneakers and wellies! All different colors and styles!

The sales are great, and are a very regular occurrence. The staff is usually very nice, but there are some people that work that who could care less about helping you find what you need.

They also sell clothes and accessories. Both tend to be pricey, but if you hit up the sale rack, you can find some sweet deals!
5 - Ella C.: Tons of shoes, great prices. Most recently, I was looking for the perfect pair of boots at a decent price, and I found them here!
5 - Meg J.: Love this shop, great selection of shoes and helpful friendly staff!  I've been purchasing shoes here for years and would recommend this store to everyone who is looking for a little something different to the standard comfort shoe or boot.  Always carry the latest!
2 - Andria T.: I've been to Berk's a few times, but after going there today, I realized that I've never actually purchased anything before.  I went in because I was looking for black boots, and am trying to make more of an effort to shop locally.  They had many pairs of black boots that cost much more than I'd like to spend, but surprisingly, one pair on sale that I wanted to try on.

Unfortunately, what they also had was two sales clerks in the throes of some kind of DRAMA that prevented then from even noticing that there were customers in the store.  I walked by them, stood in front of them, made eye contact and neither even acknowledged me.

I'm a pretty easy customer.  I just wanted to try on a size 9 and then either purchase or leave.  They could have kept talking to each while getting me the shoes, I don't care, I didn't come to banter.  But the fact that I felt like I would have to beg them to assist me, made me not even want to bother.
3 - Katie A.: I both love and hate Berk's in equal measure (thus 3 stars). 

On the love side, Berk's has an amazing selection of shoes and boots ranging from cheap (in price and material)  to long-lasting expensive types.  They also have great sales. The few purchases I've made there have made me very happy.  

However, for people who are quick to purchase shoes, expecting to be able to return them if they aren't perfect, this isn't the place for you!  Seven day return policy = crazypants, but it must be working for them because they haven't changed it.  

Also, expect to be proactive to get help - during crazy sales there aren't enough workers, but even on off days the staff is slow and unapproachable.
3 - Maryam H.: Great shoe selection, and friendly not overbearing staff! But I don't think I would ever buy clothing here by the way things are priced.. 

There was a sale going on that looked alright- just didn't see anything in my size, maybe when it first started I would have hit it up.  I don't live in PVD by my sister who does stops by every once and a while when she is on Thayer and is able to find something.
4 - Kendra O.: Berk's is just a nice thing to have on Thayer. I've gotten a few pairs of shoes, some shirts and several accessories there over the years. The selection is small, but there are definitely some gems. They have nice athletic wear (Hardtail yoga pants!) and decently upscale brands (Splendid, Joe's, Frye etc.) Even though these same brands can be found in PPM with better customer service, I take Berk's for what it is - a small clothing store on a busy street with young staff members.
3 - Jaclyn P.: Hmm....oh, Berk's. How do I begin? I really want to love you because I love supporting small businesses but sadly, you don't really "wow" me much, you're just sort of...there.

* Trendy labels - Converse, Steve Madden, Blowfish, Tom's, Frye, Hunter, etc.
* Selection of pricey "hipster chic" clothing
* Plenty of costume jewelry featuring the latest trending icons - owls, octopuses, etc.
* Prices are what you'd expect but not what you'd hope for

Overall, I'd say Berk's is the kind of the place to shop if you've got a paycheck burning a hole in your pocket and you just want retail therapy. You'll find something that's sure to put a smile on your face but otherwise, it's not worth a special trip. Just hit up the mall and catch a better sale since Berk's won't offer anything Nordstrom doesn't have.
3 - Casey J.: Whenever I go into Berk's I have to really amp myself up first. Everything is so crowded and jumbled that it can get really overwhelming in there. Most of the time I have no idea who is working and who is shopping which leaves me standing there holding a display shoe looking like a lost child and hoping an employee will notice and help. Most of the time this does not work and so I need to study the interactions between other people to find out who is supposed to be helping me. Not so much fun. 

They have a lot of cool shoes and I always find at least one pair I want but they are often out of my size. I then end up disappointed and really stressed out because it took so much effort just to get to that point.

It can be worth going in, for sure, just mentally (and depending on the day, physically) prepare yourself first.
4 - Meaghan K.: Ah Berks. I've purchased a fair number of shoes I didn't need at this store. They always tend to have a great stock of shoes and have fairly regular sales if you are lucky enough to be one of the sizes that remains when the shoes does go on sale. Is Berks my only stop for shoes, well of course not in the world of DSWs and Zappos there are a fair number of options but I still enjoy going into Berks for a look every once and a while and most of those time I'm leaving with a pair of shoes I "needed". Most of the staff are really nice and helpful but there are a few that could take some classes in friendliness and service. All keep going back though and the Groupons they have been doing lately sure is helping my shoe collection.

Berkel Berkel Restaurant - Berkeley, CA (37.8663759, -122.2587181) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
3 - Michelle B.: For cheap and decent Korean Barbecue, Berkel Berkel is pretty good!!  Their service is quick and friendly!  Try the Kim chee soup, spicy and good!!  It's also really close to all the cool and funky shops of Berkeley!
3 - Andrew W.: Seriously cheap Korean food. No frills dining and decent eats help college students from starving. So, it deserves at least 3 stars.
3 - Miriam W.: Stop in here for quick Korean take-out while the rest of your friends are lining up for salads at Cafe Intermezzo next door.
3 - Mark P.: The two items I've had here (bimbimbap and kimchi soup) were good respectable, but the kimchi sides they deliver with the meal (not the same as the kimchi they put in the soup) are pretty poor.
3 - Will M.: Not sure which one was better, Berkel Berkel or Steve's BBQ... in either case, they can't compare with the Korean rest down here in LA's K-town... but for the socal students at Cal who are craving some "Korean" food you can't beat this place.... the service was a bit on the rushed and impersonal side... but hey... who care's like the Carl's Jr ad says, without this place, some guys would starve!
2 - Marck N.: Cheap Korean food.  Thought the process of ordering was odd, as I didn't see the order here sign.  The BBQ chicken was a dry and flat.   Overall not really impressed.
4 - Erica C.: berkel berkel is korean onomatopoeia for the sound of something boiling.. buh-guhl, buh-guhl. practice it with your harsh western tongue.

the side dishes are skimpy but most main dishes run around $5-6. cheap!

if you want to impress your friends with your familiarity with korean cuisine, order 'dolsot bimbimbap.' it is rice with veggies and tofu/meat, served in a hot black stone bowl, and best eaten piping hot and smothered in hot sauce. berkel berkel's version is actually not that intense. if your watering eyes are getting in the way of you stirring the bowl together (to keep the rice from burning on the bottom), you're doing a good job
2 - Brian M.: Best thing here is the convenient location and low, low prices.

Walk up to the register to order, pay, and get your drinks. Walk to the table and wait (not long) for your food to arrive. It's student-casual (i.e. almost dirty) inside, so don't expect much. The food is adequate. My stone pot dol sot bibimbab could have been hotter though.

I would go here again if I really wanted Korean food in Berkeley and I was in the neighborhood, on foot. About 2.5 stars.
5 - stefanie p.: I went here a lot while at school because it was literally down the block and around the corner from my apartment and it was extremeley cheap eats. The $5-$6 hearty meal would last me two days! 

I always get the Jap Chae or the standard Bibimbap. And you get free oranges!
2 - Adrian D.: Eh.....food is ok.  Ordering the food is way weird.  Upon entering we didnt know if we were supposed to seat ourselves or have someone show us where to go.  Saw some guy cleaning a table and he tells us to go order up front.  We order bibimbop and kim chee soup.  We then figure out its a self serve place and grab our utensils and water and tea and sit at a table.  The weird thing is...they got menus under the glass table top.  Huh!?!?....I dont get it.  And they have posters of the food that they serve on the walls but they look like they lost their pushpins and are only hanging on by one pin....weird thing....all the posters look like that....hmmm ok.   Now on to the food.  Food was cheap bibimbop was ok, didnt have much meat tho.  The kim chi soup came to me piping hot on and bubbling in one of those hot pot thingys.  Overall place is ok..wouldn't rave about it tho.
4 - spiff e.: this has become our go-to spot for post-norcal adventures (e.g. boarding in tahoe or rafting on the american river).  the food is cheap and fast and the service is friendly.  i like the hotpot bibimbop.  can't go wrong with it!  and oh, now they validate parking!
4 - Tara P.: This is the place to go if you are a poor college student looking for some cheap Korean food. You order first then sit down. You can grab your own water if you're feeling adventurous with the water they leave out for free.  


The prices are dirt cheap ( I think the most expensive dish is 6 dollars)

I usually get the beef or spicy pork rice dish. Rice dishes come with little dishes of kimchee, pickled cucumbers, and some other pickled vegetables. 
I think the portions are generous and more than enough to fill you up. 
The plate itself comes with the meat, rice, salad and a fried potato. 

I like the hot pot beef  also which is excellent for warming you up on a cold day.
Sometimes when the place is busy, the quality of the food suffers, so I recommend coming before lunchtime or after.
3 - Karen W.: some of my friends like this place, but i must say that i don't particularly enjoy korean food except for those yummy bibimbobs (i had to look that up!!). 
i got stir-fried noodles ($6)...they were ok.
4 - Derek B.: Go for the spicy pork lunch set. You can't go wrong. Cheap and fresh. Their soup is kind of odd...I think it's miso soup, but it's not like Japanese miso soup I'm used to. It's a Korean restaurant, so, of course, ain't nuthin wrong with that. In fact, it makes me sad at how little I know about Korean food...Either way, it works, and it's like $6 for lunch that isn't just a sandwich for crying out loud.
3 - Jeffrey R.: I swear, this is Asiana Garden's southside twin (before it was converted into a crappy vegetarian restaurant).  The price is right, but you get what you pay for.  In other words, it is cheap and mediocre.
4 - Andrew C.: This is another student budget restaurant; everything here is about 6 bucks and the taste is decent.  I only go there for the tofu soup just because I am a big chili eating machine.  Their tofu soup is very very good with tons of things inside the boiling pot of bright red soup.  Also, their Kimchi is actually tasty compare to a lot of other Korean restaurant around campus.
4 - Tina L.: I love eating here.  The only downside is that you come out smelling like food (not a good thing).  The portions are nice, and #13 is definitely my favorite.  service is not the best, but the price makes up for that.  happy eating.
1 - Yoomi C.: You know it has to be good when grandma's in the back.  This place is simple, quick, and good for a grilled meat dishes and great for your pocketbook. Go grandma, go!

The above was prior to the ownership change.  Grandma's not in the back and it doesn't taste good...sadness.
4 - Nicole S.: When I just can't stand getting food from "the asian ghetto" (student nickname for the courtyard of restaurants up the street of Durant and Telegraph) one more night in a row, I go for Berkel Berkel. Very convenient, relatively quick, quite yummy, large & cheap portions! Something about the combination of kimchi/ barbeque chicken/ rice/ lettuce salad is just soo good. And when for some reason I felt the need to ORDER ramen at a restaurant, I found their ramen & rice cakes soup (On the menu I think this is duk ra-myun but I could be wrong) was actually delicious.
Plus you get free, mild tea. And 3 little bowls of kimchi/ pickled cucumbers/ something else with most food. And there is a fascinating comic book cover print about 7 feet tall for you to stare at in the corner.
Closes at 9 p.m. (at least during the week). Really unfortunate because I would definitely go here for late night food.
4 - Ada T.: This is my favorite Korean place in the UC Berkeley-campus area -- better than Steven's Korean and Gomnaru. The portions are large, the beef is sufficiently tender and juicy (my standards for $6 food are not too high), and the service is pretty fast, and the price is cheap. Wish they would take credit/debit card and accommodate for my perpetually cashless state. 

It's a pity that they're always closed on Sundays, though. Religion can be so inconvenient.

EDIT! No longer closed Sundays, but hours are reduced I believe.
4 - Aromy X.: You know... I don't know how "authentic" it is... but it's cheap, fresh, good, and hot! Which is all great on a college student budget.
3 - Marisa L.: Clean spot, friendly service, good place to stop before a Cal game (esp when the lines at Intermezzo are too long.) But my japchae was super salty... I slugged down so much water before the fated OSU game that I was a mite uncomfortable sitting in the stands.
3 - faine g.: I love Korean food. Something about the combination of chili spices and red bean paste fills me with joy and glee. Since Korean food is incredibly rare where I go to school in the mountains of Massachusetts, I was craving it something strong when I returned to California. So when I stumbled upon the very literal hole in the wall that is Berkel Berkel, I had to give it a try. 

The dining area is tiny and totally no-frills, with lots of people filtering in and out. We were immediately given a few dishes of panchan, which seem to be serve yerself when it comes to refills. These were pretty good but nothing special, although I did enjoy the cucumbers. 

The menu is short and sweet, listing various BBQ items, lots of tasty looking tofu stews, bibimbap, and a few stir-fried items. I picked out the stir-fried squid and the dolset bibimbap with beef as my options, and we were ready to go. 

The squid emerged with terrifying rapidity. The portion was huge (especially for the six bucks or so I paid), and the flavor was quite good, with a rich chili burn coming out from underneath the red-bean sauce. There were even perceptible green vegetables, including some tasty zucchini.  I enjoyed slurping down the meaty tentacles, one of the many disgusting but oh so good pleasures that come from eating squid. 

The bibimbap arrived next (of which I, being an idiot, have no photo of), and it was a pretty standard version on theme, sizzling merrily away in its stone pot. We let it go for a while so we could scrape off the blackened and thus yummy rice from the bottom. The flavor was good, although I wish the beef had been a little meatier. 

If you're around the UC Berkeley campus and want some decent Korean food at bargain-basement prices, Berkel Berkel is your sugar daddy. Don't expect ambience or over-eager service, but that really shouldn't be your first aim when you're going for discount Korean food anyway.
3 - tammie v.: Decent food, but lady behind the register isn't particularly friendly, prices went up, and they take cash only. =(
3 - Brad L.: Best place I've been to for Korean BBQ in Berkeley, though it doesn't come near Oakland standards. (For stone bowl stuff, walk a few blocks down Telegraph to the sort-of branch of Koryo.) The meat quality isn't going to impress Ohgane regulars, but the bulgogi has an impressive char to it. (Wouldn't recommend the chicken to those without iron constitutions, though.) Banchan generally aren't worth writing home about, though the doenjang soup is quite tasty. Not veg-friendly.
4 - angie c.: Did they change ownership? The lady that I was so used to seeing last year is never there anymore. Anyway, the food here is consistently good and it's super cheap. I usually get the bbq combo even though I'm not a huge fan of the chicken. The soups are just okay, and they'll probably satisfy a hankering for a hot spicy bowl of chigae. Nothing amazing though. The little side salad is good too. They've added beans to it and some parmesan. Not a cheese fan, but love the beans.
4 - Suzanne V.: personally, i love this place but i only get the kimchi soup and spicy pork.  they used to include a little fried potato cake with their meals that i liked but since they've changed managers/owners i'm not sure if they do that anymore.  odd decor with a giant diesel ad in the back and can get noisy/crowded since its a pretty small place.  if i could buy their kimchi alone i would.  usually see a lot of asian cal students in here.  they used to offer a discount card where you could get a free meal after 8 or 0 stamps but sadly they cancelled it.  when i used to work across the street, there was nothing better than getting a good book or magazine and tucking into a hearty korean meal.  the old owners used to know me which was nice but the service is still good since they've changed hands.
3 - Chi N.: Great choice for basic Korean food in Berkeley, comparable to Gomnaru.  I ate here about once a week when I lived nearby, make sure you get a frequent diner's card when you come, i've gone through about 2-3 of these; you get a free meal for every 10 purchases.  The BBQ chicken or BBQ beef were my favorite dishes, they give SO MUCH MEAT!  Try it w/ the spicy orange sauce, excellent.  The tofu soups are good for cold nights, but not very filling.  The bibimbob is good when you want variety, but again is not as filling as the meat dishes.  You also get free tea with dine-in.  In short, a good basic Korean place, w/ friendly service.
2 - amy l.: plus one for the omurice (although i wish they made it w/out ham)
plus one for the tasty broth of the soon dubu
minues one for the poor quality of the seafood in the soon dubo
minus one for the ban chan (not a lot of variety)
plus tw0 for the cheapest korean food that i have found in the bay
3 - Natalie K.: I don't know much about Korean food, but the most expensive thing here is $7.95 (if my memory is correct).  
I have always enjoyed everything here, although the meat isn't the best quality.  Its a good place to go on a rainy day and watch all the students running to class while enjoying hot soup.
4 - M.C. H.: Very reasonable prices, though they take cash only. I have tried their spicy tofu soup and bulgogi. I usually order the japchae (sometimes with meat, sometimes without meat) which more than fills me up. I would say this is my favorite Korean restaurant within walking (lunching) distance of campus, though ranked way below most of the other Korean restaurants further down Telegraph. Under normal circumstances, their food alone would earn 3 stars. However, that's the ranking I gave to Slurp next door, and Berkel Berkel is superior to Slurp, so I'll give them four stars.
3 - Wilson C.: This is another Korean restaurant nearby the UCB campus.  I've been bere a couple of times and the food's not bad.  It's even run by actual Korean people, which doesn't always happen at Korean restaurants.  I do think that Steve's Korean BBQ at the asian ghetto is better because their spare ribs are good.  I go to Berkel Berkel because they have chap chai and I love chap chai!  The one's here they put it over rice, which isn't so bad because I think it's good that way, but you also get a lot less noodles.  I came here with my friend from Korea once and she said it's not that good compared to "real" Korean food so if you're Korean you may not like it.  I can't say.  Overall it's okay.  I went there because I used to live a few blocks away but I would drive back there just to eat again.
3 - Mia D.: We recently had dinner here before attending a performance at UC Berkeley. The bibimbap was rather bland. My friend's BBQ combo was good though. I might go back to try something else next time.
1 - Kitised U.: I tried the meat combo (too dry), spicy chicken(dry and taste like hot sauce), regular chicken (tasteless+oily), Tofu Soup( few pieces of tofu and 2 tiny pieces of beef in hot soup w/ rice)  and beef. 

Alright, nothing against Korean food, Korean food is in my top 3 favorites , but I only have one comment for this restaurant:  

This is the worst Korean restaurant in Berkeley, period.
3 - Berna T.: Korean food is one of my favorite cuisines - one of my best friends from high school was Korean and her mom used to spoil us silly with delicious barbecued pork, home-made kimchee, and rice with red beans.  I also grew up in Hawaii, where the Korean food is freaking amazing...I could get a huge plate of BBQ pork, chicken, bulgogi, rice, and three sides (I prefer kimchee, bean sprouts, and watercress) for $8 at lunchtime, and it would be fucking ridiculously delicious.

Berkel Berkel slangs Dol Sot Bibimbap (that would be a mixture of meat and vegetables atop a pile of steamed white rice, in a clay pot) for $7, not a horrible selection for when you're craving Korean and you're on Telegraph...but it just wasn't anything special.  I had to add a shitload of gochujang (and even that seemed a bit flavorless).  Really really meager portions of banchan.  

The lady was nice enough though, and thanked us as we left, but I'm also not really down with the "order at the counter and pay first" style that they have going on.  I probably won't be back unless I'm desperate.
3 - Aileen A.: Not the best, but pretty cheap and decent food. If you're hungry and don't want to pay alot for korean food, this is your spot.

Go to the register and place your order. Chose your seat and be served miso soup and sides of sweet picked jicama, cucmber, and kimchi.

Service is pretty quick and came within 15 minutes of placing my order.

If you get the meat combo, it comes with rice and salad with generous amounts of cheese. Weird combo, but I'm a fan. Jap Chae was pretty good too, wish it came with meat though. It looks like alot, but they just put hella rice underneath it.
3 - Julie L.: Places like these make me lose faith in Korean food... but since it's close and convenient, I can't complain too much. Their food is okay. Being a big fan of Tofu soup, I thought I could find an better alternative than Toust. Their soup was overly spicy to the point where I only  finished about a fourth of it. I tried the bibimbap that my friends got and they weren't that impressive either.  Don't think I would be making a second trip. I need to go pray to the Korean Food God now and hope someone opens up a really good Korean place around campus.
3 - Kim C.: My dol sot bi bim bap didn't have an egg!! Isn't that against the law? What it did have was bland, even with a lot of that red sauce you put on it ( I forget what its called).

The panchans were meager and tasteless.  The soup was so salty I couldn't eat it. The redeeming factor for the restaurant was the price. It was inexpensive, but I guess I got what I paid for.
2 - Serena W.: WHAT THE HELL is bibimbap in a PLASTIC BOWL?! 

The second time around (don't ask why I went back), I realized there were two types: the "bibimbap", and then the more expensive "bibimbap in a clay pot". GEEZ. I just went for the sundobu instead.

The sundobu was...palatable at best, and the wannabe bibimbap was insipid as hell.
2 - Markito M.: The owner is very nice and was happy when I ordered the BBQ pork by the Korean name (not on the menu). The food was edible but disappointing. With the other great places around no reason to return.
4 - Chris S.: okay, first of all, you get what you pay for...

so the prices are extremely reasonable... and the portions are large...

this isn't gourmet, but they do have free tea broth and iced water and seating and pan chan (korean vegetable side dishes) come with every entree...

I recommend the combo meat plate, but I'd assume anything exotic and specialty may not be up to par 

I always come in here hungry, and can leave full for $8 with a BALANCED HEALTHY satisfying meal... and that's more than I can say for a lot of places on Telegraph
4 - Leah L.: Good food and reasonable prices for authentic Korean food near Cal.
3 - Steven L.: Not bad for the good prices. Ordered the combo and bulgagl beef..tasted pretty good.  The rice was nice and soft not hard and old. I would recommend this place since its conveniently located on telelgraph and there are not any other korean places within walking distance.
2 - Esther Y.: This was one of the first restaurants I went to when I moved to Berkeley. I came here with some friends from Spain (ironic haha) who had been there before and thought it was pretty good.

Ehh...it was ok. I actually don't remember what I got, but one of my friends got bulgogi and another got japchae (which may have been what I got too). I tried everyone's dishes and wasn't very impressed. Maybe it was because I had just returned from studying abroad in Korea about a week before.

However, most of my friends studying here from Korea don't go to this place and prefer to go farther down Telegraph into Oakland. I don't see myself going here anymore, but I think Slurp next door is pretty good. =)
1 - Boris Y.: I used to come here a lot back in the day.  They gave a mean plate of BBQ for 5 bucks. Their prices have gone up since then but I can't blame them.  $5 can't get you a decent meal anywhere on telegraph.  I came here with my bf and his mom a few weeks ago and I'm never coming back.  I cringed when my bf' started eating without wiping down his utensils.  The whole place needs a thorough cleaning. The bathroom was atrocious, I can't even comment.   If you're in the mood for Korean, head over to Steve's BBQ in the Durant Asian Ghetto.
1 - Miss H.: Their "order at the front" practice was confusing.. especially since they had menus under the glass on the tables, so you expect someone to come take your order.  We sat down and no one said anything to us.  After a while, the owner pointed to the small "order here" sign at the counter.  We paid cash and I'm not sure if they take credit cards.  The owner then later walked to our table and demanded additional money for the water bottles she forgot to ring up in the first place.  

There were three sidedishes (cucumber, kimchee, and some other veggie I can't remember).  We had the beef bulgogi kimchee and kimchee bokum bap.  The food was okay.   Prices are reasonable - most dishes are around $7 or so.  There is self-serve water and tea.. although the cups didn't look very clean.  

Their restroom is located in what seems like a closet in the kitchen.   I understand the self serve thing, but the owner's attitude was almost hostile.  Food was brought out and slammed on the table without any words.  Because I got such a bad vibe from them and service was non existent, I did not feel like they deserved any tip.
3 - Ramon E.: I went here before becoming vegan, and it was pretty good for the price--I remember liking the bibimbap and all of the fermented veggies. Free tea. Dirty bathroom.
3 - Judy H.: It is what it is.  It's cheap, it's fast, and it's plentiful for the price.  Come on now -- you can't expect 4-star service and bathrooms that look like a spa resort when you pay less than $7 for a meal!

Way back in the early 90s when I was an undergrad, this place was actually decent -- more of a sit-down kinda place you can take your visiting parents to.  But then after that, in 2000-2005 or so, the place slid waaaaaay downhill, and couldn't keep up with the slabs-of-meat-on-plate model of fast food Korean BBQ places around campus.  I wouldn't be caught dead eating at Berkel Berkel during those years, and there was never anyone there.  The current owners took over around 2005, I think, and has been steadily drumming up business again with friendly attitude (you should have seen the old owner -- a nasty, unpleasant man who used to chase away any potential customers) and cheap but home-made-y menu (stir-fried kimchi with pork! mackerel stew!).

No table service, but come on, the woman is slaving away behind the counter all day and night to sell $7 entrees -- the least I can do is get off my ass and order my own food.
2 - Grace G.: Maybe things have changed since I was in college because I swear I used to like this place. Perhaps three years of eating out with a salary has changed my standards for what good food is...

Stopped by here on the way to campus for dinner. Got the bulgogi and it was not good. Cheap, and the owners are sweet, but it doesn't taste very good. I'd spend the extra few dollars and get korean somewhere else...[i feel evil reviewing a fellow-Korean's place of business badly...]
3 - Marcus B.: It isn't fine dining and I wouldn't take a date here. But for what it is it's great. It's cheap, healthy and tasty...gosh I think Korean...food that gets served up quickly. Like Miss H. discovered, you pay up front then sit down. After you order they bring you kimchi (which is great, btw), sweet beans, and some other type of sweet sprouts, I think mung bean. All I've ever ordered is the hot pot bi bim bob, but it's a very pleasurable use of $5.95, I think. If you're looking to get food that does the job of keeping you from dying and tastes good, this is a good spot. The staff aren't going to blow your mind with friendliness but they've always been fine to me.
4 - Melissa S.: Wait!  I lied about Bear Ramen Noodle House.  THIS is how I'm surviving grad school.  Their dolsot (hot clay pot) bimbimbap is a steal for $7 dollars and change plus the best bet around campus.  Don't go to Steve's or the other Korean restaurant in the other asian food ghetto...ugh.  Such a disgrace of a bimbimbap.  Their kimchi bokkum is also pretty good but stay away from their sodubu (tofu) soup. Terrible.  Don't order it and you'll be fine.
2 - Irene C.: It's alright..
3 - Nelson T.: Compared to the other Korean restaurants around Berkeley immediately around the northside and southside of campus, this one is great! Perhaps the best one you will find. The food is not as tasty as places in Koreatown, LA or W32nd, NY, or further down Telegraph in Oakland. But it definitely passing. When you are around campus and want a nutritious Korean meal for under $7--this is the place to go. I'm very happy with the interior, definitely a folksy Asian dive feeling with boxes of chopsticks right at the table. Berkel has a pleasant staff, fresh ingredients, and a nurturing spirit. This place is a lifesaver if you are immediately around the Berkeley campus and want to relax with Korean comfort food on the cheap.
3 - Ryan Y.: Pretty decent. Standard fare in berkeley - not super great but still filling and will probably do unless you are korean and love korean food. Soondubu is decent.
2 - Don F.: We went there last Friday evening near closing. Had the Bulgogi and some soup bowl. Kim Chi soup bowl was ok but the Bulgogi was nearly uneatable; later, we commented we should have sent it back. It was old and stale, like it had been sitting around for a few hours or reheated a few times. I suspect it was not prepared fresh, maybe the grill was already off or they had cleaned up to close. The older lady who works there was nice and pleasant but the food this evening was quite poor, even accounting for the cheap prices.
4 - Jason R.: 6 buck clay pot bibimbop... Who could you not love that?
3 - Jennifer S.: I used to come here a lot since it was right downstairs from my apartment and order the spicy chicken combo.  Since graduation, I came here again for old time's sake before a Cal football game.  The food was more expensive than I remembered and the chicken was not great.  It was cooked okay, but the flavors aren't as great as I remember them to be.
2 - Avi W.: Meat tends to be oily and poorly trimmed (lots of fat and some gristle).  I'd skip.
4 - Kate H.: We've gone here on and off for years for decent, inexpensive Korean food, unlimited kim chi, tea, etc.  The last couple of times we've been there's been a noticeable improvement in the quality (and quantity) of food.  They've moved from ice burg lettuce to romaine and that's just the beginning...the meat was leaner, more flavorful, my dumpling soup was huge, hearty and delicious.  The meal was even topped off by two complementary orange slices: a nice new touch.  We'll be back (with big appetites) soon.
4 - M W.: Cheap and tasty! The service is good enough for the price. Self-service, but they're nice. The prices are great. Good soft tofu soup for the lowest price I've ever seen for it. Only thing is, you'll notice the cheapness of certain things like the miso broth with nothing in it, but again, the price makes up for it. The only thing is, my friend found a hair in his grilled chicken plate, but it didn't look that bad (only in this situation). He said his food was good after he got past the one hair. 

I'm hoping it's just a one time thing. The food is good enough where I'd go back and try it one more time until I do see a hair.
5 - Jenny W.: The serving size was plentiful (I was able to eat till the point of being bloated, yet still have enough for another day!), the kimchi, cucumbers, tea, and oranges included with the meal were tasty, the main course was high quality/delicious (some of the best meat i've had in a while), and the price for all of this was only $6.49.

The two that run this place are real sweeties. Even though there isn't official waiter service, there might as well be. First, I had tea brought to me, then, as I was waiting for them to cook my take-out order, some complimentary sliced oranges were placed in front of me, quickly followed by my completed order.

Polite/speedy service, good food, and a good price.
I'm definitely going again.
3 - Michael P.: I don't think... I'm qualified to review this place because I don't know my Korean food and I don't remember the name of the dish that I ordered, but here's my attempt!

I came here with my gf to try it out.  We asked the cashier to order for us because we have no idea how to order Korean food.  (Note to self: Need to make some Korean friends to learn the ways of Korean cuisine. =))

We got 1 dish with translucent noodle w/ sauce and another with mixed things on rice (this might be bibimbap??).  Food was good and not too pricey. We spent less than $20 for two.  I loved the unlimited kimchi though!
3 - Chuck N.: My friends and I have noodle addictions. We ended up at Berkel Berkel for some gook soo and ramen. 

+ Nice staff
+ Quick food
-  Bland kimchi
-  Small portions, poor quality food (no flavors!)

Ordered:
1. Kimchi Ramen
     -  Portion was a lil' less than the packaged ramen you get at the stores
     -  Where the heck are the veggies? 

Final Call:
It's cheap alright but when the quality is this low, I'd rather make it myself. Good if you're tight on time and down for a quickie (TWSS!).
3 - benito d.: Cheap, decent BBQ. 

The bulgogi was pretty good (7/10)
Bbq chicken was just ok(5/10). 
I love kimchi, but the stuff here was a little too spicy and salty(3/10). 
The shrimp fried was rice was good (6/10)
No alcohol (0/10)

If you're in the area and need a bite, this place is cheap and filling, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it.
4 - Jordan S.: Cheap and tasty food! 

Bibimbop was good, lots of veggies!  The barbq beef was delicious.  The veggie pankcake was tasty but too oily for m.  And so much of each we didn't finish a single dish...except for the beef, waaay too good to waste!  

Its 'self service' but they bring you most everything.  Yummy fresh spicy Kimchi, tasty sesame cucumber salad, and....mmm getting hungry thinking about it...

I'm not Korean but the person who dined with me is and said it was up to standard and that we were definitely coming back often ;)
3 - Tim G.: Berkel Berkel serves Korean food at student prices.  Their chicken bibimbap won't make anyone forget about My Tofu House, but it is filling and does the trick.
2 - Mark B.: I used to love this place before they changed ownership.  I could taste the difference when the change occured, and it's not something I crave anymore.  Its hard to keep the taste buds satisfied when the taste isn't the same....sorry!
4 - Saori E.: I love Korean food, but I'm really no expert. :)

This is just an order-at-the-counter place, slightly more "formal" than Steve's Korean BBQ at the ghetto. Just don't expect to come here and have a grill at your table. Not one of those places.

However, very tasty food!!! I usually have some kind of soup (I like kimchi), vegetarian pancakes, and some kind of meat dish. They are all very good and well-flavored. The meat comes with a miso-soup like soup (sorry, I'm Japanese..) and the lady brought us a whole bunch of little appetizer like things to our table (beans, kimchi, etc). That puts this way above Steve's!
Free tea and water. Self-serve.

My only complaint would be that my veggie pancakes were slightly smushy. Not inedibly smushy. It was still SOOOO good, just that I've had better-- but usually at more expensive restaurants :(

My boyfriend and I love this place for its price and convenience when we're in the are.
3 - Mimi Z.: its ok, decent pricing
kinda small, we tried to go here with a big group, got crowded and none of us could really move around, but its fine on a slow day
decent sized portions

but not my fav, id recommend the place further down telegraph, near fondu fred's, i cant remember what its called... but its much better than this place, and it is cleaner
3 - Rob L.: CHEAP KOREAN FOOD ON TELEGRAPH

We walked in and were greeted by a very friendly lady.  We didn't realize that you had to order at the counter but she brought menus to our table.  She came back with kim chi, black beans, and seasoned cucumbers and took our order.  The descriptions of the menu items were cleverly written and the prices were reasonable.  We shared the following:

Clay Pot Bimbimbap
In a hot bowl steamed rice was topped with beef, seasoned vegetables, and a sunny side up egg.  I mixed the ingredients with gochujang and enjoyed the meal in a bowl.

Kimchi Jjigae
Kimchi and tofu were cooked in a spicy red broth.  This dish will sure clear your head and warm your soul on a cold night.

Mandoo Gook Su
Homemade dumplings and glass noodles were swimming in a flavorful broth.  It tasted much better than I expected.

If you are craving inexpensive Korean food, walk through the wooden doors to Berkel Berkel.
4 - Patricia J.: Their soft tofu soup is wonderful on a cold day.  It's hot, kind of oily, and has a medley of good soupy vegetables (cabbage, carrots, and slices of shiitake mushrooms).  My family loves the barbecue combination (grilled beef, chicken, and pork) and the jap chae is also pretty good.  Their bibimbap is ehhh (I prefer Toust's).  I think the service is wonderful.  The two people at the counter are really nice.  One time, the woman gave me these watermelon slices as I was waiting for takeout.  The people who bring you your food are also very nice and courteous.  They started taking credit cards (no minimum purchase!) so that's a plus.  Only sucky thing is that they're closed on a random day (like Tuesday or something).
2 - Amiee H.: I LOVE korean food so this place was a little disappointing. I had the bi bim bop and there was nothing bi or bim or bop about it. The ingredients didn't seem fresh and the service wasn't great either. 

It was CHEAP, i'll give it that much. But if it's just cheap korean food you want, then steve's korean bbq is just as good, just as cheap and closer to campus.
4 - Christine T.: Korean food. Cheap. Good.

3 things that describe this place perfectly!
I had the dumpling combination soup and my friend had the tofu soup.
All of these were so good...
I couldn't believe how amazing I felt while eating this bowl of hot Korean soup. But that wasn't the best part! It was only 6 dollars!

There is endless kimchi, pickled cucumber, and beans that come with your soup. All of which were authentic and full of flavor. 

They have quirky lines that describe the food well.
I got the combination dumpling soup because I wanted to be the : Adventurous liberal craving danger! They put a lot of effort into those menus!!

Berkeley is a scary place as is. My friend and I sat at the window and was greeted with a man knocking on the other side telling us to "suck it". But besides that the food was too heartwarming to phase us.
1 - Hannah W.: I used to come here a lot back in the day.  They gave a mean plate of BBQ for 5 bucks. Their prices have gone up since then but I can't blame them.  $5 can't get you a decent meal anywhere on telegraph.  I came here with my bf and his mom and I'm never coming back.  I think the place feels too grimy.  If you're in the mood for Korean, don't come here!
1 - celia and jeff c.: We went there on a chilly Sunday night, mostly because it was cold and we were craving a hot tofu pot, so we just ordered the kimchi tofu pot. 

We thought the prices were reasonable- but only until we tried our order. It was not good. The only flavour it had was salty and slightly sour. But sour in a rotting-tofu kind of way. Mostly it just tasted like hot water with kimchi in it. The tofu wasn't soft like it should be; it was really firm and bean curd-ish. 

Everything was self-serve, including drinks (water, tea) and the little side dishes. Celia was too scared to try the beans and kimchi, but she said the cucumbers were okay. None of the dishes were very good quality, but that's to be expected given the prices, we think.

This was part 2 of a 3 part dinner. It was so bad that we ate half of it and left to go to Cafe Mattina next door. We only planned on 2 dinners that night but this restaurant made it 3 :(. The man working the cash register was nice though.

note: the bathroom is a little scary, and the kitchen smelled like towel.
2 - Candice C.: I ordered a combination plate with two types of meat and I literally got a plate with lots of rice, and unappetizing meat. Since my first review, I've visited other Korean restaurants and unfortunately this one hits near the bottom.
3 - Giovanni N.: Cheap bastards usually learn how to be cheap from their college days.  So it was a pleasant surprise to see that Berkel Berkel was still alive even after all these years.

A few things have changed since I was a cheap student.  There's no waiter service anymore and the spice on the spicy pork has calmed down.  Maybe I should have told them I like it spicy, but it just wasn't as spicy as I remember.  Or maybe my taste buds aren't as sensitive due to my age?

Anyway, what's cool is that they have self-serve kimchi and pickled cucumbers as well as all you can drink hot tea.  The prices are still very reasonable considering what you get.  Orders come with a cabbage salad with a peanut-based dressing and a good serving of rice.

I'm just glad to see that the place is still alive and well and still serving food that's affordable for the starving student.
3 - Andrew C.: Order at the counter and they bring out the food to your table. Self-serve banchan, water, tea, spoon, and napkins. Chopsticks on tables. A smokey haze filled the air despite not having grill tables (new exhaust in kitchen needed?)

Three banchan are available in big aluminum pans. Today was cabbage kimchi, pickled cucumbers, and marinated soybeans ("black" beans). The cucumbers were the best. The cabbage kimchi ranged from quite ripe to a bit over-ripe/sour so might be much for the non-Korean; I like sour kimchi and even then some pieces were . . . strong. Soybeans were a bit on the starchy dry side; I ate a couple and left the rest on the plate.

I got the duk-bae-gi bulgogi, or soup with bulgogi, sweet beef broth, glass noodles, dduk (rice cakes), and veggies. The overall flavor of this dish was good, but there were some big chunks of gristly beef that I didn't finish.

Soup: 3 stars
Sides: 2 stars
Rounding up to 3 overall because of the cheap prices.
2 - Linda Y.: I only come here because of the cheap prices. I always get the soft tofu stew. Besides the soup, I don't think the content is up to par at all. The sides also tastes very old. Recommended for students on a budget, not for a great dining experience.
3 - Jennifer W.: Of all the years I've lived in this part of town, this is the one restaurant I have never been to, until today that is! I don't know why it gets a bad reputation because I had a pleasant experience here and I would definitely be back for the soft tofu soup, especially during chilly days like these.

I met Grace for dinner tonight and straight off the bat, I knew I wanted to get the beef bibimbap. However, there were two versions and I went for the more expensive one that was in the traditional clay pot because there was no way I was going to risk eating bad bibimbap. Anyway, I was happy with my choice because it came out sizzling hot just the way I like it. The rice on the bottom was nice and crust too, but without sticking to the bottom, which is how it should be. Grace ordered the dumpling soup, which looked good. It was a huge bowl with plenty of broth and lots of plump dumplings. I didn't actually try it though.

I also like that there was unlimited water, barley tea, kimchi, pickled cucumber, and marinated black soybeans. However, I do not like that it was self serve because I am accustomed to the great service from almost all other Korean restaurants I've been to. However, it is pretty cheap here, so I can't complain much.
4 - Sam E.: I don't have much experience with non Korean BBQ Korean food, but Berkel Berkel is my favourite place on telegraph to grab a quick lunch.  The Kimchi is tingly (how i like it), the "black"  soy beans could be softer but have amazing flavor, and most importantly the chili sauce is amazing; it is only mildly spicy but you can really taste the chilies.  It is only really served with the Bipimbop and the spicy pork, but there are squeeze-bottles you can bring to the table.  The soft tofu soup is also very good, with tofu factory tofu and some umami from dried fish and squid.  Finally, while the meat has some gristle, it is real meat well charred.
3 - Berkeley S.: i like the service and unlimited servings of kimchi here, but overall i prefer koryo. i love kimchi pancakes but they're never available at berkel berkel and i've also noticed that when it gets busier, the food quality goes down.
3 - David L.: Taste: 3
Value: 4
Service: 3

I remember coming here back when I was a freshman at Cal. It was one of the first restaurants I went to. I thought the food was pretty good, and I returned here relatively frequently for a couple months. However, I haven't been back in quite a while, probably in over two years.

The food itself is okay for korean food. It's pretty cheap, and it's not bad. I've ordered a couple different things, and they all turned out okay. However, I have noticed that they've had really bad business lately since there's rarely someone in there, so perhaps they might be going out of business soon. Nevertheless, I thought I'd review them since the food was okay.
2 - Jenny L.: I found hair in my food the first time I visited Berkel Berkel.

The food was not horrible, so I decided to give another try. 

I found hair again.

Yuck.
3 - Jennifer W.: I only order the same thing when I come here, which is the Tofu Soup (soondubu), which really hits the spot on cold days. Pretty standard tofu soup, and it comes with bits of seafood in it. I really like the cucumber, kimchi, and black bean panchan that I can refill myself. The old couple that works here is so adorable and super nice! One time my friend wanted some Korean hot paste so she asked them for it and they actually gave it to her even though she didn't buy anything! They're very sweet and because it's Koreans cooking and not Mexicans (like at Steve's), it just seems much more authentic.
3 - Justin N.: Simply run of the mill, nothing fancy, nothing too sucky.

I was happy the opened a lil past thier closing hours, but i'm really not sure if i would go here again. Korean food is usually a wow to me, but not this. The kimchi only had three different types and the tea was cold

i ordered the bulgogi, and it was my first time having it, and rather unimpressive. Color was a lil dull, sometimes a little too much tendon and fat, and just not as savory as i expected.

But service is pretty nice and the ambience decent. Nothing to really write about.

Overall rating: meh
3 - Michael L.: Tastey but unremarkable
4 - Adele F.: This place definitely fits my appetite within the constraints of my wallet. Also, they take credit cards, which is nice!

The place is run by a Korean couple, and the husband mans the cash register. First you go up to the counter to pay for your dish, and the wife or another server brings your dish after a while. Every time I have gone, it's never been packed, so the wait is about 10 minutes. During that time, you can quench some of your hunger with their unlimited self-serve sides of kimchi (which can be very sour depending on the day you go), pickled cucumbers (my favorite), and black soybeans. After your meal, you can leave (without tip :o) and they will clean up after you. It's kinda nice! They also have unlimited water and barley tea. The tea is very good at soothing a spicy palate.

I've been there three times. The first time I ordered the beef clay pot bibimbap, which was hot and sizzling when it arrived. The second time I ordered it along with my friend, she remarked that the rice was slightly soggy. I probably didn't notice because I had doused it in way too much Korean hot sauce (which they provide for you with your bibimbap!) and I had a searing mouth the entire time. For $6.95, I really can't complain, no matter how enraged my taste buds are. The ratio of meat to veggies to rice is well balanced, and the meat is well sauteed.

The japchae has too many vegetables for my taste (a lot of cabbage I think). There are greater portions of rice than noodles, and I prefer the opposite ratio. For $6.45, it's a decent meal, but you won't regret paying a little bit more for the clay pot bibimbap.
3 - Daniel H.: Got the impulse to eat at Berkel Berkel today after someone mentioned they were going there for lunch.

Second time I've been here, and it was pretty much the same as the first time. You order at the register, pay first, then they bring it to you (a nice touch not having people yell out numbers all the time and making it noisy). Utensils, water, tea, napkins, and other things you get yourself. Below average cleanliness and horrible looking chairs, tables, and tableware, but the decor (if you ignore the plastic signs posted on the walls) have potential if the place was brightened up a bit. But then again this is a place close to campus, cheap, and catered to college students so I doubt anyone really cares that much about how nice it looks.

Food: you definitely get your money's worth. I'm not a connoisseur of Korean food or anything, but my bulgogi was seven bucks, the food was hot and cooked to order (well not really, but it was still hot), I was full afterwards, and it wasn't gross. Wasn't the best, but can't really ask for much more than that for cheap food at a convenient location to school. Definitely a better place to eat than some comparable nearby places off the top of my head (Steve's, Kim Chi Garden). It's also worth mentioning imo that the first time I came I had a combo plate with chicken on it and the chicken was not dry or tough or gross like how chicken usually is at cheap Korean restaurants (it was actually moist!) Kudos for that one. 

Okay overall in my book. They should get a bigger sign though since Thai Noodle's sign is a lot bigger with brighter colors and it's pretty hard to notice the Berkel Berkel one right behind it.
4 - Brian M.: Got to sit down and eat a huge plate of food plus banchan for under 10 dollars. Usually the salads I encounter at Asian restaurants are superfluous garnishes of old soggy lettuce and questionable dressing. The salad that came with my kalbi had cripsy fresh lettuce and a nice dressing.  The rice surprised me too, I'm not sure if it had beans, wild rice, or some other grain mixed in. Whatever it was, it was good. 

The only complaint I have was that the kimchee had a bit too much salt and not enough chili, but given that literally everything else pleased me, thats not a big deal. 

A great place to get a filling non-fast food meal for cheap.
1 - Joey Z.: crowded, service was slow as hell, then they brought out our food to the wrong table. the wrong table tastes it, realized it wasnt the right food. they take it back. half-assly refry it in the kitchen or something, and brings it back out. avoid
5 - eata c.: For the price, this is my favorite Korean restaurant. Great serving sizes, the sweetest servers. Sure, the quality of the meat isn't the best, but it is very tasty none-the-less. And seriously, for the price??
4 - Janice W.: Definitely a hole-in-the wall place. Not the best korean food I've ever had, but definitely not the worst. Try to stay away from most things, except the soft tofu soup and some of the bibimbap dishes. 

The owner seemed really nice! He smiled while taking my order, so I don't fully understand the bad reviews on service here sometimes. Food comes out fast. Ah.
3 - Henry T.: I think this place might have changed owners or something. The man who usually mans the cash register isn't there and the waitresses might have changed since I last been here (over a year ago...) They also don't take credit cards...it is cash only.

I ordered the Galbi ($8.25), which consisted of ~12 pieces of cut-up short ribs, rice, and a salad. The short ribs were well marinated and pretty tasty. Average tasting short ribs, I would say. The salad is pretty good, the sauce/dressing they use is sorta sweet...just right for their salad. The rice is decent too. 

Their side dish that comes with our orders (kimchi, beans, and sweet cucumber) were all fine. Kimchi and cucumber all were fresh and the beans weren't soggy. I killed the cucumber and kimchi--they were pretty good.


Overall the food was okay...nothing special. The service was on the good side. The waitresses were very friendly and patient while we were deciding what to order. They also filled our water often and quickly. 

This is a place I wouldn't mind returning to, but wouldn't come here unless I was craving some Korean food. I'd give them 3.5 stars if I could.
2 - Helen Y.: The owner greeted us with a friendly manner when we walked in. Everything else went downhill from there. 
I knew what I wanted (some pretty standard Korean dishes), so I didn't bother looking at the menu and ordered. However, to my disappointment, they did not have Kimchi pancakes, which was what I wanted the most. As the owner didn't speak English well, I thought that he had misunderstood my order, but after explaining in detail, it turned out that they really didn't serve pancakes. I settled for the Kimchi fried rice and tofu soup. The food itself was okay, however, there was a huge fly that kept on flying around our food. We spent half the time wafting the fly away. I ended up gulping down my tofu soup, and had the fried rice to go. 
In terms of food and value, there are similar and more sanitary options just a block away. So sadly, I must admit that I won't be coming back.
3 - Jeanette S.: I don't get why Korean places in Berkeley never use real stone pots or give good side dishes. 

But overall, the food wasn't terrible. I ordered the bibimbap as usual, and some sort of vegetarian soup.
3 - Pat P.: When Gomnaru (back when that used to be on Durant between Telegraph and Bowditch) closed and moved elsewhere, I was disappointed. Berkel Berkel filled that void quite well with its convenient location and rather good menu options. I'd say this is one of those places you'd want to visit once every few weeks with a couple of friends who can't decide on where to eat after a long day of classes.

I was told that Berkel Berkel is how Koreans perceive the sound of boiling water/soup. I thought that was clever.

Worth a try if you're in the area!
4 - Shanna C.: I love this place! 
The food is great, and the couple who run it are always very nice.

The kimchi here is delicious, and I always find myself grabbing seconds, and sometimes even thirds!!
3 - Melody L.: Pretty standard Korean food. I always get my favorite, the soft tofu soup, and they make it just as well here as they do everywhere else. I mainly like Berkel Berkel because the owners/people working there are so laid-back and nice.
3 - James B.: I think this place has closed...I could be wrong, but when I walked by yesterday there was a vegetarian restaurant in its place. OK...I ate here a couple times because it's inexpensive and the food is good. Very basic Korean dishes--the kimchee stew is good, as is the spicy grilled chicken.

Berkeley Art Museum - Berkeley, CA (37.8689846, -122.2556347) (UC Campus Area)
5 - Gourmet G.: Founded in 1963, the museum includes eleven galleries, a sculpture garden, and the Pacific Film Archive, a 234-seat theater that highlights rare movies you won't find at Blockbuster or an AMC multiplex. The museum's diverse collections embrace ancient and contemporary Asian art, early American painting, and works by Bay Area and California artists. Important pieces by Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and Paul Gauguin can be found here. Cafe Muse's raw food menu utilizes organic, sustainable, and locally-grown produce. Galleries are open from 11:00am until 5:00pm Wednesday - Sunday, Thursday until 9:00pm; admission is $6.00.
5 - Caroline C.: Surprisingly brilliant selection, great space, good cafe. Small enough to handle, mostly modern, not too much repetative ancient Asian art that we've all studied extensively.
5 - Kat C.: All around awesome. Not too small to be boring and under-endowed, not too big to be lost or have that big museum attitude. They use their space wisely with excellent exhibits and choice of work. It is a must see.
Also, the cafe is wonderful and relaxing as it is nestled inside the museums walls outside the noise and hubbub of the Berkeley campus/telegraph environment outside.
3 - Catherine H.: i feel guilty bringing the rating down for this museum.  i mean, i go to school right next to it, and i should be proud of it as my neighboring institution.  i AM proud that we have an art museum, and i was interested enough in it. 

since everyone else has already said how great it is, i will risk sounding extremely negative by explaining why the docking of two stars.  here goes.

* variety yes, flow... no.
* small enough that i won't go back until they change exhibits drastically
* unintuitive setup/layout without enough signs to tell you where the hell you are headed
* cafe muse is a disappointment and makes vegetarians look bad.  i have found that the "raw" food concept has failed here... i only ate there twice, but i don't wanna go back.
* compared to the other bay area museums, it's not something i'd go out of my way to see

okay, okay... i'll state one perk: uc berkeley students get in for free and can bring a guest for free, too!  so, if convenient, it's definitely worth it to go.  so...go.
2 - Damon S.: Edit: They are losing stars for not communicating with other Bay Area art institutions and putting on repeat shows - Paglin was just in YBCA's Dark Matter show, and SFMOMA has a nearly duplicate show of contemporary Chinese art. Please, Please, get it together - there only 4 or 5 other museums that need to pay attention to each other it cannot be that hard. 

They have a surprisingly strong collection - some of the best works on public display in the Bay Area such as the fantastic Aselm Kiefer and Francis Bacon, plus they have a better Pollock than SFMOMA.  
 
They can have some awful video art like Slater Bradley and worse 
but they get 5 stars for exceeding expectations as a small museum.
5 - Mike S.: Perhaps because of it's smaller size, they always have great shows. I also like the odd layout and design of the place. The local museum at your college is usually not this good -- it certainly wasn't for my undergrad.
3 - Amy E.: As someone unaffiliated with the university, who therefore pays the $8 admission fee, I find this place underwhelming. Mainly because of the small amount of art they usually have up, particularly given the huge mass of the facility. The shows are usually interesting but tiny. The layout is strange, and gives you no flexibility in the order you look at things. It is definitely worth going at least once, or if a certain show appeals to you. But it is not on my frequent visit list.
5 - Tito Y.: I LOVE THIS MUSEUM FOR THE BUILDING.  I keep imagining somewhere in our future 2334 A.D. this museum will still be around and that it might someone's wonderful concrete momumental house in a modern mega city called NEW BERKELEY ISOTOPES....  The UC campus would be located on moon planet Europa while the entire area would be simply be a nuclear refinement area.   Gotta love the future.  

Excellent show going on now. Entirely worth it to go see two Miro's and some wonderful scale model of Noah's Arc filled with various hanging animal jerky.   Ahhhh ..the newest meaning of fine art.
4 - Ann L.: I was able to check out the Berkeley Art Museum because my friend got some passes so we got in FREE though it's $8 for adult for everyone else.

It was my first time there and the only reason I wanted to go was because of the Tomas Saraceno exhibit that's on display now thru February 17, 2008.  His exhibit is called "Microscale, Macroscale, & Beyond: Large-scale implications of small-scale experiments".  He does some really cool pieces of art using transparent balloons, air, elastic cord, & plants.  

A bubble thing that's hands on was really cool too.  Do it really, really slowly.

BAM has a policy of No Photography so no pics to show but it's an Awesome exhibit!

Two galleries were closed when we went Sun 1/6/08 and because of it being close No tour at 2pm for us.  So bogus.

Ms. Gay Outlaw "Black Hose Mountain" is really cool too.  Made from rubber hose, plaster & silicone.  Very 3-D.

Joan Brown "Fur Rat" is hella ugly..made from wood, chicken wire & Raccoon fur!  Damn, almost walked right into it.

The Asian art exhibit was just ok.  Paintings of China scenes: Ming & Qing Dynasty,  Japan scenes, buddha sculptures, stuff from India & Tibet.

Goya's exhibit: Disaster of War was just ok, just lots of black & white etchings.

Joan Jonas: The Shape, The Scent, The Feel of Things - the many videos were totally weird.

Small gift shop & cafe available.

Recommended.  Maybe 1 mile walk from Downtown Berkeley Bart station.
3 - Henry Y.: We came for the Bruce Conner Fab Mab punk photo exhibit.  I'm a huge punk fan but still we managed to plow thru it in only 20 minutes. With the exception of a handful of utterly fantastic images, there was a lot of throw away stuff. The other exhibits there were a mixed bag. Buddha exhibit was the best, if only minimally curated.  Some of the contemporary stuff , which is my gig, was abysmal.

Among the best to see is the downstairs, where the restrooms and theaters are. There are great little drawings and etchings along the walls there, many by renowned artists.

I liked the space, but then I'm a sucker for modernist design. They just need to fill it with better stuff. For $8 admission, it was kinda paltry. Your best bet is to hit it on the First Thursdays which are free.
3 - Michael H.: The modernist architecture and high use of concrete-like materials make BAM an unwelcoming experience.  The layout doesn't feel like it optimizes the space either.  If it were a bit darker I could imagine this being a torture chamber in 'Saw'.  The quality and diversity of work is really good though.  I expected this place to be free, well mostly because it's Berkeley and it's right next to campus.  Student fees are $5 while regular adult is $8.  Perhaps you might want to save your money for an art indie flick.
5 - JJ G.: I have to say this is a VERY NICE museum considering the fact it's a university museum
The Majong show (contemparory Chinese Art) amazed me. 
I will check their show schedule frequently to make sure I dont miss anything :)
5 - Gracie B.: I had to Yelp BAM/PFA because I needed to yelp Dennis, the director of Visitor Services because he's amazing.

I recently (ok 6 months ago) changed jobs so that rather than event planning being a small part of my day...it's all of my day.  My first event was this HUGE thing that had an army of volunteers and vendors and people.  After that, my next event was a small dinner for 30-40.  Which could have been easier or harder to deal with in the come down from some thing big.  

Dennis made it easier.  He worked with the marketing associate at my agency to get the wording right of the exhibit and to get accurate directions.  When he and I met, he already had an idea of where to set up our dinner, what galleries the guests could tour and where/how to set up our presentation.  When I arrived the day of, Dennis and Aaron (from Grace Street Caterers...also wonderful) had the caberet tables in our presentation area set up, a table cleared for reception and nametags, and everything else figured out.  Dennis had a quick eye to notice that one of my easels was crooked and was quick to communicate anything else that needed attention. 

Basically Dennis made the "easiest event I have to do" (according to my boss) even easier.  I don't know how often they do events here, but it was a great venue and Dennis is WONDERFUL.  

(ps...hint hint, Ligaya...how about an elite event here?....make sure to mention me if you do)
5 - Ramon E.: Wait--$5 student fee? What? The last 4 times I've gone, I've gotten in free AND gotten one guest in free. The best deal in town! I'm a sucker for modernist design, too, so the design of the inside really appeals to me--especially how you start at the top and wiiiind your way down. I suppose the quality of the exhibits can be hit-or-miss, but there's always some part of an exhibit that speaks to me...my husband and I especially liked the last exhibit on contemporary Asian American art. Don't miss the displays downstairs (where the bathroom is).
5 - Elle C.: I read the other day, Oh boy, that in France, which isn't doing too well in the unemployment area, that attendance at museums and the theater has increased by 21%. By today, the figures are probably higher. 

So how about it America, can we beat the attendance record???
 Well, I hope so, especially here in the Bay Area. 

Sure our museums cost more, but we can always look for bargains, 

Bargain of the next few months- the current Galaxy exhibit at the Berkeley Art Museum followed by Human/Nature: Artists Respond to a changing planet 

I saw the Galaxy exhibit a few days ago and loved it loved it. 

Some visitors might be upset at the lack of "labels" next to the items in the exhibit. Relax, there is a guide. You will not be tested. My advice: relax 
and enjoy. You can even play a little game--- As you will notice, the works are not grouped by genre or chronology . See if you can figure out why the curator (Lawrence Rinder, the Director of the museum) has 
made his decisions as to the groupings. 

So, take the BART to Berkeley, It ain't Paris, but it IS a destination
5 - Daniel B.: This is one of the most underappreciated architectural gems of the Bay Area. Designed by Mario Campi and completed in 1970, the structure is a masterpiece of the Brutalist style. A lot of people think Brutalism is hideous, but to me it beautiful and powerful, even when terribly flawed. This building is definitely a little bit of both. It concrete structure is formally daring and powerful, but as a result is dangerously unsound.

A series of stepped skylights fan out across the main space, with massive concrete walls soaring 60 to 80 feet above the sunken pit of the main exhibition space. The ramped balconies that carry visitors from one gallery to another also seem to precariously float above the vast open space. Their is this dual sensation of massiveness and wieghtlessness provides for a really exhilerating architectural experience. The progression of spaces lends itself well to both isolated exhibits and continuous programming. Either way, this ramp structure creates a truly dynamic relationship between the visitor, the art and the space.

The collection itself is hit or miss at times, but overall is quite impressive. On the one hand, a lot of the works by great artists like Miro, Rothko, Pollock and De Kooning are decidedly second-rate. That doesn't mean they aren't a pleasure to see anyways, but these aren't major works by any means. On the other hand, they have some collections that are truly unique, including lots of nice Bay Area modernism, a great body of Hans Hoffman's work and a number of figures and sets from Calder's circus. The current show, Galaxy, showcases the wide variety of work in the permament collection. The special exhibitions are also quite diverse and interesting. My favorite was Semina Culture: Wallace Berman and His Circle, which documented the extraordinary artistic community the developed on the West Coast in the 50's and 60's around Beat culture.

As much as I love this building, I am absolutely terrified by it. After the BART tube and the Eastern span of the Bay Bridge, this is the last place I would want to be in an earthquake. They retrofitted the building a while back, and it was still deemed structurally defficient. The daring and muscular use of concrete that makes this space so compelling will ultimately be its downfall. Fortunately, Japan's master architect Toyo Ito is designing a new building for BAM in Downtown Berkeley which will not only give the museum a great new home with increased capacity and flexibility, but will also make a strong contribution to the revitalization of the Downtown area.
5 - Sally L.: I love the architectural style of this place, with the ramps leading to each consecutive gallery. It's fabulous to look at from the outside, too, as far as I'm concerned.

I never saw an exhibit there that I didn't like -- or at least, that didn't make me go, "oh, that's interesting..." which is the point of art anyway, isn't it?

Free admission for Cal students (& what, $5 admission otherwise?!), & the occasional Q&A with an artist makes this a great museum.
4 - Tim D.: This is a nice museum because it is small enough to see everything within 3 hours and eclectic enough to have something for everyone.  

To find out how to visit this and other local museums FREE, check out this examiner article.
http://www.examiner.com/x-20478-Oakland-Museum-Examiner~y2009m8d20-Top-5-Bay-Area-museums-with-free-days
3 - Jasmine W.: a review of the museum cafe:

back when i was a student a friend and i stumbled upon this cafe in our quest to find a quiet place to eat and study. at that time, i tried their grilled portobello mushroom sandwich and i've been hooked to it ever since! i've tried their other offerings (they're famous for their raw items) but i only get cravings for the portobello mushroom. perfectly seasoned with a crunchy baguette outside, complimented with olive spread and cheese... yumm!! 

service isn't as good as it used to be (the guy working there was talking on his cell to his ?girlfriend while another patron and i were patiently waiting for him to take our orders) but i'd still come back in a heart beat.
4 - Arturo V.: The building looks like a the disturbing dream of a brutalist architect. The good news is they are moving out in the next decade to downtown Berkeley. Great exhibits and relatively decent permanent collection. Loved the Pacific Film Archive. It changed my movie taste in the six years that I frequented the place. The cafe is very good, especially the raw food.
4 - Wilda W.: Really cool space; small but always has interesting exhibits. The interior architecture is something to behold, and is a lovely refuge from the hustle and bustle from the rest of the Berkeley campus. I wish more students would appreciate having this gem in their backyard! It seems only a few students and local residents enjoy and support this place on a regular basis.

I understand it's hard to go out of your way to come here especially if you don't live in the vicinity, and especially since the bay area has such a plethora of great arts institutions. That gets one star off for me on this place. I agree with those who say the admission fee is a bit high for what you get, but with places like that I would recommend doing a membership if you can afford it and if you live in the area. If you're a true art lover a membership to this place won't do you wrong.
4 - Jane S.: Wham BAM thank you Ma'am.

It was like that. 

The BAMscape was pretty sweet http://static1.px.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/QQfIT35FhxuBe3hP4d3anA/l, but we didn't stay for very long because they were blasting new age music like it was a metal concert. I have nothing against new age music, I promise. It was just very hard to concentrate while reading or even relax for that matter. Isn't new age music supposed to be relaxing? Not when it's blasting in your ears! My seat on the orange wave reverberated, our voices muted as we tried to talk. If they don't play any loud music, I'll be back! My friend said that this was the first time they ever played music *shrug* 

I liked that we were able to sit, lie down, climb, walk up and down across these cool orange undulations. No shoes allowed and make sure you have socks on! I expected the waves to be more foam-like and bouncy, but it turns out there's wood encasing the foam. Bouncy foam would be so much more fun and comfortable.

However, it's still a fun idea since you can actually touch and hell, lie down on, the art. To the side of the space, they have a little table with coffee and pastries for sale as well. Even better, there are some outlets available so you can work http://static1.px.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/lGyOBs0_ciavY2pHzSsNKA/l

So here's an alternative to the humdrum library or cafe if you want to study or catch up with a friend. The BAMscape is ongoing until November 2011.
4 - David L.: Quality: 4
Value: 5
Service: 4

Great displays that change every few months. It's awesome that it's free for Berkeley students, and you can even bring in a guest for free too. Always a great place to check out everytime they get a change of exhibits, especially when it's so close to campus. Probably takes about an hour or so to go through all the exhibits. It's a pity they're moving the location; I think the current one is really convenient.
2 - vidor h.: Nazi Bunker? North Korean re-education facility? Human interrment camp in Stalag? Nope, it's the Berkeley Art Museum

Great programs and exhibits. I just dont like the architecture. 
Don't get me wrong, i dig some Brutalism, but this one is way too mish-mashy. And the biggest problemo? The Spans. They weren't in the original design, they are engineering afterthought, they look  stoopid, and detract from the Brutalism Style. Which means it was a hack-job to begin with.  The Romans build with concrete slabs 2000 years ago, this is devolution- forgetting any practical, or aesthetic knowledge we have gained since.

And you know what? it's over. Brutalism belongs in some communist bunker design, but no fun for art interaction~ and it happens to be a building that people have to work in. The architect for a building this scale and purpose should have thought of  things like: Light, sound, maintenance, HVAC, cracking concrete, telecom/wireless thru rebar-ed concrete? Plumbing? all an upkeep nightmare. 

I'm not big on bureaucracy, but here's a case where some extra heads could have played a role in future-proofing such a building.

Oh, and all you "University Students" using the "modernist" term, need to go back to university.
2 - Diana C.: This place is pretty awesome. They have art that I can't describe which is a good thing since it is that deep. The only thing is that I wish they would have "no picture" signs instead of almost tackling you down when you attempt to take a picture of something...
4 - Chris W.: In addition to great exhibits that change pretty regularly, BAM is one of my favorite places to study or just hang out. 

They have a great installation in the center of the museum that you can sit and climb all over. It's a lot of fun but the fact that everyone must be barefoot on the structure is kind of gross. The power outlets are great if you're going to bring your laptop but with the way the slopes are designed it's sort of awkward and uncomfortable for sitting for a long period of time. Because of this I find that the installation is better for just hanging out. My favorite spot is the tables on the side of the installation. The cold metal tables are almost always empty so I can really spread out and study....in a museum...how cool is that?! Answer: very. 

I've recently discovered a Remedy Coffee trailer (http://www.yelp.com/biz/remedy-coffee-berkeley) parked on the Durant side of the museum's courtyard where you can get your coffee fix. Unlike most merchants in Berkeley they actually take credit card (pretty sweet considering they're in a trailer and do it through an iPhone!).
4 - Gypsy J.: I love BAM.  The architecture of the building is actually one of my favorite parts, more entertaining than some of the more linear exhibits.  This is a fun place to wander around, upstairs and ramps and down.  But there are some great exhibits here, that make you stop and think about cultural messages and pop culture history in other countries.  There's a great mix of local and global art.  Multimedia displays are worked into the exhibits in an accessible fashion, not hidden away like in some other museums.  Overall, this is a really fun place to go with friends or on a date.  I could spend hours in here.
5 - Kim D.: I am an avid supporter of the arts, and today saw Richard Misrach's show documenting the aftermath of the 1991 fires that decimated the Berkeley and Oakland Hills on a terrifying scale.  A starker variation of the same show with supplemental video material is running at the Oakland Museum concurrently.  

Though I am a relatively recent transplant from Southern California, I grew up with an acute awareness of how devastating and regular fires could sweep through the canyons where my family lived.  I recall vividly my great-uncle refusing to evacuate his home, my cousins improvising fire breaks, dousing the rooftops, and Uncle Bill with the hose, refusing to surrender.  God, I miss him.  

As an adoptee from the Vietnam War, I have always struggled with a passionate pas de deux in being given so much love, so many opportunities and being evacuated by a loving and selfless birth mother.  I will be 37 on my next birthday and I have yet to visit The Wall.  Photographs of those who weep uncontrollably, honestly, and openly terrify me.   But I know that I owe it to the men, women and families of the Armed Forces to go.  

I imagine that me, being among families and comrades in arms who gave the ultimate sacrifice will be a particularly poignant experience that I hope we will be able to reconcile when the time comes.  

My point is:  history happens every day, and I feel so very strongly that it is our duty to support artists - photographers and photojournalists in particular who have the skill, strength and vision to preserve events so that the truth of our past and our future can be honored, remembered, respected and loved.

A very dear friend inked the kanji character for "monoganashii" into his flesh and when he explained the concept, I found it so relevant that I still meditate on it daily.  The more common usage is to indicate a degree of sadness and melancholy.  The school of thought and interpretation of this beautiful expression can mean "The beauty of all that is fleeting" - as in knowing cherry blossoms will be perfect one day, and gone entirely in a brief while.  

It is far from easy to face tragedies, private moments and pain and embrace it.  That for me, and I think others is a profoundly challenging and counter intuitive behavior.  

So I encourage you to see both versions of Misrach's exhibits.  Some of the images that spoke to me in a more compelling way were not the large scale prints but the smaller images - an improvised and heartbreaking eloquent memorial to Police Officer John Grubensky, a remarkably undamaged Buddha meditating from his post on the hearth of an utterly destroyed home; the dual plaintive but optimistic bowls of pet food set out in hopes of feeding four-legged survivors; an eerie but intriguing archway leading to an unknown beyond...

So now, I will light a stick of incense that I brought back from Japan after the triple disaster there, I fell in love with the oldest Buddhist temple in Kyoto reserve it for quietly eloquent moments when I'm looking for peace and compassion.  

I'm striking the match, and allowing myself get lost in the fragrant comfort of the swirling smoke, the aroma that transports me every time... and give myself permission to simply...remember.
3 - Erich V.: Their collection of modern video art is so hit and miss.
4 - Catherine P.: A wonderful place to get lost (in a good way) on a foggy Sunday. Wonderful, moody ambiance and tall, uplifting ceilings without having to go to a church. Unfortunately the art is often remedial at best - but hey, with such a great atmosphere and location (just across from campus and sandwiched in between good cafes), they can get away with it...
4 - Adrienne G.: Recently came to BAM to see the Andy Warhol Polaroid exhibit & have to say this is quite a museum!

I love the setup w/ the zigzagging floors & the exhibits showcased during our visit were mainly from local artists or artists who were featuring the Bay Area or California in general.....all from the 1970s & 1980's

Weird, wacky & off the wall experimental art at this museum.  VERY interesting to see what people considered art / performance art from back then - definitely pieces & actions that made us think & question: "what does that mean?"  And that provides for a great day of culture!

The Andy Warhol polaroids were pretty few in number but there were some famous people included like Pia Zadora & Billy Squier (from his album cover inspiration).  They were also showcasing an installation of Ray Johnson who was Warhol's protégée & they were running "How To Draw A Bunny" in the background which was cool since we had seen that at Sundance a few years back.  

Other floors had things like videos of performance art of a woman eating lunch in a cage in the SF zoo next to a tiger in the next cage, also a series of newspapers that had captured pics of an eclipse from all over the country; to a lady who had put cow innards on her naked body then lay on a slab.  

William Wegman did a video series of shorts of random things like him talking to his dogs & there was a pictorial piece of someone who had taken the CA state map & traveled to the exact locations where each of the letters in California falls on the map, then took a picture of the scenery w/ some of the natural materials making up that specific letter....just a cool concept in a really cool museum!
3 - Erin G.: Reason for visit: Free day!
Visit date: April 21, 2012
First time? No.

I really like the layout of BAM -- no back tracking needed, or getting lost. There is a nice flow to the exhibits. Since I feel like I'm still a broke student, I visit on Cal Day when it's free for all! I was really interested to see the Any Warhol Polaroid collection, but then was slightly disappointed by it. I was much more impressed by their California Art exhibit. Also discovered on this visit was the reading room -- a quiet place to sit (or nap).
2 - K M.: What a disappointment for a relatively high price.  We're visiting from Miami, where the universities put the strong paintings from the permanent collections on display for those coming for the first (and last) time, as we were.  We could have looked past the dark spaces with heavy concrete, aptly described as a bunker, had there been some of the works described in guide books, which we were told by a staff member were usually kept in storage.  Instead we were treated to incessant squeaking by a temporary display of a sculpture in the central space that emanated throughout the galleries.  It must be dreadful to work there.

Among the pluses of the visit were displays some lovely small Rembrandt etchings, a nice Cezanne sketch, and a series of old Tibetan pieces.  And, before we left we had a refreshing stop in the Babette cafe.

But will we return?  Certainly not!

Berkeley City Club - Berkeley, CA (37.86738, -122.2627557) (UC Campus Area)
4 - lisa g.: This review is for the city club as a hotel, I have never actually used it as a club.

The Berkeley City Club lets its rooms to non-members and it is one of the nicer places to put up out of town visitors.  

The building is a interesting piece of architecture designed by Julia Morgan.  There is a pool and workout room avaiilable to guests and a hair salon in the hotel.  The location is a few blocks off campus but it is on a fairly quiet, tree-lined street and a nice place from which to start a walk around Berkeley.

There are no tvs in any of the rooms.
5 - Max B.: This place is amaazing. I don't even know where to begin. My mother, who used to stay at the Durant or Claremont Hotel, somehow ended up staying here. I never once noticed the building despite living a few blocks away for a few years.

It basically resembles the interior of a European castle. Architect Julia Morgan, whose portrait unlovingly gazes at you upon entry (and whose ghost you get the feeling might still be roaming somewhere within), went all out with the details. From the mosaic indoor pool to the beautifully contructed courtyard (with a peacock that lives there) to sweeping stone staircases, this place is craazy and while walking around you fully expect to see Harry Potter turn around one of the corners.
2 - Tony D.: I want to like this place a lot- it is a beautiful facility, but as a hotel it is a little dysfunctional.

The truth of the matter is that things like carpets and matresses can only be cleaned so many times before they need to be replaced. This place is 20 years late on that process.

Also they really don't treat the place like a hotel: we booked online on a Sunday morning and went over that afternoon. Apparently the admin who receives the online orders never faxed it over to the desk, so whada ya want us desk clerks to do?  There is no ownership of the process at all: the desk thought it really unreasonable that we had just dumped the order on the place- expecting it to get done and not making sure that it had made its way through 'the tubes' and into their little hands. I think they really felt I should have called admin to make sure she was going to fax it.

Because they did not receive the order the maid left for the day before we arrived, and when we went upstairs to our room we found an unmade bed and dirty sheets. When we went down to tell the desk they looked at us like we were crazy- of course the room had dirty sheets, they sent us up to a room that had been used and then not cleaned that day. Did we expect the sheets to clean themselves on our way up? 

That was the only room with a queen size bed available. We left right after.

So the room was only $140, which is very reasonable in this area. However, the BCC hotel is a little to flophouse for my tastes. It needs to borrow a bunch of money and modernize a bit before I would recommend staying there. Which is a shame.

PS watch out for the side of the building that looks like it overlooks a sundayschool playground. That could be a rough sunday morning.
4 - Tim C.: Other reviewers have covered some of the main attributes: amazing architecture of Julia Morgan, and the pool, which is the crown jewel of the place.  If you've been to San Simeon, this pool is a smaller version of it.  Amazing tile work. Arched ceilings.  My first swimming lessons as a child were here, so when I went back as an adult, the smell of the place brought back all the memories.  The food quality changes over time since they seem to regularly need to hire a new chef.   the reason you'd go there is for a large function where you wanted a big beautiful place to hold it, not because the food was great.
5 - Kathleen M.: If you want gorgeous wedding photos, but rooms that aren't *quite* as gorgeous, book with Berkeley City Club. This Julia Morgan-designed building (she of Hearst Castle architect fame) is beautiful with graceful arches and fabulous spots for pictures on the stairway and in the tiny garden on the first floor. Unfortunately your wedding won't be in those places. But it's still a super elegant place to get married.

The reception room has pretty architectural windows, but at the same time there's a stage, and it has a little bit of a high school auditorium feel. (Albeit a really pretty high school auditorium). Choices for rooms for the ceremony range from the first floor drawing room (blah) to the second floor library (better, but ideal instead as an intermediate room for drinks after the ceremony) to the terrace room (best; it's small but the roof is covered in ivy filled with lights).

Of all the 11 wedding venues I toured and a couple more that I contacted, the Berkeley City Club by far had the best coordinators. There are two there, Jennifer and Crystal, who are always there to take calls and are very friendly. In addition, they actually give tours on the weekend! (Unheard of! Wedding venues could take a lesson from them.) Jennifer led us on a tour on a Saturday and was amazingly friendly and knowledgeable and really, you couldn't ask for more. 

Catering is in-house, and I have to say the menu sounded a bit musty and uncreative. However, a friend had her wedding her and said the food was great. Most caterers don't charge for tastings, but they charge $25 a person.

One major problem with this site is game day parking. If you're getting married in the fall try not to pick a day that coincides with a game day. Unfortunately they fill up fast. Otherwise you'll have to rent out part of a parking garage and pay $15 a head, or offer shuttle service to a hotel like my friend did.

This is the only place I found where it's actually cheaper to get married on a Saturday! They charge 5% more for catering services on Sunday.
5 - Lauren S.: So far, the event planner Jennifer, has been an angel. We have an event here for my company, World of Good's Holiday party -  Ill update tomorrow :)
5 - Melissa B.: I recently got married at the BCC, and all of my out of town guests stayed there, so I have spent a lot of time there, and it was great. I think all of the reviews have covered what a GORGEOUS building it is. Just beautiful. My wedding pictures are to die for, it's tough to beat arches, beautiful courtyards, all the fabulous detailing, and of course that pool. 
It's a nice hotel to stay at. Again, gorgeous, claw-foot tubs, etc. The pricing is killer for downtown Berkeley, plus free parking, complimentary breakfast, use of the pool. No, the rooms don't have TVs, but there is a room with a TV with cable and DVD player that nobody ever uses, and plenty to do in and around the hotel. The rooms are a little small, as are the twin beds. But the beds are super comfortable and the rooms nicely decorated. The hotel is trying to retain Julia Morgan's vision in all of the rooms, thus the lack of updating, which is fine by me. My husband and I stayed in one of the suites, which was beautifully decorated and quite spacious. If you're looking for a modern hotel that feels sterile and cookie-cutter, this is not the place for you. If you're looking for a place with character, that makes you feel as though a ghost could round the corner at any second, then you'll love this place.
It's also a great place to get married. Jennifer and Crystal, the event coordinators, are very nice and super helpful. The entire planning process was painless, and they thought of every detail. There are many beautiful rooms to choose from, in a variety of sizes, and the rental prices aren't bad at all. There is a huge ballroom for large gatherings, and lots of little rooms for smaller events. We had a small wedding, with the ceremony taking place on the outside terrace (it's covered, and the "ceiling" is covered in ivy and little white lights, very nice) and the reception in the Member's Lounge and Julia Morgan Room. I guess it depends what you're into, but it was perfect for us. Bookcases full of old books, huge candelabras, hard wood floors covered in plush red carpet, wrought iron detailing. The whole place is already so nicely decorated and detailed that we didn't have to add much in the way of decoration for it to look gorgeous. The food is amazing. We had a multi-entre vegetarian buffet, and there were many good options to choose from. There are also lots of fish and meat choices. Everybody raved about the food. Overall, we had a great experience at the Berkeley City Club and planning the wedding.
5 - Toni M.: OK, so I don't need to describe the gorgeous architecture, which others already have done.  Several years ago the Aurora Theatre performed here and we saw a few of their productions.  Their performance space was on the first floor, a large room w/ 2 rows of chairs around the perimeter, one on the floor level, the other about 6-8 inches taller behind it.  If there was a third row I don't remember.  It was a theatre in the round, an incredibly intimate performance space where you didn't have the privacy of darkness to hide your tears if you were moved.

Tonight Nina and I had tickets for the Del Sol String Quartet as part of the Berkeley Chamber Performances.  The performance space was on the second floor, a large auditorium w/ a stage.  Rows of folding chairs were set up but the crowd was sufficiently large to require more chairs be brought in.  The room was chilly enough for coats to be necessary but that wasn't a problem.  The architectural details were a marvel to look at, the acoustics were excellent and the performance was terrific.  I'll probably review it tomorrow.
4 - Irene S.: i can't tell you how many times in my life i've walked past the berkeley city club and admired it from the outside, wondered what it was, and kept on walking. probably about a million.

imagine if i'd known all along the delights that were inside! i would have been totally obsessed.

i got an impromptu late night mini-tour of the place sometime between friday night and saturday morning. i got to admire julia morgan's mini castle, patios that remind me of los angeles (thanks to palm trees & views of starry skies) and imagine swimming in the pool late at night, in the dark, on a nice warm night.

as soon as i do get that midnight swim, FIVE STARS, but until then, i think four will do.

this is a secret berkeley gem, apparently though, it's not really much of a secret.
4 - Diane G.: Lots has been said about the BCC.  I don't have any new descriptions or relating of events I've gone to there.  Just a couple small stories and a tip or 2.

I lived in the Berkeley / Albany area for 30+ years, as a Cal student, then raising a family.  I lived for a year in the Ida Sproul Dorms in the 60's and a great apt. building on the same block on Durant.  I was married at the Chapel of the Methodist church on the corner of Durant & Dana. I walked to work everyday down this street for a year to the Pacific Phone. company near Shattuck.   In other words, a lot of life events happened to me in the immediate neighborhood.  I never ONCE noticed this building. And I love old buildings.  I don't know why this one is so reclusive & anonymous from the outside.  The color?

Then I moved away, but with adult children still living in the area, I tried lots of B & B's , hotels and then-- the City Club.   On my 1st visit, I was so excited to experience it, but was actually dismayed by it.  It was a kind of loaded situation.  We got a small room with twin !?!? beds. It seemed like a YMCA as far as room furnishings.  And our teenage son at the last minute joined us & so 3 of us in the room.  It was not ideal. But I liked the location well enough, the place itself a marvel and the price & breakfast included definitely a plus.

So the next, and repeated visits we found a room we love... the furnishings, bathroom, etc are still out of date & schlumpy... BUT, and I might regret telling this, the best rooms are the upper floors, back corners.  And the reason?  You have views on 2 sides, out to the bay and over the Cal campus.  And outside your door is the best... at the end of the hall is a large low-walled patio, where you can sit out & have drinks and enjoy the view.  It is really very nice. 

To illustrate how well used this club/ hotel is by locals and non-hotel guests, while staying one time, after a swim [ we had the pool to ourselves] we were walking back through the lobby area when a small group of women were happily have a book talk over tea at a very lovely sitting area overlooking the courtyard.  One of them noticed my curiosity & invited me to join.  Wet dripping hair, towel wrapped around me, I accepted a cup and cookies and a lively discussion!

So we'll go back, again & again.  It's the best in the Cal area.
5 - Jonathan D.: Last night was an absolutely fabulous affair.  The Berkeley Chamber of Commerce hosted their annual Dinner at the Berkeley City Club.  It was a Great Gatsby affair and the 1920 theme was perfect for the evening.  People in costumes and swing music playing.

Total class!  There were men in tuxes at the door to greet the arriving guests.  Their were hors-doeuvres being offered by servers in formal attire as well.  The food was fantastic - I had tri-tip with a side of steamed vegetables while my wife enjoyed a simple rice and salmon dish.  All very good.

The bar was serving simple mixed drinks for $6 or "complex" mixed drinks for $8.  Wine and beer were $4.  Totally reasonable.

And the location - WOW!  We had the entire 2nd floor.  The tables were set up for dinner in the "ballroom" (the room with the stage) and they were set around an open center which was later used as the dance floor.  The library was set up with a silent auction (funds going to college scholarships).  And there is an outdoor terrace that was absolutely fantastic.  The terrace is actually set right above the pool and you are looking over the street and the garden at the heart of the City Club.  The Terrace is open air and there was a bar at one end.

So..

Location - great
Logistics - great
Food - Really good
Parking - great (meaning easy, surprisingly)
Service - great
Bar service - great

If you have an event that you are planning, this would be a spectacular place to host it.  Highly recommended.
5 - Jennifer T.: As soon as my fiance and I walked in, we knew this is where we wanted to get married. Everything went off without a hitch -- they're very easy to work with, the food was fantastic, and for the price, it really doesn't get any more elegant. A-plus!
5 - Beth T.: I hate to add yet another 5-star review - I feel like one of the crowd. But I just can't say anything about about the place. I was married here, and it was wonderful! The building is unique - truly historical, beautiful architecture that still feels warm and alive. The people are wonderful - our event planner Crystal (for our wedding) was very sweet and walked me through the process of wedding planning. I imagine she's seen quite a few new brides, and she is excellent at handling them. The food at the reception was delicious, far better than I could have asked for. The price was very reasonable for the wonderful fantasy of a wedding that we had here. We had a suite for the night after the event, and I even loved that! I love this place. I want to live here.
1 - Hotdogger G.: This last Saturday I was in a wedding here & let me just say, this place leaves MUCH to be desired. FUTURE BRIDES - BEWARE!
Yes, the venue is beautiful, it's filled with history, the rooms are quaint & sweet & Julia Morgan was the architect. We get it. But when the staff is rude & unaccommodating, it ruins everything! Even though they were getting paid for renting out the venue for the WHOLE DAY, they did not try to meet any expectations or make sure the bride & the groom were kept happy throughout the day. 
First issues; when a venue tells you, you have to use their in-house catering they should be accommodating in getting you samples from the menu. They should not tell you to crash another wedding to sample some of their food. And please don't charge the bride & groom to try food at someone's wedding. That is just flat out tacky.
They are not very accommodating for parking. They have a lot, but it's reserved for residents & guests of the hotel/club only. So if you're getting married, you get 1 space. Hope your family all fits in a large van! Since the BCC is very close to Cal Berkeley, take a look at their sporting event schedule because the BCC will not tell you that the wedding date you have chosen is also the same day as Cal's homecoming game so there will be no parking. Granted, it's not BCC's fault, but a little heads up would have been nice. 
Keep copies of all documents & contracts with the BCC. That should go without saying, but sometimes employees of the BCC quit a few months before your wedding & take all your documents with them. The BCC has no record of you, so they're not going to call & alert you to the problem. The bride had called to check in & was asked to fax copies of her contracts. Professional!
On to Saturday, the day of the wedding. We arrived to check in to the bridal suite. No one came out from behind the desk to help us with our stuff, nor did they even have a bell cart or any cart for us to use. This is not really a hotel. It's more of a high priced, but very beautiful hostel. And that's how they treat you. 
My purse was stolen while we were taking photos. The BCC has locked doors & you cannot get in unless you have been buzzed in, so I know it wasn't some hobo off the street who took it. I went to the front desk & asked the clerk if he saw anyone in the last 10 minutes go into the room where we were taking photos. He said no. I told him that my purse had just been stolen & asked if he could help me look for it. He said, "Well, I don't even know where it is, so I can't help you". Great customer service. After searching the entire downstairs floor we found nothing. As a last resort, we searched the employee lounge. I was very doubtful it was going to be in there since it's the employee lounge... but sure enough, there it was, behind the door, on a stack of chairs, open, with my wallet laid out on top! All my stuff was there, but it doesn't take much to write down credit card info. No wonder the staff didn't want to help me! I'm not accusing any one person, but doesn't that seem a little shady? I'll have to monitor my stuff from now until eternity to make sure that no one is trying to use my identity or credit card. 
The ceremony site was very nice, but you would think that they would change some of the light fixtures inside the terrace on the second floor. The ceremony was taking place at night & besides the little twinkle lights intertwined with the fake ivy overhead they had three FLORESCENT bulbs to light the room (which were at the alter in the front of the room). Really, BCC? With all the fund raising & weddings you have, you couldn't have managed to cough up enough dough to find some period correct light fixtures & put in softer, more attractive lights? Wow, talk about cheap. Hope the pictures turn out OK. If someone from your staff hadn't tried to steal my purse, I would buy some for you.  
Once we were done taking pictures it was finally time to enjoy the reception. But I hope you don't actually want to enjoy any of the food you just purchased. By the time we were done, so were the crab cakes, skewers, cheese & most of the food. The bride had asked the wedding party if we had seen any of those items. Sadly, everyone answered no. The bride had to ask for the food she had ordered, but they were out. They had already served it to the guests. Bummer. I guess its fruit & cold, soggy stuffed mushrooms for the family & wedding party! Thanks, BCC!  
Future brides & grooms, really think it over before deciding on the Berkeley City Club. This may have only been a one time issue (& hopefully their last) but it just goes to show that overall, this place really has the potential for something to go wrong.
**01/04/09: mysterious charge on my credit card for $750 - wonder if it was the BCC thief?
**06/17/09: I love how Yelp keeps 'removing' my review! I guess BCC is paying to keep this removed!
5 - Angie C.: I attended a beautiful wedding at the Berkeley City Club and would highly recommend the venue for future weddings. Beautiful portraits can be taken on the stairs indoors and outdoors, in the courtyards, and I also imagine but have not yet seen, by the pool. Gorgeous Julia Morgan architecture and Gothic Romanesque touches. Swank and classy, photographs well, and the ballroom has a stage for a live band! The only bad part was that we had to turn the music off at 11PM.
3 - Schuyler W.: The Berkeley City Club is a simply beautiful facility that I was completely unaware of, until some friends decided to have their wedding there. It is a very picturesque location for any formal gathering, but the staff is obviously particularly adept at hosting wedding ceremonies and receptions. 

If you are planning an important event, this is a venue to consider. The interior is gorgeous, the staff is efficient, and space is accommodating.
5 - Chris T.: Our wedding at the club was AWESOME.  Crystal, our day-of coordinator, was a huge help planning the wedding.  The food was amazing - better than at our tasting - and everyone at the club was great to work with.  Thanks to Crystal and Co. for making our wedding perfect!
5 - Lydia P.: We had our July 4 wedding -- both ceremony and reception -- at the Berkeley City Club, and I do believe that our choice of venue was a critical factor in making our event such a success. I was planning my wedding while finishing grad school on the East Coast, so a venue with event staff was a big factor in my decision.

I worked with Crystal, who patiently went back and forth with me over the course of months whenever I had long e-mails full of questions. I found the overall attitude of the City Club to be flexible and accommodating. I have heard of venues and event coordinators who are militant about deadlines or what you can and can't do, and that was never the case with the City Club. I felt that we got very good value for the level of staff support we received. The room rental and banquet prices were very reasonable, particularly in comparison with some of the are-you-kidding-me prices at other Bay Area venues.

Thanks to Crystal, the banquet captain, Mario, and the rest of the professional serving staff, our ceremony and banquet went completely smoothly.

At the wedding, we heard over and over from guests that they loved the venue. Even our photographer, who hadn't shot there before, thought it had terrific character and plenty of indoor and garden places for posed shots. Having a beautiful venue put less stress on us to "dress up" the place -- we really did not have to do much to make our wedding elegant.

In addition, my husband and I stayed for several nights at the City Club's suite on the top floor with sweeping views of the Bay. There was a minor issue with an ongoing radiator leak that made our stay a smidgen less than perfect. But that's somewhat to be expected given the historical building. Overall our stay was very pleasant and we are considering going back for our anniversary.
3 - Christine C.: I wanted to love this place, and I see from all the Yelp reviews from a wedding perspective what a beautiful location it'd be for such a momentous occasion, but we only stayed one night for a 24 hour date day and have to say overall we were just satisfied. Here are the pros and big CONS:

Pros:
Great location - we walked to the movie theater to catch a matinee and afterward had a nice walk along downtown Berkeley.
Check-in staff was very friendly and helpful.
The architecture goes without saying is breathtaking - yes, I see now what a visionary Julia Morgan was and cannot wait to see her other design - Hearst Castle.
The heated indoor pool is spectacular. You can just smell the history here with its viewing area and the grandness of the space.
The waitstaff for the dining room were very friendly and professional.
Dinner was splendid - I had the Mixed Grill (tri-tip, shrimp and bratwurst served with a yummy chutney sauce on the side) and my husband had the NY steak (he liked it but remarked that it was the thinnest steak he ever had), and we both started the meal with a delicious white bean and ham soup in a tomato-based broth.
Breakfast was also lovely where they had the continental spread but also a plate of eggs and corned beef and hash you can request. It was the best corned beef and hash we ever had with a nice mixture of potatoes and spices.

Cons:
The biggest CON of all - we got very little sleep because as much as we admire the history of the building it was making as much noise as an old person. The constant thump and crank sounds heard throughout the night probably gave us a total of a couple of hours of sleep. The room was small, which was fine since it was to be expected, and we had a nice view of the city and the bay but the sounds coming from the hotel was just awful. I would suggest anyone staying there to bring extra strength ear plugs. Seriously.

Lastly, I was also taken aback at how expensive our dinner was. With two entrees and two glasses of wine the bill came out to be $95. It was shocking to see a warm spinach salad going for $19.50! Be warned about the dining room prices.
1 - Ms. H.: I'm pretty sure I wrote a review about this place before, and apparently it has been deleted. So I will write it again.

When my fiance and I inquired about the Berkeley City Club in 2008 for our wedding, we were received by a quite distracted and uninterested wedding coordinator (I won't name names) who was also 30 min. late.  She didn't get back to me for weeks after I made contact indicating that we were interested in having our wedding at the City Club. We eventually decided to have our wedding at the Brazilian Room (and it was gorgeous). I would think twice about having a wedding at the City Club. Also, it seems like they are somehow able to delete reviews that are not favorable to them. Watch out!
5 - hannah g.: This place is beautifully restored, simple and quiet. It is also in a terrific location, and has a beautiful old pool perfect for a lap swimmer.

I stayed here for one night as a "reciprocal member" of another club that I belong to. It knocked some money off my rate, which was already very reasonable. The room was clean, meticulously decorated to match the period of the hotel, and I had a beautiful hillside view with floor-to-ceiling doors that open to a tiny balcony, very reminiscent of a European hotel.

The continental breakfast, included in the price, was simple and good. The pool was warm and took me back to an era that I never lived in. 

I really love this place - for  its historical significance, it's simplicity and its really remarkable attention to detail and commitment to preservation.  If you like the Holiday Inn, go elsewhere.
5 - shannon g.: The rooms are adorable and affordable, the staff is very friendly, the food is great.
5 - Maureen K.: As a hotel---

We were refinishing our floors, if you can imagine, so one son and I spent the week at the BCC while the rest of the family left town.  We had a great week.  The staff were great, were very accommodating of my son's teenage crankiness, the food was great, the location was fabulous (along with the parking for our local car....), and we were on I recall the 7th floor with a killer Golden Gate Bridge view.  How wonderful and unexpected!  

I've been to a few events here for Ivy League schools, and the service for those has been wonderful.  The setting and great mix of formally and accessibility has been spot on.
5 - S R.: My husband and I had our wedding at the beautiful and elegant historic  Julia Morgan building last October 18, 2009! Words can't express how delighted we were to have our wedding here! There are so many beautiful places to take pictures;  graceful arches, elaborate stairway, the ivy covered terrace, library/study room with spectacular windows.  We chose the Ballroom and the Venetian room for our cocktail and wedding ceremony. We loved the grandeur of the two rooms!
We had such a wonderful and accommodating wedding coordinator, Crystal Meyers, who attended to all of our questions and concerns from day one. The Berkeley City Club comes complete with their own in-house catering staff and the food is incredible!!! Mario, the floor manager, were excellent as he managed his staff who took care of every little detail. Our guests were very impressed as to the efficiency and warmth of all the staff members!
This place is truly a hidden gem in the Bay Area. We're so glad we've found this charming place before it becomes too popular.
5 - Michele M.: I Love the City Club! My BNI networking group meets there each Thursday morning and they always take such good care of us. The staff is friendly, the food is ok, but the setting is gorgeous!! It's a historical Julia Morgan creation as well so it's worth a visit just to take in the stunning architecture and the secret magic garden that is tucked inside. 

Quiet, peaceful, beautiful - and - free wifi :)
4 - Dmitriy S.: I have been coming to the Berkeley City Club on as many Tuesdays as possible for the past 3 years. The local Berkeley Kiwanis Club holds their meetings here, and being an active member of the Kiwanis family, it's hard to resist going to their meetings.

Every time I come in here, I am greeted by a beautiful lobby that's hard to find these days in such an urban setting. The meeting room is wonderfully designed and is perfect for the needs of Kiwanis. 

The hotel provides lunch for the meetings, which costs $14 for regular members. Although it's a bit expensive if I didn't get it half off, it definitely has never disappointed. They always have a good pick of meats and side dishes, as well as very fresh salad and wonderful dessert. The employees are always very friendly and courteous when serving their delicious lunch. 

The Kiwanians have hosted several events in the upstairs ballrooms of the hotel, which also turned out pretty successfully. Although I never planned any of them, the employees always seem to be on task and help us out with anything we need. Like the rest of the hotel, the ballrooms are wonderfully designed and also provide great views of the city and the Bay Area.
3 - Angelica D.: This place is cute! I've only ever been upstairs in their great hall, but it seems old-school-classy. I like their hors d'oeuvres and service, and their cute little powder room too. Not sure what their other staff is like in planning events, but I haven't personally interacted with them.
2 - Ryan G.: My wife and I had our wedding at the Berkeley City Club in October 2010.  This is a very difficult review for me to write, since I'm grading against a variety of factors, not just the execution of the event and the appearance of the rooms and the taste of the food on the day of the wedding.

When it comes to the look and feel of a venue, the Berkeley City Club is certainly among one of the most dynamic sites in the Bay Area.  Its everyday decoration and design really lend themselves to a romantic environment, and the rooms are all distinct and graceful.  

The wedding itself went off without problems, and the staff was very courteous and helpful from the beginning of the event until after the guests left.  All the food was well presented and tasted good, and many of the guests commented that they were really impressed that the catering was so accessible, given that we served an all-vegetarian menu.  

The problems we had were in the planning and communication stages, basically from the point at which we asked for a contract until the day before the wedding.  I won't go into all the details since others on Yelp have already covered this territory, but the event management, catering, and sales staff all proved very difficult to work with throughout the process.  The biggest problem was that they were extremely non-responsive, especially given there seemed to be three people handling not that many event contracts.  We honestly went up to four weeks without getting responses to a number of e-mails and phone calls, the tone of which ranged from hopeful and polite to furious and insistent.  Although we were sometimes offered excuses, there's really no explanation for this type of conduct -- it's just not professional.

The second big problem was inconsistency in messaging.  We had some problems with things like menu selection and food service options, and we were told several conflicting things by several different people without much clarity on what our actual options would be in the end.  A low point was asking for revisions to the contract prior to signing, which they refused to make, then having to deal with the possibility that the City Club would breach its own contract due to its initial unwillingness to make changes.  To the staff's credit, they made good on some of the key commitments in the end, but it felt like pulling teeth in the process.

Last, and most important, was the renovation that started about eight weeks prior to our event.  I won't go into depth here about this, since it's covered by others' reviews, but I will say that this turn of events was initially handled terribly, and the staff was not consistent, thorough, coordinated, or transparent about its process or response.  We re-negotiated the contract several times and, as a result of a complete failure to follow through on a series of promises, we weren't sure we would even be having a wedding at the City Club until the day before the event.  What a nightmare!

In the end, the wedding turned out beautifully, and the management and staff made good on several key commitments.  However, dealing with the City Club during the six months leading up to the wedding was incredibly stressful and filled with uncertainty and anxiety.  Looking back, I'm impressed at how well everything was executed on the day of the actual event, but I don't think I had a moment's peace or confidence in the interim between signing the contract and getting married.  I enjoyed my wedding immensely, largely because the Berkeley City Club is such a beautiful space and the details were just right.  However, I can't recommend that another couple plan a wedding at the City Club because my experience working with the management staff was just far too stressful and unreliable.
5 - Malaga S.: I had my 50th birthday party at the City Club. I pretty much left things in their hands - I gave very general instructions about the menu and decor, etc., and took their advice on most of the details, like the bar setup, etc. Well, it was one of the best parties I've ever had or been to, and many many compliments came in the days that followed - people commented on the food, the venue, the music, the decor. it really came together perfectly. we rocked the place and they gave us the perfect environment to do it.  there were lots of compliments on the menu which had a great variety - ribs, curry, Asian noodles - everyone was happy.  I requested a sound system and made my own mixed cds - and also requested a microphone - we really had a blast. I also stayed overnight and really enjoyed the accommodations -  great view and very comfortable and clean. I've been to other events at the club - business mixers and business events - and I've always had a great time. Staff are really service oriented.
5 - Sara K.: I adore the BCC!
My review touches on a few different aspects - the hotel, the event space, and the general interactions with staff.

Hotel: Recently the Aged Parents needed a place to stay on Thanksgiving, with Sirius the Star Dog. Dog-friendly BCC to the rescue! Blocks from my house and I knew they would be treated well, comfortable, and not gouged! They loved it and I was delighted to have the perfect place to recommend.

Events: I am sometimes an event producer, and sometimes a worker at events (musician, see Jonathan's review below, and thanks Jonathan - we were the swing band! But I won't violate Yelp rules by saying who we were). Although I have not produced events there, I have attended several events there in the past 5 years or so, both as a guest and as a worker. And I have no complaints! The place is gorgeous, the staff friendly and efficient, the drinks strong and reasonable, the food delicious, the pianos incredible, well-tuned and a joy to play. 

Interactions: I have had many, many conversations by phone and email with the staff around these events and have never felt ignored or forgotten., I see a few very negative reviews, but take it from me, they do know what they are doing, they do it beautifully and I would have a party there in a minute!
1 - michelle s.: For an expensive hotel in downtown Berkeley, you'd expect great customer service and friendly staff. This is NOT what you get at this hotel. The staff (especially the manager, Kelly) are unreasonable, rude and difficult to deal with. I've honestly never spoken to a ruder manager than Kelly, and I was an event planner for 4+ years and have spoken to dozens of hotel managers. All in all, my experience was so bad that I certainly will not be staying here, ever.
4 - Ellie R.: We saw a great play here, the building is beautiful, but the volunteer staff for the plays are not always the friendliest.
2 - Shanelle M.: I got a coupon from Living Social for this hotel and took my hubby here for the evening of his birthday. It's aesthetically gorgeous but I think because of the preservationist attitude it makes the hotel feel a little cold. The rooms were small but cozy and this certainly isn't a place for the modern traveler, no TV's in the rooms. I'd maybe return but likely not.
1 - Sarah L.: Wow.  I was really interested in this venue for my wedding, but after emailing and leaving voicemail messages for the Sales and Catering Manager (Crystal Myers) and receiving absolutely no response, I decided to check out the Yelp reviews.  It seems like this is a pattern!  I'm not quite sure how someone keeps her sales job if she doesn't return the phone calls or emails of people that are prepared to pay thousands of dollars for a service, but apparently that's what's going on here.

I don't need this headache while planning my wedding.  Thanks for the warnings everyone!
4 - Danielle J.: 3.5 stars. I got a living social voucher for my parents to stay here, and overall it was a good experience. the service was great and they were extremely accommodating for their early check in and even gave them a bay view room. Often times when you get a living social or groupon type of voucher, you get treated differently, so I was pleased that that wasn't the case.

Julia Morgan's design is really incredible to look at, but I have to say that I don't really know that it worked for the hotel. Although my parents room was quite nice, the club itself felt almost like a mausoleum. Not sure that I would ever come back here, although the experience was pretty good.
4 - Martha S.: I went to the Berkeley city club last Saturday for the Art Deco Preservation Ball. My time there was great. The staff was always around to ask if I wanted a drink or something to drink. The manager Crystal, was also running around making sure the staff were doing everything they were suppose to and the volunteers had everything they needed also.
5 - Gypsy J.: I've been to two scholarship events here, and they were both fun, seemed to go off without a hitch and were in remarkable spaces.  There was good food, a great stage and nice acoustics.  It was fun to wander around the building, appreciate the gorgeous architecture, take pictures and spend time with friends and family on the huge covered deck that's basically an outdoor room.  This is a really lovely space.
5 - Christine C.: My boyfriend and I stayed here this past weekend thanks to a Living Social deal he had recently purchased. 

The front desk was super nice when we checked-in. Our reservation was inputted incorrectly, but they were very accommodating and quickly found a room for us. The lady who checked us in even encouraged us to explore the hotel designed by Julia Morgan.

When we got to our room, it was perfect! The room was small, but cute. It reminds me of my own studio apartment sans the kitchen. It was beautifully decorated in antique furniture, and all the linens pressed and seemed brand new. By the way, the bathroom was stocked with Gilchrist & Soames toiletries. 

The breakfast was amazing with scrambled eggs, sausage, pastries, cereal and fruit. I generally eat peanut butter and toast before a long run, so I asked one of the cooks if they happened to have peanut butter. He did, and brought some out in a ramekin for me!

Overall, everything here was excellent and the staff was very friendly. I adored this hotel, and would love to stay here again!
5 - Megan W.: I've been waiting a really long time to write this review.  My husband and I recently got married and had our reception at the BCC.  I cannot recommend the BCC, or crystal myers, the event coordinator, highly enough.

We had booked back in October when crystal was in a supporting role in the events office.  After the other event coordinator was laid off (and in full discloser she became my default planner- Christina Rodriguez- if you need a coordinator or advice, let me know and I will gladly give you her contact info!) but, back to the BCC....crystal and her gang will do everything for you, short of actually marrying you!  They absolutely are beyond professional, and really give a lot of experience and advice.  From every little detail (and I mean EVERY detail) crystal and her gang are right there with you and ready to advise.  

I know in some yelp reviews it's been said that they are bad at returning phone calls.  I'm not going to lie: I waited a couple times for calls and emails to be returned.  BUT, you must realize, it is because they are solo busy with weddings and events and trying to give everyone awesome amounts of attention that follow ups may be delayed.  Please, do not let that deter you.  You will get the same attention.

I really cannot articulate how kick ass our wedding was.  The BCC is a gorgeous venue, and I am spool glad we got married there.  The BCC and crystal have a very special place in my heart now.
5 - Sarah C.: WOW!  I bought a GroupOn a few months ago for the Berkeley City Club.  I had NO idea what I was getting myself into.  On Friday, I decided to see if they had any rooms available for Saturday.  I gave them a call, and to my surprise,  a room was available.  

This building is STUNNING!  Apparently, Julia Morgan, who was also the architect for Hearst Castle, was the architect for the building.  Originally, the BBC was a women's club.  Today, it is still a club, but also a hotel.  The woman who greeted us was very nice and attentive.  She made me feel very welcome and encouraged us to explore the first and second story.  We could use the pool for a $5 fee.  We ended up not using it, but I'm looking forward to experiencing that next time.  The pool is gorgeous!  Be sure to see all three gardens!!!!Next, we walked up to our room.  We had a view of the bay!  The room is simply, but nicely, decorated.  What a comfy bed!  The closet is huge and each floor has a refrigerator to share.  We had everything we could possibly need (no TV needed with that amazing view.  We have TV at home!)  

Breakfast was included with the stay.  YUM YUM YUM!  It was an expanded continental breakfast with much more than I'd expected.  Lots of variety!  The mini berry/apple cobbler was perfect!!!! The service was very good.  I don't know if this is an everyday thing, but the waiter was giving the kids a treat.  What a great way to make the kids happy and keep them entertained!  

I don't think I've ever felt so welcome and at home at a hotel!  Free coffee is available most of the day too.  

I feel very fortunate, to have stumbled upon the BCC! I can't wait to go back!
5 - Charlene L.: No wonder this place was deemed Lonely Planet's "top pick" for places to stay in Berkeley!  

It's architecturally gorgeous, offers charming rooms with great views, and has good prices.  Most impressive, though, is the knowledgable, inclusive, friendly atmosphere the staff provides. 

In particular, Trevor (one of the managers) gave my family and me a history-filled tour of the Club!  His enthusiasm and appreciation for the Club's aesthetics and unique role in Easy Bay architectural history is surely unmatched by even most docents!  

The Club will always be at the top of my list for places to stay!
4 - Christine L.: The Berkeley City Club is gorgeous. It is a beautiful old Julia Morgan designed building with incredible details. I've had great experiences with some of the staff there. Kellie, the Front Desk Manager, is super helpful and very nice. Crystal, the Sales and Catering Manager, really knows her stuff and puts you at ease because she knows what she's doing.  The hotel has some quirks - no TV's in the rooms and Wi-Fi only on the first and second floors - but it's a lovely place. It also has new management, so hopefully it will continue to improve and fix some of the issues that others have commented on.
1 - Heather J.: This is a painful review. First of all, I love Julia Morgan's work. 5 stars to the building itself. This review is for the event coordinator, Crystal Meyers.

I was seriously considering BCC for my wedding despite reading some pretty scary reviews on yelp & other sites. We personally had issues trying to get a hold of Crystal, just like other yelp-ers, but Crystal assured us this was just a temporary under-staffing problem. (Not true. Check the yelp history. Been going on since 2008.) We also had seen first hand how unorganized she is. Every time we came into the office, she'd start a new sheet for us because she couldn't find our original file. But despite the red flags from personal experience and fellow yelpers, a few days later, I email her asking for a contract to review. She responds same-day that she will get back to us with the contract within a week. We think initially things have changed. But then...radio silence...

...3 weeks, 2 reminder emails from me, and an automatic response message that she's out of the office later...I send a pretty scathing message to Crystal asking why it has taken so long to receive the contract and how can we trust that we will have a better experience over time. 3 or so days later all she offered were poor excuses and a cookie-cutter contract. 
...So tell me...why did it take +3 weeks to fill in our names, a date, and rooms we would use? Still not sure. But I'm glad that this happened before we signed, otherwise me and my fiance would have had a miserable planning experience. But more likely of a scenario, we would have canceled our contract and swallowed the deposit.

Crystal seems like a sweet girl, but I wouldn't want to deal working with her professionally.  Instead we have taken our business to a friendly, responsive staff elsewhere.

In the end, you can't use a venue if you can't get a hold of the event coordinator. But you CAN have a beautiful wedding at several different spaces around the bay area.  Skip the stress and move on.
4 - Maile N.: I had a Living Social deal to stay here, so I thought for a night during Labor Day weekend, my bf and I could have a little staycation in the East Bay to get away from our cluttered little studio for a change of scenery.  

It was easy to get to Berkeley City Club from the downtown BART station (just down Shattuck and hang a left on Durant for a few blocks), and we checked in easily (check-in is at 3PM).  They ran out of rooms with queens, but we got a sweet room on the top 6th floor with a view of the Bay and San Francisco in the distance.  Actually, the room was a bit smaller than our little studio, but at least it wasn't cluttered (woo, I needed this break!).  The room had plenty of towels, extra blankets and pillows, a room heater, phone, clock/radio and shampoo/conditioner, soap, lotion blow dryer and ironing board in the bathroom.  

After checking in, I decided to take a dip in the pool.  You need a code from the front desk person to get into the changing room, which seemed to be co-ed but luckily empty when I went in to change (they have little booths for privacy).  The changing room was a little dank and needs some updating, but it served its purpose (towels are provided) and I quickly changed and headed to the pool..  

What a lovely, historical pool with water that is not heavily chlorinated - loved it!  There's a viewing area where people can actually watch you while you swim - this was a little strange but oh well.  A wedding was going on during my swim and the party was taking pictures right outside the window - oh well, I don't think they could see me enough to get me in the shot, thank goodness.  I enjoyed my laps in the relatively empty pool, and I loved the mosaic tiling of the floor.  I quickly changed back and went up to my room to shower - aww, very relaxing!  

We loved wandering around the hotel to the little tucked in gardens with beautiful flowers and charming fountains to the TV room, rooms where weddings and conferences can be held, reading the historical timelines of the hotel history and architecture on big poster boards.  The architecture and design of the hotel is lovely and very Euro-influenced - loved it!!  According to my bf, the building needs some work, but I loved the overal feeling of it.  There's a hair salon and a skin care spa also at the hotel, and there was a lovely breakfast in the morning included with your room rate (eggs, potatoes, freshly baked pastries, cereal, oatmeal, juice assortment, coffee, tea - wish there was bacon though or some kind of meat!).  

The front desk guy was all right at giving instructions when asked direct questions about the hotel, but otherwise, he was a bit strange I'd have to say, sort of rambled and didn't make much sense when trying to make general conversation.  The lady in the morning was a little better, although my interaction with her was limited.

There's free Wi-Fi, free coffee, tea and water in the lobby all the time, picture postcards and cards you can buy, and the elevator is super smooth (they are adding a 2nd elevator too).  The rooms were relatively quiet except for this whirring sound outside maybe from the ventilation system - it became sort of background white noise eventually though and didn't bother us much.

We didn't do much in the evening as we are not too familiar with Berkeley, but we went to a nice French restaurant on Shattuck and then went to bed early with full bellies and food coma.  We slept so well on the nice, comfy bed...z...z.z...z..z..

Check-out was easy enough too (it is at 11AM).  Thank you, BCC for a lovely stay!
5 - Jonathan C.: Great! My favorite place to stay in Berkeley!
5 - Sasha L.: We got married at BCC in August 2011, after an 18 month engagement.  We chose this venue after dropping the idea of doing it at the Brazilian Room in Tilden Park due to lack of any coordination at that venue being available, and concerns about out of town guests being able to even find it.  I first found out about BCC because I attended a charity event there years ago, but I was reminded of it as a wedding venue on herecomestheguide.

I love that the BCC is also a B&B- many of our out of town friends and family booked rooms there and loved their stay.  We were able to get them a discounted room rate because of the wedding, and the front desk manager gave us the bridal suite for a night for free (I used it the night before the wedding since I was starting makeup and hair early for our 1 pm ceremony and we took pictures beforehand).

First of all, as a Julia Morgan building, the architecture is outstanding.  This is the number one reason why we chose BCC.  We were able to get tons of amazing photos which we love, and our guests kept telling us how much they loved the venue.

Second of all, having an on-site event coordinator was a huge relief for me since I did not want to hire a wedding planner.  I also really liked that they handled everything from the food to the set up to the cleanup and everything in between.

I also was able to get a discount on the room rental rates because as a Cal Alumna, I am an honorary member at BCC.  

NOTE:  Other reviewers have mentioned that it can be hard to get hold of Crystal and her staff.  I regretfully must partially agree, and this was the only thing I would wish to improve about dealing with BCC.  In general, Crystal was pretty responsive to emails, but I found that if I needed to get a response from her right away, calling her was by far more effective than email, and there were times where I called her to follow up on emails I hadn't heard back from her about.  Overall, having worked in customer service, I understand that they get backlogged, especially during peak wedding season, so I wasn't especially upset about it.  In addition, I started talking to her about my wedding plans pretty much immediately after we were engaged so I did a lot of long-range planning with her and never really felt like I was rushed to meet any kind of deadline.

If you're planning your wedding on a short time frame or you are a person who tends to leave things till the last minute and then needs an immediate response, this will definitely be an issue for you.  If you are able to plan things well in advance and give people days or even weeks to respond, then it may not be a concern for you.

Other than the communications issue, Crystal was a pleasure to work with.  She was very receptive to all the details I wanted to include, including placing paper fortune tellers on the tables, bringing in customized M&Ms and Jones Soda, which our guests LOVED, and hanging reflective bead curtains behind the sweetheart table.  When I brought her three or four boxes of things at the rehearsal that I wanted to use for the ceremony and reception, she took them gracefully, made a few notes on post-its that she stuck to certain items, and because I had discussed all of these elements with her already, knew exactly what needed to happen with them.

Crystal was wonderful to have at the rehearsal- she told us exactly how they usually had the bridal party enter the ceremony room, and really helped make everything run incredibly smoothly the day of the wedding.  The only minor hitch was that when it was cake-cutting time, they didn't bring out a knife right away so we had to wait for a few minutes, but that was no big deal.

The food was great and all the guests said they loved it. (I barely had a chance to try anything at the reception because I was so busy talking to people!  Make sure someone makes you a plate so you get to eat your food!)  I wish we'd been able to take home the leftovers but I knew in advance that we wouldn't be able to (it's in the contract) so I am glad that at least the leftovers were donated.

Overall, we have no regrets about using BCC for our wedding.  We had a beautiful wedding at a price we could afford.  Everything went incredibly smoothly and we and our guests had a wonderful time.  The staff all worked to make everything go perfectly.
5 - kimberley t.: I'm getting emotional just writing this review.  Our wedding last New Year's Eve was absolutely fantastic.  I cannot say enough about the venue or the staff, but here are some thoughts:
Venue: this is the perfect venue for a destination-style wedding.  While we live in the Bay Area, most of our family was from out of town.  We needed our guests to stay in the reception location - especially as it was New Year's Eve.  The ballroom and drawing room were perfect for our ceremony and reception.  The building is beautiful, romantic, and very practical.  You couldn't ask for a better background for photos!  And the staff knows how to deal with vendors to make it a seamless experience.  

Accommodations: Some of our guests were concerned about not having televisions, but we were so busy that week, that no one even missed them.  The rooms are lovely and unique, and my family is still talking about how much they enjoyed the place.  We also stayed here one night on our own, and absolutely loved it.  We can't wait to go back on our anniversary!

Staff: The hotel staff were wonderful and welcoming, and made my family feel at home.  The guest rooms and group spaces were clean and lovely during our stay, with lots of little welcoming touches.

Meals: Breakfast was great - especially as it allowed people from different time zones some flexibility.  And there are refrigerators on every floor, for people who wanted snacks.

Event staff:  I was a bit concerned about the up front planning.  The staff seemed too busy to do much in the way of advance planning.  But once they got engaged, they totally pulled through.  They absolutely went above and beyond to make my event unforgettable - even bringing some special touches from their personal collection.  I couldn't believe the transformation that night!

Tips:  I would personally recommend getting a day-of wedding planner, on top of the event staff.  Crystal was absolutely wonderful during the ceremony, but I would gladly have paid someone to take on all of the details that overwhelmed me during the day.  If you're going big, do yourself a favor and get someone who can take the phone calls that day.

If you want natural lighting, you may need to stage your photo session in advance.  Many of the outdoor spaces are in shadow during the fall/winter.  

Get an official position from your photographer on ballroom lighting in advance.  I got a last-minute request for $500 in lighting, and wasn't completely happy with the result.  It can be a tough room to light at night, so it's worth checking out.

Figure out a way to use the pool!  We were so busy that we never got in it.  It's a beautiful room, so we'll have to check it out on our next visit.
5 - Sasha N.: I'm obviously having trouble figuring out San francisco... We had reservations for half seven and were five minutes delayed (but in the club and everyone knew I was there) yet the kitchen and dining room was empty. The food once prepared was quite fabulous but i just don't get why I'm having issues with timing here! Also
5 - janet b.: What a treat!  A living Social coupon for $81 bucks? Imagine, staying at Hearst Castle...for that price? Okay, how about a hotel designed by Julia Morgan who designed HC?!!!  Such a deal!  Even at their regular rates its a great deal.  The place is a throwback from yesteryear, when women wore dresses, hats and gloves and men wore suits to visit the City.  But enough of my reminiscence.

Each room contains real wool carpets, real cotton sheets, a bed that feels like its filled with feathers, real wood furniture and is tastefully decorated, even the colorful tile in the bathrooms that have real porcelain tubs and cotton shower curtains.   The included Breakfast is good - the weekday fare is better than weekends - but even that is better than other hotel breakfasts - all served on china - with stainless utensils.

Rooms do not include TV and most do not get WIFI, though you can get WIFI in the lobby and near the elevators on most floors... but if you're willing to step into the clean, tasteful, and healthier hotels of yesteryear, its a small price to pay.

Oh yes, and they have a delightful indoor swimming pool for...swimming laps.
4 - Angela W.: Usually when traveling to the Bay Area we stay in SF, but after seeing the $81/night deal on Livingsocial.com we decided to stay in the East Bay on our recent visit. I am always looking for unique places to stay and this "Little Castle" created by Julia Morgan was beyond amazing. It is a gothic beauty full of nooks and crannies of goodness. Libraries, gardens, roof tops, staircases, sitting rooms, ballrooms and more all waiting to be explored. I loved that there were no areas we weren't allowed to enjoy, we spent the entire morning checking out every inch. 

The parking was in a lot next door and only $12. The room was modest, but none of the windows had screens. Since I was traveling with my 3 year old this was a BIG worry. The rooms have no A/C so you need to open the windows for air, but this was very nerve wracking. There is no TV, this is NOT nerve wracking at all. In fact, it was quite nice for a change. The pool(closing nov 28-feb for refurbishment) was decent for swimming but has no real "lounge area" and you must wear a swim cap if your hair comes below your ears. ($3 at front desk). The breakfast was very decent and the coffee was good.

The location was really fun, right near the campus and 1 1/2 blocks off Shattuck. Lots of great restaurants and shops all right there. We tried a few different places during our visit and enjoyed them both. The entire area seemed reasonably priced for good quality food. 

Can't wait to stay here again!!
3 - Julie E.: Great location - close to Telegraph Street and UC Berkeley. It's a beautiful historic building, and I was able to get a room for a steal on Living Social. 

The woman who checked us in - I think her name was Mary? - was totally grouchy with everyone, but all the other employees were very sweet and accommodating. Our room was a small corner room on the 5th floor. Just barely big enough to maneuver in! It's to be expected of old architecture, I suppose. Along with the old architecture, though, came the old plumbing (showers were only HOT or COLD) and the old radiator, which was warm and quiet all evening until about 4:30 in the morning - CLUNK, CLUNK, CLUNK, CLUNK! - and on it went for at least 5 minutes, which seems like an hour when you want to sleep. Finally it ended, but at 5:30 - CLUNK, CLUNK - for another few minutes. It happened again at 6 and again at 6:30, until we finally gave up on trying to sleep through it. The guy at the front desk kind of apologized (a really little bit), but still charged us the full price for the room, tax, and parking. The remainder after the coupon should've been comped because of the FOUR interruptions to our sleep, but I guess no one told them that.

Breakfast was excellent - scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, hot coffee, lots of juice, fresh fruit salad, and so on, though the one bus boy needed a backup to help him clean the tables and refresh the food.

Overall, I probably wouldn't stay here again without the coupon. If the service had been outstanding and the room actually quiet during sleeping hours, it would've been much better, and worth the full price for the room. It's a stunning location for a wedding, though!
5 - Ken B.: Excellent hotel with castle like architecture. Lots of little nooks for private escapes. Close as you're going to get to staying in Hearst castle, since it's the same architect.
4 - Ann L.: Went on a FREE architectural tour of Julia Morgan's Mediterranean/Gothic "Little Castle" on Sun 1/22 at 1pm.  It's walking distance from Downtown Berkeley Bart which is Great.  I didn't know she built this!  It's City of Berkeley Landmark #2,1975; Calif. State Landmark #908, 1977; National Register of Historic Places, 1977.

She's the same architect that designed Hearst Castle, this, Phoebe Hearst Memorial Gymnasium at UC Berkeley, the bell tower, library, social center & conference center at Mills College in Oakland, etc.

Tours are only for the first 2 public floors, others are for guests.  We saw the Drawing Room, Theatre, Dining Room, two outdoor courts, & viewing platform of the beautiful Indoor Pool!!  There were guests swimming, that's cool.  Now it's a bed & breakfast hotel, & rooms can be rented for weddings & conferences.

Worth a visit.  Pictures allowed.  Tours are the 4th Sundays of the Month FREE, donations $5 if you want.
5 - Joann Christine H.: I absolutely LOVE this place! I have nothing negative to say.
Julia Morgan is an architectural genius when it comes to what women love. I'm not just saying that because it was originally built to serve as a Woman's Club. 

I had originally found out about this place with my girlfriend through a Groupon offer and we absolutely fell in love with it.

Psssh with the no tv in each room! With this place, there is SO much to adventure around, one doesn't need television to become occupied! What is pretty amusing is that there IS a TV somewhere there. It's located on the first floor at the end of the hallway to the left of guest services. Once you get there, it is completely overtaken by some of Ms. Morgan's highlights in life and career. The TV is a mere inadequate contraption compared to everything else going on at the BCC. 

The rooms are quaintly small and intimate. The comfy bed is the first thing you see upon entering the room followed by the breathtaking view of the city, including the UC Berkeley campus and the bridge in the distance. 

Berkeley City Club's employees strongly encourage their visitors to roam freely and to not hold back on taking as many pictures as one wants. It is truly a work of art frozen in it's own time. I am so glad to say that it is amazingly untouched by modern-day needs. Yes, they have free Wi-fi, but only on the first floor near the check-in area. Yes they have a salon, and a beautifully captured swimming pool open to its guests.

Please, please, please pay close attention to Ms. Morgan's detail on the inside of the structure as well as the outside. The whole experience made our stay there truly worthwhile. 

Will we ever come back to this place? HECK yes, with a conviction! The views are amazing, the complimentary breakfast was darling, and the peace emitted through the place was so refreshing, it really was a shame to get back to the real world. 

I salute you, Ms. Morgan. I thank the staff for such a wonderful experience. I only hope to come back soon!
5 - Noah C.: My wife and I (and a friend) recently stayed the night here. We were going to be attending my sister in law's wedding reception in Berkeley, and rather than risk driving back down to Hayweird, we decided to find a hotel in Berkeley. Thanks to Livingsocial, we found an almost too good deal at the Berkeley City Club.

Since my wife booked the hotel and I kind of didn't really pay attention to the details of the hotel, it was a nice surprise to arrive here and see what an amazing piece of architecture it was. Arriving to our room truly felt like stepping into a time warp - the old claw-footed tubs, the enormous radiator sitting in the middle of the room, the old school crank windows. I kind of imagined seeing the hotel in black and white, accompanied by noir-ish voice overs describing a dame to kill for or something.

Anyway, the rest of the hotel is gorgeous, as well. As many have noted, the hotel was designed by Julia Morgan, and it clearly shows. The pool in particular has that Hearst-Castley vibe to it.

The staff is amazingly friendly and knowledgable about the history of the hotel.

Even better? Free breakfast in the morning. This isn't anything new or special for most hotels these days but what food you're normally served is things like muffins and fruit. Here, it was perfectly good eggs and potatoes, and if you're fast enough, sausage and bacon (it ran out pretty quickly and I felt sort of bad because I took the last few sausage links. Fine, I lied, I don't feel that badly...).
4 - D M.: Stayed here recently...What a lovely hotel! My room reminded me of staying at my great-grandmother's house in Missouri and made me realize how much I miss her!  The hotel was designed by Julia Morgan and has great character! Old charm, which I love! I will return in the future for another personal retreat!
5 - Richard G.: Stayed here on President's Day weekend....had a 50% off Living Social discount...absolutely wonderful stay ....this is a Julia Morgan architectural masterpiece that was built 82 years ago.  Staff was super friendly...accommodations were comfortable ....renovated indoor pool was 82 degrees warm...and did I mention the complimentary full breakfast!  This was a truly memorable stay at an historic property in the heart of downtown Berkeley ....highly recommended.
4 - Mike M.: My wife and I were in Berkeley for my son's 19th Birthday. We pre-planned this weekend weeks ago when we bought a Groupon cert..

 It's not the building that makes a great business but the stunning interior architecture makes for a good start. The hotel/club is a city/state/national landmark designed by Julia Morgan who designed Hearst Castle.

We were assigned room 601, the Groupon room best we can tell. It was right next to the elevator and did not offer the sweeping Bay views other rooms offered. They had ear plugs on the bedside tables which I thought were there for the elevator. That was not why I needed them. Music from the next street over was loud until after midnight and then there were college girls yelling down on the street below well into the night. Thank goodness for the earplugs.

Our room was nice, high ceiling, huge closet, the bed was very comfortable though only a queen. The bathroom was large and functional and sported a balcony. No TV but wireless was free.

The hotel has a quiet policy from 11:00 pm to 9:00 am and the guests adhered to this to a fault. It was nice to stay in a hotel with other civilized people.

The Continental breakfast was served in a grand, well appointed dining room.  Scrambled eggs are not my thing but these were special as were the potatoes. Great coffee, high quality juices, bread and bagels, Greek yogurt and muffins were offered as well. The other guests dining with us were exceptionally friendly. Breakfast overall was a treat. 

I would stay there again if I could have a top floor bay view room.
5 - Jessica F.: This is by far one of my favorite places to stay when I'm in the Bay Area. The architecture (designed by Julia Morgan!), the rooms (each with seemingly unique furniture and bedding), the view (ooooh, the view!) - all of it is fantastic, and for an affordable price. So far I've been lucky enough to find Groupon and Living Social deals (but even at full price, I would stay here), and the employees have been generous in letting me expand the discounted room rate over multiple nights and multiple rooms. 

The first time the boyfriend and I stayed here, we got a corner room, which came with views of the Berkeley hillside and a claw-footed tub. This time around, our tiled walk-in shower was " boring" by comparison (although it came with the same overhead rain-style shower head), but the clear views of Berkeley, the Bay, and the San Francisco skyline more than made up for that. A friend and I happened to be in our rooms to freshen up around the time of sunset one evening, and the views were simply stunning. 

When you arrive, allow yourself a good 30 minutes to wander around the first couple of floors, soaking in the architectural details. The employees are proud of the building's history and are happy to tell you more about its history. 

The hotel has hotspots for wifi and tables of magazines for perusing near each floor's elevators and books in each room, apparently left behind from previous visitors for future residents to discover. You won't even notice that your room has no television (which would ruin the ambience anyway). The building is a few short blocks from the nearest BART station and neighbors UC Berkeley. 

Be aware that the full-size beds (they also have queen-size and those are fine) are on the small-end of full, at least we thought so, despite being used to a full-size bed of our own. Either way, the mattresses are like pillows of heaven and have inspired me to upgrade my mattress at home. 

The free breakfast is expansive and includes items like eggs, bacon, sausage, fruit, granola, yogurt, baked goods, coffee, fruit juice and tea. They also serve coffee and tea all day on the first floor. 

There are so many more good things I could say about this place, but I have to stop somewhere. This is a wonderful hotel and a must-stay if you're in the Bay Area.
1 - Robyn B.: We were nonplussed by the discourteous staff at the Berkeley City Club on our first visit, but booked a second stay because the building itself is well located and has charm. It was a mistake--we couldn't have been more disappointed. One of two rollaways we paid extra for sagged atrociously in the middle when even our tiny six year old lay down on it. The radiators clicked and banged noisily throughout the night, making for an entirely unrestful sleep. And worst of all, when we arrived back at the hotel Saturday evening after a special event, the hotel had given away all of our (PAID) parking spaces to guests at a wedding. We were spending $450 a night on two rooms at the hotel and had secured only one parking space, and even this commitment wasn't honored. Their only response? To refund our parking fee with a shrug. We weren't unusual--other hotel guests were inconvenienced by the event and offered no apology. On our way out, a kindly, white haired couple told us they'd had to circle the block looking for parking late at night, too. The Berkeley Club rests lazily on the laurels of a pretty architectural space. If your hope is to actually sleep or park there, book elsewhere.
5 - Emily W.: This place was absolutely amazing!! The service was excellent and I loved how you had access to the entire hotel to look around. It was also really fun that the hotel stayed very much to the period in which it was built in 1930. There is a complimentary  breakfast and it was in a beautiful room with white linen tables and gorgeous floral arrangements. The rooms were gorgeous!! However, if you can't stand to be away from television for a night then don't go there. That is actually why I loved the place so much because there were no tv's in the rooms.
4 - Tiffany K.: You've heard of the slow food  movement. If the Slow Hotel Movement catches on, the Berkeley City Club would epitomize what it is all about. The building itself is beautiful. Designed by renown architect Julia Morgan (who also did Hearst Castle) and built in 1929, it has that old world charm with classic features such as cane chairs in the "Coffee Corner", glass doorknobs, diamond paned glass, indoor swimming pool and even a "drawing room." 

No TVs exist in the charming, cozy rooms. Rather a TV sitting room is provided around the corner from the Julia Morgan historical room. No WiFi in the rooms either. There are hot spots outside the elevators at each floor but otherwise you have to use the 1st and 2nd floor public areas to get any Internet connection. What would a multi-tasking woman like myself do? I spied a box of mineral bath salts in the bathroom. So I took a long overdue soak. 

Room 408 was quietly in the corner with a beautiful unobstructed view of Golden Gate, Alcatraz and SF. If you like fresh air, parents with adventurous toddlers might want a room that does not have a long drop. The waist-high windows do not have screens and open wide, right out to the breezy air.

Parking wise, there is no bellhop. In fact, the lot ($12 to park) is not close to the hotel itself. If you get here on the weekend, just be sure to park  on the nearby streets after 5:00 pm and all of Sunday is free. 

Breakfast is a treat. Fresh fruit, Greek yogurt, freshly-baked goods, scrambled eggs, some sort of meat hash and straight-out-of-the-oven mini fruit cobblers. The latter was to die for, served up in ramekins with walnuts, plums and apples.

Heating is by a steam radiator contraption. It started hissing around 5:00 am, but I was already awake by then. Management obviously knows this can become problematic, there were two pairs of ear plugs by our bedside.  

Groupon lured me to this place, roughly half off at $80 for two including breakfast.  When I was a student at Cal, this building was not a public hotel! It is still a private club, but they have a theatre and as I'm typing this they are filming a movie on the 2nd floor. With all the actors dressed up from the 1940s in their suits and fedoras, it made for quite a sight!
5 - Jen W.: Great midweek rate ($120) with full breakfast.  Room 611 was lovely and clean.  Not many electrical outlets, for those of us that want to charge phones and computers.  Gorgeous building,  lovely sitting areas, will definitely go back.
4 - megan g.: This place is delightful. My husband and I find ourselves here because of a Groupon. The building is from the 20s, a former women's club, designed by a female architect. Very charming and centrally located. The rooms are simple and small but entirely suitable--clean, cute and with a spectacular view of the whole Bay area. We'd happily recommend this place to others. That said, one disclaimer:

The shower head in our room, room 605, was mounted at about 5'. I laughed and washed my hair on my knees. However, I was trying to image traveling with my parents in their 60s--both would have had a hard time managing that. (Plus, all that up and down definitely increases the likelihood of slipping). Worth asking about if you expect this may be an issue for you.

And breakfast is perfectly fine. Nothing amazing, but suitable and the room is lovely. Off to eat my fruit, yogurt and granola.
5 - Amy C.: Beautiful. Enchanting. Elegant. Historic. Lovely.

If in the future I get married, this could be a possible venue. fyi. Hehe.. :)

I had bought a LivingSocial for this place & I needed to use it before the end of April. So since my cousin was visiting for her spring break, I decided to use it with her. Overnight stay on a Sunday night since they're Fri & Sat nights were all booked up. Found parking on the streets so it's pretty easy. Definitely park on the streets rather than paying to park in their garage. 

They have two garden areas which is very pretty. The one in the middle smells so sweet especially at night time. The swimming pool area is soo ornate. I really wish that I brought my swimsuit with me so I can dive right in, but unfortunately I forgot.

Gorgeous gothic architecture inside the "castle." 

Our room was adorable! I felt like I was in a dollhouse or something. Very pink & "Monet" I was a bit scared when were trying to sleep at night cause it is a old building & so we left all the lights on. Haha.. 

The balcony area is just simply gorgeous for pictures. Needless to say, my cousin & I had lots of laughs from taking pictures here. Laughing ourselves & probably by spectators in the hotel "Thinking what the hell are those two crazy girls doing?!" :D
4 - April T.: My boyfriend and I went here for a mini overnight visit via groupon. I loved the architecture of the place. Our room was small and I liked that there was no television, although others may not. They had a wonderful view out the window and a balcony at the end of the hall with an even better view. Our room was very cold but we found a space heater in the closet. If you are into old buildings and history this is a great place to stay but if you want a luxury hotel with complete modern amenities I would not suggest this one. It is cute and romantic. The breakfast buffet that was there was also much better than the ordinary breakfast buffet and I loved that there were healthy options as well! Right near telegraph so it isn't a far walk to get to the main strip.
4 - Alexandra C.: Possibly the best part of our trip to Berkeley!

We opted to stay here after a Livingsocial deal was offered.  The building is beautiful, with an interior garden, fresh flowers everywhere, sitting rooms, the original swimming pool and a library.  The staff was friendly and helpful, there is always coffee, tea, and hot chocolate available in the lobby, and there's a free breakfast available.   We also had an incredible view of San Francisco bay and both bridges from our window.

Staying in a building that is a historical landmark was a great opportunity.  If we were ever too tired from sightseeing in the SF area, we would take a few hours to explore the building, instead.

Our room was elegant and styled in the original fashion.  However, it was slightly small and had few electrical outlets.  (If you've ever traveled in Europe, you can imagine what i mean.)  

I would definitely stay there again and recommend it to anyone staying in the area.
5 - Sarah M.: A lot has been said about the beauty of the building and the hotel, so I want to talk specifically about the events staff.  There was some major staff turnover in the middle of our planning which shook things up a bit, but nothing bad came of it.

We had our wedding reception here, and I was so impressed with the level of service we got.  I used to work in banquets at a big hotel chain (we did a wedding every weekend all summer), so I know what it takes to put together an event like this, and the office and kitchen and serving staff did a phenomenal job.  Ellyn was especially wonderful!  I came down to her several times on the morning of the wedding with "just one more thing..." and she was totally on and very gracious.  Our guests all commented on how friendly the serving staff were, and my mother mentioned that towards the end of the evening she noticed the bartender dancing with himself while the rest of us rocked out on the dance floor.  It's great when people clearly enjoy doing their jobs!

The evening was truly lovely, and the service was above and beyond what I expected.  I would highly recommend the BCC for an event like this.  I almost wish I could do it all again!  Absolutely perfect.

We also reserved some rooms for our guests, and the hotel staff were fantastic and it all went off without a hitch, even when we were adding and rearranging things at the last minute.
3 - Tina A.: I toured this place for both ceremony and reception venue. 

Its by the same woman who designed Hearst castle. And she controlled every bit of its look top to bottom, down to the furniture in guest rooms. That level of control, while a bit OCD has resulted in a beautiful cohesive building, also very castle like. 

Its outdoor space for large weddings is limited. and like many places you can only use their caterer/approved vendors.  But it is a lovely space, lots of personality, just not for me.

They seemed a little nervous when I asked about DIY/non traditional elements for the wedding. They really specialize in your standard  traditional format. Not important to everyone, but it mattered to me. 

There was an incredible delay when it comes to responding. It is entirely possible that my judgement is clouded by the wedding virus that has crawled inside my brain, and taken over. Like some evil body snatcher,  i have become a BRIDE. It was frustrating for me however. I asked for a quote on 1/19, sent a reminder, 1/25 and didn't ANY response until 2/21.
4 - Captain B.: It's like a castle in there. I didn't get to see all of the major rooms unfortunately.
5 - Nicole F.: We had an amazing stay this weekend at this hotel. It is a beautiful building and the smalls (while a bit small) are very charming. The hotel's architecture is wonderful and it's really fun to explore the hotel's history. Breakfast is included and was very yummy, and the staff was all very friendly. The hotel is located within walking distance to both Telegraph Ave and Shattuck Ave (the two most "happening" streets in Berkeley).
1 - Margit C.: What a terrible shame that this elegant building does not address the needs of people with disabilities. Yes, it says it is wheelchair accessible but that means only someone in a wheelchair can get into the building and use the elevator to access the upper floors.
I was at an event there yesterday. I got into the building. Did not see a sign for where the wheelchair access is and you have to get up some steps to ring the bell to get in.
I must have missed the sign.
The reception for the event was held in the garden. There are steps there, with no handrails. The ground is uneven, the few seats available are too low for elderly people or for those who arthritis. 
There was a guest who used a wheelchair who couldn't access the garden at all. 
This place is not fully wheelchair accessible. 
I'd love to be a member and I can afford the fees but am excluded by the lack of regard and handrails
5 - John H.: Berkeley's "little castle" is just a short walk from the head shops of Telegraph Ave, and just as entertaining,

Amazing classic architecture by one of Cali's great architect, I'm told it originally opened as the Berkeley Women's City Club. Worth stopping in just to  have coffee and walk around the place. Don't miss the indoor pool (too bad they removed the diving board, it was old-school and delivered Olympic style launches.

Every Wednesday, thru mid-October, there's a $25 buffet "lunch on the terrace." A great way to enjoy the space. 

Whether you've been walking around the Cal campus, sampling local suds at a nearby brewpub, browsing the irreverent T-shirt shops on Telegraph Ave. or running the Berkeley Fire Trail, the short walk over here will give you the  opportunity to enjoy one of California's relatively unknown gems.

On your way out of town, don't forget to drive down College Ave to Rockridge, where you can browse Market Hall for a coffee, pastry and to sample those tasty cheeses.
3 - Kevin G.: You know those aged hotels that are renovated and brought up to date with that old school look but modern amenities? This is not one, this one is just aged. The building itself is really cool, filled with history and fun to explore, an architectural wonder so far as I know... but the rooms for overnight stay are... uncomfortable. Not bad per se, but strange. Very small with old and creaky EVERYTHING... no tv (not a problem, but wanted to point it out), small bathroom, unbelievably thin doors and walls, plus you can see into the rooms through the old school keyholes in the doors. The building is cool and the price is right, but I won't be back if I have a better budget set up.
3 - Kristen G.: Visit Berkeley City Club, but don't stay there. This place is huge and oozes history and culture. It seems like quite an eventful place, as their calendar was full of events and performances. The room my husband and I stayed in was tiny and musty, like a guest room my grandma may have furnished. And when I say tiny, I mean you've got a bed and a little room for scooting around and that's it. The bathroom is also quite little. I felt cramped and uncomfortable staying here and sleeping in the bed. The room was totally silent all night (no fans, thermostats, etc), and the walls are paper thin. I'd probably give this place closer 2 stars (at least it was clean!) for the room accommodations alone. But the building is so lovely, the customer service is great, so I will give praise where it's due. I wouldn't be surprised if I never stopped by BCC again. It was a neat little experience, but cheap often comes with a price, and we certainly found that out the hard way as we tossed and turned on a loud springy mattress all night.
5 - Dave Y.: We stayed here after our wedding, and it was about as good as it gets. The building itself was simply breath-taking. It's a Julia Morgan building, and it really feels like it could be one of the guest houses of Heart Castle. It's dubbed the little castle, and every single corner of this place is beautiful. There are two enclosed courtyard gardens in the building as well as a gorgeous indoor lap pool. It's hard to describe the beauty of this place in words. It's very old California, but not the old Mexican/Spanish California style. If you know of Julia Morgan, you'd probably have a good idea of this it's like inside. The rooms in the higher floors also have beautiful views of the bay. And the icing on the cake, they serve Peet's coffee (regular and decaf Major D) all day! We absolutely adored this place and want to become members of the city club just so we can spend time here.

PS I would describe this as a classy and luxurious hotel, but it may be different from what many expect of a *luxury* hotel. For instance, our room didn't have a TV (when you're staying in a place like this, why would you need a TV?) and had a bookshelf full of books. We LOVE this place!
1 - Vicki M.: I can't believe the reviews that I just read here on Yelp.  Reallly!!!!  Some people think this place is a luxury hotel! Obviously, they have never been exposed to luxury!

Anyways, we purchased a Living Social coupon for a one-night stay and it was a disaster!  First, I had to make several phone calls to try to book the room and was put on hold for lengthy periods of time. Never got through to anyone and even left a voice mail for a return phone call.  Tried again later in the week and spoke to a clerk who could not help me book a room,  but said the manager would call me back, which she did later the same day.  She was very nice and apologetic and upgraded our room to a suite.

When we arrived, the entrance was very dirty.  When we booked in, the foyer floors looked grungy and there was dirt on the walls by the elevator.  The place smelled old and musty. Not a good start! We went to our suite (haha) which consisted of two rooms with a bath in between.  One room had a day bed with desk and small settee.  The settee was filthy and had a rip in it.  I didn't examine the rest of the room that closely, but I can say it was dismal.  Our bedroom was hot, had a dirty wing back chair, and a bed that I hope was clean.  I checked out the bathroom and the floor was filthy.  Dirty tile that I would never walk on without shoes! I told my husband, "no way and let's go!" So, we went downstairs and told them we were leaving and they gave us our voucher back and said we wouldn't be charged for parking or anything.

A couple of days later, I checked my bank account online and found there was a pending charge for $50 and had to call them.  I spoke to the manager, who again was very pleasant on the phone, and she said not to worry that the charge would fall off which it did the next day.  She apologized for the room and then admitted that it had been overlooked by their housekeeping and had not been cleaned. Guess it was a good thing that we didn't sleep in the bed! She invited us back, but I refused as graciously as I could to start.  But then, I just had to tell her the truth, that the place needed paint and a good scrubbing.

Architecturally, it is a beautiful building.  But, that does not erase the fact that it needs to be cleaned thoroughly, painted and furniture updated ( or at the very least, cleaned).

Oh, I contacted Living Social and they would not give a refund or even offer a credit back to us.  They said they hadn't received any other complaints from the other 152 purchases made.  Maybe, people just didn't take the time to complain or maybe their standards are let's just say "different" and leave it at that!
2 - Steven R.: We stayed here for one night. It is a historic building, which means it's old but well maintained. I could see how you could call it charming, but it's also kind of creepy, in a "The Shining" kind of way. Weird paintings depict things like a group of children standing together, with one girl a step away holding a hammer and looking at them ominously. 

It's also on busy streets and there is no A/C, so you have to open the window and deal with street noise. Any time a hotel provides earplugs by the bed, you know it's not going to be a quiet night. 

On the other hand, they provide breakfast, the front desk was very nice, and we got a very cheap rate. They also had a list of classes and meetings you could attend if you were there at the right time. So, overall, I wouldn't recommend it highly, but I didn't hate it either. If you're looking for a charming, historic experience, it might be perfect for you. If you're looking for a quiet, normal place to stay, I'd look elsewhere.
5 - Anna W.: I am a full time wedding photographer, and this is hands down one of my favorite wedding venues to photograph. Top features: the gorgeous Julia Morgan architecture and the prime location right next to Berkeley's campus. Also be sure to check out the swimming pool, beautifully lined with the same tiles that line Julia Morgan's most famous building, Hearst Castle.

Normally, I love to photograph new venues rather than come back to the same ones all the time, but I really never get tired of coming back to the Berkeley City Club. There are always more beautiful corners, charming courtyards, and hidden staircases that I could just photograph for days.

Floors one and two are filled with common areas like the courtyards, the ballroom, and the library. Floors three through six are hotel rooms and private residences. If there's one down-side to this place, it's having to navigate the odd mix of public-facing hotel and private club/private residences. I can imagine if I lived in the BCC it would not be so amusing for guests to be trekking through my hallways all the time. But basically, keeping the noise down on the upper levels and being extra polite and proper around the residents is probably best.

At any rate, this place is a true gem. I highly recommend it!

Berkeley Dollar Store - Berkeley, CA (37.8676194, -122.2605045) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
5 - Brandon H.: Great place to buy gifts for a date ... their selection of fine jewelry is at first overwhelming. You can't go wrong with the diamond cash-dollar sign necklace-only $1.25!  You might also want to pick up some of the bulk condoms, because your date is going to go crazy! (but probably double wrap)
1 - Jason W.: TO be honest....

I personally cannot and will not trust condoms purchased at a 'dollar store' (well sometimes $1.25). 
I have higher standards for my body and will only use the finest to protect myself. 

This place is a grimy establishment and I suggest everyone check out the walgreens for all their basic needs. 

btw: who buys jewelry at a dollar store...
5 - Matt G.: $1.00 off-brand Loaf of Butter Pound Cake +

$1.00 off-brand Vanilla Frosting + Matt's Rambo knife= 

Cheap ass and delicious dessert!
1 - Megan M.: .5 star for having a $1.00 douche.

.5 star for having a $1.00 pregnancy test.

SHADYNESS....
3 - Diana C.: They have all the usual items you would normally find at a Dollar Store. The downside to this place though is that since it is in Downtown Berkeley, you have to pay for parking if you drive...Not my favorite. I've gotten some useful items here though, for only $1. It is also not the newest of Dollar Tree's I've been to.

Berkeley Floor Cafe - Berkeley, CA (37.8679837, -122.2648949) (UC Campus Area)
4 - Rex X.: Berkeley Floor definitely has an air of "wow-this-place-has-just-been-opened" which is apparent from the moment you step in.

The floors are hard rock, the tables are mismatched and not teeming with people the way other local cafes usually are. The back right corner of the store has yet to be filled with anything. There are some paintings and pictures hanging on the walls, but otherwise not much in the way of decorations. It's astonishingly barren and cold, in comparison to the warm cushy-ness I am used to expecting from a cafe. 

FOOD/COFFEE:
I'm actually not a big fan of coffee so I ordered a chocolate chai latte (which wasn't even in their POS system yet -- again, the newness almost spills over into the steets) and a sesame bagel. Both were delicious. I know it's hard to get a bagel wrong, but really, the way they prepared mine (plenty of cream cheese, toasted just right, sliced down the middle and delivered to me on a plate) was above and beyond what I get at other local cafes. Also, although I'm sure that this isn't the first coffee shop any of the employees have worked in, no one has slipped into that easy comfortableness that comes along with working the same job for an extended period of time. 

GOOD INFORMATION TO KNOW:
-Plenty of outlets
-Free (and very reliable) Wifi with any purchase
-Lots of chairs, lots of little tables
-Non-distracting music playing in the background (maybe a tad bit too loud)
-Really, what else do you need for a good study spot?

OTHER THINGS I LEARNED:
-This cafe is owned by the same people as Sacs on College
-One of the guys working there is from Ireland (and is not bad as far as eye candy goes)

So, why 4 stars? I honestly believe that this place has a lot of potential, and that in a few months it can be transformed into the essential center-of-activity place that other similar businesses have become. The only potential problem? Location. Although on Bancroft and across the block from UC Berkeley campus, the Berkeley Floor Cafe is unfortunately further west than where students usually go to look for places like this. Its also next to the Tang Center (our health center) and the RSF (our gym). Not sure how that's going to play into this place's future.
4 - Christopher S.: This is a review from the perspective of someone who needs a place to work all day.

Berkeley Floor Cafe offers plenty of seating and plugs, clean bathrooms, very good quality wifi (I was able to stream HD video without pauses), strong iced coffee, a convenient location near the RSF, and is open from 8 am until 8 pm (soon to be midnight according to one of the staff).

Frankly, all other Berkeley coffee shops pale in comparison. The lone exception might be Philz coffee, though they're much more expensive and I tend to avoid it because I have trouble coding while live music plays.

Haven't tried anything but their iced coffee. 

The only downside so far is their floors are dirty/dusty. Might just be related to the fact that they just opened. 

Will update this review as I try more of what they have.
4 - Lucy C.: According to a few of my friends, this cafe just recently opened in Berkeley. For those that have been to College Ave, the Floor Cafe has a very Sacks-like vibe. Not only is it very roomy, but there's a ton of seating!

I ordered a white mocha, which was rather bland in my opinion (what can I say, Starbucks has spoiled me). But my friend really loved the -----.

Regardless of the taste, though, I think I'll definitely be back. Keeping my fingers crossed that the Floor Cafe stays undiscovered. This place is so close to campus that I'd love coming here to study for finals- as long as. I don't have to fight anybody for seats!
4 - Nique F.: My general rule of thumb has been to steer clear of any coffee shops within walking distance to UC Berkeley. I'm just too old to fight with kids over electrical outlets, ya know? So, when I spotted The Floor Cafe literally across the street from the UC Rec Center, full of empty tables, I thought...something must be wrong with this place. Where are all the kidlets with their textbooks and laptops and Bears paraphernalia?

Turns out, just 3 reviews ago, I (or you!) could have FTR'd this place (that's First to Review, for the non-Yelp-geeks). That's how new it is. And THAT's why the churren haven't swarmed it yet. 

And thus, it's great! One of the most spacious cafes I've come across, with gazillions of no-frills tables (very studious feeling), free wireless, non-intrusive music in the background, your standard cafe fare - coffee, tea, sammies, soup, cookies, soda - plus a small selection of beer & wine, with happy hour from 3pm til close. 

I could do without the big screen TV with sports playing in the back of the cafe (sound off, thank gawd!) but it seems that every business in the UC area feels obligated to show some jock love. In the meantime, I'll be sticking to the front of the cafe, in the sports-averse nerd section, near the big sunny windows, with an oatmeal-golden raisin cookie. Oh yes.
4 - Lisa N.: The coffee here is pretty good! I got an iced white mocha and my brother got an iced chocolate chai. The white mocha had the perfect amount of sweetness to it and with the sip that I had from my brother's drink, I thought the chocolate chai was pretty good.

Extremely spacious coffee shop! Lots of seating available. Looks like it'd be a nice place to get some work done.

I'm not too sure how this compares to other coffee shops in Berkeley because I'm new to the area, but I definitely will return for another cup of coffee.
5 - Jenny W.: As a self-proclaimed coffee snob with the dream of eventually owning my own cafe, I've got to say that I can't believe this place doesn't have more customers yet. 5 stars, to help them get the patronage they deserve. 

Sure, it just opened, but Berkeley students always seem excessively hesitant about venturing outside of their usual study haunts (Milano/Strada for students on south side, People's/Philz for those on north side). The location is great, and I am beseeching you to come give this cafe a try. I can't speak for the other drinks yet, but I ordered "The Floor Coffee" today (espresso with vanilla ice cream, caramel, crushed almonds, $3.50) and instantly felt a smile spread on my face. I was afraid it would be too sweet, but it was just right. The espresso had the nice, bold, well-rounded flavor that coffee fanatics crave while the almonds/ice cream served only to embellish it in the best way possible (and not drown it in a hodge podge of sugar). My boyfriend got some apple juice which totally blew the Minute Maid shit that most cafes serve out of the water and he refused to share with me after the first sip.

As for the cafe itself, it seems like a great place to get some work done. It's quite spacious, the music is conducive to productivity, there is solid WIFI, and there are outlets everywhere. It seems to attract a slightly older crowd (grad students/etc) which makes sense, since they also serve beer/have a happy hour which I'm really looking forward to utilizing to make working on my laptop less painful.
4 - Alice H.: Tips:

Accepts card no minimum.

------------------------------------

This cafe is conveniently located right next to the Tang Center so I stopped by after a doctor's visit. I believe this is the only cafe in the UC Berkeley area with a liquor license so they have a happy hour with $3 beers. I forgot the time.

The new cafe is VERY large and spacious with a lot of tables. I can just imagine that this will be a good place to study during midterm/finals week.

I got an iced white mocha here for $3.37 after tax and it tasted great! It's definitely got more of a coffee taste than a sweet taste which is good for those that don't like too sweet of a drink. I liked my drink! I definitely want to go back when I'm in the area and try something else on their menu. I might even give the food a try they have a very large menu to choose from.
4 - veronica l.: i don't even know what was there before BFC, but this place is HUGE. it offers a wide selection of coffees/drinks, bagels, sandwiches, salads, and some pastries. staff is chill, although maybe a little understaffed. it takes a bit to get your order when it's busy, but that'll probably improve with time. 

anyway, the three things i believe ALL cafes MUST have, aside from good food/coffee, are:
1. free wifi
2. lots of outlets
3. lots of seating
it took me 3 years to find a place in berkeley that has all of the above, and i'm super bummed this place opened my last year. this is the ultimate study spot, and if you're like me and you like to have a beer or two while you work, you'll be happy to know BFC has a selection of beer/wine with happy hour from 3pm to closing. 

i watched the construction of this cafe all summer and thought it'd be just another one of those places that pop up in berkeley and leave as quickly as they come. but wow, i'm almost glad the power went out in my apartment one day and forced me to come here to study. i really hope this place is here to stay. i hesitated making a review, because a (large) part of me wants to keep BFC a secret. but i'm writing this because i think it's an establishment that deserves recognition. and even though it'd be good for their business, i just hope it doesn't get swamped with students congregating for group projects, meetings, etc. regardless, i'm going to enjoy this hidden gem as long as i can.
4 - Cheston W.: Awesome new cafe that just opened up near the Berkeley campus! Even though it's a bit further down on Bancroft just a little past Haas Pavilion, it's definitely a good place to get some studying done away from the busyness of cafes much closer to Berkeley like Cafe Milano, Strada, and Cafe Med. 

Here are my reasons for why this place is awesome: free and relatively good wifi, tons of outlets, plenty of natural lighting, and a ridiculous amount of table space! The place also features a great selection of foods and beverages (of which I need to try still), but I'll definitely be planning on coming back very soon! They've also got a selection of draft beers, which is pretty unique from many of the cafes that are in the campus area. The sandwiches and salads range from $7-10 and the drinks are basically under $4 (not sure about the beers though).

Once again, I can't reiterate how spacious this place is. The big windows and numerous tables make this place perfect for independent studying and group meetings. I'll be back soon for sure! Hopefully the majority of students stay complacent and lazy with cafes closer to campus and the rest of us can take advantage of this awesome new place...!
4 - Wendy N.: This new cafe on the south side of campus is a welcome addition to the Berkeley lunch scene. It is very spacious with plenty of tables (fairly spartan decor), has wi-fi, and a good selection of healthy food options. I was SO HAPPY that they offer lots of salads. Believe it or not, it's hard to find a good salad near campus!

I've had the spinach salad with chicken ($9) and the egg bagel with cheese ($3.50). They also have a large assortment of  coffee drinks, sandwiches, and yummy cookies :)

It has a relaxed, chill environment with campus peeps who are studying, web surfing or discussing projects with friends/colleagues. Hopefully it will maintain a not-too-crowded feel to it. So far, never a line at the cash register!
4 - Mike C.: Have to give where credit is due. Sure there are some kinks that needs to be worked out, but the cafe is off to a good start. The space is spacious clean and it receives plenty of sunlight. The coffee is well price and at a dollar per refill it is definitely worth bring your school work here and power through it. Like previously stated, there are plenty of outlets and seating
4 - Victor G.: Berkeley Floor Cafe isn't that accessible if one has a car. parking nearby is scarce and precious(pay the meter). BFC is ideal for people who live nearby. lots of floor space with dozens of minitables available.

menu: coffee, flavored teas, salads, sammies, draft beer/bottled beer, bagels (1.75), etc.

pour: drip poured coffee(2.18)
-definitely organic, medium roast, italian?
-well worth the $$, very smooth, robust, aromatic

coffee drips:
-quick acknowledgment of patrons, smiling service
-tv in a corner for the sports minded. "jocks are people/patrons too".
4 - Jenn Y.: Pretty new, with plenty of seats. I went a couple weeks ago but it was already packed, though, so I suspect by the time midterms and finals seasons come around it will be very crowded. Has a lot of selection, with sandwiches, salad, and bagels --nice for breakfast and lunch. Friendly service and fair tasting coffee, too!
3 - May L.: Living just around the corner and having to walk by it everyday to school, I have seen the place get built up and it is very impressive. 

I have to say that I agree with many of the other reviews in that the food and drinks are good and that the atmosphere is both great for work or for chatting with friends. 

The only real grip I have with the place is the spotty service. I have gone ever since it opened and have gone frequently, about 2-4 times a week. I would say about half of the time, the service is good, and the other half is poor. They would forget my simple order of a pot of tea and I've had times were I was standing there waiting after just ordering, and then being asked what I wanted again. And at most of these times, it wasn't even busy. I've also had trouble with the register like not getting my receipt after asking for it and then them having to dig through a pile. I know that theses are minor infractions, but when they happen about half the time I'm there, they build up. I know the place is new and the people working there might be new too, but how a business begins is  very important to how many regulars they might get. Maybe more training for the workers or better way of re-organizing how people should be served?

Other than that, this place is definitely one to look into.
4 - Ting S.: This might be my most favorite campus-centric coffee shop to date! Unlike many other cramped, dingy places around, this cafe is airy and light-filled. The free wifi is easy to get onto, dependable, and there are plenty of outlets around. 

The coffee is very strong too, and deliciously single-dripped. However, this also means you might have to wait more than a few minutes for your coffee.  The food is well-portioned for the price, but also tends to dribble out of the kitchen at its own pace. 

I kinda love that they have happy hour every day from 3pm-close, with all beers at $3 (Guinness at regular price is still only $5!). 

Because sometimes, the only thing better than coffee to help get your work done is a modest pint.
4 - Ezekiel G.: OK, so like most other reviews have already said, this place is good for coffee, a sandwich, and some good study time. 

I have been going there fairly regularly now that school has started, finding a table is usually not that big of a problem, but sometimes patrons hog more tables than they need (seriously sorority girls, do you really need one table for your laptop, and one table for your coffee? NO.)

The sandwiches are good, I like the flavor and they are also good size, same with the coffee and tea, I just wish they would carry better tea than the teabags they use, but that is just me. 

Internet is good and fast, and there is plenty of natural light as well. Oh, and there is a cute boy working in the kitchen!
4 - Paolo V.: This place is not bad at all. The hammerhead: coffee with an.espresso on top. Gave me jitters.

Lots of space, lots of outlets, not well known yet.
5 - Mike P.: This place is great. Solid wifi and a beautiful open space. I should  emphasize dthat the openness is really the key to making this place great. even when "packed" it's still possible to have a conversation and totally able to give you the sort of background lull of conversation without being able to hear any particular conversation which as someone who can be easily distracted is unbelievably important in a coffee shop.

  Also, the art covering the walls is unconventional and wonderful to look at. I've rarely found a cafe that fulfills so many of my criteria for a perfect experience. This place is truly a find. I've been coming here for a little while already and plan to continue unless some of these things change.
5 - Alyssa T.: Gaahh, just take my money already.

I almost don't want to post this review so people don't discover Berkeley Floor! I love, love, love this cafe. It's spacious, there's always been a table available when I go, and more importantly, the wifi works well and there are outlets accessible everywhere! This has definitely become my go-to place for studying near campus.

They offer pots of tea that I always see people drinking, and their salads are huge and definitely worth it. Try the tuna salad! They have a great selection of drinks and food. They even have a TV showing the latest sports game, but it is located in a spot where not everyone will be bothered if they're studying.

All in all, a great place that I hope doesn't change any time soon! Love it!
5 - Audrey G.: One of the best cafe's near campus for studying! It's very spacious (I love that the tables aren't all packed together), has tons of seating and OUTLETS, and has great lighting! The wifi also works well, and the staff is very friendly. They also have a variety of bagels, salads, and sandwiches, and even beer!

I only wish they stocked a larger variety of pastries, because I love picking up a pastry to eat while I study... (Though they do have a nice assortment of cookies)

Berkeley Food & Housing Project - Berkeley, CA (37.8683129, -122.2621934) (UC Campus Area)
5 - Chuck N.: Sunday, 11:00AM.

Bias alert: I'm a huge fan of volunteering and support community service pillars and projects. This review is for the Women's Resource Component of the BFHP, which is aimed at serving abused and battered women. This is repeated under "WRC." 

My friends and I were running around distributing Valentine's Day cards n' goodies and made a stop at the Berkeley Food and Housing Project.

We made arrangements with Lisa and Theresa (reception) ahead of time so we wouldn't be intruding. Staff was welcoming and really cared about the people they served.

The whole establishment was kept real clean. There was a living room, dining room, and a patio for its inhabitants to use. There was a computer lab station too (one woman was sending a suggestion letter to the Governor). 

And then...?
We were happy to stop by the Women's Center. It was clean, organized, and ran by people who cared about its inhabitants. The BFHP does a great job of providing a haven for women who weren't necessarily dealt ideal cards, gives them a chance to recover, and hopefully progress forward.
5 - Analisa S.: The Berkeley Food and Housing Project is a good facility - my foundation donates to them and the staff is really helpful. They have a good amount of resources, but definitely need more (which is why we donate to them) but they genuinely care about the people in their facility and if you're looking for a place to volunteer, I highly recommend them.

Berkeley Free Clinic - Berkeley, CA (37.8674367, -122.2620978) (UC Campus Area)
5 - Lijia X.: I work here, in the HIV testing services! Much BFC love! From a volunteer's perspective, in my past two years here, this is one of the most rewarding experiences in my recent years. We believe in treating our clients with respect and client-centered counseling. We're always receiving wonderful feedback on our forms about how caring and comfortable our HIV counseling sessions are, and look to improve our sessions.
5 - Michelle P.: OK, I'm biased b/c I volunteered here in the HIV prevention section and needle exchange for 3+ years back in the late 90s.  The BFC a long-term, stable fixture in the E Bay community, providing non-judgemental, reliable, friendly, and free health services to the public.  The HPS provides a less clinical approach to HIV counseling with focus on the client needs.  I encourage all to visit, or better yet donate your time or $.
5 - Mark G.: To be honest I was scared of going here. I was convinced I would be seated for an hour and a half next to reeking, hacking, tubercular homeless people, hippies and/or screaming immigrant infants, but the waiting room was quiet, tidy and orderly, and my name was called in about ten minutes. Wow.

I was examined by cool, caring health care worker Jonathan, who helped diagnose my itchy fungal condition and prescribed and gave(!) me the prescribed Clotrimazole athlete's foot cream. 

The last thing I wanted to do is take advantage of this place. I want to pay something and pay for the product. I had donated $20.00 before even being seen, so according to Jonathan this "more than covered" the visit and the ointment. I certainly hope so - this place seems like a vital, necessary, well-run community resource and (hopefully) painless alternative to giving $100 to a private practitioner for what would probably be the exact same result save a more luxurious waiting room with glossy magazines about how people that have more money than you spend it.

Makes me want to be a Marxist.

Note: reading the other reviews, I guess these people are volunteers? Wow. That's even more amazing. Six stars, no burritos.
5 - Jessica W.: Incredibly generous of their mighty resourcefulness, the BFC is there to help, and they do.  I can't speak to their actual clinical services, as I haven't ever met the demographic and/or service of the day--which days are scheduled by clinical need--but will always remember showing up as extrasuperbonusjailbait squatter chicklet, some circa '83 boys-night, 45-60 age group hr, even, and being promptly served and sent on my merry way.
BFC is just  my speed: an underground, creative, not-last but certainly least formal resort ,for help in identifying, confronting, or ideally sidestepping novelties of spooky badness, or when my resource-fu is otherwise not so powerful. I was both those things, tonight, and called w/o even looking at what thing engaged their immediate attention, and was immediately,  generously and precisely-appropriately provided the optimal referral.  This is no mean feat.  My circumstance is sadly not at all novel, nor do I guess is 6 months' dearth and damage of institutional failure. Of the hundreds of proper channels engaged, it's subterranean BFC that hooked me up to the wellspring of diagnostic, treatment, and rehabilitative offerings, plus management of that suite of services for victims of violent crime.
Check out the website, see what they have to offer, and keep their number handy for whenever you need the kind of help a pointy-headed intellectual volunteer type healthcare organization might provide.  It might not be their thing, your need, but they'll do their best to help anyway, and that best, I'd bet, will help.
4 - Philip T.: I like the concept behind the berkeley free clinic. I tried to get TB testing done here and I was told that there were available spots for an appointment and that someone would call me back the same night to let me know when to go in. No one ever called me back and when I called them back, they said that they were all booked up. 

Since I haven't actually been there yet, i'll leave my review at three stars for now.

edit: I went there and my appointment went very smoothly. The staff is always nice and friendly. You can't really complain about a free clinic.
3 - Jennifer C.: so even though i wasn't actually seen the lady that opened today was very helpful. i wanted to do some testing just to be sure my womanly hood was all safe and sound. i guess they don't do the whole nine yards so she steered me in the correct direction. she gave me the number, address, and directions from here to the berkeley city clinic which wasn't to far away. the place seemed very clean though from what i saw and there were TONS of fliers full of info. a very resourceful it seems to be. and what clinic wouldn't have a multitude of free condoms and lubes for you?? hahah
5 - S L.: sometimes times are rough and you cant make to a regular office so i called to see if i could get a last minute appointment. they fit me right and the staff is super nice and helpful. the waiting room was empty, quiet and "sicko" was playing on the tv. they called my name pretty quick and i was in an out in no time. a nice relief from the hour long waits i've had at regular offices even with appointments.
5 - Rick C.: I have passed by this place so many times while walking from the BART to the dorms freshman year or to the house in years after. What I cannot believe is how professional and confidential these people are. When I found out that they were just trained laypeople I was certainly amazed.

Recently, I had injured my wrist while working out with the punching bag. I didn't know what exactly was up with my wrist. I called them to schedule an appointment and while it was a bit annoying because I kept getting a busy signal, they were definitely helpful and apologetic about having to wait on hold once I had made it in over the phone. I briefly told the guy about my problems and he said that unfortunately they would probably have to do an x-ray to figure out what's wrong and they didn't have the technology. He took my number down and called me in half an hour giving me a list of places where I could get it checked for a really low cost.

Amazing!
5 - kni n.: This is the best clinic EVER!! I went to this clinic yesterday to get tested for HIV. The HIV tests are completely anonymous. The staff were caring, friendly, and responsive. I highly recommend you go here first before going to another clinic. They have a number of services.

Prior to having my blood drawn, I got a chance to talk to a counselor regarding my concerns in a private room. She was professional, charismatic, and sympathetic. It was a very anxiety-provoking experience.  The staff made me feel quite comfortable and I was able to relax. 

The lady that drew my blood was SO NICE she is the most awesome person. I had never felt so comfortable to have my blood drawn before (especially for an HIV test!)

Free hot tea -  It really helped calm me down and warm me up, I had three cupsfull.

My results arrived in only 40 minutes and the same counselor I saw earlier showed me my results. Great Bedside Manner!!! She was very friendly, and professional at the same time.

I JUST CAN'T believe this clinic is FREE. I have been to a number of clinics and this is ultimately the BEST one. I was treated with respect, and received great care from these people. Nothing is more important to me than being treated with kindness and respect!!!!! I am very grateful to have access to such a wonderful clinic, I am off to send my donation!!

They run completely on donations and all the staff are volunteers, I believe. So please donate if you can!!
5 - Joseph N.: these saints got me the antibiotics i needed to get through the awful case of strep throat i had and back on the streets where i belong, drinking myself into comas and eating awful food and reviewing the experiences for everyone's benefit. THANKS BERKELEY FREE CLINIC!
5 - Bonnie C.: Volunteer-run, client-focused, with a foundational goal of making health care accessible to anyone who needs it. And not just shitty "here's some cream, see if this works" kind of health care, but friendly, focused, knowledgable health care. When waits are long (as they sometimes will be, because this is a clinic that doesn't charge for its services), they play movies in the waiting area and serve hot tea. Come to this clinic if you want to be treated like a person.
3 - Jay S.: I feel bad for leaving three stars as the services are free and volunteer run, but if you plan on coming here for anything, be sure to block out at least five hours until you are done. I do have private insurance, and should have gone to my primary care physician, but seeing that it was the weekend, I wanted to be seen then. 
The caring volunteers make up for it, and I'll give it three stars for that, but I just want everyone to be aware that the wait time will be LONG! 

P.S.: DONATE so this resource will be available for other members in the community, I know once I am more financially stable, I will definitely cut them a check!
5 - Oakland Muse M.: I had a very positive experience at this clinic recently.  The staff are friendly and efficient and I felt totally comfortable telling them my entire sexual history.  The drop-in system is a little confusing so allow yourself extra time to get oriented.  I went to the Saturday drop-in women's clinic for a full STD screening.  They don't take appointments for STD tests.  Here are a few helpful tips:

1.) They open the doors at noon, arrive 15 minutes early so that you can be seen early - they only see a limited amount of women.   You can wait outside until the doors open and then they let you in and will give you a number based on who was there first.  Remember the order that you got there, take note of who was there before you and who arrived after you.

2.) They are health workers, not doctors.  They cannot do physical exams "down there". They draw blood, and take urine.  They do not provide family planning (ie: birth control pills, IUD).  But they have lots of free condoms!

3.) They are very thorough and want to educate you.  Be prepared to talk to someone for a good 15-20 minutes.  If you are going for STI and an HIV test it's like two appointments, so you meet with one clinician for the STI, then a different one for HIV, so if you don't have a lot of time then do them on separate visits.  

NOTE: The HIV tests are ANONYMOUS,  which is different from CONFIDENTIAL.  With anonymous testing they will not provide you with any document that tells the results.  If you want a document you can get tested at the Berkeley Public Health clinic in North Berkeley (not as nice but also free).

Berkeley Free Clinic is a clean, friendly, safe and respectable place to go.  They will also answer any questions you have and provide lots of resources for low-cost health care.  She also told me about the Family Pact program that provides free birth control.  Good times!
5 - christopher w.: This is a great resource, and I'm really happy that there are some options that allow our community to have some access to health services.  I went here a few months ago when I didn't have a job, & when I suspected that I might  have strep throat. They were able to test me and provide antibiotics within an hour.  The volunteers were very helpful and made follow up phone calls to make sure that I was improving.  
Thank you staff!
5 - Dennis S.: Berkeley's Free Clinic was there for me when I  needed a TB test in a hurry for a job. I received friendly fast service from the volunteers after calling the hotline at the designated hours. Not having health insurance is difficult at times, but with B.F.C. it makes access to resources easier.
5 - Brian G.: Such caring people volunteer here!  They have a great energy with each other but their work ethic and knowledge is just TOP NOTCH.  

FYI they play movies on a flat screen so if you don't have headphones or a book, you can just hang out and watch a flick of the staff's choosing (Sicko and a film about coming out in developing countries played while I was there)  

I only arrived 15 minutes before opening and was there a total of 4 hours (this was on the Sunday drop in day for men).  Wasn't expecting that, but that's the kind of demand the place is in.  Next time I go i'll just show up an hour early and be person number 1, 2 or 3 and get in and out quicker.  

I have health insurance but would rather come here and donate just because the atmosphere is much more welcoming (plus it's a pain to have to go see my doctor, pay a co-pay, then go to another location for the blood work).
5 - Erik B.: Really great services and caring people. I went and did free walk in counseling a few times with the Peer Counseling Collective. They don't offer any advice but it's great if you need somewhere to talk about anything that is coming up for you. Everybody I saw was really warm and I felt like they were listening to what I was saying. The only downside is that on a busy night you might have to wait a while to be seen but thats a really minor complaint when you are getting a free service.
5 - Matt S.: Honestly the BEST, most ORGANIZED experience I've had from a clinic or hospital. I went in for Mens Sunday STD testing. I got there about 3:30pm, 30 minutes before they opened and there was already a line forming, but I was close to the front. So GET THERE EARLY, and you'll be out of there sooner, like any other free clinic or public office.

The staff were all exceptionally friendly and knowledgable. The waiting room was chill, they were constantly playing a movie which was cool. I would have been in/out with test results after about an hour, but I also got tested for HIV which took a little more time, but I was still out of there within 2 hours. They do a quick counseling session before/after your HIV test too which was nice (Also they girl who was my counselor was super cute and friendly, which made it that much more pleasant. I think her name was Hayley, gorgeous chick, as were all the other ladies there). All my tests came back negative so I guess that made the experience pretty awesome too. Highly recommend this place, also make a donation because they are doing an awesome job, and they're all working for free.
1 - J R.: I wish there were negative stars for this institution.

Wait, wait.....did I just type institution. Because institution leads an individual to believe that something is legitimate.

I spent a unbelievable 5 hours at this crazy-run, back of an alley-type shitshow.

It was akin to people that give abortions with hangers. How can you give my junk a look without being medically trained, draw blood without training. I was told because I was a "top," I didn't need to get certain tests.....I was also told I might wanna see a dentist because I had a cavity.....it was a filling. I wasn't opening my mouth up wide enough for one of the "examiners" and he got down on his knees and mimicked a blow job and said, "You know, like this!"

Please don't go here. Spend the money to get real professionals. I can refer you to some. Or have a friend do it for free...cause I'm sure he/she would do a better job.

I'm from NYC and this shit DOES NOT fly there. NYC Health Dept, I miss you.

Berkeley Hat Company - Berkeley, CA (37.8648302, -122.2584635) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
5 - Michael T.: Ah, the old song..."Hey, kid, where'd'ja get the lid?  Where'd'ja get a hat like that?"  Look, if you need a hat, this place ain't messin' around.  It's deceptively small-looking from the outside, but once you get in and realize both how far back it goes and that it really is all hats, well...you'll know you're in the right place.  Doesn't matter what you're looking for, if this place doesn't have it you can probably give up looking.  Even if you're not really in the market for a chapeau, this place is a hoot and a half to look around--they've certainly got plenty of novelty and costume items in addition to their classier fare.  This was where I picked up my Tom Waits-style Italian dark blue straw pinch-front Panama hat, which I can't even squeeze onto my huge noggin anymore since I grew my hair back out--but one of these days when I cut my hair off I'll start wearin' this beauty again and *then* I'll be passin' out wolf tickets...
5 - Herbert S.: If you need something to go to church in, something to wear to a costume ball, something to keep the rain off your head, something to pray in, something to wear on the street...Anything to put on your head, this is the place to go.  There is no better choice of hats short of the Hat Guys in Oakland.  This place is wall to wall ceiling to floor hats.  The sales staff it top notch, and willing to direct you to anything from a 15 dollar halloween fedora to a $250 Barcellona.  They really know their hats.  
This is also one of the local places to buy tickets to Burning Man, so they get extra 'Cool Points'
5 - Paul A.: your one stop shop for ANY sort of hat from kangols to elope to straw hats - this place has it all.  they also have quite a few bins of sale hats/beanies/etc.  they also sell gloves and other related accessories.  located on telegraph, next to the 510 skateshop.
5 - Tim C.: All the reviews of Berkeley Hat are right on...Crazy Carol has been the hat maven in Berkeley for decades and deserves all the success she's had.  Last year, I needed a hat to get a Bobby Darin look, she had just the right one, which she added, could also pass for a good Frank Sinatra hat.  So, next Yelp karaoke night, I'm PREPARED!
3 - CJ Y.: Do you have a freak of a friend in your life?

I have a few.  And since they live in la-la land without a firm grounding in reality -- I buy them hats. From this place.

They love it!
5 - Rick S.: Though I have a fine head of hair, I wear a hat every day: to work, to dinner, to the ballgame, to concerts and nights out on the town.  All seasons, rain or shine.  Usually a fedora, though I like Kangol driving and baseball caps as well.

Berkeley Hat Company is a great place to shop for hats, my favorite, in fact.  They have a nice selection, and you are welcome to try on any of them--self-service.  Few items are "behind the counter" and need to be requested.  Most are within hands reach and there are an adequate number of mirrors.

Staff is young, friendly and usually knowledgeable.  Prices are comparable to internet pricing, sometimes cheaper and many hats on sale.

They have been in business a long time under the same ownership and stock the inventory to serve many tastes from costume to pimped-out.  A good selection of fedoras including a nice selection of Borsalinos and other pricey items.

 Last, but not least, a festive atmosphere.
5 - Kevin Q.: So this review is skewed on account of my massive head.  Yes, its true, my head is large.  I'm now cool w/ it, and realize beanies are much easier to buy for me noggin.

Such a dope selection, but ones that fit my head well...  not so much.

I need to balls up, and next time I go there, I will flat out have to ask for his X-Large hat selection.  After a small round of chuckles I will hopefully find the right accesory for my freakish cabeza.  

For all normal sized-head folks, you'll love this place.
2 - Emily D.: Nutshell: the woman behind the counter is extremely hateful and rude, and every time I purchase something she treats me as if I am an inconvenience to her. I would overlook this if she were a random disgruntled employee, but she is ALWAYS there and I believe she either is or is related/married to the owner. I will not return to Berkeley Hat, simply because I know that I will have to deal with her again.

Last Saturday I purchased a pair of gloves at the Hat Company. I tried to make small talk with the counter woman, but nothing doing. After a wordless transaction I asked if I could have a bag for my purchase; you'd think I asked her for a kidney. She made a big stink about giving me a bag and acted as if it was a huge ordeal to pull one off of the dispenser. Although I regarded this as the pinnacle of bitchiness, it was not enough to keep me from returning.
 
Yesterday I walked into Berkeley Hat absolutely beaming as I prepared to buy my Burning Man tickets. Ms. Thang behind the counter gave me a glance and said "Burning Man tickets, right?" and I said, in a playful manner, "how did you guess?" She asked me how many I wanted and I told her two. Her reply: "you got that much cash on you?" I said yes, filled out my ticket form and handed it to her, along with $560. She silently counted my $$ three or four times, stuffed my Burning Man tix and info packet into an envelope, tossed them on the counter without saying a word, crossed her arms and glared at me. I took my envelope and slunk away to check out a hat I had considered buying over the weekend.

While I was looking at the hat I wanted, a lady walked in and asked if she could speak to someone about posting a flyer on the bulletin board. Hateful Pants asked her what charity she was from, and the girl told her that she was working for a charity against police raids of homeless people in Berkeley. Bitchy LaRue said that she lived in Berkeley for 26 years and that she never saw this happen. I have to give it to the charity worker -- she held her ground and told counter hag about watching the police do this just last week. Evil McGee reiterated her claim that such things don't happen in Berkeley, told her she wouldn't post a flyer and asked her to leave. 

The thought of further lining this woman's crotchety-ass pockets with the purchase of what I must admit was a raucous hat was appalling to me, so I left as well and made a vow to never return.
5 - Joy C.: Super fun hat store, with hats that actually fit my almost-24-inch-in-diameter head! They have the wackiest hats ever there! You can see one such cute one in my picture. Quirky, unique, and unceasingly cool merchandise. I love to just pop in to browse, try on something, and share some laughs with friends. :)
5 - jen n.: I bought my wolfie hat here.  Nuff said.
4 - Melynda M.: Arrrr...this store hearkened me in with the best pirate hat in town for last year's Halloween, along with some frilly feathers to boot.  Ahoy, me hearties - to the hat store!
1 - John K.: I bought a hat, put it on in front of the mirror at home, did not like it, and tried to return it a few days later with the receipt.  They saw it was still brand-new.  But they would not even do an exchange.  Once these people take your money, it is all over!
2 - Donuts C.: My heart says 1 star and my head says four.  The interactions I've had with the proprietor of this business have been lousy, but I suppose when you have the selection that she does, you can afford to be ornery.  If it's hats you want, this is the store where you will find them.  Just wear your iPod to avoid interaction as much as possible.
5 - Elle C.: The Berkeley Hat Shop is not just a hat store, it is a  Millinery Emporium.  Small though it is, you can find a hat for all seasons, for all sexes.
The "church ladiies" hats are so beautiful, you'll want to join a congregation.  Well perhaps you could convince a friend to have a garden wedding,
Visit the store around Halloween time and find boas, masks, hats, all glittery  and   gorgeous
Try on hats fedoras to frivolous, and you'll become a HatPerson.
5 - Cynthia B.: Awesome hat store.  I bought a few hats here.  Quality.  Prices are justified.
5 - Henry L.: This store is off-the-hook awesome.  I have been looking for hats all over San Francisco for weeks and weeks now so I decided to take a Saturday and bart out to Berkeley to this shop I've been reading so many good things about.  I figure, with all the positive reviews, even taking into account exaggerations, I'll probably find at least one good hat.  Talk about one-stop shopping!  I ended up leaving with 5 hats, all at extremely reasonable prices.

This is a small shop but the selection was huge.  Different styles, sizes, shapes, etc.  I highly recommend this store!  This will be the first place I check whenever I feel the urge for another new-to-me hat.
5 - al l.: Earlier this year I went to Supercuts (don't laugh...ok fine, MOCK ME for my uncouth ways) and got a horrendous buzz cut of a haircut. Arg!! What is a guy to do in a situation like this? A bad haircut makes everyone lose his/her faith in your character and humanity. It's the first thing they see, damnit!

Like most other screwed up aspects of my life, I do what I am best at: covering them up. So I went to the Berkeley Hat Company to look for a cap that would hide my near baldness of short hair. My, my, what a selection! I eventually settled on a nifty looking Goorin hat that has drawn many compliments. And compliments=more self worth=happier al l. Not bad for 14 bucks.

Thank you, Berkeley Hat Company, for restoring society's respect for my cerebral composition.
4 - Alia D.: I'm a fedora girl myself but I'm open to other hats of all shapes and sizes. I love the variety packed into this cute shop. The crazy feathery hats make me want to get in touch with my inner Southern Baptist and sing and clap while praising the Lord while fanning myself. They have classic and new styles too, a good Kangol collection.
5 - Thuyvi T.: As patrons of The Daily Californian, donating 20 $30 Fadora hats for the Press Pass campaign, I give them 5 stars for their community involvement.
4 - Jennifer O.: In 30 min, my head sported:

1 conductor's cap
1 Robin Hood cap
3 cloches
2 pork pies
1 fedora
1 trilby
1 rasta dreadlock holder
3 dapper caps

Leaving with 2 of the 3 dapper caps, I felt like I'd been to the It's a Small World of Hats Emporium. What a fun place! 

The proprietor IS on the dour/stern side as others have stated, but my sales assistant was not! She was more than happy to get me other colors/sizes from the stock in the back.
5 - Samantha R.: I was brought here yesterday to get two birthday hats.  My friend treated me to some hats and I couldn't have been more excited.  I had heard so much about it from her, and I can now see why.  The selection of hats are amazing! I walked out wearing my new black hat and I am wearing it today as well. The staff was friendly and very helpful and I would definitely go back!
4 - C D.: I always get asked about my hats......and the couple that I get asked about most often are the ones I've gotten from the Berkeley Hat Company. It's an awesome (but TINY) shop downtown. They have a huge selection of hats; a really eclectic selection. The prices aren't bad...and it's a fun place to shop...you wanna take home a bunch of stuff! Wish it was a little more organized...sometimes everything can be a bit cattywampus.
4 - Mike H.: Great hat store.. simply put.

The store is small, but the selection is vast.  The "order" of things varies.. meaning, some hats are can be hard to find in your size.  But this store is worth doing the hunting.. you never know what you will uncover!!  

The price range from inexpensive hats to higher end.  A great place to make first time buys, if you (like myself) have not worn hats much.  I decided to give it a try, because I saw a lot more guys on BART giving it a try.  I dont look good in baseball caps, but the fedora works just fine!

I found the staff friendly, but not overly so. I didnt feel pressured to buy a hat just because I tried it on.  And BOY did I try them on.  I dont know if they take credit cards or not, I paid cash.  
Note:  There are no refunds in the store.  It states that clearly on the receipt.

There is a huge selection of hats for "ladies". You can get an idea of what is in the store by the website.  Click first, then go to the store.

I will frequent Berkeley Hat, buying at least one more winter hat, one more formal hat, and looking to spring.  Hope to see you there!!
4 - Karen W.: this place rocks! came here on a rainy day...couldn't get my reader cuz Krishna Copy was closed, but instead I got a fluffy cat hat...with pompoms!
I look ridiculous in it but I sure feel happy. 
$24, not cheap but super cute...though i probably shouldn't advertise it or i'll be seeing other ppl in my same cat hat. 
there are all sorts of other crazy cool hats here...the pretty ones were a bit expensive though, $50 ish, with feathers and lace and netting, etc...this store is quite full, surprising for its randomness.
4 - Kimi m.: i think everyone needs at least one nice hat...

 this is the perfect place to find your very own nice hat, whether you're into classic fedoras or faux fur bear eared hats, this place has got it all. it's not a huge place but it's pretty much covered in a nice array of very stylish hats from top to bottom.
3 - Melanie P.: This is THE store to go when you are in need of a hat.  They have just about anything you'd ever look for in a hat store.  The staff are very friendly and helpful, you can try anything on.  I only gave 3 stars because I wish that their hours were a bit later on weekdays.

I plan on going back here much more in the future!
5 - Jared H.: To give you a sense of my dedication for hats, you can read my review for The Hat Guys in Oakland. The Berkeley Hat Company is the perfect compliment to the formality that is the Hat Guys. Where the later has a more focused selection of everyday head wear, the BHC excels in its variety of styles. A virtual world tour of hats, they have pretty much every style for both men and women (haberdasher and millinery respectively.) Be you a Burner, a Sunday church goer, or anything in between, they will allow you to experience all the joy that completing your outfit presents.
4 - Sharon Q.: I took my guy here to get him his first non baseball hat. We were in and out within 20 minutes. They have a lot to choose from. He went with and Irish snap brim and a fedora. They have so many choices  you really could be there all day. This tiny store is a lot of fun.
5 - Bruce K.: I am a pretty serious hat wearer. At 52, soon to be 53, most of my hair is growing out of my ears, so I need all the help I can get. You know -  a hat to create a little interest above the eyeball level. And I own three, all purchased here, at the Berkeley Hat Company.

This place is a Berkley Icon and his been around since 1060 A.D. when they supplied helmets to the Norman conquerors. 

They have tons of hats at all different prices. Sure the owner, Carol is kind of a nut, but, they will work as hard as you want  in order to find something that works for you. I got a really nice American made grey fedora for $34. And a summer pork pie (technically made out of paper) for less than $20.
4 - Mike B.: If you're in need of a hat that you can't get at a dept store or a place like Lids ( like Fedoras, apple caps, kangol, party hats) then this is your best bet by far.  Definitely in the heart of Berkeley so parking can suck as well as the location if you're not too familiar with the area. I bought a few hats here already for dancing (fedoras, apple caps mostly) and they have all kinds of variety from cheap to super pricey. I'm kinda annoyed that they dont have shipments come in frequently but what can you do? its a small shop with tons of variety. The people are friendly too, just make sure to leave your backpack with them =P
4 - Benjamin J.: Every time I go to a new city, the first thing I do is drag a friend to the local hat store.  Why?  Because giggling for six hours while trying on pimp hats is what life is all about, dammit.

Reasonably good prices, and highly tolerant of idiots like me.  Four stars!
4 - Brian G.: After irreparably damaging my faithful hat of nearly five years, I set out on a quest for new fashions for my head.
If anyone has looked for a good hat, you know how tough it can be. These days you're unlikely to find anything other than baseball caps at the average department store.
 
For those of us who still value the power of a good hat, it is worthwhile to find a place that specializes. Berkeley Hat Co. is such a place. Wall-to-wall hats, in varying designs and prices, this was the right place to go and console my lonely head(I swear, that phrase made sense when I thought it).

After doing a few laps around the store -- my apologies to Vanessa, who must have nearly got heat-stroke waiting for me -- something grabbed my eye and I went with it.

Whereas I previously had only one hat as my mainstay, I've decided it's time to move on and develop and broader repertoire of headgear, and I'm sure I'll come back here many times as my collection expands.
5 - Katherine F.: Hubby needed a "blues hat" and I tagged along for advice/fun.

You can not put a price on trying a hat before ordering...but they do have a website if that's your style.

So off we went to a bleak, run down Telegraph Avenue...this shows how long it has been for me...and it made me sad to see how few businesses have survived.

This is a shop with a huge selection of hats for both sexes...all kinds and colors! You name it, fedora, pork pie, stingy brim, messenger, beret, summer, winter, and I could go on and on.  they also have seasonal novelty hats.

It took some trying, but he settled on a great black straw number...and it looked wonderful on him.  He had several good contenders!

I found a cute black summer number, too.

When in the market for a hat...this shop is a must.
5 - Gremlin O.: Cool store, cool owners, cool staff, cool facetious old lady. Hey, she's somebody's mother, what can you expect!

Good variety of hats, plenty of well placed mirrors, and a rare "no pressure" atmosphere.
5 - Lizzie B.: Hehee this place is so freaking fun :D I come here everytime I visit Berkeley :D love it!!!!!!
5 - Len L.: You'll find ANY type of hat you're looking for here - from ashy to trashy to classy. If you don't, then there's a good chance it doesn't exist.

This is the only place I get Borsalino caps at.

The staff is very helpful and friendly.

Can't say much more about this place, so I'll just clap (just pretend you hear it).

*claps*
4 - Boo L.: I like straw (pork-pie-style) hats---preferably yellow. And I look damn good in them, despite my middle-agedness.  I could go topless with my pasty, midriff hanging over the beltline of my pants and 22-year-old chicks would still want me on them---so long as  I was busting  the straw (pork-pie-style) hat.

My point?

I have owned two straw (pork-pie-style) hats in my life. I purchased them about 10 years apart, and both times, they were purchased at the Berkeley Hat Company. 

If you are approaching middle age, have a pasty midriff, and want chicks to dig you on sunny days, Berkely Hat Company has your back.
4 - sharon m.: so many hats!!! ahhaa
4 - Rachel B.: If you're looking for a hat, try here first. Also, one of the workers was easily the nicest, best customer service ever.
5 - Uncle Fishbits Aeneas X.: Still wins.  Gotta visit again.. soon.  This place is a treat.  One of my favourite stores in the entire bay area.
4 - Zach W.: They sell Burning Man tickets retail here so it's a good stop for your last minute tickets and some sweet hats. Hats seem a little on the expensive side but I'm no expert. Nice selection.
4 - citygirls f.: I had been talking about doing so for weeks, but finally got around to taking the BART out to the Berkeley Hat Store today with some friends in town for the weekend. Some coworkers had told me that the store was awesome, and my friend and I are designers and love fashion and quirky stuff, so we were stoked. The shop: super awesome. Has everything you could ever want. The staff: super bitchy. Kick back, dude. May we browse a bit? One woman in particular was really in our face from the get and just a super pressure kind of vibe. Rough sauce. Other than that the place was awesome. She needs to go though.
5 - Gordon F.: The best hat store I've ever been to. The prices are great and the service is fast and friendly.
4 - Michelle C.: My friends and I were visiting San Fran... I mean SF (I was told never to refer to San Fransico as anything other than that or SF) and on our last day we were touring Berkeley and my local friend suggested we visit the hat shop to kill some time... We really must have spent the rest of the day in here. My cheeks still hurt from laughing so hard when we tried on the different selection of hats, they have so many wacky and amazing hats... (Do ppl who shop at this store hate ppl like me who go in for fun and laughs?) I'd love to post all our pictures from this store on Yelp but my friends would kick my butt if they knew I did that.  Not only do they have outrageous hats but they also have a few that people (not me cause I look like a prepubescent boy in a hat) may actually purchase not as a joke or for some costume party. 
They also sold some other trinkets, my friend ended up purchasing a mask that fit her face perfectly (oh I can post that picture!). That was a random purchase...
Anyway this store is tons of fun and even if you don't buy anything you'll still be entertained!
5 - Billy S.: Starting in high school i had this unhealthy obsession with bowler hats and i bought my very first one here. A few years of constant wear and it started getting soft and old, so i bought a new one. here. then i thought i'd change it up and i bought a fedora. here. then i bought a brown bowler hat here, then a red one. so now i have 4 hats that i don't really wear that often anymore. but this store is great for all kinds of hats. not only that but they range from cheap to super expensive. i would always shop in the $40-$50 range. 

These are the classic brimmed hats, but for those whose tastes range in the wackier side, the berkeley hat company has all sorts of costume hats, hats with animals on em, and crazy giant hats. they even have baseball caps and kangols for those so inclined. this store basically suits everyone's needs. they'll even stretch out your hat for $.01 with your purchase.
5 - Jennifer H.: This place is great!  It has nearly everything you could ever want to put on your head!  I was looking for a very specific hat to wear to a theme party and April (and a number of other employees) helped with suggestions and ideas.  The prices run the range from inexpensive to pricey for the really fancy hats. 

You could spend hours in here trying on everything.  Also check out their website since it has some hats that aren't always on display at the shop. You can go in and tell them you saw something on line and they will get it for you.  Everyone should stop here first if they're looking for a hat! 

PS. I was bummed that I missed their event when the guy who designed Aretha's inaugural hat was there!
5 - Ann M.: Love this place and the selection.
Prices are reasonable.  My experience with staff is this:
The owner isn't very nice to people. The younger staff are fabulously helpful, kind, make great recommendations, and offer a level of professional advice that was surprising.  I will go again and again, just avoid Her.
Even took my son, now his addiction to hats is complete.  Two hats later, he is already talking about the next hat that he needs. :-)
My work is done here.
5 - Mika D.: Love this store, been coming here for years. Definitely a must stop for the hat lover. The prices are right and mad collection to try on. Customer service is awesome, staff and owner were willing to fix the creases on a fedora.
5 - Roger L.: I live in NYC. I've already purchased 5 hats from this company and - all I can say is: "I take off my hat to you". I had a slight problem, which was MY fault - by the way, I misspelled my email and therefore didn't get a confirmation - but Jessica was VERY helpful and incredibly detailed in the way she helped me to track down my package. Super well packed and very rapid shipping. Last but not least - GREAT PANAMA HATS !!!  
Chapeau !! (as the French say)
2 - rusty w.: when does a hat deserve a plastic bag? i bought a friend a hat for her to wear to a special occasion and it came with the normal girly things on it like a feather and all the girly trimmings and i expected to be asked if i wanted a bag or a box and what do i get a plastic bag and not a box which is what i was hoping for as this was a special gift for a friend, but in the end the bag did not help it at all as when i got home before transferring the hat to a hat box that i found at another hat shop that the feathers were bent out of shape and i had a darn time trying to get them straight to no avail so now have a fancy screwed up hat. The service here is some what OK, but for my money i will wait to go to some of the hat stores in San Francisco or elsewhere for hats for my friend when she wants them. I do have to give them high marks for the selection of hats just not the service behind the counter.
4 - Leo C.: Nice little hat shop with tons of diff. style hats from beanies to brim caps and almost everything between. Plenty of staff to help with questions. They even have a hat stretcher if your hat gets a little tight for your dome. Going back soon, somewhat good prices too compared to other hat shops.


* Don't come hear if you like or expect fitted baseball caps*
1 - Pedro I.: I was excited to go to the berkley hat store when my friend first mentioned it, i had heard good things but my experience was quite different. At first one of the staff followed us around like we were going to steal something, failing to ask if they could help us with anything, just being creepy. 
More customers came in and the staff disappeared to help others. After 15 minutes waiting for someone to help us, The place was getting crowded, it's a small store, way too much inventory for such a small space. I asked about a display model hat and got a hurried, rude response of "we're helping other customers sir". I waited another 15 minutes in a store i could barely walk in. With only 10 people in it, it's overwhelmingly crowded. They wouldn't even engage me, knowing i had been standing there waiting for help, I had to beg for their attention. Finally, the one hat i liked they didn't have in stock aside from the display, which they refused to sell me! Plus they couldn't tell me when they would get more! 
Whats the point of keeping a display hat, if you don't know when you're going to get more!? 
Complete tease, lot of mediocre costume hats, but not alot of style - infact, anything not in the front was damaged. After 40 minutes of being open, hats littered the ground from people who had tried them on and left. Without enough staff to clean up the mess, they were just getting trampled by the people who arrived next.  The goorin brothers shop is much better.
5 - Erika N.: This is a miracle find.  If I am looking for a hat, I come here.  Their selection is astounding.  There are hats floor to ceiling (and they have a very high ceiling).  The prices are reasonable, and they probably have something for just about every price range.  Just remember that these are quality hats.
The service is wonderful.  There is always someone ready to help you.  These people know their hats, and they are more than willing to help you find what you are looking for, or something even better.

I'm hooked.

Don't forget to check out the clearance baskets.  I was able to find one hat style that I adore, and get it in five different colors because the price was so good!
5 - Hogan W.: Because yesterday was Veteran's Day, traffic was very light going north. I decided to take a trip to Berkeley and see what I've missed for the past few years. I got there around 11:45am and went directly to Berkeley Hat Company. It was very easy to find. When I strolled in, I was greeted by Christine who helped me find exactly what I was looking for.  They have anything and everything hats and wigs.  I tried on some hats for size, color and appearance in their large mirror and I bought some items.  When I first walked in, I was amazed by the variety and massive amount of hats the shop carried.  I was thinking it was going to be chaos in there, but to my dismay, the hats were nicely stacked and arranged by rows and columns so that any of the employees could easily find what anybody is looking for.  Customer service is very friendly and personable.

Carol, the owner, rung me up at the front desk when I went to settle up the total charges.  She runs a quite simple operation with a cash register, receipt book and credit card machine. 

FUNNY FACT:  When I pulled out my driver's license and credit card for her viewing, Carol stared at my license for a long time honing in on my birth date.  She mentioned that if I was born one day earlier, I could be in the same status she's in. She told me she was born on a leap year.  So I asked her if the DMV ever gave her a driver's license.  She laughed and told me she always played pranks on her friends and establishments when she's carded at bars when she was younger.  She then pulled out a necklace that states she's 15 years old. And if my calculations are correct, she should be around 60 years old. I've always wondered how it would be to be born on a leap year. I think it's unusual to meet someone with a birthday like that, and I'm glad I got the pleasure in speaking to Carol.  

Berkeley Hat Company's prices are hard to beat.  Considering they are a small husband and wife owned store operation in business for over 30 years, they've come a long way.  They even have an online business for the company.  Whether it's Halloween, Screenplay, or if you need an accessory accent for your next wardrobe, stop by Berkeley Hat Company. I know you'll definitely find something you'll need or don't really need.  I can spend hours in there trying on different hats and I know you'll fall in love with this place too!
1 - Cross S.: How does this place stay is business???  The woman behind the counter is a TOTAL BITCH!!!  Went there once to buy a hat and I nearly walked out.  Bought my Burning Man ticket here and the woman almost refused selling me a ticket.  WTF!?!?!?!?!?
5 - Bobby D.: I love this place!!! I discovered Berkely hat about 9 months ago on a trip to Berkely and have bought a few hats since. They have just about every hat you could want, fedora, panama, straw, top, etc. Came in about a week ago to buy a new fedora and i seen some i liked but not exactly what i was looking for. Then one of the ladies mentioned to me that i could get a different color band put on any fedora. It looked great, and was only $4 for the band. Great place for party hats, halloween, you name it.  I have even ordered online with great results. Just writting this makes me want to buy a new hat!!
4 - Deborah D.: Medium prices for custom hats, but hopefully you'll never get rid of them.  I have several and wear them rather frequently because they are unique, fun and fashionable.

If you want something special, you'll find it here.  If you want something really unusual, you'll definitely find it here.
5 - angel a.: I had a plan before I walked in, a simple bowler, a stingy-brim, and maybe a pinched-front.  What can I say?  I like my hats -and I have a great selection.

About 5 minutes into my visit, that changed. So much selection...I confused myself.  I started to marvel at the selection of top hats and fedoras
  
For a boutique-sized store, it is impressive, astounding and might I say overwhelming. I might even get a "ladies who lunch" affair.

I am VERY impressed with the customer service I received! I like it when people are honest and can say "No.  I don't think that looks good on you. this, however, will suit you better."  ...and they are absolutely correct, and aren't up-selling you?

I met the delightful and charming Carol who helped me feel right at home.  A joy to converse with, and comes from a different era -one with politeness, and great social skills.

I am also impressed with what they offer in addition to hats.  I will not clarify in this review as I hope to maintain a few of their secrets, but I am happy and relieved to have stumbled upon this gem.  Definitely a feather in my cap.

I will be sending people THIS way and purchasing gifts here.
4 - Rachel W.: Love this place!

We took a long time to select the hats we wanted to buy (as there are SO MANY to choose from!!). We picked and chose, looked at ourselves in the mirror, discussed, put them back, picked up yet another one... All the while, the shop owners did NOT give us any pressure at all. Besides a polite smile and an occasional "Is everything alright for you?" There were NO pressure of buying, no rushing whatsoever. 

This is absolutely wonderful especially for customers in a small shop like this. As a customer, I feel that I can browse and try out their wide selection of hats at ease, taking as much time as I like till I find the perfect fit, and if I don't, I don't feel like I *must* buy something at the end of all the trying-outs just to appease the shop owners or in exchange for the time I spend at her shop.

Having said that, we DID buy our lovely hats from them! No regrets! I love my new hat :)

If you need a hat, I absolutely recommend this little shop. It has a huge variety of styles to choose from - amazing wide range of selection for such a small shop - and the owners are cool with you taking time to try each and every one on. 

Price: Reasonable. Ranging from $15 to maybe $70. Most of them are in the $30s range.
5 - Caitlin D.: Ordered two hats through their website on Monday afternoon.  Received an email Tuesday morning letting me know that one of the hats was out of stock but a very similar color was available.  I said sure.  I had two new hats waiting on my doorstep Wednesday.  They are very high quality and much cheaper than comparable (in one case) or identical (in the other case) hats elsewhere.  I have put my husband's new hat away three times so far (in twelve hours), and he keeps getting it out so he can wear it around the house.  Hooray for Berkeley Hat Company.  We'll be shopping with you again!  (if I can ever talk my husband into taking off his hat long enough to try for a new one)
4 - R C.: I bought hats here a few years ago and one more today. They have an amazing selection of hats of all kinds, and I easily found the perfect one to match my needs (including a decent price). The employee who welcomed me was very friendly and very helpful in helping me pick out a hat. I took off one star only because the owner was not friendly or attentive when I went to purchase the hat.
5 - Shea M.: Rockin' hats of all sorts. You won't be disappointed with their selection, and you are guaranteed to find something that not only fits your style, and your head (no matter how unusually sized or shaped), you can find something unique that will be a conversation piece wherever you go. Hats as cheap as $10 and some in excess of $300, but worth it.
4 - jasmine c.: I recently bought a Tilley hat here, rather expensive at seventy dollars, but that my simply be the normal markup for hats. The staff seemed eager to help, and I did not find the customer service problems that were reported elsewhere on Yelp. A slight annoyance occured when the salesman untied the factory-installed knots on the hat chin strap because he had no idea how it worked. When I got home I watched a web video that explained how to re-tie the knots, a minor annoyance. So if you buy a Tilley hat with a chin strap, be sure the two knots are the factory installation.
5 - Jon S.: Great place for hats very helpful staff
5 - Richard K.: The first time I walked in I was overwhelmed by how many hats they could fit in this tiny place. I was a lost little boy. The second time I went I came in as a man ready to conquer this place and come out with a hat.

Their selection is never ending. I recommend going with a friend to help choose between hats. The people working there are very knowledgeable and helpful. They helped me and my cousin with selections and we both came out of there with rocking hats. We were both getting tons of compliments on our selections the rest of the week.
5 - Tim S.: I've never been a hat guy.  I have bought a few cheap hats at one time or another, never wearing one more than once or twice before letting it gather dust.

That said, I was very impressed by this store before I made it through the door.  "This is a serious hat shop", I said to myself after looking at their massive window display (the display, not so much the window).  The store is tiny and filled with hats.  They use the space so well that it's still easy to move around.

They seem to have every type of hat imaginable (perhaps not baseball hats, but people who wear that type of hat don't seem to have any trouble finding them).  Plenty of choices ranging from serious to frivolous.  No matter what fashion category you might be dumped into, Berkeley Hat Company has a hat for you.

I tried on this one hat a few times on my first visit.  Not being a hat guy, I put it back.  I dropped in a few months later to show off the store to visiting friends and ended up buying the same hat.  Now I'm a hat guy.

Everyone in the store is friendly and helpful.  I stopped back in because my hat was loose (skull shrunk? Better check that out...) and they gladly tightened it up for me.  They sell Burning Man tickets too.
5 - Corey G.: Ok, I can officially review this little treasure for real since I visited in person (instead of via the interwebs).  

WOW.  

This place is a treasure trove of haberdashery.  Upon opening the door you are surrounded by panamas, 10-gallons, sombreros, beanies, paperboys, chapeaus, fedoras, lids, caps, bowlers, and the list goes on.

Variety and selection?  This I knew about.  From my online/over-the-phone experience, I could also tell the service was top notch, but visiting in person....yeah, this place is my favorite place to go and hook up my melon.

So, I was in the market for another straw fedora (I like them because they're Latin looking, they're cool [figuratively and literally], and because they soak up sweat when I'm groovin on the dancefloor).  So, I was pointed toward their corner of the store.  I had many varieties to choose from.  I did eventually pick one which was pretty pimp, but there was one which was even pimpy-er!  It was a straight up silver fedora....unfortunately, it didn't fit!  Man, I would been able to coordinate with my whip!  Holla!

**ok, sorry.  I think I was slipping into Oaktown mode**

No, but seriously, I did get a great top.  The woman who helped me was super nice, informative, and errrr....hot.  

So yeah, whenever I'm in the Bay Area, it will be my duty to make a stop here.  I will be like the romantic old Doctor character in "Field of Dreams", but instead of having a closet full of hats for my wife, they'll be for me.
5 - Rachel S.: This place is a true local treasure. It's packed to the brim with every kind of hat imaginable. They also have a huge collection of knit animal hats that are both adorable and affordable. They are friendly, patient, and don't mind if you try on just about every hat in the store (which I've done, on multiple occasions). 

I am a huge fan of said animal hats, and wanted to get my boyfriend one for the holidays. I ordered it on November 24th, and it was waiting for me at home on November 27th. And during the holidays, no less! Very impressive, guys! Just one more thing to love about the Hat Company.
1 - shani c.: Your hats are so great & I have bought hats there before, until I was in there last week and realized to my dismay that you sell fur! Rabbit fur and beaver fur is what I saw and maybe there are other tortured animal skins there. I am so bummed you sell fur, you dont need ANY fur to make great hats.  My friend and I were ready to buy many hats until we saw that dreadful fur. I will never shop at your store again until you remove all fur from the sales. Again, you have so many great hats, you really dont need any of that cruelty to be profitable.
4 - Joshua C.: I bought a knit hat at Urban Outfitters for $38. I got home and googled the company that makes the hats and saw that Berkeley Hat Company also sells them. Not only do they sell the same hats, they have a bigger selection and cheaper prices!

I returned the hat at Urban and picked up a better one at Berkeley Hat Co. for $28. I ain't mad at that! 

If I ever need another hat, I'd buy it here. They have every kind of hat imaginable. The store is tiny, but they are literally packed floor to ceiling with hats. Plus, I felt better supporting a local business.
5 - Charlie N.: Berkeley Hat Company has saved my top more times than I can imagine. Festive hats for any occasion, and the accessories to prove that you know how to wear them.

My favorite experience is coming into the store one day and very meekly asking if they have wigs for dressing in drag for a school project. Boy, the two ladies who were working there couldn't be more eager to help! All of their wigs were very reasonably priced and looked great in that regard. They also suggested a menagerie of items from tiny hats to feather boas to complement coiffures of any type and even gave suggestions on what looked most dramatic and glamorous for a drag queen. They turned what could have been an awkward situation into the most entertaining session of "dressing up" I've ever had. I owe them the most awesome "A" I've ever received on a film project.
5 - Catherine P.: Love this place! They have every hat under the sun for every occasion - costume or the real deal. I brought in my old Aussie safari hat that had been squashed in my suitcase and they steam pressed and re-shaped it - for free! The staff is a lot of fun, and very helpful, too.
5 - Tizz W.: Listen, if you can't find yourself a hat here, then there's no hope for you.  You should just cut off your own head and rid yourself of hat privileges forever.
5 - Joy B.: I was looking online at 'derby' hats and decided to go into the store instead.  what a selection!  i loved the staff too.  i told them what my dress looked like, colors that i like and they brought out 4 hats for me to try on.  i loved every single one, but ultimately bought just 1.  they had other great hats too, but unfortunately i was in too much of a hurry to browse.  i definitely will be going back!
5 - Brad H.: A great hat store with an excellent selection, fair pricing and awesome service.

I've bookmarked their website on my computer, but I find that I can't buy a hat online as I really need to try it on.

The service at the store was excellent. My salesperson suggested hats, found the proper sizes and stayed with me while I tried on numerous styles until I found the one I wanted. She clearly knew her stuff as did the other employees working in the store. Eventually I found a new straw Stetson to add to my collection and provide me with additional variety for the warm weather.

If you like hats, or you just need something for a costume party, this is a great place to visit.
4 - Donn E Van T.: I just want to say this store is super cool....I knocked it down to 4 stars for one single reason.  I called to check availability like it says you can do on their site...without actually looking the guy told me that if the purchase button is not under the hat on the page then they definitely dont have it in stock. You know where this is going...to my surprise when i get there(after deciding on another hat that had the purchase button) I asked the guy on the floor if they had the original hat I wanted he said they should have some in the back and sure enough they did. So I just want everybody to know that you may not get the help you want if you call in for availability...but this is an awesome hat store!
1 - TeaLilly L.: If you have never been in a hat shop or are in the neighborhood and looking for a messy, unorganized might-find a treasure that doesn't happen to be torqued from the overstocking and bad care that these hats seem to receive you might enjoy this place. This shop focuses on costume/ subculture hats. Cowboy hats, top hats, english church hats.  It is 75% mens hats. The hats are in lightly used shape but sold at full price. The hats are packed on top of each other from ceiling to floor in cubbys and stacked on low counters all around. There is no way to get hats from the top areas. The hats that are not along the walls are on 8 foot stands they are in two lines down the middle of the small store. The stands do not swivel which means that you cant see 50% of the hats in the middle of the store. The shop was packed when I went in, it looks like that is normally the way it goes. There is little room to get around people and though the staff are friendly the owner is rude and even if they did carry a decent selection of non-costume hats in good shape I wouldn't have wanted to buy after dealing with his attitude. I was only in there for about 10 minutes when I realized what a nightmare the place was to find anything in. I knew what I was looking for and I asked, they didn't carry a sun hat with a wide brim and short crown but the older mans (who I'm pretty sure was the owner) response was to say"everything we have is out" and then walk away quickly. Which, I thought was funny because thats a horrible attitude to have in a store where most of the inventory is hidden behind or under other things. I have been in a lot of hat shops and this was just an unusually unpleasant experience and a total waste of time. If you are in Carmel check out the Carmel Hat Co on ocean. I am going to take a day trip to get the hat that I want from the owners who provide a little something called good customer service.
4 - Diana C.: They have a variety of good hats here and accessories. I wanted a hat for a Kentucky Derby party and they had just the thing. The only downside is that their hats are a little on the expensive side.
5 - Monica S.: Whether your looking for a specific kind of hat or just want to parade your pretty face in front of mirrors modeling several looks, Berkeley Hat Company is happy to entertain purchasers and even browsers. In fact, if you're aimlessly traipsing along Telegraph, BHC is a great store to kill time.

Goorin Bros will satisfy with stylish (albeit pricey) fedoras, but Berkeley Hat won't sell you short on the fedora purchase either. Plus, they've got anything you might need for that costume party whether it's 1808 themed or 1990.
4 - Cesie A.: The Berkeley hat store has a ton of different styles of hats. It is my go to place when I'm trying to find something random...like a fake bridal veil (which they had)

My only complaint is that there are no refunds...which I get but I purchased 2 hats from here for halloween and ended up changing my costume and am now stuck with a red and green trucker hat...
1 - Mayeli R.: Be aware of berkeley hat store on telegraph ave. I went in looking for some aviator goggles and decided to put them back and browse others stores. What i didnt know was that i was going to be accused of stealing the goggles after i was already half a black away. The old lady at the front desk forced me to come back and look for the googles because she didnt see me putting them back. Honestly i wasnt the only one looking at the aviator glasses, but i was the only minority in the store. So thanks old lady for running after me and falsely accusing me of stealing in front of a crowd of people. Which they didnt even apologize for.  I know im not returning for sure!
5 - Norman T.: This place is pretty awesome. There's a hat for every occasion. If you need something, look no further. Pop in and browse the hundred of hats they have. I got a yeti hat just cause, no really, just cause i saw how awesome it looked.
5 - Nelson M.: Top to bottom great selection, Borsalino!!!
5 - Christiana D.: If you like hats, and want to try them on for a perfect fit, go here!  Huge selection, and friendly, helpful staff.  My styling son and I were in there the other day dressed for an evening in SF.  We always sport our hats, and Norr flair, so one of the staff, asked my son for advice as a patron needed help planning an outfit for a 20's party!  What fun we had in advising!  Makes the place more friendly, and neighborhood in feel.  Hat prices range from decent to expensive, but prices are always in line.  A high quality hat is expensive, I am glad they carry a full range.
5 - Cynthia L.: Berkeley Hay Co. is the promised land for hat aficionados - my daughter and I stumbled on it while walking around Berkeley, and we were blown away by the fabulous array of hats they offer. They have everything from the serious to the outlandish, and we had a blast trying on hats of every imaginable kind.
3 - Return T.: I want to like these guys, but their prices are stoooooopid, always have been.
2 - Eric S.: I want to like this place more than I do.  

There are a lot of good reviews, and I had high hopes for this place.  However, I found my "assistance" lackluster, and the product disappointing.  

I bought my wife one of their sock-monkey hats for Christmas, and within a month, one of the braids on the side fell off.  Granted, we have a toddler who likes to grab and pull, but they are only held on by one thread.

She does love the hat, but I wish it had been constructed a little better.  Instead, I got her a gift she had to repair rather soon.  

They do have a lot of hats...
5 - Robert B.: I love this store. When I want to treat myself I add a new hat to my collection from this store.If you don't find your size on display they will dig it up from the back room.They have a complete range of styles and prices. 
I was trying on bowler hats and Carol said"I hate to tell you this but the cheaper one looks better on you." Honest help and good advice.
3 - M C.: 3.5 stars
Would have given it 4 but the service and some prices, knock it down a little.
I have purchased about 8-10 hats over the years and is usually the 1st place I think about when I am looking for something specific. 
The store is cramped and overflowing with different styles. 
My last visit, I was offered assistance after about 5 minutes. And given an opinion on 2 different styles I was contemplating. 
The overall experience was fun, especially when trying on grand hats.  
Then I got to the cashier. She was not a friendly lady, had no smile and only said 2 things to me: How much my total was and asked if I wanted a bag. That is it. 
Not a good ending impression to what was a pretty good shopping experience up until that point. 
I would most likely go again. And hopefully someone is there that is more customer service oriented.
5 - Christopher B.: I ordered a hat on-line a couple of weeks ago. Excellent selection of Tilley hats and shipping was fast. My next hat purchase will definitely be from here.
5 - Larry C.: I ordered a hat on line. It came within 3 days. Unfortunately, I order the wrong size, returned the hat and got a replacement with no problem. I liked the hat so much i bought one for my Dad, online as well. Good experience, cool hats, and quality as well.
1 - Sean M.: This place has a fairly good selection of hats but they go out of your way to make all potential customers to feel unwelcome. Try the Oakland hat guys instead. They rock.
4 - Dave M.: These guys have every kind of hat imaginable! I have purchased several hats from them, and have always been very satisfied.  The staff is extremely helpful and attentive.  Their prices are fair and the service is awesome.  I have gone back after purchasing for adjustments and they always take great care of your needs to make sure that you leave satisfied.  I've tried other stores, but as far as I'm concerned, this is my hat store.
1 - Wendell C.: Don't bother to shop here!

First, the store is old, dingy, dirty and poorly lit.

Second, the service is mostly comprised of UC students who have never worn a hat and despite their best efforts cannot assist you.  This is the owner's fault - an obvious and complete lack of training.

The owner chastised the young lady who helped me because she didn't bring the hat box up to the counter for the sale.  The berating went on for good, full minute. Absurd and truly shows the character of this witch.  Try some training instead!

Go to The Hat Guys on Broadway in Oakland instead.
4 - Pat M.: A little crowded but fun to try on different and unique hats.  If I were a hat person this would definitely be one of my favs.  I did buy a very big rimmed sun hat and enjoying it very much!
5 - Matthew P.: great hat store and friendly staff pleased with the service we got
3 - Isa L.: some cool, unique hats. Great selection for Halloween, which is around the corner. some pricey than others.

very small, and cluttered store.  the sales floor guy was very attentive. made sure we didn't have a question by the time we were browsing in the back of the store (where most of the different Halloween / fun hats were located.
1 - Dhiren D.: Good products, but the owner is little rude. They'll let you return the product, if you buy online but not in person. So, be VERY careful with what you buy. Owner wasn't trying to help, just looking for excuses to argue with me. Anyways, not going back there again.

Berkeley Improv - Berkeley, CA (37.868766, -122.256558) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
5 - Andy M.: This a great improv class. Alex is a gentle, insightful and inspiring instructor.

You will surprise yourself. You will laugh. You will want to take this class again!
5 - Andrew K.: THE BEST!

I cannot recommend this class enough. They have two beginner classes on tuesday and thursday and then following the thursday class there is the advanced level. The class is cheap (maybe $60 for the whole thing?) and even double the price and its still worth it. There are all sorts of people who joined, ranging from people looking to get a little more extroverted to improving public speaking to people looking just to try something new and have fun (myself.) 

Alex is a phenomenal instructor and I don't think that anyone felt any pressure to do anything they felt uncomfortable with. There were numerous people who just dropped in for a class as well, and I highly suggest this to anyone thinking they might want to do it.

I also took part in the advanced class which is more scene work and led up to a performance at the end....great fun and rapport.

Please note: I made through the whole review without any sarcasm whatsoever, so it must be good!

Also note that there are many vegans and as a lover of bacon this was something that I managed to come to grips with, but the talk of furries alieved this.
5 - Ryan M.: Alex Lerman offers great classes for the first timer off the street and for those improv-ers who've been at it for years. I really suggest the classes!
Improv can be scary. These classes are not. My first time there, before the class even started Alex said "and let's all welcome our new-comers!" and everyone said hello and right then I knew that it was a welcoming and non-judgmental space to perform, play, grow, and try out new ways of being nuts. And that's what improv is about right? 
The classes are very affordable for the UC student and Berkeley community person, and its conveniently located. 
I had a great time going through two class cycles-I learned a lot, met a lot of really kind and cool people, and had a great time.
5 - Vic R.: Improv may sound intimidating, but not here.  Alex is one of the best instructors in field/art that you'll ever find and the atmosphere is completely nonthreatening.  These two key ingredients make for an immensely enjoyable and creative experience.  Can't recommend it highly enough.
5 - Sam W.: I highly recommend improv for anyone looking to gain confidence, socialize more, sharpen their wit, get some excercise, and have fun (isn't that all of us??). For an easy and fun introduction to improv, I can't recommend Alex Lerman's Intro to Improv more highly! 

Alex is an energetic and inspiring teacher with a low-key and supportive style. His class suits just about anyone, and he has great tools and suggestions for timid or inexperienced improvisers. 

The class is held in a nice space at the Berkeley YWCA, and usually fills up with nice folks. The price is incredibly low (I think around $50 for 6 weeks), and is totally worth it.

I took Alex's intro class, as well as his intermediate class. Both were great. The only thing I could possibly have asked for is another class to continue on after the first two (because they are so fun). 

I give Alex and his class my highest possible rating. Sign up!
5 - Robert S.: I have trained many times over the years with Alex and I keep coming back for more. He is a skillful and adept improviser and he is excellent at simplifying the concepts and imparting them in a friendly, approachable, and safe way. He teaches improv skills, but what you learn is confidence, how to make great theatrical choices, communication and presentation skills, and how to play and laugh with wild abandon. Take his classes and you will learn something new, make new friends, and have a great time. I did--win, win, win...!
5 - Rebekah H.: WOOHOO! Alex is a great teacher - encouraging, insightful, and all around wonderful.
5 - Mary K.: Whether you want to do improve for fun, performance, or work on some issue you will get something out of these improve classes.  Alex is the instructor and he is phenomenal!   Anyone who is thinking about improv should take these classes!

I am in the process of job hunting as well as promoting projects for a non-profit I work for.  I gave a speech at a professional organization one week - and didn't generate much interest in either me or the project I was promoting.  I went to one of Alex's class and the next day gave the same speech - I felt different giving it and the result was sure different. I got 2 people asking me for my resume and several people wanting to get involved in the non-profit project.  I attribute this solely to Alex's improve class and his great feedback.  During the class I  gave an impassioned improvised speech during one scene.  His astute kind comments pumped me up, helped me to slow down (a big issue for me) & connect with the audience while having a blast!  I have been taking his classes for 9 months - they are a mix of both experienced and beginners and he makes it fun and effective for both at the same time.  I am  truly hooked on improve now.
5 - Skylark V.: Like the Yelp rating legend says, "As Good As It Gets!"  

Berkeley Improv makes you feel the love - and joy, and wonder - of improv, minus fear*, and judgment, and Isuckness.  This isn't improv for competitive, snooty snoot, show-off, "I coulda/shoulda/woulda been a contender" types.  It's improv for "real people," people who come to learn, participate, enjoy, grow. Who are willing to lose themselves in the moment to discover new pathways forward.

Alex Lerman, the instructor, somehow makes all that happen without you usually even remembering he's the instructor - he talks the talk and walks the walk of improv - non-judgmental, "We're all in this together," and Positive Positive Positive (even when the playfulness is about drinking blood in cemeteries!). 

Do it.  Go.  Sign up yesterday.

*OK, yes:  You're probably going to feel a little** nervous at first.  And then?  You won't.

**Or a lot.

Berkeley Market - Berkeley, CA (37.867451, -122.258631) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
3 - Kat C.: I think the last reviewer is harsh. I used to work downtown and it was easy to pop in and get a drink and a magazine, gum, tampons, etc. It's not fantastic but it works if you need something quick and don't want to wait in rexall's line.
2 - Will R.: This place closed, and I'm glad it closed. I used to go there every day, but I never liked it. The beer selection was just okay. The clerks were rude. There was always a line. The only kind of cheddar they had was Mild. There was always a bad smell. Everything about it made me feel all the more guilty about my infidelity to Fred's, the southside liquor store that deserves your love. Good location, though, when you're a student and think the world ends four blocks from campus.

Berkeley Northside Travel - Berkeley, CA (37.8756778, -122.2603949) (UC Campus Area)
4 - evelyn b.: In desperation I called them looking for an affordable airline ticket to Cairo, since all the online sites like Travelocity didn't have anything for less than around $1500.  The man who helped me was very professional (I think he might have been the owner) and was able to save me about $400, even after the $50 fee.  He also arranged hotel accommodations in Frankfurt since I had a layover.  I'll definitely be using their services again the next time I travel internationally.
1 - Daniel L.: I went to Northside travel in search of help for planning a trip to Asia. From the get go, the service was horrible. The guy's name was David Sheperd. All I can say was, RUDE and CONDESCENDING. Seemed like he didn't really want to help me. I wanted to sit down and talk over a potential itinerary I had planned out, but it ended being a lecture on why he can't help me and how I should go on Orbitz and look for the flights myself. He wanted a one-hundred dollar consulting fee if he were to plan the itinerary himself. Maybe I went on the wrong day, but I think I'll take my chances and pass on this one.
4 - Kimberly H.: Old school travel agency. If you're on the younger side, bohemianish, don't come here for ideas - but do come here for deals on air.
2 - Ramon E.: I mailed this agency a couple years ago to help me arrange travel plans for my brother, who I wanted to bring to Asia to see me, and to possibly get help arranging a package tour or similar for us. The person who answered my e-mails was short with me and didn't seem very interested, and his main "help" was the advice that "Two weeks [in Singapore and Thailand] isn't enough to do very much." ?? I didn't really know what to do with that...I guess I wasn't interesting enough of customer to be worth his time? I had money to spend that time, too. Anyway, it really rubbed me the wrong way. I'd shop Orbitz or similar before coming back here.
5 - Wendy H.: I didn't know there were still travel agencies out there! I needed some help with some complicated travel plans to Thailand. I googled Travel Agencies and found Berkeley's Northside Travel. 

The customer service exceeded my expectations! I will never do this type of planning without them again! Michael was patient and creative and solved my problems. He made me a "Raving Fan."

Berkeley Players - Berkeley, CA (37.8697267, -122.2660897) (Downtown Berkeley, UC Campus Area)
5 - Emily J.: I have seen my fair share of improv shows.  In high school, I was much more excited about seeing my school's improv team play that I was to see the football team.  I have also seen a number of grown up improv shows since then.    

I recently saw the Berkeley Players in action and had a fantastic time.  The show was free (bonus!) and held at Saturn Cafe (http://www.yelp.com/biz/saturn-cafe-berkeley) where we were able to enjoy a tasty meal and beverage beforehand.  They performed a wide selection of games and most everyone and everything they did made me laugh.  On more than one occasion I laughed until I cried.  

Berkeley Players are graduates of Berkeley Improv (http://www.yelp.com/biz/berkeley-improv-berkeley).  Either the members of this particular troupe are all naturally hilarious or the Berkeley Improv teacher is magical.  Perhaps a combination of both.  

Keep an eye on their website for upcoming shows.
5 - Tom S.: I recently saw the Berkeley Player's  at The Saturn Café.  They are a very talented troupe of Improv actors that had me practically peeing my pants.  Fortunately I have a strong bladder.  I've never used the word "uproarious", but that pretty-well describes the laughter in the club the night I saw them.  The skits or scenes move quickly and the chemistry among the players is very good.  At the end of the show, each member was  awarded an oven mitt, which seemed to me was an appropriate tchotchke.  The show was free, but  I would  pay to see them again!
5 - foodandwine b.: I've seen this group play since November of last year and all I can say is they are crazy funny. How can something so good be free?? I can only say I will exploit that financial wonderment until it dries up. Scenes entirely in Shakespeare starring Chlaymidius and Gonorrheacleas. Check! First date reenactments proctored by audience members. Check. It's like Who's Line but without the damn ABC censors. Yay!!!!
5 - steven b.: This guys are really, and I say REALLY good. I had sooo much fun at their free improvisation show a couple of weeks ago, quite impressive!

Berkeley Shambhala Meditation Center - Berkeley, CA (37.8680501, -122.266164) (Downtown Berkeley, UC Campus Area)
4 - Charlotte M.: My experience with the Shambhala Center has been through their Practice Night meditation on Wednesdays.  

I'd tried meditation once before as a stressed out grad student in LA.  I remember being so anxious I was shaking while sitting on the floor.  The gruff yoga instructor didn't help things either.  It felt like I was being yelled at in the most calming voice ever.  So I'm all, forget this, and never tried it again while I was in LA.

So when I moved to SF, Brian S, who was attending UCB at the time, suggested we try out this beginner's meditation session.  I was so afraid the same thing would happen that I put it off for months. But I finally went, and I'm so glad I did.

First off, for those unfamiliar with meditation can receive some instruction on sitting meditation before the actual session.  Things like posture, what to focus on, all of that.  The actual session is divided into three parts: a 20 minute sitting meditation, a 5 minute walking meditation, and another 20 minutes sitting meditation.  Afterwards, there's a reading (from like Pema Chodron or another Buddhist teacher) and a discussion on the text, or on the techniques in sitting meditation.  

For me, having this Practice Night helped ease the anxiety of sitting with my thoughts for like an hour or so.  Not to mention the actual act of meditation has helped with my anxiety in general.  But I needed to start small, and this Practice Night is so great with that.  Plus the discussion at the end, where everyone can comment on the reading or give their insights or worries about their life, or their practice, or what have you, is just so nice and wonderful.  

The Practice Night takes place in the studio to the side of the main entrance on Fulton.  This space also includes literature, incense, and other things you can peruse or buy.  The website includes more information on the Practice Night as well as the other offerings at the center.  

If I lived in the East Bay I'd probably check it out more often.  However, I have received the confidence to check out other Buddhist/meditation offerings here in SF because of the Shambhala Center.  This is a calm space to help get to your calm place.
5 - Joel M.: In 2007 I had the good fortune to attend a Qigong workship at the Berkeley Shambhala Center led by Eva Wong.  I was somewhat apprehensive about the physical demands of such a practice since I was 60  years old, overweight, and not in good physical condition.  I found that the qigong was taught in a gentle way with great sensitivity to participants' physical infirmities.  I was quite surprised to find that I felt better after six hours of Qigong than I did before I started and that I was not sore at all the next day.  I was even more surprised to find that the second day of instruction was also invigorating and pain free.  
I have continued to practice this Qigong and have taken additional classes from Eva.  My wife and I both have found that this Qigong practice has made us stronger, healthier, and more flexible.  It has truly improved our lives at a time when we needed it. 

Why am I telling you about this old news?  Because Eva Wong is returning to teach again at the Berkeley Shambhala Center on December 5-6, 2009.  I hope that others can learn to improve their lives as my wife and I were able to.
5 - Kathryn R.: This is one of my favorite places to be. 

I have been attending meditation sessions and classes at the Berkeley Shambhala Center for about 8 years. I originally went there to learn to meditate, and soon began taking classes. I keep coming back. I have met many friends and now feel like an active part of the community. 

There is a good introduction to meditation on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings, plus a variety of classes and visiting teacher throughout the year. If you are interested in learning to meditate, this is a good place to start.
5 - Jennifer P.: Loved, loved, loved it here.

Great people and so welcoming to a new meditator.

The reading and group discussion post meditation was great and helped keep me on my path.

I will definitely return.
5 - Jordan R.: Very nice place.

Berkeley Sports - Berkeley, CA (37.8680363, -122.263853) (UC Campus Area)
4 - Kat C.: I've often gone there to quick pick up socks or swim caps on the way to the recreational sports facility. They have tennis balls too!
Worth going since it's small, but has most things people need.
4 - Tim C.: Michael is one of the owners here and always is accommodating, whether its for shoes in your size,  or knocking a buck or two off if you buy several things.  Racket stringing is quick and professional.  The yellow zone out front helps too, when you just want to run in and out quickly.
4 - Steven T.: Not exactly the biggest selection in the world, but they do have a decent selection of shoes and many that are on sale.  Various sports and fitness equipment  (basketballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, tennis balls, etc...) and tennis racket stringing.  The owner is very helpful and even though he did not carry what I was looking for (wrestling shoes) he was able to point me in the right direction.
5 - Mont A.: I'm a big fan of Berkeley Sports.  I've always found the proprietor and staff friendly and helpful, and they sure pack a wide variety of equipment, given their space.  The convenient location, just a block away from U.C. Berkeley's main gym, is a big plus too.

My fiancee and I bought badminton rackets there today (on sale, by the way, at a very nice price), and they even taped the handles for free on the spot.  A very nice finishing touch.
5 - Dan B.: It's tough to beat Mike and Berkeley Sports.  What really stands out though is the great customer service.  Mike will go out of his way to make sure you are happy with your experience in his shop.  

That doesn't mean you should expect to walk in at 5:45 and ask to have your racket strung and waiting for you at 10am the next day.  But he would try to make it happen if it was possible.   

Good selection across the board.  Not a huge selection but what is there covers all the bases and the selection is alway well thought out.  That means the shelves aren't full of stuff you probably don't need or want.  What is there are good options so the bottom line is you have good choices.
5 - Yoko S.: Thanks for Yelp's reviews. I bought a tennis racket here and the guy was very knowledgeable, helped me with finding a nice racket for me. After a lesson, I realized the grip was slightly too small for me, and I bought a tape. It was a different person from the first time and he was very nice as well.
5 - Buzz B.: One of the best shopping locations in Berkeley, and hands down the best in sports category. The customer service is awesome - both guys I see there are super-friendly, humorous and knowledgeable about the subject. They are able to recommend what's best for you, and it isn't "just go for X, it's most expensive". And yes, they do discounts if you buy several things at once.

As everyone else says, the selection is not huge (it's just one small room after all), but they cover all the bases and all the stuff they carry is of good quality.
5 - Maeve H.: This is what I remember sports shops to be...nothing fancy or swish but extremely knowledgeable staff. I got my racquet re-strung here after another shop did a pretty rubbish job. The guy threw in a free grip and spoke to me at length about string varieties and tensions. 
Plus it feels great to be supporting local business knowing that people who are good at their chosen trade can hopefully continue to do so. A Berkeley gem.
5 - Alex T.: I have been here a couple of times,once to buy a soccer ball for a friend, once to buy swimming goggles, once to get workout gloves, and most recently to get my tennis racket restrung.  And every single, the guys there have always been amazing!  Friendly, personable, and knowledgeable.  They give you the level of customer service that you won't see at the big chain sport stores.  This is what mom-and-pop stores are all about!  Sure you'll be paying a bit extra since it isn't a big mall chain, but at the same time I don't mind supporting a local business when I feel that I get service above and beyond what I would find anywhere else!
5 - R C.: I hate shopping, and I still had a great shopping experience here. The owner (?) was unbelievably friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable and spent time helping me pick out the best shoes for my needs. The prices were reasonable as well.
3 - Mel H.: Helpful and all.

The only thing that was annoying was their "minimum purchase" policy to use a card -- and the guy who got a little curt with it. The rest of the staff was super friendly. I put just enough money in the meter to come in and buy my stuff -- only to have to run around to find an ATM, deal with the parking meter and come back to buy my stuff after an extra 20 minute ordeal. 

This is a breach of contract with Mastercard...
http://www.mastercard.com/us/business/en/common/faq.html#211
5 - Jp K.: these guys are sansei like me, so right away i feel in the zone, altho, curiously, they couldn't give me a rec for good j-grub.  i gave them temari (see my reviews) instead.

i bought a b-ball and a tennis racket from them and they threw in a 4 can of balls free.  cool.

personable, down to earth and indie owned.  support berkeley sports, peeps!

as with much of berkeley, though, allow for parking.
5 - David N.: "Coach, I'll play better if I get a new racket!" So many of the students who are in my player development program want to get the newest and most expensive tennis rackets. I tell them to remember that it is strings that touch the ball. Go see Mike at Berkeley Sports.

The stringer(s) Berkeley Sports consistently string my sticks exactly the way I want them. And if I'm not sure, Mike, knows what to do. He can suggest different strings and how many pounds to string it at to get the best playability. When I have a "senior moment" and forget what string set up I use, Mike keeps a list.

With all this expertise, Berkeley Sports has the best prices for string jobs. Like, at least, 25% less than others in town.

Berkeley Sports loses one star since they don't have a big selection of rackets. But they get the star back with a huge inventory of shoes in almost every size. Open 7 days a week. Support local businesses.
5 - William W.: This sports shop is so convenient, because of it's location is across from the campus gyms and sport courts. Also, its convenient for local Berkeleyans or Bay Area athletics for their sporting goods. I have passed by here for a couple of times from the Bart station nearby to visit some of my friends' apartments or dorms.

There were many sports equipments such as basketballs, footballs, volleyballs, table tennis balls/paddles, tennis rackets, sports shoes, sport clothes, and few other equipments.

I visited Berkeley Sports one time with a friend who purchased a basketball to play at People's Park, which is another convenient location for basketball players.

Yesterday, I've came here to purchase a basketball pump, (it's basically usable for footballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, or bicycle, so basically it's an inflating pump with hose & needle) and a 10 lbs smartbell (dumbell, for people who are shallow about the intelligence of practical objects)

What I've enjoyed about this store is the great customer service of the staff and cash register. He is a really helpful and honest towards his customers. The second time I've visited the store, I was looking for a basketball with a build-in pump. However, it was unavailable, because the same staff I visited yesterday said the pump is easy to break, so the shop keepers no longer have a basketball with a build-in pump in stock.

The staff ensured that his customers are satisfied with the product, especially when he allowed one of the customers to test out the running shoes, and giving suggestions for which tennis racket is suitable for another customer.

The staff showed me the functions of the ball pump, and gave me an extra needle for free in case I lose the first one. It's also convenient, because I can store a needle in the handle sealed by a cap.

I'm satisfied with the two products I've purchased, because of the fact that the pump is functional and the dumbell is good for my workouts (or torturing me by making me tired).

For all beginner/intermediate/advance athletic enthusiasts out there, come by and support a local business!
5 - Fille C.: From pull-up bars to running socks this place has your sporting needs covered.  -Well, unless you need heavy equipment but you get me, no?
5 - Lisa K.: Bought a swimsuit and goggles here. The owner is really nice, friendly, and helpful!

All swimsuits were on sale even though I bought my swimsuit during a heat wave.... even TYR and Speedo products!

I'll definitely be back to support this local business that values and supports students.
5 - Mitch V.: I moved to LA a few years back, and one of the worst things about that move (and there were plenty of bad things about it), is that I could no longer just cruise over to Berkeley Sports to buy running shoes.  Now I'm back up north, and one of the first things I did was go there to get new shoes.  The prices are excellent, Mike is incredibly knowledgeable, and I always feel like I get the best pair of shoes for me at the right price.  Just an awesome place
5 - Elizabeth R.: I visited this store to buy a pair of running shoes.  I found a great pair with the help of Mike who was really knowledgable and nice.  He knew all about athletic shoes and recommended me a pair based on my needs.  If I ever need any other sporting goods in the future I will definitely check here first!
5 - Stephanie P.: Absolutely phenomenal customer service.  I can't say enough good things about Berkeley Sports.  I just bought a pair of indoor court shoes here and was again floored by the wonderful service.  Jim (thanks Jim!) spent 25 minutes with me as I sought the right shoe.  He asked the right questions to figure out what kind of shoe I needed (court not running), teaching me the differences between them and advising me on the fit, durability, and even proper socks to go with them.  Finally, he suggested that I test them at home to make sure they were right.  When I did and decided they were a smidge too big, I brought them back for an exchange 1/2 size down --which Jim effected with a grand SMILE and again fabulous service, helping me every step (har har) of the way!
4 - Jerry L.: Yes this shop is fairly expensive, and as a competitive tennis player who breaks strings very often, stringing for $25-50 is kind of a turn-off. BUT the storekeepers are AWESOME. They are nice, they are helpful, they engage the customers in conversation, and are overall just super. So really an awesome attitude can sometimes just be the deciding point for purchasing something at an expensive place!
5 - Luthien N.: I did a little Yelp research before going to Berkeley Sports, but in all honesty I ended up going in large part because it was the only sports store that sold tennis rackets anywhere in the downtown Berkeley area and I didn't want to drive (not that the glowing reviews were not a good sign).  But wow, now i want more reasons to go there!  After staring blankly at the racket options for about 10 seconds, an employee asked me if i needed help and every previous Yelp review came true: he was SO helpful, extremely aware of my budget (even tried talking me into a cheaper racket than I wanted to buy), threw in some free tennis balls to get me going...I'm generally adverse to salespeople in stores because I don't like feeling pressured and I want to take my time, but this was the opposite of that in every way because it was so low key and useful. 

The store itself is small, but they pack a lot in, from tennis rackets to various types of balls to a surprisingly large shoe selection, even some clothes.  This store embodies the reasons to support local businesses: exceptional service, convenient, thoughtful product selection, and I know the money is going right back into my community.
5 - Amy G.: Local stores are so nice! They have a charm and friendliness that large department stores can just never achieve. 

I came in the morning to look at foam rollers, but didn't buy one at the time. For being a small store, though, their inventory is impressive and even more comprehensive than some larger chains. For example, they had not just one or two models of rollers, but a range of densities, massage levels, and prices. After doing some scouting later that day at other sports stores in the area and also researching prices online, I concluded that Berkeley Sports' prices were competitive and even comparable to those of Amazon. Needless to say, I returned later that day to buy my desired roller. 

The owner of the store is so amicable, and without being overbearing. Win for immediate gratification of buying in person, and supporting a community operation. I can definitely see how it's been in business for so long.

Berkeley Student Food Collective - Berkeley, CA (37.8684351, -122.2606426) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
5 - Lee T.: Great little "hole in the wall" collective grocery store. Anyone can shop; those who work receive a discount.

When I went in on their fourth day open, the store was well stocked with produce, bulk items, packaged goods and refrigerated items. They are not huge, so you don't see eight types of rice, but they stock a broad selection of "essentials." Everything they carry is organic, and they try to purchase locally sourced products when possible.

Their produce comes from Veritable Vegatable's "150" list, which means all the produce they carry comes from within 150 miles.

They are off to a good start. If you value collectives, shop there to help them succeed.

Parking can be terrible, since they are in the south campus area, but if you park in the garage between Durant and Channing (just west of Telegraph), you can take the walkway next to Yogurt Park to get to Bancroft, so you're really only one block away from the store.
5 - Monica F.: Well I'll be damned, it's finally here! 

There are plenty of items to choose from, ranging from bulk stuffs to produce to even some to-go lunch options! Don't expect the Food Collective to have the same assortment of products as Berkeley Bowl or Whole Foods, but for their size, they pack a pretty big punch with selection.

Now, what I consider even better than their selection are their prices. Strolling in there after my three back to back classes and spending less than three dollars for an all organic lunch comprised of fresh produce? Count me in! 

The workers here are helpful, insightful, and primarily student volunteers. Which, let me add, is really great to see. 

Yet another collective that will hopefully blossom!
4 - Jennifer W.: Good going! The student food collective is finally here after all these years with reasonably priced offerings.

Arizmendi and Nabolom pastries often $1 or even $0.75
Thanksgiving Coffee Company coffee cup $1.50
4 - Kenneth R.: The four-star rating perfectly describes my relationship to this enterprise.  I'm a fan and a supporter!  I've been in several times to buy coffee, pastry and produce.  There are often good values, such as $1 bags of produce that looks "old" but might be just coming into middle age.  The coffee, from the Thanksgiving Coffee Company, is most welcome, but kind of over-roasted and oily tasting.  The pastries, sourced from Nabalom, are not uplifting.  But there's yogurt and milk from Straus http://www.strausfamilycreamery.com/ , and all sorts of other things that you'll be happy to see.  And coming here is the right thing to do!

The Collective has been open for something like a month, so there are still growing pains.  I hope that it continues to improve!

By the way, today (December 17) is the last day that they'll be open until January 17, when Cal starts its spring semester.  There are major bargains today, like 25-cent pastries.  Come and get 'em!
5 - Jason R.: Fight the power! No, really, they did. And won. They helped keep a chain with questionable practices off UC Berkeley's campus. (Too bad about Peet's, though. I could go off on some of their sourcing and marketing based on that sourcing, but..)

So I made sure to swing by on their last open day of the year. I grabbed a locally made burrito with organic ingredients out of the cooler and an apple for a snack. They let people use their microwave, although... It's a commercial microwave. Generally, people don't realize the strength. The woman at the counter warned me multiple times. They have to clean up food explosions often. Take care, and start with a *short* time. While they say 90s for one of their burritos, 1m left mine quite toasty.

They had a good collection of groceries for what looked like good (for Berkeley) prices. The produce was limited, but it's *winter*. Even the bay area slows down in winter. Prices and produce will never match a large farmers' market like Concord's, but this store is open almost every day.

The trash from my to-go lunch? Compostable, so I found an appropriate can for disposal.  I really wish this extension of the local food coop table had been here way, way, way back when I still lived near campus. Way back. Um, some of the kids running the place likely were entering middle school. erm. yeah. eep.
5 - Rishi C.: Picked up two packages of local tofu (Tofu Yu) and a pack of Glee gum; price was reasonable, staff was friendly, and the ambiance is actualization of a pretty good balance.
5 - Austin W.: My search for cheap delicious, dense muffins has finally stopped. Thank you Berkeley Student Food Collective! 

Two day old muffins can be had at a price of $1.50, or $0.75 each. Though I bought two, I enjoyed one exponentially better than the other one (chocolate chip walnut over a oatmeal like muffin). Unlike muffins you find at most places which are airy, these muffins are super dense and will definitely make you feel full afterwards. Also, though I don't know the calorie count, I'm 100% sure they're infinitely healthier than the muffin's you'll find at Costco which have more than 600 calories, of which a large amount is from sugar and fats. Bleh!

Considering the other stuff being sold in the store... it's not the cheapest, but I approve of the business. If you've never gone here before, the place might be easy to pass by but make sure you check it out. It's *right* across from Echelman Hall and you're sure to find a delicious snack inside.
5 - Iknowasianfood C.: I totally support what this place stands for and what it's aiming to do. They have some pretty good pastries and staples such as flour, salt, granola, and other grains here. They also have a number of other organic, locally produced, or environmentally friendly products from soap to cereal to some seasonal produce. Everything may not be the most inexpensive, but you can feel good supporting them and not worry about where your money is going.
3 - Maryam R.: i love their stuff..only issue is their staff. They all seem totally stoned or not caring. I have been in here about three times, and each time, I was either totally ignored, had to ask for help, and after checking out, was not offered a receipt or bag (three people working, no body else in the store). This is totally unacceptable and they should work on that...otherwise..good stuff, crappy service
4 - Jenny Z.: Props for convenience, selling healthier snacks, selected bulk foods delicious pastries from local bakeries, organic/fair trade produce from farmer's market.

I like coming to Student Food Collective to fill up on trail mix, legumes and rice when I don't have time to run to Berkeley Bowl and Whole Foods on week day. Produce looks a little old, could definitely be more fresh. Occasionally, I see wilting vegetables in the fridge. Despite being small, they have a HUGE variety of snacks and drinks. They also sell yogurt, milk, almond milk, premade lunches and sandwiches. Although I've never purchased their food yet...

Day off pastries are cheaper (~$0.50 to $0.75) and are pretty good! I really like the mini baked donuts, apple walnut cake and NABALOM PASTIRES! mm!

Items are expensive, but generally priced similarly to larger grocery markers. There's a $5 minimum for purchases made by credit card. Check it out!
5 - Gwen v.: It's no secret that I love the Food Collective. I'm in there daily! My favorite products are the local and organic veggies, the cheap and organic bulk items (especially the yogurt peanuts...), and the mass amounts of fair trade chocolate! It's awesome that so many students and non-students in the East Bay run the Food Collective with their 2-hour weekly effort. The store is the product of so many people's visions! Go BSFC!
4 - Diana C.: Very awesome place! I like the whole concept of this place. I came here the other day and bought a pretty tasty tofu curry sandwich with spinach and mushroom. This place has a little of everything. It has produce, nuts, prepared food, boxed food, and coffee. The prices are a little pricey though. Also the staff like to talk to themselves a lot. They don't really approach the customers...
4 - Kevin R.: The Food Collective, for me, is the spot for $1 coffee (that doesn't taste like $1 coffee!), healthy snacks, and the occasional grocery while I'm in-between class at Cal. Though I don't primarily shop there for groceries, I bought some nutritional yeast when I knew I didn't have time to make it to the store and the price was equivalent if not slightly cheaper. The people are generally friendly and the last time I went they had these amazing muffins with chucks of rhubarb in them. At least I think it was rhubarb. I hope they have those the next time I go...
5 - Sydney M.: The BSFC is so amazing! You HAVE to check it out if you're a college student...Or anyone!
I've been really busy this semester and it's been hard for me find time to go all the way to the grocery store. Instead I just stop by the conveniently located Food Collective and pick up whatever ingredients I need for dinner a couple times a week or grab a delicious sandwich for lunch.
The food collective has tons of great produce, awesome bulk items that are a really good deal, and so much more!  And it's all great quality!
I especially love the chocolate covered cocoa nibs and pesto tofu!! Way too good. Definitely stop by!
5 - Mika C.: The Berkeley Student Food Collective is awesome! It is right across the street from campus and such a convenient spot to get local organice produce and bulk items for cheap. Also, they have a huge selection of fair trade chocolate and $1 cups of Yerba Mate (I know of no where else in berkeley where you can get pre-made cups of hot mate).
4 - carla b.: Went in to buy a study snack during finals. The deliver guy from Tofu Yu was there and  he recommended the quinoa sushi, I was more eager to buy Tofu Yu items because it was just delivered and fresh. Came out with the Tofu Yu Gluten free quinoa sushi, Spicy Curry veggie wraps and Divine chocolate. The quinoa sushi was sooooo goood. I was not disappointed. Try it for yourself. Only minor downside of this place is the items are pricey (normal for sustainable food). Willing to pay the price for quality.
5 - Annabelle S.: I love the BSFC! I come here for my bulk items (cheaper or same price as berkeley bowl), my organic fresh produce which comes from within 250 miles of berkeley! And it's cheaper than the organic section at BB too! Delicious fresh bread from metropolis. Nabalom baked goods! Day old baked goodies for $1. Kleen Kanteens for $10. How can I not love this place?! OH and they Make their own sandwiches FRESH everyday only using ingredients from the store. 

And the volunteers (BSFC is volunteer run) are always friendly and making conversation. Thank you BSFC for being so tasty friendly well-priced and convenient!
5 - Lilah G.: This place has the best freshly made sandwiches ever!! Also great prices on organic bulk items and [local] produce.
4 - Jerry A.: BSFC has a limited selection of food, but that is exactly what makes them sustainable. Or so I think!
I purchased the $3.99 vegan bagel sandwich, which came with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and baba ghanoush. It was very good!
5 - Cathy H.: Posed with a dilemma: $6 to spend in the Asian Ghetto, at a Shattuck eatery...not quite enough for a sit-down meal at Naan n Curry, not worth the sugar crash of double fisted pastries at a bakery....

But so, so, so worth the piece of fruit and box of cereal at the Food Collective, sprinkled with a little conversation with the super nice student staffers working here. It's tiny, so be aware that your giant backpack might knock a box of organic whatevers off the shelves here and there. The store seems to do well with their by the pound offerings (the granola is fairly priced with precise ingredient lists for the allergy-prone), produce (slim pickings by the time I passed through in the late afternoon), and organic snacks (Annie's, Nature's Path, higher-end cookies and chips). If I were a student not on the meal plan, I'd come here and spot them the extra dollar here or there to keep this very admirable project alive.

Berkeley Thai House - Berkeley, CA (37.8670609, -122.2583894) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
5 - Allison K.: This is my favorite Thai place in the Bay Area.  They have the best pad-see-ew (sp?) and cashew nut chicken.  There's usually not a huge wait and the service is excellent.  The thai ice teas are pretty bomb too...I really have nothing but good things to say about this place.
4 - Tracy Y.: This was the first restaurant I ever ate at in Berkeley, and I've eaten there many times since, but it remains my favorite Thai place.  Like Allison B. said before me, the pad see ew is absolutely delicious, and their barbeque chicken is also way, way tasty, with a huge portion for the price.  Sticky rice with mango, a dessert staple at most Thai restaurants, is truly excellent here during the right season.  The atmosphere is great, little decorative touches going a long way to set the mood, and the front patio area is a lovely place to sit when the weather is nice.
4 - Kathleen M.: The basil beef and mushroom chicken are excellent. There's a chicken dish on their specials menu (Siam chicken) that should be avoided at all costs. It's weirdly spiced and inedible. When I was in college the garlic pepper pork was about my favorite food anywhere.
4 - Kerry N.: i second Anne S! Thai House's fried rice is delicious! it's a little greasier than traditional, Chinese fried rice but the taste is at once more delicate and more flavorful. squeeze a little lime on top and you're in for some crotch-kickingly good eats. also try their spicy eggplant tofu! so so good. only 4 stars because thai house is considerably more pricey than most of the other thai places in berkeley.
4 - Jill k.: good thai, good prices.
4 - Debbie Y.: Great for when you're in the mood for a sit down restaurant, of which there aren't that many in the area.  Very accomodating to large groups too.
4 - Shyam P.: Pretty good thai food for reasonable prices.  It is usually full of Berkeley undergrads and their families.  I like their beef with spinach and peanut sauce dish.  The pepper garlic pork is great too (like the dude below said).
3 - Ryo M.: I don't get the hype about this place. Sure, they have pretty good pad see-ew. But the rest of our order -- the fried rice and chili/spicy beef -- was forgettable. Large portions, but you pay the price.
2 - Jo T.: Not a bad Thai restaurant.  The place was kind of dirty.  Food was good.
4 - Dan Y.: I LOVE Thai Iced tea. It's my favorite ethnic beverage. Never been a big fan of horchata or chai but the iced tea, yes. There's only one problem with thai iced for me - it sets off a time bomb in my stomach. Every time I order it I know I'm flirting with danger, which is why I calculate the probability of reaching a clean facility within 45 minutes of ingestion. Life is tough when the things you love the most cause such pain.
2 - nicole k.: I have been to Thai House many times and kept coming back because their pad thai and garlic pepper pork is one of the best I've had.  We've been here with friends, family, for graduation parties and work lunches with an overall fair experience in terms of service.  

I made a reservation for a going-away party and had a pleasant experience with the woman on the phone.  She was very courteous, but when our party got there it was a whole other experience.  I felt like I was buying a used car from the gentelman who took our order.  Even though we ordered an appetizer and some of us ordered drinks, he told us there had to be a minimum of one order per person.  I would be fine with it if it were really a rule applied to all patrons and adhered by all staff. On their menu it says a minimum of $5 per person, NOT one order.  He said he'd "give us a break" by letting us get 9 orders (I think after overhearing us complain).  To top it off, when we paid our bill -- we gave an additional over the 15% gratutity that is automatically added to groups of 6 or more -- the woman came over and said we were short when we had actually given them more!!  It is not only rude in front of a group, it showed how inept she was to come over before counting it twice.  Luckily, I was with a group of friends, but I would be utterly embarassed if I took a large group of my family and coworkers - for such a horrible experience!
4 - Wendy H.: This is the true story, of... where they used to hold auditions for "The Real World" back in the day.  Yup, right here at Thai House.  Food is great, dishes have lots of flavor and a nice splurge for any college student since it's a pretty nice restaurnat and NOT inside the ghetto food court.  If you've got parents in town, this is a good place for y'all to lunch or dine (but not wine.)  Any curry dish here is great, and of course...let's never forget about the Thai iced tea.  Let's face it, any good Thai meal wouldn't be the same w/o sips of the frickin' awesome iced tea.  mmm..mmm.
1 - Mark P.: On a strong recommendation from a friend, I tried this place three times.  Each time I got a lunch special, and each time it was disappointing.  One time I had the chile beef, supposedly a house specialty, but it really tasted like mediocre mongolian beef with basil substituted for onions. Another time I had prawns with red bell peppers, baby corn, and oyster sauce -- nothing was very good individually (I'm sure the peppers were frozen and the corn canned) nor did anything go well together.  One time I had the basil chicken with chiles, onions, etc. and that at least was okay, but still I certainly would not go back there again.
4 - elle s.: yummy and cheap praram tofu.

this is my favorite place to get praram tofu in the east bay/san francisco so far.  i hardly eat anything else when i go this restaurant, since i can't get peanut-sauced tofu yumminess this good anywhere else!

the peanut sauce is apparently made on site, according to one of the male staff there.  it is not spicy, but creamy with the right amount of fluidity, and sweet.  i order this with rice, and it is superbly yummy together.    at lunch time, the deal is superbly cheap, and is just the right amount plus a little extra to take home.  dinner is only a few dollars more, but too much for me, could last a few meals of leftovers.

customer service is good -- they are attentive and quick to seat you, and are never too far away should you need the staff's assistance.  seating is available both inside and outside on their balcony, which is great for warm weather.  there are heat lamps outside for the cold evenings which are nice and toasty.

parking is not good in this neighborhood due to the busy-ness of being near the university of california only a handful of blocks away.  better take bart, ride a bicycle, a motorcycle/scooter, or a bus (the 51 that goes up durant nearby).
4 - Louise G.: Got up late on a Saturday morning so we looked for a place in Berekely to eat lunch.   Dropped in at the Thai House.  We sat outside and the weather was perfect. The Thai ice tea is good.  Sweet but not too sweet.

We ordered the Roast duck. It was really good. I would eat this again. Served with Rice and over cabbage it's perfectly cooked. The sweet soy sauce isn't really needed but it was a nice touch.

Also tried the rice noodles (pad se ew) . It was good. I've had it before at other places and it's one of my favorite dishes.  We only had two dishes so it's tough to really judge someplace on two dishes.  The roast duck was really good so I'll up the rating to 4 stars just for that. 

They don't serve a whole lot of food, so there's no extras and it's not served family style.  But over all was a good experience and I'd go back to try some other things. The desserts looked good.
4 - decoux m.: I really did enjoy this food.  The service was wonderful and I loved being seated on the patio to enjoy the beautiful day.  The prices were reasonable (that's the only thing all those students is good for.. heheh) and the food was great!  Flavorful and fun, a good choice for Thai, although I have other favorites...
3 - amy l.: The people at Thai House are really nice.  They hosted our intern banquet last year and were able to work within our budget.  The food was great and there were leftovers!
1 - Andrew Y.: Didn't get off to a good start when I called for an order for delivery. I was told that they could not deliver. So I was thinking that it was busy and they were swamped. To substitute for the no delivery, I was offered free thai ice tea. 

I then went to pick up my order. To my surprise, the restaurant was not busy and there were plenty of people working in this restaurant. When I went to pay for the food, I pulled out my credit card and was told "our credit machine..." so I gave the look. The look of death. I was visibly not pleased. Luckily, I had cash. Then my free thai ice tea. It was only one! One thai ice tea! Clearly, I had enough food to feed three or four people. I asked if I could have one more. The employee had the nerve to tell me that she could do it this time, but next time she would not be able to. I thought to myself, there would not be a next time. 

As for the food, it really wasn't that good. The Pad Thai, too much fish sauce. The duck, surprisingly good. But overall, sub-par. 

So, you should not fill your hungry void with food from this place. Marginal service, marginal food. Keep reading my reviews for good choices to make!
3 - Andrea G.: 3.5 stars -- Good food at good prices.

I've come here on several occassions - dates, birthdays, out of town visitors - and have always enjoyed my food. Its a good place to dine and get away from the Asian ghetto once in a while, but is still very affordable for the college students. On a sunny day, its nice to grab lunch out on the patio with some thai iced tea. The calamaries are right on (not all rubbery like some places) and their bbq pork dish is very tastey as well. If you have room for dessert try their tempura ice cream. It's a simple dish, but yummy. They don't make the tempura batter too thick. Thumbs up for this place.
2 - Suavecito m.: A solid thai place but I have other favorites throughout the Bay. The garlic peppered beef is a favorite at this restaurant and I'd highly reccomend it. This place gets very busy especially during Football saturday's and other big Cal events.
4 - Pete C.: Sawatdee!

Berkeley Thai house doesn't exactly qualify as cheap college food. The prices are moderate by normal standards, but not something your average college kid would eat on a daily basis. But if you're a poor college kid and you want to take a date out, this a good option.

Within walking distance of campus, the Berkeley Thai house has nice decor. They even have a nice deck during those warm summer nights.

The food is quite authentic and if you ever get the food Thai spicy, be ready to call 911. Everything is quite good here so you can't go wrong.
4 - Evan K.: This place is pricey, but the food is really good.  If you're in this neighborhood of Berkeley, you really have two choices when it comes to Thai food: Thai Basil, or Thai House.  Thai House is by far the more upscale of the two, and has some better dishes too.

The atmosphere is really nice here, and I've gone here a number of times for people's birthdays or special events for work.  If you want delicious Thai food in a nice setting, visit Thai House.
2 - Ezra Justin L.: Food: 
Have the basics of Thai here. Solid tastes. Not anything out of the norm. Just your average Thai food. Pad Thai is pretty tasty and meats I have eaten here tend not to be ovecooked, which is good, and noodles pretty firm(also good), and rice, fresh. All plus signs on those. Flavors you will find here are more simple and if you're looking for a place to just eat simple, good, and predictably yummy, come to the Thai House. 
 
The desserts are pretty idiosyncratic and nonetheless, excellent. Try the fried ice cream or the fried banana(a little mushy). It is not like your conventional tempura ice cream or other fried ice cream and comes in coconut flavor. Enjoyable, for sure! Other desserts are more Thai and less western-influenced(like fried ICE CREAM, which isn't in my best guess traditionally Thai). However you wanna walk on the wild side a little, go for it. You're actually not risking too much because they're also pretty yum yum to the tum tum.  

Decor:
It is dimly set in a traditional Thai themed interior design. Nothing fancy shmancy or impressive, honestly. Usually busy at regular lunch and dinner hours. Noisy but not raucous. Well, maybe sometimes. If you're looking for more intimate, go during less busy hours like before 5pm (weekday most likely) or after 8pm's dinner rush.

Service:
Service is a little disappointing usually. Yet, when it is less busy, they are usually good about refilling waters and taking orders promptly. But normally, Thai House is not too service oriented. If anything, they're a little rush rush, eat your food and get out. But not horrible. Decent.

Cost: 
This is a cheap eat. The average $7-$14(maybe more for the seafood or more special plates) per entree. Appetizers are good too. Apps and dessert will push the cost up a little but, overall, affordable, dependable, predictably delicious.

Overall:
Value-wise, this place is pretty fantastic. But I do weigh the food/cuisine/taste part of my evaluation pretty heavily. So with that, I give it 2/5 stars because it's not so crude or bad to get 0 or 1 star, but it is average and sometimes better than average, enough to get 2/5 stars. Conventional Thai and Thai-American(this is probably more Americanized Thai than Thai food actually from Thailand.) food, average decor, and decent service. Are you feeling Asian? Are you feeling cheap? Eat Asian, eat cheap, at Thai House.
3 - Cris L.: Some friends of mine really like this place, so I've been here often. I don't mind that, the food is adequate. But there's so many Thai places in Berkeley, it's difficult to understand how a place with awkward service like this can be so popular.
1 - neil o.: The peanut sauce on my tofu pra ram was disgustingly sweet. The only hint of peanut flavor was from the small bit of crumbled peanuts on top. Otherwise it just tasted like some kind of candy syrup. I had a Coke with lunch, for whatever reason, and the sauce was literally sweeter than the Coke. I felt ill. I'd like to think I eat a lot of peanut sauce, and this was the worst I've had.

The other dishes might be great though, who knows.
4 - Marguerite W.: Everything I've ever had has been amazing-especially the eggplant dishes (I've tried a few) and the Thai style broccoli! Try any curry dish too, there are variations in spice so don't fret! 

Family style with a group is the way to go!  The service is good, the food is easy, casual and wont hit your wallet too hard!

You also MUST have  a Thai iced tea!
3 - Lindsay T.: I officially hate Thai food.  It makes me so bloated the next day that I just can't stand it, and now, unfortunately Berkeley Thai House has to take the brunt of this hatred.  I ate there last night, I was disappointed by the lack of variation between all the seafood dishes - almost all were shrimp with vegetable and some different sauce.
5 - Dorothy P.: I must warn you that I am alway starving when we come here, so I might not be very objective.  That being said... 

We traditionally come here after a long day of rafting on the Sacramento River, so we are always ready for large amounts of food by the time we get here. 

And we always leave happy.  They have great Thai Iced Tea, and everything we get is faboo.  Maybe I should get Guri here to review this place... he's much tougher a critic than I!
4 - Stephanie W.: FOOD:  Authentic, and yummy.

SERVICE:  Good.

AMBIANCE:  Very cute little place with it's own patio.
5 - Khrissy V.: This Thai establishment holds a special place in my heart. The best Thai food in Berkeley - the only Thai place I frequented when I was an undergrad. Martin, the guy who owns it is always all smiles.

The beef salad is the boooooomb.
3 - Megan S.: This review is for the delivery only. The delivery was a 5 star experience for me. They seem to be the only campus eatery with a map of campus -- they delivered right to the building! I'm usually stuck hauling food from a major intersection to the buildings. So 5 star delivery for you Berkeley Thai house!

The food was OK (the spicy eggplant was a standout) and if you're ordering for a large group you can get a lot for your money. However, the food wasn't good enough for me to actively seek this place out. If you organize a lot of campus events, this is a good place to order from.
5 - amy l.: i'm not sure why but this is my favorite thai restaurant in the east bay.  i think it might be the endless red hot tea, which i have yet to find its equal (what kind of tea is that?  i can't find it anywhere!).  as a vegetarian, i find their tofu dishes superb.   the red vegetable curry is divine. 

i also book the thai house for large group dinners for my company after we do events @ UC.  they are AWESOME serving large groups (as long as you give them warning/make a reservation) and it's super cheap for group meals (compared to say, Shen Hua). Our clients always RAVE about it afterward, esp. the seafood, although i can't speak to that myself.
3 - Wendy L.: It's a pretty good deal that the average price per dish is ~$8 but it is expensive compared to the food ghetto and the other surrounding places, but the food and ambiance is also better...making this place one of the few "date" places on the Southside of campus.  But that's not why my friends and I were there - we wanted a quality, quick, sit-down bite to eat before the Arcade Fire concert!

We had the coconut milk soup, pad see ew, red curry and prawns with green beans; the pad see ew was the best entree by far.  Everything else was solid and tasty.  The desserts were actually really yummy - fried coconut ice cream and my favorite - mango with sticky rice.  I know it's so bad for you, but they cover the rice in condensed milk.  Delish.
3 - Drew O.: As far as sit down dinners go, this place is pretty good. Expect pretty standard Thai offerings, nothing spectacular. They have a great patio area if the weather is nice. Small point, watch out for the squid. They didn't clean mine very well, and got a mouthful of grit when I decided to sample the sauce. Yurgh. Other than that, good standard Thai fare.
3 - Nick H.: I've always really wanted to like the Berkeley Thai House, but I never really seem to want to come back. I can't seem to place it... the food is decent, but just not the type that makes you crave it like other Thai restaurants.
3 - Shinny L.: Grossly underrated by me when I was in college, this place is pretty darned good!!  :)
4 - Tina P.: We came here on a Friday summer evening around 6pm, so there weren't many customers. The three of us ordered the pad thai, red curry with chicken, and a beef dish I believe was called praram long song. All were very delicious, but I probably wouldn't get the red curry again. The thai tea here is great. They charge $1 a person for jasmine rice, but it's never-ending, and the three of us were really satisfied after the first pot. Service was quite good when we came here--the waiters always made sure our glasses were filled with water, but probably because there weren't many customers at the time. I would definitely recommend this place over Thai Basil, even though it's a bit pricier.
1 - spiff e.: berkeley thai house was not our dinner destination of choice. i had originally suggested ryowa because i wanted some butter corn ramen. but one of the girls doesn't like ramen, so i deferred to her preferences and we settled on berkel berkel, our usual spot. but they were closed! so we were left to walk around and find some other place. one of the other girls pointed out thai house and since we were all deliriously hungry, we all just decided to walk in. (keep in mind, the original non-ramen-liking girl hates thai food as well. so i totally could have dragged her to ryowa and she would have been at the worst, equally unhappy.)

so that started off my dining experience on a bitter note. and i couldn't find anything on the menu that i was salivating over so i just went with a simple pad thai and thai iced tea. simple enough, right? well, that's what i thought. iced tea was fine and dandy. and the pad thai looked like any other typical pad thai dish. but once i started eating it, it became quite obvious that it was overly and unnecessarily sweet. in an attempt to make lemonade out of this lemon of a dish, i squeezed all of my lemon wedge over the noodles, but still, too sweet!! i could only finish maybe half of it before my tongue told my stomach that it had had enough.

so sad. i even enjoyed my somewhat soggy six-hour old sandwich eaten along the river bank, more than i enjoyed the food here.
4 - shane c.: I like Thai House. The food is always good and they have some unique specials. I like the pad thai, crab fried rice and pineapple fried rice. The atomosphere is great.  They have large tables for big groups, and outdoor seating.  Way better than Thai Basil.
4 - Brock H.: been goin' here for years...can't say I get much outside of the Gai Yang and yellow curry...that being said get out and get some in this nice intimate spot.
4 - Jay M.: I just had this for lunch earlier today and I'm still burping Garlic Pepper Pork...and it's still good. Earlier this week I had the Pad Se Ew and it was the best (it always has been). It's no wonder Thai House is the favorite of many locals. 

Don't order the Garlic Pepper Pork if you're outdoors in the daytime. The bees will do anything to go after the sweet chili sauce that comes with it. The waitress was kind enough to transfer us indoors.
5 - Aria H.: Berkeley Thai house has the best thai food in Berkeley bar-none. I've had most of the menu, but what keeps me coming back is the pad-see-ew which is to die for. Definitely would be my last meal.
4 - James N.: Berkeley Thai House is one of the better Thai restaurants in the bay area. Located in the heart of downtown Berkeley. The restaurant environment is very welcoming. It's literally a house that be retrofitted to a restaurant. The food is exceptionally good.
5 - Judy W.: I went here a few days ago with a few friends for a birthday. I actually never heard of the place before. To my surprise it was pretty good and the price was not too expensive. The people there are very nice and go out of their way to make you comfortable. I love the environment . The mango sticky rice is  one of the best I've had in a while. This is a place I definitely recommended to others!
4 - Albert D.: It's good. I like it. It hit the spot when I want to upgrade from asian ghetto.

the things on the 'specialty menu' section are pretty good. Pra-ram (veggies, meat, and peanut sauce) hits the spot. Pad thai is really tasty here.

Finish it off with the fried ice cream. It's good.

Don't get the thai iced tea. You'll feel nasty because it's so filling. Especially with all the strong flavors of thai food, you don't want to overload your palette.

Overall, a chill place to eat, or to take that date that you're interested in at the moment, but need to go study. It can be an excuse to hang out'on the way to studying'. You nerd. 

Go bears!
5 - Pia A.: The best Thai food in Berkeley.  Good for big groups.
3 - Aromy X.: My friends and I went on a busy Thursday evening. The host was kind of intense. We were seated, and ordered. We were all sharing our food family style... but apparently you have to order one dish per person in your party. That's minus a star. There were five us, four dishes was already more than enough. This is the only place I know that does this in Berkeley. I think it's a little mean in a college town. 

Part of the price of the meal definitely goes into atmosphere. The decor is Thai authentic.  

Anyway, the food was pretty good, especially since all of us were Laotian or Hmong (the cuisines are similar). Though all of us were encouraged to order dessert we passed, but received free Thai Tea on the house!
4 - Rachel K.: One of my favorite Thai restaurants in the Bay Area. It's perfect for groups, either for formal occasions or informal. But I'd probably stick to the informal since its right off of Telegraph. It's definitely a family style service place, which makes it a lot of fun for a big group of friends. The prices are adequate for the quality of the food, so its definitely more than anything you're going to find in the Durant Food Court.
2 - Farah S.: I have to agree with Cris L., service here is quite awkward. The last time I was here they forgot my drink and they tried to politely kick us out. But you can never be polite when you ask a well paying customer to leave. The place is always packed and all the servers are too quick to take away your plates. We were a big group and yes, we wanted to take more than 1/2 an hour to eat our food, but we're paying too! Just like the next guy. Food is adequate, but I can find better Thai elsewhere.
3 - D P.: We accidently stumbled upon this restaurant and  decided to try it.
The decor is quite authentic. Most of the servers with the exception of a couple barely speak any English.
We had ordered soup,appetizers and a few entrees but the entrees showed up way before everything else.
They have a spicyness rating system 1-5, we ordered everything 2-3 spicy, half of our food was WAY BEYOND even a 5 and was not edible by anyone in our party. They did however correct their mistake eventually.
Our service was super rushed, they try to get people in and out as fast as humanly possible. The cheque showed up at our table a minute after we finished eating and even before our table was cleared.

The quantities were adequate. I would rate the food quality to be average. There are nicer Thai restaurants in Oakland/Berkeley.
3 - Mike H.: Average Thai restaurant.  Good food and drinks.

Berkeley parking lot discount is available . (50% off)

However, In Berkeley there are a lot more Thai restaurants where 
you can find better than average taste and services.
1 - Vinh N.: It was a friend's birthday so I offered to treat her out to lunch. She was craving for some Thai food and we decided to give the Berkeley Thai House a shot since we've always avoided going there. I now have a legit reason why.

It was around dinner time and it was just starting to get a little crowded. We were seated and the waiter was very pushy for us to order so I went for the Pad See Ew. When I got my food, I couldn't help but scrunch my face a little. My dish looked so greasy and oily that I was scared to take my first bite. I only got through half of the dish before I had to give up. I started to feel sick. My friend had the Pad Thai and she was unsatisfied. 

To make up for the awful food, I told her maybe their dessert could save the dinner. When the waiter came back to take our plates away, they didn't even bother to check with us if we wanted to order anything else and slapped us with the check. When I asked for the dessert menu, they glanced at the growing crowd of people waiting and shot me a scathing look as if I had done something wrong. I was so pissed that I put down the cash and we left immediately. Why would I want to further support a place that was so rude? Afterwards, I had an awful stomachache which I blame the Pad See Ew for.

 I was disappointed with the service and food and will not being coming back again.
4 - inga r.: Its not typical that my boyfriend and I go out to eat to a Friday night. Not being a fan of crowds I tend to save weeknights and weekend afternoons for dining out. But on this rare occasion we decided to check out the eats on Telegraph.

Though I remember this particular Thai restaurant because of the elevated outdoor patio, the weather restricted the service to indoors.

We were greeted with friendly, fast service and the menu was easy to read and well organized, better than some Thai restaurants I frequent.. Listen, I'm a white girl from the Baja Canada who didn't have Chinese food until I was 15, I need to keep it simple!
  
I opted for the Seafood Red Curry and David went with the Roast Duck Curry. By the time the waitress poured my Sing ha we were presented by a HUGE fish shaped platter of red curry swimming with green mussels, squash,shrimp, squid and large 2" scallops. The bowl of duck curry arrived shortly thereafter and was teaming with crispy roasted pieces of waterfowl and tomatoes in a similar red curry sauce.
The seafood was probably the best I've had in terms of Thai- Fresh and the different pieces kept their unique flavors. Surprisingly, none of the seafood was rubbery or flat, which can occur in making a stew of sort.

The duck, and a large portion at that, was succulent and flavorful and the fat had a delightful effect on the red curry sauce. The one thing I didn't like were the large tomatoes, but I dont care for hot tomatoes in any dish.

Even though the place was quite busy, our water was constantly topped off ( I'm a big water fan while dining so this is important) and
our check was presented in timely matter with smiles.
I highly recommend this place if you are in the area and will anxiously await the chance to dine out on the patio.
3 - Ada T.: Living on the same block as Thai House makes me really want to love its food, but all my experiences there have been fairly disappointing. My yellow chicken curry was extremely bland, and the chicken satay was dry. Not only is the food unmemorable, but the price is a tad higher than you would pay at nearby Thai places and the service is, at best, lackluster. The waitress brought one of my friend's plates out a good twenty minutes after everyone had been served, despite repeatedly assuring us that it would be out "immediately."

The place is good for groups or people looking for a somewhat more sit-down restaurant setting than, say, somewhere in the Asian Ghetto. But overall, I'd recommend Thai Basil (on Durant) or Racha Cafe (Telegraph/Dwight) over Thai House any day.
4 - Kaushik I.: My experience was quite positive here. I'm a vegetarian and I found a fair amount of choice here. The food was excellent and in contrast to other reviewers so far the service was very good.

I went at about 7 PM on a Saturday evening, so it was quite full, but they managed to get us a table v. quickly and were quite attentive throughout.
The price isn't unreasonable given the overall quality of the food.
4 - Blake P.: The staff here are very friendly, and the service has always been good in my experience. It's walking distance from Campus, and a good place to take out of town friends.

A few weeks back I took 10 people here, ordered a variety of items and mainly ordered what the waitress said were her personal favorites. We were all pleased. The whole fish w green curry was probably the best, although not everyone tried it. 

Good beer, good soup, good service.
4 - Nadia S.: We ordered 2 Thai iced teas, garlic pepper pork,  combination seafood, and sticky rice with mango. Bill: $33!! Sounds like a good deal for a nice sit-down restaurant.

Firstly, their garlic pepper pork is AMAZING. The sauces that come with it are delicious and perfectly complement the pork. It was so mouth watering delicious that I'm drooling just thinking about it at the moment. Love love love. It's their signature dish for a reason. Perfection.

Combination seafood was blah. Would not order it again. Sure it had plenty of mussels, scallops, and some shrimp, but the flavor was mediocre. Maybe it's because we had the garlic pepper pork first so this dish was so crappy in comparison.

Loved the sticky rice and mango too. We ate it so deliciously slow to enjoy it.

Overall, the meal was very satisfying; we weren't stuffed silly with large crappy portions, but we weren't hungry. Perfect portions.
3 - Bach H.: Decent food, nice decoration, and close to campus: 3 stars.

Long wait and no parking space: minus 2 stars.
4 - Rema A.: went here a lot in college. best Thai food near campus. i really like their massamun curry (delicious!) and their pad thai is pretty good. prices are decent. 

here's a tip: check your water before you drink it...I've found a small fly in mine more than once! but even still, never kept me from coming back.
4 - Sarah G.: Here are the reasons to go to this little berkeley treasure besides their fast and great service and an awesome patio to sit on when the weather is good here are the others:

Pineapple prawns
Basil chicken
Green curry
Garlic pepper pork
Pad thai
Thai iced tea and thai iced coffee
Bananas in coconut milk
And yes.....drumroll....................FRIED COCONUT ICE CREAM!! yes i said fried ice cream, so now I know you want to go here just to try that ha

enough said? I think so heh
3 - jocelyn s.: we ordered the garlic pepper pork since that seems like the thing to do, pretty good stuff but not really garlicky or peppery but still good stuff, we also ordered the eggplant, pad Thai, chicken satay, sticky rice with mango, fried banana with coconut ice cream and Thai iced teas, we finished everything, even the little iceberg salad that the chicken satay comes on, (there's a little green sauce under the lettuce which was pretty good), the actual chicken satay itself was just okay, I've had better, the thing that I really remember about this place are the desserts, the sticky rice with mango was the best I've had.  I wouldn't mind coming back for everything else either. I Probably won't go out of my way to come back....parking is a bee-yotch since it's so close to the campus, probably really convenient for students but no so convenient for out of towners**after we parked I saw a sign that said "we validate" not sure which parking garage  that was for.
4 - Josh K.: C'mon guys, this place is rated only as high as Thai Basil, and that's a freaking insult. This place is way better.

Garlic Pepper Pork is a way of life, not a dish.
3 - Emily L.: Just last weekend I took a mini trip to UC Berkeley.  My friend who lived in the dorms was trying to think of a place to eat at which had vegetarian food for me.  We decided to yelp up some places around Berkeley which had vegetarian foods and Berkeley Thai House showed up. My friend then told me that she ate there before and claimed that it was "pretty good."

I must admit, she's right. Upon entering the place, I was surprised to see how much more fancy it was on the inside in comparison to the sign that I saw outside.  I guess looks can be deceiving.

Anyway, after going over the menu, I picked out the Basil Tofu (btw,  I was very pleased to see all the vegetarian options they had. YAY!).  My friend ordered some type of pork (Garlic Pepper Pork pehaps?).  All of that was with rice for two.  I really enjoyed my Basil Tofu, mostly because of the sauce that everything was mixed in.  The bill came out to be $21.30 or something as such, which I found to be reasonable.

Employees were kind enough to refill our drinks every time they were near without us having to ask.  I found that to be a plus because I never run into waiters and/or waitresses that do what they be doing in this house. Hooray, I'd come back again.
5 - Burcin T.: Best fried rice with roasted duck in Berkeley. The staff is very friendly, food has never been disappointing and the prices are very good. We come here regularly for lunch and it is so difficult for me to change my order to something else rather than fried rice with duck!
3 - Marti L.: I'm a sucker for curry, thai curry especially. So when I was at Thai House during one beautiful Saturday afternoon, I ordered the Chicken Noodles Soup. According to the description, its "thai noodles with chicken, tofu, bean sprouts in mild yellow curry broth". Yuuuum.

Sounds delicious, doesn't it?? Well, it looked delicious, smelled delicious. But heck, it sure didn't taste delicious. The "broth" was just the usual thick yellow curry. It would've been good if it was on the side or just some on rice. But to have your noodles swimming in a whole bowl full of this stuff was not good. It just became too salty and heavy.

I ended up packing most of it home. My sister liked it. But that's only because I told her to add water before reheating it. So there! Point proven!

Sticky rice with mango was yummy though! And the outdoor seating/patio is a plus! =]
2 - Keno F.: Several years ago I thought this place was good.  More recently though (2007), the curry seemed too thin (watery) on one occasion.  And I'll never forgive them for the worms I found in my green beans on a separate occasion.  They didn't charge us for THAT dish but the owner-lady wasn't all that apologetic.  Try Cha-Am or Dora (Laos-Thai) place next to it on Shattuck and Cedar instead.
4 - July M.: Both times I've been here they haven't been so busy- it looks like when they're busy they can get too rushed with customers, but luckily for us the service was friendly and not at all rushed. The Thai Iced Coffee was supposedly really good (I didn't have any) but the Thai Iced Teas were mostly ice which was disappointing. They are very good at making it as spicy as you want it; order it medium and it really comes out medium- they don't assume you can't handle spiciness just because you're white. The beef was broccoli was yummy- lots of sauce, the garlic pepper pork was just as good as everyone says, they do tofu and eggplant really really well, and they have very good peanut sauce. My sister was a little turned off by the whole pieces of basil leaves, but i didn't mind since they worked well with the dish. I've sat outside both times, never been inside, but the patio is certainly nice.
3 - Vanessa F.: I came here once before and it was great.

Just went back for dinner, and it wasn't all that great.

I got a noodle dish that was pretty darn good (and I'm sorry, for the life of me I can't remember what it was called... though it ended with "Mau").

The boyfriend got the beef in peanut sauce. I didn't like it, but I don't like peanuts. So don't listen to me. He's had beef in peanut sauce before, and he said that theirs was awfully sweet and molasses-y tasting.

We ordered the fried banana with fried ice cream for dessert (don't judge!). It was listed as a single dessert. We ate it, it was awesome... until we got the check and noticed it was near $9 for the dessert. When we pointed to the menu price of the whole dessert for $4.25, they said that it was actually 2 separate desserts (hence, the $9). 

That alone, was not cool at all.
4 - Serena W.: For $12, the seafood curry was definitely worth it. There were prawns, scallops, mussels... in a creamy coconut milk curry--you know, the kind that could make it into a Body Shop lotion bottle or something.

If I remember correctly, they had a pretty colorful menu, as in, there was yellow curry, red curry, green curry... slow down, stop, and go?? yeah, I dunno... they were all spicy too, including the green. cuz I got the green and it did not GO well... ha...ha--okay, bad pun.

but seafood curry, go get it! everything else curry, stop right there.

cute rice pots though. reminded me of genie bottles.
4 - Stephen H.: I have to say the basil eggplant here is among the best I've had at Thai places in the bay.  The other dishes I like are the green curry, although it is more standard Thai fare, the ubiquitous spicy curry that all know and love.  The meat eaters favorite is the honey bbq pork, very flavorful and has a great BBQ taste.  

To top it off the service is always good, and the owner often comes by for a friendly chat.
4 - Traci C.: food is pretty good.  smaller portions considering the price in comparison to the very close thai basil, but quiet seating is worth it i think.  pretty good thai iced teas and excellent fried banana with coconut ice cream.  i could go just for this dessert :)
2 - Joanne T.: Good calamari, but everything else we ordered was WAY salty and the water wasn't even cold!

Siam chicken - not "very spicy" as advertised, and overly salty

Prawn soup - extremely salty - I could only eat the shrimp and mushrooms out of the soup
2 - Beverly T.: Went here with my advid Yelping sister, Joanne T., and we were both highly disappointed!

Calamari: It's one of those dishes that you like the more you eat it. The batter's really light and the calamari has a bit of firmness to it, which I personally like. 

Siam chicken: Salty salty salty bamboo, sour bell peppers and very dry chicken. I love saucy rice but I couldn't even drench my rice in their sauce cause it was too salty! Oh yeah, and it was not spicy at all.

Prawn soup: Tasted like the soup left over from a $.10 Asian ramen. Not even a $.50 ramen. Yes. A TEN CENT pack. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love cheap ramen but this was just too salty. Would've been good if they lightened up on that salt. 

Sidenote: Um... serving warm, iceless tap water is not cool... If I get the shits from your water I'm coming back and burning your restaurant down!!! =P
3 - Grace C.: Mediocre Thai food.  

Okay service.

I've had their pad thai and pad see-ew.  Both okay.

I really like their shrimp rolls though.  Shrimp marinated in garlic spring rolls served with this tangy sweet sauce.  I come here just for that.  But the rest of the food is kind of just bleh.

I like the outdoor seating.
2 - Alison E.: Being stuck in a store as the only employee, I cruised yelp looking for affordable, deliverable yummies. I have a soft spot for Thai food and despite some of the negative reviews, decided to try Berkeley Thai house (it's also one of the only places near me open for lunch that delivers).

First off, please note that if you need something delivered for lunch, they charge a ridiculous extra $10. They don't put that on their website or on their menu, understandably so. Since I was desperate, I paid the extra 10 bucks and just ordered two dishes so I had something for lunch the next day.

First, I tried the pad thai. In my opinion, a good thai place is only as good as it's pad thai. The flavors need to be spot on with the right amount of spice. The pad thai from BTH was one of the worst I have ever had. It was bland, had a funny after taste and the tofu had a weird, chewy texture. They also put way too many sprouts on the side, making me think I paid more for a semi-nutritionless veggie than a greasy heap of noodles.

I then tried the green vegetable curry. This dish was significantly better than the pad thai, but still was lacking something I still can't put my finger on. The overall taste was delicate with a little spice, good for a "murmur" of curry when you aren't looking for something to blow you away. I might be a little biased considering I am full fledged fan of bursting flavor and a consort of spices. I also wish the lunch special had tofu in it to add a little protein. Zucchini and rice just doesn't seem sufficient.

I am still in need of some great thai in the berkeley area... the search continues. I probably wouldn't order from BTH again, unless I magically stopped being a veggie and tried the pepper pork.
3 - Bacon Lover M.: Way back when I was a freshman at Cal my friends and I ate here a lot. I mean so much that when we walked in the front door they didn't really have to take our order, they knew what we'd be ordering (pad prik king with tofu, chicken satay, and some kind of curry) plus thai iced teas.

it is decent thai food, but there is certainly better in berkeley.

the staff is really nice though
3 - Sarah L.: i always thought pad thai comes with shrimp, not chicken or beef.... anyways, the food was alright. i saw some place that said that it was home of the original garlic pepper pork, but i didnt see it on the dinner menu

i heart thai iced tea. my friend, who doesnt normally drink liquids, finished the whole thing!
3 - Karen R.: probably the best thai near UC in berkeley, but that's not saying a lot.

also, it seems like they charge extra for *every special request*, even if you ask for "less _____."  weird.

but if you're stuck near campus and need some decent thai, this is your best bet.
3 - Chen N.: So I used to really like this place until I ordered the Red Seafood Curry. Honestly, that was a $15 worth of disappointment. It was very watery and the flavors just weren't right. They were pretty generous with the amount of serving though.

I tried the BBQ pork and the owner/manager claimed "the best you will have in Berkeley!" It was pretty good, but I don't know about being the best.

I got really pissy one time when I really wanted papaya salad and they didn't have it.  

The eggplant dish I had once was way too sweet.

Overall, wouldn't go back there unless I am with company that wants to go there.
1 - nancy c.: We went on a busy night, but there is still no excuse for what happened.
The last time I went here was a year and a half ago and will never go back again. Especially since the food is just OK.  As I said, it was a busy night, so I was  okay about them not refilling our waters or even checking in on us. But while I was still eating, they dropped the bill on our table. So, my husband politely asked if we could order some dessert. The woman replied, "Sorry no, we need this table." The "I am pissed" radar went off.  I was pissed because we were there for no more than 20 minutes, since the bill was dropped in the middle of dinner. AND, I am a dessert fiend, I would have inhaled the freakin' thing in no more than 5 minutes, TOP. I am not that particular when it comes to restaurants, but I will say that if one denies me dessert, I will never go back there again.

So Berkeley Thai House, poo on you.  I hope you crap on yourself.
5 - Richard H.: I love Thai food.   Wherever I travel I always stop by somewhere and try to find something that compares to the Berkeley Thai House.    I've been to the "award winning" places in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and elsewhere in the Bay Area.   I've only been to a few that even approach the Berkeley Thai House.   Service was always good.  I probably went once a week for 3 years and am always sure to stop in when I'm in town.     The Pad Thai and  Garlic Pepper pork are top notch.  The Fried Banana is a great way to finish.
4 - Todd H.: I've eaten a lot of Thai food in the bay area and I always find my self coming back here. It's probably because I'm always in the area blowing most of my money on music. There lunch specials are cheap and every thing is really fresh. Theres a nice outdoor area for dining and just chillin.
3 - Esther Y.: Tonight was my second time here. I went here as a group of 6 and we were immediately seated (by our request, outside). They even have cool little table inserts to combine tables for larger parties. So efficient!

We ordered 5 dishes for 6 people because that usually works, right? So we got:

- 5 orders of rice (Korean girls don't eat rice anymore) - 3 stars - came in a cool pot, but it either wasn't Thai jasmine rice or didn't look like it...still ok though, $1 per person.

- Duck Curry (red curry) - 4 stars - yummy! And I don't usually like Thai curry. Tastes good over the rice...only one person didn't really like the curry. The rest of us did.

- Chili Beef - 3 stars - pretty good, but beef was a little tough.

- Combination Seafood - 4 stars - pretty good, but my friends ate all the scallops before it got to me. So I only got to eat a couple squid and a prawn, which were good. =( I don't like zucchini so I didn't touch that.

- Kang Jued - 4 stars - good! 

- Pad See-Ew with Chicken - 5 stars - MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE DISH IN THAI FOOD, and this place does a good job. Yum!

Well...turns out the portions are kinda small, so everyone was still a bit hungry after, and we placed another order for Garlic Pepper Pork, their signature dish. DELICIOUS. 5 star dish. Korean friend said it tastes like kalbi so she wasn't that impressed, but dude, that stuff is bomb. The dipping sauces are both good too.

We also had a coupon for free Thai iced tea with purchase of 2 entrees, so we got 2 Thai iced teas...well first of all, they were really watered down. We figured it's probably because they were like, "Oh, they're getting it for free. Let's just make one tea and divide it into two cups. They'll never notice." Well...yeah. We didn't even finish it cuz it wasn't even worth it. And guess what, it's NOT technically free. We had to pay tax on it. WTF! It was only 40 cents, so whatever, but...you should tell us that.

Even funnier that that...at the end of the meal, we chipped in for the bill. They conveniently added in the 15% tax for us (I find that more and more common at restaurants these days), so we divided it up. Well, since most of us had $20s, and it was $13 per person (actually $12.60), one guy had to go get change. When he got back, I was like, "Did you give K back $1?" and he said, "See, here's the thing. The waiter said we gave him $85 when our bill is about $76 including tip, right? He said, How about I just give you $5 back? and I said OK."

Us: o_O WHAT?! YOU KNOW THAT $76 INCLUDED TIP RIGHT? You're supposed to get $9 back, not $5!!!

Him: Yeah...

Us: So we basically gave a $4 extra tip on top of our 15%.

Him: Well, I'm not a very good bargainer...

Us: That's not even bargaining! OMG...

Oh well, service was pretty good I guess. The waiter was smiling really big when he came back to collect our plates. I wonder why...

Coffee candy is good. Mmm...
2 - Rebecca P.: The seating outside was great and the service wonderful (responsive and checked in on our food and water 2-3 times). However, my dish, the red curry chicken, was lacking. It just wasn't very flavorful, and the cuts of chicken were somewhat fatty. I also got the Thai iced tea, which was mostly milk rather than tea, so not too delish. My last complaint is that they only had white rice as an option--for which they charge (but so many charge extra now that rice actually costs money with energy issues and the yin-and-yang of biofuels). Those I went with seemed happy with their dishes, however, and I tried one of theirs--some beef dish, and that one had some flavor. I guess it's a hit or miss, and for the money, it's worth a try. But, stick to recommended dishes, I'd say.
3 - Brandon H.: Decent place. Your apetite will be quenched. Haven't been here any time recent but from what I remember there weren't any problems. *Oh look at this napkin *pull pull *RIIIIIIIIIP hahah

If anything get the fried banana w/ vanilla ice cream. Can never go wrong with that.
3 - Wendy S.: Two years and many Thai restaurants later, I still think generally the same things about Thai House (ooh, it looks like their overall ranking has gone down though). Their prices are comparable to typical Thai places, but I really disliked the fact that they charged for a bowl of rice, and their food is very very oily. I do like the fact that if you order a meat dish, it comes with a lot of meat -- they don't skimp in that respect. I would say, overall, there's nothing special about this restaurant.

On a side note: They are very smart/crafty because they include the tip on the bill and THEN after you pay with credit card, they have a space for you to add tip. Potentially, if you're not paying attention, you could end up paying 30% tip instead of 15%.
3 - Charles L.: "I don't know if I like the decor or ambiance better."

Cool place, though. Co-workers and I came here for a lunch and while the food was very tasty, the portions were underwhelming.

There was a feeling of "oh... that's it?"

We got Spicy Tofu, Red Chili Vegetables, Garlic Pepper Pork, Basil Chicken, Spicy Pork. All of them had touches of red curry here and there, and tasted very flavorful, but we wished there was more.

Prices were $7/8 for lunch with small portions, so mehhh. At the time of this writing, I am actually still hungry. Sigh.

If they increased their serving sizes I'd come back, but it's actually very delicious given it's sort of a hidden restaurant right next to a Princeton Review... Guess I'll come back if a group of friends wants to go, but I wouldn't go back for any other particular reason until a fellow Yelper recommends me a dish that has a heaping portion.
3 - vishal k.: tasty that food that's close to campus, but there are better thai places (Racha Cafe). I used to eat at Berkeley Thai House a lot more until on one occasion my friend did not like his food (he also used to eat here a lot), and when he requested that the food be taken off the bill since he hadn't eaten more than a bite or two, the server rudely denied his request and slapped the bill on the table. I've been here since and everything has been fine, but i can truly say the food quality/taste has slightly declined since I used to first eat here.
2 - Betty H.: I came here for lunch and ordered the lunch special. Some sort of vegetarian curry that was a little too sweet, but that's how most Thai food is in America. Went back again for a la carte lunch and still wasn't impressed. The prices are pretty reasonable, but if you're looking for Thai food that will kick you in the head good, don't come here.
4 - Jo J.: Probably one of the Best Thai Restaurants I've tried in Berkeley, I also think the Atmosphere of the restaurant brings a high sense of romance and homelike presence. The food was delicious, and the service was very kind. Awesome place!.
3 - Sean B.: A friend of mine swears by this place, and I thought it was decent, but it certainly didn't blow me away. 

Had the lunch special, a shrimp curry dish. The shrimp were plentiful but felt inexpensive, the little mini-shrimp that you get at the grocery store that aren't particularly large, fresh, or flavorful. The sauce itself was so standard that I lack the words to even describe it. It wasn't complex, wasn't unique, and just wasn't special in any way to make it memorable. So, yeah, just standard-issue mediocre thai food.
4 - Kenny J.: I went here with a couple friends and got the duck curry. They both got pad thai and didn't think it was that great. The duck curry was really good though. Tender duck with skin on, red curry sauce, and veggies. I gradually put my side of rice into the curry bowl to soak up all the sauce. MMMM :P

Service was good. We arrived around 7 to beat the rush as there was a line at the door when we left. Prices are pretty reasonable for Berkeley, my dish was $10 plus $1 for rice.
3 - ashley l.: Cute location in converted house.  The  restaurant is a huge room which became really loud.  The service was average and the menu was typical.  The food was also average.  The only reason why I only give it three stars was that my Tofu Green Curry came with chicken and missed our 2nd order of our Coconut Soup.  

Not one of my favorite places but the company was good.

VEggie Friendly:  Yes
3 - Ramon E.: This place is pretty ok. Cute ambiance (in a converted old house), vegetarian-friendly, clean bathroom. The menu is rather typical, but the curries taste good--I think it may be the case that I've only ever had the curries here, in fact. Two caveats: when it's crowded, it gets LOUD inside, and when it's cold outside, it gets COLD inside. 3.5 stars, I think.
2 - Joanne Y.: I actually don't like this place that much and I get confused why people give this place such great ratings. Firstly, their prices are not that cheap, secondly the wait is pretty long, and thirdly their flavors in general aren't that good... try Racha Cafe on Telegraph instead........
4 - Farrah N.: My favorites are the Pad-Seew and the Garlic Pepper Pork. Dinner orders are really expensive but they do free delivery for dinner so that's a good option if you dont feel like going out on a cold dreary berkeley night. 

I feel like they are a little overpriced, though and sometimes their food can be over oily.

Good place to eat though. :) And I love the architecture of the restaurant. Patio is awesome.
4 - Sara M.: Thank god I finally found a place to deliver to Panoramic Hill.  Not many drivers will brave the cliifside windy one lane road.  And to top it off, the food was decent!  My favorite dish that I ordered was Pad See Ew with duck - quite tasty.
4 - Connie C.: This place has very interesting decor, I especially enjoyed the stair railing placed in odd places... The outside patio seems nice too, but it was too cold so we sat inside. Inside the women's bathroom there appeared to be a framed picture of Trojans' ad?! Random. 

We ordered Calamari, Green Curry, Garlic Pepper Pork, and the Praram Long Song. I liked the Praram Long Song the best because of the peanut taste, which was very sweet. And served with steamed cabbage so you've got your vegetables too. 

The portions seemed a bit small at first, but turned out to be just right and enough to fill four girls. Only complaint is that we found a hair in the calamari... and they offered us three more to make up for it. Would've preferred having it complimentary, but moar fried things is good too!
4 - Victor L.: This place is about the same as nearby Thai Basil foodwise. It looks a lot classier though, food is presented attractively and they actually have waiters. I would recommend any of the dishes with duck - they do a damn good job roasting those birds. Portions were a little small. The waiters are pretty friendly and it's definitely a laid-back environment, especially if you sit out on the patio for lunch.
3 - Jack C.: Quick. Lunchable. Blend.

I walk past Berkeley Thai House everyday on my way to solve challenging problems. I can't help but be distracted every time I walk pass here. From the stairwell entrance, the luring smell entices me to have a civilized sit-down meal. 

Quick service here for lunch. If you are on a time crunch and want a decent healthy meal, perhaps even vegetarian, Thai House has an ample selection of curries, noodles, rice dishes for the budget-aware Berkeley students. 

Lunchable. I am impressed by their lunch specials. Today they had prawns with Thai basil, red & green peppers, mushrooms and bamboo. The proportion is good enough to split between 2 people. It is a cool spot for a casual lunch date on the weekdays. Several sunny yet private locations for intimate conversations. 

Blend is the name of the game for Thai food in the Bay. I am quite disappointed by the lack of spice, vigor and heat in their dishes. If you are a fan of hot, spicy food, make sure you tell your waiter to jazz it up a notch. 

Here's my personal experience with Thai places. Please do not take offense. Before I started going to Thai places with my girlfriend, when I ask for hot, it's full of heat & grasp. However, due to my girlfriend's ethnicity, even though she adores the hottest food on the planet, sometimes even more than me, the waiter always seem to tone it down according to her skin color....I don't know why...but just a thought. 

Bottom line: Cheaper if you split the plate. Get lunch specials. Skip the long lines at other places.
4 - Mee-Sun Y.: The best thing about Thai House is the free delivery for dinner!  There's a minimum order amount of $20, but I always just ordered two entrees and saved one for my next meal.

My favorites are the spicy beef, eggplants, and any of the chicken curries.  Their mango sticky rice dessert is really good too!  The portions might seem small if you're used to the giant boxes of food from the ghetto, but the food here is much better quality.
2 - Joyce C.: I love the decor of the restaurant, the tables, the silver cups, the convenient location, the seats, etc. but the food is nondescript. 

I can't even particularly remember what I had but every time I go, it's nothing special and I kind of regret not having just gone to Thai Basil where you don't have to pay tip, you get more, and it tastes better. Plus, I feel like they use some ingredient that kind of leaves me feeling a little gross afterward. I'm not sure if it's just because I associate negative memories with that place. 

Their delivery comes cold even though they don't even deliver that far out of the Berkeley UC Campus area. Maybe the place is good for like, one or two dishes, but the 3 times I've been there, it hasn't been worth the $. I don't want to go to a restaurant for ONE good dish. 

+1 for having sticky rice with mango (although the best I've ever had was at Krung Thai in San Jose)
2 - Lulu V.: Not spectaular, not craptacular.  A little lacking in taste. 

The beef was a bit too sweet, and disturbingly tough.  Very tough. 

Yellow curry (with chicken and potatoes) was almost all chicken, no potatoes, and had an odd flavor.  

Pineapple fried rice was disappointing - lacked flavor, had very few bits of pineapple (soggy), had only 4 shrimp, and had tons of onions and was loaded with raisins.  (Raisins, wtf?)  

Veggie Spring Rolls - I've experienced way better, wouldn't bother to get these again. 

The Man was happy with his choices - a vegetable plate, a load of peanut sauce, and eggplant thingy.  But he was hungrier than I was.  

I wouldn't get food from here again on purpose.  
The free delivery was great, as was the online ordering (LOVE!) but the taste didn't justify the cost.
1 - Wei H.: Just went there for dinner for the first time with friends, the place has nice decor, but I would not go back again. I would not recommend people going there especially in a large group, they will charge you a  $0.20 fee for splitting the check and 15% gratitude for groups with 6 or more people. 

Overall the food portion are small for any dish especially for the price (at least for dinner). Garlic pepper pork was decent, but Pad Se-Ew was horrible that it was very greasy and salty.

I do not like their service, there is almost no service (but given that the place was packed when I went), they almost forgot about my order since I came in late to meet up with my friends and we had to remind the waiter. In addition, they charged a fee for splitting the check and 15% gratitude even though there was not much service at all except when they brought us 2 jug of water.
4 - Caroline K.: Got me hooked on Thai food.
3 - Ryan Y.: Friend recommended this place for the garlic pepper pork. That was pretty good, but everything else was just mediocre. The service was okay, ambiance and decor was a little out of my tastes - I suppose very traditional tableware and deco. They also have Cal 1 Card advertisement galore like they're trying to lure in freshmen.
2 - Jennifer W.: Once, I came with a large group and we all got free thai iced tea.

Once, I went there when the kitchen was about to close in 5 minutes. I asked if they would still let us dine in or would we have to do take out. They let us dine in, but they were really eager to rush us out of there because they were about to close by the time we were almost done. They should have just told us in the beginning that it was best to take out. 

OVERALL: They deliver in a Honda Element. There is plenty of seating inside and outside. The decor is kitschy, but cute. I think there may be a handicap ramp somewhere, but the main entrance is through some steps. The food is good overall, but quite heavy. I had to eat pad kee mao with a side of rice!
4 - Aram H.: I would give you three stars but for being by campus I give you four (even though it doesn't matter because I don't live by campus anymore). What does matter is DELIVERY! 
The other day, I had one of those days, where I didn't want to get my ass up and I had no excuse for it. I got really hungry and still couldn't get my little ass off the stupid couch (and no, I wasn't high. I'm just fing lazy). So I just decided to call Thai House and YIPPEEE they have delivery! $20 minimum. They take about 20 minutes and its delicious. 
I love the eggplant garlic dish. Their curries are decent. My bf LOVES mango and sticky rice and they do it well here. 
It is definitely worth spending an extra dollar or so to get decent thai food that won't give you the runs. In other words go to Thai House not Thai Basil!
4 - Matt C.: Better service and food, compared to nearby Thai Basil. They used real plates and silverware, and you get your water in glasses, instead of styrofoam cup.  Overall, a much nicer dining experience for parents of college students.
5 - Claire W.: I used to go there all the time after my classes to get my Thai fix.
Honestly, I usually judge the yumminess of Thai food by how good is their Pad Thai. 
Their Pad Thai is rather sweet but still very good.
I love their outdoor sitting area when it's sunny.
4 - D.J. M.: Pretty average Thai food.  Yellow Curry Chicken was pretty bland, with overly large chunks of undercooked potato.

I asked for Fish Sauce with Thai Peppers to spice it up a bit, and got Fish Sauce with Jalapenos - big disappointment.   And the Spicy Chicken also used jalapenos.  No Thai peppers, no return visit for me.

Update:  Went agin the other day and had the Green Curry, which was excellent.  And when I asked for fish sauce with thai peppers that's what I got - none of the jalapenos I complained about earlier - so I raised my ranking form 3 to 4 stars!
3 - terra d.: i think their chef changed or something because i stopped going there. the pad thai was awful; overcooked noodles and just a nasty aftertaste. 

however, in my first time actually dining there (the others were take-out), they redeemed themselves. the coconut soup was perfect and not too spicy. and the special for the day- the pumpkin curry with chicken- was amazing. 

service was pretty bad but they were busy. felt very rushed whenever they came over and were not there when we needed them.
1 - Jennifer S.: I hate this place.  The food is decent, which is why I'm giving it at least 2 stars, but the service SUCKS.  The restaurant is crowded, and the waitresses don't pay attention to you.  What else do you expect in an Asian restaurant right?  Well, that's fine, but you're paying restuarant prices for this food, so you should get restaurant service.  Plus, once I was having a bad day and came here to treat myself to Pad Thai.  However, I barely ate any of it and decided to take the rest to go.  The waitress went to box it up and came back, saying that she dropped my dish.  Too bad, no refund, no preparation of a new dish.  To this day I hold a grudge.
2 - Will T.: This restaurant used to by my favoriate Thai place in Berkeley. However, it seems like the tough times are really showing because this place has really decreased in quality. 

I have ordered the Pad Thai and the Pad See Ew in the past and they were fantastic. However, nowadays I can really taste the restaurant cutting corners with the ingredients. The noodles are really, really overcooked and mushy. The food is not as flavorful or as delicious as it used to be.

The Thai Iced Tea is still good, but they didn't even bother mixing the milk when they gave it to me the last time I came by.
3 - Avi W.: Pretty good thai food.  Not my favorite.  Nothing really stands out here, but at the same time, there is nothing here that is distractingly bad.  If you are in the mood for some OK food, Berkeley Thai House is fine.
5 - Brandon B.: Friendly service complements very delicious food! The restaurant is in a cool, converted house, which made for a nice, relaxed atmosphere. The Chicken Satay and Red Curry are not to be missed!
3 - Michael P.: Overpriced for their limited portion sizes =(  (I'm a poor growing boy who needs food to grow that extra 0.5" to reach 6'0"!!!) More food please!

I come here sometimes to satisfy my craving for some tasty, fatty duck.  I get the Duck Curry, Roast Duck, or Spicy Roast Duck with a side of white rice.  They all taste great, rich in flavor, but I'm still left hungry.  Come here with someone who has a small appetite so you can eat their leftovers..teehee

Decor and atmosphere is of a nice Thai dinner restaurant.  Definitely a step up from the ghetto-er looking restaurants closer to campus.
3 - Jen Y.: I usually come here only for their Mango Sticky Rice and Fried Banana with Coconut Ice Cream.  The mangoes are always incredibly juicy, sweet and ripe.  They have real pieces of coconut in the coconut ice cream.  So good!

If you want decent Thai food, come here.  The food isn't amazing or unique, but it's good.  I like the Pad See Ew, Eggplant Basil, and Green Curry.
5 - Saket V.: First time was dinner with friends, second time was lunch with my family. Both times were great. This is one of my favorite Thai places in the Bay Area. Vegetarian options are extremely tasty, especially the Pad Kee Mow. Tofu in their curry just bursts with flavor.
4 - Cindy K.: Garlic Pepper Pork is a must try - if you can eat pork. I also love their pad thai! It's one of the best I've ever had. I consider the price average for Thai food. The portions are a lot for one person, but I'm not sure if it would be enough for two. 

If you're up for dessert you need to try their fried banana with coconut ice cream!!! They put FRESH coconut in there. It's awesome!!!! And the friend banana part is just as good.
4 - Vince E.: Can never get enough of this place. It was a favorite when I was a leaping college kid, and whenever I come back, still a must-have. The place and food is legit. The waitresses are very nice and prompt. I recently had the Pumpkin shrimp coconut curry, which was a special on the menu. Not knowing what to expect, it came out great. With a creaminess to the pumpkin and a nice spiciness from the curry.

I would recommend coming out here when visiting. The prices are decent, so try somethign you've never had before you might be surprised
4 - Brian D.: This restaurant was recommended by our hotel down the street.  We had pumpkin curry which was excellent.  Service was great, and you could choose to eat inside or out.
1 - Heather B.: Five words to summarize: Two hairs, two different times.  

I enjoy Thai food and there are many options for Thai food in the Berkeley area, we all know this. BUT, I have found two hairs in my food two different times at Thai House. The first time was about three weeks ago, food from Thai House was ordered for a meeting. I was the first to dig into the Pad Thai and I pulled out a VERY long piece of black hair that was mixed in with the noodles. I have been to the restaurant several times, and opted to forgive said hair. BUT, I went here yesterday for lunch and I found another hair mixed into my Pad See Ew. This time, a short piece of black hair with the follicle still attached. I cannot forgive two hairs at two different times, something is seriously wrong with kitchen cleanliness here. 

The food and the ambiance aren't bad. There's outdoor seating and it's not that crowded at lunch time. But, clearly this place has sanitary issues, go somewhere else instead, perhaps Thai Noodle II right down the street.
4 - Andrew K.: Great lunch special. $7.95 for lots-o-food. The green garlicky salad dressing is a delight. The pumpkin "shrimps" was very good and thick, though the pumpkin was a tad mushy. I loved eating outdoors -- the setting is great!
4 - Amiee H.: One of the better Thai places around UC Berkeley. 

Food: decent 
price: reasonable
service: ok
decor: very unique. i liked it!

This place gets kinda crowded so try to beat the rush during dinner time by coming before or after dinner prime time hours. 

It's very typical Thai food, nothing too special but it was pretty good. I ordered the all the curries, green, red, and yellow. They all tasted the same to me and had practically the same stuff in it, but it wasn't bad. Rice was pretty tasty and I don't normally like rice. Worth trying :)
5 - sarina g.: We haven't been here in a month or so and I'm sooooo craving my thai shrimp rolls and Pad Kee Mow!  This is by far my FAVORITE Thai Restaraunt.  The food is great.  The wait staff is very sweet and the owner completely ROCKS!  See you soon Jason!
4 - Izzy A.: I am a regular customer at this place and I think it's great food for the price you pay. Even though the food can get a tad bit better their amazing customer service makes up for it. Not only have they been amazing on a regular basis when I go. But I recently had a bday dinner here and we were late on reservations, we were loud and obnoxious and they dealt with us. They lit candles on the cake, gave us a knife and serving plates to eat the cake. He even let one of my friends bring outside food in even though its totally against the rules. I asked them for soo many favors and boxes and bags and not once did they complain We split the bill by like 6 ppl and they didn't care. It was amazing--other places usually give attitude. I LOVE THEM 

Now they recognize me and always know what I am about to order which i LOVE.
1 - Chelsea w.: If I were you I would NOT order delivery from this place EVER, especially if you care about service.  I require so little from delivery guys... this guy calls me from his car to inform me he can't find parking and I have to come downstairs. When I protested there was parking right here on my street, he told me to Calm Down Ma'am! over and over.  What a jerk.  Then when I tried to point out his attitude was harsh, he said, whatever lady, then order from somewhere else.  I said I will, and I'll be in touch with your manager.  He said as he walked away "well I'm the owner".  SUCH a jerk.  He doesn't deserve your business.  Call someone else, who cares about his customers and his service and doesn't take delivery as an  opportunity to lay his bad trip on someone else.  I'm keeping him away from my home and I suggest you do the same.
1 - Eugene B.: the pad thai and the pad see ew was so salty. the women were really nice and inside it was decorated very orientally (idk if this is a word).
3 - Anahe H.: The portions and food here are good, not outstanding. All of our portions were huge and the price was great ($8 for a huge bowl of noodles, yes!). I had the chicken noodle soup which was yummy, but I noticed there was very little chicken in it! All of the other dishes my friends had were good (pineapple shrimp rice, spicy pork). The service was so-so, our water was only refilled ONCE and it was at the end of the meal. But for the price, a good meal!!!
2 - Keiko S.: About a decade ago, my Thai boyfriend (now husband) took me here on a date. At the time I had little opinion about Thai food, but he obviously did...and this was one of his favorite Thai restaurants. All I remember from that night was that he had requested every dish to be ridiculously SPICY, yet it was all quite delicious.

We revisited Thai House recently, and we naturally had high expectations for the food. We ordered noodle soups (duck and seafood) and salad (yum neau) that tasted pitifully Americanized. Based on this one disappointing meal, we figured something must have happened over the past years. Moreover, the prices had increased; they are no longer so student-friendly.

The place looked more worn out, too. The service was slow. Maybe we went on the wrong day. Maybe not. 

SUM: We've definitely experienced better, and I'm sure there are newer and more authentic Thai restaurants in the city of Berkeley yet to be discovered.
5 - Catherine S.: If this is your first time going to Thai House, you HAVE to try the Garlic Pepper Pork. It's their most famous dish, and after eating it, I went to that restaurant every other day for lunch, for a month straight. It's THAT good. The flavor is absolutely delicious. 

That being said, I also love the duck fried rice (it's hard to find on the menu). The flavor is very distinct and the duck really adds to the taste. 

My friend and I go there so much that the owner of the restaurant knows us now. He really cares about his customers, so if you go when he's around, you'll have a good experience.
3 - Irina D.: What happened to this place?

I used to love Berkeley Thai house - the food was good, the service was prompt and polite, and the decoration is adorable. 

For some reason, the last three times I have eaten there I was very disappointed. I usually order the Pad-see-ew or the Pad Thai (classic staples of thai food). Anyway, the last times I went there, the food had changed flavor dramatically. It seemed like the sauce was completely different, and the food was drowning in grease and sauce. Also, the orders my friends made tasted equally bad. Maybe they got a new chef? 

Needless to say, I don't think I'll be going back. The service is still good and the decor is cute, but I am disappointed with the food. Too bad because this used to be my favorite Thai place in Berkeley. :-(
1 - Peter S.: This place was always a solid go-to when I was a grad student, but it has nose dived in the last few years.  I could swear they had run out of coconut milk the last time I went, maybe subbing with low-fat milk and sugar instead?  It's a shame to see a place go down hill like this...
3 - Rick C.: I've ordered here a couple of times for my fraternity. They've catered some of our dinners before. We usually get trays of some type of curry, beef basil, rice, and some pad thai. While I'm not usually a fan of Thai, sometimes I do crave it and I have to say, I wouldn't come to Berkeley Thai House if I were craving Thai.

While the people who work here are very friendly and genuinely care about me getting a good deal and enjoying their food, I have to say that their food is relatively lacking. I love their beef basil but everything else I really wouldn't say I enjoy; it's pretty lackluster.
3 - Kenneth D.: My first time to Thai House was almost two weeks ago and overall it wasn't such a bad experience. I give it 3 stars. Here's why:

I ordered the Roast Duck. It came cut in a decent number of rectangular slices on top of some boiled vegetables (I think cabbage?) and it tasted pretty good. It was savory. There was a side of rice and some spicy soy sauce for dipping. The sauce was okay, but I prefer to dip my roast duck in a honey sauce.

My best friend ordered garlic pepper pork and I had some. Very, very good. His dish came with a honey dipping sauce (which I used with my duck). I'll probably order my own garlic pepper pork in the future.

His cousin ordered the Pineapple Fried Rice with Prawns and I really wanted to try some but didn't want to look like a pig. It came in a big fish-shaped bowl with large chunks of pineapple and with these prawns that were gigantic. I was expecting little shrimps that most restaurants try to pass off as "prawns".

So, some time during the dinner someone from our table found a dead bug in the glass of water and he had been drinking from it for awhile now. He was kinda grossed out and a bit upset, and asked the waitress for a new glass. The waitress promptly got a new glass of water for him and awhile later a supervisor type person came out and made small talk; asking us how the food is and being friendly. It was obviously a PR move to save face, but the gesture meant he cared enough to come out. Also, it meant the waitress felt the need to report it to her supervisor. That shows a responsible attitude. Not bad.

I realized why there was a bug in the water in the first place. They pre-pour the water into glasses when they're not busy, and let them sit next to the entrance until new customers come in. Part of it is bad luck that it happened, I guess.
3 - jay w.: Really tasty Thai.  Prices are good, but not great... service can be hit or miss.    Good ambiance.
3 - Belinda C.: I came here a lot when I was a student, even had my graduation dinner here. The lunch specials are a good deal - your choice of entree with a side of rice for $7-9.  They'll have the daily specials written on a board when you walk in. It's true what everyone says - the garlic-pepper pork is simply amazing. So tasty! It hasn't changed in 9 years, still the best item on the menu. The pineapple prawns dish is also delicious. A good blend of spicy and sweet and generous with the prawns. Recently I tried the chicken noodle soup, which was ok, but I wouldn't get it again. The yellow curry broth was too rich for me, and it had a lot of tofu, but very little chicken. If I'm here with my brother, he will always order the crispy calamari appetizer. I'm not a fan of calamari, but these are very good.
4 - Tisha K.: I love THAI HOUSE! I have great memories of going here on good dates with my not-so-great ex-bf! Oh well! Bad decision of company for a great decision of restaurant is ok in my book!

Loved going here! The red curry was just perfect, as was the pad thai - never too sweet as some of the other thai restaurants in the bay area will mistakenly do.

Oh how I miss you. We need to be reunited ASAP!
1 - Lum P.: Do you like alien spit? Go here. Loads of bland, slimy sauces volumized with corn starch. Hair included.

I learned my lesson not to pay attention to restaurant reviews by college students. They are a different class of eater.
2 - troy m.: Lunch will run you $11, all told.

Are you a Cal undergrad who wants Thai food, but doesn't know any better?  What's that, you're poor?  And you live in the Southside dorms?  Well, I've got the place for you to round out your freshman 15.  Thai house--go nuts.

I love the location.  It's just barely far enough away from campus and Telegraph to be reasonably peaceful, yet convenient.  I love the interior.  Most Thai restaurants have a serious IKEA feel to them, but the beaten up chairs, weather-damaged wood, and sculptures here are quite endearing.  I love the service.  They're typically very attentive and warm.

When the food comes out, however, Juliet picks up the dagger and my tragic romance with Thai House ends.  I wish I could give more stars, but the food is really that poor.  It isn't bad in that it tastes offensive.  In fact, it barely tastes at all.  For some of the most vibrantly flavorful cuisine on the planet, they do a phenomenal job of making the dishes incredibly boring here.  For locals, I'd describe it as the Thai analog of Naan N' Curry or House of Curries.  From the lack/separation of flavor, it is clear that the spices aren't worked up properly and that Protein A is added to Sauce B and Sidedish C from separate, pre-fabbed pots in the course of 5 minutes.

O, Berkeley Thai House, you have my heart!  If only your food was good, you'd have my wallet too.  Nearest reasonable alternatives: Lucky House Thai or Dara.
4 - Stacy P.: this place is hella small! but nice decorations and warm atmosphere

we ordered pad thai, red curry, eggplant, and chicken... they were all delicious! The guy gave us a free appetizer which was the "tong-tong"? because he lost our reservation for ten people... not bad of a deal. 

The thai tea wasnt that great.. it tasted too watered down and too sugary. the fried banana with ice cream was super delicious though!!
5 - Raymond P.: Great food! I really love the beef salad, it's one of my favorite dishes! Overall a great experience with friendly service, just be careful about parking in the lot across the street. I almost got a ticket because of expired time!
3 - David L.: Taste: 4
Value: 3
Service: 3

I've been here a few times. The food is good, pretty typical Thai, but nothing special. They're usually packed, so it's hard to get a seat sometimes.
4 - Len Z.: Went with my GF, her sister & brother-in-law for dinner tonight.GREAT service! The Pad Thai was just OK and the 'money bags' appetizer was bland everything else was VERY good.BEST iced tea EVER.
5 - Sarah K.: Reading all the reviews below, I just had to say something. A bunch of people keep complaining that if you like this food, you don't know Thai. College students don't know how to give reviews, blah blah blah.

I revisited Thai House yday and it was just as good as I remember.

While I may not know Thai, I certainly know YUMMY. And yummy it was. I think the phrase best used to describe the food is orgasm-inducing. Especially the mango curry and friend bananas with ice cream. YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.
3 - kent c.: Mediocre 

Found this place while walking on Telegraph. This place looks and smells good, but is nothing special.  I stopped by because the stomach was growling.

I had the lunch order - Basil chicken ($7.95). It filled the void, but it definitely didn't  fill the urge of eating good food. Not much chicken in on the plate..More sauce

It came with a salad .. yay?
3 - Nicole P.: I had a tofu pad thai (with egg ok) at a spicy factor of "2." It was decent. 

The service is very good. The restaurant is clean and has that kind of Thai flare you would see in most Thai restaurants. The water was limitless and my glass never went empty. The location is great; close enough to "stuff," but also far enough to be tucked away from all the hustle and bustle from the campus. Dinner for two was about 26$ not including tip, which isn't conducive to most college student budgets.
4 - kevan h.: Here was our order for a party of 6 adults:

* appetizer: stuffed chicken wings - apparently they're famous for this. It was stuffed with some rice, vermicelli, veggies. It was alright. I wouldn't get it again.
* appetizer: tofu tod - really yummy, especially w/ the glaze sauce.
* garlic pepper pork - kind of like thai barbecue.
* param long song (beef) - tender, although the sauce a bit too peanut-y
* basil prawns
* pumpkin curry - sweet, and not bad.
* eggplant tofu - oldie but a goodie. This was tasty.

Service is very pleasant and attentive. Portions are a bit small, so the general rule of thumb (1 dish per person) doesn't quite work out. Might need 1.3 or 1.5 dishes per person. Tastes good though.

We didn't order fried bananas this time around b/c we had a lo-sugar cadre in our dinner party, but that's a surefire winner.
4 - Patrick H.: I went here yesterday with my friend.  I ordered the fried rice while she ordered the pad see-ew. It was nothing special, though it definitely satisfied my hunger.

The place seems okay, and the waitresses were so nice that they kept on refilling our water glasses after only about a sip or two.

It is worth trying.
4 - Eric B.: The first time I went here, I didn't know what to order. Our waiter recommended their pork, saying "it'll be the best you ever had". So I ordered that, & it was delicious. And after visiting a many number of other Thai restaurants all over the bay area, I have yet to find pork as good as Thai House's. So far, it really is the best I've ever had
4 - Rachel L.: Place makes the best garlic pepper pork!!! On a good day, you can enjoy the seafood pumpkin curry and my favorite dessert is the sticky rice with mango....Jason, the renaissance man never fails to please, he's always attentive, friendly and ensures his customers are getting great service, kudos guys!
5 - Jen O.: Best Thai food in Berkeley. Love this restaurant, and they have by far the best and fastest delivery. The chicken satay is one of our favorites, and when we have ordered for delivery it always comes hot and fresh. I didn't think it could get even better, but it did when we ate at the restaurant one night. Conveniently located, good food, and really great service. This place definitely gets 5 stars all the way!
3 - Jeanette S.: I like this place better than Thai Basil, in the Asian Ghetto. 

Their chicken kabobs are good, their pad thai is good, their curry is good. Overall, I enjoyed my meal here with some friends. 

I also recommend getting their dessert! They have tasty sticky rice with mango. 

I also like it because you can use your cal1 debit card!
3 - LLL L.: Good food, reasonably friendly service - slightly more than student food, slightly less than a restaurant... 

Food: I had the Thai Beef spaghetti - a fusion dish using clear Thai style noodles served as spaghetti in a bowl, topped with beef, broccoli and a smooth peanut sauce. Large size portion thanks to a generous serve of noodles beneath, though the other dishes served to my friends were significantly smaller.  

$1.50 for a can of coca-cola. 
$6.95 for lunch.
+ tax
+tip (they precalculate 20% on the bill)

Unfortunately they were anxious for us to leave - bill on the table before we had finished eating and asking every 30 seconds if I was finished while still chewing food, fork in hand and noodles still in the bowl.
3 - David N.: Tucked away on Channing Way, Berkeley Thai House gets it done right for the price of fast food. Today I had Pad See-Ew, the Thai version of Chinese Chow Fun. Pan fried, not greasy, it was great. Broccoli not over done and the braised pork was good enough. My office mate has the Thai House Soup that looked fantastic with spicy & sour broth, prawns, scallops, squid, green mussels, carrots, onions, hot chili, cilantro, lemon grass, and lime leaves. There was enough for two servings. The soup will be on dance card next time!
3 - Scott M.: Overall, I would say Berkeley Thai House is good, but not great.

The night we visited the service was excellent - glasses never went empty and dirty dishes did not languish on the table.

The food was acceptable although a bit more pedestrian than is my taste.  To someone who does not consume Thai food regularly, I am sure their preparation would be considered to be quite flavorful, however to me, most of it tasted bland.

We ordered chicken satay, green papaya salad, beef salad, yellow chicken curry and organic pumpkin curry with tofu.

The satay was unlike any that I had ever had - this isn't to say it wasn't good - it was just different.  The standard peanut sauce was replaced by a sweet sauce reminiscent of jam.

Both salads were quite good, although the beef salad lacked any cucumber which is normally part of this dish.

The curries were the major disappointment of the meal.  In Thailand, pumpkin curry is generally too spicy for foreign tastes.  At Berkeley Thai house, it was quite flavorful but had no heat whatsoever.  It tasted more of coconut milk than of curry.  The same can be said of the yellow curry - although this is generally a fairly mild dish.

For pudding we had sticky rice with mango and fried banana with coconut ice cream.  Both were quite good.

I would return here to eat if I were in the area, but I would not make a special trip.  Although I don't know much about the restaurants in Berkeley outside of the "Gourmet Ghetto," I am quite certain I could find better Thai.
3 - Debbie Chiou S.: not bad, but the garlic pepper pork was VERY garlicky. be prepared to taste it for the rest of the night... and maybe the next day too.
3 - Tai F.: This review is probably slightly skewed because I was absurdly hungry when I ate here. I practically inhaled my food. I think the staff was impressed by how fast we were out of there...

The service was fast and pleasant. We were seated immediately and given water. We knew what we wanted so we ordered pretty quickly. Our table was a little dirty from the last person who had eaten there and I had to, in stealth, sneak the chopsticks off another table. Oh well.

My food was great. I ate my fill of the pad thai and Ted ate his chicken. We even had enough left over to fill two take out containers. It wasn't really cheap but for the amount it's not too bad. If I was back in Berkeley again and craving some Thai I'm sure I would come here.
3 - Paola M.: Went there in a quite big group of people, probably about 15 and they did a very good job at seating and serving us. I was actually surprised by how efficient they were!

I had the garlic pepper pork which was really really good! I also tasted some of the dishes from other people and they seemed all right.

Not sure I love this place, but I definitely like it a lot!!
3 - Amanda N.: Good alternative to Thai Basil if you want more of a sit-down atmosphere, rather than fast food.  Dishes are a tad pricier, but you get sit-down service.

All of the dishes I've tried have been decent.  I think my favorite was the duck curry.  Tom kha is also good (big portions too).  And FYI,  the pad thai is a little on the sweeter side.

Soo convenient now that they take Cal 1 Card.  Overall, I recommend if you are in the area & want to get a nice, casual dinner.
3 - S H.: Hmm...everyone told me to try Berkeley Thai House because it's "really good!" I've been here 3 times now and I always seem to get mixed feelings about this place. 

1st time- I found this place like every other Thai restaurants around Berkeley. I mean, the food isn't terrible, it's pretty tasty, and the price isn't bad too. Maybe people hyped it up too much for me? Maybe I had high expectations? Idk, but I thought it was just okay.
2nd time- I was pretty hungry that day so I found the taste to be better than normal. I also tried Sticky Rice w/ Fresh Mango which was really good. 
3rd time- It was okay. 

I guess overall their food is good. I'd come back again.
3 - Nene R.: Go there as a place to sit outside on a nice day, that is off Telegraph Ave.

Food: Portions stingy for the price...add a bowl of soup or complimentary salad--please!

Service: not too fond of the service here - it can be a bit slow at times, especially when waiting for the change....

All in all, the food is decent, but for the price, I think i can get better Thai food elsewhere for cheaper.

Best dish: chicken soup (really rice noodles, chicken and tofu in a yummy coconut curry sauce to slurp down)...cost $7.25.
1 - Carol W.: Mean staff; lied about delivery of food when we were told they would deliver.
3 - Carolina S.: Pretty good overall restaurant for students and casual dates.
I haven't ever been wowed by anything here, although the currys, satays and rice dishes I've ordered have always been tasty and provided me and my dining partner with plenty of tasty leftovers! Even when extremely hungry, I have yet to go here and not leave with leftovers.

Food: Good
Atmosphere: Very Good
Prices: Ok
4 - Sharona G.: Went here last nite w 5 of my sisters,  Ordered a bunch of different plates and everything was delicious, service was FAST & prices were low.  Our total bill was $80, including a meal to go.
Nothing comes with rice, so make sure to order that on the side, $1 per person. 
Please do yourself a favor & order the Garlic Pepper Pork!! mmmmmmmm, I want a plate right now.. 
mouthwatering*** my absolute fave. 

xoxo
4 - Jessie L.: Delicious Thai food. I specifically enjoy the noodle dishes. Service is good and quick. Prices are completely fair. One of my new favorite places to go.
3 - Justin F.: It's decent, but I'm still not convinced that there is anything that makes it worth the price other than its great location. Check out Racha Cafe if you want a sit down Thai place.
4 - Carrie C.: Thai house is one of the places in Berkeley I don't go to very often because it's a little expensive for every day eating, but I love it every time I come.

My staple for a long time has been the yellow curry with rice, which I always request mild.  It's very flavorful with a small amount of kick to it.  The chicken is perfectly cooked to be soft but chewy, and the potatoes are soft while still having a little bit of crunch to it.  The yellow curry sauce over rice is always satisfying and can feed me for two meals.

Recently I discovered that Thai House has beef noodle soup, which has been perfect for the cold weather!  I love Thai soups because they're salty but a little bit sweet at the same time because of the spices, but not in a way that makes it unsavory.  Thai noodle soups have much more flavor than other soups I have had.  I love the meatballs (which like all Asian meatballs do not have the texture of meat at all), and the chunks of beef are soft and tender.  It's the perfect thing to warm a tummy when it's cold and raining.

My boyfriend ordered the green curry today, and liked it.  It was spicier than expected, but the vegetables (string beans, carrots, zucchini) were not overcooked at all, maintaining their fresh crunchiness.  The only thing that bothered him is that rice does not come with; you always have to order it on the side.

The usual pad thai and pad see ew are good!  They also have free delivery that you can order online, but there is a minimum purchase of $20.  The service is very attentive, and my water glass was never less than half full.  The ambiance is very nice and quiet--classier than a lot of places are UC Berkeley campus.  Thai House is definitely my favorite Thai place around the area.
5 - Jill H.: You could dip anything in the peanut sauce and it would be awesome. Seriously, try it, just pick up whatever you find lying around the house.
4 - Andrew L.: Had lunch here with two co-workers. The food was cheap with decently sized portions and service was good. They came multiple times to fill up our water glasses and sometimes a little too eager to take away our plates.

Definitely order the garlic pepper pork. It's their specialty and it's really good. The meat is tender and very flavorful. The only problem was with the basil chicken. There were too many large pieces of chili peppers, some the size of okra.

For dessert, we had the fried banana which was really good. The bananas were sweet and perfect with syrup. We each had a thai iced tea to go to bring back to work. We'll definitely be back.

Something to note: they have seating outside which is nice especially on days with good weather.
5 - angel s.: As a Cal alum, Berkeley Thai House was a cherished part of the four years I spent as an undergraduate.  Eating there was always like eating at a friend's home -- the servers used to recognize me because I ate there so much!  Their food is simple, straightforward and errs on the sweeter side, which is what I prefer.  :)  Nothing fancy -- just scrumptious, no-fuss Thai at great prices.

My typical meal at Thai House: garlic pepper pork, chicken pad see ew and pineapple shrimp curry (with juicy stewed tomatoes).  Save room for a fried banana and coconut ice cream for dessert.  

Anytime I'm in Berkeley I have to satisfy my nostalgic craving for Thai House with a visit.  It's worth a trip.
4 - Katie R.: good food, cheap prices ($8-$9 per dish) and very attentive service.  but maybe it just seems cheap to me because i live in sf and haven't been in a college town since, well, college.  and we won't get into how long ago that was...

they have both indoor and outdoor seating areas (with heat lamps, although they weren't on when we went) and seem to be a meeting up place for groups of friends as well as couples.
4 - Helen X.: got their basil chicken which was pretty good :)  pricey for the amount they give you though especially since there are so many cheap options in berk
really cute inside :)
4 - Corina V.: My first Berkeley Review! 

I came to Berkeley Thai House for a welcome dinner. The place surprisingly held tons of people inside without it feeling like we were sadines, wish we could've eaten outside, but oh well. Maybe next time I come. 
The thing with Thai is that I never know what exactly I'm getting, I always rely on other people on what to eat.  So I honestly have no idea what I ate, but I promise you it was good! 
Boyfriend had chai tea and he thought it was pretty good. 
The food was pretty good and came quick, and the girls were very attentive. They weren't exactly snatch happy with the plates, but they did want to keep feeding us!

They had these little fried things with vegetables in them that were the best! My boyfriend wolfed down a couple.

Dessert, amazing. Fried bananas with coconut ice cream. I'm craving some now actually...maybe next week I'll make the trip down since I live in northside....and actually know what I'm getting !
3 - Kathleen W.: I've been to Thai House before, but it is never on my "hot spot" for frequenting Berkeley Thai food since the entrees are more pricey than the rest.

On a weeknight, the restaurant was not too crowded so as expected, the service was attentive.  The waiters were very transparent in telling us what the extra charges would be -- ex $1 extra for white rice, $2 for brown rice, extra expenses for creating separate checks for every individual.  It was nice that they let us know, but still not too convenient.

I was plagued by the amount of choices in the menu so I decided to get their *famous* garlic pepper pork ($9 with rice I think) and thai tea.  As their signature dish, I expected this to be absolutely amazing, but when my food arrived, I received a plate of sliced pork that looked, smelled, and even tasted like Korean BBQ.  Bummer.  It was not too exciting!  As for the other dishes, two of my friends ordered an eggplant/tofu based dish with a lot of vegetables. It looked like simple stir fry with a mountain of vegetables, but it was pretty good!

So I had a coupon for a Free Thai Tea on my next visit from using my Cal 1 Card to pay for the meal and I cashed it.  All I know was that it was pretty fussy getting the bill handled.  Apparently I needed to pay for this meal with Cal1Card again?  I don't know.  Handling the bill could have been less of a headache.
5 - Anne m.: So delicious!!! The red curries are excellent and the sticky mango rice for dessert is the best. The service is excellent, your glass won't be half empty for long. The have a nice outside patio that's off the street so you can get some air without the bustle of Berkeley. Try it!!! You won't regret it.
4 - Cindy S.: I come here a lot because the service is always good and their sticky rice and mango is to DIE for! The curries and rice plates are always good. The pad thai is pretty bland. I always asked for extra extra spicy but its always disappointing. other than that, its a great place.
4 - Natalie W.: Great ambiance, outdoor seating area is WONDERFUL (friendly squirrel last time I was there--that may creep some people out, I loved it), warm atmosphere inside, great service, YUMMY thai iced tea, GREAT food (i have NEVER had anything I wasn't absolutely thrilled about)

The best part for me is that i stopped coming when I moved away a while ago and I came back and the one server (maybe he's part of the fam that owns the place?) remembered me and my favorite order.  

it has a great family run feel.  Last time I was there, my friend wanted something garlicy and so the server recommended something for her (based on a couple extra questions).  She was totally thrilled with her food.
4 - Aileen F.: If ever I am craving Thai food this is the place to be! 

We walked up a flight of stairs and were greeted with waitresses right away. They asked us to sit wherever we wanted and since it was a lovely sunny day we decided to sit on the patio. The outside patio was not very busy and had plenty of tables to accommodate people if it gets super busy. We then got our menus and began to order right away. We knew what we wanted. We ordered: the spicy pad sew ew, garlic pepper pork and pineapple fried rice. Some of the items weren't as pricy because we went during lunch time during the weekend and they even had a lunch menu even on the weekend which is a plus!!! In addition, to our food we had ordered thai iced tea and ordered their deep fried bananas with coconut ice cream for desert! yum!!!

The service was great too! The waitresses were very accommodating and making sure we were good. We didn't sit outside for very long because there were flies that were attacking us. LOL So we decided to move inside. This didn't really bother us because it was originally our choice to sit outside. But the FOOD is GOOD. TWO THUMBS UP for this THAI SPOT!
2 - Dee Ann D.: I have been looking for a Thai restaurant that makes delivery and so I tried Berkeley Thai, as the reviews are decent.  I can't say how the food would have tasted had it been hot (it was lukewarm by the time we ate it), but, as it was, I found it inedible. We ordered the pepper pork, which was extremely greasy and fairly tasteless, the green chicken curry, which had very little flavor (couldn't taste the basil at all) or chicken in it, and the vegetarian egg rolls which were mushy inside and out.  I don't like to give bad reviews and don't, unless I feel people need warning: the food was not good. But it may just have been a bad night.
3 - Jenny P.: I can see why the food here is tasty - a lot of the portions have a lot of fat to them. The food here is a little more expensive than other Thai restaurants in town, and their specialty is the 'Garlic Pepper Pork'. This dish is really flavorful but the cuts of pork they use have a lot of fat to them. The noodles are good here, but honestly not greater than other places in town (the noodles are a bit too oily for my taste). Portions aren't very big so it might not be a good idea if you want to split dishes. 

The food is presented very well, the service is friendly (though slow at times especially when getting your bill) and their desserts are delightful (i.e., mango sticky rice, fried ice cream). My advice: avoid beef dishes, as each time I've gotten beef the beef wasn't tender but rather rubbery.
3 - Alison S.: Wow it's been 2 years since I've been here?  Time flies.

Came here today, a nice Sunday afternoon, for lunch.  This time I eschewed the tried-and-true pad see ew and had...garlic pepper pork!  For $7.25 you get a generous portion as the lunch special, including rice, salad, and a little samosa-like appetizer.  

As someone previously mentioned, the pork is tasty but quite fatty.  It's good for a once in a while indulgence.  The samosa-like side was crispy and potato filled, also very good!  I could probably eat a whole plate of those.  Mmm.

Didn't have enough room for dessert, but I asked for a mango sticky rice to-go, since the rest of today is going to be spent holed up studying and I'll deserve a reward for that right?  (later edit: the sticky rice was amazing and had lots of big chunks of mango, I'm a fan!)

They didn't have duck curry as a lunch special otherwise I would have made good on my vow from my last visit and had that instead; but the pork was a good substitute.
2 - Patrick W.: Pretty mediocre Thai food. I love Thai, good or bad usually. This was so mediocre I wish I didn't choose Thai.  Service was slow even though it was a slow night.
1 - Darena T.: Ok, I don't really use yelp but this time is an exception.

Me and my other 2 friends went to this place after our meeting. There was barely anyone in there because it was 2 PM. We decided to sit around the table where there was a sun because the weather was rather cold.

Then, one of my friends said that the sun is in her eyes. So, we decided to move to the nearby table. Then, I heard them talking among themselves in Thai. What they don't know is that I AM THAI AND I UNDERSTAND THAI! They started to talk behind our backs in Thai just because we changed the table. One of the waitresses even went into the kitchen and told the chef about us. These were some of what they said: "why did they choose to sit at that table in the first place if they want to move afterward?" "Pretend like you don't know they changed the table and make a confused face when u serve them!" This went on for around 10 minutes until one of the waitress noticed me looking at them.

I was going to go yell at them but my friends told me not to. I didn't even finish eating and they soon gave the bill to us! So, I ate my food even more slowly. Then, my sister called. I thought of myself, "it's time for revenge." I talked to my sister IN THAI! I made my voice loud enough so that they could hear me. Too bad I couldn't see their faces...

Moral of the story: DON'T GO THERE. YOU NEVER KNOW IF THEY WILL TALK SHIT ABOUT YOU BEHIND YOUR BACK!
1 - Sandia O.: So maybe I'm picky because I used to live in South East Asia, but I feel I've become aware of what good "American" Thai food is.

Ugh. Have been here several times because everyone on campus likes it, and I really don't. Their pad Thai and curries are far too sweet, even for Thai curries. It's not the right balance at all. Their Thai beef noodle soup is way too salty. Their pineapple fried rice isn't bad, but I really don't remember it being that great either. 

The thing that keeps me coming back is the waitstaff. I always come with a million people and they always gladly accommodate us.
4 - Stephanie L.: I'm surprised that I haven't visited this Thai restaurant sooner!

A group of friends and I came on a Thursday night and the staff was extremely accomodating about us adding more chairs and tables to our "reserved" table of 6. We were able to order quickly and get our food quickly, which was surprising considering the number of people eating there and the fact that there were other large groups as well. 

I had the Pad Kee Mau which was really good! I liked that they put huge chunks of jalapenos in the dish instead of just adding chili peppers or chili sauce. The noodles were not very oily like other places usually make this dish. The portion was also very good - as I was able to bring most of my plate back home to eat as leftovers. A bit pricey for $8.99 or so but you get what you pay for here! My friends had the fried banana and ice-cream which looked really delicious ($4.99 - a bit steep in my opinion). 

Service was excellent. As I stated before, everyone was extremely accomodating. Our waiter was attentive and our water glasses were never empty. With such a large group, a tip of 18% (I think) was already included on the bill but our waiter still did his job instead of taking the tip for granted. 

Overall, a great place for Thai food. I wish I knew about it sooner!
1 - Krystie M.: This is my first 1 star review (and hopefully it's my last)...

ATMOSPHERE
The restaurant itself isn't very cleanly. Once you step inside, there is an odd smell that lingers even after you leave. Blech! The cups were also a little dirty, which says a lot.

The only perk about the atmosphere is that there is ample seating, which is good for groups, but caution: they give poorer service to large groups.

The reason behind the 1 star is the SERVICE, which is TERRIBLE. The workers here are very inconsiderate and do not listen to their customers' orders, nor do they accommodate their dietary needs.

One of my friends is severely allergic to eggs, nuts, and shrimp, which made it difficult to order anything. However, we decided to order Pad See Ew for him, but without shrimp and eggs. We specifically told the waitresses that he was allergic and could NOT have these items in his dish.

When they served it to him, they even said there weren't eggs or shrimp, but after 1-2 bites, my friend discovered that THERE WERE EGGS in his dish!

When we notified the waitress, she simply shrugged it off and didn't even say "sorry." Within 10 minutes, my friend started to swell up-- he had an allergic reaction and couldn't breathe. Despite the chaos that ensued at our table, the waitress showed no sympathy or remorse.

FOOD
We had 12 people and we ordered:
1) Basil beef
2) Basil chicken
3) Pineapple prawns
4) Duck red curry
5) Pad Thai
6) Garlic pepper pork
7) Red curry with chicken
8) Pad see ew

**Note: lunch specials come with a side salad and a potato wonton**

Now, don't get me wrong-- the food was pretty good: flavorful and savory. The portions were decent, especially for lunch specials. However, no matter how good the food is, if the service is terrible, the food isn't worth eating.

There are WAY better Thai restaurants in Berkeley with significantly better service. Hell, there's even a few within 2 minutes walking distance from here. So take my advice: go somewhere else to satisfy your Thai food craving.
3 - Hilary L.: Their food is okay, depending on what you order. I remember ordering their sweet rice banana fried desert, which was good, but not differentiating from others in any special way. I recently went there and ordered their basil beef, which I highly do not recommend because it tastes just plain awful, but my friend ordered the regular Pad Thai and grilled pork, which looked reallyyy goodd. Just a word of advice to stay away from the basil beef, and probably basil chicken as well.
4 - Jenna L.: I have had A LOT of their dishes... all of which were good, but nothing spectacular. I mean, don't get me wrong... I order from here because I know I'm never going to be disappointed with their food (which I can't seem to say of many other Thai places in Berkeley). 

I especially love their Garlic Pepper Pork and their Pad Se-ew. I always order one of these when I go :) Their curries and fried rice are DECENT, but I would go to Racha Cafe if I was craving those. 

Their service could use a lot of improvement, but at least the food has never taken too long to come out. A good place to try at least once :)
2 - Shafinaaz K.: I used to come here all the time because I lived on Channing Way for a year and a block away for another year. I must say they have gone downhill in the last couple of months. 

The last time I was here the service was horrible. 

I had told my boyfriend how much I loved this place and wanted to go back so we went there for dinner one evening.The waiteress seemed unattentive and lost, and I literally had to flag her down. Finally she came over and we ordered. My boyfriend wanted to substitute his sriracha for curry sauce and we offered to even pay a little extra. We do this all the time since he does not like hot food, and usually this service comes for free. The lady came back to inform us that we would have to pay an extra $8. $8 for SIMPLY sauce?? We said no thanks and moved on to finish ordering. 

The food was overpriced. I swear their dishes used to be reasonably priced but the last time we were here, the portion size had gone down and the prices were WAY higher than before. The portions were so little that I ordered a shrimp curry and my boyfriend ordered some fish curry but after we finished these dishes we were still hungry and had to order another dish.  My shrimp curry had 4 pieces of shrimp in it. True story. 

The place did not took too clean and seemed very congested. I think it had to do with their inability to sit people properly. Tables with 5 chairs had 2 customers on them and tables with 2 chairs had a third chair added to seat another person. 

I don't know what happened to them. Like I said I used to LOVE this place for years, I really hope they get their act together soon :(
4 - Pat P.: You know, this is actually a pretty nice place to go if you're in the area and you want some authentic Thai food.

The place has both indoor and outdoor seating; both of the areas have a relatively nice vibe to it. The food can easily compete with any Thai cuisines in the area, and the prices are reasonable as well.

I've been here on several occasions for group gatherings near the campus, and it has always been a pleasant experience for me. If you're in the area, this is definitely worth a try.
4 - Brighton E.: This is by far the best Thai place in Berkeley. Their pad see ew is my favorite--it's much better than Thai Basil's, which always seems to have a charred taste to it. 

The service is also great--they always seat you immediately and seem to have plenty of people on staff at any given time. 

The deserts are phenomenal--my favorites are the sticky rice with mango and the fried banana with coconut ice cream. You can't go wrong with these, even when it's not really mango season they make it taste great. 

Also they are super speedy with take out orders! Definitely a plus.

My only complaint is that the decor needs some work. From the outside and the inside it looks a bit sketchy. I wish the atmosphere was on par with the food!
3 - Jennifer K.: Tasty food, and quick service. Likely the best Thai place in Berkeley, with a cheery atmosphere and cool ambiance.. A-OK.

We were in a huge hurry (like ordered & ate in 25 minutes) so couldn't savor the food or experience, which was our fault. Had pad-sew, which was good and some grilled beef dish (also good but meaty). Frankly, we should have ordered more veggies or papay salad- but the experience and food were good.
4 - Richard G.: I used to think this was the best place for Thai food in the Bay Area, as the only better Thai food I've had is my grandma's and mom's home cooking.  But the last time I went there, the service was sub-par.  Come to find out that the host has left the restaurant and has opened his own restaurant, Sumo Grub.  It's not the same type of food, but it's a great place to go and eat!
3 - Melody L.: Cute place, really accommodating waitstaff, but the food is just alright. I've gotten the pad kee mao and the garlic pepper pork. The pad kee mao was okay. The garlic pepper pork was actually good, but they gave such small portions for the price. For me, that's the biggest thing about this place - they have good decor and service and decent food, but it's just not worth it to me to pay nearly $8 for small food portions.
3 - Rich H.: Summary based on 1 lunch:
--ok, somewhat Americanized
--ok, friendly service
--free wifi
--cold inside in colder weather; large outdoor area, which would be nice in warm weather
--average prices for cheap Thai in Berkeley
--usual terrible parking in campus area

Not sure why some of the reviews say authentic since it serves American broccoli for one thing.  Thai Noodle II a block away is a better choice.
4 - Ed W.: Caveat: by my 5* rating, I mean to say I think it's the best Thai food in Berkeley based on my standards

I frequent this establishment roughly once or twice every other week and this has been going on since freshman year. My usual orders include some of the following: Pad Thai, Stuffed Chicken Wings (appetizer), Garlic Pepper Pork, Duck Curry, and Eggplant Basil. 

They have a good selection of curries, the red and duck curry being my favorites. Their pad thai compares favorably to competitors' (although if I just wanted it for takeout, I would go to Thai Noodle ii). 

The portions are generous despite what some have said, and I'm a big boy. $1 person for unlimited white rice by the way. Their Thai ice teas are also good (not great), but compare very favorably to some other Thai food locations in Berkeley. They used to give you the option of ordering large Thai ice tea/coffee served in big beer mugs, but for some reason no longer have that option.

There's also this bear-like Asian man who works there, whom if you ask what he recommends on the menu will most definitely yell, "NUMBER 20, GARLIC PEPPER PORK! BEST PORK YOU EVER HAD--GUARANTEED!" So my first time there, I asked, "Do I get my money back if it wasn't the best I ever had?" "No." Well I ordered it anyway, a good recommendation after all. Now I make all my friends going there for the first time ask the guy what he recommends, and sure enough, "NUMBER 20, BEST PORK..." Happens every time without fail, a surer thing than getting drunk munchies after a night out.

They also offer quite a few fruit juices, as well as dessert options including fried ice cream (dank!) and mango sticky rice, but I can only vouch for the fried ice cream and the fried ice cream + banana sundae.

Price is midrange. A meal with myself or split with a friend usually comes out to around $15-20.

They also have pleasant outdoor seating under individual parasols (or pitched things) with heating lamps. 

Note: My only bad experience eating here was ordering one of the shrimp (prawn) dishes. The entree came out smelly very...fishy (bad seafood smell) and not very fresh. So I never order the prawns anymore, but everything else has been solid.
3 - Esther R.: I hadn't been here in years, so I was cautiously optimistic about returning (I don't remember my past experiences as being good or bad). 

I like the ambiance, but since it was a cold night, it was really crowded inside the restaurant on a Sunday evening at 6pm (and no one wanted to sit outside, obviously). Nevertheless, my party of 3 was seated within 10 minutes, so not too bad. But in general, the service throughout the evening was pretty slow - it seemed like there weren't enough servers to accomodate the amount of people there.

Anyhoo, on to the important stuff - the food!

We ordered: garlic pepper pork ($8.95), pad see ew with beef ($7.45), and the pad scallops special ($13.45).

Garlic pepper pork was delicious!! Pretty good portion, but it was just that it was so tasty that we all wanted more of it! Great mix of spices and flavor with spicy dipping sauces on the side. I really appreciated that because I don't like spicy food but my friends do so they enjoyed the sauce.

Pad see ew w/ beef was also really good. Nothing out of this world, but well cooked and decent amount of meat and flavor. Just wished there was more of it!

Pad scallops were really great too. It's a little pricier, but they had big scallop pieces and we each got about 4-5, which I guess is OK. 

The overall feeling of Thai House is that the food is great and flavorful and yummy and tasty. The problem is that they just don't give you enough of it. The portions are smaller than I would have liked (or what you would normally get at like Thai Basil) so I left feeling slightly hungry and a little gypped.

Would come back, but not my first choice for Thai food in Berkeley.
4 - Itai B.: Place was pretty good
3 - JB J.: Nice restaurant with average food and a great place to eat outside when it's sunny, but please can the waiters/waitresses avoid to take your glass with their dirty hands when they take your water glasses to fill it :)
4 - Fei L.: Thai House is a nicer sit down restaurant  (for South Berkeley) that is actually close to campus!  There are better Thai restaurants in North Berkeley and even on Shattuck but that involves a trek...  (Does this make me lazy? Shattuck is far!)

However, the Duck Noodle Soup is amazing!  The broth is extremely flavorful with a perfect balance of sweet and savory.  There are ample pieces of duck and bean sprout garnish.  In my opinion this is the entree that differentiates Thai House from all the other Thai restaurants in Berkeley.  However, I think it is only offered at lunch.

Now you have an excuse to be lazy (during lunch only though)!
3 - Elaine L.: i came here a few years ago and it was okay, nothing that I would particularly go back for but my friend suggested it so I went with it. 

I ordered the Pad kee mao. Where are the noodles, I ask you!? I felt like I was eating stir fry instead of noodles. There were a lot of bell peppers which I am not too fond of and like i mentioned, very little noodles :( I was sadly disappointed. I paid almost 8 dollars for a dinner that didnt fill me up. :( FAIL. 

On the plus side, I guess the restaurant was cute, the napkins were soft, and the staff was pretty attentive. SMH. I guess I'll wait a few more years to come back.
4 - Danny H.: Pad Thai was great! I like the outdoor seating!
3 - Mitsuko H.: They serve pretty good garlic pepper pork here and their pad thai is average but safe to go by. The servers are nice and accomodating. The price is about the same for most Thai restaurants around here- neither here nor there, pretty alright.
1 - camila m.: Let me begin with the fact that no one ever approached my table to take my order. After a long time of waiting, I had to go to the cashier to make the order. A few minutes later, my food arrived and I can honestly say that half of the pork I got was pure fat. The thai iced tea was disappointingly tasteless, the water cups smelled and were dirty. I will stick to thai noodles II down the street from now on.
4 - Michael T.: Berkeley Thai House is one of the better Thai restaurants in the Berkeley area. Although dishes are a little more expensive compared to other restaurants, the food is definitely of better quality and is totally worth the price. 

Meals are designed to be sit-down and include dishes that are shared. You can also order dishes for yourself. One that I would HIGHLY recommend is the Garlic Pepper Pork! I've heard so many amazing things about this dish, and the dish even surpassed my expectations upon tasting it. The pork reminds me of KBBQ-style ribs, except served with sauce on the side and not nearly as oily. This is a dish you just HAVE to try if you ever stop by here. I also tried the Pad See-Ew, a noodle dish with meat and vegetables. The noodles were extremely flavorful, but I felt that the beef was a little bit overcooked.

I also ordered the Fried Banana with Coconut Ice Cream. I've had better fried banana, but the coconut ice cream makes up for it. The ice cream contains little chunks of coconut that blend perfectly with the taste of the ice cream.
1 - Karen S.: I came here last summer for a friend's birthday & I actually liked the place.  With a good first impression & a good catering deal, I decided to come back here fro food for a school event.

At the beginning everything was great.  I gave the manager/owner my budget & my order & she took care of everything.  I was quite impressed because she held her composure throughout the process even as I was having her split up the check every which way.

The day of the event rolled around & everything was fine: delivery was on time, the order was 100% right, & the service was amazing.  Sad to say, it all went down hill from there.  The food was cold, bland & just all around not @ the same standard as the meal I had before.

After the event was over, the experience only got worse.  Part of our order was paid for by a purchase order (PO) from the school.  For some reason unknown to me, the PO didn't get processed.  At first, the owner/manager called me & was very nice about it.  As time went on, the PO still wasn't processed (for reasons still unknown to me) & the number of called because more frequent & more aggressive to the point of rude.  Eventually, the school took care of things & the calls stopped.

This experience left a really bad taste in my mouth with this restaurant & with the way it is managed.  I am giving it 1 star since it gave me an OK previous experience.  With that, I will not return to this establishment again.
1 - Clara N.: I've been to Berkeley Thai House two times, but the last time stuck in my head (granted, this was in October):

I came here with my brother and his friend and his friend's gf. Now, my brother and his friend have both LIVED in Thailand, so, I give them clout for their opinion of Thai food, but they are hippy surfers, not the picky types. Unfortunately, one of the dishes that came out smelled like wet cat food. My brother's friend's gf tried to eat it, but she just couldn't, and so my brother and his friend tried to eat it as well (again, they are not picky and were looking at this plate like 'score! more food for me!'). With everyone agreeing that something was wrong, we asked the waitress if we could have it taken off the bill, as there were about 4 bites taken out of the dinner sized entree. She got the manager/owner, who came to our table, and asked if there was something wrong. After telling him, he told is in no exaggeration that that's the way the dish was supposed to taste, and if we had ever been to Thailand, we would know. As I stated above two people at our table have lived in Thailand, so they did know. Needless to say, the manager got more and more unprofessional, to the point of saying 'I don't need to hear your life story' when my brother's friend was explaining that he has indeed lived in Thailand. Rude. In the end, the manager told us that he couldn't take it off of our bill because he has margins to make, to which I responded, I work in a restaurant too, and we would do take this off of a customer's bill in a heartbeat.

I will never be coming back here based on the rude service I received from the manager.
4 - Anna S.: Amazing food, great thai iced tea, wonderful service. I was with a club with about 15 people and the servers here came by frequently to make sure the food was good and always kept our water glasses full.
4 - Tiffany D.: Cute little rooftop restaurant with honest, simple thai food. Not fancy, but tasty and filling. Went on a Sunday afternoon for a pre-dinner snack. 

ATMOSPHERE:
-cute, quaint. located upstairs on a deck, with flowers and trellises and wooden deck tables. great on a sunny bay area day.

FOOD:
-garlic pepper pork: tasty and rich. a little fatty for my taste, but not so much that i wouldnt order it again!
-pad see ew: it was ok. it was normal thai noodle dish, nothing particularly great or bad.

SERVICE:
-great. quick without being overly intrusive.
-quick clean up and water refills.
4 - Amy G.: We had Thai House cater our largest end-of-year club event. They take purchase orders, which is a big plus. We had a strict budget, but they were clearly excited to get our patronage for an 80+ person event so they gave us a discount to make the meal within our means. It was helpful that they took care of everything, including utensils, delivery, drinks, and dessert. At the event, the food was a big hit--I liked the chicken pad se ew and also the eggplant entree. It is more expensive than other Thai restaurants, though, so I probably wouldn't go on a normal basis.
5 - Jess M.: The Waitresses were very friendly, however the Owner seemed a bit Lazy, but did come up from her Highness Chair to ask how we were doing.

The Pad Thai & Thai Coffee was delicious!

When I come to Berkeley I'll know to hit this place up again.
2 - Jen Z.: OK for dining in.   Delivery is horrible.  They get lost, and if they don't want to deliver to your area, even if it is on the map (I am in the Berkeley hills right now) they will add another $10 minimum charge and still take 2 hours to deliver it.
2 - Rachel S.: Bottom line:
God, this place is such a mixed bag. Food is pretty good but last time I was there I saw not one but TWO GIANT RATS ON THE DECK!!! 
Everyone, when there is smoke there is fire. You've been warned, and I'll add these were not mice we're talking about here. The food is fine, so I will bump up my review when they take care of this disgusting vermin problem. 

The atmosphere at night (and often in the day) tends to be LOUD. Don't come here if you're looking for a quiet date, unless it's warm out and you can sit outside - I highly recommend the deck, it's beautiful and won't lead you to wear out your vocal cords by the time dinner's over.

Waitresses are very sweet here, and I can say that they've never messed up the bill for us. They'll obsessively refill your water after you've taken one sip so if you're like me and find that annoying while you're trying to eat and converse with your comrades, hide your glass or something.

Food report card:
Dishes overall tend to be not so hot in temperature - Thai food is not the kind of cuisine to eat cold! Most veggie entrees run around $7.95, meat entrees $8.85, and seafood entrees around $11.95 or so. Note that they do NOT INCLUDE RICE usually - it's an extra $1 a person, and that is a royal pain. 

Pra Ram / Peanut Satay w/ Napa Cabbage - (C+) The peanut sauce here is missing some sort of spice, and I still can't quite figure out what it is. This dish has always been lukewarm (in temperature) when I've ordered it, and I've had it twice. Methinks this is just too much of the kind of thing you could make at home on the stove with the white-bread cultural experience even us Berkelians have foodwise. This is the kind of thing your uncle Joe might make for homecooked Asian night - you know, the guy who insists the only word he needs to know how to spell is "USA." Now, he's a good cook, but he's just too damn simple at it.
Green Curry - (A-) I have yet to find a Thai restaurant who has screwed up green curry. There's just something about it. Well done.
Pad Thai Tofu - (B) Average-sized portion; tofu was a little overcooked and noodles too chewy but the sauce was near perfect. Warning: They skimp on the green onion/leeks in here, at least to my taste.
Red Curry Vegetable - (A) Spicy but not blow-your-brains-out hot; this was cooked perfectly and there was a great curry-to-vegetable ratio which I've found a lot of other places have trouble with. Curry itself was perfect.
Fried Banana with Coconut Ice Cream - (B) Smaller portion of that excellent banana than one would like, but it was pretty good nevertheless. Ice cream was to die for.
Jasmine Rice - (B) Average-sized portion; I've always considered the rice quality to be synonymous with how good the restaurant is (usually). This stuff was a tiny bit dry but nevertheless did the trick.
4 - Mae S.: This place is amazing--from their service to the food, my friends and I love coming here. There's outdoor seating and very group friendly. I've had multiple dishes, but I just keep coming back for their duck curry. Boneless duck in their red curry I believe. The veggies are fresh and the portions are pretty large. They're also fine with allowing you to split the bill--even huge groups.
2 - Don M.: Strictly mediocre.  The only reason they get two stars is the patio is so nice on a warm day.
3 - Kenneth L.: Decent. 
Initially for Thai places, the 1st visit i always get a pad-see-ew to see if i like their style of a common dish i can never get tired of. But because of the flaunting of "the original home of the garlic pepper pork" and the fact i would only be in berkeley for a couple more days, i decided to order the Garlic Pepper Pork and a Thai Tea for lunch. 

Service as an overall is just average, nothing too flashy and from my walk around the area before stepping into the building, i didnt notice any Rats like a previous yelper mentioned.. (truthfully that scared me a bit) 

Anyways Garlic pepper pork; the lunch set version of this came with a mini salad topped with pesto, a vegetable somoas, about a cup of rice, and the garlic pepper pork.. oh and a slice of orange; what type of meal would it be without that orange piece? xD 

To start out, i thought the salad was interesting and dove straight in with the green paste. I was more than happy that the salad was dressed lightly with pesto. This is a combo I have never seen at a restaurant (but then again i rarely get salads...) And hey, pesto is good stuff. The Somoas was nothing special but it was crisp and only made the meal as a whole more complete and filling. Now at the pork, it was oily and fatty but Ok at best. Nothing too special about it either which was slightly disappointing. 

Thai tea.... too much ice, mediocre at best =[ shame really...

I initially was going to give this place 2 stars but because of their performance in the quality of delivery food ( and you know how bad that can turn out to be...) and the pleasant lunch I decided to go with a 3 Star instead. 

Will come back, no rush though.
4 - Coriemae P.: you down with GPP?! yeah you know me...

okay excuse the little diddy, but that was an on going catch phrase my friends and i had while we were students at CAL.

for those of you who aren't familiar with the thai house lingo, GPP is their infamous garlic pepper pork.  it's definitely the one thing i always make sure to order whenever i pay this establishment a visit!

for you calamari lovers, their calamari appetizer is on point!  the calamari pieces are HUGE and they come with a sweet dipping sauce too!

if you have room left after your meal, try their fried bananas with coconut ice cream ;)
3 - Mark M.: Thai Basil is the better place and it's a block away. The only advantage this place has over it's competition is that is a sit down place. Come here if you are entertaining your family; if you are looking to grub go a bit further up.
3 - chemmy d.: This place is good and sometimes it's fantastic. Portions have gotten smaller as of late, but they still make the best eggplant tofu I have ever had, and their brown rice tastes better than most. Service is SO friendly. If you have to choose between this and Thai Basil which is a block or so away, I would pick this place any day.
3 - Diana C.: For the longest time I did not like this place because they did not serve my favorite green curry fried rice plate. So I always would either conform with their pineapple fried rice or a dish I didn't know. But my last visit I had the Basil Shrimp dish and it was amazing! I would definitely come here again for that dish. The service is really great too.
4 - Conor N.: -Vegetarian Review- 

This place was quite pleasant. We ate outside on their patio for lunch. Nicely decorated with statues and plants. It was probably my favorite part.

The food was good. I ordered Pad See Ew. Being one of my favorite Thai dishes I  probably have too high of expectations. The dish is quite common so I try it everywhere and I can't find a satisfactory replacement for my memory of Pad See Ew from a restaurant that is now long closed. 

Their's was good but not the best I've had (not including my memory). I wasn't really a fan of the sauce, although it was plentiful whereas this dish usually seems to be dry. Decent amount of broccoli (always a plus).

The best part of the meal was the potato curry puff type thing that they give you with ever dish. We liked them so much that we ordered more. They were stellar. The Thai Iced tea was also quite good.

**I did feel a little off after leaving this place so I think some piece of the meal may have contained some fish sauce (I'm very sensitive to it) or other meat sauce/oil. On the other hand I did eat it quick so it may be that. Not sure either way.**

If you are in Berkeley and looking for a sit down Thai place I would recommend this one. If it is nice out by all means sit on the patio.

4 stars for good food, very good service, and great patio!
3 - Sonny S.: When I lived in Berkeley, I used to go to the Thai House pretty often. It has sentimental value to me because of the great dinners I had there. 

The most notable dish there for me is the Pad Thai, I would say it's among the best I had. It's very flavorful and sweet and has a very strong taste; not bland. 

I do like the venue though; it's a nice wooden place that has a romantic ambiance.
3 - Lanie L.: Something I've noticed. A lot of restaurants around Berkeley have hundreds and hundreds of yelp reviews. But when searching for the term "vegetarian", there are fewer than a dozen matching, and when putting in "vegan" nothing comes up. I find it interesting that a place with so many reviews in a veg-friendly community doesn't have enough reviews to help others find vegan friendly food. So here it is:

A group of 13 of us came here on a weekend night, including 2 vegans, and a couple vegetarians. They got a table ready for us in about 25 minutes. Service was really nice, but the bill splitting had to be limited, which is understandable. 

I ordered the standard Pad Thai with tofu. It was a very generous portion, and was very delicious. It wasn't dry at all, but was actually full of sauce. There was a nice spicy kick to it. However near the end of the plate, the sauce got overwhelming. It was too salty and had more of a reddish color than the usual orange tint that I'm use to seeing at other thai places. The red wasn't from hot sauce or chili powder either. It's like they make their pad thai sauce out of something that's not tamarind. Or they combine it with something that's usually not seen in other pad thai places.

Service was great and they were super friendly. Paying the bill is always a challenge, but we got it done. I ended up not having cash, so I paid the bill in its entirety with my card, and everyone paid me back in cash.

Overall great place, but I'll order something different next time.
5 - Michael D.: We had an awesome time at Berkeley Thai House.  All the food was delicious, especially the Tofu Tad and Roast Duck.  The house white wine was pretty good for cheap table wine.  The best part was our waiter, whose name I didn't get.  This guy had the most beautiful, soothing voice I've ever heard.  It was deep and clear, and he was a born radio star.  You'll know him if you ever get him.  We'll be back!
1 - Jimmy B.: WORST PLACE EVER!!!! The rule of a minimum of one order per person is enforced by a semi-bald, overweight, Asian man. He gave me and my friends crap because some of my friends wanted to share, while another didn't want to eat. He claimed that each of his seats are worth $10. He also went on to say that he should just close the place if people came into share. What the heck is wrong with sharing?! In addition to the horrible service by the obese gentleman, they brought out the ice cream before the main course meal!! Ridiculous! However, beyond all this BS, there is a woman who is very nice here, but that's it. PS, remember to read fine prints.
2 - Bonnie Z.: This is an ideal place to have dinner with a big bunch of people due to its ample seating. Its proximity close to my old apt meant that I frequented this place a lot for reunions w/ old floor mates. But other than its space, I'm not too wowed anymore with this restaurant, especially with a huge variety of other Thai places around campus (i.e. Thai Noodle II down on Telegraph).

Food: All of the main dinner items DO NOT come with noodles or rice. You have to add another extra dollar to get that, which blows my mind. You can literally go to another Thai restaurant nearby and get the same dish (i.e. BBQ chicken) and have it served w/ rice for the exact same price. The last time I came here I got the Pineapple Fried Rice, which was very bland (I had to keep adding chili sauce to it for an extra kick). The only upside was the portion size. 

Price: Expect to spend about $10-12 here for dinner, which is decent compared to the area. But I personally think you can get better quality food at other nearby restaurants. If you come with a large party, you can get split checks for an extra $0.20. The last thing that irks me is they INCLUDE gratuity (15%) into your bill. I personally feel that as a customer, it should be ME that has the final say on what tip I give you. 

Service: nothing exceptional that warrants a 15% mandatory tip; they do take reservations though. We had a party of 8 and it was slightly annoying when they made us squish into 2 square tables instead of spreading us out over 3. 

If you want a better Thai restaurant experience, go to any of the Thai Noodles (on Telegraph or Shattuck) instead. Or even go to Thai Basil! It'll be cheaper.
4 - Edward W.: Ordered the pad see ew and Thai iced tea. The pad see ew noodles were flavored well and did not have too much soy sauce. The beef was tender and flavorful. The Thai Iced Tea is one of the better flavored ones, not too sweet yet when the ice melts it does not taste diluted.
1 - Nicole M.: Ordered Chili Beef lunch special, beef was so tough, couldn't even chew it.  Told the wait staff and she got the manager, and he told me that's how it is. REALLY? Bad FOOD Bad manager!!!!
4 - Suzana S.: I have not tried too many Thai Restaurants but I have to say I love this one. Service is ok; the guy that works there is the nicest one :) Can't wait to go back and order some sticky rice and mango :) ... and the eggplant dish of course!
2 - Ben H.: I love the food here, especially the garlic pepper pork lunch special. It's really lovely. The service, however, leaves a lot to be desired. I ate there for lunch today and for the first time they told me there's a $10 minimum on credit card purchases. I didn't make a stink about it, and told them to charge $10 for my $7.88 meal because I didn't have any cash. They were kind enough to only charge me the $7.88, which I appreciate. What I would have appreciated more is if they had told me before I tried to pay with a credit card and had signs prominently posted, as well as a note on the menu.

In addition, I witnessed them outright deny two customers who wanted to use a coupon because it was "already used". When the customers explained they had tried to use it before but were told they couldn't use it because it was after 5PM. Unfortunately, the restaurant must have entered their coupon code before telling the customers that they couldn't use it the first time, after that it was no longer valid, even though it hadn't been used. 

The type of rigid service I witnessed today is both unfortunate for the restaurant and the servers who work there. I know that if they had charged me the full $10, that extra $2.12 would have gone straight to the pockets of the owners, The server would've gotten a nice note from me thanking them for their service and explaining how the restaurant managers had taken the tip I had planned to leave by implementing this stupid policy.
2 - Laura B.: You climb the stairs to a large patio oasis.  It  is a block away from Campus and it is a true escape from the grime of Telegraph Street.  The Berkeley Thai house has hung a big banner on the street that says "Voted Best In Berkeley" so it is easy to find.  I now realize that I see that same sign everywhere.  I am no longer lured by the word "Best...... in Berkeley".  It is just never quite so!  You hunker down into a funky yet spiritually themed interior decor.  It seems like a big house and it actually has great potential to be a relaxing neat space. However - The table glass even even has signs on top of the table cloth to let you know if you are under 30 you will be asked to show ID and cal promotion specials . So if they would take down the hundred plaques, award signs and clutter on the table it may just start to be a warm escape from the urban roar outside their front door.   It just needs to be cleaned up!  The food was average and service seems to forget about you once you are in a chair.  A lot of Cal Berkeley Students in and so it is affordable and okay for a visit if your expectations are minimal at BEST.

Okay - I am never going back after reading the Rat on the Deck post!!!
4 - Nick H.: I am totally, genuinely, happily surprised.

I've been to a number of Thai restaurants in Berkeley and they were okay but nothing special. Most were basically a step up from Thai fast food, and only Sabuy Sabuy II was worth remarking on. The other night, though, I ordered Berkeley Thai House on a gamble from Eat24hours.com. I started worrying when it had been 1hr15m with no sign on the food. Luckily, just as I was on the phone with BTH the driver showed up, very apologetic about the traffic and demonstrations he'd been caught in.

As soon as I cracked open the containers a delicious, rich aroma greeted me. Once I put it in my mouth (tee hee!) my taste buds agreed with my nose. This is really good Thai.

Here's what makes it so good: well-balanced, not overpowering, rich flavor with fresh, quality ingredients. I like a lot of flavor, but nothing left a really strong aftertaste, my place didn't smell like fish sauce, and the leftovers were startlingly good. Prices were reasonable and the delivery option is great. 

I will absolutely be back.

Addendum: I've ordered several more times. Sometimes delivery is quick, sometimes it takes 1h15. Sucks. Most of the food has been delicious but some is decidedly meh. Best so far: Pad Kee Mao, green curry, Param Vegetables.
2 - Simei Y.: +1 for ambiance
+2 for food
-1 for unidentifiable, murky & wet food item on the outside of the glass of my thai iced tea (debatable whether the glass was clean on the inside)

Haven't come here in about 3.5 years. This brings some nostalgia as my first ever food review on Yelp was to complain about the service. Some things don't change.
4 - Eve C.: The garlic pepper pork was so tender...very similar to bbq pork but there is that hint of garlic that gives it something extra. The pork is so tender..you can cut it with a spoon. The green curry was the perfect amount of sweet and finished off with that kick. The veggie were crisp and the chicken wasn't dried out. The curry over rice is pretty heavenly. The price tag is more than affordable...around 7ish for lunch and 9 for a bowl of green curry.
2 - Yevgeniya V.: I can't take a place seriously if they can't make something as basic as Jasmine Rice. It had such a strange texture and flavor that it definitely ruined the curry we got. The red pineapple curry by itself was ok, but just ok. The Satay chicken was also just average, but the peanut sauce was quite good. 
Service was average, and we actually got slightly dirty silverware the first time, but they replaced it.
Overall, not going back. Much better Thai within walking distance.
3 - Natalie D.: the pad see ew was really good. but it took FOREVER for my food to come out. don't come here for lunch if you have to be somewhere at a certain time.
1 - Minni M.: Okey.. STAY AWAY! This is a complete disaster! 
I was here for a night to celebrate my friends birthday. We called in advance, ordered a table for 30 ppl, and even paid a deposit! We were 27 people who came, and they still had no idea how to handle the situation. It started with a complete chaos just setting the table. The poor server was bossed around and yelled at by the owner and it took aout 20 min just to get water on the table. We then placed our orders. One of our friends, who live in San Fran was just stopping by, but H to the no if he was allowed to even sit there unless he ordered something. He got peanut sauce... (was not good at all i might add). It then took us from 7.30pm to 8.32pm to get the first dish. I believe the last one was on the table at 9pm. I had to send my food back in because not only was there no flavor, it was also cold. They then popped in the microwave and sent it back in. The average mood of the table was pretty annoyed when the food finally came, and only 2 of the 27 guest really liked the food. Most were just like.. its O.K. So we wee running very late for the birthday party and had to run. It then ooh us approx 1 hour to pay even though we had made it very clear even before we ordered the table that we wanted to pay serrate. So he even charged us for splitting the bill, but also added on the standard 15% tax, which is 15% more then any of us had planned to pay. In the end it turn out that we paid for the same swish twice, and when we present our receipts to show him (the owner I'm guessing) this, he gets very upset and claims he has not done anything wrong. We even had the receipts! He then just walks away and say that if we have a problem with it we need to file a police report... we are seriously considering it.. =/  So to sum it up. The food is not even worth the money,and the horrible service and long waiting just makes it a nightmare!
1 - Robert S.: Under New Management. Better Service. Awful Food.

This restaurant was one of my favorite Thai restaurants for almost ten years running. Unfortunately, the food quality has gone downhill after the original proprietors retired this summer and a new restauranteur took over.  The new owner is very personable and has made  improvements to customer service. Unfortunately, the menu has been pared down and even those old favorites that survive do not taste anything like they used to. After giving them two chances, I have written them off.  During our  last visit, my squid was undercooked and my friend's duck curry was plain inedible. A pity!
1 - Jacob A.: We went inside and didn't even eat. My group and I were so turned off by everything! Lol.

Though I didnt give them a chance to taste the food, I just wanted to share my experience with thee yelpers! (So that ONE STAR is towards SERVICE)

First off we walked in and and was turned off by the aroma. It was like being at one of your aunt's stanky house, doesn't turn on the fan when she cooks or open any windows, just let the steam & smell stick to the walls. Ha.

So the waitress was walking us to a table that already has PLATES & SPOONS and all the jazz while all of a sudden another waitress goes "NO, that one!" Okay I guess.....?

When we sat down the table was realllly wet!!! Like HELLLO? You could not WIPE IT down with a DRY PAPER TOWEL!?! or give us a DRY TABLE!?!? Then they get the plates and spoons put it on the table. Give us our water. BTW! The water is already poured in their cups and they are all right next to the door. Uhhh, I wanna drink water that comes right out of the sink/fountain. Dont even know how long that water has been there for?!? Eughhh!

We ask for straws for our water, so she grabs some and puts it on the plate while one of them fall on the WET table, while she SAW it fall!! She didnt even get us a new one!

So then that's when I check reviews on yelp and saw that the food wasnt great at all. 

With that said we left, cuz we did not want to waste our money on BAD SERVICE, yet alone BAD FOOD.
2 - Phuong V.: 3 Words: Pricy Thai Food. 

And it's not even that great... (well that was more than 3 words but you get it) 

Berkeley has a lot of Thai food and unfortunately Thai House is not the their best. The only dish I recommend are their desserts. They are on point with the fried banana and mango and sticky rice dishes.
1 - Joseph B.: HOHOHO.  Its almost indulgently fun to write reviews about restaurants like this.  Almost as fun as spotting the typos on the menu...

Nothing was good about this place.  Not one thing.  I got the spicy beef, with a side of brown rice that evidently I have to pay extra for, thanks for letting me know after the fact.  As I could have predicted, the bowl was 70% onion and pepper, and the beef was like paper.  No seriously.  Haven't you ever tried to eat a tiny piece of paper?  That's what the beef was like, chewy and flavorless, not to mention indigestible.  The omnipotent clove-basil? flavor was overwhelming, and the only source of spiciness was the serrano peppers.  I could have just brought my own serranos.  What a cheap way to create heat.  However, it certainly wasn't cheap economically, considering I had to add a gratuity tip because I was with a large group of people.  Nothing irks me more than being forced to tip services that do an abysmal job.  

Lastly, a random thought:  on one wall they have a certificate hanging up that thanks Berkeley Thai House for a donation to the Child Abuse Foundation.  Um, shouldn't that organization be called the ANTI-Child Abuse Foundation?  yikes
2 - Sierra V.: I ordered for delivery, and got Basil Eggplant, Spring Rolls, and Red Curry. The spring rolls were alright, and my roommate said the eggplant was so-so. However, the red curry was horrible. Completely flavorless -- I could have made better with the store-bought thai paste. I had to add honey and peanut butter to try to make it tast better -- worked slightly. What a waste of 10 dollars, I threw half of it out.
3 - Adele F.: || B A C K G R O U N D ||

I was invited to dine at this location because of a hectic midterm scheduling fiasco that translated into a complimentary lunch, courtesy of the head GSI. Although that night's chaos wasn't exactly equivalent to lunch at a Thai restaurant, I was grateful nonetheless.

The layout of this restaurant is interesting, as you walk up a short flight of stairs to a small outside patio area. The inside dining area is dimmed and soothing, and the service is prompt. We were seated in the back of the restaurant, although the special written on a board near the front of the restaurant caught my eye.

I can't remember what Dan ordered, but I ordered the special. We also ordered two Thai iced teas, which (amusingly) came in a glass beer mug.

|| F O O D ||

Lunch special: Sauteed shrimps with fresh mushroom, bell pepper, jalapeno, onion, carrot in garlic sauce served with brown rice and salad [$8.95]
- I was careless and didn't read that there were jalapenos in this dish @__@ It was spicier than my tolerance level for spiciness could handle, which made me appreciate my mound of rice and my iced tea.
- They include a fried wonton, which was yummy! I recommend eating this early on, as I saved this for the end and the crispiness wasn't at max level.
- The complimentary side of salad is okay. The sauce is strange and bitter.
- Not too many shrimps, lots of onions and carrots. Would have preferred more bell peppers too. The shrimps were well cooked though!

Thai iced tea: [??]
- Just the right amount of sweetness and creaminess. The mug is large, but about 1/3 was filled with ice, sadly. But the drink lasts the entire meal, woohoo!

|| C L O S U R E ||

A decent meal with decent portions, but I wouldn't return.
3 - Amelia G.: Not the best food I've ever eaten, but I like the atmosphere (especially their patio) and the lunch deal is good value and taste for the south side.  When I worked at UC on the south side of campus I'd really struggle to find someplace decent for lunch with coworkers and this always ended up being a favorite. There's enough selection for everyone to find something they fancy (I always go for the red curry veggies) and it's spacious enough that we never had to wait.  It's a bit sucky to pay an extra dollar for brown rice, but it is really lovely and you get a little fried wonton, salad and fruit with every meal. Can't beat that.
4 - Mo W.: They're food has been the same as 4 years ago; and its good! Previously, I would get the duck red curry, which is my absolute favorite. This time I got the duck noodle soup, which is not bad either. There garlic pepper pork is super good! The pork is tender and they marinated it the perfect way. Its so amazing. You must get the garlic pepper pork, if you come here!

The service is good. The thai ice tea is good too. And also they are pretty quick for an one hour lunch period. 

My club at Berkeley always do business with them, and they are so friendly about it! Jason, the manager/owner, is the best guy ever. He truly wants to help the clubs out and is always happy to do fundraisers for us.
3 - Ada C.: Ordered shrimp pad se-ew. Got seated quickly on a weekday afternoon. It soon got very busy after 1. 

Food came fast, portions are so small!!!! I was not full what so ever. $8-9 for a small dish? Not coming back. 

The pad se-ew was too flavorful, as in too salty. It was smothered with sauce and I had to keep driving water, probably 3 refills. 

Overall, it's ok.
4 - Ingrid C.: I wonder why this place has only mediocre reviews. One thing that I like is their fast service and the food. I really liked the pad thai and pad kee mau. When I go to thai restaurants I tend to only order rice noodles and maybe their specialities like garlic pepper pork and duck egg rolls. They were fairly good and filled me up. Their satays were also tasty. 

I just wish they had the thai iced tea ice cream that they used to have. 

Whenever I'm lazy, I always come to Thai House because I know I can get good food fast and have a nice thai iced tea to go with it.
2 - Erina Q.: Thai House was just okay. The service and atmosphere were nice, but the portions were SO skimpy. I got the Pad See-Ew with tofu for $7.45 (not including tax and tip) and I left hungry and unsatisfied. Maybe I would have felt better if the noodles were fantastic, but they weren't... They didn't have enough flavor. The tofu and broccoli were exceptional. I just wish I had gotten more. Next time, I think i'll pass on Thai House and go right on to Thai Basil in the Durant food court. I think it's only $6 for the same dish except Thai Basil gives SO much more.

My final say: Money is money and if you don't want to waste it, go elsewhere.There are so many other Thai places nearby (Thai Noodle on Shattuck, Thai Basil on Durant) that will give you more bang for your buck.
4 - Janet T.: Beautiful outside seatings. They accept credit cards for orders of 10 dollars or more.

Ordered pad see-ew. Flavorful. Second time, ordered green curry chicken & rice. Delicious. 

They have lunch specials during the day where the rice comes with the dish.  No specials for dinner, and they charge for rice. Maybe a dollar or fifty cents per head or so for rice.

I think they have coupons on their website also. Give it a go!
4 - Wendy H.: Solid lunch option near campus. I enjoy most of their dishes, but their yellow curry noodle soup and the garlic pepper pork are my favorite. Sometimes I deviate from these choices, but I always wish I hadn't. Their outside patio is nice on a sunny day. 

Good prices for good food. 

Note: for the time being, they're not validating for the Channing Garage anymore. The garage changed policies and many stores/restaurants don't validate for them right now.
5 - Anthony N.: Great location. Great atmosphere.

The food is AMAZING!!!
4 - Jeffrey S.: With all the decent eating places seemingly closed, or closing down in the area, this place stands out as a shining beacon of relief. The staff are wonderfully polite and attentive. The food (red curry beef and pad thai) was different than I've had at other Thai places, but the difference was very positive. 

Eating on the deck above the noise and traffic, hidden by flowing bougainvillea and bright red geraniums was a very welcomed escape. I really felt like I was away from it all and was allowed to eat my meal in exotic Thai bliss.
3 - Jen K.: Good lunch options, I always end up getting pad thai, pad-see-ew. But Tom-yam noodle is good too!
4 - Emily W.: This is my favorite Thai restaurant near Campus.

They provide both indoor and outdoor seating and can accommodate large groups.

The menu is slightly more expensive than other restaurants in the area, but I think it's worth it for the higher quality.  They also have a cheaper lunch menu!

I always order the pad see ew or pad thai (typical..) and they're both really good and less oily than Thai Basil.  I also tried their praram tofu and pineapple fried rice.  The praram tofu comes with the best peanut sauce I've ever had.  The pineapple fried rice comes in a huge portion and is also very delicious.
3 - Jeremy H.: Just had lunch here - I got their spicy eggplant lunch dish, which was quite delicious! It came with rice, a small salad, a slice of orange, some kind of fried yam (I think?) appetizer, as well as a decently-sized portion of the eggplant and veggies. The eggplant is well cooked, and I enjoyed the appetizer and salad as well. However, service was so-so - I came with a friend, and it took quite a while for them to bring out the food, and in general the waitstaff was pretty inattentive. In addition, at the end, there was some deal with using credit cards to split the bill and our fare went up by a slight bit. Not a big deal at all, but because of those issues, I'm knocking down this place from a four-star rating (for their food) to three stars overall.
4 - Lucy C.: Every time I come to Berkeley Thai House, I feel like I'm visiting this secret "hidden jewel" type restaurant. Probably because the entrance feels so secretive & mysterious... Anyways, I'd definitely recommend this place for a date! The atmosphere is pretty classy compared to the usual Berkeley restaurants, and though the menu is slightly pricier, the food is pretty well done.

Last time I came here, I tried fried ice cream for the very first time- not bad at all! Although, I felt that the fried dough layer was a bit thick- more ice cream please! I also tried the Pad See Ew, which I feel is the perfect go-to for people trying Thai food for the first time. It's very nutty & savory!
4 - Ann C.: This is my go to for Thai food. The food is really really good and comes in large portions. It's a bit more expensive than Thai Basil but way better! AND they'll make your thai tea/coffee with soy milk if you ask! I usually get pad kee mao with duck but also like their pineapple fried rice and curries.

The restaurant itself is pretty nice and has some fun decorations. It's pretty large and rarely gets too crowded so it's good for big groups. The wait staff is always super smiley and sweet.

Good food, good service.
3 - Kun L.: Love the environment, food is okay but a little bit over-priced. I'd recommend Bangkok Thai noodle if you don't chase for  elegant decorations.
4 - Eunice C.: Ordered the Pad See Ew and split an order of Fried Bananas with Coconut Ice Cream with friends for dessert. Delicious and impressive. I also took small spoonfuls of the green curry and red chlie tofu dishes from my friends' orders; both were great and I look forward to trying the green curry with rice next time I come around.

And yes, I'll definitely stopping by again soon! 
The dessert was BOMB, people. It's a lot so I suggest sharing. My group of three (including me) managed to be totally content with one order of Fried Banans and Coconut Ice Cream. There are other options, like Fried Ice Cream, both Fried Bananas and Fried Ice Cream... Be adventurous and give it a try.
3 - Alice H.: Berkeley Thai House is pretty good. My boyfriend and I brought our parents here after we finished moving in for the semester. It's a great sit-down atmosphere for a nice dinner with your parents. The Pad Thai and Pad Kee-Maw are great here! 

So if you really like these signature Thai dishes then this is a great place to go. I've also had the Yellow Curry and the Pork Curry. The Yellow Curry was really good and it comes with chicken. I'd say the Yellow Curry is very reminiscent of the normal sweet Thai curry. The Pork Curry I didn't like very much. The curry is definitely not sweet and more spicy. I don't usually like spicy foods so the Pork wasn't something I'd usually get.

I still need to try "Racha" which is another Thai restaurant on Telegraph near UC Berkeley so that I can compare the two.
3 - Jason T.: Who can forget the restaurant on wooden planks? My recent visit was my third or fourth time at the restaurant, but unfortunately it was my least favorable experience. The quality of the food has hit a low. It's still a great place for groups with the quiet setting and long tables though.

Here's what I ate:

Calamari was very average. About  10 small pieces of seafood on a big bed of lettuce. Nothing special.

Stuffed chicken appetizer. Two decent sized pieces of chicken, but overall was considerably expensive. Stuffing was a bit dry, but chicken was fried well.

The pumpkin curry with pork was a huge disappointment for being an item on the executive chef's menu on the front page. The curry was way too watery, and was really bland. The pumpkin, along with the veggies, did not contribute at all to the dish. I did not taste any pumpkin flavor in the curry 

Papaya salad was really boring. Small dish with barely any taste. Was hoping for large orange papaya slices, but received thin crunchy white papaya slices.

I don't know how all these dishes failed to impress, but Jason, if you're still in charge, you gotta do something!
3 - Jamie T.: This place is pretty good. We had this place rented out for an event. Most of the food wasn't too impressive but it was great location. It really is a very cute restaurant in a house. I think the curry could be spicier and the pad thai could be less sweet. But overall, I ate in a group cater portion so maybe another try at a smaller table order might do it justice. Jason, the manager, is super nice though!
2 - Kaylee Y.: Went to dinner here for a Berkeley event.  The person organizing it told me she always made faculty dinners here because it was always empty, so it was nice and quiet and easy to hear everyone in our conversation.  The fact that it's always empty made me worried about the food, of course.  I ordered one of their specials, the organic pumpkin curry, and was really excited because I love pumpkin and i LOVE curry, but I was very disappointed.  The vegetables were not cooked all the way, the chicken was dry, and the curry was almost tasteless.  

I'm probably going to another of these faculty dinners, so I'll try something else and hopefully it will be better.

p.s. I talked to my friend who ate here and she had the curry too and said it was pretty bad.  So I guess if you come here just stay away from the curry and you should be good.
3 - Lisa N.: The pineapple fried rice is sooooo so good here. Best around the area, IMO.

My friends and I ordered a couple entrees and decided to order another dish of pineapple fried rice because it was that good.

Other dishes were okay though. We ordered the satay chicken, pad see ew, and pad thai. I've had better at other Thai restaurants around the area. The pad see ew here was a little tasteless and the noodles weren't as chewy as I would've liked it to be. I think the pad see ew is tastier at Thai Basil than at Berkeley Thai House, but maybe I went on a bad day haha.

The waitress was super accommodating when we asked if we could switch tables since it was really chilly sitting by the door. She said she couldn't do that, but she closed the door for us instead.

Overall, it was a good meal. It's a little bit pricier than other restaurants, so I won't be going here all too often (college student budget ftw) I will definitely order some pineapple fried rice to go sometime soon though!
4 - Monte H.: I've come here several times and it became my favorite Thai restaurant in Berkeley.  The pumpkin red curry and garlic pork chops are excellently made, with seasoning that is spot-on and really bring out intense flavors in the dishes. The fried rice and noodles dishes are also really well-made. The ambiance is nice and the patio seating is an extra bonus (although it's too chilly in the winter).  Thai House is one of the more classic thai restaurants around Berkeley and certainly worth visiting.

Berkeley World Music Festival - Berkeley, CA (37.8660381, -122.2586253) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
3 - Ann L.: We went here after a 6-mi walk with another friend.  It was pretty good.  We went on Sat 6/7/08 for the 5th annual event which was from Noon-9pm.

Since I didn't print out the schedule I didn't know where all the music was going to be.  If u go next yr..print out a schedule which is on their website under "map/schedule".

We get to the corner of Telegraph & Bancroft and there's not happening there.  So we wondered around and got to the People's Park.  There you can get a schedule of events.

Since we arrived late we got to see only a few things:

4:30-5:30pm Sila & the Afro Funk Experience (Africa's James Brown) at People's Park.

Then we saw Stephen Smith (Saxophone Jazz) @ Moe's Books, 2476 Telegraph Ave.  Nice jazz I knew some of the songs & not too loud which I liked.

Laurie Chastain "Remencier" played Celtic Rad-trad fiddle - that was pretty nice.

Eva Scow Ensemble (Brazilian Choro-Jazz) saw them & sat outside the Raleigh's Pub & Grill, 2440 Telegraph - too loud for me.

Disciples of Markos (Rebetika: Old-Time Greek Blues) - Festival finale @ The Village, 2556 Telegraph.  Greek music was pretty good.

I wish could have seen Dengue Fever (Cambodian Pop) & Hombres de Tango (Argentinean Tango).

Liked: that it was FREE
Didn't like: Many performances in stores that couldn't handle the crowds so not everyone could see it.  I think it would have been better if everything was at People's Park or on the UC Campus.

Website:
http://www.berkeleyworldmusic.org/entry.asp?PageID=118
3 - Black K.: Ok... Let's keep this real. The Berkeley World Music Festival is your "no-frills" alternative to the bigger street fairs like ART AND SOUL or FILLMORE JAZZ. You won't be able to pronounce the name of the majority of the performers or the music they may be playing. 

But don't worry, it won't matter who's playing what since you'll most likely be too buzzed from the contact high from all the weed smokers in People's Park... lol

The highlight of the festival this year was the 60 minutes non-stop funk jam performed by Bay Area legends THE AFRO-FUNK EXPERIENCE in Amoeba Berkeley (they were only scheduled to perform for 30 minutes).

There's not really much to say about this event. If you're expecting crowds into the ten's of thousands-you're going to be disappointed. I've never seen the crowd get past the 500-800 mark in the year's I've been going. For a festival confined to the spaces of People's Park in Berkeley, it does a good job in using it space to maximum efficiency.

However, I will note one very positive aspect of the festival this year-no naked people!

BerkeleyLive.Net - Berkeley, CA (37.8682612, -122.2555595) (UC Campus Area)
5 - Han J.: This website is great and their services are superb. The manager is really helpful. Not to mention the website is heavily staff so there sees to be always some people on there telling others about the latest low down on Berkeley. Woot. Go B-Live!
4 - Kevin L.: It is a helpful website with intricate features that make it user friendly. It has a medley of uses that are applicable to all UC Berkeley students. It is good for communicating ideas and conveying opinions very quickly and efficiently.

Berman Skin Institute - Palo Alto, CA (37.436651, -122.1782) ()
3 - Karen O.: I had a lot of sun damage on my face from years of tanning and wanted a dermatolgist to check it.  I found the Berman Skin Institute online and looked like a very nice place so I called for an appt.  First off, I assumed I would be seeing Dr. Berman, since his name was on  the place, but no..instead I had a consultation with an aesthetician.   We met in a room with a table, not a exam room.  The lady asked me why I was there and I began to tell her my concerns with my face, etc...  She then whips out this book with different types of treatments that could be used to treat my problem.. At no time was there an actual up close exam of my face..but I still listened.  So many different very expensive treatments but I opted for microdermabrasion/peel package.   It was a series of 6 each and where not the salon quality but the most aggressive type that is available.  So for the next 6 months I went for my treatments and have to say it really has helped my face look much better, along with a glycolic acid face regimen..  The only things I didn't like with the place was when ever you walked into the office, the front desk person would never look up and acknowledge you were there..not very friendly.  Also on my second visit they could not find the very long info paper I had filled out before and so I had to do it again..wasn't too happy..  The aesthetician who did my face did an excellent job and was very professional..  I do think this place is more for cosmetic reasons and not on actual skin disorders.  I found out you only see Dr. Berman if your having any laser work done...
1 - LOLO P.: i am very disappointed by the visit to the dr.berman.he was very rushed.he took less then 10 minutes for the consultation.not friendly at all.my visit was for a small problem, so he did not have much interest in me.chrged $85.00 for consul,that was not helpfull at all.
1 - Ashlyn N.: Definitely hate this place.  Signed up for the $85 consultation, hoping they could help me out with some skin issues.  During the consultation, the derm starts treating all this stuff, including biopsying a few freckly things.  I think, OK, cool, she's getting right to it and not selling me too hard on expensive treatment options!  I walk out to pay my $85 and there is mass confusion w/ office managers saying "OMG!  You have an HMO!  These treatments weren't covered!" I'm like - uh, I paid $85 for a half hour visit.  THEN they tell me there was a mixup and they didn't file my visit under a "consultation" so guess who's liable for the fact that THEY did all these procedures!  I end up having to pay $455 after a huge negotiation (where they then told me they were doing ME a favor by writing off the rest of their loss).   I call back to get my biopsy results transfered to an office that DOES take my insurance and get met with a bitchy and patronizing receptionist telling me I have to submit a request 6 days in advance, even if I come in to sign for it in person.  Then get spoken to like a three year old when asking why.  Worst of all, the biopsies scarred (I've had freckly things shaved before and I've never had this problem with skilled derms). SHAME ON YOU, BERMAN.
1 - annie k.: I have been going to Berman skin institute for laser hair removal for athe past year because I bought the package of  treatments. This place runs completely like a business institute than a doctor's office.  I've seen Dr. Berman only once when the RN burned my skin and I had blisters all over my face.  The doctor didnt' seem to care and to my shock instead of saying anything or doing anything for me he was pretty annoyed at me because I was complaining about my whole burnt face. I was given a sample tube of neurosporin and sent home. You figure what kind of treatment/service is that.
4 - Laura F.: To follow up on the Kaiser Disaster:

Came here with previously discussed crazy shit on my legs. Instead of saying, "in my 19 years of derm i have never seen this before!" or whatever, the nurse at Berman says, "Oh, thats ___." Shocked, and totally relieved that I wasnt dying, I was really excited. She explained what to do, how long it was going to take, and the services she could offer me, ending with "but honestly? I'd do everything else before you come back to us. I mean, since you have Kaiser, its going to cost a bunch here. The only thing we can offer you that the home-remedies can't is speed."

When I showed her the weird mark I've had on my arm for 13 years, she said, "hm. I don't know what that is." And instead of telling me to "see a doctor" like the c--t at kaiser, she took a zillion pictures on her digital camera, said she was going to have some of the other doctors check it out, and she'd have an answer for me next week.

Friend that came with me to get a tattoo removed had nothing but nice things to say about them as well.

The rest of the staff I worked with were more than pleasent and very helpful. Holla!
1 - Therese P.: I had a horrible experience there. Actually many bad experiences, you think I would have learned, but I did give them a chance.

When I first went in they sat me in a room and wanted me to sign a form that said I would agree to be filmed or watched by others during my appointments. I put a line through those questions that I did not agree to that. The woman that was going over it with me saw the form and went ballistic, she tore up the  paper in front of me raising her voice telling me I shouldn't have done it that way and now I would have to fill out another one. Even after I did that they STILL had groups of people wandering in after my appointments were started. They completely disregarded what I filled out on the form.

I did some laser hair removal there and EVERY time I was left in a room and forgotten about. The first time I was in there waiting for well over an hour. They told me to come in half hour early to apply numbing cream and wait for it to work. So i am waiting and waiting, and then 45 minutes after my actual appt. was suppossed to start I had to go out to the reception desk in a with numbing cream all over my face, and ask if I actually had an apointment or if I was forgotten about.  I could understand this happening once but I had 6 sessions there and it happened EVERY time.  

I didn't like Dr. Berman either, he is rude and arrogant. I felt the entire staff seemed unhappy and crabby.
4 - neil s.: I have been going to the Berman Skin Institute for the last three years, and have generally had a positive experience.  Yes, it is true that this place is run like a business and you will be shown a full array of potential procedures even if your issue is not cosmetic. The huge upside is that because it's run more like a med-spa, insurance tends to cover things that you'd normally have done at a spa. That is a huge advantage to me.  Deborah is my esthetician and she is the nicest person at the office and really knows what she's doing. I trust her immensely. She has performed all my microderms and peels, as well as waxed eyebrows and done facials.  She's the best part of Dr. Berman's office, and if she left for another practice, I would leave with her.

 As for Dr. Berman--he has an odd bedside manner, for sure, however there are two positives about him: 1) he is very hesitant to prescribe antibiotics unless they are absolutely necessary and 2) although he'll showcase all possible treatments, he has always been frank with me about which ones are more cost effective.  He is what he is, and if I ever need Botox, I'd rather put up with the perv factor and have it done right rather than by a nice doc who's not as experienced.   For medical issues, I've seen Dr. Ebu (sp) and she was nice, competent, and didn't peddle things on me, sofor all my future medical issues I will ask for her.  

Bottom line: great for skin upkeep and cosmetological issues, but if you have a serious medical issue, you'd probably be safer with a "traditional" dermatology practice.
1 - Katie G.: This place is a total factory ... I've been going to the Berman Skin Institute since October and had my last appointment today.

Originally, I went to Dr. Berman to have my skin checked after having lived abroad in a tropical locale and having not seeing a doctor for two years.  Not knowing that the place had a reputation for it's wheel-'em-deal-'em sales tactics ... I was completely unprepared when he suggested I undergo a pricey TCA peel.  Though I now know better, I went ahead and got what the doctor ordered.

I walked away that day $900 poorer and feeling sort of badly about myself for succumbing to all the cosmetological hype.  Now it is April and my skin looks the same (several "follow-up" appointments, $900 + $50 skin bleaching creme later!) but my ego is quite bruised!  Best part: Today, they had the nerve to try to sell me a Photo Facial (a deal this month, at $1800 instead of $2600!) to get rid of the sun spots the cheap-o TCA peel missed.  

I'm so bummed that I fell for this.  I got no respect and and very little care.  I won't be back, and I urge others to stay away.
5 - Nikki N.: About 2 years ago, I was desperate of getting my skin get healthy.  I went to 3 dermatologists in the bay area that even my  friends recommended..All of 'em prescribed me different kinds of antibiotics.  It was a horrible experience.  I had huge acne all over my face up to the top of my scalp and my back.  I knew something was wrong because I was noticing that my lips were  turning black from taking oral antibiotics and topical as well.  With all these frustrations, I was so desperate and tried to go online and look for a dermatologist of  my choice.   I got to tell ya'll, I felt like it was a gamble to find one-- not knowing who would be the best one for my case.  Luckily, I found Dr. Berman.  He was intimidating at first.  Just because, he asks me first   thing, what I think was wrong with my skin.  And I'm like--well, I needed help that's why I got to see you...I mean "i DON'T kNOW, DUH???  Then so, he checked my chest, back and tummy to see any unwanted hair growing.  And he explained to me that it could be some hormonal imbalance that I am experiencing.  So, he asked me to see an OB-gyn..And I was like--that's weird....But as desperate as I was , I thought, I'd do whatever it takes, and followed his advice.  True enough, it was some sort of abnormality...I never thought that having irregular period is REALLY a  hormonal thing.  To cut my story short,  My acne starts to diminish after like 4 months.  Now, though it sounds too good to be true, I don't see any acne in my face.  My skin color has gone better.  Dr. Berman got everything under control.  Looking back 2 years ago,   I appreciate how my skin got back to its natural glow....Not perfect yet...because I deveoped huge pores and some scaring  from acne but  Dr. Berman gave me several options for treatment .  Microdermabrasion is my favorite because it's working great minimizing my large pores.  It is a little bit expensive though but it's all worth it.   Just go and check it out .  I know!  I know...Dr. Berman could be intimidating but he won't bite!  The only bad thing I'd have to say about his practice is that the COFFEE MACHINE DOESN'T MAKE GOOD COFFEE.  NEEDS SOME SERVICE DONE ON THIS MACHINE!!!  Look for Nora  to set-up an appointment.  She's very sweet and thoughtful.
4 - Cecilia M.: I am almost finishing my microfermabrasion treatment and I am very happy with the results. Deborah is my esthetician. She knows what she's doing, I trust her. She is very nice.
1 - Alpha W.: I was going to let this go, but I felt compelled to write to warn others. I found Dr Berman through his website - quite comprehensive, and I decided to give it a try. I have seen many, many dermatologists in the past.

The nurses are really nice, however Doctor is 20 minutes late. Prescribes me Differin without listening much to my history, then pushes the laser peel. Walks out. Another guy comes in. He pushes laser peel, "If I were you, this is what I would do. Insurance covers this, what do you have to lose". I felt like I was in a car dealership.  I find out this guy's not even a Dr after asking specific questions about my skin.

The nurse says Dr Berman left already. He comes back in 10 minutes, but leaves the door open, as if prompting me to get out. I mentioned again that his prescription is not likely to work as I have tried it before, he then replies, "What do you want me to do, prescribe you pills? I can  do that, which ones?". This was when I knew this consultation was over. What kind of Doctor says something like that?

I was pretty impressed with the before and after picture on some of the insurance covered solutions but there were many red flags with their sales tactics. It was alarming that this is happening in a medical office close to Stanford. Overall, I felt a little violated and angry when I left.
5 - Dan C.: Ok so before you go reading all the bad reviews and think this place sucks let me make a theory.... all the bad reviews on here I see of the Berman Skin Institute give me the feeling that they were written by people who were already a bit insecure about whatever hair they needed grown back or whatever bit of pimples never healed over from their nerdy teenage days and since they didn't receive the total uplifting, life-affirming, "everything is going to be better from now on because you'll be a totally new you!" experience they decided to get all pissy and sulk back into their cretin-like depression, still thinking that if a "seen-it-all" skin doctor can't give them the respect and admiration that at least their inner selves deserve then he can burn in the pits of the deepest fires of Hades along with everyone else who has scorned them in their lives!

That said I myself went there for two laser removal sessions. My experience was great and if I needed to I would definitely go back. So if you are looking for a place to remove some old horrible tattoo and went there just for that read on:

I dropped into Seventh Son Tattoo in September of 07. I wanted to book an appointment to start a full sleeve on my right arm. However this would entail covering two smaller pieces. According to the artist I talked to one of them was cover up-able, however the other one was too dark and would need laser surgery to lighten it up. Not fully remove mind you, just lighten up enough to cover up. I had no idea of where to go in the Bay Area for this. I was sure there were plenty of places but I wouldn't know where to start, so I asked the artist if he knew a place and he recommended Berman to me. Since it was the only place anyone had ever recommended to me for tattoo removal I decided to check it out.

I had read on some of the Yelps of Berman that they had to pay a consultation fee, but when I called to set up the consultation (which entailed no rude secretary at all, only a very friendly one instead) she informed me there was no fee. Nice. So I went to the place a few days later and talked to Keri Thompson, the RN in charge of tattoo removal. She was super friendly and informative. She sat down with me for about 15 minutes (which really was all I needed, I mean this was for tattoo removal...not much to it) and I explained the situation that I only needed to lighten up the one tattoo, not remove it completely. She was totally cool with it, she didn't try to upsell me at all and try to get me to go for the full removal. She took some pictures and a few minutes later came back with a quote of $270 per session that I thought was more than reasonable. I figured I would be paying at least $400. I set up an appointment for next month and was on my way. I went in feeling a little apprehensive because of some of the reviews I read but I went out feeling like I was led to a perfectly good place that would do what exactly I needed done.

In a month I returned for my first appointment. Keri was there and started the procedure on my arm. It was 15 minutes of pure hell (physically) but she was really patient and was super nice the whole time. Although I graciously refused her offerings of giving me breaks during the process I was really appreciative of that. She dressed the wound just fine and went step by step with me on the heeling process. I booked another appointment for the next month and again walked out feeling good about my experience.

Another month went by and I was back on the operating table with Keri and once again she was nothing short of awesome. She was again patient and kind and that was good because this time the pain was about 20 times worse than the last time. But that wasn't her fault of course! She dressed everything up just fine and sent me on my merry way. It was a job well done.

Aside from the absolute agonizing pain that my arm went through (trust me, it's as bad as you've heard....laser removal blows!) I came out of the whole thing feeling really glad I was referred to Berman. Keri was really excellent to work with; her patience, kindness and understanding of the minimal amount of work I needed done really made the whole thing worthwhile. To top it off she even gave me a follow up call a week after the appointment to make sure the work she did healed ok.

Oh and as for the tattoo itself, it came out great! There is ZERO scarring and she faded it just perfectly! I went back to Seventh Son (6 months after my last laser appointment in November due to being out of town for so long) and had the artist take a look at it and he said it was totally cover up-able! 

So if you need some laser removal done on a tattoo you can clearly see that I highly recommend the Berman Skin Institute. I would certainly go back if I needed to, although I really really really hope that I don't!
1 - Theresa P.: If there were such a thing as a negative star then that's what I would grant this place.  They made me wait for over 30 minutes both times I visited this place even though I had an appointment set weeks prior.  When I approached the receptionist to ask when I would be helped she was very rude.  They don't always disclose the side effects of a treatment and when you call their customer service line the representatives are rude as are the receptionists.  This is a very unprofessional and poorly run business.  I would NEVER recommend this place to anyone.
5 - Nicole M.: Let me just say I am glad I was referred to The Berman Skin Institute, as I would have never found Shireen who is the best esthetician EVER!
She was very informative and not pushy with treatments or products I might not need! She knew exactly what my skin needed to become radiant and healthy looking. The silk peal is wonderful and makes my skin feel refreshed and look so clear. She waxes my eyebrows as well and everytime she is finished they look perfect! I am always thinking how the heck does she do that?
I have been to several places in search of the perfect esthetian for all my needs, and now I have found it!
4 - Rebecca S.: I come here for facial laser hair removal. Very nice professional staff, and the consultation process was a breeze. Their hours are flexible, offering evening hours. The only thing that bugs: they won't offer ice packs unless you ask. They won't offer a stress ball unless you ask (I just found out that I had to ask! 4 sessions later). I don't feel that anyone having their face zapped should ever have to think to ask for these small comforts. A gesture of an offer would have been nice, cuz the process of facial hair removal hurts like a B*&^%, (perhaps a small heads up about the intense pain would have been nice too! and I have a pretty high threshold for pain). Even after 4 sessions (i bought a package of 6), I still tear up. They also say that u can go right back to work afterward. True. But in a couple hours (and on me, lasting for a couple of days), I never heard a mentioning of one small set back: ur face may look like beef carpaccio. The things we do for beauty... FYI: if you go during the work day, parking can be an issue so get there a little early.         Kudoos to Dr. Berman. He was just on the History Channel for a tattoo removal segment.
3 - Jazmine S.: When you're young you tend to do pretty dummy like things...in my case it was getting a freaking butterfly tattooed to my lower back...my "tramp stamp".  I don't mind having a tattoo in that area it's a very sexy spot to have one (done right of course) and the butterfly I do have is pretty neat kinda looks like stain glass. But now i'm a little embarrassed of the fact that it's a butterfly.

I found Dr. Berman from a friend that saw the brochure at a tattoo parlor. We decided to check it out. We walk in and are greeted by some of the nurses. It's a pretty quiet office....with great random music playing in the background. There's also a machine that you pretty the button and you can have coffee, hot chocolate, tea, or a latte....and it was good! Christel the RN nurse took me into a room to discuss the tattoo removal and possible hair removal as well. She was VERY informative and didn't beat around the bush with me about how much work needed to be done since i have a TON of color in my tattoo. For the hair removal it's basically set package and price it doesn't matter about how much hair...just area. So after she's done telling me about these procedures she takes me into another room and lasers my leg in certain spots to test the areas and how your skin will react! HOLY SHIET i had no clue. The pain wasn't that bad.

All in all it was a good experience and very professional. The staff was only very friendly.

I've decided to only schedule the tattoo removal with them for now. Once I get that I will be sure to write an update.
1 - Ann S.: I went to see Dr. Berman for advice on a patch of skin on my face. He spent less than 2 minutes on it, literally; burned it off and then spent 20 minutes trying to sell me on laser treatments to get rid of wrinkles. I didn't go back to him and a year later when I went to a GOOD dermatologist, the initial patch was melanoma and deep. I had to have the Moh's method of having it removed and ended up with a deep scar that I would not have had if Dr. Berman had LOOKED at the thing, which is what I had PAID him to do. If you want laser treatments, he's your man. For real skin issues, see a doctor who gives a damn.
5 - Alex T.: I was shocked to see negative reviews of this office. I drove from Los Angeles to see Dr. Berman about removing a blue vein from under my eye. I have had this vein since birth and have been told by numerous dermatologists that technology (laser) was not quite up to speed to be helpful. Dr. Berman was the only person who told me that it was, in fact, possible to remove-- and not only that, it would be easy. 
The whole process went smoothly. The office staff was knowledgable and very friendly. I was 45 mins late and Dr. Berman still greated me warmly with a smile. He explained the procedure to me, brought out the laser, zapped the vein and I was done. Dr. Berman is very personable, as is his office staff, and I will recommend him to absolutely anyone. 

P.S. Since my visit, I've gone without concealer for the first time in my make-up wearing years. I'm a happy girl.
5 - Rita L.: If you have skin issues like I do, then you need this place. 

I have been a patient here for 6 years. I have had Tattoo removals, two rounds of Accutane treatments and UV light treatments for pigment loss on my leg. 

Liz Papp is firggen AWESOME. Love her! 

The only problem that I have had is with billing. I was paying purely out of pocket, as insurance doesn't cover any of my issues. They said that I owed a bunch of money that I didn't. I paid in full each time I went in. The office manager was a nightmare. My attorney got involved and Dr. Berman took care of the misunderstanding. That manager was really messing things up because she was let go a few years ago. 

Overall my experince was great. What would I do with The Berman Skin Institute. Hey, you never know, I may see plastic surgery in my future.
3 - Debbie M.: Well what Dr. Berman originally did wasn't thorough, but he did call me last week to find out how it was and when I said I wasn't happy about the way I was treated when I was in and that the procedure didn't work as well as when I had that procedure done at another place he had me come back in and he fixed it free of charge.  So I am upping my opinion of the place by an additional star.  

I went here last week on the afternoon they were having a botox special.  I got in the exam room and Dr Berman said where are you having botox,  well I wasn't there for their special and I had made an appointment at least 3 weeks prior.  I was rushed through and not sure what Dr Berman did was thorough - though he said it was when questioned.  The nurse was pushing the laser resurfacing when I asked about the cheaper IPL procedure.  What was even more "interesting" was she looked at my face as if "why do you need it" and then when I wasn't interested in the resurfacing told me I needed at least 5 sessions of the IPL.  Between the upsale and the fact they aren't cheap - not sure I am going to go back.
3 - Lisa P.: I went in for laser tattoo removal, 3 separate visits. Yes, it's not as expensive as other places but I basically threw my money down the drain as the removal did not work.  Christal was fantastic and very concerned that there was no change to the tattoo after 2 visits (it's fairly small and it's just a dark blue/black outline). She upped the laser power on the second and third visits, but - as I said - the removal didn't work. I still have the tattoo, no fading, no change. And oh yes, it hurt like HELL. Even with the icing before, during and after, I was about to cry the third visit. The laser itself was on me for no more than 2 minutes and that was more than enough for me.

 I didn't see any doctors, and on the second visit it seems someone forgot to tell Cristal I was there as I had to wait 30 minutes.  Christal is the only reason I gave this place 3 stars.

I'd never recommend someone go there for tattoo removal as I had a very poor experience with the actual procedure.
4 - Annimated L.: I am writing this as an update to what has happen, since by bad experience.  Dr. Berman himself called me to ask me to come in again, to that he can take a look at my mole that was removed.  My mole now looks fine.  A tiny scar but not very visible.  I am glad that he pays attention to his customers and that he tries to make an effort to please his customers.  I have never met him, but he sounds to be a nice guy.  I am just not happy with the people that works with him.  Well, at least you know that the Dr. himself tries to make and effort to call and see if the patient is ok.
3 - Amy V.: i went here back in the year 2000 for two treatments of laser hair removal on my arms. the first time i went in i had consultation and the nurse or tech tested my arm a bit and i thought okay fine no big deal. she told me to buy some of the numbing cream for when i came  back in for the actual treatment, to put it on the area on hour before or whatever time she said, this was 9 years ago now. anyway, somehow i remember going back and getting a laser treatment without numbing cream! somewehre along the way the tech recommended or asked me if i wanted to try it without the cream and i said yes. i think that was my first treatment, yes. it was in the morning at 8am or the earliest appointment. i started getting sick to my stomach without any numbing cream, yes it hurt. she told me to lie down/back. i was sick i felt as though i could pass out. i told her i had to go to the bathroom and yes everything went through me, i was sick/in pain. i went back into the room and she gave me a funny look and said are you okay, i said yes....we rescheduled and i bought the cream to numb it....i remember her well because she made me feel bad, i was what 22 years old at the time and worked swing shift in high tech and studied fulltime in the morning and she told me "oh you have a hard life" i felt like shit..i guess she was used to rich people.

yeah i went back and had one treatment at least on my arms. god knows why my arms were fine just some brown hair, not thick at all.

on another visit i went to the actual doctor and he had me all ready in a room to biopsy my neck, a mole or something was on it and he was even ruder!! i walked toward the bathroom as he was coming in the room to do the surgery and he threw up his arms, like "wtf?" very rude....
he did the biopsy but a shaved one, he should have gotten at at root for the money my insurance paid him...
1 - Sarah M.: DON"T GO!!!  Just don't go!!!  Don't be fooled by the pretty office, this guy is weird.  He had me STAND on top of the table (I'm not kidding!) -- I thought I would fall off, and then prescribed very expensive lazar treatments for sun spots.

When I went back - as it did not work, he said I needed an expensive cream.  

When I went back again - as that did not work, he said that I seemed unhappy with his office and should probably seek another doctor's care.

I'm not sure if I've ever paid so, so much, for no results, and then gotten tossed out on my ear?  My head is still spinning???  

He made me feel -- just terrible.

I'm not sure -- but this seems fraudulent to me???

I went to my mom's doc and now spots are gone.  Just wish I didn't loose all that money on Dr. Berman - AND feel horrible in the process!  Very, very, very strange man.  Bad business practices.  Very bad form.
2 - kathy e.: we went to his office for consulation, he was very business oriented... He looks like a ture business man, not a caring doctor to us. After reading the reviews, I am very happy that we didn't picked him!
1 - Sarah V.: I have sensitive skin, and shaving didn't help.  So, I bought a package of 5 laser treatments for my lower leg.  When I went in for a consultation, I was treated nicely by the doctor (or nurse?) who sat with me.  They asked me to purchase 2 tubes of their numbing cream for $20 per tube, and I did.  Anyhow, after the first treatment I couldn't wait to go back.  The second time, it was a different nurse and I don't think she cared much about my results.  The leg treatment is largely based on the time spent needed to do it, which is estimated at about an hour.  She finished in about 30 minutes and missed some spots (I could tell because the ugly redness afterward was missing here and there), and then at some point the laser zapped a vein or something.  It REALLY hurt, it bruised, and that vein rose up to the surface of my skin for about 4 months.  I called to consult about it, but received no suggestions or acknowledgements that the vein thing was possible.  The second treatment also conjured up a fierce hive situation, which their office told me I should "go to a dermatologist for."  So much to my chagrin I had to see a different doctor for what the Berman Insitute caused in the first place.  It took me 2 weeks of high-strength topical and oral steriods to shake off the hives.

Fast-forward two years.  My darker leg hair started to become evident again, so I went to their SF office for my third treatment.  The woman I saw was a young doctor with her own side-practice.  I told her about my horrible reaction to the second treatment, and she said we were going to try a new laser on this particular day, anyway.  So she does her thing (about 25 minutes, btw) and as she's finishing, she casually tells me that this will likely cause itchy bumps on my follicles for a few days, and not to scratch.  Uhh... thank you for your late insight? 

Fast-forward another 6 weeks.  I was itching like a Mofo and it wouldn't stop.  My dermatologist couldn't treat it, either - sterioids did not work.  And that hair we were supposed to remove?  It didn't get any lighter.

My two remaining treatments are waiting for me at Berman Skin Insitute, but I think I'll give it another decade or so before I forget how awful the whole thing was, and how unhelpful their staff is.
1 - Kim R.: Seriously?  This place seems like they want to charge you for every little thing they can.  They only care about their pockets than your results.  They make you wait for daysss~ even though your appointment is set at a specific time, they make you wait an additional 20-30 mins.  What is the general purpose of scheduling an appointment anyway if your going to end up waiting 20-30 mins??  Whoever worked at the front desk couple years ago, totally not friendly and had this snoby bitch vibe.  Look elsewhere ther are plenty of dermotologists out there.
2 - goodytwo s.: I went to Dr. Berman for Botox at the end of December 2009. The office was having a special botox event offering a good discount from their normal prices. I had called weeks before to make an appointment. I arrived on time and was told that I was too early and there was going to be a wait.  I was taken to the exam room, and 2 different assistants came in and offered to take my credit card to pay for today's services before I had even seen the doctor. I asked how they could charge me when they did not know what services I was getting yet? Another assistant came in with a pre-filled syringe of botox. I wondered to myself, how she knew how many units I needed before the doctor had seen me???   Dr. Berman came in and was very rushed and not gentle at all. (I had red spots at the injection sites for several days afterwards & this has never happpened before) After he injected my brow, he apparently had some excess  Botox in the syringe and asked if I wanted some in my crowsfeet. (I dont have crowsfeet by the way) Surprised, I said "do I need it there?" he answered "well, no". Hmmm, ok then I guess the answer is no, dont put it there!  Of course I was charged for the whole syringe even though it was apparent that I didn't need that much. 
 I was very unhappy with this visit, although my previous visits were fine. Maybe this was just a bad day for the office.   That's why Im giving 2 stars instead of 1.  Not sure yet  if Im going back to Dr. Berman.
4 - M. K.: I would recommend this office, quick results.  They have good discount coupons they send out by email.
The only thing is the $85 consultation fee, most other dermatologists will give free consultations.
4 - Michelle D.: So here I am, about 5 tattoo removal sessions in the making. My tattoo has faded significantly. In fact when I look in the mirror I can't believe how light it is getting. The only drawback is I don't think it will only take 4-8 sessions since I'm already on my 5th one. I do have high hopes that it will be gone after the 12th one or so. 

With this type of cosmetic procedure I've realized that it is a slow process.  I am seeing a difference though, and my skin hasn't scarred. 

*keeps fingers crossed*
5 - Helen V.: So I was getting previous treatments from a place in TX. I was on the search for a place that had the same laser out in the bay area. So met Lisa, one of the newer PAs at the Berman Skin Institute and she was very professional and seemed very knowledgeable about the lasers, wavelengths, etc... Will definitely be coming back to see her again every month!

Oh yea, price wise, it's about half as much as I paid in Texas so even sweeter deal!
2 - Lulu D.: two stars for the simple reason i felt ripped off.
serious revolving door syndrome.
1 - Jaclyn G.: I'm so very torn.  I was having a reasonably good experience--given the circumstances--until yesterday.  I say "given the circumstances" because I'm tempted to give these guys 1 star just because the procedures hurt so freaking bad.  However, in an effort to be judicious, I will keep it to their demeanor, performance and results thus far.

I just completed my fifth procedure for both laser hair removal of the upper lip and tattoo removal on my lower back.  Everything had been going well up 'til yesterday--the staff was friendly, they were very accommodating in rescheduling appointments, they suggested stress balls to help me relax, they worked with me on using numbing creams despite breastfeeding, they had National Geographic in the waiting room and they were always on-time.  

Initially, my only gripe was that my PA-C, Ebu was a little abrasive during the procedures.  I had just given birth three months earlier and was still breastfeeding so I was very sensitive.  When I would ask for breaks during the treatments (30 seconds to 1 minute) she acted like I was asking for an hour. 

After every laser hair removal treatment, my lip would swell a little and she would attribute it to a stronger treatment each time.  This morning, however, I woke up with an upper lip the size of I-don't-know-what.  I called the Institute at 8AM and was given an appointment for nearly noon.  Not a big deal since I'm a stay-at-home-mom but definitely would have been an issue if I needed to face people at work.  When I went in, I waited for Dr. Berman for nearly 20 minutes.  Again, not the end of the world, but with a baby at home, time is pressing.  He came in with a woman who was neither introduced nor professional.  She kept rubbing my knee while she talked to me, which was just weird.  But that didn't bug me so much as them blaming me for the fat lip.  They tried to attribute it to a food allergy or a new detergent that I used.  Um, no, I'm the most anal person on earth--I eat the same thing every day, have used the same dermatologist-approved soap for years and find it very coincidental that this happens right after my treatment strength was increased the day before.  The diagnosis?  "Go home, lie down flat, ice it and call us in two days if it hasn't improved."  Really?  "Oh, but in the meantime, why don't you head over to Whole Foods with your fat lip and pick up some Arnica to see if that'll work.  Just tell people you got stung by a bee."  Right.

Needless to say, I'm thoroughly unimpressed with the treatment I received today.  I will no longer be getting any more laser hair surgery and will likely be shopping around for the remainder of my tattoo removal.
1 - ashley r.: Did not care for the office...Dr.Berman was very strange and made me feel uncomfortable.
5 - Samantha H.: So in reading other people's reviews, I can definitely see how rushing through a consultation could be a turnoff, but this didn't apply to me at all.  I was going for the Blu B Gone treatment (removing veins around the eyes).  My sister had flown out to get it and I was going to be in the area as I was visiting Napa.  I didn't require a consultation and they were very aware of the fact that I was not local and worked completely around my flight schedule.  After about 6 weeks my vein was completely gone and I couldn't be happier with the result.
1 - Vb L.: You are very naughty people who push folks to have unnecessary procedures for the money.  Shame on you!  You had your two chances to prove me different, but you didn't.  Santa has decided to completely bypass your office this year and drop your coal off to some needy folks in the midwest.  Tsk tsk!!
1 - Kate H.: All they want is your money.  They want to push treatments on you when they're are not necessary.

When I tried to make an appointment with one of the two dermatologists, I was told Dr. Z. was busy but so and so was available.  Not knowing all the doctors, I said fine.

Later, I found out that so and so was only a physician's assistant and wasn't even a dermatologist.    I felt the front desk was very deceptive.
1 - Rachel G.: I went here twice, and it was the worst experience I have ever had with a physician in my entire life.

Without going into too much detail, I had a couple of spots on my skin that I wanted the doctor to take a look at (with a family history of skin cancer you can never be too careful) and had a couple of other concerns as well.  After explaining my history and concerns to the nurse, I was kept waiting in the examination room for FORTY MINUTES.  I understand that things can happen, but c'mon!  

When the doctor came in, he didn't review my history, took a look at one of my spots, and without consulting me about what he thought it was or what treatment options existed, he went ahead and treated it with something.  As he was doing this, I asked him what it was and what he was doing and what the side effects were, and all he gave me was the medical term (which, obviously, I was unfamiliar with) and said that I would be left with a 7mm dark purple bruise for 2 weeks on the spot he treated.  Definitely info I would have liked to know before he went ahead and did anything.  (Not to mention, after googling the medical term I am 95% sure it was a misdiagnosis.  Oh, and the treatment didn't work.  The spot came right back.)

He then said "come with me" and marched me to the waiting room to talk to someone about billing! I hadn't even had a chance to consult him about any of my other concerns, so I stopped him before he went to deal with the next patient and was forced to explain my concern IN THE WAITING AREA in front of several other people. So unbelievably unprofessional.  One of these concerns was severely dry skin, to which he replied "Oh yeah, we're out of that sample we usually give people.  Maybe we can give you some next time." What?!  If you're out of the sample, you could, you know, recommend something else. Or write a prescription.

If you need any more convincing, the receptionist gave me a huge attitude about my insurance situation (because of some convoluted reason, I generally pay out of pocket and then submit claims on my own to the insurance company), which should actually be a good thing from the doc's perspective since they get paid right away...

Uggh I am still furious about the treatment I received.
1 - craig w.: Avoid at all costs!  My wife spent nearly $4000=00 on laser hair removal without any signifciant success.  Only then did Dr Berman and the staff, at this all for profit institute, acted like they have always insisted that it doesn't work for everyone.   Dr Berman couldn't care less.  He said, "Well it works for 3,000 other patients of mine".  He was flippant, uncaring, rude and made my wife thorougly upset, on top of the bad results of the treatment.  He was like "Well ya you do get more hair growth with laser, treatment, everyone knows that".  So cocy, so rude.  It was just a very expensive way of waxing.  No one explains the different lasers, different results, how it works and what they do that could be different. They just want to get you in and out asap.  Someone said the people who work there get major discounts and the treatment should be fraction of a what it is charged.  Save your hard earned money on alternatives or give the money charity but not Dr Berman and co.
1 - Nerak S.: I went to this Dr years ago for spider vein treatment.  His nurse did all the treatments and it appeared I was getting more not less veins.  Overall, wasn't a pleasant or effective place to go.
1 - Cool K.: I had gone here a few times in the past 10 years, but I will not be going back.

In a nutshell, what a lot of people say in their posts about this establishment is true:  they care most about making money and the quality of the care has really suffered as a result.

The final straw was that I was given a prescription for a medication that has been off the market for several years.   I'm not sure why the PA or the physician didn't know about it, but it just feels like they are churning you, not really looking after your best interest.  

Also, don't ever buy any of their Berman product lines.  The $90 jar of cream for skin bleaching didn't work.  I got Obagi and a prescription for Retin-A that was covered by my insurance and it worked fine.  I think they mix this stuff in their own office and not sure about the formulation or the actual dosage.  

I'd stay away from this place, there are so many other dermatologists in the Bay Area.
1 - Pierre R.: This Doctor Mr. Berman is so sull of himself, and he seems like a money hungry scam asrtist. I went in for a free consultation with a coupon I had, but the receptionist said it was not valid so I ended up paying. I was at least in  the waiting room for 30-45 min and I had made an appointment like 2 weeks in advance, not very well with his time management.
 
  When I finally spoke to Dr. Full of Himslef about my scar revision he seemed to act interested in helping me and showed me some pictures, and quoted me at $600 for a small scar revision on my right arm from an accident I had, and he also said when it heals he would do a free laser resurfacing at no charge so I was really excited. The day I went back to the office again for surgery I waited in the waiting area for another 45 min, I was really mad, but excited, because I really wanted to have my scar corrected. I walk in he sits me down and starts yapping about something and says, "you dont trust me?' I answered, and said I don't know you to much, so I cant answer that honestly. he then cut out my skin, and stich me up. He then said ok bye. I was like are you serious! I think a doctor would at least  take his time and explain how to take care of your wound and make sure it heals right. I mean I just had surgery , and he walked out without saying anything about post self treatment for healing. 

  To make story short I go back to office after wound healed so he can remove my stiches he literally ripped them out like aggressively yanking back and forth. I was like don't you think that's to rough? he replied don't you trust me, I just noded my head  very angry. I left, and I had a very bad almost like track tire mark on my arm from his bad pulling tecnique. The scar actually looked straighter than before, but it looked bigger and now it had a tire track imprint around my scar I was not happy. I then asked him, so are you gonna do the laser resurfacing after a couple of months he said no. I was like you said you were. His story was like I generally don't reccomend laser resurfacing on a scar after this procedure. I just started laughing at what a liar he is. I just walked out angry and said to myself this guy just cares only about money.   

 I would not reccomend this doctor his work is not to high standards, and he over charges. If you wan't your money taken with a bad procedure or procedures go see Mr. selfish  I mean Dr. Berman!
1 - V B.: I came in for a mole consultation with Dr. Berman.  He never asked me a single question about the mole or review my medical history.  Without letting me know the possible diagonsis or treatment options, he went ahead and treated it with some spray.  He left the room immediately afterwards and I had to run after him to ask him any questions.  He certainly does not care about the well being of the patients and is more interested in selling his hair transplant procedures.
3 - Judy M.: I read the reviews of Berman Skin Institute before I went there and saw that a number of the not-so-positive reviews were related to the success of different treatments (laser tattoo removal) for which the results are subjective, and a perception of up-selling.  I was looking for Botox, for which the results are subjective, and which is just plain expensive regardless of where you go.

I will say up front that I found the process of making an appointment to be very easy and that the staff was extremely professional.  I was scheduled with a Physician's Assistant, Ebu Schohy.  She recommended an additional area of treatment to me and I think that she was absolutely right in her assessment. She's good with Botox and I am very pleased with the results.  I would not hesitate to return to Ebu for Botox.   

The price for the service was in line with what my cosmetic surgeon in SF and cosmetic dermatologist in Roseville charge for the same amount of product.  My only issue with Berman was that I received a statement from them showing that they had billed my insurance company for a New Patient Detailed Office Visit for $175.  This was over an above the $500+ I paid out of pocket for Botox, which is purely cosmetic and not covered by insurance.  I have never had a physician's office charge for an OV in addition to the service.  They asked for my insurance at the front desk in case I had any medical treatments in the future and did not tell me that they would bill insurance for anything related to the Botox treatment.

The insurance company discounted the payment and Berman wrote off my $10 copay in addition to the balance not paid by insurance.  When I called, the office told me that the PA had consulted with me about my skin and wrinkles.  Duh...I was there for Botox for wrinkles and paid for the treatment.   

I do not have any problem with medical practices making money but I think that this was out of line.  They should not have used my employer-provided insurance for this purpose and if they intended to do so, they should have disclosed it up front.
1 - MM A.: I have been coming here for the past two years and spent near $3000. The first day of my consultation was free and the lady tested the laser on my skin and assured me that after 4-5 session the hair would be gone forever. Last month I had my 14th sessions and when I look at my face I still see no change. Totally waste of money. I wish they would tell the truth. They left me no choice than leaving this review.

I forgot to say they are very friendly.
1 - Ann G.: has anyone had a mini face lift ...or smart lipo laser procedure done here ?
all the negative reviews are solely on tattoo removal, / skin problems..
i have an appt for next friday...and need some info on lip procedure before i go ahead with my appt...
any info would help... tks..
1 - Emi N.: I started going to the Berman Skin Institute a few years ago for tattoo removal on my back.  I almost didn't continue going after my initial consultation because I felt that the nurse I met with was in a rush for me to get in and get out.  I hadn't made an appointment to come back but ended up receiving a call from Dr. Berman asking how my consultation went and why I hadn't scheduled an appointment.  I explained to him why and he encouraged me to go back and offered 50% off my first treatment.  Each time I went, it seemed that I always saw a different nurse - never Dr. Berman - although the receptionist was always the same and was sweet.  Some of the nurses would even ask me what level of (laser) intensity was used the last time I had been there as if I should know.  Overall the process is pretty painful.  One time I left the office bleeding and in so much pain.  They usually give you an ice pack to go home with but there was one time they had run out.  They shouldn't have treated me that day if they didn't have them.   Of all the treatments I've had, I think around 8, I only received a follow up call once or twice.  I now haven't been back in over a year and regret ever going at all.  They completely over did the laser on my back and there are splotches where the pigment of my skin is now white and don't think it will ever return to normal.  You can still see where the tattoo was and it just looks terrible.  I've even gone as far as to cover it up with makeup if I'm going to wear a bikini or anything where it will show.  Its a huge hassle and I hate it!
1 - E S.: Do not go to this place.  Its "run" well, yes.  And the staff comes across as friendly.  But all they want is your money.  Its just run as business not as a Dr.'s office that is truly interested in helping people.  They push products and treatments and are all about quantity, not quality.

Berripop Frozen Yogurt - Houston, TX (29.714817, -95.414354) (West University)
5 - John V.: I couldn't believe how great frozen yogurt tastes.  Back in the day it wasn't that cool nor tasty.

We walked into Berripop and we were quickly greeted with a smile.  The store is itself is very modern and constructed with taste (some of the restaurants should take note).  It contained a couple of flat screens, trendy lighting, and comfortable couches.

We had eight different flavors of yogurt to choose from.  I ended up trying three and selected the raspberry-pomegranate with some granola.

A bonus is that they have plenty of private parking with lots of space inside.
2 - Claire S.: So I like that this newest location is bigger and more spacious than the closet-like Meyerland location and that it's close to my house. But service wise it's not so good. Toppings are $1.00, ok, so don't give me a 1/4 teaspoon, especially when I just order one. That pissed me off enough that I probably won't be coming back to this location.
3 - Anna W.: As I'd walked out of Celebrity Cupcakes with a cupcake not in hand, but in mouth, I was disappointed that the sugar rush didn't have fireworks and explosions, as only a fantastic sugar rush can justify the amount of calories ingested. I looked over at Berripop, and briefly contemplated getting some "healthy" frozen yogurt instead, because, in an alternate world, a not-as-unhealthy dessert eaten after a very unhealthy dessert makes a person very healthy. It's also called a palate cleanser in fancy restaurants. However, I decided that having parts of a few cupcakes was enough for lunch.

Later that day, I had a book club meeting, where I would be having light bites and a drink (only one, sadly enough), but I was determined to have some froyo. Unlike the space at the Westheimer and Shepherd location, this Berripop is spacious and very yellow. I think the amount of space it takes up may account for why Celebrity Cupcakes has no room to hang around (well, more due to the cupcake trend of standing room only). There are high tables, two semicircular banquettes in the middle of the room, and tables along the sides with banquettes. There's free wifi, but there aren't very many outlet plugs. Plus, I don't think you could get much done, what with the bright orange decor (it's like a Fanta girl exploded) and loud musical selections (my goodness, was that Jessica Simpson?).

I do think Berripop's froyo tastes better than places like Swirl, where it seems really artificial, so it does in a pinch. You can try the different flavors, but I'd avoid the peach. $1 gets you unlimited toppings--that can fit in the cup. By that, they mean the sides. If it were up to me, I'd pat the toppings up the sides and to the peak of that froyo so that it'd resemble a mudslide.
5 - Rica R.: I love berripop! The yogurt is so sweet and delicious. It's very creamy and smooth. This is a nice for breakfast, a snack or dessert. I haven't tried the smoothies yet because I love the yogurt with any toppings. The real cheesecake topping is amazing! I am definitely a regular here.
2 - Daniel L.: Service is hit or miss. Not to be sexist but the guy employees are generally much better (e.g. friendlier, work more quickly, seem to treat you more like a customer and less like some idiot with a $5 bill that is going to make them do work) than the girl employees.

I like the space inside. Very clean, meticulous. And colorful - as Anna W. writes below, it seems as if a Fanta girl exploded.
4 - vivian w.: Mmm like the fruit selection and attitude at this location the best out of the all the 4 I've been to in the Houston area.  bonus: this location has a stamp card for frequent froyoers like me!  but come to think of it,  i think most of the locations have that stamp card now that is particular to their location.

the yogurt itself - perfect amount of tartness and it's solid and not leaky like some other frozen yogurt places.  i think the small with 1 topping is a pretty steep price (over $4.00..) so if you want a lot of yogurt with toppings it's a better deal to get the parfait.  nevertheless, i love tart yogurt so i always frequent the place despite the price!  yum :)
4 - Kylie S.: The best things about the West U Berripop is the rather large and cute interior and the service.  The man working when I went in for the first time was so nice and helpful.  I wasn't new to FroYo, but I was new to Berripop and he gave great suggestions.  

In terms of taste, Berripop wasn't the best I've ever had, but it was good.  Also, I prefer self-serve and this was not.  This was more the Pinkberry model of business where you have to direct the service at the counter.  Not a big deal, but something that might matter to FroYo aficionados ;)

I liked that Berripop had decent parking given its West U location and it is convenient to good restaurants.
1 - D G.: The yogurt tastes good, but there are NEVER enough employees and the servings are stingy. They've actually started weighing them to ensure they aren't giving you even one extra drop.

The management of this place is choosing not to treat their customers very well... seems cheap and stingy. 

I will be taking my business elsewhere (Yogurtland!)
5 - Melissa D.: LOVEEEE the ORIGINAL FLAVOR! Best fro-yo in Houston!
5 - Stephanie S.: This is our FAVORITE frozen yogurt place in Houston.  Swirrl tends to get a little pricey and is a little hit/miss on the flavors and Red Mango tends to be a little too tangy...Berripop is jussstttt right.

The shop is really cute and the staff is super friendly.

We love their "frequent flyer" card about as much as we love the Mango-Coconut yogurt...YUMMMM!!!
2 - Jon H.: Similar to the many other frozen yogurt places surrounding West U. and Rice U., but charges you twice as much. I won't be back, given that Purple Vanilla is down the road and literally half the price.
3 - Nupur L.: Houston, you're killlllin' me here.

Can't a single local chain do tart original yogurt right? This one had the same weird gumminess and strange mouthfeel as Tutti Frutti but it was still much better than Tutti Frutti. It just wasn't something I would order again. I can't give more than three stars to a yogurt place that doesn't get the core of its business right. 

Otherwise, the cake batter with chocolate malt balls? Delicious. The tart mango is bomb as well. Get it with the fruity pebbles, which work perfectly with tart flavors. Sadly, I think mango is just a temporary flavor. Ah, well  Staff is very nice and they frequently have specials where you can get an extra topping for free. Looks like I'll just have to wait for the opening of Pinkberry in Highland Village...

Berry Nutty - Westwood, CA (34.0625584, -118.4443292) (Westwood)
5 - Toni L.: I regret to inform you of the passing of Mr. Snowberry. He was a good friend to us all, but his time was up. Mr. Snowberry is dead! Long live Berry Nutty, the best self serve yogurt store ever!

Choices: Lots! Choose from peach, mango, strawberry, plain, blueberry, banana, and pomegranate flavored yogurt (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/GIiVYkz7Pvus5eKoWwgCDA?select=rtTUBSQnS5cWTL340U03HA). You can get whatever you want in whatever combination you'd like. The toppings are also self serve and you can get just about anything I've seen at most Korean yogurt stores including mochi. No cherries here like at Yogurberry, though. 

Price: Since it's self-serve, the price is up to you. It's $0.39 for each ounce, toppings included. I got a decently sized amount of yogurts in almost all of the flavors (the banana was out of order and the pomegranate wasn't ready yet) that came out to $2.39. Not bad!

Decor: This still looks very much like the Mr. Snowberry of old, but the tables have been replaced with three self-serve machines (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/GIiVYkz7Pvus5eKoWwgCDA?select=4t4047Yn8Ybb-f2QaV2FKw). There's no place to sit, but whatever. Still kinda ugly inside. 

Taste: Kinda icy, but still good. I love the peach flavor. It's not too sweet. The mango is also good. Avoid the blueberry, however. It tastes like Flintstones vitamins. 

Synopsis: I'm going to get addicted to froyo all over again.
1 - Char L.: Aw boo! The night I went, both plain and banana were out of order! That only left strawberry, blueberry, mango, and peach. My two favorite flavors were broken. =(
4 - Jerry C.: When did yogurt places become so hipster?  My girlfriend and I walk in and the first thought we had was how under-dressed we felt compared to all the other people in the store.  They had this generic electronica music playing in the background.

The idea of the place was freaking awesome.  For $0.38 / ounce, you can choose from a variety of different self-serve flavors, and add any toppings you like.  We ended making this really ugly lopsided blueberry, banana, strawberry *thing* with blueberries and strawberries spilling out everywhere.  I wouldn't say that it tasted great, but it was so much fun to talk about making it that it didn't really matter.  On top of that, the price came out to be $5.50 for the two of us, which was pretty reasonable.
1 - Sue Z.: It's closed!!!!

Ughhhhh after walking back and forth!!!! We came across this dark, dark place.  FAIL!!!

BerryLine - Cambridge, MA (42.3710043, -71.11412) (Harvard Square)
5 - Tom E.: The green line sucks, the orange line is drrrty, the silver line isn't real and the blue line goes nowhere... but the red line... amongst it's other awesomenesses it now also takes you to Berryline. In fact, it goes right under it, rumbling the little shop with a bassy groan every few minutes. It rocks - literally!

So get on the red line, get up to Harvard Sq and get some amazing frozen yoghurt from this cool venture by yelper Matt W and friends. They've turned a dirty old shop into a great space with funky artwork, lots of light and a sweet mural on the side. They serve smoothies, coffee and mighty leaf tea (love that tea!) to go alongside your frozen yoghurt.

And let's talk about the frozen-yoghurt... there's plain and flavoured with the latter changing each week (I had blueberry). The sizes are generous and cheap considering. And for toppings there are tons of freshly cut fruit options and other lovely stuff like oreo pieces. The frozen-yoghurt is creamy and sweeter than yo berry's but (what what what?!) it really tastes of greek yoghurt. YUM! Matt tells me their recipe was customised for the New England taste. Local fro-yo for you! Go!

AND DID I MENTION FREE WIFI? In Harvard Sq? Yes YES
5 - Ali E.: The only way I will be able to remedy my indecision in the face of so many options will be to go back here eighty thousand times. 

I love love love this place. The staff is super friendly and understanding of my inability to choose toppings. All the fruit looked so fresh (it is - they will only offer it if it's ripe and recently sliced) and the other toppings so yummy (cocoa puffs, fruity pebbles, granola, oh my!) I just couldn't decide what direction to take my heavenly bowl of awesomeness. Ended up going with Oreo crumbles. My only complaint is that there were no sprinkles. Rainbow sprinkles make every day better.

The portions are generous, and the yogurt tastes so unadulterated and and real. Healthy and cheap and delicious? Yes please.
5 - Tien L.: I'm usually not a dessert/ice cream person but their frozen yogurt is just DELICIOUS!   it's creamier than pinkberry and the tanginess sweetness are just right!  fruits are fresh, staffs are friendly, and the prices is cheap compare to pinkberry and yo-berry (the one in super 88 in boston).  they even offer free wi-fi!  i cant wait till they have start selling smoothies :-)
5 - Ligaya T.: Some gal behind me in line admitted that she'd visited three times that day. Eating the divine combo of original yogo, fresh strawberries and graham crackers I thought that I too might be able to subsist on this stuff! It's super fresh with a bit of tang like real yogurt, uber creamy with a hint of sweetness. They also have a flavor of the week that they aren't afraid to experiment with, acai berry and pomegranate, to name a few. You can also grab a cup of brew (coffee and tea) as well. 

The place has been totally revamped and now looks gorgeous! Sweet job, Matt W and co! The walls are brightened up by local artist Bren Bataclan's colorful cartoons too, so cute. There's also a few tables out front to lick the day away in the sunshine or moonlight as they're open until midnight on the weekends!
4 - Sarah S.: Frozen yogurt that actually tastes like yogurt? Oh yes. Oh. Yes. 

A schmeck pricy for what it is. I think they charge a wee bit too much for a small sprinkling of "mix" ins that are actually served on top of your yogurt. But hey, it's still really quite good. The pomegranate and orignal flavors are truly very tasty, and the fruit mix-ins taste very fresh.

And the fact that it's right across the street from the theater where I work makes it even better.

EDIT: I want to give this place 5 stars- believe me, I do! Working these past few weekend, I've been there no less than twice a weekend. And dayum, this stuff is tasty. BUT, the mango I got last weekend tasted tinny and strangely metallic, and the pineapple yogurt, while it was good in small doses (ie: in a test taste), was slightly bitter and off-tasting in larger portions (ie: my actual yogurt concoction). 

That having been said, they had absolutely delicious blackberries and kiwi last weekend. Yeah, KIWI!
5 - A. P.: after seeing the many delightful reviews, i was dying for an excuse to go to harvard square and have some froyo. oh my god, this is some freaking excellent frozen yogurt. the original is like a sweetened frozen version of the fage total that i eat everyday without fail for breakfast...and sometimes lunch and dinner.

i tried the original and the mango and decided that the original was way too delicious and creamy to pass up. even with the addition of some perfect strawberries and kiwi, a small was less than $4... and this was no teeny tiny small. in fact, it was really substantial. that didn't stop me from wanting to turn around and go get another one the second i was done. 

i have to second whoever suggested that they do pints here. i would love to be able to bring this stuff home!
3 - luosha c.: i was really excited about this place, after having read about pinkberry and wanting something like it locally.

when i finally made it there on a friday night, the line was out the door  (totally mobbed with harvard undergrads).

the yogurt was decent (yay softserve), and the toppings were nice, but i have to admit i was a little disappointed.

the plain was pretty sweet (considering it was "plain") and had kind of a weird chalky flavor.  

the mango flavor was delicious in its own right, and pretty good at covering up the chalkiness, but too sweet for my taste.

and neither was as yogurty as i would have hoped (it would be better if it were more sour and had a little more texture, less mushiness). 
also, it was a little bit *too* smooth ... a little more chewiness like in indian or turkish ice creams would have been nice.

instead it had that kind of overpowering creaminess that makes tosci's ice so much less good than, say, herrell's or christina's or j.p. licks.  but i guess if you like that sort of thing ... 

and what are they going to do when berries go out of season (basically already)?  

anyway, it was a good idea.  maybe i'll go back if they ever bring a green tea flavor.
4 - Milee S.: I was very skeptical about this place as I am not a big fan of regular yogurt, I didn't think I would like it. But I was wrong! When we entered, we were immediately greeted by the staff who asked if we wanted samples. The original was a creamier, sweeter version of regular yogurt, and I found myself liking it alot!  Then the man behind the counter asked if we wanted to try the flavor of the week, in this case, mango.  Sure we said, and I actually prefered it to the original. 

However, I did end up getting the original with chocolate chips on it. It was very tasty.  There are a lot of topping options, ranging from fresh kiwis and strawberries to coconut, chocolate chips and fruity pebbles.

I would go back again if in the area. Give it a try!
4 - Franklin B.: Before I go any further, I believe it is my responsibility to admit that I do not have the biggest sweet tooth.  Normally, I don't have one, period.  But regardless, Berryline is pretty radical.  I went there with my lady-friend after Oktoberfest.  I ordered Mango yogurt with fresh strawberries, said lady-friend ordered plain with strawberries and kiwi.  The yogurt was pretty amazing, the fruit was fresh, and the company couldn't be beat.  I would certainly go out of my way to make a second visit.
5 - Michelle K.: When dessert time rolls around, sometimes you need a lil' somethin' somethin' that is tangy and tart. At those times, run here! Berryline frozen yogurt has filled that void left open by all of the ice cream shops around Harvard Square and done so with smiles behind the counter.

PS: while Berryline has a ton of toppings (just granola is my fave: great texture and not too sweet for the yogurt), don't be afraid to buy your froyo naked! It tastes perfect as is and you may find yourself pushing aside your fix-ins to get to the good stuff!
1 - M M.: NO WHERE CLOSE TO PINKBERRY! 
The fruits wasn't even fresh.  The peach looks like it's going bad.  Would never go there again.  I rather go to Yo!Berry @ 88
5 - Evan G.: Berryline is a great new frozen yogurt/coffee place in Harvard Square. The frozen yogurt is there is AMAZING. It actually tastes the way frozen yogurt is supposed to taste, it's not the super sugary garbage that most places have. Plus, you can get all sorts of great and healthy (or not) toppings, like freshly cut fruit (not canned!) or fruity pebbles. They also have great tea, the mighty leaf. I tried the rainforest mate tea, and it was really good. Plus all the people there are super nice. And the prices are totally reasonable. Check this place out, you won't regret it.
3 - Kabir H.: This review is a bit winded for a froyo place, but bear with me because I hope I can teach you a thing or two... 

On my travels through India, I hopped aboard a train headed to a remote spot and was subjected to Indian train food. Prejudice would have you believe that anything served on mass transit is going to be nasty, let alone on a train leaving Calcutta.. But the interesting thing about most Asian countries is that labor is ultra cheap, to the point where having a fully staffed kitchen to prepare food is cheaper than mass producing it and freezing it for later, since energy costs are more significant than labor. The end result: Mass transit food in India is fresh! My meal was completely inconspicuous save for this little, red, foil-wrapped, clay pot, which as it turns out, housed the FRESHEST goddamn yogurt I've ever tasted. It tasted sweet without having any added sugar and the texture was incredibly smooth, not gelatinous like store bought, processed yogurt. I don't even like yogurt, and was convinced I was eating something else entirely. I stole my little brother's clay pot while he was napping!

And that's what the original BerryLine yogurt kinda reminds me of, though not quite as good. The added fruit toppings are delicious though and help make up for it.
5 - Kenny L.: Why is it that whenever I have cravings, I always tend to go the opposite direction? What do I mean? Well, let's follow Waldo!

I started from Brookline (home base), then Porter Sq for lunch, then Union Sq to check out its festival, then to Inman Sq for some Christina's Ice cream...but before continuing, I thought about ice cream places that I haven't check out yet and BerryLine came up (yes, I know it's yogurt)! So it's off to Central Sq to catch the red line for the BerryLine at Harvard Sq!

I almost missed this place too because of its tucked away locale off between Mass Ave and Arrow St (you're walking south from Hahvarhd Sq). The cartoonish exterior and interior makes it welcoming and makes you expect Spongebob to greet you inside (no, I wasn't traumatized as a child). There are nice small tables and chairs for you to sit in inside, as well free WiFi to get some reading done or write more Yelp reviews. 

Their choices are either original or flavor of the week (cranberry was this week, but others had mango, pomegranate, black cherry, and papaya) and your choices of toppings are fruit, chocolate or pb chips, granola, etc. The small was just enough for me,but they come in medium and large as well. I got the mango and pb chips on original yogurt and it was delish! The price (around $3) is awesome compared to competitions in LA (i.e. Pinkberry, Red Mango) and it tastes just as good, if not better! And fellow Yelper/owner Matt W is an equally awesome guy, putting his MIT education to run this place here. He says that he and his partner (Eric) are really enjoying this after doing this for about a month and are thinking of baked goods in the near future to complement their coffees. Give him a Yelp holler next time you stop by!

One suggestion: bring in the mochi topping! 

So after enduring endless miles of travel, I'm a happy camper because I have yogo in my tummy (and I get extra points for putting up with Red Sox fans on the way home, right?)!
5 - Kara S.: After just discovering how great pinkberry is during my last visit to NYC, I was all set to curse Boston for not having one.  Then, lo and behold, I stumble upon Berryline.  While it's not quite as good Pinkberry, it's still damn good.  I went the other day and got an original with cocoa puffs and strawberries. As much as I like fresh fruit, I thought the acidity of the strawberries detracted from the tangy flavor of the frozen yogurt.  So when I go back, which will be later today because I am a gluttonous pig, I plan to stick to cereal toppings.  

Also, I believe I saw a sign that said they had free wifi, though they only have  small scattering of seats.
5 - Mary B.: Frozen yogurt is the holy grail to me.  I'm constantly on a quest to find fro yo that's healthy and tastes good.  I was really excited to hear about Berryline and I would definitely recommend it for fellow yogurt enthusiasts.  I had the original with strawberries and it was very nice.  I could tell it originated from real yogurt, it had a hint of tang.  My only wish was what they had their nutrition information available in the store or online.

Edit 5/2008 - Yay!  I went in a week or so ago and they had a huge poster with the nutritional information up.  I had the ginger with pineapple this time - excellent and a good $ deal.  My only qualm is that I keep managing to miss the mojito flavor!  My own fault and should be remedied by more BL trips.
3 - James S.: I was really excited when I learned about Berryline; especially after reading the recent yelp reviews. So, while on a study break, I decided to venture over to 1 Arrow for a pick-me-up. 

I've been to a few of these new, natural style, yogurt places and I really like the ones I've tried in Los Angeles and the SF Bay Area.

So why just three stars?...

1 Star deduction for the taste of the original flavored yogurt. Since I've tried a few of these natural places, I expected a more intense and pure yogurt flavor.

1 Star deduction for getting my order wrong. I ordered a small original with two toppings - strawberries and kiwi. Instead I got Raspberries and kiwi. I didn't say anything because it looked like a good combination, and it was, but that's not what I asked for. 

On the plus side -  the pace was clean and the people were cool. More than happy to offer a free sample.

I'm sure i'll be back, but I expected more.
4 - Tammy H.: I've been craving this stuff everyday since I got back to Boston.  Only made it 3 out of the 6 days I've been here!  Shucks.

I love this froyo (original) 'cause it's not too tart, it's creamy and not too stiff (think PB).  I deduct one star 'cause they don't give you much froyo in your cup.
4 - Hana T.: Dear Yelp,
 
I know I haven't been very useful in my reviews lately.  So in an effort to be better myself, I'll *try* to be useful in this review. 

-B.e.r.r.y.L.i.n.e-
                                        |"|                       !!!                        !!!                     _       _  
             ,,,                     _|_|_               `  _ _  '                `  _ _  '                 '\ \ - / /`   
          (o o)                   (o o)            -    (oXo)    -      -     (oXo)     -           ([o o])      
ooO--(_)--Ooo-ooO--(_)--Ooo-ooO--(_)--Ooo-ooO--(_)--Ooo-ooO--(_)--Ooo-ooO


::  I love the cute murals outside, as well as the paintings inside.
 
::  The green tea flavor here is definitely better than Yo! Berry.  I like it.  ^-^
 
::  I know fruits are healthy, but can't you make an "unhealthy" flavor?  White Russian, Bailey's, mocha, peanut butter, burnt sugar, nutella??  Please please please make a banana fro-yo and a nutella fro-yo on the same day, so I can get the two together at the same time.  
 
When I was there, the featured flavors were original, green tea, cranberry, orange, and one other fruit flavor.  My suggestion is let the health nuts pick at the berries and fruits, and do one not-so-healthy flavor. 
 
::  This is just my opinion, but it was semi-annoying how the girls keep calling everyone "honey."  (ex. "Hi, what can I get for you honey?")  They are very friendly, but it's overdone.  I wouldn't mind be called honey by a cute guy (^-^) in a diner or some fast food place, but it doesn't seem fitting to this environment.    
 
::  For toppings- choices, choices!  There is a variety of toppings, and I know if I load them up, my treat will go from healthy to feeling the need to get my ass on that exercise bike!  The choices are kind of typical, however.  Maybe some other kinds can be pomegranate seeds, chinese almond cookies, vanilla almond granola at TJ's, dried cherries, cake pieces, salted pistachios, waffle cone pieces, real mochi (not rice cakes)..  I don't like fro-yo in a cone, but I like pieces of cone in my fro-yo. 
  
::  Maybe BerryLine can serve some breakfast items once they've established their shop too.  Matt W, serve some of those huge pancakes in your picture!   (^o^)

::  Although I don't like any healthy alternatives to ice cream, BerryLine is nice for those looking to find one.  I will return though, because I am obsessively compulsive about collecting all 10 stamps to get one free frogurt!  Yay!
................
5 - Cara P.: Berryline! I might not have found you so soon, if not for the buzz on yelp....I don't get to Harvard Square too often.

So I decided to trek to Harvard square just for you!....ok and to go to Lush.......but YOU were the main reason.

You see.....froyo places hold a special place in my heart.

When I was younger and my mother would drop me off to go to CCD, I would run over to meet up with three of my closest friends and we would turn around and wave goodbye to our parents. We would look to our right and look to our left, than we would run like hell. Yup, we skipped every third class or so and flocked to TCBY.  

Sadly, our excursions stopped. Nope, our parents didn't find out. TCBY had to closedown because their employees had sticky fingers.

It was a sad day for all.

Since those days nothing has hit the mark until now. 

Yes, Berryline  was seriously freakin, oh my lord unbelievable....I got the original with strawberry...You know, I just wanted to play it safe before I opened up my heart to Berryline.......just like any relationship.

The original is perfect. Smooth, creamy, tastes like yogurt but not too tart like yogurt....just a nice balance.......doesn't taste artificial whatsoever.

So Berryline has taken over...not just because they have delish yogurt but because they have a kick ass mural on their store front, wifi, indoor and outdoor seating, cool artwork on their walls -when I went it was art by  Bren Bataclan and the pieces fit perfectly inside Berryline-, the staff was super super nice and looked HAPPY to be there....

I plan to get a bit more creative the next time with my toppings, but I think I need all I need to know to give this place five stars. If you haven't been and you love froyo....GO! It is only a few minutes from the Harvard Square "T" stop!!!!

I am lucky I don't live near this place or it would definitely be a two a dayer for me.
4 - Rachel B.: One flavor (plus original) sort of threw me for a loop. And I tasted something unidentifiable in the original...I want to say....oatmeal? I couldn't place it.

Nice space, fresh toppings, and people behind the counter were super nice, though. And the small was generous.
4 - Nate Y.: I came here for the free fro-yogurt for Yelpers offered by Matt W., one of the owners. He tells me the various combination of flavored yogurts you can have, similar to soft-serve. I choose a half-and-half of black cherry and pomegranate. I mix in coconut and chocolate chips. I end up with a great tasting treat that's better for you. They offer fresh fruit and other add-ins and give copious amounts of it.

I was fortunate enough to get it for free thanks to Matt, but I definitely plan to come back with money in hand. It's worth the trip.
5 - Melissa C.: Yummy! I've been wanting to try this place out, but kept putting it off. What was I thinking?! I could have been eating this stuff all summer! The fro-yo was totally tastey -- all four flavors (mango, black cherry, pomegranate and original), which I got to try because Matt W. was willing to run back and forth from the counter to the... machine (I wonder if there's a particular name for the frozen yogurt machine...) with four little sample cups for me while I stared at all the topping possibilities. Also, super patient with my indecisiveness. All the toppings just looked so good (especially they the strawberries, they're all bright and red and glistening!)! In the end, I got Mango/Original with Strawberries. It was delicious, but I was totally jealous of everyone else's flavors, so I'm going to have to go back. It was so good, I packed my cup o' fro yo away with jaw dropping speed. Seriously, my cup was so clean when I was done they could have re-used it.
5 - Yui K.: Being so far away from Pinkberry makes me a little sad, but now there's the bigger and better Berry Line a mere hour away in nearby Boston. Though I wouldn't trek it just for fro-yo...... would I?

Tasting that good and still low fat is a beautiful thing. Regular flavor never gets old. It's smoother and creamier than Pinkberry and definitely less tart, which is why Berry Line trumps Pinkberry. Now I can add pineapple topping without my glands going wild.

Topping choices include your cereals, fruits, and chocolates. Personal fav: fruity pebbles, banana, and MOCHI. Inside is quaint and cute as a button.. makes you want to sit and talk about happy thoughts.
4 - Jenny L.: I was really craving some pinkberry/kiwiberry so I decided to give this place a try. The original was more creamy and less tangy than pinkberry's original but still pretty good. I love the way Pinkberry's yogurt tastes like those Asian yogurt drinks so I still prefer Pinkberry. The fruit options are not as extensive as Pinkberry but is all super fresh and not frozen. The store itself is very small so the fact that it offers free wifi doesn't do much because there's no place to sit. One thing about BerryLine that I do like more than Pinkberry is the fact that they serve coffee and expresso as well as the fro yo.

Overall, it was enough to satisfy my Pinkberry craving until they finally make their way to Boston. And it's definitely better than regular fro yo any day, so if you haven't given either a try I definitely recommend it!
5 - Kiwi H.: Well, I finally made it to Berryline! Although it took me a little while to figure out where it was exactly (not checking map/directions and not knowing where the street is = not smart), it was a lovely sight to behold on a chilly night: a joyfully colourful, cutely decorated place that looked bright and welcoming. 

Inside, it was warm and one of the owners (Elite Yelper Matt W!) was actually working alongside the friendly staff - this kind of thing is always great, it makes me feel like they really care about the place and is just overall nice. There isn't much more I can say amid all these other rave reviews, unless I echo the cries of "hot tea and coffees! lovely fun artwork! patio seating for warm days!" and oh, that super-fresh light and yummy yet filling and so-tasty froyo! 

This is more yoghurty than other frozen yoghurts I've tried, and it really does taste deliciously fresh. Unique flavours such as mango, pomegranate and black cherry (which is so good by the way), and toppings like fresh fruit, crumbled biscuits/cookies/oreos, chococlate or peanut butter chips, other sweet swirly looking things, just make it an even better party in your mouth. If they had mini mochi balls to top with as well, I think I may combust with joy. And I feel healthy eating it too, rather than gorging myself on over-creamy sugar-laden super-rich stuff. Yum. If you haven't tried it yet and have the slightest inclanation towards doing so, then just go.

Update 11/01/07: 
So, I have since been informed by supernice co-owner Matt W. that they actually DO have mochi toppings from time to time! I guess I'll just have to make sure that next time I'm there, I get lucky. (Get lucky and find mochi, not get lucky like *that*, it's an innocent froyo shop! Get your mind out of the gutter :p )
5 - Tarah H.: Have you ever seen a fro-yo place that had two flavors you wanted twisted on two separate machines? Did that make you cry a little on the inside? (It's okay if you admit it, it's happened to me.) Fear not, such a fate will never befall you at BerryLine. ...not that they have a machine for every twist option, but they are more than happy to put flavors side by side for you. (!!!)

Not only will they give you two flavors off two separate machines...but if you want...they'll put your toppings at the bottom of the cup instead of on top. We even joked about them offering Grapenuts as a topping, but on stipulation that they would have to be added mid-swirl so as to prevent tooth chipping.

Each flavor is amazing. I personally didn't go for the side by side because I needed the pomegranate (yes! pomegranate fro-yo) in my life and didn't want to pass up the original flavor. I topped mine off with strawberries and chocolate chips. I couldn't have been happier. (although I've already conjured up about 5 more combos I need to try)It took me about 30 minutes to make up my mind.

The guys that run the shop are amazing. They're smart and funny...and really, really care! (if you couldn't tell by all the above and beyond to truly maximize your fro-yo enjoying experience detailed above) They're so open to suggestions and new ideas...but I think they're doing a pretty good job as is!

The yogurt is amazing! The fruit is cut fresh! (they cut both mango and strawberries while I was there) The price is more than reasonable. Local, local, local! Not only are they a locally owned business themselves, but they offer locally roasted coffee, a local artist's work adorns the shop...I know there's more, but they're definitely doing their part.

This tastes so good, it can't be good for me.... wait? it might be (they're waiting on lab results. oooo science) **fat free**??? Picture me impersonating Kathy Griffin impersonating Scooby Doo ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLAJJerLImA )

I might just find myself making more and more excuses to go to Harvard Sq. ...as well as scouting in-town vacant spaces and leaving them notes under the door.
5 - Cindy P.: LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT.

My husband is a serious addict which makes Matt and Pok (Eric) very happy. We go there about 3 times a week. There was one day when my husband went 3 times. Yes that is scary, and yes it is great. All the best to Berryline and their friendly service.
5 - Annie P.: I am not trying to kiss ass since Matt W. is such a nice yelping Berryline part owner and all but BerryLine made me want to forget Pinkberry. Plus they capitalized the L in Line--soooo much better than Pb who tried to just create a fake word.

Slightly vanishing that sour pucker lip taste was genius! New dessert/coffee spot.. since the whole place is super clean, cute with the Bren Bataclan art work and staff answers all your ridiculous questions with a good vibe.
Fruity pebbles and pineapple success. Thanks, see you soon.
5 - Orly M.: Yup, it's true.  This stuff is amazing.  I was craving junk junk junk so I got my yogurt with white choc chips and choc chips.  Eh, next time I am getting fruit.  The yogurt is just so yummy and fresh and healthy tasting, I felt like I was bastardizing it with chocolate.  

This is the kind of food you will crave.  When it gets warmer out, you bet your ass i'll be eating berryline for lunch every day.  If could motivate to make the 10 min walk from my office instead of driving, maybe I can even be "healthy."  Nah.

So pleasantly sour and sweet and refreshing at the same time.  I wish I was eating this stuff right now.
5 - shary m.: Frozen yogurt that actually tastes like yogurt!  I like the plain with fresh raspberries and coconut.  It's delicious and has great hours to indulge when you crave it most.  YUM!  The staff is helpful and friendly too.
5 - Dana L.: After eating here, I don't think that I can ever eat any other froyo. In fact, that stuff isn't even froyo at all, so far as I can tell.

I ordered the regular, which tasted just like ...
(catch this)...
Frozen Yogurt!!!

Not some chemically bullshit, but actual, real, yogurt that had been frozen. Kind of sour, like real yogurt, but sweet at the same time. A perfect cacophony of flavors (or something). It was like my eyes had been opened, and I had seen the light (but not quite that powerful - this is frozen yogurt we're talking about after all, and not a drug trip or spiritual experience).

You should come here. And if you are thinking about eating non-BerryLine frozen yogurt, you should be ashamed at yourself. Wow, this sounds like an ad.

Disclaimer: The writer of this Yelp has no affiliation whatsoever with BerryLine or any of its employees.
5 - Mandy H.: Just going to add to the choir. I work across the street from Berryline at ART. All the ushers are thinking of starting a support group? Why? delicious froyo that actually tastes like yogurt and some like some fakey fake processed crud. How novel! A food that actually tastes as nature intended it to....but awesome(er). The staff is incredibly nice and upbeat and there are only 25 CALORIES per ounce, so a small is 125 calories. What kind of snack food is that low calorically! That is equivalent to 1.5 Fig Newtons. Plus they have hot chocolate and apple cider with real cinnamon sticks in it AND they take debit cards ( no $5 minimum thing, too). I

It's almost as if  someone got into my subconscious and created the perfect eatery for me. All they need to do is start giving kittens away at the register and I'll be convinced there was some Total Recall-action going on.
4 - Laura A.: since moving Across The River, i barely come to harvard square anymore. so when my boyfriend said he was going i demanded he bring me back a berryline treat since it is rated so highly on yelp and i was curious.  he brought me the original flavor with added chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. the flavor literally tasted like yogurt that had been frozen...it was pretty damn tasty. 
my only complaints would be the topping to yogurt ratio (very few toppings on top of the large he brought home) and the fact that since all the toppings were just right on the top, when i opened it up to check it out i spilled chocolate chips everywhere. d'oh. 
since now harvard square is like 99.9% chains i can appreciate that this is a locally owned place (and a yelper owned place at that).
4 - Tyler C.: pretty good toppings.  The yogurt just seems more like sorbet to me, but they have a lichee flavor which is decent.   Comparable to Yo Berry in Super 88, but I think Yo Berry has a slight edge on the yogurt itself.
4 - vadit s.: I would rate this as a 3.5. My girlfriend is obsessed with frozen yogurt so I took here there, but she still claims pinkberry is much better.  According to her the yogurt at berryline is not as good, and they did not have mochi balls when we went. Apparently they only have mochi balls every now and then. We got banana yogurt with coconut and strawberry and original yogurt with mango and blackberry. They have a lot of topping selections otherwise, and the fruit is fresh. The price is comparable to pinkberry.
5 - Rachel P.: I love Berryline. The froyo tastes like actual yogurt, except cold, and a small has only 125 calories... so you can actually call it a healthy snack. It tastes creamy but not rich, and I find it way more filling than sorbet.

I recommend sampling the flavor(s) of the week. You can ask for a taste of anything if you'll curious but not ready to commit. My favorite so far is banana, but I always look forward to trying the new flavors.

There's a good selection of frest fruit for toppings, plus other standard ice cream topping stuff like candy etc. Also, I love the bright art on the walls.

My only complaint is that when you start adding on the toppings, a cup of yogurt gets really expensive really fast. :(
5 - Nicole P.: and there went my diet....

I know on paper that eating fro yo that tastes like real yogurt may not sound appealing but please try this place cause it's yummers! I would describe the taste as sweet and tart at the same time.  

There are usually 3 flavors- the original which even by itself is great I think.  Last time I went in there was also oreo which was good but not my fav and raspberry which was great.  You can get a combo half and half and there are tons of toppings.  Toppings are creative- fruity pebbles, cocoa puffs, choco chips, pb chips, all kinda of fruit (fruit is a little frozen and would be better if it was not) and m&m's etc.

By itself it's not so unhealthy, def. better then ice cream but do not pretend that it's as healthy as yogurt especially if you add toppings.

I am going to try and restrain myself to once a week! It's hard cause it's only a 10 minute walk from my apt- eke!
4 - John F.: Now, call me crazy, but I'm generally not much for yogurt, frozen or not. I don't know what it is, but it's usually not my bag. THAT SAID BerryLine is delicious. I love the selection of toppings, and the very generous portions of both yogurt and topping. I had their "special" yogurt at the time- Oreo, yum!- and it was fabulous, especially after I had some white chocolate chips in there. The price was totally reasonable, and I would go back again in a heartbeat! Definitely recommended!
5 - Charoline D.: Sometimes when it's like 50 degrees out, you've just finished brunch with  good friends and some of you are WEARING FLIPFLOPS IN JANUARY (??!!), it's good to walk to Harvard Square and visit BerryLine. First, Annie wanted us to go to choir practice, it's Sunday, isn't that what people do on Sundays? Noooooo! RunRunRunRun! 

Enters Berryline. Familiar artwork, same person who has work hanging at MilkyWay. Hmmmm. Interesting. Cute, colorful, well matched to the decorum and theme of the dairy bar. It took me a couple minutes to get down the process for ordering. I was sort of expecting a ritual similar to columbo, whereas I should've been considering picking one of the basic flavor options: oreo, blueberry, cappucino, and vanilla and figuring out what to put in it. I wound up doing the obvious, blueberry froyo with fresh strawberries and blueberries. None of the syrup-py crap in here! Joke had a smoothie (enhanced with vitamins, cuz she's a growing girl!), Annie had something with fruity pebbles and pineapple (random, but great!), Damon had a hot cider (not sure what the taste test proved), and Chris had oreo fro yo with kiwi and something else, which was also pretty damn good. A small with two toppings, rounded me out to around something like $4.09, and for the amount you get, it wasn't bad. I want to say that it was a 5oz cup. 

While the frozen yogurt was great, I'll mostly remember BerryLine for something I said to a fellow patron. 
Girl: Wow I love your sneakers, where did you get them. 
Me: Mahshalls. BUTTHEYDONTHAVENANYMORE! ! ! !
4 - Chance X.: I just visited this place yesterday. It is a very friendly place, almost felt like a student run organization. maybe it's becaues ppl who work there look like students?? The blue berry frozen yogurt was delicious. The coconut .... not ... I think they should call it sweer cream coz there is no coconut flavour. That said they do have AMAZING toppings, FRESH FRUIT toppings. Their blue berry topping is REALY BLUE BERRY not those from shaws they look like those HUGE ORGANIC blueberry from Wholefood!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, yum yum very healthy! Portion is big and not expensive. Will go back when i am dying for healthy dessert~
5 - Adde M.: Apparently there is a frozen yogurt phenomenon sweeping the west coast. The owners of Berryline have successfully migrated this trend here to Cambridge. Even on the coldest New England night, at 11 pm, there is a line practically bursting through the door. Spending most of my days hanging out across the street, I see how wonderfully they are thriving and how happy they are making their customers.   The yogurt itself is delicious and healthy and you can choose from an array of fresh fruit to top your dish. Mmmm its so good. May even be addicting. Good job. And I hope that wherever your business takes you it is prosperous.
5 - Scott M.: The yogurt is great (I always get "original"... I know, call me old school) and the people are friendly.  Yes, friendly!  I asked them once why they are so warm and welcoming when there are so many other shopkeepers in the area who won't give me the time of day.  Oh, it's because they're from California!  Sweet.
5 - Shuan L.: Like Pinkberry, but cheaper!

My friends and I have been addicted to this place since we found out about it last October.  I like how they usually have two or three flavors in addition to the original -- my favorites so far have been blueberry and raspberry.  I usually get a fruit topping and white chocolate chips.  I find that the sweetness of the white chocolate helps to balance out some of the tartness of the yogurt.  I know that white chocolate chips aren't something that people intuitively think would go well with the yogurt but trust me -- it does.

The owners drop by frequently and interact with the clientele, which gives the place a friendly vibe.  My only complaint is that the shop is too small -- there's barely any seating, and in winter months no one wants to go outside to eat their frozen yogurt.
4 - Kristi S.: This would be a 5 but I would prefer it a little less sweet.  Otherwise it is as great as everyone says.  Make sure to get your frequent visitor card, because you will be back!  I have almost finished my first and I started less than a month ago.
5 - Jessica E.: Heaven in a cup.
Friendly staff!
Ridiculous topping options.
Not your typical froyo- tarter and more yogurty.

Great! And shares the same building as a creperie=!!!!! YESSS!!!!
5 - Elaine M.: I was a bit bummed when I discovered that there is no Pinkberry in the Boston area... but then, a few months ago, I read about BerryLine (a newly-opened, local frozen yogurt shop, modeled after Pinkberry) in the Metro or BostonNow (one of those). Naturally, that very same day, I found myself at BerryLine's doorstep after work... and the rest is history.

Their original frozen yogurt is my flavor of choice and I get it topped with fresh fruit, usually strawberries and mangos. Quite addicting. And at only 25 calories for every 1 ounce (there are 5 oz in a small) of frozen yogurt, it's actually not too bad for you!

The shop itself is a cute, bright, and happy space. Similarly, the workers have always been cheerful and welcoming. As such, if you're in a bad mood and need a picker-upper (like I did today), consider stopping by BerryLine and pick up your frozen yogurt of choice with toppings instead of grabbing whatever other higher-caloric indulgence you may have originally had in mind (i.e. a tub of ice cream, half of a chocolate cake, an entire box of chocolates... you get the idea); the cheery atmosphere will (hopefully) make you feel better, and the healthier frozen yogurt will be easier on your waistline.

Keep in mind, though, that it tends to get quite busy at night (and I'd imagine even more so during the day as well in the summertime), so you may not be able to find a seat if you go during peak times since the place is quite small with very limited seating.

UPDATE (02/29/2008): One of their flavors of the day was Apple, and WOW is it amazing! If you like tart/sour things, you'll love their Apple frozen yogurt. Also, considering the frequency of my BerryLine cravings has been enough to fill up one of those "Buy 10 get 1 free" cards in quite a surprisingly short time, I feel it is only fitting that I bump up my rating of BerryLine to a 5.
5 - Kristina B.: I am yelping from BerryLine right now because my small original with strawberries and graham crackers is so good and relatively calorie-free.  It is tiny but on a winter Sunday afternoon it is practically empty except for another girl on a laptop and three girls who just walked in as I typed the last sentence.  Just heard all three girls order larges--now I am jealous because I just finished mine.  

Tomorrow I am giving a pop quiz in my Algebra 2/Trig class in which the students must calculate how much frozen yogurt "Ms. B" can order if she runs for 25 minutes averaging 14 calories/minute on the treadmill. 

BerryLine also pwns Arch's (an otherwise fine Charlottesville institution) in friendliness, atmosphere, and (lack of) presence of squawking sorostitutes.
4 - Alex L.: Meeting with a friend in Harvard Square, she directed us to what seems to be another one of the many pink berry replicas that are popping up all over the US. While this seems to be true from the toppings and flavors offered (They do have Peach though!), I must say the taste of the yogurt is much smoother than that of the original (Pink berry). The overall "berry" product was solid, though not outstanding.

I would give it 5-stars if the advertised free internet worked (I'm actually sitting in BerryLine now, but this is my 4th try to post this)

If you're close to Bow and Arrow, I'd definitely say its with trying out, but  I wouldn't go too far out of the way for it.
5 - Jocelyn C.: This place is much-welcomed addition to Harvard Square! Everything is fresh and delicious. You really can't go wrong with anything you order. I tried the Red Line smoothie my first time there, and it totally hit the spot. Have tried a few other smoothie combos out as well, and those were equally as good and refreshing. 

Great place to stop in when you're aimlessly walking around the Square and need to take a break.
5 - Sarah L.: If you don't have cash burning a hole in your pocket, don't go here, because you WILL become hooked and consequently devote some significant portion of your paycheck to this Hansel and Gretel house of delicious goodness. It's frozen crack, people. Watch yourself.
5 - Deb K.: If you have read any of my reviews, you would know that I love cheap booze and don't often make it to the Cambridge side of the river.  BL does not have booze and is on the other side of the Charles, but it is a place that I can see myself at frequently.

Freshest fruit I have seen on the east coast, extremely nice and knowledgeable staff, a wonderful and delicious product, and a fun place to eat it in.  Thanks BerryLine, I will be back.
1 - greta C.: First of all, I can't believe that Berryline got such outstanding reviews.  But then again, Boston and particularly Cambridge doesn't understand good food, and I don't know why.  

 The reason I don't like Berryline is for the same reason that I do not like fusion food restaurants.  When trying to cater to everyone's taste, the result is almost never good.  I am a multi-generational Bostonian with a sweet tooth from a long line of sweet-toothed Bostonians, so I know my frozen treats.

I know that the owners made the yogurt a little creamier to cater to New Englander's tastes.  First of all, if I wanted a New England style creamy dessert, I would go to my nearest ice-cream shop. As a new convert to the whole Korean sour-yoghurt craze, it ruins the experience when people cater to what I think I want.  What I really want is to experience something new, exciting, something out of the ordinary.

Secondly, there is a very unpleasant after-taste with this yogurt that I have not experienced with other pinkberry knock-offs.  This isn't an ewww, I cant-believe-that-I'm-eating-sour-yogurt unpleasantness.  I like the sourness of the Korean/Californian/throwback to how all American froyo tasted the seventies. No, unfortunately it is more of an overly-familiar citric acidity that seems to be present in almost all of the American food industry's products these days.  This is an I'm-catering-to-what-think-Americans-want type of unpleasantness.  I HATE the American food industry puts citric acid in everything to give it more "taste" that goes the same for other cheap fillers and food enhancers such as raisins, peanuts, bananas, pepper, and msg.  Just because our food is filled with these cheap and over produced fillers doesn't necessarily mean we want more of them. Do you think, maybe, we would want something, I don't know....different from what we have day after day?  That's why I try to expand my horizons and eat a lot non-American foods when I can. I want to get away from those things.  That's why I was so happy when some friends introduced me to this Korean by why of California tasty goodness.  If that's what you are expecting from Berryline, I would stay away and go to almost any other Korean froyo place in the area.

I had the original twice.  They both had that same nasty after taste, kind of what I imagine what Lemon Pledge would taste like.  I hoped it would be different the second time around.  I had the mochi topping.  I was excited when I called and they said that it was in stock, since the previous reviews mentioned that they don't carry it very often.  It turns out that they used pre-packaged mochi, instead of the freshly made stuff that usually is available at other places.  The result was an odd, stale, chewy texture instead of the melt-in-your-mouth texture of the freshly made version.

I'm sorry if the owners are upset by my review.  It is just my honest opinion and no one else in the world my even agree with me.  I may be a lone voice in the universe, but honestly think that they could do better.  There is definitely something wrong with the food in Boston.  Bostonians tend to accept sub-standard food, which is maddening and frustrating since then that's all that becomes available.
5 - Lindsay J.: This place is amazing! I have never had anything more amazing in my life! And everyone is so nice there to! They have the the freshest toppings also!
5 - Sara S.: Love, Love, LOVE this place! Their  original frozen yogurt has great flavor, is totally refreshing (even on a snowy winter day!). Awesome fresh fruit selection plus a bunch of other random toppings. Their small is the PERFECT size and cheap too (as long as you don't load up on the toppings). 
I am originally from California and have been searching for this kind of place! Light, sweet and yummy. Yea!!
5 - Meghan Q.: The yogurt tastes like yogurt... how can you go wrong with honesty people?? The fresh fruit options appeal to my health-nut side while the oreo, chocolate chips, and other such toppings speak to the naughty sugar coated center of my heart. The flavors switch up often allowing you to play it safe with original (always available) and fruit flavors or take a walk on the wild side with some green tea or goji. The staff is friendly and always seem like they're having fun at their job! 
Bravo to you guys for making it happen!
5 - Colin N.: Berryline (verb) - To intravenously inject frozen yogurt + your choice of toppings achieving a state of euphoric bliss and an unbreakable addiction.

ex. Earlier today, I berrylined original yogurt, strawberries and white chocolate pieces. Since then, I've had to rob two old ladies to get the money for another fix.
-
Pinkberry is the original, and not in Boston. Berryline is a damn good substitute. If you haven't jumped on the latest asian inspired dessert craze, you have not yet lived.
5 - Bianca G.: YUM. I love this place. I don't care if it's the dead of winter and my fingers are frozen, I'm getting me some frozen yogurt (with fresh strawberries and  chocolate chips). Love love love.
4 - Daphne H.: So this is Boston's answer to Pinkberry!
I have to admit, its really good.
Its creamier than Pinkberry which in some ways makes it more satsfying, they've got cool flavours like peanut butter, banana and apple.
Their toppings could be a little better - my mango bits were kinda tart and graham crackers were HUGE. But for a little home grown store which is the only one of its kinda in Boston - I'm sure I'll have no choice but to come back to fill my frozen yoghurt void...unless of course, Pinkberry comes into town and takes over.
5 - Adam E.: I have been clinically obsessed only once in my life, and it was with a certain warrior princess way back in the 90's.  But let's not talk about that.  It was an embarrassing time in my life that doesn't really need to be unearthed. 

What I'm getting at is that I don't freely devote my time to anything unless it's wholly deserved, and let me tell you that Berryline has captured my heart in full.  It feels like a darling summer romance between Berryline and I--the kind where I ride my bike down to her house at night and throw rocks at her window until she wakes up, and then we go hold hands down by the fishing hole.  Only it's winter, and I *still* make the arctic trek down Mass. Ave to get me some frozen yogurt.  If I'm leaving the comfort of my house for frozen treats in the middle of winter, you know it's gotta be something special.  

Their frozen yogurt actually tastes like yogurt, not that gross TCBY shit from the mall.  They have a couple exciting flavors that change every so often, which all pretty much taste like the original flavor, and that's fine because the original flavor is like a party in your mouth.  There are various toppings for you to choose from, most of which are fresh and will be cut up right in front of you.  It's small and cramped and poorly decorated, but none of that matters when they have a product I'd give up my firstborn child for.  For realsies, you guys.  I'm addicted.  It's like an opium den, but BETTER.
4 - Jen F.: The original flavored yogurt was a bit tart for my taste (I don't like plain yogurt though, so it is not a reflection on Berryline), but on my second visit I tried the peanut butter yogurt, and now I see why everyone else raves. The peanut butter yogurt with many ginormous chocolate chips on top definitely made a blustery Monday better. The staff is very friendly and always makes sure to give out a frequent buyer card or remind you to have it stamped. I will always prefer ice cream to frozen yogurt, but BerryLine is a pretty good alternative. 
And yes, I am one of those odd people that eat ice cream/frozen yogurt in the winter!
5 - Jenny N.: While I am an ice cream addict, even I sometimes crave the refreshing tang of a good fro-yo when I'm having one of those "I should really be good" days. I first visited Berryline in the dead of winter and while it took a little effort to find the inconspicuous little shop, I was well rewarded for the hunt. 

I shared a medium portion of the regular fro-yo with fresh raspberries as a topping and it was really quite a generous amount at a reasonable price.  

While it's a little squishy inside, they did a good job adding little seating nooks. Service was super smiley and friendly. Time to get on the train to BerryLine!
4 - Geoffrey R.: WARNING: This is not your father's frozen yogurt. If you have had Pinkberry, you know what you are getting into. 

First off the location is below and on the backside of Arrow St. Crepes, and actually is where Arrow St. Crepes started off.

Back to the offering. This is more of a real frozen yogurt. If you have had Greek yogurt, the perfectly sour and lightly sweet mixture that has a thick creamy texture, this is almost the same but frozen.

Now I would say that I don't believe the "it is healthy" hype, it is healthier than icecream but the "only 25 calories" (quietly mentioning per ounce) isn't a exactly a low calorie food. But who gets a frozen delight as a diet aid?

Also the price is quite reasonable and the hours allow a quick fix at almost any hour.
5 - Maggie B.: This is real frozen yogurt, and it's the best I've had in New England. It's slightly tangy, slightly sweet and perfect with fresh fruit, or a few chocolate chips.

This little shop has been host to numerous little eateries. I especially liked the crepe shop that went out of business some years ago. But it's a cute location, just outside Harvard Square. There's only enough seating for about 10 people, but who wants to sit when you could taste and stroll through Cambridge.

As others have said, I'm not sure how healthy this all really is, but it FEELS healthy and I FEEL better after only a few ounces so go ahead and indulge. And don't forget those chocolate chips. :)
5 - Courtney H.: I've never had frozen yogurt like this before, that tastes like real yogurt. The fresh fruit toppings are impressive. And it's cheap! I'm sold.
5 - sarah g.: You have to have Berryline. It's my absolute favorite and I am so glad they opened this past fall. Make the trip, it will be well worth it.
5 - Crystal S.: YUM! I think that I've found my new "happy place."

I like what they've done to this place and what they'll be doing for my tummy. 

Apparently I had never had proper frozen yogurt prior to this, but it's the real deal people. Like other reviewers said, sweet and tangy.

Also, the fruit is great quality, worth every penny!
5 - Layla P.: Fabulous place - same idea as pinkberry from what I gather. The frozen yogurt isn't your typical taste like nothing frozen lump or a desperate attempt to taste like ice cream - it really seriously tastes like frozen...yogurt...like the yogurt you buy in the dairy section. It's great! They have an original flavor which tastes like plain yogurt and then I believe they rotate other flavors and usually have 2 others at one time  (eg banana and strawberry today). And like others have said, the fruit selection is amazing (eg today I had mango and kiwi) and fresh - you can watch them cut it in the back.

Don't forget to get a punch card so you can get a free medium serving after you buy 10!  I do wish they had more seating though:(
5 - Melissa N.: BerryLine yogurt is as addictive as crack. And, as a former crack addict myself, I do not take this analogy lightly.  In fact I refer to it as crack yogurt and routinely find myself saying things like, "I could stop after just one if I really wanted to" or "I never eat crack yogurt when I'm alone" or, after a brief no sugar stint, "See, I didn't have any for two weeks--clearly I don't have a problem." 

The worst part is, I've become a crack yogurt pusher. I am responsible for spreading the addiction to my roommate, my ex-boyfriend, and most recently, my workout buddy, Layla P.  

OK, I was never really a crack addict; but seriously, don't try it unless you are ready to start making BerryLine runs in the middle of winter. Because you will.
5 - John L.: After reading some of the reviews (and to offset the walk between Harvard Square and People's Republik), I finally checked out Berryline tonight.  

Simply put, I'm impressed.  The yogurt was yummy, and I appreciated the ability to add toppings.  On top of that, I didn't realize how much yogurt I was actually going to get until I got the cup, as the sizes were bigger than I thought they would be.
5 - Lisa C.: I'm lucky to work near Berry Line, so I can get my fix of the best frozen yogurt I've tasted almost daily. The natural, unusual fruit flavors are the best. I've never seen vanilla or chocolate. (And I was less than impressed with peanut butter or Oreo.) But I almost don't miss chocolate when the fruit flavors are so amazing. Apple is my fondest memory. It actually had tiny flecks of real apple skin in it. And I appreciate the absence of artificial colors. This is the good stuff.
4 - Ashlee C.: Very good - tangy yogurt that has a little sweetness, but nothing like a typical frozen dessert.  The fruit toppings are a little excessive in price, 80 cents for the first, 70 for the second, etc.  However, after speaking to Matt W. through yelp, I now realize that the prices are as low as they can be in order for the store to be profitable.  I totally appreciate Matt's honesty and the help has always been super friendly in the store - so that is a huge plus for me.

WARNING:  Absolutely, by no means, ever, order the pineapple yogurt.  My boyfriend and I were deeply saddened to find it tasted bitter, and vaguely like under ripened cantaloupe.  Unfortunately, it did not resemble the taste of pineapple at all, and worse, tasted flat out bad.  

 From now on we shall stick to the original flavor, as it is delicious, and less risky than the specials.  Overall, highly recommended.  Beware of lines out the door on weekends - this stuff is good!
5 - Amanda S.: I love this place.  It is a great (non-chain, thank goodness) addition to Harvard Square.  Though it is small with only enough seating for about 8 people, it's really easy to walk in and walk out with take out yogurt.  Be aware that this is not the frozen yogurt that is typically; it is based on the model of yogurt that began in Korea and started in the US with Pinkberry.  It is a tart flavor that tastes more like plain yogurt that has been lightly sweetened and frozen, but there is something else slightly magical and delicious about it.  The stuff is addictive.  The original flavor, which is plain (and delicious), is always available along with a selection of two other flavors that change.  The other flavors range from oreo to peanut butter to orange to peach.  There are a ton of toppings to choose from, ranging such really, really fresh fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, etc.  They also have lots of variations of chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, heath bar, fruity pebbles, graham crackers, pretty much any topping you can think of to suit whatever mood you are in.  I love the people who work here too.  They are always super friendly, unlike the people at Herrell's (a lesser ice cream establishment in my opinion) or pretty much anywhere else in the square for that matter.  Each time I go there, i run into someone else who is saying that they are addicted.  I highly recommend you try it.
4 - Stephanie F.: This place is defnitely Pinkberry-esque, or is at least following the healthy frozen yogurt trend. I haven't had anything but the original flavor, and I always get fresh fruit topping -- either strawberry or mango topping. The other flavors are so-so. I asked if they had mochi topping, but they said that only comes out in the summer. Which is weird because another froyo place near my parents' home back in NJ said they don't have mochi until summer. However - Pinkberry in NYC has mochi all year round. Makes me think that they're monopolizing the mochi topping market? Who knows. This place is a good alternative if you want something "healthier" than the Ben and Jerry's around the corner...
4 - Gracie B.: There were really only 2 things that I didn't like about BerryLine. 1) The menu was posted on the wall right next to the counter where you order and if you walk in and there is a long line (which there was, and that's a good sign) you can't spend your time waiting in line looking at the menu. You only see the menu when you're just about at the counter. I know! I know! This seems like such a silly complaint. But I pay a lot of attention to the little details that I believe a business should be thinking about if they truly want the customer to have a completely good experience. (And why should any business not want that?) I just think they should post a large menu above the counter where everyone waiting in line can see it.
And 2 - the chocolate chip topping should be a little better than Hershey's chips. Don'tcha think? Is it just me. It's not that I mind them, but I think a darker chocolate, or shavings would be a little nicer.
OK
Now that I've said that. Everything else about Berryline was super good in my opinion. I got a small "original" flavor Fro Yo. I had to ask what original meant. When I did, I instantly got a sample. Nice. Original is basically just plain yogurt. I added blackberries and chocolate chips. Very happy with portion size. The yogurt tasted really yummy, not too overly sugared up.. The berries were fresh, plump, and juicy. There really is nothing bad to say about this lovely little $4.50 treat. I believe it was worth the price too.
There are a million different combos to try with the various yogurt flavors (limited, but quality choices) and the cool assortment of toppings - lot's O' candy and fruit and crunchy looking cereal type toppings.
I'll definitely go back.
5 - Amanda L.: Holy beejesus!

That about sums up my experience at BerryLine.  I was sick and tired of seemingly being the only one in all of Boston and Cambridge that hadn't tried the delicious goodness that is BerryLine.  So, I pleaded with Jess to take me to the wonders of BerryLine (Ok, it was more like, "Hey you wanna go to BerryLine? Sure. But you get the picture).  So we hopped on the 69 and made our merry little way to BerryLine.  

The flavors of the day were Original, Blueberry, and Banana.  I went with the Original/Blueberry swirl (classy I know), along with some fresh (and GIGANTIC) blackberries and chocolate chips.  All for a mere $4.20ish.

So needless to say, BEST frozen yogurt I've ever had.  Puts every other frozen yogurt to shame, I mean, it's not even comparable.  It tastes so fresh and you wouldn't even believe it's only 25 calories an ounce.  Jackpot.  And with the mountains of fresh berries that are offered, there's no feeling of guilt, ever (even while comparing dinner rolls, but that's another story).

The employees are extremely nice, and Jess informed me that the owner was a fellow Yelper!! So if you're reading this, I may have fallen in love! Shhhh, don't tell Joe.

Actually, the day after, I dragged Joe to BerryLine and tried the banana.  Holy crap.  I may have to move in next door.  It's like crack, but it's actually good for you.  Just another reason why I need to move to Cambridge....
3 - Jess P.: After reading all these raving reviews, I've been meaning to check out BerryLine for ages now. I admit to having been a little afraid to almost, since it's a fairly short walk from my apartment, and a fro yo addiction on top of my other food cravings seems dangerous. But it was a warm spring day, the kind when you're meant to have a cup of something frozen in hand as you stroll through the Square, and so I figured this would be my chance to taste the deliciousness.

And you know, I don't get it. I mean, it was tasty, it certainly wasn't bad. I appreciate the tang, though it reminded me more of citrus, almost lemony, than the richer tang I associate with plain yogurt. Also, I was expecting a rather intense yogurt flavor from the reviews, and in reality, found it fairly mild and the texture thin. The fresh fruit is good, sure, but it's, well, fruit, nothing unique or hard to come by. And they offer unremarkable chocolate chips that don't particularly work, texturally, with a frozen dessert. I'm thinking I could do fruit with yogurt at home, enjoy it as much if not more, and it would be less than $5 (for a generous sized "small"). So while I ate mine, and it was good enough I suppose, at the end, I couldn't really see myself going back again for more, though sure, I'd eat one if you bought it for it me. That's ok, though. My wallet and waistline are safe from developing another habit.
5 - Morgan F.: Banana Frozen Yogart? Pilled with mounds of fresh strawberries, mango and kiwii? Oy! Writing this review makes me wish I had another Berry Line sitting next to me!

Generally I don't like to compare places to big chains, but I think the Pinkberry reference just has to be made here. So why do I think Berry Line is better? 

1. Its local, Matt the owner is uber nice and a fellow Yelper 

2. The flavors change!! At all times they have original plus two rotating flavors!! I stopped in for Banana and Blueberry and KNOW I have to go back within the week before Banana is gone! But then every time I visit its a new flavor adventure :) 

3. FRESH FRUIT, like really fresh and sweet! Visiting LA all the time I have had my share of this stuff, and this is the freshest fruit I have come across! 

Plus, that cute mural on the outside wall gets me every time! The fun little Pineapple and Kiwi hanging out together as all the chocolate chips dance around them, I LOVE it!

In the words of the Terminator, as in terminate as much Berry Line into my stomach as possible, I WILL BE BACK!
5 - Liz E.: I find this place delicious.
I'm making my friends who haven't eaten here come with me on my now frequent trips. 
The general goodness comes from:
1.Great taste. The perfect blend of tangy and sweet. Its not trying to be ice cream, it is what it is: great frozen yogurt.
2.Generous portions. Not in the "fat" way.. in the "its okay to eat lots of fruit and yogurt" way.
3.Affordable, even for addicts.

The similarities to Pinkberry are obvious but somehow I'd rather eat at a nice local joint than journey to New York to spend twice as much. Whatever local flavor (creamy, sweet..) that differentiates it between its Pink cousin is probably the result of the owner's taste and is appreciated by my taste.
5 - Terry C.: I have to say I was a bit skeptical, as I often am with "trendy" foods and fashion, but I tried BerryLine and really loved it. The flavor and texture are amazing, and completely unlike the icky-sweet faux ice cream concoction that most frozen yogurt ends up as (memories of Penguins dance in my mind). I had the original flavor with berries on top, and felt like I could have eaten another whole serving. It was that good. The staff were also friendly and smiley, and the place was packed with Harvard kids getting their fix on a Tuesday night. The line moved quickly, though, as they seem overstaffed with an assembly-line crew. Go get some!
5 - Andres M.: This is now one of my favorite places in the Square.  I think I stopped going to Finale since BerryLine is here. It's cheap and delicious. Plus how often do you get frozen yogurt a place run by former post-docs :)
5 - Tracy K.: I thought I never wanted to step foot into a frozen yogurt place again after trying (and throwing away) Pinkberry last year. But I'm not one to say no to food, so I gave BerryLine a shot and I'm glad I did. It's not too sour like PB, it tastes light and fresh, and the flavors are not overbearing. I like the original, but I'm always up for new flavors. The mojito sticks out in my mind as being one of the better ones. Peanut butter was good too. 
In terms of toppings, stick with the fruits, nuts, and granolas. It's not BerryLine's fault, but I don't think the texture of chocolate chips and peanut butter chips and the like go well with frozen dessert. 

Now if only they'd build another one on campus...or at least offer a catering service (PB does)...
5 - Trevor F.: BerryLine is SOLID.  Fairly hip and fairly urban, but with really good frozen yogurt.  I've been about three times now and my favorite is the banana yogurt with kiwi and strawberries on top.  I also enjoy the artwork on the walls and painted outside, but the absolute coolest thing about this place is that it's on Arrow Street.  Which intersects Bow Street.  As in, Bow and Arrow Streets. . .  And, well, the frozen yogurt's FANTASTIC, too.
4 - Tina L.: I wish it didn't cost an arm and a leg to have a nice fro-yo.

It is good though - better with fruit :)  And I stick to the original, the flavors are a little strange b/c the yogurt is tart and the fruit adds it's own flavor to the mix.

If you're a pinkberry fan - this one is more creamy and similar to the YoBerry stuff over at 88.  I actually like pinkberry the best but what can you do?
5 - 'amy E.: FACTS & FIGURES: FROZEN YOGURT ADDICTION

OVERVIEW
Frozen yogurt is a frozen dessert made from or containing yogurt or dairy analogues, and is considered a low-fat and low-calorie alternative to ice cream.

Frozen yogurt dependence (or addiction) is the physical and psychological dependence on the regular consumption of frozen yogurt.  Frozen yogurt is powerfully addictive and versatile, coming in many flavors and potentially accompanied by multiple delicious toppings. 


EXTENT OF USE
According to the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) approximately 150.8 Americans aged 3 or older reported trying frozen yogurt at least once in their lifetimes, representing more than 50% of the population aged 3 or older.  Additional 2008 NSDUH data indicate that approximately 7.5 million (3.1%) reported past year frozen yogurt consumption and 904,000 (0.4%) reported past month frozen yogurt consumption.

The 2007 NSDUH results also indicate that there were 305,200 persons aged 3 or older who had consumed frozen yogurt for the first time within the past 12 months.


PRESENTATION AND HEALTH EFFECTS
Frozen yogurt is a strong central nervous system and digestive system narcotic. Physical effects of frozen yogurt consumption include  decreased temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure.  Users may also experience sudden onset headaches from the cold, and euphoria.

The immediate craving of the addict for more soon after consumption is due to the short-lived high that usually subsides within an hour, leading to prolonged, multi-dose binge use.  When administration stops after binge use, it is followed by a "disappointment" (also known as a "sigh"), the onset of a severely dysphoric craving with esclating desire until sweet foods are again consumed.

Frozen yogurt has positive reinforcement effects, meaning that good feelings become associated with the dessert.  This causes a frequent user to turn to frozen yogurt in the face of bad news or mild depression.  This activation strengthens the response that was just made.  It has been shown in studies that rhesus monkeys, provided with a bowl of frozen yogurt and bananas, prefer the dessert over food that is in their cage.


TREATMENT
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) combined with Motivational Therapy (MT) has proven to be effective in treating frozen yogurt addictions.  However, this is dependent upon the addict's willingness and desire to cease their addictive behaviors.  Even among the most determined, relapse rates among frozen yogurt consumers is 70-80%.  Many users find that it is easier to live and feed their addiction, but with less frequency or in smaller quantities.
5 - Bevin C.: I'm not one of those people that goes nuts for ice cream, that wants to go get ice cream all of the time, that buys a pint of ice cream and eats it in one sitting.  In fact, I don't really like ice cream.  And I don't particularly like yogurt.  So I don't understand why I am CRAZY about BerryLine and want it all the time.  But I do.
5 - Eduardo C.: This is my last week in Boston and so it is a cruel twist of fate that I didn't learn about BerryLine until today.  This is a fantastic place for frozen yoghurt.  The moment my tongue and frozen yoghurt touched a union of of love and charm pervaded my body.  It wasn't a When Harry Met Sally moment, but it came close.  Why?  Because these people know that frozen yoghurt ought to be something that tastes like real yoghurt.

I had a plain frozen yoghurt so that I could taste the essence of what BerryLine had to offer.  I got this sensibility from eating food in southern China where the skill and quality of the cuisine is shown by the food's degree of freshness and  having it cooked in the simplest manner possible to preserve its natural flavor.  This strategy did not disappoint me here because the plain frozen yoghurt had the semi-sweet and slightly-sour flavor of fresh and natural yoghurt.  I nearly wept.  Craftsmanship makes me go weak in the knees.

I anticipate going to BerryLine tomorrow.  I want to try their other flavors particularly since "berry" is in the shop's name.  Certainly their skill in making frozen yoghurt with berrys must be superb; I extrapolate that from the quality of their natural frozen yoghurt and their name.

I checked their offerings of flavors and toppings.  I pray that one day they offer durian.  I only wish they currently offered it.

----
The Next Day:  I had their grapefruit flavored frozen yoghurt with kiwi toppings.  The flavored frozen yoghurt was very sophisticated.  It had the flavor of grapefruit without overpowering the flavor of the frozen yoghurt.  Good lord, what a beautiful thing.  The kiwi toppings was a nice complement to the subtle but strong flavor of the frozen yoghurt.

After further consideration I'd have to upgrade my rating of this place from four stars to five because as a dessert/frozen yoghurt joint BerryLine is the epitome of excellence.
5 - Michael D.: I had seen this place time after time through the window of {shameless} Arrow Street Crepes, which is sort of upstairs and around the corner from BerryLine.  I finally visited last week, and I was blown away!

...Mind you, not blown away by an overwhelming number of choices, or by a wall full of complicated options that sound equally, if undecipherably, delicious.  BerryLine sports a small number of frozen yogurts, but pushes its original: a plain-yogurt flavor, subdued but sweet, just creamy enough, and delightfully light in the kilocalorie department.  It's a solid, reserved base flavor that's perfect for carrying any number of their classic mix-ins: chocolate chips, blueberries, toffee, strawberries, and the like.

Add a smattering of smoothies, and high-quality, energetic service, and you have a sleek, happy operation that disarms with its charms.  Visit and love.
4 - Sam D.: Pretty great! Flavor is as good/creamy/filling and the fruit is as fresh as Pinkberry. Workers were nice, toppings were great. The only negative is that it's really crowded...all the time... so be ready for a few minute wait.
5 - Kelly A.: Boston's version of Pink Berry - awesome!  Try the original yogurt with some delicious toppings like raspberries, chocolate chips, and coconut.  I'm so psyched to have found this place, as my recent NYC Pink Berry experience was so it good it made me contemplate a move to the big apple.
5 - Shine B.: I don't think I've ever had frozen yogurt that tastes like real yogurt.  THIS is the frozen yogurt I've been dreaming about for years.  It seems like other places try to make yogurt taste like ice cream.  If you like Erivan Yogurt (I buy it at WFs) then this is the ONLY frozen yogurt you'll ever want to have again.  This place is wonderful.  I love it.
4 - Flora B.: Delicious fro-yo.
5 - Anne W.: After going to Red Mango and Pinkberry in NYC.. I thought, I have to find something equivalent like this in Boston.  Why oh why does all the great stuff go straight to NYC first before it comes to us?!!  The madness!

Anyways, I went here with my sister.. and we were hooked.  In fact, we put up with traffic and drove there because it was delicious.  Creamier than Pinkberry and slightly more tart than Red Mango.. I think we have a winner.

The place doesn't look commercial.. it's very hole-in-the wall.  Ask for the mochi.. it's not a regular topping but it tastes great!

And with 25 calories per ounce.. you can afford to eat it all the time.  Yum!
3 - Amanda D.: Though I have coworkers that rave about this place and the concept is great, I just didn't like the flavor of the "pure" yogurt....doesn't make it a bad place, just didn't suit my taste. Their fruit was fresh and did make the taste of the yogurt better :)
2 - Will N.: A great place to cool off during the hot summer months.  Fat free frozen yogurt with fruit is a great healthy alternative to ice cream and cake.  

However, a $5 small desert is a bit shocking to me along with the lack of parking doesn't appeal to my taste.  

But the appeal is there and so are the lines so come early!!!!
4 - Yumiko F.: Finally ... it is hard to find real frozen yogurt. Most are mixed with real creamy ice cream which is fine but if you know this taste already, other so called "frozen yogurt" does not taste any yogurt but plane ice cream. 

Anywhoo.. I tried Grapefruit and it was delicious with a bit of bitterness. 
My friend had original one but it was a bit too sweet to me. 
I hope more of this kind of store opens in Boston..
4 - Lina G.: A bit expensive but delicious.  Not too sweet just the way I like it and it tastes like actual yogurt....genius!  The only cons are the price and the toppings...the fruit is fantastic but the chocolate toppings are blah.  I'm not crazy about snickers and toffee, it's be great to see some dark chocolate fudge or dark chocolate chips.  I still love it though, go about once a week.
5 - Dave L.: Great tasting frozen yogurt.  Lots of topping options.  This is a great concept that is executed well here.  

The flavors rotate (aside from Vanilla and I think Chocolate) so it always feels like you can try something new.

The location is fairly convenient (not RIGHT outside Harvard stop but pretty close) and the line usually isn't too long.  

They also accept credit cards which is a nice plus.

I've seen the same type of place in a couple cities, so I'm not sure "who copied who" but that doesn't bother me much anyway.  I just know I enjoy coming here often!
3 - Mabel C.: I went here based on the reviews.  This is the second frozen yogurt place I've been to, the first being in California.  While the yogurt was good, I much prefer the one I went to in California because everything at the one in California was self-serve,  with 10+ yogurt flavors to choose from and many more toppings than the one here in Harvard Square.  However, since I am currently living in Boston, this will have to do.
4 - Frank L.: Me to Clerk:  !'ll take the pint size!
Clerk to Me: Is it okay if I put the toppings in a separate container?  Since the pint size is so large?
Me to myself: HELL YEAH!!!
Me to Clerk: Ok.

Yes, I do believe that BerryLine is the best deal in frozen yogurt I've seen.  But as far as flavor goes, I prefer my frozen yogurt a little more tart like PinkBerry's.  I like it when it tastes like real yogurt.  

Also my advice is don't get the grapefruit base without tasting it, it's really BITTER!!!
4 - Christina B.: It's hard not to love BerryLine, succulent frozen yogurt and generous portions of perfect blackberries, blueberries, mangos and kiwis. But I felt a little strange walking in and seeing how eerily similar it is to NYC's PinkBerry http://www.pinkberry.com/ and Red Mango http://www.redmangousa.com/.  Only that, those locales are also include mochi in their topping repertoire.  Maybe BerryLine could continue the impersonation a little further and also mochi...?
5 - Doris K.: Recently had the grapefruit yogurt with blueberries and mangoes. I LOVED IT! Also got a chance to try the oreo yogurt and didn't like that one so much. So they basically have options to suit everyone's needs.
5 - Francesca R.: What makes Berryline kick all other frozen treat establishment's asses?  Their merry-go-round of unique flavors.  Some are stellar (lychee & mango were the best...ever) and some don't always hit the mark (grapefruit and apple were interesting but too tart).  They also have creative and delicious toppings - I'm a mango whore myself but recently branched out and had apple with graham crackers which was lovely.  

The staff are really friendly and will always give you a wee sample with a smile.  I also like the space, which has a cutesy-cheerful ambiance and comfy, albeit limited, seating.  They have a customer rewards card - buy ten get one free.  I'm so happy I can easily walk here during my lunch breaks - it's going to be a delicious summer.
5 - Erika R.: Delicious yogurt, with quite a variety of toppings I actually thought it tasted creamier than Pinkberry's yogurt, I'll definitely be going back!
4 - Scott S.: Great yogurt and topping combinations, but a bit expensive... following the Pinkberry model!  It can get really crowded here, but when it's not, they offer free Wi-Fi, and it can be a good place to stop and do some email and web surfing.
4 - John W.: the owners are actually biochem and molecular biology PhDs
5 - Meredith K.: Oh man. I am officially an ADDICT!!

I went back again today. I just went on Saturday. I can tell this is going to be a problem.

First: the owner Matt pm'd me after my first review - love that he's so involved in his company and with his customers. Stuff like that matters and makes a difference.

Second: I figured out the medium 8oz has 200 calories and 8 grams of protein and no fat - is this possible?? Is this true?? Did I read the menu wrong???? If it's correct perhaps I can replace 2 meals a day with this place... yum. ha ha ha

Third: the fruit is seriously fresh! Tonight I got the original with blueberries and it tasted like I had just picked them. SO tasty! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. 

Keep up the great work!!!
4 - Dessa R.: I have been craving frozen yogurt for weeks. I think it must have something to do with the Yelp email that went out, a compilation of all the noteworthy fro-yo places in the area. I tried explaining my craving to my Danish roommate, who wanted to know the difference between fro yo and soft serve ice cream. Although it was difficult to articulate, I eventually felt satisfied in explaining that the differences lie in the overall texture, and more importantly, the tangy aftertaste. Ok. Now I REALLY wanted yogurt. So I dragged my friend Ed to Harvard to investigate this Berryline, of which all my fellow yelpers sing high praise. We were not disappointed. I had an originial with graham cracker crumbs, he had a raspberry with strawberry slices. Both were really really good, and much lighter than a traditional ice cream. And open till 11? Pretty cool. I can tell this is going to be a regular stop for me this summer.
4 - Chu C.: BerryLine is located off of Harvard Square in a little bit of an obscure location, but if you have a hankering for frozen yogurt, it's well worth the stroll over there.

The frozen yogurt is of a creamier texture (less icy) and less tart than their competitor, Yo! Berry, so the flavor is slightly more like ice cream. In my opinion, their fruit is of slightly better quality than Y!B, but their selection of toppings isn't quite as good.

They didn't have mochi at first, which was a huge minus, but that has since been rectified. If you go later, near closing, they do have a tendency to run out of certain toppings (yes, the good ones).

BL serves its product in thin cardboard bowls, which results in a lot of melting and stickiness if you take it outside of a 15 foot perimeter of the store, so plan on eating there or somewhere right outside. There ain't much seating in this tiny establishment, but they do set up a plastic table or two outside when weather permits. I've gone with a group before, and we end up standing around outside, scarfing down our froyo.
5 - Emily C.: It's kind of far from the general Harvard Square vicinity but this place is exactly like Pink Berry except it had daily different flavors from raspberry to oreo to apple. However, to me, they all taste the same as the original with a bit of the flavor's after-taste. The toppings are great ranging from fruity pebbles to fresh fruit to graham crackers, etc. I wish they had mochi though... 

for all the newbies, this frozen yogurt isn't like the traditional vanilla/chocolate frozen yogurt we're used to. it literally tastes like frozen. yogurt. like the danon/yoplait kind. tangy,sour-ish. a small serving is about 100 calories and you can top it with fresh fruit or other eccentric ice-cream toppings like graham crackers and oreo bits. 

compared to yo-berry, this place is sooo much cheaper. yo-berry is insane as a frozen yogurt can cost up to 7 dollars easily. ridiculous. anyway, it's a small joint and can get crowded easily. there are about 10 seats in the place...so it's not great on bad weather days as you most likely have to go outside or take it to go.
5 - Rob Y.: Food = Great place for refreshing frozen yogurt.  You have 3 flavors (regular, raspberry, and passion fruit).  All flavors are deliciously light and all the toppings available go well with the yogurt.  If  you go for the first time and unsure which flavor to choose, they will be more than happy to give you samples.  This little shop also provides nutrition facts for their relatively healthy treats.  

Service = Service was great and cheerful.

Ambiance = This is a nice little shop to chill out after a hot day.  The colors of the interior also bring a relaxing and refreshing feel.

Overall Opinion = Awesome place for a cheap refreshing cold treat!
5 - Cha Cha W.: Next to parking tickets from the City of Cambridge, there is nothing else that appears with more regularity on my credit card statement than Berryline. To think of it, those parking tickets often came as a direct result of parallel parking in front of food establishments. Not that I've gotten a ticket in front of Berryline....yet (knock on wood). 

Let's see...if 1 small order is 5 oz. and I avg. 18 visits per month (give or take, sometimes more), that's...holy crap! Equivalent to 68 pints of Ben & Jerry's ice cream! Thank God it's fat free and low in calories. Try the mochi with mango and strawberries on original. It's more than enough flavor and creaminess to satisfy those pesky premium ice cream cravings.
3 - Linh V.: It was alright. I got the apple and my boyfriend got the raspberry. I guess it's unfair that we only decided to try BerryLine because we wanted something to compare to Yo! Berry. 

Safe to say we've sided with Yo! Berry's modest flavorings and toppings. Perhaps one day we'll be wild enough for BerryLine's boldness.
5 - clare m.: BERRYLINE, YOU ARE AWESOME FOREVER AND EVER.

let me count the ways:

delicious healthy fro-yo

excellent and variable toppings

friendly staff

local, independently owned

interesting special flavors, such as ginger, oreo and apple that are switched with great frequency! 

BERRYLINE!!!!!!!!!
3 - Peter G.: A secret recipe? If you've ever made anything in a kitchen you know that the recipe is equally important if not more than the ingredients themselves. With this in mind, there are only two reasons to have a secret recipe:
1. You want the marketing benefits of having a 'secret recipe'
2. You don't want your customers to know precisely what's in your product

Berryline doesn't make a point of telling you that its recipe is secret, so it must be that they don't want us to know what is in their frozen "yogurt".  Following the unfolding of Pinkberry (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/12/us/12pink.html), I find myself particularly suspicious of an identical business making similar health claims with a similarly secret recipe. But more on that later.

The shop is clean with plenty of natural light.  The interior often fills up and feels a bit crowded with people coming to get their fix. The service itself was awesome.  Halfway through asking what the original flavor tasted like I had a sample in my hand.  Nothing but smiles here from start to finish and they are eager to give you suggestions of their favorite combinations. The product alone is really quite good, the familiar tanginess of yogurt without being too sweet. It is a welcome change from the existing frozen confections in this city.  In America's mecca of ice cream, Berryline is a welcome addition.

But is it really made from yogurt? Who knows.  Does it offer any or even a fraction of the health benefits of real yogurt? Who knows. It's certainly tasty and offers itself as a very enjoyable and healthy alternative to ice cream. But take note that the extra large printed nutritional information measures a SINGLE ounce of the mystery delight; and in small lettering tells you to multiply by 5, 16, or 32 depending on the size you ordered. Hey, it's still better for you than ice cream but I couldn't help but feel it was slightly misleading.

In closing, in a world where the number of people with serious allergies is ever-increasing not being able to name precisely what is in your product is stupid and downright insulting to your customers. It really, really bugs me actually. To make matters worse, ONLY the owner (who isn't in the store all the time) can say for sure what is or isn't in it. So people with food allergies better call ahead on this place, but it IS worth the extra effort.
4 - Ryan B.: A delicious treat, could have used some Hershey's syrup.  Small shop - maybe 10 seats total. The shop was busy but the wait wasn't too bad.  I would stop by again if I'm in the area, but wouldn't make a special trip.
5 - Trish F.: Whatever you do.. don't accept the frequent buyer card. IT ENABLES! STEP AWAY FROM THE COUNTERRRRR. 

I less than three raspberry froyo w/almonds and peanut butter chips.. it's the stuff that hopes and dreams are made of. Oh Berryline..I've seen you more than most of my friends in the past month. Nuff said.
4 - Maria V.: I am a BIG fan. They have a small selection of flavors, but they're all good ones -- when I went they had passionfruit and kiwi, for example.  The prices are eminently reasonable, and oh yea, the froyo ain't half-bad neither!  Most of the time I actually prefer frozen yogurt to ice cream -- I know, BLASPHEMY -- and this is very good frozen yogurt.

I got a medium portion and it was very generously sized -- I walked with it from Harvard all the way to MIT down Mass ave and it lasted me the whole way.
5 - Sherrie G.: Y'know when you'll opt to take the longer route to work and be like 20 minutes late to get some of this fro yo goodness, you've got yourself a money maker. I can see this place expanding all over Boston but I'm very pleased with it's proximity to Harvard Square. I also really enjoy it's adorable mural on the side. Plus, free wifi. OMG free wifi. I could LIVE here. 

This place is strategically located behind the equally delicious crepe place. A good day consists of a spinach and tomato crepe followed by a strawberry, blueberry and chocolate chip fro yo. It's pretty low-cal from what I've gathered so I've been able to work it into my diet nicely. I've also increased my fruit intake. lol It's open pretty late too. I think 11 on weekdays and 12 on weekends. (don't quote me on that) So what are you doing? GO NOW!!!
5 - Daniel M.: I don't know nothin' 'bout no pink berries, red mangoes, or berries from da hood.  I do know that this was the best pre-dinner fro-yo I have ever had.  Ok so it was the first pre-dinner fro-yo but still.  The. Best.  

I like that the yogurt is more than a delivery vehicle for sugar, it's a platform for fruit to assault your senses.  So simple yet so effing good.

One bite and suddenly: *cue choir*

I think I love you, so what am I so afraid of?
I'm afraid that I'm not sure of a love there is no cure for...

This left me walking around Harvard square for somewhere to sit and fully experience the treat.  

I think I love you isn't that what life is made of?
Though it worries me to say that I never felt this way...

It would be cruel to compare BerryLine to any other yogurt I've had.  There really is no comparison.
5 - Diana F.: I used to frequent TCBY until I experienced Berry Line.  Huge huge huge fan.  Always get a small original with strawberries, banana and granola.  Never a long line & prices are reasonable.  

It has become my new Summertime Sunday night ritual.
2 - Megan B.: I know I'm going against the grain here, but.....

NO CONES? What kind of ice cream/yogurt shop doesn't do cones? Cups with spoons are just awkward and not the way God intended us to eat frozen delights.

Also: it tastes all chemically to me. I dig the tartness, but the formulation has a weird aftertaste that makes me suspect that the stuff is chock-full of chemicals. Perhaps this is why they keep their formula a "secret"?
4 - Joanna F.: I went to Berryline for the first time last night.  I had heard of the Yo! Berry craze, and had no idea what it was about.  I ordered an "original" since I'm not much of a fruit fan and got oreos and peanut butter chips in it.  When I took the first bite, I was pleasantly surprised.  It tasted just like yogurt that was frozen!  Wait, that sounds stupid.  But it didn't taste like ice cream at all, like most frozen yogurt does.

Since it tasted like real yogurt, I kind of kicked myself for not mixing fruit in.  I usually don't go for fruity desserts, but I actually really could have used some strawberries since mine ended up tasting like a Yo Crunch (which isn't bad, but not really refresing either).  Either way, I really liked this healthy alternative!
4 - Ben C.: Too sweet, in my opinion.  Haha @ all the reviewers calling it tart or even 'too tart'.  What, are you comparing it to?  Ben & Jerry's?  These people obviously aren't familiar with Pinkberry.  However, BerryLine offers friendly service and a decent substitute that should get me through the summer ... until I can get me some true Crackberry!
4 - Tracee D.: I have been putting this off for way too long. I do this all of the time. I know I want to go somewhere, try something, do something- but I don't do it for 9-12 months. It's like I get the inkling and carry it to term- and then eventually, finally go.

Good. stuff.  nice staff. I always said Harvard square needed smoothie's and frozen treats (4 years ago). I like that it tastes like actual yogurt and I loved it with granola and strawberries.  Oreo or toffee isn't so shabby either  (separately of course).

The staff was helpful and it's cute as the dickens. What does that mean? I don't know. I don't care that it's 25 calories an ounce or whatever. You shouldn't eat dessert if calories are something you care about. Walk there. Eat it. Walk home. Yay!
2 - Barney B.: OK, this place made me realize that there is a difference between 'frozen yogurt' and 'froyo' - and this place is definitely the former.

This is not the stuff that you get when you have a hankering for ice cream, but want to behave.  This is the place you go when you have a hankering for Yoplait, but want it really cold.

It's a dieter's delight - and diet + ice cream substitute just don't mix.

I mean seriously - try it without the oreo topping and it's a cup of Dannon stuck in the freezer.  It doesn't taste like dessert - it tastes like yogurt - really cold yogurt.

so if you are gunning for a smoothie - and you realize that smoothie shops strangely don't really exist here - head to this place.

but dammit, if you want dessert - go somewhere that actually serves it.  Come on, you deserve it!
4 - Grace W.: I have been to Berryline twice.  Each time the fruit was fresh and the staff was very pleasant.  The place was crowded so if you don't know what you want it its probably not a good idea to stand in line until you have made up your mind.  I like the flavor of the tangy yogurt.  The only other time I have had something this tasty was at Bloomingdales in New York.  They sell a similar product, Frogurt, which has a slightly tangy flavor.  The only complaint with Berryline is the yogurt is a little watery.  I prefer a creamier consistency like Frogurt.
4 - Brian M.: It's an excellent place to grab a delicious treat. It's a bit pricey, however. But what else do you expect from owners who have to pay off their MIT and Harvard loans?
5 - Renee H.: I am bumping it up to 5 stars. Totally worth every refreshing, delicious, healthy penny! I am now officially an addict.....
5 - Thomas M.: My son took us to this place. It was worth the subway trip. we were there for a convention in Boston and had the pleasure of trying  it, the people working there actually like to be there loved it the best ever and I don't like yogurt Tom N Tracy Denver Colorado
3 - Gordon B.: Love it!  Love it!  Love it!  but alas, there is a catch...

The yogurt is too healthy so I add Oreo and graham crackers and voila! a masterpiece.  Way less guilt than Ben & Jerry's and still pretty good.

Edit: their marketing is purposefully misleading about the '25 calorie' thing so I had to bump them down.  Good stuff just the same
4 - Lily L.: Ambiance:  A bit of a walk from the main Harvard T, Berryline is quaint and cozy.  Seating is a bit limited, but you can always burn the calories by walking and eating.  It's a relatively healthier treat after all.  Your choices are written on 2 walls.  

Food:  There are 3 yogurt flavors: original + 2 others.  The other flavors rotate around.   So far, I've seen peanut butter, banana, passion fruit...  All the flavors are variations of the same original froyo--slightly sour, that is.  The toppings consist fresh fruits (e.g. strawberries, banana, pineapple, mango), chocolates (e.g. Reese's, Oreo, Heath Bar), nuts...  I wish they had mochi bits though for some Asian twist to it (Yo! Berry has mochi bits and they are delicious).

Service: Served by very friendly folks.  Always willing to give you a sample of the flavors for you to try.
5 - Susie A.: This was my second time at BerryLine and I just absolutely love it. The yogurt is great and the fruit extremely fresh. Plus, they're not too skimpy with it and considering it's fresh fruit, the prices really aren't that bad.

BerryLine is open until 11:00 Sun-Wed. and midnight Thurs-Sat. which I think is amazing for Boston. The first time I went the staff seemed rude and unhappy, but tonight they all seemed pretty cheery, even with the line out the door.

It's healthy, but absolutely delicious and that is my favorite combination everrr.

Of course, if you're not a big fan of healthy you can always get the yogurt (they have peanut butter yogurt sometimes!) with candy or cereal toppings and they let you put on your own chocolate syrup (as much as you want) or honey or maple syrup (sounds so strange, but I bet it's amazing).

I'm a HUGE BerryLine fan and wish I lived closer!!
5 - Erica S.: Wait, frozen yogurt that tastes like... yogurt?... that's frozen? Absurd!

Yogurty frozen yogurt people. Delicious. Not to mention, it's fat free, and 25 calories per serving. What?! That frees up a whole ton of calories for you to pile on as toppings!

The original flavor is always good, or try one of the two rotating flavors-- peanut butter! Banana! Coconut! Etc! Then throw on any of the toppings of your choice-- fresh fruit (blueberries, mango, strawberries, kiwi, pineapple, coconut, so much more), nuts (chopped pecans, walnuts, you name it), or some decadence (oreos, white chocolate chips, aghhhhhhh!!!). 

Now that's what I call a party!
4 - Jen P.: You will only like this place if you like yogurt and fresh fruit. 

I always stayed away from "frozen yogurt" because it always tries to masquerade as ice cream, and you just can't mess with ice cream. My friend Robyn turned me on to this place. (They know her by sight now as she stops there on her way home from work every day and I am jealous of that).

Yogurt is delicious...flavors are really good although I usually get original flavor and pile with strawberries and granola (YUM). I recently tried the peanut butter, which at first I didn't think would be good, but I loved it and got oreos as my topping. I've gotten a sample of ginger before, but didn't think it was too gingery (I like my ginger strong).

I really like that they say that they don't always have toppings if the produce is not fresh that day...I would prefer for them to be out than to get overripe slimy strawberries. 

Only drawback is that it's tiny and on hot days there's a line out the door, and it can be pretty messy with food that's fallen on the floor. I noticed more flies buzzing around the last time I was there (which I know can't be helped sometimes.)

Oh, another good thing is the Berryline stamp card...buy 10, and get one free. I will definitely use this.
5 - Lynn L.: A sweet small shop with friendly/fabulous/funky fresh/fierce employees!

Came here last night, while in town for a conference.  I sampled the fresh rotating flavors (banana and strawberry) and settled on the original plain yogurt with strawberries and golden kiwis on top.  It was so yummy!

It's great that they're not trying to be an "ice cream shop" - they've got a niche for what they're doing and it just works.

If I lived in Cambridge, I'd be coming here all the damn time.
4 - A T.: Hooray - there is something for me on the menu! The $4 fruit cup is an awesome mid-day healthy treat. Kiwis, mangos, strawberries, and pineapples, generously piled high. Yum Yum. I was stoked that yesterday when my BerryLine addicted yelp cohorts introduced my out of town friend to the phenomenon I could also partake. $4 is pretty economic these days with food prices as crazy as they are - and the generous portions kept me full until dinner time. I might make BerryLine my new H2 vitamin C pick me up place.
5 - Leroy t.: My favorite negative review: "Personally, I don't like my yogurt sour." Tangy, dude...

Fortunately for many of us who actually enjoy Real Yogurt, Berryline packs its frozen yogurt with creamy, tangy, yogurty flavor. The blended flavors are also subtle and good, especially the tropical ones.

The fruit is always fresh (though the mango usually slightly underripe...pet peeve) and the other toppings numerous.

Don't pass it up. It's the cleanest, freshest, and tastiest dessert you could treat yourself to.
4 - R R.: R-E-A-L Yogurt, frozen. 

So, if you want sweet, tangy, frozen yogurt topped with super fresh fruit (watch them slicing it right there behind the counter) and don't want to intake a lot of calories or fat, this is the place to go.

I have had the regular flavor twice now.  Once topped with delicious, in season strawberries and raspberries.  Another time I had my new fave- just pineapple.  Yummy fresh sweetness.  I have not tried the Fruity Pebbles, peanut butter chips, or other non-fruit toppings due to my anti- corn syrup kick, but these options are available.

Like other reviewers have pointed out, they also create rotating flavors.  Last time I was in they had green tea, but I did not try it.  My small topped with super fresh, sweet pineapple ran about $3 and change.  They also offer a punch card for you frequent yogurteers out there.  

Go grab yourself a sizable yogurt with one or more topping for under $5 and head outside to stroll around Harvard Square.
4 - Ligaya S.: After a very long bike ride around Boston, our pit-stop to BerryLine seriously hit the spot! The yogurt definitely has a much more creamer consistency than the other "Berry" joint that started in California and hitting almost every metro city (which I pray doesn't make it here, or if it has, Damn!)....We tried a half original and half banana yogurt mix and topped it off with strawberries, mangoes and passion fruit. What a delight!

As we headed back on our bike ride, we could only think about our next trip to BerryLine. Low in calories but loads of flavor, how could anyone say no to that! BerryLine is the spot that can satisfy anyone's sweet tooth. Love the artwork too!
4 - Albert T.: Other Yelpers have pretty much covered what there is to say about BerryLine. All I have to add is that for "tangy" style yogurt, it's more creamy than tangy. Pinkberry does a more tangy version and I give them the edge. However, BerryLine is more reasonably priced and they give bigger portions of yougurt and toppings. This is all irrelevant because as far as I know, there's no Pinkberry in the Boston area and BerryLine's the only show in town. Don't forget to get a punch card.
5 - Melly B.: One of the owners messaged me through Yelp to address my comment about the secretiveness of the ingredients. He said that it's not a matter of hiding anything; they just had not realized how important ingredients are to people, and they are currently working on getting making a list accessible to everyone. It turns out the stuff is not made of HFCS and heroin, so I'll give them the fifth star that I originally held off on. I was really impressed that he took the time to message me, and he was very cool about the whole thing. :)
4 - Allison H.: the product? fantastic.

the yogurt truly is delicious and really does taste like yogurt - but obviously you come here for the gloriously abundant array of toppings. fat delectable raspberries, cool chunks of mango, tangy kiwi, classic strawberry - and all the sweeties for you sugar tooth kids - oreos, toffee, pb cups, the works.

the only downside?  so super crowded (not their fault), but any environment like that is automatically going to add an element of stress and rushedness. not to mention the staff enhances it by yelling "people who know what they want, come to the front" despite the fact that you can't even see the menu/available toppings until you GET to the front.

the bf placed the order, requesting a plain yogurt with strawberries and pb cups - which he referred to as "reese's."  the order was misunderstood as reese's pieces, and when i heard him yell it to the guy making the order, i interjected, "no! not reese's pieces - peanut butter cups!"

cut to the great reveal - we peeled off the lid to discover... peanut butter chips.  AHH!  at that point, dealing with the crowd and the hassle wasn't worth going back and complaining.  and it was still good - but there's no way pb chips compare to pb cups - they just don't!

that being said, the best thing to do here is to order some yogurts to go and smuggle 'em into the movie theater.  mmmmMMMMMmmmmMMMM
5 - Cal F.: I tried this place for the first time last night. Even though I had heard great things, I am an ice cream and fro-yo lover and was worried the yogurt tang wouldn't be sweet enough. I was so wrong! I tried the original and the peach-both amazing but I liked the original best. I got rasberries and white chocolate chips and loved every bite. I spent the rest of the evening coming up with new combinations of toppings. I made sure to ask for a stamp card while I was there since I think it's safe to say I will be coming back here. Also, glad to know there is no HFCS in it.
2 - Anthony R.: Looks like I'm in the clear minority here and I feel bad spoiling the party, but I'll go ahead and say it: BerryLine's frozen yogurt is certainly novel, but I do not think that it is good.

Yes, it has few calories in it. Yes, the staff is friendly. Yes, it's tasty when you load it up with fruit, oreos, or M&Ms. But hold on - is it tasty without those things? I found myself making sure I got a mini M&M in every spoonful so I could avoid the straight taste of the yogurt.

Maybe I'm not cool enough  - or maybe the calories in my dessert don't disturb me that much - but if I get a hankering for something cold in Harvard Square, I'm going to Herrell's and having a deliciously fatty frozen ice cream that tastes sublime without having to add M&Ms. If I want yogurt, I'll buy a quart of Stonyfield.
5 - Melissa M.: I read they don't use that evil high fructose corn syrup in their smoothies.  And, I'm so relieved because they are mighty tasty!
4 - Deepa C.: Being awesome, and Indian, I grew up with homemade yogurt with every meal. Vegetable dish, lentil dish, fresh chapatis, rice and dhai. Glorious dhai that I missed so very much when I was away from home. My mom would make a fresh pot every week, using culture from the week before. This chain of dhai has not been broken since 1978. I am not kidding. So of course, when I got my own place, I got my own yogurt maker and have that tart, sweet, creamy, milky goodness in the mornings. Some granola, fruit and I am so so happy. 

Nothing I have ever had even comes close to this. Mass produced, store sold yogurt, sugary frozen yogurt, nothing (I agree with Kabir's take on Indian train food/yogurt, though. My sister and I would crave Shatabdhi tomato soup the minute we touched down in Delhi). 

Nothing has come close, until now. BerryLine uses Greek yogurt, which has the same tart, smooth taste that I love. It is not ruined by massive amounts of sugar or artificial flavor. I got the peach with strawberries and granola. I loved it. 

I'll be back with my mom - just to let her know that I will be ok if she ever stops making her own batches. 

(Friendly staff, clean eating area, good location, ok prices.)
4 - Hans M.: As soon as i am done w/ my stuff at work, my friends bought me to berryline (Since I already had dinner at work)...

I would say it's very good Yogurt, but I am a guy, I am not interested in Yogurts & I don't know enough about it. As a californian, I would say it's just as good as Yogurt I get from the "Golden State" if not better.

Friday nites, tons of students and somehow, there was parking in the street! Some sitting area would be nice.
5 - Armine N.: OH dearest BerryLine how I scorn thee.

And by scorn I mean idolize.

The yogurt is legit. The toppings are equally legit (real fresh fruit). The flavors are fantastic and well...legit. The counter folks are pretty cool to boot...and there are like 80 of them crammed in that tiny space...quick service.

I visited twice today....enough said. This place is wonderful.
5 - hiep v.: Does it make me feminine if I gave this place 5/5 stars? Who cares! OM NOM NOM NOM NOM!!!
5 - Katie N.: Oh, I heart it. Very flavorful, low-fat frozen yogurt. Think -- no frozen yogurt you've ever had before. They have a great selection of REALLY fresh fruit and candies, chocolate, etc. to accompany one of usually three types of yogurt. It's in a convenient, yet slightly tucked away part of Harvard sq. Go before it gets too cold!
5 - marie c.: I love yelp newsletters because they contain such delightful gems as BerryLine!  It took me a little while to figure out where this place was because I am always lost when I'm in Harvard Square, but it is delicious and wonderful.  

My favorite? 
Original with raspberries and chocolate chips.  I proclaim it "hyperyum"!
5 - Geoff P.: Thanks to BerryLine
Delicious frozen yogurt
Not too caloric
5 - Jamie K.: i've never found myself wishing i had an iphone before last night. i had bookmarked berryline on yelp ages ago and last night i trekked over to harvard square to find this place, forgetting to double check the address or the name. cue twenty minutes of wandering and iphone envy. but then, enter berryline. 

one of the main reasons that i had wanted to find this place in general is my love for and inability to eat ice cream. hooray for lactose intolerance. so i figured yogurt is supposed to be easier on the stomach, right? 

oh my god was it good. the original flavor has just the right amount of tartness, and they have great topping options. i only wish i had noticed the costco-sized jug of hershey syrup, free for the squirting, on the counter with the napkins before i devoured my yogurt..... 

so now i know where this place is, and i will be back regularly! who needs an iphone, anyway.
5 - Simona S.: Move over, Pinkberry. Actually, just get the hell out of the way. 

So I'm running late (per usual) to my facial at Sasha Salon and Spa and lo and behold, I notice groups of people gathered around this teeny place with cute doodles on it. I'm walking fast but I'm craning my neck around to figure out what all of the hoopla is about.

Then I notice the name: BerryLine, the place I've bookmarked for months but never got around to finding. I have found you, my sweet sweet lovah.

My facial was painful, I looked like a hot blotchy mess, but as I was passing the frozen yogurt haven again, running late to meet with friends back in Boston, I thought to myself : frozen yogurt waits for no one. Certainly not for me. 

Cranberry flavored yogurt with mangoes: a small (a VERY DECENT SMALL, MIND YOU) cost me less than $3.50. The same thing would have cost me $6 at Pinkberry. 

The people were friendly, the yogurt delicious and cheapo, and I am convinced that my face looked better the next day because of the frozen orgasm I fed my body the night before.

Have I said too much? I think not.
4 - Brian A.: I really like this place. It's very small and you can sit down and eat if you want but it's better just to take it and go. The yogurt is excellent and the fruits are absolutely fresh. It's moderately priced, what you would expect for a Harvard Square place but worth it. The servers and cashier are friendly too.
5 - Lisa O.: Berryline!! There's nothing new I can add after 185 other reviews, but I will add that I heart Berryline. I looooooove ice cream, but it's an addiction that quickly spirals out of control if indulged too often. Which is where Berryline comes in. The yogurt is so low calorie that I can pretty much eat it whenever I want! Whoo hoo! I've never felt like I'm compromising quality and taste for the lack of calories though. The fruit toppings are amazingly fresh and I like to add Oreos to my strawberries for a special treat. Stop in this adorable store TODAY and celebrate the end of summer.
5 - Diane And Allen S.: I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS STUFF. It is so incredibly good. Basically it is a creamy, tangy, slightly sweet frozen yogurt. My co-worker from San Fran who used to be in love with Pinkberry claims that BerryLine is better. YAY! My favorite is the mango with original yogurt. My Bff once got the blackberries and banana on top of original and it was fab as well!
5 - Bridget D.: Sometimes B wakes up, turns to me and says, "I want pinkberry." So, I roll over and... oh me. I realize that he is actually referring to the tangy, cool frozen yogurt product that we enjoyed in NYC. 

Low and behold, Yelp points me to Berryline and all is well. B rad and I hit up the cute little shoppe one fine evening and stood in the line (that went out the door) full of other peeps eager for a creamy probiotic confection.  

If you are not on your toes, the pressure can build when it is your turn to order and you haven't quite decided what to get. The toppings really need to be scoped out, unless you can read the sign up by the counter with the choices. Are you fruity or more of a candy ass? Tough call. How about a combo?  I wanted kiwi and chocolate. No dice player!  The young chapling at the counter said they were all out of choco-chips. THE HORROR!! All fruity for me then. I selected the original yogurt flavor with luscious kiwi and pineapple. I like my fruit like I like my teenage boys, fresh and ripe. Oh and it was! 

They had other yogurt flavors, blueberry and cranberry that evening. I was tempted by these choices, but the original tangy flavor compliments bold fruitiness so well.   My B also chose original and selected reeses pieces and oreo. I was so proud.

The small size was perfecto and two overflowing topping choices hit the spot for I didn't have any dinner that evening. 'Tis okay. If I don't have my required daily intake of sweetness...me go crazzzzzzzzy! The prices are cheaper than the Pinkberry and the quality to me was just as good.

Berryline is BRADGET approved.  teee heeee awww precious.
5 - Lindy L.: i have been to my fair share of REAL frozen yogurt places. in chicago, new york and LA. Berry Line is the BEST because they don't just have standard regular yogurt or green tea flavors. Their rotating flavor selection is truly mind-blowing. blueberry and cranberry? WOW! i am amazed by this gem! i hope to go back many more times!!!
5 - alexandra c.: Berryline is awesome! My boyfriend is frustrated because after one encounter, I got hooked. He likes variety, I like sticking with what I know I love. I get original with raspberries and almonds. Amazing! Also, the service is very fast; before I've even paid, my order is ready. So, don't be afraid of the long lines! 

Several people's reviews have mentioned the lack of disclosure about the ingredients, which I must admit I find unfortunate. I consider myself fairly health conscious, and I like to have information about the food I choose to eat. I especially agree with Bridget who is concerned about food allergies. We all love this yogurt! I think it's fair to want to know what's in it.

Ingredient list or not, I don't think I'll stop going. It's SO good - the perfect refreshing summer treat.
5 - Jon H.: Okay so now that I have found that they have mochi, this place is now up to five-star level because its got the best of everything. Only negative, my friend asked to try a piece of the yellow-kiwi and they said no...whats the harm in doing that?
4 - Shivani G.: A few weeks ago, I innocently posted a question, "Yo! Berry or Yogurt X?" on Yelp Talk. Little did I know that the BerryLine cult members can *e- sniff* the word yogurt and start spamming a chain with their undying devotion to a yogurt joint that wasn't even part of the question.

Well . . . .

I had to investigate if I should join this cult. 

I must tell you that Harvard Square is my old 'hood, so when I saw the BerryLine location, the reasoning for this cult started to fall in place. Its current home was the first home of Arrow Street Crepes which enjoyed  a similar cultist, underground following my senior year of college. It was like a Speak Easy for crepes and everyone had to try it and if you didn't, you weren't cool. Well, I am cool, so if there is a new cult in town I need to know if it's cool enough to have me on its roster.

From looks alone, BerryLine is easy on the eyes (see my accompanying pictures). The staff adds a warmth and pleasure to the cooling dessert with their playful banter. I was quite frank with them about my quest to find their cult power and they teased me about needing my social security digits. (Does giving 123 45 6789 count?)

The yogurt is good. Worthy of cultist love? Maybe, but not on first try. It's a great balance of an undertone of sweet with a mellowed tartness. I tried all their flavors that day (plain, blueberry and cranberry), but I wasn't hit over the head with love-with-first-spoonful. This wasn't my first tango with tangy fro yo so I am more discerning than a first time convert.

I settled on enjoying a small plain with mango. They are definitely not skimpy on the toppings like Yo! Berry. But, unlike Yo! Berry, where the fruit is so succulent, the juices mingle with your yogurt, the BerryLine mango was, using a Hindi term --because Indians are the original mango dons--kaccha (raw). Tough mango is not a good combination for silky soft yogurt. They should not offer a fruit topping that day if it isn't up to topping snuff.

Now is it worth it for me to head over to BerryLine when Yo! Berry is in my 'hood? No. But I will admit that each of these yogurts has its own unique charm. 

Ahem, BerryLine cult members, can we celebrate each yogurt shop for it owns take on more healthy fro yo? After all, shouldn't there be a flavor for everyone? Nothing is one size fits all.

As for cults, if you have any more food cults you need demystified, you've got my Yelp tag, so signal me like the Batman.
5 - Nick H.: The stuff of kings, nectar of the gods, the maker of heroes. Michael Phelps eats it, Lance Armstrong likes the blueberry, Barack Obama goes with the original, Jesus likes a swirl.
4 - Ani G.: This new-wave froyo craze (don't ya'll remember how huge TCBY and others were back in the late 80s? No? Just me? Okay then.) comes with less sugar and more fruit (fresh fruit! Who doesn't want fresh fruit in the winter in Boston?). It makes you feel less guilty about busting your diet than JP Licks around the corner. 

While I would assume that anyone wanting to open up yet another ice cream store in a place where we have 7 months of winter and also has a million other ice cream stores is off their rocker, these guys did go to MIT, and they have almost 200 4-and-5 star reviews on yelp, so they must be crazy like foxes.
4 - Matt H.: This yogurt shop makes me jump with mochi-ball induced excitement.  As a San Diego resident for the majority of my existence, I was concerned with the lack of froyo in Boston-the city I'll call home for most of the next four years.  When I heard about BerryLine (through ChaCha), I went to check it out ASAP.  It was a summer weekday night around 10, and there was a line out the tiny door.  BerrryLine looks very odd from the outside, with brightly painted fruits on a yellow background that invokes thoughts of hippie mysticisms.  The relatively unassuming interior is small and lacks seating area.  It took about 10-15 minutes to get to the front of the line.  The cranberry flavor they offered that day was rather bland tasting, so I went with original yogurt with strawberry, mango, and of course, mochi (which is hidden in a cabinet.. for freshness??)!  

It is accepted that attending MIT or Harvard will set you up for life.  In this case, BerryLine, started by MIT/Harvard post-docs, shows that these schools' students can create amazing frozen yogurt as well.  BerryLine's froyo has a amazingly creamy texture without any hints of iciness or lurking off-flavors.  It reminds me of Red Mango's yogurt, except less sweet and simply better in some unexplainable sense.  The best way to explain BerryLine's froyo is that after having a small serving, I wanted to go back and eat a lot more.  

On another positive note, BerryLine is the first froyo shop I've been to that uses compostable serving cups!  This is commendable, considering the added costs of purchasing such cups and the reasonable-when compared with other froyo shops-price of the product.  

Overall, BerryLine kicks ass and could whoop most of SoCal's frozen yogurt chains into icy, tarty shards.  WIth a larger, more central location, it has the potential to become even better than it already is.
5 - Sara S.: Been back ten times since my original review. This place is freaking awesome. Well deserving of five stars.
5 - Joe S.: This is only my third Five-Star review.  I don't hand these things out lightly.

(Actually, perhaps more like 4.9 or 4.95, because the frozen yogurt here, as you can tell if you look at the Nutrition Facts, is just empty sugar and calories, unlike other frozen yogurt.  Still, it's really good.  Read on.)

The frozen yogurt here is REALLY delicious.  My girlfriend and I decided, stupidly, to walk here from near downtown Boston (as opposed to taking the T), solely to go to Berryline and get some of their frozen yogurt (she had really enjoyed it when she went and wanted me to try it).  Obviously, we underestimated how far Harvard Square was from there.

Also, we got lost.

So we were walking a VERY LONG WAY to this place on a throbbingly and disgustingly busy Friday night.  I was NOT in a good mood, and my girlfriend probably wasn't in the best of moods either due in part to the heavy walking and also likely due to my non-good mood.

Berryline made it all worth it.

The line was out-the-door long, but moved expediently.

They have three flavors, two of which change week-to-week.  The original flavor is faint-lemony.  This means, as far as I am concerned, that it is awesome.  Indeed, the frozen yogurt's only shortcoming is that I think it should be even more lemony.  But then, that's my personal taste.

Okay, well, it has two shortcomings.  If you don't finish it, and you put it in your freezer, it gets a little icy and is not as good the next day.

(But then, I also have a crappy freezer.  So maybe YOUR freezer would be fine.)

So yes, as I said, the line moved quickly, and after our order, we had hardly much of a wait at all before our frozen yogurt was ready.  Hooray!!!

The place is also very inexpensive, UNLESS you want toppings (which you probably do) -- which can really make the price skyrocket.  It's still fairly reasonable, though.

The place is small.  I seem to recall very very limited seating off to the side, but you most likely don't want to sit there.  You're pretty much just going to get your frozen yogurt or whatever and leave quickly, squeezing past the out-the-door line.

The staff is kind, courteous, and efficient.  They will give you your order quickly and daunting as it may seem on a busy night, you will not be waiting too long in that out-the-door line.

On a recent visit, I ordered a large with X, Y, and Z toppings, while my girlfriend ordered a medium with A, B, and C toppings.  They put A, B, and C toppings on the large.  Immediately recognizing their mistake, without us having to put up a fuss about it, they made a new one for me the way I ordered it and just gave my girlfriend the large that should have been a medium, without charging us extra.  Granted, this is the only 100% correct solution for a business that makes this kind of mistake, but it seems so rare these days for businesses to satisfy their customers 100%, so I am singling Berryline out for doing the right thing (even though, in an ideal world, one wouldn't have to) (of course, in an ideal world, we wouldn't need Yelp, because every business would be great).

The biggest con of all about this place: It's inconvenient to get to unless you live nearby (i.e., are a Harvard/MIT student or otherwise local Cantabridgian).  This place is twice as expensive for me because it involves taking the T to get there (I am NOT going to subject myself that too-long walk again just for froyo).

A couple of helpful tips:

1) They have a card that you should get, and have punched with every froyo order.  With the card, for every tenth frozen yogurt, you get a free medium frozen yogurt with one topping.

2) Also, they give out free samples; this is especially helpful to know because they have two of their three flavors change every week.  Assuming you are going to this place with someone(s) else, have your friend or whomever step out of line to go get the free samples for you/your group while you wait in line.

Anyway, this frozen yogurt is hands down delicious.  Some of the best I have had.  Enjoy it.
5 - K B.: I absolutely love this place and go there as often as I can. The yogurt is yummy, AND fat free, and there's no artificial stuff to mess it up. I love the fresh fruit topping options while they are in season... yummy, and also guilt free.

The ONE thing I don't like is that they don't have sprinkles/jimmies like all self respecting frozen treat establishments. Sprinkles aren't just for ice cream. When Berry line has yummy flavors like peanut butter or Oreo, I want sprinkles, not fruit or real chocolate because real chocolate is NOT guilt free and sprinkles are-- I'm pretty sure they are fat free and have a great texture. 

GET SPRINKLES!!!! They you will have my unconditional love and save me a trip to Shaw's to buy some to put on myself.

I think yummy is my new favorite word... but I really do love this stuff. It's delicious even without sprinkles.
5 - Sam H.: umm. yum.
5 - Jennifer V.: Never had better tasting frozen yogurt before in my life.   I first went here this past summer when it was about 90 degrees outside and I needed a place to pop in and grab some a/c.  while inside I looked up at the frozen yogurt flavors of the day (3 only).  I decided to take a chance on the raspberry, and my goodness was it love at first taste.  

I went in several times after hoping for raspberry but I was surprised to try other flavors such as Banana, Plain, and Peanut Butter amongst others.  One of the employees said they serve whatever the owner feels like serving that day, so there is no set flavor schedule, it's  the luck of the draw.

This is place will definitely have you trying every flavor they have to offer.

p.s. - they have lots of healthy toppings to choose from.. sorry no hot fudge.  :)
5 - Brian Z.: This is the only place that was able to make me love frozen yogurt. Berryline is great and apparently everyone agrees since it is a small shack packed with people most of the time. The ingredients are fresh and the staff is beyond nice even when they have a million customers to deal with.  The staff remembers casual faces despite having a million customers. The flavors are always great and changing. Definitely an awesome place because it taste better than most ice creams.
5 - Brett M.: Every time I go here I end up walking through the rain. Is it worth it? You're darn tootin.' This is some pretty stellar frozen yogurt. I go with strawberries and chocolate chips topped on the original flavor.
4 - Elad C.: Let me start off by saying that BerryLine is FANTASTIC, especially considering the lack of good fro-yo options in the Harvard Square area.  I probably paid 2 visits a week to BerryLine over the past year before moving to Cali, and I always devoured the frozen treat.  However, like almost everything else in life, BerryLine isn't perfect and there are other frozen yogurt places (e.g., Fraiche, Red Mango, Pink Berry) that are comparable if not better in some key fro-yo attributes.  After trying several other fro-yo places across the country (in NYC, Boston, and Bay Area), I feel like I can now rate BerryLine objectively and more reliably.   

Here are the pro's and con's:

Pro's:
- The original is probably the best tasting original I've had anywhere because it has that tangy, yogurt flavor.  I also like how they rotate flavors every few weeks.
- Their topping selection is pretty good and I like their fresh strawberries and blueberries.
- They have a GREAT staff that is extremely friendly and happy to be working there. 
- It's cheap and they have a buy 10 get 1 free loyalty card.
- It's entrepreneurial and down to earth.  The owners are post-docs who genuinely enjoy interacting with their customers.  The place doesn't have the trendy, gimmicky feel of a Pink Berry. 

Con's:
- They do not list their ingredients. Now I know they don't have to, but Pink Berry and Red Mango do, and as a customer I know I am very curious to know what goes in my food (especially since fro-yo has the reputation of having many "chemicals" in it). 
- Their fro-yo melts faster than any other fro-yo I've had. If the owners could improve this attribute in their product, I think they would top Red Mango and Pink Berry. However, as of now it only takes about 3-4 minutes for a large portion of the fro-yo to melt.
- Some not so great flavors.  They've had a few flavors over the past year (e.g., pineapple) that have been busts, but there are many more that have been great (e.g., lychee). 
- A bit too sweet.  It seems like a lot of sugar goes into these things...

In short, I highly recommend BerryLine - 4 stars!
4 - Pamela Y.: Yogurt shops have sprouted on every corner here in LA, so when my friend insisted that we have froyo in Boston, I wasn't expecting too much. I was however, pleasantly surprised that a fellow Bruin opened Berryline! 

On the froyo spectrum, I think Pinkberry is on one end in terms of tartness.. not my cup of tea. Then Red Mango is a bit creamier, less tart, closer to soft serve. Then there's Berryline, which barely had a faint hint of tartness. I did like it though, it just didn't taste like yogurt to me. Berryline also has more topping selections, which is cool. I topped my cup with oreos and blueberries. Only as I stepped out of the store did I look down and realize what dumbass weird mixture that was. 

I'm still thoroughly confused at how people can eat frozen anything in a place where 65 degrees is considered a hot day?? It must be cool not to have to worry about it melting quickly I guess...
4 - Anna P.: Finally tried this place on one of the last warm days of the year.  It's a little tricky to find if you don't know what you're looking for - much easier if you look for the dancing yogurts on the side of the building as you approach on Mass Ave from Central Square.

The yogurt tasted very fresh.  The fruit was sweet and actually ripe - which is a bonus.  This felt like a much more nutritious snack than if I'd run out to buy a cookie at a coffee shop.

The staff was super friendly, they gave me sizeable tastes of everything I wanted.  They had a nice, chill soundtrack going and I felt pretty content to stay in the sunny alcove area reading while I ate my yogurt.

They lose a star because the seating is kind of uncomfortable.  I 'spose for the space they have, it's okay - and you really are meant to take your yogurt to go - but I wouldn't necessarily go here to hang out after dinner.
5 - Meg C.: Boston/Cambridge's answer to Pinkberry.  Exactly the same as Pinkberry, at about half the price!  Perfect for those who like a low-fat frozen yogurt with healthy topping choices (fruit!)
5 - Jim C.: Saw that the California tart froyo craze was hitting Boston so had to check out this place in Harvard Sq to see how it compares. BerryLine is a worthy contender.

They have 3 flavors: original tart, guava, and cinnamon apple(?!). 

Orignal was pretty good with a nice smooth texture. It was just slightly tart - I do like mine a bit more tart but this was fine.

Cinnamon apple is the most original flavor I have seen across all the froyo shops I've been to. It was like eating tart froyo and apple pie at the same time - sounds very strange but strangely tasty!

A small got you a decent portion of yogurt and they are generous with their toppings (mine was kiwi).  They don't have as extensive toppings as the places in San Francisco Bay Area.
 
The place itself is a cute little basement hole in the wall next to a crepe shop and not easily visible on sleepy Arrow St unless you were looking for it. However, it was fairly busy with quite a few froyo fans going in and out.

Bottom line: Froyo: 4.5 stars + Originality for cinnamon apple flavor (0.5 stars) = 5 stars
5 - Tim S.: East-coast Pinkberry.

That's right; I said it.

It's the tangy yogurt flavor you've come to love and expect combined with fresh fruity goodness. Or chocolate. They won't judge.

Don't expect much room to sit and enjoy your coffee or froyo, but I bodily drag people here anytime I'm in the extended Harvard Square/Cambridge area and they (my friends) usually seem much less dubious on the way out than they were on the way in.
5 - Kayla C.: After having Pinkberry in New York  2 years ago I have been on a quest to find a reasonable substitute in a city I live in and then I found BerryLine. 
I love Berryline. My boyfriend and I go quite nearly every Saturday night, making the trek from Allston at 11:00. But it's always worth it. The yogurt is delicious, the toppings are good. My only problem is the the staff. We usually get there at about 11:45 (they close at 12) and despite ordering quickly, the girl is always a little rude. Back off! You're open until 12, you can clean up when you close, but they're always trying to clean up before they close. that being said, when I go during the day the staff is much nicer. It does not however, detract from the yogurt. So good.
3 - Julia F.: So cute. Sooo teeny.
So so many people working.
So few flavors.
So many topping choices.

It's cool. I should probably go back when it's warm out. I'll probably like the experience more.
5 - Madison S.: Ever since I moved here from Los Angeles I have been missing Pinkberry, and this place is just as good if not better! There are plenty of toppings, and the fruit is always fresh. Prices are reasonable; it's less than Pinkberry! 

What else is there? 

Oh, the place is tiiiny but clean, the staff are nice, and the lines are loooong-even in winter!!
5 - Casey F.: What do you crave when it's November and dark and 35 degrees out? Berryline pumpkin pie yogurt with Oreos on top? ME TOO!!!!!!

This was my first ever Berryline experience after driving past it 17 million times and even meeting one of the owners at a Yelp event. Day-m, what was I waiting so long for? It is a delicious, tart, and yet sweet dessert. Or snack. Or dinner. Or whenever, really. It's a dessert that's honestly not that bad for you. Maybe even a little good for you. I think it's good for my soul. Seriously.

They always have the regular flavor, but have two other flavors that change as the seasons do. I LOVE places that change their offerings regularly - it makes me that much more likely to come back! Prices were fair slash way less than an itty bitty bit of Haagan Daaz would cost, and with just an itty bitty bit of the fat of Haagan Daaz.

Now if only I can figure out how to install a Berryline store in my house... or barring that, getting them to open one in Brighton Center...
4 - Bridget B.: I stand corrected. My months long (apparently one sided) struggle to get the ingredients list from Berryline has come to an end, as today I received a .pdf from the very friendly co-owner Matt apologizing for the lag time in responding (i'm still a little cranky, but i also don't own a business and can reply to emails quicker so i'll get over it quickly).

So, Berryline is not too good to be true. They're just good and fairly simple -AND- use hormone free dairy which is always a huge plus. Pretty much the same stabilizers and emulsifiers in every other fro-yo out there. This all makes me really happy because no one wants to be a hater (especially not me) and I am happy to know that it's safe for me (and most others with food allergies) to eat.

 One caveat is there -may- be trace amounts of soy and/or gluten in the product for those of you with soy sensitivities or celiac disease, though from the ingredient list I think it may be more on a flavor by flavor basis. For me it would be impossible to tell since those are two things I actually -don't- have to avoid.
5 - Daniel C.: Oh BerryLine, how I love thee.

Tiny, tiny store. Super delicious fro-yo.  And if you eat nothing but BerryLine for a week - you may even lose weight: http://berryline.wordpress.com/

I love the seasonal flavors (Apple + Pumpkin Pie recently), the fresh fruit toppings (grapes - surprisingly good), and the incredibly friendly staff.  Just wish there were more places to sit inside during the colder months.
4 - happy eater b.: This place is sheer deliciousness.

The frozen yogurt is absolutely terrific.  Paired with fresh fruit, it is sublime.  Definitely a nice treat.

The only thing keeping Berryline from 5 stars is that it is a little pricey and occasionally has lines that are a bit long.
5 - S W.: I have a huge stiffy for this place- and I am a chick- 
First time I tasted it, I thought "this is so delicious, I don't want to see the calorie count."

But then I did-- 25 calories per ounce-- amazing-- like awesomely truly amazing-- my froyo fantasies always lead me to Berryline.
5 - Dave C.: Absolutely fantastic!  All the flavors of yogurt are great, and the toppings are always fresh and plentiful.

One of the things that people aren't aware of when they first hear that it's frozen yogurt is that this stuff still retains the tartness and tangyness of yogurt, it's not the sweet wanna-be soft-serve ice cream.

I tend to stick with the fruit toppings (blackberries, raspberries, kiwi, strawberries, etc...) and heavily favor the original or berry flavored yogurts (blueberry, cranberry, etc...), but it's all great.  The lines get long in the summer, especially when school starts up, but the staff is fast, friendly, and plentiful so it moves quick.
4 - Yianni L.: I was walking with a friend in Harvard Square in late spring after grabbing some Dunkins when we both noticed that everyone around us was eating frozen yogurt with some pretty awesome looking toppings.  We continued walking when we spotted yet another person eating the same thing and I had to find out before I went nuts not knowing.  She told us it was BerryLine and it was right around the corner.  We quickly rushed to get some and I was pleased with the result. The place doesn't have many flavors but seems to make up for that with the amount of toppings.  I ordered mango and pineapple on mine, and I was surprised by the freshness.  

For being such a small place, I think BerryLine does a very nice job, and if you're more into frozen yogurt you might want to try this place out. Otherwise, stick with ice cream and go to Herrell's or Lizzie's.
5 - Katie L.: Healthy fro-yo is enough to draw me in to any eatery, but BerryLine makes it even better with a huge variety of fresh fruit (always varying) to dump on top. 

I lovelovelove that the yogurt is not super sweet - this is not the faux ice-cream style yogurt. It is way better.

The only downside is that they don't have many places to sit inside. In the warmer weather you can wander around outside with your delish, healthy treat, but the lack of seating has kept me away during the cold winter.
5 - Colin W.: I need to review things I don't like, every review I write is of things that make me happy.

Berryline makes me very, very happy. This isn't frozen yogurt pretending to be ice cream, folks. This is frozen yogurt that actually tastes like yogurt. It has the consistency of soft serve without that heavy feeling afterward. I get a small with whole raspberries and cut strawberry, delicious. Larges are a good size for sharing.

MMMMMMMMMMMBerryline.
4 - Phil C.: Frozen yogurt isn't necessarily my cup-of-tea, but when my friend (thanks, Julia!) intro'ed me to BerryLine, I was pleasantly surprised. You can easily miss this spot while you're driving down Mass. Ave., but it's a hidden jewel (kinda hidden).

The texture of the yogurt is smooth and not icy or lumpy. The flavors are very clean and the fruit toppings are fresh - complements the yogurt well. Original flavor is good (a bit sour if you're sensitive to that), but the other flavors are generally solid as well.
4 - Joe M.: Good but overrated.

The service here is good. The waitstaff has a smile, greets you, and maintains cool under a long line of people in such a small hole in the wall. So I gotta give them cred for that. Unfortunately, a place like this, service isn't a big factor. I will say one thing though, they are DEFINITELY open on the hours they have scheduled. This is in contrast to the better tasting but suck service of Yo! Berry.

The yogurt itself is...okay. Regular frozen yogurt, I'm not good enough to discriminate between tastes. But whether it was my strawberries or my frozen yogurt, I had ice chunks in my frozen treat. Unacceptable. Properly thaw these things, I should not have to worry about freezer burn.

It's good, if you want fancy frozen yogurt and you're in the area. But if you're NOT in the area and deciding between this and other places, may want to experiment with a new place. I've got a sneaking suspicion that after this place won the Yelp best FroYo award, the quality will take a hit. Kinda wish I knew this place before it got famous. Maybe I just caught them on a bad day. Maybe I take freezer burn too seriously....nah. It's frozen treats, you should know how to avoid freezer burn. Bush league stuff right there.

Not sure if it was pricey. I didn't pay, my friend did. =)


Update-
Just got contacted by the owner, one Matt W. upon reading my review. Asked me a bit more about the strawberries and said that they don't plan on letting success getting to them and ruining the quality of food.
I'm maintaining for the time being that YoBerry's was better for the time being. But I'm making a trip back to BerryLine in the near future with my friend to give it another shot. Perhaps I caught them at a bad time.
I'm also adding another star. The fact he cares THAT much? Exceptional.
4 - Amanda B.: They have great yogurt (real frozen yogurt, not the ice cream tasting stuff) with a fun rotation of flavors, but they always keep the option of original yogurt.  On top of that they have tons of toppings for any mood you're in - fresh fruit for when you want to be healthy, and candy for when you have a sweet tooth; and they're not shy with the toppings!  The staff is always helpful and friendly, and they never hesitate to let you sample the flavors of yogurt.  The line is usually long, but in my experience it moves really quickly.
5 - Cecilia L.: I never crave sweets. If it were socially acceptable, I would order a lamb chop at the end of my meal. I find most desserts and ice creams achingly sugary, and rarely sample more than a couple spoons.

BerryLine ended my apathy for desserts. Enough cannot be said of the incredible original yogurt. So so tangy and delicious. This isn't yogurt trying to be lowfat ice cream, it's a proud yogurt whose character shines through. The fruit yogurts are okay, but they've got nothing on the tart original. I ate an entire cup, unprecedented for me, and this after a belly-busting kebab dinner.

The many toppings are charmingly classified as either "crunchy" or "fruity." The guys who work there are dolls and will let you try anything you want.

The original is delicious with blueberries and granola, but adornment is not necessary. I would eat a bucket of this ambrosia plain.
4 - Esther K.: I'm from NY, so I have ungodly Pinkberry frozen yogurt cravings when I'm in Boston for school. Berryline satisfies me whenever those cravings hit. I'd say they're more generous with toppings and servings at Berryline.

The line is long but moves quickly.
5 - Jessamyn C.: It's that good. Really.
5 - Maria B.: I could live off ice cream, but I feel really guilty for eating ice cream 24/7.  Then I discovered BerryLine and it made my life complete.  It is the perfect compromise.  It is so yummy and I feel better about myself after eating it.  I usually get a bunch of fruit on it too.  It is so good.  I have never been to other places like this, but the yogurt on its own is really good too.  It is the perfect hot summer day snack.
4 - Bianca P.: I felt like I was doing my body a favor my eating this fro yo.  So unique to have that sour yogurty taste.  Not too many toppings to pick from, but there are just enough.  What a tasty delight!
4 - Jess L.: I guess I'm still pretty new to Cambridge because I only stumbled across this place - but I'll definitely come back again!

I tried their mamey flavored froyo, which I thought was pretty creative. I would have also liked to have tried to oreo.

One of the guys behind the counter was surprised when I asked him to explain how "it works" ordering froyo. He seemed a little disappointed when I didn't want to add toppings.

Anyway, the flavor was great. There are not many places to sit down, but I guess that's characteristic of these types of places.
5 - Sarah T.: I don't come here that often, but I really want this place to stay in business. So I'm conflicted. However, for four Saturdays this end-of-winter, I have reason to be actually on this very street. So far, BerryLine pit stop, 1 for 1.

I'm always more hesitant to try more than one flavor before ordering, and because the flavors are usually sweeter, I've only ordered the original. I absolutely never get toppings at "normal" ice cream places, but an original with kiwi (a bit of natural sweetness to balance out the sour tang) is pretty much the best dessert ever ever ever.
4 - Scott B.: Oh fill me with your sweet peanut buttery goodness.  Yes, Peanut Butter FroYo... and its flavor was unexpected.  Traces of peanut butter, yet still sweet as frozen yogurt should be.  It was almost PB & Jish.  

The service was good, and the ambience was excellent.  Nifty pictures adorn the walls, including a giant poster bearing FroYo Nutritional information.  Almost transparent blue counters, super clean coffee station, and white walls reassure you that this establishment takes pride in keeping clean.

The only downfall is the FroYo flavor selection.  Three flavors to choose from:  Orignal, PB, and Tamarind (which I'm pretty sure is monkey-flavored).  But, despite the lack of choices, you are able to jazz up that cup with a gadzillion different toppings.

Even in the middle of Winter, BerryLine is an excellent choice for a treat in Harvard Square!
5 - Cleopatra P.: BerryLine has done the near-impossible--they've made me appreciate, and even like frozen yogurt. Is it possible that for most of my life I've simply been eating (and mostly avoiding) an artificially-enhanced, overly-sweetened version of the concoction that BerryLine has perfected?

Subtle would be a good word to describe the frozen yogurt here, which is also smooth, mellow, tangy and has a unique, almost oat-like aftertaste. There are a decent array of toppings on hand (from fresh fruit to Reese's Pieces) and usually two flavors on tap in addition to the classic "plain" option. If you're into counting calories or any of that jazz, BerryLine's plain frozen yogurt is also ridiculously guilt-free, at 25 calories per ounce.

The prices here can veer into splurge territory for those of us who are a bit cheap (I pay $3.50 with tax for a medium, which, depending on who's dishing it out can be surprisingly small), but BerryLine makes for a great occasional treat.
5 - Erik S.: Seriously tasty frozen yoghurt that actually tastes exactly like yoghurt that's frozen. The plain had a slight lemony taste to it that was wonderful. I had plain with Mochi and Blueberries. The mochi was great. I wasn't a fan of how the blueberries tasted with the mix, but that's no fault of BerryLine. Anyway, great stuff.
5 - molly f.: yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes.

YES!

this is JUST like the scrumdiddlyumptious "baby yogurt" that I had in Florence and have been craving ever since. Tangy yogurt flavor? check. Tremazing toppings? check. Walking distance to my apartment? check. EFFING AWESOMENESS? check. 

BerryLine is like hot rock that makes pandas want to reproduce. What? Yes.
3 - Joanna C.: I recently visited the much touted establishment again. Initially disappointed, I wasn't so keen on coming back. But there was a sale on couches at the furniture store down the street and I thought "hey, why not? I'll just swing by". Plus, it was a cold day, and I love eating ice cream/frozen yogurt/smoothies on a cold day. But if it wasn't for the weather, I'd probably have just passed by. Anyway...

This time I tried the Mango (eh) and the Banana (very good). The thing about the Banana was that it was done very nicely. Usually, any kind of tart fruit flavor can go very wrong, and especially banana. But the Banana here had the right amount of sweetness and tart mixed in.

So, even though I had some hesitancy on trying it again, I was pleasantly surprised the second time. I'd describe BerryLine's yogurt to be very "medium" and "safe" in taste. The tartness is not overwhelming nor delightful, but a safe range that many would be able to like. It's also not too sweet, which helps enhance the fruit flavor. So, for anyone who has not tried tart frozen yogurt yet (really?), BerryLine provides a relatively risk-free introduction.
5 - Lea G.: yummmm!!!  go there now, seriously.
5 - Brian N.: Now they charge the same for fruit and dry toppings! Also, I noticed that they just pile on the toppings, unlike Pinkberry or Red Mango in NYC or LA, which are pretty stingy when it comes to toppings. Berryline is opening new places in Cambridge and Boston soon, I am excited! :)
5 - Elizabeth H.: This is, hands down, my favorite place in Cambridge.  It's perfect all year round (except when it closed for, like, 3 days in the winter aka the 3 worst days of my life), any time of day (thankfully I work nowhere near there or it would be breakfast, lunch, & dinner)

In my opinion...
best flavor: original or blueberry
best topping: yogurt chips or mango

SO tasty :)
4 - J P.: I'm pretty sure they put crack in this stuff. 

The original flavor is the best. I could eat this every day, all day long. Doesnt really matter what topping you add-it will be tasty no matter.

2 problems...1.They advertise the nutritional content like its healthy, but it really isnt (how many "serving size"s in the dish you get? not so healthy when you figured it out...). 2. I'm a fat ass pig and bought a large with one topping (pineapple). Only cost me $6. Wtf? If this stuff wasn't crack, I'd never pay that much for dessert. Unfortunately, it is crack...very yummy crack...and my wallet got cleaned out. Oh well. I'll be back for more soon...very soon!
4 - Jen T.: This place kinda kicks a$$. 25 calories per oz, with a choice of 5, 8 or 12 oz sizes. Simple choices for flavor. Yummy choices for toppings. Priced comparable to many other ice cream type shops. Very nice employees. We went on a cold rainy day, so there was no line, which made the process very easy. 

I wasn't prepared for the more sour-ish flavor, but I have to say I liked it. Esp with the strawberries and chocolate chips on top, which gave it just enough sweetness. And after devouring a medium, I still felt like I hadn't had a huge cup of ice cream. A nice feeling, and not one you get from other brands. I'll be back in the summer.
4 - Chris M.: fro-yo? fo-sho! 

At some point during the yelp crawl, I was escorted away from the scheduled stops and made a pit stop at Berryline.  (Thanks Amanda H.!) After 4 hours of drinking, its good to get something in your stomach. 

Now I got to try out the apple cinnamon and the regular yogurt.  Trying to be adventurous, I got pineapples and mangos in my yogurt (remember i was drunk).  I think my reasoning was, pineapples are delicious (and make me giggle) and i like mango smoothies, so why not? It turned out to be ok, and I got to tell new yelp friends of why i don't eat pineapples all the time (the whole induced laughter thing). 

It was really good, simple, and whenever you can mix in your mixin's it makes for a happy day.  Plus going with yogurt is way better on the waist line than getting some ungodly creatation of coldstone. 

If I find myself strolling through harvard square and want a cool treat, i'll definitely swing by this place again.
4 - J T.: This place is really cute.  I decided to try it after reading so many positive reviews about it on Yelp.  

The frozen yogurts are pretty good.  The employees are very friendly.  I will definitely go back.  :)
5 - Jeremy K.: Not much else to add since there's so many reviews of this place. Their various flavors are delicious and the toppings are great as well. They even cut the fresh fruit toppings to order.

Some of their flavors are incredible and change all the time. They experiment a lot and you can often enjoy some pomegranate, açaí berry, and various others which is something that makes them stand apart. Oh and their nutritional information will make anyone on a diet happy and worry-free since it ain't bad for yah!

I just about always get the original flavor with some strawberries and kiwis on top but won't hesitate to check out their new flavors once in a while. 

Their staff is very friendly and they even have a rewards card that they stamp for every visit so that you can eventually get a free serving on them.

Unfortunately the only thing keeping me from more frequent visits to their store is the fact that street parking in that area isn't always easy to find but they do help makeup for it by staying open late most days.

A terrific little shop!
5 - nicole z.: Delish! I discovered BerryLine from yelp and thoroughly enjoy the fro yo here, the original flavor is always refreshing and the rotating flavors are usually good too! The employees are *generally friendly *and happy to offer a tasting. The fresh fruit is an added plus for a topping, though last time I went it was not too fresh tasting, maybe coming earlier in the day for fruit topping is a better idea....I highly recommend it if you want to try something new! 
Also, something that I find nice that they do is if you want the portion of one topping but two different toppings they will do that if you ask. 

*last time we went, my husband said something to the woman working like, 'I wish you had a kiddie size' or something to that effect and she kind of made a sly comment which was, "I can give you a kiddie portion and charge you for a small" we didn't get the feeling she was genuinely assisting us, but rather making a nasty comment* 

However, we really enjoy BerryLine and will continue to go, maybe just have less interaction with that employee.
5 - Hisham K.: This is the best fro yo I've ever had in my life. My friend Kate first introduced it to me last August, and now that the glorious spring is here, I have rekindled my love affair with Berryline.

Friendly staff and great service are the toppings to an excellent fro yo experience. This place is usually packed, it's a very small space, but don't be shy about sitting outside on the sidewalk or on the nearby garden.

You know how sometimes you go to a store and you get that little card? You know what I'm talking about, that one card where they stamp every time you buy something there, and when you get 10 stamps you get a free meal / ice cream cone / dessert? At most places, you get the card, but THAT sale doesn't count. You get your first stamp the next time you visit. Not with Berryline - you automatically get your first stamp on the spot! I've got four stamps already and it's only been two days!

I love this place.
5 - Arestia R.: It comes DAMN close to my beloved Pinkberry in LA.  But SSHHHHH.  Don't tell anyone, but it's not actually frozen yogurt - not a culture in sight, baby.  Still, I love this frozen treat because the tangy, satisfying treat mixed with fresh fruit or other wonderful toppings leaves me completely satisfied and wanting more all in one fell swoop.  And the staff is just plain rad.  They're hip and cool and don't take themselves too seriously.  Such a great little Boston addition.
5 - Alyssa F.: Frozen
Orgasm
5 - Courtney B.: Berryline is my favorite desert place in the greater Boston area. The tangy yogurt tastes great with tropical fruit toppings. They are also one of the only places I know that offers a papaya topping almost all year round.

In general, I am not a fan of very sweet deserts, however when I am in the mood for a sweet treat, Berryline still satiates me with all their typical desert toppings, like chocolate chips and oreos, etc. 

You can also get flavored yogurt. The apple cinnamon is delicious but its seasonal. I've heard there other flavors are tasty too, and the staff will let you sample everything before you make a decision.

Thus, this small shop on Arrow St. is completely worth checking out. Don't be deterred if there is a  long line. The staff makes the line move quickly.
5 - Deborah H.: New location is literally 1 1/2 block from my house.

v. dangerous but awesome. thank you!!!!
4 - Jennifer W.: Some of the best fro yo I've had and I've had a lot! I would probably rank it just behind Pinkberry. I've been here a lot when I've visited Boston and it is very very delicious. The froyo is just the right consistency and is neither too icy or creamy. Their toppings are all relatively fresh. Can't wait to go back to Boston for more Berryline!
5 - Amanda Y.: The froyo at BerryLine is awesome.  I had tried pinkberry once before, and didn't like it at all. I gave BerryLine a try on the insistence of a friend and it totally changed my attitude towards this type of froyo.  I tried the banana flavor, with strawberries, pineapple, and mochi and it was to die for.  The long long line outside of the store was kind of intimidating, but the yogurt is well worth the wait.
5 - Dan C.: Still just as good as before, and if that wasn't enough of a reasons to go, now the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen works there.  Dark brown curly hair and facemeltingly hot.  Go here, you wont be let down.
5 - Danielle M.: Went back, because I just couldn't stay away. Had the Nutella with strawberries and white chocolate chips...AND regular semi-sweet chips. Orgasm of the tastebuds, bbs...
5 - Christina K.: Can't believe I couldn't find it so I never went till about two weeks ago. It's not in the main Harvard square, so it's kind of tucked away. Original tart is really good, though it is much sweeter than Pinkberry or Yogurtland. Very affordable. Wish they had more flavors, but hey, it ain't Yogurtland either! Yum. And at 25 calories an ounce (small is 5 ounces) it's even less calories than a yoplait lowfat yogurt.
5 - Haley S.: I will go the the gym everyday of my life
I will not swear
I will help every living creature I see (even spiders)
I will recycle.....
if I can have BerryLine in my life everyday. And I've been only once. 

If you've never had it I suggest jumping on this band wagon asap....it's delicious. The fro yo has that wonderful sour taste of yogurt with practically anything you want mixed in. I tried mangoes and graham crackers. Yum!!
4 - Corry B.: I have this idea that somehow if I eat frozen yogurt that 
a. it will not bother my lactose intolerant innards
b. it is somehow healthy
c. my belly roll will not increase with each cup I consume.

If these things are true, then I am a happy happy girl at BerryLine.  I wasn't into froyo at all until I went to visit California and it was the Drug of Choice.  And I got hooked because I will eat fruit in anyway that it decides to come.  When it comes all pre-peeled and chopped (mangoessssss) all over my tangy raspberry froyo with maybe some blueberries and blackberries and raspberries and strawberries andandand okay, i'm not gonna lie. I'd be just as happy with a bowl o' fruit save the yogurt- but the yogurt adds a nice cold reason to have someone else chop up the fruit.  

And for all the lactose pain ice cream causes me- summer desserts can be participatory again for me at this very cute, not too many places to sit, but who cares cuz they get you through fast, are patient with the non-decision making friends i went with, and offer free samples til the cows come home, easy to get to place.
5 - Heather S.: My addiction continues.  

the toppings are amazing.  blackberries, and pineapple and kiwi oh my!  I just can't feel guilty eating it.  not only do i get my fruit in, but there's no HFCS in the yogurt, and it's only 25 cal an ounce!  you've heard of jared and subway?  i might have to pioneer the berryline diet!
5 - Stacey H.: amazing. that is all.

also, don't be freaked out by the line out the door when you first arrive. There isn't much room inside, so the line seems long but actually isn't, and they're very efficient.
5 - Mardget P.: How good is Berryline? We eat it every single day. If it's cold out, if it's hot out, if it's raining, who cares--we make the 1 mile trek from the office to get our fix. So tangy, so delicious, super fresh toppings (lots of antioxidants)--nice people work there, happy people eat there.
5 - lalula s.: when the thought of berryline enters into my awareness, there is almost no stopping my feet as they bring me directly to the shop. sometime squeals of delight escape from my lips when i suggest making a visit to a friend. frozen yogurt that tastes like yogurt? free samples? exotic fruit toppings? healthy sweet delicious cool treat? yes please.
4 - Julie R.: Very refreshing treat on a hot day. I got the 3 topping special for $4.50. I chose mango, pineapple, and raspberry. I was tempted to add some chips or graham cracker crumbles but decided all fruit was the way to go. 

The place was so busy when I arrived. The staff behind the counter worked as a team but seemed a little annoyed it was busy. One would yell, "Can I help the next person who knows what they want", then if you were lucky to bypass the families with kids who can't decide their toppings, you went up and gave your order, which was then told the the person next to the listener and made then handed back and you paid with the person on the other side. A little confusing. The guy in front of me had a coupon and the register girl quickly snapped she can't take it, then a guy came out of the back and said they do take it. Maybe the staff needs some more training. I wish the place was bigger with more seating but Harvard Square has lots of places to sit down and eat. 

The original yogurt was delicious, not too sweet. All the toppings were fresh. I noticed the sign on the door saying, if you don't want to wait in line, please visit out other location in Porter Square. I'll have to go check that one out next.
4 - Keri B.: This is the only frozen yogurt I've ever had that actually tastes like yogurt. It has that fresh tanginess that real yogurt has, and it's not super sugary sweet like ice cream. The fruit toppings are fresh instead of canned. You can actually eat this dessert and feel like you ate health food. Totally awesome!
5 - Katie A.: The best fro-yo in Harvard Square. The rotating flavored yogurts have all been really good, but I recommend banana and original.  The toppings are always fresh, with their fruit toppings taking center stage. With all the fresh fruit, it is easy to feel good about what you are eating. It isn't super expensive (especially if you have ever been to Herrells!) I really like that the yogurt tastes like yogurt and makes you feel energized instead of blah. If I had more disposable income, I would find many more reasons to stop by and have a medium with mango and strawberries. 

The seating at this location lacks, but it is just a really small space. Unless its really rainy or cold, it is easy to find a place outside.
5 - Nicky N.: This place has been reviewed to death, and for good reason. Let me start off by saying I typically do not like yogurt. I have been traumatized by an unfortunate tasting of my grandparent's "homemade" yogurt, consisting of warm milk kept in a jar inside a purse by the radiator to "curdle." I have also been avoiding froyo since my first encounter with it at YoBerry, a poor excuse for a froyo place.

BerryLine was amazing. Inconspicuously tucked out of the way on a side street, we would have never stumbled upon this place had we not yelped it beforehand. 

$5 gets you a medium with 2 toppings or a small with 3. There were 2 flavors of yogurt (free samples!) in addition to the regular, and the flavs apparently rotate weekly. Tons of topping choices: fruit, candy, cereal...settled on raspberry froyo with fresh strawberry and kiwis ... oooomg...creamy, sweet, and delicious. Gobbled it up while standing in line for a second one...like a true fatty : )
5 - Erin M.: See my other BerryLine review and add:

+ Orange tart froyo?!  It's the original PLUS real oranges added for flavor.  Add raspberries for maximum deliciousness.

+ Beyond pleasant staff that is willing to assist three raucous Yelpers in their pursuit of the perfect combo of froyo flavors and toppings.  (They even served with a true smile when a pile of kids came in at 11:00 pm...closing time.)

+ Dan C. paying! 

BerryLine is perfection in a cup.
3 - Bret C.: 3 stars+ for the concept - it's unique and incredibly popular.  3 stars for the taste because I'm more of an ice cream guy.  But give this place a shot - just watch out for the lines.  The place is MADNESS on a nice day!  Be prepared for a moderate wait.

They are willing to let you sample any of the flavors which is a nice touch.  Pick the fro-yo flavor you want and then throw on a collection of fruit and/or candy/cracker toppings.
5 - Alex R.: I used to have a "guy's guy" type contempt for eating fro-yo, but this changed after spending last summer in LA, our country's capital and perhaps birthplace for fro-yo.  I returned from my summer with a lingering craving for the stuff, and soon after discovered BerryLine.  Way too often do I make the long trek from Coolidge Corner to Harvard Square for a small but delicious cup of fro-yo at BerryLine.  Please open a location down here!  I have no doubt it would be a huge success.
5 - Joanna K.: I really can't add anything new to the reviews to this SUPER cute fro-yo shop that specializes in fro-yo that tastes like... YOGURT! Love it!

Am a HUGE fan of this stuff - I've been know to make a beeline to my fav yogurt shop in NY the minute I drive in. Or make a last ditch stop on my way out of town. Have been wanting to try Boston's version for a LONG time, and finally had an opportunity to on a cold rainy day after eating my fill of wonderful Korean bbq. 

The place wasn't very full (it was like 9pm on a Tuesday which was... cold and rainy), and we were able to find parking pretty quickly close by. And the minute my "original with strawberries and blueberries" hit my lips... I knew. Heaven. Exactly like the fro-yo I love in NY. Only way more accessible in Cambridge!

Definitely go try it out! It's delicious. And not gonna lie - I prefer this over Pinkberry. And the store front is WICKED cute! I love how much personality it has! :) And the people behind the counter were SO nice and friendly. Yay for fro-yo!
4 - Rebecca S.: Explaining frozen yogurt to a European can present a surprising challenge. Too many meals at American chain restaurants has left him with the conviction that all American food has a "funny, synthetic taste."

I'm sympathetic to the aversion to processed American food.  But I'm all about tasty wholesome food -- and Berryline delivers a sweet treat that allows the tart freshness of the yogurt to come through because they're not trying to trick you into thinking you're eating ice-cream. Berryline believes that yogurt is delicious in its own right!  It's not heavy or cloying or synthetic.  Well, provided you go easy on the toppings.  

"Peanut butter yogurt?  Americans put peanut butter in everything.  What is peanut butter?  You don't find this in Europe."

Perhaps not.  Berryline's plain fro-yo is very nice with just one fruit topping.  Clean and simple, and not so scary for Europeans with timid taste buds.
5 - Jennifer N.: My favorite meal:  a dinner crepe at Arrow Street Crepes, then Berryline just around the corner for dessert.

I love how there are new flavors every time I go there, it's like a surprise!  I always get 2 toppings: 1 fruit and one crunchy thing, like granola of toffee or graham cracker.  Plus, once you buy 10 you get one free with their little punch card!  I have already done that a couple times, it's really that good!  Relatively healthy, too
3 - Nicole B.: did not have other options other than the yogurt. 

while they did have tons of fresh fruit toppings, no sauces! 

boyo has more.
4 - Frank N.: Overall, good stuff. The interior kinda takes the typical JP licks lick atmosphere...somewhat college-like. Anyways, I got a small with mango, blueberries and MOCHI. I had some pinkberry when I was in LA, and their mochi was much better Berryline's mochi was kinda hard, while I remembered Pinkberry's to be nice and soft and definitely the best topping. Minus one star for the mochi, but otherwise a solid place. I'll probably try it again in hopes that the mochi improves, or maybe I hit a bad mochi-day. Definitely the best out of yo berry and berryline though.
4 - Marco V.: The lines are a killer.  So trendy right now. (Found one further up mass ave that doesn't have lines).

The yo is more flavorful than I was expecting.  Not inedible for healthy food.  Not ice cream though.  Pretty delicious and light.
5 - Celeste C.: Loved it.  I am happy that we have our own little tart yogurt chain in Boston.   I've also just been to the new new location in Fenway.

I know that the flavors rotate but I think I would like something more raspberryish.  I'm not sure the passion fruit had much flavor and the orange had maybe a bit too much flavor.  it kinda tastes like orange juice.  Like the toppings.  Had a nice little friend date here.
5 - Kristen F.: I have absolutely no complaints about berryline. The staff is friendly and the frozen yogurt + toppings are undeniably fresh!
4 - CeeCee R.: Berry Line froyos = addictive! Mochi topping is perfect pair to go with the froyos. The online thing is that the mochi toppings are seldom stale, you might want to ask them regarding to the mochi quality. Overall, love the Harvard Square and Porter Square location. Once you go froyos, you'd ever go back!
5 - Alec Y.: this place is adorable. i love it. i work at a regular ice cream shop, and i know its hard work. but they do a great job. the people are extremely nice. the product is great. i love the idea of a healthy frozen yogurt that actually taste like yogurt. and the fresh fruit are always the sweetest can be. i love this place and i would suggest it to anybody looking for a nice healthy dessert in harvard square.

it gets incredibly busy during dessert times. it's almost incredible. a line out the door for a hundred feet at least. but the line goes pretty fast. theres barely any room in the actual place itself, but your in harvard square, i don't think you should be inside anyways.
3 - B. B.: I received a very nice note from one of the owners after posting my review. Knowing that the proprietors care about their customers' experience and opinions enough to (1) keep track and (2) try to make amends for a bad experience is heartwarming. I'm much more likely to give BerryLine another try now.
4 - Anna W.: Berryline is the place to go in Harvard Square if you're looking for a cool summer treat.  Ice cream can weigh you down, but nothing like a little topping of fruit to make anything seem healthy - and the yogurt is FAT FREE!  Now I'm not a very adventuresome eater, but I can always find something yummy to try and Berryline - I'm a fan of raspberries + heath (and then a healthy dose of the chocolate syrup they've got in the back).  

Love it!

Now why only 4 stars?  Well, for as much as I do love Berryline, it can get expensive if you want more than a small one topping (even that gets you close to 4 bucks).  But, for the occasional treat, you can't beat it!
4 - Ryan K.: Very, very cool. 

The froyo isn't super-sweet like "frozen desserts". It's actually frozen yogurt! It's got a tart taste, but it has great toppings ranging from fruit to cookie crumbs. Great place for dessert in Harvard Square. Just a heads up -- it's a small place, so don't expect to be able to sit down. It's kind of in a small out-of-the-way street anyway.
4 - Emily S.: I've done a pretty thorough tasting around of the many tart fro-yo options in Boston and NYC. BerryLine is still my top contender, on the basis of taste, generous toppings, and friendly vibe. I love the Harvard Square location best...probably because it is the most quaint and was the site of my first ever tart fro-yo experience (which, interestingly, was not amazing, but only because I had yet to acquire the taste for it).
5 - Corey P.: It STILL has calories! I know...I know... I know!  

I have never left this little Harvard square haunt without a smile on my face. I particularly enjoy when they have banana on tap, but the original, mango, blueberry and passion fruit aren't bad options either.  The toppings are always the most difficult part of this journey.  Fresh fruit (Strawberries, kiwi, blueberries, etc) chocolate, coconut and yogurt chips--the creamy chocolate chip. I could go on for days.

I suggest having a plan when you arrive, or you will find yourself quickly panicking when the pretty efficient staff asks you what you would like and you have only finished glancing at the flavors.  Staff also has no problem letting you sample the flavors, even when there is a line out the door.

Also, make sure you grab a frequent buyer's card. You will be back. Trust me.
5 - Josh M.: Delicious.  The yogurt is tangy (like real yogurt!), and just sweet enough to make for a nice dessert.  Their original flavor yogurt is very good, but they rotate two other special flavors that are often even better.  Passion fruit and lychee are the best ones that I've tried, but they mix it up enough so that there's always something new.  They have a nice assortment of toppings - my favorite are the fresh fruits (mmm, mango and kiwi), but there's plenty of other stuff too.

My only complaints are that it's always packed, and it's not too cheap.  But then again, it's crowded because everyone knows it's awesome, and you do get what you pay for.  So, no complaints, I guess!
4 - Jill F.: Fro- Yo!!!!!! I have been here for a year, and I did not know we had this in Boston. 

Summer has come, it's 80 degrees and all I am dreaming about is Pinkberry, so out of desperation, I yelped Frozen Yogurt in Boston to see if I am just being silly and there it is! BerryLine! 

Great, delicious taste, normally priced, great toppings, even Lychee and Coconut! Yum! Road my bike three miles to get here, and boy was it awesome! 

They even opened one up near the Fenway right near my school! Oh God, I wanted to go back that night..

Thank you Berry Line, I am addicted. It's a little pricey, and thats why I changed it to 4 stars. Sorry.
4 - Ellen L.: went here on a weekday at 6pm and found the place packed!  (that's always a good sign that a place is good)  I jumped in line and asked for a sample of lychee froyo and they promptly offered a little sample of it.  I wasn't a giant fan and decided to go with the original.  Both were quite good, but lychee just wasn't for me.  Anyways, I was a little disappointed when I asked for raspberries and mangoes and I was told they were out of raspberries.... i decided to go with blackberries instead.   The fruits were both sweet and complementary to the froyo.  four stars and a big thumbs up.
4 - MsT K.: Honestly, at first I didn't care for Berryline. My co-workers introduced me to it one day and I was like...this is the big thing you guys kept raving about...It wasn't anything special to me. As time went by I started to crave BerryLine more and more and I finally started to see why people was so addicted to it. It's very refreshing and I love fresh fruits so putting it on top of my yogurt is a plus. I was never really a yogurt person but it's only 40 calories! Who can beat that? Good bye ice cream and hello BerryLine.
5 - Kat H.: How can I eat ice cream again, knowing that this paradise exists? 

I didn't want to have to run to make the next commuter rail back to Beverly, so decided to kill the next hour and a half by staying on the red line and making my way to Berryline. I wish I had the time to actually sit down in the shop (sorta got distracted by the jewelry & book shops along the way), but after tasting the original and coconut, I'm definitely coming back. Super fresh assortment of fruit, and their small was the perfect size. Spent a good while just staring at the menu--I think I already have my next two or three trips all planned out, and can't wait to get back on the next super-sunny day. 

Oh, and I still ended up running to catch the commuter rail--made it on as it was pulling away. But it was worth it!
4 - jen f.: impressive.
maybe one day i'll order something instead of free sampling.
4 - Jenn Y.: I am a huge fan of frozen treats, not to mention there used to be 5 asian-inspired froyo places within a 2 block radius of where I lived, so I have tried a lot of froyo in my day.  I haven't tried the plain flavor here, but their lychee and guava flavors are excellent and the pricing is great, solid portions for the price.  Their toppings are much pricier than I expected though.

Will be back to try more flavors!
5 - Johnna M.: It's delicious, It's healthy, It's breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. I love me some BerryLine. For many years I would scorn my NYC friends for their Pinkberries and tastyDelights, and now I have a low calorie, frozen yogurt place of my very own. I am only brave enough to try the original flavor but that with kiwi, strawberry, and mango is heaven. The atmosphere is more hippy dippy than the bizarre, "did I land in a Japanamation video?" feel you get at most of these types of places, so that is a little sad. Great portions and great staff!
5 - Reena B.: Love the yogurt flavors offered and the amazingly fresh fruit toppings at BerryLine.  They give generous portions and are priced reasonably.  I will be back many, many more times!
5 - Sophie H.: I don't know why anyone eats ice cream anymore.
2 - Amy C.: Am I the only one who doesn't get it? I think maybe my taste buds are not buds with BerryLine's offering. Friends brought over a couple of tubs for an apres-sushi snack and, while I'm normally a dessert lover, I could only eat a tiny taste of the sour stuff. Sorry for the negative review...I know you guys have lots and lots of fans...
4 - Min L.: Cute little shop and their natural tart is good. My first taste of east coast froyo, and I was impressed. Even cooler that some MIT biophysics phd students started this :)
5 - Megan S.: I am a HUGE BerryLine fan. I first tried the refreshing type of yogurt at the original Pink Berry's in LA and loved it, so naturally I was very excited when a knock-off came to Boston. I love all the toppings - especially strawberries and mochi with plain. I love that the yogurt isn't too sugary - it's the perfect snack!
5 - Bryan H.: The Greatest Place!!

BerryLine has i think five different froyo basis and then you can add fruite and anything you desier ontop...its healthy, not a lot of calories (only 25) and then you can customize your treat with fruites, and other goodies!....its very very popular, some times they have a line out the door, and down the street of people to get in...VERY GOOD
4 - Stephen Y.: A lot of frozen yogurt falls flat for me because it's really trying to be ice cream or gelato.  Not here.  Berryline embraces and draws out the natural yogurt flavor to make the best frozen yogurt I've ever tasted.
5 - Lauren W.: I have been trying to get to BerryLine ever since they opened, almost two years ago. My coworkers and I took a lunch break trip to BerryLine back in June and we have been addicted ever since! The first trip one of my colleagues helped herself to seconds because she loved the first one so much! Ever since that fateful day I get a medium instead of a small because it makes my belly very happy, I just "suffer" through the fullness. 
I love all of the toppings that they have! The fruit is so fresh and beautiful! You can't go wrong with one of their candies/cookies either. I recently had frozen yogurt at a new yogurt place in Boston, by MGH, and it was a poor attempt at the BerryLine original flavor. It appears that no one can match the natural, tart yogurt taste that BerryLine has achieved. I haven't been able to try one of their flavored yogurts yet, I enjoy the original too much to venture! 
I am typically an ice cream fanatic but I feel that my life is now complete thanks to BerryLine's healthy option over my ice cream. I'll give up the ice cream any day for this yogurt!
4 - Will A.: For me, it doesn't get much better than fro-yo with fresh fruit on a hot summer day. 

When they first opened a little over a year ago, my co-workers and I made frequent post lunch trips to Berry Line to beat the heat of summer 2008. Summer 2009 has become busier at work, but I still make frequent stops on the weekends and do my best to introduce new people to Berry Line. Try the "Red Line" smoothie, very tasty!
4 - U V.: it took me awhile to find the place.....i had to ask 2 people on my way from the T to Berryline......yes i must admit i'm not good @ direction even though i clearly print out the map to get here just so i can taste Berryline everyone can't stop talking about.....the people who work there r super nice....i was staring @ the chalkboard they got on all the favors.....i couldn't decide.....fruits or non fruits for topping.....decision! decision! i'm glad they told me to take my time to decide on the topping.....it bring back memories when i was little i couldn't decide the flavor to pick @ the ice cream shop.....overall it was good especially for hot summer day.....i walked back to the T w/my froyo it only last about a little over a block before i finished all of them......
5 - Mai O.: At last, a frozen yogurt that actually tastes like yogurt!

I tried blackberry flavor and banana flavor so far, and I love that they have real fruit toppings.  And these real fruits taste good, actually, not sour or anything!  Usually the problem with fruits toppings are that icecream or frozen yogurt is so sweet and/or fruits are sour, so fruits end up tasting bad.  I am glad their fruits go well with their frozen yogurt!  And while it tastes like real yogurt, it also tastes like real fruit (blackberry flavor tastes like real blackberry, and banana flavor tastes like real banana).  

My personal favorite way to eat here is to get a small cup and eat it outside under the apple trees next to the store, sitting on the curb side.
4 - Lisa H.: It seems like the tart frozen yogurt craze hasn't hit the Boston area yet unlike California, where it's ubiquitous. However, BerryLine's yogurt really hits the spot on a hot summer day. I always get the same flavor at any yogurt place: original with strawberries. The original had the right amount of tangy-ness without being too sweet. The building is really cute too, with pictures of dancing fruit on the outside ^^  You can't go wrong with any of the fruit toppings. 

The only gripe I have is the amount of sitting space inside, only a couple of tables and chairs to accommodate the usual horde of people in line.  Other than that, it's the best frozen yogurt place in Boston.
3 - E Y.: After going to California, frozen yogurt in the Boston area has never been able to satisfy me. I always get the original, no matter where I go. The frozen yogurt here is probably the best I'll be able to find in the area. But the mochi totally didn't work for me. It just didn't have the sticky soft texture that real mochi should have. Other than that, BerryLine is pretty good. It isn't too pricy either.
4 - Rachel M.: A victory for Boston--a froyo place with the tart, light froyo you can find everywhere in NYC. BerryLine, as other reviewers have pointed out, have a huge variety of flavors and toppings. I ordered the coconut froyo with mango when I went for the first time, and the fruit was fresh and sweet, the ice cream rich-tasting. They have the nutrition info posted too, and I'd bet that this place does way less waistline damage than the ice cream over at JP Licks. Cute decor and location too!
5 - Jake B.: BerryLine is amazing. I've never had frozen yogurt that tastes like this

If you're expecting something that tastes almost exactly like normal ice cream, you'll be disappointed, but if you come in with an open mind, you'll love it. It's a bit less sweet than other ice cream; it reminds me a little of cheesecake or something along those lines. It turns out that, for me, that taste is perfect in almost every situation.

Somehow, BerryLine frozen yogurt has no fat. That means I can go there whenever I want and not feel guilty. The frozen yogurt has 25 calories per cup, and there are five cups in a small (not sure medium/large). 125 calories and 0 fat is pretty great for something that I like more than almost any ice cream I've had. It is a tad pricey (I think $3.25 for a small with one topping), but it's not outrageous, and I'm willing to pay a little more if it makes the ice cream healthier and the atmosphere more pleasant (more on that later).

I always get the original with mochi topping. I got peanut butter once, which was okay, but not as good as original. When they have flavored mochi, I usually get that instead of regular mochi. I've had strawberry mochi (the best), peach mochi (okay), pineapple mochi (really good), and french vanilla mochi (pretty good).

As a bonus, the place is really fun to go to, and the atmosphere is really nice. It feels very "small business-y". The outside walls have paintings of ice cream and toppings with faces, the inside has employee-made art for sale on the walls, and the employees interact with customers like real people. Much more enjoyable than Dairy Queen or something of the sort.
5 - Elizabeth M.: Went recently and had the peanut butter flavor, it was delicious!! As always Berryline doesn't disappoint!
2 - Alice C.: I wish I knew more about Berry Line prior to setting a journey for it.  See, I'm from California and we have Pinkberry there, thus, Berry Line wasn't very special to me.

Berry Line's original is not as tart as Pinkberry's original. I like tart.  

I would have to say that Berry Line may be slightly cheaper.

Either or doesn't matter because I was expecting ICE CREAM when I went to Berry Line so I think both Pinkberry and Berry Line is a waste of space in the stomach.  

Cotdamnit.
4 - scott g.: Their tagline is "Frozen Yogurt that actually tastes like yogurt!" (or something to that effect), which as a concept sounds disappointing at best and downright icky at worst. I mean seriously, you want your frozen yogurt to taste as close to real ice cream as possible without the unfortunate effect of making you fat.

But here's the thing, it's expensive, it wreaks of trendiness, and... it's flippin' delicious. The first time I tried it my pallet was confused, but I left the charming little shop 10 bucks poorer and strangely compelled to come back for more. 

Ever since, I have to drop by every time I'm in Cambridge.

Two thumbs up!
4 - Miran C.: I was looking for Arrow St Crepes, which must have closed eons ago after I graduated, but I was nonetheless thrilled with its replacement.  The portions were pretty generous, and the layout was adorable and clever despite the limited space.  Most customers opt to stand outside to eat when they come in groups, so I suggest that BerryLine get a big garbage can because we ended up having to dump our cups into a nearby apartment's dumpster...
4 - shana c.: the outside is adorable, the frozen yogurt is super tasty... i wish i lived closer!  a great alternative to ice cream.
3 - Olivia C.: this ain't icecream!!!

If you are in the Square, and are not square, go straight to Bartley's Burger for a quality shake or Herrell's or Christy's for fresh ice cream. 

Truth is, it is fresh yogurt  (and I actually love real yogurt-a la Brown Cow), but Berry Line is just not my cup of fat. I got Original with Raspberries that were big but not local. I got it with the mini recees that were too small to taste. $5 and I didn't even get that special feeling.

I wanted to stop here because I overhead at Harvard Book Store that this stuff was delicious. Oh yuppies, with their politically correct desserts! I guess BerryLine is delicious if you like frozen yogurt! 

I want to prolong summer feelings by eating Icecream; not sorbet, not yogurt, icecream.

I recommend B-lining it to the creme of the crop.
5 - Renee H.: If I lived or worked in Harvard Square, I would have clogged arteries from eating huge helpings of this every single day.

It's good. It's sooo good. It is the best frozen yogurt that I've ever eaten in my life. (Obviously, this isn't low-fat, low-cal fare. This ain't health food frozen yogurt.)

Their choices are always original plus two other flavors, often fruit flavors, but sometimes something like peanut butter or Oreo. (I'm not sure why some reviewers seemed to be expecting ice cream here, actually.) The original is actually my favorite, but I do occasionally give the others a try. They're always happy to give you a little sample to help you make your decision.

There's a decent selection of toppings (candies, cookies, etc.), although I usually stick to the fruit.

The cost of a cup of fro-yo with toppings here is cheaper than or comparable to a lot of ice cream places. And marginally healthier.
4 - EricaLynn J.: I'll admit it:  I have a sweet tooth, I love ice cream more than I should (I'm pretty allergic), and I love treats any time of year.  It's the middle of February and there's two feet of snow outside, and my socks are soaked from trekking home in the slush?  All I want is a bowl of ice cream.     This is a problem, not because I'm clearly psychotic, but because I am a Weight Watcher, and I really should stick to the fro yo.

Hi, BerryLine.  I adore you.  

I like the texture, and the sweetness of the flavors.  It doesn't taste quite like ice cream, and it doesn't taste quite like yogurt.  It just tastes sweet and light and wonderful.     Real fruit toppings? Yes, please!  

I do watch my portions, because even this alternative is not the healthiest, but it's certainly quite a lot healthier than the ice cream I crave at those creamery-type places.   It's a sweet, light dessert that I treat myself to when I want to indulge and not feel guilty or have that heavy feeling after.
3 - sato h.: i've had better ones. went there twice, the very first visit was not so great since the staff was rude and impatient. today we went for the second time, the girls were friendly and let us try different flavors. so the overall experience was better. i think it's a good place to go if you are craving for frozen yogurt in boston.
3 - Mindy L.: I was super excited to try BerryLine for the first time and I decided that simple was the way to go. I ordered the vanilla froyo with fresh strawberry topping. It looks absolutely yum and I was so excited to dig in...but then, oh travesty upon travesty...my mouth puckered up with sour surprise and goosebumps broke out across my skin! The strawberries were so sour and bitter...I was broken and dejected. This was not the first experience I was hoping for. On a brighter note, my friend got the raspberries and blueberries topping and I was content to take a few bites of that while he finished off my sour strawberry concoction (he admitted they were sour but refused to allow that to deter him). 

I give it 3 stars because the fro-yo was definitely delish. Hopefully my next time will send my tastebuds tripping with delight!
4 - Steph C.: BerryLine's tart frozen yogurt may be the best approximation of Pinkberry I've had to date.  It's got that elusive singing tang and that creamy texture down pat.  So bravo for that.

The papaya and oreo, which were the other flavors on swirl, were not particularly good.  They tasted like someone had thoughtlessly dumped some flavoring into the original without accounting for the fact that not everything goes with the distinctive taste of yogurt.  The results were a little rancid.  Even so, I would have given this place 5 stars if it weren't for the unattractive fruit.  The raspberries especially looked muddled and obviously pre-frozen, but none of the fruit was fresh.

Also worth noting is that BerryLine has the least Asian atmosphere of any frozen yogurt place I've ever encountered - functional lighting, no cutesy wares, and a staff comprised of bored kids in T-shirts.  Baffling, considering that we yellows like to catapult our children into Harvard, but other than that, this lack of Asian flavor neither adds nor subtracts from the place.
4 - Kyra T.: I like this location, because its tucked away and you purposely need to go searching for it-kind of like looking for the gold at the end of the rainbow, you might say.

This little place offers window seating a few tables.  Currently, they offer a Nutella fro yo that's delicious.  As always, their toppings are numerous.  Personally, I enjoy one selection of fruit and one selection of candy.  Mix it up!
4 - Ryan L.: This is for the Porter Square location:

Having been to several different West coast yogurt chains (Pinkberry, Yogurtland, Nubi, Tutti Melon, etc.)  where there's fro yo on every street corner, I consider myself a yogurt snob.  That being said, Berryline does a decent job of it.  Probably one of the best fro yo places in the surrounding Boston area along with Yo Berry in Brighton.  The texture is smooth and creamy, and it's got that nice tart flavor that all yogurt should have.  Prices are ok for MA (fro yo will always be cheaper out in Cali) and the topping selection is good.  It has all the different fruit toppings you need as well as a surprising variety of mochi toppings (plain, pineapple, and something else).  One thing they do need to  improve on is how they store their mochi.  They leave it out in open containers when they should really be storing them in closed tupperware or something airtight.  I don't blame them since the owners are probably not asian and don't know proper mochi care.  Mochi should be soft and spongy like a marshmallow almost, not dry and chewy.
2 - Molly N.: The froyo was good enough--I had apple cinnamon, and it was light and tangy. Kinda boring, but, it's that style. The toppings are where I have an issue. They're crazy expensive, and the mochi is really, really bad. Stale, tasteless, dry, gross. Why did I pay almost $5 for okay froyo with icky mochi and some plain toffee crumbles??

I'm from the Silicon Valley in California, where we have frozen yogurts stores every block these days. Where's Boston's equivalent of Yogurtland? I pine for Yogurtland when I'm out here :(
2 - Natalie B.: Oh please!  Just stay home and eat organic yogurt and throw a coupla' berries on top.  the only flavors were pumpkin pie, apple pie, and something called "original" 
I need my chocolate and my sweet not just sour!!!
5 - Lolia S.: Fro-yo girl here.  I've been dreaming about going to BerryLine for years.  I think I fell in love with BL when I saw the first pictures of the store (it's adorable) and then I heard about their unique flavors like banana, Nutella, pear almond, etc.  You can't get those flavors elsewhere.  The flavors of the day are listed on their website and each location (they have three) has different flavors.

Fro-yo flavors of the day:
* Original tart: very good, full of flavor, tastes like real yogurt, not too icy/not too creamy, sweet after taste, not that tart 
* Apple cinnamon tart: Really good, like apple pie only tart and yogurt like, not that tart
* Pumpkin pie tart: Sweeter and creamier than the other two flavors, tastes real - real yogurt, real pumpkin

Fro-yo prices:
* S ($2.75)/ M ($3.40)/ L ($4.90)

The store looks like a tiny house and the walls are decorated with Halloween artwork.  Very cute.  They had about 18 toppings: nuts, chips, granola, cereal, candy.  They didn't have as much fresh fruit (no pom seeds) and the strawberries looked like they'd been cut hours ago...but this is Boston where fro-yo options are limited and I'm thinking of CA fro-yo shops.

I asked for my fro-yo side by side (in fact I said I definitely wanted it side by side) but I received a swirl...and they didn't put much in the cup.  The plain mochi tasted homemade (chewy and soft), and their flavors are really good, so that made up for the stingy portion of fro-yo.

I think they have a bonus card but they didn't offer one to me. They were friendly though.  The fro-yo comes in a boring cup.  It's not plain but it's brown with vertical lines.  Free wi-fi.  Limited seating.

You know you love me.  X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
4 - Sassy Frassy l.: 4.5 stars--- i wanted to give 4.5 but that's not an option!

I love tart frozen yogurt, so this really hits the spot. But, I've had it where it was tart and also TASTED more yogurt-y. (the flavor just had more of a yogurt flavor to it than this one, which i would love.) Also, they dont have as many cool toppings, like no nutella or hot sauce, or fruit sauces. Also, the oreos dont taste like oreos, maybe they're the generic brand. (or at least i think they were in the begining when i tried them.) Still, the fro-yo is awesome!
1 - tim l.: My girlfriend and I go to Berriline 2-3 times a week. We went there last night, and both ordered an original with kiwi and strawberry. Half and hour later we began vomiting and getting very ill. I contacted the location and told them that they may want to check their fruit, but was only met with "Well, we cut our kiwis fresh daily." I was stunned at the lack of concern that the location could be serving bad fruit. I emailed customer service, and received a reply from the store general manager about their freshly cut fruit.....again with the freshly cut fruit! Later that night I received another email from the owner, once again telling me about their strict standards. I may be crazy but 2 people eating the same thing and then getting very very sick is a bit odd and more than a coincidence....I will never go to this location again.
5 - Ashley W.: i heart berryline.

... trying to figure out how we can incorporate berryline into our wedding.

My personal fav is the original with mango and strawberries!  The papaya, blueberry, and passion fruit are fabulous when they're available. 

Definitely a Boston staple... ooh, don't forget to pick up a frequent-buyer card at the register.  You'll be surprised just how quickly those stamps add up; free berryline='s happy belly!
5 - Christina A.: To begin, I have been obsessed with Pinkberry ever since the first one opened in LA (I had it while visiting friends). Not only do these guys give a delicious array of yogurts flavors to choose from, but the selection of toppings is insane.  Fortunately I am incredibly boring and usually go with the tried and true original + strawberries.  Even in this, they make sure to pile the strawberries mile high and only count it as one topping. Always super friendly, it's a delight to visit this shop--and they have a loyalty card!
5 - Elizabeth D.: I absolutely heart BerryLine. And I love that shortly after I wrote my intial review, I received a message from the owner informing me that they would begin to update their flavors online (so that I wouldn't have to stalk them on the phone anymore) and that they were going to be opening a Fenway location. (BTW, I was totally there on opening day.)  I absolutely ADORE businesses whose owners keep up with what their customers are Yelping about and can take constructive criticism. It's just plain great customer service!

Reasons I love BerryLine:
-25cal/oz
-rotating variety of flavors
-plethora of toppings
-don't take money over toppings (so as not to contaminate the toppings)
-3 locations (though I still wish they had a location closer to downtown/ Back Bay/ South End)
-flavor updates on their website, Twitter, and Facebook
-local business
-caring and receptive owners
2 - Stacy A.: Two girls.  One cup.  We ordered a medium, fill it up!
4 - Grace S.: Pros: Delish frozen yogurt, excellent, fesh toppings.

Cons: They change their flavors every so often (nice when a good one comes in, sad when a good one goes out). And long as hell lines at night and in the summer.

Balance: PROS

BOTTOM LINE: Great fro-yo in Harvard Square at a place that feels like a homegrown ice cream shop, screen door and all. (I might even like it better than Red Mango and Pinkberry, shhhhh.)
1 - T Y.: An update: I had to downgrade this to 1 star, because I went in recently and ordered the yogurt with mochi, which was hard and inedible.  When I brought it back they explained that it was a pricey topping, so they never sampled it--and what's more--they kept it in the fridge!  Mochi, like boba, should never be refrigerated--it just gets hard.  Needless to say I was disappointed in their staff's knowledge and the product.
4 - Sandra C.: I like this BerryLine, and trust me...I've had a lot of froyo before (to the point where I'm kind of sick of it *gasp*). I really like that if I bury the strawberries at the bottom of the yogurt, it freezes! And I also like the other topping...it's like a chocolate shaven thinger. The whole thing mixed real well. Honestly, I think the trick about froyo is just finding the right combo.

This place needs a bathroom that's not an art gallery across the street. But I still like it.
4 - Tanya Y.: Move over YoBerry.  This is the place to go for frozen yogurt (or Fro-Yo) in the East Coast.  The line is almost always out the door and the decor of the place is exceptionally cute.  

They have three different yogurt flavors that vary from day to day.  I've ran into Blueberry, Original, Passionfruit (my favorite)!, and Rose.  There are variety of toppings to choose from and the key to a great froyo is choosing the right ones.  I always stick to fresh fruit.  The prices are decent for college kids and they even have a frequency stamp card!  My Frequency card is almost full, allowing me to get a fro-yo for free! 

My only negative points about this place is that there is a lack of seating and restroom facilities.  

For a yummy, and healthy, snack, this is this place to go.
5 - Tiffany Z.: Great frozen yogurt & I can walk there.  I love the original with blueberries & kiwi.  The frozen yogurt is tasty, the fruit is fresh, the staff is friendly, the place is clean, and I've never had a wait longer than 10 minutes when I've gone (and most of the time, much less wait time than that).

Someone who knows frozen yogurt better than I do might be more judgmental, but I've been a very happy customer.
5 - Elisabeth G.: Oh Berryline, I would curse the fact that you are directly across the street from my office, tempting and taunting me daily, but you are so low in calories and so unbelievably delicious that I welcome you to my belly. You are delightfully tart, your toppings so fresh, your staff so nice and (and comfortably hipster-y), how can I resist you? Why should I try?

I discovered Berryline near the Fenway and fell so overly-enthusiastically in love with it that my friend started making fun of me. Then when I started my new job, I discovered there was one across the street and knew I was in trouble. I can be found there about every other day between 2 and 3. 

I like the original the best of any flavors I have tried so far. I'm working my way through the toppings, but so far pineapple, mango, strawberries, blackberries, and granola are my favorites. Quality down the line. Love.
4 - Kathleen F.: Mmmm mmm mmm I love Berry Line!  The natural yogurt with lots of yummy toppings from fruit to yogurt chips makes this one of my favorite treats to have when walking around Harvard Square.  Their Mass Ave. location is also way more roomy and has extra seating!
5 - Meredith S.: 125 calories of yogurt yummier than most full-fat ice cream + friendly people + truly fresh fruit = BerryLine = Perfection

What more is there to say?
4 - Terry W.: Loving it like a fat kid loving PB and Fluff for lunch.  Keep on doing that voodoo that you do so well!  Taza chocolate for sale as well.
5 - Amanda A.: I frequent both the Harvard Sq. and the Mass Ave. locations, but I think we've hit this one just a bit more, so I'll start here.

This BerryLine is tucked away on Arrow Street. I had no idea it was there til someone told me about the company and I found this location online! It's downstairs/around the corner from Arrow Street Crepes. The shop itself is really funky. Feels personal and "lived-in." It's cozy, too. Not many places to sit. But if the weather's nice, Gordon and I will take our treats to the little square near Quincy Street to enjoy.

Let me begin by saying I enjoy BerryLine's original flavor yogurt more than Red Mango's. Red Mango is fine and all, but BerryLine is smoother. I also like their mochi better. It's a bit tougher, which I prefer. 

I usually get the Original flavor with a couple of fruit toppings and mochi. I like chocolate and ceral toppings and everything, but I'm a fruit fiend. And that's what keeps this from being a guilt-ridden indulgence. The fruit is always fresh and they're not stingy with the toppings. Gordon gets strawberries and chocolate chips every time. Every. Single. Time. He loves how they shop up the strawberries into little chunks so they're not unwieldy with a plastic spoon.

I enjoy the special flavors, too, but mostly I like letting the toppings be the flavor. I've had Coconut, Tazo Chocolate and Caramel. BerryLine's great about letting you sample the yogurt and the toppings. I never would have tried mochi if the guy behind the counter hadn't offered a sample. SO glad he did. I can't imagine my life without it!

We have the little stamp card (buy 10, get one free!) and we've gotten at least one free at this point. In fact, when Gordon recently left his wallet outside in the rain overnight, the one thing he made sure to dry out was the BerryLine card.

After I moved back from CA, I was sad that we didn't have Pinkberry here, but I'm so glad BerryLine came to be. I love going there and I can't wait til the weather gets warmer so we can go more often!
4 - Johanna L.: I FINALLY tried berryline tonight. It is your typical tart softserve place with tons of toppings. I'll definitely be back!
4 - Michelle K.: After hearing so many raves about BerryLine, this fro-yo addict had to give it a try.  When my boyfriend and I approached the tiny little shop, we were surprised to find a line out the door.  Holy shit, does this yogurt contain gold dust?  Well, no, but it is tangy and creamy and smooth.  I'll settle for that, I guess, in lieu of gold dust.  I think I prefer Red Mango, which has a little more tartness, but it's a very close call.

Four stars instead of five, because this place had a BerryLine-out-the-freakin'-door (who wants to wait twenty minutes for their fro-yo?); also because they didn't have any raspberries.
5 - Ann L.: Better than Bo Yo, no doubt. Fresh fruits and great atmosphere. The frozen yogurt taste is awesome! I saw one of the staff cutting mangos on the spot indicating how fresh their fruits really are! 

love love love Berry Line.
4 - Abdullah A.: Good stuff! The best frozen yoghurt place in Cambridge!
I live right around the corner and go to BerryLine at least twice a week. I love their changing taste offerings and the fruit toppings are fresh, fruity, and just right. And the young folks behind the bar are extremely friendly. 
Just the very berry long lines on sunny days are somewhat disturbing - but I see it rather as a sign of appreciation for their great frozen yoghurt taste.
5 - carmen l.: I love BerryLine. Delicious and light indulgence. :)

It always gets me in a good mood--- especially on sunny days. 

The only thing that is not amazing is that on sunny days the line is very long--- still the wait is worth it. 

They change flavors every week, and they are all guaranteed to be delicious--- fruit is always fresh
2 - Kevin W.: Seriously?

I had high expectations for Berryline after all the rave reviews, but the mochi was hard and not sweet.  The mango was in large chunks and not ripe.  Even the soft ripe ones weren't sweet.  The strawberry was the same as the mango.  The yogurt here was sweet and creamy but there really wasn't anything outstanding about it.... I really wanted to like this place too.  

Maybe my bad experience is an aberration and I'll come back and try again, but I have to award Boyo the best froyo place in Boston so far.  This place doesn't even rank in my top 5 froyo places that I've been to in the US, sorry maybe next time.
4 - cassidy j.: The frozen yogurt here is super tasty.  I went there a few days ago and loved it.  However, I can't give it a full five stars because I went for strawberry and kiwi topping and my chunks of kiwi CRUNCHED, like an apple, that is just not right.  If kiwis weren't in season right now I might give them the benefit of the doubt, but they are totally in season.  I'm still going back, but I'm just enjoying my super delicious tangy yogurt sans toppings next time.
4 - Leighann F.: Love you for having raspberry, the greatest fro-yo flavor of ALL TIME. Not super psyched about the absence of chocolate sprinkles and cones.  Will I still come here whilst passing by? Of course! But I'll head to the location closer to Porter Square for the aforementioned treats and accompaniments. Yep, they are still getting my few bucks over other fro-yo-places in the area!
5 - Dara C.: Since my original review long, long ago, I have only eaten more BerryLine. There is a location at Fenway, a couple short stops from my apartment in Brookline. 

New flavors (mochi! rose petal!) and dozens of toppings from fresh fruit to Fruity Pebbles, Reese's peanut butter cups to chocolate shavings make this place pretty much the greatest thing since man discovered he could freeze dairy products and eat them. Hell, this pace is better than milk itself. Their yo' is super tangy tasting, light, yogurty, and kicks the ass of Pinkberry. (Which I hear is coming to Harvard Square? Back off my shit, Stinkberry.) 

In short. I love BerryLine. BerryLine loves me. We're getting married, don't you know.
5 - Ken M.: I went here for the first time Saturday night and got a small raspberry with kiwi and fell in love. 

I went back on Sunday and got a medium raspberry with kiwi and blackberries and was completely hooked. 

I'm an addict. 

I keep thinking ahead to getting my next fix, it might be time for an intervention soon!

It says something when a place is tucked away in what is essentially an alley and there is a line out the door. Always. At 10 pm, at noon, it matters not, always a line.

This is pure near guilt free pleasure!
4 - Kwan H.: They haven't had raspberry for awhile but now they're back!! woo hoo!! The line is crazy long at this place but you know a good frozen yogurt when you try one. Even without the toppings, BerryLine does not fail to impress. 

Note: Stay away from the mochi pieces, they are stinky, too chewy, and taste like flour.
5 - Elizabeth M.: I. LOVE. BERRY LINE. I can't get enough. It's in a really cute neighborhood, the yogurt is FANTASTIC (i especially love mango, banana, and original!) and they have a LOT of toppings to choose from. Even though it is an hour trip from my house, I will forever visit them when I have time and need some yogurt in my life. Plus, it is 25 calories an ounce!
4 - Jon L.: Great fresh toppings, the frozen yoghurt is creamy and tart and tastes exactly like frozen yoghurt should, its not trying to be something it isn't. I love how they keep the toppings super fresh and simple, not complicating the yoghurt.  Lines are long and the yoghurts is really good, but not sure if it's worth a 15 minute wait in a line.
5 - Tommy R.: I'll just pile on the good reviews here like BerryLine piles on the toppings.  Very friendly staff, the samples flow like wine, and the taste is great.  

I like strawberries and chocolate chips, though I am thinking about changing it up since there's usually self service Hershey's syrup.  

The frequent diner card is nice, and that marketing tool works on me.  

I have witnessed the long lines, but I prefer the off-peak times and winter when I don't have to wait too long, or at all.  Keep up the good work, BerryLine!
5 - Bonita Y.: I live right down the street from this place...and it's sinful that I don't go there often!

cute date place if you're near the harvard square area...definitely a must!

JP licks, you've got  nothing on this place!
5 - Bethany B.: I had been craving some froyo for awhile, and I was ready to settle for the stuff in the food court at the mall... when, on one hot pre-summer lunch break at work, I discovered BL. Delicious. I got the original with walnuts, strawberries and oreo's. The froyo was a little tart and not over-sweetened which was a nice compliment to my toppings. I now know where I will be spending most of my summer lunches.....
5 - Xue T.: There is something absolutely magical about this place - it's not identical to pinkberry, red mango or your neighborhood golosi (hello new york!). Whereas the latter may taste and look like processed frozen yogurt, Berrylane throws in a kick of homemade goodness. Creamy, chunky but still light, just the right amount of tart in each flavor. They offer 3 different flavors (original (fave), coconut, blueberry) in size small, medium and large. With an order of a medium size twist (blueberry and original) and strawberry toppings, it can run you $5.00 and is good enough to share between 2 people on a cool day. Opt for a large during the summer time. The line gets long and can easily extend halfway down the block but it moves quickly and is very much worth the wait.
4 - Shannon M.: My only disappointment was the limited toppings.  I've been to other places with greater variety of toppings (including my favorite Captain Crunch), but the options they did have looked delicious and all their fruit options were fresh.  I got the original flavor yogurt, and I added oreo, strawberries, and caramel truffles.  Next time I would probably take away the truffles and either add a different fruit or more strawberries...they were perfect with the frozen yogurt.
5 - Sameer N.: The other night I was listening to Bob Seger and smoking a gigantic bong.  I was like, "I just want to feel like Seger does when he rides his motorcycle" So I did the the less cool version of it and rode my Vespa down the street to Berry Line, ordered a pint of FACEMELTING YOGURTS and then rode back home while listening to Bob Seger and thinking of movies to watch while I pounded Berry Line that I just got.  Then I was like "Home Alone!" but I figured that's really a seasonal movie and I should watch something funny like Waynes' World.  So I put on Wayne's World when I got home and ate a half a pint of Berry Line.  It made my face melt off because it was so awesome.  I want to eat it, like all of the time.
4 - phyusin t.: I absolutely love the remote back-street alley way location of a yogurt shop.  It's an adorable place and even though it is not self-serve, they are generous on their toppings.  Since this is the only frozen yogurt place I've tried in Boston, I cannot give much critique, but it is definitely one of the better places I've tried on the east coast.  For some reason, I remember their frozen yogurt having a creamy texture of ice cream (I'm not sure if it's a good thing?)
5 - Blair T.: I've never been the type to go get ice cream or frozen yogurt in the middle of the day. I have no problem slathering my dinner entrees in butter, or smothering my bacon turkey club sandwich in several layers of mayonnaise, but a mid-day frozen yogurt run? Too sinful. I know, I know. I didn't say it made any sense.

WELL. 

Those days are over, friends. I just went to BerryLine on a whim, and while I don't want to be over-dramatic about this, I just inhaled what was probably the single greatest thing I've ever tasted. I got the Nutella yogurt with blackberries and strawberries, and there was a total foodgasm in my mouth. I was pleasantly shocked by how fresh and pretty the berries were--not the still semi-frozen mini berries I'd expected to find. I'm currently calculating what exercise I can do between now and dinner to justify going back tonight.
5 - Emily G.: Frozen Greek Yogurt is the best way I can describe this taste-bud tantalizing summer treat.  

I went with the original flavor and didn't regret it.  My boyfriend got Nutella flavor.  The toppings are the best and great selection between fresh fruit and candies (and even cereal).  If you get the banana, make sure it is not too green though.

Suggestions: 

Do NOT go around 9pm (they are open to midnight most nights).  Line is out the door (really far), but to give the employees the benefit of the doubt, it moves pretty fast.

Make sure you don't try everything all at once - get one or two (max) toppings at a time.  Enjoy the FroYo.
4 - Cheryl D.: Berry Line has the best plain yogurt.  Friends and family on the West Coast and in Hawaii have taken me to various Yogurtlands, and while they have super cute spoons and a variety of flavors, the yogurt isn't as good as Berry Line's.  Yogurtland might have a dozen flavors to Berry Line's three, but it seems like there's a trade-off for variety versus perfection of the plain frozen yogurt flavor.  

My only issues are 1) the number of people buying and eating easily outpaces the available space in the shop, and 2) while the plain yogurt base flavor is a perfect match with various fruity flavors, it just doesn't mesh well with decadent flavors like chocolate.

Bottom line: original flavor with fruit!
3 - Leah M.: Eh.
not really impressed.
Which is totally disappointing because everyone is going nuts over it. 
What sucks is I really like frozen yogurt, and I really like plain yogurt, but this just wasn't anything special. 
It wasn't bad, it just wasn't that amazing.
5 - G N.: Amazeballs.  So good and you don't feel gross after.  My favorite is original with rasberries, mango and coconut.  I want to get some right now!
4 - Julie A.: Maybe I need some fro-yo
And sure, I know it's not cheap.
But I've got a sick obsession,
I'm seeing it in my dreams.

I'm thinking of fresh fruit toppings,
I'm getting myself a small.
I'm here at work all day hoping
Coconut's posted on the walls.

What you want, girl, is BerryLine
Think about it all the time,
It's so hot out my brain is fried
I just can't get it off my mind...

Be caaaause

Fro-yo, fro-yo, fro-yo is my drug. Fro-yo, fro-yo, fro-yo.
Fro-yo, fro-yo, fro-yo is my drug. Fro-yo, fro-yo, fro-yo.
4 - Julie S.: This is quality frozen yogurt.  The chocolate is made with Taza,  and they have a wide variety of fresh fruit toppings.  My husband and I shared a large Taza with 4 different fruit toppings, all of which were delicious.  As an added bonus, BerryLine has Hershey's chocolate syrup out on the counter so you can make your yogurt as chocolatey as you like.  Plus, with the fruit toppings, you can pretend you're eating a healthy snack.
5 - Dasha B.: $3.75 for a small with one topping is not cheap, but the creaminess and flavor of this froyo make it worth it.

Had the honey graham flavor with grated Taza chocolate. I couldn't really taste a strong graham flavor, but it was yum regardless (I was secretly hoping they would have Taza flavor). Loved the quantity and texture of the grated Taza chocolate, but I think white granulated sugar was mixed in. Not so much a fan of that. The other toppings looked delicious as well.
5 - emily s.: It's hard to find a good yogurt place on the east coast other than MR. YOGATO in DC...but berryline is awesome yummy!!
3 - Angel M.: yeap, pretty good, its like not that expensive, but the flavor isnt really a blast in my mouth or whatever. ive had a lot of hype from friends, but it was just like there. also, there are a lot of like fro yo places in the area, and none of them really stand out. 

this idiot girl that was there, said that it smelled like a urinal, i dont know if she knows what is a urinal, but the place smelled like yogurt. stupid hipster.

yeah, so the raspberry wasnt that flavorful, nor was their honey graham, i would have to go with original flavor, and some of the fresher looking fruit. yeah, so.
5 - Rachael N.: Cheap, healthy, delicious. Need I say more? Okay I will. 
I went to JP licks and lizzie's for about 4 weeks...until I found BerryLine. My world was changed. It's actually good for you!! And there's so many toppings-real fruit or yummy junk like Oreo and Heath bar! My choice on any hot, or even cold, day!
4 - Amanda F.: Sometimes you must sucumb to the attractively delicious algarithm that the corporate chains seem to perfect. And, the equation definitely wins me over here. 

Though, I'm not a fan of their oreo flavor, a small original with mango and kiwi is starting to become a fixture on my quicklist of dessert options. Quick, refreshing, and never giving me the "ugh, I feel like I'm going to hurl I've eaten so much," it puts a cherry on the end of a nice day. I also like how they have a little iced water dispenser at the end of the counter and that they have a punch card for a free medium with two toppings after you get 10 of anything there. The staff are nice enough, though with the lines I've been seeing there lately, I understand that they're feeling the rush when it comes to getting the orders out within a reasonable amount of time. Don't be worried by that statement though, even with a line nearly to the door, me and mine were out of there in 10 minutes with our frozen treats.

The only cons to this place, which let us be honest is really the hallmark of any frozen dessert eatery, is the small amount of seating options inside and lack of them outside. But, with the weather being as it is, why would you want to sit down when you could stroll along Mass Ave on a nice evening with a friend for some froyo and conversation?
5 - Isabel C.: Hands down fav fro-yo place of all time! I get the orginal with coconut, raspberrys and chocolate chips. DELICIOUS! This place is awesome!
5 - Chloe C.: I'm not sure how I survived before finding BerryLine. After spending a few weeks at Harvard without frozen yogurt, I was so excited when I heard there was a store on campus from a friend. I immediately went to try it out, and I was pleasantly surprised! BerryLine has a unique feel - it definetly stands out from typical fro-yo joints. I liked the variety of flavors including rose, cranberry, and honey graham. The toppings were also plentiful and the fruit was very fresh. I'm so happy that I found this place!
5 - Epicurean G.: Creamy, wonderful, delicious  tart yogurt California-style.

A healthier option for decadence in Harvard Square!
5 - Lily W.: Ohhhh, Berryline. What can I say about you?

This place is NOT a on-the-way-to-somewhere-else place. This place is a DESTINATION. It is as good as it gets here. It's a little hard to describe the yogurt itself; it has a bit of a tang and usually surprises people who have never had tangy froyo before, but it is absolutely delicious. THey usually have original, and a couple of rotating flavors which change quite often, and a wide selection of fruit and dry toppings. I have already filled up my first Berryline 'buy 10 get 1 free' cards in a couple of weeks. I can't avoid it. If I'm near one I must go, hell, even if I'm not near one.

Berryline should pay me. I definitely advertise this place enough.

The only downside is that it can be quite pricey, usually what I get will come up to around $5. It never deters me, though.
5 - Simone W.: Fan.tastic. BerryLine has never let me down.

When I first fell in love with froyo I wasn't aware there were any places around Boston. Then I discovered BerryLine. All the locations are cheerful and the froyo is fantastic authentic tart yogurt.

BerryLine always has surprising flavors, which I love. Anyone remember pear almond? Nutella? Pomegranate? Mango? I'm always pumped to see what fun flavor they'll have.
The green tea and watermelon flavors featured last week were by far my favorites, especially with a nice topping of BerryLine's amazing homemade mochi.

If I could choose any mochi to top my froyo with, it would always be BerryLine's. Fresh and just chewy enough to be yummy, their mochi has an amazing sweet rice taste that I haven't experienced with any other mochi I've ever had. I can never resist topping my yogurt with it. The other toppings are phenomenal as well. The fruit is always fresh.

All I can say about the prices? The prices are great. If you get froyo anywhere in Boston, make it BerryLine. By far the freshest and most delish I've had in the area, so far.
4 - Doris W.: I've missed you Berryline. It's been months, maybe even a year? We waited in line after eating all day and when I finally got my usual, small original with no toppings, I felt different. You changed. Where was the tartness that I fell in love with? You became more sweeter and more creamy in texture. It wasn't bad but darnit I miss the tartness!
3 - Abigail D.: A little pricey, but so are all of the boutique yogurt/ice cream joints. I do enjoy that I can eat a delicious bowl of sugar and peanut butter chips and strawberries and still feel virtuous. It's also delicious.
5 - Mindy L.: This little frozen yogurt place has stolen my heart away from another certain froyo place that ends in -berry.  

Their rose frozen yogurt topped with fresh pineapple chunks & little pieces of mochi is amazingly, simply delicious -- best ever.
5 - Amara M.: I love love love BerryLine! This is the only one I have been to. It is about 3 mins from my house so I have been here more times than I'd like to admit.

The regular fro-yo flavor is pitch perfect - not too sweet and not too tart. I have also been impressed with the rotation of awesome 'guest star' flavors - my favorites (so far) are honey graham and watermelon. The list of toppings is extensive and the topping portions are generous. Almost any time you go - there's a line, but it moves quickly and I guarantee it is worth the wait.

The only thing I don't absolutely love about this particular BerryLine location is some of the staff. A couple, in particular, have serious attitudes and act as if they can't be bothered . It's fro-yo people, a smile wouldn't kill you. But there was a new guy working there when I stopped in yesterday and he was very pleasant. 

Bottom line: BerryLine is delicious - high on taste and toppings and low on guilt.
4 - Liz R.: I love this place. I only gave 4 stars because of the staff attitude but I guess I would also be a little annoyed with those lines around the corner and people tasting every flavor and vacant stares at the board (I am guilty of all these things).

The original tart is a fantastic staple. The fruit selection and freshness is amazing. There is always a new 2nd and 3rd flavor and often they are also delicious. It takes all my will power to live near this place and not go all the time. But I suppose I could because this yogurt is actually quite low cal.
2 - Jennifer H.: This place is so overrated! Totally not worth the price! I got the tart ginger with mochi topping. The flavor of the tart ginger was not bad, though the texture was a little watery. The mochi, on the other hand, was terrible - hard and flour-y! Cambridge needs more Korean froyo places to bring down the price and increase the quality, West-coast style.
5 - Carolina S.: BerryLine is a wonderful little yogurt shop created by some local former students and located close to Harvard Yard. 

When I want a quick little meal that feels like desert, this is where I come. They have regular unsweetened frozen yogurt (which is just the right amount of sweet and tart) as well as a variety of creative flavors like graham cracker and nutella! The toppings range from classic ice cream sundae fair to granola, homemade mochi, and fresh fruit.

One of the best parts is that the employees are always warm, human, and approachable; not salespersony or fake. 
When I first came to Harvard from the west coast I was so happy to find this place and have the cashier strike up a friendly conversation with me about Santa Cruz, Ca and Portland, Oregon.

A little pricey, as everything in Harvard Square is, but awesome. 
I steadfastly prefer this place to J.P. Licks.
4 - Sophia L.: food: 
i like their sweet, slightly tart yogurt and their fresh mochi.  it's local, easily accessible, and cheaper than Red Mango.  

i still prefer Berryline over BoYo despite living walking distance from BoYo.  

service:  
i've had a positive experience 9/10 times. there was 1 exception where we arrived near closing and the staff were less than friendly, but i emailed the manager who quickly apologized, and sent us a kind email and gift card afterwards. 

in short: dependably good yogurt and humble management keep me a fan.
4 - Terry C.: I was walking on cobblestones with my heels after work to BerryLine thinking, "This place better be worth it..." and it sure Was.

BerryLine is small and clean. They have a few tables and a countertop by the window for seating.

There was a line out the door but it moved very fast. The flavors for the night were Original, Oreo and Lychee. I tried the oreo and lychee. The oreo was too sweet and it tasted like soft serve chocolate ice cream. But the lychee was really good. I ordered the lychee froyo with 3 toppings (graham cracker, banana and mango) for under 5 dollars! They were very generous with the toppings unlike some other froyo places. 

Also, BerryLine offers a good variety of toppings with a few specials such as Figs. And if you're a big mochi topping fan, i think you should definitely try BerryLine's. The mochi pieces are really big and yummy - chewy and sweet.
4 - Lnc T.: This is my favorite 'frozen yogurt' place to get original tart! I love their frozen yogurt! So yummy! I brought my little sister and we both got their 12oz w/  a few different toppings and she loves it also! My boyfriend use to wonder why I like frozen yogurt so much, but I swear he couldn't stop hogging my yogurt! They have a great variety of toppings and prices arent too bad, it was about $5 /each. I think I'm addicted =X Usually I would prefer a self serve frozen yogurt place like MIXX, but seriously the original tart at Berryline is hands down, just like HEAVEN. I would know O:)
5 - Laura R.: Delicious!  I just discovered BerryLine a week ago and I've already been back twice and I'm planning another trip this afternoon.  BL, where have you been all my life!?
5 - Kim V.: this is one of my froyo in a very long time..and let me say this..omfg i've missed you..i don't know why i've been neglecting you :)

since i've been craving for some froyo...decided to go to the berryline in harvard square..i'm surprised that there were parking in front of the place around 6ish...the daily flavors was between cranapple or blackberry..the cranapple didn't sound too pleasing so I went with blackberry..let me say its the bomb! it didn't even taste like yogourt...i topped it off with strawberry and mochi (usually the mochi at other places are hard and aren't as chewy)
5 - Angel C.: I LOVE Berryline.  Their velvety smooth frozen yogurt is so tart and tasty.  I had my first experience with tart fro-yo at Berryline, and I immediately fell in love!  I love getting it with fruit toppings.  Makes you feel like you're eating healthy ice cream.  (Not that there's anything wrong with ice cream, which I also love.  ;-) )  And the service is great - always friendly.  Mmmm.....

But, uh oh, Pinkberry just opened.  I have to try them because Berryline is the best fro-yo I've tried in Boston, so I'll have to see how they compare.  Even if Pinkberry is better, I'll still love Berryline.  :)
5 - Sharon Z.: All the pleasure without guilt! My friend took me to berryline when I visited her @ harvard square. The place is small, but clean and cozy. (Checkout the cute tip jar) The frozen yogurt is just amazing amazing amazing, the best I've ever tasted. To me it actually tastes better than ice cream, the consistency is very smooth and creamy, melts in my mouth, but it's not overly sweet and heavy like some ice cream stores. They usually serve the original flavor and a special flavor each day, with many toppings to choose from, including fresh fruits.

Delish, healthy, and afforable all in one! Can't wait to go back there.
4 - Liz M.: This is legit Froyo on this side of the Charles River. 

Caramel Apple side by side with Original? hits the spot even on a BRISK New England night. 

The best part about this place is that they ain't stingy about fruits.  I got not one, but TWO scoops of blueberry and not one, but TWO scoops of mango.  

The raspberry flavor ain't that bad either...
3 - Shelly R.: Berryline, berryline. Beloved especially by sorority girls an their girlfriends--what's that about by the way?-- it's a cute place to grab some tangy yogurt, some classic or novel toppings, and do some people watching. Toppings vary from nostalgia-inducing sprinkles to chunks of mochi! The strongest combinations always involve fresh fruit, if you ask me. As a plus, the intoxicating smell of college fills the air, complete with servers who flirt and sing along to a soundtrack of beatles tunes. 

Get plenty of samples, which is always another perk!
3 - Josephine L.: I used to work literally across the street from this place, which was dangerously healthy (or unhealthy....Is fro yo actually healthy?).

Anyway, the product is good. The new flavor of the week is always interesting, like the guava frozen yogurt that I still can't quite get out of my mind and sob a little if I spend too much time thinking about how I won't have it again. The fruit is pretty much always fresh and nicely chopped up into bite-sized pieces.

But the service/clientele can really suck. Snooty, preppy, loud, obnoxious, entitled, mindlessly self-involved Harvard kids frequent this place at all hours of the sunset (when school's out) and the tiny space gets jam-packed without a single Urban Outfitter-attired body willing to just move the f**k over 2 inches so you can get your order. And it doesn't help that the place is often staffed by the exact same types of people, so no "treat the customer well" treatment here unless you happen to be the dude's buddy and know what Professor Edgarton meant in last week's chem lecture.

That is probably why, since moving less than a mile away, I have never felt the need to come back here.
1 - Kate S.: I really don't care for this ice cream. It's so bitter! Ick!

I have no problem with the service or the place itself however.

They do have cute paintings as decorations!
5 - stacey l.: The best yogurt! It's such a treat, and I don't feel as guilty.  Don't get me wrong, I pile on the toppings...that's the best part!!  I was happy to see that they were open until 11 on a Sunday.  Depressed about going back to work the next day?  Head on over to Berryline and yogurt your worries away!
3 - Ryan S.: This place is surprisingly good for you. Get the fruit/granola  not the chocolate stuff. It actually tastes like yogurt. This is a great guilt free dessert. Awesome
5 - Terry D.: I absolutely love Berryline!  Their frozen yogurt is so delicious and smooth.  It's true to the taste of yogurt too with a tangy zip to it.  I don't feel guilty when I eat their frozen yogurt, the toppings are all so fresh, and they give you tons of toppings on your yogurt.  The service was super friendly and we even got free cookies today that the owner had baked.  What a great treat! :)
5 - Kell G.: I could eat Berryline every day. I tried Berryline last year while interning in Harvard Square and have not stopped thinking about it since. Original flavor with strawberries and chocolate chips is my favorite.
4 - Mister Chub S.: Berryline's like Frozen Greek yogurt- nice and tart. 

The toppings are fresh and plentiful and the portions are generous all around.

It's 3.75 for a small with one topping. Not bad.

The plain flavor is made with non-fat milk, cultures and cane sugar- it's 125 calories per 4 oz. serving. The only ones that have fat in them are the oreo, peanut butter and nutella. 

Very refreshing and so different from regular fro yo but if you don't like tangy yogurt, you probably won't like the plain.
4 - Rachel H.: Who can argue with lines 5 or 10 yards out the door on any nice day? The treat matches Pinkberry for deliciousness but the independent, local feel is hard to beat. The staff seems to be having a good enough time, even when they're busy so they're a pleasure, too.

If you're touring the square and seeking a treat for your stroll, it's worth the wait.
4 - Bill B.: Don't know why Pinkberry isn't around the area yet, but these guys are good.

No fat, filling, and cheap could lead to an eating disorder, but works for me.
1 - Juho W.: again, i only leave reviews for bad experiences.  let me say, I love froyo and the bitter taste.  im a pinkberry fiend.  

i dont want to get into the details of what happened, but I had a VERY bad experience here with a douchebag worker.  most of the workers are pretty nice, but i seemed to get that one guy that had a serious attitude problem.  My experience caused a scene a while back... i sent an email... no response back.  im not gonna lie - the froyo tastes pretty good.  But dont EVER get the mochi haha.  

I will never go back here.  watch out for a thin douchebag looking guy.  curlier blondish/brown hair.  eyes are far apart on his face.   he has an attitude.
5 - caley t.: YUMMMMMM

If you've ever been to Mochi, this is essentially the same thing, without the do-it-yourself approach. They are, however, happy to let you sample anything you want before you order. 

I got the nutella flavored fro-yo topped with white chocolate chips, waffle cone pieces, and pecans. It was orgasmically good. I mean, come on-- Nutella fro-yo. Does it require any more explanation?

I could eat this stuff every day, and the fact that is way better for you than ice cream helps a little. I'm interested to see what different flavors they get, as they rotate regularly. When I went they had vanilla, banana, and nutella, and all three were great, but I'd be stoked for some taro or honeydew or something even more exotic as well.
5 - Katie M.: When I first tried the tart yogurt I was a little taken back, now I am in love. I was obsessed last summer and would go more than once a week. I love the fresh yogurt with any kind of berry. So refreshing. You can also go chocolatey with it or get a variety of candy toppings.. too much to choose from and I love it!
3 - Huong H.: I passed this place everytime I walk on mass ave to harvard sq and always see a long line. Went in one day with my kids and mother in law to try it out. The fruit toppings are fresh and delicious but I guess we are not fans of fro-yo because we never went back. Services was good because I told the girl we were first time customers and she took her time explaining what their have.
4 - Sam L.: I'm a huge PInkberry fan, but I do like this place because the consistency and the tanginess of the "original tart" flavor is the same as Pinkberry's.  (Red Mango is too creamy for my taste!)

Mochi is usually my favorite topping though, and the mochi here is kind of weird.  It's too squishy and you can almost feel the starchiness of it. 

However, the price of yogurt here is not as bad as Pinkberry's! But now that Pinkberry's in town, I wonder how the BerryLine chain will do...
5 - Libby H.: I don't need to write another 4-5 star review, you can read the other ones to learn how awesome BerryLine is. I just want to beg you to PLEASE support this LOCAL BUSINESS! Pinkberry may be comparable and a lot trendier, but it's a national franchise. BerryLine is locally owned and uses local ingredients. That makes it so much more awesome. Don't let the new Pinkberry take over the business around here! BerryLine rules!!!!!!!!! :D
4 - Ambrose C.: Review Update:

I decided to stroll back over here when someone told me that I should get the Caramel Apple Frozen Yogurt. I decided to get a small Caramel Apple with Pineapple, Strawberries, and Blueberries. It did not disappoint. I loved the sweet creaminess and the somewhat distinct flavor. The fruits were freshly good and just made the frozen yogurt even better. 

I think the quality of service had depreciated a tiny bit compared to my last visit here. The enthusiasm was definitely lacking, but I guess I can understand that because they may have handled a lot of customers during a nice day. However, every time I come to this place, I did not encounter any significantly large queue. Another disadvantage this place has is that they usually have 3 frozen yogurt flavors to choose from, but I think they change them often. However, some flavors such as the Caramel Apple are so unique that you probably would not find a flavor this distinct nearby. Prices seem to slightly reasonable, and I think for the value, the prices are slightly less than Pinkberry or Red Mango's frozen yogurt. 

Overall, this is probably going still be my primary choice for frozen yogurt in Harvard Square, and I still believe that it is a great alternative to Pinkberry or Red Mango. Even with the new Pinkberry that has opened down the streets in Harvard Square, it will not stop me from coming to this place. I just hope there really will not be any large queues any time soon.
5 - Dana L.: I've been a Berry Line fan for as long as I've lived in Boston, but for some reason am just now reviewing it for the first time.

Actually, the reason that I am just now reviewing it for the first time is because recently I've been on a quest to find a tangy froyo establishment that I felt could rival Berry Line. I couldn't do it!

In the past month I've been to Chill in Cleveland Circle, Red Mango, and Berry Freeze in Coolidge Corner and none of them have matched the deliciousness of Berry Line. Chill came the closest, and was more affordable, but still didn't have the same feeling.

Berry Line's yogurt is the perfect amount of tart blended with the perfect amount of creamy. The toppings are unrivaled. 

I've yet to try Pinkberry, but I really don't think it'll have anything on my old friend Berry Line.

As a colleague of mine sings, "Berry Line, Berry Line you can have it anytime. Berry Line, Berry Line have it in the winter time."
2 - mkl l.: I usually enjoy berry line, Harvard Square but had an awful experience today. Employee was so nasty, did not measure my medium and gave me a tiny amount despite me asking to make sure. She was snarky, rushed me on topping selections, and ruined the experience. 
Will not be going back to the harvard square location.
4 - Ellie W.: Mm, blackberry fro-yo? I thought I had tasted all the flavors possible, but OH, was I wrong. There are plenty of toppings to choose from, you can't really go wrong.

I had the original with tazo chocolate, oreo chunks, and strawberries. Kind of a Valentine fro-yo mix in the middle of May. Without the fat! I don't know why people don't give fro-yo for V-day more often...beats flowers (you can't eat flowers).

Berryline does seem to give you a little more bang for your buck over Pinkberry and Red Mango, the other fro-yo kings in the area. 

For a small (which is actually way more than enough), and three toppings, you only fork over $4.50. And you get to sit in a weird basement-like cove, slurping down your fro-yo like a proper obsessee.
4 - Larissa C.: Love fro-yo and this place is so far the best I've had in Boston area. Nice and creamy, as compared with some other places that are more icey and less flavor. My favorite combination is original flavor with raspberries and mango, yum!
4 - Aboud Y.: Good tart yogurt with fresh fruit.  Healthy, refreshing, and yummy.  Normally I rebel against such healthy fare, but its just undeniably good!

There are so many frozen yogurt shops popping up though and my palette has yet to distinguish key differences between them (e.g., Red Mango, BerryLine, bo-yo, Pinkberry, etc.).  BerryLine is local and gets props for that.
4 - Krystal T.: oooh so GOOD! Definitely a healthy alternative to ice cream. The taste is very tart, tastes just like real yogurt.  The fruits are always very fresh and a MUST.  Although I enjoy this place a lot, I still rather stick to gelato.
4 - Christina M.: If you're looking for a frozen treat that is a bit lighter and healthier than traditional ice cream  (depending on the toppings you choose!), then this is the place for you! BerryLine is a cute little frozen yogurt shop in Harvard Square that is a little tucked away on a side street. I never even noticed it there until a friend took me, and since that time I have been back once in a while. Although they offer different flavors, I would recommend sticking with the traditional and jazzing it up with toppings. If you're feeling more adventurous, the staff here are really friendly and happy to give you a generous sample. I love to add crunchy granola to my frozen yogurt, but the best part is the fresh fruit. That's right...you read that correctly...I said "fresh" fruit. None of that gelatinous fruit mess that you get a lot of ice cream places, but rather big chunks of fresh, ripe, delicious fruit that is in season. Mmmmmm, now that's how you do it!
3 - Gab R.: Not as good as Pinkberry, but it was decent.
4 - Jason P.: so I'm sold on this place now ... addicted to their strawberry froyo and fresh berries ... and they let their staff take tips ... unlike freakin' overhyped Pinkberry a few blocks away ... so until the Pinkberry drones rise up and demand better pay and working conditions, BerryLine deserves people's support on quality and ethical grounds ...
5 - Steve B.: SO EFFING GOOD, and relatively good for you too! Sure, it has some carbs and stuff, but no fat and no high fructose corn syrup...plus, its in Cambridge, so its probably doing something great for the environment or saving blind kittens in Darfur or something too. I'm not a big healthy food guy, and cling to the "fat is flavor" mantra, but BL rocks the very foundation of that dogma!

I've been here 1-2 times a month for the last year since I began working down the street. I usually go for the "Original" flavor, which is a sort of fruity, tart, and sweet all at the same time. Its delicious.

They have a rotating selection of flavors, and today I tried the salted caramel...I was really impressed. It gave the salted caramel ice cream at David Burke's Primehouse in Chicago a serious run for its money!

I usually go for the mocci topping, which is a sort of sweetened rice paste item that has the texture of a gummi bear.

I always get out of there with a medium yogurt with a topping for less than $5, so its a reasonably inexpensive treat too!

The staff is young and super friendly. I'm looking forward to continuing to be a semi-regular!
4 - Jubin K.: It's on some pinkberry status but the difference is that it's a small business obviously. There's always the original flavor available and the other two are always changing. The available toppings include cool stuff like mochi, kit kats, chocolate-carmel pieces (my favorite) and of course all the fruits that you can probably think of. Just as expensive as pinkberry but if you're a regular, you get a free one per every 10 (they give you a punch card). One downside is that the place is so small and so close to harvard square that the line is almost always out the door. About a 5 minute wait, and rarely up to 10. Oh, and the employees aren't smile-and-be-happy-all-the-time machines so there's no blowing up your spot when you walk in with something like "HELLO AND WELCOME TO PINKBERRY". Just a normal "how you doing" like a normal person.
4 - Aileen W.: I had the most amazing frozen yogurt flavor here the other day - vanilla cardamom - blew my mind. They have much more creative yogurt flavors than PinkBerry. 

I also recently found out that BerryLine was founded by a post-doc from MIT and one from Harvard. Since I've lived in Cambridge for so many years, I feel an allegiance to this local chain. http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2007/9/24/scientists-cook-up-new-line-of/

Since you get charged by the topping here, if you are gunning to have a cup of original flavored yogurt with the works, PinkBerry may be a more cost-effective place for you to go!
5 - Christopher G.: Berryline is the best.  The flavors, the toppings, the kooky yogurt-servers, the art...but honest, their yogurt is the best.  I would eat it every day if I could.
5 - Ojus P.: Really tasty yogurts and pretty good fruit.
5 - Sarah M.: What is this, and how can I convince this company to come to northern Vermont?! My only past experiences with FroYo come courtesy of TCBY, but BerryLine is wayyy better. Fresh fruit toppings atop a small cup of a sweet but not too saccharine frozen treat...yum. I had the original flavor with strawberries on top, which was awesome. A friend had the ginger-blueberry, which apparently was also really good.

I will be coming back when I'm in Boston again.
5 - Stacey C.: Delightful. And the best part is, if you don't eat refined sugar, you ought to know that all of their frozen yogurts are made with cane juice!!! :-D
2 - Liz S.: Meh. Pinkberry is way better. This stuff has a funny taste. I'll never go back.
4 - Lisa R.: Berryline is the bomb. I try to come to this location on weekends with my hubby. I'm always excited to see what different new flavors they have, and they always have something good. Of course you can't go wrong with the Original flavor...

I'm taking a star away just because the people who work at the Newbury location are a lot friendlier, and I've also gotten some skimpy servings here at the Harvard location.
4 - Cris E.: Simply the best frozen yogurt that isn't loaded with hidden calories and added sugar. The fruit toppings are always fresh! Tip- get your stamp card, fill it up to earn a free yogurt. Flavors continue to change every two weeks or so, except for original which is delicious.

The only drawback is a portion of the staff and really rude and miserable. Others can be very pleasant and accommodating.
4 - LuluandDaquan B.: I always need a cup of refreshing froyo in my life, and if you do too then you should give this place a swirl! 
I always get the plain flavor (THE BEST HANDS DOWN) but there's something for everyone. 
What's not to love??? Come get converted ice cream freaks!
1 - Christine k.: The peppermint oreo is by far and away the worst fro yo i've ever tasted. 

That, and they only had 3 flavors total.

And the service sucked.
4 - Alyssa T.: What can I say? I work on Arrow St., so even if Berryline wasn't wonderful I would probably end up here on occasion anyway -- luckily that's not a scenario I've had to face. Over the course of the past year I've been to Berryline countless times and have never been disappointed with the quality of the product or the toppings offered, although a few of the special flavors haven't wowed me personally. 

My one main complaint, and the only thing preventing me from giving a 5 star review, is that the flavors at this location very routinely stick around far past their welcome. While the flavors at the other locations tend to update about once a week, we've seen less popular ones (at least among my co-workers) like Lavender-Honey languish for weeks. Show a little love to your first location & let us experience the awesome-ness of Pumpkin Pie flavored yogurt! 

Meanwhile, I'm pretty satisfied enjoying my original with Figs & Pumpkin Bread... but a girl can dream.
3 - Brittney S.: I really like their original yogurt, but the flavored yogurts are hit and miss. The strawberry was sort of bland and the lemon basil had huge potential but was overly bitter and not lemon-y enough. The quality of fruit toppings are also hit and miss. It is, however, right on my route between work and home and great for a little something sweet when I need it.
4 - Andrea B.: When my friend told me that this BerryLine had cinnamon peanut butter as its newest flavor, I made it a top priority to get myself right over to Harvard Square after work the next day.  And it was absolutely worth the trip.  The balance between the cinnamon and peanut butter flavors is perfect and goes with the tartness of the frozen yogurt better than I thought it would.  Add my usual toppings - mochi and yogurt chips, and you've got yourself a frozen yogurt masterpiece.

So why not five stars?  One thing that I've noticed in my total of three trips to this particular BerryLine is the mochi is always a little off.  One time it was a little too chewy, another time it had too much flour on it.  This is quite an important consideration, since mochi is my favorite and therefore most essential topping on my fro-yo.  I've never encountered this at the other locations I've been to so far (Porter Square and Fenway).  But it's still mochi and I still liked it, so it didn't detract from my experience too much.

As soon as you get a new flavor, I will be back, BerryLine.  But since that won't be for about two weeks, I'll probably be back sooner.
5 - Sal E.: I think I often find any excuse to go to Berryline. It's delicious and better than ice cream. The rotation of amazing flavors is key. I think I had pumpkin froyo with pumpkin bread as a topping. Seriously?? Pumpkin Bread topping!

the original flavor still remains my favorite with either blackberries or mochi.
4 - Austin R.: Really good frozen yogurt with an awesome array of mix-ins.
4 - K. E.: Although quite partial to Pinkberry's abundant topping options, I found BerryLine to be quite comparable and not nearly as crowded on a Saturday night after dinner in Harvard Square.  The yogurt is just the right amount of tart, the toppings were plentiful (which they should be if you're going to charge me for each one), and I had an overall good experience.  Off the beaten path, but worth the extra block's walk.  Yum!!
4 - Brandon T.: Honestly up there with some of the best! Was brought here to be shown that Pink berry has competition in the fro-yo game.  Glad I came, although I don't care for several of the flavors other than the original.  Next time i'm in the area, I will drop in to try it again.
5 - J T.: Wow this place has a ton of reviews, and they're almost all good!
What else can I say?  It's relatively cheap $3.10 for a mini cup.
You can get all the topping you want.
Add mine to the list.
5 - The C.: Love the BerryLine.  Always fresh ingredients, and they pile it on!    I also love that they make their own mochi.   M-O-C-H-I - oh, so Y-U-M-M-Y.
5 - Christine S.: I love BerryLine.  Yes, there are only three flavors per day- but they are three delicious flavors.  Other froyo places may offer a wider variety of yogurt flavors, but I guarantee that those won't taste as good as whatever is offered at BerryLine.  My all-time favorites include lychee, vanilla-cardamom, and of course original.  It's delicious and worth every penny.  I love BerryLine.

And, it's local! Beat that, national brands!
5 - Meagan C.: Living and working in Harvard Sq means there are a lot of options for every meal. That said I always go back to Berryline. The flavor is unlike any of the mass market fro yo places. I gladly walk past the tourist trap that is Pinkberry everyday knowing that Berryline is so much better. Favorite flavors: Tamarind, vanilla cardamom, original

Also, the punch card is definitely worth it if you go often and they'll combine them if you have a few!
4 - Yoonie C.: Mochi is a nice unexpected topping. Recently, I had their black cherry fro-yo and thought it to be perfect. At around $2 for a small cup, it's a fantastic sweet deal.

To quote Yelp - "That was fun, let's go again!"
5 - Dani S.: Oohhhhhh sooo delicious! it really does taste like yogurt (in a good way). Cozy little place, great topping options, friendly staff. Mmm, that's about all I have to say for now.
5 - Brian C.: Before BerryLine, I never liked frozen yogurt.  It was always too tart and lacked the creamy consistency I'm fond of from ice cream.  But, BerryLine changed all that.  It was really good.  The texture was more like a richer, thicker soft serve.  And the flavor was spot on - not too tart, not too sweet.  The fresh toppings are just the cherry on top. (Ha.  Get it?  It's a pun.)
5 - Stefanie Y.: I first came here in 2008 and was blown away. Two years later, I was excited to return to Boston, partially because I had fond memories of Berryline, and also because I had saved my punch card for two years (crazy, I know) and I had two more punches to go.

Berryline has the best tasting frozen yogurt - the perfect combination of tanginess and smooth creaminess. There's none of that milky taste that has been the downfall of so many other frozen yogurts. Their mochi topping is chewy and delicious, and the fruit is always fresh. I also love trying out their fun flavors (lavender froyo YES).

The atmosphere is cozy and I love how Berryline keeps it local. The artwork from local artists is always a nice touch and their little doodles outside the store are adorable! Nothing about this place feels mass-produced, which I really appreciate, especially in touristy Harvard Square.

I do miss the old granola though. They used to have this chunky, kind of honey-oat granola that I would always get because it was just that good. Their new granola is good too, but not particularly special. 

I judge frozen yogurt places based on the flavor of their original; no place does it as well as Berryline. This place is simply the best. And it's healthy!
4 - Shing Yiing O.: 3.5 stars... I have way too high expectation on BerryLine... Especially it was voted the best fro yo... 3 flavors.. raspberry, original, and chocolate mint.. I always love my fro yo to be original or fruit's flavor.. I ordered the twist with raspberry and original.. Raspberry was pretty good.. flavorful and just the right mixture of sweet and sour... the original.. tasted slightly sugary.. not as thick enough to enjoy.. probably I just compared it to my favorite fro yo place in NYC.. called crazy banana... the original flavor at crazy banana was really flavorful and the texture is really thick just like ice-cream...

I decided to give 4 stars because of the chocolate mint.. BerryLine is the ONLY place which make GREAT non-fruit froyo.. the chocolate mint is my favorite... I should have get that instead.. I actually tried it on the 2nd day just for a small sample...

Their toppings were really fresh.. as you can see they pack it in a huge pack and stored it nicely.. 

Overall.. BerryLine is still good :)
5 - Carey W.: Yummiest Froyo on the east coast!
2 - Michael P.: 2nd time around...I still am not a fan of this place unfortunately. Their non-regular flavors are too sweet and exotic/creative.   I need my simple fruit-based froyo that I can get at Pinkberry or Red Mango.  Sorry, Berryline.

I like the home-y, wholesome vibe of the place though!
5 - Victoria B.: Why oh why does anyone go to the new Pinkberry in Harvard Square when BerryLine is just around the corner?
BerryLinehas better prices, much more fruit/toppings put on your frozen yoghurt and no line or a short wait!

So tasty.
5 - Suzanne S.: Berryline has better prices than Pinkberry. I  have a slight preference for Pinkberry's flavors, but Berryline is still A-Ok. I love that it was started by Harvard and MIT students. I'd stop here every day if I could.
4 - Emily C.: I love Berryline! They are especially nice and accommodating to people with allergies, such as myself. They have separate toppings below/behind the counter that they'll put on for you. I've always had good quality yogurt and good quality toppings there.
5 - Keith H.: Simple review.  I HATE FROZEN YOGURT. I was talked into trying BerryLine by relatives we were staying with in Boston. After trying it I NOW LOVE FROZEN YOGURT! 

This place is amazing! Small flavor selection but they are awesome and unique. Unlimited toppings and a great variety to choose from. 

If you never have been to BerryLine it is a must, especially if you had bad frozen yogurt in the past.
5 - Ruthie N.: Oh so yummy!! The prices and amount of fro-yo you get are definitely worth the visit! The line and wait are short, and I love the vibe going on. I can't comment on their flavors other than the original, which by the way is super delicious!
4 - Christopher F.: You're a fool and lack a good palate if you like the sugary conglomerate Pinkberry's yogurt over this place.

Now that I've offended some Yelpers, lemme tell some of the other Yelpers why they should do here. If you're looking for good fro-yo in Boston, this is the place to go. One bite into the yogurt and you will find that the texture is smooth and the taste is sweet but sour. 

I applaud the effort to come up with original flovors, throw them at the wall and see what sticks. I've had the pleasure of trying the Coconut and Nutella for instance and being surprised at how well that flavor and taste is drawn out throughout the yogurt.

Now this place isn't better than the West Coast froyo establishments (hence one star removed) but this is great East Coast froyo. Furthermore, the place is a bit...pricey for froyo. Understandable since the quality is better and they need to stay in business versus the diluted, sugar laden conglomerates of Pinkberry and Red Mango. Furthermore, their prices are, relative to their competitors better--more bang for the buck from this place.

Do endorse this local establishment. I  appreciate the Harvard and MIT student collaboration to start this place being an MIT alum myself.

Thumbs up!
4 - Alicia J.: Personally I think the 5 minute walk from Harvard Station to BerryLine feels awfully far when it's 100F outside and you are bringing two guests who have never had frozen yogurt before. Luckily the guests liked the yogurt, and so did I, as always.

Having been to Pinkberry once (ugh evil capitalist conglomerate), BerryLine is definitely worth the walk. Their yogurts have much better taste and consistency, and the prices are better depending on what you get. If you are into the yogurt + 3 toppings combination like me, you are definitely better off at BerryLine. So why 4 stars? Well, I had a feeling that service had been inconsistent these days, and when we went there, my friends didn't really get the pleasant, idiot-friendly explanation of the workings of frozen yogurt I had secretly hoped for. However, the true setback is the quality of the mochi. For some reason their consistency and taste is off these days. It's been like this the last 3-4 times I have come to this BerryLine, and somehow their mochi are just not as soft anymore. Unfortunate.

Everything else is awesome! The quality of the fruit is always top-notch and the location looks as cute as always.
5 - Chrysanthe P.: I love berryline beyond words and this is my favorite location to get it.
5 - Erin F.: I love berryline!
4 - Tasha M.: I just love this place. It has restored my faith in humanity on many a hot & sticky day besieged by tourists and grumpy locals.  Berryline, don't you ever change.
5 - Martin R.: I love the original flavor with fresh fruit for toppings.  I crave it.  I need it.  Now.
5 - Mama P.: I was adventurous and had the basil blueberry with fruit toppings.  Oddly pleasurable.  Definitely memorable.
5 - Anthony L.: I can't get enough.

I have this thing where I usually don't *love* ice cream or frozen yogurt. However, once I have it, I am addicted for a few weeks (then afterwards I won't want it again). Let me tell you this, the summer of 2012 has been the summer of frozen yogurt. 

The BerryLine on Newbury Street had this AMAZING flavor: lavender honey. I was addicted; that was the only thing I could think about. Every time I go to this BerryLine, my fingers are crossed that they have it (but they have not). Who cares, their frozen yogurt is so good. 

I mad a banana (something) with mochi and peanut butter cups (actually, I'll have whatever sounds appetizing with those two add ons). I can't get enough, I can't! 

The people who work here are efficient and sweet. 

The physical layout is not conducive for hanging out and I really wish there was a table or bench outside. However, if you walk towards Harvard Square on Mass. Ave, you will find a nice park with a few benches. Watch out for the birds, though!
5 - Fatih U.: This place does not need any additional reviews but I had to say it -- by far the best frozen yogurt I have ever had. You can top it with a bunch of fruit (berries, kiwi, mango, etc.) and other stuff like chocolate chips. It is very tasty yet packs little calories (5 ounces is ~ 130 calories). Definitely the tastiest and most guiltless desert one can have -- it may even be good for you...
5 - Sarah D.: The frozen yogurt isn't too cold/frozen and I like it because it's not overwhelmingly sweet.The original is one of my favorites and there's many toppings to choose from (I've only had the fruit though). Limited seating so I prefer to walk outside.
4 - Traci K.: This Berryline location is teeny-tiny - but they always seem to have the best flavors. Oreo with oreos? Dreamy.

As with all Berrylines this one has friendly staff and a quick moving line. I love my frequent shoppers card...though I swear it only encourages my addiction. 

The location is a bit off the beaten path - but it is definitely better than Pinkberry right in the square (gross) and it's local! Can't be beat.
4 - Jenn T.: I am a fan!  This place is pretty delicious, much better than pinkberry in my own opinion.  They have 3 flavors at a time, with different sizes.  I got nutella with strawberries and boy did they pile on the strawberries!  It was delicious!  The nutella was ok, there wasn't much nutella flavor to it, as it just tasted like a hint of chocolate.  The service was fast and good though!
4 - Brandy W.: Red Mango is better.

I'm not going to be able to convince any of you of this considering the CRAZY amounts of 5 star reviews on this joint, but anyway. I had a "micro" with raspberries and almonds and it cost me over $3. That's pretty spicy to me!

But I guess fro-yo is overpriced.... so what's new.

It was fine tasting, but not earth-shattering and not better than Pinkberry or Red Mango. Just good. Not great/amazing/awesome. Just good.

Would I go back? Meh. Would I eat it if it were in front of me, sure would!
5 - Jeff M.: Best yogurt in Boston.
5 - Sarah N.: Great prices! they do have a limited amount of flavors, but it was very tasty.
5 - Shawn Z.: The best fro-yo in Boston - better than pinkberry and red mango. The original flavor is probably my favorite but I also really like the strawberry. 

The mochi and a number of other toppings are home made and taste awesome. So much better than those offered at competing chains. 

Prices are very reasonable and they give you a number of different sizes to choose from. 

It's a pretty cramped location, but kind of fun with some local artwork and an energetic young crowd.

Berrybest - Los Angeles, CA (34.061286, -118.44646) (Westwood)
4 - Toni L.: Update 11/22/07: Berrybest is no longer all-you-can-fit for $3.75. I knew it was too good to be true... Berrybest, I have to demote you by a star. I'm sorry, but you really let me down. 

Easily the best froyo shop in Westwood. The toppings are self-serve (all-you-can-fit!, http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/SoFh3V7sJKcid6HZBlvqMg?select=fkiLVZrfOpqMpGAbVklgPg), everything is fresh, and the yogurt tastes great! One note: The store is actually inside Damon & Pythias. Weird... I know, but you'll forget about it once you get your yogurt. 

Prices: For a small with unlimited self-serve toppings, the price is $3.75 (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/SoFh3V7sJKcid6HZBlvqMg?select=co6iRSkMQkg4yS-EIPGUFw). If you're a student they'll give you at 10% discount (need to present ID). They also have a stamp card program (buy 10 get one free with the stamp card). If you buy an entree at Damon and Pythias you can buy a cup of Berrybest at 50% off. The only downside: you may or may not survive after your intestines perforate from the excessive food intake. 

Choices: There's only one flavor of yogurt here, plain. Luckily it tastes deliciously tart. You can pile on the various fruits, chocolates, granola, etc. in the self-serve bar to your liking.

Decor: Berybest is actually inside Damon & Pythias so unless you know it's there or are thinking of going to D&P, you won't find it (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/SoFh3V7sJKcid6HZBlvqMg?select=IT0PXorKiz1fmoIAFsV24w).
4 - O G.: I scooted over here last night, 1 day after stumbling on Toni's review. This must be the first self serve Fro Yo on the Westside, and now I do not have to drive all the way outside the 30 mile zone to the OC to try one of the fabled establishments there, nor continue my silly envy of Yelpers living there. We got it here now!

I drove around the block several times, passed the unwitting crowds outside Cantaloop and Pinkberry. What a parking drag is Westwood! Luckily a movie let out and suddenly parking spots materialized. And in a flash, there I was.

It was true!` A small fro yo with all you can heap on fruit is $3.75 the same size as Pinkberry's $4.95 version, with only a choice of 3. The one flavor they serve is natural and it's pretty good, with a tad less umphy tartness than P's. I heaped on about 5 fruits, sat down and slurped away. Then, when I had finished my fruit, I walked over nonchalantly and scooped up a bunch more on top. More room = more fruit. Nobody stopped me. I finished and left. Mission accomplished. 

No crowds here - I guess the P and C mystique continues- means no lines. Or maybe it is still undiscovered. For fro yo, why go anywhere else?
4 - jenny t.: Before i go on, i have to say, Toni out beat me for two reviews in a row (berrybest and polar monkey!) Good job Toni!

The concept is good (similar to yogurtland), the selection is limited, but the flavor was quite good - tart! it's a great way to fill you up after you have the salad over D&P.

Bert & Rocky's Cream Company - Claremont, CA (34.0960439, -117.7178904) ()
4 - Jason P.: Nothing brings a smile to my face more than good ice cream! Well... that might not be true but ice cream, good ice cream, holds a special place in my heart... and belly. Bert & Rocky's Cream Company is a killer ice cream shop that brings something interesting to the collective ice cream table. There is a difference when you walk into this place as opposed to the more commercial chains. They make the ice cream on site and offer a wide range of flavors. My personal favorites are anything java related and they have many options in that department.
5 - Mari J.: Great ice cream.  Their ice cream sandwiches are really good, two cookies with ice cream in the middle.  I must say, they are a little expensive and VERY filling though, so I recommend sharing.  This location is downtown Claremont and very nice.
4 - Jessica I.: Peppermit ice cream...I LOVE YOU.  Will you marry me?  I love you like a fat kid loves cake and shit.  can i get a waffle cone with that?  Thanks.
5 - Yosie G.: YUMMY HOME MADE ICE CREAM.... even though the server people seemed annoyed that we couldn't make our minds up.. it was gooood
5 - Weston T.: I love the ice cream here, and the candy ain't bad neither!  This is a wonderful family-run ice cream business (locations also in Upland and Palm Desert).  The ice cream is rich and flavorful.  

In my opinion, the best flavors are those at the far left of the case -chocolates and coffees.  Their coffee ice cream has the right mix of bitter and sweet.  Actually, one of my fave flavors is coffee with bittersweet chocolate chunks.  They also do a nice green tea.  Some of the fruit flavors can be a bit cloying or fake.

My wife and generally get the "junior" cup or cone - it's great that they offer the junior, which is actually not all that tiny....
4 - Justin N.: All I can say is, homemade drumsticks are awesome. But other than that, its just a good no gimmick ice cream shop!
5 - Cat C.: I love their homemade ice cream.  I also like getting grapefruit slices and german berries there.  Bert & Rocky's is a Cmont Village staple!  Enough said!  :o)
4 - Vanessa H.: We came here quarter to 10 pm (closing time) and as the servers were cleaning up a stampede of desperate people came in to satisfy their sweet tooth.  If there's the last person to get in, there must also be the first person who doesn't.  Pity the poor soul who can't get a fix of homemade ice cream.

We had a medium sundae, $4.50, a bargain with a brownie, scoops of butter pecan and chocolate caramel ice cream, whipped cream, almonds, and a cherry on top.  It's fun to browse the large selection of candy while yo're waiting, everything from gummy rats to chocolate dipped rice Krispie treats on a stick.
5 - Cat T.: I was just going to taste a tiny spoon of the black raspberry cheesecake ice cream... 

and I was going to get a root beer float...

well after that taste...

I got the black raspberry cheesecake ice cream...

DELICIOUS!
5 - Mike L.: This has always been my favorate ice cream since i moved to Cali 13yrs ago. First time to this location and cant wait to go back. Great atmosphere and love the location in the village.
5 - Jon W.: This sweet shop (there's much more than ice cream) is a community treasure. Award-winning original flavors as well as favorites. Candies of many descriptions including some I haven't seen since my 1980s boyhood. They dip bananas in chocolate and freeze them, along with lots of other cool tricks.

If you live nearby and haven't been there you should go. Yep.
4 - Lena N.: Everytime I pass this place I just gotta get a scoop of ice cream. It's $2.50 and I love the selection. Just a lovely mom and pop's ice cream/candy parlor.
5 - John S.: This is a cute little old-school ice-cream shop and fountain.  I don't know how authentic or old it is, but the ice cream is really good.  I mean really good.  Plus if you're on a date with someone who likes cute old-timey stuff, you can stroll through the old-timey-looking town while you're eating your old-timey ice-cream cones.  Maybe she'll even give you an old-timey kiss.
4 - Mark M.: Now here's a cute little ice cream parlor that's been in the Village for, well, like, forever.

It's great-quality premium ice cream, but a tad too sweet for my taste, so I'm not much of a fan. Sure as hell beats going to Coldstone on Indian Hill, though!

I was thrilled when I saw Green Tea in the cooler last time I went, but backed off when I noticed that it was frozen yogurt, not ice cream. I tried it anyway. Bad idea. The astringency of the tea didn't go well with the tartness of the yogurt (not as bad as my first experience with Pinkberry last week), and as one could readily understand, the whole mix was especially oversweetened to mask the problem. Too bad. 

Still, everyone seems to like it and it IS definitely an awesome neighborhood spot, so if you're in the Village, DO try it!

The dude behind me in line knocked over a big tub of gumballs and freaked out. It was funny. I didn't make any effort to conceal my amusement.
4 - Tiffany W.: My boyfriend sends me here to get him the Elvis Special:
A banana ice cream & peanut butter cookie sandwich.
He highly recommends it.
4 - Seth G.: A traditional-styled ice cream parlor with other confections aplenty. The taste and quality of the ice cream and frozen yogurt is superior to even that of Cold Stone and other more commercial establishments. 

The employees have always been chipper upon entering and are quick to provide their recommendations as the sheer selection can be a bit stifling. They have yet to steer me wrong.

Bert and Rocky's is one of the gems the Claremont Village has to offer. It is worth a stop after a meal if you have a bit of a sweet tooth.
4 - Gene L.: dude. so much candy everywhere. EVERYWHERE.  and on top of that, they have some great desserts including chocolate frozen bananas covered in nuts and gigantic ice cream sandwiches.  but when i'm feeling particularly fatty, i'll help myself to one of their enormous drumsticks.  such exotic combinations such as cookies and mint, dark chocolate chip coffee, and various other concoctions all covered in chocolate and topped off with a combination of almonds, peanuts, and what i thought were pralines. freakin. delicious. 1029381203819 calories, but well worth it. 

from candied apples to dipped rice krispy treats, you'll find whatever your sweet tooth craves at bert and rocky's.  but trust me. drumstick = awesomeness.
4 - Lily A.: I came here during the weekend, since we spent some time in the Inland Empire. It was such a cute little city. Everything had a small town feeling, and this Ice Cream shop definitely incorporates that feeling within the store. They have candies and chocolates as well as ice cream/sorbet/froyo. We ended up getting the Caribbean fruit shake and a yummy coffee ice cream. They also sold older harder to find candy bars like the violet crumble, which I love!! So it was such a great experience to come here. I would say if your in the area, you should drop by this place, also there are tons of cute little cafes in the area that you can explore. The only advice I can give is to have the ice cream a teeny tiny bit thawed out more. But other than that, it was fantastic. I love it.
5 - Min S.: they just do not make ice cream like this anymore. this place is special! i go crazy for their mint oreo ice cream (they don't always have it on display so ask them to check in the back). and if i'm not mistaken, they make their ice cream there (homemade!). the employees are very helpful too. i'd pick them over baskin robbins anyday~

the only thing i don't like is their green tea ice cream. it doesn't taste like much.
1 - marirebel l.: The ice cream is over-creamy--butter pecan looks and tastes like pure butter--ick.  The customer service doesn't exist . . . I can't find a single thing to recommend about this place  . . . well, I do like the praline pecan but it is hardly EVER in stock.  We just don't have decent ice cream in Claremont, I am sorry to say!
5 - krissa m.: I love this place. They have such an assortment of ice cream flavors. Most of them unique flavors that you can't really find elsewhere. The people that work there are extremely friendly. 

My favorite ice creams are the chocolate and cookies. It's like cookies and creme but instead of it being vanilla flavored ice cream, it's chocolate ice cream with oreo cookies. So delicious. My other favorite flavor is bull chip. It's cheesecake ice cream with peanut butter and chocolate chips. 

The price isn't that bad either. I love coming here to try their different ice cream combinations.
3 - Teresa C.: I grew up on Bert and Rocky's, when they still had that little shop by that Mormon bookstore off of Mulberry. I remember crowding in that tiny store, with the tri-fold wooden picture frame stands, proudly advertising their recent awards from ice-cream tasting contests and other such letters.

But, alas, perhaps my taste buds have changed as I aged. Perhaps, the rising cost of dairy has affected the quality. But, B&R isn't the same. 

Now, I only go there a few times a year, when I return to the sweltering valley to visit family, and I anticipate a nice treat of ice cream when it's 90 degrees out. And every time has been slightly more disappointing than the last. Sure, the ice cream is pretty good and has a decent flavor, but the quality has surely gone downhill from the days of yore.

What had once been a soft, sweet, silky chocolate ice cream that would sometimes reveal a tiny pocket of delicious cocoa after a hearty lick, it has transformed into a bitter, icy, brittle dessert, the last few times I patronized the B&R store. I thought that something had happened to their freezer, but no, it was the same time after time.

I still hold hope for it, and will deviate from my normal favorite to try another flavor. Maybe it's all in my head. Maybe the ice cream maker is new. But however I spell it out, I can't deny that this surely has not been the pinnacle of amazing ice-creamness that I remember. A generous three stars will rate the glory that it had been.

*toots Taps on a horn*
4 - August G.: Their ice cream is average and although they have a lot of flavors about a third are sorbet/sherbert and a third are variations of chocolate, and I don't like either of them. They are cheap for the amount of ice cream you get though.

They don't really have any sort of organized line, so when there is a huge crowd of people things get confusing, people line up on both ends of the ice cream array, and people get skipped. Oh well.

They would get 3 stars, but I really like that their milkshakes are done with the mixers instead of a blender. It makes them really thick and delicious. And they give you a long spoon so you can scoop out the chocolate chip bits and stuff. =)
5 - Erin L.: MMMMMMMM DELICIOUS! I'm talking about their pumpkin ice cream. I have to say it was better than eating a pumpkin pie! LOVE LOVE LOVE!
5 - Blake H.: Great ice cream!  Tons of candy too!
5 - Georgia C.: Yummy ice cream and candy!!!!
5 - Xandy M.: This spot contains really rich ice cream!  They have alot of flavors its really hard to choose which flavor you want.  The ice cream portions are generous and its cheap!  Come here and get a scoop of ice cream and walk around the village on a nice sunny day, thats what i like to do.  They also have a ton of candy and sweets to satisfy that sweet tooth.  PS try their milkshakes....you'll die and feel like your in heaven.....
4 - Jose L.: I really try not to say bad words a lot especially when it comes to things I like or love.  So here goes.

LINT LICKING FIDDLESTICKS that hit the spot!  I got the award-winning "Dr. B's Java Rx," which consists of coffee ice cream, caramel and pecans.  It's a load of rich creamery enchantment.  CONAN O'BRIEN'S BEARD I should've got the double!

Who wants to come back for chocolate dipped peanut covered waffle cones, homemade frozen bananas and ice cream cookie sandwiches?  Race you there!

[Jr $2.50 / Single $3.25 / Double $4.25]
5 - Mint T.: This place makes me so happy!  Not only does it look like an old-fashioned, small-town ice cream and candy store, but the prices are so much better than the competition and the ice cream was decadent.

Please allow me to wax poetic on the ice cream:
-original as well as nontraditional flavors
-texture that is equal parts creamy, melty and chewy
-delicious in flavor (the pecan praline I tried even had chunks of brown sugar-encrusted pecans, not just a praline flavor)
-generous (a junior scoop is no kiddie size, but like other stores' regular scoops)
-the perfect temperature coming out of the freezer case--when scooped onto a cone and held for several minutes while I paid, it remained a pristine, FROZEN sphere on all sides with not one drip!  (I never realized this was important to me until today.)

I also got caramel and chocolate-dipped marshmallows on a stick, which were pretty good but not memorable.  I'd come back for the ice cream anyday....the creaminess, in my view, trumps the celebrated Scoops in L.A.
5 - Mona M.: I was so sad to hear that they closed the Burt & Rocky's in Upland.  Luckily, this one still exists. 

The ice cream is awesome (and I'm not a huge fan of ice cream). It's creamy, homemade and they use natural ingredients. 

I love flavors here that I'd never eat anywhere else like pistachio and mint.  They have interesting flavors that are tasty like ginger and Dutch cream. 

The prices are reasonable and they also make flavors for corporate and fund raising events which I thought was really cool.
5 - Sagar P.: This place is amazing.  Although I grew up in Diamond Bar, I had never been to old town Claremont until recently.  There are tons of little restaurants, most with an ethnic, fresh, fare and so my friend and I decided to eat some lunch at a Mediterranean place.  It was good, but the surprise came for dessert.

I walked over to Bert & Rocky's and was overwhelmed with the various treats that they have.  First off, everything is extremely fresh, meaning the ice cream is created on premise and not brought in.  They have tons of different chocolate/nut/candy creations, one being the mixed nut brittle and another being the various candy apples.  They have tons of candies that have been dipped in chocolate and covered with nuts as well.  They also have various custom made cakes in their display which look amazing.

I ordered the honey/peanut butter ice cream and then took the brittle and a chocolate covered apple with peanuts to go.  Everything was amazing.  Do yourself a favor and make the trip to visit this place.  It is on my short list of places you will never get sick of, joining only Bay Cities Deli.
4 - Jessica M.: I've only been there once, but I really liked Bert & Rocky's. They had so many flavors to choose from. The ice cream was delicious and the girl working behind the counter was super friendly! I definitley recommend stopping in here if you're nearby.
5 - marlon e.: Freaking good... How can I lose weight if I keep eating like this?
4 - Visvamitra L.: Good ice cream, wonderful handmade chocolate treats, and friendly service.

I love their marshmallow skewers dipped in caramel and then dark chocolate. Their truffles are a rip off at $1.75 EACH (not even bourgeosie handmade by artisinal monks ultra-precious gourmet-gorgeous free range organic cruelty free/prepackaged enlightenment sort of fare), but are quite good. I still buy them.

Worth going to for ice cream when I don't feel like driving the extra 2 miles for Handel's.

--Anthony
3 - Robert S.: This is an ice cream and candy store in downtown Claremont just west of the Claremont Colleges campus. They have a selection of homemade ice creams and candies and serve not only ice cream but standard soda fountain offerings like sundaes. This place is quite popular and was very busy when we visited. 

They have several ice creams that are described as award winning. I ended up trying several of their ice creams looking for something interesting or creative and was not impressed with anything. I ended up with a selection of more standard flavors. 

Their ice cream was good and it was creamier than Baskin Robbins or Thrifty. Their flavors were not particularly imaginative but were reasonably high quality. They had very good fresh made waffle cones that, although the ice cream was good, may have been the high point for me.
2 - B B.: So here I was craving homemade delicious ice cream on a Sunday afternoon. "Too bad there's no place like that in the LA area,"  I thought as I remembered the yummy homemade ice cream places I used to frequent when I lived back east. Then----*lightbulb moment* I decided to Yelp which led me to Claremont in search of delicious ice cream, I even brought my little brother along for the ride. So we get there and it is pretty busy, good sign. I try a bunch of flavors....nothing is sticking out. I finally got cookies and cream and my bro got choco chip cookie dough. We went out to a bench to enjoy our ice cream and I was sadly disappointed....it tastes just like Baskin Robbins! BOO! Yelp steared me wrong (a rare occurance), then I realized that since the people that reviewed it probably have never experienced wonderful ice cream that they did not know any better and then I felt sad and longed for my days in Boston where good ice cream was easy to come by.....Not worth a drive :*(
5 - Samantha L.: Located on a corner of a street in Claremont, I'm just thankful Bert &Rocky's isn't too close to home as I'd might be here everyday!

Chocolate covered fortunate cookies, rice krispies, marshmallows and caramel,  pretzels, oreos, and so much more! They also sell all your favorite childhood ice cream flavors including mint chocolate chip, bubblegum, coffee, and strawberry. Like your scoops on a cone? Try their chocolate dipped waffle cones. Be careful if you can't resist chocolate. They have truffles and chocolates of all sorts. Their cookies include chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, peanut butter.. just to name a few...and they are delicioussssss. 

How did I JUST discover this place recently??
5 - Diamond G.: When I walked in it was like being a kid again. They have everyting you can think of. I'm BIG on red candy apples so yeah'.... this is the place for me. 

A must go if you go to Claremont!
2 - Jim M.: I've been consistently disappointed in the quality of their sugar free ice cream (no sugar added). It seems to be lacking in taste and have some kind of wax substance added. I threw most of it away and had to spit out chunks of stuff. I used to like it here but now I'll stick to the frozen yogurt place instead.
3 - William P.: More flavors and better quality than at, say, Baskin-Robbins or Cold Stone, and it has an old-fashioned candy store ambiance.  I just wasn't all that happy with my choice of blueberry sorbet.  Maybe it's my own fault?
5 - Michael P.: Mmmmmmm
3 - Paul S.: This place definitely has everything under the sun with regard to ice cream and sweets.  Don't get my 3 star rating wrong. I'm not really an aficionado of ice cream.  Nor am I someone who yearns for ice cream.  So, when I ordered the german chocolate ice cream, I probably made a faut-pas.  However, I did order a brownie and was not too impressed by it.  All in all, they have tons of sweets.  If you have a sweet tooth, you can't go wrong here.  I would avoid the obscure ice creams and stick with the original simple varieties.  So, if you're in the Claremont village, you may want to give this place a try.
5 - Cherish H.: Mmmm unique flavors and awesome atmosphere. I loved the old school vibe of this creamery. Their flavors are always unique and delicious. They also do homemade sweets, homemade drumsticks, homemade ice cream sandwiches made w/ cookies. Their sizes are huge, the junior size is two scoops, the single is three and the double is mucho mas. I loved Dr B's (coffee w. caramel and nuts). The ice cream is creamy, but not overly rich, with a good sweet taste, and good flavors picked up according to whatever flavor the ice cream is. I definitely want to try their ice cream cakes and their pumpkin ice cream. That's next on the list!!

Yummilcious Factor- A
5 - Paul Z.: This place rocks. There are always good flavors but I wish they always had my favorite in stock. Staff is way cool and sadly recognize me and my roommate. Cannot go wrong with any flavor and they also have this crazy homemade candy selection I have yet to explore. I would recommend hitting this place up if you are ever in the area walking around. A jr. size is plenty of ice-cream and you can get 2 flavors.
4 - Alex B.: Bert & Rocky's have some pretty good ice cream, candy, and shakes. Overall, it's a very nice place to go to at the Claremont Village.
2 - Irene C.: My boyfriend LOVES the ice cream here but I just don't see it.  It's nothing special.. I'd rather have thrifty ice cream.
3 - Fred T.: It's ice cream. Comes in a cup or a cone. They're not open very late.

They have a variety of other things that have lots of sugar in them but they didn't look appealing.
5 - Daniel L.: Old school ice cream busting with flavor and choices. They also make their own cookies, and toppings. As soon as I saw the cones with chocolate hard had I was sold. I could not finish the whole cone as I was full from lunch, but the few bites from the chocolate covered cone made me a true believer in Bert& Rocky's 
Will be stopping by again, and again , and again
2 - Paul A.: The service was so so.... the ice cream flavorless... the smell was not what an icecream/candy shop should smell like...
4 - Cesar R.: Good Ice Cream and Sweet Treats! I like the old style look inside. Looks like a set from the Brady Bunch. Must try is the Choclate Caremel Smore I also liked the English Toffe Ice Cream. Nice place to get a cone and walk around down town.
4 - Sarah Y.: Sometimes, low fat frozen yogurt just doesn't hit the spots. Days like this, I hit up Bert & Rocky's. Love their coffee and raspberry truffle (I think that's right) ice cream flavors. Junior size with 2 scoops is the perfect portion and perfectly priced at $2.50.
5 - claudine A.: Delicious!!!  The place is 50's!  Very cool! And the chocolate malts, ice cream cones huge and yummy!  The chocolate covered strawberries are delicious too!  Old fashioned ice cream!
4 - art k.: LOVE their ice cream cake. Jen (?) was very patient and helped me design the perfect birthday cake for my brother. The cake I ordered was ready in about 2-3 hours and was delish! The shop itself is very quaint and a sweet lover's dream come true.
4 - Frances L.: Walking through downtown Claremont is like exploring a portrait of Americana. Cobblestone roads on shady, tree-lined streets with mom and pop shops, restaurants, and that old college town feel that makes you think you're really in the Northeast instead of in the Inland Empire. Entering Bert & Rocky's just contributes to this nostalgia trip. An old fashioned sweets shop with hardwood floors, big windows, and an amazing selection of candies and goodies to your hearts confectionary delight. 

Their old fashioned ice cream has gotten a face-lift, so not only can you indulge in traditional butter pecan or chocolate, but also with their more experimental flavors like Firecracker Chocolate (chocolate with Tapatio hot sauce and almond) or their Maple-Coffee-Bacon flavors. They've also got some Gold award-winning ice creams, to boot! Not interested in their frosty delights? Grab some of their amazing hand-dipped marshmallow skewers, s'mores, or some old fashioned salt water taffy. 

Definitely a neighborhood gem.
2 - joe s.: Waited a couple of years and gave them another chance.  The ice cream was a bit better, not so whipped-up and airy, but still nowhere near the Bert & Rocky of old.  And the place just looks, well, dirty.  Maybe it's just ice cream dripping all over everything, I don't know, but they need to spitshine this dump.
4 - Les S.: In the midst of all the frozen yogurt craze and fancy gelatos, it's great to see an old-fashioned ice cream place still going strong.  I always loved this place since my college days. It has a cool 50s vibe and have awesome ice cream flavors and old fashioned candies/chocolates.

I didn't see it on display but asked for the Elvis (peanut butter swirled into banana ice cream) after reading another Yelper's review of this place.  That was fantastic.  I only wish they'd take it a step further and add caramel and bacon to it.
4 - Paul H.: Went here with a friend a few weeks ago.

Was blown away by all of the little sweets they have here. Really has a great mom & pop vibe.

Had the Elvis ice cream. The King would have loved it (banana ice cream with peanut butter swirls) and so did I.

One word of warning: GET THE JUNIOR SIZE. They fill the cup and then put another scoop on top of it, so you're probably getting 2-3 scoops worth of ice cream in it.
2 - Lauren A.: So I stopped by this place yesterday for some ice cream and Lemonade. I was going to head up to baskin robbins but I thought "why not go to this adorable mom and pop ice cream shop?". 
Ugh. It was pretty bad and two stars is generous. The service was fine. You can't really expect much from high school kids. However, the ice cream was only OK...it left a greasy film on my lips which led me to believe they just use poor quality ice cream. 
 The real problem and the reason why I am writing this review is the Lemonade.  I was stoked to see that they were offering freshly squeezed lemonade for only 2 bucks and change! What luck! I love lemonade!  On The drive home I took a sip of it and it just didn't taste right. For a moment I thought that it was "sparkling" Lemonade. It tasted bitter and fizzy. I attributed this off putting taste to my ice cream. Perhaps the lingering taste of the ice cream contributed to the weird taste of my lemonade. 
  I got home and had my dad try it and he immediately told me it was bad. I opened the cup and took a whiff and it smelled AWFUL, like farts...seriously. It smelled and tasted like old fermented lemonade. I was soooo pissed that this place would actually serve this to their customers. My guess is that they hadn't changed out the lemonade for at least a day and did not bother to refrigerate it over night...possibly two nights by the way it tasted. I would have gone back and bitched about it but 2 bucks isn't that much to fuss over. I just will not be going back. I'd rather stick to baskin robbins.
This place needs to step up their game with the ice cream and lemonade. It has the potential to be so much better than it actually is.
4 - Ben V.: Try the caramel cashew!
5 - Lisa B.: Whenever I'm in the area, I make sure to make a stop at Bert and Rocky's for their ice cream.  Their ice cream is oh so creamy!  Just the way I like it.  I'm a big rocky road fan so that what I always order.  Although, I have tried samples of other flavors and they are all good.   I love that they make their ice cream in house.  A few of their flavors have even gotten ribbons at the LA county fair.  They also serve frozen bananas, their own ice cream sandwiches, shakes, smoothies, etc.  I even saw at my last visit some low carb options, I guess for all those low carb diet folk and diabetics.  They also have candy, but for me the only reason to come here is for the ice cream!

Also, I've always have gotten good customer service when I come here.  They always have made sure to offer samples of their ice cream.  Never had any issues with attitude.  One time I even overheard another customer requesting a flavor that wasn't on display.  The guy behind the counter was nice enough to go to the back and bring out a tub of that flavor for him.
5 - Miranda Y.: I love the Ginger Ice Cream.
5 - Ramon C.: From the moment you walk in you can't help but feel whisked away to an easier time. When the only problem you had was did you want a cup or a cone.....aaahh! I'm from LA so I can only assume that's how used to be. Bert & Rocky's Cream Company takes you back! This place is perfect! From the wall-o-jelly bellies to the homemade popcorn balls, this place is fantastic! The price is right and the portions generous! I had a cup of peanut butter ice cream (mmmmm.....peanut butter) and my better half had a frozen banana dipped in chocolate with a healthy sprinkling of almonds! Including a handful pixie sticks the bill was only $6.50! Good service! Finally, a place that cares about it's customers!! I'm sorry I didn't get the Young ladies name that helped me but she's a tall blonde and very nice!! Get taken back to better times! This place is a must!
5 - Diana V.: Yummmmers!  Pixie stix, real ice cream, and much more!  Some of the candies will take you back like Black Cows, Chick-o-Sticks, and Sunkist gems.  The ice cream is great. I had a mint and chip double chocolate chip ice cream cookie sandwich.  Well worth the calories. There is a wall of candy, homemade candied apples and more.  Check out this wonderland next time you are in the Claremont village.
4 - Cristina T.: I came to Claremont on a super hot day, and the first thing I thought about was "Okay, I want to be somewhere cold and I want to eat something cold!!!" Went straight here....

This place is just too adorable. I love their window display of candy apples, that definitely made my sweet tooth go crazy. But I passed on them and went straight to the ice cream! I'm a true chocolate chip cookie dough fan, so I ordered that for myself. I was blown away at first bite, sooooo creamy!!!!!! The creamiest of the creamy, I took my time eating and enjoyed every single bite. Perfect!

By the way: Order the Junior Size cup, a perfect two scoops for $2.50. Good to have aaalll for yourself! This is a dessert I won't share haha, truly felt like a kid again....
5 - Carlos R.: Awesome Place to get a late night snack!
3 - Erika W.: It has that cute Mom and Pop's feel to the place. I got the Almond Joy (without trying a sample) and it was not that good. I didn't even finish it. Things I hate: syrup swirl (fudge tastes a hundred times better) and small almond flakes (put some almonds in the damn ice cream!). Almond joy ice cream is hard to find. Darn Ben & Jerry's retired it at all their scoop shops :(
5 - Lilo B.: I LOVE mom & pop's ice cream joints....Hell, I LOVE ICE CREAM! 

This place has so many different and exotic flavors!  LIke who thinks of using goat cheese and guava in ice cream?  Ok that's extreme!  I had to taste it b/c I LOVE guava!  But I woulnd't pay for that flavor!  The goat cheese was just too overbearing and my tastebuds had to work to hard to find the guava flavor, totally failed...so I passed! 

 But they had RUM RAISIN!  I love that flavor!  It was so delicious and creamy and I want more as I write this review! * sigh!  They had so many different flavors I can't wait to try more, like orange chocolate to go w/ my rum raisin of course! :P

It's a dessert shop w/ many other different kinds of dessert...but I only zoned in on the ice cream!
5 - Deja F.: I LOVE THIS PLACE.

this is my absolute favorite ice cream shop. An awesome Mom & Pops shop. It has everything sweet and yummy: ice cream (duh), cake, brownies, chocolate treats, assorted chocolates and candies, shakes, etc. Very reasonable prices. It's in the middle of Old Town Claremont, so taking a stroll with a frozen treat from here, makes the day so much better.

i ALWAYS HAVE TO GET their frozen bananas. i'm drooling thinking about it. They have regular frozen chocolate bananas and frozen chocolate PEANUT BUTTER bananas...guess which one is my favorite? ding ding ding...the peanut butter for the win!! AND, you have an option of getting almonds on it, which duh, makes it even better. They are big chunks of almonds, so its tastier and crunchier. i lalalalalooove it. sooo good. They also have home made DRUMSTICKS, but here's the catch: inside the drumstick are different flavors: french toast, strawberry rainbow, or something like that.
4 - Danmo H.: Stopped here to buy wine walk tickets because it also gave me a good excuse to get my favorite ice cream (CRT)!  But I was distracted, or maybe fascinated with some unusual flavors that caught my eye:  Coffee Maple Bacon (or something like that?)  Guava Goat Cheese?!  My bucket list just wouldn't be complete unless I consumed one of these concotions.  Since it was well past the breakfast hour, I nixed the Coffee Maple Bacon and went with the Guave Goat Cheese.  Yum!  It was delish!  Can't wait to have some more!
4 - Jonathan S.: Excellent ice cream.  Creamy as opposed to chunky.  We shared the "double," which is 5 scoops.  We really liked the coffee chunk flavor.  Strong coffee flavor.  Their chocolate flavors are also very strong.

Bottom line: a great place for ice cream situation in a nice area for a stroll.
4 - Tara M.: I have bad teeth, so I don't really do ice cream but my boyfriend wanted to check this place out. I'm stoked we did, I liked the caramel cashew so much, we brought the kids back the next weekend. Everyone loved their selection, particularly my boyfriend who has fallen in love with the homade drumsticks.

This place has me rethinking my stance on ice cream.

My only complaint, was the Cherry coke, one of my all time favorite fountain drinks. I don't know if the coke mixture was off or the cherry was weak, I was not really impressed.
5 - Van D.: I love bert & rocky's!!!!!!!!!!! i think the owners go to my gym... 

but anyways!! ive loved bert and rockys and their homely atmosphere since there was one in Upland. however their upland location closed down. 

i was happy to find this location in claremont where i continue to get my ice cream, italian ice sodas, caramel apples, frozen bananas, jelly beans and other sweets that bring me back to my child hood :) 

and the service is always AMAZING ;)
5 - Jenn B.: Let me start off by saying I LOVE this place. 

I am not much of an ice cream eater, for the most part no dairy. However every so often I like to indulge and when I do it is going to be with the best out there.

I have been having their ice cream since the early 90's when they were in a little hole in the wall in Upland. Times have changed locations come and gone. But the quality of their product is still the best.

What I like is that they can fit a few flavors in one size so you can do a sampler (I think you can get 3 in a single)

This defiantly isn't a diet ice cream, although they do have a sorbet section etc.

My only complaint is I wish they still made their licorice ice cream from back in the day....it was sooo great....bring it back guys!
5 - Jessie H.: I definitely screamed for this ice cream.

I liken Bert & Rocky's to be a better version of Cold Stone Creamery. The texture of the ice cream is very similar, as in it's very thick and creamy, but here's the kicker: B&R is all natural (99.99% sure)!! 

My personal favorite is their mint chip ice cream, or actually ANY flavor that has mint ice cream as the base. I never realized how fake the mint tasted in other ice creams until I tried Bert & Rocky's. Holy moly bajoly it's amazing.

So please, GO FOR LE MINT!

5 STAHS BABY
5 - Stephanie P.: #400 Bert & Rocky's was my first handmade ice cream shop. Sure, I had had Haagen Daz, tempura ice cream, and your typical offerings at restaurants before, but I had never before had handmade ice cream from a Mom & Pop shop! Since my first visit, which was fantastic, I have had the chance to try many other gourmet ice cream shops throughout the country. But, Bert & Rocky's continues to stand out amongst the lemmings out there. They have a diverse selection of offerings, but I always go for the ones packed with plenty of chocolate. I tried a sherbert once, but decided long ago that sherberts aren't my thing. So, I've stuck with chocolate ice cream ever since. Their servings are also pretty generous for their prices and I try my best to always pay in cash, since it's a small business. They also have candy and chocolate, but I never come here for such. Bert & Rocky's ice cream all the way!
3 - Elizabeth L.: I'm not an ice cream person, but I liked how they had a huge variety of flavors from plain vanilla to pumpkin and eggnog. Yes, that is right, holiday flavors!

The texture and consistency is something I noticed, which is actually pretty rare for me. Super thick and creamy. I actually thought it was too much for me.

Single scoop is $2.50. They have a bunch of candy and chocolate and chocolate or caramel covered apples which is pretty rad. A small area to chill and sit inside if you don't feel like enjoying the Cali sun.

I got the pistachio nut ice cream. It was aiite. I think I've definitely had better. I'm just giving this place three stars because I'm a mean ice cream reviewer.
4 - Mel L.: Homemade ice ream? Sign me up!

Although I'm not much of an ice cream person, I get the urge every so often. I picked this place because of the reviews and the fact that it's right in the middle of Claremont Village, one of my favorite places ever!

The flavor variety is a little intimidating to such an indecisive person like me, but our server was more than happy to let us take samples. I ordered the single cup thinking that I'd only get to choose one flavor, but then she told me that a single cup holds up to three flavors. THAT CHANGED THE WHOLE GAME. I imagine getting the double means getting every single flavor they have in one cup.

I felt bad for her because I was really indecisive with the two additional flavors, but I finally settled on Amaretto Cheesecake, Peppermint, and Honey Butter. I'd like to thank her for being so patient.

Out of the three, my favorite was the Amaretto. I could taste the liqueur, but it wasn't overwhelming. It just tasted rich without being too heavy. I liked the Peppermint and Honey Butter enough, but I wouldn't get those again.

As for the decor, it's exactly what you'd expect from a local ice cream shop in Claremont. It has candy stands, candy apples, chocolate-covered marshmallows, and best of all, an M&M DISPENSER. The color-coded M&Ms made my knees weak; I'm a sucker for order.

The next time you're in Claremont Village, come to Bert & Rocky's and have yourself some delicious ice cream.
5 - Allison P.: My mom and I treated ourselves to ice cream.
I got a single scoop of peanut butter ice cream on a sugar cone.
My mom also got a single scoop of peppermint ice cream on a sugar cone.
We both sat outside the shop, licking-away at our ice cream.
I love that their ice cream is handmade.
4 - Corey P.: Pros:
+ Wonderful Staff
+ Inexpensive
+ Delicious Ice Cream Flavors
+ 1 Cup = 3 Flavors
+ Great Place For Sweets

Cons:
- Questionable Ice Cream Presentation

I shared ice cream with my lovely girlfriend. We got Peppermint, Amaretto Cheesecake, and Honey Butter. The Peppermint was very fresh and uplifting while the Amaretto Cheesecake and Honey Butter were very comforting and rich. Come here to warp up a date and everyone should be happy.
4 - Jade W.: Nothing makes me happier than being a kid in a old fashioned candy and ice cream parlor. 

Mostly came to buy my brothers time to surprise my mom on her birthday by showing up to dinner she thought we were solo. We ended up getting caramel apples to take home. Theirs was really good. The apples are big, the caramel isn't too sticky or overly sugary. The one I chose was caramel, white chocolate and cinnamon and wish I got two of those. 

Was planning to come back to try ice cream, but that didn't pan out so well with how full I was after dinner.
4 - Ellenar R.: I had their green tea ice cream on a cold, rainy Sunday afternoon and it was amazing. Their store was very warm at the time so the cold outside didn't bother me while I was eating their delicious ice cream.

The junior scoop on a cake cone was $2.75, but it was just the right amount for me...and it was 2 scoops. 

They also have blueberry cheesecake ice cream, which would have been my second choice. I hardly ever see blueberry cheesecake [and I LOVE blueberries], so that's something that will bring me back to try more.

They also have sorbets for those lactose intolerant folks. Lots of different candies...you'll really feel like a kid in a candy shop.
5 - tamna s.: This place is amazing!!!!! its my childhood dream come true!! amazing ice-cream and so many to choose from. I loved this place and will be there again sooooon! :)
4 - Daesik K.: I had a dinner with my family, and they all liked it, because the interior and price was satisfying.
4 - Brent S.: Cute ice cream store with plenty of choices. My friends say their medal earning flavors were especially good.
5 - John O.: Prices are a little on the high side but this place is in the village, so expect to pay a premium. 

Amazing ice cream here -- I think two scoops of ice cream is about $3.25.   I went for the rum raisin and it is fantastic!  

This is a great place to buy gift baskets that include things like chocolate covered graham crackers, chocolate covered pretzels, etc.   For about $11 you can get a plate of various chocolate covered treats.  Makes for a great gift.  

All in all, this is a fun place in the village (old village) to get some great homemade ice cream.

Bert's BBQ - Austin, TX (30.2880133, -97.7473287) (University of Texas, West Campus)
5 - Fred T.: Bert's Bar-B-Que returned to the UT Campus area today (8-15-12), with the opening of its new location at 907 W. 24th St. (former Wing Zone location). Fire destroyed the previous location on MLK about five years ago, and Bert's, famous for its T-Man, has been missed. Today, I had the Brisket with some outside cuts, and a link of sausage, both were outstanding and even better than I rembered from the old MLK days. When I left around noon the place and parking lot were full, not bad for the first day open!
4 - Jason S.: Dear everyone who didn't tell me that Bert's BBQ had opened a location within a 5 minute walk from my office: You're tacky and I hate you.

Bert's Bar-B-Q - Austin, TX (30.2880133, -97.7473287) (University of Texas, West Campus)
3 - Jackson R.: Okay, so as far as the greatest food you'll ever have goes, Bert's is not going to stand out.  

Still, you have to come here and order the turbo dog.  No extended stay in Austin is complete without it.  Then you're in the club.  Every time you talk to someone that's familiar with the UT campus, you have something to talk about.  A common bond.  Your turbo dog experience.

My turbo dog experience included a friend challenging me to finish the whole thing in one sitting.  I did, but I was really hungry and had to push myself.  Those turbo dogs are huge!
4 - Drew W.: I am an equal opportunity barbecue lover....the place can look like a five star restaurant or be a shack with a smoker in the 'hood and I'll try both with equal fervor.

During my stay in Austin, my friend (a native) was so intent on showing me around that we almost missed out on having some barbecue before it was my last day in town. After an afternoon of heavy drinking and general misbehavior, we smooth talked our way into a ride to Bert's to refuel for the evening. 

Bert's isn't anything to look at, but the food was just what I needed. It wasn't the best barbecue in the world, but it certainly wasn't the worst. The first batch of brisket and ribs got us off on the right foot, but the added dose of the T-Man kicked my ass.  But, once the bloated food coma feeling wore off I was ready for another round of drinking before catching a flight the next day. There's something about the restorative power of barbecue that can extend otherwise doomed Saturdays all the way through to Sunday.
4 - NoCal S.: T-man.  Stop there.  If you upgrade to the turbo plate, it can cause some distress.  But you will enjoy the ride before the reaper comes for his.  Heard about the fire.  Hope the picture of Earl giving some arm to an SMU nobody made it through the flames.
3 - Chris S.: 3-stars by no means connotes a negative review.  I just really like barbecue, so I'm putting this place where it belongs: definitely-try-it-but-don't-expect-food-network-to-visit-it-anytime-soon.

The barbecue is not the best, but nowhere near the worst.  But more than anything else, it's really a worthwhile trip because of the unique options available that I've never seen at any other barbecue joint.  For example, the T-Man and Toe-man are basically frito pies that use actual fresh, chopped BBQ meats instead of canned chili.  It's a great hearty lunch, and I'll be going back many times when the mood strikes.

Just realized that this location is on MLK, and despite being a UT student I've never been there.  But the location I visited on Far West appears to be the same gig.
3 - Jim B.: Still Bert's with the fabulous T-Man, but quite a loss in ambiance from the campus location.
4 - cole a.: Turkey T-Man makes me smile every time!  Chopped turkey, sausage, beans, sauce, and white bread to put it all in.  Nothing beats that!
4 - Solomon W.: A sorority girl was working the counter. I was extremely distraught knowing that I would have a woman cut my meat, but with the under the supervision of an older gentlemen, I was extremely encouraged. He was undoubtedly well-versed in the grain of cattle cooked in a manner that is low and slow.

All these aspects of this aforementioned story are an oddity when played out in a storefront smack dab in the middle of college student mecca. There is no reason you should find quality 'cue in what we Austinites call West Campus.

Aside from these inhibitions, the quality was actually pretty top notch. I asked for burnt ends, and the man in charge brilliantly led his apprentice into the charge of guiding the knife through the beast known as brisket i.e. breast of cow. At $15, it was certainly way steep, but the bark's beefy, peppery character won me over in the end.

Additionally, the idea of catching me by surprise is extremely appealing. And that Bert's did. I pulled up into what was an old-school gas station, and ordered up some meat. What I was received with was some grub that represents all that is good in the world of smoked slaughtered cattle: crusted, salty, and beefy.

Bert's Cafe - Ann Arbor, MI (42.275507, -83.737053) ()
3 - Rebecca W.: The coffee is average at best.  The food is mediocre, and, I'd venture a bit overpriced.  (Except for the brownies, which are fan-frickin-tastic!)

But it sure is convenient, at least for those of us who work or otherwise spend many hours a week in the Shapiro Library.  

And the kids who work here are charming.  SIMply CHAHming!  They're so cheery, hardworking, and attentive, even at 7:50 in the morning, when they're always happy to help me get my coffee, even though I don't think they're supposed to open until 8. 

We've ordered breakfasts and coffee breaks from them for a number of conferences, meetings, and other events, and they're always timely, organized, and delightful.  

The manager seems a bit abrupt at first, but she, too, is extremely accommodating, helpful, and organized.  She picks excellent student workers, and it's clear she cares a lot about running the shop well, and making sure the kids are treated with respect by customers--and they deserve it.  

If I want the best coffee ever, I don't come here.  If I want coffee fast, I don't come here between class periods--the line can get LONG.  But if I don't want to go outside, don't want to spend more than $1.10, and could do with a smile and a compliment on my new haircut, Bert's is where it's at.  

Keep up the good work, kids!


....and, P.S.: they frequently carry Washtenaw Dairy donuts!  You'll pay $.45 more than you do at the WD, and they're not fresh out of the fryer.  But they are, you know, in the library.  And when you are too, they'll do.
3 - Elizabeth B.: The coffee's OK and the food is, well, refrigerated pre-made sandwiches, but Bert's has two big things going for it: small ice and a panini grill.

By small ice, I mean the stuff that's not much bigger than ice chips: ideal for beverage chilling and post-beverage chomping.  I'm an ice chomper.  I admit it.  And Bert's is making my occasional indulgence a regular thing.

And while I suspect this isn't the intended use of the panini grill, I do very much appreciate that it is in a public area rather than behind the counter, meaning that I can toast my sandwich - from Bert's OR from home - rather than having to eat it (sad and) cold.

So thanks, friendly people at Bert's!

Bertner Avenue Cafe - Houston, TX (29.7071108, -95.3990975) (Medical Center)
3 - Sara D.: I saw the reviews of other Texas Medical Center hospitals' cafeterias, so I thought I'd give St. Luke's Bertner Avenue Cafe a shout out. Call me crazy, but I actually think it may be my favorite (even topping Methodist...?). It still only gets three stars because 1) it is, after all, a crowded, overpriced hospital cafeteria, and 2) the ambiance is terrible (it's in the basement, meaning no windows, no cell reception, and no escape from that ubiquitous scorched food/cleaning liquid scent). Also, the prices have continued to climb over my time at medical school, and lunch now runs at $6-8, which is not exactly cheap.

However, the food is decent, in my experience. I would say the cafeteria has a soul food/southern food bent (although it certainly has the standard salad bar, pizza stand, and sushi cabinet that most places do). Even the Chinese food makes me think of the rodeo. I have to specifically mention the sweet potato pon (don't think about the butter in it) and the fish (which has always been good when I've had it, whether fried, blackened, or baked). I also am a fan of the soft serve machine. But, then again, I've never met ice cream I didn't like...
1 - David N.: OK so here's a little history about this Cafe. 

During, the storm (Ike), They had security guards out front only letting in employees, patients, and family member of St. Luke's. I understand there is a storm going on but there are other people wanting hot food. Seriously? Guards out front? Employees of Texas Children's were not allowed to get food. What's sad is that cafe is supposed to be a joint one so it's not like we had another option. 

Anyways, ever since the storm basically the majority of the people at TCH have boycotted this cafe. However, I was in a hurry today and this was convenient. One thing I have learned in life convenience usually gets you in trouble, women, food, gas, etc... 

Like life, take your time and get what you want. Settling will get you nothing but trouble and a tummy-ache in this case.
2 - Jeffrey T.: OK Bertner Ave. Cafe - I've been putting this review off for a long time.  Unfortunately, my wife and I have been customers of St. Lukes for years.  Here's the deal:  two stars is all any hospital institutional cafeteria can hope for, right?  So just expect that your food arrived at the hospital frozen in a box, and was heated hours ago and has been sitting on the steam table for some time.  That's just the way it is.  It is a hospital cafeteria.

What amazes me most is the complete lack of healthy options (except of course for the over-priced salad bar).  Occationally they'll have something that won't cause you to check yourself in to the heart institute immediately upon completion of the meal, but unfortunately, you can't count on it.

However, the staff working at the grill can cook up a really good egg white omlet in the morning - something that is definately worthy of more than two stars, and at a very reasonable price.

Since (especially at dinner) it's likely that everything within walking distance is closed, or you've already eaten it too many days in a row, just keep your expectations in check and make the best of it.

Bertucci's - Cambridge, MA (42.3732902, -71.1204724) (Harvard Square)
4 - Anna S.: It may not really be authentic italian food, but if you are looking for some pizza or pasta and great rolls this is the place to go.  Just walking inside of this big pizzeria will make your mouth water.  Also, if you ever need a restroom in harvard sq, they are most likely to allow you to use theirs.
4 - Geoff T.: What started as a single, humble store in Davis Square (they used to have bocchi courts in the first store!) has become a chain. The quality went down for a couple of years, but I've been very satisfied the last couple times I've gone. It's not the "authentic" italian food that they tout it to be, buts it's good. The rolls are awesome. If you're not in the mood for pizza, try the Rigatoni Abruzzi.
2 - Roshni R.: blech, i don't like bertucci's pizza at all.  they don't use enough cheese, the sauce is meagerly spread and too salty, and the crust is not at all stand-out.  however, the buns they serve are always hot (actually sometimes so hot you really have to be careful!), and if you're out with a group it's an easy place to settle on b/c it's not *bad* per se.
2 - annie k.: I can't remember what I had. I just remember I wished I had eaten elsewhere. Obviously it wasn't worth the price.
3 - Flora B.: Good pizza, good dinner rolls. A fav of mine in Harvard Square.
4 - Ramoners D.: Simply love the bread here!  Its piping hot and so soft.   We all went on a bread binge here.  The pasta dishes are very similar to your regular Italian restaurant - so nothing really stood out except the bread - wait I did mention that!
3 - Mary B.: If you're looking to indulge in some chain Italian, Olive Garden doesn't hold a candle to 'Tucci's.  The bread is so good that I feel incredibly guilty when I eat it.  The salads are usually pretty good, I like to split one with my dining companion as an appetizer so I have plenty of room for the main course.  I do like the pizza but it can be a little inconsistent - once I had the most amazing pepperoni and broccoli pie at the Medford location, and the same toppings at the location in Brattle St. location and it just wasn't as good.  My favorite dish though is the Baked Tortellini & Chicken Gratinati.  Wow.  I have been wanting to try the Bomba dessert for a long time now and I've never had room so if you're eyeing something sweet to finish, leave room and save the rest of your entree for lunch tomorrow.  In terms of service, it's been inconsistent as well.  At the Medford location I've had less than attentive service on occasion but it's a chain so I can't say I'm surprised.  Most of my servers at the Harvard Square location ranged from ok to terrible.  One in particular took our empty plates and didn't return with the check until 25 minutes later.  Well, do you want our money or not?
3 - H Y.: Used to be so much better but now seems to be heading towards chaindom. The sauce seems blander now. The rolls are still great and plentiful. For a change of pace try the Chicken Rigatoni served with fresh parmesan cheese.
3 - Aretha B.: It's a chain.
Even so, I have found that the pizza is great - I like the sausage, pepper and mushroom pizza quite a bit.

The rolls are good (though did they used to be better?)

The sausage soup is also definitely worth trying.

Overall, I'd prefer to try a local restaurant rather than this when in cambridge. Only for the burbs.
2 - Kathleen M.: Ugh. Two stars because the food is actually tasty.

This location looks like a diner gone terribly wrong. I've had their pizza lots, but this is the first time I've actually gone in the place. Do all of the locations feel like some sort of suped-up IHOP?

Sevice was terrible. Started out well with a comment that I looked younger than what my ID said, but went plummeting downhill from there. Got our drinks, ordered food (I ordered the salmon..."would you like soup or salad with that?"..."salad, please"). What seemed like eons later, our food arrived. My salad? NO! Finished my beer slightly after, wanted another...waiter? waiter?...oh, there he is mingling by the drink/kitchen area, pretending like he's looking at his tables, but clearly not actually seeing anything. I refuse to "wave him down". This isn't the f#%@ing IHOP...I'm fixin' to pay almost $16 for my salmon and another $4-5 for the beer, you can at least come by once to check and see if I need something or if I'm enjoying my meal.

When confronted about the missing salad (when we were ready to leave because he didn't come by before then), we were told he couldn't take any money off the check...offered a dessert, but wouldn't comp the beer. I don't want a f#%@ing dessert you incompetent boob, I wanted the salad...an hour ago.

The sad thing is, the food is actually good here. Salmon was tasty, pizza is consistently good, rolls are awesome. Just save yourself some trouble and get take-out.
4 - Luyi H.: Ouuch -- the reviews here are tough. 

But keep in mind, for the poor schmucks stuck in Harvard Square, Bertucci's is your rather affordable, rather tasty place to dine with your date. 

I've been here many many many times -- more times than I think I'd like to admit. The bread is tasty and fresh and so is their little olive oil dip. I usually grind some salt into said olive oil because I'm a salt fiend. Sometimes my boyfriend adds crushed peppers. 

I love their baked tortellini -- so fulfilling -- I would keep getting it until that one day in the summer, I was like, meh, too hot for something that gooey and filling. I ordered the tomato and mozzarella salad with the chicken -- which was tasty (especially the chicken) though I could've done with more mozzarella (lol). 

The service is pretty decent. Courteous, friendly. Except for this one time when a waitress kept left us waiting for a loooong time and then got my boyfriend's order wrong (or did he order it wrong?) BUT, she probably realized her mistake and offered to have them cook his original order while he munched away at his current pizza. And THEN, when the meal was done, both half eaten pizzas were doggie-bagged, and we were only charged for one pizza. 

Brillig, I say. A spectacular save on her part. 

Yes, this place is ridiculously packed. Yes the wait can be annoying. But you can call ahead and place a reservation, thus bypassing all the excitement of sitting around in Brattle Square listening to the anti-war, pro-pot guy with the giant puppets (you think I lie, but I do not).

But it is one of my go-to places in the square for reliable tasty eats. 

(Note: the pastas on the lunch menu are rather skimpy -- get a sandwich [which are large] instead)
3 - Sarah S.: The bread. Mmmm... The bread is good. Also, for some reason, I dig their salad. Maybe it's the dressing? No clue. Anyhoo, their pizzas are decent, but I find their sauce too cloyingly sweet at times. Portion sizes are good- not so huge I feel like I might explode should I attempt to eat the whole thing in one sitting, but certainly not stingy. Oddly enough, the one dish that I'm consistently impressed with is the pasta puttanesca. It's perfectly seasoned, with the right level of heat that doesn't tragically overwhelm the dish. 

Jeez. Now I'm superhungry...
2 - Rachel B.: Not really into it, but what's cool is sometimes I've gotten free rolls and butter to go. They put it in a paper bag. You don't even have to go inside the place.

I am really into rolls and butter.
3 - Julie M.: We had a guest visiting from Texas and wanted to show him Harvard Square. We ended up settling on eating at Bertucchi's. 

Now, I was against it because:
a) It's a chain
b) It's not really unique to Boston (I say - go to the North End for real authentic Boston Italian cuisine)

BUT:

I ended up having a great time. It was nice to be right in Harvard Square, and there actually wasn't a wait for the four of us to eat.

I had the Chicken Piccatta - hold the cheese - which came with my choice of pasta and a side of salad OR soup for about $15. The waiter was intuitive enough to hold the cheese on the salad and pasta, too. :)

It was delicious and I left full. And like everyone's mentioned, the rolls are AMAZING.

I will definitely come back here for a dinner out - although I still don't recommend it as a place to go with someone from out-of-town.
1 - Yelp Z.: I think it's sad that the good reviews for Bertucci's in Harvard Square based on food or experience only have 2 stars max.  That alone should tell you about this place.  The first time I went in I got seated and ordered a drink and a personal Silano pizza (white sauce, broccoli, chicken).  The waiter got my drink and delivered a cheese pizza with red sauce.  I pointed this out.  He made confused face.  He took it back and acted like that wasn't really his fault, lack of listening or writing anything down and didn't come back with anything while my b/f ate his pasta dinner.  After he finished the pasta dinner my meal came out correctly.  I ate some and asked to box the rest.  Drinks never replenished (and mine was wine so you knows that would have been a better bill).  Nothing was comped from the bill, no apologies offered.  To me this is outrageous.  I've worked in the food service industry for years and stupid mistakes COST everyone something! Anyway....came in again on a snow night when I didn't want to wait for the LONG bus ride home.  Restaurant is bustling but tables are definitely open.  My best guess is that servers didn't come in from the snow....I can deal with that.  Squash into the host area with one other couple and someone getting take out.   The host does not make eye contact.  He answers the phone, gabs for about 5 minutes.  Takes another take out order.  Turns around and futzes with some take out orders....I glare at the couple next to me.  They glare back.  I look at watch.  I shift.  Boyfriend looks at me anxiously for ever suggesting this hell hole.  I pronounce "this is fucking ridiculous!" I mumble if we are not at the very least ACKNOWLEDGED in 2 minutes we are leaving.  Boyfriend makes mad face at feet.  Long story short, someone came in placed a take out order, someone came in and picked up a take out order, the other couple was seated, and a new couple came in and was immediately acknowledged and seated by asshole host.  We left and went to Pizzeria Uno's where they greeted us like family.  Makes me sad for Harvard Square when it used to be unique and a cool place to go when you couldn't drive yet.  I hope someone realizes this place should be over hauled.
3 - Sean G.: I used to love going to the Bertucci's in Philly, so I was looking forward to getting some of that pizza in my tummy.

The bread that comes prior to the meal is really yum - warm and soft and oh so delicious.

I ordered the Lestina neapolitan brick oven pizza which was described as "an explosion of Mediterranean flavors" - I wouldn't say it was an EXPLOSION, but more like a subtle pop of flavors - all the ingredients: the prime white mushrooms, Romano cheese, fresh rosemary and sage, sun-dried tomatoes, sweet roasted garlic and fresh mozzarella worked together nicely, although the middle of the pizza was a little soggy from the misfired explosion. 

It was good pizza, but I'll stick with the basics next time.
2 - Sarah L.: I came with low expectations, and I was not disappointed. 

Service was prompt. I'll give them that. 

Food was mediocre at best. The rolls were hot, yes, but clearly premade, frozen, shipped long distances, preservative laden, and underdone. The spinach was good and it wasn't overdressed (thumbs up), but the tomatoes were frozen. Huh? Yup, I'm gonna say it again. The tomatoes, were, frozen. And the salmon was way overcooked, and not very good quality and not fresh. Wine was unremarkable, but a big pour...at least they didn't skimp on that. I didn't have pasta or pizza, so I can't speak for those menu items...maybe it's better to order those things at Bertucci's. 

At least I had wonderful company to distract me from the mediocrity.
4 - Deb K.: All I have to say is: rolls.  

I lied.  Otherwise our server was nice, but obviously spread thin with the packed restaurant.  There was the most annoying family dining with another family behind us.  The parents decided to sit at one table, talking really loudly and yelling at their kids that they sat ALONE diagonally across the aisle at a different table.  It was one of the loudest/most annoying dining experiences of my recent life.  I see why I mostly frequent bars: this level of noise is acceptable and a lot more interesting to listen to.  Can't fault Bertucci's for their clientle though.
1 - Deanna C.: bad Bertucci's, bad!

Isn't it a sad day when my very first review on yelp ever is to whine about the bad and not about a secret little gem of a restaurant?  But, perhaps warning people of the utter horror that was my girl's night dinner and persuading others to ditch the cheap Italian and go for something, ANYTHING, else will be good for my conscience.

Service: the worst of my life, and I've spent 6 months in Hong Kong and ate at hole in the wall joints with rats as my tablemates.  Clearly, service at such locales suck, but believe me this was worse.
Food: absurdly disgusting 
Decor: honestly, nobody goes to Bertucci's for the decor. don't even try to pretend that you care

So, why such the bad ratings?  Well, it all started when our group of five was shoved into a small table for four and I was placed at the head of the table in the very busy aisle-way.  Nobody likes to have your chair hit and coat pushed by everyone passing your table, and I'm no different.  Salad comes, food finally!  But then from the sky a cold wet cucumber falls onto my bare arm.  As I wipe off the goo, the waitress assures me, "don't worry it's only a cucumber," and in retrospect she was right- it was the best thing to fall on me all night.  After finishing our salads and waiting patiently for our food, it is apparent that our waitress forgot that she was still working, seeing that she never came to clear off our empty dishes and to bring us our food (we waited perhaps 45 minutes).  Where's the food?  It was getting late, and the pizza bar was closing up.  Why were they cleaning up?  Well, they forgot our order and was getting ready to go home.  Hmm, now that's not very nice.  When our lost waitress finally found herself and felt like getting back to her job, she told them to make the pizzas and brought over the 3 other pasta dishes that we ordered.  And what joy it was to finally get our food after such a long time, and to find that it is cold, dry, and disgusting.   It was at this time that the-sky-is-falling part deux occurs- a dirty knife from a plate a waiter was busing just misses my ear and I am asked to pick it up for him (EW).  Eventually we all get our main dishes, but since we waited over an hour and ate rolls to pass the time/fill our stomachs, none of us are really hungry anymore.  We politely let our server know that our food is cold, and she takes it back and brings it back out, only to have the food rearranged on the plate and no warmer (in fact, it was even colder and more coagulated than before).  Then the best part of the night happened- a passing waiter drops a wine bottle on my chair and broken glass surrounds me!  Wonderful!  Our waitress comes, and tells me, "next time, you should sit on the inside."  

...WHAT?!?! First of all, I'm not one of those people to sacrifice a friend so that they can have the world fall on them, and also they shouldn't have been so incompetent and sat us there in the first place!  Grow a brain!  And after all the crap that happened, they only took $20 off of the bill.  Too little, too late.

I could go on and on, but really, why relive such a horrible experience? I think everyone can get the picture of my worst restaurant experience of my life. 

Bottom line: FOR YOUR OWN SAKE, TAKE YOUR $20 AND GO ANYWHERE ELSE!   I'm never going back, and I hope you don't, either!
3 - May N.: Chain restaurant, needed a quick place to eat and get out of the rainy weather.  A cute coffeeshop cafe was nearby, I should go there next time I'm in the area. 

Our waitress was prompt and took our order quickly.  My friend and I weren't hungry, but we knew we should eat so we split a lunch option.  The waitress brought out complimentary hot rolls with a plate of olive oil, then the free iceberg lettuce salad that came with the lunch option.  Our main course, cheese ravioli arrived shortly thereafter.  That ravioli was just $8, but they charged $2 for ice tea!  TWO DOLLARS?!?  I have got to get used to the higher cost of living here.
1 - Lisa O.: Ugh. I like Bertucci's overall, but I pretty much hate this one. Both times I've been here, we've waited over 40 minutes for our food for no apparent reason and without any acknowledgment or apology from the servers. I was ready to forgive the first experience until last night. Since we were starving, in the mood for Italian and  already in Harvard Square, we decided to stop by Bertucci's. We were seated immediately, which was nice, and our waitress (Sandra) took our orders and got us bread very quickly. Unfortunately, our drinks showed up (with an apology) after we had finished the bread. Since it had been about 15 minutes since we ordered, we declined the offer of more bread. 

And so we waited. And waited, waited and waited. By this time, the table next to us had been seated, ordered, served, had finished their meals and were waiting for a check. Different waitress. There hasn't been any sign of Sandra since we got our drinks. I wasn't really that upset with the wait since we weren't in a hurry, but an acknowledgment or apology of how long our food was taking would have been nice.  It's not a big restaurant! We only ordered pasta! There were only three of us! Seriously, I can whip up three plates of pasta in my own kitchen in less than 15 minutes and I don't have the benefit of a large corporate kitchen! SERIOUSLY PEOPLE, WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING BACK THERE?!?! 

Finally our food arrives, and there's something black and suspiciously hair-like sticking out of my noodles. I point it out to Sandra who says. "Oh would you like to have them remake it? By the way, it's not a hair, it's a bristle from the thing they use to scrub the dishes with." Great. That's so much better than a hair. And yes, I think I'd like to have them remake it; we've already been here for an hour, so what's another 20 minutes? Whatever, they brought me new food, the manager apologized for the cleaning bristle, no charges taken off the bill (isn't that pretty customary if a non-food object is found in your food?), and I've had a stomach ache ever since that can probably be attributed to my dinner.

Thanks Harvard Square Bertucci's for that shitty experience, but I won't be back.
2 - Nicholas S.: Everyone seems to love the rolls here, and they are pretty good, but they they're not nearly as good as the ones at Legal Seafoods just a short walk away.
The food is mediocre, and the service is less than attentive. It's only attraction is its reasonable price: you can get a heart meal here for fifteen dollars per person. Not bad, but there are many better places in the Square.
1 - Kiwi H.: I came here once as an obligatory thing for a friend's birthday in college. The staff was friendly enough but for everything else (decor, food, etc.) it's a Bertucci's so if you've been to one anywhere else you know what to expect mostly.  Sadly though, that fateful day our food took so long to arrive that I almost started gnawing at my arm, the tablecloth, the table itself, etc. to stave off my hunger.  It was pretty loud too and liveliness is welcomed in a festive setting but sometimes when things get too raucous, its frustrating when you cant hear the people you're trying to converse with.  

Maybe we just had a bad night? In any case, I haven't been back since.  In fact, I usually forget that it's here - much like what I imagine 12 Grimmauld Place to be like in Harry Potter, one building between others that just squeezes in and 'disappears' to most eyes, I never notice this place unless I'm expressedly looking for it.  Which, given the plethora of other dining options available in Harvard Square which I'd probably hit instead, I can't imagine happening ever again. Sorry.
2 - Katie L.: Service was ok. It was a busy night so they were a bit rushed. I usually get pizza at Bertucci's which has never failed me, but I wanted to try their pasta. BIG MISTAKE. I had the chicken fettucine alfredo with asparagus. To their credit the asparagus was good and the pasta was cooked al dente, so thumbs up for that, but the sauce was tasteless and watery...And don't get me started on the chicken. It was clearly frozen chicken that had been heated up, not freshly grilled. It was white in an unnatural way if that makes sense...It was inedible. 
So maybe it's just this Bertucci's, or maybe they haven't mastered pasta yet, but I won't be back to this one.
1 - Ramya V.: I have been to this place a coupla times, but I would say for sure that this is definitely not the place to visit again or may be I wouldnt dare to getta plate of Mussels Caruso ever again. The service was good, it was a week day afternoon around 1, we dint have to wait for long to get a table, our order was served at normal time though. We happened to visit Bertuccis along with my Nephew, he hadnt tried Mussels before and so we did order one (promising him that he would enjoy the dish) to our disappointment the plate of Mussels stinked a lot, once we opened the lid oh lord that was the worst experience we had. I guess my nephew would never ever wish to try a plate of Mussles. I wonder how the chef was able to cook it and what did they ever think before serving it to us? If I were to suggest some one I would never prefer to mention Bertuccis.
4 - Meghan P.: Before I became a bit more of a "foody" in San Francisco, Bertucci's was one of my favorite college restaurants. I came here with family, groups of friends, and even on a date or two. The prices are incredibly reasonable for yummy food. The dinner rolls are AMAZING and a lot of the pasta and pizza dishes are really good too. 

The atmosphere is nice though Bertucci's can get really busy around dinner time. It tends to be a bit quieter around lunch time though some of their portions are pretty big for a lunch!
3 - Ken M.: So now, I like Bertucci's from time to time.  It's to Italian as Qdoba is to Mexican.  Not authentic, but pretty good ingredients and nice flavor profiles.

I like this location because it is small, but that also has it's drawbacks.  Such as the lack of a full bar. But, it means the bathrooms are nice single stall jobs.

Our female server was friendly enough, but she and the other female waitress should understand that when the drink station is directly abutting booths, you should at least look on point while lounging there.

Their host station needs a bit of help, they have a bit of trouble turning tables over.  Many of the young male servers are easy on the eyes.

The soups are great. Andy's lasagna was great, but my eggplant parma was a little on the watery side with slightly tough skin.
1 - M. M.: I waited my 'take out' dessert like forever. Before I placed the order I asked how long it will take to get my cake? The girl nicely promissed - "5 minutes".  I mentioned that my car was on the meter and I have only 15 minutes. It took them forever. Meanwhile, waitstaff was laughing and chating without paying any attention to me. Nice kids - bad service.
3 - Gino T.: I've ordered take out a few times at this Bertuccis and have not had a problem. Pizza was great and there is never a lack of rolls. Service was cool when I got there and everything was ready and waiting.
5 - Kathy M.: Family friendly, very good food, decent wines, just 2, mixed drinks are OK. The food and the tolerance of a party or young kids is key to a parent. This is a place you can take the bitch, I'm sorry Mother in law, to and the kids and not be embarrassed, plus get a decent meal and drink till you feel happy.
4 - Jason B.: Ok, So I may be from the UK and live in London now, but in my time in Boston, this is still the best pizzeria i've ever been too -

I'm not sure what it is but I just loved this place.

The ingredients always seemed fresh, the bread and olive oil very good quality and although this is a chain, they do a very good job.  Not sure if this one had the deli too, there was one around beverly/salem area that had a walk in 'buy the bertucci's ingredients' deli counter, which I must have been to a few times, trying to recreate the receipe at home - did'nt work.

Great for dinner in the warm evenings and cold nights with friends around harvard - great atmosphere and awesome food.
3 - Geraldine K.: Just like its other counterpart near MIT/Central Square (see my review below), I'd give Bertucci's in Harvard Square 3 stars.  Even though it is the same chain restaurant, the one in Harvard Square has a different feel. It's more energetic and family oriented, most likely due to tourists in the area.  Food seems to be the same level as the one on Main St: decent pizza, but didn't try anything else.  Good hot rolls and friendly service. Structurally speaking, I like the layout of its counterpart better.
4 - buckminster f.: i like bertucci's. i dont get to eat here as often as i'd like because the bf is a snobby european variety who thinks real pizza is the kind originating in italy. on the other hand, i was reared in a southern californian suburb and delighted in pizza hut and dominoes growing up, so i am more than happy with bertuccis. i especially like their spicy shrimp one. actually i dont think ive ever had a pizza i didnt like there. the bread rolls are good too.
3 - Eve S.: Bertucci's seems to be the Olive Garden of New England-actually it is more like that chain Papa Razzi-I had actually eaten a meal earlier in the evening so I had minestrone soup and a caesar salad. It was all okay but nothing special AT all. The place was packed and we were seated in less than 15 minutes.
2 - Andrew B.: This Bertucci's location is tricky. 

We had planned to go to the Border Cafe until we saw the line outside and decided we were too hungry to wait. So we started walking around for something else and as we walked under one awning I saw "Brick Oven Pizzeria" on the window. I turned to my friend and said "how about a brick oven pizzeria?" She agreed and we went in. I tried to get a look at a menu posted up near the door as we went in. I didn't get a good look at it but I had a feeling I had seen that menu before. We were quickly seated and at the same time we looked at them menus that were handed to us, up at each other, then around the restaurant and finally back at each other with a look that said "we've been had".

It was a typical Bertucci's experience: the rolls were hot, the pizza was average, and the entree that I ordered was sub-par.
3 - Shivani G.: If you want a dining experience somewhere between Olive Garden and Figs, go to Bertucci's. In the world of chain restaurants, you'll be served a Italian salad dripping with dressing and round, chewy refined flour rollswith its flavorful olive oil hits the spot in only the way something bad for you can. The pizza and it's toppings are tasty and well-balanced.  

The servers are nice, attentive and ready to please-- something that is refreshing in this down economy.
3 - Vera S.: A very average meal, but what do you expect?  It's Bertucci's.  

I mean, sometimes you want average, cheap-ish food.

It's fine, whatever.
3 - Christina K.: Went for dinner for the first time  yesterday. Reminded me of Olive Garden, but a little bit better. I had the eggplant parma, which was roasted eggplant, layered with tomato sauce poured over it, and mozzarella broiled on top. Hella not what I was expecting - the eggplant wasn't breaded (and I can't remember whether it said so on the menu or not) and the dish was slapped together individually. The salad that came with it was okay, and the pasta on the side was just preboiled pasta that they poured sauce over. Bleh. It was not bad tasting, but certainly disappointing.

My dinner companion had the steak and chicken combo. The asparagus hadn't been trimmed enough so it was tough, and the medium rare steak was medium well.

Sooo not a good dining experience as far as food goes - steak overdone, rolls burned, mozzarella burned, asparagus tough.

The only saving grace of this place is that we had outdoor seating on a really nice day (which is why we came) and the rolls that weren't burned were to die for.

Last but not least, they should have told us that there is no alcohol served on the patio cuz my dinner companion was going to get sangria and couldn't.
1 - Elaine T.: bread and olive oil was decent. food was average but the worst is the service.

The server served our starters but forgot to give us our cutlery. We spent the next ten minutes trying to get her attention. And when we did (when she was finally serving our mains), she just went "oh" and sauntered away slowly. Then we found out she got our mains mixed up, sauce or shrimp, and she went,"can u eat it like this?" we were so mad.

oh, and when we asked another server to fill our glasses because we could never get our server's attention, the other server told us, we have to ask our server to get it.

Bertucci's has confirmed to me my fear of chain restaurants. This was such a horrible experience.
2 - Kat C.: I came here once a year ago and I still remember how disgustingly average it was. 

I don't even remember what we ate besides intensely depressed pizza, but I haven't forgotten the feeling. Every time I walk by the store front I am suddenly hit with a slight wave of nausea.
2 - Rose K.: Last night, I went to Bertucci's and ordered the "Eggplant Parma."  I thought I was getting eggplant parmesan, but I should have been tipped off by the fact that they wouldn't actually call it eggplant parmesan on the menu.  

Here's what I expected: breaded eggplant with a generous layer of cheese, baked, in a red sauce.

Here's what I got: thin, non-breaded eggplant slices arranged in two stacks, atop spaghetti.  Only the top slice of each stack had a single  slice of mozzerella on it.  There was no cheese or sauce layered throughout.  All of it was swimming in an extremely watery sauce (see other reviews), and the only flavors I could taste in it were tomato, salt, and oil.  I seriously don't even think there was oregano in the sauce.  It was absolutely vile.

My boyfriend enjoyed his pizza that he ordered.  So, if I ever go back, I'll have to get one of those.  The pre-dinner bread was warm and satisfying, but obviously mass-produced.  The salad was good, but nothing I couldn't have put together myself (iceberg lettuce, a few tomatoes, onions, olives, and a good dressing).




In case you're curious, this was their menu's description of the dish: "brick oven-baked eggplant layered with tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella and grated Romano."  I notice it doesn't say anything about breading.  But there was no layering of cheese and sauce.  And the quality of the sauce was inexcusable.

And in case you're curious about what I was expecting, here's an article on parmigiana: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parmigiana
3 - Andrew C.: Seems like there's a few of these around. Not bad Italian food. Slow service on busy nights, but that's expected I suppose.

Fresh bread rolls are pretty good. Had a lasagna dish and the brick oven does provide rustic aroma to their foods.
4 - Ann M.: So, being a west cost girl, I had absolutely NO clue that Bertucci's was a chain when I walked into their location on Harvard Square...which either means that it blended in very well with the surrounding environment of cute shops and cafes, or that I'm a really unobservant idiot.  Maybe a bit of both. ;-) That being said, I actually enjoyed the majority of my meal quite a bit - I thought it was definitely a step or two up from Olive Garden, at the very least.  I had a lunch serving of the sacchetti porcini, my friend had the chicken alfredo with asparagus, and we split an appetizer of foccacia.  The sacchetti was really really tasty, and served in a sauce that had just a bit of a kick to it.  The foccacia was good, and the tomato-feta topping that accompanied it was delish.  My companion enjoyed her pasta as well, but I was seriously unimpressed by what they called an "insalata."  Pallid romaine, three cherry tomatoes, two rings of onion, and three olives, with a side of dressing and a shaving of cheese.  Talk about an insult to insalata!  That being said, everything was served hot, the free bread and oil was to die for, and our server was incredibly sweet and attentive.  If Bertucci's ever expands out west, I wouldn't put up too much of an argument.
2 - Thomas H.: Food: 3.5 stars
Service: 1 star

This is my first time to Bertucci, the food was great (exceeded my expectation), the price was very reasonable, but the service we experienced was horrible. The waitress was not rude, but was too busy to provide our needs. We were very glad to be seated right away on a Friday evening, but had to wait a long time to be greeted by our server. The server finally came after we told 2 other servers that we had been there for a while and would like to order. When the server finally came, she didn't apologize for the delay and seemed to be very busy and in a rush to take our order. 5 minutes after she took our order, she brought us rolls, but we had no utensils or plate. We asked for them, but before we can completed our sentence, she was already gone. Similar experience happened when we wanted to pay our bill. Last but not least, our drinks were never refilled the whole night, until after we paid the bill. 
The food was great at its price, but the service was too slow. They really need to hire more help for their servers!!
If the service was average, I would definitely visit frequently, but now I would have to think 3 times before I step into your restaurant.  

Oh yeah, as far as the food goes, I had the Ultimate Bertucchi Pizza, it's pretty good.
Price: The website has menu with prices.
3 - Devon M.: There aren't a ton of chains that I really like, but I usually feel good about my dining experiences at Bertucci's.  This little Bertucci's didn't disappoint us, but there were some problems that made it less than perfect.

Issues:

1.)  The Lindsay Lohan lookalike hostess didn't seem 100% on top of her game, and wasn't good at letting people know wait times or asking for names.  A number of people just walked out because they didn't know the wait time.  

2.) We ordered off the lunch menu, and asked if we could get Cesar salads and we were told sure.  When we got the bill, there was a $5.98 charge for it.  The staff did take it off, which was really good because nowhere on the menu did it indicate that there was a charge, and our pleasant waitress didn't indicate it either.

3.) This place is SMALL.  If it was bigger, it would make it less noisy, but it still still nice.

The good stuff:

As soon as we got seated, our waitress came over and took our drink order.  We ordered our pizzas and salads and she brought over fresh hot rolls and oil to us, and the salads came out soon after, as did the pizzas.  It was fine because the pizzas were really hot and it was better than waiting forever for them.  The waitress was attentive and good about getting us in and out of there, which I appreciate.
1 - Deidred A.: Stay away!  Bertucci's is just plain out bad.  Every time I try to give the place a chance I get disappointed.  Food is poor and menu is uninspired.  You are better off cooking a frozen Bertolli bag at home.

Their pizzas are OK, but do you really want to go to a Bertuccis when you can visit a great local pizza place.  Go to the Olive Garden or Caraba's if you are looking for chain Italian food.
4 - Su R.: this Bertucci's hasn't disappointed me. I've never had to wait too long to sit down even on a friday night. the service has always been friendly and fast enough. the servers have always chatted a bit which is nice. and the food pretty amazing as is generally the case with bertucci's. for an italian restaurant, they do a great job with the meats as well.
3 - Grace S.: Pros: You know what, I like Bertucci's, okay? It has great bread, pretty good food (best bets: the Salmon Florentine, a Caesar Salad, or maybe an all right-ish pizza), and wine. What's your beef?

Cons: Noisy, noisy, noisy and a tad cramped. 

Balance: PROS

BOTTOM LINE: Yes, it's a chain (so, believe it or not, are many of your favorite restaurants in Boston). But for Harvard Square, when you need some place familiar that's more formal than Bartley's and more casual than Henrietta's, this is a good bet.
3 - Johanna L.: So we've established that I actually like some chain restaurants. My philosophy is this: appreciate them for what they're worth... efficient, lower cost, consistent food. If you like what you're tasting, go back! 

I actually enjoy Bertucci's pizza. I like the thinness of the crust, the sauce, and the amount of cheese. The topping selections are the norm and pretty fresh. The brick-oven flavor is a slight change of pace.

So, I like it. It gets 3-stars for good pizza that lacks some originality (outside of the whole brick-oven thing) and the loud insanity that is the restaurant itself.
1 - Da W.: My sister and I were having a dinner party for our birthday, and we decided to go to Bertucci's because it was relatively close, affordable for college student budgets, and we knew what to expect food-wise.  This is a review of our dining experience on February 19th, 2010 (sorry if if it's a little long winded).

We had a group of 12 people, so I called ahead to make a reservation.  Upon calling, the hostess informed me that Bertucci's does not, in fact, take reservations.  She explained that they use a call-ahead service--they allow diners to call 20 minutes before their arrival to put their name on the wait list.  However, when I told her that I was calling about a party of 12, she told me she would write my name down, which left me somewhat confused, as she had just explained they didn't take reservations. 

The next night, the night of the dinner party, I called Bertucci's again 45 minutes before our [maybe] reservation time to make sure we were on the list.  The hostess I spoke with assured me that my name was on the list, but then told me that depending on how busy they were, it might not be possible to sit our party together--"would it be ok if we sat you at 3 tables of 4?"  Three tables of 4 people are three separate groups of people having dinner.  Why would 12 people go to dinner together to sit separately? I told her, "No it would not be ok.  I really wish that I had been told about this when I called yesterday."  She then apologized in a voice that told me she could really have cared less.  We didn't have time to change plans or call anywhere else for reservations, especially on a Friday night, so my friends and I trooped over to Harvard Square, hoping for the best.

When we got there, the host told us we wouldn't be able to sit together, so we milled around outside the restaurant trying to find an alternative where we could sit together.  At this point, one of the hosts came out and told us he could sit us at two recently vacated booths that were right next to each other, and that the last pair of people could sit at a kitty-corner table for 2.  Since it was late, and we were hungry, we decided this was our best option.

WELL.  When the aforementioned table opened up, one of the other hostesses sat a couple at the table!  Apparently our host forgot to tell her about our arrangement.  The hostess awkwardly asked the couple to move, but they refused.  The 12 of us had to sit crammed in our 2 booths for another 10 minutes until another table opened up.  

After we all had seats, dinner went on fairly smoothly, aside from the fact that we weren't able to converse with half of our party.  The food was good, and the bread was warm, but the entire fiasco that preceded the meal ruined the experience for me.  

As for the one star, 0.5 goes to the host who *tried* to help us out, but failed in execution, and 0.5 goes to the bus-woman who was very nice, and insisted on washing the plate we had used to bring a homemade birthday cake.
2 - ashley a.: We stopped in here on a Friday night after encountering lines everywhere else in Harvard Square.  The wait here was only about 5 minutes.  It had been awhile since either one of us had been to Bertucci's so we were up for giving it a shot.  

It doesn't even start to compare to the North End (not even the weaker places) but I would say its better than Olive Garden.  Fresh?  Maybe somewhat.  Super tasty?  Not really?

Food came out quickly and service was OK.  If you live in Boston, there are far better places to get Italian and pizza.  If you are visiting Harvard Square, its a good option.

What knocks my review down from a 3 to a 2 is that fact that we took one chicken breast home in a to-go box from one of our dinners.  The server that packed it up must have also put all the remaining buttery/lemon sauce from the dish in the small styrofoam container.  As I was sitting on the train 5 minutes later, I realized that the buttery/lemon sauce had leaked out of the box, onto my jeans, onto my purse, and was starting to leak on the to floor of the train.  Why would you pack sauce in a leaky container?  Unfortunately, it went into the trash when we  got off the train.
5 - Matthew H.: Bertucci's is somewhat of a hit-or-miss restaurant.  The pastas are pretty average, and some of the pizzas aren't fantastic either.  But when Bertucci's hits, it hits HARD.  The margherita pizza is probably the best non-traditional pizza in Boston.  I say "non-traditional" because it is not traditional Italian, but really more of an american gourmet pizza.  Usually I prefer my pizza to be more authentic, but the Bertucci's margherita pizza makes you glad that america puts its own spin on pizza.  The sauce is delicious, the cheese is very fresh and the crust is perfection.  I've also had the chicken and rosemary ham calzone and it's pretty damn good.  The paninis are good too.  Oh, and while you are waiting for your meal, you will have a tough time preventing yourself from filling on the rolls...because they are to die for.  The atmosphere is the same at every Bertucci's...pretty much a standard Italian-looking decor.  Service is generally very good as well.  

If you order the right items, I promise that you won't be disappointed.
2 - ali A.: Bertuccis has become one of my favorite quick italian venues. However, the experience here was definitely enough to make me turn my head the next time. The wait was 35 minutes on a saturday- early evening. There were only 2 couples ahead of us. Very inefficient if you ask me. The hostess was not even at her station so it took 10 minutes to hit the list. 

That aside, the four of us were seated and we ordered. I was with my twin brother and I had forgotten my ID so I could not order alcohol, but he could. We are clearly identical twins and the waitress was extremely snobby about it, rather than apologizing for the inconvenience- she brought the manager to threaten to kick us out. I have never been kicked out of a restaurant in my life and I didn't plan on it so I said, "never mind I can deal with a coke."

That situational bad service aside, the food was still not served at the same time. The waitress explained, "they gave the pizza to someone else on accident." 

So that was great. We were all finished with the meal when the pizza was just served to our fourth guest. Very inefficient. None the less, the lobster ravioli was far undercooked. 

The wine my brother had ordered had scum inside of the glass and the waitress dredged getting him a new one. 

All this in place, the bill was not altered one bit, they didn't take any part of the meal off or even offer something like desert on the house. Very unprofessional. I was unhappy and I felt compelled to write this review to warn others. 

I and my party felt rushed, ill-serviced, and like we were overpaying for the quality of service offered at Bertucci's. Stay away please.
3 - Nika O.: The food is hit or miss. I mostly went to get a drink and have some warm rolls dipped in oil and herbs. We got a pizza for two but it didn't have much flavor. The tomato "sauce" was the equivalent of dumping a can of diced tomatoes on top of the crust. The crust, by the way, was burnt and flavorless. The one thing I definitely liked was the White Sangria. So very refreshing after a long stressful and humid day. That is worth a try, but I wouldn't go for great Italian.
3 - Soul B.: The one think I love about Bertucci's is the bread. I can eat that non-stop. It's usually oven fresh and hot which makes it awesome. Besides the bread it's an ok place to eat at. Nothing too memorable at all. I like the place but it's not on my must eat list.

I've had the mozzarella fritta and the Tomato bruschetta and both are all right. If you don't like oily foods avoid the fritta.For my entree I used to always get the Baked Tortellini & Chicken Gratinati because it was good but then I had a weird experience. The weird thing about this dish...at some Bertucci's it is overcooked and tast bad where as at others they cook it perfectly. The place where I find they always seem to cook it perfectly is the Bertucci's by the lounge "33" in Boston. Only order this dish if you're there. 

The rest of the entrees offer a variety of items that are ok to good. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here but I wouldn't say no to eating there either. If you're there, always have the Tiramisu. I love Tiramisu and they offer a big piece of it. It's a great meal capper.

My favorites:
Apps: mozzarella fritta, the Tomato bruschetta
entrees: Grilled steak & Chicken combo, Pollo Sanremo, Pollo Sanremo, Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms, Chicken Piccata, Chicken Parma, Rigatoni, Broccoli & Chicken, Rigatoni Abruzzi, Baked Tortellini & Chicken Gratinati, Tortellini Boscaiola
dessert: Tiramisu 

menu: http://www.bertuccis.com/#MAMenu
4 - Mala K.: I visited this place for my first meal (lunch) in Boston, and it was a wonderful experience. Loved the unlimited supply of warm, fresh bread (dipped in olive oil) and the large free salad. I ordered the Pasta Verdure as an entree and found that it tasted both good and interesting. My bro-in-law's individual sized pizza was the same--an interesting combination of toppings on each slice according to the different seasons of the year. Our server was a bit slow but pretty courteous and helpful. Definitely a meal that gave value for money, and I'd go there again.
3 - Judy L.: Came here with a group of 5 for lunch on a Friday. We got in right before the wave of people came so we didn't have much of a wait. 

Everyone was pretty happy with their food. I ordered A Taste of Bertucci which included 3 different dishes combined into one giant one. I personally can't eat that much past. . .and it looked a lot daintier on the menu, which is why I ordered it. But when the plate came, oh man, it was 2x what I expected it to be. But hey, that's great, more food for me for leftover. 

My entree comes with a choice between soup or salad. What I didn't know was that the entire table also gets a table sized bowl of salad. So it was a good thing I went for the soup. I'd recommend asking so you won't be stuck with two of the same salad. As for my soup, I went for the shrimp and corn bisque. Delicious. :)

Entree was around $15. After tax and tips, $19. Not too bad considering I have enough for maybe 3 more meals as my leftover.
5 - Kate S.: I've always had a great meal here--and I've also had great takeout service. The hostesses are super nice, and they always give me extra rolls.

I love their margarita pizzas. Love the sauce. Love the cheese. Love the bread....so, I love everything about it!!

Harvard Square, I don't adore you, but I do love your Bertucci's!
4 - Doris T.: I came here on Valentine's Day 2010 (sadly, I was not with my date) so the place was bustling with people.  My friend and I finally managed to get seated near a corner.  The waitress was very efficient and friendly.  We both enjoyed our meals.  The bread and salad were good and the seafood pasta that I ordered was delicious. We topped it off with some mocha latte...and it came with some almond biscotti.  I cant say that it was the best Italian food that every touched my palate but I liked it!
3 - Ekaterina T.: It was my first time in Boston and I was looking for something not expensive and good at the same time (believe me, it is possible!).

Why I gave 3* to this place:
- Hostess (or manager...I didn't understand who was this not cheerful looking lady). I can't say she was rude or something, but the way she met me, made me feel like "Are you next tourist, or what?".

- The olive oil mix I got - was bad. 
It was a mix of olive oil, fresh garlic and hot pepper and after I realized they kept it in refrigerator (Who keeps oil in refrigerator?).
As we know, any oil takes all smells around, if we keep it open. Well, it smelled like refrigerator. 
Plus (as a worker of Italian restaurant), I didn't understand why they made it with fresh garlic, so I had no choice but to skip this oil & bread part. All normal Italian restaurants keep oil and  vinegar on the table, so guests can have some options.

- The four cheeses ravioli - was ok. The cheese didn't have any spices, what was a bit boring and didn't have a cheese flavor. It wasn't bad, but I tried better raviolis, even in the place where I work at. 

- When I was leaving, nobody said "Have a nice day or whatever", what made me feel like nobody cared and even saw how I left.

- The general atmosphere is not professional. I don't know where a manager was, but most of the employees were just hanging around  talking to each other and etc.

- Cherry lemonade. The name sounds interesting, but the flavor is ok.    

GOOD NOTES:

- My waitress (blond  American girl) was nice and I like how she served me.

- The sausage soup I had was nice, I liked it.

- The bread was fresh and warm.

- The prices were low.
4 - Karen M.: A+ for the friendly service.  This place was hopping on the night I was there and yet all of the staff were on point.  I ordered a cold IPA and soon enough a basket of bread - steaming hot from the oven - arrived in the middle of the table.  I could just sit there and eat those all night!  I tried an individual margherita pizza.  It came fresh and hot to the table.  
I don't think you could go wrong by ordering the pizzas here.
4 - Xin W.: Had the Seafood di Mare, baby cod was not as tender as I would like it to be, but the Crostini with soup was wonderful! Also love how they put in each mussel a plum tomato. Waiter was very nice too, had a fun dinner there!
1 - Anne X.: Abstract: Skip this, and go to Tory Row or Crema instead.

I've had a half dozen meals at this Bertucci's location over the years, and the only reason why I keep falling for it again and again is due to its convenient location. Every time I come here and experience their horrible service, I make a vow not to return, and I think this may truly be the last time.
The first memory I have of this place is truly horrendous. I came with two buddies, one of whom was at Harvard at the time, and our service was not only slow, but peppered with subtle acts of rudeness. It culminated in the waitress pouring water into my friend's unfinished Sprite, without her asking to make sure that it was appropriate (the answer would have been, "Uum, no, this is a Sprite.") We were so disappointed that we walked out the door leaving a 10% tip, which I had never done, and the waitress ran out into the street after us, cursing us out. My friend threw a five dollar bill at her to get her off our backs. Yikes! That's pretty memorable for a dining experience.
This was, of course, three years ago, so I was willing to give it another shot when a girlfriend from BU came to town last week. We went there because we were familiar with the menu (the Bertucci's at Kenmore is lovely!), and again, the service was horrible. They are so used to tourists coming in that they don't care about providing good service to encourage customer loyalty.
3 - Jay K.: Been here a couple of times.. Good food and well priced especially if you go and order their lunch menu which is btw 12-3. I'm only giving them three stars because the service outside is pretty bad.. I'm sure that in the summer everyone would prefer to have their meal outside and management should definitely hire more waiters/resses or transfer personnel btw locations or even branches to better serve customers.
1 - Jason O.: Never rate restaurants, but this warrants zero stars and a brief mention about the liquid Alfredo sauce, miniature portion, and sassy help.
3 - Julia N.: Hate this small cramped location. But I love your food! And bertuccis seems to hire only sweethearts :) such nice people!
1 - F. F.: TERRIBLE!! My friend was bragging about the great food at this place (we don't have this chain in CA, thank goodness and no offense to you MA-ers). I had asked her if it was comparable to other chain places I knew but she wasn't sure. We gave it a shot. Friday night and the wait wasn't that bad but inside was pretty chaotic. Ordered a balsamic chicken and when I tasted it.. BLECH! SO bland, SO something I've never had before. Where was the balsamic taste? Where was the flavor in the pasta? The pasta noodles were the worst, I could still taste and SEE the pasta water it came out of.. ugh! And service, boyyy, service was pretty terrible. My friends had to ask the waitress for bread because their dishes were too overpowered with sauce and needed something to soak it up. At least I tried it, right?
2 - Morgen B.: The overall experience was decent. The food wasn't as good as I was expecting (my childhood memories have deceived me again) and the bread was honestly the highlight of my meal. For a chain, it's decent. For a general restaurant in the square, its sub par. If my friends didn't want to go here, I never would've given this place a second glance. 

The service ranged from negligent to intentionally ignorant. Our server came maybe three times to the table, for the drinks, food, and the check. Nothing in between. We did see him get snappy with a rude customer, which was hilarious. After deciding we liked him despite the lack of service, we left a good tip and left, vowing to never return again.
3 - Abigail H.: I wasn't super impressed with this place.  If you're in Harvard Square visiting, don't waste your time at a chain like this.  There are so many awesome restaurants in that area.

No good seating for groups.

Very predictable but a safe bet if that's what you need.
3 - josh j.: If you're around Harvard Square, after feeding your intellectual curiosity, and are looking for Italian-American, this place will suffice. It's part of a chain that offers consistent, but not palate enlightening fare. Service is a little hit and miss, but in a pinch, it'll do.
4 - Sara B.: I have fond memories of a Bertucci's in suburban Chicago that closed at least 10 years ago, but this place didn't disappoint!  The bread that comes with the food is great.  We ordered two pizzas and had plenty of food, and were happy with our choices.  The service was good and we were seated immediately (2 people) even though it was busy at 7pm.  Maybe not the most creative Italian food ever, especially when you could be amongst dozens of first-rate Italian places with a 20-minute T ride, but way better than Olive Garden, and it's still good food.  I'd definitely go back.
1 - Laura R.: Awful. 

Orded steak-chicken combo to go, with broccoli side. Broccoli was both yellow and very overcooked (not "crisp" as described in the menu - more like mush) and the steak I'd ordered well-done was pink in the middle. Steak was furthermore already sliced - so it's not like the cook couldn't see it wasn't well-done! 

Waste of money. Try Cambridge 1 instead.
3 - Laura S.: This place was a lot better last year. They must have changed the chef. I asked for my steak rare and it came well done.....
4 - N W.: Pizza here is as good as Bertucci's pizza is gonna get and let me tell you not all Bertucci's are the same. 
Service on the other hand is questionable so minus one star. 
Come here for the pizza, not the service. But then again, how could you expect great service from a chain like Bertucci's?
2 - Marisol H.: Meh, Bertucci's as a chain is Ok in general.  A bit overpriced for what you get, though I tend to have my favorites (The Ultimate Bertucci Pizza, Chicken Parm, and of course the Rolls).  It is pretty good though, and predictable, stable quality.  So for that, I can always rely on Bertucci's to provide adequate Italian fare.  As for this particular location in Harvard Square, eh I've been to better. It's always crowded, has horrible seating, and tends to get loud.  The waitstaff also always seems stretched, so I've gone through a whole meal without any attention or asked for a refill on my drink/rolls etc.
2 - Celia Z.: Thought I was not super hungry when I came, my friends were just the opposite.  Ordering a large pizza, they both engulfed at least three, while I took the smallest slice.  But besides satisfying that initial hunger, there was not much more to the pizza.  The sausage was a mix of mysterious meat.  The cheese was of not very high quality, and the dough was like dough I could get at Trader Joes for a fraction of the price.  

The pizza was super greasy, super super greasy. Grease that's uncalled for; grease that did not make the pizza taste more delicious.  The grease was there to clog arteries and nothing else.  The grease carried over to the vegetables, but at least those have some nutritional content.

Ugghh take me to Upper Crust instead.  Better and cheaper pizza.  The only thing is that you cannot see the brick oven.  Or would you have to endure the bright lights in this very unromantic unsuccessful imitation of an Italian restaurant.

I wasted so much napkin trying to dab oil off my food.  There goes a night of not saving the ecosystem.  Sorry.
4 - Alexander C.: Had this place a couple weeks ago and everything was solid. I expanded my palate this time, as I got chicken parm, cheese pizza, and the trademark ravioli. The chicken parm was HUGE (I mean three pieces each bigger than your hand), the pizza was solid, and the ravioli was great. Their bread, being so consistent, was 5 star. Chicken was pretty juicy and fresh, but was thin and the linguini that came with it tasted like Barilla.

Solid Italian joint, very family-friendly.
2 - Sue K.: Olive Garden quality.
4 - Mike B.: When you work in Harvard Square, you have myriad choices when grabbing a quick lunch with co-workers. For some reason (maybe because chains have a tough reputation these days), Bertucci's never really enters the discussion. But last week, as we were walking by and growing shorter on time, we popped in.

In six words: Good food, good service, good time.

The customary salad and rolls didn't disappoint. The dressing may have been a bit heavy on the salad, but the fresh, hot rolls and dipping sauce were delicious. We ordered a mix of pastas, chicken parmesan, and sandwiches, and everyone nodded their heads in approval (and maybe a little surprise?) at the taste. And the waiter was quick, attentive, and friendly.

Our group of five left happy, full, and pleasantly surprised. So, from now on, when the lunch discussion starts, Bertucci's will be on the list ...
3 - Tracy T.: Service was very good.  The dipping "sauce" for their bread is amazing (some olive oil mix).  We got a margarita pizza.  It was really good but lacked a little bit of sauce and cheese for me.  Nice touch was the fresh mozzarella.  We also got the ceasar salad but it had waaaay too much dressing so ask for it on the side!  Great croutons.
1 - Nas D.: I came here twice and promised not to come again and somehow found myself there a third time and remembered why I swore it off to start with. While the service is good, the food is HORRIBLE! The alfredo sauce is watery and the food is not well seasoned. I alway leave feeling like I've spent too much for a terrible meal and always want to eat something after to wash away the taste. If you're desperate, this is fine for a chain, but if you have a choice, choose to ignore this option!!
4 - Inked I.: Good pizza, great sangria.
5 - Negin J.: The bread and the olive oil dip is great, so is the sangria (white) and the ravioli with lobster.
For appetizers, we tried the grilled vegetable and the shrimp. Both were good.
4 - Tom G.: Ate here 3 times while staying 2 blocks away at the Harvard Square Hotel last week.  Was told they have 11 branches.  Excellent bread and olive oil.  Thinking about it now, I'd almost go back just for that.  My 3 meals were also very good (meatball appetizer twice, a big salad, a large share of my friend's pizza, lobster ravioli).  Only item I wouldn't have again is the lobster ravioli.  Not bad but I think lobster is too mild to be much use in any dish where it is not basically by itself.   Service was friendly and prompt.

Bertucci's - Amherst, MA (42.380742, -72.5188809) ()
3 - Andrew B.: It's a chain restaurant so it's not a very unique experience but it is good food. I go here every new years with my girlfriend. The appetizers are a little different and may not fit your taste but they have good brick oven pizza. Try one with sun-dried tomatoes.
3 - Ben L.: When I am starving for food I am not a very hard person to please.  That is one of the reasons why I ended up at this particular "dining establishment".  It really shouldn't be hard to cook me up a bowl of pasta that I can enjoy.  I had been driving over to Amherst for 2 1/2 hours and after that I got to spend another 2 hours driving around trying to find the place that I was trying to go to.  Without much lick it was time to fill my growling belly.  
Though it was the middle of the day with the restaurant mostly empty we still did not get prompt service.  During the entire dining experience we were intermittently interrupted by the reception phone that rang with the decibels of an air raid siren.  
Our waitress did the job that she needed to but kept repeating scripted messages per the request of management.  I kept looking to see if I could find a button on her.  When I finally found it I was disappointed because it just made her skip to the beginning of the previous message. 
I had the chicken fettuccine alfredo and though it did a bit to fill my stomach the chicken was very salty and I was let down after the freshly baked rolls they started us out with.
If you need food this location will do but it simply does not add up as a whole package.
4 - brooke m.: Three and a half stars rounded up.  I really only come here because I love their pizza.  And the rolls with olive oil.  But because the service can be pretty bad and there's sometimes a long wait, I'd recommend just getting take out.  They give you a bag of fresh rolls if you ask, so no loss there.

Also, try the oven-roasted tomato sauce.  It's darker and a bit tangy, and quite tasty with fresh mozzarella.
1 - B L.: Eating at a chain restaurant in Amherst? Are you kidding? It's amazing that this place even exists in the same town that has Antonio's.
2 - John R.: Sometimes when we're too tired to cook, my wife and I buckle under and come here. And it seems every time we do, we vow never to comeback. Well...this time I mean it.
We sit at the bar because the service is usually quicker and I don't like sitting at tables that are within arms reach of one another. So I order a chicken dish and my ordered a different chicken dish and the food was par, maybe 3 stars. But the thing that bugs me about this place was it's so noisy. It's as if the kitchen help purposely slams dishes and pans all over to make themselves hears. The free bread they give you is warm and the herb infused oil is good but lets look at the bread for a second...It's pizza dough folks! They're aren't even real rolls in my book. Lastly, I think it's absurd for this place, or any place for that matter to charge $7.50 for a glass of wine when the bottle probably costs $12. Other than that, our server was great and we did have good service.
1 - Laura T.: I had never been to a Bertucci's before, and now I'll never go again!  My husband and I went for dinner a few nights ago, and it was extremely disappointing.  First off, the appetizer was burnt, really burnt.  The cooks tried to flip it over, so the burnt part was upside down, but it's hard not to notice that your food is CHARRED.  The entree was ok, I had the chicken Saltimboca, it was served on top of bone dry spaghetti.  No sauce, not even any butter.  So I asked our waiter if I could get a side of tomato sauce or something for the pasta, and he asked if I would like the Saltimboca sauce...ummm...I ORDERED the Saltimboca...shouldn't the sauce be on my plate already?????????  Uugh.  The store bought chocolate cake was a good dessert choice, but it was halfway off the plate when they brought it out, the whipped cream from the top fell off and onto the table when the waiter put it down.  Yum.  Beyond all that, our drinks were never refilled, even after we asked for them to be, the bread dish, salad plates and appetizer plates were never removed from the table, so they were all piling up in front of us.  It was just BAD.  If you're in Amherst looking for good food go to Judy's.  If you're in the mood for fast food Italian, go to the Olive Garden.  I can't say much about Bertucci's as a chain, but steer clear of this one.
1 - Elaine S.: The food is awful. The service is good.
5 - Michelle T.: Okay, I know it's a chain restaurant, but I'm slightly obsessed. I've had many a birthday dinner here and with good reason: the food is incredible. I order the Personal Masterpiece Pizza with roasted artichokes, diced plum tomatoes, and chicken. A side of redskin mashed potatoes and a Shirley Temple adds to the bliss. The rolls are the best I've had anywhere and I would steal the dipping sauce if possible. They serve a delicious Italian beer called Peroni, amongst others. The service may be slow sometimes and for some inexplicable reason they've stopped stocking the tables with crushed red pepper, but it matters not. This is one of my favorite places to eat, even if I have to wait on a Saturday night to get a table. Also, as anyone who follows my reviews knows, bathrooms are important to me and these are up to my standards...clean, well-lit, private.
1 - Rob S.: Terrible. Save your money. The food has significantly fallen off over the last four years and now the service is as disastrous as the over-priced chain food. 

It gets a single star for free rolls. 

That's it.
4 - Bryan K.: I am totally on the boat with brooke m.  The other dishes are just ok.  but their pizza is where its at! I recommend the seafood pizza.  Oh and can't forget the rolls!
4 - Christina L.: didn't know this was a chain because was just visiting boston, but delicious food. we weren't too hungry so we ordered the pizza verde with whole wheat crust and 2 apple Crostatas. kind of a random meal, but loved how the verde had prosciutto with balsamic! delicious. the apple crostata was SO good that we had to order two of them. i wish that there was a bertuccis in LA, but alas will just have to visit once again. 

Portion wise, the pizza was also pretty big (we got the smallest size). I shared with a friend and we still had one slice left.
4 - Peter E.: Great pizzas and I'm pretty sure the rolls have crack in them.
4 - Alan M.: Very good as far as Bertucci's go. Great and friendly service, food is delicious and a great lunch menu (with unlimited bread and salad) until 3 pm everyday.
2 - Andrea B.: I've been to the Bertucci's in Amherst a handful of times, mostly because everyone else I know seems to like it.  But as you might guess from my 2 star rating, I don't.  The one positive thing I have to say about this place is that the waitstaff in my experience have always been talkative and friendly.  As to everything else, well...

The last time I went here was about a year ago.  I ordered the four cheese ravioli and it was a complete disappointment.  The tomato sauce was watery and lacking in flavor, so there really was no saving it despite how good it sounded to me on the menu. The bread and salad served before the meal were incredibly average as well.  In all honesty, I don't really know why anyone would go here to eat when there are wonderful restaurants like Judie's just up the street.
1 - Sharon R.: I have no idea how the food was- they refused to seat us on a wednesday with 7 people. They would not even give us a wait time, we were simply told we would not get a table that evening. We insisted calling over the manager who was more helpful and did offer to seat us if we squeezed into a booth, but we decided to leave. Guess they don't need the business.
1 - Joshua D.: Terrible food, service, and price. Took my girl here for our anniversary. Neither of us left full. My steak was overcooked as well.
1 - John A.: Oh it's open again.. They take reservations but don't really keep them, although the wait wasn't long. The pizza is pretty good, but the rest of the food is mediocre at best. What really bothered me was the lighting... It's incredibly bright for a restaurant.. I had two spotlights beaming on me.. I requested to have them dimmed but it never happened. Service was attentive. Much better choices in Amherst.
4 - Pam B.: My friend and I met for dinner at Bertuccis and we had a nice time. The bread is warm and wonderful. The service was great. My salmon was well cooked and tasty. I took some home as I'd filled up on bread, and my daughter polished it off and enjoyed it too. My friend ordered a chicken dish with pasta and she liked it. It is noisy, but it's a nice ambience.
4 - Courtney R.: OK, I have to update my review on this one. Lately we have been sitting at the bar only. It is much more pleasant. You get wicked awesome service and its a bit faster too. So, as I said in my first review: favorites here are: Anipasto Misto, Mozzarella Fritta, and sangria.
4 - Steve M.: Tonite I had the greatest pleasure of dining at the local Bertucci's. And believe me, the pleasure was all mine. That waitress musta had a pebble in her boot.   We had observed a scarcity of rainfall, and so Bertucci's it was.

She tried earnestly enuf at the start to offer us libations; I hesitated at first, and then kindly declined, on account of me and my friend Buddy bein' Kris Kringles at the time.  I insisted on a minute to think about that menu.

We took her absence as an opportunity to do a trick with a mustache we had had - make a mustache man.  This means a talkin' one a plastic, you press it and it declares "Well, HELLO there".  You gotta press that thing twice if ya know what's good for ya.  We put it on the plate and that's how you can make a mustache into a man.  I suppose you'd say our Kringle gotta Pringle!

Our waitress miss scurried from the scullery carryin' a look upon her rosy face.  I saw it get all screwed up as she inquired, "You boys figured out what you eatin' tonite??"  I declared in most high fashion that me and Buddy would share a titular pie; we even had time for them side salads, if you please.  Buddy gets his, and I get mine; a big pile of lettuce, stacked fresh and high with the finest fixins'.  Buddy took one long look at it and smiled.  Our waitress miss took one gander at our mustache man and did not say a word, not a solitary sentence.  We duly declared that that mustache was like a face, a real pantomimed friend if you will (and I will), and that Buddy's pawpaw bought them at the old five and dime on account of it bein' Christmas.  She said that she'd met him before, but she would not say "Hi."

By about the time she got back to our table, she probably took long notice of the change to that face.  Just when she was gettin' nice and cozy to our current configuration, we had to go and add to it.  By now it had freckles and eyes, brows and a nose and an arm to boot.  She ignored it through and through, and so I told her that we had been windin' up all day inside.  She ignored this comment.

Just then we got our pizza pie; my, my; it was a sight to see and was Deelicious to boot.  It was finger-cleanin' fancy, and sauce was all over it.  It had two olives for two old friends; I reckon they know a thing or two or three about dem pizza pies alright; it was just what the doctor ordered, and believe you me, the doctor was in!  She did spurn our commentary notin' how mighty fine that pie was, rankin' up there with the finest pies in the land, and it was a lovely sight to see, believe you me.

And just when we thought it couldn'ta gotten any worse, she strolls right up with two tall glasses of the H-2-O.  We, I say WE did not order no such waters.  No sir.  Water straight outta the tap? Water from the water closet W.C. most likely.   I looked over at neighboring tables and I saw that they did not get complimentary waters.  Only we did.  

The final one last time, she was aghast to see that that face had grown a body and two legs made of knives.  She was flabbergasted and befuddled, and with a quizzical look, she ignored it completely.  This is when we knew the gag had grown too great, and so we quickly disassembled the creature and tickled the face till it turned into garbage.  

All we intended to do was teach her a lesson about restaurantin' and she got an F and failed it.  
 
Now the cat's outta the bag, and she's left holding the bag, AND the cat's got 'er tongue, and we've got the upper hand, and the ball's in our court, and we roll the nickels, and we deal the cards, and we decide who does what and when; now we're the boss.

I must've been laborin' under the assumption that she'd be a fan of that expanded mustache man.  Boy was I wrong.  She couldn't even keep that warm pizzeria smile on her face.
4 - Pete K.: Had a great meal ( lobster ravioli) and good service. Will be back soon.  Go when the students are gone.  Impossible to get in during the week, or the weekend.  Sit at the bar if you can, service is so much better.  My wife had a glass of wine, and the size was very good for the price (not like the rip-off at the Amherst Brewery).
1 - Ellen T.: Just had a very unpleasant dining experience here, again.  The combination of slow service, unresponsive management and mediocre food makes me womder how the place stays open except for its corporate brand.  It was not busy at all when our party of 7 arrived for dinner.We were seated without a wait at 8:10pm.  Fine. Our orders were finally taken at 8:40.  Not so fine.  At 8:55 the waitress came by to say that they were out of feta and couldn't make one of our entres.   The food came at 9:05.  Not fine at all.  The re-ordered entre was made incorrectly.  All around our tsble, the bus boys were sweeping as we ate.  We asked them to stop and to send us the manager.  One never showed up.  We couldn't show our dissatisfaction because our bill had a mandatory 18% tip on it.  The food was okay, nothing special at all.  Honestly, there are so many other choices of places to eat nearvy.  We can't possivly have a reason to return.
1 - J K.: I have eaten here twice now with groups of eight people, and both times the service has been terrible along with food that had obviously been sitting for too long. Each time, we called beforehand to reserve a table, and were reassured that it would be no problem...but it was. We complained about the slow service, after waiting over an hour for our food, and the manager blew us off! Don't waste your time here.
1 - Tammy G.: Went on Sunday, Sept. 23rd.  Was told there would be a 10 minute wait. 25 minutes later we were seated.  Party of 7 for lunch.  Getting waited on took forever.  Getting our food took even longer.  2 of us had to leave without eating so had food wrapped to go.  Got home. Missing some of the food.  Waiter was awful. Food was dry and terrible. Will not be going back again!

Bertucci's Italian Restaurant - Kendall Square - Cambridge, MA (42.363255, -71.0971657) (Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - Ruth P.: I love bertucci's. This location is big with the MIT crowd as the location is ideal for lazy college students.  I love their pizzas - especially the simple margherita pizza.  The salad and fresh hot rolls (free with lunch orders I believe, and $2 extra for the salad with dinner orders) - the rolls are free of course - make the meal even more amazing.
4 - Zainab A.: It's a bit pricey especially for a college student, however the service was exquisite. I went there with friends late one evening and the place was empty, Bad for them good for us, with 5 min of ordering a fresh pizza was set before of sniveling snouts which we then devoured relentlessly. The waiter was fun and very friendly and in the end gave us a huge bag of bertucci's rolls. Loses a star for price and that's about it.
4 - Ebrahim B.: I love itallian food so this just fills my stomach in all the right places. I would recommend asking for some bolognese, its not on the menu but they make it for you and its absolutely amazing. The garlic bread and salad as an appetizer though come is such a large portion that its almost impossible to finish the main course.
4 - Juliette V.: Very reliable brick oven pizza. Nice location just outside of Central Square. My favorite is the bread and the melenzzana pizza. Yum.
3 - Aaron S.: This place used to have bacci ball.  Now they don't.  I miss bacci ball.  The one in David had it too.  Now I don't even think the one in Davis is there anymore.  The one in Harvard has no character at all, and there is a move em in move em out cattle style kind of feel there too.  If you like eating in a parking garage you'll love the one in Fresh Pond.  Bertucci's is a nice place don't get me wrong...they all are.  But they have gone super corporate and I really think the quality went downhill when they did.  Used to be great, now its just run of the mill.
3 - Jennifer K.: WHAT!?  they took the Pollomatch off the menu?  hmmm... not a bit fan of that. 

I laugh everytime the radio advertisements for Bertucci's say: "authentic Italian food"....
3 - Jessica R.: I went here for dinner with my parents and grandparents a few times and once for a lab group lunch.  Food is good and I enjoy the rolls they give you for free.  They can make vegan pizzas on request.
2 - Dylan C.: Nope.  I don't really like this place very much.  Service is terrible.  And with all the great places to go for pizza in this city...  The lobster raviolis are OK.
3 - Katherine T.: This is a good place for lunch in the Kendal Square area, it's a bit difficult if you get there right at noon, though.  It can be crowded, but the food is decent, and they give you free rolls to go if you ask for them.  According to the "I'm speaking very quietly because I'm about to have a complete mental breakdown" waiter we had, this is a tradition they've had since the 1600s.  Which is odd, because Bertucci's was started in 1981.  But, A for effort, you know?
3 - A T.: A pretty reliable lunch stop near Tech Square.  Lunch is a little bit pricey considering it's just lunch, but I find that the minestrone soup is always a good deal--especially with the endless salad bowl and rolls that come during lunch.  Be sure to ask for your free dozen to go on the way out.
Oh, and they have surprisingly decent wine--if you need a little happy with your meal....
1 - bruno p.: bertucci's has gone downhill. overpriced and bland. that's all i'll say. and i used to like it.
4 - Tracee D.: I am not a chain restaurant kind of girl. Some may deem that a character flaw of mine. But Bertucci's is my exception to the rule! I love the focaccia app and the Carmine and Margarita pizzas. They are consistent and the service is always good enough for me.
5 - Jackie M.: Classic!  Always great, always gets the order right, no matter how many pizzas I am ordering...can't beat it!  Bonus points for navigating the MIT campus in a timely manner, thats a challenge in and of itself!!!
4 - Meagan H.: You can always count on Bertucci's! 

Having grown up in the Northeast, Bertucci's has always been there for me. I've been eating their delicious pastas and pizzas for the past 15 years (has it really been that long?!)  and keep going back for more. There's rarely a wait for a table, the service is interesting (not always prompt, but they hire a nice array of waiters/waitresses), and the food is yummy and filling. 

Warning: This establishment is not for food snobs. ;)
3 - Annie P.: Hated the Lobster Ravioli.
Liked the Rasberry Iced Tea + free refills.
Service was witty and smooth.
Food came out quick.
I'd go again with a big group because I would be in a big group and would not want to wait forever for a table or be obnoxious with a big group because big groups do that a lot of times.
They will like us here. Yes I am Miss Cleo so I know this.
Wanted to like but did not.
Boo.
3 - Richard S.: It's a Bertucci's okay?  You're not going to get swept into the spirit of the old country or remember it as one of your epic meals.  But if you're willing to spend thirty bucks on a pizza you can have them toss a half dozen toppings on and order it with rolls and oil (their pizza dough rolls are sweet) and you'll be happy.  Order the pie well done.
3 - Julia F.: I like Bertuccis pretty much where ever I am, although I'm not big on chain restaurants, here is an exception. I like the Chicken Ceasar Salad, Margarita pizza, and dessert trio. The Espresso Martini and Appletinis are alright, not worth the money, but good enough. 

It's a fairly busy location, and it's good for getting the whole family together and eating out - although if you are not the big group there, it sometimes takes a while for you to get served. 

Also, I hope and pray that you don't get the one old guy waiter, VERY very nice guy, just REALLY really slow.
3 - Nik O.: Not my favorite Bertucci's but not the worst.  Pretty average but I don't remember ever being disappointed with a meal.  Great bread :)
4 - Melanie S.: I am not particularly bowled over by Bertucci's food, but when in a pinch to get something for dinner, their Margherita pizza is always a great standard. This location in particular gets a 4 star rating though for their great service. I recently ordered a pizza from this location for take out completely forgetting that earlier that day it had been MIT's graduation. When I arrived to pick up my pizza, the restaurant was absolutely packed and the hostess could not find my order anywhere. To make up for the mishap, they sent me off with a free pizza of my choice and freshly backed rolls. Thank you Bertucci's! Now that is service!!
3 - Melissa W.: Oddly enough, it's not bad.  The atmosphere seriously needs help (it kinda feels like a pizza hut in there...), but the pizza is pretty good - and I've tried about 8 different ones.  And the rolls are REALLY good when they are fresh and warm.  But the atmosphere.... eh.  I'll bring my grandma there or order out.
2 - Trish F.: Friend 'o' Trish: Uh.. my chicken isn't cooked. 
Waiter: Yes. 
Friend 'o' Trish: See.. the inside.. it's pink.
Waiter: Soo... you want another one? 

I know you're a chain Bertucci's.. but c'mon now. You can't properly microwave the chicken for your heavily advertised chicken marsala? 

I had a spinach salad with grilled chicken and it was like the onion monster attacked it. Even after removing the.. oh.. 4 or 5 onions that were maimed to make my salad.. the  onion taste dominated the spinach and I couldn't handle it. 

They got good rolls though... when you do take out ask for extra. Say you're serving a ton of people. See. End on a happy note.
2 - Chris Y.: Marginal at best.

Service: Amateur, chaotic, clueless
Food: Generic, mass-produced, tastes microwaved, bland, boring, etc.
Not terrible, and cheap, but c'mon, when there's so many good places close by, why would you choose Bertucci's? I cringe whenever I hear the well-rehearsed "Hi guys, my name is _____, and I'll be taking care of you this evening" shpiel. On the plus side, the bread service is good, but their ciabatta had no crust to it...
Popular with large groups from the surrounding biotech companies.
Please, go to Cuchi-Cuchi instead, and join me in my boycott of bad chain restaurants.
3 - Josh V.: I suppose before I begin that I'm going to have to explain my rating - 3 stars for this? Well, I have nothing but good things to say about this place, but after reading all of the reviews I realize that most of them reflect not the absolute quality of the restaurant but only this specific instance of Bertucci's the chain. In conclusion the grain of salt with today's review is: I am a student, not so well traveled in Boston but with an eye out for something worth eating, and am rating this place based on the other Italian food I've eaten before.

So Bertucci's at MIT? I've certainly been to better ones - this one is located in a sketchy corner in sketchy Cambridge and has a subway running underneath it, so you'll occasionally have that feeling of a train passing underneath that I usually associate with Manhattan - but the inside of this restaurant is still cozy. Admittedly, they could do a better job of making it more lively, but with the restaurant crowded (usually it is, whenever I come) there's no shortage of life. 

There's no need to comment on the food - the rolls, pizza, pasta and friends are exactly to the Bertucci's standard. Yes, I know Bertucci's is fake Italian food, but it's good fake Italian food. Also, this particular restaurant is great for large groups of people. They're pretty much used to it - I remember seeing three different MIT sports teams there at the same time.

I guess in the end I'd have to say if you're looking for student food, you certainly won't find better.
3 - Alena D.: Oh the rolls.

Unfortunately after too many people abused their hospitality, Bertucci's only serves rolls after you order an entree now.  That sucks.

So this is what I do sometimes when the craving becomes too much.  Order a pizza, any kind.  Don't order anything else.  The food here is crap.  The pasta is disgusting, nothing else off the menu is worth ingesting.  So order a pizza.

When the waiter asks if you would like some rolls, indulge.  Eat as many as you like.  Ask for refills over and over and over again.  When your sated, ask for the pizza to go, tomorrow you'll have decent leftovers.  

I'm not sure how they bake these, but the rolls are worth ordering food from Bertucci's.  Otherwise, they would have nothing going for them.
3 - Daniel M.: Hrmm.

I've somehow managed to avoid Bertucci's since moving out here despite the random rabid fans insisting I MUST try them out.  So anyhow, I ended up here for a little din.

Not bad.
Not great, but not bad.  

That seems to be the problem/benefit of most chains.  You know you're not likely to hate what you've received but you likely won't remember it either. 

Service was awkward but mostly competent.  The server tended to reach right in front of people which I don't care for.  Don't get me wrong, I can give two shakes if I'm served from the left or right but if I'm watching to make sure your shirt doesn't dip in to my marinara you might need a bit more training.  

I had the four cheese ravioli and it was not too bad.  Not too good but...you get it.  I did like that they didn't drown the pasta in sauce.  Good job there.  

The real stand out from the meal was the rolls.  I get it, they're really good.  Maybe I had three.  Maybe.  In the end I think the rolls may have earned a whole star on their own.  

Would I go back?  Sure.  I have a feeling I'll need a roll fix.
1 - emily m.: The service is always brainscattered and takes forever. I do usually go with a large group of people, which I'm sure is part of the problem, but you'd think the place would be able to handle groups. 

Their lunch specials are a bad deal, for the most part. Their rolls are addictively good and their pizza's are tasty. Ordering was a bit like when you go through the McDonalds drive thru and check your bag right when you get it to make sure it's all there and the order's not messed up. My friends ordered a large pizza to split and somehow the waiter thought they ordered a personal pizza to split. 

The most recent time I was there the manager wanted to see an additional ID from me because I have an out of state license. This is something I've experienced before at the bars and clubs downtown, but not at Bertucci's on main street.
2 - Paul M.: I've been to several different Bertucci's, and my experience has usually been pleasant.  This was not the case when I ate here.

The service was marginal at best.  Our waitress was new, so I have to give her the benefit of the doubt, but still...  let's just say I've had more professional service from the peanut vendors at Fenway.

I ordered the Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo w/ asparagus--  and received a pile of noodles with some undercooked white meat and unidentifiable brown vegetables on top, doused in water sauce.

What is it that keeps me from giving this place one star?  The rolls.  They were orgasmic, as usual.
1 - Tom v.: Bleah !   

Took a friend there, visiting from Florida last weekend.   The delicious food of yesteryear is gone, replaced by bland, pasty crud, the decor is 30 years old and looks every  bit of it  (think:  HoJo's, mid '70's) and the service took FOREVER.   There's something disquieting about being kept waiting for 56 minutes after you've finished your meal, before the waitress is finally near enough for you to be able to flag her down.    I wanted to leave her a tip of 56 cents.  My softhearted friend was more generous than I would have been under the circumstances.
2 - Chanpon N.: It's a Bertucci's with the world's most brain-dead waitstaff.  What is it with this place?  Read the reviews, and you can see it's not only me.  Every single waiter we've had here (and it's been a different person each time) either takes FOREVER to take your order, deliver your order, bring you your check, or give you change or your credit card receipt or all combinations of those.  Who trains these people - how can every single one turn out to be so friggin pokey??  For an area that's dying for more lunch time options, they seem to operate on a model to discourage as many patrons who actually need to return to work at a reasonable hour.

If you have a serious craving for their roles or for their specialty pizzas, do yourself a favor and visit one of their other stores.   Other than that, plan to spend 2 hours here for chain food.
2 - Stephanie W.: I've been here a few times. The service was never very good, the food just decent. Definitely not my first choice for pizza or Italian.
3 - Geraldine K.: Woo hoo! This was my go-to place for takeout and pizza dining throughout college and even afterwards when I happened to be in the Boston/Cambridge area.  The hot rolls they serve with salads are enough to fill you even before your mains / entrees / pizza arrive.  You can ask for more and they'll give those rolls to you on the go.  Food is copious (perfect for students) and pizzas are decent.  I have usually ordered pizza with seafood or shrimp toppings.  Service has almost always been pleasant and the ambiance is super casual.  Since Bertucci's is known for their "brick oven pizza", I've always stuck to its flagship dish after deviating once, only to have discovered that I'm better off not ordering their non-pizza items.

One thing I should note is that the quality of food seems to have slowly deteriorated over the years.  I'll be conservative and stick to 3 stars.
3 - Courtney H.: I love Bertucci's pizza, their sangria, and their rolls. All three were great at this location.

I am not fond of this particular location, however, because of the service. Don't get me wrong, no one was rude, but it seemed a little off. Also, when I went up to the take-out guy to ask if he could break two twenties so that we could pay our bill, he immediately got all defensive about how he didn't if know he had change, etc. Again, he wasn't rude, but it was a little off-putting.

This is not the first Bertucci's location I would choose, but if you are in Central Square/MIT-land and Bertucci's is what you want, then it's fine.
1 - Jonathan D.: I would normally think of a Bertucci's as a 3-star sort of place... Somewhere that you could go in a pinch and get some half-decent food from a fairly predictable menu. 

There is something however about this particular one that absolutely fails. I have had to give up going here after multiple instances of wait staff that forget about you and your food order that sits on the counter getting cold before it makes it to your table. We have had been served pizzas where the dough in the middle is raw (no, not soggy, raw). 

The final blow was one day when it was just too hot to cook, and for some reason we were compelled to give it a last chance. We were seated, placed our order and got our drinks. Once we had settled in I noticed that it was quite warm in there. It ends up that their AC was broken, but I guess they couldn't be bothered to tell us when we came in. 

I can only guess that whoever runs this location just doesn't give a damn and that their attitude is reflected in the people who  stay around to work there.
1 - Zach S.: I've visited this Bertucci's a few times this summer. The first was great (see my previous review). The second wasn't quite as good, but it was busy and not a big enough difference to warrant updating my review. Tonight was absolutely terrible. It was one of the worst experiences I've ever had at a restaurant.

I arrived around 8:30. I had spent a minute or two looking over my menu when my server, Edson, stopped by to introduce himself and drop off the dipping oil for the rolls. I placed my drink order and told him I'd need a few more minutes to decide on my order. He brings the rolls out, I place my order, a few minutes later my soda comes out; everything seems to be going well. 
I eat a roll and run out of soda. I slide it to the edge of the table. Eating slowly, I start in on another roll and eventually catch him as he's passing by and ask for a refill. A few minutes pass and I'm still sitting there with an empty glass, but he's no where to be seen. Eventually, he walks by again and I remind him about the refill. He apologizes for the delay and grabs it.
About ten minutes after I placed my order, my salad come out. I start in. A half dozen bites later (around a quarter of the way through the salad), the main course comes out. I finish my salad and second soda, slide both to the edge of the table, and start in on my main course. I keep an eye out for my server, but he doesn't stop to refill my glass or to check on things. After two glasses, I wasn't very thirsty, but it was a bit annoying.
At around 9:00, I finish about two thirds of my main course and am full. I slide it to the middle of the table, and start looking for my server. I can't remember exactly what he was doing, but it was far enough away that I couldn't wave him over, so I take my napkin from my lap and set it where my plate was, assuming that would signal that I was done eating. Ten minutes pass, and one of the other waiters stops to ask if I'd like him to get my server for me.
Edson finally stops by (at 9:11) and I ask for the remaining third to go with a couple of rolls. A few minutes later, he drops off a bag with the leftovers. A few minutes after that he stops by to apologize for the wair on the check, citing computer issues. A few minutes after that, he drops off the check. I read the check, notice there's a mistake (the pasta dishes come with a half insulata for $2.99, the bill had the full $4.99 price), and try to get his attention. I don't get his attention, but one of the waitresses notices and tells me she'll get him for me. He stops by, and I point out the error, which he tries to explain away. I ask to see a menu, point to the price, and he says he'll have to talk to his manager. While he's gone, I notice that the to-go bag didn't have the rolls I asked for. When he gets back with the corrected check, I remind him about the rolls, which he apologizes for forgetting. He disappears, a few minutes pass, he reappears, walks by the table, does a double take, says "Oh! The rolls!", and goes to get them. When he delivers the rolls, I hand back the bill with a credit card and ask to see a manger.
9:45. A few minutes pass, and a nice lady shows up (she introduced herself and told me her title, both of which I couldn't quite make out) and asks me what my issue was. I explain a subset of the above (the refill issues, the poor timing, and the fact that it has been half an hour since I asked for the bill), and she offers to give me some sort of discount (which turned out to be 30% off).
I sign the receipt, and head for the door. My server sees me heading out, and holds the door for me.

It's nice that they tried to make up for it in the end (with the discount and by holding the door), but I don't think I'll be going back - they aren't my stories to tell, and I don't have all of the details, but based on the number of apologies I was overhearing the server make, it didn't sound like the parties on either side of me were having a much better experience.

Food: 3/5
Service: 0/5
2 - Jing M.: My co-workers and I order out all the time. Most of the time we order from this Bertucci's, it's the longest wait ever. we waited 2hrs once for a deliver! Normally, we normally eat around 12, so we have to order it around 11 and it'll be get around 12:00pm. So much planning!

The only reason why iorder from here because my co-workers love this place.
3 - Katie G.: This is my friends and my typical meet up spot when people are around and in town.  The restaurant seated a group of 11 comfortably and the service was attentive and friendly.  Be careful about going around Valentine's day though...they will totally try to sell you their $19.99 cabernet sauvignon.

Still a solid eatery.  Will continue to go here with friends.  :-)
3 - Adrienne M.: This is a very standard Bertucci's, and Bertucci's is always dependable for delicious rolls and tasty but not terribly exciting pizza and pasta.   I came here with a group of 11 last night and they did an excellent job of accommodating us.   They had the table ready 20 minutes before the reservation, so those of us who showed up early were able to sit down and start munching on rolls, which really nice.   The service was prompt and very friendly, although they kept trying to plug a bottle of wine they were selling in honor of v-day.   They also had our entire party in and out in just over an hour, which is pretty impressive.

Pizzas and pastas are standard chain Italian fare - tasty and filling but not anything to write home about.   At about $10-$15 an entree on average, its hard to complain though.  The best thing Bertucci's has going for them food-wise is of course their famous rolls, served warm right out of the oven with olive oil.  Mmmm.
2 - Shradha A.: More than "I've experienced better" - I think I was expecting/hoping for better. Staying around the corner for a conference and after a long day, just wanted decent but quick food for 4 starving stomachs. 

The service was slow (15 minutes to get water out) and the food was very mediocre (bread, pizza, pasta, dessert). The flavors on the pizza just weren't balanced right (with garlic and sage overpowering the sun-dried tomatoes and fresh mozzarella).
5 - Beth F.: Great Pizza!  Free delivery.  They have amazing roles and pizza and are always reliable and quick to deliver.  They are my go too pizza spot!
3 - Helen T.: There really needs to be some pictures up for their food...

Solid pizza and salads. Pretty cheap from what I remembered.
4 - Ja H.: Great for American chain fare. Fresh food, reliable service.
5 - Cathy F.: No Matter where we travel, we always look for a Bertucci's. With 30 Pages worth of Food Allergies, I will be forever grateful for their Gluten Free Menu. They will also take out, or adjust anything that you can not eat. It is very Food Allergy Friendly, and all meals can be modified. Bless their heart. It is hard to find a restaurant that I can eat at. It is delicious food, hot, and fresh. We are regulars in almost every state we visit.
5 - Alex S.: I had a memorable dining experience here. I usually come here with the team now and then, but yesterday was different. I ordered a pepperoni and green pepper pizza that was seriously one of the best pizzas I have ever eaten. The ingredients were fresh and flavorful. There was something ineffable about the crust; hearty and floury with a tangible flavor. It all went down so smoothly; it really hit the spot. The tiramisu I had afterwards was a nice complement; it made me even happier. Food happiness is one of the best kinds of happy.

Service was slow at times, especially as we were dying for their delicious rolls, but our waiter was very courteous. We could have left earlier if they had been faster. 

But still, the pizza was so good. You have to try it (I'd recommend the individual size and eating in as opposed to take-out.) Their specialty pizzas look amazing. 

I have also tried their pasta and meatball. Meatball tastes great! Kind of wish they had a larger entree with sausage (only some entrees have sausage as a side feature.) Desserts were well-received by my friends.
1 - Josephine P.: This place is so bizarre.
My agency orders from this place almost every month and yet every time they pick up the phone, they act like they have no idea how to work their own computers or take orders.
I recognize their voices, I know it's the same people on the other line, but I feel like every time I order, they come up with a new rule that didn't exist before. Last time it was that I had to have a $100 minimum per order for corporate deliveries, and the time before that was that I could not create my own pasta dish...even thought we have been doing it for the past 3-4 years. Mind you, always the same person who picks up... 
And then when the orders arrive (even after they repeat the order to me over the phone), all of the dishes are wrong...
They're nice people, don't get me wrong. But I just don't understand why they can't get their act straight. I have been in there personally as well and they are not a busy place in-house. I mean, I just don't get it. I really REALLY want to understand why they suddenly get amnesia every time they answer their phones. 
I would just like ONCE for them to make ordering from them quick and painless and to not get asked by my boss why every order we made was incorrect....
1 - Ella C.: Now I know why I don't go here despite it being near work.

We were seated by a rather ornery and pissed off acting hostess, who was very put off by the fact that we walked through the door.  I don't know if she purposely put us out of the eye of servers, but after about 10 minutes of sitting there, we still were not served.  I really think it was a case of fat on fat hate or chunky girl envy... I don't know what her problem was, but she was nice to every other group of people who walked in, but not to the two chunky girls who are dressed nicely looking for a quick lunch.

We seriously watched other people who walked in after us get seated and begin to order, and we still had yet to even order drinks. What I noticed while we were waiting: my menu pages stuck together.  Gross.  I'm really hoping that it was just food and not that some chunky guy took them out back and had a good time with the pizza pictures.  My table was disgustingly dirty.  Double gross.  The hostess also didn't remove the unused silverware from any table she was at, so I'm assuming that if it's not used, it's likely just sitting out there and waiting for the next party.  I'm now worried I'll have a case of giardia.

Finally someone took pity on us and asked if we had been helped.  She took our drink orders and then tried to figure out who was supposed to be waiting on us and just ended up doing it herself.  Thankfully she decided to come over because we'd likely still be sitting there.   Actually, no... I was ready to leave right as she walked up to our table.  Good save.

Everything from there on out took forever, but I can't blame the server who added us to her list of people she was helping.   The food was good and typical Bertucci's.  Bread and salad with the caloric intake of a Snicker's bar and pizza with some delightful toppings.

Towards the end of the meal we were literally trying to flag down people to track down our bill.  No dice then on finding anyone until we managed to catch one guy's eye and he found our server for us.  Seriously took us about 10 minutes because it was like server exodus in the dining area.

A meal that should have taken only 30 minutes took over an hour.  The only time I'm EVER in a rush to eat is when I'm at lunch during work.  I felt a little bad leaving a dollar tip because the girl who did serve us helped as best she could (and was clearly overworked), but we really were going to leave without putting down a tip at all.  This was our compromise.

It kind of bothered me that as we were leaving, the hostess grunted at us as we left.  Was this Wookiee for goodbye?   I know I am a scientist and work in the nerdiest square mile in America, but I didn't even see that movie until I was trying to impress a guy in 2005;  I definitely don't speak the language.

Just an awful all-around experience.
4 - Ken M.: The service we received from our waitress at this location was STELLAR and earned all the stars. You cannot beat the rolls. 

I tried the Tuscan Chicken Rollino, which was chicken and spinach with avocado in a flatbread. It was okay, but I should have known it wouldn't be up to Bertucci's standards as it is not really Italian.

For dessert, we had the apple cranberry crostata, which did not look promising (a little too beige), was very tasty. Could maybe have used a touch of something creamy (whipped cream, ice cream, something).

Clean and quiet location. Much better option than the tiny Harvard Square location if you can schlep down to Central Square.
1 - Rebecca V.: Extremely Disappointed.

My date had asked what I was craving for dinner on a Saturday evening, and I really wanted Italian food. He suggested Bertucci's and off we went. We were seated immediately and eagerly searched the menu for what we wanted to order. Well... 10 minutes passed and our server was nowhere in sight. He finally came and we ordered our drinks and dinners ... no big deal, but already impatient with the service.

I had ordered the Chicken Parma and asked for penne instead of spaghetti ... a personal preference. 

We got our drinks and chatted over the delicious bread. (always good).

Our salads were forgotten.

My Chicken Parma was overcooked and hard to cut -- the breading just fell off and I had overcooked chicken over a bed of SPAGHETTI. No one showed up for about 10 minutes, so at that point I wasn't going to send it back.

Our server walked by a few times but ignored and us never asked if I wanted another glass of wine. (I am not one to flag a server down). At the end of the meal, he didn't try to give us the dessert menu, it was basically an afterthought .... clearly unmotivated to care for his clients or make the most tip he can.

I should've gotten a pizza. I won't be going there again.
2 - Curious V.: I used to be a big Bertucci's fan.  Decent Italian food for a chain restaurant.  However, the quality at this location has gone way downhill.

It took almost 10 minutes before anyone even came over to our table.  We didn't even know who our server was.  When the food finally came, the quality was mediocre at best.  My dish seemed like something I would make at home by dropping frozen ravioli into a pot and later adding some bland marinara sauce.

They forgot to bring our salads out and messed up more than a couple of our orders.

I'm not sure what happened here.  I won't be coming back any time soon.
3 - Callie K.: My friends and I dragged ourselves off the couch on a lazy Sunday evening for some good old Italian fare. We eschewed several local standbys for the comfort of our favorite chain. Why venture the half mile to Basta Pasta when you can have warm, mass-produced rolls at your fingertips? We were greeted by a confused young male who seemed to be unable to navigate his seating cart. He consulted his manager a couple times before seating us in a dark booth beside what looked like MIT freshman dorm night. We squinted at and pondered our menus before starting things off with some jazzed-up mozzarella sticks, and an assortment of house and caesar salads. The mozz sticks and the caesar salads were downright delectable but my friend's house salad was way iceberged out. My dining companion and I ordered a large pizza with fire-roasted red peppers, artichokes, and eggplant. Our server, Fleurian, waltzed the pie out proudly and said our pizza looked so delectable that he was tempted to sit right down next to us. The pie did not disappointed; the crust was cooked to perfection and the veggies were roasted evenly. My other dining companion ordered a side of rigatoni with red sauce for her entree and, much to our dismay, the pasta was cold! It tasted as if it had been sitting out for over ten minutes. But, polite diners that we are, we sucked it up and let Fleurian go about his Sunday night business. I'd return, though, to chow down on some of that top-notch pizza and to be seduced by Fleurian's dreamy smile.
5 - Cris E.: This has always been my favorite pizza since I was a little girl! Consistently yummy!
3 - Philip H.: Great value but service could be better...

This is a 3.5 star place where the menu has steadily improved over the years but the service hasn't.  I'm not sure what's up with the management, but it seems like all the waiters are new every time I come.  Does anyone else feel this way???

During my years at MIT Sloan, there was always a lot of free Bertucci on campus, but it was always the same stuff, a boring 1 topping pizza or cheese and BAGS of rolls, so many that there would be leftovers the next day that had hardened up and gone stale.

After I graduated, I started coming here for lunch and dinner and it's always been a go-to when I'm craving something in between the North End and going to a hole-in-the-wall pizza joint.

Lunch is a great deal because they give you unlimited salad as well as rolls.  The rolls are always hot and freshly baked and it comes with seasoned olive oil.  Also, I love how they have black pepper AND salt grinders on the table.  Freshly cracked pepper and salt really make it for me.

Some of my favs here are the Silano (chicken & broccoli w/ lemon wedges), Pizza Verde (Arugula & Proscuitto w/ balsamic nectar), Ultimate Bertucci (Pizza divided in 4 with 4 different toppings), Rigatoni Abruzzi, and Roasted Tuscan Veggies.
2 - Nicole F.: I went here on a Friday night with about 15 hungry runners. I was happy with our ability to sit, though pressed together, at one table, given the place was totally crowded. Little did I know that turned out to be the most imPRESSive part of the meal. (see what I did there?)

I was told by a local and read on Yelp to get the pizza. I had the Stella pizza, which was advertised as having eggplant and mushrooms on it. Maybe they were running out of eggplant or couldn't tell the difference (both are brown), because I had about 80% mushrooms, 20% eggplant. Oh well, it tasted alright. 

Now, getting worse...I'm not sure what part of chicken broth with some chunks of garlic spells "white wine sauce" for whoever made the chicken/broccoli/rigatoni dish that 75% of the table had. Fortunately, it was somewhat salvageable with a bunch of grated cheese and salt. I actually think pasta water would've made a more flavorful sauce. I will certainly seek better options next time I need cheap Italian for a large group!
2 - Cinful B.: Ordered from Bertucci's Kendall tonight from my job. Never been so disappointed. They took almost 2 hours. The food came and it was cold, and had items missing. They did come back but that was someones dinner they had to wait another 40 minutes. The staff was very nice, maybe they were just overwhelmed on this particular Wednesday. I was hoping the food would be better considering the price and the wait... this isn't the first time I had a bad experience with Bertucci's.
2 - Halle R.: There's nothing terrible about this place, but it suffers from several things:
1. Prices definitely not worth the quality of food and service. Depending on what you order, you can get a less expensive dinner from Eastern Standard across the street, which has incomparably better food and service. Sure, the pasta portions are huge, but few of us really need 1200 calories of straight carbs in one sitting- and it's not even worth the price if you use leftovers the next day. 
2. Service is moderately slow. I've never seen it be awful, but the few times I come I end up spending more time here than I really want because I can't get the waiter when I need him/her.
3. Food is really just meh. The spaghetti and rolls are good, but nothing really ever stands out as delicious. You can get much better Italian in this city.
1 - Anthony L.: This was probably the WORST restaurant experience ever! 

- Waitress said 10 words, at most, to us 
- Food was disgusting and cold
- Took 10 minutes, at least, to get our beverages (she only had one other table)
- Took 20 minutes to get our check
- Took another 10 minutes to split our check

Worst of all, though, was when we paid for cash she never brought back our change! I am dumbfounded that she was about to take over $50.00 from 3 people as a tip. When we asked for our change back she said "Oh, you actually *want* your change?!" (which was the most she said in one sentence). 

There's a reason why this restaurant is never packed... you're in Cambridge, go somewhere else, folks!
2 - Rebecca L.: I really wish I could give this Bertucci's a better review. I came here for lunch with a friend and ordered the bottomless soup and salad. Before I could even tell the waitress which soup and salad I wanted, she walked away. Then I had to wait another 10 minutes for her to realize that she needed to know my preferences. When she finally brought us the food, she forgot to check on us and see how we were doing. I wanted more salad but I couldn't find her to get more. It was really frustrating! 

At the end of the meal she forgot to come and take the credit card from us and it literally took us 20 minutes to pay. I know I shouldn't rate a restaurant off of one waitress, but the whole experience was so long and frustrating that I really will not come here again.
3 - Christina M.: Bertucci's is a decent Italian chain restaurant that can please a variety of different taste. The food won't knock your socks off, but it's good, relatively inexpensive, and will definitely fill you up. Granted, there are plenty of better Italian options around the city, but if you're going to go down the food chain route, I would definitely recommend this location in particular. It's never full, so whether you arrive on a peek night or show up with a big party unexpected, you can count on quick seating, friendly service, and a stress-free meal. Stick to their pizza and calzones and you won't be disappointed. If you venture further than that, you may be taking a risk.
3 - Chris M.: Strolled into this place for a sunday easter brunch with the SO.   The staff was minimal, service was OK, food was standard.   The server was very helpful and the food came out to ordered. 

Overall a decent dining experience.  I mean it's bertucci's its a chain, there isn't much to say.
3 - Lisa R.: My department does an annual pizza party thing for our last week of the semester every year, and this year I decided to give Bertucci's a try.

I needed enough food for 30 people, and thought that six of the Roman pizzas would be enough. I was way off. Unfortunately, they also forgot to include the rolls that I ordered with the pizza, so we really didn't have enough food. The delivery guy was also late.

Other than that the pizza was delicious. I had some with the mushrooms, and it was really really good. I would order from them again, but know that the descriptions on their menu are not fully accurate and order more.
4 - Shendi X.: The Ultimate Bertucci pizza is a thing of wonder. Awe - delicious.
3 - Fred H.: Tasty thin-crust, fire oven pizzas.  It's only a block or too from the T-stop.  We went there for lunch.  The prices seemed a little high (about $10 for a personal pizza and $20 for a large pizza), but our waitress mentioned they were doing $10 for a 1-topping large so that made the total price more reasonable.  We ordered a large pepperoni for the kids and an individual specialty pizza for us parents.  That was just enough to fill up everyone (with an extra slice or two remaining) for an afternoon of exploring and fun.
3 - Pjay S.: Well I have been going to Bertucci's in Newton Ma and many others through out the area now I have been GLUTEN FREE for the past 2 years so I asked at first if they had a GLUTEN FREE menu they said no so I managed to order foods without bread crumbs no pasta no pizza basically just salads grilled chicken  

Now they have GLUTEN FREE menu but it is a disgrace to think that it would be so limited when other dining places have a large menu Bertucci's don't offer GLUTEN Free Pasta pizza rolls or a breaded eggplant chicken 
I cannot believe they can be so shallow about this every time I hear or get email from the corporate office is that sorry but we are trying to expand our menu and in the near future have more items available 
So what they are saying it's not going to happen this year near future that is just a way of trying to get out of it they do not want to spend the money for gluten free items  and really do not want to please the customers that have a GLUTEN ALLERGY

This is very unfair

Berwyn Cafe - College Park, MD (38.994807, -76.9258282) ()
3 - Eric P.: Incredibly funky vegetarian restaurant in College Park.  This reminds me more of hole in the wall hippie food places in California than anything else I've experienced yet on the east coast...

My low expectations were exceeded by leaps and bounds -- the food was quite good!
3 - Kristy L.: Berwyn Cafe is one of those places where you have to prepare people before they enter.  In fact, I recommend that this not be the place that you take your parents to show them that being vegetarian/vegan isn't so weird after all.  The set-up is such that you are walking into the house of your stoner, vegetarian uncle who can't get over the '60s and is sitting there jamming with his friends in the living room.  Literally.  Usually, the first that you see when you walk in the front door of this converted house are a few middle-aged musicians playing banjos and singing songs about nonsense for your "entertainment."  Not very entertaining.  You order at the counter in the back and eat off of paper plates on a random assortment of seating.  I actually have no complaints about the food, although I have only ever eaten here on Sundays for the vegan breakfast dishes - pancakes, tofu scrambler, etc...  I really like it.  But I don't like being forced outside just so that I can talk to my friends while I eat.  Maybe I just need to chill out and smoke some of the banjo players' weed. Oh, by the way, I am also pretty sure that they only take cash.
3 - Andrea L.: Berwyn Cafe is a salad  of a nameless European immigrant's cooking, Santa Cruz type clientele and the shabby, sun-withered glory of the third world all tossed together in a Berwyn Heights house.

That said, the hearty sandwiches served with a bit of salad are pure satisfaction.  Do not bother with their "lasagna."  The food, along with tea or a can of Spritzer, is best enjoyed outside in that good ole Maryland weather.  Just know that they have weird hours and are closed sometimes - better check the website.
4 - Jade T.: I've been meaning to dine at Berwyn Cafe for quite some time. It's a very modest and casual eatery located in a quiet neighborhood of College Park. The prices are very reasonable for the portions. I had the BBQ Tofu (with organic corn chips and pickle). The tofu had good texture (it's more chicken-y when it's frozen and then cooked) and the red onions gave an extra zip to the already tangy bbq sauce. I really enjoyed my wrap. Curtis had the falafel wrap. It lacked a little bit of seasoning, but he thought it was very delicious overall. I will definitely return to Berwyn Cafe for their Saturday brunch.
4 - Dawn H.: Berwyn Cafe has amazing food that is not prepared on an off site facility.  Everything is made on site , and is delicious.  The Falafel with Lemon Tahini sauce is my favorite, and after that, probably the Tofu Gyro.  Plus for Sat brunch, they give you the option of Tofu eggs in the place of real eggs.

What strikes me the most, is the lack of pretense, and the diversity of the clientele.  This place is not just for hipsters.  Everyone is welcome.  If you want expensive, trendy Vegetarian/Vegan food, maybe this is not your scene.
5 - Prince G.: I love this place.  A great place to spend time on a rainy day with a crossword puzzle of something to read.  Tasty vegetarian food, a nice vibe.  Best to go when the two guys are playing music.

Let's be clear--this is place is a dive.  The decor is... well, I'm not sure that you can use "decor" to describe the basic interior.  But the food is cheap, it tastes good, and you'll feel good too.

Worth the two mile trek after a trip to Ikea, or whatever brings you this way.  They don't have a place like this in your neighborhood.
5 - Devi J.: This is a great vegetarian spot. Very low-key and casual. Basic seating arrangements, but a great menu. They usually select an entree or two to be the daily special and then have a good menu to choose from as well. The food is fresh, tasty, and healthy.  I've nevered ordered anything I didn't enjoy.  Really good bbq tofu, tempeh and blt burgers, and potato salad. The people who run the place are really kind too and they usually have a a nice vibe soundtrack playing in the background.
5 - Consumer W.: They have an amazing falafel and Gyro. It's all completely homemade from scrtach. The falafel is Amsterdam worthy. They put in the right mixture of spices, even a touch of cinnamon, suprising but wonderful! The Gyro is probably my fav. They sliver tofu and marinade it in spices. I believe I detected soy sauce, ginger and chili flakes. I would also reccomend their fresh juiced fruits and veggies. It's magic.

The cafe is a little tucked away near the heart of college park but it is worth the trip. I love the atmosphere from the R2D2 bathroom trash can to the church pews used for seating. 

It's a small family owned cafe with a wide selection of vegetarian offerrings. The food, desert and drinks are amazing. The service is great too.
4 - Maisha H.: What a peaceful little cafe tucked away in a quiet neighborhood adjacent to the University of MD campus. You see lots of students coming in and out for the daily specials.

I ordered falafel and red lentil soup. The soup was very flavorful and well seasoned! I also had an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie which was just alright. 

I enjoyed the peace and quiet while I used the comp wi-fi. 

Tip: Make sure you bring cash because theirs a minimum to use debit.  However, the kind owner waved the charge for me. The service was great.
5 - kim c.: This and Shagga are the only really good vegetarian food I've found in the College Park area.  I've never had anything that wasn't great here,  and it's a nice place to sit and have coffee/work too, as long as there's no live music at the time (in which case, I suggest to go).  Especially recommended: tofu gyro and vegan breakfast burrito.  Coffee is a little lame, but they still get 5 stars because it's CP and the food's so good, plus it's an independent business with character.
5 - Holly J.: Hidden gem! I love this place. It's the perfect small business you want to support everyday. The wife takes your order while the husband prepares your food. All vegetarian. Sometimes they have jazz performances. The feeling inside is very India.Arie. I love it here. I always order the BBQ Tofu wrap. The portions are enormous. You will leave full!
4 - Heff M.: Paint me green and call me Lucky.  Two outstanding lunch spot discoveries in less than 72 hours.  This is one of those slightly eccentric joints that might be perceived almost as a parody of itself.  A cafe with an all vegetarian menu, live folk music while we dined, it has all the trimmings of a coffeehouse in a more remote college town.

You won't miss the meat.  They know how to make tofu and tempeh taste better than the ham at most other local sandwich shops.  I had the deluxe and it was very fresh and tasty.  This type of execution is how people get addicted to vegetarian eating.  Taking a break from meat a few meals a week is important for your health and the environment, and Berwyn Cafe makes it easy to accomplish.
4 - Jeff M.: Great vegetarian breakfast!  Had the combo, which included one pancake, tofu scramble, potato/sweet potato fries, fruit, toast and veggie sausage.  Was a ton of food, left quite full!  The fruit was not quite what I was thinking, but it didnt really say.  The fruit was two slices of oranges and two slices of apples.  Pancake was yummy, had blueberries and some kind of oats and/or grains. Hadn't thought of making tofu like this.  Think I will try it at home.  
Overall food was good.  Service was a little slow, but well worth the wait.
5 - Adam J.: This place is great. The fact that this type of establishment, located in a university district, is not loaded with college students is just a testament to how boring the student body at UM really is. That said, this place is great! Laid back, tucked away, and good food....what more do you need?
3 - Grace Y.: I came here for brunch with a friend before church on a Sunday. I used to live like two blocks down from here when I was a sophomore undergrad and I never even knew this place existed. The cafe presented itself as a quiet and unassuming little joint, hidden away in an equally quiet neighborhood. The ambience is very humble and no-frills!

This place is A-OK with three stars because the food wasn't anything phenomenal. It was stuff I could have easily made at home. I had the vegetarian burrito and half way through scarfing it, I realized the tortilla wasn't made of whole wheat as the description on the whiteboard had promised. This wouldn't have been such a big deal if I hadn't been on the Daniel's fast for the lent season. But it really did bug me since I had been following the fast to the best of my ability. 

It's a place I had been meaning to check out. If I'm in the area and the co-op on campus is closed for some reason, then I might stop by here again--but probably not.
5 - Daniel K.: This is the best vegan restaurant around.  All of their food is fresh and delicious.  They do freshly juiced veggies as well.  I love their BBQ tofu and their sampler platter with amazing falafel and hummus.
4 - ivonna s.: This place is really a hidden gem.  It sits right in the middle of what appears to be a quiet neighborhood.  On my first trip I actually passed it twice on my way there. Its self seating with a choice of outside or in, and it is a very relaxed casual spot.    It's all vegetarian which is a plus because many places that offer vegetarian food also sell meat and your tofu may be cooked in the same pan as someone else's shrimp. That sort of thing doesn't bother me but it's a turn off for some people.  

So on to the food.  Really good food for a really good price (everything is under $10.00).  The portions are good too, I was full.... and I'm the greedy never have a doggie-bag to take home type :-).  I usually get the sampler which will run you around $9.00 plus tax and it comes with tofu, brown rice, hummus, falafel, salad and pita bread.  It's a lot of food :-)  and it's so good. Try it you'll like it.
4 - Stuart L.: I don't really think too highly of College Park, but I agree that if there were a few more awesome places like this tucked away it would be a lot better for the area. Even if you're not a vegan/vegetarian this place is just a great local business that is what a college town needs. 

The food is great but not absolutely fantastic, I thought the BBQ tofu had a great flavor but it was a little bit on the dry side. Their breakfast is mmm-mmm-good. The atmosphere is really chilled out, and they have what appears to be a low-key open mic night that I've never been to (granted, they close pretty early so it's probably more of an open mic early evening). Free wifi so it's good for students doing a little work on their lunchbreak.  Getting here on ye olde footcycle is relatively simply from my apartment and I really should come more often, so I might give back that extra star if I try out more of the menu. 

This place gets bonus points for rocking some Dr. John albums the last time I was there.
5 - Karen A.: Among all of the burrito joints, Chinese carryouts and bars, it's so refreshing to have a cafe with healthy vegetarian/vegan options made with fresh ingredients. If you are not sure of vegetarian/vegan meals, don't knock it 'til you try it. I once brought a friend here who ate nothing but meat and potatoes (her body rejects vegetables) and she loved it. 
My favorite meal is the combo platter which comes with hummus, a pita, falafels (SO good here), marinated tofu, and a salad (make sure you get the lemon tahini dressing). They also have various fruits/veggies you can choose from to make a custom juice, such as orange, carrot, ginger, etc. Also dessert is a must... the oatmeal cookies (I think they vegan) are some of my favorite cookies, and I am practically a cookie connoisseur. If I had to give this place a con it's that the owners have repeatedly refused to share their oatmeal cookie recipe with me!
1 - Terinee B.: I went here and this place looks like it is CLOSED for business.  The sign was not up anymore!
4 - Flaneuse D.: This place WAS a well-kept secret....too well kept, because it closed in Feb. 2011, not long after I learned about it.  Unfortunately.  (We showed up to eat there, only to find it was the closing party).  RIP Berwyn Cafe.

Best Buy - Princeton, NJ (40.3037138, -74.6800706) ()
1 - C S.: One would think that ordering something online for pick up would be an easy feat.  That the confirmation email followed by the almost  instantaneous "ready for pickup!" email would mean something.  

But no, not here.

I entered Best Buy and found the pick up section.  There was a woman who appeared to have been standing there for awhile with her printed receipts and credit card, patiently waiting for someone--anyone--to help her.  One blue shirted guy behind the counter looked up again, and decided to go for a walk.  Then another did the same thing.  Behind us there were blue shirted employees, ignoring customers.

20 minutes later I saw another employee.  "Excuse me, is anyone working here?"  Just her, but I'll see what I can do (the woman at returns/exchanges who spent 20+ minutes on someone else and then ignored that the 2 of us had been waiting patiently while she decided to help someone who just walked in).  The woman in front of me was helped.  30 minutes.

Finally the returns person decided I should have some assistance.  I was relieved and thought I'd be out in 5 minutes!  The box must be there behind the counter!  But no.  It wasn't there.  She called someone and was on hold for 5 minutes. I asked whether I should simply go and pick up the hard drive and take it to a regular counter--no, there's one somewhere with your name on it.  She decided to call inventory over the loud speaker.  They called back 2 minutes later, and showed up another 5 minutes later.

Over 45 minutes to pick up something that was supposed to be a simple 5 minute transaction.  There were at most 20 customers in the store, and at least 30 unhelpful employees. In the time I spent waiting, I could have gone through every aisle in the store a few times and checked out manually at least a dozen separate times.

To top it off, I missed having any lunch.  I hate this store.
3 - Elizabeth H.: Just another typical Best Buy.  It was relatively organized and well-stocked.  I went in to pick up a new charger for my macbook pro.  Although I passed by at least half a dozen employees, customer service was nonexistent, unless of course, you actually hunt one of them them and ask for help.  I knew exactly what I wanted, so I got in and out of there pretty quickly.  Despite the line, it moved fast.
2 - Josh P.: Haven't been overly impressed with this Best Buy location.
Always seems to be understaffed. Either that or most of the employees are hiding in the back somewhere!
Even when there seems to be a decent amount of sales associates on the sales floor 95% of them will just walk past you despite the fact you've been attempting to find some help or get someones attention.
The store usually has a pretty good selection of appliances, movies, computers, etc.
The only part of this store that I have had a pretty good experience with is their Geek Squad team who has done quite a few repairs to our computers and Wi Fi system in the home. They are pretty friendly and generally helpful with answering questions and notifying you when they complete the repairs.
Honestly, if you haven't had the opportunity or desire to check out this Best Buy store...you really aren't missing out on too much.
1 - L K.: I would give this store a 0 if I could.  Worst laptop (and insurance) buying experience ever.  Please do not buy your laptop/insurance from Best Buy---go straight to the source and buy from HP/Dell/Mac/Acer/etc instead.  All Best Buy added was a middle man that was more expensive, completely incompetent, useless, a waste of my time, and a waste of my potential productivity.
1 - Charles l.: The night mare  at best buy began when I bought two flat screens six weeks ago. The salesperson asked if I wanted to take them home. Since I was moving I asked if he could deliver them to my new address in 6 weeks. No problem! But I never trust these stores ( too many parts that just don't communicate ) so I called last week and Then again yesterday to confirm. No problem they said (my god I hate that expression) Delivery is set for new address (at the same time as Verizon and home theater guys were coming - Perfect)  Not quite. They  gave me a window of 8-1 so at 10 when he hadn't yet arrived I figured I'd just give them another call. Of course there is the usual questions verifying and documenting and checking the system and then always 5 minutes of hold time while they transfer you to someone "who can help you".  The  next associate came on and said "i'm sorry but I don't have a record of anything being delivered to your address today." What? How can that be? I just confirmed yesterday! I told her the name of the person and in which department she was. "well she said, I do see a delivery for you at"- She rattled off my old address. I said I don't live there anymore. I am moving today. That's why I didn't take the tvs home with me when I bought them. OK stay cool. Not going to let best buy raise my stress level. I explained that I had Verizon and sound guys coordinated for today's delivery of the tv's. I asked if she could have them rerouted. She said "let me go ahead and get you someone in central dspatch who can helP you with that and before I could respond, she was gone, like a dream. 5 more minutes. Then central dispatch which apparently is the brains of the operation. "Let me try to get that driver on the phone and see if we can do something". I let myself feel just   a little hopeful. Bad move.    She tried twice but said the driver had not responded. I said, but  Isnt that what best buy does, i mean specialize in communication technology.   I said surely such a company can get in touch with a guy in a truck. Well Think again!  It just goes down hill from here. Ok I said in desperation.  I'll just go to the old address and wait for him there. No need to reach anybody or change anything. I asked if I could call her back if I have a further problem. She said why don't you wait  until 1 before you try us back. I said, Does that mean you think he may not come? Even to the wrong address? She said "no sir I did not say that" I'm just suggesting you wait till 1. I knew right then and there that I was going to be waiting for noone at amplace i nonlonger lived  while the movers, Verizon and the sound guys and m wife were going to  be wondering what had become Of me. Well of course he never came. No one ever called back, one sales person hung up on me and one manager refused to take my call. Then At 330 just as I had finally  given up....the guy from the truck calls me!  He says "I hear you've been trying to reach me". Now im starting to think im in a bad clint eastwood movie "I've been out Of cell range" he continues. "I'm n Pennsylvania. Do you still want delivery of the tv's"?  Sure I said but do you think I cold get them delivered tO the right address. Two hours later my tv's arrive. I sit down after seven hours of wasted time and madness and, so help me, 11 phone calls each verifying my identity, Documentation and each offering a deceptively cheerful if not totally incompetent "how can I help you today sir?  Well first you can kill me, please, because even death would he better than having tO hear one more person say "well let me transfer you tO someOne who can help you because in truth no one at best buy can help you do anything but buy stuff and beyond that it's just set up to frustrate you. Welcome to corporate america my friends. At 6 pm i decided to take a bath and try and forget about Best Buy when  the manager calls me and says I just want to assure you that as soon as we hear back frOm our driver someone will be in touch with you about getting those tv's to you.  I guess even their own drivers don't want to talk to them. Exhausted, i asked her if there would be any compensation for what went on today.   she replied "well what do you mean, you got your tv's didn't you"'?'click!!!
1 - Dorothy W.: Normally, I don't like to review chain stores but this Best Buy put me in so much distress that I needed to Yelp it out. If I could give this store 0 stars, I so would.

My MacBook Pro broke after only 2 months of usage due to a defect in the hardware. I turned my laptop into this Best Buy because I had purchased the $350 2-year insurance protection. Customer service and the Geek Squad both had relatively long lines, but only 2 workers actually assisting people. When it was finally my turn, I was greeted by an extremely apathetic employee who was constantly texting and checking his cell phone. He had me briefly fill out a form and asked me some questions about my laptop. He said that for an attempted data backup, it would be $75. If it works, then it would be an additional $75 to store the data onto a memory hardware. I reluctantly agreed and he informed me that a diagnostic would take 2 weeks. Then, they would call me and tell me what's wrong with the computer. 

2 weeks later, I was informed that the hardware needed to be replaced and they needed my permission. Once again, I approved of the service. All was going relatively well until I started receiving phone calls. The first phone call, they let me know that they replaced the hardware and they needed the recovery disk. Since I bought my laptop in August (2011), I knew that the new MacBook Pro did not come with the recovery disk since it was already pre-installed. When I told them this, they were surprised. "Oh, okay. I guess we didn't realize that this was the new model". Really? REALLY? You didn't know what model my computer was despite the fact that you have my laptop's information on the case sheet AND on the computer itself? Smh. Then to make matters worse, I got another phone call asking for the USB port for Ryan. 

I had no idea what this even was. I'm pretty sure the employee didn't feel like explaining it to me so he just said, "okay" and hung up. Not only was I beginning to feel concerned, but I was getting pissed. These employees are suppose to be "the experts". These so-called experts didn't even know what model my computer was. I began to hope for the best, but I definitely did not expect the worse.

Another phone call.... 
"Hi, we replaced your hardware and got it back from the service center. It passed all the tests, but when we turned it on it didn't work so we're sending it back! We're not sure how long it's going to take." ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!  How the hell did the computer pass all the tests at the service center, but immediately fail when the employees attempted to use it? Did they not even really look into my computer and it's problems? Shoot me, please. I demanded to know when exactly I would get my computer back because sending my computer AGAIN was absolutely absurd. 

A week later, I got a call that my computer was ready to pick up. I scanned my computer closely for any signs of additional wear and tear. No scratches, thank the lord. HOWEVER, when I turned my computer on. I noticed that my computer seemed slightly different. I couldn't use my swipe keys and upon seeing the purple/pink screensaver, I realized that they installed the WRONG hardware!!!! This was Snow Leopard version 10.6.6. My computer came with the newest software, Lion, when I bought it. I told the employee and he calmly said, "They probably didn't know that this was the newer Mac model". HELLO!?!?!? I TOLD YOU THIS A HUNDRED TIMES. OH MY GOD. The Geek Squad should be called the Idiot Squad. Nice job, customer service at it's finest. The man agreed to download the new Lion for me for free, but he seemed to be the only one that can download it and was not available during most of the week. Was it really that difficult?

When he gave me the memory hardware (the $75 one that they were suppose to use if the data backup worked), I told him that I was informed that the backup had failed and I wanted a refund. He directed me to customer service because they needed to override the return since it's been more than 30 days. While waiting in line to return the damn thing, I looked over my receipt and realized that the backup and hardware was not $75 each (like I had been told-twice), but rather it was $85 for the backup and $65 for the hardware. I attempted to explain another employee about what I had heard and what was printed on my receipt, but she just looked at me dumbfounded and was just super confused. "I have no idea what you want me to do. I don't even know what I'm suppose to do." How about listen? As I emphasized the issue once more, she kept calling over all the other 20 employees who were doing absolutely nothing to aid me. Eventually, they returned the entire $150 to me. 

After all the distress they put me in, they should've just gave me a new computer. Not only did they make a million mistakes, but they managed to make my computer worse than it was before. The employees are a nightmare here with inconsistency and stupidity. AVOID THIS BEST BUY!!!!!
1 - Tim A.: General: 1/10
Very frustrating experience over 3 day span.

Customer service: Terrible customer service on the phone including lack of knowledge by staff, hold time, and giving out false information on what is in-stock.

In store: No sales associates in desired section, (portable music listening equip.) and again lack of knowledge by staff in store and more false information on stock.
1 - Kate G.: This location sucks. I bought a computer recently and the kid that rung me up forgot to give me my liscence back (I applied for a credit card). I left the store to later realize this and came back the next day, to be told that my liscence could not be located anywhere. It was not by the registers or in the lockbox. the manager told me that he looked around for a hour, which I really find hard to believe considering the fact that the store was a shithole, there were plastic bags thrown everywhere, and there was shit lying around everywhere. Not only that, whenever I call, i wait on the phone at least 15 minutes. Do not go to this location. I am going to be returning my computer and never stepping foot in the place again. A nightmare
1 - Arthur P.: Staff of little help or value.  Basically its "Oh a customer... what do you want".

I will stick to online shopping.

Best Buy - La Jolla, CA (32.8665329, -117.231649) (La Jolla)
2 - R F.: I was mostly disappointed in the service I received in the store. I ran into one of the store managers, which asked me if I was finding everything OK. I explained to her that I was not pleased that they did not have their musical keyboards on display and the only thing she could say is "I don't have enough room in the store". If I wanted to look at an item in a box, I would not waste my time driving to a store. When I inquired about apple computers, I was informed that they don't have them in the store. The gentleman in the TV department was not sure if they carried their store brands in different models. It seems that this store needed to wait a couple of month to get their training in order. I may give them one more chance.
2 - Ferdi E.: janky. this should be called Sucks Buy.
3 - Julia S.: However there're not too many places to open Best Buy store in UTC, this chosen location is obviously smaller than other Best Buy stores in town. The rest is the same as in others: customer service in blue shirts, many random people who came just to play with camera or on guitar, Geek Squad at the corner. But it's nice to have at least an electronic store in UTC than nothing.
4 - Darren T.: I recently moved down to San Diego for graduate school so obviously the first thing any student needs is internet! I headed over to the local Best Buy and was greeted with a warm welcome and a student coupon. So far so good. Once in the wireless router department, the guy there helping me was knowledgable and courteous. The only problem I had was that he spoke like I didn't have any idea about computers so it kinda made it difficult to get the answers to the questions I was asking. Nonetheless, I found what I wanted and headed out.

If you know what you're getting, definitely go to best buy because they have a huge selection. Try avoiding things like RAM because the markup here is incredible. try newegg.com for your other computer needs (if you can wait).
1 - Scott W.: One of the worst Best Buys I've ever been to.  Poor selection of just about everything and way more staff than they need (I literally had 5 people stop and ask if I needed help in less than 4 minutes).

If you need something basic, and want to have a lot of people pester you about whether you want help - this place would be ok for you.
5 - Anju J.: I bought a gps n some car accessories, and they had a wide variety in each.. One of the geek squad guys I talked to was also super helpful
1 - Siyi Z.: One of the worst Best Buy's I've ever been to. 

I went into the store 3 days ago, trying to preorder the Toy Story 3 combo since it said that it'd come with a free item in the ads. Since I had a coupon that I printed out online, I wanted to use it toward that offer. The guy at the store told me that I wasn't able to preorder it there because that period had already passed and I had to do it online. I asked him about the coupon and how I could apply it, he told me that when I go back to the store to pick it up, they'd take off $8 and refund it back to me. So I went home and preordered it online. When I went to the store to go pick it up today, the workers there insisted on how they never received the free item that they were supposed to get.  I specifically saw it was available at this store, not at the other one I was considering, when I preordered it or else I wouldn't have even bothered. At least one of the workers at the register took her time to go look for it in their storage unit, while the other worker just stood behind the counter and gave me an irritated look. I also asked about the coupon and how the guy from the other day told me that I could apply it in the store. The irritated lady told me that I had to call up customer service and somehow work it out with them since they couldn't do it in stores. They wouldn't even refund my money on the online order when I wanted to cancel my order right there and made me call their 1800 number after I got home. Worst customer service ever. And I hate the fact that I received two different answers from two different people that worked at the same place.

The store is also super small and crammed. I wouldn't recommend this. If you want to go to a real Best Buy, go to the one in Mira Mesa.
4 - Camilo G.: The lack of electronic stores in San Diego was driving me nuts until this Best Buy opened down the street from my apartment.  This is not the regular Best Buy that could fit a whole circus of electronics.  It is a bit smaller and maybe lacks some huge home appliances like washer/dryer/fridge/etc.  It still offers what I usually get at Best Buy so I'm ok with that and what better if its near?

The staff was very friendly and helped me with questions or checking for prices.  The restroom was clean the store was clean and best of all, it was not packed even though it xmas shopping season..  I've been to many Best Buys around the US and I have to give this one 4 stars because it opened in a great location where there's not many electronics/movie/music stores and has a very friendly and helpful staff.
4 - Gail P.: This is by no means the best Best Buy but it's nice that it is here at La Jolla Village Square- and available for the UCSD students to shop at.
My son wanted to use his Christmas gift card so off we went today to this location. While not as big as the Mission Valley Best Buy, I liked that the employees seemed professional and friendly.

Back in the 80's, I used to work exactly at this spot-when it was a Bullock's Wilshire. Just driving up to the mall brought back a lot of memories for me.
I love the beautiful blue tiling on the front of the La Jolla Best Buy. I tried to take a good pic of it for this Yelp but it was so sunny and bright, that my photo opp was not cooperating with the lightning angle here.

La Jolla Village Square is not my favorite place to shop and most especially when it is so busy and congested as it was today but I still think that this Best Buy is not bad. Not worth 5 Yelp Stars since I am spoiled by Mission Valley, but a good basic 4 Star Yelp for sure. Happy New Yelp Year!
5 - Dan P.: Awesome place to go if you hate waiting for service at the other best buy locations. Secret underground parking entrance next to jamb a juice.
4 - Alex D.: Ask anyone in real estate for the three most important factors that determine the value of a property and you'll be told "location, location, location."

It is no surprise then that retail location matters when it comes to  electronics and computer peripherals - and this is what makes the newly opened Best Buy at La Jolla Village Square stand out from the competition. Conveniently situated in the midst of a busy shopping area, minutes away from UTC mall and only a short walk to the UCSD campus, this state-of-the-art store rarely gets as busy as most other Best Buy locations and is generally a decent place to shop for all your tech needs.

Remarkably, they're also surprisingly good about price matching. Just the other day, I swung by here and was easily able to get a price matched on a Logitech microphone that retailed for over 30% less on Amazon.
3 - Eileen C.: Best Buy in La Jolla!?  Wow, they sure do know how to make money.  All those UCSD kids can go and buy their overpriced routers here before school starts.

It's a good location, but it's still Worst Buy.  I recommend Amazon.com for all your needs :-)

Quick Tip:  There's plenty of parking underground right next to the Best Buy entrance.
3 - K J.: Audio guys are real outgoing and helpful, only thing is add a couple of hours or an extra day to whatever they quote you. They quoted me 5 then 12 then 5 for a pickup. You can't rush putting in an audio system but make sure you have a backup vehicle or a means to get around.
3 - D P.: Got a Canon compact camera here the other day. The woman working at the cameras was fine -- mostly left us alone after a friendly greeting, which is what I wanted since I knew what I wanted to get -- but the front desk cash register guy was rude and sarcastic when I said I didn't want the extended warranty or the other junk they try to push on you.  I'm not going to bother with this location again, it's not worth patronizing shops with rude sales people.
1 - anh l.: While there was one visit where one person attempted to ask me if i needed help. Their geek squad is completely useless. These guys don't know jack about computors. 

I obviously need to change my inverter for my laptop. Their solution? You have a virus is gonna cost you 200 bucks. Like wtf?!
1 - Sarah T.: I brought my iphone into Geek Squad because it was cracked and I have the best buy warranty so it is free. 
Well they say time is money and I definitely paid enough money in waiting time. 
It has taken over 2 weeks for them to get me my phone back after they told me it would just be 3 to 5 days.
Even after going in and complaining 3 times I still dont have my phone and all I got was a hopefully it will be here in the morning.
1 - Rahul K.: One of the worst customer services ever......
2 - Mark H.: Well... I couldn't decide between two stars or three, three sounded better but three means "A-OK" and it is not really "A-OK.
There is a lot of staff mostly standing around talking to each other but it's better to have too much help than not enough. 
I purchased a Kodak printer and returned when I found out that printers don't come with a cable to attach to the computer. The young lady helping me could not figure out the correct cable to purchase but she did get help and they found the cables. They cables were expensive but they did the job. 
The lady who sold me the computer forgot to ask if I was a Best Buy Rewards member and so when I bought the cable, I asked if I could also credit my printer purchase to my rewards and was told no because I had forgotten at the time of check-out. 
I would not use the "Genius Squad" but as I  have an Apple, I don't need repairs.
5 - Bakudai A.: My favorite thing about this best buy is the way that all of the employees seem really interested in what I did today! I could stand there and small talk with them all day!

Also those geek squad guys are pretty good. Probably the best "precinct" in the state.
4 - Jeanette D.: Ok, I'm not going to lie. This place needs a little work (phone system sucks and service is often slow). Having said that, I still give it 4 stars based on my recent customer service experiences with Maria, Abrahim, and Anthony in mobile devices and with a couple of guys whose names I can't remember in the appliances dept. I had a bad experience previously and almost wrote off this store but gave it a second chance because it's so close to my home, and I'm glad I did. I bought a new washing machine and two new cell phones this week - all products I could have bought elsewhere but I bought here because of the service I received. The staff seemed knowledgeable and genuinely interested in my needs in helping me determine what to purchase. In a world of competitive pricing, we have a lot of choices. When the price difference is marginal, good customer service is the swaying vote.

Now, just speed up your service/systems and get a live person answering calls quickly and you'll be a 5-star store.
1 - Lisa M.: I really don't even know where to begin with this place.  To summarize, the best buy employees at this location try to scam you from all angles.  

I found a Samsung LCD Smart TV on sale through the store's website so I went to the La Jolla location to pick it up.  When I got to the store they told me that the website made a mistake and that the TV on sale was not a Smart TV.  (I just looked on the store's website and it is still listed as a Smart TV and on sale - I'm assuming a gimmick to get people into the store).  So the employee suggested an LED which happened to be $200 more expensive.  He showed me the price on the store's computer, which was listed at $954.  When I purchased the tv I once again verified that the price was $954.  The employee confirmed the price.  I also purchased a few other items, and the $250 mounting service.  When I got home I looked at the receipt and realized they charged me $1200 for the tv.  When I called for a refund there was no apology.  They told me they would send me a confirmation email of the refund, but I never received such email.  After 4 days, Best Buy still had not reimbursed the money into my account.  I had to call yet again and tell them to refund me.

During checkout, the employee told me that Samsung's warranty "had a two-page list of problems that the warranty would not cover" so I needed to purchase Best Buy's warranty.  I therefore asked to look at both Samsung's warranty and Best Buy's warranty.  The Samsung warranty did not have a two page list of items that wouldn't be covered.  In fact, the two warranties covered the exact same things - Best Buy just covered it for one additional year.  I told the employee that he lied to me and he had no response.  

I then purchased the $250 mounting service.  The employee used this opportunity to tell me yet again that I should purchase Best Buy's warranty because "that's the only way any accidents would be covered when Best Buy installs my tv on the wall."  I told him I would just take my chances and did not purchase the warranty.

After I got home, my neighbor told me that $250 mounting service was a total rip off and he mounted the tv for me in 10 minutes.  When I called to cancel the mounting service a Best Buy employee told me that I should definitely have Best Buy mount the tv because the mounting service comes with a one year warranty even though I didn't buy the warranty on the tv.  So I told Best Buy that they lied to me yet again when they told me that I had to buy the warranty on the tv to cover any problems with the mounting.  Once again, Best Buy had no response other than to tell me that the tv will probably fall off the wall if I don't have them mount it.  

Needless to say, I will never go back to this location.  I hope this location reads my review and considers changing their customer service policies because my overall experiece was truly unacceptable.
3 - Shanel S.: I'll give them 3 stars since they had a pretty good $5 movie selection. I always get way too excited about that :) Plus the plaza it's located in has a lot of great shops.
1 - John D.: They lost on a $900 customer.

After looking for a laptop and monitor for the last several months (after my previous one's screen went dead), I decided to go to a few stores. I went to Staples but they had about 5 laptops on display and all others had to be ordered. Well, if I was going to order it online....I would not have walked into the store and ordered it....so I went to Best Buy.....they had a great selection and pretty fair prices (I wanted better deals and very few laptops closer to $400). I wandered through the laptop isles until an employee asked approached me and said "I do not work in this department, but can I help you?" Well, my thought process was this....IF I actually did need help....which I actually DID....why in the fucking world would I have someone who does not normally work in this particular department....helping my ass out? I am quite tech savvy enough to figure shit out on my own...I know how to read computer specs and decide what best fits me....SO....obviously I have more technical/specific questions about laptops....WHICH to remind you....was NOT the normal department for which this dipshit works.
I thought all this in about two seconds (maybe less), and responded "I'm patient, I will wait for someone who works in this department).
After about 4 or 5 minutes of waiting, the same individual approached me and said "I told those two that you are next and when either one is available, they will help you out. If you want to go look around the store you can, and we will just come and get you"
My thought (really? you think I am going to walk around the store and hope that you send someone on a recon mission to find me in the store?). My verbal response "Okay, thanks, I will just wait around here"
About 4 or 5 minutes had passed again, and I swear....I had just turned around and was scratching my nuts....when I happened to look back (after nut scratching had ceased)...and noticed that one of the dudes was helping a new customer....straight up....just ignored my hairy ass.
The same dude who has approached me this whole time was standing there, and I looked at him and said "hey, didn't you say I was next! I am waiting to be helped!" 
He responded "I will get the next person to help you"
I continued to ask him "Who is his boss?"
His response "I am "
Hmmm......I have heard that one before.
Story gets more cliche and more Dave Chappelle  on you now.....
I ask "Who is your boss?"
His response....ready? "I am the boss"
My response "YOU are the FUCKING Boss of this whole place!!!" (but then immediately thinking to myself....John...this place is not that big....but still...I move on with my antics).
His response "If you are going to use that kind of language I am going to have to ask you to leave"
My response "SHUT the fuck up"...............I turned around...and walk out.
I ended up at Fry's Electronics....with really good service and a pretty awesome deal...and spent a little less than for which I had saved.....too bad for Best Buy....obviously...this review is about the reason why I did NOT purchase anything from these assholes.
1 - R A.: I've been a long time best buy customer, unfortunately my recent visits have been very disappointing.....and this last one is beyond bad
 Brought in an unopened item I purchased just over a month ago, with a receipt. they wouldnt even give me an in store credit. I was clearly told when purchasing it, an in store credit would be honored if unopened after 30 days. well I guess they just implemented a new rule....if you buy it, you keep it, even if unopened!

 I found managers Veronica and matt be rude, condescnding, and stone cold when it comes to customer relations.

If you have other options don't buy from here!
3 - George D.: It's a smaller store so the selection is a little less, but I love the convenience of it. I can walk here and no longer have to drive all the way to Mira Mesa and the 15 so I'm a happy camper.
3 - Sally M.: I shopped at Best Buy during the holidays and actually received assistance from one of the employees when I was inquiring about a product. He (I think his name was John) was very helpful and showed me how things worked and sold me on the extended warranty (hey it was only $15 and I can replace my product if anything goes wrong in 2 years). When a teen was walking trying to touch TVs (that aren't touch screens), he quickly spoke to him and was professional about it (not rude at all). 

My experience with Best Buy has been positive so far, so I have no complaints. I had a Best Buy giftcard and I was able to use it to buy iTunes giftcards as well without any hassle. I do like that they have another entrance from the underground lot, so if you are only looking to shop at Best Buy at this strip mall, I'd recommend parking there (no one ever seems to park there).
5 - Charlie Y.: I can sum up my visit to the La Jolla Best Buy in one word: Abrahim.  After a very disturbing visit to the Not-so-Best Buy in Mission Valley (well-documented on their page), I took the drive to La Jolla to see if they could help me with my phone exchange.  Abrahim was the mobile specialist that helped me...all I can say, was that the swap was seamless (I ended up with an iphone 4S), and he offered me accessories without being overbearing.  The process, by nature, takes a while, but Abrahim kept it moving like the pro that his title says he is.  I don't always shop at Best Buy, but when I do, it will be La Jolla.  Thanks, Abrahim!
4 - Carlo R.: Great location and glad they opened up here in la jolla village area. I Very much enjoy the store and have been a frequent customer. Staff is nice and helpful.
1 - Christopher W.: I really don't even know where to begin with this place.  To summarize, the best buy employees at this location try to scam you from all angles.  In general, online companies usually have much better pricing than Best Buy and they do not hassle and harass you.  Yes, those are strong words but you have to think that most of the Best Buy employees do not know much about the product they're selling and will just try to rip you off.

Luckily, I am an informed consumer that works in the Information Technology field and usually keep up with the latest and greatest gadgets and what not.  However, Best Buy is useful to look and marval over wonderful devices.  By doing this you can get 2 things from it: envy and drool.  Just kidding.  Seriously find what you're interested in and you can check out the products in store if they carry them.  Then go online and pay like over 25% cheaper than Best Buy.

I wouldn't feel this way as much if the sales people and customer service wasn't so bad, but clearly you cannot in good conscious support a company that doesn't support its customers.
2 - Captain U.: How I both loathe and love this place at the same time.  Though I may be headed for to amazon or other online outlets in the future...

Good:  They have a lot of stock of pretty much everything.  Stores are always clean and for the most part, stocked well.

Bad:  Customer service blows here.  Their 'professionals' or 'experts' are just hourly wage slaves counting the clock until they go home.  Also, they have so many third party jamokes (look it up in the urban dictionary) approaching you to sell you crap you don't need.  Seriously, I turn a corner and get jumped by a cox cable guy.  Or a playstation Sony guy.  What the hell Best Buy?  You are too cheap to hire more people or train your regular employees better?

Ugly:  I've reserved video games there in the past and found that they were sold out.  Yes, you read, I *reserved* a copy.  But they didn't hold it for me.  Guess I should have shown up at midnight with all the other fanboys to get my product.  Stupid me thinking I'd one have saved for me under my RESERVATION.  They also seemed to give two birdee doo doo's that I didn't get my product.  Instead, I got a refund for $5.

Redemption:  Well, see my 'ugly' above.  I didn't take it lying down, I wrote their corporate about the incident and got a $40 gift card.  Maybe if enough people write about their problems and they keep handing out gift cards for ca ca service, they'll finally get a clue they should change the way they do business.  Or then again.  Maybe not.

Look, I've spent thousands of dollars at best buy.  From laptops to 46" TV's to countless video games and other products.  You'd think I'd have nothing but five star service because I keep going back.  But I've reached the end of the line with them.  And I have zero patience for the apocalyptic zone known as Frye's.   

Good luck at Best Buy.  I'm sure some of you will have great service.  While other will curse the day you met a blue shirtted employee!
4 - Christine H.: I'm no electronics person, and I have to say that I had the easiest, most enjoyable experience here, all thanks to a very sweet guy named Abraham (Abrahim?). He helped me upgrade to my first iPhone, got me set up with all the bits and pieces I would need to keep me from doing irreparable damage to it,  which is generally a problem for all things i own, and didn't try to hustle me into buying things I didn't need. Good job, Best Buy, you have a really awesome person working for you! I can't say too much about the rest of the store, since I was only there for the phone, but I'm grateful for the stress-free, easy-going interaction. Nice job!
1 - MIKE D.: worst place in the world to buy electronics
1 - Michael K.: I went to this Best Buy yesterday in order to get an upgrade to my phone. When I walked in there were two workers there. One of them was helping someone that was before me and the other one helped me by answering questions about a certain phone that I wanted. She however, couldn't help me actually set up an account and told me to come back 10 minutes later. So 15 minutes later, I was able to actually talk to the person who could set up my account. I was asked the usual questions, the account phone number, the last 4 digits of ss# but then I was asked to answer security questions about mortgages. Now I am on a family plan and I don't know any of the answers to these questions as it is about the main account holder. So it has been 30 minutes now and the process was too complicated and I said forget it and left. So we are done right? No. The next morning I got a text message from att saying I am signed up for a data plan. What? So I am at work and I am annoyed as heck and I am angry all day. I get back home and I called att and the nice lady on the phone was just as confused as I was. She looked at the notes and noticed that the data plan was activated at the same time I went to Best Buy. So what happened was that I didn't get a new phone and I had to call customer service to get that charge removed. I specifically wanted a phone that didn't have a data plan and all the other phones had some writing 15-20 dollars/month for data and this one didn't have anything that said so. Okay, thanks for letting me rant yelp. I actually feel better now.
2 - Tina T.: I dropped off my laptop to Geek Squad for repair services. They finished replacing my hard drive the next day, which was pretty fast. I drove all the way here after work to pick up my laptop and they wouldn't even give it to me since the BestBuy account was under my father's name. I asked if there was a way to verify my identity, have him call in or something but they refused and told me he had to come in himself to pick it up. I am an adult and shouldn't need daddy to pick up my things. I was the one who dropped it off and there is nothing more aggravating than having your laptop right in front of you and being told you're not entitled to pick it up. Also, I had another issue with my touchpad and it was noted in the customer report. They never addressed the issue and I ended up having to fix it myself because I did not want to take my laptop back in to them.
5 - Anna V.: I bought my first laptop here about a year ago with GREAT help from the staff and it has been running great since then. Minor glitches but probably my own doing. I also bought Geek squad support which allowed me to bring in my dad and older bro's computers for tune ups. Just brought my laptop in and had it ready right when they said it would be a 3 days later. I picked it up after leaving the movie theater. I got my cell phone from here, headphones, new tv, anything I need that I am too afraid to buy online, I will get here because they help you so much. Being a a young student, I know very little to none about electronic details but almost any employee can point me in the direction I need. So thanks
1 - M E.: One of four staff was friendly and helpful. The other three ranged from indifferent to arrogant. The cashier had no people skills.

Best Buy - Los Angeles, CA (34.0630998, -118.4436308) (Westwood)
1 - Matt L.: This Best Buy is terrible.  I base this claim off of several observations.

1. They never answer the phone.  I don't know if this is standard Best Buy policy, but if you should ever want to know if they have the item you are looking for, you're going to have to suck it up and head on in, because they aren't going to pick up the phone.  I presume this is because the answer to any question of the form "Do you have xxxx in stock?" is "No."  This brings me to my second point.

2. Their selection is mediocre at best.  Keep in mind, it's still a Best Buy, so they have a good deal of inventory, but as Best Buy's go it's not that big, and I would say at least 40% of the time they don't have the thing I am looking for.  Granted, during the holidays there were some hot commodities that would have been hard to come by regularly, but even prologue to that I had trouble finding what I wanted.

3. People like to camp in the bathrooms.  No, wait, hear me out on this.  The men's bathroom has two stalls.  The one time I felt nature calling while in this Best Buy, I stepped into the men's room to find both stalls occupied.  Fine; I love the waiting game just as much as the next guy.  Except for the fact that one guy is clearly reading the newspaper, as evidenced by the ruffling of the pages, and the other guy stays on the pot for upwards of 15 minutes, only to finally stand up and retrieve his shirt from the ground, put it back on, and exit the stall.  Yes indeed, dude took of his shirt to take care of his business.  I don't know how long that other guy was reading the newspaper, I left the room well before him to try my luck at another establishment.  He must be the guy they get to answer their phones.

In summary, the term Best Buy truly is an inapt description of this retail store.  It would be far less misleading for the consumer if its name was changed to "Mediocre Buy," "Decent Buy if you can actually find what you want," or perhaps "An Ok Buy (Although you could certainly do better) provided you've gone to the bathroom before leaving the house."
4 - Ramon T.: I love this particular Best Buy because it honestly seems that a lot of people don't even know it even exists (unlike the one on Pico, which is so fuckin' packed its almost disgusting, in a Saturday theme-park sort of way)...I even ended up here on Black Friday during the opening hours and ended up getting in quickly enough to actually buy something substantial. Granted, the selection does suffer due to its small size and there are always a bunch of UCLA kids camped out on the couches playing the demo 360's till their thumbs flame up, but parking's always a breeze and you can actually take your time and shop, which can't be said of most Best Buys across the nation.
5 - Brett Y.: This place is never overcrowded.  Customer Service is excellent.
Probably the best Best Buy I've been to.
1 - Jose N.: This is the worst Best Buy I have ever been to.  I ordered some photo editing software online, and opted for the in-store pick up.  When I went into the store, the cashier at the pick-up counter tried to give me a different version of the software I paid for.  I informed him that the software was the old version, and that I purchased the new version.  The cashier told me that the old version is what is on sale, and that is what I paid for.  I pointed out that my receipt had the name of the new software printed on it.  He said that doesn't matter, because when you scan the barcode, it is the old software that comes up at the sale price.  I left the counter and got the software I ordered off the shelf, and went back to the pick-up counter.  I showed the cashier the difference in titles, and how my receipt and the website had the newer version.  The cashier checked the website, and responded "Yes, they have the new version listed on sale, but that's not what you're getting."  WTF?  

At this point, I began to get angry.  The website was advertising a certain product for a sale price, and the store was not going to honor that.  I showed the cashier the signs posted at the register stating prices that are advertised will be honored by the store.  He refused to see the relevence.  As I was standing there in front of the counter, he had the nerve to attempt to yank the product out of my hand!  I refused to let go of it, and pulled it out of his hands.  I told him to call a manager, and never, EVER try to yank something out of my hands.

At this point, the whole process had already taken thirty minutes.  I had to wait another twenty minutes for a manager to arrive.  The manager heard my story, checked the website, and then agreed that I purchased the new version online.  She said she had to return the item, and then ring it up again with a price override.  A this point, the process got worse (If you can imagine that).

I had purchased the software with a giftcard.  When she returned it, the register then had to place the dollar value back on my giftcard.  Apparently, this process would take 7 days.  The manager then told me I had to use another form of payment to complete my purchase.  As you can imagine, I was not happy about that.  I ordered something, paid with a giftcard, got the wrong product, got merchandise yanked out of my hands, and then, over an hour later, was told I had to use cash to get my item.  

Worse service, bad attitudes, time consuming.  If you aren't afraid of a little traveling, go to the Best Buy on Venice!
1 - Kate E.: It makes me oddly happy that two of the three reviews for this Best Buy echo the true terribleness of this Best Buy.  My first thought on walking into this location was, "my God, this place is laid out HORRIBLY."  That's the least of it.  It looks sort of like it was once a grocery store, remade as a Best Buy, that's how incongruous the whole affair is.  Couldn't find anything, couldn't find help, lines were way too long.  Overall -- atrocious.
2 - Splendid E.: This place drives me a little crazy, and not in a good way.

You WILL be greeted when you walk in the door, whether you like it or not.  I know it's got to be Best Buy Corporate Policy, but I find this creepy and annoying.  Sometimes I try to sneak in without being greeted, but I've never been successful.

There is no walking in a straight line allowed here.  Displays are set up everywhere.  It's like the Best Buy Corporate Store Planners read Paco Underhill's books and implemented all of his ideas...badly.

During the holiday season, the ziggidy-zaggedness becomes more pronounced as you are required to complete a maze punctuated by huge bins of impulse-buying bait prior to reaching the checkout.

The inventory isn't all that great - I don't count on finding whatever it is I need here, but if you're a gambling man (or woman), this might make the store more fun.  This is especially true when it comes to their CD selection - case in point: the Best Buy I go to in Lansing, Mich. has a waaaay better selection of Latin music than this one.  Seriously.  Corporate Planning Team, I challenge - no, DEFY - you to explain the reason for this.

Usually when I want to ask someone where a product is located, the employees see me headed for them and turn around and walk away.  It's cool though - I get it; you're not here to help the customer, you're here to play with all the techie stuff.  I don't blame ya.  As a customer, you'll have to be somewhat aggressive if you're seeking assistance.  Usually you'll see a group of about 3 guys, and as you approach they'll scatter.  Focus on following one of them until he realizes it's unavoidable that he's going to have to answer your question.

Last time I was here, I bought compressed air.  I love paying $8 for a can of air as much as the next person, but better than that was the conversation I had with two of the cashiers.  They had to make sure I was at least 18 years old in order to sell me the air, which led to a great conversation about people who use cans of compressed air, whipped cream, etc. to get high.  I promised not to use the air for that purpose, and left feeling good that I can count on Best Buy to educate me about the latest fads in substance abuse.
3 - Mark A.: I have shopped here quite often, with a so-so experience...

The positive:
I like this best buy because it's close to work- especially when it's tuesday when new movies get released on DVD or Bluray. So yeah, location, HUGE PLUS... and Ralphs is right next door, so after your shopping for Tech-Geek crap, go get a snack across the way!

The negative(s):
Probably the LAST Best Buy in the West LA area to get games in stock... when they get released... It's hit or miss if you try to rely on Best Buy's in-store pickup search to verify inventory of items, you're better off calling them by phone. Most of the games are caged up, dragggg.... but I guess that's to illeviate thievory in the store with video games.... Last but not least In-Store Pickup- BAD... THEY TAKE FOREVER, and sometimes they will not honor the whole in-store pickup time limit guarantee thing... Sometimes they don't even remember to turn the counter on. Sometimes it's not instore-pickup's fault, there might be a disgruntal customer holding up the line for a idiotic reason, I don't know...

3 stars ONLY...
5 - cris w.: Just called two best buys to check their stock of certain dvds so as not to drive all over town and I think they have the friendliest sales people in L.A.  This always makes me want to shop at a place.  I will go there over Circut City for last minute DVD purchases...since Circut City didn't even pick up the phone.
1 - T K.: I went there for the Digital TV Converter box.  They have only TWO to choose from, but it's already better than Sears/Kmart.   
They both priced at $59.99, with tax would be $64.94.  Now, I have a $25 gift card and the $40 coupon, which could cover it and have 6 cents change.

First off, the cashier area has a weird set up, the line is way too far from the cashier and no one really know there's a line.  Someone cut before me because of that, of course! BLAH!.

Then, somehow the $40 coupon is counted as Credit card (as the girl explained to me) so she asked me if I know how much I have on the gift card, because she had to take from the gift card first, then credit card (the coupon).  Since you cannot do anything else with the $40 coupon, you would think they will take $24.94 from the gift card and everything else on the coupon/credit card.  Nope. Instead of giving me 6 cents balance on my gift card, she took my $25 gift card and left me with a coupon with 6 cents balance on it.  Um... so what am I suppose to do with it? Buy another box with it?!   Not that the 6 cents is a big deal but I just think people would be smarter.  Oh well.
1 - Kristen R.: WHATEVER YOU DO, NEVER EVER BUY AN APPLIANCE FROM BEST BUY!!!!!!! Please, listen to my story and go ANYWHERE else to buy a major appliance. 
In May of 2008 I purchased a new washer and dryer for $2,000. The dryer's automatic cycle never worked properly, it would run forever and ever, never turning off when the clothes were dry. Having purchased the repair and replacement plan for an extra $250, I called immediately to have the unit replaced. Well, flash-forward to one year later, I have taken approx. 10 days off work to have repair people come out and the dryer STILL does not work properly. The last Geek Squad repair man who came to my home insinuated that I was lying about the problem and that there was nothing wrong with my dryer. My gas bill says otherwise! After the last "repair" I left my home with the dryer on and it ran for 3 HOURS!!! I have spent countless hours on the phone with "customer service," a poorly named division of this company, and everyone I speak to is completely unwilling to help me with this situation in any way. A supervisor name Terry in Montana just told me that I have to basically continue having these useless service calls, even though the last repair man was  borderline verbally abusive to me in my own home. And here I am, one year later stuck with a 1,000 dollar dryer that never worked right.
PLEASE - GO ANYWHERE ELSE, if there's something wrong with your appliance, it will NEVER be fixed or replaced!
1 - KengiKat C.: This has to be the worst place to buy anything from. The name should be WORST BUY. The staff in any Best Buy Store is NOTHING like what they portray on TV, they are not helpful and do not know a thing about what they have in the store. They simply BS all the way through.

I recently purchased a JVC Camcorder only to find the software that came with the camera doesnt work. I called JVC and was told they do not support the software and do not have a way for me to download online. I then went to pixella to try to get the software and they told me they cant allow me to download it because it is bundled for JVC and that would be a breach of contract. However i can buy the software from them for $169.00. WFT?  I then learn that i would also need to buy another program in order to get pixella to work.

I tried to simply return the camera to best buy after two days and i was told there is a 25% restock fee for returning the camera. WTF? Why do I get punished for buying something and places like JVC and Best Buy get off and still make money?

"No one told you to shop here. No one held a gun to your head and made you come in here" is what I was told by a rep from Best Buy. WTF?
3 - Craig W.: It's fine.  It's a Best Buy.  I went in search of a digital camera, the guy was very helpful, they didn't have what I wanted and he told me where another camera store was that had what I was looking for.
1 - Ryan K.: Just like all the other reviews say, horrible. Thought I could go here and get a VGA cable to connect my lap top to my lcd television. They steered me in completely  the wrong direction and did not mention or know anything that other vendors told me to focus on. Pushed me to by the wrong product and they are very rude and inconsiderate of their customers. Definitely avoid this place.
2 - Lawrence C.: One of my least favorite best buys.  Most of the workers at best buys aren't much help in the first place.  The employees here don't know the difference between my ass and a computer.
4 - Christina L.: Uuuummm.... I don't care what anyone else says, this Best Buy is awesome!

The people are so knowledgeable and helpful that it makes me feel like a complete idiot for knowing absolutely nothing technological. Granted it's a little annoying when you're just perusing and you get asked ~10 times if you can be helped, but when you're finding something specific, that's just the kind of attention you need! The bf and I were trying to find a cord to connect my PC to my TV and both the workers in the TV and computer sections really knew their stuff. Even the little Asian girl busted out with tons of weird acronyms (HDMI, VGA...) and put the bf in his place!! Craaaaze!

Agreed the prices are a tad high... If you have time to wait for an online delivery and find a cheaper price go for it, but I would still recommend you peruse Best Buy for some helpful information! 4 stars!!
4 - Nicollette H.: I came to this best buy for one reason, and one reason only... I wanted the pink instinct mobile phone. I know they came out with the new bronze colour, but it's really not my thing. 

The staff is very friendly, and the girl that helped me Natasha made everything very easy when setting up my new mobile service. Which is always a bit of a headache, but we were out of there within 20 mins... NICE!
4 - Bernard D.: Best Buy is my personal favorite choice for most all electronics, so when i heard that the new 3-D T.V. would be on display i had to go and see for my self, this was my first 3-D experience Ever so i was blown away,..I couldn't believe my eyes,..and the service was nice so of course i have added the new 3-d T.V. to my wish list,..on this eve they only had the Panasonic 50inch on display so i'm just waiting to compare the other Models as they become available [ this Panasonic model is around $2500 with 1 pair of Glasses included ]
5 - Brigitte G.: I think a great number of people only feel compelled to write a review for a large corporate store like Best Buy when their experience is rather horrific- I wanted to do a little justice for the superb customer experience I had at Best Buy.

As a woman, usually walking into a Best Buy means asking one person one thing, being flirted with, then referred to the person who "works in that department", who might also flirt with me, after finding me that damn cable I came in for.

Not such the case this time- I was frustrated I had no new music in my car, and though I usually shop Amazon or download, I wanted some instant gratification that day. I walked to Best Buy (very close to where I work), picked up a CD, and asked if there was a way I could find out what it sounded like. The employee I talked to was really nice about finding me the one guy in the store with an incredible amount of knowledge of music- Jeff.

Jeff went above and beyond helping me find good music (yes, at Best Buy), and referred me to an excellent website for downloading MP3's. Going above and beyond like that really make a customer experience stand out- I know have tons of great music for Spring and Summer thanks to Jeff at Best Buy, who didn't have to give me a referral to anything but some CD's I could spend money on his store. Thank you Jeff!

I realize this is a 5 star review for the whole store, when I'm really just reviewing my one experience with one really good employee- but over all I have had better experiences at this Best Buy than other locations. Kudos to the manager.
4 - Jed A.: This isn't the most helpful Best Buy that I've been too. Although there are some workers who do know exactly what they are talking about, others really have no clue. I bought a camera from here really needing help finding the right one. When I asked certain questions about the camera specifics, they just read the description on the paper and tried to persuade me to buy the more expensive camera. Of course the more expensive camera would have better perks to it, but since I was on a budget, I didn't find their help too appealing.  Other than that, coming here and buying what I need isn't really a problem. They are short on staff sometimes, but the lines still go by pretty fast. I suggest that you try to inform yourself with at least some information on the product you're searching for instead of expecting them to know everything about it. But I will give it to them, they are extremely friendly and are willing to be as much of a help as they can.
1 - Luis A.: If I could give this store a 0 I would. Never been to there. So why the 0?

When you apply for a credit card through Best Buy you obviously have to provide them with plenty of personal information, understandable. The problem is that all your personal info, credit card number, address, phone number etc is made available to each and every employee of any Best Buy store if they so chose to look you up. So what happens if a lowly Best Buy employee want to make an extra buck by selling off your personal information to identity thieves?? Basically, if they want, they can steal your identity and do as they please. 

So policy is, when you buy something you show your credit card. Sometimes they ask you for ID, not always. So how in the hell did this Best Buy decide to sell over two thousand dollars worth of stuff to someone who never had my physical credit card or ID. 

I reported this to the police. Plain and simple, the officer told me it was someone (employee) from the store stealing account information and selling it or giving it to their buddies to buy stuff. 

There are thieves working at this location (as well as the signal hill location). I'm not the only one, I've found a few others unfortunate individuals who have had the same happen in these stores. 

Plain and simple, if you want to run the risk of identity theft or shit being charge to your account that you never bought by all means go to this store. 

You've been warned people. There are thieves here! I'd take my business elsewhere. Sure it can happen anywhere. Thing is, i've found 6 people that have had their identity stolen at this store since January!!  Take your business elsewhere or at the very least to a different store.   This store is garbage and full of criminals.
1 - Panchito P.: My experience today was the worst I ever had in a retail store. All begun yesterday, when we bought a laptop for her. When we got home, we found out that it had an scratch on the screen. So, we went today to exchange the product. We were attended, and they told us there was no problem. Then, the guy who was taking care of us began to take ages to make the exchange through their system. He told us to grab another product, and after 20 minutes he realized that it was different from the original product we bought. 

Things were not so bad by then, he was not really fast but not rude at least.

Thing became awkwards when a asian looking girl named May took charge of our situation. She would not even look at our eyes when we talk, perhaps because she was to focused chewing her gum with her mouth wide open.  She would take ages as well, chewing gum loudly. And when I told her, sarcastically of course, if we could have the exchange made for today, she was mad and the only thing she said was that she was doing her best (I dont wanna know when she does her average). The some supervisor came and did not even talk to us (though I tlaked to him), and made it possible once and for all.

May was rude from the begining, making us feel that she did not want to attend us. 

Those guys should do something about their attitude, their manners, their capacities, and their chewing gum habits.

Do not go to Best Buy Westwood
1 - leon g.: I had to buy a new computer here. I won't do it again.
1 - Amy M.: This review is based entirely on the parking situation. The parking lot at this Best Buy (and Ralph's) is my LA nemesis. And those of you who live in LA know that the contenders for that title are fierce and plentiful. But EVERY TIME I go to this parking lot, I rue the day I moved to LA. It is the most asinine layout and must have been designed by children. No, even children could do better than this. With the way-too-thin one way lanes that make you snake around the ENTIRE LOT, the inability to exit even when you are RIGHT NEXT TO THE EXIT, the lack of any walkways so drivers have to wait for totally clueless pedestrians who also have to maneuver not getting killed by impatient drivers, the lack of anywhere in the lot to put carts other than in perfect-for-hitting-cars positions, the ticketing system that takes forever for people to get through making all of the above occur in the midst of angry people sick of waiting, and then, to top it all off, when you FINALLY get to the exit, there is a no-left-turn sign  mocking your pain. Don't worry though, everyone ignores it so you will have to wait even longer to get out of that lot.  

NEMESIS.
1 - Daniel M.: Possibly the smallest Best Buy I have ever stepped foot in.

Looking for a new digital camera?  Good luck.  Their selection is minimal.  

Looking for a new silicon cell phone case for your HTC Incredible?  Good luck.  Most were out of stock.  

1 star b/c regardless of whether you shop here or not, parking is validated!
1 - Diego E.: Avoid entirely if you're looking for a new computer, especially laptops. Apparently, they either open *all* of their laptops here, regardelss of whether they have the bullshit "optimization" applied, or they have a lot of returns that they put back on the shelf.   For those who don't know, "optmization" is where they have the store's geek squad employees open the new computers and remove factory-installed software, run programs such as defrag, and install their own anti-malware programs to "speed up the machines" (whether this procedure is necessary or even helpful on new machines is *highly* debatable - and they used to charge extra for this, not sure if they still do though).   

I stopped in since it was time for a hardware refresh and I liked this one deal they had on a  Samsung laptop which got great reviews on some popular laptop sites.  As usual, a sales guy was nice enough to point out that many systems have the geek squad "optimization" already applied.  They had one left that didn't have the "optimization" applied and one with the replacement best buy seal on it indicating that it has been "optimized".  

I specifically avoid the "optimized" machines because I don't want a computer that's been mucked with post-assembly-line by some pimply-faced chump in the Geek Squad room in the corner of the store. 

I looked at the box for the machine that was supposedly non-optimized and saw that the factory seal had clearly been removed *anyway* and stuck back on.  I looked at several other different computers that were supposedly new, unopened, unoptimized and discovered that all of the seals had been tampered with - no clue whether that was from them having a lot of returns and putting them back on the shelf at normal price or store-staff opening the box, but both scenarios are red flags regardless.  

Yeah, pretty much the same type of B.S. that you'd expect from some shady mom-and-pop shop.  Oh well.  Looks like it's either Frys or e-commerce.
5 - Ant C.: The staff are the kickass type of folk :) I've never had a problem with returns or exchanges. Sign up for a rewards card and you'll never ever have to remember a receipt again.
5 - Alon R.: I usually don't like big-box retailers.  Price is always good, but service lacks.  Pleasantly I can say that Best Buy, especially this one, is awesome.  

Reuben over in games knows good from bad; you won't get stuck with something worthless if you ask his opinion first.  

Whatever little problems have ever arisen, Best Buy in Westwood has always stepped to the plate and made sure that I can keep talking about how I love Best Buy.  Wouldn't go anywhere else.
1 - Ho H.: I used to line up at this store every year for Black Friday.  I mean, there's a Ralphs next door open 24/7 for food / bathroom runs, and most college kids go home, so the line is 10x shorter than any other Best Buy!!  

So why the 1-star?  Well, last couple years I stopped going cuz in 2007 I was number 9 in line and got a Black-Friday ticket for all the doorbusters including the best laptop deal.  

The tickets mean they will hold your item, and are good until 12 noon, at which time they give up your item to the next person.  

I got a ticket for a $249 laptop (minimum 15 per store), and everyone else gets a $300 laptop, which is the same thing bundled with a mouse and a bunch of optimization crap.  

Well, I presented my ticket during checkout at 10 am, but they grabbed the wrong one, and gave me a bundled laptop and charged me $300 for it.  I didn't notice until I loaded everything onto my car and realized I was charged an extra $50.  

I went back and talked to the cashier, store manager, and then got on the phone with corporate, and they said there's nothing they could do b/c all the doorbuster laptops were already gone.  My reply--"Hello!  I have the ticket and it's supposed to be held for me until 12 noon, so even if someone grabbed the wrong one, how could it be gone?" Manager Dick "The Prick" Stonewall just uttered the same phrase "cant' do anything."  

Called my CC company to chargeback to them, but they kept saying I got the "optimized" package, so I should have paid $300.  I argued that I didn't want an optimized package, and it was given to me without my knowledge.  

To make a long story short, the tools that work here care nothing for the customer.  The manager himself, or some smooth-skin college freshman boy he was boning was probably the one who switched my laptop so he could keep it.  

Not to mention, these days, Amazon will price match Best Buy's Black Friday prices, with free shipping and no tax.  Unless you like spending the night in line for higher prices, avoid this store and all Best Buys if you can.

5 years later, I get to give you guys the finger.  Revenge is sweet.  As for my chargeback, PM me if you want to know the end of the story.  I can't post it here b/c the lawsuit is still ongoing.
4 - Tara C.: I had never been to this location until last week, but I was pretty impressed (and now I am back on Yelp!).  The employees actually know their ish!  I first stopped by to see if my laptop finally needed to be put down.  Jeff in the Geek Squad department was very friendly and helpful, and he made me so happy by a) telling me my laptop's life is not over (yet) and b) giving me advice on the connection problems I had been having.  He even obligingly wrote tips down on paper for me to take home so I could better diagnose the problems.  With his info, I went back to Best Buy on Thurs because apparently I needed to set up a router and needed a new power adapter for an old one lying around.  Thank goodness that Bello helped me out as I was looking for one.  As I chatted with him about my situation, he advised against going with a router/modem combination and generally wasting my money on the old equipment I was about to use.  BTW, they do not work on commission, so less incentive to lie.  With Bello's help, I found a great wireless router and I am now happily connected again in my new place.  Best Buy service can be very hit or miss, but the Westwood location seems to have good people.  It also seems to be much less busy than pretty much any other location I've been to.  Don't forget to have the guy at the door validate your parking!
5 - Andie K.: So impressed with the service here! Friendly. Knowledgeable and very helpful. Sam in the mobile dept was brilliant and so nice. He not only helped my father pick the best phone and showed him how to use it, adding app's he needed but he applied the screen protectors to his new phone and iPad. The best buy in new York made me do this myself, or they were going to charge me to do it. If you need anything for your phone, go in and see Sam. He will take great care of you. The whole store is a pleasure to shop in. Thanks guys.
1 - David F.: This is a warning!

I had a CRASH moment at this store.

Los Angeles is just so messed up!

For those of you who have no idea what that means is I was racially profiled and told "Are you sure you can afford that" "we have a cheaper model" and he called me "homie and bro" which is  not ok with me right at a retail store or anywhere if I do not know you and when I told the CUSTOMER SERVICE about this I was dismissed with a lazy who gives a flying "F".I'm a 50 year old man.He was out of line and wrong.

Just to make a point I bought the item but told the manager that this was 
not an isolated and in the past I did not say anything.Customer Service
just sucks at BEST BUY.What a waste!

I spoke with the store manager and he did not even have a proper business card so I could fully write down my experience.I guess he figured I would not follow up.He figured wrong.

I will never return to the store.Let me correct that.I may return the items I bought as it was just not right how they treated me.Now send a letter to corporate from my attorney idiots!

I will follow up in two weeks to let the public know how they handled this!
4 - John D.: Usually I have low expectations for any warehouse-sized corporate chain store, but Best Buy has repeatedly exceeded my expectation. Most of the time the employees are generally informed about products, or at least can point me in the right direction, which is sufficient because I don't go there unless I have already researched a product and just want to get in, get it and get out. 

With many large retail chains, employees come and go, I hope Best Buy continues to keeps the good ones.
4 - Matt C.: Again, seriously, there is a Best Buy right next to the Ralph's Fresh Fare.  Always simple parking.  But more than that, for some reason this Best Buy is always stocked so well.  I think its because no one knows it's here.  There was a ridiculous sale on an LED TV, but Culver City just sold their last one.  They tried Sawtelle, Burbank, Long Beach, Hawthorne.  They were about to send me to Oxnard!  But no, someone suggests, "Let's try Westwood."  "Oh yeah, Westwood."  Sure enough, they had TWO.  Well, one was already on hold for someone from another store just like me.  Yes, it took a couple of minutes to claim it once I got there, since they accidentally pulled the other TV that didn't have my name on it.  But oh well, a couple of minutes saved me a whole bunch on a great TV.  They carrried it out for me and everything.  The downside is that they don't have the Magnavox store that Culver City has, so they couldn't help me with any sweet HDMIs.  That's fine.
4 - Justin Y.: Came in the other day to replace my 2 1/2 year headphones that broke on me in Asia. Best buy is always my go to place for these things.... 

*The good thing about this place is that I love their return policy. Had the guy up at LP slice open my package and made sure it was a good fit before I walked out of the store. Otherwise, would have just returned it then and there. No Fuss. No Muss.  Best Buy is just like a big candy store for dudes. Though, I just restricted myself to a lollipop that day.
3 - Jon F.: they don't always have what you're looking for even though the website says they do. I'm guessing the workers just don't want to go look for it or don't know how
3 - Daniel D.: not the bestbuy you want to be going to. they dont have a HUGE selection like most other bestbuys, but still not bad.
1 - Lux N.: Pretty bad service at this store.. The Geek squad service here is a frustrating one if you get tied up with them, I'm telling you.

Beware if you have one of their performance plans. I have an Insignia TV with the 2-year warranty. It's Best Buy's signature brand and it died within the year. I know, I should've known. But I did know, I bought the warranty right? Wrong, look at the fine print!! They'll repair the electronic equipment with used parts.

3 week wait (according to the Geek guy) Waited three weeks and waited for updates. None, so I had to track down my TV with their tracking service. Turns out my TV is in the store for two days and nobody let me know.

Show up to get it and the Geek guys start wandering around the store looking for my television. They look confused. Geek guy comes back and talks to me about sending in some escalation paper to the factory because they didn't get the TV and if I want them to send another escalation paper. What's an escalation paper and what the hell does it have to do with me?

I told him I don't give crap about an escalation paper, I want my TV. Pull one off the shelf they have to I don't care..I did buy the performance plan didn't I? Well perform!

Geek guy scurries off and brings back the shipping manager. I smell a BS sandwich coming on...She tells me that the TV was delivered to Duarte two days ago. but they only get shipments on Monday. It's Monday today, why didn't they have it shipped from Duarte two days ago so it would've arrived by today?

She starts to give me another crap pickle with my BS sandwich. I make it easy for them. Call me when it comes in. Yes, my cell phone. The one in the computer there. 

Meanwhile I'll be at Costco buying my upgrade TV. 

I'm getting more and more intolerant of crap service nowadays.

You'll no doubt have to deal with Best Buy for the Holidays and after. Good luck. Just hope you get functioning equipment and don't have to deal with the geeks. I've had other experiences with the computer department that verify my suspicions that the service at Best Buy Westwood stinks as much as the BS sandwiches they serve.

I doubt I'll buy another big ticket item from this store. And I'm a sort of Platinum Best Buy Club member..Say byebye Best Buy to my dollars.

Anyway.
1 - Tiffany H.: I bought a new 13.3 inch MacBook Air here recently and discovered upon opening the box that they had sold me an older model (despite having the new model with backlit keyboard etc. on the sales floor) which could be just an innocent mistake or a classic bait and switch.  Kinda shady.  At least I was able to return it without any problems ... though maybe I should wait to say this until I see it post to my credit card.
1 - Billy D.: With all the hype around tablets and readers, I was pretty excited to get on board with the nook tablet. I did my research and decided to grab one right when they came out. Usually I wait a while until the bugs are ironed out, but the reviews were really good and I particularly like the aspect of being able to convert it to an Android tablet. 

I was going to buy it at B&N but had some things to do in Westwood so I thought I'd give Best Buy a try. I also had some bonus points to spend there so it seemed like a good plan.  

I called ahead to confirm they had them, and was told they did so off I went. 

The parking sucks and the people drive like asses through the lot. The store itself is ok, but nothing too special. I asked the first employee I saw where the e-readers were, and he treated me like I was begging for change. I got a short reply telling me they where "over there" combined with a head nod.  

I wondered around until I found the section, but couldn't find the Nook Tablets. I tried to get several employees to stop so I could ask about them, but when I tried to hail them/ask them they rushed by and avoided eye contact. I finally had to interrupt another transaction to get told, they didn't know if they had them or not. 

I thought they might be wrong so I spent about 15 more minutes looking around, and still didn't find them. Finally someone took pity on me, or got bored and came over to see if I needed help. I told them what I was looking for, and he told me he'd check their inventory. A couple minutes later and guess what? No nook tablets and no idea when they're coming in. But, I can show you these other tablets. 

I walked straight out, drove to B&N and got one in about 5 minutes. 

I won't come back to this store and will have to try the one on Pico.
1 - Ravi D.: This Best Buy is terrible. All because of the parking lot and the ridiculous parking..this place has a GATED parking lot!? Upon visiting this place today I thought "Are you kidding me?" You have to get your parking validated in Best Buy,or it's $10. I also hate this place because I tried backing out of the exit line at the gate cause I didn't know I had to get it validated,and while backing up I backed into a f&*#@ing orange plastic marker they have at the exit. People yelled and I stopped just as the back of my car was running one over haha. No damage to the car though. All good. Avoid this place. Or park across the street.
3 - Jen R.: I have yet to encounter a negative experience at this particular store. Went shopping yesterday for a new television set, which I had researched thoroughly online before arriving. Found what we wanted and were fortunate to purchase one of the remaining two left in their stock on the chosen model. Finding a salesperson was a bit on the thin side at first because it seemed they were all busy assisting other people (not really a negative). The store offered quite a few options back in electronics, a smaller selection relative to CDs, DVDs and other similar items. I am not a gamer so I can't speak to that area of the store.

Overall, sales people met or exceeded my expectations regarding customer service. I couldn't find what I needed and one of the ladies working got the product into my hands when I failed to find it for myself on the sales floor.

Additionally, the gift I wanted for my husband had an additional markdown or sale price, so that was really helpful, too.

I give this location a solid three stars. It would ratchet up to four stars if they had a larger parking lot (not something they can really change now but it's something you ought to know about because they do share it with a grocery store and it gets kind of tight in there).
1 - Phil C.: I wish there was an option for 0 stars...
I am amazed at how many horrible experiences I have had at Best Buy (Including the short period of time I worked for the company) and yet they still stay in business. I should have known better, but this one is a new low though.  I made a purchase of a 42" TV online.  The purchase was confirmed, and even an email was sent to me that said my TV was there and waiting for me to go pick it up.  After I got into the store and went to pick it up I was then told that my purchase would NOT be honored!!??!!??!!
They told me that due to a mistake THEY made, they would not be able to sell me the TV at the price I ALREADY PAID FOR IT.  When I stated how unacceptable that was the store manager finally came over and told me she would not and could not help me either and just instead gave me the 888 bestbuy phone number and told me to call them.  They put me on hold for 45 minutes and never tried to help either.
1 - Josh S.: Consistently bad service from employees who seem either not to know anything or not to care in the least.  The last time i was there, trying to buy a wireless router, the salesperson insulted my laptop and them proceeded to sell me a router that hardly covers half my apartment.  BTW, my laptop is a MacBook Pro -- the same laptop the the rest of the world owns. I guess she insults a lot of customers.  

I also once waited 20 minutes for service in the cell phone area. And never got served.

The managers look barely out of college. It amazes me that a Fortune 500 company would trust stores with tens of millions of dollars worth of merchandise to such people.  

Buy your stuff at an independent store or, if you must, just go to Amazon.
1 - Ric S.: I purchased a PC with  Best Buy's extended warranty, Anti Virus & had them install it,  I brought it back as it wasn't working properly 10 days later.  Their Nerd Herd or whatever they call their service squad checked out the machine, said it had a virus and this voided the warranty.  I now use Apple products.  Easily the best computer customer service there is, in their stores @ at the 800 #.  Apple just fixes it, no excuses, no caveats.

A few months later, bought $6K worth of home theater equipment from their Magnolia dept. and 35 days later, the $400  blue ray player stopped working.  Brought it in and was told they wouldn't fix it w/o charge as the 30 day warranty had run out.  I threw it away and bought a new one elsewhere.  "Best Buy", what a lie!
5 - William H.: This place is great as they have fantastic sales people who are genuinely engaged and knowledgeable with technology. 5 stars for Great Customer service! My most recent experience was with Christian, who was terrific!  He helped me navigate the aisles and helped explain how to connect my iPad to my HDTV with an HDMI cable or better yet, Apple TV.  Unfortunately, they were out of stock, but Christian looked for it at nearby locations and offered to have it shipped to my home for free!  This was great and I'm happy to see that there are such great places to help me with the rapidly evolving technology landscape.
1 - Bruce W.: Do not shop at Best Buy in Westwood. They are the worst customer service team in the entire country. The customer service team lead by Sylvia known as the manager of the store is a horrible person. She is also helped by another manager named Kim. These people refuse to give me any service and they refuse to give me any information on why they're refusing need to take back a product that came to me empty. I purchased a video game and when I went home and opened it it had no videogame any. When I went back to the store they refused to take back the product and exchange it for me. Then they refuse to give me any management phone numbers and just started ignoring me. So I started taking pictures of them to post it on yelp. I will forward this to all management at Best Buy and to the CEO of Best Buy. This store manager should be fired.
1 - Sergio P.: I came wanting to purchase a printer and a few other things.  I asked for help and was told to wait.  So I did for 20 minutes, then tackled a blue shirted person scurrying past me like a fearful creature awaiting to be pounced upon.  That person told me to wait because she got the manager for that department.  Then I awaited another 20 minutes.  Finally I left for Costco where I got what I needed ASAP.
4 - Kristin Leigh M.: So... I am devastated that this store will be closing in May! I read the news online at first, but my fears were confirmed yesterday when I popped in to have a wander about (and to see if they had any sales on yet).

This location is quaint, but it has a decent selection of any gear you would need. Great selection of laptops, Mac stuff, iPod stereos, etc. They had some amazing sales on toward the end of last year on iHome products. I *knew* I should have bought the device then... oh well!

In terms of sales, they have some DVD/blue rays on sale at the moment. The selection looked pretty well picked over, but perhaps there are still some gems in there.

I'm not a student and never was at UCLA; however, when I was in school, I loved having an electronics store near me for printer needs, flash drives, etc. For the students, I'm sad to see Best Buy leaving the neighborhood. 

For my own interests, I love taking a look at gadgets there. I'll miss that opportunity!
2 - Christopher H.: I completely understand why this location is shutting down. I mean I absolutely love Best Buy but this location didn't cut it. Their inventory is not that great and the service is questionable. They didn't let me use my $10 coupon because they were going out of business. I really wanted to get The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for $3! There are a few employees here who strive to please the customers and some who won't even acknowledge you. Oh well I can't wait to see what replaces Best Buy.

Best Buy - Hadley, MA (42.3582551, -72.5497346) ()
4 - John R.: I really hate buying electronics. Sometimes when I ask a salesperson their opinion, I wonder if the item they are suggesting I buy, is somehow "spiffed" and they are just saying it because they are trying to move product. And of all the days that they would probably do it, was black Friday. 
Fortunately, this wasn't the case at the Best Buy in Hadley. I had done most of the homework on the TV I wanted so that part was easy. When I asked about the sound system for the new TV, after a few qualifying questions, our sales person determined that an in house survey and consolation was probably in order to determine not only the right system, but it's placement as well. 
After the home survey is accomplished, the price of the consultation is absorbed (refunded) into the overall price of the items purchased. How cool is that?
So, even though Black Friday was busy, the folks at this Best Buy took the time to not only answer our questions, but ask questions making sure we were heading in the right purchase direction. That to me is money in the bank. 
Once we have our consultation completed, I will do a follow-up review and a final review when the system installation is complete. Each experience will receive a separate rating.
4 - Matt C.: Its hard to get excited about a large faceless corporate entity like best buy, but this store has been terrific in my time spent in the valley. While a little on the small side for a best buy, it is well stocked and makes the most of its space limitations. But the biggest thing going for them is their staff. While many businesses on RT 9 seems to secretly resent students and try their best to appease them with minimal effort or care, the people at best buy are extremely helpful to those with dumb, n00b electronics questions, ie how to set up cable/a wireless network for kids with first time places. 
Listen, its hard to love a best buy, but this one has enough of a unique appeal to make it seem like its own entity. I very much like this particular best buy.
5 - Theo B.: First off this Best Buy has Loyd.  Loyd is this guy who has always given me great advice and helped me find games that don't suck and lots of stuff I need.  There are lots of Best Buys all over but this is the only one with Loyd. So for me it gets the 5 stars just for having Loyd.  Now they sell mac stuff so hell it's like the best place ever now.  So they have everything and Loyd too.  Now there is a reason not to shop on the internet.
4 - Jack M.: Not quite as large as other Best Buy stores, but still fun to look around and check stuff out.  It's almost quaint walking down the aisles of CDs and DVDs.  Physical media is so passé!  You'd never know there was a "mall" here given that this giant (Along with Target) block off the front of the building!
1 - Katherine G.: ZERO STARS. 
I bought a Dynex product which broke, under the warranty, ie, in less than 12 months (9 to be exact) and they DO NOT STAND BY THEIR PRODUCT. They have only offered me a store credit not a refund for their crappily-made product. 

NO MORE BUSINESS FROM ME. Already their prices are higher than Target which is right next door anyway.

Best Buy - Montclair, CA (34.091351, -117.691397) ()
1 - Jason J.: Most of my complaints for Best Buy hold at this location.

- The Parking lot is crazy
- It's ill lit.
- Customer service is a foreign and unknown concept
- All of the main aisles people use to get through the store have stands and crap in them so walking through the store is tedious and slow.
- Selection of computer supplies is somewhat lacking
- The annoying push for their extended warranty continues to be pushed on everything.
- I keep thinking there must be a better way.

Basically, I don't like Best Buy, and of the 3 in my area, I like this one the least.  It's close to Circuit City (and I would rather go there), and Target, if you need to run other errands, but I just stay away from this location now.
3 - Mark A.: ***Address Correction***
8960 Central Ave
Montclair, CA 91763

Please update your records, Yelp Team!

"In-Store Pickup is your friend"
What's great about In-Store Pick-Up and Holiday shopping? Click to order online, wait for 2 emails, print out one of the emails and go to the store to pick up your order. No hassling to go on a scavenger hunt in the store shelves to look for what you need. Best Buy associates will hunt it down for you and reserve it in your name since you paid for it online (given that they have what you're looking for in-stock). Downside? In-Store pick-up shares the same line as customer service/returns... so getting your order *may* take a bit... *sigh* They really need their own line so you don't have to deal with the ish of people's customer service returns. Yesterday's experience was well worth it... her name was Lindsey, green-eyed, dark blond, white female, petite. She had to tip-toe to check the items placed for in-store pickup, and couldn't find my game. She was expecting a single dvd-like case, but in fact the Buzz TV for PS3 was a nicely sized box. I pointed its exact location right behind her. Very talkative, friendly, and did I mention cute? :) She thanked me, and I thanked her. We need more reps like here, lol!

This Best Buy seems to be secluded, located right near a Hometown Buffet. I had to make a U-turn just to find it. I'm glad I know where it is now; don't need the GPS to map this one out for me anymore.
3 - Joshua W.: I don't frequent this location as much as I used to because it's too far for me. The only reason I find myself going to this store now is if the Chino, Ontario, or Ranch Cucamonga stores don't have something Montclair does. I was never particularly fond of the parking lot at this location, since it shares about half of it with other small businesses (North side of the lot). I did purchase a big LCD here a few years back and was able to negotiate some discounts because of everything I bought. Plus, the Reward Zone points give you money back on all of your purchases! Woo-hoo!
3 - Sam S.: Best Buy suffers from Final Fantasy syndrome. I mean, is it really the BEST Buy? Maybe, sure, but a year from now there is a better buy at the same place. This feels like a bait-and-switch operation, but that's not what I'm here to write about.
Best Buy in general is only an average store. It runs the whole gamut of electronic goods and specializes in none. If you want to buy a videogame, a movie, and a sound system, you can find them all here. If you're looking for anything specific, then go to a specialized store. End of story.
1 - Anthony K.: My customer service experience here was rather weak today. 

I purchased Alan Wake for the Xbox360, went home, opened the game up and noticed a small surface scratch. I wasn't going to be displaying the cd on a shelf or anything, so the blemish didn't bother me. Well, turns out it rendered the disc unreadable. 

I went back to best buy to return the game for another and the employee working customer service (average height, blonde, middle aged) took the disc out, looked at it and told me I would have to go through the manufacturer because the disc was defected. Wtf? If I wanted to do that, I would have purchased it from the manufacturer in the first place. Rather than argue with someone who couldn't do his job, I called up another best buy, explained my situation and exchanged he disc, no problem.
4 - mars c.: i guess i love this best buy cause i shop here so much.. and i know the manager Todd! yes i admit that the help is scarce and you must wait and be patient. bit if you run into AMARK hes very helpful.
5 - Li C.: Lest it ever be said I hold some sort of chain-wide grudge against Best Buy (see my other review, wherein they destroyed my car speakers and refused to take responsibility), I recently came here to get a video game and a book.

The person who answered the phone was very nice, even holding the items for me at the customer help desk.

When I came to pick it up, the same person was extremely helpful and friendly.

So Best Buy, one person came make all the difference.
4 - Cynthia R.: there is a lot of ups and downs to this store specifically this store! depending what shift is working will determine how well your visit .

the home appliance department hot mess!!!!
the mobile department is on point!!! 
       ask for rafeal he's a cutie and so very helpful

if your going to buy a game ask for chris frampton hottest chocolate thunder this side of the mississippi! lol

other than those two store could be a clusterf***K of associates
2 - Michael F.: I have a line of credit and there's nothing like instant gratification. Selection is good. Employees are hit or miss. Mostly miss. What can you do? Amazon.com? Yeah, probably. Had a hissy fit about a controller and some missing items from a speaker system. Almost got into a fist fight with the assistant manager in front of my kids. Then, I realized I was throwing a fit and almost getting into a fight with the assistant manager.  I stopped mid sentence of arguing and said, "You know what? I have to go to church. Thank you. Bye." I was being a little unreasonable, but I avoid them when I can. Hopefully Lowe's will start selling all of these electronics and then I can get the great service and pricing they have.

Also, what's up with the 5 star reviews here? "I know people that work here. They hook me up. That's love." That's not a real review, broskey. Best Buy is not 5 star.
1 - Blake H.: Make sure you get your credit!!  I didn't get mine, even after going back to the store with a copy of my bank statement 4 times.  Going through all the hassles of making copies of my receipts and submitting them to the manager, there were no credits issued back to my account.  How can that be, you say??  I don't know either!  Even calling their corporate customer service they left me on hold for over 22 minutes.  They forever lost a customer over 42.00 bucks!  Next step... small claims, it 's the principle of the matter. BTW... I've spent nearly 5000 in the last few years.  What ever happened to customer loyalty?
3 - Roman B.: I never really had a problem with any Best Buy's, I was just happy that they had something in stock that I've been looking waiting for. 

Service was friendly, I was in & out very quickly.
4 - Jane D.: Great place to buy electronics because they usually have what you want in stock. 

I applied for a credit card and bought a laptop with it. They have an on-line account control similar to banking on line, which is very convent for me. I love my laptop and am currently using it as I write.=) 

The staff can be a little blunt or uncaring at times, but most of the staff is friendly and helpful. 

The parking is very open and spacious. The crowds aren't too bad but can get a little out of control. 

The only real problem that I see is the organization and overall presentation of the stores inventory. It is messy and chaotic, but i usually ask for help anyway so it's not a big deal to me
1 - Joseph L.: This past weekend I went to this Bestbuy store with my mother to purchase a new cordless home telephone system and We were greeted and helped by a nice guy from the cell phone department he said I'll show you what you need follow me. So we followed him to the phone department and he found us a good phone that had every feature we were looking for and it was priced at about $64.99 or $74.99 I am not too sure which but it was one or the other so this man took us up to his register to ring us up and the phone scanned on the register at $129.99 and we asked him about it so he called a manager a man who claimed to be the General Manager of the store said his name was Jason and Jason was very rude he told my mother and I that he is not obligated to honor the price on the sticker that its not his fault that people move things around in hopes to get a better price and that he can not follow each and every customer around his store to make sure that they do not leave his merchandise where it does not belong. He stated that all he would be willing to do is give us 10% off and that he would not honor the posted price. The entire time Jason was telling us what he would not do his body language stated that he was angry and that it almost appeared that he felt we were bothering him.
5 - Jo G.: Excellent customer service!  I had major problems with my 14 inch HP laptop and was able to return this without any problems even when the return time frame was exceeded.  Jason the store mgr, Anna the nice representative that helped me upgrade to a new MAC and Carlos the Geek Squad mgr all worked as a team to resolve my situation and get me the computer that I needed.  Buying computers is challenging and while I am comfortable using them I am very tech challenged when it fails - the Geek Squad for the most part were excellent in resolving my issues.  Definitely buy your computers and get the tech service from Best Buy!
2 - Forrest Y.: I went here to buy a dryer and was helped by Sean G. from the home appliance section. First off, he didn't seem very knowledgeable about the various features of the dryers -- when I asked him what the difference was between two LG models, he said, "oh the more expensive one has a better moisture sensor." Is that it? A $300 price difference explained away by one little feature? Anyway, neither one was the exact model I wanted to stack with my dryer, so I asked if he could check the computer. He looked it up and found over 140 of them at the warehouse in Chino, originally priced at $1100 but for sale now at $800. He also stated that they had stopped selling them on the floor in October last year. I asked him, "well how are you going to sell that many dryers if they're not on the floor?" He said, "special orders." What? 
When I asked him what his opinion was about dryers, whether or not there was a significant difference between a $400 dryer and this $800 one, he said "oh yeah, the moisture sensor is much better." What??? I don't think that having the dryer shut off 15 minutes earlier is worth $400 extra, but Sean G. begged to differ when I asked him what dryer he would buy if he was moving into a new home. He said he'd definitely buy the $800 one, look at the giant discount you're getting! I looked at him in his Best Buy outfit thinking, this is why you're working at Best Buy, buddy! I asked him, "so if you had a choice between a $45000 car that was 'on sale' for $35000 or a car that was functionally the same for $15000, you'd choose the $45000 car?" He said, "definitely, if I liked the $45k car." Now, I can appreciate that some people like the finer things in life, but I was asking him on a straight cost-comparison basis and he wouldn't budge from his upselling commission-grubbing way and ended up losing the entire sale. 
Not coming back here again!
1 - Brandon H.: The service here is just... terrible. There's really no other thing about it, and we've given them enough chances, especially with Circuit City no longer selling in stores (I cannot explain how ecstatic I was when I heard they, Circuit City, were coming back online). I waited for about 15 minutes, just for someone to tell me that they weren't too strong on the Mac topic, which is expected, but not when you're hanging around the Apple area for five minutes. Not only did he not know, he wasn't aware he had the Dynex connector I needed in stock, and when he tried to find out, it said that the item has never been stocked, yet it had a price tag on the floor? Hmm...
At that point, I "asked" him if it would just be easier to order it from Circuit City, and just as I thought, he froze up and called in for someone with Mac knowledge and worked in the inventory area. 10 minutes later, nada. I asked customer service, and said they almost never would have a guy from inventory come on the floor just for assistance. Peeved, I left immediately. I was even planning on buying a DSi and a PSP. Oh well! Guess that's just $300 they'll never see!
2 - Steve B.: This is my local Best Buy but just like all the others I hate the customers service lines here they always take for ever for returns I don't know why they don't have more stations so they can get thru the lines alot faster.  Also if you call any best buy good luck they never answer the phones and if they do you will be on hold For EVa for EVA for EVA EVA.....you might have a better chance fighting cancer then getting a hold of these people.  FAIL....!
1 - Jon B.: Took my computer in to these guys because of a bad video driver making Windows not boot up. They said the OS was corrupt and offered data back up. Then did the recovery without backing up the data. So, now I have a blank harddrive, and a blank computer. Ugh, never take anything to this location if you want good repairs. I should have looked at the other reviews first.
2 - Paolo L.: Came in here to buy a Compact Flash memory card.  Turns out they don't carry almost any at all except for SanDisk Ultra II in 4GB I think.  *AND* the worker there was surprised that the 7D took Compact Flash cards...

....makes me wonder if they sold millions of SD cards with customer's 7D's.  Then again, I wouldn't listen to a salesman if I was buying there, because I'd know what I need.

Anyway, other than that, it's like any Best Buy.  Having worked at one years and years ago, I was surprised that it took a long time for us to get help.  But, once I helped the CS Rep out, he was more than happy to help.

I tend to want to stop by Best Buys when I need a quick accessory or something and can't be bothered to go to Fry's...it's hard listening to the sales talk, even when just approaching slightly higher ticket items.  I understand it, but it's still pretty much drivel.  Fry's is worse, but pricing is generally better.
4 - Cesar R.: Girlfriend and I came here for a lap top for her (had a bad experience with Fry's). It was nice that they where not pushy and very helpful when asked questions. The guy who helped up is named Ian and he was a wealth of computer knowledge and helped us cut through what we did and did not need in a laptop. We did not want overkill tech so we did not want to pay for things we would never use or miss. We kept Ian busy with question but he did not mind and in fact were the last people out of the store as he finish ringing us up. We got a great package deal with a printer and warranty and walked out happy. Better experience than I have had at other electronic stores.
5 - Van D.: I have bought a tv w dvd player, 3 laptops, a netbook, pc games, my box360+kinect bundle from this location and i cannot be any happier with them :) 

This is the only line worth standing in during black friday. i freaken love best buy... 

not to mention their geek squad is really awesome. theyre conveniently there for me to ask questions and help me fix my electronics asap!!!! one time my ac adapter (charger) stopped working and one of the geek squad guys gave me an extra one he had laying around. 

my most recent visit is when i went in to buy the xbox360 with the kinect package. i was most impressed with crystal i's help to me. she was explaining to me the difference between an xbox with 4gbs and an xbox with more gbs... she also told me about the games and other deals they have going on, to help me with future purposes.. she was very knowledgable in her department and very nice, sweet and helpful. i bought the last xbox 360 with the kinect they had in stock. teheehee!!!!!! ready to lose some weight 

i will obviously come back to this best buy for future electronic needs as well!!!!!!!
2 - Benjamin L.: I come to this store quite often for computer repairs. They used to have a wonderful staff that can fix almost any solution while I was instore shopping. But it seems to have gone downhill recrently. They had one of the smartest geek squad tech I have ever had the pleasure to deal with (Daniel), but they have let him go.

Hopefully they can get their stuff together soon as I will be looking into more local support if they cant fix most my simple issues instore.
1 - Sharon I.: On 2/2/12,  I went shopping for 2 flat screened TVs.  Stopped by Best Buy to see what kind of sets they had.  The sales associate was very helpful and not pushy at all.  He took his time and answered all questions.  Ended up buying two sets with the delivery date of 2/16/12 as the TVs were to be set up as well.   So far so good (or so I thought).  On 2/15/12, I called to find out what time the Geek Squad would be delivering and setting up my two TVs.  The Geek Squad had the delivery and set up scheduled for 2/28/12!  What??  I talked to the store manager and asked what was going on.  The manager actually said that the computer had noted that someone from my household had called to push back the delivery date.  Unbelievable!  I assured him that no one called to push back the delivery and set up date and I wanted my TVs delivered as promised.  He told me to call back the next morning and talk to the manager that was on duty that day as he couldn't get  a hold of the Geek Squad to see if they could get it scheduled.  I called and talked to the manager and told him I wanted my TVs delivered and set up as promised.  He said "sorry" but because it was a "whole house setup"  they would need  to schedule a bigger chunk of time.  I asked him, when was the soonest my sets could be delivered.  He said probably Tuesday, 2/21 but he would have to check.  I said "so Best Buy has had my money since 2/2 and I have nothing to show for it yet and I won't until maybe Tuesday the 2/22?  To make a long story short, I cancelled my order for the two TVs  (over $2700. worth of business).  What started out as a positive experience with the sales associate, ended in bitter disappointment for me due to the poor customer and professional service Best Buy provide for their customers.  As for me,  I'll take my business to a company that provides good services and cares about it's customers.
1 - Todd H.: This review is for the geek squad. They are horrible! They have zero customer service skills. The phone department is really great though!
3 - Michael H.: Defintely the electronics place to hit up if you are in the Montclair area. It is located directly behind the Target and 99cents store. Nothing really special about this store but convienent none the less.
2 - James S.: I'm not quite sure what happened to Best Buy but over the last few years they've cut most of their stock in movies, music and games. This coupled with their horrible customer service, can they really be wondering why they are having to close store?
1 - Pam S.: Ok so this is the scoop. Today at apprx. 11:00am  a friend texts me to say that Best Buy is having a deal on 42inch LED Insignia HDTV for $189.99 regularly $499.99 I get on line and BOOO-YA I find it! I call my local Best Buy (which is the Montclair location) from work and confirm that Yes they have 5 in stock and OMG it apparently IS $189.99 (obvious to them that there was an error) but that they would honor it then I gave them my name and told them I would be there after 5:00pm to pick-up. They said to come up to Customer Pick-up so I wouldn't have to wait in line and they would have it.

At apprx 5:45pm I arrive at Best Buy to pick up my TV they have a problem finding it... then they can't find the ad, I call my friend to fax over a copy of the ad. BTW my friend had went to the Rancho location and purchased 3 of them. She explained that it was a Manager over-ride and that THEIR store manager called corporate office but still Honored it. 

NOT TO BE THE CASE AT MONTCLAIR Mr. MaX Hernandez came out and pretty much said it was up to HIS DISCRETION and he is choosing NOT TO Honor the printed deal that I had proof of. So I ask for the corporate information and walked out... He stated to me that he had received a disclaimer which was sent out almost immediately for the error in the ad. That is not my issue the people answering the phone earlier were not made aware of this and after I confirmed with them the price over the phone I thought every thing was good to go. 

Called corporate spoke to a Tyrese that listened and tried to intervene with the store manager - to see if he could get me a discount on the TV or offer me another TV altogether at  a lower price just maybe not a 42 inch... Apparently Mr. Hernandez was IRATE with Tyrese as well. Tyrese phone me back to apologize for the incident and offered a gift card for my frustrations. I told Tyrese I would never step foot again in this store as long as he was General Manager I would rather drive 2 hours to another one before I contribute to the revenue of that location. Which is sad because before this I was always there for DVD's. Ipod accessories, Music and I mean FU** Thomas Jefferson just bought a IPad from there just this past June and HE prefers going to the APPLE store but we decided to go here instead. Not to mention that I believe that EVERY purchase counts and keeps people employed.

I am thoroughly dissappoined in the attitude of the General Manager he never ONCE tried to save this sale AT ALL. He rather let me walk out and BLAST his behavior for the internet to see than take care of an error that was made from his company. Tsk Tsk Mr. Hernandez where did you learn Customer Retention.

Respectfully (yet angered) Reviewed

update: 9:00pm heard from 3 other individuals that were allowed to purchase this deal at the Chino Hills, West Cabin and West Covina.
3 - David R.: We get what we pay for at these corporate giant companies.  I purchased my smart phone here and now my dad's smart phone.  I like to see new technology, and Best Buy is just so conveniently located in every community.
3 - Fern R.: They price match, what else can I say.  I was able to get the 3-d blu-ray of The Avengers movie for $19.99 and they were selling it for $29.99
1 - Bryan C.: I really hate being solicited by the DirectTV rep. Thinking that he was a Best Buy employee I asked him questions about a product. He couldn't really give me a competent answer but then he starts asking me what service I use to watch TV. Not having a Blue Best Buy shirt should have been the first give-a-way that he wasn't a Best Buy employee.

Best Little Helper - Providence, RI (41.819713, -71.39649) (Fox Point)
5 - Darryl H.: Dusting and vacuuming was done, appliances were polished! Everything in the bathroom was cleaned in the bathroom including the whirlpool. Floors were cleaned and polished. Litter box was even cleaned.Floors were shined like I haven't seen in five years. Everything smells fantastic. She even organized the pantry.



With the consultation we discussed our needs, we were happy that our needs were fulfilled. Best Little helper went above and beyond to make me feel comfortable about using her last week and in the future. I have referred Tracie to several of my clients
5 - Greg G.: Tracy cleaned first our loft apartment and then our rowhouse in Brooklyn, NY for approximately five years between 2005 to 2010.  This included vacuuming, floor mopping, cleaning up after two kids, two cats and a dog, dishes, cleaning out the refrigerator, basically anything we needed done. 

She was outstanding in every respect--thorough, reliable and completely trustworthy.  Frankly, she has been irreplaceable.  We have now two or three housecleaners since she moved away and have not been able to find anyone who comes close in terms of either quality or value.

Best Martial Arts - College Park, MD (38.9811364, -76.9380896) ()
1 - aaron f.: i visited here once as well... i got the same speech Byron T got. I've fought a few different places and the only reason I'd go to this one was because it close. The training area is a little bit bigger than a college park bedroom with two seperate classes going on. 

if you want to learn the basics this seems to be the place for you. But just like any other type of fighting a black belt here doesn't equate to a black belt somewhere else. $120 a month is rediculous for a place you can only attend class 2? nights a week and never spar.

the grand master wanted to see if i could block his elbows so i did then when i dropped my guard he gave me a cheap shot... not impressed.
5 - Elysa A.: I began training in MMA at Best Martial Arts Styles in November of 2011 (I am already at the yellow belt level).  I simply walked into the training studio and asked lots of questions to Grandmaster.  He was very welcoming and willing to teach me MMA in order to be healthy, fit, confident, and disciplined.  The Masters Andy and Master Jeremiah are very friendly and patient with a novice like myself.  They break everything down so I can learn easier.  Even though I am a late bloomer for getting into martial arts when I am 30 years old, the atmosphere is not intimidating so that I feel comfortable.  There are all levels of belts in my class so I learn a lot from my peers as well as the Masters and Grandmaster.  That is called leadership!  I would recommend Best Martial Arts Styles to anyone looking to study and train.
1 - Byron T.: The Grandmaster is a scumbag. He will speak sweetly when you come in for an introduction but after you've been there sometime he will speak feely at which point his true colors are reveled. A couple times, a parent has come in complaining that their child used explicit profanity. He then lectures the class in front of the parent for an hour or two about proper conduct when in actuality, it was his foul and disgusting mouth that taught the child what his parents were appalled to hear. He is sexist, rascist, and overall a terrible human being. He often times laughs about how stupid people who sign up for his school are. Talking about how he rips them off and they are none the wiser. He claims to have fought hundreds of ring fights yet has no proof what so ever. If you sign up with him you will be sorry. This is the worst martial arts school in America, let alone Maryland.
I trained at his school for some years, and the only saving grace is instructor Chuck Young. Besides him, the other instructors are complete lemmings to the grand master and have no ring or real world experience. Don't waste your time or money, you could learn money by watching videos on youtube.com.

Best Western Franklin Square Inn - Troy, NY (42.733828, -73.689103) ()
4 - Michelle L.: I spent a few nights here last month, and was very impressed. The room was well appointed, the wireless service was reliable, and the breakfast was good with a lot of variety. I have no problem with there not being a Starbucks inside the hotel. As if there aren't enough of those everywhere? Not to mention, I just think Starbucks coffee is bitter, and I'll take hotel coffee over that slag any day. If anyone is really jonesing for a latte, there's a Dunkin' Donuts right down the street.

The thing I noticed the most about my room was the towels--they were soft, fluffy and absorbent. Yes, I notice these things, especially because the week after I stayed at the Franklin Square Inn, I was in Texas and stayed at a Hilton Garden Inn (which is supposed to be a nicer hotel than a Best Western), and the towels there were like sandpaper. 

The hotel staff was very friendly, professional, and helpful.

I also really like that there are washers and dryers available. I would suggest, though, that in addition to detergent, the hotel try to make dryer sheets available in the vending machine.

The hotel is in a really good location. It's right across the street from Dinosaur BBQ (SO good! I'll be reviewing that soon!), and a little further down the main street are more restaurants, and that Dunkin' Donuts. There's also a CVS which, if they were smart, would stock many more travel-sized items being located so close to a hotel. (Yup, another review coming soon.), but which is still very convenient for many things. Lots more stores, coffee shops, and restaurants within walking distance. There's also a bus stop very near the hotel if you don't want to walk, and don't rent a car.

One slight negative is that the mattress was encased in plastic. I'm thinking this probably has a lot to do with trying to counter or prevent any bedbug problems, which are becoming so prevalent in a lot of hotels. But plastic doesn't breathe, so it makes sleeping a little uncomfortable. Waking up sweaty when it's 13 degrees outside is just weird. But it's preferable to being bitten by bedbugs for sure.

The reason I deducted one star, though, is because, like another reviewer, I also found an inordinate number of hairs in the bathroom, as well as in the bed. I don't think I need to explain the ick factor that goes with finding someone else's hairs anywhere in...well, anywhere. Maybe the housekeepers need to wear hairnets?

Overall, it was a good stay, and I would definitely stay there again.
3 - Janette C.: Just checked in. Clean and nice king size room.  In room fridge and coffee maker.  Full breakfast in the morning. Friendly staff.  Requested more hangers and got them immediately.  Free wi fi and free parking.  All seems good so far. (on a different note, avoid ordering from Dino BBQ across the way. Not worth the convenience of room delivery!)
4 - Alison V.: My family stayed here on the night before and night of my sister-in-law's wedding.  We were upstairs in a regular room.  It was comfortable and pretty standard.  My mother-in-law was downstairs in a suite and it was pretty nice.  And my sister-in-law stayed in another type of suite and it was quite impressive.

The views may not be the most awesome, but the service here was great.  They were friendly to having lots of us frequently congregating in their lobby area and with all sorts of random requests to rooms.  The rooms were clean and had a mini-fridge which worked well.  The air conditioning was a bit loud, but it was worth it to not sweat it out in the room.  The parking was free and seemed plentiful.

The continental breakfast had a good variety and was delicious.  It is convenient if you are going to an event at Franklin Plaza or if you would like to be near what seemed to a lot of neat places in Troy.  It is also right by a Dinosaur BBQ which is nice for lunches or dinners.

Best Western Inn At the Peachtree - Atlanta, GA (33.7869128, -84.3875602) (Midtown)
4 - Carla M.: I have stayed at this hotel a total of three times in the last year when traveling for work.  They finally finished the remodeling and the place looks fantastic.  The rooms are comfortable with great waterfall showers and really comfortable beds.  The staff is very helpful and I have not received a bad recommendation from them for dinner. 

There is free breakfast offered every morning which isn't great but it's free.

Best Western Medical Center - Houston, TX (29.708226, -95.40429) (West University)
2 - Linda C.: There were two good things about this hotel:

1) Location to the Medical Center
2) Morning hot breakfast

Unfortunately, there were plenty of not so good things:

- Hotel smelled damp, moldy
- Things looked old (lobby chairs, furniture)
- Room was cold, and when the heat was turned on, there was a nasty smell that set off the fire alarm and lingered for hours.  Was told this was "normal" because "the heater hasn't been used all summer and there was no way to get rid of the smell."  

NASTY!!

The above may have been due to the relatively recent hurricane.  It actually was over a hundred dollars a night, I'm assuming because of the hurricane evacueees.  

Either way, stay here only if you NEED to be close to the medical center.  

\At least until they renovate the place.
3 - Peter T.: Definitely close to the Medical Center, and the location is fantastic. There are also shuttles that run during the day that goes around to a bunch of the hospitals around here, so that's convenient too. The morning breakfast is quite good too, so those are some of the positives. However, things are not all good here.

While I didn't find the hotel to be damp - in fact, the hotel was quite comfortable, there were some other issues. The internet situation was pretty terrible as the internet service (both wired and wireless) never seemed to work in my room (or anywhere else for that matter). I am only able to surf using the various hospital wireless networks around here.

Otherwise, the housekeeping staff was polite and very helpful, and having vending machines with laundry units has been quite helpful to say the least. Would probably only come back though if I absolutely NEEDED to be close to the medical center.

Best Western San Luis Obispo - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2894137, -120.6506271) ()
4 - jen b.: not bad.  standard motel rooms.  clean.  i did like the super king sized bed.  that leads to some good not-so-wholesome fun!

there's continental breakfast in the morning.  i thought prepackaged pastries, but there was cereal, bagels, toast, muffins, etc.  not bad.
5 - D P.: I was pleasantly suprised with my stay at the Best Western Somerset Inn.  The staff was polite and very helpful with directions and restaurant recommendations.  

I'll definitely return.
3 - CH C.: Stayed there June 11 and was initially perturbed that hotels.com screwed up my reservation and that it had to be cancelled and re-set at a higher rate, which I may dispute; however, the staff went out of their way to resolve the problem. The room was fine except for the loads who were stomping around like elephants above. The desk person told me that they checked out at 400am. Fortunately, I'd brought my earplugs. If I stay there again I'll choose the second floor.
4 - jen d.: Not the most luxurious of places...but hey, you get what you pay for! In this case you get a clean room, a decent bathroom, and that's about it. I felt like the front desk staff were very helpful. They even called a few minutes after we checked in to see if everything was okay! The only bummer was that there wasn't a mini fridge. That would have been a nice addition to the room.
1 - tonya m.: The worst looking motel on the strip.  We pulled up and thought it was closed. There is some boarded up part of the front of the hotel, and the desolate parking lot looked seedy.  The room doors face the outside, which I hate especially when traveling with kids. I had a reservation made 3 months in advance.  When I went to check in at 1:15, the lady at the front desk was horribly rude.  She thought I was checking out, and was barking orders at me.  Told me not to think about coming back, until after 3pm. Refused to let me pre register my credit card and make requests.   I just drove 4 hours straight, had kids in the car.  We all could have used a restroom, a map of the area, an offer to store our luggage, but I got nothing but attitude. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, across the street.  They treated me nicely, smiled, were happy, and the place is brand new.  And they had a clean room ready to check in.  The worst was management never called me back to apologise, despite filing a complaint with Best Western.  This experience truly ruined my vacation.
2 - Hasham Y.: This motel reminds me of motels in those scary movies. I checked in at night and must say this motel is on a pretty dark st. I got to the check in counter to find out that the only guy working is on the phone and he rather complete his call than help me check in. And yes, he took entire 7 min to finish his call while i was standing there. I had a gut feeling that it is going to be a terrible stay and this was just the beginning. I got the last room by the pool on the second floor. Did i mention creepy motel from a scary movie! o yeah so i drove through the empty lot and parked right by the last stair case in the dark parking lot. It was pouring hard and I didn't appreciate getting wet struggling with luggage hauling it to the second floor. As i was climbing up the stairs i looked on the right and it was the pool. Completely filled, some twigs and leaves floating around- no life guard on duty sign and lights that barely lit it up. did i mention creepy motel from scary movie! Anyway i got into my room, must say for price of $60 i couldn't complain. You get what you pay for. It was an alright sized clean room with old school huge TV with basic cable. Bathroom was cramped but clean. The WC tank took ages to refill, like good 25-30 min and yes it was loud. After my every use i contemplated if i should run the toilet as i will be listening to the refill in my room. hate the noise. Anyway after reading bible that night- had to i was scared to death, i finally called it a night around 10:30 pm thinking i will be shortly in my la la land. Little did i know that the previous occupant of this room liked waking up in the middle of the night. At precisely 12am the radio went off, " this is a health warning from US Govt." Seriously can you imagine waking up listening to that! All i could think was where am I. It jolted me off the bed as it was very loud and a WARNING. As i got up i noticed that there is red color night light. Oh! i didn't notice that earlier. Another addition to the creepiness of this place. I tried sleeping afterwards but I could hear neighbor snoring. So annoying. After 15 min of futile attempts to fall asleep i went out to knock on my neighbors room to realize rooms on both sides were empty and this guy was snoring from two rooms away. WOW! What are these walls made of . just 11x12 sheets with no insulation in them? Realizing i decided to let my supposedly neighbor sleep and turned on the TV. Just in time because my neighbors down stairs just made it in and guess what, the yet have to boogie. OMG! Good help me. help me sleep. Eventually around 1:15 am the neighbors down stairs finally completed there business and the other stopped snoring so I was able to sleep. I was working from my hotel room so morning went be fast until the lady from the front desk called me at 12:05pm saying i need to vacate the room. Hahahah. Thank God my stay came to an end. One thing is for sure, I am a Marriott, Hilton and star wood guy. I get to appreciate those places more than ever and never, EVER in my life again am i going CHEAP again. It is so not worth it. I love my statuses in all the hotels and i think i should stick with them 
Oh in the breakfast instead of orange juice, you will be drinking some cheap punch so spare yourself the trip for the free Continental breakfast
4 - Wally W.: It's a standard Best Western motel in the birth place of motels, San Luis Obispo.  The parking lot could be a bit bigger, and maybe have the front restaurant open or look more appealing.  The continental breakfast consists of various breads, cereals, coffee, and a DIY waffle machine.  

The rooms seemed newly renovated, the bathroom could be a bit bigger since the shower door couldn't fully open without hitting the towel rack.  Room was quite clean.  One thing that was missing was a bag for the ice bucket.  Most places I've stayed has provided a bag/liner.
4 - Max R.: I wanted to stay at the cute B&B 3 blocks down. Then I learned
 - They had 6 rooms open, on a Monday night.
 - The rooms all cost 2.5 times that of BW.
 - The price was firm.
Supply and demand and bartering was not the way they did things,
so off I want to the BW.


A usual:
Clean room, of good size.
Wireless Internet.
Good shower.
Cheap.
Waffle-maker and coffee in the morning.


It did, however, lack a mini-fridge. This is exactly the sort of thing
that leads to warm beer. Sad.
1 - mrs. s.: i am a best western rewards member.  i downgraded from embassy suites and renaissances simply because i could affod to take more weekends this way. i'm pleased with best western and often get a great breakfast.  but i think this was built as a low budget motel and bought by bw. i was about 45 minutes early and was timid about asking for early check-in.  instead i went in to ask what time check in was.  i too, was barked at.  i even mentioned that i'd been up since 5 am and had been sight seeing all day.  she was firm.  i was exhaused and my husband, six-year old and i sat in the car in a park down the road.   no one wanted to get out to play.  at check in we met another gentleman.  very friendly.  i saw him again when he came to replace the dead batteries in the remote.  we had no microwave and no fridge.   i had a gallon of fresh cider from the avila barn.  he offered to let me keep it in the office.  i also noticed the linerless ice bucket.  ewwwww.   one good thing;  they had a great selection of bag teas at breakfast.  often you will find only lipton.

too tired to leave for dinner, i was pleased to find a meal delivery directory in our room.  tons of local restaurants.  this service will pick up your order and bring it to the hotel.  so many restaurants, so many menus. took forever to decide.  i finally called and the phone was out of service.  i tried a few times.  then i called the bw desk to ask about it, but no one answered.  i thought it was odd.  i called from my room and i called from my cell phone.  no answer at all.  i peeked out.  no one was at the desk.  i tried calling the restaurants directly.  some were out of business, others said they didn't participate in the program anymore.  turns out, this delivery service was out of business and had been for quite awile.  i called the front desk again to let them know. still no answer.  very irritating.  what if i wanted to complain about the stomping in the room above us?  that was so minor.

i went that way again last week.  about 15 minutes north is the best western colony in atascadero.  beautiful, large, huge gated pool and jacuzzi, and the helpful, friendly service i've come to expect from best western.  i paid $99 for the punishment at the sommerset and $75 for the weekday special at the colony.

i'd forgotten this whole experience until tonight.  i didn't get my bw points.  as a matter of fact, i never even got a confirmation email.  i wonder if they booked my room, or if i got one as a 'walk-in'.  i certainly booked it online.  i always do.  maybe they just neglected to type in my rewards card.  i called to ask about it.  ..............

no answer.
2 - Matt S.: The Good:
-(relatively) Inexpensive
-WiFi is free
-Continental breakfast is included.  (Cereal, self-serve waffle maker, muffins, fruit, hard boiled eggs, juice and coffee available)
-Close to Cal Poly campus
-New furniture

The Bad:
-Carpet appears a tad dingy.
-Room smelled like chemicals.  (Perhaps management should look into green / less harsh cleaning products?)

The Ugly:
-Found a few long strands of hair in the sheets.  (I'm hoping they belonged to the housekeeping lady and not the previous night's guests).

In conclusion:
Don't expect the Westin (or even Holiday Inn) experience here; however, the Best Western Sommerset Inn offers an inexpensive place to stay for those visting SLO.

This place is definitely function over form.
3 - Doug B.: But for unfriendliness of the front desk staff, we would rate this hotel as a 4. Otherwise, it is well located, spacious and comfortable.
5 - Jonathan L.: Excellent hotel! One of the best I've been to for the price. Every single person who works here is extremely friendly and curious. Right when you walk into their lobby, they greet you. Moreover, I requested a specific room and they actually remembered. Big plus when the staff is not only friendly but competent. 

The rooms are all completely remodeled and modern. I also love that the beds do not have those thick covers where people lay on and hotels normally don't wash. Instead, they have all white beds, so you know its clean when you sleep in it.

Finally, the breakfast here is pretty good. Hard boiled eggs and home made waffles are delicious. 

I highly recommend this hotel if you are visiting in San Luis Obispo. Its close to splash cafe, campus and the freeway.
1 - Angela D.: Note to all hotel booking staff: Do not, I repeat, DO NOT book families with little kids on second floors, particularly when the walls and floors are paper thin.  I had little kids once upon a time....heck, I was a little kid once upon a time.  And the one thing all us little kids love about staying in hotels is jumping around on the beds.  Which is what I'm listening to as I types this.  The structure of this hotel must be awfully flimsy, because I can FEEL them jumping around and occasionally falling with a huge thud on the floor.  I can also hear adults up there, but unfortunately, said adults aren't scolding said little kids into settling down, despite the fact that it is close to 11 pm.  Maybe  those parents were partying with the chaps who are drinking and telling really loud jokes outside in the parking lot, so they're too sloshed to control the springy offspring.  Gosh that joke must be funny, because they sure are laughing hard.  If I could hear over the very loud air conditioner, I might have heard the punchline.  Given all the noise around here, maybe I should consider the loud hum of the fan as a kind of blessing in a white noise kind of way.
   Oh wait, I hear the telephone ringing.  Not in my room though.  The room upstairs.  Did I mention that the walls and floors are thin?   It must be the front desk calling to tell the munchkins to knock it off.  That's a slight slight plus....which is why I'm awarding this review a virtual bonus star.  Plus free wi-fi and breakfast get a nod.  And the room was big, and appears clean, although I would prefer it not smell so overwhelmingly of bleachy cleaner.  But I'd rather pay $20 or $30 more and not have so much noise.
1 - Melinda A.: Do not, I repeat, do not stay here! This is an outdated hotel with paper-thin walls. We had a horrible time trying to sleep because we could hear everything going on in the pool. Also, the bathroom had a funky moldy smell that stunk up the entire room. I had a headache the entire time we stayed here--the headache cleared up as soon as we left. The only plus is that you can walk to downtown SLO from here.
1 - Kim C.: For what I got, the room was terribly expensive.  But then most of the lodging in SLO is expensive, especially during tourist season.   There were children everywhere and of course parents who had no interest in being parents and disciplining them (God forbid!).  So the noise level was a bit unbearable at times.  The hotel staff turned a deaf ear to the unsupervised screaming brats.   
My biggest complaint.  After I returned home, I found a charge for $8.00 on my credit card account from the hotel.  I called to find out what it was.  Evidently, I had "damaged" one of their hand towels.  Red liquid stain on the hand towel.  I confess.  Yes it was wine.  It spilled a bit on the dresser and I wiped it up.  $8.00?  Have you ever heard of bleach, Best Western Somerset Inn?   I spill wine from time to time at home and wipe it up with a towel and I wash the towel and guess what?  The wine stain is gone!   Magic! The woman on the phone told me that they charge this for mascara stains, coffee stains, scuff marks.  Anything that leaves a stain. Are you freaking kidding me?  Uh, do they analyze the sheets for...never mind.
I have stayed at a lot of places in my life from cheapo motels to 5 stars and I have never encountered this.   Personally, I think it's just another way to get a little more money out of people.
I won't stay there again.  I will tell everyone I know not to stay there.
And by the way, Best Western Somerset Inn, do something about the screaming children.  I think for $130.00 a night, people should have some peace and quiet.
2 - Kalena B.: The short of it: desk staff were rude but the bed was super comfy

My check in process was awful. My company reserved the room on Priceline and paid in full. When I went to check in, the woman working the desk asked for a credit card for incidentals, I obliged and handed her one. She then proceeded to write down in large blue-inked letters the numbers on my credit card, expiration date, and three digit code on the back of the card on a sheet of paper, turned it around, and asked me to sign it. Since my fiance's credit card info had been stolen the week before, I was extremely uncomfortable with this process, and expressed as much (pretty kindly, I might add) and asked if they had a more secure way of storing credit card information.

She explained that this was secure, only desk staff would see this information. I look behind her, and sitting at the computer doing who knows what were a maintenance worker and a housekeeper. Yeah, I can see they have stuff on lockdown.

So again I say that I'm not comfortable with the process, and she says, "fine," grabs my confirmation that I had printed, and writes "room cancelled on it," while saying, "I'll just cancel this reservation. Good luck finding another room."

Seriously? Good luck finding another room? I was absolutely taken aback by her behavior! I explained that no, I can just have my company take the risk instead, and get them to send their CC information over and that it is *extreeeemely* rude to tell someone "good luck finding another room" and to just cancel their reservation without asking if that's what they'd like to do.

So many other ways she could have handled the situation...

Anyway, once I got to my room, the experience was okay. The room was fairly clean (only found one hair and it was on the carpet - got stuck on my foot :-/), and the bed was actually very comfortable. The wireless was decent speed-wise. There wasn't any soap in my room the first night, but housekeeping put some in the second night.

Only other thing I didn't like was the scary looking parking lot. I made my fiance stay on the phone with me while I walked from my car to my room - it just looks shady back there, and there were some shady looking characters in the building across from mine.

The staff present at check out were just "meh" - not friendly or anything, but at least not downright rude.

While I'd probably stay at a Best Western again, it'd be the one across town with more stars :)
4 - Daniel D.: The Best Western is neat and clean.  We have stayed there before and will stay there again. Only 4 stars this time because the carpet needed some cleaning with many dark dirt spots showing this time, but everything else was fine. The room was quiet and where we had asked for it. The free wireless internet gave us excellent reception. There was a mini-refrigerator inside the TV stand.  The free continental breakfast was the usual generous fried eggs, sausage patty, waffles, cold cerel, yogart, toast, English muffins, bananas, apples, tea, coffee, juice, milk, etc. Pretty generous.  The staff was friendly and I did not notice any hospitality issues mentioned by others.
1 - Melissa Y.: I booked this room because it looked like the rooms were fairly clean and updated for the price while I was visiting my brother.  I also thought that behind the name of the Best Western it would be a safe bet.  Unfortunately, that was not the case. The electricity went out the second night and the front desk was completely unapologetic.  I had to wait until they had electricity to check out when I saw they had placed bogus charges on my card, expecting me not to come back.  Fortunately, I did get refunded from American Express.  Save yourself the grief and spend the extra money to stay anywhere else.
5 - Monica Quintero S.: I had a really great experience at this hotel and would recommend it to anyone going to San Luis Obispo. The room was clean and nice, everyone who worked there was friendly and willing to help.  There was also had a great breakfast.  I would highly recommend this hotel!!!!
1 - Teresa R.: I stayed at this hotel because of its great location to downtown.  Upon check-in I was sent to a dirty room, but that was corrected quickly.  As is typical of a motel, we were asked for a brief description of our vehicles and completed registration.  That evening, a friend came to have dinner with us, and her vehicle was towed while we were out.  I worked in the hotel industry for 8 years, and I have never seen a property just start towing cars when there was plenty of parking available.  We were told it was for security; it wasn't like the vehicle had been there for days, just a matter of hours.  No one was at the desk to assist which would have been better security than towing people's cars.  It cost $350 to get the vehicle back from right across the street!  The rooms were extremely noisy in the morning which forced us up with the neighbors.  I emailed my complaint to Best Western and received an email back without a name of an actual person.  I contacted them further about my complaint and did not receive a reply back.  My credit card company started an investigation and replied back to me that it was basically he said, she said and the hotel was not willing to refund any money for the less than satisfactory stay.  Coming from a customer service background, I am embarrassed and ashamed by the experience as well as the follow-through after the fact.  This hotel definitely has the mindset that the customer is wrong.
1 - mike j.: DON'T STAY HERE! CROOKS! (a must read if you are going to stay here)
Where to start...
So my father and I checked in around 6pm on a Sunday night.
We went to check in and no one was at the front desk (not a big deal), so a gentleman came up and acted like he didn't even care too much: it was like talking to a computer (again not a big deal).  He went in the back for a minute and we could hear him arguing very loudly with some lady.  He came back and gave us the key-cards and we were on our way.
As we were getting settled my dad noticed an extremely large brown spot(s) on his undersheet, and it looked really gross; while this was happening I noticed probably a dozen black hairs all over my sheets.
My dad decided to go ask for new/clean sheets.  When he went to ask for new sheets the man at the front desk got his wife to talk to my dad about getting clean sheets.  She went on to say that there were no more sheets, and that there is only enough for 1 set per room (really? that's hard to believe).  She also said that she knew my dad was going to be trouble because when he reserved the room online he mentioned he would like clean sheets.  She became upset that my dad would ask for such a thing (really? I believe she even tore up the sign in paper that my dad signed) and she said we should leave the hotel.
After this, we set the keycards on the table in the room and grabbed our stuff and went to a different hotel just down the street.
A week later my dad noticed that Somerset Inn had charged my dad for that night. My dad called the hotel and asked them why they had charged for the night after asking us to leave.  The lady said we did stay; she even checked the door and it was locked from the inside (how is that even possible? why was she even "checking"?).
My dad went to his credit card company and told them everything that had happened, and he even used the same credit card for the other hotel that night (talk about proof!).  The credit card company went back and forth with the hotel, and they said they would give half the money back only if we take down the review of their hotel (I wrote the same review as this one that night which was mid August 2011; but some how it was taken down, and yelp doesn't know what happened to it).
Can you really trust these people? I think not.

I think the people that had a great experience are getting it mixed up with the other Best Western that is in San Luis Obispo.
4 - Moe M.: This is not a bad place to stay the night at all!  Especially if you're just passing through town for a night like we were.  The rooms were nice, clean, spacious, and well lit I found this room to be quite adequate for our needs.  Looks like the rooms have been recently refurbished and the breakfast area was nice and well stocked.  Also, this location is handy.  Close enough to the downtown action for walking and driving but far enough to feel like you're on vacation.  We had a great night, walking to a local place for some food and enjoying the cool weather.  We will return if passing through again.
3 - Lauren Z.: This place was reasonably priced for San Luis Obispo and was in walking distance to downtown. The room was clean and the bed was comfortable. The complimentary breakfast in the morning was not spectacular but they had fresh fruit, yogurt, toast and make your own waffles which was just perfect for me. I would reccommend this place if you are not looking to spend a ton of money, maybe for a long weekend trip and aren't planning on spending a ton of time in your hotel room. Good quality, location and comfort for the price.

Best Western St Jacob's Country Inn - Waterloo, ON (43.5065903, -80.5546973) ()
4 - Emily T.: Here is why I love this place:  The friendliest, most genuine and engaging people work here. Yes, i know I am in Canada, but I have stayed in a many hotel in canada and the people didn't stand out, I mean they were nice.......but this is more than nice. I almost want to stand at the desk and talk to them all night and get to know them and let them get to know me. 

The rooms are really large and the details are very meticulous.  You can tell that if there is even a sign of a crack or drip or dirt, they are determined to not let their hotel fall apart.   

I have been living here for two days and I have two to go and It feels like a home away from home. It's a very inviting, warm and comforting place.
4 - Aaron B.: Exceeded our expectations. I'd venture to guess this Best Western is among the chain's best properties. Clean and well maintained, we stayed in what I consider to be a larger than average, and larger than expected, room. Free, fast wifi and a very good, if busy, breakfast buffet. The building is very nice too, matching the surrounding area's old-timey feel and is within walking distance of the awesomeness that is the St. Jacobs' Farmer's Market.
4 - Derek C.: Great place! Excellent staff, pleasant and comfortable rooms. I would definitely stay here again.

Best Western University Inn - Chapel Hill, NC (35.936918, -79.039691) ()
3 - Lisa L.: Clean, courteous service, basic breakfast.  Not bad for a run of the mill motel, I suppose.  I appreciate the light blue sheets - it just makes a difference from the typical thin white ones that you'd expect - and I appreciate the free internet, even if I don't have a laptop.  There's a computer for public use in the lobby for fellow email-addicts, with a printer for those last minute boarding pass prints.
Note: Don't take room 1128.  I'm not sure why, but the bathroom walls in this particular unit were paper thin.  At five thirty in the morning, the people next door were getting up and moving about, and I got to hear every lick of their conversation as if they were standing in my bathroom.
3 - Henry S.: The Best Western University Inn has been torn down. A new mixed use community is going up in the old location.

Best Western University Inn - Ithaca, NY (42.438289, -76.461569) ()
2 - Perilous A.: It's hard to find reasonably priced lodging in this ivy league college town but you'd figure hotels at these prices with proximity to the famed hotel school would learn a thing or two about the hospitality industry.  

Apparently not so with this Best Western just a scant stone's throw from Cornell's Collegetown and the hotel school and engineering quad.  Check in was smooth and friendly, and the initial impression of the room was good: roomy and airy with high tudor style ceilings with sky-lights.  The bathrooms were clean and roomy.  But then the imperfections started to bare themselves:  the corners of the room were unclean, evidence of sloppy vacuuming.  Mattresses were sagging, in need of a refresh.  Roll-aways were stored in the hallways.  Repeated calls to the front desk went unanswered...when we visited the front desk, they said we had to dial the operator.  (Why have a front desk button on the phone?)  The free breakfast was served by a employee with a scowl on her face and literally threw food and condiments into their respective containers.  Not a friendly greeting from anyone.  The exercise room had no towels, but at least the dated equipment worked.  Hallways were not very clean and the infrastructure showed signs of wear.

On the good side, the price was the best we could find so close to campus.  If you're on a college visit, the proximity to the biotech building where the arts and sciences info session and engineering quad is compelling.  Also it's in a plaza with a super market and a rite aid near by.

There are much better places to stay, but at a price.  The distance to campus can't be beat.
3 - Joel A.: OK, serviceable, can't complain

But only 3 stars because the hotel seemed a little worn to us. We stayed three nights. Little things seems to be broken -- clock radio, remote control, ice machine. We liked the fact that it was next door to a large grocery store.  A fine value if it was $80/night, but we paid $140.
2 - Phil R.: Great proximity to Collegetown and a supermarket, but the room you get for the price you pay is pretty bad.  Uselessly high ceilings that swallow up any meager light provided from lamps, dirty floors, boring decor.  They have a great location and they know it, as little effort is made elsewhere.  Have to give them credit for the free WiFi and the breakfast, however.
1 - Jose Roberto D.: I asked for a non-smoking room and as soon as I opened the door the masked smell of cigarettes. The service was OK, no major complaints, no major compliments.
3 - A H.: This hotel was clean and had large rooms although the rooms were a bit dated. The staff was very nice and helpful and the location was perfect for me, extremely close and convenient to Cornell University.  My security latch was broken but they fixed it only a couple of hours after I reported it.  Supposedly there was wifi but they failed to ever give me the log in information and it was not written anywhere in the room so I was completely unable to use it.The breakfast was lacking for a "deluxe" continental. The only hot items were from a toaster or waffle maker. There was no apple juice and the fresh fruit was not all that fresh. The setup made it very difficult to get coffee and resulted in a crowded area. I was able to have a great breakfast despite these things but it would be better described as a basic continental breakfast. It was cold, I wished they had an indoor hot tub, but that is neither here or there. Overall, it's a decently priced, nice room with a friendly staff and good location.
5 - Dawn L.: I stayed at this hotel for 3 days and 2 nights. The service was good and the staff were super nice and accommodating. The beds were comfortable and everything was decently clean.  Too bad it's so expensive compared to other Best Westerns. The continental breakfast was typical...hot and cold foods available. I would love to stay here again on my next visit to Ithace, if it did not cost me close to 150$ a night.  If there were a better deal, I would definitely come back. It is also very close to supermarkets and fast food restaurants.

Best Wishes Flowers & Gifts - Blacksburg, VA (37.2348, -80.4217) ()
5 - Elizabeth M.: Amazing florist- best in town.  Beautiful arrangements, friendly staff and nice gift options as well.  Highly recommend- I use them for personal and work events.
5 - Alex V.: My sister recently got married and she used Best Wishes for the floral arrangements. Karen was super easy to work with!  We went back and forth many times changing the order and she made any change that we asked for.  She helped to make a vision a reality.  The experience was a no stress experience on such a big day.  I would recommend Karen to everyone if they are getting married in the Blacksburg area.

Best Yet Market - New York, NY (40.8057633, -73.9544095) (Harlem)
2 - Jason J.: Best Yet is kind of weird.  There's a lot of prepared food and a sort of strange selection.  A huge row of bread crumbs?  Cheese in three or four different places in the store?  The layout is pretty crazy also; I always found that I was discovering new little areas around hidden corners.  Not to mention that the basement feels lifeless with its harsh fluorescent lighting.  Notable is its almost total lack of organics and uncertain quality of meat and cheese and the very odd pricing for beer pisses me off.  (e.g., $14 for a six pack of stone ipa... no thanks)  Also, the cashier doesn't know what a scallion is?

Yet, the location is undeniably convenient from my apartment -- just around the corner.  I will probably use this place when I need one or two ingredients for something I'm making, keeping produce fresh, or instances where I need something "normal" that I can't get at my usual WFM on 97th and Columbus.  But for major shopping trips, Best Yet doesn't have the selection that I've come to expect.
3 - Rebeca P.: The reality is that BYS is a conventional supermarket.  Anywhere else this would be a truly three star experience.  But in NYC, where I regularly shop at Fairway and Whole Foods, it is a very underwhelming experience.  To be fair it just recently opened.  I am hoping that they will expand their organic variety soon and it would be nice if they had a good selection of personal/body care items.  The majority of folks that will be shopping here (new Harlemites) are used to high-end specialty markets so if BYS wants to be their local market of choice it needs to upgrade and expand in key areas.  Otherwise I and these other new Harlemites will continue to trek to Fairway and Wholefoods for their main shopping.
4 - Janie W.: No, it's not a Fairway or Whole Foods but it is convenient for people who live in the neighborhood, clean, well-stocked, and well-priced. It was also, on a Sunday morning anyway, calm and not ridiculously crowded. Hurray!
4 - John H.: Sweet Jesus, finally I don't have to drag my lazy ass to Westside Market to get some half decent grub. They have a good selection of food, it's pretty cheap. I think the best way to do this is  a good old Pro/Con list.
Pros: 1)Meat. Much more choice than Harlem is used to. Lamb and veal and bison...hells yes. The seafood guy almost jumped over the counter to show me the gulf shrimp they had, and then we shot the shit for 10 mins about the differences between La and Tx crawfish. That kid knows his seafood, and it made me happy. 2)They have a cafe' upstairs that is alright, if you go there hungry they will feed you. 3) I also like the D.I.Y. meat and cheese deli machine, where you can put in your order and pick it up on your way out. 4) Nice premium beer selection, even thou it is expensive. Good stuff thou, Oatmeal Stouts, IPA's, different ciders. 5) Hot food and olive bar. Not bad. Soups and sides and breads and olives. Like going to Westside Market, but without the douche baggery.
Cons: 1) Why is the cheese everywhere? Choose a spot and put all the cheese there. It worrys me. 2) I get lost. Lots if nooks and corners to discover, it just takes a while to find it all (although this is good for eating while you're shopping. If you finish it before you leave it's free right?). 3) If I forget bread (fresh bread) I can't go get it without making it look like I'm trying to haul ass outta there. The door guy really thought I was trying to make a break for it. 4) 1pm- fresh sushi...okay ----9pm same sushi. Not ok. 5) medicine, condoms, tampons and all the things that we pretend the cashier doesn't see are behind the counter so you to ask for them in front of everybody...kinda awkward unless you do you grocery shopping drunk (like me). 6) They don't sell large bags of dog food. I have a 90lb dog and that would be nice.

All in all, beats the HELL outta C-Town. And is way closer than WestSide market. Good work!
3 - C L.: If you follow the sales Best Yet is a great place to shop...Fage yogurt .99, pomegranate juice 2.99 (really, I STILL can't believe it....even the farmers markets in NJ charge more), yogurt drinks .99 (my kids drink these like water).....  a little crazy with the set up but all on all a great place to run in and out of (unlike Fairway). Shoot, if they get roasted chicken to .99 a pound Citarella will never see me.  Too much security though...cameras, people...it's overkill...I swear I feel like I've stolen something everytime I go in there...d*mn, why must it be this way in Soha????  Started to boycott just b/c of this but that dang pomegranate juice keeps calling me (think Pookie in the Towers). Crack is wack but pomegrante...gotta have it...
3 - Patrick M.: Great products for Harlem but those cashiers need some serious customer service training.
4 - natalie m.: i'm so excited to have an establishment like this in the neighborhood that i'll cut them some slack.

it's big, it's full of delicious stuff you can't usually find up here, and it's nearby. i love the whole foods-esque layout (dining area upstairs, deli area on the first floor, giant grocery area on the bottom floor). it wasn't packed, and the service was friendly (if a little confused).

i had breakfast there today, and ordered an omelet from the deli area toward the back. the staff were very eager to help, and the prices were great, but they were obviously extremely confused - it took them ages to get us our omelets, which inexplicably arrived as sandwiches without the sides that were supposed to come with them, and didn't include the ingredients listed on the menu. that's ok, though. i feel like once they work out the kinks and get a system going, it'll be truly great.

will definitely be back to raid their stash of fresh veggies and meats and gourmet snacks.
4 - julie c.: Echoing the sentiments of many in the neighborhood, Best Yet Supermarket is such a welcome addition to South Harlem. Finally, a store that is clean, friendly, CHEAP, and well-stocked. I love their weekly circular, which always has great deals on staples in my household (Wheat Thins, bread, fruit, cereal, juice). 

The store layout is a bit confusing at first, but as a frequent customer, I've gotten very used to it and now navigate the store with ease. So if you visit for the first time and feel skeptical, never fear, it will get easier! The staff is so friendly and always happy to help.

The only reason I gave this store a 4/5 stars is because I have found some of the veggies and fruit lacking in quality. They are priced really great, but I've had trouble with some Bell Peppers and even apples and carrots. However, I'm picky and spoiled by Whole Foods produce. 

All around, this is a wonderful store and the prices really can't be beat. I also love supporting a family business and am so glad that this neighborhood finally has some affordable healthy food. 

I shop here at least once a week.
5 - Bryce A.: Whole foods knock off, without the prices! 

This place is one of the best things to come to the Harlem area! The prices are Perfect... 

The cafe upstairs is a nice place to hang out and grab food. Wi-Fi is free!


~~best part of the store is the contraption that brings your cart from the basement to the 1st floor, it is a must try!
4 - Shanda S.: Thank god that this stretch of Harlem finally gotten a really good supermarket.  That's not to say that the little organic shop around the corner (Karrot) isn't wonderful, but sometimes you just want everything that you want to be in one place.

Now I can get fresh baguettes, cheeses (although the cheese counter has never really been staffed) and olives on a daily basis.  And fresh fruit and veg.  And the steal of the year, the Best Yet mixed salad greens, enough to last you for a week for less than $2.  And everything else too, even semi-obscure things that only I like to eat, like cinnamon apple chips.

Also a top notch seafood counter, which is consistently less expensive than Fairway and has good quality.  My only complaint:  the rotisserie chicken game is either feast or famine.  My advice: stagger.
3 - Dan T.: So Best Yet tries to take Manhattan & it does so in likely the only area that'd take well to them..and needed 'em. Deceptively enormous & maze-like with many levels, Best Yet simultaneously epitomizes the corporatization & gentrification, sandwiched between a Starbucks & a Chase.  Still skeptical about the chain, I realized on a weekday afternoon it really is just the Best Yet, and maybe that's what we need here, the discourteous and overextended employees notwithstanding.
4 - Kate F.: A great stop when in the mood to cook something fancy or just pick something up that's a bit out of the ordinary. No more forced deciding between Subway and the bodega!

Prices are very good, and though the layout is confusing as hell and I can't imagine dealing with a shopping cart here, they do fit a lot of options in all the nooks and crannies: A full service bakery with fresh breads and lots of fancy desserts, lots of good looking produce, a large deli with coffee, bagels and pizza too, pickle and olive bar, hot and cold salad bar, good looking cheese section, ample seafood, and a wide variety of frozen goodies and staples. 

I'm moving nearby and this place will definitely be on my list for a grocery shopping destination.
3 - Aaron S.: "Best Yet" gets a 3.   I was happy to find it in the area, BUT:

Annoying things:  Very unorganized and confusing layout, like a maze.  There are a lot of inconsistencies with the prepared foods.  Some items are excellent, others "eh".   The top floor would be a nice touch, were it not for the floor that seems to be peeling up already.

However, it is great to have such a wide variety of grocery items available in one store.  Kind of like Fairway:  the selection is not nearly as good, but at least there is somewhere to sit!
5 - Miss A.: they take EBT so you dont have to be unhealthy while you are being poor.  nuff said.
3 - T. W.: Great place. Significant improvement over other local supermarkets. 
Watch the fish for freshness though. P/U some salmon and forgot to check if it had a smell(old). Should have known from that glistening(old) on the flesh.
Got home and the smell hit me. CHeck obviously they don't!
2 - N B.: It's great to have a quality supermarket in the neighborhood, but the selection is uneven: some high-end organics, some dusty old bulk spices. Downstairs often smells fishy. The organic produce that they do have is frequently spoiled, since they're not careful about turnover. It's ok if you need to grab a bunch of parsley or some onions that you forgot to pick up elsewhere.
4 - Brooks L.: This is my go to supermarket in my neighborhood. They generally have good prices, and sales. This market carries a wide array of fresh food at a great price. There is something on special nearly everyday. Every now and again you have to speak up because they try to charge you the original price. The market is small as well, so some days if you shop late their inventory is a bit scarce. Overall a pleasure to shop at
4 - Holly W.: The quality of produce and fish is nowhere near Whole Foods but the prices aren't either so I can't complain. Even when they're busy the lines move at a reasonable place and the staff is most times courteous and professional. This store is a much needed addition to the neighborhood.
5 - Joshua Z.: Hands down, the best grocery store around the neighborhood.  I've lived here for 3 years and would shop at C-town or Fine Fare, but was pretty jazzed when these guys opened up.   I think a lot of folks walk by and it doesn't look like much from the street.    I'd probably describe it as a smaller Fairway, though by NYC standards, it's not really small at all.  Three floors with a nice large deli and prepared foods area, fish market and a great cafe upstairs with WiFi.   

Similar to Whole Foods they use the single line check-out system and the line can be long at times(no where near the craziness you see at WF),  but I've found they move pretty quickly, and the staff has always been friendly.   I'm glad to have them a few blocks away... Now if we could only get a Chipotle!!
4 - Trevor L.: Best Yet is a good, quality market, with the best meat and produce in the area, and lower prices on most items. My only complaint is that they don't have enough selection when it comes to foods that I eat on a daily basis (Poor people food). Otherwise, it would be perfect. I wouldn't compare it to Whole Foods, but it definately is cheaper and more utilitarian. Whole Foods has gotten a bit too big for their britches anyway.

The store is on Frederick Douglass and 118th, it is clean and well lit. The layout is a bit confusing and not cart friendly, and the checkout area , frankly, sucks. I got the impression that they have more staff on the floor than customers, and not enough registers and checkout staff, so customer service could be a problem at peak hours.

Final Verdict is that I will come here when I need meat or produce, and stick with other options when I need packaged food.
3 - Eros A.: It is not "Best Yet" like the name claims... it is probably a "Wish Best Yet"!

Came here because I was in the hood and decided to give it a try since there aren't many options for good market in the area.  I will give it credit for being probably one of the best in the neighborhood; but it is not one of the best in the city like some people claimed here; they probably haven't taken a subway downtown yet.

Yes, they have a decent salad, meat and produce bar.  It is probably "best" in the area but not best in general.  

Also, the layout is kind of confusing, go downstairs to the "basement" and it is kind of awkward, not sure the place was meant for a market.

Price wise they are a bit cheaper that most big super markets, but not that cheap to claim they have the "best" prices either.

I think generally is a "good, decent" store; and if I'm in the area I would probably give it another try.
5 - Ellyn W.: This is a great place to shop if you need to feed your family healthy food on a budget.  We save all kinds of money by planning our menus around the sales.  We have been able to knock a third off our food budget.

If we were still a two income couple with no kids we might find other markets to be more varied and fun, but it has been quite awhile since we have been able to load up on goodies without thinking about the price.

Our other local market is Central Market on 110th.  They have started running some decent sales in response to the competition from Best Yet but overall their prices are extremely high.

I agree with the comment about the not-so-fresh salmon.  I avoid that and buy the wild salmon from the freezer case.
5 - Crystal W.: Someone figured it out: create a place that looks like Whole Foods Market, has quality food, but moderate prices an excellent coffee and pastry shop and free WiFi. I discovered this place while couchsurfing with a friend and it's topnotch.
4 - Lincoln H.: Great beer selections, great food selection. Always expanding (though I miss the salad bar). Also wish they carried Cabot cheese. Otherwise, kickass store!
5 - Scott M.: I absolutely love this grocery store!  it has the feel of a boutique, but offers items at great prices.  It's a perfect fit for the "new Harlem".  I havent been in Harlem for at least 4 years.  All the development is astonishing, and it all really makes sense.

This grocery store is exactly what the city needed!

Upstairs downstairs, run efficiently, with the feel of a classy bodega..".this sh-- is hot" is all that I could think of.

The food is all fresh, great quality, and well organized.  I was really impressed with the Pizza shop and the deli/seafood station in the market.  Customer service is pretty damn good too.

Best market I have seen in a minute.
4 - Libby L.: Thank goodness this grocery store came to town!
Can't get everything there but it's great!
4 - Alexis G.: I think I can stop waiting in line at Trader Joe's now.

Now that I have a bike, I can ride it crosstown from East Harlem, chain it to one of those glorious bike racks in front of the store, and buy one of those beautiful, reasonably priced six-packs.

Plus, a whole refrigerator section dedicated to Sabra hummus of every flavor, size, and variety, for just $3? Yes.

AND beautiful, well priced produce! All the residents of Harlem rejoiced!
4 - Alexandra G.: Great addition to the neighborhood.  Like someone else mentioned, Best Yet is like a smaller Fairway.  Only drawback is that sometimes their produce is limited and sometimes lacks in quality.
5 - Simone B.: OMG OMG OMG!! This market is the best! I recently moved into the area and have been trekking down to Whole Foods on 96th to get fresh produce and enduring dingy C-Town whenever I'm not in the mood for a long walk.. but not anymore. 

Best Yet Market is a clean, organized store with fresh produce, amazing deals, and great prices. It has a deli, FREE wi-fi, two levels, spacious aisles,  plenty of cashiers, and friendly staff. 

So glad my roomie put me on to this grocery store. Bye-Bye Whole Foods. Adios C-Town.. Hellloooo Best Yet!!
4 - Katy B.: So glad this place is in the neighborhood.  Maybe not a "Whole Foods" but definitely a "Half Foods."  Their weekly specials can't be beat - I even have a friend who comes over from the east side just to get the bargains!  Now if they could just get a little more selection in their organic department, especially the produce...but overall, the best market in the area.
5 - Kirsten S.: It truly is the best yet.

Wide aisles, healthy and less healthy food (one stop shop), a fresh fish counter, a bakery/cafe, a deli, and fresh produce.

And I shouldn't have to say this like it's a rarity, but it doesn't smell bad inside (not the case for all other markets).  Hallelujah!
4 - Nick V.: This certainly lives up to its name at this location.  Now the residents of South Harlem (SoHa) have a upscale supermarket to buy their fresh meats, seafood and produce at a reasonable price to boot.  Their cheese pizza is also pretty good and for $1.50/ slice or $10 a pie + tax, it is a bargin. Most of the other food is too, including their quality cold cuts and fresh baked goods. There is no other place like it in the neighborhood, and it is certainly a welcome addtion to it.  

The upstairs used to be a sort of internet coffee/smoothie hangout which was very popular and competed with the Starbucks next door with the local crowd. Sadly, much of the upstairs seating is now gone with products where seating and couches once were. Still, there are still about a dozen tables to sit at and enjoy a smoothy and surf the web using their free wifi.
4 - Evelyn B.: The market is a real addition to the neighborhood which has a mixture of really awful supermarkets and a few standouts like Fairway or Whole Foods. Fairway is always jammed and the prices are not low. Best Yet has reasonable prices, is attractive and the staff is helpful. It's much smaller and doesn't have a great seafood selection, but it's not bad either, you can always get something decent. The produce is fresh and the selection good. The ordinary grocery stuff is about average for Manhattan and better than average for uptown. Prepared food is quite good and cheese selection is not super gourmet but very reasonably priced. It's where I go for most everything.
1 - Harlem r.: Obviously, the "best yet" means "best yet on FDB." This is probably true enough. Is it not the case that just about anything is "upscale" in comparison to a bodega ? 

This store does not approach Whole Foods, or even Fairway, in terms of basic quality. The coffee selection is terrible. The produce is old. The meat selection looks iffy, and we have observed mold on the cheese. We have purchased frozen foods, ice cream, etc., but would not do much more. 

I live very nearby and have not visited the store in some weeks. On one of my last visits, a man wearing his pants around his knees took a sample and then threw several toothpicks on the floor without a second thought. Not my preferred shopping environment.
5 - Jordan S.: Greatest beer selection I've seen in NYC!

Also just a wonderful grocery store by NYC standards. Excellent hours too.
4 - Katie T.: Reasonable price range for a pretty standard selection of items.

Huge collection of beer!!! I guess that's what its known for. The plus is they have a blockbuster express kiosk!!

My only complain is on the layout. But I guess I'll get used to that.
3 - Toni W.: DO NOT EVER BUY FISH HERE!!! Best Yet doesn't have a great enough turn over  in the fish department, so it's always on sale (Lobster $3.99/lb.) and it's always gray and extra dead. Ths rest of the market is GREAT for your staple needs and a hot meal, when you don't feel like cooking. I usually load up on the fruit, which they seem to buy too much of...blackberries and blueberries for days in there! Prices, overall, are decent and it saves you a trip to the lesser groomed grocery stores. Oh, and they have a Blockbuster Video machine on your way out. Dinner and a movie?
5 - Brenda M.: This place just gets better and better. Thank you Best Yet for being the BEST neighborhood market! One of the reasons why I like living in my neighborhood and reluctant to move away from such a great market.

They just added my favorite- Frozen yogurt with toppings!! It even comes in two great flavors- original and promegranite for the same low price!! For the price of one at Pinkberry, you get two!

Great selection of beers, even have Sixpoint Brooklyn beer, my bf favorite!

Everything you want for an awesome dinner- steak, beer and a movie from the blockbuster express kiosk!

I love you Best Yet!!! Keep up the great work!
3 - Clare B.: I have a love/hate relationship with Best Yet. I love it because it is convenient, the prices are OK, and it basically has all the staples I need on a regular basis. I hate it because the service is WRETCHED (especially one check out woman in particular. She is the devil), the check out lines are horribly slow and I have bought one or two items that ended up being rotten when I got them home. However, this is better than Fairway (which is a zoo) or a bodega. So I'll take it.
4 - Jamar M.: @BestYetMarket You guys continue to impress me. The quality and freshness of the food is great! Also the use of Foursquare is a geat for techies like me to save money. Keep up the great job!!
2 - Jillian T.: Lately the Best Yet has been disappointing...out of stock on items I always buy (baby spinach, goat cheese), unhelpful staff, and the last time I came in I saw one of the "security" guards getting in a physical altercation with what looked like a teenage boy outside of the entrance. I mean, really? You're so unprofessional you will throw down fisticuffs with a 15 year old to impress a lady? 

Another time I bought a slice of pizza and another security guard was blocking the only available seat at the counter because he was leaning over it hitting on a woman. I smiled and said "excuse me," gesturing to the chair. He responded with a rude look, walked a few steps, and then started talking about me to the woman he was hitting on! Sorry for cock-blocking, but a girl's gotta eat!

Get it together guys!
5 - Stacey M.: This place is amazing. My boyfriend and I were a little worried when we moved up here that we wouldn't be close to any decent supermarkets, but that's because we didn't know about Best Yet. They have an entire floor of craft beers- the best selection I have seen anywhere. They have a Boar's Head deli counter. They have an entire wall of Sabra hummus. Their produce is always fresh and delicious, and they really have everything else I need (although I still schlep to Trader Joe's sometimes when I need my fix of dried mango and frozen chicken tikka masala). The employees are very friendly. And best yet (ha), their prices are extremely reasonable.
4 - Helen K.: Goodbye Met, hello Best Yet!

I've been going to the Met for the past 2 years just because it's close to my place and it was cheap but I was tired of occasionally finding expired packaged food, moldy produce or the stench of dirty mop but I digress...

Best Yet is the Best Thing that's happened in the Harlem area. It's comparable to Whole Foods/Trader Joe's in terms of freshness of produce, meat, variety and cleanliness.

Their produce is fresh and always in stock. The store is clean and even have a food bar where you can order sandwiches or warm buffet food. There's also a sit down bakery/pizza section as soon as you enter the store. If you sign up for FourSquare they offer awesome deals. Just the other day they were selling small thing of frozen yogurt for $1.50. 

My fave Best Yet product are their muffins. You must try the Cinnamon Chip Muffin and Apple Crisp Muffin!
5 - Michael F.: What a pleasure to have this place close to home
Products are nice, fresh, honest price, and the staff are very friendly and helpful
Thanks Best Yet Market!
4 - Josh K.: It ain't perfect (what I really want is Hong Kong Supermarket in Harlem, but that's at least 5-10 years out), but everything I want I can typically get at Best Yet for a good price. What's more, they have a generous beer selection upstairs.

If I had to pick an area where they comparatively fall flat I would say it is fresh meats and fish -- nothing looks particularly appetizing.

And yes, there's no wine here, as is true of most supermarkets in NYC (or even NY state? Not sure.) You can find "Wine Product", which contains up to 6%, which I suppose they can sell for the same reason they can sell beer. There is Harlem Vintage about 4-5 blocks uptown on 8th Ave if you need wine in the vicinity.

I think the closest thing to an integrated wine and grocery place in NYC has to be the Trader Joe's + Trader Joe's Wine Shop at Union Square. I haven't seen any other place where both (legit) wine and groceries are easily accessible. Remember, people do want to do this, but have to abuse the letter of the law to achieve this currently, which is why only Trader Joe's has managed to pull it off thus far.

Either way, Best Yet has the best overall prices in the area for what it does have, and is my go to daily grocery store.
4 - Kat M.: The name says it all. I rave about this place to everyone who will listen. Best prices on produce (and lots of variety) and great prices on meat and fish (many of the meats are "all natural" or organic and definitely WAY cheaper than anything from Fairway or Wholefoods)

The place is uber clean and modern for the area - the staff is super helpful.

took one star away bc it's lacking in the fancy food department (i.e. the cheese selection sucks, the olive bar is expensive and not great - but for those things i go to fairway or zabars anyways so doesn't matter)

i adore you best yet - store of the 99 cent chobanis and 99 cent per lb YUMMY apples (i'm not talking bruised red delicious - i mean some of that primo pink lady $hit)

they always have fresh herbs from mint to cilantro (fairway is OFTEN out of cilantro)- they always have mangos (2 for $1 - i was making mango smoothies like it was my job this summer) 

they have about 12 trillion types of milk - almond, fat free, full fat, soy fat free full fat, organic, not organic

I ADORE THIS PLACE!!! YOU MUST GO!!! It's like a poor man's whole foods but GOOD QUALITY!!!! and it's on a great strip near the fairly new Harlem Tavern (excellent spot for summer drinks and food- love the lamb burger there) and there's a cute wine store near by ...this part of this neighborhood is really great
5 - Sarah X.: OK so I feel really silly and un-chic yelping a supermarket.  I don't want to be one of those people who start yelping their local duane reade/dunkin donuts or anything.. 

Best Yet, really is amazing! I had the luck of moving into the neighbourhood, and this place is the first place my roommates raved to me about. 

Clean and neat store, great selection, healthy choices, reasonable prices! Really friendly customer service (rivalling Trader Joe's). This is a really great amenity for the neighbourhood.  Their craft beer selection is great ( except they don't refrigerate any of their beer or wine...) and they have free wifi, public restrooms and tables for anyone who wish to dwell. I've seen a lot of people study and chill here. 

A really positive place for the neighbourhood, also serving as a public space. They could start hosting events in there.
5 - OD N.: The equivalent Whole Foods of Harlem but with a personal touch and affordability.
4 - Charles S.: Pros-  An entire floor for Craft Beer.  The Bakery makes good cheescake, smoothies, and bagels.  Generally a good selection of food, especially compared to other options in the neighborhood.  Fair prices on the whole (for New York that is).  Seafood departments makes delicious lobster and shrimp cakes. 



Cons-  Sometimes check-out is crowded and hectic.  You need to bag your own groceries and sometimes you get incompetent or not so good check-out people.  You will not get the selection of a place like Whole Foods or Fairway.
5 - Beverly S.: For a family of five people, I spend $100-$110 a week.  Unheard of.  I love Best Yet.  Thank you for making it possible for me to remain solvent living in NYC.  Best supermarket I've come across yet!
5 - Tailisha G.: Lot it! But don't get the sushi. It's pretty affordable in terms of fresh fruit and veggies and the pizza bar they just added is a nice addition given there isn't a good take-out place in the neighborhood. They also have the Blockbuster Express machine if you are tired of waiting for Netflix to issue a new release. :)
3 - Julia D.: Grr, no longer perfect. Why is it so impossible to find basil here?! I swear, it's like searching for the holy grail, except that the basil should clearly be among the other fresh herbs and for some reason is NOT. The price and ambience is right, but the floor staff is fairly rude and inattentive when you have a question, and the basil-less-ness is a serious turn-off. I should note that the cashier staff are all pretty awesome, but for some reason the guys on the floor are just extremely unhappy; and they get a kick out of watching you make 5+ rounds around the herb section looking for something they have no intention of helping you find. 

The pro's remain that their beer selection is incredible, and they have $10 large pizza pies ready to take out and go.
4 - Jess L.: My friend recommended I check out this supermarket, and I am so glad I did. The prices are top of the line for this neighborhood, and much of the produce looked really good. (I was sad that the eggplant were a bit bruised up, though, and that they were all out of spinach.)

The beer loft is definitely worth checking out. You'll find some beers up there that you won't find in most other parts of the neighborhood. 

It's a bit strangely organized in the basement, and there is a long line to check out. But the people working here will try to move the line along as fast as possible.
4 - Harmony I.: Such a fan of this place! One star off because it is laid out in a really confusing way, I just don't get it. I can walk around in circles before I find what I am looking for.  The prices were good (I got a bunch of items from the 99 cent bin) and there is a lot to choose from which can be lacking in NYC grocery stores. The huge plus is the entire upstairs floor of craft beer. SCORE. I found a beer that I normally cannot find anywhere. Very clean place. So glad I live close by.
4 - Corey S.: I paid my first visit to Best Yet market yesterday and it was awesome. You will not find lower priced meat in the city. I bought porter house steaks for 4 bucks a pound. The veg section was lacking. They seem to have everything the average shopper might need but not the best  quality. The bananas were alright though and much cheaper then I pay in the higher streets. The beer floor bigger then my local supermarket. I tried to limit myself to a few cases but it was really hard.The girls at the pizza counter didn't seem to know what they were doing. I might have bought a slice but after waiting for 15 minutes I gave up.
2 - Crystal F.: It pains me to write this cuz I really liked Best Yet. However, their delivery service is far from the best. I went to the store, got my groceries, asked for them to be delivered an hour later. After waiting nearly 2 hours, I went back to the grocery store to just carry my groceries home myself. They were sitting in the same spot where I left them. I want my $14 for cab fare back. Although I got my delivery fee back, no one was really apologetic or surprised. Hmm, shaking my head Best Yet.
4 - Abbey V.: With my brother-in-law living in the area, he took me into the delightful "Best Yet Market". Living in the Upper West Side, I am used to making multiple trips, both to Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, just to get everything on our list. It takes the majority of my Sunday/shopping day! Best Yet Market has EVERYTHING (except my veggie corn dogs which I still need to frequent Trader Joe's for), and makes my grocery shopping excursion less of a chore. Yes, I do not have to take the subway there and back - just for groceries, but yes - it is worth it.
5 - Chuck B.: A godsend for Harlem, upscale market with great service and selection. I go online read the weekly sales pick what i want and whatever they don't have I'll put on my game face and go Pathmark.
4 - Ted M.: i love best yet about as much as it's possible to love a grocery store. huge selection, great meat and produce departments, and friendly employees in every department.

as a huge beer nerd, "beer world" on the second floor is what originally lured me into the store, and for my first couple of visits, what kept me coming back. i've yet to give a thorough perusal of the bottle selection because i never make it past the growler station. a great selection of draft beers from all regions of the country at an extremely fair (ahem, way too low) price of $9.99, plus a $3 deposit for late adapters purchasing a growler for the first time.

minus one star only because the wait at the check-out lines, as others have noted, can be eternal. strange because no other part of the store is ever very crowded. also, they don't seem to stock mole sauce, despite an otherwise great goya selection, which is deflating.
5 - Reed S.: Such an excellent grocery store. Huge produce selection, great seafood department, overall pretty affordable. My only gripes are that no one ever knows where anything is and they're frequently out of coconut milk. Not enough to take a star away.
4 - Urban F.: The Whole Foods of Harlem at 25% off!...This place rocks...clean, awesome staff, olive bar, juice bar, abundant produce...great fish dept, I am a fish monger and they know their shite....weird layout though I have to say that.........I love greek yogurt and they are constantly running sales....4-5$.......now thats a deal...........
4 - Mark R.: Once you learn how to navigate the awkward layout you will love this grocery store. 

The staff is always courteous and helpful. 

The check-out process can be arduous if you have more than 10 items, causing long lines for those doing their weekly shopping. 

The beer selection is fun, though the bar for refilling growlers is rarely manned, and the only time I've encountered someone up there, the beer lines had clearly not been properly maintained, as all of the samples tasted like soap.

The above complaints not-withstanding (the long lines being the worst of them) is it great to have a clean, well-stocked grocery store in the neighborhood.
5 - Liz R.: An excellent grocery store, for any neighborhood in NYC. Best Yet gets it right for the neighborhood- high quality, fresh produce for a good value, an affordable market brand, plus organic and other high end product for customers who want it. 

I love to cook food from most world cultures, and can find everything I need at Best Yet. And in my household I have vegetarians and gluten-free eaters, Best Yet has a good selection for everyone.

Like most NYC stores, the layout is awkward, and the lines can be long, but the staff are always very courteous and efficient.

Plus- ready made food, great deli, cheeses and the bakery! And I'm not even going into the beer- the largest craft beer selection in Manhattan!
1 - Isabel G.: I moved to the neighborhood about a year ago, and I had great hopes that my local grocery store would be good. But after more bad visits than good I can honestly this place is the pits when it comes to service, especially at check out. I don't look forward to shopping there at all.
4 - Christopher J.: There is so much to love about my beautiful neighborhood, which I call West SoMa (South of Martin Luther King, Jr Blvd).  Best Yet is one of the centerpieces.  

Honestly, walking by you might think that it was a small, gourmet type grocery (think Citarella that used to be on W 125th), but you'd be wrong.  You have to go inside to realize that this is a full-scale supermarket, with the majority of the shelf space on the bottom of it's three floors.  

There are two things that make this supermarket so great: 1) It's like Whole Foods, except not so Whole Foods that you cannot recognize your foods; and 2) The prices are more like big box chains.  

They've got a deli section which regularly inspires me to try something new, a ridiculously large frommage counter, a bakery, and fresh this and that galore.  

Also, the top floor is Harlem Beer World, which is really neat if you're into local microbrewery craft beer from NYC and elsewhere.  (if you're not, then you ought to be.)  

They deliver, too, though I've never taken them up on that since I live a couple of blocks down the Ave.  

Why not five stars?  I can't just hand out five stars all the time.  The line here can be long after work, or late night, or anytime.  But take that as a sign that you're in a good place.
5 - Kristina M.: I thought I hit the lottery when I stumbled across this full scale market just minutes from my apartment! This is a very high-end feeling grocery store with affordable price tags. It is always fully stocked with everything you could possibly need...and then some! They also have a cute bakery attached, which is always a plus.

They have a nice array of organic and specialty products. I love it here and I am so happy to have this gem so close to me.
4 - Addy B.: This place has everything you need and nothing you don't want! No more downtown traveling to whole foods. I love the people who work at their deli and meat counters. Most important...the food is FRESH.  People who work here are super friendly. You can find pretty much whatever you were looking for here .... Save that time I couldn't find blue corn chips. I forgave them. Seating upstairs of you need a place to write/ surf/ study. Check it out?
5 - Alex N.: Hi end market, great atmosphere and fantastic selection.

What you'll find--
1st Floor:
Looking into the store it looks quite small, almost like a local specialty market. It is not.
--This floor contains A bakery and Pizza place ($10 for an 18 inch pie!), 
--prepared food fare (ala fresh sushi, salads, sandwiches), 
--a large cheese selection with a slightly mediocre olive bar,
--lots and lots of nuts!
--traditional deli serving boars head.

Top floor is Beer World (Yay!) tons of locals and microbrews, ciders, and whatnot. You can even make your own six pack. mix and match for 10.99 (the selection is very nice for this). they also have a growler station. How cool to have right in Harlem!

Bottom floor is traditional grocery fare. It's quite large. With tons of organic choices and lots and fresh fruits/veggies. Really nice semi prepared raw meats (ie. pack of veal, pork and beef seasoned together in one package for making meatloaf, raw chicken patties stuffed with feta and spinach) and always great deals going on.

You can find your standard stoufers and lean cuisine brands here, as well as specialty foods like muffaletta and the such.

These prices are very comparable to PathMark, and many times beat their prices.

Whatever, check out can suck some times. but they always bag for you and get you on your way, not sure what people are expecting here.

Love this place, makes grocery shopping that much more enjoyable, and i can grab my extra treats and not come out feeling wallet raped (*cough WHOLE FOODS *cough.)
3 - Dee B.: Very nice neighborhood grocery store that is clean and well-maintained. A cross between a small Fairway and Trader Joe. Upstairs with a wonderful deli counter, hot food tables, beers, breads, and more. Downstairs are your basic grocery items like frozen food, milk, meat, produce, and canned and boxed goods. Prices can also very reasonable on some of the items, especially if they are on sale. The cashiers have always been friendly when I have shopped there. AND there is a loft space above the deli counter with a cafe and lounge area (at least that what it was the last time I was in there which has been a while.)
4 - Blanca R.: Best Yet!!! Nice, I love the prices. Especially on the chobani yogurt and Smart Balance Milk, which usually these items are costlier elsewhere but they often have great sales.
4 - Mike N.: Best Yet is what what we call "Harlem Whole Foods".. Its 1/25th the size but it mimics the efficiency, cleanliness, and service of a Whole Foods..

As I just about review all and only vegan it has a decent selection wit ha couple surprises.. While it lacks a good freezer selection of vegan they do carry items such as Veganese, Natural Balance, as well as some fresh made salads, noodles,and vegan sushi..

The olive bar gets its own paragraph.. they have a great selection.. and as the whole foods moniker its kept clean. 

3rd floor is all craft beers and such.. nice.

Its not a 5 star place but for Harlem its the "Best Yet"...

Best of Bento - Seattle, WA (47.6596137, -122.3133268) (University District)
4 - Rohan S.: When my friend Julia dragged me in here for lunch, I was expecting just another teriyaki meal. Boy was I wrong. After some confusion regarding who ordered what, I finally got the spicy pork meal that I ordered. And of course, it came in a bento box.

Let me just say that this spicy pork was quite definitely very spicy and delicious. The potstickers and salad that came with the meal weren't bad either. In fact, the only thing I didn't like about this place was the price ($7) and the cheesy music playing in the background (WARM 106.9).
4 - gregory c.: Best of Bento is a great addition to the standard Ave food.  Although they are not well known for it, their Tempura is exceptionally good for the price.  Their large menu and Japanese / Korean selection makes for enough possibilities to keep you coming back and trying new items.  The combos are the way to go here --  get the tempura -- as better Bi-Bim-Bap is to be had up the street at Koreana and Tokyo Garden.
4 - eric c.: let me start off by saying that this place ALMOST had 5 stars.

for what you pay, the amount of food is incredible. combo-a (during dinner) gives you rice, salad, chicken & california rolls (this can change), miso soup, and ice cream... all for 6.99.

I was pretty let down by the yakisoba, which is why I have to give it four stars. the yakisoba down at kiku's is wayyyy better. the veggie spring rolls are mighty tasty however. definitely check it out.
5 - Liz A.: My 5 star rating may not have much clout, because I have in fact only ever had one dish at Best of Bento's. In the past 2 years, I have had Combo A with tofu teriyaki and California rolls at least every 3 weeks, and I still have not tired of it one bit. I have sampled their spring rolls and a few different sushi delights here and there, (both delicious) but something about that Combo A... I dream about it. Plus, you late comers will get a special treat... after 3pm each meal ends with a complimentary dish of red bean or green tea ice cream, yum.
4 - Deborah S.: In a sea of Teriyaki and Thai on the ave, Best of Bento is a welcome change. Not because it doesnt have Teriyaki, but because its got a better variety of  other foods availalbe.  

For me its about the sushi. A california roll and a bowl of Udon hits the spot when its a cold drizzly Seattle afternoon.  Or pick a roll or two and add a bowl of Miso. 
Oh go for broke with a bento combination. 
Did I say broke?  The prices are very friendly and while I consider it to be a slight splurge, it really isnt out of the regular relm price wise.
4 - David A.: Get one of the 2-item combos and you'll get an amazing meal for the price.  I'd say actually get a dinner combo no matter when you go -- they're a slightly better deal.  (Lunch combos are cheaper... but they include less.)  

Even though these peeps are Korean, stick to the Japanese side of things.  They do fast food Japanese amazingly well.  Tempura, mackerel, salmon... all good.

Not sure why people are complaining about the price.  Being in the U-District, I realize this place caters to poor college students but you get so much food for $7 -- enough for more than one meal even for me (and that's saying a lot) and it's way better than passable.

Try the Las Vegas roll.
1 - Izzy H.: I hate this place. 

I used to go here all the time - I would trudge from Hagget to B.O.B. to get dinner for me and my boyfriend, but its gone ... from good to bad to worse in about - one summer. 

The last and final time I went with my boyfriend, his little brother and one of my best friends - it was bloody ridiculous. And I swear, I'm not a picky little snot - I will always give tip, even if you bring a knife to the table and almost knife me - I will still give you a tip. And if you're great, I'll give you a 30% tip. 

The food sucked. It sucked. The katsu my boyfriend's little brother ordered was burnt. And rock hard. HOW can you make it burnt AND rock hard?! The chicken teriyaki was mushy. My tofu soup tasted like water with chili flakes in it. Literally. Sure, there were other things floating around in it - but it was literally drinking extremely badly flavored water. The salad was green/red around the edges. The rice was a pathetic mush. 

I've never ever had so much go wrong in one meal. The only saving grace was the tempura. Which, I agree with the other yelpers, is one of the better ones on the Ave. 

P.s. Have a friend [ Sally ] who used to work as a server there - she advises strongly against it since they drop food and pick it up and put it back on your plate all the time.
3 - Wanda L.: Cheap and fast Japanese food. Not bad for Japanese food on the Ave.  Gyoza is kind of dry. Average sushi and the sushi fish is very thin cut and skimpy but I appreciate the selection because as far as I can tell no other sushi place on the Ave offers the raw sweet shrimp nigiri so when you crave that and want some place in the Udistrict within walking distance - Best of Bento is it.
3 - Johnny M.: Warm and served in cute little boxes, the food is decent but you can tell the chef in the back doesn't try too hard. 

This place serves a pretty good deal on some Japanese cuisine. You get quite a bit of food and pretty good selection for your money. Though it's definitely not the BEST of bento, it's not too bad. Fun if you order a little sake with your meal.
2 - Sun K.: Their sushi is one of the worst on the ave. The quality just can't match other places. Plus it's a little pricey than other places (even teriyaki)
3 - Lagwana E.: I am on the fence about this one.  The food is decent, but nothing special. I do like how they have many options for the bento boxes and the chicken teryaki is all right.   I really hated their tempura the one time I tried it (soggy!), but maybe it was an off night?  My dream is for a really good Japanese place to open up on the Ave, but I am sure we will be left with mediocre fare at best.  (but I do recommend Nasai for the teryaki).
1 - Jennifer C.: Ugh, no thanks.  I may be white but I grew up in Hawaii so I know what bento is.  And this is not the best of it.  No indeed.
1 - Davida B.: Just awful. The cashier got my order wrong and then actually argued with me about it even though my friend and I knew what it should have been, the one thing she did get right were the cold, chewy, untasty spring rolls. I highly discourage this restaurant.
2 - Juliann B.: All I've tried is the sushi- sushi is mushy and mediocre.  Definitely not worth the $7.
4 - Josh F.: The BOB is fun, i like bento and it's cheap so what's not to like.  lunch in little separated boxes is cool.
2 - Anne P.: After experiencing a rather mediocre first visit, I decided to give B.o.B. a second go around.....and (SURPRISE) discovered that I should have trusted my taste-buds the first time! 

I ordered the California Roll which was just really, really bland. I don't know why it was more bland than other sushi places, considering it contains the same ingredients, but it was. And I was so psyched for it too! Ah well, live and learn.

On the plus side, my roll came out lickity split and it wasn't as pricey as other places.

But still...if I'm going to be eating sushi, I want it to be tasty. 

And thus concludes my relationship with Bento.
4 - Bill F.: Very nice lunch place. Good plates for low prices, and the food is good. It is more Teriyaki than Bento, but I go for the price.
3 - Rossana Y.: The name "Best of Bento" is a little deceiving since I don't think it's really the best. In fact, it's more like teriyaki. I guess if you like eating food that's separated in little compartments then this isn't too bad. The food here isn't that great, but it fills you up. Last time when I had the chicken katsu bento, it was really dry, so I ordered the regular chicken bento instead. The service was ok. The food used to be better in the past but now it's just boring, just like this review.
5 - Madison G.: My favorite teryaki spot in the world!!! 
I was never a fan of teryaki until I visited Best of Bento--it is now my go-to place of choice for lunch and dinner. And best of all, at $8/entree, their prices are reasonable enough for me to eat there at least once a week, even on a student's budget!

My favorite is the Chicken Bento box--perfectly-cooked pieces of grilled chicken breast soaked in their teryaki sauce (THE BEST!!!!!) served with crispy gyoza, rice (always done perfectly) and iceberg salad. Yum!
3 - Brett T.: I loved this place in my early college years but haven't been here that often since.  Just went back tonight with a few friends and its apparent this place is adjusting to the economy... most things are $1+ more than they were a year ago and no free ice cream with dinner anymore!  It was also surprisingly empty for a prime college night in the U-district.

But the food is still like I remembered... I get the spicy chicken & tempura often and it's always satisfying for "Ave" food.  But there are other teriyaki places where you can get the same amount and similar quality food for a few bucks less.

Service 3, Atmosphere 3, Taste 3, Value 3.
4 - Sam H.: I liked this place a lot in college.

The food is good, not great, and cheap enough for a college student.

It is definitely worth going, but don't expect too much authenticity.

It is not really bento, rather it would be better describe as Americanized teishoku with Korean food.
3 - Philip L.: Okay for a quick lunch that will fill you up.
2 - Wing M.: Best of Bento, or B.O.B., has some decently cheap ($7-ish specials post tax and such) and decently okay bento (which are really teriyaki plates places into bento boxes) but if this is in fact the best of bento technology then bento makers worldwide should just give up and perhaps hang themselves in shame. For the price, the food is okay but still pretty unimpressive. The quantity of the food is mediocre and definitely does not fill me up nearly as much as other cheap food on the Ave does. My "bento" came with a free "dessert", which was a slice of an orange that looked very dubious.

I was debating whether to give this place a 2 or a 3 star rating. Then I realized that the fish in the sushi bar are very stale and they're basically leaving lots of ingredients out in the open even during slow hours when they aren't actively doing anything with them. That's just... disgusting. I would not touch their sushi with a ten foot pole however cheap it may be given that I've gotten myself sick several times in places similar to this. There are many other places on the Ave that are cheaper/tastier/both, and so I probably won't ever come back to this place again.
3 - Michael K.: Best of Bento is not the best bento I've had, but then again, I didn't get a bento.  This place seems to be another one of those typical places to get cheap, filling food on the Ave.

The place is Korean-owned, so I figured all the Japanese food would have that typical Koreanified taste to it, so I just went with some Korean food.  I got the Stone Bowl Bibimbap.  The bowl comes filled with all the usual suspects: Korean veggies, some meat, and topped with an egg.  After applying a generous amount of chili paste, I mixed it all up and dug in.  Sometimes, nothing beats that first bite of bibimbap, no matter how good or bad it is.  After a few more bites, though, I realized that the beef they put in there was really sweet, which a bit unusual for bibimbap.  I'm guessing they use the same meat for the teriyaki and the bibimbap.  Not the biggest deal, but I don't think it would hurt to prep a little regular meat for the bibimbap.  The rice cooked nicely at the bottom of the bowl, allowing me to finish off my meal with a few crispy bites.

Overall, it's good, and it's filling, but don't come here expecting too much more.  Next time, I'll get a bento.

GET:  Stone Bowl Bibimbap
3 - Laura B.: Have been eating on the Ave for ~7 years now and never stopped in here.  Not sure why.  Finally today I stopped in my quest for teriyaki that didn't involve waiting in a 15+ person line.  It was quick, tasty and the cashier was friendly.  The food is more expensive for the quantity than at neighboring teriyaki joints but it was a little tastier so it even outs.
2 - Inna B.: "Meh. I've experienced better." Sounds right to me. Two stars it is!

I've had sushi here, and it both took too long and wasn't (in my opinion) much good.

Last time around I decided to try a bento box. It IS called Best of Bento, isn't it?

Well... the name they may have... but I don't believe they live up to it.

The simple lettuce + dressing salad was --- well, just what it sounds like. The teriyaki chicken was okay, the rice was pretty good, and I avoided the slice of orange altogether (because it looked rather dry).

This place wasn't cheap enough (when it comes to the things I would actually consider ordering) and not good enough, so I don't think I'll go back again.
2 - Neal G.: Had a spider roll sushi bento.  The tempura was soft and the rolls and sushi peculiarly chewy and flavorless.  Not the worst food I've had...but you can do better.
1 - Kelly P.: I should have known better. I mean, why the weird sharpie-drawn sign? What's the deal with the film reel logo? Gave it a shot anyway. Mediocre.
4 - Seunghun L.: probably one of the better tasting bento box places i tried on the ave.

the staff was really nice and brought me ice cream desert free of charge for no reason.

i get combo B (two entrees to choose from) and less food than that is probably not enough for me.

i don't expect the sushi to be as good as real sushi places, but i will probably end up trying it anyway.
3 - Thigh C.: I ordered the bento box with tempura and it's just ok... Nothing to rave about. The sliced orange was not freshly cut ugh.

I like the complimentary tea and the lady is very polite though.
3 - Natalie W.: I never ventured in here, mainly due to the overactive random window displays, until I saw an article in the paper that stated about 1/3 of UW students went here for their sushi needs. If 1/3 like this place they had to not be super sketch- right? I eat a lot of lunch on the Ave and like to break out of routine... so a trip to Best of Bento seemed reasonable.

I was pleasantly surprised to find in the inside of the restaurant pleasant. Jack Johnson was on the radio, free water and tea was a ta service station, and the space had many light wood tables for comfortable seating.

 I stood at the cash register staring at the picture menu forever. So long that the staff just left me to stare- I understood. They have more bento choices than I have ever seen, lots of rolls, sashimi, and lots of decisions. Not finding more that 2 bento combos with any form sushi or roll bummed me out so I settled on a California rolls and dashi tofu for about $8. 

My food was OK... the rolls were fresh and basic... I would probably come back... but only for things like cheap, quick rolls (California, Seattle, spicy tuna) and dashi tofu or edaname. The bento come with "salad" and rice- which was not something appealed to me.

FYI's~
* After 5 food comes with ice cream
* They usually have a bento special posted by the front counter
* Large menu with undo, sushi, millions of bentos, yakisoba, Korean hot soup, and al carte items
* Space in the back with a large table that is sort of secluded- good for groups
* They will bring a menu to your table- you don't have to go to the counter
* Take out containers are easily accessible for leftovers
* Sell beer & sake
1 - Michelle N.: My cousin and I decided to try Best of Bento today and made the decision that we will NEVER come back.  As soon as we started looking at the menu, the employees began to glare at us, asking rudely and repetitively, whether or not we were going to order.

The udon was alright but costed a heavy $7.00.  My seafood tofu soup had very few side dishes (usually they come with many) in the bento box that it came with.  Then...

I FOUND A HAIR IN MY FOOD.  GROSS.

I don't think nasty black hair tastes good.  I told one of the employees and he asked me what I wanted him to do about it.  I said it was okay, but asked if I could maybe have some new tofu...

They brought me back the SAME side dish box after picking the hair off.  Trust me, I knew.  The tofu originally came out dry.  I had put it in my soup before discovering the surprise.  The "new" tofu was wet, and looked exactly the same.

To top it off, when we asked for a to go soup container, the employee gave us a used, not to mention DIRTY, tofu container.  There was BROWN stuff on it.

Go somewhere else, this place sucks.
4 - Lucy L.: Stone pot bibimbap: try it. You will not be disappointed.
2 - Jon D.: Needed something to warm my shivering bones on what sure will be forever known as "remember that time right before Thanksgiving where we all got stuck in traffic and froze our doo dads off". 

With the promise of warm Asian goodies with the brash signs posted outside the door (my graphic sense alarm would generally be going off to the max), me and my rosy-nosed compatriots entered the humble restaurant and sauntered over to the counter to gaze at the incredibly loud illustrated menu on the wall.

The sushi chef doubled as our cashier and later server, likely one of only two people running the place at the time. I decided to try the seafood tofu soup, likely against my better judgement of what to get at a bento place, but it was cold, and I needed something warm.

My compatriots ordered the udon and California roll, and the beef teriyaki bento respectively. We helped ourselves to the water and hot tea service station and awaited our meal.

The tofu soup wasn't bubbling as most places, but was hot, and was served with a bento box of rice and kim chee. Kim chee was bland, rice was, well, rice, and the tofu soup was a little on the small side, with just a couple pieces of squid, a shrimp, and a clam. It was alright. Teriyaki was about on the average, and overall, a settling, not quite filling, but a hot, acceptable meal. As far as The Ave goes, this is a little on the lower end. There's bigger, better stuff around.
5 - Jess b.: Teriyaki is good, the California rolls are the best i ever had.
The people are also very friendly :).
4 - Kevin K.: I went here for the bento boxes, and I was pleased with what I ordered.  My biggest complaint would be the Miso Soup.  I found it rather bland, as it lacked seaweed, but apart from that, I was very impressed with the Teriyaki Chicken and Chicken Katsu.  What sold the chicken for me was the sauce.  A couple of my friends ordered spicy chicken and noted that it really is spicy, unlike many other Teriyaki joints on the Ave.

The portions were large, and the price was right.  I shared an appetizer with several of my friends and we're pleased with the Gyoza as well.  The dining atmosphere was lacking; the service is what you'd expect from a moderately fast food sit-down restaurant.
3 - The-Hoa H.: This place is nice although a bit expensive for the cuisine they serve up. I've seen teriyaki at cheaper prices and their sushi is a bit ridiculous. I ordered the beef steak bento box which came out pretty fast and fresh. It was delicious and wasn't dissapointing in the least bit. I'll probably be back to this place again in the future, and although I'm a sushi fanataic I doubt I'd ever try their sushi at three bucks for two pieces of nigiri?
3 - Louis H.: Decent price and food.  Clean.  But a little chilly.
3 - Brad A.: Fast food. Maybe misnamed. A little spendy for some bento boxes. 
Good portions. Average quality. 

Hotties?: I didn't see any but saw some out the window (UDistrict babes)

Return?: Maybe to try other stuff. 

Cost: I spent $7 on lunch though the deluxe lunches were $11+
5 - Christina S.: This place is AMAZING!!! I love it:) friendly service and the food is delicious! Udon was great and the beef is really good too!
5 - Charlene S.: Love love love this place! Im addicted! I go here a lot with my co-workers during our lunch break. I always get the combo bento, saba steak and cali rolls that comes with miso soup, rice and a salad. Good portions and good price. We would sometimes pre-order our food since we dont have much time but pre-ordering is hard at times since they dont have a website to look at their menu nor a to go menu. Would be nice to have one. Nice people inside too!
5 - Rose K.: I think  the quality of their food has improved a lot over the past few months! I normally order Seattle Roll, Cali or Nigiri, and their fish is always fresh and juicy. I would definitely recommend Bento for their sushi.
3 - Robert M.: Real good deal.
2 - Jennifer B.: I wanted to like you.

A Korean owned Japanese restaurant. The sushi I got was a bit funky including the ginger that came with it. I might try the hot items next time to give it another chance.
3 - Liwei Y.: Rice was okay, potstickers were good, fried tofu was good, spicy chicken was pretty spicy, mackerel didn't have much of a taste and wasn't as crispy as I desired, runny dressing on the salad. Had better bentos before. Meh
5 - Juliane W.: On my second trip to Best of Bento my date and I ordered the crunchy roll, las vegas roll, spicy tuna roll and rainbow roll. Although my bento of tempura was delicious the previous visit, I soon felt silly for not having taken advantage of this place's mad sushi skills. The las vegas roll I had here is honestly one of the best rolls I've ever sunk my taste buds into. And the rainbow roll was stunning as it was perfectly tasty. Yummmmm....
5 - Carolina C.: This place is amazing the food is outstanding I especially love the california rolls with a side of  rice...highly recommend this place will continue to eat here as long as I live in seattle.
3 - T N.: I have been here twice with my club and once with my boyfriend. The second time with my club was after they did a little renovation with the place. I am not sure if it's just my imagination, but the place felt different and had a different menu that included a long list of sushi options. On this occasion I had the mega bento box that included nigiri and you can select from different types of teriyaki. The bento box was okay. The sushi felt a little frozen still which made it watery and the teriyaki chicken was not impressive either. The meal includes miso soup which is brought out before the meal which was a nice surprise. The mega bento meal was around 10 dollars (?).

I stopped by here another time for sushi with my boyfriend in hopes of non frozen sushi and was not disappointed. We ordered spicy salmon, two rainbow rolls, and spicy tuna. I was just happy everything wasn't frozen, but noticed that the spicy salmon and tuna weren't spicy and tasted similar. The meal total was a little over $20.

Overall, I would come here again simply because it is convenient and fairly cheap. Nothing impressive, yet I did not leave disappointed.
1 - Jin K.: Do NOT go there.
Food is bad, takes super long time for the foods to come out.
Also the owner is such an ass.
It's not cheap either
Dirty too !!! Gahhh
3 - Jess W.: Hit and miss. The chicken katsu is amazing. Tastes great on its own, wonderful texture. Just great. The other dishes? Not so much, thus far. Orange chicken (or was it sweet and sour..) was terrible. Difficult to even finish it. Seems that some of their plates are great, and others should be cut from the menu altogether!

I wish they'd shorten their menu and only serve the dishes they made well, but what can you do? Other than that problem, it's a cute spot to hang out with friends, a comfortable atmosphere that's clean and cozy, and in a great location. Convenient, just try to remember which dishes you liked off the menu.
4 - Christine Y.: Affordable, good portions (so very filling), and lots of variety, so I never really get sick of this place.
Basically one of my go-to spots on the ave when I know I want to eat out but don't want Thai because there are so many Thai restaurants on the ave. 

They have really good deals during lunch time. You should definitely get the udon or the volcano roll because its cheaper then than during regular hours. 

I usually get the combo bento boxes and finish all of it and will feel satisfied for the next couple hours. Hits the spot!
2 - Ang C.: This place is inconsistent and needs better service. I ordered  Combo B bento with fish katsu and california rolls. When it came out, I realized there was 8 california rolls and just a little bit of katsu...maybe five pieces. The original one comes out with MORE katsu and 4 pieces of california rolls. Because I was puzzled, I asked the waitress if there was some sort of mix-up, perhaps they ran out of fish? But, no.. she said that that's how it originally comes out, and if I wanted more katsu, I should've ordered the small bento or something along those lines. I've came here before and ordered the same thing. It was not originally like that. I felt like she was a tad rude and had that "I know better than you" attitude. Maybe I'm being picky just because I was craving katsu. But seriously, why the inconsistency? And if so, please own up to it. You'll lose customers if you do service like that. Enough said.
3 - Joop V.: The restaurant has large seating area, so if you are not with a large group of people (say you are a party of 1-4 people), then you probably will find a table right away.

Best of Bento offers a variety of dishes on their menus (mostly typical Japanese dishes but they also have a handful selection of the most common Chinese and Korean dishes, too). If you choose a bento combo (which I think most people get), you can mix and match a few dishes inside the bento that you want --e.g. tempura, chicken terriyaki, salmon, saba, california roll, etc). All their dishes/bento range from around $7-$10.

My friend ordered bento with salmon and tempura and I got chicken yakisoba. We also shared a dish of fried gyoza . Although I didn't feel that the quality and taste of the food were that great, their serving portion was very reasonable and was definitely filling. So, you wouldn't leave the restaurant hungry at all. It's definitely a place that offers good value at a very reasonable. I guess that's why the business seems to do well as it is located right in the university district (and, rightfully so, 90% their customers tend to be late teen or very early 20's).

Their service system is a bit confusing and the waiter/waitresses seemed so busy that they don't really have time to look out for you unless you flag them down. You order at a table you sit (once you walk in, just grab your own table and wait for waiter/waitress to get you a menu) but pay at a cashier inside the restaurant. I'd say it's not the best experience in terms of service either..but doable, for the good value of food/price I'm paying for my meal.. :)

Personally, as a working professional who may be able to afford more for food and at my age beyond the youthful teenage years, I probably want to ensure better food quality and won't visit this place that often (but wouldn't mind stopping by if I'm really hungry again).

Best-Made Shoes - Pittsburgh, PA (40.458064, -79.9420453) (Bloomfield)
4 - Andrea W.: The heel covering on my favorite pair of boots came off and the heels wore down quickly. I didn't want to give up these boots but was worried about getting them fixed, as I hadn't done this before. I decided to take them to Best-Made Shoes and am incredibly happy that I did. First of all, the guy who helped me was incredibly nice and understanding. He was flexible in when my boots would be repaired and had them ready right on time. At first I thought that $30 might be a little steep to replace heels, but once I saw them I was incredibly happy. The heels are perfect now! They made sure to blend the colors together so that it looks like one seamless piece- you have to examine the up close to see where the new heel piece was added. They even polished my boots so nicely that they look better than when I first bought them! I highly recommend this place for shoe repairs.
5 - Terry A.: My neighbor had a pair of Birkenstock sandals that I loved! She told me that they were a couple of years old, that she purchased them at Best Made shoes and that I wouldn't be sorry if bought a pair. I did and she was right! I love, love love these sandals! When it's warm these sandals are my first choice! There cool and give me the support that I need. Best Made Shoes is my first choice for Birkenstocks it's a small well stocked store that offers excellent service and and repairs.
5 - Laura G.: If you have want excellent-quality shoes, then go to Best Made Shoes on Liberty Ave. in Bloomfield. Marc is the third generation of his family to run the shop. The dedication and expertise of the family-run business is evident every time I visit Best Made in search of shoes to alleviate my musculoskeletal pain. Marc and his father's attention to my needs and their knowledge about a foot's proper alignment is impressive. They consistently take time with each customer and have identified unique socks, orthotics and shoes that greatly alleviate my arthritis pain. In fact, my Best Made shoes have improved my stride so greatly that I have decreased the frequency between "maintenance" podiatrist visits. My investment in shoes at Best Made probably is the best decision I've made for myself this year. Thanks, Marc!

Beth Baron, CMTPT, CMT - Berkeley, CA (37.864737, -122.259335) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
5 - Sara C.: Beth is a skilled massage therapist who listens to what your body needs. This is not the kind of kneading massage that most CMTs do (and which always leave me more sore and in worse shape the next day), this is myofascial release, which truly facilitates and creates change in the tissue, leaving you feel more alive and flexible, and better than you have in ages.
5 - Talia D.: My back hurt from caring for my 9 month old baby. Beth's touch removed my pain for several days after my appointment. She doesn't pummel, she listens to the body and makes more space inside it. I can't wait to go back!
5 - Don G.: Beth Baron is a remarkably talented body worker to whom I have referred a number of my acupuncture clients.  We are blessed to have dozens of good massage therapists in the Bay Area, but finding one who tunes in as deeply as Beth does and who knows her trade so thoroughly ... well, it's rare enough that Beth now knows many of my regular clients as well as I do.  She also practices a breadth of body-work styles, which allows her to find the right mode for each of her clients, from those who need serious alignment/pain relief to those who just want to treat themselves to a break.

I trust Beth with myself, my family, and my clients, and I fully recommend you give her a try yourself.  If my crew is any indication, then you're guaranteed to come away calmer, happier, and more at ease within your own skin.  Do yourself that favor!
5 - Nadia K.: Beth has the most healing hands I've ever experienced. She truly fixed me from a debilitating repetitive stress injury - and now I'm back at work with no continuing problems. Her techniques are holistic and integrative - she has a lot of knowledge of neuro-musculature and also offers stretches and other techniques that one can continue to practice for their self-care.  I recommend Beth to everyone I know who has an injury or just is in need of a massage and some care.
5 - G B.: In my quest to recover from RSI (repetitive stress injury) I have seen a half-dozen massage therapists in the last year or so. Beth is by far the best. She truly attains excellence. As Beth works, the sensation borders on the magical: as she manipulates the fascia, she is able to work on the muscle in such a deep yet gentle way, with dramatic change. I leave each session feeling weightless, open, and free. More significantly, this feeling only increases in the following several days. 

If you have any sort of soft-tissue injury, RSI, or any pain at all, the best thing you can do is schedule a session with Beth. Beth knows about RSI -- she recovered from a serious RSI herself (and obviously a complete recovery, to work with her hands all day). I am now completely recovered: I can work at the computer all day without a hint of pain and I have returned to mountain biking. I will continue to see Beth, since each session leaves me more graceful, flexible, and at ease.

A final note: Beth is one of the nicest and most friendly people you'll ever meet.
5 - M O.: Beth is an extremely skilled, professional and kind massage therapist.  I have been going to her for over a year now, and will even face bridge traffic to go back to her now that I live in SF.  She has treated me with both traditional and myofascial release massage therapy.  I always think I feel "ok" going into the appointment, and never cease to be amazed that I feel a million times better coming out.  Thank you Beth - any body is in good hands with you!
5 - Christine B.: Beth is an EXCELLENT practitioner.

Being a Physical Therapist and bodyworker myself, I have received a lot of massage and bodywork and know a lot about the techniques. Beth is one of the best myofascial release therapists I know in the country.

I go to her because she knows the body and how to release it.
Rather than just do massage, she works with the fascia and connective tissue to attain a deeper release and better alignment than you can get with swedish massage only. Don't get me wrong, she can do the regular stuff, but her speciality is going beyond and releasing the deep tightness, leaving your body better aligned and relaxed.

I feel confident referring all of my clients and friends to Beth knowing she knows how to work with anyone of any age, 20's to 80's and of any medical condition. I am confident she can handle people I know with injuries who need massage and myofascial release  to assist them in getting well. I can't say I feel that ease with any massage therapist.

Beth is a professional, sensitive, highly aware and qualified.
I highly recommend her to everyone.
5 - Jana B.: I love, LOVE Beth!  I have chronic upper body RSI (hands, lower and upper arms), Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, hold all of my tension in my neck and shoulders and spend way more time on the computer than I should.  Beth uses a variety of special techniques - ART, myofacial release, and other fancy names I don't know.  What I do know is that her techniques are intense, AND make my hand and arm pain go away and dissolve the tension in my neck and shoulders. These are therapeutic treatments, not just feel-good treatments.  I see her every 3 weeks for 90 minutes, and it is an excellent way to manage my pain.  I was recently re-evaluated for my Carpal Tunnel Syndrome status (I had a nerve conduction test done), and both hands improved dramatically.  My left hand went fro severe to moderate and right hand went from moderate to mild nerve entrapment. I attribute this to Beth's regular work on my upper body.  I have successfully avoided CT surgery because of her!  GO Beth!
5 - Layla L.: I absolutely agree with Christine B. I would give Beth 10 stars if I could. She is AMAZING and soo incredibly knowledgeable. I've been to 2 chiropractors and a physical therapist at kaiser and no one has been able to help my injuries except Beth. I've seen her twice now and both times she's erased my injuries in one session. If you have an injury I would highly recommend going to see her before anyone else.
5 - C S.: For the past year, I relied on  Beth Baron for myofascial and somatic therapies to relieve systemic nerve pain and restore loss of function from multiple neurological deficits and muscular skeletal problems that were causing me severe impairment and increasing social isolation. Today I am greatly improved beyond what I could have imagined due in part to her commitment to my therapeutic recovery. 

Mine is a complex medical case and I chose Beth (a Harvard graduate and former health researcher) after reading success stories of her knowledge, skills, and abilities on the Berkeley Parent Network and other sites like Yelp. Now it is my turn to join the chorus of believers who confirm her competent and versatile care!

Beth can deliver what I call the WOW! Factor, in that she accomplished immediate pain and stress relief on most occasions, provided liaison services with other key practitioners on my health care team, and always conveyed compassionate presence, comfortable rapport, intuitive insight, and professional demeanor. I always looked forward to my appointments with Beth because the encounters were so therapeutic and I indeed felt better for having been there.

I recommend her every chance I get to both friends and strangers alike. I'm finally getting my life back...and I'm glad I trusted reviews from people I will never meet who pointed me in Beth's direction. Thank you, folks! And thank you, Beth!
5 - Corinna K.: Beth has an amazing ability to listen to your body and work with it in a way that helps it heal.  I'm always impressed when she finds the spots that need worked on without me even pointing them out.  

I visit Beth for help with chronic shoulder and arm pain (due to the everyday stresses of computer work), and reliably I'm able to see the improvement I'm looking for after a session with her.
5 - Brandy S.: Beth is fantastic. I have been a massage therapist since 1974 (now retired) and can safely say she is the best.
5 - Sarah S.: Beth is a truly gifted body worker, but really much more than that.  She has a feel for the bigger picture, not just the tied up masses of knots I come in to undo.  
I have had a number of people work with me over the last few decades, and I can truly say she is a standout. I wish I had found her sooner!
 I have a challenging set of issues, and she is able to get a lot done in a session, always walking out much more comfortable than when I came in.  Beth is open to suggestions and requests, which I really appreciate.
 I feel very comfortable working with Beth, and a great deal of trust in her both professionally and as a person.
 I also very much appreciate her fragrance free policy, as I am chemically sensitive.
5 - Jason A.: Beth is great!
5 - Lee L.: Beth is amazing! I am soooooo happy I found her on here of all places. I have been getting massages for over 15 years. Some have been for stress relief, relaxation and others have been for medical issues....neck, shoulders and back. It is obvious she knows anatomy and exactly the right pressure and technique to make me feel great after seeing her. Whether it is a knot, tension, tightness etc. 

I will bring to your attention her office is fragrance-free. This was not an issue for me because I am sensitive as well. I have great difficulty finding people to do the work she does and would easily not wear fragrance to receive this kind of care. NO SHE DID NOT PAY ME TO WRITE this review. If you suffered the medical pains I have you would understand. Be well.

LL, El Cerrito

Betsey Johnson - Palo Alto, CA (37.4206172999556, -122.170715332031) ()
3 - Natalie D.: The place to come for a ghastly, expensive Halloween costume.
Have at it.
5 - Setareh N.: I love Betsey Johnson....it is on the pricey side but the odds of someone else wearing that dress is pretty slim.....very interesting and unique designs and everyone is always helpful:)

they have a large shoe selection for Betsey at this store and they always have my size:) They also have a large amount of betseyville and Betsey Johnson bags at this location as well

she has the best cheekini underwear too;)

xoxo to you Betsey
4 - Marevie T.: The girls that work here are so cute! They say hi and bye to everyone! I love how they have set the atmosphere towards the outside of the mall and you can see everything from outside. I love the story of Betsey Johnson as I have watched on E! of course and having a store devoted to her is all super cool. I wonder if Johnson ever comes to visit?! Wowzers. Love love love.
5 - Katie F.: They have so much variety!  It's a bit overwhelming!  The staff is so wonderful!  You can tell they love fashion, because they want to help you find a great outfit, but not in a "you're annoying, please leave me alone, I'm trying to shop" kind of way.  Most of the dresses are a bit outrageous and a tad pricey, but if you can afford it and have a daring sense of style, go for it!
5 - A K.: It is not often that I have a good shopping experience, but this Betsey store was exceptional. The sweetest girls working there, so helpful and friendly. The store was immaculately clean, also. I just wish more stores held themselves to this standard. And I found what I was looking for!
5 - Aileen A.: My first Betsey Johnson experience here was when she herself was in the store! I was too starstruck to say anything to her, plus, she was helping someone out.

The girls here are soooo friendly, and try to give you an experience wherein they're shopping WITH you, not pushing stuff down your throat. 

Of course her stuff is immensely expensive, but you can still get yourself a piece of Betsey-with a Betseyville (lower price range) bag or her uber cute accessories. Her dresses are BEAUTIFUL and really funky, cute lingerie, and darling decor. Stepping into that store is an experience out of this world. ;)
5 - Kandi W.: The best place to find super cute fun dresses! I'm here all the time. The girls here are great, and help you out with everything. They'll be totally honest and don't pressure you into buying at all. They have such fun dresses that you won't find everyone wearing. Also great shoes and accessories. Fun place to shop. Go see Betsey Xoxo.
4 - Jessie J.: all i can say is that when i'm old i hope to kick it just like betsey-frizz out my hair, wear tutus in public and flip cartwheels after i close a big sale...

until then i'm content to shop her boutiques, and this location i actually really like.  the employees are young here, but completely adept in sizing you up in size and taste level, which is helpful considering sometimes some of her stuff can be pretty questionable.

this is the place to come for something playful and feminine, the perfect party dress(or in my case NYE dress) if you don't mind pushing aside her pieces that are a homage to both french maids AND pirates.  also check out the super cute accessories and panties, some of them are so sweet they make my teeth hurt.
4 - Elaine C.: The largest Betsey Johnson store I've been in. Piggybacking on the other reviews-- the ladies that work here are very nice, but not in a "Can I help you? Here, buy this. What, no?? Then get out of here and stop wasting my time" kind of way.

Huge selection of dresses, purses, and accessories. Didn't see any shoes, but might have been distracted by the sales racks.

Bottom line: Betsey Johnson is one crazy biatch, and so is this store (and I mean that in a GOOD way).
2 - jessica n.: I went here for their Memorial Day sale, and they didn't have anything!  Their store prices didn't reflect the sale prices online but that's common for online sales to be better than in-store... But they just didn't have much of a diverse selection... A lot of it was boring, plain BJ clothes and maybe that's because of boring, conventional Palo Alto shoppers.  BLAH the boring!  The two sales chicks were super cute though!  I was amazed at how large this store was compared to the ones I've been into (SF, Vegas, San Diego) they just need to carry more diverse items!  I can't wait for the one to open up at Valley Fair.  My life will be complete.
5 - Charmayne O.: This location has Betsey's dresses, shoes, purses, accessories (sunglasses, all her jewelry, tights/leggings), and lingerie. The staff is extremely helpful, welcoming, and giddy, as opposed to some of the other Stanford shopping center's workers. I would say their clothes are anything but boring, this opinion coming from a person with a pretty daring taste in style. I can't see myself stepping in this store and NOT purchasing anything! Be ready to spend a few bills here cause it's definately not cheap.
4 - Norma A.: Super cute dresses but they are just not my size. =(

My only reason for visiting this location are of course the shoes, which do fit! Not a huge selection but very cute styles.

Hit or miss on the style, since I go with an outfit in mind. Picked up a pair of Black & Red wedges on sale.
4 - Kara R.: Some of the dresses are just flat out ugly, but some are adorable. Shopping there is so much fun. The staff just keeps bringing em and bringing em and it's a blast!
5 - Betty N.: I get all of my cute dresses here, bitches.

This is my favorite local BJ store. Period. It has everything and when it doesn't, I get it shipped.

My Barbie salesgirl is the best. She is cute as a button and she kicks out the "I am going to look but not buy" teeny boppers in the dressing rooms when I need to try on a few things. LA customer service! I love it.

Sure, Betsey is not for everyone. At times, it looks like the 1980s Prom Convention BUT her line is always fun, funky, and unique.

In addition the sizing is RIGHT ON. If you are bigger than a 34-24-33, you would be a size 6-8. It's not sized like Banana Republic to make you feel good . . .it's sized the way it should be. I am grateful for that.

I constantly get compliments on her dresses and shoes. My only beef is that her stuff is Made in China and it is quite expensive. $400 dresses and $300 shoes for Made In China may not be your cup of tea . . . but it is totally worth it at the end of the day.

I have over 15 of her dresses at this point, more than 20 pairs of her shoes. So I am a BJ fanatic. Um, no dirty jokes, please.

I love this store, the girls, and the clothes! 

I'll be back in Spring! xoxo
3 - Steph C.: A smaller Betsey Johnson store. I can find more swimsuits at Macys then at the store itself. They have cute dresses and everything but every time I make a trip to stanford mall they never have any sizes. I would suggest to just go to the betsey Johnson store at valley fair. The store is a little bit more organized and the workers are very helpful.
4 - LisaMarie W.: I'm always a Betsey fan--like die hard Betsey fan--so only giving four stars is tough but this store is just TOO small.  It has an awesome location at the front of the mall but seriously they can carry nothing in stock.  They only carry a small array of accessories compared to the large assortment of shoes, bags and jewlery you find at the Union Square store and the dresses are so limited.  I love Betsey so I will always pop in when around but I don't ever feel discouraged if I don't find the perfect buy.
1 - Jess M.: Right when I walked in, there were 3 Sales Associates standing around and talking, I thought one of them were going to greet the people I was with and myself when we walked in, but saw their friends and greeted them instead. We weren't even approached either. This Betsey boutique is a little bit bigger than the one in Valleyfair and I always get greeted there.
4 - Caitlin F.: Yay I love Betsey!!! I am always at this store scouring the sales rack. The girls that work here are always nice. This is a great place to come if you are looking for a dress for a special occasion. Fun, funky and flirty :) I would advise everyone who likes Betsey stuff to sign up for their email updates. You can find out when they are having sales and get up to 40% off stuff that is marked down. If I ever go missing on the weekend, this is where you can find me :)
2 - Megan M.: Let me start off by saying the sales girl was very pleasant, which is the only reason I am giving the store more than 1 star.
I was really excited to find a Betsey Johnson store while on vacation. I have ALWAYS loved her stuff and finally had an opportunity to buy something. I purchased a long rosary style necklace with a painted clock charm that said, "Time Flies". I also purchased a pair of earrings to match. I was really excited to wear the combo to work on Monday and half way through my day without even touching the chain, the necklace broke. I went home that night and used some jewelry tools to fix the loop that held it together. I put it back on and no more than an hour later the link holding the charm to the end of the necklace separates and the charm fell off. I was really glad I saw when it happened or else I would've lost it. I also had to fix this. I am very disappointed because I was SO excited to get some of her stuff and it's just not made well. I then realized why they made me sign a "non refundable" receipt when I purchased it. I am really bummed.
1 - Ashley H.: I love most of Betsey Johnson's designs but unfortunately won't support the purchase of her merchandise any longer after visiting this location. A little more than a year ago my friend and I walked in to find a birthday dress and planned to spend some serious money. Unfortunately anything we liked didn't have a size we needed or there were some things that didn't really interest us for the type of birthday theme it was. 

When shopping we dress casually in jeans and t-shirts nothing special or trendy. This particular day the stuck up asian females who were working proceeded to say some off the wall and out of "Pretty Woman" comment, "Sorry this isn't Target."  Appalled, we left. 

I later feeling so disturbed by it having purchased there in the past, called and requested to speak to the manager, who was unavailable. The siamese cats chimed in with "why would you like to speak to her, is there something i can take care of" nice and good etiquette to ask although, i think it was prying and them trying to cover up for themselves. I left a message and have yet to hear a response regarding this matter, great customer service. I haven't and will continue to not shop there.
5 - Misty E.: Love love love this store :)

They are super nice and helpful, the only thing I dont like is they dont get new products too often, but It's a great store and I fall in love with everything haha, the staff dont bager you at all which is great esp in such a small store, they give you your space.
5 - vickie j.: They totally rock! So helpful and nice. I love them!
5 - Kristine R.: Such a pretty location! Right next to stanford university and right by neimans, bloomies, and nordies. Great selection, and even more sale selection. I would say it was about 60% sale and the rest was all normal price.
4 - Angela K.: LOVE THIS STORE!!!! 

Betsey Johnson is not for everyone because of her funkiness and her originality. 

Her fashion is very unique like Gwen Stefani's line, L.A.M.B. 

It's great that she uses bright neon colors and out of this world materials for her apparels. 

Her shoes are soooo sexy, but their kinda hard to walk on. 

The staff were friendly and was willing to help me. 

Most of the time, I usually shop for the accessories and her handbags.
2 - Julie B.: This store is nice sized. There are a ton of funky clothing and accessories. I love the bright colors and interesting mixes styles.  

I've been in this store several times. I'm usually ignored or I have to approach the staff to get help. Granted sometimes I'm not keen on buying anything...still when the store is empty I should be greeted or asked something. BUT NO not even that. Maybe it looks like i don't have money that's why they don't approach me?! This attitude usually deters me from buying big priced items. They tend to be talking to each other rather than paying attention to their customers. 

When I went one time I guess they were doing inventory and majority of the fitting rooms were filled with boxes and piled with junk and old mannequins. So there was a longer wait to fit clothes. 
The fitting rooms are my main problem with this store. First they're draped to close so the cloth can move and you can get a little peek show if you're not careful to the main floor. Also you have to walk out to see what you look like. Ok, I'm a normal conscience being that worries about what people say when you're trying something on and a crowd looking at what you're wearing. Note: I was trying on bathing suits even more scary to go out with a bathing suit you're not sure fits you right.

Better Burger Company - Providence, RI (41.827514, -71.400317) (College Hill)
3 - steel m.: Good, not great.  Hopefully they'll improve with time, as they've just been open for a few weeks.  The fries were good--fried in olive oil, which adds flavor and reduces the guilt a tad.  The burger was good but I don't get why they must all be cooked medium-well.  Perhaps this actually is a health dept. regulation, but if so, it's unfortunate!  Plus, they really should be using lettuce other than iceberg--it's 2010!
1 - Chris C.: Wow! This place is everything a burger shouldn't be, I wish I could have given zero stars. Come here if you want to learn what not to do when preparing a proper burger.

Where do I start? 

How about frozen burger patties that are mediocre  quality and also not seasoned at all. No salt, pepper...nothing. I find this inexcusable when it comes to burgers or any other proteins for that matter.  

To top it off,  all "burgers" are killed to medium well. Bacon is sitting in a hotel pan and not even crisped up to order. 
The buns they use are way too large for the "burgers" they are serving, not to mention the buns were stale.

I was hoping that growing pains were to blame but I have been there on 3 different occassions and ordered 3 different "burgers".  No improvement whatsoever.

I had high hopes for this joint, but it's just not good.
2 - Jacqueline B.: I went to try this place out say two weeks after it opened. I was extremely disappointed with the outcome of this visit. The people taking my order were poorly trained and seemed confused as to how to work the registers with the manager standing right beside them coaching them along. I noticed they have a sign taped to the register saying how all their burgers are cooked to order. Thats a crock of BS. After I placed my order I waited and when I was given my order it was COMPLETELY wrong. Not a single thing about the burger was right. They left everything I had asked for off. Surprisingly enough the owner was sitting at the table behind me and heard me complaining to my boyfriend about the poor burger. He asked me what I had ordered and took my burger and went to change it. Little did I know this was a senile old man who really wasn't listening at all. Brought me some other burger that was still completely wrong. I decided to quit complaining because I felt it was a battle I wasn't going to win without getting really frustrated. I had the hope that the burger would be worth it even if it wasn't what I originally wanted. The bun was stale, and the burger had the texture/taste as if it were sitting in a steam tray (NOT cooked to order). Gross. The only thing I can say that was nice about the meal was the fries were good. But a burger place is not judged by its fries. For the price of the meal as well your better off going to Wings and Things which is right around the corner and its cheaper and way better.
4 - Madeleine H.: Madeleine's Thoughts: 

After returning here for a burger treat late one night before Halloween, I found myself still pleased by the general tastiness that the BBC provides.

I WILL give the place a new star this time around because they had Pumpkin Whoopie Pies and they were DELICIOUS. The Giants World Series game was also playing and the guy working there at the time happened to be a Giants fan (yay norcal!). 

The burgers were tasty, the fries... I am not a big fan of still, and the onion rings were great.

It's a nice place to sit down in, eat a burger, and not have to walk all the way down to the other end of thayer where most of the food places are located. 

enjoy!
3 - Andy F.: Nothing majorly wrong with the place but nothing all that great about the food. The decor is amazing though. I love the Providence murals.

Pretty standard burgers. The patties are NOT seasoned at all... which suuuucks. They were a bit overdone. Condiments/toppings were fine. Fries were not all that crispy. Onion rings were good (and I like onion rings but they are pretty easy to do right).

Its fine for a lunch but nothing to write home about, kind of like a lot of places on Thayer.
4 - Cross P.: Ok I've eaten at alot of different burger joints! and I have to say not many are well mannered, attentive, or care! The staff here make the experience worth while. The menu is nice, I do like the fact you get a choice of the size of burger you want! 5oz / 8oz / 10oz   white or wheat bread 
cheese or reg fries and onion rings! I have to say it's worth the trip! 
I enjoyed BBC and will return!
1 - Michael M.: This place is so bad you have to think that any 5 star review is by the owners or their agents. Disorganized ordering procedure, way over priced, mediocre burgers, skimpy portion on the fries. Seriously, go to Wendy's if you want to a low end burger. Good burgers? Try Tazza (when the re-open) or make a pilgrimage to Bartley's Burger in Harvard Square, mecca for high fat delivered via beef.
4 - Hao T.: Wow that milkshake was sweet...it was free after all. (I used a check-in offer)

I came in and was very nicely greeted by the host and quickly placed my order. The service is slow, but it was worth the wait since everything was fresh. They let you choose between wheat and white bread as well as the burger size and how well cooked it is. The price is well balanced, very reasonable considering its prime location on Thayer and the fact that it caters to mostly college students. The food was good but slightly too much on the sweet and salty side for my tastes. 

Thayer has been lacking a good burger joint and this place fills that need nicely.
3 - Meg M.: BBC was a 3 1/2 star experience for me this fine afternoon. Pretty good, but I can't quite say I loved it. I got the Ivy League on a wheat bun, it consisted of melted swiss, mushrooms and carmelized onions. Sounded tasty on the menu, and it was satisfying, but was missing something....didn't quite have the flavor I was craving and needed some sort of sauce or something, it was a wee bit dry. The fries however were outstanding, the highlight of the meal and I highly recommend them. 
I like a burger joint with a lot of options and Better Burger Co. does deliver there, many different variations you could create here besides the menu listings.
Overall I liked it but def. not even close to the best burger in Providence. Five Guys serves a far more flavorful burger although the fries at BBC are absolutely superior.
4 - Samuel W. B.: We are vegetarian and both had the veggie burger with onion rings and fries.  We were both in the mood for this type of food (which is rare) and we were pleasantly surprised.  The veggieburger must be their own recipe because it is thick and very flavorful - not like any that I have had before.

The atmosphere is excellent.
4 - t i.: Not sure about earlier reviews, perhaps they just had a rocky start... Thought the service was fast, friendly and- the reason we were there ( the burgers) were great.  it is sort of like a chipotle for burgers, fresh, prepped before you and brought to your table when ready.  Good addition to Thayer.
1 - Paul M.: Blech. I was hopeful leading up to their opening, but the burger I got was bland and dry despite not being overcooked. Add in that's it's not cheap and there's nothing else interesting on the menu and there's no reason to go here.

If you want a burger on the hill go to United BBQ - since Byblos stopped making burgers they're the best around.
3 - Alex R.: After reading all the reviews and walking by it all the time I decided to give it a shot.  I was impressed by the selection and it took a while to decide what to order.  I ended up ordering the largest Better Burger, which was very large and did the job.  The only downside is I wasn't given an option to order it rare.  I find most burger places that only cook to medium well sacrifice the true flavor of a burger.  Aside the point, Better Burger Company is good but still has nothing on Fat Belly's.
2 - Jaicy M.: Two stars for the Chicken Caesar Wrap?

On a recent visit to the East Coast, we used Yelp for every meal. We never compromised for anything less than 3.5-4 stars, and we were never disappointed. In a moment of weakness when we were hungry and walking down Thayer street, the Yelp Deal for a free milkshake convinced us to give BBC a try.

It goes to show how accurate Yelp reviews are. We were disappointed and I was the only one with a halfway decent meal because I didn't order a burger. The cheese fries looked awful, and the shake wasn't even good!

So if you are forced to go here, try the wrap, otherwise I would pick somewhere else to go!
3 - Nancy L.: I had really good service when I went, maybe because it wasn't very busy at the time. I got the gyro burger with lamb. It was pretty good. I went with 3 other people and they got the chicken wraps. It wasn't anything amazing, but we were really hungry and wanted to try it out because I passes by it so many times. Probably wouldn't go back, but I didn't have a terrible experience.
2 - Mckenzie G.: I was really excited to try this place and in the end I was just disappointed. 

I like the options they have for size of burger and types of burgers, and I do have to say that the workers were really friendly.  

That being said, the burger did not shine.  I ended up getting the classic - figured it was the best way to test the quality of the burger and made it a meal. Now there is nowhere on the menu that tells you that you can make it a meal, or what it costs to do so.  Not a good start.

I have to say that the fries are what shined in the end, not the burger. The burger really had no flavor and was fairly greasy.  I don't like a place that relies on the toppings for flavor, the base should be flavorful itself.
3 - Lucy G.: I came here before going to the frozen yogurt place next door and had the Falafel Burger which i thought was a cool idea for a burger and get this: It was very good. AND....they didnt mess up the fries..nope they were hot and crispy.  Next time I will try the Veggie burger :) Love the view of Thayer while enjoying the meal.
2 - Evrhet M.: Ya know, I saw the low ratings, but I thought I knew better. The name is  "better burger" after all, so I thought it would be good.

The one word I would use to describe my good would be Soggy. I ordered a hamburger and sweet potato fries, and neither of them tasted right. The hamburger was just a mess of sauces and yet it had no flavor. The sweet potato fries were not cooked all the way, and tasted more like raw sweet potatoes.

On that note, the staff was very friendly and were very quick with the food. Maybe they were just a little too quick though.
2 - Michael G.: I had such high hopes for the Better Burger Company.  Unfortunately, I was let down.  I convinced my fiance that "You don't make friends with salad" and we're getting burgers tonight.  So I picked the Better Burger Company.  It looked to good...

When you walk into the Better Burger Company you are filled with an expectation that you have truly found Providence's Premier Burger Joint.  Look around, this place has it all and you can see the grills!  The menu is full of mouth-watering specialty burgers.  How could this go wrong...

Oh, but it did.  I ordered "The Better Burger" this place's ultimate burger.  If I am here, I might as well get their best.  My fiance ordered the turkey burger (the wedding is coming up! no fatty red-meat burgers!).

The Better Burger was bland & quickly forgettable and the sauce was tangy sweet in a bad way.  The burger literally fell apart after a few bites much to my annoyance.  I was not happy with it at all.  

The turkey burger was equally bad.  I took a bite of it as my fiance scowled at me as if to say you chose this place and now I have to hit up that extra spin class this week to make up for this crappy burger.  

On a side note, the sweet potato fries were excellent.  Maybe they should rename this place the Better Fries Company.
3 - c h.: Not much to say really - a decent burger, though for the price they should be cooked to order. Fries were a bit better than fast food (burger king, etc).
3 - Jess Z.: Eh, if you are on the east side and sick of pizza, it worth walking in. It's not amazing, but its not super gross. They are burgers, kinda messy though.
4 - Claudia L.: the 2 star rating simply doesnt do this place justice. the decor is funky enough, like a diner on crack.

there is a large range of drinks to choose from, and trendier bottled drinks like MASH, sprindle etc.

i am in love with their falafel burger - its got guacamole in it! however, everytime i order their sweet potato fries, they tend to get overcooked. i think they cook sweet potato fries to order because their default is the normal potato variety.
2 - Jessica B.: After visiting the Better Burger Co. twice, I can honestly say that I might go again, if only for the gyro burger. That said, I have also tried the Better Burger, the fries, and the shakes. While both the regular and the sweet potato fries were consistently delicious, my Better Burger was dry and the sauce was not complementary to the flavors, and the shakes have nothing on the nearby Johnny Rockets. Service was always quick and friendly, so no points lost on that account. Still, the food is only worth two and a half stars on the best of days.
3 - B M.: Stopped in on a Tuesday night with only a few people in the place. The service here is very friendly. The burger was a tad on the rare side, but I don't think I specified how I wanted it done. The meat was quality, maybe a bit bland, but definitely juicy. The fries were very good. Overall, not as good as Five Guys, but worth checking out.
4 - Josue M.: the chicken ceaser wrap is excellente... never order for delivery though, 99.9% chance delivery person is getting lost...
4 - Elise J.: I actually gave this 
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e

s
t
a
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s

but the 
y
e
l
p

f
i
l
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 only blocks this one five star review of mine.

What gives?

I'm enthusiastic about BBC because my son has severe food allergies, and when I find a place I like - I like to hype it on this review system.

So

*
*
*
*
*
for BBC.
4 - Aly K.: I enjoy BBC. The burgers are delicious and always cooked the way I want.

The fries are awesome. Very crispy and tasty!

The turkey burger is my favorite! It is HUGE and has avocado on it, which adds nice flavor.

The staff is SUPER friendly! They are willing to accommodate any requests and on the rare occasion that they make a mistake, they will rectify it immediately.
4 - Melissa B.: AWESOME!!!!  THANK YOU!!!!....FINALLY, a burger place that you can get Organic, Hormone Free, No Pesticides!!!!...EVEN Fries cooked in Olive Oil!!!!!!   GREAT!!  They even offer beer & wine!!!  A MUST TRY!!!!
3 - Sis Y.: The Better Burger Co. I wasn't planning on coming here tonight. The BRU deals caught my eye but I figured I mostly avoid Thayer Street since it's not funky anymore but so corporate that it should just have signs that scream "BUY ALL YOU SOON TO BE YUPPIES!" It's just not a place I want to be anymore. It's like visiting a dead relative's grave. You know they're there, but why would you want to visit the area their corpse is rotting in?
I always feel sad visiting Thayer Street. I miss the desperate street kids and the independent stores. I know there are a few left but they're crowded by the consumers.
This place is not a restaurant. It's a joint that is funky but not so trendy that you feel uncomfortable sitting in the small tables with your buddy. Sunday night it was filled with college kids and one Father/Son couple. The tables are formica small. The dining room has a mural painted on the walls that isn't obnoxious, done in desert tones. There's a television on the wall. It is a bright  and cheery place. This place replaces the Oriental store that was here for years. The clerks bring out your food to your table if you eat it here. And the clerks are friendly which is a big plus on Thayer Street.
The burgers are healthy. They are not greasy spoon juicy. They are good. The buns are oversized and dry. Maybe it's because I got the whole wheat bun IDK. I ordered the Blue Moon Burger (crumbled blue cheese, mushrooms, and fried onion rings,) it was good. The toppings were not sparse but they were not overwhelming either. Car got The Better Burger, (a 10 oz patty with cheddar, Chourico, fried onion strings and Bourbon sauce,) much tastier than mine, I wished I'd ordered that instead. You can decide to have a small 5.8 oz, medium 8 oz, or large 10 oz burger patty which is nice. I got the 10 oz. We also got fries with the burgers mine were warm and almost limp. Whatever, I've had worse. Car had fresh hot fries and they were good. They're fried in olive oil. It makes them "healthier". Again, whatever. After eating our meal we were still hungry. We ordered the chili fries and the onion rings. They were good too. Car was impressed that they had kidney beans in the chili that was over the fries. I guess I was, too. Car also ordered a strawberry "shake". It was kind of weird. Car said to watch out for the syrupy taste but that it wasn't bad. Whatever it was made from it didn't taste like ice cream which is what I was expecting. It tasted like some kind of creamer filler. I'm not a fan of shakes anyway. Since car already warned me of it tasting a little weird I assume that that is not a good sign. I am wary when something tastes unnatural. 
I feel bad about being "Meh" about this place. It's not a bad place or a mediocre place. It's just not GREAT. It's a burger place for the local college kids really. It caters to people that believe in the faux "health" BS that is being touted by Mc D's that wants to sell you "healthy" burgers or fast foods. I have news for you people, if you want something healthy it's not a burger or any convenience food. I miss Ruby's. 
Any way, the staff is very, very nice and the place is clean. It's a better place on this soulless strip. It's a little bit better than Au Bon Pain and their stupid "French Fast Cuisine". I miss diners. I miss the IHOP that used to be up the road. No pretensions of health at the IHOP. At least back then. Well, they do have a "health" part to their menus now but you gotta survive so you cater to the grand mediocre masses.
Okay long story short: go to a real diner for a real burger. This place is okay for this area. There's a reason I didn't buy a "BRU Deal" for this place. I'd go here if I was stuck on Thayer Street like we were tonight. I was expecting Indian so maybe I'm seriously disappointed and my attitude is showing through because of that fact. This place is nice. And all those noncommittal adjectives you use for things and people that don't strike your fancy but don't offend you either. 
Bon frickin' appétit.
I just went to their website to see if they delivered. I can't tell but the reason I'm jotting this in is in their "story" it says they've served RI since the 1960's but they're "The New Kid on the Block"? And it seems none of the links on the page work quite right. Oh well at least I could get the menu.
1 - Rani P.: I had one chance to have something delicious on my short trip to Providence. Better Burger Company claimed to have better burgers, so I thought this would be a great quick lunch I can grab and go. The burger was dripping in grease and the sweet potatoes fries were soggy and seemed like there were frozen before dropping into the fryer. To top it off, I felt really sick about an hour or so later, making the drive back to Boston pretty miserable. I'm not sure what went wrong- but they should take some hints from B.Good and really serve a better burger- just because it is a whole wheat bun doesn't make it better.
5 - Olivia U.: I am completely dumbfounded that this place has anything less than five stars. 

Background info: I was on a 4 star cruise liner in Europe over the summer, and to accommodate my veganism they made me a veggie burger from scratch a few times.

I swear, the veggie burger they offer here is literally better. And you can get a whole wheat bun! And really perfect sweet potato fries! And they top the damn thing with fried onion strings UGGGGHHHHH. It's so good. My coworkers enjoy it a lot, too. Great place. The service is okay. The cost is reasonable. I go like once a week. It's great. How many times have I said great? Is it annoying yet? BBC is great.
4 - Aaron k.: had the ivy leage, blue moon, regular, and sweet potato fries. 

The meat itself was juicy and tasty, and the toppings (especially crumbled blue and fried onion strings!) were really good. Although I was at first suspicious that the fries would taste burnt from being cooked in olive oil, they turned out to be excellent (maybe they use a blend? I dont care).  

Overall a decent burger with good toppings, and a good value considering that they are supposedly locally sources, grass fed, hormone free etc. I would go back, and it'd be nice to try their breakfast foods or other sandwiches.
3 - Ted D.: A pretty good burger. Saw that there is a deal to get a free shake with a check in, so I said "Let's check this place out". Nice menu choices and very nice and welcoming staff. I got the 8 oz Ivy League (featuring grilled onions and mushrooms) and sweet potato fries, both of which I enjoyed & a coffee milkshake. Very thick milkshake, a little bit of a surprise there. 
My 10 year old had a basic burger without the lettuce & tomato. I know she liked it, polished it off before I could ask her if it was good. My oldest had the old fashioned and kept pace with me. They both had the regular fries which were nicely crisp and perfectly salted.
***Warnings: this is a hard spot for parking. On a weekend & while school is in is near impossible, so expect to walk a bit to get here from you parking space (if the Citizens Bank on the next corner is closed, park there & walk up or try one of the side streets off Thayer). Also, being right next to Brown, there might be some colorful language being used by fellow patrons. 
Overall, a pleasant experience, a nice little spot to take the place of the departed Stanley's over in the Jewelry District and a little different than the Johnny Rockets experience up the street.
1 - Tiffany C.: The service here is HORRIBLE! The first time I went there and ordered something they all stared at me and then laughed. They did the same to my friend. This happened the second time I went as well. My friend had to order a burger without the bun because he has a health condition and they served it to him with a bun. They don't care about the food that they serve you. They don't care about you. You can tell they don't put any effort into the food they cook because the burgers here are just alright. I only ever eat here because it is convenient and close to where I live. If it were any other restaurant I'd go there too.
1 - Susan A.: Don't send takeout menus to neighborhoods you can't deliver food to in a timely fashion.  I've ordered from here 3 times and today is the LAST.  Every single time they  gave me a delivery time of 45 minutes and I got cold food over an hour later.  Today was ridiculous.  TWO HOURS!  Called twice and they lied and said the food should be there in a minute or two.  The second call they lied and said the driver was approaching our door - yeah, she did TWENTY MINUTES LATER.  The food is mediocre at best, we were simply ordering out of convenience.  Never again!
1 - Crystal S.: Literally a one star is all I could give... I'm sorry we as in me and my friend have tried BBC  twice disappointed!!  I am a big fan of healthy, organic, grass fed or no growth hormone foods, etc ... So having a burger at BBC I considered a treat but it was horrible very soggy and the fries were wet and soggy as well both times and I had two different burgers the regular beef and vegt!!! Sorry but no go
2 - Ryan D.: You really have to rate BBC after you have tried other burger places in the Providence area. Just like it says on the Yelp rating, I have experienced better.

This isn't to say that BBC is absolutely terrible, it just isn't a restaurant that pops into my head immediately to go to on Thayer let alone the rest of Providence. 

I have tried such burgers as the Mexican and the Chipotle at BBC and they aren't the best but similar burgers at other joints wowed me a little more. Like other people have complained, they were a bit soggy. 

Ok if you are mediocre in your burgers, wow me with your fries or other sides. BBC does have some unique items, like Greek fries and the fact that the fries are cooked in olive oil. But I am going to be honest BBC, everyone carries sweet potato fries and onion rings these days. And is it just me or does it seem they really don't make their own fries, ala Five Guys.

BBC you did look like you have a decent breakfast menu so I might partake in that someday, but you really won't hear me exclaim "lets go to BBC!" unless you improve the quality. QUALITY Better Burger, not quantity makes the restaurant.
2 - Toni M.: The nutella milkshake is soooo disappointing....
1 - Bob J.: Got to say that the salmon burger and grilled chicken were both major disappointments. Salmon burger was fishy and bready. The chicken just tasted like pepper. One order of fries and one order of sweet potato fries were both pretty tasteless. The servers were nice, though. Since we're not burger eaters, maybe going there was a mistake.
3 - Marissa K.: I had the black bean burger and added a slice of Pepper Jack Cheese.
First of all, I consider myself to be quite the veggie burger expert; be it garden, black bean or falafel.  It was good, really.  But not THAT good.  I expect awesomeness from homemade patties, but I would have preferred just a morningstar chipotle black bean patty (note: this is different from morningstar spicy black bean patty).

The sweet potato fries were thebomb.com.  The prices were good.  Its the kind of place that you order at the counter and they bring your food to you, which is nice if you like that sort of thing.

Also, the boyf' said that it was the first time in a LONG time that he asked for medium rare and got medium rare.  He got the Mexican and did enjoy it.  He says "its good, but its no Five Guys."  Whats cool about the meat burgers is that you can choose from three sizes and tons of specialty topping burgers.
1 - Kyle F.: Ok, maybe shame on me for ordering eggs at a place with Burgers in the name, but I have to say that the dining experience I had there was less than stellar. The Eggs Benedict were a solid mass, none of the gooey goodness that I expected. Home fries were passable but a bit on the greasy side. The final straw was the toast though. The toast was not done on a flat top griddle or in a pop up toaster like you would expect. It was done over the gas fed grill which imparted a real nasty ash-propane taste to the bread. 

I walked out on my half eaten meal. There are better eats to be had on Thayer Street.

PS: The Hollandaise Sauce was Horrible too...
1 - Angie C.: Never again! Service is deplorable! Waited over two hours! This place has good ingredients, I really want to give them my money but if they don't get rid of the dumb girls answering the phones... Twice I got transferred from one dumb girl to another! Please restaff because you offer good quality! And I feel so bad for your driver, wrong address @ 4. a gallon!
1 - Bryant F.: Have frequented this place a few times. The veggie burger is decent. Sweet potato fries are okay. Normally this'd warrant 3 stars, but I have had it with the manager.

I accompanied a friend last week to Better Burger. My friend, of Brazilian origin, noticed the cashier was also from Brazil and naturally began to speak Portuguese with him as she placed her order.  The manager quickly came over and said "that's enough of this, you can't speak anything other than English here."

She pulled my friend aside and said "Look, I don't have anything against Spanish. You can speak whatever you'd like. But this is an American restaurant and as such, my employees must speak the official language. I can't have customers in line thinking my employees are talking about them in another language."

I didn't know this kind of ignorance and cultural insensitivity existed outside of Fox News. I will not be returning.
2 - Natalie K.: I've given them a second chance and I just can't find redeeming quality to upgrade my review. The burgers are still just okay, but I find that my bun is usually a bit soggy. I've ordered delivery a few times and THREE times I ordered milkshakes only to have the driver arrive without them. That's ridiculous. They apparently can't find local addresses either...I don't live very far from this place, but the driver had to call twice to double check the spelling of my street and then double check it again. It's literally a 5 minute drive from BBC, right off of Hope St.....not hard. Sorry, BBC, I don't think I'm going to give it another chance.
3 - Tonya R.: Decent food at fair prices. Fries are nothing special and they gave me the wrong burger, but I didn't notice until I had gotten back to my room with the food (it was some sort of gyro burger when I had ordered a regular--didn't charge me the wrong price though so I wasn't too upset). Coffee milkshake was cheap and filling but a little too sweet and not coffee-flavored enough.
3 - Betsy R.: You know the episode of "How I Met Your Mother" where Marshall and Regis Philbin are on the search for the best burger in the world? 

Well, it's not here, folks. 

They might have some of the city's best fries, though. 

Decor is slammin', and had it not been quarter to five on a Thursday before my grad school class, I just might have tried one or five of their selection of bottled craft beers. 

Other than that, the burger was fine--not entirely tasteless, but not good enough to drive me back there and beg for more.  The fries were light, crispy, and utterly addictive...I've been reading the reviews that say that they're fried in olive oil? Mama like. 

Give it a shot--it's a nice addition to Thayer. Just don't expect Marshall, Ted, Barney, or Regis to be there.
4 - Bob F.: Welcoming environment. Excellent vegan black bean burgers. Friendly quick service. Clean restrooms. Comfortable chairs. Budget friendly hearty meals. I'll be back.
3 - Jason K.: Open late, which is nice if you are in a bind.  Otherwise I'd recommend other places.  It's not bad, in fact the service is super friendly, accommodating.  Unfortunately there are just so many other great food options around here that this one with average food really doesn't stick out.
2 - Joe F.: I ordered a 10oz Chipotle burger and received a giant overcooked hockey puck that was very obviously machine formed. The sweet potato fries were lukewarm and overall I was unimpressed.
4 - Erik D.: I actually enjoy coming here on my lunch break.  I suggest calling an order ahead since the big pit fall is it does take a long while for the food to come out.  I love the Ivy Burger and the Chipotle Burger.  They give you about a half dozen meat options...the turkey burger is sometimes great, sometimes I don't feel it.  The regular burger with anything on it is rather consistent.  

The onion rings are some of the best!  I love onion rings and these for some reason just hit the spot for me.  

The inside is fun, has a couple TV's, a couple of outdoor seats, a diner-esque bar to eat at and plenty of table seating.  I usually just sit at the counter or bring back to my office.  It's a great fast-food like option but totally fresher than other places.
3 - Jeff W.: A fairly tasty burger.  I have no complaints other than they put ketchup on my burger when i specifically asked for no ketchup.  NO KETCHUP. (Say in the voice of Milton from Office Space)That little fopar aside, I enjoyed my burger and the fries were decent.
3 - Elena Y.: The lamb burger was delicious with feta, onion, eggplant and taziki sauce. Very generous serving with a sturdy wheat bun. The sweet potato fries were a-okay. My My friend had a veggie burger that she enjoyed. The cashier suggested a fancy bottled soda that ended up not very fizzy so she was offered a replacement beverage at no cost.

Service was passable - not enthusiastic about their jobs but I guess who would be having to serve Brown students and tourists. 

Why not more stars? Well, the feel of the place really felt like a fast food joint and the service was average. The burger was really good but not sure I'd return because of the atmosphere.
4 - Leesha Z.: I can now say I've tried both BBC's burgers and their breakfast and if I had to choose one, I'd say their burgers are better. They are just the right size, juicy, fresh and made just how you want. The breakfast on the other hand was good, but nothing special. I got an egg and cheese on a plain bagel and my friend got the breakfast platter. The pancakes were a bit dry but the home fries weren't bad.. Good flavor. As far as the service, the staff is friendly and quick.
4 - Alison S.: Very surprised by this place after only hearing average reviews.  Came in late night (~11:45 PM) and was met with absolutely no line and only a 5-8 min wait for 2 burgers and fries.  Staff was very friendly and my boyfriend's mid rare burger was actually medium when we got home (what was expected after a 20 min car ride, eating in would have resulted in a true mid rare).  Lamb burger was delicious, although again, may have suffered structurally with travel times, as well as the Old Fashioned.  Greek fries were also an interesting choice, however, they do require dexterous use of a fork due to ample and tasty, albeit non-melty feta.  As a food service industry member, I greatly appreciated the quality and flavor of the food, as well as the late night hours (till 1 AM).  Will be back in the wee hours again.
3 - Bruce M.: Stopped in for a burger today. Not bad, not great. Sort of tactless bun with a patty that was perfectly round. Makes me wonder if it's all frozen meat with "matching buns". I wouldn't go out of my way to return to this place. Even the fountain soda wasn't mixed right...too syrupy.
2 - Orlando R.: Best Burger Company. 

Eh...I don't know about the "best" part, it's more "decent" in my opinion. I tried this place about a week ago with my manager from work. We both tried the Farmer Burger, which was made with Organic beef. The burger itself was ok, nothing too special but to be quite frank, I couldn't even tell the difference between their so-called "organic" beef and regular beef. I've had lots of burgers throughout my life and I can honestly say that I've had better. The bun was good though.

The fries I didn't care for. Mine were soggy and had hardly any taste to them. If you're gonna serve the "best" burgers in town I suggest making better fries to go with it. I also didn't care for the staff attitude. The guy who gave us our food looked all but thrilled. The prices are a bit up there too. 

Maybe I'll try this place again, but maybe not. So far I don't think so.

BetterGrow Hydro - Pasadena, CA (34.1461109, -118.1240953) (Pasadena)
5 - James Y.: Sweeeeeeet!! There's one in Pasadena!! 
OMG- I almost shiit in my pants while driving on Colorado...
well maybe pee'd a lil. 
Its Right Next to PasadenaCityCollege. (west actually)



Dear Better Grow Hydro,
I hope you know that I am shamelessly plugging your company on Yelp and passing on much information to close friends and relatives- so...urm.. do I get a discount?!!!!

Yours truly.
1 - Jenny N.: Note: This is a review for the Better Grow Hydro online store only, as I've never visited the physical location. 

I think they have a pretty good selection of gardening products, but the customer service leaves something to be desired. First of all, they have the worst credit card policy ever. If you want to ship your order to an alternate address (i.e. not your billing address), BGH requires you to call your credit card company and add this alternate address on your card. They explained to me that this was an "extra security measure." Ok, so I complied even though I've never had an issue with this before when shopping online... Then I ended up playing phone tag with a customer service rep and after no one returned my calls or email, I resorted to the "online live chat" option to speak with someone who might be able to update me on the status of my order. This rep insisted that I had to give her my credit card company's number so that she could "verify that the address change was made."Why is that even necessary?  I already confirmed it, so she shouldn't have to. At this point, I just cancelled my order because it was almost 2 weeks after I first placed the order and I still had to jump hoops to get them to process it. Unbelievable.
5 - terri l.: My husband is a gardening freak. A freak. Well, if you know me, then you know why he's a freak. But that's beside the point. My man grows just about anything. His thumb is purple, which is better than green. His passion has been cacti and succulents for years. And he manages to grow a lot of his rare and eclectic collection from seed. (Not an easy thing to do.) Recently he learned about cacti faring well from hydroponics.

So today while toddling about doing chores, hubby says he wants to stop by the hydro store. Been eyeballing it for a while. I was sort of on the aversion side of this place thinking the usual nefarious stuff I think --if not for any other reason than my own nefarious indulgences. (Call me Mrs. Kettle!)

But I was more than pleasantly surprised by this place. We were greeted with outstanding, not pushy, but welcoming customer service. Service that was knowledgeable about plants, horticulture, hydroponics all the way around, the politics of organic and more.

Not only that, Marco took his time with us, we were there probably an hour or so before even making a small purchase (book). What struck me was a passion for what they do at this store. This isn't a hydro-gonna-grow-some-greenage-hippy-dippy joint by any means. (Although we all know the appreciation for hydro yields with our brothers and sistahs who grow some funk of their own.... hey, pass that over here!)

It's gardening for grown ups. It's love of self-sufficiency. It's appreciation for plants, the planet, good nutrition, balance in politics... and some super friendly conversation too. 

I think I love this place (insert stupid Partridge Family song here) and know my husband will be spending a lot of time and moolah at the hydro store.
3 - Anthony U.: This hydroponic store carries most everything you can think of. Knowledgable staff. The store itself is cramped quarters. Too much product for such little store space. I had alot of questions answered by the guys behind the counter. It's nice to see someone that actually knows what they're talking about at a specialty store. I can't tell you what kind of retards they hire at Armstrong gardeinig sometimes. Ask for the ona filters if you have to divert odors from growing onions etc. The only odd thing is they have plants growing in the store and they didn't look too healthy. They had bug damage and were all discoloring so I dunno about that one.
5 - Henry M.: This is a great spot, customer service is excellent and they are well informed. Selection is quite good given the shop's small size, and from what I've seen, prices aren't bad at all.
5 - Matt C.: Another on of my Favorite Hydro shops. They have a well stocked inventory and the staff is super cool. They have Web Wednesdays which lets you purchase in store at internet prices. They even carry Canna... Canna is tough to find at stores because Canna has tougher distribution requirements. They brew their own teas which I hear are phenomenal. I talk to Nick a lot and he has a gang of knowledge because he tests a lot of their products personally. They've suggested a few products that actually saved me money and worked better... Thanks Guys!

Bettolona - New York, NY (40.8141019, -73.9597774) (Harlem)
3 - Matteo R.: A recent new addition to the Morningside dining scene, just blocks North of Columbia University's main campus.

The owner, Sebastiano Cappitta, originally opened the brick-oven pizzeria Isola on the Upper West Side back in 1991 and currently owns Bettola and Acqua.

Apart from the cute-sounding name (I love the name, actually), the place looks welcoming: a large front window overlooking Broadway, exposed bricks and large mirrors, a sofa alongside one of the walls. What I liked the most of the decor are the retro-futuristic lights hanging from the wall and from a central station.

Items on the menu are very affordable: pizzas are $11-12.50, starters $6-8.50, pasta[1] dishes $11-12, main courses[2] $13.50-17, and desserts[3] $6-7.

The pizza, unfortunately, was disappointing. The crust is thin, but the pie's not airy enough, lacking bubbles and pillows, and also resulting in an overall lack of texture. The pizza ends up being hard and almost brittle, and not chewy at all. Also, my pizza was burnt on one side, but this could be due to the fact that the oven is brand new and the pizzaiolo is still getting to know it.

The most interesting pizza on the menu seemed to be the Affumicata: tomato sauce, smoked mozzarella, hot sausage and cherry tomatoes ($12.50). The smoked mozzarella had a very nice flavor, although it wasn't very creamy. The hot sausage lacked a distinctive flavor, and wasn't particularly hot.

The Prosciutto (imported Italian prosciutto, homemade mozzarella and tomato sauce; $12.50) fared better, thanks to the wonderful prosciutto, which was really delicious: thin and sweet, it melted in my mouth.

Desserts were better: the panna cotta had perfect texture ($6); and the crespelle[4] with Nutella and banana were of a wonderful consistency and not too sweet (and I don't even particulalry like Nutella!).

2.5 stars. I'll give it 3 in the hope that, since they just recently opened, they can fix their pies.
---------------------------------------------------
[1] Made with fresh pasta, apparently.

[2] They currently offer 4 options:
 - oven roasted fillet of salmon served with eggplant, zucchini and potatoes ($16)
- stew of mussels, clams, shrimp and fresh calamari in a spicy tomato and saffron broth ($17)
- chicken stuffed with spinach, fontina and mushrooms, with aged marsala sauce and mashed potatoes (15)
- grilled chicken breast, arugula, tomatoes and Sicilian olivata.

[3] Homemade, apparently.

[4] It's basically a crepe.
3 - TinTin C.: came here recently and had the Insalata Romana (fennel, arugula and pecorino cheese with lemon vinaigrette) and Margherita Pizza. 

the salad was pretty basic...can't really screw that up.
the pizza was a little disappointing in that it had half a leaf of basil on it and wasn't very hot. 

it's still nice to see more restaurants open up around this area though. 
i'll try it again in a few weeks to see if they just need more time to warm up.
3 - DeMarus A.: Fantastic pizza. The service was just okay. We were given glasses of water after we had finished eating. The decor is constantly improving. Best of luck to Bettolona. The restaurant space it has acquired has proven to be a wasteland. Nevertheless, nice alternative to Pisticci.
4 - Robert M.: Have eaten here four times since the restaurant opened. Food is great. Love the brick-oven pizzas. Great addition to the neighborhood.  (At the present time, the restaurant is still waiting for its liquor license, so you have to bring your own wine.  Fortunately, there's a liquor store nearby.)
4 - M. Olivia W.: I thought the pizza margherita was excellent. Perfect balance in crust, flavors of sauce and cheese - yes a little more basil, but the flavors were delicious. Best in the area in my opinion. On a second visit the lasagne was just OK, not stellar. I suspect Pisticci's will keep there place in the hood as the place for pasta. They do need to work a bit on the service, its a little uneven. But I do appreciate the check wasn't shoved down my throat in a bid to turn over the table. So I'll give them a break because its just opened and they need time to fine tune a few things.  All in all this is a welcome addition . On my first visit on a thursday night the place was pretty packed - so perhaps the curse of that space has finally been lifted!
4 - Lillan K.: Growing up in this neighborhood, I've seen a lot of places come and go in this location and I think Bettolona can make it for the long haul. 

First and foremost, the owner Sandro really makes you feel welcome when you come in. The menu price points are affordable and the  atmosphere is warm and friendly. Great place to have a relaxed meal with friends or a romantic date. 

I have yet to have the pizza, but have eaten a good amount of the appetizers, the secondi's, as well as fabulous specials (hanger steak & sole) that were absolutely delicious. 

It's BYOB till they get their liquor license and there are a few things kinks to work out (better waitstaff), but overall it's a great place and wonderful addition to the neighborhood.
3 - Josh G.: I was at the Columbia University in the City of New York libraries, researching the burial practices of an ancient Amazonian tribe for a treatise I'm preparing on Amazon tribes and their burial practices, when an old contact from the Italian Secret Service sent me a wire, alerting me that she would be in the Morningside Heights area momentarily.  Claudia van Liberto Ferrari was her name, and we exchanged state secrets and romance back in the 70s.  I quickly took out my mobile device and searched for a nearby Trattoria where we could catch up.  Bettolona came up, a rather new addition to the neighborhood, and I figured it was worth a try.  Indeed it was.  I would say I've had better pizza and pasta, but the food was solid, the service excellent, and it was a perfectly good place in which to catch up with an old fling from my days in her Majesty's Royal Intelligence Unit.  God save the Queen.  And state secrets and romance.
4 - candice B.: This is our new favorite restaurant in the neighborhood.  Previous restaurants here have flopped due to lack of experience, care, or whatever.  I'm hoping this one makes it, because it's clearly run by someone who knows the business, and makes the effort.  You are made to feel very welcome, and the food and service are very good.  

I am addicted to the artichoke appetizer - it's unusual and delicious.  The whole wheat pasta with vegetables is also excellent.  Last time we were in the restaurant was expecting its liquor license very soon.  In the meantime it's BYOB which is good for the customer, not so much for the restaurant!

Keep up the good work, Bettolona. We hope you will be here in the neighborhood for a long time to come.
5 - Georgia B.: My friends and I live right around the corner, but hadn't had a chance to try Bettolona until today. We went for brunch, and honestly, it might be the best brunch in the neighborhood - really lovely environment, great service great food, and completely reasonable prices.

I had the poached eggs - which were perfect and delicious, and my friends got two of the different brunch pizzas which were also fantastic. 

I can't wait to go back and have dinner there as well. It's BYO for now, but actually if we had planned ahead we could've brought mimosas with us! Everyone should check out Bettolona and make sure it stays in the neighborhood!
4 - Darbi R.: Live around the corner form this place and finally went here for brunch.  Simple menu, not too many choices but the choices themselves are awesome.  Got an oven-baked pizza with legit italian sausage and the sauce was fab.  Other got the eggs benedict and another egg dish and they were fab as well.  They have 5 different types of specials every day.  Not a whole lot of people at this place as it's kind of in a weird spot for this type of restaurant but that meant we were seated immediately, it wasn't too loud, and service was fantastic.We're definitely going here again!  No liquor license so it's byob, too.
5 - Christine K.: We have been there at least a dozen times and it tops all other options in Morningside Heights (sorry Pisticci and Community Food). Always fresh ingredients. Excellent homemade gnocchi and soups. Seafood dishes are very well prepared. A very welcoming environment for kids who can gaze up at the elevated 1 train's comings and goings (plus they have highchairs). Upon walking in you will be embraced by the warmth of the owner and seated in a spacious and tastefully done room. While no liquor license to date, I am certain that the wine list will be well curated. This restaurant, located in a space that has turned over 4 times in as many years, is a keeper!. Go! And you'll keep coming back.
4 - Laurel B.: I've been here several times this fall/winter and have been happy every time. Good prices and the food is delicious, although I like their pasta dishes much more than their pizza (didn't really like the crust)  

My favorite dish is the spinach fettuccine with sausage, peas and a creamy sauce. OMG comfort food. Also the gnocchi, integrale and lasagne were all delicious! 

I love that this place is BYOB because it keeps the bill lower while still being able to enjoy some wine or beer. I'm assuming that this is only while they wait on their liquor license but I would love it if it stayed this way! 

A few downers: 
maybe because it is still new, but there have been a few times where the waiter/waitress have been confused/disorganized and had to re-ask what we ordered, or brought a salad when we asked for soup, etc. 

i always have to ask for more water & more bread and the portions sometimes feel slightly small. 

Highly recommended. I have brought any visiting friends to the city here!
4 - Shweta S.: Great addition to the restaurant options in this neighborhood. I went to Bettolona for dinner with a couple of friends and since none of us were extremely hungry we shared two pizzas, the margherita and the affumicata. Both pizzas were delicious, hot and fresh from the brick oven. I wouldn't say its the best pizza I've ever eaten, but overall it was pretty good. The rest of the menu looked really good too....I wish I'd had the appetite to try some of the other dishes!

The restaurant itself looked warm and inviting, brick walls, dim lighting (good date spot!) and impeccable Italian (according to my friend who speaks the language) wait staff. The owner was on the floor too, directing the servers and making small talk with the diners. 

Good food, good ambiance, friendly management...I'll definitely be back!

Oh and by the way.....as of last week they were still BYOB :)
4 - Rachel K.: I came here for a friend's birthday dinner, and it was an absolutely wonderful experience!!!!!

It was almost surprising to see how adorable this restaurant was, considering the immediate neighborhood. I've been on this block for the bars, but I just didn't expect to be greeted with cozy brick walls, perfectly dark lighting, candles, and an atmosphere so nice and warm that you would have thought you were somewhere in the Village and not in Harlem. 

I was also pleasantly surprised to see how nice and attentive ALL of the staff and workers were. Every single person, including waiters, cooks, busboys, seemed happy to have us there. They really just seemed genuinely sincere and caring! A man who I'm assuming was the owner, was especially attentive to our needs. He made sure throughout the entire evening that we had everything we needed and more, such as bringing out a tiramisu cake with a candle for our birthday girl!

The food also tasted wonderful! But - I have to take one star off for the small portions. I ordered a spaghetti dish with mussels, garlic, and olive oil. It was really delicious, light but not bland, and perfectly flavored. It was just that I expected double the portion. I finished my plate feeling like I could have had another one - and I heard others make the same comment. However, the pizzas look the perfect size, AND someone at the table ordered a custom-made pasta that looked EXACTLY like what I would have wanted!!! Apparently you can just ask them to cook a dish with the ingredients, sauce, and pasta of your choosing. This dish was HUGE - it was a big spaghetti dish with seafood (clams, mussels, calamari) and tomato sauce. I got a taste and it was YUMMYYY. I totally regretted not doing this in the first place. I'm not sure how much this customized dish would cost, but since all main dishes are between $10-17, I'm sure it's very reasonable.

I definitely recommend this place for a date, families, or a night out with your friends! And try asking for a customized dish if you don't like anything on the menu! Also, it's BYOB, which was actually great. We all brought bottles of wine, champagne, and vodka, which were quickly opened for us by the staff. Thanks to this, our bill was only $200 including tip and tax - for a party of 12! Nice way to save some $! :)
5 - Heather V.: Beautifully comfortable, Bettolona is a fabulous addition to the neighborhood.  The food is delicious and the staff is warm and welcoming.  Relaxed feel, yet every detail is catered to.  I highly recommend this great new spot!
5 - Lucky C.: The Staff is just lovely ! the Food is Bright, Fresh, Mouth Watering. It is just what you think and want Italian to be. The flavors are so open and dare I say Brilliant ... and I do love and know food. I cooked professionally for years and have to say Thank You for great food, delightful place and wonderful people. I will be Back !
5 - Eunbi K.: This place is fantastic with excellent service. 

I hosted a birthday party here about two weeks ago, and it was a great experience. The restaurant let us bring our own alcohol, and they served it to us! I ordered 6 pizzas for my group, and several people ordered the gnocchi and pasta. Afterwards, we ordered the tiramisu. Everything was delicious and tasted fresh. I was really happy w/ the event and how well they took care of us there. The people who work there are very friendly and nice. I would go again in a heartbeat!
4 - Jane P.: I had no idea that this treasure was down the street.

The pizza and pasta we had were amazing!!  I forgot all of the names, but the pizza we had included sausage and mushrooms I think.  I think it was called Norcina.  The pasta was made with a red meat sauce.  It was simple but so so good.  

They make the pizza with a brick oven (can't go wrong!).  Prices were decent and waiters are pure Italian.  

Love itttt.
5 - mc d.: Totally in love! I REALLY wanted brick-over pizza while watching some award show...I called and the owner said they didn't deliver in the 140's. I offered to pay the cab fare if they would deliver and he gladly said yes! So I paid a few bucks for deliver and got the BEST pizza margherita I've had in a long, long time and definitely the best I've had above 14th street!

Obviously I'll plan ahead in the future, but knowing that such wonderful food exists in the upper neighborhoods AND that they were so pleasant to deal with truly delights me!

I hope they make it in this weird little block and expand delivery or add another location further uptown.
4 - Scott J.: We have come back for dinner. They now have a liquor license. The entrees were excellent. We took the waiter's recommendation for glasses of red wine. The choice was excellent, and the owner comped us for the remainder of the wine bottle. Prices were slightly higher than for brunch. The wait service was excellent, and the manager came by to ask how we were doing. He remembered us from our last visit.
4 - Steven S.: I met a man at DiFara's one day, who was taking photos of Dom and said he was writing a book about New York pizza. This guy had been everywhere. He recommended Bettolona, and today I finally took his advice. It's been a rough week, so I needed the comfort food. Looking over the menu, I took a Eurostar straight for the Norcina (sausage, mushrooms, mozzarella, tomato sauce) with a nice lentil soup, salve of my childhood, to start. This was excellent pizza. Let me take this opportunity to shit all over Grimaldi's once again. Basically, the type of pizza they make is the same. At Bettolona, you actually have a chance to ENJOY it. The crust is thin and perfectly crispy without being too hard. It doesn't get that soggy in the middle, and it doesn't cool off instantly. Also, the pies are quite generously large with generous toppings. Cool, laid back atmosphere. Extremely reasonable prices.

I was very pleased with Bettolona. It may be one of the best of its kind in the city. And I only went there on a sudden whim. I'll be going back. That guy was right.
4 - Heather H.: Finally, after having for 15 years watched restaurant after restaurant fail in this location, it looks as if someone's figured it out.  I've been for lunch, I've been for dinner, and it's always had a healthy crowd.

As to the food, I love the pizzas, have had some great pasta dishes, and tried some excellent daily specials.  Really, I'm working my way around the menu and nothing has disappointed yet.

Around the corner is Pisticci, which used to be my favorite Italian in the neighborhood, until their often surprisingly rude waitstaff and downgraded pasta guaranteed that I would never return.  

Thank goodness Bettolona has stepped into its place!
5 - Alexay C.: What a gem in the neighborhood!

I love eating at Bettolona with my family. My sister and I live around the corner so it's very convenient and the prices are very fair. The ingredients are fresh and delicious. The polpette are fantastic! The sauce these succulent little meat balls are served in is like crack! The thin crust pizzas baked in the brick oven are crunchy and delicious. I also love the fact that you have whole wheat options for both pasta and pizza. The owner is always there when we go and he always remembers us. Overall just a great local spot that I plan on going back to over and over again!
4 - yael w.: 4 visits in a week, a couple of long conversations with Sando, the owner, met a couple of the regulars and had great food every time.  what else can i say?  in 6 short months, Sando and his staff managed to turn the restaurant from yet another Italian restaurant to a PLACE.  a destination that one late afternoon [or early evening for some], i felt comfortable enough to walk in and say, "I'm not really hungry, i just want a latte and maybe a dessert."  this was my 2nd visit, and i already knew the food is good.  
set at the bar, had latte and a great tiramisu, heard of Sando's initial training, which includes working under silvano  from Da Silvano [http://www.dasilvano.com/index.cfm].  
why is it so recommended?
brick oven for great pizza
pastas that taste like Italy
the prosciutto is di parma
good wine selection with Reds that twice made me very happy
and, the biggest asset- an owner host that really love people, makes you feel personally and specially welcome, almost as if you are visiting a friend. there's that bill thing at the end though.  
how good he is at that?  i spoke to the super of the building, and the guy admitted that while Sando and the team were renovating the restaurant, he liked them so much to the point of offering help and tools.  

Due diligence: regardless of what you may think, a week ago, i didn't know the place or Sando, i don't live in the city, and this is my very own happy opinion.
4 - Lauren M.: Good pizza.
4 - Evan H.: Having now been here twice, I can say that the food here is great. On our first visit, my wife and I ordered pasta dishes. We started with the Insalata Romana which comes with fennel, arugula and pecorino cheese in a lemon vinaigrette. The salad was refreshing and a nice way to start. I then went with the meat lasagna with bechamel sauce, which was cooked in the woodfire oven. The portion size was large and filling.

The owner (or manager) is very charming and shakes your hand. Now after several visits, he knows us and is even more friendly. The second visit we had was a bit slow on the service and included a mix up on my entree, but the food was still great. The pizza was very crunchy and the toppings were all fresh.

This place is extremely cheap, as you can get 2 glasses of wine, 1 appettizer and two entrees for $35-45. Beat that!
4 - Chris S.: Exciting new place. I'll admit it's not going to make Eater's 38 anytime soon but all things considered it's very welcomed to the neighborhood. I've ordered pizza multiple times and it's the best within the Morningside Heights area.

We ate in the restaurant and had a Insalta Romana salad which was simple but good. I also had a pizza and my wife had the Fettuccine which was excellent. 

The service is good and the host if very friendly. The atmosphere is warm and modern.

I'll be back again.
1 - Vin F.: So - I was extremely excited to try this pizza due to the reviews - and here is what I got:

- a guy on the phone who was less than pleasant
- a 50 minute wait for delivery
- a $15 12" pizza

So - while I am not saying that the pizza was bad - I am certainly saying that I will NEVER order from them again.  They do not make their menu available online and when I ordered a large, I expected a large pizza.  The guy on the horn didn't tell me when I placed the order for a 'large pie' that there was only one size.  At best, it's two slices of NY pizza for $15....... in my book, that is a rip off.
4 - jan c.: A gem tucked between Morningside Heights and Harlem (across the street from the subway station). The decor is intimate and comfortable. I felt immediately welcomed by the owner. He brought an entire chalkboard over to our table to show us the specials and seemed genuinely concerned about our wellbeing and comfort. The calamari was delicious, as well as our pasta dishes. Pair your dish with a glass of wine, and you've got the perfect dinner (at least around this area) without breaking the bank.
4 - SJ M.: OK, it's ridiculous that the only truly good restaurants within a few blocks of my house are all the same kind of Italian (Pisticci, Sezz Medi, Max Soha, and now Bettalona). But since it's my favorite kind of food, I'm happy.

Been there 3x, got delivery 2x. Best pizza in 'hood, hands down! (Brick oven yumminess!) No more Che Bella, EVER! Sorry dudes, but your insane delivery "schedule" and wacky hours have forced me to fully embrace Bettalona.

If you're reserved, you might be slightly put off by the owner (manager?) Mr Cliche Italian Guy, who's totally in-your-face expressive, but the atmosphere is great, the food is excellent, and the prices aren't too bad!

Only problem is delivery guy didn't have enough change so he got a fatter tip than I intended, but whatever, he probably makes jackshit. 

Highly recommended.
4 - lena k.: Quite descent little Italian place. Ate there with my Columbia friends. Cheap everything and descent food. Wine was especially cheap (and not totally bad).
5 - Rodney J.: Love, love, love this place. I was introduced by my daughter and wow. The food is fresh, tasty and good. The pasta and pizza ...some of the best in the city. I have been many times now and never had a bad experience. The best in the neighborhood and one of the best in NYC. 

Love it.

Safe Journeys,

R
4 - Pia V.: After a terrible experience at Max SoHa (my review: http://www.yelp.com/biz/max-soha-new-york#hrid:AjfY04pGHA-3lDjFGiK_zg) we decided to give this place another try ... and boy, are we glad we did.

We walked in and this time was quickly greeted by a couple employees.  We were sat right away at a corner table near the window and brought menus and waters.  They still have the specials written on the chalkboard instead of the employees remembering them, but they removed it and the seat it was on after ordering this time around.

We got the grilled squid for the appetizer, which I wasn't very fond of, and we all got pizzas as entrées.  Now I probably should've gotten pizza the first time around since I saw their beautiful pizza oven when walking in but at the time I was craving something different.  None-the-less the pizza was great!  It was cooked perfectly and the ingredients tasted so fresh.  Even the chili flakes were fresh ... I can tell since usually I have pour them on to even get the right amount of heat, but these ones I only needed a little sprinkle and it was a fire in my mouth.

The service was on point and the ambiance was great that night.  So it seems like I probably did come on an "off" night during my last visit.  So even though as terrible of a mood that the employees at Max Soha put us in, it did encourage us to give Bettolona another try sooner than I had planned.  =)
4 - Munier S.: It's where you go when the wait is too long at Pisticci, but lately I've been wondering which is truly the runner up. This place is on a shortlist of best food in the neighborhood. And if you're looking for gourmet pizza (up here) it's simply the last word.
5 - Rose M.: Two meals here, (lasagna the first time, flank steak special last night) both were excellent. We had a group of 6 last night (down from our reservation for 10) and they were very nice about the last minute-change. The owner/manager came over to check on everything several times. I live nearby but my friends don't and they all said it was well worth the trip. Reasonably priced for NYC and great ambience.
5 - Lindsay H.: Love the ambiance of this restaurant!  I went here when it first opened up and things were already running smoothly.  We got great service, delicious food, and the prices were way better than similar restaurants in the area.  I loved the gnocchi!
5 - Stephanie D.: This place was amazing! Seriously, one of the few restaurants in the Columbia University area that makes me seriously not want to move away from campus! 

Upon checking out the menu and the wait time for this place and another place around the corner, a friend and myself decided to dine here. The menu, while simple in some regards was cute as it's given to you on a wooden plank. The people were really sweet, giving us plenty of time to pick out what we wanted to drink and eat! I was a little disappointed that they only had one rose on the wine menu, and it was far more of a red than a pink, but it tasted great! 

Both my friend and I had the pizza, which was the RIGHT choice! First off, the pizza is totally a thin crust, to it's nice and crispy. And while it seems like it's just going to be a personal pan from the way it's described on the menu, it's actually pretty huge! I had the mozzarella, parmesan, mushroom and truffle oil one ("The Bianca"), and it was divine! 

My friend and I also split a piece of tiramisu and each had a cappucino/latte with it. The bill was so reasonable that I left a huge tip to almost account for all the awesome food we got! It was really a great price and a great ambiance! 

Plus, I like being called Bella by the owner/host. So sue me :)
4 - ankur r.: Their pizza was very tasty. We got the Salute pizza, which was on wheat crust, that had mozzarella and roasted peppers, with half cheese(my girl-friend is vegan).  The vegetables were fresh and flavorful and their cheese was amazing. The thin crust pizza was perfectly cooked... not to crunchy or soft. 

The ambiance was nice. It was dimly lit giving it a comfortable and relaxing feel.  

The only problem we had was our waiter. He was rough and not really inviting, Hence I have deducted one star.
5 - J. F.: We had a wonderful time at Bettolona. We were seated near the window on a Friday night.  I ordered the prosciutto pizza.  Delicious!  The staff was attentive and lively.  After finishing our dessert, three different waiters came by to ask us how it was.  New to the area, we will certainly be back to Bettolona soon.
4 - Chris N.: I liked the bolognese linguine. It was better than the spaghetti at Pistucci, in my opinion.
5 - Lisette S.: I am in love with this place!!  My fiance and I were in the area and saw the reviews for this place so we had to check it out. 

I am in love with the service.  I loved that they greet everyone in Italian (I studied abroad in Italy so very fond memories!) and also at the end the host/ owner?  bid us farewell and was very sweet and I felt like I was leaving someone's home vs a restaurant.  

so service 5 stars!
Food 5 stars!! 

Lets Start with the wine- delightful and great prices! the bottle prices started at $16 for the red wine which is my personal preference. 

My fiance is very particular about his pizza and he said it was the best thin crust pizza he has ever had(hes usually a deep dish pizza kind of guy) and prefers it over Grimaldi's or Lombardis  He ordered the Affumicata pizza and the hot sausage added great flavors to it.

I ordered the lasagna which I loved!!! It was a beef lasagna but also had spinach inside and somehow anything with veggies  always makes me feel a little better that i am eating a bunch of carbs with cheese lol  

The there was the dessert!  we got the chocolate cake that also came with vanilla icecream!  now here is where the hubby and i had some disagreement.  He prefers mil chocolate so he was a little turned off by the richness of the cake while I was in heaven!

It was small but after all that food and wine it was a perfect size! 

Definitely will be my go to italian food place in the area!
5 - Zubetei Z.: Love this place feels like Italy, a happy homey atmosphere, great food at a good price. The lamb chops are the BEST!
5 - Alisa L.: I've been back many times, and all I can say is, this place just keeps getting better and better.  The owner is incredibly nice and while the service is spotty at times, the food and atmosphere is worth going for!

I'm also very happy to see that it's very full now and business is booming - the place is finally getting the attention it deserves!
4 - Joey V.: Excellent neighborhood Italian, I wish it was in my neighborhood. I had a pizza that was excellent and similar to ones I've had in Italy. Very warm atmosphere, fair prices, and friendly service.
4 - HL H.: We tried delivery through grubhub. 

We tried the calamari and pizza.  I forgot the pizza's name but it had sausage, cheese and tomatoes.  The food was pretty good and the delivery was estimated for more than an hour but came way faster.  I included tip on the bill online and I was surprise they actually showed up earlier and also the delivery guy was really nice.

The pizza is thin crusted and fresh from the oven!  Oh yeah, but the pizza siza aren't that big.  It's based on individual serving I think.

I wanna try this in person to really taste how good the pizza would be fresh!
2 - Dimitrios D.: I don't know what I was smoking when I wrote my last review and gave this place four stars.

My most recent visit was a joke.

It was a crowded, snowy Saturday night and Bettolona was packed with diners.  There was also maybe eight people waiting to be seated who were standing by the entrance.   I assume that this busyness was most likely due to from runoff from nearby PIsticci which is far superior to this place, and also the mere fact that there are no good restaurants really in the area and the snow made people want to stay close to their homes.

Anyway, some tall, thin man working there, unprofessionally dressed in a green hoodie came by and curtly told us that the wait would be "five minutes".  Five minutes pass and he comes by again and tells us a party is "just getting ready to leave".  Another five minutes passes and he tells us "they're just cleaning the table".  
Come on, man!  Just tell us the wait is 15-20 minutes- don't blow smoke up my ***!

Next, the food... 
The insalata romana (some fennel, arugula, pecorino cheese in a lemon vinaigrette) was a fine salad, though definitely had too much acidity to it.  Not a bad start, though far from impressive.
For my main, I got the fettucine, which had crumbled sausage, green peas, and diced tomatoes in it.  And supposedly the fettucine is home-made spinach fettucine.  

Honestly (and I mean this sincerely), I've had frozen pasta dinners that you microwave at home that are better than what I ate from Bettolona.
I see absolutely no reason to return EVER for pasta, especially with Pisticci next door.
Perhaps I'll be back (due to how close I live from Bettolona) but only to try the pizza.
2 - jae z.: Full disclosure: grubhub had $10 off any delivery. 

So I ordered a $12 pizza from Bettolona. 

The conundrum is if you order from a bad restaurant, do you complain to get more credit to ...a bad restaurant you probably don't want to order from again? Or, do you just stay silent? 

I placed the order at 8:45, the pizza arrived at 10pm sharp, stone cold. 

The four cheeses listed on the menu were also MIA on the pizza, which was lackluster.
5 - James P.: GREAT Pizza.  Wood fired right in front of you.  They also have an awesome happy hour with $5 wine and $5 pizza.  The owner is fantastic, and the wait staff and bartenders are great.
4 - Anahid M.: LOVED the atmosphere. The food was delicious and well/fair priced. The waiters are authentic italians and know what they're talking about. They had some live jazz with a vocalist when I was there and it was a great dinner.

Such a jem!
4 - Christina C.: Definitely the best pizza in Harlem, and its good enough to be among the best in the City. I got a hint of a flashback to my days in Italy... I'm so happy I finally decided to go check it out.

I like my reviews to be quick and dirty, so here it goes:

Our order: 
Fried calamari - oh dear it was amazing, so fresh and so was the hot marinara sauce to go with it
Creamy Shrimp Fetticini - the perfect amount of sauce, nice balance of flavors
Prosciutto Pizza- perfect crust, great sauce, and uber thin slices of prosciutto 

As an added bonus to the deliciousness, the prices are great and you get a lot of food. The servers were super nice and helpful. I can wait to return for their $5 happy hour, because I can't resist a deal!
3 - Joshua M.: I like this small Italian spot. It's cozy, intimate ambience is comforting to even those far from the Italian culture. Food proportions are a little smaller than used to, but very good. The staff is friendly and welcoming. They do however have a limited menu, so don't expect to get "the usual" from other Italian franchises like Olive Garden or others. Meal prices are really good as well... Relatively cheap prices from what I am used to, especially from a upscale restaurant. Overall, great place to eat with friends or the special someone. Full bar is available :)
4 - CJEY D.: Good thin crust pizza... i'm not typically a fan of thin crust but the crust was not too thin, the portion was large, and the ingredients fresh.  We also had the grilled calimari and meatball appetizer, which were fine.  The restaurant itself is comfortable/ cozy.  

I wouldn't search this place out, ciming from another neighborhood, but if i were in the area and in the mood for pizza, i'd definitely come again - and of course happily recommend this place.
4 - Thomas J.: Hot date night at Bettolona! Low-key, dimly lit setting. Ordered the calamari appetizer thinking it would be fried cal, was mildly disappointed that it wasn't. Pizza was very tasty. Thin crust, hot sausage, tomatoes and smoked mozz. Also ordered the bolognese. Definitely preferred the pizza but the bolognese wasn't bad. Reasonable $10 corkage fee for our bottle of Schramsberg bubbles. Tiramisu was the perfect nightcap. Great place to take a date or relax for a weekend meal above Columbia.
2 - Bruce C.: Been there past week. Got a pizza, and yes it's brick oven but it was really not more than okay, little way too burned and pretty much flavorless. The owner is a stereotypical italian restaurant guy, way too intrusive and conceited to my tastes. The place is too expensive considering their overall quality and their position.
4 - T. Sean M.: Excellent Lasagna Verdi.  Great service.  Pizza is good not great.  Wine list could definitely be improved.
4 - Shamus K.: Wonderful owner who seems to always be there, and always remember you, and some of the best pizza in town. I'd wouldn't stray too far from the pizza. In fact, I wouldn't stray at all. Keep it simple here -- salad, pizza, wine -- and you'll be happy. Reasonable prices. Can get a little loud, and the bar tenders can't make a drink to save their lives. But if you're in the mood for pizza, you can't have a better meal in the neighborhood.
5 - Katrina L.: I base this score solely on the quality of the pizza, which is amazing. It is very true to the pizza I ate around Italy, something which is surprisingly hard to find in the States. The Fumicata (smoked mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and sausage) just might be one of the best pizzas I've ever had. Period.
2 - Malcolm G.: Walked by this place after a nearby restaurant we intended to dine at was closed for lunch break. The hostess was friendly enough. I thought it was interesting that she  didn't know how long the establishment had been opened. (said it was her first day) We ordered  red wine, grilled calamari for starters. 
The calamari came out quickly and looked very appetizing so we divvied up the plate but found a hair buried underneath some greens before we could start. So I get the attention of a tall guy on the wait staff who kind of looks wide eyed at the plate and then removes all the plates from the table and walks away, without saying anything at all it was very strange. 
I reach to have a drink of red wine and there is a fly in it. I look around for someone to address this situation to see the owner watching TV. I finally get our waitress who looks bewildered that these two situations have occurred. 
We also ordered linguine Bolognese and lasagna. The Bolognese could have simmered a little longer it didn't taste like the flavors had completely congealed. 
The lasagna was tasty but I thought the noodles were overcooked. The food overall was OK, the service was also OK despite the strange waiter.
The owner took the calamari and wine off of the bill. The pizza has gotten good reviews so maybe at some point I will check that out.
4 - Clare B.: I went to this place for the first time last weekend. It was a lovely spot. The food was great -- I wouldn't say this is the best pizza in Harlem (Bad Horse pizza has that title) but it certainly was fresh and yummy! And it is affordable, too!

The service was also fantastic and very attentive. I will definitely be back!
4 - Barnaby J.: Their prosciutto pizza is very good. Their white pizza is missing something though, it was very bland.
Didn't have pasta, but other people had ordered it, and it looked good. 

The prices are very reasonable and the staff is really nice.
4 - snafu m.: First a word about some of the negative reviews on this place posted by the ignorant. Its obvious reading some of the comments that many of the detractors of this place have never had authentic Italian-style pizza in their lives. So if you ARE a fan of authentic Italian style pizza where the quality and simplicity of the ingredients are allowed to sing then you'll love Bettolona's pizza because its very good. If however you are a fan of quantity over quality and prefer 12 toppings and fake mozzarella then stick with Papa John's and don't bother. 

I have yet to dine in the restaurant itself though the pictures look nice so I cannot comment on the staff, service or ambiance, but we've ordered from them half a dozen times now and the food has been excellent. The pizza is really good, the pasta is really good and the salads are good too. I've tried half the menu now and been quite impressed, its not flashy, its not trying to be anything avant garde, its just simple, delicious, classic Italian recipes that are well executed and consistent. The only thing I would caution with delivery is that if you order on a weekend they'll get busy and your food may arrive lukewarm. So for delivery order on a weeknight for the best quality and fast delivery.
4 - Genoveve R.: Romantic atmosphere, fantastic service, nice touch with placing a chalkboard of specials at our table upon sitting down, and the brick oven pizza was delicious. Even the bread and oil at the start of our meal tasted fresh. Our water glasses were never empty and the Sangiovese wine was very nice. Will definitely return.
2 - Steven Y.: It took 15 minutes to get a waiter who was less than polite but not rude. The specials board was not shown to us. It took another 15 minutes to get a waiter and pay to leave. The caprese and quattro pizza were average. The lasagna verdi was better than average but I think that they really just need more waiters and a host or hostess. Overall a welcome addition to the neighborhood and we hope to give them another try someday.
4 - P L.: Came here on a Saturday night with my cousin and sat at the bar since we were in a rush. The restaurant was packed! The owner served us at the bar. Cool Italian dude. Almost all of the staff was Italian, with accent and all. Awesome! The food came promptly and was great! Drinks were stiff and done proper. I would definitely come back.
5 - Kristin M.: This is absolutely my favorite pizza that will deliver to our apartment.  The prosciutto pizza and the quattro stagioni are both fantastic, and their pasta dishes are also really wonderful.  We've tried the fettuccine (with sausage and peas in cream sauce) and the gnocchi (with red sauce and mozzarella), and both were fresh and delicious.  The prices are the most reasonable we've found for the quality of the food, and the delivery was lightening fast.  Eating in is also very nice - it's a quiet, casual atmosphere, with attentive service.  Will definitely be back.
2 - Xiyun Y.: i don't know about eating in, but we ordered delivery pizza from these guys. over an hour later a soggy cold pie came. it might have been good hot, but it was stale and cold and unappetizing. wont be doing that again.
4 - Donald S.: Bettolona has quickly become one of my very favorite restaurants.  The food and the hospitality, especially that of Sandro, the owner, and the regular waiter (whose name I've yet to learn) transport me to somewhere that feels not like New York, but in a good way.  The first few meals were pizza, all of which were surprisingly good - while the various ingredients were somewhat sparse (not skimpy, but discretely spaced), all the flavors were present in each bite.  I've since branched out with various entrees and specials, at brunch, lunch, and dinner, and have always been very, very happy.  The menu is quite limited, but it's not cookie-cutter moderate Italian, and the specials add variety.  The portions are not oversized but more than adequate, and the prices are reasonable.   The service is pleasant and attentive, the setting styishly spare yet warm.  However, the same can't be said for sitting by the door or at the bar, which can be cold and drafty in the cooler weather.  Also, the noise level can be high when crowded, but mercifully it's not from a blaring sound system, but rather from the mixed, lively clientele.  On one occasion, there was live jazz, from which I normally run away, but it was enjoyable enough on that night that I wish they had it more often.  If Bettalona were in my neighborhood, rather than on the way home, I'd be there more often, but I always look forward to going, knowing that when I leave, it will be with the sensation of having been on a delightful vacation.
2 - Jordan D.: was walking around in a nearby neighborhood, went on yelp on my phone to see where i can get a decent slice.

this place has good reviews, so i call to make sure they have slices

call, someone answers, "hello, do you have slices?"  he doesn't understood, i wait on hold for 5 minutes, someone else gets on the phone, "hello, do you have slices" "yes, of course we do."

so i walk 15 minutes to this place, placing faith in my fellow yelpers and in the staff that works at bettolona that i can stuff my face with a decent slice....

i get there.  wait at bar.  and i nod at server.  and i wait at bar.  and i nod at bartender, and he nods back, then disappears.  and i wait and i wait and i wait and just as i'm about to go behind the bar to get a menu myself, someone reappears and i ask for a menu.  i ask, what slices can i order?  "what?"  slices.  "what's that, pizza?"  yeah, just a slice...."yeah, you have pizza, it's on the menu"

okay, whatever, i've walked this far, it was a nice evening, give me a beer, and i'll order the cheapest pie, i'm starving.  they bring me bread which was wonderful and the peroni on tap was perfect with it.....

the pie.....the crust was dry and flavorless, it was a margherita that said it came with mozzerella and basil, there was hardly any cheese on it and there were two tiny basil leaves at the center of the pie.  the sauce was good but they spread a miserly thin layer of it on the flavorless crust....reminded me of matza pizza.

i start to feel like i've been had....i look around and i notice the crowd, seems like columbia folks and most of the people sound like they're not from the city

i forgot that as far as food is concerned, the columbia area is worse than a tourist trap and shouldn't even be considered part of manhattan

once i remember this, everything seems to make sense
2 - Ben F.: My buddies at Jin Ramen told me their food was decent and last night I was in the mood for pasta, so me and the girl took a walk down 125 to see what was going down.

I just so happen to be wearing my Italia soccer shirt so right away when I was looking at the menu the owner came out and started speaking to me in Italian.  When he spoke I answered in English and I can tell he wasn't amused. 

mi scusi my parents didn't teach me italian as a child even my off the boats spoke to everyone in English.  Italian came out when we fought and we didn't want anyone to know what we were talking about.  I'm not fluent nor do I want to pretend I am, plus all that I knew got screwed up when I learned to speak Spanish, I can no longer think in Italian because of this and I felt like a complete disgrace when I sat down to eat. WOOHOO! Let the awkward dinner begin.

I ordered the gnocchi.  I love gnocchi by far my favorite pasta. Theirs is homemade which is great but their sauce on the other hand was way off.  No flavor.  When the cheese came along I said no thank you because I wanted to taste their sauce.  I regret that now.  It could be better and all I kept thinking thru the meal was how embarrassed I would be to serve this at Mambo.

Put more love in your food and people will be happier.  Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves there but your food lacks.  I would consult for them if they asked I can do much there.  

Service leaves something to be desired as well.  Assuming that was the owner who kept speaking to me, he was a nice man, regardless of how many times he spoke to me in Italian I would answer in English hope he didn't feel I was being disrespectful but I almost started speaking to him in Spanish and that would had been awkward. So you get the Engrish.
5 - Catherine T.: Bettolona is a wonderful addition to the neighborhood!
The food is delicious! The ambiance is casual and welcoming--it really has a great vibe. 

We also like the owner very much---that man really loves what he does and it shows!
4 - Steve G.: The chicken parm panini for a lunch special out of this world! delivery off the hook!
4 - Eric S.: Been here a few times, always had pleasant experiences. I always found the food quite good, and the menu had a good variety. I'm sure I'll be here again
4 - Atreyee G.: great quality italian food in morningside heights! shabby chic interior and a beautiful blue patio seating for nicer days. i have tried every thing vegeterian on the menu, and can vouch for the amazingness (that is totally a word) of it all! evenings are crowded and you might have to wait for seating. it is totally worth it though.
5 - Nikki H.: Bettolona is my new favorite Italian in New York! The food was delicious in every way and the staff was great. I had the special which was ravioli with goat cheese served with a light saffron sauce. I don't know if I've ever had anything this exquiste. I don't even know if I have words to describe how amazing it was. All I can say is, I ate it all and my mouth is salivating just writing this. My friend had the special skirt steak with mashed potatoes and spinich. How do you make mashed potatoes so incredible?
4 - Michael P.: Great place for classic Italian food and pizza (made the Naples way).
5 - Kristina M.: Fresh and light - exactly what I wanted! I ordered the 12" margherita pizza for $11 and it had a nice & light tomato sauce, fresh basil leaves and mozzarella cheese - not greasy at all. The crust was thin and a nice consistency. 

This will definitely be my new delivery pizza place from here on out. The delivery was SUPER fast and free! I'd recommend it to anyone in the mood for some extra fresh pizza that won't make you feel weighed down after eating it.
4 - Maria S.: Possibly the only place I'd go to eat pizza in the neigborhood/UWS. They are very accomodating for special needs, too, which is why they get 4 stars. It is superloud, though. Not a date place, in that respect. And often packed with students.

To the reviewer down there complaining about slices and cheese: that's the way Italian pizza is and should be, if my having lived there for 30 years counts for anything, which, oh, I guess it may not be as much of experience as living in New York, pardon my audacity. The cheese overload on pizza is an American thing. Real Italian pizza is, yes, less gummy (dry, as you call it), and less cheesy. It's just the way it is. Italians mostly find cheesyness and chewiness revolting. It's just a cultural difference.
4 - Angelo G.: I just had pizza, but it was very good. Thin crust, classic brick oven taste, fairly good mozzarella. It could get another star with better mozzarella
5 - Tony X.: Best pizza in the area (if you like the Italian brick oven style, I suppose).

I ordered for pick-up at a time that was not very busy and someone who I assume was the owner was extremely friendly, almost as if he lived in a small town.

Pizza was quick and exactly what I'd hoped, will definitely be coming back in the future.
5 - pim l.: Delicious pizza and everything else is good.  I love the restaurant with the trains rolling by overhead.  Everything is reasonably priced.  So happy to have found it.
4 - Sonya G.: This place has a generic look but is actually a laid-back, European diamond in the rough of Morningside Heights with well-priced and really good food.
Fresh, clean food prepared in a straightforward and traditional way. The pizza is good, the pasta is reliable, the meatballs are delicious.  Their house wine is way above average.
The owner is incredibly nice, joking, and sincere. The staff of Italian guys are fun too.  Highly reliable-- especially for takeout.  Wish it looked a little less like a stock photo of a restaurant, but also an unpretentious break from the fake exposed brick and overly trendy decor of Manhattan restaurants.
4 - Silvia L.: Good pizzas.

Betty Lash - Austin, TX (30.2782388, -97.7451753) (Downtown)
2 - Kim R.: I can't say anything about eyelash stuff, only eyebrow stuff.

They use sugar rather than wax. It didn't hurt nearly as much as waxing, so if you're getting waxed somewhere, and you hate it, switch to Betty Lash. It was pretty painless, and the results are the same. If threading hurts too much to do on a regular basis, again, switch to Betty Lash. My brows didn't look nearly as good as they do after threading, but they looked better than they would have in their ungroomed state.

The eyelashes were worth 3.5 stars, but the woman who did my brows was weird and mean. Polite, but still mean. She made me feel ugly in a way I haven't felt since high school, and even told me that I should shave my face with a razor.

Girly girls will probably love Betty Lash, but crunchy girls should probably avoid.
5 - Heather P.: I just love this place.  I find it really hard to find someone that is really good at brows.  I've tried many places in Austin and finally found this place about a year ago thankfully.  The pricing is a bit above average, but I feel that eyebrows are such an important part of your face...I would even spend more here.   They're really very good here and take the time to make it right! 

Also, the gals there are really nice and the space is super cute too. 

Oh, by the way they specialize in eyelash extensions and special event makeup.  I've never had this done, but next time I have something special to go to I'm going to check it out!
4 - Tami H.: I recently had eyelash extensions done by Betty Lash and have to say that they did a great job!  They have stayed on way longer than any other time I've had them done by other beauty salons.  The only negative thing I can say about them is their pricing is a bit high.  For what I paid for my lashes I could have made a monthly car payment.... so if you've got the extra money to spend it's worth it.
1 - samara f.: I went to Betty Lash for air brush tanning. I specifically didn't go to a mystic tan place because I did not want to be orange and I did not buy self tanner because I did not want to be orange and streaky....well I might as well have and I would have spent a lot less money and time. The tanning solution they use took forever to dry. Just getting into my car streaked the stuff, and still hours later it was still streaking when I bent my arms or legs. Then to top it off...when I woke up in the morning and looked into the mirror, there was an Oompa Loompa staring back at me. I was sooo orange. Save your $55 plus tip and go by some self tanner that will look and do the same thing if you like the orange, streaky look.

I have had an air brush tan before, and it looked sooo much better and more natural.
4 - Vanessa N.: Well, this is new. Normally I'm the hating bitch who can't stand what everyone else loves. 
I got an airbrush tan here today, and I'm quite pleased with it! My friend and I got half-off coupons to this place. She went first and was not happy with her result. She said she walked out dripping with solution and had to go home and sit on a towel. She didn't like the color and scrubbed it off the next day, so I was very reluctant to go, but since I had already paid for it, I decided to brave it.

The great:
The staff was really nice, not that creepy, Stepford, I'm-smiling-so-I-can-get-your-money nice you sometimes see at salons. The airbrush tech sat down and talked about what I was hoping to achieve, how my skin tans, etc. then led me to the spray area. Her instructions were clear, her manner was professional, and after spraying me, she spent a good 10-15 minutes drying me with an air hose and doing slight adjustments with a towel. She washed my feet, palms and cuticles with hot towels, and made sure I was happy with the color.

The not-so-great:
The rest of your day is kind of shot. You can't sweat or get wet for 8 hours afterward, and the drive home (in 90 degree heat / 99% humidity) was harrowing. I needed to stop at Whole Foods on my way home, and people were definitely staring. (You have to wear loose clothing and no bra for a few hours afterward.)
It's REALLY expensive. Were it not for a half-off coupon, I never would have spent $55 on a spray tan. In fact, my cheap ass can't believe I spent $27.50 on a spray tan. 
All in all, I enjoyed my experience, and if you have the means, I think this would be a great place to frequent. Oh, and they have free parking in the lot next door! Hey, every penny counts these days...
1 - Heather F.: Betty Lash is very expensive and in need of some serious customer service training.

I work a sales job so appearance is a contributing factor but at the same time my job requires me to work outdoors so I sweat a lot.  I really wanted to get eyelash extensions so that I didn't have to wear mascara anymore and have to worry about it bleeding all over my face all the time.  I came to Betty Lash.

The initial set I got was the Betty Boop set done with minx lashes.  Minx cost a little extra but were recommended because were better for the natural lash on a person's eyes.  The entire set including tip and cleaning solution set me back $450.  And my lashes looked no different than when I walked in, save for the fact they were slightly longer.  I was unhappy, and the girl who did the set told me that they were working on getting some thicker minx lashes in because the minx are wispy.  She recommended that I get my natural lashes tinted since I am so blond. That is an extra $30.   I passed.  Still unhappy I came back 2 days later and got my free fill (which comes when you buy your initial set) which I was supposed to not have to use until 3 weeks later.  I paid extra to do a Diva fill on top of my brand new Betty Boop set and finally my lashes got some definition.  Sheesh!!  

I came back today, 3 weeks later, for my update fill.  When I walked in they made me pay up front for my fill which was a little awkward figuring out what percentage of a tip to give since no service had been rendered at this point.  Who does that?  Oh, and the Betty fill (25 lashes per eye) cost $78!!  They charge an extra $3 if you want the gel cushions under your eyes (you need cushions).  Otherwise the option is nothing!  

Over the course of 3 weeks my eyelashes had clumped together, and the girl who did my fill complained about this and told me I was losing a ton of lashes for her to prep it for the fill.  She was very negative about this.  I told her what was the point of a fill if she was just going to remove a ton of lashes to do the fill?  Pointless!  She brought in the store owner.  The owner explained to me how I did not clean my lashes properly.  I then asked for a Diva fill so that I could get the max number of lashes possible and she told me I would have to come back tomorrow because it was almost closing time and the amount of time it would take to do a Diva fill would push them 30 mins over close.  Are you kidding me?!  What kind of person working in a SERVICE industry tells a customer who has now spent over $550 for lashes in one month this sort of thing?  On top of that she told me that normally they charge extra for "extra time" situations prepping lashes that need it for a fill but that they wouldn't be doing that today for me.  Gee, thanks a lot, that was so kind.  Read my sarcasm.

To make matters worse the girl working on my lashes told me that I waited until the max time frame (3 weeks) to do my fill instead of coming in at 2 weeks (the fill window is every 2-3 weeks), implying it was partially my fault for lash loss.  She was antagonistic the entire time, like I was the enemy not a CUSTOMER.  Same attitude from the OWNER.  The people here really don't care about you.  The attitude is snotty, no warmth at all.  Tsk, tsk!!

The prices are way too high.  After doing further research I found other places in Austin that do Xtreme lashes for much better cost.  One location offers unlimited fills and fixings per month for only $120 a month.  This would be a much better option if you wanted to go in every 2 weeks or get any kind of maintenance issue fixed.  The truth about life is that you only gain unless you first give and other lash companies seemed to have figured this out.

Betty Lash's shop is dressed to the nines with pink decor, free chocolates, free tea, ect.  But this facade doesn't matter.  If you don't know how to treat a customer no amount of chocolates will keep you a growing customer base.  And without customers you have zero business.
4 - well-travel D.: They are appointment ONLY, do not attempt to be a walk-in as I initially did. I went in for the sugaring service and it was incredible! so much less pain than tweezing, threading or waxing plus I was not as red afterwords. The girls there are really friendly and bubbly, and the owner's dog is sweet. The price was a bit high, but the result was so worth it. P.S. you can park in the garage down the road for free, don't pay for curb side (another lesson I learned after the no walk-in one).
5 - Estephany C.: All I have to say is WOW! 
I used to get my eyebrows threaded at Tara's a very long time ago, but since the girl who used to do my eyes brows left there, I left my eyebrows alone.

So a year and a half later I'm going through Yelp looking for a place that will not scar me and behold Betty Lash looked promising.

Everyone was super nice and curtious (even though they had a bit of a mix up on my appointment time), but other than that everything was awesome. 
They are appointment only so please make an appointment and from my first experience you will not be disappointed!

I went in with "man" eyebrows and I walked out with lady eyebrows that matched my face.
5 - Brandi S.: Today I fell in love - with my spray tan, that is. Yesterday I got the organic glow spray tan at Organic Glow (at Betty Lash). I could not be happier.  I have a very fair complexion and I was worried about looking like an orange. Danielle was awesome!! She listened to my concerns, really took her time, and gave me a perfectly natural looking tan. Somehow I rubbed off a line on my calf and she fixed it today - with a smile. The salon is beautiful and very clean. The women working were delightful.  Believe me when I say I've had some really terrible spray tanning experiences. However, I love this tan!!  I will definitely go back in a few weeks when this tan wears off.
3 - MJ K.: I went to Betty Lash for many months.  They are extremely over priced but the place is very cute and you get a private room.  It's more relaxing when you have the room to yourself.  The owner is a trainer for extreme lash so I was skeptical about going anywhere else until my coworker started going to Lash & Body and saw that her lashes were lovely for much lower price. So I switched.

Betty lash and Lash & Body uses the same products but at Betty Lash, they count lashes.  You have to chose what type of fill you want and each type had diff number of lashes they put on you.  I paid $100 for my fill bi-monthly.  At Lash & Body I go every 3 weeks and they don't count lashes.  They fill you up until your lashes are full.

My beef with Betty Lash was that they were so stern on appointment time for the customers but when it came to them, they didn't show the same courtesy. I had change of heart when the owner was blabbing away to another customer 10 minutes in to my appointment time when if I am that late, she would be pissed.
2 - Felice C.: Everyone at the salon is very nice and professional. I did a spray tan for the first time, great experience but wrong color.  I ran home and jumped in the shower - it does wash off, no-problem, whew. Guess it isn't for everyone, especially not us super pale girls. 

Tip for the pre-wedding tan line haters.... time to just lay out in the sun - UV rays be damned (this one time).
5 - Wendy H.: I just love Betty Lash!  I would have never thought of getting eyelash extensions until one of my friends started getting them.  Her eyes really popped out and looked gorgeous and very natural looking.  I got the name of the place that did it, and I was there as soon as my car could take me across town. 

After reading some of the reviews, I actually think its smart that Betty Lash's cancellation policy is set up the way it is.  If you are one of those people to make appointments and show up for them, their rules shouldn't be a problem for you!  Consequently, if you like to make appointments then not bother calling ahead of time to cancel, so that this small business can find someone else to take your place, then don't go here. 'Nough said. 

I absolutely loved the place and how it was decorated.  Further, the private rooms were awesome, with soft cushy treatment beds.  30 minutes into my appointment I actually fell asleep and didn't wake up until I hear myself snoring, which was a bit embarrassing to say the least. 

The end result was so wonderful and worth the money, at least to me.  My eyes look beautiful!!
2 - K M.: Lovely job but way too expensive.

I would definitely give up the "boutique decor" rooms and the new customer guided tour for a more reasonable price.

The technician did a lovely, lovely job. If money is no object, then I could recommend this place to you without reservation. But I will not go back and will look for more reasonable pricing elsewhere.

For a fill I paid $85 and as I'm paying for it I'm faced with "Tip" emblazoned on the charge slip. Like $85 isn't enough?

Beutler Meat Processing Co - Lafayette, IN (40.4110588, -86.8994647) ()
5 - Amy D.: Beutler meats has a great selection of local meat to include beef, pork and some chicken. They have briskit, steak, london broil, cube steak, sausage, cracklins, and one of my personal favs, smoked pork chops. Holy mess are those pork chops good!!! They also have a freezer with varioius fruit and veggies, along with some "special price" meat. All-in-all, if I can make it here this is where I go for steak.
5 - Shane R.: Freshest meat you will ever buy! Store hours are the only thing that keeps me from buying all my meat here.

Bevande Coffee - Urbana, IL (40.111672, -88.225987) ()
2 - Melissa M.: If you are ever unfortunate enough to either take a class on the engineering quad or have to study in Granger...the odds are that you need caffeine...lots of caffeine. While Espresso Royale rules the LAS campus, Bevande now rules engineering. This one is in the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory and the other is in Siebel Center. Bevande has lots of coffee, some of it shade-grown organic. I like their smoothies, but their pastries seem a little less than fresh. They also have sandwiches to order, which are better than Royale's, but that isn't saying much.
5 - Tammy N.: ok, i'm biased because i am an adict and i live, oops, i mean work in the siebel center where this is located.  but the truth of the matter is this: i travel constantly for work and pleasure, i've tasted the best coffees in the world, and this stuff works for me.  it's better than starbucks, similar to peet's, almost as good as illy just to give you a commercial perspective.  i love the fact that i don't even need to speak to get what i want.  as soon as they see you coming, they start making your usual.  it's not just me either, i've watched many people get the silent treatment...which is exactly what you want when you are deep in conversation with an exciting computer scientist.  but just in case you have time to chat...they are a delightful bunch and the manager jane even gives great fashion advice...one more thing to feel guilty about being in the most gorgeous computer science building in the country.
4 - Forrest I.: Delicious coffee, reasonable prices.  They have an other location in Siebel Center.

Bevande Coffee - Urbana, IL (40.1138098, -88.224083) ()
4 - Forrest I.: This Bevande is conveniently located inside Siebel Center at UIUC.  The coffee is great, but stick with coffee-based drinks.  Lattes, espresso, and cappuccino is all delicious.  

However, the smoothies are just frozen strawberries and orange juice thrown in a blender.  I can't justify paying $4 for an unsatisfying goop of orange juice and strawberries.  

Likewise, they charge $1.25 for fountain soda, which tastes like chlorine.  Just bring a can of coca-cola from home.
1 - Brett J.: The coffee is mediocre and way over-priced.  The service is terribly slow and occasionally wrong. Never order a sandwich from them as it can take forever and is extremely over-priced. I once ordered a sandwich from them for around $6.00. They then proceeded to forget out me and making the sandwich. Then they realized it 5 minutes later and made my sandwich (which took another 5 minutes). Then they gave it to me without an apology.

Bevande seems to survive based on the convenience factor for desperate Computer Scientists. I wish Siebel would get a better coffee shop. I prefer Espresso Royale, Paradiso or Cafe Kopi for my money.
1 - Jenn L.: Every time I go to Bevande I kick myself and swear to never get food from them again.  It takes forever to get your order, it's usually wrong, and even if it isn't wrong it's just not very good food, and it's definitely not worth the prices they charge even if all goes well.  Expect them to be out of at least one element of your order at any given time. 

Typical ordering process goes a little something like this:

Them: (amongst themselves) chatter chatter laugh laugh chatter chatter
Me: [waiting, waiting, waiting for someone to notice me standing at the counter]
*2 minutes later*
Them: Did you need something?
Me: I'd like a hummus wrap. 
Them: Oh, we're out of hummus.
Me: OK, how about a turkey wrap.
Them: Sorry, no wraps today either.

I can honestly count on one hand the number of times I've had a satisfactory experience here, and I don't think I'd even need to use all of my fingers.  

The least inconsistent thing they offer is their chocolate chip cookie, which I understand is actually from Pekara.  Unless you wait too late in the week and you end up with a stale one.

I'm not a coffee drinker, so can't speak to their coffee.  I suspect that the only reason they get business is its location.

I am proud to say that it's been months since I last got anything from them.  I think I've finally learned.
1 - tony b.: Bevande is way to expensive, slow, and generally not good.  

Purchasing a sandwich is consistently a battle. A sandwich should not take 20 minutes to make when there is no line. They seem to be better at lunch time, but I refuse to return after many issues.

Bevande only beats the vending machine downstairs. i avoid both.
1 - Albert S.: This place is a joke. It used to be a little bit better (2007-2009), but now you basically have  employees with zero experience making anything coffee-related. The outcome is as expected. Additionally, the prices are a straight up rip-off. If I wanted decent coffee at rip-off rates, I'd go to Paradiso.

Avoid at all costs unless you're desperate for caffeine.

Bevello - Chapel Hill, NC (35.913638, -79.054459) ()
4 - Katherine J.: Chic & Stylish with tons of up-to-date fashionable pieces, Bevello made my day. I wandered into this store with A. late last week and thought I had found myself a little piece of retail Heaven on Franklin St. 

They had piles upon piles of gorgeous dresses AND they carry Toms as well as Hunter wellies. What more can a girl want in a small college town? I'm pretty sure my head exploded as I tried on piece after piece of beautiful clothing.

As expected of a little boutique the prices are not in the lower range but the clothing is definitely  worth it! The staff are all very friendly and the lone employee on staff was very helpful (&NOT pushy) in finding items similar to my style. She also started a dressing room right away and was cheerful in doing so. I think that's a plus especially since little boutiques often have a habit of employing rather snooty people. 

I left happy with two bags in my hands full of clothes and I know I will definitely come back once my debit card has recovered from the shock of my brutal spending ;)
4 - Christina G.: I was surprised, after a recent visit to Bevello in Cameron Village, to discover almost an entirely different collection of pieces to peruse at this location. It was still a good mix of mid-end garments ranging from casual (yoga and lounge attire) to cocktail. But with regard to jewelry and other accessories, I did think this location paled in comparison to Cam V. 

They were having a really great season clearance, with two full racks and jeans marked down -- plus, buy any two pieces and get an additional 30% off. As per usual, my eye strayed toward something not on sale though! I walked out with a cute little spring dress -- but it was only $85, so I didn't leave with shopping guilt. The sales associate today, Claire, was really friendly and chit-chatty. I usually prefer to shop 'alone'; but for those that like assistance finding that perfect piece, they'd be eager to help you here!

Beven & Brock Property Management Company - Pasadena, CA (34.143931, -118.132782) (Pasadena)
1 - Kim B.: Wow.  I really expected a professional management company to be organized and professional.  Apparently, I expected too much.

Luckily, I only had to deal with them for 4 months of my 12 month lease.  They took over management of my apartment for the tail end of my lease.  

I gave them 1 star based on not only my own experiences, but also on those of 2 of my neighbors.  

We could never get the manager to return our calls, that was extremely frustrating.  You need something fixed? Leave a message.  Your oven just blew up? Leave a message.  You get the idea.

When I moved out, they kept a HUGE chunk of my deposit for completely bogus reasons, the most ridiculous being that they never received my 30 day letter of intent to vacate so they charged me an EXTRA month's rent.  

Here's what makes that so screwy : The only address where they will accept the letter of intent to vacate is a P.O. Box.  As I'm sure you know, you cannot send registered or certified mail to a P.O. Box.  So, you have no proof when they receive your letter.  And they definitely took advantage of that.  

If you can avoid renting a property they manage, I would suggest doing so.  My experience was entirely negative.
1 - Gina M.: I have never had such a traumatizing experience with a property mgmt company before.  B&B was horrible.  The manager who managed the property I rented was never available for any repairs or issues I had.  My only option was to leave a message because he would never answer his phone.  He never even bothered to return my call or to give me a courtesy call to let me know that my requests have been acknowledged and would be taken care of.  There was a great lack of communication between management and maintenance.  

My apt was uninhabitable for 17 days. I had been calling my property manager so we can discuss how my rent will be pro-rated. I left a message for him everyday. NO ONE returned any of my phone calls.  When I was finally notified, I was only pro-rate for HALF of my rent for those days.  ::: Their logic:  only the shower was unavailable but the rest of the apt was still livable. :::  So you're saying I'm supposed to go without showering for 17 days!?!?  Their train of thought is absolutely ridiculous and inconsiderate towards their tenants.

Often times when I have spoken with my manager, he was always rude and inconsiderate. He was never willing to alleviate an issue in a civil manner and with consideration.  He was never considerate enough to inform tenants of changes among our apt community. His way of informing tenants was to wait until a tenant did something that was unauthorized.  "Tenant: That's no longer allowed. Please resolve the issue or we will take action."

They don't know the definition of "quality customer service", all they're concerned with is where the company's money is coming from and going into.  They treat their renters AND property owners with zero respect.  They act as if they're doing the renters a favor by approving them, when it's the other way around! 

They are extremely picky about their tenants. If you don't make a 6 figures, they don't believe you're capable of paying your rent and they will tell you so too without any respect or concern for your feelings.

On one good note... this experience motivated me to become a homeowner! =)
1 - Patrick H.: Gee whiz! Thanks Finley, old chap, for that rousing note of support for Beven & Brock. However, seeing as how you're the co-owner and all, I can't help but think you might be juuuuuuust a tad biased.

In all seriousness, these guys are jokes. I went in on multiple occasions with a few buddies to apply for housing. We were flatly denied every time. We were told our income "numbers just [weren't] adding up" to the point where we could afford to rent from them. Nonsense considering we were looking to rent a house for $2,500/month with a combined monthly income of over $12,000/month! I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact that we were four twenty-something males. But instead of inquiring as to whether we were four RESPONSIBLE twenty-something males, they just rejected us because the "numbers" supposedly fell short. Riiiiiiight.

For the record, we're four responsible and considerate young men. All four of us are church-goers, two of us are now in law school and one of us is in a doctoral program. Sounds like a whole bunch of trouble, right?

Aren't you relieved you saved yourself from THAT mess, Finley?
1 - Tasha H.: here i am to add to the list of horribles... 

i wasnt even able to rent an apartment under B&B, due to their practically impossible standards a tenant must have. if i was attempting to rent an apartment for $1100 a month split between a roommate, how on earth would i have almost triple the rent amount (according to the rental application) per month AND still want to rent an apartment thats $1100? wouldnt i want to be living in some stylized luxury apartment if i made that much? and in times when the economy happens to be in the dump and my good credit cant even get me a cheap new scooter, why have such high standards like that. 

while viewing said apartment the rules that were laid out for us to follow basically went like this: 

- no noise 
- no guests 
- no doing anything that old people wouldnt like 

i dont know what kind of people just come home and sit on their couch and stare at the ceiling like B&B is asking them to, but it must really suck. i had a difficult first experience with this property management company and im quite sure it wont get any better.
1 - Diane S.: Called from one of their managed HOA Boards and was transferred to the person who is designated as our "property manager." Although I was very polite-she had an attitude like "why are you bothering me?" from the start of the call. When I asked her if I had done something to put her off, she hung up on me. Called her boss to speak to him about it and got no response. Will be moving "service" providers as these people are obviously incapable of providing service.
1 - Lindsay C.: I don't even want to give this place a star. My husband and I decided to give B&B a try since they pretty much dominate the market in Pasadena. We didn't want to buy a house at the time since we were unsure of relocating to a different state.

Most of the people ( about 99%) of the workers are complete a**holes. 
I was so uncomfortable with everyone that works there I went back the very next day and asked for my application back. I DO NOT TRUST THEM WITH  MY PERSONAL INFORMATION. It was a hassle to get it back, but I finally did.

Advice: STAY FAR, FAR AWAY from these douche bags!!
3 - Miranda M.: I just moved out of one of their apartments recently. I give them 3 stars because the whole time we lived there, it was awesome. Any problem we had, they were on top of it & pretty prompt. We went through an associate named Taylor and she was always very pleasent. BUT when it came to moving out, our property manager , Rick (wont say his last name), was totally crazy. We cleaned our apartment very well. Any holes from picture frames were patched and painted. We got the carpet professionally cleaned. And this guys tells us our apt was dirty and we wont be getting all our deposit back. He sends us pictures of the dust on the tops of our ceiling fans & pictures of water spots on the SINK! Are you kidding me?! Water comes out of sinks...its gonna have some water spots and they can easily be wiped away w/ a paper towel. And then he said our carpet was dirty, when I was there when it was professionally cleaned. It looked GREAT to me. 

Now I will say again...the whole experiance went VERY well until, the end. Then it was just an annoying and ridiculous. Then again, other people may have other property managers. If you get Rick...RUN!
4 - Jason S.: I don't know why they're so many negative reviews about this place. I've found 2 of my apartment through Beven & Brock and all my experiences have been really good. It's not the most luxurious service, but if you need to find a place they'll give you the keys to check out a place. The staff is friendly and is willing to work with you in finding a place. Located inside, there is a HUGE wall of listings that is all printed out for you with all the listing info. Just tell you want to check out a place and they'll throw you the keys no problem. 

The address of this place says its on Lake Ave... but it's really on the street next to it on Hudson Ave. There is a parking lot in the back and the front entrance is accessed from the parking lot. It's free parking on the weekend, but you have to pay $6 if you don't get it validated.
2 - Carie F.: So I posted this and got several comments from other people saying, "you may say this now, but wait until you move out".  Unfortunately, they were right.

After being told multiple times by the owners of our place and by Beven and Brock that we could stay in the house "for as long as we were in school" (i.e. 3-4 years) and that they hoped we would stay for a long time, after just short of two years we were told that the owners decided to the sell the place and we were being asked to leave.

While packing and searching for a new place to live, we put up with a full month of realtors and appraisers tromping through the house before we finally handed in our keys.  B&B had promised to give the place a look-over and let us know what additional cleaning/repairs needed to be done so that we could avoid charges, and initially we were told that everything was in super condition and we should get a full deposit refund minus the obligatory repainting-fee-if-less-than-two-years.  

Oh no!  We were charged for "extensive" cleaning of "extremely" dirty mirrors, carpets, etc.  Not sure how the house got "extremely" dirty since in the weeks leading up to when we left even the realtors and appraisers kept asking us how we kept our carpets so clean (regular carpet cleaning and no shoes allowed in the house!).  We even got charged for "dust" that had accumulated in the house, presumably during the time between when we checked out and they finally decided to send their people by.

Argh.  We should have taken them to court and planned to, but two of us were in Europe for the better part of the following year and our third housemate was otherwise extremely busy and stressed, and in the end we just took it up the ass/paid up.

So yeah, no longer a fan of Beven & Brock.  Will avoid them in the future.
1 - Giorgio S.: It is unbelievable how poor the level of service we have received from Beven & Brock has been over the years.  Between the incorrect advice, lack of knowledge of HOA law, and overcharges it is amazing that they are still in business.  Maybe it is just the representative who has been assigned to us, but their inability to get things done correctly is simply mind-boggling.  For their sake, as well as the sake of their clients, I hope they figure out a way to improve their level of competence.
3 - Harry M.: So when I decided to move out of my parents house last year (finally), I started looking at places all over the Pasadena and SGV areas. Looking on Craig's List didn't really help that much due to lack of posts in my price range. But I would also drive around and look for Vacancy signs. Pretty much the next best thing. I started to notice that Beven and Brock had a lot of postings around the area, which gave me the idea to look them up online. Their website is pretty well setup for searching their current available listings. 

Well I found a couple different apartments I was interested in so I took a trip down to the office to see if I could pick up some keys and check the places out in person. The office was VERY BUSY and seemed to be a bit chaotic at times. I would imagine it would be like that anytime during the week. Finding an affordable place in prime locations is a cutthroat ordeal! Some of these people would probably step over an elderly woman to be the first to sign the lease. But I have to admit the clerks had their hands full at the time so I couldn't really get a personal experience with any of them. But all I had to do was ask if I could take a look at some apartments and they handed me the keys no problem. I thought that was cool. 

So when I finally decided on my place, the signing of the mountain of paperwork began. Typical I would say for any firm. My credit check went thorough no problem with a little help from some paycheck stubs and I was good to go. The only think I didn't like was they upped the advertised "low deposit" to a heftier first months rent plus last months. Their reasoning was because I lacked rental history. Well I couldn't really argue with them because it was true. Maybe they saw me as a liability or something but what ever. I got my place! 

So I'm probably one of the best tenants a landlord could ask for. I make payments on time ( or within the grace period lol), I don't throw wild crazy parties (but on occasion....), and I don't complain about much (except on my creepy neighbor who tries to put her shit on my side of the garage.) So all in all, I would have to say that my experience with Beven and Brock has been acceptable. But being someone without much rental experience, I wouldn't know how the game really is elsewhere. I'm still renting the place after a year which at this point has become a month to month lease. I know sometimes moving out could be a pain with the property management and getting your despot returned but I have to experience that whole ordeal. But believe me, if Beven and Brock gives me a hard time fellow Yelpers, you're gonna hear about it!
1 - John E.: Problems having management fix a malfunctioning natural gas heater.  Isn't natural gas dangerous?  They don't seem to think so!  Got the green weenie on the deposit too.
1 - andrea j.: I went here to check out one apartment that was posted on Craigslist.  I went to the office to pick up the keys so that I could check out the apartment and the woman who helped me was just rude.  I think her name was Rosa.  She just gave me this look like she didn't even want to bother with me.  Whatever.  I get the keys, drive to the location, and lo and behold the complex is gated.  I never got a key for the front gate, only for the apartment itself.  So here I am calling Rosa or whatever her name was so I can find out how I'm supposed to get into the complex and all I keep getting is her voicemail....over and over again.  Luckily, someone walked out of the complex and was able to let me in.  When I get back to their office, I tell Rosa that the complex is gated and I couldn't get in.  She just looks at me like I'm stupid and proceeds to tell me that the keys work for the front gate and the actual front door.  Um, no they didnt work, because I tried.  So then she tells me that the key was just made and it probably is just a bit defective.  No "I'm sorry", nothing.  I'm pretty sure she gave those same keys to some other potential renter and failed to mention that the key was "defective" to them as well.  

This place needs some manners in customer service.  And learn how to pick up your phones!

Beverly's Fabrics & Crafts - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.28069, -120.662265) ()
4 - Helena S.: I absolutely enjoy shopping for my fabrics at beverly's! they're fairly priced and the workers are very friendly.. it is a bit tough to find a worker there though.. so i kind of waste a bit of time trying to locate someone.. hopefully the next time i go it will be easier to find workers.. but once i find someone they're always willing to help. i had a price mix-up on one of my fabric, but i brought my receipt to the store the next day and the person fixed it right away for me.. i only go there for the fabrics, i'm not really a crafty sort of person.. so i don't really look at anything else.. there's two entrances for the store.. on on higuera street and the other is on monterey street! it's conveniently located in downtown slo, right next to Ross.. so it's never a hassle to go in to beverly's.. also.. i don't take more than 45min MAXIMUM at beverly's.. and so it's always free parking for me!
4 - Sydel s.: wish there were more hard core craft stores like this by me! Great selection of apothecary jars, moss covered things (hard to find and really expensive I've noticed), as well as a bird and nest section (what i was looking for). My track hat needed a bird in a nest, i found tons of diff. colors and some with glitter or sequins. yay.

Also a crazy amount of swords, medieval costumes, armor, and large feathers? not sure why. but they do.
4 - Rosanna C.: We stopped for a Peet's coffee down the block and I seen this beverly's and wanted to take a quick peek in. Well, I came on a good day. They were having a luau party in the store. They had hawaiian inspired snacks and punch. They were having free take away crafts and were raffling off gift cards and other prizes for correct trivia answers. There was a fun atmosphere in the store and the staff was very friendly. The displays were neat and there was a lot of different ideas in the fabric section. 

I especially liked the fact that they had a "husband drop off area " in the front of the store with a TV and some games. I thought that was really cute and there were some guys hanging out there.
4 - robin w.: This place is great if you want to get some cheap canvases. They usually have some deals on their art canvases, so I come here to buy a few. Also, there's a lot of great art supplies such as paints, brushes, etc.

I never thought I would paint, but i saw that they had 2 canvases for $5 so i bought it, and now I really like to paint!

If you're feeling creative and don't know where to find supplies, you should come here and check it out. They might just have what you need.
4 - Jessica S.: This is my no.1 go to place for craft items.  Especially yarn, they have a great selection!
2 - L G.: I come here at least once a week (alas...I'm a fabric freak)

That said, I never feel comfortable coming to Beverly's.

Why? I think the customer service here is pretty awful. Some of the ladies who work  here are downright RUDE! 

And I'm a pretty forgiving person. On more than one occasions, I've gone up to an employee in the fabric department for a quick question, only to have her respond in the most condescending, sneering way. I think she even rolled her eyes at me once-- to my face!?

You'd think I must ask really stupid questions to get such an insulting reaction, but I promise you, they were legitimate questions relevant to my purchases. 

There is definitely some kind of attitude problem at this store :( what a shame.

on the brighter side, not all of their employees are cruel. and i really do love their fabric selection. 

just, don't expect your 'friendly neighborhood craft store' here. maybe go to betty's for that.
5 - Robin B.: Love this store it has so much and great ideas
2 - Saralee S.: This store seems to be suffering from a schizoid split.  One part of it is arcane fabric remnants, and the other part wants to be a silk flower boutique, with pieces of costumes thrown into the mix.
Inconsistant merchandise added to the constant coupons that are never good for anything that you want to buy, coupled with the lackluster service from the fabric ladies who seem to gnash their teeth every time they wait on you, add up to an experience that is best avoided unless necessary.  
They were actually better when that loft upstairs was open with all kinds of odd leftover craft goods from the year one.  The new emphasis on fat quarter fabric for quilts seems  too country for the clientel, who come in at Halloween for costume supplies.
5 - houry S.: I love going into Beverly's. I've been going for 5 years now with a different "hobby" that I want to start. The staff will always ask what I'm into now and when I tell them, they are more than helpful in providing me with information, materials and encouragement to make my project. There is a great selection of fabrics, art supplies, crafting stuff for the little ones, yarn, scrapbook items-pretty much whatever I want to do, they will have the stuff for. A great place and a great staff to make your crafting experience nicer.
4 - Kris A.: I always go here when I need to put together a project, whether it be for an art class, for a costume, or for just shits and gigs, Beverly's is the place.

This place is pretty much an art mecca, they have everything! I bought 2 slabs of foam, some red yarn, a hot glue gun, paintbrush kit, a balsa wood stick, and elastic bands for a Samurai costume. Don't ask.

The people working there are very helpful and nice.

The spray paint cans are overpriced, IMO, so resort to Home Depot if you have a spray paint project to do.
1 - Erin K.: I would shop somewhere else if there was a better local option.

Every time I've visited Beverly's, there is never an associate available to help answer a question or help me find something I'm looking for.  

Last night, I stood in line for 15 minutes waiting to check out.  The customer service here is disappointing.  The checker wasn't friendly or fast.

They have a good variety of things to buy, but I usually leave this store feeling frustrated.

Bevier Cafe - Urbana, IL (40.1049996, -88.2238471) ()
4 - Robin M.: Bevier Cafe made me so happy the day a friend introduced me to it that I returned two days later.  They publish the menu for the current week and the next week online and I'm now addicted to looking at it every day.  If *you* look at the menu you'll see that they have a steady rotation of specials and also a list of standards.  Their entrees are pretty universally $4.50 and sides like peas with fennel and bacon are as little as $.50.  I highly recommend visiting on a day they're serving black bean burgers, which are not just frozen Bocas, but large, well seasoned and freshly made (really--$4.50!).  Yesterday, I had the portobello tacos (also $4.50!).  My lunching companions have variously tried the soups, sandwiches and pasta dishes, all to acclaim.  The desserts look delicious, though I haven't tried any of them, and the fountain soda is reasonably priced and refillable.

The service is also very quick--you order at the counter where you pick up a tray, flatware, etc.; they give you a number; you pay and then you sit down and they bring you your food before you know it.  I am told that they sometimes run out of popular entrees, but I've always gone around noon and I haven't been disappointed.

Bevier is a student-run venture within the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at UIUC, though they do have an actual chef (bio on their website).  The decidedly weird thing about Bevier is that it's on the second floor of a building on campus, so going to lunch is sort of like going to a lecture hall, until you arrive at the actual cafe, where things start to make sense again.
4 - Archana P.: i love bevier cafe and i fear it may be my new go to destination for lunch over all the overpriced sandwich/pasta shops in campustown.  you can get a delicious full sized entree for under $5!! the ambience is a little like a dorm cafeteria but the service is efficient and the food is really tasty.  They also offer portable coffee mugs for $10 with $.50 refills for an eternity after! take that, espresso royale!!  on my graduate student budget, it sure makes me warm and gooey inside to know that i can get real food (and the elixir of life- coffee!) at such an affordable price and in a convenient location.  sure beats my made in 30 seconds pbj for lunch!
5 - Teej T.: I ma having a continued, ridiculous love affair with Bevier Cafe.  You see, I have a class from 11-12 in Bevier Hall, and the cafe itself is exactly one floor below my classroom.  Did I mention I get out at noon?  When lunch is served?  Yeah, you do the math.

It's a damn good thing that B.C. is relatively cheap ($4.50 for a major entree, or sandwich), or I'd be broke and panhandling in front of the place at this rate.  The Food Service students run a fantastic local cafe that helps them get hands on experience and gets me lunch time eatin' on the cheap.  There's always a vegetable side, some mouthwatering dessert, and the space is cheery and pleasant if a bit utilitarian.  Bevier's well worth the visit.  That said, it's basically cafeteria style in that you pick up a tray, select your food options, add on bread, dessert, drinks, etc, then pay for your meal.  They'll give you a number, and a smiling food service student will bring you your food--often eerily promptly.  

Now, my only request is that you don't crowd up the place when i come charging in all hungry like.  Cuz that's not cool.

But go check out the cafe, with a fantastic array of food orders (and a daily changing menu!), you're bound to be satisfied.
4 - Sarah H.: I love this place. The menu changes daily and now the cafe is using foods from local farms and businesses (Prairie Fruits Farm, Pekara bakery, UI meat sciences dept...)! As mentioned previously, you can get a great balanced lunch for under $5 or get stuffed silly for maybe $7 (they have $2 and under desserts that look tasty). Some of the menu items sound a little strange, but be daring because these kids know what they're doing! I tried a cold salad with potatoes, apples, bacon, candied walnuts, and chicken... yum. Today I had indian stew with lentils, veggies (carrot, bell pepper, onion), salmon, and tilapia.. super yum! It came with verrrry tasty fried pitas. love it!
They always have lots of options for discriminating palates and take cards!
5 - Helen H.: i love this place toooooooo!! they are sterile and yummy. :) reminds me of a daily changing ikea cafeteria and i love ikea.

i love coming here for lunch.. and since i'm at IGB these days, i don't even have to leave my building! it's awesome. their menu changes... but it's always decently priced for alot of food! Great soups for a buck with any entree! That's awesome enough for me.
5 - Melissa M.: Hey, they are now serving local dishes every day. There are many local farmers raising delicious top-quality animals and heirloom produce...which you can now eat for $5!
4 - Alex C.: Pretty good food. Pretty good price. Sandwiches are a little small, but the sides are cheap. The service is really fast. My girlfriend says the portions are good for girls, but not for guys.
4 - David K.: This place is awesome.  Great menu, they put a lot of care and thought into the food, AND ITS GREAT.  The use of local ingredients, at an affordable price, makes it even tastier.  Just watch out for the crowd during lunchtime--you'll likely have to wait a while (10 min or so) to get your food, but they bring it to your table and its absolutely worth it.
3 - Forrest I.: When I read the positive reviews on Yelp, I expected to fall in love with Bevier Cafe.  After going to Bevier Cafe yesterday with a couple of friends, the good news is that I don't dislike the place.

We arrived a few minutes before the cafe closed, and they were out of some of their entrees.  The food we got seemed to have been sitting out for a while, and it wasn't as tasty as I anticipated.  Also, their service seems kind of disorganized--you take a tray, tell the people at the counter what you want, pay for it, go sit down with an empty tray, and then the employees bring you your food.  Couldn't they just hand the food over the counter?  Or just have real servers?  

Even with the not-as-good-as-expected food and the confusing service, I like the concept of Bevier Cafe.  I'm happy to support a student/university-run restaurant, and I will eat there again.
4 - Heather C.: It's convenient.  It's cheap.  Dessert is always good, and again cheap, so I only feel guilty for being overindulgent, not for spending too much money.  The menu rotates and there is always a vegetarian option.  You order your food, you pick up salad (if you must) and dessert (you must) and get your drink.  Sit down and a cheerful student delivers your hot entree to your table.  And I don't have to go outside to get there.  Bonus!
4 - Liza B.: Bevier Cafe has some great deals for good quality food. I love their food, the lasagna is great! But the dessert is just okay. I'm a sweet freak, but even I have to say that the dessert is too sweet, but not enough flavor. Other than that, the food is delicious and nice for a quick bite.
4 - Jerry V.: The cookies here are amazing. Especially the White Chocolate Pecan. They are so rich and delectable. I also had the South Western Fiesta Turkey and Corn Salad and the daily special- which was Chicken Gumbo. It all cost about $11 which is more than I was expecting to pay but I was very full. 

The Salad was great. And I NEVER like salads. I generally go out of my way to pay extra for an alternative but I noticed that the salad today looked pretty good and I was glad I made that choice. It was chock full of fresh vegetables, juicy chicken, and great taste! The salads here are wayy bigger than the entrees. 

I was not impressed with the Gumbo. I can't put a finger on it but I have to say that the overall flavor was not appealing...
4 - Ken R.: This place is solid.  It's cheap, especially for campus.  The menu varies day to day, which keeps things interesting.  You probably won't love every dish they make, but there's little displays so you have a pretty good idea what you're getting.  The prices have increased a little from what other reviews say, to $5 an entree for lunch and $0.75 for sides.  But I think it is usually worth that.

Some things I've had here:
Pastrami on marbled rye: was quite tasty.  Maybe not quite as flavorful as the Beef Stand, but cheaper and closer for me.  
Fried okra: is the best I've had in town.  Yum.
FSHN chips sandwich: I was a little disappointed in this one - there seemed to be less fish than breading.
Beer battered cod and chips - was pretty good.
Mushroom and turkey panini - also pretty good, and satisfying on a cold  day.
Manhattan clam chowder: I liked this a lot, it had a tasty broth and many chunks of fish.  I'll have to try the soups more often.

Overall: since there are multiple dishes, it seems like there's usually at least one thing worth trying.  I've never had the salads or desserts, but they look pretty good.  

Service has been good every time I went, though obviously this depends a bit on the students working.  

I've been pretty happy with the food, I kinda like the cafeteria style set-up, and the price is right.  I'll be coming back here to try out more of the menu.  Great for a day when you forgot your lunch or just need a break and some tasty grub.

Since I found it, it has become one of my regular lunch spots.  And you can look the menu up online before you even walk over:
http://beviercafe.illinois.edu/index.cfm
5 - Susan C.: It's a treat!  Great prices and value.  Convenient location on campus. The food is tasty and I love supporting the University of Illinois Food Science students.
5 - Andrea B.: Ever since I discovered it a couple of months ago, I have practically been living here.  It's a nice cross between a fancy restaurant and a cheap cafeteria.

There are always at least a few dishes to pick from, rotating daily.  They also have a house salad and Greek salad every day.  They charge $5 for (practically) every entree, which is sometimes too much, sometimes too little for the dish.  On the other hand, all sides are $0.75, so it all kind of evens out.  They also have rotating desserts, but always have big, soft, fresh cookies.

Although going through the line to pay with your tray feels like a cafeteria, the seating is basic, but very nice, wooden, and pretty comfortable.  You sit with a number and relax and wait for your dishes to be brought to you--which usually isn't too long.

They do serve breakfast, but I haven't been able to try it yet.  The convenience of being able to check the menu on the website pushes the score to an A+!
1 - Canary W.: Terrible...
1 - KS J.: I was extremely disappointed by Bevier cafe during the 2012 summer.  On many occasions the food was inconsistently portioned or prepared.  For example, the country fried steak on several occasions was extremely greasy, with oil oozing off of batter - a clear sign that it was not cooked at a high enough temperature.  When broccoli and beef over rice was offered, take out orders simply were not portioned with enough food.  For a dish over $5, there should be more than two pieces of beef.  Items billed as hot sandwiches arrived cold, with cheese not even partially melted.

As this is a student run enterprise, let's hope that the Fall batch of students are more detail oriented and the quality improves!

Beyond Hair - Pasadena, CA (34.1445832, -118.1297105) (Pasadena)
5 - judy w.: "can you please get your hair cut?"

those were some of the last words my mom said to me when i was leaving my parents' house this last weekend.  indeed my hair had grown wild and was pretty much almost down to my bum at this point. 

on that note and with the yelp holiday-super-duper-party-bash-extravagaaaaanza soon under way this week, i felt it was a good time to do something about this head of hair of mine.

i've been coming to this salon for the past three years and i really luv this place.  the reason's why i luv'em? oh so many reasons!  

not only is it conveniently located within walking distance of me, but i can always make an appointment within a day or so.  it's a family owned shop  with brother chuck, and sisters bonnie and lisa.  there are other employees but i've always had my locks trimmed and styled by either of the two gals. 

the salon itself is quite inviting when you step in.  it's not a modern day salon where everything is white with state-of-the-art equipment, and as sterile as tom cruise, but it's a welcoming space.  it's an aveda salon so there are aveda products to browse as you please.  from hair, skin to make-up - they've got it. 

during your perusal, your ears can be entertained by some cool tunes - mostly alternative, good 80s, and some classic rock.  chuck is also a dj at "menage" in old town on the weekends so he has some good taste goin'.

but most importantly, what i luv the most about this place are the stylists.  bonnie and lisa are both great at what they do, cuz they do the 'do how i tell them to. every time i have left this salon i've always been extremely satisfied and happy.  they listen to every word and detail of how i want my hair cut.  and not only are they great listeners, but they're ever so friendly and sweet.  

and the cherry on top?  just 30 bucks for a shampoo, cut, and style.  giddyup!
5 - Daryl C.: My wife first met Chuck 10 years ago and has been going to him for hair styling and coloring ever since. The shop has a pretty cool, eclectic, Pasadena kind of feel. One thing alot of people like about this place is the Aveda products.  Sonoma also has a great reputation for specializing in black people's hair.  Great atmosphere and great people.
5 - Emily H.: I was really pleased to find this place.  $30 for a shampoo, haircut, and style in Pasadena?  Unheard of.  Most places I called wanted around $60, which is just crazy.  I went to Supercuts once when I first moved here, just for a trim, which was okay, but when I decided to do something different with my hair, there was no way I was going back there.  

I called Beyond Hair on a Saturday, and they were able to get me in that afternoon.  Chuck was at the front desk when I arrived.  He seems like a really cool guy, and I like the feel of the salon...kind of funky, cool music playing, relaxed vibe.  My stylist was Lisa, and I had a photo of me with the haircut that I used to have, and wanted again.  She did exactly what I asked for, and didn't rush, so she did a really good job.  I was totally satisfied and will return.
4 - Felicia C.: After a year of growing out my hair from the pixie cut of last summer to the shoulder length hair seen in more recent Yelp pictures, I figure it was time to get my hair cut. Not just a trim, none of that cut-off-half-an-inch-so-you-can't-tell-the-difference thing - a full on cut.

I've never gotten a cut where Lisa has actually had to change the appearance of my hair, so I was treading into new waters for this one. I also had an image of what I wanted in my mind - I wanted something reminiscent of the precision cut I received at the Vidal Sassoon Academy (http://www.yelp.com/biz/vidal-sassoon-academy-santa-monica#hrid:TYM1Vq7cnmiqrJaVhQHIKA) - and wasn't sure how well she could pull off the sharp lines.

A $35 dollar cut later, what do I think about the cutting skills at Beyond Hair?

They're good for the day to day type haircuts, but if you're looking for something extraordinarily precise, I think it might just be too much for them. I had a vision of a Victoria Beckham inverted bob - you know, with the dramatic length change from back to front and the sharp lines. I got the bob, but it's just not as dramatic as I would have liked. It's a great cut overall though, don't get me wrong! Just not perfect. 

For $35 in the Pasadena area using Aveda products though, I'm not going to say anything worse than I sort of said above. For what you're getting, it's a great deal and you can bet I'll be back in a couple months. (If it will be for a cut or just another run of the mill trim, that we'll see....)
2 - Cate F.: I was there for a cut. Nothing fancy, no special challenges. Just a simple day-to-day cut. I even brought a picture of exactly what I wanted. 

The parking situation was a bit frustrating: No parking lot, only sparse street parking. Nevertheless, I went in with high hopes and Lisa was the stylist (the eldest of the three).

Yes, it's true, they don't have a receptionist, so sometimes they do run to get the phone or to collect service fee from clients. The three siblings seemed very nice, though Bonnie seemed the quiet type while Chuck was chatting up his client the whole time (Chuck is the middle one, and Bonnie the youngest).

While Lisa was very friendly, I really am not impressed with the cut I've received. I realize now you get what you pay for. And now I've got to find someone to fix this mess that's sitting on my head...
2 - Claire R.: I have to agree with the other reviewers, this shop is cute.  However there are some downsides: parking in this part of Pasadena is a nightmare (I'd recommend looking down a street) and the appointment was not very timely.  I arrived on time for my cut and my hair dresser (A woman) was busy with another client for 30 minutes into my scheduled appointment time.  She didn't offer apologies or seem concerned.  If you have something planned after, I would recommend telling them and perhaps skipping the style after your haircut.  

If you're looking for a stylist to create a cut for you, I'd try one of the other shops in Pasadena.  I tried to give her free rein to cut whatever off she wanted to but she seemed reluctant and kept asking what I wanted (something new and fresh).  I had to come up with ideas on my own and ask her to implement them.  The cut is very nice looking, so if you are prepared with a specific idea I think she could cut it very well.

Also, just as a warning for the squeamish: there were clumps of hair on the floor and combs were reused without any cleaning liquid.
4 - Austin S.: Still 4.5.... I guess I won't give a 5 until I don't even have to give Bonnie a single reminder about my hair.... I'm not trying to be mean, I guess I'm still used to my old stylist.  After the first time, I NEVER had to say a word about what to do with my hair.

But that aside, she still continues to do a good and consistent job.  This time we ended up talking most of the time about the upcoming election and the financial crisis we're going through with Indymac and WAMU.

Oh, but she got the wash and cut down to 30 minutes.  Let's see if she can keep that up, haha
4 - Gina L.: I've been getting haircuts here for about 4 years now.  You really can't find a better deal for a haircut at an Aveda salon in Pasadena, when haircuts can run you $75+ at other places.  If you just want straight up haircuts and nothing fancy, this is a great place.

Lisa usually cuts my hair, but she wasn't there the day I desperately needed my hair cut.  I made an appointment with Bonnie instead. Bonnie was very nice and we talked up a storm during my haircut, which is unusual for me (I usually just sit there quietly).  I didn't want anything fancy, just a straight up cut, and I walked away happy.

You can find parking on the streets, but if you anticipate to stay longer than an hour, you can always park at the Rite Aid up the street.
5 - john l.: I have been getting my haircut here for about 2 years already. The reason why i came here was because the previous person who cut my hair left the shop and i was in a desperate need of a haircut. so my mom, and her boyfriend took me around pasadena. My mom said there are places on Green Street. so we weny past by. And i believe it was around 7 or 8? so most places were already closed. Me and my mom saw the light on still inside, so we pulled over so me and my mom walked in. And already i was welcomed.

The person who cut my hair (and still does) is Chuck. He's an awesome guy. he understood how i wanted my haircut to look like. He actually made a better cut! :]

Now its been i am guess 2 years, and am still going there. I trust him 100%. And the thing with me is am really picky about my haircuts and i love here. Its welcoming, the music is siiiiick! ;] It feels and looks like a high class place, but the prices arnt! The prices are fair and cheap.
As a guy, some guys wouldnt pay 30 for a haircut. But i would. My hair looks awesome everytime.

SO, overall. GO GET YOUR HAIR CUT HERE! :]
its pretty rad!
1 - Molly G.: This place sucks. Lisa cut my hair, in between answering her cell and going in the back to talk with Bonnie. My cut is awful. It's way too short, uneven, and not what I asked for. I'm reduced to putting it in a ponytail every day until it grows out. Even my sweet mother-in-law admitted she didn't like it. 

If you go here, you only have yourself to blame.
3 - FD F.: I have to say I've been debating about my review of this place for some time now.  I really wish I could give the shop one rating, and my hair stylist a separate rating, because to be honest the shop sucks.  It's in a cute little area with lots of charm, but the owner has no clue.  First off, if you go in on a weekend, there is hardly any seating, so if you have to wait, they make you sit in the back under a hairdryer while you wait for your hair stylist. They really need to rethink the layout of the front of the shop.  Second, if your there when it's busy, they tend to blow electrical fusses left and right.  Third, I can't believe Aveda would lower their standards, this place looks like it was thrown together with no thought, no time, and no style.  None of the furniture matches, you get the feeling the owner was trying to piece this place together as cheaply as possible.  Several of the wall posters are wrinkled, with cracked frames, and there are spackle marks all over the walls that need to be painted. Another thing that really bothered me, was that the first time I went in to the shop I requested someone I had never met, due to word of mouth.  When I got there they had given me to some other hair stylist.  I didn't find out until half way through my appointment, that the person doing my hair wasn't the same person I had requested. The only reason I went back for a second round is because while I was there, I met this other hairstylist, who seemed to know her stuff. I personally feel, that if I have to pay Aveda prices, the store should be held to higher standards. Don't get me wrong this place has potential.  Hopefully, the owner will catch on.  

As far as my stylist.  She's fantastic, I would five her 5 stars if I could.  Her name is Ivy.  I've only seen her a few times, so far, but every time she blows me away.  She is so up beat and fun to talk to, and she does a great job with hair color, cuts, and crazy frizzy curly hair.   She is the only reason I keep going back.
1 - Sarah N.: If you have hair on your head---do NOT come here to have it cut.  Do NOT come here to have your hair trimmed.  Only come here if you want your head shaved.  And they may even botch that.

I came here based on the yelp reviews and the proximity of the salon to my home.  I would normally only trust my hair in the hands of someone I know and trust but I only needed a bang trim and thought why not?  What could go wrong?  Let me tell you, friends.  ALOT can go wrong.

Lisa, one of the salon's veteran hair "stylists" greeted me very meekly.  I sat down in the chair and she asked what I wanted.  I said a bang trim...she looked at my hair and said I really needed a trim all over.  Which was true, I'm growing my hair out and haven't gotten a cut since January.  

After a half assed shampoo we go back to the chair.  She looks at my very obviously tangled hair and asks if I get alot of tangles.  Duh!  Yes.  So rather than going to grab some detangler she has me get up, walk back to the shampoo station, sprays my hair down there, and then walks me back to the chair.  Why she couldn't grab the bottle and bring it to her station...who freakin knows?  

As soon as she picked up the scissors, I knew I was screwed.  She seemed to have no idea what the fark she was doing.  I have some layers around my face and when she went into to trim those pieces she cut them very horizontally blunt.  Like an inverted staircase.  She spent almost no time on my bangs--most hair dressers spend at least 15 minutes meticulously trimming each hair.  Then to the blow dry.  It seemed like she had never done one before.  She used the worst brush possible for my type of hair (super straight) and it took forever.  Once she was finished and handed me the mirror I could see the horror.  I quickly paid and got out of there--unsure how or if I could demand a refund.  When I got home and brushed it straight I discovered the extent of the damage.  She missed whole sections of bangs leaving very long pieces mixed in with the shorter.  And then the layers.  It looked as if I let my five year old sister cut my hair.

I scoured the net and found that Sugar, a salon in Silverlake, was open on Sundays.  I had gotten my bangs trimmed there when I lived in the 'hood and thought they were great.  I got an appointment with Adriana and she fixed the hack job.  For free.  Adriana just got herself a lifetime customer.
5 - Deboki C.: I don't usually get my hair cut in salons.  I have long curly hair, so it's pretty easy to trim on my own.  I wanted to get bangs though, and I didn't trust myself to do it on my own.  My friends recommended this place, and I was definitely nervous because even they were a little shaky based on their experiences with Chuck.  Plus, being a salon novice, I didn't know what to expect.  Ivy cut my hair, and I can't believe my luck.  She was really nice and gave me exactly what I wanted.  Later, she cut my boyfriend's hair.  He grows it long in order to be able to donate it.  Both times, she's been really nice about the cost.  My boyfriend was surprised to find that it only cost $10 more than the haircut he used to get at Supercuts  I've also recommended friends to her, and they're really happy with her.  So if you want a reasonably priced hair cut that you'll be happy with, I recommend Ivy.
5 - Frances C.: Ivy is a hair ninja. 

I adore her, her style, her humor and her desire to make you feel sassy and gorgeous. I had below-shoulder hair, and I trusted her to chop it short. If I had a nickle for every compliment I've gotten since? And with every follow up trim? I can retire now at the age of 30. 

She'll ask you what it is you're after and then make her suggestion. She's opened to critique after the cut if you feel that your cut can be shorter, or you want a section a little different, she'll work with you until you love it, as long as you COMMUNICATE what you want! 

Anyhoo.... no one else will be touching my hair as long as Ivy's around. Especially since she's banned me from going to "Asian Salons"... hahaha yeaaah... I'm Chinese but I don't want to look like every other Asian chick. (Some of you know exactly what I'm talking about!)
5 - Dawn M.: Molly G must not understand the vibe of this place. This is a family salon, where everyone knows each other. Chuck is more than a hair guy, he listens and gives real life recommendations for things to do, places to go in Pasadena and LA. I've referred more than one friend here for the solid Aveda quality salon, reasonable prices, and friendly atmosphere.
5 - Angela M.: I first found out about Beyond Hair when I badly needed someone to fix my hair because a previous hair stylist ruined my hair. My hair was layered in a terrible mess and grew into a wild lion's mane in about a month. It was terrible, and my hair looked awful! I thought my hair would never be the same again so I started searching for a good hair stylist. Once I found out about Beyond Hair, my search was over. I was so grateful that Chuck was able to fix my hair! Since then I've been returning to Beyond Hair for years. I always book Chuck to cut my hair. I usually ask him to layer my hair, and he does an excellent job. Even my friends love it! Chuck only charges only $30 for a haircut and shampoo in Pasadena. Where else will you find a better deal than that in Pasadena?
Chuck really knows hair. He knows exactly how hair should be cut and treated. He knows which products to use and which ones to avoid. You can ask him. For example, the Brazilian Blowout is a scam. Chuck is aware that there are unethical hair stylists out there who just want to make a quick buck, fool people, and end up damaging people's hair. Chuck is an ethical and honest hair stylist. He gives you exactly what you need. He will not charge outrageously high prices nor will he pressure you into caving in for additional unnecessary services. That's what I love about Chuck and the hair stylists of Beyond Hair. They are honest, hard-working hair stylists who are willing to do their best for their clients.

Be cautious about some of those one-star Yelp reviews here. Some of them are absolutely unreliable. Have you noticed that they don't even create a Yelp profile? They never leave reviews for any other businesses. Those one-time, one-star Yelpers purposely want to malign a business more than to leave an honest review which is very unfair and untruthful. They tend to be those nightmare customers that no hair salon would ever want to have as their client. Take it from me. Don't believe them for a second because there are two sides to every coin. Which reviews would you rather believe? A one-time impossible-to-please client or a long-time client who voices good reason on why she returns.

Here are more reasons why I love to go to Beyond Hair. Chuck is very sociable and fun to talk to. You can even friend him on Facebook. There's nothing dryer than a boring, mute hair stylist. I'm glad that Chuck is the complete opposite of that. Chuck is not only a hair stylist but also a DJ. He plays great music while he shampoos and cuts your hair. He's a great person to talk to if you're really into music. You can talk to him about all kinds of rock musicians and rock bands especially Queen which is one of his favorites. You can talk to Chuck about collectibles too. He'll give you advice on how to make money on collectibles and how to not get ripped off by expensive concert tickets. 
They don't just cut hair at Beyond Hair but they also dye hair too. They can also trim your bangs for free after you had your haircut a while ago with them. Beyond Hair really cares about their clients, and they go above and beyond with their customer service. What more can I say? I love Beyond Hair!

Beyond Juice - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2793662, -83.7418374) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
3 - Lisa W.: Beyond Juice is not exactly a chain... they are licensed, so they have liberty to change things up.  They offer a selection of fresh fruit smoothies that you can opt to put additives in.  I'm not exactly a fan of that, but I am a fan of waffles, so that's why I went in there.

I ordered a Belgian waffle, a salad with chicken on it, and something from the raw juice bar.  I enjoyed the raw juice (orange, apple, beets, and carrots), but the salad was unmemorable for $7, and the Belgian waffle was bland and the texture was slightly chewy.  Probably better doused with strawberries and whipped cream, which I didn't do.

I probably won't come here again unless I'm craving raw juice, since Amer's juicer broke down a couple of weeks ago.  Also, the atmosphere is a bit too pastelly.
2 - s g.: not much to remember here beyond the high prices. $6 smoothie? methinks beyond juice should be introduced to a little thing called competition in health crazed ann arbor. the name is misleading. this is really a smoothie bar that sells sandwiches and bkfst on the side. the actual juice menu is miserable. carrot apple tomato celery beet cucumber spinach... not much else. no citrus! no melons! rather pathetic for 6 veggies to be the staple of a juice bar. my carrot apple cucumber was $4 and 12 ozs i could forget. prices too high for juice and food i do better at home. no wonder i was the only one in the place
4 - Z R.: Money smoothies.  Don't know how long this place has been here but it snuck up on me.  $6 is steep, but the drink is very filling and delicious.  It is worth $6 for a smoothie fix.  Oh yeah, did I mention they are good for you or something?  Read the mission statement and enjoy.  I had the buzzed up or something... MONEY!
5 - Gina V.: I have walked by this place at least 50 times and never felt enticed to walk in. Maybe it's the stupid name or the sterile uninviting decor, but I never felt the urge.

Yesterday, in pursuit of a healthy snack between the bus station and Starbucks, I finally caved only to realize that Beyond Juice is like a shining beacon amidst a sea of burrito spots and brew pubs. 

There aren't many places where you can walk in and ask for something vegan without having to explain yourself. Agave instead of honey? At no extra charge? Really? 

Really. And that's why I love this place. 

P.S. They also have attractive looking soups and sandwiches, though I cannot speak to their level of tastiness.
3 - Aaron B.: I like smoothies, but I haven't had a smoothie here yet.  I had a breakfast burrito here with mushrooms, turkey bacon, and muenster cheese.  It was quite taste and came with home-made applesauce.  The price for this is $6.00, the cost to make the same thing is about $1.20.  But the point is that this is really the kind of thing that I make at home...I wanted something simple and healthy and that's what they serve.  I think that's GREAT!  Simple healthy food that is less volume per dollar than other places, but it totally filled me up for dinner and it was HEALTHY!  I really can't say that about many places around here and I also can't think of too many places where I can eat for less than $6.  So it may seem expensive for you get, but my way of thinking about it is getting enough food of the type I want for $6 instead of going home to make it.  So it's a good time-saver and I'll be going back (especially now that it's cold and riding home even for just the 1-mile is painful).

But the food is plain (no spices or herbs to flavor) and not enough options and let's face it...this place is probably great in the summer (smoothie season) and they just don't have a winter motif going.  They need to work on that.  It was brightly lit and the music was pleasant and I could even imagine studying in here.  But it also felt rather half-baked and sterile.   

I think the place is good for somebody like me to feed at, but I don't think I can really recommend it to many people.
5 - Nancy G.: I can make my own smoothies and sandwiches at home, but hey, I can make my own coffee too but me and millions of other people go to Starbucks and pay big bucks for coffee.  Beyond Juice might seem expensive compared to some other local fast food chains, but you are getting something good for your money.  The smoothies are great and filing, and the food is fresh and good quality.  I pay almost as much for lunch in the hospital cafeteria for a salad with chicken that is no where near the size I got at Beyond Juice.  The fresh squeezed OJ is dynamite and the egg white burritos are my favorite.
5 - Cassie T.: Beyond Juice is now closed! 

This place was a wonderful spot to either get out of the cold or out of the heat. I loved the juice!

Bhima's Warung - Waterloo, ON (43.4773505, -80.5250144) ()
5 - Ifoma S.: I've been there on several occasions and have always enjoyed a great experience. The service is incredible, thanks to the capable and personable staff. The meals are an amazing fusion of southeast asian flavors combined with local ingredients. Be sure to bring your appetite and your wallet as the portions are massive but worth the treat. Folks with shellfish allergies need to be wary as Bhima's has a extensive menu that caters to seafood lovers.

By far one of the best restaurants in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. Friends that live in Toronto and have vacationed in Bali made the drive to enjoy a meal here. Nuff said.
5 - luis h.: I went here for my birthday with my parents, and i must say very good food.
my parents lived in indonesia for a year and they said this was a good comparison to what good food was there. it was expensive but it was really good.
5 - Rob P.: I went to Bhima's last night with my wife and friends. I am very impressed. It is not often that you find such a great fusion of Indonesian cuisine, or of any cuisine for that matter. Our table had a wide sampling of the menu and everything was amazing. There were oyster shooters to start, we had venison, duck, angus steak, fish and risotto. Everything was perfectly done and delicious.

The atmosphere is eclectic, dark and romantic. The wonderful smells from the open concept kitchen fill the restaurant. The staff are helpful and friendly. It was a great experience.

The food is rich and flavourful. They use a number of curries and some of the dishes are spicy. If you are a meat and potatoes type, you might not like this food, but then you probably aren't looking for Indonesian in the first place ;) The meal was also very expensive, so be prepared. We spent about $150 per person with several drinks and cocktails.

Speaking of the cocktails, they have a great selection and there are a couple of specially created ones on the feature menu each night. If you can, take a cab so that you can enjoy them, they are worth it.

The restaurant was packed, so I would recommend a reservation. Despite the number of people, it was still fairly quiet and comfortable. They don't pack the tables in like at some restaurants.
5 - Jasper F.: I've lived down the street from this place for almost 3 years, and all this time I thought it was one of those carpet stores with year-round clearance sales. I was very wrong. Once you look past the tall, aged wooden fence, you'll find one of the best restaurants in the Kitchener-Waterloo region. 
Most of their menus don't have prices, so this isn't a place to go to be frugal. They were somewhat short staffed on my Thursday night, but the waitress was extremely competent, friendly, and helpful. 
To start, they make very special cocktails. Most of my group got mojitos, which they serve in a pint-sized glass with pieces of grapefruit, lime, and pineapple. Throughout the drink there were chunks of pulp that gave the drink a very nice texture. One of the best drinks I've ever had. Try it!
The food was very impressive. Flavour was kept to be tasteful and not overwhelming. It should be noted that they have pretty big portions for their entrees. It might be worth over-ordering just to see the tin-foil origami they make for you to use to take food home. A set of various home-made sauces (jalepeno, chili, vinaigrette) come with many of the dishes. Many of the dishes contain steak, which they cook to perfection. The majority of their entrees are seafood oriented, though. Everyone in my party ordered something different, and everyone argued that theirs was best. 
We had the patio to ourselves, which had easy-going, modern music playing all night (there was some Stars on at one point -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hZ7fgT0CBU). The patio was decorated with several comfy chairs, tables of various sizes/shapes, and a small fish pond in the middle. We were quite impressed by the indoor decor, which had a dark indonesian theme.
5 - Ange E.: If you can get past the sketchy looking exterior, you will be pleasantly surprised. They switch up the menu once in a while so its nice to be able to try something new whenever I go. The service is a bit slow sometimes so don't go if in a hurry. This place definitely isn't cheap, but the food is fresh and delicious.
5 - Garth P.: Wow! I've had in the pleasure of two perfect meals in my life not counting two very close calls at the Paul Bocuse just outside of Lyon, France and The Chateaux des Fines Roches near Avignon in France.

My first perfect meal was at the long-gone Fenton's in Toronto, where the fresh Washington State Lamb, still remains on my palette some 25 years later and the second, last Monday night as I celebrated my 35th anniversary with my bride at Bhima's Warung! Wow! What an explosion of taste and texture.

I simply love this place! No, it's not new and shiny, but you can feel the character just oozing off the walls. This is a place where real artistry happens by a culinary pro! If located in Toronto, it would be placed on the same pedestal as Sasur Lee's first resto, Lotus.

I had the Muscovy duck served on a bed of perfectly cooked noodles and the curry sauce was excellent. Very mild spice, but well balanced to the robust flavor of the duck. For appetizer, pan fried duck pate served with battered green fried tomatoes was a wonderfully presented feast for the eyes and stomach.

My wife had a baked oyster appetizer she raved about followed by a monkey fish (monk) lobster main that put a big smile on her face too.

Not cheap to be sure, but for us at least worth every penny. We'll be back often.

The service staff here are incredibly engaged with all patrons and seem to be strengthened by the knowledge that the food here delivers a not easily forgotten experience and they exude pride in being there.
They understand they work in a very special place and it shows.

One final note: at the moment, the place is not very accessible and it was a little awkward to get my wheelchair in and out, but the staff handled this with great care. They are installing a ramp soon however.

No question about it for me, 10 out of 10!

Bibi Salon - New York, NY (40.8067353, -73.9536852) (Harlem)
1 - Tendai C.: So a friend suggested this salon to me. She said that the owner Maisha really knows how to do hair! I'm natural so I asked my friend any type of hair she said "yes, that she has seen people with natural hair there before and Maisha did a good job" So I called and inquired about them being able to do natural hair and the assistant said "oh yes we do"  Okay good I booked an appointment after reading previous yelp reviews. So I went yesterday. (drum roll)  Her assistant a really nice young lady offered me a beverage of my choice and asked me to change into a robe so my clothes would not get wet (nice touch) I asked Maisha if they had any books with styles that I could look at so I would be able to get an idea of what i wanted. Red flag #1 "No" we just have essence...  Red flag #2 she had no suggestions, except for "Do you want to straighten it" The answer to that would be no. So I'm sitting there racking my brain to see what I can think of. So I think maybe an updo with braids on the side and twisted on the ends. I ask for a coffee which was good and I get my hair washed and conditioned and sit under a steam treatment with a warm towel wrapped around my head. Once I'm rinsed out I'm sitting in the chair and I think to my self "keep it simple" so I say to her I'm just going to get a wash and Go... She ask's  me what I normally use I say any Gel is fine ( I figure wash and go is the easiest thing to do) She's playing in my hair putting some phyto moisture product that did not define my natural curls!! all the while telling me I would be a good candidate for a texturizer WTF..... Ok so I go under dryer for 15-20 mins to dry and then her assistant puts a gloss over it. My hair had no curl and looked a hot mess. She charged me $75!!! with a straight face. I just feel that if all you know how to do well for natural hair is straighten it or do two strand twist then you should advertise that, be up front. She was very nice and so was her assistant but I'm beyond pissed!!!, so much so that I think I have to call and speak to her to tell her how dissatisfied I am. If you are natural think long and hard before you go here!!! So here's an update I called and  complained and Maisha refunded me $50 dollars... and then proceeded to tell me to definitely come in and get a texturizer....WTF
3 - Miss A.: The Good--my appointment time was honored and i didnt have to sit around all day waiting.  yay for punctuality in a black salon!  you go girls!!

The Better--they offered me complimentary mimosas like every 3-5 minutes.  I hate sobriety.  I love mimosas....ergo i love Bibi Salon.

The Bad (which may actually be good for some)--I called a couple days prior to see if it'd be ok for me to bring my 1 year old daughter and whoever I spoke with said it'd be fine.  Once I got there, the stylist (Danine) said kids arent actually allowed but it'd be ok since I had called and asked first.  My daughter sat in my lap and behaved so we didnt have a problem.  They do, however, style/cut kids' hair.  

The "say what now"--I paid $48 for wash, cut & conditioning via living social but the actual price would  have been a whopping $185.  I know this because the receptionist was so kind to print out a receipt for my viewing pleasure. At first I didnt know what the receipt was for since I had a voucher to cover my visit but then when I looked at it I realized she was trying to give me some insight before I booked a follow up appt at full price.  So while I enjoyed my visit to Bibi I cant afford for it to be anything more than a one time fling.

The actual point--my hair does look cute and healthy and whatnot but no more or less than it would with any other less expensive salon.  I do, however, wish the salon well and appreciated their kindness, timeliness, cute decor and endless mimosas.
4 - Tarra T.: I need to write an update because I have continued to go to Bibi Saloon. A couple of really awesome things about the salon. 

1) They have special events on occasion i.e. beauty consultations, Phyto days, etc. 
2) They now have an online booking system which makes life so much easier! 
3) The staff is AMAZING. All of the ladies are wonderful and I always feel at home when I am here. 

I will not lie to you, an appointment here will put a dent in your pocketbook but heck...you work girl, so you deserve to treat and take care of yourself, right?!? :)
2 - Dee B.: I had a similar experience as Tendai concerning my natural hair. It was so dry when I left I couldn't believe it. I purchased some of the Phyto products, but wasn't impressed. Went back to using my tried and true Carol's Daughter. Would go back if I was getting my hair straightened. They kept trying to sell me on their blow out.
5 - C G.: Owner, Maisha is an expert at what she does!!I have left many a stylist before I found Maisha. She knows what she's doing, is stylish and more importantly, puts the health of her clients hair first. Another must have quality, she is prompt...I am always in and out and I leave with healthy, lightweight, shiny hair. So glad I found her!!

Also of note, the salon is beautiful, comfortable and clean. You can't go wrong.

Bibigo - Los Angeles, CA (34.0607789, -118.446024) (Westwood)
4 - Darrell L.: Attended a soft opening of Bibigo. Their concept I believe is to provide a low cost, fast food Korean fusion menu using a few unique  ingredients. Also offering a couple dishes usually made at home and not found in the traditional Korean restaurant. Think of this place as a Korean fast food place. 

As with most Korean dishes the flavors are bold. My favorite dish was their sweet and spicy chicken which has a wonderful sauce that tasted like a winning combo of Korean hot bean paste and honey coating deep fried boneless chicken nuggets. Yum!  Their signature dish is a bibimbap (hot Stone dish) featuring bulgogi, mushroom, brocoli, spinach and rice. The beef very flavorful with a very delicious smoky flavor that caught me by surprise as I didn't see any grill marks. They are vegetarian friendly as they have a tofu version as well as a chicken version. They have 4 uniquely branded sauces in individual packets plus packets of 100% sesame oil... A very nice touch. They also sell Mandoo which their version are mini's that are deep fried and bite sized with a strong, delicious taste of ginger and this dish was also a big hit and it was served with sliced pickled jalapenos and plain dichon along with a nice spicy dipping sauce.

They do not provide the usual array of panchan, I think they should provide the yellow pickled radish (dichon) instead of the plain shredded dichon, but the plain white dichon can be a refreshing palate cleanser so I can understand their choice. I would also love it if they provided/sold the traditional napa cabbage kim chee as well because it goes so well with bibimbap and the rice.

Speaking of rice, they also serve the black wild rice. This rice is wonderful and few restaurants of any cuisine serve it. It has a much more nutty flavor and is a more toothy rice as the hulls have not been removed. I love this rice and when I make it at home, I sometimes do a 50/50% mix with white rice and then it becomes a lovely purple colored rice. They have 4 different types of rice in all, but we only got to try the white and black rices.

I have to return... I didn't get to taste their Chap (or Jap) chae of glass noodles with beef, mushrooms, spinach and is one of my favorite Korean comfort dishes. Also they will be selling the thick Korean rice cake which are super thick rice noodles that are about the thickness of a standard Sharpie except uniform cylinders in shape that is normally sauced with the hot bean paste and also they will be selling a seafood pancake.  Dang it, those three dishes are ones that I LOVE! 

They also serve 4-5 different Korean teas. Rice, aloe vera, corn and wheat teas are what we got to sample and they are all delicious and refreshing. My two favs were the rice tea and the aloe vera... I especially loved the aloe vera as it has some of the pulp in the drink and it is so delicious and refreshing... the perfect summer drink. I gotta go to the Korean market and find this drink. The corn tea is probably made from roasted or toasted corn... it's like drinking a bag of popcorn! I wonder if it could be served hot and drop in a tiny dollop of butter... how good would that taste?

There are 4 distinct dining areas in this restaurant... We dined outside in the large rear patio and it was the perfect weather last night. There's also a front patio with a few tables and there's a front and rear dining area inside the restaurant. It really seats a lot more people than you would think looking at the outside of the restaurant. They've got a great location being in Westwood and they nailed it as far as their pricing and food offerings. I'd rather eat here than the Kogi's truck anyday!

The service was excellent. There's a $3 parking lot nearby that I didn't find as I was running late, no time to look for it, dammit... I paid $6.

They are serving modernized or slimmed down fast food versions of some of the most popular Korean favorite comfort foods. Everything on the menu is priced under $9.00 and they offer the variety of sauces.

Thank you Bibigo! LA Foodies and Asian Foodies will be be back!
4 - Gary M.: LA and Asian Foodies along with our fearless leader, Darrell, attended a special soft opening dinner at the Bibigo in Westwood, which officially opens Labor Day 2010. We had the wonderful opportunity to meet the manager, Dennis Tae, and his hard-working staff. We started off the eve with plate after plate of delicious family style entrees served in the Hot Stone bibimbaps with traditional mixed rice and assorted veggies and topped in a sizzling hot stone bowl. We tried an assortment of beef Bulgogi, chicken and tofu. We soon learned that we could change the taste, depending on our own palates, by adding an assortment of sauces ranging from Citron Soy sauce to Green sesame sauce to bibigo sesame oil to Ssam sauce to Kohot sauce! We moved on to Bibigo rice dishes served with assorted veggies and white or black wild rice (delish!!) over a bed of lettuce and added toppings to suit our palates. We then inhaled the plates of sweet & spicy chicken and crispy Man-doo dumplings and char-grilled marinated beef Bulgogi with mushrooms & chili peppers. We dined al fresco in the outside back portion of the restaurant surrounded by views of their beautiful restaurant's inner courtyard. The only additional item which I would have wanted would be the ability to enjoy a nice glass of wine with our delicious meal. Unfortunately, it takes a great deal of footwork to work a new restaurant's way into the bureaucratic rat-maze of getting a liquor license so we just need to wait a bit more for that time to come. Are we there yet?? As an early attendee to this dinner, I had no problem finding a parking lot right down the street which charged a flat rate of $3. Life is good with cheap parking! I'm already planning my next trip to Bibigo so I can try their Pajeon-Scallion and seafood pancake. It looks like it's a to-die-for dish! For ample dishes in the $8.99-$11.99 price range, from 11:00 a.m-11:00 p.m., for sure, as The Terminator says, "I be back!"
5 - Cynthia O.: I tried their bibimpab stone pot dish yesterday with the Citron Soy sauce and bulgogi.  The food was really good and the decor was extremely nice!  I will definitely go back!
4 - Maggie C.: Get their stone pot rice dish with bulgogi, white rice, and citron soy sauce!! I love that when they serve it, it's so hot you can't touch it and by the time you finish, it's still hot and water can sizzle on it.

I also love the fact that you basically build your own combination. They will ask you to pick a type of dish, then pick the type of rice, then the type of meat or tofu, and then the type of sauce you want. You pay when you order, but someone will help you get your drink and then give you a tray and number so you can sit down somewhere. Their main sitting area is pretty nice. The decor is very modern and very comfortable to sit in.

Most of the dishes were around $8. I paid $9 something (thats including tax). 

The service was great. This is mainly because they just opened and I think the managers and owners were all there to watch. 

For parking, you should park in the parking lot on broxton that is close to this place. If you go before 6pm, parking is free for two hours.
4 - Steph S.: I randomly came across this listing for Bibigo today and decided to stop by with the bf after work. Bibigo is located on Broxton Ave. in Westwood, near Chipotle and down the street from the Bruin Theater. They have a relatively small sign that's mostly hidden by a tree. I think it'd be better for them if they set up some kind of stanchion sign with an arrow so people can spot it from down the sidewalk.

That said, though, Bibigo has a pretty fantastic location overall for UCLA kids... I know if I were still in the dorms, I'd probably come by often since it would be fairly close. The plan would probably be to grab a boba from Boba Loca, stop by here for some bibibamp, and then go down to Yogurtland for dessert. :) 

My first impression of Bibigo is definitely grounded in its excellent sense of design and style. The interior is absolutely gorgeous, from the metallic detailing on the glass front door to the inlaid signage comprised of bright, miniature circular lights. As a graphic designer myself, I am pretty much in love with the design of their menus and even the chopsticks+spoon holder on the tables. Great choice to use a rounded style and bright colors -- they really made the place feel friendly.

Onto the food. Prices are a bit on the high side, in my opinion, especially considering the fact that Gushi (a well-known little magical shack of tasty Korean food with very generous portions at decent prices) is only slightly up the street and around the corner. My hot stone bibimbap with Black Pearl rice, Bulgogi, and Ssam Sauce came out to a little under $10. This price is pretty comparable to what you'd normally pay, say at the food court at the Galleria market in k-town, but the portion is considerably smaller.

After you place your order at the counter inside, you are given a tray with two small dishes of condiments -- I believe they were marinated (?) jalapenos and shredded pickled radish. They also give your choice of sauce + sesame oil in customized packets, which I thought was pretty unique since they have the nutrition facts printed on the back. In addition to the tray, I was handed a small sign with my order number on it, so that the employees would be able to find me at my table to deliver my food.

I chose to sit outside in the front patio. As with the decor inside, the furniture outside is quite nice. It was only as I sat down on the side of the patio, though, that I realized there was seating BEHIND the counter area inside. I swear, it was totally hidden... I'd suggest they put some kind of sign on the counter telling people there is additional seating in the back (+ they share a pretty courtyard outside in the back as well).

My bibimbap arrived extremelyyy hot (don't touch it!) and sizzling. I dumped in the ssam sauce and sesame oil from the packets and mixed everything up. :) Be sure to leave some rice at the bottom of the pot though, so it'll crisp it up! The crispy bits are the best. :D

Overall, I quite liked my bibimbap despite its smaller size compared to what I'm usually used to. The vegetables were obviously very fresh and I liked my choice of rice (Black Pearl). I'm no rice connoisseur, but it definitely tasted heartier than plain & typical white rice. I do wish, though, that more bulgogi had been included... Maybe I've been spoiled over my 4 years at UCLA by Gushi and frequent trips to that Galleria food court, but there were definitely more veggies and rice than meat. The meat was tasty though. :)

A quick note about service... the cashiers were very friendly and offered to help explain the menu. However, I had a small issue with one of the waiters/employees... I sort of felt like he was rushing us out of there because he took away our trays basically like two minutes after I cleared my bowl and he said goodbye as well (-_-)*. The little patio outside is a nice place to sit and enjoy your meal with some leisure, so I think he could have chilled a bit. Perhaps he was just an eager newbie. *shrug*

I think I'll definitely be returning in the future, though for me at least, I'll probably always ask myself where I'd rather put my $10 toward -- Gushi or Bibigo. They each have their own pros and cons. For atmosphere, service, and a more refined meal, I'd choose Bibigo. But if I'm starving and want to stuff my face because I'm feeling sad or my wallet is getting thin, I'd probably choose Gushi to take care of two meals' worth.

Final note: for the Yelp promotion mentioned above (the free mandoo w/ purchase of entree), you need the coupon that's on the back of the 8.5x11" menu available inside. I inquired about it while I was eating since we didn't get any, but the employees said I needed the coupon... even though my bf and I both bought our own entrees. :| Ehh. Oh well, just be sure to get the menu before you order if you want dumplings! :) I hope they are as tasty as the bibimbap.
4 - Ed K.: Bibimbap with an upscale face.

That's something one can only find in LA on the Westside.

For those who don't know (and if you don't you're probably not checking out this yelp business entry), bibimbap is one of those time tested korean home comfort foods.  Fresh and simple in nature it consists of a mixture of vegetables and meats topped on a big rice bowl and stirred up with additional sauces.  

Someone decided to take this simple dish and make it the feature entree for a new venture in Westwood near the UCLA campus.  What appears to be a pretty tiny store front on Broxton Ave is actually quite enormous inside once you walk back to the dining area in the back.  The ambiance and decor is quite sophisticated and stylish, reflecting the high priced West LA real estate.  While most lovers of korean food don't need such fancy trappings to convince them to eat, I suspect this is meant to draw in a new batch of customers, perhaps act as a more fancy ambassador to korean cuisine.  

You order at the counter from a fairly simple and straightforward menu.  Bibimbap is grouped into regular and hot stone bowl varieties as well as a selection of other entrees which consist of bulgogi, pajun, rice noodles and other common korean dishes.  When you order your rice bowl you've given choices of type of rice (white, barley, brown, black) and protein (beef, chicken, tofu) complete with sauce (served in packets on the side.  I decided to go with a regular bulgogi bowl on brown rice with ssam sauce on the side, and some fried pork mandoo (dumplings) to go with them.

My initial impressions: ingredients are very fresh and high quality but for the price ($8-9 a bowl) the portions are a bit small, however given the real estate and decor, I can see where that money is going. When they delivered the order to my table I thought I just got a bowl of toppings and the rice was coming separately, but after some investigating, yes there is rice underneath, just not the big heaping sizes I'm used to at your typical ktown joints.  Upon further reflection, this isn't actually such a bad thing, especially in this carb concious cutlure.  When I was done with my meal I found I ate just enough and not stuffed to the gills that I usually am when I eat the portions I'm used to.  Those with larger stomachs may disgree with this.  The dumplings were also on the smallish side but quite good as well.  

Those used to ktown sizes and prices are probably going to complain, but hey if you want that, hop in the car and go to ktown, its only 20 min away.  But for those, especially UCLA students and workers who want some korean food with a touch of class and easy access on campus, please check this place out.  I'd like to see it get an honest chance to succeed, and if it does well, perhaps the prices may come down a bit.
4 - Cameron C.: We were talking by a few nights ago and decided to give bibigo a try.  We were glad to see another option for Korean food in Westwood.  We drive to Koreatown pretty regularly, and have our favorites there, but it is nice having something that doesn't require driving.

They have a very limited menu, which in my  mind is a good thing.  I rarely have good meals at restaurants that try to do everything. 

My wife and I each ordered bi bim bop.  I forgot what kind of meat we had.  We also ordered the dumplings and the seafood pancake.  We like Korean seafood pancakes so we try them at every Korean restaurant we visit.  I also picked up a can of shoju.  At the table, one of the staff was kind enough to remind me to shake it, since it was actually unfiltered, and needs to be shaken.

Overall, we were pretty pleased.  The ingredients are all very fresh.  We liked the seafood pancake, it was nice and light and crisp.  The dumplings were also pretty good.  

This is definitely worth checking out if you are in the Westwood area. and looking for a light meal.
4 - Monette M.: Had lunch here for the first time.  Food was great and I loved that the employees wore tux's they were all so welcoming and polite.  The food was fresh, light and full of flavor...a must try :D
3 - Francesca S.: This place is brand spanking new, clean and pretty inside. The staff is very very friendly. I love that you can mix and match tofu and other meats with your order. There are great selections overall.

The food is tasty but for the price, there's not enough of it. Sometimes you get spoiled when you have a trusty standby Korean restaurant which I do. It's near my work in the Valley. The bibimbap is cheaper there and you get a good 35% more food.

This is a new place so there are kinks to work out. As I customer, I would want to see a lower price point or larger portions. I don't mind paying more if I am getting more.

Also, I didn't like the microwavable bowls of rice to go. I love that there is a brown rice option, I just wanted to see it come out of a rice cooker. Yes, it's my own OCD. And I wasn't so jazzed about the no egg bibimbap although maybe it's bc of the whole salmonella scare. 

The japchae was really good!
4 - Lendy L.: Price per plate is around $8.99.  I enjoy the option to build your own bibimbap, however my hot clay bowl did not come with an egg made over-easy which is what I love most as a topping for this particular dish! A friend of mine ordered the japchae dish which was really good!  I would recommend this place as the decor was pleasantly modern and clean! It may seem unorganized at first when you don't know what's going on. At first a friend and I didn't know where to place ourselves in the assembly line for ordering.  After we put in our order we sat down, only to be told by one of the servers that we were supposed to pick up a tray at the end of our order and then take the tray to a table.  The workers taking the orders were not very informative, just busy taking money and herding customers like cattle through the door during a busy lunch hour.  However, the workers that occupied the dining area were very accommodating, refilling peoples' drinks and asking if they wanted anything else.
5 - Tiffany P.: Yummy customizable Korean food that feels really healthy and fresh.  I loved my bibimbap with tofu, white rice and barley, and ssam sauce, but I thought the sauce was on the light side and preferred the kohot and bulgogi that my boyfriend got.

Until the end of this year, they've got coupons in store for free 8 dumplings (which are delicious, hearty, and crispy) or a free drink with your meal!

Service is super super friendly and helpful, which I appreciate so much.  I was surprised at how many employees they've got - must be a lot of money going into salaries, yikes!

Decor is really cute and clean with natural colors.

I'm really impressed with this place overall - good food, good service, reasonable price ($8.99); can't wait to come back and try something else!
4 - Rina L.: I don't really venture out to Westwood for lunch, but decided to when I heard of this place.  I don't get to eat Korean food as much as I used to, so this was a nice change/addition.  

I was a little overwhelmed at first.  When you walk in, you're greeted with warm hellos and smiles.  Then, you get to choose your meal- starting with the rice, then meat, then sauces.  I chose barley rice with bulgogi and green sesame sauce.  The portion wasn't HUGE, but it was enough.  I was so full by the end.

I do have to agree with one of the reviewers below and say that I did miss the addition of the egg.  I love egg in my bibimbap.  =)

I would definitely make the 15 mins walk down here from UCLA for lunch.  That means a lot coming from me.
2 - Joseph L.: 3 words.......

"no FRIED egg....!"

:-( breaks my heart to see such blasphemy.
5 - Sabrina S.: Love everything about this place! Good food, good service and nice clean interior. The packaging for their takeaways are well done and designed. Deffinately a good addition to westwood village!
5 - Spencer K.: I just found out about this place a few weeks ago and I've been itching to go.  When it was suggested that we go there for lunch, I was instantly down to go.

The place is really interesting.  It's really choose a rice, a protein, and a sauce.  They've got this crazy assembly line going on so food gets pumped out really quick.

I wasn't quite full either because it wasn't enough food or it was just that good that I wanted another.  It's nice to see some diversity in Westwood village now.
4 - Yong Oh C.: I've always lamented the fact that there was no Korean food in Westwood. (Gushi does not count as Korean food) But, Bibigo is a step in the right direction. 

The stone pot just hits the spot. A fried egg would be really great, but the stone pot rice is GREAT nevertheless. I like all the options they have with the different kinds of rice, sauce and meat. It definitely gives you a reason to come back. They have four different sauces: Kohot, Ssam, Citron Soy, and Green Sesame. Kohot's just a fancy name they put on gochoojang. Ssam sauce is supposed to be like Ssamjang. It tastes like it but it's very watery (like salad dressing). Citron Soy is kind of like Ponzu. My friend really liked it on her bibigo rice. Green Sesame tastes like the sesame oil + salt sacue they give you at Korean BBQ. They also have some other Korean food besides bibimbap on the menu like ddukbbogi and japchae. Also, they sell Korean rice wine. If you've never tried it, I highly recommend it. 

They also did a very good job with the interior. Feels very modern, young, and clean. Is this really in Westwood? hahaha. Everyone working there is very friendly. Our server asked, "May I refresh you?", when he came by to fill our water cups. lol. 

Bibigo is definitely the place to go out to eat in Westwood for me.
2 - Gert A.: Very disappointing. Over priced, small portions, and bland flavors. When I asked the cashier if the ssam sauce was salty, "I don't know, I've never had it." Not very encouraging if you are trying to rein in new customers. Employees should be able to answer questions regarding your menu selections. Plus their soda machine was broken....not a good sign either.

There are so many Asian places in Westwood (Gushi, Mr. Noodle, Yamato, Ami) where you can get more bang for your buck, and actually feel satisfied afterwards. Yes, the restaurant was very clean and bright, but personally,  I don't want to pay more $ for ambiance, fancy trays, chopsticks, and slickly packaged sauces.
4 - Joseph d.: What I got: Hot stone bibimbap with kohot sauce

Review: If, Chipotle is to Mexican food; then, Bibigo is to Korean food. The layout is very reminiscent to that. Very simple and very friendly to those who havent tried bibimbap before. Needless to say, this fast-food Korean bibimbap is the bomb and it totally hits the spot. My only gripe is (1) no fried egg and (2) the portions were small-ish--maybe I just wanted more of it ;-) 

Bon appetit!
4 - Kislev A.: Had hot stone bowl beef bowl with ssan sauce and hot stone chicken bowl with green sesame sauce. Both were very good and brought warm yummy goodness to my cold shrivelled up tummy one cold day (obviously not this week but last week).

Crispy rice! Was very good and was very enjoyable. But as a matter of preference in terms of comfort food, I'm still for SOFT white rice... which bibigo offers too! Yey!
4 - Ginger G.: Walked by Bibigo last week and didn't think much of it- I am a fan of korean bbq but i've never really had rice in a stone bowl before. There was a girl outside explaining the food and she made it sound so good I had to try it.  And not to mention free dumplings! (Which were okay- the filling wasn't that amazing)

It was a pleasant surprise, there wasn't a lot of food but I really was full after.  The flavors were all there and I didn't get a weird bloated feeling. Healthy and light, but a bit pricey for rice. =)
4 - Janie L.: I got the Hot stone bulgolgi bowl with the Kohot sauce. I was kind of sad that there was no egg and the portions were a little small, but the bowl itself was very good. Also, our waiter was really nice and came by to refill our drinks multiple times during the meal, which is a huge plus since we ordered soda. 

The overall restaurant atmosphere was really chill and the restaurant staff were really helpful. I would definitely go back there.
2 - Johanna A.: Nice looking place but they don't give you a whole lot of food for the price.  Also, they don't include the usual fried egg and when dining in, for some reason, they still give you the sauce packets instead of having a bottle available at the table.  

They have a really strange set-up to get your food when dining in.  Instead of just getting your beverage according to what you told the cashier, they'll ask you again for your beverage choice at the counter next to the cashier.  Then, they give you this tray to take back to your table...only to have your food delivered later.  What's the point?  Why not just give us our beverage and order number and then deliver the food & tray together later?  The staff seems disorganized and stressed.

Also, they have this frequent diner card where you can get it stamped every time you come in.  However, although the card says that you get a stamp for every entree you buy, I was told that you get a stamp for each order/transaction!  That's so silly, I bought 2 entrees so should I have gotten two stamps. They only gave me one...should I have ordered twice in a row as separate transactions??  They wouldn't even give me the second stamp for my 2nd entree as a way to appease customer service and then explain the policy.

Oh and there was a piece of hair in my jalapenos...  These guys need to get their groove and flow.  Very overrrated place at the moment.
1 - Svasana H.: The food is pretty good the first time I went there (opening week), and there is no competition (because there aren't any other dedicated Korean restaurants in Westwood.)  But the management is unbelievably bad.  After waiting for lunch for 20 minutes on line, the counter people told me there is no more seating for dine-in customers, take out only. They didn't bother to tell the 15 or so people waiting in back of me.  Since I made a special trip to come for lunch and didn't feel like eating in the street, I left.  The week before I brought a friend there on a Thursday night and they were closed for a private event.  Stupid for a place that just opened.

A smart business would have handed out rainchecks or coupons or something, but clearly they don't care about keeping customers, even though I made it clear they should tell the management that they are losing customers.

Going back to ISO for Korean lunch bowls instead, less fancy, but more reliable, and free wireless.
2 - Patty F.: Maybe I"m just being asian, but seriously?? I mentioned the coupon for free mandoo...she said I had to have the coupon...and I get to the pickup counter, and what do I see? An entire STACK of coupons!!! Really, you REALLY couldn't have just given it to me? What does it matter to you, Ms. Cash Register anyways?!  Ugh, new places like this should really learn customer service...

Anyways, got the bulgogi bibimbap with the ssam sauce.  And why don't they have descriptions for the sauces? I had to idea, so I asked the girl, and she said kohot's the best, but we don't have it, so go with the ssam sauce.  Wow. Way to make me feel good about my order -_-

Whew.  Okay, really didn't mean to rant like that, guess that whole thing bothered me more than I that...haha Now for the actual food.

Meh.  I loved the purple rice...and the packaging intricacy for takeout...but that's about it.  There was barely any bulgogi and the veggies mostly tasted like sesame oil....

I'll give this another try with the hot stone but not very high expectations...
4 - Nikie V.: I love it!! Went here for lunch one day and although it was very busy, seating becomes available very often. I got the pork mandoo and hot stone bibim-bop w/ black pearl rice, bulgogi and green ssam sauce. The portions are big and the amount of meat appropriate and satisfying. They also give kimchi and jalapenos on the side.   AMAZING service, GREAT atmosphere and AWESOME food! I'll definitely be back!
4 - Jessica Y.: I love Korean food and was very excited to hear that Bibigo would be opening a location here in LA all the way from Korea! Bibigo is like Chipotle meets Korean food. Because it's in Westwood, you pay a little more, but the food is great and I love the atmosphere! It's very chic, modern and clean.

You order at the counter and choose your options. I ordered the hot stone bowl with brown rice and bulgogi. Purple is another personal favorite of mine! You also choose the type of sauce you want. If you don't know what they are, just ask!

Then you take your tray and number and head to your table to wait for your food to arrive! Yes, I agree it's a bummer that they don't have the usual egg on top, but the food is great! You also get a little banchan (side) of kimchee and pickles. 

Right now, they have fliers in the restaurant for a free drink or free side of mandoo with any purchase. Don't forget to grab a frequent buyer card as well!
2 - Steven H.: Compared to gushis this place is much cleaner. However, the cleanliness does not make up for the small portions.

As to the "green" comment, how is this place green if it packages all the sauces separately instead of having a permanent container for them? 

+1 for fancy packaging
-2 for wasteful packaging

as for the food, it was pretty good but not spectacular
3 - jennifer L.: Just like bibigo's popular dish bibimbap meaning "mixed rice," I have mixed feelings about this place. 

I'm more in love with the restaurant's look+feel, than from the actual food.
 
Bibigo is considered more Asian fusion than traditional. Given it's more of a "fast-style" food place. You order at the counter, given a number card, and someone will bring the food to you. (Sorta like a Korean Chipotle) It's a great introduction place for those who aren't familiar with bibimbap though!!

+ Ambience (5/5): I really like the look and feel of this place! It's modern, clean with an earthy feel. There's lots of natural wood and bamboo in the furnishings. 
+ Pageon Seafood Pancake $9 (4/5): This was tasty! Probably my favorite dish at the restaurant. It was served on a hot grilled plate over fire. Stays warm throughout the meal. 
+ Ordering: You order at the counter and there's a step-by-step process on selecting your food. For example, for bibimbap:
     Step 1: You choose your menu. Select from Bibigo Rice, Bibimbap or Hot Stone Bibimbap.
     Step 2: Choose your Rice - white, black pearl (healthy!), sprouted brown (super healthy), barley & white (for those who are in the transition to being healthy, but still adore their white rice.)
     Step 3: Topping - Bulgolgi, Chicken, Tofu
     Step 4: Sauces - Kohot, Ssam Sauce, Green Sesame, Citron Soy

Food
-- Tofu Hot Stone Bibimbap $9 (3/5): The tofu, rice and veggies were good and it was flavorful with the sauces I used (sesame oil and green sesame). But nothing out of the ordinary. Considered that I was cooked in a hot stone pot, the rice wasn't crispy. Sad!! I love putting in some elbow grease to scrap off the crispy rice from the black stone pot. It just wasn't the same. 
-- Spicy Rice Cake (dduk bogi) $9 (3/5): This wasn't that great either. The sauce was spicy and sweet, but the texture wasn't like the traditional dduk. i felt bibigo's spicy rice cake was pan-friend on the outside? it had a weird hard texture to it before biting into the chewy center. But what I did like was that it was served mixed in with sweet potato fries. yum!

The location however, is awesome! Nestled in UCLA's college-town, Westwood, this is convenient for college students who want to grab a quick bite to eat without suffering through slow service. 

Although I enjoy eating Korean food, especially bibimbop, this place doesn't match up to what I'm used to. I'd come back more for the experience.
2 - Kandice C.: Okay, I don't want to sound like a holier-than-thou, Korean snob, but if Bibigo is trying to cater to the Caucasian crowd, CONGRATS! Because I'm positive that you've lost your Asian demographics to the:

1. Illegitimacy of the bibimbap (the thing doesn't even have a fried EGG) 
2. Illegitimacy of the bibimbap (broccoli in the rice? why don't you throw brussels sprouts in there too? Or another awkward vegetable that has never been used in the history of all bibimbaps?)
3. Did I say the illegitimacy of the bibimbap?
4. And why the HEYYY are the sauces in those little packets that you get on the freaking airplane to Korea?? I felt like I was in a Boeing-747, bracing myself for a 14-hour flight over the Pacific Ocean when I saw those little shits.

The only legitimately Korean thing about this place was that their ssam sauce has MSG.

www.ferosh.net
2 - Eric T.: I always thought they were missing a homestyle korean restaurant in Westwood.  Unfortunately, this place doesn't quite make it.  The decor is pretty nice inside this new place and the service is unusually good also.  I tried the hot stone bibimbap with chicken.  For me, the high points of the hot stone bibimbap are 1) the red sauce, 2) the bean sprouts and other veggies, 3) the fried sunny-side up egg, 4) the crispy rice and 5) the banchan.  You get one small packet of red bibimbap sauce, which is pretty good I admit, but you only get one!  Also, there's no egg.  The veggies included are bean sprouts and . . . broccoli?  Also, the rice was only slightly crispy on the bottom probably because the stone pot wasn't hot enough.  And as for the banchan,  you only get a morsel of kimchee and a few jalapenos.  The positives are that all the ingredients including the chicken were good quality and the meal was pretty healthy.  As mentioned by other Yelpers, the straight 8.99 pricing across the board doesn't make much sense.  I don't see this place staying for a long time without making some changes.  Unfortunately, I'll probably be back here just because there really aren't any other alternatives other than Gushi around here.  The dumplings might be worth a try next time.
1 - Brian W.: Maybe one star is harsh.

But then I add up my experience...

Ordering was an ok process for me, at least one of the cashiers was decent.. The other, though, appeared to be like a trainee on her first day, and it was about as pleasant. "Oh you have a drink too? AUGH! HELP!"

You then get your number, walk over and pick up your tray, and find a seat. The restaurant is pretty good sized inside, nice and clean and modern, and the trays are cute, so are the b!bigo sauce packets and stuff. Then you realize how wasteful this is-- we're eating in, so we don't need disposable sauce packets and crap. A b!bigo-branded bottle of hot sauce and sesame oil would do just as well. I mean this place can't be cheap to run...

Then you realize you paid $8.99 for your bibimbap. I mean, not too bad for west LA pricing, but ouch.

Finally... your food comes.

There's no egg. The dol-set bibimbap is no extra charge vs. the standard one, which is cool, but then one of our orders should've been brown rice. it's white rice. Argh. Stir things up, add in the hot sauce and sesame oil... and it's decidedly mediocre. Veggies are a bit too stringy, the meat is forgettable, and, well, no egg? Seriously guys? And broccoli? Weird.

Maybe this place deserves 2 stars, but the experience is just so *wrong* feeling...
4 - sherry w.: Although this place has been open since the summer, I only recently tried it out and I must say I am impressed. I have had bibimbap before but not quite like this. I got the beef bibimbap and the seafood pancake, both were delicious. The bibimbap was served in a stone bowl, this was very unique as I have never eaten a full meal out of a stone bowl before. It was also very convenient for keeping the food warm throughout the meal. It came with beef, rice, spinach, mushroom, kimchee, green onions and the other standard veggies that come along with bibimbap. Although in my previous experience it always came with an egg, this was not the case at bibigo. You have a selection of hot sauces to choose from, I got the hottest of course and it also came with a pouch of sesame oil, a very nice addition to the meal. You mix it all together yourself. The seafood pancake was essentially egg pancake encrusted with scallops, shrimp, green onions, and small bits of squid. It also came with its own dipping sauce and a side of kimchee. Both things together was around $18, it may seem expensive if you view bibigo as a fast food or takeout eatery but you can in fact have a sit down dinner with full waiter service if you so choose which in that case $18 seems like a steal. I highly recommend this place.
4 - Charles C.: My friend and I ran into this place on accident. The decor and interior of this place is really nice and clean. As for the food, I ordered the Bibimbap with bulgogi meat on a hot stone. The food was great but I really don't recommend having it on the hot stone as the rice tends to cook longer than it should and it hardens. The service was good as well as the cashier explained how to order and such.
4 - Kristine N.: Mmm.  I tried this for the first time with some friends...we weren't sure what to expect but the design of the restaurant lured us in.  Everyone was super nice and willing to explain the menu.  I got the Jap Chae with veggies, my friends got the hot stone bowl with bulgogi and the rice place with chicken.   Everything was yummy.  The decor threw us off, it was super chic for a cheap/take-out place which is a nice surprise.  They have a really cute patio as well...and they turn down the lights and light candles for dinner to set the mood...interesting to say the least. I only took off 1 star because everything is in throw-away packets (except the bowl and utensils), which I'm not a fan...

  I'm definitely going back because it was cheap and yummy...but I'm upset that this just came into westwood after I graduated...thanks for that.
3 - katphishy w.: had to change my review to a-ok. visited 2 more times, and i'm not enjoying it as much once the novelty wore off.

i ordered the noodles the on my 3rd visit and the portion seemed a bit small. actually, now it seems like for $9, they should provide a bit more veggies for all the entrees.  and $3.50 for a drink? no, thanks.

and after reading some other yelpers' comments, i would have to agree:  the packaging for sauces and silverware is quite unnecessary and not environmentally friendly.  =(

it's superficially nice (decor/service), but nothing substantial to keep costumers coming back... it's not doing it for me.
2 - Priscilla Z.: Had it just now. The restaurant is bright and big. I like the backyard. It's quite and private.

The decoration definitely counts more than the food itself. I ordered the hot bibimbo, with bugulgi and black rice. The amount is sooooooo little, compared to its not cheap price(8.85+tax). no wonder my friends went to In n Out after having this. 

The taste has no surprise. I guess the price is paid for the place and the waitors. It cannot compare with Gushi, which has a large amount and a decent price.
4 - Eva H.: Thank you for bringing fresh, casual, healthy Korean food to Westwood/UCLA! 

The menu is simple and straightforward -any Korean food n00b can do it. Pick your "cooking style", rice, protein, and sauce. All for $9 (which sounds okay, but i makes me feel like I have to get meat instead of tofu!) 

I love the natural wood and neutral colors of the decor, there is a nice patio outside, but a nice intimate and quiet dine-in area in the back of bibigo. The dining area made me feel like I was in a fancy restaurant, not a place that has trays and numbered orders. 

The service was unbelievably great, the servers are all very attentive, nice and helpful- extra sauce packets? more kimchi? more water? free tea packets? Service with a smile? You got it. 

For my first bibigo experience I got black pearl rice (healthy and nutty!) bulgogi (very flavorful, not too fatty or chewy!) and ssam sauce (cashier explained it as spicy-miso sauce). The portion was huge, I had another dinner out of it, lots of veggies (shitake mushrooms, bean spouts, and broccoli). 

I can be really nitpicky and say this is not "real" bibimbap cuz it has broccoli and it doesn't have some of the "traditional" ingredients, but I say if I really want a quick filling, healthy, customizable meal- I'll think of bibigo!
4 - Anna K.: The inside of the restaurant is really neat... contemporary, fun and modern. The music was a little too much for me (techno music while having lunch isn't very pleasant). The chicken dumplings were really good and a great deal! (12 for 4.99). My parents had the bibimbap and they enjoyed it. All the branding that was done in the restaurant made the experience even more enjoyable.
4 - Christine M.: I really liked my food and the service (for not actually having to have a server) was really good. I really enjoyed my meal, it wasn't the BEST Korean BBQ I'd ever had but if you don't have the time to go to Ktown this will definitely do the trick. The atmosphere was really nice and I felt like they went out of their way to make sure you were satisfied with everything. I would definitely go back again.
4 - francis d.: I was pretty excited to come here after hearing some rave reviews from a friend. Overall the experience was pretty good and Ill definitely come back. 

food: 4/5 - Don't let the portions fool you, I got the white rice, bulgogi, and whatever the hottest sauce was in a bowl. They could of been a bit more generous with the bulgogi but overall the sizing is deceptive, it'll leave you much more stuffed than you would expect. As for taste, it felt healthy with all the veges yet this didn't interfere with taste. Good, bulgogi always is. Bibigo is a tad on the expensive side, especially when you can go to gushi for the same price and gorge your miseries away for the same price, but variety is never a bad thing. 

environment: 5/5 - Probably one of the cleaner restaurants in westwood. There are tables around the register which leads into a larger room. I had originally thought that it was just the two tables outside and the two or three next to the counter. The place is alot bigger than what you see upon first glance.

service: 3/5 - Everyone seems to be pretty professional here. They'll refill your water for you. The only problem from my experience was that the cashier answered the phone in the middle of my order, which is fine, but that lead her to mess up my order. I ordered the stone fire bowl, not the regular bowl. Can't win them all. 

overall: 4/5 - Its refreshing to see a clean and quality resturaunt around westwood, but maybe because it's new. Hopefully they'll keep it in pristine condition
4 - Rie M.: I ordered the hot stone with black pearl rice, bulgogi, and sesame sauce. I LOVE the black pearl rice, it's delicious and I definitely recommend it! I think the veggies tasted really fresh, and the sesame sauce was tasty. I finished my hot stone pot and I was completely satisfied! 

I would've given this place 5/5, but I also agree with others who say that the packaging of the sauces is a waste, especially when you're dining in.
2 - Jerry m.: I spent something like $14 or $16 bucks and all I got for it was medium size bowl of rice and a paltry serving of beef and vegetables and a drink.  An expensive price for a fast food place.   The food itself was tastesless and lacked any savory quality.  I went out of my way to go to this place as I live in Hollywood and am never in Westwood.  I was really looking for something good, as I love Korean food generally.  Sadly I came away very disappointed and still hungry.
3 - Amanda N.: Overall atmosphere at bibgo is 3-4 stars - they really did a good job setting up a pleasant dining environment.  Customer service was great and the tables are very clean, with plenty of seating available inside & outside.  However, I'd give the food itself a rating ~ 2.5-3 stars.

I ordered the hot stone pot bibimbap with bulgogi & the citrus sesame sauce.  My expectations weren't super high, since bibigo seems to market itself as a healthier dining option & I'm into greasy, unhealthy but delicious food.  Either way, the meal was decent.  The portions are large enough to make you full, though I could have done with a little more bulgogi.  I could barely taste the sauce; tried my friend's as well and couldn't really taste it either, so I think the seasoning is pretty subtle (not a bad thing, just depends on your taste preferences).  Also be careful when ordering the hot stone pot - food is crazy hot and I probably burned my lip / tongue several times trying to eat too fast.

Overall, I'd recommend bibigo to someone stuck in Westwood looking for dining options other than fast food, sushi, & CPK.  There aren't many Asian food options, let alone Korean, so if you are looking for something a little lighter than your typical Korean BBQ, I'd try bibigo.  However, I wouldn't travel out of my way to eat here, particularly because I think the food is a bit overpriced so you could find better & cheaper Korean food options elsewhere (Ktown).
2 - ping h.: Mehh. $9 .. ?.. Seems like I'm paying for its fancy utensils and to-go boxes ... I'd rather spend that money at gushi's for more tasty food, but it was a good  first try. 

Healthy meal, good service, fancy appearance. 

Ordered the bibigo. Barely &whiterice. Chicken. Citron soy and kohot sauce. Chicken looked dry but tasted decent. Whole plate came with a variety of greens which I enjoyed, but still meh. The price gets to me.
2 - Melissa N.: i tried bibigo in the interest of some bibimbap but was kind of disappointed.  i got the hot stone chicken bowl with kohot sauce.  while the sauce was great and spicy, the chicken was kind of dry and lacked flavor.  after mixing everything in, i generally wish i had an egg i could crack in there, but was left without an egg in sight.  i heard the beef was slightly better but in the long run, i would rather spend this money and go to bcd and get some soondobu.  i would probably give it one more go and get something else off the menu that isn't a rice bowl, but i think that may not be for a while...
4 - Jean L.: Fast food is in the taste bud of the diner. 

They call themselves healthy, fresh and fast food. It's definitely what you would see in the food courts of Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan -- and theirs is 101% better than what we deem as fast food. I mean, Joan's on Third or Urth would be their equivalent. So, take the Far East definition of fast food and rating with a grain of salt. 

That said, I was pleasantly surprised to find Bibigo healthy, fresh, and (how) fast food (should be). You order at the counter, get a number and a tray, sit, and wait for your food to arrive. It's better than a food court because there's actually service. It's the same as a food court because you get your own condiments per tray. 

I got the hot stone bibimbap with black pearl rice, tofu and ssam sauce. It was deeeeeliciousss. Grainy, sticky, just a tad salty with the sauce. The tofu was bountiful, and the veggies, too. HOT though, so be careful. :P 

My friend's hot stone had the beef with brown rice and ssam sauce. He cleared his dish! 

They also offer free tea, but no hot water (you make your own iced green). 

Service was absolutely....darling. I mean that, in that the guy had a European accent and was sweet as bbopgi.
5 - Shahin O.: My gf and I tried this place tonight on a whim and we were sooooo pleasantly surprised! The hot stone bulgogi is amazing but you have to get the black rice with it. Yuuummmyy!! Oh ask for allthe sauces til you find your fav or fav combination. I love the green sesame, my gf loved the kohot (spicy!) and green sesame mixed. Oh and the portions are enough for two.. Maybe one if you're starving :) plus the place was well priced, insanely clean, and all the staff were very friendly. I have a wonderful new favorite spot in Westwood now!!
2 - Charmian W.: My friend heard from another friend that this place is supposedly pretty good... And I suppose it IS good in terms of cleanliness, service, and the modern Asian ambiance. 

What I really didn't like was the size proportions - I had ordered the hot stone bibimbap with white rice, bulgogi, and citron soy sauce, and I was seriously looking forward to a generous amount of food for the $8.99 that I had paid..... And I was still kinda hungry afterward not to mention really thirsty!

Honestly, I didn't think it was worth my money. I would rather go to Gushi's or Sak's Teriyaki instead of this place. =//
2 - Frank G.: Bibigo is a nice addition to the Westwood Village fast food restaurant scene.  If you're sick of falafel, or the thought of calzone doesn't whet your appetite, Bibigo does the trick quite nicely.  

It's by no means a gourmet jewel, no sir.  It's Korean fast food.  

I've tried the beef as well as the chicken, served on a hot stone bowl-- and man, that rice gets friggin hot!  The beef is tastier than their chicken, but that's not saying much.  You can find the same quality meat at any Japanese takeout spot.  

The menu is really basic, e.g. there are only 3-4 items.  So, it's not like you can return to this place thinking, "I have got to try that dish next time!"

They do a few things I don't like: the sauces come in these little packets, which reminds me I'm at some cafeteria.  It would be nice if they presented the sauces in something a little more part of their theme.  And, they microwave their rice before serving-- now that is just wrong.  WRONG!  Oh, and they could stand to give you a better helping of kim chee (or whatever that is they serve on the side).

Come here with high hopes, and you'll wish you'd have gone to the Chipotle next door.  But, if you treat Bibigo for what it's worth, you might even come back.
4 - kay w.: Yes!  I liked it a lot for this place.  Went a week ago for the first time.   They have nice atmosphere, yummy food and get a sense of ecological.  I would definitely go back here!!
2 - Lennar M.: It's glorified bibimbap. As an Asian, I was offended that the rice was cooked in an individual container that was probably microwaved. How hard is it to use a rice cooker? 

Cutesy packaging when you get it to-go. The money used for the cool spoon and the plastic bag could've been used to put more meat or at least more veggies in my bowl. I'm an American, dammit! I don't want the 1 serving, I want my 3 servings of food!
4 - Yi Z.: If Bibigo were in Ktown, it would get 2.5 stars from me.  But I believe in rating places for what they are.  And Bibigo in Westwood is a fast food bibimbap place with decent food and excellent service.  And since service is so highly valued on the Westside, it gets 4 stars from me.

The ordering process is a bit confusing.  There are many option for rice, protein, sauce, and type of bowl.  I decided to get the hot stone, barley and rice, bulgogi bibimbap with kohot sauce.  Ok, I've had much better dolsot bibimbap in my life.  And at $10, it wasn't exactly cheap. However, it was pretty tasty.

The main problem I had with the meal was that the egg ($0.50 extra) was subpar.  Because everything was precooked so it could come out instantaneously, the egg was also precooked.  They tried to make it so that the yolk wasn't completely solid but it was difficult to achieve the level of doneness desired. Furthermore, the stone pot wasn't hot enough and the rice never really crisped up.

Despite these issue with the food, I found the service to be extra attentive.  In addition, the ambiance is awesome.  There's nicely-decorated indoor space as well as two outdoor patio seating areas.  The food came out within a couple of minutes of ordering.  The employees constantly came by to refill our waters and to make sure everything was fine.  It kind of felt like getting the service of a sit-down restaurant at a fast food place.  For what it is, Bibigo is pretty cool.  However, if given the chance, I'd rather go to Ktown for bibimbap.
3 - Daniel L.: The increasing visibility of restaurant closures in the Westwood Village has drastically reduced the number of excitable dining options for those who work and go to school in the area. In the past few years there has been little invested to revitalize the Village while high rent remains the primary reason for keeping others from filling the emptied venues up and down the boulevard. The only sign of growth has been the few new Asian fast food chain restaurants that had moved into the neighborhood at the start of this academic year. Among them, bibigo, arrives from Korea that specializes on customized bibimbap with fresh ingredients and a healthy taste. 

Their menu includes a few entrées ranging from spicy rice cake, japchae, seafood pancake and others interesting dishes. Included is also a list of ingredients for people to mix and match for their choice of bibimbap from a variety of rice, toppings, and sauces. My order of Hot Stone Bibimbap ($8.99) came with chicken, spinach, sprouts, broccoli, mushrooms, greens and sizzling white rice topped with a runny egg that costs an additional 50 cents. 

There were some unbalanced representation among the colorful ingredients that were there, and the bowl could use a few more packets of kohot sauce and sesame oil that were served on the side. The rice lacked the burnt crispy textures even after it had been left in the bowl for a few extra minutes of sizzling, and the large pieces of chicken were dry and unseasoned. Towards the end of the meal I was able to get an extra packet of kohot sauce which significantly helped to enhance the overall flavor.

Service was friendly but I also thought the side dishes of jalapeno, kimchi, and seasonings could be more generous. The vibe is casual and the venue is posh for a fast food restaurant. It's good to know that they finally offer the option of adding an egg to the bibimbap, but interested diners should take their steep prices into consideration when compared to the sit down restaurants in Koreatown.
4 - Todd N.: This place is definitely not your typical KBBQ place.  The major plus to this restaurant is it's location, Westwood.  To be honest though, when my friends suggested we eat here, I kind of looked at the outside, and I wasn't to sure if it would be a good place to eat.  Judging from the outside, I thought it was one of those small kbbq to-go places where they didn't have a lot of options; WELL WAS I WRONG!

How they have the menu set up is very interesting.  Aside from their other normal dishes and appetizers (there were about 6), they had their normal, interesting menu.  There are 4 categories to choose from: style (like the different types of ways to cook it), meat (bulgogi, chicken, or tofu), rice (there are 4 kinds), and sauce (also 4 kinds).  I decided to get the normal bibigo with black rice and bulgogi and the ssam sauce.  According to them, the traditional sauce is the pepper one, I forget.

I've never had this sort of dining experience either.  After you pay, you go to the left where they have a tray laid out with your special sauce in a little packet, and one side of each of kimchi and jalapeno's.  The food came out really  quickly to, and it was so fresh and delicious!!! In addition, the staff was super attentive, and our waiter was always there for us if we ever needed anything.

I'm only rating this 4 stars just because I've had KBBQ in K-town and other traditional restaurants, and it hasn't quite hit up that high on my palette.  Don't be fooled though, I definitely would recommend this place to everyone if you're ever in Westwood.  The price isn't bad either, you get a lot of food for the money you pay.
3 - Teresa S.: The decor of bibigo is really nice and "naturey" with a modern twist, and the packaging is very cute and Asian-sleek! The food is good and fresh; however, it's nothing special or memorable. And I do wish they served more beef with the jap chae, and my friend made the same complaint with his bibimbap. It is also pretty pricey if you're a college student and would like to see the quantity = $. It was about $9 each for jap chae and bibimbap. While the quantity is not terribly small, you'll probably feel you get more bang for you buck at Gushi, which is practically around the corner, and serves such a large amount of kalbi and rice with kimchee and salad for $10 that you can turn it into 2 meals!
4 - lesi w.: Being in school, I don't eat very healthy. Most of my diet consists of crappy pizza and hor d'oeuvres from recruiting events. It's also pretty difficult to find health options in Westwood. Bibigo is a great option. Good balance of meat, veg and rice; you can get black or brown rice for extra healthiness. 

I went with 2 friends and we all got the bibimbop. We all agreed that it was really good. I also felt very health which is convincing me not to go to the gym this week. Korean food is usuaully pretty unfriendly for vegetarians however you can get the bibimbop with tofu which solves the problem. 

the place also has a quiet outdoor dining area in a quiet alcove. Great for getting away from the hustle of the City (westwood).
4 - Vik B.: Got the hotpot bibimbap with bulgogi, black pearl rice and kohot sauce. You order the bowl type, protein type, rice type, and sauce type from the menu. Chic place, really well packaged to-go bag. I know they opened relatively recently, but I got service like a sitdown restaurant. The manager went out of his way to get things for me, and checked on my order several times even though the wait was not unreasonable.

Food was very good, fresh vegetables and good meat. The rice was heated from a prepackaged pouch, but it looked and tasted fresh. Good serving size, and a fair value for money. Probably not the most traditional Korean food in some ways; but very convenient, sharp packaging/marketing, and very friendly attentive staff. Check it out!
2 - Hunter L.: Came here 3 time for lunch
 Decent food but very poor service. Ordered brown rice and got white instead. Then manager1 tried to convince me that its "darker" rice. Manager2 just said "ok" did not apologize.  Terrible management.
5 - Maritza Y.: Lunch break...where in westwood is there to go? this place has proven to be the right choice again and again. fresh, tasty, faster than most, and a lot of food... only qualms are the prices and the fact that more people don't come here! tell your friends. i don't want it to go away!!
4 - Mohib Q.: I agree with Lennar M. when he states this is "glorified bibimbap." For what it is, it's done well. 

Walking up on the place for dinner, I noted the place looked to be brightly colored in a lime green and white trim. The entrance seemed small, but a worker assured me that there was plenty of space in the back. As it turns out, there's a plenty of space in the back, and a little outside courtyard area as well.

I ordered through their customizable menu a bibimbap that had barley and rice, and the usual greens-mushroom, spinach, broccoli. I found it relatively good, but lacking in quantity in comparison to some Koreatown restaurants. Either way, the place has carved a niche for itself here in Westwood, being the only fast food Korean place outside of Gushi to dominate the area. I give them a great deal of credit for it, and as avid supporter of the need for Westwood businesses survive I recommend you check it out. Parking, however, may be a problem if you're not a local.
4 - Thomas L.: gets the job done if you're having korean food cravings ... wish they had more banchan!!
4 - Alison Z.: The concept and food was great! Not as good as some other sit-down Korean restaurants, but I love the fast service and customization of the menu items. Had the dumplings and the hot stone bibimbap with bulgogi, and everything was tasty. Looks like it would be great for take out too. Loved the modern, consistent design of everything, from the restaurant itself, down to the wrappers on the chop sticks and the take out boxes. Hope this comes to the Bay Area soon!
5 - jerry s.: food was really great and the staff were the best.
5 - Alistair L.: Great food and great service.  It's nice to have a good Korean food restaurant on the westside that isn't pricey.
5 - Ronald R.: Yummy! So much better than gushi. My for sure Westside Korean fix.
5 - Leo D.: Got to try their food and the food was really good, really healthy.  I like the selection of sauces and different combination. Awesome.
5 - Darren H.: This is a great place.  It doesn't try to overstate itself as a full blown Korean BBQ restaurant.  It's a fast food version.  And, for what it's worth, I think they hit a bullseye.

Fast, wonderful customer service.  The manager even came by just to check on us.

Got it to-go once, as well.  The packaging may seem a bit excessive, but I thought it was a really nice touch.  So many places skimp on that sort of thing.  It's nice to see a place...fast food at that...that still cares about presentation.

Love it.  I will definitely be back with friends!
4 - Raquel F.: Not bad at all! When we arrived, we were greeted by the manager as we placed our order. The food was fresh, flavorful, served very quickly and I didn't feel disgusting after eating it (very healthy!!) I ordered the bulgogi hot stone bibimbap over brown rice with Kohot sauce. The vegetables were served with the bulgogi over a bed of crispy rice. YUM!!!! The ambiance was simple with a touch of elegance - not bad for $8.99.
4 - Stephen C.: This place is actually quite good for healthy Korean food. It is definitely a light meal if you are looking for something that isn't greasy or heavy. The only downside about this place is the price for the food. Any of the combos can cost you around 12 dollars for a small portion. 

I usually order the bibimpap stone pot which you have to eat there. If you to go, they wont give you the stone pot.
1 - Justin S.: Worst-tasting dol sot bibimbap ever.
5 - Rina L.: my favorite is sweet and spicy chicken! 
Love the interior too.
4 - Eliza H.: VENUE: Appears to be small at first but there is seating in the front AND the back. Place is very clean and has a very modern look to. They have an awesome umbrella bag dispenser in the front - which cracks me up because it rarely rains in California. 

FOOD: At first i wasn't expecting anything good because korean food is usually pretty good no matter where you get it and we were ordering to go some basic "go-to" korean dishes. Bulgogi was standard. Good and tender, marinated well. A good choice if you're hungry and don't want to try anything else. The bibigo to-go boxes include vegetables and rice but if you order off the entree menu it's just the meat. I got the Sweet and spicy chicken. OMGAH. Totally caught off guard by how good this was I mean it was only chicken but for some reason it was super super good. Like the korean version of "orange chicken from Panda express." lol Outside was crispy and inside was tender. Very good.

SERVICE: The door was opened for us on our way out and the guy takin our order was extremely patient with my indecisiveness. He was professional (looking fly in a suit) and friendly.
4 - Elaine W.: Healthy Korean food has finally arrived in Westwood!

This place's bibimbap is great. The mere fact that it offers different, HEALTHIER types of rice is good enough for me to become a loyal customer. And you can customize your sauce and protein type as well. I haven't tried anything other than stone pot, but in these chilly winter days, I definitely crave something piping hot.

Granted it's not that authentic...their pajeon (Korean seafood pancake) was served on a hot plate and it had the consistency of a hash brown. It was a tad oily but still delicious, and it was nice to see them put an original spin on a classic.

It may be Korean fast food, but the interior is incredibly nice. They even put candles on the tables at night! Too adorable.
5 - Pup K.: I fell in love with their idea of putting a signature Korean dish (bibimbap) into a fast-food concept. This is like a Chipotle mixed with Pink berry designs. Loved their Westwood venue. It was healthy and delicious. I ordered the hot stone but definitely would like to try other styles next time.  I enjoyed their mandoo as well! I totally recommend this place.
4 - Wendy L.: Frankly, I had low expectations for a place that claimed to serve healthy-ish and tasty korean food in Westwood (aka not K-town). I almost expected it to be as frightening as the dim sum place that had previously occupied that space, but I was pleasantly surprised when I found instead a clean restaurant with welcoming, well-dressed service and straighforward bibimbop.

 I don't have much experience with bibimbop but ordering it at Bibigo was simple enough. Basically you order your type of bowl, type of rice, type of meat, and type of sauce. Then you grab a seat (and your kimchi) in either the indoor seating at the back or the equally relaxing patio (with heat lamps if you're a weather-spoiled Socal-er like myself) until they bring your food out to you. Another plus, you don't have to bus your own -- they do that too. 

I had the hot stone bowl with bulgolgi, barley and white rice, and kohot sauce. It was flavorful, actually piping hot, and not too greasy or heavy. Even though I essentially ate a huge pot of rice, I didn't feel overwhelming full or disgustingly greasy (big plus for relatively fast food). 

Great place if you're stuck on the westside and you're hit with a sudden korean food craving. Bibigo makes ordering as simple and quick as Chipotle but with restaurant-style service and guilt-less food. Only 1 star off because it's slightly on the pricey side at a little over $10 per bowl, but then again, I'm used to K-town prices for korean food.
4 - Faranak N.: The food is simply delicious and gets 5 stars. The atmosphere is so so and gets 3 stars. So it averages out to 4. I would go back for the food and get it as take out. The to go packaging is really cute.
3 - Snow T.: I visited here several times and feel the quality is not very consistent. It was indeed very good in the beginning.

Today I went to bibigo again and order my favorite Japchae noodles and found it was going down: the Japchae was so soggy and watery, not enough flavor but very salty, and the bulgogi on top was overcooked and very hard.

I did not finish my plate.
3 - Cynthia k.: 3.5 stars.  i did enjoy my stone bowl bibimbap, but was saddened by the lack of panchan available.  the service was very professional and the restaurant was clean and inviting.  very sleek and modern - reminds me of snackhouses/teashops i've been to in seoul.  

i agree with other reviewers, that it is a bit pricy for what you receive, but the only comparable place for me would be tofu-ya on sawtelle.  if you're limited by transportation to the village, this is a very good option. 

besides, who doesn't love a big hot bowl of rice, meat and veggies!
4 - James R.: Went to lunch yesterday in Westwood, and the four of us were apprehensive about trying this place, only because it wasn't the traditional Korean BBQ places we were used to.  We were all very pleased with how delicious and fresh the food was.  We all had different dishes and came away very happy.  

Good food for a good price, with great service.  

Caution:  the stone pots are very hot, and not safe for kids.
3 - Woger W.: I had the jap chae noodles.  They were what I was craving but it took forever!  I couldn't believe it.  I'm not sure I will ever go back even though it's likely that was an unusual circumstance.
1 - Sophia d.: Wow Bibigo, what a disappointment.
I had heard great reviews of this place, so my girlfriend and I checked it out this week. Bad decision? I think so.
First of all, I get that the food here is healthy, and that is why a lot of people enjoy it. But healthy out-to-dinner food cannot be a lone qualifier, because I can make healthy-tasting food in my own kitchen. The point is for it to be delicious!
Bibigo was not. The flavors were bland, bland, and even more bland in my rice and shrimp dish. Not only that, but my shrimp were super small and i only got about 4.
My girlfriend got the noodle dish, and the texture was super strange, and the flavor too sweet.
The only good thing I can say about this place is that the back seating area is cozy, and they had cute little tealights on each table. Oh! And nice bathrooms. if i had to use the bathroom in Westwood, i would stop by here. Otherwise, I would never come here again.
1 - Gil G.: Capitalizing on the "go" part of their name, I ordered two bibimbaps as take out.  The menu looked enticing and I was really looking forward to the meal.

First, the food.  It was bland.  Both the white and black pearl rice was pre-packaged in a plastic container, then wrapped in a cardboard, much like any TV dinner.  They probably microwaved it.  One of our meals had bulgogi and the other chicken.  The former was mushy and the latter overcooked and leathery.  The only saving grace was the spinach, which was well-seasoned and cooked well.  The servings were small.

Second, the establishment.  It's clean and attractively maintained, as you would hope for a new place.  Most of the food sits behind a glass countertop.  Some guy in a chef's hat scooped everything from the counter into a cardboard box for us.  I thought it looked pretty ridiculous, but had no serious complaint.  

Third, the waste.  I was disturbed once I took the food home and opened it.  The packaging was an environmental disaster.  Here is what I got:

* Thick plastic take-out bag
* Thick cardboard liner, pre-printed with instrunctions.
* 4 packages of soy sauce, individually wrapped in plastic
* 2 packages of sesame oil, individually wrapped in plastic
* 2 sets of plastic utensils, individually wrapped (in paper or plastic, not sure)
* 2 cardboard cartons housing the meats, etc.
* 2 servings of rice, in a plastic container, wrapped with cardboard
* 2 handwipes, individually wrapped in plastic.

Most of these items were much larger than typical.  For instance, the soy sauce package had about 50% more surface area than your typical soy sauce package.  It's not unusual for take-out places to give you individually wrapped soy sauce and utensils, but the entirety of the experience was just too much.  

In sum, I see no reason to go back here.
5 - taffytc c.: I thought this place would not be legit, because of how it sounds, but it's amazing. I'm korean and grew up with Korean food, and usually hate bibimbab, but the hot stone is so good. I get pearl black rice, beef, and kohot AND sam sauce. (make sure you let it sit a bit so the rice on the bottom can stick to the bottom and burn a little.. mmmmm....). 
Also, their spicy rice cake is a definite specialty. It's usually a whatevers dish, but they cook it differently here where they fry it first so the outsides get crunchy, and the sause is different and delicious, and they add sweet yam in there too. The managers and employess are super nice and it's good service. Don't forget to tip the table!
4 - christine p.: Not exactly your K-town bibimbap. But not bad either, and definitely worth a try. 

I work in the glorious, aforementioned K-town, and am privileged enough to be able to eat Korean food everyday;  however, on this particular occasion, I  was in Westwood for a conference. You'd think I'd grab a chicken curry sandwich at Pain Quotidian just to mix it up. 

As skeptical as I was, I couldn't resist it. 

I love that you can choose your own rice  (brown!), and have tofu instead of the questionable k-town meat; and sure, you have to pay 50 cents more for the egg, but I like that too, especially since I try to avoid eggs unless I know where they're coming from. 

The packaged "Kohot" sauce  was okay (I don't think it was authentic gochuchang). It didn't have too much of a kick, but I added my little portion of  kimchi, and was happy with the results.  And yes, you only get kimchi and jalapenos for your "banchan." What do you expect, it's Westwood Village, and the place is called Bibigo, not Bibistop-and-hang-out-and-enjoy-a-variety-of-side-dishes-which-most people-waste-anyway. (If it's banchan you want, go to Soban.)

The service is super quick, and there's plenty of seating in the back and outside. The bathroom is also very clean--especially compared to the one at the Federal Building. 

Oh, and it certainly didn't hurt that they were offering a free order of dumplings (very simple and not greasy at all) for checking in.

It's only a couple dollars more than Baja Fresh. And it's cheaper and quicker than Pain Quotidian.  It's unlikely that I'll come back, but I would recommend this place to people in the area who want a quick, healthy, Korean-esque lunch.
3 - Bridget P.: I always like seeing new, fresh places in Westwood, after being here for so long. Went here for the first time today. Not sure how I'd describe it other than Korean fast food, in a Pinkberry-ish atmosphere.

The line is long during lunchtime, but moves quickly. The ordering process is a tad confusing, with no descriptions of the sauces, options, whatever. I took a guess and ordered the bibimbap with black pearl rice, shrimp, and green sesame sauce (I'm eating the rest now as I write this review). Lunch date ordered the stone pot bibimbap with bulgogi, brown rice, and hohot sauce. Lunch for 2 was $25, which seemed a little absurd, considering the fast-food-type ordering and atmosphere. 

After ordering, you are given a tray with kimchee and water, to take back to your table. We went to the cute patio outside. I had to go back and ask for chopsticks, since we couldn't find them (or napkins) anywhere. I guess it wasn't very clear that not ordering the "stone pot" meant that you get cold food, which is what I got. Next time, I'll know better. Everything was fast, and our food was brought out quickly despite the crowd.

When I went back to get takeout boxes, the girl handed me one box with red hot sauce (I hope?) in it. My lunch partner noticed and took it back right away. Counter staff seemed a little apathetic, or maybe I'm spoiled by the other new Korean place a few streets up, Isaac Toast, with staff who seems happier than I am when I'm at the bars at 5:00 PM (and that's saying a lot). 

Overall, it was pretty decent food, just not $8.99 good. There were about 4 shrimps in my rice dish. It was essentially a big bowl of rice, which was good, but needed the 2 packets of sauce they gave to give it any flavor whatsoever. Ain't got nothing on BCD or any other bibimbap spot, but it was a filling lunch. I'd probably go back and order other things if the prices weren't so ridiculous (especially since it was mostly pre-cooked food). Fast food should have fast food prices.
4 - Nikki K.: I came here with a couple friends on New Year's Day because it was basically the only place open in all of Westwood.  The restaurant always appealed to me from the outside, and when the owner kindly beckoned us in, we couldn't refuse.

I was taken aback by how cute and stylish the interior of bibigo is!  Seriously, this is the cutest place in all of Westwood.  The back room is actually kind of huge, so don't let the front of the restaurant fool you.  I love the minimal decor.  Not sure if they have free wi-fi, but I feel like it would be a great study place to study because of the ambiance.

Anyway, about the food.  I ordered the hot stone bibimbap, which is, I guess, bibigo's signature dish.  Honestly, I don't know anything about Korean food except that I could eat kalbi and bulgogi all day.

The presentation of the bibimbap was great.  It's legit served in a hot stone!  I really liked being able to put the exact amount of sauce I wanted.  They give it to you in packets so you can flavor it yourself.  I liked the meat and the rice, but -- and I'm kind of embarrassed to say it -- too many vegetables.  I'm sorry!  I'm a girl who lives on meat!  Some of the veggies were good, like the bean sprouts and broccoli.  But some of those foreign green leaves tasted weird to me.

Besides all the things that triggered my vegetable aversion, bibigo was great!  Like I said, the meat was yummy, the ambiance was great, the service was really good, and the free mandoo with Yelp check-in couldn't be beat.  :)  I'll definitely be back again to get some japchae!
3 - Jean Y.: Cute concept, interior, and graphics. Friendly service. I felt like I was walking into a froyo store instead of a bibimbap place. 

The food wasn't spectacular. Although I haven't had Korean food at an American mall before, this is how I imagine it would taste. 

The hot stone bibimbap is $8.99. You can also get regular bibimbap or a rice plate. For the rice dishes, you choose:
1. a type of rice - white, black pearl, brown, barley mix (I saw other people sample different types of rice to make a decision, so seems like that's an option!)
2. a topping - tofu, chicken, bulgogi
3. a sauce - kohot, ssam, green sesame, citron soy. The sauce comes in packets. Not quite as satisfying as a squeeze bottle!  I was given two packets, which wasn't quite enough sauce to cover my rice.

Extra $0.50 for the fried egg. The bibimbap came with shiitake mushrooms, broccoli, bean sprouts, and some other veggies. Overall it wasn't very flavorful, and the green sesame sauce I chose added an earthy grassy taste that I didn't particularly like. 

I also got free chicken & cilantro dumplings for checking in on Yelp. They were small deep fried bits and also not very flavorful.
4 - Lynne G.: Good food, service and ambience.  We go here on a regular basis and always have a good dining experience.
2 - Sophia T.: Wow. So I was wandering by, thinking I might stop by Chipotle to grab a quick late meal on a Thursday evening at 8:30-ish. I notice a new korean place, so I stop to look at the menu. Eh, typical basic korean food. Wasn't about to go in. Esp if almost everything is ~9. Then the manager comes and smiles and tries to get me to come in and sit down. Since he's trying so hard, I figured I could try a new place n' see if I have a new go-to. Sadly, not. 

So it's nice that the pricing is easy no matter what you get, it's 8.99. Which is nice if the food is all equivalent. But they charge you an extra 50 cents for an egg on top (NOT mentioned when they asked me if I wanted egg). And I don't think the stone pot is equivalent to regular bim bim bap. Waitress is friendly enough. 

I get it for takeout, and everything's done in about 4 minutes. At least I didn't need to wait long. I get back and take everything out. So yes, it's nice they're going for the eco-friendly utensils and compostable takeout box. But TINY portions (for the same, I get 2-3 times more in k-town), food is just so-so, and the rice is MICROWAVED. uh... no. Yes, I loved the fact that they offered the black pearl rice, but microwaved? HUGE disappointment. C'mon. We know rice is cheap enough. You can give more than a tiny plastic bowlful to add to a small container of meat n' veggies. and the "green sesame" sauce -- ugh. did not help. 

Maybe I'm spoiled b/c I lived in k-town for 6 years, but NO BAN-CHAN?! (the little dishes you get at ANY korean restaurant as appetizers) Not even a little kim-chi or daikon in sight. And you're RUN by Koreans! Come on! You know better! 

Sorry. I wanted to like you. But your money hasn't been put into your food. It was put into the look and the packaging. And if your food ain't there, you're not gonna last. Esp not in Westwood. Better luck elsewhere. I'm going back to K-town.
5 - Michi K.: Awesome! Great korean fusion food. Great price too considering they dont expect tip after attentive service, healthy food with such fresh ingredients!
Makes it really hard not to come back
5 - Jamie S.: I love this place.  It's a favorite lunch spot of my firm in Westwood.  They re-did the interior really well and the exterior from when it was the Chinese restaurant.  And the food is great - it's a less greasy alternative to Gushi on the other side of that street.  Service is also really great.  So glad there's another Korean place on the Westside, and Bibigo is by far the best on this side of town.
3 - Eliza A.: Atmosphere is fresh, good decor, plenty of seating, very friendly and attentive service. It's order at the front, tray and number style like corner bakery but a whole lot nicer feel to it. 

I only give it 3 stars though because the food is disappointing. I got a bibimbap with sprouted brown rice and bulgogi and Kohot sauce. Food is dry. Sauce comes in tear open packets. 

I can tell just by looking that the food is very healthy. No grease even from the fried egg, bulgogi is dry but not greasy. It'd all be fine if it didn't cost a hefty $10...and that doesn't even include a drink! The kimchi side dishes look old and small portions too. It's worth a try as something very different and healthy, but I won't be a regular here.
3 - Jessica T.: The food here was okay. I just thought it was a little bit pricey and the portions are way too small. I wasn't full eating the whole meal. However, they were very nice and had great customer service. The restaurant is pretty nice.
2 - John K.: I've been here since the first day and one thing for sure is that the quality of the food went down.  There are other posts about soggy bulgogi and what not and they were right.  Unfortunately that's not all.  Go once for the fake 'authentic' experience and don't come back.
4 - Allison Y.: Awesome Noodles, Tasty Bibimbap, and friendly staff.  Sounds like a winner to me.  I love that they added the fried egg option as well.  And all for only 9!  I've seen hamburgers cost twice as much these days and not nearly as much food.  So in my mind, it's worth it.  Also I love their green sesame sauce.

Now the only missing 1 star is the quality of the Bulgogi.  Not as high quality as I would like.  It seemed a little fatty.  It was tasty though, so can't complain too much on that.  I really like this place, it's a shame I'm moving.
2 - ben w.: The Good:  Korean fast food.  I think it's like the only Korean food in the area, I might be wrong on that.  Clean and friendly, that's about it.

The Bad:  There is really only 3 items, and a few sides.  Their prices seem high.  I know it's the village and rent is high, but I could go almost to any other place and have a better and cheaper meal.  The service was slow, really slow.  It felt like they just opened.  Not everybody got the banchan or settings.  We all ordered our food one after the other and the gap between when we got served were big.  I hope they get their act together.

The Ben:  If you check-in with the Yelp App you get a free order of dumplings, but if you don't have the app or check-in it's not a big deal, they are bite size and meh.
4 - Grace P.: Proud to welcome Bibigo to Westwood!

I know it's been awhile since they opened, but I tried it for the first time yesterday.  I LOVE their fresh concept!  

I appreciate the quality of their food and the details in their presentation/decor.  Everything from their serving trays/packed condiments to their simple/chic decor made me happy :D


From the outside, you can not tell how spacious it is inside.  I think they are setting up outdoor patio seats as well.  Service is great, I could tell they are constantly putting their effort and time to each customer.  

My sister and I ordered the bulgogi bibimbap (marinated meat in hot stone pot) and grapefruit salad.  Both were bomb and filled me up for some reason.  The shrimp in the salad was super fresh.  It's hard to find shrimp fresh at restaurants without tasting a bit rubbery.  

It's a great place to go with friends or possible lovers because it has a fresh, clean, chic feel to it.  


They have reward cards (with the most adorable indented spoon stamps)!  Oh Bibigo, you got me good.  I want to go back and use up my card!


If I was ever to be a Korean food entrepreneur, I would've wanted to start up a Korean fast food chain just like Bibigo (even their name is so clever).  MAJOR PROPS!
2 - Candice N.: Got their regular Korean bibimbap here, togo.  When I got home, I expected something amazing -- and received: 

- a carton (like Whole Foods) of mediocre bulgogi and sides
- instant rice, instead of fresh rice like I expected, but maybe that was expecting too much)
- a-ok korean red pepper sauce.

I could've had a much better bibimbap at Tofu-Ya on Sawtelle or something.  Kind of regretted going here, but maybe I'll give it another shot.  Could get something better for the same price or cheaper (like Chipotle next door).
4 - Christine C.: Absolutely delicious!  It's like Korean food meets Chipotle-style serving.  Bibigo has succeeded in making Korean food into a fast-food like enterprise, where you can order rice, toppings, type, and sauce all separately.  (Kind of like burger, sides, type, and ketchup).  

I am Korean and well-versed in Korean food, and let me tell you, even though their sauces are in the form of salad dressing, it actually tastes like the true dwen-jang and go-chu-jang which is a thick paste!  Don't know how they created it.  O_O  And of course, the bibimbap is legit and delicious.  (:

Thank you Bibigo for making Korean food accessible in Westwood.

I must also say a word about their dduk bok kee.  IT'S CRUNCHY!  (Traditionally the rice cakes are soft).  Very creative, and a successful twist!  I love it!

Good quality ingredients, clean modern atmosphere, and attentive service.  I'm so glad that a healthy Korean eatery has arrived in Westwood.  (:  

Only recommendation: many students think the prices are too expensive!
2 - Margery C.: Not much to add when reviewing a fast food place, but here's what to expect  

Food: 
* This is the Chipotle of Korean Food, in that Chipotle is authentically Mexican as Bibigo is Korean. 
* The menu is very simple- you create your own blend of bibimbap
* I ordered the stone pot bibimbap, with bulgogi, white rice and green sesame. The rice and meat were over cooked.
* NO FRIED EGG - Bibimbap w/o an egg??? 
* Portions are considerably small for Westwood lunch portions.

Atmosphere:
* The place has been completely revamped, this use to be a restaurant called Scallions, and my only experience with Scallions was walking in and immediately walking out. Bibigo has a very welcoming and chill feel to it, and looks clean. 
* The overall designed is "Modern/ Green" fast food.

Service:  
* Free refills to your table (YAY!) Not bad for a fast-food joint.
* They seem a bit overstaffed but the staff is extremely attentive and courteous.
* A+++ on the cleanliness of the restroom

Price: 
* Pricey for fast food lunch
3 - Shayna W.: I like the atmosphere at this place. It's bright, clean, and well decorated. The employees are really friendly, and I like their simple, modern menu.

I will agree it is a little expensive and that it can be slow. Not always, but one time I was there it took forever for me to get my food.

I like the food but I don't love it. I'm not a bibimbop expert, but I found my food a little bland (even with the sauce) and dry. In my opinion their beef is overcooked.

Overall I think this place is worth a try but it's not my favorite. It's a convenient place to grab dinner with friends near campus.
2 - Robert P.: The only thing good about Bibigo was its SERVICE.

All of the workers were incredibly polite and welcoming.

However, my experience went downhill after I ordered my food.  We paid $9 for the spicy rice cakes, and literally got like only 10 small pieces.  I was so appalled when they brought out the small dish.  Honestly, that dish should be worth only $4 MAX....its just fried rice cakes.

In other restaurants, you'd get a ginormous plate for $9.

Also, we got the chicken kimchi fried rice.  It tasted horrible.  It didn't have ANY flavor.  The kimchi-ness was pretty nonexistent.  Compare theirs to Gushis.  No comparison at all.


I will probably never go back.  They need to seriously enhance the foods' flavoring and cut down the ridiculous prices.  I would also like ice in my water.
4 - Linda L.: Ok so I went to this place twice.

Both times I got the hot stone pot thing, with the beef. It was fun to play with, and I liked the semi burnt rice at the bottom. I liked that we got to choose the different sauces that went into the bowl. I also got the little dumplings which were actually great! I don't know what the little sauce they provide was, but i know it added flavor, and i know I liked it.

I know it seems a little pricey, and the portions are kind of small compared to what you get a chipotle, but I would defiantly recommend this place if you are stuck in westwood and are craving korean bbq. This place is way better than the stuff you get at rendezvous that's for sure.

It is weird, because I am not a super fan of this place, but i still find myself craving the food.

The service is amazing, and the ambiance is awesome. 

**when it gets darker during the evenings, they put out little candles on the tables, I thought it was very cute**
4 - Julia B.: This is a great americanized korean food restaurant. Bibimbap is probably my favorite type of Korean food, so I was rally happy to find a place that served americanized version that was quick, healthy and easy. 

1st step: pick your ice (white, brown, etc)
2nd Step: Pick ur protein (beef, chicken, tofu)
3rd Step: Pick your "sauce" ( i picked citrus soy)
4th step: add fried egg for .50 cents

3 minutes later we were served a hot stone bowl filled with our bibimbap. It was tasty, healthy. and cheap. The service could've been better, but overall I was very happy with my experience.
4 - Hai B.: Bibigo was recommended to me by a friend and it's pretty good.  The portions are just perfect for me. I love the variety of sauces you can choose from and they're always very friendly there.

The rice option is pretty neat too! 

The containers they use are pretty cute and the modern layout is nice as well.

There are additional tables in the back of the restaurant.
3 - Dione T.: I went here for the first time with my coworker to grab some lunch during our break.  The menu is set up in such a way, where you pick your type of rice bowl, type of rice, type of meat, and type of sauce.  I got the hot stone pot bibigo rice. It was pretty good; not traditional bibimbap like you'd get in K-town, but it's a good tasting, healthy option for Westwood, however the portions are kind of small. Another thing is, it's new, so if you're looking for something different to eat in Westwood, I'd try this place.
3 - Dan S.: Solid bimbimbap. Decent value for the price. Fresh ingredients. Hot food. Hot bowl. So why not more stars?  I left not feeling full AKA normal sized portions not big ones. In short, solid but not spectacular.
2 - Hong L.: Want great bibimbap in Westwood? Ditch bibigo and walk down a few blocks to GUSHI. They're known more for their meats, but their bibimbap is worth it. It comes with an egg and rice. kimchi, and the sauce on the side. I think it's 8 dollars and you get a free drink. It definitely can feed two. 

2 stars because for a place known for bibimbap, I expected more. And probably it's because I just came back from Korea and had the best bibimbap ever. That's probably why, right?

However, this place is very large when you walk further back. It's a good date place, just don't order bibimbap!
1 - CISCO D.: As a struggling student, I wanted to check out this place during "Happy Hour" for their half off specials. When they ran my order it was FULL price! I told them on Yelp it should be happy hour prices. They said NO the offer is no longer valid. I hate owners that use "used car" practices of bait and switch on their consumers. Not cool at all.
2 - Vanna C.: This place is pretty expensive for small portions of food. I still prefer Gushi. The rice cake with yams that I ordered was pretty hard and the taste was okay. The japchae noodles weren't as great as it looks because it was kind of choppy? The fried dumplings was pretty good (bite size). I came here 30 minutes before closing time and the guy that served us told us that the japchae dish was THIS big in hand gestures, but he definitely exaggerated. The service was kind of slow. I wanted to try the kimchi fried rice, but they won't let you order it unless you sit at a table. I don't think I will be back. I'll stick with Gushi (bigger portions and tastes better!). The BEST thing that amazed was the to-go packages. The bag looks very professional and all of the to-go boxes were recyclable! I was impressed by the eco-friendly attempt!
4 - Jay M.: Psst. I suggest checking in before you order.  You get a tasty prize.
3 - Andrew M.: Modern looking Korean food restaurant on Broxton. Looks TINY from the outside. There is this whole other room on the inside that seats all the people.

The service? Surprisingly great! We were given our food on time, our limited banchan and water were refilled without asking. They were friendly AND helpful.

Now about the food. Uhhhhhhh. Yeah. *puts on Korean judging Korean food hat*

As Kimchi Fried Rices go, it was bland. Needs seasoning for that kimchi KICK. It is served in a stone pot, which gives the rice that nice crisp if you let it linger on the bottom (a good thing). Its a nice touch that nearly saves the dish. Nearly.

Their dumplings are pretty good. The sauce is really weak (intentionally so or not, I do not know) but the dumplings hold up by themselves quite well.

Considering I didn't try their actual bibimbap (which considering the name, is probably their flagship offering), I'm going to cut them a little slack. But srsly.

I guess Bibigo is going for the whole "health food" niche, and regarding how that kind of food usually goes, I think Bibigo does well. Problem is, there are places that do healthy food GREAT (it isn't impossible as it seems), so I'm going to hold Bibigo to a higher standard.
1 - Brentin P.: I love Korean BBQ and Bibimbap food but this place has to be the worst tasting ever.  They package everything very nice when you get it to go, but every is pre-packaged.  

I am all for healthy korean food, but at least have some flavor
3 - Anna X.: I used to be a big fan of Bibigo, until this past Wednesday. A month ago, they changed their dinner service policies, and it is the main reason why I will not return.

Food -- As other reviewers have mentioned, Bibigo is like a Korean Chipotle in terms of how you order. I usually get the hot stone bimbimbap with black pearl rice, bulgogi, and kohot sauce. The hot stone bimbimbap comes with tasty vegetables and a small amount of meat. Because the portions are modest, the hot stone bimbimbap is filling but feels healthy.

I have also had the dumplings and the japchae noodles. The dumplings are nothing special, but japchae noodles are excellent. Compared to the japchae noodles at Gushi, the prices are comparable, but they are less greasy and smaller in portion (whereas the japchae noodles at Gushi can easily cover two meals).

Service -- In general, the service here is excellent. The food arrives quickly, the waiters, waitresses, and busers are very attentive, and the hosts are very friendly. However, during dinner time, you now order at your table and have to pay tip, unless you order your meal to go. This increases the price of otherwise unexceptional hot stone bimbimbap from about $10 to $12.

Ambience -- I admire the effort that Bibigo puts into their decor and branding. There is inside seating and outdoor seating in the front and back patios. On the inside, the neutrals and greens, coupled with the bamboo and wood, produce a very calming ambience. The branding is particularly impressive, as you may notice their logo or some permutation thereof on the napkins, the chopstick and spoon holder, the to-go bags, etc.

Lunch vs. Dinner -- Lunch, you do not have to pay tip to dine in, and you can use your stamp card. Dinner, you have to pay tip, and you CANNOT redeem a free entree from your stamp card. There are also additional entree choices for the dinner service. Bibigo does not explain these recent changes, so be forewarned.

VERDICT:  All that being said, Bibigo is overpriced for the quality and portion of the food you are eating. I have frequented Koreatown restaurants and I am a bulgogi enthusiast, and while Bibigo is not trying to be authentic, the food is bland and uninteresting. If you can stand a little extra grease, I recommend walking two blocks to eat at Gushi instead.
2 - crypt g.: 5 stars if you care about packaging.
2 stars if you care about taste.

2 of the 4 sauce options contain either MSG or beef stock. You will only know this if you look carefully at the listed ingredients in fine print.

I won't be able to eat here again because this makes me unsure of what appetizers or other dishes are seasoned with MSG (I don't enjoy being thirsty after eating).

I got a chicken rice bowl. The veggies come boiled and chilled. The chicken is edible but extremely dry. The portions are small.

Overall, largely due to the fact that the ingredients come in various temperatures, ingredients don't taste integrated.

It feels like your eating man made food rather than something that is natural, wholesome, and comforting.

This food would be fine for feeding robots or humanoids. But not actual humans who have tastebuds.
4 - Golnaz P.: This place is awesome! The service is by far the best in town. They treat you really well and make sure you have everything you possibly need. The way you order is you walk up to the front (pretty standard), choose the meal type, choose your meat, rice, and sauce. The best part is that it is all healthy, plenty of options, and it is all delicious. They even stamp your card with each meal so if you go often (like in my case) it pays off and you can get a free meal. All orders come with a side of kimchi and this pickled radish. I usually order the bibigo salad, bipimbap, and seafood pancake. They are all delicious. The seafood pancake had a lot of seafood, they definitely don't skimp out on you. The bipimbap is served in a stone bowl so you get this crunchy rice at the bottom. They even gave us complimentary chicken dumplings. I am telling you this place is awesome. I always look forward to coming here when in town. If you have never had Korean food it is a safe place to get your initial tasting.
4 - Sabine T.: Delicious, fresh healthy food, and wonderful service and decor. This restaurant is a great addition to Westwood Village. You can really tell the ownership takes pride in their cooking and service, and since it opened the quality has only improved.
5 - Kelly C.: I thoroughly enjoyed eating here with our friends last weekend.  Bibigo is right in Westwood Village - pleasant atmosphere, very clean.  (clean bathrooms too).

The food was delicious!  They brought little complimentary appetizer dumplings for our 2-year-olds, who devoured them.  I enjoyed the chicken and the bibimbop.  :)  Will come back again.

Oh, and they gave us  free anniversary mugs.  Love!
3 - Mike M.: This place was kinda the Chipotle of Korean food.

Very clean restaurant with awesome servers. Everyone there was very friendly and cheerful, even at 10pm when we were getting hungry from a long day drinking in Santa Monica. They had two specials running, 2 for 1 beers and a free bowl of rice with any entree. 

The food on the other hand was a bit bland and dry. I had the bulgogi hot pot and while the serving size was good, even including a free bowl of rice, the meat just didn't taste that awesome. It might have been because the last Korean food I had was in Korea, or the fact that all the cutesy packaging and sauces seemed a bit too... clinical. My hot date ordered some sort of noodle hot pot, it was just OK.

Regardless, not a bad place if you are in a hurry and want some decent food with cheap beer.

Edit: I should mention they lost a star in my book for not having a single Korean beer. Stella, Bud Light, Hoegaarden, and a couple others. Quick tip: Hoegaarden doesn't pair well with bulgogi haha.
2 - Steven P.: Uhm... I don't know what to say about this place.  I think it's trying to be a sort of Korean fusion restaurant but did it succeed?  I'm not so sure.  The decor tells you it's something more than a place that sells your traditional bibimbap.  Add to that, well-built waiters in tight t-shirts and you might think you're in West Hollywood.  But wait, this restaurant serves traditional Korean food!  At least that's what you think until you're given the choice of different sauces for your bibimbap...  Overall a confusing experience.
4 - Marjorie U.: They now have a dinner menu which includes Belgian beer... yes Belgian beer and Baekseju.  U should definitely try their Crispy white chicken, okra and scallions.
3 - Ariz G.: I actually love the fancy to-go boxes.  It's convenient, albeit not really eco-friendly.   I wish I had this place when I was going to school at UCLA.  I rode my bike around campus, that little bag would be handy.  

The place is definitely bright and clean.  I've been here twice already, but always got my food to-go.  There's more seats at the back by the way.

The two times I was here, I got the bibimbap, brown rice, with extra bulgogi, and eggs with the citron soy.   I should try eating inside, but I'm usually on the go... depending if I have company.

If you have yelp app on your phone, do check in.  You might get something, like dumplings for free.
3 - Jen C.: The food is pretty good but it's a bit expensive for what you get (in comparison to other Korean eateries). I guess you pay for the modern atmosphere and the convenience of being in Westwood. Everything seems to be at least $9 and the usual army of side dishes is cut down to mini cups of kimchi and pickled radish.

I had the bulgolgi japchae and  seafood pancake. No complaints about either of them, but I think I would have given this place another star if the price were to be taken down a notch.
3 - Anuraag J.: I frequented Bibigo a lot more last year. The concept was cool, you walk up and order your bibimbop to order, choosing your choice of rice, meat and sauce. Recently they've changed it (I think only nights and weekends?) to have full dinner service with a waiter. Bibigo was cool because it was fast, convenient, and pretty tasty! The whole dining service kind of killed it, although they do offer free dumplings with each Yelp check in!

I usually get the Hot Stone Bibimbop with white rice, bulgogi, and tKohot sauce, although they have other entrees as well. I've tried the Kimchi Fried Rice (with Chicken?) and it was fairly good, although I think I'd rather order the bibimbop instead.

Worth checking out!
3 - Katherine W.: Came back here again and decided to try their spicy chicken rice noodles. Do NOT try this, stick with the bibimbap! The noodles basically came uncooked and drenched in a semi spicy but way too sweet and greasy sauce. The lady taking my order told me that I should mix the noodles as soon as they brought it out to me and she was right! Otherwise the rice noodles would've been hard and just like they had come straight out of a pack of instant noodles! On top of that, they were very stingy with the chicken--I've never had chicken so thinly sliced before!
4 - Ryan T.: We've been here a few times now. Fairly recently, they have changed their setup from a walk up order style establishment into a sit down restaurant. The food and everything is the same. You just have more time to sit down and figure out what you want to order. We typically order the bibimbap in the hot stone pot, an order of dumplings, and a seafood pancake. These are our favorite dishes here so thats all we pretty much order. 

The stone pot we've been ordering it with the black pearl rice and typically bulgogi but we just recently discovered the shrimp! then you pick your sauce and we tried a few of the other sauces and the kohot sauce is the hands down winner(basically a traditional red chili paste)

We tried the japchae with bulgogi and from what i can remember, it wasnt anything special. 


***right now theres a check-in offer for a free order of dumplings.
3 - Denisse T.: This place has great ambience and the food is very healthy. It is incredibly pricey though. And although their packaging is very pleasing to the eye, it's not very environmentally friendly.

I still prefer to go to San Sai or Mister Noodle.


Pros: Nice ambiance, healthy food

Cons: Pricey, the food isn't THAT great.
3 - yy j.: Mehhh i'll rather go to gushi
5 - Amy T.: The only healthy Korean food around Westwood.  I try to keep myself from going over each day for lunch, I always order Grilled Bulgogi or Japchae Noodles with Bulgogi. Grilled Bulgogi is a carnivores dream!  I feel great anytime I eat their food, it is cooked healthy and dleiciously which may account for why it is more expensive.  I have eaten lunch there a few times, but most of the time I take out.
4 - Haik K.: I tried the hot stove chicken & chicken dumplings! I'm not a korean cuisine connoisseur.... But this place is awesome!!!
3 - Amanda M.: I walked in thinking this was a healthy Korean fast food sort of place. To my surprise, there was waiter service and somewhat modern trendy decor. A bit much since I was only grabbing a bite to eat before class. I ordered the charbroiled bulgogi on hot stone with brown rice. The bulgogi was lacking in flavor and I wasn't given any sauces. If I weren't in somewhat a hurry, I would've asked for some. Maybe I'm just used to bulgogi with tons of sodium instead of the healthier version. Anyway, I think I'd consider going here with a bunch of friends especially with the buy one, get one free beer special. But wouldn't go here for a quick cheap bite to eat before class.
3 - Tara C.: Bibimbap.  Bibimbap.  Boop oop a doop.  I love saying (or singing) the name of this tasty dish.  And it's even more fun when you can customize your bibimbap at Bibigo.  I went here for lunch with a friend recently and I was impressed by almost everything.The place is cute and clean, with a tiny patio area out front.  They lay out the instructions for ordering clearly enough, although all the choices of rice, sauces, toppings, etc., can be a little overwhelming.  Since it was my first time, I had to let people go ahead of me while I carefully crafted my masterpiece.  I ASKED for half white, half black rice, topped with bulgogi, with the green sesame sauce, and added the fried egg.  Thanks to my Yelp check-in, I also got some (free!) fried dumplings (mandoo, with chicken) for the two of us to share.  We grabbed a table on the patio area and waited for our food, although they do give you trays with utensils, your chosen sauce, and two small banchan (kimchee and daikon for us, although options may change.  Those tables are very hard to get into, by the way.  Anyway, they brought out the sizzling stone pots filled with our bibimbap and set them on cardboard rings, so you are less likely to burn the hell out of yourself.  

A few errors: they didn't give me the mix of black and white rice I asked for, but it was still delicious so I didn't complain.  They also forgot to add the egg on top of my friend's dish, and when she asked for it, it took them so long to bring it to her that she was almost finished with the whole thing.  Other than those two little hiccups, it was a great meal.  The dumpling were tasty but maybe a tad greasy.  I didn't love the greens in my bibimbap all that much, so I'll probably ask for them to be left off next time.  Be careful when you scrape the rice off the bottom of that sizzling pot- it's easy to burn your lip or tongue with the metal spoon.  It does seem a little pricey, but you are in the heart of Westwood after all.  Overall, this is a fun lunch option that I will be returning to.  Don't forget to check in!
2 - Feli K.: I expected more from this place. I was craving Korean food, so my sister brought me here to try it out. I've tried bibimbap in other restaurants, and this place does not match up to the legit delicious tasting ones at typical Korean restaurants. 

What also triggered my dissatisfaction for this place was the expensive seafood pancake dish we ordered. Seriously, not recommended. I really expected to be delicious - It's seafood!

Overall, the price here is way too expensive for such tiny dishes.
3 - Rach K.: Yum!

I'm Korean and I love bibimbap, both dolsot (hot pot) and regular.Our entire party of three ended up ordering the same thing - hot pot, white rice, bulgogi, fried egg, and the kohot sauce. One of our bbb's was free because we had a "frequent buyer" card completed with stamps that we could cash in for one free bbb. We chose the kohot sauce because it's a kochujang-based sauce (hot pepper paste) and it's the typical sauce that comes with bibimbap in restaurants. I don't think I'd enjoy any other sauce on my bbb. Also, a fried egg is typical as well, so we had to order that too. I know I'd miss having an egg if it wasn't an option because it's just not the same without it! I noticed when I checked in that there was a free dumpling offer so that was a pleasant surprise. After ordering, we were given trays with our sauces, drinks, and little dishes of kimchee and pickled radish and then headed to get a table and wait for our food to be brought to us.

The hot pot is my favorite because I love the nooroongji (crisped up rice) at the end. I have a v. particular mixing technique to ensure that I essentially have an entire "nooroongji bowl" at the end.

The food was decent and the portions were pretty generous. We couldn't finish the dumplings so we had to take them to go.

The restaurant itself is really clean and modern and cutely designed and definitely lends itself to franchise-ability. I won't be surprised when it becomes a chain.

Overall, I had a pleasant experience and afterwards, we got some free fruit samples from one of the stands outside!
3 - Christine C.: Sterilized Korean food in Westwood. It's decent (but a tad overpriced) for typical Bibimbap, fried rice, appetizers, etc. The food is fresh, taste is alright, portions small. But the clean and fresh interior and quirky service is endearing enough. Their buy one get one free beer specials are nice especially since they have Hoegaarden. The servers may not know English that well, but they do aim to serve you right.
Nice if you are craving a cleaner, "healther" korean meal, but otherwise it's nothing too special.
5 - Susanna K.: I ate the hot stone bibimbab and i loved it. It was a little hard to eat because the rice was hot, but that didn't really have much affect on my opinion. The price is pretty decent for the amount they give and I would definitely recommend this place to my friends.
3 - Erol O.: Food was tasty and seemed authentic.

The price was okay for what it is (sort of fast food korean).

The rice was a bit dry. You only get two side dishes.

The place is super clean and the service is excellent. Parking is typical for Westwood.
4 - Rachel S.: I love this place for lunch.  For somewhat picky eaters, it is great to pick exactly what you want.  The black rice is delicious when it gets all crispy at the bottom of the hot pot!  I always think I'll try something else, but I get black rice, tofu, ssam sauce (have tried all sauces and this is my favorite.)  The place feels very clean and has a lovely outdoor seating area, plus the restrooms are clean and nice.  It sometimes gets overcrowded with UCLA students at lunch.  I wish they had free refills on soda and didn't use styrafoam, but otherwise this place is great.
3 - Amy L.: We were in the area, at UCLA and chose this place over lots of nearby restaurants 'cause it looked airy and new.  The bibimbap was just okay, though the presentation with the lime green chopsticks and the wooden benches and tables to sit on outside under the trees were nice.

We had to choose what kind of sauce we wanted for the bibimbap, cause it was blah without any.  The green sesame one was good.

We had to pay extra for them to put an egg in the bibimbap, and they didn't have any of the little side items you can usually get at korean places.
3 - Joyce W.: Heard about this place from a co-worker who is of Korean descent and told me to check tbibigo out if I wanted quick, authentic Korean food. 

Left work to meet up with a friend for lunch here and ordered the bibigo salad with sesame sauce and chicken. Service was prompt and the service staff laid out the trays with the sides for you to bring to your table. Our waitress got a little mixed up with our orders when we accidently switched our numbers around but that wasn't too big a deal.

The salad was pretty good, loved trying the black pearl rice and the chicken was tender (didn't have much flavor as I would have liked). My friend ordered the bibimbap because he 's a fan of the crispy rice but we were a little disappointed to find out the rice was more mushy than it was crispy.
5 - Michael S.: bibigo serves significantly above-average Korean BBQ at extremely reasonable prices. it's not cheap to the point where you start questioning the quality, but it leaves many a UCLA student subtly impressed on how they deliver at such great prices.

the service and presentation is also exceptional. healthy entries, tasty and fresh. go to any other Korean BBQ place and you'll see that it's tarred by the usual Asian fast-food problems. the food may be cheap at those other places, and it'll certainly taste like it too.

not so at bibigo, where quality's the name of the game. i got the vegetarian noodle plate and also tried my friend's hot stone chicken plate. great all around.

can't stop recommending this place. don't know why it's currently a 3.5 star on Yelp. it's seriously not.
4 - Aaron S.: This is one of my favorite spots for lunch during the week.  Its a great spot to bring guests or clients, too.  Its elegant, modern and the food is very good, too.  I like the simple menu where you can mix and match items. I am a regular customer here and will continue to go here as a favorite lunch spot.
2 - Caroline C.: I've been wanting to check out this place since I heard and read about it.  It's like a Korean version of "Chipotle."  Fast, easy to order, fresh and healthy food.  I went on a Thursday at 4:30pm.  The positives:  No wait (concerning?  maybe), clean, cute packaging, had high chair for baby.  The negatives:  They made us sit outside and small little leaves kept falling into our food.  There was non one there, so I didn't get it, but didn't argue either.  Honestly, the food is really just so so.   I have always thought "traditionally" it included a fried egg (extra $ for that here) and waaaaay more fresh vegetables.  A bibimbap should be full of color.  Green (spinach), orange (carrots), brown (beef), white and yellow (fried egg) and different colored radishes and red from the red pepper paste. You can make your own bibimbap with the fresh vegetables and beef all ready and packaged from HK Market.  Just add rice.  

Don't waste your money and save yourself the drive to Westwood.  Thank God Diddy Reise was just down the street.
4 - Terri K.: Yay! I'm a Bibigoer. 

Bibigo is the fast food of bibimbab set in a surprisingly nice setting. You can choose to order To Go at the counter or you can choose to dine in at which point the friendly server leads you to the back of the restaurant into their lovely dining area. The dining area is clean and simple with wood accents and dim lighting. I'm a fan. 

The menu is straightforward- You can choose from salads, bibimbabs*, hot stone bibimbabs*, appetizers, main entrees, etc. The menu is catered to the American palate, so don't expect to find traditional Korean dishes here. 

*You can choose your combination

I tried the following dishes:

The banchan- Kimchee and marinated radish (moo) are the only two banchans given. I'd pass on these. 

Appetizer Spicy Rice Cake- A twist on regular ddukbokki, the rice cakes are fried to crispy yet chewy perfection and then tossed in a sticky, spicy and sweet red pepper sauce along with a few yam sticks. Add a few sliced almonds (or sometimes ginkgo nuts) and voila! you've got yourself a fantastic appetizer. I love this dish so much- it's a signature, so it's a must-try. 

Appetizer Spicy Red Chicken- Boneless chicken pieces are fried lightly until their golden brown and crispy, and then tossed in a sticky, spicy yet sweet red pepper sauce (same as the sauce in the Spicy Rice Cake). Slivered almonds and chives along with a teeny tiny mushroom are sprinkled on. This dish is delicious! And the portion is perfect for an appetizer. 

Chicken Kimchee Fried Rice- Served in a Stone Pot, this dish is pretty good and reminiscent of your typical kimchee fried rice. Sprinkled with nori (seaweed) and finished with a fried egg, it's a must-try for any kimchee fried rice fan. 

Stone Pot Bibimbab- With bulgogi (marinated beef), black pearl rice, and Kohot sauce (Gochujang). The veggies include broccoli, shitake mushrooms, spinach, bean sprouts, and maybe a few others. Some of the veggies aren't really used in regular Bibimbabs, but to each their own I guess. I wish there were more veggies, and the essential fried egg that completes any bibimbap dish was noticeably missing. I did like the black pearl rice, however. 

Bulgogi Noodle Stew (Ddookbaegi bulgogi)- Served in a Stone Pot, this dish consists of bulgogi, glass noodles and various veggies all simmered together. I thought this dish was yummy. 

Overall, I prefer the appetizers to the bibimbab. The bibimbab could do with more veggies, a fried egg, and I wish the Stone Pot could turn the rice on the bottom into more crackly goodness. Try the Ddukbokki and the Spicy Red Chicken- they're my favorites!

The service is great, the food is delicious, and it's a rare Korean find in this part of town. I'll definitely be visiting again.
3 - Sophia P.: It's alright. It's a little pricey for the quantity/quality, in my opinion. It's practically the only sit-down Korean restaurant in Westwood.

The setting is super clean and nice, and the service is great. The food is just alright. There are plenty of places in Koreatown that serve better hot stone rice meals.

I frequent the place because of it's location - really close to where I live. But I wouldn't bother to make an extra trip to eat at this place.
4 - Tom K.: Still haven't been disappointed by the fresh ingredients and great customer service.
4 - Kim T.: When I heard that there was a "healthy & fresh" Korean restaurant opening up in Westwood, admittedly, I was a bit skeptical.  Since then, I am happy to share that I've definitely gone back there more than enough times to fill-up my frequent customer stamp card so to say the least, I've changed my mind!  I like how the serving staff and cashiers greet you as you enter (and as you depart).  I would recommend that if it's your first-time at Bibigo, to order the hot stone rice but if I had to rank their dishes, it would look a little something like this:

1) Hot stone brown & white rice, bulgogi, and kohot sauce

2) Hot stone Kimchi Fried Rice Bansang

3) Vegetable Silver Noodle

It's quick, friendly, and everyone I've taken there has had an enjoyable experience.  I work at UCLA and when we go for lunch, we take the Campus Express down or we drive and park at the 2-hr free parking structure on Broxton.  Just don't do what I did, and forget your filled stamp card on the tray...what a waste :(
1 - Peter L.: The food itself was not bad at all. We ordered Bibigo rice, Vegi Bulgogi and White Chicken which my kids liked a lot.  Again, no complaints about food.  The reason for one star is the customer service or lack of it.  Bibigo has a customer loyalty card that let you have a free entre after getting 7 stamps on the card.  It is kind of like airline mileage program.  After getting 7 stamps on my card, I went to Bibigo to claim my free meal.    However, after the meal, the wait staff refused to redeem my card saying that it's only good for lunch time.  On the card, it says NOTHING about when I can redeem this card.  It only says get a free meal after purchasing seven meals.  Being with the family and all, I didn't want to argue with the wait staff who said that she was trained NOT to accept customer loyalty card during dinner time.  On the way out I talked to a person who seems to be a manager about this issue and he said that INDEED I can use the loyalty card to get a free meal anytime.  Duh.  At this point, I expected an apology and offer to recalculate my bill but the manager just said that he will honor the card next time I visit.   I felt like a some homeless person who is begging for food.  I have been to this place at least five times to get my stamps and they just FLATLY refuse to honor it even after they admitted that they were wrong on this issue.  Just saying "next time" doesn't cut as a good customer service to me.  It sounds more like "I am too busy to redo your bill"   Obviously this will be the last time I go to this place.  I gave the loyalty card to the homeless person nearby.  Maybe he will have a better luck redeeming the card than I did.
3 - Alex H.: I love that this place is CLEAN, although I wish they would use wood choptix rather than recycled plastix.  I mean how sanitized can you get those things especially when mine had teeth marks.

Anyways, the food was alright.  I really like that they have different rice/grain options.  Definitely try the black pearl rice...

More importantly, they have makuli on draft!!  but what happened to the sojus.....they only carry baeksoju...
5 - Claude L.: Very good. Some items are a bit pricey, but the bip thing was cheap (9$) and very good. Portions are a bit small, but it's very healthy. Very nice waitress too, that took the time to explain us. Nice courtyard too.
2 - Cage H.: Bibigo  is one of several attempts at a Korean-style franchise restaurant in West LA within the last couple of years. 
(Compare the now-defunct and very poorly managed Isaac Toast.) 

Bibigo appear to be actually based in Korea, with outlets in Beijing, Singapore, and now Los Angeles. While I am not Korean myself, I do have some experience with Korean restaurants in various parts of the US, as well as a number of adventures in different styles of Korean restaurant with my Korean-American former college roommate, my ex's Korean-American stepmother, my Korean-American lab partners from medical school, and a number of explorations on my own in the Korean neighborhoods of Chicago, San Diego, the Bay Area, and Los Angeles. 

That said, the food here tastes unfortunately Americanized. Perhaps this reflects some growing American-based fast food influence on fast food in Korea itself. The food is under-spiced and over-sweet, which seems hard to reconcile with their claim of "healthy and fresh." Aside from the salt, there are tons of healthy, vegetable-heavy options in Korean cuisine already. It's not clear to me why you need to add sugar and remove garlic and chilies as you make it "healthier." Their take on kochujang comes in packets that are far too small and it tastes more like a sweet tomato paste than the real stuff. 

Admittedly, I have only been here once, but their bibimbap seems to be a signature dish and I can make it better myself home. I would strongly recommend walking the extra couple of blocks to Gushi for actual Korean food if you don't have time to go to Koreatown. 

I will grant them the following relative advantages: the decor is nice for what I would call an upscale fast food place. Many reviews seem to comment on the friendliness of the staff; I was underwhelmed by this aspect of the service, but I came just after the lunchtime rush, so perhaps they were a bit frazzled. The choice of multiple varieties of rice is nice I suppose. It's an aspect of Korean cuisine that one rarely sees, though I feel it is more an attempt to cater to followers of food fads by offering extensively lower glycemic-index options than it is offering Korean authenticity to the dining public in Westwood. Service is also not as fast as it might be, so if you are coming here (as I did, 20 minutes before a meeting) hoping for a quick meal, you may be frustrated.
5 - Anonymous C.: AMAZING.  The rice bibigo and hot stone bibigo with bulgogi (sp?) is so great.  The servers are always nice too.  Always a treat to eat here.
4 - Ahndi J.: Food was awesome. Healthy and great tasting. Great portions. You get what you pay for. Great store very clean. Workers are really friendly. Great place in Westwood!
3 - Michelle L.: This place was okaaayyy... definitely not authentic korean food, but a decent substitute considering there are not many authentic korean restaurants in the westwood area.

Came here one night and shared the bulgolgi bibimbap as well as the chicken vietnamese noodles.

The bibimbap was decent, and the black pearl rice we ordered with it was definitely delicious. However, the bottom of the rice was not as crispy as i like my bibimbap to be.

The chicken vietnamese noodles, on the other hand, were not the greatest. The chicken was dry and stringy and the noodles were nothing spectacular.

One redeeming quality, however, was how friendly the waitress was with us. The four people in my party all had smartphones, so we all checked in and redeemed our free dumplings. Though it was a big request, the waitress brought our dumplings quickly, and they were good.

Not sure if I'll ever come back to bibigo, just because of the high prices and mediocre food. However, if I'm ever in the area and realllyyyy craving korean food I might just give it another go. (HA, bibiGO)
4 - Tasha N.: YUM! :D

It's cheap, it's yummy, the bibimbap portion is giant (for me anyway), and the inside is super clean. It looks small, but there's actually a back part of the restaurant that has quite a few tables.

I had the hot stone bibimbap with black rice, bulgogi and spicy pork, and kohot sauce (the spicy one). We also ordered the sweet & spicy rice cakes and got a free order of dumplings for checking in on Yelp.

Everything was good! Well, the egg I had was a little on the rubbery side, but for about $10.50, who cares?
4 - Connie V.: I thought that this place was really cute. I was kind of confused while ordering because I've never ordered Korean food at a counter before.. but any who.. the layout of the menu makes ordering really easy. There's four steps that you have to go through and you basically pick one item from that column and move on.

Last time I was here, I tried their bimbambap. I thought it was a nice try on the restaurant's part. I would definitely call this Korean fast food. They placed everything in a big, nice stone bowl. Everything looked really small but when I started to eat, I was wrong. This was pretty good. The sauce that they give you to put on top comes in little packets. I would recommend putting two on top. I like it.

I recommend! It's good for quick Korean bite in westwood.
3 - Jessica Y.: I've been here a couple times for bibimbap. I'm not extremely impressed each time, but it's good enough and convenient enough to warrant coming back. 

I always get the hot stone bibimbap with bulgolgi and sesame sauce/soy citron combo. For $9, it is a filling meal. 

The ambience is nice though, a very clean feel. 

I will likely be back because it's so close to UCLA. Definitely try to check what their deals are. Right now, if you spend more than $13, you get a bibigo tumbler, and when you bring that cup back, you get a free soda. Not a bad deal. :)
4 - Grant G.: It's like quick service Korean.  The interior is very inviting and clean with a simple ordering concept.

I've been here twice for lunch and the food is pretty decent.  They put a healthier spin on the menu which is a nice departure from the typical KBBQ places.  

I plan on stopping in here more when I'm in the mood for easy Korean.
3 - Sarah W.: Solid three store eatery. There's nothing to write home about. It's a korean restaurant in westwood (Bibigo + Gushi = that's it). It's operated by korean folk and has some cool check in or offers every now and then (10% off for bruins). It definitely has the feel of a korean chain that relocated in the US. 

I never feel like coming here and go out of convenience with groups of friends. If you do chance here get their bibimbap ($10 w/ tax). They provide an awesome array of choices regarding rices, meat/egg toppings, hot stone or not, and spiciness of sauce. I appreciate the health factor! However, it's kind of whatever and kind of pricey. (Also this will make you cry because they're so healthy their kimchi fried rice comes only with...chicken...!)

Accepts bruin card as payment. Plus or minus? You decide. (MINUS!)
5 - Heather J.: Delicious! Great service and great food. Looks like only a fast food counter from the street, but there is restaurant and patio seating at the back. Highly recommend.
4 - Peter K.: Bibigo! Why are you so far from where I live :(! It was my first time coming to this place and I loved it! 

Service: Nice korean lady that smiled and was happy that we were here! Right after when we left basically the whole staff said thank you! 

Food: Yum! I got the Bibimbap hot stone thing with white rice, bulgogi, and the ssam! Yum! And they have a special thing on yelp that when you check in you get free dumplings which were nice. 8.99 not bad! Hopefully I'll come back and get some more Bibigo!
4 - Benecia G.: I heard of this place by watching a show called "Kimchi Chronicles", the food looked good and it just seemed like something good to try. Fell in love with the whole Korean Fast Food theme. It just seemed nice to have healthy Korean food fast and easy. 
I went with my best friend and we LOVED IT! The food is good and very tasty and the service is awesome....Oh if you check in u get a Yelp offer "Free Dumplings" which are amazing by the way.
4 - Christina M.: Delish bibimbap! It's right in the heart of westwood village and it's super convenient to go for a good and quick meal! It's actually pretty healthy and their food is served in a hotstone pot and hotstone plates. Fresh and hot! 

I also recommend checking in here you get a free order of dumplings! You get to choose between chicken or pork. I chose pork they were really good (: 

I've had their spicy noodle hotstone pot and man it was definitely spicy! Also their spicy pork hotstone plate is very good. 
Now their bibimbap is what they're known for and that was soooooo goood. extra spicy,bulgogi, and white/brown rice... I was sharing with my sister so we couldn't really settle on just one type of rice -__- Not like it mattered the flavors in there definitely saved me from the brown rice!

The service there is also very friendly((: & quick! 

This place hasn't failed me yet!
4 - Calvin H.: I got the bibimbap to go yesterday and was pleasantly surprised. Their packaging for take-out orders is very fancy and makes it seem like the food was worth more than about $10 an order. My bibimbap with black rice, beef, and hot sauce was delicious even though I didn't get to it until an hour later. The beef could have been a teeny bit more tender, but I have very few complaints. The hot stone dishes look really great (but I'm assuming those are a bit harder to order to-go). Definitely coming back.
2 - constance k.: American version of Korean...there are too many real Korean places that are cheap and delicious to bother with this place. Good concept, but too bad they compromised flavor.
5 - Whee R.: I like home cooking and barely go out for dinner. Whenever I go out for dinner, Bibigo is always the first choice for me. It is not exactly like Original Korean food but I can't refuse Hot Stone Bibimbob w/ two fried eggs!

Highly recommend this place, and must go if you are in westwood!
2 - M B.: 50 cents for soy sauce packs...really? Charing for something most chinese restaurants give away is a bad practice. To go portions is consistantly much smaller than eat in...really? Irritating. If I pay the same $$ for the same food, I should get the same amount of the same food! Are you charging me for the box and plastic bag like you do for the soy sauce?
4 - Alicia E.: Stopped in here today for a quick lunch and was not disappointed.  The restaurant is clean and modern.  I don't understand why so many restaurants choose this cold ikea themed decor, but that is not the point.  Hungry for something spicy and comforting, I ordered the kimchi fried rice based on the cashier's recommendation and took a seat to wait for my food.  It only took 5 minutes and it was DELICIOUS!  Will definitely return to try the other items of the menu :)
5 - Damoon Y.: Cleanest Korean food I've ever tasted! Highly recommend this place if you don't want to make the trek to Koreatown.
2 - William H.: 1) This place is ripping you off. Bibimbap is generally pretty cheap food, and you can find better restaurants that do not specialize in bibimbap serving much better bibimbap with better ingredients and much larger portions

2) Though I appreciate the novelty of Bibigo (assorted sauces, bibimbap to-go, etc.), it is very inauthentic

3) It brings great pain to my heart to read those few positive reviews by Korean Yelpers...this place is SHIT!!!
5 - Ariane P.: Their hot stone bi bim bap are amazing! First time here, when I went to LA for the first time. My new Taiwanese friend brought me around the nice UCLA neighborhood and we ended up here. The price for the food is amazing, i mean reasonably cheap. U can choose your rice, your sauce, your beef, oh amazing. Healthy real food, full stomach, not-a-pocket-eater, what else do u want?
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT AND BITE!
4 - hetty y.: This is such a cute place to eat at!
The hot stone bowls are pretty big so if you have a big appetite or just kinda starving, this would be the perfect place!
I got the the stone pot with bulgogi, mushroom, veggie, and rice. My fiend got chapchae/japchae. Yum!
3 - Alex K.: I've eaten at Bibigo's a several times and encourage a good sampling of their menu to understand the Bibigo experience.

The staff is very friendly and they have outdoor seating in case it gets crowded inside. The interior is cool, super clean, and the overall restaurant concept is great.

Overall, I would definitely recommend giving Bibigo a try at least once because it's a very different dining experience.

Con: they are somewhat expensive considering that their portions are small.
2 - Suzy S.: Korean fast food. The first few times I ate here after it opened, I sat in the back and ordered off the menu. It was good but not as good as anything I could have gotten in Ktown. Then I had the bibambap in the hot stone. They didn't really burn the rice along the bottom of the stone the way I like it. Also, no one was going to come along and add tea to the bottom for me. It was crowded with a lot of Korean's eating there.
The last time I was there, I ordered from the front counter and they brought me my food. It came out so fast and the bulgogi was cold and barely seasoned. I knew it wasn't freshly cooked because it would not have come out so fast. The place was empty at lunch. Always a bad sign. The meat was cut very tiny so it had dried out and was as chewy as jerky. The vegetables were OK but the servings of meat and veggies were fairly small for the price. Panchan was kimchee and white daikon (radish). The kimchee was not good, Another bad sign. I can buy better kimchee in a jar at the local Korean market. Good panchan is just a given at most Korean places. This place doesn't have it.
It's not very authentic Korean. They are trying to be a fast food fusion place but I think it would be better if they just stuck to the basics. I don't want a piece of salmon over some dead lettuce called Korean food. I've spent a lot of time in S. Korea so this version of fusion drives me crazy.
The best thing is they give you little packets of kohot sauce and sesame oil. I always take one home with me. Also, the rice was perfectly cooked. Vegetarians have lots of choices here. You can also add an egg which is good.
It's a good choice if you are thinking of eating someplace like McDonald's but it's not authentic Korean. I think if you are in Westwood, it would be better to eat at Gushi down the street. I know it is freshly made, seasoned well and the portion of meat is larger at Gushi.
The first few times I visited and ordered from the back the service was excellent but the service at the front was awful the last time I went. She got the order wrong even though I repeated it twice that I wanted a hot stone. Instead it came out on some dead lettuce. The fusion version of a bulgogi salad.
I do like the drink choices. Aloe vera juice and barley tea are all good though cheaper if you buy them at the Korean market.
3 - Eli B.: It's an OK place, 
the bibimbap was a bit dry but eatable, I already got much better. Still, it's kinda korean original style. The place is clean and the atmosphere is nice.  

In summary, the place has a good cost-benefit but if you want very cheap-more food but don't care about the environment, go to Gushi on the corner of Broxton. If you want super upscale food, don't come here. This is an average place with somehow typical korean food.
4 - Andrew N.: I know, I know bibigo is not the most authentic or best Korean food in the world but their discounts make it a pretty solid deal.

Bibigo is a brand started by CJ Corp, a prominent South Korean food and entertainment corporation, with "aims to broaden awareness and accessibility for Korean cuisine among Americans" (from their website). That said, the food at Bibigo isn't the most authentic or the most dirty-but-amazing korean food you will eat. The food is good but the taste is Americanized - it's not as flavorful / authentic  as your B or C grade restaurant in Ktown but it tastes pretty good.

While trying to dominate America with Korean food was a good idea, poor CJ probably didn't know any better and chose deadbeat Westwood Village to open their shop. Most other restaurants close up shop after a few months in the village but Bibigo is owned by a huge corporation that has the money and manpower to run huge promotions and discounts on their food.

The most recent deal is $6 Hot stone Bibimbap or Chicken Kimchi Fried Rice with a UCLA I.D. (running until the end of march). The bibimbap is pretty good but would I get it for the normal $8.99 price? Nah - its just rice with veggies and some meat. Would I get it for $6? Heck Yah! Best $6 meal you can get in Westwood!

In addition to the $6 deal, they've been giving out free 3x packs of CJ seaweed. Also, if you check into yelp, you get a free order of dumplings (they don't mark it as used so I keep on reusing that coupon heh). For $6 bucks, its pretty much a great deal.
1 - Nina D.: This place is horrible. I ordered the chicken appetizer. What came instead was fried gunk that was cold over a few pieces of double fried okra which was also tasteless and cold. Perhaps I should have questioned what was going on when they said my order was ready four minutes after ordering.
3 - Philip B.: The food was awesome...in the beginning.  Since opening the quality of their meat has significantly deteriorated.  It appears that their lofty goal of rapid expansion throughout the U.S. has directly impacted the quality of their meat/food.  I would like to see them return to the quality that they produced when they first opened. 

The service has been consistently good.
1 - X B.: Skip it. 

Americanized Korean food that doesn't taste like Korean food.

We had the white chicken and friend Kimichi rice.

Bland, no taste, too salty, just all wrong.
5 - Matthew S.: Great healthy food, nice environment, nice staff.  One of my favorite places to eat lunch in westwood.
3 - Ani S.: I love going there specially in a cold winter day. Food is really good and they give you free dim sum with yelp check in. I've tried the seafood pancake and bibimbap hot stone with black rice and hot sauce and I really enjoyed it. Place is clean but customer service is not as good as it should be. Every time you ask them for something it takes them forever to bring it to you and by the time they bring it either you are done with your food or your food is already cold.
4 - Ashley S.: Delicious quick korean food.  Love the hot stone bowls!
4 - Rafid A.: good and healthy 
Although I did not like the food that much, it is very healthy cooking style. you may like it as you don't like spices. however for me as Arabian guy I like spices so I will prefer something more tasty like Indian :)
enjoy the healthy style cooking ;)
5 - Kimberly K.: There's indoor seating behind the ordering counter. Go for the Japache noodles the other noodle dish on the hot stone.

I thought this was a light and delicious lunch. Quick but casual service. They occasionally have drink and appetizer promotions.
5 - Sam R.: Great, cheap, and quick Korean food! The food is awesome!
4 - Susie K.: I was stuck at home for over a week.  I was craving Korean food, and wasn't into the processed stuff you boil at home.  It's difficult to find decent Korean restaurants on the west side that deliver.  Bibigo delivers through LA Bites and Grub Hub, so I was able to enjoy Korean food without stepping a foot out of my door!  I was nervous due to the mediocre ratings, but I was desperate.

I have now ordered twice from them and was very pleased both times.  

Fried mandoo - delicious flavor and loved the bite sized pieces
Lettuce wraps - these brought me back to the ole days when my grandma would tightly roll up some rice in steamed cabbage.  
Japchae - really good, especially when i requested they make it with minimal sugar and salt
Kimchi fried rice - husband loved this
Bulgogi bibimbap - i love the flavor of the bulgogi, it was really yummy

So overall, it was great!  I don't know about the service, but LA Bites was awesome.  :)
4 - Christopher S.: This place has a nice atmosphere and great service.
The food is pretty good and fairly priced. Their standard bibigo plate is loaded with vegetables. Their kimchi fried rice is also really good. If you're feeling like just a plate full of hot meat, they have that too! Convenient, cozy place for a hangout with friends at UCLA.

UCLA Discount on Kimchi Fried Rice and two other items?! WHAT!!?!?! Coming back FOR SURE.
5 - Andrea C.: Great fast bibimbaps!!! Loved it :)
4 - Clara P.: I love this place!

the hot stone bibimbap is always good.
I recently tried the kimchi fried rice, and that was REALLY good. I actually put more kimchi (that comes out in the beginning) in there to maximize the authentic korean taste  aka kimchification.

They've had the $6 deal, which was the best thing that have happened to me ever.
well, not really, but you know what i mean.

I also love their red chicken dish.  soooo good!


Overall, this would certainly my go-to place whenever I can't decide what to eat for dinner.


whoo for korean food in westwood!
4 - Ian C.: Perfect if you want a quick but delicious meal in Westwood.  Different from the standard chains (Chipotle, etc), and everything is extremely fresh.  The heated stone bowls are really fun, but be careful not to burn yourself.
Looking forward to going back!
3 - Ala S.: Technically, I would have given this place 3.5 stars--it's solid inauthentic Korean food if you're not looking for anything special but do want a nice enough restaurant atmosphere. Don't be fooled by the to-go counter front, either: there's a decent space in the back for small tables if you feel like eating in, and the fact that the service is pleasant makes that a nice option.

My friend and I both got clay pot bibimbaps, which seemed like standard fare. As other reviewers have noted, you get to choose:
1. Rice (White, Black, Brown&White, Barley&White)
2. Topping (Bulgogi, Chicken, Spicy Pork, Tofu, Shrimp)
3. Sauce (Kohot, Ssam, Sesame, Citron Soy)

I chose white rice with tofu and the kohot sauce (standard, although spicier than I usually like it--I prefer a sweeter sauce for bibimbaps). The sauce came in little packages, which surprised me, since it made me feel a bit like I was getting my order to-go even though we were obviously eating in. The toppings and vegetables were definitely not over-generously portioned, and even though I only finished about half of my share, it was probably more because I wasn't too hungry than because there was too much in my clay pot.

All in all, I'd probably come back if I ever get a crazy hankering for bibimbaps--but I'm not sure I'd bring company here if I had other choices.
3 - Anthony N.: To be fair I did like it, and I'll probably come back since its near the free Broxton Parking.

It's americanized korean food, since I brought my white friend it was definitely more palatable for her.  Besides, I love anything in a bento box :)

The student special is awesome :) lunch for 6 bucks is a sweet deal.  The stone pot is so cute.  It's not the best food, but its definitely tasty. 

I wish the cashier wasn't such a Beast.  Her attitude annoyed me, but I let it go because I was with mi amigos and I didn't want to cause a scene.

It was exactly what I expected, and sometimes that's just fine.
5 - D V.: I went here two days in a row they have a beautiful interior, great atmosphere and the food is great try the black pearl rice. I had it with my vegetarian gf so flavorful. The green sesame sauce is awesome.
3 - Tracey W.: I've had lunch here twice now and it's just OK for me, especially for the price. They claim they are healthy, but I'm not too sure I believe that. The hot stone bibimbap with spicy pork was my favorite over the kalbi (both with brown rice and hot sauce) because it had some heat to it and more flavor.

You get a small tray of kimchi and free seaweed! 

They have a $6 deal when you show your Bruin Card, however, you can't use your punch card when using this deal. I'd rather pay the $6 instead of $9 than get a stamp.
5 - evan p.: Upon studying for my upcoming 6 finals at a local coffee shop, I was getting hungry. I thought to myself, "Chipotle sounds good." Just thinking of the brown rice and guac was enough to get me distracted. I had to leave to go eat. Then, I walked past Bibigo. It's been here for years, and yet I don't even know what's on the menue, like most of you folks out there. I ignored it at first, but the idea of healthy eating lured me back. I became a first timer at Bibigo on this day. A couple of things to common on

Hot stone bibimbap - Awesome. It's modestly priced. Definitely take advantage of the black or barley rice to embrace healthier eating (arguably, white rice is processed just like sugar; a slice of white bread is equal to a tbs of sugar too). I'm a part-time paleo eater, so I love my protein. Extra meat is only a buck extra

Restaurant & ambiance - Clean and lovely. The place is very clean! The utensils, glass, bathroom, and even the little clipboard with the check were stupid cool.

Service - Great and friendly. I can't comment too much.

Water - This will be surprising to any reader. Who cares about the food, the water is what left me impressed the most and is what may bring me back (together w/ the food). I had to ask the waiter, "Where did you get this water?" It's filtered tap water he said....advanced filtered. I definitely tasted the difference. Try it yourself
4 - Jonathan S.: This place is great! Really tasty and very cheap. Perhaps it's not 'authentic korean' food but for an undiscerning palate, it gets the job done. But as one person noted, it's not very healthy, I would be curious to see the nutritional facts -- or maybe I shouldn't??
3 - Pilar B.: A Korean spot in Westwood....can we say thank you?! 

So far tried their: 
Kimchi Fried Rice
Bulgogi and Japchae 

Would be nice if they had wooden chops rather than re-washed plastic chopstick.  At least get metal ones (kinda weirded me out).

It's healthy and I do like that you can pick rice, meat and sauce. It's like a Korean version of Chipotle? I'll be back to do this. 

Clean
Friendly
Affordable
Alcohol

Well anyway, I'll go back since its within walking distance of my work.
5 - Mitchell B.: Ive eaten here like 8 times now. Almost always quick efficient service and delicious bibimbap. I recommend the hot stone with bulgogi and kohot sauce, yum!
4 - Jaime K.: I come here about once every two weeks. I get the Hot Stone Bimbap with bulgogi, brown and white rice. It's delicious. I have also had the jaepche that is also very good. The food is always good. The timing of the food is always hit or miss. Sometimes it takes 10 mins sometimes it takes 30. however, I will wait for this food because it's so tasty!
3 - Frank E.: This is totally an excellent Korean lunch quick stop. The service is fast. The mandoo was pretty good and I had the Japchae and while the noodles were probably a bit overcooked, given the fact I was staying in the area and wanted a quick fix, it's OK!

It's not going to blow your mind but the facilities are nice and the staff are friendly.
2 - Mina L.: It's decent at best. The only great thing about it when it first opened was that the service was very efficient; back then we didn't have to wait at all. now they only have one slow cashier and i think only a couple of chefs back there. i'm peeved that anything other than their signature dish takes forever to come out. 

MY NUMBER ONE SUGGESTION TO MANAGEMENT: You really need to stop burning the meats, b/c the black specks on the meat EVERY TIME really turns me off. 

I'd rather just drive a couple of miles south to Sawtelle and Olympic to get my hot stone fix at Tofu-ya.
4 - Thach N.: this is nice if u r craving some "korean" food and are too lazy to go to sawtelle. they definitely serve quality food and have good service. whats a nice surprise is the back room which expands into a lovely dinner seating area, candle lit! food isn't the best. i would recommend some sawtelle or downtown la if u are wanting some real korean food, but this is a nice supplement.
4 - Lisa M.: YUM!!! I love bibimbap and I love crispy rice, so this place was perfect for me.

You choose your rice, and what meat and sauce you want. The sauce comes on the side, so you don't have to worry about it being drenched. I asked for the citron soy, which was good, but I found that mixing that with the hot sauce made it even more delicious.

I got the bulgogi on my stone pot rice bowl. The meat wasn't really plentiful, but the veggies were good and I like the idea of a fast-food type place for bibimbap. I came with my friends and her two little girls, and one of them ate up the miso soup. The other loved her rice bowl and ate it all!

It's about $7-8, and they have a nice patio in front and out back. The food comes out pretty fast too.

Parking stinks, but if you park in the lot up the block, it's free for 2 hours.
5 - One O.: Visiting from the Bay Area and came here with my niece and her 1-1/2 yr. old.
Amazing service, amazing food...we tried as much as we could in one sitting...and they totally accommodated us with a young child and were so helpful and fun! LOVED IT! When are you coming to the Bay Area!
5 - Arturo F.: First time having bibimbap. And It. Was. Amaaaaaaazing.

Not only is the food great, but the environment is perfect for a friendly lunch or an easy dinner.

FOOD:
I ordered the Hot Stone Bibimbap with the bulgogi AND pork (meat lover here) over brown & white rice.  Additionally, I ordered the kohot and green sesame sauce. 

First of all, the hot stone bibimap is HOT! So keep that in mind before you either burn your tongue or the rice at the bottom of the bowl. That is, don't let your rice sit to long at the bottom. When I received it, I started off by mixing it around a little and adding the kohot and sesame sauces in generous portions. I think I used both packets fully. 

Secondly, the kohot sauce is also HOT! Good if you like spicy food like me, but I can easily imagine someone underestimating it since it doesn't have that typical hot sauce look or smell. So be carefully with that! I'll be honest and say that my body was heating up by the end of the meal lol. But, the staff kept bringing us water so that REALLY helped.

CUSTOMER SERVICE:
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! A++++++(xInfinity) [Okay, maybe that's a bit exaggerated]

Honestly one of the greatest dining experiences I've had. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Just absolutely amazing with a wonderful and peaceful environment.

Will definitely return!
4 - Francis S.: Great food though meat portion a bit small.  Outdoor seating nice.
4 - David S.: Super yummy and healthy bibimbap variations.  Only downsides for me was that it took a long time for each person to order, making a fairly short line take 15 minutes... and it took another 15-20 minutes to get my food.  Well worth the wait, though.
3 - Cathy L.: Great option for lunch.  Bibimbap and noodles aren't bad - I would recommend the lunch box.  Not spectacular but for the price not a bad bet.  Also, plenty of outdoor seating!
4 - Kamilah D.: This is some good stuff. Ive had some of everything on this menu, really delish!
3 - Tricia M.: I liked Bibigo the first two times i came here.. and then I realized they don't have that many options, and I won't go out of my way to come here. The food isn't bad and the service is okay. For 7-9 buckaroos you get a salad, your choice of protein, which includes seafood, chicken, beef, or tofu, and your choice of rice. Not great and its not bad. You won't be disappointed. Yay. I'm not that enthusiastic about this place. 

HOWEVER. they were giving out those little seaweed wrapper boxes for free once. YAY!
4 - T K.: Good Korean food for a very affordable price. Tried the beef buns(excellent), dol sot bibimbap (good) pajun (very good). A very good alternative to driving to K Town.
5 - Joe R.: The hot stone bibimbops are all fresh and delicious.  Enjoy with a Hite beer.  Friendly and informal setting.  Overall, very high quality and a very good value.  Highly recommended!
4 - Wendee H.: Bibigo is sprouting everywhere these days. The other day, I noticed Bibigo at the Century City Mall! 

Anyway, I came back for more and this time ordered this glass noodle dish (I can't remember the name of the dish).  It does not beat the hot stone bibimbap because there isn't much vegetables, but it is a filling dish. I really like the shiitake mushrooms, pan fired with the noodles and some other vegetables. 
The boyfriend ordered the Bibigo Rice and it looked just like the picture! I would definitely order that next time. 

Again, the service was exceptional. Our water cups were always filled up, never empty beyond 3/4. And for some reason, this place always seems empty when I dine and/or walk pass the place. Nonetheless the food hasn't disappoint =).

Ooh and if you check-in on Yelp, you will receive the daily deal. 
One time was a free order of the Mandoo. Another was 50% off a certain dish; which you can redeem at a later time!
3 - Ellen S.: I ordered the bibigo rice, which was probably a mistake. It's a "salad type" bibimbap - meaning, it comes with a little bit of rice and tons of vegetables. I didn't really know how to eat it because you can't mix it like usual bibimbap since the rice to vegetable ratio is weird. I've had my share of good bibimbaps, so I wouldn't choose to eat at Bibigo again. The food's not bad, just nothing great.
4 - En J.: We were at the Thursday farmers market looking for Dave (best vegan Korean food in LA) and not being able to find him, decided to satisfy my craving for Korean food at Bibigo.

Not too many options for vegetarians- it's a smallish eat-and-go type place. I had the Bibigo salad which was delicious- black rice, tofu, lettuce, pickled daikon, cucumbers, mushrooms, etc. The sesame dressing (which comes in a packet) is the only vegetarian dressing. The spouse had the veggie noodles which were delicious and sparse- needed a side order of veggies to make it a meal.

The service was good- I hope they grow into a place with a wider, more veg-friendly menu! I would definitely return for the food.
3 - Dong Y.: Average Korean food, but sensible decor and prices, suitable for lunch breaks.
3 - Lesley C.: The portions are small for the price compared to gushi.
1 - Ousman J.: Not at all impressed with service from management. When I took my to go order of bibimbap with bulgogi back to the office and there was practically no meat in it. I had to walk back to the restaurant and ask why it looked so low? When I went back, the girl behind the counter was nice, asked the kitchen to add more meat and asked me if I was enough? I said it still looked light as I had eaten there at least 5 times before. The manager came out and said that the adjusted amount looked right. No apologies for me having to walk back and no acknowledgement of wrong doing. I am not impressed with service from the manager. Likely not to go back. Shame really. Food is not bad but I will not support establishments that abuse customers' trust. No excuse for this in Westwood with so many choices of restaurants.
4 - Lois K.: One more star added because of their UCLA specials. It isn't posted anywhere in the store now, but you can let the cashier know before you order and get the bibimbap for $6. I get it in the stone pot even when it's sweltering hot outside. :)
4 - Steven V.: $6 for hot stone bibimbap with your bruincard. Get the black rice. It's healthy and delicious. Nice decor inside. There is such thing as healthy korean food! Get a stamp card and beware of the hot stone rice at the bottom of the bowl.
2 - David M.: When Bibigo first opened, the food was awesome. I always got the hot stone bibimbap with bulgolgi and and sometimes I would switch it up and try something different like the seafood pancake.
I recently came back to this place after not having it for awhile and my hot stone bulgolgi was simply underwhelming. Not enough meat to even finish the rice...
The prices are somewhat reasonable, so I think students can appreciate a place like this.

Bibliotechs Softball - Cambridge, MA (42.3591326, -71.093201) (Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - Jeremiah G.: The Bibliotechs are one of the finest slow-pitch softball teams ever assembled...PERIOD.

The Bibliotechs are the MIT Library Staff Association's softball team, composed of library employees, their families, and friends. They have been playing in the MIT Community Summer Softball League for 30 years.

Bibliotechs come from all walks of life: among the members of past teams have been a film-maker, a taxi-driver, a Dutch volleyball champion, a Pushcart Poetry prizewinner, a former member of the seminal rock group The Velvet Underground and the legendary '60s Boston garage band The Lost, and a past president of the New England Herpetological Society. It's all too true!

Bibliotechs have gone on to great success after MIT, not only as librarians and library administrators, but also in the fields of law, accountancy, veterinary medicine, teaching, and enigmatic behavior.
1 - John A.: Eek! Methinks not.

I've seen the Bibliotechs play and . . . well . . . they could afford to hit the books a little harder.  The previous review talks up the Bibliotechs' . . . oh heck, let's just drop the pretense and call them what they are: librarians . . . prospects for the 2008 season but there is notably no follow up.  In point of fact they suffered repeated, blistering defeat, most notably at the hands of the eventual league champion Straw Dogs who dominated the division.

While the indulgent (read: librarians) will continue to wallow in nostalgic dreams of analog days and leather-bound nights, digital-age powerhouses such as the Straw Dogs will continue to define the future of softball at MIT.  It's clearly time to relegate the entry for this musty, dusty team to the card catalog of history.  They are long overdue for check out and no amount of outstanding late fees can save them from the surplus bin.  I am afraid the best they can hope for is a comfortable retirement somewhere deep in the stacks right next to the team's dog-eared, worn copy of 'Softball for Total Idiots.'

Bicycle Chain - Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9121326818984, -79.0591621398926) ()
2 - Jake S.: There are a number of specialty products that have entire pocket communities surrounding them. In my admittedly limited experience I quickly learned that cycling was one of them. 

What's more important is that some factions of these communities are open and eager to teach you about that which they love so much, and others would prefer to cater exclusively to those who share their appreciation and wealth of knowledge. 

Unfortunately I've found the Bicycle Chain to fall into the latter category. What's more is they have a competitor down the street a half mile (Performance) that completely out does them in every department. The Bicycle Chain staff is knowledgeable, but every time I ask a question in there I feel like a moron. 

Their store is mostly actual bicycles, with a slim selection of accessories and apparel (a stark contrast to the more balanced Performance shop). 

I will say that the one time I left my bike with them their repair shop was speedy, alas my poor impression of their staff and business philosophy has tainted my opinion of them regardless.
4 - Kianna M.: The Bicycle Chain, offers repair services of your two wheeled vehicle, bike sales, and a range of bike accessories.  Get yourself a helmet, new lock or perhaps you just want a bell or horn to let others know you're coming through.  They have some really high quality wheels here (Canondale and many others), for the bike enthusiast or someone that just wants to get some exercise around town.
1 - William J.: I went to the Bicycle Chain once.  Once was enough.

The entire staff seems to think that anyone who is not an avid sport cyclist is a moron, freak, degenerate, or all of the above.  I have seldom seen such condescending rudeness from an entire staff.  No, I do not know how that is supposed to be aligned.  That's why I came here for your help.  Don't look at me like that.

I may not know much about the technical specifications of bicycles, but I do know when I'm being price gouged.  These guys wanted to charge me more for a basic tune-up than the bike was worth in the first place.  I managed to talk them down, but Jesus, let's have a little decency, shall we?

Then, the kicker.  The tune-up wasn't even properly done.  After all that trouble, the bike breaks down in a week and a half from an improperly tightened chain.  Which I had just paid them to take care of.  What the hell, guys?

There's a large selection of bikes here, though accessories are less well stocked.  They have the repair shop there, and it seems to work with great speed (does fake-repairing something fast make it better service?).

If you're a dedicated cyclist, maybe you can find something of value here.  For my part, I'm going to try greener pastures.
4 - Monica M.: The guys who work here are very helpful, and definitely willing to deal with you on the price of a new bike.   I've been shopping around for a higher end road bike than the one that I have, and this is one of the places I looked that actually had a bike available that would fit me.  They have been pretty patient and awesome while I take my sweet sweet time making my decision, and have shown lots of interest in their customers and helping out the random person who comes in from the street.

I didn't end up buying the bike from there, but would definitely go back for other products.
5 - Jethro T.: These guys are great!  They've got a bike for everyone, and a full service department with fairly reasonable prices.  They took a lot of time to talk to me about my options when I was looking for my road bike.  They weren't pushy about selling me things I didn't need and made me feel very comfortable with my purchase.  They've definitely earned my business!
1 - Dan W.: I really wanted to buy a bike from these guys, despite the inattentive and sruly service I had received years ago.   In fact I knew what I wanted to buy and just needed to place the order.  After 15 minutes of waiting with zero recognition from the staff I finally had to walk out.  There are better bikes shops in the area.
4 - Rob F.: I'm not a cyclist or someone who even knows much about bicycles.  However, when my neglected Schwinn needed work I took it there, they made some adjustments, replaced the chain and for $35 and 10 minutes I had a bike that actually worked.

I did feel like an idiot, however It was entirely self imposed as I don't know much about bikes!  Really friendly and speedy service.

For service I'll definitely be back.
3 - Mike O.: Stuff is a little pricier here than at Back Alley Bikes, but there's more new stuff. Stopped by here twice now, and it seems that at the beginning of the semester these places are busy, hard to catch someone's ear to talk to. Came looking for a bike helmet, but they were all sold out of the kind I wanted and it was unclear when they new shipment would arrive. People are friendly enough here, but I prefer Back Alley.

Bicycle Therapy - Philadelphia, PA (39.9469527, -75.1870473) ()
5 - Jeff H.: All of the guys and gals at Bicycle Therapy are knowledgeable about bikes - you just need to find the right guy for retail or repairs (hint, the repair guys are generally working on bikes).

They don't carry a ton of brands, but they do carry quality.  Don't come here for a $100 Huffy.  Come here for a quality bike, great service, and friendly banter.  Come here if you want to watch the Tour de France and don't know what channel it is on.  If you tell them what you want to get out of riding (basic transportation, road cycling, mountain biking, racing, etc.), they will help guide you to several appropriate choices.  Then test drive.  If you need air for your tires, there is a free air hook-up outside.

If (when) you buy a bike here, do get the service plan for three years.  That way you can get your bike tuned each year at the start of the season with no additional labor charges (other than unusual repairs - ask them in the store).  

If you have kids, they have a good selection of bikes, tricycles, helmets, etc. for the kids too.
5 - Charlie K.: Was doing the browsing of reviews and had to throw my 2 cents in about Bicycle Therapy as well. I was embarrassed when I brought my crappy old 2nd hand bike in here to get fixed up, and was pleased that the boys didn't even blink an eye at it. And got it back within 2 days at an really reasonable price. The bikes in the shop are expensive, but the little that I do know about bikes, seem like really the top of the line. And yes the staff is cute as hell.
5 - Brian C.: At the risk of sounding redundant, I'm throwing in my hat for Bicycle Therapy as well.  I'm a relatively novice cyclist, and everything these other reviews say about the nice and knowledgeable treatment from their staff is totally true.  It's easily the tidiest and most well-lit bike shop in the city.  I was looking to get a basic hybrid for my work commute and trips to the Wissahickon, and they outlined my best options and let me test-ride four different bikes on three separate visits (w/o hassling me) before I arrived at my decision.  Several times I showed up right after work just before they were closing, and they never rushed me out the door.  I spent a little more than I'd originally intended, but after a month of biking, I feel certain they helped me make the right choice -- I'm one happy camper on my bike.

I scoped out numerous bike shops in the city, in the process discovering how blessed Philly is for mostly eschewing big chain stores and championing its numerous fine independent bike shops.  Trophy Bikes comes in at a close second- their staff are just as professional and knowledgeable-- but you can't beat Bicycle Therapy for panache.  And their turnaround time is typically faster than expected.

Kudos to the friendly owner, Lee, and his awesome staff (esp. John and Jen up front and superhelpful tech guy Andy in the back) for fueling my newfound liberation from high gas prices and gridlock!
5 - Oski B.: As a straight guy masquerading as a bear, I have nothing of substance to add to the conversation about the hot guys who work here.  However, I definitely agree that Bicycle Therapy provides quality service without the attitude nor did they try to upsell me when I came here to get my bike tuned up.  There was a dog snoozing by the parts section the two times that I came by last summer, but I don't know whether he still comes by to hang out.
5 - Chrissy R.: I went in and knew what I wanted.  In and out and no one trying to sell me anything more expensive.  Beings as though it's a couple blocks from my house, I will go again when I need more accessories (or decide to put street tires on my bike).
4 - Allison B.: These guys are great.

Minus the fact that they took off a kick-stand and kept it without mentioning it (and then I obliviously took the bike home without noticing), I have had wonderful experiences with them. It isn't inaccessibly expensive. They're smart and skilled dudes... who are NICE too. That is really something to praise.

When looking for accessories such as helmets or baskets or bags, check this place out. I got one of those great multi-use helmets with the visor there and I get compliments from everyone. Sure, the helmet was a little costly but the benefits (and sweet fashion attention) hugely outweighs.

So get on it! (both a bike and their services)
4 - carina g.: My first impression upon entering the shop was, "WOW, it's CLEAN, ORGANIZED, SPACIOUS, and BRIGHT!"  This is the first shop I've been to in Philly that didn't look like some dude's garage, every inch crammed with stuff in a more or less random fashion.

I was helped right away (a simple flat fix) and the guy was extremely nice and thorough.  He noticed something was too tight on the wheel and offered to fix it, telling me how much it would cost upfront.  When I got back on the road I noticed a definite improvement.  Better still, they were cheaper than Frankenstein and seemed comparable to Firehouse (hard to tell because I usually get a thorn resistant tube which they were out of in my size plus the extra $5 for adjusting the wheel).  Still not as cheap as North Philly Bicycles.

I checked out their bikes for sale - beautiful, shiny, and expensive.  I'm more a Craigslist kind of girl myself, but it doesn't hurt to browse and they had a decent selection.

Finally, extra pluses for Yrock on the radio and the adorable pup.
5 - Edward L.: I've been coming here for a few years now. I got my bike here. The folks are great. I would not bring my bike to any other shop. Great service. The prices are what to expect but they will always help you out. Always. Nobody is arrogant or short with you  like at other shops.

Honestly, the service here is the best you will find. Those guys are smart as hell. They know what they are doing and will help you with anything. 

By the way, they build a bomb-proof wheel. Best wheel-builders in Philly.
2 - Thad S.: Ok, I would not normally give a shop a poor rating, except here I have experienced repeated lack of customer service, which is exceptional for such an expensive shop. I am going to have to go against the grain. And here is why. My first few times were fine (I am an avid cyclist), but one time I was running low on air, so as a returning customer, I decided to stop by to fill up. Well they have a free air hose outside, which is righteous. However, it only accepts schrader valves, and when I asked if they had an adapter, they told me $2 to buy one. I was on a joy ride and didnt have my wallet with me. I had to kindly beg to just borrow one. Okay, so not a big deal. Another time, I was simply looking for a cheap single speed chain for an old junker in my line-up of bikes. All of the employees were standing around in crocs and Bono glasses, ignoring me, although they seemed to be doing nothing. I waited and waited, not wanting to bother them, although standing right in front of them and kept asking for a chain. Someone helped me, great. But then he (apparently mistaking me for their traditional yuppie clientele) proceeded to repeatedly tell me I had to cut the chain. I assured him I HAD a chain tool, and as such just needed the chain. And repeated myself 2 more times, that I know that I need to break the chain to length, and it was not my first time to the rodeo. This whole exchange took 20 minutes of precious time, when I was trying to get a bike ready for an afternoon booze cruise. Strike 2. The final straw came when a friend of mine was looking all over the city for the bottom bracket he needed, and they had it in stock. He spoke to them a few times, and we headed over right at closing, as we were coming from work. They assured him they had it and they were holding it for him. We get there and they are closed by 10 minutes. The employees were hanging out in the shop, and we knocked on the window having spoken to them within the last half hour. They told us they were closed. We explained we had just called, and informed them we could pay cash, because we had a night-time adventure lined up and needed this bottom bracket. They refused. Strike three. I am glad the other posters had better experiences, but I will not go back there. I fully support our independent bike shops, but not when their service is worse than Performance.
5 - David G.: I'm no expert cyclist, but I know a great service when I see it.  Went into Bicycle Therapy last week for a fit on the Novara Strada that I had bought from Craigslist over a year ago, riding it without making many adjustments.   Naturally, my back has been killing me.

The owner graciously installed the cleats on my shoes, then went to work.  Even before I got on the trainer he adjusted my seat.  Then he spent over an hour taking my measurements, fine tuning the bike, replacing the tape, and replacing my stem with a shorter one.  My rides this week have been pure butter, an incredibly improved ride with no back pain.

Can't say it was cheap (fits start at $75, and go up from there to include well-over-a-hundred fits that include serious guidance on biking form; tune-ups start at $60), but an incredibly professional and nice staff make it worth every penny.
2 - aki b.: I went to Bike Therapy a month or so ago because I really, really wanted a Specialized Allez road bike. I ended up purchasing a cool assTrek from Bike Line instead because the sales people at BT stood around chatting with each other as if the store weren't milling with prospective customers. Maybe it was an off day for them, who knows? But if they haven't been in poser mode, I wouldn't have ended up with such a sweet ride!
5 - Brian B.: Best bike shop ever.  Amazing staff.  They are honest, dependable, and unpretentious.  I have bought a bike from them and have them do all the work on my bikes.  They only have a small selection of bike clothes so I have to go elsewhere for that, but for everything else bike related, these are the people to see.
5 - Melissa D.: I'm the type of person who has trouble spending over $100 at any given time on any one item.  So, naturally my decision to buy a road bike was filled with anxiety.  I went to many bike shops, asking lots of questions, getting lots of pressure and left many feeling like "bike" was a foreign language.  Then in steps Bicycle Therapy!  I stopped by the shop, cruised around for a bit  and then was asked if I had any questions.  I told the guy what I was looking for and he offered many suggestions and literally spent an hour plus going through each.  Awesome!  Of course, my anxiety about major purchases got the best of me that day, so I walked out of the shop more knowledgeable then I had arrived but still roadbike-less.  After a full year of stalking the bike (i.e visiting the store every month or so and looking at it), I finally dug deep and summoned enough courage to buy the damn bike!  It was one of the best purchases I ever made.  BT staff rock, knowledgeable, patient, bike enthusiasts.
4 - kelly g.: The guys here are very friendly and helpful, even right before closing. I only had a tube change but it was super quick & cheap.  I have an old 60's Columbia w/ a basket and I could tell it wasnt the typical bike they work on or sell but they didnt act snooty about it and I appreciated that.
5 - Earl M.: While Bicycle Therapy is run by very serious yet fun-loving riders, this shop is not just for gear heads.  The shop has a very laid-back selling style.  If you want to buy something, they will happily review benefits and disadvantages of everything in the store until you have enough information.  Do you sometimes have to insert yourself in their lively, personal conversations to get the help you need?  Yes, but that's the price of a friendly, low-pressure bike shop that seems as happy to have you hang out as to buy something.  Regardless, they really know their stuff and give the same attention to a middle-aged guy looking for a new commuter bike (that's me) as they do to folks shopping for the lightest, fastest, newest thing on two wheels.  Service is also top-notch.  Lee has serviced our family's 6 bikes (bought there and elsewhere) for 10+ years and has always delivered.  If you NEED an emergency repair, they are there for you and will do whatever they can to get you back on the road.  Go in, introduce yourself - they will take good care of you.
5 - Amy K.: A couple years ago, I was in the market for a new bike. I tried a couple places before I went to bicycle therapy but glad I ended up here. They were very helpful, very knowledgeable and I left with a bike the same visit that I still love til this day. Genuine staff, if I am in the market for anything else bike related, I will certainly be going back.
5 - kap n.: great selection of bikes.

the staff definitely know what they are talking about.
5 - Ben P.: These guys are hands down the best bike shop in the city. I bought a bike there about 10 years ago and have been going back since. For routine maintenance, or if you just need parts or even advice, the guys and girls in the shop are friendly, knowledgable, and most important in a city of snobby, hipster, bike-riding douchebags...totally non-judgemental.  Got bike questions? They got answers. Need some friendly tips, they got 'em. The shop is clean, well-lit, and their prices are more than fair.
5 - Susan P.: This is the only bike shop I'll go to in Philly (after trying 2 other duds.)

The people who work here are incredibly knowledgeable and incredibly friendly.  They always ask before they do something to your bike-- I've gotten a couple of calls during tune-ups asking if I want them to fix something the cheaper way or the better way, and giving me a heads up about an impending problem.  It almost feels like I've dropped my pet off at the vet and they call to tell me that she's okay!

At least during the summer months there is a waiting period before you can get a tune up- you call them, and they give you a few options for when you can bring your bike (usually about 2 weeks from the time you call).  You put down a deposit over the phone, then when the day comes you drop it off.  They have always been on time in returning it to me.

This place is great-- and well named for the service!
5 - Julie K.: There's nothing I can say that hasn't already been said, but I'll repeat it anyway: Bicycle Therapy is the best. When I first moved to Philly and started biking, they took a look at my junky old road bike and helped me understand the gears. When I was ready to upgrade, they listened carefully to what I wanted, then suggested the perfect hybrid bike. When I messed around with the build of my mountain bike, they fixed it without judgment.  They also have a great selection of accessories and gear. Although I'm not an expert cyclist, I have a lot of fun with my recreational riding and commuting. It's nice for a shop to respect that without scoffing at someone who's not a gearhead, which has been the case elsewhere. When I finally buy my first real road bike (which will be happening at some point in the not-so-distant future), I will definitely be coming here. You should come here too.
4 - Drew D.: I walked in the door, noted the clean, well lit surroundings, the selectively stocked shelves, the mechanics wearing retro yet of-the-moment shop uniforms, and I was immediately ready to run the other way. My bike doesn't need a day spa, nor do I need all the preening cyclist attitude that usually comes with these sorts of hipster surroundings.

Actually, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself to be the one with the 'tude. The sales guy had more than enough time to help me and my friend with our various questions and last minute purchases before our upcoming race. One of the mechanics set aside his work, looked over my bike, unbent my rear derailleur and fixed a few other minor problems (courtesy of UPS shipping), lent me his pedal wrench, said they couldn't squeeze me in for a wheel truing for another couple days, and sent me off without a bill.

Thanks, guys!
5 - Mark L.: Best neighborhood bike shop in all of philly. From the resident dogs to the free air outside or the bike experts within, this place is a favorite for all bikers.
4 - Gale S.: These are the reasons i love bicycle Therapy:

-Employees are knowledgable, welcoming, honest, and very, VERY handsome. 
-They work quickly and are reasonably priced for all bike services. (flat tire - $11. awesome.)
-The shop feels comfortable and homey; I never feel like a "stupid girl" being in there.
-Free air 24/7. 
and now, the one negative, condensed in a haiku:

elite cyclist air...
quit acting like Lance Armstrong,
else I'll slap yer face.

Other than that, I love Bicycle Therapy. they keep me dreming of lean, shaven male legs. Gale S. likey.  :)
3 - Jeremy S.: I've been there a few times for spare parts or to get flats fixed in a hurry.  Most of the time, the service has been great.

I had one bad experience last May. I readjusted my seat before departing on a ride and realized it was too low, so I stopped in to get it readjusted.  When I got to the service counter, Tech number 1 wasn't really interested in helping anyone, but managed to muster a "Can I help you?" Dude was miserable.  I asked to use two allen wrenches to readjust my seat, which wasn't permitted, so he came around, raised the seat a bit, re-tightened the bolts, then went away without saying a thing.

Tech Number 2 (who had helped us the week prior and was super cool) got a vibe as to what was happening and was kind enough to come around the counter after Number 1 had left, make sure it was a good height for me, and then he wiped the grease from the exposed portion of the seatpost.  He also threw in a "Thanks man - enjoy your ride. No charge for this."

If it wasn't for Tech 2, I would have never returned.  Having worked in specialty sports retail for 15 years, there's no excuse for treating customers like that.  If you're that hungover or miserable, fake it or call out sick.
4 - pauline l.: This place is very competent and they didn't give me any attitude about patching up my Globe (which is not a great bike at all -- I bought it off Craigslist when I didn't know anything at all about bikes) after my brother crashed it and broke the front fork.  The repair work and parts are generally pretty reasonable, and the turnaround time is decent -- considering they had to order a new fork and wait for it to arrive, it still took only about a week for them to get the bike all fixed up. 

The store definitely caters to the racing crowd, which I'm definitely not a part of. You may or may not get that vibe from the people in the store but it hasn't been a problem for me at all. They were definitely still friendly to me and my old Globe.
5 - Veronica N.: Very helpful and friendly staff.  Got my bike shipped quickly.  Didnt get that hipster attitude bullshit that you get from the staff at some other shops around town.  Will be back next time I am in Philly.
5 - Jaimie Z.: This is the best bike store in philly as far as I'm concerned. I went in to buy a cable lock. The guy working showed me which one to buy AND how to properly use it with my U-Lock.. He was totally patient and down to earth. It was pretty awesome! Helpful indeed!
5 - Travis T.: Visited the shop twice when looking for a new road bike and received incredible service from John. He spend 20+ minutes with me reviewing what I was interested in, how I would be using the bike and what they had that fit the bill.

Test rode one bike the first visit, and John offered to have a second bike assembled for a comparison ride later on. He called when the second was ready and once again provided excellent service when I returned.

Due to other circumstances, I didn't end up making a purchase from the shop, but I'll definitely be gearing up in the future and will be keeping them in mind should I need any parts, clothes or repair services.
4 - Kevin P.: On first glance, you might think the bright and clean interior and relatively high end Specialized bikes would make this place pretentious, but that couldn't be more false. The staff is really helpful and nice,and clearly know what they're talking about. They gave me some great advice about a problem I was having, even though I clearly wasn't buying anything that day... 

It's also a breath of fresh air in the Philly world of hipster (or whatever you want to call them) bike shops that are commonplace. I mean no insult to the generic-looking steel tubed single speeders that you see all over the city, but it's good to have shops like Bicycle Therapy that sell mountain bikes, roadies and singles.
1 - Jeff S.: These guys are bush league hipsters.  Bring them a fixed gear and you'll be in good hands -  dress accordingly in your skinny jeans and Red Wings or you'll feel like the "uncool" kid.  I'm not visiting to get the hipster vibe, i'm visiting to for know-how and results.  You -might- find them here... along with some condescending ultra-hip down-the-nose glances, but then again, you might instead find the resolve to just learn how to fix that ride yourself - ya dig?  FYI - the issue i brought them was fixed by my old bike shop without a hitch.  Bike Therapy?  As the Beatles warned me long ago - I should've known better.  When i hurt my bikes'feelings i'll think about letting them have a session with her.

One day after being told my rim was "bent", as in damaged beyond repair, that no amount of tensioning would bring the wheel back into true, and that i would need to buy a new wheel, I spent my Saturday morning reading up a little on how to true a wheel, compliments of Sheldon Brown - and i did just that.  I'll be riding my bike again tomorrow, no thanks to the "therapy" served up at this lame joint.  Looks like the best thing they got going there is the free air.  Hilarious.   At least they didn't charge me, but then again, they don't charge for their air, and by the same token ought not charge anyone for the hot air they spew when presented with a potentially difficult task.

If they wanted to fix it they could've, but they copped out cause it wasn't a no-brainer, and they'd rather keep that second hand free to waft in the smell of their own farts, instead of using that hand to get something done.

Instead of me paying 30 or so dollars for the trueing, they felt fine telling me that i should go spend another couple hundred and buy a new wheel - it's like the patient who seeks treatment for an ingrown fingernail, and the doctor recommends amputation.    

Poseurs, indeed.
5 - Chet T.: Bicycle Therapy is a great shop that takes care of business.   I was shopping for a Mtb in 2009 and did all my homework on what made sense for me.  Jon worked with me on discussing my options and at last I had to postpone the purchase because my wife became pregnant and funds were quickly diverted...  A year later, I went in and Jon not only recognized me but remembered the bike I was interested in.  After further conversation we landed on a better option for my intended use and I bought my Specialized Rockhopper '10 from them as a 40th birthday present to myself.  Since then, I have been in the shop for normal wear and tear maintenance and some repairs caused by operator error on the Wissahickon trails.    As a newbie to mountain biking, these guys and gals did not pass any judgment and they are always extremely responsive, even know me by name and answer all my questions.  Prices are fair and service is great!  If you want to experience a great bike shop in Philly, Bicycle Therapy should be your only stop.
5 - Jack N.: All the mechanics and employees were super friendly and helpful. We brought in two bikes and even though the place was busy, we were out of there in 20 minutes. 

The guy who helped me out gave a suggestion to upgrade to Gatorskin tires to help prevent flats but wasn't pushy about the sale. This is my new go-to bike shop.
5 - Eric W.: Best bike shop in Philly! Great service, friendly staff, and quality products @ reasonable prices!
5 - Zachary S.: I had a fantastic experience purchasing a bike from Bicycle Therapy. The sales staff is knowledge and not pushy. After I looked at a bike I liked, the technicians tweaked it to my height and let me go on a test ride. When I ended up purchasing the bike, I told the sales clerk about how my last bike had been stolen and he gave me a bunch of accessories for free. I couldn't be happier with my experience here. If you're looking for a bike, this is the place to go!
5 - Jay M.: These guys ROCK!  I was in last Sunday - and they repaired my front tire and brakes in less than 25 minutes for $20!  I will be back.  Great guys/gals.  Honest neighborhood business.
5 - Michael V.: The single biggest fear in going into a bike store is that one will appear uncool relative to the employees. This is inevitable... because the truth is... they are cooler than you. This doesn't mean they're smarter than you, or better looking, or even a better cyclist. And they probably aren't wealthier... because honestly, you don't get rich working in a bike store. 

But working in a bike store... or any boutique, specialty store... such as a record store, a head shop, a vintage clothing store, or a vegan grocery store.... in other words... stores on the fringes of societies dominant needs... these work environments don't provide riches, or fame, or even health insurance. But they do provide one huge fringe benefit that everyone wants, but are unwilling to pay the real price for... which is the power to be cool all day and night.

One might ask... what is cool, and why should hipster bike store guys get to be cool. Well, if you have ask... you probably aren't very cool. Coolness never evaluates itself that way. Coolness is not self aware. Coolness is a state of being wherein the individual follows along certain social trends and adheres to certain group dynamics because they like how it feels. They buy into a lifestyle. Some lifestyles are understood to be cool, others are uncool. 

This is no different than buying into any lifestyle. For instance, let's assume somebody wants to be a lawyer, so that they can have status and wealth. So they go to law school, get a job, and work 12 hours per day to reach that goal. They enjoy status and prestige, and can go into any store and buy stuff. They are on top of the world. Given their position they can afford to be condescending, know-it-all, boring pricks to everyone else... BECAUSE they are lawyers. It's an unspoken reality that comes with that lifestyle. 

But then the lawyer goes to the bike shop with their credit card, and they want their social status to follow them in their like an entourage of boot-lickers. Instead, they are confronted with a collection of borderline slacking hipsters who don't seem to give a shit about weaseling money from THE SUIT. 

The lawyer immediately goes into the psychological equivalent of cardiac arrest.  Underlying the shock of the moment is the presumption that wealth should trump all things in American life. Sure, these hipster cyclists dedicate their lives to all things cycling, and sure, they don't make much money, and sure, they ride hundreds of miles per week to maintain cycling careers on a shoestring income. But in the lawyers mind, all of that is irrelevant in the light of his credit card purchase. The fact that (in this situation) money isn't trumping actual lifestyle is shocking to all, and it seems like a mortal sin against the economic imperative of kissing the customers ass. 

Thus the meltdown that the phenomenally rich yet terminally uncool have upon encountering bike culture... which they cannot dominate with their bank account. 

I myself am not a cool bike store employee. I don't wear skinny jeans, trendy shoes, or have piercings and tattoos in just the right places (or any places, for that matter). I'm not rich, though I make more money than these guys, I presume. And yes, it pisses me off when I get an attitude dropped on my head at this place and others like it.

But what is the alternative? To wish for servile and fawning store employees who step-and-fetch-it in a pathetic "the customer is always right" approach. Believe me, if you find a place like that, it's even more annoying than the worst bike-hipster dude. The Bike Line stores were like that... where the manager of the store had a Harvard Business School approach to customer relations. If you came into that place, they'd write up a work order ticket just to pump up your tire.

Bike Therapy is a laid back place. Sure, they drop attitude here and there. Hey, they can't help it... they spend all day in skinny jeans and cool hair styles... how do they know how to act to those of us out in the "real world"... a "real world" dominated by boredom and bland conformity. We go the the bike shop for a shot of something different, then piss and moan when we get it. 

Here's an idea... treat a trip to the bike store as if you're traveling to a foreign country. Just enjoy the locals. Consider their snobby attitudes as simply a cultural affectation that you should take pains to understand, rather than as some behavior to condemn, least you become an ugly American in your own country.
5 - Amber M.: sweet shop.  got some awesome armadillo tires.  quick service and all are very friendly.
5 - Aaron O.: You just bought a 1992 Merlin frame and realized it doesn't have a "normal" bottom bracket, what do you do??? Your 8sp ergo shifters are jammed, what do you do?There's really just one choice for these issues and many more like them; take it to Bicycle Therapy.

Andy is among the best, most knowledgable mechanics I've come across and he heads a uniformly fantastic team. They aren't cheap, but if you want it done right the first time, take it to Therapy. Their recommendations are honest and I've never been steered wrong. They aren't just in it for the quick sale...if they don't have the right widget, they'll send you else where rather than compromise your bike. Simply put, Therapy is in it for the long haul. With as much effort as they put into relationships, don't nickel and dime them...buy your tubes there instead of online for $ .50 less.

For older bikes, go to Via...for latest greatest, Therapy is the best choice.
5 - Liz F.: There could not be a better bike shop in Philadelphia.  I was promptly greeted and taken around the store by a very pleasant worker.  He showed me everything I needed and all the different price tiers with explanations of why some things were more expensive.  Furthermore, he didn't try and only sell me the expensive things- I got honest input of what would be best for my needs.

 After I found everything I needed, he installed everything on my bike for me.  The other workers in the shop were friendly and chatty while lights and non-quick release poles (yes, that's the technical name) were installed.  This place is perfect.  Can't believe I've never been here before.  I will be back for any and all bike needs/repairs.
5 - Cassie T.: The guys at Bike Therapy are very professional, knowledgeable, helpful and nice. The shop had some select gear that seemed targeted towards hardcore spandex suit cyclists, not really a place to go for bike accessories like messenger bags. The bike selection was drool worthy and included a handful of sharp looking commuter bikes. I also appreciated their collection of silly bike bells, especially the one that was hamburger shaped.  The price of a basket and installation fee ($20 for everything, and done in 4 minutes) was the best I've found so far in the city. At Bicycle Revolutions I think I paid $30 for the same basket with installation and they had to keep my bike overnight. I would definitely recommend and return to Bicycle Therapy.
5 - Kelly V.: Strolled in here just to look at bikes and rode out on a 2011 vita! Staff was super helpful and explained each bike's specs to me. They had several options for shorter folks, which I appreciated, and they made sure the bike I picked was comfortable in terms of grip placement, height and handlebars. They were super knowledgeable without being condescending and answered all my questions. I'm coming here for all my bike needs :)
4 - Zoe P.: I bought my bike here! It was awesome - the bike was going to be my birthday present, so I went in and even though it was pretty busy the staff smiled and greeted me and asked if they could help me find anything. I took a few minutes to carefully examine the bikes they had before picking out a few I was interested in and asked one of the staff a few questions about each to decide which best suited my purposes. They let me bike around the immediate area to get a feel for it and really make sure that it was the one I wanted, which was great! (Of course, they held onto a credit card to make sure I returned)

In addition to the bike, I picked up a helmet and bike locks - and could've gotten sooo maany more accessories but stopped myself. I'm so glad that I live only a few blocks away so I can bring my bike back here whenever it needs to be tuned up, fixed, or have those other accessories I didn't buy installed...The super friendly and knowledgeable staff are the icing on this cake. It doesn't matter if you're totally ignorant about bikes or consider yourself a pro, Bicycle Therapy knows how to treat both!
5 - Hayley G.: I always come in here worried that I'm going to say something stupid about my bike and be laughed out of the store (I'm a commuter-biker and I know pathetically little about how my bike works/how to care for it). And every time I am surprised and happy by how nice and helpful they are. This time they installed both the lights I bought (and it was no small task because of how my handlebars are shaped). So glad I live right around the corner!
5 - Jonathan S.: This place is hands down the best bike shop I have ever been to.  The staff is so knowledgable and helpful, it is amazing.  They spend so much time with each customer to make sure they have the right parts, fit, bike, etc....simply put, awesome.  They really keep cost in mind when talking about products and make sure the customer doesn't over spend for what they need.  Really a great place that should be the high standard for all other bike shops, especially in Philly.
5 - Hamilton P.: You can tell that cycling runs in the staff's blood here. A nice thing about Bicycle Therapy is  the stools outside the work area so you can watch and try to learn as the mechanics fix up your bike. Bonus points for the cute pitbull that occasionally comes to hang out. Everytime I see that dog, he makes me miss my pit back home! The prices for repairs seem reasonable, and their bikes and accessories seem averagely priced for brick and mortar bike shops, but I wouldn't bet on getting a crazy deal here. The extremely knowledgeable and helpful staff is what you'll want to come for. 

They helped me out a ton when I was looking for a new bike, and even though I went with a different store, I still bring my commuter bike here for repairs, if that says anything.
5 - Sara H.: About three years since my last review & things are as solid as ever. Super friendly, down-to-earth, helpful, NICE people still running the show. 

Just had a great experience with their service department and bought a cool hamburger bike bell, too. 

If you have any bike needs in Philly - it is now as official as it was three years ago; this is the best place I've ever been, period.
5 - Ashley H.: I have always gone to Bike Therapy for odds and ends, but when I had to make a huge purchase for my first racing bike, I shopped around town a bit.  My experience buying a complete bike here was amazing and so enjoyable, and it confirmed that BT was the place to go.  The staff was patient, extremely supportive, and willing to really help me get the most out of my price range.  Toby went above and beyond to make sure I was comfortable on the bike I purchased, and his attention to detail has made me fall in love with my new bike even more.

I can't recommend this place highly enough.  I will be going here for all future needs, and Toby is a great help and wonderful sales guy!
5 - Superfly T.: Great shop with nice people and expert staff.   Plus a really sweet selection of bikes, one of the city's finest!
5 - Deanna S.: Great prices, really friendly staff, and they leave an air pump outside for anyone to use.
5 - Andrew W.: Really friendly staff, pretty quick turnarounds on repairs and maintenance, and a good selection of the odds and ends that you need to keep your bike running smoothly. 

I wish it were a bit larger of a store, just to complete their selection a bit more, but the bikes that they do offer are excellent and listed at pretty competitive prices.

I had been searching for a commuter bike online for the past few months, comparing online options and local shops. While most of the shops in the area have a similar selection of bikes, I thought BT was really helpful in helping me sort through the options and pick a reasonable city bike.  The price I paid for my Jamis Commuter was about $30 less than the other offers in the area.

Free air = bonus!
5 - Cecily R.: this place is hands down the best bike shop in within a two mile radius. never trying to sell you anything you don't need. totally fair with pricing. every person on the staff is super knowledge and friendly. i bought my bike from another shop in ucity--wish i would have gone here--the frame is too small for me.
5 - Caroline N.: This is, hands down, the best bike shop I've ever been to. Everyone I've met, whether in the sales or service department, is very helpful and patient, and always takes the time to educate me on the products and services. I  have been going here for the last year since I moved to Graduate Hospital for various repairs and smaller purchases (though not yet a bike itself). Each time I go in, I am impressed with the level of service, the fast turnaround times, and the friendly, not-at-all-intimidating approach from the staff. And the owner's dog, Diego, is adorable and so chill.

I attended their Roadside Repair class yesterday morning, and learned an incredible amount. The instructors, Josh and Andy, were very knowledgeable, yet able to communicate everything clearly to beginners. When the 2 hour class was over, I felt much more confident and empowered to do the roadside repair basics - take the wheels off, change flats, align the chain, etc. I was a complete novice when the class began and I so appreciate the hands-on, step-by-step lessons and their patience with all our questions.

After the class, I had scheduled a bike fitting with Toby. I have been riding my Specialized bike, which I purchased from Craigslist, for about 9 months. While I've used it for triathlons and training rides, I never had it adjusted to fit me correctly. I'd only adjusted the seat's vertical position. Toby spent an hour measuring angles and distances, adjusting the seat, vertically and horizontally, and the handlebars, so everything now fits perfectly. I went out for a 30 mile ride afterwards, and felt more comfort and power than before. Five stars for everything, guys! Thank you!
5 - Shereen C.: I now have my very own bike shop to love.  Excellent service from the mechanics to sales staff.  Everyone here seems honest and helpful -- they won't sell you something you don't need.

1. I went in planning to get my bike serviced ($60), which I've neglected to do since I got the bike (about 2 years).  A mechanic checks out the bike & determines that the main problem is my back wheel, which needs to be replaced ($40) or rebuilt ($30).  I have coaster brakes, and the braking's been slow, so that sounds about right.  But, I came in planning to get it fully serviced, so I ask again about maintenance.  Mechanic tells me the bike is pretty much good, that it doesn't really need servicing, that it'll feel much better after I replace the back wheel.  So I got that done, and he was right -- the bike feels great now.  

I really appreciate that the mechanic just honestly told me what my bike needed & didn't try to sell me more than that, even though I went in expecting to pay for it.  Instead, he was helpful and educational -- an excellent experience.

2.  Also went in looking for bike helmets -- wasn't sure if I needed to replace the one I already had.  Salesperson was honest, patient and matter-of-fact, explained the differences between various helmets, and offered to look at my old helmet to see if it needed replacement.  He could've sold me a helmet I didn't need, but instead, it seemed like he wanted me to get what I actually needed (even if that might be nothing!)

I can't express how great it is to have a bike shop where staff are cool, friendly, and honest.  While waiting, I observed another customer coming in and talking with a mechanic...  he was obviously a repeat customer who trusted the staff.  Bicycle Therapy seems like more than a shop -- it's a little community of people who really care about bikes and taking care of bikes.  

THANK YOU, Bicycle Therapy, for fixing my bike up & restoring my faith in Philly bike shops.  We (my bike and I) will be back.
5 - Beth D.: Recently had to get a new tire put on my bike. The staff was very chill an knowledgable and had my bike fixed promptly! I often stop there to use the outdoor free pump to fill my tires as they get low. Another great neighborhood business I am glad to support!
5 - Allison S.: Just moved to Philly from Baltimore, and purchased a bike secondhand which needed some repair. I've taken it into Bicycle Therapy three times, and all three times was thoroughly impressed by the staff's knowledgeability and genuine interest in helping me get what I needed!

The first two times I brought in my bike, different staff members did a quick check, refilled my air, greased up the gears, and checked my tires for free- and while I was standing there! After that I made an appointment for the next week with Zack, who did a fantastic job. Bike is no longer squeaky, tires are great, and the simple repair was a reasonable $37, done in a few hours. They also have a great selection of baskets, horns, lights, bikes for sale, and other paraphernalia in the shop. 

I will DEFINITELY be going back to Bicycle Therapy (hopefully not too soon) for all my biking needs, and have been recommending them to friends already!
5 - Henry R.: Yeah, the other reviewers don't lie.  The mechanics at Bicycle Therapy are helpful, professional, and help you find the most reasonable solutions to your bike issues, without making you feel like an idiot (highly appreciated).  The other staff are down to earth and take time to address questions, e.g. "How the hell do I put on a bib?".

I was recently at the shop and happened to see a staff member outside helping some folks install racks on the top of their car--would you see that at just any bike shop?  Probably not.  I also just got done with their bike maintenance classes, which were really helpful and a lot of fun.  I think it speaks volumes that they're willing to teach you how to maintain your bike, even if it means you won't take it in to the shop as much.
5 - Philip S.: I just want to add to the praise. I have had my bike serviced there a couple of times. The work was good, the price was very fair, and I got my bike back quickly. I took my daughter there to buy clip-in pedals and the owner of the store followed us out to sidewalk to show her how to clip in and out.  

I'm an old guy, 56, and I have been riding since I was six. I don't need any crap from someone who is clearly hipper than I am, but feels the need to remind me of that fact. These guys (and gals) are friendly, professional and, hell, I even feel a little bit hip going in there. 

I went in there today because after I changed a rear tube, the rear wheel was wobbling and I couldn't get rid of the wobble. I was greeted when I entered the store by at least two people. The guy who helped me took a bike off his stand so that he could work on mine and get me back out of there. He took the wheel off, he made a "minor adjustment", he tweaked the brakes, he topped off the tires. I got the bike back, about eight minutes after entering the store,  with a smile and a "No charge, today". That's the way bike shops are supposed to be. 

I live in Chestnut Hill. There are any number of bike shops between me and South Street. But they have my business.
5 - MARTY D.: I just had my Tenspeed serviced. Fantastic job, clean quick service. competitive prices and the mechanics are proffesionals. I highly recommend.
5 - Chelsea T.: Things I like about Bicycle Therapy:
-The mechanics are professionally dressed, and there's no confusion as to 'Who's who' in the store.
-The mechanics are also adorable..I mean...handsome?
-Their store is clean and well stocked with a respectable amount of bike swag
-They have a shop dog who pretty much rules
-They don't rip you off in the least.

xoxo to BT!
5 - Ryan S.: I popped my tire on the way in to work just before nine. They open at 10 but they were really nice and replaced my tube anyway. I was only 20 minutes late to the office.

Great people, fast reliable service, and they stand behind it.

Thank You!
5 - Laura S.: Of the four bike shops I have been to in Philly, I would say Bicycle Therapy is by far the most professional of the bunch.  

After my tire mysteriously became punctured (read:it was popped) at a post office in south philly, I stopped here on my way home (yay for riding on the rims!).

I was back on the road in less than 20 minutes with a new tube and a generally tightened bike to boot.

I also recently noticed they have free air?!

FREE AIR PEOPLE.  

Go here, you'll be happy.
5 - Dan A.: The customer service at Bicycle Therapy sets them apart. It was great they were able to answer all my questions regarding cycling shoes.

The staff at Bicycle Therapy is very friendly and knowledgeable.

Bier International - New York, NY (40.802618946349, -73.956710100174) (Harlem)
5 - Dean B.: UPDATE 8/29/10:  as the review below indicates quite clearly, I LOVED this place even before they had their kitchen up and runninng.  Now that it is I can add that the food we sampled (and we tried a lot of it) is amazing (I am resisting my tendency to yell in all caps here).  

Empanadas Capo Verde:
Baked empanadas with goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and Porcini mushrooms

Käse Teller :
Assorted cheeses: Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parma, Italy), Camembert (Normandy, France), Gruyère,
Switzerland), Jarlsberg (Norway), Manchego (Spain), Roquefort (France), served with seasonal fruits
and European-style bread

Mediterranean Platter:
Hummus, Baba Ganoush and Tabouli served with toasted, herbed whole pita bread

Wild Mushroom Quesadilla:
Sautéed Shitake, Portobello and Oyster mushrooms with fresh cilantro and queso blanco
on a flour tortilla with truffle oil 

All were eight or nine bucks, a great price, and they were even more amazing than the descriptions above sound.  Plus we had the truffle and shaved parmesan hand-cut fries, a huge portion and again amazing, which were four freaking bucks.

I've eaten at nearly every Mediterranean/Greek/Turkish/Lebanese/Israeli joint in the city and this place's platter exceeded them all.  The quesadilla? Thankfully light on cheese and heavy on incredible mushrooms.  The BAKED empanada was light and served with a delicious salad. The chefs are geniuses. That is not an overstatement. I am being restrained. Believe me.

The staff is incredibly friendly and courteous, as mentioned already below, the owner is almost always around   wonderfully friendly and very responsive to customer input, and THE CROWD! Now that it's been open a little over three weeks, the place was full  on a Sunday of the kind of mix of people (including a lot of very happy kids scarfing some serious amounts of lemonade) that reminds you how fantastic Harlem is and that NYC is the most ethnically diverse city in the world (all here bound together by a shared love of great beer, wine, food, and gemuetlichkeit).
 
Even if you don't care for great beer, come for the food. This place is a blessing bestowed upon Harlem and NYC by the beer and cuisine gods (who are also apparently mindful of decent pricing in the current economy).


***************************************************************************
I have been tracking the opening date for this place for WEEKS and got here on its third day in business.  The kitchen is not up and running yet but the beer is AMAZING (Czech (Krusovice), German (the only dark wheat draft  (Erdinger) I've had since I was in Germany plus Hofbrau), Belgian, and English.

The vibe is wonderful too--  you ain't not gonna find a mix o'people like this anywhere else in Manahattan.  Finally, the service is incredibly friendly and from the nabe.  

I am going back TOMORROW but wanted to get this up for all the Harlemites and anyone who loves great beer to see. (They have wine too).
5 - A C.: We went last Tuesday after a most horrid experience at Moca. This was a wonderful surprise and I don't even like beer! The atmosphere was perfect for both genders. Not frilly or to shi shi, but nice clean lines that we ladies with style love. The two bartenders I experienced were cute, kind, and attentive. The shorter bartender with the raven tattoo was a little friendlier (talkative) than the other. I had the Fruli and it was a delicious Strawberry beer. They have Hofbrau ON TAP and plenty of bottled options to supplement. I didn't see wine on the menu while I was there, nor did I see food. If they add those two it might end up being my new favorite bar. Very calm ambience during the week. I have to try it on the weekend.
5 - Wilfrid D.: I've been waiting a long time for this place too.  I've known the owners a while, and they are good guys.  First look suggests they've really got it right: genuinely international beer selection, reasonably priced cheese and charcuterie (full menu starts next week), in a modern, comfortable space.  Great addition to the neighborhood.
5 - Lanie F.: The bartenders are great, the selections are great. A very enjoyable evening!
5 - Rhett T.: Great place to unwind and grab a beer and a bite after work. Music is not too loud, staff is extremely courteous and polite, and the ambience is great. Not too mention the beer selection is not something you'll find at a fratty bar in Murray Hill. A definite must see if you're on the UWS.
4 - Sarah W.: I was so so excited when I heard this place was opening in my 'hood and have been more or less hanging around outside their door for weeks checking on the progress (it helps that it is practically on my corner). 

I went there last night for the first time around 7pm and it was packed and hoppin' with (I hope) local young'uns.  My friend and I were able to find the corner of a communal table with no problem and the help of the friendly and attentive waitress.  The high ceiling, white walls, and open front gave the place an authentic beer garden feel, despite being inside, although it did get a bit echo-y.

The service was super friendly and neighborhoody, with the waitress and manager stopping to chat despite the crowd.   The beer selection was good; the waitress not only let me know that the beer I wanted had just been tapped and so would be warm, but suggested a comparable alternative.  

The food was tasty and I loved that all of the menu items had suggested beer pairings. The catfish tacos with chipotle mayo were good, if a little small; the catfish was perfectly grilled, moist and flavorful and not breaded - hooray!  The truffle parmesan fries were crispy and tender with large curls of cheese and actual black truffle (rather than just truffle oil) sprinkled over top.  And, at $8 and $4 respectively, very reasonable.

Overall Bier is a wonderful, chill, tasty, neighborhood spot in which I will now be living!
5 - Joey M.: You walk down Frederick Douglass Blvd. and you notice an unassuming and intriguing store front.  You peek in and you see the word 'bier' written on a wall that's majestically overlooking long and rustic wooden tables as well as a stone top bar a little off to the right.  You're rightfully intrigued and you decide to walk in.

Maybe you'll take a seat at the bar and look over their draft and bottle list.  Most likely you were greeted by the friendly bartender who hands you the beer list and food menu.  You may smile a bit when you see that there are things like Six Point Sweet Action, HB Hofbrau Original, Fuller's London Pride and Duvel Green on tap.  Or, you may wonder what beer rock star came up with this handpicked beer selection as you peruse another well selected bottle list consisting of Leffe Blonde, Blue Point Toasted Lager and a Fuller Vintage Ale.

So you grab a beer.  Then you notice the menu has things like bratwurst, beef kebabs and truffle fries and see the little annotations suggesting beer pairings with the food.  The bartender probably walks up to you and demonstrates his unpretentious knowledge regarding the beers by describing beers in a way that a beer geek and non-beer geek would enjoy.  He makes you feel at home.

You order food, it comes, and you realize that you may be in one of the most awesome places in Harlem, let alone maybe in the whole City of New York.  You finish your meal, grab a few more beers and leave mesmerized.
4 - Lucy E.: What a terrific place! I love the open feel of the resturant, I had passed by the ther evening while having dinner at Questans on FDB and had to go and check it out. We enjoyed the great beer and the grilled catfish taco was amazing! The parmesean topped french fries with fresh truffles was out of this world. AWESOME. I have to say that the bartender Chao Williams was very friendly and gave great suggestions. I was surprised that the wait staff was NOT FRIENDLY AT ALL!!- I was not greeted by ANY of them. That is not cool.However Chao made our evening a very delightful one!
4 - Adina B.: *Loved* Bier International - tasty food (including interesting sausages, steak and empanadas), great beer, good prices. No high chairs, but pretty toddler-friendly as long as your kid doesn't mind a lively crowd.

We will be back.
5 - L S.: I'm very glad an establishment like this is now in Harlem! The food is phenomenal, and the staff has great knowledge about the beers available. The atmosphere is also very welcoming and relaxed. I played a board game with my mom the last time I went.
5 - Paula K.: I had brunch last weekend with a friend. What a great place!  The food was great and service even better.  We both had entrees and two (large) mimosas each.  For $30 a person (with a generous tip), it was a great deal. 

It's a much needed addition to the neighborhood!  It attracts all types of people -- young, not so young :), people with kids, etc.  Everyone is welcome. 

The only downside is that it's small. But maybe that's an upside -- I hope they expand.
4 - Kate F.: Staff were overwhelmed, but that's what you get on a beautiful Saturday when you're one of the only bright bastions of tasty beer in Harlem. That doesn't forgive the 10 minute lag between walking to the bar and getting a drink, or the uneven pours I saw doled out amongst patrons, but with just a couple clearly not beer expert barkeeps in charge of keeping a mob of happy drinkers at bay, it's understandable. 

I'm waiting to go back on an off day/night so that I can sit and relax, but overall, this mini-beer garden is a very welcome addition to the block! 

Communal tables seating maybe 60 people, meaning that with the 100+ who were inside, things got a bit cramped. Combined with bright lighting and casual but tasty-step-up-from-pub burgers and other items, Bier International made me feel comfortable and like I wanted to become a regular. I hope they get a sidewalk seating permit for next summer!
4 - Victor H.: This is a relatively new place in Harlem.  The selection is a little limited but the service is good and the vibe is different from the norm.  Very friendly staff and they have a decent bar menu.
5 - Miles W.: great beer list. great place.
4 - Jess L.: Bier is a great addition to the neighborhood. I like the diversity of the clientele and the beer selections. Even when it's crowded, it's not too overwhelming, and you can actually hear your friends talk. The prices are on the higher side, and I'd say most of the beers you've probably heard of, but it's super sweet with super cute bartenders.
2 - Harlem r.: Bier International is an oddly banal, determinedly inclusive spot. Post-hipster ? Post-gentrification unification ? Certainly, "pop-up" culture. 

As a physical space, Bier International has a very temporary, thrown-together-at-the-last-minute feel. It is casual in the venerable American tradition of flip-flop culture, overwhelmingly noisy, and with a sense that patrons are absolutely determined to pursue a good time and "commune" with everyone around them. The word pretentious comes to mind, but does not quite fit. The crowd is diverse in terms of age and race, but not at all, it seemed, in terms of class or cultural background. 

Bier International probably does not quite attract people as much as provide one of the only venues of its kind in the area. That said, in view of the service, the food, and the general ambience, in any other area of the city it would fail overnight, or not be opened at all. After visiting myself, I find the rave reviews nothing short of astonishing. 

Seating is at large, communal tables, which means that the entire bench must rise and move when one of the inside sitters needs to leave. 

Service is excruciating slow; inattentive would be a vast understatement here. We waited for 20 minutes for drinks, only to notice our waitress lingering by the bar, deep in conversation with another employee. We managed to flag down another employee (busy boy ? manager ? who could tell), who did agree to inform our waitress. Ten minutes later he himself arrived with them.

We both had steak frites, basically edible but under-under-whelming. While clearing our plates, the server managed to drop silverware into my lap.
4 - Aden S.: Not much ambiance or decor, but the beer list is fantastic.  I will be a regular.
5 - Brandi C.: I finally got around to trying Bier and was not disappointed. We arrived just after brunch but before the kitchen opened for the in-between time. The waitress left a food menu and promised to let us know when the kitchen reopened. And she did.
In the meanwhile, we ordered a sampler and Sugar Hill. The 5oz serving sizes are perfect to get an idea of what you like and what to avoid, since you won't find the usual suspects of Heineken and Stella on tap. Also, the draft beers come in a variety of sizes, so you aren't stuck with a pint when .3l is more than enough. Every beer comes in the appropriate glass, so you'll get to enjoy all of the notes and flavors as they were intended.

The food far exceeded my expectations. The Truffle Parmesean cheese fries were stellar. I felt bad for the guy at bar eating his with ketchup! It truly didn't need it.
The mushroom quesadilla was light and fluffy, not too cheesy, great variety of mushrooms, just amazing.
The hummus platter was also fantastic. The hummus was spicy, the tabouli was light and not overdressed and the babaganoush was smoky.

We agreed it was loud but it's a bier garden! I was also surprised by the number of kids present, lots of strollers but thankfully no crying babies! Also, the bathroom was spotless, thank goodness!
Our waitress was patient, explained different options and offered suggestions.
The only surprise came when the check arrived and we discovered it was cash only, so come prepared. But nothing is overpriced, the beer and food were lovely and they offer wine for the non-beer drinkers.
I'm looking to try the strawberry beer next.
4 - andy t.: This place is way cool. Of course I'm partial to any spot dedicated purely to beer. Or should I say bier? But the neighborhood needed a little beer garden, and we got one with Bier. The crowd is eclectic and diverse, the draught beers are mainly from Central Europe and well-chosen; there were some I'd never heard of before. I dig the long beaches and the friendly service. The sound doesn't carry very well, that's probably my only complaint. But overall Bier is a solid spot and a welcome addition to the hood.
3 - Jennifer M.: Great food, great service, great prices...but all the KIDS! Look, I have a kid too. It would never occur to me to bring her to a beer-themed restaurant. But if you want to, that's fine. However, there was a huge problem of 1) the restaurant is not well suited, logistically, to kids (communal tables), and 2) the parents were not monitoring their kids. I was there at 7pm on a Saturday, and there were strollers completely blocking every aisle, kids running around without supervision, baby carriers sitting on the (communal) tables, and toddlers standing and jumping on the (communal) benches. If this is going to be a family hangout, rather than a grownups-drinking-beer place, the management will have to reconsider the seating arrangements, make a separate space for strollers, and set some ground rules regarding kids running wild around the bar begging for drink garnishes while their parents sit and drink and ignore them. As I said, I have a kid, I love kids, but I don't want to drink beer with a stranger's baby in a carrier on the table right next to me grabbing at my glass.
4 - Akilah B.: The Berliner Currywurst is bomb dot com!!! And the place itself is very semi-spacious but a bit on the loud side. That's okay if you like having meaningless conversations. But I honestly do like it.
4 - Bryce A.: Great place to hang out in Harlem. The beer selection is superb but the prices are a little high. 

~I hear the food is GREAT!
5 - paul m.: Awesome addition to Harlem.  Great crowd on a Sunday afternoon.  Food & beer are fantastic.  Service is wonderful.  Absolutely no complaints.
4 - Cenydd G.: For those of us who are not aficionados of beer, their beer sampler is an excellent way to go. Great place for friends & families.
4 - M.E. S.: I know it sounds ridiculous, but if there's one thing this neighborhood needed, it was a beer garden.  The only mellow place to relax and eat for years has been Society.  While I don't want to knock Society, it's a little over priced, every time I go there they forget something, it takes an hour to get my food, but let's be frank if it left there would be a hole. 
However Bier, is cool, great staff, AMAZING french fries with parmesan and truffle oil for I think $4- What!  YEs.  The burgers are good and filling with a really good I think like chipolte kind of sauce, it's little peach colored and tangy/spicy it's goood.  I do prefer the fish tacos though- they leave room for the fries- and beer.
5 - Kerstin H.: I was so excited when I first walked by Bier International and saw that a German Restaurant/Bar opened just two blocks away from my apartment. The food is absolutely amazing, espcially the "Currywurst", the choices of beer are incredible and the service loving and caring. What a neighborhood gem and treat, especially anyone who is craving German food & Gemuetlichkeit.
4 - Madeline N.: Swung by for dinner with a friend on Friday night and had an awesome currywurst (bratwurst, fries, curry sauce) and Hefe-weiss. Why didn't someone else think of currywurst?! As a person who loves hot-dog/sausage products it was a wonderful combination. 

A little loud - it's more of a bar than restaurant at 10:30 PM - but we found a place to sit without too much trouble. Attentive servers, quick service, and inexpensive (total bill of 2 currywursts, 2 beers = $22). Really nice crowd of eclectic 20- and 30-somethings who all seemed to live in the neighborhood.
4 - Claire H.: What a great neighborhood spot.  Max and Sean had the great idea to try Bier International this morning for brunch.  Thanks guys for letting me tag along.  

$7 for eggs (any way) + mix green salad + more than enough toasted pita + red pepper hummus? YES PLEASE.  The only strange this was that a small cup of regular coffee was $4! The food was fresh, the service was friendly and the crowd was perfect.  I think I can get past the high priced coffee. 

I can't wait to share this place with more people i love.
4 - Shijun K.: I like these kind neighborhood feeling restaurant/bar, though their smoky salmon omelet is a little bitter over cooked. Overall it is a good place to hang out with your friends. :).  Btw, I do wish I visited this place before quit drinking. lol
4 - Xiaojing W.: nice place to catch up with friend. very simple and compact decoration. not many choices on foods, however, good beers.

P.S. it is cash only, which is a bit not very convenient.
5 - Michael M.: Finally... South Harlem gets a bar/restaurant that actually has a great menu (food-wise AND price-wise) that's realistic than most of the newer joints along FDB (Eighth Avenue). 

Seriously people... If any of you are thinking of opening a restaurant/cafe/bar/etc. along FDB - PLEASE visit Bier International to see how it's done right.
5 - J G.: What a fantastic spot!
An extensive list of beers from Europe, Africa and North America paired with an even more delicious food menu. The guacamole for starters and Kebab in peanut sauce are delicious. Also be sure to try the Tusker beer from Kenya and of course the HB lager in a Maß or a Stein (it's 1L) 

Happy drinking!!

PS on Fridays and weekends be sure to get there early to get a seat!
3 - Dee B.: I have to admit that I was feeling a bit indifferent about the prospect of a beer garden opening in Harlem. After all, I am more of a wine drinker than a beer connoisseur. But after having a beer and appetizer one warmish fall evening, I am now convinced that Bier International is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. I wasn't thrilled with my choice Strawberry beer and truffle fries, but others around me had some interesting choices that I definitely want to try next go around. I will be back!
4 - Tarra T.: Great neighborhood spot. It stays open late during the week which is a great thing (Tuesday-Thursday until 2 AM and Friday and Saturday 4 AM). Great selection of beers at fairly good prices. I agree with Paula K., it is a little small, not like the other biergarden's in the city, but definitely would recommend if you're looking for a place to get a low-key drink with friends. PLUS! If you know how to spell B-E-E-R in another language, you'll get to add it to the way of "BEER spelled in other languages". Enjoy.
4 - Monique S.: If you like bier and have a flair for things international, trust me, you are going to dig this bar.

Since moving to New York, I seem to have developed this weird predisposition for bench seating. Perhaps its me clamoring for intimacy in this atomized city-- I like sitting on the subway too-- something about rubbing elbows with random people gives me a thrill. Bier International certainly does not disappoint in this regard and the elbows you rub up against seem to be pretty chill -- an obvi plus. 

Now I am no aficionado, but I enjoyed each of the Belgian beers I tried and was oh so very tempted by their appetizer menu (next time I'll make sure to work up an appetite beforehand). 

This is a great and desperately needed addition to the Harlem scene.

When to visit: to meet friends, to hang out, to relax, and to discuss unimportant matters. 

CASH only.
4 - Steve M.: I have yet to do a pro & con list on Yelp so here we go:

Pro's: 1) Yippee! German beer!
2) Chef makes great tasting and inventive fare.  Cheers to chef!
3) Close to my haus.  No cab ride watching lame Ch 7 newscast.
4) Communal seating.  Wine bars are so 2008!

Con's: 1) Cash only.  "Do you take IOU'S?"
2) Loud.  I said "Do you take IOU's?"
3) Service is better at the bar.  Know your bartenders.
4) Hipsters with baby strollers blocking me in and blocking me out.
3 - Marilyn S.: Fun place in the summer when they have the doors open, but it's just too noisy otherwise.  They've got to do something about the acoustics.

Great food and beers though and a nice change of scenery in the neighborhood.
5 - Ann L.: Did someone say... Beer? It's hard not to get excited at the notion of getting a little buzzed in the afternoon. Case in point: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ-Ukh_Eaa8

Great beer selection: not too long of a list (having too many choices scares me), and they have a sampler (five small glasses of different beers) in case of beer newbs like me. Out of the ones I tried, I liked the Riessdorf Kolsch the best. It had a refreshing, clean taste, not too heavy or hoppy. Loved the selection of beer snacks, too - I had the currywurst with fries, and fries with parmesan and truffle oil, yum! So what if the food's not fancy? It goes well with the alcohol, and truth be told, that's what really counts after a hectic 7-hour day spent standing on your feet. Bench seating makes it a little hard to talk to friends at the other end of the table, but it's very practical and gives the place a clean, modern look without being pretentious. 

Cash only, though, so make sure you stock up before making the trip out here!

*Also, this is my 100th review. I feel like this should be a cause for celebration, but I guess this is the only way I'm going to remember it, haha. Hooray!
3 - Wen V.: I've only been living in Harlem for less than a month but from what I've been discovering is that the neighborhood is a diamond in the rough. Although Harlem can be quiet far from the bourgeoisie manhattan attractions around the Meat Packing district, you can still find similar lounges and bars like this one without travelling too far and the people you'll find pass 96th street are much friendly and more interesting. Oh the chairs and benches kinda sucked but everything else was awesome.
5 - Tomas M.: Top Notch!

This place is a welcome addition to up and coming Harlem.

Nice decor and great crowd.

I have been there 3 times already and it just keeps getting better, hopefully they can keep it up.

Great selection of beers and the food is delicious.

The burger is one of the best in the city!  Also, try the parmesan truffle oil fries.

Only negative: it can be a bit loud.
4 - CHERYL L.: Went there on  a Sunday with son for brunch...very very good..had sausage (minimal fat)  with fries..(great fries) and son had club sandwich which had fresh  turkey/chicken and fresh ham on great bread..all good..
Coffee was $4.00 a cup....a bit $$$ for this type of bier garten..or not?
We live down block..great addition to hood..wish it was open for lunch, but demand not there yet..( i guess)..had amber type beer recommended by server..good...
4 - Mohammad R.: Like it like it like it. Viva Harlem. Definitely must comeback in the summer time for the roast outdoor.
3 - Kirsten S.: Bier is a cute beer-garden-esque restaurant in the strip of gentrification known as Frederick Douglass Blvd.  I like the communal tables, and although I went at a rather inconvenient time for a beer garden type restaurant (I can hardly walk outside in this winter, let alone sit and sip on a frosty beer), I see that it has a lot of great potential!

Service was friendly, the ambiance was simple but nice, and the menu of beers was a good size.

Their brunch menu was more limited, though I really liked the toast/biscuit thing that the crab cake benedict was served on.  They accidentally gave me a dinner menu as well, which I was happy to see (for the next visit) but was sad that I could not order off of this time.

*Keep in mind that it's a cash-only restaurant.  There's an ATM at the Dunkin Donuts next door that only charges a $1.50 fee (as opposed to the HSBC $3 fee).
4 - Laci B.: This is the kind of bar the residents of "trendy" West Harlem have been waiting patiently for. A laid back venue with a minimalist decor and a diverse, delicious beer selection. The food is tasty with a lot of small dishes. The staff are friendly and pleasant and the owners "remember your name". A perfect meeting spot for afterwork, mid-week, and brunch (afternoon). Can get really busy on weekend nights.
3 - Zoraida C.: Went hear on a date on a Saturday night. Cool place. Very loud, not from the music ; but the loud talking. 
We sat at the bar, the kitchen had just closed when we walked in ; 11:pm.

The atmosphere is cool, decor cool, the service good. I will be going back to taste the food.
3 - Michael W.: After leaving Latitiude, this place felt like a library, in comparison, even though it was packed with neo-Harlemites. I power chugged a few Six Point Sweet Actions, and didn't even get my bartender's names. I did speak! I remember that. But the fraternal handshakes and slice of life conversations were elsewhere. The woman sitting to my right got up and stared at me as if I was a stalker from a great thriller movie. I almost spit in her eye.  I could not place the downtempo background music.  It is in the n'hood, so I guess that I will try them again, but i think I hang over at Chocolat or Mocha more!!! So I can 'feel' the n'hood.

I wanted to make sure that my drunk behind was somewhat clear about my review, so I went back, after typing this....

I met a couple of gents who were into social justice and metaphysical elitism  from Texas who wanted to holla at some Puerto Rican hotties from the Bronx.  They were talking their validating stuff to me while some manipulating opportunist was trying his mack hand on the ladies...Typical bar stuff.

The moral of the story is go early and be a story in the lines of CBS' How I met your Mother or come late be a segment in As the World Turns.  

It is up to you...
3 - Ce R.: Neat. Food is reasonably good. Brunch menu has not a huge selection though.
4 - Adrian B.: Great place, Good selection of beers, the stake and fries is great.  Good vibe  and the staff is super friendly. Kids are welcome. Happy to have it in the neighborhood. It would be great if in the future they accept credit cards.
3 - laura W.: CASH ONLY?! what? 

it's really too loud in there. there's absolutely nothing to absorb the sound.  also... writing beer on the wall in different languages? meh. i could see where the paint ran which resembled bloody feces. ....maybe that's more of a personal problem....
the beer list is not large enough for myself... and its overwhelmingly more german than anything else. 
i hear the neighborhood's lacking in a lot of nice hangouts so i'm sure this is welcome, but they need to try harder.
our server was pretty swell.
3 - merisa t.: I have been here twice.  The first time, a Friday around 6:30ish, I expected it to be full of young people, just off work, starting their weekends with a range of beers from around the world.  I did not expect it to be full of REALLY young people (like 3-6 years old), strollers, high chairs, and bartenders pouring apple juice...which was the case that night.  I was definitely under the impression that a place called Bier International was more so a BAR rather than a restaurant for Mommy and Me classes.  I get that there are young parents in the neighborhood who have children, who want to get out, hang with friends, etc., and I guess bring their children along....but it really seems strange to do so at a place where beer is the focal point.  It was odd and it made me feel weird.  The second time I went, a Thursday, the crowd was age-appropriate.

Anyway, the beer selection is okay.  The draft selection is not extensive and a number of the beers you can find at any Irish pub these days (Delirium Tremens, while good, is not really an inspired choice). There are some solid options (Kwak, Duvel Green, Dunkel) and I like that they have the appropriate glass for each beer.   The wine selection is slim and not great.  Is it too much to ask that a place have good beer selections AND good wine selections?  I have yet to find such a place.

Food-wise, the yucca fries are really, really good  (Bonus, they pair nicely with beer.  Any beer).  The croque-monsieur is sinful, in the way that it is more like french toast with melty cheese and thick slabs of ham.  This can either be a good thing, or a very, very bad thing.  The bratwursts are pretty good, but the plate is heavy on the fries, light on the meat, which is less than satisfying.

The communal tables offer plenty of opportunity to befriend your neighbor and the bartenders/waitstaff have been, for the most part, friendly and knowledgeable.  And yes, as other reviewers have noted, CASH ONLY (but there are ATMs within the block).
5 - Katie S.: This place is a true jewel and the best addition to the area in a long time. I live upstairs and could not be happier this place is two steps away. It's consistent, versatile and just plain well done! They pay attention to the details which I have a deep appreciation for. It doesn't have to be expensive or elegant to show that the owners care about their product.  For example, each beer comes in a glass just for that beer. Simple, but a really nice touch. 

The beer is great. The food is always good and they have something for everyone. After working my way through the menu and the beers (we go about once a week) I pretty much always order a Koelsch beer and the catfish tacos.  I have developed a small addiction to that combo.  The team working there is amazing and I feel like the customers are really great too. Great atmosphere, great energy. I'm looking forward to outdoor seating in warmer weather. PROST! 

See you there!
4 - Matt R.: Bier is a small local beer joint that has an interesting menu of beers and some pretty good burgers. seating is first come/first serve so if you want a spot at the bar or a table, better get there early or late as its popular with the locals for sure. Service was very friendly and a nice change of pace from a lot of spots in the village. If you find yourself at the top of the park, definitely stop by.
4 - Dimitrios D.: Friendly waitress, minimalistic but pleasant 'Euro' flair to the place, and the food was solidly good.  An international soccer match was playing on the big screen TV.  The word 'beer' was written on the wall in various languages.

Though it wasn't the best bratwurst or sauerkraut I've had, considering it's location (Harlem, where one doesn't exactly think of the go-to place for German fare), it was quite astounding.

I'll be back!
4 - Erin R.: The food and beer were so great but it was so loud! Much louder than what should be comfortable for a beer garden. 
Also, it must have been family hour or something while we were there because there was an infant and it's hipster parents at each table. Hipster babies scare me. Seriously, we were practically pushed out of a table by this other party who kept having people show up and push everyone down the table and then the mother started freaking out when someone put a beer stein in front of the 8 month old, luckily we had finished eating and just left. I'm sorry I just hate it when parents bring babies into loud bars and then have them scream the whole time. DON'T BRING YOUR KIDS TO A BAR!
But again, food and drink delicious! I guess I would say go really late when there is less likely a chance for there to be kids there.
3 - Taeko F.: I used to work on 115th & Lenox 5 years back and boy has it changed. I was pretty stoked walking down FD to find a bike shop (woo hoo!) and some more diverse fare, but I guess I've been living/working up-up-uptown to notice the insane change in this neighborhood in just a few years...

But this is a review about Bier International. My friend had been several times, and myself a fan of Astoria Beer Garden, was thrilled to hear there was one that didn't require me to jump the M60 over to *gasp* Queens. I figured a Saturday evening, looking forward to some communal tables to perhaps meet some other folk, was going to be delightful. 

I love kids. Don't get me wrong. Call me a monster, but we were seated in between two different couples with toddlers under 2 years old and it... sucked. At 8pm on a Saturday night at a beer garden. I'd love to think when I am older and have kids that I'd still be able to go and grab a few pints with the friends here and there. And I'd hire a babysitter so that myself, and the people around me, would enjoy their Saturday evening. The kids weren't obnoxious, but it definitely taints the vibe here. Needless to say, I had a few bites to eat, two pints and was on my way out. I was not alone in feeling this way as I overheard several people outside chatting who had the same sentiments. 

Really? 8pm on a Saturday night out at a BEER garden ordering apple juice? Not good for business or those who want to chat about whatever without getting nasty looks.

As mentioned earlier, parm fries with truffle oil a delight. Empanadas were... meh. But the beer in the individualized mugs were a nice touch and the waitstaff were friendly, though clearly annoyed by the high % of toddlers in the room, too. 

Doesn't have to be war, but can't the 20/30 somethings w/o kids claim this after 8pm? I mean US kids, not your kids.

Not sure I'll be back. I've heard toddler sightings are not rare even past 10pm.
3 - Dale C.: I want to give this place 5stars, but the noise level in here honestly had my ears ringing when I left.  I understand the feel the place is going for, but maybe get some fabric on the walls to cut the volume down.  I expect to have to yell to the person across from me in a dance club, not in a restaurant.   I was also surprised by the large amount of pretentious, self-righteous hipster families with infants in the place.  I know you shouldn't rate a place by it's clientele, but  here's an excerpt from the family next to us:  Mom: "honey, could you move your beer away from the baby, I don't want him to see it."  Um, hello, if you don't want your 10 month old baby to see a glass of beer, then don't bring him to a BEER GARDEN restaurant!
I really, really want to like this place, but the noise and the clientele is unfortunately going to prevent me from returning.
4 - A M.: UPDATE: they finally got the outdoor tables! a godsend to a crowded place that is filled with children 5-9pm.
4 - Joy S.: I've become interested in trying out different types of beer lately, so I decided to give Bier International a try and I'm glad I did.  

The bartender is very knowledgeable about beers and friendly.  He helped me decide on a beer by offering me a few samples of various beers.  I can't remember which beer I decided on ( I waited about a month to write the review), but from what I could remember it was tasty and I paired it with a yummy sausage platter.  If you're looking for a little snack to accompany your beer I'd definitely recommend the pretzels.  They're hot, soft in the inside, a bit crisp on the outside, served with brown mustard and absolutely delicious.  I'll definitely be back!

Remember to hit up the ATm before you visit, they accept CASH ONLY.
5 - Christopher W.: I live close by and have been meaning to check out this spot ever since I saw it open last year. I finally made it there and am upset it took me so long to go.

The beer selection is great and I was told they are working on adding even more to the already long list of beers. I highly recommend their Krusovice draft.

I only had their house fries when I went (which were delicious!) but know, from taking a close look at their food menu, that their offerings are perfect for the sort of beer-establishment this is. I heard the burger is mouthwatering.

They should be adding outside seating soon too, which will make it even more worthwhile to check out this neighborhood gem.
5 - Brandon H.: The brunch that they have is SOOOO good. The steak and eggs as well as the pancakes are as good as it gets. The bartender was awesome. Talking to us and joking around.  Making great beer suggestions.

Now granted, kids are noisy and they suck, BUT, my suggestion is sit at the bar. It'll help with the noise level.
2 - laura m.: It's really great to have a place like this in the neighborhood- but why are there always so many babies?! Why is this ok? There were two screaming babies there while we were eating dinner, and every time I walk by, there are babies inside. It's honestly what made me wait so long to try the place out. The food was good, and the beer pairings were great. Even the prices are good, it's not worth the ambiance of a daycare at night.
4 - Isabel G.: First went to this place on a Friday night with my cousin and her friend. The place was packed, but the host kept us informed of how long for a table and helped us find a place to sit at the bar.

The beer selection is vast, that's a given, but I was in the mood for wine. They had the basics and were very accommodating and let us taste a few wines before deciding on one.

When we were seated, the waitress came over relatively quickly to take our order. I had the beef Brochettes Daharolse and the meat was super tender. The peanut butter sauce complemented the beef very well. The portions are large, so be ready to share.

The one negative point is the loudness of the place. There's no sound dampening and every voice just reverberates. Not good for trying to catch up.

This place is around the corner from my apartment and I know I'll come back because the food is good and the people that work there are nice, but I hope they do something about the noise.
3 - Ava R.: I find this place a bit crowded and small for a beer garden, and it's not really gardeny because it's indoors. So it's more of a "beer room". But the selection of beers was pretty good and they had a lot of interesting food options. They definitely didn't stick to German cuisine. I enjoyed a slice of pecan pie with my brew. The service was pretty good, and I thought the mixed up crowd was really interesting too. An exciting spot for Harlem!
5 - Raquel R S.: The warm. sort  pretzels - BANGIN'!

The catfish tacos - AMAZING!

Beer is on point as well as the staff. Big up Donald!

The food comes out a lil slow though but overall, great spot!
4 - Laura K.: Extensive beer list, great place to go on a nice day and relax.  We all ordered food, the menu is small and simple.  Everything was delicious, my club sandwich was especially good.  Definitely worth a trip.
2 - snafu m.: Good beers both on tap and in the bottle for the beer lover to sample, they also serve beers in the big glass boots which is a fun touch. They keep the music pretty loud which is fine for a SAT night night of drinking but for a quiet Sunday night meal you dont want to have to yell to hear yourself.

The food is just not very good even by simple bar food standards. We had the mixed greens salad (which was decent but anyone can make it), the empanadas were foul...one was cod but not made with fresh cod but one of those frozen fish packs that are often used to build a base for fish soup...the other was sundried tomato and goat cheese which sounds good in theory but was just gross. The truffled fries were just overdone, the fries were a little soggy, topped with Parmesan chunks and black truffles...the problem was that the cheese was all clumped together in the middle in a semi-melted mass and while I adore truffles they overdid it here, too pungent and overpowering, they would have been better off with a lighter touch (like sprinkling them with truffle salt maybe). Overall I was very disappointed, I really wanted to like this place
1 - JS C.: No service, no stars deserved but one seems to be the default.

Went to meet friends for dinner - we got there first, sat at the bar for at least 10 minutes. It was busy. However, they definitely saw us there, but ignored us. Proof? Friend sat down beside me and got a menu INSTANTLY. We are all of different races... is it relevant to say that there was no one else there that looked like me? I don't know.

We turned our backs on the bar to scout out tables since it was so chaotic and no one seemed to have a list going. After two minutes we were asked very rudely to get off our stools so that two people who had just arrived could sit there and order dinner despite the fact that there were tables available for two. We were not even offered the option of ordering drinks so that we could stay. 

The manager was extremely rude. When told about the earlier refusal of service, blamed us. A little common courtesy (like the word "please") would have made being asked to get up a little less jarring.

In any case, deafeningly loud--so loud you can't hear the person next to you. Enjoy it if you can, not worth it in my opinion. We enjoyed our dinner at Chocolat--just up a few blocks.
2 - Julia G.: Bier International has a lot of the makings that could make it an absolute amazing place to go, but is currently lacking a lot of the professional execution elements.

I am writing this slightly sour review, not to put down a place that's packed with potential, but in hopes that someone there will see this and hopefully make the changes needed in order to make this place into what could be.

Yes, it's currently packed night after night with people not only from the neighborhood, but all over NYC.  And why wouldn't it be?!  After being rated as a great up and coming restaurant in Timeout Magazine  this place has been packed with people looking to enjoy it's amazing beer selection and surprisingly yummy food!  I've loved the beer and food every time, so much so that it's really the only thing driving me back each time.

But every time I go, the stories all the same...  Wonderful beer and food, coupled with an overpacked house that's completely understaffed and therefore the service is beyond poor.  Tonight I went once again hoping for a different experience, but once again I ended up spending a good portion of the night waiting for service.  In the end I had to make my way to the bar to find anyone to help, and we ended up leaving much earlier then expected because we just couldn't wait any longer!

Look, I'm the last person that wants to put down a place...  After spending countless years in the food service industry, restaurant management, and putting up with the obligatory undeserved rude customer, I hate putting down a place, especially their service.  But my conclusion is this...  Yes, chances are likely I will come back to your cute outside dining area again Bier International - to enjoy your yummy foods and tasty beers.  But in the end this continuous problem with service and management is only costing you money.  Countless other people around me tonight were having the exact same problems, and numerous others left early because of frustrations with service.  The restaurant is loosing money when people walk out, or leave early due to poor service.  

This place is clearly doing well with the amount of people I see in it each night and the food/beverages are quite well done...  I was hoping that since it's influx in patrons, changes would have since been made to it's management, but I'm sad to this won't be my regular spot due to nearly non-existent service.

PS. The "Boots" were fun. :)
3 - Lee R.: The food was about a four, and the service was about a one.

My friends and I went here for our innaugural week of Burger Quest, wherein we pick one restaurant a week in an attempt to eat the city's finest burgers. So we all ordered the burger. They only have one on the menu, but you can choose from many cheeses, which is nice. The waiter was pleasant and chatty, but he neglected us after taking our initial order. We had to ask several times for napkins, and one of my friends never got the water she asked for, despite bringing it up to the waiter four or five times. Also, they were out of the beer that was recommended to pair with the burger, so our waiter suggested a different, lighter beer that was terrible with the meal.

The burgers themselves were pretty good, but of the five orders, three of them were messed up. That's not so good. I would have probably given the entire thing two stars, but after complaining to the manager, he gave us a 20% discount on our bill, which was very generous and we appreciated it. That integrity move boosts it up a star.
4 - Munier S.: A peek into the future of gentrified Harlem. Excellent beer selection, and delicious munchies. Good staple German plates too. One more reason Freddy D's is hoppin' these days. The prices are up there but the choices warrant them (Delirium and truffles fries are inherently expensive ... But oh so good!)
4 - Flo A.: Awesome gem in Harlem. They have am assortment of beers. Tried the sampler and the waitress was able to capture of likes. Truffle fries are awesome and catfish tacos were great. The place had a great vibe and easy to come in and sit right away.
4 - Elsie S.: Who'da thunk a place serving German food and beer would hit it big in Harlem. It sure has, and for good reason: open, clean design; unpretentious food; and, of course, damn fine beer. There's a little something for those that don't like German food (like me), but it would be a shame not to try the lamb sausages and the recommended pairing, a mouth-watering amber Czech beer. The patrons can be as international as the menu, or as local as the staff. I'm already a repeat customer.
1 - A. S.: Really, possibly less than 1 star. Based only on drinks though.

We were told this was a beer garden - misleading, to say the least. It's a german beer bar, indoors, with some front outdoor seating. 

Went here mid-afternoon on a Sunday. Wasn't too packed, so we found a seat outside. Kitchen was closed, which was fine. We only wanted to drink some good beer.

For a beer specialty bar, not a lot of draught selections. We ordered a Duvel Single and Delirium Tremens. Both beers we drink when we can and we like a lot. My gf is well-educated in tasting craft beers and knows what she likes. She's taught me a lot too.

This beer was not OK. It tasted off - like the keg had been open too long or not stored properly. We almost didn't finish it - but couldn't justify spending 8 dollars per beer and not drinking it. 

Besides that, service was horrendous. It wasn't even that busy. We asked for water 3 times, it finally showed after 20 minutes. We were lucky to get the check. And when we wanted to pay - no one was around. Or, they delivered beer to a table near us, but weren't paying attention enough to follow up with the other customers. We couldn't get out of here fast enough. 

And will not be going back.
4 - Maly A.: Last Saturday this was our second stop for the night, very cool/laid back vibe. Had an outdoor seating which is always a great thing to have on a nice summer night. Great imported beer selection......wait! Who am I kidding??!?! LOL Honestly, I've never been a beer drinker, so I really don't know much about beer, however I do know that I didn't see any of the usual/common names on the beer menu....safe to assume.....imported! But I have recently tried a few beers that I actually liked. And I did find a new one here that I really liked too (forgot the name....oops!). Will definitely be coming back. Great place to chill with friends, they have a pretty decent food menu as well. Great place to hang out post dinner or just the chill the evening away.
2 - Shannon O.: Three of us were here for drinks on a Wednesday night. The beer list was great. While we did not eat, both the brunch and dinner menus looked delicious and were reasonably priced.

Sadly I will not return to Bier International because the service was so awful. It's a shame because I think the brunch looks really nice.
4 - Leslie O.: A Biergarten in Harlem YES! I love this place.  Without a doubt our new summer random night/afternoon hangout spot.  Great beer selection and AWESOME Parmesan-truffle oil fries.  You must try the fries!!!

I'm in love with their strawberry beer! It's so delicious and sweet.  The Raspberry beer is very good too.  I will be back many times this summer :).
3 - Joanna G.: Nice place, nice beer. Nice place to sit outdoors and the whole front opens so it feels like it's all outdoors. 

Note: no garden. CASH ONLY. the food was just ok. 

That said, i'd go back and it's a nice addition to my nabe.
4 - Scott J.: I like the beer and food, especially the choice of sausages. The room needs better sound baffling, as it can get really loud and echo'y. For some reason a lot people bring their little kids and strollers. We've never been there at night. The tables in the main room are communal.  They have outside seating.
4 - Shawna V.: FANTASTIC environment! Great beer selection! Outstanding food! Great wait staff! The beer is reasonably priced too. Delirium is $8, whereas many other places charge $10.
4 - Juliette J.: Great, relaxed spot for meeting up with friends. I'm not a beer drinker, but I thoroughly enjoyed their wine selection. Try the rioja, if you're into reds. There are some wonderful veg-friendly food options as well. I fancied the Mediterranean platter. The smoky baba ghanoush  was surprisingly delish! The bartenders were friendly and attentive, which always heightens any experience. Sadly it was a rainy day so we couldn't take advantage of the outdoor seating, but the space is open enough to give you that outdoor-sy feel anyway. 

Hit up the ATM before because this fine establishment is cash only!
3 - Lincoln H.: Service needs some work, but the food is very good and the beer list is excellent. Been in twice for lunch and neither time did our server do a very good job (and I work in restaurants). I usually cut fellow servers slack, but when you're not busy and you only come by our table to take the order and drop the check, that's not really worth 20%... I wanted to tip the bus boy who did all the work...
Otherwise, we love the place! Although the small chairs inside are incredibly uncomfortable... But that's neither here nor there. Oh and cash only. Been open a while; let's get a credit card machine guys!
4 - Hideki K.: Bier is a nice indoor beer garden up in Harlem.

Their food is good (especially the brats) and the beer selection is good, as well.  I first went last year when my friends who live nearby discovered it.  The great thing about it being indoors is that it's open in the winter too!
3 - Richard D.: It is sort of hard to take a place seriously that doesn't accept credit cards.  Yes, I understand that the credit cards companies take a bite, and yes, it's too much, and yes this is not so much required in Europe and you're trying to be faithful to a concept, blah blah blah.  Get over it.  Get a merchant account.  This is New York City, we don't carry cash.

Also, service is a problem, and I don't understand the problem.  You can hire good servers in this town, go to any theatre audition, they're the people standing in line.  Why must you persist with this crew that seems to care more about their summer sultry fashion statements (which I love, don't get me wrong) than getting me another beer?

Really?  You're this close, folks.  If you wanted to open an authentic european beer garden you've done it, congratulations.  Now, throw us a bone here, we're New Yorkers.

One more thing, have you noticed how loud it is inside?  Sometimes I can't hear the person screaming next to me.  There are simple acoustical solutions for this.  Execute one, please.

Ok, that's all the bashing.  The beer selection is excellent, a rare choice of outstanding brews.  Beer snobs are impressed.  Even my German friends have said "you can get that in the US?"  The food is a fabulous value, well-prepared and well-paired.  There's some talent behind the concept here, clearly.  They get it.  I'm a fan, I go back, they don't need to change anything to get my repeat business, but I'd really like to be more comfortable...I'm just sayin'.
4 - Donald K.: Okay, let's start with the negatives. For starters, space wise, this is not really a beer garden. It's more like a beer shrub. Beer Chia Pet maybe. Basically, it's small. For the crowd this place attracts be prepared for some wait time for a table. 

That being said, this place has such a good vibe to it. It's a great mixture of people that visit this spot. The beer selection is pretty good. Any place that has Erdinger and Delirium on tap is win for me. Beer comes in all sizes. Flights, 20oz, and even 1 to 2 liter boots! Naturally I opted for a boot.

The food here is some of the best beer garden food I've ever had. Their truffle fries aren't fries with truffle sprinkled on them. They're more like giant flakes of truffles bedded over the fries. I swear they have a truffle garden on their roof or something. Needless to say we ordered 3 plates of those. They have a big selection of different sausages which were all delicious.

This is a great addition to the growing Harlem food scene. Giving me more of a reason to make the journey from Astoria.
2 - James L.: This place does not cease to amaze me!  It was almost a year ago I complained about the bad service.  I've been back a handful of times since and the service has improved slightly, but then came yesterday evening.  It was not exactly the most busy day since harlem tavern is bringing down the house now, but man was the service slow.  I've now realized what happens...when they don't want to deal with customers, they hide in the back by the bathroom area and talk to each other!  Sounds like a good way to get tips right?  Fastforward, orders were wrong or not fulfilled after waiting 20mins for the drinks.  Manager/owner comes tells me things are on the house and would gladly take care of me next time and this.  I wish I could say I would want to bare the brunt of this service again, my guests that came to visit me were well beyond over this place.  I, on the other hand, can only hope the owner himself were the server, then the place would finally be up to par in service in the "service industry".
5 - Nerissa A.: You just have to try the truffle oil fries! Amazing!!! Always very busy so you may have to wait on getting a place to sit. One downsite is they do not accept credit cards as of yet. Hopefully that will soon change. Great place to hang out on a Friday night.
3 - Stephanie W.: I love seeing places like this uptown. Came here while I was living in Washington Heights with a group of six people on a Saturday night. Luckily we didn't have to wait for a table. 

Got the Bier Flight with all light drafts, so good! My favourite was the draft that started with a "K" and sounded kind of like "cheviche". It tasted like flowers. Bayerische Bratwurst with sauerkraut was good, though my palette is not so familiar with German cuisine. 

Cash only and it's very loud. There's not any banks in plain sight, so plan ahead unless you want to pay ATM fees. Also the server was hard to find sometimes.
3 - Angelica K.: The beer list is extensive and the food is good and a decent price.  I'm not a fan of the seating style ("indoor beer garden" or cafeteria style seating) as it results in having to yell throughout the entire conversation but at the same time, it lets you get drunk and be as loud as you want without embarrassing your friends!

I had the currywurst which was a bit on the small side and the plate was overcompensated by fries, but they were both good so it wasn't overall too disappointing.  My husband's burger was nothing spectacular and a bit small for his appetite.  But, for NY and for the atmosphere of the place, the food and the price were a good fit so no major complaints here.

The only unfortunate part of my experience there was the service.  When I asked for another glass of Prosecco, the server nodded in acknowledgement.  A good 15 minutes later, no drink yet so I waved him down and said that I had ordered a Prosecco.  His response, "I KNOW" and then walked off in a huff.  A little bit later, another server came up to tell me that my drink was coming.  When it did come, it was a Bellini, not a Prosecco (same price though!).  Alas, not everything is perfect.

Lastly, as noted by many: CASH ONLY!
4 - Urban F.: Make sure to bring cash!!! They do not take credit cards....

PROS: Awesome beer selections, friendly and fast service, a chill open setting and tasty bites...

Cons: The acoustics blow inside....for some reason it is very very loud so difficult to have a convo without yelling

** First come first serve for outdoor seating so wasted 4 tops.....
*** Lots of stroller moms with little kids...seriously..its not cool when little jimmy is running around uncontrolled the hell brings kids to a bar at night???? Get real...at least teach your kids some table manners...

Overall this place is great. Both times I went with friends we were all happy and buzzed.
4 - Ashley D.: Go here for the beer selection. The food is pretty tasty as well. It's very noisy and the service is average. For some reason, lots of kids/babies at this place which I don't particularly care for but nonetheless, I like this place.
4 - Megan K.: Many varieties of German beer and decent selection of wine. Really good food - traditional German wursts and sides as well as a surprising amount of vegetarian options (truffle fries and pineapple guac are both delish!). This is a cool place to get a drink on the weekend -very chill. 

Reminder, this place is cash only - kind of annoying.
4 - Karin R.: Bring Cash!! And if you are like me...and not a HUGE beer fan...order the bierlini...it's totally yummy!! Can't wait to go back and try the truffle fries and some other food. EVERYTHING that came out of their kitchen just smelled so perfect! 

A little loud for conversation...but the service made up for it. Super chill spot in Harlem...check it out!!
4 - Tula T.: I don't even drink beer (allergic, so sad), and I still like going here. The wine list is fine and the menu (served until 11pm) is perfect for small but substantial bar food. (Parmesan truffle fries, mm.) It's a good neighborhood place to sit at the bar and chat. The bartenders are great. Nice variety of people hanging out there. I'm interested in returning for brunch..
4 - Eric R.: You have to give these guys credit for being creating.  They placed a beer garden in the middle of Harlem and made it a success!  The best part of this place is the mix cultures socializing over beers from around the world.  Brilliant!  

The service was quite nice and the seating is enjoyable throughout the venue with the open air scenery.  This place is good for a warm summer night with friends who want to discover the real New York and not be cliche.  

The only con of this place is that it is cash only however it is still worth it.  They have several beers on tap and the staff will save your seat if you want to go out for a smoke or more cash ha.
4 - Mo C.: A fun little spot on the new 'restaurant row' of northern 8th ave.   The food is good... great beer selection, and the staff is friendly.  I WISH they accepted Credit cards..... as I would be more inclined to visit more often.  

Overall, a solid spot, and i will be back!!
4 - Mona L.: 3 for the food, 4 for the ambience, 4 for the beer and 4.5 for the fries. Yep, their delicious fries deserve more points than the beer and the beer is worthy of praise (as long as you like German beer). 
The hamburger could have been better- I like mine medium but it turned out to be well-done, which is a no-no. But, all is not lost, I mean, if you're there not to have a big meal, you're in good hands and if you're like me and love sauces, ask for their chipotle hot sauce and mustard sauce-- it makes eating fries all the more fun.  
For newbies, check out their beer sampling.
4 - Stacey M.: This is my first yelp review. I haven't felt super compelled to write one before, but Bier International is definitely deserving of a positive review from me. First of all, I live very close by so I may be a little biased just because of convenience. They have a very good German beer selection with all sorts of interesting glasses. Including boots. I love the boots. Very, very good food as well. So far I've tried some sort of chicken sandwich off their brunch menu, the chips and guac, and the southwestern chicken caesar salad. That salad is the best salad I've ever had, and I've had a lot of salads. And I'm not even that big of a caesar fan. Oh, and my boyfriend has loved both the burger and catfish tacos he's ordered. Some things to keep in mind are that service isn't always speedy, and that they are cash only- both of which can be a wee bit annoying, which is why I had to deduct a star. Oh, and as some other reviewers mentioned, people like to bring their babies and small children here for some reason. But I love small children and they love me, so I don't mind it. It's quite cute and contributes to the family-friendly feel of my neighborhood that I love so much.
4 - Lorenzo V.: It is a good place where enjoying German beer and original frankfurters and wieners. Now they have a nice outdoor space right on the sidewalk, much better than inside.
4 - Nick W.: my husband and i love bier.  Donald always takes good care of us.  i'm not a beer drinker, i go for the snacks.  the food is good.  i usually have a bierlini and some food or stop by for Sunday brunch.  it's loud & cash only, but a great neighborhood spot.  You can count on them to be consistent.
4 - Deborah L.: One of my fave hangouts! Love it.
3 - Victoria A.: I rate quantity, quality, price, and ambiance:

The quantity and quality of both food and beer here are generally standard. The menu tells you exactly how many milliliters of each beer you will be served, and if it strikes you as too little, you can get a liter of any beer in a glass boot for an adjusted price. The liter of Hoffbrau (a German beer, served in a giant stein glass) for only $11 seems to be the best beer value.

I'm not a beer person per se, but every beer here I've had is excellent. Whoever chooses the list has great taste. It has an impressive variety of international beers. My favorite is the Jenlain Ambree farmhouse ale. It's beautifully toasty brown, relatively alcoholic (7%), and the yeast are still alive! :)

I'd recommend the pineapple chipotle guacamole and the hand cut parmesean truffle fries if you want to eat something. Both of those are truly satisfying. The "entrees" have never been impressively tasty for me nor my boyfriend, and most are pretty greasy. There is only one vegetarian entree, which is a standard but passable Mediterranean platter.

It's a little bit pricey here, and I suspect it's because they have no competition. I haven't yet found a place with a similar ambiance or such a nice beer selection. Be advised: it's cash only and it's expensive. 

It's very loud here, and for some reason, people seem to feel compelled to bring their children. One waitress told me she sometimes refers to it as the kindergarten instead of the biergarten. Contemplate the reason for all the kids here while you drink: Maybe it's because it's a casual place, with good booze? Maybe because they can give their kid a non-alcoholic strawberry beer so they can drink like Mommy and Daddy? Maybe because spills are easy to clean up on the cement slab floor? 

Aside from that, they have a communal seating arrangement with long tables, and if it's busy, you will end up sitting with some strangers. I don't mind because it's a very diverse crowd - traditional Harlem types as well as bourgeois parents and Columbia kids.
5 - Keira D.: Go for the truffle fries and the Dilirium draft. The crowd is a fun mix, so it gets rowdy. Fun place to day drink or grab a few beers and apps after work. Ambiance is real minamalist cool and there's outdoor seating when it's warm out! 

I went twice in one week. Embarassing? Yes. Neccessary? Aboslutely.

Cash only.
2 - Karen S.: I still really enjoy this place I do but other than physically being in Harlem I don't think they have much attachment to the community.  As a medical student at a local Harlem school I approached them a few times to hold a fundraiser or happy hour to support some of our local outreach programs.  I pretty much got the runaround, till there was finally a "No".  I still love the place and food, but I am a little disappointed.
3 - Giacomo C.: Relaxed atmosphere (almost like a beer garden), great beer selection, tasty snacks (those truffle fries are good, but they sure stink the place... you'll know what I mean when you get inside) and welcoming service. Surely out of the way, but a solid place if you happen to be up there. Despite their attitude "either you continue to order or leave the table for somebody else who isn't waiting for it yet", I would definitely go back.
3 - Julia D.: Very cute little German "pub" in Harlem, adding yet some more flavor to Frederick Douglass Boulevard. And now that Harlem Tavern opened up down the street, Bier isn't as crowded as it used to be. I really liked the menu, the food, and the general experience, though I wasn't as enamored of the place as I had hoped to be. 

I wound up getting the Merguez sausage, which was definitely superb, with truffle fries on the side for an extra dollar. They were good, but very meager on the truffle and oil. From what I hear, if you want to avoid getting jipped you should order the full side-dish of Truffle Fries, which comes with a generous topping of truffle and parmesan. 

We also got a pretzel side dish, and though the pretzel was soft, it was undersalted for my personal taste, and I wasn't a fan of the mustard that came with it. 

The beer selection, as anticipated, was incredible. All in all? I'll probably come back, but it won't be my first choice in the area.
2 - Imke v.: Being German, we were really excited about this place coming to the neighborhood, but were disappointed. Sitting on uncomfortable wood benches, in a crowded room with the most horrible acoustics does not mean your in a German beer hall - sorry.  The people are friendly, but the beer selection is at best average, and slightly overpriced. What put it over the top for me though is the way they treat their "German specialty" food. We different kinds of food at different occasions, and besides the often mentioned truffle fries (yummy!), it was memorable only in a bad way. 

We ordered Wiesswurst for example, which is a white herb wurst, that is cooked and served whole in water. We got it cut into slices that had been grilled to death. In Bavaria you would be stoned to death for that. 

There are other places around the neighborhood were you can get good beer, decent food and still be able to hear what the other person is saying......

If you absolutely have to go, try to sit outside(on those comfy metal chairs...) and stick to the truffle fries.
3 - Kristin M.: Pretty nice spot with a good selection of beers, and good food.  The service was really fast, and it's a great spot to grab a few beers for the evening.
3 - Tara B.: I have lived in the neighborhood for over 10 years and great places like this have been opening up in the area.  The Bier Garden is bright, clean and intimate, and it has fun beers to taste.  The truffle fries and hummus platter are pretty good staples.  I don't find it over priced, just low key and fun for a late afternoon or early evening.  The service was attentive but not hovering.  Note, they accept cash only, but I think that's great.  It's not over priced at all.
4 - Waz W.: Great beers, tasty food. Cool spot to hang out with friends, but if your group is too big, you might have a hard time finding a table. Wouldn't really consider this Harlem, but it's easy to get to from further uptown. We need more places like this uptown! 

Get your beers in a boot! The Hofbrau Dunkel was delicious. The pineapple guacamole is good even if you're not a huge fan of pineapple. Really enjoyed the catfish tacos. Large, yummy strips of catfish, but I wish they used a little less chipotle mayo on the tacos.
4 - Esperan za l.: better than another German place i know  in manhattan, like the food and love the beer
3 - Lauren K.: This place was OK. I have a bunch of friends who are beer fanatics, and given my limited beer knowledge, I would say that the beer selection is only ok.  First off, the seating is straight up uncomfortable-- wooden benches with no padding wouldn't seem like a big deal, but it was distractingly unpleasant. 

The food was so so-- I had a burger. Ordering was a painstaking process since the waitress was either hard of hearing or could not understand me.  As far as beer gardens go, I much prefer Harlem Beer Tavern and Bohemian Beer Hall for atmosphere and service!
3 - Yasmeen M.: I ended up here on Sunday to watch the Giants game because Harlem Tavern (down the block) was way too crowded.  The game was on, but because the owner did not want to destroy the mood of the place, there was no sound.

Nice ambiance, world music playing.  I would describe it as a modern bier garden.  The tables are most similar to picnic tables complete with benches, but the place still has a modern vibe to it.  

It's a beer garden so they only serve wine and beer, which seemed appropriately priced.  The food was average, nothing special about it.

Diverse crowd all around - families, groups of girls, groups of guys, dates... 

I would definitely go back, but not to watch a game.
4 - Charles S.: Great Beers- Hofbräu Original, Duvel Single, Krusovice, Six Point Sweet Action are my favorites

Very good food- I love the burger (with truffle fries), the smoked salmon quesidilla.  Other dishes are good as well, but nothing out of this world.

A really cool place to hang out, friends and family always enjoy it when I bring them here when they visit NY or Harlem.

I much prefer sitting at the bar because you can watch any sports on and you get a chance to talk with the bartenders (who are always friendly).  Also, the service is better at the bar.  Can get crowded and loud, especially on weekends.  Not a five stars because service can be spotty when it gets crowded and the pricing is a little on the expensive side for what you get
3 - Ann K.: We meant to try Bier when we lived nearby but never had a chance. So we finally got to try brunch here last Sunday. Luckily, they had the Knicks game on.  
They offer a free mimosa for brunch. 
The atmosphere reminded me of an indoor beer garden (probably because of the bench style seating). They have a good selection of beer but we got cocktails instead, which ended up being surprisingly good. 
I ordered the currywurst which was ok. The crab cake benedict was good as well. I would have to say that the star of brunch would be the truffle fries. 
The service is a bit spotty but not unbearable.
3 - Clayton A.: I definitely like the beer selection here and they have a distinct menu that stands out in Harlem. 

The truffle fries are decent, but not nearly as good as they smell (and they will leave your clothes smelling funky). 

My main complaints with this place are: 1) seating can be tight, 2) it's expensive for being in Harlem, 3) as a result of number two, and the attitude of the owner or manager that hangs out around the place, the place has a snooty feel that doesn't belong in the hood (even a heavily gentrified area), 4) it's hard to interact with anyone who isn't part of your group, so it's lacks a social atmosphere. 

Still, I go back from time to time for the beer, and because it's a much better alternative to Harlem Tavern (where the service sucks!).
5 - J B.: One of my favorite places to chill. Not only is the beer international but so are the guests! Really diverse groups of people come here. A basic Euro menu (Sausages and Fries, Cheese plates) with a few other things on there. Great ambiance, good beer, GREAT PEOPLE! They also have a DAS BOOT.
4 - Stephen B.: Great place, I really like the truffle fries, chicken dakarois (spelling I'm sure) and the erdinger beer. Laid back feel as well, but unfortunately the waitstaff is a little too laid back too, and strangely the burgers aren't great while the rest of the more complicated food is pretty good. 

Basically, this place is really good - sit at the bar or be patient, order something more interesting than the burger.
4 - Yanoh J.: I love the food, and I love how they recommend beers to go with the meals.
Large selection of beers(even though I am not a huge beer fan)
I did not really like the seating, reminded me of cafeteria style.
Our waitress was very friendly and knowledgeable though, so they get an extra star for it. 
Very convenient location
3 - Harmony I.: I really, really loved my meal, which is why 3 stars is hard for me to give. The beer selection here is fantastic and I ordered a beer boot of Hofbrau, which set the tone of the evening nicely. The waitress was snarky and could not understand me and looked as if my questions were an annoyance, but there is a lot on that menu that I had never heard of! The price - I don't know. It was $11 for a scoop of potato salad and about 5 inches of kielbasa...albeit delicious, but to be honest, my friend and I went up the street to another place and ordered more food because it was just not enough and gets expensive to add on other sides. I have noticed other reviewers commenting on the "snooty" feel of the place, and I have to agree.
2 - Jordan B.: This is my second review of this place. I was a fan of bier since soft open, so I have watched them grow. In the beginning, it was one of my favorite local spots. The menu is great, the atmosphere WAS quiet and relaxed. 

Sadly, once word got out about Bier, it was overrun and turned into a circus by the new Harlem gentry and their toddlers and babies in strollers. 

I don't understand restaurants/ bars that allow families to bring noisy, needy small children. It ruins the atmosphere and should have no place in a bar where I go to drink a beer and enjoy myself after a long day. 

After months and months of trying to enjoy the great menu and beer selection here, I have stopped going. It's impossible to even think when you are surrounded by entitled, wealthy, vapid young families with kids who demand everyone's constant attention. 

Including the wait staff. They are a cross section of all the bad service available throughout harlem. They aren't trained properly and it takes a half hour to place a drink order. I have been forgotten completely after asking to pay the bill - on several occasions. Why do I bother with this joint? 

Oh, because it had potential. My recommendation: get some control over your staff, and put your foot down about guests who ruin the atmosphere. Also, you might think of putting some wood or foam on the walls and ceiling because the joint is LOUD. 

The place can be enjoyable on a monday at 4PM if you manage to beat the yuppie families. But the kitchen won't be open.
4 - Janeen B.: I've been here a total of three times; the first was just for beer consumption, the second and third time I actually ate here. The first visit was pretty pleasant. Our waitress was really helpful when it came to me selecting a beer...although she kinda smelled weird...like she ate something with blue cheese and garlic in it. Still, she was super nice and attentive. The second visit i got the opportunity to eat, but only had a Organic Strawberry Arugula salad. The greens were fresh, and the salad itself was evenly coated with dressing. I didn't realize until I was almost done with my meal that the small bowl of cheese that came with the salad was not cream cheese (I'm semi lactose intolerant), but in fact goat cheese....SQUANDERED! My friend had the Catfish tacos...which looked delicious (and according to her, they tasted just as good as they looked). Our waiter was nice, but went M.I.A when it came time to get our check. It was weird...he never came back, and someone else had to present the bill to us

Third time I came here, it was evening...kinda packed, but I still wanted to try some of the more substantial items on the menu. I opted for the "Empanadas Capo Verde", which were nothing short of amazing. will definitely be coming back here to try more of the items on the menu.

What's cool about this place (besides the beer and the food), is the fact that it's SUPER laid back, and although it has the possibility of being pretentious and snobby...it isn't. You feel totally comfortable eating here with some friends, or by yourself with a book, laptop, or just to people watch.Can't wait to come back and embark on some more nomnoms on the menu.
3 - Rachel T.: This place is pretty good- a nice spot to grab a drink and eat a burger if you are in the neighborhood. As my friend Lauren K mentioned the seating is less than ideal- wooden benches that are modern but leave you wanting a cushion badly. The food was pretty good- I tried a burger with truffle oil and some great toppings. The waitress struggled quite a bit to get the order right but overall a decent experience with good beer and food.
4 - Rohini H.: I love this place. I can bring my baby with me and fit in completely. And she loves the truffle fries. They have high chairs and plenty of space for us and everyone else. I only wish their weekend brunch menu had more vegetarian options. I'm sick of the hummus.
4 - Kimberly Y.: I have been to Bier International  twice in the past 2 years and I must say I'm a fan. I am not a beer drinker but I like that they also have a selection of wine for us non beer drinkers. I also like the fact that the staff was knowledgeable of the beer that the serve and was able to offer me a light beer that I enjoyed for me trying beer for the first time. 

Both times that I went it was crowded (but what do you expect when you go there right after work on a Friday) despite it being crowded the wait staff were personable and although may have been overwhelmed didn't show it. There were also helpful in accommodating  such a large group of people in the outside seating. 

Both times I also had a meal, once i had a lamb burger which was really good and the other time I had a steak fritata and it was also delicious and reasonably priced. 

I really enjoy the place and will def visit again.
5 - Jamie B.: Bier International is my favorite place in this neighborhood. The food is wonderful and consistently tastes so fresh and delicious. I never fail to order the Truffle Fries when I'm here (ask for the chipotle mayo to go along with them-it will make the fries even better!) The lamb burger is also a favorite, cooked to perfection, with a fabulous mint yogurt sauce on the side. The brunch AND the dinner are both amazing. Try the Crab Cakes Benedict or the Pancakes with cornmeal at brunch and enjoy a free mimosa along with it--how incredible! The beer selection is large and impressive. The Hofbrau is a personal fave. If you are not a beer drinker, they offer wine and delicious champagne cocktails.

I also love the customer service. Everyone there is very welcoming and accommodating. I especially like the server Jeff. He is always very friendly and professional. He makes you feel like you're his only table in the restaurant, and he has a wonderful knowledge of the food and drink menu. Overall, Bier International is a gem in this neighborhood with a cozy and homey feeling. I will continue to return. Get there now!
3 - Shane G.: I must have been grumpy when I wrote my previous review; I've been back to BI a couple of times since writing it, and I've had pretty good experiences. I stand by my comments about the German-centric focus of the beer list. And the food is very German-oriented as well, and thus not very vegetarian-friendly. They do serve an awesome slice of cheesecake, though. And the service was better my last two visits. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit this place, but it was nice having it around the corner from my apartment for two months.
5 - Chuck B.: Awesome beer selection burgers, salads, and catfish tacos.
4 - Leah H.: Clean, Nice place
Had Lamb and apple flavor beer was yummy! Very nice service, but bummer for not accepting credit cards.
3 - Christie F.: When you go will dramatically affect your experience. 

I'd skip this for dinner or any time it's too crowded. I think it's great for an after-work beer, or if you can hit happy hour (2 for 1 beers!). The menu is very sausage-heavy, as you might expect for a German restaurant, so I haven't eaten here.

The beers they have are good, but I would like to see more Belgian (and, gasp!, even American selections). 

The service is up and down: sometimes awesome, sometimes not-so-much.

It's an interesting addition to the Harlem scene, especially when the weather is nice and you can sit outside.
5 - Claudette B.: I am a good cook, so when I go to a restaurant it' s not just the food , it's the Flavor. By that I mean atmosphere ,cleanliness ,personality & charm of the servers and just general 'good energy & vibes' . 
Bier had all of that . My teenage daughter & I had brunch there last Sunday ; there could have been more of a slection for vegetarians but...... she had pancakes with orange butter & it was good. I had the crab cakes & they were very tasty & everything seemed freshly made . Will definitely become a regular. And the service was exceptionally pleasant thanks to DONALD & the rest of the staff. BIG UP Bier !
4 - Nate P.: Another winner that we found through a quick Yelp search while we were in the neighborhood. A quick walk over from Columbia University, this gem hit the spot perfectly.

We each tried beers that we had never had before, and came away willing to order both of them again. They are definitely dedicated to the beer selection, with suggestions throughout the menu, and service always in the intended glassware (my Kwak came in a large vial-type glass supported by a custom wood handle).

My partner had a veggie quesadilla with a bit of truffle oil on it, which it was very hard not to steal all of once I had tried a bite. The only thing that kept me away from her food was the delicious catfish that were the centerpiece of the tacos I ordered.

Very relaxed atmosphere and definitely a great place to stop in. Note that it is cash-only.
1 - Kurt W.: There are items on the menu for over a $100, and its cash only.  Come on.  One star just for that.  

The beer is great, and the food is pretty good as well; but it doesn't matter, since its a new place with very expensive items and its cash only.
4 - Noah C.: On my most recent trip to NYC, my coworker and I decided to check out the area we were staying in, which was Harlem. Little did we know we'd stumble on to our first great meal in NYC at Bier International.

I love the atmosphere here. Great crowd, if a little hipsterish. The service bounced back and forth between attentive and cooly indifferent, but that was part of the charm, I supposed.

As far as food goes, I'm a sucker for cured meats...and really, who isn't? They do a nice spread here, and the even the bread served with the meat (on this night it was smoked pork loin, salsicca, and a few other delicious sausages) was fresh, with a crispy exterior and almost creamy inside.

For my main, I had steak frites. The frites were well cooked, and the steak came out perfect. The herb butter was well blended and fresh, as well.

Beer wise I coasted all night with the Hofbrau original, a beer I've always loved for its smooth taste and ability to fuck me up without leaving me drowsy.
1 - Rob D.: A decent beer selection, but that's it.  Hands down the worst service I've ever experienced in a restaurant.  Calling this a biergarten is a joke.  Why, because they spell it "bier"?  The food is bad to mediocre, certainly no representation of German food nor a reason to trek up here.  10 minutes to get a menu and it's empty. 10 minutes after I asked to place an order, no one has come back yet.  This is the third time I've been here...only at the insistence of others and convenience, and each worst than my last.  Will my Belgian ale cure my ill will?  No, it's worse now.  Not only will I never come back, I'll actively tell people to stay away.
2 - Mariam A.: I'm not a beer drinker, nor did I try any of the beers, so take this review with that in mind.

Food was just okay, and over-priced considering the small portions. Restaurant was incredibly loud and had trouble hearing my friends that were sitting right next to me. Cash only. 

Servers were very nice and accommodating, but I won't be going back.
4 - Judy I.: I like that it is smaller and more intimate than it's larger, more noisy counterpart on Frederick Douglass (the Beer Garden). Also, the ambiance feels more Bavarian because the seating is by long wooden tables, with smaller tables on the terrace.

Since I'm eat only fish or vegetarian, there was not much in terms of food selection (which is full of wurst this and wurst that), but the guacamole and chips that other diners were having seemed quite tasty.

Lots of interesting beer options - I've only tried the Erdinger, which is delicious!
4 - Mike O.: Drinking a nice cold beer on a hot summer afternoon, after work is always, in my opinion, a great way to finish off a long work week. We came here to temporarily escape the usual watered down drinks of other NY places with a taste of beers in the middle of Harlem.

There was outdoor seating, but the nice cool breeze inside was a better feeling, and a great option.

We both got the grand sampler. I ordered the Erdinger, Delirium Tremens, Jenlain Ambree, Krusovice, and Six Point Sweet Action;  All of which come in 5 oz glasses.

A few notes on what I can remember:

Krusovice has a champany sweet taste to it.
The Six Point, has a dark, richer taste than the Erdinger, despite the lighter color which can be a bit deceiving.
And the Delirium, Jenlain, and Erdinger were all my favorites for a light not so dense taste.


As always when tasting different beers, start from lightest to darkest.


Cheers
4 - Quasona C.: Just read my very short review from a year ago, my oh my have times changed!

UPDATED:

I came here on a Friday after work and tried the Bier Grand Sampling with 5 5oz samples of beer. I think I had Erdinger Dunkle, Erdinger Urweisse, Duvel, Delirium and the Krusovice. So nice I had to try it twice.

I came back Sunday afternoon and had the Bier Grand Sampling again had the Jenlain, Krusovice, Deirium, Erdinger Urweisse and the Erdinger Dunkle. I think the Dunkle is slowly but surely becoming my favorite. It was getting ate so my friend and I decided to get something to eat, I had the Krainerwurst sausage and it was to die for. I love spicy food and mustard, the absolute best. I ordered the pretzels thinking I would get sourdough pretzel bits but they were 2 full freshly made pretzels! 

Communal tables are a still a bit weird for me, you're either forced into someones creepy conversation or you have people budding into yours, like this man did to my friend and I. Other than that, Bier is definitely becoming one of my favorite places to hang in Harlem.
4 - Desiree V.: This is one of my favorite places to grab a low key beer in my 'hood on a weeknight.

The set up is cool and inviting, the crowd is a great reflection of the neighborhood's diversity, chill service, the beer list is impressive and the menu is simple but has some nice offerings. 

I highly recommend grabbing a seat outside and ordering the truffle fries with your favorite brew.
3 - Jessica S.: Great selection of draft beers (I usually the Bier Sampling - 5 small glasses you select from their beer list), good food. I've tried the fish tacos that were really good once, and the chicken quesadilla that was just ok. Also tasted the truffle fries which were well seasoned and flavored but a bit mushy.

Try to get a sit outside, and remember it's cash only.
3 - Natalia J.: I go back and forth on my feelings for Bier, but mostly I like it.  The pros are that it's a nice, casual place to get a beer - and they have tons of options.  The atmosphere is fun and it's close to home, which is nice.  The cons are that it's not particularly cheap, and worst of all, they only take cash!  Major fail because I rarely carry cash.  I've had brunch there several times and the crab cake benedict is very good, as are the scrambled egg fajitas.
2 - Ann H.: Stick with beer - don't eat. 

We live 2 blocks away but have avoided having a meal because of their B sanitation grade.  We went at 6:00pm on a weekday because we were really hungry, didn't feel like cooking, and wanted to sit outside.  

When I ordered a Croque Monsieur, the server told me they no longer serve that.  So I got the chicken brochettes with peanut sauce and couscous.  The place was less than half full, but the food took a long time. The chicken was decent but the couscous was cold.  When I told the server about the couscous, she wanted to take my whole plate back but I asked her to just bring me another side of couscous.  She brought me more couscous, and it was still cold.  I understand the concept of couscous salad, but it makes no sense to have cold couscous with that particular meal and the menu said "couscous," not "couscous salad." 

As we were leaving I saw a chalkboard with about 5 specials listed; the server never told us about specials.

Disappointing food and service.  I would just go back for a beer.
4 - Maxine M.: I heart Bier! I came here for brunch twice, dinner once and it was great each time. Im a huge fan of their pancakes mostly bc of the yummy fruity butter they come with. I've also had the eggs Benedict with crab cakes - DEELICIOUS! The crab cakes were so tasty and the biscuits were thick, fluffy and buttery. My boyfriend gets the eggs w sour cream, guac and some other fixins on flour tortillas which just melt in your mouth. You get a free mimosa if you order from the brunch menu and the wait staff is very nice. They are a little too quick with clearing the tables which made me feel a bit rushed, but otherwise I always have a nice relaxing meal at Bier!
4 - Christina R.: Good place to dine if you're looking for a laid-back kinda night.

Great selection of beers. I had the Kolsch which was very good if you like a mild-fruity beer. Our server was very knowledgeable in helping us make a selection.

As for entree's I ordered the lamb kebobs which were tasteful and tender. My date ordered the lamb burger which was just okay.

Service was a bit slow, but forgivable. I would come back again and recommend this place.
1 - Ghengis G.: Overpriced and small portions of food. Wanted to like it, but the beer selection is really not that great. The food was all tiny portions. The bratwurst dinner looked like maybe 1/3 of a sausage sliced up with less than a cup of sauerkraut on the side. The meat and cheese tray had tiny portions of so-so cheese and maybe four slices of sausage and four slices of salami, and three grapes. Happy hour is really only $2 off beers that are $7 or less regular price, and no happy-hour food discounts. What? Pretty ridiculous. There are plenty of better options. Unless they have live music on the night you are going or some other special, I'd look elsewhere. Oh, and they are cash-only. Seriously?
4 - Jonathan S.: My finacee and I are thrilled to have this modern, fun bar in our neighborhood.  They have an excellent selection of international beers on tap and the wait staff and bartenders are amazingly friendly and outgoing.  The bar food is also really excellent.  Only drawback is that they only take cash, but they do have an ATM in house.
4 - Jason M.: Ok, so I have to give credit where credit is most definitely due.  I last wrote a not so great review about this place, so I want to set the record straight.  This is still one of my favorite German places in NYC.  The last time I was there was clearly just a one off, bad night.

First I have to commend the owners and staff of Bier International.  They had been contacting me vigorously for months, yes months, to get me to come back and try them again.  Folks, in NYC, you simply don't come across people that care that much anymore, so that says a hell of a lot about this place.

I finally returned there over the last weekend, and Bier International met my every expectation, once again.  Actually, there was a surprise: a band playing Afro-Cuban music.  Not German, but who cares.  It was such a pleasant contrast, it made the meal that much more enjoyable.

I recommend the Currywurst with a good Hefeweiss bier.  Also, be sure to get the Parmesan fries for an extra $1.  You'll know why when you do.

This place still has it's original flavor, vibe, and good service.  Keep up the good work.
5 - Stephen L.: Frederick Douglass Boulevard is slowly transforming into a dining and drinking destination. Perhaps no place is better for lifting a glass than Bier International and their food is damned good too. 

This spartan, industrial space is too small to call a proper beer hall though it has long communal tables. The outdoor space is too small to call a proper beer garden. Yet the overall effect feels just right. Loud and boisterous patrons share the long tables - if your'e lucky you get one along the wall with back support for at least half your party. A single TV hovers over the bar like an afterthought. Sometimes it's on, sometimes it's off. Nobody seems to pay it much mind unless it's a big moment during a big game. One wall is covered with nearly every conceivable translation of beer around the world - this really is an international bar, albeit with a German focus. 

Beer is the star and they recently doubled their number of taps. The Czech beer Krusovice remains the stalwart delicious lager on the menu though there are any number of excellent German, Belgian, French, and American beers to try. This is one of the few places you can get kolsch in the traditional sized glasses (0.2L). They've also got Jenlain, a french farmhouse ale that's fruity, grassy, and yummy. They've also got some old world large format bottles and if it's your birthday consider ordering the boot of beer. I believe they have 1L, 2L, and 3L glassware available in addition to the standard 0.5L. 

Where to begin with the food menu? Locally sourced sausages (I dream about the merguez), addictive fish tacos, wild mushroom quesadilla for when you're not wanting meat, parmasean truffle fries with real black truffles instead of truffle oil, German style pretzels, legit sauerkraut with or without sauteed ham, etc. I could just go on and on with the menu. It's just all so tasty. Someone really thought about a menu that went well with beer. 

This has become my local since it opened. Considering the local I had before I moved to the neighborhood, I'm thrilled to call Bier International home.
4 - Julia K.: This place is approximately 50 feet from my apartment and a great neighborhood bar. The patio is fantastic when nice out, and I've also always had fun just hanging out at the bar.  I've never had the food, but companions have said good things. 

If they took credit cards, I'd give them 5 stars.
4 - Uygar D.: I live on top of this place. So I go here quite often. This would have been 5 stars if it weren't for the following:

- Cash only ...ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Just to cheat on taxes, no other reason for this sh_t.
- Super loud. By the time you get out of here, you have a sore throat from having to yell for the last hour. And your ears are ringing.
- Poor brunch. They don't even have coffee; they try to serve you coffee from a pathetic machine. Cold and tasteless. I mean, if you're serving brunch, invest in a drip coffee machine, right?
- Servers tend to have attitudes and a tendency to ignore you for a while.

HOWEVER:

- Delicious beer, great selection
- Delicious food. I've tried and loved the following: Shrimp tacos, steak burger, German potato salad (out of this world), fries, pretzel, most of their sausages. 
- Nice atmosphere if you can sit outside and be away from the loudness.
3 - Hashem D.: this little place tucked away in Harlem is a decent spot, with good, minimalist decor, communal tables reminiscient of most Oktoberfest events i've been to, and with a quite respectable beer selection. They were very accomodating and got my friends and I (a group of 10, and when you see the size of this place, you can appreciate this more) a table right away! While ordering, some issues started to pop up, one (or two? i forget) beer was not available, there were not enough boots (big glass boots with up to 1 liter of beer) at the establishment, but we all ordered, whether people chose American beers (like the Bronx Pale Ale, which is really good and not very easily found) or European beers (like Delirium Tremens, Duvel, Hoffsbrau, or others including a strawberry flavoured beer that my girlfriend loved).
The food was good, but not fantastic, two of my friends' ordered brats that were bland, small portion, and not so memorable. I had the wieners and kraut, good, filling, and a very generous helping of Kraut. Word of advice, get the kraut with bacon, the thick pieces of bacon work perfectly with the kraut and give a deliciuos taste! Also, the truffle fries with shaved parmesan were AMAZING!! Some of the food items were not available, but overall it was great service and quite fast getting the food and beer to us, so we were very satisfied!
And as a tip, go there for your birthday, they give you a bottle of wine as a gift when you're leaving! #winning!
4 - Betty S.: being partly german and knowing germany very well im totally digging this place. i approve and will support anytime i can. love the energy, the live music they have sometimes, the food selection, the service and management, their outside seating, the crowd and of course the fantastic beer selection! YAY!!! just wish we would have place like this come to the east! i would be there every day!
4 - Brian Z.: Awesome laid back place in Harlem. Had the steak and the truffle fries. The steak was very good but the truffle fries blew my mind. A real hidden gem, check this place out with a group of friends the next time you're uptown

Big 5 Sporting Goods - Seattle, WA (47.6603428, -122.3131447) (University District)
3 - MM R.: I think this place has some of the best deals in town on all sorts of stuff.  Great buys on shoes for kids and adults.  Serious markdowns when they mark it down.  I've picked up Speedo swimsuits for less than $10.  Multi-leveled joint so check all the levels.  Parking can be a total hassle on the Ave. so go at odd hours.  Open evenings and weekends.
4 - Sarah B.: Pretty good sports equipment store.  They definitely have variety.

It's three floors.  The first floor is workout wear, water sports, racket games, board games, inline skates and hockey equipment, sneakers and some other gear.  The second level is camping, fishing, ski/snowboarding, some more exercise equipment.  And the third is big ticket items, like exercise machines. 

Great prices and markdowns all over the place.  Really good staff too. Drawback is parking is a hassle since it's on a busy street and no ice hockey equipment.
2 - Joel H.: Big 5 scares me. It's too hunting-and-fishing biased for me. We don't hunt in Australia because shooting most animals there just pisses them off enough to kill you. I can't think of anything more scary than wandering out in the woods wearing camouflage and trying not to be shot by another hunter. shiver. 

They do have a good selection, but this is the K-Mart of sporting goods stores. The store is badly lit, and badly laid out. I went there today (and actually did find and buy my Ab Straps) and the place was deserted in a post-apocalyptic way. On the second floor, I was the only soul there, not even a staff member to help. It's so empty you want to run down to the front doors to make sure you haven't stayed past closing and been locked in. 

They have a lot of stuff, but not much variety in the stuff they carry. For example, their Under Armour racks are only a couple and they only have a small selection of the clothes. Compared to G.I. Joe's, they really have almost nothing. 

Plus, they are on just about the creepiest part of the Ave. They get 2 stars because I found what I needed there...
5 - Thomas D.: I buy my shoes here.
3 - Michael B.: Great prices if you can find what you're looking for. Absolute horrible service though and why do they need to know my phone number when I'm just buying a $3 nalgene bottle?...wtf!
1 - Giri S.: Absolutely horrible service. I went on a Saturday morning to buy some swim gear and the store was empty. Despite that, every single one of the sales people was rude and unhelpful. This store sucks.
3 - Joolie T.: the only decent sportswear/goods joint on the strip. i never really knew why we needed it RIGHT on the AVE. i never wanted to step in here- due to the lack of organization and what not. the selection, however, is extensive. 

i usually found everything i needed here. i was an avid tennis player, so this place bid me well. i don't miss it at all, though. their shoe selections sucked balls.
1 - Ema N.: What, there's no -5 stars?

I went there yesterday to look for outerwear (you know, a waterproof/softshell kind of thing because my winter jacket is too hot now and I need something to keep me dry while I run around the UW campus between classes).

Ema: Do you have any softshell jackets that are waterproof?
Big 5 Worker: No.

Ema: Do you have any outerwear at all? Like Northface or Mountain Hardwear?
Big 5 Worker: No

At that, I just said 'um...ok..." and RAN OUT of there. 

How scary! People, do not go in here for anything, ever. 

(How do people get hired here? My friend's dog is more cheerful and even shakes your hand and always is so friendly and happy to see everyone!)
2 - Rebecca H.: Seems remarkably similar to the rest of the Big 5 stores, including the difficult to find staff.  We tried to find somebody to help us with shoes, but nary a staff member was to be found.  We left.
4 - Skip O.: I was kind of expecting a bad experience given the reviews on here.  However, the employees there were friendly and helpful, and I found most of what I was looking for.  The only downside is that, yes, it's in a busy district, so you have to deal with traffic.  Still, it's a good enough place.
3 - Stacy E.: I went here yesterday to buy a gift card.  

It wasn't that bad, but it wasn't that good, either.  

I went in, waited in line, and got the gift card.  The salesperson was competent.  No problems.  She wasn't friendly, but she wasn't unfriendly either.  

I'd go back if I ever have to.  But hopefully I won't ever have to.  I hate sporting goods stores.
1 - Poppa v.: After a visit to this store all I wanted to do was get in the car, roll up the windows, and scream! 

Three or four lost souls gabbing at the cash register on the 1st floor. 
I asked for a piece of fishing gear (had been sent by another U-district business). They waved me up to the 2nd floor but didn't offer to help. 

Of course there wasn't a salesperson on the 2nd floor and so I canvassed the entire place -- not finding what I came for. After some time I went down to the 1st floor and persuaded someone to come up. He hadn't the foggiest idea of what it was I wanted nor did he know where to look for it. 

He went downstairs (don't laugh) to consult with "the man in the know" who hadn't yet left the checkout counter. Up we went again. No soap. 

I told the young lady at the cash register that this was the lamest store I'd been in in a long time. She leaned over and said, "That's why this is my last day." 

I wished her luck.
2 - Nick B.: The operative word here is "serviceable."  You can probably get what you need, but more than likely you want to forgo this store for a more reputable chain somewhere else.

For some reason this place has looked like it's been going out of business for the past 3 years.  Great in that I bought a free-weight set for a significantly reduced price (only to realize to my chagrin and affirmation to my own stupidity that I now had to drag home a 45 lb. weight set as I didn't have a car).  

In short, check it out if you don't absolutely need something right away, and definitely don't expect any sort of help in your endeavor other than a "get yourself to a floor that I'm not on" look from an employee.  Worth a look if you're bargain-hunting, just make sure you have the appropriate means to lug it home!
1 - Jerry L.: Yes. Ms. Cashier... I will give you the benefit of the doubt. I guess if I earned $5.00 an hour, and my daddy and mommy made me take a summer job to pay for auto insurance for my BMW, I' d be bitter too! You had me wait at the camera counter as you rang up 15 people. (I wanted to buy a pair of binoculars). I saw two managers (?) running around putting shoes away and inventory. What the hell?!?!? I waited politely and had to basically corner one of you in order to get any kind of service. As I came up to the counter to pay, I didn't even get an apology for waiting so long. I'd give this store zero stars, but Yelp won't let me. If your looking for customer service, I'd avoid this place like the plague.
4 - Robert S.: Its a sporting goods store and its close to home, so I can take the back roads to get here and skip I-5 big plus

so my baby needs some new Ski pants, and we tried play it again sports, but they had the same stuff that was on sale at Big 5, so off to the U Dist. to get some Ski Pants, and a couple new Jock Straps for me, like my shit to stay in place :) 

so we walk in and are greeted as we come in, so we ask where the men's Ski stuff is at and the girl points to the back and says back wall on the right, dressing room is just to the left if you need to try on

so my baby goes looking at Ski stuff and I head to the Second floor Baseball section that's where they keep the Jocks :) I find what i want and then my Partner comes up and says I have my pants, so we go and pay for the stuff and we are on our way to Vivace for some Coffee

shopping is done Screw you Black Friday
3 - Laura B.: It isn't classy but it has a large selection of items and good deals.

The second floor salesperson was helpful and relatively attentive for a Big 5 store.  He helped me try on a large number of rollerblades and in-line skates.

I think the prices are fair and similar to amazon.com
3 - Necia D.: It pained me to interrupt the Big 5 staff in their languid across-the-store-floor game of paddle ball this evening; they seemed inconvenienced and sort of milled back to less active stances, the way basketball players will disperse in the key after a foul is called. Well; I guess Big 5 takes athletics into consideration when they make hires.

We knew what we wanted, so we headed upstairs to the Air Soft guns, and waited. And waited. There were no paddle ball games upstairs-interrupted or otherwise. Just a calm fluorescent stretch of jerseys and elasto-shorts as far as the eye could see.

I went downstairs and asked for help, and help was paged. From this point out things made more sense. The kid who emerged from the store netherlands was very amiable and patient as we made our choices. There seem to be plenty of people working; as time wore on they crept out from backrooms or something.

I asked if they carry Five Finger running shoes. No. They don't carry a lot of major brands...or the better products from brands they do carry. It's like all the running shoes they carry are from two years ago--either made with weird colors, somehow cosmetically impoverished, or discontinued models, or merely contributions from the big brands' Super Bad Idea pile, like with the swoosh done out of argyle sweater material or something.

I've only gone in here a few times and there's always just a weird cadence. I suppose I just don't understand you, Big 5.
2 - Hannah S.: I've loved other Big 5 stores in the past, but the customer service at this particular store is terrible! Employees on the floor seems as though they almost try to avoid you when you're looking for a shoe in a different size and seem overall depressed and bored. They have no shining desire to make your sporting goods purchasing experience a good one, but at least the selection is good and sales are frequent. I wouldn't suggest trying this Big Five if you're not already sure of exactly what you want.
2 - Rachel H.: This is your average Big 5 complete with clothing racks really close together and young moody staff. Anyway... I stopped in to browse for some relatively cheap water resistant hiking shoes. Needless to say, I found some. They were part of their weekly shoe sale! So huzzah!
3 - Jeff S.: I've always been puzzled by the Big 5 business model. How do these guys even survive in such a crowded industry? I guess you would consider them a low-end, low-cost sporting goods store. If you don't want to shell out at a specialty outdoor or a national big-box store, then they serve their purpose. Cheap camping gear, clearance deals on running shoes, etc. Yep.

Agree the staff at this location are mostly student zombies. People don't come here for the service or quality. But if the next sunny day inspires you to suddenly discover your inner John McEnroe, it's a good place for a cheap tennis racket and can of balls on a whim.
5 - gloria c.: these guys saved my day. I got a very generous discount and got my man his working boots for fifty bucks. Very helpful staff, and patient with me. thank you!
4 - Lily H.: I'm not sure where else one would go to buy New Balance "Training Shoes" at a decent price, but Big 5 Sporting Goods seems as good a place as any.

The young sales personnel seem genuinely courteous and friendly despite the fact that this is a pretty busy place with all kinds of sporting goods crammed into a relatively small place.  I am somewhat bewildered by the comments to the effect that the personnel is rude or indifferent.

Because there is such a wide array of athletic shoes here and the fact that the corporate headquarters keep changing prices from week to week (hence the weekly flyer) and that new shoes seem to be continually shipped in, it can be a bit overwhelming to make a selection, but in the past 15 years whenever I have needed to buy a new pair of Addidas/Nike/New Balance, I have always been able to spend less than an hour and walk away with shoes that will "do the trick."

All this at good prices, especially compared to the stores (Nike, etc.) downtown.
1 - Cathy G.: what  pompous self important postulating manager--ON DUTY.. the first manager on duty.. whose lack of attention, but we could hear her discuss her suntanning at lunch, sent me out of the store with no merchandise.

I used to enjoy coming here and shopping. there is no time for such laxness in the workplace.
4 - Lauren B.: The depth and breadth of my physical activity is walking around Capitol Hill, with the occasional bout of jogging when I start worrying that my tequila and pizza regimen will take a toll on my bikini bod. With that in mind, I don't know how useful my review of a sporting goods store will be. However, I did pop in yesterday to check out their inflatable raft selection (woo! Summer float trip!) and they seemed to have a fair selection. They also sell coolers, useful for cabrewing expeditions. The sales guy was helpful and led me straight to what I needed, so this place is a-okay to me!
5 - Zachary H.: I friggin love this place!!  I always come here for socks & shoes, and the occasional hackysack.  And, at their sale price, that sometimes gets as low as $10-$15, on shoes is right up my alley!  :-)  Last tent I bought was from here, as well.  It was an 8 man that I picked up for less then $80.  And the staff is always well groomed and friendly, and the girls that work there are pretty cute, if I do say so myself.  ;-)  
  Love the fact that I have a sporting goods store in a few of my Seattle neighborhoods, too!  Plenty of supplies for when the Zombie Apocalypse pops off, right???  3 stories of awesomeness, and they have an elevator in the back if you can't do the stairs.  \m/

Big Al's Grille & Sports Bar - Blacksburg, VA (37.2300296, -80.4146925) ()
5 - Bryan K.: It was great being back in Blacksburg, and when I climbed those infamous stairs to Big Al's it took me right back to my good old college days.  

The bar is pretty big with two pool tables, a full sized shuffle board table, darts, and Big Buck Hunter professional edition.  The walls are lined with Virginia Tech paraphernalia including plaques proudly displaying the Hokie's past sporting accomplishments, a great atmosphere for a college reunion.

Meeting up with a bunch of old friends never felt so great reminiscing about the days of old over a few cheap pitchers of Coors light and some great bar food.  I recommend the buffalo burger, it was damn tasty with waffle fries on the side.

I have a lot of great memories here and hope to have more to come in the future.  Visit Big Al's if you're ever in Blacksburg, Virginia, guaranteed good times.
4 - Patrick M.: This place has trivia and good happy hour specials and shuffleboard. The only problem is average food. It's a great place to watch sports. It is one of the better options in downtown Blacksburg, with trivia making it recommended.
4 - Mike P.: Good selection of beers both domestic and imports and they have some type of drink special every day.

The food is better than most bar foods and their carrot cake is flipping awesome.

Open atmosphere with a lot of TVs so it's a great place to watch a game with a group of friends or flying solo.
4 - Edward C.: More of a 3.5. 

Bar food isn't bad at all and trivia night is a lot of fun. The highlight of Big Al's is how early the happy hour starts. Its tough to beat when you get out of class and don't want to wait it out till 4 or 5pm.

Great place to watch games! They have a bunch of TV and have almost every game on (NFL of course). It's like NFL redzone if you can snag a nice seat in the middle of the bar.
4 - Paul M.: Best place we went to in Blacksburg. Short line, no cover even during a big game weekend. Despite being absolutely packed, did not have too much trouble ordering drinks at the bar. Pretty good vibe and some good tunes playing throughout the night. 

The place has a large selection of TVs so it would be a great place to catch a game. 

Easy access to Poor Billy's downstairs is also a big plus, you get two venues at one location. 

Would recommend to anyone visiting Blacksburg.

Big Al's Hilltop Quikstop Inc - Ithaca, NY (42.407083, -76.502139) ()
4 - A J.: Awesome Bacon Cheeseburgers.  Totally simple, no fussy garnishes, just real beef, real bacon, and real cheese.  Grab a side of fried pickles with honey mustard, and you're set for the evening!  And for you crazy college kids....they deliver.

Actually, I've never even been to the restaurant itself (is it really a restaurant?  I've always had visions that it's just a gas station that happens to have food?)  Perfect late night delivery when you want something other than pizza.
4 - Melissa K.: As I recall, very good veggie subs. And I seem to remember they use to deliver beer.

Big Al's Smoke And Gifts - Berkeley, CA (37.8672739, -122.2590438) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
5 - Shelley S.: What can I say - opened my virgin eyes a little.  

Why do I feel like a giggly teenager when I go into these places.  Now I'm a giggly adult.  How did that happen?  I thought I'd be confident in the things I like to partake in.  I guess I feel different than the other open users in the shop, they all look like stoners.  I don't have that all the time glazed over look yet.  Hopefully I won't ever.  I did find them amusing though.

So the staff was friendly and handled my intimidated self well.  I did go for the newbie cheapest thing and they were still cool.  When I'm not as low on cash I think I'll go back for the color changing pipe.
4 - Matt N.: Pipe dreams on haight has better pieces.  More heavy glass than the overpriced roors phxs or poorly built blanks.  If you buy glass on glass bong get the flush one (i believe this is only made by heavy glass and nameless).  This place does have pretty good prices though.
4 - Caroline C.: A little weird to deal with the staff as most smoke shops are, but I like this place more than other ones on Telegraph because they are the only place that carries Roor glassware and their prices are pretty normal for this kind of thing.
4 - David C.: I go here for "church air", which is quite affordable and always in stock.  The guys have always been nice to me, but I get the feeling that they don't have much of a tolerance for bullshit :D
5 - Paolo S.: I recommend this is the first place you should go look to find that special someone a gift that shows you care. The Service could be somewhat questionable (they think everyone is about to steal something from them, hence 20 eyes watching your every step), but this place has something for everyone.
5 - mike b.: This is not only the place that I tell people to go for glass in Berkeley, but every time I am TALKING about glass...whoever I am talking to...tries to recommend Big Al's TO ME!! This is the most popular spot for REAL patrons of the "arts" in the Bay. Tourists and students go to Zebra. Locals go to Al's. Decent prices, and quality glass. You can't ask for more.
5 - Leanne V.: my favorite smoke shop. the staff is super friendly and super knowledgeable about all sorts of vessels. simply provide them with your criteria and they'll show you a bunch of options. I've purchased 3 pieces from them and each one has been great! they have a wide range of prices and a wide range of styles.

one guy even gave me some free wraps and a lighter. NICEST dudes. 

and, in case you're wondering, my pieces do have names.

Duke Long Bong McBighole (brother of Sir Swirly McBighole, who was born in the Haight)

Bubbly the Smoketopus

and

Kermit the Bong
5 - Tony M.: Lots of people will tell you this place is over priced. Well it is if your a asshat tourist. Mind you the key word is ASSHAT. 
     If you go in this place with a good attitude and a willingness to talk and barter ( hell even asking them bluntly whats the real or the lowest you can get on something is generally works) and don't take the looking at you all the time thing as an insult, people in Berkeley get people trying to rip them off all the time, so its just protecting theire interests.

But I always recommend Big Al's first when people tell me they need glass or even a good selection of wraps.
5 - Steven G.: this is the one
5 - Marc B.: I can't say enough good things about this place.  I stopped by yesterday to buy a new bowl piece to replace my old one.  That same short dude helped me out.  I also bought some 420 cleaner.  It came out to a lil over $30, but all I had was $28 in cash.  I asked if I could pay by card, and he just said he'll take the $28 since I've been a returning customer.  Sweet.

To anyone saying this place is overpriced, you just don't know how to haggle.  That's your own fault.
5 - Blake H.: I wasn't going to make my first Yelp review on a headshop, but it seems some people need some clarification, though I figure that Karl S. guy is just a bitter owner of one of the 100's of rip-off chinese glass carrying headshops that litter the bay area.  Big's Al's is not one of those shops, they are the genuine article.  Family owned and run, Big Al's has one of the largest contracts with ROOR USA, and is one of the early adopters of ROOR's side project, LUX.  Not only does Big Al's carry lots of ROOR/LUX Kustoms, They also carry the other big heads prodo glass like Toro & US Tubes (if you don't know these labels, get with the times).

I'm more into the individual artists they carry, like Morgan & Salt.  They are always looking for new stuff, and as a result of purchasing and moving desirable product (and having a huge demographic in Berkeley), they're able to keep up with a rapidly evolving art.  They have Inline Ashcatchers, 18 Arm Tree Tubes, as well as some really crazy heady stuff that's coming out lately.

Their sticker prices aren't the worst I've seen, and they are definately down to haggle (like any real shop).  They also keep a nice affordable selection of replacement downstems/diffusers/slides/bowls/ashcatchers as well as all the ROOR tidbits like pokers, stands, ashtrays, etc.
5 - Cara W.: This place had a beautiful array of pipes and bongs and just lovely glass work. I bought a new pipe with more intricate glass work a little under a year ago and completely lost my first pipe ever in the wayside. My neglect made me so guilty and I missed my little Squidward and his green glittery sheen. My boyfriend wanted to search for carbon filters for his bong and we went to Big Al's on referral from his roommate. When I got there I gravitated to the pipes just to see what was goin on. Needless to say I was pickin up what they were puttin down. Squidward's extra fabulous twin brother was renting a room under Big Al's glass. I found the identical design (with purple and gold in one streak and green and silver in the other) but it had a glass art turtle, two bulbs on the bowl piece for grip AND it was made from chameleon glass. I am a starving student but I am also in need of a purse pipe that can stay with my always so I asked the price. He tells me "for you, $25". The price was marked $70. He threw in a little case for $5. All I have to say about this place is they have awesome service, although they didn't have carbon filters (I'm not sure anyone does yet), they tried to help my bf the best they could. And if you believe this place is overpriced you're either a complete deush to salesmen or you're ugly. In which case, get ready for a lifetime of rejection, overpricing, spit in your food and of course terrible service. Big Al's is fantastic and I will recommend them to anyone who is going to Berkeley.
5 - Frances H.: I've always gone to Big Al's. 

Every pipe I've ever broken or gotten confiscated has come from Big Al's. (ha) They always gave me hella good prices on everything and I have yet to go anywhere else.

Lately I noticed that there's some new faces and I'm not getting the same deals I used to, but its still my favorite smoke shop.
5 - Mark G.: Been going here since high school and have bought more than a few pipes. What I do is tell them what I want to spend and what colors and type of piece I am looking for and they pick a few out, and like most others have said you can haggle easily. I lived in San Diego for a few years and all the poor quality pipes for 35-80 there don't compare to the thick fully worked spoons they have here for 30-40 here and for fully worked Sherlock's they can be anywhere from 40-80 bucks here and well over 100 in San Diego. I've just never felt more at ease in a smoke shop than here at Big Al's. Quality.
5 - Jed L.: They've got a good selection of glass from cheap to primo and they are down to haggle.  My favorite thing to do is say that I need two for the price of one and then I get to give a nice gift to a homey.
4 - Master B.: Now this is a place that I can say I truly Love have gotten so many pieces here I cant count. They are fa sho the most dependable smoke shop, they are always up on whats new and crackin. 

I would say Ive been goin here for about 8 years, I just know that whatever I have a question about or need that's new they have a answer and usually the product! 

So I will show gratitude and say thank you Big Al for creating such a dope smoke shop experience and environment
5 - Bob R.: The best smoke shop on Telegraph, hands down. Doesn't reek of incense like Whelan's. The employees don't rip you off like at Hi-Times. Doesn't concern itself with non-smoking goods like at Annapurna. They have a great selection and if you know how to haggle the prices get below what you would pay online.
4 - Anthony H.: Great products. Glass work is really well done and many pieces are durable. can always get a good deal as long as your chill, polite, and have some time to converse.
place is a little small and crammed if its busy.
5 - Peter C.: Great place. Slightly overpriced glass in my honest opinion but whats great is they actually have the stuff in stock. High end glass like Toro, ROOR, Illadelph. A ton of addons from bowls, to oil domes. Best thing is I went in with a certain amount of money and seeing as I couldn't get what I was looking for and made a trip out there for, the owner (Sam I believe?) worked with me and lowered the price of a piece I picked up recently. Great service. Will come back soon.
4 - Callie K.: I never thought I would wind up in a head shop in the middle of the Telegraph touristy madness on a Friday afternoon right after work. Well, never say never.

It was my husband's 30th and he mentioned a little toy that I knew would either require some pre-bday internet shopping (fail) or a quick stop at a local smoke shop. Unfortunately since as mentioned, I did not preplan, the internet option was out.. thus, you see how I ended up at Big Al's. 

Anyway as far as the shop is concerned, it's extremely well organized, long, narrow, and tidy. Because I didn't know exactly what I was looking for looked like, I asked and was promptly and respectively guided through the various models/options/prices. Within about two minutes flat I had in my hands a black plastic bag, secretly shielding my husband's new and soon to be favorite gadget. Although I was still a little unsure I had chosen exactly what he had mentioned wanting... the look on his face last night when he opened his presents said.. yes, yes I had.

Thank you Big Al's for making my somewhat intimidating shopping experience super easy, fast, and painless. There was no attitude whatsoever, you were super professional and friendly. If I ever have any additional smoke related shopping needs (fingers crossed that's a no), I will definitely be back. :D
5 - Philip T.: Big Al's keeps up with the fast-moving trends in the glass art world. While they do have their fare share of cheap Chindian pipes and bongs, they also carry high-quality glasswork, with brands like Toro and RooR. In addition, they carry many of the new artistic works with artists like Alex K and El Hefe. If you are a glass connoisseur, this is the best place to shop. Even if you are a noob at buying glass and your bong has never lasted more than 5 months, you should still shop here (Although Whelans is getting a little better these days too).
5 - Daizha V.: LOVE THIS PLACE!! They always hook it up. Love the family energy, everyone's so nice & knowledgeable. My favorite Smoke Shop in the bay.
5 - Juliana S.: Pretty friendly staff for a smoke shop. The prices aren't bad and they have a large selection of local artists too. Definetely worth checking out before any store in SF.
3 - K P.: They have a lot of random stuff I'm looking for, but they're not cheap.
5 - Brandon L.: I must say...I AM a fan. Great place.
5 - Katie F.: i went here after annapurna (my previously go-to spot) didn't have what i was looking for and the lone employee was about as useful as a one-legged man at an ass-kicking contest. 

i'd never been to big al's before because it never looked very exciting from the outside. my mistake. it's awesome! big al's was pretty crowded. they had a bunch of employees though, every one of them helping someone. their inventory is amazing. i wish i could have an hour in there with no other patrons just to look at all of their cool gear. the have hundreds of pieces. awesome!

the staff is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. the man who helped me was able to make great suggestions and had first hand experience with a lot of the equipment. he gave me recommendations and also reasons for why one piece was better than the other or which ones were overpriced for their function (they were usually overpriced because they were prettier/fancier).

it really seemed like the staff not only knew their inventory, but actually had experience with it. they knew which items worked better for which applications and why some people prefer some items to others. it was great. big-al's is my new go-to head shop. yay!
5 - Krystle B.: My boyfriend and I are total noobs at this whole head shop thing, I kid you not. We're both under twenty and have never, ever bought any kind of glassware before. However, you only live once, so when he came up to visit for the weekend, we scouted out the local head shops for something quality but relatively inexpensive. Out of sheer luck, we stopped at Big Al's first, as it was on our side of the street and the first head shop heading south on Telegraph.

I was intimidated; I won't lie. I'm nineteen, bookish, shy, and feel out of place in general at places like this, where you are literally surrounded by cases and cases stuffed full of gorgeous glassware. I wanted to stop looking - there was a customer with bright green hair who looked simply bemused at our entrance, on the verge of snickering at the look on my face - but I couldn't stop. It was awe-inspiring. The music was so loud that I was surprised the walls of the shop didn't cave in. It wasn't very busy despite the fact that it was Friday night of homecoming weekend, right around six o'clock. This meant that one of the staff hailed us right away.

I could see his struggle to hide his skepticism. He was one of the younger ones, and I felt like he could just tell that we were noobs. Me especially; I couldn't put off the confident, I've-done-this-before air that my boyfriend was wearing so well. He was very chill, however, and kept his doubts to himself, and when asked about smaller, more portable water pipes, took us right over to the counter and started pulling out some of the less expensive pieces.

The key was keeping a cool head. We could easily have spent more money than we did if we had wanted to rush out of there to escape nervousness. However, with a good ten minutes to stand and discuss different pieces and the prices, and some smart shopper techniques, we definitely got a deal. It was just a matter of haggling. He knocked dollars off the price rather than let us walk away to scout out the other head shops, so we left very pleased indeed, with a nice little piece that is sturdy, artistic, and quality.

Oh, and he offered a fist-bump before we walked out. Seriously. How chill is that?
5 - Madeline L.: I think that this is the best glass shop in all of the bay area; and that's saying a lot considering the bay's 420 culture. 

If you are a prop 215 patient, this place is awesome. They will tell you which vapes are best, which bongs + attachments create the smoothest hit, and they are willing to haggle.

I can understand what people mean when they have commented on the staff: they can be quite intimidating. I think of this shop as a more "professional" shop. Local artists + high quality glass companies. When I first started coming to this shop, I had no idea what I was talking about. But, because I have to worry about my lungs now (cigarettes! Ugh!) this is the only shop I can go to and have a good, knowledgeable conversation about the products I am using. These guys really know their stuff and their glass.

This is also the only shop I know of in the bay that sells 18mm to 14mm glass adapter; They get them specially made. So, if your ashcatcher or bowl won't fit into your downstem, this is the place to go.

Things to know: Haggle. The prices that they give are not the final selling price - have some balls and speak up! Remember: 

JUST SAY NO...................... to their high prices.

Say yes to promote local business and prop 19!
5 - V M.: They got almost everything, and the staff are super helpful. They really go out of the way to find the best of what you need.
2 - Angela S.: Too expensive!

If you have a lot of money and you think that you can't get a quality piece if it doesn't have some brand name stamped on it, then this place is for you.

They do have a nice selection of beautiful artistic pieces, though, some of them are true art.

People here (staff and clientele)act like you need a fucking $200 bong, or else you won't get high. And don't give me that shit about your super thick glass walls, either. I'm not a dumbass who goes knocking over my shit all the time, and even a good $60 bong can handle some of that. save your money, and buy some good bud, instead, duh!
5 - Carole R.: I got a piece here and so did my roommate. The workers are very friendly and knowledgeable. If you don't know what to get, come here. If you do know what to get, they probably have it here.
5 - angela l.: I'm not gonna front and act like I smoke all the time and know all these words and what's the best way to smoke etc etc. 

I've been an on and off smoker since high school, and I always end up giving my pipe away/losing it when I don't use it. Every pipe I've gotten is from big al's, and it's literally been years since I stepped foot in the shop. however, since a certain holiday is approaching I decided, why not. came in after work and the guys were SUPER friendly, so I'm not sure what the reviews about rude service are all about. then again, I definitely don't look like a smoker or anything and I'm a super polite customer =P 

the guy helped me pick out a grinder and a small pipe and was very accomodating to my price range and what would be the best thing for my boyfriend, etc. If you're a noob, don't be intimidated! and let them know how much you are willing to spend off the bat [merchandise is marked up, but will usually be brought down if you talk to them]. I left happily with my goods and I know for a fact I will probably be back again. awesome smoke shop, go check them out!
5 - Richard A.: By far the best glass shop in the bay and possibly all of California. This place has all the high end glass from Salt, Toro, Roor and many others. This is the first smoke shop I've visited in Cali and coming from Florida I felt at home in this shop. The guys are always willing to haggle and give deals. All sorts of hash pipes, skillets, oil domes... For those that don't know what that is you need to get down with the concentrates. Lastly they have Dutch Master blunts that you don't find in California. This is my go to shop from now on. Peace!
4 - Ben L.: If your into Glass Art and Functional Pieces and you live in the Bay Area then this is one of the few places that I would say has a good selection. They always "Re-Up" on Glass work from a variety of artists. As they carry some of the more popular names like Toro, Sovereignty, Salt, AK, El Hefe, D Wreck and more!
The guys that work their are really helpful and if your not sure what your looking for or have a price range you want to stay with in they can work with you. 

If your a glass "Boro" lover or you can appricate art then dip into Big Al's in Berkeley right on Telegraph Street near the University. 
Parking is a cinch and they do validate if you choose to park the Garages. 
One of the downsides of this place is it is small and sometimes they have their music up way too loud.

Four Stars.
1 - Mark A.: Also, someone affiliated with this store has been spamming me from several different yelp accounts because I wrote the bad review.  Now it's one star!
5 - Ashley G.: Great selection, awesome staff, good deals!! Highly recommended
4 - Alisha F.: I was referred to Big Al's by a friend who frequents, and although the interior layout is a bit long and hallway-y for my liking, the bright lighting, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and the very fair selection of eclectic local and national brand pieces and more difficult to find supplies makes Big Al's my favorite smoke shop on Telegraph.  (Note: They even had some glass designs which I have not seen previously.)  I was able to pick up an unusually-shaped, beautiful new piece - even on my allotted budget of $25.  Score!  I'll be heading back to Big Al's fo sho.
5 - Salonje R.: Visited this place with my love Ivan and fell in love!  All the guys were sexy and it was a struggle to concentrate.  My oh my!  Beautiful selection and decor.  Lots of variety in styles to choose from.  Would recommend this store to anyone.
4 - Pam G.: I went to Big Al's to see if they had replacement cartridges for my e-cigarette. While they did carry replacements, their brand didn't fit my brand. 

I was impressed though because the guy who was helping me made sure to open the package and check to see if they were compatible first so that I wouldn't have the hassle of having to come back for a return. I thought I would at least buy a carrying case then, and he checked to make sure my e-cig would fit that too. As it turns out, it didn't fit, and so I ended up buying nothing at this store thanks to the really helpful salesperson.

To say the least, I'm pretty impressed with Big Al's friendly and helpful customer service. And I recommend them for all your smoking related needs. 

(But if you are in the market for vaping or e-cigarettes, you should go to Vapor Den on Telegraph {near Fondu Fred's}. They specialize in e-cigarettes and are also very friendly, laid back, and helpful.)
2 - Victor G.: Big Al's has lots of smoking gear/stuff and they deserves 5 stars for that.
their cigar selection. however. is pathetic. hidden in the left corner by the entrance, there's only about a dozen smokes available.
spotted a maduro, turned out to be a no. 2 (6.99). very pricey.

smoke: alameda, domician republic-6.99)
-strong draw and slightly harsh. 

ashes:
-not many quality smokes here
-best to try elsewhere
-very attentive service.
1 - Tim J.: A few years ago I was a somewhat happy customer. Came to big als for the first time with 2 friends spent 800$+ on 3 tubes. Mine broke eventually so I returned to al's to replace it. Al himself showed me many pieces all shitty tree perc tubes, and he even showed me the single perc version of the tube my friend had bought the first time we came for 150 more then when he bought it 4 months prior from the exact same guy. finally found an old phx to my liking but he wanted 4 bills. I told him thats more then twice what I want to pay and he told me to leave and that I was stupid. I walked out the door and across telegraph to another head shop. They have the exact same piece for 200 out the door with a free ash catcher and giant bag. Your a dick Al and I will never collect any of my glass from a type like you.
4 - Alyssa L.: when i'm in need of something smoke related, this is my go-to place. 

yes the guys who work in here have that car salesman feel BUT it's a business and they're just trying to make a living. with that said, they are very helpful and friendly. i was looking for a glass screen but they were a little too pricey for me. (they're usually $1 and here they're $2) but the guy who helped me told me about metal screens that you can buy which i actually liked more. they were 2 for a $1. steal! 

i've come here many times with friends looking for pipes as well and we've never been disappointed. my main reason for coming here, besides the awesome selection, is the GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! :)
3 - Judah L.: Five stars for watching the Cal kids pay three times the price that I was quoted before I started haggling to begin with. I've been buying pipes here since I was a wee lad, but now the spot to go to is around the corner on Bancroft Ave. The guys here are kind of dicks now. They're really young (I'm only 27) and they have no idea what's going on. Go to the spot on Bancroft, the hookah place. Wheylans or whatever.
5 - Cindy C.: They take care of you here! These guys are the best! They are not only helpful and friendly but they will remember you if your a regular and remember what you like. One of the guys remembered that I hate those cheapo lighters so he gave me a free ez splitter instead of the free lighter with purchase. Don't bother going to the other shops in the area...just Al's

By the way... all you other reviewers that talk about haggling, clearly you have not been to many head shops or markets cause then you would know that how you do it.
5 - Sourma K.: They have a great selection of tobacco especially for this hookah smoking person, the sell my favorite brand of hookah, starbuzz and have a huge selection too. Great customer service, will be back.
4 - Elaine H.: I've been to a good amount of the smoke shops in Berkeley, and this one is definitely one of the sickest ones. A couple of younger guys working here, and it definitely seemed like one of the more crowded smoke shops I've been into. 

I definitely saw why as I browsed through their selection of pipes and things. I was browsing the shops on Telegraph for another potential gift, and came into this one for the first time. There were a couple of very unique, yet clean looking pieces here. I pointed at a random pipe and the price seemed a tad bit higher than what pipes cost elsewhere (but perhaps it was just the piece I was looking at). 

Anyway, will definitely be back to buy from these guys.
1 - Blake W.: This place is just a scam.  They charge twice as much as every other smoke shop on the street.  The people working there are rude, rude, rude. 

Keep in mind, dumbest thing ever, they don't take debit cards for cigerettes.   This place is for freshman that haven't figured out berkeley.  

You can find it cheaper and easier right next door.  Don't give these people your money, it's a scam.

Big Apple Bagels - Lafayette, IN (40.383473, -86.8856886) ()
1 - Adam W.: Never in my life have I gotten uncooked bagels at a bagel place. Or really, anywhere for that matter. I visited this morning at about 11:00 on a saturday and got 4 different kinds of bagels. 3 of the 4 were uncooked. Maybe a new baker was working today, but when you look at the bagels it was obvious they weren't cooked. So small and dense. They shouldn't even have sold them to me. Unfortunately I didn't look at them until i got home.

The first time I went here they were out of almost everything. The second (and last) time I went was today. This bagel place is terrible. I would not go there. Make the trip to Einstein Bros in W. Lafayette. They have way more customers and hence way fresher (and cooked) bagels, not to mention more types to choose from.
2 - Amy D.: I may have to agree with the last review on the quality of BAB. I was a frequent customer of Big Apple while their store was on Teal. When they moved to South 9th, it was too far to go for bagles and I went elsewhere. They used to be a GREAT place to get breakfast (bagles, sammies, eggs, coffee) and I'm not sure when they went down hill.The cream cheese is still rather good, but the bagels are less than stellar. Oh well, I guess I went way out of my way today for crummy bagels. The coffee was about the same, just average.
1 - Dustin B.: What a fucking shithole.  This place used to located on Teal Road in the Jefferson Square Shopping Center and it had a much nicer atmosphere... akin to an ACTUAL BAGEL SHOP.  Now this new location is in a BAR, or at least NEXT to a bar but is connected to it with a doorway.  When I went to the new location to order a bagel, I couldn't believe how ugly and uninviting this "eatery" has turned into.  Will never return and I will most definitely be telling others not to as well.  BIG APPLE BAGELS... YOU HAVE TURNED DISGUSTING!
5 - Jae S.: Closest bagels to NYC in town!!

The bagels had just come out of the oven, and were delicious.
2 - Tabitha W.: I had purchased a DealChicken deal, so I had two $10 gift certificates to use at this place.  It seems a bit out of the way and isolated from most of the restaurants around town. The interior is a but run-down with some drawing on the walls and ceiling.  There is a lot of wood paneling, and it seems a bit deserted in its current location.   

The first time I stopped there with my brother and husband for a quick breakfast on our way out of town.  My brother and I each had a variation of egg and cheese on a bagel, which was okay - nothing special. My husband had some white chocolate flavored cream cheese on a bagel - that was pretty yummy.  They really pile on the cream cheese.  We ordered what I thought was a blended coffee drink, and it was about the most disgusting coffee drink I've had in a while. Overly sweet but still bitter.

This past weekend, my husband and I thought we would go enjoy a late breakfast/early lunch and use our last certificate. I wanted to try a latte in hopes that their hot coffee drinks would be better. However, they were out of milk - although the cashier offered to make a latte without the milk. :-P  We decided to try a smoothie...then found out that their blender was broken. My husband planned to order pretty much the same thing he had had previously, but then we noticed that the bagel display was empty.  They had been pulled from the display for whatever reason and were stacked on a couple of plastic trays on the counter.  The cashier pulled these out to show us so we could choose from the stacks, and he selected a French Toast bagel.  I decided to order a veggie sandwich, thinking to ask first if they had all of the ingredients that were supposed to come on it.  She said she thought so, but it turned out they had no cucumber. 

 The French Toast bagel was okay, although a bit stale. I took no more than two bites of the veggie bagel, but the hummus just tasted off.  We also had a blueberry muffin, and it was okay but not great.  I would have to say this is one of the worst cafes in town.

Big Apple Cafe Catering - Atlanta, GA (33.7814933, -84.3875727) (Midtown)
3 - Chuan S.: Big Apple is in fact just a Deli with a OK selection of sandwiches and wraps.  They recently renovated and added a hot bar with items like fried chicken and ribs.  The salad bar was nice and clean.  I walked up and ordered a spinach salad.  I added a spoonful of chicken for 75 cent.  It was one of those salad bars where you can throw in more stuff for a little bit more money so I also went for cheddar, onion, pepper, tomato, something and something topped with thousand island dressing.  My total came up to $7.02 which I can happily say is the cheapest lunch I had in Midtown until I go down the block for checkers.
3 - Andrew N.: Maybe 4 stars. 

This place is clean, friendly, spacious, cheap, and housing good buttermilk biscuits. I will definitely be back.
4 - Jasmine G.: I go here all the time as it's close to my office building.  Pelle keeps the place clean and the menu has a variety of offerings.  The pasta bar is great, as well as sandwiches.  If I get hungry early the hot breakfast bar is pretty big.  They also provide frequent shopper cards, which you get your 10th meal $7 off (pretty much free).  
Oh and did I mention the poundcake, yum!
4 - Ron F.: Great inexpensive place to get breakfast or lunch. The place is always clean and the customer service is very good. I get a cup of coffee and some grits for breakfast for less than $4. I visit the hot bar for lunch and can fill up for around $6. If you get more than a pound from the hot bar your drink is free. I haven't tried the sandwiches but my co_workers like them.

Big Apple Deli - Atlanta, GA (33.774572, -84.38467) (Midtown)
3 - Allison Z.: The Big Apple Deli is located on the first floor of my office building--730 Peachtree in Midtown, one block north of the Fox Theater on Peachtree Street. I've worked in my office since Sept., and haven't eaten here yet. It looks like a typical "work-place" lunch grab, but the food is actually really good. They make salads the designer way--custom mixing your ingredients and topping w/ protein such as chicken or meat. They also have a ton of sandwiches, I think I counted 50 on the board, and a couple daily specials. They are reasonably priced and take credit cards, plus there is a little seating area if you dont want to eat at your desk. I had the Cajun Chicken panini today (really spicy chicken, tomato, lettuce and cheese) and pasta salad. Both were delicious and I wasn't starving at the end.

Big Apple also caters, and, I think, deliver to your office if it's within a reasonable distance.

If you work in the neighborhood and are tired of eating inside your office bldg., walk on down to 730 Peachtree and eat at Big Apple. It doesn't suck!
3 - Atiyah T.: So if you look next to the register as you are checking out, the store owner bakes THE MOST delicious fresh brownies that I have ever tasted in my entire life!  Sometimes they are right out of the oven and god darn if it was a word to describe the warm brownies I would use it. The point is ask for the fresh out of the oven brownies.
3 - Ray B.: What a great little place! ... 

Big Apple Deli is situated in the "730 Peachtree" (thats the name on the sign outside) office building about a block or so north of the Fox Theatre (and on the same side...)

They have a huge lunch menu of creative sandwiches and everything I've tried so far is really fresh-tasting (their Wraps are picture-perfect) ... the owners/employees are very cheerful and serve you as fast as possible depending on the time of day you are in Big Apple.

The interior is impeccably clean with a few tables and there are a few more tables outside on the patio over looking Peachtree Street. Definitely worth a visit if you live or work in the Midtown area and are tired of the "same old" lunch options...

Big Apple Driving School - New York, NY (40.8008241, -73.9676291) (Manhattan Valley)
1 - Nicholas J.: Update: when I complained to the manager about my instructor, she gave the instructor my cell phone number so she could continue to scream at me. Avoid this place like the plague.
5 - Diana S.: I cannot say nicer things about Big Apple Driving School. The owners, Ramonita and Edgar are the nicest people you'll ever meet. Gladys is so sweet too! The prices are very reasonable. I highly, highly recommend Edgar as an instructor. He has patience and explains everything to you. He's constantly praising you which is a HUGE because it gives you the confidence you need to believe in yourself. I LOVED the experience I had with them and recommend it, highly!!!

Big Apple Jazz Tours - Harlem, NY (40.8130553, -73.9565551) (Harlem)
5 - Hylary L.: My husband's band students recently took a week-long trip to NYC and our first experience was a tour of Harlem lead by Gordon of Big Apple Jazz. What a delightful experience for the group! The students and chaperones all had a great time and learned so much about Harlem, jazz, history and NYC in general. 

Our tour began with Gordon personally meeting our group at our hotel in the Times Square area to escort us via subway up to Harlem. The students immediately took a shine to Gordon who has a very natural rapport with teens. Being our first day in NYC, we were more than a little unsure of how to navigate the subway, but Gordon did a wonderful job of getting us up to Harlem. We then took a fabulous walking tour where we saw many things including the Apollo Theater, the Tree of Hope, and the Jumel mansion. Part of our tour took us to the home of Marjorie Eliot who gave us a private performance in her apartment (if you're not sure who she is, google her. Such a sweet lady!) For lunch, we ate at a wonderful soul food buffet restaurant that we all loved as well. 

After our tour of Harlem, Gordon took us back down to Central Park where we saw John Lennon's former apartment, Strawberry Fields, and more. Gordon was very knowledgeable and answered all the questions the students had. At the end of a long and fun day, Gordon saw us "home" to our hotel. 

I cannot say enough good things about Big Apple Jazz Tours. Very professional, very informative, very enjoyable, and very reasonably priced. The students and chaperones all had a wonderful time and it was the perfect way to begin our exploration of NYC. I highly recommend this company for groups visiting the area! You will not be dissapointed!
5 - Caroline G.: Had one of the most memorable nights I've had in Manhattan last Saturday, when I accompanied Gordon on one of his Big Apple Jazz Tours in Harlem. I've been to a few of the big name jazz clubs in NYC - Village Vanguard, Birdland, Fat Cat, Dizzy's - but had never really ventured outside of the downtown area to hear jazz. And even though I've lived in NYC for two years, the farthest uptown I ever got was Morningside Heights, so I jumped at the chance to explore Harlem and hear some great music at the same time!

We met in the Jazz at Lincoln Center building on 60th and Broadway at around 7:30PM, where I was introduced to the rest of the tour (two lovely couples - one from the Bronx, and one from Germany) and Gordon gave us some preliminary info on where we'd be going that night. After the meet-and-greet, we headed over to Columbus Circle, where Gordon escorted us to the A-train line that would take us to Harlem. On the subway, Gordon shared his seemingly endless knowledge about the history of jazz in NYC and what the scene is like today. His combination of funny historical anecdotes and personal experience visiting clubs (and owning one for a few years) was informative and very enjoyable! 

Once we got to Harlem, we walked around the beautiful Sugarhill area and through Striver's Row, while Gordon told us about some of the jazz greats who had lived in the neighborhood. We proceeded to visit three different venues and hear some really fantastic live jazz. The first was a trio (piano, bass, and drums) that sounded great. On their break, the musicians came and chatted with us! We stayed for a bit of their second set, enjoying great drinks and snacks, and then walked down to 125th street. We went past the Apollo and admired the surrounding murals by Harlem street artist Franco the Great, then stopped over at a club where a blues band was playing. The club was absolutely packed, so we decided to forge on to the third venue. It was a tiny place, maybe 15 people in there, with a live band that was really kicking!! The keyboardist, drummer, bassist, and two sax players put out an incredible amount of energy, and the whole bar participated by clapping, singing, and shouting in time with the music. 

Gordon knew the staff of the places he took us, and was clearly well-loved (greeted with a huge hug and big smiles). That warmth definitely was transferred over to us, the tour group, as everyone we encountered was an absolute delight. It was really great to discover these venues with a true insider like Gordon. 

Thank you, Gordon, for providing all of us with this truly fantastic evening. I can't wait to try your tour again - and bring all my friends uptown to the restaurants and bars that you introduced me to!

Big Apple Pizzeria - Troy, NY (42.726876, -73.67898) ()
4 - Ian W.: Big Apple Pizzeria (formerly Empire Pizzeria) is conveniently located at the corner of College Ave and 14th St, across the street from the RPI campus. 

This cozy pizza place offers an impressive selection of regular and specialty pizzas by the slice, about 20 pizzas on hand (Pizza Da Vinci has a similar concept). The specialty slices are $3.00 a slice and are pretty filling. They have cheese, pepperoni, meat lovers, buffalo chicken, ziti alfredo pizza, Greek, Hawaiian, veggies, steak & cheese, and eggplant, chicken parm, and more. The pizza crust is very firm with a pizza bread texture and loaded with tasty toppings. My favorite pizza slice is the breaded eggplant with red peppers. The slices are heated up in the oven and come out quick.

Pizza is the ideal food for the hungry college student! I would eat here a lot and try every slice if I were going to school again. Back in the day for me, I had to settle for Hole In The Wall for much of my pizza needs during study time crunches.

Besides pizza, they offer calzones, strombolis, garlic knots, rolls, salads, wings, appetizers, subs, and pasta dinners. See the menu and prices at http://www.bigapplepizzeria.com

There's seating inside and outside seating along the College Ave side. This place is open pretty late until 3AM (Sun-Thu), 4AM (Fri-Sat) and 2AM during the summer.

RAD is accepted here.
4 - Tinya C.: Lovingly called "Pizza Bella" by RPI students who have been around long enough, this is your typical college pizza joint.

The pizza here isn't particularly stellar, but it's tasty and gets the job done on those late nights.

I came here with C. last Saturday night at around 2 AM. I was pleasantly surprised when I found out they extended their hours to 5 AM on Friday and Saturday nights, and 3 AM on Sunday nights. This remedies the 4 AM hunger pang nights I had during Freshman year and everything was in the area was closed.

Of course, the place still has a crowd even at this hour - party night, you know?

I ordered a slice of barbecue chicken pizza ($3) and a can of ginger ale ($1). C. ordered some specialty slice and a cheese slice ($5 total). Pizza is medium-crust, and the barbecue chicken was plentiful and flavorful - delicious and hit the spot!

I almost never eat the crust, it gets too hard/chewy by the time I get to it. I threw it out this time.

Always a RPI favorite, and will definitely go back again. Good times.

Credit card/RAD can only be used on orders that are $5 or over.
1 - JB R.: The pizza sucks, and it is a scam against RPI students. A slice of gourmet now costs $3, while for $5 at I Love's you can get 2 slices and a drink. They also won't take any credit cards on anything less than a $5 order, which I've heard is illegal. Don't go here.
4 - Nalin K.: It's still either "Pizza Bella" or simply "Bella" to my friends and I, even though the Big Apple Pizzeria name has been as such for over a year, maybe two now.

It's the perfect place for pizza after a Friday night or Saturday night at a party, and you just have the urge to eat.  Where to go? Oh, of course! Bella's open til 5 AM! The crowd is as such as well; mostly RPI kids just hanging around, getting their late-night slices.

The pizza is quite decent; lots of different specialty pies on hand.  You order, you pay ($5 or over for a credit card purchase) and your pizza is given to you, piping-hot out of that oven.  It's not the most spectacular cheese pizza I've had, but it's tasty enough that I can keep going back for more, such as on a long study night.  

Besides the cheese, I'd recommend the buffalo chicken pizza or the teriyaki chicken pizza.  Both are delicious.

I've been back, and I'll keep going back until I am no longer in Troy.  Should you go? You should.
1 - Ken H.: I never understood why people liked this place. Their pizza is among the worst I've ever had. The crust is hard and difficult to chew, the sauce and cheese are mediocre at best, and they skimp on the toppings. I could understand people going there when the pizza was cheap, but that's no longer the case. That being said, it's the closest pizza to campus, so it's convenient. 

May not be quite as bad as Dominoes, but it's down there.
2 - Renee G.: Eh pizza. It always looks cold, sad, and lonely sitting behind the glass. There are better pizza places around.
5 - Quinn Judson C.: Sure, they changed their name to "Big Apple" - but anyone who is anyone still calls the place "Bella."

This is the first place I want to go when I go to Troy.

Pro tip: best when coming home from a party.
1 - Paul I.: Really bad.  I give them credit, though.  They are open to 5am on Friday and Saturday nights and open at 11am.  I respect them as a college pizza place, but there pizza is awful.  I can't think of one good thing to say about it.  I usually write really long detailed reviews, but don't want to this time.

If you are an RPI student, go to DeFazio's or even eat pizza in the Union and use Flex.  I guess if you are coming home from a party or bar or burning the midnight oil, it suffices as calories to fuel the body, but that is it.
3 - Chris W.: Portions are large and prices are fair. My favorite slice is the cheesesteak pizza, lots of tasty meat and onions.
1 - T.J. C.: Do not trust the hype, fellow RPI students. I firmly believe that you have to be 100% hammered to be able to enjoy this "food." 

Bella is some of the worst food you will ever be tricked into paying money for. It is awful. It's greasy as all hell, the crust is flavorless and stale, and the toppings are legitimately disgusting. They are all either super salty or just gross in general. The sausage in particular forced me to throw out like 80% of my slice, which is something I would never do to a slice of pizza under other circumstances.

The only reason this place is popular is that it's open stupidly late and it's really cheap. But do yourself a favor and order Domino's to eat a little later so you don't have to subject yourself to this nest of mediocrity.

I've had better food from Commons. I've had better food for 50 shillings in a rural village in Kenya. Do not eat here. I'd rather starve.

Big Bite - Austin, TX (30.2876455, -97.742226) (University of Texas, West Campus)
5 - Carla Y.: When I saw that the Italian Longhorn (Formerly Double Dave's) had now become Big Bite, I assumed it was just another Pizza/Sub shop.
Still, I was looking forward to adding variety to the lunch rotation.

When I reviewed their menu online, I noticed immediately that this wasn't your typical sub shop. With sandwiches named "Phat Gigalo" and "Phat Bitch," they had to have interesting fillings.

I showed one coworker the menu, then suddenly there became a group of 6 of us that went to try the phat sandwiches. Being vegetarian, I was excited that they had a whole section of vegetarian sandwiches. 

I chose the "Phat Indian" which really should be named "Phat Mediterranean" but that is really beside the point. The long thick sub was filled with falafel, FRENCH FRIES, MOZZARELLA STICKS and yogurt sauce. It came out quickly and was delish!

My boss had the "Phat Gigalo" which contained Cheesesteak, Mozzarella Sticks, Onion Rings, French Fries& BBQ Sauce. No complaints from her. Others in the group had burgers, Caesar wraps and the "Phat UT" -Grilled Chicken, Cheese, Jalepeno Poppers, Bacon, French Fries, Mayo & Ketchup. We will all be back.

Yes folks, this is FRIED goodness INSIDE your sandwich. This is the perfect spot for campus stoners, and cube drones alike! YUM YUM YUM
2 - Dave M.: As soon as I heard there was a place that had opened up in town that was serving Phat sandwiches like the ones you can get at Rutgers University in New Jersey,  I knew I had to give it a try.  I did grow up in NJ and had quite a few late night visits to the grease trucks at Rutgers,  so the decision was an easy one and I got there as fast as I could....

My excitement about Big Bite's menu wasn't the Phat Sandwiches them self,   but an ingredient I noticed in one--Pork Roll.  For those who don't know,  read this:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pork_roll

If you grew up in NJ or Philadelphia my guess is you've had at least one (and probably hundreds) of  Porkroll, Egg, and cheese sandwiches on a Kaiser roll or Bagel.  See the thing is..Porkroll is Porkroll,  it's hard to describe.  Its tangy,  its delicious, and its definitely not Ham or Canadian Bacon.

So you can imagine my displeasure when I ordered the Porkroll, Egg, and Cheese that they had on the menu and I was given a sandwich with Egg,  Cheese, and grilled ham/canadian bacon.  It sounds like a very minor thing,  but if I opened a store in NJ and you ordered my BBQ Brisket sandwich and I gave you a Roast Beef with A-1, you'd be none too pleased.

PORK ROLL IS NOT HAM!  If they had real Pork Roll I would shout it from the rooftops and set off my Bat signal to let everyone know so they too could buy 100's and 1,000's of these delicious sandwiches.

Ok--now that I'm done ranting...

I went here twice,  both times I got ham instead of Porkroll, so I was pissed.  The sandwiches we actually pretty good, just not what was advertised. Gotta love a place that will add mozz sticks and chicken fingers with your Cheesesteak.  I got the wings and they are terrible,   frozen and overly breaded, covered in store bought sauce...definitely not what you're looking for.

I'd give it zero stars if I could after getting my hopes up on Pork Roll in Austin...but after I got past that, the sandwiches weren't too bad.  

I've got my eye on you Big Bite:  FAIL.
3 - Steve B.: I don't think they make a sandwich with funyuns but bring your own bag and I'm sure they'd accomodate.

Phat Crackhead: Grilled Chicken, Cheese, Mozzarella Stick, Bacon, Egg, FF, Mayo & Ketchup. Enough Said.

edit: ordered again. Got the Phat Soprano with extra pesto.. good lord that sandwich was good. 

I've heard bad things about their chicken tenders.. Id go with the grilled chicken, it tasted great both times. Healthier too, but I doubt you're much of a health nut eating at a grease bomb like this!
2 - Matt H.: You've got to love the temerity of a place whose signature item is called "The Phat Bitch." Unfortunately for them, Big Bite's culinary acumen, like the names of their sandwiches, has a little bit too much in common with a middle school cafeteria. Chicken fingers, French fries, and cheese sticks on a hoagie roll? There's not enough cheap beer in the world to make that seem like a good idea to anyone with even a shred of self-respect. According to the (very large) menu, Big Bite takes it's culinary cues from the great state of New Jersey. Bad move. The Garden State has contributed a lot to our great nation (Springsteen and Bon Jovi being the greatest of those contributions), but worthwhile cuisine isn't one of them. Big Bite's food doesn't aim high. It's simple, low-brow pub grub through and through. But it falls short of even this modest mark. You probably shouldn't go here.
5 - Bryan L.: So, I tried the pizza at Big Bite and I wasn't a huge fan.  It was a slice a sausauge and there were only 3 small pieces of meat scattered over the slice, and looking at the whole pie this wasn't just bad luck.  The pizza was also a little too greasy and just didn't have a ton of flavor.

I am keeping Big Bite at 5 stars though, as the sandwiches remain a guilty pleasure that I just can't stay away from.  On top of that, I had a brief conversation with the owner back when they opened, and he takes the time to stop what he's doing and say hello every time I stop in.  At most places here in town they either don't remember you or at the bare minimum don't acknowledge it, making Big Bite a nice change from the norm.
2 - Crystal S.: I went to Big Bite for the first time the other week and was not too impressed. The menu is huge though, and I like the option of having another place to satisfy those middle-of-the-night munchies. I ordered the buffalo chicken wrap and wish they had put more effort into it. When you think buffalo chicken, you think of a crunchy outside, but in my wrap, it was grilled chicken with hot wing sauce added. I was sort of confused the whole time I was eating it, but it was better than nothing. My friends loved their sandwich, but I can't remember the name of it... the Phat Betty? I have no idea. All those names are sort of dumb, to be honest with you.
1 - Nick L.: I went here out of morbid curiosity, because a friend of mine told me that their "Phat Sandwiches" (or whatever they're called) were featured in some magazine and had somehow achieved fame for being sort of over-the-top indulgent.  I and a couple friends had one of these (each one of us had a different variety), and I don't believe any of us were that impressed.  It was good, but if you're going to consume a billion calories, there are much better ways to consume them.  It was kind of like they took existing meals and just stuck them into bread.  E.g. I had some fried chicken strips, cheese, and marinara sauce.  Except stuffed in a giant piece of white bread.  Do you get the idea?

If you have a really limited, fast-food-oriented American palate, you might like this, but otherwise there's nothing special here.
3 - Andrew D.: Big Bite is about what you would expect from a food joint across the street from one of the biggest universities in the nation. Plasma TVs dot the corners of the room, and the atmosphere feels like a deli fornicated with a five guys burger establishment. I had the chipotle chicken sandwich (although I ordered the wrap), and it was good, but plain. Chicken: yup, Bun: yup, Lettuce: indeed, Tomato: oh yeah, and a chipotle sauce. I was hoping for some seasoning, some more fixin's, something to make me feel like spending $6 for a relatively typical chicken sandwich was a better decision than going to BK or Wendy's for essentially the same thing.
5 - Christina T.: Awesome sandwiches - such variety!  I totally loved the Phat SMF and it was the best.  Super nice staff and really enjoyed my lunch!
1 - jon l.: boo. delivery took forever. everything was soggy.  tastes like store brand frozen food.  IBS.
2 - Amanda V.: Food cravings led me to Big Bite... i got the phat moon sandwich, and it was HUGE! However, i didn't eat the whole sandwich not because it was too big but because it wasn't the best thing I ever ate. It had bacon, egg, french fries, and chicken strips in french bread... (SOUNDS GOOD RIGHT?) but all of it was pretty mediocre. You could probably make that stuff way better yourself.
1 - wenting x.: Are you a drunk college student looking for just any place to full that stomach of yours after a long night down 6th?--if so then this is the place for you. Their "sandwiches" are filled with random ass stuff just to get you full..for example, fries and chicken strips..or other high calorie items that yield no nutritional value whatsoever. not the mention it doesnt even taste good. i can see just a buncha dudes in the back of the kitchen throwing random things in a bun and giving it a "clever" name like Fat Bastard and then introducing it on their menu.

Overall, tasteless,fattening, and original (not in a good way).
1 - Estephany C.: I had high hopes for Big Bite. Majority of my friends go to UT so I constantly hear them raving about Big Bite.

I went there last week with my boyfriend in hopes that Big Bite would live up to its name. Sadly to say my boyfriend and I had an awful experience.

Upon entering the cashier was on his cell phone and rushing us to order when there was NO ONE else in the place. So right then and there I was annoyed and my hopeful experience went down the drain.  We ordered a hawaiian pizza with a side order of fries and were disappointed. 2 drinks, a pizza and fries = $18.45

So my boyfriend gives the cashier $20, and short changes him. So now my boyfriend joins in with his annoyance of the guy and his lack of customer skills. He forgets the cups, tells us that our pizza will be out in 5 mins, it took more than 15mins. The fries were under cooked, there was only ONE lone ketchup bottle in the ENTIRE place and another customer was hogging it to himself. So we asked the cashier for another ketchup bottle and proceeded to tell me that I would have to wait my turn :-/

The pizza tasted like cafeteria food, and I was just totally underwhelmed overall with the lack of service and respect. Like I said, there was no one in the place besides a guy who entered in after us and the cashier was totally rude by ignoring us or taking his sweet time with lord only knows what. 

So I give Big Bite two BIG thumbs DOWN
1 - Debby K.: terrible pizza. not as bad as roppolo's. i would rather eat sneakers than ea that garbage ever again. but seriously. don't get pizza here. please.
4 - Sally M.: I love fried foods, and I love eating a variety of fried foods.  So you can imagine my joy/dilemma when reading the list of Phat sandwiches.   I ended up with the Phat Cockrill, which was grilled chicken, mozzarella sticks, curly fries, cheese, and cilantro ranch.  Heaven!!!  I ate the mozzarella sticks first, then the curly fries, then the rest of the sandwich...weird, I know, but I think it was a good strategy.

PS:  I was completely sober while eating this sandwich.  But it was 2 a.m. and I was super hungry after a late flight.  So worth the $2 delivery fee to my hotel!
3 - Anthony D.: Loved this place at first, but I won't go there anymore (can't stand that kind of food anymore).

Phat sandwiches are insane, they put EVERYTHING on them (chicken fingers, curly fries, jalapeno poppers, etc) . 

The menu is awesome, they've got everything. 

But, it's the most fattening restaurant on the planet, also very oily. 
I just got sick of it, won't eat there for at least 50 more years (that kind of food ain't my style).
1 - Raymond P.: So the first time, I went with pizza, but realized it was expensive and after second thoughts, considered it to not be as great as I thought it was. The second time, I thought I'd get what "they're known for."

Now I'm a person who will eat a lot of things. Fried whatever. Sure. Fatty foods. Sure. This Phat Night sandwich sounded amazing, but I'd never been disgusted before as I was when I ordered that. It was disgusting. I don't know what kind of meat they used. The appearance was disgusting, everything was oozing. The taste was just not what I expected. I don't think I'll ever be going back. 

Maybe for the pizza. Maybe...

Nonetheless, the point is still made. I'd never turned down something. After eating a fourth of the sandwich, I just had to stop. It's making me rethink all the foods I'd eat, which scares me.
3 - Joel G.: Had lunch here today.  Very quick!  That is a huge plus when you are trying to find something to eat in this area and happen to be in a car....parking is a mess.  

Had a Gyro, and a slice of pizza, both fresh out of the oven and under $10.  The Gyro was ok, it could use some more flavor.  The slices of meat were pretty thick, I like the thinner slices that tend to have a little crispy texture instead of the fatter slices that have a SPAMish texture.
The pizza was pepperoni and sausage.  Once again the slices were thick, but on pizza was good.  It was, however, incredibly greasy.  I wish it wasn't dripping with grease, but that's only because I'm pretending to be on a diet sort of, at least I'm fairly active and can probably burn those cals from this meal  in a week.

Probably will not try their PHAT sandwiches.... I might but I dunno, I would rather go elsewhere just to avoid the grease and try to be for real about watching what I eat.  The other reviews are semi correct.  If it's convenient or you just happen to be in the area and want a HUGE variety of fatty foods to choose from check it out, otherwise if you are trying to be healthy, do not come here otherwise risk a heart attack.
4 - El b.: Came across Big Bites flyer in the lobby of my office building, quickly became memorized by such phrases... "Will Deliver Downtown", "$2.00 delivery fee".  (Don't take much to impress this little lady)

The first time we placed an  food our food came super quick, and it was still very hot.  Their food is pretty decent, as to be expected for a restaurant that has an item on their menu called the "Phat Bastard".  I have never experienced their Phat sandwiches, as they scare the hell out of me and my arteries, but their pizza, cheese steaks and Panini's are good.  

Great customer service and they even allow us to use multiple forms of payments when placing orders at the office.   They totally get a high five in my book!
4 - Elyse H.: Hands down, the PHAT ORGASM is the best sandwich there! It has roast beef, horseradish sauce, cheese, fried mushrooms, and curly fries in it! DELICIOUS for a late night meal! 
The prices are pretty steep for just a sandwich but meh, it really does satisfy my hunger for fattening food.
1 - ATXer A.: The food sucks and the service is much worse!!    We actually tossed out the menu for this dump from the Menu Notebook at work.!!!  Dont waste your time on this place, youll regret it!!!
3 - Rodney D.: I really like this place

As I read many of these other reviews, I notice many of them saying how you will get a heart attack if you eat there and that is the reason for their negative rating. Well I hate to tell you folks, this place doesn't claim to be healthy! Do you go to Burger King for salad and waist slimming food? No! So don't give the place a negative rating for being not being something that it doesn't claim to be!

That being said, I went on the 20th of April after seeing Anthony Jeselnik at Cap City Comedy Club and I had a great visit to Big Bite afterwards. I had never been there but I had heard good things. This place is based off a food cart in New Brunswick, New Jersey (Rutgers) . 

If I am not mistaken it was on an episode of Man v. Food. The premise was if you could eat 5 "phat sandwiches" then you get to create and name your own. This is an incredible feat as I could barely finish my phat sandwich. 

They had a huge selection of food but I saw what I wanted and went for it right away! I got the Phat Longhorn, it contained: double cheeseburger, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, fries, bacon, egg, ketchep and mayo. It was not only huge, but it was fantastic! The only thing I would change is I would switch out the normal fries on the sandwich for curly fries (which they offer). The best part is that all that food only cost $7.25! That/s not too shabby in the grand scheme of things.

The sandwich was awesome, albeit huge and heavily damaging to my arteries. I couldn't even finish. I brought it home and ate it the next morning for breakfast (reheat in the oven @ 475 for 5 min). and it was still amazing. 

This place is open late (4 AM I believe) and they deliver. My only wish is that they had a location close to where I live. So if the owner reads this, get a San Marcos location, you will make a boat load!
1 - cat w.: At 3 am I ordered food to be delivered to my house. At 4am I called to figure out what was taking so long.  They never answered the phone and my food never arrived.  Thanks a lot big bite for charging my credit card for food that you never delivered.  I will be reporting them to the better business bureau

Update: at 4:30 am (an hour and a half after i ordered) a cold, soggy, wet burger showed up at my house (I ordered a chicken sandwich)
4 - John A.: Great place to feel like a phat-a$$. If you're coming to Big Bite, chances are you're coming to try the phat sandwiches... and with good reason. The phat sandwiches are what Big Bite is know for, so throw caution to the wind, ignore the calories, and try one. A great complete meal in a bun when you drunk or sober. The phat sandwiches are really good, but thats not the only thing they have going for them. Big Bite also serves wraps, burgers, pizzas, calzones, sandwiches, wings, beer, and plenty of other so bad for you but so good to ya items. I'd recommend this place to anyone looking to get lunch, dinner, or fat. They also have TVs with sports and news, a definite plus. 
Things I recommend to try here: any phat sandwich, a calzone, buffalo chicken wrap, cheese and broccoli bites, but not the pizza. unless you just really want pizza. The pizza isn't exactly worth it, the quality varies too much and makes it a gamble whether or not its gonna be worth it or not. Aside for that its a great place to hang out with friends 
P.S. they are open ridiculously late which I really like about them.
3 - Lindsay F.: The names of the Big Bite sandwiches on the menu are really funny.

This place reminds me of food you will see on Man Vs. Food (or the Food Network period)because the sandwiches are meals within meals.  There are so many various toppings inside these sandwiches (like french fries, mozzarella sticks, fried pickles to name a few).  It is an experience within an experience.  Coincidence?

The price is average for what you get.

This might be a great place to go when you have taken a BIG BITE out of some Liquor Crime, but I was very unimpressed with how bland the sandwich was overall.  The way it looked vs. the way it tasted was a big bite of a let down.  Deduct first star.

It is still a unique idea and I was happy to try it, but I was more excited with the idea of it rather than what it actually turned out to be.  The man who answered the phone had a rude, borderline hostile tone to his voice, which kind of turns me off to places when the first impression will Big Bite me in the brain.  Deduct second star. 

I honestly doubt that I will return to this place but I know it will continually magnetize people in based on the menu alone, and I sure appreciate an effective marketing strategy such as this.   Sometimes too much of a good thing is just that.  

So big bite on these 3 stars.  Points and all.  Throw some wings on them, too.
3 - Quani C.: The story of the creation of this place on the menu indicates that it was built from the ground up by some college dudes in New Jersey. I'd be willing to put money on the fact that they were ridonkuously drunk (and maybe high) at the time. Really, how else would someone come up with the idea to put all of the worst foods for you, EVER onto a philly style sandwich and to name them all with the word "phat" in the title? Wow.

I'd never in a million years envisioned myself eating a sandwich topped with cheesesteak, chicken fingers, gyro meat, mozzarella sticks, french fries & statziki sauce (the "Phat Phillipino")... but it happened. Only because they deliver to my work and they deliver quite quickly, even though we were told it'd be about 30 minutes, I think they arrived in 15. As if the sandwich weren't enough, I ordered some mac and cheese bites (I'm a sucker for mac and cheese, if you didn't know) and was asked if I'd like them ON my sandwich or on the side.

By the way, they also do pizzas and calzones, salads, burgers, cold subs, wraps, wings, and breakfast sandwiches (at all times of the day!) and are open until 4am. You see? Drunk/munchie/hangover food.

Besides the odd combination of things and the artery clogging, my sandwich was far from memorable. I doubt that I'll order from them again.

I'm sure my high cholesterol will appreciate the favor.
1 - Rebecca L.: Anytime you see a menu longer than your forearm you should automatically assume every ingredient they use is frozen. But this is exactly what you should expect from this place. I'm going to assume that most of their clientele come in during the wee hours of the morning either inebriated or high, because no sober person would want to eat this swill. Well, what am I saying, it's next to a dorm, and we all know college students will eat anything as long as it's cheap. I had a buffalo chicken cheesesteak sandwich and there was more sauce on there than sandwich. When I picked it up, a river of sauce just poured out on my plate and sat there looking like the BP oil spill. Oh yum. Bottom line is: cheap, crappy food served by staff that does not give a F.
3 - Robin D.: I had no idea this place exists - and I walk past it twice every day! When my friend suggested it for lunch on Friday, I had no idea what she was talking about, but she convinced me to go by describing it as a place that has everything.

She was right! The menu is so extensive that I thought I would have a hard time deciding until one thing caught my eye - fried pickles! I now know of three places on the drag that serve fried pickles!

I liked these fried pickles just fine. They were spears served with ranch. If I ever have a fried pickle craving near campus, I'll definitely be back.

I can't speak to any of the other menu items, but my friend had a veggie burger that she said was good. She didn't like the sandwich she had on her first visit.
1 - Natalie R.: One word...Gross. Way too greasy and cheap of products. Funny names for sandwiches though.

But really no one should eat a whole "Phat" anything at this place unless your life is so terrible you WANT a heart attack.
3 - Mary V.: Somewhere, in another dimension, there is probably a special word that can sufficiently convey the levels of mediocrity found here. I feel that word would sound something like, "Merbeheh." So, I'll just say Big Bite is merbeheh. It's... okay, but I only go here as a last resort when there is absolutely no other option. It's open late when you've got the midnight munchies, but don't expect much. 

I'm a sucker for fried food in sandwiches, but Big Bite takes it to a place where you just don't want to go. It's almost sickening to think of what I ate. As far as the phat sandwiches go, I've had the Phat Diaz and Phat UT. Both all right, but I was never able to finish either. My sister seems to be a fan of their margherita pizzas though, so I guess it's not all so bad.

If you find yourself down with the munchies at 3 in the morning, then by all means, go here.  Merbeheh.
3 - Anoj P.: I will admit i rarely ever go to this place, but i have gone here a handful of times (usually around 2am), and i've sampled a lot of the various menu items. I should mention that the menu is massive, so you should not expect everything to be "farm fresh" or even good for that matter. This place is not date-worthy this place is drunk-worthy so dont expect high quality. Big Bite is about one thing, eating a whole bunch of junk food at a low cost. Personally i'm not a big fan of their phat sandwiches (what they are known for), but they do have a pretty good chicken parm sandwich, seriously it has to be one of the best things on the menu, i even enjoy it when im sober. Their standard fried foods are pretty spot on as well, the fries rock, the mozzarella sticks taste familiar, and the fired pickles are delicious. At the end of the day this place is fantastic after a long night of boozing, but i wouldnt recommend it for lunch or dinner. So next time you are plastered, and your stomach is growling, stumble into this place with a couple of friends and eat to your hearts content.
4 - Stephanie W.: It's 2AM, you just left the bar, and you and your friends are dying for some pizza but no one is in any shape to drive. I think that is why Big Bite exists. Their extra extra large pizza is HUGE and well priced and, I have to admit, pretty damn good.

I've never tried anything else off their menu but I do love their pizza.
5 - kevin l.: This place is awesome! Wish there were more places like this. Delicious... unhealthy... awesome!!! All the best foods stuffed in a sandwich!
1 - Noor N.: Weak sandwich, even weaker staff. Expect to be ignored by people working the cashier even when you talk to them and try and get their attention. I won't be eating here again.
2 - Connie S.: Being away from the UT campus for 3 years, the drag is constantly changing. There's so many new places to try!

My bf's coworkers recommended this place. I'm going to have to ignore their suggestions from now on. I will only go back to review this place one more time, because it is a sandwich establishment and I ordered a calzone. I am known to be forgiving for mistakes and giving places a second chance. Big Bite's is known for their funny menu item names such as "Phat Bitch." Yes, the hilarity that may ensue when a frail, Southern gentlemen says -- "I'd like a Phat Bitch please."

We went here to eat dinner and hope to catch the UT vs Rice game, since we're too poor to get Longhorn Network. Big Bite's didn't even comprehend that the game wasn't going to be on ESPN... but anyways, to the FOOD. So we watched one staff member on the phone with TimeWarner and the screen that said that the subscription service could not be purchased or whatnot.

Anyways---the giant billboard menu sits over the cash register area and there's a lot to choose from. I had had Whichwich the day before and I had a hankering for a calzone. I was confused that I had to pay extra for each topping or filling in the case of my calzone. I'm glad I did pay extra for some sausage, because it was just a giant lump of dough filled with just cheese. Without the marinara to dip it in, there was absolutely no flavor. The dough wasn't flavorful and like how some places have that great crispness from cooking in a stone-oven or something or the other... yeah there was none of that. I must admit that the price of that and the portion given was enough for two though.

The fries were flavorless sticks of potato. .

Anyways, not a fan-- I will try one of those "Phat" sandwiches, but probably after a trip to the gym first to not feel as guilty. They are filled with fried goodness.
1 - Maria A.: Stay away. Stay far, far away.

This place is like the Lady Gaga of food. They'll throw everything but the kitchen sink at you... in sandwich form -- fries, cheese sticks, fried pickles, onion rings, eggs, mac n' cheese bites, jalapeno poppers, fried mushrooms and more.

I know, in theory, it sounds pretty good but trust me when I say that it's overwhelming. There hasn't been one "PHAT" sandwich that I've liked.

Their wings were also the worst I've had.
Pizza was subpar.
The panini I tried (Fresca Panini) was sickening.

Summary, only go here as an absolute last resort.
2 - Melanie L.: I came here last year on the Sunday after our Halloween adventures on 6th street. My friend that I was staying with told us this was the place everyone goes to. It could've been because I didn't order the right thing, or I'm just not into greasy food as I used to be, but I couldn't exactly see why this place was as great as everyone raved about.

I forgot the name of the sandwich that I ordered, but it basically looked like a cheeseburger w/ fries and some special buffalo-looking sauce inside the bun. (After looking at the menu online, I suspect to have ordered the Phat Albert) And I also ordered some curly fries as well. I wasn't blown away with it; it was alright, but I remember it tasting a bit dry and greasy at the same time; not fresh. The cashiers were relatively nice, but they weren't loud enough to announce people's orders through the sea of college students in the restaurant.

I did notice there were plenty other things on the menu, so whenever I come back to Austin, I'm willing to give this place another few tries.
3 - Sean F.: This place is the only place that ive been to that serves the crazy combination fat sandwiches. My friend tells me that the real grease trucks in the east are much better in comparison, i have yet to try those though! But to me big bite tastes decent, nothing super special, just special because they load so many different things into your sandwich (ex. gyro meat, fries, mozzarella sticks + more). 

tl;dr: the only place ive had a fat sandwich, taste is OK but cool sandwich combinations.

WARNING: is really packed past midnight on the weekends!
5 - Christina P.: Big Bite is ridiculous and amazing. Delivery until 4am?! DREAM BOAT.

I was visiting my sister @ UT and I was starving and at whichever hour it was Big Bite was one of the only places open - AND they delivered. So I was in.

I didn't quite understand the concept exactly as I was reading through the "Phat Sandwiches" - but I just went with my instinct which landed me at the Phat Mojo - since it had everything amazing inside - Chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, french fries & honey mustard! My once annual white trash side was coming out and was going to be thrilled.

We also ordered the mac and cheese bites - and I have to say.... everything we had was GREAT. Nothing healthy, and that's fine because that's not what was on the agenda for the evening. Seriously, the sandwich while it sounds like a weird combo - was GREAT. And the mac and cheese bites... as embarrassing as this may be, I still think fondly of while suffering out here on the West Coast without them. They must have an addictive additive in them, because I thought they were disgustingly good.

4/12/12
My little sister lost her wallet recently and traced back her steps and called Big Bite to see if it was there and it was. Not only was it there, but they were SO nice and had even called her bank to alert them. She got it back and everything was in it. Including all of her cash. Wow!
3 - Leona R.: Seeing it from the outside, Big Bite didn't really convince me. It didn't look too clean and when we went in, it smelled kind of funny. But the food was good. I had a Philly Cheese Steak which I had already had in Philadelphia, so I know what an original Philly Cheese Steak has to taste like. And the one from Big Bite comes pretty close to the original. I liked it. Would be four stars, but I can't forget the weird smell, so I can only give three. I'll probably be back nevertheless though.
3 - Nicole P.: Having grown up in the land of late-night food delivery, within walking distance of the parking lot full of food trucks where the original "Fat" sandwiches were conceived (Rutgers University, NJ), my first inclination is to give Big Bites 5 stars. 

I've never actually set foot in the location and I order online from their website, so I can't speak for the service there, but the site is easy to deal with and my food always arrives in a decent amount of time, and hot. Points for that.

There are certain things to order here that are always terrific. My favorite is the monterey chicken. I also have a lot of love for the mac & cheese bites.

The salads, however... well one time, I ordered a chicken ceasar with extra chicken, and was charged something like $4 extra for less than a chicken breast's worth on an already weak salad. Tonight, I ordered chili cheese fries, never imagining that anyone in the land where queso is an art form would serve me nasty liquid cheese #5 from a can. The "chili" was no better. Live and learn, I guess.

Being able to have someone bring me food until 4am is huge, though, even if the quality of that food can be hit or miss.
2 - Elaine S.: big bite is not a place you go to because you read reviews on yelp 

big bite is a place you stumble into at 3am to eat something (a sandwich stuffed with fries and mozzarella sticks) before vomiting due to earlier alcohol consumption
2 - Eugene L.: I think you could possibly gain weight just by breathing in while walking past this place. 

Not sure why Big Bite is even an option before midnight, but for those with no cholesterol guilt, this place is heart attack heaven. Fried mac & cheese felt like eating everything unhealthy in a bite-sized nugget. Yet with Pluckers just down the street and their holy macaroni dream-inducingly good, Big Bite doesn't have much to go off. 

But a previous review says it better - "Big Bite is not a place you go to because you read reviews on Yelp"... It's a place you visit in the no-good hours of the morning, whether post-partying or just before the desperation sets in as you pull an all-nighter. Wouldn't recommend, but that probably still wouldn't keep you from visiting.
1 - John E.: Not as good as I remembered it.

On my most recent visit, I stood at the front counter waiting - wallet out - for the girl at the front counter to take my order.  Instead, she kept flirting with another customer.  Eventually, someone in the kitchen noticed me standing there and came to take my order.  After all that, the food was wrong (and quite bad).

Even worse, in the course of totally ignoring my existence, the girl behind the counter started insulting the debate camp staying in the Castilian.  I'm a former debater myself; it is the only reason I know Big Bites exists.  So, of you're at the UTNIF, be aware Big Bites considers you to be "an entitled 12 year old."  This place is terrible, and I'll do my best to avoid it.
1 - Kay B.: Big disappointment! Love the idea for a concept, but after visiting I can see why they struggle. First, I purchased a Phat Mojo for $7.57 and asked for a little extra honey mustard either on the sandwich or on the side. Another .50 cents so I decline considering you're already paying over $7.00 for just a sandwich. When I get my sandwich, which has chicken tenders, mozz sticks and French fries on it with honey mustard, my fries are cold, chicken tenders are cold and barely a splash of honey mustard! The sandwich only took about three minutes to make which tells me my food was sitting. Management nowhere to be found and the cook is more interested in watching tv and talking on the phone. I met one of the owners before and very nice and accommodating  guy, but guess when he's not around no one cares. Sad because a great sandwich concept with no guidance. Good luck staying afloat with poor service and product like I experienced!

Big Blue Lunch Truck - Philadelphia, PA (39.9583587, -75.1953934) (Powelton Village, University City)
3 - Holly T.: This is my go-to truck for breakfast sandwiches near Drexel, mostly because as far as I know it's the only truck in the area to offer so many choices of bread (white, wheat, rye, kaiser roll, short roll, hoagie roll), including a bagel or croissant for a little extra. I'm really not a fan of breakfast sandwiches on any sort of roll, which is how most of the other trucks in the area serve them, so I like coming here where I can get my breakfast sandwich on a bagel. They also have a crazy good variety of choices for all the different things you can get on your sandwich. I generally keep it simple, but I like to have all those options. They also have pancakes, french toast, and omelettes, and a big lunch menu, but I haven't tried any of that yet so can't really speak to it. 

The truck is on Market between 34th and 35th, near the Chewy's truck. There is usually always a line, but it moves quickly and efficiently, and the service is reasonably friendly.

Big City Sandwiches - Carrboro, NC (35.9101438, -79.0752895) ()
4 - Megan F.: My husband and I like to try all the new food trucks in town and saw that Big City Sandwiches would be close by. After seeing their twitter feed that mentioned two special items, we decided to stop by to see the full range of offerings. I got one of the specials, a sandwich called the Jersey City. I'm a sucker for most food that sounds like it will remind me of my homeland. It was a caprese style sandwich with black olives on a delicious pesto bread from somewhere in Pittsboro. It was really good and the only thing I could possibly say it needed was a small drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Overall, I still thoroughly enjoyed it as is. My husband had the New Orleans sandwich. It had salami, mortadella, cheese, and an olive salad (that included some capers and garlic). He liked it a lot and thought the olive salad really complimented it quite well.
I'd like to see what else they have to offer and the next time they are around I'll definitely stop by.
2 - Lauren H.: Perhaps I made the wrong sandwich choice, but I was not particularly impressed by this place, which was really disappointing as I'd been looking forward to trying Big City Sandwiches for awhile.

I went here for lunch at a food truck rally and ordered the London Special to go, which was served with a side of pasta salad. Most of the sandwiches were $7- $7.50 (without a side). 

The first things that I did not like about this place were the fact that they did not have napkins available (and my sandwich was messy) and the method that they use for to-go orders. The sandwiches come out on open small trays and mine came out with the sandwich and the pasta salad on an open tray shoved into a brown paper bag. This did not make for an ideal set-up for transporting my sandwich since the bag had to be held with the tray upright in my lap on the way back to work. I would have preferred if they had wrapped the sandwich in paper like you normally get your sandwiches to go so I wouldn't have to worry if the tray tipped over. Maybe they are not used to to-go orders?

The rest of the disappointment came when I got back to work with my lunch. First of all, I found the pasta salad to be pretty flavorless. The London Special was the only sandwich that came with a side, but looking back I would have rather just ordered a different type of sandwich and paid extra for a bag of chips. 

My sandwich (as advertised on the board) was london broil, pepper jack, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, lettuce and your choice of horseradish mayo/mustard. Part of the reason I ordered this sandwich is because I love pepper jack cheese and caramelized onions. My sandwich did have the caramelized onions (and lots of them), but had swiss cheese instead of pepper jack, which was disappointing. I also found it strange that the london broil was cold rather than warm. The sandwich itself was okay, not great, with really awesome horseradish mayo. All-in-all though, I'm not sure I would order this special again and I'm not sure I would seek this food truck out again unless it happened to be somewhere nearby.
2 - Zach H.: I have this thing about bad service preventing me from eating at a restaurant, or in this case, a food truck.  Big City Sandwiches came to our office parking lot for lunch this August - now in all fairness, they were scheduled last-minute because the previously scheduled truck broke down or had some other technical problem.

However, after looking extensively at their online menu, I was disappointed to learn that the truck only makes a subset of the sandwiches that they claim to offer on their website for any given day.  While this is noted on the page, it is not immediately clear and still disappointing.  It seems to me that their menu is far too ambitious for a food truck.

Worse still, while we arrived only 15 minutes after they had started business for the day, we had to stand in line for nearly half an hour when there were only 8 or so other customers in line in front of us.  Even more ridiculous, they somehow managed to run out of their roast beef sandwich - which was one of the signature sandwiches that they had planned on offering that day.  Now to me, if a business calls itself "Big City Sandwiches," it should be a bit more prepared to, you know, MAKE SANDWICHES.

By the time we reached the front of the line, we were sufficiently annoyed to actually not buy anything and find another option for lunch.  I will not comment on the quality of their food, but their organization, logistics and customer service were severely lacking.  I no longer have any interest in giving them another chance.  There are much better truck options in Durham as far as I'm concerned.

Big Fish - Providence, RI (41.8168243, -71.4074366) (DownCity)
5 - Lee H.: I dig Big Fish.  Ideal not only for a romantic dinner for 2, but also for larger groups or just a drink at the bar.  As the name might imply, seafood is the specialty though there are some other choices for the hydrophobic diner.  I find the seafood to be the best in Providence, better than Hemmenways, et al (try the scallops).  An excellent wine list from all over the world and the "Viewfinder" desert menu always makes things fun.  Atmostphere is nice too, with contemporary decor that's rather tasteful and a very open space.
4 - John J.: Weird that 2 out 3 of the current reviews had poor servers, we really liked ours.  On the other hand, she did recommend red snapper for my gf, and that didn't turn out to be such a great idea. I enjoyed taking bites of it, but it was not my gf's cup of tea.  Normally you can't blame the server, but my gf did explain her tastes pretty well.

But we both agreed that our appetizer was quite good (a simple tuni sushi plate), my dinner was great (mahi mahi with the best mashed potatoes I've ever had), and dessert was fun (a ridiculously tall strawberry shortcake that did, it must be said, fall down).
1 - Michelle S.: Poorly executed seafood dishes and really bad sushi. What is so hard about keeping a sushi roll together without it falling apart? This place can't do it.
I also had clam chowder here that was absolutely dreadful.
It's an extremely disappointing place to eat, made all the more so because when you get your bill, you'll regret walking through the door.
3 - Jodie R.: i was told that this place was retro.  i guess it is if retro means a bar hut on astro turf outside, and a nice entrance and foyer that leads into a jamba juicy school lunch room-looking trying to be romantic seating area place of fusion awkwardness. with an open kitchen.  you would never think their food would be so expensive.  the sushi looked and sounded very unimpressive, so we stayed away from it.  but the food we got was good!  actually the best raw oysters i've ever had.  very expensive though.  and the lobster was near perfect.  the halibut tasted ok but it was overcooked.  the food with a pitcher of good sangria and a nice friendly waitress made for a pretty good time there.
5 - Natalie B.: Maybe I just caught them on a great night, but I was pretty impressed with Big Fish. The waitstaff was very friendly. We had the white sangria to start and it was some of the best we have had. For our appetizer, we had the mussels, which was terrific! I had the King Salmon Oscar style which was very good, but I loved my sister's dish even more! She had the special of the night, a halibut with a pesto beure blanc, served ontop of garlic mashed potatoes. The halibut was a generous size and cooked perfectly! he potatoes could have stood a little more garlic, but that is my personal taste. My mom had the scallops, which were sweet and seared to perfection. All in all, a very positive dining experience!
4 - J J.: We barely made it in time for the 7 pm cut-off: $10 lobster can't be beat.  

Some of the sides like the calamari were pretty standard.

Service was pretty good.

Big Fish Seafood Bistro - Princeton, NJ (40.31553, -74.660819) ()
1 - Michael B.: I've only eaten at Big Fish once, so my review will be brief.

I'll start with the positive: 

- They offer Samuel Smith's Organic Ale!!!  Wow!

Now, the negatives: 

- Possibly the worst waiter I have ever dealt with.

- My wife asked for a refill of her iced tea and was given a Diet Coke (poured directly into her glass -- which still had some iced tea in it)!

- Although the menu items sounded appetizing in print, they were beyond bland when finally presented.

- I say "finally" presented, because it took forever for the food to arrive.

- There was a very long hair in my tuna steak sandwich.

- There was a wasp (which I am rather allergic to) that taunted me throughout the entire meal and caused me to leap out of my seat on several occassions.

I'll purchase my Samuel Smith Organic Ale elsewhere and I'll never return to Big Fish.

(I apologize for not keeping this review brief as I stated above, but I had forgotten (or rather, repressed) how terrible of an experience this was until I started typing.)

Oh well.  

Look for the following quote on their website; it's funny:

"Big Fish is a total experience of food, art, environment and energy."

Energy?  Ha!  Ha!  Ha!

Their site: http://www.muer.com/locations/bigfish_princeton/bigfishprinceton.html
1 - Jen B.: If I could, I would give this less than one star.  When my husband and I visited this restaurant (for the first and only time), we found the service to be terrible and the food mediocre at best.

I remember that I was drinking an unsweetened iced tea, and when I asked the waiter for a refill (after waiting about 20 minutes for him to emerge from whatever hole he had temporarily crawled into), he brought over a pitcher and poured diet coke into my iced tea!!!
4 - vicky c.: I don't know what type of crack the previous reviewers were smoking (well, I guess Michael and Jen are married, so it must be the same nasty kind) because my family really likes Big Fish. And that's saying a lot when you have a mother that's unwilling to throw down anything more than a buck for stuff that's not Chinese, or at least some form of Asian cuisine. 

As its name implies, this is a place to go for tasty fish. And after the barrage of articles about how fish is good for your health, my mother sure loves her fish. Eh, she'd become an alcoholic if a study was released on how good vodka shots were for your body. But I digress...

From their parmesan-crusted tilapia, to their juicy salmon, they get their fish plates right. The atmosphere is a bit dark, but not too pretentious. They definitely realize they are catering to the nice Princeton suburbs, and aren't pretending to be some trendy NY eatery. The prices are reasonable, and the food tasty enough. The fact that it has survived so long in the revolving door that is MarketFair Mall, with considerable crowds every weekend night, has to say something. 

Sure, I've had better food elsewhere, but I've also paid more, gone further... and eaten the Filet O' Fish at MickeyD's. I'll stick to Big Fish when I'm in town.
2 - Oliver L.: BOO... they fry in peanut oil here.  C'mon now, this is Princeton... they should know better than to use peanut oil (aka, death oil).  That's my main gripe with them.  Otherwise, the bread is really good and the food is generally acceptable.  The potato encrusted tilapia sounds much better than it tastes.  Everything I've eaten there was just "meh"... not terrible, but not worth the cost or the trip down Route 1 (unless you're already shopping at Market Fair).
4 - Rafael Q.: Always a hit in my book, never a fan of mall type restaurant but they do it up right here, you name a fish they probably have it and can cook it how you like it.  The bread is out of this world, difficult to stop eating it.  They have a full bar and great ambiance.  They also have a generous frequent diners club.  I have been there close to 20 times and it has always been a positive experience.
1 - Janelle M.: I ate here many years ago and had a bad experience, so I never went back.  I have been back for Happy Hour or drinks at the bar a few times and while the experience has been less offensive, it's still a shitty place to go.  The restaurant is decorated nicely and so it has good ambiance, but the food is meh, and the service is awful. After reading the reviews on here, I can see that others have experienced the same lackluster service.  

I was there for drinks not long ago and we waited quite some time at the bar for a table outside.  Finally when we were called to be seated, the hostess informed us that the paito area was "tricky" and that she could only seat our party of 8 separately, at two different tables.  Yeah, we were totally hoping we could sit at separate tables, that's why we waited 90 minutes to be seated...
1 - Julie B.: I got a flyer in the mail about Big Fish and the food looked really good, so I hopped on here to check out the ratings and I was like... "oh well, it can't be as bad as these people say!"  Boy was I wrong.  It was more than horrible.  

The menu descriptions made everything sound so good that I found it hard to choose (which made it even more of a let-down).  I settled on a dish with jumbo lump crab wrapped inside of salmon.  I have NEVER had worse seafood in my life.  The bottom of the salmon was fried to the point that it was rubber and inedible, the "jumbo lump crab" inside illuded me, i found no lumps only MUSH and NASTY mush at that.  It had a very bitter flavor.  The veggies that came with the dish were undercooked and greasy.  Not sure what they were going for there.

So my food was disgusting, the wait service was slow, and it was vastly over-priced.  I have nothing good to say about this place.  I didn't even like the decor... it looked very childish and was nauseating.  

Boy was I let down.  I should have trusted the reviews on yelp!  I have NO IDEA how these people are still in business.
3 - C S.: We stopped here for lunch after getting new contacts at Lenscrafters.

Bacon wrapped shrimp and a pulled pork sandwich seemed perfect as a light lunch for the 2 of us.  Unfortunately, they were out of the pulled pork sandwich.  So crab cake.

Drinks were brisk (red zin), but food was a little slow.  When Jim's diet coke was half empty, a new glass was replaced quickly.

Bacon wrapped shrimp: surprisingly, not too sweet (I generally hate BBQ sauce).  It was a roasted tomatillo sauce with some sweetness to dip the perfectly cooked bacon-shrimp.  It seems easy, but it's something most places do wrong.  Tender shrimp, perfectly cooked bacon, mild-medium spiced sauce.

Crab cake: for whatever reason, the top bun had a tomato slice with cheddar melted over the top.  We prefer our fish without cheese, so that was eaten separately (good).  The crabcake was good--lumpmeat, not too much filler (5%), good crab taste. Served with fries and a great dijon-mayonnaise (we used it for the fries).

lunch with 3 glasses of wine for 2 people, $60 including tax and tip.  If it weren't for the wait and being in a mall, I'd give it 4 stars.
3 - Cara N.: This review is rather momentous for a few reasons.

1. This is my 100th review, which makes me utterly and absolutely YELPTASTIC! Consider this review sprinkled with extra diamonds and glitter!

2.  The review is of my first solo public dining experience!

Now let me give you some background.  I am the middle child, and my family is very close.  I also consider myself to be pretty friendly, and subsequently, I have a lot of friends.  So because of my close family and great friends, I've never really had the opportunity (or the desire) to eat alone at a restaurant.

I had to get new lenses put in my new glasses (long story, and review to follow) at Lens Crafters in Princeton Market Fair, and I was pleased to learn that they would be completed in "about an hour," just like the commercial says.  Being that I had an hour to kill, and since it was lunchtime, I decided to try Big Fish Seafood Bistro, since its just a few doors down from Lens Crafters.  Well, I went to Barnes and Noble first, but after that I decided to try Big Fish.  I went in the the hostess seated my at a high table near the door.  An amazingly friendly waiter came and took my order.  I just sat and read  my library book ('Chasing Harry Winston' by Lauren Weisberger).  I ordered the smokey quesadillas (I think that's what they're called), and they were just ok.  They didn't come with any dipping sauce or anything, so they were kinda dry.  The chopped tomato salsa was really good though - they should have given me more of that.  The waiter kept my Sprites coming, too.

All in all, I'm kinda disappointed that the food wasn't better, since this is such a special Yelp.

For the friendly and attentive waiter, I'm giving this place three stars.

That's about it.
2 - Jason C.: Service can be very slow and inattentive.  The wait for a table can get fairly long as well.

Atmosphere - nothing very special here. Clean and neat.

Price - much too high considering the quality of the food and service, 20-40$ (or higher) per person.

Food - hit or miss, some things are amazing, others are sub par.
3 - Apple F.: Was there on Tuesday night, 6/30/09. Landed here after the RIDICULOUSLY long wait times at P.F. Chang's nearby (1:20 minutes) at around 6pm.

Wait here was 20 minutes. Immediate seating was available at the bar. My wife and I went down that road.

Showy interior, nice looking space. Bar was crowded with a bunch of regulars.

My wife started with a Caesar salad which was well executed. She got the potato encrusted tilipia, which was good. I was thinking about the Maine lobster (didn't want to mess with the lobster at the bar) so I went with the Big Shrimp Trio, 3 each Coconut Shrimp, Panko Shrimp, Buffalo Shrimp. It came with three different dips to match the different encrustings of the shrimp. I enjoyed it.

We had bottle of Pinot Noir, $30 price point.

Our bartender/server was very nice. Its just a hunch but I would favor eating at the bar here if that is an option for you. The service and quality of the food can probably vary if you are waiting at a table in the back.
2 - Bon Vivan T.: Based on the recommendations of a local hotelier, my son and I decided to give Big Fish Seafood Bistro a try.  Now, the first thing you've gotta be thinking is, "you're from the Seattle area - what the hell are you doing eating fish in New Jersey?"  Well, in retrospect, we probably should have asked the same question.

When asked if the fish was farm grown or line caught (remember, this is a fish place - it's in the name), the waitress looked at me like a deer in the headlights.  She had to go and ask.  Apparently, that night, the place should have been called "Big Farm Fish" - there was nothing that was line caught.  Or, so I was told.

Our Salmon was OK - that's it.  Unfortunately, I had a comparative data point that made me give this place two stars.  A couple of days later I had the Salmon at Legal Sea Foods in Boston that was so much better, it seemed like a different species.  Flavor, texture, smell, everything.

The dining environment was fairly noisy, and our waiter (switched from waitress) was almost non-existent.  I had to flag down a passing bus person and ask that our drinks be refilled.  No, this place wasn't awful, but it was not worth the money.  This place clearly deserves the two stars I'm giving it - there is no doubt.  If we're ever passing through Princeton again, we'll try another restaurant.
2 - Therhyme R.: Fish did not taste fresh, muscles were over done.  The drinks were just OK.   Waste of money and waste of time. Another disappointment in the Princeton area.
3 - Vlad K.: Don't know why most reviews give this place such low ratings...
I'ts not great, but it's definitely decent...
Been here a myriad times and never was disappointed.
Yes, it's not a great place, but it's most solid, with good food and drinks..
1 - Jeena M.: How is it possible to serve such a bland piece of fish (I got the mahi mahi) for over $20?  Ridiculous.  I could have seasoned it better myself with the three or four items in my kitchen cupboard.  Even the complimentary bread basket was utter fail - the bread wasn't warm and one piece actually tasted stale.  I would have given them at least two stars, because I would like to reserve the one star rating for completely inedible crap, but their prices are simply ridiculous for such subpar food.  However, they did save a little face by serving an amazingly decadent chocolate truffle cake for dessert. 

Bottom line - if you're in the mood for fresh and well seasoned fish & seafood, do not come here.
3 - Sunny M.: My wife loves this place.  The fish is fresh.  Menu selection is small.  They used to serve a sashimi-style Ahi tuna dish that I used to love but they don't offer it anymore. That's a bummer for me.  Quantity is good and food is tasty, but I think the place is over-priced.
3 - Jamie C.: Good food and prices. Variable service.  Try the vanilla scallops - they're very good.
4 - preston p.: We love Big Fish, especially their happy hour (4pm-7pm M-F). Their recently redone happy hour menu is one of the best deals along Rt#1. 

As far as the "regular food" goes, it's actually quite good. We've never had a problem with the food or the service, especially since the change in managers. It is noisy so we do eat at the bar whenever possible.
3 - Jay S.: Big Fish Seafood is no big deal.  A few friends and I stopped by here a few months back for happy hour. They had a great selection of happy hour apps and drinks. The service was excellent and if we stopped there it would have been amazing, but then the entrees came out and it all went downhill. The entrees were under seasoned and we ordered the two things that you would have though would have had the most flavor the jambalaya and the bouillabaisse. Not only was it under flavored, but they had over cooked the seafood as well. I am not one to ever send something back but I was highly considering it. So other than the entrees I give the place a 4.5 but after the entrees came out I now give it a 3.
1 - Nadia B.: This is going to be the shortest review I've written: 

Horrible. Horrible. Horrible.
Skip on it... go elsewhere.
It will hijack your wallet and feed you seafood excretion in the form of a delicacy... 

That's all. kthanksbye.
1 - Dianne M.: Very disappointing. The food was drowning in oil and the sea bass was small and cut like a fillet - maybe it wasn't even sea bass?   Service was mediocre and when we brought it to the manager's attention she apologized but couldn't do anything for us.
1 - Daria C.: Avoid.

Food is "meh" and insultingly overpriced if you are any kind of conscious, thinking lover of food. Service is okay but slow. I hear the drinks are very strong and well-made, but I don't know this personally.
Wait times can be absolutely retarded, even if you have a reservation.

I'd rather go to the food court and eat at Teriyaki Boy- no joke.
4 - Bon B.: It's been a while since I were there for lunch/dinner but I absolutely love this place when it comes to happy hour! They have special happy hour menu which I love LOVE LOVE!
3 - John C.: looks like a lot of people aren't fans of this place...  I, myself, however had a decent experience and the prices weren't so killer.  Had the three tier shrimp appetizer and some sort of seafood medley, while the lady went with the jambalayah.  Food was like the rating, A-OK.  The place is in a relatively dead mall, but once inside, the decor is pretty dope and the set up of the bars are well thought out.  Would I come back here again?  Probably if I was invited out for a special occassion, but not on my own accord.
2 - William H.: If you are looking for the textbook definition of "bad value" look no further than Big Fish.  This restaurant offers 4-star prices for 2-3 star food and service which is only so-so.  Clearly, the overall average for Big Fish is pulled up by those raving about its happy hour (i.e. not really rating it as a restaurant).  

I can't break any new ground in my review.  Big Fish has a way of charging more than $20/entree for what amounts to Olive Garden level preparations.  We can say, without hesitation, that Macaroni Grill is as good for 30% less money.  And we're not even big fans of Macaroni Grill but it doesn't pretend to be a 4-star restaurant either.

Therein lies the problem with Big Fish- I think someone actually thinks they are running a fine dining destination.  They're not.  The menu lacks the creativity to stand out on that score.  The dishes also have the feel of a kitchen run by a line cook and not a chef- just read up on what Food & Wine says is hot and put that on a plate.  No thought or technique involved.

So if you are looking for a great night out, keep looking.  For something run of the mill go to the Macaroni Grill or similar.  For something special, there are so many other options out there that (even if they ddi cost a bbit more) are well worth it.
3 - L H.: NYE meal at Big Fish.  Our steamed clams, trout and salmon were all good.  Not knock it out of the park good, but for the total price of $75 for a meal, appetizers, and two drinks (and key lime pie to take home)- fine.   Nice waitress.  Ask for spring water (no charge).   colorful decor and the bubble lights make this an above the chain meal.
1 - JJ Y.: My wife and I had the most disgusting and yet expensive dinner here. The food is on par with Long John Silver's and salty as hell. The service was slow and unresponsive. Seriously, if your customer hardly touches the food, wouldn't you want to know why? 

This place really thinks and charges like it's a 4-star restaurant while in reality, the food hardly qualifies for a fast food joint. The wine (by the glass) tasted stale...we would actually have preferred a glass of boxed wine.

I just don't understand how an establishment like this still operates. Maybe there are enough suckers like me that are willing to give it a try? Really, save your hard earned money and go to McDonalds instead. This place really stinks.
2 - Ken D.: Ok, you're in a strip mall on a nondescript stretch of road, that, while it could be anywhere in America, happens to be in Princeton, NJ.  With no car and choices like the Macaroni Grill, Big Fish seemed like the least evil of the evil choices available.  So, I sat at that bar and was happy to have it be Happy Hour, because the food (while not great) was cheap.  So, my review and recommendation is meant to highlight two things Strip Mall - Happy Hour.  That's all I have to say.
2 - Mark L.: When I told the manager when I arrived that they had poor reviews on Yelp and others, she acted shocked that could possibly be the case. I was open minded nonetheless to perhaps a few bad experiences. 

Alas, that was not the case.  As advertised the service was horrendous.  The wine was fine and the appetizers were very tasty suggesting perhaps the reviews were a bit off.  That is until the caesar salad arrived with the one anchovy only flavoring the leaves touching the anchovy and the dressing relatively tasteless.  It did not improve when the grilled trout arrived very greasy and with a funky taste.  Surprising for something grilled.

My companions who had traditional fried food were more impressed with the taste. When I told the server that the trout was inedible, they responded by offering me another dish. I was not hungry at that point so I declined. 

The entertainment came a few minutes later when the waiter returned and asked if I wanted a box for the food so I could take it home and share it with someone else.  Provided a few laughs at the table. The presention was a Gordon Ramsey "what not to do." 

I wanted this to be a better experience. Sadly it was not.
3 - Jacob Z.: The dinner prices are atrocious. The food is good, but not nearly the best. They're a little more creative than Red Lobster, but you end up paying for it. Our wine glasses were only 1/3 filled. The server was good, but almost unemotional. 

I recommend going for happy hour. They have great drinks and appetizers set at a very affordable price (only available at the bar area).
3 - Jim N.: Nice place. Modern pleasant restaurant with OK food and slow service. After seated we waited 15 minutes before we even met out server. We waited 45 minutes to an hour to be seated but as the night droned on (slow service, not the company) the place cleared out. 

Tip: dine after 9 if you can hold out.  

We had:
Really good bread / rolls
BBQ shrimp App (really good)
Wedge salad (good but come-on... it's a salad)
Margarita pizza (thin dough but bland sauce)
Tuna steak (cooked well but just OK flavor)
1 - Yanira S.: I would NEVER, EVER wish this place on a person trying to go out and have  decent meal or customer service. I'm making a list of things that went horribly wrong the night my sister and her fiance took out us for their rehearsal dinner the night before their wedding:

1. For a party of 10 the rude waiter didn't bother to fill up our waters. We had to ask another waiter if they could please fill our glasses up and he want and got our lame waiter to come and eventually do it. 

2. When the waiter did fill up our glasses he dropped water on one of our friend's cell phone! As he walked away from our table while we started to comment on how rude everybody was he muttered an insincere apology.

3. We never got a bread basket to tide us over until our appetizers came while the surrounding tables had obviously been given one.

4. The food was overpriced and mediocre in taste at best.

5. When I complained to the manager about the horrible service she apologized to the table and gave me a freakin' meal coupon for $5 for her STUPID RESTAURANT. I had to laugh and say I would never in a million years come back and eat at this terrible place they dare to call a restaurant. 

DON'T GO HERE.
4 - Stephen F.: Surprised by all the Big Fish haters. This has been my business travel standby for many years.

Big Fish will serve you fresh fish, unlike most other nearby places. I've occasionally had a piece that whiffed, but more frequently the day's catch is of very high quality.

The bar service, happy hour menu, and bread basket are also pluses. Alas, complaints about service and unjustifiable prices are reasonable. The prices, though high, are about in line with the Princeton area.

+1 star for Danielle, an excellent bartendress!
4 - Lisa O.: Excellent dinner with very good service on a Saturday night over July 4th weekend. Party of 4 all enjoyed every dish: house chowder, gazpacho and oysters, followed by two different but equally large and good seafood platters (crab cakes were biggest hit), parmesan crusted sole, and chicken dish for non-seafood eater. Food is definitely pricey but we felt it was worth the cost.
4 - Neil J.: Sat at the bar and had a few drinks and an appetizer.  The drinks were cheap but not too strong.  However, the BBQ Shrimp Embrochette was amazing.  If it's a sign of their food quality I might just have to go back.  It was bacon wrapped shrimp stuffed with cheese and served with an amazing tomatillo-bbq sauce.  Maybe one of the best appetizers I've had anywhere!
3 - Jim L.: Soft shell crab was excellent.
3 - Blanca V.: I was Googling this spot bc my bff is meeting me there tonight and low and behold I have been here before for brunch years ago and I the only thing I can remember is that the bread they serve you prior to your meal was pretty good.
Oh! And the decor was pretty modern.

That's it.
4 - Amy W.: Living in the nearby area, I am surprised this place has so many bad reviews!  First off, being from the shore I can vouch that the seafood here, being so far away from the ocean is actually pretty darn good!  The ambiance in the place is also nice, they have a great drink selection and the food every time I've been here has been delicious!
1 - Brendan T.: I take it back.  The service is brutal,  place is empty on a fri night andhad to go to the bar to get our drinks.  
I suppose probably exactly what you would expect from a mall restaurant.
4 - Michael S.: The hotel I was staying at suggested I try Big Fish and I wasn't disappointed.  The food was great, the atmosphere was good though a little loud and the service was good.  If you like seafood I would definitely recommend this restaurant.
1 - susan k.: I would not even give this restaurant one star. The food was pricey and not worth it. The waiter was rude and I have never experienced this bad of service, EVER. We had to ask for the bread and they didnt even have any baked ones in the kitchen and they wouldn't make any more for us. It was not even closing time. Our waiter only had us as customers and we had to practically yell at him to get his attention when he was walking by for him to refill our waters. He was ignoring us the whole time and so was the manager. We didnt even get a "thank you" or "how was your meal." He threw the bill on our table and walked away. We were being so nice to him also. The whole restaurant was practically empty and they couldnt even serve us in a decent matter. Horrible, never going their again. McDonalds has better service then here.
1 - Spitting K.: I got dragged back to Big Fish for a friend's birthday and felt I needed to update my review. Since I initially reviewed Big Fish in 2007, I wanted to make sure that my review fully encompassed the current situation. I didn't want anyone to think, "Well that review is really old. I bet things have changed!"

Guess what? It hasn't! In fact, the lunch I had was actually worse than the last time I was here in 2007. It's still delightfully overpriced and the wait staff is still comprised of those customer-loathing nuts that I grew so fond of years ago. I can almost imagine that the interviews for new wait staff go something like this: 

Manager: I see here that you have no experience. Good. 
Interviewee: *grumble*
Manager: And clearly you hate and resent customers.
Interviewee: *mmmerrrrr. grumble*
Manager: You're hired! 

If you want to go there for happy hour, I guess have at it. I hear it's pretty acceptable, but for the love of all things holy, don't sit down to eat. Unless you're a masochist who really needs to pay a lot for a mediocre piece of fish served to you by someone who hates you. 

Now then, if you want really great seafood in the Princeton area, go into town and eat at Blue Point Grill. It's next door to the best fish monger in Central Jersey, so you know you're getting really fresh seafood. It's wonderful! The Witherspoon Grill, operated by the same owners of Blue Point, has a fantastic bar and good food, although it's a bit overpriced. Either way, you'll have a much better meal than you would have had at Big Fish.
4 - Constance C.: I really like their under-the-sea decor. Seating on a Saturday night was rather cramped, so perhaps that's a good indicator. The fish entrees are alright, but the bouillabaisse I think is worth trying (however a bit scanty for the price). Although the price is pushing and some of the dishes unremarkable, I have always enjoyed it.
4 - Carl O.: I stopped in the other night with some good friends for dinner. Most of the tables were filled on Wednesday night. Big Fish had a very interesting, modern style decor. Giant bubble-like balls hanging from the ceiling and various colored walls. The waitstaff was friendly and very attentive. With this being my first visit here I tried the blackened rainbow trout from the fresh fish menu with added topping of avocado and mango pico de gallo with rice and vegetables. It was all good. The bread that was served however, wasn't all that. Both the biscuit and the poppy-seed were blah. The salad with vinaigrette dressing was good and fresh. Prices averaged from $18 to $25 a plate, but I would say quality lined up with price. The Sauvignon Blanc wine we had was great. Overall it was a nice experience.
2 - Conan The B.: Not a fan.  Noisy.  Crowded.  Expensive.  Jammed in.   I had the fish and chips that I usually get at Triumph.  I wish we had gone there.

I love the decor though.
3 - Jay I.: 2.5 Stars toward 3.

I visited this place several times for lunch, dinner and happy hour (Not sure if it still exists).  For the price they charge, the food was forgettable.  They were too salty.  In my first visit I got paella, which was too salty.  In my second visit, I got fish and chip, which was pretty bland.  The happy hour menu was alright but the portion was too small (it's discounted appetizer).  

Also I saw a couple of diners during my visit that were complaining about not getting their food forever.  Seemed like a persistent problem they have.  I think the ambience was ok, but that was it.
3 - Kenneth R.: Two colleagues selected the Big Fish and then phoned to invited me to join them at their table.  After I sat down and looked at the menu, I peeked at the yelp reviews: uh-oh!!  Fortunately, my dinner was better than I feared -- maybe even a lot better.

The list of wines by the glass was not a good sign, but I asked about draft beers and found that a couple of their beers were acceptable.  I ordered a spring seasonal from the Boston Brewing Company and was perfectly happy with this selection.  Because the menu reminded me a bit of what one finds at Legal Seafood outposts, I ordered a caesar salad and a blackened Atlantic flounder with sides of grilled green vegetables and roasted red potatoes.  The food was A-OK and the service was cookie-cutter fine.  The prices are maybe a tad high, as other yelpers have suggested.

I have no intention of bookmarking the BFSB for future visits, but I won't kick and scream if I'm part of a group that heads in this direction.
3 - Morello D.: Good for drinks! I used to go there a lot with my husband but we stopped going there for some reason. Could be  "less food for the buck"
4 - J B.: After arriving into Princeton my team and I asked the concierge of our hotel about a good recommendation for a restaurant close to our hotel. They suggested Big Fish. We looked around at a couple different restaurant selections and settled on Big Fish and made our reservation. Luckily I did not peruse Yelp prior to make my decision on this restaurant. If I had, i probably would not have gone at all, but luckily I didn't. My team and I had a great experience and the food was pretty good. We travel all around the world with our job and I am not saying this is the best restaurant we have ever eat en at, but it was not bad like some of the reviews here. The service was good, our waitress was very knowledgeable and her recommendations were spot on. When one of our party informed her of her shellfish allergy, she made sure to recommend items that were not prepared on or near where other shellfish were prepped/cooked.  The food was fresh, tasteful and the portion sizes were acceptable as well. We had the Tuna appetizer which came out two ways. It was flavorful and the portion size was good for all of us to share. I would definitely return with this team or any of my other teams that I travel with.
2 - Alexander S.: Great decor & satisfactory service. However, the food was nothing short of disgusting. The lobster bisque that I ordered was overly creamy to the point that I could not even drink it. My crab cakes tasted so bland that I could not even tell they were crab cakes. All in all, the food was so terrible that I could not even finish both my appetizer and entree. The food has an extremely "fast-food" taste to it, and it was evident that the chefs lacked decent culinary skills. If you're going here for a glass of wine at the bar, this would be a nice place (as the decor is exemplary), however, if you're hungry and looking for decent food, you'll be much better off with Friday's next door or even P.F. Changs right down the street.
3 - Rich W.: Pretty ordinary food.  I've been there three times now--one with my wife, and two times with other couples, and each time the most accurate thing that I can say about the food is that it's ordinary.  About what I'd expect from a place run by a big corporation.  If you're looking for something special, this isn't the place.  If you're looking for something safe, then you'll probably be pretty happy.
4 - Ashley R.: Happy hour specials are great. The bar area is big. Enough room for a bunch of people to get together after work and really enjoy themselves. I'll be back for sure.
2 - Bob H.: We just came back from lunch there just because the Market Fair food court is closed. We didn't feel like going back to the car since it was a bad-hair day outside - not that I have any. And I figured I wanted to satisfy my frustration (What? No Teriyaki Boy?!!) by buying lunch for my ma-in-law, baby bro-in-law, and me at this hoity-toity place where professionals appear to have their midday repast. 

At any rate, we ordered lunch boxes. Their big fish chowder was okay, but my house salad was bland. It was supposed to have a parmesan vinaigrette dressing, but I didn't see any parm and I barely tasted any vinegar. Wonder if they switched the dressing with a diet variety. Is there such a thing? I'm a guy, I don't know about diet stuff! 

My bro finished his burger and cleaned out his plate, but he's a 200+ pound 14 year old -- does that count? My ma-in-law ate half of the chicken in her bistro sandwich and took one bite of the bread. The kid ate the other half and most of her fries. From the look on ma's face, she wasn't very happy with the chicken sandwich. Similarly, my fish n chips was fine at first. The TWO fish sticks, fries, and onion rings were fresh and crunchy. But it was downhill from there -- bland! Even the cole slaw was freaking bland: KFC's cole slaw will run rings around this. 

I ordered sweetened iced tea and was given Republic of Tea's bottled green tea. I had to pour a packet of the blue stuff to sweeten the drink. 

This place must be heaven for dieters and people trying to eat "healthy". I won't think twice about coming back to Big Fish. I'd recommend going to TGI Friday's or PF Chang's next door. Bland, rather expensive food -- $46.76 for 3 lunch boxes, a Sprite, a bottle of Rep of Tea, no dessert (thank goodness). Two stars -- for ambiance!
5 - Rachelle G.: I love this place food is always great!!
4 - Robyn H.: I still love Big Fish. This was the first time I've been back since my last review.  We went this past weekend, and it was ridiculously hot that day.  Big Fish was the perfect spot for lunch. WIth its blue, "ocean-like" decor, I actually felt about 10 degrees cooler the minute we stepped inside.

Lunch did not disappoint. We got the special that was available that day which included a crab cake, salmon, and shrimp, rice and mixed vegetables. Everything was delicious.

Thankfully, we went on a day that wasn't crowded, and we were able to enjoy a nice quiet late lunch.  That is, until the birthday group came in. There were about 10 nine year old boys, and they were NOISY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Totally threw off the vibe of the place.  Why the restaurant would allow such a boisterous group on a Sunday is beyond me.  As a parent, why would anyone even WANT to have a child's party in a place that clearly wasn't meant for that.

Luckily, we were leaving.  I felt bad for the other customers who had to endure all that racket.  Overall, still a very good lunch.
3 - Paresh B.: Nice Seafood options. Try fresh  steamed options, its a good change from fried & grilled.

Very good service.
4 - Steve E.: Traveling to Princeton, NJ on business this week, and ate at Big Fish based on reviews by other Yelpers. A really excellent fish house with lots of fresh fish & seafood - reminiscent of Mitchell's Seafood and Bonefish from back in Tampa. Dinner special was grilled with salmon covered with lump crabmeat which my business partner said was awesome in between making yummy noises. I opted for the mixed seafood grill which was local scallops, crab-stuffed shrimp, salmon, and a crabcake. We started the meal with the house fish chowder - smoked fish bits along with pieces of clam in a creamy broth.

Nice evening with terrific food!
1 - Adway B.: My fiance and I went to the restaurant in early Oct'12. I would just say that the service is horrendous. The waiters were extremely arrogant. An old customer was trying to lighten the atmosphere by cracking jokes with a waitress and she didn't even have the courtesy to smile. We ordered a couple of appetizers and they took 35 mins to be served. That is very slow. We ordered the Shrimp Yuacatan, which was a 5/10, and Fried Portobello Mushroom, which was a 7/10. The ambiance is a bit gaudy, 5/10. All in all, I will not go there again till they change the staff and improve their pathetic service. The quality of food was not great either.
2 - Jeff B.: This was our second visit.  The plus ... Our server was very attentive and helpful.  The minuses ... The atmosphere has become loud and annoying, the food quality has become average,  and the food quantity did not meet our expectations.

Big Green Earth Store - Philadelphia, PA (39.9626486939787, -75.2003860473633) (Mantua)
5 - Kristyn A.: I admittedly have room to grow when it comes to being green.  This was never more evident than when I moseyed into The Big Green Store with my styrofoam cup.  

Larry and Ted, the store experts, didn't hold it against me, though. This spin-off of the original South Street store is Philadelphia-owned and  fully stocked with all green everything! I was shocked by how many different repurposed and sustainable products there were.

They carry a wide range of items like chic handbags made of old juice boxes, tangerine-grape shea butter and solar powered battery-chargers. 

I tried to leave three times before something caught my eye and I was sucked back in.  

This is a great place to check out when you want to shop, have a little fun and make the world a better place, all in one stop.
5 - Dana B.: Having lived near Berkeley, CA as a youngin', I am totally down with the whole environmentally conscious thing.  Therefore, I am overjoyed to see that said eco-friendly enthusiasm has made its way over to Philly in the form of the Big Green Earth Store.  I frequent the South Street location for refills on my laundry detergent and when at Liberty Place, I enjoy stopping by to check out their vast selection of products as well.  Unfortunately, they don't have the refill service at this location due to logistics, but this one is just as awesome.  I snagged a coin purse for a friend (made out of recycled water bottles, I think?) that said "FREE HUGS" and had a great conversation with Larry (the manager? owner?) as well as one of his other associates who was there when I came in.  This store is a MUST VISIT for anyone in town!
4 - Amy F.: I couldn't agree more with the other yelpers comments about the Big Green Earth Store. They carry a wide variety of 'green products' from pet supplies to gifts to household items. (I am so coming back to the kitchen top compost holder!) I want them to carry more products when they're able to. 

Their prices aren't for the super rich yuppies either! Us normal people can afford them. : ) They have a very green way of doing business too, which makes me happy. Cornstarch bags, they even emailed my receipt. Larry is very passionate and full of great knowledge. Keep up the good work guys!
5 - Karen F.: The gentlemen who work here are so very kind.
They even gave my cute 7 year old an environmentally friendly pencil for Halloween in lieu of candy.

Great selection of water bottles, gift items and even a place to fill up your laundry detergent bottle with earth-friendly detergent.

LOVE IT.

I hope they make it.
1 - Sarah H.: THEY CLOSED THIS LOCATION which makes me very, VERY sad.

Big Grove Tavern - Champaign, IL (40.1182854119209, -88.2433998584747) ()
5 - R B.: Great soft opening meal. The tatter tots, beets and Amish chicken were particular stars.  Can't wait until the full open.
4 - Ed K.: Good food.  Were facinated by the bar bits and starters, so decided to go with a nosh dinner had smelts, pickeled veggies, pate, parsnip and celery root soup, deviled eggs, chopped salad, and mac cheese.  All the food was good and for a newly opened restaurant the service was amazingly together.  We even had a wine by the glass which was corked and they fixed it without problem.  The wine list was not deep, but what they had was reasonably priced.

All in all if you were looking for a gastro-pub in Champaign, this fits the bill.
5 - Debra D.: We don't usually go to newly opened restaurants until they've been open for a month ... but so glad we went!  The food was delicious!  Service was amazing!  Ambiance delightful!.  Had a little of everything ... deviled egg, fries, chili with corn bread, mac and cheese - (mac and cheese is a little pricey) (sorry, but Boltinis mac and cheese has you beat on this one) -- and of course dessert .... rhubarb crunch and sweet potato waffles (the sea salted ice cream .. YUM!).  Of course, beer and a Glider before and during dinner.  Great job!  We will definitely be back and feel that this will go on our favorites list.  Another great downtown Champaign restaurant/bar!
4 - Tony B.: A lot better than the nursing home kitchen that used to be in this spot.

The table popcorn would make Sacagawea proud.

My turkey sandwich had no idea as it sat upon my plate that it would soon become the best fucking turkey sandwich to ever grace my sweet filthy mouth.

I will be back.

The water glasses are kindergarden-sized, which isn't a problem if your staff is well trained to keep them full. Our server was on top of it, but no water glass could be filled without an "excuse me", or "I'm sorry...I just need to grab...there...thanks!", or "would you like more water?" Just fill my goddamn glass until it's over fucking flowing and don't interrupt my lunch conversation. 

Of course I want more water! It's still pretty affordable, is it not? Be generous. 

And even if I didn't need additional water, I would sooner watch you silently pour water into my glass until the fucking floor was wet than engage in a pro/con discussion about whether to refill my fucking cup. Just fill it up like Kevin McAllister's uncle told the flight attendant.
4 - Alecia M.: There are several restaurants here in Chambana that want to be like the Big Grove, but this place is the real deal. So happy to see it open! We tried a little bit of everything last night and it was all very good -- as described, midwestern classics nicely prepared with a twist or two. We started with cocktails and bar bites, split a salad, main courses, and dessert. Our favorites were the cucumber-y patio pounder cocktail, tater tots, and amazing sweet potato waffles. Overall, too, I was most impressed with all of the vegetables, which (when they were cooked) were cooked to crunchy perfection and beautifully balanced with spices and sauces.

It's ironic, then, that the one weak spot on the menu is veggies. I'm a mostly-veggie eater, and it's always a bit depressing to see only one vegetarian main dish (the complex and creamy macaroni and cheese, which can be made without bacon). I'm confident that vegetarians could put together a good meal from sides and salads, and the lovely whitefish works for pescetarians like me. But: the chef is clearly talented, and so I'd love to see the menu rounded out with a few interesting pure veggie options.

Either way, I know that we'll be back to explore further! Next time, we'll have to be early enough for my husband to try the burger...
5 - Judy E.: I have been here for a Soft Opening dinner and their first official lunch. I was not disappointed by either. For dinner we tried 4 of the 6 starters and all I have to say is that the hash browns were excellent and I could probably eat the pickled veggies every day and never tire of them. The Pate is a must try and the deviled eggs are just perfect. We tried 4 of the soups/salads and while I was not a fan of the seared pork belly, others at the table thought it was very good but the cheesy grits on the bottom were amazing. The cornbread was delightful (almost as good as Black Dog) and the chili just right. I look forward to trying the other items. The entrees were a great size and very well done. I had the pan seared fish which was perfectly cooked and had a side of pickled veggies. The cornbread stuffing on another plate was so good. The chicken was very tasty. The steak was cooked to a great temp. We also had the mac and cheese, they seem to understand that people like cheese and bacon because this dish did not disappoint. I plan on going for dinner many times. 

For lunch we were disappointed that the burger had already run out but we will have to go back earlier to try it. The steak sandwich was very good but the star on that plate was the Sweet Potato Chips, they were absolutely delicious. The horseshoe was very good and I especially enjoyed the sauce. I will be heading over there again for lunch very soon.

This place is a great addition to downtown Champaign and a great replacement to Jim Gould's. The decor is very well suited to the atmosphere the place is trying to convey. I love that they expanded the bar. The prices are a bit high compared to some of the other places downtown but the food is of such a great quality that it is well worth the price.

My biggest disappointment is that I am always too full to try the desserts because they look very good.
4 - lisa N.: Probably the best place to eat in town now.  A quasi-Portland style menu with some unexpected combinations.  Cocktail prices are the bomb.  Cocktails are not large but I'm not complaining. Very good deviled egg.
2 - Tracy W.: Tried Big Grove Tavern last night for the first time - two around fifty year-old couples.  

- We wanted to sit outside, lovely evening, but BGT has very few tables outside.  I guess they must not have bought Jim Gould's furniture because JG had a large area of outside dining.  So they put two tables together for us but didn't have enough chairs so they brought one out from inside - it wasn't the correct height so made for awkward sitting.

- I read about the popcorn they bring out as free munchies.  Last night's was rosemary - I was worried because that can be a really strong spice, but it was good, couldn't really taste the rosemary.  It was funny though, BGT serves it in tiny pails which the waitress kept replacing over and over as there wasn't much in each tiny pail.  Might as well go to bigger buckets and save yourself some effort?

- I would describe the menu as eclectic, pricey, and limited.  For people with big budgets / high-end taste I guess it will work.  But for middle-class Americans, like myself I don't know how people can afford it / go there very many times per year.  Our bill for two entrees, one side, two iced teas, no dessert -appetizer - salad/soup - alcohol -- was close to $50 with tip.  We were just wanting to have a decent dinner before a movie and not go to a chain restaurant.  

- On the positive side, the food was very good.  My husband had the free-range roasted chicken and I had the mac and cheese w/ an asparagus side.  Very well made, very high quality.  But (you knew there'd be a but?), my husband's chicken dish was described on the menu as:  free-range roasted chicken w/ herb dumplings, asparagus, mushrooms, fingerling potatoes, & roast chicken jus.  For $18 , there was ONE fingerling potato cut in half, ONE asparagus cut in half, and three dumplings.  He was still hungry after he ate it.  Since this restaurant does not offer bread (cornbread is available, for purchase of course), there was nothing else to fill up on.  Had we ordered salads our bill would have approached $75 for a mid-week meal.  My mac & cheese and asparagus were also very good, excellently prepared - asparagus grilled just right and sprinkled w/ I believe sea salt and pepper.  But, I was trying not to spend too much - if I had ordered a salad and some cornbread my bill alone would have been close to $25.  BGT and Bacaro and Carmon's Bistro , with all three you receive so little food for the price you pay --  I want to love them all because the quality of the food is sooooo good but we just can't afford it.  

- The biggest faux pas of the evening though, which I was surprised to not see mentioned in the other reviews of BGT on this site, was "pitchin' for the kitchen".  Has anyone else ever heard of this??  We have not..... and we eat out a lot here and in other cities.  Not only was "pitchin' for the kitchen" mentioned at the bottom of the menu but our waitress had to point it out to us as well.  What?!!!  So awkward.  One of our companion diners said it put a sour note on the dining experience for her.  It came off as -- the restaurant doesn't pay its kitchen staff enough that they ask for tips?  We are already paying the current 20% for wait staff tip and now kitchen staff is going to ask too?  Un-freaking-believable.  

I doubt we'll be back any time soon.  Silvercreek is just as good and you can enjoy their homemade bread free.  And also actually be full when you finish dinner......................
2 - Terrance M.: Went for lunch last week...maybe the chef has changed since the soft opening as I found nothing overwhelming about the menu and would agree with one reviewer who described it as expensive and limited. I ordered a chicken salad sandwich and it was described as coming with mixed greens since I'd rather have that than sweet potato chips and there was no salad when I got my sandwich. When I asked the waitress she said my salad was on my sandwich...which did have a piece of lettuce on the bottom. Besides that my sandwich was very dry and tasteless. My lunch mate wanted a cup of chili and was told emphatically they only had bowls but when it arrived it was the smallest cup of chili I have seen and for 7$?  The cornbread was bigger than the cup
Another person in the party had the burger.  The 12$ burger. When it arrived it looked like a slider.  I do think he said it was good, but there are far better burger for a better price than 12$.
Our bill for lunch for 4 was 70$. Way too expensive for lunch. Even a NYC lunch but the food was not worth it at all.  On the way out a couple diners seated next to us said they couldn't wait to get on their Facebook accounts to let people know how bad this place is. And we agree. I give this place 6 months. Save your money and go to destihl or any other burger joint for better food
4 - Kelly S.: We went for an early Saturday night dinner, drawn in by new fine dining in the area (which is limited) and the promise of local farm to table style. We are huge fans of many local farm efforts, which can be sampled at the Common Ground Co-op and the Market at the Square on Saturdays at Lincoln Square Mall -- and now, Big Grove Tavern.

First, the food, from a foodie perspective: Fresh product, well selected and well cared for. The flavors of the natural food are highlighted. The preparation is often minimally invasive. The technique is classic French. The flavor profile is quiet. 

My partner and I both wished for something a touch bolder. For example, the deviled eggs, a pre-starter, have yolks mixed with peas. We would suggest adding an acid note, perhaps a pickle. 

It was nice that they brought out flavored popcorn as a freebie with our drinks -- a feature at BGT. The flavor of the night was white truffle oil -- and you could taste the oil. That was a real win.

For starters, my partner had the chili and cornbread, and I had the chicken liver pate with pickled onions and stewed rhubarb. I think mine was better -- really delicious, with rich, deeply flavorful pate contrasted against the rhubarb, which gave the bite the sweet and sour it needed to cut through. The farmstyle, whole grain bread had a wonderful crunch. The cornbread was a bit too refined -- it needed  more crust and less cake, more corn flavor and less cafe baked-good sweetness. The chili was savory, but mild--no real taste of chilis.

The entree and dessert courses were both very good, especially dessert. My partner had the short ribs, which were beautifully medium rare -- not a hint over or under. I had the roast chicken with dumplings, which was amazingly good. Crisp skin, moist and flavorful meat, with a delicious herb broth under. Three dumplings that tasted like a delicate stuffing and had a satisfying bite. Slices of asparagus that also had a nice bite and a lovely green flavor still -- not at all cooked out. The portions seemed just right -- not too much and not too little.

For dessert, my partner had the rhubarb crisp and i had the chocolate pot de creme. Both were really superb: refined, flavorful, rich, balanced. Nothing fussy -- just satisfaction in every bite, with very good coffee on the side (they use a medium blend from the Columbia Street Roastery -- a fine choice).

The food is not bold. Or experimental. Or imaginative. But it is good, very good -- much better, I thought, in terms of technique than Carmon's Bistro.

It's clear from the limited but well selected menu that the chef behind it is attempting to appeal to middlebrow Midwestern tastes, but doing it in such a quality way that I found it kind rather than condescending. People who don't necessarily like a chi-chi dining experience will enjoy the food, and those who do like fine dining will think it is predictable in its selections but well done nonetheless.

Second, the decor and atmosphere: I generally like the blend of industrial and contemporary tavern that the interior designer seems to have been going for, although the dark colors dominate a little too much, despite the effort to add bits of fun in the lighting options. 

BGT has a chic, young vibe -- somewhere between casual and serious. Dark gray walls with a black drop tile ceiling, black wire-cage pendant lamps with industrial bulbs of different shapes (reminds me of the recent Restoration Hardware line), bleached branch chandeliers over the bar area, outdoor party-lights with clear exposed globe bulbs interlaced with raw blond planks (one off note: the planks have lumber-yard stamps, which may be a bit too low-end for what they were going for),  fairly inexpensive light-wood grain tables and nicely selected dark chairs--if a bit flimsy--and booth upholstery. I hope that over time BGT will invest in some better art pieces, and ones that bring more interest and warmth to the interior. There's seating outside too, if you're a smoker or don't mind getting it second hand.

Third, cost: Yes, yes, it's on the expensive side. BGT is fine dining, not family dining. I won't be eating here every night either. Of course, any diner can make the meal more affordable by just sticking with an entree, rather than getting the whole shebang -- I'd guess for dinner that this would run you $20-25 tops. But if you have a deeper pocket that night, the whole shebang here could run you $100 with tip for two -- and you still won't feel cheated. The value is here, given the quality of experience.

Fourth, service: BGT has a young, eager service staff. They took good care of us, and every other table I could see. From beginning to end, we enjoyed our time here.
5 - Josh W.: Yeah!  This place is yummy!  In every way.   The burger was excellent-made us want another one.  Fries were great.  My chicken liver Pâté was soooooo good with jelly and the bread  was divine.   My Mac n cheese was good and smoky, a little dry but could tell it was individually made and good.  Bartender, Lisa was enthusiastic and attentive!  Can't wait to come back and eat.  Might have to get back in here tomorrow.  Lol
2 - Kathryn V.: With an emphasis on locally sourced foods, and a chef from California, we were hoping the local food movement could come to Central Illinois as successfully as it has in Northern California: excellent, innovative, and well prepared food that supports local farmers and ranchers while often exceeding the expectations of diners. Alas, it is not to be.

In spite of many available tables, we were seated in a dark and cavernous (all in black) alcove.  Although elsewhere it was the bright light of day, we were barely able to make out the menu in the darkness.  We ordered wine by the glass to start; they waved the bottle over the glass and delivered a very small quantity for a full price pour.  Actually, I like the option of small-glass, but only if they offer the option of paying accordingly...I've had larger pours at free wine tastings around town.  Illinois is beer country, and as they are going local perhaps we would have been better to order a local brew.

We waited a long time for our food, allowing our meager splash of wine to warm in the glass so as to save the few swallows to have with our meal.  At long last when it arrived, the spouse's was pleasant enough but mine was not at all as described.  I had ordered the chicken salad on wheat bread with greens; one of the few sandwiches that did not say it was served with chips. All flavors were erased by a thick layer of Dijon mustard and it was served on very dried out toast with chips on the side.  The "greens" were a piece of lettuce inserted between the mass of mustard and the dried out bread.  The person at the next table ordered the same dish and had the same impression, asking the waitress where the greens were and commenting on the dried out toast. It was supposed to have tarragon and other interesting ingredients, but every flavor was eclipsed by the strong Dijon mustard.

Don't know if it was the worst lunch I had since moving here last summer, but it was clearly the most expensive bad lunch I have had, approaching $50 for two sandwiches--one nearly inedible--and a smidgeon of wine. This was very expensive for mixed quality, not a good value.

Pluses: I like that they are trying to source from local farms, although I missed having a fish or seafood option on the menu.  The staff was very friendly. 

Minuses: Expensive, very small portions, descriptions on menu not accurate, food quality uneven, some bad seating locations.  

I gave it two stars for the effort to source locally and the friendliness of the staff.  I a willing to give them a try again in a couple of months to see if they iron out the kinks, but only if I am feeling extravagant.
2 - Emily H.: I have dined at Big Grove twice now. My first experience was good, but my second experience was not so great. I went there for dinner on a Saturday night and order the chili and the whitefish. Both were very tasty, and had that been my only experience with Big Grove I would probably have given it a four or five star rating.  Unfortunately, I went there for lunch and had the chicken salad sandwich. I wish I had read the other reviews about it before I ordered.  The chicken salad was absolutely flavorless, and there wasn't much of it. The bread was dry and tasteless. Moreover, the dish cost $9.00.  I hope the owners are reading these reviews, because the chicken salad sandwich is consistently getting bad reviews, and needs to be revamped or taken off the menu altogether.
3 - D X.: Big Grove is fine, but that's all it is.  Unfortunately it just doesn't make sense to pay $15 for just a good hamburger.  If it were less expensive; maybe more in line with Blackdog or Dublin O'Neils prices it may have gotten 4 stars (whereas those other restaurants get 5 stars and 4 stars respectively).

 We started off with some deviled eggs that were good, and a fresh baked pretzel that had an unappealing mustard sauce.  I'll take Gulden's over that mustard sauce any day.  I ordered the burger and my girlfriend ordered a chicken salad sandwich.
The burger was actually pretty good, cooked medium, with an egg and some onion maramalade on it.  The fries were decent but nothing to write about.

The chicken salad was just a terrible sandwich.  Maybe one small scoop of flavorless chicken salad on hard toast for $9?  Get that thing off the menu.  Seriously.  People who order that sandwich will not come back.   The sweet potato chips on the side were pretty tasty though.

Overall, not as great as I had hear, though maybe the chicken salad ruined the experience.  You want a burger, go to Blackdog or Farrens for a comparable one that costs half the price.  Want chicken salad better than this, go to your local gas station and buy a pre-made chicken salad.

All that said, I'll give it another try.
5 - Christian F.: I have yet to have a bad meal at Big Grove after six visits.  I visit Champaign frequently on business and I was continually disappointed with local food which tends to be chains or local places serving poor quality, low-cost processed food right off the truck (which seems very ironic for a sophisticated college town surrounded by great farm land).  Now, however, that's changed thanks to Big Grove Tavern and the arrival of a real chef.

Big Grove is every bit as good as a great gastro-pub in California, Chicago or New York.  The roasted chicken is delicious, the deviled eggs are amazing and the fish is sublime.  The deserts are stunning.  This food is creative and delicious.  It's a fun, lively place with a casual atmosphere - probably the coolest interior in town by far.

It's so strange that a few people who have reviewed this place on Yelp think that the fresh, local and delicious food at Big Grove is expensive or not worth it.  It's amazingly well-priced for the quality you get.  It's just plain good here all the way around and that's probably a shock to their system.  The portions and flavors are perfect and well-balanced.  The waiters actually care and know the menu.  

Warning: If you are used to low-end corporate food straight out of a box, microwaved by a careless "cook" and sold at a bargain basement prices in big heaping mounds like most places in Champaign-Urbana, then this place is definitely not for you.  And if you love corporate chains and hate supporting your local economy and farms or you don't like the idea of the fresh and delicious food revolution finally reaching Champaign-Urbana, then please stay away.  

Big Grove is a culinary breakthrough for CU and I hope it brings more foodie talent to the area.  I wish it continued success for years to come.  Who can argue with local, fresh, delicious and well-priced food?
5 - Lisa G.: Thanks to Big Grove we have a fine dining establishment that bases their menu on fresh and local ingredients.  I went there with my husband for our anniversary, but I can easily see going back for a more casual meal, or even for drinks and bar snacks.  

Every table starts with slightly sweet popcorn and we were promptly visited by our friendly and helpful wait staff.  We had the chicken liver pate, bistro filet, house made sausage, and the tater tots.  Everything we tasted was delicious!  I can't wait to go back and work my way through the menu.
4 - Rhiannon C.: We went with our kids, which may not have been the best idea, since they are young. However, the waitstaff and food were phenomeal, so we were able to enjoy a great meal as a family.
5 - Heather J.: On Wednesday, July 11th a group of seven of us went for dinner. After a week of oppressive heat we were happy to be able to enjoy the weather and sit outside. It was great. 

We started with the tater tots and deviled eggs for appetizers. I loved the tater tots. They're not your typical frozen tots. They had some kind of apple puree sauce on the plate. Initially, I was skeptical, potato and apple together? It was delicious though. Holy cow. I really enjoyed that. I wish more than 4 came in an order though. The deviled eggs were nice, also. I really got a lot of the sweet pea flavor. It sounds odd but it was great and added a freshness to the egg. 

For dinner, several of us got the burger. Ohhhh my gosh. It was great. Cooked to the perfect temperature. It was a combo of bison, pork, and beef. The red onion marmalade on top was awesome. It added a sweetness and a lot of great flavor. A couple other people had the fried egg on top and they enjoyed it. The bun wasn't store bought and tasted homemade, very similar to what my husband bakes. It was nice to have a bun that doesn't disintegrate. The hand cut fries that came with the burger were the best fries I have had in years. Another friend INHALED the white fish. I didn't taste it but he said it was great. Someone else got the pork belly and kohlrabi gratin. She said it was great and was really happy with her choice. I wish I hadn't been at the opposite end of the table so I could have stolen a bite. It looked good. 

For a cocktail I had the Tavern Infusion. It was great and refreshing. There was a good selection of beer and wine, too. I stuck with one cocktail and water though. 

It was a nice touch when the owner came around to the tables and said hi and checked on us and other tables. She seemed really nice. 

Everyone at our table enjoyed the meal. We will definitely be back again, hopefully sooner than later.
5 - Chris R.: Great new option in downtown Champaign.  Everything about this place has a light touch--both casual and selective.  The welcome snack is a daily-fresh made popcorn with a rotating seasoning.  Ours was crazy good, but we had to ask the server to place the flavor:  cumin & orange zest!  Apparently the chef regularly changes it.

The tap and bottle list is craft beer lover's friend. Not trying to outdo a number-of-taps contest, but all the right choices were there. Especially loved the slightly sarcastic "These Beers?" bottom of section of the menu for those who want a Bud Light instead.

Tater tots are like nothing you've seen: homemade and tasty with an apple sauce. The smoked bacon practically jumped off the deviled eggs.

The menu feels relatively small when you're used to the pages and pages on your typical chain.  And I wouldn't mind if they expanded it a bit, but there were so many good looking items, I think it will take several visits without any boredom. That most of the ingredients are locally bought makes it worth it.

Service was exactly what you expect from a place like this: a whole step above any chain restaurant. Constant attention, knowledgeable about the food, funny and warm, but never over-intrusive. Perfect!

Nice job, Big Grove Tavern.  We'll be back.
3 - Mary M.: I want to give them 4 stars but their menu needs some work.  They have put a great deal of thought into the atmosphere and aesthetic of the restaurant but not enough into what the customer wants to eat.  I have visited three times and each time I go I come away a little more disappointed.  The unique menu loses its appeal when the food is more satisfying to look at on the plate than it is to taste.  The ice cream sandwich dessert was perhaps the toughest dessert I have ever ordered at any restaurant.  Their one vegetarian friendly option was mac and cheese which gets tiresome to vegetarians.  With the volume of alternative diets being practiced, especially in a college town, I assumed a trendy place like this one would cater more to the non-traditional eater.  Their new twists on traditional food abandons the American-fare loving customer, as well as the non-traditionalists.
4 - Kali M.: I wouldn't call it a Tavern... I'd put it more in the upscale gastropub category.  Tavern implies dark, cozy, slightly antiqued.  Big Grove is open, airy and modern.

The food was good but not phenomenal, but the drinks were great -- and thoughtfully recommended by our waitress, who was nothing short of fantastic.  Seriously.  I so often wish I'd kept track of servers' names, but this one I seriously regret because she deserves a wonderful review directly to her manager.

I'm sure I'll be back next time I'm in town.
5 - C P.: Smart dishes cooked well.  Well trained staff.  Consistent.  My favorite place in CU other than Golden Harbor.  Chicken liver pâté appetizer is maybe the most crave- worthy item on any menu in town.  I'm a regular.

Though the bar is terrific, BGT is not competing with joints like the Esquire.  But they are head and shoulders above other local places in the same tier/ price point.  

My kids love it too, though I balk a bit at paying so much for an adult sized entree for them.  

No vegetarian entree, which is odd.  They say to ask the server and that something good will be available, but uncertainty about what there might be can make it hard to schedule large parties.
5 - Ashley B.: Solid. For sure.

First of all, the decor is great. The place is open, airy, and has this beautiful ceiling with old branches. It's very modern but still cozy. I loved it. It totally went with their idea that food should be natural and local, it fit.

Our drinks were pretty great. I had the Frasca and my boyfriend had a bourbon drink and both were great. The wine list is kind of sweet too.

Then of course, the food! I had the steak which was really really great, especially rare, yum! The potatoes were creamy and everything was just super tasty. My boyfriend absolutely loved his pork tenderloin. The friends we were with had the steak and chicken and loved it too. The portions were also great, I was stuffed when I was done! Next time though, I definitely want to try the appetizers and small plates. Let me also just say that  our server was awesome. Everyone there is super nice and I have a friend that works there. It's just a great crew!

After dinner, we had a couple of coffee drinks (with some special stuff in it) and it was a perfect end to a really nice meal. Basically, I'm giving this place four stars because I finally don't have to keep going to Bacaro or Radio Maria for a really nice meal in this town. After being a townie and moving to Chicago, I've come to realize that it's about time that  we get more places like this in Champaign!
4 - MJ E.: This is really a 4.5 star rating!  Came for lunch and loved it!  The restaurant is beautiful, the service is fun,helpful, knowledgeable and attentive.  There is also a great outdoor seating area. The food was really great, especially the BLT.  There is an interesting and fairly extensive selection of beers.  My only complaint is that it is a limited lunch menu.
4 - Liz R.: I know the whole local concept is hip right now, but Big Grove does it right.  Plus the interior is cool, with open space and interesting visual detail (the branches on the ceiling).  And our waiter was on his game with recommendations and satisfying our motley crew's numerous requests.

Our group started with deviled eggs all around.  I tried to take a couple bites, but dang, it was good!  I would have ordered another but our food came pretty quickly after.  Deviled egg doggy bag anyone... or just me?

I had the turkey sandwich, which had so much flavor for a turkey sandwich!  Loved the bread, the cheese, the spreads.  Also ordered at our table was the Tavern Burger (which looked like a big, juicy meatball) and the chicken sandwich.

Their menu looks different now, which means rotating sandwich toppings and mains = never gets boring.  Their salads, bar snacks and starters all look amazing this time around too.

I plan to make this a regular lunch spot when I'm in the area.  Maybe dinner too, so I can try one of their fun sounding cocktails!
2 - Tim H.: A solid two stars, yes!

First of all, I'll say the taste of the food is pretty good.  The quality of the food and drink was above average.  The popcorn presented when we arrived was nicely flavored with spices, but came in a rather small tin.  We began with two cocktails which were delicious, but for the area, were either too small, or overpriced.  Thus began the battle of the perceptions in regards to overpriced versus tiny portions.

We did not have appetizers because in my mind, they were a little pricey.  Deviled eggs for $1.00 each?  Ok, I get it, these are local eggs.  But half of an egg with a little mayo and some flavoring mixed into the yolk for $1.00?  Nope, still expensive.  Fries for $4.00?  Nope, not for this guy.  Besides, Illinois isn't know for their potato harvests.  $9.00 for a mixed greens salad?  How about make that salad plural and give us a couple of them for that price?

Moving on, I wanted to try the famous "Tavern Burger."  However, at 7:45 p.m., in a restaurant which wasn't packed out, they were out for the evening.  Really?  Hmmm, how strange.  You mean the cheapest choice for dinner, the one item which was mentioned in the newspaper and was considered your house specialty, and, worth mentioning again, your CHEAPEST dinner choice, was out so early?  How very strange...  I guess that meant I would have to choose a more expensive option. (And, incidentally, our server told us you made it fresh every day.  So, why didn't you just whip up a little more of the mix?  Or, does the bison truck come very morning?)

We chose the Trout and the Pork Loin.  First, the portion sizes were tiny.  For the price of the trout, we expected at least half of a small trout for $18.00.  What we got was about 1/3 to  1/2 of a side of a small trout.   As for the pork, we received what amounted to about a 3 oz. portion.  Now, I understand it's local.  But, and I'm saying this as a consumer and a cook, pork is not expensive.  There is no grocery store in Champaign where you can go and find any cut of pork out pricing Beef.   And, the accompaniments, the turnips, chicory and cornbread were nice, tasty and well presented, were cool and not substantial.  The pork, for the price, should have been at least twice the size, and even this would have made the price extravagant.

We shared a bottle of white wine from the menu, the wine selection being very good by the way, and also had dessert.  I had the Ice Cream Sandwich (which should have been slightly warmed so as to not have been served rock hard), and my guest had the Pot de Crème.  Both were delicious!

Overall, I believe our bill totaled more than $140.00.  Can you believe it?  $140.00 for two cocktails, one bottle of white wine which retailed for about $13.00, two main dishes and two desserts.   Fine for Haute Cuisine, not fine for a tavern.
 
We found the service to be just about perfect, as our server was attentive and respectful of both our needs and our privacy.

The atmosphere is great in this place.  The food is good, but not great.  With the expanding options in the area, especially the great options across the street, there is little to nothing to draw me back to this establishment.
5 - Steve B.: Thank god for this place. That's really all I can say. Well no, I can say more. But before I get to the meat of my review, no pun intended, let me say that Big Grove Tavern is exactly what this town needed. When Jim Gould's closed I was sad to see it go but what has come in it's place is something really fantastic. From the food to the interior to the crowd, the energy Big Grove gives off is infectious and demonstrates that the confluence of intellect and small-town charm in Champaign can really lead to something amazing.

Now on to the food:

Popcorn: Come for free as a starter. While I was hoping for bread, I was even happier with this. The popcorn really whets your appetite without being too filling. I hear the flavor changes; it was definitely some kind of lime (think the hint of lime you find certain Mexican foods) flavor when I was there.

Tavern Burger: There are so many things I can say about the Tavern Burger. First and most simply, it's delicious. The blend of bison was for me, the most prominent of the three meats that make up the burger but overall I found it to be rich, meaty and just the right amount of gamey given the bison. The onion marmalade, and petite crusty bun complimented the burger without overpowering the taste of the meat. I opted to add the fried egg which led to messy experience given the soft yolk, but a certainly more delicious one. At this point, if I did this right, you are so convinced about the deliciousness of the burger you won't even care to hear about the fries. But hey, if you're still interested: they're completely well-executed- crisp yet still potatoey. 

Now... onto my other comment on the Tavern Burger. There was some review on here about how the burger is in limited quantities. That's how you know it's fresh and locally sourced! If I wanted something from a freezer I'd head down by the mall and swallow some hormone-laced, bacon-cheese-blue cheese-fried onion-black forest-ham-ranch dressing-heart attack in a bun. If you want a burger that satisfies your burger craving while still being an appreciable entree and cut of meat, come enjoy the Tavern Burger. And if you've missed it, just come back and try again! And frankly, at 12 bucks, it's not that bad. The downtown Champaign restaurant scene generally errs on the more expensive side. Given what Jim Gould's prices used to be like, Big Grove is far more reasonable price-wise in comparison. 


In sum, ignore the hate, embrace the love, Big Grove will have you leaving full, happy and pleasantly surprised by what Champaign has to offer food-wise.
2 - CJ S.: I want to like this place.  I really do!  The food can be quite good!  I would have given this place 4 stars if not for the service, which has been some of the worst I have received in Champaign-Urbana.  More on this shortly.

I love select dishes on the menu, but I feel like you have to know what to order.  The burgers are INCREDIBLE.  I never want to eat another burger that is not a mix of beef, bison, and pork.  Awesome.  And the fries with it are great!

As much as I enjoy the burgers, there are times that you want some variety.  I know that it is trendy to include deviled eggs on a menu, but this are nothing special.  However, I feel like the pretzel makes up for this.  The pretzel is great and if you like your mustard with a HEAVY amount of spicy horseradish, this is for you!  I also really enjoyed the pork belly, but wish it was larger than just a starter.

All of that being said, all of my recent experiences there have been a service disaster!  We have enjoyed going for the Friday outdoor concert series because we can sit outside and enjoy dinner, a beer, and the music.  In fact, until the service problems began we would go every week religiously.  Earlier in the summer the service was not a problem.  However, the past several times we have gone, we have literally had to BEG to be waited upon.  Each of these times, we have arrived, been seated, and then waited for 20-30 minutes before any server came to our table to even take a drink order.  We have had to ask the hostess or manager, some times several times in the same meal, to have one of the wait staff come to our table just to take an order.  The last straw was when the same friend was there for TWO DIFFERENT MEALS IN A ROW (seated at an entirely different table) and she too was talking with the management to try and get someone to take our order.

The paranoid person in me worries that this lack of service is because we came with a small child.  Our child is quite well-behaved in a restaurant, but we try to be courteous and go for very early dinners when we know she will not be a problem.  We always try to order the full meal (drinks, dinner, dessert) up front and ask that the bill be given to us when the drinks arrive so we can make a quick get-away if necessary.  

My point is that this is the one time that we actually get to go out and enjoy an adult meal and activity and I don't want it regularly spoiled by bad (or nonexistent) service, regardless of whether or not it is because I have a child with me.  I have wasted this time for several weeks in a row at Big Grove and don't plan on doing so again for a long time.  There are plenty of other options in the area.
3 - Douglas H.: Warm popcorn in galvanized micro-buckets greeted us with a wonderful crunch and delightful nibble while our beers arrived, the deviled eggs were a true highlight.  Service was wonderful, and there was an understated elegance and relaxation in the staff and the atmosphere.

Tiny smelt breaded and fried with lemon mayo were a hit; the wonderfully seasoned pork-belly with grits melted like chocolate as it entered my mouth.  

However, the special pork shank and beans seemed a bit of a miss, and the mac and cheese, although quite tasty, was so large and rich and hot that it was difficult to enjoy-maybe it could be a small appetizer, side?  

The chef at Big Grove definitely puts out quality, tasty food that re-imagines the standard Midwestern menu.  I applaud that. However, some of the details were slightly troubling: out of draw item (burger) at 7:00 PM; slight gaffe on menu 'These beers?'; one dish that didn't quite work.

3.5
5 - Ben C.: A welcome addition to downtown Champaign. The menu is unique and changes often. They strive to use locally-sourced ingredients and the wait-staff has been nothing but friendly and helpful. Every dish that I've eaten there has been absolutely melt-in-you-mouth fantastic. Seriously, try the roast chicken. They also offer a selection of house cocktails that are very tasty. Prices are about on par with the other "fancier" restaurants downtown which is to say that you can easily get an entrée and a drink for between $15 and $25. You can certainly spend more and if you try, you can get out for under $10 a head.

The atmosphere feels relaxed and trendy, the decor is pretty awesome, and I have to say that I love their music selection. It's current and recognizable without being overplayed or desperately obscure. Big Grove is high on my list if I feel like having a nice dinner.
2 - Ann B.: I went their for a weekend lunch and was disappointed in the selections available.  For lunch entrees, there were only sandwiches, and I was really trying to avoid bread.  I got a turkey one anyway, and the amount of bread was huge!  The amount of turkey was small.  They served a huge amount of sweet potato chips with it.  The sandwich was good, but not worth it's $11 price tag.  The service was really slow- we waited 20 minutes for a check, and finally had to ask the host for help.  The best thing about the lunch was the mini-popcorn appetizer.

Big House Tanning - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2749916, -83.7358005) (South University Ann Arbor)
4 - Lara E.: At Big House Tanning (BHT) you get what you pay for - a quality tan for an affordable price.

Located on the UofM Campus of Ann Arbor, MI some could say its prices are a little bit more than a "normal" tanning salon. However, BHT is not a normal tanning salon. I have worked in one before and being a former employee of BHT - I will vouch for the following that BHT will deliver:

*A dark quality tan - from what I remember they change their bulbs very regularly, way before the hours are maxed out on them. Also they sell the best lotions from Designer Skin and other top brands.

*Great Equipment - Ergoline sunbeds are some of the best on the market. 5 levels of tanning - more bronzing the higher the level you go. Also as mentioned before quality lotions and eye-wear (even disposable is available for 50 cents).  

*VERY CLEAN - this is the most important factor BHT is a guarantee about.  The owners are very strict about being sparkling clean and sanitary - I spent countless hours and nights cleaning the salon top to bottom each closing shift and during my day shifts. So it a safe and sanitary place to tan. Although I do not work here anymore, I still return here to get a little bit of sunshine and say hi since I trust the environment provided.

This is a family owned business that has recently expanded into other salons in the metro Detroit area. They believe that you reap what you sew, thus they want to bring the quality facility to achieve the best tans. 

They also require the staff go through Smart Tan training and various expos to stay updated on tanning products and safety. 

 I felt I worked in a honest workplace when I was employed there. If you have any complaints or concerns don't be afraid to bring them to BHT's attention, they care about their customers!
4 - Stephanie S.: I have frequented many tanning salons in the Ann Arbor area and Big House Tanning is definitely the best. The prices are fantastic on a student budget and the staff is helpful and informative. I always feel as if I get a good tan whenever I leave the facility. As an avid tanner, I will continue going to Big House Tanning as long as I am in Ann Arbor.
5 - Stephanie J.: BHT is hands down the best tanning salon in Ann Arbor. It's not the cheapest but when it comes to tanning, you usually get what you pay for. The employees are very friendly, the beds are clean, the bulbs are changed regularly, etc. The prices for semester packages and monthly packages are very reasonable. 

I primarily use the Level 4 beds but sometimes treat myself to the Level 5 bed (it's magical) and on rare occasions use a Level 3. BHT beds give me a deep even tan. I recommend this tanning salon to everyone I know.

Big J J Fish & Chicken - Champaign, IL (40.126205, -88.238614) ()
4 - Mike S.: Since moving to Champaign from Chicago, I've really come to miss what I would call the "greasy brown paper bag" restaurants.  A paper bag filled with a mess of fries and sandwich that are so greasy they leak right through, leaving a dark stain on the bag.

When I came into JJ Fish the first time, I felt like I was back at home in Chicago.  The people inside waiting for their food were talkative and friendly, the guy behind the counter was a bit of a jokester with a sly smirk and a warmth to his demeanor.  The air was thick with fried chicken, fish, and grease.

For $2.99, I got a freshly-cooked fish sandwich served up hot with cheese, tartar sauce, and a whole mess of fries.  The food was very tasty, but wasn't anything terribly special outside the context.  Given the price, though, and the fact that I got to have a humorous conversation with the cashier, it made it worth coming back a week later to do the same.  Later, I'd like to give the chicken a shot, since it seems to be what most everyone else in there orders.  They must know something I haven't yet discovered.

A slice of local Chicago culture a hundred miles outside the city limits.
4 - Erin Y.: Been wanting to check this place out 'cuz I miss the fry-up places in Detroit and Chicago.  Big JJ is pretty dang good.  

I got the catfish fillet sammie.  Tasty fish, a tad on the thin side though, covered in a cornmeal batter.  Everything was right about it.  I'd for sure come back when cravings for fried chick'n or fish overwhelm me.

They have a decent list of sides, and since I somehow didn't notice fries came included in sandwich price; ordered the fried okra.  Yum!  Can't go wrong there.  Had enough leftover fries n' okra to share pre-dinner "apps" with some housemates.

Prices here are super reasonable.  It seems mostly a take-out business, as there is very little seating.  It's a tad shabby 'round the edges, as a good you-buy-we-fry shop should be.  Counter guy super nice and friendly.
1 - J. m.: These mutha-suckas! I ordered chicken and it smelled like it had been cooked in Pennzoil. I returned it and shared that they needed to change their oil because it's old. The smurf behind the counter quickly became agitated, and told me it was burnt. I never said it was burnt, I told him it was old and they shouldn't serve carcinogens to the public.

He became furious and started slamming things and told me to get the F@ck out. I remained calm, which wasn't easy and told the manager, his brother, I would be happy to leave once I get my money back.  I also explained that I was going to tell all who would listen about how poorly I was treated and never support this chicken shack again!! 

Please drive past these disrespectful, poultry hooligans and do not support their business,

Big Jim's Restaurant & Bar - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4270451, -79.9496055) (Greenfield)
4 - RONALD W.: A first class neighborhood restaurant and bar. Extensive menu of hoagies, sandwiches, burgers, and some Italian pasta dishes. 

For most folks, I would recommend bringing a friend or love one and sharing an entree and a side. The sandwiches are very big. I had the veal parmigiana sandwich plus fried mushrooms and ended up with half in a carryout container. Other than being huge, my sandwich came in first class crusty, toasty italian bread. Very, very tasty!

Parking behind the restaurant.
5 - scott s.: Awesome place. Small, friendly, super cheap and super big portions. The appetizer eggplant is large enough to serve as a meal, with some left over for tomorrow's lunch.
5 - Randy T.: Was visiting Pitt a while back and everyone said Big Jims was the place to eat. They couldnt have been more right. Big Jims is a place you wouldnt even notice as a restaurant on the outside and I cant even recall any businesses surrounding it. The food is where this place really shines.  I settled on the Veal Parmesan and couldnt believe my eyes when it came to the table, the veal was bigger than my platter!  I couldnt even finish my meal and ended up taking half of it home, great value for the money.     They also make homemade wedding soup thats outta this world!    We woulda dined at Big Jim's our entire time in Pitt but Diners Drive Inn's and Dives happened to be filming while we were there and we couldnt get near the place again, bummer!
4 - Tatyana K.: I first noticed this place on my run, then I came across it in a Pittsburgh traveling guide and finally, some 5 months later, I had an opportunity to visit yesterday. It's in a part of Greenfield called The Run, tucked away from main roads and traffic. Parking is super easy, the neighborhood looks a little sketch but I've ran here at night in the dark and it seems fine.

The restaurant was packed! For this location, I thought it would be pretty empty. Lots of families, relaxing and enjoying their huge dinners. We were seated right away, with people constantly checking up on us, right away we got beer and menus. I'd say we had 3 waiters as all of them made sure everything was great. 

The food is home-style, comfort food - lots of hoagies, sandwiches and pasta, they have their menu online. I ordered a 2-bill sandwich: corned beef, swiss cheese, slaw and a fried egg. It was HUGE and came with more coleslaw. It sounds like they only have 4 beers on tap.

Highlight of my meal - noticing Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives poster on a wall, autographed. I'm not a huge fan of the show but still thought it pretty cool to eat at a place featured on Food Network's show!
4 - Gwen K.: Just had to update this to say that Big Jim's is now smoke free!
4 - Matt K.: I went to this place a few times as a kid and didn't think much of it.  Just a few months back my wife and I were watching "Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives" on Food Network and Big Jim's was featured.  The wife and I decided we would pay a visit on our next trip to Pittsburgh.

We stopped in for lunch and got our eat on.  It's probably not good for you to eat here too often, but it was fun for lunch.  It definitely falls in the "Dives" category of Guy Fieri's show.  My mom and wife split a chicken parm sandwich (photo attached).  My bro-in-law had a meatball hoagie (also photo attached).  I had the Italian hoagie and we also split some fries with sides of cheese and gravy.

Everything was sinfully tasty.  We rolled out the door to the car and went home and napped.
2 - Jenn P.: Um... Am I the only one who is going to say that they had problems with this place???? I didn't get this place at all!!!! Bill and i saw this joint on Triple D with Guy Fieri , and we had to experience it for ourselves. Thats where the problem began. First off, we Had to wait in line at a dive bar in a shady part of town for 30 minutes!!!! Then,  when we finally were seated, we noticed that the dish washer from the back was taking our drink order, (which took forever to get back to us!!! Doesnt anyone know what pete's wicked ale is???? MORONS!!!!) Dont even get me started on the food, which took a over an hour to make and get to our table. The wedding soup was a joke!!! too salty, Ive had better... I dont know... If you like to wait around for your food, then this is the place for you, ( they do have take out, i dont know how long that would take to make though....)  So basically, We spent over 2 hours in this place in which this is time we will never get back. Btw, thanks for wasting our time.... we know better now
4 - Isabella L.: Big Jim's was the first place I hit up on my cross-country trip from Philly to L.A., so I was expecting delicious, gut busting, bad-for-you food in large quantities, and that's what I got :)

I ordered the lasagna. Someone on Yelp said it was big as a head - yeah, they weren't kidding. This lasagna was huge and boy was it good. I give it a 4 out of 5, although I'm not sure if they could do much more to improve it - I think they should add another type of cheese to the top to make it a tad more flavorful, but that's my take.

My husband got the spaghetti and meatballs. The meatballs were not as big as I expected, but their slightly spicy flavor was really awesome. The pasta and garlic bread were just right too. 

All right so the food has me around 5 stars, but why the 4?
Well, I could handle being in a shady part of town and the overall dark, dreary character of the place, cause as Guy said on Triple D it's a Dive - fine. But at these type of places I expect really good service from friendly people. Well, we had 2 servers - one was friendly but really difficult to get over to the table and the other was less likely to come around without being harassed and also seemed annoyed with everyone there.

For the out-of-towners deciding between Big Jim's and something like Primanti Bros, go with Big Jim's - seriously.
5 - October R.: I love Big Jim's! The staff are always personable and the food is always fantastic! Everything is made to order; pizzas, Stromboli, and calzones take about 30 minutes (be patient, it's worth the wait). The portions are gigantic so you 'll be able to take something home for later. 

My boyfriend and I come here often; he is a creature of habit and always orders the 2 bill sandwich (a reuben plus a fried egg), I on the other hand like to switch things up. I've had the gardenburger (they'll ask what you want on it), the alfredo is amazing, eggplant parm is pretty standard but still delicious and a veggie stromboli (I could only eat half and I have a pretty healthy appetite). The french fries are thin and get cold fast so eat 'em first 

There is something for everyone to enjoy, even vegetarians!!
5 - Matt D.: I need to modify my previous review, as we now have one reviewer on here who really doesn't get it... why isn't there an "UNhelpful" or "UNfunny" button on Yelp? 

To clarify: Despite what those from the far, far suburbs and cornfields of the world may think, this is NOT actually a "shady" or dangerous neighborhood in any way. Sure you have to drive past a junkyard, and there is a highway bridge overhead. And yes, you'd probably get some funny looks if you walked into "Chasers" bar across the street with your purse dog. 

This is what (safe and somewhat stable) working-class city neighborhoods look like, and it's great that Pittsburgh, being as employment and real estate-challenged as it has been for so many years, still has them. Unlike many other cities... 

Second: You go to Big Jim's, and you order SOUP?! And your review gets to count as much as mine?! There is no justice in the world... 

Please keep on eating at the Cheesecake Factory (you gave five stars to a freakin' Cracker Barrel!) and leave Big Jim's alone...
3 - Leonard W.: My sister told me about this place while we were driving around exploring Pittsburgh. Obviously it was because of DD&D.So finding the place was kind of hard since I didnt know the roads that well. Once getting here I have to agree that it looks like its in a weird place or at least an old town of the area. Park in the back and go in. Nice interior, very homely feel, and they were showing the world cup which is always nice. So because I've never been here we decide to order a bundle. We order the lasagna, the buffalo chicken wings (full), a reuben sandwich, and onion rings.
The lady was nice and friendly brought out some waters for my sis, cousin, and me. The wait was a while for the food but im sure everythings fresh and not just sitting there waiting.
The wings looked nice, the reuben was big portioned, and my lasagna was out of this world in size. Just looking at it almost gave me acid reflux lol. 
The food was good nonetheless. The truth is I would probably give this place 4 stars but I wasnt too impressed with the taste. The portions were huge, the prices were great, but I just felt something was missing from the taste. Dont get me wrong, this place would be a massive frequent if i lived in the area because of the menu and prices, but from my visit, i would give it 3.5 stars. Once i go back and try some other dishes I would gladly revise my rating.
4 - Joseph S.: This is a great neighborhood restaurant/bar. I went with friends on the recommendation of a Food Network host, and was not disappointed. The food is greasy, delicious, and comes in large portions.

Not to mention, it's cheap. Be prepared to wait, though - it's a popular place!
4 - McCall N.: A friend of mine saw this on Diners, Drive-In's & Dives, so we knew we had to try it.  It's a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, but it's a family favorite.  Don't come here if you're in a hurry, but the food is worth the wait.  Huge portions & fairly cheap.
3 - Mike P.: Pretty mediocre....saw the place on triple D and wanted to try it. Wedding soup was good, chicken parm was huge but not particularly outstanding. Tomato sauce had a strange taste to it. Place is a real dump but has character
4 - Chris H.: Portions are ridiculous, almost too big. All the food was great though.
5 - melissa k.: Food was just awesome; and Scott our host/waiter was the best ever, never an empty drink and great personality. We had the meatballs, pizza and chicken Parm hoagies. We just LOVED being there!
4 - melissa w.: Well. Most of what I have to say has been said. It's in an odd area. While some people thought it was "shady", I really thought nothing of it. It's tucked under a bridge (overpass?) in a fairly residential area. Doesn't look like much from the outside. I went for lunch during a weekday. I was the only one in the place. The decor was pretty plain. Big long bar, some seating in there, and then another room of seating as well. 

My waitress was very very nice. I didn't get her name. The food is so cheap! I ordered an order of the provolone sticks and a half of the chicken parm sandwich (see photo). Now,  I don't know whether it was because I was extremely hungry, but that chicken parm was probably up there with the top 3 chicken parm sandwiches that I've had in my life. They toasted the hoagie, which I think made a real difference. God, I'm getting hungry thinking about it.
3 - Katonah O.: Massive servings, friendly folks. 

First timer. Decent meal all around. I had the Reuben, one of my favorite sandwiches, so I had to try it here. Great big tasty bread (toasted, not grilled), yummy kraut and cheese. But the corned beef .. well, they didn't cook it there. Must have come in with the rest of the cold cuts.  Not the reubens I'm used to.


I will come by for the veal parm, though. There's enough quality to bring me back.
4 - T.C. J.: Great neighborhood, great little divey place, and good food at great prices. I play basketball at the hoops courts down in the Run and often will stop by Big Jim's afterward to get some much needed sustenance. 

The portions are huge and almost everything is good. The last time I was there I got the Reuben and it did not disappoint. Stacked high with meat and good tasting and I think it was only around 8 dollars. 

The service at the bar isn't all that attentive, but by no means is poor. It is exactly what you would expect at a place like this. If you are looking for a fancy night out this surely isn't the place, but it is absolutely perfect for what it is. Cheap food and drinks in huge portions.
4 - Jarrett H.: One of my favorite things I've ever heard Guy Fieri say is "If you're from Pittsburgh, you've heard of 'The Run'". Guy, I had not heard of the run, and I have yet to meet anyone that, prior to going to Big Jim's, has heard of The Run either(Except for my one friend's grandma). However, I'll not forget The Run - a small stretch in Greenfield near the South Side Works involving a baseball field that has housed this place since 1977 - after having come to Big Jim's.

Big Jim's is full of cheap,largely-portioned food that I think is characteristic of this area. Little flair, decent flavor, no funny business. Enter and take your pick of the dining room or the bar area. There may be a wait(I've been here once or twice with a line out the door, mostly during games. Go another time and you're good to sit just about anywhere). The crowd is a good mix - neighbors, locals, Pitt students. The menu is a selection of mostly fried appetizers, sandwiches, hoagies, some Italian specialties, and pizza. 

My favorite item to get here is definitely the veggie hoagie. So simple: Good bread, provalone cheese, brocolli, cauliflower, onions, peppers, carrots, thrown in the oven until the veggies are roasted(Add mayo for me, of course... And sometimes a little ketchup :). This thing tastes amazing, and while I could probably down a full one, I prefer to share it with a side of some kind of appetizer. The spaghetti here is also pretty good, and I've had the eggplant parmesian and it was decent. The entrees will net you garlic bread and spaghetti and a salad, large portions of everything, so don't attempt them alone.

Now all that being said, I do have a few gripes about this place - Number one being that the service is slow. My order usually takes about 20-30 minutes to come back to me, which for a hoagie is kind of crazy in my opinion. The staff is friendly and it's hard to get upset, just don't come here for a 'quick' bite. My other gripe is that while some of the menu is definitely home cookin', other parts of the menu are definitely not, so buyer beware. My girlfriend ordered the applesauce once($1.50) and about 15 minutes later(but well before the rest of our food came) the waitress handed her a generic plastic cup of applesauce, not even opened. I mean come on, at least put the stuff in a dish.

But what are you gonna do. The veggie hoagie is too good to pass up. Just accept the stuff for what it is, and don't try and go on the edge of this place's comfort zone. Stick to what they do best and you won't be disappointed.
4 - John L.: Very cool little corner of town.  It might look a bit sketchy, but was very safe.  Extremely good Reuben and a frosty pint of beer.  Will come here again
1 - Doreen L.: Being from New York, I have been to my fair share of dives, dumps and greasy spoons. Being that I was in the Pittsburgh area, I figured I'd give this hole-in-the-wall a try, especially since Guy Fieri recommended it (although I am starting to doubt his taste because, frankly, all his suggestions have blown thus far). 

We get here and it's confusing from the start. The guy from the back (does he cook the food? wash the dishes?) seats us in the dark bar area. He asks us what we want to drink and tells someone to get us Diet Pepsi (we ordered regular Pepsi). We get the menus and I was tempted to get out a flashlight just to read it. 

In the meantime, a waitress comes over and asks us what we want to drink. We tell her Pepsi. She walks off. Someone else comes over and puts down two Pepsi glasses. Then she walks over with two more. Looks like there is no communication here - or light fixtures.

Looking at the expansive menu, we decide to check Yelp on our phones for other reviewer's suggestions before ordering. We've done it before and it's worked. Unfortunately, this gets us a rude comment from a guy who is now our server (yep, we have now had three people "serve" us). He snaps at us, asking if we're texting or if we're ready. Well, excuse me, Mr. Sassy Pants. I was actually looking for what to order in this dump, if you don't mind. Not wanting to ruin what is supposed to be a fun experience, we politely order our meals. I get the chicken sandwich, he gets the roast beef au jus.

A whole HALF HOUR later, our magical sandwich creations come out from the kitchen. One look at these things, and you'd ask yourself, What the hell took so damn long? My sandwich was the most uninspired thing I've seen in a long time. It was a big slab of chicken breast thrown in between a hamburger bun, with an un-melted slice of American cheese, uncooked green peppers and a spoonful of grilled onions. Half of it tasted like chicken -- the other half tasted burnt and like an old oven. His sandwich was no better - but it came with burnt, hard and cold french fries that a dog would sneer its nose at. 

Needless to say, the food was terrible. I don't care about the "large portions" and "everything is made on the premises" bullsh** - this food is barely edible. Like I said, I get that this place has "character" and it's dirty on purpose which adds to its charm but I'm sorry, you aren't winning me over on that load of horse apples. Take your character and shove it where the sun don't shine - which just so happens to be the dark dining room at Big Jim's.
5 - Alex W.: I love Big Jim's! It's very cheap, the portions are massive, and the food (wedding soup, open faced turkey sandwich, and fish sandwich) is fantastic. The service is not fast or overly warm, but so what. Order another beer and enjoy your company and the great food.
3 - Allen B.: I saw this on triple D so I had to try it. The food is okay and the place is kinda a dive. Not the kind of place you'd want to bring a date. I would probably come back but there are plenty of other places in Pittsburgh that I prefer.
3 - Jackie T.: Price: can't beat it - we had a huge feast for 3 for less than $50.
Service: friendly but slow. 
Italian wedding soup: good but I hardly had any meatballs in my cup. 
Pizza: only thing good about it was the sauce.
Fries with gravy: one of my favorite apps that we tried.
Jumbo wings: the hot ones are made with red hot and butter which is always good. Lots of meat on them too.
Chicken parmesan sandwich: one of the best I've had anywhere. Very moist chicken.
Fish sandwich: okay but not my favorite.

Overall, I'd give this place 3 stars but would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a cheap night out with decent food (or great food if you order the chicken parm sandwich).
5 - Pat M.: Best veal Parm going
3 - Kay H.: The only reason I want to try this little dive tucked away on a barely lit street was because my dear dad saw it listed in one of his cooking magazines since it had been featured on DDD (you know the show I mean). I wish I knew what Guy recommended so I could decided what to try from the massive selection! I am not a burger person, but the hot pot roast and fries with gravy sounded pretty good to me! When I saw the gigantic plate coming from the kitchen I knew right away I couldn't finish it. For the price, the portion size alone is a value!

I did also order Wedding soup. Something I never even heard of before moving to Pittsburgh, The soup itself was very delicious. Not bland and with few meatballs (which is FINE with me!). At least I didn't have to ask for the Parmesan cheese, the server brought it out with the soup.

My meal itself was just okay. The bread was kind of tough and hard to cut. The beef didn't have much flavor, but the gravy helped this. The fries, sadly, tasted like the oil they were cooked in needed changed badly. At first I though maybe it was just that there was still skin left on the potatoes, but Darren pointed out the oil problem.

Another comment, WHAT IS WITH THIS AREA AND CURT SERVERS??? If you aren't from Pittsburgh I think you'll be shocked at the rudeness. Darren seems used to it (swearing that "they aren't being rude")...and if this is what you get used to here, I am heartbroken. Is friendly service too much to ask for?

If I decide to come back, I will try a different sandwich.
4 - Annie Q.: I love the calzones and that seems to be the best thing on the menu. The spicy meat  Calzone might be the best folded pizza I've ever had. Portions are Huge.  WE did see a pasta being ordered once- HUGE HUGE HUGE.  

The only other thing worth a visit for is the new breakfast. It is a grease heaven.  The potatoes are kicking but huge in number. Pancakes put the word cake back in the equation. It feels really good after a drinking night and I recommend it. 

But go for the calzones. They are HUGE- imagine large pizza folded for maybe 8 bucks or something amazing.  Feeds 3-4 EASILY.  I barely barely can eat a fourth, and i love my food (know what I mean).  Owners really nice to.  Overall, solid Greenfield place.
5 - Ed B.: I saw Big Jim's on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Went there when in Pittsburgh with my son visiting Pitt, had a great lunch. 
My son went to Pitt and I have been back several times. The food is very good, large servings and reasonably priced. This place will surprise you. It is off the beaten path. You have to be looking for it because it is below the highway in a neighborhood that leads nowhere to my knowledge. It is unattractive at best but the service is good, food is very good, fresh, plentiful and very reasonable. If you like good food, funky places and you are not a snob stop in and give it a try.
4 - Ryan P.: I went here expecting the worst, and was pleasantly surprised - the place is funky. Expect huge portions of cheap, fairly good although on the greasy side... food. Bring your apetite! The calzone is big enough to feed four for dinner, easily. Salad was okay, and the salmon sandwich was better than expected (but not great). Next time I crave some hearty food, I'll probably come back and get a pizza or calzone.
3 - Mamatika K.: Mixed emotions here... Saw the episode on DDD's.  Got there about 6:00 on a Saturday night.  Went inside to give our name and it was chaotic.  I asked a server if we could put our name in & she said we had to give it to some guy- wht?  I am not a local and didn't know what she was talking about.  Finally put our name in.  We had about 30 minute wait and there really wasn't anywhere to wait- it was cold outside.  People were coming & going and we were in everyone's way.  

My daughter & I ordered a reuben to share.  My other daughter opted for the veggie calzone. Service was crazy slow & the waitress warned us that the calzone would take 30 minutes.  We agreed... 65 minutes later she told us it was almost ready.  I was annoyed and she got defensive.  She said, "I told you it would take 30 minutes". I replied with, "yes, but not over an hour!".  She didn't care.  

The calzone was enough for 4 people.  The reuben would have been ok for one person so there portions didn't seem consistent.

If in the area, I would give it another try.
4 - Robert S.: Great bar food in gigantic portions. I've always been partial to the roast beef sandwiches with fries and gravy even though my doctor would probably frown upon me eating it. I never knew it was on Diners, drive-ins and dives but that doesn't surprise me. Big Jim's is a look at how good and how unique the City of Pittsburgh used to be.
4 - Faith A.: I had first heard about Big Jim's from my brother because he had seen it on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (this is pathetic as I live so incredibly close to it).  We then saw it on triple D and were intrigued so after finally make plans to go, we just did so tonight.  Despite the dive-y appearance, I have to say there is nothing about Big Jim's that I did not love.  

We were promptly greeted by a server, sat in the bar area (where less minors seem to dine so that makes it more enjoyable for adults without children), and were greeted with waters and asked if we had any questions.  So far so good.  On the menu for us tonight was Provolone sticks, wedding soup, Chicken Parm dinner, and Chicken Parm hoagie.  Holy cow was it a ton of food!!!!  The wedding soup was good (no noodles though), the italian dressing on the house salad that came with the Chix parm dinner was AMAZING.  Seriously some of the best dressing I have ever had.  My husband enjoyed the sticks and the hoagie as well.  A++++++!  For $31 and some change (that included an alcoholic beverage as well), you cannot go wrong here.  The chix parm dinner will easily be another meal for one of us as well.

Not the classiest looking of places but if you are the type of person who appreciates good food in a laid back environment, you will love Big Jim's :)
4 - Amber H.: I've been here a couple times and like it --- it's comfortable in a yinzer way. The walls have dark paneling, the food is unpretentious, the portions are huge, the bill is low - and the service is pleasant but not overly chatty/fake.  

My favorites on the menu are chicken parm and pizza. The chicken parm is huge (2-3 meals on a plate, basically). The chicken isn't pounded too thin, which is key because they do put a decent amount of "crust" on the chicken (which I happen to like because mmm FRIED BATTER) and the pasta isn't overcooked. Pizza isn't thin crust -- but it's not pan thick either. I love it for that reason. It holds up to the tons of cheese (that actually melts into goo without being a gummy mess). The pasta and pizza sauces are good -- on the sweeter side, but not overly so. Husband likes the turkey club - it has a ton of thick sliced turkey breast. 

I'm mainly taking a star off because I don't like their fries, which are homemade shoe string. I am kind of picky when it comes to fries -- so, maybe I am being too critical. I just found them to be kind of mushy and weak. Maybe I just got a bad batch? I dunno, after having them once, I never ordered them again. 

The neighborhood is just fine. Unless working class neighborhoods and urban infrastructure scares you. I think it reads as sketchy  to some people because it's tiny, nothing is fancy, and the businesses aren't all clustered together. The Run looks like a small working class town.
4 - Will H.: With so many new semi-pretentious restaurants opening in Pittsburgh, it's nice that we finally discovered Big Jim's, making it "new" to us! It took me nearly six years of living in PIttsburgh, but I may have finally found that go-to, no-frills Italian restaurant that suits our laid back attitudes and selective palates.

I've ran, biked, and driven past Big Jims over and over throughout the years, but never even realized it was there. It's so unassuming and dive-y, that it's easy to miss, but stopping in is definitely worth your time.

We've ordered takeout a few times and eaten in a few times already, and it's never really disappointed. The staff has always been really attentive and nice when dining in, and takeout has always satisfied...even when they gave me the wrong hoagie once, it was delicious enough to forgive them.

Their chicken parm hoagies and dinner are both excellent, and the dinner is big enough to eat family-style. Good luck finding food in those portions, with that flavor, for under $11 somewhere else. The housemade Italian dressing is phenomenal, and should seriously be bottled and sold. We've only tried the white pizza so far, but it was delicious. I've had the Italian hoagie and cheese steak hoagie, as well. Both were good...although I used their Italian dressing on the Italian hoagie, which almost isn't fair, since that stuff could make anything amazing.

If you're looking for a place to get a good hoagie, pizza, or simple Italian meal that's so reasonably-priced you feel like you're ripping Big Jim off, this is the place.
4 - William M.: If you're looking for good, old-fashioned Italian 'food' served in heaping mounds for a reasonable price - Big Jim's should be THE place to go.

I first learned of Big Jim's many, many years ago, when a friend introduced me to this hidden gem.  Some changes have been made since that era, but nothing for the worse.  They used to be a very closed-in smoking establishment, but the new laws have stopped that, and the result is that you can eat without watching the nicotine drip from the walls.  I'm a smoker, but the atmosphere used to be even too thick for me to fully enjoy.  But even then, the food made it worth the trip.

Big Jim's is a divey bar/restaurant tucked into a hidden corner of Greenfield that they call 'the run'. It is by far, nothing fancy. Wood paneled walls, framed tacky prints bearing scenes of Italy occasionally, or scenes of the burgh. Truly, nothing to look at.

TVs dot the rooms, usually playing local news, or of course, da game - whichever one happens to be playing. 

The service can be hit or miss - we're not talking high end customer service here. You may get an attitude from someone who looks like a mobile home park escapee, or you might get just efficient cordial service from someone who looks like a college student that Starbuck's wouldn't hire.  But really, that's not even important in this setting.

The gold mine that Big Jim's offers is very good food in jumbo portions, and at a truly reasonable price.  I've taken several out of towners to Big Jim's and rarely have they not gone home with leftovers in a take out box.

The pasta dishes are tasty and large, and most meals come with a side salad, or other side of your choice. Order something like lasagna or chicken or eggplant parmigiana, and you're either a Hoover in disguise, or you're taking some home.

The last time I visited, I saw a VERY large man in a Pitt sports outfit at the next table order a calzone.  It took a while to arrive, but when it did, the man's eyes nearly bugged out.  And he was a BIG football player type. The calzone truly looked like a large pizza folded in half. This ginormous sports machine - took half home. 

The appetizers are good. I recommend the fried zucchini planks, but everything I've had has been plentiful and tasty. I've eaten the lasagna (took half home) chicken parmigiana (took half home), eggplant parmigiana (took half home), the linguini with white clam sauce (ok, ate all of that), hot sandwiches, and more, and I've never been unfulfilled or disappointed.  They have gnocchi in a red sauce (I swear they used to have it in a creamy cheese sauce, but that seems to have disappeared from the menu - shame too, it was yum), and even have things for the non-Italian people, like cheesesteak sandwiches, open faced roast beef and  fries smothered with gravy.

Once again I say - I am NOT a 'foodie'.  I like FOOD.  And Big Jim's is a place that can fill you up and not rip you off.

Two enormous entrees usually coming with a side, a soda, an appetizer or two, and a meal for the next day's lunch - the bill usually comes to just under $30.

It's a hidden gem - so get out your mapquest or GPS - and find it!
4 - Elena C.: What a hole in the wall! But who cares? The food is delicious. :) We started off with house salads. The dressing was awesome but I handed my olives over to T who gladly accepted. For my meal I had the chicken parm. The plate was the size of my body. Not my head, my body. Delicious. Covered in gooey cheese and piping hot, rich red sauce. Yum. The pasta was less impressive and the reason for the missing star above. Bland bland bland. Just needed to add a little salt to the cooking water and all would have been well. But no matter. I concentrated on the chicken and left stuffed. I would definitely go back to try other offerings. The sandwiches were obscenely large but looked awesome.
4 - Bernard S.: There are a million places that serve food like this in Pittsburgh. The thing that sets Big Jim's apart is that it tastes reeeeeeel good and they give you ALOT of food.  One thing food places similar to Big Jim's does to offset the mediocre food is the portion, in the run the food tastes better and the portions set the bar again. 

The calzone is a large supreme pizza folded in half. It typically takes me 3 meals to complete it. The Reuben is solid, big thick and flavorful as the toppings overflow the sides of the marble rye bread. The burgers, I feel are a little lacking, but they offer a black bean burger. The eggplant parm appetizer is easily a filling meal for one person.
4 - Jason F.: I ate here this past Friday with my girlfriend for dinner.  We decided to come here after randomly seeing it featured on a repeat of Guy Fieri's Diners Drive-Ins And Dives earlier in the week.  The outside is not too much to look at but the inside is comfortable.  Appropriately we were seated right underneath a Guy Fieri poster that proclaimed that the Veal Parmigiana "as big as yer head".  As you would expect with food that large it seemed that everyone that was leaving the restaurant had a to-go box.

We knew from the episode that they make their wedding soup from scratch daily and so started off with a cup of that.  It had a good taste to it and had much more chicken flavor than most wedding soups that I have had in the past.  The escarole as a green was also pretty nice.  For my entree I decided on having the Veal Parmigiana sandwich as I wanted to see how big it actually was while my girlfriend decided upon the lasagna.  Both portions were quite large with the sandwich being as large as advertised and I have a picture to prove it!  It actually ended up being so big that I could not possibly fit my mouth around it.  So I ended up taking off the top which essentially made it into two open faced sandwiches.  The bread was crispy while the veal was fried nicely and the sauce and cheese complimented the rest nicely.  My only complaint with it is that it was a bit dry and I think that some more sauce could have been helpful with that.  Even so, the half of the sandwich that I ate tasted good.  My girlfriends lasagna also seemed to be a super sized portion as it filled up her whole plate.  It had a lot of ricotta cheese in it which helped to give it an overall flavor that I enjoyed.  Like almost everyone else that I saw, we ended up leaving with some to-go boxes as I still had half of my sandwich left and my girlfriend half of her lasagna.

The bottom line for me is that I would definitely head back here again in the future.  It was a cool little place in which you definitely get a huge portion size for your money and the food is pretty good too!
5 - Kara L.: This place is amazing! Every single time I come here I am never disappointed. Not only do you get what you pay for, plus more, it is really good food! The menu may seem like any other place with the items listed, but they bring something special to the table every time. The area is a little weird & parking isn't ideal, but with the service / food, I don't mind a bit!
5 - Chuck B.: My wife and I are Triple D junkies so we try to find places wherever we travel that Guy has been to.  Last night we tried Big Jim's. She had the Chicken Parm sandwich and I had the Gnocchi. Both were fabulous. Obviously, the sandwich was way to big for one sitting snowed took the rest for a late night snack.
5 - Amanda E.: I love Big Jim's. It's honestly my favorite place to eat in Pittsburgh. The portions are huge, the food is delicious and the price is good! I've had the lasagna several times and it has never disappointed. Seriously  the portion is huge! The servers are always friendly and attentive, I've never had a bad experience at this restaurant.
4 - Ed C.: Had the reuben, which was good and big enough for two. Will try the veal parmagian sandwich next time.
3 - Daniel C.: Yes, the portions are gigantic..the calzone one of my party ordered was about the size of a Ford Pinto. This is a wonderful, gritty place, that is oozing with character. The food is more than decent, and our waitress was a sweetheart.  The prices are very reasonable. Be sure to check out the condom dispenser in the men's room for a very funny inscription a patron has written on it.
1 - Ian V.: Went to Big Jim cause Guy went there before and there is not too much individual diner on yelp close by. Ok, the let's go, have a average expectation, Guy's recommendation bottom line is edible and sometimes have surprise, but not this time.

Atmosphere is good like an average diner but places is not clean, carpet smells  and  table is sticky, that's ok, food should be good.

Me and my wife order the Steak Hoagie, comes with salad and the Spaghetti and meat sauce with 2 meat ball extra.

Salad came first, it is a mix wit shredded iceberg lettuce, grape style tiny tomato, some purple cabbage with home salad dressing. Lettuce is DARK, BAD and MUSSY, since I was on vacation, I worry I had stomach ache so I skip it.

The Steak Hoagie for five buck I give a 2 thumbs up, bread is soft, hot and toast on spot, although the mayo on the sandwich is quite a bit, the outcome balance the steak with fresh sliced tomato, some shredded iceberg lettuce. 

then question coming, how come the salad iceberg lettuce are so sucks, pls prepare as per order instead, it is not a fast food joint

Last and I never come back is the meat ball the Spaghetti and meat sauce, I don't know how to describe how could it be like this, I am pretty sure Guy's taste bud is excellent, no doubt !!! but this is too much and hit my bottom line for food, spaghetti is ok, not too soggy, just a little more watery, About the meat sauce is ok but taste like can sauce and fresh tomato and shredded meat mix together, still ok, edible, I will give a pass BUT THE MEAT BALL, OMG, taste like....1) it is mussy, pretty bland 2) it taste weird, then I try to smells, it ...OMG, I threw all of them on the plate, it smells like shit....it either over cook or something wrong.

At the end of today, I did went to washroom 2 times.....I am pretty sure I will not come back.

Big Johns Mattress Factory - Cambridge, MA (42.3646087, -71.0795139) (East Cambridge, Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - Michelle D.: This store is another hidden gem in East Cambridge.  They custom make mattresses and their prices are NOT higher than the large chain stores.  They deliver and set up, too.

There is no pressure to buy and everyone is down to earth.

Help out the little guy, go to Big John's!  ;-)
1 - barbara h.: I called the number for Big John's and it is not in service. I don't think the company is still in business.

Big Lots - Troy, NY (42.739482, -73.6791045) ()
4 - Ian W.: Great place to shop! This Big Lots (located in the Troy Plaza) was formerly Ames and Barkers (back in the day), a perfect fit for this area. They have a great selection of deeply discounted special purchase and closeout merchandise including houseware items, accessories, hardware, paper goods, greeting cards, food, electronics, toys, clothing, health & beauty, decorations, plantings, lawn & garden, rugs, FURNITURE (comfy living room sets and mattresses), CLOSEOUTS, and much more. Got some picture frames for $8 and some cheap DVDs for $3 each. I even had the chance to take a short rest break on a very comfortable leather armchair in back. Zzzzzzzz Wake up Ian, more discounts ahead!
4 - Lai-Yee B.: Oh Big Lots, I've grown to love you. Short story - it's fun, check it out. 

You offer some random crap I never knew I needed, but instantly wanted. Some stuff is a crapshoot, but you can sometimes find some quality closeout items.

You are a good store to buy stuff for someone moving into their 1st apartment. Cheap housewares and home goods.
You are a really fun spot to shop for food at. I never really know what's going to be on your shelves: high quality jams? really shitty processed canned meat? chicken broth? It's always a surprise. However, I like your snacky chips section. Usually something crunchy, salty, and satisfying to grab for a party. Or just for the hell of it. There was a period of time where they were selling Rap Snacks potato chips!! And they were good! Like, really good.

My husband is, no joke, a huge lover of Big Lots. This one time we were in Florida, FLORIDA, driving around looking for a place to buy sunglasses (because we were awesome and didn't think to bring any to the SUNSHINE STATE). I swear, they've put a Big Lots homing device in him, because after a few turns he managed to find the one Big Lots in goodness knows how many miles. AND IT WAS AWESOME - discount mortar and pestle sets. I would have bought one but likely would have killed someone with it falling out of my luggage on the flight home. That sucker was HEAVY.

Oh, and they've got this Big Lots Rewards club thing, where you rack up credit with purchases to get money off in the future... you know, like most other places with club cards. But it's kind of a hassle to set up, especially if there's a line, and my BL lovin' husband has tried setting one up at least twice and it never 'sticks' in the system, so just don't bother with it.
4 - Don H.: I love the big lots in Troy. The workers there are very cordial and the products they have cover a wide range. From food to mattress toppers. 

The 30 day money back return policy is nice too.

Big Lots - Greenbelt, MD (38.9981748317529, -76.9073116779327) ()
5 - Janine G.: This place is huge, organized and carries everything you would expect and more!
5 - Toya J.: This place has been around for at least 2 years or so and I have never really thought to go in here. I guess because I have such an undying loyalty to that spot donning the red and white bull's eye. My mother and I go to discount stores as a way to bond. We have had our disagreements, our ups and downs, but put us in someones discount mart or a thrift store and watch the tension melt away as  we start yelling from across the aisles, double checking prices, and squealing with delight over savings. 

Five dollars at BL will get you: 12 rolls of toilette paper (fairly soft 2 ply), a huge bottle of medium grade olive oil, 2 boxes of jumbo Kashi cereal, thermal underwear (a top or bottom), a 5 flavor variety pack of  mini coffee syrups, and much more! You got little ones in your family? The toys (all brand name) are marked down 50%, starting as low as $6. I was impressed because, these items aren't all scuffed up or irregular like I've seen elsewhere. They have some furniture pieces, holiday ornaments, a plethora of cleaning supplies; basically EVERYTHING you would  secretly want and pass by until you see that it's actually affordable! For instance, if you have a good eye, you could easily come in here and get  Christmas decorations to pimp your tree out to look like it came from some major department store, for a quarter of the price.

The funny part was witnessing the employees checking out, getting their items extra discounted. They were nodding, clapping, and slapping high fives over those deals.

I'm picky. Quality, style, and presentation are very important to me. Although I would not go in here looking for clothes, there are so many essentials you can save on, that really do wonders for a fluctuating budget. Everyday is Black Friday at Big Lots!

Now who was I mad at? What was I complaining about? Moms and I walked out laughing and talking about what we wanted to get next time and who was going to cook what for Christmas. THIS PLACE IS PURE THERAPY.  

Discovery: If I'm pissed at a love one, we'll talk it over for about 10 minutes and then head on over to Big Lots!

Big Love Show - Stanford, CA (37.429764, -122.1666504) ()
5 - Nizaria D.: A Monday afternoon institution, 3pm -6pm every week rain or shine.

Longest standing pure house and electronic radio show in the Bay Area (90.1 KZSU Stanford University radio station).  Excellent local and international guest djs, killer interviews, generous giveaways... Jack and Miss Piggy always keep it fresh and funky.  My week just doesn't go right if I miss this show.
5 - Cheri R.: Jack makes my Monday afternoon drives from work oh-so-nice. I love the Big Love Show, and I love KZSU for keeping local and underground dance music on the air.

Big Mouth's - Champaign, IL (40.1102897, -88.2324709) ()
3 - J. B.: With bright orange walls - the place looks like Kam's. OK - don't get turned off yet. Since it's open late night - you can go there after Kam's. Wait, why are even you at Kam's?

The food is actually good and inspired by some of the top Chicago dog joints. In honor of the Weiner Circle in Chicago, Big Mouth uses fresh melted cheddar cheese for your fries, beef or burgers. Similar to Hot Doug's in Chicago, BM names their combo meals after relatively famous Big Mouths. And just like Superdawg, BM serves up their Chicago Style Dogs with neon green relish. 

I'm still not sure what I think about fried Twinkies dipped in chocolate.  It looks the same as how it'll exit your body at the end of the day. Yum!
2 - Anne W.: I unfortunately was unimpressed with this place.  I am from Chicago and have never heard of this place.. but wanted to give it a try.

They replaced the tables (of Sushi County) to picnic benches.  Picnic benches indoors?  Well.. if they worked on the rest of the decor to match it.. maybe it'd work.

Moving on to the food.  The cheese for the cheese fries was DISGUSTING.  It was almost like they got that cheese whiz crap and charged me $2.  I would never order that again.  The hot dog I had was okay.. like it tasted okay.  But it wasn't huge.. so I'm not sure if I'd go here for lunch again.  I guess I could have gotten a double but.. it needs to work on their wow factor.  Otherwise they'll end up getting only first time customers... especially since Wonderdogs is way closer to campus.
1 - Kwoky L.: I was never a fan of Chicago style dogs and never thought of patronizing this place. But I happened to stop by after Legend's and had a Polish sausage there. It was just okay but it was a little burnt. Their fries is also a little too greasy for me. Seriously, don't expect great food at this place. But it's okay if you're looking for some grub after a few drinks at the bars.
3 - Deanna C.: Is it just me or is the guy who works there an ass?  I don't know if he's trying to pull a Billy Goat's type of act, but instead of being funny, he just pisses me off.

Other than that though, it's a good place to stop by after a night at the bars as it's right smack dab in the middle of Green Street and fulfills your alcohol induced craving for artery clogging grease.

I wouldn't stop by for food during the day as there are many more healthful choices around Champaign.  It appears that everyone else agrees since Big Mouth's is almost always completely empty during the day.

You get some good deals, and the food isn't too bad, but I still wish it hadn't replaced Sushi County.
2 - Daniel A.: Price:  Great.
Food:  "You get what you pay for."

This place sports some pretty cheap food, allowing you to get a full meal for under $5, but it's too bad that the food here just isn't that great.  The hot dogs taste kind of weird (when don't they, though?) and their Italian sausages are only so-so compared to what I can get elsewhere.  The chicken strips are probably the best thing that I've eaten here, but that isn't saying too much.  Fries are available with pretty much every order, but unfortunately, they taste horrible.  They lack crispiness and don't make up for it in potato.  If you have a few, you'll know what I mean.
2 - Geoff B.: A decent hot dog joint. a meal with 2 hot dogs and fries is 5 bucks. Atmosphere is almost nonexistent. The hot dogs were good, the fries weren't bad. I will probably  not go back.
4 - Dan T.: Big Mouth's is a Chicago-Style hot dog joint. If you're not familiar, in Chicago you don't go to Gene and Jude's or even Portillo's for the "atmosphere." Big Mouth's delivers just what they advertise, Chicago style hot dogs and assorted other grilled animals. The hot dogs are 2 for $5 and come with fresh-cut fries, a good deal in my book.

The hot dogs are made correctly - Vienna Beef (complete with obligatory "snap"), poppy seed bun, sport pepper, celery salt, grilled onions (?), and THANKFULLY - the neon-green relish. A gripe of mine is that they will graciously put Ketchup on a "Chicago Style Hot Dog," but that's the only caveat. The fries are pretty decent, but if you get them delivered, they may need extra salt.

I guess if you have little creativity you could call this "drunk food," as it is greasy, but in reality it's a good place to get some comfort food for cheap, a good change from the 10,000 Asian restaurants on Green Street.
5 - Boris S.: My Big Mouth Picks:

Chicken sandwich Lettuce Mayo Tomato with fries + 1 order of cheese fries

Grill Char Dog with fries--Grilled onions, mustard, totmato

American Cheese- Cheeseburger Lettuce Mayo Tomato

Italian Ice is pretty good too!
2 - Ginny L.: No.

That wasn't directed at anyone in particular. I just don't like this place. The hot dogs are fine, nothing special. The deep fried twinkie is... well, it's disgusting, but that's not really a shock, right?

My issue is this. I'm not one to pile toppings on my burgers, but cheese is a must, so I ordered the cheddar burger thinking it was a burger with cheese on it. Not a huge leap to make. The burger came with not a slice of cheese but an enormous amount of the worst fake cheese sauce I have ever tasted. 

In conclusion: ...There isn't anything that they have I find specifically worth coming HERE for. You can find a better cheeseburger anywhere and a better hot dog most places.
3 - Alex G.: While UIUC seems to have plenty of chinese take out joints and pizzerias along Green Street, there is a surprisingly small concentration of restaurants that specialize in true Chicago-style hot dogs.

Sadly though, the Hot Dogs are just ok. While the hot dog itself was a typical vienna beef sausage that I am used to, the condiments were second rate. Especially the onions, which are grilled rather than raw. Maybe it's just a personal preference, but eating a hot dog with grilled onions just isn't the same.

The fresh cut french fries, however, were outstanding, and thankfully they come free with everything, making this place a good pick if you are looking for an incredibly cheap meal.
2 - Ashley R.: I've been here a few times and probably won't go back. The food is just...okay. Nothing special. They tout having the best burger in C-U, but I can't see who would give them that award. Maybe the problem is I've never had a hot dog here?
4 - Shelly A.: Y'know, when I first moved into my college apartment, I thought it'd be a little weird to be sharing the building with a hot dog joint. However, several weeks into it..."weird" wasn't the way to describe it..."delicious" was much more fitting. Literally, Big Mouth's was my neighbor throughout college. We have so many great memories here...coming home after going out the bars...or "calling ahead" because we thought we were too cool to wait there for our food...and scarfing down on those not-too-burnt-but-just-perfect fries. 

Wait, before I continue, I can't forget to make an important point. I don't eat hot dogs or burgers...so why do I love this place so much? Their veggie burgers are impeccable. Now, before you order one, make sure you ask them if they are "in stock." I know, its weird. But a couple times, I'd place my order only to have them call back a few minutes later and say they are out. This happened more times than it should have, but when they did have them in, man, they were worth it. I hear the hot dogs are mediocre and the burgers are good, but not great, but the veggie burger and fries combo did the trick for me every time. If you are a vegetarian or maybe just feel like being adventurous and trying something new, check it out. It's definitely worth a visit!
3 - Raghav C.: I frequent this restaurant quite a bit, mostly for a good cheap chicago style hot dog (char or hot dog with a huge serving of fries is $3 flat*). They have about 4-5 kinds of dogs including italian sausage, Chicago's Maxwell Street Polish and couple others. 

This place also claims to hv the 'voted #1 burger on campus'. I'm not sure abt the credibility of this claim as I dont know the source nor have I tried the burgers here.

Good for anytime of the day food, pretty popular for after bar late night food. They do make the chicago style hot dog by the book for the most part. 5on5 out for that.

*Fries - below average fries IMHO. Greasy, limp, not enough salt - its like eating oily potatoes. However, this maybe because they make them fresh in-house and not those packaged fries. This was the only reason i gave it 3stars instead of 4.
4 - Victoria J.: I love this place for a good hot dog and fries!  I've been here maybe 8 times, and I always leave happy.  Maybe it's not conventional to put grilled onions on a hot dog...but I think it makes them so tasty!  

I can't comment on the rest of their menu, because I always get a char dog with everything.  But Mmmm is it good. And as others have pointed out, it's only $3 (including tax)!

Surprised at the negative comments about the fries because mine have always come out really well!
5 - B B.: The fries are awesome!!!  And after a night of drinking it's great to have a place that you can walk to to grab something quick.
3 - Ken S.: Great food, but a little pricey. They use cheese paste on their burgers, which I'm not a fan of. They have great dogs, chicken, and sides though. Definitely worth stopping in if you're walking by, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it.
3 - Matthew M.: Big Mouth's... the Vienna Beef hot-dog place south of Chicago.  Okay first and foremost we need to remind ourselves we are not in Chicago, so with that in mind the food is just pretty good.  

It's the only place on campus for dogs and burgers.  It is very greasy and filling, but honestly that's what I expect from burger joint.  

As a resident fat-ass I generally get the burger-dog combo with everything on it (everything that's free of course :) )  When you ask for a cheddar burger, yes it is not a slice of cheese but rather their cheese sauce.  The first time I ordered it I was definitely surprised but I've come to embrace it as their little thing.  Overall, it's pretty good.

The hot dog is nothing impressive.  If you're craving a Chi-town dog, it does the trick but don't expect anything special.  The fresh-cut fries are alright, though don't compare to that of Penn Station.  They're fresh out of the fryer, but somehow most come out limp.  However I've come to really enjoy their cheese sauce as a dipping sauce for these fries.  It is not the usual nacho cheese sauce consistency most people are used to, but I think it's nice to know it's made fresh and it's what sets Big Mouth's apart from everyone else.  

I have tried the fried twinkie: you have to try it, but you don't have to do it again.  Because the twinkie is so spongy, it sops up the oil its fried in and it can be pretty nasty.  Nonetheless it's the experience that counts, and it's not too bad.

Dine-in is better than delivery.  Get delivery... you'll get cold Big Mouth's.  They're not very fast in the restaurant either.  I once waited 15-20 minutes for my meal while no one was there.

Needless to say I wouldn't tell you not to go, but I'm not promising you the best experience of your life.
4 - Tristan R.: Man, Big Mouth's is a great place for a quick hotdog/burger lunch! The decor of the place is okay and they have wooden park benches which is a nice break from the standard setup of most places on Green St. I got the char polish sausage with the sports peppers (they were nice and hot), onions, and mustard. Very tasty and a decent size for about $5.50. The fries were quite good. Freshly cut and seasoned. They are like Murphy's fries but bigger and better so it's another leg up for Big Mouths. 

A couple of other comments: This is slightly farther than the rival Hot Dog Stand but I think the quality of food is better and maybe a higher price. I wish the decor was a little better but the price and food makes up for it. One peeve is that they use Styrofoam cups for drinks which is something I wish they would fix. This place really deserves a 3.5 but I will give it a 4 because I enjoy it a lot.
1 - EchoCharles S.: closed closed closed

Big Nazo - Providence, RI (41.8234931, -71.4125852) (DownCity)
4 - Justin C.: I really don't have a clue what this place does, sells, makes or whatever. From what I gather on the note in the window they are some sort of performance group, maybe?

But who cares...their window display thing kicks ass! Sorry the pictures aren't better, but it was midday on a sunny day and it's taken with my phone. I'll try to make it back at some point in the afternoon with the Canon before I leave town.

If these guys actually do a show I want to see it! Also, I want one of those walrus man costumes with the crazy whiskers...just sayin.
5 - Jamie B.: Wow Kristen, I have no idea what you saw but Nazo's brighten my day!

I have never once said. Oh that show was lame.  I have seen them perform along side a rogue marching band.  I have seen them as their own band.  I have seen them run interactive storytelling with kids in the park (and I ended up in costume during it) I have seen them delight people up and down the streets of Providence more times than I can recount.

Not only are their performances awesome, if you ever walk by and the door is open... Pop your head in and they will gladly show you what they are working on.  Let you try on a mask, squeeze a claw, and let you in on the process.

I am so bummed there is a negative review of what I consider to be one of the coolest things in Providence.
4 - Michelle C.: Passed by this place while on my way to the Biltmore and was like "what the hell is this place!?" So when I was done at the Biltmore (a baby shower, not a trick, get your mind out of the gutter), I went back to take a closer look. The window display is really cool and incredibly interesting as you can see by the pictures. 
Of course I yelped them when I got home and then did some research....they're going to be performing in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver! Excited to see them perform!

Big Planet Comics - College Park, MD (38.980225, -76.937709) ()
4 - Josh S.: What once was Liberty Comics, is now Big Planet. No idea on the back-story of the change. Liberty used to be owned by a pretty big Libertarian, I think.

Doesn't matter, as this place has always been a great stop. I picked up everything from a volume of War Stories to the graphic novel Laika. They even had Persepolis in stock.

The staff is friendly and makes recommendations that I wish I had the paycheck to afford. It's nothing amazing, but it's a damn good respite from the rest of College Park.
3 - Scotto B.: This review is from exactly 1 year ago, so elements may or may not have changed since then. 

Nice restful day out and about. We took a little trip to College Park and actually drove past the heart of Looney Labs, in fact. (Saw the address in the phone book, and did a quick scan while in the area) Had we realized that the place wasn't just a house, and was actually a office up above a home, I think we might have stuck our noses inside to say hello. They're not too far off, so maybe another road trip is in the cards?

We decided to hit a gaming/ comic book store... Liberty Books and Games - "We're a libertarian bookstore and sell comics from disorganized piles" - The store was pretty messy... Liberty's, fortunately had a few games right by the front door, including a trusty, if dusty deck of Chrononauts - just fine, as it's wrapped in plastic (and was the primary reason we went there in the first place). Funny thing about that store was that all the libertarian stuff was neatly organized... though I suspect that was in part due to a lack of interest by the patrons. The comic books, vintage paperbacks and whatnot else were stacked more than a little haphazardly throughout the place. Standard stereotypical comic shop, not bad, but far from good - Plus was that the proprietor was more than happy to help us locate what we were looking for.
4 - Dak F.: The staff is very cool.  None of your "Worst-Customer-Ever" syndrome that plague indie comic shops (i.e. Alliance Comics).  While the clerk rang up my purchases he suggested a few titles by seeing what I had chosen.  The selection is great.
5 - Jaime R.: Every time I've gone to Big Planet to find a (non-manga) graphic novel, they've had it in stock. We're talking a whole wall with shelves upon shelves of meticulously organized anthologies and collections of already published material, as well as another wall completely covered in recently published titles. The only time I didn't find what I was looking for was when I tried to find a particularly obscure manga that, as it turned out, wasnot for sale in the US yet. 

The staff is super friendly and is always ready to make a recommendation. They come off as happy and very willing to dote on their customers, which was a big thing for me as someone who was once a big comic book fan who took a prolonged "vacation" from reading them. 

The store is clean. The people are lovely. The selection is grand. The sense of community is warm and inviting. You basically can't go wrong!
5 - C S.: Well, organized and well-stocked. The focus here seems to be on graphic novels and trade paperbacks. Went in with a list of about 10 graphic novels I was interested in. To my surprise they had all but one! Walked out happy with 3.

Big Red Barber Shop - Ithaca, NY (42.441837, -76.484625) ()
5 - Kenny L.: The lady that runs this place was lovely, nice, and has the skills to cut my difficult Asian hair! My regular when I was in grad school at Cornell. The various Cornell memorabilia gives the place a nice touch. She takes the time to do a fine job but does it in a timely matter where you don't have sit all day to wait your turn. So good I might just have to stop for a haircut next time I visit Ithaca!

Note: Google seemed to have goofed on directions. It's in Collegetown. Turn left as you are going south of College Ave.
1 - Contribution I.: Guys:

If you want your head shaved go here.

If you want a haircut, go elsewhere.
4 - Doug T.: Walked in on a winter afternoon, no wait, no problem.  The woman working there was friendly and FAST.  I was in and out in 15 minutes, with a pretty decent cut.  Very cheap as well, and she takes credit or cash.
1 - Alexander S.: I've created my Yelp account for the sole purpose of protecting people from this barbershop. Apart from being cold and apathetic the woman running the place has no skills in her profession. My haircut took about four minutes and was totally worthless. A five-yearold with a scissor had done a better job. Conclusion, don't go. Go to Boston/NYC/etc for a haircut.

Big Skinny - Cambridge, MA (42.3710285, -71.1141133) (Harvard Square)
5 - amy h.: BigSkinny was such a pleasure to purchase a wallet from!  First of all, shopping for a wallet cannot really be that fun.  BUT BigSkinnys website makes it fun, and super easy to see what you are purchasing as well.  Great GREAT Great customer service, I called to check on the shipment of my wallet and left a voicemail.  They got back to me right away and were fun to talk to on top of it all.  

A++++
5 - Stephanie M.: The Panther clutch is my wife's best friend.  Brilliant design!
5 - Michael M.: Kickass wallets.   

At first, I didn't believe my dad.  He has sworn by his Big Skinny for a few years.  I didn't feel that I could comfortably trade in my leather minimalist card case for a card case from Big Skinny...but I made the change and it really is thinner.  The pockets are just the right size for my cards and the picture window for my license is perfect.  I didn't have that in my old leather one.  I have made the switch and don't see myself going back.
1 - Tom H.: Incompetent brain dead customer service.  Ordered wallet.  After two week wait, they finally notified me that it was shipping.  A week later they told me it was out of stock and would be another 2-3 weeks.  Bought a similar product from somebody else.  had it in 3 days with no charge for shipping.  These folks should pack it in and go out of business.
1 - g y.: Got a wallet from them. Their product is indeed skinny, but the wallet I got from them started falling apart at the seams after some mild use. Don't expect to get more than a few months use out of their product. It's by far the worst wallet i've had in my life when it comes to durability.
5 - Dana H.: Ordered a wallet from Skinny Wallet and am completely satisfied with my purchase.  One thing you should know is that they handled a problem quickly and to my complete satisfaction.

The problem was not their fault, it was due to an issue that happened while it was in the care of the US Post Office, so they had no control over the matter, but they took care of it and made sure I was satisfied.

You can purchase confidently from this company, which is always nice to know ahead of time.

Thanks!

Big Time Brewing Company - Seattle, WA (47.657576, -122.313216) (University District)
5 - Zarah M.: I like Big Time.  The beer is good and the food was good too.  It's a nice place to sit and hang out with friends.  Photos soon.
4 - Annalisa S.: Big Time is on the pricier side of Ave dining, but they have excellent panani, and some fancy salads for people like me who enjoy walnuts and cranberries on their red-leaf lettuce.   I also like the dark solid wood decor.  If it's a nice day grab the table by the window and watch the pedestrians flow down the sidewalk
4 - Mallory P.: I know a person who only drinks at Big Time.  He is always there and he drinks like a fish.  He loves Big Time and refuses to go anywhere else.  Big Time must be awesome.  Is this person me?
4 - megan d.: they have an interesting selection of beer. i know nothing about beer expect that i enjoy some of whats available here. the prices range from a 3$ pitcher to 7& pint depending on your brew. however if beer isn't your thing they do have port  and tasty chili.
4 - Margaretta L.: The beer is good, but not a fantastic deal - the reason I love Big Time is because of the food.  The snack-bar style food counter boasts not just nachos, but good pizza, filling salads, and my favorite - hearty cornbread!  Baked potatoes, too!  The Big Time is my own little ski lodge right on the ave, no lift ticket necessary.
3 - jenny w.: This place was mediocre. I liked the food but it was nothign special. I did however like the fact that they make a lot of beer here. They should make the gallon jugs for you to take home. I might have been to wasted to notice if they did. It was loud.
5 - Tessa M.: Great rowdy pub with yummy chili nachos and shuffleboard in the back.
4 - rachael d.: Really. good. veggie. pizza. Most veggie pizza's I've found in these parts have been very plain, while the stuff on top was pretty ordinary (tomatoes, olives, zucchini) they also threw on spices like garlic and fresh basil.  The Atlas beer is fantastic but heavy, so come with an appetite or a friend and split the special for a good deal (On Sunday we split the special pizza and got a pitcher for a buck, which is normally $12).  The atmosphere is very relaxed with a mix of self-service and waiters, all very nice but if you need something you'll have to go ask. 
PS-Remember to get your receipt if you order a beer you'll need it at the bar!
4 - Deborah S.: Lunch for under $5 bucks in the Udistrict?  Totally can be done. At Big Time Brewery I can get Pizza and Iced Tea and come back with a bill and change out of a fiver.  

The wifi works, unlike some other places on the ave, and this is my choice for places to hang out with a beer after work. Love them!
5 - Melissa L.: The Big Time is, hands-down, my favorite brewpub in Seattle. (And believe me, I have tried them all.) I used to live within walking distance of this place, and those were good times (even though I was always so broke in those days that eating here was a splurge). What others have said about the food is true. The pizzas rock, and the sandwiches are pretty great too. I found over many visits that you can pretty much never go wrong by ordering that day's Special sammich. 
Now, on to the beer: I am a complete IPA fiend, and part of what turned me into one was the fact that the Big Time has at least 2 or 3 different types of IPA on tap at all times, which is pretty amazing since most breweries only do one IPA at a time. I have been told that every time they hire a new brewer, they let them come up with their own IPA recipe, which is why they have like 5 kinds. :) 
The only days when the Big Time is a bit too nuts for me is on Dec 1, when they release the Old Woolly Barleywine, and in the summer when they do the Old Sol Wheatwine. Husky game days can be a little crowded too, but usually in a good way. 
I miss this place alot since I moved away. :(
3 - Matt P.: Big Time Brewery has a somewhat typical brew-pub atmosphere dominated by wood floors, bar and tables.  Big Time is situated in a rather large space which is great when you are trying to find a place that can accommodate many people.  Big Time brews a multitude of tasty beers; I enjoyed the award-winning Coal Creek Porter, though it wasn't the best porter I've ever tasted.  My visit to Big Time Brewery was a decent experience, but not amazing.
4 - Mel R.: not too shabby my friend, not too shabby. I don't go here enough actually. 
Here's what I've eaten thus far:
Good hand tossed pizza, with thick crusts. Nachos are loaded with cheese, more like cheese with a side of nachos, mmmmm cheese. Baked potatoes are loaded with toppings. Good sub sandwiches, but I've have had better. The beer, the beer is damn tasty. The last pitcher I sampled here was the Scarlett Fire IPA, and it was great. 
They have an official size shuffleboard in the back room. Wanna play? Ask Alex, I love me some shuffle! They also have free WiFi for all you hard workin college students.
Haven't ventured in on a busy Husky game day yet, and frankly, don't think I will.
4 - Derek B.: Big Time has become one of my favorite Seattle brew pubs. The beers are always on the better side of good, with nice seasonal and special choices. If you like IPA's this is a good place for you, because they have three (yes, THREE) fairly regular IPA's, each one with its own discrete profile. Try the "Beam Me Up Scottish," it's delicious.

Decent food: Good vegetarian chili, pizza, sandwiches, salad ... and not terribly pricy.

The crowd here really varies. I've seen studying students, frat-types, professors, and just regular joes like myself in here enjoying the suds. It's been laid-back every time I've been in, but I've never been here on Thursday through Saturday night.

AND they have a punch card, punched for each beer! Wednesday is double punch day, two punches for each beer. And when the card's full (ten beers/five on Wednesday), you get a free one. How many beer bars can boast that?!
4 - Ron G.: I've been coming here since they opened.  The beer is always great, they'll even give you a free yeast starter if you're brewing your own.    The food is only average though; and dated at that.  I once found a worn in my salad and the punk behind the counter just gave me a   "so pick it off man" kind of look.

2010 update:  They now allow kids until about 9pm!!!  This is great news for us thirsty parents, and it's about time.
4 - Tarewyn M.: Excellent spot for a beer soaked business meeting with good pizza.  Large tables, great light, it almost looks like you are working.
2 - Charlie D.: As soon as I walked into Big Time Brewery I was hit with the smell of freshly made pizza, which is one of my favorite scents. Just for your information I already had sushi and a cupcake(yes I know odd mix) in my belly. But that smell of pizza just made me want a slice, guess I am always hunger like that. In the end I didn't order a slice since I didn't want to look like a pig, but I should have!! Ok the first order of business once we sat down was to order some drinks. We head over to the bar and senor Ian orders first and goes with the $4 sampler. With that sounding like a good idea I "attempted" to order the same thing but for some strange reason the bartender told me "no!!!".  

When like this...

Me: can I have a sampler too please?
Bartender: which ones?

Me: you can pick-----I think this is where he misunderstood me
Bartender:  you have to pay for them.

Me: of course I do(I had my money in my hand)
Bartender: you can't have a sampler

Me: huh??? Well can I have a beer?
Bartender: here you go

I don't know what the hell happened but I guess the sampler isn't "Charlie approved"...oh well. Over all the back bar was nice but I don't know if I would ever want to go back. So hopefully you don't have the experience I did...good luck.
3 - Helen W.: Big Time always reminds me of the good ol' school drinking days or worse yet, how long I have been out of school.  Charlie and I came here to grab a beer and a pizza before heading off to a SIFF film.  We were pleasantly surprised by the Sausage Italiano pizza.  The crust was thin, crispy and lightly salted.  It was deliciously paired with sausage and roasted red bell peppers.  The pizza was still yummy after it had gotten cold.

It was good times at Big Time!!
4 - Denis C.: Pizza and Beer!  What else do you need?  

When I'm in Seattle (UW), I like to stop by here with my friends and have some pizza.  Inexpensive and good (and fast).   The few times that I've been here, it was with groups of 10 - 15 people.  We had a great time, although I'm sure the bartenders didn't think so.
2 - Geoffrey R.: I've never had the pizza that everyone has raves about on here, but when I say I want "Ice-Tea" I don't mean "Ice-Pee".... and that's what in tasted like. Syke! It tasted like moldy ice-tea. 

This place does serve good baked potatoes, with all the fixings, which is what gives it two stars. I was going to give this place three stars, but they have a "String Cheese Incident" night...so goodbye third star.
5 - Krishna V.: Have you ever been to a place enough that you regard as "your place"? Big Time is "my" bar: the bartenders recognize me, I know what I want before I walk in, and I know I'll be there well before I walk through the door.
The beers are unique to Big Time, and all good. The bartenders have always been, in my experience, friendly. It's actually possible to carry on a conversation over the background noise.
All in all, a pretty cool place.
4 - Jonathan N.: A good local micro-brew; I had a few beers here with the Beer Guy a few nights ago and I was quite impressed with their new Imperial Pale Ale that apparently celebrates some sort of 20 year anniversary.  The Beer Guy explained it to me but I don't remember because beer makes me forget things.  They also had 2 other IPAs on tap and I'm sort of addicted to hoppy beer; the brown ale was very chocolaty and most people like chocolate.  

The bar staff is friendly and can describe the beers to you with adjectives that are beyond my beer vocabulary.  I wouldn't exactly recommend the food which is largely nachos and pizza.  My nachos were basically a bunch of broken chips with congealed cheese.  The beer certainly compensates and will make you forget about the bad nachos, literally.  For the U-District, the crowd seemed pretty varied in age with a few kinda sleazy looking old guys staring at some not-so-attractive groups of girls.  The bar and seating area is very spacious and I want to go back and try out the shuffle board in the back room.
5 - Geoff K.: I love me some Big Time. 

When I moved to Seattle a few years ago, I was renting a place near the Ave and walked by Big Time Brewing on my very first day in town, right after driving 2 days straight from the Midwest. I knew very little about beer in the NW at that point, and I wandered in not knowing what to expect. They had 4 of their own IPAs on tap that first trip into this wonderful brewpub. Are you serious? 4 IPAs? For a guy from Chicago, where it's hard to find a brewpub, this blew me away. About 6 pints later, I stumbled out with a huge smile on my face. This is what I moved to Seattle for.

Since then, Big Time has been my greatest love affair as a brewery in Seattle; hands down.

The Beer: I've never had a truly bad beer here. That is hard to say for any brewpub, especially when that includes a malt liquor they made earlier this year(It wasn't great, but hey....it's malt liquor!). Not everything is head over heals amazing, but most range from good to great. 

The Head Brewer, Bill Jenkins, is a true hophead and this usually shows up in his beers. One of my favorite beers ever made is their summer specialty, Old Sol Wheatwine. Most brewpubs release a summer beer that is light and good for drinking in hot weather, maybe a Kolsch. But, Bill decided to brew a summer barley wine style ale that packs in lots of citrus hops, lots of sweet malt and a good dose of alcohol. 

Their most popular IPA, Bhagwan's Best, is what should be listed in an encyclopedia under "NW IPA". Lots of citrus hops in the aroma and up front, but balanced well enough in the finish with just enough malt to cut the bitterness a little.

I could go on and on about their beer; I'm leaving out about 20 beers that deserve mention. I'm very much looking forward to a beer Bill is brewing for entry in the Great American Beer Festival this year; a version of their Buster's Brown Ale with coffee added to the ingredients list. 

The Atmosphere: Relaxed. Perfect place to belly up at the bar by yourself, or come with a group of friends. There are plenty of tables to accomodate most crowds. Music is usually pretty good, and is at the whim of the current bartender's IPOD selection. You'll see students and professors in here with their laptops typing away over a beer. You'll see the beer nerds at the bar sniffing out a sample of something new. 

They have a couple of flat screen TVs, which make it nice for a game when the Mariners are on. They also have a frequently used shuffleboard table in the back. 

The bartenders are friendly, the regulars are friendly and the beer is good. What else do you need?

The Food: I usually get the pizza when here. It's pretty good, as are the sandwiches. They also do nachos, chili, baked potatoes and soup (I can't vouch for any of these). Nothing fancy here - just a few decent options to help soak up that beer. The steal of the century is on Sunday nights when you can buy a large pizza and get a pitcher of beer for just $1. Now that's a deal and a half.

Overall: The beer and atmosphere at Big Time are tough to beat. It's a great place to spend a Sunday afternoon, or a Friday night. Hop on in for a pint, or you can get beer to go in growlers and a limited selection of bottles. It's worth coming in on a regular basis as the beer lineup changes fairly often. 

Keep up the good work, Big Time....you rock.
3 - Dave M.: Great brewpub in the U district, and has food pretty late. The food is pretty decent, but the most important product is their beer.

After tasting 5 of their beers, I found that they offered one that was not only good, but unique to what I found in Seattle.
Powderfinger Rye Ale was by far the most unique brew they had available, and has a flavor I've never tasted before. It was clean, refreshing, sharp, and sweet. The start and finish are definitely hoppy, but there is little bitter.

Their tasting flight was great, and gave us a great place to start. It's not the Bear, but this place is cool. Bonus points are awarded for having their brewing equipment well labeled.
3 - Mark S.: God, it seemed like it had been years since I had been to Big Time. 8 years, to be precise! One thing that's nice and comforting is that things haven't changed a bit. When you're in a University area, it's probably not necessary anyway.
Big Time knows what they're doing with their beers and it shows, even in their specialty brews. I had the fortunate circumstance of trying a porter and a Christmas ale and they were both good. I would put the nod to the porter since the weather's getting cold and crappy.
I like Big Time and always carve out a chunk of time to visit when I'm in Seattle. The thing I dislike(hence the mid rating) is that you have to order your food separately from your beer and pay separately. I wouldn't mind if you could pay for them both and they give you like a ticket to claim your drinks or something. Who knows, maybe they're two different businesses running under one. All I know is it's a bit of an inconvenience. That said, it won't stop me from going there, it only stops me from giving it a premium rating.
4 - Robin N.: Big Time, how I love thee... 

For Happy Hour
you're the best
My professor, good friends 
and all the rest
run to your door
and quickly plea
that you fill our glasses
oh can't you see
you're there for us
when the quarter gets stale
so feed us your pizza
and poor us some ale!

I should write little poems more often for reviews!
Seriously though, this place rocks, especially when you're having a crappy quarter and just need to get drunk with some friends!
4 - Michael B.: Big Time is schizophrenic. Sometimes I'll go here and have a great time; other times it'll suck. It's totally dependent on how crowded it is and how fast the service is. Overall though, I like this bar because it has pretty good beer and decent food. 

If you find yourself on the Ave with a big group of people or are in the mood for a good micro brew, I suggest hitting this place up.
4 - Eric L.: Big time pizza is scrumdiddlyumptious.  The crust....Mmm.  Its one of my favorite pizzas in town.   It can be noisy but you can almost always find a table.  The beer is local but nothing special. It all seems to have the same aftertaste. They have shuffleboard which I like.
3 - Brad C.: I would normally give this place only two stars, but they brew their own beer so an extra star right there. The bar over all seemed like your usally college town bar (nothing special), and the service matched.
I didn't eat here but they do have a large selection. My main goal that afternoon was the beer. Unfortunately none of the beers were anything that great. I almost couldn't even finish my beer sampler. But I couldn't leave a man behind so I went in for one last try... I am happy to say I was able to walk away with my sampler glasses empty.
3 - maeve P.: Well it was kind of your average college bar.. that brews its own beer. I went there in the afternoon on a weekday and not on a weekend so I didn't get a complete understanding of what would be its normal evening atmosphere but overall I think it was ok. Nothing great but not horrible. The beer is also just ok. They have an impressive selection of beers that they brew and they have a good amount of hoppy beers - if you like that. I didn't try all their beers but what I did try didn't wow me too much. If I was in the area again, I might give them another try but I wouldn't make a special trip.
3 - Lagwana E.: They have decent beer and good atmosphere for hanging out with friends.  The food is...  Well, I recommend the potatoes and  I also enjoy a salad every so often if I am here for other reasons.  But, what the hell is that bread they give you?  It is completely chewy and disgusting.  It also pisses me off that when you order they don't call out anything to let you know your food is ready.  How can you know that your sandwich/chili/potato/etc is sitting there waiting for you, about to attract flies, when you are not sitting facing the window.  If they aren't going to do table service, they should at least call out a name or number.  However, who goes for the food?  Get a drink, play a little shuffle board, watch some sports.  Good times.  I just tend to like better food and maybe a little service when I am drinking.
4 - James F.: Big Time is Big Time Tasty!

Always good Beers, and Pizza! The only thing I don't like about this brewery is the proximity to the UW campus, which can make it hard to get to sometimes. They make an Extremely good porter here, some fine IPA's too.
4 - M. M.: There is no place like Seattle for one-of-a-kind micro brews and hoppy times. Big Time is one of the best. The atmosphere is a little student-esque (nothing against the bookworms) but when brewers gather on regular occasion, you know it is the real deal.
4 - Matt R.: I like it here and you will too.  Don't go on Friday or Saturday night because you'll run into the drunken frat crowd.  Their beers are quite good, of varying alcohol content, and they have a dark brown ale that has a really strong bold coffee aftertaste.  Get the sampler and you'll be set.  Or just stick to the coffee-tasting beer.  It's like they took two of my biggest vices and combined them perfectly.  Bastards!
5 - Rohan S.: I'm something of a regular here, but I'm going to keep it short. The other reviews pretty much cover everything.

Except for the Chili Pale Ale. This amazing brew smells like a spicy Five Alarm Burger from Red Robin, and it tastes like hot Dorritos. It is just soooo good. Is it a beer? An extremely delicious food? Who knows?

The thing that makes me cry is that it was only available for the past one week, and is no longer around. I only got to have a pint of it. Ah, a cruel world. The only solace: Big Time's other great brews!

Almost forgot to mention: beer to go, in a cardboard box. Best. Thing. Ever.
3 - anthony c.: Big time is fun!

Good beer and good bar food

Don't expect world class anything, especially from the U district, but you do get good beer and good service. 

I had a margherita pizza and a green salad which met expectations for the U district. The beers enjoyed were the belgian tripple(trombipulator) and the amber ale (Atlas). Both were very delicious and left wanting more, but the dog park was calling. 

Overall it was a fun and mellow sunday experience and I can imagine how much more fun thursday and friday would be. 


Solid 3 stars out of five, but in the U district bar world I can see them being a solid 4. 

Enjoy the beer and fill your belly at Big Time.
4 - Lee A.: You know that brew pub?  You know the one.  The one they called the Rathskeller when you were in college when colleges had pubs on campus because back then you could drink at 18 so that by the time you got to 21 it was kind of boring and you didn't have to spend your time staring down the bottom of a ratty plastic beer cup? The pub with the pizza that tastes kind of frozen from the box but you still order it because it's cheap?  And that long list of sandwiches with fancy names for putting together what is basically cheddar cheese, turkey or ham?  Yeah, that pub. 

If you've been looking to recreate that experience, then Big Time is there for you with some nice beers and no attitude. I've been to this same pub in every part of the country, always staffed by DUDE guys who can't quite imagine what they'll do when the party stops, and from Missoula to Palo Alto to Seattle - there are no surprises.  The pizza isn't all that good, the beer is nice and mellow, the sandwiches are hardy, and its so loud that you have to get up close to hear each other, which is why tables are always yelling. 

Which is all to say, if you like it, you like it.   This pub, man.  I like it.
3 - Margaret S.: The Beer: Excellent
The Food: Yuck
The ambiance: Way too effing loud. 

that said, I love Big Time. Just don't go if you want to have a conversation with anyone, or eat something good. If you are looking for a tasty beer on the Ave, this is the place.
4 - Richard L.: Their beer is hit and miss for me.  I enjoy their creativity and managed to get a chile beer there once.  Surprisingly good.  A decently large food selection ranging from sandwiches, to pizza, to soups and chili.  Food quality matches the price, not gourmet but decent.  They have several vegetarian options, and could probably even assemble a vegan sandwich or chili with no cheese.

Their large front windows can make up for the lack of out door seating during summer and the cozy wood interior still makes you feel sheltered from the winter rains.   I'm pretty sure they don't have TVs and can be a welcome break from sports coverage.  They've got  slightly smaller backroom that makes a good spot to take over for large groups.  There's even a shuffle board game to drunkenly loose at!
4 - Josh T.: Micro-Breweries are prominent in the Pacific Northwest and one common theme amongst many breweries is that they compliment tasty hand crafted beer with delicious food to draw customers. Big Time Brewery in the University District of Seattle, Washington is no different, and has a very loose and fun menu that invites local college professors, "Ave Rats" and college students to dwell within the cozy atmosphere while enjoying beer and food. 

Big Time offers different types of sandwiches on their current menu along with nachos, pizza and baked potatoes. The food is geared to accompany a beer and the portions are large enough to curb the appetite of any beer belly. The sandwiches are served on several types of bread, although not baked fresh daily, are all tasty. The one turnoff is that the bread may be older than I would like and really can take away from the taste of the sandwich, because bread is crucial in any sandwich. The meat and vegetables on the sandwich are all fresh and tasty. Most sandwiches come with a unique spread that fits well the messy nature of the menu. I ordered the "Big Time" sandwich and was treated to a meal that screamed quantity of quality, and the quality wasn't half bad.

In conclusion if you're looking for a sandwich that will conquer your hunger woes and need an excuse to grab a tasty beer than this is your place. But if you're looking for a sandwich to compliment your Coach bag and not a locally brewed beer, then you might want to keep looking.
3 - Nate E.: The Big Time Brewery is pretty good overall.  If you love hoppy, strong microbrews, then it's great.  It's one of the must-see drinking spots in Seattle for visiting beer snobs.

   That said, there are a few areas where the Big Time suffers:  snobbery, mediocre food, increased prices, and inconsistent service.

Prices of craft beer are up all over, but it would be nice if they had a happy hour or other discounts.

More often than not, the service is snobby, but at least they're prompt.
4 - Marshall B.: The beers are strong and hoppy (very northwesty (is that an adjective)) but, generally good.  They have shuffleboard which is fun and the food is pretty good to boot.  I've had several of the sandwiches but, I recommend the Pink Cadillac.  It is pretty spectacular.
4 - Kevin V.: I love this place.  Every time I'm back in Seattle, I do my damnedest to get here.  The beer is always good (and there's no other place to get it) and the games are fun.  Service is prompt and it never seems too busy to get your order taken care of.  The only complaint is the food - it's not bad, but nothing special.  The pizzas are good food to go with the beer - as in the beer is the star, and the pizza is to insure you don't get too drunk before you can enjoy more beer.  I've had a turkey and avocado sandwich there before - it wasn't too bad, better than the pizza.  

Go for the beer - excellent stuff.
3 - Mike T.: I graduated from UW in 2000 and upon returning to Big Time, I must say this.  Either I'm getting old or this place is way too loud.  Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Rage Against the Machine too, but I couldn't even hear the person talk next to me with Zach de la Roca screaming "Fuck you I won't do what you tell me!!!!!"

The beer is still good and I love how the back is non-smoking now, but can you please turn the stereo down????
3 - Julian H.: This place is not "all that."  If you have a big group, head to the back room at Finn MacCools instead.  For a date, or a solo study break, hit the back room at Kai's. 

Big Time's food is nothing special.  I don't remember the beer being that outstanding.  Service is nothing special (prepare to schlep your own food, utensils and condiments from the pickup window).  Atmosphere is nothing special.  Whenever we had a big group it always seemed very cramped.  

The menu is overpriced "big-time," considering the cafeteria-style service and so-so quality.  Consider this place a Big-waste-of-Time.  I could do this all day...
4 - Ian S.: Big Time is one of my favorite local brewers, I have discovered through the mysteries of WABL.

The brewmaster here looks like he just got back from a LARP or SCA event, but the man clearly has his game together.  I very much appreciate his work.

This place has a lot of personality, which isn't always a good thing, but it is always better to have some than none at all.
2 - J K.: Years and years ago, I used to love this place. It was the first place I knew of that brewed their own beer. I loved the atmosphere, the clientele, the back room shuffleboard, etc.  

But I went back recently and discovered that the food isn't very good. I guess my standards in college were lower?
4 - Just Y.: Anyone going here who is looking for more than a local brewer that knows they are in the middle of a college district with a clientele that is short on cash should just go somewhere else.  The bar is filled with a great selection of their own brews, and the kitchen consists of a walk-up window where you can place an order for simple things like a baked potato or a ham sandwich.  Take your paper plate and pint of beer and enjoy the simple tables in the front, or the cave-like game room in the back.  Either way, make sure you're there when the college kids are to fully get the loud and youthful environment.
3 - patricia r.: Have been going there for years, fun place, good beer, good music, great staff.  They have a wonderful sunday special, you buy a large pizza of the day special and you get a pitcher of beer  (most beers) for a dollar.  The pizza is a really good pie.  However, the last time I was there my friends ordered sandwiches, one had a cascade, the other had the special sandwich of the day.  They and I were so disappointed,  (glad I didn't order food)  They both ordered WHOLE sandwiches not half but they were so small and there was hardly anything in them.  We are not strngers to the Cascade sandwich and before it was stacked with meat and other shit, it was insane and the sandwiches all come with a pile a chips, a orange wedge and a couple of hot peppers, there was a few chips and no orange wedge or peppers.  What is going on here guys?  You up the price and chintz and make the sandwiches smaller w/less of whats  inside, give a fewer chips and no peppers and orange wedges?  Whats up with that? I think that for now on we will stick to the beer and maybe pizza.
3 - Cathy S.: Big Time has a good selection of brews on tap and I love that you can make your own sampler, which is great for trying their seasonal rotations and the strong Belgian ales. We had a few of their appetizers which were decent and one of their pizzas which wasn't anything to write home about, but it did satisfy our hunger. We sat in the front dining area and didn't realize there was a shuffleboard in the back until we were about to leave. I wish they had table service as it was a bit annoying to walk up to the bar every time you wanted a beer or to place a food order.
4 - matthew r.: 4th bar of the pub run!

I guess they're a brewery, and not a tavern, but no hard a! Disappointed. Fine beer though, if that's youre thing (not really mine). 

AWESOME hot dogs!
5 - Kevin Y.: EDIT: I love hoppy beers now. Took me long enough. Big Time gets a big time upgrade from 4 to 5, now that I realize each and every one of their brews is gold.


So it's a Saturday night, and you find yourself on the Ave at a bar so crowded that it takes 5 minutes to get a drink, and when you finally get to the bartender, you have to shout at them over the blaring top 40 music just so they can hear your order. You think, 'What the fuck am I doing here? I just want to enjoy a few beers with some friends that I can actually talk to without shouting at.' Then you suddenly remember that brewpub down the street in the quaint little brick building, and you realize that all hope is not lost. 

On any given night, there will usually be a few tables open where one can enjoy good beer, good food, and have a good conversation with good music (Pearl Jam, Pixies, CCR, etc.) playing at a decent level in the background. 

I'm pretty much in love with their sandwiches. Particularly the cascade and pink cadillac. Also to be had are very tasty pizza slices, chili, and most everything else on the menu. 

As for the alcohol, there's only beer. Lots and lots of craft-brewed beer, which thankfully drives away the "I just wanna dance and drink vodka-redbulls" crowd. I'm not a huge fan of IPAs, (or really hoppy beers in general) which several of their brews are. However, they do have an excellent porter and a delicious brown ale. 

Looking for Bud Light? Mixed drinks? A dance floor? Loud pop music? Trendy and hip decor? Thankfully, you won't find any of that here.
3 - Ted P.: Solidly meh with hints of a-ok.

The food side was a bit of a disappointment -- everything looked better than it tasted and the kitchen staff weren't the friendliest chaps.  For what I got, it was probably 10-20% too expensive, but I guess that's expected right across from a major campus.

The bar side -- well, the bartender was significantly nicer, I can say that much...  The beer?  Well, the Amber was okay -- again, nothing mind blowing.  

I'd probably explore some of the other places nearby before I went back.
4 - Andy P.: I really liked that they had 4 different types of IPA.  It's fun to pick out the subtleties.  

The sandwich was kind of bad.  I had high hopes for my Big Time sandwich (roast beef, cheddar, tomatoes, lettuce, dressing, red onions, on a baguette).  The ingredients all seemed fresh and tasty but the whole thing was ruined because the bread was unforgivably stale.  Oh well.  Looking around the place, I think I was supposed to get pizza.  

I really enjoyed the beer though.  I had three of them, and I was there for over two hours just relaxing with my laptop.  It was a nice environment in the mid-afternoon.
3 - Texie Y.: This review is not about beer because I know nothing about beer.  But I know nachos so I enthusiastically tried Big Time's "The Cruise" nachos while my friends guzzled their happy hour beers. The Cruise (around $8 with tax) adequately quelled my happy hour hunger after a long week at work with heaps of chips, sour cream, jalapenos, and salsa accompanied by black beans and black olives. They could have used more cheese though. When the cheese only appears on the top layer of chips, we've got a problem. The kitchen's generosity with the other toppings helped keep this review out of two-star territory.
4 - Eugene C.: You know you're when the Big Time is brewing because the entire block smells like hops. At first it smells kind of like nutty butt, which I haven't smelled directly, but I can infer what a nutty butt might smell like. That was before I started drinking beer anyway. Now that I'm a bit older, I actually like the smell sometimes I'll linger on the Ave reading the Stranger just to catch the fragrant smell of hops, which I no longer refer to as the nutty butt smell.

There was a period of time 2 years ago when I was on a first name basis with that bald bartender. As you can see 2 years has passed and I can't recall his name anymore. But the guy looked and dressed exactly like someone out of an old western saloon flick. Great guy, recognized faces well, so you rarely had to pull out your ID twice.

On to the beers, great variety of brews. They are seasonally appropriate names for some of their brews and other off the wall names for others. I particularly enjoyed playing shuffleboard for drinks in the back. You can see how long the shuffleboard has been there because of the wear and tear on the ends. Good times though for drinking. Pretty delicious pizzas that go well with the brews. If I recall correctly they have some beer and pizza specials, but I haven't gotten any. The best thing here are their nachos which are pretty divine. Wow, I'm salivating thinking about it right now, since I live close I think I'm gonna head over there now and get some.
4 - Holly G.: I've only been here once, on my 21st birthday, and I didn't get anything to eat. From someone who doesn't really like beer, it might seem weird that I'm giving a strictly beer place 4 stars. It's all for their cider. Good lord, their cider. It's hard enough to find a place that carries bottled cider, let alone one that brews their own and carries it on tap. And theirs is out of this world. Seriously. Go try some. You won't regret it.
4 - Jenn L.: Some of the best beer in Seattle! I like to stop in for a pint on my way to seeing a film at one of the nearby Landmark Theaters. I tend to skip the food because it's not that great (but it's OK for cheap pub grub).
3 - Peter A.: I met up with a couple friends to grab a pint at the Big TIme Brewery and fell in love with the Coal Creek Porter and the Oatmeal Stout- not the "puppy dog butterflies in the belly" kind of love, but the "when can I call my mom and tell her you are perfect" kind of love.   Especially the Oatmeal Stout!    I love dark beers like Guinness and Black Butte Porter. . . so the Big Time Porter and Oatmeal Stout really hit the spot. 

As for the food, I had "the Big Time" sandwich and it was good- not great- and it was a little on the expensive side for what you received.  BUT, I was not there for the sandwich.  I was there for my stout. 

The service was good and the crowd was loud but nowhere near the college-environment that I found at some other places on the Ave.    I am definitely looking forward to a second date with the stout.
4 - Ken K.: The interior is woody, rustic, homey and exactly what I look for in a neighborhood bar. I would think I was in some Midwest blue-collar bar if I didn't know any better. I loved the eclectic decorations and the random table sizes and chairs.

The menu is very limited. You can get pizza, sandwiches, chili and baked potatoes. That's about it. And it's also expensive. A 8-inch personal pan pizza will run you about $9.00. If it were about two bucks cheaper, it'd be perfect. Because even though the pizza and chili is very good, it is still overpriced. Minus points for no dessert but pre-wrapped cookies.

Astoundingly good beer for such a small operation. There were 10 to choose from, and each was impressive. I could go on and on about seven of their beers which I found to be above average, but I'll focus on the coal porter, which was offered on cask. The smooth creamyness, slightly warm beer with a deep, complex taste profile knocked my socks off. If you like beer, this is the place to be. I can't believe a place with this good of homemade beer is on a college campus. 

But again, it's overpriced. A sampler of 4, 4-ounce beers ran $5, which is more than a pint. I'd rather smaller samplers of each beer for less per ounce than a pint, which is the way most places run it.

The bartender was on top of her game. Food orders are taken by the customer directly to the food window, which I'm fine with. The order comes out promptly. Not bad.
4 - Kat F.: I came here with a friend to watch the election results back in November.  We drank 2 pitchers + some more beer between the two of us.  When we went to pay, the bartender gave us a pint to sip on while he ran the card.  (Well, I sipped on it.  My drunk friend was VERY suspicious of why he would be giving us free beer and refused to even touch the glass. I think he did it because he had poured the wrong pint and had it sitting there, and he had a lot of cards to run.  Also because we are attractive ladies.)  

Shuffleboard in the back if you're into that sort of thing, other menu options besides pizza (though why would you order anything aside from their pizza) and good beer.  It's a good place to hang out for a while if you've got nowhere to be.
4 - Jeff L.: I have been drinking beer at the Big Time since 1993, and it hasn't changed much in that time.  Sure pints used to be only $2.50 but they are still a great deal and the pitchers hold 4 full pints.  Bhagwan's Best and Scarlet Fire are must try beers for IPA lovers, and all the taps are really good.  I am pretty sure Big Time is the best deal in town for quality beer.

The food is very hit or miss.  Sometimes the sandwiches are OK, other times they are way below average.  They always come with a pile of those round, stale, cardboardy tortilla chips that you get at Costco for about $1.99 a case.  The pizza is the most reliable choice and can be very good if you happen to be there at the right time.

Big Time is a great place to meet a group because there are lots of big tables.  The crowd is mixed between students, beer geeks and neighborhood folks of all ages.  It can get loud during busy times.

Now, here are my secret instructions to be the hero of any party:  Go to Big Time and get a gallon box of Scarlet Fire to go.  Not only will your friends love you, if you do it 10 times they will fill the gallon the eleventh time for only a buck!
4 - Diana C.: Good beer and decent food. They have cheap pitchers of beer and can be quite acomodating for larger crowds. Used to go here with the department after exams or papers were finished.
4 - Sonya L.: I thought this place was pretty sweet!  Loved the atmosphere and interior, liked the margarita pizza, liked the TV playing my Mariners, and LOVED the shuffleboard in the back (although I hear they are getting rid of it in about a week or so - WHAT A SHAME!).

There were tons of tables available, which was surprising for a Friday night.  We were easily able to get a large table to accommodate our 8 person group.

The menu is small, but the food is good and they have a huge variety of beers.  Apparently the cider is amazing from what I hear and I will have to give that a try on my next visit.
3 - Lisa N.: Meh. Still just okay. The beer isn't too bad, but I'm still not impressed by the food. Got a slice of vegetarian pizza for lunch the other day, but really it should be called garlic pizza because that's all I could taste (despite there being numerous other vegetables on top). I guess you can't expect too much since it's bar food.
4 - Elizabeth P.: This is a great place to go enjoy a well crafted pint with friends, or even to belly up to the bar and make new ones.  Its a rare gem in the U district in that its not full of sorority girls and frat guys, it draws more down to earth people.  The food is good, but the menu is kind of limited.  But who goes to a brewery for the food? :)  Rick, the bar manager and bartender, is so nice - and cute, which doesn't hurt :)  Check it out, you won't be disappointed.
5 - Karl P.: Almost every student begins the epic search for "their bar" as soon as they have a horizontal drivers license (some even earlier). It has been five years since I attained such status in the eyes of the government and I have not found a better bar than Big Time Brewery in the University District.

I should start with the most important part of the review: the beer. Though Big Time doesn't serve beer outside of their own micro brews, they cover a wide spectrum from lagers to stouts. If you as a patron don't know much about beer the staff is quite knowledgeable and can help you determine what you might like. It is also important to note that the lack of bud light and the beast lends Big Time a more mature patronage, meaning you don't have to jostle frat boys to try and get an order in to the bar staff.

The food is great but a bit pricey. But if you have the eight dollars for a pizza or nachos, you will not be disappointed. The portions are quite large and sharable. I would also recommend the baked potatoes, which are customizable to needs of your demanding palate. One does however need to keep an eye on the kitchen area because the staff (most of the time) will simply call out an order and you are responsible for picking it up.

The atmosphere is fantastic. The bar itself is a melding of wooden arches and mirrors with brass taps and stools. The floor, tables, chairs, and walls are also wood, lending the entire establishment a warm and welcoming feeling. There is no place one would rather be after passing most of the watering holes on the ave which reek of stale beer and vomit. There is a great shuffleboard in the back room and they have a stack of reading material (The Stranger, Seattle Weekly, beer periodicals, etc.) and board games available.

The staff at Big Time is fantastic.  They have gotten to know my friends and I over time and they sometimes give us a hard time for being away too long, which makes us feel very welcome. 

I cannot stress enough that this is a local business that is worth supporting. Give big time a try, if you don't you'll be missing out on one of the finest establishments on The Ave.
3 - Kristi F.: I like the beer here, especially the porter.  You can't get it bottled, so it's a unique place.  It's also good for bigger groups-I used to come here with my UW cohort and they are cool with putting the tables together.

What I don' t dig is why they won't let my underage friends in-it's a restaurant and a bar.  Not only that, they are super agressive about asking people for ID.  I get that they are trying to not get in trouble with the law, but when it impacts customer service, it goes a little too far. 

The food is not bad or good, just plain.  I eat sandwiches when I go there because if you order something else, it usually takes forever.  

Also, it's SUPER annoying to have to pay twice-once for beer and once for food, making two charges on my credit card.  They need a better system.
4 - Ryan B.: It had been a whole two years since my last trip to Big Time.  And I had my memories of it improved quite a bit by this last visit.

I had some friends from the Bay Area, Ca that wanted to check it out since it's the sister brewery of Triple Rock, one of their local breweries.  We came in for lunch, and ordered a pitcher of the English Pale.  This beer just plain hit the spot on the 100+ degree day we were there.  Crisp, emphasis on the malt, but without being sweet.  Unfortunately I didn't end up having anything else on this trip, and it has been 2yrs since I've had any other Big Time beers.  But if this beer was any indication, I need to get back over for a refresher course.

Our food was good, though the salad I ordered was pretty heavy on stem material, and not nearly as leafy as I'd like.  And when you go, don't expect to be waited on.  You have to go up to the bar, or kitchen counter to order.  While this wasn't terribly inconvenient when we went, I can imagine it's a nightmare when it's busy.
4 - Gloria H.: I like the atmosphere here. Prices are decent. Food not so good. Nice beer selection. Horrible Wait staff. And long waits for anything. The have some really cool old beer signs on the wall, at least last time I was there. When in the u-dist, it makes a good resting point.
5 - Erin B.: I've always enjoyed this brewery atmosphere right on the ave and I was happy to class up a pub crawl with this bar. Plenty of room on a Saturday for a bunch of friends to pull up to a table to enjoy some fine brew. I had a Brown Bombshell Coffee Brown- wow. It had an overt coffee flavor that instead of overshadowing the beer, enhanced it. Truly exceptional!
5 - C. Y.: Before I say anything I should admit I consider Bill Jenkins, the brewer at Big Time, a friend. I've hung out with him outside of Big Time and usually chat with him for long periods when I visit. So take my review with a grain of salt if you must. 

I truly believe that Big Time makes the most adventurous and creative brews in Seattle. Bill Jenkins is sort of like a mad scientist when it comes to brewing. He conjures creations that  most brewers would never even consider and more often than not they turn out to be fantastic. A Mole' beer, Northwest style Malt Liquor (Ave Rat), a cherry stout for Valentines Day (Heart of Darkness) and many many more. What's more, he hits the ball out of the park when he tackles the more straightforward styles too. Coal Creek Porter, Scarlet Fire IPA, Prime Time Pale, Old Rip Oatmeal Stout, are all a joy to drink.

The staff at Big Time are all very friendly easygoing. The vibe is definitely a unique one and one I enjoy with every visit.
3 - Jeremy C.: If you come here strictly for drinks, you will fully enjoy the tasty brews Big Time Brewing Company pours from its drafts. 

However, be careful what you order from the kitchen. The nachos and salsa are insipid and overpriced. They present a very small amount of some mediocre tasting salsa and you have to pay to get refills of it. FYI: some of the sandwiches already come with nachos, so there is little reason to order nachos if you get a sandwich. 

I have ordered their corn beef sandwich on dark rye bread, and that is actually pretty darn good. I recommend it, however, it is not cheap. I guess they have to charge high prices to pay their kitchen staff. So, if you are trying to save money, I wouldn't order the food here. On the other hand, I guess if you are ordering beer at a bar, to a certain extent, you are already being a bit frivolous. However, when I return, I think I'll just stick with a drink.
4 - Jarrod L.: Since I moved to WA I've been looking for a place like this. Tasty local brews with reasonably good food. The pizza is the generally too-thin California style, but still tasty. The sandwiches are a little small for the price, but the bread and meats are high quality. Their porter was the best local beer I've had so far.
5 - Tom K.: I love, love, love coming to the Big Time for a few pints. It is one of the hidden treasures along the Ave. It easily has the best tasting beer (dare I say in all of Seattle?) and it is rarely if ever crowded. 

The food menu, while a little on the flat side, is satisfying enough when accompanied by a few beers. The pizzas are the best choice if you are splitting a pitcher amongst friends. 

The beer is the thing that keeps me coming back. The bulletin board behind the board is sure to have whatever you are craving for at that moment. I would highly recommend the Coal Creek Porter and the Atlas Amber.

If you like good beer, a pub-style atmosphere and finding parking along the Ave, then check out the Big Time. NOW!
4 - Eric M.: Great Brew Pub in the University District.  Rotating seasonal and excellent staple draft beers.  Large back room for big parties, friendly staff and clientele, and a "punch card" that gives you a beer for 50¢ after buying 12 pints.  Plus, Wednesday night is 2 for 1 stamp night!  
Oh yeah, the Pizza is really good as well.  Not the best I've had, but better than average. Haven't had any other food there, so I can't vouch for 'em, but the sandwiches look good as well.
3 - Adam S.: The beer is great, the food is not too bad and the service can be slow and stand-offish but not too bad either.  All in all, I love the Big Time beers and their pizza is good.  If you are in the area it is worth it for the beer, but they luckily distribute to other places around the city. 
Thanks for the good beer.
4 - Keoni W.: This is my local micro brewery that every one loves. After softball games we congregate here for pizza and pints. Nothing like good food and good company in a warm fuzzy place. Atlas Amber is one fine beer. The Bhagwans best is an award winning IPA. Its always a good crowd with people from all over.  During UW games its packed with Husky Faithful.
The first festival of the summer. Its a great place to people watch. Outside seating while you are enjoying pints in the sun.

This neighborhood bar is a fan favorite. When your in the area stop by for a pint and a smile.
4 - Peter L.: Big Time was my first introduction to NW microbrews over 15 years ago when I first moved to Seattle, and over the years (or decades) it has provided me a steady supply of beer.  I love the fact that they have several varieties of IPAs, each using different types of hops.  They also have an excellent barley wine, the Old Wooly, which is produced in June and then tapped in December.  Another plus is cask conditioned ales, and it's usually Bhagwan's Best IPA.  

Food is decent, but not as good as some of the other local brew pubs like Hale's and Maritime.  The pizza is decent, but nachos are pretty weak.  They have been around since 1988, so in this day and age, it's definitely an institution on the Ave., as most restaurants seem to last about a year or two.

Since they do not distribute their beers very widely, it's definitely worth a trip to visit the brewpub and enjoy some very distinct beers.
5 - Jake S.: Many a night has began, ended, or been whiled away here. The beers are top notch (with very few exceptions). I could drink their IPAs, Coal Creek Porter, or Old Rip all day. The bartenders are awesome too.

Their kitchen serves up standard pub grub that ranges from OK to pretty good. If you need a meal go for a pizza or sandwich. If you're looking for a snack chips and salsa is the way to go. I don't know how they do it, but the salsa is excellent.

Never crowded (except when Old Wooley is first tapped) and completely free of the Greek system (it's too far for them to walk) that pervades the slightly more northern establishments on the Ave. This is a place to just come and hang out with your friends or by yourself.
3 - Leah K.: Great beer and relatively cheap, Big Time is a Good Time for Your Times.  Or... something like that.  Inside it's a little more chill than a lot of the other Ave establishments, though having been there only on weekdays I can't be sure.  Just seemed to lack that, "broiling, drunken human horde" feel so common in other nearby venues, so it's great if you're a little older and actually feel complimented when the bartenders ask for your ID.
4 - Elise D.: Ave Crawl bar #8!

I like it here. It's weird because it's been nearly 5 years since I turned 21 and I never bothered to go.  Always saw the beer garden at the Street Fair, but for whatever reason just never thought to check it out.  Now that I started grad school and am in the Udistrict on a regular basis again I have become somewhat of a regular here.  They have free wi-fi, so if you are into drinking beer and doing homework its awesome! The other great thing about most places in the Udistrict is that they almost always have specials every night of the week.

I don't know what it is about this place, but it seems to be busier at 7pm on a Tuesday night than it is on the weekends.  It seems like quite a few UW grad students go here after class for group meetings and study sessions.  It looses a star for poor service.
4 - Dejia B.: Surprisingly good pizza!  We had their vegetarian special of the day which had artichoke hearts, olives, onions, ricotta and garlic...freaking delicious!  My *only* complaint is that their beer is a bit overprice IMO.  It's $4.50...by the time you're done tipping a $1 for your pint it's almost $6 for one beer.  On a side note, they have a punch card for every brew you get, so that's kinda cool.  Big Time, if you're reading this, might be a good idea to turn down the music a touch too, we had to shout to hear each other at a 4 top table.
4 - Chris Y.: The cider here is AWESOME. I can't believe I haven't been here sooner since I only live a block away! The environment is very pubby and the bartenders are hella chill. Watched the UW bball game with some friends while sipping on some brews = great. The beers are a bit pricey (4.25+) but it's quality stuff so it's all good. 

Also, bartender hooked up 9 stamps out of 10 for a free brew next time i stop in.
3 - Sambucus R.: They used to have a sweet shuffleboard table, and a bunch of us would go and hang out and eat pizza and drink beer for a long time.  Now that they don't, it's an okay brewery with mediocre pizza.  And lots of tvs going all the time.  I guess if that's yer thing.
3 - Trevor H.: The beer is EXCELLENT. 5 stars for beer.

The food is horrible :) Knocking a few stars off.

Great, chill place to hang out and enjoy some beers with a very friendly staff.
4 - Chris C.: Great beer, mediocre food. I had a calzone one night that was reasonably good. But the baked potato with (vegetarian) chili was bland and dry. Thankfully, the beer does make up for it! And for anyone who's been to Berkeley, CA, you might notice that their sign outside and the overall decor are pretty much identical to Triple Rock...
3 - Lacey M.: I used to eat here for lunch because I used to work 2 doors down, it's really hit or miss with this place though. They have all sorts of sandwiches to choose from but it depends on who makes it.They always have a special; soup and  sandwich or something. I don't like their baggette because it's so hard that all your goodies slip out when you try to sink your teeth in. I'm really picky about how easy or hard it is to actually eat my food though,no dripping juices out the bottom and I shouldn't have to rearrange the whole thing before I eat it. That being said, pizza is always a safe bet here, they used to have awesome soups but now they don't change it up enough.  I'm not a beer loving person so I can't comment on that but I've heard good things. Beware too of the grumpy lady whose taking orders sometimes, she's just a huge B word and her facial expressions at you are irritated and just plain B. I boycotted the place for months before because I refused to go back after how that lady treated me, that being said I would probably go in again, the people who have worked their a long time are way cool and nice, the guy with the glasses and lady who always wears some sort of long skirt with stripey stockings or something:) Oh yeah, and stay away from their garlic bread it's nuked and rubbery. 3 stars because you could spend 12 bucks on lunch when you only want to spend 5
4 - Brandon B.: I love the beer (emphasis on ales) and the atmosphere.  Scarlett Fire IPA is especially delicious, but they have an assortment of interesting beers (including a Barely Wine on occasion).  The prices for the beer on not cheap, but the taste is high quality.

The food is fine, but you come for the beer and people.  I will need to visit this place again before I leave.
4 - Quynh-An P.: I like the fact that Big Time, even though it's on the Ave, doesn't have the crazy frat boy feel that other places have.  We started coming to Big Time because its sister brewery in Berkeley, Triple Rock, is the boyfriend's favorite brewery of his college years.  You can tell that the two are related, as they even have the same feel and similar beers.

As I'm not a beer drinker, I can't vouch for anything...but I do know that everyone enjoys coming here and whenever we order a keg for a party, it's from this place.  I personally like the pizzas and the baked potatoes.  Delicious!
2 - Tyler H.: Brewed beer is okay, but overpriced. Pizza is okay, but overpriced. This would all be acceptable, but why the hell did they get rid of their shuffleboard in the back??
4 - claire s.: Things to like about Big Time Brewing:

1. Their beer
2. Their veggie chili
3. Their shuffle-board table
4 - Theo S.: Solid Neighborhood Bar!!!

Decent selection of their own beers - especially like the Coal Creek Porter and the Trombipulator [awesome name as well] and the Wheatwine was interesting - different than anything I had really drank before.

Food is decent but overpriced considering Aladdin's GyroCery is next door.
2 - Tarik A.: Chili tastes like ketchup. Overpriced pizza served at tongue-burning temperature. Their beer is nothing special either. Keep walkin'...
4 - Robert S.: My ASU friends and I came here before and after the last ASU @ UW game, due it's close proximity to Husky Stadium.

We strolled in, got a few boos (as expected), and ordered some drinks.  They got some pretty delicious beer here, at least to me.  We enjoyed the beer, chatted up some fans on both sides, and headed to the game.

After we came back, we did the same thing, except we ordered food too.  The staff immediately recognized us again (not too many ASU fans I suppose), and set us up with a pretty nice big table.  It was a good time.  If I lived in the area, this would be a place I'd stop by ALL THE TIME, guaranteed.

This place is pretty ballertronix.  I definitely want to visit here again whenever I'm in the hood.
4 - Greg L.: Not sure why I like this place so much.  Bhagwan's IPA is the only beer that's really competitive with other NW beers (though the NW beer scene is really competitive, to be fair).  The pizza is good but not great.   I think it's really the whole picture, a nice, college pub atmosphere, lively.  I find it a joy to go to, especially when I'm in the area anyway, or to meet friends working at UW.  Pretty much the only place I go to in the UW area, in fact, and I always enjoy it when I go.
4 - Alison W.: Big Time has excellent beer, including my favorite: the seasonal Mary Hoppins. The last few times I've gone, I've had the Oktoberfest which is also good.

The food is okay, nothing spectacular, but it fits with the atmosphere and gets the job done. Their pizza goes pretty well with the beer--though, what pizza doesn't, AMIRITE?

Though it is located on The Ave, it's been mostly people in my age range when I've gone (late 20s-late 30s). I go quite a bit, so I'd say that's the typical crowd. It's low-key and comfortable, and quite often there are groups of people playing board games at tables.

Do NOT forget your ID when you go,as  I've never not been carded here.
4 - Sarah C.: We stopped in to meet a couple of friends one night. The four of us sat at the bar and talked to the bartender. He was very nice and knowledgeable and let us sample everything before we made our choices. We ordered a veggie pizza and I can honestly say that it is the best veggie pizza I have ever had. I'm not usually a fan of IPAs but their Scarlet Fire was really good and I didn't really have any complaints about their other IPAs either. It was a fun atmosphere and a place we'll be returning to soon.
4 - Samantha E.: After several repeat visits, I have to upgrade to "I'm a fan."  I like more of their beers, and the first time visit's crackery pizza crust hasn't repeated itself-- it's been very good the rest of the times I've been there.  Pitchers aren't cheap, but are reasonably priced for microbrew beer.  It's loud enough not to be awkward but quiet enough you can hear your friends talk.  Our group tends to go here with plans of migrating elsewhere, and then staying for hours.  Yep, definitely "I'm a fan."
5 - John G.: I have loved this warm friendly place for twenty years.  
Tail dragger nachos, veggie chile, sandwiches, and the Coal Creek Porter are my favs.  Pizza, I have only had once and it was not noteworthy. Ambiance is great to study, or watch a game in a low key manor (versus where the game crowd eclipses the rest ... like at the Dutchess).  Trivia night was fun, but sparsely attended.  Maybe that is why my team won the time we went.

Also, you can bring kids there.
5 - Alisa B.: So here's something funny you probably don't know about me... i love Beer culture, hell I love it so much I work at a brewery (not this one)  but I cannot freaking stand beer! lol! yeah seriously what the hell is wrong with me?

Regardless this place still gets the big five star rating from me... the people behind the bar are awesome always sweet but just rough enough around the edges that you want to hear more about them.

The pizza is pretty yummy too... and the atmosphere is that of a place you could just chill with your friends for hours in (believe me i've done it)... yup, I'm all about Big Time : )
4 - Jessi M.: I've been here a few times now and enjoyed it every time. It's a particularly type of bar-- no table service, quieter atmosphere-- but a type I tend to like.

I'm not actually a big beer drinker, which sometimes puts a damper on going out. What's nice about Big Time is that (at least every time I've gone there), they've had a really nice cider on tap. They've been complex, dry, sweet, whatever, but always interesting and always tasty. It means I can still grab a pint with the rest of them.

I also tend to want to munch on something while drinking. Big Time, as long as you get there early enough, has a little kitchen that makes snack-esque-type food. They do nachos right.

If you're looking for a good drink with a little less college craziness, go here.
3 - randi s.: I came here on a Monday day last week for a bite after going to Red Light to search for outfits for the Elite Hard Rock event.  I have been here before and have always been impressed with the food. There were plenty of open tables since it was the middle of the day, there were students there studying and a few random people mostly reading and relaxing. I like how they serve their own beers and the porter was on special. 

However, after living on the Eastside for some time and being used to my "cheers" bars, I have realized that the bartenders on the Ave can have some weird attitudes. I know they have to deal with obnoxious college kids most of the time, but I felt a weird vibe from the bartender in that "you are lucky I am serving you" type of way. We are walking up to the bar in the middle of the day when it's not busy! When you slam down the receipt in front of me, say thank you! Not the other way around! JEesh.. :) Luckily their sandwiches and tasty beer is better than their service, but I tend to frequent places based on the quality of the service, not the food! (Call me a weirdo)
5 - Sara L.: I am kind of astonished that I've never written a review for Big Time.  Maybe I just took for granted that this is the best bar in the universe, and therefore thought no review was necessary.  This bar is my home bar.  From the time I turned 21 five years ago, this place has been my bar.  Over the years I've gotten to know multiple bartenders, had pretty much every beer they brew, spent hours and hours with friends eating baked potatoes and playing games.  

I've recently moved to Olympia, but my relationship with Big Time is still going strong.  Every time I'm back, I'm in and saying hi to Rick and playing dominoes at the bar and eating their new addition of Belgian Frites (complete with dipping sauce!).  This place is an oasis in the midst of frat-bars, and I hope I'm still visiting twenty, thirty, forty years from now.
1 - Amber H.: Big Time was ahead of College Inn, just because they had windows and reliably have a wheat beer. Then I went there a few weeks ago and I will never return again. In addition to the rude, crappy service, the fact that they wouldn't let me order cheesy sticks bc it was after happy hour (come on, its the same ingredients as a pizza, just charge more, whatevs), the system of YELLING out your order, I GOT BITTEN BY FLEAS!! Yes, I'm in public health and tracked down the source of exposure, because every one in our group had the same red, itchy bumps and it was the only time we were together without any other people. Two of my friends had the bumps confirmed as flea bites with doctors. My entire forearm swelled up with huge itchy red bumps. And...one of my friends talked to a friend who had been there the week before..and they all had itchy bites too.

GROSS! Disgusting! I will never return.
2 - William W.: Uhhh, besides the poor customer service, the beer is good. Don't expect much from the cooking staff or the angry person with a pony tail. If your a college student and not expecting much, great spot to chill for a beer with free wi-fi. No desire to go back, I will just walk over to the next spot. Best of luck to them.
3 - Laura H.: Good beer.  I was here a few days back and fell in love with their Oatmeal Stout.  I'm a sucker for a good dark beer - if it tastes like chocolate and coffee and brew in one delicious malty cup, I'm down to clown.

However, I kind of wish I was still in college.  I think I'd like this place more if I was.  I was here on a Saturday night and the place was awash with frat kids and ROTC groupies and any amount of stereotypical collegiate groupings you can think of.

Now, I'm also not that removed from college and it wasn't as though it made the bar unpleasant or we had any trouble.  I just felt a little weirdly out of place and it just really wasn't my scene.  Or maybe I've got Stockholm Syndrome for the hipster bars on Cap Hill.  At any rate, sitting around with a sea of students wearing Huskies sweatshirts just made me feel a bit odd.

And I got asked for my ID no less than three times.  Ugh.  Not that I don't understand why they do it, but, still.  Ugh.
5 - Anna P.: Big Time is unequivocally, irrefutably, indubitably my favorite bar in Seattle. Sure, I've been a 'regular' at other bars in my day, but Big Time is the only bar that I have consistently frequented for the last five years, no matter which corner of Seattle I resided in at the time. The beer selection is ever-changing but ever-dependable at the same time. There has never and will never be an instance where I can't find something I'll like on tap. And while we all come here to first and foremost indulge in our love of beer, there is also plenty of tasty (and surprisingly non-greasy) food to be eaten along with your favorite brew. It really does not  - no hyperbole intended -  get any better than that.

As long as I live in Seattle, Big Time is my home bar.
4 - Colin D.: While Big Time isn't my favorite brew pub in Seattle, it's pretty special given that (1) it's located on the Ave where it's easy to get to for events with friends from campus, (2) they brew their own beer which is pretty damn tasty, (3) they make really good pizza that's reasonably priced and (4) they usually have lots of space to set up with your friends.

When I first came to Seattle, this was just another watering hole with maybe slightly better than average pub grub because they had decent pizza. Since then, I've gotten to know the Seattle beer scene a lot and realized that Big Time is actually a hidden gem with some really good brewing that goes on inside. Their barleywine is some of the best in the country and they do special brews that are delicious. The St Patty's day Irish stout was really worth trekking out for.

The only problem is also one of it's nicest features, which is that it's right on top of UW meaning it's really easy to go out with friends from school and have a nice time, but also it gets overrun with college students on the weekends making it a lot less mellow than you might otherwise like.
4 - Seth B.: Big Time has been the go-to bar for my friends and me since college, and we always seem to find ourselves coming back here. It's sort of surprising, considering that it's right in the middle of the Ave, but the crowd is a lot less collegy than you might think. The people here skew a little older, which makes for a much more laid-back atmosphere. It also seems to be busy around dinner time and then clear out as the evening goes on, so it's never difficult to find a table for a large group of people.

I do wish I liked the beer here more, though. As someone who generally likes lighter and/or sour beers, most of their beers are much too dark or hoppy for my tastes. When the so-called "wheat ale" tastes like an IPA, that's a bit of a problem. It's a small price to pay though, since the atmosphere is great, the food is all solid, and they always seem to be playing good music. Definitely worth visiting if you want a place to hang out in the U district that isn't crawling with popped collar frat boy types.
5 - Rachel P.: Nestled in the heart of U-District, this is the go to bar before, during or after any UW games! It tends to get crowded, but it's worth the wait as the beer here is yummy! 

Laid back and casual atmosphere makes this a perfect place to meet friends for a local brew and good times! I've yet to try the food but it always looks yum! I also love the fact that they have growlers to take home some of the home brew!
3 - Brian H.: Great for groups to get together.
4 - Jannie H.: Definitely love the local beers that they have on tap.  Went here with some friends on a Thursday night, and it was pretty slow, considering it was before Memorial Day weekend, it was expected.  We tried the cider they had on tap, and it was delicious, tasted like sparkling apple cider.  Hahaha, we like girly drinks.  

We felt that the crowd at Big Time Brewing Company attracted more a graduate crowd, but we liked that it was quiet enough where we could have an intimate conversation with each other.
2 - Leah H.: Local beer. Convenient location. I want to love this place, I really do. But I end up finding it (and mostly the beer) rather 'eh' time after time. 

Pros: 
The space is beautiful. Big wood tables to spread out and work at, a gorgeous wood bar, and huge windows to peek at the rare Seattle sun. 
Plus I love being able to see inside the brewery itself (cute boys making beer... thank you!). 
And they have great "grumpy hour" food specials and a punch card for loyal visitors that gets you $0.50 beer. 

Cons: 
You cannot pay for or order beer and food from the same area. That means that if you want some snacks after your first pint and you're paying with a card you have to close out your bar tab, order food at a separate area, pay and run your card again, and then return to the bar with your card to open your tab again. Whew!
Mostly why I can't love Big Time though? The beer doesn't hold up to the other great Seattle breweries. All their varieties are on the malty side and lack the hop-forward flavor that makes Northwest beer great. 

Insider Tips: 
The place has free wi-fi but you have to get the code from the staff. 
The atmosphere changes drastically depending on the time of day. In the afternoon find really casual service and some families in the dining room. The nights are PACKED with college and graduate students and service can be slow as a result.
3 - Joel R.: Big Time features their own brew and because of the freshness, it's the best beer you're going to get on the Ave. However, the place itself is no great shakes, as it's basically just a gigantic, high-ceilinged saloon that reeks of stale yeast. The food's pretty mediocre as well, but they do have shuffleboard in back and natural light up front. Solid for the beer (you can pick up a growler) but not so much for the rest.
4 - Miranda H.: Great IPAs, good happy hour specials, and a stamp card that allows you to obtain a $.50 beer after 10 stamps.  You can't go wrong with Big Time.
5 - Gretchen J.: Awesome beer and delicious pizza!!!
4 - Brad P.: Located on the Ave near the University of Washington, this place is definitely a college bar.  If you are looking for any sort of sophistication, you won't find it here - and that isn't a bad thing.

I am a bit of a beer snob, so I will always give higher marks to a place that has their own brews.  Prices on the beer were comparable with what you would expect at a place of this type and the Amber was delicious.

The menu is relatively small and given the overall atmosphere and location, you would expect the prices to be cheaper.  My sandwich was just ok, but the pizza is really good.

Another plus was that rather than the radio, they were simply playing the entire Mumford and Sons album.
3 - Suie C.: This place is convenient if your on the ave. We stopped in here for a drink to kill a bit of time. 

If you like beer, this place if good for you. They only had 3 or 4 wines to choose from and they don't have liquor. 

Our bartender was quick with our drinks and the inside is actually fairly spacious. However, it can get a bit noisy, they had loud music playing when we stopped in during the afternoon.
5 - Joe M.: Big Time deserves 5 stars for their beer alone.  I feel lucky to live near them: there aren't many brewpubs with their creativity, much less places that constantly make up delicious new recipes and have great deals.  The food is alright.  The nachos are the best bang for your buck.
4 - Daren D.: Me, JP and some newfound friends were gallivanting the ghost town of Saturday night University Ave (what, no tumbleweeds?).
*we pass by Big Time*
*we stop*
*we turn a 180*
*...then a 90*
No beer for me (yet?). We crashed at the bar before they closed to hang a bit. The bartender was nice enough to point out the water thermos behind me. I enjoyed the background music.
3 - Lee W.: Cruised through this place last night after a few pitchers at The Rat and the Raven.

The pumpkin beer tasted absolutely nothing like pumpkin. So while it was a tasty beer, I was expecting some pumpkin taste in that bad boy. 

The bartender was a wee bit surly. But perhaps I was a wee bit drunk. The kitchen closes at midnight, so unless you want to drop a Thomas Jefferson on some pretzels or spicy nuts than you better show up early.

Reminder to self:  Update review after drinking more of their beers.
3 - Steven C.: IPA Heaven! They are three IPA's that were all wonderful. I did not like the fact that you had to get up and go get your own beer they don't bring it to you. I only like their IPA the others weren't very good. The wait staff didn't seem very friendly or like they cared about anyone but maybe their friends that were there.
5 - Bob Z.: Big Time is a Seattle beer institution. When other brewpubs were just a glint in some guy's eye, Big Time was already a going concern. It looks like it has been there forever and the rest of Seattle just kind of grew up around it, which is almost true.

The beer is great. They had of their own IPAs on tap (one of them on cask) when I last visited. Bhagwan's Best is a perennial favorite but the latest one (I forget the name) was great! 

The Ave Rat malt liquor is worth a try when it's on tap and the Old Sol Wheatwine is a treat I don't get to try often enough. I got the pizza the last time I was here. Their Hawaiian pizza with jalapenos added is fabulous.

The place gets kinda packed during "Grumpy Hour" from 2:00 to 5:00, but it clears out considerably when the prices return to normal.
4 - Kevin C.: I was a little confused when i first got here, because i thought there was going to be a waiter or waitress that ran around, but you have go up to the bar to get your drinks, and/or the kitchen to get your food. 2 separate tabs. and then you go sit down.

The pizza is ok, i found the dough to be a little doughy, but the beer here is good. I rather like the amber ale.
4 - Ray E.: Had the Atlas and spicy fried chicken sandwich. Both were very good. Wish they gave me a bigger sandwich and cheaper beer though. I never even knew this place existed, it's kind of tucked in by 41st but the inside was very spacious and had a cool vibe.
2 - Greg G.: Good: the food and beer are decent, although rather abundantly priced. 

Bad: the service is at best indifferent, at worst outright hostile (steel yourself before venturing to the bar). They don't bother to state people's names when putting an order out, resulting in confusion during peak hours and risking people taking the wrong orders. 

Overall: can be OK given the U-District's extremely limited bar options. But there are much better places out there.
4 - Dave A.: What's not to love about The Big Time? Good beer, good food and a normally chill crowd make this my absolute must-visit place on the Ave. I say a "normally chill crowd" because a few times I've been here during a particularly busy time of year (last day before mid-winter break at U-Dub for example) and the place gets SLAMMED, but never so much that I can't get served. That's a rarity, most of the time the volume and crowds are even enough that you can actually have a conversation without shouting to be heard.

Many beer snobs don't really give this place the props it deserves but the seasonal beers at Big Time are really some of the best in town, and the stapes are always consistent so from where I stand that keeps them on the beer map for me. The Christmas Ale and the Barleywine were particularly good in 2011 for example.

The food is pub food, but a good version of pub food so I never feel tempted to jump over to a Thai joint on the Ave, but with so much good food in this neighborhood it's hard to say that The Big Time is a destination restaurant. The big news is they now have a fryer, and are serving Pommes Frites that come in a clever paper cone held in place by a metal funnel (classic Belgian style) and they're pretty awesome. Some of the several dipping sauces are not so great (speaking of "Thai" Aioli here) so order carefully. 

The Big Time is always a good time!
2 - Lauren B.: Got the 8" Sausage Italiano pizza, which was tasty but a HUGE ripoff at $12.95, unless there were gold flakes in that sausage and I just missed it. The guy behind the counter was also curt and unfriendly. Maybe if I had gone there to drink the price of the food would have seemed less outrageous, but definitely not somewhere I would go for dinner again.
4 - Jamie O.: Big Time Brewery is a cool little bar/brewery that I was lucky enough to visit last night for a big ole birthday bash. We got there pretty early and snagged some big tables in the back. 

We mainly drank large amounts of beer :) Being a carb watcher my choice was Prime Time which was really quite delicious. The food is meh, just ok. The beer is what shines here. I also loved how busy the joint got, and it was loud and exciting, lots of fun!!! For being in the back service did not suffer, so I really have nothing to complain about at all. 

Side note, the bathrooms are well kept and clean, which is always important for me ;)
2 - Jason G.: I used to love this place...

The Trombipulator is a cool name for a beer that will kick you in the face. The food is yummy and the beers are rad. I also love the tables and the lighting. It's not dark, and even when it's crowded, if you had a table you didn't feel claustrophobic.

I have stopped going...

Why? (You haven't asked)

BECAUSE THEY SOLD THEY M'F'ING SHUFFLEBOARD TABLE!!!

They had the nicest smoothest longest (it gets sexual doesn't it?) shuffleboard table in the state of Washington. 

Nothing, nothing, was better then going to Big Time, getting a bunch of pitchers and playing shuffleboard. 

Big Time, I give you two stars in the hopes that you read these review and will bring back your table. If you do you'll bring me, my friends, and my alcohol fused bar tabs back as well.
4 - Tony G.: I've only been here twice but both times have been memorable. Even though I have only had the Big Wooly Barleywine and Whiny the Complainer TIPA, they are both fantastic beers. I love the ambiance of the place and the people who worked there seemed really nice. I need to come here more often!

Zipzap Zubidy Bop!
4 - Tara B.: Hell yes to:

- tasty beers
- cheap bar snacks
- french fries on the menu with a variety of interesting ketchups (curry and chipotle? mmmm.)

Loved it.
1 - Kevin S.: Some of the beers are pretty good, but nothing special.  Some of the worst staff I have have ever encountered...somehow ordering a drink is an imposition, even when the place is empty at 2 in the afternoon.  Avoid like the plague.  

Food is decent, but overpriced for what you get.  Serve me stale Tostitos with my sandwich?  Yes, please!  45 mins to serve me my food is also reasonable.
 
And what a generous happy hour!  $1.00 off beers, weekdays 2-5 PM!  

Great place to go when Schultzy's is full, and you are sick of Finns, Earls, College Inn, etc etc.
5 - Kittiya P.: Hands down...best margarita pizza ever.

I always go here for the pizza. They also have a wide selection of beer. I'm not a big fan of beer, but my bf is.

Went there yesterday for our usual pizza. The crust was a little too crispy. Still the best margarita pizza though! And not expensive either!!!
3 - Opal D.: My fiance likes to come for the beer.
We both think the food is pretty bad. 
No ambiance.
3 - Rachel J.: I really dislike the two tabs thing. 

Go over to bar.. wait in line.. order beers.. get beers.. pay.. then... go over to this line.. order food.. pay.. then wait at table for them to bring it to you. After we got the food the bartender came over to check on us and I just couldn't help to think .. couldn't she just have taken our whole order in the first place? 

The sandwiches and pizza are always good and the service is always nice and sometimes funny. So don't get me wrong the food is fine and the beer is great.. I just really dislike the two tabs thing.
4 - PJ M.: I didn't even read your review.  This place is Good.  

It's a little weird that this little gem of a brewery is located in the heart of the U District, but as soon as you walk in, you're back to where you were expecting to go.

For a small craft brewery (oldest in Washington?) they produce some impressive beers.  We enjoyed 4 different IPA's and all were tasty.

Been several times for beer, plus taking some growlers home, and finally hit it for lunch.

Wife and I both had some very tasty french dip sandwiches, which were WAY better than we were expecting.

Beer Geeks - This is a solid brew pub, 5 star beers and affordable.

Foodies - well...you're on your own, as usual.  Cheers!
5 - Tom B.: This place has been part of the fabric of Seattle's brewery scene for over two decades now. Which makes it rather grandfatherly in this two--rather grandfatherly in this *country*, come to think of it, if you're looking at craft breweries. They weren't quite the first over the wall. When American beer started to be more than a fizzy yellow industrially-produced water 35 years ago, there were only a few places doing it. These guys came along a few years later, definitely in the first wave, if at the end of it. Depending on how interested you might be in the histories of things, that's worth thinking about when you stop by.

They front on the Ave; they're a couple blocks from campus. But they oddly lack the feel of a campus bar. There are kids, but it's not the cheesy, over-talkative crowd that sets the *upper* age limit at 21 for so many other bars in this area. The Big Time is a cool place to drink for profs, beer lovers, and whatever neighborhood adults might happen to be looking to bend an elbow.

You walk in to a channel between big meadows of heavy oaken tables. The gigantic heavy tables here would seriously cost a fortune in modern carpentry--not that they're fancy, it's just that good heavy wood like this is prohibitively expensive now for such large, dense pieces. It gives the place quite the feeling of heft, and of permanence. You don't get the sense, ever, that someone will bump over your pitcher simply by knocking their hip against your table.

The bar is antique as well, a gigantic and gorgeous old hardwood thing with mirrors and battered copper faucets. And lots of brewfest medals hanging from the posts--the brewer's bling is in effect here. The kitchen is across the room. They crank out nachos, pizzas, and sandwiches. I like all of them well enough as pub grub, but it's three-star food, really. Do your main eating for the evening elsewhere if you're feeling like really paying attention to the food.

The beer's what's up here. Well, the beer and the shuffleboard and the hanging out. Yeah, they have shuffleboard in back. There are five fairly permanently programmed faucets pouring house IPAs, ambers, pales, and the like, with relatively little variation. There are five other faucets pouring new recipes, small batches, experiments, and so on. All the beers here range from decent to sometimes great. 

They changed brewers in 2011, so the old house style of having a magic touch with bright, herbal hop profiles might change somewhat as the new regime takes hold. But there are also a lot of house recipes that stay the same no matter who makes them, and they're all worth trying a pint. Through the years, they've brewed close to a couple hundred different recipes here. 

Bottom line, Seattle doesn't really have a heck of a lot of bars with a sense of place that seem to have been here forever, let alone breweries that give you that feeling. BT does the job. I never get tired of coming in here for pints.
4 - Bodie S.: This is definitely a brewery built for college students (as it is located very close to University of Washington) and you can definitely tell by the crowd of people inside. Fair prices and good drinks make it a main attraction and I can understand why people enjoy coming here so much. They serve excellent food and quality beers. The Scarlett Fire IPA was my favorite (partially biased because IPAs are my favorite type of beer). Pitchers of beer are about $15, so basically the same as if you were going to buy individual pints, spare a buck or two. So depending on your company, whether they are picky or not, pitchers could be a solid way to go. The décor of the brewery was very interesting also. Slightly modern, but with a feel that it has been around for a long time. Check this place out!

"It's not about the beer, it's about the beer." - Don Younger
4 - S C.: Like the brews.  OK food.  Good times.
3 - Niko B.: The IPAs are really good and fairly priced -  $4.50 a glass. Food has a few rooms for improvement. Even for pub food, it's really sub-par. I once ordered a toasted BLT and waited 25 minutes only for them to bring me a cold sandwich.
4 - Bradley H.: A great local brewery with shockingly good food.  A good tap list of 8 in house beers, always with at least one (good) cask.  No hard alcohol for anybody who's looking.  The bar is open pretty late every day, with the restaurant closing at 10 I believe. Great happy hour too.

Big Time's Bar-B-Que - Lafayette, IN (40.3878935, -86.9022846) ()
5 - Patrick A.: Big Time's Bar-B-Que is GREAT!! The brisket is juicy and tender and the ribs are off the charts. They also have a good selection of sides that I enjoyed. If you live on the south side of Lafayette I suggest you give them a try!
4 - Ka N.: I had a pulled pork sandwich which was very good, I particularly liked the Dr. Sauce, which has a Dr. Pepper base.  The loaded fries were fantastic and plentiful. I would go back again.
5 - nikki k.: Amazing - better than South Street and Jethro's - don't miss out!

Big W Cleaners & Alterations - Seattle, WA (47.665596, -122.3012) (University District)
4 - Cohni A.: I love this little dry cleaner store. I take my hubby's suits there probably every other week and they always come back immaculate and well pressed - like new. However- what makes this place really special is Hannah the owner/front desk lady. From the beginning she always made me feel like I was an old favorite customer and gave me a little (expired) coupon sheet and told me I could keep reusing it. *Even Better* sometimes I forget the coupon and she still gives me the discount if I ask. Also- when dropping off clothes she will offer you the standard couple of days pick up- but if you really need it she will do next day at no extra charge.
5 - Megan Y.: I've never used dry cleaning service before, but I needed to clean several stains from a silk dress I was going to wear in a couple days. I was kind of worried because there are some horror stories I've read on Yelp about dry cleaners in the University District area, but I took a chance and went with Big W Cleaners.

The location is excellent. It's super close to the University Village area and literally across the street from Nordheim Court. There is also free parking.

When I first walked in, the lady at the counter was very pleasant. It has a family-run store feel, and I like that. I didn't want my clothes shipped to some cleaning plant elsewhere, like I heard Bakker's does. It was no problem to get my dress cleaned in 3 days. There was no extra charge for changing to an earlier pick up time either. When I went to pick up my dress, the same lady was just as friendly as the first time.

Dry cleaning my silk dress cost $15 ($16.43 after tax). I think this price is reasonable/comparable to others, and my dress looks like new! I will definitely be coming back in the future.
5 - Aaron L.: They were quick, friendly and did an excellent job with my not so simple alteration job.  I bought a used wool peacoat and it looks better than I could have imagined.  They were a bit pricey but I guess you get what you pay for.
4 - Kaitlin K.: I was starting to get really worried that I couldn't find a decent place to get a cocktail dress altered before my going away party (goodbye Seattle!)--I had been reading reviews of places that took weeks rather than days, screwed up easy alterations, etc...so after a week of reading horror-story reviews, I decided to try Big W because it was on my way home from work.  I walked in after work (they're open 'til 7, which is great!), and the gal there asked me to try on the dress.  She stuck a few pins in the sides, and told me it would be done on Friday (less than a week!), and it would be $30.  I didn't believe it would be that easy, nor than inexpensive!  I still had reservations when I picked up my dress, but I tried it on and it fits so much better than before!  I will definitely bring more clothing back here to get altered.
1 - erin b.: Do not use this place for alterations!!  I chose to get a bridesmaid dress altered at Big W based on the positive recommendations on Yelp, but I had a VERY different experience.  I took my dress in to have it taken in - I was a little shocked at the $100 they charged me to take in the seams on a simple strapless dress but figured if they did a good job, it would be worth it.  Once I got it back, I made the mistake of not trying it on until the day before the out-of-town wedding.  Not only did it not fit (I had to take it to a seamstress in the town where the wedding was held at the very last minute to fix it), but Big W had taken in the outer layer of the dress only, leaving the lining to bunch up inside the now smaller dress, and had sewn the dress back together leaving jagged and mismatched seams under the arms.  The seamstress who fixed the botched dress told me she had never seen sloppier work - and she was dismayed that I paid $100 for what she said should have been no more than a $20 job based on the amount of time it would take to produce such a sloppy end product.  To top it all off, when I went back to the store to explain what had happened and ask to be reimbursed for the second alteration to 'fix' the dress, I was treated extremely rudely - no apology, no money back.  All in all, I had a TERRIBLE experience with Big W.
5 - Josh G.: Read the positive reviews and gave it a try. I bought a suit and needed it altered in time for a business workshop. The owner was very kind and assured me it would be ready in time. She was quick but precise with her measurements and I was out of there in no more than 5 minutes. Just picked up the suit today and couldn't be happier with how it fits. Expect to pay $20-$30 per article of clothing you want altered. Haven't used them for dry cleaning yet but I plan to.

Big Y World Class Market - Amherst, MA (42.367729, -72.53444) ()
1 - Matt C.: Big Y has a theory, where is you have amazing deals on 3 items, then people will overlook the fact you are overcharging on EVERYTHING else. I am not one of those people. Go to stop and shop and thank me later
2 - Derek W.: Went here today because the sales looked really good and Stop & Shop's looked really bad. What a mistake. Everything is still so expensive. We bought a couple sale items then left and had to go to Stop & Shop anyway. The one good thing I can say about this place is the sushi is really good. Like, restaurant-quality good. But other than that, there is no real reason to shop here unless you plan on going for the sales and then going to Stop & Shop to buy everything else.
5 - Giselle E.: Definitely cheaper than Stop&Shop. Great weekly deals and coin deals. If you're unfamiliar with BigY, they give out these silver and gold coins where you can use them to pay a lower price on certain goods throughout the store (like dairy products, bread, fruits, etc).

Very affordable prices, and definitely cheaper than neighboring supermarkets. If you don't believe me, grab their weekly flyers and compare prices!

Clean, always friendly staff, and always very helpful. Produce is always fresh and weekly sales always have something worth buying.

Biggby - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2794204, -83.7426071) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
3 - Clarence C.: It feels like a chain-owned coffee house when you walk in the door, because everything is logo-embossed, branded, and pre-packaged. All the cost and none of the vibe of Amer's or Espresso Royale.

Coffee is for sale in a cup or by the pound, including organic blends. Pricy pre-made sandwiches, salads and deserts can be had. 

It will shorten the trip for a lot of people who would have walked all the way to Starbucks
3 - Sarah W.: This place feels like a chain because it is a chain, its located in nine states. The place used to have the ridiculous name of "Beaners" but was recently changed (long over due). 

The atmosphere kind of feels like a warmer Starbucks with carpet. The staff is super friendly so be prepared! And the coffee is not that great but service is good.

The good thing is this place has free wi-fi access. And some pretty decent breakfast bagels. They usually have really good coupons, so keep your eye out. They also have a punch card to work your way to a free coffee!
3 - Jenna S.: It's just like Caribou and Starbucks - surprise!  Everyone has mentioned the chain-ness of this coffee place, so of course I'll have to comment.  Everything was stamped with the "Biggby" logo, but so is everything in Caribou and Starbucks.

I guess I was interested in Biggby's because their local advertisements claim that Biggby is "Michigan-grown" and completely local.  I guess that's sort of true, considering the company was founded in East Lansing.  However, to have franchises in nine states kind of makes this a little less Michigan and a little less appealing to me.  I really thought it was Michigan-only.  

Anyway, the coffee was pretty good and I really enjoyed that you get your choice of coffee that you serve yourself at the end of the counter.  They had a bunch of blends, including some seasonal selections that were pretty good.  The place was pretty empty when we arrived so the service was fast and friendly.  There was a ton of cool stuff on sale (like mugs, cups, sweets, etc.) that I probably would have been into if I lived near a Biggby's in real life.  

I'd probably come back the next time I'm in AA - the coffee was pretty good and it was the same price as all the other chain stores.  Also, this coffee is way better than the Seattle's Best in the Border's across the street, so come here if you need a pick-me-up.  I think they have a coffee club, too, in case you're a frequent buyer.
3 - Keane N.: Considering the location of Biggby Coffee, you'd think that this place would consistently be filled with undergrads, like me, doing homework (or at least attempting to). Yet on a consistent basis, except for Sundays and during finals, I can always find a seat. But why?

First, the coffee. In general, the drinks are generally average with the surprisingly good (hot chocolate) and the amazingly bad (anything blended). Moreover, the quality of your drink is highly dependent on the barista. I've had some who over roast and burn the flavor out of the drink while others can brew the perfect cappuccino. 

Second, the prices. On average, the prices at Biggby Coffee are on par with Starbucks just down the street. If paying ~$4 for a specialty drink, the quality is just too inconsistent. To make up for that, they do have a frequency card (1 free drink for 12 drinks purchased).

Third, the Wi-Fi. Thankfully, the Wi-Fi at Biggby is free. However, the speed and the connection, much like the coffee, is inconsistent. While there, I often find myself switching to another open network because the Biggby network won't connect or is painfully slow. 

Despite the negatives of Biggby coffee, I think it has the best customer service of the area coffee shops. The baristas are all very friendly, amiable, and don't hesitate from striking up a conversation. One time, when I was under the weather, one of the baristas sent me home with a free goodie bag with cookies and candy!

Despite its flaws, I still regularly frequent Biggby. It's definitely  far from the worst coffee in Ann Arbor (I'm looking at you Espresso Royale) but not the best (yet).
2 - Allie Y.: It sucks that this coffee shop is just doors down from megacoffee shop Starbucks, but that doesn't give this place an excuse for being sucky. The cappuccino here has this weird super sweet aftertaste that is just bad - I couldn't even finish my drink. The second time I tried the hot chocolate - not bad, but also really really sweet. It's the only reason why this place didn't get 1 star in my book, because it's not too bad, probably one of the better drinks here. The third time I just tried regular coffee, which was OK, but not great. For the same pricing as Starbucks and other coffee shops, I just can't justify coming here for just so-so coffee. Sometimes internet is shaky here too. I guess there's a reason this place is relatively uncrowded most of the time I walk by, and this is a pretty busy street near central campus!
1 - Megan B.: The coffee IS better than Espresso Royale, but much more expensive than any other place. I walked in and asked whether they would give a discount if I used my own mug, but alas, ONLY if you have a Biggby mug. Ambrosia, just down the street, offers a much better brew and is usually an average of $0.70 less, and if you bring your own mug, compare: Biggby, $2.00 and Ambrosia, $0.73!  Seriously, I don't understand how Biggby hasn't gone out of business.
3 - Annette J.: Logo central! This place sure likes to show off their brand. And that's fine. I mean, at least it's fun! Compared to the cleanliness and relative classiness of Starbucks and the woodsy feel of Caribou, Biggby goes for a candy colored kiddie style. The signs up on the wall showcasing their drinks rock a bubble letter type font, lots of colors, lots of fun flavors and combos. A little something for everyone.

This particular location is right in downtown Ann Arbor, where there's a Starbucks on one end of the block, a Cosi not far, and a few other indie joints nearby as well that'll offer up a much better cuppa. But when you're walking out of the Michigan Theater after having seen a holiday film and it's cold and you want a hot chocolate, they've got the prime location.

The space is nice and roomy. Good amount of tables and it wasn't overly crowded. The cashier was new and very flustered. Hey, I've been there, so I'll cut her some slack. But it did make me slightly uncomfortable if I'm being honest. The coffee is ok. It's honestly not that wonderful but it'll do in a pinch. The peppermint stick mocha is fine holiday fun although light on the mocha, heavy on the mint. What I do like is that they've got a great selection of sugar free options, including a sugar free dark hot chocolate which can be helpful if you're watching the calories but still want a treat. The double dark SF is tasty, although not all that rich. The marshmallow hot chocolate is yummy, but quite sweet. More of a light chocolate flavor than the others, but it's a mallow blend so it's to be expected. But I have to admit if I'm going to a chain for hot chocolate, I'll choose Starbucks every time. They do make a rich cocoa. Also the price here is not so hot. 10oz for a short, 16 for a tall. No in between and the 10oz is about the same price as a 12oz tall at Sbucks. More money for less product. Meh.

Overall it makes a nice alternative to the other chains but it's still a chain. Although they did start out in Michigan if that means anything to you. Nothing that'll knock your socks off but it'll do if you're nearby and need a caffeine fix or a warm drink. Their swipe card is also handy--accumulate drinks to earn a free one, although I think it may take me some time to get there since I'm not quite rushing out the door to get there again.
4 - Ann A.: One more star for improved wifi (probably the fastest coffee shop in A2, now, imo) and free peanut butter and jelly for your bagel (yes, I'm easily pleased).
2 - Crystal L.: Music soooo loud....I put on my I pod to block the craziness of how loud the music was....I could hear it over my iPod....give me a break....place is only good because it is open late if you need to get out and study....it's too bad....the one on Stadium is not like this at all.
4 - Carolina S.: Having to have come here multiple times in the day during the film festival, it's better than most national chains. We never stayed here for more than a few minutes, but the drinks were pretty phenomenal. I had their teddy bear, the caramel mellow and the butter bear. I'm not great with butterscotch, but loved their teddy bear and the caramel mellow. Because they were the only coffee we were allowed to bring into the Michigan Theatre, we had plenty of visits while in town and liked their selection. While i wouldn't call this super local since it's a chain and is franchised, I would still say this is a regional chain and therefore worth the shot if you've never been to one. Also, if you prefer more sugary lattes this could be the place for you.

Bike Barn Cycling & Fitness - Cohoes, NY (42.774283, -73.7016218) ()
3 - Lai-Yee B.: Small bike shop in Cohoes, NY. My bike-liking Mr liked the selection. Most of the prices are $200+ for a bike, but there were some in the $150-175 range, too. They had some bike accessories, too. It's a small shop, but they've got a bunch of bikes in there.

Service was nice, and I think they're open til 6 PM most nights.
5 - Mike L.: Great service and prices. I stopped in with my bike and needed a new inner tube. They did the work right away and I was out the door in a few minutes. Plus they are very knowledgeable. I'll definitely be back for any of my bike needs.

Bike New York - New York, NY (40.8109149, -73.9640335) (Morningside Heights)
4 - Alfonso E.: Bike New York originated as a fully supported fun bike tour of all five boroughs of NYC, roughly 40 miles in length.  Due to the massive growth of its signature event (over 30,000 participants each year), Bike New York has evolved into a hybrid sort of organization:  part event management, part advocacy, and part urban cycling education resource for both children and adults.

But it's hallmark is clearly the five boro tour (it really only kisses the Bronx, so the name's a glamorous technicality).  To many a New Yorker and tri-state resident, this is a spring ritual.  To many others who live nowhere near the city of cities, it's a must-do-before-you-die kind of thing.  It is utter splendid mayhem on two wheels.

How many people who live in NYC really venture out of their own, or immediate neighboring borough?  Really?  An event like this is significant in that it gives New Yorkers and and devotees of the Big Apple the chance to see so much of the metropolis in a day... on their own power, and with the privilege of full road closure.  Imagine riding your bike on car-free FDR, 59th Street Bridge, BQE, Gowanus, Verazzano bridge.  Then witness the same bad habits drivers espouse on these roadways in their cars... only on their bikes this time.  Specific examples:

Erratic lane and direction changing

Infuriating speed variation and gridlock

Opportunists drafting in the wake of emergency vehicles

Chronic weaving in and out of traffic (the only way you'll get to travel faster than 15mph, I think)

But ya gotta love it.  Even if, time after time, you'd swear they ought to just name this thing WALK YOUR BIKE, NEW YORK.  And even if you have to maintain your alert and sense ALL.  THE.  TIME.  As you never know when the next idiot surrounded by at least 50 moving bikes is gonna decide with fleeting judgment of a squirrel to stop and take a picture of the skyline.

Many repeat participants have devised their own methods of getting clear of the crowds during this event.  I'd share some, if not for the fear of being lynched by the event organizers, the City fo New York, and the folks who've developed their genius plans (pssst, it's no secret, fellas).  But really, I think anybody who experiences this for the first time ought to see it in its messy whole.

Rubber side down!
5 - John T.: I've ridden in two of Bike New York's big three events--the Five Borough Bike Tour (42 miles), and the Twin Lights century ride (100 miles for me, but courses can be as short as 15 miles).

Lesser known one first, the Twin Lights is a beautiful ride and decent challenge even for us bike tour veterans.  The key element that makes the Twin Lights worth getting up early enough to take the expensive ferry (about $32 on top of the registration fee) to arrive just in time for the start is the people of Monroe County.  Seems like the community there really comes out and supports the ride by manning those rest stops, directing traffic, and even providing piles of home baked goods to provide those precious cyclist fueling calories.  Particularly for us city folks, this is a wonderful day of riding in a beautiful area with interesting terrain.  The town is also a great place to enjoy yourself after your done.

As for the Five Borough Bike Tour, it's hard to complain about an event run almost entirely by volunteers--but that's really the basis of the complaint.  This event is bigger than the New York City Marathon and not run nearly as well.  People come from all over the world, year after year, just for this--and they inject a lot of money into the local economy in the process.  The city has a responsibility to the participants of this event which it isn't half fulfilling.

They might start with a reality check.  Participants in this event consistantly number over 40,000--some years way over 40,000 to top 50,000 or still more--and they ride 42 miles almost all of which is in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn (more like a Three Borough Bike Tour).  We just barely touch down in the Bronx before we're in Queens, and just when we enter Staten Island, we've reached the finish.  

Someone forgot two boroughs.  And what is this obsession with Manhattan?  Even in Queens and Brooklyn, we stick to the river so you can see Manhattan at literally every point in the tour.  

Why do we have to ride the length of Manhattan which is the worst place to ride or hold an event of this size, and utterly skip both the Bronx and Staten Island which are wonderful places to ride (Staten Island because it's not crowded and the Bronx because the people there LOVE having events passing through their neighborhoods besides it being the borough with the most total park land).

Why not start over fresh: Start in Central Park--staggered starts of three groups--go further into the wonderful Bronx, cruise on through Queens and Brooklyn as we do now, then extend the course further into Staten Island--which would allow many people to cruise right on through to their cars and local bars and restaurants rather than spend an hour or more after crossing the Finish Line just to exit to the fairgound so they we can wait another hour to get on the Staten Island Ferry.

Forget the festival at the end.  Get rid of it.  Put all those sponsor tents in some proximity to the street to keep people flowing through--because there are about 45,000 of us on average--so we can visit each one on our way out.  As it is, the Festival is something to be avoided, and it ill-serves the sponsors.

Lastly, FOOD!  People riding 42 miles need FOOD!  Since I live in Astoria--the halfway mark and largest rest stop--this was the first year I didn't take fifteen minutes at home for a sandwhich and a coffee during this event, and hense the first year I realized the rest stops only provide orange slices, bananas, and crackers.  Orange slices and bananas are all right, but not without some kind of substantial source of carbohydrates--like bagels with peanut butter, or pita bread and hummus.  You can not ride 42 miles on orange slices, bananas, and crackers.  Instead, I suggest visiting one of the deli's along the way--specifically Othello's on 24th Avenue at 27th Street near Astoria Park, which is only a couple of pedal strokes away.  

Get yourself anything on some sort of bread or pasta and you'll be good to go (or Clif Bars--yum) ; stick with the rest stop food and you'll have a hard time pushing yourself through the rest of the tour.  You will notice a gigantic difference in your ability to ride 42 miles when you've eaten food instead of light snacks.  Especially from Astoria Park, this is very important because from here until Staten Island, there will be no more bottlenecks--no more HIKE tour instead of Bike tour.

Avid cyclists aren't thin because they eat like birds; they're thin because they eat like kings and ride long distances.  

Despite all of the above, which is really directed at NYC government than Bike New York, the 5BBT is worth riding regardless of how far you have to go to get there, or how early you need to wake up.  Even with the four miles of non-riding, foot shuffling you will do, it's just a great experience that you will be glad you did.  No doubt this is why the number of partipants grows every year.
5 - Neil M.: A bit late adding this review...never mind!

I travelled to NYC in May with the bike the five boro ride as the 'excuse' to come across and to cycle New York.

First the ride....agree with many of John T's comments that the ride might be better at Central Park with more of the Bronx but I have to say that the route as it was was pretty near perfect for me. I got a bit fed up that they 'held' the ride at a few points right at the beginning and then after Astoria to help manage the flow of riders as I wanted to get a good time (I know it's not a race but still...). I did it in about 3.5 hours and was pleased with that. I had a bit of a stroll around the stalls at the Staten Island festival but wasn't delayed at all getting on the ferry. I heard that people getting the ferry later in the day had to wait ages.

Secondly...I have to recommend cycling as a brilliant way to sightsee in New York. I stayed in LIC (solo trip...so just wanted somewhere to stay, but I really liked LIC) and rode across the Q-boro bridge every day. It was great. Whizzing about Manhattan and down to Brooklyn was just the best thing ever. When you're on the subway you don't see things or experience them so I came across loads of sights that I would have missed (e.g. Jewish Williamsburg was brilliant to ride through after 'doing' Prospect Park).

I would highly recommend taking your bike or hiring one for the day. You realy get a great feel for the city.
3 - Masumi T.: This is solely based on the Five Borough Tour.  It's a unique and wonderful way to see the city.  How often do they close off major NYC streets?!  The only problem is that there is a lot of bottle-necking which got to be pretty annoying.
5 - K M.: I just participated in the Twin Lights Ride in NJ yesterday and I have to say Bike New York did a fabulous job! They were well organized with street arrows, police assistance at busy intersections and they had the best rest stop snacks - peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, pretzels, chocolate chip cookies, ice cold water, chocolate fondue fountain, brownies, bananas, & pie! Needles to say I didn't have to bring any powerbars with me!

For the first time though I thought the people on the ride were not as nice... even rude at times like not sharing the lane with the cars, passing other cyclists without warning & not checking if my friend was ok when he was lying on the side of the road after his leg cramped (he was by himself!)!
5 - Albert W.: Bike New York is the newest Free programs I discovered NYC has to offer.  You don't feel embarrassed whatsoever when you're standing around in a park on a lovely afternoon with 15 other adults getting mentally prepared in learning how to ride a bike.  April, whom I met earlier last month durring Summer Streets was leading the class yesterday at East River Park.  She and all the other volunteers (or employees??) were extremely helpful that I learned how to ride in no time.

It's actually awesome fun when you're comiserating with other student riders discussing how much your crotch hurts or how the seat is digging into your nuts.  O_O  If you think it's a little TMI from a stranger, take it from a guy who you actually went to college with.  haha.  Not only did I run into an old Alum, also Nina C. whom I didn't get to meet during Yelp's Date Auction.  When two Elite Yelpers randomly check out an event - that's instant awesome.

Super excited to check out their other classes, but for now - Time to Yelp a bike shop...
5 - Angela N.: Learned to ride a bike with Bike New York. I didn't think I'd be able to learn but their "balance method," really is useful (though feels silly) is great for a bunch of adult learners!!! 

They'll resume lessons in the Spring, so check their website (see Learn to Ride - Adult) as early as April for their newest schedule. 

Afterlearning two years ago, my sister and I rented bikes and continued practicing. We've gotten the hang of it and now can bike comfortably along bike lanes (along the West side Highway)! It's great! We hope to get even better and eventually do a bike tour or (eeps) bike on the streets! 

Enjoy and happy cycling!
1 - Aurora H.: This was a NIGHTMARE paying airfare, bike rental, hotel not to mention the registration fee to be stranded with thousands of people on the BQE with no obvious leadership.  The other times I spent waiting (in the park, at the bridges to get on the FDR) were boring and annoying but the time waiting on the BQE was downright scary.  I would not recommend this to anyone who is not a complete masochist.  It took me 7 hours at least half of that time standing our walking my bike, not to mention the hour and a half waiting before I could even ride in the shade, freezing at 730 am with no vendors open and the hour and a half I spent trying to get from the ride back to Manhattan.  The worst part - the joke of "festival".  No beer. Seriously.   I felt sorriest for the people with kids.   

As a native New Yorker, I know how taxing these things are to the city and for it to also be a bummer for the riders is a shame.  Shame on the organizers.
5 - Angie K.: Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU Bike New York for helping me re-learn how to ride a bike... for FREE! 

At the age of 29, I was resigned to the fact that I may never bike trails with friends nor use a bike as a means of transportation. Now before you laugh at the fact that a grown woman couldn't ride a bike when 90% of children can, here's my story: I learned to bike one summer as an overprotected 12-year old, then after that summer the chain of my bike broke, rendering my bike useless. My parents, non-bikers themselves, promised to get me another one (when a simple visit to a bike repair shop would have sufficed) but never did, so I never tried biking again until college, fell on my second attempt because I didn't know how to use the brakes, and that's the end of my sad story. But actually, it really wasn't the end, it was just "to be continued."

Fast-forward a decade later to Riding a Bike: the Sequel. Well actually, it was Learn to Ride-Adults, a two-hour class for others with similar stories of woe- or no stories at all. I found out about this class, and the organization Bike New York, from a friend who bailed on me the week before the class, so I was off to Randall's Island on my own (don't worry, I forgive you, Erik!)

By the way, the class (and other classes) are free BUT you do have to reserve a spot online and put down your credit card number. You have up to a week before the class to cancel but after that, or if you decide to be selfish and put a no-show act, you will be charge $50. I fully support that, since it seems like being a no-show to free events or volunteer events where you must reserve a spot for yourself is a part of our self-centered society. Believe me, it's more common than you think.

Upon arriving, I signed a waiver, was given a helmet and bike with a lowered seat and no pedals, and was told by the two friendly volunteers that were leading the class to practice balancing on the bike and pushing off with my feet, while looking ahead of me and not on the handlebars. After an hour, the pedals were put back on and it was time to ride for real... and I was riding in no time! The volunteers were so friendly and helpful throughout the class by answering questions, giving us pointers, smiling, and even taking pictures of us riding- which is really encouraging!

So... is that the end of the sequel? Nope, not even close. I was so happy and satisfied with this class that I signed up for the next one, Bicycling Basics, which takes basic bike riding a step further. In that 3-hour class, with 3 volunteers, we learned the mechanic of biking, such as keeping ABC in mind each time we bike (air, brakes, and chain), starting and stopping, shifting gears, looking back, and signaling. Wow... that was really hard work, but the volunteers were once again informative, supportive, encouraging, and patient. They didn't mind demonstrating what we had to do, taking questions, and giving us pointers. When one volunteer was approached by a crying student who couldn't push off on her bike while everyone else was already riding, he told her his encouraging story of how he was once just like her. Now he bikes everywhere, and told her that she'll end up biking all over the place too, and even worked one-on-one with her briefly until she got it and was able to push off and brake. As a volunteer, that was truly nice of him to be able to make a difference by reaching out to a struggling student out of a class of 20 or so.

So is THAT the end of the sequel? Well...yes... for now. I've signed for a Street Skills class, which involves no riding and is all about biking know-how, but can't make the Street Skills Ride, which involves putting that knowledge into practice on the streets of New York. So... 

To be continued :)
5 - Lowie T.: bike new york has my utmost appreciation for finally doing what many have attempted to do, but never succeeded- teach me how to ride a bike. yes, i am an adult who does not know how to ride a bike. the reason is unimportant, but i am so happy to have finally taken that step and found a service- a FREE service, here in nyc that could help me achieve this delayed right of passage. i'll admit i was skeptical. learn to ride a bike in two hours? free bike & helmet? hmmm....

but when we got there, sure enough there were about 4-5 volunteers, and the captain, andy, who was extremely professional and super nice. i like that he goes over the basics of the helmet & the types of bikes before you start. for a novice, these details are important. you don't want to just throw inexperienced people right in. there were about 15-20 adults there, so i didn't feel embarrassed at all. and the volunteers were so patient and encouraging. kudos to them for giving up a sunday afternoon! 

we first got on the bikes that had the pedals taken off. he had us hold onto the handle bars and use our feet to propel ourselves to get a feel for balancing and weight shifting on the bike. it was on the pier so there was no chance of us running into pedestrians and other riders. you go around this circle a few times on the pier, and i was surprised to feel that this method actually works! after he sees you have a good feel for balancing, he graduates you to actual pedals and you just go ahead and bike! in the beginning i was wobbly, but towards the last half hr i was able to make full rotations on my bike! pretty much everyone graduated to pedals towards the end. i think i will go back for another class to practice my turns and staying in a straight line. but overall it was a very successful class and i highly recommend this to any adult in nyc who for whatever reason never learned to ride a bike.
4 - Tiffany C.: This review is for the Five Boros bike tour which I participated for the first time this year. I know this was the first time they had some changes (i.e. lottery system) which I heard a lot of complaints about. I guess it is understandable as the ride just gets bigger each year. I had the earliest start time, 7:45am, which was fine. I just really wished they broke off each wave into speed categories (e.g.,  16-18mph, 13-15 mph, etc.) which would make starting off easier as opposed to weaving like mad men trying to pass people. The rest stops were great and evenly spread out. The finish line was also very well organized with sponsors and entertainers (jugglers, man on stilts, etc).

I was crazy enough to bring my DSLR during my ride and took some pretty awesome shots that I would have never gotten a chance to take any other time (without trying to get myself run over).

Bike Rack - Ithaca, NY (42.40548, -76.5195) ()
4 - Kenny L.: The day after I moved to Ithaca from California without a car, I needed a personal mode of transportation. So When I passed by Collegetown and saw Bike Rack, I bought myself a Trek 7100 hybrid bike that is sturdy for rides off the beaten path and speeds like it's in a race. They were helpful in getting the bike in riding shape and installing accessories like the lock and tire pump. They are also good at fixing tires and other maintenance services. 

After a few rides along the city, I quickly realized that walking is sometimes a less painful way to climb the hills like Kline Rd. and Buffalo St. But I still took it for leisurely rides when the warm and sunny days arise. When I moved back home, they were helpful in boxing it up for me and shipping it via UPS. I still have and ride the bike till this day!
1 - Grant M.: Wow, I wont be back to the Bike Rack ever.

As not only a fairly avid cyclist, but also a consumer and member of the human race I expect to be treated in a certain way by other members of the human race.  That being said when I travel somewhere I always like to examine the local bike shop to see what wonders it may bring.  As I was looking through their merchandise, an older man who worked there asked me if I needed any help.  Then he called me a douchebag for wearing a particular (generally non-douchey) shirt.  I laughed it off like it was a joke, but I'm still not convinced it was.

Their prices are pretty much MSRP and their selection is pretty crappy unless all you want is fairly low end Trek products or a hybrid.

I've never been so blown away by a shopping experience as being called a douchebag for wearing a shirt by an older guy wearing Colnago bike shorts and a NickelBack shirt. I won't be back, and will encourage others to stay away.

EDIT: Due to a request to find out about the shirt, here is the explaination:  It has a drawing of a track bike (a fixed gear) and says "Ceci n'est pas une bicyclette" which is french for This is not a bicycle. I didn't know that at the time (I bought it for the picture of the track bike and the fact that it was on sale for $10. So he asked me what it meant and I said I wasn't sure, I just bought it and don't know french and didn't have time to look it up yet and he said "well you're a douchebag for wearing a shirt with french without knowing what it means.  The he made up a bunch of different things he thought it meant...none of which were close to the actual meaning (one was "Oh what a bicycle", another was "this is the best bicycle", among many others)
5 - Marshall M.: Had a great experience at The Bike Rack! These guys were very friendly and efficient. Great service at a reasonable price. They helped me learn more about bikes, the issues I was having and all the ways that I could've fixed, many of which didn't include paying them anything.

I will be back! Thanks.
5 - Joseph H.: Gary and his staff was so helpful and friendly. The shop had an awesome selection of Trek bikes while I was there.

During my multi-day bike tour across New York State, I ran into some mechanical problems... so I had to purchase a new bike. The shop was able to setup and fit me on a new bike in about an hour. So happy and grateful that the shop had my size and bike model that I wanted in stock. I finished the day only a few hours behind the main pack.
5 - Jake F.: A truly fantastic shop! The staff was not only friendly and knowledgeable but also extremely helpful in providing the parts and expertise for a few repairs and upgrades on my bike.  They worked with me to fit various components and helped me to find the ideal products for my needs (right down to spare nuts and bolts).  They provide a great spot to do your own work on your bike and are happy to lend the tools needed and even get involved themselves.  Couldn't have been happier with my experience at The Bike Rack.
1 - Chris A.: This is not a great shop. Gary, the owner, is extremely condescending.  I went in there to have a seat post unstuck on my fixed gear and he made some snide remark about my bike and by extension me.  I guess because ONE of my bikes is a fixie I must be some kind of poseur?

I sort of brushed it off but every time I went into that store I got the same crap treatment from him or his staff. Eventually I started asking myself why I should bother paying money to get abused by these guys when I could just take the time and effort to learn to do my own work on my bikes.    In any case, he won't see a dime from me ever again.

Bikestation Palo Alto - Palo Alto, CA (37.4429024, -122.1644782) ()
2 - Elis I.: Rant warning!

I guess I have to quit thinking of Bikestation as anything more than a crappy room where I can lock up my bike instead of outside. I've been a member for three years now, and every year, instead of a friendly note saying, 'Hey, your membership will expire soon!' I get either a last-minute e mail, literally a couple of hours before I find myself locked out of the bike room, or no note at all. This year I got both - the former when my membership expired, and the latter when the extension I was given as an apology for locking me out with no warning expired. 

When I try telephoning during work hours (you know, 9 - 5), half of the time I get no answer. When the power went out in Palo Alto, no arrangements were made for those of us who still needed their bikes out of the room but couldn't get past the electronic lock. The people in Long Beach, who seem to be the only people anywhere, didn't even know the power was out. 

There are at least two bikes (I notice these because one is a three wheeler and the other is parked backward, making it hard for anyone to get in next to it) that have been abandoned there for years, and nobody notices except those of us who have to cram in next to them in an increasingly crowded room. The three wheeler takes up - yes - three spaces. 

And lastly, the window was bashed in a few weeks ago, and nobody has even bothered to clean up the glass, let alone put up a piece of plywood, and forget replacing the glass. Sigh. I guess I have to ask myself whether $10.50 a month (annual fee plus other fee plus tax) is worth parking the bike indoors.

Okay, there's my rant. You can't say I didn't warn you.
1 - David L.: Another RANT!  You've been warned.

I have been locked out of the Palo Alto Bikestation for about a month now and can't get access to my bike inside.  If security is important to you, then Bikestation is great.  If access to your bike is important to you, then it's miserable.

I have experienced all of the same frustrations as the previous reviewer.  I called several times during regular business hours only to hear the phone ring a dozen or so times then disconnect.  My repeated emails go unanswered.  Shattered glass from a broken window didn't get cleaned up for at least a month after I notified them, and even then it was incomplete as glass is still strewn about the room.  Abandoned adult trike there as well.

Unfortunately PA Bicycles also has failed me.  They claimed to have some control over the system and told me that my access issue was fixed.  Sadly I arrived at the train station today and again was locked out. 

So sad, because the price, convenience and web access all are great.  Too bad they can't get their actual product right.
4 - Kathryn K.: The other ranters are correct in that I have also had scant warning that my renewal was due, but the last one came via email with a month to spare. I've been locked out once briefly, but it was solved within minutes with a phone call, not days. It is worth the $100 per year to know that my bike will be back there when I return. I've lost all or parts of two bikes leaving them locked outside (and they were deliberately chosen to be unattractive!) and I'll never do that again. Now I can ride a nice bike and not worry. And the abandoned bikes have been removed.

Biketek Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4380612, -79.9213169) (Squirrel Hill)
5 - Dave W.: Got early 1980's Specialized Allez, was in need of tune up and repair. Needed something where the pedal housing is located, don't know the name of it. But bike was in danger. They kept the bike for a few days, and gave me a loaner at a great price. 

Very honest about what I should do considering my budget and what I needed from the bike; commuting for a few months, then upgrading. Didn't try to up sell, and helpful.
5 - Stevan P.: Bike Tek is the bomb. No douche bag bike racer employees who don't really want to help you. The store is clean, organized and they have a great selection. Today I went in to look at bikes for my wife and they were friendly, polite and patient.
I have shopped here a few times and have had nothing but positive experiences each trip. If you're looking for a new bike or any bike accessory give them a go. If they don't have it they'll get it. 

I'm happy to have found a place where I can send my wife and not have her feel inferior because she's not down with the latest gadgets. They are genuinely excited about bicycles and helping their customers which is probably why they've been around for a while and I'm sure will continue to be.
5 - Sandy N.: I haven't ridden a bike in years, and was a little nervous about getting the hairy eyeball from hardcore bike geeks. But I went in and told him I was looking for a bike to get me to the store and work, and left an hour later with a gorgeous bike at $100 under the asking price online, along with all the accessories. He even loaned me a basket to use until the basket I wanted arrived, allowing me to get all my groceries home safely.

Highly recommended--polite, informed, great for explaining the different bicycles, and terrific in general!
5 - Robert S.: Bought my Diamondback Apex here almost ten years ago and it is still going strong. The staff was very helpful through my selection, purchase and afterwards with service. I went in wanting to get the best I could but the sales people didn't try to steer me towards anything I didn't want. If I still lived in the city this is where I would go.
5 - Bobby S.: I have been going to Biketek for almost 6 years over which time I have bought quite a few bikes (from my daughter's cruiser to mtb to carbon race and triathlon bikes).  I continue to return to Biketek despite living on the other side of town where it is more convenient to go to another shop.  Their friendly, enthusiastic and professional staff offer outstanding service.  I appreciate their honesty and integrity.  They recommend what is right for you, and not necessarily what will bring them the most profit from a sale. (If you have every been to a bike shop and felt like you were buying a used car, you know what I mean).  I cannot offer a higher recommendation for a bike shop.  I will go no where else. Frank and his staff are the best!

Bikeworks - Urbana, IL (40.114218, -88.222785) ()
5 - Ellen M.: BRUUUUCE!

Ok, I admit it, it's been like, nine years since we used Bikeworks, but his repuation holds with our bikey C-U friends, and he and the guys had the best bike fu anywhere.  They did several tune-ups and more major work for us.  We had no issues with his bedside manner.

It was one of his guys who introduced "tacoing the wheel" to us, still my all-time fave bike accident term.
1 - Kasia H.: Apparently Bruce does good work for reasonable rates, but please do not attempt to patronize this business unless you are fond of being verbally abused and talked down to in the worst possible way. I had heard that he was rude, but I let it slide, thinking maybe people were too sensitive. I should have heeded the warnings, as I have never before wanted to punch a grown man in the face as I the one time I visited his shop. Plus, we didn't even get any help with the bike... Bruce just made insinuations about the shop where we had purchased the bike and wanted us to try to get information from the shop and then bring it back to him. It was all kinds of creepy and unhelpful.
5 - Bridget D.: I had a flat tire and brought my bike to Durst who was in the middle of closing and very rude, telling me there was no way they could fix it on the spot. As I am new to town, they recommended taking it to Bike Works, which I did. I called ahead to make sure they could fix my flat on the spot which the owner agreed to do. His assistant took care of it for me and even taught me how to oil the bike and also change a flat in the future! It was great, and cheap! 

A few days later my bike's chain fell off and you know who I went to. This time it was just Bruce. He was a little irritated that my bike was from Wal-Mart (his policy is that he doesn't work on Wal-Mart bikes), but because he knew me from before, he said he wouldn't enforce the policy on me ;) The chain issue ended up being a million other issues (because, surprise surprise, it's a Wal-Mart bike and not put together right). He taught me why the bike was crappy, and what to tell Wal-mart when I return it, which I plan on doing. 

He spent so much careful time putting it together and didn't even end up charging me! (well, I bought other things, he even taught me how to lock up my bike so that it never gets stolen!) I understand when people say he comes off as unfriendly, but I like to think of Bruce as misunderstood. He's seems passionate and knowledgable about his work and his store, and he really just wants you to always have a good quality bike. Always. It probably annoys him when people bring him awful bikes, because they should have never settled for that in the first place. Condescending about my Wal-mart bike? Maybe, but what he was saying wasn't lies, he was telling it like it is, and he would know because he's been at that business since '81. He has a direct way of talking but to me, as a new bike owner, I was just happy to listen to his reflections and took it all as a learning experience. Maybe because he was direct and telling the truth is what throws people off in this customer-is-always-right country. I would bring my bike back for sure, and you should too. But just don't go in there expecting flowers to dance above his head as he works, this isn't a customer-service store with smiles and greetings, it's a get-er-done kinda store and because he works fast, it works for me!
5 - Emily Z.: I got an old Bianchi bike that had been beaten up pretty badly over the years... I basically got it from this friend under the terms of "if you can salvage it, you can have it." Since it came from Bruce originally, that's where I went to get it fixed. So here's my experience...

When I first called, he asked a few questions like "road or mountain?" and "what kind of handle bars?" and "what company?" He wasn't particularly bubbly, but he was no where near as rude as some people have claimed he is.

I walked my bike over. Before I was even in the door, he commented on how the chain hadn't seen much oil and a few minutes later he scolded me for having the U-lock sitting on the handle bar when I walked it in. Again, I didn't find it rude; he had a point - it is bad for the bike. He took my contact information and said he'd call a few days later when it was fixed. (He tried to give me a cost estimate then and there, but I don't think he was certain with everything that was wrong with it.)

I don't think I got any phone call, so I showed up like a week later. My bike was fixed - brand new front tire, new front inner tube, new front brake pads, newly unbent/aligned rim, and he fixed the wobbly seat. All of these repairs (and perhaps some I don't exactly know) cost me $95. (He showed me exactly why he had to make so many replacements.) I asked which oil he recommended for the chain, and he sold me some for $4. He also showed me how to properly oil the chain, which was very helpful. And this time he was really friendly!

Closing thoughts: I really think he's just misunderstood by some folks (like those giving him poor reviews). The man knows his stuff and has done this for years - you shouldn't be wasting his time with a cheap bike or if you don't care about your bike. I'll admit he can seem kind of harsh, but as long as you walk in with a little humility and patience, you'll walk away happy. I'm very satisfied with my experience at Bikeworks. I'd recommend Bruce to my friends.
5 - Anthony b.: This is a little bike store in a neighborhood right by U of I. I went in today and recieved great service in help buying a bicycle. I had a laundry list of issues and was helped very well! About everyone else citing attitude problems, he doesn't have an attitude, he knows what hes doing 100% 30 years of experience. He even stayed late with me past closing even though he had an appointment with a friend right after work.  If you want the best tune ups and service go here. if you want a friendly smile, terrible service, being overcharged, and lies to your face go to durst.
5 - Stephanie H.: Bikeworks is like a golden jewel that I wish I'd stumbled onto earlier. I could have been saved a lot of time, money and headache.

These bad reviews seem to be coming from a generation of people who are accustomed to people kissing your butt and begging for a sale. Why do I like the old man at Bikeworks? Because he isn't BSing me. He knows his bikes. He isn't pretending to be nice to try and wheedle a sale out of me. He's honest. He doesn't overcharge. And oh does he know what he is doing.

Oh, and strangely enough, I struck up a good long conversation with him. He is VERY friendly. I don't know what some of these other reviewers are talking about, but he was nowhere near rude to me OR my friend. Was he bending over backwards and brown-nosing me for a sale? Hell no (do these college kids REALLY expect that so much?). Did he immediately show us two excellent bikes and wait patiently while my friend decided between the two, and tried them out for an hour, even past closing time, all the while chatting with me and answering questions? Yep.

He got almost $500 for a bike that my friend absolutely adores, and I sincerely hope that he's around for years to come -- and that I get the chance to support his business many more times in the future.
5 - Ross R.: Bruce K's Bikeworks defies summary capsulation as a bike store, much less a legitimate business. In my time in champaign I was twice denied service by Bruce. Both times involved refusal to work on my high end road bicycle on the grounds that he didn't sell that brand, he then went on to compare it to a Wal-Mart Magna.  I thoroughly enjoyed all these experiences and appreciate Bruce for being a unique dude.

If you can get him to work on your bike, the guy is a magician.  He un-taco'd my wheel that had been run over by a car and somehow got it perfectly true again. I was speechless, then became even more taken aback when he told me the price...super cheap.  He also replaced spokes for me and sold me some tools at a good price.

Given my persisting disdain for Wurst...I mean Durst, I am a stalwart supporter of Bikeworks.  He also has a lot of cool shit to browse if he doesn't yell at you for looking around.  Most of that cool shit is Mapei and Telekom gear from the 90s that he never sold, or refused to sell for some unknown reason.

Worth the trip!
5 - Travis W.: I have known Bruce for over 20 years. He put me into my first Bianchi Brava.  Then the first cycle cross. Then into the first grizzly mountain bike.  He has always been there for support and information.  I trust him with all of my biking gear and information.  The only one to go to at the U of I.

Bikram Hot Yoga Houston - Houston, TX (29.7265046, -95.4165102) (West University)
5 - Shana P.: If you want to turn down the heat and humidity in Houston, crank your workout up a notch or two at Bikram's Yoga College of India.

Coming out of the classes, you'll be drenched but refreshed.  Doing yoga in temps in excess of 100 degrees takes a level of stamina and commitment that outshines your traditional yoga session.

From the entry to the studio rooms, you'll find an inviting atmosphere.  Students at Bikram's Yoga College treat these sessions as more than just a workout - it is a life altering way of staying fit and cleansing your whole body. 

As this is not for the faint of heart, check out their website before you go and make sure you're up to the task.  www.bikramyogahouston.com

26 postures plus heat makes a typical day in Houston a walk in the park.
1 - Mylea C.: Horrible!

I was visitng from San Francisco where I have practised yoga for over 5 years.  I arrived early to talk with the instructor as I have disc degeneration in my c-spine (neck) and have to modify to accomodate that.

I explained this and the fact that I "need" the forward bend to come out of the back bend series but cannot do rabbit - I stated that my PT and yoga instructor worked with me to have me do modified plough instead.

The instructor - Michael the owner as well was hostile.  He asked why I was arguing with him when he insisted I do child's pose instead.  I was polite at first but his "in my face - no respect for personal space" stance soon melted my politeness.   

The other reviewer described an "inviting" atmosphere - maybe for a porcupine to match the prickliness of the owner!  He was angry, hostile, rude and "know it all."  I offered to do my modifications in the back of the room after he protested that my difference might "confuse" other students.  He kept saying that "Bikram would never say to do plough - you should do rabbit or child's pose" and I told him ath Bikram had not worked with my body for 5 years as had my PT and yoga instructor and I was doing what I was taught in individual sessions based on the needs of my body.  He told me that "I know your body better than you do." Which I found antithetical to the whole concept of yoga and one's own mind-body connection.

It was obvious this owner/instructor was on a power trip of his own and not there for his students' health but to feed his own ego and need to be the "expert" in the room.  I am sure everyone has met thos instructors and doctors - they know it all and you are just the "idiot" patient or student - that is this man - AWFUL!  

Never in 5 years have I ever met such an openly hostile and narcissistic yoga instructor - I asked for my money back and left.

When I went to another studio the next day I found out this man has treated others this way - yelled at people and been generally horrid - students there were talking about similar experiences - and they were ALL women....hmmmmm.....misogynist and narcissist?  Seems likely!

this is NOT the place to bliss out to yoga - avoid it and the narcissistic egocentric owner!
4 - Liz S.: Yay for yoga!  I hadn't done "hot yoga" for a while, so I let my awesome co-workers drag me to class at Bikram's last night.  I was ready to settle for just making it through 90 minutes in the 105 degree room without getting sick, but I managed to do the majority of what was required.

Bikram's yoga is not like yoga you're used to.  The instructor wears a headset mic and talks a lot.  A LOT.  During my class last night, the instructor was worth about 3 stars - she corrected what needed correcting, motivated everyone through the disgustingly sweaty class, and kept everything going at a smooth pace.  I felt better when I mostly tuned her out, but to each his own.

The atmosphere is friendly but a bit awkward...some people definitely fit the know-it-all stereotype that another reviewer mentioned, but others were really nice...just another slice of Houston humanity.  Don't be afraid to wear skimpy clothing (trust me, you will want to!!), even if you aren't in love with your body...everyone is too busy trying not to die of heat exhaustion to care what you look like.   There's no music or new agey crap during class (unless your instructor happens to talk about sharing energy, at which point you can decide for yourself)...just a lot of sweating.

Bring: water, a mat (shared mats? ew!), a big towel, and a small towel

Wear: As little as possible.  I was somewhat overdressed in bike-type shorts and a tank top.

Don't: push too hard, worry about what you look like, feel like you have to buy in to everything the instructor says, or get discouraged.  This is the hard stuff!!

The best thing about this class is how you'll feel after.  It's a great way to get grounded, to push yourself, or to recover after an icky day.
5 - Shazia C.: Its for you if you can stand the heat for 90 mins. You'll feel energized for the rest of your day. I have been doing yoga for almost four years and I absoutely love it! Hot yoga however was something new to me when I first started it a year back. 

Make sure you wear something airy and FREEZE the water bottle before hand to take it with you. Keep in mind its a 90 mins class , you don't want to dehydrate by the end.

The bad: The carpet at this place kind of stinks. If I get up early (which is rare) on the weekends I go to the fountain view studio because they only have 10:00 class which is closer to the Galleria area otherwise I go to the 12:00 offered at Kirby (only). 

The studio get filled quickly so make sure you come 10 - 15 min early to get a nice spot otherwise prepare to be slapped and kicked by fellow yogis (all unintential of course) If you want to take it easy and not be picked on by the instructor I advice you to be in the back row. Having said that I always like to be in the first or second row because its good being critiqued , you get better at your postures that way. Also , staying in front rows allow you see your reflection in the mirror to perfect your postures.

Good luck!

Ps: I like the studio a lot more on Kirby. It has windows so at day time there is a lot of sunshine. It does make a LOT of difference , you feel less claustrophobic than the studio on Fountain View.  The studio on Fountain view has a Chinese restaurant beside it and you often smell Kung Pao Chicken and what not which makes you feel like you are working in some sweat shop in China in extreme conditions. 

Anyway, a friend of mine was telling me that the Bikram Yoga studio in Sugar Land is even better than the one on Kirby but I still have to try it to rate it.
1 - Amaranta C.: I tried Bikram's College of Yoga on South Blvd. over the summer after I moved and the drive to my old studio was too long. Although I love hot yoga, I DO NOT love Bikram's Yoga College of India!!

1. The smell. I do mold assessments for a living, and that place reeks of mold. There is no way that with such high humidity, temperature and moisture that mold or SOMETHING else is not growing either within the ventilation system or in the carpet/walls/etc. I cannot imagine why they would cover the floor in carpet (which can not be cleaned easily) versus wood or another hard flooring which is easily sanitizable. Yuck!

2. The staff. Yoga is supposed to be reflective, know your own pace, etc. The staff were not very friendly, and instead try to tell you what to do instead of letting you find your edge and push yourself. I did not like how multiple staff tried to tell me what variation of poses to do, resulting in a yoga class which was not challenging but instead frustrating. 

I also think its kind of bizarre that the instructors say the exact same monologue each class. 

The only thing good about this studio is that it was convenient to my house. But now that Yoga One has opened, I get my hot yoga fill elsewhere :)
4 - Kylee G.: Thoughts of a person who is driving to hot yoga:

"God, if they give me any more work at the office, I'm going to have a breakdown. And what's with Angela anyway, telling the boss I take too many smoke breaks? Girl better act right or I will cut her. Ugh I'm going to have to stop at H.E.B after this because there is NO food in the fridge and I can't listen to Daniel bitch anymore about 'if you don't learn to cook, I'm not going to marry you'. Why doesn't he just say he doesn't want to marry me because I'm a fat slob? Ugh, I should just blow off working out and go to Ron's pub instead. Too bad I can't because I'm a disgusting human."

Thoughts of the same person who has just left hot yoga:

"God, I feel skinny! I deserve to go have a beer at Ron's! But first I should go home and wash this glisten off myself. Wow, I am sexy! I can't wait to cook a big delicious meal for Daniel and rub his feet after. He is amazing, I love him...Woah that is SUCH a pretty tree! I should wake up early and surprise everyone at the office with lattes and donuts." 

Seriously, hot yoga will whoop your ass. But you will feel SO amazing after that it is really worth a try. I had my first and only experiences in hot yoga at their Fountainview location, but I found everything to be pretty inviting for a newcomer. To my surprise, there were all ages and body types in the classes so I didn't feel intimidated by the other patrons. The staff is helpful but they are strict on the rules here especially when it comes to your classes expiring. They offer several times in the evening so try them all to find which instructor you prefer.  I will agree with others' diagnosis of "smelly" but hey, what can you do? It's 50+ people packed into a 105 degree room working their butts off...

Yes, it's hot, you will wonder what the hell you were thinking about 10 minutes into it, but you will slip into the zone and before you know it, you're done! You will feel so accomplished and amazing afterward!
1 - Nadia K.: I don't like to rant and state all the negatives when I give feedback.  It makes you sound like you are hyper-critical and/or have a chip on your shoulder.  Unfortunately, I have nothing positive to say about this studio.  I love hot yoga, and Bikram is one of the types of yoga that is done in a steamy room.  For a few years, I had no home for my love of hot yoga, so I came here.

I could tell you about the inattentive staff that goes through the script without looking at the students, or the pervasive smell of mold and gross carpet, or I could tell you about the outlandish cost and inflexibility with class packages.  But what really got me to quit this place all together was the embarrassment I experienced when I brought a few friends to introduce them to hot yoga.  The students were rude to my friends, which was reflective of the atmosphere - people there just to work out, antithetical to the mind, body, spirit connection of yoga. Now, I am not saying that in order to be a good place they have to chant and end each class in namaste, but a little bit of kindness and human connection would go a long, long way.  Also, the parking lot is too tightly packed and dangerous with all the distracted hummer drivers.
4 - Walker F.: I wanted to give this place 5 stars but having no other place to compare to, I thought it unfair. And, I just found out they charged my sister $3 for a towel, so that is sort of a bummer. 

but hey, I knew damn well bikram was expensive, but worth it. cuz its awesome. Yes, its $20 a class or a walk in, but its 90 minutes, and it's worth every penny to feel the way I felt when I walked out of there. 

I loved how I was treated at this studio, having literally walked in off the street. The staff was friendly and walked me through, letting me know what to expect, even walking me into the studio and putting me in a "good" spot. They gave me info on studios in Austin so I could go in my hometown. 

I was introduced to the instructor before the session but I didn't expect her to call me out during class! She seemed to know everyone's name which was pretty cool, especially considering how many people were there. I mean, at least 50, not kidding. But, everyone had enough space and it actually made it more comfortable as a newbie because you just blended in. 

The instructor was really great. At first I was a little anxious, because not only are you trying to acclimate to the heat, you are trying to get into the rhythm of her voice - she was speaking a mile a minute. Nonstop, for 90 minutes. Again, at first it made me anxious, but then you settle into and, and I really enjoyed the constant coaching. Yes, it's relaxing in a way to let go and really feel every inch of your body, focus on your breath, and all that yoga jazz. But it is friggin hard work and there isn't a minute where you aren't pushing yourself. 

There will be a moment when you think you had to be out of your mind to pay $20 to have your knees (knees!) sweat but push through it. I had to just lay there through a couple poses, I just got back into it when I could. I literally lost a pound in sweat, and several pounds of stress. Pretty amazing. I will make this a regular part of my life. I just have to!
4 - Jenny W.: I just took a class at the South Blvd location and I'm delighted they've changed the flooring in the studio.  The flooring now is more similar to soft rubber than carpet so it doesn't absorb humidity and sweat.  It's amazing how much lovelier the studio is now that the stink is gone. 

Secondly, I've tried a few of the other copy-cat hot yoga studios in town. They are cheaper and I'm actually friends with some of the owners/instructors, but I found myself back here for 3 reasons.

1. BYCOI has the best schedule with the most classes each day. More classes = more opportunities to go.

2.  I suppose I have a type-A personality and I'm a bit anal.  But I actually like practicing the same 26 postures in the same order every time I go to class. I like knowing what to expect so there isn't much active thinking involved. At the peak of my practice, I can blow through a class in sort of a meditative mode and the 90 mins is over in no time.  In other classes, having to constantly look around to see what the next posture is is distracting to me.

3.  Bikram certified instructors. The instructors who are required to shell out thousands of dollars to go to Bikram training school and get certified does actually pay off for us as students.  They're always good. I've wanted to correct an instructor or 2 teaching copy-cat "hot yoga" before who were doing the postures wrong themselves!  This is infuriating when you're paying THEM to teach. And I've finished 90 min hot yoga classes elsewhere and didn't feel like I got much of a workout.  I've never had this problem at ANY Bikram certified school in the 11 years I've been practicing and I've visited multiple studios in Houston, as well as Dallas, Austin, NYC, and LA.

I'm giving the studio 4 stars out of 5 b/c I really wish they would adopt more lenient policies around tuition and reinstating expired classes.  Classes aren't cheap.  A class is $20 to drop-in or come down drastically when you buy a package: the minimum is 10 classes for $120 which is $12/class, a significant discount.  However the 10 class package expires in 30 days which means that if you can't make it to class at least 2-3 times a week then you lose them.

When I have a legitimate excuse for not being able to attend class (i.e. sickness or travel), they will usually give me some of the expired classes back. However, when my best excuse is "life is just too busy right now" then that money goes down the drain.  I understand the headquarters in LA where Bikram teaches will give back expired classes if the student purchases another package.  I like this approach b/c it "forgives" students and encourages them to continue their practice and improve their discipline.

Many other Bikram studios around the country also give new students 7-10 days of free classes for ~$20.  I don't think this studio has ever adopted that policy either.
3 - lucrece b.: As much as I love the tender flexibility of lubricated muscles, that post-yoga high and the joys of full body soreness, not to mention the glistening perfection of the bodies of many a Bikram die-hard, I cannot justify paying $20 a class for something I can do for free all Summer long in Memorial Park. 
We are blessed with free outdoor hot yoga in Houston and must take advantage of it. In a colder city, I might oblige you. Until then, farewell you heart-pumping denizen of sweat and smells.
3 - Anna W.: This would get five stars for the schedule (seven times on the weekdays, five on the weekends), how great this is for my back, how much harder this form of hot yoga is than the hot hatha yoga other studios offer. However, this gets bumped down for the following:

1. The slightly funky smell, which isn't quite bad, but does make me wonder. The wondering wasn't entirely unfounded, as illustrated by the following experience: After this girl kept looking at me as I was doing eagle (I kept looking behind me to see what she was looking at), she told me there was a cockroach on my towel. Lo and behold, there was a cockroach presumably wanting to get his/her yoga on. Hey, if I were a cockroach, I'd want to be an eagle, too. Like an eagle, it flew off. Right before I attempted to speed along the business of the fella's reincarnation by bringing down my stainless steel water bottle, it crossed my mind that it was a very bad idea. The sneaky bugger flew around a bit more and the instructor got pissed off at me, but I did get to crack up every time I saw the nervous looks some people shot at the roach. Now, I really don't care too much about this--it's only one roach, and, supposedly, they clean the carpets every day. What really gets me is

2. The cost. There's no trial membership. I think there used to be a student discount (wayyyyy back in my student days) and a monthly membership that's cheaper with auto-charge, but not anymore. Even then, to my knowledge, this place is the most expensive yoga studio in town. I want flexibility and the magic this yoga does on my cranky back, but man, the post-yoga high still isn't enough for me to get over the cost or

3. The spiel/instructors. I don't dislike the instructors, but I really don't like some of the instructors' tendency to tell me how savasana is the most important pose, where you lie down, relax, and absorb the benefits of the yoga you just did, then proceed to go on and on about how much better for my body it is if I come back as soon as possible. I get that there's a set script, and each instructor says something along those lines as I'm trying to veg out at the end. But some keep it nice and short. Others keep me from getting to my chill place.

A very minor thing is that it doesn't seem as friendly as other studios I've been to. The front desk, though never rude, sometimes can be in a bad mood. Once, I came in right as class was about to start, but I had to wait for someone to use the restroom. I just started washing my hands when someone called in that class was starting. I heard her close the door, then open it again when I didn't run out immediately to say, a little more insistently, that class was starting. Maybe she thought I was staring at myself in the mirror and brushing my hair.

Even with the above drawbacks and the small changing room (two showers, one toilet and sink, small lockers), this yoga is the one that works the best for me and I have an on/off relationship with it, depending on the month's financial situation and whether or not I'm trying out some other studio.

If you've never done Bikram before, the first few classes are tough, but once you get the hang of it, it really is pretty relaxing. The 26 postures in 90 minutes are always the same, as are the instructors' directions (with extremely minor variations, if they leave stuff out), so you start to just focus on what you're doing and, when you don't, you pay more attention to how much less effective you are when your mind wanders (translates well to other tasks).

A few things not to do beforehand: drink a ton the night before, get very little sleep, eat a lot, or consume sugary caffeinated beverages. Any of these may make you want to throw up, pass out, and/or die whilst getting all up with your bendy self.
1 - Amanda F.: This place smells like dirty socks.

I practice yoga daily. I have done hot yoga at other places that aren't "Bikram" style yoga.

Upon arrival, I was ushered into a very stinky room. I was essentially forced to sit in the front (not comfortable for me) of the room.
Class started and I was singled out (again, not comfortable for me) as a new student.

I reached for some water 3 poses into the series and was told that I could not have water until the designated break. Um, WHAT? This was really the tipping point for me. I officially won't be back. I've had better experiences at a number of smaller local studios.

This place is terribly over-rated. If you are interested in trying yoga, go local, find a small studio and find your comfort level. This place is definitely for a different type of yogi - the type that doesn't really do yoga, but follows a scripted "Bikram" style. For those interested, you should also google Bikram's name and get a deeper understanding of how they have marketed themselves. It is very interesting information.
4 - Liz M.: I was visiting family in Houston over Thanksgiving weekend and went to a class at this studio.  I really love the carpet there.  It is a thin felt-like carpet that a few hot yoga studios have.  They seem easier to clean than the thick ones, and I believe they are made of some antibacterial/antifungal material!  The studio was clean, and the staff was friendly and helpful.
3 - Mari W.: I love Bikram yoga itself, but this studio gets on my nerves for several reasons. First, they won't tell you who is teaching what class. If I'm paying $20 per class, you better believe it will be with someone I know and like. Yael and Kathy are wonderful instructors, but you won't know who's teaching until you sign in.

The smell comes and goes...I found a spot in the room that doesn't stink, but one day I had to move and I was distracted the whole time. The bathrooms are very clean though, and I noticed that the studio smelled a whole lot better at 6AM versus 830PM.

I really wish the instructors would call people out for being rude during class. People wear loud jewelry, get in others' way, wear stinky perfume, and TALK. It's really hard to get my hips off of the ground in full lotus when someone is chugging Gatorade next to me.

Money is my biggest deterrent to going back. It's just too freaking expensive. $180/month is ludicrous, even if you're going every day like you should. I wish they would offer an auto withdrawal payment, contract, or a student discount. Most people can afford it, but the value isn't there.
5 - Rebecca v.: This is the original Hot Yoga, Bikram basically came up with the concept. 
No matter where you take this class, you will experience the same poses in the same order followed by the same dialogue. 
In 6 months of consistently practicing this yoga, I lost 70 pounds. It is life changing. The only thing is it is expensive. 
the benefits I have noticed are: weight loss, clearer skin, depression susbsides, increased flexibitlity,  cardio conditioning and almost a sort of detox.. because you sweat so much!
the room is carpeted, and it is climate controlled to 105 degrees.. its a dry heat and there is air circulating the room constantly. 
This yoga is ideal for nearly anyone, as long as you dont have a heart condition.  No matter what your skill level, there is always at least one pose to perfect. I highly reccommend this type of yoga. 
I have been to both locations, the South blvd and the Fountainview one, but the South location has higher ceilings and is bigger... I felt anxious in the fountainview location. If you have the option, opt for the South Blvd location!
2 - Terri P.: I recently began practicing yoga again after about a year hiatus.  I did Bikram for about 5 months 3-4 weekly.  While I will say that it had its positive aspects (weight loss, firming up my body)  I still have to give it a two star rating.  This is the only Bikram studio I have ever gone to so I am actually rating Bikram yoga itself.  The heat is way too intense!  I'm sorry, but it just can't be good for you.  I go to another studio now that has hot yoga and it is between 85-90 degrees.  I still feel the benefits of a heated room minus the nausea, dizziness, etc.  There were some days that I literally went home and couldn't do anything else for the remainder of the day because I was so drained.  This was not pleasant.

I'm not saying Bikram is bad, it's just not for me!
2 - Radhi D.: It smells really bad, like old mildewed sneakers. The smell made me nauseous and distracted me from yoga. I kept sniffing the folks around me, hoping it was from a person, but I fear it was from the carpeted floor. The yoga is the standard Bikram poses, very intense and feels good in a masochistic kind of way. Remember to hydrate before you go!
5 - Rebecca Q.: Excellent location, great studio with excellent instructors, this studio pretty much nails it!  

The changing room is a little too small but it's not really an issue since most people are respectful of their fellow classmates' space and time.
1 - Carrie C.: Totally not worth the money. I practiced Bikram for years in another city and was excited to give it a try in Houston. I was sorely disappointed. For one thing, you can expect to feel VERY pressured to buy a class package (over $100, must use within 30 days) on your first day. For me, this was a lot of commitment and they were very passive aggressive when I stated I just wanted to pay for the single class that day. I won't be going back.
4 - Joanna W.: I've been coming here for 1-2 months now. I wanted to wait until I tried out other studios before I started giving ratings, since this was where I received my first experience of bikram yoga. Compared to other yoga studios I have visited, this one seems a little older and the smell is something you have to learn to get used to (keep in mind the smell might just be coming from the number of sweaty bodies surrounding you & not the studio itself). The changing room is small - fitting only a handful of people in there at one time, but nothing to be concerned about unless you're just picky about that kind of stuff. 

Although the facility might not seem extremely glamorous and appealing like newer studios, I have to say after going to 2 other studios, I find myself more comfortable visiting this location. The instructors are GREAT! They're very very welcoming and instead of just running through the postures and the typical scripted speech, they really work on correcting you and giving extra pointers to help you perfect each position. 

For first-timers:
From other reviews, it seems some people have had a different experience with the instructors, saying they're 'judgemental' or 'make you feel awkward if you're new'. Honestly, there isn't any judgement in yoga. If an instructor points you out, it's only to help you improve. No one cares if you're not doing it perfectly. Everyone in there is only focused on themselves, so there's no need to feel embarrassed or offended if an instructor makes a small comment. 

Anyway, If you're curious on trying out bikram or on the fence about it, you should put your curiosity to rest and just go for it!
2 - Monica H.: I recently visited the South Blvd location and brought two friends with me who had never done Bikram before. This is the third or fourth Bikram studio I've been to, so this is purely a review of this studio and not of Bikram itself. 

Yikes.

I read somewhere that the Houston location is one of the top ten Bikram studios in the country, PARTICULARLY because it doesn't smell like a Bikram studio. Ummm, what?! As soon as we were let into the room, we felt ATTACKED by the smell of moldy sweat. You definitely get used to it, but it was the most smelly studio I've been to. 

The instructor and other front-of-house staff (probably other instructors) were SO CULTISH. I mean, we all know that Bikram yoga is a cult, but they obviously don't understand that the Bikram cult factor can be a turnoff to some people. After we came out of the studio, we could not seem to leave as we were accosted by several staff who attempted to proselytize us into the cult of Bikram. We were asked (seriously) if we were coming back the next day so we can "truly feel the effects of Bikram." We politely declined the offer, but was again stopped at the door (by a kind woman nonetheless) and handed some brochures. 

My friends had no intention of returning (they are still warming up to yoga and regular practice is out of a college student's budget), and I honestly was toying with the idea of stopping by several times a month until I experienced this type of "service." We were literally suffocated by the heat and then metaphorically suffocated by the staff afterwards. I actually don't know if they were trying to indoctrinate us into the ideology of Bikram, or if this is just some business scheme.

To top it off, I am forever scarred from body parts I saw in lotus pose from people twice my age. Oh dear.
4 - L M.: It's no Taj Mahal, but it's HOT!

Decent studio, pretty good teachers, exactly what you expect from a Bikram studio. 
 
I alternate between classes at South and Fountain View.  I find the room to be hotter at South, and at times suffocating.  I've been doing Bikram for many years and visited many studios.  BYH is right on par with any studio I've tried.  Some of the teachers seem a little stiff, and some are a little too nice.  But overall, the experience is right in line with the Bikram way.  

If I could suggest a change, I would plead for more air in the change rooms.  Showering and dressing in a hot, enclosed bathroom is not fun.
4 - Wendy F.: PROS - This is the real deal when it comes to Bikram.  They are hardcore here - the instructors have you hold your poses longer than other Bikram studios in the city and they are SERIOUS about the rules.  They provide filtered water in the women's restroom.

CONS - Because Bikram requires carpets in the room, the smell just comes with the territory.  In the yoga room, it smells like a combination of BO and cigarette smoke.  The changing room is small.

If you are looking to get a great workout, and don't care about the CONS, this is the place!
1 - Monica G.: I attended this studio for 1.5 years before switching to Pearland Bikram Yoga (12 min. from Downtown).

The only PRO of this studio is location and a couple of instructors.  The location is near my work, so I didn't waste time driving.  Now I wonder why I was loyal for so long to a studio that is smelly, harmful, arrogant, cultish and overcrowded.

Pearland Bikram Yoga is a serene, happy spa in comparison!

The Cons of Houston Bikram Yoga on South Blvd. can be summarized as:

1. SMELLY -- god-aweful mold and smell coming from the carpet.  The room is small so you smell your neighbors almost as well as you smell yourself.  Gross.  I ignored it, but never, never got used to it.  Yoga simply should be done in a sterile, clean space.  Period.

2. BAD INSTRUCTORS -- The owners are nice and teach well.  There is a British instructor that is also good.  Everyone else (and I tried every instructor they had over a 1.5 year period) was bad to dreadful.  I'm an long-time yoga practitioner.  I can do all the poses in their advanced form.  I never came late and I followed all the "rules".  Still, I've personally experienced rudeness in class.  They especially pick on new people and glorify the class stars (including me on occasion, which I dislike).  These instructors defy the true philosophy and spirit of yoga, which is non-competitive, nonjudgmental and about balance and inner peace.  I had to try hard to ignore these attitudes to get centered (like I ignored the smell).

3. CROWDED -- The studio gets crowded to the point of distraction.  I cannot do my poses optimally because I'm bumping int my neighbors.  I'm petite and thin -- so really, there's no excuse!  They simply should not accept that many students per class.  As for the changing rooms, you cannot even take a shower sometimes for a half hour due to congestion.  And the ladies room is god-aweful smelly.

4. HARD-SELL/CULTISH STAFF -- The staff will simply not leave you alone.  They hound and hound you to buy a package, come back the next day OR ELSE, buy products, etc. etc.  It's so bad I try to dart out of the studio after class to avoid conversation.  I'd love to feel relaxed and calm after class, but my first thought after the shower room is "Get out before one of staff accosts me!"

Aside from these cons, the Bikram yoga itself is the standard fare.  It's a very physical yoga that is super light on the yoga breathing (pranayama) and philosophy.  It is what it is.  I like it for physical benefits, but I know it lacks the subtler and deeper stuff I've been exposed to in other classes.  

For anyone who is willing to drive a bit from the South Blvd. location, try Pearland Bikram Yoga.  It's a beautiful, large space with spa-like changing rooms.  Everything is super clean.  Think: 4-star hotel.  There is no smell to speak of and ALL the instructors are competent, calm and helpful.  I've tried some half dozen instructors, but my favorite is Taz, the owner.  She's wonderful.  Finally, it's never, ever crowded -- either in class or in the lovely changing rooms.  

I finally have the yoga studio I deserve.  I've never enjoyed Bikram so much!!!
2 - R V.: i LOVE bikram yoga but despise this studio.....its gross, smelly and dirty and to top it off, the instructors are not friendly.  luckily there are other bikram yoga studios near me.

Bikram Yoga Boston - Cambridge, MA (42.3728398, -71.1198919) (Harvard Square)
4 - shana c.: i am modifying what i wrote before and changing my rating to 4 stars-- i think some of the teachers here are a bit too formulaic, not allowing you to really "feel" the yoga for yourself.  it would be a better experience if they put a little personality into it-- more like yoga crossing, waltham.

love it. live it. sweat.  DRINK LOTS OF WATER BEFORE! don't think you're a superstar also- if the posture doesn't feel good today, don't overpush it, just try it next time.  highly recommended, but i understand it's not for everyone.  i prefer the harvard square location to the downtown location-- it's a newer, nicer studio.
4 - Nausheen M.: Bikram yoga has a program where you do about  26 yoga moves within 90 minutes.  The entire program is done in a heated room...probably in the upper 90 degree range...so it is a good idea to take a big bottle of water with you and also drink plenty of water before class too.  The yoga moves are not too difficult to do but they do require a lot of practice to master.  It took me a good 2 weeks to actually realise the proper way of doing them.  The environment here is very nice...very relaxing with pleasant staff around.
2 - U Y.: I have to say this yoga studio is way over crowded.  Even I arrived the class 15 minutes before it started, I hardly got a spot and I had no room to stretch my arms and legs.  The use of carpet rather then hard wood floor made me concern for personal hygiene. The instructor was really formulated and spoke in a fast, restless tone, non-stop for the entire 90 minutes. That gave me a headache about 30 minutes after it started  and I had to suffer until the end of the class. I did not see her helping anyone adjusting the pose at all. Although I heard a lot of good thing about this studio, personally it was an overwhelming, disappointed experience.
5 - Angela H.: This studio is fantastic!! While I've only been once and the teacher was something of a control freak, I still love it. They've got everything I always want after and during a Bikram class -- huge windows with natural light, tons of mirrors even on small surfaces in the studio, plastic bags for your sweaty clothes, hair ties, feminine products, dimly lit showers, open airy atmosphere, etc. etc. etc. I could go on. 

The variety of rentable mats and the two free towels with every class are nice touches as well. Slightly difficult to find if you are almost late and have never been there before.  It's across the street from CVS, through a door to a number of shops (including Lush I believe) and up the stairs on the left. After I go again I'll make this more explicit. 

Your first week is $20 unless you're from out of town. Thereafter it's $17/class -- a little steep if you ask me. If you plan on going often: they, like all the other Bikram studios in the universe, have deals when you buy class cards or unlimited periods of time. 

A good place to have your first Bikram class but try not to get it with Ami or Jen -- these two are a little hard core for my tastes. If they tell you not to drink water, just give them a little smile and do it anyway. If you need water, you need water. I firmly believe this, after 6+ years of doing it.
5 - Heather S.: so i just took my first ever bikram class at this studio today.  i think it's safe to say that i was hooked. Tomo was the teacher, and she singled me out a couple of times, which at first made me feel like the newbie idiot, but then i was actually really thankful that she did.  it's 105 degrees in the room, so prepare to sweat like you've never sweated before.  26 moves- some hard, some simple.  you'll feel the burn regardless.  the studio was really clean, people were really friendly, and it made it much less intimidating as a beginner. 

i can't wait to go back!

update: 
i've actually gotten hooked.  this is def a much better studio than the one downtown, but i love that i can go to either of them with my membership.  

try it!!
5 - Sandra K.: This is the best Bikram studio I have been to by far!  I've studied in NYC, LA headquarters, and LA South Bay and the Boston Bikram is cleaner and friendlier than all of the others by far.  

I've been in classes where they make you leave your water bottle on a certain side of your mat (south bay), yell at you for wiping your face while the sweat drips into your eyeballs (south bay), or yell at you for wearing green (headquarters).  I've met some ridiculous Bikram yogis and I am happy to say that I didn't encounter a single one at the Harvard Square location.

They were extremely kind when I said I had been out of practice for a while and didn't urge anyone to go beyond their comfort points.  If you are dizzy, you are actually allowed to sit!  If you are sweating, you can wipe your face!  This lax approach didn't take away from the effectiveness of the class or the practice.  In fact, it made the whole experience more enjoyable and relaxing!

I will definitely be coming back to this studio.  Also, the bathrooms looked very sanitary so showering after class shouldn't be a gross-me-out experience.  Way to go Bikram Boston, you know how to flaunt your stuff while stifling yogi attitude.
4 - april p.: A friend of mine recently became addicted to Bikram. After hearing her go on and on about how fantastic it was, I decided I should check it out for myself. 

I am not new to yoga; I used to practice at home for years, and take classes fairly regularly, when I could afford it. But I had slacked pretty seriously in the past 2 years and was essentially a newbie again.

They don't lie- this yoga is HOT. Just the 1st breathing exercise had me sweating like I was running on the treadmill. The poses were pretty easy to follow, but I say that as someone who is familiar with yoga. I am not so sure I would have enjoyed it if I was confused and sweating gallons at the same time.

I took 4 classes in one week. As a new student, they offer you unlimited classes for one week, at the fair price of $20. They also recommend taking your second class the day right after your first, to eliminate potential soreness (i.e. inability to walk normal). I enjoyed the classes. I liked one instructor better than the others, but not so much that I would avoid certain classes. 

I realize there is a method to this type of yoga, but I found it odd that the instructors stood at the front of the class giving instructions, but not doing any of the poses themselves. The definitely had a script to work from, which was not a problem in my 4 classes, but I would think after a month, it would get old. They were very accommodating to new students; it was totally fine to rest in child's pose when needed. I didn't feel any pressure to keep up. The instructors remembered my name and complimented me even though I was new. 

Classes did get somewhat crowded, but not as ridiculous as Baptiste. I did find it annoying that I would set up my mat in the back (beginners are encouraged to stay in the back row to better see others and learn) with a clear view of the mirror and then someone would come in and set up directly in front of me, when clearly they should know better. I thought the mirrors were somewhat distracting in the balancing poses. I am used to staring at a fixed point, not at my own face. 

The bathrooms were clean, but very very crowded. I was more inclined to not relax in savasanah after class, because I wanted to get a shower in without a 20 minute wait. I loved that they provided 2 free towels with each class, because I do not have laundry in my building and washing that many towels a week would kill me. My only REAL complaint (and why I didn't give 5 stars) is the odd smell in the yoga room. I really think that a yoga studio that gets so hot and sweaty should not have carpets. Who knows how much old sweat is stored in there? Its really gross to think about, and it takes a lot to gross me out!
4 - Bianca G.: I love Bikram Yoga. I am not surprised at all that first-timers immediately get hooked. I definitely experience the benefits (increased flexibility and coordination, I feel more relaxed and rejuvenated, even clearer skin) and it is the prefect supplement to my regular workout routine. I must admit that I don't get to go as much as I want to (I currently go once a week) but I just feel so good after each session!   The instructors are all so nice and accommodating, and Bikram Yoga is definitely something I recommend to get a good workout or even just to get out of a boring yoga rut.  However, I had to dock one star off my rating because the studio is getting more and more crowded, and the carpet does stink (they really should have that  profesionally cleaned - or changed! - more often). But otherwise, I'm very happy with Bikram.
5 - Diane I.: bikram = my new crack
you will either love or hate bikram...
but that aside - i'm here to review the studio not the practice.

i absolutely love this place.  its super spacious, clean, and has convenient practice times (something that was missing from my old studio - i'm not about to get up at 6am to make it yoga).

if you make it to a midday class you'll have tons of space - the 6pm classes can be quite full.  but either way its totally worth trying out.

and i always love places with a student discount :)
5 - Sun C.: oh no. toxins in my body?
3 - Sam G.: I just tried Bikram Yoga Boston in Harvard Square today, and I have mixed feelings about it - mostly good, but mixed nonetheless. The studio is beautiful -- a large room with huge windows that allow natural light to enter the room. Other reviews mention the carpet smelling, however I didn't notice any odors at all. The bathrooms are clean, although a bit small and they don't have lockers to secure personal belongings.

As for the yoga itself, it was definitely different from what I'm used to. The pace of the poses is rather quick, and my instructor (Brad) spoke much more like a fitness instructor (loud, fast, countdowns, pushing students, etc) than I was expecting (in contrast to the slow, quiet yogi). This is not a relaxing yoga session. I will say that I was very impressed by the personal level at which the instructor seemed to interact with his students -- he knew almost everyone by name, and gave them individual feedback throughout the 90 minutes. 

I got the beginner package - 10 days for $20 - so I plan on going back this week to give it another shot. I'll update my review if my opinion changes!
4 - Monica R.: I was in the best shape of my life when I was practicing at BYB and BYHS.  all thanks to Tomo, Jill and Brad- the fabulous owners of these 2 studios.  BYHS and BYB were like my second home when I was living/going to school in Boston.  I miss my Bikram family very much!

Although the teachers can be a bit formulaic and really stick to the dialog verbatim, they are quite knowledgeable of their student's abilities and really push you to your own individual edge.  When I was practicing there, the teachers were incredibly sensitive and aware to all the students that walked in.

If you're a knew student, I would suggest placing your mat by the window side wall because it's cooler in that area- this is the HOTTEST studio I've ever practiced at (and I've practiced at over 20 studios across the country).

Also, if you're strapped for cash- ask about their work study availability.  You can get free yoga in exchange for cleaning/working the front desk a few hours a week.

If you live in the Harvard Sq area and are looking for a great way to get in shape for the new year- definitely check out BYHS.  Your body, mind and spirit will adore you for it.  Trust.
5 - Andy P.: That this is Top notch Bikram Yoga, there is no denying.
Whether it is for everyone, that is up to debate.

The Harvard Square Studio is spacious, modern, clean, and full of good vibes.  

The teachers at this studio, while all proceeding with vastly different and personal approaches, are all extremely gifted at leading a hot studio packed with around 60 sweaty people through a motivated and no-nonsense class.

People may say it is not for the faint of heart, but I like to think it is exactly what the faint of heart should be doing.

Commit to Bikram and you will see amazing changes in your life.  If you're lucky enough to be able to practice at this studio, you'll get some of the best Bikram Yoga classes the nation has to offer.
3 - Lisa K.: I have to preface this review by saying I've never tried any other Bikram yoga studios.  I've done regular yoga in Boston and San Francisco before, and oh boy, is Bikram so different!  

First, the good:  it WILL stretch you out!  I have very tight hams and calfs because I swim four miles a week in a chilly water pool.  Bikram really loosens up my muscles.  It will also get your heart rate up, so it doubles as cardio.  The workout is a great skin and body cleanser - I felt pure, like I sweated all the yuck out and was left with glowing and lumnious skin.  The instructors vary but I generally found them to be very knowledgeable and clear in their instructions.  Some (not all) I also found to be really encouraging and kind.  Others make you feel inferior if you dont' show up there on a regular basis.

The downsides - it's HOT and I felt faint towards the end.  The first several times I put my mat by the door, which helped as there's a tiny bit of draft under it.  The fourth time I was in a part of the studio with no air and I've never felt closer to fainting in  my whole life.  I lasted until the end but barely and bolted out the door without stretching.  One time they had to call the paramedics for someone who had collapsed after the workout.  It also doesn't help that the studio is very popular and gets super crowded, which tends to reduce the oxygen supply and makes the room seem hotter.  So I really try to take it easy towards the end and give myself enough time to decompress by sitting in the common area and sipping water.

Overall, a good experience, but I'm happy to hear that not all Bikram studios are that hot.
2 - T I.: I really enjoy yoga including hot yoga but not at Bikram! 

The worst part of this place is the carpet! people sweat like crazy and you can see the sweat drops running down and on the carpet! 

Seriously, how often do they clean this carpet? It's really dirty and disgusting. The room smells old sweat and salty! 

My worst experience was the first day I went there. During the workout, I  felt nauseous and Chris (the instructor) was forcing me to stay in the room. He kept saying.. "it's normal..the point is to stay in the room for 90 minutes". Finally I felt so sick that I ran to the bathroom. I seriously thought I was going to die. My blood pressure (was either high or low!) I could not see very well . A woman came to help me with cold pads .

I went there 5 more times just because I always try to give things more chances before I make a decision about them. All other instructors were better than Chris but here is the problem. They keep asking you to do the postures "beyond your flexibility". And they say: " feel that pain! it's great."

Who says yoga has to be painful? and besides how could you ask people to bend their backs beyond their flexibility? are they going to bother about your back problems later?

In real yoga, you do everything that is pleasant for your body. No real yoga instructor will tell you to do something painful! It's bad for you! 

Finally, all the instructors in this place talk to you from a script (verbatim)! Believe me, even their small talks are fake! 

I give it two stars because they offer two free towels and they sell Fuji water cheaper than the pharmacy!
4 - Katie R.: I'm prefacing this by saying that Bikram has proven to not be my thing. But my hope here is to rate the studio and give an overview of the yoga, and then you can go and see what you think.

The studio is as conveniently located as can be. In the heart of Harvard Square, transportation options abound. If you're one of the first people there, you might think that there's plenty of space, but trust me, that real estate is expensive - they pack you in tight. When you look down, you'll notice strike one - carpet. Wall-to-wall office-style carpeting, that seems, dare I say, soggy? Ick. But, I'm on a mat, it's all good. Then, strike two - wall-to-wall mirrors. Bikram yoga is focused on looking good, and you'll notice bikini-clad athletes who help that image. But seeing myself beet-red in a sweaty sports bra does more to embarrass me than anything else. I guess it's their way of saying - you want to look this good? Come more often, work harder. Sigh.

And at yoga, everyone else has to see your sweaty self, so why shouldn't you? And everyone in Harvard Square? Oh right, strike three - windows. They don't open, so don't go looking for relief, but just as you're about to go into a squat you may notice a crowd of Japanese tourists on the sidewalk below, photographing your pasty self. Fun.

And did I mention it's hot as Hades, and they don't let you leave, especially if you feel dizzy?

So after all this, why the 4 stars? Because of everything else. They make the pricing affordable, particularly for students. The shower rooms are fantastic - hair bands and hair dryers, for free? A real water cooler, with cold water on demand! For everyone! And a great atmosphere. After class is over, people chill (think hot sauna), and there's a real bonding experience, real socializing. It's like surviving something so traumatic that you have a new love for your fellow survivors. 

So...I don't go here anymore. But - if strangely militaristic, sweaty, makes-you-feel-like-you're-gonna-die yoga is your thing, this place has that and a lot else going for it.
4 - Sandra C.: It's really a love-hate thing for me. I'm not much of a yoga person...yet. I'm about as flexible as a pencil. This place is hardcore! I feel like almost every class is packed, so you have to get there a bit earlier to grab a good spot. Unfortunately, I had a spot behind Sweaty And Mostly Naked Mr. Macho Man, and I had no idea how I looked like in the mirror. Throughout the class, I'm thinking "MAKE IT STOP! CLASS BE OVER!" and I almost passed out because I am totally out of shape, but afterwards...I felt so great! Now I'm trying to get all my friends to come.

This place is a bit pricey for me. I looked at the memberships...and I don't feel like spending that much yet. I'm on the $20 ten day trial. And after that ends, I'm probably going to find a regular yoga place around campus. For free. Or really cheap. If you're baller-status however...I find no reason in not coming. This place is great.
5 - Juliana O.: Yeah!!  I joined Yelp for the purpose of raving about the things that I love, and this place is right at the top of that list.

About the style:  Bikram Yoga is a unique style of yoga that I think everyone should try at least once.  It's a heated beginner's class intended for all ages and ability levels.  Just come hydrated and ready to sweat, with an empty stomach and an open mind.  It's one of those things that can change your life if you let it.

About this location:  I do Bikram everywhere I go, and the staff at this studio are the ones who originally got me hooked.  The owners are really detail oriented and all the teachers are top notch - caring, professional, and knowledgeable.  Evening classes can definitely fill up, but there are about a million classes on the schedule these days.  The yoga room is nice and roomy, and has two things that I've REALLY come to appreciate since I've left: ceiling fans and a wall of windows!  Air circulation and natural light make a WORLD of difference!!  (If you don't want to be seen from JFK St, just don't set up DIRECTLY next to the window - it's a 2nd floor studio.)

As far as amenities go, they have pretty much everything you need there: FREE! towels, rental mats (and mat storage for members), water, Zico, hair ties, showers, hair dryers, etc.  And they're steps from the Harvard Square T stop.  So basically, you can just throw your sports bra and itty bitty shorts in your purse, hop on the T, get off at the studio, do your yoga, shower off, and walk out a couple hours later looking like nothing even happened - except for your big smile and your yoga glow.
5 - Linda E.: I did the week pass for $24.  They have a work program where you can volunteer a few hours a week if you can't afford the normal price which I believe is about $100 a month.  I used to do the FunkyDoorYoga in Berkeley, CA and this one is just as great!

I prefer this location to the one on Lincoln with this company.  The room is larger and has a nice big window.  The instructors are nice and talk to you before and after class and answer any questions you need.

They are very particular about where you step with your dirty shoes that were walking around outside in, I liked that a lot. They made me take my shoes off before walking to the back where the locker rooms are located, since people are walking in their bare feet in that area.  

The locker rooms give cute hair elastics to put your hair in a pony-tail, what an amazing idea!!!
4 - deb y.: I must preface this with a confession: I haven't worked out in over a year.  With that said, some girlfriends persuaded me into doing the $20 introductory package of 10classes - they swore by bikram.  I've only done yoga once before and even then, it was while I was in another country and didn't always understand my instructor (imagine trying to understand the instructions for "Downward Facing Dog" in a language you only have conversational fluency in).  

so essentially, I was a newbie to yoga and bikram. Needless to say, I got my butt kicked, pretty much by the heat and some of the more intense poses, but I was overall impressed w this studio. You cant beat the $20 for 10consecutive classes deal since it's $22 for a single class at normal pricing. Also, the bathroom and studio are clean. I was a bit confused tho as to why the instructors don't do the poses with us, but they were attentive in other ways and pushed you to hold a pose longer, strectch further.

And there's definitely something that feels really about good sweating it all out in a 105degree room.
4 - Sho B.: This place is one star shy of perfection only because I like the back bay studio a lot more, but that's just my pref. The hot room is perfect: high ceilings, powerful fans, great venting, huge mirrors. The studio is large and spacious, the ladies room has four showers, sinks, a blow dryer, but the only downside is the minimal amount of changing/moving space in the ladies room. 

Just a disclaimer, Bikram yoga is a difficult (but rewarding) practice. Some people can't take the heat... I, on the other hand, LIVE for that shit!!
2 - Chris M.: Wasn't satisfied. I come into new schools of yoga with an open mind, but I like when something challenges me. The class bored me. I mean it might have been because it was a 6am class, but I haven't had the will to go back. I just like the more traditional forms I guess.
5 - Kat O.: I have been practicing bikram yoga at BYB/BYHS for almost a year and have been to all 3 locations. The studios and instructors have never ceased to impress me...other studios just don't compare! Yes, the yoga is hard, yes the room is hot, and yes, it can get crowded. However, all of these things aren't really anything to complain about because without those things the yoga wouldn't be what it is! I am part of the work-study program there so I know what goes into the cleaning effort there and let me tell you, those places are clean. Jill, the owner, is very passionate about maintaining her studios. The instructors love to help people out with their postures, willingly answering questions after or before class with demonstrations (if necessary). All the studios are well-lit and well-heated, too, which might not seem like a big deal unless you've been to a studio that ISN'T well-lit or well-heated...BELIEVE ME. These places are awesome and the yoga is beyond awesome. You should go there. Now.
2 - Chris R.: Been doing Bikram for years, so my review is studio specific.
The classes -and the business itself- here is the least favorite of all other Bikram studios I've frequented over the years.

- studio is located on 1) a traffic fume-filled street in Harvard Square, and 2) above a heavily scented Cosmetics/Soap retail store. Midway  through each practice, air is ventilated and cooled via openings facing the JFK street and the stairwell. RESULT:  traffic fumes and noises, and heavily perfumed fragrances pounce from the street and store below. 
Inhaling such fumes is not only counter-productive to our goal('increase our lung capacity'?!?), it is a red flag respiratory concern.

- instructors use microphones. And many clap - loud!- to signal begin/end of poses. Jarring and annoying. 

- classes are not online reservable, and they rotate instructor schedules and have no way of knowing prior to arrival who is teaching. Most instructors are relatively new.

- lastly, a personal preference-- I find the blue carpet is nauseating. Most studios use neutral shades...
5 - Kathleen O.: Love Love Love this studio, spacious with ac in the lobby to welcome you back to a life of non self inflicted torture ahemmm, I mean health. 4 showers, more space in the studio as well so you can really spread your wings and lift up and go up... you will get that joke after taking your first class here witch I suggest you do! DRINK 120 oz h2o if you can, 3 liters minimum, you will pee a lot so plan water drinking carefully if you have a commute to class... I was dancing outside the studio door once pretty bad!
5 - Kitty W.: I've been practicing Bikram for 6 years now.  I've been to several studios but one thing I can say about this studio is...IT'S THE BEST!

Choosing a Bikram studio is not easy.  You want something that's clean and affordable with teachers who know what they are doing.  I walked into the Harvard Square three years ago, the day after I moved to Boston.  I was greeted by two woman at the front desk, one was the teacher leading the class that night.  I signed the liability form, paid for my class and was headed to the changing room.  I could not believe how clean and decently smelled the studio was.  During the entire  class, the instructor spoke clearly and obviously knew the practice very well.  She helped individuals make corrections where need and complemented the class when we did something right.  While I know this may not be part of the script, how else would you improve without being correct or praised?  At the end of class, I had several conversations with the other students who were congratulating each other.  Several weeks after that, I signed up for work study and been there since.  

- Clean studio (yaay!)
- Multiple times and locations to choose from
- Strict 'no in, no out' rule (very important for other students to focus)
- Clean studio!
- Teachers know the practice well
- Brad, Jill and Tomo are pretty darn awesome! 
- Friendly studio (some of my good friends in Boston I met via this studio)
- Clean studio

While I can't say much about the price (a little pricey), the practice is worth it!  I'd suggest signing up for work study, although, that's gotten very popular over the years so you might need to get on the waiting list.  

You won't find another studio like this elsewhere!
4 - Deanna D.: I was a Bikram Yoga virgin before going to Bikram Boston so needless to say I don't have anything to compare my experience to. I practiced at Bikram Boston in Harvard Square for a total of 14 days and I really enjoyed the experience. Most of the instructors were very friendly and helpful especially since they knew I was a newbie. 
Yes there's carpet & the room is smelly at first but your sense of smell is the fasted to adapt & I got over it pretty quickly. 
Yes its 104 degrees in the room most of the time but that makes you more flexible and helps you sweat it all out. 
Yes its the same 26 poses repeated in the same order at every class but the point it to get better at the poses so focus when practicing. 
Bottom line= Drink 3 liters of water before coming to class, go at your own pace, and try to do every pose. I never knew I could sweat so much & lost 5 lbs in during the 2 weeks.
Overall a great experience and I will be back for sure!
5 - alana c.: i have never felt so good in my life. it's been one year. did the 30 consecutive day challenge after 6 months. felt superb. top of my game. started going more spotty the last 6 months but have STILL managed to feel happy and healhty. the 110-115 temp clears the mind quickly. the people who teach here are incredible. so nice. and stripping down to sports bra and short shorts has never been so comfortable. heh sorta funny. better than other yoga studios in the area whether heated or not.  Would recommend it to anyone who isn't afraid of trying something new.
3 - Steph P.: The challenge to this review is reviewing the STUDIO, not the practice of Bikram yoga (which I am fairly certain is not for me). 

For $20 a first time visitor can get a pass for 10 consecutive days. A great deal considering how pricey yoga seems to be. When my friend and I arrived on our Bikram adventure, the instructor gave us the basics and reassured us we would be ok. I tried to pay for a towel to wipe sweat from my face during the class and the instructor told me they only had big towels and basically she wouldn't give me one (sweat was in my eyes the whole class, made it hard to concentrate).

We walked back into the poor excuse for a locker room where everyone's things are strewn about. There is no room to change/shower let alone any privacy. It also seemed a little unclean. Nothing specific, jut kind of grungy. When we left, I noticed the person's things that were next to mine were covered in bugs. That was weird.

During the class the instructor was encouraging but kind of mean at the same time. She barked out orders like a drill sergeant and I was so hot and tired I wanted to slap her face. Good thing I could barely lift my arms. But I don't think that was her fault. The class is 90 minutes and I made it 80 without barfing (yay me!). I ran out with 10 min to go and after puking, the instructor came out and told me to come back in. I told her no thanks, I just barfed. In a very unsympathetic tone she said "Oh, poor baby, you got sick". Right into her headset microphone. Thanks for telling everyone I puked. Appreciate it. I really enjoyed the sad looks I got from everyone after the class. 

Ok, second time. Walked in, different instructor. She was just as aloof. I didn't bother asking for the extra towel. This time I was only in there 30 minutes before barf time. The instructor came into the bathroom and asked me to sit on the bench outside the class so she could "keep an eye on me". I think she was worried I would steal all the unlockered things. I was too busy vomiting. I have to say she was very encouraging after the class was over and told me to keep trying. She had several suggestions on how I could avoid the vomit. 

This location is very convenient for me, but if I were to continue the practice I might look elsewhere for more involved instructors, or try to stick to the nicer gal.
1 - Josephine P.: So I joined with 2 other people for the introductory offer which, seeing as the pay per class fee is $22, if you go more than twice, you will make your money's worth.
My first time at Bikram in Back bay was tough but I got through it.
Second time at Harvard, tougher, had to sit out most of it, but the instructor was super nice about it. 
It does have a lot to do with your mental state so I get the tough military style discipline. We all got called out at one point for stopping, not pushing ourselves hard enough, taking water in between poses, etc. and I honestly get it. Sometimes you just need someone to not baby you and to make you push yourself to the limit, otherwise you won't make any progress. During the second practice I COULD NOT FEEL MY HANDS, so I started freaking out, but I appreciated when the instructor reassured me it was normal and to just take a knee.  So yes, the drill sargeant style teaching was not a qualm for me, however....it is NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER ok to cuss at a customer.
I went 2 days in a row and by the third day although the mind was willing, the body just couldn't get up to meet my 2 friends at the studio, I happened to have one of my friend's mats. Last minute he realized I wasn't coming so in the end he had to leave the class because he had no mat. When he asked the instructor if he could go the instructor said " go, take your shit and leave, not even 2 seconds"
I hate to do this because all of my female instructors were extremely nice, but Rich at Harvard, I hope horrible things happen to you. You suck, get over yourself.
5 - Deener F.: Great studio!   I visited this studio from out of town and what a treat!  The instructor was really good and the studio was nice. The locker room had 4 showers which was a total treat and the showers even had soap in them.  They did not have lockers to lock valuables in but after talking to a lot of the people there I felt ok about leaving my bag in the locker room and just taking my wallet into the studio with me.

Good heat in the room for sure.  My only gripes are minor and not worth taking a star off the review.  The instructor opened the window several times which was not necessary and just made the room too cool.  Also, the rental cost for a mat with the out of town visitor price was really high but that's because of the studios awesome location in the heart of Cambridge.  A little spendy, even for bikram standards.

Overall, this is a great studio. I have visited many studios and been practicing for 4 years and this was a good one! I will definitely considering visiting again since I can get there right off of the T and can take a shower when I'm done!
3 - C.Michele S.: I tried Bikram yoga on a groupon for 2 weeks. I have never sweated so much in my life. I would probably have to run in Africa for miles to be able to sweat the way that room makes you sweat. I will say you really need to prepare yourself for this kind of yoga. This is not your mom's yoga. You need to not drink or eat for about 2-3 hours before and you need to chug water like it's your job all day long/the day before. The smell is something else you need to get ready for. Also, I really believe this should be a cold weather yoga bc when they open the windows for a little reprieve and it's 92 out you get absolutely nothing. Not a gust of wind to help. 

I about passed out 6 times my first time but just took deep breaths. You HAVE to listen to your body for this class. Half the time I never do but you can't get away with it here. It's nice after the first class because they do the same 26 poses so you know when the end is near. The only thing is I get easily bored so knowing what's next isn't that great after 3-4 times. I don't know how much of a workout I got bc you don't know if you're actually sweating or if the room is sweating for you. 

The studio itself is like I said smelly. I've been to others that didn't quite smell that bad so I don't know. The showers are very tiny and there is absolutely no room for people to change, go to the bathroom ( the stalls are right there), or even grab their stuff. Some of the teachers are better than others like any gym. I'd rather have the ones that don't call me out in the middle of class. but that's just me. 

Needless to say. I tried. I bended. I lived. But I probably will not be going back to that kind of yoga.
1 - kathy w.: If I could give this studio ZERO stars, I would.  I find it interesting that one of the reviews starts with "I thought Rich was a dick...".  Rich was AWFUL.  It was unlike any Bikram class I've ever been to.  While I was signing up, he made me "prove" that I had experience doing Bikram yoga by listing the cities and studios that I've attended in the past nine years, implying that he actually knew all of the "best" studios in the San Francisco bay area (It was humorous that he obviously didn't!). Once the class started, he proceeded to call me "San Francisco" throughout the session, a complete sign of disrespect since I informed him of my name, and he NEVER informed me of the studio's offer for first time students -- that I would be entitled to free sessions for a week (or whatever).  Well, I assure you, that is quite alright because I was so disgusted by how he treated the students in the class, that I wouldn't want to frequent an studio that has him as an instructor.  After the class, when I confronted him about how unwelcome and disrespected he made me feel, he said that he hoped that I "come back to see if there is another instructor who suits (me) better." Places like this give people a terrible, terrible, terrible impression of what Bikram is about!
3 - Ericka M.: Overview/quick background:
*I attended classes here twice, in late August 2010.  Both times were on a weekday around noon, and both classes were taught by two different young women.  The classes I attended weren't crowded at all.
*I had done yoga extensively in the past, but had never done Bikram before, so I made sure to keep an open mind about it.

The good point(s):
*The instructors I had could probably tell I was clearly trying to get back into working out after a very long hiatus (being overweight and out of shape) and that I was giving the class my best effort.  So they mostly let me do my thing and just gave me some helpful pointers here and there.
*Convenient location in Harvard Square, changing/shower room, basic amenities and an overall tidy apperance.
*Friendly staff [Note: I did read the other reviews about this Rich character, and it's really a shame the studio employs someone who treats customers like that; but, to be fair, I can only comment about the staff with whom I interacted - unfortunately, I can't remember their names...sorry!]
*If you're the kind of person who believes in sweating your toxins out, this place is for you.  I don't think I EVER sweat so much in my life as I did at a Bikram class - and that includes the time I ran a marathon in Hawaii in 80-90 degree heat.

The neutral and not-so-good point(s):
*With the heat, it can be VERY easy to overwork yourself.  I felt faint and nauseous for quite a while after my first visit (but felt AWESOME after the 2nd, so don't be afraid to give it another try).  Also, try to remember to bring 2 FULL, ice-cold water bottles.  Trust me, you'll need every drop, at least until your body acclimates to the conditions over time (when you can maybe downgrade to 1 bottle).  And they really frown upon you leaving the room for any reason, even if it's to fill your bottle with more water. [Note: although I can't say I was ever aware of being locked in the room or the building, I imagine they may lock the building if there's only one staff member present in the whole studio, which I think was the case when I attended, in order to prevent theft...although if they are going to do that, they should probably tell you about it up front...so if you do go, make sure to ask about it]
*Here's my biggest gripe, and the ONLY reason I'm sadly not going back.  Much as I tried to overlook it, I absolutely could NOT get over the smell at the beginning of each class.  Seriously, it reeked of ass and feet, and I imagine it's from layers of sweat that have crusted in the carpet over time.  As class goes on, you're affected by the heat, plus too busy concentrating on poses and trying not to pass out, thus somewhat less sensitive to the odor.  If it had been just a mild odor, I would feel guilty for seeming shallow.  But it's bad enough to throw off my concentration and affect my overall enjoyment of the facility and - most importantly - of my yoga practice.
*Another thing to note was that both instructors I had called out the same instructions VERBATIM, which I thought was a bit odd.  For a studio that is part of a larger network of Bikram locations, I imagine they would want some consistency.  Even if they did have to work off of a sort of "script," I would have thought that a different instructor would have brought a *little* something different to the class, at least.  I get bored easily, so I couldn't imagine not mixing it up now and then.

Summary:
I give it three stars because, like I said, I would have kept going had it not been for the unfortunate smell.  The weekday afternoon classes (for those of you whose schedules are flexible enough to do this) are good.  Bikram isn't for everyone...but you won't know whether it's for you until you try it, and I encourage everyone to try Bikram at least once...although perhaps at a place slightly less odorous.
4 - Shelly R.: This is my most recent obsession. I've been doing Bikram Yoga off and on for 5 years, and I love this studio because it is extremely consistent. You can go to Harvard, Back Bay or Financial District and get the same mix of instructors and the same high-quality instruction. 

I've done about 25 classes over the last 3 months (took a looong hiatus over the holidays - I DO NOT  recommend that as getting back into it has been extremely painful), but I'm starting to feel the affects in my body again of having less toxins and being generally healthier feeling. It has even helped me kick the post-holiday sugar addiction!

I'm planning on doing the next 30-day challenge, will update after I do a few classes consecutively. 

Harvard is my favorite location of the three, then Back Bay then Financial District. 

I don't recommend the Financial District in the winter because they don't open the windows and that makes it  too muggy - I want to pass out every time!
5 - Laura H.: I'm updating my review after seeing some of the other comments here. This yoga is not for everyone, to be sure. It's demanding physically, mentally and emotionally. It requires determination, courage and strength. You get out of it what you put into it. I would suggest doing some research into Bikram yoga before coming to class expecting to be babied or taken care of. If you need your hand held, I would say go elsewhere. 

I do feel compassion for those who've had bad experiences with teachers not being sympathetic to their physical limitations. One way to mitigate this would probably be to explain to the teacher before class that you are 1) getting back into working out after a long break 2) have an injury or 3) any other physical issues which you are concerned would interfere with your practice. This style of yoga is heavily influenced by the personality of its founder, and Bikram is indeed a heart of gold kind of guy, as one person mentioned, but he can be caustic and dismissive with people he sees as not putting in an effort, and some teachers do imitate his style, rightly or wrongly, I don't know.

One of the basic things you learn in this yoga is to let the teacher guide you through the class - i.e. to turn your mind off and let the teacher's mind become your mind (Bikram says as much when he teaches). Sometimes this is extremely challenging - people aren't perfect, you may not like their style, etc. But if they are a good teacher (and the teachers at this studio are), they are following the dialogue, and all you need to do is listen to the words, and do what they say. This, perhaps even more than the physical benefits of the class, may be one of the greatest skills to learn - just non-judgmentally listening and trusting that this person has the knowledge and the authority to lead you through an experience that will be beneficial. Until you get to that point your mind will be fighting it in all sorts of ways - you will complain to yourself about the heat, about how it's too hard, about the tone of voice of the teacher, you might start making lists of things you will do after class - the mind has many ways to distract you. And you will be reacting to your thoughts, you will not be present anymore and connected to your body. And that, after all, is the point of the class, to regain that connection.

If you are not interested in doing that, why even come to a yoga class? Just go to the gym.
1 - Robin D.: I've taken only two classes but both made me ashamed to have stayed because the instructor singled out people and snickered at their styles.  I don't know if it was the heat which made him so aggressive but he should remember he is a teacher and those victims will long remember the episode as will I.
5 - Stephanie M.: "iiiit was the HEEEEEAT of the MOMENT -the HEEEEAT of the MOMENT SHOWED in yOUUURRR EYESSSs"

I'm updating my review because I'm currently on DAY78 of a 101[CONSECUTiVE]DAY Bikram challenge. 

Why/who on earth would subject themselves to this "torture"? Well when you're about to be sued because you had your friend's 14lb Boston terrier up for the summer & it nips some girl on the beach (he was leashed & sitting on my lap & the mom asks if the daughter could pet him), and you shell out $2500 so the dog can have a lawyer on retainer. You have sleepless night after sleepless night because the statute of limitations is 3years from the date of the incident & you never know when/if the people are going to sue. --OR-- you find out come tax season that you somehow owe 5THOUSAND fucking dollars to the IRS even though you make less than 30K/year (Oh, right-because you aren't really supposed to be classified as a 1099 are you?)--OR---you've ballooned to god knows what weight because Boston becomes a portal to Hoth for 5 months out of the god damn year and week after week you hole yourself up in your apartment stuffing your face full of beautiful delicious comfort CARBS. (an entire box of CHEEZ-ITS [in one sitting], among other things) You're reticent to wash your pairs of jeans more than once a month because shit-who the fuck knows if they'll fit anymore after that fateful wash- and you know you're too stubborn to go that next size up. Because you know that with buying that next size up you're committing to an unsettling reality. . .denial is more comfortable, at least with the button undone. 

I have been doing Bikram yoga for 4 years now and always seem to go through a bout of Bikram when I hit ludicrously entertaining low-points in my life. So [[THiS TiME]] I decided to be proactive & keep my sanity and not harbor a "screw-loose brain" as Bikram calls it. Participating in this challenge has been incredible and it has been a great honor to take classes from the talented Bikram instructors at BikramYogaBoston/Harvard Square. 

Come as often as I do, and you'll actually get called out by name in class...not by "You in the pink! LOCK that KNEE!" You'll either love this or hate this. I find that when you lose the shroud of anonymity you tend to work harder because there's a sense of accountability...

That being said, I've had some of my best (&worst) classes with Rich. His dialogue cadence is impeccable and you never feel rushed into the next posture. But you always gotta be givin 110% for Mr. Rich (as I stated in a previous review, he will remember your individual progress in classes and by god he will know if you are half-assing it, he'll call you right out on it.) Also take note- - -just because you are not taking a class taught by Rich doesn't mean he's not lurking somewhere in the hot room taking a class alongside his students. I remember last Friday, I was tired from a long week and I had stayed up late the previous night so I was probably just going to 'call-it-in' you know...do all the postures, but not really push myself too hard. yeah well---I set up shop in the front row and who should I spot during the second set of Pranayama Breathing?? Fucking Rich -2 rows back! UGHHHhh GOD DAMMMiT NOW I HAVE to work hard. 


Now for Dan. To be fair, Dan & I got off on a bad foot, there was a minor misunderstanding about a class package I had purchased -a bit of sassiness was exchanged, but it's all good now. I even find Dan amusing now! One night when he went to give the window a slight open after tree-pose &some dude out in the street was like "WOOWOO!!" and then Dan was like "WOOWOO" I'm not sure why I found that funny, but really after the standing series postures you're so high or about to die that anything is pretty comical. Though he was legit funny when he was giving some new dude a hard time about staying in the room& he was like, "Now, please please don't rush to go write a bad review on Yelp- what you don't think we read those reviews? and everyone thinks poor Rich Ray is an ass? Poor guy! He's the nicest guy I've ever met! Aw well they're probably just confusing him with me." LOL


You will have some of your chillest classes with Heather. She is so positive and uplifting. I always feel super mellow after her classes. 


Derek. Derek. Derek. serious love-hate here...One night he didn't crack a door or window for THE ENTiRE 90mins. I swear it had to have been at least 120degrees in the room. He was all like 'You gotta struggle'. I was like I gotta pass out that's what I need to do. But then during Savasana he talked about how he was getting a Siamese kitten and I was all like AWWwWWWw kiiiitties.

My favorite class was when there were 2 jacked football dudes in the back trying Bikram for the first time, labored breathing-clearly dismayed by this yoga and Meredith was like, "What'd you think? This was gonna be some kind of fluffy butterfly yoga with candles? then you see some bitch with a microphone.." LOFL
5 - Emily F.: Love Bikram Yoga!!!!  6pm classes are the most crowded so I suggest getting there 30 min before.  First thing you should do is place your mat before changing or anything, good spots go quickly.  Make sure to hydrate very well the day before and day of.  Always bring cold water, partially frozen is best...your water will get warm throughout the class.  They do have mats, towels and water, some at additional costs.  They also have four showers in the mens and womens rooms and provide hair ties and q-tips.  Floors do get very wet after a class.  The coolest spot in the yoga room is near the door.
5 - Laura W.: Bikram yoga, like any exercise, may not be for everyone. But looking beyond the actual yoga method itself (which I find really works for me) I really like this studio. I have enjoyed Bikram all over the US, from New Orleans to LA to NYC and any studio which provides a nice changing area and clean showers is way ahead of the game. The instructors are friendly and capable and the $20 for 10 class intro rate is superb (regular rates are fairly standard for Bikram yoga). Well worth a try!
4 - J T.: Just got back from a class - let's say you haven't quite lived until you've tried this out. Oh, you'll feel pain for sure but you just have to work through it. Don't be scared about feeling like you're going to pass out, just take it easy and breathe - the key is to breathe. 

Like all yoga classes, there are the fanatics, the ones who hate it but are addicted to the pain, the beginners who are falling over and looking embarrassed...and the ones who need to wear more clothes. I've seen things in these classes, horrible things. So please wear a good pair of pants and a sports bra (if you're a girl). Please don't wear your underwear, or God forbid, a shirt and no bra. 

All classes are different - some are harder and hotter, and others feel like you're relaxing through the whole class. I believe the difference lies with the instructor AND with the people who attend the class. 

For people who enjoy a challenge: Try the Harvard studio, that one tends to fill up with the people who go all the time, so they're experienced. As such, the teachers bring it up a notch.

For people who are starting out: The downtown crossing one in the morning tends to be filled with beginners, or the ones who aren't quite so serious about hot yoga. They're just there to get a work out in.

For people who are intermediate and like a big bathroom/changing area: The back bay is conveniently near Copley T station and has a lot of shower stalls. 

Try it out, all of these places are clean and guaranteed, you'll leave feeling like you can take on the world.
5 - Sara N.: I've been going to this studio for a few months now and while I love it I had nothing to compare it to! I recently went to another studio while on vacation... And this places blows them out of the water. One thing to keep in mind, this exercise is not for everyone. It really isn't. If you hate the heat and stretching you probably want to stay away. 

The studio itself is extremely nice. Open space lots of natural sunlight. My only complaint is the size of the locker room but I usually go home to shower. The 6 pm weekday classes are pretty busy but if you  arrive 20 minutes early you will get a good spot.

Everyone is probably most interested in the instructors. Overall I've had a pretty good experience with most of them. Here's the thing, if you have an injury, let them know before class!! Why would you try to modify a pose without telling them what was up? They are very serious about what they do and should you need to modify they will help you do so in a way that won't hurt you and still give you the benefit of the posture. Keep hydrated beforehand so you can make it to the first water break and avoid a sensitive teacher becoming upset (again, they're very serious!). 

I've seen a lot of complaints about Rich on here and he's one of my favorite instructors. He (along with everyone else) takes the time to learn your name and even recognizes when you're improving. He's tough but I have my absolute best classes with him. He's given me the best pointers to correct my poses and has never once been rude or snapped at me.

In regards to the practice, I love the mental challenge. The yoga itself is beginners. I felt like I had a bit of an advantage when I first started going because I've been doing these poses or very similar outside the hot room. The heat is what really turns this on. You feel amazing when you finish. Yes you'll be plenty sweaty but so is everyone else!

The only other thing I should mention... The smell. It's sort of shocking hit you in the face when you walk into the hot room. It's what happens when you have a bunch of sweaty people hanging out together. I get used to it within 5 minutes and probably more like 2.
5 - Irustin B.: I love Bikram Yoga. I was in town and did a 12 noon class. Great place, energy hot and excellent instructors. No complaints, I have gone back three times and had good experiences.
2 - Mandy L.: Don't get me wrong, I love my Bikram Yoga. But the instructor I had here was just awful. She just barked orders and didn't seem to have any sympathy for new people or those struggling. When I paused and sat out a pose, she asked if I had been partying the night before... as in, you're having a hard time must be your own fault, not the fact that you're in a 100* room.
I'm just not a huge fan of this studio. I've had other instructors in the past who have made the experience more enjoyable, but I would absolutely NOT recommend this place. Especially for the kind of money they're raking in, you'd think they could afford some nice teachers.
5 - Erin H.: I'm a bikram fanatic and this studio is one of the best out there! I've practiced all over the country! I love the instructors--Rich, Tomo, and Liz are my all-time favorite teachers, but all the teachers are first-rate, very nice and knowledgeable. They really care about you and your practice.  They push you hard and are strict, but that is what bikram is all about, and, if you humble yourself, you are truly in for a life-changing experience.  Big plus is the spacious shower/changing rooms, which, believe me, is a rarity.  Also a plus is the big studio space.  Kudos all around!
4 - Amanda B.: I love this studio! Everyone who works there is super welcoming and non judgemental. I do bikram only a couple times a year when I'm really trying to get myself back in shape so my flexibility is not the best. The teachers are very easy going and encourage you to go at your own pace. The studio is very bright - all windows and sunshine which is fantastic. I took a star off because the locker room is super tight but as long as you don't plan to shower there it's fine.
1 - Zazu S.: I can't believe that anyone would do Bikram yoga in a studio with carpet. I actually can't believe no one has called the health department. 

When people who have been going to these studios that practice yoga in extreme heat start to come up with serious lung diseases, don't wonder where it came from. Heat breeds bacteria and mold and that causes serious lung problems in the long term.
1 - Robyn G.: I totally wasted $20 coming here for the two week unlimited deal. After the the first class, I knew the place was not for me. The instruction occured quickly, much like an aerobics class, less like a yoga class. I think this is really the bikram style though, so it's not a dig on the instructor. I can't say I liked her calling me out in the middle of the class, by name, to ask me through the microphone how I was feeling. Hello Awkward! I also felt she was behaving a little cultishly when I was leaving the studio after class and trying to instruct me to come back the very next day, explaining to me that was the only way to feel better. Um, no. When my body tells me something isn't working for me, I tuck my tail between my legs and move on. 

As for the class, I think going in I was somehow misinformed about the difference/existence of "warm" yoga vs. "hot" yoga. It was much hotter than I anticipated and therefore my heart was racing and I struggled to breathe the whole class. Which means I was pretty much unable to stretch or workout my muscles. Which sucks. The whole concept of building up a tolerance in your major organs before working out the muscles, really freaks me out. Under no circumstances should you worry that you're going to pass out or cause a heart condition in order to be tough. F- that. On top of the fact that after doing some research about this type of yoga, it sounds like it isn't actually all that healthy, and might actually be detrimental to your health - (studies by Yale University ).

And one last thing, when a person tells you "I know this goes against everything you know, feel comfortable with and been taught, but just listen to me and do it anyway" you're in for a bad time and that you're potentially being brainwashed.  The one thing you should ALWAYS do is listen to yourself and your body.

Bikram Yoga Princeton - Plainsboro Center, NJ (40.3371236704203, -74.5957946777344) ()
4 - Jessica S.: Disclaimer: I'm a yoga newbie.

I've only done yoga once or twice in my life (following my mom to hers) but it never really stuck, mostly because there were a lot of people in the room and I didn't really know what I was doing.  The instructions were vague, possibly because a lot of people were experienced.

Deepak is very specific, and it hasn't been jam-packed every time that I've gone, which is great because a) your posture can be corrected by the instructor, b) you have space to actually see your reflection in the mirror and subsequently can self-correct.  The heat is, yes, terrible --  the amount of sweat that you ooze and drip is astonishing and/or gross -- but it does get easier.  The first class felt like eons as I waited in dizzy anticipation for each posture, but once you get the hang of it, it goes much faster.  So don't lose hope!

As a fairly athletic person, I was surprised by how physically challenging it is, both during and after.  I haven't slept this well in a while :)  I'm not sure how long I'll stick with it, considering there are other forms of yoga that are closer to me (and cheaper).  For the time being, I'm intrigued... but not completely sold.
4 - Jason C.: Ignoring all the hype and all the detractors, one thing is certain: a bikram yoga class is an intense workout. The postures would be challenging at normal room temperature and while the heat certainly adds another layer to the challenge, it also helps you limber up and push very hard BUT very safely.

The classes are on the expensive side [definitely cheaper than Philadelphia/NYC rates though], but the more you buy the cheaper it gets per class. Keep an eye on their facebook/livingsocial as they occasionally run a special price. 

I've never had a bad class here. The instructors push you to go further and encourage you to do as much as you can without being military rigid. My one complaint would be the changing/shower facilities...they're very clean, etc and everything gets wiped down in between classes. but pretty small for a class where everyone is going to sweat like hell!

It's definitely worth a try (New customer is 25$ for a week, unlimited classes, w/ free mat). If you're afraid of looking ridiculous, don't worry, everyone looks ridiculous and on top of that, everyone is extremely focused on themselves - no one is looking at you. After a few classes you will be used to the routine and be able to say whether it's for you or not.

One tip for guys - don't wear anything cotton (nylon/polyester/etc is good, you can get a very affordable pair from Road Runner sports or similar places) and take your shirt off. No matter what you wear it's going to get drenched in sweat, making you extremely hot (hotter than you should be).
4 - Karyn C.: I've been looking for "Hot Yoga" ever since I left NYC to live in NJ.
I've tried a few places that claim to have Hot Yoga, but end up doing like 22 poses or 24.  Did not know that true hot yoga is Bikram Yoga.  Finally I happened to find them from a Living Social deal.  I loved it.  Kinsley is wonderful as is her daughter/assistant.  It's a very peaceful and cleanly decorated studio (picture a yoga studio designed by Steve Jobs) and you feel really relaxed when you're done.  You'll be surprised at how 90 minutes just flies by.  I tried it in Brooklyn and I've been hooked ever since. Bring your towel/mat and a ton of ice water.  I swear I can feel all the toxins leave my body.

Bikram Yoga Squirrel Hill - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4377803, -79.9228477) (Squirrel Hill)
5 - Kevin A.: I'm no yoga expert, but I've taken about ten classes at four different studios now (three in da 'burgh), and this is the nicest, most professional one I've been to yet.  

pro: physical space: The studio is beautiful and nicely done: no taking off your shoes in a crowded hallway, and no waiting in line for a single shower in the men's restroom.  The heating and ventilation system seem to be top-notch, too.  I've been in other yoga studios that weren't comfortable - too cold, or so stagnant and humid that you had trouble breathing.  This place is much more comfortable - over 100 degrees, but not stuffy at all.

pro: instructors: I've taken classes with two instructors there, and they both led good classes.  Kept the classes moving at the right pace and were very helpful with newer students without ignoring the rest of the class.

con: They (and every other Bikram studio I'm aware of) only do Bikram yoga.  If you're not in the mood for sweaty yoga, look elsewhere.

not-a-con: They (and other Bikram studios) don't have beginner classes like "regular" yoga studios do.  I was apprehensive at first, but it doesn't matter.  Unlike other types of classes I've taken, beginners can easily participate in the same class as very advanced students.  You might not be able to stretch as far or balance quite as well, but none of the poses are "complicated", so it's very easy to pick up just by following along.
5 - Y. C.: Okay first, as other reviewers have stated, this is Bikram Yoga. Google it. It's not like other heated yoga styles. If you want a heated yoga with the vinyasa sequence, there are other studios like Amazing Yoga, Yoga Hive, and Yoga Flow. 

At any rate, I really like this studio. They did a great job turning this space from a Curves to a Bikram studio. The yoga room is hot and the other rooms are cool. The instructors are super friendly and helpful and non-intimidating. The room is pretty evenly heated. It's my favorite Bikram studio in the city.
5 - Theo M.: The studio just opened at the end of May, I believe, but it's a wonderful place to practice!

The yoga room is nice and spacious. 6pm weekday classes can get pretty crowded, but even at the most full, I never felt like someone was right on top of me. I'm also on the taller side, so I really appreciate the high ceiling. Yes, sometimes I'll hit the heating ducts, but usually having my arms above my head in the room is not a problem.


As it's a Bikram yoga studio, there is carpet, and there is heat. I don't know what kind of carpet, but it's never bothered me. Room usually gets nice and hot and stays that way. Just be prepared for that if you've never practiced. Nice and bright during class, but very dark and relaxing for final savasana. 

The instructors are all uniquely wonderful. Each one provides the class set forth to them by Bikram, but in her own way. I never feel like the class is just by the book. Also, all of them are welcoming to experienced yogis and total newbies alike. 

If you've been curious about trying Bikram or adding yoga to your life, there's no time like the present. Bikram Yoga Squirrel Hill is a fantastic place to start your journey!

Edit: for those of you thinking of trying bikram, go for it but I will say this: the first class usually leaves people feeling upset/angry/sweaty/confused. I know it did for me. I think it's part of the logic of the $20/10 day deal. After a few classes, you'll really start to feel more comfortable in and out of the room, but post-first class...oh man was I annoyed.
4 - Holly G.: While my friend Romi taught me yoga many years ago, I had never tried hot yoga, let alone bikram. But my experience at Bikram Squirrel Hill quickly turned it into a mild addiction after my first few sessions

I signed up for an introductory offer of unlimited classes for a fraction of the normal cost. I felt very comfortable as a complete beginner to bikram, and to the studio in general.  The employees were friendly in explaining to me how everything works, and the instructor made sure to remember my name for the class.

I typically hate heat, but I really enjoyed spending an hour and a half stretching out before having to brave the January cold. That said, I don't know how willing I would be to do bikram at the peak of summer. The first class was a little strange, especially as some people seemed very intense about their practice, but I learned a lot by watching. The instructor didn't single me out at all, but I didn't have any trouble following. Employees urged newcomers (well, everyone) to sit if we felt overheated or dizzy, and I did make use of that suggestion once. They encouraged us to stay in the room, though, to let the feeling pass.

I made a lot of progress quickly, and within a week could hold poses with which I struggled initially. It became a routine for me to go to bikram after crossfit workouts that were short and intense so that I could stretch out my muscles in the heat. 

The studio is clean and quite simple. Some classes become very crowded to the point that once I was blocked into a corner and couldn't fully extend for some poses, so it's worth it to go to the less popular ones (like the last class of the night). The locker rooms are nice and clean, with plenty of space to store your stuff during class. The people were not particularly friendly (though I'm used to super-supportive crossfitters) but not in the least bit mean or judgmental. 

I'm not living in Pittsburgh right now, but I hope to spend my cold months practicing bikram here again.

Bikram's Yoga College of India - Ithaca, NY (42.4393617, -76.5053248) ()
4 - Wilson K.: This place is awesome, complete with a yelling guru who does voices impersonating your capitalist super-ego as you suffer and sweat. Nice facilities, and a helpful group of teachers. The students are dedicated and the vibe is good. No extra charges: the studio just wants to get you addicted to Bikram!

Bilemjian Vasken H DMD - Pasadena, CA (34.142172, -118.136346) (Pasadena)
5 - Karen V.: Dr. Bilemjian and the entire staff is fantastic!! I have to tell you that I had not been to a Dentist in 15 years because of my own fear. A few months ago I went to a Dentist in Valencia who wanted to charge me an arm/leg. Totally outrageous guess someone has to pay for those stupid flat screen TVs 
Anyway, Dr. Bilemjian was recommended to me by my coworker. I went a few weeks ago to have a consultation/cleaning and was so impressed by the professionalism AND friendliness of everyone. I just got back from having some fillings redone...and I felt no pain at all :-) 
Again, if you are looking for a Dentist ...and not a Hollywood movie set, this is the place to go. Be sure to say hi to Tina when you call !!
5 - Remi A.: Everyone here is great!  I went in for an exam and a cleaning and I had the absolute best experience!  I have never in my life had such a thorough exam or cleaning. My teeth feel awesome. Cassie is the best hygienist I have ever been to and Dr. Bilemjian is great too. If you have ever been reluctant to go to the dentist, don't be, everyone there has a way of putting you at ease and making you comfortable.
5 - Nadia F.: This dentist is godsent. I think I love him. After years of teeth murderers, I was terrified of dentists. I can't believe I found one, that  don't only tolerate, but also adore. Here's a confession of how amazing his work is... I fell asleep during a root canal. I adore you, Dr. Bilemjian!
1 - Toria B.: bad dental experience. front desk girl was SUPER RUDE!!! dds was polite but seemed all about the $$$
5 - Tom B.: Absolutely the nicest, most professional, and best staff from front desk to dentist that I have ever encountered! They even worked within my budget and helped me get the work I needed on my teeth done. I highly recommend them to everyone!!
5 - Kristi C.: Very happy with my experience. I was in search of a new dentist in the area and am very happy with my find. The staff was very friendly. I went here for a cleaning for my first visit. The dental hygienist was very thorough and knowledgeable. The dentist was also very friendly and helpful. I would definitely recommend this office if you are looking for a new dentist.
5 - Jack O.: I have been going to Dr. Bilemjian for over 14 years now and I have taken all my family and my friends there not because the Doctor looks nice :) LOL  ...... it is because the work he does, and the quality and the comfort he and the staff make you feel.  The place is so clean and has so much positive energy going. The had recent beautiful & tasteful remodeling done. The Experience is always great and I could not ever imagine my self going to some where different then there.
5 - Matthew C.: I have been afraid of the dentist since...i dont know, all my life!

I procrastinated and procrastinated until two of my molars broke while eating.  I finally gave in and went dentist shopping.  I visited about 3 offices until I met Dr. Bilemjian.  

I can't speak highly enough about him.  He has an excellent bed side manner and a witty sense of humor.  He was genuinely concerned about my teeth and my budget.

I READ A REVIEW that blasted the front desk girl, Sada.  She is very sweet.  As you can imagine, she likely deals with some interesting characters throughout her day.  She is not rude.  I think that lady from Beverly Hills was not served her bill on a silver platter and offered a back rub.  Can't please them all, right?

This is my dentist as long as he is practicing.
5 - Christine E.: Let me start by saying that my dad is a dentist. So I have a very high standard for what I think makes a good dentist. I have had it drilled into me! (no pun intended)

Dr. Bilemjian and his entire staff are simply amazing. I am always impressed how well they work together in this small office. 

Sada the receptionist is so sweet and she runs the office like a top! Cassie is literally the best hygienist that has ever cleaned my teeth! And I have been going for a teeth cleaning every six months since I was 5. She is gentle and thorough, and great especially if you are sensitive or squeamish. She will sort you!

Dr Bilemjian has worked on both me and my husbands teeth. My husband needed extensive treatment that entailed many visits.  Dr. B did the work not only efficiently but beautifully.  His teeth came out gorgeous! Better than we ever imagined they could! If you need cosmetic work, he is your guy! He is an artist! But he does regular stuff too! And Cora and the sweet blonde lady are awesome too!

I just had fillings and a crown, but I am so happy with them. And Dr. B is a great guy, so the whole experience was actually pleasant!! Sounds like an oxymoron, pleasant dentist experience...but totally true!

I thought their work was affordable especially considering the quality of the work!

I really feel fortunate to have found such a brilliant dentist in Dr. Bilemjian! And the whole staff is wonderful! 

Dr. Bilemjian is as good as my dad!!! And that is saying a lot!

Bill Hester Fine Art - Chapel Hill, NC (35.8793638, -79.0484905) ()
5 - Kianna M.: This gallery adds high level of culture to the community with the pieces that are brought in.  They awaken your appreciation for the arts, breathe art life into those who may not necessarily care for the arts.  You'll find paintings, metal pieces, busts and many other items to beautify your home or office.  Two of the artist they are currently featuring are Arlene LaDell Hayes (painter) and Walter Horak (metal artist).  The owner is exceptionally wonderful and a joy to chat with about the artists he features and many other events taking place in the area.
3 - William J.: This place is... not so much.  It's an art gallery, so it contains art.  Some of the art is quite good.  That's the best I can say for it.  If you're looking for some really fine art, this is the place to come in the area.  Hear that?  Right here!  Art!

On the other hand, the prices are ridiculous.  Can people around here pay $24,000 for a painting?  If so, I'd like to meet them.  Perhaps they can pay me that much, and I will spent months to LEARN to paint, then paint a piece to their exact specifications.  Sound good?

The staff was not very friendly to me, which is to say that the man working did not acknowledge my presence as I browsed.  I feel like that's kind of a no-no.

Bill's Footwear - Berkeley, CA (37.8671491, -122.2590102) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
4 - jeremy l.: Refreshingly old school men's shop. I come out here to buy my Clarks Wallabees. The service is great: The young dude insisted that I'm actually a half size smaller than I've been buying for years.... It hurt my ego but helped my feet. I've also got some ok briefs here... If you ask me, they could spruce up the socks and underpants selection with some quality stuff, and lose the skinhead Doc Martins selection, and they'd be all the better for it. Like totally old school.
4 - T W.: I've walked by this place for years and years, and never set foot in it.  Vega must've been rising in Virgo while Saturn was in conjunction with Jupiter and Neptune to cause me finally to set foot in it, nay, to make a point of going in.

Well, that I've been living in DSW shoe store parallel universe far too long explains why I was at first startled, then taken aback, then a bit annoyed, and finally won over by the salesman asking me what I was looking for.

After all, this is an old style shoe store.  The store mind you, not the shoes, is old style.  By that I mean sales folk don't treat you like your HMO primary physician: they actually ask what you're looking for and they'll actually hear what you have to say and give you a couple options.  They will help you put the shoes on.  They'll tell you right away if the shoe fits.

[begin italics] They will tie your shoes for you [end italics]

And it worked.  I went into to buy one pair, and walked out with two, the second a style that I wouldn't have chosen myself, but I think they'll work out nicely.

Some points:
- pretty big selection- including women's
- Keen, Clarks, Florsheim, Doc Martin's, Merril's, Nike, Adidas, et al.
- priced for the college student budget (I got 2 pairs of leather shoes for about $130).
- decent sales
- lots of inventory- kinda packed in there.
- they sell clothes too- leather jackets, work slacks, etc.
- kinda old farty (the shoe horn, the foot scale thingy, the shoe salesman stool)

Don't let this fall into your blind spot like it did mine- have a look.
4 - Nate M.: This place is pretty old school. From the layout to the 1930s register they still use. I liked it a lot.
The help here is really nice and not too pushy. For some reason I hate shoe sellers like most people hate car salesman. I get mad quickly... but this place was chill. 
I got some killer blue slip ons (similar to vans) here for pretty cheap. A good buy!
4 - Melanie P.: I have had nothing but good experiences with the staff and selection at Bill's Mens Shop.  The name is misleading, they do have a good selection of women's shoes available at decent prices as well as men's clothing and accessories.  I've bought at least four pairs of shoes from them over the years and the staff is always pleasant and eager to help, but never pushy.

They sell great walking shoes for women and men like Ecco, Born, Mephisto, Ugg, Dr. Marten's and Merrill.

I really dig the old school cash register too, and the place reeks of shoe leather - a good thing!
5 - Angela S.: The sales people are great, and I found a pair of Uggs that I have been looking for for 4 months!
4 - Amber H.: Got my Sperry's here for an OK price. The guy who helped me was... well, very helpful. I couldn't decide between 2 sizes and he convinced me that I needed the 1/2 size down, since it would stretch out -- which it did within the first few hours. I love them!

Now, I normally only buy shoes at Nordstrom's for their awesome return policy. Bill's doesn't allow returns on worn shoes -- made me a little wary -- but I'm very happy with my Sperry's! If it weren't for the salesperson, I would have bought a 1/2 size too big. 

With that being said, I probably wouldn't go back because of the return policy and their limited selection of women's shoes... I just really wanted the Sperry's!
5 - Markito M.: I love Bill's Mens Shop. The owner is sweet and someone whose business I want to support. Most of the guys who work there are nice and helpful. The shoe selection is great and if they are out they will order it for you and call you to let you know it has come in. The carry keens, doc martens, and lots of other brands. I just bought 2 pairs of keens at great sale prices and they took another 10% off!
5 - Zoe H.: Wasn't planning on buying shoes -- but walked by and saw a nice assortment in the window, so decided to stop in. The place is jam-packed with shoes and clothes... don't know if they don't have a back room or what. So when I chose from their nice selection of women's leather shoes -- I ended up just trying them on while standing there and not even seeing a chair to sit on. But hey -- that was okay. Their selection was mostly flat/earthy/funky/natural-style shoes (I didn't see any stilettos) -- just my style.

Nick, the fella who helped me was friendly and full of good advice. I didn't feel pressured at all, or like that I was taking up too much of his valuable time -- even though the store was pretty hopping, and I kept changing my mind about styles/sizes/colors and asking him to retrieve an assortment of choices.

The owner was also there and made sure I left a happy customer -- which I did.

All in all, it was just a delightful little find. Oh -- and the icing on the cake? They validate for the parking at the multi-story lot right around the corner! I'll definitely be coming back to this place.
5 - Matt R.: Two things I still don't get: flip flops and intentionally bad service.

First thing: I'm not going to walk around an urban area in shower shoes. Maybe in warmer climates they're "thongs" or "sandals," but in harsher climes they're more like something you wear when the bathroom is sketchy or you need to protect your feet between the hotel room and the hot tub. Podiatrists must have developed dollar-sign shaped pupils the moment this trend started. Every broken bottle or cracked sidewalk must be pure profit.

Second thing: how much hassle will people put up with to save a few bucks? Waste is one thing, but after having to stand in line for 90 minutes before a Southwest flight to save my boss $15 I realized it made more sense to pay the $15 out of pocket plus $12 for two beers at the airport bar and some free time to relax. Also, how much is the time, stress, and gas worth to hit the exurban mega store? A fair accounting probably suggests you buy from your neighbors even before you consider the contribution of local business to property values.

Which is why I go to Bill's first when I need shoes.

They stock a huge selection of sensible, stylish, sturdy, supportive and/or specialized shoes. Perhaps not everything in a Mega Mart sense, but more than you'll find in the bins at Shoe Pavilion. Everything from hipster to hiker to traditional dress styles. Many items are on sale frequently, so you're not paying full MSRP. But the selection reeks of quality, value, and healthy walking.

But what really counts is the service. When you walk in, you don't fear the "can I help you with anything?" It actually means something. Mellow, friendly guys help you try on shoes, recommending sizes and styles, passing on good information about each make and model, and never engaging in a hard sell. This is Nordstrom attention with Aldo prices and a pot dispensary attitude.
5 - frank t.: 1.its called bills man shop.
2.nps=$120
3.they dont take no shit from anyone.
4.lumberjack haven in the middle of liberal hippie central.
case.
5 - Christopher G.: I'd found out I'd gotten a job about 10 minutes ago, and needed new black shoes. I didn't have a lot of money, I didn't really know what I needed, but Bill helped me choose what I needed for a reasonable price. My new shoes are fantastic, comfortable, and great for work. I'm a dumb college student that doesn't know anything about shoes. Bill is a man who knows his shoes.

It's not the cheapest place, but Bill will help you find good shoes.
1 - Jane K.: No, no, no, no! I went in the store to buy a pair of loafers only to find that they didn't have it in stock. no worries, they said they would order a pair. Cool, great, wonderful! They said I would get my shoes in a week's time. OVER A MONTH LATER.... they arrived. First, they ordered the wrong style. The second time i went in, they had FORGOTTEN to reorder. Are you kidding me????? and to make it worse, they didn't even seem apologetic. I had already waited over 2 weeks for these shoes. I went back every week and still- NO SHOES. i just received them yesterday. I waited OVER A MONTH. let me say it again. I WAITED OVER A MONTH. sure, the workers were nice. but the old guy-i think he was the owner- def. wasn't. if you read this review, DO NOT SUPPORT BILL'S. order your shoes on ZAPPOS! they provide FREE shipping. If you aren't satisfied, you can ship it back for free too. the best thing? it's guaranteed to get to you in less than a week. do not giveBill's your business. they forgot my order, they could very well forget yours. I made this Yelp account specifically to bash on bIll's. Couldn't be more dissatisfied. Yelp, you need a negative star option.
5 - bird f.: by far my favorite shoe store in the bay area.  they have the best selection of clarks, moccacins, etc...

stop by and check them out.  great deals too!
5 - Tom B.: It is the day after Christmas 2010 and I'll be heading to Berkeley to shop at Bills.

I have been shopping there since the mid 1970's when I returned to the Bay Area after graduate school.

I have always had a hard time finding extra large Woolrich Items, Bill's usually has them.  If they don't they will order then and ship them to you promptly.  Good customer service is increasingly hard to find, Bills always had it and always will.  I like that they are an independent local business of long standing, they deserve your support.

Why else would a died in the wool San Franciscan go all of the way to Berkeley to find a men's store? -- Superior service and very high quality name brand goods!

With deference to REI (I have been a member of forever) Bill's usually has what I need in a heavy shirt and very often REI Does not.

If you are part of the Cal Community, give them a shot if you need clothes for an interview or to make your parents happy.  They have good traditional clothes that will help you land a good career slot.

Higher quality clothes and shoes last longer than the cheap stuff you get at Payless or DB Shoes.  OK, I have bought shoes from the cheap places in a pinch and they last me 60 days to six months.  A good pair of Bill's quality shoes will last you much longer, years in fact.

If you look at my reviews you will see I only comment on exceptionally good or bad businesses, Bill's is exceptionally good.  This is why I took the time to write this and why I have been shopping there for 30 years.
5 - Leonard G.: Bill's is the cool place in Berkeley for shoes. All the good stuff, fair prices, good service. Men's clothing -- not a huge selection, but always some interesting stuff. Top quality brands, reasonable prices. I've been shopping there since the '70's, and it hasn't changed. Check 'em out!
5 - Coyote B.: Searched all over the San Francisco Bay Area for a pair of size 43 Birkenstock Milano sandals.  I finally decided to let my fingers do the walking and called up Bill's Footwear.  The courteous salesman promptly answered the phone and came back with the magic answer., "Yes, we have them in stock."  He did not put me on hold for five minutes and answered my question right away.  I went over to shop and was greeted by the same well dressed gentleman that answered the phone.  The shop was very busy, but salesman went out of his way to help me quickly.  I happily bought two pairs. 

By the way, this shop was been here forever.  I have seen many fine clothing stores close down, but I believe that Bill's Footwear will be here forever.
4 - Vince S.: I seriously love Bills.  I'm in here at least once a month.

The customer service here is incredible, and you can tell they are a HUGE community staple.

I've gotten a pair of Doc Martens and a pair of Uggs here.  My Docs are absolutely amazing, and my BF who received the Uggs LOVES them.  He is a size 15-16, and the staff at Bills took the time to go way into the back for a few minutes and find any Ugg styles in that large of a size.

Luckily, the pair that I liked the most was nearly half off! Getting a pair of Uggs for under $65 is amazing!  It was a perfect Christmas gift!

My only critique is that I really wish they had athletic shoes.  I see Bill's carrying lots of colorful Saucony's and Tigers if they did carry them.
5 - Ariel F.: Yes. This is a shoe store of perfection.

High quality shoes. Solid selection - not mindblowingly huge, but very good. Best of all? Knowledgeable, friendly sales staff.

I walked in and felt very welcome. The manager greeted me right off the bat, and after describing to him what I wanted, he suggested a couple of pairs of shoes to me. Despite trying on multiple other pairs of shoes during my visit there, the two pairs he suggested were the best of the lot - and they were excellent! Extremely comfortable, durable/built to last, and best of all, reasonably priced. I never felt rushed or pressured at all, either - excellent salesmanship. 

I had been to two other shoe stores and tried on over 20 pairs of shoes, and found nothing I liked. Five minutes in Bill's, and I'd found two pairs that were perfect - recommended by the manager himself, right off the bat. 

You've earned a customer for life. Thank you for understanding that when someone wants to spend $100+ on a pair of shoes, they don't want to settle for "eh, these are okay, I guess." Thank you for actually knowing what you're doing!
5 - David N.: I've walked by Bill's a thousand times! I'd never gone inside until my girl wanted Dr. Martens.

Whoa! What a selection of shoes! While girlie was trying on shoes, I wandered around the store. It was Zappo's in The Real World! Sperry in every color, name brand "church" shoes in a variety of withs. Not much on sport life kicks, but you can roll down the street to Bows & Arrows. Got a nice bunch of belts too.

And service, fabulous!

Back to the Dr. Martens. Doll Face picked out the classic grease style. Nice. I tried on a pair of Dr. Martens black wing tips. Ah. 

We both wore our new kicks home. Just like happy little kids do. New shoes for school!

Billie's Black - New York, NY (40.806222, -73.9532045) (Harlem)
4 - Dee B.: Billie's Black is quickly becoming a neighborhood favorite. Hands down, they are the warmest, coziest restaurant I have been to in Harlem. Only opened since June, they have already obtained the Zagat stamp of approval and developed a loyal customer base.

Billie's Black has a wonderful custom bar, monogrammed tables and exposed brick walls. But enough about the decor, let's talk about the food and drinks. Specialty drinks with interesting names and a new twist on some of my favorite dishes.

How about Grand Marnier Ribs and four cheese mac and cheese that is super cheesy with a garlicky, Parmesan flavor? What about garlic string beans that are freshly snapped and not poured out of a can? You can't get candied yams but you can get a baked sweet potato! And, where else in Harlem can you get vegetarian collard greens that are so tender that they actually melt in your mouth? Other favorites include the crispy fried catfish with a spicy dipping sauce on the side and the delectable Harlem Shrimp Creole. There is so much more so be sure to check the menu for their many dining choices.

Don't fill up on the generous portions of tasty food because the desserts are not to missed! How about a black cheesecake that isn't chocolate? When is the last time you had a generous bowl of peach cobbler with a light, flaky crust??? Yes, ladies and gentleman, you must make it point to drop into Billie's Black and give them a try.
3 - Victor L.: Upon further thought, it really could go either way, in terms of 3 or like 3.5 stars. There's a lot of things to write about, so I guess it'll be up to whatever i put down.
So you can see the entire place from the outside; sounds inviting enough. It's on a quiet block otherwise. We walk in, and the bar basically looks like a really upscale exposed brick home. You feel like you can just go right behind the bar and make yourself a drink.

We just missed happy hour, which is really bank, their sig drinks are 5 bucks instead of 11. The Billie Black drink was really tasty, basically raspberry dessert before dinner.
The jazz band was in full effect in the front corner of the place; old school jazz tunes that were perfect and not pretentious. The live painter wasn't so successful in my opinion, but whatev. It was a bit loud, but hey if you're here for the jazz you're here for the jazz.

We sat down and took a look at the menu. It's not the cheapest place but let me tell you this: when I got that fried catfish in my grill, holy farkin' chickens it was amazing. Salty and moist, I couldn't get enough of it. 

The service was very friendly but toward the end when we needed our check slowed down to a halt at points because it got a little crowd going. Art is all over the walls, it's a very slick, elegant look. 

The bathroom is suggestive. It's literally a tease. Hot. Bothered. It's a Bothered bathroom. There are all these sexual yet arty photographs along the walls. 

The chef was the baddest ass person I've ever seen. He was a stout, 6'2" 250 pound dude that probably could break anyone in half. He came in and out and looked pretty grumpy, but it fit, you know?

Of note: They automatically add gratuity here; it's either 15 or 20 percent, depending if there's a live band and how many people are in your party. They do up the calculation for ya.
5 - Miss A.: by far the best hamburger ive ever had in my life thus far.

the staff was so cool, friendly and down to earth.  i walked in and felt like i knew them forever.............and im not even one of those women who thinks of gay people as cute accessories.  oh yeah, its a gay (or gay friendly) spot.

either way, the hamburger, the catfish burger (according to my boo because im allergic to fish), the sweet potato fries, the wild rice and the garlic string beans were off the dam hook!!

the drink called Billie's Black is excellent & i think i might have found my new addiction.  yeah, it was THAT good........lol

no exaggeration.  i thoroughly enjoyed my visit there.
2 - Mike S.: Billie Blacks was a good spot to go to when they first opened up in Harlem. The food is descent and at that time it was hard to find a good spot to have a cocktail after a long day of work. But now that Harlem has become a big hotspot and other spot like 67 Orange, Talay, The River Hudson, and Nectar are up and going this spot can not compete. Their service is horrible and slow. Sometimes their staff is rude, and it's just unexceptable into todays market. 

Billie Blacks management needs a swift kick in the butt to get them up to level again to compete in Harlem.
5 - Jaime S.: Went to this fabulous little spot right down the street from Moca Lounge around 3:45 am Saturday night.  I can't give this place enough stars.  Not only did they keep the kitchen open for a party of 7 15 minutes before closing...but the owner cooked that delicious food herself in minutes.  Steak and eggs, mac and cheese, HAND-CUT sweet potato fries, NOT FROZEN.  And the best Mojitos I have ever had.  They even serve these cool drinks with glow sticks in them.  Wonderful food, drinks, service and ambiance.  I will definitely be frequenting this place again.
3 - Angella S.: The mashed potatoes and sweet potato pie are off the chain, but unfortunately for Billie's Black, those are the only two reasons to pay attention.  

Yes, it's in the "up and up" area of Harlem.  But almost everything else seemed a little janky.  Plastic martini glasses, watered-down cocktails, crappy service overall.

I will give props for serving food at 2 am ;)  At that hour, food and drinks and friends always equal fun times for sure.
1 - Jay A.: I have to start off this review with a big NO MA'AM to Billie's Black! 

Came through to watch a friend perform.  Was moving onto another spot, but decided to try the catfish strips from the appetizer menu.  The catfish was soggy and greasy.  Not yummy in my tummy at all.  Then when my bill came, the ink was blurred so I couldn't see the tip was already added in, but I noticed the funny math when it came to the total.  I found this to be deceptive considering it was just me, not some large party, plus at the bottom of the same receipt it offers tip suggestions.  Why the suggestion if you already added it in Billie's?? 

And it's not like the service was great.  The staff was inattentive.  I ordered from one woman behind the bar (never saw her after that), then the server who wore a baseball cap pulled down over his eyes and never said a word (although his pecks did all the talking), placed my food down behind my back at the bar.  That was the extent of the service I received.  So, to sneak a tip in on top of that, really left a bad taste in my mouth.
4 - E L.: I have lived in the neighborhood for over 6 years and never been to Billie's Black. I have walked past it numerous amount of times on my way to a friends apartment or to go to Mojo's right on the corner. I went in NOT to see anyone perform but was met at the door by a not-so-nice hostess who would NOT let us sit down until she check with the owner if it was O.K. for us to eat/drink without paying for the performance.  She gave the O.K. nod  and we proceeded to sit down and design our own burger, as allowed, from the menu.

The burger....the burger....was "The Best I EVER Had" (DRAKE) in my entire burger eating life and I consider myself a burger connoisseur. This blows all of the burger hunts, shake shacks, Jackson Hole's, PJ Clarks, right out of the water. A must try if you LOVE BURGERS!  The service can use some upgrades but the Burger out weighs any negatives.
2 - Ebony E.: Wen't here for a class meeting and ordered the crab cakes but they were very soggy but it is a nice place
4 - Ron J.: This place was awesome!!  I went here for Brunch and had the Catfish and Belgian Waffles..The waffles were soft and tasty and the catfish is a Harlem treasure.  The waitress was great and the drinks were tasty..Great neighborhood as well.
4 - James Darren H.: Well, Mother's Day 2010 was the first time eating here at this WONDERFUL establishment. Then my wife and I ate there for our 29th Wedding Anniversary. This place is awesome. The food is delicious, the staff is great and WE HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE when eating here. i am going back... for sure.

Also the have free Wifi for the patrons which is always a PLUS in a TECHIE's book.
5 - Morgan B.: Billie's Black was by far one of the most memorable restaurants I visited with my best friend in New York this past week. The ladies were very welcoming and made us feel so relaxed and at ease with Mary J. Blige playing in the back ground as we enjoyed our fabulous lunch. 

We went on vacation to New york city and signed up for a website called LivingSocial.com. This website sends you a daily deal and this is how we found Billie's Black. 

Best crab cakes I have ever had in my life. Being from San Diego and having traveled to many places and enjoyed many seafood restaurants, I consider myself a seasoned crab cake fan. These were the best I've ever had. 

The Mac n' cheese put theme on the map they say in their menu; it's totally understandable why. Best Mac n' cheese I've ever had in my life as well. Better than momma's homemade (hard to beat). 

I will recommend this place far and wide to any and everyone who visits New York. It's worth the subway ride up to Harlem!
4 - Charlis F.: and i know soul food.

the food at billie's black is delicious.  the atmosphere is great. when talking about a soul food restaurant, that's pretty much all that matters. here's what i had:

1) crab cake appetizer: two crab cakes. cooked really well, though i tend to like my crab cakes slightly more crispy than these were. overall though they were delicious.  the highlight of this dish is definitely the sauce that come with it.  it is delicious.  i put it on everything.

2) fried catfish entree: as far as frying goes, i tend to believe in minimalism.  i don't believe in overseasoned frying batter; i tend to think that it takes away from the dish.  billie's black was an exception to this rule.  the catfish is super seasoned, but it wasn't overpowering and you could still taste the catfish.  it was delicious.  this dish also came with the cajun dresing that accompanied the crab cakes.  phenomenal.

3) MAC AND CHEESE: i have been complaning about the lack of competency in mac and cheese preparation for some time now.  especially in establishments that purport to be southern.  there is an epidemic out there.  billie's black is working to fix this.  90 percent of the restaurants in ny would do well to go to billie's black and learn to prepare true southern mac and cheese.  their's is DELICIOUS. it is perfection. it is all that mac and cheese should be.  5 stars.

4) collard greens: watery. under seasoned.  i'd skip this.

5) sweet tea: often times the measure of a good soul food restaurant is their sweet tea.  this is not the case with billie's. the sweet tea is sub par and frankly tastes a lot like that lipton can shit.  fortunately, though, this is not a reflection of the restaurant as a whole.

the service was friendly and quick.  the music was wonderful.  and the food was mostly amazing. i will definitely be back.  and i live in brooklyn.
2 - Olaf K.: This restaurant would not survive south of 110th street.  Don't know what it is with Harlem. Why do we tolerate restaurants that overcharge for below-mediocre food? 

We went for brunch on a Saturday afternoon. First of all there was no regular coffee available because they only had French vanilla pods left for the single serve coffee machine. The waitress was very nice and helpful though.

We ordered the steak and eggs, and Belgian waffle with crab cakes.  Although there was a choice of buttermilk or whole wheat, whole wheat was not available.  The waffle was a major disappointment - it was soft and not at all crispy.  It should have stayed in the iron 2 minutes longer.  The crab cakes were pretty good though- the two pieces were generously portioned and the sauce was yummy.  

Steak and egg were pretty bad. We ordered a medium-rare steak, knowing from experience that in most New York restaurants serving American fare, steaks are usually slightly more overcooked than restaurants serving "European" food.  The steak was ringed by a 3/8" strip of fat.  And it was grossly overcooked, almost well-done.  How can any chef not know how to make a medium-rare steak?  Maybe there was miscommunication between the server and the kitchen.  Because we also asked for dry toast, but it came slathered with butter.  We complained about the toast (decided to stay silent about the steak) and the mistake was corrected.  Though we had to saw into the steak with butter knives until the waitstaff realized that we needed steak knives....

Maybe we're a bit particular about sunny side up eggs. But there's something about a thick layer of yellow, completely transparent, uncooked egg white that somehow bothered us....

To top it all off, apparently the entire time we were in the restaurant, a homeless person was occupying the restroom.  Shortly before we left, the chef (owner?) banged on the door of the bathroom to tell the person to get out. When he opened the door, she told him never to come back to the restaurant again. It's a very strange episode- not sure if he got permission to use the bathroom first or somehow sneaked in there.  

An interesting experience at Billie's Black it was.  People were nice, but the food was definitely sub par, more akin to something you'd expect from a roadside diner, not $14.95 brunch.   Normally we wouldn't return to such a place, but unfortunately, in support of local business, I did purchase two vouchers from LivingSocial...so we'll have to go back and give it a second chance.
4 - Lisa B.: Have been going here for years and I love their food. Service is good except the new waiter they have who is not very attentive and clumsy. The only thing I don't like about the restaurant are their drinks and constant running out of food. Other than that I will continue to go here just not for drinks.
4 - Lish N.: I love Billie's Black...it is a very attractive resturant that occassionally have live music. It is truly amazing. The food is great. I would like to recommend the Blackend Catfish Strips and Crab cakes...i dont care for their drinks...just make sure you go with a big wallet because they are a bit pricey
1 - Lauren L.: Eek! Methinks not! My sentiments exactly.

Went here to check out my friend's band this evening, and they were awesome. The other friends that came to support the band were awesome as well. Those are the only redeeming factors. 

So my friend and I payed the $5 cover to get in and sat a high table. After 10 minutes or so a waitress came by and asked us if we wanted anything, to which we declined. "Oh, well, it's a $10 minimum per person..." and walked away. OK, nice to know, could've MAYBE said something sooner. We thought we'd get some apps to share with the band when they got done playing until we looked at the prices....

We ended up ordering a mac and cheese ($7) and a shrimp cocktail ($13). Since this place claims it's a soul food restaurant (laughable....) I figured we were going to be rewarded with generous portions of delicious shrimp and mac and cheese. 

About a half an hour later we were brought a small cup of "famous" (more like infamous...) mac and cheese and a shrimp cocktail with...wait for it... SIX shrimp. They weren't tiny, but I wouldn't call them jumbo either. And each shrimp in this "cocktail" ended up being about $2.15 a PIECE. For boiled shrimp and some cocktail sauce. For real. 

The mac and cheese wasn't good either. It just wasn't. My friend claimed she liked it, I didn't. 

The icing on the crappy overpriced cake is the fact that they automatically add 20% gratuity in if there's a band playing. SO 1 cup of mac and cheese + 6 shrimp and some cocktail sauce + 2 diet cokes + tax + 20% tip = $33 and some change. I call bull on this one, folks. If the service had been even DECENT or FRIENDLY I wouldn't be as disgusted by this automatic tip business, but we didn't even get a smile or a water refill. 

I can understand the prices, the mediocrity of food, and the added gratuity in a place that promotes itself as a club/music venue first, but this place promotes itself as a RESTAURANT? As a SOUL FOOD RESTAURANT? I've eaten oatmeal that had more soul than what I ate there! Gah, whatever, won't be back.
3 - Niambi M.: This is a looong overdue review--which is ultimately made better for it. 

Ya see, (we're all friends here right?) I've been to Billie's Black sporadically since 2005 when my chapter held a Christmas event here. During that time I have seen cooks come and go, I've sat for small lifetimes waiting for entrees/refills/the CHECK, and I've enjoyed some good music/showcases (It always fascinates me how they're able to squeeze so much in to a seriously finite space!)

Blah, blah, blah Niambi--its about the food, amirite?

Exhibit A: The Fried Catfish. Check your horoscope/moon alignment/calendar because that will determine if you get a tasty well season/perfectly fried fillet (just one...) or a refrigerator-tasting slab that appears 25+ minutes after your ordered it.  On this last jaunt, the fish was pretty decent and just a smidge anemic in size.

Exhibit B: The Wings. I bowed gracefully out of this as this has not been part of my repertoire for over 12 years---but according to my accompanying friend who happily dived into the plate, they were excellent.

Exhibit C: the CORNBREAD. I can't believe I almost missed out *completely* when mid-bite of collard greens (more on those later) I realized something was missing and requested some cornbread (come on Billie's Black...shouldn't have to ask).  Very good and I wanted more but I'm working on my breadoholic ways..

Exhibit D: The Veggies! I was very VERY pleased to find out that they do not cook their vegetables in meat stock or with any meat---good to know as my only refuge nowadays in Soul food restaurants involve salad and sides. The greens and black eyed peas were decent. The mac n' cheese....hit and miss. I don't mess with the dairy anymore but throw this dish under Exhibit A as one to check the star alignments before ordering.

If they could please tighten up on the wait times, keep the current cook(s)--I would be more than happy to send people Billie's Black way!
4 - Toya F.: Good eats. The day I went there was karaoke. Billie's Black felt like that local hangout where a cool group of friends go to have a good time. The food was good along with the staff. My only beef it took a long time for the food to come.
1 - Tamara O.: Seriously, I keep torturing myself by returning to Billie's Black.  The service here needs to get better NOW!  At a jazz show this Saturday, the waitress forgot our drinks and food.  I'm really disappointed that they have great atmosphere, pretty cool events, but slow, sorry service.  

My drink, the Billie's Black was a wonderful raspberry vodka cocktail.  Of course, in keeping with their horrible customer service, the drink was warm.  When I asked for ice, it took another 10 minutes and asking both waiters for help. When our coconut shrimp finally arrived, it was good. 

The jazz group Rajdulari & the Rajdulari Jazz Project was amazing!  They were worth the $10 cover.  Billies charged an additional $10 per person for sitting at a table. 

IF you must eat or drink at Billie's Black, be prepared to wait, get frustrated, and eat 'meh' food.  If you are smart, go to Moca Lounge around the corner.  The service and food are usually much better.
4 - Yesenia P.: Went here last night to see my best friend perform and had a great time. It's a small but cozy space. The service is slow but there was only one guy getting the food and drinks for everyone in there. The food was delicious though. I had the catfish burger - first time ever having catfish and I loved it. The sweet potato fries were soooo good! And my garlic mashed potatoes were also excellent.
3 - Nayanda M.: Took my daughter there for brunch a while back and wasn't disappointed.
1 - C K.: The owner of this restaurant in unfathomably rude.  I've been here 3 times, only to be continually shocked at how unfriendly and miserable she is.

NO THANKS!
3 - Amanda E.: We started w catfish app, then onto chicken w/spinach & mac&cheese, potato salad...
4 - Jeanelle F.: Came to Billie's Black for my graduation dinner after completing grad school, and had a really nice time with my family.  My grandmother has a very restrictive diet, and they had something that she could eat, which was great.  :)  Purchased a Living Social deal for it when I saw it, and came back again with my boyfriend.  It was pretty hot, so I wanted to still savor flavors while being healthier.  

I had the fresh greens salad with the balsamic vinaigrette with grilled salmon mixed in.  Excellent flavor combination!  To indulge just a teeny bit, I added in the mac & cheese.  It really is good enough to make you smack yo mama.  My boyfriend had the mango curried chicken, which was very tasty.  I like that there was such a calm & laid-back atmosphere both times I had gone, and everyone there was really nice.  We were greeted as we walked in and our server gave us time to sit and get settled before promptly arriving with menus and place settings.  

Billie's Black is a hidden gem in Harlem -- my favorite types of restaurants.  Delicious food, very pleasant service.  There was plenty of seating, so we were able to choose our table.  I see there are some negative reviews on here, which are unfortunate.  I haven't had a bad experience yet, so I like it.  The only complaint I had was that it was a little warm in there, but it was warm EVERYWHERE that day, so it wasn't a big deal.  A caraffe filled with ice water cleared that up right away.  :)
3 - Ann S.: I was brought to Billie Black's door by was of Living Social. As is my habit, I tend to buy vouchers for new dining experiences. I mean, NYC isn't the cheapest place to live, so every bit helps.

Anyway, Happy Hour prices are oh-so-right. $5 for mojitos, margaritas, martinis, or rail drinks. I ordered a margarita on the rocks which was OK, but I didn't get any rocks. Warm margarita... not so great. The cosmos were waaaaaay better.

The menu has several evil (meaning fried, bad-for-U-but-oh-so-delicious) treats, but I found the strength to order the Northwestern salad: mixed greens, apple slices, cranberries, and almonds. I added some grilled chicken, which melted in my mouth.

My dining companion had the baked salmon with peppers, garlic mashed and yellow rice. He raved as well.

The space is great... nothing too fancy but clean and inviting. Exposed brick... LOTS of exposed brick... which I absolutely love. There's an area with a state for some live music, and apparently, they have Spoken Word on Thursdays (although the server made sure to advise me to call to confirm the entertainment).

The service wasn't stellar, however there was only 1 person acting as the hostess, bartender and server. It wasn't packed, but it was busy enough... 7 or 8 dining parties plus a couple people at the bar. So given that, the service was OK. 

OVERALL.... I will definitely be back to this lovely establishment... especially to enjoy some Spoken Word!
5 - Mike P.: Visited early on a Saturday evening, first one in the restaurant at dusk.  Ordered the catfish fingers for an appetizer and the BBQ beef rib for entree.  Had zero room for dessert!  It was extremely rich and extremely good.  The mac and cheese is a must-have, perfectly seasoned and texturized, not to mention the cheese!  Couldn't even sit down for the entire meal, had to get up and walk it off.  OK, midtown prices, but uptown flavor!  Just watch out for you next stress test from your doctor.  He/she may holla' at you for what you ate @ Billie Black's!
3 - Maria M.: My boyfriend && I recently went to billies black for his birthday dinner. When we first got there I was stunned by how small the place was, it looked so much bigger online. I almost wanted to leave but we just said forget it, let's stay. Looking over the menu the prices weren't bad. Being a Mac& cheese lover I was excited to see the hype of the Mac& cheese on the menu it had its own lil section and everything. So we both ordered it. It's it was exactally what it advertised it self as A HYPE It was the WORST Mac & cheese I ever tasted in my life. && then they want to charge you 7$ for it as a side. So all I wanna say is eat at ur own risk. Other than the gross Mac & cheese the food was pretty good. Would I go back No.
3 - Tyrell S.: Went there Sunday mid afternoon with my significant other. The ambience was great and a  very nice scenery. I have to stress enough that the food was the best! Everything from the salmon cakes to the steak and eggs meal was awesome. The only knock with this wonderful place was the service, and I mean it was bad. we was there for about 25 mins without even getting our cocktail yet. Then adding 20 more minutes to that with our meals. Now we ordered the salmon cakes as an appetizer, and that came after the meal, and they forgot to order it, also they mistaken my girls order with someone else so she had to wait for their mishap. And then they forgot to bring her grits after they finally got her food right. So they didnt charge us for the drinks or the grits.Like I said great food and atmosphere, but I encourage you to do take out there. Maybe palm Sunday had something to do with or the lack of servants that day..
4 - Adrienne M.: Bump what you heard about this place, and check out Billie's Black for yourself!  I went for dinner with four friends last night, and we had a wonderful time.  Let me just get the cons out of the way first:

The place is very small.  Fortunately, we were the first patrons to arrive (6pm on a Friday evening) so we had our pick of seating.  Otherwise, I cannot recommend it for large parties (4 max).  Unfortunately, it's so small that management obviously does not want to increase the waitstaff.  This causes the service to be viewed as poor because there were only two people working both the bar and tables.  No bueno when the place got packed.  I have to give a shout-out to our server/bartender, David.  He was really pleasant and you could tell he was trying his best to accommodate everyone.  He also makes a great Mango Mojito! ;-)

Now on to the food: We started with the appetizer sampler which included BBQ wings (finger lickin' good!!!), catfish strips (nicely seasoned), and salmon cakes (they were more like balls and a little dry but still flavorful).  We also received complimentary corn bread - it came out warm and was very tasty.  

I had the Shrimp Creole with a side of Mac & Cheese and Collard Greens for my entree.  Thumbs up all around!  The creole was not too spicy and plentiful and the M&C and Greens were really good  - I ended up with a doggy bag.  One friend ordered the Red Snapper (with the same sides).  Off the chain!!!  I'm ordering it the next time I go!  My other friend had the Oxtails with rice and spinach.  She mentioned that the tails was cooked West Indian style and she said she enjoyed her meal.  Another friend had the Catfish and the fourth friend had the wings with two sides.  I'm telling you those wings are CRACK!!!

I was stuffed after the app and entree, but two of our friends ordered desserts.  Being the greedy gut with a sweet tooth that I am, I had to sample both desserts (it's only right)!  Banana pudding - slap yo momma good!!!  Chocolate cake - delightful decadence!

I think they typically have live music on Friday nights.  A "neo-soul" style singer performed several songs last night, and he was pretty good.  However, none of us knew his name - no sign or CDs were visible - and we didn't hear him mention his name.  Anyway, the live music definitely is a good look for them.  If they just tighten up the service, I'm sure Billie's Black would receive more 4 & 5 star reviews.  Check them out for yourself!!!
4 - June P.: Great time! I went here to kick of my bday month & saw a live performance by Mika, a phenomenal artist with a phenomenal voice! The food was great! I had fried chicken, Mac & cheese, & collard greens. The Mac & cheese was off the hook! The only downfall was paying. I went with 2 other friends and we had a hard time splitting the bill when that could have been so much easier. They included the tax & tip which is good but they should incorporate giving separate bills (they currently don't do) because that would make things much easier on them and the customer when paying.
3 - Robyn H.: Don't come here for the food. If you do, you'll be very disappointed because it's mediocre at best.  Come for the atmosphere!!! I went last night, and Gloria Ry'ann, a neo-soul singer, performed.  Fantastic show, cool people, and a really cool atmosphere.

The food, however, sucks! I got the BBQ salmon after the waitress recommended it to me. Why I trusted her is still a mystery to me. The salmon was bland, and just barely edible. No seasoning, just fish with sauce slapped on it.  You could tell it wasn't even marinated.  The mac and cheese is the worst I've tasted at a place that claims to make soul food. There was not an ounce of soul in this stuff.  The collard greens were also the worst I've had at a restaurant.  

My fiancé' ordered the shrimp creole. I sampled it, and was unimpressed. It had no taste whatsoever. He claimed to enjoy  it, but i don't believe him.  Also had the peach cobbler, which was actually ok.

Like I said earlier, I liked Billie's because the music was nice, and it's a cool place to go catch a show. Just make sure you eat before you go.  The place is very expensive, and I was still hungry when I left.  I didn't even finish my food because once I took a couple of bites  of the mac and cheese  and felt my stomach gurgle, I knew I had to leave it alone. It was made with a runny cheese that I knew was gonna wreak havoc on me later if I dared to finish it off.

I will definitely return to Billie's again for the music and the peach cobbler.
4 - Devon L.: nice chill local spot to get some good soul food and listen to smooth music. The service and wait time after ordering can use a little improvement, but both times I've eaten here, I've left happy.. especially after brunch with unlimited mimosas.
3 - Leviah D.: I was looking for a place to get a quick bite and some good drinks on a Thursday night......A friend suggested  this place and since it was fairly close I decided to check it out .. I loved  the ambiance....it was small, intimate, with a great playlist...the food was tasty...the only downside was that the drinks weren't that good....I would go again tho hopefully the have another bartender...

Biltmore Ballrooms - Atlanta, GA (33.7769608, -84.3871398) (Midtown)
5 - Stephanie S.: Gorgeous! Magnificent! Romantic! Splendid! Tasteful!

The Biltmore Ballrooms are the perfect place to host any momentous occasion.  The Biltmore Hotel is an elite and elegant architecturally interesting building in midtown reminiscent of 1920s high society. It was recently renovated and the beautifully handcrafted ceilings restored (definitely the best part of the rooms). 

I attended one of my friend's weddings and receptions here last month. It was a beautiful Sunday wedding and gardens were in bloom. The evening started with punch being served in the simple, but elegant entrance hall. The Georgian Ballroom was arranged for the service which then took place. Afterwards the wedding party went to the gardens in the front of the hotel to have pictures taken while the guests enjoyed gourmet Hors d'oeuvres again in the entrance hall while the Georgian Ballroom was transformed into a reception room with round banquet tables and a dance floor. The event went smoothly and the caterers and staff were professional and friendly. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a stress free southern wedding with class and elegance.
5 - Meg S.: The ballrooms at the Biltmore are gorgeous. I had my senior prom in one and did not realize where I had ended up - at Georgia Tech campus, where I am now a student. I now live in Post Biltmore right next door to the old hotel, and every day I walk past it I wish I had an excuse to attend an event in those ballrooms again... It is a stellar location for all sorts of large group events.
5 - TheEatist K.: Beautiful and perfect setup for a wedding! 

I just attended a friend's wedding here this weekend (Sunday).  One ballroom was for the ceremony and the other was for the AMAZING dinner reception. Beautiful and spacious!

I don't know anything about the pricing, but from what I was told, it was fairly reasonable.
4 - Tracie J.: Beautiful venue. Great place for any event that calls for a place like Biltmore Ballrooms.
4 - Nateia F.: I had good time here for Girls Night Out. Can't go wrong with and indoor flea market type of event with free drinks!
4 - Angela H.: I've been to the Biltmore Ballrooms twice now, both times for the Shecky's Girls' Night Out event.  It is definitely a gorgeous venue and perfect for hosting the indoor shopping event!

As soon as you walk into the main lobby, you will notice that there is one ballroom to your left and one to your right.  The restrooms, which are available on both sides, are kept very clean - which is what you would expect from a beautiful venue like this one.

Both ballrooms, the Georgian Ballroom and the Imperial Ballroom, exude a luxurious, classic ambiance, especially with the crystal chandeliers that light up each room.  I think it's such a treat that the Shecky's Girls' Night Out events are hosted here.

What I did not like about the Biltmore Ballrooms were the bartenders during the Girls' Night Out event.  They seemed as if they did not want to be there and were not friendly at all.

Overall, the Biltmore Ballrooms get 4.5 stars for being such a beautiful venue.  However, I had to subtract 1/2 a star for the bartenders' not-so-friendly service, and the fact that you have to pay $7 to park in the garage next door.  I guess the paid parking thing is to be expected in the Atlanta area, but I can't help hating it.  I'm sure I will be back here to attend Shecky's Girls' Night Out again this winter.

[Review 097 of 366]
2 - Megan C.: Just attended a wedding here last night. It's a very pretty venue, great if you are going for a traditional feel. The acoustics aren't great - echoing conversation from the back of the room totally drowned out the toasts during dinner. But, other than that it's a nice venue. So why the two stars? Because of the PARKING NIGHTMARE from this morning. 

When I pulled in last night, I was swiped into the deck by an event attendant - did not receive a ticket or anything like that. Like responsible adults, we left our car overnight and cabbed home since we had been drinking during the reception. I go to get the car today, and it was unclear how to exit. There was a machine that takes the tickets that had a piece of printer paper taped to it that said "$5 Cash Only." After trying to call the help button and getting no answer (because I thought it was ridiculous that we would have to pay for parking for a wedding), I gave up and fed $5 into the machine.... and then nothing happened. Arm did not go up. I drove through the deck looking for an alternative exit, got back to the regular exit and an attendant had finally shown up. I told him what happened and he said "well I didn't see you do that." My husband points out that there are security cameras and so, instead of taking our word for it, he makes us go inside so he can LOOK THROUGH THE SECURITY FOOTAGE to make sure we actually did pay $5. We finally were able to get the car out - no apology, no admission that he was wrong. Based on this experience alone, I wouldn't recommend this venue. If this is the type of individual they employ, and this is how they treat their guests, I can't imagine how they act under more stressful situations.

Biltmore Cafe & Grill - Atlanta, GA (33.7769617, -84.3872788) (Midtown)
5 - Danny H.: I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Biltmore Cafe & Grill had never been listed; it's about the size of a needle in the giant haystack of the Biltmore.  But I really like the place, and it deserves some praise, so that others can also be aware of a fantastic lunch option amidst the Midtown choices.

As stated, the place is extremely easy to miss.  It's located at the corner tip of the Biltmore, at the corner of W Peachtree and 6th, and it's really only identifiable by a small awning and sign stating the name, which is one of the two entrances (the other is inside the Biltmore).  Sometimes they have a sandwich board out front.

Inside, it's pretty much the relaxed, neighborhood-y atmosphere of a small corner store.  A few tables exist for on-site dining, but the place also seems like the go-to place for a quick bite for those who work and reside in the building itself.  But the place's overall obvious obscurity kind of works to the favor of anyone who wants a quiet, not super-crowded, no look-at-me-in-the-scenester people atmosphere.  I love knowing I can walk out the office, head over there, and pretty much have little, if any wait at all to put in an order for my food.

The menu is a pretty vast variety of hot meats, sides, fried goods, as well as made-to-order sandwiches/subs.  I'm pretty much a sandwich type of guy for lunches, so I've only had sandwiches, but if the common occurrence of them running out of their daily hot specials is any indication, the hot meats and veggies must be pretty good, I'd guess.  But back to their sandwiches, they make everything fresh upon order, and it's proudly boasted that they use only Boar's Head meats and cheeses.  They don't skimp either, which I really dig; they make neat, cleanly constructed sandwiches that's generous with the meat, cheese and veggies, with a pickle on the side.  Add a bag of chips and a fountain drink, and you've still got a generous lunch for under $10.  

The people who run the place are all super friendly, and they're savvy to remember those who come regularly, which is always a good thing in my book.  The place even serves as a tiny, tiny convenience store, where you could pick up common drugs, snacks, conveniences and bottled drinks.

The only thing remotely close to a negative I have for them?  They close at 2pm.  The place is an obvious lunch spot, and they don't deal with dinner.  There are some days when I get slammed, or get tied up in meetings, and I'm disappointed when the go-to place for fast and friendly service is closed.  But tis just a minor gripe.  Also, there's no free parking that I'm aware of; but my experiences always involve walking there, so I couldn't care less, although those who are thinking of driving there might balk at having to drop some coins in a meter.

Considering the alternates in the area are the same rehashed fast-food Moe's/Five Guys/Chic Fil-A, or paying more for Mid City/Cypress St/Tin Drum/Barrel House, you can't go wrong with the Biltmore Cafe.  Whether you want something quick, quality and still inexpensive to-go, or you want to enjoy a quiet relaxing lunch away from the office, it's really a great option.
5 - Bill T.: An absolutely fantastic place for good eats in Midtown Atlanta!! The breakfast is out of this world...2 eggs, 4 slices of bacon, grits, a fresh homemade biscuit and a large coffee...all for under $6? Unbelievable!!

Biltmore Communications - Atlanta, GA (33.7769608, -84.3871398) (Midtown)
4 - George T.: Say what you want about their DirecTV service, their Internet is most speed for the buck! The tech was even nice enough to add another data port, to avoid me running wires across the living room. 

For $37 a month it's a very good alternative to Comcast and ATT which charge the same if not more depending on your speed. I was personally at odds with having heard some bad reviews with both. 

Few catches... 

Their high speed 10-MBIT internet is only available if your building has a service agreement with them. At least in Midtown ATL, it means most of the popular complex's except Spire. 

The 24-hour customer care dials into a call center and doesn't put you in touch with a tech. Don't expect to solve any big issues over the phone.
1 - Isaac S.: Incompetent sales representatives.  Even at the supervisory level!  Inquired about DirectTv and HD programming.  Sales rep. informed of the different packages and assured us that HD programming was available in our building.  Set-up service and the technician arrived a few days later to set up.  Low and behold, we were disappointed when the technician confirmed that HD programming was not available in our building.  Immediately cancelled the service and requested a refund for the initial set up fee.  Made several calls about the refund which took nearly a month to finally receive.  

Would highly not recommend for your source of satellite t.v......

Biltmore Hotel - Providence, RI (41.8247144, -71.4135595) (DownCity)
4 - Eric G.: Classic character intact.

Step into the worldly charm of this great Providence landmark. From lobby to the rooms, the place has done a good job of maintaining its original character while everyone else is too eager to throwaway the old for something new and shiny. 

Competent friendly staff. You only get snob if you give snob. 

Quiet, spacious, and nicely appointed rooms. Something very New York like about it. 

There's a Charfucks off the lobby that needs to go. I think they could do better than a chain restaurant. 

Be sure to check out the water line mark in the lobby that shows where the hurricane once flooded the city. 
Ride the glass elevator if you can. It always seems to be broken when I'm there. 

P.S. Don't tell daddy that Paris is recommending a non-Hilton hotel.
4 - Jennifer H.: I wish the beautiful lobby matched the rest of the hotel. Walking into the lobby, I felt like I was walking into another era, where hotels weren't quite so homogenized. Of course, walking into my room, I missed those homogenized hotels. Everything was clean and neat, but clearly old and a little worn down. And maybe it was just my room, but there was a definite lack of sunglight that was sort of depressing, probably due to my view of the roof of another building.  Also, as a gym rat, I was really dissapointed by the Biltmore's lackluster gym. Still, the service couldn't have been sweeter and, unlike Eric, I loved having the Starbucks attached! Saved me cash on room service in the morning!
4 - Jalon Z.: A few of us ended up staying in the Biltmore when the Downtown Courtyard Marriott across the street was full. I had always assumed that the Biltmore would prove to be too expensive for the corporate travel office. Instead, I ended up with a HUGE room on the 11th floor at a rate cheaper than the Marriott!

Two secrets:

1. There is a cheap rate for stays from Tuesday through Thursday.

2. There seem to be two room sizes here: cramped and immense.

One of the staff related that most of the rooms were of the larger type which had just been renovated. The smaller ones, he went on to add, he wouldn't stay in for free.

My room had two California King beds in the bedroom with a large wall-mounted plasma TV, a large living room with the usual couch, desk, etc. and another TV, a walk-in closet and a divided bathroom.

Guess where I'm going to be staying on my next Providence trip?

The M&S bar downstairs is nice and close to the room at night and the adjoining large Starbucks is excellent for recovering the next morning.
1 - Jodie R.: i'm apprehensive to write a long review because no one reads the long ones, but i need to tell it somehow.

i wanted to give this place 2stars, not really sure why, but i didn't and i hope by the end of my review i might change my mind.  i mean it's a only a 3 1/2 star hotel to begin with but i didn't know that before i got here because the higher powers that send me on business trips hardly pick below mid-to-high class hotels.  i don't want to sound snobby because if it were my own dime i'd be at a roach motel.  upon arrival, i cab up to this UGH-ly brick all over building with windows that look the size of peep holes from the outside.  and an UGH-ly bright blocky neon BILTMORE sign atop it.  

Ok, outside aesthetics aside, what a poorly structured lobby.  i checked in at 3am a few nights ago now and i get to my room and it's a cripple room.  i instantly understand that karma came back to me when i complained at a different hotel that i got a cripple room (and didn't ask for another one) and that i'm such a politically incorrect or just a mean insensitive person because i called it that.  now that i've set the stage for no one to want to hang out with me when i post a talk thread begging someone to suggest and possible meet me at a cool place later on tonight.  This section is not meant for me to complain in, it's to be informative to those who receive this room. The spacious handicap rooms really don't bother me. but the flat bathroom so the shower sprays all over the entire floor and with the table in the 'shower' area in the way and low everything that i actually will need the wall bars don't appeal to me.  the entire room's floor is slanted AND bumpy, and 2 wheels on the bed were broken/bent, so the bed slants as well (and not against the slope either).  i get one hour of sleep. since i'm in a cripple room, i'm right across from the elevators.  they have a loud high pitched "bohp" each time any button is pressed-  inside or out, and each time either one of the FOUR elevators reaches a floor.  "bohp. bohp. bohp. bohp..."  i wake up in the morning only to be forced to take a cold shower.  

fine, i asked for a new room.   i get transferred to a very small tightly packed, extremely dark room that smells like ass.  at least i have hot water and a tub this time.  the bathroom has space enough for just little old you and the ceiling is falling apart.  it's structured really inefficiently and all you want to do sometimes is pee without a hitch.  removing the bathroom door would help a lot, but there's nowhere for it to go.  oh, and don't forget to jiggle the handle when you're done or the toilet will run all day/night.  towels are misplaced, out of reach, and when you do reach one, there's no counter to put it down on for easy accessibility next time you need it.  i don't always need to look at myself, but one half body mirror in the whole room? boo.  and when i went to bed, there was this suff that looked like boogers caked into the the sheets.  i slept as far away on the other side of the king sized bed as i could.  i damn near fell off the bed.

my room and our meeting room's temperature control is either air conditioning on (full blast) or air conditioning off. 

you will get spammed being on their wireless network, and i mean attachment spammed.  

the quick buttons at the top of the phone do not work, and their little book does not have a good directory for calling for the things that the buttons don't work for.

and where the fuck are the ice machines?!  there's none on my floor.  none.  5th floor.  the dude told me they didn't put one back here yet.  7th floor and up he said.  ice and soda machines, 7 and up.  one star.

front desk people- not very likable.  other staff- likable.   i will not come back here.
4 - Andrew W.: I have stayed at the Biltmore several times over the years. My first was in 1993 after a Phish show at the near by Preforming Arts Center. I had so much fun here, I was worried that by coming back I would ruin it in my mind. Well, I have been back three times since, always on the night before NYE with a friends band as we make our way to New York for the big night. Each time I am amazed at the size of the rooms. I mean, honestly, they are freaking huge... You can definitely fit 5-6 people in there no problem.
3 - Dan M.: I'm giving this place 3 stars ONLY because they have a Starbucks downstairs.  I know this is a historic landmark in Providence but I had less than a comfortable stay there during my alumni weekend.  First, I booked the room and requested 2 beds, but since I booked through hotwire, there was no guarantee...fine.  When I checked in the lady was rude and when I requested the double beds, she said they didn't have any and "plus they couldn't adjust reservations," whatever that means.  We asked for a cot, $20 a night and it barely fit in the room, which takes me to the review of the room.  The king bed was big and very comfortable, but the room was TINY and so was the bathroom.  The walls were paper thin too.  I was talking to my friend at 9am on morning and the people next to us started banging on the wall because we were too loud.  Also, when their phone rang, not only could I hear the phone, but I could hear their conversation word for word.  Unreal. 

It was a busy weekend, but there were definitely empty rooms on my floor, at least on Friday night...Also, the parking situation sucks,.  They only have valet and it's $24/nt.  What is this?  Boston? It sucks trying to get my car; I had to call ahead and wait 15 min- 30 min for my car.  So annoying.  

Providence doesn't have too many hotels, but there are definitely better options.  Not staying here again.  

Oh and I've also stayed in their junior suites which are completely different, and almost for the same price (plasma TV, regular TV, couch, 2 California kings).  Why such the inconsistency in the accommodations??????

My complaints are mostly with the rude service, valet, and paper thin walls.
4 - Mike C.: Great place to stay if you're in town. I got put up here for a business trip. The staff is friendly and attentive.The hotel has an older classical feel to it. However, most of the rooms have been remodeled. The executive suite came with a 40" LCD TV and the beds are really comfortable. I had a good night sleep during my stay there.
3 - Szeying t.: This is an all-suite, king and California king only hotel. Like many of the other reviewers have mentioned, there's a Starbucks and a  McCormick & Schmick's right in the hotel and it's a short walk away from Providence Place Mall. 

Our suite was very comfy, the bed was a nice huge California King bed and we got a pretty good deal booking through Hotwire. I can't say that it's a mindblowing stay but staff was courteous, friendly and efficient. Room service food is so-so but the M&S restaurant had a great value happy hour from 3pm to 6pm and from 10pm to midnight where you can get drink specials and appie specials from 1.95.
3 - Nadine N.: Nice sized rooms, but definitely not plush. No robes. No full length mirrors. Our suite had a living room with a couch plus two chairs, but all the seating was rather worn and uncomfortable. After housekeeping did their thing, the room smelled really musty (like dirty water...ew!) 

We ordered room service for breakfast twice. The first time I was really pleased with my french toast, but the second time, I was totally disappointed with my doughy, lead-like pancakes. Also, it's too bad the the syrup comes in little tiny Aunt Jemima packets and the cream comes in little containers. Room service is way too expensive for this McDonald's experience. Not to mention, McDonald's pancakes taste better!

The elevator to the roof thing that they are so proud of hadn't been working for three weeks when we were there. 

So, in conclusion, there are several signs that point to fancy pants hotel (Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa, McCormick & Schmick's), but the hotel drops the ball on upkeep and details (see Aunt Jemima syrup packets).
3 - Gina C.: Pros:  Location good if you want to be in town.  Reasonable rates compared to some of the other hotels.  Large rooms in some cases, with nice TVs and double king beds.  Red Door downstairs.  Historic lobby decor.

Cons:  Historic furniture in the sitting area of your hotel room (worn velvet, musty couch).  Like all Red Doors, this Red Door is crappy for manis and pedis.  Inefficient front desk staff -- I waited like 20-30 minutes to check out on a Sunday morning because they'd screwed up the express checkout slips (which they claimed they never screw up), and there was no apology.  Historic smell here and there.  

Pro or con:  Historic hallways -- you might like this feeling of being in an old-school hotel, or you might hear "redrum. redrum" each time you go back and forth to the elevator.

Tips - if you're on a weekend, ask to be on a floor away from any noise because they have wedding receptions there, and the floors near the ballroom can get pretty loud, historic structures being what they are.
3 - corinna t.: 3.5 stars

I love old things, and promote updating rather than building new. But I have to say, I felt a little irked at the condition of the hotel. I felt bad because the hotel probably doesn't make enough money for a restoration, and they probably have tough competition with the nearby hotels. Although there was semblance of character, I didn't really want to touch anything, or get too close. In the rooms it looks as if they painted on top of oil based paint with water-based paint - so the paint was peeling off. And the bathrooms were teeny, with a teeny sink and no place to put toiletries. And walking down the hallways to our room felt like an 60's horror flick. 

With a little tasteful restoration, this place could have more charm than any spanking new hotel around, with its historical edge of course. 

And I must note, ALL of the staff we encountered were VERY friendly and quite helpful. The luggage helper even helped us with the AC unit, and sent a repair guy for our missing knob. 

BUT, my husband liked it. So there.
4 - Chris C.: We stay here every time we go home to visit family and friends.  The regular rooms are very large and "historic" but my wife "needs" a higher level of accomodation which the Suites upper floors provide.  

Excellent renovated rooms with nice new giant bathrooms and flat screen TV's etc with excellent views of the city.  Only reason no 5 stars is that the price is a little high for my tastes ($250+) but the central location of the hotel and the views and the historic vibe of the place as well as the excellent Mccormick & Schmick's restaurant with fantastic Happy Hour menu make up for that.
3 - Doug F.: The lobby of the Biltmore hints at the grandeur that previously reigned at this historic hotel. Upon exiting the elevator onto the floor of my room the facade began to crumble. The walls and carpeting indicated that the Biltmore had seen better days. The disappointment continued as I explored my room. It was apparent that layer after layer of paint had been applied to the trim over the years and it was now in need of stripping. The furnishings varied from odd to tacky. 

Don't get me wrong, the Biltmore isn't bad. Despite the worn-out look, my room was basically clean and comfortable. The staff was great. However, given its history the current state of the hotel is a disappointment. It's a shame that such a historic building wasn't treated with the care it deserves over the years.

On the positive side, the location of the Biltmore is great for exploring Providence and the rates are among the more reasonable for a downtown hotel. The in-hotel Starbucks is convenient and there are plenty of restaurants and stores within easy walking distance.

Providence is a cool little city with a lot of history and it deserves a historic hotel. The Biltmore should be that hotel. Here's hoping that the Biltmore will eventually undergo a proper renovation and become a destination hotel for Providence.
4 - Jacqueline T.: Great big old historic hotel. Lobby is "Grand" and beautiful. Service is outstanding. The service makes up for the little odds and ends that need fixing.

Hallways can be scary. Views are breathtaking and awesome. I like the rooms on the 3rd and 4th floor they seem newer, more airated. 

McCormick and Schmicks is also very good. The bar is unique and has a great bar menu for certain hours. 

I would recommend staying here!
4 - Alicia C.: Beautiful lobby. Great rooms. Reasonable rates for being right downtown. I came here with a group for NYE and we managed to get a junior suite with 2 king beds and a pull out queen sofa bed for $270. Walking distance to our NYE festivities to follow, so the location was great for us. The beds were really comfy... definitely made it hard to get up the next morning.  The room I was in had a great view of an ice skating rink. Had we had more time we probably would have checked out the rink since it was tempting us from our room. 

The staff was very receptive to our constant barrage of requests... more towels, extra comforter, corkscrew (they came in and uncorked it for us). While the room I was in didn't have any problems, two in our group had their own room and had issues with the heat (temps of 80+ all night), while they weren't able to resolve the issue that night, when they brought it up the next day the staff kindly discounted their rate due to the room's technical difficulties. The valet service was friendly, efficient, and reasonably priced ($24). I'd definitely stay here again if I had to come back to the downtown Providence area.
3 - Megan E.: I would go 3.5. It is a great location, but the rooms definitely show some age. Mine was SO hot and the AC didn't help much. The walls were also pretty thin; I could hear my neighbor's baby crying and my other neighbor's alarm going off. The service is good, however, and for the location the price is not bad. I also liked McCormick and Schmick's. I may have paid more because it was an incredibly busy weekend, and I also didn't know how old the building was; if you keep in mind that it is old and modify your expectations accordingly, then you should be fine.
4 - Mark M.: A beautiful, elegant, and truly historic property.  If you don't stay here, you should at least walk through the lobby to see the splendor. My stay was two nights for work.  As a business traveler, I look for hotels that cater to the needs of frequent business travelers--and this one really doesn't.  However, I do recommend it if you're in town for pleasure.  Additionally. 

- A truly beautiful lobby that is worth spending some time in
- A full Starbucks and McCormick's in the hotel
- Great service
- For such an old building, it's fairly well kept and many of the historical elements are intact
- Fairly "gaudy" rooms with oversized highly flammable curtains and shiny floral bedspreads (I suppose *some people*) like this
- Decent bathrooms: great showerheads, old tubs, awkward doors
- The Junior Suite (I stayed in one) is plenty of room for five or six people
- Great--and huge--flat panel TVs, but terrible reception and shoddy connections
- Super soft beds (you sink at least a foot) that many love..but if you have back issues you're going to wake up miserable
4 - Paul G.: I routinely stay at the Biltmore since I like pre-war buildings, and this one was designed by Warren & Wetmore, the architects of Grand Central Terminal in New York.  Most of the floors have been renovated with new climate control and handsome new bathrooms.  Still, there are signs of wear and tear:  drapery tieback hardware was missing, glass shades in the bathroom were dusty, the exhaust system in the bathroom was inoperative, the elegant glass shower door was missing a gasket (resulting in water on the floor).

But all was forgiven with this scenario:  I was given a small and inexpensive ($134 per night) room with an adjoining door to a room with a group of youth in Providence for the Illuminated Night-Time Gay Pride Parade.  They were well behaved, but I could hear every word of their conversation.  Although every room in the hotel was reserved, after about fifteen minutes I received a call that I could have another room.  The replacement room was larger and silent.  I had a good night's sleep.
5 - Kendra s.: I had the chance to stay in two different rooms here for my wedding and also had many of our guests stay here. I was very impressed with the staff- everyone went above and beyond to accomodate my requests and they were all very friendly and helpful. 
The first room I stayed in was a double king suite and the room was very clean, nice and the beds were amazing. The second room I stayed in was an executive suite and the bed once again was amazing, the decor was a great old hollywood feel, the bathroom was amazing with a bathtub and the multi-head shower was awesome. It also had a great view of the city. 
We had over 20 guests staying here and everyone had great things to say about the charm of the hotel, the comfort of the beds, and how nice the staff was. We only had one guest that had an issue with the room (the bathroom door wouldn't shut) and the hotel moved them into a bigger and nicer room than the one they paid for to make sure their stay was satisfactory. 
Our guests also enjoyed the location of the hotel which is very central to everything downtown. All in all we were more than happy with our stay and would definitely recommend it to our out of town guests in the future.
2 - Kristen A.: Oh Biltmore.  You are so pretty!  And old!  You're just...glamourous!  The room was fabulous, two king beds, TVs all over the damn place, so swank I didn't know what to do with myself.  The lobby is impressive, the bar is beautiful, and the ballroom where our friends' wedding was held was simply spectacular.  I will never forget watching the sun set over the city on such a special evening.

But do you have to be so nasty?  I mean, really?  I've had better service at a McDonald's.  Front desk lady when we checked in, what's up?  Your frosty attitude was helpful because it was so hot out!  Alright enough of my snarkiness, here's the evidence.

Why tell us we can check-in early only to have us show up with no room available?  Until the same time our wedding starts?  That does us NO good!

Why berate me for losing the checked bag ticket (I'm sorry!  SOOO sorry!) when the bags were found anyway and were delivered to me mid-berate?  Again, I apologize for losing the checked bag ticked.  

Why, when clearing the tables, would you put the tray of dirty dishes on the dance floor?  Did you want to watch me stumble drunkenly into them while "dancing"?  (Yes, those awkward movements I was making were indeed dance movements.  I apologize for those too.  For anyone who had to see them.)  Why did you get mad at me?  I was already so embarrassed, but in a more sober state, I realized that I was dancing on the dance floor.  Why was there a precarious tray of dishes there? 

Why did you give the bride and groom a hard time?  Not cool man, not cool.

In the end, it is the little things.  People notice the beauty of a place for maybe the first hour or so upon sight.  Then it becomes background.  What stands out is service.  And that is unfortunate for the Biltmore.
2 - Eric M.: Very nice hotel, great location, customer service left a very bad taste in my mouth. I left my shoes in my room last time I stayed and after 4 calls to the hotel I am still getting the run around. I variably get referred to the front desk or housekeeping, they say they'll look and call me back, but they NEVER HAVE. No one seems to care at all or even be the least bit concerned. Unfortunately this isn't my first run in - see my wife Kristen A's review for our first trip there.

I've stayed in many different levels of hotel and I adjust my expectations accordingly - this place tries to work the 'historic and luxurious' angle pretty hard but I'm sorry customer service has to be a part of it.
1 - Margot D.: Biltmore, you made us all mad.

Rather than rant on and on and on, I am pretty much going to agree with everything in Kristen's posting on August 31st, and also add that you, Biltmore people, gave the Bride & Groom in my friend's wedding a hard time too!  Is that kind of like a "Hey, congratulations and best wishes!  We want to leave you with a bad impression of us because we screwed up on 15 dumb little things.... and our staff is clueless too"?
5 - Sean Y.: Liked:
- Flat screen TVs mounted on the walls (in every room)
- ~$200 per night for a one-bedroom suite (spacious enough to sleep 5-6 adults).

Disliked:
- My room (coaches') room was 1408!!! Yikes!!!
- Spirits (You can feel a presence here. Important people have stayed here before)

Note:
Came here to coach my athletes competing in the 2009 National Collegiate Taekwondo Championships (http://ncta-usa.com; UCLA Taekwondo won third place!). 

VERY romantic rooms. GREAT place for a getaway. Right across the street from a ice skating park. This hotel is about a 10-15 minute walk to Brown University; the walk is brisk, some uphill, but you get to see all the historic-looking buildings.
4 - Jack N.: The Biltmore is kind of a MILF-y hotel.  She's aging, but I'll still do her every time I'm in Providence.

Without the reasonable rates I'm not sure I'd stay loyal to this grand old place - most times my room shows some pretty obvious wear such as peeling paint or wallpaper.  The room layouts are tight and the fixtures are not modern for the most part.

But the place is clean, its right downtown, it still maintains a pretty classic lobby, and you can't beat the happy hour specials at McCormick & Schmick's.  Best of all, it's modestly priced for a downtown hotel.

As I sat in the lobby this past week waiting for my friend, two "little people" came buzzing by my couch on Razor scooters, there were literally 50 very pretty women walking around the place all weekend (I found out that the Rockettes were staying there), and there were bales of hay stacked six feet high in the alley.

Just another typical day at the Biltmore.

I'd tap that.  Again.
5 - Mario M.: Great customer service. Pet friendly and big and clean rooms.
5 - miss y.: I love this place!
Only 2 negatives:no gym/pool amenities, and you have to request clean towels and sheets.  Twice, I forgot to ask for my clean towels and inadvertantly dried myself off with a possibly used towel.  They do this to save water/protect enviroment/be green....but seriously, that doesn't score brownie points with me.  Hygiene does.

It is literally glorious...The inside is so clean, and the customer service is awesome in my opinion...

I read some of the reviews about the desk service being awful...I've stayed here a few times-sometimes for just a night, sometimes for very extended vacation...and each time, the employees have never ever bothered me.

I feel like Eloise, they give me full run of the place.  Indeed, once I've been checked in to my room for 6 hours, and settled myself in, I really do feel like I live in this hotel.  I can wander around the halls, play in the elevator, stand on the balcony, sit in the stairwells, chill out on the comfy chairs in the lobby....and nobody ever is bothered by me.  They just let me do as I please-surely within reason but I wouldn't dare run around screaming at the top of my lungs and knocking stuff over anyways...

I've got a few different types of rooms here...

My favorite is the kind that looks like an apartment-there are a few rooms, a seperate kitchen, a seperate bedroom, seperate livingroom, and the bathroom is a walk in shower cube.

Very nice.

My second favorite is the huge room with the divider in the center of it that has a tv and huge mirror on either side of the wall divider.  There is a "doorway" on both sides of the divider to seperate the living area from the sleeping area and the bed is on a raised step. very very nice and romantic because of all the dimmer light switches and lamps. Plus it has a huge luxurious bath tub.  First thing I do in that room is take a hot bubble bath and soak for a few hours...it is lovely.

I love the interior decorating-every room is breath taking the first time you see it.  All of the rooms are color coordinated in a beautiful green/gold which I love.  It is very elegant, and there is lots of crushed velvet and satin.  I just love the whole dang thing, plus you can hook up your playstation 3 to the tv's without any problem, and they have internet hookup for your computer.


The room service is RIDICULOUSLY expensive.  We're talking 15 bucks for a plate of scrambled eggs.  But it's probably the best dang scrambled eggs you'll ever eat unless you know how to cook them at home even better.  I'd rather take a short morning stroll over to the cheesecake factory for my breakfast before checking out.  I'd also rather get my coffee at starbucks, my lunch and dinner at any of the fabulous local restaurants, and stop by mccormick and schmicks for some delicious snacks and drinks...afterall, they are the ones providing the room service menu, and the food is half as expensive if you simply go downstairs.


Many people may not be blown away by this place for one simple reason-and to quote my sister directly:"What?!No swimming pool?What type of shit is that?"


what type of shit, indeed.  There is a spa downstairs, but yeah....no swimming pool.  Typically if you are paying this amount of money for a room, it should include a swimming pool.
2 - Justin S.: The Biltmore touts itself as the "Grand Dame" of Providence hotels, and I enjoyed my stay here, but definitely found a few shortcomings with the experience. For starters, the location can't be beat as it's right in Downtown Providence and there is a Starbucks and McCormick & Schmick's restaurant right on ground level. The amenities like the Red Door Spa add a touch of luxury, but there a few components missing. 

The lobby was under construction while we were there, so there was scaffolding all over the place, but that didn't really affect us. The rooms are nicely decorated, but have odd configurations and I found both rooms in our group's reservation to be a bit on the dark side. I believe one of our rooms was also one of those which are unrenovated as we had an older TV and things seemed a bit more worn. 

The only reason I complain about any of this is because the prices at the Biltmore reflect those of a much higher-grade hotel. Of course, we were staying at the height of the summer when a lot of people are traveling, but it wasn't the full-service experience I would have expected at this price point. I think that if I were to find a good deal or offer from them, I'd be glad to stay again, but I'd otherwise look elsewhere as there are many other suitable and even downright better options nearby.
1 - John H.: i stayed here in 2010 over valentines weekend. it's not a 4 or 5 star by any length of the imagination. i would do best describing it as a really large and spotty 3 star hotel ran under poor management. i stayed in a large suite but it really wasn't up to reasonable standards.the bathrooms were akin to what you'd expect at a best western.

at one point during my stay i wanted a simple glass of water. i grabbed a glass that was in the room and it had lipstick marks on it. i called housekeeping and requested another glass. the glass they brought was also dirty. i called the front desk and explained it to them. another minute goes by and i get another glass from housekeeping that is dirty. at this point i am grossed out beyond recovery and i didn't want my lips coming into contact with any of their dishes or glassware. when i got dressed for the day i brought my new collection of dirty glasses down to the lobby and presented them to the staff member i spoke to. the person was apologetic but at that point but the only remedy offered up was another glass. 

stuff like that really turns my stomach.
5 - Richard K.: An excellent hotel
5 - Leo D.: Great hotel.  Smack in the middle of everything.  Reasonable rate even for a specialty (wanted some extra amenities, because traveling with infant).

Clean, nice, and with some historic flair.
3 - Michael D.: I've stayed at the Marriott many more times, but got a great deal this week at the Biltmore.

So, to compare....

The Biltmore is much more reasonable. 

$125 for a "junior" suite at the Biltmore, compared to $225 for a room at the Marriott across the street. The junior suite is significantly larger than regular rooms at the Marriott.

Advantage Biltmore.

The location of both hotels is very good, in the center of Providence. 

You can easily walk to most attractions in the city. 

Brown and Little Italy are a 15-20 minute walk. 

Draw.

The Biltmore is an old hotel.

The lobby is small and dark.

Our room was clean, but very, very dark. 

The carpet looked like something from the 50's.

The bathroom was tiny with a ledge that was too small for two cosmetic cases. 

On the positive side, the bed was large and very comfortable. 

The room was also very quiet. 

I'm not sure if this was because of quiet neighbors or better sound insulation in older hotels.

Rooms at the Marriott are much brighter, with a techno-business decor.

Sound insulation at the Marriott is variable. Rooms facing the river seem especially loud.

Advantage: Tough choice, but for an overnight stay, the Biltmore. 

What more do you need than a comfortable bed and a quiet room? 

If you plan anything longer than an overnight stay, I would choose the Marriott. Too many days in dark rooms isn't good.

Service at both hotels is pleasant.

It's a draw.

At the Biltmore, parking is 25$ per night via a valet. 

The charge is similar at the Marriott, but you park yourself. 

I don't like to wait for my car when I'm ready to go. I'm also neurotic about other people driving and parking my car.

Advantage Marriott. Draw if you're not as neurotic as me.

Overall, I enjoyed my stay.

If you don't mind an old, slightly worn hotel, this is a good deal.
2 - Stephanie P.: I stayed at the Biltmore the night before I got married. My girlfriend and I wanted to stay up, drink champagne, and feel luxurious. 

The hotel is nice, but the age of it is definitely noticeable. We arrived around 10 at night and were told by someone on the phone that we could pay $26 dollars for valet (that would be charged to our room) and have 24 hour access to our vehicle, or we could park the car in the Biltmore's designated parking garage ourselves and it would charge $20 to our room. Since we were not going to need 24 hour access to our car, and we were only staying one night, we decided to park it ourselves.

When we reached the hotel we had a hard time finding the garage since the hotel is smack dab in the middle of downtown and it was a Friday night. We pulled up to the valet and asked him about the garage. He informed us that the BIltmore did not have a garage, only valet for $26. My friend and I were a little annoyed that we were being told two different things and felt the valet was just trying to get money out of us. We drove around a little longer and finally found what we thought was the garage. We pulled in a began to park when two men approached us and told us that we had to pay them $20 dollars to park there. We asked them if we were in fact in the Biltmore's designated garage and they said yes. We told them we were told to take our ticket to the front desk and the $ would be charged to our room and they said no- that wasn't how it worked. Now, we were really annoyed! We left the garage and just valeted the car to avoid the risk of paying the guys in the garage AND being charged by the hotel.

Our room was on the 7th floor and upon exiting the elevator, there was a distinct smell of old cigarette. Like the had tried to cover it up with industrial cleaners, but the smell was stained in the carpets, paint and curtains. Our room was nice and clean. We had a suite with 2 queen beds and a small sitting area. It did not smell of cigarette in our room, only the hall.

The bathroom was clean but the shower area was a little dark and in need of a pick-me-up. 

For the price of $176 a night plus a $26 valet and taxes, I was not impressed with the Biltmore and will not be staying here or recommending it to my friends when they come in town. I appreciate the history the hotel has, but I will send my guests elsewhere.
1 - Dan S.: I initially made a reservation at this hotel because they were the closest/cheapest place I could find for a race I was competing in.  After making the reservation, I was invited via email to upgrade my reservation to a suite for a modest fee.  I did so and was looking forward to staying there.

I tried checking into the hotel early and my room was not ready.  No problem.  I was assured that the room would be ready no later than the advertised time of 3pm, and that it would actually probably be ready earlier since I was the first person to check in for that room category.  I wandered around town for several hours and got back 15 minutes before my room was supposed to be ready.  Obviously - based on my rating - it was not.  I was told that housekeeping was overwhelmed, they were doing everything they could, blah blah blah.  When I asked if it would be ready at 3pm, the time I was guaranteed it would be ready, I was simply told "we hope so".  I sat around the lobby for another 45 minutes watching guest after guest get checked in.  After twiddling my thumbs for 45 minutes I went back up to the Front Desk and asked to speak to the manager.  I was told that the General Manager wouldn't be in for 4 more days and the "manager on duty" came out to speak with me.  This is where it gets interesting...

When I told her I was disappointed that I wasn't able to check into my room at the appointed time she simply said "we're doing what we can".  No apologies.  When I mentioned all the other people who had been checking in, she said "either their room was ready, or they checked into a different type of room".  When I asked her why I wasn't given the option of checking into a different room, she said "oh".

I finally got the keys to my room and a very stingy late check out (which the manager was NOT gracious about giving me) and went up to the room.  It was nice...once upon a time.  Shabby.  Faucets that shot water everywhere, chipped paint everywhere, furniture that was nicked and falling apart.

2 days after my stay I received an email from the hotel asking how my stay was.  I addressed all these same issues in my response and never received a reply.

I would only stay here if you you require no customer service and appreciate staying in a room where you are constantly noticing the things that need to be improved and fixed.
4 - stephen d.: Great service, clean and classy. I love the lobby, and feel like I'm in an old movie. Did I say classy?

Sadly, the glass elevator is no longer operational. Also, the bed was WAY too soft. not too many ammenities but there is a Starbucks in the lobby. No bar or pool. small workout room.
4 - Arch R.: I scored an insane "last minute deal" on expedia, $176/night for a king suite. When they say king suite, they mean it! Beautiful spacious suite with charming furniture. I didn't appreciate that the bathroom was tiny..I think they could have traded me some bedroom space to expand the bathroom but in general the room was gorgeous and a great deal right in downtown Providence. The lobby decor is beautiful and there is a bar downstairs that was pretty fun for a nightcap before heading back to the supa-lux bed with a giant plasma to watch bad TV on. Oh the royal life...
3 - Michelle C.: First time I was here for a wedding. The ballroom was beautiful and it happened to be on New Year's Eve, so we got to watch fireworks from the windows.  I dont remember much about the food, I just remember my buzz, ha! The room was really small and was facing the parking garage...ugly! but since it was NYE it was packed and we couldn't change the room. Besides the view, I think the rooms were ok. 
Second time was for the same friend who got married's baby shower. This time I got a better look, this place is old! could probably use an update. 18th floor has a great view of the city and has its own private floor. Both times I had breakfast here and the buffet was pretty good.
3 - Bill H.: I've stayed at the Biltmore a couple of times over the years. Room rates start from $125 / night, and I'd say the prices are fair given the great location downtown, the relative un-shadiness of the neighborhood, and the quality of the hotel.

The hotel is definitely old, the rooms are nice don't stand-out in any particular way. Wireless is free.

All of the staff are friendly -- the folks at the front door practically tackle each other to grab the door as you approach.

Attached stores aren't anything special. An okay Starbucks an a ho-hum Mccormick and Schmicks.
3 - Benjamin C.: I took a trip back in time...to the Biltmore!

The Biltmore has been one of the Providence skyline's crown jewels since the twenties. It's a hotel that's truly proud of the city it stands in. Providence-centric postcards and photos grace the walls. The views of the statehouse and College Hill are truly beautiful in the Fall and Winter. 

The friendly staff are small-town friendly, but big-city savvy. 
They let me stash my bag for the afternoon 
...after I checked-out!

Any old hotel's bound to have a little mystery, and I saw some first hand! There was a gentleman who came to inspect the room; just as I'd arrived. *blink, blink*. There was a suspicious sprinkling of baby powder on the back of the leather chair, and there was a pre-filled garbage can.
(I'm pretty sure it was ghosts.) Other than that, my Junior Suite was quiet clean and comfortable.

I'd scampered by the foot of this well-loved institution
over four years of art school. It was great to finally stay there.
4 - Brendan K.: Nice old romantic hotel. Downtown location is nice. Great deals on hotwire.com One of my fav's in town.
3 - Chris O.: Stayed here this past winter after not being back (many years ago) since my high school prom. The hotel is in a great location and has some nice historic elements to it. But...be warned, the lobby is crazy cold during the winter. It's still a nice hotel but it feels like it's really aged and not as 'wowing' as I once thought of it in high school.
4 - Mary S.: Great character and charm.
3 - Amanda M.: I only stayed here for one night.

It's centrally located and convenient.  The service is good - check in was surprisingly quick and easy.  The hotel is clean and the rooms were comfortable.

Parking is $26/night for valet.  There is a Starbucks on-site as well as a restaurant where we ate breakfast.  

For the location, in a city, it's a pretty good value (a similar hotel in Boston would be upwards of $250-$300).  I think it's on the same level as some of the nicer Holiday Inns or other similar chain hotels.  It's not amazing, but it's good enough.
2 - Tamara T.: this place is old. I'm not even from Providence but I've heard about the Biltmore for years and was excited about the deal we got to stay there. well, once we checked in to the hotel and got into our room we immediately tried to find another hotel.  even though the room appeared clean...it just felt creepy.  we had a pretty large suite on the top floor that was filled with old furniture, peeling wallpaper, filthy lampshades and a sketchy old school bathroom.  we were too sketched out by the furniture to sit on it and my mom was too grossed out by the bathroom to shower.  

unfortunately, we were in town the weekend of "fire water" (which was also totally weird by the way. I thought it was some sort of ancient tradition...but its not so what is the draw???) and all of the hotels were booked, so we had to stay.  gross. luckily, this place had a great location and  we were able to walk all over the city and this is why I've given this hotel two stars.
4 - Monique G.: This Spa day was given to me as a Christmas gift, and I chose to redeem it just when I needed it most. My back is in chronic pain and my face was starting to break out.
My Sunday morning treat started with a warm greeting at the door from Deb the Spa's Director.  She hung my coat and introduced me to Julie the Esthetician. After a brief trip to the ladies lounge, where you have a chance to shower and change, Cucumber water in hand, I was then escorted to a beautifully appointed quiet room, where I filled in the required paperwork. The room is what you would expect in a 4-star spa.  Nice cozy warm bed, and custom milk and honey oils. After a brief consult, Julie felt it would be more beneficial for her to use the customized massage, which combines a few different techniques. I laughed, I cried,  ok maybe I just winced a little. I was wound so tight I spent the 1st 15 minutes trying to talk my way through the pain. Julie was very professional and quieted my aura with her healing touch. It wasn't long after that I fell asleep until it was time for me to turn over.
I will be back to see Julie again and I highly recommend that if you are  having back pain, you should do the same..
4 - Ryan B.: I have been here before, but I just stayed here for a friends wedding. The reception was here too. 

As the Best Man, I got upgraded for free to a premiere suite, which was pretty awesome if you ask me. They did not have to do that. On the same note, the bridal suit was epic and we had an awesome party there after the reception without anyone so much as bothering us. 

Everything about the reception from the food to the coordination to the venue was top-grade. I would have my own reception here if I was ever going to be married.

The place IS old, but in a charming way, that adds to the appeal. One tidbit I had to point out was that the front desk printed my best man speech (which I was told was one for the books) and gave me 2 copies. This ended up being extremely helpful since I lost one. 

Why not a fiver? Well, first of all, the few rooms I was in still sported old box TVs. As my friend put it, "I haven't watched TV in a square shape in a long time." Seriously Biltmore, time to upgrade to wide screen flats. Get with the times.

Finally, I know it was cold in the city that weekend, but the lobby and the attached McCormick & Schmick's were frigid. They should have been PUMPING heat into those sections of the hotel. I shouldn't have to wear a coat while I speak with reception.
3 - Hilary H.: The Biltmore is one of those grand old hotels with class, charm and elegance. The lobby is impressive, the glass elevator is gorgeous, and the ballroom is absolutely stunning. However... this place could use a little polish and upgrading to bring it into the 21st century, especially with all those new kids on the block surrounding it.

I love attending events here, because there's valet (although it IS $15... youch!) and it's right downtown. It sits on the end of Kennedy Plaza and really is in a prime location if you're a tourist or visitor -you can walk to any number of fabulous restaurants, boutiques, parks and even a movie theater. It's also relatively inexpensive when you can find deals for it online. 

If this place would spruce things up a it, they would be right up there with the Westin that's just a block away. It's a cool, privately-owned, hotel with oodles of class and history.
2 - Renee B.: The only service team that has their act together is the valet and bell team.  Their front office needs a refresher course in service - especially the front desk staff.  Housekeeping does a nice job and the hotel location is good.  That said, prices reflect service rendered....you get what you pay for and the Westin is twice as expensive, so I suppose equality shouldn't be expected.  Seriously though, they have a Mobile 4 star and AAA 4 diamond rating - Really - because I just don't see it.
5 - Nicole M.: I heart Scott from the Providence Biltmore Hotel. Best wedding coordinator EVER!
2 - Erin H.: If I was reviewing just the Hotel itself, I would have damn good things to say.
But, this review isn't just about the facilities, but the employees. But before get get into the bad, here is the Good:

*The architecture is gorgeous and grand!
*We got a suite, and the room was gorgeous. 
*It had 2 King beds as well as the couch pulling out to a full Queen. 
*It had a flat screen and a regular TV. 
*The bathroom was a little small, but the closet was huge.
*The room was very clean and we has a sweet view of DownCity Providence.
*It has a Starbucks in the lobby.

We were going out in Providence with a bunch of friends and we got the suite because it sleeps 6 people. You have 3 beds, that's six people, right? Right.
We got one noise complaint at about 9 pm saying we were being too loud. We quieted down, but we weren't being very loud, and it was not late at all. 

We got back very late, probably 3:30 am. We go up to our friend's room on our floor, but the opposite side. We had had some drinks, and I know we were being loud. No one said a word to us, and we were there for about an hour making significant noise.

We go back to our room, 2 of our party go to sleep, that leaves 4. We were talking and having some snacks before bed, when a security guard comes knocking on our door telling my friend (who purchased the room) that we are only allowed 2 people in a suite that sleeps 6 and that the rest of our party, no matter how drunk or the fact that we were from out of state, we all had to leave or the cops were being called and we were to be arrested.

After a debacle, needless to say, this security guard on the power trip didn't call the cops, but he was trying to scare us. We all went to sleep, checked out and just tried to not let that taint out awesome trip to Providence. Now, not that this has anything to do with it, but the guy who's room we were making the noise in is white, and my friend who bought out room is Latina. Does that have anything to do with it? Probably not, but, if we were going to get a noise complaint, it should have been in our friends room, not ours. Now, the kicker, my friend who booked our room is a Law student, so she stood her ground at almost 5 am with this A-hole of a security guard and didn't back down to his belittling.
2 - Beth O.: While the lobby takes you on a breathtaking journey back to the 20s and 30s, the glitz stops there. Our room came with pillows that felt like rocks and it took two complaints to get new pillows. Also the shower was broken, when put to shower half the water came out the tub spicket leaving less than desirable water pressure. The restaurant was greatfood with shoddy service. The front desk told us they were undergoing renovations in the next year, may try again in a year or two.
5 - Jean R.: I've been to weddings, Bat Mitzvahs, rehearsal dinners, dinner, drinks, fundraisers, the spa, coffee at the Starbucks downstairs and a number of occasions at the Biltmore...it's wonderful.  An old, well maintained landmark in the city and one not to be missed.  The beauty, service, quality and ambiance is truly top tier and a top of the list for tradition and elegance in our capital city.
1 - Bionic B.: Three of us booked a suite for an event that our nonprofit organization had over the weekend.  The event was hosted by Biltmore Hotel.

Upon arrival at 12:30 we were told the room was not ready and that was understandable since check-in is not until 3.  So we went to the restaurant, Mcsomething or other.  Lunch took an hour after ordering to arrive.  The restaurant was extremely understaffed.  We had met up with additional friends who were also staying at the Biltmore for the same event.  Soup was forgotten, burger cooked incorrectly, drinks took forever.  We did not ask for bread at lunch but the waitress said she would bring it three times before actually doing so.  The manager voluntarily came over and gave one of our party a free beer for the inconveniences. 

Afterwards, the room still was not ready and we were told it was another customers fault for leaving such a mess.   Two other groups in our party also had to wait hours for their rooms.  The staff offered us a downgrade which would not have worked for our particular circumstances.  By 4:15 the room still was not ready so I demanded an upgrade and was told none were available.  At no time was an ETA  on the room becoming available given.  The hotel offered us free breakfast which was useless because we had hired them to do a brunch the next morning after that evening's function.  So they offered $30 off the rate.  

I explained at this time that we had an hour and a half to dress and coordinate things with our organization before our event that evening.  The best The Biltmore Hotel could offer was to provide a single room for us to dress in.  We would then need to move to our suite late night after our event.  

Finally I suggested they give us two rooms for the price of one including the $30 discount and they agreed.  Unfortunately I had to lose my temper to get this place to agree to do anything sensible.  

I must say that the evening event and brunch were excellent and the food was exquisitely prepared.  But the waitstaff were unfriendly and clearly some of them were miserable to be reporting to work on both days.  

The rooms are terrible.  The only mirror is in the bathroom, the carpet looked dirty and you can feel the springs in your back from the mattresses.  The pillows are made of polyurethane foam.  The furniture had tears in The upholstery.  The water pressure in the shower was too low.

We expected more from this hotel which does look beautiful in its function rooms and lobby, and which boasts remarkable architecture in these areas.  But as our group is a repeat customer for the same annual event, you'd think that we would have been treated with some degree of importance.  

Stay somewhere else.  You will not be comfortable unless you're going in for an event and leaving.
2 - Elena Y.: My review is about their banquet catering service. The food was average - nothing special. The mashed potatoes were like lead - very thick and heavy. The service can be much better. Basically it was chicken breast with stuffing then carrots and mashed potatoes. Again, nothing all that special. Considering it was Biltmore, I thought they'd keep it up a notch or two even if it was probably the least expensive option. I could get the same kind of food at a Marriott, maybe better.

The waitstaff pretty much threw our dishes in front of us as if they could care less that we were there. I know that it was a group of college students but they were well-behaved and polite. It just seemed as though the staff would rather be anywhere else than there.
1 - John F.: My friends and I met in Providence for the weekend. We all booked rooms at the biltmore (my boyfriend and I the presidential suite so everyone could hangout in there and be comfortable.) The lobby is grand and large but the rooms are anything but. Even the presidential suite was completely out dated with old furniture and carpet that reeked of cigarette smoke (though it was a non smoking room) 

Long story short the experience was less than satisfying. The employees were rude. We received a noise complaint by the security staff at 10p on a Friday though a wedding party on the same floor had their music blasting since we had checked in at 6p. 

I tried to reason with the power hungry security guard and asked him to come in and see that there were 6 of us (yes having drinks) but the only thing on was the TV. He declined and threatened me with the providence police department. 

I went down to the desk and asked the staff to speak to a manager. They told me that none were available. I became irate and they indeed called the providence police to have myself and my friends "forcibly removed." The providence police officers laughed at us for even staying there but said if the biltmore staff wanted us out we had to go. I asked them to come in and see that there was no party and no damage which they did. 

I took my complaint to the BBB but efforts were fruitless. Never again biltmore...never again.
4 - lisa h.: I am in town with one of my kids who is going to a camp at the University here. We have had the trip from hell. Twenty eight hours to get from SFO to Providence, arrived with lost luggage and nothing to wear. We checked in at 4 am. It was a nightmare. 

Enter the staff. They have been AMAZING. They upgraded us to a larger room. When my daughter's luggage still wasn't here they gave me sheets and towels for her dorm room. The bell guy Brandon spent at least 30 or 40 minutes on the phone with United helping track down my luggage. The front desk women (Caitlyn and one other whose name I don't know!!)  spent time on the phone with my husband and made sure that our luggage actually got delivered while  I was delivering the sheets etc to my daughter. The staff here has gone above and beyond in helping us. 

The Biltmore is an old hotel. It's got some scars and bits and pieces are a little worn BUT that is part of it's charm. The beds are super comfy. The shower has great pressure. Room service is FAST and efficient. There is a giant walk in closet (that of course I didn't need because I had no luggage). My room is very quiet. I can't hear a thing from the people around me. 

Negatives: The bathroom counter space isn't super big. The in room coffee is Maxwell House (I'm guessing because there is a Starbucks in the lobby). The hallways and elevators are not air conditioned or very lightly and they are pretty hot (rooms are great tho)

If we return to Providence (which I am hoping we will), we will definitely stay here again. They are fabulous. 

I wish Yelp let me give 1/2 stars because I would definitely give 4 1/2!!
1 - Adrianna D.: Never in my life. This place was,dirty. The bathroom was dirty and rusting. It even had finger prints,on the window. The service was horrible. The TV was a old tube TV, where if you pressed the up button, it turned off. Horrible view. This was not the romantic week. STAY AWAY AND GO SOME WHERE ELSE.
4 - Cato M.: I've stayed here a few times with my parents and once with my girlfriend. The latter experience was fantastic - we got upgraded to a suite for Valentine's Day! Even though this hotel is about a mile from our apartment, it was a relaxing escape from the daily grind. Wonderful service, and once I can afford it, I'll definitely be coming back!
4 - Christina C.: I didn't stay here, but I parked my car and used their facilities. :)

I personally like the old school look of the hotel.  It reminds me of the Twilight Zone and the Haunted Hollywood Hotel.  There is a 1930's feel to the hotel with dimmed lights, windy staircase, old classy furniture, and gentlemen who properly open doors for you.

The valet was kind enough to let me leave my car on the drop-off area to properly say good-bye to friends who were staying there and even venture up into their room to check it out.  For the 15 minutes I was there, I was a bit charmed by the place what can I say.
2 - Ryan E.: This hotel was fine for the price and location, although it was unsettling to see that it shows up on the bed bug registry: http://bedbugregistry.com/search/hotel/l:providence,-ri/

In any case, the stay was fine. Then, a month and a half later I notice a charge on my credit card for about $60. I called the hotel and gave them my name and reservation date and it took them 10 minutes to find my information. I explained that there was this erroneous charge on my card and I wanted an explanation. Finally they determined that Hotels.com, the website I reserved the room through, didn't pay them their fee, they decided to charge my card instead. Interesting. I had cancelled a reservation and then reserved the room again after our travel plans had changed. The room was paid in full, but apparently because they had some issue getting money from Hotels.com (Expedia) they just decided they'd sneak a $60 charge onto my credit card! Needless to say I won't be using Hotels.com and I won't be staying at the Providence Biltmore ever again.
3 - Marjorie Stewart B.: I have stayed here twice in the past three months. Both times I booked this hotel for work purposes and chose it based on rate and proximity to the city center. I stayed in the junior suite rooms, because they are more spacious and have kitchens. This is a very large hotel with a historic feel in the common areas, which I liked.

 I'm going to highlight the good and the bad based on my personal experience.

Check-in : Easy

Car Storage: There is a parking garage behind the hotel you can use, or, for a few dollars more, valet it. The valet/concierge staff seemed pretty awesome. 

Room and room condition: Upon my first visit I had a lovely view of the city on a top floor. Upon my second visit I had a not so lovely view of the parking garage, level to my window. I did feel like the second time around my room may have been slightly cheaper, thus the not as desirable downgrade The bathroom and room was overall in better shape on my first visit. Both rooms did not have flatscreen TVs. During both stays the sheets and bathrooms appeared to be very clean-- which now ranks among top priority for me after a recent bad hotel experience. It was comforting to find consistency in cleanliness. What I did not like was that there was an issue with hot water the second time around-- the shower water was lukewarm at best and the sink water did not warm up at all. Not that awesome. Also the heat wasn't working in my room. I'm sure if I said something they would have switched me out but I couldn't afford the lost time because I was working.
My colleague stayed at this hotel as well and she booked what resembled a penthouse suite-- that room was several times nicer than mine-- modern appliances, nicer lighting, better bed, huge room, flatscreen TV. So basically the more money you pay the better the condition and care of the room. It made returning to my room feel pathetic.

Location and Amenities: Very close to a large shopping mall, great views of the city from upper levels of the hotel, there is a Starbucks connected to the hotel as well as a restaurant that I dined at and enjoyed my meal and drinks there. A business center is on site. There is a beautiful outdoor deck however appeared to be locked when I tried to access it. Not sure if it is open to the public or not, but is located on the third floor. I don't feel comfortable walking alone on some streets within a mile of the hotel at night. But during the day I feel fine.

Internet: I am in town for work and both times found the internet to be mostly adequate for my needs. Internet is free as of the time of this review. Sometimes the connection was fast and sometimes it was slow. 

Noise: Expect to hear a muffled version of the hustle and bustle of transportation and such. Perhaps some voices yelling from the nearby sidewalk late at night. Nothing out of the ordinary for a city. It isn't that bad, from my experience. I have not been able to hear my neighbors either time-- ideal scenario.

Personal Peeves: I arranged this hotel stay twice through a popular business travel booking site that my company uses. Both times I was told breakfast was complimentary during the checkout process, but at the front desk they tell me each time this is not true. I don't know who is responsible for this mistake-- the booking site or the hotel itself....but it does sort of annoy me because it is something they guarantee online. When I mentioned this to the front desk guy he asked if a free appetizer at their restaurant would be sufficient enough, and I said that would work. Little did I know that when I get back to my room the free appetizer card is subject to the purchase of two entrees at the restaurant!! I looked, and the entrees range from $16 up. I am traveling solo. I had mentioned to the front desk attendant I was in town for business and from his end of the desk he can see that I booked the room for 1 person. He knew this before issuing the free appetizer card and I'm assuming he knows how the free appetizer card works because there was a stack of them next to him. That was annoying.

If you are on a budget and want to stay in a decent hotel, this would be the one.  I think the affordable fees require the hotel to cut corners where they can, without compromising on housekeeping. I hope that area continues to shine.

My experience at this hotel has been mediocre-- not terrible enough to write it off but not awesome enough to look forward to a return visit.
1 - Lauren G.: I had high hopes for this hotel based on the other reviews... but instead, I left extremely disappointed. 

Basic takeaway-- do not use this hotel for wedding room blocks!  
We were in town for a wedding at a different venue but were told to stay at the Biltmore, where the couple had reserved a block of rooms.  The wedding started at 3 and check-in was at 3. We called and tried to get an early check in and were told that they could not guarantee a room. Instead, they told us to arrive early on the day-of and put our names on the list to get the first available room. What is this.. Chili's?  

Anyway, we got there at 11:30a and put our name on the list. It creeped past 2 and still no room.  2:30, I had to start doing my make up in the hotel's main bathroom and  was about to bust out my curling iron too when, at 2:50p we receive a call telling us our room was ready. Oh great, a full 10 minutes to get dressed, made-up, hair done, and out the door for a black tie wedding.  We barely made the shuttle and had to finish getting ready on the shuttle to the wedding.   My friends never got into their room before the wedding (got a call at 3:17... when we were already at the wedding...helpful).  The staff was unapologetic and just kept repeating the mantra "check in is at 3pm."  

Apparently they had numerous other weddings that day and, shockingly, people actually wanted to get into their rooms to get dressed before those weddings too.  
I have never experienced such a mismanaged hotel.  If you have 3-4 wedding blocks at your hotel one night, maybe you bring in a few extra members of the housekeeping staff so that you can clean rooms quickly and people can actually check in. 

In addition to the extreme frustration of checking in, we were really let down by the hotel itself.  The Biltmore is something like a Monet. It's very old and pretty from afar, but when you get up close you realize it's not really that attractive and you can't understand what they hype is all about. The rooms were small, the bathroom dingy, and everything looked like it needed an update to this century.  

Will not be staying here again... ever.

Biltmore at Midtown - Atlanta, GA (33.7778368, -84.3867139) (Midtown)
4 - Emily G.: I don't live here, but I have pre-gamed in these apartments so often that I feel that I can pass on some healthy advice to others consider it for housing.

THE GOOD
Location, location, location. Its right in front of Cypress pint & plate, which is always a good time. You are also walking distance to Publix, CVS, Macs' Liquor store (hurray!) and other immediate-need shops. This makes it a lot easier to just take a stroll (exercise!) to buy that last forgotten item and not feel like its a huge drag to get your car and worry about parking. It is also near a bunch of decent restaurants located on Peachtree - from Taco Mac to Vortex, Steel, fancy restaurants, or jimmy johns and Arbys.

Its super close to the Midtown N4 MARTA station. This way, you can just hop on if you don't have a car or don't feel like driving through the nasty ATL Traffic jams. If you are a student, you can walk to the GT campus and get to Tech Square in under 5mins (which has a Starbucks, a barber shop and other restaurants). 

The apartments themselves have a lovely patio with cabanas, tables and grills with a gas line (so you don't need to buy coals or anything). The patio area is always kept clean and is rarely used. They have a tiny fountain but it needs some work (it currently looks like a water house shooting upwards for like 5inches.. not that great).

The one-bedrooms are spacious and have a great view of the Biltmore and downtown. The tenants are young and everyone seems to get along. The gym downstairs is small and not awesome, but it has the bare necessities and its often empty, so not a bad choice if you don't feel like driving to a gym or running outside.

THE BAD
Really bad city noise. Although being in front of Halo can be considered a plus if you're a party person, you might not like it as much if you are a light sleeper. They have parties pretty much every weekday night, and it usually ends up with super loud belligerent people screaming and honking their horns until at least 4am.  Not that great when you have class or work the next day and aren't drunk yourself.

Parking inside for visitors is a bit of a pain. They have limited visitor spots and most of them are "24hr reserved" so you can't park in them anywhere. Kinda defeats the purpose of having an apt in such an awesome location if you can't bring friends to party with.

No pool. Boo.. this really sucks because a lot of midtown apartments have them and come very much in handy during the summer time or as a cool hang out spot to meet your neighbors or bring friends.

Some minor issues with the heater not working during the really cold days and thin walls allowing you to hear your neighbors (which sometimes you really really really don't want to).

Overall experience =good.
5 - Jennie K.: I spent a year and a half here - my longest apartment stay to date!!

While the staff in the office seems to change rather quickly, Tim, the maintenance guy is so on top of things. He's super nice and helpful whenever something is wrong. Even the substitute maintenance guys are awesome when they have to come over from neighboring Post properties to help out after hours and such!! Not to mention, the laundry room is run by another company but is always being fixed within a day of a washer/dryer breaking!

Parking is definitely adequate, but I think Post rents out to local businesspeople during the day, so it's far easier to get a spot on your floor/a lower floor anytime except 8a-5p hours. Never had a car break-in (I don't leave *anything* in the car though, not even spare change.)

I have had a bit of a noise problem as I can hear music from below and above me, but management does everything it can to help with it. I had a crappy neighbor for a long time, who wouldn't answer the door for the uniformed APD courtesy officer who paid her a visit at 2am...but that is not Post's fault.  My apartment faced the courtyard so I never heard any Cypress/Halo noise...EVER.  I could hear any kind of chatter down below though (from 4th floor).

The office accepts packages and usually puts them in a locked room, even though such is not Post Properties' company policy anymore. There is Comcast service, which is good because DirecTV goes out almost every time it rains. The internet service is DirecPath which has terrible customer service but awesome speeds (10 up/10 down for $50/month.) I have been happy with how the backup power generators kick in so our complex (all but once) has stayed electronically locked even during power outages. And you can program long distance phone numbers into the call box, so there is *no excuse* for anyone not to have their guests be buzzed in.

I've felt very secure and pampered living here, but as always, it comes at a price. A high one at that. $2 per sq ft is NOT unreasonable for this place. But you just can't beat the location - walking distance to everything important:

*10 minutes to the Klaus building on GaTech campus
*5 minutes to Publix and the liquor store
*4 minutes to midtown MARTA station
*1 minute to Tech Square
*15 seconds to beer (Cypress St)
5 - chris m.: Best place in Atlanta I've lived so far, but also the most expensive - I find it's well worth the price though. FYI: I'm writing this after only living here a few months. The location is perfect; in walking distance to almost everything I go to often (school, Piedmont park, Publix, Starbucks, restaurants, shops...). Notable amenities include a great gym (as far as apartments go), and two nice patios (one on the 'rooftop'), and laundry rooms. Online payments for everything are encouraged. The staff I've met have been super nice and helpful. Again, it's expensive (to me), but you get what you pay for! I'm sure I'll renew my lease when the time comes.
2 - Alissa R.: When moving from out of state, after research we decided to put a deposit down on the Biltmore. While the staff was helpful there was a huge problem. When we came to view the apartment we were promised, it wasn't available at all. They had posted the wrong floor plan online. The apartment we had money on was completely different and smaller. While staff was accommodating, we were incredibly frustrated as we wanted a specific floor plan. Also, most apartments were not available to view as tenants have to approve you viewing them, and most don't agree to it or get back to the office staff. It's very difficult to decide on a place to live when you can't see what it's like. 
I will give the Biltmore credit. They gave us our money back without any sort of argument, but it was an incredibly frustrating process. Also,  the hallways were not for me. Outdoors, dingy, and sticky. The courtyard is being remodeled but left much to be desired. 

I would not recommend this apartment to people looking for a place to live. We found a condo(lease) for the same price with many more amenities and in an even better midtown location.

Bin 312 - Providence, RI (41.822005, -71.404415) (Fox Point)
4 - Katherine A.: Bin 312 is a nice newcomer to the area.  Its owners are passionate about their products and were excited to talk with us about their business.  With different wines to taste daily and even some food samples to compliment the beverages the salesmanship was solid.  They clearly enjoyed talking with customers and explaining the wines.  

The selection was decent for a store of its size, with an emphasis on reasonably priced wine ($10-$20).  The store is arranged differently than most: instead of by region it's by the wines' "body," with the exception of those higher-priced wines which occupy the back wall.  The store carries beer and spirits as well; the selection isn't fantastic but they've got some solid options.  

Overall Bin 312 gets a 4 because their wine selection is strong and it's the place to go if I want something special or want to find something new.  However, if you want an old standby or budget wine you're out of luck.  You can't be everything to everyone, but for the wine lover who wants good conversation and fellow enthusiasts it's a nice addition to the Main Street shopping area.
4 - Kel S.: Another great liquor store on the east side! This place will certainly give Bottles a run for their money. They have a beautiful shop, the staff was friendly, informed and helpful. It offers a nice selection of wine at reasonable prices along with a customer reward program. After I was rung up, the owner even brought my purchase to my car for me - talk about service!
4 - Shar A.: Very impressed with the layout of the store and knowledge of the staff. As soon as we walked in, the staff shared the logic behind the layout so that we could easily find what we were looking for. Not the largest selection, but apparently they spent 3 months tasting over 1300 wines to make the selections (sounds fun!). You can find most any price point here. Great location right on Main St. Signed up for the tastings. Will definitely give one a try. They also have a rewards program.
5 - Hilary H.: My new favorite wine store in Providence? Absolutely, 100% YES!

Bin 312 is fantastic - it's a beautiful, old space updated with all the bells and whistles to make it an ideal shop in the old section of town. I had the pleasure of meeting the two owners, Tony and John, and got the full tour and break down of the shop and their philosophy. 

Everything in Bin 312 has been tasted and approved by these two gents, and everything is priced very reasonably - a large portion of the wines are under $20, and they're all promised to be quality, delicious selections. I saw several bottles that I've tried myself, and was impressed with the price point and variety.

The bottles are also organized in a thoughtful way -from the most delicate to the boldest, left to right, in terms of flavor. Very clever, indeed. Each bottle is displayed with a description and the origin, and everything is pristinely clean. 

They've also got a small collection of spirits and craft beers, each hand-selected and of excellent quality. They also have a very smart rewards program that's totally free - they track your purchases, and once you've reached a full case (no matter how many bottles you purchase at a time), they'll email you and give you a percentage off of your next purchase. Sweet!

Bin Fifty-Four - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9062374, -79.0188938) ()
5 - Mathew S.: Bin 54 is my favorite restaurant in Chapel Hill.  I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a high-end meal in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area.  Their dishes are delicately crafted from fine cuts of meat and fish.  

What I like most about Bin 54 is the simplicity of their dishes.  Everything is a la carte and served that way.  Your steak will come by itself on a plate, cooked to perfection and properly seasoned.  All sauces come on the side.  If you want something extra with your meal, order a side dish - big enough for the entire table.  

They have an excellent wine menu; wine enthusiasts will love this place!  They also have a great selection of appetizers and deserts. This restaurant is perfect for any special occasion or just for a great meal.  The ambiance is elegant the mood is relaxing.  I have never had anything short of a sublime meal here.  I can't recommend Bin 54 enough!
5 - Fred L.: This is the best steakhouse in Chapel Hill, NC.  

It is one of the three best in all of RTP, the other two being the Angus Barn and Sullivan's (a chain) both of which are in Raleigh.  There are many other good restaurants, these are the three best pure steakhouses.  

Per my company at dinner, "I love any restaurant that has scotch and wine on the left side of the menu with meat and vegetables on the right."  I've eaten here half a dozen times and never been let down.  They've got good scotch, good wine, good appetizers, good seafood and of course, great steaks.

UPDATE - 4/29/2008
We just ate here again a week back;
1.  MEAT.  The steaks were phenomenal.  We had a bone in rib eye which my wife and I split, and our friends had a sirloin and hanger steak.  Each were great and the sauces they brought out were top notch as always.

2.  SALADS / CHEESE.  We all got salads and split a cheese plate for the first course and they were very good.  I did the wedge and others had the gorgonzola / pear.  The cheeses were all very good.

3.  DESSERT.  There was a birthday in our group and they brought out a fantastic flourless chocolate tort with ice cream - it was great.

4.  WINE.  We let the sommelier pear us with two bottles of red which were both reasonable and a great compliment to the meal.

5.  COST.  We were out celebrating and our meal for four was less than what we'd spent a few weeks prior when we were out at Chamas in Durham.  There is really no comparison between these two restaurants, this number alone will keep us coming back!
5 - Sierra G.: This is one of the top restaurants in the area. The location is Glen Lennox in uncanny, but once inside you realize that you can't judge a restaurant by its neighbors in the strip mall. The decor is rich leather booths, angular glassware, bright red lampshades. For some reason whenever I eat there I am reminded of Cynthia Rowley's style. 

The sommelier is excellent and they have unique wines that are limited editions or trial runs by a winery. I'm not a red wine lover, but there is one pinot noir there that I adore. Don't be afraid to ask for suggestions....they know their wine. For Bin's fare....everything I've had I have thoroughly enjoyed . I have heard that their scallops are their signature dish, but I have yet to try it.  Steak is their specialty and they have a variety of prime cuts and complimentary sauces. The serve their sides family style so everyone at the table gets to sample the offerings. The chedder jalepeno polenta is delicious and I have yet to see another restaurant attempt a similar dish. The sweet potato puree is also very popular and has a hint of ginger ( I think). Overall, you cannot go wrong here.....everything is fresh and the service is impeccable. I personally prefer Bin 54 to Ruth Chris in all aspects
3 - Kun P.: Tell me I went on a bad night; Tell me we chose the bottle of 91 Ridge Monte Bello that didn't go a bit sour; and please tell me they understand the concept of "Pittsburgh rare". So as soon I walk in, I ask for an Americano. They started prepping the espresso machine. Gah.

Sure, I'll put my flame suit on. For the price we paid to enjoy the reputation of this so proclaimed steakhouse of Chapel Hill, I was utterly disappointed. But that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. It's just that the two most important items that makes a great steakhouse failed to please; which is not the most amicable first impression.

For appetizer, I had quail. Lovely concoction of flavor, smokiness, and hints of fruit/honey/citrus. The watercress/endive salad left a lingering taste of a mixed array of packed fruit flavors, with the prominent hint of walnuts leaving a sweet end note. Mind you, the appetizers and salad was excellent. This was off to a good start.....

So then there was the sommelier... he was okay at best in his knowledge of wine. He definitely pushed the sticker rather than being descriptive/patient. But the most disappointing part of the meal was his lackluster response to our disappointment with the 91 Ridge Monte Bello. "The cork is known to crumble". Ok, he said this before he opened it, which is fine. We needed a decanter. Fine. It didn't taste right. And we were open about it. And.....? Wow, some nerve. We're not the type of people to get a free bottle of wine, but we're not here to get stiffed, either. The sheer fact of remiss on his part just left a negative taste in my mouth. 

Now on to the steak. Had the dry aged strip. It was dry aged, but still not mature. I asked for "Pittsburgh rare" (charred on outside, rare on inside), and I got a lukewarm medium strip. Gah. It was just so so. The mushroom ragout was over sauteed.

For dessert, we had flourless chocolate cake, and the sorbet sampler. Good tarts in the sorbet, and the chocolate cake was indulging, but a bit heavy (mind you, I lack the penchant for desserts in the first place, so to say I enjoyed it is not an understatement).

Don't think I'd want to come back here. For the price, it just wasn't worth it. If I did come back , I'd breeze past the bar, get an appetizer or two, and a dash of dessert. Am I allowed to do that?
5 - Henry S.: Glen Lennox is not known for its fine eating establishments, but I think it might start earning that reputation is restaurants as good as Bin 54 and Jujube keep coming in. Bin 54 is a steakhouse with an air of class and elegance. I had the ribeye here, and was blown away by how tender the meat was. I had heard good things, but this steak seemed to melt in my mouth it was so well-prepared. The prices are steep, so don't go expecting to find a value, but worth it. The service is world-class and so is the meat- I'd say this place is a contender for one of the best restaurants in the entire Raleigh/Durham area. Don't forget to dress up if going here though, I didn't see a single man without a jacket in the whole place.
4 - Johnny L.: Alright, so I lack all that is adventurous in new food (sometimes) and keep going back to my same old haunts, gimme a break, there is a reason!!.  For example, Bin 54, especially in the current financial climate and Tuesday being the second day of the week.  Why you ask???  Hells bells, man/woman/child, it's because Tuesday's at the Bin are 1/2 off bone-in nights.  No, that isn't a reference to Caligula or a sexually activated protest, rather, a night in which the bone-in porterhouse or ribeye is at half price!!!  That coupled with the fact that the porterhouse is 32 ounces and the ribeye is 22 ounces, the four of us split two dishes and still waddled out the door.

They also have a great wine menu, though, obviously, the alcohol price is fairly Jacked up.  Had a great Pinot, though.  Dessert was very good also, espresso crème brûlée.

I'd say go, especially on Tuesday's.  Otherwise, best sell a kidney on the way over.  Or, in my case, have someone else pay!!!  :)
5 - Sara A.: Bin 54 lived up to its reputation as the best steakhouse in Chapel Hill. Everything was fantastic -- the food, the wine, the dessert, the service, the atmosphere. The servers were very attentive and although everything was great, I got the impression they would have taken immediate steps to correct anything less than stellar. We talked to the sommelier (a woman) who was very helpful in pointing out some good wines that were more reasonably priced (well, considering where we were) when I described what I liked. 

The steak I had was fantastic. I like how everything is a la carte - you can pick your steak, and your sauce (they offer suggestions of what goes together, but it's really whatever you want), and your sides, which are big enough to share. There were also 8 - 10 sauces to choose from, and they ranged from classic bernaise sauce to the more unusual, which was awesome. It's fun to go here with a small group, say 4 - 6 people, and share a bunch of sides so you can taste a bunch of things. Everything tasted fantastic -- I can't express that enough. Truffle mac and cheese - yum!

Really the only downside is for the quality, service, and atmosphere, expect to pay a lot. If you wanted to try it and save money, sit at the bar and split stuff. You'll still be plenty stuffed.
5 - Mark A.: It's been a while since I've been here but I have to include it in the restaurants on my profile. this is my FAVORITE restaurant in the Triangle. Where it is very expensive, it is worth every dollar. The steaks are only the highest quality, cooked perfectly, the sides are all amazing and every time I go, I discover a wonderful wine from suggestions. Their staff has a verygood knowledge of the menu, which, to me, is very important. The last time I went, I learned of Paradigm...Great wine list. 
This is the kind of restaurant that you can't worry about cost when you go. A great meal is to be a dining experience and Bin 54 gives you that. Just be perpared to spend no less than $50-75 per person and you will love this place as much as I do.
4 - David W.: This is probably the best steakhouse in Chapel Hill and the best spot to come to if you want to celebrate an occasion or just relax with a low key meal.  It's pretty dead during the week now because of their prices.

For appetizers we started off with a melted cheese dish that was ok, nothing special, but we also had the steak tartare that was really good.  For the steak I got a rib eye, it was pretty good though I think it was a little over priced ($60).  For sides we got the creamed spinach, cheddar grits and bacon, and the wood roasted potatoes.  All 3 sides were good, and the cheddar grits definitely exceeded expectations.  I got the vanilla cheesecake for dessert which was a great ending to the meal.

Overall we spent about $100/person on this meal after tax and tip without drinks.  We got a lot of food and you can easily get a good meal here for about $80/person.  I think they might still have 1/2 price steaks on Tuesday nights as well so I would definitely take advantage of that.
2 - Hoa N.: okie... I would love to give this restaurant a better rating but many things happen and I have to knock down one star after another.
Went here for dinner with a friend for a special occasion.  Based on the glamorous review, I expected it to be a good meal.  

The foie gras was very good (totally recommended : although you got to eat it fast, otherwise, it's kind of stinking in the end).  The salad was okie... wasn't the freshest but it's good.  

The entree:  fillet mignon was too dry and a little bit over-cooked in in addition to its salt make it pretty hard to eat and the presentation wasn't very pleasing either.  You would have thought with the amount of money that we paid... at least the presentation should be taken into consideration... no, it wasn't.  So when the dish came out, I was so disappointed to see how poorly it was presented.  (seriously... they could have done better)

We called for the Veal dish which was too chewy and not tender at all make it so hard to actually eat.  As above, the dish came out so disappointing that it made me feel like I don't want to eat it at all.  The presentation was poor and it didn't taste so good either.

But I can forgive the food if the service was good.  ... unfortunately, we were not treated very nicely at all.  The waiter was inattentive.  I understand that we all love to have good memories... but sometimes a notebook to write down order would have been way more useful and nicer than asking your customers 3 times to make sure the order was correct.  Imagine, trying to raise your voice in a crowded restaurant to see if it is a pleasant scene.  Even when taking order, the waiter did not even stand close to our table to repeat back the other... it was almost like he was half way listening... half way... busy doing something else.  The whole thing was just so awkward.  Not only that... the service was not good at all.  The waiter even criticized my question when I asked him something... I was in complete shock.   It was just plain rude!  Water was not refilled for a long time.  

So overall, I had better meal with better experiences at different restaurant.... my experience here was just not good.  I hope they can improve in the future.  But for now, I wouldn't recommend it unless you get a different waiter who hopefully will be nicer.  It might have been a bad night.. and I'm not sure I would recommend it to anyone... the ambience is night although some of the seating could have been better positioned.  It's just weird to eat with people facing on your side watching you eating...

Anyway, I wish it was better.. but 2 stars for now!
5 - Minh T.: This is one of the best restaurants in RTP.  The wine, service, and food were all top notch.

We had maybe a party of 12 and they didn't skip a beat.  The setting is intimate, but you can still host a business meeting.

Yes it's expensive, but well worth it.  And considering RTP has the highest concentration of PhDs in the world, I think most people can afford it for special occasions.

If you're passing through or if you have an expense account/per diem, skip Ted's, The Cheesecake Factory, and PF Chang's.  Go here or take your clients here!
4 - Dane M.: I ate dinner in the bar and had a great experience.  The service was consistent and readily available without being overly attentive.  The bartender was my server with staff assistance which was executed smoothly.

My appetizer (scallops with truffled potato puree), salad (baby lettuce with balsamic) and entree side (twice baked potato) were well above average with an extra touch adding to each dish except for the salad, with was expectedly simple.

The filet was not spectacular, but it may be just a different in preparation style. Being from the Pacific Northwest and visiting Durham for business, I'm used to broiled steaks (and not the oily Ruth's Chris style) instead of flame grilled.  I prefer the juicy, soft exterior of broiled preparation to the drier, crispy grilled style, but it still came out a perfect medium rare.  I got the blue cheese butter on the side, but you can skip it or choose something else. It hardly tasted like blue cheese, or butter for that matter... the flavor was way too light to stand up to the beef.

This was a solid 4 star experience for me, but I do agree that the prices are a bit steep.  With beef cuts all in the $30+ range (where's the sirloin cut?), and all accompaniments on the menu at around $10 or higher, it adds up real quick.  I left just over a hundred dollars lighter which included a decent glass of wine.

I'd come back if I was in the area.  I enjoyed the atmosphere and the food is commendable.
2 - Pourina R.: First off, let me just say that I did not have high expectations for this establishment. My dining experience was on a major holiday (Valentines Day) so I did have my reservations about the meal and was most definitely not expecting perfection. I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. 

BUT we had an early dinner around 6:30 and the restaurant was not near crowded. The meal was prefix (prix fixe whatever =D ) and with pricing at $80 a person, there was no excuse for second rate service or food. So with all that into consideration, I am deeply disappointed. 

So lets get down to it. I had crab cakes as an appetizer. Can't go wrong with crab cakes right? Eh, they were mediocre.....a darn shame. They weren't crispy enough. There were large lumps of crab, but it was prepared much like a salad and too wet. It was only seared on one side and not even to a golden crisp. My date had seared scallops. No complaints here. It was tasty and she also enjoyed it. 

For our entrees I had the filet and my date had veal chops. It might have been one of the worst filets I've ever had. It was chewy. Not ribeye chewy, but chewy. Filets should NOT be chewy like a Dennys sirloin. Okay not that bad, but you get my drift, lol. But chewy was just the beginning. It was also cold. Not just cold, almost tuna sashimi cold. I don't know how long it was sitting. My potatoes had already had that dry skin on top. (for lack of a better description - You know the skin that develops when something has been sitting out for a few minutes, like on coffee). I guess my meal was finished first and they needed to finish my date's meal. Her veal though, was not bad. She too enjoyed it..well at least for a short while.......

As the hostess was seating a couple next to us, she somehow dropped the menu right onto my date's meal. It didn't plop right flat on top, but a good portion of the menu smacked her veal chop and potatoes. I don't know about you, but that made me lose my appetite considering how many hands touch menus. The hostess just apologized and kinda walked away nonchalantly. My date being the nice sweet gal she is of course said it was okay, but didn't touch her meal after that. 

For desert I had a tart. I forget my date's dessert, my apologies. My tart was umm..okay. The pastry portion was umm..dry and hard. Presentation was great though, I'll give them that. 

For a fine dining establishment, I expected much better service from management. We shouldn't have to make a scene or send the entree back to the kitchen for someone to acknowledge us and/or their mistakes - Specifically dropping the menu on top of a customers dinner. 

Maybe we can blame the hostess? Either way, for a $160 meal not including drinks and tip, there is NO excuse. I was not a happy camper. 

Before I go, I forgot to talk about aesthetics...Ambiance and decor = Mas romantico and I mean Mas.
4 - Eric H.: Near perfection.

The place has an uppity appearance and feel, but they still welcome people who are a bit dressed down. I would not recommend being dressed down though because you will feel out of place, I know I did. The steak was amazing, it melts in your mouth and is perfectly cooked to order. I took a star because of two reasons, the first being they had a very poor  selection of beers on tap, oh wait they had none. The second reason being for the price to portion ratio. For a $45 steak I would think a little more size would be coming to me. 

All in all I would recommend this place to anybody looking to spend a bit for a mighty good piece of steak.
1 - Ardi K.: I went there during the valentine's day with no date :(
I sat at the bar and asked for a 10 ounce filet with french fries.  The bartender said you can't order 10 ounce filet and have to order 7 ounce filet (don't remember the exact numbers).  I asked why and she said I have to order from the special Valentine's day menu.  She also said that I can't order french fries either, because we have a very small kitchen.  I finally had enough BS excuse, politely got off my seat and left the restaurant.  I can't help but to think that they were not happy serving a single person while there are plenty of couples waiting for seats.  That was the last time I went to that pretentious restaurant.
5 - Lauren C.: Amazing steak restaurant in Chapel Hill.  The filet is incredible.  The cheese and bacon grits are amazing.  I would skip the pureed potatoes next time.  But the sauteed spinach is soooooo good!

Service could have been a little more attentive and detail-oriented but overall a great night out!
5 - Jeff B.: Forget these negative reviews. I've eaten at many restaurants in the Triangle, and Bin 54 is as good as it gets.  In terms of appetizers, the grilled house cured double bacon, the scallops, and the foie gras mousse are all fabulous. The wedge salad is cool, crunchy, and blue cheesy.  The steaks are top quality; they are well cooked and flavorful.  The wine selection is very good and the sommelier is very down-to-earth and helpful.   Take a business client or your date, and know that you will have a good meal.
4 - Andrew D.: Like a good steakhouse, it's expensive.

Sit at the bar and share stuff, and your bill will merely be "high". 

It is very good.
3 - Will C.: Overpriced unless you are on an expense account and even then you feel taken advantage of.  The waiter forgot our appetizer, we had 2 bottles of nice wine, there were only 5 tables full in the place but it still felt like they were trying to rush us out the door.  It has a great decor and feels like you are 500 miles away at a great steak house in NY but in the end it just doesn't compare.  Exercise caution.
5 - Caroline S.: I love Bin 54!  This is the best restaurant in the area.  The food and the atmosphere are great, plus the staff are so friendly and helpful.  For the area I can see why some would say it is expensive, but coming from nyc, this restaurant is perfectly reasonable and the food is as good as you would find in any top nyc steakhouse.  Will continue to come back here regularly.
5 - Ian P.: Unbelieveable steaks and crabcakes.  This place has by far the best steak I have ever had, and I am a big steak fan.  I had the 28 day dry aged New York Strip and it was the most flavorful piece of beef I have ever eaten.  The crab cake is all top quality crab, not a bunch of bread crumbs and flour like most places.  Be prepared to spend some money here, but if you are looking for top quality food this is the place and it is well worth it.
4 - Jared W.: Good steak, nice decor.  No major surprises or major bargains; just properly prepared steak with good sauce.  Fries were also good.  Expensive.
5 - Will H.: Bin 54 is excellent and certainly earns it reputation as one of the best restaurants in Chapel Hill.  When I ate here it was an experience rather than just a meal.  The waitstaff was top-notch and knew everything about the dinner menu, wines, etc.  They will take your coat, place your napkin, refill you wine and suggest entrees.

I had the fillet mignon, which was one of the best steaks I have ever eaten.  Tender, juicy, perfectly cooked, the works.  It was lightly seasoned and had a really great grilled steak flavor.  The goat cheese salad I had also was excellent, as were the mushroom gratin and mashed potatoes that our table shared.

Bin 54 has a nice wine list, bottled beer selection and a few drafts.  If you're not looking for quite the time or monetary commitment, I highly recommend sitting at the bar and getting one of their burgers.  They are reasonably priced, come with twelve pounds of fries and are damn good.  Skip the scallops appetizer, which, while tasty, only includes two scallops and is overpriced.  

If you're looking for a fancy dinner in Chapel Hill, Bin 54 should be on the top of your list.
5 - Stacey V.: One of the best steak restaurants in the triangle.  My boyfriend and I went for our 1  year anniversary, and it was awesome.  My boyfriend decided that Bin 54 will be his "death row" meal.  Great service, amazing food, great atmosphere.
5 - Lloyd M.: I had my best meal at Bin 54 this week.  It is normally a very solid experience, though the steaks don't match up with the top steak houses (in the area, Sullivans or even Ruth Chris).  I still think the steak is a little on the small side compared with the chains (though the price is comparable or higher) but the sides more than made up for it.  Fantastic Potatoes Au Gratin, Brussel Sprounts with Bacon and truffled Mac Cheese.  The steak might only be four star but the overall experience is 5.
4 - Erick S.: This place is great. Awesome Food, great atmosphere. I had the Foie Gras Mousse for the Appetizer, Filet Mignon, Cheddar Bacon Grits and the Truffled Four Cheese Macaroni. Everything was excellent. But I am now addicted to the Cheddar bacon grits. I am not kidding this simple dish is fantastic. 

The Filet Mignon was perfectly cooked and the staff are attentive and friendly. 

The only reason I did not give it five stars is it is a little pricey for the area it is in. But the food was excellent.
5 - julie t.: Bin 54's tagline reads "Steak and Cellar" and it totally lives up to that!

When we first walked in, we could smell delicious steaks cooking, and we knew we picked a good place. I actually found Bin 54 on yelp!

Mike was our server here and he was excellent. He was attentive and informative and pleasant.

My boyfriend and I ordered the lobster gnocchi, and the scallop appatizers. They were really tasty, more so than I expected.

I ordered a martini that had Hendricks (my usual) with cucumber an mint and some other citrus in it I think, and it was great! Very light and summery. Ed ordered a martini made with cayenne pepper, which was super tasty with a little kick at the finish. We each had wine with our steak dinners. Mike also brought some tastings for me to pick a nice red, and I went with the Malbec.

For my entree, I had the hanger steak with chimicurri sauce, and Ed had a New York Strip. We ordered them medium rare, and they were cooked perfectly, but were too cold to the touch, as though they had been sitting out waiting, before they were brought to the table. We informed Mike and he sent them back and in a couple minutes they came back out hot and still appropriately pink in the center. Perfect. Mike was very apologetic and took the wine off our tab as a courtesy, which I thought was really cool. It truly shows the values of a good establishment. I have only been to one or two other places where that was done without someone in my party requesting it.

Ed REALLY loved the house dessert which was something like a key lime pie with ladyfingers and fresh strawberry slices on top...and Ed never likes sweets. I thought it was good, but not orgasmic.

Bin 54 gets five stars from be because the food was amazing, the service was top notch and 5 star quality, the embiance was classy but not intimidating.
4 - Tammy A.: Best steak I have ever had! I ordered the filet medium and it was amazing! The service was good. Scalloped potatoes and the bread and butter were insanely good. I will certainly be back for another meal but I hope to sit in the main dining room next time. And, instead of an appetizer I am going to save room for dessert next time. One of the best restaurants in the triangle! I am sad I had not tried it years ago
5 - Mary K.: I don't even eat meat, but this was the best meal I have had in Chapel Hill. Everyone at my table was in love with their food. I had some vegetable gnocchi, a beet salad and brussel sprouts. People at the table had everything from filet mignon to tuna steak. Food was consistently described as "this is the best X" I've had or "this is one of the best X" I've had. The cocktails were also wonderful, as was the service and overall atmosphere. I highly recommend!
5 - Jen M.: Bin 54 went above and beyond the call of duty this past Saturday night. Their grill hood (?) stopped working properly a few hours before our company holiday dinner for 11 people was scheduled in the private dinning room. They solved this problem by quickly airing out the restaurant of smoke, turning away all other guests and building a fire in the grill so they could cook the steaks for our party. We had the entire restaurant to ourselves. 

The experience was spectacular in terms of service, food, wine, atmosphere, etc. The steak was the best I've ever had in my life. Other highlights were the truffle mouse appetizer and the creme brulee with outstanding butter cookies on the side. I honestly didn't expect Bin 54 to be as good as the food I was used to getting at upscale restaurants in the Bay Area where I live. I was proven wrong. The cocktails were also fabulous. I had a Manhattan that was perfect and then the bartender brought us a surprisingly light eggnog rum cocktail. Pam, the restaurant manager (I think), handled the entire situation with professionalism and I was reassured that all would be taken care of for our group. 

Excellent job, Bin 54! We really appreciate all you did to make our annual event a success!
4 - Neal G.: Went on an off night and ate at the bar.  Ordered some wine, which they were out of an offered a nicer bottle at the same price as my original order (they knocked over $30 bucks off the bottle).  Immediately showed they are first class and all about the customer.  Ordered a filet and mac/cheese for a side.  The steak was about perfect. The chef nailed the temperature and the meat was top shelf.  Mac/cheese was good and the portion could have fed 10.  I do not know what this place is like on a Saturday night, but on a slow night it was ideal.  I highly recommend it.
5 - Lyndsay K.: My hotel had a Ruth's Chris attached to it, but I've never been blown away by RC so I read the reviews of it to see if the locals had a better suggestion for me - and they did!  Enter Bin 54.

I sat at the bar and my server was just delightful!  I wish i remembered her name so I could give her credit for the great service, especially since I'm a service junkie.

But I'm also a junkie for great food and I had it here - the beef short ribs were some of the best I've had, the truffled four cheese macaroni was awesome, the haricots verts were perfectly cooked and so tasty with brown butter and almonds.

Oh yeah, and half bottles of wine!?  Yes, please!

All in all a fabulous dinner!  I'm so glad I didn't give in to the temptation of RC being downstairs when this gem was only about a 10-15 minute drive.
4 - Kristy B.: Went to Bin 54 to celebrate the hubby's birthday, and were pleased that we made a good choice. 
Upon entering on a drizzly, cool January night the smell of the wood fire was very welcoming and we very much enjoyed the darker, intimate feel of the decor. Perfect for a special night. We each tried one of the special cocktails to start, both were made well and brought promptly.
We started the meal with appetizers, having read the menu online and thinking we would want one of each they sounded so delicious. This was probably the only  disappointing part of the meal. Hubby had the lobster gnocchi and I had the foie gras mousse. I must say, I do believe my gnocchi at home are better and little more like "fluffy pillows", but the lobster was cooked perfectly. The mousse was good, however there was A LOT of it. Perhaps this was better as an app for two. I was a bit overwhelmed.
After this slight bump in the road we moved on to dinner, which was fabulous. We split the porterhouse and then ordered several sides to try; the cheesy grits, Parmesan fries and the special roasted brussel sprouts (keep in mind we took several boxes home.) The steak was perfection, spot on seasoning. You are able to pick one sauce per person as an addition, served on the side. We tried the red wine demi glace and the Bearnaise, both were great - but not even needed. The filet portion of the steak was like butter, cooked a perfect medium. The sides were spectacular. The cheesy grits had some of the smoked bacon inside, as did the wood smoked brussel sprouts. The fries were also excellent with Parmesan, rosemary and garlic - yum!
Since it was a birthday celebration, we also had dessert even though we were stuffed. Hubby had the heavenly chocolate mousse cake - divine - and I had the banana pudding. I have to say, this is the best banana pudding I have ever had at a restaurant. I am usually a stickler for a fresh banana pudding out of the oven, but Bin 54's will rate as my favorite away from home. Layer upon layer of yummy custard, banana's and cookies. (Most places short you on the cookies.) 
All in all, it was a great experience for a celebration and I know we will return for a special date night. Next time, probably skipping the apps and opting for a salad or going straight for the amazing steak and sides. 
Give Bin 54 a try!
4 - M R.: My husband and I celebrated my birthday at Bin 54 because we've heard great things about it and we knew we had to check it out.  The atmosphere is cozy, warm, friendly and comfortable.  We had a great booth and view of the room.

The service was excellent. Everyone from the hostess to the servers were welcoming and attentive.  

The food? Outstanding! The spinach salad was tasty, but the steaks were perfect. We both selected chimichurri sauce as a side to our steaks, but I felt as though it wasn't needed.  The steak stood alone quite well.  We were also treated with some chocolate truffles as a "birthday" surprise.  Amazing!  The house-made ice creams were great, too.  

The reason I'm giving Bin 54 four stars is because even though we loved the sauteed spinach side, it was quite salty. I know, I'm in a steakhouse.  Salt is the first ingredient in everything.  But, they could have toned it down a bit.  Also, as the place filled up, it took a really long time to get a refill on wine.  I ate my entire entree without wine (having ordered it well before), so the timing wasn't ideal.

We will definitely go back to Bin 54.  Can't wait!
2 - Chaz B.: Salty.... Nice people. Nice place.  Very salty
4 - Sarge R.: Let me start by saying this should be a 4.5, but it's not an option here! The food is outstanding, albeit very expensive! Spinach salad was fresh and very tasty. Added bacon and pistachio nuts to salad provide a flavor that can only be understood by experiencing. The NY Strip and Filet Mignon are delicious, and cooked perfectly. The Mushroom Ragout, hands down, was the best I ever had. Green beans were very good, and they have a little crunch to them, which is perfect to me. The bottle of unsweetened ice tea was great, never seen it before; loved it! The Brandy Alexander, quite simply, was out of this world. And the final icing on the cake, if your will, was the Crème Brûlée. I could have had two of them, but I was stuffed! The atmosphere is a bit dark for me, dark tables, red cloth on walls; a tad dark to my preference, but it took  nothing away from the food! Bathrooms were spotless. So why 4.5 stars? Strangely enough,  our server! Just not friendly. If I was working in a place with prices like this I would be every customers best friend! Think of one word, TIPS! We felt like we were a burden to her. The entire time we noticed other servers interacting with their tables, in a professional way. We just didn't have that feel. I actually had a hostess take our picture! Never have done that! When she did talk to us, she was professional, but not friendly. If it was just based on food, it's a Five Star! When you get your tax refund, give it a try. Just kidding, great for those special occasion dinners, or if you earn enough for a dinner for two running $155.00, without t the tip, and with the one Brandy Alexander. It's worth it though!
5 - Amanda B.: Absolutely outstanding all the way around...food, atmosphere, service and wine selection.  My favorite!!!
5 - Brittany W.: I'm not big into steak but Bin-54 is delicious. My boyfriend and I have eaten here multiple times and we always get the steak tar tar and the sliders, both are excellent. I think the best steak tar tar I've had so far. Wine list is extensive and the cocktail menu is wonderfully put together, Service is always impeccable and on point.

We always suggest this for anyone new to the area or anyone who hasn't tried it yet!
5 - John D.: Knock knock
Who is there?
Fancy
Bin 54 has always been a mystery shrouded in rumors of diamond encrusted flatware. "Mystery no more", I say! We dined on August 19th to such delight. The food was magical to the point I refused to take leftovers (so as not to sully the memory with the microwave). Bin 54 is now my go to for special occasion dining. Hip hip hooray!!

The steak was a little undercooked. Meh.
3 - Sarah M.: I was pretty let down by this place. I brought a group of 6 here for a birthday celebration. For an appetizer we got the cheese plate, which was a hit. For dinner I got the New York strip and requested it Medium Rare. However, it came out medium well. We were on a schedule so I didn't have time to send it back and order a new one. For a steak house, I was very disappointed in their steak and assumed they should have known how to cook a medium rare steak, but it ruined my evening. An associate of mine had the duck, which I would recommend over their steak.

Bindle & Keep - New York, NY (40.8014275, -73.9652171) (Manhattan Valley)
5 - chris d.: At 6'5" I'm not the easiest guy to fit for a suit. Even with "long" lengths, the proportions aren't quite right and require pretty substantial tailoring to get a decent fit.

I've been to other NYC based MTM/custom clothiers with mixed results. Some nailed it out of the gate but delivered months later than promised. Others offer limited fabric selections, place you in the awkward position of paying 100% up front and all alteration costs out of pocket, or come back with garments that make you wonder if they even bothered to check them against your measurements. 

I had none of those issues with Bindle & Keep. They fit me on short notice for an upcoming wedding. Their measurements were comprehensive, they had a great selection of fabrics, and most importantly they had me in my suit exactly when they said they would. There were a few minor adjustments to get everything just right but but I can't complain - they had everything totally dialed in within two fittings and quick turnaround on the alterations. 

Thanks guys!
5 - Jennifer p.: I wanted to get a great gift for my boss this year, who I have to say is quite a picky guy! I knew that asking Daniel, the co-owner of Bindle and Keep, for a custom made suit would be a sure bet on getting something with high quality.  I watched the whole process from the measurements, to the follow up phone calls, to needing any additional tailoring (which in the end wasn't needed at all!) 
The product was beautiful, up to date, and of beautiful quality!
Bravo Daniel! thanks for making me look so good, and yeah, thanks for making my boss look good too!!

Best, 
Jen
5 - Dan F.: I needed a suit for my wedding in June and spent a bunch of time this past spring at all the typical high end men's stores, bespoke tailors, etc. trying things on and trying to get over my sticker shock at the prices. Then I contacted Bindle & Keep. Co-owner Daniel came over to my place after work, took my measurements, offered me a bunch of options for cut, fit and customization, and pulled literally dozens of fabric swatches out of his bag for me to choose from. We had a great time, and he really put me at ease in terms of decisionmaking, price, and timing (especially since I had kind of waited til the last minute to deal with the fitting). Six weeks later he was back with the finished suit, and it literally fit me better than any other piece of clothing I have ever owned! No joke. My fiancee freaked out about how nice it looked, my wedding went fabulously, and I now own the hottest suit ever... Score.
5 - Peter H.: After some less than desirable results with other MTM shops in NYC and online MTM shirts, I've had fantastic results with Bindle & Keep. I'm extremely pleased with the end product as well as the customer service both during and after the delivery has been outstanding. After purchasing one suit I went back for two more. 

Options: Very good selection of fabrics at different price points as well as all the normal custom options.

Price: Reasonable. You can't expect to skimp on a MTM suit and get good results. B&K's prices are very reasonable for what you get (including free alterations).

Customer Service: Outstanding. Very attentive, responsive and fair. The whole experience with B&K was very "personal" and I felt like my business was important, no matter what I was purchasing. Thankfully I had no issues, but I'm confident that Daniel would work to promptly rectify any issues and would not rest until every customer is satisfied.

Thanks for the great suits!
1 - Hal H.: I've always wanted a custom suit so after a friend had a suit made by these guys that he liked I decided to try it out. I had an initial meeting with Daniel, the co-owner of the company, that went so-so. I say so-so because it started raining about half hour before our appointment and when I called him to confirm he told me he wouldn't be able to make it on time because his bag couldn't get wet. We wound up meeting about 4 hours past the original time we were supposed to meet and it went fine but I thought it was strange that his whole business came to a halt because of the rain. The only thing he brought to the appointment were some books of fabric swatches that could have easily been put in a plastic bag. It was strange but I still decided to make an appointment for a fitting. 

I made my fitting appointment about two weeks in advance and Daniel told me that he wouldn't be doing the fitting himself but would be sending one of his tailors. This was a fitting for my wedding suit so I had my father, best man and another good friend join me. The buzzer at the apartment where we had the fitting was broken but I wasn't  too worried since Daniel had my cell number and obviously would have given it to his guy. Our appointment was at 3pm so when I hadn't heard anything at 3:05 I went downstairs to check. No one was there. We waited. Just before 3:15 I went down again. No one there. In the meantime I'm texting, emailing and calling Daniel to no avail. At 3:25 I go down and again no one is outside. I'm still trying to get hold of Daniel and not having any luck. My dad came into the city from Long Island. My best man left his two kids to come to the East Village from Washington Heights. This is embarrassing and I'm getting pissed off. At around 3:45 I call Daniel and leave my second message for him and I couldn't mask my annoyance. I said 'You're guy was supposed to be here. What the f*ck! This is bullsh*t!' I was not screaming at him by the way, I was just letting him know that I was upset. About ten minutes after that message I get a text from Daniel saying that his guy was there and had been waiting for 20 minutes (wrong) and that I should never swear at him again (I didn't swear AT him, I simply cursed twice and feel that I was well within my rights). He asked if I wanted him to send the tailor back to the apartment. I told him yes please send the tailor back but I explained that I had gone downstairs 3 times within the half hour and his guy wasn't there and I asked for an apology. His response? "Hal do you wan't me to cancel the appointment because I will." So he hasn't apologized at all and instead has threatened to cancel on me. I tell him I don't want to cancel.

So the tailor comes over and by this point my best man has to leave. I've already got a bad taste in my mouth and I'm considering canceling the appointment myself now but I've brought these people together and I need a suit so I go forward with it. I ask the tailor to see the two swatches of fabric that Daniel had helped me pick out at our preliminary meeting. He has no idea what I'm talking about because Daniel never told him about the fabrics I picked. So now we have to start from scratch and look through all the swatch books. Then I asked the tailor to see choices for buttons which I specifically asked Daniel about two times before the appointment and which Daniel told me the tailor would have. No buttons. We continue with the fitting which takes a bit over an hour and when it's done I make a deposit on my credit card. I should have been excited but after all the weird shit that had gone down I wasn't. 

Here's where it gets interesting. The next day I receive a text from Daniel- "Canceling your transaction. Your cc will not be charged. If you'd like to explore another custom suit company I suggest..." And he gives me the name of another company and tells me that if I say he sent me they'll give me a good deal. What!? He makes his tailor do a full fitting. He wastes nearly two hours of my time. He doesn't apologize. And he cancels my transaction! Why? Because I swore on the phone after his guy didn't show up!!! This guy is the MOST UNPROFESSIONAL person I have ever dealt with. At first I tried to talk about it with him but it was pointless (and I was crazy for even wanting to work it out with him).  He also texted me this 'Hal, after your voicemail, we don't owe you anything. Just as you choose your custom suit company we choose our clients.' This dude is ridiculous and if you care at all about customer service or just being treated decently by the person you're doing business with you won't deal with this company. They're a joke. 

In the end I went over to Ben Sherman and found a badass suit straight off the rack, in the color that I was looking for and it fits me to a T. And it cost about $200 less than the suit I had "purchased." Seriously stay away from this company at all costs.
5 - Rick G.: I just bought my second suit from Bindle and Keep and have never been happier with the way a suit looks, feels and fits. My first suit is a herringbone blue and second is lighter weight gray. Both fit perfectly and have unique attributes that draw compliments everywhere I go. There are hundreds of options and combinations that include everything from contrast stitching, buttons, and button placement to the number of pockets, vents, etc. It's easy to get overwhelmed given the number of options, and the tailors/salesmen are well trained in helping the customer navigate the process.  Further, co-founders Daniel and David are extremely professional; they see customers as clients to whom they're providing a service that far surpasses simply selling a suit.
5 - sarah d.: My boyfriend recently received two suits from Bindle and Keep. Both fit him like a charm and look great. The process to get the suits was very simple and to the point, Daniel helped him with professional recommendations for color picks and assisted through various fittings. Bindle and Keep definitely takes some of the painful steps out of suit shopping by coming to their customer. All in all it's a great product and super convenient.
5 - New Y.: My boyfriend has gotten multiple suits from Bindle & Keep, and I have worked with Daniel for my non-profit, and I cannot say enough good things about Bindle & Keep.

Daniel and his tailor originally measured my boyfriend for a suit he purchased via Gilt City.  Even with the discounted suit, Daniel worked incredibly hard to make sure my boyfriend was happy.  As is often the case with custom suits, the first time there were a few fit issues, and Daniel was amazing at working through them.  He helped fix all the issues, and even ended up giving my boyfriend an extra pair of pants to go with his new suit  The suit now fits perfectly and my boyfriend has purchased additional suits since then from Daniel, all of which he loves.

Daniel has also been very generous, and has worked with me and the non-profit for which I volunteer and has offered us two custom suits and custom shirts for the males in attendance.  

In terms of suit pricing - I would say Daniel is incredibly reasonable versus other tailors in the city for the same quality.
5 - Brian S.: I don't normally write reviews, but after dealing with Daniel and his tailor I really felt compelled to.

As you would expect, their materials are top quality and their fit and finish is impeccable. Their prices are also very reasonable considering what you're getting in return. What really put the experience over the top was their service. Start to finish, they were extraordinarily accommodating with my limited timetable (which I had my doubts about them meeting), but true to Daniel's word, they delivered just in time.  You can tell that Daniel and his team are very dedicated to providing a wonderful client experience. 

Thanks again for everything and keep up the good work.

Bing Dining Room - Palo Alto, CA (37.4347264132917, -122.177925109863) ()
4 - edwin l.: The Bing Dining room is on the 3rd floor of Stanford Hospital. 

Dining Style: Casual

Cuisine: Contemporary/Californian Lunch Buffet

Hours of Operation: Mondays thru Fridays
11:30 a.m.- 2 p.m.
Payment Options: All major credit cards/Cash

Offers: 2 private dining rooms with a capacity of
15 persons/outdoor patio/take outs

Reservations: Highly recommended, please call
(650) 725 7840. Walk ins welcome after 1 p.m

What makes Bing great? 1) Lunch Buffet ($14) with different items each day 2) I highly recommend the Bing Burger (Natural Kobe-style wagu beef, manchego cheese, arugula, tomato, pickled shallots and roasted tomato mayonnaise ($12) *comes with rosemary fries, pineapple slaw or sweet potato gorgonzola fries* it was like eating a delicious salad in a burger... 

overall: prices are reasonable and the food is good
4 - Matthew l.: Who would have thought a hospital having a fancy dining room that offers great food; it just doesn't seem to go together. Every day of the week they have a lunch buffet for $16 dollars that offers a variety of choices. They also have a regular menu that has a great variety of California cuisine. I highly recommend the Bing burger which is Kobe style beef.  The crab cake is very good too and a great size. If you are ever visiting Stanford Hospital during lunch time and want to have a great dining experience with great food, checkout the Bing on the 3rd floor of the main hospital.

Binney, Chase & Van Horne, Inc - Pasadena, CA (34.1355081, -118.1322567) (Pasadena)
1 - John W.: Well let me start off by saying if you want to be nickeled and dimed to death from an Insurance person this is your place.  I thought I was getting a local good key insurance person, but soon enough did I find out I got a letter from this insurance company saying that I had an accident non fault on my record that would affect my rates and they would have to raise my premium cause of it.  In a nut shell after days of complaining they said that it really didnt make a difference what was on my record and they can insurure me for the same rate I was quoted.  I ended up getting insurance with a better carrier "State Farm" and had no issues what so ever.  
I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE AT ALL AND HOPE THE WORD IS SPREAD ABOUT THIS INSURANCE COMPANY
5 - Marianna L.: Love me some Norma Angulo!!!   We switched from AAA after months of  jacking up our monthly payments and not getting clear answers on why! UGH!!  Norma was great, and was able to get us all set up and processed in one day! I'm a busy full time working wife and mom, so anytime transactions and follow up can be delt with via email or text it a huge bonus! Thank you Norma and Binney, Chase & Van Horne for making my life so much easier and getting me a great ins carrier!

Bioh Dominick MD PC - New York, NY (40.8044065, -73.9610736) (Morningside Heights)
5 - Tanya J.: Great attentive care and service to his patients and community. Dr. Bioh is the man!!
4 - Jess L.: Came here for travel vaccines. Dr. Bioh was very sweet and attentive but asked rather leading questions in the standard list of questions (e.g., You don't smoke, right)? Nonetheless, he was interested in our well being and getting us the vaccines we needed. The receptionist was really nice, too.

Birch Aquarium - La Jolla, CA (32.866062, -117.250569) (La Jolla Shores)
5 - Jennifer A.: Although it's pretty small, cheap to get in especially for students...I think it's six bucks or under.  As a lover of marine life, it's always nice for me to go wandering through the tanks and reading about all the animals there.  One time they had a shark exhibit and I got to touch a couple small sharks.  Pretty location in La Jolla.

edit: 7.50 got ucsd students.  8.00 for any student.  prices have gone up!
4 - Hen A.: i can't even count the number of hours and days i have spent here.....it was always a cool solo hangout place for me on a hot summer day...."look at the pretty fishy wishy fishy~!"
4 - lily c.: i was pleasantly surprised to find that, for their size, birch has a pretty good collection of exotic fish. the wolf eel exhibit is pretty cool!! they have seasonal "special" exhibits, and when i went, it was sea horses! they had a lot of them, and i learned that after the exhibit was over, they released them back into the wild. i thought that was pretty nice of them. 

overall, there were a lot of small tanks you could ooh and ahh at, but nothing to take your breath away. don't expect to spend more than a couple of hours (3-4 tops) here. maybe i'm just spoiled by the monterey bay aquarium! the birch aquarium is still good for its size.
5 - Surf R.: The world-famous Scripps Institute offers a wonderful aquarium that you must visit if in the area.  Not quite as fancy as the Monterrey Bay Aquarium, but incredibly informative because of the amazing research that comes out of this institute.
4 - Herra Chink y.: These reviews in San Diego stress me out.  Whereas I'm normally the 200th person to review something in San Francisco and the judge, jury, and executioner have already decided the Yelp fate of the business, here in San Diego, I'm normally like the tenth person to review something, and hence, what I think about a place actually effects its rating.  And I try to be a little bit more useful than normal (whatever, I think I'm ALWAYS useful) since, you know, San Daygo Yelp might have a different flava than the SF Yelp that I know and love so dear.

So we (me, my seester, my seester's fiance Coriander, Coriander's crunchy granola hippie parents, and my parents) had just finished being awed by America's military might (more like my Dad loved it and everyone else just kind of milled about entertaining him) at the USS Midway and the next stop on his "San Diego Cultural Immersion" tour was the Birch Aquarium at UCSD.  I've been there several times before - we used to go here a lot for school field trips when I was growing up - but I remember enjoying my time and being pleasantly entertained so I was looking forward to it.

Whereas I remember the aquarium being new and shiny and fun, the Birch Aquarium that I went to this time looked dated.  It was showing its age.  I'd often find my dad staring up at whatever fish or sea creature was displayed in the tank and muttering to himself.

My Dad, in front of sardine tank:  Mmmm, sardine....
In front of shark tank:  Mmmm, shark fin soup....
In front of octopus tank:  Mmmm, sushi....
In front of abalone tank:  Mmmm, abah-rone....
In front of jellyfish tank:  Mmmm, jerryfish....
In front of moray eel:  SON!  Eben Chinese pee-ple, we do not enjoy to eat da eel!  Too ugry even foh us!  HAHAH.

My dad THINKS he's funny, so we humor him sometimes.  Kinda like y'all do with me on Yelp!  The nut ain't falling too far from the tree, now, eh?

Anyways, the coolest thing was that Coriander's parents were actually kind of impressed with the aquarium.  We were able to watch the sun set over the La Jolla Cove (God DAMN San Diego's pretty), and they enjoyed the educational experience and interesting and unique fish that the aquarium displayed.  And I was talking to Coriander's dad while we were in the aquarium looking at a particularly colorful tank and he said "this would be so much more fun on mushrooms."

We bonded a little, I think.

Anyways, as we're heading back to the parking lot, my dad asks Coriander's parents "So, now you hungry?  We go eet "real" Chinese food now?  How you like seafood?"
5 - Christine C.: For some reason I love coming here on my birthday. This Aquarium is not gigantic, in fact, it is a bit disappointing after having gone the Monterrey Bay Aquarium. 

This aquarium is pretty pricey, but the Scripps Institute is constantly doing groundbreaking scientific research (they discovered global warming) so I don't mind shilling out about $30 for a ticket. 

I love the location of Scripps and there are incredible views of the La Jolla shores from the outside of the institute. My favorite part of the institute is the tide pools because you get to get your hands wet and touch sea critters like star fish.

I feel kind of bad molesting the fish, but the Scripps folk allow it, so it must be OK. Right?

Either way, this is a great date place, so guys, if you want impress a lady, take her here. The place is pretty romantic especially when compared to a bar.
4 - Cyn W.: This aquarium is pretty tiny compared to some of the ones up North (like the Academy of Sciences one and Monterey), but is very charming in its own way.  

All the write-ups on the tanks are informative and well-written, and it's plain that the place is a top notch research institute.  Also, they just hired one of my best friends to teach here -- so they are obviously very smart in other ways too!  The cafe outside had nice sammies and a cute sitting area to chill and have lunch or an afternoon snack.
2 - Tyler W.: My niece loved it, so I'm happy to have spent an hour watching her interact with marine life and hopefully she'll love it and learn how cool these animals are later in life (2 might be a little early). Aside from watching her though, this place sucked.

It was super small, and had only like 3 or 4 interesting tanks. So I'm spoiled by Monterey Bay, I can give this place some credit for that. But half the interactive displays and games didn't even work, I mean WTF? That's what excites the kids most, and the kids are really what places like this are for. gets the second star for the touch pool and the current game (which admittedly was more fun for my civil engineer brother and I then his daughter, but shouldn't we count too?).
4 - Joanne L.: One of the best perks of being a student at UCSD is the little discount you get at the Birch Aquarium :)  It's a really cute aquarium and you can probably finish it in an hour but I spent like.. 2-3 hours wandering around, going back to my favorite tanks, and then just hung out in front of their biggest tank, had some lovely talks, watched the little kids run around, nice memories.  And of course, they have the obligatory touch-the-sea-star aquarium tidepool which was fun.  I got to hold cool ocean critters in my hand.  This place is awesome during the summer when you can't find air conditioning anywhere - at least, that's why we ended up here.

When we were leaving, they were setting up for a formal dinner banquet event so for anyone looking for a place to hold a special event, the Birch Aquarium is available and so adorable!
5 - Scripps N.: Please visit the Birch Aquarium at Scripps review page at:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/mdXLofB6aiAV7A1AH1WnQA
4 - Tanya P.: Definitely more of a learning aquarium with half of the space being more science lab and reading related rather than having any extensive collection. Great if the company you're with has the patience to read and absorb and great if you have a little one and want to count creatures hiding in their tiny displays...otherwise, if you're expecting action or are a bit tired, best to find another activity. The offerings are a bit on the thin side - it's my understanding the school camps are the best though.

Only the gift store had any real staff in place...so many questions went unanswered. As for the tide pool that some folks were raving about...well, half of it was netted over. And the design is so that only parts are exposed enough to see anything closeup. Interestingly, the staff on hand didn't even surface until children were trying to pick up the starfish - apparently, the creatures are not to be handled.

More like 3.5 stars.
4 - ross g.: Nice crushed penny machine.

Very pretty scenery in the back. You will leave knowing more about the sea then when you came in.
5 - Tonie T.: Where else do you get to pet a real live shark? 

I went to Birch Aquarium last week during "Shark Week" and it was AWESOME! Although it's on the small side, I was pleased with the activities, wildlife, and totally interactive Global Warming exhibit. 

We watched Scott, in complete scuba gear, descend into the giant kelp field tank and feed the sharks, flounder, eels, and other crazy fish. It was cute when the giant eel actually got his whole head inside the feed bag! Afterward, we walked out back and took in the SPECTACULAR view, and played in the tide pools exhibit where you can actually touch all the funky creatures living in there. For "Shark Week", they had a small outdoor set up where you could actually pet a few baby sharks, too. I was surprised that their skin felt reptilian. 

I thought the global warming exhibit would be boring, but it was actually amazing and totally interactive. I learned so much, especially how the oceans play an integral role in regulating our planet. It really was amazing. 

I highly recommend this spot. What took me so long to finally go?!
4 - Ryan C.: Perfect place to go if you want to kill a couple of hours.. very informative exhibit on global warming (it was like walking through Al Gore's powerpoint slides from "Inconvenient Truth".  Fishtanks hold some amazing species of fish; many of them grouped by region.  There are some really strange species out there!  The highlight is the giant wall-sized tank at the end, with HUGE sharks and a variety of large fish swimming about.  Who knew there were so many types of puffer fish?  You'll see the spiny ones, the albino ones, the black and white spotted puffers, etc..  So cool!  Can't believe I hadn't visited this place until now..
4 - Bryan F.: I enjoy fish, as you can see from my sushi reviews, but not just eating them.  This place is kinda small compared to the Long Beach Aquarium but it definitely has a nice selection and it's done well with some nice jellyfish exhibits and a charismatic octopus.  The tide pool exhibit overlooking the beach is pretty cool allowing you to touch the critters.  They also have in the left side (as you enter the aqarium) rotating exhibits.  They one time had an amazing sea horse exhibit.  Definitely a good date place to go take your girlfriend or for the girls to drag their boyfriend out of the house and enjoy what nature has to offer.
4 - flo c.: 3 1/2 stars.

Maybe I'm spoiled by all the aquariums I've been to but Birch is much smaller and more limited than what I'm used to from an aquarium. We enjoyed the exhibits that they did have, but I think it was more for kids and teaching them about oceanography. I support this place because of the focus on research and conservation, but if you had out-of-town guests or something, I could think of more interesting places to go to. 

We liked the sardine tank. It was very neat the way they swam around and around in the cylinder. I liked the shark tank too, although it was far from being jazzy and fabulously decorated. 

It took us probably 30-45 minutes max. to go through the entire place.
4 - grace b.: It's a really small aquarium, but I think it might be just the perfect size for my kidlet. We got there around 4:15 and it closes around 5:00 so I don't think we got to see all of the exhibits.

Also, I noticed that a lot of the exhibits were under maintenance. I think that if everything was open, it would actually be a really nice place.

The location's perfect. There's a terrific view if you walk to the back. 

Also, the bookstore there is really well-stocked. They pack a whole lot of merchandise in that small area. Check out the bargain books section towards the back. Great deals! :)
4 - sandy t.: This aquarium is such a cute, no frills (and medium sized thrills), family oriented kind of place.  My husband warned me...we might have to go through it twice to kill time.

But I was pleasantly surprised.  They had a educational and interactive exhibit right across the way.  Very informative and from what I saw, the younger children seemed to be enjoying themselves.
5 - Serina T.: This is a wonderful aquarium that is located on a coastal bluff overlooking La Jolla Shores beach.  The surrounding area is beautiful and breathtaking. Although the aquarium is small, it has a great variety of  underwater life.  They have sharks, seahorses, corals, etc.  They have an area where you can touch some of the animals! :) It is inexpensive and a great place to take visitors or even a date.  It is family oriented and very informative for children! Check it out!
5 - joseph y.: While nowhere near the prestige of the Monterey Bay Aquarium nor the grandeur of the Georgia Aquarium, the Birch Aquarium is definitely one of my favorite aquariums of all time. Its humble size, non-commercialized feel, and local marine life exhibit focus make it a charming experience that you'll come to appreciate with each subsequent visit especially since it's generally not too crowded.

It's fairly cheap and shouldn't take more than a couple of hours to go through the entire thing. The view of La Jolla's coast is amazing from the tide pool deck, and apparently you may be able to see gray whales migrating depending on what time of year you visit. 

Before you visit, be sure to check out their website to see what special programs they have going on and feeding time schedules if you're into that sort of thing. http://aquarium.ucsd.edu/Calendar/
4 - Joel G.: pros...great place to learn about the sea/ocean, and all its wonders.  and it's set upon some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.  all this and it's under $20 to get in?  omg, education, fun and sea life all in one place?  yes, and you find out all the uses of algae and kelp, oh my!  and a giant aquarium too? yes, kiddies it's ALL here!

cons...parking can get a bit crowded.  don't miss that turn or you are driving a long way to get back.
3 - Vivian L.: Given that I am from The Bay and if I were to go to an aquarium, I would go to Monterey, this Birch aquarium just doesn't compare. I went with my friends who needed something to do on a rainy day in SD last month with their little toddlers. The toddlers loved it I am sure. I thought it was too small and some of the water in the tanks looked dirty. They wouldn't let that slide in Monterey. For an adult, it was about $15 which I thought was a little steep for something I could have walked through in 10 mins but I just imagined my money going towards further educational programs for the kids or something good like that. They have free parking which is excellent. And if you have kids, its an excellent place. If you are an adult looking for something cool to do in SD, you're better off hiking down the Glider Port trail to Blacks Beach and then back up the paved road for free.
5 - allison j.: I'm in town from Austin and from the stinky reviews I expected to be bored and then leave shortly after.   instead I really enjoyed the aquarium and so did my daughter.  The Octopus put on a show for us and the sharks were just beautiful.  Perfect for kids!  
Take cash for the snack bar!
1 - sophie a.: sigh.  total bummer for any san diego native who grew up going to the old scripps aquarium.  The old aquarium as I recall was a magical salty, damp wooden/concrete building with the tidepools at the front entrance.  There were not a lot of interactive kids displays which made you focus on the fish and the dark magic of the place.  In 1992, they built this disney-version of the aquarium where the kids seem more intrigued by the interactive kids displays than the fish.  I thought there were way too many screechy annoying poorly -behaved kids at the aquarium and not enough fish, not enough murky mystery of the sea to intrigue you to learn more.   I got the same pit-of-my-stomach feeling of disappointment and despair in visiting this aquarium as I do when I visit carmel valley - do people really find this acceptable and charming?  sad.

What happened to the magic??  I'm going to have to go to Albie's Beef Inn for a cocktail to console myself.
1 - scott p.: Three stars if you're a child under 10.  Total bummer, avoid if you're an adult without young children to entertain. Not a grown up attraction.
3 - Kelly R.: I don't remember the aquarium being so small. The last time I was there was back in '97. You'd think San Diego, of all places, would have a larger aquarium. Oh, wait, that's Sea World.

Irregardless, my little girl (under 2 @ the time) loved it! Of course, every fish she see is Nemo, but she really enjoyed it.

The $11 admission is eh...but it does beat the $15 admission at the Aquarium by the Bay.

If you need an hour, maybe two at the max, to distract kids, this is your place.
3 - Anita L.: My 7 year old loved it so I guess I like it. I wouldn't come here if I didn't have a child -- no way! This isn't the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Basically, I was done within 30 mins and it wasn't all that exciting. If it wasn't for the discount we got for admission (50% off if you buy your tickets from MWR from any of the bases in SD) it would totally be a waste of money.

There is a kelp tank and a bunch of tanks with sharks and sea turtles which were the coolest displays there. The jellyfish displays are getting old. Every aquarium has them, but at least at Birch there were some unique jellyfish I'd never seen before.

There is also an entire room dedicated to global warming which I found interesting, but it didn't really appeal to lil guy. I guess you win some and you lose some. 

Free parking for up to 3 hours.
2 - Lana G.: Despite its learned reputation, the Scripps Institution's aquarium is not a good aquarium and it's certainly not an adult aquarium. It's a shallow aquarium, a wading pool, designed for kids.
4 - Luana S.: We've been here a couple of times.  The first time we were disappointed considering the price and how little time we were there.  That was quite a few years ago, the kids were little and not all that into it.  We went again recently and took our time and enjoyed ourselves more.  There's something about watching sea creatures that is very calming for my youngest son.   My oldest son likes the jelly fish.  We discovered the tide pool and really enjoyed that.  It's a good way to spend an hour or two.

If you get hungry they have a snack bar outside the entrance or you can bring your own food.  

It can be a little tricky to find but if I can find it, anyone can.

In the fall a lot of elementary schools sell coupon books.  There's a coupon for the Birch Aquarium in it.  You can save 50% off of 2 admissions.
3 - Roxanna K.: Overheard at the aquarium:

Nerdy Pre-pubescent Teenager 1:  "Check it out:  once an alpha male obtains dominance, it will change colors."   
Geeky Pre-pubescent Teenager 2:  "Uh..huh-huh.  Do you really think you're qualified to even comment on alpha male rituals and phenomena?"  

That was one of the hi-lights of my visit at the aquarium over the weekend.  We took advantage of free admission because of the Bank of America promotion that was going on:  http://promotions.bankofamerica.com/museums/

It was nice to be able to go for free.  It's a smaller aquarium, but we still spent two hours there...maybe because my husband was playing with his camera and trying to get a National Geographic-worthy shot at each exhibit.  Still, in the first half of the aquarium, we enjoyed some incredible creatures like the Sea Nettles, anenome, and countless specimens of coral besides a variety of saltwater fish.  The other half of the aquarium was mostly geared towards kids in the form of a less sophisticated exhibit similar to a display of tanks you may find at a nice tropical fish store interjected with "interactive" and "educational" exhibits.  To me, these were all a bit too wordy and not interactive enough to keep me or any kid I know entertained.  Fortunately, there were definitely some interesting animals the other half of the aquarium had not covered yet.  

I'm only giving it three stars because I was a little disappointed that an aquarium in a city which boasts of its studies in marine biology was so small and the tanks, although well-kept, didn't look like they had that much going on in them compared to ones I'd seen in other cities.  The tide pool exhibit, which I thought would have been one of the hi-lights, also seemed a bit tired.  Maybe it's gotten too much traffic and it's not flourishing as well as it should, but it's not tourist season yet, so I would think it should be doing better.  Sea World has a better tide pool exhibit.  But the real reason why you would come out to the tide pool exhibit is to witness the view on the deck.  You can see forever down the coast line on a clear day.  Great photo ops here.  

Overall, I wouldn't rate this as a must-see for San Diego visitors, but if you've done all the bigger parks and you can take advantage of a good discount (i.e. free), it's not a bad way to spend a couple hours.
1 - Yvonne R.: I went to UCSD and am very familiar with the shot of the large tank of the Birch Aquarium on on-campus television. Even though I lived so close to it, I never visited the aquarium until recently. Bank of America has a deal with many museums for 2008 that the first weekend of each month, if you show a BOA card, you can get in free. I decided to take this chance to check out the aquarium since I love the Monterey Bay Aquarium and sea creatures. There was plenty of parking so that was a plus, but when I looked at the map the ticket guy gave me, I realized how small this aquarium was - half the aquarium has tanks with creatures and the other half is more of an educational museum. The only take away I had from this experience was the "dragon horse" tank. Check them out!

Recommendations & Tips:
- Go on a nice day to be able to enjoy the view
- Take your kids, but don't plan your day around it like I did since you won't be there for long
- Find a coupon, don't pay full price for this
4 - Nancy P.: I love the aquarium.

This aquarium does not have much selections here but I love going to the tide pool area and overlook the ocean . You can see the coral reefs and whales sometimes (only when you get lucky).

I bought a season pass and I go all the time just for the view, I know, some may say I'm weird, but I love looking at the ocean. 

There is not a lot to do at all however I love brininging my niece and nephew here so they can learn more about the ocean.
4 - Andy U.: So this past weekend was friggin hot!  I decided to take my little girl to La Jolla to beat the heat and go see the "fisheys" as she puts it over at Scripps Aquarium.  Now mind you, I haven't been to this place since elementary school.  I didn't quite remember what to expect.  Regular Adult prices go for about $11.00.  Since Bella is 22 months old, she's still considered free.  Yay!  

As one would expect, there were fish....fish...and more fish.  Saw everything from puffer-fish to lion fish to moray eels to glowing jellyfish.  That's just to name a few.  It was educational to say the least, but I got a bigger kick out of watching Bella scream and yell in excitement..."daddy look.... fishey's...I like it...oooohhhhh".  There's a man-made tide pool out in the back for the kids to touch starfish, urchins, and sea cucumbers.  My little girl had a blast touching these creatures.  

$11.00 was well worth it, not for the fish, not for the education value.  But mainly to hear my little girl have fun and laugh at her first time here.
4 - Sheryl M.: Spoiled, spoiled, spoiled are we having been to Monterey Bay Aquarium so many times and realizing that it really is a wonderful establishment.  Birch Aquarium, what you got on MBA? HUH? 

You got some good points.  First the entrance fee is so doable.  The actual aquarium area was cute with a few fish that we haven't seen before, mainly Mexican water fish (muy bien).  I didn't expect much so I enjoyed it.  Right from the beginning the boy was looking for sharks, only to be pretty disappointed about the outside tank with the handful of sharks swimming.  I do wish I took the time to walk through the global warming exhibit.  Just the few showcases were already pretty enlightening.  Outside they had these portable water tables that the kids could have easily played with for 45 minutes or so.  I do love the book store and the fountains outside.  The view is also spectacular.  I'm a fan Birch aquarium, just grow baby grow.
3 - Uyen T.: My friend is going to UCSD in September, so we went down there so she could get a feel for the place. I LOVE all aquariums and zoos! I get really excited from seeing all the animals, so when i found out there was an aquarium near by that costs less than $10, I was on my way! 
-The place was pretty easy to find, if you follow the little green signs on the sidewalk that pointed you in the right direction.
- The aquarium itself is pretty small. There aren't all that many sea creatures, but you can't ask for much considering the price you paid to get through the door.
- I am most excited to see sharks, but my heart broke when I saw the tank that holds them. It broke my heart. I think there were only about 4 small sharks in the whole tank, and they were all the same kind of shark too, so it wasn't all that exciting.
-They have a whole area dedicated to the environment. There are little toys for the kids that help teach different things, like simple ways to conserve energy. The thing i really liked was that there was this green room where you can pretend like you are a news reporter. They has a teleprompter and everything. The funny thing is that they have a television outside the booth, so everyone can see the silly things you are doing.
- The area overlooking the ocean was BEAUTIFUL! The view is mesmerizing and they even have those binocular machines that you can use for 50 cents. In the same area are the aquarium's tide pools where you are allowed to touch the creatures with one finger. They have sea urchins, sea cucumbers, star fish, and more. There is no sanitation pump near the tide pools to use after you stick your hands in the water, so make sure to walk straight to the bathrooms after you are done.
4 - Melissa B.: Birch Aquarium is nothing like Sea World. I think if you keep that in mind you will appreciate this aquarium for what it is- a small educational center for kids. It is far less expensive than Sea World, so I think it balances out in its entertainment/cost ratio.

My kids are at that funny age where they are to big for Captain Kids World, and they are actually interested in global warming. Weird. The exhibit on "the Art of Deception" was very cool and kept them entertained, even if it was by trying to one-up each other finding the hidden sea dragons. Be sure to check on line for feeding schedules to help maximize your visit.

All that being said, plan on being here about two hours. Parking is free :)
4 - Christina S.: High points include the sea dragons to the left of the entrance and view from the deck/ childrens tide pool areas outside. Lots of parking too. Plenty of places for children to explore. A teenager with me enjoyed the weathercaster exhibit where you can record your own news story and then watch it play... 
*You can get free admission on the first weekend of every month of 2008 with any Bank of America debit or credit card.
4 - Boba Milk T.: This aquarium sure is tiny and not very exciting.  I think we spent a total of 15 minutes inside.  But hey!  I'm a fan of Scripps Institute  and what they do.
3 - Kayte H.: The student ticket price of $8 seemed appropriate to me, considering the size of the aquarium and the interesting things we got to see inside. I have been lucky enough to pay a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium (once), and also lucky to see the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach a few times. There were many tanks to see, and each section of the aquarium that contained any kind of animal was really delightful to look at, save for the times when we were being shoved around by unruly 7-year-olds whose summer camp counselors were totally oblivious.

The touch tanks were neat to look at, but difficult to physically reach into (?!?!?). There were some interesting interactive portions to the museum's current exhibits, which proved entertaining.

My compatriots and I are/were all college students, and we all agreed that the exhibit on global warming, focusing mainly on CO2 emissions, was somewhat propagandist and lacking in solid, well-researched ways to effectively reduce CO2 spikes or other negative influences of human behavior on the planet. It also did not examine other theoretical explanations for global climate change, or present any solutions based on those theories.
5 - Holly W.: Birch is not the behemoth aquarium like Monterrey or Sea World, and it's not quite the size of Long Beach.  I can appreciate the little guys a bit more, as if you take your time, I believe this place has a lot to offer and you get the benefit of exploring a smaller space, allowing you to see and experience more without that dreaded overload.  If you were in Paris, it'd be like forgoing the Louvre in favor of Musay D'Orsay.  Or "something" like that.

Theme song:  http://www.seeqpod.com/search/?plid=825ccbeb48
Weather:  Perfect.  75 degrees fahrenheit
Crowd conditions: 40% maximum capacity, only 2 kids screamed all day
Mood: Pensive
Total time spent: 2 hours

There are 7 main exhibits.  My favorite is the dark tunnel called the "Hall of Fishes/Shark Reef."  They use colorful lighting and backgrounds which make for really cool pictures.  First, I saw lots of cool, colorful jellyfish.  They are just the most amazing looking things but dangerous!
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mdXLofB6aiAV7A1AH1WnQA?select=cfjwxuC9QUt-D8aJczws8g
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mdXLofB6aiAV7A1AH1WnQA?select=Z-Uu2ld_7yoev8PXPKfy2A
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mdXLofB6aiAV7A1AH1WnQA?select=9456ZNUdlaWYAds94iOmVQ
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mdXLofB6aiAV7A1AH1WnQA?select=RPTrKbryxxfVvhYiay1YFQ

And then a mini-sting ray guy popped out to say hello.  Cute little guy!  Can't believe his cousin was the untimely demise of Steve Irwin!
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mdXLofB6aiAV7A1AH1WnQA?select=sNK85Mp6qKvgO4aUedkLfg

You make your way to the main attraction - the Kelp Tank.  70,000 gallons of water!  There are elevated risers for you to sit back and enjoy the view.  Sharks, fishies, and other critters swim about.  
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mdXLofB6aiAV7A1AH1WnQA?select=nNaIeTGfJckfOGqmr53HrA

See it live here!
http://aquarium.ucsd.edu/Education/Learning_Resources/Kelp_Cam/

More little guys were swimming about.  I used to have them in my home fish tank.
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mdXLofB6aiAV7A1AH1WnQA?select=8hZJ9kT_otzh9M8pf_l97w

And who can't resist this guy?
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mdXLofB6aiAV7A1AH1WnQA?select=JdrKaXfsArJiN0thzLEDOg

2nd cool exhibit I liked:  The tide pool.  You can touch the critters that live below.  Pet your garden variety of starfish and many others!
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mdXLofB6aiAV7A1AH1WnQA?select=Tw7bIH7iyI1mK1o070w1Vw

Make your way back in to check out the coral reef displays with more colorful rocks helping to camoulflage the fish.  Can you see someone looking at you here?
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mdXLofB6aiAV7A1AH1WnQA?select=Rc8ETfp09ck1mbxgC954NA

And the beautiful sea horse.  He looks like part of the plant life, right?
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mdXLofB6aiAV7A1AH1WnQA?select=8CjQ3vx8i4IhL7wE_AeVfA

Enjoy the view of the Pacific!  I often take this for granted.
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mdXLofB6aiAV7A1AH1WnQA?select=e1VLO1olTrN2j956U5vKDQ

Oh, another weird exhibit I saw.  I think they should've put this exhibit at the San Diego Zoo instead.
http://static.px.yelp.com/photo/0e3YXi0zEtlyim9sdhbVng/l

Overall, I love that you can just stop off at the aquarium, spend a couple of hours, and continue on your way to San Diego.  Doesn't have to be some fanny-packed, wake up early, brown bagged lunch type of day you have to plan for in advance (e.g., Sea World).  Just enjoy the exhibits, pet some star fish, enjoy the view, take a walk, relax, and relish in the day's greatness.
3 - M L.: Small aquarium, I found it kind of boring because of how small the aquarium was.  The fish are taken care of pretty well, but I would hope so since the aquarium is so small. Other than that, not too exciting at this aquarium.
5 - Kim H.: The beauty of this place is the accessibility.  Moms with kid(s) and stroller(s) will know how great it is when you can keep your children all within 10 feet of you while still being able to let them run (somewhat) freely.

Yes, people think this place is small - which it is!  But believe me, this doesn't compromise the quality of the displays themselves.  The individual aquariums are beautifully designed, and the fish are quite often breathtaking.  I'm no expert, but judging from the response of my daughter and several other children, it's like an underwater wonderland.  It's a very focused journey through the entire aquarium, so you rarely feel overwhelmed or lost - and you can really enjoy each display separately.

There is a whole interactive section where the kids can play with water currents and boats.  My daughter (and others) loved this but I know some parents were aghast at how wet their kids got.  Oh well - this isn't a problem for me, but if it is, just bring a spare t-shirt and you'll be fine.  Also available is a whole tide-pool area - at least, they look like tide pools - where you can actually stick your hand in the water and check out the shells and coral.  Very cool.

I think, if you're wondering what to do with your morning, bring the kids here for an hour or so.  It's a perfect excursion that won't break the bank (and parking is free) and is a great way to entertain the little ones.
4 - Nick T.: Great place to kill some time if you're into marine life and checking out some insane looking creatures of the sea.

Its been awhile since I last went but I would love to go again.

Kids love this place.
3 - Roseanne F.: I went here on Saturday with my teenage daughter and we had an OK time.  I would have to say that the biggest turn-off for me is people who can't control their children and well, the children themselves.  Maybe I'm just lucky to have had a child that is exceptionally well-behaved, but damn, why do kids have to SCREAM SO MUCH?!  I really don't know why that is so fun for the vast majority of them.  I hate to dock this place a few stars just because of the horrible kids that were there, but it DID kind of kill the ambience.  When it was shark-feeding time at the outdoor tanks, I could not believe how rude some of the other parents were . . . to ME . . . about my height.  I'm tall (5'11") and I have absolutely no problem with vertically-impaired people going in front of me so that they can see, but there were so many passive-aggressive people here that I could feel my blood pressure rising dangerously.  ("Oh, Barbara, can you see anything?  I can't see a THING because there are too many tall people in front of me.  They should go to the back . . . " blah blah . . .)  Bite me, trolls!  We spent about an hour here and that was plenty.  I would've liked to have seen more tidepools where you can touch stuff.  The gift shop was well-stocked with cute items with fairly reasonable prices.  I guess it would probably be better to go during a weekday when the kiddos are usually in school.
4 - Jacob A.: A small but fun aquarium. They have a lot of local fish, so it's interesting to see whats swimming around in our backyard. The exhibits aren't overly fancy. There is one large tank decked out with seaweed towers and rock formations, but most are just blue boxes with some coral/plants and fish. I found the jellyfish exhibits to be the most interesting, but there are plenty of bright tropical and large coldwater swimmers to keep anyone interested. You probably won't spend more than an hour here max, so $11 is a little steep, but it's well worth it for $6 ( 2 for 1 with Entertainment  book coupons). Stop by the La Jolla tidepools afterward to complete you're aquatic adventures for the day.
4 - Betsy L.: I've visited Birch Aquarium three times now and my third visit was the most memorable. The first time I went for a class field trip on a Saturday but did not appreciate much of it. The only thing cool about it during this visit was the sardines tank near the center; if you touch the glass the fish swim away to one side, haha. The second time I had to come here for a college class but it was a simple assignment so I just browsed quickly through and thought it was boring.

The third time was extraordinary ! I spent 3 hours working on a packet for an Oceanography class that asked me specific questions about various tanks and fishes; it made me truly appreciate marine life. I love the kelp tank because it is soothing and you get to sit on the opposite side and watch the fishes interact. There is also a section that teaches the public about global warming. The tide pools outside are a bit small and somewhat lifeless but the view towards the ocean is beautiful.

The price is decent, especially if you're a student. I'd definitely take my kid someday.
5 - Kathleen M.: This place is a gem. It's a great little aquarium with an extensive display of all the varieties of fish that can be found in California and Baja. It's amazing what is in our ocean! Kids and adults will be awed by the wild sea creatures. There is a giant tank with a kelp forest filled with all kinds of creatures mirroring what is found right outside in La Jolla Cove. As a tip, check the feeding schedule in the lobby. From 11am to noon we watched them go tank to tank feeding the fish. They were so active, fighting and darting around, it was so cool! The Art of Deception display was amazing, the creatures there are unbelievable. Then there is a room showing all the global warming research that UCSD conducts. It's high tech interactive- lots of things for kids to play with. Then outside there are the tidepools. These are replicas of the tidepools you find on the beaches in SD, so nothing amazing, but kids still go crazy for it. Adults can just relax and take in the panoramic ocean views.
This place is a bargain, just a fraction of the cost of other SD attractions. Parking is free. And the aquarium is a non-profit run by the University, so you're money is going towards research and conservation, not to teaching whales how to do tricks. The only downside is food. There is a little food shack cafe thing but it's not very good. And there is nothing else around the aquarium. But you can get a hand stamp to return if you want to drive down to La Jolla or UTC for food.
3 - Angela M.: What can I say? Birch is a pretty small aquarium. I can't complain b/c it was free for me...but in comparison to the one in Long Beach, Birch really can't compete. 

Great place to take a date or the kids--but have something else planned for afterwards b/c you can go through the entire place in about 30 minutes--and that's w/reading practically every miniscule detail about all the creatures.
3 - Elaine K.: Fantastic small aquarium! It was a rainy day adventure with my mom. It was packed, parking was rough, but it was worth it. The crowd actually flows through at a reasonable pace, and most of crowd was friendly. 

The displays were informative. The moray eels were ugly. The sharks were active. It was good :) 

Why only 3 stars? 

The HUGE exhibit on climate change. I get that it is important to be informed on these types of issues and how the affect the world, but it is an AQUARIUM! I came to see fishies and sharks, not reproductions from An Inconvenient Truth. 

Take out the climate change exhibit and put in more things related to the beautiful ocean! 

Also, the tide pools were closed :( 

Hopefully this Climate Change thing is a rotating exhibit, and it will be replaced by something more suited for an aquarium.
4 - Lo F.: I love doing fun things that also provide some sort of education. Zoo: been there. Sea World: meh, done that. Birch Aquarium? Amazing! I can't believe I've lived in San Diego most of my life and never experienced the Birch Aquarium. I was expecting something really cheesy but I had a great time!

Whether you've got a gaggle of ankle-biters or you're looking for a great date spot, there are good times to be had by all. $19 (student discount score!) got us a great day of fun and fish. Much like the zoo, you follow a darkened hallway and can stop at whatever tank piques your interest. A friendly volunteer was never far behind to answer my pressing questions, like how do seahorses do it and where do eels go numero dos?

We caught one of the live feeding shows, which was cool except I kept getting my hair pulled by 5-year-olds. I just wanted to see the giant eel freak out and attack. That punk eel didn't budge. Boo.

Anyway, there's some really, really great stuff to be seen here.
4 - Gabriel M.: Large Aquarium displaying marine fish. Most local to the California coast. The also have a section of exotic type fish and what not.

The other half of the aquarium is an educational center discussion earth quicks, tides, etc. Great area for the kids.

Their is a tide pool area in the back with volunteers that will answer your questions.

All in all a great trip post lunch date or with the kids
4 - Sarah C.: The main objective of taking my 2 year old niece, Michellyn, to the Birch Aquarium was to peak her already curious mind and immerse her in an educational environment but, to also reconnect with fond childhood memories (I hadn't been since I was a teen).

The admission price was reasonable ($11 for adults, free for kids 2yrs. and younger) however, on the day we visited, they were having a promotion which entailed getting in for free if you were a Bank of America customer. 

It might have been a small aquarium but, it still had a decent display of marine life. My niece enjoyed gazing at the upside down jellyfish, the shark tank and the Moorish idol (since it looked like Gil from "Finding Little Nemo"). I think the learning area is perfect for children who are older than 2 years old as it is difficult for a two year old to grasp the idea of earthquakes, tides, etc. The outdoor displays were informative especially with staff readily available to answer questions and impressive for its breathtaking backdrop. 

My only complaint arises from the parents who misconstrued the aquarium as a playground for their children. There were signs all around the place prohibiting anyone from climbing over exhibit railings but, there were several children who did so and parents who allowed them to do so. What exactly does this teach a child? Certainly not common courtesy or respect for the establishment and its regulations
5 - Paula D.: Scripps aquarium is a beautiful destination for anyone who loves to learn about fish, the ocean and our environment.   They seem to be continually adding new exhibits and figuring out new ways to make the  experience interesting and digestible for all ages.

The kids activities are wonderful and the leafy sea dragons are magnificent. Go there soon!
4 - Amy M.: It only took us about an hour to make our way through this small aquarium.  I've been to many aquariums and I can say that this one did have some fish I've never seen before.  That leafy sea dragon was so neat and so were the huge morays.  They didn't have a ton of stuff, but what they did have was cool.  

The only thing that I was disappointed about was the Shark Reef.  All it is is an outdoor station with one medium sized tank with smallish sharks in it.  I guess it was OK, I would have loved to see bigger sharks though.
4 - Richelle A.: I love fishies and a lot of other sea life and I always find looking at them to be so interesting. I even like to take the time to look and admire the ugly looking things because it's just so interesting.

I really enjoyed my first time here but only wished there was more to see. Only half of the place is an aquarium, the other half was like a science museum. Although, it was quite educational, I'd rather see more fish tanks.
5 - Hula R.: "UNDER THE SEA, UNDER THE SEA, DARLING IT'S BETTER, DOWN WHERE IT'S WETTER, TAKE IT FROM ME!"  - Little Mermaid

I really have a good time at museums, aquariums, and zoos and I have lived in San Diego all of my life and never have gone to the Birch Aquarium.  Well, finally I took the trip and I'm glad I did!  

The Birch Aquarium is amazing!  You can do the whole aquarium in about 2-3 hours and see the most amazing animals!  The kelp bed is one of my favorites along with the tide pool and the view from the outside tide pool is SPECTACULAR!

I went with my friend and her niece and nephew and the aquarium really caters well to the kids!  They have activities and and exhibits that allow kids to really explore the animals of the deep blue sea!  We even got a behind-the-scenes tour with Jessica and Bob "the fish guy" and they showed us some really cool things and kept the kids engaged into what they were talking about!  

Thanks Birch Aquarium for being around and I hope to be back soon!
2 - Elizabeth C.: I'm sure people won't like my two star review of the Birth Aquarium, but just like what the rating guide says: "Meh.  I've experienced better."

Just like normal expectations of any child-friendly location, the place was crowded with children getting their finger prints all over the glass and spending 10 minutes screaming "I found Nemo!" to every clown fish they see.  

Half the aquarium is a "Climate Change" exhibit where 75% of the stations are broken or not working properly.  It made me want to zip quickly through that area, and that takes up half of the building!  

I was disappointed in the size of the aquarium, too. It didn't feel any larger than one of the three aquariums at the Seaworld just a few minutes down the highway, and the collection of fish wasn't that awe inspiring, either. I've been to several aquariums throughout the US, and this one was one of the most disappointing, especially since it was so hyped up from reading reviews.

The best part of the trip up the highway was the beautiful view of the ocean from the back tidepool area.  When other reviewers say you can see the whole aquarium in 2-3 hours they must be really dragging their heels in the mud, because even walking slowly we go through it in less than an hour.
3 - Marvin B.: I took my son to the Birch Aquarium yesterday, I actually expected much better. It is small but still good for its size. I love the octupus tank and the jellyfish were beautiful. They have a tank where you can see sea slugs and lobster. We saw a lobster that had to be 3 feet long. 
They also had a giant tank where you could see big fish and clown fish. 

Pros: 1. Beautiful fish exibits.
           2. Octupus and jellyfish are beautiful.
           3. Interactive exibits for the kids.

Cons: 1. Nothing really exciting
            2. people against the glass so you can't see.
            3. They need to put in railings in front of all exibits.

All in all this is a good place to take kids but not so great for adults without kids.
For my Money I would go to seaworld just down the highway for a few more bucks.
3 - LINDA L.: The Aquarium was kind of small but they had cool jelly fishes, sharks, tree frogs, a huge lobster, a shark egg with a shark moving inside, SEA DRAGONS!!!! and much more. I've never seen or heard of sea dragons prior to the visit, they are some crazy looking creatures. In the back, they have an incredible view of the ocean. They also had a hands on station for the kids to learn about water currents and kids sure love to play with water. The cost of admission was really inexpensive ($7.50 for kids, $11 for adults, $8 for students). I thought it was a cool place to check out if you have a few hours.
2 - Mellie P.: What they have is great, it's just so small and disappointing.  You're done walking it in a half hour.  It makes me want to fly all the way to Atlanta just to check out a substancial aquarium.
4 - Heather W.: I really would have given Birch 3 1/2 stars. Yelp yelp yelp...when O when will we have the ability to give 1/2 stars!!  Because there are definitely highlights and lowlights to my experience.  But as a general statement I enjoyed my visit.

Highlights:

I got in for free utilizing their participation in free admission to B of A customers the first Sat. of the month - All you need is to show them your bank or credit card - NICE!  Saved the $11 price.

Education value:  I really enjoyed the structure of the exhibits.  They take you on a tour of the habitats throughout the  pacific coast and the marine life in those areas.  Everything from our very familiar La Jolla cove sea life up to the Pacific North West.  Each exhibit tells you what area it represents with photos of the different species to match up with what you are seeing in the tank.  Most of them give a brief bio as well.

There is also a room that is more educational than live exhibits, telling about the effects of global warming on the ocean and such.  my favorite aspect of that area was the interactive display of the amount of energy it takes to light a regular light bulb vs. the low energy spiral ones.  You turn a crank as fast as you can to light each up.  No matter how hard I tried I could only get a faint flicker out of the regular bulb...but the energy saving one lit up easily....Point very well taken!

Location:  Located on the hillside above downtown La Jolla you enjoy a beautiful ocean view from the outside area with the tide pool exhibits.  You are provided with complimentary 3 hour parking in their lot and we had no trouble finding a spot (even on a Sat. afternoon).

Lowlights:

Collection:  Though they do have a great diversity of species it is a bit lacking.  Anyone who has visited one of the prominent aquariums in CA (such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium) would have a bit of a deflated experience here.  Even with looking through each exhibit slowly we managed to see everything in its entirety in less than an hour.

Other visitors:  Now this is just a personal complaint...it would be a highlight for other people.  Most of the other people are parents with young children.  So you have the abundance of strollers and kids running around screaming etc.  Since the aquarium is small, that heavily affects the atmosphere and experience.  But to the parents out there: yes, it's a wonderful place to take your children to enjoy and learn about marine life.

Tide Pool area:  I have a few issues with this.  First, like most of the aquarium it is a bit lacking.  The only creatures in it are some basic anemone, seaweed, sea cucumbers...and not many of each. You could probably find more creatures in the tide pools down at the cove on your own. 

I appreciate that you can touch (one finger) anything inside of it, but I was surprised they don't have an area with a sink to wash your hands before and after.  it seems concerning to let anyone touch these animals without washing they hands first.  I don't know if things like sunscreen on a person's hand, for example, are harmful.  Also, after touching away it would be nice to clean your hands for personal sanitation.  Places like Sea World have these wash stations in the tide pools - doesn't seem that difficult.  Instead you have to go all the way outside of the building next to the gift shop to wash your hands in the restrooms.

---

Overall I had a nice time but that opinion was influenced by being free for sure.  it's nice that they provide free parking and the admission isn't too pricey.  I've seen discounts in some of the local coupon books, and they offer a student discount.  Great place for a little marine life education - and obviously, good place to take the kiddies for the afternoon.
5 - K M.: I love this place. It's a great escape from the stresses of the world, to just watch amazing, cool animals. I could seriously stare at the octopus all day - it's like watching ballet. The view from the patio is amazing, too. And admission is a steal, considering what it costs to get into the zoo and some other attractions.
3 - Russell M.: Marine Biology aint just the perfect name 4 the all-mermade p**nsite imma start up after movin out next year, its also what goes down 24/7 at this place.  i always liked fish and actualy used 2 have a killer saltwater tank setup in the garage till my lil f***kface cousin Rex tried 2 ambush me w/ his paintball gun and s***tyass aim.

ne way theirs some sickass times 2b had here.  hit 2nd base 4 the 1st time by the tidepools w/ this redheaded orangatangy broad Jody on a dope field trip way back when plus its also a cheep go-2 when u gotta watch ur crazy f***in neices or nephews.  (not 2b fruty but) its rly pretty and colorfull inside so it might seem like a good idea 2 do sh****ms here but i honostly cant reccomend it.....  

yeah it starts out fun trippin on the big california sea room but if u ever watched that "Future is Wild" show (back2back w/ the new King Kong on blue-ray) all ur gonna think about when the giant octapuss looks strait at u is him and his squid buddys gettin suuuper f****ing evolved and ripping ur hole jaw apart as u watch urself growing old from a distence.
5 - karyn m.: First, I need to emphasize that the Birch Aquarium is an excellent place for kids of all ages. I had not been to the aquarium in a few years and I must say, it has changed for the better. On one side are several rooms with various ocean animals and hands-on educational videos, demonstrations, and games pertaining to marine life, recycling, and environmental changes. There is also an excellent studio where one can read a news clip from a teleprompter and be recorded for all to see on the outside of the room. My daughter really enjoyed that! 

On the opposite side of that area are a ton of beautiful tanks of all sizes housing all shapes, sizes, and colorful marine life. Some common (i.e., tiger sharks, sardines) and others not so common (i.e., garden fish, sea dragons). In the middle of this attraction is a tremendous display of various animals including huge grouper, sharks, etc. 

After enjoying the inside of the Birch Aquarium, we went outside to the area that has several tide pools. This area overlooks the ocean and on a clear day the view is beautiful. In the tide pool area, we were able to touch starfish, sea urchins, and some very slimy sea snails. There was an octopus in the larger area, but it was hiding very well despite our lengthy time searching.

Again, I recommended the aquarium to all ages. We witnessed shear delight from toddlers to teens and adults enjoying the many different ocean animals.  Like everywhere else, admission has gone up but in comparison to other places in and around San Diego, $11 for adults and &7.50 for kids is not bad for several hours of unique entertainment.
4 - V R.: Excellent small aquarium. Great way to spend a morning or afternoon with the kids, at a reasonable price. For an expanded full-day experience, you'll have to make your way to Monterey.
4 - Justin M.: The aquarium is quite small once you go inside. When you visit the aquarium, it might last less than a 2 hour visit. The tanks are filled with many exciting animals. The right side of the aquarium is where the fishes are. The left side is full of educational stuff. The sharks were in a weird area where you never think sharks would be. They were at the empty side of the aquarium. A set of jellyfishes were perfect for the aquarium. In the center of the right side, a huge tank from the floor to roof is seen with many fishes. This tank has a giant fat fish which has been there for over 6 years. The back of the aquarium has a pool where you are able to touch starfishes and stuff like that. But the view of La Jolla is where the money is. All you can see is the buildings, the beach, the peir, and the amazing blue ocean. Perfect on a sunny day.
4 - Kristina L.: I went here for a fieldtrip a long time ago and it was really neat. My favorite part of the aquarium was all the seahorses they housed. There were so many different kinds. I could watch them all day.
2 - Liz K.: I must be spoiled but I figure San Diego could offer a better aquarium than say, Long Beach.  After dropping $12 to get in, the exhibit is only 30 ft long...if that.  Well maybe it's a little longer but you figure there would be more than just a couple hallways of tanks.  

And the interactive tidepools outside were just pitiful.  A couple sea cucumbers and 6-8 star fish?  I counted less than 10 specimens available to touch.  SeaWorld definately offers more.

Oh well, hopefully with those prices, they will use it to expand.
2 - Keith W.: Not too much to look at. I could probably take a glimpse at everything in less than 25 minutes. But still interesting, nonetheless.

Why I give it a bad rating is because of my experience with the "petting zoo" outside - or whatever one might call it where you can pet some sea animals. I wasn't allowed to touch certain animals. And so me and some little kids surrounding me were all disappointed. Turns out we could touch the little underwater hermit crab things. 30 seconds later after petting and holding the little crabs, the little kids around me are all screaming as the have crabs hooked onto their fingers.

The second time I went, the petting zoo/tide pool was totally off limits and no one could touch any animals. I don't know why.

*Sigh* Kind of disappointed about this place.
4 - DeAnne P.: $9 with a student ID. The first half was good. The second part needed some more excitement, it was all about global warming and one game they had said carrots and bunnies are bad because they emit CO2. If bunnies are bad then I just can't live.
4 - Joseph Y.: Exhibit: 3
Value: 5
Service: 3

I haven't been here in many years, so I thought it would warrant a review after going this afternoon. The drive to the aquarium is just the start to a fun adventure. This is one of San Diego's most affordable attractions, and compared against Sea World, you get to see a lot of beautiful ocean life and learn about the environment while there.

The only complaint I'd have is the size of the aquarium. There is only one and a half hallways of sea life. It took about an hour to work through the main hallway. The tide pools are nice and I was able to pet a spiny lobster. Note: spiny lobster's are spiny.

For anyone that's looking to learn more about ecology and oceanography in particular, Birch Aquarium is a great place to start and take kids.
4 - Kay D.: This aquarium is really cute and a nice extension of the Scripps Research Institute.  When I was here as an undergrad at UCSD (2002-2006), it only cost $6.  Apparently it is now $9.  Regardless, that is a cheap price for an aquarium.

It is not a "world class" aquarium, just a little aquarium with some nice little exhibits.  It is at a beautiful location, so the views around the aquarium also make it a worthwhile visit.  It's so cheap, it's totally worth doing at least once if you are in the area.  I probably wouldn't go out of my way to come here, but it is what it is...
4 - Julie S.: Good, but I was hoping that the aquarium was going to be underneath the ocean, and not carved into the mountain :(

Even then, we had a good time seeing and learining about the oceanography in the San Diego area.
4 - Tracy K.: It was as if I had been transported into a world where I quite possibly could find that rascally little Nemo. In fact, I think I may have found him -- right smack in the middle of Birch Aquarium, along with loads more beautiful and interesting fish.

It was my second trip to the aquarium, and it was just as neat as the first visit.  This time, though, we got there right as they were feeding the fish. Instead of trying to search through the kelp and coral and murky "sea" water, the fish were right out front, clamoring for their bits of food. I especially took to a seahorse that seemed to be showing off for me. It was a sight to see, I must say.  

It is a great place to visit, whether you're on vacation or just wanting a cool place to take your kids, friends or even parents. Plus, you'll get to say that you did find Nemo... and a bunch of his friends!
4 - Samantha J.: Fishy fishy fishy.

Going there as an elementary kid, I was amazed by pretty much everything. Going there as a college kid, I was amazed by almost everything, but I'm just glad that we have an aquarium because the fish are just so interesting to look at.

It was pretty crowded when I went - an elementary class decided to take a field trip there on the same day I wanted to take a field trip there, so it was hard getting to some of the fish tanks.

I think that no matter what, I will always be amazed by the huge fish tank - the one that takes up an entire one side of the wall. With the sharks, the large fish, the colorful fish, the school of fish... it's always fun to just stand in front of it and stare at the fishies.
4 - Amy S.: I recommend if you have to come here for a school project, DO NOT show up on the weekend. I thought I'd be safe towards closing hours and that the children would be down for their naps, but I was wrong. Every stroller in the world was out with kids screaming, "NEMO, NEMO!" making it near impossible to study the fish inside the tanks that correspond with your questions. The lighting sucks too and bring something to write on because you'll be struggling to write on your leg with strollers bashing into you left and right.

Dim lights, strollers, and crazy children aside, Birch Aquarium has an impressive display of their oceanic creatures. The tanks are very clean and the life forms inside are fascinating. 

The aquarium is a decent length to keep children entertained but not so long where tantrums would begin to fire.

The tide pools outside are nice and provide for interactive learning.
The outside has many other educational station games about how waves are formed, etc. etc. Perfect for kids or adults who want to get wet.

Be sure to ask for military discount at the door ( if you are military ) because it isn't posted on the sign out front. I think Birch Aquarium is one of the first places in San Diego that doesn't give free entrance to military and family and happens to cost more than a student ticket. What's up with that? Star off.
5 - Audra B.: (This review is for the Birch as my wedding venue and is part of my Yelp List on Wedding Vendors)

The Birch is the perfect place for a wedding! It's unique and beautiful. At first I had written the place off because they have very strict rules. Your event can not start before 6pm and end at 10pm. I didn't think that was long enough for the ceremony and reception - bummer! However, after looking at about 20 other venues, I told my contact person there that and she said that we could buy an extra hour. Wish I'd known that in the first place. So, we had it 6 - 11pm. The music had to end at 10:30 and last call I think had to be 10:15. Also, no brass is allowed in the band. And, as I said, there are a lot of other rules (can't use anything that was once in the ocean like shells for decor, have to use a caterer from their list, etc.)

Rules and all, it was well worth it. We had the ceremony on one outdoor patio (where the shark tank is). There is a view but it isn't as good as the one by the tide pools, which is where we had our cocktail hour. The view of the La Jolla coastline is absolutely unbelievable, and we were lucky to have a breathtaking sunset (even though it was April!)

The reception was in the front main area where the info desk is located (they move that out of the way). There was plenty of room for our 80's band, dance floor, and round tables with seating for 150. The food was served outside in the front entrance courtyard.

We didn't announce for people to go through the aquarium, so I don't think everyone took advantage of that. It is open for the event, but at some point the lights in the tanks go off, so I recommend announcing that people check it out early on. Also, people can't bring drinks back there so that deterred some peeps.

Several people told me it was the best wedding ever, and we were so happy that we chose to have it at Birch.

Oh yeah... it ain't cheap. You have to pay a flat rate and the per person ticket price which is $11 for adults. However, you can save a lot because you can bring in your own alcohol (we had wine, beer, and 3 types of martini's - all from Bevmo and Costco). It actually worked out to be the same or less than a lot of the hotels we looked at, plus you get the killer view!

Another bonus - you can go as many times as you like while planning the wedding and bring various people to check out the venue!
2 - Mi Linda T.: I really wish that I can rate the Birch Aquarium  better.

My sisters took me to this place as a kid, and was blown away... 

I'm 31 years old now and my husband found a two for one on this place ..  We walked out a half hour later disappointed. 

Was this it??  I've been to the London Aquarium and this just can't compare..

Not too much to look at, but it's still good enough for the little ones..
4 - Samantha N.: I'm not going to compare this with Monterrey Bay Aquarium because it's going to ANNIHILATE IT. But honestly, I still had such a great time here.

There's a lot of exhibits to go around and look at things, and I super love the fact that they had an area for you to take pictures too. They truly made this educational AND FUN! 

If my 22 year old ass can spend more than an hour here, IT HAS TO BE GOOD. Fish can be boring, but here, it's kinda special and awesome.
1 - Wendy C.: I really really really really really wish that I hadn't paid $8 to go here. 

Then again, I guess I can appreciate that my money probably went to buying food for the fish. (Yes, I am rather optimistic tonight! :p)

When a place uses the word "aquarium" my default aquarium is always The Aquarium of the Pacific. With that said, Birch isn't even 1/5th the size or variety of AoP. Actually, I don't think it's even 1/10th. x_x

I guess I've been spoiled by AoP, but if I'm going to pay any money to see fish, I'd rather put out a little more to have a wonderful and exciting experience.
3 - Sophia G.: The funniest part of this place was coming here on Superbowl Sunday and listening to huge men, who looked like they should be home watching the game with a large brewski or two, point out the "bright fishies" to their kids.  It almost rivaled the housewives at the tidepools in the back of the aquarium, fighting over which anemones to poke.  This place is really fun to people watch.

Although Monterey puts this place to shame, but it's still a fun date place, and the price isn't too bad.  Students and children are $8-9, and adults are $12.  If you live nearby check your mail for discounts- there's always buy-one-get-ones that make the trip worth it.

The selection of fish and sealife isn't exactly endless, but it does manage to make an impression.  The kids here sounded like they were having a blast, and how often do they (or you) get to see jellyfish, sea horses, and sea dragons?
5 - Kristen A.: The seahorse exhibit is fascinating...for me.  The video of the daddy seahorse giving birth was a little unexpected and had me eerily fascinated.  My toddler could have cared less about seahorses (he missed the video running around with grandma) and much preferred the sharks.  We arrived late and only had about an hour.  The look on my son's face when he could touch a real starfish was worth a heck of a lot more than $11.00 and the three days it took to get us there.  The gift shop has cute things, too.  

We'll be back.
3 - Rafael V.: Thought that this aquarium would be bigger. Pretty small, will take you about 45 minutes to walk through the whole thing. But what's really great is that the view is awesome over looking La Jolla Cove. Definitely worth the price of admission just for those picture oppurtunities.
3 - Pacifico O.: maybe i'm just a marine life snob...but i was kinda hoping to see some more exotic animals.  i've seen the majority of their sea animals out on swims in our local ocean....the reef fish need a bigger tank, it reminds me of a pet store.  i like the amazing view of la jolla shores though...i think i wanna get married here.

oh and the shark tank was unimpressive. :\

the jelly fish were AWESOME though.  i wanna raise my own.
3 - April P.: This is a mellow, slow paced, easy-going aquarium.  I think its the only place in CA that you can park for free... I would say, from a parent's perspective, the perfect age range for kids is 5 to 10 years old.  My older kids were a bit bored.
4 - Michael N.: I haven't been here in a few years and had some tickets I'd been saving for a whole. A friend was in town and we decided to have a relaxing day at the aquarium. Parking here is a breeze and free.

There is an outdoor exhibit with a shallow tide pool setup. Inside there are two halves: one has the typical aquariums and giant tank exhibit, the other has the educational and special (seahorse) specimens. The tanks are kept at low light and there are plenty of well made placards describing the specimen in the tanks. The most impressive exhibit is the huge glass walled tank that reaches from floor to ceiling and a seating area. 

There isn't as much variety as I'd like to see...where are all the sharks (there's just one tank outside)?? This alone with a few other minor things I can't quite put my finger on make this a 4 star place instead of 5 stars. If you've never been here it's definitely worth checking out especially for the beautiful view of the beach and pier.

I've added some pics!
3 - Olivia T.: The view off the deck in back is beautiful!!  The aquarium is small, but will teach you a lot about local sea life.  They bring in new exhibits every so often as well.
5 - Gabrielle O.: This place is perfect for young children and anyone interested in learning about sea creatures.  The outdoor area is beautiful.  The food at the small cafe is pretty good.  Would recommend Birch Aquarium to anyone living in or visiting San Diego. They also have a wonderful summer camp program. Thank you on behalf of the Rancho Santa Fe Unit of Rady Children's Hospital Auxiliary.
4 - Wendy S.: Haven't been in years, so we decided to drive down to see what's new.   Although the water was a bit unclear, I really enjoyed the jellyfish displays, as well as the view of La Jolla.
The Birch Aquarium is not a place to run through, but a place to take your time to absorb and become aware and more educated.
5 - Thomas K.: This is a great first place to take your San Diego visitors, friends, and guests to introduce them to what San Diego is really all about; the Pacific Ocean. Great exhibits, large tanks, indoor and outdoor exhibits, knowledgeable people. Should be on San Diego must list beside the ZOO and Sea World.
5 - Greg S.: A great place to take the kids, visitors, or spend a lazy afternoon. The aquarium has 7 awesome exhibits to choose from, from Coral Displays the the Hall of Fish. You can even check out their feeding schedule to see what the sharks are nibbling on that day, how cool is that!?!

Make sure to keep an eye on their informational event calendar, they've always got something neat going on!
5 - Noralee B.: Far superior to Sea World. Thank you again to docent Bob for his help!
My only beef is with the Cafe out front. Their food is overpriced and terrible. My stomach hurt all through the aquarium! Please be sure to bring your own lunch.
4 - Bonnie G.: Super fun place to spend a relaxing afternoon.  Parking is simple and the view from the aquarium is, well, it's a view of La Jolla.  Need I say more?

The docents were very informative and nice!
2 - Joe K.: Well said, Hunter R.  Although this place may be interesting to some people, I've experienced much better.  This was my very first aquarium I went to when I was in college and even back then, it wasn't that great.  I've even been to pet stores where they have set-ups that are actually better than the Birch Aquarium.  I know that it's expensive to go to Hawaii, but if you're ever there, check out the Waikiki Aquarium.  After going there, you never ever want to go back to the Birch Aquarium ever again.  By the way, the last time I checked, it's BIRCH Aquarium, not BIRTH Aquarium.
4 - Melissa K.: I had to go here a couple of times for college field trips. Each time I learned something new and had fun. The new seahorse exhibit is amazing. They have some many different kinds and the little tiny babies are so cute. The museum half has a ton of information and things for kids to do. Many different exhibits and a lot of local species. The tide pools and the shark tank are always interesting. They have a discount for AAA and students. Not a bad price for what you get, and parking is ample and free. A fun place to spend a day.
3 - Andrew M.: NOTE:  Bank of America cardholders get free general admission every first full weekend of the month through the Museums on Us program.

This is a nice aquarium.  

Other yelpers refer to better aquariums (Sydney Aquarium, for one, is amazing), which is easy to do because Birch doesn't quite meet expectations.  When you think San Diego + Scripps, it mentally =s world-renowned aquarium.  

Instead, it's a pleasant place with a good blend of local specimens and educational wall displays.  There's a great view of the ocean and La Jolla and parking is free.  Once you adjust your expectations, it's "A-OK."
4 - Ani P.: I generally don't like paying admissions fees.  

And yes, this place is on the small size.  But it's super packed with tons of stuff.  Listen to me, I don't even like fish, gold fish tend to frighten me, the way they stare back at you with cold unfeeling eyes....  

Yet, I'm giving 4 stars to Birth Aquarium even though I don't like fish and I don't like paying an admission fee.  Translation:  This place was worth the admission price.  I had hours of fun.  

Spend the day frolicking on La Jolla Beach, followed by the aquarium and lastly a taqueria.
5 - Ann B.: This place is a nice way to spend a couple hours. It is packed with all types of fish, sharks, sting rays, jellyfishes, and other wonderful sea life. They have this neat whale statue at the entrance that makes for great photo shots along with a shark head that you can get inside for photos.  They also have an area where you can touch and feel some of the creatures. On a clear day, I am sure the view from the aquarium is amazing. However, on the day I went, it was very overcast and so I mostly saw clouds and fog. There is even a small shop where you can pick up some reasonably priced souvenirs.
4 - Karen L.: For $12 general admission (or less if you're a student), this place is not bad.  It's a good getaway if you wanna see aquatic life without forking $$ for Sea World.  They don't have that large of a variety of fish, their shark "exhibition" only has like 5 tiny sharks in it, and there are absolutely no whales (don't be fooled by the whale statues outside).

This is one of those places where you only need to see once in your lifetime and you'll be good ... unless they open new exhibitions.  You can walk through this place in about 3 hours or so, but hey, its pretty decent for the price.
4 - Mariah C.: Family Days are held on the third Saturday of each month from 11AM - 3PM. There is no extra charge for this program that includes a number of demonstrations and interactive programs.

You will find an outdoor cafe at the aquarium with sandwiches and other light fare. Only cash is accepted. For a selection of restaurants, drive two miles to the east where you will find several national chains like California Pizza Kitchen along Villa La Jolla Drive or head south a couple miles to La Jolla Shores where you will find a few local offerings.

Parking is free for three hours.
$11 for Adults
$9 for Seniors 60 years and over
$7.50 for Kids ages 3-17
5 - Amy M.: What a great aquarium and in our city!  The tanks are amazing, and the community outreach is present. My children are in awe each time we go. Thank you for supporting pediatric cancer research!
4 - Grace D.: I spend my Sunday in La Jolla from the shores to the aquarium. It was Shark Week at the aquarium,  I got to touch a horn shark pretty cool.  Amazing Seahorses from the smallest to a pot-bellied seahorse and a Leafy seadragon.  It was interesting  to see sea creatures that I don't even know exists.
2 - Clinton M.: It a cool place but I felt that it was a little to small for the amount of people that it attracts. Not a huge amount of water wildlife but it nice to spend an hour there.  I was expecting to see more tropical fish with crazy cool colors lol.
4 - John L.: I've heard some complaints about this place, but I seriously think that it's awesome for what it is. It's a non-profit aquarium where the main focus is on research and preservation. The staff consists of mostly volunteers and is very nice for its small size. The only thing that sucks about this place is the food. Eat first before you come here
4 - Kelly V.: I like this place. I have been going here since I was a kid and my dad would take me. I went when I got my DSLR and had fun with it. The whale fountain is cool and so is the huge kelp forest. I would recommend it. Its not too expensive and theres a lot of interesting stuff to see.
5 - april m.: We are the type of family who Yelps primarily when we love an establishment, restaurant or attraction.  

Part of what we love about Birch Aquarium is the staff and the volunteers.  David Palmer and Sorret Thornton are wonderful.  
Our six year old daughter had many questions, and everyone was so sweet to her.  She has visited several times, and each time she discovers something new.   Her favorite right now is the Seahorse exhibit.  The males carry the babies!

If you go outside to the tide pools, you may touch the little creatures in the water, gently.  The volunteers will tell you everything you could ever wish to know about sea cucumbers, anemones and other fine friends like starfish.  All you have to do is ask.  Also, what a view outside!  Panoramic!  Did you know they have concerts in the summertime right at sunset?  We went to our first on the 18th to see Steve Poltz and had one of the best evenings ever.  

I highly recommend it.
5 - kristin u.: Went for a family trip to San Diego with our 3 year old son and my parents.  Since we had spent the previous day at the zoo, decided to see the more-scale down aquarium at Scripps rather than Sea World.  What a great little aquarium, our son loved it!  He probably got more out of the exhibits here then he would have in dealing with the crowds at the forementioned.  Much cheaper, plus we had a coupon, and a hands-on current exhibit for the kids, and tidal pool.  The setting in La Jolla is beautiful.  To boot, since we were flying out the next day and could not find a Kinko's anywhere, Antonio in the visitor services printed our boarding passes for us.  Way cool, so accomodating.  We look forward to another visit when we visit San Diego again.
5 - Shawna C.: Very affordable, family fun! $12.00 for adults and $8.50 for kids ages 8 up to 17 plus, they have AAA discount of $1.00 off per ticket.  We spent a great morning there! The aquarium is laid out very nicely and the tanks are beautifully maintained. There are tide pools outside where you can touch sea creature's and learn about them. Our 16 month old absolutely LOVED it and so did our 15 year old. Great for all ages! We will definitely go again.
3 - Nora S.: I have fond memories of Birch Aquarium.  The first time I ever saw this place was at a wedding reception for a friend.  It was a great idea I thought. 

However, Birch Aquarium is tiny, tiny.  Don't expect anything on the order of the Monterey Bay Aquarium or even the one in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.  Even the aquarium I visited in Houston has far more exhibits than this.  Hence the three stars.  You can get through this place on a slow pace in under two hours.  If you're rushing and seen it all before, it's an easy hour.  

That said, admission prices are reasonable especially if you have an AAA discount.  The exhibits are well set up and interesting.  I especially like the emphasis on local habitats.  They have a pretty darn cool kelp tank with one of the biggest sea basses I've ever seen.  I love the jellyfish tanks and the seahorse exhibit.  The sharks were a bit disappointing, however.  I did like the science part of the aquarium that went into global warming and had some kid friendly interactive activities to do.  Pretty fun. 

To sum up, it's a small but decent aquarium.  Nice to take the kids to every once in a while.  Our four year old enjoyed it, but he wanted it to be bigger with more things to do. I'll have to take him to the Monterey Bay Aquarium one of these days.
4 - Andi T.: It's a good size aquarium for the small folks -- they get a glimpse of many sea creatures, can touch a few, and it's not too much walking.  For San Diego, the ticket price is quite reasonable (and they have free parking!).  The water flow/play area was very popular.

I would have liked to see some of the space dedicated to global warming/conservationism used for sea creature exhibits, but mostly because my kids are too small to read about and appreciate these topics.  (And I'm running after them too quickly to read/appreciate as well.)

You can "rent" a wheelchair at no charge (subject to availability)., and the entire space is accessible.  The cafe outside is a nice space to hang out -- seems like some locals do just that.  I was sad that the veggie sandwich listed on the menu was unavailable and I had to make to with a less tasty and more time-consuming salad.  Gift shop was nice, but not very compelling.
4 - Lucas P.: We enjoyed this aquarium much more than SEA LIFE. The exhibit displays kept our interests and the interactive activities (touch a cucumber fish, build a damn, etc.) ensured my 4 yr old so had  a great time.
4 - Natalie G.: I cried when I saw the jellyfish... like, literally
It's so beautiful in here and you get a great view of the beach when you're out in the tidepool.
Awesomeness
4 - Cindy W.: Thanks my entertainment book I was able to plan a fun filled and inexpensive date this past weekend. 

Regular price is $12.00 for adult admission but with the Entertainment book it was came out to buy one get one free. $6.00 isn't too horrible. 

The museum is pretty small compared to Monterey Aquarium or the Long Beach Aquarium. Think of the Birch as one wing of the Long Beach Aquarium. 

There is only one large fish tank that houses one of the largest black sea bass I have ever seen. She is a gigantic 220 pounds! They also have a demonstration of feeding the fish with a live scuba diver in the tank. 

Variety of fish including jellyfish, tropical fish, as well as many different types of seahorses. The seahorses are the highlight of this trip since there are tiny ones, and ones that have weird stems and leaves coming off of them. 

They also have a small petting area outside where you can touch starfish and sea urchins. It overlooks gorgeous La Jolla so great place for taking pictures. 

Parking is free, but you are not allowed to bring anything except for water inside the aquarium.
4 - Gabrielle G.: I've always driven past the aquarium when I was at UCSD, but never went until they ran a groupon. Bought 4, so then I had an excuse to bring some friends and check it out.

Amazing ocean views, and great staff made the whole experience really great. They have an amazing seahorse exhibit, as well as tons of jellyfish, two of my favorite things.

Definitely something to check out if you're like me, who live in the area and have never stopped in.

Also, a great place to bring out of town guests who have already done the typical San Diego attractions!
2 - Rex R.: It was an ok place. I guess I was expecting big aquariums and found small ones but still entertaining. Price of admission is too much but at least parking is free.
4 - A. H.: I love the outdoor tide pools though I remember them being filled with more fish life that you could touch. The aquariums are very large and the fish look happy. I know I was happy watching them swim around. It was very crowded though and at times we had to wait for crowds to disperse before we could look into some aquariums. It is not a large aquarium but it is nice none the less. 
They do have a nice shark tank outside filled with different types of sharks, though it was difficult for me to actually get a good, detailed look. Otherwise they just look like sharks swimming around.
3 - Mike C.: It's a small aquarium compared to the ones I'm used to. But just because it is small doesn't necessarily mean that it's gonna suck. I mean if the aquarium achieves its purpose of giving some knowledge out there, then it satisfies its mission.

What brought me from a 2 star to a 3 star review is their emphasis on global warming and its impact on their environment. They achieved this in two-fold. Portraying the badness of global warming and the rising CO2 levels in the form where both kids AND adults can relate. And it wasn't done in a way where it was all over your face, but conspicuously embedded in the exhibit.

So yah, job done on getting me more onboard with the global warming syndrome. So that was the major takeaway for this aquarium visit.

Other than that, it was a very plain aquarium. Again small and underfunded. Yah, they get no funding whatsoever from Joe the Taxpayer...its a self running system. So your $12 entrance fee goes straight into the aquarium and its improvements and repairs. 

And they even get less funding from people like me since it's cheaper for military, students, seniors, and free for members. Parking is also free for the first 3 hours. Though I honestly do not see anyone staying here longer than 1.5 hours at the most. 

It's designed for families or for kids, both elementary and up to and including middle school. There's a lot of hands on stuff that can be done here that they can learn a lot from which is why it is best for them.

Still, IF you have an hour to kill AND IF you're in the La Jolla area AND you want to gain some knowledge and to be learned...then yah sure...come here. Oh at least you get a good view of the the beach and the pier from the petting pool area.
2 - Michelle J.: Went with the fam..and it was okay.  I've definitely seen better but I guess i expected more with it being in San Diego and all.  It served its purpose though and I would have given it 3 stars except the shark feeding was such a disappointment.   The sharks weren't even hungry..they just let food go to waste...seriously? Oh well...jellyfish made up for it.
4 - Justin J.: I went here and it was really crowded but the fish are amazing and there is a lot to do. Yeah and my kid loved it
3 - Shane B.: i brought a few friends who were from out of town, here to the birch.

we had a good time. they have tide pools where you can touch sea creatures and a beautiful view of la jolla. i remember this place being a lot cooler when i was 7 years old.

probably something you only need to check out every 10 years.
4 - Amy L.: I really enjoyed this aquarium. I thought the set up of the whole place was easy to follow and there are some interesting specimens and tanks. My favorite was the fish tanks, with all the different habitats around la Jolla, Pacific and some tropics. 

I think it was really representative of California and what to expect around the area, so don't go there expecting to see something super endangered and obscure. 

I love the view and the tide pool. If you go around sunset time, they let you stay after hours and watch the sunset while they clean up. Its a great view of La Jolla Shores and the pier. 

This place is great for kids! And being a kid at heart, i really enjoyed the informative global warming section (with interactive activities), the race boat tide at the back, the shark tank outside, and the petting tide pool. you can literally finish this aquarium in 1.5 hours, so its not too much information all at once.
2 - Zack D.: The Birch Aquarium is the sorriest excuse for an aquarium I have ever paid to see. I had pretty high expectations, and it was a HUGE disappointment. It only took my wife and I 45 minutes to walk through the entire thing. It's a stretch to call it an aquarium. It's more of an expensive fish tank.
3 - Eugi H.: As far as aquariums go, I found Birch to be just ok. Definitely not as large or have as many fish/displays as Monterey or Long Beach, but not some dingy place like Santa Monica. They have some good displays and beautiful tanks/fish, and they're high up on the hillside overlooking the ocean. We saw some whales migrating while standing out by their lookout spot, or rather, my boyfriend did. I was without my glasses and blind so all I saw was blue ocean. We tried to look through the binoculars to find them but by the time we got to it they had already passed. Oh wells, too bad.

They have those cute photobooths you can take with aquarium themed images and also a setup for little kids that mimics the ocean current and you use dividers to manipulate the current and put toy boats through your maze to see how ocean currents work. It was really neat. I think I want one of those in my future home, to play with myself.
3 - Anthony G.: Not a huge Aquarium. Good selection of potential food given the allotted space.
3 - Danny W.: This is a great place to take a date if you can stand to be around them without the assistance of alcohol. It kills a few hours, you learn some tough answers to final Jeopardy questions, and it provides some killer photo ops between the fish and the view of the cove. 

For $12 it's money well spent for an educational trip in San Diego, however in comparison it doesn't really measure up to some of the others I've been to. It's just really small. The tanks aren't as large and there aren't as many species of fish. 

Certainly a nice place to spend a couple hours during the day, but if you've ever been to an amazing aquarium the Birch might fall a little short of your expectations.
4 - Jasmin B.: I haven't gone to this aquarium since I was in grade school. It cool to see how much it has changed since then. My favorite thing there was the sea horses which topped off everything else there combined!!!!!!! After looking at all the different ones they have there has made me want to one day own my own of several different kinds. 

You definitely have to be into the the sea creatures and reading facts about the creatures. If you're looking for live/loud entertainment this is NOT the place for you.
3 - Shy A.: In comparison, this aquarium is fairly small to the likes of even the Seattle Aquarium and not as impressive as Monterrey but still provided a few hours of entertainment. The tanks are fairly small as well but they had a decent variety of displays. I was really bummed that they didn't have any boxed jelly fish, though. They had an awesome exhibit on sea horses and their developmental stages---that was pretty cool albeit a very geeky girl moment for me. Outside there are a few touch pools where they have a bunch of star fish and anemones. The thing that made this place really stand out was the view of the ocean. It sits on a cliff side that provides an outstanding view of La Jolla. For $12, I definitely can't complain.
3 - Lainey S.: Made a last minute trip to the aquarium with the boyfriend. The admission price is $12.00 for adults. He gets a military discount so it's $10.00 for him and it was free for me! I guess if you're a Bank of America card holder, the first weekend of every month, you get free admission! I was shocked and totally impressed. I never get better discounts than him because he's in the military- so I won on this one lol

The aquarium is rather small. (I'm from Northern California & use to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, so my standards are quite high lol) But it's a cute little aquarium with an amazing view of La Jolla. If you're in the mood for some education and a great view, come check it out.
4 - Meghan J.: The bf decided to come here on a whim last Saturday and I had a blast! I loved looking at all of the exhibits and tanks full of crazy looking fish. The moon jelly fish and the seahorses were probably my favorite. The shark tank was pretty awesome too and if you come here at the right time you can watch them being fed. I especially liked the shark head you can step into and have your picture taken. My only complaint is that I wish there were more tide pools outside, and half of them were closed when we went..but I still touched a sea slug!
3 - Maria C.: A great way to spend a couple hours indoors. 

Much smaller than I thought it would be, but some very interesting exhibits - if I say so myself. 

I think my fave exhibit had to be the seahorses. Male seahorses are the child bearers, and they had a video of a male seahorse giving birth. It kind of made me feel uncomfortable watching the seahorse thrusting its abdomen area and excreting tiny babies out of its hole...  Is that even appropriate to show?! 

I got to see some very interesting fishys, starfishes and such. The view outside would have been awesome if the sun was out. Great views overlooking La Jolla and the ocean. 

Lots of free parking and there are always deals either in your local magazine or they offer student and AAA discounts.
3 - Mariel S.: The view is beautiful and some of the fish tanks are dynamite. They do a fairly decent job of educating the public on how global warming is affecting the oceans and the sealife. 

However, I just didn't find it as natural or awe-inspiring as the Chula Vista Nature Center. The admission prices are about the same. I think you should go to both and decide for yourself.
4 - Forum D.: I took my 16 month old son here. He loved the place, he got to touch a real star fish. But I expected more from this and therefore I am little disappointed. So they get only 4 stars. The outdoor space is great, and the view is spectacular. 

Worth going and having fun.
4 - Mel M.: I've lived in La Jolla for over 14 years and I've never taken the time to come up here. My one year old was absolutely enthralled by this place, and we spent about an hour walking around looking at all the different sea creatures. 

I'll probably be back, but it'll be on my kid's behest, I am sure.
4 - Jessica R.: This place was awesome! Had to go for Biology course and I recommend it to old and young alike. Go on a nice warm day, perfect place to take a picnic and then check out all the crazy fishes and learn while you're at it too. They have an awesome view and you can pick up sea creatures and what not. Will def. go again... :D
4 - Natalie M.: Fun place to take the kids and adults alike.  I have been to quite a few aquariums in my day and this is one of the more extensive and well kept ones.  Lots of smaller, more exotic exhibits to looks at than most other places.  They do have touch pool, but you need assistance at all times to get a hand on anything.  The only thing that they didn't have was some larger animals like seals, penguins, and otters, but I guess that's why you drive down the street to go to Sea World, right?
2 - Ingrid L.: They have student and military discounts. I think it's $8 with a UCSD id and $9 for any other school. My BF had to go for school and was able to get both my sister and me with him in for $7 a person. 

I've heard from friends about  how this place is really small and not worth the visit. After going, I'm going to have to agree. There were about 30 tanks in all? It would only take an hour or two to walk through and enjoy everything. 

The seasonal seahorse exhibit they have set up was pretty cool though. They had lots of seahorses of all shapes and sizes.
5 - Meggyn W.: The Birch Aquarium was fantastic! We were bummed that the Shark Reef was closed, but the Seahorse Exhibit and an exposé on Global Warming were fascinating, and the jellyfish were beautiful!
5 - Maribel R.: First complete weekend of the month FREE with your Bank of America credit card or ATM card. 

This is the place to take toddlers and kindergartners to learn about marine life while funding conservation. It is not overwhelming because of it's size and the way the exhibits are designed. It is entertaining, informative and fun!

My 16 months old loved the tide pools and touching the starfish, my 5 year old loved the kelp tank specially at the feeding time.

Definitely coming back again and again!
2 - Maribel F.: I haven't been to the Birch Aquarium in probably 20 years!  So when I saw a Groupon for 2 for 1 admission, I thought it would be good for a weekend outing.  

We finally went several weekends ago and unfortunately we were underwhelmed by this aquarium.  First of all, it's really small.  I felt bad for the moon jellies and moray eels since I felt their tanks are just really small.  They also seem to have a lot less exhibits that contain marine life than they used to.  The other half of the aquarium is mostly educational exhibits similar to the Ruben H. Fleet Science Center.  They do have a small area outside where you can touch starfish, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers but again it's really small.  Go to the Chula Vista Nature Center for a much better petting experience.

I did enjoy their nursery section where they had moon jelly eggs and recent hatchings.  The leafy sea dragon fish was my favorite since they are so unique!

They do have free parking for 3 hours.  Don't worry about going over, since you really only need a little under a couple of hours to see everything.  I just think that Birch needs to step up their aquarium more like the one in Monterey or any other aquarium I've been to.  For tourists, I don't recommend putting this on your must see list.
3 - Tamara L.: I got a couple of Groupon tickets for here some months back and realized they were about to expire, so off we went for a little Sunday afternoon funday. I was a tiny bit disappointed, because I had imagined it bigger and more filled than what it was, but my companion reminded me that when you have a Seaworld in your city, the aquarium, will probabaly not be "all that." It was quaint and had some neat displays and I really enjoyed the big wall of fish. We grabbed a couple of seats and sat there watching the fish. Very peaceful. They have some outdoor tanks where you can touch a few specimens. I got to hold a sea cucumber, which I haven't done since I was a kid. Good times, good memories. The Aquarium is one more of those, gotta do it once when you're in SD, kind of attractions. Glad I did.
4 - Ana Paula B.: I was blown away by the species in this aquarium.

I especially loved the sea horses from Australia and the huge tank located in the back. Among many other animals, there is a huge sea bass and a shark in that large tank. Definitely two impressive animals to see! In fact, I could have stared at both of these displays for days. 

Every tank here is filled with life- from the fish right down to the anamone. It is really extraordinary to see and experience- feels like you are underwater. And because every single tank was so filled with life and well planned and thought out, I did not get the feeling of  pity I sometimes feel for animals in captivity. Instead I found myself wishing I was a fish or other sea creature in that aquarium.

The staff here is also great! There was one particular older gentleman who was very helpful and informative about all the animals. He said that sea bass live to be up to 75 years old! I bet you didn't know that!

Do not leave without going outside and touching a few of the animals- the sea cucumber feels really different, and I bet kids would love that. There is also a lovely view of the ocean and it is definitely a place where one could snap some memorable photos!
4 - Malia P.: It's small but it does the job of entertaining. They had a special event today and will have it again on 6/8 for World Oceans Day. They had a lot of activity geared towards little kids from coloring crowns to storytelling. 

In the classroom, they had some kinda shark in a tank. It was neat to get up close to it, with nothing but a lid separating us.
5 - Nicole B.: I like the Birch Aquarium.  My daughter and I have had passes since she was born and we go quite often.  It's a small aquarium, but they have an impressive collection of fishes (plural for more than one kind of fish) haha! Wonderful exhibits, very educational and great for a short (1-2 hour) stop off.  

The only downside is that they are bombarded by field trips every day (m-f).  If you are going during the week, try to avoid going before lunch so you don't get run over by herds of kids.
4 - Danielle T.: I love going to aquariums and discovering new species of fish I have never seen before. I have been to many different aquariums all over the world and have seen some really good ones, as well as some not so good ones. The Birch Aquarium was probably in between. The space was a lot smaller than I thought it would be. It was crowded the day we decided to go, which was also a little bit annoying. It took away from the experience a little bit fighting with children and a mass of strollers to see some of the fish. 

However, the kinds of fish were amazing. I saw many species that were new to me and they were all very beautiful. There was also a sea horse exhibit going on at the time we were here which was also really interesting. Who knew there were so many different kinds of sea horses? I especially liked the dwarf sea horses. Those were pretty amazing and extremely tiny!

Outside of the aquarium towards the ocean there were a couple touch tanks where you could touch the fish and starfish and a few other species. There was also a great view of the ocean that we enjoyed for a few minutes. 

I would come back here again. I just hope that I could be more lucky and pick a day when everyone else and their entire families were not here as well so that way I would be able to enjoy it better.
3 - Candice G.: Which way to the chocolate starfish exhibit? Okay, just kidding. But really, where are the bathrooms? I need to fix my weave. 

For realz- this aquarium is A-OK as a non-child bearing adult who just loves to see (sea) animals. A good place to kill and hour- or an hour and a half if you include the time it takes to look through the gift shop and fix your weave after stepping out onto their v. windy tide pool area. It's normally $12 to get in as an adult but any of those little tourist kiosks around town will have a pamphlet offering $1 off for up to 4 people. So, for the $11 price tag I didn't feel ripped off.

The entire left hand side of the aquarium is pretty lame... even the ladies at the front desk will cop to that, but the right side is where all the cool stuff is. The jellyfish exhibits, though small, are plentiful and very cool to see so close up. I'm convinced that jellyfish are aliens from outer space here to observe us so for me and Fox Mulder it was a different kind of experience than most, I'd assume. But it is undeniably cool to be able to get so close to everything. Also cool are the shark eggs growing and the tide pool where you can touch, squish, poke (whatever you want to call it) the pretty redonkulous and hilar sea cucumber. The dirty jokes just write themselves over there. 

If I lived in SD this would prob be a good date spot if I weren't ready to splurge and let you use my SD zoo guest pass.
3 - Tom P.: MY kids loved it. We watched as the diver went into the tank fed all the fish, 3 sharks , and a huge 25 year old Black Bass, you can do the whole thing in couple of hours. If you have a credit or bank card from B of A you can get in free the first full wknd of each month. My daughter loves the Sea Horses, my son the Jellies, Wife and I the Corals. Great time
5 - Carole R.: Go!! Very quite and my kids fall right to sleep after
4 - G. B.: Quality over quantity here. What there is to see is amazing, and the exhibit on global warming is beyond compare. Go to the Birch just for that exhibit, you won't forget it. 

For the kids, there is an outdoor hands-on area where the volunteers go out of their way to help the children. I was super impressed. Not crowded while we were there either.
4 - Audrey T.: Bring your student ID and get a discount! I love aquariums, but would never pay more than $20 for admission. Due to the small size of this aquarium, I wouldn't have paid more than $10. Luckily, with my student discount I only had to pay $9 ($8 for UCSD students). Such a deal compared to what I've paid at Monterey Bay Aquarium. Anyway, I am a huge fan of sea horses and loved that they had a section dedicated to them. I even saw a video of a male sea horse giving birth (check it out; it's so cool! ..and kinda gross). 

As for the rest of the aquarium, yes, their selection is kind of small, but they do have some really pretty fish. I even saw the hugest sea bass! Birch is the perfect place to visit if you have an hour or two to kill.
5 - Nick Z.: Green Flash Concert Series!! 

It's a great venue! Even when it's sold out, it is still an intimate setting with the band! Great views of the ocean & La Jolla Shores! Plus the aquarium is open to walk through between bands or during! Overall one of the top 5 places I've watched a show at! Inexpensive ticket prices especially when you get to interact with a great band!
5 - David A.: Is bigger better?  Only in some things...

Like how intimate this place is as compared to the Aquarium of the Pacific.  Don't get me wrong, because I love going to the Aquarium of the Pacific, but here you can really learn about the different ecosystems without feeling rushed.  Reminds me a little bit of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, though it is even a little smaller.  Price is reasonable, so that is a huge plus.

Don't miss the kelp forest show.  That is the largest tank and has some huge friendly fish.  The Giant Sea Bass in here is immense.  She is about 25 and a big girl at around 300.  Try to get to the show early so that you are able to see.  If you postpone too long, however, you can view it on one of several large screens around the aquarium.  Well narrated and a lot of audience participation.  The film that plays adjacent to the tank is well put together and gives you an appreciation of our oceans.

The teaching area has a lot of interactive exhibits on the greenhouse effect and on globa warming.  Makes you realize the impact of only a few degrees warming has upon our climate.  There are at least a dozen examples with "cones of silence" narratives to go along.  Oh, and try the green screen Newsroom.  :-D

And, for the kid in us or for the kids, the outside green exhibits are fun and educational.  There is also a small shark tank with reef sharks, stingrays, epaulette sharks (cool), and others.  Missed the feeding day, so check online for that.

Lastly, the seahorse, seadragon, and needlefish (varieties) exhibit is really well put together.  Very awesome.

I am such a nerd, but this is truly a gem.  Spend some time and enjoy.
5 - Nicole S.: Dude, very cool.
5 - Jessica S.: We really enjoyed our visit here.  We happened to be driving by and just decided to check it out.  It's only $12 for adults and i felt it was worth every penny.  The day before we had spent the whole day at Seaworld, which was nice because of all the shows they offer but comparing the aquarium exhibits with the fish, we preferred the Birch Aquarium.  It is so nice and very well taken care of.  The people who work there are very nice and knowledgeable.  It is fun for all ages and educational.
4 - Robbie R.: Hey this Aquariums really cool.  I've been a few times over the years growing up.  Not a super huge place but it's worth checking out.  They let you touch star fish out side and other sea life.  I like the really big tank.  I   could watch the differnt fish in that thing for over an hour and not get  bored.  It's under ten bucks to get in and kids are cheaper.  Check it out.
2 - Trever F.: This is just a fish tank. It is the smallest I have been to and I was shocked. Don't waste your time go to a real Aquarium instead. 

The reason it has two stars instead of one.... It's good for anyone four and under, however i can see them being underwhelmed by Birch. This place is like a large living room with three fish tanks.

I love Aquariums and go out of my way to go to them where ever I travel. I wish i knew to go out of my way to avoid this place. I like to think my visit helped the institution with research and maybe some people's career.
2 - Karina M.: This Aquarium is pretty small, and honestly I don't think it's worth $14. Luckily, if you're a museum employee (like the San Diego Zoo) you can get in for FREE with your employee card. Other options to get a lower price- student id ($10) or military ticket office ($7.50). I probably wouldn't go back if I didn't get in for free.

Surprisingly there's no staff around the exhibits to answer questions or explain more about the displays. This kind of leaves it up to you to just walk tank to tank just looking at the pretty decor and fish and then moving on to the next. There's a brief description of the animals but they're so bland that you don't even read them anymore. It takes you half an hour TOPS to get through the aquarium, and that's if you're taking your time (taking pictures), or it's crowded and you have to wait your turn to see the tanks.

Also, they advertise that they have sharks there, yeah not really. I went in expecting to see amazing sharks but they were little and hiding in the decor mostly. (Not the sharks fault, but the advertising lead me to believe otherwise).

My advice, unless you get a discount- skip the Birch Aquarium.
1 - Reba G.: I expected more from an aquarium especially from not being from SD.  The aquarium was extremely small, and there wasn't a whole lot to see here.
4 - Jen S.: This aquarium offers a great representation of the sea life found in San Diego waters, and its dedication to educating people on our local marine life is impressive. 

I read some of the reviews by people complaining that it was too small. These guys must have "small packages" and therefore feel compelled to drive large boxy vehicles and complain about other things they face in life that are "too small". News flash: if you think Birch Aquarium is too small then go to the Shed Aquarium in Chicago, or that massive one in Atlanta. This is San Diego, and the Birch Aquarium's focus is on its LOCAL marine life, and not the brightly colored tropical fish found in Fijian coral reefs. 

The aquarium is located on a hill in La Jolla that has a splendid view of the ocean. There is also a hands-on tank for touching star fish, anemones, and other things found in our local tide pools. This is great for kids, and important to teaching them how fragile these creatures are and it educates them in how to handle these little guys when they encounter them in their natural environment. 

There is a nice big tank that shows a kelp forest, and it houses a number of fish. My favorites are the large sea bass. Be sure you hear the lecture and attend the kelp forest show. 

The last time I was there was to see a great exhibition on the sea horse. I took my mom, and that day still stands out as a great memory for the both of us.

I am a certified master scuba diver, and I am very passionate about San Diego's marine life. Birch Aquarium does a fantastic job at giving the public a glimpse into our beautiful sea life, educating children, and informing all people on things like ecosystems, climate change and global issues that have an impact on our ocean.

The only reason I don't give this place 5 stars is because (1) I wish they had more shark species and did more to educate people on sharks (lots of people hate sharks and hold misconceptions about them) and (2) there needs to be a healthy cafe where quality food items are sold.
2 - Tiffany W.: It has some sea life. 
Not the biggest place, but it's nice enough. We received a family membership as a gift.

Our son was a little disappointed at the lack of large exhibits. They do have some interesting smaller stuff, but nothing I'd actually pay to see.

The aquarium was defiantly not what we expected it to be after being blown away by the zoo and safari park. We will not be renewing our membership.
5 - Jane D.: I really enjoyed this place. Their interpretation was top notch--I think everyone in the family learned several new things. It's just the right size for a reasonable outing with a child, and the focus is really on conservation, not commerce.
5 - Summer B.: Remember when you were a kid and you were asked if you could be an animal what animal would you want to be... and you probably said a bird or a dinosaur or a dog. Well I want to be a jellyfish or a leafy sea dragon. No, a jellyfish. Besides seeing a bunch of cool fish in pretty tanks and learning about sea stuff, energy efficiency- go outside and feel the starfish, sea cucumbers, sea anemones, and slimy rocks. There's a great view of the ocean and very knowledgable and helpful staff.

If you live in San Diego - buy a pass. If you're visiting- stop in.
4 - Duke C.: Came here since we had nothing to do.  I used to do deliveries for catering to Birch all the time so I never had to pay but this time I came back as a visitor.

If you are a student or still have your student ID, then definitely bring it!  $10 for students and $9 for UCSD students.  

The aquarium is essetinally 2 small wings with an outdoor area and a "shark tank."  The exhibit is pretty cool and highlights species from SoCal as well as Mexico.  UCSD is big on ocean preservation and studies and as an extension of UCSD, they definitely push that.  There's a lot of cool info available as well as friendly helpers all eager to teach you about the eco system of the ocean.

There's a huge Kelp tank that has live shows.  I didn't stay for the whole thing but all the kids there seemed to love it.

On the other side of the fish exhibit is an exhibit about the dangers of global warming.  Lots of info to take in and whether you believe in global warming or not, it's a good educational experience.  

Outside, there's more on green technologies as well as a make-shift shark tank.  No crazy sharks or anything but still cool to see the smooth stealthy animals swimming around.

There's also a tide pool exhibit, aka touch tank.  Super popular with kids.  Who knew starfishes would be so hard??

There's also a gorgeous view of La Jolla from Birch and on a nice day with a cool summer breeze, I can just stare at the view for hours.

Small but good place for families!
4 - Rod S.: i thought it was really a good show.  Definitely the smaller animals on exhibit, but extremely representative of the waters right outside the door.  I am an aquarium buff and I was very pleased.  

Warning:  KIDS are everywhere.  Check to see if there is a day where they don't take over the place.  

During feeding time, they go from tank to tank dropping in food so you can watch all of the different units eat.  Definitely check the days and times and ask someone where to be starting at the start.  

Again, not huge, definitely worth the price if you recognize you are contributing to the animals.  Easy to get there, lots of parking.  There was a little snack bar and gift shop.  

They have some significant displays regarding global warming.
4 - Amanda B.: Yes, it's smaller than other aquariums, but worth the trip. I loved the kelp forest exhibit as well as the sea horses. Great for all ages!
5 - Chase L.: I love the birch aquarium. I have been going here for years and everyone I take also loves it. Plus it's part of UCSD so it doesn't have a corporate feel. You will love it! The fish are just gorgeous!
4 - Michelle T.: Even though this place is small for an aquarium, I still enjoy coming here, even if it's to see the same exhibits again and again.  They've got a great variety of coastal California fish, and if you bother to read the signs and watch the videos you can even learn a lot.  This place has a heavy emphasis on marine preservation if that's your kind of thing.

I think my two favorite exhibits are the seahorses and the kelp forest.  With the seahorses you can see everything, from how they camouflage their colors to how they are born (you can even see tiny baby seahorses!)  I think the seahorses are just so vibrantly beautiful and colorful- my favorite is probably the leafy sea dragon.  The kelp forest is one huge window of kelp with numerous fishes swimming amongst it.  It truly is an amazing sight to behold.

Students get discounts here, so take advantage of that!
2 - Jacqueline T.: In terms of an aquarium.. I've definitely seen a lot better. If you're planning on seeing sealife in SanDiego : best to go to SeaWorld. 

But if you're travelling around with your GoCard like me. Be sure to drop by for the view of the Ocean from a top!! The view is breath taking worth a 10 minute stop. 

It is also very child friendly.. and more hands on, as they try to teach you more about marine life. Where as in SeaWorld, its shows & rides. The ups is: its not crowded at all. So you're free to wander around privately.

I'm also very keen of the humungo statues of the whales up front! Magnificent :)

Price with GoCard: FREE before 5PM
Price without: ~$20 for adults, ~$7 for kids over 3years old.
4 - Alpha S.: 3.5 rounded up. This is a small aquarium, but it's still nice. It's just hard to talk this place up when I thoroughly enjoyed the Monterey Aquarium, but since it focuses on local marine life, I enjoyed it nonetheless. My mom enjoyed this place and honestly, this probably would've been the best aquarium to take her to because it's not too big that she'd get tired and has an easy going crowd.

This place has an interactive tide pool area outside with a spectacular view. I enjoyed the exhibit just for sea horses. It's really interesting seeing them in different stages in their lives. The hall of fishes was small yet still pretty and informative (also featured jellyfish). I looooooved the big kelp forest tank! I could just sit there and watch it but I sadly missed the show.

I was sad to see how the marine life with regards to the coral in the area has dissipated over the years and that led to the energy exhibit. Nice segway if I may say so. I wish the shark exhibit was a bit bigger with the whole shark craze nowadays.

For what you're paying, especially with a coupon or student/senior discount, you're good to go here.
4 - Brittany R.: Such a nice place to visit!
My husband and I went here on a recent trip to San Diego and spent a few hours looking at the various exhibits and watching the kelp forest dance back and forth on a foggy midweek day last week.

I was enthralled with the wolf eels and sea horses and was mesmerized by the kelp forest with great seating for those in  the same mindset. While I could have done without the global warming exhibits, it is to be expected and  if we weren't interested we moved on. The video news cast was hilarious and if we had children I could see how this  place would be a lot of fun.

Catching the tidepool feeding was fun and the staff was informative and nice, giftshop with allowed me to buy a "I'm crabby" shotglass and fun turtle magnet, the shark tank great and the educational facts helpful and not over whelming.

And for those stating just go to Sea World-for a $50-something difference between tickets for one person, I would need to think about that a little harder!

This aquarium is small but with beautiful exhibits and if you can go on a week day, I highly encourage it.
5 - Liz O.: While smaller than I thought it would be, the Birch Aquarium was a delight.  From the jellyfish to the kelp forest to the beautiful whale fountain and murals, this aquarium was very fun.  We were luckily there in time to see the tank cleaning and fish feeding.  Why that giant sea bass has to be fed the way it does is beyond me, but still great to watch.  I also enjoyed the touch ponds outside where you actually got to touch some of the sea creatures.  Well worth the long public transportation ride out there.
3 - Mike C.: I actually loved the Birch Aquarium.  I could spend hours in this place if it were larger!  The place was perfect, but it's like I left and just felt short changed because they were so small.  Call me selfish on my shellfish!  LOL!  

The place is well kept, and in a very beautiful and secluded spot in San Diego.  I highly recommend it for a visit!
4 - Saira K.: I loved this place - not the biggest aquarium or the most amazing - but the sealife exhibits are superb. I was there for a nice dinner party and had a blast.  They had a 60s band playing (kind of what you think of when you think Beach Boys), and it was good fun. They should probably have more lighting outside so that visitors can get a view of the Ocean at night. It was too dark. Nice place for a laid back dinner party. I especially loved the jellyfish exhibits.
5 - Erica P.: Grab your red cap and a speedo! It's time to have a Team Zissou celebration to commemorate my 100th Yelp Review!   Just over 10 years ago, Chun P. and I became amateur oceanographers.  We studied up, set up a 50 gallon tank in our living room and under the tutelage of Ron at Octopuss Garden set up an awesome salt-water fish tank with three inhabitants: Puff the Porcupine Pufferfish, Zeus the Longhorn Cowfish and Pouffy, a Spotted Boxfish.  (Now, before we had these stellar inhabitants we circulated through a few blue damsels and returned them back to the store, but that's all part of establishing your tank.)  

Zeus and Pouffy lived till nearly 8 and 9 respectively, and Puff is still going strong.  But we aren't adding any more friendly fish to our family.  Why you may wonder?  After we got everything setup, we learned that the only salt water fish that can reproduce in captivity are clownfish and blue damsels.  All the other beauties are caught off the reef - sometimes the victims of cyanide reef poisoning and then shipped to the U.S. For every fish that makes it here, countless others don't even survive the trip.  The reefs in the Philippines have been severely decimated from this practice and a report highlighted in the American Association for the Advancement of Science indicates that in "Hawaii at Honaunau, the top ten aquarium fish species have decreased by 59% over the last 20 years, and at Kona the most popular aquarium fish show declines in abundance from 38 to 57%.  Even under ideal conditions, it would take more than a lifetime for some reefs to recover."

So what's Team Zissou to do?  To get our fish fix, we became big fans of the Birch Aquarium.  Not only is it a great place to view weedy sea dragons, sharks and other marine gems, it's a research institution that's focused on promoting ocean conservation.  It's a smaller aquarium and the weekends here may be crazy, but if you have the chance to drop by on a weekday, as long as there's not a field trip - you may just have nearly the whole place to yourself.  Late Sunday afternoon is usually a good day too.  Take some time to meditate in front of the giant kelp forest exhibit.  You'll literally float away as kelp, Garabaldi and other marine life sway.  The Birch also offers outdoor adventures that are worth checking out.  A few years ago we went on an ocean kayak excursion that birthed our kayaking addiction.  Now we have our own kayaks and enjoy snorkeling the sea caves with the seals in La Jolla and sometimes paddle down to Pacific Beach.  

After Puff lives out his senior days in solace at our home aquarium, we'll transform our window to the sea into a sustainable, eco-friendly goldfish habitat.  While undeniably the best view of wondrous marine creatures is snorkeling in the sea, The Birch is a close second - especially if you want to keep that red cap dry.
3 - Borneo G.: Not a bad aquarium, although I was a little disappointed especially considering how expensive admission is ($14 for adult, but I have plenty of student ID cards to spare, so my rate was reduced to $10...friend got in for $7 thanks to an online coupon).  That and also we couldn't enjoy the place because they were having a special event that night...but I digress.

Like others have said, this aquarium is really small.  There are some interesting fishies and coral, but again, there wasn't a lot of variation. My friend and I were done touring the tanks after 20 minutes or so...and we were taking our sweet time with the place.  There's a great view of La Jolla beach outside, but that's one of the very few things that were generally "spectacular"...most of it was mediocre. :-/

I will say that this place reminded me of my idyllic time with the ex and our lovely date to the Long Beach Aquarium...unfortunately, the Birch Aquarium doesn't compare to the former. I suggest if you're willing to make the drive and have plenty of time to spare to skip this one and go there instead.
4 - Clarice C.: My little girl loves this aquarium.
Everyone says "SMALL!!". Yes, this is very small aquarium.
But did you check their website? What they say?

"Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Explore where the wonders of the ocean come alive! The mission of Birch Aquarium is to provide ocean science education, to interpret Scripps Institution of Oceanography research, and to promote ocean conservation. "

Yes. this is good to STUDY.
It reminds me of my field trip when I was a kid.
$14 for adult, $9.50 for 3-17 y/o. Maybe a little expensive.
Always we just go there, watch and learn fishes, and relax at tide pool plaza.
After that, walk around in La Jolla. 
It makes my good day :)
4 - Phil R.: great little aquarium. my daughter loved it but as everyone tends to agree on, it's a little small and for $14/person, a little expensive to make a habit of. Still, it's clean, easy to get around in, the staff was nice and the main "big" tan in the middle of the "right side" was fantastic. it really was cool to see a tank that size with all the fish in it.

the activities for kids were fun and the shark tank was neat, though, again, small.

decent value for the money.
4 - Melissa L.: Check in through 4square for $2 off admission for you and up to four people! 

The Right side of the aquarium is pretty baller, but the rest of the building exhibits are a snooze. The Tidepools are cool though. 

Make this a part of your day trip through La Jolla.
4 - Stella T.: Great place to explore on an overcast day.  Most of their exhibits are indoors, with two sections being one more kid friendly and more educational whereas the other room displays the sea creatures with educational info.  Managed to score 50% price through livingsocial.com so my husband and I only paid $7 each and was good up until April 2012 (purchased them in Dec '11)

The aquarium is in a university so of course the aquarium isn't going to be big or fancy! If you want something more interactive with shows, go to Sea world! :P

They also have a nice lookout view you dispense some change in and get up a good close view of La Jolla.
2 - Francis R.: One of my favorite Aquariums in Southern California. Sadly, their display have gone down hill, especially their coral reef exhibits. The tank(s) are covered in cyano bacteria, flatworms, algae and the corals are suffering. Their acropora exhibit is bleaching (Dying). Hopefully their staff can save these exhibits before it gets worst.
5 - Sara P.: This is one of my favorite places in the world. 

Yes, the aquarium is small but the exhibits they do have are simply amazing. 
My favorites are the seahorses and jellyfish.

The research done at Scripps is also world renowned. There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes.

I love their gift shop. 

Oh, and THE VIEW.
3 - Minne R.: The thing about this aquarium is, to get something out of it, you need enough time to watch what's going on in the tanks.  It's not a flashy place. There isn't a lot to do or ground to cover, but they do have some interesting sea life in the smallish tanks.  It was pretty crowded when we went on Presidents' Day, so getting enough tank viewing time was not possible.  I probably won't take my kids here again, but I'm glad I was able to come here once on a  very uncrowded day so that I could watch a Sarcastic Fringehead mosey around the tank and see a Leafy Sea Dragon up close.

Look at this woman's photos of the exhibits:  http://thelma.smugmug.com/Out-n-About-with-TLO/Birch-Aquarium/17042933_cDHp3M#!i=1290343515&k=MQQdhcc
2 - Chelsye H.: My family and I enjoyed our time here, but the aquarium in Virginia Beach, VA (my hometown) is MUCH better. Birch was very small, and I was very disappointed in the shark exhibit. The one in VA is HUGE. Not to mention two separate buildings that are connected by a huge trail through the woods. My favorite part of the Birch aquarium was the view from the outside tidepool exhibit, and seeing my daughter have a great time at the outside activities that seemed it was more for kids.
4 - Gregg S.: Took advantage of a group buy deal and scored half priced tickets. The aquarium has some cool fish and sea life. The tide pools were neat, you can touch the creatures, which was very cool. All you need is about 2 hours to see everything. It was a beautiful day and it made the view amazing. Good for the kids or if you really like fish and learning more about our amazing county and it's sea life.
4 - Kristi G.: I really enjoy Birch Aquarium and just went there for the third time recently. What others have said about the size is true; I've been to Baltimore Aquarium and this one does not compare in size or scope. But there are a lot of interesting tanks with scary looking eels, jellyfish, and lots of other fish that make it a pleasant walk-through on one side -- particularly the amazing floor-to-ceiling tank that has man-made ocean currents and sunlight streaming in -- the fish in it are huge and mesmerizing to watch! The shark tank was a little harder to get a good look at, as it is separate and looks more like it might be on a nature reserve and not at a full-blown aquarium -- plus it gets very crowded at feeding time, which is worth seeing just to watch the massive stingray flap upside-down and dine away. The outdoor tide pool leaves a little something to be desired (small and a little hard to see into -- not as visually interactive as I remembered Sea World's to be), and the educational half of the aquarium (with more inanimate displays and smaller tanks) is probably better for school-age kids than infants or toddlers. But the side with the large fishtanks is great for babies who have started to look around but can't walk yet. They find the animals' movement around the tanks fascinating!

I recommend trying to find two-for-one tix, as it's currently $14 for adults. Then if you like it and want to support them additionally, you can always donate a bit more in the plastic box inside the front entrance.
4 - Colleen C.: Quaint and cute, the Birch Aquarium is a good place to bring little ones for a couple of hours. I've been several times and am surprised for such a small place to always see something new.
3 - jurassicphonoplane ..: I came here this week for my daughters first birthday. We both had a great time minus one thing....the membership office. I had purchased a livingsocial deal that clearly said *ahem* "One year membership. Two adults. Two Children". It didn't say, "Up to Two Children" or "However many children you have birthed". It clearly said "Two". So I excitedly walk into the membership office to redeem my deal and the lady at the counter asks "How many children do you have?", I said "One" and she very rudely said "Well then the deal is only for the one child". I was quick to correct her that the deal I purchased was for two children and I want what I had paid for. She, again rudely, said "Fine, but that's not what the deal was for" and again, I was quick to correct and show her, in black and white what the deal said....."Two Children". You could tell she had been dealing with this situation a lot, and she had a real 'tude. Wasn't the best start in celebrating the first birthday of my "one" child. But seriously, don't take your mistake out on the customer. You realized the mistake after the deal went out? Not my problem, you should have stated those terms on the deal itself. I had to let it roll off my back though, because again, first birthday. Kindof a decent milestone in my and my one child. The fish were gorgeous, we both had fun (after the membership office) and everyone in the gift shop was amazingly nice (hence the three stars).
3 - Bill M.: The permanent exhibition of Pacific sea life was interesting. The special exhibit on global warming tried to finish on a hopeful note, but was a bit unsettling. It did emphasize the contributions of Scripps scientists in discovering and measuring the changes to our climate. I enjoyed the couple of hours I spent there.
3 - Jean Z.: Neat place, 
Seen it, done it, thanks anyway, enjoy your stay.  Lots of good rare aquarium varieties here...and many very different from Shedd in Chicago.
5 - lauren l.: Really nice aquarium. Loved the seahorse exhibit.
4 - D V.: Great place to bring the kids. I could sit in front of the huge aquarium and relax for hours. Not sure what it is about aquariums that brings about a peaceful feeling. I guess it could be a great place for a first or second date for the single people too. Something out of the ordinary.
3 - Katy K.: Good for a quick half day trip as long as you stop at EVERY exhibit and read EVERY word, otherwise it will be a quick hour long trip...

the exhibits are kind of lame if you're thinking you're about to walk into the Monterey Bay Aquarium, orrr Sea World, orrrrr even the tide pools....

The Casseiopea Jellyfish were SO cute though! And it overlooks the ocean which is great for a picture!

Check it out because... well, why not?
5 - AJ A.: I LOVE Birch Aquarium. It is the perfect local aquarium for San Diego. It is good sized, but not so massive it is overwhelming. The prices are more than affordable for a quick trip and you can spend all day exploring the facility. Great staff too.
4 - Joni G.: It's a nice place to go on the weekend.  I spend an hour and see everything.  It's not extravagant, but it's relatively inexpensive for admission- and there's always coupons and discounts.  Also, if you are a Bank of America card holder, it is free the first full weekend of the month if you show your bank card.

I liked the different jelly fish and also their giant aquarium that mimics what's in La Jolla shores.  It's crazy to think that those big moray eels are just swimming right under your feet.  They have cute, interactive exhibits for kids.  You could do a faux news report on a green screen.  It gives you a TelePrompter, video tapes you, then plays the video.  Also, you can't beat the view.
3 - Luciana L.: This place was nice. I love sea horses and they had a lot!!  Place was a little small and we got done in a couple of hours. Our daughter is only 14 mo so I guess that was part of the reason. Not too much for her to get excited about!  Great views though!
1 - Mike M.: Small.  That sums it up. You can see the entire place in 30 minutes. Which means you pay 50 cents per minute.
4 - Wade W.: Spent a few hours with our 8 & 9 year old children in july 2011 at the Birch Aquarian on our southern california vacation. We thought this was a great place for things to see and do. Everything from a interactive touch pool to a shark tank. We were so glad we added this to our day trip schedule. Good value and informative experience.
2 - Rachael C.: While I like the Birch Aquarium, I cannot justify paying 14.00 for myself to get in and my kids at 9.50 each more than once in a great while. Unfortunately my son is looking too big to get the 2 and under rate (he is 4) so that was another strike in it being affordable.  Blink once and you are done with the whole place. I usually only go here maybe once a year when it is a bit too busy for the beach, but I still want to go out by the ocean and at the same time check out some sea life

But do yourself a favor. Go to a Petco and show your kids the tanks there. You will save yourself at least 30.00 and they will never know the difference

The prices should be lower. It is such a small place and most of the stuff outside is just fluff to try and mask the fact that there really isn't much to look at. Sure this is the poor man's Seaworld, but something that you can finish with in a half hour is not worth my time...
4 - jennifer m.: Really nice and educational.  Self guided.  For the price, it's great!  Good alternative to those thinking about Sea World.  I like the aquariums here better, and nothing stinks like at Sea World like the Bat Ray pool and the Penguin encounter which smells awful...yuck!   

Plus, you don't have any captured mammals here =)   

Anyway, at $19 per adult and $9.50 for kids or whatever, hard to go wrong.  Free parking as well.  I like it better than the sea life aquarium at LegoLand too.
3 - Ross M.: Nice place..very small for the $$, in my book.  Worth the time and effort to fight traffic and get there, though.
Won't go again - I'd rather pay a little more for what I call a "real" aquarium.
4 - Patrick H.: Great place to visit.  I'm not really a nature/animal lover type of guy but the Aquarium was well designed and very interesting.
4 - Amy D.: I honestly though Birch was mediocre due to the size. Nothing really stood out for me besides view of the ocean on the outer area. It's very educational, pretty good visit for those who have never really been to any aquariums and also good place to visit for school field trips. 

It's definitely worth a visit if you're an aquarium/fish lover.
4 - Tran L.: The aquarium is small so there isn't much to ask for. I paid $8 for admission so I wasn't expecting much. This is a good spot for kids and anyone interested in learning about ocean life! Definitely kid friendly : )
1 - Micheline C.: I was really disappointed with this aquarium.  I expected so much more given the location but I left feeling like I wanted my money back.  We walked around in maybe 30-45 minutes.  The exhibits were very unimpressive.  I definitely will not be going back or recommending this to anyone.
4 - Christine B.: My fiance and I visited on a beautiful day and loved the view over-looking the beach.  Although the size of this place is pretty limited, they seemed to have made the most of it.  Our favorite exhibit would have to be the octopus--he's huge!!  They're also focused on educating the public, which is great.  

This is where I have to mention that I'm a biologist and former aquarist...

In my opinion, their animals looked very healthy.  This can be a rather difficult thing to accomplish with certain species--their aquarists definitely know what they're doing.  The exhibits look natural and are not overcrowded with animals (this is a very common error when people just want to make an exhibit more exciting, but it results in poor water quality and unhealthy animals).  Great job!
4 - Cindy W.: For $13 for an adult ticket, I was disappointed that the aquarium was a lot smaller than I expected. However, seeing the look on my daughter's face when she saw the fishes made it worthwhile. The jellyfish and the seahorse exhibits were our favorites.

We missed the tide pool at 2:30, but we got to go out there and enjoy the view. My daughter even got to hold a starfish (she almost squished it to death). 

Parking is rather easy to find, but could be tight to move your car during the day when there are school buses parked right behind you. The parking is free for 2 hours. 

Great place for kids, all you need is about an hour and a half to see this entire place and stop in the gift shop.
4 - Gabriella J.: It was a beautiful saturday afternoon when my friend Eric and I decided to go visit the Birch Aquarium. I have never been to the Birch before so I was really excited. Parking was relatively easy. Visitors have three hours of free parking and since the aquarium isn't all that big, three hours is plenty of time.

If you're a student and you show them student id, tickets are $10. If you're a UCSD student, tickets are $9. 

The view next to the aquarium is breathtaking especially on a nice sunny afternoon, where you can see the clear sky against the vast deep blue ocean.

The sea animals look happy and healthy. There are jellyfishes, seahorses, and mean-looking eels to look at. Also, one funny looking fish in the big tank.

If you've never been to San Diego before, I recommend going here. The aquarium is worth a visit every year or so since the aquarium is always looking on ways to improve their selection of sea creatures.
4 - Abraham Z.: My wife and I took our kids to the Aquarium. We have not been here since we came on a school field trip. I thought it was wondeful and very informative. Relatively small
but a nice way to spend these beautiful days we have been having. Very nice place and prices are very inexpensive!
3 - Maryann S.: First time I came here we spent around 2-3 hours just wandering around and looking through everything on both sides. After visiting this aquarium a second a time, I am unsure how I spent so much time here during my first trip. The aquarium is pretty small but worth the $9 student price that we paid to get in. 

The right side has all the fish and sea critters but nothing too crazy or unusual to see. They split off the tanks by the regions that the animals are found in and they provide a lot of information for each inhabitant in the tanks. They have a huge kelp tank where they have live feeding shows but the area is really small so we couldn't get a spot to watch. 

The left side has more educational stations and activities with a few other smaller tanks here and there. The aquarium has tide pools outside with a great view of the beach, but the tide pools are a little underwhelming. They allow you to touch things with one finger though! 

There's also a really small shark tank located on the side of the aquarium but all the sharks are smaller in size and just swim aimlessly in an empty tank :( 

Overall, the aquarium is a little underwhelming but it's a great place for kids since it's more engaging for them and they probably won't get tired of walking through it. There are a lot of activities for them to do so you'll find a lot of families here on the weekend.
3 - Kimberly C.: A little pricey for the size of the place, but that is just my opinion.

And I also realize that attractions such as these are sometimes necessary to generate the needed funding to perform conservation and research tasks out in the real natural world, but I did feel that most of the tanks were too small.
4 - Christina R.: Great small aquarium that promotes environmental responsibility and respect for the oceans!  

We are members occasionally to take advantage of the benefits.  They have a wide variety of programs including summer camps for kids.  Our 5 year old is in the Sea Squirts camp this week and loving it!  He has had many opportunities to touch a variety of marine life and has been thoroughly entertained.  My only complaint is that the camp is only half-day which is too short for me to be driving back and forth all week.  Wish they had a full-day option.  That said, his counselors are young, energetic and fun!  Alexx and Helen are full of spunk and keep the kids happy and motivated!  

As for the aquarium, the jelly exhibit and tide pools are some of our favorite parts.  The shark feeding is always exciting as well!  The educational area is a little over the heads of my kids, but they like the outdoor cycling and water-flow exhibits as well as the see-saw.  The giant window with the kelp-forest is another big highlight that is similar to, but much smaller than the one at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  There's also a cool wave machine and of course the obligatory souvenir penny and photo machines that my kids insist on getting every time.

There is a nice little gift shop and they've conveniently arranged it so that strollers "MUST" exit through it and pass the candy bar placed at toddler-eye-level.  

The staff is very helpful here and is more than happy to give you an impromptu tour.  

Wednesday is the best day for in-aquarium events/mini-shows etc.  

The cafe outside is decent although pricey!  I paid $2 for a Kelloggs fruit bar which is like the cost of a box of them at Vons!  The sandwiches are nice deli-style ham and cheese etc, and they make an effort to use sustainable local produce.  

The walk from the ample parking lot is also a main attraction for my kids, including a mini-submarine and two enormous whale fountains.  They also love to climb on the arena style stone bench seating in front of them.  

Overall, a great local aquarium that we are proud to support.
4 - Wendy W.: A gem of a small aquarium!  Spent a few hours there on a summer Wednesday afternoon and loved it.  There was no crowd so it was easy to see each tank up close and fully enjoy the displays.  The seahorse and jellyfish exhibits are excellent.The kelp tank isn't as large as those found at Long Beach or Monterey, but it was a great display with an interesting variety of sea life.  The gift shop is excellent.
4 - Mark K.: Great place to take the kids.  Very educational.  Perfect location.  A little small.
4 - Dhamodaran S.: Half a day visit would be enjoyable to the kids.....then one can go again after a couple of weeks. For kids above 10 yrs it is informative and enjoyable as well. Nice lighting and variety of under water creatures: star fish, urchins, particularly seahorse is the highlight (I also took a lot of photos).
3 - Rajam R.: Probably would have given them 4 stars except for my online ticket purchase experience. You can buy your tickets online and there's a $4 "convenience fee". However, when we got there and went to the front door, we were told to go back to the ticket counter to exchange our print out tickets for other tickets. What's the point of paying a convenience fee if there's no convenience?? We could have saved our $$ and just bought tickets at the ticket counter.

I'm a little spoiled as I often visit the Monterrey Aquarium and have been to the Tennessee Aquarium several times. Those are the 2 best in the country that I've seen.

Besides being a little small, the aquarium was nice and there were several exhibits that had me entranced.
5 - Kathy M.: I first went to Birch on Halloween, and the whole place was decked out in decorations and full of little ghosts and goblins, and a super cute duck and pirate princess ;)

I loved how they catered to the little ones. I went again with some friends with toddlers, and it was really great. Lots of things for them to engage in, and once they are old enough to understand, lots of information about conservation and preservation of our  precious and fragile environment.
4 - Brendan W.: A nice way to spend a few hours.  Great for young kids. Don't forget the backyard shark tanks.  In this area are wave and water flow demos; fun for kids.
4 - Mai K.: For the rest of this week, the Birch Aquarium is free to UCSD students, staff, and faculty. You just need to bring your student ID and you're good to go. They also have deals going on pretty often so you should check their site for discounts. 

Having been to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, this aquarium is pretty small. You can pretty much take your time and be done with it in about an hour, maybe an hour and a half. 

There are two sections. One section is mainly interactive, while the other is not and meant for merely looking at the sea creatures. If you have a child with you, the interactive section can be very amusing. Some adults will also enjoy playing with the stuff they have there. I know my boyfriend did. 

It is a pretty aquarium and I love the blue background in the tanks. The colors just really brighten up the place. 

The only downside is that it's really small. I wish it were a bit bigger with more things to see.
5 - J X.: THIS AQUARIUM IS SO AWESOME!

Everyone is SO friendly! I felt really happy and excited the whole time I was there! My favorite parts of the aquarium are all of the interactive exhibits. The tide pools in the center are so cool! The guide there was not only knowledgeable and patient, but also very friendly. She was willing to explain all the animals' eating habits, and was really nice about answering questions. Visitors are allowed to gently touch sea cucumbers, lobsters, fish, little crabs, sea stars, sea anemone, and more!!! She was also really patient with people who wanted to pick up everything. She explained that if an animal is too far away for your kids to reach, she can pick one up for you and bring it to you in a bucket. SO AWESOME! COME DURING FEEDING TIME - IT IS MAGICAL.

Another really fun area is everything to the left of the entrance. There's tons of exhibits about how to protect the planet, including one where you pick and choose choices to try and lower the carbon emission. That might not sound fun but ... IT WAS! 

Outside, by the shark tank, you can take pictures with a fun shark mouth! You can also ride SEESAWS! 

It's a very affordable little aquarium to visit and if I had this much fun here, I'm sure your kids will too :D
4 - nicole t.: So fun and educational! My husband and I came here on a day date and had a great time! Very affordable considering how expensive Seaworld, Zoo, Museums are!
3 - Angela L.: The place was small and had the general exhibits. The awesome thing about this aquarium is the outdoor exhibit where you can see la jolla shore and the interactive exhibit where you can touch some of the aquatic life.
5 - Paul B.: Came here in May with my girlfriend and the whole family....Great experiance for all of us .Very  easy to navigate and just big enough for the kids not to get bored. Will be back again....

Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex - West Lafayette, IN (40.4386628, -86.9376213) ()
4 - D. R.: The Kampen Course which hosted the 2008 Men's NCAA Championship is a great Pete Dye layout. It's in pristine shape. It plays long if you are feeling bold: 7400+ from the tips.  And it plays every bit of that length and a touch more when this somewhat linksy course gets a little breeze running across it--some "serious teeth" as the folks say.

A great price: around $60 for 18 holes with cart depending upon which day you play.

Bottom line: It's a hidden gem. And just one of the 18's that make up the 36 hole Purdue Univ. Golf complex. Didn't play the other one. But I guess I should. Sorry Indiana Univ. Hoosiers, Purdue has the better course. Not even close.
4 - Judy R.: I've recently decided to start taking up golf, so I have been working on developing my swing at various driving ranges.  The range at Purdue is really nice quality, but is a little pricey.  A medium bucket of balls costs $10 (the same size at the Lafayette public course on 9th street is $5).  They also give you a handful of tees, which is nice.  The range is not just a flat piece of land, it has hills and alot of different targets to aim at.  It's a good place to come hit some balls during your lunch break.

The courses look to be in pristine condition.  Haven't been on them yet but they look amazing.
4 - Steve B.: My favorite Golf spot in Lafayette/West Lafayette.  Both courses are great to look at and enjoy while searching for your golf ball.  The staff is awesome and the price isn't too high.

Birkenstock Footprints of Claremont - Claremont, CA (34.096857, -117.718287) ()
5 - Anthony T.: This is an old fashioned shoe store, where there the owner, Christine is EXTREMELY knowledgeable. She can order any Birkenstock and can pretty much guess your size. Go with the size that she recommends, even if they do not feel right at first. Trust me (and her), she knows what she is talking about.

Best of all, her prices are only slightly higher than those on the internet, and you have a place to try on what you want, rather than waste resources by shipping products back and forth.

Keep good businesses like these open, or else they will disappear for good.
5 - James I.: This is an awesome shop.  Sure they carry your favorite line of Birkenstocks (they can also special order specific styles that might be out of stock at no extra charge--which is what they did for me) but they also carry other comfortable shoes such as Danskos & Crocs.  Very personable & knowledgeable salespeople and best of all they carry a wide variety of other gift items such as bags, chimes, hats, socks, gift boxes, jewelry etc......items that make great gifts for those who would otherwise be hard to shop for. I just went back last week and got all the rest of my Christmas shopping done in one fell swoop!  Definitely one of the more charming 'Mom & Pop' stores in the Claremont Village.
5 - Lioness D.: I've walked past this store a million times. I finally decided to pull the trigger on some Birkenstocks (Zurich, Tan Suede to be exact). Christine was the sweetest. She helped me pick the correct size and we had a nice chat. She also carries a wide array of different shoes, not just Birks...Clarks, Crocs...Go Look!!
5 - Elizabeth J.: Christine was very knowledgeable about what type of Birk I should buy. She was patient as I mulled over my potential purchase. She didn't hover or pressure. I have yet to wear my new Birks, but I'm sure they will be wonderful based on Christine's testimony and expertise. Great customer service!!
5 - Christie M.: This place is as good as it gets. Christine, the owner, is extremely knowledgeable about her products and wants to make sure you get exactly what you need. Please get all your Crocs, Danskos, and Birki's from Christine. I used to get my Danskos from Zappos- but as you know if you wear them, each pair fits differently and I ended up sending them back.
Go get them in person!

Birnkrant Residence Hall - Los Angeles, CA (34.021446, -118.282416) (South Los Angeles)
3 - Dave C.: Birnkrant Residence Hall (and its temperamental toilets) is on USC's campus next to PSX and New/North Residential College. It has a great location right next to Leavey Library and Doheny Library.

If you live on the correct side, you can see onto nearby McCarthy Quad (the "Freshman Quad.") which is also the home to many huge events on campus - Tailgating, Delta Gamma Anchor Splash, comedy shows, concerts, and a whole lot more. This is both a gift and a curse because sometimes you'll want to go to these events and you'd have to be an idiot not to notice they were going on. This makes the events easy to get to, even when you're wearing pajamas. However, when there's a concert, comedy show, or anything going on that you don't care about, it is so freakin loud that you won't be able to resist, so you'll end up going downstairs anyways so that you don't feel like a loser. There's coffee right downstairs at Trojan Grounds too, which is good for a late night.

Birnkrant's dorms are actually pretty nice! They're a step up from New/North, Pardee Tower, Marks Hall, and Marks Tower, in my opinion. This might change, but the floors are currently co-ed, with guys on one side and girls on the other. There are 4 toilets and 2 showers for each respective side (~20 per side), for a total of 8 toilets and 4 showers for ~40 people. It works better than you'd think.

While Birnkrant has new-ish toilets, they clog a lot! They are supposed to be automatic flushers, but sometimes they'll surprise flush on you while you're trying to take a dump! (NOOOOOOOOO!!!) Other times, you'll get up, nothing will happen, and you'll have to hit the button at the top of the toilet. One time (at band camp), all of the guys' toilets were clogged, so we shared the girls bathroom for a week. Somehow, it still worked! (and was kind of awesome)

One of the showers is a big Real World style shower, which can lead to all kinds of college fun. There are building wide dinners and events throughout the year, which is nice. The elevators break a lot, which is fine, but once one of my friends got stuck in there. Packages get picked up at the CSC at nearby New/North, which is totally convenient, but don't forget your keys when you go to the shower because you'll be walking over to the New/North CSC in just your skivvies to get someone to open the door for you. 

The second floor has a study room area, which is pretty nice if you have some group projects to work on. However, if it's late at night, be aware that sometimes people have the secks in those rooms, so the lights being off may not necessarily mean that the room is available. You might just end up turning on the lights to see your friend's pasty bare ass! (sorry about that, bro)

Overall, Birnkrant is a great place to live. Nice long hallways that make for fun nights of bike riding through the hallways and the co-ed floors are a big reason to live here. It has a great location and you'll make tons of memories living there.
5 - terry h.: This was my dorm when I went to SC and I loved it. It was not coed then but it was so much fun because we all got to know one another and had a blast raising ruckuses and growing up. Boys will be boys won't they?

Plus the two biggest girls dorms (EVK and College Uni) were right across the quad made for lots of female companionship. The girls were gorgeous, friendly and smiled all of the time. I was in love with about 50 of them. We had parties, get togethers, dances, food fights, it was awesome.

Being right on campus, Birnkrandt has it all. Near the main quad, closest dorm to the center of things. Food right downstairs. Parking across the street. Location central.

I still remember all of the students riding their bikes back and forth to class, throwing frisbees back and forth on the lawn. It was like a little city.

Now it is coed and that is a bad thing to me, no privacy and the bathrooms were dirty enough so boys wouldn't mind them but they were just too grungy for girls. And they have also torn down the old cinema school and tennis courts that were next to the dorm and replaced them with the new state of the art campus library, WOW, how could things get any better?

Anyway, if you are looking for the best dorm at SC pick Birnkrant. You will meet lifelong friends, have the time of your life, experience the best in dorm life and make many, many great memories for yourself.
2 - Ted C.: in 1995 this place was high class 3rd World Living.  Indoor carpet.  Small rooms.  Worse than 3rd World bathrooms.  I have been to China, Podunk China, Mao-esque China, and the bathrooms were better.  Small beds, A smell, hmmm nothing you can really describe, hmmm let's just call it a smell.  When I was at USC it was an honors dorm.  WOOHOOO, look at the big brain on Ted.  It had coed floors which is kind of cool.  It is across from Leavey Library which at the time was brand new and is the main library for just studying.  A couple more cool things, it has a Starbucks at the bottom, it maybe something else now though.  It has a residence on the first floor for a faculty member.  When I was there it was Professor Gustafson, an English Professor and bad ass.  I took his class he was AWESOME.  

Now the bad.  The bathrooms suck ass.  The lighting in the rooms was institutional lighting that gave me headaches.  The indoor outdoor carpeting.  The Smell.  The elevators were painfully slow.  My RA tried to seduce me many times.  When I ran into her on campus when I was a junior and she was in Grad School she asked if I wanted to come back to her place just to have sex.  *NO JOKE* Most of the girls on my floor were ugly.  Most of the guys on my floor were nerds, computer science guys who are probably millionaires now but boring in college.  

More about my Birnkrant Experience.  My next door neighbor was an artist so he painted a Jimi Hendrix in bright yellow and orange paint on my window my freshman year.  That was pretty awesome.  I spilled tons of bong water.  We made a bong out of a hollow Chocolate Easter Bunny my mom gave my friend who came over for Easter Dinner because he couldn't go home that weekend.  Birnkrant is part of a quad in the North College Area of freshman housing.  So the tower has a side that faces in, where my room was so when we played the Who a girl from across the Quad would yell Tommy!!  Open her windows and dance for us in her underwear.   The floors are hard enough to play "3 Man" when drinking before home football games.   Finally Birnkrant has a unique architectural feature, where it has these ledges outside every window, if I remember they were 12-15 feet wide and extended out almost 8 feet.  So it was a pretty big area.  Everyone would pop out there screens, and sit on their ledges and smoke or just hangout.  I have to imagine that this is not allowed anymore and that popping out the screens is against school rules.  No one ever jumped.  Although while I was at USC eight people committed suicide, six did so by jumping off buildings on campus.  Russian and other foreign students mainly.   Two frat guys intentionally OD'ed on heroine at their place in Mar Vista.   Fight On!!!

I recommend this place because of it's proximity to Leavey, the height I like the taller building and if they have fixed the bathrooms, the carpet and lighting.  I suggest one of the North College Residence Halls if not.

Birrieria Baldomero - Los Angeles, CA (34.018666, -118.268302) (South East LA)
5 - Guillermo S.: This place offers birria and menudo. I don't do birria so I won't comment on it, but the menudo is great.I have tried many places and this is by far the best. They serve a Jalisco style white menudo. It is super clean and lean. They provide a fresh spread of chopped onions, oregano, chile de arbol, and all you can eat tortillas (discos). They have a large and small, the large is $9 bucks. 

Do not be fooled by the location, it is a little orange shack by the tracks. Menudo is only served on th weekends.
5 - Tania C.: This place is awesome! 

My father-in-law introduced this birrieria to us 5 years ago, and we've been loyal customers ever since. I'm not a fan of menudo, but my husband loves it... authentic because they don't put hominy in it. We both LOVE the birria.  I always order "pura maciza" which is pure meat no bones. It is served like a caldo (soup) which I love. They have plenty of onion, ripe limes, chile, tortillas, and toothpicks. The service is top notch, very friendly. They are quick but they don't rush you. Which is nice considering they only have 4 tables, and on the weekends usually have some people waiting outside to be seated. They also offer a variety of soft drinks including Jarritos and Sangria Senorial. They are also kid friendly.  They have two high chairs, and will bring your little one "puro caldo" (just soup, no meat) or chivo meat tacos. We frequent here about once or twice a month...can't wait to go back for our fix!
5 - Luis N.: I have tried birria from its Original source, Guadalajara, but have not tasted anything better that Birrieria Baldomero's. Birria is served all day long but if you like Menudo you have to show up early in the morning, you can bring your own pot if you want to eat it later. The menudo is clean and you can ask for the specific kind that you like, the menudo is eaten in many cultures and I have tried many styles but this one is the best. The place is small and can sit only about 10 people so if you get lucky you will be seated quickly, look for a tiny orange building on 32 and Maple in downtown Los Angeles.

Birthwise Birth & Family Center - Austin, TX (30.2811614, -97.7451156) (Downtown)
5 - margaret k.: Birthwise is an amazing resource for mamas and mamas to be. April has attended three of our births, two at home and one at the birth center. All were wonderful experiences. We appreciated her knowledge, efforts to make us comfortable and ensuring we had all the information we needed to make informed choices. She take time with each family to answer all questions and explore any concerns. Having massage therapy and yoga classes on site is so convenient. All of the staff extremely caring and supportive. The classes and activities are have participated in have all been wonderful.
5 - melissa c.: I loved having april as my midwife. She had Jamie training with her while i was pregnant and they both had great energy. it was peaceful to hear what they had to say on every visit. when i had to be enduced they were there with me through all the hard parts. i heard about April through a work friend and im so glad i did! i tell everyone i know who is interested in midwifery about her.
1 - Ma S.: Avoid this midwife. 

April gave very good prenatal care, and was organized with paperwork and appointments during the prenatal period.  And, we liked her a lot.  I always enjoyed my check-ups with her.  

When it came to the birth, she handled it very badly, I think (though everything turned out all right in the end). And her attitude was so different.  It was weird, she was like a whole different midwife.  

Panicky--the baby started showing "non-reassuring" heart rhythms, and she seemed to really panic.  This made me and my husband very scared.  Thank goodness for our doula, the only calm one in the room. 

Indecisive--She changed her mind about whether we should go the hospital 4 or 5 times over a 90 minute period.  First we were going, then we weren't.  April said "I'm sorry I'm being so indecisive."  When we finally go the hospital, one of the L&D nurses said "You all called so many times, we weren't sure if you were coming or not."  What a roller coaster--what a nightmare.  This is not what you want when you are birthing at home!

Didn't keep me informed--Toward the end of our time at the house, she kept telling me "we can go to the hospital, but he'll probably be born in the car."  She seemed to really think that the baby was just about to arrive.  When we got to the hospital, the doctor said the baby wasn't coming because his head was a little turned, and it needed to be turned for him to come out.  The doc did that, it worked, and he was born.  Oh, she also gave me an episiotomy.  At a postnatal visit with April later, she said she had known all along about his head being turned.  Well why then did she not tell me?  Whey did she lead me to believe he was just about to be born?  This really angers me. 

Didn't let me participate in key decisions--There was a point during the birth before we went to the hospital when I asked "Isn't there anything you can do?" and she said "You have everything it takes to birth your baby" or something like that.  Well, later, at a postnatal visit, I asked her why she hadn't told me that turning the baby's head was a possible intervention.  She said she didn't say anything because turning his head could cause stress, and given that his heart was doing questionable stuff, she didn't want to turn his head and cause more stress.  However, it seems to me that there is also a risk in not doing anything and waiting until we got in the car, drove, and got to the hospital.  Regardless, I feel betrayed by her because I thought that the midwifery model of care gives the mother a role in decision making like that. By keeping me in the dark about my options, April kept me out of the decision making. 

Overheated my birth tub--I noticed immediately it was too hot and she said "well, it's just going to cool down," implying that she didn't want to be bothered with keeping at a safe temperature.  But my husband and my doula were there and would have helped.  It infuriates me that April let me get into hot water because I had already been running a fever during labor.   I don't think the hot water was good for me or the baby.  I had to get right back out.

Mean--There was a point late in the game while we were still at home where I really felt April was speaking to me in a mean way.  This was after a night of labor and 90 minutes of her panicking and being indecisive. I'm sure she was tired and frustrated, but she absolutely did not need to be unkind to me.  This wasn't just my perception of things--my doula also commented on it to me later. So unnecessary and unprofessional. 

Didn't clean up my apartment--There is a list of cleaning she agreed to doing as part of our contract (you'll find this is standard with home-birth midwives) and she only did about half of it.  Didn't change the sheets on our bed, left every light in the house on, left some mysterious herbs on the stove, left the birth tub half full.
5 - Kayle M.: What I love most about April is her undivided attention and love to both mom and baby. April gives 100% to the entire process of your pregnancy and after care. I had a lot of anxiety and fears after my first birth (in a hospital) but with my second i found April and she eased all my fears. She is calm, assertive, and most importantly loving. 

Every pregnancy discomfort I had was cured by April through a natural remedy. She answered every text, email, and voicemail I left her (which was a lot) very fast. I was never ignored or put on hold (which happened with my OBGYN all the time.)  I never felt like a burden to her. 

I have now had two completely perfect homebirths with April and I highly recommend her to anyone. She gave me back what I had lost with my first, hope and strength.
5 - megan n.: I am a labor doula in Austin and I have had two children here.  I have worked with a lot of midwives/doctors. I ALWAYS suggest April if anyone asks for a recommendation on a homebirth/birth center midwife. 

I always felt like I was in calm and capable hands. I had some (moderately) high blood pressure towards the end of my second pregnancy and had some hospital monitoring because of it, per her suggestion. Everything was fine, but I was happy that she erred on the side of caution and safety. She even came to my house a few times just to check in one us- something a doctor would never do! She isn't one to mess around with anyone's health.

When it came to be time for the birth things went great. She made me feel so confident. Things went really smoothly and after the birth her and Jamie cleaned everything up. It was like nothing had ever happen! :) 

LOVE her!
1 - Shana M.: April Bullock is dangerous and should be avoided! I barely escaped with my life.

The list of ways in which April was negligent is long so I'm including the short version here.

April sat on the floor in my bedroom while I was in labor and couldn't be bothered to offer a word of encouragement or anything else useful.

Although she had plenty of notice (20 hour labor), she never managed to get a pair of gloves on when my baby was born. My husband had to get her up off the floor by saying "I can see his head!"

She performed cord traction when there was a problem with the placenta which is sometimes done but she didn't inform or better yet ask me if it was ok. Later she admitted that she may have pulled too hard.

Which leads us to...she didn't notice an entire placental lobe left in my uterus. She put me in an herbal bath with my cervix still open and placenta still in my uterus. When I spiked a fever the next night, she acted like we were such a bother and told me and my husband it was probably just the flu. 

The rest of the story goes like this... I wound up with sepsis in intensive care fighting for my life while my husband took care of our newborn and four other kids. My mom and sisters stayed with me around the clock but April once again couldn't be bothered to go to the hospital. She told my husband another mom might go into labor at any time so she couldn't go to the hospital. My temperature was 105, my BP was 80/50 and my heart rate was skyrocketing. Doctors were shocked that I made it. They had already sent in the special hospital nurses who are trained to prepare the family for a patient's death. There is so much more to it but it's still really tough to re-live.

My kids have a mom today but it's no thanks to April Bullock. Her negligence nearly killed me and it all could have been prevented. When we got the placenta out of our fridge for further examination, it was clear that there were extra membranes and vessels leading to something (like the placental lobe that was left behind). April even noted "trailing membranes" in my file.  An ultrasound would have confirmed that and immediate removal would have prevented septic shock and the complete hell that I and my family went through. 

There are so many more details that I didn't include in this review. Please just know that April seems nice and even competent in an interview and prenatal visits but becomes a completely different person at the birth. She lacks competence and compassion so please don't risk your life by using her. I've had 2 other beautiful home births with a midwife that has since retired. I am hoping that every mom who wants a peaceful, serene and safe birth at home or in a birth center and googles austin midwife will read this review and know that she can have a wonderful birth with a competent and caring midwife.  I know homebirth is safe but April Bullock is not!

By the way, in case you're wondering, my sweet baby is now 6 months and doing fine despite starting out with no mommy and a barely there mommy for his first few months. My 13 year old is terrified of birth and my other 3 kids are still recovering from the terrifying trauma they endured. We will all heal eventually and hope that no one else ever suffers like we did.
5 - Stacy B.: I went to several places before settling on April. Picking a midwife was one of the most important decisions I had to make in my life and after going through several hospitals and other birth centers, I chose April. 

I received the best quality of care both pre and postnatally. 

EVERYONE from my birth educator to the breastfeeding experts always recommended April and gave her high marks. 

I'm not sure I understand some of the previous reviews as I found April to be on the conservative side - going by the book all the way and not hesitating to recommend going to the hospital if the situation called for it (I didn't have to go to the hospital, but got a fever after birth and had to be on standby while it went down). 

I felt extremely proud of the job we all did together. We were in total control of how I wanted to the birth experience to go. 

I'll remember it as the best, most intense night of my life and will be forever grateful for it.
5 - Amy B.: Not only did my partner and I really appreciate the unexpected little extras like great homeopathic tinctures, organic herbal teas, informative tips, enhancements, exercise ideas and homeopathic/holistic remedies to help bring more milk or breastfeeding advice, procedural info or ingredients listings. She helped us combat endless ailments from morning sickness to indigestion to hemorrhoids and mild prolapse. Her experience speaks for itself. Her confidence and loving matriarchal approach was super reassuring. I could ask her anything comfortably and always rely on straight, informative answers.   

I had my first sign of labor on a Friday night. We went to the center to get checked for dilation by April's assistant. I noticed immediately that the commute to the center had cut down my focus and relaxation in order to help me prepare for meditating through and riding each wave of contraction. I do not recommend this traveling option for that reason alone. After the 2nd night of consistent but irregular contractions I returned again, still not fully dilated 4 hours after my water finally broke I headed to the center to meet midwife April. I was told I could no longer go inside the birthing tub due to my irregular contractions and water breaking. She remained in the room with us explaining things, reassuring us and encouraging different stimulus, we tried brainstorming, waiting, hanging, drinking things, talking all the while I was laboring long and hard for what seemed like 3 days now!  

We where quite worried about Jonah not being in his fluid anymore so I agreed to check into St. Davids Hospital around 9pm that night.  April drove my husband and I there. Before my Labor I wrote out my entire birth plan for every procedure possible and then some. April delivered hand copies to all the nurses and Dr.s  on duty at the time.  She was at my bedside reassuring me that this was a necessary move and that Jonah will be on his way shortly. I really disliked getting the artificial Hormone pitocin. My contractions hurt even more severely and they seemed to thwart Jonah's body, but, they did seem to open up my hips and allow him to move out my canal. Jonahs body wriggled like he was ready, but this time, out of the ideal birthing position! I could tell April was reacting quickly but she knew just what to do! She kept explaining that by crossing my legs over my body in various ways we could turn his body back. foggy minutes of painful crazy contractions and awkward positions later and April exclaimed calmly, "he has returned!" now "lets try some olive oil!"
 
 Let me just say that there was nothing in the world like the relief felt the very moment that dr.s fingers began massaging my cervix with oil! No sooner than two pushes later and my son's head began emerging naturally right in front of me gently and sweetly. When his beautiful body was born April placed him right atop my breast, carefully guarding the moments before him to be weighed or wiped. He became happily attached to my nipple from that second forward! (just as I had expressed previously in my birth plan) I will never forget the very second of this intense unconditional love emotion overwhelming peace and well being.  I am so thankful I was able to be awake and conscious during this phenomenal experience! 

After arriving home, I may have over-extended myself on pure adrenaline, causing a slight prolapse to worsen. April then explained I needed an extra month in bed resting horizontally. She visited me often due to my prolapsed circumstances, once with food and another time with a baby bathtub, each time making it a point to straighten our house and check on me and baby. She has such a great attitude about birth and pregnancy, motherhood in general, plus a library of experience and information, vast selections and great documentaries. Her years of experience and confidence in women's ability to birth naturally for themselves was so inspirational to me that I believe it has contributed increasingly to my own interest in helping mothers and friends pre and post natal. I started to find out more information that made easy sense, like healthy decisions or time for me that resulted in more me for my family. (still eludes me)  April bullock has always made me feel like she was a loving friend there to empower and guide me along through this powerful, intense, intimate time we all know as pregnancy. She will never be forgotten for this.
5 - Gina A.: I had a great experience with April when my son was born 3 years ago. I had gestational diabetes, and April did so much to help us navigate through the dietary adjustments that had to be made. She knows her stuff, has a very calming demeanor, and I intend to use her again for my next pregnancy.
5 - Sarah S.: April was my midwife during both of my pregnancies.  She was caring, educated and hands off when needed and hands on when needed.  My daughter was born in 2007 and was a very fast easy birth, but when she was born she had a difficult time breathing at first.  April encouraged us talk to her while she gave her oxygen, she was still attached to the umbilical cord, mind you.  She started breathing on her own and it was smooth sailing after that, nurse perfectly and is a happy healthy 5 year old now.  

My second birth back in Sept. was much different.  Longer and much more intense.  We assumed it would be similar to the first, but not so much.  April was calm and very helpful throughout the birth, helping me with different positions and ideas to get him moving.  He was posterior throughout my pregnancy and did  a lot to try to get him to turn, but nothing really helped.  He did have moderate shoulder dystocia, but I pushed with all my might and with some help from April he made his debut 11 hours after labor started.  

Overall, I love having April as my midwife and highly recommend her to all of my friends.

Bismillah Imports - Pasadena, CA (34.145654, -118.126166) (Pasadena)
5 - Kristina C.: This place is gem. They have a huge variety of oils, incense, soaps, and decorations. When I say oils, I don't mean that rancid watery stuff you can buy on the street in Venice or Santa Monica, This is real unadulterated stuff. They have oils to match any fragrance, and can duplicate any scent just by smelling it. I took in a bottle of "Fracas" that my mom loves but can't afford, and they were able to duplicate it. Then there are the Indian oils...Incredible! These are think, richly scented oils that you won't find anywhere else. The family that runs the shop are really nice and work hard, so I feel good about supporting this local Pasadena business. There's parking in the back, and a really neat African store next to it. If your in Pasadena, check it out.
5 - Slushy L.: I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!!

They have every scent that you can think of!! AND if they don't....they'll make it for you!
I have been hooked on this place for years AND love the new location on Colorado!
I am constantly passing out their business cards because people are always smelling me!! LOL!

I live in the South Bay area but still drive all the way back to Pasadena because they are worth the drive!
5 - Hill P.: The name says it all. Friendly and very kind. Great products. Oils , soaps and butters. Great stuff.

Bissonnet Kirby Animal Hospital - Houston, TX (29.7254223, -95.4169063) (West University)
5 - Briana B.: My kitten had been sick with sneezing/watery eyes and hair falling out since I had adopted her 1 month ago. The receptionist, nurses, and veterinarians at Bissonnet Kirby Animal Hospital were incredibly nice and informative. They were kind and gentle with my kitten the entire time. 

The vet bill was itemized so I knew exactly what I was paying for and the nurse explained each medicine to me. My kitten and I left very happy customers and I will definitely be going back for immunizations as she grows!
5 - Jason J.: The staff and veterinarians have taken wonderful care of our dog.  They always take their time truly to care for our dog and thoroughly explain everything to me.  The fees are very reasonable, especially considering the time and attention they give.
5 - Melissa F.: Our dogs and cat have been patients of BKAH as well as regular boarders for over a year and a half now. The doctors are all very patient with them, and we have been pleased by the service. The only issue I have ever had was with the employee someone mentioned on another review and he was only working there for a very short time and is definitely gone now. I can be a little overprotective of my "babies," and they never seem to mind the endless questions and calls when something is wrong. I feel very confident that they are in good hands. We have lived in 3 cities with our animals, and I feel that the pricing here is fair compared to what I've paid (more and less in different cities), but I think I get much more personalized care and attention here.

Bissonnet-Southampton Veterinary Clinic - Houston, TX (29.725853, -95.408231) (Museum District, West University)
5 - Kelly P.: this morning i had to put my cat of 12 years down...it was saturday and not many animal clinics are open on saturday and i didn't really want to go to an emergency animal clinic for this - i'd never done it before.  i found these guys through a web search and was very glad i did. they were compassionate, patient, and kind and made this very difficult situation as smooth as it could be.  i'd take any pet i had to them.
5 - Sarah D.: This past Saturday, my roommates and I had to put down our 14-year-old cat.  This is not something I'd normally write a review for, but this clinic made a very sad time so much easier on us and I wanted to share my experience.

First of all, everyone who spoke with us was very sensitive to how much pain we were in.  When the vet initally broke the news to my roommate on Friday when she took in our cat for a checkup, my roomie said the vet teared up when she saw how upset my roomie was.  Then, when we brought in our cat the next day, they gave us as much time as we needed to say goodbye.  They explained everything to us so we weren't surprised at all.  So much compassion was greatly appreciated.

Secondly, they offer a free clay imprint of your pet's paw.  I don't know if this is common, but it really meant a lot to us.

Thirdly, you don't have to worry about payment that day - they send you the bill so you don't have to sit there sobbing all over your checkbook.  It's the little things like this that really made our experience.

Fourth and most important, they were incredibly gentle with our cat.  She was suffering from kidney failure and had gone from healthy and active to skin-and-bones in less than a week, and she was clearly in pain.  Seeing them do everything they could to make sure she was comfortable and happy meant the world to us.

If we decide to get another pet, we will definitely be taking that pet to this clinic.  I highly recommend it.
5 - Heidi G.: This is not the cheapest veterinarian clinic you will find, but it is well worth the extra expense.  My dog became seriously ill on a Saturday morning.  I called and got an appointment immediately.  They treated her and transferred her to an emergency vet clinic.  Many dogs die from this illness, but their rapid and skillful treatment saved her life.  Their regular care is excellent, too.  The staff is very gentle and caring, and they are good about sending reminders for shots and things.  I definitely recommend.
5 - Jon S.: When little Layton dog was adopted over the summer we knew we had to find a place close by that would treat him well. After going to a few the HSPCA "recommended" I wasn't happy at all. After reading reviews and getting some recommendations from people we brought him here and have been happy with this decision.

It's true that I probably pay more with the services then another vet but I'm OK with this. Although we only have been using them for about 6 months we have gotten nothing but great service. Mr. L Dog loves all the vets that have looked him over and the few times we need immediate assistance they have provided without fail.
5 - Sara A.: For all true pet lovers out there, this is by far the best vet you could possibly take your baby to.  From the minute you enter, you can feel the difference.  When usually vet clinics are cold and clinical and littered with posters warning pet owners about all the things you are doing wrong for your pets, this place seemed more like a pediatrician's office.  There were happy pictures of real pets, with thank you messages from their owners all over the waiting area.  Furthermore, the front desk staff was much more helpful and friendly than normal.

Then both the vet and vet tech were wonderful!! My little Iggy Pop is usually terrified to go to the vet, but they both spoke to her the whole way through her exam and eased her into everything.  They explained each step to both of us and 5 minutes into it, my dog was sitting comfortably on the exam table, instead of shaking and clawing towards me like she usually does.  This is the first time that I did not feel like I was being scammed or pressured into paying for unneccessary or excessive things at a vet's office and they were truly compassionate and clearly loved pets and loved their job.  

I would STRONGLY recommend this vet clinic to anyone and everyone and I am so happy and relieved to found an excellent vet.
4 - Padraig M.: The staff are great. I especially like Dr. Tippet. She has a lot of kind confidence around large dogs. 

One bad time we had to have a dog put down there a few years ago and it didn't go especially well, he was not put on enough downers before shaving him to accept the final IV/injection and he fought them all the way. I eventually had to hold him down myself. That was quite stressful for one and all. They have their procedures for animal handling, which 99% of the time are just fine, but sometimes don't always work.
4 - Amy L.: I gave this vet clinic 4 stars because of the care my 2 dogs received there. The vets and techs are all very friendly, knowledgeable, and truly care about the pets we entrust to them. I recently moved to another state, and BissSouth still let me buy the dogs' meds over the phone to ship to me. We boarded our dogs there many times, and we recommended the clinic to friends with their own pups.

Some negatives: 
-The clinic recommends that the dogs come in for check-ups more than once a year and sends postcard reminders for vaccinations that may not be needed (i.e. Lepto). One of the vets also recommended that  our elderly dog be put under anesthesia to get her teeth cleaned. We rescued our dog when she was older already, and it would cost at least $600 for this procedure. I understand that dental care is important, but this is not a procedure my husband and I felt comfortable with for the amount of $ and considering our dog's advanced age. So, do keep in mind that you will have to sort out what you are willing to pay for and what may not be possible/necessary.
-Parking is tight.
-The waiting area is small.
-The boarding facilities are smaller than in some places. Our dogs were used to large inside/outside runs in another city. 

All in all, this is a great place to take your pets. Other dog/cat parents may not be as mindful of expense as we were.

Bistro 45 - Pasadena, CA (34.145024, -118.131246) (Pasadena)
5 - Kim B.: Excellent food, amazing selection of wine.  Our service was phenomenal. We could not have been more pleased.

This is a great place to go if you want to not only have a great meal, but also a great experience.

It's definitely on the high end side so be prepared to shell out some cash.  Our 3 course dinner for 2 with a bottle of wine was a little over $200.  We won't go every week, but this is our top choice when we want to celebrate and money is not a factor.
5 - Ezra H.: Absolutely wonderful! The perfect place for a date or a celebratory dinner. The food is top notch, the wine list is one of the best in the country and the service is impeccable. 

It's not cheap but it's worth it. From Foi gras to duck to a dry aged steak it's all fantastic. The wine is pretty pricey but here's the thing: it's only marked up by around 50% while most restaurants try and get you for 2x or 3x the shop price. Had a fantastic bottle of Patricia Green Pinot that set me back around $60 that goes for around $40 in a store.
5 - Rebecca H.: Holy cow the food here is FANTASTIC. Yes, it is a little on the pricey side, but so worth it. And the staff (both front and back of the house) is very accommodating. When I was allergic to the one and only vegetarian entree on the menu, the kitchen cooked me up something special that was off the menu. Also, trust your server's recommendation on wine -- we asked for a not too expensive bottle, and ended up with one of the best wines I have had in years. Yum yum yum!
5 - julie g.: This place is the BOMB!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went here on my birthday with my man and my best client [not one and the same].  We started out with a nice $200 bottle of wine.  That all went down real nice.

The escargot were the best I have ever had.  The men had lamb and tenderloin.  Both signature items for the restaurant.    For dessert we the creme brulee -- of course!  And some apple/ice cream contraption.  It was excellent.  Little party in my mouth.

The restaurant capped it off with a birthday card.  Very cool!
5 - Steve B.: There are very few restaurants I will say are 5 stars and this is one of them. I've never had a bad experience here and never ordered anything on the menu that was less than stellar. I live in Pasadena and have tried virtually restaurant in the area. I know this is glowing review that's hard to believe but when you got game, you just DO.

Their wine selection is fantastic. They frequently have wine tasting/food pairing events here.  

I recommend the steak of pork. They're both delicious and have the perfect seasoning. These guys are pricey and are booked up all the time so I wouldn't recommend it for casual dining, but it's a perfect spot to take someone out for their birthday or to celebrate a special occasion in an upscale place you can count on for good food and service.
4 - Maria C.: I need to come back here.  Great service, great food.  

Unfortunately, I was too anxious to pay proper attention to my food.  Which is a shame, because the seafood salad - mussels, shrimp, salmon, scallops, etc. all on top of a bed of lettuce is my food fantasy. 

My lunchmates had a seared ahi and ravioli with watercress and salmon that both looked incredible. 

A couple more trips and driving in LA, my job, my personal life will melt away and I can relax and enjoy a delicious meal with my new client.
5 - Lee L.: My husband and I chose Bisrto 45 for our wedding anniverssary spot... and we will remember this evening for a long time. What a "perfect 10"!
We chose a bottle of Chteauneuf-du-Pape that partnered beautifully with our meal. We started with a Lamb Salad (AMAZINGLY melting lamb) and a cauliflower soup (subtle), moving on to the Seared Rougie Foie Gras (OH, THANK YOU, LORD...) and Roasted Duck Breast (YESSSS!), and finished with the Chocolate Soup and cheese plate (NO SHARING!) --- This is indeed a 5 star restaurant, quality without a bancropcy, superb service without snobby servers. Atmosphere without anything pretentious. Spent a little over $200 including tip - worth every penny!
3 - dean y.: Ok this place is overrated.  We come here since our pals love it but I have to say the food is aite.  The wine and atmosphere is cool but the prices are bit high.  Rather go to the PALM.
5 - Mike O.: I took advantage of the San Peligrino Dine Out event and got to experience this great restaurant for only $35 (a 3 course fixed menu).   

Food:  My choices (Cauliflower soup, wild Atlantic salmon, and desert sampler) were delicate and sophisticated creations filled with ingredients that I can't pronounce - terms like "cassoulet," and "emulsion" and "pepper."  What do they mean? I don't know.  I need to watch more Alton Brown. But goddamn it's tasty!

Decor:   Elegant to romantic.

Service:  I expected such a high caliber restaurant to be more "snooty. " They were not.  The matre d', waiter, and busboys were all very polite.

Parking:  Valet ($4.95) or street.
4 - Melanie V.: My review for Bistro 45 is in regards to their catering.  Last night my cousin celebrated her 40th birthday at her house.  She decided to have Bistro 45 cater---usually even the largest family event has home-cooked food all over it.  Anywho, I have to say that almost all their hors d'ovres (?) were really tasty.  There was one cheese and mushroom tart I didn't care for, but everything else I sampled was delicious. For example:

Ahi tuna on a thin rice cracker with avocado, wasabi, and caviar
Crostini with beef and garlic aioli
Lamb lolipops with a yogurt sauce
Pork dumplings with a sesame dipping sauce

There was more, it was all pretty darn delicious!  And I loved the servers.  They were super friendly and very attentive.  Five minutes wouldn't go by without something being passed.  And I think they knew my cousins and I would never turn something down, 'cause they always passed right by us.  

I have no clue what the cost is, so I don't know if I could recommend them to someone without budget info, but if you are going to a party and Bistro 45 is catering, chances are good that you'll be enjoying the yumminess.
5 - Karla R.: Went there for a birthday dinner recently with a group of 10.  We got a great table tucked away so we could all hear each other.  It doesn't seem like there's a bad table in the restaurant.  The food is fantastic, and the staff is helpful, especially when you don't want to spend $100 on a bottle of wine.  Highly recommended!
4 - Van W.: I was here for a lunch interview last week and I was pleasantly surprised. I've never heard of this place until I was asked to meet there as it's a bit tucked away from all the other restaurants around Green and Lake area of Pasadena. The valet parking makes it convenient as there's no street parking. The lunch menu has a wide selection and the serving was big for lunch...they don't do half sizes. I had the seafood pasta and when they brought my dish, I was searching for the pasta part since the plate was heaped full of shrimp, scallops, fish, and calamari. My meal was good and the service was great as well.
4 - Jonelle B.: I hadn't been to Bistro 45 in a couple years until last Saturday night.  We sat out on the terrace which is really romantic even though it  was packed.  The food is still amazing.  I had the soup of the day that was a bit bland, a lovely salad and Baramundi (the fish special) that had me wanting to lick my plate.  The wine list is a dream.  The perfect ending to dinner was the delightful chocolate soup.  Now you must understand I take my chocolate very seriously.  My friends asked me if I needed to be left alone with my dessert.  Yes, it was that good!  Our waiter brought us a complimentary brandy to finish off our meal.  A very nice touch.

I have to go back very soon for a wine tasting dinner.  It will not take years for me to return to Bistro 45 more like a month or so.
.
3 - Kelvin C.: Update: Came back here to try the food.  It was nothing really to write about.  I'm typing this a month later and can't even remember what I ate, except that it was just ok.  Prices are a little on the higher side, but at least the service is still good.  Updated to 3 stars.

Came here on a saturday night to check out the dessert.  My gf and I shared the "Chocolate soup".  All I have to say is "wow"...I mean...in manly terms...holy sh*t its good.  Probably one of the best souffles I've ever had.  If you are a chocolate lover, you'll prolly swoon over it.  My girlfriend had a nice riesling while I had a Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber (yeah im a beerman).  Tasty beer, little bit of fruity hops and LOTS of malt with excellent character.  

Staff was very nice and courteous.  Our waiter was cool, claimed this was a wine place but he was a beerman like me haha.  Manager greeted us in and out the door with a smile.

One star will be pending as I have not tried the food yet.  However, judging by the dessert, I'm seriously licking my chops.  I can't wait to come and eat a real dinner.  I believe I may have found another gem tucked away on the backstreets of pasadena.
4 - Ming C.: Overall a very decent dining experience.  I have been here twice and I like the food overall, especially their foie gras appetizer and like everyone else said, the chocolate soup.  The crowd is a bit older (i see mostly 35 + up) and the waiters can be a little slow at times.
5 - Leslie L.: We have hosted numerous events here and are always amazed by what a fabulous occasion it becomes. Gigi and Robert really make the entire experience one to never forget. Whether it's an intimate dinner for two or a group event of 50 or more, we have always been not only pleased - but overwhelmed by how much we enjoyed ourselves. The food is exquisite and the ambiance is wonderful. They truly treat you like a VIP here. Every party we've had here gets rave reviews, and it's our "go to" on special nights.
4 - Liz T.: Over all great dining experience. This is one of those restaurants that makes you smile. Everything was spot on. Decor was to my liking (although a lil on the fancier side), service was excellent, meal was well timed, and the ambiance was surprisingly nice considering how old the other customers were. When we waited for our table, the bartender suggested us their chocolate soup. I remember the taste of this dessert far more distinctly than what I had for dinner. If anything, I will return just for their chocolate soup. Honestly the food wasn't to die for but everything else was so great.. I understand that this is not the beset thing you an say for a restaurant b/c obviously you want the food to shine. 

Both of my courses were seafood. Nothing was dry, over cooked but I wouldn't say it was perfect either. The food it self was some what forgettable...

Good place to impress someone...
5 - Todd S.: So, we were being indecisive about where to go for dinner and turned to yelp for a suggestion.

We stumbled upon Cafe Verde, which seemed quaint and promising, and headed out. Apparently we procrastinated a bit too much as Cafe Verde informed us that despite there being three tables still seated (two without food on the table) that they were closed (at 8:45 on a friday).

Hungry and disappointed we decided to take a peek at the Bistro around the corner.

First of all, we were way under-dressed for this establishment as Bistro 45 leans to the swanky. Second, the chef and the waitstaff were already done for the evening sitting at the bar having a drink and counting their tips. Third, the tuxedo clad Maitre'D said "we'd be glad to have you.".

They all dropped what they were doing, sat us on the terrace which is lovely and promptly set about providing us with an amazing meal.

My fiance and I split from the specials a yellowtail tartare appetizer which had the most divine lemon sauce and was accompanied by a delicious vegetable pastry puff in avocado mousse. It was truly wonderful, light and flavorful while the puff pastry provided a textural compliment to the flavors of the fish and lemon sauce.

We each ordered flights of wine. My fiance had the champagne "bubbly" flight which had three healthy pours of lovely champagnes for a very reasonable $15.. I went with the reds and the "Red Badge of Courage" flight which also had three healthy pours of a cab, a blend and a syrah. At $11. It was a steal. All of our wines were wonderful and the flavor pairings were indeed quite interesting.

For our main courses we decided on the crispy polenta, heirloom tomato with curried spinach and white truffle aioli and the Special, one of my favorites, Monkfish.

Suffice to say they both were a treat. The polenta was served in a most unique stack that allowed the flavors to mingle without contaminating one another. The polenta was served as fried patties that just melted in your mouth. The spinach was coated in the white truffle ailoi and they worked really well together.

My monkfish was everything I hoped for. Firm and seared with a delightful curry sauce that complimented the fish without being overwhelming at all. It was accompanied by asparagus wrapped in a crepe that I found to be a refreshing way to enjoy asparagus.

We decided not to have dessert but the dessert menu is so enticing that we may indeed stop at Bistro 45 just for the Chocolate Soup or one of the other delectables offered.

Now, the bill was a little steeper than we had planned ($95.) but, absolutely reasonable for the food and level of service we received. We'll save Bistro 45 for a special occasion next time.

The food was fantastic and the staff so accommodating that I have to give Bistro 45 the full salute of five stars. 

As we walked back to the car satisfied and content we passed the cute little Cafe Verde that had refused to seat us. There were still people in the restaurant and on the patio eating and drinking. I'm not so sure that we'll be going out of our way to try Cafe Verde when Bistro 45 is right around he corner.
5 - Sarah G.: My boyfriend and I had a gift certificate to this place, and it was one of the better dining experiences we have had together. We were basically the youngest people dining here, but the waiter still treated us with so much respect that we didn't even notice. They are one of those places that uses the extra large wine glasses at dinner, so you feel pretty fancy and classy drinking wine from those big mamas ha and their food tasted like it came right off the stove and brought immediately to our table--their scallops were the best dish we tried that night by far so be sure to try that if you go!! The decor is a bit on the fancier side, so make sure you dress the part too, especially it you are on the younger side like we were!!!
5 - Jessica M.: Memorable... It was quite empty while we were there, but the service and food was outstanding.  We truly were able to enjoy each-others company and food. 
While a table of 2 girls and 1 guy entertained us at times, the food is what I remember the most.  I have yet to find another restaurant or have my husband cook me that plate of Chilean Sea Bass with a light fresh mango sauce. All I can say is Mmmmmmm....
Definitely wanting to return.
5 - Jon M.: I dig this spot. I dig it a lot! Attentive staff, great menu, food that really makes you happy you're eating, and off the beaten path. I recommend reservations and you MUST get the chocolate soup for dessert. Sounds funky but you'll LOVE it.
5 - Allie A.: I went to this charming, romantic restaurant about two years ago, back when I was dating someone who could actually afford to take me there.  We went for my birthday.

Upon entry, you feel as though you have walked into someone's dining room and I for one enjoy that cozy feeling.

Aside from the food being absolutely delicious, the waitstaff was impeccable.  My boyfriend at the time and I were just starting to get into wine, and our server went over in detail exactly which would taste best with each of our entree choices.  To say that he was somewhat knowledgeable about food and wine would be a serious understatement.  

I had the Chilean Sea Bass, and I must say, it was probably one of my favorite meals to date.  If the fish wasn't enough to win me over, the dessert was fantastic.  We ordered the "Chocolate Soup" (chocolate souffle) which was recommended to us by our server.  Not only did they write "Happy Birthday Allie" in chocolate on the plate, but they even gave me a Happy Birthday card which I thought was a nice touch.

With the attentive waitstaff, extensive wine list, and amazing food, this place is perfect for a special romantic night or a celebratory dinner.
3 - fiona c.: came here on a sunday..the crowd was a bit posh for my taste, sunday bests, doilies and such...but anyway moving onto the food...for the price i paid i would expect the quality and the quantity to be of a higher caliber than what we were served..iwould have to say the chocolate souffle was the best thing we had that night...oh my goodness...i was in chocolate heaven and i know chocolate! 

the wait staff was very friendly and attentive..but as for a return...maybe not...maybe because ive been comparing my experience to cafe beaujolais which has blown every french restaurant ive tried thus far out of the water

sorry bistro 45, maybe next time i can head back with my grandma for a nice meal?
3 - Todd C.: It's a very nice place.  West Coast enough that you could arrive in jeans but you would feel very self-conscious about why you didn't arrive in slacks or a dress.  Cloth napkins, tablecloth, waiters in close to cummerbunds, etc.

The food and wines were great.  We went to grab some dessert and wine at the bar, but the tables were all reserved up if you wanted dinner.  

So here's the weird problem:  the employees were just uncouth, man.  Their dress was top notch, but their language was kegger-party foul!  The bartender was very professional towards us, but the maitre d' and the other waiters were discussing personal matters like they were in a grungy frathouse, right in front of us.  Furthermore, the maitre d' dropped a wine glass, shattering it, and then laughed and asked the mexican waiter to clean it up instead of doing it himself.  What's up with that?
5 - Christy L.: A very elegant restaurant with great ambience AND a chef who has his culinary skills down to perfection.   My boyfriend found this restaurant online and we decided to give it a try.  We found a new restaurant that will go on our top 5!  Service was great from start to finish and everything from wine to dessert was served in a timely manner.  We ordered the Braised beef and Scallops and both agreed that we'll come back for Scallops.   The food is very unique and I liked their presentation of the dish.   Being a picky wine drinker, I found my favorite bottle of white wine at this restaurant.  Dessert was creme brulee and was more on the sweeter side.  But the portions of both entree and dessert were perfect and not too heavy.  I would go back to try other dishes on the menu.
3 - Alan H.: I have very mixed feelings about our dinner at Bistro 45.

First the good things: the food is fantastic, the variety of dishes and the ability to choose a large or small meal is great, and the wine list is extensive and fairly priced. While pricey, we felt that the food was a great value, and would come back here on any special occasion.

But the bad: in a nutshell, it appears to be poorly managed. We called to make reservations, and had to leave them on an answering machine--they never called to confirm them. When we called to find out if we had reservations, they put us on a long hold with an awful tape of advertisements for the restaurant. When we were seated, we were placed next to a loud table of obnoxious business people, and could not have decent conversation. And then it took 30 MINUTES to even place our order for drinks.

I don't know the owner of this restaurant, but based on our experience and some of the previous reviews (like Todd C.'s), he or she should thank the chef, and then overhaul the management!
4 - Sandy S.: Nice atmosphere, good food, good wine, and good service! The best thing about Bistro 45 is the friendly and courteous wait staff. I went with two friends and we mentioned we liked to share everything so without needing to be asked, they brought out share plates, put our plates in the middle, and unfolded the extensions so we had more room!  We had the lamb chops, duck and sea scallops, all of which were very good, but what was really great was the chocolate souffle (chocolate soup) for dessert! Delish! 

As for the bad, I would also have to say management was lacking, I made reservations and called back to change the day. When we arrived, the reservations had never been changed, I had gotten incorrect information over the phone and the host/manager wasn't very pleasant about the mix up even though there was still plenty of seating. He wanted to make it very clear that I should have a reservation next time.
3 - Karen L.: Came here for lunch last week.  The food was good--not great, in my opinion.  The portions were teeny-tiny.  My cup of soup came in a ramekin the size other restaurants usually use to serve mini creme brulees.  

The soup (heirloom tomato gazpacho) was tasty, but too bad I was done with it in a few sips.  

I also had the composed salad, which was about the size of my fist (and I have very small hands).  Most of it was mache greens, so it was not filling at all.  

I guess it's my fault for ordering two appetizers for lunch, but the salad was, as I recall, around $16 and the soup was around $6, so after tax and tip my fist-sized salad and ramekin of soup was almost $30.  Not worth the price, in my opinion.

My friend had one of their entree salads, which was much bigger than my salad, but again, not too filling.  

In short, if you're hungry, this isn't the place to eat.
4 - bernice c.: I came here tonight for my best friend and mine's birthday dinner.  The service was friendly.  They gave us both a birhday card and in the end wrote our names on the desert with chocolate and placed a trick candle in it for us.  

We had the ravioli du jour (chicken and spinach) which was tasty.  The bread was delicious two kinds both heated. I ordered the duck cooked two ways and my friend has the organic angus beef both delicous.  My sister's halibut was so so, the bread skin was really thick.  

Such a cute place and they make you feel really special on your birthday.
5 - Charming Z.: This place is amazing!  Just went here for my birthday and I got the scallops.  I have never tasted such succulent scallops.  The texture was just right---- soft but had some consistency.  The sides and sauces also compliment it perfectly.  Even the tiny croutons are slightly crispy still amongst the mashed potatoes and tiny cauliflower.  Topped with some asparagus, this dish is to die for.  For dessert, my boyfriend recommended the chocolate soup (after reading yelp) which is souffle served with a side of vanilla ice cream.  The warm souffle is super soft and melts in your mouth.  Countered with the refreshing coolness of the ice cream, it was a perfect finish.  

For appetizer, they had two soups available---- one cold and one hot.  I wanted to try the cold lobster bisque but it wasn't available so I settled for the hot vegetable polenta soup.... not so good.  Would not recommend it.  Try the ravioli instead, my friend got it and it was delicious.  The same friend also ordered the red snapper for her entree; I tried some and that is a great dish as well.  

The place is quite fancy and most people come a little dressy but not super formal as the rest of reviews have indicated.  Definitely pricey though so save it for a special occasion.  The price is definitely worth it though.  Plus the service is awesome.  They are very accommodating for a large group and surprise parties ( I was really surprised!).  We were seated outdoors that night and when some of my friends indicated they were a little chilly, the waiter immediately closed up the roof (which was electronically operated) and turned on the heaters.  Our group was separated from everyone else that were seated outside, felt like we were in our own private room.  It's a good thing cause we got pretty loud and it seems like the rest of the restaurant had a quieter ambiance.  I am definitely going back!
5 - Cathy L.: This little charming and romantic restaurant hidden in the streets of Pasadena really hides what this place has to offer. We had our company holiday lunch here and it was wonderful. The service was great, with extra waiters, and a delightful food/wine introduction by the owner. He paired up our food with delicious wine he handpicked from Napa. 

While we waited for our whole party to arrive, they served us with drinks and hors d' oeuvres (wonderful creative things with fried pork wontons to shrimp wrapped in a flaky crust to ahi tuna/avocado on a crispy shell)....

Our meal was served in good time with all the plates being consistent and delicious. There were salads, tenderloins, short ribs, duck ravioli. Many satisfied and happy customers at this table. We had a group of 18 folks and no one complained. 

To top off our delicious meal, our dessert options were too delightful. Of course I chose the chocolate soup. It was referred to me as an "orgasm of the mouth" so I couldn't resist. Evidently it was very ..pleasing. the sorbet (which includes a coconut flavor), and pumpkin pie also looked great although I only got to nibble some off of a neighbor. 

I would definitel come back here again. It's perfect for quaint little gatherings if you're looking for a cozy place with great food
3 - Mrs. B.: Eh....the food was okay, but the service was really good. I am hoping that maybe the Ahi was having a bad night.
5 - Christian A.: I've Interned at Nobu L.A. and here is yet one other place that i've worked at as an Intern. And i swear i'm not lying!! the wait staff and kitchen cooks are absolutely amazing to be around. I was working there when they had the executive chef named Damon, and their sous chef's name was Bryan. These two guys made working there a blast. Showed me several techniques and obviously those techniques were good because the food comes out DELICIOUS!!! haha unfortunately i don't work there anymore, but i do have 2 close friends that still do. Their french cuisine is top notch. The tuna tare tare is soo good i urge you to try that. ASAP haha. They hold plenty of Wine Tasting parties which their chefs carefully choose meals to suit each selected wine, and they are soo great at it. As a matter of fact.. living in Bakersfield..i miss that place. I think i'm going to have to pay a visit to PASADENA. mmmMm =]
4 - Ben G.: A friend and I went hear about a year ago to celebrate a new job she'd gotten and a new job i'd gotten :).  It's one of the best places i've been in pasadena, I had the ahi which was cooked just perfectly with a nice sauce of some sort on it.   The fact that i remember how good it was a year after being there says a lot as I go out all the time.   It's very expensive so beware of that but the food is priced right for what it is.  They also paired a red wine brilliantly with what we ordered.  For a special occasion in pasadena this is one of your best bets.
5 - Sam M.: One of the best restaurants in the LA Area.  

This place is as good as some of the best restaurants on the West side.  Great food.  Great service.  Pricey though.

I've been going to Bistro 45 on and off for the last ten years, and I've always been happy.  Everything I've had there was either good or excellent.
4 - chris j.: I took my now fiance here recently to pop the big question. I found this restaurant here on Yelp and thought why not give it a shot. The food was great. The service was great. It was a great night out. I had the seared  Ahi and she had the Roasted hen. Both were great.
I did have a couple dislikes about the place. The only parking I could find was their valet that had a $6 "convenience" fee. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, but the menu prices were definitely high enough to cover parking costs in my opinion. Again, great food, but large prices to go along with it. 
My only other problem was that there really isn't a lot of room in the dining area. Our table was about a foot away from the table to the left and right of us. I wanted to pop the question at the restaurant after dinner, but there was just no room to do so, and I had to take her to another location to ask her.
5 - Deirdre C.: My boyfriend really impressed me and saved valentines day by finding this restaurant.  I loved the outdoor patio and although the crowd was a little bit older and more intimidating we really enjoyed ourselves.  

  Oh and I forgot to mention the best part... Dinner.   The steak blew my mind.  And I litteraly closed my eyes to enjoy the chocolate dipped strawberries at desert.  I've never just naturally closed my eyes eating anything.

  And then there was this outstanding glass of Rose Wine we had that night and I wish I remembered the name because I have never had a better glass of wine yet! 
 
Take your wife, girlfriend or mom... Quick!
4 - Jared H.: Came here for dinner on a week night.  The drinks and wine were wonderful and the waiter was kind of witty, which made it fun.  The food was great, but a bit expensive.  $16 for a starter salad?

I got the scallops, which were cooked perfectly, which is rare (often why I don't usually order scallops).
2 - Nick l.: didn't check Yelp before going to Bistro 45 and even if I had it would not of helped! lots of great reviews here ... i must have just had a bad night ... service was fine but food was very disappointing..... a tuna dish was without any flavor, the rib dish was really chewy and tough ... will not come back!
an amazing art-deco building though ...
5 - bernice c.: This was our second "monthly foodie" outing, thanks to yelp for the ease of typing "french" and sorting to "highest rated". Didn't disappoint!! Definitely more of a quiet, candlelight dinner atmosphere for the older crowd, but they seated us comfortably and had a great time as a group table.

The friendly manager, Tim Nguyen, initially thought we were food critics thanks to my friend's ridiculously expensive SLR.  But after a few minutes of conversation with us, he realized we were just a group of friends trying new places every month (and that we really haven't tried all that many restaurants). Needless to say, he still offered us free appetizers and dessert wine. Yay for free food!  We're definitely bringing a ridiculously expensive camera to our future outings.

Since there were about 6 of us, we decided to just order as many different things on the menu and just taste everything.  The portion sizes are filling and the quality was absolutely delish. We ordered just about all the appetizers, all the main entrees, and almost all the desserts. I have no complaints.  

My other friend who's going to culinary school didn't get a chance to go so we're definitely making a second trip soon!
1 - Doug H.: Watch your bill they overcharge!
The food was good. The wine was fine. However, the problem with this place was that they overcharged our bill and then accused us of making it up.  I was one of 12 people at a birthday dinner.  They surrepetitiously overcharged a wine here, a dessert there and a dish there, overcharging over $100.00.  They had the nerve to insinuate that we made it up.  Food was fine but the accusations and their unlawful business practice left a foul taste in everyone's mouth at the end of the night.  Minus three stars for the shady business practice.
5 - Don A.: Excellent food,  classy yet comfortable ambiance, nice wine list and superior service.  Hosted a large party here and was really amazed at the quality of the food for a group of 30+.   Usually,  even at a good restaurant,  the quality tends to fall off when trying to accommodate so many people at once.  

It's not inexpensive but certainly fair for the quality you get.   Tim, the manager,  is really dedicated to making sure that customers have a great experience.   Will definitely go back just for dinner.   As good as restaurants get in Pasadena and would compare very favorably in most other places as well.

Oh yeah, and they provide plenty of quality stemware and decanters so if you go to dinner there with friends and want to try some different wines,  you can have 3 or 4 glasses poured at once.   A very nice touch that many nicer restaurants don't do.
3 - Akiko I.: We were here for valentine's day.  The place is pretty small and kinda tucked away from the major streets...even a little too dark.  Anyway, we went in, was directed to the table in the corner.  We started off with the braised veal short ribs....it was pretty horrid.  We also had the prawns which was as expected...I mean you really can't mess that up.  For main course, we had the beef and the lamb chops.  They were ok...nothing special.  If you want a nice restaurant, go to Maison Akira, Derek's, etc etc.

*Service = pretty good, attentive
*Price = on the high side
*Ambiance = very classy
*Food = ordinary...if you are thinking about going, my advice is to NOT try the braised short rib
5 - Hideaki M.: I wouldn't call it a hidden gem since this place has been here for around 18 years. Its solid reputation is unbeatable. Interior is classy yet cozy. One of my favorite is their wine list, they got some great selections that you can't find anywhere. I was sitting outside last time I dined there, its really great atmosphere to have your meal in their outer dinning area.  Their food is definitly one of the best french cuisine in town. Its great for couple on the date or family dinner. Tim, the manager is very attentive and friendly to make sure you have the best experience there.  Price is on the higher end side, but you get what you paid for =) highly recommended.
4 - Scottie V.: Went here for their La Sirena, wines of Heidi Barrett, wine pairing dinner last night. Heidi's most notably known for her wine making rolls in Screaming Eagle, Amuse Bouche, Dalla Valle, Grace Family, and Paradigm. The combination of a 5 course Bistro 45 dinner and 5 La Sirena wines sets the bar high for expectations. The price of the wine pairing meal was a reasonable $85 plus tip & tax.

1st course: Crab salad & '07 La Sirena Moscato Azul. The pairing was refreshing and opened up the palate.
2nd: Swordfish w/ port reduction & '05 La Sirena Santa Ynez Syrah. The fish was cooked to perfection. 95% of the swordfish I've ever had was overcooked.
3rd: Short Ribs served with both the '05 La Sirena Napa Valley Syrah & the '05 La Sirena "Barrett Vineyard" Syrah. The Short Ribs were bursting with flavor, fall apart, and cooked perfectly. Have both Syrah's was an interesting way to see the progression of the Syrah's.
4th: Rack of Lamb & '05 La Sirena Cabernet. The lamb had great flavor, but was a little tougher than expected. The '05 Cab was nice, but I'm not sure it was $150/bottle nice.
5th: Chocolate Cannoli w/ Espresso Sauce. The dessert was amazing and we treated ourselves to a 20 yr old Port to accompany it.

The Swordfish, Short Ribs, and Cannoli were definitely the highlights of my meal. The 5 course wine pairing dinner was well worth the $85. The retail of the wines along ranged from $30-150/bottle. The Syrah's were a little more earthy than I prefer.

July 27th they're doing another wine pairing dinner event. A 5 course meal paired with 5 Frank Family wines for $80/person. I can't wait.
5 - Paul B.: Best place in pasadena!  I wish I could eat here everyday.  The staff is knowledge and attentive.  I love the potato fritter and duck entree.  My friend had the braised beef which was so tender and delicious.  The prices was well worth it.  Great for special occasions or dates.
3 - Mel L.: This place is pricey, the quality was good but didn't blow me out of the water.  Parking is kind of a pain though.
5 - Laura B.: Pricey but worth it for a special meal.  They often have dishes that are so unique they make me nervous, but taking a risk here has always paid off.  I trust the kitchen so much that one time I couldn't decide what to order so I told the waiter to surprise me.  I knew I would love anything they brought me and I wasn't let down.

Everyone working at Bistro 45 is helpful and professional.  My husband and I went with his parents when they were in town visiting, but we didn't make it in until just after they had shut down the kitchen.  The manager reopened the kitchen for us because they weren't going to be able to come back any other day.
4 - Jessica H.: Pretty high prices, I never go here without my family, my dad always orders and we just eat, been there about 3 or 4 times, I know we like it because for about 3 out of the 4 times we went in a row weather it was for a party for school or for a birthday in our family. Nice inside.
5 - Dominic d.: I met Robert Simon, owner of Bistro 45 when he opened Cafe Jacoulet earlier in his career. We were late for lunch, the restaurant was closed to prep for dinner, and we were about to leave disappointed. Robert came from the kitchen, saw us, sat us at a table, and personally cooked us the most wonderful omelets.

We shared names, and didnt go back for a month or so. Much to our surprise and delight Robert greeted us by name!  He has continued to delight us with his panache, menu, wine list and knowledge at Bistro. He is one of our favorite people, and this restaurant is among our favorites.

Ask him to help you choose dinner, and select a wine for you. He makes the experience a wonder.
5 - Angela C.: I've been here on two occasions (the second occasion had about 8 people, so I got to sample a taste of everyone's dish including dessert).  I did not happen to try the short ribs that other reviewers have complained about, so I cannot comment on the short ribs dish.

So far the food here has been superb.  A lot of times, expensive restaurants have great appetizers, but subpar, inedible, bland main entrees (ie. Spago's in Beverly Hills).  This has NOT been the case for me at Bistro 45.

Romantic atmosphere with good service, but tables squeezed in tightly (the restaurant has a long, narrow rectangular shape).  I've tried to find free parking, but gave up and paid for valet.

Very expensive....so save this place for a special occasion.
4 - Jolene J.: If you are a meat and potatoes no crazy stuff you've never heard of kind of person and are looking for a delicious special night out this is the place for you.  Bistro 45 has all the special silverware and extensively trained, polite staff you could ever want.  My pork chop was accompanied by a mammoth steak knife that looked like something a viking would carry into battle.  The atmosphere was perfect for a quiet dinner.  The food was above reproach.  And they will perfectly make all the old school cocktails you could ever hope for.   And the music was great too.
4 - Jane H.: I would give Bistro 45 a 3.5 rating. Why? Here is the math:

 - Food = 4.0
We ordered a sea & land combination: Seared Scallop & Maple Leaf Duck Breast.  The scallops are big and tender. The portion is kind of small, but I guess that is very common with any French restaurants. It is good but I would not call it the best scallop I have had.  The duck breast is highly recommended, juicy and flavorful. 

- Value = 3.0
Price is on the high end side. 

They have a wide selection of wine.  Dont forget to ask your waiter to pair wine for you if you have no idea what to order.

The restaurant is located a bit off of Pasadena Old Town, on a side street. Parking is a bit challenging.
5 - Linda T.: This is a little gem that I'm surprised isn't as hyped up as other places in the Old Town area. It's fancy without being too pretentious. There is valet parking, as they attempt to be more upscale, but cheap-o's can find street parking within a block away. The pork chop was well flavored and tender, and its sweet potato partner was so crispy on the outside and soft on the inside that I couldn't resist finishing the whole thing. The steak was also one of the best I have ever had. Juicy and flavorful without going overboard. The atmosphere was very romantic. The general manager that night was very friendly and came over to talk to us [Tim Nguyen] and even gave us his business card. The only thing I might take away half a point for would be the service. The waiter staff was very courteous, but they were not very attentive in terms of filling up out water or checking up on us. It might be because we were in the corner table, or because we were dressed in street clothes and not dressed up and appeared young... but still, that should not have been excuses to feel ignored. Overall a great fooding place though and I'd definitely want to come back!
3 - Trvlr W.: Came here with a friend for her birthday. Valet parking was nice...

We didn't hold back at all... and ordered alot of food. Appetizers of foi gra with fig reduction - that was good... and crabcake - good stuff but not exceptional. Originally we ordered the lamb but they were out... so we got the swordfish and the duck. The duck was amazing! The swordfish was ok. We also ordered wine - the waiter recommended a pinot noir and a chardonnay - just by the glass... I didn't care for it. I should have just ordered what I really wanted but thought the waiter would have a better idea of what to pair it with... nope. 

The dessert was... actually, I was quite disapointed with the dessert. It looked pretty but just no taste. Creme brulee and the lemon tower... I tend to judge restaurants by the dessert menu and it all looked good but something was just missing.
4 - Ennie L.: I had the fixed lunch for $25, the salad and seafood pasta were both excellent! The atmosphere is cozy and elegant. The service is very good.
5 - Kelley B.: We were here for a friend's birthday and I was very impressed.  I ordered a glass of their Petite Syrah (not sure which one but it was from St Helena) and it definitely needed to breathe a little when it got to me, but once it did, it was very good.  I split a crab cake with my hubby for an appetizer.  It was so delicious!  The crab was very fresh & plentiful.  For my entree, I ordered the chicken ravioli.  Oh my goodness!  This was probably the best ravioli I've ever had.  They were STUFFED with chicken...so much so that they looked like little meatballs on my plate.  They were absolutely amazing.  Dessert really took the cake though!  I can't find the specific name of it on the online menu but the plate was made up of 3 desserts.  The chocolate cake was incredible and the mint ice cream tasted just like you were biting into a mint leaf.  To top off the evening, we were offered a glass of port on the house.  Loved our experience here and I'm sure we'll be back...hopefully sooner than later!
3 - Linda L.: Came here with high expectations, but was slightly disappointed. Particularly by the appetizers. For ~$17 appetizers, we expected to get some pretty good appetizers. We ordered the braised beef, calamari, and heirloom tomatoes. The portions were tiny and the quality of the ingredients and dishes were subpar. I had just bought fresher, tastier heirloom tomatoes at my local farmers market the week before. The calamari was nothing special. I could get the same plate of calamari for less than half the price elsewhere. The beef, nothing special, like one of the previous reviewers mentioned. (1-2 stars for appetizers). 

The entrees were better. We ordered an assortment, a fish special entree, duck, filet, pork, and lamb. The filet was a bit disappointing. I'd recommend a local steakhouse for good filets. But the duck, pork, and lamb were good. Entree food quality and portions were more justifiable to the cost. (4 stars.)

If they either lowered the price of their appetizers or at least made the portions proportionate to the cost, I'd be more inclined to move up the rating. However, I can spend my money at a lot of places. And for the price tag on what you get, I'm not compelled to come here again.
4 - Cathy W.: My daughter recommended this restaurant, so I decided to give it a try last time when I visit LA. Since the weather was so nice in California, my friends and I sit in the patio. It was such a nice place. 

we had Seared Rougie Farms Foie Gras Medallion, Sauteéd Ahi, their special menu of escargot, and corn soup. The only thing I didn't like much was the escargot, which, for me is too sweet. Foie Gras was absolutely delicious, melt right when I put them into my mouth. Corn soup was just creamy enough for us to dip our bread and wipe the last drop from the plate, but not leave any greasy feeling to reduce the appetite of the main course.  

Seared Maple Leaf Farms Duck Breast was my main course, it was pretty good, but still a slightly too sweet for me. I ended my dinner with the creme brulee, which is pretty different than the ones I had elsewhere. It has a "sugar hat" instead of the traditional super thin top. I really liked it, however, if you really like those thin crispy top, this might be little hard on the teeth. 

My friend has lamb chops and some seafood dishes which I wasn't really interested to try. 

Next time, I really want to try the Roasted Boneless Sonoma Quail.
5 - Eunice K.: Came here with a friend who loves this place. Was a little surprised to find this building (looked very residential) was a restaurant! Supposedly it is always  very packed but we went on a random wednesday so we had the place to ourselves :)

To start we got the marinated ahi tartare ($16.45). Very creamy and delicious! We were given toasted bread to spready the tartare over. The avocados made it very creamy but you could still taste the shallots! We cleaned the plate! She loved the organic beet salad ($16.45) but I am not a fan of beets :(

For entrees, my friend got the pan roasted lamb chops ($33.45). I got a taste of her lamb and goat cheese beignet. Oh wow! It was delicious. The lamb melted in your mouth. The beignet was mild and creamy!

I ended up ordering the special of the day. Swordfish on top of ratatouille topped with shitake mushroom tempura. I wouldn't say this dish wowed me like the lamb did. I would say order lamb or beef.. and if you want seafood, i heard thier bistro bouillabaisse with paprika is the best!

For dessert we ordered the lemon berry tower with blueberry ice cream profiterole ($9.45).  The lemon tower was a lemon cream with blueberries covered in a tall sugar tower. The blueberry icecream profiterole was basically a scoop of blueberry icecream in between pastry. Though the lemon berry tower was really really pretty, I enjoyed the blueberry icecream profiterole much more.

Overall, a great restaurant with a nice atmosphere and excellent service. Great place for dates and special occasions!
5 - Stephanie S.: i came here for a wedding rehearsal dinner party of 50+ people, so we took over the whole space for a friday night. the staff was attentive and personable regardless of the chaos of our large group, the food was delicious and filling, yet creative and well prepared, and the space was large enough. 

when we arrived, appetizers and wine was being distributed on the patio, where space heaters were aplenty to keep the chill off. we were able to seamlessly transition inside where our meal was served. i had the salmon which was great, but there were 3 other entree options as well. the chocolate souffle for dessert was amazing and rich rich rich, as good chocolate should be. 

i cant wait to come back for their normal prefixe meals. i trust these would live up to the same standards as their party menu did.
5 - Tara C.: Fantastic place for a date, event, or private party!  We had a dinner party here last night to celebrate my sister's marriage, with the local California side of the family, and it was a wonderful success.  First of all, I can't give enough praise to the staff and managers, Tim and Shelly.  We looked at a couple different restaurants around Pasadena for this event, but Tim and Shelly were so warm and accommodating that we knew we found a winner.  They really gave the event a lot of attention and personal touches.  The pricing was reasonable, the patio room was lovely and spacious, and the food was great!  We had the room to ourselves all night and we never felt rushed or pressured.  Bistro 45 made a custom menu for the event (it even had a photo of the happy couple) and made the gorgeous (and delicious) 2-tiered cake.  All of our guests could not help but compliment the venue, the food, etc.. 

Bistro 45 certainly won over my family with this event and I would love to eat here again.  I hear they also have great wine dinners, so I will definitely try to attend one of those.  If you are looking for a quiet and romantic place for dinner in Pasadena, you should give them a try.  Thanks again, Bistro 45!
5 - Andres V.: Decided to come here off the recommendation of yelp and what a treat.

Beautiful ambiance with equally delicious and well though out menu. The service was very personal and when we had a minor issue the manager quickly handled the situation. I can't wait to come back here.

Yelp Does It Again!
5 - Kate B.: What a great spot!  My family and I were in Pasadena for the parade and game over New Year's and had a very enjoyable dinner here.  My dad and brother, who are Wine People, were especially impressed with the comprehensive, California-focused wine list.  The food was delicious - I had carrot-ginger soup to start, which was unbelievably fresh and delicious, followed by a great pork tenderloin.  Portions are perfectly sized so that by the time the dessert menu comes around, your table ends up ordering a couple of things for everyone to share and you leave satisfied.  

Service was attentive, prompt, and extremely friendly.  No complaints here!
3 - cake k.: NOT worth the money.
how come everyone else's experience was so off the chart ?? My experience was very disappointing, maybe my expectations are too high after dining at Le Cordon Bleu's five-sixty-one, I guess I was expecting this to be the graduated version of it -- but it wasn't ]:
the server was not friendly, nor professional to me and my bf (we were well-dressed, mind you)... but he seemed to gave great service to the table next to us. that's not right. they need to train their servers to not SHOW their prejudice. the service ruined the whole experience.
 
First of all, I believe they have different dining areas but we were stuck inside this small room with low ceiling (it felt like ?) with nothing to look at but other tables.. decor wasn't all that.. i wouldn't take a date here. 
then, I was debating over the riesling or the burgundy and he told me to get the riesling.. when he let me taste the riesling, I made it obvious that I didn't really like it -- and he gave me this look like "so you want it or not ?" ...didn't bother to say anything else to me, so I was stuck with a bottle of unfavourable riesling. 
FOOD, was OKAY... the baked brie was nice -- it was in phyllo
then I had the vegetarian special... I can't really recall but it was something in phyllo also, served with spinach, string beans and potatoes. it tasted like it involved very little culinary skills. (if it was a good restaurant they should still be able to create a tasteful vegetarian dish).
boyfriend had the duck and he said it was good.
desserts were good - i wouldn't recommand the souffle, it's called chocolate soup because it's literally like just chocolate sauce. (whereas the souffle @ fleur de lys was just perfect, and 561 wasn't bad [: ) 
but i DO recommand the lemon berry tower with the blueberry ice cream profiterole. 
by the way lemon berry tower was ALSO in phyllo... they gave me phyllo for all 3 course... i wonder if the server realized it..
if you eat meat, you'll like it i assume.
but this place is just NOT worth the money !!
3 - Lisa T.: I was really excited to try this place but I think I overhyped it to myself because it wasn't as great as I had hoped it would be.  

I started with the house salad, which was actually really good--mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms with a really light dressing.  My entree was pretty blah though:  a duck and spinach ravioli served with green beans.  The dish was not amazing but it was still good, just not memorable or crave-inducing.

Service was good and the place is intimately cute.  I'd bring a date here.

Free parking is available behind the restaurant.   

The place is really cute though and the service is great.
4 - William C.: Had their salmon for lunch yesterday, and it was near perfect - bit too much salt. My colleagues appeared to really enjoy their pork chops and ahi tuna. I haven't been here for a few years, but it's still one of the best restaurants in Pasadena. The bread pudding for dessert was very good. Perhaps it was because I was there during the day, but the place seemed a bit more rundown than I remember - though it hasn't affected the quality of the food.
3 - kristen m.: I was underwhelmed by our dinner here last night.  First, we showed up on time for dinner, but had to wait about 20 minutes for our table despite the fact that there seemed to be plenty open.  We ordered drinks at the bar, but $40 later (for 2 drinks), realized that they don't even transfer the bill to your table.  

The food was ok, but not great.  Some of the items listed on the website were not available.  I had a mushroom soup for an appetizer that was tasty; my husband had a very untraditional escargot preparation (although it was accurate to the description on the menu).  For an Entre, the scallops were good, but my braised short ribs seemed to be undercooked (definitely not as tender as I would have expected.)

The ambience was a little older/stuffier than I expected.  We ended up sitting under the tent outside which seemed like a more casual area.
4 - Michael Kay K.: I would have given this joint 5 stars, but they served the tea super cold. Not cool. But besides for that, their food is totally classic tasty. Price point is decent too, considering it's a Zagat Awarded times 10 spot and in the heart of Restaurant City Pasadena. 

Favorite items were the Braised Short Ribs appetizer and Tuna Tartare. 

Gave them a thorough review on our site. If you're interested check it out.

http://kitchen12000.com/wordpress/pasadena-fine-dining/

Ohh and Dr. Drew from KROQ's Love Line was sitting right next to us. That was pretty cool.
2 - John J.: I had really high expectations after reading some of the reviews but sadly this restaurant was a big disappointment... 

20 min wait for the table with reservations...

Bread was really good. Ordered the Marinated Ahi Tartare to start. Not bad , just make sure you mix everything with the sauce otherwise it will taste really fishy.

She had the Lamb Chops, I had the Bistro Bouillabaisse. Lamb chops were cooked ok except that they put this funky cheese all over it which ruins the flavor. My bouillabaisse tasted like a really watered down clam chowder with a lot more condiments. 

Oh and we waited so long for the main entrees to come out. Plus the waiter kept trying to push dessert when all I wanted to do was get the hell out of there.
4 - Nancy L.: I'm partial to this romantic, charming restaurant that's perfect for small gatherings or a date. They have created a relaxing atmosphere inside and have a cute outdoor seating area. The service is immaculate, attentive without being overbearing. 

Their wine selections are great, focusing on local California wines and food is expertly flavored. They don't overlook the simplest details: like well seasoned calamari (seriously the best I've ever had) or a well dressed salad. If you love seafood like me, you'll to go town on their Scallops, seared to sweet perfection or any of their immaculately prepared fish dishes. I'm not a fan of rich french desserts but everyone else dug into their chocolate soups and and berry creme brulees. The waitstaff very kindly brought me a dish of beautiful fresh berries and cream, my kind of simple ending to a yummy dinner.

This is definitely a place to go for a treat. Great wine selection, consistently fantastic food, and spectacular service in a relaxed setting.
4 - martin m.: This place was a little pricey but well worth it. the staff was very knowledgeable and friendly. A busy Saturday night did not hinder us from having a great time. It was a first date way back when that still resonates because of this place. Chocolate soup...really.?! Total decadence.
5 - Cat H.: I love the food here. Sometimes they get a little foo foo and too artsy in the side dishes, but they are happy to substitute or change your order in any way. My favorite appetizer is the tuna tartar (yuuuummm.) I could make an entire meal of this dish alone. It's awesome. 

The service is really great. When the owner Robert is in town, he's happy to come by and say hi and make wine recommendations. The manager is a little odd though.

I've also had this restaurant put together catered plates to take with me on picnics and such. Definitely worth it. 

At times, the restaurant gets a bit loud, but if you ask to be placed in a quiet corner, they're happy to accomodate you.
5 - Sara G.: Bistro 45 had the BEST chocolate souffle we have ever tried in our lives! It was like eating a chocolate cloud that just melted in our mouths!

We greatly enjoyed our Valentine's Day Pre Fixe menu. The staff was attentive, the food was unique, and the ambiance was romantic - perfect for a first valentine's as a married couple! We also ran into a couple that had been going to Bistro 45 for the last 15 years every Vday. That says something about a place! 

Make sure to try their wine pairings when you're there. Great selection!
4 - Quang C.: Came here about a week ago for my anniversary with my gf, and it was not a dissappointment they even had a happy anniversary card for us when we got there which is kinda cool.

When i got there i did that valet thing which was a waste lmao because the parking lot was like 2 feet from where I got out of my car, worst 5 bucks i ever spent. But yes they do have their own private parking lot. 

Bistro 45 is kind of hard to find if you dont know what your looking for but if you take 1 minute and look it up on google maps then you're good to go.

When we got to the resturaunt we were greeted by the hostess and she showed us to our tables and we ordered the house special which was sea bass and some sort of shitake(sp?) mushroom which was very awesome. It was just the right amount of everything after we finished dinner we also had room for dessert! woot woot raise the roof, we ordered the chocolate soup which was orgasmic. It was satisfying and it kept blowing my mind, its like its it a cake or melted chocolate oh noes the HUMANITY. but wow i was just blown away.... just thinking about it makes my mouth water...wish i ordered two instead of 1 chocolate soup... 

But over all it was really really nice.
3 - E S.: Food was only so-so. Many of the items on the menu were not available! (Ahi Tartar, Salmon...) We had the bouillabaisse, lamb, and shared the beet salad. The lamb was stellar, I'll give them that; but everything else was only ok.
The restaurant gets good grades for service and ambiance, but the mediocre food and high prices ruin it for me. There is too much great food in Pasadena to get away with it too.
5 - Matt L.: This restaurant is one of the longest standing Zagat-rated restaurants in Los Angeles, and for good reason.  The customer service that you receive at this restaurant is unmatched in many restaurants I've seen with Michelin stars.  And that is only one small part of why this restaurant is so amazing.  

The venue is intimate, perfect for both romantic outings or family events.  The owners and managers of the establishment have a true appreciation of every customer that walks through the door, and they extend that appreciation to ever bit of food that comes out of the kitchen.  

And when it comes to the food, I've never seen such an upscale establishment be so flexible when it comes to individual tastes.  Crab cakes were not on the menu when my grandmother asked for them one day, but sure enough she ate crab cakes that day.  And I think we almost lit the table on fire during that meal too...
5 - Maritza S.: My husband and I went there last night for dinner. I had read all the good reviews on yelp so I couldn't wait to give it a try...I was not dissapointed!

We arrived and were greeted by the host who was extremely accomodating, she even tried to move us to a different table because there was a party next to us who was very loud. It did take our server a while to get to us, but the manager made sure we were able to order wine flights right away.My husband ordered duck and was very happy with his choice, the duck was very tender and the wine reduction on top was just heavenly. My lamb chops were served with two small goat cheese cakes, asparagus and cherry tomatoes. Really, all you had to say was "goat cheese" and I was sold .

For dessert we had the creme brulee and the chocolate soup accompanied by sweet port and coffee. It was the perfect ending to a perfect diner.

My only issue with the was that we only saw our server when he took our order. He never came back to check on us, even to bring us the check. The manager Tim and the bussing staff were  the saving grace, they made sure that we were well taken care off. That's why they get 5 stars, the server gets 0. We'll definitely be back for some more goodness and hopefully we'll have a different server next time .
3 - Yi H.: I went there on a Sunday night with my husband and in-laws for my mother-in-law's birthday. When we got there we assumed it was valet parking but couldn't find anyone on duty, so we just pulled into the parking lot (which was pretty empty). After we parked and got out of the car, a guy showed up out of no where (no uniform, no name tag...) and said he was the valet guy. We were a little worried when we gave him the keys to our car, but confirmed with the hostess (who was very nice and sweet) at the restaurant that he was legit.

The inside decor was pretty nice, but the restaurant was just so so empty (even for a Sunday night...) There was only one or two other tables. I was in jeans+platforms+nice top and I felt overdressed. The waiter wasn't extra nice, but he wasn't rude either. We ordered a bottle of wine (06 something something merlot... ) and sparkling water.

We got the House Salad, Braised Beef Short Ribs, and Seared Rougie Farms Foie Gras Medallion as appetizers (we did it family style). I was never a big fan of foie gras and only remember that the braised beef short ribs were pretty delicious. 

For the main course, my father-in-law got the Bistro Bouillabaisse (like a seafood soup) and my husband got the Pan Roasted Opal Valley Lamb Chops. Neither of them seemed to enjoy their food that much. My mother-in-law got the Grilled All Natural Angus Beef Tenderloin, which was the best dish of the night.  I got the Scallops off of "today's special" (not the one on the menu) and it was also very delicious. 

We got a tiramisu as desert (only my mother-in-law likes desert) and it was nothing too special. They also gave her a birthday card (thought it was a little lame... haha) and a glass of Port for each of us on the house. 

Overall I'd say i'm not that impressed (compared to those in LA/SF), but it's a good place to go to when I want French and don't want to drive to LA (Melisse!). 

Oh and our car was there when we came out. Valet's $4.5+tip.
4 - Trisha M.: My husband and I went there to celebrate our anniversary and his birthday last Sunday night.  The staff had asked when we made the reservations if this was for a special occasion, so I told her it was.   When we got there, they seated us out on the lovely patio and brought out two glasses of champagne and even cards, wishing us a happy anniversary and birthday (for my husband).   The service was fantastic and they really made our night special.   As to the food, we tried ordering the Ahi appetizer that everyone raved about, but they were out, so instead, we ordered the shrimp appetizer as well as the baked brie.  The shrimp was not impressive, especially for the money!  The baked brie was wonderful.  For dinner, I had the steak frites and my husband had the pork chop.  Both were good, but not outstanding (we just got back from New Orleans where we had some out-of-this-world dinners!).  For dessert, we shared the chocolate soup, which they brought out decorated with a happy birthday sentiment on the plate - as well as a plate of some fantastic homemade cookies with an anniversary wish written in chocolate around the plate.  Both desserts were AMAZING!   They really made it a fabulous night.  Thanks to their exceptional service, I would definitely go back again and try some other meals.  And I would definitely recommend it to my friends.
2 - Benita S.: Went for Mother's Day Brunch.  Remembered it being better.  Even though we had a reservation, we waited for 20 minutes in an overcrowded reception area to be seated.  Sat down and waited for another 20 minutes for a waiter to greet us or bring the champagne.  Mediocre, cold, sweet muffins brought to the table.  Wished for a crusty warm sourdough roll instead.  Next a platter of cold, runny and tasteless eggs came out.  Undercooked bacon and a good sausage were next.  It seemed like they were unprepared for how busy they actually were.  French toast was good, lamb shank tasteless with a tablespoon of runny mashed potatoes, steak was delicious.  I had the worst nicoise salad I've ever had.  The ahi tuna was nice but the rest, from the hard potatoes, to the boring dressing made it a disappointment.  We were not offered a dessert menu.  After tip, the bill came to $175.  Wish we had gone somewhere else.  We generally like this restaurant but for Mother's Day it is a NO!  Never again.
5 - Aicila L.: I love this place! I've been back to this nice little establishment quite a few times... sometimes just for dessert (chocolate soup is a must!). 

The GM there Tim Nguyen is so nice!  I've had one of the best service  and experience here. The waiters were nice and informative.  They have a large selection of wine and again the waiters were very knowledge in the pairing of them.  

The most memorable soup I had there was the tomato and basil soup. Simple but good.  Sure making tomato and basil soup is easy but to make it memorable... now that's rare! 

I've love lamb so for lamb lovers out there i'd recommend that.. their pork shop was cooked perfectly as well... humm basically i'd say give everything a try :-P I have yet to be disappointed by any of their main courses.
5 - Emilie A.: I have only been here once and it's enough for me to give it 5 stars! It's been two years but I don't think I've had anything better the last 2 years that tops the tuna that i had at this place!!!!!! From the first to the last bite - it was orgasmic!!!! I can't believe I haven't been back to this place! (Maybe because I have moved). But seriously - the tuna here is unforgettable. I've been to tons of fancy restaurants all over the world the last 2 years and the tuna here is still my favorite!!!!!!! Worth every penny!!!!
4 - E.D. O.: I have been here twice and both times, my food was wonderful. The only reason this is a 4 instead of a 5 is because the last time we came, my husband and father both ordered the duck. It was horrible. Really just unbelievably bad. Perhaps the meat had gone rancid. Not sure. They didn't bring it to the attention of our waiter or ordered anything else. Their fault. My lamb was absolutely perfect. My aunt had the chicken and cousin had the steak with fries. Everything else was delicious. Nice outside ambiance too. I guess just avoid the duck.
5 - Austin S.: Long story short: Man... one of the best meals of 2010.  Not that the food blew my mind away, it was still good, but service was great and the GM is in the right business.

Long story long:

A little belated of a celebration.  Sunday evening, June 27, 2010.  My parents wanted to take me out to "celebrate" my new found employment.  After calling 2 other places that had waits of at least 45 minutes, I had thought of this place, having wanted to check it out for over a year.  I called and there was no wait.  *grabs keys*

The exterior is slightly unsuspecting.  You wouldn't necessarily think of a restaurant being there.  But then again, there are actually quite a few smaller restaurants all along Green St.  However, the interior is quite quaint and intimate.  The reception area and bar is actually kind of like a mini lounge.  In one corner is a plush (I think?) couch with some loungey decor.  The bar is small with maybe 5 stools, but they have a large flat screen TV with the game on.  The interior dining room is quite small as well, seating for maybe 30 or so people.  The outdoor terrace is a little larger, probably being able to accommodate parties of up to almost 100 people.  Very intimate because this was a smaller, less busy thus more quiet restaurant.  Total date spot.

Actually, when we first walked in, the host (who turned out being the GM of the restaurant) was really accommodating and was genuinely nice.  He actually asked me if we were celebrating something, to which I responded "kind of... I just got a new job so my parents wanted to take me out".  That's when I shared with him that I'm in the industry.  He eventually asked if we wanted to sit inside or out on the terrace.  I was worried the terrace would still be a little cold for my mom, but that's when Tim (the GM) chimed in and offered to turn on the heat lamps if needed.  Dining on the terrace it is.  The terrace is actually enclosed, so there is no chance to have a view of the surrounding area, not that Mentor is a street with a view.

Our server (unfortunately forgot his name) came by to take our beverage order as well as tell us about the daily special, which was halibut.  My mom decided to get that and my dad got the seared diver sea scallops with creamy saffron sauce, thyme-potato galette and wilted spinach.  I'm a sucker for double cut pork chops, so I wanted to get that, but then there was also a seared duck breast, which I also love immensely, so I asked the server when he returned to see which one he recommended.  While he went on to say the duck breast was really good, without hesitation, he said "pork chop...".  He asked if we wanted any appetizers, and after teetering about the calamari, I decided against it.

After a few minutes, a runner walked out onto the terrace with what looked like an appetizer.  He stops and drops it off.  Puzzled, my mom looks at me and says "did we order that?" to which I said, "I'm pretty sure I DIDN'T".  The guy then said "complimentary calamari".  It was soon after that that Tim came out and told us he sent it out because we were "celebrating".  How awesome is that?  The calamari was good and the sauce was pretty spicy.  Not overwhelmingly spicy, but pretty darn spicy.

Our entrees came out and it all looked good.  My pork chop came with a goat cheese and caramelized apple ravioli, organic wilted spinach, and mango sauce.  I cut into the pork chop and YES!!! it was cooked medium rare.  The ravioli was good but the goat cheese overpowered any inkling of apple and the sauce was a nice subtly sweet balance to the pork.  I forget exactly what came with it, but my mom's halibut was alright.  Nothing terribly spectacular about it.  My dad's scallops were pretty good, cooked well, but I didn't have his sides, so I can't comment on those.  Overall we all liked our entrees.

When it came time for dessert, I was quite full, but still opted to take a look at the menu.  I finally decided on what I think I remember as some peach tart (this is what I get for waiting a month to write my review).  Tim offered to bring out a couple of desserts, since he knew I was in the industry and that desserts were a passion of mine.  A few minutes later, the bartender came out with 3 complimentary glasses of port wine.  SCORE!!  A couple minutes after that, the desserts came out.  Not two desserts, but THREE.  They brought out the peach tart like I ordered, but they also brought out the tiramisu for my mom and the creme brulee "en cage" for my dad.  After tasting all 3 desserts, the peach tart was my favorite.

The entire time I was just thoroughly impressed with the service and the wonderful experience we had.  We briefly chatted with Tim further and he is just a wonderful individual who really enjoys what he's doing and where he is.  He demands the respect of his employees but isn't a dictator about it.
4 - Mathew P.: I was taken here by some prospective employers. Really was an excellent choice and had some fantastic food. We sat outside and the weather could not have been nicer.

The restaurant was casual but felt extremely fancy. I had the lamb. I enjoyed it.
5 - Elyse E.: My mom and I had the most wonder ful dinner...darling setting...fabulous service!!!

Foie Gras = To die for!

Pan Seared Sea Scallops = Yummy!

Pan Roasted Chicken = sooooo great!!!

The dessert menu is not online...but the blueberry lemon ice cream with meringe and lemon curd puff was light and refreshing...

Beautiful presentations on all dishes!

Substitutions were welcomed!  

Definitely a great place for a date...or when you really want a delicious meal!

GOOOOOOO!!!
4 - Lucy Z.: Rated one of the best 50 restaurants in California & definitely an upscale, high end restaurant, not your jeans & a t-shirt place. They separate their menu into 'Land' and 'Sea'. I feel that each entree is pretty meager.. I was only full because we ordered appetizers, entrees, and dessert.

The appetizers we tried were: Braised Beef Short Ribs, Marinated Ahi Tartare, Crispy Wild Caught Calamari, && the Seared La Belle Farms Foie Gras; all of them tasted amazing.

My entree was the Grilled All natural Angus Beef Tenderloin, which was delicious, but I found it to be quite small :(. My brother ordered the Grilled Long Line Swordfish... it was very tasty! It did not compare to the Roasted Atlantic Salmon, which my sister ordered.

Their 'Sweet Endings' desserts were very nicely decorated. We tried the Berry Creme Burlee "En Cage", Chocolate Soup, Dried Apricot Bread Pudding, & the Poached Pear Turnover. I'm not much of a 'sweet's person, so I thought everything was too sweet haha.

We had the red & white wine. I'm not a wine expert (haha because im not 21) but I think the owner of the restaurant is very familiar with wine and his wines are from Napa Valley.

Every dish was very detailed and nicely decorated. The ambiance was very beautiful for a restaurant that looks very ugly from the front. Parking however is valet =(. A very very nice place to dine if you have the dough to pay for it haha.

You'd probably want to make reservations to dine here because the restaurant is pretty small. Kind of hard to find because the outside wasn't really labeled I think.

0 Price
1 Quality
1 Service
1 Ambiance
.5 Portions
= 3.5 stars
5 - Paul C.: Celebrated my wife's birthday here, the service was nice and the food were great.  what more is there to say?

I posted pictures of the food hope it helps
4 - Jennifer D.: My family came here to celebrate my father's birthday last week.  The reviews on Yelp convinced me to give Bistro 45 a try.  (It is so stressful choosing a restaurant for special occasions... It has become my unofficial duty as the family's only Yelper.)  The architecture of the restaurant is done in the Art Deco style... just think Empire State Building in NYC.  Being the art history minor that I am, I appreciated this unique take on a restaurant exterior.

Some of my family were already inside when I arrived because my bf and I were running late.  As we walked in to meet them, we were greeted by the GM, Tim.  Initially the quiet of the restaurant shocked us and we immediately lowered our voices.  The noise level is almost 'Silent Library' status, you know that show on MTV where they have to be quiet to get money as they do ridiculous things to each other?  After sitting down and examining the dining area, there had no more than ten or so tables inside the entire restaurant.  This restaurant is like eating in someone's living room.  Very intimate.  I think the environment alone is a reason to try this restaurant.

The menu is divided into 'Land' and 'Sea' so you can make your dinner choice easier.  My family is all into healthy eating these days so everyone ordered a fish for their entree.  Tim recommended the lamb chops and the pork chop but we all still were craving fish.  Maybe we should have tried one of his 'Land' recommendations.  

We tried...
- Roasted Atlantic salmon: Moist and delicate with the diced vegetables on top.  My brother and grandma enjoyed this dish a lot.
- Striped bass with a spicy shrimp jus: This was one of their specials for the night and the shrimp jus wasn't spicy at all... good for me!  I liked the texture of the bass but it wasn't quite as flavorful (or salty) as I would have liked.  A great light fish.  I do love my salmon but I wanted to try something different.  Definitely the prettiest dish of the ones we ordered.  The mushrooms on top were an added bonus.
- Sauteed ahi:  The vegetable beggar's purse was the standout for this dish, not the ahi itself.  Nothing wrong with the ahi, just not the best I've had.  But I have to admit, the beggar's purse was pretty cool looking.

The desserts were WAY more impressive to me.  I think that the desserts made the meal.  I read about the chocolate soup, so four out of the six of us decided to order the souffle dessert.  The manager, Tim, gave us two of their fruit desserts to try as well.  He wanted us to have some more variety in our dessert course.  So we also got to try the poached pear turnover and the blackberry upside down cake.  These two desserts were actually better than the chocolate soup.  Sorry chocolate.  The fruit desserts won this battle.  

Bistro 45 is a great date restaurant because you can actually hear what the other person is talking about.  It was a nice place for our small family birthday dinner as well.  The intimate and cozy environment definitely makes your experience more personal.  The dinner entrees were well prepared and the plating is great.  I think next time I'd like to try out something from the 'Land' portion of the menu rather than the 'Sea' so that I get a better feel for the range of foods offered.  The desserts are great and I would recommend the blackberry upside down cake over the chocolate soup.  Street parking is pretty easy as well.  Definitely one to keep as an option if you are in the Pasadena area.  If you come on your birthday you get a little card from the restaurant in addition to your usual birthday dessert.
3 - Adelaide L.: Came here for my birthday.  They give you a birthday card upon arrival (how sweet) and also give a complimentary birthday cookie plate!  Service and atmosphere was excellent, but I would say the food was OK.  I don't have cravings to come back here though.
5 - Abigail B.: Bistro 45 was absolutely incredible.  From the moment I called to make the reservation, until my boyfriend and I left, the service was unlike we have ever received, the food delicious, and the night perfect.

My boyfriend and I are both pretty big foodies so selecting the dinner restaurant for our first anniversary was a big deal and I couldnt have been happier with the decision.  I am sure we will make this a habit.

As soon as we sat at our table, the owner gave us a card congratulating us on our anniversary.  They also let us know that we were the only people for that table all night so to take our time, relax, and enjoy the evening.  And we did.  

The waiter and staff were fantastic giving us suggestions that were spot on and we had entertainment while we were waiting from Chef Anton, who's magic tricks have still left us dumbfounded and amazed.  

My boyfriend ordered the pork chop which was incredible, the best he has eaten, and I the barramundi which was also divine.  They presented us with the Chocolate Soup with Happy Anniversary written in chocolate on the plate.

HIGHLY Suggested for a couple's romantic evening. For us it was unforgettable.
4 - Alice L.: Nice little restaurant in Old Town Pasadena. I'm not sure how long the wait is usually since we made reservations for Saturday night, but when we got there, a decent amount of people were waiting. Just enough people where you don't have to think twice about whether you want to dine there or not. The food was satisfying (although I should've gotten something more unique than my usual Salmon) and the decor was tastefully done. No complaints here. :)
5 - Andrea L.: Went to Bistro 45 last night for my birthday dinner. I must say that the service was exceptional and beyond any restaurant I have ever been. The manager was incredible, the hostess was great, the waiter was fantastic and everyone else that we came into contact with was great. The food was also wonderful and my chocolate martini was one of the best I ever had. The waiter always checked in to ensure we were happy with our food and we had our drinks filled. Would definitely recommend and will go back there again.
4 - Mitch W.: For my mom's birthday, we decided to take her to Bistro 45.

We were a party of 7 for a Friday night at 6:30pm.  We were seated immediately when we arrived on-time for our reservation.  

The menu looked great and the service is top notch!

I have mixed feelings about the food.  Most of the food is excellent, but some items were not good.  From what I tasted:

-Marinated Ahi Tartare ($16.45) - Toasted crostini, avocado, shallots, cilantro & chili oil - 4.5 stars.  (Complimentary from the general manager, Tim.)

 - Seared La Belle Farms Foie Gras ($23.45) - Onion confit and apple crepe, port citron gastrique and petite greens - 3.75 stars.

- Crispy Wild Caught Calamari (16.45) - Spicy dipping sauce - 4 stars.

- Mussels (special for the day) - 4.5 stars.

- Grilled All Natural Angus Beef Tenderloin ($35.45) - Roasted fingerlings, garlic wild mushroom ragout, haricots vert & cabernet jus - 2.5 stars.  The meat was tough and hard to chew.  Both my sister and I ordered this dish and thought it wasn't very good.  The waiter noticed she wasn't eating hers and took it off the bill.  The manager offered several times to replace her entree, but my sister was almost full, so she refused. 

Other items that the party ordered were:

- Pan Roasted Opal Valley Lamb Chops ($33.45) - Steamed asparagus, goat cheese beignet, sautéed cherry tomatoes & garlic aioli - 3.75 stars.  She thought the meat was slightly tougher than other restaurants she's had lamb chops at.

- Bistro Bouillabaisse ($29.45) - Fish du jour, mixed shellfish, julienne vegetables, lobster fumet & crostini with garlic/paprika aioli - 5 stars.  My dad really liked his dinner!

-Skillet Seared Diver Sea Scallops ($31.45) - Lemon basil sauce with thyme-potato galette and wilted spinach - 4.5 stars.  My niece enjoyed her dish very much.

For dessert:

-Berry Crème Brulee "en cage" ($9.45) - With fresh berries - 4 stars.  Very good creme brulee!

-Chocolate Soup ($9.45) - Softly baked soufflé served with vanilla bean ice cream & warm chocolate sauce - 4 stars.  My mom, dad, and sister enjoyed this souffle!

Overall, an excellent dining experience and Tim Nguyen and his staff go out of their way to make your meal special and memorable.  The service is impeccable and it's much appreciated.

Xie Xie!!
5 - Angela C.: From start to finish, the waitstaff made our one year anniversary dinner here a night to remember.  The gazillion awards they won for this place are well-deserved, and echoing Austin S., the GM is in the right business!

This restaurant is not a true French restaurant.  They describe themselves as California-French cuisine, which seems accurate based on their menu selections.  

APPETIZER:
We started with their Beet Salad.  I love beet's, and this is the best Beet Salad I've had to date.  The fresh yellow and red beet's are paired with delicate greens and topped with fried onions and bleu cheese.

ENTREES:
Skillet Seared Diver Sea Scallops - 3 large sea scallops on top of a potato gallete and wilted spinach.  Paired with a lemon-basil sauce.  Buttery, tender, and juicy.

Pan Roasted Opal Valley Lamb Chops - this was quite the generous portion!  4 lamb chops all cooked to medium-rare perfection drizzed with a garlic aioli.  Comes with 4 goat cheese beignets, asparagus, and some sauteed cherry tomatoes.

DESSERT:
Chocolate Soup - don't expect a soup.  This is actually a chocolate souffle paired with vanilla ice cream.  The chocolate was rich and dark, and the souffle was baked perfectly.  It also comes with a side of chocolate dipping sauce.  

Along with our chocolate soup, which they brought out with a candle and "Happy Anniversary" written around the plate, they brought out another plate of homemade cookies with "Happy Baby" around it.  What a pleasant surprise and wonderful gesture from the restaurant, especially since we didn't even mention our baby.  They just noticed my ever growing belly and went above and beyond expectations!  They gave us 4 large cookies by the way, and they were all different yet delicious!  

SERVICE:
Impeccable without being over the top.  They are masters at their trade, and every single person we encountered at the restaurant greeted us with kindness and charm without being fake.  For a restaurant that deserves to be a little snooty, they are not!  

Best meal of 2010?  Yes, and I've been to some pretty great restaurants this year, including Lucques, Jar, and Red O.
5 - Caitlin T.: After having a private party here earlier in the year, I was very excited to go here for dinner during my trip to see the family. 

My dad and I shared the Calamari appetizer. It came with a slaw and a spicy dipping sauce. I loved the sauce, it was a little too spicy for other members of the family though. The portion was perfect for us to share. 

I got the Pan Roasted Opal Valley Lamb Chops for my entree. I love Lamb Chops. I love their Lamb Chops. I wanted to chew on the bones, but I figured that was not allowed in a classy place like this so I refrained. The sauce that they came in gave them awesome flavor. As I write this, I realized I left my leftover Lamb Chop in my Grandma's fridge in California! grrrrr.....

I do have the leftovers of my cake from Bistro 45 though. For our reception here in January, my mom ordered a Banana Nut Cake with Fudge filling. It was pure bliss. I already decided this would be included in my last meal on earth. Anyways, my mom called ahead this time and got the same cake made for me. We were able to freeze it so I could bring it back with me to Michigan. Now I will continue to nibble on it daily until it is all gone, at which point I will go back to California to get the other half of the frozen cake.
5 - Jackie E.: Fabulous food complemented with great professional friendly service. 

The atmosphere of the restaurant is formal but not stuffy.  Meaning, you feel like you are someplace special but you are welcomed to relax and take it all in.   Ambiance is huge in a restaurant setting; it sets up one's expectation for the dinning experience, which was amazing!

Last Saturday night two of us came in for dessert around 8:30 p.m. and ended up staying for a bite paired with wine and dessert.  We had the hangar steak (very delicious and very tender) and the duck breast.  The hangar steak was my partners so I can say it was delicious, but I was not allowed much of it - (smile)!

The duck was amazing and I can't say enough.  It was prepared perfectly, the temperature was correct and the flesh was like butter.  It melted in my mouth the sauce that accompanied it was perfect because it highlighted the ducks flavor and did not over power it. My only regret is that my stomach was too small for me to order another duck breast that evening.  

There is a great selection of by the glass wines. The sad part was that we had been to another even earlier so we were careful with the wine. We ordered a flight of Zinfandels and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.  Also they have a full bar which is a plus!

After the entrees, we moved on to dessert and I had crème brulee which I recommend, the consistency was spot on.  I ate every bit of it. My partner "in eating crime" ordered the orange crepes which I could not taste because I am allergic to nuts. However, he ate every bite and he is picky so I know it was delicious.

The food is outstanding and the service is awesome and I can't wait to go back and dine again!
5 - Janet P.: Attentive service.  Came here for a birthday dinner and enjoyed the food.  We were seated in a covered outside patio (perfect for the warm day).
4 - Jessica J.: Came here last night with my parents. Maybe it's because it was a Sunday evening, but the place definitely was not full. In fact, we were only the second party that was seated at a table -- but, that's OK. It made for a very intimate evening in that charming little bistro. (And, more people came in later. Whew.) 

The lighting was soft, it was modestly decorated, which is good, because then you can just focus on your food (which is awesome). Our waiter was really kind and was making jovial conversation with us at every chance he got. For the record, we both agreed that Los Angeles should never be so cold. 

Now, the food: it was pretty good. For a starter, we shared an Heirloom Tomato Salad. It was top-notch and the tomatoes were delicious. 

For main courses, my dad got a Pork Chop, which was cooked to perfection. According to him, "this pork chop doesn't taste like pork! it's a-mazing!" It was paired with an apple-based sauce, which he found absolutely divine. He dipped everything in it. 

Me, I had scallops. They were very nice, but what was most impressive was the potato thing in the middle of my plate. Layers of layers of thinly cut potato with herbs slathered in between each later topped with spinach and fried onions. Heavenly. Outshone the scallops. 

Mother had the Duck Cassoulet, it was a HUGE dish with sausage and duck leg. She loved it. 

Overall, the bread basket was great, the portions are huge, and Oh! the desserts were divine and beautifully presented. Mom's creme brulee en cage (that means it was presented with a sugar cage) was far superior to my profiteroles. 

Come here if you have the chance! It's intimate, sweet, and has good food. Also, if it's raining, they lend you an umbrella. I know that's just common courtesy, but still! 

(PS valet parking is $5. Didn't know that.)
3 - Jessi P.: I hate to do this because the owner (I think) was cute as can be. He was running around greeting everyone in the restaurant. However, the service was SLOW. We waited at least 20 minutes at the table to be greeted and to have our drink orders taken. So much time passed that by the time the waitress arrived we had already picked out our meal for the evening. We started with the beat salad which was ok. The beat salad at Ubuntu is much better. Then we had the tuna tartar which was good but nothing to write home about. For our main entrée we had the lamb which was fabulous, but the goat cheese beignet was cold. We ended the evening with crème brule which was average, the one at Parkway Grill was much better. Not everything we ordered came out correct (which we let a waiter know) but they still charged us for everything and didn't fix the problem. While eating the original waitress never came back and a waiter came over once. However, the large group next to us got superior service. I guess since we only had 2 people we were a low priority for them. I will not be back, I'm super disappointed! I will say that I think this is not the norm for this place. I believe they were extremely busy and my experience was an exception to the rule. My experience was just A-ok. 

-1 star for service, -1 star for wrong items
2 - Andy W.: Fancy looking restaurant inside and out. Excellent setting. However, the service was sub par, i had to ask to refill the water twice and if i didn't ask, they probably will never get to it. 

We got 2 appetizer, the ravioli and shrimp risotto. average rating on both. i had better.

for entrees, we got the pork chop and tenderloin. average rating again. my pork chop was overcooked slighly.

for dessert, we got a chocolate soup.  average again. its good but small. 

bill came to 140 with tip. I probably will not come back. 

one more thing, get urself a double double on your way home because your stomach will be asking for it after dinner.
4 - Jen S.: Came here to celebrate a small family Christmas dinner. Ambiance and decor felt warm. Formal but comfortable. We had a reservation and were seated quickly.

Service was quick and silent. You know, the kind where the waiters come to take things away from the table without being seen. It's a nice knowing people are paying attention to your table without letting you feel crowded.

Marinated Ahi Tartare - $16.45 Appetizer was delicious. Tasted fresh and light.

Seared La Belle Farms Foie Gras - $23.45 - I didn't have any but it was very well received from picky foie gras eaters.

The Seared Diver Sea Scallops - $31.45. Buttery. Texture was perfect. My favorite of the night.

Chocolate Soup - $9.45 Baked soufflé served with vanilla bean ice cream & warm chocolate sauce. This was very sweet. It definitely needs to be paired with the ice cream, which I thought was on the smaller side for such an overpowering chocolate flavor.

We were also given a complimentary sample of the house "grown-up" eggnog, which was a perfect way to end the meal. Yum.
5 - Ralph B.: Mikael the bartender took great care of us.  The food and drink was amazing. But the service was even better.
5 - Darlene P.: My BF took me here for my birthday. I had the seafood stew and my BF had the steak with fries. The stew was sooo delicious and my BF said his steak was good. It was a very romantic and satisfying dinner. The staff here is very professional and friendly. When the desert came out, it had a candle and the chef wrote "Happy Birthday Darlene" all pretty. I felt very special.
2 - Rich B.: New on yelp.  Just went here the other night with my wife.  Not feeling it for Bistro 45 any longer. It used to be one of our favorite restaurants about 10 years ago.  In the last few years, not so much.  Biggest complaint: The service. It's not what it used to be, not responsive.Server so busy chatting at the bar with the bartender that he forgot to bring me a glass of wine. The food?  Okay, but a little too 90s. Enough with the chocolate soup. It's no longer special.  The ambiance is still top notch. Wish the owners would update the menu and bring back the old service. 

Honestly, if you don't eat out much, you may think that Bistro 45 is all that. But, if you eat in enough good restaurants, this one has sadly fallen by the wayside.
3 - irene c.: The food is okay. 
But is overpriced and pretentious.
4 - Richard S.: We don't dine out a lot and decided to try something for Valentine's with my wife. So I looked up Yelp and found Bistro 45 with Valentine's pre-fixed menu.
I am not sure if the building looks nice in the day, but at night it looks great. Nice little landscaping with a art-decoish building facade. The 2 live music players added some bluish light near the windows, great atmosphere. You first entered into the bar area with high ceiling, nice live music playing near the entrance, with lots of accent lighting and candles and we already love the atmosphere. There is the main dining area, a gallery dining area near the entrance/bar and a covered patio seating area with landscaped masonry wall to the north.
I was puzzled why we were led to the patio dining area when there were plenty of seats available. The patio is colder and you cant hear the music as well. The lighting isnt as good either. This disappointed me a little bit so I politely insisted to the waitress to re-seat us inside. They got us in the gallery seating area near the entrance, with partial street view, very close to the live band and a nice comfy booth seat for my wife and her gift and flowers. The atmosphere was immediately 200% better and we are very happy.
We dont drink a lot so I cant really comment on the champagne or wine. Overall the food came out on time, right after we finished the previous course, so I think that's very good timing. However the amount of food for the money is quite little, I am full thanks to the bread supply. The service is good, waitress was attentive without being too interfering. Our glass of water gets refilled whenever it's low and we never have to ask for it, same goes for the bread. Whenever we leave our seats the waiters/waitresses re-fold our napkin nicely, a nice little touch. My wife commented the lamb was really good. The food looks great and tasted special, not your everyday dish obviously. The dessert was ok, nice but just nice. My wife felt the salmon was a little too salty, but I think that was ok. All in all I think the food isnt too memorable, perhaps a 8/10 but the music and the ambiance is 10/10 and 5/10 if you seat outside. All in all my wife loved it and we had a great Valentine's. I highly recommend it for special occasions but if you are hungry, you'll probably be happier somewhere else
3 - Edward W.: Nice but not up to the hype.  Scallops were big, juicy and properly prepared.  Asked for the short rib small plate as an entree.  $32 was a little steep, but the meat was tender and flavorful - as good as you'll find anywhere, just a bit more pricey.  Service was good - not great, and the outside tented patio was nice , but had little character and added nothing to the experience.  There are much better upscale places in restaurant-rich Pasadena.
4 - Tommy H.: Took the gf here for v day weekend. It's a nice classy place, a little louder than I'd thought it be but that''s fine. Had the beef tenderloin, it was good. The gf has the lamb and that was good too. Had the cheese plate, the cheeses were okay, I've certainly had much better. The banana foster was good too. Service was above average, a little snooty if you asked me. Maybe it was because we looked so young and everyone in there was so old looking. Also had the foie gra. Poor ducks, if they really force feed them to make those livers big. Well our duck must have been really fat because that was a huge piece. A huge delicious mouth watering would have had two ducks lose their livers so I could eat it. Would come here again maybe. It was the first time I'd had foie gra, so I have to venture out to compare.
5 - Lawrence L.: This is a hidden gem within Pasadena even though the owner, Robert Simon has been personally greeting local patrons here for the last twenty years. The outside of the building is art deco LA, the inside is contemporary and intimate, perfect for that special occasion such as Valentine's Day... 

On that day, they offer two dinner seatings for a special four-course menu at 530pm or a five-course menu at 800pm. We opted for the earlier seating which is identical to the later seating in every way except that it is without an extra course of Braised Lamb Shank for $10 more per person. The ambiance is subdued but comfortable. When we first arrived, the entry lobby has a nice bar area with two musicians playing gentle music. We were greeted almost immediately by our gracious host who led us within and seated us at a nice table near the center of the main dining area... 

As an aperitif for the evening they were offering each patron a glass of Mumm's champagne brut, the same stuff we served at our wedding years ago. As a matter of fact, I might mention that the entire evening had sort of a reception quality to it; the menu was fixed, there was no menu to contemplate, everyone in the room was being served the identical courses. We were greeted by our polite and attentive waiter for the evening who offered us cocktails, my wife chose a glass of Columbia Crest 2007 Merlot from their extensive wine collection, whereas I decided to simply have a bottle of Pellegrino 2011 (!)... 

We saw them when they brought in the fresh baguettes, we suspected that they got them from nearby Europane, but we were wrong. We checked with the waiter and they came instead from Lovebirds bakery which is also nearby. Toasted and served on a platter, the bread was particularly good and they kept an endless supply all night... 

There was no amuse bouche, instead they went directly to the first course: Keiji's Cured Atlantic Salmon w/salmon caviar, Satsuma tangerine, and fresh coriander yogurt. The Keiji salmon is supposed to be a young salmon higher in some sort of sweet oil content -- to me, it tasted like a fine quality Sake sashimi with salmon roe. I appreciated the saltiness of the roe (caviar) with the firm freshness of the salmon. The yogurt was slight and the tangerine slice was off on the side and didn't add much except perhaps for plating... 

The second course was a Pan Roasted Tai Snapper w/coconut/lemon risotto, tomato-lobster broth, and fresh Rock shrimp. New Zealand Tai Snapper is very moist and tender, and easily my favorite dish of the evening, also considered an environmentally sustainable fish for those who care. The bed of risotto rice was marvelous, I loved how the two tastes and textures married together, along with the lobster broth. The rock shrimp was like a small shrimp treasure hidden between the Snapper and the risotto, a pleasant surprise... 

The third course was the meat course and was a Roasted New York Strip Loin w/organic broccoli, Yukon potato gratin, and D'Anjou pear demi-glace (?). The New York strip loin was flavorful but not as tender as I would have expected for a loin cut. I could taste the Anjou pear within sauce as it was a nice accompaniment. The potato gratin was a well executed, buttery layered array of mandoline sliced potato, and the broccoli was young and tender... 

Finally, the last course was the dessert course: a Rose-infused Panna Cotta w/raspberry puree and a chocolate mousse profiterole on the side. Deliciously firm and custardy, the panna cotta was really nice, especially with the raspberry sauce and the raspberry on top. The profiterole was a nice sidecar, but had nothing to do with the panna cotta, perhaps it was the contrast here that was being exploited... 

I had known about this place for some time but this was the first time that I have actually dined there. I was happy to say that our first experience was a success and on a personal note, I thought the Mumm's was a really nice touch as it rekindled a memory of a pleasant occasion...
5 - Connor M.: This is probably my daughter's favorite restaurant. She's turning seven now, and even though it is not really for kids, the food and atmosphere is amazing, and this is one of few restaurants she's not picky about. 

Superb food. So fresh so great. Staff is also very attentive and kind. So after all the times, we decided to plan this as our daughter's birthday dinner. Not only are we planning the dinner, but were taking her to Rodeo Drive and planning a huge birthday party. 

Anyways, we got a nice table at the private dining banquet room. We hired a violin player for 45 minutes, which will be perfect. (If you want a great dinner for your birthday, go all out.) We paid the price upfront. Total price was $635.67 (including the violin player and private dining dinner) We're going on the 5th of March. Maybe you'll see us there.....
4 - Julie K.: A wonderful fine dining establishment tucked away from the bustle of Old Town Pasadena... from the moment the valet opened my car door, to the maiter'd opening the restaurant door for me and asking what I would like to drink... wow. The waitstaff are on point here. The enviroment is low-lighting, soothing background music, and a professional staff always nearby to tend to your needs.

The marinated ahi tartare to start off with was good, nothing that was extraordinary but very enjoyable. For my entree, I had the double cut pork chop since I heard so many praises for it. It was definitely not your Mother's standard pork chop. This was fall-off-the-bone-melt-in-your-mouth like no one's business. The spinach and sweet potato ragout that accompanied it enhanced it perfectly.

For dessert I had the sorbet medley to cool my palette off from the rich meal. This is a restaurant I would definitely come back to and have no hesitation to recommend. Prices are what you'd expect to pay at an elegant bistro, lucky for me, I came here for a business dinner so thank you bosses!
3 - Jane C.: Came here to celebrate my birthday with the girls. The food and service was good.

In my opinion, the portions were too small for the price they were offering. We started off with the Scallop and Rock Shrimp Risotto to share. Not the best risotto I've had, and I believe the risotto itself was a little undercooked.The fish was cooked perfectly and I enjoyed every bite, but again, the portion was way too small.

I felt that everyone was a little too chippy there, almost fake. So in that sense, I didn't feel as comfortable as I should be and also, the interior was a little dark.

Overall, I would go back to try other things, but I would save the money to go try something else new before coming back.
4 - Chris K.: Amazing food. Held a private dinner here and they were more than accommodating. The only minor issue was that they mixed wines when refilling my glass but all else was great.
3 - Jay S.: Went here for my boyfriend's birthday on a Thursday night.  We arrived and were promptly greeted and sat.  The ambiance was nice, cozy and romantic.  It was peaceful dining.
Service : our waiter was helpful, and fairly attentive.  However, I couldn't help notice that he spent more time with the table next to ours.  Seemed they were regulars and knew him from previous visits.  They were celebrating a birthday and anniversary, the waiter brought out two desserts with sparklers.  I was very impressed and excited since I indicated we were there for a birthday celebration in my reservations.  I overheard the waiter approach them, mentioned their dessert was comped, and then again after they paid their bill, thanking them for their generosity (I assume big tip).  My initial impression was that it was classy of him to thank them.

We ordered two desserts, and they were brought out without any sparklers or recognition of birthday.  Um...ok...maybe the sparklers weren't standard presentation for birthdays?  After the bill was brought to us, our waiter came back and asked, is it one of your birthdays?  I said yes, it's my boyfriend's birthday.  He apologized for the mix up and offered to being us cookies as a special treat.  It was a nice offer, but after a full meal and two desserts, we were stuffed.  He insisted and brought out a plate with cookies, and that sparkler candle I waiting for; the plate was decorated with writing in chocolate.  It read: Happy Birthday Jay.  That is MY name; I had given my boyfriend's name during my reservations call.  LOL.  Oh well, they tried.

I don't like a lot of fuss and over service.  But after witnessing the other table receiving far superior service than what was provided to our table (the personalization and attention to detail) I cannot help but leave with the feeling that the waiter was driven by the fact he knew them from previous visits and would tip big.  Don't get me wrong, he wasn't rude to us, just a different level of service.  You would assumed the same guy 
would be consistent with all tables.

Food : overall pretty good.  We ordered the scallop risotto for app.  Dinner we ordered the Bouillabaisse and the pan roasted chicken.  Both were good, but didn't impress me, i actually enjoyed the risotto more than the entrees.  Dessert we ordered the chocolate soup and Chocolate Peanut butter thing.  They were good but not fantastic.

We visit Pasadena 4 or 5 times a year.  The service as ok, not bad, but not great.  Food was good, but not amazing.  I wouldn't think to myself, I MUST go back to Bistro 45.  With all the other restaurant choices in the area I would rather try another place.
5 - C C.: A group of us came here to celebrate my husband's birthday last year.  It was the best meal we've ever had.  The service was excellent.  The waiter was very entertaining.  The food was soooo good.  They also gave us free port.  Up until today my husband and I are still talking about the food we had that day (he still can't get over the free port).
4 - jennifer s.: bistro 45 was delicious. service was great but when your paying that much it better be haha. i was very happy with the service that they had given however it took a long time to be seated. the thing i sometimes don't get about restraunts is when you see an empty table yet your not being seated. it must have been reserved. but like i said before everything was great. i will definitely  be going back.
4 - gabriel b.: Love this establishment,  the food,  the staff, everything about it.  The first time I came here was for my girlfriends B-day,  When we arrived they gave her a Birthday card.  Talk about a personal experience.  As the night went on,  we enjoyed our dinner as well as the awesome service.  There wine list has all kinds of special/rare bottles,  & if your real nice they might even give you a pour on the house.
5 - Maggie W.: We've eaten here a few times, but the best was for a wine pairing dinner - that was so fantastic - every course was a revelation and the wines were so perfectly complimentary to the food - and everything was beautifully presented, too. It was a very personal, intimate type event, with the owner sharing stories about each wine - we felt like family. 

They are very good at wine pairings -  just ask for them to choose a wine or wines to go with your meal and they'll do a splendid job.

The friend who brought us here was a regular, so we always got great service and personal treatment when we went with her.
1 - Marguerite D.: My boyfriend and his kids took me there last night.  We had never been there before and I was excited to try out a new restaurant - especially a French restaurant.   I will never return - we had a negative experience. The food is over priced, and the portions are miniscule.  Not being aware of the ridiculously small portions, my boyfriend and I ordered a beet salad to share.  When it arrived, I burst out laughing.  I got three undercooked pieces of beet, garnished with 1 rasberry, 1 mint leaf, and another inedible plant (I tried to eat it - it was  like plastic) barely drizzled with some type of dressing. I love beets and only one piece was sweet, the others tasteless.  This restaurant must play on people's ignorance to get people to pay such high  prices for this fantasy of good French food.  At one point it was mentioned that I did not like the calamari to the waiter -although this was the only item where the portion was adequate.  We were taken aback when a stocky chef dressed in black came to our table, put both his hands on the table edge and leaned in and asked us what the problem was. This was a very intimidating move and very unpleasant not to mention unprofessional.  I explained that the calamari was bland and he argued "did you try the sauce?"   I told him I thought it should taste good without the dipping sauce - and that the calamari basically tasted like fried onion rings (the same type of batter and taste).   He argued again and said something about the type of calamari it was.... I wasnt listening.  I just wanted him to go away.  If he wasnt going to suggest other items or apologize that we were not happy with an item - I don't think it was necessary for him to interrogate us or argue.  The mushroom stuffed ravioli was the best item we tried - but the portions again were laughable.  We left hungry and annoyed and we will never come back.  I do think it is hard to find a good French restaurant around here.  I have been spoiled all my life with my mom's french cooking and my experience in France but let me tell you there is much better around here than Bistro 45!  Dont waste your time, money or tastebuds on this place.
5 - Lisa V.: What a beautiful little gem of a place! The hubby and I have been going on a series of brief, yet somewhat decadent, "outings" of late. We call them "farewell to part-time parenting" outings (as I am "expecting" a bundle of full-time joy in a mere 7 weeks!!). ;D

Not too long ago we decided to celebrate one of our anniversaries: the anniversary of when we met and first tripped the light fantastic in a ballroom dance class! When I called to make the reservation ( only three hours before we wanted to arrive!) the host asked if we were celebrating  anything special. I responded: "why YES! an anniversary as well as a baby on the way".
With this inquiry I thought, perhaps, we'd see a candle in the dessert we end up ordering (if they remembered that is). What we got was simply above and beyond! When we first arrived, the host (who must also be a manager?) greeted us warmly, confirmed the reservation and announced a hearty "congratulations!"

We were seated immediately (this is a smallish/intimate place, so I'd highly recommend you call ahead). Our server reviewed drinks and specials. My tummy was tucked under the table, well out of sight, and I didn't mention being preggers, but just asked for bubbly water to start with. The hubby ordered a glass of wine. 
The server returned with the wine, and much to my surprise, placed a martini glass in front of me while shaking up a fresh drink. I thought for sure it was a mistake as he began pouring what looked like a Cosmopolitan into my glass. "Oh!" I said, "I'm sorry, I didn't order anything alcoholic." The server winked at me and said "of course there is no alcohol...that's not good for the baby!"
Cool. Virgin Cosmo on the house.

I really wanted to save room for dessert, so we went easy on the appetizer...just shared maybe the most delightful house salad I've ever had...then our entrees: for me, duck two ways (DELICIOUS) and the hubby: pork chops (so tender and perfectly seasoned).
Desserts came, appropriately spaced out-- the chocolate "soup" (souffle) was delectable and came with a good scoop of vanilla bean ice cream the texture and consistency of which reminded me of the old fashion ice cream makers in the wood buckets...DEELISH! The hubby ordered something right up his alley: Apple Tart Tartin (finished it in about half the time it took me to finish my dessert!).

When the desserts came out, they were also accompanied by three homemade cookies and on three separate plates was written in big chocolate letters: "Happy ANNIVERSARY!" and "HAPPY BABY!" Each plate also had some crazy, celebratory sparklers sizzling away. It was a beautiful display. Cookies were also on the house (which we had to take home considering the lack of room in our bellies).

The manager came to our table once during the eating to see if everything was to our satisfaction. She also congratulated us again, asked when the baby was due, etc. on our way out. I want to point out that being the middle of the week it wasn't super busy, but it also wasn't dead by any means. 
We were REALLY impressed with the quality and personal attention at Bistro 45 and would highly recommend them for special celebrations :)
4 - Juhee S.: Pork is good. Lamb is good. Duck is good.  They take your name & write it on the dessert plate if it's your birthday!
4 - Alda A.: Located on Mentor Ave just south of Colorado and east of Lake Ave, this place is a bit secluded and not as visible as other restaurants in Pasadena, but nice and quaint once you arrive inside. I ordered the lambchop dish and it was cooked to perfection. We ordered the chocolate souffle w/ vanilla bean ice cream for dessert, and while the ice cream was mediocre, the souffle itself with the side of melted dipping chocolate was divine. Skip the bread they serve at the beginning and save room for everything else!
5 - wendy s.: the mister and i went here for an awards dinner that, sadly, due to my incompetence, we will not be invited to next year, but that's another story that can really only be told after several shots of my good friend jameson's. 

anyway, back to the bistro. our menu was set, so i don't know how much range they have, but what we did consume was positively delectable, and the service was impeccable. 

our meal commenced in fetching outdoor patio area with wine and appetizers. seeing as none of the appetizers were vegan, i cannot vouch for them, but the mister gobbled them happily--shrimp wrapped in a puff pastry with a cilantro horseradish and a goat cheese beignet. in fact, he had me snag them as well so he could have twice as much... 

the appetizers: 

beet salad sans the goat cheese: very pretty, and the raspberries were a nice touch. 

brie and apple baked in pastry: what can i say? the mister licked his plate clean (not really, but you know). 

the meal: 

ratatouille with polenta: lovely! i'm not a ratatouille fan, but this was super flavorful, and the presentation was ever so pretty. 

meat: don't remember the cut, but it was a thick cut, perfectly cooked, and so tender the mister relied on his butter knife. he was a happy man. 

dessert: 

fresh berries for me--not on the prix fixe menu, but i was accommodated and it was lovely. 

creme brule: he ate it all, folks! 

all in all, it was such a lovely experience, and it kind of kills me a little deep down inside to know i sabotaged my chances of getting an invite for next year! maybe, since end of days is due today, i won't have to worry about the disappointment heading my way in a year's time!
5 - Lin F.: Quaint, 25 watt lighting so you look younger and flawless, host seated us right away (reservations @ 7). Valet for car...weird since the lot is 3 steps from the entrance...it's probably there for effect (upscale). 

4* short ribs: boneless, fat trimmed, melted off fork. Garlic spinach on top. A bed of mashed potatoes-strangely lumpy and had a "sticky" texture on the tongue, so One less star for "french" mash potato. 

3* tomato red pepper soup, Vegan, no cream etc...my friend finished half of it and dipped the free French bread in it. She said she liked it but then she didn't finish it (she's a skinny person who relishes food).

5* baked Brie with apple slices and raspberry sauce, watercress leaves...heaven on earth. They split this dish, so we didn't have to fight for the last bite...someone would have fork stab marks on their hand. 

Flakey, light, crispy like baklava layers covered melted Brie. Julliened apple slices. Peppery watercress leaves...a small pool of raspberry sauce  on the side of dish, so you can choose to keep it less sweet. The split dish allowed me 5 perfect delectable bites.

5* red snapper. Lemon sauce was light, snapper cooked lightly so it was so soft and rare...perfect blend of flavors, nothing over powered the other. Asparagus slices...next time I'll ask for a side of asparagus instead of being teased with garnish portions. 

5* apple torte dessert. I had the caramel sauce on the side because the apple was probably already baked with a ton of brown sugar. I was right...the apple torte was already sweet enough. My friend finished off the ice cream & 75% of the dish...then asked " oh, did you want some?" uhhm, heck yeah!  

Wine: red flight: merlot-excellent; Cabernet- good; Pinot noir- eh. In the end I ordered a full glass of Malbec...it was a generous pour.

Great start to a fun night. Thanks yelpsters for recommendation. Oohh, don't forget your wallet. $$$. Great date place and the private party on the patio looked like they were enjoying themselves immensely.
3 - Kimberly B.: Once valeted, we opened the door to come in and no one was around to greet us.  The restaurant were full of guests.  A lady came around the corner and asked us for the name and time of reservation., and proceed to seat us.  

Once seated we got our drinks and I glanced at the menu.  Noticed I said glanced because that exactly what I did.  For starter I ordered the Roasted Beef salad.  So, when it arrived It was a plate full of roasted BEETS..  what?? I looked at the menu again and realized that I made such a quick glance that from the word Beet, I read it as Beef.  1st mishap.  Then for my entree, I had the Bistro Bouillabaisse it's an assorted seafood (clams, calamari, fish, mussels, prawns) in a saffron-lobster broth.  I did not like at all.  

My husband on the other hand had the fresh double cut pork chop, recommended by our waiter.  Fabulous!!

Would like to be back to try other entree on the menu.
1 - Warner Y.: There was a rubber band in the salad. Should never happen at this caliber of a Restaurant.
5 - Sherri Z.: If you're looking for an unpretentious, yet romantic and delicious bistro to impress your date, this would get my vote!! Everything from it's friendly staff, to it's cute interior, soft lighting and great food screams awesome dinner date location!!

My fiance and I along with a couple of our friends stopped by for dinner, and we were greeted very nicely by the hostess and seated right away.  Here is what we ordered:

Appetizers:
Foie Gras: buttery and delicious, my fiance thought it was too rich but it was his first time trying it, so if you enjoy foie gras, you'll love this
Short Ribs: This was the BEST appetizer by far! The portion is huge!! Next time I'm coming here, I'm ordering this for my entree :)  It slides right off the bone is is tender and juicy.
Risotto: I thought it was just ok...but my friend liked it.  It  tastes a bit more tangier then I would like

Entrees:
Scallops: My friend loved it!  It was definitely very flavorful and delish. The potato galette it comes with is amazing!
New Zealand Snapper: Pretty good, the fish was def very fresh and buttery, but if I were you I'd order the...
Maple Leaf Duck: The skin was crispy and delicious, the meat tender and flavorful, everyone agreed it was one of the best entrees along with the...
Pork Chops: Pork chops with bacon and the most delicious potatoes, how can you go wrong?

Dessert:
Chocolate Soup: Before you start freaking out, no it's not a soup, it's more like a souffle but 10X better then any souffle I've tried!  The chocolate is a dark chocolate, and so creamy and buttery it makes this the most amazing ending to a great meal.  Order this and you won't be disappointed!  

All in all a wonderful meal, I'm definitely coming back!!
2 - Jill and Ying J.: This is a tough review to write.  Perhaps we've gone to too many adventurous and funky restaurants lately that make for an unfair comparison to this one, which is definitely more traditional, but there's only one word that comes to mind to describe our food experience (which for some reason doesn't mesh with the other reviews): bland.  The manager stopped by a few times and was extremely nice, but our waiter was slightly loopy, answering some of our questions with nonsequitor responses that made us wonder if he was high on something.  The bread was not good.  It tasted like something you got at Vons, with a weird overly-fragile outer crust and soggy insides.  At least this was one point validated by another reviewer.

We got the bouillabaisse and one of the daily specials, which was a risotto.  I guess this place is going for traditional and delicate flavors; unfortunately for us, it was a bit TOO delicate.  Everything seemed bland, and the broth for the bouillabaisse tasted watered down.  The risotto was fine, but nothing spectacular.  We really wanted to like this place, especially given how nice the manager was and the overall cute ambience, but unfortunately, the mediocre tone set by the bread from the very beginning (which is something a bistro should get right if nothing else) was never undone.
5 - Grace H.: This is a terrific venue for any special gathering.  I reserved the outside patio for my engagement party, and it was absolutely perfect.  The patio space was large enough to accomodate my 50 guests with plenty of room to walk around and mingle.  The patio setting was gorgeous with lights strung along the walls which paired well with the subtle french decor. It was a warm summer night in June so we asked them to open up the patio roof. Everyone raved about the food and wine.  If you have the chance, get the chocolate soup dessert -- everyone who didn't order it was stealing bites from the people who did.  It's really that good.  To sum it up, this restaurant has great food, wine, service, setting...a recipe for a wonderful time!
4 - Nicole L.: I came here for a birthday dinner with three of my best friends. The decor was homey yet sophisticated, and the service was excellent! 

Parking: Valet, or street park

Food: I hate being vague in my reviews, but if I recall correctly, everything that my party ordered tasted on par. I personally ordered the duck, which was cooked to perfection!

Service: A lot of higher end restaurants usually see four college kids and turn the other way, but Bistro 45 treated us with respect. I specifically remember that they were incredibly attentive about filling our water glasses (as we were too young at the time for wine :[ )

I'll definitely be back if I'm craving some french cuisine!
4 - Miss J.: My BF and I were craving French food and we wanted to go somewhere with a nice ambience. Thus, we went ahead and found this place around the Pasadena area. We did Valet, so that wasn't much of an issue. We also enjoyed the food. The service wasn't anything to write home about, but at least the place was classy and upscale. Perhaps we'll go back again. ;-)
5 - Victor C.: Bistro 45 has been one of our favorites for a long time.  In fact, our distance from this restaurant is one of the few negatives of having moved south to Newport.

We've had many positive experiences at Bistro 45.  The wine dinners are always great, and the chef even made an alternate dish for my wife who dislikes lamb (we let them know ahead of time) which we thought was especially thoughtful for a food/wine paired dinner.

One of the best meals we've ever had was a time we'd had a Sanford Reserve Pinot Noir that we knew they had in their cellar (that was how our friend who had introduced us to both the wine and the restaurant had found out about the Pinot), and asked if the chef could just prepare a meal around the wine.  They gave us a few suggestions based on our personal preferences and it was a spectacular dinner.

If you like chocolate desserts, you must, must, must order the Chocolate Soup.  You'll be on an endorphin high for the next few hours.
5 - Paul L.: Was here first for Pasadena Restaurant Week in March. Enjoyed it a lot, but wish there had been more menu choices for the event. Back again for a nice dinner with Laurie and have to say, the atmosphere is great, service is more than special and the food prep (with a new chef) is inspired. We even raved about the pinot that was recommended to go with my red meat and her salmon entree. Not the priciest on the menu, either. This Pasadena Chamber of Commerce member is definitely pricey, but you get what you pay for and here, it is well worth it. Love the old art deco-ish building and what's inside is one of Pasadena's best.
3 - Ed T.: Try to be one of the chic rest in  Beverly Hills with the decor and ambience . food was fine but not memorable .
4 - Paul V.: My wife brought me here for my Birthday; I had the lamb, and she had the Bouillabaisse. Both dishes were excellent.
5 - Margaret L.: I love that this restaurant is within walking distance from my boyfriend's place. The staff here is amazing and so incredibly welcoming, they make me feel like I am family. (Thank you GiGi, Eric and Victoria!)

The restaurant is very romantic with it's soft lighting and intimate little tables. Even if you can't get a table, you can experience the full menu at the bar.

Having tried a good number of items here I would have to recommend the following:

Confit of Kurobuta Pork Belly - the pork belly is cooked so beautifully that you don't feel guilty eating it
Bistro Bouillabaisse - if you love seafood this is an excellent choice as it is filled with fresh treasures from the deep

Other notable mentions include the Scallops and the Duck (prepared two ways).

But my number one guilty pleasure from Bistro 45 would have to be the Chocolate Soup. It sounds decadent because it is, a warm dark chocolate souffle that rises when you add in the chocolate sauce, served with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream is more than you can ask for to finish off a beautiful dinner here.

I can't wait for my next dinner from here!
2 - mony m.: I wanted to like this place, as I am new to the area and would like to have a go-to restaurant.  

All dishes were alright, I guess, but nothing special.  The duck was slightly undercooked, the beet salad was missing SOMETHING, and although the bread had a nice crusty feel to it, it lacked flavor (I did not realize prior to coming here that bread can actually lack flavor).

My boyfriend ordered some type of fish (I forget what kind), and his dish was nothing to write home about either.  

Our waitress was alright, not rude, but not the best either.  The busboy did most of the work for her and came around quite frequently.  If we could have tipped only the busboy, we might have left a better tip.  I dont like to reward mediocre service with a high tip, lest I encourage this type of service from wait staff, so I didnt.

So, pros:
Manager nice.  Ambience nice.  Busboy nice.

Cons:
Overpriced.  Bland.  Waitress so-so.
5 - Charis D.: We had a lovely dinner here.  My salmon was excellent and so was the pork my boyfriend ordered.  Wine selection is top notch and both of our wines were very good.  The waiter was excellent and added his own personal touch to our decadent, delicious dessert. One of the best restaurants in Pasadena.  Pricey but worth it.
5 - Kevin C.: Decided to dine at Bistro 45 for our anniversary.  Turned out to be one of the best meals we had in a long time.  We ordered the followings:

Confit of Kurobuta Pork Belly:  4.5 *
Grilled All Natural Angus Beef Tenderloin:  5 *
Maple Leaf Farm Duck:  5 *
Berry Crème Brulee:  5 *
Chocolate Soup:  3 *

Both the duck and the steak were cooked perfectly, very tender and flavorful.  The pork belly was very good, but the portion was much smaller than we had expected.  The citrus risotto that came with the pork belly was surprisingly good.

The creme brulee was the absolute best we ever had, but somehow both of us didn't quite like the chocolate soup as other yelpers did.

We will definitely be back for special occasions.
5 - Richard J.: Bistro 45 is amazing, but they also do catering and boy are they awesome. We had them cater our wedding reception, about 80 people in my mom's backyard and it turned out wonderfully.

Gigi, their catering coordinator, met with us well before hand and really helped make us comfortable about how the wedding reception was going to turn out. Where we needed a bit of guidance, she made good suggestions, where we knew what we wanted, she made it happen.

The day of, we left for the church from my mom's house with a bunch of stuff that still needed to happen as prep for the reception. Some of these things we wrote down for Bistro 45, some of them we didn't. But, when we got back from the church, everything prepped and ready to go. On top of that, the waitstaff were super friendly and the food was great. 

If you want a caterer who will just make a great event happen without any oversight on your part, these are the people.
4 - Andrew M.: Real fancy (and correspondingly pricey), but my girlfriend's mother was buying. Had the pork chop and a flight of red wine, followed by the "chocolate soup," all of which were excellent. The space is cozy but not cramped, and dim but your eyes will adjust. I came a bit underdressed (I'd just gotten off work, and didn't know where we were going for dinner), but did not feel unwelcome. One catch: if you are a vegetarian (I'm obviously not, but my girlfriend is) your choices may be pretty meager. Save that, a great place to be taken to dinner.
4 - Kimberly M.: I LOVE this place, LOVE!  It is quaint and versatile.  Perfect for romantic night, business meetings or a fancy night out with the girls.  Food is wonderful and they are always consistent!  Consistently good!
4 - Peter D.: Charming, quaint, cozy restaurant just south of Colorado. It was cold evening, but they had overhead heaters in the patio. Burgundy walls give it a homely feel. Mood lighting lighting throughout the patio area and over-sized novelty wine bottles give it a warm decor on a cold damp LA evening. Enjoyed savory appetizers, such as pork wontons and shrimp and chorizo bites.
4 - Jenna C.: Went here as part of last Friday's night's Yelp Elite event (I LOVE YOU YELP!) before seeing a play at Pasadena Playhouse.  They had $6 red and white wine and a lime? margarita cocktail?  We had the side room, which was partially outside, but there were warm heaters.  The servers came around with some appetizers, which were all very delicious (especially that crazy rich cheese puff... yum!), and the servers were professional and kind.  The red wine was great (I had two, Casey had two) - very generous pours.  We were very satisfied with our experience here as part of our Yelp night out.  Thanks Yelp!
4 - Natalie D.: My boyfriend and I went to this restaurant for our first official date.  The restaurant was fantastic.  The wait staff was amazing and had plenty of food and drink recommendations.  The wine list was extensive and decently priced.  We ordered an appetizer of the calamari.  It was very good and the portion was huge.  Too much for two people but we did the best we could. For dinner, I had the special for the evening which was a beef osso bucco.  Super delicious and tender.  No knife needed to cut through this meat.  My boyfriend had the lamb and he loved it.  We took a look at the dessert menu and the chocolate soup sounded heavenly but we were too full to partake.
4 - Laura S.: GOOD:
* Appetizers were good
* Heracho(Gary) was an awesome server - the place needs to note HE'S EXTREMELY CHARMING :D
* Cute ambiance - very romantic!
* Excellent Malbec choice
* Valet for $4

BAD:
* Street parking hard to find
4 - Andrea G.: So, apparently, I have been to most of the nice restaurants in Pasadena.  I was trying to find a nice, new place to go to dinner on a night when Parkway and Arroyo were closed for a private event, and thus I found my way to Bistro 45.  Aside from an awkward situation where our waiter was a friend of a friend's ex-boyfriend who I'd met a few times and wasn't quite sure I recognized and thus didn't say hi to, it was a great meal.  We started out with the Scottish Salmon, I had the lamb for my entree (amazing, and really good portion size), and I had the 'chocolate soup' for dessert.  It was delicious, though I wouldn't have characterized it as a soup.  My companion had the creme brulee, which was fantastic, but it was accompanied by what appeared to be Keebler cookies, which kind of cheapened an otherwise delicious dish.
Cocktails were just okay, the wine selection was quite nice.
5 - Cassandra C.: My boyfriend and I had a date night at this place. Overall I had a lovely experience here. We were able to easily find street parking.  I had made reservations and we were immediately seated. We both decided to try this wine sampler. I am not sure what it is exactly called, but basically you get to taste four different wines. I thought it was going to be small amount.  However, we both got a generous amount. We didn't e ven need to order any other drinks after that. We had the Marinated Ahi Tartare for an appetizer. It tasted fresh and was really good. Everything looked delicious on the menu. Thankfully I looked at yelp on what to order. I had the duck and my boyfriend had the lamb chops.  Thank you yelpers! For dessert I had the crème brule while my boyfriend had the chocolate soup. If you LOVE chocolate get the chocolate soup. For me, it was a little too much chocolate. A lovely way to end the night is when the waiter brought both of us a complimentary glass of port wine. The place is a little pricey, but well worth it for me.
2 - Kai R.: This used to be one of the best restaurants in Pasadena - very solid food and drinks were never watered down.  We went for the first time in a few years and it isn't what it used to be.  The food was OK, but not stellar like it used to be unfortunately.  Maybe the new venture (A K Bistro in Old Town) by the owner has taken his attention off of the crown jewel.
3 - Autumn S.: Food was really good.  The wine selection was great, but 3 of the wines we tried to order with dinner were out.  Admittedly, those three wines were on the priciest side so understandable that they don't carry a lot on stock, but not good when you go down the list and they don't have your top 3 wine choices.  The food quality was excellent though and the service was really good too.  From what i hear, a Pasadena staple and I'm happy to have a good frenchi restaurant just down the street for family dinners.  I will go back and probably upgrade the status once they stock up on their french wines...
5 - Heather H.: Everything is good. Was treated by A friend for lunch. Great alternative to the Parkway Grill.
4 - Rachelle R.: We went for the first time with friends that had been once prior and loved it. The atmosphere is wonderful, especially the lighting. The server was great and knew the food better then the wine, but did a great job. We ended up sending an entre back and really did not request anything, they proceeded to send another entre and just handled it beyond any expectation. We did not even ask. You do not experience service like this often anywhere. We were very impressed and had a lovely evening. We look forward to going back. Thank you.
5 - Autumn W.: We had our rehearsal dinner here. I called a couple weeks in advance to book with the restaurant, never having been there and booking solely on excellent reputation. I was so pleased with the service, the management, the food, and the ambience that this is now my all time favorite restaurant!

My interface was Eric Mercer, the general manager. He was so incredibly professional and organized AND he remembered who I was when I called back the next week to confirm the menu! He was flexible in allowing us to decide which rooms we wanted to use for the dinner as well. Additionally, he set it up so that no regular dining guests crossed through our room! Some of our guests had special allergies and in addition to that my husband and I are vegetarian. He was able to have the cook tailor the dishes specifically to each individual guest with a perfect yes-ma'am attitude! The restaurant was able to create a personalized menu for each guest, specifically for our dinner as well! 

The night of the rehearsal dinner went so smoothly, the wait staff was almost invisible, the service was prompt, and the food was to die for! Even my hardest to please friends who have super ridiculously high food standards loved the food and the wine! I cannot remember every dish we had, but I do remember the mushroom risotto was heavenly!! it was the best risotto I have ever had, hands down

I was just so blown away by the entire experience: so impressed by the manager Eric and the staff at Bistro. The food was delicious, and I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who loves great food and great service in a romantic atmosphere and is not on a very tight budget! 

Would I go back? Absolutely in a heartbeat!
5 - A. S.: I've eaten here dozens of times since my first review and it is still fab.  I usually have the Beef Tenderloin which I love.  It's tender with a tomato sauce.  I've also had the salmon which is also delicious.

Service is excellent.  Great place for a date (dim lighting, intimate setting) although I also like to come here with my girl friends for dinner and wine.  Love the art deco style building.
4 - Sarah L.: Really cute french bistro with great service and equally delicious food.

We did not have reservations, but was able to walk in with no wait during prime Saturday dinner hours. Bistro 45 kind of looks like a home which was gutted and then made into a restaurant.  Very simple decor but the tables flowed nicely.

I decided to start off with the Roasted Beet Salad (Honey yogurt, candied oats, cocoa and frisee salad).  I loved the unexpected candied oats which gave the salad some nice texture.  Also the frisee salad was on top of the beets which was dressed perfectly and gave a salty aspect to the sweet starter.  The bf got the soup du jour which was a vegan tomato soup...no cream or stock was added...but there was ton of flavor and was quite creamy in texture.

For my entree, I decided to get the Double Cut Pork Chop (Parsnip puree, baby carrots and turnips, port-roasted prunes, violet mustard jus).  Sooo tasty...bone in pork chop was huge and cooked perfectly.  The jus was delicious and really complemented the pork.  I really enjoyed the port-roasted prunes which gave the dish a delightful sweetness.  I didn't think the parsnip puree did anything for the plate except keep the pork chop centered and keep it from sliding on the plate...it was a weird grayish brown color and had a gummy consistency.  I wish there were a bit more vegetables on the plate to go with the massive savory pork chop (there were only 4 little baby carrots/turnips).  Overall, the pork chop and jus were really flavorful and delicious.  The bf got the Ling Cod (Caramelized onions, roasted sweet peppers, organic zucchini, Spanish almonds and romesco).  Very appealing and beautiful dish with the colorful vegetables on top and around the cod.

They had a pretty extensive wine list.  I ordered a really nice Meritage blend of Syrah and Cabernet.  Really sweet initially and then complex and bold.  Highly recommend this blend.

The service was fast and very friendly...we had several waiters that night..I think they just all work together.  Defintely an older crowd and is away from the craziness in Old Town Pasadena.  There is also valet parking for a fee.  Overall, a lovely intimate dining experience with good solid food.
4 - Grace C.: This place is great. Ambiance was good with dimly lit tables, an extensive wine list, and home like feel decor made me feel very relaxed. The service here is worth mentioning since they were phenomenal! 

Braised beef short ribs, they were tender/ juicy 4/5
Seared Sea Scallops 3.5/5
Prime beef tenderloin 4/5
Wild mushroom risotto 5/5 Favorite of the night!

Chocolate soup was delightful as well as a wine recommended to me per server. Forgot the name though :p hahahaha

Overall it was a great fine dining experience.
5 - Donna B.: We've been going to Bistro 45 for years!  Recently we started attending their wine dinners and discovered their new Executive Chef, Steven Lona.  This guy is amazing! I have been to at least five special events since Steven took over the menu at Bistro 45, and I'm so glad Robert had the insight to give him a job.  Everything from a tuna tartare appetizer, which I have never been able to eat anywhere else because of the consistency, to his Beef Tenderloin, is delicious. Steven understands how to add excitement without having to be too trendy or "over the top."  Not only is the food good here, but the hospitality and attention to their guest is what keeps bringing us back.  Robert is a very gracious, generous restauranteur.  He thanks his customers for their business and really means it.  In addition, the servers go out of their way to make sure you're happy.  My personal favorites are Mehdi and Liam, but I don't think you can go wrong no matter who you get at your table.  All in all, this is a great place for a romantic dinner or a business meal.  I have never been disappointed!
2 - Lisa E.: I'm sorry to be a detractor, but this review is warranted.  My husband and I were in Pasadena to celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary. Leaving our two kids with kind babysitters, we were so looking forward to spending our evening in a fine dining establishment. In fact, we canceled reservations at another upscale restaurant and chose Bistro 45 on the recommendations of local friends.  We were sold on the "personalized dining" experience and the fact that they would provide us with memorable service - or so they promised when I made the reservation and told them it was our anniversary.  Well, memorable it was. Our server didn't even bother with our table for almost 10 minutes after we sat down (after he tended to a table of 6 that was seated after we were).  And, instead of introducing himself and apologizing for the delay, he opened with "cocktails or wine?."  We asked him for a suggestion and he looked at us as if we were speaking a different language.  Finally, I challenged him and asked what his name was.  He realized he had been extremely rude and tried to "start over."  Fast forward to our meals. My husband's medium tenderloin was served to him cold in the center.  Cooked, but cold. My risotto was room temperature at best. We politely sent it back, and subsequently received 2 extremely hot plates, and the same cold food.  Finally, the manager got involved and ordered the chef to make a new risotto. My husband dealt with the steak because he was hungry and didn't want to wait any longer.  Sure, they comped our wine and offered us a nightcap for "our trouble." But we weren't there to get free stuff. We were more than willing to pay for a fine dining experience on a special occasion. Paying for our bottle of wine does not make up for ruining a dinner with incompetent food preparation and service. The manager did make attempts to get us back in the restaurant with a coupon and apology, but the prospect of us returning to that restaurant when Pasadena has so much other wonderful dining to offer is pretty low.  I am so disappointed in this restaurant and the third-rate experience they provided on a very special evening.
4 - Brian U.: It has been a long time since I've been here, but I knew I'd return eventually. How could I not considering it was the place that turned me on to William Selyem pinots and made me join William Selyem's "The List". Bistro 45 still have a very nice wine list, too.

We came for Pasadena Restaurant Week and had to request the menu. It was a four-course menu and the dishes were appropriately smaller to create a mini-tasting menu.

They started us with their roasted beet salad which had tender, small red and yellow beets that were flavorfully dressed. They also added frisee and candied oats for crunch.

The fish course was next with a roasted Atlantic salmon served skin side down. As are most Atlantics, the flesh was boring, but the highlight of the dish was the marinated and grilled eggplant. I would love cook this at home, if I could only figure out how they made it. The dish also came with pearl pasta which could have been better if cooked less.

The meat course was a duck cassoulet which was a stew with three types of beans. To make it heartier, they used duck, lamb sausage, and bacon. As wonderful as that sounds, the kicker was a kick of horseradish sauce which provided the perfect (and mean PERFECT) contrasting accent to the dish heavy dish.

Dessert was a chocolate soup which is an undercooked soufflé. I guess there's a trend in Pasadena to avoid baking as The Raymond is serving an eggless cookie dough dessert. The soup had a well balanced dark chocolate flavors that made the side of chocolate sauce seem silly. The side of vanilla ice cream was ordinary.

Although the service was outstanding on my first visit (I was just looking around the room and a waiter came over because he thought something was wrong), they were missing the same attention to detail this time.

1. I ordered a Turley cinsault for $56 and the waiter bought a Turley zin for $88. When I said, I wanted the cinsault, he said, "We're out of that." Now shouldn't he have said that when he first brought the alternate bottle? And what if I had not noticed it was the wrong bottle? Would I have been charged $56 or $88? A 57% increase is a big price difference. Ultimately (and because I already had that Turley zin in my wine cellar), I picked an entirely different wine - a Copain pinot noir for $60.

2. My girlfriend received a much different cassoulet dish than me. My GF's was composed liked a mountain peak with a thick cold crème at the peak. Mine was flat like a soup and the crème was completely melted. She had a thigh bone and many pieces of duck. I had no thigh and about two bits of duck meat. I understand how plates can vary from night to night, but not on the same night AND the same table.

3. When I called to make reservations, the price the Pasadena Restaurant Week dinner was $$ which is $35. There was no price on the menu. We were charged the $$$ rate or $44. It was still a good deal so we didn't make a fuss.
2 - wolfie g.: Overpriced for lukewarm and average food. Restaurant didn't live up to its hype.
Lamb sirloin gamey. Duck cold. Pork chop tough. Chocolate soup was the highlight of the night. Good service... But probably wouldn't come back
3 - Chris W.: I'd heard from several locals that for fine dining this is definitely an option in the 'dena.  

I'm not exactly sure what "missed" here.  I get how some could totally give this place four or five stars.  For us, though, it was a miss.  Nothing was bad.  Don't get me wrong.  When we asked if they had blue cheese olives for our filthy dirty Grey Goose martinis they had the kitchen make some for us.  Very nice.  Many other places would have just said "No" and given us run of the mill olives.

I had some kind of spinach tart with bacon, blue cheese and some kind of dressing.  Except for the plate looked as if it was "thrown together" it tasted good enough.  My girlfriend had a raviloi of some kind and although it was alright ... it just didn't have a lot of flavor.  

Our entrees were good enough -- like many of the other aspects of the restaurant -- but my short rib had to be cut with a knife.  I've made plenty of short rib braises both traditionally in an oven and in a sous vide and I've never had one that didn't just fall apart.  Again, it wasn't bad; it was just ... not as good as other food I've had both at home and at other restaurants.

The other odd thing about this place is that the busboys seem gruff and out of place in a fine dining restaurant.  If you're going to have white table cloths, I kinda think you should also clean the table cloth after the entrees are bussed.  I don't really want to see crumbs on the surface.  Nit-picky?  For sure.

The service was good except that there was only one server and our section wasn't totally full yet the service was slower than I would have expected.

Everyone here is very nice.  The food is okay.  Next time, though, we'll go to the Raymond or Green Street Tavern where the food isn't "so safe" and is both prepared and presented better.  Perhaps it was an off-night, dunno.  

This place isn't horrible at all ... just ... a little south of what I consider fine dining.
5 - Dana S.: Went to this charming, cozy restaurant last night and BOY was I surprised at how wonderful it was !  The ambiance - relaxing and romantic - the service - professional and attentive - the food - DELISH!  I ate myself silly !  Plus they really know their wines.  They made us feel very special!  My friends had the scallops and duck - loved it !  I - as a vegetarian - had the (one) vegetarian plate - a curry dish - which was great !  The beet salad as a starter was fantasticly yumm...  a MUST GO~
2 - Tracey M.: Eh.
It was only okay.  No one was in there.  It was pretty pricey and the food was only okay.  I'd give it a C.  Or a C-.
Boring.  Bland.  No imagination.  
I had an heirloom tomato salad that had such hard tomatoes I needed to ask for a steak knife so I could eat it!  Is that normal?  You can skip this place for sure.
3 - Rebecca H.: made a reservation for 4 and was seated when the whole party arrived. 
I ordered the beet salad and their soup of the day ( which they forgot, but comped us for- good because it was way too sweet and would of put a damper in the delicious meal i was having! 
my gf and i ordered the the risotto and it was pretty good. We had a bottle of wine and  the most prettiest dessert ever.  I ordered the creme brûlée and boy was it fancy, It was personalized and the brown sugar that is typically gives the creme brûlées its greatness was shaped like a dome criss crossing over. 

really put a smile to my face!
3 - Michelle Y.: I am surprised by the rave reviews.  The service is 5-stars, I will give them that.  The atmosphere is cozy and intimate, great for a romantic date.  However, the food failed to impress.  It's typical French food, nothing exemplary.  I came with my husband who is Parisian and he was not impressed either.  The sauce was ok, the steak was ok, and the fish was ok.  It was not memorable.  I think there are much better French restaurants in LA.  But I have to say that the service was one of THE BEST I have ever had and I eat out, a lot!  They treated everyone with A+ service whether you were dressed up or down.
2 - Alex R.: I was really craving a good filet mignon.  After having it here, I'm still craving a good filet mignon.  The piece of meat on my plate was salty and dry; way too overcooked.  The salmon was a bit undercooked and a bit fishy.  That smell hit us as soon as the plate hit the table.

The chocolate soufflé wasn't anything I was expecting.  It was less of a soufflé and more of a messy bitter chocolate mess in a tiny bite size portion.

This place isn't as French as I expected.  I did however, expect it to be expensive, and that's where they did meet expectations; ouch!

Needless to say, we will not be returning.
3 - Jenny K.: definitely overpriced. your money could be better spent elsewhere.

can't believe there are that many rave reviews. i must have higher standards when it comes to food. or maybe they are inconsistent. either way is not good. if you do a YELP SORT BY "Date", you will see the trend line going downwards as of late. if you don't sort, the first review you read will be a 5 star from someone who reviewed it in 2010. *just click on 'Date' right before the first review*

picture a balloon with a happy face...excited to enter a new place. by the end of this experience, i was a deflated balloon with disappointment pushing the air out. i had been wanting to dine here for...oh...8 years? we went on saturday to celebrate mother's day.

serving size is small. if you are a big eater, don't even bother.

beet salad (appetizer) - pretty but small
artic cod - fine
duck - okay (only two 4" x 3/4" x 1" pieces of duck (with skin) on the plate)
pork chop - good entree
sea scallops - worst i've ever had... did i order sea scallops in a salt bath?!?!?

*we didn't bother with dessert. went to carmela instead!! =) *

my sea scallops were overly salty. i mean, it was in a salt bath!! even the people who usually eat saltier food said that it was too salty. for $33.95, out of the 5 scallops, i really only ate 1. (gave 2 away...there were 2 left on my plate touched) i complained that it was way too salty. the waiter asked if i wanted another plate of scallops. no thank you. would have loved if they would have taken it off the bill. btw, there was only one brussels sprout cut in half, a couple (by couple i mean 3) tiny cauliflower, etc. 

instead they took off the appetizer beet salad off the bill. sure that's fine, except that they added a $10 charge for prosecco we didn't order. so taking off my beet salad...and charging me for something else.. uh...really? were they trying to pull a fast one? *since some people don't look at their bills..*

the service wasn't too good either. saw them bring food to the wrong table. then afterwards they were in the corner trying to figure out which table ordered what food. 

sure, it's nice for ambiance...but i go for food/service.
3 - Michael M.: Nice vibe, quality food, very small portions though.
3 - A N.: Came here on a Saturday night and there was no wait. Staff was cordial, but a little on the slower side. 
-Calamari (4/5): This was good, but there was something off about it. It was too soft for its own good. The sauce makes up for it though. 
-Short ribs entree (4/5): The actual short ribs were really good and tender. Not too big on the polenta though, and the cheese mixed into the spinach was too strong for my liking. 
-Atlantic salmon (3.5/5): This dish was kind of bland. Some more seasoning on the fish would've been nice. 
Chocolate soup (4.5/5):  The souffle was delish! The syrup is infused with some sort of tangy fruit flavor. They will write Happy Birthday on the plate and include a candle if it's your birthday. 

Careful with the water. I accidentally swallowed a lemon slice.
3 - Jon G.: Bistro 45 treated us well. The service was perfect, atmosphere and decor are great, but the food didn't hook me as I hoped.

My girlfriend and I shared a salad, which was good. I had the arctic cod, which was a little smaller portion than I'd like and not exactly bristling with flavor. The puree that was smeared on the left was my favorite thing on the dish. After I inhaled the cod, I used the appetizer bread to soak up the rest of the puree. I believe my girlfriend had the cioppino and liked it. Then the bill came, which seemed a bit outrageous for the portions, especially since I was still feeling a bit hungry.

I'd like to come back and try something else though!
1 - Charles C.: I've been coming here for over 10 years and the food has really slipped. Maybe the worst Caesar salad I have EVER had. All I could taster was lemon. My scallops were sandy and no flavor whatsoever. It is dark, somewhat gloomy and hardly any other patrons, and now I know why. Really sad, it used to be so good. They need a new chef and fast.
4 - Amme L.: Food here is really good. Good portions and flavorful. Had the scallop, perfectly cooked and worked so well with the brussels sprouts. And so pretty on the plate. Also tried the braised short ribs for appetizer, could have been a meal. Filling and the kale really made the dish special. Hubby tried the beef tenderloin and he was quite satisfied. Can't believe waited this long to try. Can't wait to come back.
2 - Linda R.: So my friend took me here for my bday dinner. Place looks nice upon arrival. Hostess greeted us and took us to our seat. Bread served with butter. Waiter was nice and checked up on us often. So far so good. We ordered the braised pork belly and mushroom risotto. So......the pork belly was good. But....the risotto was not. It was overly salty and undercooked. I told the hostess so and she came back telling me that the chef has spent his whole career perfecting this risotto. Well shoot...he wasted his time. I was told that he makes the batch early and they scoop out a bowl when it is ordered. OK....so I do believe that any real chef with a restaurant that has $$$ will scoff with derision knowing a batch of risotto was prepared early and not freshly made.  Who the heck does that?  I mean really???   (I can totally hear Gordon Ramsey screaming out all sorts of cuss words.)  I mean come on...it was not even al dente. And kicker is at times I would actually get some rice that was perfectly cooked but most crunchy.  Whatever.  He lost major points in my opinion.  (I think Joe from Master Chef would spit out the risotto!)  Their main pork dish had too many sweet sauces and garnish. It was just ok. Pork seemed a little too pink near the bones....trust me I've had damn good pork tenderloin medium cooked and this was a bit too pink. I had the bouillabaisse. It was pretty good. Their chocolate souffle was delicious though. So overall...I've had better french bistro food. Look elsewhere.
1 - Jeannie K.: Very disappointed after spending $188 for dinner for 3.  Felt like the bread was the best part of the entire meal.  

First off, for a Saturday night, the place was pretty empty, where it took a while for people to start showing up.  The start of our meal seemed to be going nicely, until we got our appetizers.  We ordered the pork belly confit and albacore tuna tartare.  The tartare was pretty good, but the pork belly confit... Picture a 3rd of a slice of bacon on a plate surrounded by 8 sliced green grapes.  Ridiculous for a $16 appetizer.  

As for the entrees, I had the duck, my pops the seafood bouillabaisse, and salmon for my mom.  The duck was so tough and chewy I had to ask for a steak knife to even get through the darn thing!  Mom's salmon was okay, but super bland. And to top things off, dad's bouillabaisse was a SALT BROTH.  A nice lady (seemed like the owner) came by to see if there was anything else they could get him instead, so he chose the scallops.  Expect to get 3 diver scallops but pretty much RAW.  I know you shouldn't over cook scallops but it was definitely not pleasant. 

As for the service, the servers and the ones clearing our plates were the nicer and more pleasant ones compared to our waiter.  Seemed a bit pretentious and too good for us, if you ask me, who had to refer back to the menu when asked what his recommendations were for appetizers. 

Anyway, thank goodness the bread saved us from starving.  Mom's raspberry cocktail was actually pretty good, with fresh raspberries.  $20 corkage fee as well, and I recommend you bring your own bottle because wine by the glass are $10 and up (that's if you decide to even come here). 

Don't waste your money.  Definitely won't be back.
4 - Ishtar Y.: The service here was great. Even though they were closing , they still sat us down. 

We were greeted and promptly seated. Amazingly the food was very French, but the prices were not!!! For the people who say it's overpriced, they're probably use to cheesecake factory or chillis. Well duh the food is not ' cheap' but for the service and quality of food I found it was a BARGAIN. 


the food wasn't anything spectacular, but as mentioned still very good for the price. Very quiet and romantic .

Best part was the cheese plate at the end! All the cheeses were very lovely and good sized.  I recommed order the meat. Everyone who ordered the seafood ended up eating of the meat plates.



They even gave us some wine on the house at the end! marvelous!!

Hugs to all the staff !!
4 - Donna W.: Bistro 45 is one of those MUST dine places in Pasadena.  It's off the beaten path of Old Town  (or should I say trampled path) and has a wonderful ambiance that makes you feel you are in one of the secluded places in Beverly Hills.  I was there the last week they were open before they closed for remodel and can't wait to see what they will do when they reopen!

The manager came to greet my table personally and she made the evening feel even more special. There were two servers who were in attendance but one seemed to have an attitude and I heard him being disrespectful towards the manager but she took it with exceptional grace although everyone around was bit appalled (I think he was Persian) the other one who was incredible was Latino.  The bartender was a great conersationalist and knows his stuff too!!

The only thing preventing 5 stars is the fact that one server who just seemed to have a chip on his shoulder.  Hopefully when they reopen he won't be there!
5 - Sonny S.: Bistro 45 has excellent food, a wonderful staff and a fantastic owner.

We scheduled an surprise birthday event here, and the night was amazing. There were some challenges we faced because the restaurant was under construction, but the service was so amazing, that we hardly noticed. In particular, Victoria was very accommodating and personable. She would stop us to let us know what a great night it must be for the celebrant. Some of my guests were literally in tears with her.

Our party was for about 50 people, and the dishes that were the most popular were the risotto, the steak, salmon and the salad. Also, the outdoor patio was gorgeous. 

I emailed the owner to let him know about our concerns, and he called me within one hour. He spent 20 minutes apologizing and listening to my concerns and offered to rectify the situation. I was incredibly impressed with the type of detail and service they provide to each guest.

If anyone is thinking of throwing an intimate event with good food, familial service and a beautiful venue, I highly recommend Bistro 45.
5 - Liz M.: Great venue for your private event! This past Saturday we threw a surprise 30th birthday party for one of our closest friends in Bistro 45's patio. They are currently under construction but I don't doubt that when they open up to the public once again that it will be a hot spot for dinner if you're in Pasadena.

Favorites to mention were the staff, reclining ceiling, and the food! Victoria, Jill and Eric (unfortunately those were the only names I caught) were so accommodating and made sure we had everything we needed. They definitely made the evening's events go smoothly. 

Reclining ceiling, yes Bistro 45 has that in their patio. When the sun was still shining brightly they completely closed the ceiling so we wouldn't have so much sun shining down on us. But as the sun set and a cooler breeze came through we asked that they open the ceiling up because it was such a beautiful night out. I believe they also have outdoor heaters which definitely were not needed for our event but if you dined in the patio during the colder months I'm sure they'd keep you warm. 

Now on to the food, for the prefixed menu the appetizer choices were: chilled cucumber soup & goat cheese salad with walnuts and apples and the entrée choices were: salmon, risotto & and prime rib steak. My choices the salad and the prime rib steak (because yes , I am a carnivore). I loved their goat cheese salad if they gave me another serving I'm sure I would've cleaned that plate too. Now the prime rib steak, they didn't ask how I wanted it cook but it came out to a perfect medium rare. Seasoning was on point and I would've also eaten another serving of this but then again I might have just busted out of my dress if I did and my friends would end up having to roll me to the car if that happened. 

Thank you again to Victoria, Jill, Eric and the rest of the staff at Bistro 45, without all your help the birthday girl would not have told us that was the best night of her life!
5 - Vincent M.: Amazing service!  Pasadena gem!  This is a great place for contemporary French cuisine.  You often will run into celebraties here as well.  Everything... I mean everything is very well thought out and taxed my taste buds to the max.  Presentation, taste, temperature, texture, service!  The scallops were perfectly seared, the duck was exquisite!  Service was superb. Great special occasion spot or just when you need some really amazing french food to brighten up your day.
5 - Roy M.: Sure, it's expensive, but you can always count on great food and great service.  The menu is varied and innovative.  My perfect meal:  Roasted beet salad, steak, and berry creme brulee.  
The servers really know their wine.
Best to go on a week night when it is calm and quiet.

Bistro 501 - Lafayette, IN (40.4191484, -86.8918508) ()
4 - Kevin C.: I cannot believe that with Purdue's Hotel Tourism Management Program and with the popularity of Yelp that this place has not been review yet.  It appears that Purdue might need to step up its HTM program and have students venture over the river for new experiences in dining.  

Bistro 501 has to be one of the best places to dine in the Lafayette area.  This bistro has a nice relaxed ambiance in the theme of the French countryside.  For dinner I chose the pork shank while my girlfriend decided to go with the duck.  My pork shank was absolutely fabulous!  The meat fell right off of the bone and the sauce that accompanied it was so so tasty.  Our waitress mentioned that this dish is usually offered as a special but alot of the regulars order it, if this is the case they should just make it a regular menu item.  The duck that my girlfriend had was good but i thought they could have done a better job at crisping the skin on the fowl.  For desert we decided on the avocado ice cream.  Yep, you heard right.  Avocado ice cream.  It was nice and light, just perfect for a summer night.  

In essence, Bistro 501 is a great place to go in the Lafayette area.  The service was acceptable, food is excellent, and on Thursday's they have $5.00 premium martinis!
4 - Tiffany P.: My boyfriend and I decided to try out this restaurant since they had a coupon on restaurant.com ($25 off if you purchase 2 entrees), and we were pleasantly surprised.  The restaurant is BEAUTIFUL, and the ambiance is what really makes this restaurant.  They were playing great jazz music while we were there.  The service is intentionally slow, so you have time to socialize and digest each course.  The food was good, but not fantastic.  It's a little expensive but you do get bread and soup or salad with your entree, so that's nice.  We'll definitely return again just because it's such a pretty place - a real treasure in downtown Lafayette.
4 - Ryan Z.: Great food, I ate here the last time I was in Lafayette on business, and the cocktail I tried was excellent.

Only open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday though - I'll have to find something else!
5 - Russell Q.: Easily one of the best, if not the, best place in W Lafayette.

Food: 5
Wine: 5
Service: 4.5
Value: 4.5

Quick summary: On my last visit on a business trip, I had two large absolutely fantastic glasses of wine (at $9 each) and a terrific steak.  People will pay a lot for a great steak dinner. And this was it.  Only not for a lot.

I love their wines by the glass.  They have one of the best selections any place and I'm from Northern Calif.  Their list puts most big city restaurants to shame.  I had just the loveliest Carmenere and a Nero d'avola.  After dinner, all I wanted for dessert was another glass of either of these, but dcorum forbade that.

The food is very solid across the entire menu (salads, pasta, entrees, desserts), especially their steaks.  

If you are looking to get business meal in W Lafayette, just eat here.

If you're a local, it is a great hi-end restaurant.
3 - Amy D.: The best thing about this place is their martini Thursday. They have a huge selection of martinis, if only I could drink more at a time. The food is OK to good, depending on what you order. Their rice dishes almost always seem to be undercooked. Crunchy rice is so gross. Salads are good, as are the soups, but my french onion soup is totally better than theirs. How does that happen?
4 - Lindsay R.: One of my favorite places to grab a glass of wine and spend time w/ some of my favorite people when I'm back in Lafayette for a visit.  Waitstaff is incredibly friendly and helpful with wine suggestions.  Dan makes the best cosmos ever! (seriously, my friends all agree too) and the atmosphere is perfect for a relaxing evening out.  Try the Cheese Plate next time you are in there.  If you are going for lunch, make sure to get the Black Bean Burger.
5 - Jerry K.: THis is hands down my favorite place in Lafayette!
Great wait staff, wonderful food and martini's.  I'l go back again and again!
4 - Kay J.: Bistro 501 is a charming French bistro in downtown Lafayette. The wine list has some excellent, inexpensive selections. 

I was torn between the pate and escargot appetizer. Went with the pate and it was excellent! I would have preferred a crispy cracker or toast with it over the soft, not warm bread that was offered so I just ate the pate on it's own. 

The Caesar salad was perfect. It was not too cold or drenched in dressing and came in a Parmesan cheese bowl. There were actual anchovy fillets on top of the salad too. 

The French onion soup was a major disappointment. It was think and flavorless. The bread crouton was soggy and the cheese topping was skimpy. 

My husband had pecan crusted trout that he said was excellent. It was accompanied by a bland couscous and asparagus. The asparagus was perfectly cooked and flavorful. 

The dessert menu was tempting and I went with the spoons. For $1.50 each you can taste three of the desserts. I went with the cream brulee and the pot au chocolate. Dee-Lish! 

Our server was attentive and did an excellent job. 

Don't miss the fun martini menu. Bistro 501 is a terrific gourmet choice in Lafayette.
5 - Angela L.: I am SHOCKED by the quality of this restaurant. This was my first dining experience in Lafayette and I'm a little blue by how much the remaining experiences will pale in comparison. 

We didn't have reservations but they found us a nice spot on a busy night. A party of 30 had just ordered before us and our server sweetly explained that it would be a while for our meal, but that we could expect free dessert. After the salads and bread (they make their own dressings, breads, and desserts), we weren't desperate for our entrees anyway. The martini/cocktail menu was pretty distracting anyway since on Thursdays they offer specials. 

Our meals were worth the wait! Get the stuffed chicken - AMAZING! The sour cream mashed potatoes are excellent without the sour cream being an obvious ingredient. I can't believe I ate almost ALL of my entree - it was a big serving but I could NOT stop! PURE DELICIOUSNESS! And then there was that free dessert...

Pot au Chocolate. Get it. It's small and life is short. The peach cobbler with homemade vanilla ice cream was pretty stunning as well. I seriously don't know how I'll live in this town and resist eating here once a week, probably on Thursdays so that I can order their tasty whiskey cocktail called James and the Giant Peach at a discount!
2 - Foodie M.: I have been to Bistro 501 a couple of times now, and both times I walked out of there with the same opinion - Good, but not great!

The evening started with some disappointing bread that they brought to the table, it was dry and crumbly, and this sub-par effort foreshadowed some of what was to come.  I started my meal with a petit salad, and I have to say the house made ranch was excellent- very flavorful, unlike any ranch I have ever had, definitely the highlight of the meal.  My husband had the spinach salad, which he enjoyed.

Next up was seafood cannelloni  "Three cannelloni filled with lobster, scallop, and shrimp accompanied by sautéed asparagus and finished with a sherry-lobster cream sauce and blue crab claw meat"- Sounds great, right? ...and for being one of the most expensive items on the menu, I would have hoped so.  Sigh...disappointing.  Although the flavor was satisfactory, the lobster, scallop, and shrimp were basically a pureed mush stuffed inside some very small cannelloni.  The cannelloni itself was thick and crusty.  Mine came out with dried (maybe burnt) ends that added an unwelcome crunch to the dish.  The lobster cream sauce was, again, flavorful, but was separating on the plate which is less than ideal.  I was also surprised that it was topped with an almost salsa fresca-like garnish (my guess was tomato, onion and cilantro).  It caused confusion on the plate and in my mouth, adding a Mexican food flare to a creamy Italian dish.  The final addition to the plate, the asparagus, was actually nice, well seasoned and crisp.

My husband ordered the stuffed chicken en croute "Spinach, Boursin cheese, and herb-stuffed chicken breast wrapped in puffed pastry, and served with asparagus. Topped with a kalamata olive, tomato, cream sauce".  He also had the sour cream mashed potatoes on the side.  His opinion of the dish was that he wished there was slightly more cream sauce to add to the flavor.  The chicken was cooked nicely, but the spinach cheese stuffing was a bit bland.  The kalamata olives added an important flavor element to the dish that was appreciated.

For dessert, we ordered a spoon of crème brulee and a piece of tropical cheesecake, with mango, papaya, and coconut.  I thought that these ingredients might be in the form of a nice fruity topping, but they were actually in the cheesecake.  The crème brulee was very good and an outstanding bargain at $1.50.  The cheesecake was a disappointment.  It was thick, heavy and dry, it lacked the creaminess that I would expect in a cheesecake.  The pieces of fruit inside tasted like they were dried and candied, not a good addition.  Finally, the half inch thick cream topping was reminiscent of cake frosting.

With regards to wine, they had several good selections at the lower end of the price scale and the markup appeared to be very reasonable.  The list was not very abundant at the higher end but this is to be expected in the Lafayette market where there is not a huge demand for these offerings.  For patrons desiring to bring their own bottle, the $7.00 corkage fee is very reasonable.

So, the general comment is that the food was OK, but not great, and probably not worth the prices charged.  There is really no question that you could do better for these entrée prices in metropolitan areas such as Chicago or Minneapolis.  Around here, the choices are limited, especially with the recent closure of Maize, so it is what it is.  I would probably lean towards Baja Peninsula as being a better option if I had to name one.  As a side note, I am still confused if Bistro 501 is supposed to be a "French" restaurant, as one might expect from the prominent Gallic roosters on the windows and all over the interior décor.  If so, the menu is a little puzzling and not particularly inspired.

PROS- Good service, low corkage, ranch dressing, spoon desserts.
CONS- prices, lack of creativity, some dishes poorly executed
5 - A S.: Very cute spot.  CUTE waiters.  Very good food.  OK, so it's not really French but who the hell cares?

Everything we ate was great.  My one complaint would be that the waiter didn't tell us we were ordering too much and that we were going to get a lot of repeat flavors.  The three of us ordered:

Tempura fried shrimp - came with a great ginger soy sauce and an awesome mango salsa which I wish I'd ordered a little side of for my arctic char

Pizza with olives and feta - OK not great not terrible

Caeser Salad - Yummy!  Comes in a bowl made of parmesan cheese very well dressed.  Only problem for me is that it comes with a filet of anchovy...yuck

Goat-cheese salad - Yummmy!!  Big salad with artichoke hearts and a big golf ball size ball of fried goat cheese. 

Seared Char - FANTASTIC!  Very flavorful fish.  Well seasoned, hot, the risotto that came with it was not very good but the fish was amazing.

Veggie Napoleon - FANTASTIC!!!  Veggies were very fresh and the herbs totally popped.  Lots of goat cheese on this dish so that's where the too many repeated flavors comes in.  There was a lightly dressed salad with this dish as well.  I really liked that the dressing was different from the other salads.

The entrees came with a soup or salad and since we had so much salad already, we did soup.  The soup was FABULOUS!!!  Spicy black bean and chicken vegetable soup...it sounded too complicated but totally worked. 

They have little $1.50 offerings of bites of creme brulee and pot de chocolate and cheesecake...we did the first two.  Great finish.  

I'd definitely check out if in the area.
4 - Martha L.: $7 martinis! :)

Coming from any larger city than Lafayette Bistro 501 is a great value for excellent drinks, food and service.  I was back in my old Purdue stomping grounds with my best friend from college.  We ordered escargot which was rich and delicious.  She ordered lamb shank and I had the salmon.  She lives in San Diego now and called it one of the best prepared lamb dinners she has ever tasted.  I thoroughly enjoyed my salmon and the veggies were perfectly cooked and seasoned.  Make a stop at Bistro 501, you won't regret it.
5 - John T.: My brother and I went to Bistro 501 a few weeks ago and I'm just now finding the time to write a review.  We had a very positive experience.  Great wine, delicious food and excellent service.

First, some menu highlights:

Started with the country pate, served with cornichon pickles, greens, dijonaise and thinly sliced bread.  Delicious, and the thin bread is a nice touch, as you don't fill up on it.

We each had a petit salad with creamy balsamic.  I had a small cup of French onion soup.  The soup was a little salty, but otherwise nice.

I went for the whitefish topped with crab and hollandaise, served over mashed potatoes and asparagus.  The fish was cooked perfectly and well seasoned.  It was wonderfully rich and filling.  (I could only finish about half.)

After deliberating over several meat dishes, my brother surprised me with a last minute choice of the vegetable napoleon.  It consisted of various veggies sandwiched between a few layers of fried eggplant, and was topped with goat cheese and a balsamic drizzle with greens on the side.  It tasted amazing.  I would order it again.

We closed with the bread pudding, which was perfect.

Also, the wine list seemed extensive, and there were a good number of wines by the glass.  I didn't have any, but my brother was duly impressed with what he ordered.

I must also say our waitress, Kate, did an excellent job.  The meal was well paced (on the slower side as we prefer), and she was very knowledgeable and objective with her recommendations.  She said she's been there five years and it showed.  A real pro.

I have a policy of not giving five stars to a place I've only been to once, but four-and-a-half rounds up to five, right?  I can't wait to go back...
5 - George H.: The best place at Purdue to take a date. A solid wine selection and a creative but concise menu keeps things delicious without being overwhelming. I'm consistently impressed with the taste, freshness and presentation of the foods, as well as the quality of the service. 

Be prepare to drop a solid c-note for a glass of wine, two courses and desert for two. However, consider it money well spent.
4 - Kelly L.: Definitely one of the best moderate-high price places to eat in Lafayette.  The food is excellent, and the menu has many items you won't find anywhere else in town.  The atmosphere has a touch of class and an open-air feel.  The martinis are a huge hit with many of my friends and I.  It's also a great place for wine.  

The staff are very welcoming and friendly.  Bistro 501 is noted for being a GLBT-friendly business.. They supported OUTfest '09, the local GLBT pride festival, through the donation of a gift.
4 - keith s.: Have to admit, didn't expect much. After all, it's french cuisine in Indiana. I was surprised, and I will admit when I'm surprised. 

Food was really solid. Really nice selection of wines, and we had a great red one that kept flowing all night. Brie plate was excellent, and I don't even like brie. Steak frites were very well done, and yes, I know it's just steak+fries but they did a real nice job. 

My largest favorite? The "dessert by the spoon" model. Never have I seen it before, and I really hope it catches on. I submitted a photo of the menu writeup so you can check that out if you want. What a great concept, and was the perfect end to dinner. Was safe to say that none of us wanted dessert, we didn't have room, but 5 of us ordered dessert by the spoon and when you add up the cost of 5 "dessert by the spoon" selections, you just sold a dessert. Great idea there.
3 - Meranda W.: I expected Bistro to be more pretentious considering its cuisine and clientele; it wasn't. I've never eaten dinner here, but the lunch menu is solid and reasonably priced for the quality of food and service. The selection is decent and everything I've tried has been well done and presented. It's not a good spot if you need to get in and out, but it's the perfect downtown spot if you want to have a leisurely business lunch.
4 - Denise O.: When I walked in my first impression is "This is cute, definitely a ladies lets do brunch and talk about our husbands while they are at work" type a place.

When I looked through the menu, I did not see anything different or exciting.  Pretty plain. Vanilla.

But then I had the bread pudding for dessert and it was good.
Granted it was sitting in a puddle of Carmel sauce and I was just thinking how awesome it would have been if they made their bread pudding with croissant bread. but I can say after that dish "I can appreciate the SPICE in Vanilla" :)
1 - David G.: French bistro??? Anyone who thinks this place is a French bistro has clearly never been to an *actual* French bistro. Or even a fake French bistro. This place is the concept of what someone in Indiana, starting a restaurant, though a French bistro must be like. Without doing any research. Or thinking.

Some of the other reviews complained that the menu wasn't very inspired--which is true--but forgivable. In a classic sense, a bistro isn't supposed to be about expensive, haute cuisine. A bistro is supposed to be about simple dishes, well executed, in a comfortable atmosphere. Bistro 501? Fail on all counts.

First, the menu, while uninspired, is *confused*. There are some classics, like "Steak Frites" and some just plain weird stuff, like the soup when we were there: Italian Wedding Soup. Maybe it's not trying to be a French bistro. Maybe it's trying to be an international bistro?

Okay, I could look past all that, too, were it not for the fact that the food pretty much sucked. I had the aforementioned "Steak Frites" and the steak was meh. The sauce was more salty than drinking straight soy sauce. And the frites were cold. Cold. Frites. Seriously??

Add to that the fact that, although we were one of only a few parties in the entire restaurant it took almost an hour for us to be served food, and you have a major fail.

Add to that the cost of a mediocre steak with cold frites, and I'd say it was a cluster****.

If you want to see a real "French" bistro done correctly, drive north to Chicago and visit Le Bouchon. If you want some great eats (and for cheap) in Lay-Flat, stick to the Triple XXX--it's a better value and frankly, better food.
3 - John T.: Decent food and service and decor, but the main complaint I had is that this place confused me.  i don't know whether it was French, southern, or what...Everything was kind of confusing.  I got some sandwich that was quite greasy and unappealing.  I think people can do better than this place.
4 - Stefanie S.: The food is really good, not sure how french it actually is though. The filet mignon with blue cheese on top is amazing. I also had the toffee pudding and it was simply amazing. I wish they had more interesting desserts though considering it is a French restaurant. 

Good wine, good food, and nice atmosphere. 

I took away one star because the first waitress we had was a bit crass with me and my boyfriend. 

Overall, very good and I would go back for sure!
4 - Erik N.: A pretty solid restaurant for downtown Lafayette.

As others pointed out, some of their fare isnt exactly French but as we all know when you add the word Bistro to the end of anything it simply means that you are allow to bastardize how ever you see fit ;)  

That said, the food is actually very good.  Appetizer wise, the brie en croute is great. You get  a large piece of brie and a good amount of fruit with it  , all of which tastes amazing.

Ive had both the rack of lamb and the duck breasts here.  They were both high quality and very rich in flavor. In terms of which I liked better, id give the edge to the rack of lamb. The plating on it is very nice, the flavors are bold and compliment each other very well. I loved the gastrique it was served in and the potatoes were on point. The duck was a nice flavor as well, particularly the raspberry gastrique but the rest of the meal was just ok.

Dessert... well id love to say everything at this place is great.  If you are coming here for dessert to be the piece to really make this meal great, id just save your money.  While the dessert is good, it is no where near great and the offerings are far from French.  They have some good flavors but they are nothing to write home about. If they wanted to be a 5 star in my book, they would need to get some better choices.   Some ideas for you owners of Bistro 501 reading this : French pastries of any sort, if you dont care about keeping French (which seems to be the case) add a Panna Cotta with some sort of berry sauce, a  chocolate mousse, that would be a good start. Then if you want more, move into tarts (pear or apple are traditional French),  and a succès  cake.
4 - priss l.: This is a French-country restaurant, thus the "bistro," but don't expect some elegant french dishes like snails or duck livers. Having said that, lunch at this place is pretty nice. Nice environment, spacious, and bright. I had a crab BLT sandwich, and let me just say YUMMY! It was probably the best BLT sandwich I've ever had! They also have quiche on the menu, great! It's definitely one of the nicer restaurants in Lafayette.
4 - Jessica T.: Definitely the best "nice" restaurant in Lafayette/West Lafayette area. My parents and I always go here when they come to town and they love it. Its a great place for a date, although it is expensive. Everything on their menu is great. I have never had an appetizer I haven't liked. They have french onion soup that is amazing but its not on their menu so just ask.
2 - Mike S.: Like some have noted, this is not a Bistro in the true sense of the word. It's a restaurant serving American cuisine for the most part, so go there with this attitude. Don't expect French cooking to match the faux Provencal interior decor.

That said, it is an overpriced restaurant for the food it serves. Most entrees are over $20 but I don't think it is much better than, say Applebee's food.

My date had her Filet mignon overcooked and my steak frites too was overcooked. The cook obviously didn't understand the meaning of medium rare, so we had to send it back.

I really wish they would hire a better executive chef so the food doesn't suck so bad. I really want to like it, but the food is very disappointing.
1 - Mary C.: If you enjoy a loud, catered-food hall environment for your meals, then this place is for you. Bistro's owner has decided to schedule large groups of diners in the main dining area. Prior to this, groups were relegated to the separate bar area. We've experienced several occasions where groups were placed in the main dining area for socializing, appetizers drinks and their meals.Of course, the noise level gets ridiculously loud with other diners unable to converse at their tables. This is the fault of management, (not the groups). The owner told us to expect more of the same. 
Well, no thanks!
4 - Jon C.: This is one of our "special occasion" places.  We go sometimes for our anniversary, a birthday, things like that.  It's one of the priciest places in Lafayette - so needs to be kept to those occasions.

The food is always spectacular.  The menu changes seasonally, though they do keep some things, such as Steak Frites, throughout all the seasons.  

Another reviewer commented that their steak was not a proper medium rare and sent it back.  That is the proper action to take.  Dinging them a bunch of stars, well, that's your right - but keep in mind even the best cooks in the world have "off" nights.  Try going a few times before making your review.  (I usually don't review places I've only been to once...except in certain rare cases.)

The fruit/cheese plate is amazing.  They make a real Caesar salad with anchovies as it should be.  Steak frites is awesome.  Their lamb dishes are always excellent.  

They make a KILLER cheesecake.  I am a cheesecake snob, and if I could only ever have one place's cheesecake, it'd be here.

There isn't a better "fine dining" restaurant in the Lafayette area.  501 is good, very good!
4 - Jamie W.: This place is usually spot on, but I can remember two times I've felt pretty lukewarm about my food, and I eat at Bistro once every couple of months or so. They have great lunch specials and know how to make a salad. All of their dressings are made in house and the raspberry one is awesome. The vegetable Napoleon is delicious. If you're unsure about desert you can just get the dessert spoons and sample them all! The pot au chocolat is apparently an old family recipe and it's definitely worth trying.
4 - Judd D.: Bistro 501 has the best bar in town, bar none! Barkeep Billy Brand is consummate at his craft, personable, and knowledgable and generous in his suggestions and recommendations. He is also a very creative mixologist, and will "take requests" based on ingredients and come up with something new and interesting. The bar is well stocked, and the wine selection is very good.

The servers are excellent. It is refreshing to see a professional staff (many of whom are excellent chefs in their own right) whose members are attentive but not cloying, know what they serve, and are willing and empowered to make honest recommendations.

The food can be excellent, although it's a bit unpredictable in quality. I recommend the salads and appetizers. Ask your server or bartender about the entrees first.

The atmosphere is quite nice. Highly recommended for both business (they have a lunch menu) and pleasure.
3 - moira c.: Bistro 501 is a nice restaurant, but the food is not French. I think it is more like an adaptation of American gourmet with French Cuisine elements.  I think the food is something like what Julia Child did by adapting French recipes and cooking techniques for the American public.
Frankly, Bistro and some of the other 'nice' restaurants in the Lafayette area are overpriced and somewhat overrated. That said, I enjoy going there because it is relatively quiet, the staff is courteous and attentive, but not bothersome or pushy. They know the menu and wine list, and when I have asked for recommendations their suggestions have never led to a disappointing meal or glass of wine. 
I like the pate but I have a friend who has tried Bistro's and she prefers my Americanized version. I enjoy it because I don't have to make it myself. The entrees are good, but not exceptional. I only order them when with friends or family. When I go I order a salad. I have tried the french onion and a few of the other soups, but the tomato soup at La Scalla (sp?) is better than any soup I've tried at Bistro.  
The last time I went I wanted to have a desert and alcoholic desert drink, but the waitress told me they had narrowed the desert drinks to vanilla martinis, Frangelico (sp?) and coffee or Irish coffee.   I used to enjoy the espresso martini. 
Otherwise I enjoy the atmosphere.  The lighting is soft and I like to sit near a window. I like the paper over the tablecloths and the candles on the tables. People enjoy themselves and the food when they are there, and the staff doesn't mind if I read  or listen to my iPod while I wait for my food, even though it is one of the nicer places, if not the nicest in Lafayette and West Lafayette. I can honestly say that if you enjoy wine, Bistro 501 is the place to go.
3 - Lizz C.: I've always loved their classic salads, pate (mmm... pate.. ) and their fruit/cheese plate.

I'd.. I'd write a really long review about how I love almost all of the staff, love their salads, pate, fruit/cheese plate and have enjoyed the special meals that Jon C. and I have had there together.

I had a really unpleasant experience here at lunch a few weeks back.    I'd gone in for a glass of wine after working really hard at home all morning.  I do this sometimes, it's a nice refresher, a 'victory lap' for the brain, a chance to discharge cortisol.  A nice thing to do for ones self.

I'm one of those people that really really tries, very hard, to give people the benefit of a doubt.  And sometimes this leads to me smiling and nodding when I probably should be talking to the manager.

So, I had to really think about this... but at lunch time the daytime server that was taking care of me.. didn't.. I felt kind of uneasy about the interaction.   I talked it over with Jon C.and without him being able to witness the tone of the interaction, we did determine that the service was not friendly and was actually rather rude.

Though I have enjoyed their food, enjoyed the evening bar service and had excellent service in the dining room, I have to say that any visits here will now be very infrequent.

Maybe it was just a bad day for the guy, maybe the bar was closed and I made a wrong assumption that it was a valid area to seat myself at, as it is in the evening.  Maybe there were a bunch of other reasons that the interaction was my fault or that it wasn't the fault of the gentleman taking care of me.

But.. I think I'll either stay home with a nice glass of wine, or find somewhere else to do my 'victory lap' early-afternoon glass of wine.
2 - Alex G.: Unnecessarily slow service. Ridiculous.
4 - David B.: The service was very good, and the food was great.  I'm not sure how French it is, but it's well executed and I enjoyed it.  The wine selection seemed pretty good, and a lot of French wines were on the list.  Decor and ambiance were not as nice as expected, but it was okay.  .
4 - Jesse B.: I love this place! 
If your appreciate fine foods and drinks, this is the place for you! 

   The staff are always friendly and professional, making sure you are always taken care of and enjoying your time there! The food has NEVER disappointed me! And they have a great selection of liquors and wines.

   I really enjoy their lunch. Normally I order their "Bistro lunch" that includes a cup of their french onion soup or soup of the day, a slice of their freshly made quiche, and a serving of a fresh side salad. The soups served for the day are always satisfying! The french onion, which they serve daily, is actually my favorite french onion soup served in town. Every different slice of quiche I have tasted in the Bistro has always melted in my mouth! And the side salad....it's great! You can tell it is fresh and also comes with your choice of dressing. I love their home made ranch dressing! 

   Also, I enjoy the dinner menu as well! They serve great steaks at the Bistro 501. I must say that I could live off of their starters though! The Tempura Shrimp is one of my favorites! It is served with a mango relish and a ginger soy cream sauce that just makes it! The French Farm House Pate is another favorite! Genuinely taste like I am back in Europe. 

   Desert! Not much of a sweets fan but in the Bistro 501, it is worth saving that little bit of extra room in your stomach!!

   I highly recommend the Bistro 501
5 - Michael S.: My wife and I were looking for a vegan dish.  The staff at Bistro 501 went out of their way to give us several custom choices that the kitchen came up with.  We were very impressed with the chef's creativity and the taste was wonderful.  We will be back!
5 - Aimee J.: I have never been disappointed with any meal I have ever tried at Bistro 501. This is the downtown lunch or dinner place where you would want to take a guest you want to impress. I love their quiches for lunch. It's a beautiful place to go with friends in the evening for wine and appetizers. Their food and service are always outstanding.
3 - Patrick Y.: 8/23/12 - I was in town driving my dad to Purdue to give a talk, and I was very fortunate to tag along for dinner afterwards. It was the first time I had tried escargot; the texture was interesting, though I was hoping the snails would come in the shell. The bread was ok; not very warm or hearty but they did kindly offer seconds. I ordered a fish over pasta dish which was creamy and strongly flavored with white wine. I did appreciate the professional service who consistently filled water and asked whether we would like freshly crushed pepper on our salads and pastas.

Overall, Bistro 501 is a standard classy restaurant. If you had the money and wanted to impress your guests, this would be the place to bring them in Lafayette, IN.

Bistro 63 At the Monkey Bar & Grill - Amherst, MA (42.376678, -72.519529) ()
5 - OHYES O.: By far the best food in town. I've been going to Bistro 63 since I was a freshman at Amherst College (I've stuck around town since), and have never once been disappointed. Fresh, delicious food (coconut shrimp, jambalaya and the bouillabaisse are personal favorites), reasonably priced menu, extensive wine list, great service....I am a huge fan. You will be too.
5 - Kelly F.: This is by far one of the best restaurants in Amherst. Walking distance from various colleges it has a wide assortment of wines and beers that can serve anyone's palate. Serving a delicious assortment of mediterainian food, it is sure to please.
5 - Rich H.: Visiting from Portland, OR,. We had a great outing at Mauro's place! They make a great Orangetini. We started with a dozen oysters. Succulent! I followed with expertly done lamb chops. Nice wine selection and some grappa for dessert. The service was A+. I sure will visit again on my next trip!
3 - Robert K.: Great service and thoughtful wine list.  The patio was a pleasant spot to dine on a nice night except for the very loud celebratory party nearby.  They had vegetarian, seafood and meat but it was all heavy and needed more fresh veggies and a lighter touch.
5 - MaRa B.: We came here on a Friday night for dinner & LOVED it! What we ate:
Calamari Mediterranean appetizer
Jambalaya
Beet Salad with grilled shrimp

The appetizer was wonderful- the calamari was cooked perfectly & the artichoke hearts & kalamata olives it was served with were a perfect accompianiament. The jambalaya was flavorful without being overly spicy. Finally, the beet salad was unique in both appearance and flavor. 

As for the decor:

Originally we were seated outdoors on the patio. The seating was NOT comfortable at all, which really bummed us out because the atmosphere & weather was absolutely perfect! Anyway, we moved inside to the bar area. The art, tiling, & color theme combined with the low lighting to create an intimate atmosphere. 

Our server:

Jennifer was so personable & charismatic & downright adorable! 

Bottom line:

Of all the places for dinner in downtown Amherst, this one is a win, for sure. I heard that it turns into a club after 10:30, & I can comment on that, but we will definitely come back for dinner when we're in town again.
3 - Emily K.: We must have gotten the waiter's first day here...make that his first day ever watering anywhere...he dropped a tray of sangria...he decided it was a good idea to clean it up with bleach right next to our table...we could have moved, i mean, there was only 2 other tables in the place that had people....

It also took him forever to come back and take our order...i was with 3 other people, and 2 of us got food while the others had to wait until their food was ready...i think we were supposed to get bread on the table at the beginning, but my best friend has asked half way through and one of the bartenders gave us a plate of some small pizza and bread, which was really good.

Dont get me wrong, the food was EXCELLENT...but they need to get rid of that waiter....
2 - Rebecca L.: Uneven food quality. Unpalatable mashed potatoes, way overcooked pasta in the seafood pescatore, canned whipped cream on the dessert, egad. Nothing outstanding in a good way. The filet mignon was tasty but I wouldn't make a special trip o get it.
Slow service. (except for water).
Expensive for what you get.

Hey, what artichoke hearts and olives? We ate here less than a month after MaRa B., and all we got with the calamari were three bland sauces.
4 - Jennifer C.: The food here is delicious.  Everytime I visit the area, I am sure to stop here for a guaranteed great meal.  The friendly staff is delightful. This restaurant, is a must for all who visit the Amherst area!
Jennifer-New York

Bistro Bakery - West Lafayette, IN (40.466889, -86.954581) ()
2 - Jordan B.: Very disappointed with the quality of the cake. Tasted old and very stale. Will not be go back again..!
4 - s s.: Considering it is in Greater Lafayette Area, I give 4 stars instead of 3 stars.

As another yelper wrote, I am also glad that they opened. 

I say it is The BEST BAKERY in Lafayette area as of now.

Whenever I go grocery shopping to Walmart or Hana Mart, I don't skip this bakery but buy some bread.
5 - Ji Soo Y.: Well, if you need any interesting breads, this would be the best place in the Greater Lafayette area.
4 - Chris E.: For anyone who is tired of baked goods that taste like nothing but sugar, Bistro Bakery offers up a variety of goodies - their cakes are not only visually pleasing, the flavors are multidimentional and savory.  Prices for some items are comparable to affluent suburbs of Chicago like Naperville, but you get what you pay for, which are refreshingly delicious cakes, biscuits, cookies, breads, and anything in between.  This is the best bakery in the Greater Lafayette area!

Bistro St. Tropez - Philadelphia, PA (39.954174, -75.1789317) (Logan Square)
2 - Chris L.: Wasn't too impressed with their food. Ordered the tuna tartare, which never came out :(. Had the sirloin steak, which wasn't even that good, and it was also overcooked. Fortunately I was with good company, so the food didn't bother me as much. However, I probably won't come back and have the food here again.
2 - Dave H.: I was with friends and had a good time but as far as the food in concerned, it was a disappointment. Nothing stuck out overwhelmingly positively. My chicken dish was buttery, undercooked, and bland, even for southern French. Service was average, and we were the only ones there on a Wednesday night!

Blah. Underwhelming. Avoid.

I might return for their happy hour. The decor is cool and casual, with an open space in the bar area. Beware of the jacked up prices though.
4 - Lakara B.: A friend and I went for restaurant week - 4 courses for $35 - on Tuesday, January 29th.
It was a strange but pleasant walk through the closed Market Design Center... a little abandoned-feeling, but I enjoyed seeing the design displays (Garrett, it is not a mall)
The food was absolutely delicious... The servers were nice, but slow.
Our stomachs were eating themselves from the inside out before we got a bread basket or a bowl of soup.
Both the bread and soup were better than I expected though, and I expected good. lol
I had the hummus appetizer but the chips weren't done enough. They weren't baked long enough to be crispy, but the servers brought me a new dish. I will be going back to get this appetizer as a takeout. It was THAT good.
We were both stuffed, but the food was so good we couldn't stop eating!!!
For the main course, I chose the salmon entree, and my companion had the filet. Both were perfect.
For dessert, I chose the apple tart and was not disappointed.
Upon leaving, I had to wait quite a while for someone to retrieve my coat...
I think it was just understaffed... maybe they went with their usual Tuesday routine instead of anticipating the extra help needed for restaurant week... Time spent waiting at the beginning and the very end are my only complaint.
2 - James H.: Went here once with a few friends since I've visited the sister restaurant Patou several times and honestly I was a bit disappointed. Not that i didn't enjoy the long journey to find exactly where the restaurant is (you have to trek through a marketplace), but the risotto that i ordered was very run of the mill. Also the prices were higher for a Philadelphia restaurant, which I would have gladly paid if the food were up to par. I'm not exactly sure how this restaurant has been successful for so many years.
4 - Bryanne R.: A+ on 3 of the 4. My entree (pork) wasn't that good -- it tasted buttery and salty. The filtet was a little better. LOVED LOVE LOVED everything else. 

AP: Hummus plate and tuna tartare 
BEV: French martini and Domaine Andre Cologne Beaujolais - burgandy
ENT: Pork and Filet 
DES: Chocolate Mousse and Raspberry tarte with lemon sorbet

Really tucked away and hidden near 30th station and randomly on the fourth floor of a design building. Needless to say it was easy for my fiance to lead me around into the restaurant and have me have NO idea where we were going. -Good place for a surprise- AND he had flowers delivered to the restaurant that were presented when we were seated!  That's pretty awesome. 

The atmosphere was really calm and the waiter paid just enough attention to us that we felt taken care of, but he certainly didn't pester us. We were able to have a long enjoyable dinner with a fun view of the city. 

I'll take a French bistro any day, but I'll have to go back to try some more entrees to then boost up to 5.
3 - Danie G.: Great place for lunch!

It's been many years since my last experience at Bistro St Tropez, so was happy to try it out again for a business lunch. 

While the menu is a tad boring, the dishes were anything but. The salads are bright and crisp, the soups delectable and the ingredients fresh and well presented. 

Vegetarians and vegans could get by there, but have to great a little creative. Nothing on the lunch menu is specifically vegetarian.
4 - yelp y.: We enjoyed a dinner for two in a quiet corner of the restaurant with a beautiful view of the river and skyline. We went all out because we had a gift certificate, but the bill would have been delightfully reasonable even without it.

BEV: Champagne
AP: St. Jacques, Champignons
SALAD: Boston, Oysters
ENT: Filet, Dorade
DES: Chocolate cake (melted center), profiteroles
4 - Terry C.: Wonderful bar with some great martinis. At night there's a great view of the new Amtrak building and West Philly! The service is generally pretty good. The food can be hit or miss, and is cooked in a Southern / Provincial style. The seafood is wonderful - I recommend the Scallops! The tuna tartare is very interesting and has hints of cucumber and citrus, but doesn't overpower the tuna! The desserts are epic! Also, they are partnered with Patou and have a Dinner's Club card - after a few meals, you get a free entree; after a few bottles of wine, you get a free one!
2 - Josie M.: The best way for be to describe this place is just very odd. 
When We first came in no one was at the host stand so we walked to the back of the restaurant. The waiters passed us but didn't stop to even tell us to wait a minute. We had to stand there a little while before we were finally seated. We were put next to the window which had obviously never been finished right because there were huge gaps letting the cold air in. 
The whole week they were only doing the restaurant week menu  apparently, which is a shame, since we really would rather have just done entree and dessert, but we ended up not even completely finishing our entree. The food its self was fine, but not really anything to write home about in my opinion. They did however mess up my order and realized this and grabbed my plate away after having it sit in front of my for a bit.
I think one of the biggest things that bothered me tho was i guess the "ambience" you could say. Its a french restaurant and yes, when you first come in there are a few "french-ish" pictures, but thats pretty much where the french stops. The food itself wasn't necessarily french (I had hummus with pita chips for an appetizer-not at all french in my opinion). The dining room we were in was also decorated with some tin-looking material on the walls - the whole room was just kind of odd. When we first came in there was no music on at all and then about half way through our meal they seemed to realize this and put on some latin music. At that point I was thoroughly confused as to what type of mood they were trying to set. 
It was all just very odd. 
I wouldn't say it was reeeally bad, but I certainly wouldn't go back.
5 - Brendan M.: Go figure that Bry takes my "go to" plan and order the pork and doesn't enjoy it.

I get a steak and might leave her for it.  This place had a smaller menu than I would have liked, but for the most part (just counting her "bad" pork, I liked it)  the food was great.  Good cocktail selection, nice wine selection, GREAT atmosphere.   Fun space tucked up on the Fourth Floor of a nondescript building near 30th St. Station.   Great views of the water with no competition for seats with a view.     Veeeeeery tasty desserts as well.   I could have had 10.
3 - Kyle H.: Bistro St. Tropez is visible from the west back of the Schuykill if you squint your eyes to see the sign. It's location is quite odd, tucked away in a large building with large open spaces and a few furniture and home decor stores. The food was pretty good, but not great, and given the amount I'm paying, I expect it to be great. The environment was very nice and the waitstaff were very attentive. I would have loved a seat near the window that overlooks University City. Overall, I think it has a fair amount going for it with regards to its atmosphere and curious location, but the food isn't that good, and ultimately, that's what I'm there for.
4 - Xavier P.: I only went for a glass of wine, but the place struck me for its view.  Definitely a hot spot for dinner, I shall go back with my wife.
3 - Meghan D.: This was a nice dining experience, and it's definately very hard to decide whether it's 3 stars or 4 stars. Here's the breakdown of my experience at Bistro St. Tropez...

Location- 2 Stars; it was a very odd location

View- 4 Stars; it offered a nice view of 30th St station and the river

Food- 3.5 Stars;  I enjoyed the Saumon Fume I ordered for my appetizer, but my meal was good, not great. My husbands meal was great, not excellent

Decor- 3 Stars; The decor was a tad 90's. It could use a little decor update, but it wasn't horrible

Service- 4 Stars; our waiter was attentive and pleasant without being overbearing

Overall, it was a pleasant enough experience, but I probably wouldn't head back there again any time soon.
3 - Brad P.: The food is OK.  The Service is OK.  The view is nice.  This review would be higher, but there was alot of unchewable fat in my NY strip steak.  The steak was counteracted by a good hummus appetizer and the fish entree that my date ordered.  I recognize that St. Tropez has potential and that they might've just been stumbling while I was there.
1 - cathy s.: What can you say about a restaurant when the most efficent employee is the busboy? We went to Bistro St Tropez hoping for a  nice evening of French cuisine. What we got was a recreation of the French Revolution. Who would think that we would literally have to beg the staff for bread and water ( and warm water at that). Service was TERRIBLE. We waited for everything. Both the manager and waiter kept walking past the table seeing that we had no food but they did nothing. The bus boy was kind enough to get us bread. The waiter seemed to spend all his time waiting on the table of twenty something girls from Drexel or Penn. Now the food, once we got it, was good but it's not enough to make me go back. Jason did take the wine off the bill as he could tell we were annoyed. Why he didn't do something sooner -  like refill my water glass - is beyond me. I waited over 20 minutes with an empty glass. This was Restaurant week. I thought the purpose of Restaurant Week was to showcase your establishment and attract new customers in the hopes of making them regular customers. No way!
4 - Tom F.: My wife and I went to Bistro St. Tropez for Restaurant Week.  
The first thing you will notice is the beautiful view.  Looking out over the river is definitely a unique view for the city.

We both ordered seafood dishes that were both cooked and seasoned to perfection. Dessert was amazing I highly recommend the Chocolate Mousse Cake.

I've seen some complaints about the service.  Can't say it was terrific, but it was efficient considering it was Restaurant Week.

All in all it was a very enjoyable experience and we do plan on dining there again!
2 - kathleen t.: i just....ugh. 

we went for restaurant week, and that's the best thing i can say about it.

paella: bad
caesar salad: ehh....
croque monsieur my friend had: horrifying (and she got sick)

the waiter was slow as molasses, but the manager seemed rather nice.
1 - lyndsey F.: NEVER AGAIN. 

EW. 

The food here was awful, the waiters acted like they had much better things to do and the clientele made me feel like I was eating in Penn's cafeteria. I didn't go to Penn for a reason, folks. 

Salmon Tartare: There was no salmon, I'm pretty sure. It was mushy tomatoes and olives in a ring mold with balsamic vinegar from the Christmas Tree Shop drizzled on top.

Striped Bass: First of all, Im pretty sure it was flounder. Second of all, there was no goat cheese as promised. Third of all, it tasted like it had been sitting under a heat lamp all day.

Do yourselves a favor...Go to the rite aid around the corner and buy $140 worth of beef jerkey and cheese balls. It will be a better meal.

xo
5 - Gwen T.: I'm honestly shocked at the negative reviews.  I'd like to first respond by suggesting that you take someone's review based on a restaurant week experience with a grain of salt.  Seriously...  it's restaurant week, and you're someone who wants to be a hip, know-it-all foodie for 1 week but otherwise orders out for pizza.

I've eaten here many many (emphasis on many) times and have never been disappointed with the food.  If you want to be sure that they don't prepare the food & leave it under the heat lamp for ages, as one reviewer speculated, just look in the little circular window as you walk in and watch them make it. There are no secret cover-ups. 

Lunch is pretty busy, since the restaurant is located on the 4th floor of an interior design building and there really aren't a lot of other places in the immediate area, but the sandwiches  are such a great alternative to the typical hoagie fare.   
my lunch favorite: Cocotte - white meat chicken salad with grapes, basil, apple, walnuts, celery and dijon mayonnaise on pita bread.

The salads are large and there's a diverse selection.. not just garden salad vs. caesar, but some unique and creative combinations and they are definitely satisfying on their own.

Get the sweet potato fries!

Dinner time is almost never crowded. You probably don't need a reservation unless it's a special event. Ask to sit by a window, the views (in either room) are incredible. You get the river with the bridge lit up at night, 30th street station and, though it's better to see during the day, the art museum. The lack of crowds mean you can have an intimate conversation with your guests comfortably.

Patrice is amazing. It is not often that the owner/chef of a restaurant will come out during dinner to go table to table and ask if everything is OK. His accent will also make you melt, which is always a plus for me.

I think it's usually empty because of its location. There is not much around and it can be a little shady at night time, but if you can quickly shuffle a couple blocks to Chestnut or Walnut, you're back in the mix of it all again, safe and sound.
5 - Lou P.: Worth the parking fee
Great for leisurely lunches
Wonderful salads

Bistro is one of those very, very out of the way places that's worth the small extra hassle. It's location, in the design arts building, through the hallway, up the elevator and through another hallway, is more of a deterrent to keep out anyone but the most serious of brunch seekers and first date impressionistas.

Bistro is a wonderful place for your mid-day repast, be is brunch or lunch. From omelets to paella, it's all perfectly cooked, not greasy or overly filling. The Boston Salad, with lettuce, granny smith apples, figs, walnut pralines, crumbled gorgonzola and walnut vinaigrette is an absolute favorite, as is the Cocotte, a chicken salad sandwich with grapes, apple and walnuts. The owner, Patrice, cooks as well and will often come out of the kitchen for quality control. This has happened to me a few times, and it's always comforting to know that he actually cares enough to both be on location and venture out of the kitchen.

As for ambiance, Bistro is filled with naturel light from the huge windows overlooking the river to West Philly, 30th St. station and beyond. The interior is separated into a few rooms, so it doesn't feel like you're in the middle of some cafeteria. It's a great place for Sunday mornings if you want to have a very leisurely meal, some lite fare and a few mimosas.

I've been here for a few parties, and the ticket price always includes much more food and drink than one person could get for that cash on the street. The staff has always been friendly to me, and fairly accommodating knowing that if there's a complaint about anything the owner is in-house.

I really hate cliche's but Bistro is a cliche'd hidden gem in Philly. I don't know a lot of people who have made the trip all the way up the elevator, but it's more than worth it if you do.
3 - Glenn P.: This restaurant can be hit or miss.  Some things are very good, like the trio of fries and the pot pie, but others are very average.

The real distraction is the service.  It tends to be rather slow and aloof.

Overall not bad, but not memorable either.
4 - Minh C.: Bistro St. Tropez is a cute little restaurant overlooking the Schuylkill River and 30th Street Station. The atmosphere is nice and the wait staff was pleasant and attentive. By far the best deal on the menu is the Stimulus Package Tasting Menu. For only $28 you get four courses that complement each other and leave you full at the end of the meal. The well seasoned and flavorful soups are a nice way to start the meal. The lamb there is cooked perfectly, a nice tender medium rare. Dessert, however, is by far the best course. All of the chocolate desserts are wonderful. They're not too rich or too sweet, the perfect way to end a nice meal looking out over the river.
1 - Peter c.: Inattentive and confused waiters could have been either inexperienced or under staffed. Bring SPF 45 sunblock in case you seated near the neon sign. Food was par. Bring crayons, tables are covered in paper. Bottom line: tonight was my first and last experience at st. Tropez.
2 - Maria C.: I went to Bistro St. Tropez for restaurant week and unlike many restaurant week aficionados, I eat out quite often and take restaurant week as a great way to try places I haven't been to yet. After a really positive experience at Del Frisco's, I was really looking forward to a great evening but it wasn't. My sea bass was extremely small and it said it came with potatoes but brought vegetables instead. The desserts were lackluster and the appetizers were fine. I honestly thought the decor was bizarre! You can see its neon light sign from the inside and it's all like metal but it looks like a cozy italian restaurant on the other side. It's quite bizarre and hidden inside the design center. 

Not terrible, just not worth your $35!
4 - Tarah A.: It was really good food, we went for brunch. We tried it because we got an excellent deal on living social. There was no need for a reservation sunday afternoon though. It was quiet and there was a great view. The desert was lacking and a bit expensive but other than that I would definitely go for dinner.
4 - Gary C.: Located in the Design Center,  with Beautiful Views of the Schulkyl River and 30th Street Station,  The Bistro offers an excellent wine list and also offers 5 course meals with wine pairings.  Both the Food and Service are excellent.  You WILL be properly looked after by an attentive wait staff.  I would go with the 5 course menu with the Wine Pairings.  Try the Escargot with Portabello Mushrooms.  Each course is fully satisfying.  Enjoy the views while dining.  This is a nice place for the start of a Romantic Interlude!
2 - Nick G.: I really really wanted to like this place, but was drastically underwhelmed from the get go.  The location is flat out bizarre, having to walk through what looks like an abandoned mall from the 1940s to get to it.  The view, which I had heard was "the best in Philly" was terrible... unless you have a thing for a dirty view of the river and the backside of a giant government building.  The food was just average, and for the price, was not worth it.  I had the Streak Frites, and the whole thing was just very bland and unexciting.  They do have a good wine selection, but my wife and I both agreed we would not be going back.
5 - Rob W.: The best Center City Sips Happy Hour yet. Great specialty drinks, non-standard draft beers and quality wines. And, the appetizers are unique and different - right off the menu. 

Excellent service, and can't beat the views.
4 - John S.: Enjoyed our experience here! Choose the eclectic 5 course tasting menu with the wine pairing.  Our server Emma was terrific. She was knowledgeable about the wine and food. Just don't get lost in the market design center while heading up to the restaurant.
3 - Jimmi S.: Located in what was once an old car factory, now a Furniture Mall for Interior Decorators.  The decor is somewhat amusing.  The ambiance was nice despite that someone had to bring their yowling babe (and at 9 PM!) The waiter was nice and sat us away from the squalling babe.  We ate Degustation, which is reasonable compared to many Prix Fix restaurants.  

I ate there with a friend who is a chef. The melon, cucumber and mint soup was a little bitter.  The corn soup was just right.  The pate was curiously bland, needing something.  The Salmon Tartare was good.  The Divers Scallops had a curious bitter under taste.  my friend believes that they were not fresh but had some preservative.  The steak frites was fine, a little bland.  The cheese plate was delicious and the desert was very good.  

Overall, the food was nothing to write home about.  The staff was friendly and polite.  The table of young ladies were a bit much with their cackling.  And is it too much to ask you keep your infants home with a sitter?
4 - Holly W.: We had a surprisingly good time at Bistro St. Tropez - I had not been for a few years and vaguely remembered it being decent but not especially memorable.  We trudged our way through the design center, merrily window shopping along the way and arrived on the top floor where this restaurant is located.

The wait staff went in a few directions  - most of them were very efficient, quietly removing plates and refilling water in a formal manner, keeping their eyes downcast as if someone in the kitchen was waiting to hit them with a giant baguette if they dared to look a customer in the eye.  Our main waitress Emma was a delight- charming and funny and she really added to our enjoyment of the meal.

The décor seems to go in a few directions as well - part of the dining room is on the formal side with upholstered chairs, another section has fun, modish red chairs and various colored spot lights -  I guess trying to create the South of France look.  Another area has barstools up against a shelf that look out to the city and hubby mentioned it might be nice to sit there and have a drink and I agreed.   There is a great view from the restaurant, maybe not the best angle to view the city from but it's nice to look out at all the sparklling lights.


We went for the "Degustation Menu" of three courses for $28 which included a Starter, Main Course and Dessert.    I started with a glass of Provencal rosé and was happy to discover it actually tasted like the rosés commonly served in Provence - dry and earthy with flecks of sunshine in it. 

 Hubbies chilled cucumber melon soup had a surprising but delicious tomato base and was a sort of tasty gourmet gazpacho with chunky veggies. My roasted corn soup was very nice- smooth and creamy with a little sweetness from the apple and just a hint of smoke.  A basket of fresh rolls with an enjoyable pesto/olive oil dip was served with the soup.

Our entrees were mostly excellent - his scallops were perfectly cooked, sweet and nicely seared and he loved the eggplant "caviar" served along with it.  Though I couldn't taste the "pistachio goat cheese crust" that was described on the menu my salmon and asparagus wrapped in phyllo was juicy and rich and very good.  The ratatouille served with it was excellent; the grayish cauliflower puree was not since it was rather unappetizing, both visually and gustatorily (is that a word??).

I choose the profiteroles for dessert and hubby had the praline mousse with a roasted peach.  The choux pastry puffs filled with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with a thick chocolate sauce were good but honestly I like the way I make them better, these were a bit dry (whereas the ones I make are buttery and tender - no doubt mine are the incorrect way though!).   His dessert was brought out with a smoking lavender frond to flavor the peach and it did that splendidly - the mousse was rich and wonderful.  

Between the wait staff, the décor etc I just had the sense that the restaurant has a bit of an identity crisis - is it formal or fun?  Paris or the Mediterranean coast in summer?  Their menu and service comes across as "Fine Dining" yet they have a wine club (buy 10 bottles, get one free) on their website - hmmm, I don't know.

I do know we had a great night out - the three course menu was a good value and liquor was reasonable as well.   It was nice to eat lovely food while looking out to the city lights.
2 - Carol K.: Incredibly disappointing meal.

Short version: The food was good, but not outstanding, and terribly overpriced. The service was just ... odd. And very, very slow. 

Details:
Throughout the meal, there were a series of odd service mishaps -- I was given a wine list that had no wines in it (and the cover said it was from the long-closed Patou), I never received the second glass of wine I ordered, our waitress never came to check on us -- but replaced our burnt out candle within a minute. We waited a minimum of 20 minutes in between courses. (Yes, we timed it.)

The food was fine -- nothing was bad, per se, but I'm no master chef, and even I can make a pork roast at home that's far superior to the dry hunk of meat I was presented with. Our appetizers were good -- but not in any way remarkable or special. 

The worst offense was the cheese plate: It was literally only ONE slice of brie, a candied pecan, two thin pear slices and one and a half grapes (they couldn't spare the second half of the grape? Really?) 

Fortunately, we were dining with there with an Opentable gift certificate, so we didn't have to pay all of the $100 tab, but it was still outrageously expensive for the quality of the food and the service. 

On a day when the service is on top of its game, this might be worth a visit, but God help you if the stars aren't perfectly aligned. You're gonna be in for a heck of a rough night.
4 - Shirley Y.: Had a wonderful dinner here last night, thanks to a Living Social coupon.  I was hesitant at first since my friends didn't write positive reviews of this place but that was years ago.  Bistro St. Tropez is well hidden within the Design Building.  Decor is interesting and colorful, not what you would expect of a French restaurant.  Place is quite large with ample seating, though it was pretty quiet for a Friday night.

We went for the 3 course tasting menu for $28 (starter, main-course, dessert).  They also have a 5 course degustation menu for $48 or you can just go a la carte.  The crab bisque soup was a good start and came with a side of sherry that you can pour into your soup or cleanse your pallete with.  We also ordered the salmon tartare off the a la carte menu because it just sounded awesome with mangos, avocado, tomatoes, and other good stuff.  Loved it... had a nice sweet and savory flavor and went great on the crisps provided giving you a perfect crunch to the bite.  The Coquilles (pan seared scallops with eggplant caviar and spinach) was a beautiful plate with 2 of the largest scallops i have ever seen.  They definitely tasted like fresh scallops to me and were perfectly pan seared and tender on the inside, went great with the sweet and savory roasted eggplant.  The salmon wrapped in phyllo was cooked perfectly as well and quite yummy with the crunchy buttery phyllo.  Ugh I'm getting hungry writing about this.  Thank you chef for doing proper justice with good seafood!

Finished on a happy note with creme brulee and profiteroles stuffed with vanilla ice cream.  Overall portions were pretty decent.  We left full but not stuffed.  Also, service wasn't as slow as your typical french restaurant but there were some slow times looking for the waitress.  I can't wait to come back and try their brunch menu!
5 - Christopher M.: Brunch is closed till September 11, 2011.
4 - Anon Y.: We went there for restaurant week and had the lunch menu.  As other reviews mention, the decor is a bit strange.  It is located in what is basically a mall for furniture and the restaurant actually has an "outdoor" seating area in the mall area.  The place is fairly casual overall inside as well.

The food was pretty good but not great.  The Tartare and Hummus were very good.  The main dishes were ok.  The Salmon was interesting and different but I probably would get something else the next time.  The risotto was very good (if you like mushrooms), but the chicken was just ok.  The profiteroles were typical but very good.  The sangria was a bit wine heavy and it seemed like cheap wine to me.  I probably wouldn't get the sangria the next time, but you never know if it was there best showing.

Overall, I would say that the food was good, the decor was strange and the prices were probably a bit on the high side.  I would probably go with a 3.5 if I could.  There sandwiches sounded good and I would like to give them a shot later.  They are opening a cafe on the first floor which may be a simpler way to give them a shot.

Here are the items that we tried:

Tartare de Saumon

Atlantic salmon with avocado, mango, tomato, kalamata olives, capers, extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice and basil

Hummus

chickpea hummus, roasted peppers, carrots, beets, zucchini, and grilled pita

Saumon

pistachio and goat cheese-crusted Atlantic salmon filet wrapped in phyllo with cauilfower purée, stuffed zucchini, curry sauce

Poulet

parmesan-crusted chicken breast with wild mushroom risotto, truffle oil, shaved parmesan

Porfiteroles
4 - Gary H.: I probably wouldn't have even found this place let alone stop and had a meal if it wasn't for a Living Social voucher (2 actually). It is really in an odd place... 4th floor of an "office" building. Due to it's locale, as I understand, it does more of a lunch business, but the dinner hours are not what I would expect from a restaurant of this caliber (closed for dinner Sunday Through Tuesday).  Once we found our way through the nearly deserted building,we were greeted by the hostess and promptly seated. The dining area seemed poorly designed with little flow through, but the view was excellent (my date commented on the view from the restroom as unbelievable, but considering I'm not going into the ladies room to check it out, I'll just have to believe her). The service was also excellent, the wine selection decent, but maybe a bit pricey, and the food was quite good indeed. First time we went we had the "set" dinner with a fight of wines. I had the NY strip and my date had the Salmon... both were excellent. The second time we ordered ala' carte. I had the scallops and she had the Chicken. Again, well prepared and tasty. We shared the Humus plate, which we both enjoyed immensely. If you like humus and couscous go for it. The only fault I found with the menu was a lack in change. Okay, it was only two weeks between visits, but the set menu choices hadn't changed one bit, and neither had the ala' carte menu. I might be a bit picky, but I like to try different things. The ambiance was nice... fairly quiet without seeming that you're in a library. I will return, but I'll wait a few months and I'll see if the menu choices have changed.
3 - Mark F.: Came on a Thursday.  I'd give the space an A+ - very cool, nice view, romantic, great music.  However, the service was terrible.  Only three tables and I had to flag down another waiter for a drink refill.  No bread offered, and the bread that was offered was not fresh.  Food was, meh.  Maybe the meat dishes are better, but the calamare was mediocre, the risotto ok, the salmon tartare -- well, that was good.
3 - Grace Joy P.: Ummmm..

That's how I'd begin to explain "how this restaurant was" to friends that ask, followed by a long pause.

A groupon deal came out for Bistro St. Tropez, and after checking it out online I decided to purchase it.

Had a dinner and a movie date planned out, so I arrived at the restaurant around 6:30pm.

First thing that put me off was the location of this place. It's located in this big commercial building on one of the top floors. I saw the sign of the restaurant upon exiting the elevator. Followed it, then all I saw was an outdoor looking patio, except it wasn't outdoors, it was situated on carpet. It's exterior felt like a mall cafe and so extremely out of place.

We were approaching the restaurant with another really dressed up couple who signed up for the groupon deal, and we stood awkwardly staring and saying "uh... is this... it?".

Finally someone came to get us (ha!) and it turned out to be a really cute and cozy place inside! 

Our waiter was extremely nice, funny and on point about everything. Service was absolutely excellent.

We went along with the three course meal. You have the option of choosing your appetizer, entree, and desert.

The bread rolls they give out while you wait for your food came with an amazing fresh pesto sauce.

My downfall from this pleased mood started when I picked the smoked corn soup to start. It tasted like pureed baby food. I'm not sure if any other yelpers out there felt this way towards it, but my date felt the same way. 

For my entree, I had the salmon with pesto, wrapped in phyllo. I am a HUGE fan of phyllo, so this really got 5 stars for me. Cooked fabulously and was sitting under a butter sauce and paired with asparagus, which happens to be my favorite vegetable!

My date had the steak and frites, and it came in a big portion! Didn't expect it, only because upscale restaurants tend to downsize portions then charge the sh*t out of your meal. The meat was tender, juicy, and PERFECTLY cooked.

For my desert course, I picked the baked peach in lavender sauce, with what seemed like a hazelnut gelato on the side. I should have steered clear when I read lavender sauce. It tasted just like what it was... peach soaked in lavender. I'm not sure I enjoyed the taste of a flower, but if you do then go for it!

My date got the creme brulee, which was excellent. Some restaurants tend to butcher creme brulee, but Bistro St. Tropez did it justice- top was carmelized to perfection.

Overall, I would suggest the steak and frites entree, as well as the salmon with pesto wrapped in phyllo. 

I'd also suggest to skip out on the course deal and order a la carte, that way you can avoid the baby food soup and flower tasting peach.
4 - Jordan S.: The location is pretty random. Walk into some design center, go up an elevator, and there lies Bistro St. Tropez. It sports some great views of 30th St. Station and the schuykill. Perhaps some people would complain about that, but at night, watching the cars go buy amidst an already crowded city light show is pretty serene. 

The menu changes consistently. I unfortunately went for dinner so I didn't get to try any of the much more affordable sandwiches, but I did get to try a very good salmon dish. It was pistachio encrusted, decked with all sorts of fancy restaurant hooplah...reductions, etc.. It was very good, but very small. 

I'd say go here for lunch for the nifty sandwich menu and for the atmosphere. 

P.S. If you walk down the alluring spiral hallway that states "not intended for use," you get some great picture-taking locations/views. Do it!
5 - Katarina M.: This review is for their restaurant week selection. WOW! So good. 4 course meal (plus bread) for $35 each, plus tax and tip. If I had to do it again, I'd choose the Tarte de Legumes, the Saumon, and the Tart Tatin. Also, good-sized portions on everything! Not tiny little fancy portions.

FOOD:
--Delicious little warm rolls, served with an awesome pesto.

--First course is a "creamy truffle wild mushroom soup"...those of us who got it were delighted. It was delicious if not a little weird-looking...Due to allergies, one in our party got a split pea and ham soup and the other a tomato red pepper bisque. Kudos to them for having substitutions (the waiter explained it's their vegetarian option as the mushroom one is no longer vegetarian), and both enjoyed their soups, but I personally didn't really like either of them.

--Appetizer (8 options): We had the Calamars, the Tarte de Legumes, the Tartare, and the Salade Boston. I had the "sustainably-harvested calamari stuffed with house-made provençal sausage, fresh herbs, saffron rice, piperade, jus de legumes"...I don't know why but I was expecting your more usual fried calimari, and I'm not a huge fan of fresh seafood, so I didn't particularly care for it. The other two who had it absolutely loved it though. I also tried the "Tarte de Legumes: roasted eggplant caviar, caramelized onion, and red pepper tart with black olive and goat cheese tapenade, herb sauce, poached Sandy Ridge Farm egg" and WOW was it delicious. The runny yolk, the tapenade was delicious, and the tart was a little mini cookie-but-not-a-cookie kind of phylo dough thing, a nice accompaniment, as was the bit of greens it was served with. The "Tartare: fresh Scottish salmon, mango, basil, capers, black olives, cornichons, tomato, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and wonton crisps" was apparently good, but was being eaten by a tartare conoisseur (6/10 on her scale). She said "It had bigger chunks of salmon than a standard tartare, which makes it a little fishier tasting." The salad ("Boston bibb lettuce with crumbled gorgonzola cheese, apple, walnut pralines, and walnut vinaigrette") was well received: a sweet little salad. My only note on the salad is that it's not a real leafy salad. A couple large leafs of lettuce topped with the other stuff. Fancy salad.

--Main course (8 options): We had the lamb (Agneau), steak (Bavette), scallops (Vol au Vent), and salmon (Saumon). The lamb was oh so tender, literally fall-off-the-bone. Even after removing all the fat/skin, there was plenty of meat for a good-sized entree. The mashed potatoes were also awesome. Carrots were fine, but I didn't notice any turnips. My friend had the steak and loved it, although we noted it was rather lukewarm if not on the cold side. She liked her mashed sweet potatoes and the green beans too. I personally, having tried all the dishes, would say this one was the least special, although still good. I think my favorite was the salmon ("Saumon: pistachio and goat cheese-crusted Scottish salmon filet wrapped in phyllo, carrot purée, creamy Swiss chard, light turmeric and cumin sauce"), although I can't say I tasted the goat cheese. It was just delicious salmon in delicious buttery phyllo. And finally, the scallops ("Vol au Vent: butter-poached scallops in puff pastry with creamy Swiss chard and saffron mussel sauce") were delicious as well. The sauce they pour over it (table-side) is a sauce made with cream and the juice that the scallops and mussels cook in. It was heavenly. The scallops aren't literally in the puff pastry. It's a puff pastry in the middle (my friend wished the pastry hadn't been soaked as it got soggy, so maybe ask your waiter to pour around it), with 4 good-sized scallops around it and lots of different little vegetables (I want to say I stole some okra off her plate but I could be completely wrong) that get drowned in the delicious sauce. Yum.

--Dessert (4 options): We tried all except the profiteroles: the St. Tropez Cake ("double-layer valhrona chocolate mousse cake with crème anglaise"), the Tart Tatin ("warmed French caramelized apple tart a la mode"), and the Creme Brulee ("caramelized vanilla bean flan"). The cake was our least favorite by far. The bottom is like a spongy cake, and is not texturally-appealing, although the mousse part on top is good. Would not order it again. The Tart Tatin was delicious, although they were out of ice cream, so we got fresh whipped cream instead. I also wish it had been served a little warmer than it was (it was room temp), but it was just a simple little apple tart. Not too sweet, just simple. And the creme brulee was well executed.

SERVICE:
Our waiter was awesome. Funny and friendly and knew the menu very well. Asked us if we needed anything at a couple points throughout the meal. Water was always filled. My only complaint is the lady who seated us was cloyingly polite, it was annoying.

---------

Great little place!
4 - Lauren W.: This review is for my one and only visit (so far), which occured at the end of Restaurant week. (nerdy excitement for my first RW!) 

Dinner from start to finish was really pretty great. Definitely not 5 stars, but nowhere near 3 stars either. Like everyone else has said, the location is so strange! Located on the fourth floor of a random interior design building (luckily with signs pointing our way), I guess the idea is to provide a better view of the city than you'd get on ground floor of the street. It works once you're inside, but not so much on the walk in. The restaurant is a blend of both casual and almost-fancy, which I liked. Oh yeah, there's also a parking lot a block away from the restaurant that's only 10 bucks, and a different block away is 30th street station. Pretty easy to travel to, overall. 

Food was pretty much the highlight of the night (besides my fabulous dining companions!), which was awesome because that's why we were there. Everyone started off with a bowl of creamy mushroom soup, which I totally expected to be just a few bites as it wasn't even part of their 3 course menu. Oops, turns out it's a huge bowl. Delicious though. 

Appetizers were next, and the only disappointment of the night. Two FDCs ordered the calamari, recommended by our server as a chef specialty. It was the smallest appetizer, and neither of them were thrilled with it. On the other hand, I thought it was pretty flavorful and a perfect size considering the total amount of food we ordered. I talked a third into getting a seafood appetizer with a super french name that I forget, and thought it was really pretty terrible. I remember it had striped bass, a pinch of lump crab, some kind of creamy sauce, and a few beets and olives. Super bland, and the texture was like baby food. I ordered a mediterranean sampler appetizer with hummus and couscous, which was well-received but not mind blowing. 

Luckily! All of our entrees were amazing. We each tried a different entree to try and sample as much as possible. Mine was a salmon filet wrapped in phyllo dough with something green in it that I can't remember. It was very tasty, but just a titch overcooked. The creamy swiss chard and carrot puree were nice as well. One FDC ordered a scallop and puff pastry dish, served with table side sauce that was fantastic. The scallops were huge, and well-cooked. Another ordered the steak, which I didn't try but he said it was very good but not his favorite of all of our dishes. Lastly, another fabulous dining companion, who also happens to be a fabulous boyfriend, ordered the lamb shank. He graciously shared half of it with me as it was my favorite dish of the night and well, the size of it took up half of our table anyway. Served on the bone, it literally melted just by one holding a fork nearby. asdlkfsogood. 

Service by Matthew was also great, if a little overbearing. Can't fault him for trying hard to get us to order more drinks, as our RW tab was I'm sure a lot lower than he's normally used to. He was very friendly and polite though, and didn't hesitate to recommend favorites or be a little more personable than a normal french waiter. 

So yeah, we liked it. The end.
2 - Lisa M.: I had high hopes of this place. It advertises a view of the river and exceptional French cuisine. Nope and nope. The location is strange and we were squished between two other tables, so our conversation naturally involved the couple next to us. They were equally unhappy with their food. We chose the a la cart menu, I ordered the asparagus soup and my dining companion had the duck. My soup was lukewarm at best, but if served at the intended temperature for soup, I believe the flavors would have been nice. The duck was the best part of our meal. The seafood in my companions lobster course was not fresh and it showed. I ordered the chicken, which was overcooked. The sweet potato which accompanied it was way too sweet and there was an olive mixture which had no business on this plate or any other. 

The worst part of our meal, however, was the service. The hostess had a terribly telling fake smile. The table next to us was seated after us and got all of their food before us. We saw our waitress so infrequently that I couldn't remember what she looked like. I would have ordered a second glass of wine, but was never given the chance.Maybe I should lower my standards, but as they are this was a pretty miserable experience.
4 - Karen R.: Food is consistently great, service is good.  We frequently dine here and it has always been a great experience.  No matter what your food preference, you can find something simple or something more unusual on the menus .  Great place for groups or for couples.  The mushroom soup is the best around! And my personal favorite is the risotto - a chicken dish. This is unusual for me to like as I rarely eat chicken - at the Bistro, it is special. I love it!  While the restaurant isinan unusual location, it is well worth the visit.
4 - Karen F.: My faith has been restored in Bistro St. Tropez - or maybe it just tastes better when somebody else is paying?? 

We attended a corporate luncheon (small group - 7 people) here and had great, attentive service - and best yet - much improved food.

Although they do now charge ($3.00) for the delicious hot rolls and pesto, the salade Hache (a chopped salad with chicken and shrimp - a tad over cooked) was fresh and tasty.  The classic Soupe a'l'oignon was rich in flavor, not too salty and had crisp crouton on top.  Mmmn!

The desserts were best of all (and I have NEVER had room for dessert here before, but somehow today I managed it) - ice-cream filled profiteroles and a chocolate mousse cake were shared by all.

Two leaves & a bud tea capped off a hearty lunch.  How we all need a nap, now!
Off to the conference room...
3 - Kenneth F.: We have been going to this restaurant a couple times a year since it opened, and also to the owner's previous restaurant near 4th and  Market Street downtown. The food is consistently excellent. The menu reflects a French bistro style of food, with classic bistro dishes such as cassoulet as well as American entrees.

But the restaurant has a big problem in providing a consistent quality of service, a problem that we found with the previous restaurant as well. Our latest experience, Easter brunch this year with a party of five, was a disaster.  

We were in the restaurant for 3 1/2 hours. Much of the time was spent waiting for something - for the waiter to show up and take drink orders (a half-hour wait after we were seated), for a chance to order a glass of wine with the meal (we had to ask four times for the wine menu) or for silverware ( at each course, the clueless waiter put plates of food in front of us without checking to make sure we had silverware, and then disappeared). My daughter had to leave to catch a train after two hours. She never received her first course ( a simple salad) and her main course (cassoulet) arrived 10 min. before she had to leave and she did not have time to finish it. The starter courses for two of the five people in our party never arrived.

I assume that the problem is that the restaurant has an uneven business volume and can't maintain a core of experienced waitstaff. It is in an out-of-the-way spot, on the top floor of a designer furniture showroom that is patronized mostly by architects and designers (the building empties out after business hours) in an area of town with little pedestrian traffic.

Readers can help the restaurant by patronizing it during weekdays and if they have the time for leisurely service they will be very pleased with the food. If the owners of the restaurant want to send out mass e-mails advertising Easter brunch ( as they did this year) they had better be prepared to offer quality service to the many people who show up.
3 - K. S.: I brought my parents there for the culminating evening of their four-day visit.  I had heard from a trusted friend that this place was worth the price.  I must agree, for the most part.  The service is excellent.  My mother got the striped bass, which was perfectly cooked.  Her friend got risotto topped with chicken cutlet.  It was simple, rich, and delicious.   I started with a Boston salad, which I must say was not worth the $9 they charge.  It was quite tasty, but I can take Boston lettuce out of a box and arrange with some apples, Gorgonzola, and candied walnuts.  Part of that is my fault though.  I should have thought for a moment about how that salad was not special from the description.  For the main course, I had lobster tail and fresh scallops and muscles served with some cooked greens on top of a flaky pastry.  It was so rich and so good.  Overall, this place is a bit pricy, but the food for the most part matches the price.  I just am not someone that eats at such establishments on a regular basis.
3 - Shereen C.: Came here during Restaurant Week last year with a group.  

I ordered duck (entree).  Since duck is so fatty, I usually expect it to be juicy and succulent.  This wasn't.

Escargots (appetizer) were good.
4 - Abby W.: This review is only for the bar during Center City Sips.

Under those circumstances, this place really is a find. Sips places get notoriously crowded and the specials are usually pretty limited and uninspired.

Cue Bistro St Tropez! The random, off-the-beaten-track location ensured it wasn't crowded at all; there were only about 5 or 6 people at the bar and a few scattered at tables. 

Getting there was really strange- you have to walk through this design mall and then hop in the elevator to the fourth floor, wander through the mall a bit more, and then you find yourself delving into this strange back corner and all of a sudden you're in the restaurant! Trust the signs, they will get you there.

Once I met up with my BFF at the bar I was disappointed to learn they were all out of Newbold IPA (one of the big reasons I picked the place, because Sips beer selection usually sucks). It was replaced with Yuengling. Boo! Not even close to a 1 for 1 substitution on any level.

Instead I opted for a blueberry cocktail, which isn't my usual style but it was only $4 and sounded not too sweet. It came a bit sweeter than I would have liked, but it was pretty tasty and VERY strong. The second one was even stronger and by the time we left I was 3 sheets to the wind. It was essentially a flavored-vodka martini with a small splash of juice. Two may have been excessive.

Total damage for 4 drinks was only $18. You can't be serious. We'll be back for Sips again soon, that's for sure, but I doubt I would come here for any other reason.
4 - Suzanne S.: Came here for lunch with a group of girls I work with and had a great lunch.

The service was a little slow, but the waitress was novice and didn't seem to know what was going on.  We began with delicious rolls which were served with a reggiano-pesto oil.  I could have eaten that oil by the spoon.  

I had the Hache salad which consisted of chopped grilled chicken, shrimp, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, roasted corn, gorgonzola, crisp greens, and thousand island dressing. No bacon or thousand island dressing for me! I got this salad with a vinaigrette and it was Fabulicious.  This was my favorite salad i have ever had.

It's too bad I waited so long to try this place.  I am no longer working in the city and probably won't back here anytime soon :'(
3 - E P.: went for brunch and around 12:30PM they were out of crab, lobster and bread? house cured salmon was very good and the side of potatoes with mushrooms was a steal at $3...nice location
4 - Rich H.: So couple invite us for Bastille Day. I had wanted to go to BST back in the day and never made it but it really hasn't been on my list for a while. When we got the invite I was glad to accept. Good friends,I assumed food decent at worst, so sounded like fun. 
The setting . Big warehouse style building between 2 somewheres. 4th floor overlooking quasi industrialish part of the river. The crowd. Well it is a bit older. Median age 60 or 60+. The restaurant. They take the space and try to make as many tables as possible by the window overlooking river. 
Ok let's get down to food. We were 4. Opposite husband ordered crab gallette. I'm not a big sharer with other couples. It did look good. Somewhere between a cake and a mousse. He finished it. The wife got the vegetarian app. Lots of good choices on the menu imo. I wouldn't order but whatever. I ordered the escargots with sauteed mushrooms and red burgundy sauce. Honestly if this dish were at Ela or Stateside they'd add a lil jazz and the hipsters would be going batshit crazy. This was a very good dish. Red burgundy sauce just matched with snails and mushrooms so well. It was a grab an extra roll to sop it up kind of sauce. And the snails were nice and tender. My wife got the cold local corn soup. Well executed but I'm just not a huge cold corn fan. Very summer sweet.
Mains. Opposing husband got the salmon. Looked ok. Seemed a bit better done than  I prefer but I struggle all the time with this. Sauce looked nice. I got a scallop dish with sauteed veggies, potatoes and a bouillabaise sauce. Very nice. Sauce excellent. Scallops cooked properly. Not a home run but good food. My wife got the home run. Hangar steak cooked medium rare sliced down and in a red burgundy sauce. Side of green lentils. Hangar was perfectly cooked and had that extra meaty flavor that a good hangar steak should have. Burgundy sauce they just do it right. Wonderful dish.
We didn't order desert.
Here's the deal. Apps were 10-12 bucks. My escargots were $10. That's crazy cheap. The entrees were $23ish. Good quality. $5 less than many places. Wine was all Moore Brothers stuff.. No trophy wines just wine meant to be good drinking wine with food. And reasonably priced
It's not on the hipster to do list right now. But the food is very good for the price and if you renamed this restaurant and reopened it in a different section of the city it might be packed. Unfortunate but that's the way things work. So if your friends invite you by all means go, you will enjoy it
4 - DJ M.: Bistro St Tropez is the perfect choice for a restaurant on the fourth floor of the Marketplace Design Center, the huge wall lined windows afford great views and the atmosphere of the restaurant is intoxicating with festive lighting and gandering. Is gandering a word, not really, but it sounds better than gawking. Yes I gander, I check out each and every plate that I can while being seated and with the very close knit tables, I do mean tight, it doesn't take much to admire the neighboring tables choices. 

They have two nice sized bars as well as two dining rooms, both allow you to take in the views. The service is spot on with team work, you are greeted immediately and drinks are asked for and brought promptly. Michael had coffee and exclaimed how good it was  and I ordered a bloody mary, if you like them hot and spicy, you'll love theirs! It was a bit too hot for my tastes and I followed each sip with a sip of water. 

Bread is a $1.95 charge but so worth it, delicious and dense sourdough rolls served with an amazing garlic and basil pesto sauce. As the food comes up in the kitchen it is immediately brought out to your table, so there is never a wait, if your server gets busy.

I started with the sautéed Burgundy escargot and wild mushrooms in a herb garlic butter and cream sauce, so many tender snails and freshly sauteed mushrooms and the sauce was incredible! I would return for this dish alone!

I then had a bowl of the creamy wild mushroom soup, finely chopped mushrooms in an excellent creamy both It was well seasoned but missing that little dose of sherry? that is served at The Terrace Restaurant at Longwood Garden's, a mushroom soup that I will always use as comparison to the best I've had. It is still worthy indeed and I would order it again.

For my main course, I went mini with an express lunch and had the Moules Marinieres with hand cut fries, well so much for mini, so many mussels, with halved cherry tomatoes, onions, garlic in an amazing broth and enough hand cut fries to share indeed. The mussels were hit and miss, so much flavor, but a few of them or more were shriveled and dry, not plump and tender like the rest, but I guess that can happen.

Ha, what did Michael have? Well he had a huge omelet  saucisse and a nice sized side salad. The sausage inside was a smoked kielbasi and was accompanied by swiss chard and a sharp provolone cheese. The sausage was quite large, instead of slices or chunks and the omelet was dry and very brown on the outside. Some folks like their omelette's well done, I like mine cooked but I detest having my eggs browned and why I no longer order them out. He ate it all, but was not thrilled, which is too bad, because it certainly reads well on the menu, there is a fine line between an omelet that is done and one that is too well done.

My experience was great, Michael left a little less satisfied than I. 3.65 stars.
2 - Caitlyn H.: Ok, first of all, we had a group of 13 when we came in, so I'm giving the staff a little leeway here, which is why I'm giving them 2 stars instead of 1. Our family came in for my grandmother's 80th birthday. We were told that there would be a $35 set menu since it was restaurant week. There were two set menus, one that was decent at $48 and one that was seriously lacking at either $23 or $25. Most of us chose to go a la carte since the "restaurant week" menu was honestly a bit crap. The food was mediocre at best and overall I think it was bland. Our waitress was totally clueless. She didn't know how to answer any questions about the menu and had to keep running back to the chef to double check on things. At one point, she completely forgot about my drink order, and after I politely reminded her, she did have the bartender come over quickly, but he told me that he didn't really know the drink menu because they're switching managers and he's redoing the drink menu. He then told me that the drink I ordered was getting cut from the menu since it wasn't any good. When our food finally came out, there was a lot of confusion from the servers as to who ordered what. A few of us weren't served the proper dish, but to their credit they did fix the issue quickly. When it was time for dessert, the waitress was completely confused as to who participated in the prix-fixe menu and who didn't and had no idea as to who was actually ordering dessert or just having the one that came with the meal. In addition, they totally forgot to serve one of the desserts and it took over 30 minutes to get a refill on my apparently crap drink. Dinner service took almost 3 and a half hours in a restaurant that really wasn't busy at all. It was completely overpriced, the decor is just weird, the service was awful and the food was ok at best. I wouldn't come back.

Bistro Ten 18 - New York City, NY (40.8029635, -73.9641726) (Manhattan Valley)
4 - Melissa C.: The food and customer service are equally impressive at this Morningside Heights establishment. I order from here often to cater events at Columbia and have never been disappointed.
The management always goes the extra mile to make sure we are satisfied with our entrees and has even tweaked the menu for us at times. 
If it were less expensive, I'd have lunch here myself more often.
3 - Jasmine M.: This is a solid place to come for lunch in an otherwise foodie or gourmet void section of Upper Manhattan.  The service is friendly, and the atmosphere is upscale casual.  I usually get one of the salmon burgers or the grilled chicken with goat chese and pesto on ciabatta.  The chicken sandwich hits the spot and the fries are deligfhtfully crispy and addictive.  The food is a bit overpriced for what it is though and for its location.  Also, don't plan for a quick lunch, the kitchen can be on the slower side.  All in a all, a good solid bet for lunch to avoid just eating pizza again.
3 - carl g.: We walked here from 108th and 5th which my friend seemed to think was "just a couple of blocks." I think he's getting confused with geography in his move from Brooklyn to Manhattan. Was it worth a walk of that size? Meh. We got burgers cause we're both trying to be on the cheap these days but spent on a few Belgians that they had in bottles. The medium rare burger was maybe not the best choice (for me) but it was tasty and I was famished. It's a definite neighborhood joint where the bartender seems to know most people sitting at the bar. My friend was the former bartender of my neighborhood joint of this ilk and that's how he sold it to me. After our meal I asked what he'd rate this. And without skipping a beat he said 1 to 11/2 stars. Which I thought was correct for just a food assessment but for his enjoyment of the place I got a 3 to 4 out of him. So that's my rating.
4 - Kyle M.: We stopped in there on one of the most sweltering August days of the year.  The A/C was blowing and we got a nice table for two and our server was prompt to bring us some ice cold glasses of water.

They had a delicious chilled apple/saucey soup that was very unique and tasty, and given the heat we just went with their special salad and a "mediterranean plate."  Prices were reasonable for NYC, the atmosphere was very pleasant, the service was prompt and professional.  We'll be sure to go back when they have the fire place going... in January, of course.
4 - Brian H.: While you wouldn't expect a place like this on one of the more raw stretches of Amsterdam, Bistro 1018 takes its food and drink very seriously and prices itself accordingly. The service is very attentive, knowledgeable, and usually cute to boot. I haven't had a dissapointing meal yet.
3 - jeremy g.: I was expecting more than I got from Bistro 1018. The macaroni and cheese (one of my standard yardsticks, when it's on the menu) didn't have much flavor, and the mashed potatoes served with my entree were cold (defeating the purpose of comfort food on a winter night).
I won't hurry back...
5 - Charlotte O.: Jonathan is the best waiter ever.
4 - Beth P.: I have only been here for brunch, but I love the bistro eggs! On a sunny day, this is a great place to go, if you live in the area.
2 - Kate M.: My husband and I have eaten here a few times, though admittedly the last time was at least two or three years ago. I do clearly remember not being wowed by anything and thinking it's pretty overpriced for what it is. Also remember pretty poor service at a couple visits. I really think there are better options at this price.
4 - Marie D.: I've been going to the Bistro for three years. I love it. Get the Duck, a nice Tripple Karemle, and one of the desserts.
2 - Lani M.: This is the  second place in the neighborhood in which I've had a $40 lunch (appetizer, entree, 1 drink) that I could have skipped.

Their catering at various Columbia events has been satisfactory, so I didn't hesitate to try lunch here.  Meh - is the appropriate  description.

I wouldn't order anything outside of their normal range of bistro fare.
3 - Jade H.: It was ok.

It was a very late night. We wanted to go someplace to eat and most places were too loud. Why have loud when I want to talk to the person I'm having dinner with?

Pricing was a bit high. The service was very good. The meal itself was ok.
3 - Peter F.: Maybe 2 1/2 stars.

Bad points:

First they had given our table away - although they found one quickly.

The waiter seemed very new.  He had memorized the right phrases, but had no idea how to handle multiple tables.  Several times we resorted to waving at him from across the room, and once to a loud "Excuse Me!"  My wife asked about some of the wines, and his explanation was very confusing.  The busboy, also, was a bit confused.

The prices were too high for what it was - a nice neighborhood spot.

The portions were a bit smaller than usual for this type of place

Now the good points:
The food was all very good, and among the four of us, we had quite a bit of it.  I had the spinach noodles with pork ragu (which could have been better described on the menu - I was expecting a long thin pasta, but it was almost lasagna noodles) and the mushrooms with garlic, which were both excellent.  My wife had the mussels, which were all plump - but why not give her a spoon to eat the sauce with? Or some bread to dip?

12 year old son had lobster bisque - he scraped the bowl and mopped it up with bread. - and the mac and cheese side dish.

6 year old son had the hamburger.
3 - Greg D.: Nothing special at all really.   If you look at the menu and website, this seems to be self proclaimed semi upscale fare.  If you look at my receipt (just uploaded (photo)), I paid $20 for a steak, and $5 each for two beers.   

What I can compliment is the fact that they carry Weinstephaner, a better German wheat beer.   Yet it is common.   A better choice would have been Paulaner on draft.    

The reason I ordered the Steak Frites (Bourbon Glazed Flat Iron Steak /
Pommes Frites) was in a faint hope that it might compare to the Steak Frites at Hopleaf in Chicago.   Nope.   Not even a glimpse of a chance of being in the same arena on game day.  

I guess this is typical for New York City.
3 - Katie V.: Had a solid brunch experience here -- but nothing spectacular.  I came around noon on a Saturday and the place was empty, with outdoor seating available. 

I ordered the corned beef hash and my boyfriend went with the poached eggs, served with potatoes, peppers, bacon and parmesean. Portions were good and prices not too steep.  Still, I left feeling just meh about the experience. Not sure I'll return. Bacon is better at Sip down the street!
3 - Jennifer Y.: brunch was okay
4 - Matt B.: My wife and I have been going here for years.  It's definitely one of the better places in the neighborhood and a particularly nice brunch spot.

The menu selection is respectable and the quality is quite high for bistro food.  The service can be a bit inconsistent at times but it's generally positive.  The place tends not to be overrun with undergrads like many nearby on Broadway.  

The burgers are great (superb quality) and the mussels are wonderful (both are reasonably priced with sizable portions).  I used to be a big fan of the steak frites but they recently changed it from a beef tenderloin cut to a flat iron steak (not my favorite).  Also good are the pasta & sausage dish as a dinner entree and the corned beef hash for brunch.  Some dishes are definitely better than others, although there are no "bad" choices.

Bistro 1018 is a solid 3+ star place.  I give it 4 stars because it's one of the better options in Morningside Heights.
4 - Julia G.: I like this place. We went there with my boyfriend to celebrate St. Valentine's day last year and our anniversary this year. Dinner was very good. The atmosphere is very romantic. They have a great selection of wines.
I also went there for lunch with my mother. For $30 we got two wonderful sandwiches, beer and juice. They were served really quickly by a very nice waitress.
I really recommend this place.
3 - Dan T.: Certainly pricey for the area and tries to be more than it really is, but friendly service & solid grub. Got the $12.50 Blackened Striped Bass sandwich (on a "soft" brioche roll with pickles, lettuce, tomato, rémoulade). Cheese was extra and no sides were included, so for an UUWS lunch, that's pushing it B1018 (no starters were below $8.75).

NOTE: Happy hour from 5-7, along with Sip a couple doors down.
3 - Allison C.: In fairness, this is a time when I desperately wish Yelp would allow the "1/2 star" setting, because I'll say up front instead of at the end of the review (as I see most people do) that Bistro Ten 18 should get  3.5 stars. (Or will a 1/2 star cause some sort of galactic rip that will destroy us all? Does Yelp know something we don't? *hmmmmm* A fine query indeed. Alas, I digress...)

My roomie and I wanted a nice, pre-celebratory dinner last night before she heads down to Nashville to run a charity marathon, and we've been saying since February that we'd go to B1018. Last night, we finally made good on our promise to ourselves.

We arrived at approximately 6 PM. The kind hostess asked us if we had reservations, and we said no. Because of a private party in the side room, space was limited, but there were two chairs at the bar with our names on them. We took them happily. Our bartender / server, Eryka, was a doll. After telling her I wanted a plain ol' sirloin burger for dinner, she managed to convince me to get goat cheese and bacon on it, too. Excellent call, Eryka. The roomie got the veggie lasanga special, and it was creamy and delicious. Thumbs up to there being no mushrooms in there.

The dining area has a lovely ambiance, and I couldn't help but stare at the decorative Grey Goose bottles in front of me, with an occasional taxi passing by the window behind the bar breaking my gaze.  It was almost hypnotizing. 

My one teeny-tiny itsy-bitsy minor complaint: Ummmmm...I DID find a hair in my burger.

*sigh*

It's bound to happen at the best of places. It's bound to happen at the worst of places. Hair falls out. What can you do? (Am I too forgiving of a person? Haaa. Maybe, but I don't think so. I think I'm just being realistic.)

This tiny hair will not detract me from coming back, however. (Maybe I'll stick to the bar? Less chance of getting hair, maybe. Ha!) Eryka mentioned that there will be asparagus cheesecake on the menu soon, and that seems to interesting to pass up. I've also heard RAVE reviews about their chocolate lava cake, and baby, give me that and a White Russian, and I may shoot off to Heaven! I'm certainly willing to give this a shot. ;-)
1 - k m.: The food tasted good, until i found a hair embedded in my burger. First I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and be quiet about it; I picked it out and continued eating. Then I realized that wasn't the only one - there were at least ten more. They were literally embedded in my burger and fries. Because they weren't merely on top of the food, and because there were so many, I knew this couldn't have been an accident. DO NOT EAT HERE.
4 - Maya A.: I don't go uptown much but if I do, I try to find an excuse to eat here. I love the fresh ingredients and the seasonal approach to the menu. The deep fried poached egg on a arugula with asparagus and country ham remains among the best salads I have ever eaten. Good meats too!
3 - Karina B.: Yes, the food is good.  But the service sucks.  This doesn't blow the place for me, but you should go in with the head's up.

We had the chicken livers and special salad to begin, both spot on.  And our Maker's Mark Manhattans were pure yum.

The problem was with our burgers.  they were overdone to the point of sending them back.  They are known for the burger and it's a good burger, but even the second time round it was overcooked.  I like being able to doctor with specific toppings, but don't think they don't add up.

That said, all was fresh and hot.  We had fries and mac and cheese and both held up to the hype.  For the neighborhood, this Bistro 18 is a find.  It's definitely worth checking out if you're in the area, say a concert or talk at St. John the Divine's, but not worth traveling to.  

Oh, and the happy hour, 3-7pm, looks killer.
4 - Alexander M.: Bistro Ten 18 is an adorable little cafe/bar on the corner of Amsterdam and Cathedral and is the perfect place is eat a delicious lunch while watching the constant street drama. Seriously, my dad and I witnessed no shortage of constant, juicy people-watching. Oh and the food's great too. I got some sort of special which was the Bistro burger with fries and a local beer for $12. It was delicious, especially with bleu cheese. Our waitress was young, cute and suuuper friendly. The inside is very attractive as well...for those chilly winter evenings. 

Parent-friendly Columbia hangout.
4 - Jane P.: Pros:
Cute place
Happy Hour - the bacon burger tapas were freaking DELICIOUS....maybe it's because I had zero expectations, but they were the best sliders I've ever had.  
Good service

Cons:
Way overpriced for regular meals..couldn't even get myself to order from it even though I was really hungry.
Sangria pitcher we got was not that good.  Frying Pan's sangria was wayy superior.
3 - Carly H.: Went for brunch and while the food was really good, the place was empty.  Something about a completely empty restaurant makes me nervous.
4 - Kirsten S.: Talk about a cozy restaurant with high-end food!

I came for dinner with one other person, and we were invited to sit at the bar while our table was being prepared (aka the other people were paying), so I got a glass of wine on the happy hour special (buy one, get one free).  We ordered on the tail end of happy hour, but I was able to order my second glass of wine at the table for no additional charge.

Our host carried our drinks to our seat (fancy!), in the cute room with a fake fireplace (but real heaters!  Super warm for a cold winter night!).

We began with a cheese plate, which is what I have come to expect from most cheese plates.  Afterwards, we split the crispy skin sea bass, which was on top of sauteed greens and butternut squash puree, and it was mouth-wateringly good.

There was nothing to complain about at this restaurant.  Not sure if it's a 5, but this restaurant and I have a real connection (sorry-- been watching too much of The Bachelor).
3 - Yelp T.: Maaaaaan, I was hoping to give this place 4 or 5 stars because the service was so great but...

I couldn't because they forgot to add bacon on my husband's burger and I didn't like their special bistro fries (which is the reason why I wanted to go here).

Our waiter was great and the service was spectacular...I only wish the food was slightly better

I suggest NOT ordering bistro fries with your burger because mixing the flavors is a bit much.

Awesome Happy Hour from 7:30-9 and then 9:30 to close.

I say, everyone should give this romantic but cozy restaurant a fair chance.
4 - Lisette S.: food was delicious :)

we got the Macaroni and Cheese to share and it was quite tasty
as an entree I got the butternut squash risotto, I had never had risotto so I was looking forward to trying it, it was really good I really enjoyed it 
my fiance got the Spinach Pasta & Pork Sausage Ragout and he LOVED it

It was a little pricey but we had a gift certificate that made it not so bad

overall I would recommend this place :)
4 - Scott J.: We went there for brunch yesterday. $18.00 for prix fixe with unlimited mimosas or bloody marys. I had the cornbeef hash with eggs, and my partner had a cheeseburger. The hash was freshly made, although the sunny side eggs were a bit on the cooked side. The cheeseburger was delicious. Service was fast and efficient. I will definitely return here for lunch and dinner. The decor was a little on the minimalist side, but the dining room where we sat had a large fireplace. I'm sure it would be cozy in the winter. The restaurant has a wonderful view of St. John the Divine Church.
3 - Richard D.: Chalk one more up for the restaurant.com deals.

This place is alright.  The atmosphere was pretty nice and seems kinda fancy.  It was graduation season at Columbia University so there was some students here celebrating with their families. 

I felt the whole time the waitress kept pressuring me to order wines, bottled water (bad for the environment!), appetizers, desserts, but I try to not let that faze me.  I think she knew I had a coupon in tow since I called and asked about their participation with restaurant.com and she took my reservation. They were fast with the water refills.

I had the skirt steak and it was good.  It was a generous size portion of steak, prob 12 oz.  It came with some fingerling potatoes and greens which tasted pretty good too.  

This place is a worthy choice if you're looking for some good food, even more if you have one of those coupons in tow.
4 - LISA N.: Cute corner restaurant.  Employees all super nice!  Bathroom like an old laundromat and checkered floors, found it to be clean though with an automatic sink.

Wines are good, I had the merlot, and then I switched to a chard since I wanted something cold. Though when I sat at the bar, the bartender gave me the stickiest menu, and I had to ask for a wet napkin to wipe my hand, gross.

My friend and I split the fried chicken liver appetizer, and the sea scallop appetizer as well.  Liver tasted like Popeyes fried chicken crust hah amazing.  And scallops were tender and perfectly NOT overcooked perfect.

I also had the fresh made fettucine, with chorizo and shellfish.  The sauce was creamy and enough saltiness from the chorizo to enhance the flavor of the seafood.  The scallops, shrimp, and mussels were cooked to perfection.  Though I thought the large would be LARGE, I ended up eating the whole thing, and getting dessert afterwards.

My friend ordered for her entree the pot of mussels, which were one of the best tasting mussels I had in NYC.  I've been to a few good Belgium restaurants too but they use Prince Edward Island mussels. OMG. So yum.  And I'm not even a big mussels fan!

Dessert I had the NY cheesecake with dried cherries, I could've done without it.

And restaurant.com ($25 gift certificates) you can use here. Heheh save yourself some money!!

But be ready for some tight seating, we sat next to a girl the whole time doing her homework and I'm sure she heard about our conversation the whole time about penises.
3 - Lili K.: Trekked on up here and was able to put my scooter away where the coats were hanging.

Got the spinach pasta, which was really just huge sheets of pasta you had to break up yourself-the dish was definitely NOT hot, which made it less tasty.  The ricotta is made at the restaurant, which made it taste different from the typical kinds.

I liked my boo's skirt steak a lot more-it was a good size, and flavorful.  So were the potatoes that were wrapped along with spinach.

The white and brown bread they gave us came with butter mixed with chives, which was a nice touch.  The server was attentive and quick, and also started some mini convos with us, which was a plus.

If you want to check this place out, come with a restaurant.com coupon in hand.
4 - andy t.: I live around the corner from this place and have only been a handful of times, but that was my mistake. 

Last week I had an awesome dinner while sitting at the bar and making my way through the list of exotic beer taps. 

Here's what I love about 1018 aside from the sophisticated and friendly vibe and big open windows: The owner is anal about serving organic, fresh products and that's good. 

Rumor has it that he's working on a rootop garden and within one year plans to grow all his vegetables on the premises. 

With my newfound appreciation for salads (yes, salads!) and healthy food, Bistro 1018 is definitely going to be a common stop for this cowboy.
2 - Jennifer H.: Bought a Living Social deal to this place and showed up for dinner. To our disappointment, the deal wasn't valid until 2 days later. We were already there so we decided to stay. Horrible idea. First of all, the prices are outrageous (not what is listed online). A burger costs $12 and doesn't even come with sides or french fries. Second, the servings are really small which makes you feel worse about the outrageous price you're paying. Not the worst restaurant I've been to - the food is actually okay. But it's just NOT worth how much they charge.
3 - Paola S.: i had dinner plans with my friend Lisa & so i suggested that we go here. [i had a restaurant.com gift certificate!]

SETTING:
the place is cute, clean & tiny. dimly lit & had a nice set-up. i actually like it in here - but i gave it 3 stars just because it's not on par with my fave places. it wouldn't be on the top of my list for places to go to on special occasions; it would be perfect for casual date nights.

FOOD:
SEARED LOCAL SEA SCALLOPS: YUM! i love love love this dish. two medium sized scallops on top of a potato pancake... i couldn't eat the pancake so i my friend had it all. cooked to perfection with lovely sears of crisp goodness. amaze.

CRISPY CHICKEN LIVERS: i love foie gras but i have never had liver served this way before. also, i haven't had chicken liver in forever so im glad that this was cooked really well. it's battered & fried then served atop a salad with romanesco sauce & bits of bacon. LIVER + FRIED + BACON?! whoever created this dish must have had me in mind.

PRICE EDWARD ISLAND MUSSELS: i had this as my dinner dish. i've previously said that i eat like a 300 lb woman & the fact that i ordered the bigger portion of this is proof. much to my dismay, although this dish was delicious, the two appetizers i had before kind of raised the bar too high. also, was getting really full halfway [hard to believe but true!]. next time, i'll get the smaller portion.

SERVICE:
our server was nice. not crowding nor too fussy & very accommodating. she definitely knew the menu! 

PRICE:
it came out to $60 per person & i left my $25 gift certificate as the tip. definitely coming back.

xoxo
4 - Shar C.: Service was great, we were able to sit outside, skirt steak was really good.
The side it came with was a mix of potato, spinach and oyster mushrooms which was also really good but a little small. Felt like could use another side like a big scoop of mashed potatoes or something. It was like a good snack but definately didn't leave there feeling full, as we didn't have any appetizers or dessert. Flavor was great though. The bottle of red wine that comes with the livingsocial deal was really good.
2 - Hu H.: Could be so much better if they tried just a little harder. We went for brunch and their mushroom omelet is quite tasty. BUT it didn't make up for the horrible service, what should have taken a little over an hour took nearly two with waiting forever for them to take our order, and a similar time for getting the check - so you can imagine how infrequent service was in between. Not to mention they need to clean it! At 1pm on Sunday it still smelled like last night's bar and the floor was slippery (ewwwww). The location is great. The decor is nice and it's so convenient, I just wish it were well - better.
5 - Cindy T.: Came here last night--being my first time ever in NYC! I was staying about 10 blocks away, and remembered I bought a Living Social coupon, so it was perfect. 

My bf and I came and were greeted promptly by the hostess in which we asked to be seated outside. There was live jazz playing inside the bar area, but we could hear the music just as clearly outside. What a better way to enjoy a nice dinner? Our waitress (Dionne) was super friendly and awesome! She made our experience more enjoyable and comfortable, especially since we asked a lot of questions regarding the menu and the coupon. I chose the white wine for us (option of red or white), and the option of ordering any two entrees on the menu. Of course, my bf and I order the two most expensive entrees which was the skirt steak and the pork chops. In addition, bread was also served to us (with amazing garlic butter) and we also ordered the small dish mushrooms. They were to-die-for!! 

We received our entrees, and my first bite was the caramelized apple on the side. My face was like this: O.O! Yummm. There was mashed potatoes on the side, but as I was eating spoon after spoon, there was something in it that looked like bones, but tasted inedible. I thought it was part of it, but i let me bf try it and he suggested to ask what was in it. Good thing I listened, because our waitress kindly went back to the kitchen to ask, and next thing she came back saying it was not suppose to be in the mashed potatoes. Another guy (owner? or chef?) came out to apologize even, and said they will take care of it. As a result, we got our whole meal comped, gave us an apology, gave a wonderful service, as well as a delicious meal. SWEET! What a fabulous first night. Instead, I will have to use my coupon ('again') before I leave NYC!
1 - Sharon L.: Alright, I've never ever sent back food in a restaurant until now.  The chicken was not cooked, and as a result was PINK inside.  I immedietly told the waitress, and she said she would check if it was cooked to the correct temperature.   Dude, if the chicken is pink, it's not cooked.
3 - Gina K.: Came here on a Thursday night for dinner with some friends. My friend had a gift certificate for this place, so we were able to save about $25 on our entire bill, which was nice.

We requested outdoor seating and were seated right away. It was dark out and the neighborhood seemed a little sketchy (we were "heckled" at one point by passersby).

We ordered drinks (simple vodka soda for me) and the bread and butter were brought to our table. Standard bread, butter was good.

We started off with the scallop appetizer, which was pretty good. There was enough for 4 people to share/try. We also ordered the mac and cheese. The crusty breadcrumb topping was REALLY salty. I mean I love salty, but this was too much and it definitely overpowered the mac and cheese underneath.

We also had the mussels (with a side of fries) and the fettucine with assorted seafood (I only remember mussels and shrimp, but I know there was other stuff in it). My friend ordered the ravioli, but I didn't try any. The mussels were good (can you really go wrong with steamed mussels?) and the fettucine was tasty as well. The fries that came with the mussels were really good and they gave us a really big portion. They were well-seasoned.

This is just a standard restarurant, nothing too good or bad to note. I probably wouldn't have come here were it not for the gift certificate, but it was a good meal nonetheless.
4 - Jess L.: I came back here on a romantic date and, full disclosure, with the Living Social deal on hand. 

Everything was truly excellent. The skirt steak was plentiful and nicely seasoned. The seafood linguine was sweet and creamy but surprisingly not too heavy. Even their cheapest white wine by the bottle, a sauvignon blanc from South Africa, was tasty. The profiteroles were ok, perhaps the low-light of the otherwise really nice meal. Even the herbed butter with the bread basket was good!

Our waitress was really sweet and just the right amount of attentive. 

They're offering lots of deals, so I definitely plan to come back!
3 - Kathy Z.: Went here for brunch on the Groupon deal back in February. We got there a bit past noon, and it was pretty crowded but they let us wait at the bar and had us seated pretty speedily.

I had the Kentucky Country Ham & Crispy Poached Organic Egg; the ham was a bit too salty/strong even for my tastes (and I oversalt everything). The veggies themselves felt a bit like eating herbs or grass... Somehow I get this a lot at ~organic, seasonal restaurants. Nothing remarkable. The egg was great though, like a nice fusion of fried/poached cooked to perfection.

Max had the Poached Eggs Ten 18, which is supposed to be a classic item. It seemed good, I dunno. /unhelpful (But really it was too much poached egg in one meal.)

I really liked the atmosphere/vibe here, so we stayed a bit longer, drinking our coffee (which magically refilled itself!) The bread was delicious too. Interested in checking out their other menus next time we're in the city, but it was a bit overpriced...
5 - Rufina B.: I went there on a Friday night for dinner with my husband. We loved the ambience and absolutely loved the food.
5 - Michael I.: I'm an ex employee of Bistro, so I got to try all the food regularly.  It's incredible.  More importantly, it's family owned and operated by truly nice people who work hard and care about their business, their food and their workers, and of course  -  their customers.

I'd highly recommend this establishment if you're looking for a nice quiet evening, and well cooked meal.  I've read some complaints about the pricing, particularly of the steak (one person went so far as to submit a picture of the receipt).  This seems simple: Go online and look at the menu.  If you don't like the price point, then don't go in.  You're not walking into an applebee's, here.  It's organic fruits and vegetables, free range naturally raised beef, and cage free hormone free chicken.  It comes from the closest possible location in every single case.  When something goes out of season, it goes off of the menu.  If you'd prefer a 13 dollar skirt steak, then you'll need to go to a big corporate type place that slaughters a steroid ridden cattle while it's hanging on a chain in a line of 1000 just like it.  Bon Apetit.
4 - Maggie M.: Popped into this cute restaurant on a whim on a recent Sunday night for a quick meal with my husband.  

Greeted by friendly waiter  (Mark maybe?) who was very welcoming and who helped to suggest some of the favorites on the menu.  Suggestions were excellent.  Had a delicious spinach pasta dish with a sausage ragout sauce.  Husband had an interesting, and different salad-country ham and crispy poached egg.   We had never had (or heard of) a crispy poached egg to this point and were surprised at just how good it was.  

Was also pleased with the atmosphere-quiet but still lively enough you felt were having a special night out.

Would highly recommend for dinner to anyone looking for a good meal with great service.
5 - Alison O.: I just went here for a quick bite. I didn't intend to, but it was the only thing I saw that was open. And I'm glad it was because I was very happy with my experience!

I sat at the bar and just had a salad and a glass of wine, but the barmaid was very nice and so were all the other staff I interacted with. The market salad was basic, but the extra touches made it great. The salad dressing was especially delicious when mixed with the grilled onions. I wanted to get more food, but I had a late lunch. 

I don't live up here, but this bistro makes me want to come all the way up here just to eat its delicious food! And the prices are reasonable for the quality. I will come back here!
4 - Shannon O.: I have always had good experiences at Bistro Ten 18. Service is good. Food is tasty and imaginative. They took care of us re: the all you can drink brunch. Not in the same league as places like Ouest, but it is a solid neighborhood restaurant and is the go-to place for my husband and me when we want to have dinner in the neighborhood. 

We have also had good experiences here using a Groupon, and enjoyed their fancypants Valentine's day prix-fixe with paired wines.
5 - Diane H.: Love love love this place. Ventured up from downtown to use a living social deal. 

The service was some of the most genuinely pleasant I've experienced in awhile. The hostess was very kind and friendly, and our cheery waitress took her time explaining the dishes to us. They both happily gave us their recommendations.

Still dreaming about the spinach pasta with ricotta and sausage ragout. 
Chicken liver app was also worth getting. Skirt steak was good, albeit slightly chewy. Wouldn't turn it down.

I'd definitely make the trek all the way back up to check out a few other dishes on the menu, and/or just get the spinach pasta.
5 - Katie M.: We ate here for dinner and everything was so delicious. We started with the Seared Local Sea Scallops for an appitezer which was so fresh and tasty. For dinner my boyfriend had the Grilled Bradley Farms Pork Chop and I had the Fresh Made Fettuccine, Chorizo & Shellfish Beurre, which was one of the best meals I've had in a long time if not ever. He really enjoyed his pork chops as well, I'm not much of a pork chop fan myself.

They have a great deal for brunch where you get your meal and unlimited mimosas and bloody marys for only $18!! Great price for the city. I'll be back soon to try their brunch!
4 - Christine C.: Went there last Thursday for Jazz Night. It was amazing! Kind of loud, but we were there for Jazz and wine so it was good.

For a group of four girls, we shared the chicken livers, market greens, and the mussels with fries. The livers were fried, very interesting taste. The sauce was good. The salad was good too, the sauce was divine! The mussels were fresh and the fries were excellent! We also had white wine, don't really remember which one, but it was tasty. 

Overall, I would come back again if I'm around the area and want some Jazz on a Thursday night.
4 - Lauren S.: The only thing I love more than Bistro Ten 18 is the fact that I live right across the street! The atmosphere inside is amazing--perfect for a first date or just a casual dinner with friends or family. And the food is ridiculously good. The mac & cheese is a total hit, the mussels are the bomb, their fries are delicious, and even the brussels sprouts are tasty! Their red sangria is also in a league of its own. I go here frequently in my own little quest to have everything on the menu and I have yet to be disappointed!
4 - Jessy D.: I absolutely fell in love with this place!!! My boyfriend and I dined here two weeks ago and loved it. The ambiance is really cozy and the food is delicious. Our server was fantastic as well!!

This is definitely a neighborhood gem. Looking forward to Thanksgiving dinner there. (If your looking for a place, this is a great spot. 48$ per person for 3 courses, 3 sides, ala carte menu available, and they encourage seconds).
4 - C Q.: Came here for dinner on a Friday night. Rather than wait for a table my boyfriend and I ate at the bar which I did enjoy because it changed things up a bit. The house cocktails were old schooly- I had the drink with Makers Mark and my bf the Manhattan. The food was excellent as was the atmosphere/ decor. Kind of an old NY feel. We ordered a house salad, seared sea scallop appetizer- quite good. And for dinner the sausage ragout and skirt steak- both super flavorful and yummy and a side of onion rings. We ordered dessert- the apple tatin which was also very good. Being at the bar we also tried the "house chips" which I am a big fan now. The bartender- a young blonde girl was also super personable and friendly. We found out that the restaurant was started by 2 brothers and that much of the food is grown/ raised locally. Oh and I hear they have live jazz on Thursdays. I will def. be back!
... and we have since I originally drafted this review.  Still 4 stars!
5 - tema l.: My situation is unique.
I was charged with planning a corporate Christmas party and scoped out many places before making the decision to plan our party here.
Craig and Jon could not have been more helpful in the planning stages. We had many "customized" requests and most were accomodated.
The waitstaff went out of their way to be helpful.
The food was outstanding.  I love privately owned establishments that concentrate on providing the customer with the best experience possible. I am looking forward to dining here as a "private citizen"
3 - Shauna D.: As an expert of brunch spots I would say this restaurant was average in service, not a typical, comfortable brunch environment and certainly not meant for rowdy drinking, but above average in terms of the food quality and options.

This place is a lot fancier then the usual brunch spot and it threw me off.  This means that A) You feel the need to wear real clothes and brush your hair at 10am on a sunday, and B) If you become intoxicated due to the unlimited mimosas you will feel very uncomfortable and weary about making sure you don't speak too loudly or appear drunk, because no one else is. For me the fact that I didn't feel comfortable, ask for multiple refills, and felt the need to maintain a good posture because there were elderly people and children brunching as well was a bit of a downer. 

The only negative was that if you wanted to get the fixe brunch with the unlimited drinks; the options of your meal were very limited, I believe there were 5 choices. They are all good options, and good for veggs too, but you can't be too picky. 

The food was very good;  the burger was especially well cooked and very big, the mushroom omlette was good, and the corn beef hash was satisfying and unique with it cooked on a skillet with eggs. The menu had a good selection with healthy and unique combinations for breakfast (if you're not doing the fixe menu) and they also had an extensive wine selection. 

I may go back, but not to drink, and I would probably bring my parents because the average age of customers in the place was approx: 45.
4 - Claire O.: I'm not sure why there are so few reviews for Bistro Ten 18 -- I'm chalking it up to location, since it's separated from the main stretch of restaurants on Amsterdam up towards the 120s.  It's really on par with the best restaurants in Morningside Heights, though (while that may seem like faint praise, it's not meant to be!).  I would never have heard of it if it hadn't been for its recent Groupon special, but we're adding it to our neighborhood rotation of favorites and I'm trying to do my bit to get this restaurant the recognition it deserves.  

The restaurant has an inviting interior and we were lucky to snag one of the cozy back tables near the fireplace.  Service was prompt, attentive, and friendly (in contrast to the ironically named Community Food, where the servers sometimes seem to exude an attitude of anti-community).  Among the starters we tried, the fried poached egg starter was exclaimed over by my dining companions and  is definitely a must -- I'm not sure how they manage the timing of the frying to get the crisp exterior and oozy golden yolk, but they do.  I enjoyed my olive-oil poached cod entree -- the olive tapenade was a punchy foil for the tender, mild fish, and the fennel and potatoes were also well-executed.  Their version of moules frites is also a stand-out, with plenty of succulent mussels.   Everything was well-executed and very fresh.  You won't find a ton of innovative twists here, but that's ok by me -- sometimes it's enough just to do something really well!

We're looking forward to returning -- maybe for a Thursday jazz night?
1 - Gary S.: Horrible food, stay away. I foolishly thought the chicken liver frisee appetizer might be a nice little amuse-bouche. More like a dessicated stale insect, rather a plateful of them. Truly gross food. Followed it with seasonal greens which were  inedible: salty muck scraped from the blades of a lawnmower that ran over something your dog did. Worst meal-NYC can do better.
1 - Charlemagne R.: Really PATHETIC FOOD tonight, and here is how it played out: Three people went to dinner at Bistro Ten 18.

I ordered a burger (medium) and a salad.  The burger was cooked "well done" and tasted very salty... It was not medium... not even pink...  but gray, well done.  

The salad had NO  DRESSING on it, a collection of mixed greens, onions and cucumbers, sliced tomatoes - dry as a bone.  

I also ordered root vegetables.  When I asked our waitress, "What are the root vegetables, please?" she listed these: pearl onions and beets, carrots, parsnips.  When the dish came to the table, there were no beets, and those pearl onions turned out to be garlic instead.  Garlic is fine, but the plate was a mass of crowded greasy objects.

Another person in our party had kale.  It was SALTY and completely INEDIBLE !

The waitress proceeded to tell us that most people like the burgers, and that she never has a complaint.    I'm sorry, but that is not a suitable response.  My reply to her was that I usually don't complain.   The thoughts in my head were this: I will never go back to this place.
In short:  Our FOOD was HORRIBLE.
5 - Kathleen M.: Fantastic service by our British waitress, Fiona- my boyfriend and I went there for brunch and it was a nice atmosphere, and a great deal! Unlimited mimosas or bloody marys with your food, and we never felt rushed- just a lovely time!
5 - David H.: This definitely the best place in the neighborhood.  Very cozy in the winter.  A great place for a last minute romantic dinner even on a Friday night.  Sea food dishes and wild boar are paired easily with good wines and beers.  A place casual enough to strike up a conversation with the locals. LOVE IT!!!
1 - P J.: Will never return to this JOKE OF A RESTAURANT!! Had been a few times before and enjoyed it, however the service was always inconsistent. These morons called 2 hours before our reservation to cancel it. Mind you these reservations were made on Open Table well in advanced. The Manager claimed they never received our "open table" reservation and told us they could not accommodate this request. Furthermore blaming a computer glitch with Open Table and stating they always have problems with Open Table. Never once offering an apology only recommending we try to go to another venue since they have no space for us!! Who the F*CK says that to a customer?? I have never ever encountered any issues with using Open Table, even with making reservations 1 hour in advance. This place lacks accountability & quality customer service! Due to this "glitch" I will never set foot in this place and never recommend it! I would suggest people do the same until they learn how to treat customers with respect, dignity and the proper amount of customer service. Bistro Ten 18 has a lot to learn and far to go! Papa Johns & Subway are better options!
2 - Diana S.: Came here for brunch with a few friends from home and did the $18 brunch special - all you can drink bloody mary and mimosa with an entree. The bloody mary was just okay - I've definitely had better. I got the burger (medium) but it came out well done. There was no pink in it at all!! It also didn't come with any sides - not even fries.

Everything was just mediocre at best. My friend got the beef hash and said it was good, but the portion size is TEENNY and you have to add a $2 supplement.

I'd say pass on this place for brunch!!
2 - SC C.: So we had dinner from Groupon.  Lovely atmosphere.  We were told the night was sold out even though the place was empty.  I don't know it seems like they would be able to juggle the tables to turn them over more quickly.  We came at 6 and suggested they seat us at an 8pm reservation, and we would be out...
Food very expensive for cheap cuts.  My salmon smelled fishy and was undercooked. The corn underneath was great.  The portion for the full dinner plate was the size of my palm - including the corn.  My hand is the same as a middle schooler.  It was a small plate, not an entree.  Disappointing and I would have been mad if it had not been a Groupon. 


The kicker:  my friend got sick from the mussels.  I write this review and she is throwing up green vomit all over the bathroom.  She can't sit, lie down, throw up or find peace yet because of the turmoil.  Thought I would try it again, but not anymore.  The mussels were a lot though - like to feed 4 people, but they weren't cleaned.  She kept having to spit out boney stuff.  Too much garlic, too many onions in the mussels.
5 - Josie D.: My husband and I had dinner here last Saturday night and I must say it was truly wonderful, refreshing actually. Our waiter Jason was absolutely stellar. He was attentive but not over bearing. He was always pleasant and because of him and the wonderful food, we will be back!

I've worked as a waiter in college and know when a server is turning on the charm, I've done it. I am also stickler for good service and I tip accordingly, this guy was just on point in every way. I wish all these new restaurant would train their wait staff to take care of their guest in this manner. 

Wonderful Jason, and best of luck Bistro 1018 in proving that good service is a vital part of the service industry. I hope you see this!
4 - Tsvika K.: I wont take the 1 train specifically to this place but if you are around its recommended Sometimes with live jazz music , very comfortable atmosphere .
Food is fine and wine list is very reasonable .
1 - Rachel H.: I don't know why this place is still in business. I went there with my boyfriend for lunch. The menu was rather expensive. We ordered burgers for each of us. The food took FOREVER! almost one hour and the restaurant was not even full! So finally, when the food came, we were excited to try it. But the fries were cold! Like horribly cold! They must have prepared it before they finished cooking my burger (which took an hour) and thus it was very inedibly cold. It was still nice of them, when asked, to bring out hotter fries to us. Nevertheless, the burgers were very dry and not delicious at all. I couldn't even finish half of mine. And this was for like $13 per person! Could've gone to Shake-Shak for much cheaper and their burgers are much more amazing! Never again coming back.
2 - ken N.: The bar was nice and the happy hour specials seemed good, however, I was disappointed by the sit down meal.  The prices were high and the food was mediocre.  I will not be back but I hope things change because the restaurant's atmosphere is nice.
4 - Kurt R.: Happy to have another good option in a neighborhood I frequent fairly regularly.  Great martini, excellent food, attentive and helpful staff.  I'll be back regularly.
4 - Jack R.: I screwed up a reservation for Mother's Day brunch for ten people. Made it online but made it for Saturday by mistake. They took care of us, bless them. And brunch was terrific. We've had some excellent dinners here when we visit NYC and stay with friends in the neighborhood. Fine service, fine food, fine drink in a pleasant atmosphere.
5 - Chris M.: Without the slightest exaggeration, one of the best meals and dining experiences I've had in a LONG time. I keep flashing on the memory. The entree (spinach pasta and sausage ragout) was shockingly good. The desert, a chocolate raspberry cake, was just amazing. A super sweet waiter who showed up at all the right times and a surprisingly light and very inexpensive bottle of Sauv. Blanc made it total score. I will go way out of my way to go back.
5 - Lesley M.: First time here as a few of my friends live in the neighborhood, and I loved it!
The food was delicious and inventive and the service was casual and friendly.  There was short wait for a table which we didn't mind at all, and relaxed at the bar for a drink while we waited.  I have to say it is a nice little bar and the bartender was great.  This is exactly the kind of neighhborhood placeI love to find in NYC.   I will definitely be back and might possibly make the trip uptown for it!
4 - Andrea C.: Very cozy and charming place. I love the live jazz on Thursday nights, and it is a perfect spot for a date. The bartenders are very cool and nice to chat, if you wish. Decoration is classy-simple, but the place has always been a delight to go.
4 - Audrey T.: We came here on a Friday night; we didn't have a reservation but we were happy to sit outside as it was a nice night.

The service was great; they were attentive and friendly and altogether pleasant.

To share we ordered the following:

- Main fettucini pasta dish: amazingly flavorful, perhaps a bit too salty, with seafood and excellent home-made pasta
- Side of brussel sprouts which were surprisingly good pan fried with bacon
- French fries: a bit soft tonight, which was to my liking, but not to people who prefer crispier fries
- Butternut squash soup (soup of the day): Lovely texture and consistency, not too runny and not too thick

Overall the food was great, and we will probably be back another time! Hopefully next time we'll be able to catch either their 3-7pm or 9:30-12 happy hour!
4 - Dana T.: When you need to get away from the noisy, crowded mobbed restaurants on Broadway, Columbus and Amsterdam, check out this little neighborhood bistro that sits on the corner of 110th and Amsterdam - practically in the shadow of St. John the Divine.  This was my third visit and I'm definitely a fan.  The food is excellent with generous servings on everything we had but the salmon (which was literally the size of a deck of cards).  Loved the spinach pasta with ricotta and sausage ragu.  I'll be back for that in the winter.
3 - Melissa H.: Came here because it was fairly close to the Apollo theater (driving wise).  If I could, I would give this place 2.5 stars. Thought our server was great but I think my salmon sliders were raw---not sure so I continued to eat them.  Also had the oyster special (12 @ 1.50 each) but wish I hadn't ordered them---they didn't taste or look fresh.  The fettuccine was pretty good though but thought it was overpriced @ $22.75.
2 - G Y.: The food was bland and neglectful waiters.
4 - Nicole B.: I came here for the happy hour after work with a few coworkers.  It was a "lets try it" choice.  The happy hour has 2 for 1 drinks which were good and a small tapas style menu for those dining before 5pm.  I had the salmon sliders and the cod croquettes.  The little salmon burgers were amazing but the croquettes were hard to eat.  There was just way too much tarragon used in the mixture.  It was overpowering and destroyed the flavor of the fish.   For dessert I had the creme brulee. It was delish!!!! I will definitely be back!
2 - katherine t.: I really want to like this place, because it's cute and on my way home from work. But it's just been consistently underwhelming.

The first time I ate here it was in a huge group, so I thought the bland food was due to the necessity of ordering from a big-group prix fixe menu (choose among boring chicken breast or white fish or under-sauced pasta).  So when I was walking past and saw that the soup special was "Tuscan Kale & White Bean Soup" I was ready to give the place another chance.

The soup should have been named "giant chunks of carrots and celery with fatty chunks of ham, with hardly any white beans and a couple scraps of kale soup."   It wasn't too bad for what it was, but not impressive, either.  But on the off chance that the other menu descriptions are as misleading as the soup was, I'm not really eager to give this place another try.
3 - Mar T.: I really wanted to like this place -- it looks so stylish and cozy, however my experiences here have been just average.  Both food and service were Okay, but just Okay: not great, not horrible.  The waitress was a little pushy at first interrupting us mid-conversation few minutes after we sat down, asking if we were ready, although clearly we hadn't opened the menu yet.  However, later on in the evening when I needed more wine I had a hard time getting her attention despite the fact that the place is not huge.  The food was Okay but not stellar.  Appetizer was great (Brussels Sprouts with Bacon).  I had fettuccine w/chorizo & shellfish and it was not particularly remarkable -- I expected better.  Maybe I just went here on a bad night.  Both times.  I might give it another try at some point.
3 - Frank L.: Great little bistro in the middle of Columbia area.  The hostess was efficient and promptly seated us.  It was interesting that the restaurant ran out of scallops, so for their Cioppino entree, they are just going to drop them.  For $28.5, you'd think they'd offer to adjust.  That said, ordered the pork chop and the skirt steak, both of which were great.  The pork belly salad was....not so great.  I understand pork belly to be fatty, but for the salad, we got slabs of pork fat.

Table set up is also weird, as no one got salt or pepper and it takes the wait-staff a bit of time to hunt pepper down.  Overall average-to-slow service, but friendly.
3 - Sam T.: Very good food here, nothing super exciting regarding taste. Everything seems to read a lot better than it actually tastes. In fact, I might be convinced that the chef ran out of basic seasonings like salt/pepper. 

The food was good, don't get me wrong. Nothing tasted bad...but nothing tasted great either. The service is wonderful though, they've got amazing servers and a great host. Everyone there is really kind.

Unfortunately, at night, the area is a little creepy though, so make sure to bring your pepper spray
4 - Josh K.: Never too crowded with excellent food, the perfect neighborhood date night venue. Make sure to come on a Thursday when there's live music, and sit outside when it's nice. Try the pork chop, hanger steak, or the fettucine with chorizo and scallop.

It ain't cheap, but for how nice it is, and how accessible it is, I'll take it.
5 - Erin P.: I have never had a bad experience dining at Bistro Ten 18. The food is delicious, the service attentive, and the atmosphere is charming.

I come here most often for brunch and it is the perfect way to spend a late morning/afternoon with good friends. Help yourself to the bottomless mimosa/bloody mary brunch. You can't go wrong with any of their delicious brunch entrees. My favorites are the eggs benedict, corned beef hash, and their delightful lemon ricotta pancakes.

Go and try it out! You won't be disappointed.
5 - Claire M.: This place was amazing! Great food, great atmosphere and bottomless mimosas with $19.50 special menu (not sure if thats just on weekends, but still, amazing deal). Staff were really helpful, friendly and quick with drink refills :)

Bistro des Amis - Houston, TX (29.714812, -95.414706) (West University)
4 - Katie F.: I've driven by this unassuming two-story house at the corner of Morningside and University for years, always wondering what the heck it was.  Apparently prior to being Bistro Les Amis is was nothing special...now it has turned into the perfect little French cafe!  Well, it's actually Basque, but if you're familiar with French food, you'll appreciate and be familiar with the menu offerings.

My mom and I went today for a light lunch, intending to fuel up before an intense day of Christmas shopping.  There's a good-sized deck with seating on the side, and the inside is complete with tiny tables and personal service.  They give you freshly baked baguette slices with fresh whipped butter while you're perusing the menu too.

My mom ordered the baguette with ham (read: prosciutto), field greens and tomato, and I had a sandwich with kalamata olives, tomato, and homemade feta-like cheese. They were both specials: there are more specials on the chalkboard than actual menu items!  All the ingredients were fresh and incredibly reminiscent of eating in a tiny little European sidewalk cafe (minus the ridiculous amount of smokers).  

We skipped dessert, but the owner gave us a tour of the pastry case and said they were all made in-house daily.  Offerings include chocolate mousse, tarts, a special ricotta cheesecake-like dessert, and creme brulee.  Next time I come back to visit, I am partaking for sure.

If you plan to go for dinner, the menu is completely different and changes based on the fresh ingredients of the season.  Apparently Tuesday & Wedensday are the best nights to go: for $19.95, you get an appetizer, side, entree, and dessert.  That's a better deal than TGI Fridays (in so, so many ways)!
3 - Jennifer S.: For New Year's Eve, we wanted to have a nice dinner and toast while ringing in the New Year, so we picked Bistro des Amis. I personally never had eaten there, but there were multiple raving reviews and it was BYOB.

We made the reservation for three at 8:30 pm. The day before, we needed to change the reservation from three to four and the manager said she would try her best. I figured that a table for three should be able to seat four people as well, so I was curious to see this three-person table. Upon arrival, the place was filled except one table, but it was reserved for two. The manager was very accommodating as she let us wait at the one empty table while the party before us finished. Luckily, they were very considerate and facilitated the payment process. One of our friends was running late and the staff had no problem with that. 

Our table was smaller than I prefer for 4 people, but it was manageable and it wasn't that big of a deal.  At least we were allowed to squeeze in one more person at the last minute.  After we were all seated, our cocktails were set up while the first course was served which was Amuse Bec, an assortment of canapes. They were okay, but I'm not a canape connoisseur. The second course was Duck Foie Gras and it was served in a very generous portion.  It was very good and seved with bread.  Next, I had scallops and they were scrumptious! I tried my friend's beef tenderloin and it was just okay. Our next course was an Ossau Iraty cheese plate, which was also very good. For dessert, there was a variety of pie slices served, which were all very good. Excellent Service, very good food and the lovely atmosphere was a perfect combination for a New Year's setting. I will definitely revisit!
4 - Larry K.: I had great cheeses and scallops here.  The French owners obviously love what they do.  No liquor license yet, so bring your own wine.  Hefty corkage fee, however.  The chocolate mousse is just rich enough, not too sweet, with a buttery texture.  You can't beat the four course Tuesday and Wednesday $20 prix fixe menus. Although the space is cramped, the des Amis diners seemed truly happy.  The establishment is well-named.
4 - Sorcha L.: We really enjoyed this friendly French cafe in the little blue house.  I had the spiniach soup, which was rich and flavorful, and the black pepper duck, which was delightfully juicy.  The chocolate mousse was light and airy.  Aside from the extremely attentive service, it really does feel like Paris in there.  Will return.
4 - Sarah S.: Several members of our party enjoyed the Prix-fixe meal.. Many restaurants I have been to in the past have required that all members of the party partake in the multi course meal for anyone to have it, but Bistros Des Amis let us each order what we wanted and delivered the food with great timing; we never felt an awkward period watching each other eat waiting for courses.

Out of all of the things ordered at our table, the most delicious, by far was the mushroom appetizer.  I can't recall the exact name of it, but the flavor was robust and the sauce incredibly creamy. I would order this again and again. 

We enjoyed the leisure with which our meal took place... A very good place to have a long meal with friends.
3 - Julia S.: After my second visit, I figured out why I'm not a fan of this place. Just like most French restaurants in Houston, they try too hard. 

My first visit here, I had the oxtail entree. It was over a year ago and I thought it was just okay, maybe a bit too saucy.

My second visit, I wasn't that hungry so with my mom, I ordered the Young Mesclun Salad with Brie, the Ragout de Champignons, and the Escargot. The salad was great! It was perfectly dressed and combination of grapes, nuts and brie was brilliant. Unfortunately our great dining experience ended there. We found both the mushroom puff pastry and the escargot dishes were overly salty. So to counter the saltiness of the last two dishes, we ordered a chocolate crepe. Again, a disappointment as the crepe was severely smothered in chocolate sauce. Might be paradise to some but again, my biggest complain about French restaurants in Houston, it was too much. The French restaurants in France focus on the food, not the sauce. The sauce is just a compliment and it's usually very subtle. But here it's the opposite, the focus seems to be on the sauce which completely ruins the dish.
2 - Patricia S.: For NYE, I wanted to dine somewhere like Shade or Textile but a friend suggested we try this quaint little BYOB's New Years prixe fixe menu instead. First course was champagne with some savouries and bread, pretty decent. Up next, I chose the lobster bisque which, while good, failed to have ANY crabmeat in it, despite the description on the website. My next course was medium rare chateaubriand topped with red wine sauce, and two hockey puck shaped sides - one with mashed potatoes and cheese and another being some vegetable puree thing. The food was lukewarm and flavor was so-so, but my hunger was satisfied and it certainly wasn't the worst. The people in our group who chose the lobster boat were very disappointed with that plate. It was a tiny puff pastry filled with a lobser mousse, topped with a white wine cream sauce and surrounded by previously frozen broccoli florets and a bed of rice. (see photos)
Dessert choices were either creme brulee or chocolate hazelnut layered cake. They were out of creme brulee at 9:30pm so I had to order the chocolate dessert and try my friend's creme brulee. It was good, nothing spectacular. 
The service was spotty. This nice old lady kept coming by our table to make conversation with us but not once did we get any napkins or water refills.
3 - Emily W.: Quaint/romantic restaurant. Excellent service. House wines for $5/glass. Fixed menu for $19.99 on Tues/Wed. My friend ordered the fixed menu last night which came with pumpkin soup, mango mesclun salad (the mango and Roquefort cheese were delicious), mahi mahi (tough & dry), and choice of dessert (strawberry tart tasted no different than La Madeleine). I decided to be adventurous and try the escargot for an appetizer since I've never had snail before. Thought my taste palate would be more accepting since I've eaten uni and love mussels, but I guess seafood is not the same as snails. They tasted bitter and the broth was actually good had it not been for the snail juice. I don't blame the restaurant, I blame myself for not having an a more cultured taste palate. I ordered the duck breast for my entrée that was covered with this tasty gravy sauce, but the duck itself seemed a little overcooked. 

This is a great place to come enjoy a slow/long dinner and catch up with a friend. I probably would never suggest it, but I'd be willing to eat here again if someone else suggested it.
4 - Thao N.: Good foods, good desserts.  Very cozy and a sweet but low-key place to take your date to for some French food.
1 - Marc d.: If I could give it a zero star rating, I would.  I just got back home from a horrendous experience at this food establishment.  

Here's the short of it:  Food = 3 out of 5, Service = 0 out of 5.  

Today had been a culmination of a very long week and today had been especially brutal.  I wanted to relax and share the beginning of a 4 day holiday with my special someone at a semi-intimate place, so I chose Bistro des Amis.  I had been to this place several times before and decided it would be the perfect place to wind down.  

I had called in advance to make sure they were open and reserved a table for two.  We were seated promptly but did not get attended to for a good 15 minutes; no water, no menus, no how are you doings. We were sitting there, watching the servers ignore us.  I finally caught the attention of, I'm supposing, the bus girl, who whispered to her Russian (I know this because I couldn't help but overhear her tell the other patrons as we sat in our little table waiting to be served) server friend and looked at us.  The bus girl finally gave us a menu.  At this point, we didn't know who was our server and who was the bus boy/girl, so we asked her for info about the menu.  She told us to ask the waiter.  Sure, I'll ask the waiter.  The waiter didn't come for another 10-15 minutes.  That's a total of almost a half hour of waiting!  At this point, I was starving and the romantic evening I had planned was starting to fall apart.  

Our server finally arrived and asked us what we wanted. He seemed a little distracted and not attentive at all; more like he was bothered that he was taking our order. I let that slide. I picked from the prix fixe menu and my partner ordered a small cheese plate.  When the first course arrived, the server just placed the plate in front of me and proceeded to walk away.  I guess he was too preoccupied to realize that we still hadn't gotten our silverware.  He just was not attentive, though I let that slide again. To the restaurant's credit, the first course was superb.  I don't remember what it was called, but it had caramelized onions with cheese and bacon on a flat bread.  

The second course arrived without a hitch.  It was a mediocre seafood curry in a pastry puff, while my partner's cheese plate arrived.  Once again, the server simply placed our plates in front of us then walked away, not even asking if we needed anything else.  None of the 5+ people who worked there, several of them just standing behind the counter, bothered to ask us if we needed anything.  My partner finally got a hold of the bus girl to ask if she could tell our server that he needed sliced apples with his cheese plate (this was after she clarified again that she was not our server).  Meanwhile, our server was behind the counter counting receipts or tallying the night's sales.  After asking the bus girl to ask our server about the apples, the server actually came after about 5-7 minutes and asked us if we needed anything. So, my partner again asked for sliced apples.  Fifteen minutes later....I kid you not!  Fifteen minutes later, the apples had not arrived and the server was still tallying up the receipts behind the counter.  I had already finished my plate and my partner had hardly touched his, waiting for the apples.  We were blatantly ignored!  I decided to walk up to the counter to demand the check because we had had it with the bad service and just wanted to get out of there.  He looked up from behind his reading glasses and said that he was about to serve me my third course.  I asked, when?  Tomorrow?  I reminded him of the apples from at least 15 minutes back.  How long does it take to slice apples?  I lost it when he started making excuses.  We had then lost our appetite, though management served us a complimentary cheese plate for all the trouble.  We didn't touch it, we left my partner's cheese plate half eaten and I left without having touched my third course....and paid full price!  The worst server in the Rice Village came back with our check and announced that we did not have to pay gratuity...duh.  They would have had to pay us for having to endure this horrendous experience.  

All I wanted was to have a relaxing evening with my special someone after a long week.  I was hungry and I wanted good food with good service.  Was that really hard to ask of a French themed restaurant in the Rice Village?  I can't help but feel that we were blatantly ignored from the moment we were seated at our table.  Could it be because we looked like we had no money because we looked so young?  That we didn't deserve top-notch service because we might not tip so well?  Next time I'll wear my scrubs and lab coat when I go out and eat.  Maybe I'll get better service.
1 - Tep C.: Sure the place has character since it is basically a house turned into a restaurant. Besides having character, this place offers nothing else to its patrons. Unless you're one of those that loves to dine at places simply because its unique and believe that such dining experience is for the sophisticated, I would not recommend this place. First of all, the prices are expensive. Taste is lacking. Service would be considered unfit for the dregs of society.  

The service is what actually turned me off the most. I had never had a waiter reach across my face so many times as he was trying to reach a glass. Seriously! Each time, his arm was a mere inch or two from my face. There were also many times when I saw him placing his hands on our empty plates as he was passing them around. I can understand holding the plate by the edge, but to place your hand on top of the plate is just outright disgusting. 

In the end, this is a place I would never visit again.
5 - Cindy N.: I've been here twice.  Both times, my husband's food and mine were awesome.  We thought the food was wonderful.  It's one of my new favorite places.  The first time I came 2 weeks ago, the service wasn't so great and our food went to another table.  The waiter and the bus boy told us it was their 2 day of work.  The second time, I didn't have any problems with their service.  I still enjoyed the food just as much as the first time.  

We had the assorted pate plate as appetizer.  Then I had a chicken wrapped in a puff pastry and the chicken was stuff with mushrooms.  The second time I had the duck.  My husband had the Lamb Oso Bucco (I may be spelling it wrong) and enjoyed that as well. BYOB with $8 corking fee.  Valet is $4.
2 - Christine Kassandra H.: Not sure if they changed owner/ management, but dinner was disappointing today. First of all, the size of our usual foie gras appetizer was cut in half. And then my boyfriend's osso bucco came out cold (frozen?). Lastly, my young mesclun salad had literally 5 pieces of greens. Atmosphere was still great, service was still courteous, but the quality and portion seems to be suffering a bit.
This used to be our favorite BYOB place. :/
4 - Matthew N.: This was a wonderful dining experience.  The patio is wonderful when the weather is pleasant.  We started with a bowl of Spinach soup.  It was delicious!  Bread and butter were brought out.  Also very good.  We ordered a 1/2 pitcher of wine for $10 which gave us each a glass and a half.  Again, very nice.  I ordered the Chicken en croute and my boyfriend ordered the Lamb rack.  They were both DELICIOUS!  Everything was cooked perfectly and the flavors were just amazing.  Both plates came with a side of creamed spinach and mashed potatoes.  For dessert we got two chocolate dished from the display case inside.  The pot du creme was sinfully delicious.  My only complaint would be that it is a bit expensive, but you can definitely taste the quality of ingredients and the time put into each of the dishes (I would have taken off only half a star, but that's not an option).  I would highly recommend this restaurant and can't wait to go back!
4 - Renee H.: I actually hesitated to write a review because it seems like such an undiscovered little gem that I didn't want to be the one to "let the secret out," but now that I see a number of other reivews, I feel inclined to add to the positive reviews :)

I went to lunch with two friends last Friday, and we had an absolutely fantastic time! I know that the gorgeous weather likely played into the over all favorable experience since we were on the patio, but we really really enjoyed our food, our preciously waitress and the time spent.  Now, don't get me wrong...one VERY authentic thing about this place is that they are NOT in a rush for much of anything. Luckily, we went with the intention of "sitting deep in our seats," so we didn't mind the slow service. My friends had a foie gras appetizer, which they seemed pleased with and the portion was large enough that they didn't even remotely come close to finishing it since they wanted to be able to eat their entrees too. Foie gras is not my thing, so I got a savory crepe with chicken and fresh tomatoes and enjoyed EVERY bite!  Good food, cute patio, and BYOB...even though they do have wine there too...I would certainly return!

P.S. Parking is a little precarious, but it's worth the small hassle.
2 - Chen C.: We came here one night for a romantic dinner because we had a gift certificate, and the restaurant was pretty empty the entire time we were there, which should have given us a clue. Soups were average, Escargot was bland (the puff pastry on top was the best part). The rabbit special was pretty good, but the beef bourgignon tasted like it was cooked in 30 minutes, not hours like it should be--The beef was almost inedible. 
Service was slow, and they ignored our table most of the night.
4 - Janice S.: Despite some bad reviews, I liked the place. I'm partial to house-turned-restaurants, so I enjoyed the atmosphere. Inside the house is nothing too fancy. Just a casual, comfortable little house complete with a coat rack and umrella holder at the door. 

Our service wasn't bad. It wasn't the greatest, but neither of us seemed to mind. Our waiter had a heavy French accent and was just succinct in speech. He was kind enough to explain any questions we had about our dishes. Overall, not as bad as what others have said to us. We did go at a fairly early hour, but as most people have said, it wasn't very busy.

We started off with escargot. It was mediocre. A bit flavorless, but the puff pastry did make up for whatever salt was lacking. I had the Chicken en Croute, and my boyfriend had the Chicken Breast Florentine. Although I liked my dish very much, I think my boyfriend's was better because his bordelaise sauce was much lighter than my bearnaise sauce. I didn't think it would be that much of a difference, but it definitely was. Still, both were very delicious. 

Restaurant.com always offers discounted gift certificates to this restaurant, so for what we paid, I enjoyed my experience. I would definitely go back with the gift certificate. Cute date restaurant in a great area. P.S. Park along the street behind the restaurant instead of valeting!
2 - Peter T.: We brought 2 new friends who just moved to Houston less than a year ago. It was a Thursday evening and its about 50% full. We sat outside and sampled some of their specialty like Assiette Gourmande, Lamb Osso Bucco & Lamb Loin. 

Let just say that they are no longer in our favorite list of restaurant, the flavors and charm of this place has totally lost... What happen or will we even bother to know? Nope! Au revoir Bistro des Amis we wont be back any time soon...
2 - Julie C.: We went here last night to celebrate a friend's birthday. The ambiance on the patio was lovely. It was one of those rare pleasant evenings where there was a cool breeze and no Mosquitos.

Pro:
Nice ambiance
Attentive service
BYOB

Con:
Food was just ok. We ordered the wild mushroom ragout in a puff pastry as our appetizer. It was so overly salted it was barely edible. Same for the main dish. It was the salmon topped with crab meat and asparagus in a bernaise sauce. The sauce was too salty and the salmon was not pink, it was white which seemed a little odd. BTW, I love salt and for me to complain about things being overly salted, they must've dropped the entire shaker in my dish. 

I hate to give a bad review but for what you pay here you could get a much better meal at another French restaurant in Houston.
3 - Sarah C.: This is a really nice little place.  Quite small inside, but a fairly large deck area (although we're really getting into that period in Houston where for me it's too oppressive to eat outside unless you're keeping it super light).

They have rabbit, which I love, and it's quite good.  The presentation varies from day to day, so you can have the opportunity to try it a number of ways.  As others mentioned, it's BYOB, which is always fun and in keeping with the relaxed feel of the place.

It's not too expensive and the menu, while not vast, is varied.  It doesn't seem like it would be great with large groups, but for a casual date or a dinner with a friend, it's a great choice.
5 - Dan M.: My wife and I have been regulars at this place since the brother and sister team from the Basque country of France opened.  The portions are sensible size (which is pretty much unheard of in Houston) and prices for both food and wine are very reasonable.  Perhaps most important - the food is really good.  The basque cuisine is a somehow a little more Mediterranean.   Save room - they have a desert case with very tasty - small fresh deserts.   You will feel like you have actually been to a very lovely little country bistro.
1 - G G.: We WALKED OUT of this place due to complete lack of service.  The waitress seated us out on the patio and gave us our menus.  She never returned to take our drink orders, bring us water, or ask us if we had any questions about the menu.  After 15 minutes of being completely ignored we got up and walked out.  She did not seem to have a problem helping the other couple that was on the patio.  The place was DEAD so I don't know what the problem was.  With the high prices of the food you would think they would have great service.  No, no, no.  If you want great food, great prices, and excellent service don't come here.  Parking sucks too.  I will NOT recommend this place to anyone and be sure to tell everyone about my experience.
5 - Hannah F.: This is a wonderful place! I went last week with some friends, and they seemed to be under new management. The food was delicious and the service was good. They have a great patio, so I will be excited to go back when it's cooler out.
3 - Stephen S.: A definite "like." Would give 3.5 stars if I could. But a few things kept it from 4 stars...

Had marmite des escargots as appetizer--escargot in butter and garlic sauce covered with a puff pastry. Served straight out of the oven. Genuinely delicious. One fault--noticed a tiny piece of plastic (very tiny) in the dish, reminding me that the escargots were probably not freshly harvested. This isn't Paris, after all, but there must not be any plastic in my food! Tasted a beef and mushroom appetizer that was heavenly.

Main course was rabbit in a white wine reduction. Tasty but served lukewarm. Spinach was perfectly cooked. Others enjoyed their entrees immensely.

Desserts were mostly good but chocolate mousse was heavenly.

All in all a decent, satisfying meal. Would go back.
4 - Alain H.: A friendly neighborhood gem with excellent food and service. The staff are professional and friendly, making you feel right at home. Cozy and unpretentious, Bistro des Amis is the ideal neighbourhood gem offering the cozy informality & friendly ambiance of a French Bistro with a menu that is delicious, simple and affordable. Fresh and local ingredients are the mainstays of Chef Bernard Cuillier's seasonally changing menu which draws inspiration from French cuisine. Chef "Bernard" achieves simplicity and substance in the bistro's dishes, believing that when you work from scratch with quality ingredients lots of the work is already done. Relax with a refreshing aperitif or dive straight into the carefully selected wine list.
4 - Shelly B.: Food is very fresh, wine is superb and Matt was wonderful...great bistro! I will definitely place this on my favorites. Be sure and meet Matt.
3 - Andrew L.: We had the new years three course.  The chateaubriand and lamb are top quality. The desserts and appetizers left much to be desired.  The up and down taste rollercoaster was not my favorite ride.
3 - Lb Y.: Great service. Ambiance was cozy- with dim candles on the table and nice paintings on the walls. I felt like i was at someone's house. 

It had a good wine menu. The white meat I had were a bit overcooked- like rabbit and frog legs. Otherwise, the lamb chop special had great presentation but the meat was rare-medium when I requested medium. Even then, it could have been juicier and fuller in flavor. portion size was good and the price is average for a restaurant at rice village.
4 - Iana I.: Even though my food wasn't fantastic, I still cannot bring myself to give them anything less than 4 stars. My food may have been a 3, but my boyfriend's was a 5 and the ambiance and service were both 5 stars too. So I'll give them a second chance and unless they do terribly on my second visit, I'll stand by my 4 stars for life.

The set-up is very European. Small tables, smaller wooden chairs, a nice patio where the tables are almost too close together, which is reminiscent of little patios across Europe where space is so valuable that you just learn to lower your voice and enjoy the ambiance of eating out, even if you may accidentally overhear your neighbor's conversation. 

Our service was top-notch. Our waitress not once forgot about us even though we were the only ones sitting outside. 

As far as the food goes, the only thing that really disappointed me were the mushrooms in my crepe. I'm usually a huge mushroom aficionado, and I actually picked mine out of my crepe. I felt very uncultured when she came to pick up my plate and I had left a third of my crepe and 90% of the mushrooms on my plate. 

But the ambiance, service, dessert (and my boyfriend's food) were all so delicious that I definitely want to come back here.
3 - Elizabeth G.: Went here with coworkers for a quick bite.  We were in and out in under an hour.  The setting is cute and intimate.  The patio is lovely and shaded.  I had the mesclun salad with goat cheese with a very tasty vinaigrette.  This place is at least a 3.5.  I'll have to return to try more of the menu and (if warranted) might bump it up to 4.
3 - Crystal H.: Houston Restaurant Weeks Lunch! 3 Courses = $20.00
*Boyfriend and I added the amount that would come out if we were to buy these items separately from the regular lunch menu assuming they're the same portion size and what-not. You save about $3-$4 which is a bummer... 

First Course
Pate Maison (Boyfriend's) - It's served cold and pretty good. Some sliced toasted bread came out, a few shallots, and then a squirt of dijon whole grain mustard on the side. Great starter if you're into duck. 

Ragout de Champignons - Puffy pastry with mushrooms. This was actually just okay. The pastry was cut into two and although the top half of the pastry was flaky, the bottom half felt stale/overcooked and was a struggle for me to cut. The sauce itself was flavorful but too salty for my liking. Perhaps it was reduced too many times over? The chopped basil on top really helped balance out the flavors. 

Second Course
Croque Monsieur (Boyfriend's) - Side of fries. This was very cheesy, they did not skimp on any of the ingredients! I expect my croque monsieurs to have cheese on both sides of the bread but this one only had it on the top. Other than that, it was fairly good but nothing to really rave about. 

Tartin du jour - Side of fries. Croissant sandwich with mixed greens, cheese, pesto, chicken, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms. This was much better than the croque monsieur in my opinion. Had much more flavor and the croissant was really flaky! 

Third Course 
Nutella Crepe (Boyfriend's) - Boyfriend said this was good. Had nice dopples of whipped cream and a lot of Nutella filling. The crepe was soft on the inside and deliciously crispy on the outer edges. 

Chocolate Mousse - No one told me it was going to be WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE. I was expecting a sinfully dark chocolate mousse, not an overpowering milky white chocolate mousse. Great texture, but I don't like my mousse warm, it was just okay. Maybe if they used 70% Cacao like the traditional recipe and chilled it longer it would've been better. 

Service was okay. Nothing too special. The restaurant was busy but they tend to kiss the men in suits butts better than regular looking patrons. The ambiance was cute and the restaurant itself is small. Parking can be a pain on this side of town. You can definitely find better deals for HRW during lunch than this place but nonetheless, the food was still pretty good. Not enough to want to return and nothing I could really crave for.
2 - Emily G.: I hate to give this place only 2 stars, but it's really all it deserves.  Service was wonderful and the place is really cute.  But the main reason a person goes out to eat is for good, tasty food.  This is where Bistro Des Amis fails.  The food is not particularly good and borders on bad.  My husband got the Ragout des Champignon for his appetizer.  The puff pasty was hard and cold instead of light and flaky.  The mushroom filling had a good depth of flavor but was also cold.  I got the onion soup for my appetizer.  It was better than say, Panera Bread or Jason's Deli; but that's the only praise I can give it.  The broth was slightly bland and there was an overabundance of oregano.  For entrees my husband got the Lamb Osso Bucco and I got the Beef Bourginon (sp??).  Both plates came out with a side of weird-textured boiled potatoes and overcooked vegetables.  Both of the proteins were edible, but of course edible does not cut it.  The beef bourginon was in a thin, wan sauce and had no depth of flavor.  If you want to blow your mind, have beef bourginon at Les Mistral in the Energy Corridor.  If you want to be disappointed, go to Bistro Des Amis.  Again, I almost feel guilty giving this place a bad review because I want small, cute restaurants like this to succeed.  But the food is subpar.
5 - G S.: Excellent food and great service!  Had a wine issue and they were extremely accommodating. I'm a foodie and have spent a lot of time in France and really don't understand why this place only got 3 stars.  Food and service was 5 stars. There is only valet parking unless you're able to find something on the street (easier said than done in the village) - probably the only drawback   I'll definitely be back!

Bite Mi - Austin, TX (30.293042, -97.737245) (University of Texas)
3 - Katherine P.: Last summer, when I heard about a Banh Mi shop opening up by campus, I was stoked. Today, after months of anticipation, it was time for me to give it a bite. 

By all means, the food is not bad at all. It was actually decent. However, I was a bit disappointed. I ordered the #5 Banh Mi Cha Lua (Vietnamese sausage) sans cilantro. This is pretty much always my favorite kind to order but today as I took a bite into my sandwich expecting a rush of familiar flavors, they never came. Where was the yummy-ness, where was the divine Asian butter that they always slather up these sandwiches with? I live for that butter (if it's even butter).

The set up for the shop is not the best either. Not too much room to sit and eat. Not gonna lie though, I'll probably be back here several times since it's the closest Banh Mi shop and maybe they'll find the butter next time.
2 - Mike B.: Today's "Grand Opening" was less than grand...

I really had high expectations for a great banh mi place since the current ones in Austin are only mediocre to good.  However I was a bit disappointed and here's why.

I came around 7:45pm tonight to try this place out after my gf was wanting some banh mi.  What I noticed initially was that there were only three tables and two counter spaces to eat on.  Each surface to eat on that wasn't occupied was dirty, there were cups, crumbs and trash on them so I got mine to-go.  There were out-of-stock for 5 sandwich menu items (they only have 10) so I got two "banh mi dac biet" aka "the special."  Each sandwich is roughly $3.50 which I believe to be overpriced for a banh mi especially since you can get better ones in Houston or Dallas for $2.50.  I also waited about 10 minutes to get my sandwiches when there were staff members hanging around when they could have been doing something else like...oh I don't know, cleaning tables?       

All in all that this tainted my hopes for a great banh mi shop.  The actual food here isn't bad, I DO want to stress that point.  The banh mi dac biet was your standard "special" with cilantro, jalepenos, pate, steamed pork, pickled carrots, mayo, and French bread (the bread was pretty good too).  Though it did have something I'm not used to and that was a whole strip of green onion in it, can't recall Vietnamese sandwiches having those in my youth.  

I do want to come back here and give this place another review, one that's hopefully more positive.  Perhaps when they streamline their system and buy a broom.

Cheers

PS - Anyone else get annoyed when the first person to review a venue doesn't have a review that's "cool, helpful, or funny?"  Hahahaha just saying...
4 - Christopher L.: 3.5, but will be back for a rereview. New Banh Mi shop on the Drag? I'll be there a hellabunch.

I've had crispier french bread [though theirs was nice and moist on the inside at least], and they didn't have the beef stew [bo kho] or meatball [mi cha] on my visit. The #2 BBQ sandwich was pretty flavorful, and #1 Combination was tasty too.

Once they get a good system running, stock up on the full menu offerings, and mebbe get some music playing, it'll all be gravy. Hopefully they'll veto the viet popstar 80s rock ballads.
3 - Michelle C.: I really had to smile when I heard that there was a new banh mi place in Austin called Bite Mi.  And I smiled even wider when I heard that it was in central Austin.  FINALLY, banh mi in a central location!

So Bite Mi made the list when we went on a new restaurant tour today.  Pretty good...not the best I've had, but I'd still rather eat one of these than most American sandwiches.

We tried some spring rolls, which were tasty - nice texture, and I liked that they had fresh mint in them.  The sauce that was served with them was not a traditional peanut sauce - it had peanut undertones, but there was also a plummy flavor to it that was familiar, but not in this context.  The sauce was a little too thick, although that was remedied by the addition of sriracha.  At $3.25 for three rolls, they were definitely competitively priced.

The banh mi were decent.  The bread was not as fresh and crusty as other banh mi I've had, and the bread-to-ingredients ratio was too high.  But they were quite large, pretty flavorful, and certainly a deal at $3.25 each (admittedly on the pricey end for banh mi, but these were bigger than average - and again, a steal when compared to their American counterparts).  I had a #1 combo, which features three types of ham, liver paste, and the usual ingredients (Vietnamese mayo, a carrot/daikon mix, cilantro, jalapenos).  I also tasted a #2 (BBQ pork), which I thought had a nice flavor.

Very casual, and it's a small place with only a few tables, so be prepared to either wait for a table or take yours to go if you're there during a busy time.

Fine for those days when you're too lazy to haul all the way up north for your banh mi needs.
4 - Ethan C.: I love me some banh mi so I was excited to see that a banh mi-ery was opening on the drag.  At $3.50, it's a solid option for food in a place that can always use some more variety. 

The banh mi was pretty solid; good flavor and the bread was pretty legit.  If this place were located on north Lamar where all the other Vietnamese places are, I wouldn't think anything of it.  But the mere fact that I don't have to drive 20 minutes north to get a banh mi makes it a winner in my book.
4 - Kit W.: Okay so they were opened one day, closed mysteriously for a week or so and now they've reopened.

Let's discuss the Goi Cuon special that they have right now. 3 Shrimp or Grilled Pork spring rolls for $3.25 = SWEET DEAL.

I opted to get the pork and was not disappointed.  The pork was delightfully grilled, vegetables crisp, noodles soft and only $1.08 for each spring roll? AWESOME.  I didn't care too much for the dipping sauce though.  It was a bit too salty and peanut-y for me.

I also got one of the Banh Mi obviously as it was the whole point in my  venturing out to this part of the drag.  I got the Vietnamese meat ball sandwich (#4 I believe) with everything on it.

Good stuff: lots of crisp carrots and daikon with vinegary sauce.  Bread was crispy. Really rich yummy mayonnaise. Cilantro and jalapenos.

Bad stuff: Liver Pate (my bad, i forgot to not ask for any.)

I can't really comment on the quality of the meatballs in my sandwich since there is so much going on in it already. They don't taste bad, but I can't say if they're amazing either.

I wish the price were lower for the sandwiches, but a banh mi shop centrally located is worth the slightly higher price....I suppose.
4 - Shannon O.: I'd probably give it about 3 and a half stars, but I'll round up.
I went over there for lunch today.  I was THRILLED to see a banh mi place open up on the drag.  
They are probably one of my favorite sandwich types and I have tried just about every restaurant in town that serves them.
I went in around lunch time and while they were busy, service was quick.  I was disappointed they didn't have any diet drinks in the cooler.  Coke or Sprite just doesn't cut it for me.  However, I'll cut them some slack and hope they get more offerings.

I picked up at #2 (grilled pork) to go.  I brought it back to my office and dug in.

Is it the best in town? no.  Is it good? yes.  Is it one of your better Asian choices on the Drag? oh hell yes.

On first bite, the sandwich was suprisingly sweeter than I was expecting.  The marinated veggies tasted like they marinate them in house, and that's a good thing.  The bread could be crispier, but overall, it held up on the 10 minute walk back to the office.  

The sandwich has a good balance of flavors along with a little heat, but not too much.  

All in all, the sandwich was a nice find on the Drag.  It was priced well for what you were given, and was definitely tasty.  It's going on the regular rotation for places I hit at lunchtime.
2 - Jin C.: I have tried only one dish, their most popular sandwich, the BBQ sandwich. I really like Bahn Mi and was very disappointed by this sandwich. I didn't like the bread, and they didn't put enough meat inside it - that's like 80% of what's good about a sandwich to me, so I can't like this sandwich. 

Small place with not much seating, only street parking, friendly service, cheap prices ($3.50 a sandwich, but not good value in my opinion).
2 - Wendy L.: I was very excited when I saw a banh mi place opening near campus however I was super disappointed in the place. I ordered the #2 sandwich BBQ pork and did not find it enjoyable at all. I found the bread more chewy than crispy, and that the sandwich barely contained any meat in it. The meat was somewhat tasteless too. I also found the sandwich price of $3.50 not worth it. I have had many better banh mi sandwiches in Houston that were tastier, provided more meat, and charged $2.00. I can honestly say that I will not be going to this place again.
5 - Andrew J.: Blah blah "not the best in Austin" blah blah "25c too expensive" blah bloody blah... no Diet beverages? I nearly had an aneurysm at the very thought!

All the less enthusiastic reviews are right: we do need to shut this place down and build another paean to corporate sandwiches like the ones we already have on the Drag. You know, the ones where the gimmick is that you can choose what goes on your sandwich with a sharpie (heavens! they made it just for *me*!) or the one where the sandwiches have funny names, they inexplicably "sell" jars of pickles and all the staff are vaguely creepy in their faux-friendliness ("How are you doing today?"/"Great choice!"/"I am an automaton"). And while you're at it, please allow me to pay $7+ for such an experience while listening to airheads braying about the vaguely lewd  text message they received from Trey five seconds ago. 

Here's what you need to know:

- Cheap and tasty food. I got the #1 and was very pleasantly surprised: an interesting mix of flavors and MILES away from generic white bread, piles and piles of processed meat and cheese that all tastes the same. I wolfed it down and it kept me going all day.

Some reviewers seem to slight them for not having bread made fresh three minutes ago by a phalanx of nubile, yet highly skilled virgins and carried to them on platters of pure silver. Naturally, something *was* missing, and I think I now have my finger on it. The pâté felt like the chicken livers had been lightly mashed instead of delicately mashed (two stars off instantly, in my book) and the pickled carrots reeked of a 34-day marinade cycle instead of the sweet pungency of  the vastly superior 35 days. Furthermore, the cilantro (grown locally, naturally) was probably sourced from farms on the northwestern periphery of the Hill Country, and as everybody knows, the best cilantro is the shade-grown varietals from north northwest of the Hill Country. Another star struck vehemently from the review!

I myself was disappointed that they did not supply a concubine to break the sandwich into chunks and feed them to me. I even yelled "Wenches!" but there were none forthcoming. Casual dining on the drag has declined in quality of late.

- The staff seem to give a s*it about their customers.Go in there: see how nice they are! Oh, Lordy, how do we need more of these establishments. 

Here's a place on the drag you can get a filling and tasty lunch for $3.50. It's different. It's locally owned.  Yes- it's rather sparsely decorated. Yes- there's not much seating. Boo hoo. They're finding their feet but we should be grateful that such a place exists amongst the empty storefronts and generally homogeneous malaise of Drag eateries. 

Bite Mi, I salute you for trying and doing so well thus far.
3 - Samantha G.: Bite mi. That's a rather unfortunate name, isn't it? Here's a scenario:
"Where shall we go for lunch today?"
"Bite mi."

It doesn't sound great, but boy am I glad to have a Vietnamese sandwich option in the UT area! I haven't made the banh mi tour of Austin yet, mostly because the other places are pretty out of the way for me, or are carts that open/close at utterly random hours, so I appreciate the reliability of Bite Mi (okay, I HATE typing the name. I'm sorry.)

Today was the first time I tried *this place*, but I know I'll be back, and I hope to give them another star or two because I really, really want this place to stay around.

I had their meal combo - a sandwich, chips or spring roll, and a drink, for $5. YES, I agree with everyone who's pointed out that Houston banh mi are way cheaper, but think about it, people. Are you going to drive to Houston to get yourself a good banh mi? NO, you will pay a bit more to have your mediocre banh mi here in Austin, and dammit, you will LIKE it. And $5 for a meal that was more than I could eat, and edible to boot? That beats any of the boring deli meat/greasy pizza on the drag.

Anyway, the sandwich...I agree with others who said the bread was not so fresh. It tasted like over-processed supermarket french bread, when we all know it should be fresh and crusty and chewy on the inside. I had the tofu version, and the tofu was pretty good, actually. I could have used far more in the way of carrots/radish/cucumber/jalapeno, but there was a good amount of cilantro at least. And the mayo...it was just mayo. In Houston, I used to always get banh mi without mayo because I generally hate it, but one time I forgot, and you know what? It wasn't just mayo. It was a revelation of garlic and love. But that was not the case here. Aside from that...I got a spring roll (also tofu) which was really quite good, in the scheme of things. I realize I keep comparing everything to Houston, but I once read somewhere that Houston is home to the 2nd-biggest Vietnamese population outside of Vietnam, so it would be quite unfair to put Austin in that league.

The ambiance...well, it's nothing special. But does it need to be? No. What this place DOES need is a name change, better bread, and some more seating. I'll be back to see to it that these changes are made.
2 - Linh O.: Pros - if you're a student well it's right on the drag.  and for it's location i'd say it's a pretty good price also considering who they're catering to... and you don't have to go up north.

Cons - yes old bread, average meat, some pickled veggies, subpar pate if it is pate at all, and they're pretty spare on the fillings in general.  basically it's austin.

my own personal complaint though...one which sort of bugged me is that i was talking to a worker late before he was closing and asked why there was barely any jalepenos and he says "well the white people can't take half a slice so i cut it into 1/4ths."  ok sure so i ask for extra spicy or whatever since i like spicy foods and he basically still gives me nothing at all.  I've now asked on three separate occasions for extra spicy and haven't gotten anything more to make it any spicier.  I've opened the dang banh mi up and taken it apart to literally find... TWO 1/4th slices of jalapenos.  I'm inclined to go stand in front of the guy making the banh mi, eye ball him, and ask that he puts at least 20 1/4th slices of jalepenos into my banh mi, i'd even pay more except i don't think the guy making the thing even cares cause late at night i know he can hear me say "extra spicy" since i'm the only customer in the store.  they're also slow, so, so slow for something so easy to make when everything's already set out right in front of you.  honestly i think it's a joke how much they don't seem to care about the little details.  but i guess that's why they're on the drag.


and yes, Andrew J... what the heck are you talking about man.
1 - Vincent N.: Went there for lunch and it was really crowded. That doesn't bother me, but since they are super busy, I think they don't know how to deal with the rush and then sandwiches suffer. I had the #9, and it tasted like sandy noodles in a crappy loaf of bread.

It seriously tasted like I was eating a glass dust sandwich. I couldn't take more than 2 bites. Friends of mine had the #1 and #2, and although it looked better than mine, the consensus was that it wasn't anything great.

I write this review on my experience (and I'm not one to be shocked by how horrible a sandwich was, but damn, son) which alone I think was a 1 or 2. This place was not worth it, even if it is around $3.
5 - Jason O.: This is probably the cheapest place for food near the drag.  $3 for a reasonably filling sandwich?  Amazing!  The sandwiches are great, much better than the boring usual ones you can get at Potbelly, JJ's, or the other typical places in the area.  It's probably not the best bahn mi in the city, but it's a great food option when you're in the area.  One complaint:  Their latenight hours are really inconsistent. I never know if they're going to be open or not.
3 - Jina C.: my standards are pretty high when it comes to vietnamese sandwiches since I live near Viet Town, USA aka Westminister, CA. Bite Mi was so subpar and for the prices, I think it's not worth it. I got the chicken sandwich and it was so dry and TINY! It made me yearn for my good old Lee's Sandwiches...Chicken sandwich for 2.50!!!  

There are better places in Austin to get viet sandwiches. For the prices at Bite Mi, i rather just go to Subway for the 5 dollar footlong.
2 - Andy N.: Price is relatively cheap for being on campus.  Rent is probably through the roof, so the slightly inflated price is understood.

That being said, I don't mind paying extra for good food.  Bite Mi failed to deliver in my book.  The bread just killed it for me.  Sub par 'crispiness' on the outside and a soggy ass inside.  Compound that with the not so fresh mushy cucumber, you get the same texture as a Subway sandwich that's sat in the car for a few hours with an attempt at reviving it by throwing that bitch in the oven.... not that I've tried that before or anything.
1 - wenting x.: i grew up eating chinese/vietnamese food and there are a few things that makes a banh mi:

1) crispy fresh bread
2) fresh veggies
3) yummy, juicy, tender meat

and bite mi had none of the above. needless to say will not return and also did not finish my sandwich.
4 - Paul K.: Given the mediocre reviews, my expectations were low.  I've only had Me So Hungry in Austin but I've had some of the best in NY and SF, and I think this definitely compares with Mi So Hungry (which gets much more favorable reviews).  It was more long/slender than many other Banh Mi's I've had - the baguette was nice and crisp on the outside, and chewy on the inside.  I ordered the grilled pork - it was good...the pieces were a little thin, but still moist enough, and a great flavor (better flavor than Mi So, but not as thick of pork)....the same pork used for bun tit nuong (grilled pork over vermicelli).  Very flavorful and I found the vegetables used to be fresh (cilantro, jalapeno?)
4 - Donald P.: Bite Me only getting a 3 star rating while Potbelly's gets 4 stars is a sad sad statement on the taste of Yelpers.

Yes, Tam Deli and Baguette House make better bahn mi sandwiches, but guess what, they're five miles north on Lamar.  If you're on or near campus there is no better place to grab lunch.  Don't be fooled by the low reviews. They're comparing this to other (admittedly phenomenal) bahn mi shops.  Compare Bite MI to the 'American' sandwich options on the drag and it wins hands down.

Get the grilled pork.
4 - Ryan G.: I had an awesome sandwich at Bite Mi the other day. I got the #2 (grilled pork I believe, served with fresh veggies and a sweet/spicy sauce that was subtle)and it was freakin' great! I haven't tried anything else yet, but for a grand total of 5.50 I got a decent size and fresh sandwich, a spring roll, and a drink. I don't think you can ask for more than that. Oh, and did I mention, the sandwich was bomb? 

If you are on the drag and you want something quick, cheap, and tasty stop by Bite Mi.
4 - Mary V.: I'm stuck in Austin for the summer while the rest of my family is back at home in Houston, eating amazing homemade Vietnamese food. In addition, the boyfriend's away, and I'm lonely at home... watching Sex and the City all day long. Home alone with hunger? It's a tragic tale, isn't it?

Yeah, sandwich cravings totally took over me, so I thought I'd go back to Bite Mi. 

They raised their prices since my last visit, and they obviously know what their bestseller is--the #2, the char-grilled pork sandwich which is priced at $3.70. I had it the first time and thought I'd give it a second try. Feeling extra hungry, I also went for #4, the meatball sandwich. It sounded appetizing and was a little cheaper. I made my order to-go, so I could munch while I watched my show at home. I started scarfing down the #4 as soon as I left the restaurant since I noticed it had more sauce than the other sandwich.

I completely made out with this sandwich in public, devouring it whole before I even stepped back into my apartment building. Creamy, spicy, meaty... yum!

I'm currently working on the #2, but I think I probably got more than I needed. It's a little better than  remembered!

Perhaps my cravings are getting the best of me, but I'm giving Bite Mi one more star. I probably won't ever give this place five stars because their menu has embarrassing typos. "Vercimelli and rice bows" Rice bows are in fashion this season, you know.
2 - Patrick L.: The thing about this place is that, it's like ordering a barbacoa taco at taco cabana. When you get a house special and peek inside nothing is missing... it tastes like a Vietnamese sandwich... but then again nothing stands out, there's no *pop*.

I don't get why they only have 1 employee working at noon. The poor girl was frantically trying to take orders and prepare sandwiches at the same time. Ultimately this place is too slow, defeating the idea of being a quick banh mi fix for students going in between classes.
1 - Kristi K.: I loved Bite Mi when it first opened.  I've never had any other Vietnamese sandwiches, so for the price, I thought it was great.  

Okay, but today, and somebody please respond and tell me it was some vegetable that resembles hair, but today, I got the bar b que pork, or chargrilled as it's now called, and I noticed stringy, hair-like things.  At first I thought it was just the pork shredding.  Then I thought it must be some sort of leafy vegetable sprout.  But I finally pulled one out for closer inspection, and it was a coarse, short HAIR, black at the tip and blondish brown on the other side.  And I pulled out like four more, short, stiff HAIRS off the top of my meat.

WAS THIS PORK HAIR?  What was I EATING?  I get that...  in the scheme of things, it's really not any more gross than eating meat as a whole, but it's the idea of how they may be preparing their food that really got to me.

I didn't really want to think too much about it, so I just threw the rest away.  Two hours later I have a bad stomach ache.  Likely not related to pig hairs, but perhaps linked to some other nefarious cooking practices.

I am very open to someone enlightening me as to what it possibly was in my sandwich.  I still cannot believe it was tufts of piggy.

The cashier was really friendly, though.
2 - Bette Russell M.: I have a love/hate relationship with this place. First off, I should mention that I've only tried one combo here (barbecued pork sandwich, #2). I recently moved here from Corpus Christi and was missing the wonderful chargrilled pork sandwich I'd get at Saigon Cafe. I loved Bite Mi's version so much that I got it every time I went. My husband tried a few different combos and wasn't impressed with any of them. He did like the #2, though.   I went to Bite Mi a few times last semester, but have not been able to go back for various reasons.  First of all, they're closed on Saturdays. I mean, come on. I also tried to visit on a Sunday afternoon, and they were closed then, despite the fact that the hours posted on the door said they should have been open. There was no sign indicating why they were closed or when they'd be back.  I tried to call using the number they list on facebook to see if they were open the last time I had the urge to head over there and got some weird fax machine noises (the number listed on yelp is for another business). 

So... I've given up. It should not be this difficult trying to get a damn sandwich.
2 - Steve W.: The BBQ "Chargrilled" pork wasn't very "char-grilled", but it was moist and heavy on the flavoring.  Fairly sweet with fish sauce.  However, It was missing the required nuoc mau/nuoc hang that defines the flavor of Vietnamese grilled pork (http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?/topic/121000-vietnamese-kho-dishes/).

I'm undecided on the bread.  It was light, crumby, and airy - too airy for me.  I prefer my bread slightly chewy with a thicker crust.  I wasn't asked if I wanted peppers or not, and didn't receive any.  Major bummer there.

Don't expect your sandwich to look like it does in the pictures on the window.

The biggest disappointment was the price: $4 even.  At Lily's or Thanh Nhi  you get a slightly bigger sandwich for about $1 less.  I might go back and try the "Special" (I assume they have one - headcheese, pate, and ham) as these are the two sandwiches I use to judge a Banh Mi shop.  But I'm in no hurry to try it again.
3 - Steve B.: Good, not great, and inexpensive.

I had the number 2, barbecued pork banh mi and along with an eggroll and a soda it was $5.40.  It was quick, tasty and filling.  The bread was fresh, and the crust was crispy, seemed just about right.  The place needs a bit more A/C though--very stuffy in there on a hot day.  Nice to have a banh mi stop in the area.

They will not put Baguette House or Tam Deli out of business, but nice to have one in this neighborhood.
1 - Michelle L.: I went in during the summer with a friend of mine who really enjoys this place. It didn't take us long to order, but we found out it would take about 20 minutes for the order to be completed. The girl said she was the only person as a cashier and the only person making the sandwiches. With that that said, we both decided to tip her a little more generously, and sat down with a drink. I believe it was only a little over $5 for a canned drink, a vietnamese spring roll, and the sandwich. Pretty cheap prices, especially around the UT area. 

We waited, and waited, and waited. We waited so long that my 1.5 hour in between my two classes ended up with me running to class (5 min left!) with my sandwich and spring roll in tow. I finished my drink about 45 minutes ago. I had ordered something that seemed a bit exotic and I wasn't exactly sure how it would taste. First few bites were good. Upon then did I notice that there were carrots, cilantro, and spicy peppers/jalapenos in my sandwich. Neither of these I like in any sandwich. On the menu, there was no sign saying what the staple vegetables were going to be in the sandwich, but I suppose I should have asked. I hesitated because the line behind me was so long, and I didn't want to be one of THOSE people. 

I tried to finish my sandwich, but it was too spicy. I could take the cilantro and carrots, but the peppers make my eyes so teary. When I tried to eat the spring roll, it was so limp and tasteless that I had to throw it all away as well. 


All in all, not a great first experience here, and if they keep only one girl doing all the work, it's not likely I'll be back.
5 - George B.: #=$3.70 for vietnamese sandwich which is actually a French baguette stuffed with sweet bbq pork slices,green onions and shredded carrots. For 30 cents more, a $5 combo deal adds a spring roll.
Well worth your money.
3 - Alison C.: I like Bite Mi because it's close to campus, tastes good, and is cheap. I don't like Bite Mi because it's crowded inside (the tables are too close together) and the wait time is fairly variable. If you have enough leisure time to hang out while your sandwich is made, it's great, but if you're looking for more of a grab-and-go place, you may want to try something else, especially if it looks busy inside.

That said, I get the tofu sandwich (number 8), and it is great. I don't even particularly care for tofu, and I still crave this sandwich when I'm on campus. Try it!

Also, they do charge a fee for using credit or debit cards for orders under 10 dollars. I think it's 25 cents, and while that's not an outrageous fee by any means, it kind of irks me and I always wish that I'd thought to bring cash.
4 - L L.: Update alert!  I stopped in for my first Bite Mi banh mi in several months and I'll be damned if it wasn't a way better sammie than the old ones!  They must have changed things up a bit over the summer.  Loads of toppings, fresher bread, and generally more delicious than ever.  Nice job, Bite Mi!
1 - Jane K.: Quick bite for students on the go. 
Dislike their inconsistency when it comes to the quality of their food. Sometimes the baguette is toasted, sometimes it's stale, and sometimes just cold. Sometimes there's meat and sometimes there's almost none. So when they get it right, and when they dont...
Needs some change in interior design. Focus on one theme and one theme only. And that jewelry box.. is out of place.

How much can you ask for a $5 combo meal that includes one bahn mi, spring roll and drink?
3 - Darby V.: Like the price... $5 for a combo: bahn mi, spring roll and a drink.  Bit small, but thats the campus vibe for you.  My one complaint... I like a nice runny fried egg on my Bahn Mi, like you can get a Tam's Deli.  This place just scrambles the egg.  Not at all the same.
4 - Steve E.: I came here on a recent weekday for lunch and ordered the grilled pork banh mi combo (which comes with chips and a drink) for $5.  

Right off the bat, they get a star for price.  +1

Due to its proximity on the drag, there are tons of students who eat here.  Because there are tons of students who eat here, and because the place only has seating for about 10, and because those students tend to read the paper, sit and chat, or check their facebook account long after finishing their meals, it means you'll likely not find a place to sit.  Minus one star.   -1

Service was good.  You order at the counter and they bring it out to you.  No attitudes from the person working the register, nor did they appear to hate their job.  +1

The sandwich arrived in about 5 minutes, so another star for being quick.  +1

The food tasted good.  Maybe not the greatest banh mi sandwich I've ever had, but quite tasty (with good french bread) nonetheless.  Add another star.  +1

Intangibles:  Actually going through with it and naming your restaurant  what, no doubt, must've come from a long night of drinking with friends.  +1
2 - Lauren A.: I got the beef banh mi because I've been eating beef banh mi for lunch once a week for the last year while living in Boston, and this banh mi did not hold up.  

The bread tasted like it came from a supermarket - bland and stale.  There were about two, two-inch long strips of vegetables on the beef, plus a little mayo, and a ton of black pepper.  It kind of tasted like a banh mi, but mostly it just tasted like black pepper on a stale roll.  

Yeah, it's cheap, but so is every other banh mi place, and their sandwiches are tastier and larger.  I really want Bite Mi to succeed so I can have banh mi in between classes, so I'll be back to try the other sandwiches - next up, the special, followed by the pork.
2 - Rebecca L.: Their sandwiches are ok, but "meh. I've experienced better." For one, the portions are ridiculously small. If I'm going to pay $3.25 for that, I might as well drive to Houston and get me a sandwich there. The tables there are also keeping with the ridiculously small theme, and I feel like the service could be better. Don't act like you're doing me a favor by taking my order. It's your f*cking job.
3 - Jonathan G.: Sandwiches are decent, Thai ice drink is different at best. I am currently looking for the best place for Vietnamese Sandwiches, this is not it.
5 - Jon L.: Fast, friendly, and cheap. Ordered a tofu sandwich ($3.50) and it was made to order, fresh ingredients, and tasty as can be. Was there just before noon and had great service. As I was finishing lunch the place got to be very crowded, so I suggest beating the lunch rush.
4 - Boston in Austin A.: Decent food, very inexpensive, friendly service.  That is really all you need to know about this on-the-go place on the strip.

I got the #2 Pork BBQ.  I'm told that is the way to go.  For the price, it was more and better than expected.  Have I had better Viet sandwiches, yes but I also paid more.  This place exceeded expectations.  Also, the vietnamese man behind the register was super friendly and appreciative.

Also, they have a good selection of Asian sodas, canned drinks, and traditional thai drinks like thai iced tea and young coconut juice which is a plus.  I definitely recommend trying these if you've never had them.
4 - athena o.: Great place  to grab a quick lunch.
Yummy sandwich and drink, etc. for about  $ 5.

They use great crusty bread, tasty and simple ingredients, and fills the belly.
4 - Steven C.: Bite Mi is a delicious, no an amazing, no an outrageous place to eat. I love Vietnamese sandwiches; but finding a place that serves this sandwich in its natural, healthy-fresh way is hard to come by.  The pork Bahn Mi is the way to go. BTW the bread is great, there are a plethora of veggies and the pork Bahn Mi is mayo-free unlike the heavy yet very delicious East Sixth Street competitor's Bahn Mi .
4 - Jennifer N.: I was actually skeptical about eating here since  I dont like to order Vietnamese food in a town where theres not a lot of Vietnamese people. However, I wanted a quick bite to eat and my hubby heard it was good.

The sandwiches were of pretty good quality. My hubby loves how the cilantro and green onions were chopped up right in the sandwich. It gave it an even "bite" and you didnt pull out the entire strand of cilantro in other sandwiches.

My favorite part was probably the spring roll. Scratch that, the sauce was yummy, very flavorful. 

I would prefer to give 3 1/2 stars because Im not a fan, but it was slightly better than A-OK. The guy at the front was nice, too. When I went back to get drinks, he adjusted the cost so that I had the "combo" price rather than charging me as if the drinks were a separate order.
3 - Jessica L.: I went here yesterday and ordered what the cashier told me was the most popular bahn-mi, the chargrilled pork. The meat was tasty, however it left me wanting more and the veggies were nice and fresh. The meat:veggie ratio was a little off kilter. Could have used more meat and less veggies. The bread was fresh and toasted, yet soft. 

The service was quick and the price was right for an on-the-go snack. The restaurant is tiny and the instrumental music is a little too loud, but that's not to say I won't be back again.
5 - Sisi Z.: Upon further inspection, this is as good as it gets, especially considering the location. 

The baguette is perfectly crispy, but still soft; the meat is super flavorful; the veggies are fresh; and the owner, Thuan, is super nice. 

The price is still kinda high for a regular sandwich, but if you have the student handbook, it's 2 for $6! ftw! =D

oh, and +1 for their Thai tea!

(Tip: cards get charged a fee for purchases under $5)
4 - Riley R.: Mmmmmm I had the scrambled egg sandwich, and it was delicious! and cheap.
i will be going back [:
1 - J j E.: I ordered the chicken sandwich, and it was cheap enough that with I was able to buy two with my $8 groupon so I gave one to the girl behind me. I soon found out why they were so cheap the chicken was very thin, to the point I wondered if  their was any chicken in it. It is sad when small local businesses fail on simple things like sandwiches.
4 - Mason C.: I don't get all these bad reviews. This place has sandwiches for $3.50. Complaining is like going to HEB and buying sushi and then hating on the fact that it's not restaurant quality. The price, taste, and location alone is something to be excited about.

I had a beef sandwich and it had some very green veggies, crispy bread, and tasty beef. Seems like a cool place to me.
4 - Tricia K.: I am perplexed at the bad reviews for this place. Sure, if you compare it to an American or European sandwich style shop, it would be like comparing apples to oranges. This is a Vietnamese sandwich shop. I was at UT Austin for a day to do some recruiting and there were plenty of the aforementioned types of sandwich places which made Bite Mi a wonderful discovery for me!

I am a devoted lover of the cold cut types of banh mi. I would describe these sandwiches as an Americanized version because the meats are sliced thinner and are less "head cheesy and garlicky" than the authentic versions. The overall structure of the sandwich is lighter but I still found mine to be delicious.

For $5 you get the whole sandwich, a canned soda and your choice of a spring roll, egg roll or chips! I'd say that is a really good deal.
4 - Peter F.: In a food mecca like SF this place would be a 3 star joint but here in Austin I think it is wholly deserving of 4 stars.  The bahn mi's range from 3.25 to 4 which is a little on the high side but not too bad.  This is definitely an Americanized version of bahn mi but it's still quite good.  The grilled pork and grilled beef were particularly good.  The sandwiches could use a little more meat and a lot more jalapeno but overall they are very satisfying although you might need to eat two if you're hungry.
2 - T. Mateo W.: OK. I am a bit of a vietnamese sandwich lover, and unfortunately Bite Mi was lacking. Overall the flavor was there, the texture was not. The bread is perfect, fresh crunchy outside and soft inside. The veggies were freshly cut and perfectly proportioned in the sandwich, especially good with the mayo and Sriracha Chilli Sauce. The meat was WEAK, it was soggy and greasy and made the bread soggy, very disappointing. I wish it had been better because I work downtown and this is the closest vietnamese sandwich shop around.
4 - Amelia B.: Who doesn't love a restaurant that blasts StarWars over the speakers???

The #8 Hoison Tofu sandwich is too damn good, I crave this weekly!  And for $3.50 a pop how could you go wrong??  This place is so awesome, I almost don't want people to like it so they will stay random and cheap.
5 - britt b.: Tasty & cheap

This place is a gem. I like the grilled pork bahn mi sandwich. Pork is tasty, well seasoned, served on a large baguette with veggies (cilantro, carrot, cucumber). I usually add some Sriracha.

Get the special - for a mere $5 - it includes a large sandwich, drink and either: eggroll, springroll or chips! 

Don't let the line fool you they really can turn the food out quickly.
Only bummer is the tiny amount of available seating.
3 - Jonathan L.: I love me a good Vietnamese sandwich and Bite mi did not disappoint! Bite mi meets all the essential ingredients for a banh mi shop: must be disturbingly cheap (sandwiches are all around 3.25 to 3.75) and scrumtrulescent!

My chief complaints are that the sandwiches are somewhat lacking in spice compared to what I've had before, they should really have options to tone up the spice and garlic levels. Regardless though, Bite mi is worth the trip!
4 - Jo H.: Vietnamese Sandwiches... Authenticity? I don't know how close to it you can get in Texas... but it was good... The sandwich hubby had was the Grilled Pork sandwich which was good, flavorful, the "relish" (carrot, diakon) was a bit spicy, bread was crunchy and their combo wasn't half bad cept I didn't care for the spring or eggroll.  I had the Combo sandwich which had the vietamese cold cuts and some pate. I loved the flavors I requested no peppers which I was glad as the relish was good enough for me.  I would definitely go back! I will say the counter person was kinda off putting initially but they warm up after a bit and they did forget to give me my egg roll (did not care for it), I had to get hubby to ask for it as I was finishing up my sandwich and he was already done, gotta love him! :)
4 - Matt T.: I think this place should have a higher ranking than it currently does (3 stars at the moment).  The vegetables are always fresh and taste it.  The price is quite low (2 sandwiches for $8).  I've been twice and not had the inconsistency (or long wait) problem that some report.  I believe their best sub is the chargrilled pork.  In short, I'm not sure why this place doesn't have more love.  I think if you were getting the same food/price at a food truck it would have 5 stars.
5 - clayton m.: Best sandwiches in Austin by far!

I crave this place daily! 

They need to branch out!

And I love their punch card idea!
4 - Wei H.: Went there with a friend for a light dinner and it was awesome!

The place is a bit dirty and under maintained and service isn't great... but the food is extremely good! My friend had the seemingly most popular chargrilled pork and he said it was delish. I had the tofu mi and added sriracha and absolutely loved it! Size is perfect for lunch or a light dinner. The bread was toasted right there and super crunch and yet soft inside. They use a lot of ingredients and there's a picture showing the layers so you can take out stuff that you don't want.

Prices are unbeatable - $3.5-3.75/mi. They also have the $5 combo which i highly recommend - a vietnamese roll that my friend had was shrimp and they have a variety of yummy Chinese canned drinks to choose from!

Overall a great eat and i will totally go again. I can see it getting very packed once fall semester starts though.
3 - Nuria M.: Wouldn't go out of my way to come here, but I work nearby so I'm glad it's in the neighborhood. I always get the tofu banh mi and the service is quick if there isn't a line. The quality varies from just decent to real good -- sometimes the tofu is a little overcooked and tough, sometimes the bread isn't as fresh as others, they could usually add more veggies. It's a reasonable option when there's no time to head to North Lamar for a banh mi fix.
3 - Christina B.: If I wouldn't have had to wait so long for my sandwich, I would give this place 4 stars. That being said, for lunch (or dinner) you can pop in here and get a sandwich, a "side" (egg roll, spring roll, or chips), and a drink for $5. Not too shabby!

I got the tofu sandwich and a vegetarian spring roll. Both were really tasty, and came with a peanut dipping sauce for the spring roll which I also dunked pieces of my french bread into. 

Close to my work and fairly cheap. Seems like reason enough to return for me!
5 - Slevin S.: $5 gets you a sandwich, a side (like the best springroll on the drag), and a drink. It's hard to beat that! Unfortunately I don't think that anything here can be made completely vegan but I hope someone tells me I'm wrong. The vegetarian option is garlic hoisin tofu banh mi, and the tofu is perfect-- not leathery but not too squishy. The service is also amazing, at least the last time that I went in. They are trying really hard to build a business of repeat customers. 

My only complaint is that the food makes you really hot due to the spiciness, and the restaurant is also hot. If you dine in, you leave sweating.
4 - Koko D.: Great sandwich for super-cheap. I don't think anything is over four dollars here. I'm mad that they took away the shrimp sandwich, and if it were still on the menu, I'd be here like every day... Oh well, the tofu sandwich is almost as good. The bread is crunchy and light, and the ingredients are fresh and flavorful. An excellent light lunch that your body will thank you for!
4 - Alexandra W.: This place is a really good deal. I'm all about the 3 dollar tofu sandwich (and its a good size, too). And I love the punch cards. The reason I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 is because I'm not thrilled with their spring rolls or with their lack of decor/ ambiance. 

But this place definitely wins the "bang for your buck" award.
4 - David m.: Went here the other day because I had a coupon for 50% of from Soutmob.com and because UT is out and I like to try places that I wouldn't go to when there are 50,000 people walking around aimlessly. 

I go up to the counter and I am asked would I like to order to eat in or to go. Well, it is pretty sparse in there and the air didn't seem to be working very well. 104 degrees outside and 90 degrees inside so I opted to go. I ordered the meatball bahn mi and and egg roll and a can soda. It was $5 but with the 50% off discount is was $2.44? Whatever. 

I got the food home, pulled it out and strategically place it on a plate for the photo op. The Bahn Mi itself was much larger than I expected. The bun was crispy on the outside and softer in the middle. The meat had a really nice flavor but as others suggested I put some sriracha on it. I like spicy food. The egg roll was quite disappointing. It was burned and serve with the same peanut sauce you put on the spring rolls. Not my cup of tea. 

For $2.44 I was pretty impressed. 

Secret is that I have never had a Bahn Mi before. Pretty tasty! Part of that was because of the obnoxious people that had the Bahn Mi truck on Food Network's Food Truck Wars that almost won.
4 - Alex A.: Went for the second day in a row today and I love it!  $5 for a hefty bahn mi sandwich, spring or summer roll, and soda.  legit!
4 - Eve R.: I actually really liked the banh mi sandwiches here, especially the grilled pork. The stir-fry beef I liked just a bit less. I found the bread big and fluffy, the meat flavorful and tender and moist, and the vegetables fresh and crispy. The flavor was very good. I definitely want to try some of the other sandwiches to be sure, but so far, so good.

As otherwise stated, the eggroll seemed overdone and not very good. I probably wouldn't bother with getting that again. But the combo price is crazy good at 5.00 for a sandwich, eggroll or chips, and a drink (I tried something very authentic, just to challenge myself - a grass jelly soda). 

The parking situation is sketchy on Guadalupe. But it's far enough off the heart of the drag to open up some parking. And since it's so close to home, I'll definitely be back!
4 - Devika S.: The sandwiches have improved a lot, so I wanted to update my previous review. I love that its an overstuffed sandwich - lots of meat and other fixings. Seems like the quality is better too. As others have mentioned, its an amazing value on the combo.
4 - Kealie G.: This is one of the most satisfying cheap meals near campus. I lived in San Francisco for a couple of years and a good Bahn-mi is a personal staple. 

For Texas, this place is pretty darn close to perfect. The meat is tender and flavorful, the pickled veggies are perfect, and the raw jalapenos are the perfect amount of spicy. They have a combo meal that comes with a sandwich, shrimp spring roll, and drink for 6.50. Awesome! And, if you're not that hungry, then the sandwich alone starts around 3.50 (depending on the type). 

I've only had the grilled pork sandwich, but it's so delicious I don't want to try anything else. The only reason that I'm not giving 5 stars is that the bread is a little soft compared to others I've had. It is a crusty french loaf, but I'm use to a slightly more chewy bread that is a little less fluffy. Nothing major, it certainly doesn't detract from the sandwich. 

Service is quick and polite, and bar seating is perfect for one person and a good book. I go there almost once a week... is there such a thing as Bahn-mis anonymous?
4 - Sage S.: Cheap. I got the grilled pork banh sandwich to go and found it tender and delicious. I will definitely be getting take out from here again.
5 - M B.: I hiked all the way from Thompson Conference Center clear across UT (diagonally - which is over a mile, BTW) to get to Bite Mi. I really needed something to spice up my lunch break from a finance professional development seminar. 

Crunch warm bread. Great fresh cilantro, pickled turnip and carrot and cukes.  Plenty of meat filling.  And they even put green onion - something I don't usually see on other banh mi around town.

My request for no butter/mayo was graciously accommodated.

And here's the killer part - they'll even fry an egg and stick it in the sandwich for an extra 50 cents.  I LOVE that. 

Authentic?  I have no idea.  Delicious?  Oh, yeah.
5 - Rob E.: Service here has gotten remarkably better.  Food still tastes great.
5 - Cheri W.: Fresh and inexpensive.

What a gem for bahn mi, located in the heart of campus.  My hubby and I both got the special, bahn mi, spring roll, and a Coke.  The total, including tip was $7 for both of us.  The bread was better than what I've eaten directly from a bakery.  It was so fresh and light!  The meat was good, not too fatty and easy to chew.  The food was so tasty that I could pick out individual ingredients.  We will definitely be back!
3 - Solomon W.: Austin is somewhat lacking in the Vietnamese population. In turn, there is not much Vietnamese fare to go around. But... there seems to be a dense pocket of Asian eateries at the Southern end of the drag. Bite Mi fits right in, providing a simple menu of rolls and sandwiches. Oh, and beverages. Not much else in the way of offerings.

I do appreciate no-frills menus, and BM caters to that. Unfortunately, the layout of the establishment is a bit cramped. The large tables only seat 4, and they are stacked right up to the wall and right behind the bar seating. Eek. Furthermore, the ordering line is just uncomfortably tight.

Another aspect of sandwich joints that I respect is a simple numbering system. No crazy names, just the necessity of memorizing that the #1 is all the fixins', the #2 is straight up pork, and the #whatever is chicken. Just do not tweet the menu, or it will pop up on whoever created the title 1, 2, whatever.

The pork one is probably the most ordered simply because people love sweet, grilled, Asian pork. The most traditional may be the one, #1, with a now-extinct slather of pate.

The pork is grilled nicely. The vegetables are fresh. But the bread is somewhat lacking; it has only a slight crunch, and the inside is almost too soft, dancing with almost sogginess after you put on that mayo.

If you need a quick "Bite" passing through or are in the area for a expedited lunch, Bite Mi would serve you well. Nothing fancy, just fast and convenient. Check it out, but do not expect to hold a business meeting here...
3 - Kath B.: They raised their prices and BROKE MY HEART. Still decent, though.
5 - Rachael S.: First time here. Suffice to say I will be coming back again sometime. Ordered the number two pork chargrilled sandwich. The meat was tender and flavorful, vegetables were crispy and fresh, and the bread warm and fresh. enjoyed it with a side of peanut dipping sauce and of course some sriracha. Milk tea was good too.  Service was super, super fast and employee(possibly owner?) was very friendly and willing to accommodate to any needs. 5 stars for great service, food, and price. If you're hesitant (like i was at first), you should take the dive and try this place out at some point. I really enjoyed my meal for what it's worth
4 - T D.: I've been waiting for a good banh mi place to open near UT, and my wait is over! I really like the food here. I love the combo - banh mi, egg roll or spring roll, and a drink. The prices are very fair. The owner is very sweet and attentive. I am here all the time. My favorite is the shredded chicken. Please support local business and authentic Vietnamese food by going here. Don't overpay for banh mi!!!
3 - Helen L.: We saw this place and decided it would be good to have some viet sandwiches for the next day at the airport. We got mistaken for college students since we were right by UT with the restaurant located on The Drag. The pork stayed nice and tasty the next day but the bun was on the hard side. It worked out.
4 - Stephanie J.: I've been a longtime fan of this place. For $6 combo price you can get any sub on the menu, a egg roll/spring roll, and a Vietnamese canned drink or soda. Their char-grilled pork sub is by far the best sub on the menu. Their spring roll is mediocre so I usually get the egg roll. For an additional $1.25 you can upgrade your drink to a Thai tea with tapioca. Their tapioca drinks are as delicious as it gets in Austin. Service is lovely and quick and their atmosphere is casual, perfect for students grabbing lunch between classes.

Please try Bite Mi! Remember to get their #2 Char-grilled pork sub!
4 - Farnosh M.: The sandwiches are good, and the price is reasonable. It doesn't compare to the banh mi at the asian shopping center up north, but it's still good. I really like the char-grilled pork and chicken sandwiches, and the guy at the register is usually really bubbly and cheerful.
4 - Megan S.: I love Vietnamese sandwiches. Haven't had one in a long time. This one was really good! Although they served people that were after me! Because some dude didn't get something, they had made mine but gave it to him. Then I guess thought I didn't need mine. But I gave them the WTF look and they made it. 4 stars instead of five because it is so hot and cramped inside. Would have given less stars for the screw up of my meal but the owner was so nice and even said "bye Megan " when I left! All in all the only thing that really matters is that the food was good. It's not a restaurant so you don't expect to be waited on so service doesn't matter so much.
4 - Lynne L.: This is better than a lot of Vietnamese joints I've been to in NorCal and Houston. And given their large ChinaTowns, that's saying a LOT.

I can't stay away from their chargrilled pork sandwich, which they fill with fresh veggies. I do wish they had vietnamese fish sauce that other authentic vietnamese sandwich places have, but they do have Siracha (or "cock sauce") which I like to load onto my entire meal. Their spring rolls are so... delightful, for lack of a better word. They've got leaves of mint that are not too strong, but make a statement in an otherwise-bland springroll.

I don't know what else there is to say. I'm such a huge fan of this place, and their service is great. When you have a second between ordering your meal and receiving it, stop and chat with the owner - he's very cool, and a huge sweetheart.
4 - Nicholas S.: Bite Mi is a small sandwich shop that serves tasty Vietnamese sandwiches. The breads got the right chew, the prices are low, and the staff is very friendly. And they have cool drink options like coconut milk, aloe juice and dragonfruit. But I see no one mentioning the spring rolls? The spring rolls are just perfect. I stop in here all the time just to grab a few, and the peanut sauce is spot-on. Pork spring rolls with peanut sauce and some sriracha - if I lived in the area, I'd be eating 'em every single day.
5 - Thuyen N.: When searching for food on the Drag that will accommodate my tiny wallet, there are only so few restaurants that will make a student happy.  Bite Mi is at the top of that list for me.  I love that I can spend just $4 for a quality meal.  With $6, I can get a combo that includes a spring roll (love the shrimp one) or chips and a drink - still cheaper than buying just the sandwich at Potbelly or Which Wich.  

Although most people love the char-grilled pork, the cold cuts (combination) or the tofu banh mi, my personal favorite is the MEATBALL sandwich.  It's really juicy and flavorful!  I also stop there for drinks sometimes like the awesome Thai tea or black tea.
4 - Stephen H.: I am Vietnamese and I find myself eating here quite often. Not because it is particularly authentic - one is hard pressed to find such a place in Austin - but because I can find a good, solid sandwich for a very, very good price. The bread could use a little less density and a little more crisp, but the flavors inside are pretty spot on. I am particularly grateful that the pickled carrots are not overly sweet, a problem with almost every other place in Austin.

I generally get the number one combo, with paté. This last bit you have to mention or they won't put paté on your sandwich, supposedly because most Americans are unfamiliar with the ingredient. But honestly, you cannot get that sandwich without paté. Also, I appreciate the large selection of Vietnamese drinks.

And though it may not look it, the seating outside during good weather is actually really, really nice.
2 - Neal L.: It seems like whoever started this place saw banh mi on television and started up a restaurant without having tried the sandwich. The bread is not right, the pork is dry and lacks flavor, the veggies aren't that crisp and the pate is hardly there.
4 - Mimi G.: Who does not like Vietnamese Sandwiches?! I don't even remember what the group all order but it was way to delicious.

Some of my friends had never had any and the guy who took order was kind enough to let everyone try small pieces of the meat. Super nice guy! The drag itself does not have many places where you can get the sandwhiches so its in a great location.

Food is made fresh, right in front of you. The only thing is the resturant is very very tiny. Its not made to fit large groups. But other than that its great
3 - Joanna C.: The good thing about this place is that they serve 2 vegetarian banh mi options. The bad thing is that only 1 of them is good - the scrambled egg one. And that's really just a breakfast sandwich on crunchy french bread. The plain veggie one is pretty boring - I've had better elsewhere. 

The food comes out pretty slowly and though the workers aren't rude, they don't seem to care very much about being there. 

Sandwiches are pretty cheap at $3 - $4 each. I think that may be kind of expensive in comparison to other banh mi places though.
4 - Sharon T.: I've been here a handful of times and have felt in the past as if I don't know if a light baguette is worth spending money for me, but there have been times when I've been craving one and that's when I really appreciate this place. 

Thanks to a trip to Lulu B's, where I ended up paying around $9 for a baguette and bubble tea, I've been thankful for the $3.25 sandwiches here and around $6 combos. 

I especially love that they carry Miss Vickie's kettle chips because I'm a total chip addict that needs some with every meal. The only con for me is that I'm not too hot about the store (it doesn't exactly make me want to chill inside), and sitting outside on the curb tables is a little odd since there's so much open space there (as opposed to between 21-24th on the Drag). The shop is so small anyway that it's more of a take-out for me. 

Great place! As for the sandwiches, they've definitely improved their bread since first opening, although their baguettes could be a little bigger. =) Definitely recommend.
3 - Eugene L.: Overall, everything about Bite Me is pretty good. Though it looks a little dingy on the outside, it's surprisingly clean and polished on the inside, with cheesy Asian music playing and a really tan, friendly cashier ready to take your order.

The banh mi is a light, crispy baguette with sweet vegetables and meat. I got the char-grilled pork with a fried egg on top, and the sandwich felt wholesome and good to eat without losing any of the flavor. The combo comes with a canned drink and choice of egg roll or spring roll - the egg roll was perfectly golden and flaky! I tried the Vietnamese sweet soy milk, which was interesting but too strong for me.

Overall, I really like the place, but the thing that cuts down Bite Mi to 3 stars was the price. Compared to what you could get at other places on the Drag for the same amount, the meal was a little too light and not the best value. Still good for a safe and quick sandwich run, but I'd rather explore elsewhere.
5 - Jessica R.: This is one of my favorite places for a quick meal near campus. All of the ingredients are as fresh as can be, everyone who works there is extremely friendly, and it's super fast and inexpensive!

My absolute favorite sandwich is the vietnamese meatball, and I would highly recommend double meat, it makes for a much more filling and delicious sandwich. I've also tried the sausage with double meat and an egg on top which was absolutely wonderful.

Also, I have just about the pickiest roommate in the world, and she swears they have some of the best egg rolls she's ever had. I haven't tried them myself, but if she approves, then I guarantee they are delicious.

They make a pretty great Thai tea as well, but they also have a decent selection of interesting Asian beverages. There's a grass jelly drink, a soymilk drink, and a couple of other different choices. I've tried a couple of them (pretty good) and I would say go for it if you're feeling adventurous, you can do a sandwich-eggroll-drink combo for $6 which is a great deal!

Last thing: Download the Stampt app to use here if you have an iPhone (maybe for Androids too?). It basically works like those punch cards for buy 10, get 1 free, but it's on your phone so you don't have to keep track of it, which is super convenient!
4 - Monique M.: The good news: This was a great, inexpensive Banh Mi place near campus that had a good lunch special.

The bad news: They're closing on the 22nd of June, but they're honoring any stamp cards with 5+ stamps. I just happened to go there today and saw the sign. Make sure you use your card if you have one! Bite Mi will be sorely missed.
4 - Camille S.: Closed:(((
4 - Jenni M.: I enjoy ordering a take out lunch combo from Bite Mi. The price is reasonable and the food is delicious and reliable. I almost always get a combo with the scrambled egg sandwich (banh mi op la) or the grilled tofu sandwich. With the combo you can also get a drink (the White Gourd drink is good) and a spring roll. It's very convenient to get to from UT Forty Acres.
5 - Susan L.: WHY does it say that Bite Mi is closed?!
5 - Tony A.: Sucks to know this place is no longer open. I watched the Great Food Truck Race and got the idea to try out these kind of sandwiches. Will be missed...but I do notice that a lot of places don't make it on the old Drag. Hope these guys open up at another location or take their skills to another eatery here in Austin.

Bites and Brews - Pittsburgh, PA (40.455682, -79.9311438) (Shadyside)
5 - Lindsay P.: Wow - I can't believe I am the first person to review Bite and Brews - which is a great little place located next to the ever popular Elbow Room.  
One of the biggest reasons to go here is that they have wheat crust pizza.  They also put this amazing seasoning on the crust.  You can order a whole pizza or just a slice and they have lots of toppings to choose from.  I like that the pizza is not greasy.  The side salad is huge, the pizza slices are huge.  The bar has an extensive draft list.  
Bites and Brews isn't fancy, but it is nicer than a dive bar.  I think the price is right too.  The front door is garage door style so when the weather is nice the door is open and you can sit outside or just outside.
5 - Chad W.: You can't go wrong with this place!  Whether you just want to grab a quick bite or spend the evening with a few friends, Bites and Brews is a great place!  The pizza is amazing.  The menu is pretty simple...alcohol/soda, salads and pizza!  The pizza is delicious and the fact that you can get whole wheat crust is awesome.  The prices are great too. Tuesdays are 1/2 off small pizzas from 4 to 6...but don't let the word small scare you off.  Their pizzas are huge.  Myself and a friend ordered a large pizza and ended up taking most of it home and we are two guys who can eat.  The number of beers on tap is pretty nice.  I recommend the Shock Top.  If you like Blue Moon you will love it.  It has more of a lemon citrus taste to it and is coincidentally served with a lemon wedge. It is also a great place to hang out in the spring/summer, as they have a huge garage door on the front and it opens up onto Ellsworth.
1 - Mat K.: Worst.
Jukebox.
Ever.

Like being stuck in an elevator for 2 hours.  I don't know if it was on auto-play or there were just a bunch of folks with terrible middle aged music syndrome, but even my folks have better taste (and they're 60-something).  You've got to have some sort of filter on this to guarantee decent tunes.  This is crucial to any bar, c'mon!
4 - Jessica T.: They kept the waters coming without me asking - throughout the night, and dished up one of the best pies of pizza that i've tried so far in Pittsburgh (that's not saying too much - but I def ate my fair share of pizza in my brief stay there). The crust was light and thin - and the pie was smoking with fresh cheese, spicy tomato sauce, pepperoni, banana peppers, and jalapenos. 

Not necessarily the wildest of spots on a Saturday night, but a nice spot to go if you want to hear yourself speak and enjoy a large selection of beer to wash your pizza down with. 

Oh and word on the street -  is that if you can finish a whole Large pie of Pepperoni and a slice  - by yourself in one sitting -  you may just get your name scribbled in Sharpie behind the top of the back of the bar.
4 - Donna R.: I've been here sporadically for the past 4.5 years, starting  when I was underage and living with my sis who lives RIGHT around the corner (yay!) and up through my biannual holiday visits.  I must say that during those few years, either my bar/restaurant perspective has changed, or they really have worked out some of their kinks.  I used to get the impression that the employees were kind of too-cool-for-school, and I wasn't a huge fan of how their menu ordering was set up.  But the more I think about it, the cooler it is.  Here we go:

You have a list of ingredients that you can choose from to make any number of combinations of pizza (by the slice or whole!) which is made-to-ORDER.  You WILL be waiting for your food for a minute or two, but that's what the BAR is for...and did I mention:  Your slice is not sitting around in a steam display getting wonky!!  

You also have the choice of selecting from a menu of sandwiches already compiled, or again you can choose your own ingredients, up to three (don't quote me on that) for no charge, but any additional ingredients are a small charge on top of that.  You have cheeses, veggies (RRP, anyone?) and delish hummus as choices.  Again, your meal is made to order.

Anything you can make a sandwich with, you can morph into a salad, if you desire.  Options are the name of the game here.  And who doesn't like options?

Additionally, the bar is not run by frilly, cutesy, annoyingly dim-witted bar wenches.  The girls behind the bar have been very cool and down to earth.  The most recent visit, I was being my usual indecisive self and didn't know what I was looking for in a beer.  The bartender (it was on a Monday night and I cannot remember her name, forgive me!) happily and nonchalantly recommended "Black Strap" which I think is brewed locally.  It was heavenly and I don't know why I hadn't already tried it. 

There is plenty of table seating, a small-small-small outdoor seating area out front on the sidewalk for the summer and/or year-round smokers (shame on you!) and a nice comfy long bar to belly up to.   

You can get a decent dart game on here, but not much else.

The jukebox, at first glance, DOES seem to leave a lot to be desired but once you put more than a dollar in....the search engine will open up and you can have your way with the tunes.  It's not ALL that bad if you know what you're looking for and not just blindly picking crap.  Plus there's plenty of TV's to be had, so you can tune out the noise while you're focusing on whatever is on ESPN at the moment.
3 - Dan M.: Great beer selection (often including my favorite, Stone Arrogant Bastard, good pizza (especially the white pizza), no atmosphere whatsoever.  A good place to go for happy hour (1/2 price small pizza, but only $1 off beer), but not so much for a night out.
3 - Valerie K.: When the elbow room  is crowded and you're craving pizza, come right next door.  Owned and operated by the same folks, Bites and Brews is great.  Lots of great beer on tap.  I love everything of the Bell's variety in the summer.  The pizza is delish.  Especially late night.
3 - ally r.: I've hard a hard time being wowed lately. Mostly I am running into PGH restaurants that make me say "That's a decent place" and by decent I mean it's easy to have a good time there and the food will bring you back.

Bites and Brews is in line with that mode of thought- its an enjoyable pizza joint where the decor is a blend of playful, and standard "bar" ornamentation. 

I had a large 2 topping pizza (spinach and sun dried tomatoes- my fave) and  two beers- a solidly good one from the East End Brewery (black strap stout)  and a Magic Hat. Surprisingly, for a place called bites and brews there is a fairly conservative selection of beers available-- I may be getting spoiled by places like the Sharp Edge though.

The food was good. A friend and I shared a medium pizza and it was more than we could eat. 

The service was decent but nothing to write home about. The prices are a little higher than I think they should be for the aesthetic and quality of drink delivered.
4 - Matt M.: Bites and Brews has become something of a weekly mainstay for me.  I'm usually there once on the weekends mowin' down a BBQ chicken pizza.  The only problem with that, is that the place gets really packed on Fridays and Saturdays, making it difficult to accommodate four people, let alone eight.  I'd say the place is a bit small, but it's also the kind of place you want to meet up with people, so this is probably the source of crowdedness.

The pizza here is fantastic - very large portions, tasty, and great crust.  I've never been super impressed with the service, but all they really have to do is give me beer and pizza and I'm happy.  Plus, if you go often enough, they start to recognize you - the hallmark of a neighborhood icon.

I've heard rumors that this is the best pizza place in Pittsburgh.  I haven't had a chance to go to any others (indeed, none have even been recommended to me), but I would still suggest you stop by to try it.
3 - Ryan P.: Great pizza and beer selection.  They season the crust and put the proper amount of corn meal on the bottom.  I recommend plain or with some veggies.  For my second pizza there this week (yes, I am a fat ass), I ordered pepperoni.  It took away from the taste of the pizza and the delicious crust.
4 - Chad P.: I really like Bites and Brews.  The name says it all!  The beer selection is great, with lots on tap.  The pizzas are also great, and you can get them just the way you want it.  It can get very busy during the evenings and during any sort of sporting event - but never is too bad that I'd avoid it.  Sometimes it's just tough to sit down, that's all.  Definitely give this place a try!
2 - Joe P.: Thursday night. Bites and Brews was buzzing with business. My friends and I stood in the doorway, shifting our weight, uncertain of what to do. No one had greeted us. 

"Do we seat ourselves?" we asked a waitress as she rushed past us. 

"Uh, yeah!" she shot over her shoulder.

So we seated ourselves. And then the same waitress came over to our table. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Umm..." We paused. Maybe a nanosecond too long.

"Your options are on the chalkboard," she spat, and probably would have added 'idiots' to that statement if she hadn't wanted a tip. 

"Oh, uh..."

She stared at us, her eyes nervously glancing around the restaurant. Something was up. After a minute, we ordered drinks, and then took a look at the "checklist" menu, a novel idea for a restaurant that is ostensibly DIY. 

The drinks arrived. We finished our checklists. The waitress whisked the checklists away to the kitchen.

And that's when the minutes whisked away, too.

Ten minutes. Twenty minutes. Thirty minutes. Forty minutes. A different waitress buzzed by us. Then our waitress. Then another one. Suddenly, there seemed to be eighteen waitresses in the restaurant. We stopped one. Where was our food? She looked at us, and her eyes shifted over to the kitchen. There, in front of the restaurant, a waitress was hollering at a cook. "What do you mean 'you flipped it?'" she screamed. "They've been waiting forever!" The argument shifted locations: to the front of the bar, to doorway to the back kitchen, then back to the floor. It was a Battle Royale.

Our ersatz waitress glanced back at us. "Uh... there's a bit of a problem in the kitchen tonight." So she brought us another round of beer.

After an hour, our food arrived. It was okay. Not great. Certainly not wait-for-an-hour great... or even wait-for-an-hour good, at that. But it was food. And we were hungry. And, with the exception of our first round of drinks, the entire bill was comped. So. Win-win.

I guess.
3 - Felix G.: I've never had anything here except the pizza. And the pizza is realllly good, made to order with lots of different combinations! They have a really good selection of beers.

the atmosphere leaves a lot to be desired...
4 - Mike C.: On a Pittsburgh scale of food eateries, Bites and Brews is at the top of the pack.  Every other restaurant/bar there serves up pizza but few come close to their crispy wheat crust.  Add their large collection of beers on top and friendly servers and you've got a solid to great night every time.  I'm a fan and so should you be.
4 - Joey T.: Food: Bites and Brews pizza may be the most underrated in Pittsburgh, a small is huge and a large is even bigger, there are many unique toppings for the pizza as well, the menu consists of pizza, sandwiches and salad all of which come with many options for toppings, the salads are also huge with many toppings and go great with the pizza

Price: Bites and Brews is about average pricing, not cheap, but the food is so good that you feel good about what you've paid for, most draft beers are $5 and for one extra dollar you can upgrade to a 20 oz.

Drinks: extensive list of unique and seasonal draft beers, full bar, many bottles to choose from

Atmosphere: huge televisions to watch sporting events, TouchTones, dart board, outdoor seating, a long bar, bar-type seating behind the bar, big tables for groups

Service: very friendly service, even when they were very busy we were served promptly and courteously, bartenders are nice and mix good drinks

(+): good location on Ellsworth Ave. next to other bars, great bar-type food (especially the pizza), many beers to choose from, great service, good atmosphere

(-): store hours aren't favorable, not open during lunch hours any day of the week when one of their sandwiches and salads would taste great

Would I go back again? Many times.
4 - Cassandra L.: My friends and I are addicted to this pizza - love that you can get whole wheat crust, love the garlic-butter flavoring, love debating the merits of each topping (Hell yes broccoli, banana peppers, and onions!) before filling out our order cards.

Service has been...mediocre, and sometimes the pizzas DO take an eternity to appear. But it's either been really busy or I've been with a large group for most of my visits, so I'll give the staff a break. (..as long as they keep cranking out that amazing pizza!)
3 - Justin E.: Stumbled in here during a snowstorm, looking for the Elbow Room (they moved to Walnut!).  It's really good!  Great bar pizza with a fun ordering system (grab a pencil, fill out a card).  The beer selection is IMPRESSIVE.  Some outstanding IPAs (you have to love a place that has Arrogant Bastard on tap).  I love the bars on Ellsworth, this is a new highlight for me.  Recommended.
5 - Brendan F.: Great beer selection. Pizza is surprising good. 

It is a great hangout place for friends and beer.

The servers are great and friendly, especially if you are there often.

They have pizza by the slice or by the pie. It is really good, which I did not expect. They also have sandwiches and salads.
4 - Lauren P.: This isn't the cheapest place, but its a good one. They have a great selection of beers on tap, and the Magic Hat is always $3.00. They have anew expanded menu, too, with some appetizers. Also, they have taken over part of what used to be Elbow Room, so the issue of space isn't so much of an issue anymore. 

Pros: Happy Hour. 5-7. Half price small pizzas. $1 off all drafts.
Good pizza, simple salads, FRIED PICKLES. Fun atmosphere, not too loud. In close proximity to other bars. Draft selection. NON SMOKING. clean bathrooms

Cons: Not the quickest or most attentive service. Not much of a consistent crowd. There could be a creepy old man at the bar amongst underage college kids. 

Reccomended.
4 - Amy R.: Go during happy hour - 1/2 off a 'small' pizza.  But their smalls are like everyone else's larges.  You can feed three people (maybe just 2 men) for $6.  And it's really good pizza.

I always say that the taste to cost ratio is the best in the city.

And they have a good draft selection.

Best cheap happy hour.  Hands down.
3 - ReviewHaiku F.: Beer menu is nice
Beware! Chicks behind the bar 
Have bad attitudes.


(b)
3 - Pete R.: Bites and Brews... First thought, food and beer, right?  Well the beer list is pretty darn good (too many IPA's as usual), they 'serve good beer not cheap beer' there slogan goes, or something like that.  They don't skimp in that category.  The food... Not much of a choice, pizza, or a couple different sandwiches, that's it.  We ordered a large pepperoni and it was pretty good.  Nice and thin with a crispy crust, good sauce, and not smothered in it.  They could use better, cheese, but overall a solid pizza.  The large is also pretty damn big.

 I'm sure I will be back, but probably for just drinks...
3 - Teresa T.: Nothing too fancy - if you're looking for something easy and casual this is a good place. Outdoor seating is a plus. Nice selection of beer, and you can make your own pizza (there is even a wheat crust option!). Pizza is cheap - $20 for a large which can serve 3-4 people. There are sandwich options too though I did not order one. Waitress was sweet and got the job done. Thumbs up!
3 - T.C. J.: This is a pretty average restaurant/bar with a solid draft and bottle selection. The pizza is good, but its not gonna blow your mind or anything like that. Most cost around $20 and easily feed 3-4 people. The staff is friendly, yet not overly quick. 

To me, Bites and Brews has a little bit of an identity crisis. Does it want to be a restaurant? Does it want to be a bar? It feels a bit more restaurant like, though there is a large bar if you'd rather sit there. 

Not sure you'd want to buy a well drink here, saw the bartender pouring the college favorite Vladimir. Yum!

Still a good place to share a pizza and catch a game on the television in the shadyside area.
5 - Sheryl T.: Huge slices of New York Style pizzas. 

Staff is awesome.
4 - Andrew W.: Pizza was good and didn't take too long. 
Huge Beer selection.
Friendly Staff.
TV.

Music was WAY too loud.
4 - Phyllis K.: Bites and Brews has a long and varied wall of drafts to pick from that make me feel like a kid in a candy store. It's one of the best spreads I've seen in Pittsburgh and I've tried some real goodies thanks to this place. 

The pizza ia pretty good too! (the closest to NY style that I can think of in Pittsburgh other than Sola) Admittedly I've been drunk more times than not when I ordered a pie, but even so great drunk pizza!

In short, I wish I lived closer to this mecca of good beer and pizza.
3 - Melissa S.: Had dinner here again with a dear friend a few nights ago after a few drinks across the street. I will say that this place is a fantastic spot to watch a sports game, as there are flat screens for miles on every wall. I guess that if I would have been hungrier I would have gotten something more "bites"-ish, but I have always been a sucker for a Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese. The crispy, cool and crunchy lettuce, the creamy tartness of the blue cheese- with a dollop of olive oil. I was envisioning it and getting more and more excited, as the Penns game roared in the background. Well.....what I received was something quite different. 
The "wedge" was 2 clumps of warm romaine lettuce and the cheese consisted of Kraft singles slices cut into small squares. The presentation kind of reminded me of how middle school lunches were compartmentalized and symmetrical. I guess I am a gal who digs an asymmetrical meal filled with chunks of things in no particular order.
The beer selection is pretty awesome though. They just don't do healthy stuff very well.
2 - Faith A.: Blah food and blah service... the only redeeming quality was the fact that they had a lot of beers that I do like.  

I have had better pizzas elsewhere which is why the 2 stars, and as I have said before, service is important to me.  If the bartender is not too busy, it should not take a long time to get a drink order in.
5 - Evelyn L.: To quote Bites and Brews' wall of drafts: "We serve great beer, no cheap beer!"

Bites and Brews has become my favorite place in Shadyside.  They have a great selection of beers on tap, and the waitstaff is always willing (and able) to help you decide on what to try.  And their pizza is the best in Pittsburgh!
2 - I.E. C.: Pizza was mediocre.  Beer list is Ok.  They have TVs all around which is a plus.  However, the facility itself is pretty barren.  Tables and chairs are hard as rocks.  It's really set up to be a college bar... but there's just simply nothing special about this place that makes it worth going to in my mind.
3 - Rachel C.: I get the fact that they are called bites, so right there you're not going to expect 5 course gourmet meal.  But I'm a big believe in awesome bar food too!  This place missed that mark.  

This place has lots of cool things going for them.  They have a make your own pizza, sandwich and salad menu.  Very cool.  Reminds me of Burgatory, except they have great burgers!  I picked my own veggie sandwich and loaded it with roasted peppers, portobello mushrooms, artichoke and spinach.  You're even able to pick if you want it hot or cold.  Mine came warmish, that was not the option I wanted.  It was okay, but not great.  I think if it came hot it may have tasted a little better, but oh well.  

The other cool thing is the word "brew" in their name.  I think when I go to these places I expect the servers to be schooled in what kind of beer selection they have.  Our server was slightly schooled, but nothing close to explaining the beers in a way I'd want to purchase one.  I got lazy and just ordered a Yeungling...I know, I'm lame!  I also looked up at the huge blackboard that said "craft beers" and it was completely blank.  I guess I just expected it to be more about what specialty brews they offered.

I don't think it was horrible by any means, but I wasn't blown away.  I think maybe they just need to find their identity again....
5 - Michelle Z.: The pizza is yummy and the beer is great.  I recommend going on for  happy hour. Monday - Friday; 5-7pm The small pizzas are half price and $1 off all drafts. Good quick bite to eat.
4 - Jessica W.: 3 1/2 stars.  I'll round this review up to 4 this time.  Why? Because they have upgraded their "everyday $3 beer" from Magic Hat #9 to a Black IPA that is just delicious.  The IPA is made specially for Bites and Brews and Buffalo Blues by Penn Brewery.  Try it!

While they still have their simple menu of choosing your own pizza and toppings, salad, or sandwich, they have unfortunately increased their offerings to include overpriced, underwhelming appetizers.  Fried pickle slices or cheesy breadsticks in the shape of a pizza have some potential as good bar snacks, but they're just unappetizing.  

That being said, their original menu is still awesome, and they've expanded their space so finding a place to sit during happy hour isn't as tough.  When the weather is warm, they have tables set up right on Ellsworth.  The beer selection is usually very good, and it's $1 off drafts from 5 - 7pm.
3 - Zachary A.: This a regular spot for me since it is right down the street from work and we typically use it as a happy hour spot. For those reasons, they deserve all 5 stars because that is exactly what they do best. Small eats and drinks. If you want to go there for more than that, you might leave a little disappointed.

The atmosphere is funky, casual, and dark. I don't mind it, but it definitely has a hipster edge.

The food isn't terrible, but nothing you're going to write about. As far as pizza goes (their more popular item), it gets lost in the better options throughout the city. They are never a place that I tend to remember or crave and the flavors don't stand out. It's a thin crust and a little sauce. The best part is that you can customize a slice to your standards, but it comes with a price. Some of the toppings are a $1 each ... which is crazy high considering you could buy a whole green pepper for that price.

Either way, go there for a happy hour or quick bite but avoid them as a dinner spot. If you do this, you won't leave disappointed!
3 - Robert S.: I like their pizza, it's expensive but good and decent variety of beer considering how small the place is, I just don't understand why they aren't open for lunch.
3 - Joanna H.: I'd give 3.5 stars. It's fun to mark your pizza/ salad/sandwich toppings on a piece of paper and give it to your waitress. Good selection of beer. Happy hour has good deals. I love their salads. it's always fresh and has a wide selection of ingredients. Pizza has good crispy not so thick or thin crusts (can choose wheat if you want). I was a little disappointed in the Mozarella cheese though. Didn't seem too fresh and was mad greasy. Kinda seemed like the frozen cheese sticks you get from any grocery store and stick in your oven. Other than this,  i love going to Bites and Brews.
4 - Tessa M.: i'm a pretty big fan of this place, but i might be a little impartial because i work down the street so i come here pretty often. but they have some pretty good stuff and a really awesome staff. the pizza is a good size and a good price ($5 slices late at night? perfect!) and they have some pretty cool appetizers too, but as far as food, it's more a snacks or pizza kind of place. now, the beer selection is pretty big. they have a good amount of taps but an even larger amount of bottles and cans. prices are pretty good as well, especially for it being on ellsworth.
4 - Zach R.: You go to Bites and Brews for Beer and Pizza.  They also sport quite a few TVs tuned to sports channels, but I wouldn't necessarily call it a sports bar.  The main attraction for me is that they always have one microbrew that is $3 and that the menu is designed for you to craft your own pizza.  The pizzas have a doughy crust and crumbs on the bottom (which I go back and forth about liking) but on the whole they are well made and always hit the spot.  A great place for a night out with friends and just as good for take out.  My go-to pizza in Shadyside any day.
2 - Matt C.: Meh.

The Bites:
I've been here a bunch of times, and I've never ordered anything I would order again.  Nothing was flagrantly bad, but nothing was that great either.  The food is decent fuel--reasonably priced and certainly won't leave you hungry--but it's far from worth going the least bit out of your way.

The Brews:
Good selection with prices more or less at the center of the market.  They serve cheap food, but the drinks aren't a bargain.  Nothing special here either.

The ambiance:
It's often unnecessarily loud.  I'd say the only reason to go here is to hang out with a group of friends, but oftentimes when I've come, the music has been playing so loud (or the general atmosphere was so loud) I could only hear the people immediately next to me anyway.  So I suppose they forfeit their "good for groups" advantage on that one.

I get the feeling that this is the place to go to in Shadyside when the other places are too crowded and/or too expensive.  You'll NEVER catch me saying "Hey, let's go to Bites and Brews"...but I'll probably wind up back here at some point anyway.  Oh well.
4 - Elena G.: This is a favorite neighborhood spot...especially for half price pizza and dollar off drafts. I used to live around the corner and loved sitting outside with the dogs on weekend evenings with good friends, pizza, and beer. 

I think the pizzas have gotten smaller over the past year or so but are still a great deal when half off.  The draft list is hit or miss, sometimes they are out of a lot of great brews which can be upsetting, but other times they have an endless selection.

The servers have all been pretty nice to my friends and I who would tend to come in large groups with people coming and going and everyone has always been accommodating. Especially to my dog!
3 - Brin F.: Pizza here is phenomenal.  Other than that, food is average (sandwiches, salads, etc.).  Tap list is pretty good too.  It is ok for watching a game in that you can usually find a table or seat at the bar, though I would rather go to Mario's if I am staying around Shadyside.  Service is average.
2 - Jee L.: 1.5 but rounded up. just because I didn't get sick after eating their food.

I ordered from them twice--last night being the second and will be the last time. I ordered peasant fries with cheese ON THE SIDE, sandwich with NO CHEESE, and hot pretzel NOT TO BE FRIED. The only thing that was done right was sandwich without cheese. I mean, is it that hard to put cheese ON THE SIDE for the fries and not to fry the pretzel? seriously? Who ever took the order wrote my specifications down on the sheet (I know it because I had it with my order) but why did they not follow them? huh? I didn't call them to complain or for explanation because I am sick of these ignorance from the restaurants. Instead, I will never go back to the restaurant.
5 - Jim C.: We chose Bites and Brews because of the many good on-line reviews, especially the pizza.  While the pizza turned out to be among the best I've had in the 'burgh, the beer list (bottle n tap) had a pretty solid variety.  We just made it in for the happy hour prices.  The best part was the service, as our server ably provided several suggestions based on our preferences.  It's now my favorite place for good pizza and a great beer.  I'll definitely need to try to some of the other pizza varieties.  

There seemed to be plenty of on-street parking.
2 - Lauren G.: Oh Bites and Brews. With such a cool name and so many amazing beers on your menu (note I say on menu not on tap), I had so much excitement going into visiting your fine establishment. 

Why do you disappoint? 
You ran out of all of your awesome list of IPA's except for one that your server didn't really recommend. #1 FAIL. 

Your restaurant had a cool set up with the weeknight garage door open atmosphere. But you played loud club music. FAIL #2. 

Your service was slow. I got my salad and sandwich about 2 minutes apart.  FAIL #3. 

Your server wouldn't split the checks, yet when we told her who had what she split them. FAIL FAIL FAIL #4.

The server added a gratuity which is probably the reason she "couldn't" split them. Hey lady, good thing you added gratuity to a table full of people who would normally tip you more than your 18%. FAILED AGAIN

I walked out disappointed like someone who goes on a date with someone who is perfect on paper but simply has an awful personality. I so badly wanted this to be a place I loved and visited often. But instead it was a failed date.
2 - Samantha C.: The name of this restaurant threw me off when it said "Bites & Brews" thinking there'd be a list of side dishes or appetizers. But no, you can get a side salad for $6, which is the only side dish they have. Every item was over- priced. The service was horrible and with the loud house music in the background I felt like I was at a club not a restaurant. Over all bad restaurant. I get that it's it's expensive because it's in Shadyside, but you should atleast serve quality food for those kind of prices.
4 - Ryan W.: Someone told me Bites and Brews had great burgers. And my wife who loves burgers needed some meat so we rode over. Important note***They do NOT have burgers!
They do have a bunch of tap beer, pizza and some of the best bread sticks (not actual dough sticks like you get most places but a pizza pan's worth of crispy flatbread) I've had since I grew up next to an original style Angelo's Pizza in the mid-west. 
The atmosphere was very casual, yet the place was hopping and it was nice to see some life in a bar around here. The bartender's name was kelsy or chelsea and was lovely.

Bits N' Bytes Computers - Austin, TX (30.2955961, -97.7432387) (University of Texas, West Campus)
1 - Celeste H.: NASTY BUSINESS!! We stopped in as my husband needed a cell phone case. He took so long that my kids and I decided to walk to Toy Joy while he was still shopping at Bits N' Bytes. He didn't find a holder he liked and came to Toy Joy to get us -- and walked back outside to find the jerk owners of Bits N'Bytes towing our car! We hadn't been gone more than three minutes tops. We got our car back but will never shop there again -- they are a racket and working in cahoots with the towing service!!!! Go to Radio Shack before you patrionize these cheats.
1 - Arielle F.: Horrible, horrible horrible. Not only does their store look like a shady back door operation peddling parts stolen from several struggling countries, but the shop owners insist on working with a sleazy towing company in order to prey on anyone fool enough to shop at at this crap-shack. 

AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!
RUN!! RUUUNNNNNN!!!!

Not ONLY that, but if I had wanted to shop with them in the first place, it is impossible because they lock the door and leave the premisis with the open sign on. It's like they are TRYING to piss people off!!
5 - Eliza H.: I came here trying to get my iphone glass screen repaird and found them advertised on craigslist. I called trying to look for their shop and they were extremely helpful in directing me. I arrived there and got confused about the towing sign that was posted - i called again and asked if there was anywhere i could park. they explained to me that the parking was for customers of the shops in that complex and that i would be fine. So i parked and went in.

the place seems a bit shady at first but the BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE ever makes up for it entirely. The two guys at the counter were so friendly and replaced my screen on site. They were kind and engaged me in conversation while I waited. Very meticulous work and very well done and the price was unbeatable. $45!! most places are charging at least $50 something and go up to $70s.

The second time i went i tried to get my iphone unlocked. they were super helpful and even jailbroke my phone at no cost since they were unable to unlock my phone with the current firmware. At any rate, i will continue to go to them for my computer/electronic needs.

Every time i have been at their shop, i have witnessed people parking, going to toy joy, see their cars get towed, then run in and try to buy something. My car has been fine every single time i've been there. Anyone who has gotten towed probably deserved it.

Bivouac - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2781636, -83.7408678) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
3 - Mae S.: This is a really schitzy place. The south half is high tech camping gear: serious Gore-tex, Patagonia, Columbia Systems, Garmin GPS, $100+ backpacks, INOX knives, Leathermen, Polartec, overdesigned hats, sleeping bags, and hiking maps. The north half is teeny little tube tops, skinny pants, frilly tight tops, above-the-thigh skirts, and other clothing for miniature coeds. Gosh, how did they think of this combo?
1 - Libby P.: You know... I used to be a big huge fan of Bivouac!!!  I L-O-V-E all the great gear they have, great selection of shoes, etc. for the outdoor enthusiast, blah, blah, blah.  And I also like their so so selection of fancy jeans and cutie yoga duds.  However... they really do have shitty customer service!  Most of the time I'm in there these days I feel like a majority of the staff thinks they are way too cool to help me out, or even feign interest.  I freaking grew up going there and have spent loads of dough over the years, always thinking I'd be a loyal customer.  Apparently NOT!  Bummer Bivouac, I thought we were going to be lifelong pals.

O.K.... I'd like to add this... see, I too am a gear head.  I may not LOOK like one, but I know my shit.  So when I'm ignored and not respected 'cause I don't go around flaunting the fact that I know how many oz. a freaking titanium spork weighs, I get pissed!!!  Good customer service = treating everyone who walks through the door with respect and a friendly attitude!!!  And that includes over the phone, btw.
2 - Aaron B.: If you are looking for camping gear or a Michigan-weather jacket or just a nice big comfy backpack then this is one of two places to go in Ann Arbor (see Moosejaw for the other).  The selection here is rather good although I am always disappointed that they refuse to stock enough size small to go around, so I can very rarely buy anything here even if I'm willing to shell out the dough.  

The staff is generally informed about the products, but it matters a lot who you talk to -- some newbies are clueless but will try to pretend to be otherwise.  Being a super gear-head myself I get a great deal of respect and attention, but if you're just some schmo (or you look and talk like some schmo) who is just in there to get a North Face jacket to look cool at the frat house then they will gladly sell it to you, but they will not be thrilled and will treat you demeaningly.  Eat it, yuppie douche!  They'll do their best to be polite, but they are just human.

I have nothing to say about the girls clothing part of the store, I consider that a separate establishment.
3 - K M.: If you need your sleeping bag right NOW, this is the place to go.  Want to window shop for toys while the better half looks for frilly things?  This is the place to be.  Prices are high, selection is dated but OK, and the staff is hit and miss.
3 - Sarah W.: There are two main areas of this store, one for the die hard camper/outdoor enthusiast  and one side for the university girl who wants her juicy couture, michael stars t-shirt, or kiehls stock up.

When I come here I usually only check out the womens fashion side since I don't do outdoor activities. The clothes are usually a bit over priced and the sale rack has usually been picked through. But when you are looking for trendy fashions on campus then you should come here.

They have a "jeanloft" which carries a good selection of name brand jeans such as Seven, Diesel, True Religion and J Brand. But the cut is usually a season behind. (It took them a while to get the tapered leg). But the prices for jeans here are pretty much the best in Ann Arbor.

The service seemed ok. They were helpful to look for other sizes. 

*good selection of Lu Lu Lemon yoga wear here.
3 - Lisa W.: I've never fallen in love with anything here -- it's just your usual trendy, brand name clothing.

On one side, that is.

The other side provides camping fashion and accessories, as well as gear -- all to your heart's content.

Best time at Bivouac was when I stumbled upon a glitch:  They had an ad in the Michigan Daily that advertised 40% off of jeans.  My friend and I went to buy some new denim, but apparently the ad was a misprint.  It meant to say "select" jeans.  So we were the only ones to get that discount on anything we wanted -- I got a pair of Seven for All Mankind before they went mass produced at a price I'm sure they wanted to kill me for.

The only reason I go back now is to get Keihl's toner for my boyfriend.  I tried to look for an Army rocksack once but it's like North Face City up in there!  No, thanks.
3 - Nilda R.: Yes, it is over-priced. 
Yes, it is staffed by snots. 
Yes, it is poorly laid out.

It's handy for gifts if, for some reason- say your feet have been cut off-  you can't be arsed to walk into any of the other shops in the arcade.
1 - Martin and Austyn R.: I'll just say it like it is: Bivouac is a wretched store.  I admittedly tend to gravitate more toward the higher-end clothing brands, and this is one of the few stores in Ann Arbor that carries some of the names that I like, unfortunately enough.

Take the last time I was there, for example.  The girl that I did see working didn't even acknowledge me, aside from a snide glare.  Mind you, I'm not the type of girl who will take that, especially considering any purchase I might make is inadvertently putting money in your pocket.  So I remarked to my husband; "GOSH!  All of these clothes are so cute!  If only we could get some decent service for once!" plenty loud enough for this clearly hungover and slightly unkempt girl to hear me.  At that point she wandered over and asked me if I needed help.  Not like I would take any advice from this particular chick on what I should buy, but I recognized her from countless other trips to this store and she ALWAYS looks at me in a rude way.  Or maybe her face is just shaped into a sort of perma-scowl.  Who knows.

Unfortunately, this wasn't an isolated incident.  I've had MANY other problems with Bivouac employees thinking that they're far too cool to help the customers.  I swear we learned the basics back in preschool, to "smile and say 'hello'", but I will say that many of the employees carry themselves in such a way that I would be shocked if they finished kindergarten.  The aforementioned perma-scowl girl actually still speaks with the whole Valley-girl accent.  

It may be unfair of me to review solely based on the rudeness of the employees.  Bivouac does have some great clothing, although I have found that I can get a lot of it for less on my favorite clothing websites.  I basically just use Bivouac for trying-on purposes these days, then go online and buy the same items.  Maybe it's just me, but I just cannot bring myself to hand my credit card over to a girl who has been giving me the evil eye for half an hour.  The owner needs to lay down the law to the awful employees, as MANY of my family and friends have experienced the same rude service countless times, or so I'm told.  

My bottom line is this:  It isn't hard to be nice.  Bivouac employees aren't nice.  Not nice employees = customers/sales lost.

Edit:  I only wish I were speaking solely about the women's department, sadly this just isn't the case.  I went into Bivouac with a friend of mine (who happens to be a male) on two separate occasions, so that he could stock up on camping and outdoor gear.  Low and behold, the employees in both the men's clothing section as well as the "gear" section of the store were rude as well!  They knew little to nothing about the products they were selling, and my friend left completely and utterly frustrated after both trips to Bivouac.  Not to mention, he placed a special order for an Arcteryx jacket, and was told three weeks later (and only AFTER finally deciding to call the store) "What?  We don't have any special orders under that name.  Sorry."  

Now, I am all for supporting local businesses as well, just not one that treats their customers like utter crap.  Maybe it's just my luck, and I should attempt to find a four leaf clover before I venture into Bivouac the next time, so that I may have the stellar experience that other folks here on Yelp claim to have had.  Eh, who am I kidding?
1 - Sandi H.: I can barely speak this store's name without a gagging sensation creeping up from the back of my throat. From the wannabe staff that can't be bothered to the rediculously over-priced designer clothes...what's not to love about the Biv?

The main reason they are still in business is that A2 has woefully few shopping choices, especially for what they offer (the camping/outdoor gear and designer jeans). So it almost forces the unsuspecting shoppers to be subjected to their price inflation and rude service. There is definitely a reason for them averaging one or two stars here on yelp.

I will admit, I am not an outdoor enthusiast, so I really can't say if the $50 yoga tanks really are worth it.

One thing I can modestly claim to be an expert in, is designer fashion. I have worked in fashion for over 8 years, working closely with many of the brands they sell here. I *know* jeans. I know what brand is popular (even if you haven't heard about it yet) or what style is forcasted for the next season, or what wash is current. I also, know exactly what they retail for. They do offer a nice range of brands and styles that you don't see everywhere but one thing I've noticed here is that they charge full retail (or sometimes more) for jeans that are over a year old!!! That's just bad form, Biv-o-whack.

Being around Ann Arbor for a little bit has really left a bad tast in my mouth about this store... catching their managers go into competing stores in the area and taking cell phone pics to swipe ideas, bad mouthing other businesses, intructing staff to do the same...it's just gross business practices and it will all bite them in the end.

Really, you'd be much better off if you shop online. There's nothing at all in here that you can't find cheaper (with better service!) online.

*** 
In response to the owner's comments. 
Yes, they price match NOW...but that is a recent feature, probably due to the complaining of high prices. Do you really want to wonder if you can get it cheaper somewhere else and then bring back the price for them to give you a discount? Too much of a headache. Again, I KNOW how much these things cost, I've worked in fashion for a million years. So I'm not saying "wow, jeans for $100+?" I'm saying "wow, these are a couple years old and shouldn't be this price".

And guess what? The jeans area buyer DID instruct staff to go around campus and pass the info on that other shops in town carried fakes or used clothing. This was first-hand from my cousin who worked there, and verified by her two sorority sisters. That woman is wretched. Just because the owner did not know about it or sanction this behavior, doesn't mean it didn't happen. Tacky.
1 - Patrick F.: At Bivouac, customer service has limits.  They don't appear to stand behind the products they sell.  If there's a problem, they blame the manufacturer, say they've done all they can and give up.  Stand behind your products!

I've shopped at Bivouac many times.  Decent selection of stuff.  Staff not overly friendly or helpful, but it's a local business and I try to support local businesses.  I used to shop there fairly often.  My most recent visit, however, will be my last.  

Purchased a pair of Native sunglasses, sport sunglasses with interchangeable lenses to replace a pair I bought a year or two ago and lost.  The store appeared to have what I wanted, but the package was open and lenses were not all there.  A staff member found the other lenses...or so he thought.  After purchase, but before leaving the store, I discovered that some of the lenses did not fit the frames.  The manager offered to order the right lenses and offer an additional discount for my hassle.  Fine with me.

Lenses arrived a week later.  Another trip to the store.  This time, unfortunately,  during art fair.  Wanted the product, though so I braved the parking and crowds.  Waited in a long line to get them.  Discovered after all the waiting that the lenses that were special ordered still did not fit the frames.  Why didn't they check before calling me?  Special order sent back.  2nd set of lenses arrived and another visit to the store.  Waited again.  Still the wrong lenses.  Again why not check before calling me?  Another apology and another special order.  Not sure who is at fault but very frustrated at this point.  Still not ready to throw in the towel on this store.

More than a week went by.  Figured the store lost my contact information so I stopped by the store again.  Product was not in yet.  I was told to come back in a few days.  

Today I got a call that the product finally arrived.  Another trip to the store (trip #5) nearly one month after the original purchase.  Hoping for a quick transaction.  The store ordered a new set of frames and lenses this time so we would not have a lens not match the frame problem.  Unfortunately, it was the wrong color frames....these were tortoise brown, not the asphalt black I paid for.  

Here is where the customer service stopped.  Despite all the trips back to the store, after all the time spent waiting in line, parking issues, etc.....I was told by the cashier there was nothing more the store would do.  I asked to speak to the manager but was told she was busy.  I waited.  The cashier checked with the manager again.  I was told that the manager was on the other side of the store closing the register.  If I wanted to speak with her, I would need to go find her.  

After finding the manager, I was told about all the trouble the store had to go through on my behalf.  The manager said there was nothing more she was willing to do.  It was not their fault.  

No acknowledgment was made of the frustration, time wasted, etc. that I went through.  But I bought the product from Bivouac not Native.  Why won't they stand behind what they sell?  

The only option offered to me was to get my money back.  All I wanted was what I originally paid for and an acknowledgment of the inconvenience I was put through over the past month.  I got nothing but a refund.  And they expect me to keep shopping there? 

I will not shop at Bivouac anymore until they stand behind the products they sell.  Don't give up and say there is nothing more you can do.  

If I were you, I would shop somewhere else.

update -- I ordered the frames and lenses from the Ann Arbor Moosejaw over the phone.  The correct frames and lenses arrived in 2 days.  Free shipping.  If Moosejaw can get the right product, why can't Bivouac?
4 - Kate B.: I mostly shop Bivouac for shoes...and by shoes I mean comfy scuff-abouts like Keene or Dansco. I buy 1-2 pairs or so a year for myself, and sometimes a new pair of sandals for my husband. The older staff members are great (aka: look for grey hair and you'll get good service). I really like the selection of men's sun-block clothing...my husband had some precancerous thingys removed a few years ago, so we've started buying clothes that have built-in SPF. The SPF clothes at Biv are way nicer (aka, not nearly as frumptastic) than most mail-order, and you can try them on which is an added bonus (are expensive, but it's a health thing...)

What I don't like about Biv: the women's section. All clothes are sized for size 0 leggy 20-somethings who want to show off their butt-floss/abs...staff on the women's side are usually rude to boot.
1 - PJ M.: I got a message from AJ the owner? which is shown after my review. I then sent him this in reply:

I see why your shop is the way it is. Honestly, I WILL pay a premium for food/clothes/etc sold by friendly people with soul and or heart and/or kindness which your store is notoriously lacking (tho I do have to admit that last summer there did seem to be an improvement).
   Instead of saying, "oh wow, maybe our store should listen to these yelpers and make some improvements," you just say, "you're wrong!" Really lame people/customer relations skills.

And then another message from AJ:

Hey PJ,
My response to your original review didn't come off how I meant it too.  I do apologize that you have had such a bad experience in our store.  I was just frustrated with the amount of bad reviews, most of which said we are overpriced.  I just want our customers to know that we do not overprice our merchandise. I take all Yelp reviews very seriously and have made vast improvements with my staffing.  I believe that at this time we have a great staff working.  My number one priority is to make our customers happy.  I would love to have you come in and shop with us again.  I would like to offer you a discount on your future purchase and apologize to you personally.  Also if there are any other ways you think we could improve our store I would love to hear them.  Thanks for taking the time to review our store,

-AJ Davidson

OK, so I gotta give some props for either genuine humility or at least basic business sense, right? All these reviews are trying to say something and a business owner can get mad OR think---"hmmmm, maybe there's a problem here that I have nit been seeing." 

   A friend of mine also had a  really bad experience there with staff  just last summer (left a bag inside after closing and after making a rather large purchase by the way- multiple staff completely ignored them knocking on the window and door trying to tell them they left something) later they told a manager who seemed very responsive, so maybe they really are trying! (But still- when you have multiple staff just flat out ignoring people knocking repeatedly on your window and door- isn't that saying something  about the attitude of the staff there?)  I may take you up on the discount offer, I may just do a secret  visit again this summer-- you'll know me by my presence at the sale racks only! (I'm not saying you are too expensive, you're just too expensive for me and for having attitude!)
3 - Kat C.: I've been shopping from this store quite a few times, but mainly because this is one of the very few decent clothing shops on campus. 
I don't agree with people who are complaining about their items are overpriced. If you are buying certain designer brands, then you just kinda have to deal with the price. If you don't think it's worth it, go somewhere else and buy some other brands. 
However, I do agree with the complaints about the customer service. When you go there, the sales associates don't really greet you unless you look like you are rich enough to buy their stuff or something. I don't like that feeling. I hope they can find some down-to-earth people to work there. 
I don't think the selections in this store are all that great, but sometimes I can find some stuff i like. I like to buy the cute jewelries, Kiehl's products, and sometimes clothing.  But then that's what shopping is all about right? You go and find what fits your style and what you think it's worthy of the price. 
Bivouac is not all that bad, but I wish we have better boutiques on campus though.
1 - Olivia p.: One cardigan 70 dollars.
4 - kim w.: We came in here by accident looking for the Nickels Arcade, that doesnt exist.  The staff here were nice enough to help us answer that question.  They surprisingly have brand name items here.  It was like a mini nordstoms.  They had Marc by Marc Jacobs bags here 20% off also Kiehl's face stuff also on sale.  

I didnt walk the rest of the store, too tired, so just sat down and waited for friends to finish.
3 - Meredith F.: Bivouac is definitely expensive, but if you go when they're having a sale you can find some good things. I actually got two pair of designer shorts for $15 each. Not bad.
But you really have to look hard for those sale items. Other than when they have sales, this is not my kind of store. I always feel like I'm poor when I walk in and see that their dresses and shirts (which are usually very plain) are around $100. I guess if you're looking for good designer clothes, it's a nice place to go. It seems that they cost the same everywhere (Lacoste, 7 For All Mankind, Hard Tail, North Face, True Religion, etc.). I can't really think of anyplace else in downtown AA that sells these designers, so anyone with the money to spend would probably enjoy Bivouac.
4 - Dora C.: You know that unsettling feeling you get whenever you walk into an REI, see something you want, and know thousands of others are sporting the same exact thing? Primarily because it is, after all, from REI? Don't get me wrong, I love that store the same way I love Starbucks. However, there will be times when I need to break off from mainstream stores in a silly attempt to become SLIGHTLY less yuppie (I'd be lying if I said otherwise). 

This is probably one of my favorite stores. I'd say it's on par with Any Mountain in the Bay Area for those Nor-calers in terms of good sales. I love the shoe and bag selection since it carries a variety of awesome brands you wouldn't find elsewhere.
3 - Cassidy P.: This store has kind of a split personality.  It has two extremes; on the one hand, it caters to the uber-outdoorspeople who are willing to shell out megabucks for the latest thermal/down/polyproplenemeshthingamabob.  On the other hand, it caters to the highly brand conscious and yes-I-will-pay-over-$100 for a pair of #hipsterjeggings.  Are these people the same people?  Typically, hells to the no.  Hence the issue in trying to make sense of any of the previous reviews.

Me?  I'm neither extreme; I sort of like a little bit of both fashion-y clothes and outdoorsy clothes (wool socks in Chicago winters are a must).  Except I NEVER like paying too much.  So, I go to the sale racks.  

Here, I was able to find a nice pair of unique-looking dangly earrings for $30 (highly recommend the jewelry selection, their buyer does a good job although most is pricey) and a very light, cute turtleneck for $20 perfect for not-yet-cold fall weather and layering under things.  

So, I'd give them about 3.5 stars for their little social experiment.
4 - Chris C.: I had a decent experience here... their selection is pretty awesome, and yeah it's expensive but it's retail pricing... the staff was really helpful and courteous. The only reason they lose a star is because I tried to take advantage of the price matching policy to get my fivefingers for 10 bucks cheaper, but they didn't honor the website I found because they said there was a good chance it could be selling counterfeit gear. I can't argue that... but they should put an asterisk next to their claim that they'll honor any competitors price (even websites*). Nevertheless REI and Moosejaw did not have the fivefingers I wanted in my size, so I bought them here.
1 - Athena K.: okay, I went in looking for a new pair of gloves. Not only could I not find a pair that fit, but the cheapest option was higher than last month's phone bill (keep in mind that  I call overseas A LOT, so you know that's a lot of money). I think they work on commision because the salesperson kept trying to convience me that although my hands were swimming in the gloves that they were "perfect" for me. Sigh. Needless to say, I went to REI where the guy measured my hand and ten minutes later had me trying on six diffent options (all under $30) - it turns out that I wear a children's size large (boys) or x-large (girls) or aged 12-14 (unisex). 

Incidently, this place is decidedly NOT disabled access friendly - there are stairs with no lift, no room for people to move who use a chair or walker, and the staff could not figue out how to deal with my shopping buddy (she's blind) - they kept talkng to me instead of to her and I had to remind them, she's blind, not deaf, mute and unable to recognize that you are being offensive. The guy didn't even try to mask his surprise when she said she treked through Nepal and climbed Mt. Everest. Take THAT, you ignorant salespeople!
5 - Scott W.: Bivouac - Ann Arbor, MI

For a gear freak like me this store is heaven.  I will buy here just so I can actually touch and feel the stuff as opposed to ordering online.  They have a great selection of Patagonia, North Face, Marmot, Mountainsmith and all of the other many many small gear companies you will not find anywhere else locally.  

Here's a little secret for all of you that complain Bivouac is overpriced.  They will match any price from any store, even online merchants.  All you need to do is find the exact color and size that you want and print it out showing the price.  Pretty awesome! They also have pretty good sales on their own stuff when it gets to the end of season.  I picked up a micropuff jacket for 40% off last spring and I'm loving it right now.  If I am about to make a big purchase for some gear then I will check around to try and find the best price, then ultimately make my purchase at Bivouac. They will special order almost anything so if they don't have it now they can get it. 

Service- I've mostly had good experiences although I tend to be very educated going into the store knowing exactly what I'm looking for.  I have had associates alert me to good deals when I've been browsing, which is nice.  

Their discount shoe basement is the stuff of legends, actually I shouldn't say anything more about it, nevermind you didn't hear that from me!  

Check this place out for a local institution and the only one of its kind.  Yes the sticker prices are usually at full retail but do your homework and save $.  The styles and variety in stock blows away their competitors.  Keep up the great work!
5 - Molly H.: Woah, surprised by the lackluster reviews here. Sorry, everyone - high quality camping and hiking gear is expensive and, most of the time, you get what you pay for. Many high-end items like tents, backpacks, boots, rain gear, coats, etc. should last you years if not decades. Is some of this stuff, particularly the clothing, just grossly overpriced gear aimed toward the wealthy, "earthy" yuppy set? Sure. But I'm not going to fault a store for catering to their market.

I stopped in here to buy my brother a super-nice, ultra-light backpacking pack for his graduation and Bivouac did not disappoint. This place is HUGE with an incredible selection of anything you could possibly need to enjoy the outdoors. I had no idea what brand or even what size pack I wanted and the salesdude was extremely nice, helpful and informative, helping me pick a seriously awesome backpack. My mom also tried on a couple different shoes (again, just an insane selection) and ended up leaving with a pair after being helped by yet another nice and helpful guy.

I will come here again if I need boots or a nice coat or backpack or anything similar in a heartbeat. A beautiful store and a true gem on State Street.
2 - Christina G.: Yes, they sell top of the line outdoors equipment, clothing and shoes.  But do they have to be such snotty pants whilst selling it?  Methinks not.

I have been into Bivouac more times than I can even count, but yet I CAN count on one hand (specifically 2 fingers) the number of times I have been greeted in a friendly and welcoming manner upon entering.  Because of this my trips there tend to be brief in-and-out encounters in which I grab what I need and go.

I find it surprising that this store has been around for so long- what with the unfriendliness and all.  But I guess all the guidesses from the east coast with their parents credit cards don't care about "friendliness" and "good service".  They just want their North Face jackets and Ugg Boots.  Ugg.
2 - Sam G.: Hailing from Colorado and California, I've been to A LOT of outdoor gear stores, and Bivouac takes the cake for being my least favorite.

One. There are more employees than I can count on both hands AND both feet. They're either talking to each other or stalking potential shoplifters. Yet not one of them is actually helpful. 

I've stood in front of two employees as they've discussed their weekend for 5 minutes. I've asked questions only to get the most ridiculous answers possible. I haven't had a single pleasant encounter with someone here. And I'm no age-ist but most of the employees are really young and more importantly, inexperienced. I want someone to know the ropes, otherwise I'd go to Meijer (exaggeration for comedic effect) or shop online for better prices.

Two. Their selection is not that great. For a few tents or backpacks, this place cuts it. I haven't found many other things worthwhile here that I can't get at REI (or my new favorite place for these things, Moosejaw). 

Do you wear black leggings and call them pants? How about UGG boots? This is the place for you, dear friend. If you want to get some outerwear that more than likely will only be worn for "innerwear," but you want the name brand, this is your jam. 

Ok. All sass aside, they have a pretty extensive selection of clothing. That's about the only redeemable quality I can find. Plus if you bring in a Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance card you get something like 15% off your purchase.

I'm bummed. They're local. They're right next to the Arcade. I'd rather give them my support than a chain. But after a least a half dozen visits over 2 years, there's no way I'm coming back.
4 - Christina C.: If you're an outdoor enthusiast, you're going to go ga-ga over this place!

On the hunt for last minute gifts while I was in Ann Arbor - and seeing as my fella quite likes the outdoors - of course I had to pop in.

Would you like the good news or the bad news first?

Ok, fine. The bad news is everything is expensive. How this store survives on a college campus, in primarily a college town is beyond me. I don't remember being able to afford things like the ones in Bivouac in college, but... if this is the only store for miles, I would drive here if I needed to.

The good news is there are awesomely cool, useful, high-quality goods from literal floor to multi-level ceiling in here!

Socks, clothes, shoes, ski gear, leather bags, jewelry, cantines, ropes... My brain couldn't even contain everything I tried to take note of.

Although I didn't walk out with any gifts, I did enjoy making mental notes of all of the outdoor "gear" I need to survive in the wild outdoors. Or, you know, look good while I'm camping in my own back yard.
3 - Andy L.: Although they have a great selection of high-end clothing, I found that the employees were very rude, and don't seem to be motivated at all.  

I went shopping there on a recent Sunday, when they open at 12:00 noon.  There were several of us waiting for them to open, but they didn't even open the doors at noon.  They were busy counting change while we knocked at the door and pointed to our watches.

They did finally open the doors at 12:03pm.  I asked them what the problem was, and why they would waste time counting quarters while several people waited in the cold for them to open, and was told it was "only 12:01, and it was nickels, not quarters".  I asked to speak with the manager, and was told that the manager wouldn't be there until the next day.  I was directed to an older gentlemen who was the one that mentioned it was only a minute late (even though it was actually more like three or four, and we had been waiting since 11:45am).  

Apparently they don't need the business...they will not be getting mine.

_____________
Update May 3rd, 2012:

I'm happy to report that upon my 2nd visit, I was treated much better.  Several people politely asked me for help, and I encountered no problems whatsoever.  I'll chalk up my first visit to a bad day/bad crew.  I'll change my rating from 1* to 3*.
1 - Michael G.: Overpriced would have been ok if it were not for the lousy and arrogant staff.  They have a great selection in all categories, but this won't make up for the arrogance of the staff and in some cases, lack of knowledge.  They did look good however.  From many of the comments I see here on Yelp, this is a common problem.  How long can it last before it REALLY affects their business.  Maybe some training is in order, you think?
4 - Rachel Y.: Yes, the items sold at this store tend to be on the pricey side, but it is also very high quality and you walk away satisfied that you have a product that will last you a long time. 

I'm reading quite a few reviews about sub-par service and I think that is unfortunate. My personal experience with the sales staff at Bivouac has always been pleasant. I'd like to give a special shout to to Sandra- she is awesome! Always willing to impart helpful fashion advice or point you in the direction of sales happening in the store.
3 - Neal D.: Great selection of premium outdoor products but the location doesn't really offer much that would draw me in from larger outdoor recreational retail chains other than hiring local students as models . That doesn't mean they're not a good store with a fantastic location; they could just do more.

Black & White Cab System - Troy, NY (42.732181, -73.688234) ()
1 - Lai-Yee B.: Thanks again for not picking me up, Black & White. Tried flagging down two on-duty and empty cabs at night for a ride. One didn't bother stopping, the other slowed down and gave me a dismissive wave. 

I guess they must have something against professionally doing business, gaining customers, and earning money. 

Capitaland will now get all of my business. I guess they must like 50% tips on short rides or something.
1 - John Q.: straight up goofballs... wife late for work...real clown says the cab was outside blowing the horn for 5 minutes. I drive cab in a different city. So I know the drill instead of saying they cant get the call they blame the customer..Clowns! Troy is the MOST rediculous city in AMERICA to get a cab

Black Bean Cuban Cuisine - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4402643, -79.9563984) (Oakland)
4 - Ingrid K.: Yay! A delicious restaurant finally replaced very bad Ginza! (My condolences to the previous proprietors).

Black Bean Cuban Cuisine is a casual place with delicious CARBS CARBS CARBS!
On a platter will be cuban white bread, rice paella, black beans, fried plantains, and steamed plantains; all to substantiate your piece of fried fish in the corner.

The fried fish is the best I've had in Pittsburgh; well seasoned and crispy on the outside and flaky moist on the inside.

The only downside of this place (besides the carb load) is the intense smell of oil when you  walk in. The cafe's ventilation system may not be running properly.
4 - Neil S.: Pretty solid food in the mass of mediocrity that is Oakland.

Most of the sandwiches are tasty. The pressed bread is crisp yet remains soft on the inside, which accents all the sandwiches' components. Their Cuban is delicious, they don't skimp on the meat at this spot. Try anything that includes their Island Sauce. I usually hate mayonnaise, but Black Bean's Island Sauce converted me into a believer.  

Excellent sides such as black beans and rice, empanadas, island fries, and fried plantains round out any good meal here. The guava and cheese empanadas are an interesting dessert choice that I crave frequently. The big plates of food (Mojo Grilled Chicken, Arroz con Pollo, etc) are alright, though not nearly as good as the sandwiches.

Prices are reasonable, around $7-8 gets you a huge sandwich or big plate of food, another $1-2 if you want a side dish such as black beans and rice or an empanada. Service is pretty quick too for made to order food.

In short, a good spot to get a filling, tasty sandwich or some Cuban side dishes. I've become a regular since it opened, and you will too.
4 - Philip S.: This was a very nice little place, a little off the beaten path in Oakland.  The food was tasty and inexpensive. The staff was polite. I had chicken empinada and BBQ pork sandwich.  I would definitely eat here again.
3 - Jenn T.: Black Bean is one of those restaurants where you can eat if you're in the mood to really, really splurge on calories.  At least, I have to assume this, because the food we got, though delicious, was supremely greasy (which clearly added to the deliciousness, despite what my arteries may have thought).

This place strikes me as a primarily take-out restaurant, as we were there in the evening, and saw many people stop in to pick up food, but only one or two other people actually sit down for dinner.  That said, they do have a reasonably-sized seating area and what appears to be a full bar, so eat-in is definitely an option.  You place your order at the counter, and then it is brought to you at your table.

We wanted to sample a few different things, so we got the croquetas and papa rellenas appetizers to start.  Both were really amazing - croquetas are the equivalent of cheese sticks with ham inside instead of cheese!  The papa rellena was a ball of fried mashed potatoes, stuffed with ground beef.

Do you understand how, as my tastebuds cried out in joy, my arteries cowered in a corner??

Since these were such heavy appetizers, we split dinner, deciding (finally) on the fried chicken platter.  It's a light fry, very well-seasoned and tasty, and not dripping in grease the way a KFC fry does.  However, your plate comes stacked with rice, beans (or black bean soup, which we tried), and tostones, which are twice-fried green plantains.  Again, delicious, but heavy.

Service was good, and the churro dessert, despite taking a little while to get to our table, was decent.  Four churros for $2.95!

The prices were really reasonable here as well, and everything is available for takeout.  Apparently this is a small franchise, with all of their other locations in Florida, so don't be like me and get your hopes up of seeing flan on the menu, as that's only in the Florida locations.

All in all, it's worth a stop in.  There very well may be healthier options on the menu, but we were quite pleased with our unhealthy but tasty choices just the same!  :)
3 - Matt C.: While this unfortunately rhyming restaurant and bar practically oozes apathy--both visually and experientially--its one saving grace is that it provides a unique source of variety set against Oakland's mostly predictable culinary scene.  A few of the sandwiches are surprisingly good, and Oakland residents can safely use Black Bean as a change-of-pace option for affordable dining out in the neighborhood.
5 - Junier O.: Very affordable, great portions, authentic, and tasty! Fairly low-key locale; great spot overall. The palomilla steak is awesome at under ten bucks, and the chicken empanadas and yuca frita appetizers are delicious (though probably really unhealthy hehe). I don't eat out to often, but this is definitely my go-to spot; take it from a Cuban, you gotta try this place :)
1 - Walter M.: I was so happy last year when I moved back to Pittsburgh and found out they opened a cuban restaurant in Oakland, my old stomping grounds from the college years.  The only problem was that I rarely hang out in Oakland any more, so I put this place off for a bout a year.  

I actually almost went last year.  I was working. A colleague and I was looking for a place to eat. I suggested the Cuban place.  She hesitated and didn't seem enthused. So I suggested other places.  We ended up going to Fuel & Fuddle.  She mentioned she was 'not ready' for cuban food.  Which is funny because cuban food, unlike Mexican, is not hot. It's actually sweet.  Cuban Pork... the best ever. Black beans and rice... YUM.  Fried Plantains... may be better than french fries (Don't Hold me on that.)  Luckily for her, I recently went there and it was pretty awful. So I am very happy my friend's first cuban dining experience was not at this restaurant... because she would of never attempt to eat cuban cuisine again.

You know I was hesitant a year ago when i discovered the place. Though I was very happy hearing that this is a restaurant that also exists in Miami and for some reason also opened here, the menu was not enticing.  It's kind of a sandwich shop more so than a dining experience.  I do enjoy a good Cuban Pork sandwich. So last week, I was in Oakland and it was Lunch time. "Girlfriend, we are going to the Black Bean."

There was no hostess or wait staff. You approach the bar, look at the menu, select your beer or soda from the cooler, order, pay at the register, take a seat, and wait.  I generally do not like this process. It works at some places like Sharky's in Manhattan Beach.  But it didn't work for me at this place.  

I ordered what they called the Bay of Pigs.  It's a Cuban with CUban pork, Ham, and Chorizo.  My GF got the Turkey Cuban which was on special.  Fries came with the meals. I also ordered Fried Plantains.  The Fired Plantains were good.  The french we're surprising ok being that they were not crispy at all and I generally like crispy fries.  The Bay of Pigs was a big sandwich. but it was bland.  The Cuban flavors that I grew up with and experience last summer in Miami did not come across. It was really just a big sandwich. I would of rather went to Primanti's that day and got a good big sandwich. My GF's Turkey Cuban was horrible though. The Turkey tasted like the Turkey you get from the Lunchable's Packets that we used to get when we we're in grade school.  

Plus, the bathroom is in the basement with low ceiling and I whacked my head off some kind of over head pipe. Ouch! Lawsuit pending. 

The place is good for what it is. A place that serves generous portions in a College Community at ok prices.  I ran into an old friend shortly after who proclaimed he loved Black Bean and couldn't believe I didn't approve. His reason were: the generous portions and it was never crowded.  I totally noticed a bunch of bearded hipster kids discussing philosophy who thought they were generally better than everyone else, because they we're eating at an 'ethnic' place.  It's about as ethnic as Chipotle. They should try Cozumel in Greensburg.  So, if your a poor college student who dabbles in in Hipster, anti-social behavior, anti--frat mentalities, and has never had Cuban Food... you'll love this place.

Black Cab & Limo - Champaign, IL (40.1164204, -88.2433829) ()
5 - Bill I.: This is the best taxi service in the area. The cars are clean and the drivers are professional. Best of all, they take credit cards. 

Tip: If you need a ride from the airport, call as soon as you land. They usually need to come from downtown -- about ten minutes.
5 - J P.: Called the night before for early morning pickup.  Turned out black cab wasn't able to pick me up on time so they arranged with classic cab to pick me up.  The gentleman was woken up at 5am and was at my house in 10 mins..right on time.  At my stop, the black cab owner personally came to take my payment.  Big props to both companies for their efficiency and organization.

Black Cat Ale House - Cohoes, NY (42.7726829, -73.7014615) ()
3 - SUSAN R.: We discovered this place by accident driving around Cohoes looking for a place to eat on Memorial Day. You walk into the bar area where there are  some booths, but there is also a larger dining room and an outside patio- if you can deal with cigarette and cigar smoke.
Out there, they had a musician, singing and strumming guitar - not bad.
Server was really great and advised us cheerfully  about the menu - telling us that everything is homemade except the crab-cakes and fried chicken- which she said was still very good. My husband had his usual burger and fries, but I was craving "honey dipped fried chicken".
We were not expecting much, but were very pleasantly surprised. The crispy chicken came with a heaping portion of delicious mashed potatoes, large helping of overcooked  but tasty string beans sprinkled with a few carrots, and mound cranberry sauce - plus a decent salad and bread. It was about $11.00.The chicken was nicely seasoned, not overly greasy , but not very meaty- I could have eaten 1 more piece, though there were 4 pieces including a tiny wing and drumstick. The potatos really helped fill me up.
 My husband liked his burger and loved the generous helping of steak fries for $7.95. The beer selection is great - it is an ale house after all, and we noticed that people drinking at the bar were keeping their bottles cold in buckets of ice provided for each individual. 
The restaurant is Polish owned, so on Tuesday nights, they have about 5 Polish specialties - all homemade - such as  Golumpky (sp?) , potato pancakes, Kielbasa, and perogies. 
After feeling ripped off at the Arlington House the night before, this was a refreshing discovery. We are definitely going back!

2nd visit: Polish night: disappointing. the potatoe pancakes were soggy and the fried pork- well, I dunno, I feel that pork should not be fried. Do anything else with it. But the perogies and kielbasa were tasty. We still love those mashed potatoes!
4 - ThinkAnd D.: Hey, this place is good enough to actually go to Cohoes. Very casual neighborhood bar feel, reasonable prices for food, and several cuts above in quality. Virtually everything is made from scratch. I recently had a fish fry that was much better than anything I've ever eaten in Buffalo, which considers itself the Fish Fry Capital of the Milky Way Galaxy.
2 - Peter K.: I was hoping this place would be a little bit more upscale but I guess I shouldn't expect even Albany-level interestingness in Cohoes. We came here just for drinks. Why was I expecting more? Because it's called an "Ale House". If you call yourself an "Ale House" you should offer more on tap than the usual beers. The only somewhat "interesting" beers they had were Blue Moon, Guinness and Newcastle. But everyone has Blue Moon and Guinness these days so it's not really anything special to offer those. 

We didn't try the food, so since there have been some very positive reviews regarding the food, I'm willing to give this place another shot. But now that I've posted a 2 star review of this place, I'm afraid I'll get beat up the next time I come here. 

We were sorta trying to watch a playoff game while we were here but the TVs are on the small side. If they want people to come here to watch sports, they need to upgrade their TVs.

The crowd is a bit more Cohoes than I would have liked. If you're looking to meet 20/30-something young professionals, I would recommend making the short drive down to Brown's in Troy -- you'll find larger TVs, more interesting brews and more beautiful people.
4 - Bob R.: This place has a very modest appearance, and it seems that most people come there because it is a neighborhood bar and a good place to have a beer and watch sports.

But believe me it is much more than that. It has a pretty decent Italian menu, but from my many trips there, I am convinced that they have only two things that they do exceptionally well - steak and hamburgers. 

They have a burger specialty with cheese, bacon, mushrooms, veggies and what must be a half pound of the best burger meat you can find on a roll. You might want to order the sweet potato fries with it.  It is a complete meal and you may have trouble finishing it. 

Their steak is  tender and well seasoned. I had one a couple years ago that I still dream about.

They have a good selection of draft beer, including my favorite - Blue Moon.

Their prices are very reasonable, and we go there almost exclusively in the late spring through mid autumn because they have a most inviting outdoor deck, and there is almost always available outdoor seating.
4 - Jeremy V.: Delightfully gritty and local. The beer flows freely as does frequent live music. Food is good, as is service. Check it out on a Friday night and have fun!
2 - Robin S.: Went there with a coupon from the Entertainment Book with the intention of trying something new and local after attending a performance at Cohoes Music Hall. Waitress tried hard but was overwhelmed. Staffing poor. Food was undercooked and we were given someone else's meal.  When we went to use coupon which was for up to $13.00, they would not honor it because we got an $8.00 special . Although my meal was $20.00, they would not let us use coupon for second meal. Penny wise, pound foolish. Will never go back.

Black Cat Tattoo & Body Piercing - Austin, TX (30.280716, -97.7433439) (Downtown)
5 - Shane H.: The boys at Black Cat really are one of a kind, especially for "tattoo shop guys".  You would think that being smack dab in the middle of Sixth Street and having to deal with the daily dose of drunken college kids would make them a little jaded and guarded, but no it hasn't.  The guys at Black Cat are some of the coolest people I know downtown.

PROS:
The place is open super late, it's clean, the artists are talented and even if you are getting a tattoo that is pretty stupid they will just do it for you and not argue with you on it.  Because face it, drunk college kids get some pretty stupid tattoos.

CONS:  
The drunk college kids that are always in there looking for their butterfly, tramp stamp, or tattoos of cherries (ie. stupid tattoos).

Overall the staff here is very professional, the facility is very clean.  They will gladly explain to you each and every step they are taking so you know what is going on and they encourage you to come back for aftercare or if you have any questions.  Did I mention that they were also just cool people?

Oh and I have gotten two tattoos there and one piercing, just for reference.
5 - Barbara T.: I recently met Alexander through a friend who has a lot of his work on her. He just did a beautiful re-work of my wife's 10-year-old sun tattoo, and I was amazed! Not only does it look like a brand new piece with vivid colors and crisp lines, but he improved on the original! He has an amazing ability to produce even tiny details and lettering with precision accuracy. I'm currently planning a text piece with him. 

In addition to his skills, he is super nice and makes even us "non-tattoo" people feel comfortable. All the people in the shop are super nice, although I recommend going other than Friday and Saturday night when all the 6th Street partiers are coming in and out. After researching a lot of places and artists, I highly recommend this one!
5 - Lori S.: I absolutely love all the guys at Black Cat! They're probably the most laid back group of guys I've met in a tattoo shop & they'll certainly keep you laughing & entertained while you're getting inked.

I've been in on more than one occasion as a bystander to support a friend through a painful tattoo & found the guys to all be nice & friendly. The shop is super clean & tidy & everyone is extremely professional. These are all really great artists too & I would love to one day have work from each one of them grace my body.

A few months ago I went in to see Theo for my very first foot tattoo. It was also his first foot tattoo, as he was an apprentice. I've heard horror stories about apprentice tattoos, but I am incredibly pleased with Theo's work. He's a super sweet guy & a terrific artist & the guys in the shop were always around giving him tips & keeping me laughing. I can't wait to have Theo do my other foot!
5 - Kate A.: I've had several tattoos and a piercing done here, and the quality of work they do is fantastic.  I've brought my own design and picked flash art off the wall, and all came out great.  

My dad and his girlfriend visited in July and we had family tattoo day.  The artist was enthusiastic about my dad's home-grown design and did a great job on it. 

I don't have one particular artist I go to - I've had someone different every time and have never been disappointed.
5 - Lacie T.: It was the summer of 2009.  I was an impulsive stewardess on a long overnight in downtown Austin waiting for my friends to meet me for dinner.  Long story short, I ended up getting one of the highest quality tattoos I've ever seen (from Josh).  The interior of the shop is bright and extremely clean and everyone was very friendly and entertaining conversationalists.  I have several friends living in the Austin area to whom I've highly recommended this shop to, and I intend to go back whenever I get the chance next.
2 - Patricia S.: I've been here a few times, & they have a large collection of jewelry to choose from. Well I picked up a pair of earrings from the piercer. She was helpful, but more importantly, she actually SAW me & acknowledged me. She got the earrings I was wanting, put it in a bag & I was on my way.

My experience was good except when I got home they are the wrong size?! What?! I also remember seeing a sign that says all jewelry sales are final. That's awesome, I didn't need that $ burning in my pocket!
5 - Desiree L.: I recently had a tattoo done at Black Cat Tattoo by Laguna.  I sent him a picture with an idea of what I wanted.  He could have just traced it and slapped it on my arm but he didn't.  He took the time to find out what it meant to me so that he could make it my own.  He did such amazing work and it turned out so much better than I could have ever imagined.  These guys really care about the work they put out.

Black Cat Tattoos - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4450473, -79.9489025) (Oakland)
5 - Michael B.: I will admit, I left Pittsburgh before Jason Opened Black Cat Tattoos. But I can not speak highly enough of Jason and his work. He is the nicest, calmest, friendliest tattoo I have known. Along with his great attitude, his work is outstanding. He keeps it bold and beautiful just like a tattoo should be. No fancy tricks, just good solid tattoos.
Don't walk, run to black Cat Tattoos. I would but I can't run 3000 miles... Heck I can't even run a mile.
5 - Tom L.: what michael b. said: this shop is amazing.  jason & cara are the best!!!  i won't get tattooed anywhere else.
5 - Katie O.: cara did my first (and probably last--they hurt!) tattoo this past week. the shop is really cool and everyone there was just so friendly and chill. it kinda felt like hanging out with a bunch of old friends. my tattoo looks great; if i were to get another, i'd definitely go back to black cat!
5 - Meliora A.: One of the best tattoo shops in the burgh. This husband and wife team is unstoppable. Great tattooers, talented, super nice, professional, Cara's laugh is intoxicating. You'll not only leave with a good tattoo, but a good story and all around experience.

Black Dog Records - Houston, TX (29.7319332, -95.4106137) (Museum District, Upper Kirby)
5 - Julio R.: I used to drive pass this store many times and finally i decided to stop by. My conclusion came as this store is awesome. The selection of vinyl is really cool and very organized. They have mostly classic rock, but they do have other selections as metal, jazz, r&b, and country stuff there also.
4 - Jason G.: Love this place and the guys that run it. While they stock plenty of music from all genres and time periods they specialize in the obscurities of  late sixties psychedelic music. Well organized, well stocked and their suggestions will never steer you off course. If I'm ever looking for anything from '66-'72 this is the first place I go. The dogs roaming the store really solidifies the places identity and is a great touch as well.
4 - Lisa O.: Selection is *top notch* here, but the very knowledgeable and incredibly hospitable owner (he watched my bicycle for me so it wouldn't get stolen whilst I perused) knows what he's got so the prices are anything but a bargain (as a point of reference prices for vintage rock ranged in the $20's-40's, I prefer my wax hard-to-find and under 5).  

If you love digging through crates and dusty piles of crapvinyl this is totally not your place but If you're looking for something special in pristine condition and don't mind putting up the clams, then head to Black Dog.
5 - Bob N.: Locally owned black dog records is by far my favorite record store in Houston.  The selection of records is excellent and very well organized, with a great variety of new, used, and collectible issues.  The used records are hand checked for quality by the owner( I have personally seen this) ,  and it appears that he buys only the records he wants from collections, as opposed to many record stores with an abundance of uninteresting music.  I have been able to find every artist I was interested in purchasing, and  always leave with at least two records in hand.  The prices range from 5-15$ for used records, and 15$-25$ for single disc new records.

The owner has always been extremely helpful and friendly, and I will continue to shop here for years to come.
1 - LP C.: I realize that I'm the odd man out regarding positive reviews of this place, but wanted to share my experience.

I used to be a frequent customer of this store, oftentimes spending a few hundred dollars per month. However on my last visit about a month ago, I went and brought a close friend who is another serious LP collector, who also knows exactly how to handle LPs, etc.

The owner accused my friend (in an unfriendly way) of opening a sealed bootleg in the store, which he absolutely did not do. The LP was wrapped in a shrinkwrap that was very loose fitting and one end was already opened when my friend touched it. Since it was already opened, he was going to visually inspect the vinyl before purchasing.

After we left and I heard the entire chain of events, I called the store and asked Cliff to explain to me exactly what happened from his point of view. Cliff was cordial and nice with me on the phone, though he stated that my friend "got shitty" with him, which I would have done as well if I had been wrongfully accused of such nonsense.

Cliff told me on the phone that my friend was "turning the cover around every which way, determined to get into it." (What he was doing was inspecting the spine and the top and bottom seam for seam-splits.)

He admitted to me that he did NOT see my friend open the record and said that he couldn't really say that he did it, but quickly retorted that he couldn't say that he "didn't do it either." I told Cliff that my friend absolutely did NOT open that LP and that he was very upset about this. Cliff's reply was "too bad."

If you're in the retail business, you can't have it both ways. Either you saw him open the record and handle the situation accordingly, or let it go. You can't say "I can't say that he did it but can't say that he didn't do it either" and "too bad" when I said my friend was very upset. 

I used to like this store and the relaxed atmosphere, but I think that walking around the store with alcoholic beverages in his hand has seriously impaired the owner's judgement and customer relation skills.

I have not been back since and will no longer do any business with this store nor recommend them to anyone else in the future.
4 - Jack S.: Black Dog is, for its' size one of the better record stores in the greater Houston area. Selection tends to be on the somewhat lean side, but everything I've every bought has been in great condition, and the owner is good at slowly accumulating new and rare stock.  If fact, if you're as much a music collector as a much as a vinyl fan, this should be your store of choice. While you might have a little more fun at Cactus or Vinal Edge, Black Dog is perhaps the best place to buy pristine records in the city.
5 - Cassandra C.: Love me some Black Dog Records! Lots of great vinyl for the turntable set like me, and the prices are very fair. I have to say also one of the few places that cleans the records before they go back in the bins for sale. The owner Cliff is amazing, super nice and always seems to find what I am looking for. He even calls me when stuff I am looking for comes in. Plus they have puppies! PUPPIES PEOPLE!!!!!
1 - connor s.: I travel the country 5 weeks out of every year to shop for records. This place was pretty trippy in prices and I didn't see anything I wanted. Not too much there.
5 - Diana I.: I try to stop in at Black Dog every time I'm in Houston. I've generally found their prices to be much more reasonable than neighboring Cactus (which is still worth checking out), and their selection focuses on classic rock but has a lot of other stuff too. The friendly in-store dogs are a plus for me, and the owner is as friendly and helpful as everyone says. I started shopping here in high school when I got my first record player and I'm glad to see the store is still going strong.
3 - Paul D.: They have a really good selection of records.  The prices are outrageous though.  Friendly owners, and the black lab they own is great.  I have found some really cool gems here, but be prepared to spend some cash.  The quality of the records has always been good as well.  A good fall back option for me, but not my go to record store.

Black Dog Smoke & Ale House - Urbana, IL (40.113525, -88.207785) ()
5 - J. B.: Named after the owners' two dogs: Oscar and Lola...Black Dog has officially opened. 

Finally! 

A lip-smackin' smoke house with a more than decent beer menu...offering a cozy warm environment too!

They offer VERY reasonably priced sandwiches for $6-$10: pulled pork, catfish, chicken, brisket, polish and more! They also buy wheels of goat cheese (specially made just for Black Dog) and blue cheese from the local Prairie Fruits Farm and smoke it. Damnit..this place is perfect. 

After 5 p.m., pork spare ribs are not only to die for, but very affordable, and need no sauce. Score a full slab for $15 to boot!
4 - Jonathan H.: Finally was able to come back to try out their dinner menu. Got the Combo Platter, 1/3 slab of ribs and 1/2 a chicken and two sides for 10.95, can't be beat. (They only serve these after 5pm). The ribs were pretty tender with a nice smokey char on the outside and the chicken was soft, mostly cuz it was dark meat but it also had a distinct smoked flavor that reminded me of lil porgies. They don't give you enough sauce to cover both of them, but they'll give you more if you just ask.

The red cabbage coleslaw was a little too sour for me, but boy...the sweet potatoe fries are pretty awesome, I couldn't get enough of them!! Sweet, crunchy, potatoey...with a little bit of that sauce...ooo...i'm drooling right now and it's morning.

Now I can confidently say that it's one of the better places on campus for bbq and I'll be coming back for their full rack of ribs in the next week or two.
1 - J. L.: I'm a long-time lurker, first-time writer.

We went to Black Dog last night at 8:00pm after hearing rave reviews on two local blogs (you probably can guess which ones.)

Well, we stood by the door for a good 5 to 7 minutes politely waiting with absolutely no one giving us a blink of attention. We saw people in booths and tables with food and drinks, waited on by a woman, and at least two people standing around behind the bar. They were not busy.

Finally tiring of this exercise we seated ourselves at the bar uninvited. The bartender came by and told us they were basically out of food. No ribs, no pulled pork, no chicken, nothing.

I can understand their under-estimating demand given that they haven't been open that long. (Although, if you start serving ribs at 5pm, you only have something like 5 booths and 4 tables, and you're out by 8pm -- huh?)

But if someone had told us there were out when we came in, it wouldn't be a problem. Letting customers just stand around stupidly is ridiculous. I'm sorry, no food is so good to suffer so much attitude. I felt like I was in a snooty restaurant in Paris.

No thanks. We went down the street to Seven Saints and had a nice dinner with friendly service.
5 - Andrea T.: This place is awesome, I go crazy whenever I see NC-style barbecue (see hometown).

Went here on friday with some friends, it was small and packed but we only had to wait by the door 5-10 min.  Sat at the bar and got the beer menu, they have a fantastic selection of really good beer for cheaper prices than you'd find at any other bar.  Then it was a choice between the ribs, half chicken, catfish, and pulled pork (pulled pork !!!).  I had to get the ribs, which were dry rubbed, smoked, and came with the perfect vinegar-y sauce.  The sides are just as delicious, one of my friends fell so in love with his baked beans that he's been talking about them for the past two days.  

Looks like they also do breakfast/brunch, that'll be next on my list to try.
4 - Teej T.: Black Dog is pretty tasty, although in my experience, they're still working otu the kinks, so you'll have to deal with their occasional running out of food you might like.

Still, the drink selection is nice, and good God, the pulled pork was tasty.  The pit beans were phenomenal.  Personally, I'd recommend getting the coleslaw on the side--and then not eating it.  That wasn't so good, but everything else was.

And sweet Mary and Joseph--CORNBREAD WITH MEAT IN IT.

Yes.  UH. MAY. ZING.

The wait staff is friendly and personable, and the food is top notch.  My only other complaint would be the lack of fried catfish 6 out of 7 days.  Oh, they have regular catfish, but it's only fried on Fridays.  And that just breaks my heart.  Because I LOVE fried catfishy.  DOn't judge me.

Tasty, tasty catfish. 

Anyhow, Black Dog is worth a stop, they've definitely renovated and improved the former space, and the food is great.
4 - Paige D.: My friend and I went here for dinner tonight-- we both had delicious beers-- the scotch ale for me, and the wheat for him.  Both were great, the waitress was very nice and prompt, and the food was absolutely delicious.  I had the pulled pork, and it melted in my mouth.  Plus, sweet potato fries were only $.50 extra, compared to the $1.50 extra they are at crane alley.  

They have a great beer selection, and you can smell the place like a block away... the sweet, sweet smell of gluttony (and I'm sure most of the other 7 deadly sins)... and it's great.

All in all, 2 sandwiches, 3 beers, 20% tip and all under $30? Good in my book!
4 - Kelsey K.: Kelsey Keyes reviews Black Dog: "I was super excited to try this new place.  We tried to go one Friday night, around 7:30 and the place was packed!  And there were about 7-8 people ahead of us in line.  We decided that it was worth waiting, until the chef came out personally and told us that they were out of just about everything on the menu.  So we had to try again the next week.  This time we came earlier, around 6, and it was still packed, but we got one of the last tables.  I ordered the pulled pork sandwich and my friend (tried) to order the ribs platter (but he was served the smaller portion - we didn't complain, but we were disappointed).  I was surprised at the smallish portion of food, and my sandwich was a bit dry - it could definitely have used more bbq sauce!  The baked beans on the side were tasty and smoky, and the coleslaw was pretty good too.  We felt like we were rushed out of there (the waitress never asked if we wanted another beer, she just brought us our check), but they were pretty busy, so I guess it's understandable.  So, overall I was underwhelmed. I'd recommend: 1. arrive early, or expect to wait, 2. ask for more bbq sauce and 3. hope that the service improves as the restaurant becomes more settled.
4 - D. B.: Had a GREAT time. We wanted to go somewhere different for a medium sized meal and decided to try out Black Dog. The food and environment were the highlights:

Food- We both got pulled pork sandwich so I can speak of other items (A friend highly recommended the ribs) and cornbread, which were not the best I've ever tasted but tasted excellent none-the-less. The menu's are simplified and easy to order.

Environment- Being in the arts and working at an upscale restaurant in downtown Champaign myself, I was impressed with the quality of the furnishings. The bar seems great for a couple rounds and a nice bite to eat, and some of the people were well on their way when we were there! Service was great and timely.

Plan to make it out to Black Dog at least once a month from now on!
5 - Matt B.: Edit: Flaws ironed out and the Black Dog is Heaven! Full 5-star experience every time!

Original review: Very good! In brief, my wife and I have found the service to be friendly and efficient, the food to be intensely flavorful, and the cost quite reasonable. Add to this good beer, and you have a restaurant that it is fast becoming our default meal when we don't have a specific craving and just want a nice night out.

We have eaten widely from the menu, and especially recommend the wings, the pulled pork, and the cornbread. They often have specials, which so far have also been great.

There are still a few small kinks, such as only having four napkin dispensers along the entire bar that seats 15 or so people (I had to ask for napkins, which one should never need to do at a barbecue joint! And then they needed to be taken away for someone else, and I had to ask for them again...). Hopefully the owners read reviews and/or use their common sense to iron out what few flaws currently exist.
5 - Tim H.: Update:  Ok, I had dinner at the Black Dog.  The ribs were to die for, the beer selection makes me feel like I've gone to brew heaven, and the service was good.  Now only if they were open on Sundays...



This place pretty much does what it needs to!

Great beer selection, "real" lemonaide, awesome meat, ok service.  I didn't have a single complaint!

It beats the pants off of the other bbq places in town for taste and offerings. 

Yum!
5 - Charley S.: Some of the best beef brisket I've ever had - sauce is not necessary. There's usually a wait but you won't regret it. I ate here the first week they opened and the quality of the BBQ astounded me at the time - it has only gotten better since. I hope it does well because the trip to Urbana is faster than driving to 17th Street BBQ in Murphysboro. The Pit Beans are totally necessary as a side. They also have a decent beer selection with some good microbrews on tap.
5 - Antoinette P.: Far and away the best barbeque I've had in Champaign.   The smoked wings are mindblowingly tasty.  Thinking about them makes me feel funny in my pants.
5 - Joshua R.: Amazing beef brisket, tasty BBQ sauce, and good selection of beers.
5 - AS D.: I  can be a bit critical of bbq, and I love this place.  The meat is good enough without sauce, and that's all I need.

I recommend the smoked catfish.  I haven't had any smoked fish like this; it's amazing. 

The service is nice, kind waitress.  I guess they can run out of food.  That's kind of like the good bbq joints you would run across in the South.  Go early.
5 - Rob C.: The best BBQ in the area, and a good selection of craft beers on tap.  The barbecue style is dry-rub which allows you to really taste the meats, rather than everything being covered in sauce.

Everything is good, but the pulled pork, ribs, and chicken wings are my favorites.  Also, try the corn bread. The bits of meat and peppers in the bread surprised me, but now it's the only cornbread I eat!
5 - Ana L.: What we ordered:

Pulled Pork Sandwich w/ their house Carolina Style BBQ sauce w/ slaw on the side
Brisket Sandwich w/ house BBQ sauce w/ slaw on top (traditional way)

Sides: Cornbread, Baked Beans, Spicy Potato Salad

The meat is tender and flavorful - I preferred the pork, my husband preferred the brisket. The sauce was very good- definitely homemade, not the HFCS stuff from the bottle. It's not as sweet as the thick and dark styles, but its delicious, with a bit of heat. 

The slaw is is vinegar, not mayo-based and mine was fresh and crisp. The cornbread was delicious- the description says it has chilies, beans, and meat in it, and I was imagining something with big chunks or almost like a baked sandwich- when it arrived it looked like a piece of thick cornbread, but when you bit into it the flavor was salty and smoky with just a hint of chile flavor- no discernible pieces of beans/meat. The potato salad was good, but not the best I've had. The baked beans were delicious, with a definite smokiness, NOT the sweet stuff you're used to from pot lucks or the can!

Delicious BBQ!
5 - Annie W.: After calling around to all the BBQ places in town, we decided to go with Black Dog for a catering event for 200-300 people.  We got 20 lb. pulled pork, 20 lb. pulled chicken, buns, sauce, potato salad and cole slaw.  They were absolutely fantastic to work with (for instance, offering pulled chicken even though that's not on their catering menu) and the price was the best around (compared to Famous Dave's, Blues, Lil Porgy's, and Hickory River).  

The food was such a hit with the crowd that those of us working the event didn't get a chance to eat much of it, so we went back to Black Dog afterwards and got dinner!  The potato casserole is divine, the potato salad is spicy and delicious, and the meat is just phenomenal.  I've tried the Carolina Red and the Chipotle sauce, both of which were delicious.

The restaurant itself is tiny and was packed on a Friday night, so while turnover is pretty fast, expect to wait 10-20 minutes if you come at a busy time.  The staff is extremely nice and helpful, and food comes out pretty fast, so no complaints there.  

Prices are pretty standard--about $7 for sandwich and a side, $10-12 for a platter with 1-2 meats and 2 sides.  Definitely worth trying!
5 - Tim J.: I am just yelping to add that their baked sweet potatoes are great. They are baked in the wood smoke oven and when you reheat them the next day, you want to go back to the Black Dog as soon as you can.

The place is as good as its high rating, and is a remarkable value for the price.
5 - tony b.: This is by far the best place in town for barbecue... on top of that its got an excellent atmosphere. I generally stick to the pulled pork and cornbread - don't miss out.  They also have about 5 beer taps - and they are always hooked up to something good.

The place is kind of small and it's always crowded around meal times, so plan on stopping in before you get hungry.
5 - Heather J.: To me, this is the best restaurant around town.  The food is delicious (especially the pulled pork-MELTS in your mouth) and they give you very generous portions and it's inexpensive! My husband and I ate there, each had a beer and a full meal and the bill was around $20. We were both full and satisfied. 

If you plan on going there, go earlier than later.  You do have to wait by the door until a table opens up and then someone will come to you and tell you when a table is cleared off. I think that's typical of every restaurant though! Sometimes, the wait can be considerable but you can always grab a beer at the bar. That's what we do. BTW, they have a lot of really good beers, not just your typical domestics.

The corn bread is amazing. It's not heavy or dense. The sweet potato fries are 1000x better than the ones at Seven Saints (the first place I ever had them).  I already mentioned the pulled pork. You can't go wrong! 

The only downfall is that it's not a huge place.  If you have more than 4 people with you then you might have to wait quite a while because there's not that many tables but a lot of booths. If you don't have more than 4 then it usually isn't too bad and you'll get seated in a decent amount of time. 

I could go on more and more, but you should check it out for yourself.
4 - A J.: I'm a big fan of the food here.  The meat is tender and flavorful.  I usually go for the pulled pork, but the ribs are excellent as well.  The sauce is tangy with a bit of a kick, not a sweet bbq sauce.  They usually don't put enough on in my opinion, so ask for extra.  The ribs have a dry rub that make a nice crust and the meat inside is extremely tender and juicy.  Their twice baked potato casserole is delish, but I think the sweet potato fries need a lot more seasoning.  The cornbread is different, a little smokey and actually has bits of pork in it, but it was great.  The only reasons I don't give them 5 stars are 1) they are usually out of at least one thing (maybe that's part of the allure??) 2) it's really small and crowded all the time and 3) I've found the service to be rude. They make me feel like it's a hassle for them to bring me my food and take my money.  Oh well, the food makes it worth it!
5 - Sarah H.: Ahh, the bi-fecta... Southern style BBQ + Midwestern beers. I've swapped out the usual pulled pork for some burnt ends, when I can get my hands on them (early lunch!).. brisket's tasty too (sliced and super tender). Only one request: whip up this girl some mustard sauce!
5 - Eva S.: Their pulled pork is DIVINE, very tender and sauced to perfection.  They butter their buns and add some 'slaw in the sandwich.  I gladly had it twice in 3 days.  Like Goldilocks who found the perfect bbq... not too spicy, not too dry, perfectly tangy, the meat was juicy, everything was just right.  And that's why I keep going back.

It's located in an unsuspecting, little brick building but it's packed at meal times throughout the week no matter what day.  They have random pieces of art on the wall I mistakenly took for coat hangers...  but the servers are pretty good at seating you and there's a great atmosphere.  Clients licking their fingers, loving their food, and servers knowing their food is prized.  Don't waste your time on the spicy potato salad, but pair your meal with sweet tea, sweet potato fries or amazing smoked beans.  They don't joke around with their smoked flavor.  I have never tasted such 'smokiness' ever.

They ran out of brisket and the pulled chicken, but i guess that's what happens when everything tastes like home-cooked goodness.  I'll be back very soon to try their rib tips and wings.
4 - Brad P.: Black Dog is a new favorite. I've had their chicken, pork, and brisket sandwiches plus their catfish. Pulled pork is my favorite sandwich. Love the Carolina sauce and the crunch from the slaw is outstanding. And you can't beat the burnt ends. They literally melt in your mouth. Sweet potato fries are a solid side but pit beans are the best. Great selection of beers. This is not a very big place and I regularly have to wait for a table, but it's well worth it.
5 - Mike S.: I've been to Black Dog two times now, and have been pleasantly surprised both times.  My coworkers had told me about this place and everyone had ranting about how amazing it was.  Given that I love good barbecue, I knew I had to check it out, so when a buddy of mine got dumped by his fiancee, I knew exactly what he needed--beer and barbecue from Black Dog.

The first time I went, I had a pulled-pork sandwich with fries and a beer.  I had the standard red sauce, which was tangy and delicious.  The pork was juicy and flavorful.  The bun was large and tasty.  They put coleslaw on their pulled pork sandwiches, which I probably would have asked them not to put on it had I known, but I decided to give it a shot since it came that way, and I was pleasantly surprised at how it added to the experience.  The fries were good steak fries--fairly standard fare for such a place.  It's hard to mess up fries.

The second time I went was with a large group of people (~12), which given the size of the place, proved to be a bit of a chore.  Part of the group had to sit in a booth, while the rest occupied the high tables.

I ordered a full rack of ribs with potato salad and sweet potato fries on the side.  Sweet potato fries are always great, but because of the sugar content seldom reach a decent level of crispiness.  These were adequately crispy and very flavorful and had brown sugar on them, adding a nice touch.  The potato salad had something spicy in it, which gave it a nice, unique kick.  The ribs were fantastic, and having been there, I really wouldn't recommend anywhere else in town for ribs.  They had clearly been cooked a long time and seemingly without boiling.  The edges were crispy and flavorful and the insides were tender and juicy.  I ordered the same sauce I had ordered the first time I visited, which once again, was tangy, sweet, and delicious.

The atmosphere was good--pretty laid back, somewhat cozy and down-to-earth while still maintaining a sense of rustic class.  The layout prevents the gathering of particularly large groups, which is not surprising for a place that size.  It was worth splitting the group a bit to go there.
4 - Ginny L.: Mmmmmm. I'm insanely thankful for this place, because now when my parents come to town, my brother can suggest a BBQ place that isn't Famous Dave's. 

Burnt ends = heaven on a sandwich. I got the cole slaw and sauce on the side so I could enjoy the smoky meat on its own with the occasional dip into the bbq sauce... The fries were nothing special, but also good dipped in bbq. 

The place is a little small and cramped, but that's part of the charm, and you just know a place is going to be good when you walk into a packed restaurant.

Minus one star because we sat at our table for 5-10 minutes before a waitress came by and said "Oh, did you need menus?"
4 - kb j.: This is a smallish place.  We arrived for a late weekend lunch and waited about 20 minutes for a table.  The restaurant is long and narrow. At the front is an area with a few high-top tables. There is a long bar with several bar stools.  Against the wall and opposite the bar are booths.

The menu includes a variety of bottled and draft craft beers. We enjoyed a wheat beer while we waited for our table.  The menu is devoted to barbecue.  Our starters included cornbread (very different from what I've tried in the past as it included peppers) and smoked wings accompanied by a North Carolina sauce and a blue-cheese dip on the side.  We ordered sandwiches, all of which were uniformly excellent (a pulled-pork sandwich, a brisket sandwich and a pulled chicken sandwich). They were accompanied by a North Carolina sauce  (you can request another sauce) and side dishes. The baked potato casserole was something like a twice-baked potato minus the potato skin and was also very good.  

The food was so good we didn't mind the wait at all.
5 - Carolyn T.: Why oh why couldn't this place stay a bigger secret?  Everything is delicious, but they really excel at smoking pork.  The pulled pork is great on its own or in a sandwich, and the pork belly is heaven if your arteries can handle more than one bite :).  Unfortunately, they're very crowded a lot of the time and it can get quite noisy inside.  But with food as good as theirs, I'll keep coming back.  Their house BBQ sauce isn't sickly sweet like some other area establishments', but instead is slightly spicy with a vinegar kick (but if you're with silly folks like my  hubs who like a sweeter sauce, don't worry, they've got that too).  Delightful.  Try the smoked sweet potato after 5pm for a special side, it's one of my favorites (and makes especially good take-home leftovers if you are too full after devouring your meats).  Oh, and if you're like me and were used to mixed drinks that come all tricked out with umbrellas and slushy neon coloring, sit down before you order one of theirs.  Their margaritas are delicious, not at all watered-down, and served in a plain old glass.  Knock your socks off yummy and strong.  Their selection of beer is also excellent.
5 - Jo B.: One of the best places to eat in central Illinois. The best BBQ - pulled pork, beef brisket, spicy Polish Sausage...mmmmm! 

Consistently delicious food and friendly service.

Only drawback is the seating. You may have to wait a few minutes, but it is well worth it.
5 - James B.: Even though myself and my girlfriend showed up around 5, there was already a line waiting to be seated.  This establishment is small, and if you are going around dinner time, be prepared to wait.  However, we found it to be well worth waiting for once we were seated (which was actually at a weird sort-of-bar at the back of the restaurant).  

I am not a barbecue aficionado, but this was definitely the best place I have ever been to.  I got a pulled pork sandwich, since I had read so much about it, and was definitely not disappointed (I was pleasantly surprised at the fact it was served with slaw on top).  My girlfriend got a brisket sandwich, which was very good, though I preferred my sandwich.  In addition, we got sweet potato fries, which were delicious.

They had a fairly extensive drink menu for a restaurant, though not quite as large as a few of the other establishments in the Champaign/Urbana area.  Their draft beer selection was good, and they had a good selection of bottled beer.  In addition to this, the service was both prompt and pleasant, and when I ordered a bottle of Lone Star after having Dogfish Head, the waitress (thankfully) talked me out of downgrading like that (I was... unfamiliar... with Lone Star, I guess it is like Budweiser).

Overall, I was very satisfied with this restaurant, and I plan on going again soon (though I have to pick a time when I'm not terribly hungry, due to the wait).
5 - Erin Y.: Can't rave enough about how good the food is here.  Tried the smoked polish for a change and DAMN!  perfection; had no idea a sausage could be so tasty.

The quality and variety on the ever-changing beer sampler flight holds me in thrall to the awesomeness that is Black Dog.  They continue to seem busier every time we return.  Still run out of stuff- once again scored one of the last burnt ends portions.

And, yes, I actually eat here way more often than I yelp it.  I know, right?  If I could only eat one place in Urbanabannana for the rest of my time here- it'd probly be here.

A tiny blond sorority type was asking about vegetarian options.  Umm, sorry sweetie, have your boyfriend run you up-street to Courier.  The waitress was all "well, our fries are vegetarian, and we could fix you a grilled cheese."  Mwahahaha.
4 - Ashley R.: Um, I'm not quite sure how I haven't reviewed this place yet. I'm a BBQ junkie. I've had it all over the country, from the dry rub of Memphis to the vinegar based sauces of North Carolina to the beef ribs of Texas. I'm not an expert, but I do know what tastes good.

Black Dog tastes good.

I've had the burnt tips (in my opinion, the burnt ends of food are always the best) and the brisket, and both were succulent. A huge plus for me is that the food doesn't come drenched in sauce. That way you can actually taste the meat and the rub and get a true feel for the barbecue. I love the baked beans, mainly because they have little pieces of pork in them. The fries are nice and crispy, which I love. 

After coming from a hard workout, I was able to demolish the combo platter with a slightly too full feeling, so it's a lot of food. Normally I can't eat that much. I still haven't bought ribs, so that's the next thing to try.

Because of the hype around this place, the service is not always the best. It's small and a bit cramped as well. This is why it only gets 4 stars. I wonder if they'll have a patio this summer, because honestly I can think of nothing better than a plate of barbecue, warm weather, and cold beer.
5 - Albert S.: Good smoked meats, good beers, and good prices. What more could you ask for?
5 - Eric P.: This place is perfect except for the long lines and running out of the smoked meats later in the evening. I would recommend going during lunchtime or right at 5pm if you don't want to wait.
The bbq is amazing, I usually have the pulled pork but their beef is great as well. Sweet potato fries are excellent, and their pit beans are really delicious too. Their sauce actually isn't all that great, too much vinegar and not enough spice, but the taste of the meat is so perfect that it doesn't matter. I'd recommend having the sauce on the side.
Beer selection is good and they always have a few great choices on tap. Best bbq place (if not the best restaurant period) in Champaign-Urbana, hands down.
5 - Joshua M.: Had pulled pork with twice baked potato casserole.  My wife had pulled chicken and the smoked sweet potato.  Everything was very good and the prices were great. The meat was juicy and had a nice smokey flavor.
5 - Elizabeth Z.: Though the lines can be long and they occasionally run out of the really good stuff, a trip to Black Dog is worth planning your whole day around.

I was especially happy and surprised to find a place serving Carolina style bbq!
5 - Vivian W.: This place is easily my FAVORITE bbq joint in Chambana. I was beyond pleased with the food when it first opened (before the liquor license even), and even more thrilled now that there is a full bar and decent beer selection. The last time I went, the restaurant was offering beer flights. It was my bad luck that the flight they had that week was all dark beers (not my fave) but they do change the offerings in the flight. I always get the burnt ends (when they're not sold out) and sweet potato fries, but the Cuban sandwich special is also delicious. PS - try the different bbq sauces!
2 - J. m.: I finally was able to eat at the Black Dog, and I am still trying to understand the hype.  Possibly people in Urbana don't experience good BBQ, but I grew up eating delicious food and this was just ok.  

The seating options were limited and the wait was long.  The waitress was busy but not as attentive as I hoped.  It took a while to get something to drink, but I understood that it was packed and she was busy, so I'll give her a break. 

I ordered the combo: ribs and catfish with the Carolina house sauce on the side.  The plate arrives with small portions and a side of the worst sauce I have ever tasted.  The way the food is cooked must be particular to a certain region because it is not like the Memphis, Kentucky and Texas style I grew up eating.  It was full of vinegar, spicy and nasty.  

The meat was tender, which it should be because it was smoked for 4 1/2 hours, and I wouldn't have expected anything less.  After eating here, I wasn't impressed. So many people have talked about how great the food was, and I should have known better.  The food was okay, and I must say I've had better barbecue in my own backyard.
5 - Kris H.: The "Burnt Ends" sandwich is the finest barbecue I have ever had north of the Mason-Dixon line. This is coming from someone who regularly visits Georgia and the Carolinas! Yee haw!
4 - Eli a.: good
5 - Terry C.: I've eaten at Black Dog a few times now and have tried a number of things off their menu.  Among the choices, one of my favorites is the pulled pork sandwich with their signature sauce.  The pork has plenty of smoky flavor but it is not overwhelming while the sauce has a slight tang and complements the meat well.  I recently tried the pulled chicken sandwich and found it was just as good if not better than the pork.  Outside of main entrees, the sweet potato fries are fantastic as is the corn bread.  One thing to note about the sandwiches is that they all come with cole slaw on top unless you specifically ask otherwise.

As others have noted, there is not a lot of seating in the restaurant and if you happen to visit during a busy time you may end up waiting for a while.  Also, given the tight quarters, there isn't much standing room while waiting so things can get cramped rather quickly.  If you want to try Black Dog's food without waiting for a seat, they do offer carry out which is extremely quick.
5 - Wendy M.: Black Dog is on my family's regular rotation of great places to grab a bite to eat. I can't recommend anything in particular from the menu because it is ALL scrumptious. The only new advice I can offer is to be very careful pulling in and out of the parking lot. The slant from Broadway is rather steep and doesn't provide much clearance.
4 - Curt E.: My buddy and I went there on a Saturday night around 7-I'd never been there but heard it was good and i'm kind of chubby, ex post facto, I dig barbeque. Anyhow I went in there and ordered burnt ends (the bartender scoffed that I would attempt to order those after 6, I guess they're always out after that time) Anyhow so I just got a pulled pork sandwich with some slaw on top and sweet potato fries. The food all in all was great as well with the service. Even the craft beer left me wanting more.  While the place is small it has kind of a more  homey feel rather than cramped. I'll definitely eat there again and maybe try to get there before 6 next time!
2 - Tim D.: Okay, I've been to Black Dog twice so far. I was really excited before the first visit because of all the great reviews on Yelp, and I ended up being sadly disappointed in my dry beef brisket sandwich and slightly metallic-tasting pit beans (although being that I don't often come across foods that taste of metal, I wrote it off as a problem with my mouth that evening). This experience really struck me deeply...I'd never had an eating experience that contradicted so sharply with a Yelp consensus. Was something wrong with me? I began to feel quite gastronomically insecure.

I gave it a second try recently, opting for a plate of rib tips along with an order of potato salad and corn on the cob. Again, a sunken heart. About half of the rib tips were great, while the other half were terribly dry and tough; I had to force myself to finish them. As for the sides, the corn on the cob was mushy and bland, but the spicy potato salad was pretty enjoyable. We threw a sampler beer flight into the mix, which was probably the best part of the meal (and a good value to boot, being that you net out at more beer for less money than most of the single glasses). 

I'm sorry to say that Black Dog is oh-for-two. Maybe I just had bad luck in picking the worst items on the menu or coming in on bad days, but now that I'm no longer living in the area (this was my last dinner in Chambana), it unfortunately may never have an opportunity to redeem itself again with me. Au revoir, dawg.
5 - Michelle K.: FINALLY returned and tried that burnt ends sandwich all the young people are talking about!  I loved it, and I'm not even a brisket person.  Very tender with just the right amount of crunch!  It was actually kind of miraculous that they hadn't run out, since I ordered them at 6:30 on a busy Friday night!  Fortune was smiling upon me, I guess.

Our table also split the cornbread as an appetizer, which was just a little bit spicy (and meaty, of course).  Will other restaurants please jump on the savory cornbread train?  I am straight-up tired of eating over-sweetened cornbread that tastes more like cake.  Ugh.  My boyfriend and I split a beer flight, which is a fantastic deal: you are getting essentially 24 oz of beer for just $6.  And the little glasses all came out on a large wooden plate shaped like a dog bone!  Too adorable.

The one not-so-good thing about our meal was the corn on the cob - it was mushy and flavorless and got stuck in our teeth!  I know this is a little early for corn season, but shit, we ARE in the middle of Illinois - you'd think they could get corn right!  Just stick with another side dish and you'll be fine.
5 - Amanda D.: Best. Place. Ever. 

Chicken wings taste like they were cooked over a campfire, after eating them my hands smell good for hours. Sweet potato fries are probably the best I've ever had.
Last time I went, they had a smoked portobella mushroom sandwich which is nice because before the only vegetarian option was grilled cheese (and the aforementioned sweet potato fries, and a couple other sides.)
Large beer menu - not a perk for me since I don't drink beer- but my friends love it.
Over all, fantastic place. oh and awesome service too. Always have been overly friendly. Wonderful!!!
5 - Jean L.: Black Dog is, hands down, my favorite restaurant is Champaign Urbana.  I first visited when it opened and have been back many many times, bringing new people with me each time and converting them into Black Dog lovers just like me.  

The BBQ here is fantastic (declared by a St. Louis girl)!  Whatever you do, you must order their Burnt Ends, either in Sandwich form or as an appetizer.  The pulled pork sandwich and ribs are also great choices, but nothing beats their Burnt Ends.  Another great appetizer is the Texas Caviar, a delicious salsa made with black eyed peas and hominy.  

As far as bbq sauce goes, my personal favorite is the Hot Georgia Peach.  It's the perfect mix of a spicy bbq sauce and the sweetness of the regular Georgia Peach sauce.  

And the sweet potato fries...oh, the sweet potato fries.  What I wouldn't give to have some right now.  I'm not even going to tell you how good they are, you just need to have some for yourself.

This place also has a great beer selection and the servers are friendly and obliging in offering out recommendations.  My friends and I all agree that this place reminds you of a neighborhood bar that you would find in Chicago.  A nice change of pace from all the typical campus bars in CU. 

Some tips on dining here: it gets packed and fast!  Part of Black Dog's charm is that it's a small bar.  Unfortunately, that means limited seating.  If you want to get a seat before the rush, try to get there before noon for lunch (they open at 11am), or before 5:30 for dinner.  If you happen to find a long line when you get there. Don't leave!! Stick it out! It's worth it.
5 - Jill F.: Might as well toss my review on the pile of others, I guess.  I had actually been avoiding Black Dog because of all the hype it's gotten on yelp, sorry to say.  That was a definite mistake and I wish I had gone here sooner!  

Everything I've tried here has been excellent.  Even the sweet potato fries, which I usually don't like, were awesome.  The service was prompt and friendly.  The prices are pretty darn amazing ($6 for a sandwich and side?  Awesome).  And they have fresh squeezed lemonade, free refills.  My first time here was with my mom and stepdad, and they loved it.  My stepdad hates pretty much every restaurant we go to, and his most frequently said phrase after dinner is "4/10."  Black Dog got an "Eh, I'd come back here," which is a ringing endorsement from him.

In addition they have a nice selection of beers on draft at all times.  The first time I went here, my boyfriend got the sampler and it had 4 pale ales, which I was a little disappointed in (though they were pretty good).  However, they rotate in 6 new beers every week or so (I'm guessing) so it's worth coming back frequently.  I was there just the other day and got a Left Hand Milk Stout, which happens to be one of my favorites.  So smooth, so good.
4 - John B.: We arrived late, for this part of the world (around 9:00 pm), so they had run out of the "burnt ends."  Carolyn ordered a portobella mushroom sandwich and reported that it was pretty good.  I went straight for the 1/2 slab of ribs, fries and beans.  Everything was lip smackin' good.  The ribs were a tad overcooked, but with the hot peach BBQ sauce, they tasted rather good.

The fries were among the best I've had.  That good.  I'd go back just to order fires.

The service, at the bar, was very good and the atmosphere just what you'd expected.  Recommended.
5 - M. D. J.: This place is doing it right.  I had the beef brisket today and you could cut it with a fork.  Add sweet potato fries and red Carolina sauce and you have a GREAT meal.  Also had smoked corn on the cob and it was outstanding.  This is a must if you are in or near downtown Urbana.
4 - Dobie L.: One of my favorite restaurants in town! Not only their ribs are good, but the sweet potato fries are awesome!
3 - Dan N.: Maybe I just over-hyped this place in my mind, but I felt sort of let down after eating at Black Dog.  I had the beef brisket sandwich and the double baked potato side--both good, but definitely not great.  I came here at 1 PM on a Wednesday and missed out on the "burnt ends", so a chance to try those may bring me back to give this place another shot.  That said, it's a good place to grab a quick, cheap lunch--definitely a nice change of pace from any chain restaurant.  Oh, and they only had one bartender serving a packed bar, so the service was somewhat lacking.
5 - Trent R.: Wow, I love the black dog. The first time I had gone there i had the catfish. Amazing. 2nd time, beef tips. Also amazing. It's cheap, friendly, and has great food. The only downside, limited space. I had to wait around half an hour before i could be seated, but it was well worth the wait. I WILL NOT RECOMMEND this restaurant to ANYBODY because I don't want to have to wait even longer for my little piece of BBQ heaven. Best BBQ in Chambana.
5 - Chris C.: The largest problem that I have with Yelp reviews of restaurants is that it doesn't have separate categories for reviews of service, decor, atmosphere and the food itself (which is why one usually reads reviews for, ironically). In order to facilitate easy understanding of my opinions, please note that the Rating is in relation to the quality of the food itself while the other categories will be rated below. 

Service: 3.5 - depending on the crowd one can either get their food fairly quickly or 40 minutes later; I am a huge fan of the BBQ here but a couple of weeks ago, with a large crowd, I had to wait at least 40 mins for my Catifsh sandwich. 

Decor: 3 - nothing to write home about but they do have 2 large flatscreens always showing sports so its nice to sit at the bar with a good beer and food in order to enhance one's viewing experience. 

Food: 5 - It is hands down, the best BBQ in the area. The quality per price ratio is also top notch since the larger helpings will usually tide people over for leftovers as well as fill those who are ravenous. 

The beer here is really good and reflective of the overall abundance of good microbrews and international beers available in the Champaign-Urbana area. 

My favorites here are the burnt ends, beef brisket, ribs, catfish, pit beans and the mac cheese special side on Thursdays.
4 - Adam L.: Smaller hole in wall kind of place w modern Irish Style settings but limited seating durning lunch time. Yet the wait is definitely worth it! 
The BBQ aroma is welcoming when the front door is opened. 
Many different types of sandwiches and sauces. Sweet potato fries!!!! And of course many beers!
Awesome college hot spot!!!!
5 - David H.: Outstanding!  Loved everything I have ever eaten here.  Well worth the wait and trust me, you will usually have a wait (20-30 minutes).  Small venue but so incredibly good.  Real smoked pork and brisket.  The smoked salmon is tremendous and the twice baked casserole.  Beer selection rotates almost weekly and they even have something on cask most of the time.  There is ample parking on street and in an adjoining lot.  More seating would make it perfect!
5 - Emily M.: There is a reason there is so much hype on here about this place - because it is wonderful!  I had the catfish sandwich and my husband had the burnt ends.  Both were so amazing we barely talked the entire meal.  The couple next to us ordered the ribs and they looked incredible - so much meat!  Our friends went and said the pulled pork  and sweet potato fries are great.  We'd love to try everything on their menu eventually :)
5 - Tim M.: Simply put, Black Dog has excellent barbecue. I have yet to try something from the menu that I don't like, and I've actually been pleasantly surprised each time I've tried something new. I usually go for the pulled chicken sandwich (with locally raised, free-range chicken) with Georgia Peach BBQ sauce, and a side of sweet potato fries or pit beans. The chicken has always been incredibly moist, and the peach BBQ is a perfect compliment. Absolutely delicious. I've also tried the brisket, pork tacos, and burnt ends, which were amazing. The sides have also all been delicious, from the corn bread to the spicy potato salad.

In addition to the food, the selection of beer on tap is typically pretty varied and affordable. I almost always get a beer with my meal...well, when I'm not feeling too cheap, that is. ;)

The only thing that hasn't been consistently good is the service. Don't get me wrong, it's never been bad, per se. They've always been very friendly, but the waitstaff gets easily overwhelmed. So, if it's busy (which it will be around lunch time and early evening), just be patient and don't be afraid to get someone's attention if you feel you're not being noticed.

If you love barbeque and supporting awesome local businesses, you should definitely give Black Dog a go.
5 - Liz R.: I felt like I was cheating as we drove by Hickory River, so I looked away.  Parking at Black Dog is sketchy - this time the lot was a sheet of ice.  But we got right in, only waiting 5 minutes for a table at 6pm.

We split way too many apps, but everything looked so darn good!!  Smoked almonds (house smoked, with a touch of sweetness - love, especially for $3!), wings (expensive but OK, with sauce that catches up with you around wing #3), Texas caviar (with black eyed peas and hominy - very nice) and chips and salsa (meh).  Drinks all around too.  I had a bloody mary made with horseradish vodka (yum) and a margarita made with hoppy tequila (yum!!!).

I ordered a combo plate.  $12 for your choice of two meats (I had burnt ends and pulled pork) and two sides (spicy potato salad and pit beans - both delish).  Really good amount of food for the price!  Others at my table had the brisket (dry), sweet potato fries (an upcharge but very worth it if you're a fan of them), the burger with brisket, sauce, onions and cheese on it (she loved it) and the twice-baked potato casserole (everyone wanted to lick this bowl clean).

This was my first time trying burnt ends, and I must say I was disappointed.  I expected blackened meat all around, like I've seen on the Food Network, and these were just the black ring around brisket that I normally get... when I order brisket.

We all loved the potato salad and the potato casserole.  In fact, we loved all the sides and apps.  If there was a way to get just a plate of sides, I'd never leave.

Hopping place!  A constant waiting line, on a Tuesday.  Good service, but a little scatterbrained.
5 - Christopher H.: The best BBQ I've ever had, the best smoked meat I've ever had, the best sauces I've ever had. This place has it all! 
It's inexpensive, everything is delicious and has a monthly rotation of great beer (at a good price).

Bit of advice: get there early, it's always packed.
5 - Stephanie T.: Best barbeque around. Meat is smoked perfectly! I also like that you get to choose what style bbq sauce to have. I'm not much of a Carolina vinegary sauce person, so I reallllly like the Georgia Peach sauce and the Texas sauce. 

Be sure to get there around 5- thats when their burnt ends and smoked sweet potatoes are ready. But don't get there too late or it'll be packed and they might run out of them. Which I guess is alright cause they have so much other good meat. Their pulled pork is amazing, and so is their brisket. 

The older guy who seats you sometimes is a mood killer though, that's all I'll say. 

Expect a wait- you can't call ahead or anything which is a bummer, but it's well worth the wait.
5 - Chris T.: Walking up to the door you are hit with the smell of SMOKE!! I have tried the pulled pork, brisket and ribs. All some of the best!!! The sauce has a good kick. Small interior but worth the wait....there will be a wait! The beans are BBQ tasty and the potatoe salad is a solid one. Highly recommend it!!
5 - Jenn L.: There's little I can add that hasn't already been said.  Except maybe this.  Best chicken wings I have ever eaten.  Ever.
5 - Camille C.: This was one of our favorite places in grad school, hands down.  Each of my friends groups loved this place and it's great for takeout so I must have been here over 30 times in two years.  And now that I've moved to a region with crappy BBQ, I dream of Black Dog's brisket and wonder why I moved here. Job, schmob.

I've been coming here ever since the first week they opened and they've really come a long way.  The food was always delicious, but they ironed out the kinks and expanded the menu. Everything is delicious.  You really can't go wrong.

The ribs, brisket and pulled pork are AMAZING.  The brisket is my favorite, hands down. I've had brisket at other places and it's dry or fatty or lacking in flavor. Not Black Dog. I've never had bad brisket here. I've never had bad ANYTHING here.

The sides are just stunning.  I had a recurring problem with underdone smoked sweet potatoes but no one else had this problem. I must be cursed. When they're fully done, they're delicious, just check them before you leave if you get takeout.  The fries and sweet potato fries are crisp and delicious. In about 20 orders, we've never had soggy or greasy fries.  The potato casserole is okay but it's a bit bland.  Their homemade smoked bleu cheese dressing  is also fabulous.  And I'd consider composing an ode to their cornbread.

They also did theme nights, where they'd put on special dinners.  There was a night with local meats from Triple S Farms, a beer night, and a Thanksgiving dinner.  All delicious. Notice a theme, here?  I miss you guys!
5 - Bar C.: The place smells great as soon as you walk in. I had the brisket & burnt ends platter. It was very good. I'm not a big fan of their type of cole slaw but that's just me. Their potato casserole was very good as well. Great beer selection and fun atmosphere. I would definitely go back.
5 - Shantel M.: Oh Black Dog...how much do I love you? Let me count the ways :) Simply, one of the best bbq places I have ever visited.Just thinking about it and I start to salivate.
5 - Sarah B.: NOM!

This place has great food, hands down. I have been here on two occasions now and both times it has made my heart sing. The flavors are exquisite.

You get to pick your own sauce, which is great, and they'll bring you a sample if you're not sure you're going to enjoy one but you think... well, maybe...

Get the burnt ends. While everything I've tried has been good, the burnt ends are the best thing on the menu. What they did to that meat is... beautiful, artistic, completely wonderful, simultaneously sinful and heavenly. 

Go here. For sure.
5 - Morgan M.: Great barbeque, variety of sauces, super tasty specials, superb rotating beers.  You must try the cornbread...it has bbq meat in it!  My fave is the tacos with pork and chipotle sauce.
4 - Samuel I.: The food is DIVINE and reasonably priced. 

However, their place is much too small for the business that they do. I had to wait over half an hour just for a seat at the bar, and I felt rushed to finish/leave due to the number of peeps waiting behind me, not exactly ideal dining conditions. 

I don't think that I'll be back on a Friday or Saturday, ever; go during the middle of the week.
4 - Grace T.: Love this place!  Great food -- always busy (get there right at 11 or after 1, then right at 5 but after 7 to avoid the lunch/dinner rush -- otherwise you'll be standing in a long line)  BUT I have a few issues:

1.  It's kid friendly only if your kid can sit by himself in a chair.   There are no high chairs in this place -- probably because the tables and booths are fairly high (booths are on risers, tables are tall bar tables) so you either have to tag team with another person in your party to hold your kid while the other eats OR bring your own portable high chair that attaches to one of the booths OR hire a babysitter and have a parents' night out.

2.  Prices.   Prices are fairly reasonable considering all the food is local, but some of the specials seem a little bit over-priced.   I mean, Monday's they have a Chicago style hot dog.... $6.95 for a hot dog seems pretty steep.  As well as the beef stroganoff....we ordered a takeout order of this and it came in one of those small takeout soup containers.  It rang in to around $11.95 if I'm not mistaken.... YIKES.   I would stick with the sandwiches for $6.95 with one side.  A platter is $11.95 -- basically the same thing (minus the bun) + two sides.   The price jump from a sandwich to a platter doesn't seem worth it to me.

Those are my two issues.  We eat here at least once a week and I LOVE the pulled pork sandwich, the Cuban sandwich, and the burnt end sandwich (although the last couple times I had it, it was dry).  My side of choice is either the potato salad (to die for!) or a side salad (all local,fresh vegetables....so refreshing!!!).

UPDATE:  they now have highchairs!  The kind that attach to the table.  We actually bought a Phil and Ted portable high chair to specifically bring with us to BD, but they beat us to it....  So now i only have the one issue about their prices.  BTW -- their smoked chicken is WONDERFUL as well as their pit beans.   If you're wondering what to feed your 10 month old baby, try little bits of chicken, pulled pork, the sweet potato and some beans!
5 - L H.: I'm not much of a meat eater, but Black Dog could change my mind.  Their barbecue is just succulent.  I am partial to the burnt ends sandwich with a side of their zippy potato salad.  Their garden salads are good too and made with local artisan greens. Beer aficiandos will find a wide selection....order the flight of 6 samples to find what you like best.  

Two caveats:  the wait for a seat can be very long and there's usually congestion at the front door.  They need a space three times bigger than what they have now.  Also, don't ever try to order vegetarian stuff.  There's hardly any on the menu, and what I've tried isn't impressive.  But who goes to Black Dog to be a vegetarian, anyway!
5 - Sudipto G.: Amazing place for BBQ. Their pulled pork is amongst the best I've tasted. The Amish Chicken platter was equally good.
5 - Mary K.: One time I went here for lunch, then went straight to class. I was feeling a bit self-conscious since I probably smelled very mesquite but it was worth it.

The corn bread is a must. Little bits of pork in it. Everything is tasty. The pork and fish are good but ya gotta love the sides (e.g., double baked mashed potatoes).
5 - Zoe B.: I don't live in Urbana anymore and this is definitely one of the places I miss the most! 
I have never once been disappointed by the food or service at this place.
Do yourself a favor and start off with the Texas Caviar as an appetizer, you can thank me later.
I normally always got the smoked salmon sandwich. I've never been a huge fan of coleslaw, but the way theirs is prepared, and ON the actual sandwich, is just delicious. The sweet potato fries are too good as is any other side I've ever ventured to try.
Also the, I think it's called the Carolina burger, a fat delicious burger with pulled pork on top is really good too!
You may very well have to wait, but it is so so so worth it.
5 - Paul M.: This is just another well deserved, 5-star review for the Black Dog.  The BBQs are amazing, and the prices are just as good.  The beer selection is top-notch, and the service is fast and friendly.  

My personal favorite:  The burnt-ends sandwich w/ the Carolina red sauce and a smoked sweet potato for the side.  

I think I might go there tonight, actually.
5 - Grace C.: I've been to Black Dog on awkward first dates, with a group of people I didn't know, and to lunch with an ex. And yet, I've never had an unpleasant experience at Black Dog. 
The burnt ends are basically legendary. I had never been there early enough to try them until yesterday. Yeah, they're amazing. It's no wonder they sell out before 12:45 pretty much every day. The barbecue is divine, the sauces fiery, the fries crispy, and the beer cold - and all for a terrific price (and friendly service!). Lunch for two with one appetizer, one sandwich, one platter, one soft drink and one beer - $32 before tip, and there were even some leftovers to take home. 
The only downside I can see, other than the occasional out-of-stock menu item, is the seating issue. There's definitely not enough space. However, they do make it fantastically easy to get a meal to-go, plus some relaxing outdoor seating for the warmer months. If you come with a group, make sure everyone is there on time, or you'll be waiting until the last person arrives, and then some. Still - it's worth the wait.
4 - nifty c.: The problems I listed in my last review with the dodgy sweet (now called "Georgia Peach") bbq sauce and the sweet tea have been corrected. That means my review is now all good!  Feel free to order it sweet.
5 - Heather B.: Fantastic BBQ, great beer, and awesome prices.  Not much else to say!
5 - K M.: Love, love, LOVE! The prices are fantastic, the staff is amazing, and the food - out of this word! I'm very particular about my BBQ, and this place doesn't have a single thing on the menu that I haven't tried and loved. I've recommended this place to everyone looking for good eats, and will continue to do so - BBQ doesn't get any better than this!
5 - A. J. H.: This place is amazing on about 15 different levels. You literally can order anything on the menu, and it will be amazing. Obligatory praise due for the burnt ends (smokier, juicier cap of the brisket, with a crispy, burnt edge), pulled pork, and brisket. 

Of course, that's leaving out any one of the awesome burgers, the half chicken,ribs, and their awesome sides (pit beans or sweet potato fries for me...but regular fries, southwestern potato salad, twice baked casserole, and smoked sweet potato w/ brown sugar and butter...all ridiculously awesome).

The red cabbage cole slaw, and any number of their homemade sauces (my favorite being the hot georgia peach) are outstanding compliments to the meat. 

and they're conscientious too. a few small price hikes to support grass fed, local beef, and the delightful free-range chicken. they even recycle, which I assure you most of the restaurants in town do not. 

Oh, and don't glaze over when you hear the specials. Burritos for lunch are insane, and don't get me started on the beef ribs. Slightly more labor intensive than the pork ribs (at risk of being redundant, also excellent), but a serious treat. 

Almost forgot to mention their amazing beverage selection. Not only is their beer selection fantastic (with the option for an affordable flight of craft beers), they have 1) an awesome whiskey selection 2) awesome bottled soft drinks...mexican coke and squirt (with sugar, not corn syrup), and a couple other tasty options. 

Alright, this post is getting annoyingly long. But this place is just too good. They deliver you an amazing product while being environmentally conscientious, and just overall nice guys. 


Lastly, I also might clarify a couple things that people have commented on, but are inaccurate.

The platter vs. the sandwich
platter is twice the meat of a sandwich (in the case of brisket, pork, or ends), with two sides, and no bun. so it's not "basically the same thing," it's twice as much of everything, without a bun.

the beans don't come out of a microwave, they are smoked and then kept in a hotbox, which is very much not a microwave. plastic might still melt, but it didn't happen in a microwave.

 
That is all.
4 - Jessica B.: Beer flights and food were amazing here!!  We had a very cool server and the atmosphere makes you want to stay and drink several beer flights!  Best BBQ in Chambana!
3 - Jonathan M.: I enjoyed my trip to this restaurant. We got there and have a new baby. The man at the door got us in ahead of a few others. We did crammed back in a corner but that was ok, we thought. I was excited when I looked at their menu because they had burnt ends. This is a special extra smoked point of the brisket. They smoke the whole thing 12 hours, trim the point, then dry rub the point and resmoke it 12 hours. This cut was in very limited supply so I wanted to get there early. Luckily we got there in time. I ordered the burnt end sandwich which was topped with vinegar based cole slaw with some purple cabbage in there and their signature vinegar red barbecue    sauce. Smoky, spicy, and tart. As my side I choose the sweet potato fries, which were highly recommended here on yelp. The fries were nice and crisp but seemed like I got the end of a batch because they were all small, short fries. Another great thing about The Black Dog is it has a tremendous beer selection. I had an Avery Maharaja Imperial IPA. Extremely hopped and sitting nice at 10%. The food was great but what have them a 3 star rating was when the air kicked on. Once this happened, dust was flying every where. It was all over my shirt and the table. I am sure I ate some but I could not give up this fine meal. Seems as if a spring cleaning was in order. I would go back to Urbana just to try this again. Next time I hope to give it 5 stars.
4 - Jordan P.: Delicious food and great beer selection. I could live on the corn bread and I'm usually not a big fan of cornbread.

Good lunch prices. Be prepared to wait for a table. Great atmosphere with friendly staff.
5 - Stephanie F.: I love this place.  Plenty of people have written about the food (too many amazing dishes to list, but I could live on the sweet potato fries and the ribs) and the beer (the selection is so good, and it rotates, and it's so cold and delicious).  But once you get spoiled enough by the food, and you start to take it for granted, because after all you know that it will be fantastic and you don't care if you have to wait, and you don't even care if you have to sit at the weird little time out table in the very back, you start to ask yourself the hard questions. What exactly is it that makes this place so amazing? What is the one ingredient that brings it all into harmony?  

Well, after twenty visits, I've figure it out.  It's that waiter. You know the one. The ironic hipster with the glasses and the longish hair who knows every single thing about all of the beer selections and all of the food and who is probably the guy responsible for the fact that Tom Waits is playing and you can just hear it under the really loud sound of the game on the tv at the bar.  This guy is free from the shackles of his hipster tribe, because he's nice. He's kind.  He will figure you out and he will use this knowledge responsibly.  This guy will tell you everything you need to know. He will not patronize you, rush you, brush you off, or forget your table.  He will shine his magical hipster/doofus sparkle charm on you.  He is the patron saint of this restaurant. Go there and ask him to tell you what to eat and what to drink.  Obey him.  Thank him.  

Seriously, who is this guy?  I love this guy.
4 - Shaistah B.: Without a doubt their food is fantastic. Every time I've been here I have been very satisfied with the quality of food and selection of beers. I've had a variety of dishes and sides and they deserve the rating of top restaurant in Champaign!

Their service on the other hand...is a different story. Perhaps they can get away with this because of the high quality food but there should be a limit to how poorly they treat customers. Examples of this include being put on hold for 5 minutes when calling for take out, hanging up and then calling back to immediately have my order taken but no apology. When dining in, I don't mind the long wait for a table but when I am seated, I have not even had a server come to my table for 10 or 15 minutes. 

Again, great food but don't expect great service!
4 - Marsha M.: We drove an hour and a half to eat here one last time before moving out east.  This place keeps getting busier. Good, he should expand!  Minus one star for always running out of food.  I know, it's typical of smokehouses, but still...  I always request to get the Georgia Peach bbq sauce, I could seriously drink that stuff.  No other smokehouse I've been to has ever had a sauce I find even remotely as delicious.  I also love the cornbread.  To drink, I get the jalapeno pineapple margarita, it's a very good combination of flavors.  I love that they serve the food on metal trays too.
4 - kate c.: I like Black Dog. It's one of the better places in CU. 

I enjoy the Cuban sandwich and the pulled pork is good, too. Great beer selection. I usually get the sweet potato fries.

The customer service is not good, though. I've had indifferent and flat out rude service, in fact. The wait is often long, too.
5 - James C.: Honestly, all I need to say is burnt ends.

It's not something I've seen at other bbq places but they really should do it. Seriously, I want to just go in with $50 and be like, "Load me up on the burnt tips."

Besides that, I had brisket which was good. I feel like a lot of the smoked brisket I've had before tends to be very tender, but to the point where it's just like shreddy beef sinews. I appreciated that, though this brisket was tender, it had some structural integrity. Twice baked potato casserole was killer and the sweet tea was cloyingly sweet (which is the only way to make sweet tea). I also had slaw, which I didn't love and the sauce was pretty vinegary. 

But those burnt ends. It was enough to make me look past the little things.

I'll be back. You bet I will. And I'll be back for burnt ends (but other good stuff too.)
4 - D A.: This place is really good and probably the best in Urbana...  
The sweet potato fries are my favorite and deserve 6 STARS!!  :)  Their ranch dressing is amazing..  To me the BBQ is a bit spicy.. Even the mildest  one. But overall I feel this place is worth the wait, although when its REALLY crowded we just get the order to go, and its quicker..
5 - Brian G.: Most excellent BBQ in the midwest.  Great variety of sauces to try.  Get the burnt ends if they are still available when you get there (they come off the smoker at 11 am and 5 pm).  Also after 5 pm they have a smoked sweet potato.  

Also they have a great rotating tap list so check them out throughout the year.
4 - Eric B.: Black Dog has THE best BBQ in the Champaign/Urbana area hands down.  Now all they need is a larger space to serve it in, i love the bar setting, but not one that has outgrown its space because of how good their product is.  Waits are common of up to 30 mins anytime you go.

As for the food, lets start with the Wings appetizer, delicious smoked wings and the kick of the Carolina BBQ sauce puts them over the top.  My wife can't stop talking about how good the burnt ends are, and she must not be the only one because the sell out frequently.   Loved the ribs, just wish they had some baby backs to choose from.

All in all you will not beat this place for BBQ anywhere within a hundred miles!
5 - Nikki B.: I have yet to eat something here I don't like. Ask anyone who knows me, I am picky and this is the ONLY place I have been that I like everything I have ordered. I cannot say enough good things about this place. I guess the only negative is everytime I go in there is around a 30min wait for a table, but it is worth it, and I think they need a kids menu. I am moving to the St.Louis area and I am going to miss this place! I am going to have to find excuses to come up!
4 - Mike B.: Great food. It's indicative by the long lines at lunch and dinner time. Which I would say is the only downfall to the place. It's small, but the kitchen moves pretty fast for it's size. The food is delicious, I've tried something new every time I've gone and have yet to be disappointed.
5 - Dan W.: Loved everything we had.  Too bad the place isnt bigger, because it was completely packed while we were there.  Really wanted the burnt tips, but they were gone before we got there.
5 - april C.: Yea, I feel dumb writing the 99th review... as if what I say about Black Dog will be more relevant or informative than the 98 before me... but might I say anyway:

I live in Los Angeles, I'm here for the summer.  Not that LA is known for bbq, but neither is East Central Illinois, so I'll continue.  STILL, I eat at a barbecue/beer joint every week, more than once a week in Los Angeles and BLACK DOG makes me feel embarrassed that I spend $20 on a pulled pork sandwich, a beer and a tip at Blues BBQ in West Hollywood.  6.95 for a burnt tips or ends or whatever sandwich AND a side [I had potato salad and dipped those spuds into every one of my sauce flight sauces].    And like $4 for a glass of what our AWESOME, nice-sporty-but-down-to-earth-witty waiter    waiter called a REALLY nice PBR.  

I got there at 11:00 and watched the place fill up to the point where we had to use a back exit to get a baby in a stroller and a 4-year-old out of the restaurant.  But they HAD A BACK DOOR and they let us use it which made us feel cool and made them look cool for being accommodating.  It probably wasn't even a secret door, but we felt grateful all the same.  

The vegetarian 4-year-old happily ate an awesome looking provolone grilled sandwich, so Imma just put that out there in case your vegetarian self gets pulled along to Black Dog.  

Nice-sporty-but-down-to-earth-witty waiter sampled us beer, gave me an extra sauce when I decided which one from my flight was the best [I liked Georgia Peach] and was really attentive despite a full-house at 11:30 a.m. 

I got out of there full-to-the-brim and more satisfied than I've been in awhile [good bbq paired with beer is a wonderful lover] for less than $12 [excluding the big ol' tip he deserved].  Why is CU so great??  

If someone wanted the short version of what my BBQ at Black Dog experience was, I would yell:  "LEGIT AS HELL." and hope that summed up the flava', waiter and atmosphere.
5 - Melissa M.: I didn't expect such a crowd for lunch in the summer, but I guess this place is popular with people working at the courthouse nearby. The place has a great lively atmosphere and decor featuring...surprise! cute dogs! The best thing was that the ingredients are fairly high quality, they try to use local meat when they can and their sauces are delicious.
5 - George C.: Best BBQ in town!  Black Dog is revitalizing downtown Urbana.  The food is great, the staff is great, and the draft line variety keep you coming back for more.

No reservations, but well worth the wait!
5 - Megan M.: If I could, I would eat here every day. 

Here are some pointers in case you want a taste of heaven.
- Don't pass up the sweet potato fries
- Dine in, it's worth the wait - you'll leave smelling like BBQ and they'll overload your tray with fries
- Ask to try other sauces - they're more than willing to accommodate your curious taste buds
- Get 2 orders of their pork belly special on Saturdays, cause they're closed on Sundays
- Its hard for me to order anything else but burnt ends
- Seating is limited...VERY limited
- Go for late lunch or early dinner, otherwise you'll find yourself in a line out the door
- TRY THE CORN BREAD. Best corn bread I've ever had - cheese and pulled pork baked into it! My mom doesn't let me come into the house unless I bring her at least 4 orders of this stuff when I come home from school.
5 - Amy C.: ...I don't know why I waited so long to try this place, I've heard so much about it.  I had the burnt ends BBQ sandwich + twice baked potatoes + Sioux City Ginger Beer (non-alcoholic) which was a great combination.    If you're up for BBQ sauce that's thick, spicy + sweet this is the place for you!
5 - Gretchen C.: We visited Black Dog tonight for the first time and now have a new favorite BBQ restaurant.  My husband got the rib tips and I had burnt ends and pulled pork.  They were all amazing.  We also had the cornbread...so, so good.  I had potato salad and pit beans for my sides and the smoke flavor of the beans was seriously out of this world.  I really could imagine myself sitting out at my grandma's farm during our yearly family cookout, which might sound cheesy but it was that good.  We both had the house sauce, which was good but I will probably try something a bit milder next time.  The staff was VERY friendly.  I felt like I was just hanging out with my friends at a bar that happened to have incredible BBQ too.  Everything was outstanding and although we got there early enough that we didn't have to wait, we would have been more than happy to.
5 - Bill O.: Please, please, please, put one of these restaurants in Bloomington-Normal.

Although this restaurant  is small,  the pulled pork sandwich that I ordered was wonderful.     The mixture of pork, coleslaw, and Georgia Peach bbq sauce that they put on the sandwich really hit the spot.

The sweet potato fries were solid too.

My only complaint about the food was with the "hot" version of the Georgia Peach bbq sauce that we also tried.  Avoid it - the restaurant needs to tweak that sauce a bit.   It's really hot.
5 - Frank M.: My wife and I have now been to Black Dog Smoke & Ale House twice and have been absolutely blown away by the food and atmosphere.  The first trip I had the full slab of ribs while my wife tried the brisket.  Both were absolutely delicious.  We even tried the full flight of sauce's and enjoyed them all.  My wife adores the sweet potato fries.

On our second trip, I had to try the pork belly sandwich...in fact, we both did.  UNREAL.  It is unbelievably tender, and the addition of their red cabbage slaw on the bun is a real nice addition.  As for the beer, try the Sawtooth Ale.  A very nice compliment to their BBQ.  I now have a favorite new restaurant in Urbana.  

My only complaint, like others before me, is the size of the restaurant.  I don't know that the owners knew their little eatery would be as overwhelmingly successful as it has become, because it can be quite difficult to get a seat.  Their aren't many booths and/or tables in addition to the bar seating.  We arrived at 4pm on a Saturday afternoon thinking it would be dead and still had to wait.  Might be time to either add or move to a new location.  

In closing, I cannot recommend Black Dog enough.  Just delicious, home cooked BBQ in the cornfields.  Can't wait to try the "Burnt Ends" that everyone is raving about.
2 - Philipp S.: 5 STAR FOOD, 1 STAR SERVICE

Ribtips - meat falls off bone and melts in your mouth like butter
Pulled Pork - tender, moist, and full of flavor
Beans and Slaw - exceptional

Service is seedy at best. Rude host and bartenders who dont give a fuck.

GO here for the food not the people. My recommendation: get your food to go. 

Note to Black dog: get rid of the assholes, it will do your business wonders.
5 - Ben O.: The Black Dog has great food, great beer, and a great atmosphere.  Unfortunately, everyone in town is in on the secret.  Do not go here if you are in a hurry or looking for a quiet place to take your date.   Go here only if you are willing to sacrifice a little convenience in order to gorge yourself on some of the best food in town.   

There doesn't seem to be a weak spot on the Black Dog's menu.  As other people have mentioned, the pulled pork is exceptional, but right now I'm hung up on the free-range Amish chicken.  Whether you get it as a breast or as a thigh and a wing, you won't be disappointed.  It is moist, succulent, and pairs well with their homemade sauce.        

In my experience, the service is pretty good given the circumstances.  Yes, you will have to wait fifteen minutes to a half hour to get a seat, but eventually your turn will come.  Moreover, since it's a barbecue joint, it doesn't take too long for your food to come after that.  The restaurant would probably benefit from an expansion or a move to a larger location, but for food this good, I'm willing to brave a short wait for the time being.
5 - Scott K.: This is by far the best bbq in East-Central Illinois and it has one of the best beer selections around to go with it.

Nearly everything is made from scratch and has that creative twist you only get when people really care about what they are doing.
5 - Conrad G.: As good as it gets.  Best ribs I've ever had, as well as best pulled pork sandwich I've ever had.  Service is alright but its a packed bar, what do you expect?
4 - Jen F.: Great food! Nice little BBQ place, not that many seats so get there early! They have a variety of BBQ sauces that are delicious. The specials are good but you have to get there early because they run out fast! Definitely a place to go in the CU area!
5 - Julia P.: Delicious, delicious barbecue. I didn't even know that I liked barbecue until I ate at Black Dog for the first time. I recommend any of the sandwiches, and the spicy southwest potato salad is SPICY and wonderful. The corn bread is dense and buttery with pieces of pulled pork inside; very filling and rich and tasty.

You will almost always have to wait for a table at this restaurant because the space is so small. I've heard that ordering take-out works really well to cut down the waiting time before you get to eat, but I haven't tried it yet. The waitstaff are always friendly, though sometimes a little frazzled from the huge numbers of customers coming through for the amazing food.
5 - Debra W.: Their barbeque is the best in town. Everything they make is freshly made from scratch, even the tasty lemonade. In addition to the barbeque, I like the potato casserole and the corn bread with pork inside. I usually order my food to go since it is a popular restaurant and if you plan to eat there at dinner time, you will have to wait a very long time.
5 - Karen C.: WOWZA! I'm not from CU, but I've been coming here every summer since I was a kid.  My grandparents usually take us somewhere fancy, but I'd rather eat here anytime!  We had fantastic BBQ & service! Since there was a 45 minute wait when we arrived and my grandparents are over 90, the host told us we should walk over to the bar across the street for drinks and he came all the way over there to let us know our table was ready!! Now THAT's service!    Also, I'm from GA and the BBQ here is better than most I've had back home, and that's sayin somethin!
3 - Edward M.: It always amuses me how a place becomes the "In" spot in town and then shows an arrogance towards its customers that conveys the sense of superiority.  It's like they're doing you a favor by serving you, rather than you doing them a favor by patronizing the place.  It's too bad because the food is good, although not the sublime experience that some people claim.  Yes, the burnt ends are delicious -- if you can ever get them.  Forget about seating.  Forget about customer service. Get take out, if you can find someone who will condescend to wait on you.  For the food I'd give four stars but for the general dining experience, two is the best I can muster.  The beer selection is decent but not spectacular for a true beer lover.  I agree with Dan W.: Good food, bad service.
5 - Zachary H.: Black Dog is hands down some of the best bbq I have ever eaten. I love their cuban sandwich (Wednesday only), their cornbread, their chicken wings, and their pulled pork sandwich. I think the burnt ends are overrated.
5 - Steve M.: Best place to eat in C-U, in my opinion.  Not too expensive, either, given the quality of the BBQ you're getting.  I haven't had anything that wasn't good there, so you really can't go wrong.  Beer selection is excellent as well, which is a nice bonus.

That said, the quality is a little variable.  Some nights it's just good but then other nights it's drop dead amazing.  On top of that, it's impossible on virtually any night of the week so get there early (5:30 or so) or expect to wait a long time.  It's still worth it and you can't begrudge them their success, they deserve.

Always ask if they still have burnt ends... and I vastly prefer their hot Georgia Peach sauce to the standard sauce.
5 - Adam G.: I am currently sitting in one of the top rated barbecue restaurants in Chicago, which shall remain nameless to protect their own dignity, staring at their wall of commendations from Time Out Chicago, the Chicago Reader, and Michelin, among others, with a plate of steaming hot pulled pork in front of me. However, after the first bite I can't help but wish I was scraping the bone of a Black Dog rib drizzled ever so sparingly with the Texas BBQ sauce, or savoring another bite of the always delicious potato salad. Mike, Pedro and the crew have truly created something special, a place that transcends the food it serves. Black Dog isn't just a restaurant, it's a state of being, a place that people are eager to take others for their very first time simply to try and relive the joy of their own first experience. Whether I'm salivating over the smokey charred brisket, or jonesing for one of the hand selected craft beers on tap, Black Dog will always maintain a special place in my heart, one that every future smoked meat establishment will fruitlessly attempt to replicate. I will be back to Black Dog one day, but until then I will have my memories of Black Dog stuck like proverbial rib meat between the teeth of my epicurean reveries.
5 - Angela K.: Best BBQ in town! Unfortunately, everyone knows it, so the wait can be pretty long (30-40 min) at peak hours. But you can get a drink to pass the time. My favorite is rib tips with Carolina Red sauce, but everything is great here. The beer selection is not huge, but it is always terrific, and they switch it up a lot. 
Service is friendly, and the food is usually ready quickly (since it's all smoked). I eat here at least once a week, and am not tired of it yet! Good thing, since I always take home leftovers.
2 - Skip B.: In my experience at the Dog the B.B.Q.  the ribs, tips, at least are really hit or miss, I've had real good and I have had some of the worst  ribs and tips I have paid for. Over cooked, dry, tough just bad. I waited 30 to 40 min. to get bad food ? They have very good sauces. The wait is always long even for to go I have stood there packed in the entrance for 35mins. for two sandwiches, rib tips, and two potatos. Burnt end are very good I was lucky enough to get them once, but never again. I went one day and got right in only two or three people there, lucky day right? No they where out of food.Is it not on the first page of restaurants for dummies to make money and have customers you need to have food? This place is out of control, to bad if done right it could be great.So for now I've given up one this one. We will soon have the B.B.Q. triangle The Black Dog, LI'L Porgy's, and Po Boys when they move into the neighbourhood later this year. Lets see what happens.
5 - Daniel F.: Best bbq I know of.  Moved to St. Louis 2 years ago but went to Black Dog many times before I left, and saw their menu and product evolve.   I continue to take meat and sauce home to this day when in the area.  If anything, they have created a monster, with waits (sometimes lengthy) at any meal time.  Go off-hours if you can.  I find their burnt ends, pork belly, chicken wing starters, beef brisket, and Carolina and Texas sauces some of the best things I have had at any bbq joint.  Given the crowds, service is good, but it can get hectic.  Not a place to linger and talk unless you get there at an off-time.  This space itself is pleasant with warm colors, and flatscreens have games going all the time.  Probably best bbq between the Chicago area and perhaps Murphysboro (17th St. Bar and Grill), some 5 hours south.  Warning - not sure who owns the parking lot to the north of the building, but it is in AWFUL shape.  Beware.
5 - Isaac D.: Great tasting BBQ. Brisket is amazing, with the Peach BBQ sauce. The ribs are perfectly cooked, with meat falling almost falling off the bones.
5 - Phil P.: The fact that I cannot even seem to get into the place at lunch makes me really want to give them less than 5 stars.  At least 75% of the time, I have to go somewhere else because I can't spend my limited allotment of lunch break just standing around drooling.

But the place is undeniable.  Their burnt ends are a revelation.  I could eat the Carolina Red sauce with a spoon.  In a moment of semi-health consciousness, I ordered the applesauce, and even that knocked my socks off... literally.  I spent 35 minutes trying to fish them out from under my table.

I am so tempted to give the place 1 star and tell the rest of you yokels to go eat somewhere else.  For goodness sake, let me have a lunch here every once in a blue moon.  But I cannot do that for it would be a fib.

Instead, I'll just be THAT guy standing over by the door... looking over your shoulder... and trying to use my powers of telepathy to get you to eat and leave sooner so I can sit down.
5 - Glenda B.: Ate at The Black Dog with our kids today.  AMAZING bbq place in Urbana.  They smoke all their own meat and everything was great.  My husband had the brisket, I had pulled pork, our son had burned ends and his girl had jumbalya.  Everything was perfect.  This is a small place, so don't expect to sit right down.  They also have some great brews and full bar.  I would absolutely go again!
5 - Ajay R.: Great BBQ. The chicken is the best BBQ chicken I've ever had!
Cornbread is sick !!!
Also try the pineapple tequila. So great to sip with a meal. 
My fav place in CU
5 - John B.: Monday lunch @ 12:30 wasn't too crowded; large menu with a good selection; sides like sweet potato fries; spicy potato salad were both good;  great sandwiches at reasonable price; very good beer selection and offer a beer flight of current on tap; look forward to an evening meal to try the entree menu.
4 - Lydia M.: On BBQ alone, just the meat, I think Lil Porgy's is just as good, but certain things make this better in my mind:
-Side dishes are far superior
-They serve beer
-Burnt ends, when you can get them
The really big downside is that the space is tiny, making the wait extremely long. They will do takeout if you call in, I highly recommend this option.
5 - Lauren L.: Seriously the best BBQ in the area.  I like the pulled pork best.  I have also had the brisket, but it was a little too smoky for me.  I didn't even think that was possible, but it was.  

Chips and salsa are spot on.  You wouldn't think to order them at a BBQ place, but definitely do, they are well worth it.

Hands down favorite thing at this place: cornbread!  It comes out all warm and goey.  It has pork and whole bunch of other stuff in it that make it extra special.  The prices are unbeatable too.  Dinner for two, I'd be shocked if you spent more than $30 total with drinks.  

I've heard the wait can be bad, but I was there on a Saturday night at 7pm and only waited maybe 10 minutes.  It was so good though I would wait much longer!

Highly recommended!
5 - Cris M.: Couldn't be better, couldn't be busier.  Choose a relatively quiet time to go.  Knowledgable staff will help with beer selection, everything has been great but the local chicken is amazing, the duck too, also, the smoked sweet potato, and the brisket, also the ribs, even the burgers, heck, the salads are great, too.  If only they would expand...
5 - Emily B.: We are always looking for a new place in the Chambana area during football season and somehow Black Dog had eluded us.  Luckily I ran into a friend who opened our eyes.  

We went to the ASU night game and after a long night of cheering we were hungry!  We arrived around 9:30 / 10:00 pm and the place was still pretty full.  When we sat down the server announced that they were out of quite a few menu items.  We weren't shy about our disappointment and a little bit later the server told us they were going to make more of the twice baked potato casserole.  Hooray!  Oh and they were DELICIOUS!

Everything was so good.  The bbq has more of a smoked flavor which I really like.  I ordered the pulled pork with the house sauce.  The sauce was a bit spicy (I am a wimp) but I did sample some others that I liked.  

I can't wait to go back to try some burnt ends and some other sauces.
5 - Nick P.: Without a doubt, 5 stars. The beef brisket was fantastic (even better that you could order a lean cut), but the burnt ends is where it's at! Crispy on the outside, still juicy on the inside...I don't know how they do it, but they better not stop any time soon. 

How about the BBQ sauce you might ask? Fantastic! A little bit spicy, just the way I like it. And don't forget the sides! I don't think you could go wrong with any of them.

Now on to the beer. Oh the beer! They rotate selections, and you know they're good when you have 3 of the 8 choices and each one is better than the last. Especially nice that you could take it outside while you're waiting.

This is definitely my first stop for whenever I come to town from now on. A-mazing!
5 - Amanda B.: Yes! Finally went to Black Dog. Since I moved to Champaign I have been constantly hearing about this place and I was dying to go.  We ordered the cornbread because I was told to try it, but I wasn't a huge fan. It was good, just not for me. I love pulled pork so, naturally, that's what I ordered. I wanted to try two sides so I got the platter. I had the slaw and the potato salad, both of which were awesome.  The pulled pork was delicious, and the sauce they give you was beyond good. I also tried a bite of my friend's cuban sandwich, and it was also delicious. The service was also decent, and the restaurant is pretty nice overall. The only thing I can see being a problem is the size of it. It is definitely a small place and apparently they get a pretty long line at certain times. We went on a Wednesday afternoon and got a table right away though. Can't wait to go back and try everything else on the menu!
BASICALLY JUST GO. GO NOW.
5 - Romy B.: A group of four of us visiting the U of IL did some light research and chose Black Dog for dinner.  Another colleague who was local to the area told us that Urbana was "dead" and we should go somewhere else.  We ignored the advice and boy were we glad we did!
It was a Monday about 6pm and we had roughly a 5 minute wait.  The guy who seated us was a little surly but we didn't have to interact with him much.  Our server however, was great fun.  
We had the beer flight which was great and then each of us had a sandwich - 2 pulled pork and 2 burnt ends - and then the sweet potato fries.  Sandwiches came with sauce and coleslaw on the sandwich and they were phenomenal.  Price was amazingly low and terrific value for the dollar.
3 - joel w.: this place has great food.

unfortunately it has...

long lines,

a feeling of being rushed to get you in/out,

and last night, warm beer while waited for my carryout.

this place simply isn't a relaxing place to eat a meal.
5 - Sam W.: This is my favorite restaurant in Champaign-Urbana. It's not perfect, but if I had let myself, I probably could've eaten there every week. The downside is that it is small. Small to the point where I would do ridiculous things and tell my group of friends "everyone get there at 10:45am". Oh, and your entire party has to be there if you want to be seated. 

But the bbq. Fantastic. Get the burnt ends if they aren't out for the day (they run out on those early). They also tend to have an interesting beer selection. Sides are good, too. My bbq of choice was the hot Georgia Peach. Personal favorite combination was the burnt ends sandwich with hot Georgia Peach sauce and sweet potato fries on the side. The cornbread is good, too (it does have meat in it though).
5 - Stelle J.: There are only good things to say about Black Dog. Anything less than 5 stars would just be a lie.
Yeah, the place is small, but that location has always been small, so there really isn't any cause for complain. And I am willing to wait an hour for something that I know is going to be delicious every single time. I've never, ever had anything there that wasn't absolutely awesome! The food is always so, so good--I just wish I could get down there on Wednesday to try the Cuban sandwich (I hear such good things about it, but can never get there on a Wednesday)! And while the meat is always awesome, the sauce is seriously to die for. Hot Georgia Peach is my favorite, but they also have a mustard sauce which is also pretty darn tasty on some smoked meat!
The beer selection is pretty good, and they blew my mind by selling Sam Adams Apple Cider for a decent price (I think its $7 or $8 there vs. $10 or $11 at Crane Alley). I have been disappointed a couple of times by the beers on tap (specifically the cask stuff)--sometimes they can be a bit warmer than one would like, or lack the flavor they should have. Usually though, I'm just happy to have a nice bottle of beer with some tasty BBQ!
Easily the BEST BBQ in town.
5 - Roseanne S.: This place is without a doubt, the BEST BBQ IN ILLINOIS. My boyfriend went to U of I and we somehow stumbled upon this hidden gem. Well, I suppose it's not so hidden since there is usually a long wait. But don't be discouraged! The wait is well worth it, I promise. 

Try to make your way through the door, find the guy in charge, and put your name on the list. There's not much space in this place. I guess that would be my one complaint. It can get pretty crunched, especially if you're waiting. However, what is better to tide you over than a delicious beer? Now, let's talk about this beer.

They have new selections on tap all the time. Please, do your beer pallet a favor and don't order the usual domestics and imports (Miller, Bud, Heiniken, Corona, etc). Those are just fine for any regular restaurant. Why miss the glorious opportunity to try something mind-blowingly good? Seriously, these beers are amazing. They come from different breweries across the country. Places/companies you've never heard of. Combinations of flavors you would never think to try. I once had an oyster beer here. Sounds disgusting but it was so good. Trust me on that. I'm very picky and I liked it. You can also get a flight of 7 beers on a dogbone shaped tray (how fitting!). This flight has all the beers that are on tap in 4 oz glasses. You can share them with a friend and then order the one you like best!

Now, on to the food. So SO good. There are a few different sauce choices you can get. Not being one for spicy, I get the Georgia Peach. It is soo good on anything you get. There is no bad item on this menu. The pulled pork is amazing as are the hamburgers. Hard to believe a hamburger could be so good, but it is. The brisket is also amazing. They cook it for 12 hours. How could it not be? Try to get here relatively early though, because some items like the brisket run out later in the evening. While it's a bummer, think of it as a good thing. This way, you know they're not just heating it in the microwave. They cook it, and once it's gone, it's gone. Oh and the fries are amazing, whether you get the regular or sweet potato.

I know this was a long review, but I really can't say enough about this place. I'm obsessed. It's a bummer that my bf graduated so we can't go all the time since we live near Chicago. However, I will make any excuse to go down. Going there this weekend for Halloween. Can't wait to visit my favorite BBQ place in all the land!
4 - Reid G.: Burnt ends, not brisket.  Can't speak for the ribs or pulled pork.  Stuffed cornbread did not fit the menu's description (was mixed with the ingredients instead of stuffed), but was glorious.  2 sticks of butter will make anything good.
5 - Paul O.: They have some great BBQ here.  I've done the brisket, burnt ends and pulled pork.  All of them are top notch.

Grab some cornbread.  You won't regret it.

The beer flights are awesome as well.  Do yourself a favor and try some new beers.

You'll probably have to wait to get a seat.  It's worth it.

I've never really felt that rushed.  It is a small place though and I can see how people might feel rushed.
5 - Geoff B.: Burnt ends, fresh lemonade and a pulled pork sandwich. I'm in heaven.
5 - Marty W.: Black Dog, probably the best restaurant in Champaign-Urbana.

Love that they serve the food on metal platters; no frills, just good food.  

The pulled pork & brisket is excellent.  The pulled chicken is amazingly tender and moist.  The pork ribs are excellent, and on Wednesdays and Thursdays they have monstrous beef ribs that, while a bit expensive, are killer.  However, the rib tips are probably the best thing on the every-day menu and are the best deal on the menu.  Luscious, fatty meat with an incredible bark.  And each of their sauces is excellent as well, particularly the house carolina red, georgia peach, and mustard sauce.  

The pulled pork and brisket sandwiches and platters are great.  But after you've been a couple of times, you start coming to Black Dog for their amazing daily specials.  

The smoked pork belly on Saturday is just awesome, probably my favorite Black Dog offering.  

$7 bucks will get you 3 tacos for lunch on Tuesday.  Your choice of chicken, pulled pork, or diced brisket + onions & cilantro and their homemade smoked salsa.   A great deal and a very satisfying lunch for a decent price.  But the pastrami on rye that they serve all day is even better.  Thick slabs of seasoned brisket, swiss, and delicious homemade Russian dressing on toasted rye bread that they get a couple blocks away from the local bakery.  Amazing.  

However, Wednesday offers up a Cuban sandwich that is equally great.  Smoked ham, pulled pork, spicy mayo, swiss, and local pickles.  Perfection.  

Other specials include smoked duck on Thursday nights which is tasty but pricey, beef ribs on Wednesday nights, and some fantastic catfish tacos for lunch on Friday.

They also have 7 taps that are dedicated to unique and high quality brews and a nice selection of bottles.
5 - Kathleen M.: Black Dog you are the top dog!  

We came here after a game and fell on the food like hungry little puppies.  I had a ribs and burnt ends both of which were fabulous.  I also adored the twice baked potato casserole which I learned about from other Yelp reviews.  They even made another batch for us, how terrific!

My only issue is that it is always crowded.  So I suggest that you double the size of the place or keep a table that is always available just for me.  Thanks!
4 - Spama R.: My perspective: I've spent a good deal of time in Austin, Texas, which is the center of the BBQ loop trail that goes through tiny towns like Taylor, Lockhart, and Fredericksburg. The places in these towns are like institutions, with heritage and loyalty passed down from one generation to the next. People are on a first-name basis with the cutter and pit man.

My all-time favorite: Franklin BBQ, which was recently named best bbq in America by Bon Appetit. It's also gotten rave reviews from the NY Times, Food and Wine, and the only perfect rating from fcg-bbq, a bbq joint blog with its nose seriously to the ground, and whose opinion I take to be more authoritative than any national magazine.

I know BBQ is more than what Texans call 'brisket', but when done right, brisket is so good that it's hard to see what else one could want from BBQ.

If you're looking for what Texans call ' wet brisket' or 'moist brisket', here's how to get the most out of Black Dog: go from Sunday to Thursday when the pit man Jay is working. The wet brisket ( or what people around here call 'burnt ends') is best in the evenings.

Order a burnt ends platter, and ASK YOUR SERVER TO NOT TRIM ANY FAT. Tell him or her that you want about a 50-50 meat/fat ratio with plenty of the fat webbing between the little nodules of meat.

Ask for sauce only on the side. Ideally, you won't be needing any.

Make sure to ask for white onions, because they default to red. And pickles. And try to get some white bread.

If it's at all dry or tough, talk to your server and send it back.

Jay will know what you're looking for. He has been to Texas. He will speak your language.
5 - Alecia M.: I'm a mostly-veggie eater, and I love this place. Their portabello sandwich is among the best I've ever had -- apparently smoking is the secret to cooking a big mushroom all the way through evenly and flavorfully. The catfish is also delicious. Love getting a flight of sauces and working my way through them between dinner and the excellent sides. I highly recommend the sweet potato fries and, if it's summer, the smoked sweet corn. Yum! As most everyone else has said, the meats are also delicious -- according to my husband and the tons of people we've brought here for lunch or dinner.

Their tap list is relatively small -- they usually have somewhere around 7 beers at a time -- but there's always lovely choices. Recently, there's been some absolutely delicious dark pumpkin / apple fall beers! Bar and food service sometimes seems rushed, but surprisingly good for how busy they get.

This place is insanely busy at pretty much all hours (30-min wait at 8.30pm on a Wednesday?), but it has still become our default for out-of-town guests. That says a whole heck of a lot.
5 - Marcus D.: Best bbq in CU! Some portions are not extremely large, but everything tastes great. Prices are extremely reasonable. Plan for at least a 30 minute wait around dinner time.
4 - Clifford S.: The four stars is because of the food, I really like barbecue and theirs was smoky good.  I had the ribs and pulled pork and both were great.  My side of Mac n Cheese was also very very good.

But I am going to dog on Black dog for the place itself.  The food was fairly expensive yet you are in a physically uncomfortable environment.  If it's a bar, why are they serving such good food?  If it's a restaurant why are the seats and tables so crappy?  Plus the lines are really long, would bar patrons want to wait that long?  And if they are there for a bar aren't they going to take up seats for a long time so people can't eat?

I like the food but the concept seems pretty conflicted.  Work it out, be a bar or a restaurant and accommodate one set of customers.  

I hope it's the restaurant with new seating.  Arf arf.
5 - Charles T.: They make good beef here. Christ almighty. Get the Hot Georgia Peach Sauce. Get it.

The Cuban on Wednesdays is out-friggin-standing. I am quite the Cuban aficionado and this is a sterling example. Panini-style, I think. Angels dance in heaven when they begin preparing the Cubans on Wednesday mornings.
4 - Jeff G.: Outstanding food! Go for the flight of sauces.

Sadly they have long lines ALL of the time.
4 - Fei Z.: Love the burnt-ends and I get it every time! I would go early for lunch/dinner unless you're willing to sit by the bars (which isn't that bad if it's just 2 people). The space is on the smaller side, and they are popular so it fills up quickly!
5 - urbanaite K.: Great food! Even the small number of veggie items are really good. Be adventurous with the sauces, they are all so good. 
The food comes out fast, so long lines move faster than you'd expect. Also take out is a very feasible option.

Wish they could be a little bigger, maybe 4 additional tables...
5 - Pete B.: I'm not really a fan of BBQ (that's why I've waited this long to come here eventhough it gets great reviews), but I really enjoyed my meal here. I've always thought of BBQ as something people put together during the summer, not the kind of food you need to go to a restaurant for, but Black Dog's BBQ was simply the best I've ever had (but I guess that doesn't say much for a person who doesn't really go to restaurants that serve BBQ).  Definitely coming back here again.
5 - Christina R.: Such a hidden gem in Urbana for college students because every time I rave about this place to someone they were unfortunate to not have the black dog experience. 
First off, the BBQ sandwiches (I've tried them all) are all phenomenal! If you're a BBQ person there should be no reason for you to not try this place.
As a first timer, definitely try to get there early to get the burnt ends! They only have limited amounts made and the burnt ends do run out very quickly. 
Also, pay the extra 50 cents and get the sweet potato fries, honestly it will be the only place around the area that serve them and it is definitely a fresh new taste compared to the typical fries! I don't like sweet potatoes but these fries were worth trying!

My friends and I also got the wings as an appetizer once and I always order them now since they were so good! It comes with lots of meat & good flavor so get them to share so you have plenty of room for their entree

PLEASE don't pass this place up! I've taken many friends here and they have never been disappointed!!!
5 - Steven R.: I'm skeptical of suggestions.

Really, it's more I don't know you, you don't know me, how do you know what I might enjoy or have a taste for?

In this case I'm glad I put aside my thoughts on the matter, followed the bartender's suggestion and got the Burnt Ends.  Speaking of which, you don't know me and I don't know you but you should get it.  Really.  It's an awesome smoked and resmoked brisket sandwich that is so many layers of delicious, it's stupid.  It's juicy, flavorful and the sauce is done just right; present but not overwhelming.  The slaw is a correctly done supporting cast in the sandwich.  Also, coming it at around $7, it was easily tastier than more expensive crap I've paid for out here on the West Coast.

Combine this hunger inducing (and curing) sandwich with a delightful Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout enjoyed on draft (not to mention the availability of a number of craft beers on draft and in bottle) and the chill atmosphere and I was more than happy I braved the rain to visit this spot before heading back to Chicago.

Even if it wasn't in Urbana, this place would be able to hang in any big city either as just a beer bar or as a BBQ place.  I'll thank my lucky stars it does both.
5 - Amelia N.: Don't let the long line turn you off; it is totally worth the wait. Delicious BBQ, great beer selection, excellent service, and a fun, lively atmosphere. You can't go wrong.
5 - Anastasia T.: The best BBQ in Champaign-Urbana, hands down. Everything on their menu is good (no, seriously). Try something different every time!

My favorite dishes are the beef brisket or pulled pork. My favorite sides are the sweet potato fries, the smoked sweet potato, twice-baked potato casserol, or their slaw.

Special menu items are their "Burnt Ends" which are available at 11am and 5pm every day. These sell out quickly, so get a spot in line at 10:30 or 4:30 if you ever want to try these.
4 - Ray N.: I came in sometime around 3:30 looking to eat what became my only real meal of the day. (Raise your hand if you've been there before on a Sunday). My friend, a recent transplant to the area, suggested a "pretty sweet BBQ place" instead of the much closer and cheaper McDonald's near his apartment. "Oh, and they also have their own beer." Sold. 

So, walking in, the seating space is really rather small for a pub/restaurant - and way too hungry to wait for a table - so we just sat at the bar. I Yelped this place before leaving and was told to try the Burnt Ends but to get there early to do so. Well, they were out. And they were also out of catfish. Luck of the draw of coming in late on an NFL playoff game day, I suppose. I ended up getting the rib tips with regular French fries and the Southwestern potato salad, with the Left Hand Milk Stout to drink. I mean, if I'm gonna carbo-load, why not do it in style?

Anyway, our first server ended up also giving me a small sample of a blueberry ale just in case I'd be coming back or ordering more beer with my dinner. I suppose if I liked blueberries, I'd be all over this, but I'm not such a fan... however, I certainly appreciate the offer. I also ended up having the one beer of theirs they had on tap the night before at a bar, so I didn't want to double dip and ended up going with a Hennepin saison instead.

The food finally came, after many delays informing my friend that supply was limited on catfish and eventually running out of it. The Carolina Red BBQ sauce is very tasty but has a hidden kick to it. With the rib tips, it was perfect. That said - though the fries were great (but maybe a bit skimpy on the serving size) and the Southwestern potato salad was good (but I was almost hoping for it to be a bit closer to room temperature), the rib tips themselves were tender and flavorful, but I thought there was a bit too much fat on them, whether marbled in or around the little bits of bone. The parts closer to the edges were fine, but towards the center were tricky. 

I don't want to imply that this is standard practice, but due to having to cancel both items my friend ordered, he was able to substitute something else on the menu and get comped for it on the bill. Much appreciated. However, our original server kind of disappeared for a while so we ended up being served by a guy that sort of looks like Paul McCartney around 1968, and he did a great job.
5 - Emily H.: I'm not a BBQ fan, but this was amazing! I had the pulled pork sandwich and it was fantastic. Definitely recommend this place.
5 - Douglas H.: Black Dog you are my friend, my lover.  Your slow-smoked brisket, your hand-made sides, your succulent rib-tips attract me with the magnetism of a particle accelerator.  You introduced me to the joy of cider; you do Arnold Palmer justice.  Oh Black Dog, oh Black Dog.
4 - John S.: My wife's birthday was over the weekend, and it seemed like having a good lunch was in the cards. Being a big barbeque fan, she selected the Black Dog Smoke & Ale House. We had heard so many good things about it that we finally decided to give it a try. We were not disappointed.

We were aware that the biggest drawback would be the wait for a table, so we left home early to get there right before it opened. Several other people had the same idea. We were given a nice greeting upon entering and were seated immediately. We were told that we might have a bit of a wait for service since we were seated before the place opened, but our waitress came by right away. We decided to start the meal with the appetizer we were most curious about: the burnt ends. Although a tad pricy, the meat lived up to everything we had read -- flavorful, wonderfully chewy around the edges, with melt-in-your mouth smoky goodness.

For our lunch, we both had pulled pork sandwiches, sweet potato fries, and an additional side of twice baked potato casserole. The sandwiches were excellent -- wonderfull smokey meat, slaw, and excellent Carolina Red barbeque sauce. The sweet potato french fries actually tasted like sweet potatoes, but I am not sure why others have raved about them. They were just okay, as was the casserole. But ... we came to this place looking for excellent barbecue, and it delivered!

We were happy we decided to eat right when the place opened because a line formed as we were eating our lunch. We decided to make a quick exit so that someone else could get our table. We were in and out in about 35 minutes.

Would we come here again? Definitely! Next time I would like to try the Georgia Peach barbeque sauce and sample the chicken and catfish. I decided to only go with four stars because the sides were only average in our estimation. Next time we will try some others.
5 - Gloria A.: OH YES!!!  Plan on waiting for a table..... as there are not many in the place..... plan on wondering how clean the kitchen is.... as it looks a little rough as well as the employees.... BUT plan on putting INCREDIBLE BBQ in your mouth!!  You will NOT be disappointed with the food at this restaurant.  They really need to expand and grow..... so worth the trip!
5 - Paul S.: Not that big of a place so you may have to wait.   Cornbread app is interesting flavorful. 5 stars for the beef brisket, very moist BBQ chicken and the burnt tips.  If you like spicy-ish sauce go with the Carolina.  If you like sweet and awesome try the Georgia peach.   Yum
5 - Jones' D.: Everything here is great.  Rivals some of the best BBQ I've had in the GA and NC (the basis for many of their sauces). I'll also add that they know how to do takeout well. BBQ is a hard food to get right for takeout, but both times I've had it it's tasted almost as good as when I've eaten there.

That may help solve some of the long wait problems that people have correctly pointed out.
5 - Shaun P.: Been to this place a couple of times and the food is good.  Its a little cramped when it gets busy but that is a good thing.
5 - Jacob T.: Black Dog is probably one of my five favorite places in the country. I'm partial to the pulled pork and the twice baked for the side, but everything is good....if I'm feeling really saucy I'll get the Carolina Burger, which is a burger with pulled pork on it. That's right. 

I love they're constantly rotating beers, and offer flights for you to try. Yeah, it's always busy and the place is small. It's busy because it's the best.
5 - Heather H.: I am not a HUGE fan of smoked foods.  Most of my experiences with smoked meats ended up leaving an "ash-tray" taste in the mouth, or really dry meat.  But at Black Dog, I LOVED IT.  My husband cleared his plate faster then I have ever seen - and said straight away that his food was the BEST smoked pulled pork he had ever had.  I had the beef brisket, and damn, it was good.  Can't beat the price tag, I mean, really?  If I remember correctly, our bill was less then $15!
5 - Aaron M.: I've told my friends about this place and I'm pretty sure they don't believe it exists. It is literally a hole in the wall. Fills my tummy with joy.

Pulled Pork is the best. Great sweet potato fries. Not only the best BBQ in C-U, but maybe the Midwest.

Cons: Always busy.
5 - Marc W.: My searching is over!  Hands down best BBQ in the whole C-U area!  Prices are EXTREMELY low and food is exceptional!  My friends and I visit this place embarrassingly often.

Only cons: Very small and most people leave after seeing the line of people waiting to be seated.  I don't think there is ever not a line.  HOWEVER, it is very worth it, they do their best to sit you in a timely fashion and once you start eating you will forget that you waited.  Sadly, because it is very crowded the staff seems to get a bit irritated (for good reason) so if you want great service I wouldn't go at the end of a lunch/dinner rush.  Again, I'm all about the food so as long as they bring it to me I don't really care. 

Try it.  I have never had anything bad.  Wait in line and you'll thank me later.
1 - Danny M.: If you like really dry, overcooked ribs and tips, come to this place. We came with a big group and it was already packed, so we decided to do carryout. It turned out to be 30 mins of waiting in a small cramped restaurant, with people constantly walking by forcing you to move, when our food finally came. There was also a guy walking out telling me, "not worth the wait." I didn't think too much of it because the place looked promising. We went back to eat it and took about 10 mins figuring out who ordered what. They place all of our food together in 3 bags, which was fine, but they didn't labeled anything. We ordered the combo which included pulled pork, slab of ribs, and rib tips. I only tried the ribs and tips, but they were really dry and the sauce didn't make it any better. I have tried many great ribs, but this one definitely don't cut it. As busy as it gets here, the guy was right, definitely not worth the wait.
5 - Tania J.: Undoubtedly the best BBQ food in the CU. It's almost silly to give this place another 5 star review because pretty much everyone knows its awesome. Come early so that you can get Burndt Ends, which always sell out. They make them twice a day, once for lunch and once for dinner.  Don't come during peak hours because you'll probably wait 45mins for a table.
2 - Cameron R.: Meh, I've experienced better. Certainly not a place I'd go for a relaxing dining experience. 

Went on a Thursday night, and was ushered in to two seats at the end of the bar by the hostess. The bartender/server was nice and was around enough to take our order, and the service was very efficient, almost too efficient. I certainly felt rushed to order, eat my food, pay my bill, and leave so the people waiting could eat. I've been to much busier BBQ places like Oklahoma Joes in Kansas City that operates a similar size joint  out of a gas station and it's all self seating, and although most people won't sit there all day while others wait, they don't hurry you out after you've waiting your turn in line. I probably still had half my food on my plate when I was asked "are you all done with that?"... seriously? 

As for the food, I ordered the cornbread appetizer, and the pork inside was a interesting touch, which I liked. Before we could finish our cornbread the food was already served. I got the pulled pork/brisket combo with twice baked casserole and slaw. The sides were pretty good, though my GF's potato salad had zero flavor. The meat was nothing special. Yes, it was tender, but the pulled pork almost looked roasted rather than smoked, and having an ice cream scoop shaped pork was kinda odd.  

The house sauce was what really killed it for me. I really couldn't put my finger on what I don't like about it but the sweet, smoky, kick it has just doesn't do anything for me but overpower the flavor of the meat. 

And like everyone else says, the place is packed and cramped all the time. If this place is so great then they should give the customer a good overall dining experience and not just rely on their food. I'll try going back again sometime, and who knows I may hit the lottery and be able to get their seemingly impossible to get burnt ends.
5 - Josh W.: Always good!
5 - Jen M.: This is one of the (not so hidden) gems of C-U. They have excellent barbeque, not some nasty rib bones slathered in sauce, this is real thing. I highly recommend the pulled pork and the burnt ends, and the sweet potato fries are a must. The prices can't be beat,  you can get a BBQ  sandwich and fries for $7 at lunch or dinner. Just be warned, this place is really popular and the seating area isn't large, so it gets crowded and you might have a hard time getting a seat if you don't arrive early.
4 - Nate G.: My girlfriend and I ad the opportunity to stop in the Black Dog on a Sunday afternoon and after a 15 minute wait, was seated at two seats near the back by a server stand. We ordered two of the sampler platters so got a good range of entree's and sides. The food was excellent, the chicken (white meat) was tender and the catfish was smoked through wonderfully. I was not a huge fan of the cornbread, but it was different and I would not hesitate to order it as an appetizer. I also had the beer sampler and there was a nice range of beer to compliment the food. Waitress was friendly and service was fast but we never felt rushed at all. I will definitely stop in next time i'm in town.
5 - Craig M.: This might be the best barbecue that I have had in the Midwest. I'm straining my brain to think of better. I spent three years in Texas where I became a real lover of all things barbecue. Black Dog knocked my socks off.

We started with chicken wings. They arrived too hot to touch and glazed in the house standard Carolina BBQ sauce. They were great. Then we shared two combination platters which included brisket, sausage, pulled pork, ribs, twice baked potatoes, slaw, pit beans and sweet potato fries. We had a flight of BBQ sauces which included Carolina, Texas Georgia peach hot and mild, chipotle, Milo's mustard and a vinegar. Get the flight. The diversity of the sauces is half the fun.

Keep in mind that you are in a college town and the atmosphere is busy, bustling and full of college kids. I enjoyed it, and actually prefer it over a faux-texan theme with a bunch of cowboy junk on the walls.

Great beer selection also. I'll be back next time I'm in Urbana.
5 - M G.: Never had better. Brisket and wings were spectacular. Great beer matches for all the BBQ here. Unpretentious, friendly environment with staff and customers to match.
5 - Keith M.: What can I say that hasn't been said before? I met my boss here for lunch on a sunny Monday afternoon. We were quickly greeted by we had 2 more people yet to show up so we had to wait for them to be seated.

As soon as our party was there, we were quickly ushered to a table and greeted by our server. 

He informed us that he had been overhearing our conversations at the table and was happy to report that they did have burnt ends and explained to one of my lunch mates what a mufelleta was and what it was made of today. This was a great touch - what an easy way to make a quick and easy impression on a table!

So, I got my burnt ends sandwich, along with sweet potato fries - which I had been told were AMAZING. I also ordered their beans.

We also ordered the cornbread... which was delish!!! I recommend it highly. It was moist, slightly spicy... and full of amazingness!

The burnt end sandwich was increds. Cooked to perfection and flavored wonderfully with a Carolina Red sauce.

The sweet potato fries weren't amazing - they were AH-MAY-ZING!!!!!

The beans were delish as well - and did not need for me to add in any sauce or anything, which is my usual habit.

I have to say... I have been coming to central Illinois for years and I am pissed it took until today for me to get to this place.

I will be back... probably every trip to central Illinois!!!
5 - Andrea B.: I, like everyone else, have a hard time finding anything bad to say about this place.

I almost always get the beef brisket and a beer, but their pulled pork, chicken, and polish are amazing, as well.  One visit, they had pozole, which was pretty damn good.  The sweet potato fries are a must, but every other side I've tried is amazing, too: pit beans, regular fries, baked potato casserole, and on and on.

It's got a very casual vibe that I like, but it's also not so casual that it's trashy.  There's often local abstract art on the walls, but there's also a huge jug of tequila and pineapple on top of the fridge.  So, there's a desirable balance.

Since this place now has a rep, lunch and dinner times are sometimes kind of crazy.  If you can hit it around 3 p.m. during the week, you usually won't have to wait for a table.

The prices are fair, as long as you don't go too nuts with the beer.
5 - Patrick M.: Love the specials. The Cuban is the best.
5 - Mr S.: I just wish this places wasn't so packed all of the time, but with food as good as this, what do you expect. I have only tried a few sauces (Carolina and Georgia Peach) and they are awesome. I get the wings every time I come here. I have tried the pulled pork, catfish sandwich and even a burger. The food is always great. I just really wish I could sit down and enjoy lunch here without a ridiculously long wait.
5 - Zoe Z.: Two words to describe this joint: outstanding BBQ.  If you eat meat, this is a place you have to try.  Great ribs, great pork, great brisket.  The wait is always really long to get a table cause the food is fantastic, but the space is a bit small for the demand.
5 - Eileen M.: I'm pissed I only discovered this place in my last 2 years on campus. I think it's impossible to order anything and not like it, even a little.

I was back on campus last weekend and tried the Chicken Wings - a seriously underestimated menu item. See, just when I think I've tried it all, I discover something else that's awesome.

The chef likes to get creative with the daily specials too- so that's fun.

Wow, I've already done all this raving and I haven't even had to start talking about their alcohol selection. In my opinion, it's a crime not to order a specialty beer off their vast tap list to wash down their killer BBQ. 

Students at U of I - get here as often as possible before graduation!
4 - Sean H.: Good food, nice beer selection, but it's a little pricey for the portion size and it was PACKED on a Sunday night. They really need to expand or get a bigger place to accommodate its increasing popularity.
5 - Judy E.: I have been to Black Dog 3 times in the last week if that says anything. I love their food, pretty much all of it. I get their ribs a lot but their burgers and sandwiches are hard to pass up. Don't forget to add on their sweet potato fries and their cornbread (the best cornbread I have ever had). Their other sides are very good but the sweet potato fries are so amazing its hard to pass them up. The chicken wings are possibly the best in town. All of the sauces are excellent, I highly recommend getting the sample sauce tray.

Downside to this place is the wait but if you go early or late you generally only have to wait 15-20 minutes. I also suggest no more people than 4 as it is a very small place. The bar is a great place to sit so don't count it out.

The beer selection is excellent and I highly recommend the flight if you have some time (and a DD). The cocktails are so good and strong, just the way they should be! 

My biggest wish is that they will open a second location in Downtown Champaign.
5 - Anne C.: BBQ has become a religious experience at black dog.
4 - Andrea R.: This is THE BEST bbq in all of CU!! Great beer selection when you are looking for more than a simple Bud Light. However, the host needs an attitude adjustment, and having to wait for your whole party to be there before you can put your name in is annoying. Overall, I love it here!
5 - Nicole S.: I think your experience of the Black Dog's atmosphere is largely contingent upon what sorts of restaurants you've been to in the past and how you expect to be treated by the people who are serving you/cooking you food for the evening. 

If you tend to go out to restaurants like, say, Chili's or Friday's, where the servers are obligated to be saccharine to the point of nausea, then hey! you probably won't like The Black Dog's atmosphere because you'll think the servers, host or bartenders are rude for not falling all over themselves to do your bidding. 

I personally love the Black Dog, primarily for the food. If I had one complaint about the place it would be that it gets pretty cramped. Probably once a week I entertain the notion of going to eat here and have to decide against it because of how ridiculously busy it is. I know The Black Dog isn't hurting for business and I might even be doing them a favor by not going to dine with them on their busier evenings, but GOD, I love them so much. Why do you constantly rebuff my advances, Black Dog?

The Black Dog is hands down one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. I've loved everything I've tried on the menu thus far.  The portions are always more than enough, and the food is, frankly, under-priced for the amount and quality of food you get. The first time I went I expected to pay $15 an entree and was shocked to find it was far cheaper. Pay this place a visit, even if you have to wait 40 minutes to be seated. Worth it.
4 - Brad P.: I will concede that as someone who grew up in Champaign, and has since moved away, I tend to be a bit nostalgic about the town and may romanticize it a bit. I had never been to Black Dog when I lived in town, but on a recent visit some good friends told me it was THE place to go. 

We arrived around lunch time and we expected to wait for a table. The restaurant sits MAYBE 30 people, and this is a good thing. We only had to wait about 15 minutes, which given the number of people and the small seating area, I thought was pertty good.

Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and made great suggestions. I ended up ordering brisket and pulled pork. Both were delicious. The smoke ring on the brisket was a beautiful color and all the flavor was there. The house BBQ sauce which came with the meal was EXCELLENT and though I have heard that they have several other options, I'm not sure there would ever be any need.

Another bonus was that Black Dog had a small, but great, beer selection. They had 7 beers on draft, all of which were really good. They offered a sampler of 4 oz. pours, which was a great thing to enjoy with my meal.  It was a LITTLE nerdy that the beers were served in a "dog bone" shaped serving platter, but I suppose it was fun.

Overall, I had a great experience at Black Dog and I would love to return on my next visit.
5 - Devin C.: A fantastic place in Urbana! I currently live in Tennessee, and this is at least as good as anything we have here in the South -- and the atmosphere is better. Try the Hot Georgia Peach sauce if you like it spicy. The black tips are fabulous, and if you like English style (dry) cider, wash it down with a Crispin cider. Cheers!
5 - D X.: Hands down the best restaurant in Champaign.  Really.  Every regular menu item is fantastic (the pork, the brisket, the polish, catfish, etc. etc. etc.)  The bbq sauces are amazing as well. Personally I like the chipotle, its spicy and amazing.  The carolina red is great as well with a nice kick, and the hot georgia peach is an awesome combo of sweet and spicy.  If it were just for this it would already be 5 stars.  But it isn't just this.

The specials might be even better than the regular bbq.  The cuban is the best cuban I've ever had.  The pastrami is the best pastrami I've ever had.  The new turkey club (twice a week) is THE BEST turkey sandwich I've ever had.  The fried cod on Friday might be the best sandwich all week.   Finally, the tacos and burritos here can stand up to Maize any day.

And then there's the beer.  Different craft beers every time you go in there.  Place is just awesome.
5 - Rolando M.: The only problem with Black Dog is that they are always packed!  But that is because they are SSSOOOOOOOOO GGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDD!!!

Believe me it is worth the wait.  Best BBQ in town, and in Illinois (as far as I know).  Get the corn bread, it is something else.
4 - David F.: Like all the reviews say, this is a popular place.  Plan to wait on the curb (literally) for your table with the rest of the hungry patrons.  

Ordered the platters (3 meat choices) and we mixed up the sides.  Meat was excellent and the highlight was the burnt ends.  Wow.  Don't miss them.  Sweet potato fries were good, but I've had better, probably because these ones had cooled down.

This is a don't miss food destination that should satisfy your BBQ craving.
4 - Aurora B.: Awesome food, awesome people
4 - Tl R.: This is shoot yo mama, lip smackin good.
Way busy, always have to wait.  But it is worth it. The only problem with the place is that the staff never smiles.  They are just too busy, and it shows.
The BBQ is awesome.  I believe I liked a peach BBQ sauce the best.   
The price is right. The place is like a diamond in the rough.  Yummy.
5 - MJ E.: We seem to be on a BBQ tour of the midwest.  This is one of our top 3.  The place is tiny so be prepared to wait.   The service is very attentive considering how packed the place always seems to be.  Will be back!
2 - Sonny S.: Came here after my friends all raved about it. We arrived and there was a brief wait. I figured, hmmm...there are people here...that's a good sign. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations. 

Here's what I got:
-combination platter with catfish, brisket, sweet potato fries, and double baked potatoes (for how much I paid I was expecting a larger portion; brisket was good; the catfish had an odd taste and odor - didn't really care for it; I had to pay extra for the sweet potato fries but it came with like 5 fries!! Grr. The twice baked potatoes were ok but suuuuuuper small cup of it)
-burnt ends (DELISH)

The food was a disappointment but the service was even worst! The server asked how the daiquiri was and my friend said it wasn't what she expected and he pounced on her interrogating her for why she didn't like it. IM SORRRY YOUR DRINKS AREN'T GOOD. You never attack the customer! So rude. He should've apologized and offered her another drink. Later he asked about the food and we mentioned the catfish and he had the same reaction! I was stunned. 

Overall, the food and service left much more to be desired...
5 - Ashley M.: Ever since graduating last year, I insist on going here almost every time I go up to Champaign! The only entree I've ever had here has been the brisket sandwich, and it is phenomenal! If you show up early, try to order the "burnt ends" if they are available, those must be the best thing on the menu from what I've heard. The sweet potato fries are delicious, as are the smoked chicken wings!

If you can't decide which sauce to have (my favorite is the Texas BBQ sauce, which has beef drippings and ancho peppers as the base. They should seriously consider bottling+ selling their sauces, because they are all amazing), you can order a "flight of sauces"-- a sampler of all their available homemade BBQ sauces for $3. 

This place almost always has a line and not the most abundant seating, so it's best to show up during "off hours". e.g. before 11:30 and after 1:30.
5 - Tim G.: Seated in the heart of downtown Urbana, this restaurant gives the BBQ lover and anyone who loves a laid back, eclectic environment essentially nirvana. The help is great, and while you may wait a bit because it's generally busy (We went at 3:00 on Saturday and had a 10 minute wait), it's well worth it. Their menu is extensive and their selection of spirits was something that was pleasantly surprising. We all had different things and everyone was happy with their choices, and if you are a BBQ enthusiast, the house BBQ is definitely different, with a tangy vinegary taste with a nice smoky kick to it. 

If you haven't been there and have the opportunity, run, don't walk!!!
5 - Amanda O.: Black Dog is the best barbeque in the Champaign-Urbana area. The pulled pork sandwich and burnt ends are the greatest things on the menu. If you can, get sweet potato fries. They are also to die for. No reservations, so go at an off time, around 4 and you'll be set without a wait (probably). Try all the sauces! I love the Hot Georgia Peach, but the Carolina Red is always a favorite.
5 - Sorrell G.: Black Dog all you need to know is it is scary good. Line may be out the door but it is worth the wait. This is grown man Barbeque!
1 - Chas B.: I don't get it.  This place is always packed.  There are always lines outside waiting to get in so I tried it.  The food, in my opinion, was terrible.  I didn't like the bbq at all.  Granted the sweet fries were delicious but everything else was awful.  My friend who was with me at the time, hated the food too.  Everyone else says its good food so try it for yourself, but as far as I'm concern keep trucking pass this dog.
5 - Kevin Y.: I've heard so much about how great Black Dog is, and finally got a chance to try it this past weekend.  Having heard that the burnt ends sell out quickly, my friends and I got there at 5 (apparently the have a batch of burnt ends at 11 AM and 5 PM) to a minimal line, and got seated after about 10 minutes of waiting.  As good as everything on the menu sounded, I knew I had to have the burnt ends, so I ordered a burnt ends sandwich.

I took my first bite of my burnt ends sandwich and instantly the only things I could think were, "Oh my god this is amazing" and "What have I been doing the last four years of my life?".  The burnt ends had a delicious smoke flavor which were complemented very well by the Carolina Red BBQ sauce, which has a slight bit of heat.  I also enjoyed the soft cornmeal dusted bun that the meat came on.  I found this sandwich to go really well with the draft Arrogant Bastard that I had.  For my side I had the regular fries, which were good, but nothing extraordinary.  The burnt ends were the true standout here.  

It's a shame I didn't come here before I ended up graduating, but I guess I avoided gaining 10 pounds from eating here all the time if I did.
4 - Mary L.: I wasn't expecting to taste great barbecue in Illinois, but Black Dog surprised me!  I enjoyed the smoked chicken, made with local free range chicken.  I love that Black Dog uses local ingredients!  The food is delicious & the service was great too!
4 - Les P.: Cool dive bar setting. Great service. The burnt ends were the best I've ever had, but I have had better sauce.
5 - Twylla S.: This place is awesome. Always a wait but well worth it.  Love that the beer selection is always rotating. 

I always order something different and have been pleased and STUFFED each time. 

A MUST go when visiting the champaign/urbana area.
5 - Kate D.: Now I live in Philly and I want burnt ends for dinner tonight and I can't have them and it makes me want to cry.

Black Dog, I love you.
4 - John M.: While I can't say a lot about this place that hasn't been said, I can definitely back up the rest of the reviews and say that this place is the real deal. 

I've only had a handful of their menu items, but my favorite is the Black Dog burger. Definitely is a must try for first time visitors. Also another thing that I must add is that their fries are absolutely divine!

The only (and I mean ONLY) drawback from giving this joint five stars is that it takes awhile to get seated. I know it's popular because it's so good, but there isn't a lot of seating to begin with. My only advice to combat this is to just arrive early and expect to always have to wait a little bit.
5 - Kimbro S.: HANDS DOWN BEST FOOD IN THE AREA. Im currently living and San Diego but I grew up in Champaign/Urbana Illinois and until this place, the only comparable business was lil porgy's, not that I don't love porgy's, but this is just on another level of good. 
I know its hard to get their beef brisket BURNT ENDS. But if you can get their early enough on the weekend its worth the wait. I can't say enough good things about this place. Even their own sauces are amazing. 

You won't leave unsatisfied. I promise. Unless you don't like good BBQ, then you're weird anyways.
5 - John A.: Black Dog is the best BBQ I've had. The meat always comes out perfectly tender, and I like the fact they give you a choice of sauces. All of the sides are excellent. I usually order the pulled pork and the brisket, although I occasionally will get a hot link. For sides, the twice baked potatoes and pit beans are probably my favorites, with honorable mention going to the sweet potato fries.

I also have tried the burritos (only served at lunch time) and they were excellent.

I live in Chicago now (after living in Urbana for about 6.5 years), and I have been unable to find a BBQ place in Chicago that even comes close to Black Dog. This came as a huge surprise to me since I just assumed somewhere in Chicago there'd be something this good, but it has just been a series of disappointments. When I want BBQ, what I really want is Black Dog.

I recently went down to visit Urbana, partially for an excuse to eat here. 

The beer selection at Black Dog is also phenomenal. I discovered several relatively obscure beers I had never heard that have since become regular favorites. (New Holland Dragons Milk being one of them). I think Black Dog has a more interesting beer selection than the Blind Pig some of the time.

Be prepared to wait a while, but the wait is worth it. They might want to consider expanding to a larger location, one always worries about that since it might mess with success. I think they could probably sustain it though considering this is almost a regional draw.
5 - Henry S.: My favorite place in C-U.  When I come back to town, I make a stop here more times than not.  The wait can be long, but I can't give Black Dog less than 5 stars.  The BBQ is all superb, and the pit beans, sweet potato fries, and baked potato casserole are my favorite sides.  Never a bad experience!
5 - Michael B.: The best restaurant in the Champaign/Urbana area regardless of type of food, no question. I am originally from L.A and an almuni of the U of I, and in my 4 years in the area, this place consistently serves up the best meals. Whenever I go back down to school, I always make sure I go to Black Dog.

Logistics: They won't seat you until your full party is there, and make sure you arrive on the earlier side of whatever meal you plan on going to (5,5:30pm is a good bet for dinner, 11am or so for lunch). The waiting area inside is very small, but there is a nice size bar and tvs.

Food: Everything i've ever had from here is great. A go-to is always the combos, and obviously the BURNT ENDS have to be part of whatever creation you make. The ribs, pulled pork, brisket, rib tips, and all of the sandwiches and specials i've tried are delicious. There are some excellent sauces- Hot Georgia Peach and Carlina Red are my 2 favorites. As for sides, the thing to order is baked potato casserole- that alone might be the single best dish on my plate. They have specials all of the time and new dishes that are creative and unique.

Beer: Always some local, midwest brews on tap, and they change it up very frequently. The beers they offer are seasonal, the the fall/winter beers are particularly tasty. A great place to get a great meal, some good beers, and watch some games.

Service: The service is as good as the food, which is remarkable considering how busy the place gets. There always seems to be 2 waiters around which doesn't seem like much and really isn't- and they do run around, but the service is always fast, pleasant, and attentive. You never feel rushed, the waiters never seem to be too stressed, and they really do a great job.
5 - Emmanuel V.: The food here is LEGIT. The prices are pretty good. Their beer selection is kind of weird but hey try something new.
5 - Tim H.: Burnt ends are excellent, and they always run out early in the evening. Rib tip platter is very tasty and they give generous portions. I like sweet BBQ sauces, so I really enjoyed the Georgia Peach. You can really taste the peach in it. All of the sandwiches are highly recommended.

Black Hole Coffee House - Houston, TX (29.732399, -95.394935) (Museum District)
5 - Patricia S.: I've been saying for years that someone needs to open a coffee shop ITL next door to a washateria. Heck, there are laundromats in other cities that double as bars. (Igor's Checkpoint Charlie in New Orleans comes to mind) Even if you do own a washer/dryer, it would certainly take the mundaneness out of this necessary chore to be able to lounge around nearby alone or with friends while enjoying some gourmet fair-trade organic coffee, wine, beer, and/or pastries. Oh, sure you can have all this as you read/work/study/socialize/internets from the comfort of your own home, indie music and all. However, it won't include the people-watching, the friendly banter with regulars and baristas, the original artwork by local artists, and other such joys. Laundry day hangout or not, the Museum District/South Montrose desperately needed a place like this. The menu consists of everything you'll find at Antidote plus MORE. While they still have desserts from local vendors such as Sinful bakery, there's a kitchen filling up the joint with scents of fresh baked pastries. Instead of Kraftman fare, they're serving their own sandwiches and mac n' cheese. There's also fresh-squeezed OJ and mimosas sold individually or by carafe. They offer free wifi for paying customers and seating is plentiful both inside and out (much much more seating than at Antidote!). If you like Antidote, you will love Black Hole. I know I sure do, and the fact that it's in my hood makes me love it even more.
5 - Dane W.: It's like Antidote, but bigger and with better sandwiches and quiche.  And the bathroom floor is made out of pennies.  And there's an Andy Warhol-esque triptych of Lindsay Lohan on the wall.  The feel is modern, stark, and yet still kind of quirky and funky.  Also, very comfortable couches.  Same friendly feel as Antidote and, as expected, a good beer selection.  I easily see this becoming a similar kind of hangout in lower Montrose.  As I sit here I see that it may already be.
5 - Than V.: This place is great- really nice staff who make good coffee and a great aesthetic for the space. This place is going to give Brasil a run for their money, especially since you don't get treated like trash here.
5 - Eva K.: Love at first meet!

Post nursing my hangover from Friday's "ice day", a morning session at the Saint Arnold Brewery tour and a Skins (British version!) marathon session in bed w/a friend (nap included,) my friend and I decided to walk a couple blocks down, crossing the Graustark bridge (which we lovingly call "club bridge") to reach Black Hole.

Smack dab in the middle of the SoMo neighborhood, that's South Montrose, Black Hole is a greatly appreciated addition, a long with Grand Prize.  I enjoyed walking up to this joint and seeing patrons chatting away outside, outdoor seating is a big winner in my book.  Inside the atmosphere is chill a la Austin with plentiful of comfortable chairs, as well as couches.  Many patrons were on their laptops (does this mean outlets are abundant, I'll have to check next time), studying, reading or catching up with a friend or two, it was very relaxing.  I ordered myself a vanilla iced coffee and a cup of tomato soup with croutons, both hit the spot.  I was definitely eying the mac and cheese and giving it some thought, as well as the yogurt fruit parfait served over a homemade pumpkin baked good.  

Houston is in dire need of neighborhoodsy places like this and I look forward to frequenting this place, in fact I'll be heading over there today after work to finish my Spanish homework!
5 - Jack H.: Though Black Hole Cafe is a new establishment, if you're a fan of Antidote Coffee, you'll feel an immediate sense of familiarity. The same eclectic mix of mismatched mid-century modern muebles filling out the interior, the same Big Bend Coffee Roasters beans in the machines, and some of the same faces behind the counter make you feel right at home. Actually, some of those same faces you may also have seen at Poison Girl, and perhaps in that same vein, three Warholian portraits of that most poisonous of girls, Lindsay Lohan, hang on the wall, perhaps aspiring to  a place alongside the other femmes fatales adorning that Lower Westheimer bar.

But for all the comparisons to its sister establishments, right off the bat even the name doesn't fit the paradigm. And perhaps that's because the owners aren't trying to beat you over the head with some indie empire. It took me awhile to even realize Poison Girl and Antidote were the same people. Black Hole is it's own establishment, serving good coffee, an excellent, if small, assortment of beer and wine, and a wide array of food. It's just a great place to read, work, wax philosophic or even ecstatic. Black Hole could refer to the hidden dead-zone location in this eddy of Montrose and Richmond that will now become a destination. Or, it could refer to that singularity of gravity that deforms space-time from which nothing, not even light - and certainly not I, drawn like a moth to a flame - can escape.
5 - Gaby D.: Loved this place! I just got back from getting coffee with Eva K after seeing her review. It's super cute and has really soft comfy couches and funky decor. The Lindsay Lohan is a weird choice but I liked all the other posters, old vinyl covers, and cool paintings. 
Seems like really chill people go to get drinks or use the wifi so I think it will be a go to place for me to go work/ people watch. Soy milk is available for all their drinks and they carry Sinful bakery vegan cookies. Score for me! Among many other baked goods. The food menu seemed really good too and I may have to go get their oatmeal or parfait for breakfast. The price for coffee was really cheap and everything else seemed reasonable too. 
It's a great location, hidden right in the Montrose neighborhood and it's an easy 5 minute drive for me, so I'm quite excited to have a new coffee shop to frequent!
4 - Michelle B.: Great coffeehouse addition to Montrose/Museum district/St. Thomas area. Good selection of small bites from popular local purveyors and lovely fresh selections (sandwiches, salads, quiche, pastries) from the in-house baker/chef. Don't miss the fabulous multi-layer chocolate cake with bittersweet ganache-- mmmmm. Barista makes a good cappuccino. Nice mix of comfy seating and tables. Open early to late 7 days-- hurrah.
5 - Daniel H.: two years i've been saying "i wish antidote were closer to where i lived." ta-dah... here it is.  the best type of coffee shop, and its mere seconds away.  great coffee and a nice place to relax, read, study or chit chat.
4 - Miinkay Y.: Nice coffee shop off Richmond close to Montrose. I like that it's tucked away from the main streets and inside a little neighborhood. Gives it a local feel. 

The place is big, plenty of seating and clean decor. The seats/tables/couches remind me of the 70s. I like the big windows on the side to let the light in and wifi has been reliable. 

The music was a little loud earlier, but has stopped and makes for a good working environment. 

Come and get their Cajeta Latte. I believe this is run by the same people that run Antidote, so yes the latte is just as yummy as theirs.
5 - David N.: With midterms starting back up, I am looking for a new study spot.

What do I want?

Free wifi? YES
Sitting options? Couches, moveable Chairs/tables, stationary benches
Open late? Until Midnight
Food? Lots of snacks, cakes, cookies, yum!
Drinks? Coffee and tea, I had a large Chai tea, smells and tastes so good
Service? Friendly
Lighting? Bright overhead lighting, good for reading, no need to strain the eyes
Music? Variety of mixes, not too loud
Power? Outlets galore
Proximity? Close to home
Parking? Private lot, after 9 pm when the laundry mat closes even more parking
Space? Huge, don't have to be right up on the next person, can spread your books out and get down to reading.

Cool factor? Pennies on the bathroom floor, Art on the wall

My new fav joint to study.
5 - Sarah V.: I was hesitant to write a review at first because people will start coming and taking over (haha).  BUT, this place is too awesome for me to be selfish!

I have been searching all around for the perfect little coffee shop to study in, and alas, I HAVE FOUND YOU!  Newly opened in the Montrose/Museum district, tucked away from the busy streets, in a quiet neighborhood...it's practically a secret hiding place.  Parking right outside, large windows for the sun to shine in, plenty of seating (long couches, one-seater sofas, round tables for groups, booth-style seating across one wall, small tables for 2, and seats outside), lots of outlets for computers, music at the right volume (not too loud, not too soft...played a variety; jazz, blues, and abstract while I was there), free (reliable and fast) wi-fi, it was perfect.  The weather felt awesome outside, so they left the doors open for the breeze to blow in.  As I walked in, it definitely reminded me of Austin with its decor/atmosphere...very laid back and had a funky edge to it, which I absolutely love.

The place sells a wide variety of coffee and non-coffee items, serves beer, wine, and mimosas; had many choices for food (sandwiches, salads, quiches, pastries, soups, desserts, vegan items, etc.).

Overall, this is a great place for individual study, group study, chit-chat, and/or relax.  Definitely my favorite spot to study, can't wait to come back!!!
3 - Susana L.: I finally got to try Antidote's sister coffee shop during the icy weather when everything was closed down. Thank goodness that black Hole was open! 

So, Culture Map may have exaggerated when they said "full kitchen." I don't blame them, it was probably from a press release from A/PG peeps. Anyway, european style bar sandwiches does not make a full kitchen. I guess I was expecting something of Brasil's epic food menu proportions when I read 'full kitchen' including salads and sandwiches. Note: I haven't tried the salads, but the menu revealed unexciting choices. So it's a 'snack' bar, so don't have lunch here unless you want a light lunch. I don't recall if they have soup.

Over all, the sandwiches that we had were okay and pretty satisfying.  We tried the tuna and the caprese sandwiches and they were solid. The caprese was very good, and made with good ingredients. Good sandwich bread. 

Kudos for not using mayonaise for making the tuna sandwich, and instead using olive oil a la Mediterranean style. However, the sandwich was obviously made with 'chunky light' tuna instead of solid white albacore. I have been making my tuna sandwiches a la mediterranean ever since tuna in olive oil has becomes abundant.  Solid white albacore is the best way to go. Just in my opinion. 

Anyway, at 7 or 8 dollars a sandwich these are definitely overpriced and will not make my lunch rotation. Not for something that typically sells for 3 dollars at Euro bars, which is what they were going for I'm sure. Besides the sandwiches are kind of just sitting on the counter, waiting to be picked. It's not like they are made to order. Sure they look cute, sitting in that little basket and wrapped up all nice. But 8 dollars! Pshaw. I'll take a vietnamese sandwich anyday.

They have the same pastry faves as Antidote, including that vegan orange cranberry cookie i love. Yum! 

I hope they make some improvements to the snack menu, and I like the place as a hang out spot. Cool mid century furniture, spacious, and surprisingly tasteful funky wall decor make for some nice vibes. Those guys definitely know how to balance the fine line between funky/kitsch and tasteful/restrained atmospheres. It seems like it's much more mid century than antidote, though. I covet some of the Antidote/Black Hole furniture.

The coffee is the same as Antidote. Okay. Bonus points for the sans-children locale.

I checked in by phone to see if they had a happy hour and was told that they did not. But next time I went in, they had their usual wine and texas beers happy hour.
5 - Lumber J.: This place in awesome....very much a neighborhood walk up indie coffee house done right...it is a great escape...Great service...I recommend the dirty chi...I'll be back several times a week!
4 - Amanda M.: The ambiance was great! The staff was very friendly and helpful. I LOVED the turkey & provolone sandwich that had fig preserves and was on a cranberry walnut bread. To die for! I just wish they had a little more selection. Could have had fruit instead of chips or another healthier alternative. All in all though... a great stop for a sandwich and coffee. I will certainly go back again.
4 - Kristen S.: Neat coffee shop in my neighborhood. They offer a wide array of food and drinks, kinda like antidote (owned by same people btw). The bathrooms are soooooo cute! that's a stupid thing to get excited about, but it's true- check out the bathrooms! lol. that being said, the coffee is pretty standard. The service is very friendly. I did think the food i tried was a little pricey and small- I had the mac and cheese, and it was a tiny square that was like $6. it tasted good, but it wasn't worth the price. But to be fair, I will need to try some of their sandwiches and baked goods. Overall, it's a neat place with a unique atmosphere, and I will definitely be back!
4 - Clay E.: great beer selection
4 - Monica K.: Hey Yelp, can you keep a secret?

Why camp out for a table at Borders when you can come to this quaint spot tucked away on a small Montrose side street?  They have plenty of tables and seating inside, with free wi-fi and good espresso drinks.  Food selection is limited, but if you're starving you can get by with what they offer.  Good overall juju in this place.

As an added plus, Graustark laundry is right next door.  Time to wash that comforter with the suspicious stains on it from that time your dog got sick!

Remember, it's a secret, so don't go telling everyone or you'll ruin it for the rest of us!
3 - Ryan L.: *shrug*

It's an alright place to hang; coffee is not too special. I do enjoy the interior. This is definitely for regulars; I get the feeling they'll recognize you.
5 - Morgan N.: Awesome place! For those of you who are familiar with Austin's coffee shops, it's a mix between flight path and quacks. The decor is craigslist chic along with an amazingly soothing royal blue wall. What's not to love?? I love that the shop is placed in a neighborhood, it's very casual and welcoming. There were plenty of outlets which is always a plus.

The coffee was pretty normal but the food was great. Radical eats caters their vegan fare. I had the lentils, quinoa, and vegetable dish. It was mm mmm good! 

I also enjoy the young hipster crowd, my kinda place!
5 - Jessica A.: Black Hole has quickly become my favorite coffee house in the area. The coffee is excellent, especially the cajeta latte. The decor is totally charming, and there's an abundance of places to sit. Parking is abundant either in the lot or on the street nearby.
5 - Josh W.: The name is a perfect fit!  With their amazing coffee, great sandwiches made with fresh ingredients, and friendly service, i never want to leave.  There is plenty of seating, both inside and outside as well as a plethora of plugs for those electronically inclined.  the ambiance is perfect whether you are there to study/work or hang out with friends.  They also have a decent  selection of bottled beer, lots of micro-brews to help unwind after a long study session.  
As for parking, which is my usual concern for coffee shops, Black hole shares it's well sized lot with only one other shop, a laundry place that only takes maybe two or three spots at most.

All in all, this is my new study spot.
4 - MIchelle P.: I definitely like this place more than I like Antidote. I am not sure that it gets 4 full stars from me, but it's between 3 and 4, so I'll be generous.

Yay for no running into mommy mobs and getting run over by stroller traffic!

The coffee is just as good as the one at Antidote! Their choice in music is slightly better . . . they do get points taken off for skipping my favorite Crystal Castles song (the intro played, and one of the workers decided to skip the song on the mix). 

I love that the couches are super comfy, but I also like the fact that they have plenty of tables for people to work/study. 

The staff is friendly as can be- as far as the no happy hour specials . . . I rarely go to coffee houses during happy hour, so it isn't a big deal to me.

I will definitely be coming back.
1 - Elaine O.: If 'the disaster' had not occurred I would have given this coffee shop 4 for ambience, 2 for food and pricing and 3 for choice of beverages. So, three stars or thereabouts. But, 'the disaster' did happen and was not handled well by the staff, to put it mildly, hence the one star. I ordered a decaf coffee and a tomato basil soup, my friend ordered a glass of red wine and a sandwich. The price of $5.00 was way too much for the small sized bowl of luke-warm, greasy soup, the $8.00 to $9.00 price tag on sandwiches at lunch time in a coffee shop next to a laundromat is excessive. We sat indoors at a small glass topped table and had barely eaten/imbibed a fifth of our meal when 'the disaster' occurred. Basically, the table top was not secured to the table and instead precariously balanced on three small squares attached to the base. Neither of us were leaning on it or even touching it when it suddenly came crashing down. The noise was so intense and sudden that people screamed and leapt to their feet, I personally thought we were under attack. Then I thought a light fixture must have smashed into the table. The red wine and tomato soup, (in retrospect thank goodness it wasn't warm enough) splashed all over my pants, hose and into my shoes. By some miracle the shattered glass, plate and soup bowl all missed me by a centimeter. The heavy table top also just missed taking off my foot. All in all, especially as I was en route to a doctor appointment...'a disaster'. I appreciate that an accident, albeit avoidable if someone had been more careful in their choice of furniture, should not damn a place for ever. However, the staff response was really very poor. Two customers had to lift up the glass and extricate me from the mess, whilst the staff member went to get a dust pan and brush! On hearing us discuss whether we had time to dash home and change before my appointment, they did offer to remake the food in a to go box. My friend suggested that a refund would suit us better as they could not give her wine to go and we had no time to eat the food now. At no time did anyone offer to pay for dry cleaning my clothes or to somehow make things 'right'. Crikey!
5 - Tim M.: Slightly off the beaten path, this place is a neighborhood gem in the making. The vibe is clever alternative without a lot of pretension, and the clientele was refreshingly mixed. The interior decor is modern, albeit tad too stark; it could probably use a bit of softening with a couple of dark velvet curtains placed on a wall or such. Prices are very reasonable for the coffee drinks and wines. Desserts looked a bit pricey and not overly remarkable for the cost. Black Hole is definitely worth supporting. May Montrose and surrounding areas get more places like this soon.
3 - Anna W.: As my gaze passed over the interracial couples, the guy wearing the big headphones, and the Asian girl with the oversized glasses and the (supposedly) so tacky-it's-chic leopard coat, and my nostrils detected James Franco's new scent, Eau de Too Cool to Shower Regularly, I sent a little prayer up to Our Divine Savior Skinny Jeans and asked, "Have I discovered the power of teleportation and landed in the hipster enclave of Williamsburg, Brooklyn (aka the 'burg, billyburg, bburg; hipsters are too hip to employ the Shift key)?" 

Alas, no. For though it has Antidote's low-key vibe, Black Hole is located in billyburg-lite, Montrose. Even with the nice employees; variety of grub, including brownies and sandwiches; the couches, round tables, and individual tables for solo studying (for even the hippest of hipsters must break from the flock and fly free from time to time)--even with the too-bright lamp hanging above my head giving me a hipster-esque headache, I am too 00's for this place.

If you do enter, a few words of caution: Beware of leopards.
4 - Alison A.: I've gone about 4 times in the past 2 weeks. (Forgot to check in some of those times heh). I can't say anything novel about Black Hole that hasn't been said already.

I love it

Yes, I can confirm, it has that "Austin-y" feel to it, as I go back to my undergrad days at UT---laid back, I don't give a ish, hipster cool atmosphere and crowd that frequent here. Walking in you notice eclectic, hand me down furniture that give it a home-y feel as well. What I love is the varied types of seating: all very functional. There to study? Along the walls are power outlets and single table seating, as well as along the wall of windows on one side. Casual catching up and hanging out with friends? Smushy (yes, smushy) comfy couches and chairs that can be easily pulled up to join conversation. Eating a sandwich with that coffee with friends? There are circular tables on the side with the wall of Lindsey Lohan portraits a la Andy Worhol.

Wi-fi is free. They're open 'til midnight. The staff greets you with a friendly smile and is very willing to help if you have questions. They also serve lots of pastries, quiche, brownies, cupcakes, cookies, as well as sandwiches.

Happy hour is M-F 4-7pm: free drip coffee with some pastry purchases (I can't recall which ones right now) as well as wine and Texas beers on special during that time.

Another highlight for me? I love the music they play here. Drink of choice for me is the bottomless coffee, which is good on my pocketbook when I have to study for hours and only have to pay $3. Pair that with whatever book I have to drag my heels through, and I. am. INVINCIBLE.

Trust me, I'll be frequenting this place from now on. Look out for me!
3 - Grace K.: This is a hidden coffeehouse with plenty of couches and tables, kind-of dark and loud. Good for hanging out over a chai latte, not ideal for cramming for an exam. 
i love the couches though... very urban renovated basement feel. and interesting artwork!
4 - Michael C.: Grab your MacBook and put on your skinny pants and head over to Black Hole for some coffee.   This little hipster coffee house hidden away in the museum district is actually a pretty cool place.  They have good coffee, a nice beer selection, and snacks.   Throw in free wi-fi and three dollar bottomless coffee, and you got a nice place to relax for a few hours.
1 - Rick T.: I had been anticipating the opening of this neighborhood coffee house. It is in my neighborhood and as I would walk by, I eagerly followed the progress. Great place, I thought for coffee, a light lunch and some beer and wine to sip when I play backgammon with a friend and neighbor.  When it opened, I stoped by to ask for a menu and they did not have one. Later I went back and tried their Latte. It was OK, nothing special. I asked to get a copy of the menu (again). It was very limited. I had invited a couple of people to have lunch there the following day and I emailed them a copy of this menu which had an interesting salad of strawberries, goat cheese, red onion, toasted pecans + Balsamic vinaigrette. I dreamed of that for lunch the following day but much to my surprise, it was NOT on the menu when we went to order it. They said at the counter that I must have gotten an old menu. I told them that I had just picked it up the previous day. Lunch was ruined. I had water and a piece of quiche which I had to warm up myself and wasn't very filling. What a shame. I had really looked forward to this being an interesting addition to my neighborhood.
3 - Jennifer D.: Good place to study, not too loud. The chairs are an obscure level to the tables, so best to sit in the booth side

Velvet tea is wonderful. The expresso was good. Food prices sure are steep though. I'd recommend eating somewhere first.
4 - Joolie T.: I love Antidote so I wanted to check out Black Hole. It's a lot closer to me than Antidote is since I live in the Montrose area = plus.
Same great moderately priced drinks like the cajeta latte.
I had the spinach quiche which is pretty good but I wish there were more than just spinach in it. 

I like all the furniture.

I don't know about people's beef with hipsters. They don't bother me and they actually don't seem to be here right now. When I read through some of the reviews, I didn't understand why someone wrote about glazing over the interracial couples. I was thinking that it was negative because they mostly talked negatively after that (about hipsters mostly). You'd think diversity would be a positive thing, but I digress.
4 - Elizabethe A.: Coolest atmosphere ever! Ok maybe 'cool' isn't the right word...It's more like 70s/space themed. Which is cool to some people (Like me!). Call it what you want, but it's tons of fun, and are those pictures of lindsey lohan on the wall?

So despite the other reviews, from my experience, I would NOT recommend the Cajeta latte. Maybe it was just my barista or because he just opened a new bottle of cajeta, but mine was wayyyyy tooooo sweeeeeet. It was just pure caramel with a touch of coffee. I actually couldn't finish it. Which really sucked because I want to like this place sooo much.

But the regular coffee is good and somebody else ordered the cajeta latte and it wasn't nearly as sweet. I still hold out hopes that the regular latte is superb. And I really just rated this place on the hilarious decor.
4 - Jim M.: Vegan cinnamon bun. Check. 

Iced coffee? Check. 

I'm in business. 

This place is one of those classics of Houston's lack of zoning inside the Loop (I'm increasingly convinced this only applies inside the loop, not to the deed restricted sub-divisions between the Loop and the Beltway). You're watching your digital map, you're convinced it must be wrong because you just crossed all the big boulevards, you're in a deeply residential area, you're about to cross to the wrong side of the highway and then BAM! A coffee shop and a dry cleaners (or was it a laundrymat) are suddenly there on the corner -- only in Houston!

The usual clientele seem to be the hip, the counter-culture, the book club and the hung over -- which is usually a good sign for a coffee shop. 

The cinnamon bun isn't the round, individually baked kind you get a lot of places, but rather than almost square kind that come out of a pan cooked communally with many brethren. Like Mom makes -- except with frosting instead of glazing. The texture and flavor were really very good. 

My iced coffee was real iced coffee, not hot coffee that had been watered down being poured over ice. I may try to get an iced Americano next time to see how their pulled shots taste.

Lots of outdoor seating and indoor seating is a good thing. They're leveraging their location and making all of their big space available to customers instead of to counter top and decor, which is nice. Seems big enough that if they aren't doing live music from time to time, they're missing an opportunity.
5 - Tommy C.: I think I've been here enough to write a review.  

Great atmosphere with great prices.  Drinks taste great.  The employees are friendly.  What else do you need?
4 - Vinh N.: Where the heck is this place???  This little coffee shop is nestled away with the houses of the Montrose area.  You'd think it'd be empty and struggling but time after time, there is no lack of people.  First time around on a Sun afternoon there were no tables available and sparingly any chairs.  I've heard it's not quite so bad most of the time and in my other attempts it wasn't. 
Last time I went, I noticed fliers at the cashier for Antidote so I wouldn't be surprised if they are related some how.  The atmosphere is very chill and relaxed without too much noise.  Great for studying and outlets are available.  Only down side is that there are only 2 tables for groups.  
Prices are fair for drinks but I have to say a little steep for the food considering the quality.  $8+ is a little much for a pretty plain sandwhich and chips.  My Americano like I get at all other places was decent.  Still subpar to Starbucks so can't say it's all that great.  I've also had beer here and it's always nice when they have a selection outside the norm.
So the high stars is mostly for the atmosphere rather than the quality of the foods.  If I lived closer, I'd probably be here more frequent.
4 - Mitch B.: My new favorite breakfast (after my wife's granola) is Black Hole's oatmeal with Mexican brown sugar, walnuts,  & dried cherries & currents.

Best skinny latte in Houston that I have found, other than it's sister shop, Antidote.
3 - Raul M.: I went here to get some studying done. This place looks different than the usual Starbucks type coffee shops. They sell beer so I could imagine it can get quite loud during the evening hours. I was there in the morning time and ordered a bottomless coffee, which was ok. Nothing special about the coffee. They sell other stuff, but I didn't try any of it. I will go back, but only if I'm in the area. 

Overall my experience was good. I sat there for a couple hours and got some work done without interruptions.
3 - Michael H.: coffee marginal (at best) homemade desserts are real class. lose the big glass tables
4 - Ann L.: I'm currently jamming out to random bluesy music at Black Hole at this moment. A Sunday night, it's not too busy, perfect for a late night study sesh! Black Hole has become my first choice for long hours of studying these days. Decent coffee, yummy eats and lots of outlets. 

It's not usually busy during the day but the nights can be crowded at times. I call it a successful day at BH when I can grab one of the coveted large tables that can seat four, like today. I have simple pleasures in life.

If you're coming here to study, bring a sweater or wear pants because it can get cold. Also, bring earphones if the music isn't your style.

If you're coming to chill, they have beer, wine and mimosas! There's also outdoor seating if you want to relax away from the hoards of people studying. 

As for the food and drinks,the cajeta latte is a little two sweet for my taste so I usually roll with the french press, cafe latte or the regular drip ($3 for bottomless!). Today's drip was a little weak so I'm a tad disappointed but not completely dissuaded from leaving my new favorite study spot. Foodwise, I haven't been too disappointed. Definitely a lot of options for vegetarians and vegans. The vegan cinnamon bun is decent and the caprese sandwich and olive muffuletta were yummy. 

Okay, back to the grind.
4 - Kari M.: So I already loved Antidote and was very anxious to check out Black Hole.

My husband and I were out on a date and decided coffee would be great. It was a very very cute little place. The decor is mismatched but in a perfectly fitting way. I love all the art they have (yes even the pop art of Lindsay Lohan). 

The bathrooms are unisex just like they are at Antitode, which is great. They were also oddly enough my favorite thing about Black Hole. They were just adorable. Had great little stickers and paintings on the wall and cute painted cabinets.

There are plenty of places to sit inside, whether you're around the couches, tables and booths. I loved that they had outlets built into the bottom of the booth about every 3 feet.

The baristas are friendly and made great recommendations. They joked with my husband and I and made us feel like regulars on our first visit in. Although my husband loved his drink mine was just okay. But it's because I tried my first little espresso thing and I'm not much a coffee drinker so it was a bit intense for me.

The only thing about Black Hole that I didn't love was that so many people were here that it was hard to find places to sit outside. We ended up walking down to the bench in front of the laundromat to hang out. 

Still....it's a great place for hanging out, drinking, studying or going on a date!
2 - rawkerrxx r.: 3 coffees later, and I'm still decaffeinated.

I live fairly close to this cafe, so I visited it once before to get a coffee (to-go)....the coffee was bland and lukewarm.

I decided to give it another try today.  This time I got an iced coffee (to stay) and it was good, but slightly watery (before the ice had even melted).  My caffeine appetite was unappeased, so I tried their bottomless hot coffee (also to stay), and to my dismay, experienced the same situation as last time--bland and lukewarm.  It's disappointing because it's a cafe, and when you go to a cafe you're kind of expecting some good coffee, or at least hot, mediocre coffee. Probably won't be returning for a coffee fix, but I might return if I just want to chill out somewhere.  I would give them more stars if they stood out in some other way, like great service, but..... I think the description of my 2 stars says it well: "Meh, I've experienced better."

Also, it's not like their coffee is cheap, it seems like Starbucks prices.  And if I'm going to pay that money for coffee, I'm going to need the coffee to provide me with some va-va-voom (i.e., caffeine).
4 - Jonathan L.: I'm a frequent guest to the Houston area, and was very excited when my girlfriend informed me of Black Hole as a potential study spot.  My anticipation grew further when I discovered that the place is the sister shop of Antidote, another of my favorite Houston coffee places.  Being a self-proclaimed coffee shop workaholic, I can confidently say that Black Hole lives up to my steep expectations in most ways.  The abundance of outlets and seating make for a great work environment, and I have found that the employees are most friendly.  I was a bit disappointed by the quality of the drip coffee, but the espresso drinks made up for this flaw. I will be frequenting Black Hole in the future!

Guys, here are some pro tips:
1) Not digging the weak drip coffee?  Try the dirty chavez.  Essentially a strong latte with a low ratio of milk to espresso. Remember to make it a double!
2) My girlfriend and I have a habit of getting addicted to one or two things on a coffee shop's menu.  Our current addiction here is the blue berry muffin! *mouth waters*
3) Parking spots in the front lot are tight, so attempt to park well or just drive a smaller car! You could always bike to.
4 - Wei W.: We had this after hour craze to find out which late night coffee shop is the best. We stopped by Black Hole Coffee as we were in the neighborhood for some after meal delight. First of all, if you don't know the area well, the street Graustark St. is a very small street off of Richmond, you may missed it while driving at night. If you do miss it, you'll need to U-turn at Montrose and try again. Yes, that did happen to me because I have an eye sight of a 75 years old grandpa while driving at night.

The parking is a hit or miss, you can always try your luck on finding a spot on the private lot or simply park on the street. Be sure to read any signs that's posted as there's a time limit on where and when you can park. The shop has a wide variety of seating and a lot of plug outlets for the laptop users. There's also free WiFi but I did not use this service as I was there for a nice drink and chatting with friends. The menu on the wall have all their coffees listed. As for the beer and wine, you'll have to ask to server or simply look behind in the fridge to see what kind of beer they have.

I see that they have a good variety of microbrews and some mainstream beers, I helped myself to an unknown beer (to me at least) and the server made sure I know the price tag on it is $7. My companions ordered coffee and lemon creme pie. My beer was pretty good and the lemon crème pie was nice and fluffy. I did not drink any coffees there so I cannot comment on how good is their coffee. There's a mix of crowds but majority of the customers are definitely student bodies. The restroom is unisex restroom so gentlemen, be sure to aim straight, bring the lid back down, and keep it clean as the next person may be a girl you like but she find out that you have bad aim and didn't bring the lid down.

Overall it's a great hang out place if you don't want to be at the overcrowded Starbucks at Galleria or use free Internet because you can't afford it at home.
4 - Joseph L.: I just moved into the neighborhood and am so giddy that I found this gem.  Black Hole Cafe is probably one of the best kept secrets/hideaways in Houston.  

First the location - it's so cool because it's in a residential neighborhood, and just a block north of 59.  I live on the south side of the freeway, so I walk across the bridge every time I go to Black Hole, and I don't know, but it's just a pretty bad ass spot to have a coffee shop.

The ambience and interior is very chill.   To your left - couches and plush seating.  To your right - modern tables and a complete row of two-person tables lined up against the wall... with ELECTRICAL OUTLETS! Yay!  Plus, there's free wi-fi!  My only complaint (I'm admittedly picky) is that the floor is concrete.  To perfect this coffee house, I want carpet, or at least some rugs, to truly give it that homey feel.

The coffee is fantastic, from the daily drip to the espresso drinks.  They have food, too, and beer and wine!  You can get a very affordable breakfast - like my Americano and bagel - for under $5.

They're open late, too.  That's when the party reportedly picks up.  I usually just go in the early-morning.  This is like the Museum District's version of Boheme.  Very cool place!

There is a lot of covered outdoor seating.   Free parking in the lot and surrounding streets.  But a *warning* - the barista said the Chad Holley-beaters over at HPD now enforce street parking rules, so watch for the signs, fire hydrants, etc.
4 - Cherry A.: i went to check it out, since my fellow yelpers seemed to dig it. i agree about the limited parking spaces. i went to visit on a tues afternoon, and lucked out on a show-the-baby-spot. i ordered an iced coffee with skim and my husband ordered an Elissa IPA.  we shared a tasty hummus with cracker bread and sat outside on a gorgeous, sunny and cool afternoon.  i liked the atmosphere. i will definitely join the study crowd with my notes and reading too.  the unisex bathroom was clean and the pennied-laquered floor is unique. the fresh lemon tart looked so tasty, i cant wait to go back with some reading material, get caffed up and sink my teeth into some lemony-goodness.
5 - Tawny T.: So happy that the brilliant minds behind Antidote have opened a shop wayyyy closer to my house!  

Black Hole has s slightly different feel than Antidote, but I think that's because they sort of feel like their neighborhoods.  Antidote has more of that eccentric shady lane neighborly feel of the Heights; Black Hole has that overall more urban hipster feel of the 'trose.  To be honest, I love both about equally.

Anyway, great coffee and food per the usual.  I love the mozzarella sandwich like you wouldn't believe, and I'm happy that there is more available table seating than at Antidote.

The one thing I would change would be the height of the chairs relative to the tables.  Some of them are a bit short for typing/writing, which is normally what I'm doing if I'm out at a coffeeshop.
4 - Russell C.: I like this place.  The drip is great, much better than Starbucks.  The people are an eclectic mix of Rice students, yuppie moms, and average joes.  The staff is very friendly.  A distinctive about this coffee shop is that the selection of music playing is good and not too loud. I am at this place 1-2 a week writing, reading, or planning.
4 - PingPing N.: Thurs 05/19 11pm

Was out cruisin and decided we needed coffee. Yelped nearby places and found this coffee house. Nestled in a neighborhood and right next to a bridge that stretches across 59! Neaaaato! Lots of outside seating (~7 tables) with Cool, modern furniture (and lights) inside. Pretty spacious. Clean huge restrooms with super duper cold a/c, brr.

Had a single hot cafe mocha $3.25
Iced coffee w/ caramel $3.00
Choco Chip Cookie $?
Total $7 something, forgot.

We like it and we would be back. Only complaint is menu is kinda limited. Though they have a handful of their signature drinks, I would love to see something like Empire Cafe's "Milky Way, Almond Joy, etc" concoctions. 
Oh, and bikers/scooters beware of the loose gravel right in front.
3 - L M.: Love the vibe- great for studying. The oatmeal was also delicious- I'd recommend it. Unfortunately the bottomless coffee left a lot to be desired- I could get the same tasting coffee for free in the dining hall at school. Blueberry muffin looked delicious but it was kinda dry. I also really liked the water. Helped me to pace myself with the caffeine!

I'll definitely be back here to study (free wifi!), but next time I'll try an espresso drink.
4 - Teresa M.: I like the Black Hole. It's a cozy neighborhood place but also pretty big, lots of sitting room. The crowd seems to be mostly people who come to study or read by themselves, some people chat it up but they seem to be the exception. The coffee is good; I was happy when they asked me whether I wanted dark or regular coffee for my au lait. The food is good, not cheap though. 

I will definitely be back. There are hipsters here but there are also regular non-pretentious neighborhood joes too. There is parking in front which you can usually actually park at since  lots of people come on their hipster fixed gear bikes :) 

If had one suggestion for them I would tell them to sack all those 4 man tables, mostly the clientele just needs small ones. The service was fine.
4 - Farrah A.: It's not cheating if you're keeping it in the family, right?

As baby sister to Antidote, Black Hole is another coffee house that also serves as my office. They offer plenty of outlets, lots of vintage couches, lamps and lighting, tables and desks and even a patio; it's the perfect place to enjoy great coffee (order the cajeta or a mocha chai) and even better bites: cupcakes, cheese plates from Houston Dairy Maids, sandwiches, mac 'n' cheese, small salads ...vegan cinnamon roll, you say - that means no calories, right? 

Like Antidote, they also feature a beer and wine menu, and come happy hour, it's a great time to shut down the ol' Apple and throw back a few cold ones before burning the midnight oil. And they're open til midnight at that. But unlike Antidote, the crowd's a bit younger, mostly students.

They've got a great playlist, so no need to bring the earplugs unless you hate good music (or need to study). I love the decor, and especially pet fish/mascot Sally Marouge. I usually grab a seat next to her. She's a cool chick. But doesn't talk much. 

Parking is nothing to complain about. There's no harm in parking half a block away and walking. I still prefer the 'Dote to BH, but since this is in my hood and gas is redonk, I've been making my rounds here. Cheers.
4 - Jimmy N.: Great coffee, plenty of space, lots of power outlets, free wifi, cool atmosphere, nice staff, good treats
4 - Steven W.: Great for studying and reading. Sometimes looks like an Apple Store full of grad students in the middle of taking their comps. The sandwiches are pretty good, coffee uniformly fine, comfy couches. A great place to scout tattoo designs.
4 - Christine H.: I'm a fan of Poison Girl, so when I heard the owners opened up a sister coffeeshop to Antidote, I knew I'd eventually check it out.  Got a hazelnut latte which I thought was well-made (though I'm no coffee snob).  Also split a bottle of malbec with friends (again, I am no wine expert).  There's food here which is nice for those long hours spent hacking away at your next great American novel: packaged vegan meals from Radical Eats, sandwiches, quiche, mac 'n cheese, desserts and pastries.  All mediocre and a bit expensive, but I guess if you're hungry and in the middle of writing the best paragraph of your life, you don't want to disturb that mojo.  Very hipster vibe, if you're into that sort of scene.  Good music--heard everything from Frank Sinatra to Guns N' Roses.  Free wifi, and they won't kick you out like some other coffeeshops I know.
4 - Sami A.: At first I thought this was a really progressive Amish coffee house but after asking a few bearded men why they were wearing shirts with buttons I found out that this is actually a hipster coffee house.
4 - Soo K.: My latest find! Discovered on a chance incident on our way to dinner by taking a wrong turn. Feels totally like a word of mouth place, but come to find out it's a sister of Antidote, opened only 6 months. I'd be impressed if someone brought me here. If you like Antidote, you'll appreciate Black Hole. Similar food, atmosphere, bigger, casual, buried cafe. Love it here!
4 - Nina C.: Good atmosphere for studying/working on your computer/chatting with a friend.  I had the hot chai tea latte and it was great (I'm not much of a coffee drinker)!  It was a perfect way to unwind and do some studying on my computer.  There were plenty of tables and couches to use and it didn't feel crammed at all even with most of the couches/tables full.
5 - Amy J.: Love the atmosphere!  Could stay here for hours...drink coffee then when the sun starts to set, drink some beer.  That's right, they have both.  ;)
4 - Timothy F.: Been here a few times, and I like it.  It does not have a Houston feel to it.                     Customer service is just that, it is not overly friendly, that takes energy, and the regulars are just as leery of the people around them.  This is the feel I get in non Texas coffee houses, the service is to get you your coffee or food, but don't talk to me.  It is not a criticism, it is a funny observation of people who are nervous around people.  There is plenty ! of natural light which I alway love.  Another thing I like, is that there are chairs and couches you would find in someones home, so you don't feel like you are expected to leave. So it is a great new place I found too.
4 - Todd S.: This is a hipster enclave within the liberal haven of Montrose.  At dusk, as the light entering through the large glass outer wall fades, white against silver Apple icons prominently luminesce.  Patrons in skinny jeans and quirky-but-"not cool" accoutrements  fetch really inexpensive, tasty coffee drinks from the small counter area.

The coffee's nice.  These are the same people that own/run Antidote.  They make a great espresso at low prices.  The staff is very nice and never aloof (the mark of the Hipster).  I live a quick bicycle ride away... so, meh, I can't dog the hipsters too much... but this is clearly one of their mini-Meccas.

If there's a criticism to be made of Black Hole, it's that the crowd is a bit "heads down."  Hipsters don't like to talk.  It's not kewl.  I joke.  There are some nice kids in there.
3 - Chris C.: If you come here in the summer, I have no idea what's up with the A/C, but it's never cold.  

Be prepared to be basked in the glow of white apples.

I got their iced coffee, as it's nothing to rave about.

Parking right outside the store, the spots are narrow.  You should park on the street if you don't want to get car dings.

I come here to read.
3 - Michael M.: Black Hole's positives are its size, location and comfy atmosphere.  They also have numerous outlets for laptops.  Their drawbacks are the lack of a menu with prices and selections, and most of the tables are tiny -- not enough room for 2 laptops or 1 laptop and space to work on other stuff.
5 - Nikki D.: This is such a great and neat place. The vibe is really chill and inviting. They have a bunch of couches to sit and chat with friends or to relax and do some work. 
They serve a few breakfast items like bagels and pastries. Their cream cheese is to die for. They have a chive and caper cream cheese that is awesome. 
The baristas are pretty cool. They are really good about asking how people like their drinks made. 
I got a iced chai latte made with almond milk. It was SO good. 
They also have a large cooler filled with juices, beer, and sodas. Oh yea, and they have beer here.
All in all, a great place that serves a variety of drinks and food items. It has a laid-back vibe unlike some of it's corporate competitors like Starbucks.
3 - Roger S.: Great place to kill an hour or two with a book. The espresso is not the best (my last espresso had a sour aftertaste) , but the atmosphere is quite nice. Mostly college students. Comfy sofas and seating.
4 - Marcus M.: Really good coffee, great vibe.  I had an excellent Americano. Ample seating and plugs for laptops and speedy Wifi.  I don't live in the neighborhood, but will always have this place in mind when in the area.
4 - Tom W.: One of the best offices away from the office. Great place to meet friends. Espresso drinks are my preference over the drip coffees, and the food is pricey for what it is, but overall, a good atmostphere and a good  (somewhat hidden) location. 

It is like Antidote but you have a better chance to sit inside.
4 - Danielle S.: Antidote is still my favorite coffee shop in the HTX, but Black Hole does a good job of mostly replicating the experience just a few miles away.  In a former corner store next to a washateria (funny because Antidote is a former washateria next to a corner store), Black Hole is bigger than its older cousin with plenty of space to stretch out and get some work done.

The PG-Antidote-Black Hole trifecta always does a great job in hiring competent, intelligent folks who actually want to be at work.  I've never seen a sour face in any of them--Black Hole being no exception.  Like Antidote, Black Hole's interior is quiet and good for reading or studying; if you want to talk, you have to brave the heat on the patio.

I've had a truly delicious sandwich as well as a vegan cinnamon roll from Sinful Bakery during my trips here, and both were fantastic.  The owners do an excellent job of "curating" the best of Houston ready made food to be available in their shops.

The only time I had a bad experience here was due to my own placement inside the coffee shop.  If you sit in the right hand corner next to the wall, the A/C vent doesn't hit you so I soon found myself mysteriously boiling on a hot summer day.  Once I figured out my problem, it was too late to move, so I ended up (moistly) packing up.

Great place to take your laptop or just curl up on a comfy couch to read a book, along with some great food and drink.

* Bonus tidbit: the last time I was in here, a guy walked in with a lizard perched on his shoulder.  On purpose.
4 - Raffi M.: How I wished for a place like this in Astoria, NY.  A quiet, pretty friendly coffee shop with decent coffee and relaxed seating.  The reason it doesn't exist back in Queens, of course, is that a large, comfortable coffee shop can't succeed as a business proposition in New York - rents are too high, and no coffee shop would ever get a liquor license to be able to sell wines and beer in the evening.  

Black Hole gives us a nice place to work in the evening, a place to pass hot summer afternoons inside, a usually quiet escape from our apartment and some acceptable, local, snacks when we get hungry.  For that, we appreciate it.
4 - Katie H.: Service is friendly and the atmosphere is fun (though admittedly mostly urban outfitters clad college students). I have liked all my drinks here, and the cookies are tasty too. 

I second the reviewer who noted that the chairs are too low.
3 - Micah K.: Black Hole is literally a two minute walk from my apartment, so I already have a strong bias toward it based solely on proximity.  And I'm pretty big on the whole "corporate coffee sucks" up with the little guy mindset.  I love Onion Creek and Empire Cafe.  I try to do my best to support local business to slowly stave off America's slide into corporate oligarchy or whatever.

But Black Hole just wasn't doing it for me the two times I went.

Don't get me wrong, service was passable.  The coffee itself, though, wasn't anything special either time, and the menu's a little pricier than it's worth in my book.

My biggest problem was probably the ambiance.  If I wanted to be surrounded by full-on hipsters for two hours, I'd just go to an Arcade Fire concert or shop at Taxi Taxi.
3 - Edward W.: This place can easily be a 5 star hang out but I am giving them a 3.5 stars because of my recent encounter with an unfriendly staff.

This coffee house is in a nice neighborhood with colorful people.  I mean where else can you see people with Mohawks, piercings, and pink highlights??  lol

I really love this place from the large selection of drinks and snacks here to the wild, crazy people here.

Good affordable prices.  $1.50 iced tea with unlimited refill?  What a deal!  They also serve beer and wine here.

Live plants, live fish, live people.....

Fresh coffee in large cups.

Free WiFi.

Penny covered floor decor in the bathroom!

Oh...they also have a bulletin board that is in front of the two restrooms with many useful ads.  Don't know why it is so dark here though.  

Aside from the cheap furnitures, this place is nice and comfortable.
Hungry? don't worry.  This place has good food and healthy snacks like fresh baked cookies.

Is it alright to lick the plates here?  NOT sure but I ended up licking the crumbs off the little plate that had my peanut butter cookie.

Jazz and relaxing music.  (sometimes.....other times they BLAST the speakers with a bunch of oldies.)

My only complaint is that they sometimes PLAY the music TOO loud and stops me from concentrating on my work.  When I complained about this, I started the conversation with a big SMILE and asked if they can maybe lower the volume or adjust the volume slightly towards one side of the room.  Instead this short, stocky, lady with red hair bluntly said, "NO." without even an explanation.  Then she said, "...ok," realizing that she made a dumb unprofessional remark.  I really don't know what her problem is but this girl needs to MELLOW out.
4 - Megha K.: I (very appropriately) got lost in myself a little at Black Hole today. Why, you may ask? 

1) The great mellow indie music that flows from one song to the other so mellifluously that I can't even distinctly remember the beginning or end of any song. Somehow 5 or so hours of my precious time were imperceptibly engulfed by the Black Hole to this continuous soundtrack.

2) My delectable hot chocolate and large cranberry-orange scone were warm and yummy, likely inducing a carby/happy semi-stupor in me. In a nice coincidence, I also ran into Patricia S. and Tiziano H. (both of whom, I am happy to say, can definitely talk about anything from philosophy to politics) and they strongly endorsed the mushroom and feta cheese galette. I ordered it, and it was delicious! Definitely don't shy away from the food!

3) The comfy, old tacky 70s-ish furniture and relaxed, friendly demeanor of the patrons made me feel completely chill here. The baristas/servers are very competent and friendly, a wonderful contrast to some of the colder baristas in Montrose. In sum, everything about Black Hole is pleasantly hip and unobtrusive, letting you sink into your book/soft-spoken conversation/writing/reverie/stream of consciousness effortlessly. Even the Andy Warhol-inspired Lindsay Lohan triptych put me at ease! 

4) Nestled on Graustark right next to a washateria, it's in a not-so-hectic residential area of Montrose/the Museum District with a not-so-scary parking sitch. Not so bad at all!

Needless to say, I will be back here in the future to Rip Van Winkle a few more hours away!
4 - Brandi H.: At first I was pretty sure I wasn't really going to like this place. It was too popular too quickly and it has a painting of Lindsay Lohan on the wall. It all felt too "hip" for me.

I just couldn't see this being one of my favorite places.

Somehow, Black Hole has really grown on me. The service has always been super-friendly and helpful. There are plenty of tables near outlets to camp out and do a bit of schoolwork on my laptop. Tons of comfy couches make it a great spot to canoodle while having a pastry and a glass of wine.

I think it's a bit of a stretch to call this place a restaurant, however. This is a coffee shop that serves food. A lot of the food is imported in from other retailers, but they have a HUGE selection of vegetarian items. My favorite is the vegan tamales from Radical Eats. (Avoid the green sauce that comes with them, though. That stuff ruined the entire meal for me.)

A go-to lunch for me here is the hummus plate. A serving of hummus mixed with crusty bread and a side of fresh green olives is so good I could pretty much live for days on only that.

There's lots of parking here, but make sure you don't park in front of the cleaners next door...they tow. 

Check out the bathroom floor covered in pennies!!
3 - Nick S.: I was up in Houston with a friend and we used the Yelp app on my iPod to search for coffee shops near our location....hence how we found Black Hole.

Black Hole wasn't bad, and I really enjoyed my Cajeta Latte.  I found it amusing that both restrooms in the establishment were labeled "Unisex".  The atmosphere was OK and you can't beat free wifi and comfy-retro couches.

Its open until midnight, and if I lived in Houston, I certainly would be a late-night visitor.  I was a student at the University of St. Thomas back in the early 1990s, and it would have been nice to have had other coffee shops to study at -- aside from the now defunct-Diedrich that was across from campus..
2 - Neil S.: Great location and vibe, decent prices (on drinks), ok to middling food, terrible staff.

I've been to Black Hole coffee a few times in the morning or on a weekend, with not to much to report.  I love the location and hours; the iced tea's pretty average.

The last time I visited, however, was a low.  I got the mozzarella pesto sandwich, nice presentation and the banana option (instead of chips) was a good touch.  The bread was dry and overwhelming, the tomato was a bit mealy.  The pesto was really good, but it couldn't compensate for that slab of dry bread.  

The staff was terrible.  I sat in the corner of the shop so that I could sprawl out a bit and check some email on my phone without getting in anyone's way.  I have long legs, and my knees were bumping into the chair next to me, so I propped my feet onto it, not much different from the guy on my left or a girl in one of the two sofas across from me.   THREE different baristas within twenty minutes came over to tell me to get my feet off the chair, never mind what my fellow patrons were doing.  I felt harassed.  It was like they were making more of a critique on my posture than attempting to protect their furniture.  

No one said anything when I put my phone away, sat up straight, and pulled out the latest copy of the Economist.

I'll probably go back occasionally for the coffee in the morning (the location's too good!), but I don't plan to spend much time here in the future.
4 - nicole h.: Overall, I like it. The Dirty Sanchez was delish. Weird name though. The vibe is nice & studious, which I often times seek to relax while I do school work or work work. Thank you for not putting a TV in the house. And thank you for having ample electric outlets for computer users. Thank you for knowing and caring about your customers. I will be going back and trying more stuff. Will you guys have almond milk next time? Please? Thanks, Nicole :)
5 - A M.: Best coffee place in that part of Houston.

I want this place to be successful, but not too successful.  Why would anyone go to Starbucks, when you can get a great latte here for the same price?  

The food is good, people watching is primo, parking is plentiful.  This place kind of reminds of Cafe Artiste when that was around.  I wish it was a tad more social than everyone hovered around their laptops pretending to study when they are really checking each other out.
3 - Humaira H.: i went back and forth between giving this place 2 stars or 3 stars. 3 stars makes it seem like i'd be back, and even become a regular, but i'm not completely sure if i will. 

i ended up giving black hole 3 stars because i thought the crowd was very diverse and everyone in the crowd was really nice.  the reason i even thought of giving this place 2 stars is because the coffee itself is cheap - in quality and in the price you pay. i ordered a cinnamon roll which was stale even after warming it for 1 minute :( plus, i saw how they made my coffee (an iced caramel latte), it was basically what i treat myself to at home: lots of milk, shot of expresso, and some gross tasting ice, which i'm blaming the taste on the laundromat next door :P 

i didn't think the people working were very nice... they seemed a little overworked and were half assing everything. i paid with a $10 bill, and they didn't even tell me how much it was before taking it from my hand.... umm ok?

anyways. i am sure this place is great if you like a noisy/crowded place to get together. the free wifi is super fast and super easy to access.
3 - Linh P.: Hot hazelnut latte: "hella good" says the hippie Cali boyfriend. This is a coffee shop that actually as real cups and mugs so if you can, get it in a mug! Better foam-age

Dirty chai iced - pretty good! I actually like my dirty chais blended but it looked like they no blenders so I didn't want them to give me a weird look by asking for one.

Also got a chocolate chip cookie. Decent size - but kinda hard. Had to microwave it for it to be soft.

Pretty decent seating - I might be back to study here.
5 - Herman K.: Great spot. Coffee is first rate, snacks are tasty, the atmosphere is cool and the music selection is eclectic but conducive to "coffee officing". Haven't spent much time on the menu so can't attest to the sandwiches, etc, but the coffee so stand up, I don't care. For the most part, I've always found the staff welcoming-- good natured, easy going, helpful and not a bit of that snotty attitude seen In other area coffee dens. I've only come across one friendliness challenged person on the early morning shift, but hey-- how cheerful do you feel at 6:30 AM? I give them extra points for not treating anyone past 25 as a piece of human blight.
4 - Ellen C.: A coffee house named after my heart, or what now occupies its place - how can I not like it?!  No but seriously . . .

I've been here a few times now, once for Yelp Office Hours (that Farrah A., she knows how to pick some happenin' places, go figure) and I've had a super duper experience every time.  I've never drank anything aside from the bottomless drip coffee, but it's surely competent and I've never been able to handle more than three cups (I'm kind of a wimp, it's true).   Oh some wine, Black Hole has a modest but healthy offering of beers and wines - very useful for coming down that caffeine psychosis.  And of course being me, huge thumbs up for offering Sinfull vegan bakery items!  There seems to be a few vegan food items (or at least vegetarian, probably easily veganized) on the food menu as well - I've not sampled any of them yet, but the day will come.  Oh yes.  It shall.   

I may actually like the set-up here more than Antidotes.  It seems a bit 
more spacious, I don't feel like I'm intruding on fellow café-goers' conversations or business, like I often do at Antidote.  Additionally, I feel the crowd here is generally quieter and more serious than Antidote's.  I don't think it's attained quite the dense foot traffic as Antidote has . . . yet, but I like that Black Hole is kind of hidden away and with a slightly more generous parking lot. 

The baristas and staff have been pleasant during all my visits and the indie music isn't boisterously interfering with the tasks I've had at hand.  The internet connection is stable, the restrooms are cute.  And I don't really have a black hole for a heart, really.
4 - Jackie M.: i went with a group of friends, and the debate in the car on the way there was why does it have to be called black hole.  why not white hole or yellow hole?  anyways, the coffee is great, and the service is fantastic.  i got an iced white chocolate mocha and an almond croissant.  while i enjoyed the coffee, i wasn't all that impressed with the croissant.  it was dry and too bready.  not that this is their fault, but it was hard to eat in the car without having the almonds on top fall all over the place.  a few of them dropped onto my friend's skirt, but i  picked them up and ate them before she saw hee hee.  i really liked the pennies as floor tile in the bathroom.  it's like a sarcastic rich man's bathroom.  but i bet those pennies started adding up.  i wonder if halfway through they stopped and said: "man, this is adding up to be more than i thought.  let's spread them out more".
4 - Sarah B.: Freezing cold inside and hard to find a seat, but the food and prices are great. My friend and I split some lemon basil goat cheese (generous portion, over 8 oz) and they kept refilling the bread on our plate.. grand total of 5$. Will definitely be back, with a sweatshirt.
3 - Diana S.: Tiny parking lt that holds maybe 10 cars. The adjacent Landry Mat notoriously tows cars before 9pm. Read the signs; obey them. Park residential if you insist on going when it's crowded. 

Hotspot on the weekend. Not the chill environment for a loner. 

Weekday afternoons are silent. Music turns on around 5 to 6. 

I like their pastries. Try the muffins.
5 - Samantha F.: I'm so close to justifying the three hour drive from Austin in order to sit outside on the patio, nibble from my bowl of Greek yogurt mixed with fresh fruit and homemade granola, and work my way through hours of homework and projects.  However, I'm forced to save Black Hole trips for family gatherings.  

My grandparents (my incredibly cool grandparents) have suggested this place for Sunday breakfasts on two occassions.  I've had their oatmeal and their yogurt with granola and fruit.  Everything is super fresh and made in-house.  

I've only been before 10 AM so I don't know what the crowd gets like at the busier hours, but it's always been tame and relaxing.  I did pass by here at about 8 PM on a Saturday night with my grandfather and it was packed.  I pulled over and asked a group of kids what was up and they told us about a scavenger hunt that had just wrapped up.  They hoped the fact they acquired some new tattoos would help push them into the winner's circle.

I have a feeling if I called Houston "home" that I'd be a regular fixture.
4 - Kathryn C.: I feel like I really can't offer any new facts to the reviews, so I move on to my opinion!  This place is a short walk from my home, but I find myself only coming here when my sisters sleep over on the weekends.  They still live in a sub division with my parents, which is like a 20 minute walk just to get out of and then another X amount of minutes before one reaches any place that sells decent coffee.  We've sort of fallen into a routine of ordering a single iced mocha ($3.25) for each of us and share two breakfast items.  Typically, either the orange/cranberry scone, jalapeno cheese scone (IT'S SO FLUFFY! haha) with bacon jam or blueberry muffin ($2.75 a piece).  We eat outside, too, because it feels like even when we whisper inside we're too loud for all the people around us reading.  That's probably the only thing I dislike about coming here.  I get that Agora vibe where if I'm not almost completely silent people glare at me in annoyance.
I notice that Yelp is asking if this place is good for kids.  I would say no.
For a chill place to catch up on your studies, or just a coffee fix with wifi Black Hole is at your service.
5 - kris r.: Ok, so this is a local haunt for my coffee loving friends. So I thought since I'm in the area, I should stop and check it out. 

It's definitely not a secret that it's here, but of it wasn't for Yelp or my friends frequenting this fine establishment I would  have never known it was here.  It's tucked slightly away from all the traffic of Montrose and Richmond. So anyone that have a quick hankering for a latte. They would probably go to Starbucks or something... That is until you come here. The coffee is delicious and the baristas are not pretentious assholes. They are a friendly as the neighborhood this place is seated in. Lots to choose on the menu, which I have not tried anything yet... But to my friends testimony, I would say its worth it!

A nice little plus is that it's is right next door to a laundromat. I would say washateria, but I think that is reserved for the ghetto. Anywho, come take a seat and enjoy life for awhile and try some coffee and a cookie... Or quiche.. Or scones or... You get the picture.
5 - David C.: Yeah, I'd never study here. I probably wouldn't even hang out here to talk. But the coffee is good - it's basically Antidote. I never want to cheat on Catalina when it comes to hot drinks but I do love Black Hole / Antidote's double iced vanilla lattes. 

Four stars, IMO based on friendly service, interesting space, darn good coffee. The extra star is because...I've brought 3 different people here for their first time and (on three separate days). Every single time before I go I tell them to prepare to see the weirdest, most hipster people in Houston. I haven't let them down and it just makes for a great laugh / interesting people watching. I have never, ever seen such a concentration of hipsters in Houston. It's like if you took the two weirdest baristas at Catalina and multiplied it by 50 people who are hanging out, smoking, typing on their Macs, drinking their joe.  

Going to Black Hole Coffee for the first time is a freakin' experience. And not just for the great coffee. Definitely will be back when Good Dogs hangs out there.
3 - Peter C.: the coffee here is very good, as many other reviews note. however, it's not a great morning coffee place because it faces east, and the seats in the sun (90%) are too hot. afternoon would be awesome, i imagine, because it's all shady.

the vintage furniture adds a nice flare if you get lucky and not stuck on a couch that sinks near ground level.
4 - Samrat B.: I'm not giving it 5 stars, only because I ordered to go and I smelled a weird aroma of alcohol. I knew it was alcohol, but I didn't know what kind. For a place that only serves beer and wine, it was odd to smell that.

Anyway, on to the reviewing. I got a Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate from here (they ran out of mint) and it was quite interesting! I'm not much of a chocolate guy, so I need a shot of some flavor if I want to enjoy it. I loved the aroma and taste of Pumpkin Spice. It's definitely now up there on my favorite shot flavors. The Cinnamon Roll was TO DIE FOR (even though I hate raisins)! One bite and I'm traveling through amazing! What's even better was that I got all of this for less than $5! Beat that, Starbucks (I love you)!

The ambiance looked cool! I wish I had time to enjoy it, but I was in a rush. It's a great place to be if you don't mind the smell (which in all honesty, it grew on me and was nearly nonexistent). It's bearable.

For the Happy Hour hunters, as I like to call you all, it's from 4 PM-7 PM, but don't be worried if you are a tad bit late. No problem. the customer after me came in at around 5-10 minutes late and had no problem.

On a completely unnecessary side note, the guy taking my order, I could swear on this, could have easily been a bouncer!
2 - Monique N.: Stopped by on a Saturday afternoon. WAY too crowded and too loud. Skip this place if you're looking for a weekend study spot.
3 - Hande J.: I wanted to try this place out since it is pretty close to where I live. It is laid back and cosy. I did not like the chai latte at all. Would rather go with a pot of tea next time. Scone was OK. They have free wifi. Staff was not especially friendly. Overall, I'd go again. Smart location since it is next to a laundromat.
4 - Kelly S.: Great place for a coffee, beer, or glass of wine. They even have snacks made with local product! Kudos for that. Beer prices seem reasonable, wine maybe a bit high, though I hate paying more than $5 for a glass of wine anywhere so I might not be the best judge. On a recent visit I had the Terra Robles Cab which was quite satisfying. There's tons of outdoor/indoor seating space but it can still get quite crowded and there's not a ton of parking. 

One weird thing about this place - microwaving your own food.... On our first visit, we had no idea that this is what you needed to do... Some direction in that area would have been appreciated. 

All in all, this place is pretty chill. Definitely a great place to unwind. We'll be back again, and again and again : )
4 - Nicole P.: Wake up about a half hour early and stop by here on your way to work. I like ordering their cafe latte OR their chai tea with a shot of espresso (both are delish!). For breakfast, I like nibbling on their sesame bagels with capers cream cheese. There's a toaster so you can really do it up right.

Sit outside. Savor some quiet time at this cafe that's tucked in and relax. It's one of my favorite places to enjoy a morning before the students and others start rolling in. 

I like the relaxing atmosphere, the coffee is reasonably priced, and the staff are friendly.
5 - Stacie B.: Coffee's delicious..
Wifi connection is legit..
Location is a bit off of the beaten path, which is nice..

Pretty cool little spot in the Museum district...

****Side Note: There are hipsters in Houston!!?!
                                        ...Affirmative. They seem to have been hiding out here..
To be quite honest... The hipsters in Houston kind of make the typical Austin hipster look totally mainstream...  I couldn't believe my little eyes...
3 - Venu N.: If you are looking for young people who for the most part dress poorly and have far too obscure musical tastes for their age, then you will probably love this place.  You might call them "hipsters", but I far prefer the reference from the Goldman Sachs elevator when describing this unfortunate subset of the human population.  

Aside from a marginalized set of customers, the remainder of Black Hole Coffee House is actually quite good.  If you want non-craptastic coffee, then you are probably going to like this place.  Personally, I don't give a shit about coffee, but perhaps you do.  If you don't, try beer.  They have a decent amount of that as well.  If you happen to like IPAs like I do, then you will find a couple of selections here.  It sounds like you can get some decent wine here as well. 

We sat down and immediately a group of college girls asked us to take photos of them.  When it became obvious that we were far more interested in our own conversation rather than their complete lack of attractiveness, they allowed us to continue leaving them alone.  Looking around me, it seems that there may have been a number of people in their mid-30s, a couple of 20-something couples, a studious hot blonde, and a bunch of people who look like they have never seen the light of day.  All of it is was fine except for the majority of the people.  

There isn't anything altogether wrong with this place.  There just isn't anything that stands out and makes me want to come back again.
5 - James M.: One year later:  Topo Chico, an Everything Bar from Sinfull Bakery, and Don DeLillo's "Underworld".  

Black Hole has kept me supplied with bagels, sticky buns, quiches, Racer 5 IPAs, and bottomless cups of coffee over the past year, always with great background music and cheerful service.  The seven minute walk from my place is an added bonus, as are the food trucks that sometimes park out front.  I had lived in the Museum District for over 9 years before Black Hole opened, and now I wonder how I survived without.  Many an hour I've spent on the squishy couches, surfacing from my book occasionally to take another swig from a fine IPA.

I have crossed the event horizon.

See also:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_place
4 - Matthew C.: Only a hop, skip, and a jump from Rice's campus, Black Hole is the perfect study off-campus study spot when the stacks at Fondren Library start to get a little lonely.  There's plenty of seating inside as well as several tables outside for when the weather's nice.  The Wi-Fi's free and fast, and there are plenty of outlets as well.

And the coffee isn't bad either!  I'm a fan of the double cappuccino which definitely isn't the best I've had in Houston, but it's still good.  At $2.75, I thought the prices were very reasonable.  And though I haven't had any of it, it seems like Black Hole has an extensive food menu as well as plenty of beer, wine, and other drinks.  Maybe sometime after a long day of studying that's just what I'll need!
1 - Dexter D.: Before the Black Hole coffee house existed, this address was a convenience store, that was so litlle visited that it failed. The site was empty a long time. When I saw that it was being refurbished and would become a coffee house, I thought, 'What a bizarre location for a coffe house,' but it's basically a bizarre location for anything but a laundromat.
Then I heard it would be named the Black Hole, and thought "What a really outdated name for a cofeehouse.'

I don't begrudge the coffeehouse its success, but I have no idea why hipsters have annointed the Black Hole as their hideout. In scene-starved Houston, it might just be desperation. Perhaps Agora was too full of Mediterannean expat loudmouths. 

The turnout has been more respectable than a poorly remodeled convenience store in the middle of an unexceptional residential neighborhood had any right to expect. But I do delight in the fickleness of scene-sters, knowing that at some point, the Black Hole will be abandoned for some other posturing backdrop. The parking is beyond annoying. And recently the coffee-poseurs figured out they could even monopolize the 4 laundromat parking spots if they brought a few pairs of dirty underwear to wash while they spend 3 hours drinking coffee. Assholes.
4 - Ashlee M.: If you find yourself a spot - this place is great! But it is always always busy - which is a good thing for them! It's just a bummer when there is no where to sit because everything is taken! I mainly come to study but I notice a lot of groups come and chat it up from the most bizarre conversations to a group of moms getting away for the night.  Its a great place. If you find seating.
3 - Michelle R.: Love the laid back atmosphere and chilled out crew. The furniture is worn in and comfy - although last time I went there was a man sitting in the middle of the place who reeked of BO. I had to sit outside, not sure how no one else noticed.

Free wifi, enough outlets, pretty packed usually. Food is decent.

My fav chai latte is liquid instead of powder (powder is best!) so -1.

Overall - I'd visit Black Hole more often then the Bucks - hands down.
4 - Michelle L.: Sausage, carrot and cheddar quiche rocked! (I was surprised).  Ambiance was good once they toned down the "I'm a quirky coffee house that caters to college students" music.
3 - Travis W.: Hmmm... How to describe the Black Hole. I guess I should give brief background on how I ended up here. I needed a quiet place to study for midterms that would have outlets available for laptops. I actually logged on to Yelp to find a spot in the area and this seemed to have quite a few positive reviews and had everything I needed to study. I actually live about 45 minutes from the Montrose area now, but I got my undergrad degree at the University of St. Thomas so I'm very familiar with the area. I decided to drive all the way out there to study because I (and half of Texas) was evacuated due to wildfires. My house is fine in case you were wondering. :) 

The atmosphere is nice, the random pieces of mismatched furniture was charming, and the penny-covered bathroom floor was quite impressive. I'll be honest and say I don't drink coffee, but I of course picked something random on the menu so that I could justify using their Internet and outlets. The guy making my coffee asked me if I wanted my dirty chavez half-n-half and I said "Sure... Er... that's how I like it...." I choked down the disgusting concoction (like I said, I don't drink coffee so don't take this as a reliable review of the quality of their coffee) and put my study cap on and got a lot accomplished. 

However, I wouldn't say I'd go back there. In all honesty the crowd at Black Hole ruined it for me a little. There was definitely a scenester crowd present, but that doesn't bother me at all. All-in-all, the crowd at the Black Hole was refreshingly diverse, but I apparently wasn't given the memo about the real agenda of the afternoon crowd. While everyone seemed to be there for the purpose of studying, anyone with reliable vision could easily notice that most people were there to check each other out. Lemme sum that up in one word: Awkwaaaaaard. 

Fortunately I ran into some old friends from St. Thomas there and had great time catching up and basking in the sun for a bit. When I was about ready to go I ordered a glass of merlot for a bit of relaxation while I read a couple of chapters of the novel I was working on. I asked how large the glasses were. I was shown the glass and told they use the "two finger rule." Choking back my instinctual "that's what she said" joke, I said that sounded fine. Call me a pessimist, but that glass was half-empty!
4 - lc c.: Previously I wrote that I wished they had more food besides sweets that vegans can enjoy. someone pointed out to me that they do in fact have some options in a cooler I'd not been aware of. Yay! 
The sole and only reason I don't go there more is actually that the smoke gets to be too much out front. I like to sit outside but there's no place where smoke won't be in your face most of the time.
4 - Rachel M.: If Urban Outfitters were a coffee shop, it would be Black Hole.

I've been a few times for coffee, but this past weekend was the first time I had any of their food. I was pleasantly surprised. The quiche is better than Brasil's and the coffee is good. If you can get past the whole hipster vibe, it's a great spot for coffee.
5 - C B.: One of my favorite coffee shops because they offer 1. Great affordable coffee 2. Easy going staff 3. Laid back atmosphere. I always get a cortado and they are one of the few places in Houston that make it properly. 

Having said this it can be a bit of a hipster atmosphere. Although my hipster days are behind me I can see how this may be a bit of a turn off for some. But, they support local artists, writers, and local bakeries which I find refreshing. 

Nice happy hour on wine and beer.
3 - Cynthia C.: I want to like the Black Hole. I do. I like Antidote, so most of the following is mainly just a comparison between the two.

Usually I don't even bother going to the Black Hole because it can be hard to find a place to sit. It's quieter than Antidote outside because Graustark isn't nearly as busy and full of cars as Montrose. I don't see as many people that I know because a lot of young hipster kids hang out here since it is so close to UST. I'm 27 so I'm not exactly old, either. The decor is totally rad, just like at Antidote, and I love the penny floor in the bathroom. 

Watch out, they will charge you full price for a refill of totally mediocre Iced Coffee. If I had known this, then I wouldn't have even bothered with a refill because I didn't even get around to drinking it before I closed my tab and left. They could have at least given me a new glass. 

These kinds of things definitely make me want to go to the Starbucks at Grey and Smith instead, where medium Iced Coffee with a refill and a banana does not cost $6, and the baristas are also totally rad, and they also have wifi. Or Agora. Or Brasil's. Or make my own iced coffee at home since I used to be a barista too. All you have to do is brew it and put it in a refrigerator. 

I do understand the refill policy, because this place is always full of young people who are studying and not buying anything. But, things like this do keep me from being a regular customer, and I go elsewhere instead.
3 - Jack H.: I'm not know as a huge coffee aficionado but when I'm in the mood, I do get in the mood for a good cup of Joe!!
First off, "Black Hole" is in the Museum district in approx location of Rice University so it was no surprise to see the fine youth of America hitting the books.  Collectively, the fine Americans there where chugging "great" coffee that this little joint is know 4 while getting there edumacation on!  Good to know the spirt of hard work hasn't gone AWOL in this kick-ass and take names of a country we live in.  
This place is a study hall! This is my main observation and take away of this establishment. 
 I would feel akward to hold a conversation in this little gem.  No prospects of women DTF here so don't expect to have a chance run-ins here.  Just wholesome nerdy but cool kids here trying to stretch a dollar, and a day here. Understandable. Coffee prices are competitive with the coffee being above par. It's "winning" as Charlie would say.   
Every two weeks I get my haircut in the area so I've sold myself on the idea of making it apart of my regiment to stop by here when I get finished. It's chill and relaxing...for me that's good for my spirt to unwind before I battle Houston traffic on 59. Will be back for sure......with my homework.
5 - Jillian W.: I *adore* this place. The coffee is done right. The service is great. Tons of seating and wi-fi is solid. Whoever chooses the music is ON IT -- always good shit playing that gets me in the writing zone. I come here to finish out my term papers.  :)

P.S. I've lived in Portland, Oregon. This place brings me back. I wasn't even aware that there were that many hipsters living in this city. haha. It was PACKED for a rainy Tuesday morning.
4 - Nathan A.: Almost every time I go to the museum district neighborhood, I try to walk a different way.  And for some reason, I always walk by the Black Hole Coffee House.  Today, I finally went in for the first time.  This is like the nicer version of Antidote, although it could go either way depending on one's preferences.  This place is closer to me anyways!

It was a really comfortable living room feel, with pop art and other abstract artwork adorned on the walls.  There was tons of seating which is a huge plus for me.  Nobody likes to go to a coffee shop to study and then find no room *cough Post Oak Starbucks cough*. The music they played was...there's no word. Funky. Strange. Whatever you want to call it.  Overall, I thought the place was pretty nerdy. I swear I heard 3 different ringtones from different video games, including the Legend of Zelda and Metal Gear Solid.  The coffee was spot on too!  Nothing mindblowing, but they make some pretty solid brews.  Definitely a hidden gem.
5 - Amanda H.: Perfect coffee shop to hang out with friends or grab a beer and smoke a cigarette on the 'patio.' The regular coffee is not amazing, but the espresso is high quality. The pastries are always fresh and delicious too.
4 - Michael Y.: Great chai latte
M.Y. SERVICE: 
I've only been one time, no smiling... but are hipsters capable of smiling? Not sure. Either way, the service was ok. 
M.Y. COFFEE:
I F-ing love Chai so I had a chai latte and it lived up to everything I expected and left me with a smile on my face. Someone has to smile around that place.
M.Y. CLEANLINESS:
The place is pretty clean. I even took a walk to the bathroom to see the upkeep of their facilities and WOAH! The decor in the bathroom is so random and perfect. I wanted to drink my coffee in there just for the decor. It was clean in there too...
M.Y. RATING:
Great neighborhood coffee shop, perfect for some laptop time, studying, or a tranquil break. Hell to the yeah I will be back. 
M.Y. Discounts:
No discounts that I could see but reasonable pricing for a starving college student.
4 - Tracey S.: Pros:
- clean bathrooms with a neat floor (seriously, come once just to see the floor)
- ample parking (compared to the nearby Agora)
- good food options
- quiet inside

Cons:
- a bit chilly inside

I've been spoiled by all the awesome coffeeshops in Austin so maybe 4 stars is too harsh for The Black Hole.  For Houston coffeeshop standards, it's probably a 5.
3 - Iwen C.: I've been drawn to come here after seeing so many raving reviews about this place and I happened to be in the neighborhood so me and my friend came here after lunch, and this place was packed!

The decor and atmosphere here was really hipster. It's like a garage decorated with pop arts. Music was funky. Plenty space to do your work with wifi. Not saying it's bad but it does require a certain personal taste to hang out here. I personally prefer a little more quiet and a little more classy type of coffee shop, but it's just a personal taste.

Not much to say about coffee here. It seems pretty average to me but I heard the pastry is good. Maybe I'll give it another try when I am in the neighborhood again next time.
5 - Elana O.: Best coffee surrounding rice's campus! Calm atmosphere with plenty of seating, small parking lot though
4 - Larry W.: Good place to hang.  Espresso is average, but the vibes is good. Usually some nice hipster chicks too. Good service is always consistent here. Me likey
1 - Alyssa B.: This place is a bummer. The coffee is great and vibe is cool, but the service is completely horrendous. 

Today, while hopping into the shop for a coffee, my boyfriend and I were literally screamed out of the place for parking in the wrong space. We had parked too close to one of the employees cars (totally our bad) and rather than acknowledging an apology, she decided to come outside screaming at us about how we were too close to her car (mind you, we were inside our parking lines). When we went inside to get a coffee anyway, she started yelling across the store in front of a shop full of customers and threw a complete temper tantrum. She then flicked us off. Horrid behavior for what I'm hoping was just a rotten employee and not the biz owner herself.

Fingers crossed that no one experiences this same level of unwelcoming hospitality, but I certainly will not be recommending this shop any time soon.
3 - Jennifer M.: Possibly deemed the name because it's in the middle of a random neighborhood. Parking can be hard during busy times. And so can seating, despite the fact that it's pretty big inside. I think they may have had Yao-Ming-sized people test out the chairs because the chair-to-table ratio (except for the big round tables) is somewhat off (i.e. seat height is very short, so it feels like you're reaching upwards. unless you have a long torso then ignore this). Service is all right, not the friendliest, but then again this is called the Black Hole? Cool art / decor though, I must say. Outdoor seating also available, but can get pretty hot. Coffee-wise, not too bad. Their iced soy vanilla lattes are my favorite. Also have pastries / snacks, but I haven't tried any. Their espresso drinks are pretty original and made with bold beans. Overall, I've experienced better comfort- and environment-wise. Coffee is pretty solid though.
5 - Caitlin B.: Great atmosphere and excellent homemade Italian soda syrup. I love coming here to do work!
4 - Josh T.: Four stars for the coffee hut itself.  The coffee, quiche, pastries, etc. are all good.  The employees are friendly and will typically go out of their way to accommodate.

The bummer here is the parking.  There have been two instances in recent weeks of people parking so close to my car that I can't get in on the driver's side -- and I try to make sure I park correctly.  On top of that, customers have been parking on both sides of Graustark, which makes it a bit difficult to get down the street if there's a lot of traffic.

Don't let that dissuade you from visiting the Black Hole -- but do be on the lookout for discourteous hipsters who can't park.
5 - Catherine C.: Visiting Houston from San Francisco, I was in charge of driving my nephew to baseball camp at Rice University for four days in a row.  Two of those days, I spent 45 minutes each way and was exhausted. 

On the third day I got smart and researched wi-fi cafes in the area. 

Black Hole is amazing, very hip post-mod, great coffee and decor.  The music choices are soothing and avant garde.  

I will be back again tomorrow to work and drink my French Pressed coffee.
2 - Wanjun Z.: so I keep coming back here because their coffee is fresh and delicious. But lately things have just been off. 

I can tolerate the never-smiling baristas, the horrendous/awkward screech "music", even whiffs of dirty hipsters as they walk by, but what I absolutely cannot stand is consistently shoddy wi-fi. My productivity depends on it. It's really pathetic but I'm useless without internet. and when I politely ask them to reset the router I get the "oh we already reset it a dozen times today, the weather! derp" response.

I mean I guess I'll come here when I really want to study without the distraction of the internet? -_-
1 - Dingir U.: What can I say? I was curious to check the place out after hearing it was owned by the owners of the great Poison Girl bar. Hipsters and douchebags sit in parking spaces and refuse to move to allow customers to park. The place smells like burned plastic and crayons upon walking in. The prices are inflated to almost double for the same items found at Poison Girl and Antidote. There are paintings of Lyndsey Lohan on the walls. And upon leaving the same hipsters and douchebags refuse to step far enough away from your car doors to allow entry to your own vehicle. Oh, and this is a management problem because the entire front of the building is glass so employees can see what's going on, they just do nothing about it. Good thing I've no desire to go back.
4 - Devon M.: So, I got off work a bit early today and decided to try Black Hole, since my plans to try it over the weekend fell through. I was excited to try the drinks, because I've heard from both Yelp and an acquaintance  that the coffee is good. However, I was a bit guarded when it came to the ambiance, because so many people have mentioned that it's very hipster, and I figure that most hipsters would see me as "lamestream" or something. 

Anyway, in the name of caffeine I decided to put away my pre-judgments about Black Hole and just try it. First, I noticed that while the parking lot isn't very good, it's definitely not the worst parking lot I've encountered in Houston. I just parked very, very cautiously. 

Then, I went inside. I ordered an iced coffee, and although the barista was not too friendly, he was at least polite, so that was already more than I was expecting after reading some of the other Yelp reviews. 

There were a good amount of options for what to put in my coffee. There was skim milk and half and half, and then a lot of different sweetener options to choose from. And my coffee was good. Nice and strong. 

Finally, I took the ambiance into account. Although the place was definitely dominated by hipsters, they were by no means intimidating. People pretty much kept to themselves. I also really enjoyed the decorations, and the seating arrangements. They had a lot of comfortable looking couches to sit on (the one I chose at least was comfortable), and then a bunch of tables and chairs if you needed to spread out some papers or plug in your laptop. Overall, it seemed like a good environment to either relax or get work done in. I didn't even mind the music too much; I wouldn't say I would actively seek it out and listen to it on my own, but it made for pleasant background music. 

Overall, I came to Black Hole expecting good coffee, but bad vibes. Luckily, my first expectation was right, and my second was wrong. I will be back when I need to get off campus, and to check out the other drinks and the food and see if they're good.
4 - Lynn L.: Great place to chill and have a coffee. I've always enjoyed the scones and if you can grab one of the cushioned chairs off to the side...you are a happy camper.
5 - Trey J.: Great atmosphere!

Awesome coffee!

Close to home!
1 - Amanda G.: If there were a possibility for no stars, I'd give it. I visited this place yesterday after hanging out at a few other spots. My friend and I just wanted to drink some water and read some reviews about the place before decided what to get. We sat down and the rude barrista came over asking if we wanted anything from the bar. After we said no thanks, she said "Well we don't usually just let people hang out unless they are paying customers..." and went on to be extremely rude. We were literally in that place 2 mins before she approached us. It totally killed our mood. Not only that but there was nobody looking around for an open spot because there were plenty available (guess they aren't THAT popular) and she made it sound like we were taking up someone elses space. REALLY? Then when I went to the front to buy a $1.75 topo chico (rip off) I asked if I could stay now that I purchased something and she totally got rude with me. Whatever happened to customer service?? 

At Black Hole, the customer ISN'T always right. I hope that barrista gets fired for her snoddy attitude and rude customer service. Apparently she doesn't care about the establishment enough.
4 - Jared R.: Great place to eat, meet and study.  Coffee is on par with most local coffee spots.  

Protip: Parking fills up quickly during peek hours so bike, walk or park on the street.
4 - Monica H.: I feel like I say this about a lot of places, but this place is growing on me. If I had written a Yelp review when I first came here, I would have given it fewer stars. I used to find it so crowded and unbearably hipster. Perhaps the crowd's fizzled down since BH first opened and perhaps I've been inured to the existence of hipsters, but this is turning into the perfect place for me to get caffeinated and get some work done. Drinks are cheap (all prices include tax), wifi's almost always reliable, and there's plenty of seating. It's also close to Rice/school, but far away enough to not attract a distinctive Rice crowd. Then again, they're probs not hipster enough to come here anyway.
3 - Miran K.: Like the coffee. Hate the overwhelmingly hipster vibe.
4 - Alicia F.: Great little coffee shop in Montrose that's a perfect place to get some studying done, reconnect with an old friend, or just sit and hipster-watch. The decor is flea-market cheap chic, and I'm pretty sure one of their couches came direct from my great-aunt's orange and avocado-colored sitting room.

I like to come here and settle in for the day... there's tons of coffee options (cajeta coffee? Yes, please) and tea for the non-java drinkers. With my books spread everywhere and a $3.25 bottomless cup of coffee in my hand, I can be quite productive thanks to the free wifi and chill tunes playing over the sound system. If you get hungry, they have an assortment of typical cafe fare (bagels, scones, cookies, cupcakes) as well as some more meal-esque options (goat cheese dip, mac and cheese) if you get there before they sell out. And the people-watching! The possibilities are endless here, as the American Apparel/thrift store crowd is in no short supply.

The only con is that the parking lot is pretty tiny, but there's street parking available in the surrounding neighborhoods. Don't park in front of the laundromat next door, either, because they will definitely tow or ticket you. jsyk.
5 - Gene L.: If I had to describe my ideal coffee shop, this would be it!

Great drinks, spacious seating, simple but elegant decor, reasonable prices, chill vibe, super friendly staff, plenty of plug sockets, fast wifi, and a laid-back crowd.  Food menu is decent too - much more than I'd expect from a coffee shop.  What more can you ask for??

This is the perfect place to grab a quick drink, study, surf the web, or just plop down on a couch and read.  If I lived close by, I'd be here all the time :)
2 - Solo D.: "Very cool place . I wish the coffee would've been as good. Not so lucky . Asked for cappuccino to go, so they took one that they had made in a ceramic coffee cup and just dumped it into a go cup . Tasted awful ."
4 - Alma V.: You ever wondered if there was a closer place than Antidote? Well, now they have opened a new cafe that is just as trendy but just a bit bigger. It's everything you want, a cafe you can get some great originals - try "Cortado," a combination of half espresso and half steamed milk - to wake up. 

Have extensive political convos in the front or newly revamped side patio. The chairs are made for sitting and there's ALWAYS someone to talk to or just enjoy a nice, calm early evening. 

Don't be worried that there are people studying; they're all doctors or medical students. In other words, talk as much as you want.
5 - Rohman R.: A love child of Great coffee and laid back atmosphere. Come here and come often.
4 - Melissa D.: I've been here twice since I moved into the neighborhood and if I was one to spend a of my income on buying coffee on my way to work, I'd be broke because this place makes a really good cup of joe and this morning my cappuccino was spot on. The orange and cranberry scone has rocked my world, today the chocolate pistachio scone my husband ordered was way too crumbly and dry for my taste, but he enjoyed it. My almond croissant was delish, but needed more almond paste filling in the center. We can walk there so I'm going to make it a point to go there on Saturday or Sundays when I don't have to go to work!
5 - Robert C.: Black Hole is probably my favorite and most-frequented coffee shop in Houston, and I've been to quite a few of them. I don't know how many times I've camped out at that bench along the wall for hours on end, running up an unreasonably high tab at the register.

Some of the coffee shops in town put out an outstanding product. Others are particularly comfortable and conducive to socialization or to work. Black Hole isn't superlative in any one category, but it's perhaps the most well-rounded of them all.

I'm a fan of the atmosphere here. The crowd skews young, and there's always a good mix of students trying to study and friends just catching up. Seating is almost always plentiful, with many tables, desks, and (admittedly somewhat saggy and vintage) couches. It's not the most comfortable place in the world, but I make do, and it's nice that outlets are easy to find and the free wireless is usually (but not always) fast enough for most purposes. There's also patio seating outside, but it's not particularly pleasant, since you end up just a few feet from the front bumpers of the cars in the parking lot. Take a look at the photos posted to Yelp to give you a general idea of what the space looks like; it's pretty similar to Antidote, in a lot of ways.

The drinks are generally passable, though there are certainly better options in town. To top it off, the quality and style of your espresso drink varies wildly depending on which barista you get. Still, there are plenty of other options, including a huge cooler of iced tea. (Free refills!) Food options are actually pretty good for a coffee shop, and the menu consists of things like cheese plates, the usual baked goods, and so on. Perhaps more importantly for some of us, there's a good selection of bottled beers, in addition to wines. A $2 Saint Arnold Amber Ale after a long afternoon of studying isn't a bad deal.

The parking lot out front is a tight and awkward squeeze, and a few spots are reserved for the laundromat next door. That's not a big deal, since street parking on Graustark and Castle is pretty easy.

Finally, the hours are great. They're open until midnight ever day.

Black Ink - Cambridge, MA (42.3735281, -71.1196772) (Harvard Square)
4 - Kelly N Z R.: Funky little store, terrific for gifts for the person who has everything, or the person whom you don't know at all but would like to get something fun. You can find many fun retro toys here, as well as European staples, like Rhodia note pads. 

The store is tiny, but they pack it all in (and rotate their stock somewhat). Spend hours here.
4 - Susan J.: This is an offbeat store with lots of whimsical and unusual gift ideas. Most of the items for sale are not terribly useful (plastic sushi, anyone?) but it is fun to browse.
5 - Alyssa C.: An excellent gift store. Great for fun gifts, or looking for something for the aparment that is offbeat. Original store on Beacon Street is even tinier.
4 - Sandra C.: Really cute store.  They're always changing their items so it doesn't get old.  I stop by pretty much every time I go to Harvard Square.  Usually it's just funny to browse and you find weird funny things like a handbook on competitive paper, rock, scissors or rubber bands in the shape of animals.   Nice for cute gifts.
3 - Jessica R.: Black Ink in Harvard Square is always packed with browsers drawn in by their interesting window displays. Black Ink is the kind of store that sells designer accessories and reproduction vintage accessories. Go there to shop for odd stuffed animals, asian themed decorations, humorous little books and pocketbooks, fancy desk accessories, blah blah blah. It's the type of place where you want to buy lots of things but you really have no use for them and you can't afford them anyways.
2 - Nick M.: This place is fun to look around, but not to buy.  There's not anything here that you can't do without, but you can buy peanut shaped erasers and flat folded sunglasses with that stationary.
4 - Ellie L.: My gifting philosophy:  Always give something someone would definitely want but never buy for himself.  Best way to illustrate my point--visit Black Ink.  From quirky postcards and giftwrap to well designed kitchen utensils and atypical city maps, this place makes buying a birthday gift a fun activity.
5 - Heather Q.: This is one of those funky little stores full of things you had no idea you needed until you see them.  And then you must by them.

Perfect for the shopaholic or those in need of retail therapy -- you won't find life's necessities here, just things to make life a little nicer.

It's great for gifts for people who have everything.  They have a lot of relatively inexpensive little do-dads, perfect for rounding out your holiday shopping list.  Also good for funky baby and kid gifts that stand out from the  Toys R Us and Target stuff every baby and kid gets.
4 - Andrew L.: Definitely a neat store, selling items from post cards to kitchenware. They have an awesome selection of extremely unique novelties. Located in Harvard Square it's right near the T. Whenever you're in the area check it out, just remember to bring the piggy bank.
4 - Esther L.: They have lots of quirky gifts here, as well as funky stationary. It is a lot like the Museum of Useful Things, which is down the street. I think they might even sell some of the same things. This is a good place to find knick knacks that are hard to find elsewhere.
3 - Anna S.: If you have a lot of money and are willing to spend it on useless items this is the place to go.  They do have really awesome gadgets and trinkets, but they all come at their own price.  Their own, very high, price.
4 - alejandro t.: This store is quite nice; in it you may find many little trinkets to play with. In the heart of Harvard square this place is filled with products, which for that most part are made in the USA.
5 - Noemie B.: I love this place! They regularly get new, random, weird, wonderful merchandise, and their window displays are always great. It's very fun...and where else are you going to find erasers shaped like sushi???
3 - Joe R.: A veritable chopsocky of eclectic goods.  Interesting stuff, but does anyone actually buy this stuff?
3 - Alexandra L.: The best place to go and spend money without even thinking - the best thing about it are the boxes of cards right up front which are usually blank on the inside and retro. 

They also have some great wrapping paper.
4 - Crystal K.: Whenever I go to Harvard I have to stop in here and check out the latest cute/cool/awesome things that Black Ink has. Their postcard selection is the best. I always end up with loads of paper when I leave there. It's an excellent place for unusual toys too. Great notebooks as well--I always find the coolest journals and notebooks here. I also love the super cutsie Japanese stationery that they always have.
4 - Lindsey M.: Cool little shop with modern/retro (I know it's an oxi moron) goods. The random yet useful contraptions you never thought you'd find. I dig it.
3 - Dorothy C.: I like their stuff, but the employee that was working the register had a serious attitude problem.  Accused me of stealing something I bought there during a previous visit - um, would a brand new thing have no tag, be slightly used, and filled up with my belongings?  no...  She didn't even apologize!  I guess they have a shop-lifting problem, but perhaps they would like to not accuse actual paying customers of theft next time.

On the other hand, they DO have Totoro plush dolls!  And useless things that are fun to look at.  I like their sister store (and staff) much better down the street, Museum of Useless Things (MUT).  Go there instead.  :)  The stuff is actual more useful and fun, and the staff very accomodating/nice/non-accusatory!
4 - Micaela L.: Black Ink is a great little store.  There are tons of gifts & knickknacks crammed into a small space that is always teeming with shoppers.  I especially like Black Ink's selection of quirky letterpress cards and stationery.  They have great housewares, books, and children's games as well.

For Bostonians, there's also a branch in Beacon Hill!
4 - reese w.: Wonderful store! A great mix of eclectic items ranging from Japanese stationery to giant rubber bands. 

They have a lot of things that you don't need, but suddenly feel the need to buy.
4 - Liz K.: Cool but pricey stuff. Stepping inside makes you feel like an instantly hip design expert. 

The greeting card island in the middle has amazingly beautiful, somewhat unique pieces. Little works of art to send to your loved ones in the mail. My favorite thing was the set of elk/deer antler cards. Just the various antler silhouettes stamped in yellow. But they were $20 for like, 6 cards, so I didn't buy them.

The sister store in Beacon Hill is exactly the same, if a tiny bit smaller than this already tiny store.
3 - Kathy K.: You know that money you got from nanna for good grades or you saved up for your big trip to the "city", this is a likely place to spend it.   First of all, I am an enthusiastic person in general, without be the cheer leader type.  If I find something that amuses me, I go with it.  A few years ago it was gnomes based on my childhood ownership of a book about them and the childhood thought they existed.  The outcome of my expression of this amusement is a small army of small figurines in gnome or gnome-like form.  Several are from Black Ink.

The staff is not friendly, the place is filled with people who will not buy (leading to the friendly staff issue), but overall it serves its purpose as a place you may find amusement or just nothing appealing.
3 - Patrick B.: I love the look of this place and its wares.  "Operation" (the goofy game for kooky doctors) note cards, the Nancy Drew Cookbook, an alligator head staple remover--really fun stuff.  So, you'd think the staff, surrounded with so much mirth & oddities, would be cheerful, or at least smile a bit, or even drop a hello or goodbye.  Having worked in retail forever ago, I have some theories.  1) The prices here are so expensive that it's kind of a browsing place.  I found tons of things I'd love to buy but never ever would at these prices.  2) It's the holidays, so almost everyone's pissed off.  3) There's wrapping paper on the wall behind the counter and people, like my friend, ask for it, so they have to reach up and roll out enough and, shit, I'm getting bored just writing about it.  Basically, having to do that would annoy me.  Still, one of the things I enjoy about shopping is the possibility of banter with the staff, not their externalized misery.

Actually, as an update, I went in a couple days later to buy my nephew a recorder ($14.95--not bad for an instrument and instruction manual) and the staff was smiling and talkative and it was a totally different, and much more fun, experience.
4 - Lynne D.: Black Ink is a great place to buy a birthday or housewarming gift. They have a large assortment of quirky, well-designed items and lots of fun doodads.
5 - eurie c.: my favorite purchase of all time was an eraser shaped like a peanut that i bought here. it had all the dimples/impressions of a real peanut. also bought keychains of a mini-level and a mini-tape measure. got a great roll of polka dot tape used to accent my duct tape wallet creations. also got my  handbook of hardware items here.

there are pricey items and gems for less than $10. it's the kind of place that really needs to be perused and dug through, which is virtually impossible during the holiday season. but if you have a free day it's worth the digging.
5 - Kirs P.: I love stores that carry stuff that only I want to buy.  Japanese stickers?  Check.  Large rubberbands shaped like cats?  Double Check.  Mah Jong tile key chain?  Triple Check. 

Black Ink is full of totally cool items perfect for last minute gift buying or for just treating yourself to something fun and unusual.   I could easily drop 100 bucks in this store on any given day.  It's dangerous.  

Only downside?  It's super tiny.  Too many people in there just browsing and in the way.  Especially bad in the summer during peak touristy times.
4 - Ligaya T.: As a veritable Mecca for tchotchke lovers, this cozy little store is naturally the perfect gift destination for acquaintances you like enough to get presents for or to please yourself with a random cute something to decorate the cube/dresser stand. It's stocked with a great selection of cards for all occasions, novelty items like Japanese stuffed toys and erasers of various adorable things, cool printed wrapping paper and other miscellaneous doodads no one needs but everyone appreciates.
5 - Sophia F.: I LOVE this store. It has the most adorable/fun/kitsch (in a good way) greeting cards. they have interesting mugs which i love and random games and utilities. I dont make it out often but its always a treat when I can. i stock up on cards and toys, theres something for everyone. great gifts.
5 - Beth M.: I really love Black Ink.  If you receive a birthday/thankyou/wedding/etc card from me, there is a 99% chance that it is from there.  

This small shop in HSq is full of delightful little things-- erasers shaped like sushi, delicate nature inspired glassware, interesting toys for kids, japanese dishware, lovely stationary, ever-changing wrapping paper sold by the sheet...It is the perfect place to buy a gift for a hard-to-buy-for friend because everything is super cute.  It is also a great place to buy a treat for yourself-- I got a gorgeous tiny Nilsson pitcher here (before they were at C&B) that i love love love.

The staff is super nice and it's always a lovely shopping experience at Black Ink.
5 - Andres M.: One of the main reasons to go to Harvard Square.  Cool toys, games and useless things you didn't know you needed but can't resist buying them.
They change their products very often. They have interesting and quirky foreign products.
5 - Rave M.: A great place to find gifts for all ages, ranging from babies to kids to adults. I've been known to covet many of the toys in the kids' section, and I practically have to be restrained not to buy one of each of everything... which I could never afford to do, considering the prices. Best not to go to Black Ink too close to lunch and rush hours, because it can get mobbed. It's the kind of store you'll want to spend time browsing in comfort.
5 - Tiffany D.: This is one of my favorite stores ever! You can find the cutest quirkiest stuff here, from toys to books to glasswares!!! It's fun to browse in every few weeks (or for me, every few days, I always go there for cards too) since they always have new things.
4 - A T.: This insanely cute store is chock full of kitschy items that you didn't know you needed until stepping in.  Along with journals, retro games and books, tea and barware, you can also find great educational gifts for kids--my favorite? They have the adventures of "Petit Nicholas" translated into English--I loved those books when I was younger (although in the English translation Nicholas is significantly less naughty...haha).

Great place for gifts and home decorating.
4 - Laura M.: This is a great little store with lots of unique products. They have a large number of gifts for kids/parents and pets (special dog shampoos?), but there's plenty of stuff for the grown-up humans as well. I stopped by yesterday to pick out a little birthday somethin' somethin' for a friend and was pleased to find lots of cute silly things as well as more upscale gifts, so I combined them and bought her a quirky set of washcloths packaged to look like a parfait and a bar of fancy Provencal soap. Great selection of cards, postcards, stationery and like like, too, including a wide variety of paper clips and rubber bands for some reason, not to mention Tintin themed Post-Its. It was so fun to shop there!
5 - Jenna B.: The cutest, most pleasant little gift shop!  I make sure to bring my family and friends here, when they visit me.
5 - Lolia S.: For those of you in SF, this place reminds me of Wishbone minus the clothing and heavier on the office supplies and office toys.  They carry stylish cards and gift wrap but also lots of little knick knacks that make great stocking stuffers or hostess gifts.  They carry Cram Cram products and I bet they have Thomas Paul melamine plates (okay, it's a guess - one that I can't check up on easily).  

I could spend an hour in here looking through the bins of letter sets and notebooks, not to mention the toys that would appeal to all ages.  Visiting their website, I found out that they also own the Museum of Useful Things.  The items in the store are functional but cute.  Example - I bought a plastic Hostess cupcake holder.  Useful?  Well, it could be useful but I wouldn't call it something that most people need.

I wish I had been there for the appearance of the Giant Pocky.  Is Giant Pocky useful?  Yes, but once again, it's whimsical at the same time.
5 - Nicole P.: I am a sucker for shops that sell lots of little, cool things- ok I'll say it, chotskies.  I admit it. However, Black Ink's chotskies are not the ceramic dolphins and tribal masks which cover every square inch of my mom's house- yeah it's pretty awful.  They actually have cool things at Black Ink- even if  a bit overpriced.

It's a great place for unique presents.  I got a friend a book that analyzes your handwriting and acts as a journal for example.  They have neat wallets, jewelry, mugs, sock monkeys, travel bags.... Def. a fun place to just look around if you are in Harvard Sq. with some time to kill.
5 - Devon M.: I love this place.  It's the mecca of cutesy, kinda expensive stuff that I don't really need, but sure is fun to buy as gifts, or to consider for myself if I am bored and have too much money.  Hmmm......what's on my unfrugal shopping list that I could buy here?  $28 dog shampoo?  Check!  Magic 8 Ball?  Check!  Lots of very specific and not really practical dishes?  CHECK!

They do have some handy stuff like good travel maps, sanitizing hand wipes, book, cards, and lots of great gifts like handmade (but expensive) jewelry.
5 - Kris L.: This place reminds me sooo much of the Bay area that I can't help but go in ALL the time to poke around.  I do buy a lot of things here.  I love their cards, wrapping paper, just cuz gifts and on.  It may appear that a lot of items here are "useless"  as some other reviewers have stated, but it's definatly worth checking out.  I've picked up a few things that are well utilized.  If you are an impulsive buyer, be cautious.  This place would be a danger zone.
Now that I ave discussed the content of the store a bit, the sales people are good.  Friendly and helpful but not overwhelming.  Generally the will leave you alone until you ask for help.
3 - Russ S.: Quirky little shops that sell novelty items can either suck really badly or be really awesome. 
There's a middle ground too, I guess, and Black Ink is sort of on the awesome side of that middle ground. Here's why:

* When you go in there, you feel like a little kid in a shop where the shelves reach the ceiling. This mixture of both nostalgia and creepiness even each other out

* a lot of the items are totally boneheaded and impractical, yet a lot of the items are really nifty. my memory sucks at retaining impractical boneheaded stuff (drinking games and doorstoppers and stuff), but some of the awesome stuff includes a papercraft skeleton, video game wrapping paper, and fashionable umbrellas that make you feel like you're in Animal Crossing (now available for the Nintendo Gamecube and DS)

* its cramped in there. 

* 

yeah, i ran out of talking points. I guess, after writing this, I'm a little on the fence about black ink. I probably could find sweet but pointless gifts there for about 30% of the people i would normally buy gifts for. And as a guy who sucks at buying gifts, that's a pretty good percentage.
4 - Allyson B.: Black Ink has a great, whimsical feel to it. I buy my quirky thinking-of-you cards here. If I had money to burn, I'd probably high-tail it here. Too bad I don't.
3 - Tom E.: The same people run the Museum Of Useful Things so I guess that makes this the Museum Of Useless Things.

It's a spot-on-assessment - a kind of arty, female, hip version of Brookstone. A shop to look for gifts when you have no clue, no ideas and enough money to justify not going on Etsy or making something yourself.

The store itself is beautiful and contains a lot of beautiful things that people will love to receive but probably will soon forget. Is that really a bad thing in our consumer society? Maybe. Don't be too much of a grinch though - it's a good place for expensive stocking-fillers and they have excellent cards and giftwrap.

Observation: the other Yelp reviews for here are pretty negative from guys, and pretty positive from girls. I guess we shop in different ways,
3 - Kathleen M.: I'm a huge fan of cool, useless crap. My house is full of it--from the Ikea stoplight to the Galileo thermometer to the lava lamp, almost every free surface is covered with something cool I found for myself or something someone else deemed I might like. With that, you might think that Black Ink was the perfect store for me, and so did I. I just went in there for about the 10th time today and realized that I have never actually found something I wanted to buy in here, for me or for someone else. I guess Black Ink's crap just misses the mark for me. I also find it hard to look at everything in here--they have stuff piled up to the ceiling and there are always so many people in the store that it is almost impossible to stand back and look up. If you're not 10 feet tall, you may have to bring a periscope if you want to check everything out. As for me, I think I'll stick to picking up my crap at Joie de Vivre and Abodeon.
3 - Dana B.: Everything in this store makes me wish that I had a use for these things. Most of the items, while fun to look at, don't serve much of a purpose and are fairly expensive. 

They do have the rare gem of gifts including a wonderbread sandwich container that I was able to pick up for a friend of mine who'd just had hers jacked from a former roommate. 

I never expected to find that anywhere let alone there. If you're looking for a gift for someone that is hard to shop for, I suggest checking this place out if you're at a total loss. They have great stationary, incense, dinnerwares, etc.
2 - Annie P.: Since I apparently think I matter... I don;t really find it necessary to have more than ten reviews for Black Ink. It's a visit worth for your first trip to Harvard Square. It's across the street from the Curious George Store. It has tall shelves of cutesy not so useful gifts. Whoop. Dee. Doo.

I can't find any other reason to really go in there ..well except for the best thing to ever have been created. The small mini photo travel book with pictures of every everday item possible.. so instead of learning the language.. you can instead point at your goal and go UHH UHH when you go to foreign lands. Also the gift wrapping patterns hanging behind the counter are worth the purchase.
4 - Leighann F.: This review is based solely on adorableness. Can you just review something for being adorable? 

::checks rule book::

There's nothing against, so I sticking to it!  This store is ADORABLE. Pretty much filled with neat knickknacks and cute little non-sense presents for people. I always go in here when I am in the square, but have yet to buy something!

Everything is neatly arranged, the staff is somewhat invisible and the prices (from what I have picked up) are not too pricey.
4 - cherie c.: 'unexpected necessities' is the perfect way to describe this place.  Before walking in, you never knew that you needed these things.  

But you do.  

Fun unique gifts.  It's not cheap, but some of the things are really useful.  Others, like the baby book about nesting dolls is unnecessary but a perfect gift for my pregnant cousin who loves nesting dolls.

The store is stylish and well-presented.  I found so many things that I need to go back to buy.
5 - Tez C.: Even though this place is pricey, it's sorta expected.  It's like an offshoot of a museum store like the MOMA.  The stuff is unique, unexpected, and great for buying gifts.  Stuff you find here you won't likely find anywhere else.  There are really nice greeting cards, a bunch of books, stationary, beautiful gift wrapping paper, and more.  It's fun to pop in, kill some time and look around when you're in Harvard Square.
3 - Charoline D.: I stumbled in here on a whim after a quick run to Chameleon and Lush. My car was parked like 10 blocks away on Hawthorne Street, and I was only now just coming back from my mental break. Anxiety attacks all around, one for you, and you, and you and YOU! Drinks a warm glass of milk, pops xanex.

For some reason, I thought they might sell cute cards or stationary here for Valentines Day. I wasn't planning on buying any, as I usually make my own and was really just looking for some inspiration. No cards in sight, although I did see a really cute animal shaped lunchbox, a cute book about tales of cherished stuffed animals, sushi kits, and lo! Little Japanese erasers! Perfect! I purchased one shaped as a slice of cake, 2 hamtarros, and one a chocolate frosted donut. Completely useless, but perfect for the goody bag I am preparing to craft. What goody bag is complete without erasers that just smear the graphite over the paper while they're little legs and heads dangle off at their joints? NONE!
4 - Meghan Q.: I love this place for its doo-dads and its card selection, which are just about the only items I can afford in the store. 

Tons of interesting, ironic, playful, and just all around creative cards for all occasions and even for the non-occasions in life. 

The doo-dad selection is great for putting together little care package type things or just finding the perfect little addition to a gift. The sister store, Museum of Useful Things found around the corner on Brattle, recently closed which is unfortunate because it was the perfect compliment to Black Ink's variety of fun but generally useless items... perhaps the stock will merge??
3 - Christopher R.: This store has some really neat stuff. Nothing you would buy for yourself really, but some great ideas for gifts.
3 - Bridget B.: I always want to like this store more than I do. In theory, it's great. Creative do-dads, last minute gift ideas, the fact you can store said last minute gift ideas into cans instead of boxes...but something falls short for me. I don't know if it's the overly self conscious cuteness of the store or the utterly apathetic staff, but while I do end up here whenever I am in Harvard (ok not every time I am in Harvard, but enough)  I leave feeling disappointed. I'm glad though, now that the Museum of Useless things in closed, that the two stores won't seem quite so overly redundant.
5 - Kim K.: Black Ink is a bit on the pricey side but it gets serious points in my book for being off beat, unique, and so gosh darn CUTE!  I love the little knick knacks. The cards are awesome too, very sweet. Black Ink is my go to place for stocking stuffers and WTF-Do-I-Get-This-Person-I-Only-Kinda-Know gift place.
5 - Heather M.: Be prepared to hold a tight grip on your wallet, lest you find yourself picking up every single thing that you clearly "need" and cannot live without.  The perfect combo of ironic, smart, kitch, useful, useless, japanimation, baby gear and grown up goodies.
The perfect place to come find a present when you're at an otherwise loss for inspiration.
4 - Frank L.: I could spend all day in this little store.  One word sums this place up: neat.  I guess most of there things are a little useless and overpriced.  There are so many nifty things on the shelves that I'm not even sure what some of them due, but I want them!  

There is one thing they have that really want to try one day.  They have a canner and for $5 they can place your gift or whatever you want in a can and seal it.  Interesting gift wrap and the opportunity to open a gift with a can opener.
4 - Blair H.: Why visit a museum when you can stop by at Black Ink?  It's full of things that you never knew existed.  It's just the place you want to be to get gifts for people you a) don't know enough about to get something useful or b) love so much you get them random gifts for no specific occasion.

I'm also convinced that there is some sort of Japanese influence to this store as being in their makes me feel like being a kid in Japan again.  Totoro and his blob-like friends are amongst the few random items that serve no purpose other than to make you feel fuzzy inside.  

Walk by and you'll be grabbed by their ever-changing window displays and floor to ceiling shelves displaying...who knows!
4 - Pamela Y.: Unexpected necessities? I might beg to differ. More like so completely and utterly useless. But who the hell cares, this stuff is awesome!

I absolutely adore random knick knacks, so this store totally tickled me pink. If I had a ton of money, I'd probably end up buying most of this crap. Most of the stuff they sell are pricey, cute crap you would have never thought to create in a million years. Their cards are unique and funny though, so definitely look through those. But much to my surprise, I did find something I saw online on some random blog over a year ago. 

Egg pants!! (www.lizkin.com)

I totally wasted $18 on a pair of freaking egg pants, I'm so ashamed. And now I have to buy brown eggs to wear the pants. 

I'm glad that there are apparently enough ridiculous people like me who easily get suckered into buying this stuff and keep the store alive.
5 - Jess L.: such a fun place for gifts, toys, and just the experience. so quirky! before i moved to cambridge, i'd always crave going to this store when i visited.
2 - Adrienne K.: Black Ink is an interesting store, I'll give it that... however the prices are retardedly high, and the Cooler-Than-Thou/Hipster vibe of the place is kind of off-putting. I've seen most of their products way cheaper online. After reading other reviews, I was definitely disappointed.
3 - Cleopatra P.: Black Ink is a tiny shop in Harvard Square that can best be described as an adult toy store of the non-dirty variety. There are all sorts of trinkets, baubles, knick-knacks and do-dads to be had here. Those willing and able to drop some cash will find a room full of options to relive their childhood memories or stock up on some nifty conversation pieces. 

For all of the cuteness and kitsch, however, I remain unimpressed and almost always leave empty-handed. The merchandise is just too damned expensive, and the store has an almost oppressively hip vibe. The general atmosphere at Black Ink also lacks a certain something--just about everything is interesting and visually appealing, but for some strange reason the parts don't add up to a compelling shopping experience. Amid the boxes of Tiddlywinks, kewpie dolls, children's books, $10 keychains, Japanese notebooks, and bored hipster salespeople, there's a weird lack of the warmth and playfulness that I would expect from a store that so obviously aspires to be eclectic and ironic.

I did get a really cute, old-fashioned sock monkey here for less than $20 last year though, which bumps my rating from a 2.5 to a 3.  On the whole, worth a gander if you're in Harvard Square and in no particular rush.
4 - Joiera C.: Great stuff but of course most of them are useless and not necessary they are just cute and fun to look at.  The prices are pretty high and some of the reviews are right you can find some of these items on line cheaper it's pretty stiff but the store looks great and visually good to look at.
4 - Josie G.: A birthday card with ramen noodles on it?

Gotta have it.

I mostly come in here for the cards; I'll pick up ten at a time.  They're hilarious, and I've never seen anything like it.  They're usually about the same price as cards you'd buy at CVS, so there's no excuse.

As for the rest of the shop, it's a little expensive for me, but it's a good place to get a fun gift for those Secret Santa parties, or a friend at the last minute.  The sales people are always friendly, not pushy.

A most-stop when I come to Harvard Square.
4 - Courtney H.: You know how, sometimes, you see something really cute and whimsical, and you think, "Oh my God, I don't need that at all, but it's so cute. Wait! I can get that for my friend!" This store is where you'll find that sort of item.

They have unique greeting cards, toys, kitchenware, and endless gadgets.  I just bought some pencils that smell like sugar cookies, and a bird whistle that warbles when filled with water.

The salespeople are comfortable with people just browsing, so don't feel pressured to get anything. Just go in and enjoy yourself.

I'm taking a star off because some of the stuff is wicked expensive.
1 - jorbi p.: I remember when this place opened in 2001.  I love odds-and-ends stores so I was excited... until I went inside.  Man, this place has nothing but very overpriced junk.  Want to give someone a Christmas present made by Chinese slave laborers that they'll look at for 4 seconds, giggle, then never use?  Shop here.
4 - rob c.: Ugh, the worst kind of place to go xmas shopping!  The kind of place filled with awesome stuff that you want, but you're not really sure how to justify buying it for friends and family.  Actually, i did buy something for someone, but i was tempted by much more.

i'll be back in February.
4 - Noah S.: A great place to find offbeat and otherwise unusual items.  You're going to find random things in here that you never thought you needed, but suddenly can't live without.

Plenty of small things that make great gifts and near the back, if you're into Asian cuisine, check out the cookbooks and cookware that are very Asian inspired.  

Another plus, is that this is the only store in Boston where I've found large Tintin cover posters at a reasonable price.  Who doesn't love that?
4 - ronald s.: I can't walk by here without stopping in. 

I rarely buy much here, but they always have SO much to look at. a great place for quirky gifts. love the letterpress cards. the cool design stuff. cool books. astronaut ice cream? omg!

sales people are always nice here, but sometimes if its crowded the customers can be pushy - this place is tiny.
3 - Dan G.: This store is really cute, I like the stuff they had, but the price were ridiculous. I saw this tiny little box, plastic, possibly empty? Seriously, it was smaller than a penny, and it was like $4, but for what?!

So anyways..my point is they have a lot of neat but way overpriced things here.
5 - Tommy P.: This place is a must-visit when in Cambridge. Location is great - right there when you come out of the Harvard square subway station. Tons of cute and fun knick-knacks, stationery, books, games and goodies. Plus I believe it's sort of a local place, even though they have a few locations.

Give yourself a $10 limit and try to find something...give up yet?

But seriously, the rotating Museum of Useful Things in the back of the store is worth checking out by itself. Got a fantastic cat-hair-removal brush last time and love it.

It does get really crowded sometimes, but if you've just been on the subway you're used to the smell of armpits anyway.

P.S. BEST selection of unique greeting cards anywhere.
4 - Tiff T.: I love going to Black Ink just to look at all of the unusual trinkets; their inventory is changed fairly frequently, and many of their items are Japanese.  The store has everything from children's toys to kitchen utensils and stationery.  Although I visit the store fairly often, I rarely buy anything, as everything is pretty outrageously overpriced.  It's definitely worth a trip, however, because just seeing what they have is a treat.
4 - Shan C.: I do love this store and love browsing the unique items. This store is for things you would like but don't really need, even though I spent almost $70 the last visit. Not that it is fair to take my anger for poor customer service out on this place and not that they are particularly mean, but I do notice asking them questions seems to be bit of a put off to them. And if you truly don't know what something is they give you a sort of quizzical "your dumb" look about them. But then again that seems to be the standard for most of the Boston area.
4 - Tawny A.: this store is fun to look at, but I couldn't figure out what to actually buy. It really is just neat looking STUFF and I don't need anymore junk around my place. Metal bins for magazines, magnetic paper clips, kitchen timers, etc. 

meh. I really wanted a lot, but just didn't need any of it.
4 - Haley T.: I could probably spend hours in here.

They have unusual and useful trinkets, kitchen items, handmade glassware and beautiful cards. I love the artistic spin, unusual, a little funky, but not cutesy.

It is a little expensive, however, as is pretty much everything in Harvard Square. I recommend stopping by this store if you're in the area and have some time to kill.
4 - Meg C.: This is so my kind of store. They sell pretty little things here, I think that's the best way to describe their stock. A good portion of their wears are Japanese, including the retro Bee House teapots I am now smitten with. 

I fell head over heels for an artichoke dog toy, so much so I almost bought it for the dog I don't have yet. I channeled my boyfriend and put it down, but filed a mental note. There were also cute bento boxes, giant pocky, salt boxes, handmade cards, and books on art and design. It makes me kind of glad I don't live nearby because I'd be tempted to buy everything.

Unfortunately, I had just spent a bunch at Cardullo's next door, so all I bought was a ping pong ball (for the cats) from the gumball-style machine.
5 - Brandy S.: This is such an awesome store. If I didn't have to travel on a plane I would have bought more. As it was, I bought over 10 gifts for people (and myself). Wonderful store!
4 - Sara M.: Best place ever for smart gifts and fun things for your apartment.  Very cool and well desined things

I was a little disappointed by the lack of service, especially since I was the only person there
4 - Nicole S.: I wish I could afford to give everyone their Christmas presents from this place. While not entirely too expensive I would just get sucked in and get half the store. I really enjoy the selection from this place. From vintage posters, lunch boxes, vases, jewelry, etc. 

This place is well composed. Simple shelving holds all the knick knacks. The dark selves fade away from all the colorful things they have to offer. The back of the store has a well lit glass case for vases, teapots, and bowls- seeing this from the street calls you in.

Stop by for something to add to place or be nice a spread the love to a friend.
3 - Kiki B.: good for random gift items.  on the other hand, it's the kind of stuff you look at and say, that's cute, but then giving it to someone is less a reflection of individual thought for them than getting a gift that shows that you're trying to be hip without having to look too hard.  which in a lot cases works just fine.
4 - Tracee D.: sometimes I feel like buying things a well traveled, learned, stylized, 8 year old would lust over. When you feel this way: go to black ink. 

Where else can my sister get a frog mug that reminds us of the mug with the ceramic frog glued to the bottom of it (a mug we would fight over at my grandma's house)? Where else can she also get a card that reads: 'hello friend' and nothing else? Where else can I obtain a huge deck of cards that I will never ever lose? There is also lots of other cool stuff to make you think for a blink of a minute- that a US shop can hold a candle to Japan.
4 - Pauline L.: Kawaii! It's like I stepped back into Shibuya to see all the cool and neat things that can be helpful, whimsical or just plain weird. 

The walls of interesting things can sometimes overwhelm a newbie, but everywhere you turn is something to catch your eye and just ponder over. 
The workers are really nice and they point out what new items are in the store for those in the know.

Unfortunately if you go here a lot, your expenses won't be in the black but in the red...so mind what you buy in here, cause the prices are a bit high.
5 - San Francisco Foodies M.: I love buying gifts from Black Ink, both for myself and my best friends.

I've purchased their beautiful flower and butterfly calendars- half off now :D

Spongy Stress Sweet Bun Toy

Mushroom Variety Poster

Japanese Phrase Book

I can keep myself entertained in this little shop for an entire hour :P
5 - Sarah C.: This is such a fun store.  I would come here if I needed a random party gift, quirky white elephant office gift or something unique for the person that has everything.  They have the most random things here.  I think its a cross between Chronicle Books/Urban Outfitters and MoMa store.
5 - Heather B.: Black Ink is full (literally, floor-to-ceiling) of things that you never knew existed, but once you've encountered them, you'll find yourself plotting exactly where in your house you want to put them, or which friends need them as gifts. 

Also, if you ever need an eraser in the shape of... well, anything... go to Black Ink.
4 - Kelly J.: They always have such cool and unique stuff in these stores!  Today I saw piggy banks where the pigs had wings.  So awesome!
3 - Samantha G.: Expensive, but unique and modern looking gifts are sold at Black Ink.  I'm a sucker for modern trinkets.  While I was in here, I had a feeling I could probably buy all of the items in the store online for cheaper, but I'm a impulse shopper so I ended up buying a "grass" desk organizer and a Black Ink tote bag.  It's a good store if you want to find some crazy, weird, and sometimes useless looking gifts for someone or for yourself.
4 - Amanda A.: Love this place! This is where I go when I need a gift for someone and I have no idea what to get them. I know I'll always find something here.

It's filled with all kinds of neat things. For example, I got my fiance a little eraser that's shaped like a peanut and a staple removed that looks like an alligator. He loved them.

They've got fabulous wrapping/craft paper. Beautiful ceramics. Neat toys. Weirdo tiny Japanese eraser sets. They've got it all. Go here and check it out.
5 - D C.: I love browsing this store. They have a wonderful collection of creative and unique gifts, cards, etc. Every time I go in there I leave with ideas.
5 - Michelle A.: This place is super cute, and if you like non-traditional items, this is the place to shop.  My husband and I both loved it (which is rare for us)... he got some little mini notebooks, and a clip that is made to attach a camera to any surface so you can shoot pics from interesting angles.  I got a sheet of wrapping paper I want to use on a wall, plus a family tree we are going to fill out and hang up.  Some of the stuff is little toys and other things they carry are more expensive and harder to find items, so it's a bit of a range...

If you are looking for something unique, wacky or just fun, for people of all ages and interests, this is the place to go.  I can't even describe it really except to say it's worth checking out.
5 - Tamar A.: Set the quirk factor to stun!

Seriously, this must be what the inside of Maggie Gyllenhaal's brain looks like.  Adorable walls of little expensive trinkets for the most random, obscure occupations in which man can indulge.  Little rubber babies?  Japanese Tupperware?   Set, the game?  Absurd minimalist greeting cards?  You got it all.  For $18, my red headed best guy friend will now own a tea mug emblazoned with "I [heart] [wee picture of Tin Tin]".

Also, I'm totally in love with their font.
4 - Leila C.: This place is a cross between Restoration Hardware and The Papery (maybe a little bit of Anthroplogie mixed in). Cute stationary, and lots of fun little gifty type things.
5 - cera s.: Love, love, love. This store has what it takes to get me to pull out my wallet in seconds. Well-designed, fun to browse, friendly helpful staff that doesn't hover, and an ever-changing supply of product.

The products. I've never been in here without buying something, finding the perfect gift for someone, and making mental notes on at least 5 things. All in one tiny little store on the same trip. The products are as well-designed as the store and are clearly carefully chosen and displayed. They vary from small, inexpensive, and thoughtful to minor splurges but are all perfect.
5 - Dana B.: Hooray for eclectic eco-friendly gift shops! Black Ink carries some of the most unique items I've ever seen, from kitchenware to stationery to other random, fun gifts.  Prices aren't so bad either, and on a campus like Harvard's, it's sure to delight anyone from students to their parents to tourists like myself.
1 - Lauren M.: Bought 2 Box Appetit's and they lasted about 5 days, serious design flaws.  I figured, hey I'm a regularcustomer so I'll ask the good folks at Harvard Square if I can return or exchange the defective products.  Nope, not their faults, they just sell the stuff...brillant customer service!
5 - R G.: awesome little store.  it's a fun place to spend some time browsing, but I always have to try hard not to buy something and often fail.  they have a really eclectic selection of items: I've bought puzzles, dog toys, shopping bags, books, greeting cards, whozits, whatzis, thingamabobs...  the list goes on.  you can find a gift for just about anyone here.  in fact, if you can't find a gift for somebody, they're probably not a person you really want to know.
5 - Katie M.: OK. You don't need anything in this shop. Really, like, anything. But you will find something you want, and you will be able to convince yourself that you need it. Or that someone you know will need it, or that maybe it'd make a good Christmas gift for next year. AND THAT IS OKAY. Sometimes, it's a good thing to embrace the eclectic periphery of capitalist culture and buy that packing tape with the NYC Subway system on it. Also, there are things that only cost a dollar, and what's $1? That's like nothing, right, so you might as well buy it! Who cares if you don't need a tiny little metal box with a sliding top. It's awesome and it is ONE DOLLAR. 

Just be careful when you start eyeing those $20 Tin-Tin mugs or something. Buying things you don't need is what Black Ink is here for, and I love it.
5 - Mikhail H.: This is easily one of my favorite stores and you will find something you did not even know that you needed in here!  Perfect place to go for those hard to shop for people.  The price range is fantastic as well with most items being pretty dang affordable.  This is not a store I suggest rushing through because every shelf is such a visual experience...take your time.
5 - Claire Y.: Black Ink was BY FAR the best place I spent my money in Boston. Well, technically Cambridge. I didn't know where to look first; the Tintin (!!!) display, the letterpress stationary or the tiny soup spoons? Wrapping paper or tea sets? Flavored salts or dog toys? I walked out with stationary, of course, but not before reluctantly setting down about seven other things.

Oh and I just discovered their website will ship me all those things to my humble collegiate abode. So I'll never have to set down those seven (Or twelve. Or thirty.) other things again.
3 - Alli C.: This store was adorable. 
I don't really understand the practicality of most of the things they sold, mostly novelty items, but it was really fun to walk around and imagine having some of these things.
4 - Cassandra R.: They sell space ice cream, nuff said.  Seriously though, this place is chock full of cute crap that you don't need and the sales people try to be helpful and friendly.
5 - Christine L.: Great, UNIQUE, quirky store!

I go in for the unique greeting cards and the small toys and trinkets that they have. The cards are really great and there are really funny ones as well for very inexpensive prices (same or less as Papyrus cards). I think they import alot of stuff from Japan, so its a big higher priced because of the international shipping costs I'm going to assume.
.
I've only ever bought cards there and an NPR map (shows a map of the us and what npr stations there are in what cities). but they have some great things to walk around and look. Great shop!
4 - Kacie M.: Black Ink is one of the stores I always check out when I'm in Harvard Square. They have a lot of unusual gadgets and gizmos that would make good presents, but my favorite part of the store is the greeting cards. They have a great selection and it's much quirkier and funnier than what you might find at Papyrus across the street. And they're actually funny, not that "It's your birthday so go buy shoes because you're a woman and that's what you like to do. Ha Ha!" kind of funny, like a lot of greeting cards. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area!
3 - Lisa K.: I remember when these types of stores started popping up 5-10 years ago - everything in them was super-unique, hard-to-find, and guaranteed to be an awesome gift. Once they became more common, the contents became less unique, and now they're everywhere. Black Ink is a fine example of this type of store. I particularly liked the postcards for $1 each and various greeting cards.
5 - Jessica F.: Discovered this store about a month ago and am completely crazy about it.  It's full of knick knacks, stationary, toys from yesteryear, books, and everything you never knew you needed.  But do.  Perfect gift store.
A wallet-sized survival tool?  Check.  Astronaut Ice Cream?  Of course!  Four-way rubberbands, oversized paperclips, slinkys, puzzle toys, parachute men, the list goes on.

Also, the sales clerks are always willing to explain the significance of anything (giant fish soap?), very nice people.
4 - Marissa P.: I really like walking around this store.  Every time I step inside, it seems like they have a bunch of new items that always amaze.  I bought a really cute yet practical bento box set here so I don't have to keep taking my lunch in a plastic bag to work.  I've also bought some really durable rubber bands here made for files - when I have a bunch of documents I need together they come in super handy!  A lot of items imported from Japan that are hard to find elsewhere and always tons of cute silly things that you really don't need.  I'd say 75% of the store is made up of silly expensive things like paper clips that are shaped like pigs.  ADORABLE and I wanted them, but for $8.50, no thank you.  They do have some things that are actually useful: ceramics like tea cups and sake sets, plus gorgeous origami paper if that's what you're into!  Great coffee table books.  Beautiful paper and notebooks.  Check it out!
3 - Eric F.: Neat little Japanese-themed store full of random gifts and stationary.  The selection of cards was limited though and the arrangement was annoying as I had to flip through them rather than having different cards laid out like every other greeting card shop does...
3 - Logan J.: this place is a fun little shop to go into, but i dont think ive ever bought anything from here.  its a little expensive, especially when you can get most of the things online for a fraction of the cost.  it has great gift ideas though and a lot of really fun asian and asian-inspired things to look at.
5 - Kelly D.: Black Ink is unique, and has anything and EVERYTHING you could want or need. Some stuff is from here in the U.S., and the rest is European. I can spend an hour in there easily, looking through all the greeting cards and the soaps from Europe! Susan and the girls have THE BEST WINDOW DISPLAYS IN HARVARD SQUARE, and it's fun just walking by at night and seeing the different window displays :-)!
4 - Jason U.: Great place to kill time. Tons of knock-knack. Awesome place.
4 - Kimberly T.: Looking for kitchy and cheeky items for that quirky friend (aka me)? Then this is your place. Having spent my fair share of time wandering the ins and outs of Harvard Square, Black Ink is a great stop along my route. 

A relatively small, at times packed store, you can find everything from those small tiny bouncy balls with little things inside them you used to have as a kid to cookbooks to kitchen magnets to over-sized paper clips (of which I have several). 

Cool wrapping paper, awesome postcards, foldable cutting boards, TinTin posters. This place has it all. Put that all in a basket and get rung up at the register and it can put quite a dent in your wallet, but you'll definitely have great items to add to your boring pile of knickknacks at home.
5 - Aubri L.: In this itty bitty shop you will be overwhlemed with the awesome randomness that somehow smoothly flows from one shelf to the next. Perfect place for buying gifts for the person who has everything, the crafter, the oddball, the foodie, the garden-lover... litterally, you will find something for everyone in here. Don't forget about something for yourself! (Guess who found a mini-schnauzer cut-out 2012 desk calendar?!)
5 - Cassy H.: As an almost connoisseur letter writer and pen pal to my friends and families, Black Ink is definitely one of my favorite places to go to purchase unique greeting cards and postcards (more eclectic than Paper Source and Papyrus, I'd say). However, buyers, be aware... these cards and stationery aren't cheap, but if you are really into letter writing like me, you would think it's worth it. :o)

In addition to selling cards and stationery, the store is your one of a kind gift store... it's filled with unique gifts that your special someone who definitely appreciate... some of these items include, but are definitely not limited to: cups, mugs, Hobo brand wallets/clutches, kitchen gadgets, and more.
3 - Lauren E.: Cute place to get a gift for someone who already has "everything."

They also have a creative selection of humorous nicknacks. But as I overheard a fellow customer this weekend say, "It's kind of a lot to spend on a gag gift."

If you're willing to drop twenty-bucks to get a present for the sake of giving a gift, this is a nice place to look.

Really busy on a weekend evening, but still worth stopping in.
2 - Aaron K.: Don't believe the hype.  Sure it's worth 10 minutes of your time but this store is not life changing.  I've tried to find a gift here on a few different occasions but always come up empty handed.  Anything that looks cool is super expensive (minus a few little neat things).  Can the students of Harvard Sq. actually afford anything here?  You really need a professor's salary to buy stuff here, sadly.  

Many people look around this store, but I don't see many people buy something. That tells you all you need to know.
5 - Chris C.: One of the best things about Boston. This store has a great range of fun gifts, cards, and most importantly Tintin items!

Uniquely Boston, utterly fun!!!
5 - Barbara A.: I love this store and I can not believe it has taken me this long to write a review. If I need an useful item, I come here and find it and usually cheaper (glaring at you Urban Renewals).  We recently had our house painted and the painters did not put back "Coke" bottle opener we had on the wall of our deck (glaring at you painters). I went to BI and they had one - not a "Coke" one, but just as good.  When I visited Urban Renewals afterward, they had the exact same one but it was 5 dollars more.  
I have a friend from Japan and I gave her a gift of incense/holder fro BI.  She was so thrilled because the incense was her favorite from Japan and she could not find it anywhere in the Boston area.  I have also a dozen of these scents myself and I hope they never stop selling it.
I could go on, but that is just a sample of "stuff" I have found here.
4 - Frannie Z.: Another spot for odd, notable or exotic gift items. They have some useful items such as umbrellas and some not quite everyday products as well. Just shopping here is an experience. So if you've got a few minutes to spare, pop on in. Maybe you'll find something for that hard to shop for person in your life.
4 - Jessica H.: This place is adorable. It screams "shop at me I'm a local Harvard Sq business!"  
The people that work there are friendly, the items to buy are awesome, and it's just flat out cute.  I have purchased a few things over the years, but mostly I just go there to see what they have.  It's a little pricey but the items will make good long-treasured gifts.  They also have amazing paper to wrap your gift in should you choose to be that  generous.  Lots of handy kitchen accessories + other random Asian (dolls, gimmicks, etc.) that you didn't know you needed until you saw it (like the little pink and blue unicorn I bought the other day.)

The staff seem pretty swamped behind the register when there are a lot of customers, so if you have a question it's best to just come up to the register and not wait for someone to come up and help you (it might not happen).  It can get crowded on weekend afternoons when everyone's shopping.

Loving all those vegan and vegetarian cookbooks in there these days too!
5 - Sadalit V.: Seriously good selection of unique funky high-quality items.  I nailed a bunch of Valentine's Day and Spring-birthday gifts all in one shot, for age range infant to middle age, both male and female.  For the price-conscious, there are many items under $10.  Great experience and I would definitely go back the next time I need an interesting gift for pretty much anyone I know.
4 - Miguel P.: Whenever I'm in Boston, I make it a point to visit Black Ink. I mean that as in I don't leave Boston until I've been there. Black ink is, in my opinion, for stationery lovers. They have all sorts of nice pens and unique office supplies, novelty mugs and lunch boxes. My item of choice here are the Green 100% and APICA notebooks from Japan. They're the only store I've ever found that has an abundance regularly available at a reasonable price. Pick one up when you go. Any other notebook will pale in comparison. Really though.
5 - Andrea B.: If I had my own store, it would be kind of like this; filled with fun little trinkets that no one needs but has to buy anyway, with fun music playing and nice employees. 

Except my store would have a lot of glitter and ponies. 

Anyway, Black Ink is pretty awesome. Shop here for that person who has everything but insists on still getting gifts; you'll be sure to find something fun here. 

I will say some of their gifts are a tad expensive. Like...$4 for a small pack of stickers? What? I didn't realize how much they were until I looked at my receipt the next day. That's a little cray cray. 

I wanted this awesome Tintin bag but since I was traveling I didn't want to lug it on the plane ride home. Ah well, I still got an awesome mail filer and pencil holder for my desk at work. Yippee!
5 - Tim F.: Cool and kitchy.

If you are a looking for a gift  for that special someone who goes to the beat of his own his/her own drum, this would be a perfect place to shop.  Also, plenty for Japanophile's as well.

Prices are moderate to expensive.  The place gets kinda swamped, so it seems you are on your own when it comes to customer service.  However, checkout was pretty quick and friendly.
4 - Jade R.: This place is nifty!

Really cool things in here that I have never heard of/seen before. Pretty fun to just roam around and check everything out. Also, decently priced. I was interested in a set of cup measurements and double checked on amazon to see how much I could REALLY get it for, and lo and behold, it was about the same price! me likeeey.
2 - K C.: If you like random collection of unnecessary things, sure! If you want to give someone an unique gift, do yourself and them a favor, avoid a polite hoarding situation, go to your local crafters, or art consignment stores and get them something handmade and custom. 
A bunch of plastic, no-use items! AND rude customer service, seriously??
5 - Suki K.: one of the most adorable stationary shops I've ever been to!
and i've been to japan lol. 
the interior is really creative and cute, kinda makes you feel like a kid again. 
the price IS  a biiiiit overboard in my taste, but considering a lot of its not from america it makes sense. 
I am definitely coming here during xmas shopping :)

Black Lotus Tattoo Studios - Providence, RI (41.8195306, -71.3976856) (Fox Point)
2 - Zel O.: I've had a tattoo done and touched up here, and had a piercing done here. Every time I've had a subpar experience.

My original tattoo artist was Tate, and I got the impression that he was new to the practice. That would've been fine, despite the fact the work ended up a little shaky and not dark enough, if the touch-up had gone well. I didn't catch that artist's name,  but she said that she'd go over the whole thing to darken it and simply didn't. Now it's darker in some places than others, and one line is actually more crooked than before. I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and go to Providence Tattoo on Angell to correct the work.

I've also had a piercing done, and wavered on the exact placement. My piercer seemed so annoyed after five minutes that I just picked a place, and now wish I hadn't been so rash. I really believe that with tattoos and piercings customers should never be rushed or pressured, and that just wasn't the case here. I've had a much better experience with Rockstar on Thayer, if you're looking for an alternative in the area.

On the bright side, every thing here was very clean and both the tattoo artists were quite friendly.
1 - Rita g.: simple tattoos here are very expensive. also i have a feeling they throw their interns into the mix without enough practice. you shouldn't have to pay out the nose to get a tattooed by an intern.

Black Lotus Yoga - Cambridge, MA (42.3607925, -71.1020999) (Central Square)
5 - JJ G.: As soon as I walked into Black Lotus I felt happy- and that was surprising, because it was a rainy, gray day and my mood was pretty gray too!  
The space is not huge, but what they have done with it is incredible.  The walls have been covered with treated cork to create a soft, curved feeling that blends right into the floor, and the potentially harsh overhead lighting has been draped with long pieces of white paper to soften and diffuse it.  The result is welcoming, and peaceful- just what you would hope for in a yoga studio.
I have to admit, I went in to get information and a schedule, but I came out with a ten class card and I can't wait to go to my first class with Dave, the very nice owner/instructor.  
I'll post photos and a more thorough review after I feel more qualified to do so, but I wanted to get them up and into the Yelp system a.s.a.p., because I truly think this studio is a little gem.  I'm very excited to have found it practically at my back door!
5 - Bevin C.: I'm thrilled to have found this yoga studio.  The studio itself is lovely.  The daytime classes offer a great balance of challenge and relaxation, with clear and helpful instruction from Dave.  The PranaVayu class on Friday evening is a treat, perfect for kicking off the weekend.  Highly recommended.
4 - Allison R.: I've kinda been cheating on O2 Yoga as I've been shopping around. 
I wasn't looking to replace my yoga studio, but needed a second go-to stop to complement it. 

Enter Black Lotus Yoga. I've been driving past it for months and have checked the schedule countless times, and finally dropped in to try it out. Drop ins (for almost all classes) are $12, and classes range from 60, 75, and 90 minutes. The class card and membership prices are a great deal as well. Mats, blocks, blankets, and tiny glasses of water are all free.

It's a tiny studio with mirrors along the side wall, so you (slash, I) can check your (aka my) form and see how ridiculous or awesome you actually look.

I've tried a 60 minute vinayasa class (pretty light and easy), a 60-minute haru class (similarly light and relaxing), and a 90-minute level two vinayasa class (sweat galore and what was I thinking, I can't do a handstand!), each with a different instructor. All were welcoming (one even helped me out with quarters for my parking meter!) and not too preachy in their styles of teaching. 

All-in-all, I dig the prana here, and also appreciate the strategic class times; you can do a quick and dirty sixty minute class at noon, which is awesome for me on a day off when I want to knock off my workout early, and there are some conventional evening-hour classes as well.

Thanks for being welcoming and accessible, Black Lotus!
I'll be back....sometimes :)
4 - Crystal G.: I have been to every yoga studio in Cambridge and Somerville, with the exception of those that only offer the "hot variety", and can therefore say Black Lotus is the best. Their instructors are the most genuine and helpful, their prices reasonable, and their schedule pretty convienent for such a small studio. The only drawback is location, it's out of the way for anyone who doesn't work at one of the neighboring tech/ pharm. companies.

Black Lotus- please get a better location! But if you are going to pay the $12-15 dollars yoga classes in Boston cost, this is where you want to go, even if you have to venture out of your way.
3 - Kate H.: I've been to the this place twice, and I really like it.  Very friendly, relaxed vibe, great variety of classes, and the two instructors that I've met are great.  The classes that I've been to (power yoga & haru) are demanding but also really relaxing, so that you walk out the door with the good sore post-workout feeling, but also feeling really happy & relaxed.  I will definitely be coming back.
4 - Trevor B.: This is a cozy little studio just a few blocks off Mass Ave, near MIT. I went to 5 classes when they did a Groupon deal. They were good, though not mind-blowing. Good workouts with only minimal New Agey filler. The instructors were friendly and helpful. Also, while the space is quite small, a lot of attention went into the details--the soft lighting (translucent paper covers both the ceiling lights and the windows), the cubbies in the back (the door is locked during classes, so no worries about your stuff disappearing), the mirror at the front (useful!).

In sum, Black Lotus was uniformly pleasant, and I'll certainly consider coming back. In my opinion, the best yoga in town (well, in Cambridge/Somerville) is still Theresa Paraskos (née Briggs) at Bow Street Yoga in Union Square.

Black Pearl - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2794189, -83.7485858) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - kat k.: what a great addition to the main st! finally a decent place to enjoy the finest from the oceans!  if it's arisin', we may as well enjoy what the deep sea has to offer.  

after teasing us w/ it's long-awaited opening all summer long, it proves to arouse your palate w/ creative cuisine & leaves me wanting more.  

as a gracious guest of the friends/family night, i was in utter bliss over the sushi-grade sesame encrusted tuna! some may say it's under-seasoned, but i would say it's best enjoyed by letting the delicate flesh stand alone & speak for itself.  the coconut shrimp appetizer uses noticeably fresh coconut & ladies... the size was impressive.  =)

the ann arbor cosmo was a fantastic twist on a SATC staple.  the patron really rounds out a full almost tart flavor, making it my favorite on the list.  

now, for the decor...  it's dark & luxurious but surprisingly less pretentious than one might guess.  the polynesian/carribean fan, w/out question, makes the space for me.  it may not create a huge breeze, but it's aesthetically pleasing & adds a relaxed ambiance.  

i am excited to see what the black pearl has to offer in the future.  the energy seems different than any other place downtown.
3 - Peter W.: First of all, if an establishment is going to bill itself as a martini bar, it should have at least one gin martini on the menu. The Black Pearl has none, though the staff will bring you a variety of beverages in a martini glass. It is also packed full of people I don't want to hang out with, somehow bringing the surrealistically superficial atmosphere of a Miami Beach dance club to downtown Ann Arbor. And when they brought me my oyster appetizer, they brought no utensil for the condiments. Now you know the bad news.

The good news is that the food is pretty good! The oysters I had as an appetizer were fresh, cold, delicious, and well-shucked. The gin martini I ordered was very well made. And the fish tacos I ordered were great, with perfectly fried tilapia, nicely-seasoned and a great sauce. Delicious.

If the prices stay as reasonable as they are now, I might be back occasionally, but not without some mixed feelings.

(Another strange note is that when we asked for vinegar for the Fish & Chips they brought balsamic vinegar, which was strange to say the least.)

P.S. A lot of people have mentioned that the wait staff is cute/hot/friendly/good. If you confuse these concepts, this is probably an excellent restaurant for you to go to.
3 - Tony C.: I'm going to lump Black Pearl in the same bucket as the bucket I put Rush Street into except for one large exception:  Rush Street has good drinks, but poor food while Black Pearl is the other way around.  Explanation follows:

Decor:  They definitely went to the shi-shi end of the spectrum, but I wouldn't say it all matches.  It's dark in there, probably going for the dark, romantic feel, but what's up with the sideways leaf fans rotating on a pipe?  I really just don't get what they were trying to do.  Nonetheless, I guess I could ignore the tacky decor.  It's almost like they tried too hard.

Service:  The service was pretty good.  We had a waitress who ended up being quite friendly.  My friend who is a total flirt engaged her in some light banter with which she played along.

Food:  The food was also pretty good.  In comparison to the other restaurants on Main Street, I'd say way better than Real Seafood (although I hate the seafood there so that's not saying much), but not quite as good as Melange, but still better than Rush Street.  A friend of mine had the sea bass, which I was told was quite good.  I had a creamy pasta dish which ended up being quite good as well.  All in all, the food seemed to be of high quality, but given I ate there just a few days ago and cannot remember exactly what I had, I would say that the food there isn't horribly memorable.  That's not a great sign of great food.

Drinks:  This was the saddest part of the entire experience.  They want to be a martini bar, yet their martinis and mixed drinks were watered down and pretty disappointing from a taste perspective.  They weren't cheap either, which is why I'm thinking that it'd take a normal person 3-4 drinks to feel much of anything, or if you're hanging out with alkies like I do, it'd probably take $200 before some of my bigger drinking friends to get their drink on.

All in all, eh...will I go there again...yeah.  Would I tell people to go there?  Yeah, but it'd be more like a "yeah..if you're tired of Melange and Rush Street, then check it out" rather than a "you got to check this place out" type comment.
2 - Lenny K.: Well, it was WAY too crowded when we went and as another reviewer noted "with people I didn't really want to be around" I can see the South Beach/Miami reference except without the Cubans.

Drinks were OK but nothing special, and the food was OK, but I guess I'm biased about seafood being from New Orleans. I think I was too distracted by other things


OK, the absolutely WORST thing though, was the music, the decor while not cohesive wasn't nausea-inducing, and modern and stark, but the music never fits with the clientele, decor, food or drinks! Classic rock? Ugh. Live ROCK -- double UGH -- not here people!

I'd give anything for an authentic tapas bar in town! With appropriate music -- so many restaurants can't seem to figure out that the floor manager's hankering for classic hair bands does NOT make for a good dining experience.

The service was passable UNTIL our server sat down next to us and started snuggling his g/f in the booth! Ick -- I might give it another shot after the 'appall' has passed...
4 - Chris S.: I like this place. It's similar to Vinology but the food is better and the staff nicer. The three things that really won me over are the whirling fans above the bar, the outstanding (really--it caught me off guard) sesame encrusted tuna, and the super cute/friendly bartender. They serve a Magic Hat beer, which is pretty good, but they'd benefit from a finer selection of Michigan's microbrews.
3 - Sam S.: The evening began watching the vice presidential debates. Viewing this monstrosity, I came to two conclusions: (a) we're fucked, and (b) winking is, in many respects, similar to a powerful talisman.

At the bar, I turn to the girl ordering to my left. I wink, "Hey, I'm Joe Sixpack." She stares in disbelief for a moment, then breaks out laughing, "Hahah, can I buy you a drink?" Yes. She tells me she's a recovering Jehovah's Witness and that I should get a perm.

I make eyes with a girl across the bar. I wink, she comes closer. I wink again. She comes closer still. I wink thrice. She laughs, "What's your name? Want to do some shots?" Well, twist my arm and fuck me, oh yes. I complement some other girl on her purty hair and I am rewarded with a shot and a beer.

At some point later in the evening, some kind of crustacean dish is placed in front of me. I ask the table, "Hey, is this vegetarian?" while simultaneously stuffing my face. I'm not exactly sure how the rest of the night went, but I remember thinking I was Jesus. I woke up with no hangover.

In all, I had fun here. There was undoubtedly douchebaggery, the music did suck ass, and, for some reason, all the women wanted to talk about was Santa Barbara and fake tits (presumably, their own). Though, the whirling fan is awesome!

An unquestionably useless review, utterly devoid of any real value.
2 - Theresa F.: Bleh.

Now, I must preface this review with the fact that we only had drinks, not dinner, and we were only here for about an hour.

A friend of ours wanted to go there for drinks on her birthday, so she called and asked if they could handle a group of 20.  They said no problem.  When we got there, however, they were completely unprepared and had to scramble to put something together, making our friend feel really bad for the rest of us.  But, nonetheless, they did put something together for us, which allots for the two stars instead of one.

So...the drinks were overpriced (though not bad tasting) and the atmosphere is not that great, so we will likely not be going back to this trying-to-be-trendy oh-so-flashy new place.   If I want somewhere a little different than our normal ABC or Grizzly beer night, I'll head to Goodnight Gracie's.
4 - Grace S.: I went there once to grab a dinner and a drink with a friend and I love it!

It is a chilled place where you can comfortably sit down on a bar table and talk freely to the person next to you. The lights are pretty dim so that may help you talk a little bit more than usual. (haha) Although they feature a martini bar, it is surprising that they have pretty good food, too. I ordered a sesame tuna and the rawness was just right.  It is served in a small portion which is perfect for a person looking for a lean diet. (ya.. especially it is just fish.) Also, it is not pricy, comparing to other restaurants on the main street.

Perfect place to chill on the weekend. Too bad that I can't drink at all.
3 - Tyler B.: Ended up here for Friday happy hour after Rush Street failed to have their act together and their outside seating was no where to be found. In this regard, the Pearl came through in spades - plenty of outdoor seating, even when our party ballooned to nine people at its peak.  We still had good service even when someone was ordering drinks every time our server walked by our table, so kudos on keeping the liquor flowing.

The biggest problem was that there was no discernible happy hour pricing. There may have been one, but my bottle(s) of Oberon were  still $5.  That doesn't make me very happy.  I know its a martini place, but its summer, cut me a break.  It would have earned you an extra star.

As for the food, we had three different appetizers that were plenty  tasty. I'm no expert, but when I get interesting apps that I enjoy I still know how to say yum. I can see this place as being worth a stop - especially if you're a downtown scenester, but for us drunks on a budget, we can do much better.
2 - Jill E.: Downtown Ann Arbor on one of the first nice Friday nights of spring is a wonderful thing.  All restaurants were busy, Black Pearl was a magnet for anyone wanting to sit outdoors.  

The service was fast and friendly.  The atmosphere was good.  Decorated in all black, very sophisticated with a good vibe.  The food, I really thought was pricey for the offerings.  The Pommes Frites aka "french fries" truly could have been from Ore Ida which might be fine in some places but here!  Ordered only because it was one of the only vegetarian options on the menu.  My husband was happy with his pasta but again, pricey.  I had the fish and chips, fish was fresh but nothing exceptional.

I would return if the Black Pearl offered a happy hour with good drink prices but otherwise, will go elsewhere.
3 - Chelsea M.: I went here late on a Friday night for dinner.  The food was excellent!  I had the Pasta Gone Bayou and my friend had the fish tacos.  The service was pretty good but overall, as enjoyable as the experience was, it was a little over priced.  I'll go back but I'm not in a hurry.  If you go I'm sure you'll enjoy the food.
2 - Meg F.: Their food is their one good quality. Their drinks leave something to be desired. I have been here twice - once to try it, and once with some friends who wanted to try it. 

The first time:
Service was slow. My drink seemed to be lacking in the alcohol department, which shouldn't even be a thing at a martini bar. I ordered fish and chips, which were tasty. But when I asked for vinegar, the waitress brought me balsamic vinegar....

Second time:
Possibly the worst dining experience I've had. When we got a table, the hostess forgot to tell our waitress for 10 minutes. Then we were assigned another waitress because ours was busy. Our second waitress was also busy, which meant 20 minutes went by wherein two more tables were seated and their drink orders were taken. We had no water, no utensils, and no drink orders had been taken. Finally we managed to physically waylay a waitress. She took our orders and eventually brought us drinks and food, but no utensils. We had to waylay another waitress for those. And so on and so forth. 

I can't see myself going back. Every time I do go, the experience gets worse. I can only imagine what would happen if I go a third time.
4 - Adelais T.: This is one of my favorite late night hang-outs on Main Street. Their late night menu is superb! Cheap prices and delicious food -- you can't go wrong. I've never been here during the day, but I hear it's a lot more expensive then. So if you do go, try to get there after 11pm. And try the fried calamari!
3 - Sara G.: The martinis are expensive...but they are GOOOOD.  Particularly the non-sweet ones such as the juniper and the garden.  Cucumbery and refreshing!  I'm a vodka girl at heart but Hendrick's gin could very well sway me to the dark side.  Other martinis also catch you by surprise, as there is just a hint of sweet when you've readied yourself for a full-on glass of candy.

The thing I don't like is the lack of a solid happy hour (as in, discounted drinks).  Lots of places (including the Earle) offer deals on martinis, why not Black Pearl?  

That said, the apps are good.  The entrees looked enticing too.  When I drink though, its all about the apps. 

I do like the decor: the long cylinder covered in fan blades, the sparse candelight amidst the black walls.  Sitting outside is nice too, but do it late so as to avoid spillover from the $tarbuck$ next door: families with 8 kids each doing their imitation of what they saw during their African safari this summer!
4 - M M.: I've been here twice, once for dinner and once for drinks late at night.  The food was good, if a bit expensive.  There's a lot of seafood on the menu, and not a lot else, but everyone at the table enjoyed their food. If you go after 11, there's a decent menu of half price martinis and late night food specials.  There's a seating outdoors, which is nice during the summer, but it was really crowded inside, and we were squished at our table.  I wouldn't recommend this place for larger groups.  Overall, I really like the Black Pearl for late night drinks and for dinner if someone else is paying.
3 - Jonathan S.: Despite the pricey cocktails and poor service, these drinks are fantastic. Definitely a great place to go in light moderation. I sampled the Pomojito and Midnight Mint cocktails, and both were fantastic! However, I definitely felt discriminated against because my girlfriend and I were clearly younger than the other clientele. After not being helped sitting at a booth opposite the bar for ~5min, trying to get the attention of the waitress helping the surrounding tables, I went up to the bar to order our drinks. It took me about 5-7min to get them after I ordered them, and two other bartenders who didn't take my order ask me if I was being helped already. The bar was far from packed, and the guy who took my order spent half the time chatting with who appeared to be regulars sitting at the bar. Still, the wait was worthwhile and like I said, the drinks were perhaps the best cocktails I've had on Main street.
4 - Jeremy M.: Stopped in for dessert/drinks after we found out La Dolce Vita was closed.  It was a Sunday and around 10pm, so I forgive them.  

Had a seasonal Pumpkin Cheesecake and Zingermans' Black & Tan Brownie for three people.  We each had a martini as well.  The cheeecake was amazing and was even better stealing a little ice cream from the brownie.  Black & Tan was good, but I'm not a big brownie person.  

Martinis were great and one comment our waitress made really made the whole evening.  When asked to describe a Lychee, she casually stated that it was as "if a pear and a grape had a baby".  Best....description....ever.

Would love to go back for a meal and to drink a little more.  Atmosphere was pretty chill too which I enjoyed.  There was a guy, presumably the owner, who welcomed us right as we came in and thanked us as we left and thought that was top notch.  The waitress seemed a bit shy though, but we were a wily group last night, so I can't totally fault her for that.
4 - Emily E.: I think it's important to note that this place has a late-night menu that makes things super cheap, so it's best to go at this time.  That said, it's pretty awesome.  The Pasta Gone Bayou will feed you and a couple other people, and the drinks are overall pretty tasty.  When you're ordering the expensive drinks not on late-night special, I suggest the garden martini.  My only complaint is that when the place is crowded, it's almost impossible to find your waiter or waitress when you want them.
4 - Jacob W.: Came here for a date a few weeks ago.  Made an 8:00 reservation on a Saturday on OpenTable...  we had a great seat right in the window waiting for us when we arrived.  I had clam chowder to start, which was delicious (but was sadly lacking any oyster crackers); Sesame Tuna for dinner was really fantastic.  One of the best seafood meals I've had in Ann Arbor.  My date had a seasonal scallop dish that she really really liked; I stole a bite, and it was really delicious. 

They've got a decent cocktail/martini menu, a good selection of wine, etc.  They also have a decent happy hour menu for late night drinks.

The only complaint was that the service did feel a bit rushed.  I hadn't finished my soup before the entrees came out, and I felt like our server was hovering a bit as we finished our meal.  None of this made the food any less delicious.  I'd definitely go back.
1 - Marlon C.: This place is for people that have more money than sense. Horrible service, clueless wait staff,  and it would be cheaper to fly to the east coast and catch the oysters yourself, but hey you'll look real cool with that 10  dollar G&T in your hand. I don't mind paying for top quality, but I refuse to pay for illusions of grandeur.
3 - Neil T.: A solid place.  I'll have to update once I go there for food (potentially upping to a 4-star rating).  GREAT drinks and swanky, but not too pretentious.  Black Pearl is definitely one of the better bar/restaurants in Ann Arbor.
2 - Riki L.: My roommate and I took advantage of Restaurant Week at the Black Pearl which was empty when we walked in at 5:30 on a Monday evening. The restaurant looked very classy, but the seating was a little jacked up. The hostess said she would be right back with us and walked away to fix a table by the window - which didn't need fixing - then seated us at a table next to it. The "tables" are actually two really small ones pushed together and ours was really uneven which made setting drinks down a little awkward since it was actually really very dark in there. 

The waitstaff is, as previous reviewers have noted, sadly clueless. Our waitress was either high or just naturally lacking in brain cells, I don't really know. Either way, the various men in black who came around to fill water glasses provided a greater level of customer service than any waitstaff I saw lounging around the restaurant seemed to be. When the restaurant started filling up with people,  the manager (?) had to hand deliver several small plates of food to various tables offering up an immediate explanation to the patrons of, "It appears SOMEONE forgot to put this on your plate with your entree."

As I ate my clam chowder I vaguely remembered how much joy I used to get out of even crappy canned Progresso clam chowder (feel free to laugh or feel disgusted) and realized I wasn't getting any joy from Black Pearl's gluey version. My fish tacos were definitely a lot of food - 3 on a plate in corn tortillas - but the delicate tilapia fish was overwhelmed by its envelopment in a thick, darkly deep-fried crust. 

My roommate hated her Buffalo Shrimp sandwich. I don't know why such an atrocity is even on the menu. All I know is that she thought it sounded like the best of both worlds; Buffalo Wild Wings with blue cheese, but shrimp. The bread it was served on was awful fluffy to attempt successfully containing any sort of ingredients, let alone soggy breaded shrimp.

My martini (Grapfruitini) was pleasant but my roommate's (blueberry something) was nearly undrinkable as it was so strong I could smell it from across the table. And we both really like to drink. The Black and Tan Brownie dessert included two hunks of stale brownies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream all drizzled in clear red fruity flavored sauce. I just read on the website that these were supposed to be Zingerman's brownies - WHAT?! I work at Zingerman's and have unfortunately eaten my fair share of Blondies and caramel Buenos Aires Brownies and I can definitely say that Black Pearl served us some stale-ass brownies that didn't taste anything like quality or anything like the brownies I know to be Zingerman's. 

I could see myself coming here once more to give it a try, but it would only be if it was during a happy hour deal with appetizers. Our meal with drinks was $68.00 before tip - way too expensive for sub-par food. Drinks alone here seems awkward with the uninterested staff - both in service and in personality.
5 - Donna C.: I read all the other reviews here, and I simply can't see the problems most of the 2 and under star givers had. I normally would be afraid to award 5 stars to a place, but this was simply the best meal I've had in my life.

My husband and I went there for Valentine's Day. We prefer to go out to eat fairly early, so made our reservations for 5pm. Perhaps this is the key, as most of those who complained about service seem to have gone at a later time. The one negative I would say is that when my husband called them on Friday, he was told they were booked solid for reservations. Whoever the woman was that answered must have been lazy. I booked the reservation online through Opentable, and there were plenty of empty tables.

The House manager was wonderful. He had the perfect personality for his job. He was very friendly and attentive to customers, and also seemed to communicate well with the servers. We sat near the wait station which is why I was able to witness this. The timing for our meal was wonderful. We did not feel rushed, nor did we feel as if we were having to wait too long for anything. The servers kept the dirty dishes off our table, and our water glasses filled.

The meal itself was phenomenal. We started with drinks (he had a vodka tonic, I had a Pomojito), and then ordered a Tuna Tartar as an appetizer. it was melt in your mouth delicious. I could easily return and be happy with just that as a small meal in itself. Hubby ordered the Grilled Mako Shark. He let me have a taste, and it was soooo good. I know what I am ordering on our next visit! I had a tough time deciding what to order, it all sounded so delicious, but tonight, I went with the Filet....despite this being a seafood restaurant. It was cooked to perfection. The vegetables were as well, and flavored beautifully. It came with a "housemade sauce" on the side that was heavenly smooth and was a wonderful accompaniment to the flavors of the meal itself.

We were so blissfully happy with our meals, neither of us felt the need for a dessert, so I can not speak of their quality. However, the house manager came around with little thimble chocolate cups filled with kahlua as a Valentine's Day compliment, and they were also very good, and a great ending to our meal. I wish they offered these tiny treats all the time!

We will definitely be going back, though, not often as it is more pricey than we usually like to spend. For us, the price tonight was well worth the culinary heaven we experienced.
4 - Laura K.: I have mostly enjoyed this place for their great late night happy hour. They have the best french fries (with thyme)! I also have eaten here for dinner, and I had some amazing fish! The manager (owner?) is extremely attentive and tries really hard to make you feel valued.
3 - Peter S.: I've eaten at the Black Pearl a few times and the quality of the food and service varied from visit to visit.  The first time we were there, the restaurant was very busy.  The food was excellent and the service was also.  However the second time the place was half empty, but the service was slower and the food was good, but not excellent.  Also, the glass of wine I ordered tasted like it had come from a bottle that had been open a little too long, although the waiter insisted that the bottle had just been opened.  Unfortunately, the last time we were there the place was again half empty with slow service and the food was just ok.

From what I understand, the owner of the Black Pearl is often on the premises and is very nice.  Although I've never dealt with him, that reason alone makes me want to give the benefit of the doubt.  And they have a good cocktail menu, although very expensive.  I was disappointed that there appeared to be no changes to the menu between our visits.  I'm torn between giving three and four stars, but I'm going to go with the more recent experiences and do three for now.
1 - Claire S.: Bad service. Bad food. High prices. Annoyingly cliche "swanky" decor. Music is too loud.
4 - Heather G.: It's a bit loud and cramped, but it is also that kind of place.

But this place deserves four stars for its fish tacos alone.  I dream about them.  

The other stuff is pretty good too, nice wine list, decent oysters, some interesting bread pudding but man, oh, man, the fish tacos are where it's at.
2 - Jess L.: I thought the entrees and desserts were great, but the appetizer was way overpriced, and the waitresses needed an attitude adjustment. They should be hella glad I wasn't the one in charge of tip--I think I might have gone 10%. They were a little too bitchy for my liking. I'm not asking them to be Miss Mary Sunshines, but just because you're at a hip restaurant doesn't give you the right to be snotty.
3 - Rich K.: Not a bad dinner, the Mussels Fado were rated pretty good by my date.  But the Fish Tacos were almost perfect.  Not sure if it was spicy slaw or the chipotle mayo, but they were damn good.
Service was poor; server brought out the wrong beer and then proceed to bring out a extra entree that we didn't order.
I will definitely go back for those tacos.
4 - Christina K.: The interior of the restaurant is cute but it's so freakin' loud in here!!  I went w/ a group of 4 and we literally had to lean over the table and yell our conversations to each other!  

I ordered the filet which was decently priced which surprised me.  The kitchen cooked it to perfection and the veggies and mashed potatoes were awesome.

My hubby ordered a jambalaya pasta which was a huge portion, it also came w/ a burnt garlic bread which was so good!!

My other two friends split an order of oysters which they said were pretty fresh.  The lobster bisque was super yummy, it had little chunks of shrimp in it!  They also split the halibut which came w/ a teriyaki like sauce which was good too.
1 - A L.: Im a Marylander, so eating seafood on a visit to Michigan just felt wrong.
I asked the waitress where the seafood came from, hoping that maybe some of it was from the Great Lakes, but she had no idea. Maybe this is asking a lot, but if you are a landlocked state and you serve seafood, you should be able to tell people where its from. 
The martinis are awesome, I tried a cucumber-mint one. Other than that, I was not impressed. Also, their outdoor seating is cramped and too close to the road. Not a good night.
4 - Jon T.: Only had beverages here and was relatively impressed.  It seemed a little swankier than I would have thought...or maybe I just have been gone from the A2 scene for over 10 years and therefore, it's me.  In either case, the dark black wood, long bar and hightop tables seemed work nicely.

Atmosphere was tasteful, not too casual, not too snobby and b/c they had all sorts of people, it seemed others thought the same.  Drinks were good.  All your usual suspects of cocktails, decent microbrew list and wines by the glass also better than average.  

Will definitely check it out again, hopefully sooner vs later.
3 - Leslie K.: I went to the Black Pearl to get out of the rain on a stormy Friday night. My husband and I decided to just have some appetizers and beers here. The good thing: The beer list is extensive! I enjoyed my local microbrew beer and although they didn't have the appropriate tulip glass for my husband's beer, he enjoyed his too. 
We only ordered appetizers, but I have to say the mussels with chorizo are amazing. I am used to the typical mussels in white wine sauce, or occasionally with a tomato based sauce. This was phenomenal with the complexity of the chorizo added to it. There was a good bit of food too, but only one slice of garlic toast. We could have used more to sop up the sauce. The next app we ordered was shrimp guacamole. It was honestly just a pile of guac with 6 small shrimp on top. Not what I expected after the delish mussels. For the money you spend, you would expect something more exotic. 
In all, it was a nice place, very elegant on the inside, and the drinks were good. The food was hit or miss for me though.
3 - Lauren L.: The Black Pearl is definitely pricey, and for that price range I'd probably go elsewhere in Ann Arbor. However, my husband and I went because we had a gift certificate, so I splurged on the Chilean sea bass. Holy crap, was that fantastic! Like butter. I also tried some of my husband's sesame tuna, which was good but nothing special. But despite being satisfied with our entrees, we did leave feeling like we'd paid too much for what we'd gotten.

We also split the shrimp cocktail. They were large, beautiful shrimp--but there were only three of them. For $10. It was pretty sad to pay that much only to eat one shrimp and then saw one in half with a table knife to share with my spouse.

The martinis were pretty good (I had the lychee) and I'd like to try more, but I'd definitely shoot for the late-night prices next time.

I can't comment on the decor/ambience because we ate outside, which was actually really pleasant.

Aside from the entrees being severely overpriced, the main drawback was that our waiter barely checked on us and seemed to think that we wanted HUGE gaps between drinks, appetizer, entree, and check. I had to flag him down on more than one occasion, even though he was frequently in the area and didn't appear to be too busy.
3 - Stacey D.: I've gone to the Black Pearl twice now. The first time was for restaurant week had the fish tacos. For that price, it was worth it, nice restaurant, if a bit trendy and busy. The fish tacos were yummy, the fish was succelent, cooked well and the garnish and sauce added much to the favor. Even the leftovers tasted good.

This evening, went for a special occasion we had the tuna tartar  and a few different types of oysters for an appetizer, I was disapointed in the tartar having had a delicious version at Pacific Rim, I am sure the fish was good but it was drenched in a white, brownish, mayonaise sauce that overwhelm the flavor of the fish. The portion size was decent, too bad it wasn't worth finishing. We tried the fried oysters and they were once again just so so. 

We had a Leffe Blond beer, for $4 dollars, it was worth it, it was refreshing, perfect bear for sitting on the pation on a summer's evening.

For our entrees, we ordered scallops and the perch. Four large, juicy scallops were served wth a smattering of rice. They were good, but we've had slightly better, and it is hard to mess up scallops. It would have been nice to have a side of  vegtables. The rice was quite nice, flavorful but not too  heavy. But for $24 ? 

The perch on the other hand was a terrible disapointment, coated in a corn meal. I couldn't taste the fish through the corn meal and left half of it on my plate. The vegetables were good. I was very pleased that it was not over cooked, over buttered, and I enjoyed the mashed potatoes. The portions were large, but the perch itself did absolutely nothing for me. 

On another note though, the location is quite nice, and we enjoyed sitting on the patio on lovely evening, people watching with a drink or two.
4 - Rebecca W.: We came here with a coupon from Restaurant.com--you pay $5 to get a $25 gift certificate, that kind of thing.  Admittedly, we signed up to get this coupon in, like, February of last year.  Then we lost it.  Then it re-surfaced.  So off we went--only to discover that Black Pearl no longer participates in this coupon program.  Whoops!  But, the manager very graciously (if sternly) offered to honor ours anyway.  I offer this anecdote as prologue because: 

1) We were pleased and grateful that they gave us the deal and 
2) It *is* a bit pricey here, and my experience--which was a really good one--was padded by a hefty discount. 

That being said, we had a great time.  We arrived just before peak dinner hour--when we got there, the outside seating was filled up, but inside was basically empty.  The staff in general were friendly, and our waiter in particular was extremely jovial.  

We started with drinks--Manhattan for me (it was that kind of day) and a Stella Artois for him--and an order of the crab rangoon to share.  The order came with five large pieces--pleeeenty for two to share and was *really* good.  In fact, this may have been the first crab rangoon I've had where there were real, generous, recognizable hunks of crab inside.  The sweet chipotle dipping sauce was delicious as well.  

For our entree, we each had the fish tacos.  OH MAN were they delicious.  Refreshing, crunchy, a tasty fiesta of flavor--and the tortillas were the perfect texture and weight--they held up against the sheer volume of taco fillings, without falling apart, or getting in the way.  I would give the fish tacos themselves 5 stars, easily.

But on review, what are you *really* paying for?  $18 for 3 (small) strips of fish, and a *lot* of cabbage slaw and pico de gallo (don't get me wrong--the slaw and pico are delicious, and absolutely key to the taco, not just filler.  But it's cabbage and onions, not caviar).   

I don't know, it's hard to explain, though it looks like others have felt the same way: we left full and satisfied--but with full bellies and empty wallets.  Our coupon helped out a lot--without one, frankly, I'm not sure when we'll be back.  (Although while I was there, I was thinking it would be a great place to take mom and dad, at least for an earlier dinner: delicious food, attentive service, and music not too loud).

It seems that late at night they offer ala carte fish tacos for a lower price--I suspect that we may need to adopt this approach to get our fish taco fix from here on out.  (Are they open for lunch?  That would be another option....)
5 - Mac H.: The Black Pearl is fantastic. You will have a hard time finding a place that is as consistent as this. Each time, the service has been great and the food stellar. I would highly recommend the fish tacos. They are absolutely fantastic! Also, the Black Pearl has a great atmosphere and it's in a great location. I would recommend the this place to anyone!
4 - Peggah G.: While I'm not a big drinker or seafood eater, I was still rather pleased with my experience at this bar.
While the drinks seemed rather expensive, everyone seemed pleased with them.
I was tempted to try and share the surf and turf platter with my boyfriend, but we both ended up getting a diablo chicken sandwich. 2 orders of which were less than the one order of the surf and turf.
When I saw that the plate came with fries, I was expecting something like I had experienced at the Real Seafood Company... maybe 10 fries on the plate. When the plate was served, I was happy to see that the whole plate was COVERED with fries. As I was eating, I actually discovered a pickle buried underneath the fries. The sandwich was really satisfying and I couldn't even finish the fries.
I like the ambiance of the bar, but I don't really know if I'll ever go there again without the suggestion of someone else.
The price range really depends on how much of a drinker you are. For a sandwich and a soft drink you could easily spend less than $20.
2 - Erika K.: The two stars here are based on service and cocktails, not food.

I recently went to Black Pearl twice in one week.  It was very yummy the first time--I had the seared tuna.  I ordered a grapefruit-tini cocktail, which was delicious: sugared rim, grapefruit vodka, triple sec, and a bit each of sour mix and grenadine.  Very very tasty! So much so that I ordered one again a few days later while celebrating a friend's birthday.

The server first brought me a drink that was bright red and tasted like a horrible grenadine/robitussin mix--nothing like the drinks I had a few days before.  I sent it back and the server did not seem to pleased when I requested a new drink.  FIFTEEN minutes later, he brought another one that again, was nothing like the original grapefruit-tini I first had.  I kid you not, it tasted like pure grapefruit juice (without a sugar rim) with nothing else.  So, I sent it back--the server started to get pretty snotty then.  

After another 10-15 minutes or so, he brought another drink that still was not what I had ordered.  I had had enough, so I just drank it.  I should have refused to pay for it.  The server rudely said to me: "Just so you know, the bartender made up this [third] drink.  It's not even on the menu.  The first drink I brought you was the grapefruit-tini that you ordered." His attitude was incredibly rude; I told him that no, I'm 100% sure that the first drink was NOT what I had had before and he just responded, "Well, I'm just saying.  Just so you know."  I think the correct response would have been to apologize (which he never did) and see about getting my drink comped (no dice).  I wish I would have noted the restaurant's gratuity policy; we were 7 and he charged us gratuity.  I would never have left him a tip.

I really enjoyed the food, so I will probably go back in the future.  The server's attitude and response were uncalled for, no matter what mood he was in.
2 - Chad C.: The seafood is satisfactory, but there are better options in the immediate area.  You can get a fine martinit, but you better bring your wallet because it's a high cost-per-fluid-ounce here.
2 - Steve G.: Previous reviews about Black Pearl are spot on: generally over-priced food that is good not great in an atmosphere that is just trying a little bit too hard to be trendy. Given all the choices on Main Street there are better restaurants that are much cheaper and similarly priced places that offer so much more. 

Food/Drinks: 
Black Pearl has an extensive cocktail menu hinging mainly on what I consider gimmicky "martini" creations. I prefer more classic cocktails (of which the menu surprisingly lists none) as opposed to fruit juice flavored vodka so I decided to stick with a glass of wine. They also have a dozen or so bottled beers but nothing on tap. 

- Kobe burger w/ fries. After reading the other Yelp reviews I had a lot of trouble trying to decide if I wanted to risk $25 on what seem to be hit or miss entrees. In the end I retreated to the less expensive Kobe burger which I ordered medium. The burger itself was juicy but way, way overcooked (definitely well-done, probably just shy of being charcoal). Another person at the table had ordered the same burger well-done so I'm wondering if the server made a mistake...but if not the kitchen's execution on this one was a fail. Overall the burger could use some sort of cheese or sauce to make it a little bit more interesting...we are talking about a $15 hamburger here so I think it's fair to expect a little bit more from this dish. 

- Fish tacos. My wife ordered the fish tacos after reading other positive reviews. While overall decent, I think this dish suffers because the fish is battered and deep fried. Individual components are great but the crunchy, fried fish just overpowers all the other flavors. And again, at $18 for 3 tacos there really needs to be more than just a few glorified fish sticks w/ a taco wrapper. 

Going around the table I think other people experienced somewhat similar results w/ entrees. Seared sesame tuna looked good but seemed to be small in portion size for the price (especially since you can go a couple doors down to Chop House and get a perfectly seared 10oz. tuna steak for only a couple bucks more). Grilled Mako shark was well-presented but overcooked and nothing else stood out much. 

I should note that our service was fine throughout dinner. We were greeted warmly, seated immediately and our server was attentive. Gratuity was automatically added to my bill which I don't appreciate, particularly at an "upscale" restaurant...and the server failed to mention that gratuity had been added (good thing I noticed).

Overall I recommend saving your money or trying the other (better) restaurant options available on Main Street.
2 - Amanda Z.: It's okay food at inflated Main Street prices. I got the house martini, the cheapest on the menu at $8, but it was pretty tasty and quite strong. I had the crab cake sandwich ($15, all the sandwiches are that expensive) and I've had much better crabcakes elsewhere (love them at Zingerman's Roadhouse). And they gave you a ton of fries but served them with some sort of house made spicy ketchup that was reminiscent of cocktail sauce. Dear restaurants of the world: No one wants your homemade ketchup. We want the best; we want Heinz. The ambiance at the place is quite nice but the server was MIA when we were ready for the check. Not a bad experience, but certainly not worth the price.
4 - Michelle D.: Great fish tacos!
3 - Cheryl L.: Hostess needed an attitude check, but she just seemed miserable so I won't hate on her too much.

I think this spot is the best for the late night drink/food menu.  I enjoyed my $6/$7 chocolate martinis and pear martinis thoroughly.  One of our friends really liked the fries, but I think they were just meh to me.

Definitely a must try for the late night drink specials!!!
3 - jeanmarie c.: Went for restaurant week to try it out for the first time. I ordered the fish tacos and my husband got the crabcakes off the menu. While the food was pretty decent (the bisque was OK, the crabcakes were a bit mushy), the service was so spotty. Our waters took 3 tries to arrive, our bill came unprompted halfway through the meal, we had to flag someone down (after sitting 15 mins of waiting) to get our dessert and while they were mostly prompt at taking away the credit card to pay, it took quite awhile for the card to come back. The restaurant didn't seem that busy, so I'm not sure what was going on...my guess is our waiter was new?

All that said, I would go back again for the fish tacos and the fantastic martini we had. I really, really wanted to like this place so I will give it a second go.
4 - D T.: we are a fan.
Drinks great.
Appetizers - great  loved the shrimp tempura!
Service was really great - and liked both hostess and waitress
Main meals were quite good.
4 - Denise Z.: Best fish tacos in AA, hands down.  We had great service, and I love their martini selection (I am not a classic cocktail kind of girl).  They take reservations for small groups, which is really nice.
1 - Tim Y.: I really wanted to like this place. The atmosphere is nice. The martini I ordered was average. My shortribs, though, were barely edible. They were overcooked to the point of being difficult to chew. I expected more of this restaurant.
5 - Yuliya H.: Really fell in love with this place this summer! Perfect outdoor spot right on Main street. Lots of great (and large) martinis and yummy appetizers. I am usually not a fan of sweet drinks, but I'm crazy about their Lychee martini!  Among the appetizers shrimp tempura, beef tips and tuna tartar are amazing with tuna being my favorite.
3 - Peggy T.: We were there on a Friday night and were delighted to have a reservation. Our service was just fine. The place is lively and fun, and like most Main Street restaurants in Ann Arbor, is shaped like a bowling alley. The appetizers were exceptional. We tried the calamari (outstanding, not at all tough), and the shrimp guacamole (the home-made chips were good, but a little fatty). Oysters on the half shell were great. I had the seared tuna, which was excellent. The portion sizes were just right. The wine list is pretty good, especially for a martini bar. We saw all ages in here, and dress was casual, for the most part. Parking can be a little difficult, especially on a weekend.
3 - Jessica W.: I was super excited to give Black Pearl a try since a friend mentioned they are one of the few places in town with decent seafood.  I was a little disappointed, but it wasn't a horrible experience.

I sampled the fish tacos, which were not terribly wow-worthy, though my standards are fairly high.  (Is there anywhere in Michigan that can rival San Diego fish tacos?)  The corn tortillas were kind of stale-tasting and the tomatos in the pico de gallo were sliced in strips instead of diced.  Weird.  The tilapia was nicely seasoned and the cabbage slaw was a good move, but $18 for three fish tacos is absurd.  And the sauce on them was all wrong...  Perhaps I should have gone for something slightly less ambitious.

It got pretty crowded on a Friday night, but you were still able to hear others at your table, which was nice.  I need to come back for Monday night happy hour (half off bottles of wine), since the Bell's I had wasn't my favorite.
4 - Alan Y.: While in Ann Arbor during this year's Michigan/Ohio State football game (Go Blue!), I joined my wife and her friends at Black Pearl for dinner and drinks.  It's a cozy and hip restaurant with a really nice vibe.

As for the food, the coconut shrimp were HUGE and the breading was delicious, crunchy and coconutty.  And yes...the fish tacos were as delicious as numerous other reviewers have mentioned.  My wife and I shared four and were absolutely stuffed by the end of the meal.

Our server was extremely attentive to our large party.  He even split up our checks (7 different credit cards) without us even asking.

Next time we're in Ann Arbor, we will definitely return to Black Pearl.
2 - Victoria K.: We were there by chance. The grilled swordfish and beef didn't turn out to be right, I was smoked by how much charcoal on it. They tasted funny, sort of having all the tastes in the world. I'm guessing it's cos there were many other pieces of meat grilled on the same spot and never got cleaned. 
I can't remember what else we ate, but the abovementioned dish stunned me. Kind of disappointed since this restaurant seemed not too bad from outside. Hopefully I get to try something nicer in this restaurant next time.
3 - Chelsea H.: The fish tacos are SOOO good. $20 is a lot to pay for three tacos, but these are worth it. The martinis are delicious, but too expensive. The menu is much more appealing (and affordable) during happy hour.
4 - Jessica Y.: We've been to Black Pearl twice now, both times for Restaurant Week (though the visits were a year apart).  I got the fish tacos the first time and loved them so much that I just ordered them again the second time even though I was curious to try something new.  They're just that good.  I don't know if they're deep frying them in gold or what, but woah, delish.

Likewise, everything else I've had--soups, salads, brownies, and ice cream--has been tasty.  The drinks, while a bit pricey, are excellent; try the Brandy Alexander.

Why not 5 stars?  I'm not sure, honestly.  I like them a lot, I hope to go back next Restaurant Week... I guess I'm just not WOWed?  The servers are a little snooty, maybe?  The high chairs a little awkward?  I like this place, I just don't really think of it for any given evening out.
4 - Rodger R.: Started out the evening with alternate plans that  fell through.  Finally decided on the black pearl.  Arrive to a half full space with swanky fans and high tables.  The wait staff was superb.  Brain(our server) was in training and possibly one of the better waitstaff I've encountered in the A2 area.  Started the meal off obviously with Martinis's and Oyster's.  We settled on a new bar concoction we dubbed ' The Orange Crush Mullet."  Quite phenomenal, huge flavor but not overly acidic.  Moved on to Crab Rangoon and lobster bisque.   Let me preface with my undying love of Crab rangoon, and I feel as though maybe their price point .vs quality of rangoon was a little off, but still enjoyable.  Lobster bisque is something in my life that I have such an issue with, I've never had any that I thought was amazing, and I've had a decent sampling.  The lobster bisque was quite good, but felt a little lacking in a way I can't describe.  Mains:  We shared fish taco's and the Coffee Encrusted fillet.  I must say, simply divine taco's, but the steak was the gem.  Rare, beautifully rested, and with a bed of sweet potato risotto to make this quite possibly one of the better steaks I've ever had from a restaurant. 

Overall, an amazing space great food, and phenomenal  drinks, This place is certainly a win!
5 - Kim L.: I LOVE Black Pearl! 

They have a great selection of martinis, oysters and fresh seafood. Perfect place for a drink and appetizer. They don't have a huge selection of wines or beer but the ones they have are good. Outdoor seating is available with heaters. Great location for people watching or a nice alternative to a sports bar to watch a game.
3 - Phaedra Y.: great lychee martini and mussel appetizers. other cocktails are too strong and lacked balance
3 - Jason C.: Met up with friends and headed to Black Pearl for restaurant week... the place was empty... maybe because it was Monday??  We got our menu and they had separate menu for the restaurant week.... I opted for the Baby Arugula Salad, Spare Ribs and for dessert, their default - House-made Cheese Cake.  Others went with Gazpacho and the Fish Taco.... 

The salad was 'ok'.... didn't really have the flavor... could have used little bit of salt and pepper.... I was more impressed with the rib then anything else... I was expecting the southern bbq taste, but it was Asian infused... I definitely tasted the hoisin sauce... and it was on the heavy side... the bone and the meat separate without lot of work... The sauce didn't penetrate inside the meat, but the bbq sauce made up for that.  Then I looked at the rib and for sure it was NOT smoked... based upon my educated guess, the ribs were boiled to soften them up and then bbq sauce applied on top right before it was served.  

I exchanged some of the ribs with my friend for a fish taco.  I wish they served it with salsa... maybe I should have asked.... but the fish taco was decent, nothing special.  

The dessert was the best part!!  Parking can be an issue, either park on the street (if you can find one), otherwise park in one of the structure.  The place is on the pricy side, so expect to spend some money if you go.
4 - Meagan B.: I have been to the Black Pearl twice, mostly recently during Restaurant Week.

Our server was great, attentive but not overbearing.  There were 5 of us that arrived separately and he'd check in with each new arrival to take their drink orders quickly.  

We didn't have martinis (they are pricey but big) but did enjoy a nice bottle of wine.  Two of us had the fish tacos, the other two had the ribs.  I thought the fish tacos were great!  The fish was done perfectly and there were a variety of flavors that came through in each bite.

When I asked if they had apple juice for our son he answered "no but I can get some", a few minutes later he came back with a juice box for him.  The server ran next door to Starbucks and grabbed one (and didn't charge us).  They don't have a kids menu but if you ask they have the standards (chicken fingers, burger, pasta).  

Overall it was an enjoyable experience and I will go back based on my most recent visit.
4 - Leah W.: I really like Black Pearl.  I've been there several times for drinks, which is always a nice experience.  They have a good cocktail and martini list, with some newer and more adventurous cocktails, and some old favorites.  I love the True North mojito!  They also have one of the best outdoor dining spaces on Main Street.  Heat lamps, level surface so your table isn't on a slant, and big enough to feel like you're still in a restaurant and not just dining on the side of the street.

The food was good.  We split the Coconut Shrimp as an appetizer, and it was delicious.  We each got the fish tacos, which were great!  I think they are my favorite fish tacos I've ordered in a restaurant, and definitely the best fish tacos in Ann Arbor.  The service was good, and we sat by the large windows in the front, which were opened and made us feel like we were eating outside.

I'll be back, and I highly recommend it!  Yum!
4 - Darrell K.: Main St in A2 is always a nice location. I enjoyed the visit here. The food and drinks were good. We sat at the bar and conversed with others, The Bartenders were friendly and I also liked the atmosphere.
5 - Clare G.: Best nights: Thurs, Fri

Recs on apps: Cocunut shrimp (comes with 3 jumbo), Maryland crabcakes (favorite so far--ordered as my dinner), Rock shrimp (hot)

Don't bother ordering: Asian beef tips, Shrimp guacamole

Recs on martinis: I've tried the Traci E which tastes like pomegranate, and Ice-tini, both good. Bf's favorite is the Freddie Mercury which is very unique (cucumber, apple vodka, elderflower) and I always end up drinking/trying too.
4 - Jeff K.: To start, this place has a Great Fish Taco, there are few good fish taco eatery's  in this area.  California yes, Michigan ...No.   The only one that comes close to this one is at the California Pizza Kitchen.  Any one knows of any , please tell me.
    The Bartender, Matt P makes  really GREAT Martini's, some of the best I have had..and  one that I believe was actually healthy for me...Ha..Ha,  Made from fresh-ground up Cucumbers. really good.   And if you are not sure what you want they will whip you up something you have never had but will want the next time you return. 
There are some nights you can catch a guitar player strumming away some good tunes.  Friendly people.  I'll go there again and again.  That is a great area for restaurants or just hanging out with friends.

Black Rock Pizza Co. - Urbana, IL (40.111959, -88.208652) ()
3 - Thomas B.: Black Rock Pizza Co. is opening in the former Red Star Liquors space at 114 S. Race St., U. Longtime residents may remember it as the home of The Embassy tavern.
Black Rock will sell thin-crust pizzas for lunch, supper and late night.

They also have hot grinder sandwiches & salads.

Chilled cocktail shrimp is displayed on ice. Just displayed.

Black Rock has live music during "happy hour" on Fridays. 

The pizza joint will still have the old Embassy's classic back bar. 

The place will be brighter lit than in Red Star Liquor days but sadly, in compliance with a new federal law for mediocre restaurants, will have dozens more TVs than customers want.

Tattoos and nose-piercings will not be required as when it was Red Star.
4 - nadja h.: If you haven't seen the beautiful deco bar in this building I highly recommend popping in for a cheap draft beer, and if you're hungry, well, the pizza isn't half bad. Actually the pizza is great. There are plenty of vegetarian options, and more than just the old standards. The thick crust is, from what I hear, quite like Garcia's back in their heyday. Which is to say that it's really tasty. 

Oddly the proprietors aren't "burners" or at least that's what our waiter said. They put a little Burning Man in their logo and named their pizza place after the desert where Burning Man is held... that's some coincidence!
3 - Lauren L.: I must change my review.  I truly loved this place the first time we went.  It was cozy, the pizza was good and the service was excellent. Our waiter was so attentive and helpful. The sauce was sweet and pizza crispy and thin.  Based on that we went there again a couple weeks later and got a completely different vibe.  

The place was empty, we were 1 of 3 tables, and there was one person at the bar.  With that being said, the waitress was horrible. She spent most of her time setting up the area for the guitar player. After waiting 10 minutes for our drinks to come we inquired when it would arrive and asked if we could order.  She seemed upset with us and proceeded to be even more rude than before.  The service got worse as the night went on.  We waited 45 minutes for a pizza and we were told it was because there was another pizza in the oven.  I don't understand how an establishment can be run with an oven that only accommodates a single pizza. 

The pizza - not good.  The sauce is very sweet, which I appreciate, but there was entirely too much of it.  We were scrapping the sauce off the pizza.  There was so much sauce that the cheese and toppings wouldn't stay on.  We ended up not eating it and just asking for the check.  She made us wait 20 minutes for that too. 

The first experience was a 5 star one, and this was a one star.  I based my review somewhere in the middle.  The restaurant needs to work on consistency. I was really rooting for it, but they let me down.
3 - John M.: I recently heard of a new pizza place in downtown Urbana that I knew I had to try, Black Rock Pizza Co., where the old Red Star Liquors used to be. 

To start things off, the service was great even though the place was super dead. The za was decent and fairly priced. The sauce was probably my favorite part, loaded on and sweet to the taste. The crust and cheese were mediocre, but complimented the sauce well. The problem with thin crust is that it's usually hard to get full off smaller portions, but I managed to split a medium and still have leftovers, which is a good thing. The crust is thin, but not super thin.

Overall, this place was ok, but there are plenty of better places to get thin crust in the area. Maybe not in downtown Urbana, but hey, that's why they're there. I'd say it's worth a shot!
2 - Casey K.: Went in on a Friday night a few weeks back. We ordered cheese bread, artichoke dip, and a thin crust pesto pizza. The cheese bread was pretty solid--crisp and very buttery. The artichoke dip was not so great. There seemed to be a lot of ricotta in it, which I sort of hate, and it was pretty spicy. The portion was out of control, I would have been perfectly happy with half of it in a less-ricotta-y formula. The pesto pizza was the real letdown, though. The crust was the cheep crackery kind you expect from a frozen piece. The sauce was mostly tasteless, the chicken was not fresh but the processed refrigerated kind. The worst, though, was the sheer amount of parsley. It was just an unbearable amount of parsley. The service was fine, but I doubt I'd go back.

Black Sheep - Amherst, MA (42.3756901, -72.5181649) ()
4 - Arwen O.: Your local liberal deli, the Black Sheep had sanwiches named after members of the Bush Administration for the election last year (The Dumsfeld, the Condasleezer) and uses mostly  local produce, often organic. They have a pretty mouthwatering deli display, and the desserts are amazing: their brownie is the fudgiest I've ever had. However, I must admit to being a little disappointed at the slimness of their sandwich offering at times. Not in terms of options, but size...My chicken salad was just that. Not even lettuce! Still, if you're a vegetarian, this place will not let you down. They have a great selection of veggie and tofu sandwiches, which my sister is devoted to. http://www.blacksheepdeli.com
4 - Andrew K.: Just a fun and funky little sandwich shop located in this quirky little hamlet. They put cream cheese on some of the sandwiches. It's great.
4 - Gavin A.: Good sandwiches, great pastries, maybe a tiny bit overpriced-- but they don't really have any competition in Amherst (Subway doesn't count).
4 - Mats K.: Decent place to stop in Amherst for a sandwich or a salad.

Their Mediterranean salad is amazing.

At certain times the hippie-ness of the clientele can be a bit much, but its usually an all-around nice place to dine.
2 - H J.: the Black Sheep has super-good sandwiches and amazing salads with lots and lots of veggie options.  The coffee (Dean's Beans) is always good, and so are the desserts.  I love the atmosphere, relaxed and cozy. 
The one reason that my boyfriend and I stay away from here is the staff.  I have been in there so many times, and have probably had friendly and quick service two or three times.   They can be so rude, and are often too busy talking to each other to actually wait on customers, even when it is slower than usual.  It drives us crazy, and we have talked to others who agree.  We stay away from there now jst because of that.  It is really too bad, because the food is great.
4 - Mod S.: i usually am not awake anywhere near the hour of early lunch but i just so happen to be up to see a friend off.  Ive been on a 10 day sugar binge and needed some good lunch, so my friend took me here. 
the place looks homey and kind of san francisco wannabe deli. It has a bakery type cold case up front by the door featuring sweet looking pasteries. walking a little back they have a open cheese case and the deli where you can see the kids making the sandwichs and see it come fresh off the line. A very nice teas selection. this place was such a professor/student hang out as well
.
i got a black sheep sandwhich. the roasted tomatoes were so enjoyable because they werent dry and hard like at other places. i also got a cream puff , which is gigantic! As well as a napoleon. Both dessert items where good. a little to much weight on the cream puff but the napoleon was amazing. 

4 insted of 5 because i felt like the customer client  interaction was very minimal.  not a good thing when you want to build a nice small town clientele, or leave a good impression on out of state customers.
4 - amy w.: The sandwiches are good, but the baked goods are the real reason I go to Black Sheep.  The eclairs might look small in the bakery case, but pack a hefty amount of tasty custard filling - I'd recommend splitting one with someone you like.  Don't miss out on the various croissants either (the chocolate ones sell out before lunch), their dough is so good.
3 - estelle s.: i tend to really enjoy their sandwiches, but i get really tired of paying their prices.  

+fresh ingredients
+delicious

-could be larger in size
-$$$$

=decent service behind the deli
+usually really nice at the counter
-deserts look better than how they taste is what i remember
2 - Derek B.: Expectations rise as I enter this store - baked goods to the right, deli straight ahead, and seating in a separate room to the left. Everything looks delicious, the staff looks friendly enough, so to the right I go for my morning baked good. I opt for the chocolate croissant, mainly because counter-girl was obviously losing patience with me while I tried to decide - but they don't have the best display. There should be a sign in the window that says "decide here because you can't peruse inside." Anyway, chocolate croissant: 1) The chocolate was of the melted-and-hardened type. 2) It was not fresh, and in addition to not tasting fresh, it was cool, 3) it was not flaky. The consistency was something between flaky croissant and hostess fruit pie (but it definitely tasted better than the fruit pie). People spoke highly of Black Sheep, so I'll give the deli a try next time I'm in town.
3 - alice t.: just a few things to add to the reviews already here--

-If you have difficulty making a decision, just stand off to the side and let the counter person know that it'll be a while. I _always_ take a while, and the staff has always been polite enough about it. 

-the almond croissant I had was decent, though it would have been much better warmed up (even though I went at 7 a.m....). I thought it had good buttery flavor, middling flakiness, tasty filling in an appropriate ratio, but definitely take it to go and warm it up rather than eating it on-site. This, I suspect, would greatly improve outer crispiness and tender insides, bring out the buttery flavor even more, and generally elevate the experience.

-The sandwiches are ok. I feel that if you can tolerate cooking/preparing food at all (and if, unlike the students, you have a _kitchen_) you could do as good or better a job at home. Just invest in a couple of key ingredients, like good bread and good pesto or sundried tomatoes, or cheese, whatever.

-the clientele is pretty hipster/crunchy, but this makes for amusing eavesdropping and people-watching. This is Western Mass., what did you expect? :-)

-it's a popular in Amherst because it has no competition; it's no foodie mecca, it's not a destination bakery. That said, it's better than nothing. For instance, Henion Bakery (down Main St., next to Brueggers) is more of an American-style bakery, so you won't find croissants there. However, I do find that Henion's stuff is fresher, warm in the morning (so important!), if you're into sweet sticky buns, donuts, etc.
4 - E G.: Ahh the sheep, I've been going there for 15 years...It has introduced me to more food items I never would have dared tried (tougue, for 1) and really helped move this Yankee into the world of NYC deli culture, which led to Zabar's....which is heaven to me now...I've known the Sheep to punt once an a while, but you can always find the owner & he'll make good on it, that goes a long way in my book, that and a 26 inch long BLT made on a toasted baguette with extra bacon and Helmans Mayo, not some Sysco brand crap....
1 - Vilay S.: The baked goods & desserts are ok, but that's the only thing they've got going. Even then, Henion Bakery has better pastries because they just seem to be fresher.

The employees: They just don't seem to care.  There are two (three?) locations in the store where you can order, and it's unclear how that works. Sometimes people end up shoving in front of you or standing around not knowing what to do while the person behind the counter chats with friends or reads a book.  

The coffee: I hate Dean's Bean's coffee. Too acidic.

Catering:  Twice I have ordered party platters from them, and both times I got home with part of my order missing. What the hell am I supposed to do with a crudite platter without dip or a satay platter without sauce? Both are useless at that point. Not surprisingly when I called back to complain, I got a couple of people who didn't care or know what to do, until someone else who offered me a gift certificate.  Why, so I can get more shitty service and do this again? No thanks.
4 - B L.: The Black Sheep would've received 5 stars if I had reviewed this 15 years ago. However, it's changed so much over the years, that I can hardly give it 4 stars. It used to have decent coffee and decent baked goods. In particular, their pecan rolls/buns (all 5 pounds) were amazing. Baked goods are just ok now, and it seems poorly organized.  Plus, I miss the cheesy artist photos that used to cover the walls.
3 - Q S.: The Good - the sandwiches and baked goods are awesome.

The Bad - servers are rude college students.  And, it took them 20 minutes to make 4 sandwiches for the people I was with even though it wasn't busy at all.
3 - Diane H.: I like you..My slice of tiramisu was good. I shall return very soon. When I am in need of baked goods. Maybe I'll try to sit down and listen to the music play too..did I mention it's live?

Oh I don't think the employee was very nice...hmm there was something I didn't like about her.........
5 - Rachelle H.: there is not anything in here that isn't at the peak of deliciousness. absolutely nothing.

sometimes you get rude people waiting on you and sometimes you don't. go in with an "eff it" attitude, get your ridiculous sandwich, pay, and get out before the pretentious amherst sass gets to you cause the food is that good.
4 - Heather D.: I'm really surprised with the low reviews after going here.  I had an excellent latte with perfectly pulled shots of espresso.  I paired it with their (only) scone offering that day - an apple walnut scone that was absolutely amazing.  Large pieces of apple were sandwiched between delicious walnuts in a delightful cinnamon-y dough.  

My boyfriend said his coffee seemed a little weak, but the staff was happy to warm up his cowboy cookie a bit to soften it up.  The menu looked very intriguing, with lots of vegetarian and even vegan sandwich options.  Black Sheep has a much more laid-back atmosphere than Amherst Coffee up the street.  We sat lazily by the large front window reading our guide book and listened to the lesbian couple do a crossword puzzle at the table next to us.  Oh, my beloved Amherst!
3 - Edmund H.: The baked goods and sandwiches are great. I thought the tiramisu was especially pleasing. The place was pleasant, you can enjoy the soft background music  while you read a novel without much distraction.I had a bad experience with one of the staff there. I was ordering my items and I had side of attitude along with my order. It was just one of the staff member, and I've been there a few times so I can say that overall the staff is pretty friendly.
4 - Meg C.: OK so I'm prefacing this admitting I haven't been here since '06.  

That said- while I was living there I LOVED it.  The food is really wonderful- just about any veggie you can think of you can get on your sandwich.  If you want salad or fruit or meat it's all there.  The deserts were fabulous and I'm pretty picky- but everything I ever tried was wonderful.  The tea is lovely (not a coffee person).

I loved the live music and the atmosphere- very relaxed and laid back.  I would bring my 18 month old and she could roam (within reason) and there was enough room for it not to be an issue.  Personally I found the people there were very friendly.  It was the highlight of my Sundays!  Heck the only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because it's been so long since I've been there.
4 - April G.: I had a sandwich here today and it was deeeeeelicious. I had a hard time deciding which one to order, and will definitely be back to try more! I had the TNT, which is turkey, portabello mushrooms, spinach, and tapenade on a baguette. The large size was big enough to eat half then and half later.

Their pastries also look delicious. They have creme brulee and pumpkin pie bars, and their croissants are the best looking I've seen since I moved to MA.
2 - Heather S.: Cool atmosphere, amazing dense, fudgy brownies, several good options for vegetarians with lots of fresh produce, great live music, and terribly unfriendly service (esp. for Amherst!),  sums up The Black Sheep Cafe. As another Yelper put it, the service is "begrudgingly" given. Yup.  Why don't the owners find or train some waitstaff who actually LIKE other people?
3 - Hilary W.: I've been coming to the Black Sheep Deli for about 2 years and recently my opinion of the place has started to change. I started going there with my boyfriend for weekly lunches. We looked forward to every friday where we could munch on huge salads and sandwiches. A friend of mine worked there and all the staff seemed friendly. They also served my favorite tea ever- lady grey.

Recently, I've been noticing that the Black Sheep has gone downhill a bit. My favorite salad, the Mediterranean used to include hummus, baba ganoush, and tabouli. I ordered it a couple of weeks ago and it was fine. I ordered it this past Sunday and they stopped serving tabouli and baba ganoush! It says it on the black board, but that was a salad that I automatically ordered. I was very disappointed and would have liked a heads up. The new Mediterranean salad is boring- lettuce, tomato, olives and hummus. I could easily have replicated that without paying the $6+ price. Not worth it! My boyfriend's caesar wrap was mediocre. Our oatmeal cookie was delicious. The cookies usually are.

As for their desserts- I am usually disappointed. As I said before, the cookies are good because I think they are baked daily. They also have a huge array of desserts that all LOOK delicious. I ordered some with some friends and they tasted old. Very disappointing.

Black Sheep- a place to be seen by the alternative community in Amherst, but you're not going to get food worth the price or the best service.
3 - Joe D.: I have been to the Black Sheep several times and it is fair to say they do some things very well. I have had the BLT and the "Thats Italian". Both sandwiches were satisfying, a little light on the meats and vegtables though. They are not the best deli sandwiches, but in the grand scheme of things they do just fine. On the other side of the store are the baked goods, this is a different story from the sandwiches. They are very good, baked fresh, and hit the spot. I would recommend the Chocolate Torte and the fresh baked Apple Cinnamon Muffins. Service is somewhat lacking. The friendliness of the staff is not there, and when it is it feels fake. The atmosphere is typical Amherst "coffee shop", slightly pretentous but a great place to hangout.
3 - Huan z.: Nice little coffee shop. Good atmosphere. Very safe( next to the police station) many food choices such as brownies and sandwiches beside hot drinks. Good place to hang out beside Rao's Coffee.
2 - Rue B.: I really try to like this place, but a watery drip coffee should not cost over $2, even if Dean is saving the world.    

Also, I should not have to wait 5 minutes by the order counter to put in for a bagel with hummus, when there are 5 people in the whole place.    
As other reviewers have noted, service is 'begrudging,' and to me reflects that a job at the Black Sheep is an Amherst rite of passage for Generation Whatever-They-Are's (1986 - 1991 babies?) ironic detachment FROM meaningful human interaction, and attachment TO seeming cool at the expense of projecting genuine kindness to those outside the cliquey anti-fashion fashion show.    

Excellent sandwiches with fresh and creative ingredients though!
4 - Sandy B.: I've never had their sandwiches before but I have had many of their baked goods and they have all been so delicious! What I really appreciate is that they make vegan cupcakes taste like the non-vegan ones. It's hard to find bakeries/cafes that offer such great vegan treats, let alone baked vegan goods. I always stop by here to get my diabetic coma on!
1 - Matt L.: I tried this place when I was passing through town and given that I am originally from Amherst and went to high school here, I think I had only been in here once before. The place is highly overrated and no wonder some of the local students give it good reviews since that is the clientele it is pretty much catering to. 

The place claims it is a deli and wait a coffee shop and bakery too? Lets not confuse ourselves here. The menu selections are hardly creative and the sandwich I ordered (some odd looking turkey creation on a hard as rock baguette) was disgusting. It tasted day old and had no taste or uniqueness whatsoever. The pastries and desserts in here are garbage too. I tried a normal looking brownie and it tasted like I was chewing on a door stop. Either this place lets things sit out too long or they just don't know how to make good food. Throw in the clueless, snobby staff that seem to try and treat people like they are doing them a favor and the bad prices and we got ourselves one dud of a place that has surely gone downhill in the 20 years since I have left Amherst.
4 - Rob S.: I have been to Black Sheep twice today.  I got breakfast at about 11:00am, ordering an Apple and Cheddar Croissant and a medium coffee.  The medium is 16 oz which is great since some places a medium is 12 oz.  

The croissant was good.  The crust was EXCELLENT and buttery and probably horrible for me.  The apple part was to be expected, but they totally skimped on the cheddar when they baked it.  But a satisfying breakfast for under $5.

Round two was lunch.  I ordered the Carnivore, which is a roast beef sandwich with onions and horseradish on pumpernickel.  My only issue with the sandwich was that it was a normal "my-mom-made-me a-sandwich-size" and cost $7.25.  Now I'm not advocating the New York-sized sandwich.  It's really just unhealthy to eat that much sandwich at once... But it wouldn't hurt to get a little bit more for your dollar.  Other than being $1.25 too much, the sandwich was delicious and I'll probably go back again tomorrow and try another one of their creatively named sandwiches from the board.  It is truly satisfying food.

A few more words: Apparently the credit card minimum is $5 (not a problem for what I ordered but you can't put just a coffee on a card) and they are a popular place and everything appears to be made from scratch or made in small batches so they are frequently out of something.  Nine times out of ten it's not what you ordered, but incase you are unlucky and they start to make your sandwich and find out they are out of something, they are really good about offering you possible substitutes at no extra charge.
3 - Sara S.: Great freshly baked breads, but prepared salads and sandwiches are just ok. Way too long a wait, but I do love their coffee. So basically, I'm mixed on this place.
4 - Greta K.: The girls and I were in the mood for something on the light side and something that screamed Western Mass. since we were on a day trip in the area.  This definitely seemed like a hippie/left wing/college hangout kind of joint.  Check out the chalkboard by the bathroom if you don't believe me.  The owners/staff are not Republicans in any manner.  

I ordered a really delicious, yet very large spinach salad.  This was a tad on the expensive side for lunch but I was thankful for the day-old brioche, which I bought at half-price and it was still delicious. My friends ordered sandwiches and enjoyed them.  The seating area is kind of small so be sure to grab a table quickly after ordering.   I loved the acoustic swing band.  More restaurants should have live bands play.  

The desserts looked amazing but we didn't order anything.  I'd like to return  just for pastries.
3 - Chris L.: The short and sweet:
Meh espresso, quality (but somewhat pricey) coffee

Great sandwiches, but nothing mind-blowing. It doesn't help that they are difficult to eat. Also kind of pricey. The deli dishes (i.e. pasta salad)are also quality, yet probably the same as Stop & Shop or even Big Y down the road.

NEVER buy the things in the open cooler cabinet like wrapped cheeses, crackers, water, etc. They are unfortunately overpriced.

Finally, what saves this place from bring simply overpriced are 1) the salads and 2) the desserts. Both are FANTASTIC and, being so, worth the price tag (maybe only since everything is twice as expensive in NYC). 
If you're looking for a simple, but excellently done salad, try the spinach. They literally give you two or three servings of goat cheese. You could eat that thing for both lunch and dinner. 
And I won't say much about the desserts... they will be self-explanatory when you walk in and see the display case!

And one last thing: the desks are a pretty good study space on weekends because of the big windows, ample coffee, and background noise. Though honestly, all the coffee shops in Amherst are relatively equivalent regarding study space and accommodations--just pick the one with the best coffee.

I'd definitely recommend The Black Sheep, but only for several items mentioned above. For everything else, try somewhere a little cheaper.
4 - Alex D.: Black Sheep. Cheesecake. That's why this deli gets the fourth star. Their sandwiches are usually quite tasty and reasonably priced for the generous portions and the quality of the ingredients. However, everything else is overpriced and seems a bit stale--even the coffee. The baked goods are sometimes fine, but did I mention the cheesecake? I am a baker, and in many ways a patisserie snob, yet recently  I was lucky enough to be given an ENTIRE Black Sheep cheesecake.  Oh. My.

Also: live music on Sunday mornings... Gypsy Wranglers... cheerful setting...
5 - Mark K.: Really good Deli food and coffee. Very Popular so It can get crowded during typical meal rushes, but the wait is never too long. They can be a bit slow on refilling the coffee for serving, but if you ask they do it pronto.

Will go back again
2 - Tracy G.: I go here once a year, for one reason only: to get my boyfriend's birthday cake, the flourless chocolate espresso torte, topped in fruit and whipped cream. I order it ahead of time. It's a hit every year and I don't know anywhere else in town that makes this cake better than they do. It is expensive. My boyfriend is worth it.

But that's the only reason I go here. There are a lot of cafes in Amherst and I'll go to any of them before I subject myself to the service at the Black Sheep.

As you've already read,the service here is poor. "Grudging" is a good word for it. You may or may not be welcomed as you enter. And even though you can see three or four employees building a long sandwich together at the deli counter, you cannot count on one of them to turn around to help you. You might just have to stand there awkwardly for a while. It's annoying and I'm surprised all the poor reviews here haven't changed anything.

I used to write at this cafe in the early morning but I have switched over to Starbucks, and it's not because I love the coffee so much. It's because of the service. Black Sheep, listen up: good service makes a difference!
3 - B M.: B- for ambience. It's pleasant enough and a good place to bring your work, but something about the lighting/layout is a bit depressing. Maybe it's just Amherst in general. 

B+ for deli. The sandwiches are all pretty good, but a bit pricey. 

Pastries range from C to A. I've had most of them. I'd avoid the cookies -- usually dry -- and the cakes. The mousse cups, though, are amazing.
3 - Darci C.: This place is okay.  I'd actually like to give it a 2.5 star rating, but yelp does not allow such accuracy.

It has the potential to be great- the ambiance beckons you in and as you scan the list of sandwiches and the bakery case, you are convinced the meal will mirror the atmosphere.  However, I have yet to enjoy a meal that I felt was really good.  They fall short on taste.  The sandwiches, the soup and even the pastries just don't hit the mark.  I've waited nearly six months to write this review.  After each visit, I convince myself that my lackluster meal must have been a result of a bad day.  I have now concluded that my experience with this deli is consistently unimpressive.  It is not a bad choice if you are downtown and looking for some food.  But it seems important to honest and say, don't expect to be thrilled with whatever you order.  And if it turns out that you are thrilled, please hop back on yelp and share the secret to your success.
4 - william d.: Def a fan of Blacksheep... I've never been disappointed there and highly recommend this place.
5 - Emil T.: This has to be one of the best deli/pastry shops anywhere. Their deserts are amazing and the sandwiches are very good. The cheesecakes and the New Yorker sandwich are my favorites.
4 - Elisabeth Y.: Good iced coffee.

I was there a few days ago for breakfast and had a bagel and cream cheese. Very mediocre and not cheap. I made a mental note to come back for what look like delicious sandwiches (judging by the menu) and I am glad I had a sandwich craving for lunch today!

I had the Great Garlic sandwich today and loved every bite! Goat cheese, portobello mushrooms, roasted eggplant, roasted red peppers, lettuce, tomato, and roasted garlic on a baguette- I'll definitely try to reproduce this one at home! 

People-watching there was entertaining, as an added bonus.
1 - Nancy K.: I am from out of town and I tried to use this place to deliver brownies to a friend for a special occasion.  They never delivered the brownies. When my friend called to say the delivery time had passed by 20 minutes, they didn't seem that concerned.  Just said everyone had gone for the night so the delivery couldn't be made.  You would think they could have used a cell phone to ask the delivery person to come back to the store for the order.  Eventually the owner did call her back and offered a $20 gift certificate, and refunded my credit card, but the experience was extremely aggravating.  I wasn't notified by the store until two days after the event.  If I had been notified immediately I could possibly have found another vendor.  This doesn't mean their in-store food isn't good, obviously, but I was not happy about the catering service or the way they handled the error.
5 - Ductight D.: I like the Black Sheep. A bit funky inside, they could get better seating in the front room but maybe that is part of the charm. I love that they don't charge extra for soymilk. The iced americano is delicious unless you get it decaf and then it is a total dud. (Different beans, explained the barista).
Good local business and cheaper then Starbucks :)
2 - Max L.: The business model of the Black Sheep seems to be: "We are the only hip bakery in Amherst so you will eat our cookies and enjoy it no matter how little we try." 

Staff are nice. Ambiance is fine. Cute sandwich names. The Black Sheep seems great on paper, but in practice it often disappoints. The baked goods and desserts are just not very good. Cookies are dry. Cakes are too dense. Consistently disappointing food in general.

It's really not surprising that Black Sheep has been having some financial stumbles. I don't believe that locals really support it often.
4 - Juicy J.: I love the black sheep. Great salads, and great sandwiches. I haven't tried any of their sweets (cookies, pastries, etc.), but it has a nice vibe, and the staff has always been friendly and patient.
4 - Gail N.: I went here for lunch during a day-trip to Amherst and really enjoyed it. The menu was extremely diverse and met all of the diet needs of our group - Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, etc. There was a long line but it moved pretty quickly. We were able to grab a table for 8 (though it was a little on the later side for lunch). The desserts looked incredible and the coffee smelled good. It was affordable with good portions. The place was on the louder side but it didn't ruin the experience - if anything we ended up staying longer because we were so busy talking!
3 - A C.: I don't know what's going on with Black Sheep lately, but for the past few weeks they have really disappointed me. The food is still fantastic but the service has been awful! It seems that chatting about their plans for the night is of a much higher priority than completing orders. Very annoying when I'm on my way to work and have to wait for them all to stop flirting so I can get a move on. Several times I've had to interrupt  conversations to point out that they were making my order wrong. 

Maybe they have just gotten lazy for the summer.

Step it up Black Sheep! You still get a few stars for the food, but it really sucks to wait ten minutes for a sandwich with three ingredients when it is your only order. I don't really want to stand there listening to you talk about your personal lives. I just want to eat my sandwich.
3 - Anna Y.: I've been here quite a few times due to lack of food around Amherst.
I know a lot of people would say that there's quite of a variety here, but coming from a big city....I say otherwise.

I have tried their sandwiches, salads, and pastries. They are good, but not outstanding, and in my opinion a little pricey.
The main reason for three stars is the price for OK sandwiches.

I have only tried their caesar salad...with AWESOME croutons...and it's over dressed, so I suggest that you ask for the dressing on the side.

I haven't found another place that has good pastries, so whenever I have a sweet tooth, I come here to satisfy my craving.
5 - Rick B.: Great staff, great sandwiches.  Highly recommend!!!

Black Sheep Bar and Grill - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2795208, -120.6626847) ()
3 - Oliver S.: Ive never conciously walked into this place.. nor have I ever conciously walked out.. but I do alway remember staggering and wobbling around while waiting in line..

I must enjoy it, I've been told i've been here a few times by friends more sober than me.
4 - Courtney B.: I'd definitely go back to the Black Sheep.  It's an unassuming pub and wasn't too crowded the night we went.  There's a great little garden area out back with heat lamps to keep it toasty (since it was a little chilly out).  Nice beer selection too and the bathrooms are above average for a bar--a definite plus!
3 - Franz v.: One of the better bars in downtown San Luis Obispo. It's not filthy (or it at least doesn't LOOK filthy), there's a lot of places for people and groups to sit and they have a nice patio. Bar service is prompt and drinks are moderately priced. There isn't a jukebox that I know of, but there is music,  that I assume is coming from behind the bar, either way the music isn't terrible; certainly not in the foreground of the Black Sheep Experience, but still good to listen to.

On a side note: Aside from Mother's Tavern, I think this is the only other bar in the area that I've had to wait to get in to.
4 - c e.: best bar ive been to in SLO. 

i walked in and was immediately greeted by the roaring riffs of BAD RELIGION!!!

much muchhhhh better than most of the hip-hop, top 40, or country bars downtown

outdoor seating area was cozy & had heaters... plenty of room for our group to sit early in the night, but it was getting pretty crowded before we left...

this place was a sausage fest!! besides the girls I was with, there was a 7:1 ratio... so if thats what your looking for!! go for it!!!

clean bathrooms & moderately priced drinks gave this place 4 solid stars

just minus 1 star for the cocky bartender who gave me attitude when i said he looked familiar... and all the cal poly frat kids lurkin around


best music. thats whats important!
3 - Chantal D.: Didn't enjoy the wait outside but DID love the decor inside! It's not one of the main bars I immediately think of when asked what my favorite bar is in downtown SLO, but definitely not one that should be forgotten. I mean check out the bar itself. This place could be so classy if it weren't for all the drunk people stumbling around, elbows in my face cuz i'm so damn short. The flaming lamborghini has become a must on 21st birthdays and where to go for that but Black Sheep eh? All other drinks are generic. Not completely pleased, nor dissatisfied. If someone wants to go here I don't have much of a reason to object.
2 - Kimmy N.: The only bar in SLO for which I've had to wait in line for half of an hour only to get inside and find an almost empty bar.  Nice because I'm there with friends, and we don't have to fight to get drinks or a table, but not cool because we've been waiting thirty minutes for what?  Nice little place they have going for them.  I have decent time, I suppose, nothing remarkable but nothing bad except the facade of a line that makes you think there is something waiting for...
3 - Cris L.: They served me a very tasty tri-tip sandwich, which I washed down with a few pints of the local brew. The place was nicely filled on the Saturday evening (dinner time), but not so much that I couldn't find a place to sit at the bar. I don't know what it is with the TVs in bars, though. Especially when they get pay-per-view ultimate fighting. I don't want to see that shit while I eat, OK?
5 - Danielle T.: This place was hoppin' last night (thurs).  We got there around 7 and barely got seated.  I've typically only gone for their lunch on the patio which is a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.  The decor inside is nice - lots of hardwood details and a brick wall-- that along with the fireplace makes this place feel comfortable and cozy.

Our service was good and it's great that they have a kitchen.  The jalapeno poppers are the way to go.  I think this might be my favorite bar right now- it's kinda like what Mothers used to be five years ago.
5 - Jon O.: Best mac 'n' cheese in town add BBQ Chicken to make it even better. Great Nachos too. A great place to get a beer on a week night with some friends and watch a game. Sunday Funday is always good after a Rover's game too. Weekends can be a bit crazy here, but it is great in the summer, when it's mostly locals.
3 - Wally W.: This place is always busy every night.  Great seating areas with an indoor fireplace, even though it never gets really that cold in SLO.
4 - Courtney J.: I always get great service here and i love the outdoor patio!!!
3 - Rikki W.: Their delicious fries bumped them up from a 2 to a 3. 

I haven't sampled their whole menu, but judging from the fries, I'm assuming the other options are good!

I've been there when it's busy and more mellow, either way I didn't get the best vibe from this place. I like the outdoor seating, I would love it if the heaters worked.

This may be weird to say, but I think we got back counterfeit bills.
5 - Jeremy S.: My favorite bar in SLO.  The food is pretty good during the day, but the best time is at night.  The drinks are strong and well priced.  It can get really crowded and it's not worth waiting in line for the bathroom, which crowds the hallway.  The best part is the back patio, it's nice and open, lots of chairs and tables if you can get one, and people just seem more interesting there compared to other bars.
4 - Emily J.: I go here at least once everytime I visit San Luis Obispo. They have a lovely back patio that I have spent way too many hours in.

The drinks are well priced and the bartenders are really nice.  The bartender was even really nice to the most obnoxious man I had ever experienced. I am sure that they deal with way more obnoxious people than I do at my job so I give them lots of credit for their patience. 

Three people, on three seperate occasions, asked if I'd tried their mac 'n cheese. The next time I went there I tried it and although I knew that my arteries were clogging at the exact moment I was eating, it was the most wonderful mac 'n cheese experience I have ever had.
4 - Michele M.: Love this place! Always down for the pub, all wood, atmosphere. Good service, good food (kickin' nachos and jalapeno garlic fries! bring gum).

It was a rainy late afternoon in downtown and coming into Black Sheep and sitting by the fireplace with a beer was JUST what I needed.

Too bad I live up north :(
4 - Tony A.: I gotta say.... I agree with the last poster.

It's kind of a non assuming average place on your first take.  However, if it's January and it's raining outside and you get seated by the fireplace and you throw caution to the wind and order an angus & blue cheese burger well, it's as pretty close to nirvana as you might achive.

 I've been there twice.. I've been happily  surprised both times.
5 - Jim L.: For the longest time I avoided this place. I thought, 'Oh great, yet another college frat guy bar'. When I finally gave it a try I was very pleasantly surprised. It has a real good vibe to it. A good mixture of old and young and tourist and local. Everything I've had to eat here as been awsome especially the Pesto Chicken sandwich...with the garlic fries of course. I'm not a Mac and Cheese fan but have heard nothing but rave reviews about it. The bartenders are great and the prices are totally fair.

I've lived in this area since '87 and have been to MANY bars from A.G. to Paso and I have to say that this pub is by far my favorite. 

I highly recommend it.
4 - reese w.: Typical brewpub kinda place. Nice atmosphere, great pub food, and a wicked hot fireplace. Yeah... It was kinda hot, but it was still pretty nice to have a fireplace right there.

I liked this place a lot and would definitely go back again.
3 - Ronny C.: I was just never a fan of this bar. I never had the food, so i'm not judging from that standpoint. As far as bars go its a very calm and relaxed atmosphere, not really my type of place to go to, but to each their own.
4 - Matt R.: cool place to go and have some drinks. it's mellow and they pour strong drinks. food is alright, but i don't really go here for the food.
4 - Gabrielle J.: Great back patio- perfect place to enjoy a sunny afternoon with a pint and some kickass onion rings!
5 - Alex R.: Hands down my favorite bar in SLO.  The food is good, but I only ate there a few times.  I just liked to hang out on the back patio and drink the strong drinks.  This place is awesome during the day (esp graduation morning and st. patties day) and awesome during the night.  Can't wait to go back the next time I visit SLO.
4 - Casey C.: Was in SLO for a weekend getaway and wanted a bar where I didn't feel old around all of the Cal Poly students!  This was a great find.  A chill atmosphere with a more laid back crowd.

We sat at the bar where I enjoyed watching the bartenders make some elaborate drinks: Tokyo Tea and Chocolate Cake shots.  The two drinks that I had were stiff and affordable (compared to SF), the best of both worlds.
2 - catherine h.: I ordered a vodka tonic and the bartender asked me, "what's in that?" After a few moments of feeling like I was stuck in a riddle, as saying "vodka tonic" sums up all ingredients, he asked his co-worker and she made it!  Are you kidding me?!
4 - David S.: I dropped into the Black Sheep to kill some time when I was shopping in downtown SLO.  The first thing I noticed was the great neon sign they had.  The second was the bar -- an old oak bar the runs the length of the place.

The staff was friendly, and the beer was cold.  Pretty much all you need when you want a cool one.

I was there in the early afternoon, so I can't say what it is like on Friday or Saturday night.  But my guess is it's good.

The Black Sheep was a perfect experience, and I know I'll go back the next time I'm on the local coast.
4 - Tony C.: Pretty good food.
Good relaxing place
Mac N Cheese is very tasty
It is the SPOT!
5 - Jennifer O.: I know nothing about the food. When I was in college I preferred to blow my money on alcohol. 

I. Love. This. Bar. I lived three blocks from here for a summer and a quarter and it was awesome. Some nights I would post up in here and never leave. They didn't mess around with your drinks, and you always had a "whooo" moment with each sip. They played a great mix of hip hop and alternative, the frat guys don't bother coming here, the bouncers are the nicest in town, and the back patio is a great place to indulge in your drunken smoking habit and hit on someone. Oh and this was the only bar where they gave my fake ID back to me when they figured out that it wasn't me. 

I miss The Black Sheep like I miss an old friend.
3 - Lisa P.: We went earlier in the evening during the week, and I loved the bar itself.  Cool atmosphere, and we kept commenting on how much we loved the music.

The food was good!  The fish tacos had a really nice kick, and we got the nachos for the table - 5-6 people can easily snack on those suckers.

And - cheap!  4 meals + 4 drinks + 1 giant order of nachos w/ chicken = $89 plus tip.  Not bad, not bad at all.

The crowd was intriguing, but I was happy to see a good mix of people and not just a ton of college kids.  I'd love to go back minus the monsoon when we can enjoy the patio.
3 - Milka C.: My husband and I wanted a place to get a strong drink and inviting atmosphere to get our drink on. Our bartender was a super nice girl, can't remember her name but she was sweet and efficient, a good mix. I had Acai vodka drink special, it wasn't life changing or anything, but I got a good buzz. Baby Daddy had beer, of which they had a decent selection. The bar food was ok, we had gotten nachos and fish tacos. Nothing exceptional but good enough. We liked the Pub atmosphere and kick back scene.
3 - Sally P.: I like the decor here, it's small and quaint and somewhat kitschy and western, if only this bar weren't in San Luis Obispo, where white people abound and lifted pickup trucks outnumber minorities.  Instead all of the western theme, taxidermied head, and  wooden surfaces just turn the place into more of a fraternity hick bar, where the guys smell like axe body spray and the girls are as generic as the oxycontins I order online from Argentinian pharmacias. 

As I was leaving one guy stopped me and complimented my shirt.   I thanked him and continued on my way.  That was very nice of him to say so, and it made me slightly less cranky towards the clientele.
3 - Catriona C.: Having spent some time looking for a bar, SLO seemed to be an odd mix of uber trendy (empty) bars, some equally empty dive bars (if you are in a college town, this just doesn't make sense to me... unless pretty bad, or you suddenly get the need to start humming the tune from Deliverance) and some super packed out bars, including the Britpub (Frog and Peach... and I don't know why either), which I shyed a little away from. These are my people, you know? Thou shalt not stereotype!

Finally after what seemed aeons of wandering, we finally chanced upon Black Sheep. Thankfully, we were all willing to go in (OK, read that as "tired and pissy and if I don't get in a beer in me soon and quit walking on my newly tattoo'ed leg I might murder someone" kind of mood). A curious mix of people, from college kids to girls who seemed to think this was some kind of nightclub. A pretty standard kind of bar, with Dylan and reggae on the soundsystem. Some decent beers on tap, and space to sit down, either inside or outside. I can't say it stands out to me as a pub with a lot of character, but certainly works if you want to have a beer.
3 - Joshua A.: This place was over all pretty good. The vibe was really nice, because the decor was cool. We sat outside in the back, and it was nice out there too. 
The food hit and miss. I had the tri-tip sandwich, and it was okay. My girlfriend had the 117 Chorro burger, and it was okay too. Neither one was anything special. However, my friend got the mac and cheese, and his girlfriend got the ham fondue sandwich (i forget the exact name). 
The bite I had of the mac and cheese was undoubtedly the highlight of the meal. 

I would maybe go back again when I visit San Luis.
4 - Joshua S.: Black Sheep is one of a handful of bars in SLO that I really enjoy going to.  I like the atmosphere of the place, dark wood paneling, solid seating, and a decent beer selection.  

The people are generally laid back (as far as SLO bars are concerned).  Not a fan of typical collegiate dbaggery & Black Sheep generally remains insulated from the bulk of it.

Anyway, definitely on the top of my list for adult beverages in SLO.
4 - elizabeth r.: black sheep is my favorite bar in SLO.  not that their drinks are  anything special, but its just an all around good bar.  you can have a meal their  during the day, which i hear is quite delicious.  

but the real treat is their back patio.  SO nice and equipped with a bar outside so you dont have to fight the crowd on your way to the bar inside.  they have heating lamps for the cold blooded and the ivy growing everywhere over the brick walls is very fun
5 - Alice L.: I love black sheep as a restaurant, not so much as a bar though. 

Their food is super delicious, and the bartender/server was really cool. I forgot the to-go box once and he ran out to bring it to me. I thought that was pretty sweet. 

In terms of bars, I think it's a bit too small, although they do have a patio outside for people to get some fresh air. This bar and grill restaurant only has 1 bathroom each for guys and girls, so usually you'd have to wait in line for a while.
4 - Eve K.: Do you like mostly liquor with a splash of a mixer? Then this is the place for you... and me. ;-)  4.5 stars

Cost to worth it rating: 4
Return worthiness: yes

Highlights:
- Atmosphere: thin long room with brick walls. Even in a collegey town, didn't feel like a typical rowdy college bar. More of a chill fun vibe which we enjoyed.
- Flavored vodka collection: complete with 3 Olives root beer and a new one for me Tang!
- Hefty pouring bartender: as advertised by our waiter at dinner, if you like your drinks stiff, you'll be a happy camper. 

Lowlights:
- Bathrooms: only 1 for women and 1 for men so may have a wait.

Really enjoyed our night here and would come back next time I find myself in SLO.
5 - Rebecca Z.: Great service & food. We usually start with the onion rings, great. The mac n cheese is so good. All the sandwiches & salads are a good choice. We eat here often. The food & service are always very consistant.
5 - Jennifer S.: When I lived here I would say that I was here at least one time a week and now that I am not it is the first place that I like to visit. 

They have a great happy hour.  Well drinks for 3 bucks and they are willing to make it a double.  Can't beat that price.  They also have some pretty amazing nachos.  

Sure the place does get a little busy after happy hour when the students get there but I still think it is a fun place to have a few drinks. 

There is also a new back area.  It really does look nice back there now.  I just wish they would give the restrooms a makeover.  But it is a bar after all.
You should check it out and make sure to say HI to Sam.  She is one of the best servers there
4 - Matt G.: Pretty fun bar for the most part.  It's a little on the casual side but they have stiff drinks at reasonable prices.  There back patio can be fun.  The only downside is that it can get very crowded, but then again this is a good thing.
4 - myra b.: We came here just for drinks and enjoyed ourselves. Service was fast and friendly. The drinks weren't super cheap (it wasn't happy hour), but they were strong and we were happy. We decided not to order food but wish we had as we had a horrible experience down the street elsewhere for dinner.
5 - Kneesa Y.: oh my god! can you say YUM?! had chicken tenders (not greasy or oily), fish tacos (moist and delicious) and a grilled shrimp salad. awesome!!! can't wait to eat it again!
4 - BRIAN s.: I had passed this bar twice once it was very busy the second time country music was playing.  The third time neither was happening they where playing good music and wasn't packed.  We went there for the food and drinks it was happy hour so we started off with that.  Then a appetizer of chips and guacamole, the guacamole was excellent but it seemed like we got the bottom of the bag on the chips because some were very tiny.  The chips where great tasting though.  I ordered the beef tacos my friend the veggie burger.  The food was great with good portions and when happy hour was over I ordered a orange julius type drink which was excellent and our waitress Ashley told my friend to get a lemon drop served in a big glass which was a right on recommendation.  Ashley was one of the coolest servers I have encountered always smiling and being sure everything was ok.  I never visited the bathrooms or the back patio.  There was a mixture of people there and people watching was exceptionally fun there.  I will be back here for sure.
5 - Kimberly W.: Great for lunch. Fun for drinking. Great patio. The bartenders are fantastic.

If you're there to eat...Get the Ham and Cheese fondu sandwich.  Just trust me on this one.  The food doesn't come fast, but its worth every second you have to wait for it.  The drinks are strong. The bartenders are friendly and laid back, but they don't put up with a lot of crap.  If you're in the mood to be high maintenance, or get thrashed and act like an idiot... try somewhere else.  

Black sheep is a definite go-to spot in San Luis.  Love it.
4 - Ken E.: Cool spot.  Great feel with use of an old building.  Great architectural details.  Beer was great.  Service was fantastic.  Definite recommend!
4 - Saturday night a to Z.: I really like Black Sheep, although I have to admit I've never been there after 9:00 at night.  I'm sure it's really a different scene  at midnight.  

The best thing about this place is the staff.  They are so friendly, fun to talk to, and filled with good suggestions about the menu, the downtown area, and life in general.

Last time we went I got some kind of pomegranate drink (good) and C got a shot of tequila (hard to be anything but good).  We had some great guacamole (as good as homemade--really!) and some average chips.  I got the tortilla soup for dinner.  I had asked C to save some guac for me to dollop on the top of my soup, but it was so delicious he had to lick the bowl so I asked the waitress if I could have some avocado added to my soup.  It was wonderful.  That's the way I'm going from now on. 

We sat on the back patio and enjoyed the vibe.  At Black Sheep it's easy to pretend that you're in Chicago or Ireland.  We thought the price was just right for such good food and such a good time.
5 - adam r.: great food and stiff drinks. a winning combo.
4 - Lucy W.: after roaming around the streets of SLO and trying to find a quick bite to eat at 9:30p, we dropped into this pub, and it was a great decision.  

it was crowded and loud, but the servers and bartenders were always attentive, available, and courteous.  

the food was amazingly delicious.  the chicken pomodoro was bursting with flavor and color and was perfectly cooked.  

the fish and chips were perfectly cooked.  the fish was cornmeal battered and fried to a juicy perfection.  the waitress honored my request to convert my "chips" into garlic jalapeno fries, which are BOMB!!

both of our drinks were refreshing and soothing (pear martini and another drink off their drink menu) and a perfect way to unwind after a 4 hour car ride and stroll around downtown.
5 - Kianoosh S.: Always start my bar hopping night here. One of the better bars in SLO. The staff is nice and I've had their nachos and mac-n-cheese...EPIC. I like to chill on the patio and chill with friends.
4 - Pricila H.: I thought they did an excellent job with decorating the place. It has a really cool vibe. The service was okay. She refilled everyone elses cups but mine. But anyways, I had the blackened shrimp salad and I was really impressed with the quality of the ingredients. The avocado was perfectly ripe, the greens were fresh, and the shrimp were juicy, not rubbery at all. My friend had the mac'n'cheese, I must admit I wish I had ordered that instead. It was so cheesy, it had a lovely crust from the broiling. You could see the freshly cracked pepper and for 9 bucks it was a generous portion. So good!! The nachos were awesome and it was like mountain high status. The seasoning on the fries was amazing. The only thing that kinda sucked was my soup, it was pretty bland and they have no dessert menu! Oh, and we didn't order any alcoholic drinks but I did see the waitress make the drinks and omg, it was like all liquor with a splash of mixer.

I am so coming back!
4 - Shaun V.: So, I didn't really know what to expect when ordering food at a bar, but I was quite surprised when I saw the menu. The food was amazingly delicious. I ordered a special which was the ABC burger. Reasonably priced for the portion and the guinness burger was super tasty.
2 - Brian T.: I don't patronize places where the bartender tells me that men can only order certain drinks and women are the only ones who can order a certain drink. 

It's too bad too, because I would have really liked you. But it was a first date and you kinda blew it. Try to be sexist on the third date, I'm more apt to forgive you by then.
3 - Raquel R.: The Good: Daytime drinking at it's finest.
The Bad: No dancing. None. Zip. Zero. 
The Ugly: Bathrooms. El stinko.

If you want to have a beer  on a nice patio in the middle of the day, head on over to this place. If you want to have some sun on the patio- head somewhere else. 

If you want to sit with your buddies but still have to scream to talk to them. Come here. 

If you want to be pushed, spilled on and perhaps get your ass grabbed- then by all means come here. 

If you want cheapish/ stiff drinks in Downtown SLO. Than come here. 

The crowd can be odd at times. To say the bar is small is putting it nicely. The bartenders in the day are fabulous, the bartenders at night are pricks. But ya know that is par for the course. 

The reason I give it three stars is because my friends love it here and it is a downtown staple.
4 - Damien T.: Good mac and cheese
5 - Bruce F.: Great Bar good food and friendly people... I was in SLO on a Thursday visiting from Sacramento, after ordering a drink and sandwich I asked the bartender Nicole what was there to do in town...?

No only did she recommend a good coffee shop for the next morning, she also told me about the Thursday night farmers market and BBQ.... Next she made me a map of downtown, highlighting several other bars and local restaurants. 

Thanks, Nicole I had a great visit and Love your town

Reggie
4 - Aaron P.: Well I did not want to write a review until I had actually eaten here, beer does not count, so here we go...finally.
First off the atmosphere is pretty great if you don't mind it crowded. I like being in the back. It is a little difficult to get back there in the evening since you have to push past the bathrooms but there are more seats. The alcohol selection is pretty good as well. There is even a secondary bar in back.
The food is most excellent. A great place for a burger or tri tip or whatever. I was surprised.
If you want to come here get here early or stop by for dinner and stay afterward if you want a cool place to hang out.
4 - Shawn M.: Went on a saturday evening around 6pm, really had a great time. Drinks were reasonable, about 6 bucks each, less for beer. Nicole was our server and we were seated at the bar. She was friendly and efficient but also took time to speak with us and ask if we were locals or from out of town, etc. Drinks were average to strong, as for alcohol, and we liked that. Friendly atmosphere overall, though the bathroom had an odor and broken paper towel holder. But if that's the worst part of our experience then i'll live.
4 - Brett H.: Great bar. Good food. Nice mix of people.. On the smaller side but excellent bar tending. Nick was great.
4 - Michelle A.: Great atmosphere--always a hustle-and-a-bustle. Tight and crowded. Now, on to the food. Great drinks--and strong! But watch out for the amzazing Mac-n-Cheese. Literally the best I've ever had.
3 - Jackie F.: Pro: good atmosphere, good bar, off to the side of downtown, for the local adults.

Con: not much room, very warm indoor from all the people.

Not a bad place, I would like to have a seat to have some food from I seems from other patrons. My group barely had room to get a drink from the bar and only got one drink... plus we were trying to get out for due to the internal temperature was a bit insane.

I would like to come back again in the future... maybe during a non peak hour.
3 - Steven P.: Nighttime need to knows:

-Always crowded

-"chill" kind of bar

-No dancing

-Strong drinks

-Small bathrooms
3 - Samuel G.: You know how you're traveling through/visiting a place, you stop by and then you wish you had more time to spend there? The Black Sheep was one of those places for me. Taking a stroll through downtown SLO the day before, my partner and I were looking for a good place to have lunch, since he had plans to meet an old friend. Once we saw this place, we looked at each other and just KNEW this was it. 

Call me twisted, but the more a bar resembles the old-fashioned bars of yesterday, the more I like it - but I'm thinking about the bar on the back-in-the-day soap opera RYAN'S HOPE. The closer it looks like the place run by "Maeve and DA", the better I like it. And with its dark, polished wood and beautiful back room with the open ceiling (a feature I'm sure the Ryan's bar DIDN'T have), I really wished we'd been able to come back during the evening to see what it was like on the "bar"-side, as well as the restaurant side. 

I also like to encounter staff who possess as much individual personality as the place where they work, and Meghann, our server, definitely had that sassy edge that makes any bar a more fun place to go. Not to mention she made sure we were taken care of...and I've been to swankier places where such was definitely NOT the case. Give that woman a RAISE! (LOL)

Menu-wise, it had the usual bar fare - fries, nachos, burgers - but went just a step above with items like fish tacos, regular tacos, REAL salads (as opposed to lettuce with some glorified salsa on top), and a bonafied "Linguisa" sandwich - something you'd be hard-pressed to find outside of SLO, Paso or the surrounding areas. 

I don't quite remember what everybody else had, but I ordered the "Black Sheep Guinness Burger" with fries, which was outstanding. The fact that I was in good company probably helped the food go down even better, but don't take the three-star review to mean that the place isn't worth going to. Given the chance, if we'd had more time, we would've stopped back for the full "BAR-friend Experience", and I have no doubt it would've rated four stars at the very least.

Hope to darken your doorway again 'some enchanted evening,' Black Sheep!
4 - Raquel S.: First things first, this place has the strongest drinks downtown, no questions asked. With that being said, I have this place to thank for many of the nights (in my sage 2 years of legal drinking) that I won't remember. The Long Islands literally go down like Coke, which is a blessing and a curse. I love how it gets super crowded (late and on the weekends, or any holiday that Poly has off) and you literally have to wrestle your way anywhere you go (i.e. to the bar, to the back patio, to the bathroom). The staff is always pretty friendly and their music selection is also good! One thing I could do without is the perpetually long lines (yes, men too) to use the bathroom. But other than that, this place pretty much rocks.
1 - Heather E.: College and loser hang out. UGH.....
4 - Lawrence P.: The food is better than typical bar type food.   The Killer Nachos with chicken is a good finger food to share with several people and is priced appropriately for its portion.  Drink prices are comparable to other bars nearby.  Bar and food service is awesome during non peak times.  Obviously, when it's busy, expect a bit of a wait.  Like others have mentioned the internal temperature of the place can climb fairly high sometimes.  Also worth a try, Guiness Burger!
5 - Sara S.: Love, love, love this place. My favorite bar to hit up downtown slo, especially during the day time when the atmosphere is very relaxed. Nighttime, the place does get very crowded...but if you don't mind the typical nighttime downtown bar scene for a college town, it makes for great people watching. I have a few favorite seats in the house, by the fireplace on a cold day, in the window box on a nice, or at the bar. The patio outback is also a very nice place to sit.

Always great for a group or friends or just going out for a drink. I like everything I've had on the food menu, especially the nachos which are my favorite (half order usually, the full order is HUGE!!). I feel like I get my money's worth for the drinks too...I can have a couple drinks and feel good instead of having to order weak little tiny drinks.

No dancing, which I like. 

I love you, Black Sheep!
4 - Caroline C.: Like everyone has said the food here is surprisingly exceptional for bar food. I took Yelpers' advice and went with the mac and cheese and was not disappointed. It's creamy, cheesy and buttery but not disgustingly so. So delicious and indulgent. The beer selection, if you're a beer fan, isn't all that great but we were able to make do with the Firestone Double Barrel, the best they had on tap. Happy hour is every day and you get a pint of beer or a well drink for only $3.50. The staff was very friendly and attentive. What more could one ask for.  Great place to grab a late lunch. When it was around 6 or 7 it started picking up. And since I read it could be quite crowded and obnoxious after 9, we made sure to not stick around. In any case, I'd definitely come back for the food and a beer. BTW, glanced at the specialty cocktail list and everything was Sex and the City sweet. They also have classic cocktails, including a Manhattan but I have a feeling this is the sort of place where you have to request that they stir not shake your Manhattan.
5 - Helena W.: One of my two favorite bars in downtown SLO. This place is where you want to go for beer or strong mixed drinks because from experience, this place doesn't skip on the hard alcohol!

Love this place because the atmosphere is cozy, yet clean and nice. Has a pub atmosphere without being quite as crowded as the other bars downtown. And even when it does get crowded, people tend to clear out a lot faster here than at the other bars, so it's feasible to grab a table even at the busiest times. 

All the bartenders here are Giants fans so rep them and you may get some special treatment. Overall though, they are nice regardless of who your favorite baseball team is. 

There is covers on the weekends which usually comes to be $2. In my opinion I think it's worth it because this is a sweet bar that I'm willing to give my money to. So if you're looking for a lax place for drinks, hit up Black Sheep, grab a table, and just hang out!

Also, when they start playing opera REALLY loud, it's their non-subtle way of letting you know they're closed.
5 - Carrie B.: Love, love this place!  The atmosphere is great, food and drinks are wonderful, and we've always had great service.  Highly recommended!
5 - Lisa G.: I liked their steak nacho's so much that I had a hard time ever trying anything new, but then I had the burger.  OMG sooo friggin good!  Now how will I decide what to get next time.  Also they always have great beers on tap.
5 - Ryan G.: most fave spot in town. best bartenders (sorry mc carthy's), awesome little patio to kill smokes, marble little counters in the bathroom for "pick me up's" if you're into that sort of thing... come when nicole is working in the a.m. shift and hear all the new wave classics while sipping vegan b.m.'s ... fireplace on the chilly nights. dunno...
  this is the place to go if you don't feel like looking at bro's with TAPOUT shirts hanging with gross sluts. n.b.d.  super chill. 
  oh... my friends that eat animals say the nacho's are the best ever. GROSS.
5 - Tina L.: One of the first bars I went to in SLO.  Was pretty hungry, had one drink and was gone.  I know, I am horribly lightweight.

This bar was cool, there was this one guy who was buying drinks for these girls, and the girls took a very long time decide. Hilarious.
5 - Ravi D.: I love Black Sheep! I've been told "Nothing can touch 'The Sheep'" and now I completely agree! This place deserves 10 stars! Everything on the menu sounds so good! I must try as many things as possible! I went there for the first time last week. I really like the vibe of this place. I decided to sit in the patio area in the back, since every table inside was full (that's a good sign,right?) It was nice,and not too loud on the patio/out door bar area. You just can't come here on a Friday night,because I tried to come back here the following Friday and it was packed! So, don't listen to the reviews that say this place is too cramped! Gotta go late on a Thursday night like what I did. I sat directly under a heat lamp which was nice since it was 9pm and a little chilly. I was served and seated by a friendly,smiling,energetic,cute waitress. I ordered the blacken Cajun shrimp salad with avocado. I wasn't sure if I should order a half salad or a full one. The waitress asked "Are you really hungry or just a little" I said "Oh I'm pretty hungry" So I decided to go with the full salad. There were only a few other people eating out on the patio is the ambient atmosphere was really nice. The smiling waitress passed by my table 5 minutes later and said "Salads almost done" I said "Oh okay great thanks"  Less than 5 minutes later the waitress brought my salad out. It was HUGE! As soon as it was placed on the table I said "Wowwww" and the waitress said "Worth every penny?" ahaha. It WAS worth every single red cent,because it was sooo good! Not soggy or un-fresh or anything! The lettuce, tomatoes,cucumbers ,and avocado were amazingly fresh and tasted fresh! My ONLY minor minor complaint is take the shells off the g-damn shrimp in the salad! I didn't realize this and crunched some of shrimp tails. But overall great place. I only had 15 bucks in my account at the time and the salad was $13.95 and I was so impressed by the service, I tipped a measly $1.05. I wanted to tip way more though. The waitress must of realized I was broke as a joke and didn't take the tip. *Applause* Next time I go here I am going to order the 1117 Chorro Burger,leave a huge tip,and get that waitress's number.
4 - Francesca L.: Chill place, great service, good food! I came in with some friends for dinner and drinks and it was a great choice. It was a bit drizzly outside and I was craving comfort food. I ended up getting the grilled ham and cheese sandwich and a bowl of tortilla soup. Now this sandwich was no joke! Double decker stacked with cheese on the outside and inside. Plus tomato to round it all out. You definitely will be FULL or you can share. I also had several bites of my friends macaroni and cheese. omg so creamy and delicious! 
I enjoyed my dinner, I enjoyed my beer, and our server was super cute & friendly.
I will be back!
5 - Diana G.: AWESOME MAC N CHEESE!!! Yeah for a great pre-drunk dinner! I was told to try it and now I'm hooked. It was made with more than one type of cheese and the noodles are large. A great ooey gooey texture!

Met 7 friends here to start the evening off. Waitress was pretty on-the-ball considering how crowded it was.

Haha moment - a group of 7 had two girls wind-up on the floor and the guys had to carry them out. 2 full beers were left behind. Immediately the stranger across from us jumped up, grabbed one of the beers - "can't let a good thing go to waste!"
4 - Beth F.: I liked the Black Sheep from the moment I stepped inside. The tables had a coppery covering and wooden benches alongside. Up above, the lighting reminded me of that which you'd find in a castle--circular black iron pieces with multiple lights. They also had this killer glass pipe case with Sherlock Holmes and Big Ben on the door, as well as a black stove/furnace  with a live fire in the corner. 

Now, onto the food, which really exceeded expectations: the husband ordered a Guiness burger, which he loved. I sampled a bit and found it to be tasty as well. I opted for the Cajun blackened shrimp & a avocado salad, which also came with carrots, lettuce, hard-boiled egg, cucumber, and tomatoes. I ordered bleu cheese, which they thankfully served on the side. The salad came seasoned with some oil and lemon,  and the shrimp were perfectly spiced and moist. In hindsight, I probably should have ordered a vinaigrette, but regardless, all of the ingredients were so fresh and tasty that really enjoyed it. I ordered the small, but if you're really hungry, order the larger size. Our server was friendly and attentive as well. There was certainly a  nice neighborhoody feel to it--the servers would greet patrons by name and give them hugs as they entered.
4 - Josh C.: One Sunday evening, we stopped in San Luis Obispo on our way back to L.A. from S.F. As we walked around town looking for something interesting to eat, we stopped outside the Black Sheep to check out the menu. There were only a handful of people inside, and the bartender ran over, opened the door and said "Come on in, best service in town," or something like that. Usually that's a turn-off for me and I would have walked away (guess I'm used to all the aggressive waiters annoying people on the sidewalk in S.F.'s North Beach!) But he seemed friendly enough and the menu looked OK, so we gave it a shot. 

Boy were we glad we ate there! The staff was very friendly and wanted to make sure we enjoyed everything, without being overbearing. But the best part was the shrimp fettucini alfredo and garlic bread that I ordered. It was some of the most delicious fettucini alfredo I can remember eating. I'd definitely recommend this place, and would go there again next time I'm in the area. 

One thing to note is that it was a bit chilly in there. It does look like a historic brick building, so maybe the heating is not up to date. Maybe it is warmer when it's filled with people, or you get a table near the fireplace. But the ambiance is cool and I'm sure it's a fun place to go out for drinks with your friends. I can see it as one of those friendly local pubs that would be a place to frequent if you lived in the area.
4 - Casey R.: How I wish this bar/restaurant was in my hometown! I was just walking around Higuera St and needed some food so I whip out my trusty Yelp app and found this place. Upon gazing up at the neon sign from the street I knew I had chosen the right place. When we walked we were promptly told to take a seat anywhere. The place itself is long and narrow with the wood bar running almost the entire length of the room. It is small and adjacent to the bar are small tables where you can get your grub on. The restaurant/bar was really cool. It had lots of wood grains and brass but at the same time very casual and inviting. It reminded me of a really old Irish Pub.

The server was also  casual and friendly and we liked her a lot. I read on the Yelp reviews that their Mac and Cheese was very good. My girlfriend ordered that and I had the Guinness Burger. I tried her Mac and Cheese and it was very good and super cheesy. I came with a side salad which cut the richness very well. My burger was also really good. According to the menu it is a beef patty caramelized in Guinness. I had them add cheddar cheese and it was a winner! The fries were also thin, hot, crispy and seasoned well. I washed it all down with a local IPA and I was a happy camper.

I could definitely see myself here on a weekly basis if I lived in SLO. It's great vibe with good food and a good mix of the SLO crowd.
4 - Christine A.: Lunch here is spot on. Nightlife is chill. 

The Guinness burger is on point! Really tasty and juicy and I wish I had ordered it myself! Grilled cheese fondue sandwich, I wanted to love you, but I just couldn't. I think if the mozzarella that's melted on top of the sandwich were a saltier cheese, it might have hit the spot better. But since mozzarella is so...bland, I was underwhelmed. Check Black Sheep's website to get a nice picture of what it looks like. 

Anyway, this mediocre sandwich will not deter me from this awesome place! Nicole, the server/bartender, is suuuper nice and the burger will have me coming back for more. 

I will come back for the mac n cheese that everyone keeps raving about. I just wasn't in the mood for cheese this time around.

As for nightlife, it's a fun place to hang out and grab some beers with your friends. There's no obnoxious dance-music happening here, just a chill place for a bunch of locals/college kids.
4 - Zach A.: Another one of my favorite bars in Downtown SLO. This place is a great hangout, they have a back patio area with a limited bar. This place gets packed quick so keep that in mind if you come late in the night. They have a side alley as a way out of the back patio area so you don't have to walk through the crowded bar, which is great.
5 - Joe K.: This is one of my evening spots in SLO. 

The atmosphere is superb. The lighting is just about perfect inside, including a fireplace (although seating can be rough on weekend evenings). If it's too crowded or loud, they have an excellent outside patio with heat lamps. Granted the heat lamps don't always do the trick on the chillier nights, but there is also often a cash-only bartender on the patio to help you thicken your beer jacket.

The kitchen is very good, if you're hungry the 'Killer Nachos' are legit (especially with nacho cheese). If that's not your thing, there are a number of other solid items on the menu, including their Mac and Cheese, the garlic bread, and the Guinness burger. 

I have found the service to be quite good all around; they have a friendly crew here.

The music selection is above average and typically not so loud that you can't talk to your buds. They do tend to crank it up quite a bit after 9pm on the weekends, but not to an obtrusive level.

Finally, the alcohol selection is very good. It's certainly not quite as expansive as Blue, but they keep a good stock at a decent price. I'm a fan of the variety of bourbons and gins.
5 - Shawn S.: I came to The Black Sheep for the first time in 2007.  Awesome spot in SLO and certainly one of my faves.  About a toss up to the Crooked Kilt in Paso.  Liky Liky
5 - Schuyler T.: Ben and Bryan are the greatest bartender that God has created. Great beers, greater bartenders. 5 freaking stars.
4 - Natalie F.: I was visiting my mom and we were doing some shopping in SLO and she said that this is a great place to stop for a burger. I love burgers, so I was happy! 
Parking is as it always is in downtown SLO, so bring change for meters (meters take credit cards now too! weird.) We came on a Tuesday early afternoon and it wasn't crowded at all! Not creepily empty, but a couple other tables full and a few people at the bar. The server was very attentive and really friendly, which is always nice! 
My mom, my sister, and I all got the Guinness burger, with avocado and cheese and bacon somehow varied on our burgers (Favorite women know how to eat well), and they were really good! Cooked well, though next time I will ask for medium, and great flavor! I loved that the bun is toasted. The fries are good, too, with seasoned salt on them. The chicken tortilla soup is GREAT, very flavorful with excellent spice in it. I would get that next time I come. 
The price is what I would expect, not cheap but not really expensive. Plan on spending about twelve bucks for the burger, probably about fifteen dollars per person if you just get a meal. Not too bad! 
They don't take American Express, and card has a ten dollar minimum! 
I have a feeling it gets more crowded around dinner time or on weekends, because this place seems good and well-liked, but for good reason.
4 - Issa A.: Just came back from here...man that burger was soooo bomb!

One of my favorite places to go for a fun night downtown. The bartenders and wait staff has always been very friendly and it isn't as crazy here as some other bars downtown. You can actually have a conversation and hear what the other person is saying, which is a pleasant change from screaming contests as motav or dtb (aka slo brew).

FOOD: 

This place serves pretty good bar food, especially their burgers. They are cooked with Guinness and it gives it a nice overall flavor. 

If you don't mind the huge amount of calories, the Mac and cheese is also really delicious. 

Nachos are really delicious also.

--------

Overall a really good place for a good selection of beer and unhealthy but oh so delicious bar food. They also generally have the nicest restrooms in downtown. Don't forget to check out the back patio area!
4 - Marlon T.: I only came here for drinks but the food did look interesting.
It's a quaint looking place. The bartender wore a pink shirt and was very nice.
We sat near some friendly people.
It's pretty much a straight up dive bar that serves food.
This place belongs on a bar hopping list.
4 - Nicholas C.: This place is pretty small, but its something about the little places that make them so good. The chicken wings were delicious and the bartender and waitress were reallt cool.

I didnt come on a friday night or sat so there wasnt a whole lot of people in the place, but i can see that this is "the spot" for some night life fun. I guess ill have to come back later this week.
3 - Michael K.: This place has great food. It's a small place, but great to be at. One of my many stops during the downtown trek thru bars.
5 - Bryan D.: BEST BAR IN SLO PERIOD! Both Nicole's rock and the guys at night are cool and super chill. The WHOLE staff is rad and they keep this place running and keep its reputation up. Thanks for all the hard work to the Sheep employees for making it THE BEST BAR ON THE CENTRAL COAST! Cheers
4 - Jordan P.: 1st bar I've ever been to in SLO and enjoyed it. Nice little patio outdoors that makes getting to know strangers easy. Like this guy Tony, who brought a giant bowl of homemade guacamole for everyone to share. Apparently he's well known in these parts as is his guac. It's good!!
1 - Robert G.: BAAAAA... D.  I guess I'm just over the crowded college scene.  No room to move away from the bar once you get your drinks, no easy way to go pee... drunk dudes looking you up and down like they want to fight... I haven't ever been here before, so I don't know what it's like on a slow night, but I know I was getting frustrated being there. 

It definitely is for a certain type of person... just not me.

Black Sheep Deli - Amherst, MA (42.3756901, -72.5181649) ()
4 - Cait G.: I love, love, love the Black Sheep.  Their sandwiches are *fantastic,* and if you love New York bagels, they get them and a lot of deli meats (fresh lox, yum) "imported."  Their breads are stellar, too, and they usually have a great variety.  If you're not a carb-lover, their salads are great and are inexpensive.  I think that they get a lot of their goods locally, too.

The reason why I gave the Black Sheep only 4 stars is the price.  Holy crap! in the 7 years that I've lived in Amherst, the prices have skyrocketed!  The Black Sheep's food is phenomenal, but I'm a starving grad student; $9 sandwiches are a bit out of my price range and more importantly are way out of context for the town.
4 - Stephanie S.: I discovered this place while at UMass Amherst. Love at first visit was due to a sweet little cookie that looked like those Girl Scout Samoa's (the ones with the coconut, caramel and chocolate). Turns out their resemblance was not a mistake. They might go by a different name but you can ask for them as the girl scout cookie and they'll know..... oh they'll know.

Too bad that more often than not they're out of my favorite cookie. My plan B is usually a good choice but nothing beats the girl scout samoa cookie. 

They have other stuff too, I'm sure it's good, never tried it though.
4 - Siobhan H.: Sandwiches are fab, desserts are imaginative and tasty, free wifi and usually quick service. Oh and the coffee is wonderful too!

Only downside is that prices have risen int he past year or so. Still fairly well priced for down-town Amherst though.
4 - DeDe Y.: Black Sheep made it very easy to order my daughter's b-day cake even though I was out of state. The grandma's chocolate cake was beautiful and quite tasty. You have to love that chocolate ganache! 

Side note: The chocolate extreme cake- wow! It makes a girl want to call and ask if it's possible to ship- yes it was that good! Can you tell we like chocolate?! 

Since she is car less in MA. my daughter made sure that we had a visit to The Black Sheep before I went back home.
4 - Peter E.: Good bread, great sandwiches, coffee and ambience.
4 - Courtney R.: Yummy sandwiches, cool staff, great baristas and they have the best bear claw pastries ever. Good place to have lunch and do some reading.
5 - Patricia T.: LOVE the food, the friendly and efficient staff and the talented musicians that play there on Sundays.  We are foodies and this is one of our favorite places!
4 - Emeyes i.: I must have passed this place 1000x but never stopped in. Nice little spot to grab some tea or coffee. My peppermint hot cocoa was supurb, and the employees were attentive and friendly. I'll be back! FYI: They also offer vegan cookies and pastries.

Black Sheep Restaurant - Cambridge, MA (42.3626980514867, -71.0867786407471) (Kendall Square/MIT)
4 - HJ U.: Cute, tiny little place with good food at decent prices. Limited menu, but everything is simply prepared and quite tasty. With the doors open (it used to be a firehouse) or on the patio on a nice night it's a great place to linger. Excellent service. Dinner is a better value than breakfast or lunch.
4 - J. H.: Black Sheep is a charming little cafe in the lobby of the Kendall Hotel. They offer sidewalk dining in the warmer months. The menu has a small selection of American entrees such as pork chops, baked haddock, fish & chips, and fried chicken, plus a handful of soups and salads. The meals were well-prepared and generously, if not extravagently, portioned.
4 - Sharon S.: This is my special lunch place that I don't share with too many people... This place offers hearty comfort food. Lunch has fabulous options like the Waldor Salad or the Crab Cakes. Portions are generous and the quality of ingrediants is of the highest caliber. This restaurant is absolutely charming. The colors are provencial, the furniture resembles american antiques.  No it's not romantic, its simple and adorable. The Black Sheep will forever remain one of my "happy places".
3 - A T.: I may have picked the wrong thing b/c my friends rave about this place.  But, for me, it was overpriced and not veggie friendly.  The atmosphere was nice though and the food looked pretty, so I would maybe stop in again.
4 - Natasha A.: This is a pricey hotel restaurant with a standard bistro menu and a full bar. It has mostly indoor seating but also a few outdoor tables. Good place to grab a salad or appetizer for lunch, especially the crabcakes. They also make one mean kamakazi drink, perfect for after work.
4 - Joe R.: I haven't eaten here, but it is a great place for drinks.  Great patio, cool bar, interesting hotel.  That and they have Long Tail Ale (bottles, however).
5 - Ben B.: I walked by this abandoned fire station on Main Street for years, I'm so glad it was remodeled not demolished. The sandwiches and salads here are superb - I love going there for lunch. They are pricey - ~12 for a sandwich, so go on an expense account if you can. Probably the best lunch in Kendall Square.
4 - erica c.: This place could not be more charming. Nestled in not-so-quaint Kendall Square, this little piece of heaven is a great escape. 

I really loved my lunch experience here. From the quaint decor, to the DEEEELISH salad I had to the very decent service, this is a great lunch pick!
3 - Tiffany D.: It's cute. I came here once with a group from work and it was pretty packed, we had to wait a bit for a table.  The food was pretty good, and it's just a fun little atmosphere to relax, eat, drink and have good conversation at.
4 - Julianne M.: Lunch here tends to get crowded since it is small, but its a good option for those working in the area. The lunch menu has a good variety of soups, wraps, salads and sandwiches, but is bit on the pricey side.

I found the portion sizes to be pretty large and wasn't able to finish my sandwich, but I was able to take it back to the office with me.

I highly recommend the savory chicken sandwich - yum grilled chicken with caramelized onions, sauted red peppers, pesto spread and feta cheese. Delish!

The service is good as they don't rush you out the door, but they are not slow either.
2 - Christina and Jaime F.: After I read the good reviews of this place, I finally stopped in for lunch. I must have ordered the wrong thing - the grilled cheese b/c it was not worth $13. I make better grilled cheese at home...My fiance got the Chicken BLT and did not like it at all. He said it was flavorless. Overpriced and plain food. The 2nd star is for the cute atmosphere.
3 - Beth M.: Really crowded at lunchtime, loud and bustling-- we were seated in a back dining room with what appeared to be a child's drawing of the US on the wall, and lots of other interesting antiques.

Our waitress was okay but kind of a spaceshot...seemed like she wanted to be somewhere else...she got our orders right which surprised me because she was definitely at least partially on another astral plane.  

The food was pretty good-- i was feeling like a light lunch so I shied away from the grilled cheese, which I think was a mistake, because it came to another table and looked all tomato and cheesy on thick bread, overflowing with goodness.  Instead I got  the 1/2 salad and soup option-- the corn chowder was actually great, but the chicken waldorf salad left a bit to be desired.  Overall it was okay, but there were these annoying seasoned walnuts in it that tasted like roses.  I was with my boss, and she tasted one, confirming my floral accusation.  I couldn't decide if they were intriguing, or flat out gross.
3 - Tristan B.: Oh thank you sweet merciful Christ! I FINALLY have a place to spend 15 dollars on a ham sandwich, and 3 dollars for a glass of lemonade. After I looked at the menu the first time, I knew that I wasn't in Kendall anymore.

Ow. Ow ow ow. That's the sound your ass makes when it realizes that either your wallet is much much lighter, your credit card is on fire, or you just realize that you actually have spent 15 dollars on a sandwich that's pretty much what you could make with a sandwich maker.

Oh yes, it's all very good food, but I have to wonder exactly where it's all going.

It's nice that they remodeled the place, but the entire layout of the restaurant is trying to go for that "Quirky turn of the 20th century (or earlier)" thing, but it ends up being very confusing and instead of feeling cozy, it feels like, well, you're in a converted location. I'll admit that I was with a large group of people, and we were thrown in the conference room, so that might be part of the reason why it felt like there was less atmosphere than Ganymede. Maybe it's better if you have just three or two people parties, but eh, it's honestly too expensive for me to go back there on any regularity.

Go, but make sure your boss is putting it on the company expense account. And hey, it's BUCKETLOADS better than Characters, but so is putting your fingers in a meat grinder.
2 - Spencer L.: Cozy, comfortable, low-lit atmo?  Check.
Cute chick behind the bar?  Check.

One star for one, one star for the other.

"Blecccchhh Sheep" hits closer to the mark.   Pair o' disclaimers:  My indentured servitude isn't played out near Kendall Square, so I can't speak for or against the lunches.  And by not giving a rat's azz about creative cocktails I have to say that the rave reviews about 'em may well be true.  All I know is that Banquet fried chicken and Bird's Eye mixed vegetables and instant mashed potatoes taste no better when prepped at home, however fixing them yourself is a damn sight cheaper than the $17 I plunked down in that former firehouse.   The Vermont microbrew I ordered totally sucked, too, but I can't blame the Sheep for that.
3 - michelle m.: I'd like to give this 3.5 stars, actually, but I'll settle for 3. This restaurant in the Kendall hotel is pretty cute. The atmosphere is relaxed and casual (jeans are appropriate), and the service is good. The entrance and lobby spill over to the dining area, which can be a bit cramped, and though low-lit, doesn't quite approach "romantic". The food was hearty and good, though I wouldn't describe it as inventive. I'd go back, but I certainly don't think the prices were consistent with the quality of food, although Kendall does have a dearth of nice restaurants, so there is some value in that, I guess. I started with the fried goat cheese, which came with crackers, toast points, and some fruit. It was fine - nothing original. For the main course, I went with the sea bass, which was flavorful and good. Again, the food IS good - just don't go expecting it to be imaginative. 

Note: The wine list is nothing to write home about.
3 - Traci H.: If you order the right thing and you're not in a rush, it's quite a good place to have a leisurely lunch.  If you're in a rush, go somewhere else because it's small, has only a few tables, and a few servers to go with it.

On the upside,  the tomato basil soup is great, the steak tip plate is great (has a huge plate of greens with tasty steak tips on top - it's more of a hearty steak salad than just a plate of tips), the chicken pot pie is good on a cold day.  On the sandwich side, the roast beef sandwich is probably one of the best sandwiches there.

The menu doesn't change often - so if you like it, great, if not, it gets boring fast.

Pricey, but one of the few nice places to get a bite to eat right in the Kendall Square area.  So if you're on someone else's dime, and have time to spare, it's a good place to eat lunch.  Otherwise, try the food court across the street.
3 - Sharmila G.: I have mixed feelings about this restaurant. I took my friend there to celebrate her graduation. The location worked great (opposite Kendall Square Station) because I couldn't take much time off from work for lunch. The ambiance wasn't bad either - sort of cozy and laid-back. The food though was not the best. My soup tasted like tomato ketchup clogged with basil leaves and the tomato cheese sandwich was well.. pretty much just that. Luckily my friend's choice of a harvest wrap was better and I didn't have to feel bad about treating her to a completely bad lunch. The three stars are mainly for location and ambiance (and it's a historical building) but I would say if you have the time, go some place else.
4 - Kat R.: I'm surprised by the low scores.  I've been here numerous times and although the service can sometimes be a bit slow, it's always been a good experience.  If you visit at lunch time, be sure to have extra time available as it's not a quick lunch type place.  My fav. dish is the Black Sheep pizza (or something like that)... it's yummy thin crust with pesto and cherry tom's.  Steak tips are also good.  The cheese platter is awesome.  Have also been here with a big party for a work event.  They put us in a private back room, so it worked out perfectly.  Everyone was very pleased with their dishes.  Be sure to try the potato chips... I think they make them.
2 - Allison R.: Who knew my uncle was a jetsetter who would bring my reunited extended family and I to the Kendall Hotel's quaint living room-style bar, rumored to have the best Boston Creme Pie in the city?

I'm glad I got to drink with my relatives this weekend, and also that they brought me here. We sat near a cozy fireplace at mismatched quilted couches and armchairs around an antique metal table type-thing, and soon learned our coveted dessert was out of stock-- but the pecan turtle cheesecake and black and white chocolate mousse made up for it.

The drink menu is pretty basic: wines, full bar, and some specialty mixed drinks. As soon as my pretty blue eyes saw this place served champagne, I tried to order a French 75, which evidently stumped both servers and the bartender. 
**
I've also been back a couple of times to find the waitstaff to be somewhat confused when I order classic drinks (i.e. Tom Collins). One atrocious evening, we were ignored by our waitress for 40 minutes, and had to flag down another one to get service.

On some nights, this hotel lobby bar/restaurant is delightfully refreshing and fun, and on others, the customer service and beverage quality is so awful I want to cringe. 2.5 stars for inconsistency.
4 - Brien M.: We stayed in the hotel on a bitter cold and snowy night and decided to "eat in" rather than be adventurous. That was definitely the right decision.

Our choice of a light meal turned out to be quite hearty. We shared the delicious 6 shrimp skewer and enjoyed the bread basket which was half mixed whole grain and half slightly sweet white bread with a hint of orange. The Engine 7 salads with blue cheese and nuts were incredible. Our bowls of soup, firehouse chili and butternut squash/apple, were very good. We passed on dessert but the four choices looked incredible.

The rather small wine list had good variety. A merlot blend from the low end was luscious, even though I'm not a great fan of merlot.

The wait staff was very polite, chipper, neatly dressed, extremely efficient. If there is a problem with the speed or quality of service, we saw no hint of it.

The breakfast, which is included in the room rate, is great.

So, a nice atmosphere complete with fireplace, really good food, and fine service - we really are fans and recommend the Black Sheep to anyone.
1 - Rosie F.: This review is for the restaurant. The hotel its self seems cutesy and nice enough. 

I wish i could say the same for the food. We had slow rude service, lots of confusions over the appetizer we actually ordered and as if that wasn't enough, the food was bland and oily and it made both me and my sister sick. 

if your going to stay here, go out to eat.
1 - Effie H.: Soo, don't forget to leave tip or a rude waiter will chase you outside!! 

I want to make this short but I don't think I can. I went here this evening with girlfriends for a dinner out. It is in the area I work in and felt like it was about time to try Black Sheep. 

The food was good albeit pricey for what you get. We ordered 2 apps and they were ok. For dinner, I had the penne w/chicken and the cream sauce it was in was extremely heavy. All went fine up until the check. 
3 of us were splitting the check, 2 with cash the other with a card. Once we gave the bill back, we thought we were all set and left. Our friend with the card left but the rest of us waited in front of Black Sheep for our rides.... 

Out of no where I saw a crazed waiter (not our waitress) run outside yelling about the bill! We were all so confused at what the problem was because we could not understand what he was saying! All we got out of his rant was "service" "no tip" "service". As we were trying to understand the situation, he then says "you know what, this is fine! Have a goodnight!". 

Once we put his tirade together in our heads, we realized we had made a mistake! Our waitress was not great, but, we would never stiff someone on tip. We then went in and spoke with our waitress (not this crazy dude) to give the additional $$ but ignored this guy completely! 

Never the less-What happens if we really didn't like our service??? Would they come out and ask for more tip then too??? We will never be back to Black Sheep. 

Avoid it!!
4 - Clodel G.: Really good food. Had calamari fried with a lovely crispy mahogany crust, then the mini crab cakes. 6 yummy bites with really nice seasonings. It was beautifully browned like the calamari and the red pepper sauce was just enough to add zing. Also had the spinach salad which is definitely classic with tart apple juliennes and blue cheese. Service was very attentive as the place is small and quaint. I actually hung out several nights in a row before deciding to eat here and just felt like I knew all the staff by then. Of course it was screaming hot and humid while I was staying at the Kendall, but the night I ate here, it was nice enough to open the French doors and have tables on the sidewalk. It made for a great spot to just people watch the geeks walking by.
1 - Tom S.: This restaurant is a must-to-avoid.

I hosted a business lunch meeting, three people, at the suggestion of an MIT colleague. It was an important meeting that the servers did their best to derail.

The service was AWFUL. Neither host nor server appeared to speak English well enough to communicate. Yes, two of us DID want to sit at the table while our colleague parked the car. After making it VERY clear that my guest wanted lemon, not lime, in his sparkling water the server appeared with -- wait for the line -- a LIME slice. Communication with the server was essentially impossible, achieved essentially through pointing at the menu (forget questions). The impression, from start to finish, was that we were intruding on hallowed ground. 

The food was overpriced for the quality served. We received Marriott hotel-bar quality at Craigie-On-Main prices. Adequate luncheon fare, but just that. Tepid dishwater coffee in smallish cups, no cappuccino. 

Never again. Kendall Square offers many better choices within easy walking distance.
4 - Beth K.: Yummy lunch - huge portions - perfect place to eat outside and watch people pass by.
1 - t h.: Decent food but service sucked
3 - Paul R.: On the Kendall Square lunch circuit. This is a refreshing change from the noise of nearby Legal Seafoods. Most everything seems freshly made including the breads, soups, homemade potato chips. The lunch menu is biased to the sandwich/soup crowd but its decent and not terribly expensive. 

A few concerns: the place is small so make reservations. And be prepared for slow and occasionally inept service. If you are in a hurry this is the wrong spot to be.
4 - Carol W.: I've eaten here for both breakfast and lunch. 

Breakfast: Included with the room and a very nice breakfast. Its standard buffet fare, but unlike buffet fare, the eggs are not dry and the french toast is actually pretty good - but the sausage, I don't know what they do to them, but they were mighty tasty, almost like they were cooked in maple, but not overly sweet. 

Lunch: The first time I got lunch here I got the soup/sandwich combo; it was very substantial and tasty. This time I only got the soup and salad combo. Again - very tasty and though still a lot of food, 
i managed to finish every bite. Will definitely go here again when visiting Boston. 

One of these days, I really need to try dinner here.
2 - Gisele L.: Okay so a friend and I went for dinner here recently.  The one good thing I can say is that he works for a local biotech company and they honored his two free meals coupon that expired a month ago.  The wine was excellent, HOWEVER, the meal was not good.  We both ordered the scallops with herb and butter, side of potatoes and vegetables.  We also ordered the crab cake appetizer.  The scallops were over cooked and dry with no flavor.  Service was good however.  I think the Black Sheep may be a better lunch option.  I have eaten lunch here in the past and it has been ok.
3 - Jace F.: Pretty descent food at a good price.. this is one of my girlfriend's favorite places so we've been here a lot. 
The service is spotty at times, but never rude. 
The sandwiches are pretty good and the salads are tasty. I think if you stick to the basics, you'll have a good meal here. 
Since we come pretty often, I'd love if Black Sheep looked into a green restaurant certification.
I'm trying as much as I can to give my business and stomach to restaurants who are committed to sustainability, and the certification is a great way to portray that to your customers.
4 - Dee P.: Just ran a private event here and everyone was very happy. They liked the space (there is a private area for parties of 20 or so) and said food and service were both good. 
They were easy to work with and the menu they came up with for our dinner was great, with lots of choice for different tastes. 
Slight delays sometimes with specific emailed questions, but in general they were very helpful and accommodating and I'd certainly plan another event there.
2 - Greg S.: This place looked cozy and classy from the outside, but man was I disappointed inside. I ordered a dish that I thought was impossible to screw up, but I was dead wrong. After a long wait in an empty restaurant, my expensive chicken penne pasta came out with overcooked chicken and a cream sauce that tasted like I was just eating out of a saucer of bland, condensed milk. I would've been better off at Olive Garden. Adding about 3 handfuls of salt helped things out, but not enough. A shame, because I actually really liked the ambiance.
3 - Erika G.: If you are looking for standard lunch fare in Kendall square, then black sheep won't disappoint. However, for 16 dollars, it's a little too standard, meaning I could probably recreate 90% of this menu at home. They do nothing to push the envelope. 
The decor is cute, and definitely makes you feel as if you are a farm in Kansas rather than techie Kendall square, but a room with no windows? That's even worse than a cubicle.....
1 - Aaron M.: I will not be returning to Black Sheep.  I was in the area today, and decided to stop in -- big mistake.

In every way a restaurant could be good, this restaurant was bad.  We were seated in this back room by ourselves.  It was dead silent and the room was weird with no character.  

The service was very very slow and the waitress could hardly speak English.  

I ordered the grilled cheese bacon lunch special on sour dough: the result was cheap wheat bread with Kraft slices.  They make their own potato chips, but they probably shouldn't.  They are essentially tasteless with an awkward texture.  

I would go across the street to Legal or Mead Hall -- same prices and much better food.
4 - K G.: Recently had lunch here and I thought it was very good.   Located inside the Kendall Hotel, it has nice decor and lots of vintage ambiance.   An old firehouse works well as the home of this place, but it is small and has some unusual seating.   That being said it was a perfect late summer day, so sitting outside was nice as it's better.   It is black table and chairs outside against the brick exterior and numerous shrubs as "privacy" from the street.  The service was decent, but not great considering it wasn't very, very busy.

I had the Cobb Salad and found it to be among the best versions I've ever had.  (I added a picture of it).  It starts with finely cut lettuce and dressing and then they add the various ingredients in rows on top (cheddar, blue, mozzarella) bacon, ham, eggs.   Simple yet fresh and delicious.   Most salads and entrees here are going to run about $20-$30 per person with a drink, so it would have been nice if it was a little less.   They do seem to run specials, but nothing jumped out at me on this particular day.   I would eat here again sometime.
4 - Paula A.: I've been here a few times & always had a similar experience: the food is really good -- but that back room is both depressing & WAY too loud.

Everyone is complaining about the price.... personally, I didn't have an issue with it. For $12.50 I got a BLT, cup of soup, homemade potato chips & taste of cole-slaw. It was all really good too. Our waitress was friendly & attentive. My only issue is with the back room - they cram too many people in there & it's incredibly / obnoxiously loud. If they took out 2 or 3 tables that would help. There was another party & they changed tables twice before walking out b/c of the noise. As much as I like the food, I probably won't dine here again unless I could get a table out front. sitting & having lunch with friends isn't enjoyable if you can't hear them talk.....
5 - Marley G.: I attended a conference at MIT some time back, and the historians amongst us had a dinner in the backroom of the Black Sheep.  It was great. The food was excellent and I don't remember any "poor" service, though it was a bit slow.  There were about 20 of us, though and were drinking, and appetizing, too, so it wasn't an issue.

I'm surprised at the comments about the cost of lunch.  I'm in Columbus, OH and a downtown lunch often will  come to about the same amount. Even Graffiti Burger does.

I loved the Black Sheep and if I'm ever around MIT again ,I'll be sure to stop there.
3 - Pink R.: We got to the Kendall hotel late so decided to eat at their restaurant since it was so convenient even though we knew it had averaged 3 stars on yelp. We had a 3 star experience as well. The waitress was very nice and helpful. I ordered a drink with Campari in it, and she warned me that I might not like it. Even brought over a sample. Thank goodness! I do NOT like Campari. I ended up getting a pomegranate martini which was average- but drinkable. The free bread basket had an assortment of bread which was okay but not amazing. I ordered a salad with pears and gorgonzola cheese-- it was again just okay.  I ordered the scallops off the menu. The scallops were delicious and the portion was very generous. The roasted vegetables weren't cooked enough-- although seasoned well. My boyfriend ordered off the prix fixe menu-- their salmon entree, basic salad, a glass of wine and dessert for $34. Salmon portion was small and somewhat bland. The Boston cream pie was pretty darn tasty.
3 - Rebecca L.: It's a good place to go to if you want a dinner. The drinks a bit pricey and the place is usually dead. The food is pretty good--order anything salmon. But the menu is a bit limited. It's a good place for a once in while place to visit but I wouldn't come here too often. It's nice to sit by the fireplace in the winter.
4 - Josephine H.: Wonderful place for a date or catching up with friends. The atmosphere is lovely - the restaurant is located inside the historic Kendall Hotel, with old time interior design and a few tables for seating, adding to the intimacy (but I suggest making reservations). 

Service is pleasant but the food comes fairly slowly - adding to the pleasant, slow-paced environment. 

The presentation of the food is aesthetically pleasing. The sauces and taste of the dishes are unique - lots of house-made sauces. Their salads are amazing. I got the Baby Kendall salad with seared salmon and I highly recommend it.
3 - Jeff D.: Nice atmosphere.  Food is fine, small menu, well executed from what we could tell from the seafood dishes we had (Salmon, Scallops).

Service was very slow given the few people that we in the restaurant at the time we went.

Here is the real problem for me:

  We were a party of four and they added the tip on for us.  Not only is that horribly bad form for any restaurant unless you are a party of 6 or more, but my belief is that the reason they did this is because they thought we were from Europe.   My wife and I (from here) were having dinner with another couple from Europe speaking Spanish.  I did not question them on it as I didn't want to embarrass us with our friends but I won't be back and I suggest anyone who has this happen challenge the waitstaff. We would have tipped at least that much anyways, but it left us with a VERY bad taste for the restaurant.
2 - Maeve M.: Table for three, two of us ordered from the Special Lunch menu, Soup/Chili, chicken Salad & tuna Salad, the third in our party ordered the Khale & Salmon.
The salmon was way beyond blackened - more completely burnt and dried out.
the chowder was ok, chili terrible. The chicken salad salad was very salty. Waitress was attentive and the atmosphere sitting outside was very pleasant. 
Would not eat there again.
3 - Sheila B.: I came here acouple of times for lunch, the food is great, lots of good lunch options and the decor feels very homey. It is a local place in the center of MIT campus which has great lunch specials good portions and great for meetings. 

Today I had the chicken salad on a bed of lettuce and tomato, the chicken salad was dressed in a pesto dressing and the combination was great. I have previously had the turkey, cheese,  apple wrap and home made chips all of which I have enjoyed.

I recommend a reservation as service is a bit slow and unfortunately not that great. Middle aged woman who served us totally seemed like annoyed that we asked her for stuff.
Get over it lady it's called power lunch for a reason !
2 - Jason M.: Maybe we did this place a disservice by ordering the two most simplistic dishes on the menu.

That said, it's a quaint spot nestled in the Kendall/MIT area. Part of the Kendall Hotel, it's old and intimate and there are few tables. 

So here's the problem. It's slow. While others seem to find the leisurely pace of everything to be quaint, I found it to be frustrating. The service was pleasant and friendly enough, but man... it was about like this:

Sit down. Wait 4 minutes.
Be brought menus. Wait 3 minutes.
Be brought water. Wait 6 minutes.
Take the drink order. Wait 7 minutes.
Get drink. Order an appetizer. Wait 6 minutes.
Ask if we have questions about the menu. Wait 5 minutes.

You get the idea... a simple drink, appetizer and dinner will take you a really long time.

OH yeah, and the biggest problem (clearly, the most inexcusable problem)? THEY USE THE FONT PAPYRUS ON THEIR SIGNAGE! Slow service I can excuse, but there are no excuses for poor font choices.
2 - Erin C.: I used to come here only because it's close to MIT, which is where I worked. The food is very inconsistent, and often overcooked or dry. The sandwiches here are ok and the ingredients are generally fresh but the taste is not up to par for a nice sit down restaurant.

Also, the service, although friendly, can be veeeery slow during the lunch rush. Now I would just go to Area 4 if in the Kendall area.
5 - Grace Z.: Delicious food, big portion, friendly waitress, fast service, relaxing environment and reasonable price.
2 - Saba N.: This is an OK restaurant, nothing special.. especially since lately there have been so many new restaurants opening up in the area.  I think it's probably better for lunch.. the crowd at dinner was a bit odd and the food was really over priced!

I got a spinach salad with chicken and it was 22 dollars. Absurd - especially for what it was. It was good, but I feel like I've had the same thing at the cheesecake factory. Baby spinach, pecans, blue cheese, and chicken. Sound familiar?

My friend's dish was yummy (their take on a chicken broccoli ziti), but the sauce was literally butter, cheese, and cream. I don't know how she could finish it, it was super heavy.. albeit, delicious. 

All in all, don't think I'd come back. Didn't really wow me.

Black Star Hardware - Philadelphia, PA (39.9633867, -75.1899239) (Mantua)
4 - Gordon D.: Relatively small selection--this is no Home Depot--but convenient, close, and friendly.

Since their recent expansion they have carried a lot more stuff, and the place looks much nicer.  They are a great place to go for simple household stuff like brooms, plungers, mousetraps, or having keys copied.  They even have a few things you wouldn't expect like bathroom fans and some tools.

That said, it's still a tiny store, and the convenience factor is often negated by the fact that they just don't have what I'm looking for.  Need some sort of rubber hosing to control your A/C's dripping?  Probably best you try elsewhere.  Looking for boards or even a few small bits of lumber?  It's hit or miss--mostly miss.  Not that there's much that they can do about it; it's a small inner-city hardware shop, they only have so much space for so much stuff.  And they are very nice about helping you find what you need.

So minus two stars for a small selection, plus one for friendliness and convenience.  I'm pretty happy with them.
5 - Jantra M.: Black Star Hardware is in a convenient location with a good amount of parking available on the street. I usually stop there on my home from work driving on Spring Garden Street. I can find what I am looking for at Black Star Hardware and the service is excellent. Jantra

Black Walnut Café - Houston, TX (29.7164116, -95.4149512) (West University)
4 - Phillip T.: This place offers Americana food like burgers and other greasy goodness. I got the Max's Grilled Chicken Sandwich which resembles a hoagie topped blue cheese and I got a side of salad. This is not a diner per se but more like an upscale eatery with dark paneled wood all around. There are large pieces of art hung near the food pickup area. You can find plush seating along the long wall of the restaurant. I'm not sure if the wifi is free but I saw a few people with laptops. The numbers here are warped. The prices for meals carries to the hundred-thousandth place, i.e. 9.23456. Expect to pay about $8-12 per person without drinks. Also, finish your meal with a gelato!
4 - Jams M.: Tried one of the southwest type salads.  Was very happy with my selection as well as the house white wine.  The prices seemed a little high for what you got, but overall it was a good experience.
4 - Emily M.: cute little place in the village. i ordered the roast beef au jus sandwich, which was very tasty. the menu offers a wide variety of food--from breakfast all-day to soups, salads, sandwiches, and mexican food. overall, this is a good place to bring a crowd with different tastes or who want many options. the atmosphere's pretty nice--upscale cafe with dark wood and pretty gold-leaf varnished tables. also, patio seating outside is available. the desserts, including gelato, looked pretty good, although i personally didn't save room for the sweets. i'll go again to give it another try one day. prices pretty middle-of-the-road, as well.
5 - Cory O.: I'm in love with the pizza here.  It has some cutsie little name like Angry Shrimp Pizza or something.  It is heaven in your mouth.  At first I thought it was a little strange to have shrimp on a pizza (btw, it is actually put on a thick bread, maybe foccacia?), but with the creamy sauce, it was perfect.  The other dishes I've tried there are also fantastic (the grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup is out of this world!) and they have a decent selection of beer.  They also have a few of those fun bottled sodas (cream soda, root beer, etc.) that makes my husband turn into a little kid.  I'm not a dessert person, but evidently they are to die for.  

One of my favorite things about Black Walnut is that not only do you get a nice meal in a nice setting, but they'll validate your parking in the garage.  Wish I had known that months ago since that garage charges $10 in the evenings!
2 - Adam O.: Honestly, the place seems like it should be good, and maybe I am being harsh... but who puts tortellini in tomato-basil soup?!?  And on a related note... who puts tortellini in tomato-basil soup and doesn't make that well known on the menu.

See here's the thing, I don't eat wheat anymore.  So when I find pasta unannounced in a seemingly harmless tomato soup I am annoyed.  Not to mention the fact that when i dug all of it out, I was only left with about a 2/3 cup of soup.

I think there should be some sort of tomato-basil soup standards board that stops things like this from happening.


Oh, but the reason it is two stars is because of how awkward it got when we were ordering (and if you don't know yet... I love awkward).

We walked up to the counter and the two of us ordered.  The guy asked my friend "so ma'am, what would you like to drink?"... then he turns to me and says "what about you, man"... although it sort of did sound a bit like he said "ma'am".  Now I gave him the benefit of the doubt, but my friend had this really offended look on her face and snapped "excuse me... um... excuse me... but I do believe he is a 'sir'"!

The poor guy was reeling, trying to explain that he said "man" and that he was sorry if she misunderstood.  WOW.  awkward.
3 - May N.: Nice little place to eat meals at all times of the day.  They have a broad menu for such a small place and offer beer, wine, and dessert.  Mmmm!  Gelato!  The food is southwestern style and they serve omelets, salads, sandwiches, pastas, soups, pizza, and seafood-ish stuff.  They also have free Wifi and I've studied here for hours before and no one bothers you.  I think all of the establishments immediately surrounding the garage will validate your parking.
3 - Melanie A.: While visiting Houston, a "local" took us here for lunch, since the large variety of food offered is good for a group of people when you are not sure what everyone's tastes are.  

I ordered the spinach and artichoke pasta, which was ok, but a little salty.  I am not sure it was worth the $12 (plus $1 tip) that I paid.  

However, ordering and getting your food is pretty fast since you just order at the counter and you are paged when it is ready.  The guy at the counter was extremely friendly.  He either had good customer service skills or was just being flirtatious, but either way, it made me happy.

This would be a good place to come with a small group of people or to study, but not my idea of an excellent meal.
3 - Jeff R.: Rice Village - pub atmosphere - classy name = razmataz experience, right?

Well, sorta.  The Houston Harry Potter Meetup Group (www.houstonharrypotter.com) held its monthly get-together at the Black Walnut this afternoon starting at 2:00 pm - a different location for us this time, the Black Lab and Hobbit Cafe being our usual haunts.

Though the cafe is an easy walk from the parking garage, finding a place to leave one's automobile, as it always is in Rice Village, is dicey at best on a busy and very pleasant Saturday afternoon.

I walk in and find a British/Irish-esque pub-looking place that was well lit in the front, though not so well-lit in the back where we were.  The place was pleasantly decorated with the normal pub accoutrements: old bottles in cabinets above the bar area, fruits in baskets, etc.  

Ordering was a bit of a production in that they did not have someone at the ordering/pay-for-your-order spot continually, thereby ensuring a long line even with the sparse crowd (we were there in that magic time between lunch crowd and dinner crowd).  It was pretty annoying, really, though the poor guy who had to flit constantly between the kitchen and cash register with orders was very efficient.

Once I had ordered (yes, they have cokes of the Mexican variety - made with real sugar instead of the corn syrup one finds in the States), my dish came pretty quickly: rigatoni stuffed with spinach and covered in mushrooms and a tomato cream sauce.  It sounded pretty good, and while it tasted good, it did not look all that appetizing.

The food aesthetic I saw there I can only describe in a single word: glop.  Walking in the place, you are greeted by the dessert counter, featuring gelato that looked like, well, glop.  One gelato was of a dark olive/tan color; I had no idea what flavor it was, and it looked like, well, glop.  I did not try a sample.

Anyway, my meal came, garnished with dried tomatoes and tomato glop.  And it was, again, tasty, but not spectacular.  The garlic bread that came with the rigatoni (very small rigatoni, I might add) was a nice touch and went well with the meal.  Unfortunately, my rigatoni meal was more glop and mushrooms (mmm) and less of the rigatoni and spinach for which I was hoping.  Yes, my food was tasty, but I can get just as good in many other places with much-better parking.  My food was, well, tasty.  But it was also boring.

Perhaps I should have ordered the chicken salad someone else had in that she knew that would be a safe course of action.  Better yet, I should have done what Cory O. did and order the pizza as I am a sucker for pizza.

Dessert was a very pleasant affair: orders of three turtle chocolate cakes (to celebrate someone's birthday) were had and enjoyed by all.  However, the fact that other folks found their food boring and the parking ensured our group will probably not come back.
3 - Leslie P.: After dining at this place a number of times, I can honestly say that I have never eaten anywhere else that so clearly embodies what a three star review is.  The place reeks of mediocrity, and when writing a review of a mediocre restaurant, you either convey it in a positive or negative light.  This review is negative.

The menu is mediocre in that it is too big, with no dishes that stand out.  I usually stand at the counter and ponder, for what seems like hours, what to order.  And even when I have eliminated the five I was originally considering down to one, it doesn't matter, because I know that I will like whatever my dining companion has ordered better.

The food is mediocre.  The spinach artichoke dip?  A tad below mediocre.  Tomato soup?  Mediocre.  The gelato?  Looks good, but tastes mediocre.  The pastas differ, but mostly they just differ in varying degrees of mediocrity.  Most of the entrees and burgers are worse than mediocre, with the chicken fried chicken just being flat out bad.  There are some slightly redeeming dishes - the angry shrimp pizza and salads being a touch above mediocre.

I come here because I'm in the village with friends who can't agree on where they want to eat lunch, or because we don't have the hour necessary to do a full sit down lunch (this place is order at the counter style).  So yes, go, but don't set your expectations very high.
3 - Bob J.: The three locations were just purchased - - so approach with caution over the next few months.
3 - David C.: I think of Black Walnut Cafe as a poor man's Cheesecake Factory. Like Cheesecake Factory, they offer all sorts of food but most of it is not even above-average. Their prices are a little expensive for the quality of food you get, but there are a few things that are worth it. I really like the breakfast tacos here-- they aren't authentic or anything like that, but are packed with hash browns (they have really good hash browns), mushrooms, bacon or sausage, cheese, green peppers, eggs and other good stuff.

Also, the moon doggy cookies or probably the best cookies I have had in a long, long time. It is walnut (I believe) with chocolate chips, very soft, maybe even a little oatmeal-y. Not too sure but they are fantastic. 

I really only come to Black Walnut when I want breakfast tacos, breakfast sandwiches, or cookies. Don't come here for dinner.
3 - Christine M.: Black Walnut Cafe...what to expect...my bf's brother said it best, "a better version of cafe express." At first I didn't know what he meant by that, but as I walked in I kind of saw it. The menu had a very similar layout, but I liked the choices at BWC more than that at Cafe Express. 

I ordered the Taco Salad and an iced tea because I saw that they had 3 different types of iced tea. My bf's younger brother ordered the cheese bread or something of that sort because he said I just had to try it. The one thing about this place is that the food comes out in the order that you ordered it. So if there was a big party before you then well you have to wait that much longer even if you just ordered a soup or salad...that kind of sucks! My buzzer finally lit up and my bf got the fish tacos and I got my taco salad. I decided to get the ginger peach iced tea and figured I would get to try the other teas after I finished the first glass. My salad was just OK. It didn't impress me nor did it disgust me. It was just kind of there. I can't even really describe the flavors or what was going through my mind as I ate it because that was just it...nothing much. The cheese bread on the other was quite good although the down side was that it was super greasy! All in all this place was just OK.
4 - Sabrina D.: As you can tell with my four stars - I am a HUGE fan of this place! 

Atmosphere: amazing patio to sit out front and enjoy the lovely weather (whenever Houston has to offer it, please take advantage here!) and you can bring your dogs too! Inside is nice too, nice tables and corner spots to eat at. They always have a current news paper if you want to eat and stay on top of today's events. 

How to order: you do order from the counter and get a buzzer when your food is ready. When there are quite a few people there, expect it to be a little bit of a wait on the food, but only because the food is that delicious. 

Food: every time I have gone there, I have tried something different and I have never been disappointed! Their grilled chicken sandwich with avocado, swizz and sprouts is amazing! The three cheese sandwich is to die for! My friend loves their salmon Cesar salad. One other thing you HAVE to try is their Dulce Latte gelato. It is creamy but light at the same time. A perfect treat to satisfy your palates! 

When you're done getting your shopping on in the Village, stop by this place and get your eat on! It is definitely worth it!
3 - Gilberto V.: The mediocrity of the Village bordered on the better side at this quaint little stop.  The customer experience factor scores some points, and that says a lot because I absolutely abhor places where I have to go get the food via the electronic buzzer (what am I, the waiter?).  From the decor, to the friendly face who hands you the menu, to the Chicago-style fan system (for those who need a lesson, that is what you call the ceiling fans run on the old belt system), this little Village gem was a treat on the senses.

However, I was impressed a lot by the quality of the pasta dish I had (someone give these kids two thumbs up for understanding what it means to not overcook the noodles) and likewise the fun and friendly staff was very happy to give me extra parmesean cheese!   I had the Pasta 84, and though I was not swept in by their array of iced teas, I was impressed that they had a little bit for every taste.  Are you a fan of the black currant?  There's a flavor for you!  Are you more of the green tea type of folk?  Well, don't worry your Asian tea inspired little head, you can have that on ice, too.  For the normal old fashioned southern among us, the standard tea is available.

Even better than the food, and I must say, I was impressed, was the southern-Italian style Gelato these kids had.  The array of flavors dazzled the mind and made your sweet tooth scream to skip the salads, skip the entree, and just eat dessert!  And it was here that I went positively, absolutely, nuts.  I had nearly one of every kind, and as my bill mounted, my waist line expanded, and my wallet screamed for mercy, I have but one thing to say: these kids have gelato down to an art.

The gelato here transcends heaven, it opens the mind and elevates the soul.  If you have no other reason to stop in here but for dessert, then you must stop in.  While I knocked two stars for zero waiters, give it five for dessert and four for food.
3 - Kristina B.: Rice Village in Houston is one of the few walkable areas I've seen during my brief time here, so I was happy to go there with a fellow high school classmate to catch up on ten years' worth of life over dinner.  The cozy atmosphere and availability of cute little tables enabled us to do so quite comfortably.  We appreciated the quickness of ordering and the free wifi, though we did not take advantage of the wifi.

I had a Number Eighty-Four (Penne, roasted vegetables, EVOO*, garlic, peppered bacon, Marie cheese, pesto Pavia sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, cracked black pepper) and a Mothership wheat beer.  The pasta came with a biscotti-like garlic bread.  My dining pal had the salmon filet (8 ounces roasted filet, seasoned orzo pasta, walnuts, pesto Pavia sauce, garlic bread) and an Izze soda. It looked pretty sweet, and much healthier than the Number 84.  I liked the concatenation of bacon, cheese, and sauces, but there was too much EVOO left over at the end.
4 - Andrea W.: The atmosphere is great...easy vibe.  I love their fish tacos.  I crave their flavored iced teas. 

I really like that you order from the counter and are not bothered by waitstaff.  If I want a refill on my tea, I can go and fix it the way I like it.
4 - Morgan G.: Great breakfast!  Friendly staff, cozy atmosphere.
4 - Sarah M.: I ate here on a date the other night and was impressed.

I had a rather tasty burger--goat cheese, red onions, and an elongated burger on an onion baguette with sun dried tomatoes. It was really, really, delicious.

My date had a Thai salad which had some marinated meat, some watercress, some cabbage and some noodles, and I'm told it was good.

It's order at the counter. They give you a buzzer to bring back up when the food's ready. The prices were a touch pricey, but the food really was pretty good with nice presentation. There's indoor and outdoor seating.

Tasty place. Worth a shot.
2 - Lauren J.: I have only had their gelato. It was OK, not great. I would probably not go back just for their gelato.
4 - Latisha R.: I really like black walnut cafe for the ambience, the food and the wifi.

Ambience - they have large wing backed chairs that you can just disappear in for hours.

the food- they serve brunch until 3pm on sundays and its really good! during the week i usually have a salad.   the black walnut salad is decent.

the wifi - self explanatory, never had a problem with the connection and they have a ton of outlets....

only complaint...the coffee sucks!
4 - Jess V.: The Mr. and I came here for lunch the other day when we were exploring the area. As we walked down the street we could smell a lingering scent of deliciously grilled grilled chicken that got our taste buds dancing.  We stopped in hoping the smell was coming from this little place and figured we both could find something we'd like.  I was surprised they had such a large menu for a quaint little place.

I ordered the chicken ceasar salad and he got a sandwhich called "Anderson's 'Bout Time", when our meals were ready we picked them up from the counter and everything looked so delicious! Both of our dishes were really good. One of the things I loved most about this place other than the food was the atmosphere, and their Iced Tea! I got an amazing blueberry iced tea that was out of this world!  

We enjoyed our experience here and would definetly come back.
4 - Kelly N.: Mmmmm... New Orleans noodles.  Good stuff.  I don't usually like creamy sauces, but for some reason this one really hits the spot.  Probably a gazillion calories but so good.  Has a kick to it with cayenne seasoning.

Pass on the Mango Pasta Salad.  Sounds really good in the description, and granted all the ingredients were there, the mango dressing just didn't mesh well with the pasta.  It was like you taste the sauce first, but then all you taste is the blandness of the pasta.  Nice for a diet plate but trust me...pass on it.  Not worth 10 bucks for some fruits and bland pasta.

Also tried the caramel bread pudding.  Looked good on the display but when they flipped it over onto the plate, it looked more like mashed potatoes.  It wasn't bad but it wasn't great either.  Not for almost 5 bucks! 

But seriously, if you'r not watching your figure, try the New Orleans Noodles..it's the shizzle.  :)
4 - Heidi L.: I'd give this place 5 stars if I could but the problem is that I've only tried 1 item on the menu here...50 times.

BW Rustic Grilled Cheese...hands down best grilled cheese sandwich I've ever had.  It's like Houston's hidden gem.  Everytime a new consultant came to Houston, our first meal would be at BW and I'd make them get the grilled cheese.  I once gave half my grilled cheese to my coworker to try and he was utterly amazed.  This isn't just any grilled cheese.  It's a blend of gooey cheddar and mozzarella all melted on an herb foccacia-type bread with slices of warm tomato inbetween.  You have the option of adding bacon or ham, but after ordering it once with bacon, I realized...why try to improve on perfection?  Trust me, it's amazing without the meat...but your call.  The side of seasoned potatoes is not too shabby as well.

So like I said, I'm sure everything else on the menu is good, I just never got past the grilled cheese.  And I don't want to ruin my image of Black Walnut by ordering something else and being disappointed.
1 - Erin P.: I'm sorry to have to do this, but it must be done. I had a TERRIBLE experience at the Black Walnut. 

Let me preface this by saying that I usually like this place - I had been here a handful of times before and each time was enjoyable. But recently they have changed their menu, and I assume they have changed their management along with it. 

First off, my favorite Thai Noodle Steak Salad was taken off the menu. And contrary to the "Your wish is our command sign" that states if you don't see your old favorite on the new menu just come up to the counter and ask for it, they would not make it for me. So I decided to go with the Ahi Tuna Salad. My friend ordered the guacamole and chips to start and the quesadillas for dinner. Well, after shelling out over $15 for my salad, my friend and I had to wait about 20+ minutes and they did not send the guac and chips out first. At this time, I'm not too bothered, but when I got to get MY entree, I literally had to ask why my buzzer went off because I knew that chunk of rare Ahi tuna on a few pieces of cabbage couldn't have been my salad. As validation for my confusion, as I went to pick mine up, there was another random customer asking "Is this really the Ahi Tuna Salad? Where is the salad?" They said they would add some romaine to it and bring it out. OK then...? 

They bring it to the table, I start to eat, and,,, it's awful. I would say it had no taste at all because there was no way they used seasoning, but that would mean it did not have a slightly fishy taste - which it did. At this point, I'm pretty bummed that I've wasted $15 on a crappy dinner so I eat some of my friend's chips and guac. I honestly didn't know you screw up guacamole, but apparently you can. 

My friend and I were catching up about wedding details so we stayed for around an hour after we ate and they never bussed our table. Now, I'm the first one to tell you how rude it is to start taking plates away when the entire table hasn't finished, but I'm also not a fan of simply not busing the table at all. I swear I saw a few fruit fly looking insects hovering around the large chunk of tuna on my plate. Bleh. 

To top it off, I went to the restroom before we left and they were out of paper towels. One of my pet peeves. 

So unfortunately, I cannot recommend this restaurant. You'd be much better off going to D'Amico's next door.
3 - David N.: This review is strictly of their gelato.  I had the banana and french vanilla, I love gelato but I wasn't impressed.  

I am glad they are open late, 10 pm during the week and 11 pm on friday and saturday nights.  You can have a nice date here then hit up the bars in the village.
3 - Emily F.: The Black Walnut is busy and loud on Sunday at lunch time, but the food somewhat makes up for it. The nice thing about this place on the weekends, is breakfast is served until 4 p.m., so everybody gets what they want. I had the Greek salad, with sundried tomatoes, feta cheeze, kalamata olives and little too much dressing. I needed bread at the end to sop it all up. On the other side of the table, my bf's mom had an omelette with bacon and other goodies. I forget what it was called, but it was pretty tasty.

Dessert was calling to us, so I chose the bread pudding. It was too hot to taste, and had too much caramel sauce. My stomach hurt for the rest of the day. I don't know if it was the salad, bread pudding or a combo of the two. I'd visit again to give it another shot if someone else suggests it, but I wouldn't pick it myself.
5 - Lauren C.: As I sit at the Black Walnut Cafe studying and enjoying a delicious piece of Red Velvet Cake it hits me: after many many times of coming here for food and/or for studying I have never reviewed the place.  So here I am taking a break from studying as I write a review of a place I frequent.

I'd like to start off saying that Black Walnut is my favorite place to study.  They have meal food, snack food, desserts, coffee, and drinks that are wonderful to nibble or sip upon while cracking open one of my enormous law text books.  For days like today when I'm doing a lot of online legal research they have free WiFi.  And if you can get to a spot, they have plugs at various places around the restaurant.  It is very easy to grab one if there aren't that many people around, but good luck finding a table let alone a plug during lunchtime.  Sure it gets a little noisy at peak meal times, but it is never too bad and a little noise helps me study (I know, weird).   Last semester two of my friends and I met every Saturday from 11-4 here for lunch and studying for a class we all had together.  We all quite enjoyed it, though I think I was the only one who didn't get the chicken tender salad every weekend.

Their food isn't the best food in Houston, but it is nothing to sneeze at either.  Everything I have tried on the menu, and with as many times as I've been here I've made it my mission to try as many different things as possible, has been very good.  I'd probably give them 4 stars on food and price, but for me the added ambiance as a great place to hang out and study gives it another star.  They have great desserts as well including some very good gelato.   If you manage to come during breakfast everything is very good, though some items are much more pricey than their regular menu items.  

Because it is in the Rice Village, parking is always an issue, but Black Walnut will validate your parking if you park in the garage.  

On a random note, I am sad they stopped listing their menu prices out to the 4th decimal point, but I understand that only a nerd like me would appreciate it and most others would be confused by it.
4 - Katherine W.: I like this place.  I am not really sure what I would call their food selection, but their seating setup is what I really like.  A friend and I went to study here for several hours while having a late lunch and it was great.  I've also been here with my boss to work over lunch.

If it's busy, however, and you get one of the tables that's awkwardly situated right near the food pick-up station, it's not quite as good.  Too much traffic and nothing to see except bits and pieces of the kitchen.
2 - Thomas A.: This rating is based on the breakfast alone.  Lunch and dinner are pretty solid, but the breakfast needs a tune-up.  If you're going to be open in the morning, you might as well do it right.  

Breakfast potatoes were dried out and puny...pretty sure they were from the day before.  The eggs and bacon weren't incredibly warm, which I'm not sure how they managed to do since I'm pretty sure they cooked it.  The migas were tasty, but the breakfast burritos were small and really greasy.  They were only $2.50 each, but I still expect a little more in the flavor department.  Kind of expensive overall for breakfast.  Coffee is really good though.  Pancake sandwich is probably the best bet here, pretty delicious, but get the syrup on the side otherwise its going to be drenched.
4 - David L.: Noisy but good food and service. Fair price and free wifi. Grilled shrimp pasta and mandarin salad is delicious.
3 - Diane Y.: I prefer this location over the location out in Sugarland.  The manager at this location will walk around and ask the customers if everything's okay.  The food is nothing spectacular.  Some dishes are probably a hit or miss depending on your taste.  I find that the chicken tenders basket is consistently good though.  4 stars in my book.  The gelato is definitely yummy, I just wish they had more flavors.  Try the crema baci and raspberry.  Like that brownie a la mode but want to sample some gelato flavors?  You don't have to get the vanilla that comes with it, request a different flavor, and they'll gladly replace it.  Mint chocolate (but beware it's pretty darn minty) and raspberry go best.  A good spot for dinner in groups right before heading over next door to Baker St.
4 - Alvin J.: I can only attest to the quality of the Darn Good burger, which was...pretty darn good, as were the sweet potato fries, which were nice and crispy. I also tried somebody else's vegetarian noodles and it was pretty decent, although I personally wouldn't order it if/when I go back. I unfortunately didn't have room for dessert, but they looked pretty awesome. I might come back just for dessert and coffee.

I liked this place. They're not really re-inventing the wheel but it's a pretty chill place to have a casual sit-down dinner.
4 - Allison M.: Brunch here is great. The atmosphere is cozy and clean. 

I like that it is child friendly. Food is fresh. Portions are ok. Prices could be better considering it is a walk up and order place.
2 - Jessie D.: I really wanted to like this place. It was so busy when we came in that they had actually shut the kitchen down. We had to wait for 20 minutes. This created a huge line and lots of annoyed customers. 

When we ordered they didn't have what I wanted or what my husband wanted to order. Then when we got the food it wasn't right. Once everything was in order I enjoyed the chocolate chip pancakes, but not enough to deal with all that again.

I think next time we'll just go to LePeep or Empire Cafe
3 - Anne I.: Spending Rodeo Houston 2010 with my girl friends over post spring break weekend, we dropped by Black Walnut Cafe for a quick lunch.  My friend recommended the Santa Fe salad and it went viral. I think 4 out of 6 of us ended up ordering it.  

The salad was very fresh and delicious with generous portions of chicken. I usually don't like ordering big salads at restaurants, but this one I didn't mind. The strips of mango were a nice touch. 

I would almost classify this restaurant as a Texan Panera.  It's self-serve, i.e. go up when the buzzer rings, for both food and soft drinks/house coffee. We had lunch outside on the front patio and got a good view of the shops and restaurants across the street.
2 - Christy D.: I used to come here back in the day and get gelato or some sort of sandwich.  It was good, and I always had fond memories.  Well, I was excited to get to come back here the other day...especially since I'd heard really good things about the grilled cheese and their cookies, etc.  However, I was definitely disappointed, and for the time being, it only warrants 2 stars from me.

I ordered the french onion soup and grilled cheese (~$11, total)...mozzarella and cheddar (I think), with tomatoes and pesto on a soft bread.  One of my friends ordered it too, it sounded so delectable.  This is the way the sandwich is made:  triangle of really soft bread on the bottom, ~1/2" of the cheeses and some tomato slices, another triangle of bread that isn't lined up with the bottom slice, another ~1/2" of cheese and tomatoes, and finally a third slice of bread, also not lined up with the other slices.  By not lined up, I mean, the triangles are pointing in every which way...so it is really hard to pick up that sandwich. You better opt for a knife and fork...which MIGHT be a good thing.  Because, if you do pick it up, you will probably want to throw off that bottom slice of bread that is soaked through with grease.  Not in a "ooh, greasy food is yummy" way, either.  I love cheese...but I was pulling off gobs of it b/c it was just...too...much.  The pesto seemed to be nonexistent, which also could've been a good thing b/c I doubt I needed any more fat in that sandwich (even if it's good).  The french onion soup had a good taste, but had a pool of...guess what...grease!  There was a lone cheesy crouton that was pretty good.

My friend seemed to be turned off by her sandwich as well, and we both agreed that the pasta dishes looked more promising to try next time.  Another friend seemed to enjoy her philly chicken type sandwich and baked potato soup.  She said the soup was really good.  Also, their lemon cooler cookie was really good.  Believe it or not, I'll give them another shot, but no way will I get the grilled cheese or recommend it to someone.
5 - Heather M.: I freely confess that I am a regular here and I really enjoy this place, so was shocked by some of the 2 and 3 stars.  But hey, to each his own.  No place is perfect.

I used to live right next to Rice Village so would walk here often to eat.  You can order takeout, of course, or call ahead to order, and they are pretty fast.  But BWC offers free wi-fi and comfy, cozy seats in the back, so I spent many an hour hanging out in the back and studying.  I think you can also surf the net on the patio, btu I have never tried it myself.

As for the food, I have never had anything bad on the menu, and the breakfast items are served at all hours.  So good!

BWC is a walk up and order place and you receive a buzzer to be paged when your food is ready, but this is due to the wide range of patrons that come here.  Come in for lunch on any day during the week, and you'll have business lunches next to med students, next to Rice students, next to ladies' lunches, next to a date, next to a pharma sales lunch.  Saturdays and Sundays: anything goes!  A little bit of everything happens here at all times.  

The atmosphere is pretty upbeat inside and the outside patio area is heavenly on nice days. The outside patio seating area is right on Morningside, so you have a view of Little Woodrow's and Brian O'Neils and can hear the live bands playing (if there are any).  Go, and enjoy!
4 - Patty Z.: Great fast-casual fare that is a few steps up from a more generic chain like Panera Bread.  It's a great spot to relax and meet up with friends or take advantage of the free wi-fi to get some work done.  They have a pretty diverse menu and a surprisingly good selection of alcohol.  I've been here a number of times for breakfast, lunch and dessert (for some reason, I never make it for dinner) and have always been satisfied.  I especially love their crispy, peppery bacon at breakfast.  Mmmm.  The hubby is a fan of their chicken tenders basket.  Make sure to try the gelato; I highly recommend the biscottino.  It tastes just like banana pudding!  Yum.
3 - Jenelyn R.: I definitely recommend their gelato ice cream! They advertise it as "award winning" and by the taste of it, it's definitely yummy. I also love their breakfast tacos because they are one of the cheapest items in the menu and pretty delish!

Back when I first came to Houston, Black Walnut Cafe use to be one of the very first restaurants that I would hit up repeatedly. All their dishes taste wonderful. So I would've probably given them four stars because I am a fan however because of their prices, I had to take one star away. The dishes are about ~10 bucks or so. I rather not spend that much just for lunch but everywhere else in Rice Village is just as expensive so it makes sense for the prices to be so.

This is a great place to eat casually for lunch or for dinner. I like hitting this place up after running club at Brian O' Neils.
4 - Terah K.: I have always been a fan of Black Walnut since it opened. It is always clean and the staff is friendly.

Their brunch is great with a large selection of different types of foods. Everything from the Breakfast Quesadilla to a Pancake Sandwich.

The walk up and order is great for larger parties to have separate checks.  The down side is to find tables you can push together for your large party.

This place is definitely one of my brunch groups favorites!
4 - Denis C.: We came here on an early Tuesday evening to meet up with my wife's friend.  She was visiting from Boston and had previously lived in the area surrounding the restaurant, so she recommeneded that we meet up at the Black Walnut. 

We had no problem finding free parking next to the restaurant.  We ordered our meals at the counter; the food war delivered to our table.  The interior was nice but we decided to find a table outside since the weather was nice for this time of year in Houston.

I had the BBQ pot roast with sweet potato fries.  The sandwich itself was good but the fries were even better.  My wife had one of the their salads which she seemed to like as well.

We followed up with some dessert.   I had a craving for red velvet cake so I decided to give their's a try.  I was little disappointed (not sweet/buttery enough for my liking) and will probably try the gelato next time.

Overall, it's a neat place, the food is good, and the staff was friendly.  We'll be back again.
3 - Ryan L.: Everything I've gotten here was solid, not spectacular. On multiple occasions I've had the omelet, the french dip, and a sandwich I do not remember. What's great is the vibe of the interior, which is dark with lots of dark wooden tables. To get a table in the back with the leather chairs is a treasure.

Gelato is OK, wine may be open for too long, and they'll mess up your order once or twice, but the final product is pretty good. Kinda up their ass on how much they charge for omelet components though.
4 - Caroline K.: ok so I used to have mixed feelings on this place. The reason being that BW has a multiple personality disorder: It's a coffee shop, wine bar, breakfast cafe, ice cream shop, bakery, and restaurant.... it serves everything from fajita tacos to chicken salad sandwiches. The versatility was intimidating. 

BUT, I went today with the bf and WOW, so happy I did... what a tasty brunch! 

The tex-mex omelet was wonderful as well as the Belgian waffle. Next time I will choose the hot cakes over the waffle.... they looked pretty phenomenal (maybe buffalo grill caliber) I also like that there wasnt a line out the door at 11:30 on a Sunday.... I cant say the same for empire, brazil, b barnabys, buffalo and some of the other popular breakfast spots. 

Overall BW is reminiscent to a cafe express on speed... I love cafe express.

Oh and they make a mean cappuccino!!
1 - Steve H.: We came back here for breakfast after a not so great experience the last time, but some decent experiences before. This time again the complete breakfast for the four of us was served totally cold, and cold eggs just do not taste good. We complained to the manager, who said sorry, but offered nothing else, not even to reheat the breakfast. Poor system of getting your meal hot from the kitchen, and an even poorer response from the manager......we will not be back.
5 - Jenny S.: I'm a little shocked at the 1 and 2 star reviews because I think this place is amazing!  I've tried breakfast, lunch and dinner here and everything I've gotten has been delicious.  The staff is super friendly and helpful if you have questions about different flavors or ingredients.  The ambiance of BW is what makes it 5 stars instead of 4.  Along with traditional tables and chairs, they have several tables w/wing-backed comfy chairs that are perfect for long study sessions.
5 - Raul B.: I actually never heard of this cafe til a friend suggested it one weekend.  I'll have to say, I love this place!  The decor makes you feel like you're out of town in an old cabin like setting with a casual family oriented atmosphere. The menu is terrific with a great amount of choices from salads, tacos, steaks, breakfast and desserts.  It's a great place to be when someone is just feeling up for anything or can't decide on what to eat for the day.

For my first visit, I ordered the Shrimp Mango Pasta Salad.  I've never heard of anything like it and I'll have to say the salad is amazing!  I loved it so much that I ordered the same thing for my second visit along with family and friends.

As far as parking goes, there's alot of free parking around the area however, since it's Rice Village, it can get pretty busy, but it's worth the trip.  The staff are very friendly and attentive.  I just wished they had sweet tea!  But that's just me.  Anyways, I will definitely come back real soon.  Don't pass up on this great dining experience!
3 - Anna W.: The BWC is like Ruggles, in that I like the variety and the food's decent for the casual "order and you'll get a buzz when your food's ready" atmosphere, but it makes me feel a little claustrophobic, with the giant menu by the door where you have to bunch in with the people waiting in line to order. The place where you get your water, silverware, and condiments is tucked off to the left of the gelato area, in a nook, so again, some jostling if there's someone trying to get something, too. It also confuses me. I got that they served gelato (which is okay--not bad, not good, but you can tell it's gelato, so if you want gelato, go for it), but then I heard that they serve wine? And now they're open till midnight on Fridays and Saturdays? Ahhhhh, my brain!

The food is good. I don't know how you can go wrong with sandwiches, and they have some nice, spicy pastas. The variety with the salads can't be beat; I always appreciate a place that goes beyond the cobb and caesar salads.

It's the Village, so there's always a lunch crowd, but there's plenty of side tables, stools, and high-backed chairs, as well as outdoor seating. The wait for food during lunch is usually 10-15 minutes. All in all, if you want variety and something casual, BWC and Ruggles are good options.
3 - Farrah A.: Aside from our breakfast and coffee being cold, this place isn't too bad.

On my second visit, my small breakfast burrito was piping hot, but smothered in a tad too much cheese (yes, there is such a thing), they charged a few extra bucks for spinach. Even thought I 86ed more than half of the items that came standard in my order. 

Service was friendly - the manager even came to say hello as I awaited my to-go order - and they offer free Wi-Fi. That's always a plus.

I'm willing to give BWC another try because those cocktails featured on the Daily Specials Menu look to refreshing to pass up.
4 - Cara D.: OK, I've already raved about this place a couple times, but I hadn't been there at night yet. I've been going on a weeknight about once a week for a few weeks to catch up with my besties. The ambience is nice. The wines are tasty. The staff are patient and friendly. What more could we want?

Ooh, I should warn you, though, that one thing I did not know was that the parking validation is only good for up to three hours. We stayed a little longer than that one night, and were surpised when we had to pay a few bucks. But that's nothing to do with Black Walnut; that's the Village Arcade being boo boo.

The Verdict: a great place for breakfast, afternoon cawfee talk, or unwinding with friends over a glass of wine.
5 - Whanger C.: Love it! Black Walnut is quickly becoming my go-to place whenever I have time in the mid-AM hours to grab late breakfast/early lunch (does that make it...brunch?).

I have yet to have had a bad experience (although I have heard otherwise before) - friendly, attentive staff and reasonably priced menu makes it for great experience. Oh, and the bottles of habanero mango hot sauce on every table.... it's a wonder how people don't accidentally walk out with them.

Coffee pots are empty at times, but selection makes up for it. The free wifi means I don't have to rely on my measly 3G. I have yet to try the gelato - I never have the room! One of these days.....

For the same price range as eating at a greasy IHOP, I definitely recommend Black Walnut.

Oh, and the 7:30AM-11:00AM (I think) happy hour doesn't hurt, either.
3 - Kirk C.: Friendly staff, clean atmosphere, but the the food is typical "bar" fare. Low quality meat in the hamburger. Sweet potato fried were a plus, but were soggy. Friends had grilled cheese, which appeared more palatable than the burger. 

Located in Rice Village, once an eclectic shopping destination with a few neat bars and restaurants, now over populated and a parking nightmare.
4 - David V.: I just left from eating lunch with family. For a lunch hour they were able to take my order and bring it out in impressive timing. It's counter staff so things run a lot smoother. 

I had the Anderson's bout time sandwich, which is something like a California sandwich. Swiss, chicken, cucumber, tomato, sprouts, and wheat bread. Very tasty and light. My uncle had the Black Walnut Salad. He cleared the plate so I imagine it was good. ha! Mom doesn't quite know how to order yet. She is the type of person who doesn't like what she hasn't tried. Shame really. She got the Pot Roast Stew for crying out loud! Oh well.

The price is right here and seating is very interesting. I have been here before but today was worth a review.
4 - Cindy W.: I like the ambiance and the outdoor seating. I had the Asian Tuna Salad which is good. The New Orleans pasta is excellent. We always get the gelato after our meal as dessert. Parking is a bit of problem but there's a parking garage (you can get the ticket validated once you ordered).
4 - Sarah p.: I really like the Saturday Brunch.

The multigrain pancakes = true love

It can get pretty busy here, so watch out!
4 - Mallory G.: Went here with one of my friends. I had driven by so many times not thinking I should try this place. Then on a holiday Monday all the places I wanted to take her to were closed! So then I remembered I had never been here so we tried it out. 

It was a very rainy day and was sad that there was not an entrance from the garage that the restaurant is attached to. But that was the worst part. We got in only a little wet. One look around the place and I was really impressed. It was adorable! I felt like I was in a forest. While that does not sound appetizing its very well done. I can't do it justice so you should just go take a peak in next time you are in Rice Village.

You walk up to the counter to order. Its a very extensive menu. I decided on the Anderson's Bout time with a side of french onion soup. Both were very good. I did feel like I should get more food for how much it was. I forgot the sandwich my friend got but she also go the sweet potato fries which were great. 

They also have gelato which I will be back to try.
4 - Adam E.: First off, the food is amazing, but all I want to talk about gelato because Im a fat guy. 

When I went to France in high school I was amazed how different thier ice cream is to the classic American ice cream. Gelato at the black walnut is as good as the gelato found in the little cafes in both Italy and France. It's truely amazing and a must try if you havent experienced the creamyness of Gelato.  I will say that its about a buck over priced. 

The food is a better than Cafe Express but pretty comparable.  Great place for brunch!
4 - Linh P.: Very eclectic selection of food. My absolute favorite thing to get there is the French Dip Sandwich. Everything about this sandwich is perfect and I've ordered it at a lot of places (ew forget La Madeleines don't even try it).

The beef is tender and perfect amount of saltiness. The amount of beef is generous and fills up the sandwich. You can tell the cheese is of quality: when you pull the the sandwich away from your mouth, the cheese follows and won't let go. The flavors all come together each time the sandwich goes for a swim au jour onion sauce.

If you go, get the French Dip. Everything else I've tried there has been pretty good too, the creole bowl is good, the ahi tuna salad was decent  but I would've liked it better if it was a leafy salad rather than just cabbage and sprouts. The gelato is meh, I've had better but there's not a very good gelato place in Houston to begin with.

They also have fun flavors of iced tea (unsweeten) if you're  a tea fan. You can also get a parking validation if you park in the garage.

Its kinda pricey though, so beware (10 bucks for a sandwich!)
4 - Christina B.: Do you like breakfast? What about pancakes? Omelets? Okay, good. We're going to Black Walnut Cafe.

No, no, don't look at me like that. I know it gets a little crowded on the weekends and it's self service. Hell, I know the prices are a little on the high side, but, damnit, it's delicious. No, no really. Try the roasted vegetable omelet. You won't regret it. What? lactose intolerant? Okay, then what about the pancakes I mentioned? They come with honey butter and organic maple syrup. I think you'll like it, if you give it a chance.

Okay, okay, I know. It's 11:00 a.m. Now you say you want lunch? Fine. Get the open-faced pot roast sandwich. It's one of the cheapest items on the menu, and I swear to God, it's delicious. You'll be pretty well stuffed in the event that you manage to finish it.

***

There. Now aren't you glad I suggested this place? Oh, quit freaking out about paying for parking. We got our parking validated when we ordered at the counter. Cripes, you're high strung today. You know what you need? You need some gelato. This place has some truly amazing gelato. Here's $4.00. Go get yourself some and calm down.

Crimeny.
4 - Mollie K.: I have surprisingly never been here for brunch on a Sunday and I was shocked by how crowded it gets. It was a perfect Sunday morning to sit outside and enjoy the weather. I did like this restaurant but the mistake was what I ordered. I tried to cheat the system by ordering multigrain pancakes which were as good as they sound....really bad. :) They were dense and heavy not like the light and fluffy pancakes. Lesson learned to never mess with the original. On another note the egg white vegetable omelet was delicious!
4 - Arnel S.: This is a great all-in-one restaurant if you are in Rice Village.

It's good for:
- date nights.  Small tables, and it's never too noisy.
- family meals.  They have a kids menu.
- meals by yourself.  It's not that bright in there, so no one will stare at you!
- drinks.  They have St. Arnold's seasonals on tap!
- dessert.  Their display case is always filled with tasty treats and gelato.

It's mainly self-serve, but the people there are friendly and always willing to answer your questions.

I've never gone wrong with the food that I've ordered there.  The food is always fresh and tasty, and, as another reviewer observed, is just like Cafe Express but better.
2 - Leena C.: My co-workers always talk about this place so finally they took me. 
It was a disappointing trip.

First, the cashier charged my co-worker's meal incorrectly, only to proceed to charge it wrong when trying to correct it :(  This held up the line for 10-15 minutes and they only had one line open.  I ordered the "famous" New Orleans noodles and althought the sauce was flavorful, the crawfish tails had a unappealing taste and aftertaste. The pasta and andouin sausage were better. 

Another problem was the paging cube that they gave my other co-worker was broken so his light never came on to notify him that his food was ready.  After sitting there for a while, I noticed a worker walking around looking lost, checking everyone's table.  I suggested to my friend to check on his food and sure enough, it was sitting in the pick up area. (for about 10-15 minutes) The paging cube apparently wasn't working.  No one ever thought to get on the loudspeaker ? The paging cubes are numbered???
The manager stopped by and never apologized, just looked at our table and kept going. 

I would probably go there again for lunch with co-workers but not on my off time. It just wasn't worth the wait or hassle. But the conversation was great so yeah to my co-workers!
3 - Kim-Anh P.: For a quick-serve dining place, I thought it was pretty good. We went there on a Friday night with a couple of friends, and the place was just moderately filled with patrons. I remember having the Max's Grilled Chicken Sandwich with fries, and thinking the sandwich was huge! But it's one of those you think you can tackle but when you're 1/2 way through the second 1/2 of the sandwich, you realize you might've been better off saving the latter portion and taking it to go...but then you reluctantly go ahead and finish it but are incredibly stuffed after it, lol.

Would think about going back.

Perks:
-- Chill atmosphere
-- Outdoor seating
-- Decent price
3 - Venita B.: People rave about black walnut cafe. I can't say I share the sentiment, but then again I usually order a salad, so who am I to judge. The atmosphere is great for conversation, catching up with an old friend, or even reading the newspaper.
4 - Jack W.: I feel as if this place is what chains restaurants should aspire too. Enjoy the great variety that is executed well. Great place to catch up with friends over good food and in a comfortable environment. 

I've also observed that they are pretty decent with the gluten free crowd. 

You definitely get what you pay for, in a good way.
4 - Crystal E.: This place is so great for brunch. If you have a weekday morning off this is a great place to eat alone or with friends and enjoy your morning.

The breakfasts are all very tasty and resonably priced. Fresh squeezed OJ is perfect when your body is feeling drained. 

I haven't had a bad experience here, but others have so try it out and see what you think. I tend to go on slower mornings and the service is always phenomenal! The food will speak for itself.
5 - Belle K.: Awesome place for sunday brunch, lunch any day of the week and a place to go to in the evening after work for a quick bite to eat. I love their chicken salad the most, with extra pecans and their wine list is fair for the place and price. On sunday, they have the best frehly made mimosa!
2 - Daniel L.: This is definitely a Jekyll & Hyde review so don't think two stars is a complete slam on BWC.

They have an interesting menu. There are a lot of choices from burgers to pasta. The prices clearly indicate that this is not IHOP quality. 

At BWC you walk in, grab a menu, find what you want, then step up to the counter and order. You get your drink and a little buzzer. The cashier ringing me up was very polite and friendly - and it was at a peak hour, so he really could have just rung it up and moved on to the next one. So I liked that touch: great employees. Which I think really does matter and is one of the big reasons why I come back here without objection rather than complaining non-stop about going to Birraporettis.

So here is how my last experience went: I went with one cashier, my friend went with another cashier. Simultaneously our orders were placed. It was not the exact dish but it was very close.

I took my cup, filled it up with water, walked outside, and sat down. And my buzzer went off. My food was ready. Because I was raised with manners I returned to the table and did not touch my food for nearly fifteen minutes until my friend's buzzer went off and his food was ready. I had great conversation to keep me occupied - I'm not pissed about that. If I was here with someone I hated I would have just wolfed down my food and bolted - that is the one advantage of paying for your food before you sit down.

So that is the big benefit at BWC: you don't need to suffer through a moron's poor waiter-ing skills. If you frequently have bad waiters at places, come here because there are no waiters.

My review of the food is that it's nothing special, like maybe you could buy one of those Easy Mac meals at the grocery store and even a six year old child could whip up something similar. Maybe my food review would be more glowing if there was some similarity in how long dishes take to prepare ... or more likely what actually happened tonight: I was presented with a dish that had been prepared for someone else who sent it back, changed their mind, or found a cockroach in it or something similar. You have no idea how far in the dark recesses of my imagination we can go to figure out how the chicken, pasta, and hodge-podge of vegetables were prepared in the amount of time it takes for me to fill a water cup, walk ten feet, and sit down in a chair.

My advice to you is that if you are eating with someone - ring it up together on the same ticket. However a guy picking up his one dish behind me was picking up only ONE dish out of his TWO dish order.... so maybe there is just an EPIC FAIL all around at this restaurant.

I did like sitting outside though. That earns two stars because I spend most days inside a dark cave, so it was nice to be outside for a few minutes.

The gelato looked amazing. I really wanted some. But based on the meal experience, I figured I would get my gelato served an hour later as a liquidy amaretto soup. So at least I had a calorie conscious evening out. My waistline thanks you BWC.
5 - Thaddeus S.: This place never disappoints.  They have a great menu, full of variety and great taste.
4 - Van L.: I have been coming to Black Walnut for some time now.  The food is reasonably priced and the atmosphere is welcoming.  Depending on who is working, it can be a hit or miss as far as how well the service at the counter is going to be.  But to be fair, they don't really "serve" you anyway.  They simply take your order, give you a buzzer, then you just go pick up your food when you're buzzed.  

The menu had a wide selection from Creloe-gumbo type dishes to simple sandwiches or burgers.  I haven't had the breakfast/brunch here yet, but they do sound appetizing.  The dessert is decent too, but I personally think it's overpriced for what it is.  The gealto selection consists of...8 flavors (?) - if memory serves me correctly.  The presentation of the gealto is in a geha (ice cream box - I believe that's what it's called - at least that's what they call it at Cold Stone Creamery).  Needless to say, you cannot miss looking at it when you're walking up to take your order.  But for you first time Black Walnut people, I would say try it just to say you tried it...but I wouldn't urge the gealto as "must have".  I haven't had any other desserts there, but they do have cakes and some cookies.

I have had a few bottles of wine here before (not all at once; thankfully).  The bottles can range from $15-$50-ish depending on which bottle you choose.  They have a decent selection of reds and whites.  Although, I am not a wine snob, so it may not seem like enough for the ones that actually know what they are talking about.  As for me, it's whatever tastes good.  I usually get the dessert wines or maybe a Shiraz (red).  If you're on a date, the bottle of wine will tie in nicely with setting they have set up.  

The one down fall to this place though, I always found it kind of messy.  The tables always have this stinch of copper metal.  And no, I don't stick my nose directly onto the table or sniff around it.  I usually can immediately smell it the moment I sit down at the table.  It may as well just be the table, since it does look like it's made from bits of copper or at least some bronze-ish material.  Depending on the day again, the tables can also be sticky or have bits of food under neath it.  But at this rate, it's nothing to be detered from the place (yet).
3 - Christine M.: Cute atmosphere and good location. It's around everything important: shopping, museum, the park, and local bars. The outdoor dining area seems pretty nice, too. The food is reasonably priced for what they serve - they have an assortment of American and Italian items. They also have a good mix of salads, sandwiches, soups, burritos, and a few breakfast items as well. The food preparation took a little long, but it seemed like it was unavoidable since I went for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. Lunch for two + drinks for less than $25. You also get a parking validaiton (so you technically park for free in the garage). Not too shabby.
2 - Natalie P.: Black Walnut serves food that's well, OK. For the student population it seems to draw, it's probably a better choice than your fast food or anything else, so on that note, I can understand it's popularity especially given it's location smack in Rice Village. 

I had the salmon dish here for dinner and it was good. I have no complains, but no raves really either. The menu has a pretty wide variety of foods - pastas, sandwiches, burgers, grill items, pizza, etc. - so everyone can probably find something they like. The dessert selection is also huge. Even though I'm not really a fan of order of at the counter restaurants, I liked the spaci-ness of the interior that the whole setup allowed. I would be giving Black Walnut Cafe 3 stars like the majority of people on here, except for one thing. This was incredibly annoying/frustrating/irritating on my part, just because I have issues with carbs (as in, for the most part, I don't like to eat them). I requested to substitue just a side of mixed vegetables for the rice pilaf that came with my dish and was immediately told this wasn't possible. Ok, I know I'm a little high maintenance in general, but isn't this the era of personalization and special orders? It's also honestly not that much of a change on their part, because the dish is hot so they had to grill it after I placed the order. I have never had such a blunt non-accomodation. No, to a simple request for veggies instead of rice pilaf? Let me also say that the dish barely came with any vegetables to start with! I told the girl working there that I wasn't going to eat the pilaf, and she responded that, for the same price, they would just serve me the salmon filet with no sides. Uh, thanks, but no thanks...I'll just give the side to my carb-loving bf. 

Anyways, that's Black Walnut. It's a kind of take it or leave it, but you can probably get an alright meal for a decent price.
2 - Reena M.: I use to work in the Village arcade during undergrad and was so excited when this place opened up. I loved it because when it opened about 5 years ago (I am taking an estimate) it was one of the few places in the area that had free Wi-Fi. The one cool feature that I like are the fans... Yes it is weird but I like them. 

About the food:

For breakfast, I have has the breakfast burritos and the quesadillas. The bacon was just too fatty and seemed like they needed to be cooked a little but longer. I like the black pepper that they put on it. 

Salads: I have had the santa fe salad with chicken on it. They place shreds of tortilla chips which gives a nice crunch. They serve a slice of garlic bread, honestly, only eat it if you are really wanting to have cardiac issues. The bread is soaked in nothing but butter. 

I can say the one beverage that I enjoy here is the coffee. 

I liked the food the first two times I ate here. After wards, I feel as if the quality went down. The food became more oily/buttery and when ordering food to go while at work, they would forget items that come with the meal, such as the chicken which goes on the salad!!!

I may come here for a glass of wine with some friends just to hang out for a bit but for me, breakfast/lunch/dinner will not be the place.
3 - Necie G.: The food at Black Walnut is decent, but I am hardly ever in the mood to pay $12 for a salad. I mostly go here for group lunches with my coworkers so I've been to the one on Research Forest (The Woodlands) and the one on Morningside (Rice Village) -- no difference to me between the two, just standard food at a higher price than I'd typically prefer to pay for lunch. It gets really busy at lunch time and if you're with a large group, seating may be an issue.

Once when I went to the one in The Woodlands, my chicken in my salad was still pink on the inside. When I returned the salad, the manager brought me a new salad and comped the meal without my asking, which I thought was really nice.
3 - Alice T.: This was a staple "nice restaurant" back in the school days. The food is decent, huge variety, and casual, yet pretty cute, atmosphere. Looking back on it, I'm glad my taste buds have ventured out, because there are a lot of good restaurants in Houston outside of the Village/Rice bubble. 

I really don't think they've changed their menu, but I swear that I remember having a really delicious dish of ravioli with sun dried tomatoes. Maybe it's the artichoke and spinach stuffed rigatoni, but I don't remember my carbs being rigatoni, and I definitely don't remember the artichoke. If this was the dish, then this is definitely a good one.

The last time I came I had the tomato basil soup. I ordered a cup, but didn't notice when they ran it up that they charged me a bowl. Sneaky Black Walnut. "Cup" doesn't even sound like "bowl". And I definitely wasn't that hungry where I wanted a giant bowl of soup. It was pretty giant. The soup was standard tomato basil, but the cheese tortellini was a nice touch. Black Walnut's a good place in the Village, but there are far too many good restaurants in Houston to be paying these prices for standard fare.
4 - Jeena L.: Im disheartened by the lack of stars this place have been getting the past few months! Black walnut is still one of my top restaurants to go to when I'm hungry! With that said, black walnut cafe, I'm still a fan!

Entrees to try that I've absolutely loved:
-grilled fish tacos. Last time I had it battered but didn't known you can order a grilled option. I wish there was 3 though!
-black walnut salad - I absolutely love this salad! The chicken is juicy and tender and there's a right amount of sweetness.
-lemon Basil chicken - don't really know the name of it but its a pasta dish and its good. If you're big on that lemon taste and other flavors infused into this dish then I recommend.
-Asian Tuna Salad - yum!! The ahi tuna was perfect!
-dessert: black out cake!!!!! This cake ranks among the top with my favorite chocolate cake, right next to uncle daryls at chocolate bar. It was such a huge slice I had to take it home. But its worth it! So decadent, moist and delicious! :)
4 - Nikki N.: I like the teas, gelato and the New orleans Noodle.  the salads are pretty good too.   

Recently, they have a manager that walks around and checks on guest.  One person at the table had a piece of lasagna that he didn't like, the manager took it and gave him a new freshly made piece that was hot and tasted better.  I guess he got the last piece and it wasn't so good.
4 - Meghan K.: I've only been here for breakfast, so I can't comment on the lunch/dinner options offered....but OMG the breakfast is awesome. I usually either get an omelette or the pancakes and both are delicious. The salsa they serve with the omelettes is so good that I could eat it by the spoonful. You can tell they use quality ingredients in everything. I hate orange juice, but my husband loves it....they do fresh squeezed OJ there and he always gets a glass. I tried some recently and actually loved it. It was sooo good. 

The only thing I don't like about this place is the seating. I get really anxious when I see a full restaurant and a line going out the door. You stand in line and watch the floor like a hawk waiting for someone to get up. I think normal people are ok with this scenario, but I start freaking out internally about where we're going to sit and what if we have to stand and eat. It has never happened. We always get a table...but I don't like having to be so concerned about finding a table lol! I have anxiety issues. But I like pancakes, so I must soldier through.
2 - carmen C.: This place just sucks....no other way to put it. Every time I come here I swear I'll never come back. Unfortunately, they have the luxury of having a prime location so it's mostly out of convenience that I even bother.

However, this recent visit has convinced me that even La Madeleine is a better bet.

I usually go in to great detail with my "yelps" but I cannot even muster up the energy to do so. Food is just so mediocre it's like the definition of mediocrity...and for what they are asking for in price...it's just ridiculous!

Furthermore, the entire approach is extremely backward. They serve small portions on huge plates to be eaten at the tiniest tables....who's the brainchild behind that concept???

I cannot  justify spending money here.
4 - Juan G.: I've only had breakfast here, and I love it. The food is a little on the higher end but the quality is fantastic. You can't go wrong with the pancakes or their french toast which has a hint of lemon zest that is a perfect touch. Best fresh squezzed orange juice on the planet. I'm not sure what makes it so special (type of orange?), but it's amazing. I also like the ambiance and seating, particularly the few tables they have with wingbacked chairs.
5 - Brent H.: They have a great breakfast, along with everything else. I really enjoy the american, there house potatoes are unique and delicious.
4 - Iana I.: I went here for a really late lunch/kinda early dinner yesterday and the food wasn't bad... but it wasn't something to write home about either. Between the three entrees my friends and I ordered, 1.5 of them were good. My boyfriend's was probably the best (he got the second to last burger on the burger list -- something with avocado that was really good). Mine was okay (I got the BWC Gyro), and my sister got a salad. Not the best, but not bad either. Their spinach and artichoke dip was good too. 

I would come back just to try other things on their list. Maybe they were having an off day or my sister and I just picked two of their not-best entrees.
4 - Katherine R.: This is a somewhat hidden gem in Rice Village. I've come here a few times to eat dinner and each time I've been impressed with their menu and service. This last visit, the person who took our order was very patient and ensured that the order was correct. We ordered two St. Arnold's Summer Pilsner beers but after pouring one of the beers, the keg was out; they promptly informed us that they were going to install the new keg and that they would bring us our second beer asap. They ended up being completely out of that choice but gave us another one of our choice. The manager was walking around ensuring everyone's meals were to their satisfaction and it definitely was! They have outdoor seating as well as plenty of indoor seating by windows. Their food is phenomenal and you absolutely must try their Snickers pie or their gelato or both!
4 - Tom B.: I love coming here for brunch.  I've tried several things from the menu and nothing was ever bad.  My favorite are the fish tacos (fried) with mango cilantro sauce.  Very flavorful and you can tell they use fresh quality ingredients.  I also really like the ambiance of the restaurant.
4 - Dan C.: Been here a few times for lunch, and it is pretty good.  The fare was always tasty, but there was never anything that made it stand out to me.

The breakfast on the other hand is exceptional.  They do some of the best Eggs Benedict I have ever had.  The egg is perfect with the whites set, and the yolk completely runny.

The hash browns/home fries are good, and complement the Eggs Benedict nicely.

I also recommend their fresh squeezed orange juice to accompany your breakfast.

Breakfast is served 7 days a week, so it's a nice place to have a breakfast meeting, or nurse yourself back from weeknight debauchery.
3 - Elizabeth H.: Good, I guess. Nothing that really made me go "WOW!". I've gone there 3 times. The first time I went, it was for breakfast, and I got the Belgian waffles. pretty good. The second time I went, I went for lunch, and got the lasagna. Not very good. It was absolutely smothered in tomato sauce. I occurred the same problem the third time when I got the chicken parmesan. I couldn't even see the chicken. The poor little guy was practically suffocating under the gargantuan portion of tomato sauce. So, thus, I conclude that if you're gonna go, go for breakfast. :)
4 - Kirkwood J.: Busy for lunch, not the fastest. Fish tacos were excellent, ahi tuna salad mediocre. Getting back up to 4-star rating were the frozen treats-- we tried chocolate gelato and pink grapefruit sorbet, both outstanding!!!
4 - Jessica A.: I come to Black Walnut very frequently. The menu is long and quite varied, so it seems like anyone I bring can always find something they like, from pastas, pizzas, burgers, salads etc. The desserts and gelato are also quite good. 

Parking is difficult in the area, but they do validate parking in the garage for 3 hours so we've never had a problem finding a space there.
3 - Brennan S.: I have been to this location and the other one in Sugarland several times. 

I have to agree with some of the other Yelp'ers on here, their brunch/breakfast is where I feel this place stands out. Having had their lunch menu on more than one occasion, I find the breakfast food more memorable. 

I feel their omelets are pretty tasty and for some reason I really enjoyed the wheat toast. Only downside to this location is that the seating is limited on the weekends, in the afternoon, it's a popular spot. 

I do find the staff to be above average at both locations. Today for instance the guy taking our order gave us his name and assured us that if we had any problems he would take care of it. Typically at places where you give your order at the counter, it's order, pay, go. Not here and they are also quick to help you at the pickup counter if your hands are full.
4 - Tina L.: Absolutely love it here!

Couple of pastas I like:
- Lemon Chicken
- New Orleans Noodle
- Chipotle Chicken 

The grilled cheese items were so good too!! As were the omelets... as were the meatballs... Oh, and I LOVE THE GELATOS!

Holy crap I sound like a giddy girl with ADHD who can't stop mentioning all the great things about her new boyfriend. I regret not having gone here every night while I was on assignment in Houston :(

[Uh, unrelated learnings from personal experience: eating pastas endlessly may add unwanted pounds.]
4 - Humaira H.: woohoo! my taste buds are dancing with joy!!!

this place was pretty happening around noon on a Saturday. the wait in line wasn't too bad, & staring at the gelato/cakes was such an awesome tease! their menu has anything & everything on it: breakfast, lunch, dinner, all with something unique about it, whether it's the name, taste, or the way it's served! 

I order the french dip with sweet potato fries. i have fallen in LOVE with the sweet potato fries and would return JUST to get a full entree of those! the sandwich itself was huge, perfectly cheesy, & full of flavor without the dip.  hubs got the texas omelette with egg whites, which he liked, but mentioned he will try something else next time :)

I also love when places like this have sea salt & a black pepper grinder & so many hot sauce choices to choose from: cholula, tobasco, & some other type I didn't try. an extensive tea/coffee selection is also available!

the restaurant itself is pretty cute & I loved how the seating included some nice arm chairs with cute little tables to eat on as well as an entire patio area with a ton o seating. however, since it was so busy, it was really really loud.

I am taking off 1 star because it's kind of expensive. our total with 2 fountain drinks was $27! since it wasn't completely sit down, I thought that was a bit much. but needless to say, I'll definitely be back & will be suggesting this as a place to get together with others for a quick & easy 
meal! :)
4 - Rachel W.: This is a great, low-key option in Rice Village. Keep in mind that this is not a typical sit and be served on restaurant. You order at the register, get a buzzer, and then pick up your own food when it is ready. 

The atmosphere is really nice inside, even though it is casual and of course outdoor seating is great. The guys that were working there were all very friendly. The menu is pasta, salads, sandwiches, and more. Basically, American style food. They also have an awesome Gelato selection and a full liquor bar. 

The portions aren't HUGE but it is totally enough food. Just know they aren't huge. I got grilled cheese, husband got a Caesar salad, and father-in-law got roast beef. All were good. I got Gelato for dessert and it was perfect. 

I give 4 stars primarily because you have to get up to get your own food and it is a little pricey for that.
3 - Tammy N.: Their menu is intense!  It ranges from omelettes to burgers to pasta.  I always have trouble whenever a place has an extensive menu bc then I just want everything.  After a while of debating I decided on the fish tacos.  The fish was really fresh and slightly breaded and fried.  Pretty decent size with the side salad but I thought the taco was really bland.  Couldn't really taste any spices.  I wish they would put more of the cayenne ranch dressing on it.  Luckily they had mango habanero sauce on the tables and that saved the day.  I would come back here but to try something else on their menu.
4 - Kevin D.: I had breakfast for the first time here on Saturday morning around 10 and left wondering why I haven't done that before.

The staff here is awesome; They are very outgoing and friendly; It appears they enjoy working here.The food is always good.
2 - Dustin D.: Here it is... my first bad review in quite some time! Since this place opened a couple of years ago, I've frequented it with my wife and kids enough to see both the service and the quality of food decline. It takes quite a bit to irritate me enough not to ever want to go back to any food establishment, and I think I finally had it with the Black Walnut Cafe. 

Long story short, I ordered the Steak Eggs Benedict and my kids ordered the usually breakfast tacos. As if it wasn't enough that we waited an excruciating 25 minutes to get "beeped" to retrieve our food from the kitchen, the steak benedict was dead cold! I had no choice but to give it back... NOT, asking for a refund, because I didn't even want to give them the satisfaction of even trying to console me after such a gigantic disappointment (it was, in fact, 7:15am, and I was starving - so, probably not at my best diplomatic state of mind).

Ultimately, the manager insisted on refunding me, which I thought was very kind and courteous (the only reason I gave this review 2 stars, by the way, and not one), but it did not change the enormous loathing that I developed for this restaurant. Unfortunately, I don't expect that I will ever feel the need to return to this restaurant willfully, and if ever I find myself there for any reason at all... I sincerely hope my next experience will be good enough to pass this last one as a fluke.
4 - Hanie L.: This place is a solid choice, consistently good.  I tend to get the salads here, two of my favorites are the Asian Tuna Salad and the Shrimp Mango Pasta Salad.  I've pretty much loved everything here except for the Southwestern Chicken Lasagna (the ingredients did not work together and it tasted like a bad 7 layer bean dip or something).  There is something for everyone here - so it's a safe and solid bet for large groups, although during lunch you have to watch the crowds.  This place is very popular, since the food and desserts are very good.  The servers are always extremely helpful and nice.
5 - Dee Dee E.: I looooove Black Walnut!! I visited there two weekends ago and have been dying to go back. I got the stuffed french toast and had the BEST potatoes EVER! I really enjoyed the fresh squeezed juice as well.  The decor and atomsphere were pretty good. The customer service was AWESOME- overall Im excited about taking my family & friends there!!
3 - Jill K.: This place confused me. I ate here for the first time today with my boyfriend. We were both off and wanted some good breakfast that we hadn't had before. After doing a little bit of research, Black Walnut was close and seemed affordable. Walking in, the ordering process isn't confusing and everything is clearly marked (order here, pickup here, etc), which I very much appreciated. I decided to get a ham breakfast burrito and my boyfriend got the steak and eggs. We also decided to split an order of pancakes. I expected this to be way too much food for just the two of us. I was wrong.

Boyfriend's portion of steak turned out to be about 4 ounces. Now, I'm not a huge meat eater, but even I thought that was tiny. It came with two eggs and breakfast potatoes (which were all good and cooked well), but my boyfriend said the steak was waaaay overcooked. He ordered it medium rare, it came out beyond done. I was even disappointed for him considering his love of rare meat. I noticed while we were waiting for our food (which took a little more than 20  minutes to come out!) that my burrito was only $3. I found out why it was so cheap when it came out--I ate it in about six bites. Tiny! I wish someone would've mentioned to me how small it was. This is where the pancakes come in. I hate to have more than half of my breakfast syrup soaked pancakes, even though they were probably the best pancakes I've ever had in my life. 

All in all, the portions were small (which isn't a bad thing when you're expecting it, but sucks when you're not), the people were extraordinarily friendly, the place was clean, but the service was ridiculously slow. This is why I'm confused--I can't tell if I love it or would never go back!
4 - Joanna W.: The menu items are pretty pricey with each plate at least $10+ but I think for the quality of the food and the 'eat lunch in a cozy cafe' environment, it's worth it.

Lunch time gets pretty packed but there seems to be enough tables to fit a large crowd. It's one of those places where you serve yourself practically. They give you a pager when your foods ready and you help yourself to drinks and utensils. I think this is great because it get's the crowd moving faster, you don't have to wait on your server for the bill, refills, etc. 

I usually get the same thing here, but it's these specific items that keeps me coming back! 

Toasted Raviolis - SO GOOD! The plate is about $7-8 and comes with garlic bread. It's basicallly small droplets of toasted italian pieces of heaven.

Tomato Basil - I'm actually not a huge fan of this soup in general except when I'm having it at Black Walnut! Typical tomato basil, but topped with melted cheese and filled with cheese tortellini.. soooo delish!
4 - Mike F.: From the dishes I've tried so far they seem to be really good. But on the flipside this place is a little overpriced for what they serve. But this place is one of my top choices whenever i'm at Rice Village.

I don't order from this place too much because of the price but I think the Chipotle Chicken Pepper Pasta is pretty delicious. I would like to come back and try other things on their menu. Free wi-fi is a plus!
4 - Janis G.: I love this place, the coffee is excellent and so is the steak tip breakfast.
4 - David K.: The best way to sum this place up is that it's a fancy Jason's Deli. I'd even go so far as to say "upscale."

I was visiting my boyfriend (a/k/a My Heman) for a long Valentine's Day weekend last week and he loves Sunday brunch. Like, it's a weekly tradition for him and his friends. He wanted to go across the street to Ryan O'Neill's, but it was kind of cold (there was sleet later that evening) and I wanted a waffle.

He and I met his friend Eric and walked over to Black Walnut Cafe. Extra star for the delicious waffles. Minus a star for the confusing order process. In hindsight maybe it's not that confusing, but at these prices I'd expect table service.

Here's a tip: Instead of a mimosa carafe, opt for a bottle of champagne and a cup of orange juice. They're much stronger and you actually save a few bucks.
1 - Sara W.: I'd rather eat at Chilis. Cute place, but the price isn't ideal for what seems like a box meal or something over charred or highly salty. Not good for those on diets!! Lots of ritzy details like the touch screen coke machine (they also have those at fuddruckers now) and the ice cream display with cakes at the bar... which is nice but I didn't like the food, I want to eat something delicious for $12 a plate at a place without waiters! Buzzers and taste bud duds are what make me think hmm Katy has better places for me to spend my time and money at, Houston is so close I might as well drive there for a ritzy cafeteria experience
4 - Matthew C.: The best way to describe Black Walnut is as follows:  good (but not great) and always a good standby.  I've never had a "Wow, this is the best thing ever!" dining experience here, but I've never had  particularly bad experience either.

For lunch/dinner, I'm a fan of the "Anderson's 'Bout Time"--a grilled chicken breast sandwich with swiss and avocado (always a plus in my book).  The portion is a tad on the small side considering it's $9.50, but it's still a solid choice.  For brunch, the omelets are good, especially the roasted vegetable omelet with cream cheese.  Like the sandwich, they don't top any of my lists but still made for satisfying meals.

Since you order at the counter and pick up your food, there's not too much I can rate in terms of service, though this past visit a couple of things disappointed me.  First, on a Sunday at the peak of the brunch hour (i.e., 11:00), I'd like it if you had all of your varieties of coffee available (rather than being out of the light roast).  Second, for whatever reason, the first person who ordered in our group was the last person to receive her food--by a long shot.  When everyone's food comes out at such different times, it's hard to eat together.

All in all, though, Black Walnut will always be an old standby when I'm in the village.  Yes, it's a little expensive, but the atmosphere and location make up for it.
3 - Wesley C.: Good food but way over priced! 

I ordered the Burrito Combo Plate which comes with two burritos, house potato's, and a side of sausage or bacon. The burritos were good and you can tell that the ingredients were very fresh. However, the "burritos" were more like tacos. Also, I really dislike there house potato's! They were cold and completely flavorless. It took quite a bit of salt and a lot of hot-sauce to give them any taste whatsoever. Ok and the kicker is that this meal cost $8.50! This meal could have easily been 6 or 7 bucks at the most.

The food was decent but this was the second time I had eaten here and both times I have expected a little bit more. The portion sizes are quite small for the prices and the taste of the food does not make up for the cost.
4 - Jon H.: My wife and I decided to come here for a Sunday morning coffee date. We didn't order anything off the menu - strictly coffee and muffins. The coffee was good, the muffin was good (but a little small). 

The reason I am giving it a 4, rather than a 3, it because the atmosphere was perfect. Wood accents, quite surroundings, nice professional customer base...that is really what sold us on Black Walnut Cafe. We will be back for more lazy weekend morning breakfast dates.
4 - Nhu Lan P.: I ordered one of the the pastas of the day which was chicken in a lemon butter sauce.  Delicious!  It came with melt-in-your-mouth garlic bread. yum!  I also tried my friend's pot roast and fajita sandwich.  Everything was really good!  Fast service.  This location gets really packed during lunch, too.  We had a large group so we ate outside and put tables together.  If you have a large group, it's hard to find seating inside.  The seating arrangements are best for up to 6 people.

We parked in the garage, which is free if you get parking validated inside the restaurant. (just ask someone at the cashier and they'll give you a new ticket)

The gelato looked amazing, but I didn't get it.  Definitely will try next time!
4 - Melissa P.: Post night shift breakfast with my fellow nurse friend.  I ordered the Belgian waffles with fruit on the side. The waffles were cooked perfectly and their fresh squeezed OJ was really good too. I've been here for lunch and wasn't impressed, but their breakfast rocks.
4 - Amber S.: Great casual ambience and fantastic location.

Steak salad is excellent, and several of the other salads are really good.  The Mexican omelette, however, is super fabulous.  Lots of love in that omelette.  The tomato soup is far too thin, but my two-year-old son eats it, so it's good enough for me.  

Don't miss this place for brunch.
1 - Diana S.: What happened to the Black Walnut?  We had eaten here previously, and we remembered it as good.  Ate here this evening, and it was terrible.  We should have known by the number of people here on a Sat night.  Restaurants next door were crowded, but not this one.  The food was not good at all.  All 3 of us got something different, and all 3 were not good.  Even the dessert was poor.  Will not eat here again.  Very disappointing.
4 - Patrick P.: Nice little chill place. They offer counter service which made everything run more smoothly and quickly. They have a full bar and good selection of gelato. I went for brunch, food was good and decently priced. Only downside, seating inside is kinda cramped, but the patio is nice.
3 - Michael P.: Would give them a better rating but the time for our food to be ready was obnoxious. Took about 40 minutes for a burger and salad. The atmosphere is live and just a great place to be. Definitely a spot to go with a huge group. Food was excellent, next time would love to try all their desserts.
2 - Cynthia C.: I like the atmosphere - the plants hanging from the ceiling are great. My initial impression upon walking in was good, but the dining experience didn't echo the first impression. The person in line in front of us took forever - the staff was having some kind of an issue with the pos system. The table we sat at looked clean, but then there was sticky honey on the side of it that got all over my arm. Ewwwwww.

Then my chicken sandwich buzzed, which could have made up for this but the chicken was itsy bitsy. Like, they tried to marinate a chicken tender and put it on the grill and called it a sandwich. Pretty lame. Also, it was hard to find the napkins. I wish I'd gone to ruggles down the street.
3 - Sandy H.: ::sigh:: A few years ago I thought the food here was amazing, but I was really disappointed the last week when I dropped by after my BON run.  

The place was super packed, and there's no doubt that the desserts were just calling my name! However, I was trying to be healthy and ordered their "Anderson's 'Bout Time" sandwich.  Instead of french fries, I ordered their steamed broccoli. A friend of my (for a dollar extra) ordered substitute out his fries for sweet potato fries and it seemed worth it because he had a HUGE portion, while I stared at my 2 piece broccoli.

Anyway, my chicken was dry... so dry I had a hard time cutting it.  Even the cheese that was melted on top did not help :( I then remembered that this was not the first time I had dried chicken here.  The time before (about 2 months ago) I was here for dinner with some friends and ordered BWC's Southwest Chicken Salad.  The salad was awesome because for the money I paid I felt like it was a decent portion.  However, the chicken was dry! I had to keep dipping my chicken in the dressing to make it easier for me to swallow.  ::sigh:: 

Overall, I am okay with this place.  The desserts look amazing, but I haven't tried it (not sure why tho).  

Parking is your typical rice village parking scenario.  If you park in the garage, you can get your parking validated.
4 - Janine B.: I like this place, the atmosphere, the people watching and the food is good. I have never had anything that I didn't enjoy. They have a lot of variety. It's one of those places where they have something that should appeal to everyone.  I had a the Grilled Pork Chop with Crab Cake, Fiance loved his French Dip. My only complaint is the portions are a little small for the price. You should either get more food or they should lower the prices just a bit. But I know this is a high rent district LOL.
3 - Mariah D.: The thing about Black Walnut is that it is consistently good, easy food. It's not really that special or unique, but it's consistent as the heat in Texas. With that said, you're bound to find something you like on the menu whether it be for lunch with coworkers or dinner with friends or family, it's a non-offensive, safe-for-all-palates kind of place -- including kids.  It's also an easy place to hangout and drink some tea and eat gelato and people watch. The gelato isn't as good as Paciugo, and there aren't as many flavor options, but it's nice to have it as a dessert option. 

My one gripe is that a fountain drink is $3. I went in (during happy hour, mind you) because I had arrived early for a meeting. I browsed the HH drink menu, which had some tasty sounding drinks for $3, but I didn't want to drink before this meeting, so I just asked for a fountain drink. My total was over $3. Really? You are offering me drinks with alcohol for that same price. I even said "That seems steep, I'm not eating or staying long. I won't be more than 15 minutes here." They didn't care and were going to charge me $1 for water, so I forked over the extra $2 to get some tea. Next time, I won't get a drink at all, and just sit there using free wi-fi and not buy anything!
2 - Larry W.: Why can't this place execute the simplest formula there is?  Salads, pastas, burgers, and grill entrees can be done by any third-rate line in town. Food ends up with a universal blandness that overcomes the below par ingredients.  Move along, honey!
4 - beatrice a.: Great food, service was good, environment is fabulous.   will definitely return.  loved their fresh orange juice.  only complaint is size of the fruit plate, they give you a tiny bowl and charge you $5.00.,
3 - Michelle W.: I don't come here often because the area and lot are always so crowded; however, I've never had a bad experience at the cafe.  The spinach artichoke dip is tasty, the pot roast is flavorful, the omelets are scrumptious, the cakes are Heavenly, and the gelato makes my taste buds very happy! There are other cafes that I go to when I'm having a bona-fide craving; however, Black Walnut is always a nice change of pace.

I've never been unhappy with the service or timeliness of receiving my food, and I've always managed to find inside seating ... albeit sometimes in a crowded corner.

No doubt I'll venture here again in the future. :)
5 - Georgia S.: Great value casual American food!

Plus
- great value - $9.50 for 10oz Angus beef burger with blue cheese & bacon with a side of sweet potato fries
-comfy place
-healthy options available - my friend had veggie salad
-garage parking free with validation - good for 3 h!
-big gelato selection, that's for next time!

Areas of improvement
-unfortunately line can be very long - maybe have misters outside on the patio or larger covered patio as opposed to umbrellas?
1 - K W.: They turn off their WiFi at lunchtime!!!  11am - 1pm
1 - Ashley G.: I have eaten at the Black Walnut Cafe in the woodlands and have never been disappointed. The one in Rice Village is a different story. It's loud and crowded. I ordered the $17 BBQ Salmon (my usual favorite) It is VERY pricy in my opinion but the salmon has always been good.
The brocolli was not cooked and was hard. The salmon was lacking the normal flavor and the person told me i could not get no onions because it's premade (yup thats right a $17 salmon meal is premade) also note I have NEVER had this issue at the woodlands location. Needless to say my salmon had basically a full purple onion on it!!!! Bleh!
4 - Chris C.: It's like Ruggles where you order at the counter and self pick-up. Unfortunately, they don't have the awesome deserts, but they make up for it with the wider variety of food.

It's nicer inside with more seating, but they are open for breakfast.

You won't be wowed over the top with amazing chef creations, but this should satisfy even the most picky eater in your party.
4 - Marvin B.: Great for early breakfast. Wonderful ambience, very relaxing. Ate East-West omelet. Good portion size and tasty. Coffee was fresh.
3 - Renia L.: I enjoy this place, the food is good and the cashiers are always nice and helpful. They too are also very generous with the gelatto samples.

The only qualm I have is the price. I mean, we stand in line, order our own food, then have to go get it. Not to mention get our own beverage and utensils.

Can a salad not be 13 dollars?
4 - Mike B.: Excellent location
Excellent food
Excellent service
Fair cleanliness

Overall, a very good experience and creative menu!
4 - Jackie A.: The Black Walnut Cafe is the perfect upscale soup-and-sandwich cafe that also features gourmet pastas, etc.  You order at the counter and pick up your food when the buzzer rings.  My favorites are the Black Walnut salad and the Santa Fe salad--accompanied by yummy garlic bread.  And if you want a little treat after lunch/dinner, try a chocolate truffle.  Fantastic, low-key yet delicious meals!
4 - Khoi L.: This is a great place for brunch w/ many of the traditional favorites done very well.

Sausage & Mozzarella Kolache: 4/5
Eggs Benedict: 4/5 - It had two poached eggs on toasted English muffins & included Canadian bacon, house potatoes, & cayenne citrus hollandaise.
Western-Eastern Omelet: 4/5 - Sweet bell peppers, red onions, scallions, mushrooms, tomatoes,mozzarella, & cheddar were in this omelet.
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 4/5
4 - Diana L.: Came here for a weekend breakfast. It's really cozy in there. You could really hang out and read the paper. Food was great, service was fast & friendly. Coffee was really good too. Can't wait to try their new location close to Memorial Park!
3 - Nupur L.: Back in my early twenties when I had the spare time to be more pretentious, I would have given Black Walnut a scathing review. Now I think I'm ready to rate it fairly. Innovative dining it is not. Nor should everything be innovative.

Unadventurous does not necessarily have to equal bad, as Black Walnut demonstrates. It's a solid yet uncomplicated experience all around. I especially like how they emphasize healthy options here. For someone who eats on the go as much as I do, I can really get behind that. 

It sounds like I'm damning with faint praise a bit but I enjoyed everything from the fish tacos to toasted ravioli to vegetable soup. They have an expansive new American menu on which  most things are good. There's really something for everyone, which is why my vegetarian friends always suggest this place.

This is a place that's unusually considerate of diners. It's the little things like always serving dressing on the side. "We take care of that for you," added the sweet guy at the counter taking orders. Or offering me the option of grilled, fried or one each of the grilled and fried fish tacos when I asked for my fish tacos to be grilled instead of fried. Not to mention the staff are on top of it. The kids working at the counter are the sweetest, friendliest and most cheerful of any restaurant staff I've interacted with in a while. I don't mind at all having to get up for my food because I actually enjoy talking to them. 

For what it is, Black Walnut is exceptionally pleasant. It's not setting the world on fire but it's not meant to either. It means that people can happily have fish tacos, toasted ravioli, vegetable soup and a salad at a single meal in a comfortable but not inelegant atmosphere. Respek.
4 - Saba B.: Generous plates of cafeteria style bistro fare served up in comfy chairs and copper-topped tables including soft and crunchy raviolis atop what must have been an entire loaf of garlic bread nestling beside a pool of tangy marinara set Black Walnut apart from its anchor mall quite nicely. The crowd is wholesome as white Rice gets, and none of the fare will have you confusing BWC with a Champs Elysees cafe, but if you want to get away from the beer-soaked college scene across the street, stop in for a little continental flavor

Black Walnut Inn - Amherst, MA (42.4094679, -72.531859) ()
5 - April G.: I stayed here for 3 nights last week and it was absolutely perfect! 

I stayed in the Mulberry Room on the second floor. The bed was warm and comfy, and the room was nice and quiet. I slept great, and then had a nice hot shower in the morning. The water pressure was fantastic!

In the morning I was served breakfast by Marie, one of the owners. I was so glad to be there 3 mornings so I could try everything! I had the bacon and the sausage, which are both from local sources, and they were wonderful. My final morning I had blueberry pancakes. Yum!

I would definitely stay here again, and will recommend it to my friends and family.
1 - David G.: Very disappointing... old mattress, mildew odors throughout, extremely poor lighting, no place for toiletries or laptop or writing surface, clothing space minimal, floors not that clean, and mediocre breakfast.

Plus a lackadaisical attitude of owners... not even a hello, welcome, or a thought uttered like "how was your stay?"

However, if you're looking to stay one night due its location and a platable cost then its not awful.
5 - Jen R.: The Black Walnut Inn is a wonderful place to stay in North Amherst, just over a mile or so out of the center of town. It's truly a hidden gem; I lived in Amherst for many years before I ever came across it. 

The first time I stayed here was for the weekend of my wedding, which took place in Amherst in October of 2006. The owners were kind enough to rent out the Inn to my entire immediate family (it has 10 lovely rooms, each with their own charm). It was a fabulous weekend that we spent there. 

Ed, the Inn keeper, was wonderfully hospitible, but also kept to himself. He let us have free range of the entire Inn and all of its common areas for us and our guests to gather and celebrate together (we made use of the dining room and living room for our rehearsal dinner). 

Breakfast was delicious at the Inn and each morning that we were there, we were thoroughly impressed by the selection of foods offered to us. Blueberry pancakes with real maple syrup (of course!), local sausage, bacon and eggs and a variety of beverages were always on the menu. They even sold some of their own homeade jams and cookie mixes on site. 

The pictures of the rooms on their website almost don't do them justice- they're all very comfortable and cozy rooms with fine linens and rustic decor. Definitely worth the visit!
4 - Jackson L.: Just what we were looking for in a bed & breakfast. With a late arrival, a note and our key were awaiting us. The historical house is nice and comfortable. Our room (Mulberry) was just right for two and had a private bath. We woke up to the smell of coffee and fresh baked muffins. Rachel made us a great breakfast to order in the dining room.

Would definitely stay here again.
5 - Scout S.: This little B and B is adorable and amazingly quaint!  The rooms are really cute and spotless...In the lobby there were these tasty home baked ginger cookies to welcome us.  For breakfast we were treated to a fresh home cooked meal.  The blueberry pancakes were off the charts perfect.  The chef does something super different that I love which is butter and grill muffins...it really brings the flavor out!!!  The bacon was crisp and local.  Also, the bread was baked in house and scrumptious...I can't say enough good things...check it out  for yourself if you are in town!  BTW the owners dogs Sparky and Nutmeg are so sweet!
3 - Robert K.: The rating should be 3.5 but I can't do that.  The brick front of the building pictured in photos is impressive the the rooms are not what I thought of when I think of an inn i.e. inside a historic building - they are in a converted carriage house that looks like a motel frankly.  It is at a noisy intersection, but they have removed the windows from the noisiest side and sound-proofed it.  It was relatively quiet with the windows closed but stuffy in that there was no air conditioning in our room (Webster Room).  The room photos are impressive and the rooms generally look like them albeit with some cheaper furniture touches, but very clean.  The breakfast was amazing and the beds VERY comfortable.  Maybe part of my problem is that I'd stayed the night before at the Equinox Resort in Vermont and only paid $10 more for that room (albeit plus a resort fee).
5 - Will M.: Everything you would expect from a New England B& B.  Lovely well-maintained property. Delicious made to order breakfast. Quaint furnishings. Free wifi.  I would stay with them again,

Black Watch Pub - Upland, CA (34.099199, -117.690173) ()
4 - Ryan P.: A great little place to meet up with some old friends.  Very laid back.  Even when crowded, the service is good.  They have some home made beef jerky that is fantastic.  Stay away from the spicy variety, though.  It is killer.  Chat for a litte while, and then play some darts.  The other people you see there are always in a pleasant mood, and very easy to talk to.
3 - Chad P.: Not a bad dive bar, offers up a decent variety of patrons. 

Best of all is that they've got Boddington's on tap, and it's like $4 or something which is totally sweet. There's always loud live music on the weekends and I don't necessarily recommend it, it's some very IE music most of the time. However, if you're a band this isn't a bad place to play, they'll usually give you $40 or so, and that's getting to be RARE.

They have a lot of dartboards, a room devoted to them, and also some pinball so that sets me up for a good hour. I think it's a Star Wars pinball machine, not really great, but good enough.

Cheap, easy, and close to my house.
4 - Cotton C.: Great on weekdays, though if you want to watch basketball, you're gonna have to ask for it....
3 - Jolie L.: look up dive bar in the dictionary and the black watch pub is there. the price is very reasonable, they sell cigarettes, you can smoke inside while you play pool or darts. the regulars are regularly perched around the bar like starving ravens, always complaining about life and crying on each others shoulders, while all watching family guy on the bar TV. the bartender Autumn is really nice, but i feel sorry for her ears always hearing bullshit from the regs. bands on Fri and sat usually bring in a decent sized crowd of old white bar hags in their 50's who are still trying to sleep with the singer. i was a regular. NOW if i have to go back i would kill myself. but its a great dive bar with brotherhood opportunities.
4 - Alina Z.: I like it!  It really is a true British Pub. The crowd is cool. They play the England soccer games, even if the game is on a 6am!  It has a great staff and friendly regulars.  It only serves beer and wine, but has a lot of the European beers on tap.  Every when it is dead, it is still cool.  It is a must go.  They have darts and a pool table.
3 - Callae G.: I got a DUI leaving from here, I saw a guy die here.  I am serious.  I vowed to NEVER go back here, although I have since.  I really don't care for the crowd, which is just dull.  I just cant put my finger on what is wrong with this place.  Oh, maybe that I got a DUI leaving from here.  That really put a damper on my ability to give this place a decent review.  That and the band is always 50+ men playing bad versions of Eric Clapton and Journey covers.  Only plus=dart boards? Is that a plus? I don't know, I'm trying here.  Decent beer selection, although its not reasonably priced.  Beer and cider only.  You can smoke in here at night, so that is a plus.  Don't plan on driving out of here, its on Central Ave, which apparently is patrolled by 4 different cities of police, or something like that.  Bottom line: I will come again lets say, if I'm down the street at Por Vida about to get a tattoo, and the artist is running like an hour late.  Yeah, its better then the Chronic Cantina, or whatever that worthless shithole is called.
3 - FERNANDO D.: This is a good place to have a few beers.  Also my BFF Larry Gorge
is always here. Having a good time with his boys.
4 - Jeffrey V.: Decent place to catch a buzz. I just like the name, "The Blackwatch" anyway,  decent beer selections on tap. Dart boards & pool. The staff is friendly, the food is standard pub fare. A mix of locals and transplants and students populate the bar at any one time.
4 - Hugo M.: Good place,very home like. I have been coming here since 1994 World cup with my brother, we ate fish and chips(Good) and a few pitchers. since then I have stopped by mostly during the night after work, daytime is a different crowd. I have got to know several of the regulars, and always have a good laugh, and a few beers, live music on weekends some good, some bad, all free, so its all good. Autumn is an awesome and nice bartender, who knows her s..t, and makes you feel at home. nice place
3 - Rick O.: Old people and beer. Must love those two things and your set here. Oh yeah you can't be bothered by smoke. When you leave you feel like you just walked out of a Downtown Vegas Casino. When it comes to DUI's this place is hot. Again many ways to leave but because it's a strip mall with four different exits....they pretty much know you been at the Blackwatch. It's always fun when you get the Liberal snobs from the college mixed with English/Scottish/Irish/Etc. that freaking miss home and throw in a dash of the River Rats/Cage Fighter Dudes. Always makes for a little excitment. Still a odd and fun place.
5 - Raquel G.: I love watching old couples groping each other in the dark, super sketchy dudes being super sketchy, and divorced bra-less women rocking out to some 90s altrock. 

They have cider and it's yummy.
4 - Anthony H.: cheap
free darts
good bands on weekends
friendly staff
smoker friendly
4 - Chiquita D.: One of my favorite spots. Live bands on the weekends, darts, and they usually have an eclectic mix of people. Their food is good too and I like coming in for lunch on a weekend afternoon for a meal & a couple of beers. They have the usual pub fares such as fish & chips, but I've been surprised by some of their offerings (one I remember was the poached salmon). They have a black currant cider that's yummy. Drinks prices I think are about average, not super cheap but not pricey either. But  beware if you're bothered by smoke, since people light up there all the time. They are located in a strip mall and not facing the street so aren't immediately visible. But here's a hint: they're across the street from the Toy Box =)
5 - John S.: Love.  When you're inside it's easy to forget you're in the IE or in  strip mall for that matter.  This ain't no cookie-cutter pub with brass and ferns.  A real pub.  Just beer, wine, darts, billiards and live music.  Awesome mix of people and a great jukebox.  Live music on Fridays and Saturdays can't be beat.  You never know what you will hear.  I've caught reggae, metal, folk, top-40, blues and authentic punk.  I have played here with my band a couple of times and always appreciate the warm reception from the crowd.  This might be the only bar in the 909 where I don't worry about getting jacked in the parking lot.  If you stay until last call drinking, please make sure you have a designated driver.   It can get a little smokey, but this only adds to the eclectic atmosphere of the place.
4 - Anthony U.: This is my favorite pub. Lots of different Irish beer. Mostly older people in here. All the locals and regulars come that sort of place. The bartenders are really nice and the atmosphere is what I look for in a good bar/pub. Plus maybe the best thing is you can smoke at the bar and have a Guinness.
3 - Greg L.: For a dive bar, the British atmosphere, complete with cider on tap is nice. I wish the beers were a little cheaper than $5t. But all in all a decent place to throw some darts, or catch the ball game. Bar food is tasty. This is the kind of place that has contractor's trucks parked outside at 7pm. Working class. No gangstas or yuppie posers with wanna be tatoos in designer clothes (like the Press). And you can smoke at the bar! Heck, they deserve another star just for that!
4 - Jeremy M.: I went here to watch the USA v UK World cup match and had an absolute blast. It's a cut above as dive bar's go. Great crowd, pleasant helpful staff, reasonably cheep beers with a good selection on tap. I didn't try any of the food, but it at least looked appetizing .

I will definitely be back here next time I need a beer in the Upland area, and when your in the Upland area you pretty much always need a beer.
2 - Corey P.: If I could use one word to describe Black Watch Pub, I would say "janky." Unfortunately, that's not a universally known word. It means freaking ghetto, beat up, run down, I'm gone get stabbed. If I'm not mistaken, this bar lets you smoke inside. I think I saw a pregnant woman here?

I attended a Western University of Health Sciences inter-professional night where there medical and dental students. It was energetic, packed, had two (that's right, not one) DJ's spinning hot beats. They only have beer on tap so if you want any mixed or girlie drinks, you may have to get drunk elsewhere. It got kind of cramped and I wouldn't come here if I just wanted to relax and have a beer with a friend.

People were having fun though and it was a Monday night. It's good to let your hair down some times. The men's restroom is terrible here. No napkins, no soap, no toilet seat covers. I might as well just piss myself and be as equally clean.

I would only come here if there were a big event and I wanted to potentially mingle and get turned down.
5 - Norman B.: This place kicks ASS, I the foods good, the staff will always give you a hard time, good music, great place to watch games bring the kids and have a pint, stop in and make your own judgement,
3 - Michael G.: Cool dive bar but only gets 3 stars for only serving beer and not many taps to choose from at that. With high brow around the corner and shooters near by why would you want to come here unless you have friends already waiting for you? I wouldn't.
4 - Jen P.: Pretty smoky and not too many beers on tap.  

That said, I'm still a fan of this dive-y little place.  I like a couple of their beers on tap, and they even have Stone beers in bottles.  The 90's cover band 90 Proof plays at this joint pretty often, and that's enough to make me come here.

There are also pool tables and dart boards to keep you entertained.

Check out the girl's restroom with a friend.  Or a stranger?  Two perpendicular toilets with no stalls.  Iiiinteresting.
5 - Nye T.: I enjoy having beer and watching futbol, occasionally in the morning.

Location: Nice spot in a business plaza on the corner of Central and Arrow Route. 

Atmosphere: really chill. They have all these cool signs on the wall, and the arrangement of the place is nice. They have darts and pool in one area, the bar in the middle, and tables on the other end. I believe they have live bands, but have yet to be there to see one. Definitely reminds me of a pub. 

Food: Food items here are great. Usually I get the beer battered fish and chips. I only wish they served late night. But they have snacks as well. As many other places, they have a wonderful selection of beef jerky which is made by them. Ranges from delicious to spicy, although I have not yet encountered a beef jerky which is spicy enough for me. They have a fine selection of beer. I hang with Guinness all day, Newcastle and Boddingtons.

Service: Excellent service. no complaint. Bartenders and staff are friendly. 

Sanitation: Its a Pub. 

Overall: Mighty Fine place to relax after a long day. I'm lucky I can walk here so I can get blasted and walk home.
3 - Ji O.: its a little somewhat ghetto looking pub
not much beers on tab 
overran.. cozy place to go for a drink or two
3 - Sinae v.: Came here with a friend and left unimpressed....the place stinks of old men and cheap cigars. It is pretty obvious this bar caters to the older set, the hard core boozers, and a handful of locals...nothing special to be found here...
3 - Marie H.: So we hit up Black Watch for my friend's birthday at like 9 PM on a Sunday. It's cool, because that's where we'd go to drink a beer (her) and a hard cider (me) after my serving job (read: after 11 PM) while while smoking a few cloves to relax back before they were banned from the U.S. market. That should tell you that 1) this place is a dive and 2) they operate to please the less-than-legal crowd as you cannot smoke indoors in California.

Black Watch is meant for people who want to hang, sling back a pint or pitcher of whatever import is cheapest while smoking and playing darts or billiards. They have a few tasty hard ciders both on tap and by bottle as well as standard domestics and import beers. That's right -- there is no hard liquor here, only beer. The bartenders are friendly enough but mostly leave you to drink, smoke and play in peace. It can get loud -- lots of English and Irish punk and rock on the jukebox -- but it's a fun, if a little grimy, hole in the wall. But hey, they at least had "True Blood" on the TVs when I was there.

Oh, and there are indeed two perpendicular toilets in the ladies loo. Why? Because we always go in pairs anyway, why not make the trip efficient in plain view of each other?

It's known for being a dive pub for a reason, yo.
1 - Steven E.: My wife and I went here on a Sunday about 11am and there was nobody else in the place: Red Flag #1. 

We were greeted and sat down at a table and ordered 2 Bloody Marys. The bartender/hostess told us they weren't a full bar and could make a Bloody Mary but only with an impostor vodka. We said ok but our drinks tasted like they'd been scooped out of the toilet: Red Flad #2. 

We ordered food and it took about 45 minutes for it to arrive: Red Flag #3. 

Our food was delivered to us by a gentleman with his fly open: Red Flad #4. 

Then I ordered a Coke and it was brought to me in a can with a glass with no ice. I had to go up to the bar and ask to have ice put into my glass. Red Flag #5. 

5 is my limit for Red Flags so we vowed never to go here again :(
3 - Priscilla H.: First off, this is a dive bar, which isn't a bad thing, but if you like fancy places to drink, this isn't it.

My co-workers and I have come here a few times. As weird as this sounds, its nice to chill in a really loud dive bar. We just relax, have a few drinks, and talk about random stuff.

I'm not much of a beer drinker, but my co-workers who are like the selection. I usually drink the cider here as it is pretty good. Don't expect any hard liquor, because they don't have any here. Also, if you can't stand the smell of smoke, this isn't the place for you. I usually come home reeking of smoke.
1 - Mel d.: This place was horrible, we were refused service due to our ethnic diversity.  Clearly a hotbed of racism.
4 - Nicholas B.: Not a special place but still nice. I have been here a few times and everytime its the same. Older crowed and a small selection of beer. But its just that wich makes this place nice. Dont go here expecting a bar busting with loud music and tons of people. Its a small bar with probably a lot of regualrs. Its a good place to be left alone and just drink. The bartenders are very friendly. I will be going here again.
3 - Mac P.: Quick place to get your drink on! If you are already tipsy this is the place for you! The smoke on the other hand is HORRIBLE! I couldn't eat in there if I tried! I'm not sure why they allow smoking in there but I guess the regulars go there  more than me and they are the ones usually smoking!
5 - Seth H.: Me and my friends love this place. We have gone there multiple times and always have had a good time. The things that make this Irish pub nice are the decor (It has polished wooden furniture and a wooden bar), t.v with sports games (often soccer naturally), arcade games, 1 coin pool table, and 4 dart boards that are free to play complete with their own lanes (just ask the bartender for the darts!). The food is also good here as well! The shepard's pie and corn beef hash are highly recommended!
5 - Ryan D.: I went back to the Black Watch after a break of a couple years, it was still just as fantastic as I remembered, and I cannot wait to go back and get some delicious Chicken Curry frys!
5 - Boltzz M.: This is my favorite pub.

It's a great place to hangout and relax. A good mix of younger and older.

I've read some of the reviews and I'm amazed at how stupid/vapid some of the people commenting are. Here are some of my favorite stupid comments:

#1 - "No Hard Alcohol" - I hate to break it to you, but traditional pubs usually don't serve hard alcohol:

http://www.diffen.com/...

If you want Hard Alcohol...go to a BAR

#2 - "It's a dive bar" - People calling the Blackwatch a "dive bar" have obviously never really been to a dive. The Blackwatch is not a swanky place with a dress code or superficial, silicon-riddled bimbos or too much cologne-wearing douchebags in polo shirts. It's a relaxed environment where you can have myriad great conversations with the patrons and meet some down-to-earth people. The bartenders are always great and Bob is a great cook.

#3 - "It smells like smoke" - Newsflash...there are hundreds of bars that don't smell like smoke. The pub caters to different clientele. If you don't smoke (or can't handle the smell), there are plenty of other places for you. However, if you are the type of person who doesn't expect the air quality of a pub to be the same as a clean room in a hospital (i.e. someone I would actually want to talk to), then this is the place for you.

I could keep going, but I'll leave it there.

If you're looking for a mellow place to hangout and meet new friends, this is the place for you.

If you're looking for a place where you can pay $12 for a watered down Appletini or $8 for a Pabst (sigh)...go somewhere else.
1 - Andrea B.: I love Pubs. I'd be a regular at this one since it's so close to home, but the SMOKE. I can't take it. It attacks my eyes and throat as soon as I walk through the door. 

So disappointing. 

BTW: How is this legal?  Wouldn't they be in trouble with the nanny state by now?

If they every get rid of the smoke, let me know, I'll be there.
4 - Russell B.: This place definitely fills the purpose I have for it, which is to get out of the house, grab a beer and watch an EPL game or World Cup or Euro Cup games when the come around.  There's usually a pretty good small group of people for games which makes watching it that much more fun.  Back during the World Cup final, this place was packed.  They have a couple of TVs mounted at each end of the bar, which makes watching simultaneous played games that much easier.  They also have a projector (I believe it is) on one blank wall for viewing in the dining area.

Sure, its pretty no frills service and decor wise, but you have to appreciate it for what it is, which is basically just a laid back, come as you are pub.  If you don't like it, then get the heck out.  

They have a good selection of quality beers on tap and from what I remember less than $5 for a craft type beer is pretty good in my opinion. In addition, the food is pretty good, not amazing, but certainly satisfying.  My favorite is the sausage, eggs and chips with toast and beans. The sausage is actually one of the standouts cooked perfectly so its still nice and juicy in the middle.  

For those that are sensitive to it, they are a little loose on their no smoking rules, but I've never noticed more than one or two people at a time. Most people have the decency to go outside during halftime and such.  Me, I don't care much and it just adds to the character of this funky little place.
1 - Lando T.: I guess I'm not into the pub scene. No hard ciders or good food.
5 - J C.: I love this place, friendly, informal, and a place you can smoke and no one complains...they have so many other places to go...so the crowd is more laid back, not pretentious, good mix of ages and music.  pool darts, beer, what more could you want?  funny, if you think its polished, trendy, nawww....you just gotta appreciate, casual, friendly and fun.

Black's Beach - La Jolla, CA (32.887731, -117.243798) ()
5 - Steve R.: Um okay Young N. You certainly have a right to your opinion.

Anyway, Black's Beach is a very picturesque spot, especially when approaching from the Glider Port area.

You'll have to hike down a long steep trail from here to gain access to the beach. Either that or you'll have to access the beach 5 miles to the North at the Torrey Pines State Reserve and hike your way back in. Be advised this can only be done before high tide or you will not be able to exit. Be advised also that the hike back up the steep trail (should you choose the Gliderport method) can be very excruciating and require several rest periods.

Once you get to the trailhead if coming from the Gliderport you have a divisional line. Head to the left for the City beach where nudity is not allowed or head to the right and get nekid.

The times I have been there have been mellow and everyone respected each other's space. Besides, where else in San Diego can you say you've gone and swam in the ocean naked with naked surfers and tourist helicopters buzzing overhead for shock value?

There's an excellent website devoted to this beach that goes into much more information that I could and it's located at http://blacksbeach.org/.  Give it a look.

Gates to the glider port parking lot close promptly at 8 pm.
5 - Brad F.: Blacks is definitely our favorite destination in San Diego. Nowhere else in Southern California can one enjoy the surf, the sun and the beautiful scenery to such an incredible degree.

It's rarely crowded and always gorgeous, with gliders overhead and surfers in the water. The summer is (obviously) the best time to come, but you'll usually find decent weather and people between the first weekend in May and the last weekend in September.

The most direct way to get to the beach, as has been mentioned, is through the Torrey Pines Gliderport, down the path on the southwest side of the parking lot. The trail is a bit steep and will certainly get your heart pumping on the way back up, but it's the exercise that everyone needs. Bring water with you (bottles are sold at the gliderport snack stand) and plan to stay hydrated throughout the day.

We meet up with the Blacks Beach Bares between their two flagpoles about a half mile up the beach and join them for weekly barbecues and fun in the sand. We go nude when we're with the Bares, who are protective of their kind (those who want to enjoy the beach) against the inevitable oglers and creeps. There are many women around our group and most of them feel comfortable being nude around the Bares, as can be seen in last year's survey: http://blacksbeach.org/survey.htm

People of all ages and both genders enjoy Blacks Beach in the nude and it is an extremely relaxing atmosphere for the enjoyment of nature au naturel. I disagree strongly with a previous reviewer who insinuated that Blacks is not appropriate for children: on the contrary, the safe, free and open atmosphere fits perfectly with the natural state of childrens' minds before they are taught to be ashamed of themselves for absurd and antiquated reasons.

Try it out. You just might like it more than you'd ever have thought possible. We did.
5 - Lauren F.: This was the first beach i visited when i moved to San Diego.
Imagine my surprise when the first thing i see is a really tan naked dude wearing nothing but tube socks.  (on his feet!...get your mind out of the gutter!)

We would come here to watch our friends surf....apparently its some of the best in the state, participate in late night drum circles, and do some under-age drinking.  Some of my best photos from college were of the amazing sunsets I witnessed here. There is a huge curvy path you have to take to get to this beach...which is why the nudies are able to gallivant around so freely...the cops don't bother with the trek.
4 - Eva L.: black's beach made me wish I knew kung fu. but I'm still giving it 4 stars for the adventure and beauty (not the bodies, lets be real).

I went on a blazing hot friday afternoon with one crazy friend from college, my chill san diego bff, and her modest, southern husband whom she tricked into coming with us (she LOVED doing that to him). we had all the necessary amenities: booze, sunblock, snacks, towels, and bikini bottoms.

first of all, be prepared to hike down a treacherous hillside down to the beach and then you should probably take a right as I heard it's a little less sleazy the further north you go. we were some of the first to arrive on the sand this afternoon and within probably 30 min we were surrounded by single, staring men, many of whom were...ahem pleasuring themselves.

now I'm sorry to be vulgar but you should be prepared to witness this and not come alone (even if you are a man for heavens sake!) nor bring your small children thinking you're in europe. it just doesn't have that relaxed "they're just bodies" feel to it.
5 - Robert H.: I first visited Black's Beach back in the early 1990s. I was in an Internet chat room and asked what were the fun places to visit in SD, and the person I was chatting with said Black's Beach. This was the time when I was acclimating to the out of the closet lifestyle.

I was still in my early 20's and was titillated by the idea of seeing a nude beach, so I made the trek. The journey to the beach wore me out, and there were some lifeguards that were patrolling the area. They asked me if I was okay and I just told them I was a little fatigued. But I certainly perked up when I saw the first naked person and he was in shape too. So the walk was worth it. 

Now that I've seen my fair share of naked guys, there's no need for Black's Beach unless you just want to enjoy a secluded beach and really do enjoy sunbathing in the nude. While its definitely not wheelchair accessible, the steep incline only allows people in decent shape to traverse the path. Consequently and fortunately, the result is you see naked people that are in decent shape. If you're a straight guy, you'll probably be disappointed since most of the nude people are gay men showing off their bodies.

There is some heavy cruising at the top cliffs which kind of mars the scenery. I wish those guys would just get a hotel room.

Parking is easy, but its on a dirt lot. On a rainy day or after a rainy day, there's a good chance your car's tires will get stuck. Be very careful as you walk down the steep hill or you'll be experiencing the nursery rhyme of Jack and Jill. There are people that have died falling off those cliffs. The south side of the beach is where the the straight people tend to congregate and the north side is where the gay people tend to hang out.
4 - C.J. R.: Tied for  2nd on my list of beaches but number 1 on my favorites to surf. 

Unfortunately same for most of Southern Cal. 

It is a cool place also hang out also but maybe not so much on thenorht side of the beach...more on the naked male from what I hear.
4 - Jen T.: Love this beach. Purely for the reason its never crowded. If you want to lay in the sun in peach without worrying about bumping into other people, this is the place to go.

It is also one of the most beautiful beach here. Very scenic. The hike down isnt bad, its the hike up after youve been laying in the sun all day thats bad. 

Some of the best surfing here too.

The funniest thing I saw here was a guy complete nude on the bottom, but had a bagy tank on. Whats the point? To cover belly while exposing?

Anyways, this is one of my favorite beaches.
4 - Rocky K.: Excuse me, Senors, could you please stop staring at my friends' tatas and my junk?

If you're gonna stare, at least don't make it so obvious. Walking from 500 ft away and sitting down 5 feet away from us makes us a little weary on what your purpose is. 

Yeah so I come here to be nude, lots of people do. I know what I'm getting myself into. The beach itself is nice for sunbathing, surfing, and the usual beach activities. But please, perverts stop blatantly gawking at us. Have some decency and stare at us/touch yourself where we can't see you.
1 - Chris B.: black's is a good place to commit hate crimes! oh, shit.... i'm 100% kidding. i just couldn't help it after reading some of the other reviews... i suppose this'll get flagged. sorry. i'm immature.
4 - Robin Z.: "Well down on the beach,
"Where nobody goes,
"There's Surfer Joe,
"Without no clothes..."

That song, written decades ago, was probably penned about Black's.  It certainly doesn't apply today as it seems all of San Diego now goes here: "Well down on the beach, where EVERYONE goes..."

We came here years ago to surf but it's been a nude beach long before that and we were always amused to pass naked sun-bathers on our way to the surf. Smart-asses would always try to get us to surf naked but I never saw anyone do that...except in the tropics. Something about the chilly water and making nipples hard as diamonds.

The surf here is for experienced wave-riders only. Calmer waters are found north or south of here but the deep water canyon off Black's causes a huge upsurge of waves that'll beat the shit out of anyone that doesn't know what they're doing. Fair warning.

This area, home to rare Torrey pines and a fucking golf course, is picturesque to the extreme. Tuscany or the Riviera have nothing on this place. But the growth of industry, condos and Mac Mansions all around it have significantly reduced it's attractiveness for those that sought isolation and freedom from the masses. And it's only going to get worse, unfortunately. I know I'm exposing my age when I say I can recall driving down the I-5 passing endless fields of cultivated flowers around Leucadia and not seeing a single house or condo above the bluffs. Not so these days. Realtors and developers would tell me this is the price of progress. Well, if that's progress, maybe I should spend more time in Tuscany. I know I'll have to wear clothes but that's the price of progress, eh?

Update: Since y'all were so nice comping this review, I share my only naked surf story with you. It describes why you just don't see anyone doing it. If you don't like reading about pain, turn away now, child, turn away.

My boyfriend and I were in lower Mexico, a place called Puerto Escondido aka "Mexican Pipeline" aka "Ball-Buster Beach" and the surf wasn't all that big so he says "I'm gonna do it!". I say "You better not". He says "Bah!", drops his trunks and throws himself into the surf. I stood on the beach, camera in hand, knowing a Kodak moment was nigh. First wave he gets, arms, hair (and everything else) flying and I get the picture. He begins to paddle back out and duck-dives under a wave. A second later, a horrible screech fills the air, I'm sure heard all the way to Guatemala. In a flash, he was on the shore bleeding profusely from his sack. Like a ruler slapping a desktop, his board had slapped his willie. 

I was a nurse, had the equipment and put eight stitches in his scrotum. He never did that again and we didn't have any sex the rest of the trip. And with him, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.


P.S., If you're not daring enough to try surfing this beach, I've posted a photo of an Oz wine that just may satisfy without the risk..."Ball Buster" red (of course)
5 - Anderson T.: It's back to nature, people.  The sand, the surf, and nothing but your birthday suit on.  Welcome to flavor country.

There is nothing better than Black's when it's on.  The ocean turns into a skate park, and it's a haven for shortboarders.  It can get kind of heavy, so you better know what you're doing.  And then of course there's the inevitable outsider sneaker sets when everyone gets caught inside.  Just say F***, take a deep breath, and prepare to feel like you're in a washing machine. It's initiation, baby.

This place is my heaven...there's nothing more spiritual than having a good session at Black's.  But to top it all off, you get to enjoy the rest of the day as naked as the day you were born for that sexy no tan line. That, people, is FREEDOM.  God Bless America.
5 - Kim S.: Well first things first, its a nude beach. But it doesn't really matter if you're a fan of public nudity or not, it's a beautifulllllll beach. Cliffs in the background. Naked people all around. Good surf. Plus it doesn't usually get very crowded. I love this place and it's probably one of the main reasons I got through living in the dorms at UCSD because its at a walkable distance. Its kind of a shitty walk on the way back because it's all up hill, but it's a nice little adventure and personally I have no problem walking down or up it for this beach. Definitely an interesting place to visit while in San Diego. Just avoid the creepy people that tend to show up there.
Oh yeah, and on the first full moon of every month there are hippie drum circles at night, which are a trip and a very interesting experience. I always look forward to thoseee
4 - Andy C.: i just LOVE this hike on this beach. 

it is amazing and so beautiful!!! I can't believe that there was so much beauty here and all you needed to do was just hike. 

sad that it's like "banned" that you can't wear clothes. dude, people should be able to be free and such. whatever happened to free of speech? isn't this freedom of speech in a way?? just put up signs saying, HEY YOU ARE ENTERING NUDIST ZONE!!!!!

people can be such sticks in the muds, nowadays.
4 - Kat C.: Definitely a lot less crowded than other beaches in San Diego. The unofficial "clothing-optional" practice here is also nice if you want to save yourself the time and money to go to the tanning salon.

Can't comment on the surf, but the views are gorgeous from the top of the cliffs. I also love the 2 trails of death down to the beach, one near the gliderport, and the other little farther north in the next parking lot over, much shorter but steeper. Great anaerobic workout after a couple hours of frolicking in your birthday suit (if you so desire.)
4 - Max P.: I love this beach even though the surf is usually terrible(Your better off at La Jolla Shores or Tourmaline). On the plus side, if your hungry after the long walk down there is a Wienerschnitzel just north of the glider port trail that makes a great and convenient mid day snack. I recommend the 2inch shriveled, sun cooked, sandy dog, accompanied by a refreshing glass of leche de hombre.
5 - Rachel J.: Blacks is an educational experience for those not well-versed in the literal interpretation of "How's it hangin'?"

It is also, without a doubt, the most beautiful stretch of beach in San Diego. With sheer cliffs on one side and endless ocean on the other, low tide is an orgy of beauty. If you can ignore the ACTUAL orgies occurring on the north end of the beach, Blacks is an amazing place to spend the day. 

There is a group called the "Blacks Beach Bares" who help maintain some semblance of safety. That is, they want to protect their tan-lines (or lack thereof), and to ensure that CA continues to turn a blind eye to their hanging wangs, they go out of their way to keep the beach safe and clean. You can find them on the northern end of the beach in between their hallmark flags. They're actually quite nice. 

The beach is typically uncrowded, in part because getting to it requires effort (beyond finding parking). Because people don't abound, wildlife does. It is not unusual to see pods of dolphins, seals, and the resident Peregrine falcon looping overhead. If you're feeling particularly motivated, you can walk all the way to Torry Pines Beach - a rocky path connects the two.

Be sure to bring plenty of water and sunblock... otherwise, you'll have to borrow some from The Naked Guys.
5 - Pooja B.: This was my paradise forever... I really really miss it. It used to be a nude beach but they kinda revamped it. It is so beautiful especially if you are up for the walk of death as I like to call it. The view is amazing. We would usually go and spend the whole day... Taking food and drinks down... The surf isn't that great but there are a lot of surfers that hang out... Make sure you go to the left though because towards the right is where the nakedness starts LOL... It's also known for being a "gay" beach I would go with my pseudo boyfriend all the time a lot. This place was heaven and so peaceful...

If you are ever in La Jolla and La Jolla shores gets too crowded this is the perfect retreat...
4 - Mel C.: not the easiest beach to get to, which is probably why it's so isolated. It is so beautiful and a wonderful beach to run on. Haven't seen too many naked people, but as long as they don't bother me, it's all good. 
Lots of surfers and you can see hangliders from the Torrey pines hanglider port, Scripps pier, Torrey Pines golf course, and if you keep going north, you end up at Torrey Pines State Beach.
5 - Richie C.: three words. two phrases:

naked

drum circle


putting them together = AMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZING!

you must go to see it with your eyes. schedule it around your month and pick up your trash.

this is quite possibly the best way to spend night-time, ever. the drum circle proves you cannot get moon-burned.
3 - Teej T.: Blacks is a delightful, pleasant, isolated beach, and I used to go when I was in college.  It had a lot to offer--sufficient exercise getting down that steep ass hill, great waves, and a relatively tanquil area to sit and read.

The first time I went to Black's was by myself--and no one told me about what exactly gives the beach its....reputation.

I was listening to a CD on my headphones, enjoying the weather, and turned right at the trail.........
.........only to walk into the middle of a naked volleyball tournament......

.....full of only old, white men.

By the way, what is with nudists?  They tend to be predominantly older white men?  Why is this?  Please, hot women, go to nude beaches.  Just a suggestion.

But nothing says "welcome to Black's Beach" like looking up jus at the moment an old man jumps up to spike a volleyball....GAHHHH.

That said, the beach itself is beautiful.  One tip: turn to the left if you want to avoid nudity once you get down the trail.  Turn to the right if you want pants-optional.

And dont look at the volleyballs.....er volleyball.
4 - Shell B.: This is the best beach in San Diego. The only reason I give it 4 stars is because the walk down to the beach is treacherous. The beach is a great place to go if you want wide open space to indulge in the beauty of the ocean and it's might. The sand is soft and the cliffs behind you are an amazing sight to behold. Black's Beach is not for the light hearted though. There aren't hundreds of bikini babes or surfer dudes sprawled out across the sand. There are a few nudes though. 

The walk down the Black's isn't bad if your in decent shape. There seemed to be a couple hundred stairs scaling the cliff side that looked like they would collapse at any moment. And it's not an easy climb when it's sunny and warm, like it so often is in SD.
4 - Amber K.: I thoroughly enjoy the hike down to Black's Beach and the beautiful views along the way. However, it is steep and not recommended for all, or even most. I don't know of an easier way to Black's because I always choose to run down and back up for exercise. If you're in decent shape, it's a fun trek.

The views once you reach the beach are different, and not usually beautiful. It seems the nude beach-goers are usually the elderly or those who are nude solely for their own benefit. Don't expect to see naked Baywatch babes running with their unsupported breasts bouncing together, BUT you may find some entertainment in the naked volleyball games with all sorts of stuff bouncing and jiggling... 

This beach is definitely less crowded than other beaches nearby, and people, as you may imagine, are very carefree. Always a good time at Black's...
5 - JR B.: Gorgeous beach, great hike down and up, CLIFFS, secluded, Moon Tribe bonfires on full moon nights, and an old man sausage-fest if you wander too far down. Don't wander too far down...
4 - Dave H.: Black's Beach is a nude beach, but not everyone's necessarily nakie. It's worth visiting for the potential for randomness - heck, probably even for the heehaw factor alone, if you're not used to walking around nude.

At the time, there were mostly older men, including a few couples. One guy's schween was so huge that my friend couldn't believe her eyes - she even asked me if it was real. Your mileage may vary: my friend was there a few weeks before I, and she saw a few young women playing Ultimate Frisbee in the buff. Just my luck!

The hike from the parking lot to the beach is a healthy one - and breathtaking - there's nothing like it. On my walk down I stopped and enjoyed the silence of the waves.

Find Black's Beach near UCSD.
1 - Jnet S.: I was so misled. Where are the all the strappling naked people? I wanted to see some. Maybe I'm a pervert but whatever. What? No one NEKKID?

ONE STAR.

oh, but if you come for the scenery and wonderful cliffs to hike up and down, it's five stars...

(sorry, forgot to use my SARCASTIC font.)
; )~
5 - P. S.: People from around the globe get here after subjecting themselves to a dizzying display of unwieldy baggage, stinky airplanes, jerky buses, incomprehensible cabbies, cavity scans, $8 muffins, and endlessly proving their identity to strangers with guns.

You? You throw a few things together, cruise to the hang glider port for departure (only you don't need a damn ticket, you don't care which way the wind is blowing, and you don't need to remember to take off your... umm, 'personal jewelry') then; Voilà! it's time for a nature hike.

Eat, swim, doze, read, walk, chat, spot dolphins, slather more sunblock (the bluffs intensify the sun and heat) snack, ogle, and/or preen.

It's like another world 30 stories down. No sirens or traffic sounds, no loud radios or babies, no old ladies or drunken tourists. Sometimes fighter jets remind you how safe you are in your Homeland.

I usually go soon after high noon and stay until sunset, aka "the freaky hour," to capture the stunning sights. The setting sun being one of them.
5 - travis w.: Beautiful beach! 
I think this place deserves more stars than la jolla shores, I've only been there a few times but it had green sand and something like 2000 people there all of whom bump into you in the water.

The waves there can get FOR REAL. Cool to watch surfers do their thing, wipe out, I've been on 6 footers, pretty thrilling for a boogie boarder that cant swim.

In the summer, early fall the waters warm enough to manage without a wet suit, very nice on hot days.

The views of the paragliders and cliff and quality sand and ocean are breathtaking. One of the most relaxing places around. 

This place is secluded, under the cliff of a giant mansion supposedly owned by ralph, the one with the grocery store. The walk down and up is not for the faint of hills. 

I've been there maybe 10 times, I haven't seen any naked people there yet, you probably have to go much further down the right side to see them.

There are tribal moon dance parties there every full moon, shirtless hippies and burningman type activities ensue, worth seeing at least once!

If you like beaches, and if you're in SD you probably do, be sure to go blacks, youll never go back!
4 - Min L.: This was definitely one of my favorite beaches to hang out at when I lived in San Diego.  There are little coves in the cliffs you can climb up to from the beach and spend a day laying out, watching the gliders dangle in the air. At the right time of day, there are long stretches of packed/wet sand that almost reach the cliffs - perfect for chasing after a frisbee. And, of course, what I miss so much about the west coast and this beach in particular - oh the sunsets!
5 - J B.: Reading the reviews indicates to me most Yelpers are under 30Y/O and never plan to get old and "saggy" Walking this beach sans clothing is about the most liberating thing one can do and no matter what age you are that feeling never goes away The reason you don't see many young naked people on this beach is Ironically  that young folks are uptight about their bodies when they should be feeling rather good about they way they look naked 
My advice is try it you'll like it and you will never wear suit on this beach again!
5 - David M.: If you are just going to Black's beach to see certain types of naked bodies, stay home and spare us your attitude.  If you are going the beach to enjoy a beautiful beach, the warm sand and water, meet interesting people, and go NAKED doing it, you should have a pretty good time.  

Two of the most interesting people I meet there were two people that had to be in their 80's.  They were both really skinny and had great tans.  They were both wearing hats with day glo bands that matched their day glo sandals and day glo rimmed sunglasses.  They were in from traveling the world.  They were always surrounded by a group of people of all ages every time you saw them down there- just delightful people.  I thought it was amusing the day their children. grand children and great grandchildren came with them.  Everyone got naked except for the one's in their 20's and early thirties-the prudes.  A happy family none the less. 

If your a single female and don't want to be bothered by anyone who might prove to be obnoxious, happens anywhere-two ways to handle it.  Put your towel down by a group of people on the South end.  If someone bugs you, ask the people around you to help run them off-it works.  A second option is to go to the North end and put your towel down in the gay area.  They'll treat you with some respect and can run perverts off equally as fast.

I will leave you with one thought---"It's hard to be a snob when you are naked!
4 - Gabriel M.: Its rep as a nude beach is no longer true, but it is a great private feeling beach with the cliff wall that goes on forever then the rocks at the end its a great long walk. 
You can fish here and now worry about swimmers, bring huge groups and almost always have space.

Currents can be unusual you can get horizontal rip tides. and no life guards so be safe.

o beware of sitting against the cliff wall rocks fall down all the time
4 - Jenn T.: After being contacted by the activities director for Blacks Beach I recognized that my lighthearted review could come across offensive to some.  That was not my intention -- I in fact celebrate the fact that there are still places like Blacks Beach where you can exhibit true freedom.

My 24 year-old-body will not be as perky in ten years and I am fully aware of that.  Aging is beautiful.

Apparently there are a few orgs that promote community activities at the beach.  Now living in New York I won't be able to experience them any time soon, however, it is very cool to know that is it out there.

And the surf is amazing here.  I can't ever get past that.
5 - Andrew C.: How I haven't reviewed this beach is preposterous! 

Nudity aside, as it's a huge attraction to this destination for many of us, I've had a life-threatening moment at Blacks Beach ... involving nothing other than a stranded baby seal. 

Those of you fortunate enough to get me drunk may find this recantation a more entertaining experience in person. But here's the cliffnotes:

One fine summer day, while on summer holiday from Berkeley and visiting the family in good ole' San D, I decided to take a tanning trip (as though I need it) to the only place I know I can wear my cute tiger-print-speedo. Blacks Beach, there I was. Yes, naked men asked "what time is it?" and "what are you reading?" sporadically through the afternoon. But the real shock came as I was leaving.... I had packed my murse, put the board shorts & white-t on. I was walking the strand back to the steep trail up, which led to my truck when I noticed black lump of something hanging out on a mound of sand. As I neared, I noticed that this black lump of something or other was bobbing a little head. The closer I got (my vision wain't as keen as it used to be), the more I could make out that this black lump of something was a baby seal! Now I was lovestruck. I thought "God sent me an Angel. Answered my prayers for a child in the form of a Seal! and I WANT IT!" 

So I stopped. 

I observed.

I looked around for this poor little orphans family. But our little Annie Oliver Twist had nobody around. So I cautiously approached, bent at the waist as to appear smaller.  When Annie Oliver Twist saw me approaching out of the corner of its' little eye, heshe looked over at me, tilted hisher's head and gave an angelic look of praise. (something I can show you in person). 

I took this as approval. 

I continued to approach. 

As I neared, there was no signs of disapproval. In fact, there was a little sound a glee (or so I thought) emitting from Annie Oliver Twist's cute little beak. And I sat. I sat next to Annie Oliver Twist for a good thirty seconds. Then I extended my cute little hand....

ANDHOLYMOTHERF*CK*NGWTFFOELJFHGS!SCREEM!

My little Annie Oliver Twist barked, hissed, bit, screamed, gnarled, growled, hissed, vomited, scratched and mamed towards me. Needless to say I pissed my pants, jumped back 20 feet, cursed the day I ever adopted that sh*thead Annie Oliver Twist, took a cell phone picture, and left angry and disturbed. 

I've yet to return.
3 - M P.: Black's Beach - Beeeeeeutiful BUT, what's up with the naked penis swinger at the bottom of the stairs?
We searched San Diego's best beaches and chose Black's.
It is gorgeous but - thought the nudies would be north of the stairs and clothed persons south of said stairs.
There were plenty of nude men, only men by the way, waltzing around on the beach or standing in the water which was OK.
Not until I awoke from my beach slumber and looked through my toes to gaze at the surf, did I see Mr. Penis Swinger standing about 20 feet down from me, swinging away and staring at me.  And that thing was not flaccid. Ugh.   I immediately sensed I had a bit of a freak on my hands. Then my boyfriend came back from his walk on the beach. We covertly observed this guy doing the same thing to other people. He was very daring where he would choose couples who happened to be passing by and he would move close, too close, to them -  with his arms folded and swing one thigh in circles, then the other thigh in circles. I didn't know what those movements were till my beau informed me.  Ugh.  It works.  The thing stays up!  Anyway, the guy then went behind the big boulder just south of the stairs and beat off.  
Thinking, "finally the guy is going to leave everyone alone," he starts up again about 10 minute later !!!! and kept at it !!!  We went for a long walk only to come back upon him, walking the sand, arms folded, getting too close to passersby and swinging away - no flaccidity again!  I couldn't help myself.  I whipped out my camera a took a bunch of pics.  He saw me, moved away, seemingly nervous, but must have regained his audacity cuz he would face the camera as if beckoning.  I got some pics which I'll post soon.  If anyone has heard about this freak or seen him, please respond.  I'm thinking about writing to the local paper.  He really was a creep and when we saw some young kids on the way back up the stairs with their parents I knew I had to do something.  In any other place, that guy would be in jail by now.
5 - David G.: Right here is the most beautiful view in San Diego.  Perhaps it's the nicest view in all of southern California.  I'll let the philosophers sort that out.

Whenever I come here, I take the Torrey Pines Scenic Drive entrance, park in the dirt lot at the far end of the gliderport, and hike down the cliffside.  Warning -- this hike is NOT for the faint of heart or vertigo.  It's a couple hundred feet to the beach on the bottom, the slope is ultra-steep, and there is nothing protecting you from imminent disaster if you make a wrong step.  (Plus, the hike back up can take the wind out of you if you're not in tip-top shape.)  

WIth all of those qualifications out the way... WOW.  On a clear day you can see cliffs and beach extending up all the way up to the northern fringes of SD county.  The massive rock formations combined with the gliders flitting every which way above you make for an almost surreal experience.  I've been to Black's countless times, but I still think it's amazing.  It really never gets old.

Once you get to the bottom, you find the best that SD beach-dom has to offer.  Wide sandy stretches, lovely surf, and big cliffs reflecting the sunlight onto my pasty white self.  (This is when I bring out the SPF 30.)  

Black's is never too crowded or touristy, and I hope that never changes.  Maybe the local naked folks make certain that the more conservative tourists and their gaggles of kids stay far away.  For that I am infinitely grateful.
5 - Sambo C.: Everytime it gets warm enough, this beach fills with nudies, runners, walkers, and the clothed.

This is the only nude beach I've been to with an equal amount of people from all age groups and styles. 

Everyone is welcome.

For a good cliff-short-cut hike, park on the most northern spot of the glider point lot off of Glider Point Rd. Look for sign that says "Back off from Cliff edge", or something like that. 

Find the carved out person-made steps that snake down into a beautiful ravine. 

When you get to the bottom, most gays hang out on the north side of the ravine. 

There is another easier hike down on the south end of the parking lot, but I have not taken that. 

The hike back up will either make you want to give up ciggarettes or go back to the gym.
5 - Jen W.: I love this place. It's a hike... but that's what naps on the beach are for.

I kind of hate the nasty little bugs just chilling all over the washed up seaweed. But there are plenty of places without those little fuckers. Take some time to scope out a spot.

Soak up sun on the hot sand. There's really no better way or place to unwind. The few hours during which I am conscious at Black's, I've found that this is where the best people watching is at. It's incredible. Gotta love those surfers ;)

And the view... that is to die for.
4 - Susan R.: I've been going to Black's beach for over 10 years - and I love it there. At first I'd come in at low tide from La Jolla Shores/Scripps - a beautiful, LONG walk.  High tide is the downfall of that approach!  Using the trail is the best way, unless you know someone who lives in Black's Estates and has a key to the access road. Anyway, travel light because the trail back up is challenging after a day of sun and fun!  I love having this beautiful beach so close to home and the option of nude bathing - what a treat!  Only problem-no bathrooms once you are on the beach-so plan accordingly!
5 - Anthony H.: This beach is somewhat unique compared to other beaches in California - and not because it's a nude beach. 

There is a hangliding liftoff pad on the cliff over hanging the beach so you'll see hangliders flying above you.  On the south end are the surfers and there are many surfers, on the north end is the clothing optional area with volleyball nets.  

So, if you're not a surfer, you're better off taking off your clothes.  I did.  It's not such a big deal anymore. I used to get embarrassed and cry like a little baby.  Not so anymore.  I now have a tan with no tan lines.  i'm so happy and proud.

As for the approximately 50 people i saw on the north end, nearly everyone was nude.  10 were females and several were attractive.  This was on a weekday in midday hours.  The water here is a bit warmer than the cold waters in northern california.

There are rangers who drive in their jeeps along the beach constantly.  they're kinda annoying.

*see my reviews of other california beaches
*and see the picture of the trail that leads to the beach
4 - Timothy N.: I love the view from Black's Beach.

If you're not into hiking you can still enjoy a great view from the top of the cliffs.  

Apparently it's divided into two regions.  The far northern section of Black's Beach is the "gay" side, so you have to walk a little further north once you've hiked your butt down to the shore.  Hmm...I love how the gay side is on the outskirt of the beach...just like in Hawaii where the gay side is at the very far end of Waikiki Beach...pretty lame but at least there's a spot.

On a good day there's a hot guy running nude.  I've only witnessed this twice in all my times at the beach.

This place holds special meaning in my heart because it was where I had my first E-experience...

One drawback though...the water is never warm enough to swim/play in (except the summer).
4 - Symon S.: What do you want in a beach?

Scenery - Blacks (Torrey Pines State Beach) is a beautiful beach mainly because of its natural state. Its tall cliffs, little hidden valleys, and relatively clean shore make this one of the best beaches in San Diego. The glider port also offers some hypnotizing scenery to look at. as the glider appear to get within close proximity of the cliffs and each other. 

No heavy crowds - Well at least when compared to Mission, La Jolla, and Ocenaside beach. Only on the northern end of Blacks which is official Torrey Pines state beach is where you may find difficulty parking. The Glider port parking has an abundance of open space as this is the same parking lot that held the U.S. open a few years back. Ive never had a problem getting parking a the glider port lot. The methods of getting to Blacks also contribute to its smaller crowd. TEST YOUR MIGHT; Get down and dirty in about 5 minutes heading down the maintained path from the glider port. EASY in HARD out. Or you can park a Torrey Pines at the north end and walk in which would take about 30 minutes. EASY in and EASY out. You just waste alot of time walking though.  

Surf - I dont surf but the local and some friends say that Blacks offers some of the best surf in town. 

Hot Bodies - Men out number women by a large margin. There are some pretty fit guys that hang out there and yes there are attractive women here too despite all the nude beach jokes. This is SoCal and its next to a college.. come on now. Pick your poison.

Running room - Running on the beach is great and the sand changes the game greatly when compared to pavement. During the mornings you can run and appreciate the cliffs and a beach in its natural state. During peak hours, you can aprreciate the human bodies in its natural state. You want a workout? Run UP the gliderport trail! Yes, it can be done, I saw a young lady doing this and by the time I got to the top once, she had already made her second lap! 

Freedom - Free to be nude here. From what I've seen when I go is that the couples, straight groups, and groups of women generally lean towards the south end of the beach almost right where  the Glider port path ends. The more north you go you see less women and gradually becomes predominantly gay. Straight guys.. no - they arent going to grab you weiner and harass you. If they hit on you just turn them down like you would a woman - respectfully.

Privacy - ok your at a nude beach, you will get looked over. Accept it. You shouldnt be gawked at though. If you do, hang out near the yellow flags and the Blacks Beach Bares will catch on if theres a perv hunting you. Some women also hang out on the gay side because the straight pervs generally stick to the shoreline on the gay side.

If you like to be nude, run, enjoy long walks on the beach, see naked peeps...this is your place.
5 - sophie a.: if you don't go far enough north from where the trail from La Jolla Farms hits the beach, you WILL be approached by the State parks officers and told to put your top back on.  "especially with the kids here m'am; we can't have toplessness around kids."

sigh,  I love america and it's prudery
5 - Sarah C.: Beautiful Nude Beach
This is where I saw my first cock ring, very sexy.
1 - Quatrell B.: As a Non-native of San diego, I will say this so that people do not make the same mistakes as we did, by being naive into thinking that this is great nude beach. This nude beach is the equaluvant to castro in san francisco. 

Now heres go my sad tale......(IT GETS PRETTY GRAPHIC SO HAVE A STOMACH FOR THIS ONE)

my roommate and I decide to venture out some more, so he happens to see a tv show on spike tv, that ranks black beach as one of the best beaches because there are alot of nude women there and the seen is great so he wants to go. The whole time im saying, i do not think that it is nude because I would have heard about it already( being ive lived here longer than him).

So were off to good ole Blacks beach, for starters we parked hella far from the beach, so we had to walk hella far to just get to this part of the beach, then we had to walk an additional 1-2 miles to get to blacks beach. During this walk, we had to walk pass some cliffs (were the tide started to come in) so we couldnt go back that way. Now were in the land of blacks beach. For starters from a distance, we see a man, kind of doing pushups at a fast pace, however we pay it no mind and just continue walking, as we get closer, we notice that this man is still doing pushups*, special pushups that is, because there lie another man under him. both naked  (GET IT) so as we walk as fast as possible, we run into more and more fully nude men as couples.

finally we pass up these men, only to come to the realization there is no way back to the streets unless we climb this huge cliff. Mind you im terrified of heights. So as were climbing this cliff, and almost to the top, what stops us in our tracks, and a huge snake, i want to say it was a rattlesnake, but i do not think rattle snakes are in san diego. nevertheless we get to top only to have to a solid 5-7 miles to get back to the car. What a gay(happy) journey
5 - Anna Veronica V.: Although the walk back up to the car wasn't fun, I have to give this beach 5 stars. 

I love that it's not as crowded as La Jolla Shores beach, and I love that it's kind of secluded.  Kind of.

I didn't get to see any old naked men, which I think is a good thing!

I love being just around nature, the ocean, the cliffs, and the sun.

So far, it's my favorite beach in SD.
5 - Werner C.: Black's Beach Is A Must See Beach!

The Scenery Is One Of A Kind.
As You Climb Down The Cliff, You See The Sun Break Through The Clouds And Shine On The Ocean.

The Locals At The Beach Are Very Nice!
I Recently Visited San Diego And I Knew I Had To Stop Here!
There Are Beautiful People At The Beach And Being Nude Is Fun And Liberating!
4 - Christina K.: I have been to blacks beach several times and think its the best place to go swimming in san diego.  Not very much seaweed, crystal clear waters, and relatively warm waters are what makes this beach my favorite.
HOWEVER today was the first time I ventured over to the nude side.  I thought people might think we went over to the nude side to stare, so i made a point not to.  EVEN IF I HAD WANTED TO, EVERY man that passed my girlfriend and I was STARING AT US!!!!  I'm not sure if this is their way of trying to prevent you from noticing their packages, but it worked.  I think its strange that my friend and  would be stared at when we are just taking a stroll on the beach, by so many nude men.  They must not feel too comfortable with being nude to have to stare two unassuming girls down.
AND HERE I THOUGHT THEY WOULD THINK WE WERE STARING AT THEM!  GO FIGURE!
3 - Gary A.: Meh @ this beach.

So, I've only been here once and probably the last time I'll go there. Despite the 3 star rating I actually like the beach itself alot. It's very shallow for a while, you can walk out and it'll be shallow forever. Which I like. Anyways, I had a fun time at the beach..

Now here's where the so so rating comes into play..THE HIKE! Yeah..so I have to walk down this super steep hill, in flip flops btw, AND walk back up the steep hill again after swimming and getting myself all relaxed at the beach? Bah @ that I say...

So yeah, that's really the only reason I don't like..I haven't gone to the nude beach but I've heard stories about it and it's not something I would like to venture out to..
5 - Kelly C.: This is an awesome beach.  I've been twice with my girlfriend and have had a great time... I can't wait to go again.  If you're homophobic, stay away.  There are a lot of single guys who set up camp and hang out.  I guess that they're cruising... I don't know.  Good for them.  Whatever.  It's a beautiful beach with plenty of space and lots of interesting people: naked folks tend to give you more "space" as a matter of etiquette.  The cliffs are gorgeous and cliff-face parascenders provide tremendous ambiance.  It's really, really nice.  (Note: I've never taken my swimsuit off.  I'm too modest.  It's a dragon I've yet to slay.)  I tend to believe that the long hike down keeps many people away - which is great!  It's a self-regulated environment for people who value a singular experience with the Pacific (or with each other).
4 - Glenn C.: Gorgeous view of the beach while up on the cliffs above.  To get to to it you have to walk down a trail, which is a good 15 minute hike.  I was told that this was one of two ways to get to the bottom.  Situated below a cliff, the beach is well secluded, therefore limiting the number of people.  In fact, there was only a handful of people during my visit.   Yes it is a nude beach, great place to "hang out" during the week if you want to avoid the weekend crowds.
5 - Devon C.: Of course people are going to give 5 stars for boobs, booty and bush (that's mainly why I too am allotting 5 stars). Everyone dreams of going to a nude beach covered in naked hot people, but that's pretty much never what you get. In a perfect world I suppose...

A great place to come for a great workout and I wouldn't suggest making the trek unless you can make the return trip without trouble. The beach itself and the scenary (*not necessarily including the nekked peeps) are beautiful and spectacular....a must see if you will.

I have yet to unleash the beast and expose myself, mostly because it's likely in people's best interest not to be subjected to what I've got goin' on...perhaps someday.
3 - Cindy W.: Don't ask why I was here..hahahaha

My friend and I used to come jogging down to Black's beach. It's actually a great place to go running and also the climb up from the beach is a good work out on the thighs. 

HOWEVER, i probably should have brought a blindfold to shield my virgin eyes. All these old men with nothing on except for a hat. It seemed like alot of these men were homeless. 

There were a good number of surfers that didn't seem to want to wear a wetsuit. Doesn't it hurt when you fall? 

Nice place but I think I will probably just go jogging in the gym from now on and enjoy the scenery of the smelly dude in front of me.
5 - Samantha J.: For the record, I went with clothes on.

Getting there is one of the best workouts I've ever had. Climbing up and down that cliff was so fun and scary. When going up and down the cliff, be sure to look for any visible steps, be careful, and don't slip. Try to climb back up before it gets dark.

The beach itself is beautiful. They also have very nice rocks that wash up onto the shore! Very smooth rocks. I took some home.

I went on a late Sunday afternoon, so I didn't see that many nude people. Seeing a group of nude people play volleyball was interesting though.

The sunset from Black's is amazing.
5 - Heather W.: Oh Blacks...I went back and forth between 4 and 5 stars...hailing from the home of Haulover Beach-THE nude beach of the U.S.-I wouldn't quite say Blacks is a great NUDE beach.

However, it's a beautiful beach. The breathtaking scenery, the surf, the sun and the sand...go naked, don't go naked...it doesn't matter.

Not too crowded. If you're faint of heart, this probably isn't the place for you. The trek up and down the stairs/cliff isn't an "easy" one per se. But if you can make it, this is probably one of the better beaches in San Diego.

As for the naked crowd, well...beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
4 - John H.: Black's is a great beach, I wouldn't have even noticed it was "nude" had my friend not told me before we went. The climb down isn't really that bad, same with the climb back up. It is what it is, but you'd be a fool to avoid this place because of the climb or the nudeness. When the sun sets at Black's it is gorgeous. The rocks, the ocean, the beach, all of it, just spectacular. Go if you haven't. Also, the surfing is for the experienced only.
4 - Julia S.: This place is known for an easy sliding way in the beach and a super hard way out. Also a shaky rope following unstable stairs adds extreme associations, which makes adrenalin in blood go up. Just think ahead of a journey and decide if a reason to see naked people or a chance to drink a beer worths it.
4 - john D.: I must say I love this place for a few reasons, climbing the goat trail is a great thrilling experience, the views are probably the best in san diego, and the climb up is a great workout. For all the ppl that say it's all naked men everywhere lalalala, it's not that bad just don't look. I go there almost every weekend to climb the goat trail. Anyone up for joining this weekend?
4 - Irene S.: this is my favorite beach in san diego. (except for all the dicks. geeze, could we get a naked lady up in the mix once in a while!)
4 - Thomas K.: GO naked.
Expect weirdos, maybe you'll fit in? Just kidding.
Nudity is so taboo in this country; why, don't you #1 Americans want to reproduce more, displace all the un-worthy? Sure would beat, ehm let's say, WARS!!!!!!!!!!! Just let people be....
2 - Yvonne L.: As of January this year 2010, no lifeguards are on duty due to budget cuts. Rip tides are notorious at Black's Beach. Be careful out in the water.

The water is clear and majestic, but the current is strong. If you get caught in a rip current stay calm, swim parallel to the shore to get out of the rip current and once you are out of it you can swim back to shore. 

http://www.wikihow.com/Survive-a-Riptide
3 - Lili K.: This place has an interesting history and I just wanted to see for myself.  I did not go on the warmest day so that of course takes some away from the experience. I have a hard time saying any beach is bad, but given the overall trek to get there I can appreciate this place but won't exactly be runnin' back.
4 - Michael N.: As an ERC undergrad, Blacks Beach was the closest and most convenient beach for me to stumble to any time of day or in any state of mind. I love how theres multiple trails that lead you down to Blacks, but my favorite by far is most definitely the Ho Chi Minh trail (I actually refer it to as the Death Trail because my Australian roommate "discovered" this trail during his time in SD and swore he almost died several times on his "expedition"). There's also the normal cement path and surfer stairs by glider port if you're curious :]

Views from the cliffs above Blacks are spectacular, but the beach itself has a ton of seaweed and flies everywhere..the only downside to it. 

Did I mention there are also naked people?

Check this beach out if you're an undergrad, but if you really want to do typical beach stuff like make sandcastles, I'd rather make the 10 minute drive to La Jolla Shores.
5 - Kristofor R.: I love Blacks Beach...if you like more secluded beaches, this is the place for you.  The cliffs deter alot of people so even on crowded days, you have lots of space.

One word of warning...there are rattle snakes down there!  I was walking around not paying attention when all of a sudden, I heard a loud clicking noise.  I look down to see a big snake 2 feet away all coiled up ready to attack.  I jumped out of the way...my heart was pounding for an hour.  

Other than that experience, I only have good things to say about Blacks Beach!  Great place to go to get away from it all.
4 - Beth V.: This is a great beach, and hard to get to. I recommend that you wear shoes (not flip flops or bare feet) when you walk down the steep climb. If you're lucky, like me, then you have a key and parking permit and can drive up and down. Totally not bragging or anything.
4 - Meesh T.: Great beach!  Although be aware that you may see more of uncovered people than you would like.  The hike down the cliff from the Gliderport has breathtaking views.
5 - azuré i.: Go barefoot. The trek is so much easier that way. Or maybe that's just the crazy Hawaiian in me gettin' cocky.

Whatever the case, this is one of those places that makes you grateful to be a resident of planet earth.
5 - Tori W.: I got stuck on the cliffs the other day with my friend, maybe you saw us on the news. It was pretty embarrassing. We went up there to smoke some dope and after wards we got too skeered to come down. Now they want to charge us for the rescue?!!? That is lame...

I wish there were more women there, too many mexicans down there on their lunch breaks.
3 - Chris C.: A serviceable beach with great natural views partially spoiled by what seems to be an aggressive attitude to making SURE everyone who walks by gets a full view of some random overweight dude's stuff. It's also been really crowded the last few times I've stopped by- not sure if people are taking Fridays off to go to the beach but it's not exactly a paragon of isolated beauty. 

The nudity has spread all the way past the supposed cutoff point and down almost to Salk Canyon Road. The lifeguards don't seem to care- I saw several just hanging out as some dudes let themselves hang out well into the city part of the beach. And it's not just people in the water or sitting on their towels- a strange number of people seem to want to do little but stand in the main traffic zones. Not cool. 

The cliffs are majestic, but unfortunately at the top they hold a rather creepy surprise- old dudes with binoculars ogling at whatever's going on down below. I've tried to get reading done on the blufftops only to constantly bump into randoms with spyglasses trained on the beach, not looking at where they're going. Also not cool. 

You'd think the 300 foot elevation change would weed out many of the less-fit people, but instead they like to clog up the treacherous and crumbling cliffside trails, usually burdened down with an astounding amount of beach accessories. Meh. 

Despite all those negatives, Black's still has much going for it. I'd recommend taking the south trail right next to the gliderport if you're going down since it's more developed and there's less of a risk of slipping, but there are fewer alternate routes if you get stuck behind a large party. There are plenty of amazing viewpoints from all parts of the trail though and a nice geology lesson as you pass through several different formations. The flies aren't bad at all- they just hang out on the seaweed and don't really bother you. 

All in all a spectacular beach that's covered in a rather annoying layer of nudity; best viewed at a faraway distance or at very low-attendance times.
5 - Tien N.: It's a nude beach so what can I say, I love coming here!
5 - Melissa T.: After 20 something years of living in San Diego and I had never trekked over to Black's.  I had heard of the mythical tales when I was a youngin' but I had never set foot until today.  The winding staircase down wasn't too bad... and I'm pretty afraid of heights although the journey back up had my thighs burning and my muscles ready to call it quits... (yep... these stems aren't really used to a workout).  It was a nice beach... a nice getaway from the hoards of people who overfill the other beaches.  And yeah... there are a bunch of nudists...  mainly men... I probably saw 3 women the whole day.  I don't know why people complain about the nudity so much since it is a clothing optional beach... anywho... all in all everyone who was present looked to enjoy some quiet time.. and enjoying the scenery... which was cool... I wish there were more trash cans around... I had to stuff all my trash in my pockets...
4 - Susan C.: Fact: Although  Black's Beach is commonly associated with nudity, I have yet to see such sights the few times I've been here. I don't think it's as typical as it's talked up to be, but maybe that's just my luck, or un-luck (whatever your personal take on it, is).

I have, however, walked down the steep asphalt with classmates in homemade masks to run around the beach, and throw colored powder on each other, for academic reasons a little too bizarre to go into.

So, conclusion: If you want to see a sight, or are looking for a shore where you won't feel so out-of-place out-of-clothes, or doing out-of-the-ordinary things, Black's is your beach.
5 - Victor C.: Best views of old man dongs in all of SD!
5 - Chris P.: By far my favorite beach, clothed or nude, that I've ever been to. As a bit of an exhibitionist/voyeur it was fun and liberating to be nude in nature, especially within a social setting that is welcoming to people of all sorts. The climb down to the beach is a deterrent, but in the end its worth the trek. We found that the northern cliff hike (on the gay side) is the easiest overall and can be completed rather quickly. Just be sure to bring lots of snacks and sun screen, because you won't want to leave.
5 - John M.: I have been a swim suit wearing visitor of this beach since the early 80's.  Being the red blooded Irish-American male that I am, I find it too hard for me to expose my manhood to the sun bathing beauties who are enhancing the magnificence of this landscape.  Besides, I did it once years back and ended up with a terrible sunburn where the sun usually does not shine.

I like to come here on occasion not only to gaze at all of the unclothed female beauties with amazing tans (without any bikini tan lines, if you catch my sand drift.)  

That being said, if you come here you must respect all those who prefer to be nude on the beach.  In other words, don't be a dick thinking that simply because these pretty girls laying out nude on the beach equates to them all wanting a piece of your action.  9 times out of 10, this is "NOT" the case!  Also, keep in mind you're going to bear witness to nude guys too, so if you are a homophobe you are advised to stay away.

I also love to come to Black's Beach because this place is not only a semi-secluded area but the coastline and beaches are such a relaxing place to spend a day on either side of the line.  The hike to the beach offers awesome vistas of San Diego and the people that I tend to share a conversation with during my visits are like-minded individuals enjoying their day in their life feeling completely relaxed and unencumbered.
4 - Dillon S.: Its a bitch to get to, but that helps keep the crowds down (as opposed to the overcrowded La Jolla Shores). I've seen a few naked men here and there, but its not overwhelming. The cliffs set an absolutely gorgeous backdrop for a beach afternoon.

the beach was recently featured in a Visa commercial! If you watch this you can get an idea of the road you'll have to walk down and up (the curvy one, not where all those trees are), but also see how gorgeous the beach is!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wit9LNEc6MQ
2 - Cynthia H.: Of all of the beaches in San Diego to go to...this one does not do it for me. However it may be the beach for you if....

1. You like your naked women overweight and super saggy.

2. You don't mind overweight naked dudes STANDING....FOREVER...Why these guys can't just lay or sit down I'll never know. I've never seen so many people just standing at a beach before.

3. You like taking a long hike with all your beach gear only to be greeted by #1 and #2 (see above).

4. You are tired of trying to find parking at the other beaches.

5. You don't mind not having a bathroom nearby.

6. You wish to automatically have a better body image about yourself.

If you dig 1-6...knock yourself out and enjoy the view!!
5 - Chris A.: I've only been here once, and it's one of the nicest beaches (overall) I've been to in So Cal. The caveat is that it's a legal clothing-optional beach. That's right folks...get ready for some in-your-face nakedness.

There's ample parking in the lot next to the glider port and the walk down to the beach is pretty easy. The beach itself is very clean and the view from the cliffs is amazing. And no, it's not because of the potpourri of naked bodies down below. =)

My only reservation with places like this (as opposed to private resorts) is that there tends to be gawkers who show up to get a glimpse of beautiful, naked women. Now, if the prospect of having some creep stare at you scares you to death, it's probably a good idea to stay on the clothed portion of the beach. However, these idiots are - more often than not - chased away by the local beach goers. My gf and I did not experience ANY problems whatsoever.  Going to Black's can be an awesome, hassle-free experience, as it has been for us. I'd love to go back. 

We met a lot of really cool people that day - all of whom were with their significant others/families and just wanted to get their tan on. I highly recommend this beach to anyone who wants to get away for awhile. Don't knock it 'till you try it!
5 - james k.: I love this beach!  Why did i give it 5 stars instead of 6?

1. the damn hill
2. sausage fest for surfing

I used to live in Waikiki Beach, so I am used to the warm water (75~80 degres year round), easy accessibility, and hot chicks in bikini's everywhere SURFING

But what I truly love about Blacks is that the surf spot rarely gets crowded, except for occasional swell. It's super easy to catch waves without worrying about others cutting in/ screwing you over.

I'm impressed by the majority of surfers showing respect & courtesy... but more women please.

Great place for families, couples, runners, stoners, photographers... ah what the hell. Everyone!
4 - Surge C.: Black's Beach was the first beach I went to when I visited La Jolla. I thought the scenery from the cliff was breathtaking and the ocean was clear and blue. I was enjoying the whole setting until an old man walked in front of me naked with an erect penis and that is where Black's Beach lost a star for me, haha. So just be aware that this is a nudist beach and you will be disappointed because most of the nude people are old, wrinkly men. However, it is worth checking out because the views and ocean are amazing.
5 - Terry W.: Some of the BEST surfing in Southern California. 300 foot cliffs and jetties make this beach very private. It was a nude beach in the 1970's.
 I learned to Surf here. 
This has a spectacular view and the sand , well it is black. 
This is another spot you must visit, just north of La Jolla and Scripts Pier. You have to trek around some jetties or climb down the cliffs to reach this beach. Well worth the adventure. Bathing suit - optional- Bring sun tan lotion.
5 - Guillermo H.: love, love, love the beach!! one of the most awesome views of the Pacific that i have seen. its a bitch to get to to since its soo far and its a mission to make it down to the actual beach but its soo worth it. usually there will be very little eye candy but its super hot. oh and climbing back up is acutally harder than coming down.
5 - Laurie T.: this beach totally reminded me of "little beach" at makena on maui. it was difficult to get to, very private, and there were naked people scattered about. i parked at the torrey pines glideport and made my way down the make-shift trail. (a friend of mine just made his own way down the cliff--all adventurous-like. (i'll post pictures.)) the trail i decided on didn't look that treacherous--what with the stairs and the hand-railings and the like--but i managed to scrape up my knee and bruise my ego after taking a spill on a rock covered with fine sand. i eventually made it all the way down to the beach (without further incident) and i set up camp for the day. this peaceful afternoon was spent soaking up sun, gazing at paragliders, and shuffling my feet through the sand.
4 - Tamara C.: What a beautiful hike down to this pretty secluded beach.  Gorgeous views of the ocean and cliffs.  Take the steps down by the Glider port takeoff area next to UCSD.  The steps are kind of slippery and the hike back up the stairs are pretty steep.  Also- do not bring your kids here or anyone who may be offended by seeing older naked men walking or laying on the beach.  This is a nudist beach and we got an eyeful today, wow.   

My boyfriend says it is one of the best places to surf in San Diego, and it's one of my favorite places to read a book and relax on the beach while he surfs.

- Tamara Cross
5 - Stella A.: If you want a real workout come to Blacks for a good surf/hike.  To get to the beach you need to hike down (I went from the area next to the glideport).  When you get down there you will notice the high number of surfers that are out at any given time, because the surf is just that good.  But the best part is that after you're done with the surf you hike back up the mountain which is really intense!  

Youre left with a feeling of personal satisfaction and accomplishment which is different from other surf spots in San Diego.

However, there are some downfalls to the area:
1) no public restroom nearby
2) its a nude beach.  But if you're like me and you take the "to each his own" approach then its no prob
4 - Steph R.: Landed in San Diego for the first time ever on a Friday morning, needed something simple to do after we grabbed some breakfast so a couple minutes of Googling later, and we're headed to Black's Beach.

The hike down was gorgeous! The cliffs were unreal, they just drop off, then there's the beach, then the Pacific! Don't mind me I'm a little enthusiastic because in Arizona we don't have places that look like this.

Yeah, it's a nude beach. If you're not uptight about things like that you won't have any problems wandering up and down this beach. The hike out could be hard for people not used to hiking or climbing a lot of stairs. It was fun to watch people surfing and lazing around the beach.
5 - Dan C.: This is the best spot for nudist families in California. The beach is fantastic with fine powdery sand and clothing optional. So be comfortable as you like. The surf goes out aways shallow to play with children or body surf. Further out the surfing is excellent. The climb down is steep and long so don't carry anything you don't need. Families, couples, and singles all frequent the beach. 

I liked stretching out on the beach in the sun and watching the paragliders above drifting on the wind. If you need a spot to relax and unwind there are few better in California.
5 - Jenn C.: This beach is beautiful. Forget about the naked people. Yeah it may seem weird, but who cares? The scenery is gorgeous. The view from the top before you descend the cliff is wonderful. The hike up and down the cliffs gives you a little bit of a work out. 

There is ALWAYS ample parking because other people are squeamish of naked people. For me, there is nothing worse than getting excited to go to the beach then having to circle around for 40 minutes looking for parking, so I am particularly partial to Blacks for this reason.

The description says it is not "good for kids" but I have seen families here, fully clothed with their kids. No big deal.
5 - Harlow J.: If your an open minded and want  great tan without going to the tanning salon this is the place !!! They have alot of Gay men of course and your people that get shocked . Other then that it is a very nice clean beach and friendly people with no bad thought at all . Then come on down !! You will have a great time and of course it does get really hot so bring your cold drinks and your snacks or food cause you will get hungry . Other then that it a very nice and fun if you want to know what it feels like swimming with no bathing suit !
5 - Bryan Y.: LIVE NUDES!

No just kidding. Of course this is a nude beach, but don't let the nakedness detest you from coming. This is an absolutely serene beach. Situated off the La Jolla cliffs, it is beautiful in every way.

The coolest thing happened yesterday when my sister and I visited, was when we discovered tiny baby sand crabs burying themselves in the sand. It made certain parts of the beach look pretty awesome: a darker shade with little tiny holes in it.

When you brushed your feet across that part of the sand, you can see the tiny crabs burying themselves deeper. I guess spring time has come and its crab mating season. Later on we saw seagulls picking some of these crabs from the ground. What douches!
1 - Cora L.: Black's Beach can be a beach you hear tons about, and so it was a location I just had to take a look at. I'm not against nudity, but I am not a nudist myself. Even so, I've no idea what the attraction would be to this location. Is it against a fantastic cliff? Yes, the highlight of the trip was the hike down. But plenty of beaches in California look just like this location. The huge drawback is the predominance of single nude men, continuously standing there by themselves with their hands on their hips, searching like they're trolling for gay sex. Not every person is nude there, and you will discover a couple of females nude with their boyfriends, but the single nude men walking around in circles so every person can see their junk dominate the beach. What a large turnoff.
5 - Grace B.: WORTH THE TREK DOWN THE STEEP CLIFF YOU HAVE TO GO DOWN TO GET TO THE BEACH! so pretty. don't bring too many belongings with you when you go because the climb back up isn't easy. clean, calm water. long stretch of sand. pristine la jolla cliffs. and of course naked older men but one can easily avert their eyes from this other 'scenery'.
4 - Lori H.: Loved this beach.

The only reason I did not give it a 5 star rating is because of the lack of facilities, meaning no bathroom, drinks, snacks, etc.  But, for the purpose of my use, it was great.

My husband and I decided to go here to go running.  It was kinda hard to find where to hike down to the beach, but we found the path, after asking around.  The guy who we asked said "You do know this is a nude beach, right?  With mostly men.  Gay men."  Umm, OK.  Thanks for the heads up!  haha.

Anyway, the weather was cool, so we saw limited naked men roaming.  LOL.  The run was great, we ran 2-4 miles each day we were in San Diego.  The beach was gorgeous, serene, and nearly empty.  So peaceful, made working out seem like not a workout!  :).  Loved the awesome views from the hike up and down to the beach (which according to my GPS is 0.26 miles each way.

Highly recommend this beach if you are avoiding loud crowds and don't mind some exercise.
4 - Ben C.: Seriously what an amazing view!
No I don't mean it like that.....
If you're mature enough to handle a little nudity in your peripheral vision, (if you're there to gawk and giggle, do everyone a favor and leave) then this is for sure one of the greatest spots to watch the sun set in all of San Diego.
5 - Bevan R.: One of the most peaceful and beautiful places I have had the pleasure of watching at sunset. Although I am not always up to get completely nude, usually based on the company that I am with, I always feel comfortable and relaxed here. True, there are no bathrooms and the hike in and out (especially out) can be wicked. There are also some people here and there who do not need to be without clothing, but why should that bother anyone who is comfortable with themselves? Half of the beach is predominately straight while the other half is gay. Personally I do not see why anyone would knock the place for any of these reasons but hey, to each his own.
3 - Kyle H.: Amazing hike and landscapes. It's very secluded without the crowds of the mainstream San Diego beaches. It is these traits that also attract some of the weirdo's of San Diego. I have seen some of the grossest, most inappropriate things at this beach. 

Just make sure you go on a busy day.
4 - Lisa W.: I love this beach, and I love living 4 miles away from here. I love coming here, even if it's by myself. The scenic mountain and ocean view is awesome, it's so relaxing. The hiking trail is not intense, it's a short trail and at the end there's a secret cave. The hike down Blacks beach is easy, but the hike up in the hot sun is not so easy... 

I like tanning, BUT I HATE THE NUDE OLD MAN. I usually come here alone, and tan with my swimsuit, and I HATE HATE HATE when they come up to me an talk to me when they are naked. They always use the same line "I bet you never talked to a naked man like this before" YES I HAVE, now leave me alone, I just want to tan in peace. They love talking for hours, how they always come here, blah blah blah... All I'm thinking is "Gross, old saggy balls" I would tan nude but I get creep out by all the saggy balls. 

UGH. It is better to bring a bf/guy friend, but sometimes a girl just gotta have her peace and relaxing time alone to relax and escape the stress of the real world...No bf, no friends, and especially no naked old man with saggy balls thanks.

P.S. If you decide to take the trail down (instead of the stair way) watch out for rattlesnakes! My bf and I ran into one, came so close to 3 ft from it. (Pics attached)
5 - Julia P.: I never imagined myself going to a nude beach or going nude for that matter, but I have to tell you that it was pretty liberating and I didn't get any tan lines!  The beach itself is beautiful and serene and I liked the fact that it was practically empty compared to the popular beaches like La Jolla Shores or Pacific Beach.  The hike from the parking lot to the beach is pretty intense and I was struggling and out of breath, but at least I got my exercise for the day?  

The only thing that bothered me were the fully-clothed people who came to the beach just to oogle at all the naked people.  I understand you're curious but I wish it was mandatory for EVERYONE to take off their clothes.  I caught some creepy guys staring at me more than once which is never okay.
5 - Neko C.: In case you didn't get the hint from the previous posts, this is a NUDE BEACH. Translation- place for either people who enjoying being nude at the beach or people who don't mind sharing a nice stretch of beach with nude people. If you are coming to gawk at naked people or hoping for hot naked girls, take your creepy ass back to your computer and watch porn. If you aren't mature enough to handle nudity, there is several hundred miles of beach up and down the coast of California that require clothes- why don't you f-cking go there. There is a reason why this secluded stretch of beach is a nudist beach- so nudists can have a space of their own to enjoy without onlookers/creepers and without parents accidentally stumbling upon this beach with their children in tow. 

As someone who enjoys laying out in the sun naked, I absolutely adore this beach. Sure, the walk down and up are a b-tch, but it is so worth it. A beautiful stretch of California coast, not overrun with families and children, a nice, peaceful beach where I can relax and enjoy myself. I tend to go alone and have little problems with others. Most people there are friendly in a comrade-sort of way- after all, there aren't many people who enjoy being naked in public spaces. Generally, these normal, nice people will say hi or tell me that the weather is nice or that water is great today- no real conversation, jut politeness. However, there is always that one creeper who thinks that I wanna be friends cuz I'm naked. My advice to you lady nudists: invest in some headphones and ignore the sh-t outta these losers. In my experience, they won't try so hard if they are being ignored. And the ones that do will be scared off by other nudists- one time I had a clothed guy creep on me and the three nudist guys several yards away threatened to kick his ass if he didn't get the f-ck away from me. Much appreciated guys!
4 - Justin G.: I love Black's Beach....Where else can you be completely comfortable in the buff. Its very relaxed, safe and a perfect way to enjoy the ocean.

I do not recommend walking the trails though unless your in decent fitness since they are a bit tough.
4 - DR w.: Getting down here is pretty easy and you can find free parking. The hardest part is the climb back up, make sure you bring some water and/or gatorade, you'll thank me later.

If you've never tried going nude on a beach before this is THE place to do it, due to the fact that you have over a mile of space to choose from so you can be as close to or as far away from the crowds as you want . Don't be shy, no one will make you feel uncomfortable as they are all minding their own business. You will see gay, straight, women, and men enjoying the sun and the freedom of being without clothes. There is a very respectful vibe, you will see families with people from 0-80 all relaxing au naturale. I think this is why the beach attracts many foreigners who are mature enough to handle it. 

Don't be a clothed gawker (omg I see naked people!, so lame and immature), and you'll have a great time. These guys are sooo obviously gawking too, I realize some people aren't confident enough to take ALL their clothes off on a nude beach, but the guys and gals who come down to the beach with jeans and long sleeves in July and August??? WTF. At least put on beachwear so you can be somewhat subtle about it .
5 - Jessica I.: This is a perfect place for swimming, relaxing, and some mild hiking. Just a few tips for those who have never been: Do not store your items or sit along the base of cliff once down below on the beach - those signs reading "unstable cliffs" are serious; You do not have to be nude to take part in the beach, just ok with others being in all their glory; Do not nude-it-up past the cluster of rocks at the far end of the beach, that's where clothing is mandatory. 
 Other than that, swim safely, take your trash back up with you, as this is not a manned beach or city cleaning area, and watch your step during the hike. Oh yeah, bring water!
3 - Oren P.: Although thought of as a "nude" beach, only the northern (state controlled) section is "clothing optional"; the southern (city controlled) section is not. The beach can be accessed by a long paved road starting from where La Jolla Farms and Black Gold Roads meet, a steep dirt trail starting from the Torrey Pines Gliderport, or a long walk along the coastline at low tide from either La Jolla Shores (to the south) or Torrey Pines State Park (to the north). Expect to do a fair bit of walking regardless of which way you choose. There is a large dirt parking lot at the gliderport if you are going to the "nude" area. Parking for the southern park of the beach can usually be found on the residential streets near the paved (Salk Canyon) road to the beach - but pay attention to signage of where it's allowed and for how long.
5 - Dynolu D.: Black's Beach is by far one of the best beaches in Southern California in terms of it's raw beauty, cliffs, cleanliness, and relative isolation. Although the tradition for decades, the local authorities no longer tolerate nude sunbathing near trail 6 in San Onofre, so Black's is the only naturist option in SoCal. 

Quickest access is by the steep trail near the glider port, or park in the wealthy enclave off of La Jolla Farms Road to access via a paved road though a locked gate. Parking off La Jolla Farms is limited to 2 hours during the week, unlimited on weekends. Free parking both locations.
4 - Christian G.: if you're a fan of old saggy balls, this is the place for you!

(too graphic? ok, lemme try again...)

if you're a fan of dense jungle brush-tripods that make elephant sounds, then this place is DEFINITELY for you!

oops! but in all seriousness, if you're a fan of pristine beach coastline, and you're down to enjoy all of its natural beauty au naturale style, you've gotta check out Black's Beach.

the main entrance is located just a stone's throw south of the Glider Port.  a long, steep staircase leads you down to the garden of eden aka Richard Simmon's personal playground.

going down the steps, you might not think there are any naked people down there, but as soon as you make a right around that corner then...

BAM! get ready to see some CLAMS!

...which is exactly what my hot bod female companion and i were "thrust" upon with as soon as we passed by this group of girls...

i mean this mutant clam (it was mutant cause it looked like it had a thick coat of grizzly bear fur around it), literally attacked us as we walked by.  all i saw was it opening up and making a "wooooooo!" sound.  needless to say, my fight or flight instincts kicked in, and i promptly ran for safety.

naked volleyballers and naked freeballers traffic this beach, and serene looking gliders fall softly from the skies like a feather in a breeze's embrace.  speaking of a breeze's embrace, the summer wind stirs love in the air, as i was happy to witness a female glider land gracefully near us and a very friendly beach goer rush to aid her in putting away her parachute.

i remember thinking to myself, "wow there are really some friendly people out here!", as i watched that old man's pubes sway and rustle in that gentle breeze.

well, my friend and i found a nice spot between some couples/mixed gender groups, and we 'disrobed'.  we enjoyed the warm sun on our usually sun-less nether-regions, and then decided to frolick in the pacific ocean's rhythmic ebb & flow.  to our surprise, an ebb & flow of another kind seemed to be taking place between the couple a few feet next to us.  aww, summer love.

after a free-spirited day at the beach, it was time to pack up our stuff and make the grueling hike up the cliff.  make sure to pack yourself a bottle of water and take your sweet time - your thighs and lungs will definitely appreciate it.

one word of caution however for people going to Black's Beach.  in the parking lot there are some creepers that will literally drive around slowly to pick up on chicks or at least pet themselves discreetly as women walk to their cars.  gross!
5 - Ryan M.: This was a great beach my wife and I went to check it out and found it to be pleasant and chill. we saw no lurkers or creepers.  The next day we brought our kids, it started to rain and some of the locals brought us an umbrella to use.  It was totally family friendly.  Though to all the reviewers who commented about old balls I have to say that We grace the beach with ball both old and young.
5 - paul s.: A surfer's dream is catching the perfect wave.

I caught the perfect wave. At Black's. While there was a group of hot naked girls watching me. It was a amazing.

It was everything I dreamed of and more. ill never forget it.
4 - Denise K.: Black's is a big beach and sometimes gets a bad rep. 

There's the non-nudist side, closer to La Jolla Shores. 
There's the nudist side where mostly older nekkid dudes are and some folks play beach volleyball (not a pretty sight), and...
There's the gay beach side.

I like to kick it at the non-nudist beach side. The sand is fine and soft. The water is clean, brisk and usually filled with seaweed... so typically I only go in waist high. But this is a great beach to visit when you want to relax at a quiet beach... no screaming babies, no trash, hardly any beach go-ers.

The double-edged sword: The hike up the hill back to the top of La Jolla Farms. Sometimes I'm in the mood for the hike, sometimes I'm not. But regardless, at the end of the afternoon, I'm happy for the relaxation session and that I burned probably 500 calories walking up that steep a** hill. Black's is great!
5 - Serena H.: Beautiful. I don't like seeing the nekkies but hey, it don't bother me. I mean, if you'e got the stunning beach before your very eyes, the smell of the sea salt air blowing through your hair as you hike down Gliderport, why would you be staring at someone's jewels anyways. 

I love to go fishing here. I always catch little fishes. The only thing is that my lazy self is always so damn lazy and hates climbing back up to Gliderport.
5 - Victor S.: Beautiful cliffs and scenery! Took a rough path down what was probably about a 300ft cliff... was intense, sharp drop offs and very steep... needed to use hands and feet. Here's a quick video.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ5reqhAd8k

Didn't go the nude side and didn't really want to.. as it is when we got to the bottom there was a naked old dude just standing around, gross.. so we headed the other way (left)
5 - Justin R.: Unlike the La Jolla Cove region, this beach does not smell like rotting fish!

I love Blacks Beach for the following reasons: 

-  The hike down makes it more of an adventure, and it cuts back on the crowds as well.  I love hiking, therefore, this is a plus.

-  There is a secret ramp that winds its way down to the beach about a half mile south of the cliffs.  Makes for a nicer way back up if you're not feeling up to the climb.

-  The water is blue.  

-  The surf is, from what I hear, very good there.

-  It is scenic like none other!  It has the beauty of the north county beaches with a fraction of the seaweed

-  Parking is very accommodating.  There is a HUGE open dirt lot next to the Glider Port lot which never fills - not even when UCSD AND Salk are having events.  

-  You get the viewing pleasure of watching the paragliders as they draft overhead.  So many colors!

- Great place for photography.
3 - Judy L.: 1) Don't bring your kids to explore for seashells and fascinating drift at this beach. 

2) Be prepared to hike.
4 - lottie t.: Black Beach is a nice beach. We got out there in the early afternoon, right around lunch time, and there weren't too many people, but as it got later, more and more people came out, and it got fairly packed. The water is really nice and, there isn't much seaweed or anything in it, which made it even better. There are nudists on one side of the beach, and on the other side of the beach, there were some really cool surfers to watch, so it's got two different sides, and it's pretty cool to check out both sides.
4 - Steffanie C.: One of my favorite beach in San Diego, next to Coronado of course.  I love hiking torrey pines and then walking/jogging up and down the beach.  Beautiful views.  I go down Gliderpoint and go down to del mar and back.  Blacks beach is a nudist beach, but years ago it was made illegal so if you get caught they just ask you to put your clothes on.  Never been ticketed for it.  Hike back up it kind of steep. Also GIVE WAY TO SURFERS they are the ones keeping this trail all fixed up and they are carrying a board up this trail.
Don't bring kids here.
Great views to watch the sunset.
Great surf spot
4 - Samantha R.: The beach is beautiful! Whether you are going there to see the naked people or just enjoy the scenery, the beach is amazing! The hike down is in fact a pain the butt but its not so bad and def worth it. 
If you are going to the nude part of the beach definitely go with friends or if you go alone beware of the wrinkly old men that might want to talk to you. gross. Other than that there is a decent younger crowd too. Theres a new group that just came up so you know when other people your age (18-30) are going if you'd feel more secure or just want to meet up with someone if your new to the area for surfing or relaxing!

http://www.facebook.com/groups/370654972952720/
4 - Kristen E.: I would give this beach 5 stars for sure if there weren't so many weird nudes that go there.  This beach is probably the best beach in all of San Diego.  It's secluded, it's clean, there's tons of beach space, great waves and beautiful views.  This is our go-to spot when La Jolla Shores is too busy.

Now I'm going to tell you some of the stories about the nudes that we've encountered:

Story1:  My friend was feeling courageous and went to Black's all by herself to go skinny dipping for the first time.  She put her clothes down on the sand, ran into the water, swam around for a while, and then came back to get dressed again...... As she was walking back to her clothes, she noticed a nude man sitting right next to her stuff.  He wasn't just sitting there though, he was pleasuring himself!!! yuck!  She grabbed her stuff and got the heck outta there.

Story2:  My husband and I were at Black's just hanging out and we see the lifeguard approaching a couple about 25 feet from us.  The lifeguard was yelling at them "And you thought you were going to get away with this on a public beach???"  Well, the guy was nude and the girl topless.....he was STANDING, and she was NEALING in front of him and she had started to orally please him in front of everyone.  Gross.

Story3:  I was there with my husband and his brother.  They were playing frisbee and I was left alone to sunbathe on my towel.  I was approached by a nude who repeatedly asked if I wanted to take a dip.  Yuck.  I finally said "No, my husband, whose right there will be back soon" and he finally went away.  

So ya, there are a lot of gross nudes that are NOT afraid to talk to you and in fact LOVE talking to clothed people.  But still, I give Black's 4 stars because it's a kick *ss beach!!  Just don't go alone.
4 - Jane M.: Gorgeous beach! love the hike down and up! Bunch of creeps who always come up to me and wanna talk... hello!!! im not here to talk... im here to tan! Mostly men.. wish there were more hot girls like myself ;)
5 - NudeCreole G.: i love this beach... just wish it wasnt so far away from me
5 - Frances A.: Such a good early morning workout before work... Gets the blood pumping! Especially walking back up the pavement road... Besides the surfers, I pretty much had the beach all to myself! I had the most peaceful/relaxed run on this beach. It's worth waking up early.
4 - Tammy G.: A gorgeous view. I'm not into the nude thing, but support those who are. So, I don't actually spend my beach time here, I prefer the view from the top of the cliff. Love watching the glider port gang sail through the air. One of the best around. The beach below is not for kids, uptights, or prudes.
4 - Lloyd W.: Yay Black Beach!
I walk down the slope to the beach whenever the weather's right
but during the Night Time is when it really Shines~!
the sand and water sparkles from the Moon Light
Go! it's absolutely within walking distance!
4 - Jesus C.: Ive been going to blacks beach since I was about 15. It a great beach about 1.5hrs south of los angeles. A lot of people say its full of creeps but truth be told, creeps are everywhere. If youre a girl and planning to disrobe I would recommend you take a couple of your gf's or bf. Ive been here probably hundreds of times and only had a handful of bad experiences. 
If you want to go and see a lot of people go on a hot weekend. I would recommend Weekdays for first time go-ers since its pretty deserted. Have fun and live naked!
5 - Daniel S.: Got to love naked people! Clean, safe, and just a beautiful beach. A little hard to get to but the people that don't mind are very respectful and they track out what ever they tracked in.
5 - kim p.: its still as great as ever! 

went this weekend and trekked down the long grade from the glider port at the end of torrey pines scenic road. that's prolly the best way to get down, but if you're a fat ass you need to know that you're going to have to hike back up as well when you're ready to leave... 

my advice would be if you're a girl, go with a guy friend. and if you're a guy, don't go unless you're dropping trow!!! its really annoying when people come to a nude beach and do not get nude. go to a regular beach if you're embarrassed about your small wee wee!!
5 - Johnnie G.: Hi, Blacks is great, been going since the 80's.  Haven't been in a couple years.  Is it still legal?  I don't want a ticket while trying to relax.  Thanks!
5 - Tom W.: Still as great as ever for sure. My wife and I love this beach. It's a Trek but once you're there it's paradise. We recommend the area around the vollyball nets. There's a group there that helps maintain the beach and offers assistance if needed especially for women-yes sometimes there are guys who insist on crowding too close and they might need to be reminded to show a little respect. Overall though the vibes are great..the sand is awesome...the oceans warm now...so much fun to find a good spot and then enjoy this fantastic beach nude all day!
5 - Natasha A.: To kim p: It's a "clothing optional" beach so if I want to come here and keep my clothes on, I will do so :-P And yes, I saw a black man there yesterday who was nude, he was messing around with a surfboard in thigh-deep water. Generalizing is fun isn't it.

A more appropriate complaint would have been-- if you have a problem with nude people on beaches, either GROW UP or don't come here. I went with my husband, but a male friend who tagged along with us was complaining constantly. Never taking him with us again...


I went here after trying to fight the crowds at Torrey Pines beach (always a nightmare, but especially so on weekends and even MORE SO on weekends preceding holidays, ugh tourists). Other beaches are too crowded and full of screaming children.

Black's Beach is going to be my new favorite beach for so many reasons... 

-Parking is pretty easy
- No flocks and hordes of tourists
- No screaming children with unruly soccer balls kicking sand in your face when you're sleeping
- Plenty of space to lay out your towel and chill.. read, maybe people watch and listen to music
- Other beach goers here seem friendlier than other beaches around SD

The hike down is fairly easy if you wear decent shoes (saw sooo many ppl struggling down in flip flops. Be responsible!). The hike up is a bit difficult for out-of-shape people such as myself (hey! I'm working on it), especially running on 2 hours of sleep and no breakfast... x_x

It's fun to watch all the hang gliders, there are so many! I'd like to do it myself one day.
5 - Ronald R.: OMG! They weren't kidding about the damn hike! LOL And the signs warning you to stay back because of the unsafe cliffs, isn't so reassuring.. LOL In my opinion it's harder going down than going up, at least for me. But it was more exhausting going up. 

The beach is BEAUTIFUL! 

Their are a lot of creepers hiding in the cliffs with binoculars, but people GET OVER IT! LOL You're at a nude beach, and people are going to stare. Yes, they could have a little more shame than that.. but guess not everyone does? I don't see why people stare though.. We've all seen cocks, vaginas and boobs. What's the big deal? LOL Most of the damn time it's not. People are creeps I guess. And what's funny to me about a lot of the people complaining about the creeps, are complaining about the fat nude people or not so endowed, well how about you stop being a creep yourself and looking? LOL

Anyways, I had a great time here, people can be naked and no one gives a fuck. LOVE IT. Let it hang people, and enjoy beautiful view! No pun intended..
5 - Amicus S.: Judgmental Hospitality Student Quick Analysis:

I was going to leave San Diego for graduate school but discovering Blacks beach has planted a little seed of think about it within my heart.

I personally think, as a native born and raised in San Diego, that Blacks is the best beach.

You cant hear any outside noise, you can only hear the crashing of waves and soft wind dancing around your ear.

Yes you must turn right after you walk down. Yes I did go the the clothing optional side, and yes I took the option to not wear clothes. Yes women who were with their boyfriends was looking at me and smiling. Yes I do have a six pack and an athletic body. Yes I did smile back. Yes there are a majority of old men there. Yes black beach is evidence of God's sense of beauty and design. 

No, you must not turn left for the clothing optional side. No I did not wear shoes while 'hiking' to and from blacks beach. No, the path down is not a hike, it is simply a 3-5 minute walk down which goes by fast because of the breath taking time stopping divine view at the end of every step, behind every rock. No, it is not dirty like mission beach. No, you will not go to blacks beach and leave feeling the same way. No, the clothing mandatory side is not as fun.

Yes I did undress on the clothing mandatory side. Yes the nice lifeguard said 'other side buddy'  and no he did not fine me, Yes the walk on the beach from end to end and back makes you feel one with nature.
4 - Robert G.: Beautiful views, clean clear water, lifeguard on duty, soft sand and always plenty of friendly people.

1.   parking is free
2.   no sandspurs
3.   beautiful cliffs
4.   no stones on the beach
5.   clear clean water
6.   plenty of surfing waves
7.   no signs at all specially about trespassing 
8.   bbq areas available
9.   beach volleyball areas
10. amazing views

The one obstacle is making it down the cliff at the very end.  This is not a good place for someone with physical disabilities.   There is an easier walkway by the Hang Gliding  Company which is closer to the entrance of the beach.  

One negative aspect of the beach is that now there are police patrols that drive their police car up and down the beach.  Its pretty intimidating so don't bring beer !
5 - Gabriella J.: I love going to black beach at dusk or after sunset. You're all alone and all that is before you is the vast deep ocean and the sounds of the roaring waves.
4 - Sean B.: I really enjoy this stretch of beach; I was a regular here when I lived in San Diego. There's virtually unlimited free parking, though it's super-dusty so let's face it, if you just got your car washed today, you don't want to be the one who drives. There are two ways down to the beach, one has a stairway and is manageable, the other is a cliff and pretty hardcore. You'll want to be in good shape and wearing good footwear.

Yes, it's clothing optional. Get over it. Nobody's going to make you do it. There's definitely a gay side (north) and a straight side (south), though again, nobody's gonna kick you out for being on the "wrong" side. People are generally friendly, people usually keep to themselves. On weekdays, it's pretty empty. On weekends, depends on the season, it can be really busy and fun.

People drink and 'smoke' here, but I don't and wouldn't recommend it. Seriously, that cliff is no joke and death isn't impossible.

Because of the cliff, you don't see a whole lot of senior citizens, out-of-shape people, or small children... so demographically it's pretty 20-60 and primarily male.
4 - Maureen A.: Definitely pretty af. It's like the ocean and cliff are talking to each other, the waves are so loud.

Did not expect that steep ass hike down. Honestly, I only mustered the will power to make it down 'cause the homie in front of me looked like Gandalf, walking stick and all. If he could do it, so could I. I probably won't try to do that again anytime soon, so if you aren't up for it, another less terrifying method of getting to Black's is to go to La Jolla Shores and walk north for a while along the coast. Peeps not wearing clothing will be right behind the giant sand dome, just waiting to greet you. 'Hey.'

Once you're at the beach, everything's fine. People landing behind you with their gliders from the gliderport, groups of exploring college students, bad tans. See: burnt and unbaked bread.

I got a heat stroke on the way back up, so remember to stay hydrated and cool. The restrooms are porta-potties in the dirt lo (unless I missed something!).
5 - Tiffany Y.: I love blacks beach, it's the only beach I go to in San Diego.  

The hike down is terrifying, especially for me because I super hate walking downhill.
Contrary to most people, I like hiking up a lot more because the risk of falling is close to none compared to walking downhill. 

I love being nude, and being nude next to other people. 
I don't mind the old men with saggy balls at all, because one day YOU will be the old person with saggy balls and/or saggy breasts. 
Don't hate or discriminate please. 

I don't like tanning that much, but it feels so free to walk around with no clothes on. 
No one is blatantly staring at you either because they don't have clothes on as well.

The regulars who come here are so nice ! I went here once with 
another female friend and one of the men offered us a huge beach umbrella ( I mean he probably wouldn't have offered if I was here with a guy but nice nonetheless no ? :) 

P.S. The hike up is not for pussies, you will definitely be out of breath by the time you make it back up to the parking lot.  Last time I was here, an ambulance had come to rescue a 40 - ish year old man who couldn't make it up the hill. 

P.S.S. Don't look at me if your not naked, AND I AM. That is too unfair.
4 - Chris L.: Very liberating and relaxing. Although I did my research on blacks beach and what to expect.  i felt nervous due to the things I read about single males being looked at as perverts or gay. But I went and found that I didn't feel out of place or knowingly looked at as a creep. I'll defiantly be back. Bring lots of water and sunblock umbrella are almost a must. I didn't have one and still enjoyed myself. Water was surprisingly warm.
5 - David L.: Hosted my wife's 55th bday party...and everyone wore their birthday suits!  Packed way too much crap for just us but we hosted a dozen friends!  Everyone brought chairs, umbrellas, coolers, etc. But we brought snacks, herb and way too much beverage as well.  Ages ranged from 65-50's and everyone made it up and down with no troubles....although, some took the road down from the south end and trudged back up the beach rather than dealing with the "staircase".
Stayed on the sand for 7+ hours, swimming, sunning, playing smashball, boozing and toking!  What a great day.
Caught the sunset on the way up and it was epic.
If we can, so can you....celebrate your freedoms and enjoy the beach!!
p.s. - just a note, that alcohol is not permitted so be careful and pack out whatever you bring.
4 - Jeremy L.: Came here on a Saturday afternoon/early evening and parked in the big dirt lot at the Gliderport (pretty easy to find) and there's tons of places to park there. 

At first I had no idea where the paths down to the beach were at, so we went to the most northern part of the lot and saw people walking up. We went over and it looked really dangerous to get down from there. My wife was wearing flip-flops so we opted not to do it. But I saw dudes hiking up the cliffs with their surfboards. Crazy.

We drove back closer to the entrance (southern part) closer to the Gliderport and found the partially paved path down. 

The hike down is a bit strenuous, as others have pointed out. Although, it was sort of a walk in the park after recently hiking Half Dome hahaha. There were quite a few people going down and coming up even though the sun was setting. NOTE: please bring a flashlight or something if you plan on going later in the day. There's a good chance you'll hurt yourself if you try to hike this in the dark. Luckily, I had a photon light on my keychain so we were fine.

I brought my fishing gear down but no luck. Since I didn't have the best light it took me forever just to rig up and I casted out a handful of times before my line snapped off after a bad cast. 

We saw some nude dudes walking around. I'll admit, it was my first time going to a nude beach and I actually didn't realize that this part of the beach was also the nude part (now I know haha). Some of them seemed interested in garnering our attention. It felt, at times, like they were trying to get us to look at them. Creepers. There was one dude who was wearing just a t-shirt, and standing like 10 feet away from my wife and I while I was fishing. He just kept standing there, kind of looking at us. Maybe he was just watching me fish but in my experience most people don't really pay attention to me and stand 15 feet away watching me fish when I do...LOL.

So my wife wasn't very comfortable, but at the same time it actually wasn't too bad. Maybe because it was pretty dark out and you couldn't see anything anyway haha. I'm not sure if we'll come back, at least during the day!jk Really though, it seems like a nice enough beach so maybe if we're in the area.
3 - Ed L.: I love to be naked, so I love this place, the hike is not that bad.
The only bad thing is that there is not a lot of girls.
I love walking, swimming and running naked.
3 - John M.: Saggy balls and dicks everywhere. Im serious, mostly naked men and some women. The beach itself its okay, but has a lot of sea weed and some red ants towards the back. The view is very nice, probably one of the nicest beach views in SD. You have to hike down and up, If you are facing the beach, theres a way down towards the right and left side. The right side is a little harder and it is the "gay side" the left has stairs and isnt too hard. I love the view. If you want to come here and swim or tan naked, its perfect for you. Lots of surfers. This was my first time, not a fan of too many nake guys with their dicks hanging everywhere. Maybe if there were more girls to even it out.

BlackHorse at Uptown - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2814229, -120.659642) ()
4 - Haley S.: This may sound absurd, but one of my least favorite things about Uptown is their chairs.  They have the most uncomfortable chairs I have ever sat in in my life!  They are these ungainly woven leather things on a metal frame that cuts into your legs.  Almost making up for this fact is the fun window facing the street that allows you to peoplewatch the pedestrians flowing by.  A great distraction - but probably not the best place to do homework.  I find the coffee...so so.  Nothing special.  I would probably more likely come here to socialize.
4 - Franz v.: My favorite place for a cup o' joe in S-L-O (hey, that rhymes!) A charming little coffee shop downtown, Uptown offers the usual array of coffee, espresso based drinks, iced stuff, and the whole lot.  Their baristas are competent and can pull a decent shot of espresso from their La Marzocco, but what sets Uptown apart are their baked goods, all of them very moist, delicious, and baked by folks who seem to take pride in their work. Muffins, coffee cake, fried chicken, zucchini bread.... wait, go back.... fried chicken?!

YES! And I mean this in all seriousness when I say their fried chicken is simply incredible! Why else would it be on display between the muffins and cake if it couldn't hold it's own? So next time you stop in, order a cup of whatever brew you choose, and a piece of fried chicken, you won't be disappointed.
5 - George F.: I love this place!!  The drinks are great, the staff is awesome and friendly (also quick to learn your name among the many other regulars), and the bakery is great too.  Just had the fried chicken for the first time, now I regret that I waited so long  :(   It has a little kick to it which makes it that much better.  As for the pastries and stuff, their lemon bars are absolutely to die for.  Their sour cream coffee cake things are amazing (haven't had a sour creme dessert since I was a kid and this held up to Mom's).  This place has it all  :D
5 - Lilani E.: I think the fact that I moved away from Uptown Espresso correlates to the non-coffee drinker that I now am in present day.  

Uptown has the best lattes ever.  They are perfect temperature, not too sweet, not too foamy, and their baristas are smart, sharp, friendly and seem happy to be working there!  They also to my memory are always eye candy on top of that.

The vanilla latte is my personal fave and if you aren't into coffee they have a great selection of teas as well.  A great place to study if you are a student or to catch up with a friend you haven't had class with in x amount of quarters OR if you are needing a pit stop driving on the 101.
5 - Katie C.: Passing through SLO today, I was in desperate need of some serious caffeine.  Looking for a Starbucks or any other corporate coffee chain equivalent with the hopes of finding a quick and predictable java fix, to my dismay, I couldn't spot anything that resembled a green mermaid.  Though what DID catch my eye was Uptown Espresso and Bakery.  

[A quick aside: Okay, having "espresso" and "bakery" in your title is a guarantee that people will stop by and check you out, including this girl!]

What an amazing and hip spot!!  I was totally blown away at the great community vibe that this place and the friendly patrons gave off.  Also, the treats in the bakery display were so plump and a'plentiful -- I couldn't resist the raspberry scone, which was ah-may-zing!  My Americano came out rich and full-bodied -- sipping on it immediately did the trick for a girl who once went by the pseudonym of "caffeinefiend".

Perhaps I'll swing by Uptown again on my return trip to SF?  It's definitely worth the visit!
4 - Nick K.: 4.5 stars if I could. I really enjoy this place. The employees are incredibly nice, coffee is great, and it's not a bad way to kill an afternoon with friends. I have lately found myself studying here too. They have free WIFI and plenty of seating. Uptown Espresso is a great way to start a day, and my favorite cafe in SLO.
4 - Brian K.: I'll rate the establishment instead of the coffee itself mostly...

Plenty of seating when the outside is usable, kinda cramped if it's too cold outside.  I have to admit that when I sit in there and study, I feel a little cramped - not because of the people invading your "space bubble", but it seems that when someone gets up to leave, you need to make sure they don't knock anything over.  Power for laptops is hard to find - only perhaps 4-6 seats will be in easy range of an outlet.

Uptown attracts the young, mainstream crowd, which is nice if that's what you're looking for.  Plenty of bike parking outside.  They are the only coffee shop open really early in the morning, and they stay open late - kudos for the good hours.

The drip coffee there doesn't interest me too much - usually too weak.  But they do time the coffee, and it isn't bad coffee.  Espresso drinks - I don't usually order them here, but of course your mileage will vary by the barista you get.

Waayyyy yummy foods.  If there's one reason you go there, it should be for the muffins, slices of fruit pie, breads, etc.  First class operation on that front - compared to any other cafe around.  I really want to try the fried chicken - alas it is $5 a piece, which pains me.

The staff is usually friendly, but sometimes not.  There are cafes around with more friendly staff - or at least ones who don't act all-business.  My experience at the register is only uplifting 50% of the time here.  Is that their job - I dunno, you decide.
5 - cindy c.: we were in need of coffee and something to fill our tummies...and we not only found it here, but the something we found was delish!!  i had a green chili and red pepper corn muffin.  oh..my..god...it's been a few days and i'm still dreaming of this muffin!  who would've thunk it?

there's a wide variety of drinks and the pastries are unique and amazing.  you won't be sorry trying out any of their goods!
5 - Mark H.: Far and away the best espresso I've had in SLO.  Outdoor seating.  Open until midnight.  Pretty good pastries and muffins, with a wide selection that doesn't dwindle as the day goes on.

If you like good coffee, go here.  Enough said.
5 - Robert N.: Personally I love this place.  Living in the dorms is hard enough, but trying to do homework is darn near impossible.  Uptown is a great place to go if you just need to get away, do homework, or hang out with friends.  With free Wifi, it's a great place to drag your laptop and camp out at (I've done so for 6+ hours at a time), but be warned that it's often hard to get a seat with the amount of people there.

The coffee itself is superb compared to anything else I've found in town.  It isn't excessively strong, but has a wholesome, smooth flavor to it.  I havn't tried many of their other beverages, but the ones I did try were always of good quality.  

The best thing about Uptown though are the baked goods.  If you go here, I cannot stress enough giving into the temptation to buy a muffin or scone.  They are always baked daily, and being individually wrapped maintain moistness throughout the day.  To top it off, the majority of the muffins and scones have chunks of fresh fruit that only lend to the amazing taste.

The only downer are the chairs.  They are metal framed, woven chairs that you sink causing the frame to cut into your leg (not literally "cut" but you get what I mean...right?).  I'd recommend grabbing one of the basic plastic chairs from outside and using it instead.
4 - Matteo F.: Had coffee here in a couple of occasions. Their cappuccino is made the way it is meant to be. I instantly liked the relaxed vibe. Uptown has the feel of a neighborhood cafe. You will enjoy the outdoor seating in a sunny day.
5 - Myca T.: LOVE LOVE LOVE. Locally owned, and has a fun vibe when you enter in. They provide wireless internet and a good place to study or have a quick meeting. The coffee and espresso never has that awful burnt taste that other places have. LOVE the baked goods section. They have such a wide variety of items in their display, but I don't think any of it is good if you're on a diet. :) Close to many businesses so it's always busy. Their downtown location is inconvenient if stopping by, by car. Their Broad Street location is much better situated for that and less crowded too.
5 - Rikki W.: When I come back to SLO for a quick visit and I'm about to keel over from lack of the SF Mission Hipster Vibe - I go to Black Horse (formerly titled Uptown Espresso and Bakery, Home of the Velvet Foam).

When I am wandering around (and by wandering, I mean pacing up and down Higuera Street) and I can't stand being surrounded by all the bros and boutiques filled with expensive denim and cashmere blends - I go to Black Horse. I stand in line and digest the long list of choices they give me. I'll end up with "a double espresso, with just a splash of steamed soy milk, no foam, please!" (usually they try to convert that into a macchiato or a doppio [which I guess doppio does make sense...] or some version of a latte) and all of these outcomes are equally fine because their coffee is quite delicious. There was only one woman who would make it exactly as requested. Bless her heart.

My parents' business was a few doors down from Uptown/Black Horse (still is, sort of, just now around the corner on the opposite side of the street) and I grew up eating pastries and cakes from their bakery and was introduced at an early age to the bitter ecstasy called coffee.

It's a great place to check out road bikes, babes, and inhale a little second hand smoke for old times sake.
5 - itl c.: A great, true blue coffee shop.  Free internet, great coffee, great snacks.  A million times better than Starbucks.
5 - Cate M.: Insanely good lattes.  Best I've ever had.  The baked goods are quite tasty as well.  Friendly people, good coffee and food, free internet - it's perfect!
3 - Sara W.: This is a great place to study and have a beautiful cup of coffee (by beautiful, I mean that if you order a mocha cappucino, you will get a huge cup with a pretty drizzle of chocolate). The staff are chill, and there's a nice fireplace where you can study, as well as seats lining a window facing the street. The prices are reasonable; I love getting chai there.
4 - Alison Y.: Uptown is probably my 2nd favorite place to study in SLO.  The staff is very friendly. The iced Americanos are very strong, but the taste is average.  They have plenty of seating, but the chairs are not that comfortable and the tables are somewhat small.  You definitely have to fight for an outlet and move yourself around, until you can score a table near an outlet. I absolutely adore sitting outside on their patio on sunny days. The customers at Uptown can be somewhat iffy, there is a regular that goes and has a fish? in a jar on his table, I'm not sure what he is doing, but he never seems to be a problem so i don't mind him. But some customers in there have some major B.O. problems.

Pros: Free wifii, strong espresso, yummy bakery goods, nice place to catch up with friends, great staff

Cons: Lack of outlets, uncomfortable chairs, small tables, smelly customers?
5 - Kimberly B.: Awesome place! Probably one of my favorite SLO places to hang out at now that I've discovered this heavenly coffee shop.

The baristas were super friendly, the coffee drinks were amazing, and their lemon cookies are to die for! I walked by a few tables inside of people stuffing their faces with those cookies in absolute glee.

Great environment, inside and out in the patio. I'd choose this place over Starbuck and Peet's any day.
1 - trogdor b.: been there a few times, this past week, and they stiiiiiiill suck at pulling shots. milk foam is too foamy and the shots are bitter, which is how you'll feel after paying nearly $4 a drink.
5 - Tiffany M.: A SLO favorite.

Order their one-of-a-kind Iced or Hot Caramello and you'll be thanking me later. Their Mulled Spiced Cider is a great alternative.

I always look forward to ordering up a Caramello right before hitting the road to fuel my long drive back home, or just as a morning treat when I'm in town for the wknd. Their patio is nice to hang out at too!
3 - Laura B.: I have been to better coffee shops, I like the décor  nice outdoor area, but the main thing was coffee good? , well my cappuccino was actually a latte uuhh, why is it to hard to know the difference betwen the two, specially if you work here, my husband reg coffee was good.
4 - Ken K.: My second favorite coffee place on the central coast.  They have GREAT baked goods and great baristas.  If their drip coffee were a little better they'd get 5 stars for sure.

Love their $0.50 short coffee.  I probably spend more than I used to there because, hey, what's $0.50?  I drop in a lot. :)  Free wifi and great location too.
5 - Meir G.: Grreat cafe. Barristas were puNk rock and kind. Conversations I overheard ranged from motorcycles to burning man. 

Regular cafe pasteries and ones with a twist. I can recommend a couple of the latter. For the sweettooth, you'll want to check out the chocolate and rasberry muffin...tastey. For the savory lovers, I had my appetite slaked by the feta and spinach croissant. 

A great stop on the one for good coffe n a quick bite.
4 - Michelle L.: This is the place I go when I want to grab a coffee in the morning or plan to grab one for a ride to Orange County or the Bay Area.  For a local coffee place, it's pretty easy to grab and go.  Or stick around for a while.

They have free wi-fi and seating both inside and outside.  The fireplace is nice to sit by when it's chilly outside.  And I like how it feels more open here than most other local coffee places.  The walls are mostly windows so you can see a lot of the town passing by, though sometimes during the late afternoon the sun in the face can get a bit annoying.

I also love their spinach feta croissant.  I pretty much always get that and a black & white mocha when I come here in the morning.  It's not  cheap though.  For those two it's probably about $9.
5 - tom c.: A pleasant surprise, nestled among the old businesses on Higuera in downtown San Luis Obispo, with plenty of glass and light. 

Good music, and tables inside and out. Even has chairs with backs for the elegant marble laptop table facing along the walk-by traffic. A few more sockets or a power bar would be useful but unlike $tarbuck$, the WiFi is Free.

Bring a coat cuz the A/C can be chilly. 

The delicious drinks come in a wide assortment of hot and cold. 

The hired help is both trained and pleasant (again, unlike SB's).


There's even an attached bakery!!!

N.B. I recommend trying the Caffe Generra if you like orange flavor. It's over the top. SB used to have a Valencia one but they lost the recipe. Who knows, maybe Randy Coates took it with him.
5 - Alex M.: This is the only place in San Luis to get perfectly pulled espresso, in my opinion. I come here so frequently they know me by name and my drink by heart. Not only is the coffee awesome, but they have a wide selection of baked goods, the baristas know what they're doing, the WiFi is lightning fast, and the location is prime. It attracts a variety of people, from serious coffee drinkers, to Poly students mooching the aforementioned WiFi, professionals, motorcyclists, and everything in between. 

It can be difficult to find an outlet or a seat (particularly during midterms/finals week at Poly/Cuesta), but there's plenty of lovely seating out on the patio. Also, they always have interesting music playing (thanks to Sirius/XM) - I've heard everything from Wilco, to the Beatles, to New Order depending on who's there that day. 

Avoid the corporate crap that is Starbucks and Peets - you can do so much better in the form of Black Horse at Uptown. Cheerful and skilled baristas, intelligent patrons, and great coffee are found here.
5 - Aaron F.: First coffee place we have visited in SLO and it will be hard to visit another! We had a mocha and a caramel drink that was recomended to us.  The service was great and polite.  The caramel( I don't remember what it was called because I didn't order it) was awesome.  The place was clean and cozy.
3 - Evelyn M.: +1 Star: Espresso is pulled well
+1 Star: Microfoam
+1 Star: Free wi-fi
+1 Star: They have parking (if you can get one of the spots)
+1 Star: Good location downtown
+1 Star: Croissants are tasty

-1 Star: Their parking is extremely limited.... only 2 spots that are always taken
- 1 Star: Their table seats inside are uncomfortable.  They are wire chairs where the edge of the seat digs into your hamstring.  
- 1 Star: Very limited power outlets.  Face it.  It's a college town, and many people go to coffee shops to snack and work.  This is a reason I choose other coffee shops over Black Horse.  

p.s. The "Home of the Black Horse Foam" sounds so forced.  Most people still remember the tagline, "House of the Velvet Foam," which made sense.  Now that the name has officially changed, please change the catch phrase too.  You can't just switch a name and expect it to still work.
3 - Alana H.: I always walk by this place and forget that it's  a coffee shop.  My friends and I decided to sit here and enjoy the beautiful day.  The pastry selection is pretty good, I was highly interested in several of the cupcakes they had available along with the apple crisp.  I settled on a Cinnamini and a Rasberry Italian soda.  My Italian soda could have had more syrup in it but that's just because I like sweet things, but nevertheless it was tasty.  The Cinnamini was just enough of a treat that I didn't feel bad about eating it but it was a nice tasty treat.  They have a nice outside patio area for seating although it is shared with a parking lot (that's probably why I never realized it was there)  but I will come here more when I want to relax and people watch downtown.
5 - sally l.: With an espresso machine that looks like a Mercedes you can't go wrong!  Great coffee & tea, friendly staff & FREE Wifi to write this review, but my coffee's getting cold so I must adjourn.
5 - Mike D.: I spent Thanksgiving in a nearby town on the coast, and wouldn't you know, we ran out of coffee.  I had to drop my brother off at the SLO train station early in the morning.   I wanted  to find a place that was open before six, sold some better-than-supermarket beans and maybe excelled in the espresso game.  I was fortunate to find such a place.  Yelp is really useful in smaller towns.

My cappuccino had an odd chemical taste and first, but that quickly went away.  The foam was dense and the coffee was fresh and complex.  Certainly not over-roasted like so many places.  The staff was professional and courteous.  I regretfully report that I didn't try any pastries.  It appears that they take their baked goods seriously, and I'll have to try something next time.

Call it a quibble, but it appeared to me, in the time I had to glance at the menu, that the smallest size advertised, for a cappuccino is 12 ounces and it went up from there.  Unless you are adding 4-6 shots to these drinks, they aren't really cappuccinos. At the very least, a cappuccino cup should not be large enough to double as a cereal bowl.  But many places, Starbucks and Peets included, offer smaller cappuccinos if you ask for it (sizes "short" and "traditional", respectively).  So I just asked for "the smallest cappuccino you have".  This was 8 ounces, which is good, 2 oz. too big, but still good.

The clientele at that order had a professorial vibe, which I took to be a good thing.  They are clearly developed a devoted local following.

I grabbed a bag of some Costa Rican something or other.  The other offerings were African, which suggests that there is some kind of eye towards seasonality, which is a very good thing.  The packaging is interesting, with a ziploc-type top, one-way valve and transparent backing.  The transparent backing let me know the coffee wasn't charred, but I can't imagine that all that light is good for the coffee.  At any rate, the coffee has been very good.

This doesn't measure up, in the least to my favorite coffeehouses, the Intelligentsia cafes in Silverlake and Vencie, but it far exceeds anything I'm accustomed to in Santa Clarita.  Uptown is a treasure than the people of SLO and lucky to have.  Few towns are so fortunate.  Five stars considering that you'd probably have to drive for hours to find something better.
5 - Evelyn W.: Great Americanos and lemon cookies. Cool vibe too.
5 - Matthew H.: I sure do miss uptown...  When I use to work nearby, I would be here almost 5 days a week.  Now that I live down in LA, it is only a treat on my visits back home...

The atmosphere at Uptown completely sucks you in and grows on you with the smells, fireplace and all the large ficus trees lining the street .  A perfect fit for downtown SLO.  

They use a red three-group La Marzocco FB/70, so obviously they take their espresso serious.  After all, this is the "home of the velvet foam."  In addition to using the right equipment, I have found that the staff is usually on top of it as well.  Also, keep an eye out for the fresh pastries and cookies... they are always very good. 

If you are in the area and need a coffee, don't miss this place.  It blows Starbucks out of the water!
5 - Steven D.: I took a little motorcycle road trip to see a friend in SLO and got up before everyone else and needed to get some work done. My friend told me that this was his favorite coffee shop in SLO... after experiencing their iced americano and their free wifi for a couple hours this place is now my favorite place in SLO. This place had plenty of seating despite the fact that there was a big group of bikers who came through. BH had a big selection of pastries and other delicious coffee pairings that I could have tried, but was too full to get something. The staff was very courteous and you could tell they know how to do coffee right. I took a gander at a few people who got cappuccinos and they even did the cool foam art that you see in the high end places which tells me that they take pride in their work. I'm a big coffee person and this place I definitely gets two enthusiastic thumbs up. Worth stopping by if you are cruising down hwy 1 or 101 and need a little break.
5 - Randal C.: Great capuccinos and fresh, warm, tasty home-made scones & muffins!
5 - Kristin S.: Delicious coffee and pastries! Clean, inviting environment.
4 - Joe R.: Love the blended freezes, the Caramelo, and the muffins and cupcakes.
4 - Janelle T.: Best coffee in town, but not in the world. Great hours. Okay pastries (the oat scones are good! Avoid the muffins.) The patio area is a nice place to kick back and relax, but the inside sitting area is nice as well. The staff is alright... just a bunch of college students. Parking can be tricky from time to time because this one is downtown.
5 - Velanche S.: This is a really cool place to hang and get work done. Whether I'm planning for the week/month ahead, I'm editing my radio show and/or creating the show's playlist for my show's web site, or sifting and listening to the many music promos I get, it's always nice to have a white mocha and a cake, and be around a positive vibe.

Whether it's the freezes or the lattes and/or the pastries, it's all good here. The baristas are very friendly; and why I may not be the first to have deep conversations with them, they really do their jobs well and care about providing friendly service for their customers. 

Many locals I know swear by it, and so do I. You really can't go wrong with Black Horse. Oh...and be sure to try one of the stuffed croissants if you need a quick breakfast too.
5 - Virlie B.: The barista was very cool. I love the ambiance and the coffee was great. I had the chocolate macadamia coffee, it was well worth it.
4 - Jenna S.: awesome coffee! and both their sweet and savory baked goods are a real treat! definitely worth stopping by for a good cup of coffee!
5 - Steve E.: Simply the best coffee shop in SLO.  Their  coffee is only surpassed by their level of customer service.
4 - Todd O.: I wish I could do 4.5 on this one.  Great coffee, really great coffee.  Great vibe, great location and free wi-fi.  the only thing I'd take away was both times I was in, the employees were indifferent on my existence.  If you don't care about my $$ someone else I guarantee will.  It was nothing bad, just indifferent but 2 times was worth a -.5!
4 - Pat D.: i had really nice soy latte here. its much more starbucks/peets then the homey feel of Linnaea's. LOTS of students studying here with postal service playing in the back ground. had a banana chocolate muffin here that was very good. I enjoy the old rundown local spots more then this but all in all it was a much better option then bucks.
5 - Taffany H.: This is likely the best place to grab a great cup of joe in this little town called SLO. The ambiance is great for catching up with friends, eves-dropping on semi-intellectual conversation and watch the world roll by... I like coming here after the Thursday SLO Farmer's Market to grab a small bit of snack. It's great!
4 - Israel J.: Best cappuccino in SLO.  Yum.
3 - Shane B.: why rated so high? whats the appeal. the coffee and espresso drinks are good, but not the best in SLO. this place seems to have a cult type following with people posting black horse cup photos of them all around the world. 

too much of a "oh what do you want" coffee shop vibe for me. they do have a sweet fireplace inside and a lot of french presses to buy if you break yours. they didn't want to make me a single cup brew b/c it was later in the day, which kinda annoyed me.
5 - Michael I.: Great coffee from a SLO original. Some of the best lattes around. Our friends who own their own coffee shop come here when they are in town! Great pastries too, but they can break the bank.
3 - jillian C.: good coffee house. has been around for years and years and is the local favorite, so it's a good place to see people and share a cup o joe. The coffee is average and the wire seating is super uncomfortable. Overall a decent shop!
2 - Brooke F.: A coffee shop this good needs a MUCH higher quality coffee. The espresso is terrible.  If they had that they would kill it.
2 - Heather G.: Too busy. Not too friendly staff. Ok drinks.
3 - Chase H.: It's okay... Go here if you must.
5 - Sammy B.: BEST white mocha I've ever had. The guy barista we had was a cute college student and was fun to talk to. Since they knew I was an incoming Cal Poly student for next year, they gave me some good advice as well. The cupcakes and all the baked goods looked really delicious and fresh, but I was on my way to the farmers market so I didn't get one. Overall the place had a really nice ambiance and was filled with college students, which to some may be a turn-off but I saw it as a positive thing. If I'm not too broke in college, I'll be making quite a few trips here to study and get coffee.
5 - Connie C.: My friend recommended this coffee shop, and I'm so glad I checked it out. I'm not a big coffee fan, so I was hoping for a refreshing ice cold ice tea- sweetened of course.  I couldn't find what I was hoping for on the menu, but the barista recommended her fav tea and added honey for me.  It was one of the best ice teas I've ever had. 

The service is great and the atmosphere is very quiet and relaxing. Not your typical, noisy Starbucks that's for sure!
2 - em e.: According to the New Times, this place got best coffee shop in SLO, so I thought I'd give it a try and see what it means to be "best" around here. I was totally unimpressed. Upon walking in late one morning it felt like a frat house vibe, with a bunch of jocks, lame music, and a big screen TV.  The cashier was a jerk to his barrista, and the latte was nothing to rave about. And, there was no foam, and I thought that's what they were known for.  It could've just been an off moment, with distracted staff, but the sports bar feel was enough to keep me away. I don't expect to make a second visit, especially with all the better choices nearby like Kreuzberg (hip & awesome), Peets (clean & foamy), and Linnea's (variable service, but tastes good).
4 - Michele R.: Black Horse is my most frequented coffee shop. I typically just get drip coffee and it is very smooth (Way better than the U know who chains down the street). The baked goods a also very good. My favorite is the oat scone with raspberries.   The staff is friendly helpful. If you get one of their frequent visitor cards (like a gift card), they give you 15% of what ever you put on their card on the card as well.  Also, if you bring in your  own mug, you receive a small discount off your purchase. 

The only thing I do not really like are their cupcakes. They look good, but taste ordinary. I have to say, if I am going to spend over $2.50 on one cupcake, it needs to taste better than the grocery store. I am a bit of a cupcake snob though. So, perhaps my expectations are too high.  

Overall, this place is a great local coffee shop with good bakery items.
5 - James W.: Black Horse serves delicious drinks, has friendly staff, and offers up some of the best baked goods in town. Sometimes I take a stack of paperwork to to either the downtown or Broad Street locations and knock it out instead of going to my own office. It's a great place to people watch and get some work done!
4 - Sophia W.: Hands down, the best foam in town. Say yes to lattes. Happy hour: 5-7 buy a drink and your second drink is half off!
5 - Scout Y.: Whoa--this place's coffee was so good that I drank about a quarter of the cup black (which I never do).  The pastries looked awesome, too.  Lots of seating both inside and out, and a really nice (if slightly loud) atmosphere.
4 - Maggie P.: I get consistently good coffee here. We often buy their roasted beans. The regular roasted beans are very good, but I wouldn't get the morning wake up beans. Those were nasty. The pastries are always decadent and delicious. I have always had polite service, but it is my philosophy to always be nice to service people to get good service. The place is clean and has one TV (any more TV's and I would have to deduct stars). 

I have a hard time giving any place a 5, especially after having coffee in Vienna, Austria. Yeah, I know, poor me.

The BEST thing about this place: they are open the earliest of all coffee shops in town. So when I have to be at work at 6, I'm happy to be able to get a coffee at Black Horse.
5 - C K.: Cool coffee. The barista was nice and offered tidbits about making the chai better. Nothing bad to say. Outside seating, comfy atmosphere. Fun pictures on the walls to look at.
5 - Julie W.: I've yet to have a better latte!  Maybe it's their amazing foam on top.  But every time I happen to stop in, it's always the same great cup of coffee, or my new favorite chai latte with a shot of expresso - best in the afternoon!
5 - John M.: Obviously.
3 - James C.: good service
4 - Susan W.: Great fun local coffee joint. They had my favorite drink a cherry mocha so I was excited and it tasted great. Welcoming place to sit and relax too.
4 - Adam N.: Classic coffee shop in SLO. Great location downtown and they have two other locations in town. There downtown location is a great place to chill with a lot of seating. There espresso is not great so I get a mocha freeze here. It's there version of a frap and it's really good. 

But if you are looking for good espresso then places like Sally loos, bello Munro, or kruezberg are going to be much better. This is why I'm putting 4 stars instead of 5. Black horse also has great pastries that are made in house.
5 - Dan D.: The staff at Black Horse are friendly, fast, and particular. Whether you're a regular or a drop-in customer, they will treat you right and prepare a great coffee, espresso drink, and/or fresh pastry for you.  Black Horse is a signature of downtown SLO!
4 - Daniel L.: I used to be a daily customer here when I lived in SLO from 2006-08. I was introduced to the place by my friend Tiffany, who worked there at the time. I've always loved the location, the atmosphere, the feel...and most of all, the drinks. Unfortunately I now live several hours away, so I'm only able to visit every few months when I'm in town seeing family. I still make it a point to come in each day that I'm in town. I'd have given this place 5 stars, but I knocked a star off for the TV. I do NOT like this crappy trend that seems to be taking coffee houses by storm.
3 - JP T.: Pretty good espresso, wasn't a fan of their pastry selection.
4 - Christina G.: Great chocolate croissant, guys... And my hot chocolate was pretty good too.  The service was also fast and friendly.

Thank you for having free wifi too!  I'm skipping the sterile environment of Starbucks across the street and heading straight to you next time.
4 - Anon Y.: Good coffee and good people. I like.
4 - Annabel H.: Black Horse makes these huge, amazing, delicious cookies-and-cream cupcakes. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to try one. Very satisfied! I haven't tried many of their drink offerings, and I'm not exactly a coffee connoisseur, but their mochas make my taste buds happy. 

The atmosphere is typical coffee shop, but cozier. There's a fireplace! There's a TV too, but maybe it's for the baristas because most patrons are either getting a drink to go, working on a laptop, or chatting with friends. The staff is very friendly, all smiles :) I also like coming here because it's clean; I've never had to sit at a table with crumbs or coffee drops on it.
5 - Iz B.: I'Ve lived in different parts of the country and also lived in Brazil ( where coffee is fantastic), BlackHorse is my very favorite place, love, love, love the staff, the muffins (chocolate and raspberries in particular) and their latte is awesome. Gotta love it when they know my order before I even walk in the shop.
4 - Sarah S.: On my search for my favorite cup of coffee in San Luis Obispo, I keep returning to Black Horse (Uptown.) I can't decide if it's the richness of the espresso, the ingenuity of the "Savory Scone", the nostalgia from my college days, the photo of Hanson on the wall, the fact that we saw Ryan Adams and Mandy Moore drinking their coffee there on a road-trip stop, or the perfectly shaped ice cubes, but I would choose Black Horse over any other coffee shop in town most days. The only time I skip it is when I'm feeling poor - since they replaced their god-awful chairs that used to plague the seating area (bruised thighs, be gone!) they would have received 5 stars, but an Americano here costs almost a buck more than at Starbucks or Peet's. It's true, you get what you pay for. But almost 3.50 for an Americano means that I have to enjoy it as a luxury item, not as my every day caffeine fix.
4 - Jennifer L.: Excellent coffee -- a little pricey, but it's worth it. The drinks are made with love (and you won't spend an eternity waiting). My favorite is the genera: a mocha with orange zest! The scones here are pretty delicious too.
1 - Michelle H.: I'm sure a lot of the things on the menu here are good, but the chai tea latte was just AWFUL, i mean it tasted like murky sewage water, and it looked like it too.  I was just appalled at how you can mess up that bad on a cup of tea.  Took a sip and threw it out. I felt like I would be jeopardizing my health if I drank the rest of it....
2 - K O.: coffee is very hit or miss. prices can be a bit high for what you get.

...to previous reviewers and potential customers, black horse does NOT make the croissants that they sell. if they advertise that they do, thats unfortunate and the true bakery should get a little recognition.
5 - Sue Y.: Try: Lattes and cappuccinos 

Home of the velvet foam!! This place has the best soy lattes ever!

Super cute little coffee shop downtown, and just a skip away from Firestones. Great to take a cup away, study, or people watch, you should always swing by if you're around. =)
5 - kelly m.: The best in sloville
5 - Dayna H.: Love this place. It's my go-to place for coffee and/or studying and working. Has wireless, usually has seating, and has good coffee. I also LOVE the cupcakes and the banana bran muffins. Nice patio, too, and nice baristas.
2 - Camellia S.: This is a pretty good spot to meet with friends for a cup of coffee. I don't know if I would recommend it for a study spot, but it does have some tables in the center and on the sides if you want to bring a laptop and get some work done.

The drinks and the baked goods are pretty good and high quality but I do think they are a bit overpriced. Also I wish they had more lunch and food options. There have been many times where I was cranking out a paper for a good 8 hours and didn't feel like any of the sandwiches on the menu were a good option. 

They opened up another location on Foothill which I think is better but still has the same lack of food option problem. To make this a better coffee spot, I would recommend getting more food options and lowering the awful music they blast in there.
5 - Sophia Z.: Delicious coffee and pastries here! Great place to come bring your homework and drink a great cup of coffee. I really like the cappuccino's here.
4 - Melanie B.: I had a great latte here at the buttcrack of dawn a week ago - just in time to wake me up for the drive back to LA.    The service was great and my breakfast panini was very good as well.    I will visit again!

BlackHorse on Foothill - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.29435, -120.671387) ()
5 - Steven P.: BlackHorse has a local reputation for being one of the best local coffee places around.

This will be the third Blackhorse location.  The other two are:

1065 Higuera Street, Unit 101
San Luis Obispo, CA 

3590 Broad St., Unit 150
San Luis Obispo, CA 

Now there's going to be a location closer to Cal Poly - score!
4 - Olivia M.: Cute location (close to my work) and friendly staff. My ice tea was good and the panini was yummy. The only thing is the prices are a little higher than I am use to but well worth it.
5 - Ryan C.: Okay, I have been back here a few times now, and it is really great. Their Caramel Malt Freeze is absolutely insane. I am addicted.

Also, I tried one of their baked goods, a pina colada cupcake. It was pretty dreamy. This place is highly recommended.
5 - Doug S.: Great almond bear claws!! Very warm and friendly employees., new and very clean space.This was our second visit.The coffee was very smooth, and flavorful.
2 - Hilary W.: Their coffee is okay and nothing too special at all. In my opinion, it taste a bit fake and sugary. I dislike going to Starbucks and this place is open early so I sometimes stop by to grab a drink. I drink it, but I'm not amazed or wowed. I usually get a vanilla latte and it taste a bit too sweet and has bad foam. I do have to say though that the muffins and baked goods are pretty good!
4 - Kailey L.: I really like BlackHorse. There is a super good vibe here. I love that they have pictures of their coffee cups in different places all over their walls. They have done a great job with the decor. The coffee is great too! 

Stop by here and get something, you will not be disappointed!
5 - Erica D.: I love Black Horse. They have great coffee, tea, and food. Plus there is always a good amount of seating so its a great place to meet up with people! The environment is very relaxed and the staff is very friendly!
5 - Christina G.: Great location!    And the wifi connection here is amazingly fast (Starbucks across the street pales in comparison).

Staff were friendly and efficient.  They've also got a lot of seating available, both inside and out.

I had a great hot chocolate and croissant here, but have yet to try their actual coffee here.  I guess that's for next time!
4 - Madisyn M.: I'm a fan of this cafe. When I want to treat myself to something sweet, I order a caramello. For lunch, I like to order the spinach feta croissant heated up with Tapatio (the barista's genius suggestion). It doesn't sound like Tapatio would taste good on a croissant, but trust me, it's good!

Last week I ordered an egg and cheese croissant, but ended up scooping out all the egg and only eating the bread. The egg was extremely overcooked :( I'll definitely be sticking to my spinach feta croissant in the future!

I really like this new location. I love how much natural light the cafe gets because of all the windows! It makes studying and reading and staying awake much easier!
2 - Jamie T.: I am not a huge fan. The location is awesome, but the drinks are not.
3 - Jessica M.: This place is okay, but I'd rather go to Starbucks because it's cheaper. I normally get the Caramello (de-lish)! I highly recommend.
4 - Annie L.: Currently studying at BlackHorse for the 8th or 9th time and finally decided they deserve a positive review from a now loyal customer! Fast and free wifi with lots of tables for college students trying to get some work done. Delicious coffee (much better than Starbucks down the street), a very friendly staff, and yummy baked goods! You really can't go wrong here, I highly recommend.
3 - Chandra V.: The location is pretty sweet, and I could see myself coming here if I were a student at Cal Poly, but I'm not, and stopping in for a latte left a latte to be desired heh heh. Actually, it wasn't bad but it wasn't great. I usually don't sweeten my lattes, but this one needed it bad to mask the bitterness of the espresso. Also, the foam was not silky, but rather had the texture of well, bath foam. Idk, perhaps I'm spoiled with good lattes. The chalk board behind the register said the names of all the baristas working, which might have been nice to know had they shown any sign of personality or cracked a smile. Sorry, sullen girl making my coffee, but I don't care what your name is!

Blackbird Studio Pilates & Yoga - Ithaca, NY (42.4438057, -76.5085618) ()
5 - Lisa S.: A new and growing woman-owned pilates and yoga studio.  Excellent, highly trained staff and an ever-expanding class offering.
5 - Jessica S.: I love Blackbird!  I have been taking hot yoga classes here for the past two years.  Having sampled many yoga studios all over the US, I can say that Blackbird is my all time favorite.   The space is wonderful and I love the community.  The teachers are fantastic-- I usually take classes with Kelly and Tory.
5 - Allen A.: As a 21 year college guy into weight training, I never really  considered myself a yoga person, but I attended a class here on a whim and was highly impressed. The hot yoga provided a great whole body workout, and even as a beginner (first time EVER doing yoga) it was an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Tory was a great teacher and managed to motivate while also ensuring people did not push themselves beyond their limits/comfort zones. The class was also diverse in terms of age range and gender, which was nice to see.

The class made me work hard but in a good way, and left me feeling nice and relaxed at the end as it seemed to relieve a lot of muscle tension. I highly recommend Blackbird Studio to anyone, beginner or experienced, looking for a good way to work out and relieve stress and tension at the same time.
5 - Andrew J.: I've pursued many extreme fitness regimens, e.g., martial arts, p90x, mountain biking, and hot power yoga takes the prize for kicking my butt!  

Tory, Jen, and Zenaib have each done it masterfully!  Been to other studios, but none combine quality, cleanliness, community commitment, inexpensive classes, and easy access better than Blackbird. 

Lastly, for an extra special butt kicking, try paddleboard yoga. Tory is Ithaca's first and only instructor. It's a serious challenge, but awesome to plunk in the water when you get hot.

Blacksburg Farmers Market - Blacksburg, VA (37.2287911, -80.4147551) ()
4 - Ago S.: Newly rebuilt covered market stalls at same location
Best place to first find local tasty Peaches.

Opens weekly: Wed 2 PM and  Sat's 8 AM 
Lots of local fruits, seasonal veggies, some other foods: eggs, meats, cheeses also some crafts...

Very friendly folks, great way to get a taste of the area,
mostly cash only for the vendors,
5 - Chris B.: The new structure makes the farmers market a worthwhile trip every time!

Blacksburg Health and Fitness at the Weight Club - Blacksburg, VA (37.2337, -80.4342) ()
5 - Tim M.: I wish I had more stars, I would give this place 1 million. 

This is the best gym ever if you are looking to weight train and here is why: 
-Lots of Free Weights 
-Lots of Meat heads 
-Lots of grunting 

If you are looking to do cardio they have that too, so there is something for everyone. They also have lots of personal trainers so if you are looking for that you have come to the right place. 

The membership fees are very reasonable. 

I miss you weight club.
5 - Christie B.: I love this gym!! I moved to LA in August and we have mostly corporate gyms like LA Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness, and Bally's.   I hate them all.  Weight Club is not only reasonable for their prices but they have tons of equipment and a 30 min limit when people are waiting.  Corporate gyms have a 20 min limit.  As if you can get a workout doing 20 mins of cardio.  We're currently trying out 2 non-huge gyms that each have no more than 3 locations (their similar to the Weight Club).  

There's plenty of weight machines and free weights.  The indoor track is great on days when you just don't want to do anything but walk. The bathrooms are not bad although they do have some toilet flushing problems.  Not a big enough deal though to dock them.

We actually used to live in Radford and would drive to Blacksburg just to go to the here!! Weight Club should buy out that crappy gym past the bridge in Radford and totally revamp it! We're planning on moving back to the NRV someday and we'll make sure that we're within driving distance of the Weight Club!
5 - Elizabeth M.: We love this gym- it has everything we need in terms of equipment and space.  The cycle classes are fabulous, the child care room is super (we couldn't workout without it!) and the employees are great- they know us by name!!!
My only complaint would be having to sign up in advance for some classes, but they are popular...so what can you do?   It took us a couple of years in town to find this place and we LOVE it.
3 - Brittney G.: I think the main strength of this club is the variety of fitness classes they offer. I also LOVE the cycling classes (especially the Monday and Wednesday class at 5:30 which are always packed, but so worth the extra effort of signing up 24 hours before).

The weight club also offers a large cardio and weight room area which is great. My only complaint is the limited mat areas to do stretches or abs. Most of the floor space is taken up with large equipment. 

Parking can be a bit tricky around 5-7pm, but just be patient!

It's a good solid, middle of the road gym. If you don't expect sparkling wine and scented candles in the women's locker room, you won't be disappointed by this gym! :)
4 - Sara H.: A great gym!

Weight Club has two facilities - one in the University Mall and one at the Cooperate Research Center (CRC) - and between these two locations there is something for everyone. 

- University Mall: It is a huge gym space with TONS of weight lifting equipment, plenty of cardio equipment, classes (spin, Zumba, pilates, yoga, weight lifting), and an indoor track. They offer daycare at certain times, so you can work out while the kids play. Daily use lockers in a clean but no frills locker room (bring your own lock). You can also rent lockers for a monthly or yearly rate on a limited basis. They also offer towel service for a fee. 

This site is typically full of college students and more than a few serious weight lifters, but don't worry they won't bite (mostly). If you intimidate easily, this might not be the weight room for you. At a minimum you are going to want to bring a friend. **Warning: When Tech's semesters start up or Spring Break is approaching the gym can get really really crowded at peak hours.**

- The CRC: It couldn't be less intimidating. It is much much smaller but still has most of the equipment you could want. This crowd is older and mostly professional types. This is a great site for someone wanting to start with a personal trainer.

- Personal Trainers: I have been working with Eric for about a month now. We meet twice a week and have set up a outside-of-meetings cardio schedule for me. Without his guidance I know I wouldn't be doing any weight lifting right now. Eric is very willing to work with your specific needs, so just tell him what your goals are and what is or isn't working for you. The personal training fees are very reasonable.

The price for a membership is fantastic if you are a student and quite reasonable even if you are just paying month to month as a regular community member.

Blacksburg Pipe & Tobacco - Blacksburg, VA (37.2315097, -80.4159486) ()
3 - Patrick M.: For some reason, this place runs on banker;s hours and it is difficult to park out front,
5 - Tommy N.: Best customer service ever. The owner seems very knowledgeable and will always take the time to explain and recommend to you whatever you may like. They have a really nice collection of cigars and cigarettes as well as some hookah products. If you want a smoke, drop by here to get a wider variety of choices and learn a little knowledge on the way.

Parking here might be an issue but if you know the area, you would know the parking situation downtown. Park behind Sharkey's or in front of Squires and walk a block-ish.

Blackstone Grill - Christiansburg, VA (37.1618, -80.4327) ()
4 - Kevin O.: I like this place a lot more than the previous attempt in the same location. The food is less expensive and I'd say better prepared. Not saying it's cheap, just not ridiculously over priced. It also doesn't feel as stuffy, but that I'm sure is a reflection on the lower prices. The menu is small and doesn't come off as very inspired, but the food is good. We started with some decent calamari, which had an interesting pepper batter. I ordered a steak special, and my wife got the prime rib. Not only did my steak come exactly as ordered (Pittsburgh rare), but the waitress new exactly what I meant (Glad to not get the usual blank stare). The steak was a pretty good cut of Angus and very tender. The potato mash that came with it was a little too strongly seasoned, but otherwise tasty. My wife's prime rib looked bigger than the claimed 10oz cut, and came with easily double the amount of mash potatoes that my plate had. The meat was moist and had been seasoned with an interesting spice blend. We finished off the meal with a slice of blackout cake. It was moist, and not overly sweetened, with just a thin layer of frosting. It was good, but nothing to rave about. Actually, that pretty much sums the place up. A good choice for a quality meal, but nothing very memorable about it.
5 - Patsy S.: Fantastic Food!  Fantastic Atmosphere!  Friendly staff too! The menu offers great selections for seafood and steaks and even sandwiches.  One thing I noticed was the bar area had an adult feel to it rather than the normal college flair. The prices were very reasonable and they had a great wine selection!!  I will definitely be back!!
4 - Kevin M.: This is best place in the Blacksburg/Christiansburg region. It's a bit pricy, but the food is delicious. I've only gone for business dinners, but I go back for a special dinner.  They have specials that are great and the standard menu items are fine too.  This is definitely your place for steak! Doesn't seem like a great place for kids.

Blackstone Massage Therapy Center - Providence, RI (41.8288348, -71.3939118) (College Hill)
4 - A. M.: This place was voted Best of Rhode Island and recommended by a doctor for my chronic back pain, which is why I decided to go here. 

My massage therapist was Tom and he was quite good. I have to say this was the first time I've had a massage where you get to the "ok flip over" part, and it wasn't still agonizing to my lower back to turn over. So that was refreshing. 

My massage was half pain relief, half relaxation. I can tell you that I could tell distinctly which was which. But the relaxation portion was very good. He didn't skimp out on the feet, arms, legs, hands, even head like a lot of massage therapists do. I'd have to say my feet and head were my favorites.

Don't expect any kind of fancy decor or foofy treatment, but just a good massage. $70 for an hour is a heck of deal too.

My only real complaint is that it was a wee bit chilly and that's not very relaxing. Otherwise it was pretty good. My back doesn't hurt as much and the rest of me feels great.
5 - Jay E.: We tried the Blackstone Massage Therapy Center last week after reading a few reviews about it on-line. 

It's a straight forward massage office, there's no fru fru aromatherapy products for sale, lemon water, or zen garden, etc... My wife's massage therapist was Chris and mine was Sarah. They are both friendly and professional with extensive massage therapy backgrounds. 

Sarah concentrated on my back with a deep tissue massage as I requested and it really did wonders on making my back feel better. Additionally, she stretched out different areas of my back, legs, shoulders, and arms and explained how each contributed to helping decrease my lower back pain. 

My wife enjoyed her massage and said it was one of the best she has ever had. 

I highly recommend the Blackstone Massage Therapy Center.
5 - luna j.: I first went to Sara with a persistent pain due to an old injury. She was excellent and proved her integrity by referring me to Chris because of his experience with my particular injury. With my permission she sat in on a couple of my sessions with Chris. That really showed me how much the therapists at Blackstone are dedicated to expanding their knowledge and experience.   It really means a lot to me that she would give up a client to put my needs first. I sent my boyfriend to her and he said she was awesome. 

I have had multiple physically traumatic experiences in the past 8 years and I was very sensitive when I went in. Along with acupuncture, I saw Chris every 10 days for a couple months.  Chris not only helped me with my physical pain but his professionalism, knowledge, and kindness helped me to reconnect with my body. 

I recommend that you go in ready to be molded back into human form. Go limp and don't forget to breathe!  They really know what they are doing here.

Thank you guys!
L

Blair Animal Clinic - West Lafayette, IN (40.46971, -86.9526322) ()
1 - Courtney D.: If I could, I wouldn't even rate this vet. All they tried to do was make me pay more money and see what they could get out of me. I love my pets very much and would spend any given amount on them if it is needed. They ran a test and gave results supposedly based on that test. After getting second opinions from other vets, they could not have possibly tested for the results that they had. They wanted me to come in for another exam and do more tests. After consulting another vet, I was told to get an over-the-counter medication that did wonders. This vet is a waste of time and money. They will lie to you to get whatever they want!!
1 - David H.: I will NEVER take my dogs to this office ever again.  I have seen two vets there and both have the personality of talking to a wall.  Also, I signed my dog up for playgroups, and totally got the shaft.  It's not worth the money for what they advertise as their "consulting" fee.  Much better alternatives out there folks.

Blake's Tavern - Providence, RI (41.82288, -71.4147767) (DownCity)
4 - Jessica F.: Roaming the Providence Place Mall can really work up one's appetite, but the food court is rather small.  So my friend and I braved the cold and walked a few blocks toward the theater where we happened upon Blake's.  It looked pretty inviting from the outside (ie. warm!) with a nice, big bar and a few tables.  The posted menu looked to have the usual pub fare with some decent entrees at reasonable prices so we ventured inside.  I was a little surprised when the host asked if we had reservations because there were about 10 tables, but then we were ushered through a small dining area, another bar area, and into a third dining room (I think there is yet another room too).  This warm, cozy, bar turned out to be a regular labyrinth!  

The tap selection was good but not huge.  They do have the typical Sam and Sam seasonal and Guinness (among others), which is all I really wanted.  We each had a beer and a wrap sandwich.  I had the chicken fajita wrap which was packed with moist, tender chicken.  Of course, I had the cole slaw which was very obviously homemade.  It was good but could have spent another night in the fridge.  The sweet potato fries were fresh cut and crisp.  The service here is outstanding.  Our waitress was great and we were greeted by every staff member we saw as we were making our way out.  And it's a long, winding way to the front door!  

If you are planning to stop by, I do recommend making a reservation.  We got there around 4:30 on a Saturday but fully 3/4 of the tables were reserved.  Judging by overheard conversations, most of those reservations were for regulars.  If I lived closer I'd be a regular here too!
4 - Raven W.: Fun place! We wonder here every so often, but the last time was the best. We sat at the bar and ordered a ton of appetizers to snack on. Our food wasn't great... just your run of the mill greasy bar food. Maybe the sandwiches/entress are better? I'm not sure. 

But that didn't matter- the bartender that night was John and he was awesome. Treated us well, was a lot of fun, let us taste a beer on tap we'd never heard of. They have a decent selection of beer and it's not overpriced.

It was a good night. We'll be back.
2 - Mike M.: me and my girlfriend went there on new years eve for a early dinner.
they got Narragansett tall boys for $3 which is cool. 

it was pretty dark in there and the waitresses had the juke box are tied up with what they wanted to listen to..there were a few bums at the bar creeping around.

we got a chips and salsa appetizer and it wasn't anything special. chips taken from a bag put into a basket with salsa. simple enough i guess. 

i got a hod dog basket which was good. the fries were good too. didn't give you too many but the plate was decent. it was only $5.99

my girlfriend wasn't happy with the salad. she said the veggies were all spoiled and rotten. it looked it too.. also the white wine she got was old too. prob been sitting in the bottle for a week or 2.
 
during our a meal a big parade came threw the bar for new years eve and made loud noise. wasn't a fan of that.

the other plates people got looked good, mainly the tips and wings... i prob would go back and get drinks and wings or something.  

the service was pretty good too
2 - Ashley P.: Blake's Tavern leaves much to be desired.  A group of friends and I decided to stop in for a quick drink on our way from one location in Providence to another.  The first, most uncomfortable experience about walking in here was the bar going absolutely silent as we found a place to settle down.  Very. . . awkward. . . silence. . .

The waitress came over and ordered our drinks with relative speed.  I ordered an Amaretto Sour (of which the waitress was unsure they'd have the ingredients for. . . )  For a bar that boasts "mixed drinks are a specialty at Blake's, we have a complete line of liquors to match any taste" this is very surprising in hindsight.  Regardless of this, the drink was mixed decently.  About what I expected.

After placing our initial orders, service was painfully slow.  What should have been an in and out trip turned into a 30 - 40 minute ordeal.  We waited forever to get the actual drinks. . . then again for the bill and an eternity to pay.  Really not worth the time spent here.

In addition, the woman's bathroom is a trek and a half to locate and get to.  You must travel through the crowded front bar, maze through the back bar, then finally arrive around another corner.  Finding my way back was another story.

A somewhat generic beer list matched with their slow turn around will make it easy to walk past this establishment in the future.
5 - Meredith a.: I found this place by accident.  My friends had stopped in this place nearby which was just too crowded for my taste, so I said I'd wait for them accross the street.
As long as I was sitting at their outdoor table, I ordered some coffee and some oreo ice cream pie. The pie was great! I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was. 
Then another friend came over and sat with me, so we ordered some mild chicken wings.
OMG, they were the best wings I ever had! Big and juicy, perfectly fried, and with a great mix of seasonings.
I live in Boston, but I am planning to take the train down to Providence one of these days to get some more of those wings!
5 - Dan L.: I come to Blake's and I know I'm going to get drunk.  It never fails, it happens every god damn time!  I even fell asleep on the bar one time and I still didn't get kicked out!!  There's always someone that you meet in this place and it is straight up and damn good time.  Yes it gets crowded on the weekends but during the week it's a little more down key and you can actually have conversation with someone without having to shout.  I love everything about this place.  The decor, the ambiance, it's just great.  Next trip to Providence, I'm making sure I stop here!!
4 - Paul L.: A friend treated me to dinner at Blake's for my birthday and I have to say I was in no way disappointed. I do have to say the prices are not super cheap, but they are not terribly expensive either - running a nice middle of the road. After some appetizers and a large 16oz bourbon steak cooked perfectly to medium (aka not burnt like some other places would have it) which was successfully marinated alongside mushrooms and onions as well as a plethora of options for sides, Blake's is definitely a place to stop by for a nice dinner out.
3 - Paul W.: Pub Food through and through. all the usual suspects are here. burgers, wings, sandwiches. I've had some really good grub here and i've also have some bad. Bar staff is always friendly and efficient. the kitchen staff can be a little off at times. I'd say 80% of the time they are on the money but 20% of the time they miss the mark. Overcooked burgers calamari swimming in oil type gaffs. Take your time guys and send it out properly. Not a bad place let's just trim up the rough edges.
3 - Mandy D.: I needed a quick bite before the Prov. Pride parade, and I just happened to stumble in to Blake's. It was exactly what I was looking for at the moment: relatively cheap bar food.

I ordered a basic burger and my boyfriend got a garden salad. The bus boy that brought out the food automatically assumed that the MAN ordered the burger. Tisk, tisk, bro.

The burger was decent and the cheese was nice and melty. My boyfriend's salad was big and leafy and the veggies looked pretty fresh. Overall, the food was much better than I expected it would be.

At first the service was great, and I was surprised at how our waitress managed to keep on top of things, even amongst a giant party in the city. However, we ended up waiting quite awhile for the bill, which was unexpected. 

Also, as we were leaving, we overheard another waitress reciting the specials to a table near the door. Before our meal, we had asked our server if there were any specials. She said there were none. Hmm.

I was also pretty disappointed in the beer selection. You would think that a rustic-looking bar smack dab in the middle of downcity would have something out of the ordinary on tap. The best beer on tap was probably Sam Summer.

I'm sure I'll return. Just like the rating states, it was A-OK.
3 - Chris S.: I have been in Blake's a few times. We were on our way to a show at Lupo's and stopped in for a few quick beers. $3 'Gansett tall boys did the trick. No waiter service but the bar is small enough and dive-y enough it wasn't expected and probably quicker to just walk up to the bar. 

I went again the other day after seeing a show at the Perishable Theatre. The bar was fairly empty and pretty quiet (exactly what I was looking for). The bartender was chatty which helped the atmosphere. 

My wife ordered a Makers and the bartender poured it to the top of the glass.....very generous pour but not so unreasonable to think someone wouldn't drink it.....I complement the sentiment and he replies: 'I pour 'em like I like 'em'.....a man after my own heart. 

Drink prices are reasonable, the food looks good but I have never had anything to eat there. 

Not sure it is the place to go for good atmosphere but it is great for a drink or two or just to hang out at a quiet bar. 

Sitting outside provides for some great people watching.
4 - D B.: Bar food, great service. Even though there was serious jackhammer construction going on immediately outside the window, I would still recommend it. I had a Reuben and it was fantastic!
4 - David N.: Good place for beers.
4 - Joseph D.: Where do I even begin with Blake's.  Just a nondescript, semi run down looking Irish pub Down City, but it is somehow more than that.  It is dark like an Irish pub should be, a couple TV's, some tables and a small bar.  Decent selection of beers on tap, and the food is decent.   Nothing i would return for but nothing I have ever been disappointed in.  

It's true beauty is that it is neutral territory, in that it doesn't have a set clientele.  It gets a pretty even mix of hipsters, college kids, "street toughs", old neighborhood men, fancy people (the PPAC crowd", people waiting for a show at Lupo's, those either going to or leaving an event or hockey game at the dunk, office people... it is amazing solely for the people watching possibilities here.

Other than that the staff is always friendly, the drinks fairly priced.. and the waitresses are usually cute.  It is not chic or fancy, it is as unpretentious a place as I can imagine, and thats why I love stopping in.  

Check it out, accept it for what it is, and you'll have a good time.
3 - David G.: Blake's is a decent neighborhood bar downtown.... if downtown is your neighborhood. The crowd is a mix, as someone else mentioned you get your J&W students, your Lupo's & Civic Center crowds, a handful of office workers, off duty cops (though not as many as before they moved the police station) etc. 

The food is basic greasy bar fare (burgers, wings, fries, etc) and they stock a full bar but I always get the 'Gansett. They play music that is alternatingly awesome and horrible, but it's not so loud that you can't have a conversation.

I mostly wind up here when it's late and I've already been drinking at a bar that closes at midnight, or when it's late and I've been drinking at a bar that doesn't have a kitchen. I have no special affection for Blake's - I would probably never suggest it as a place to start an evening, but there are worse places to end up.
3 - Lizz W.: Fairly priced.
Karaoke Thursday nights. That is all I know about this place.. or all I can remember ....the drinks were strong lol
3 - Julie A.: I've always managed to find myself at Blake's Tavern for one reason or another. It's pretty dive-y. The carpet is old and you can tell that it probably hasn't changed much since it'd opened. Still there is some charm to this.

There is dining and a larger back area. I believe you can rent it out for events. 

I gave Blake's 3 stars because although I've been here a bajillion times, it's never truly WOW'd me. It's a place to go. And depending on the day you might get a bartender that can get your drink made right.
2 - Bill H.: The Thursday karaoke here is half-hearted. In the forty-five minutes that I visited, only two songs were sung. Lame. The drink prices are just a touch too high given the experience and the crowd. The tap selection is decent, to be fair.
4 - Annamarie T.: Great little dive bar, located right down town making it  a great place to stop for cheap beer while bar hopping! They even have karaoke on Thursday nights which can be pretty entertaining to watch and participate if you so choose.
4 - J K.: The burgers are awesome here, they're better than most places I've eaten at. Regular kind of people, good selection of beer, and they used to have a pee pee smelling carpet a while back but I think they cleaned it. This place is cool.  :)
3 - Betsy R.: It's a decent enough downtown pub--I'd recommend it for a quick beer and bite before heading to a game or a concert. 

None of the food has ever taken my breath away, but it offers the basics: reasonably priced beer (and a reasonable selection of said beer), a menu of predictable but tasty offerings, and a low-key, relaxed atmosphere. 

It's dive-tastic, but if you're looking to get a group of people together before a game or concert to mimic a tailgate, you can rent out the back rooms. Friends of mine have done it on numerous occasions, and while it ain't pretty, it works. 

They've offered specials a number of times--they've brought in reps from Narragansett or Newport Storm Breweries and had gimmicky games and such, which was fun and offered a chance for some free swag. 

While this place has never bowled me over, it's a solid pub.
4 - Rob M.: Love this place- great, quick food, polite and nice servers, and pounder 'gansetts. Sold.
3 - Jennifer E.: Great place to people watch before last call.  You can see some crazy stuff going down in Downcity at the end of a Friday or Saturday night.  Draft list is ok and the food is pretty good for pub fare.  Can't say it's my favorite bar in town but the staff are pretty friendly and they've got 3$ Gansett' tall boys.  Kitchen is open late so sit back, munch on some wings, sip your beer and let the games begin.

Blakes On Telegraph - Berkeley, CA (37.8674339, -122.258815) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
3 - Corporal Jigsore I.: What can i say about Blakes' hamburgers? i actually don't think they are very good - cooked on a standard griddle and sort of boring. The reason they get 3 stars instead of 1 is that they have sliders. you know, i don't know how many times i've heard some asshole knock White Castle and say something like 'that's why they call them sliders!' What most people don't realize is that a slider is a type of fucking hamburger, and blake's has them. A slider is usually a thin burger on a small potato bun covered in onions and thousand island or something like that. That's what Blake's has and they are pretty good. Not as good as White Castle at 3 AM after a night of binge drinking in Minneapolis or Chicago, but pretty good.
1 - Allison K.: This place is dirty.  And I'm not talking Christina Aguilera "Duurty" people.  The drinks are cheap, yes, but you sacrifice some of your immune system and good judgement the second you enter.  The concerts are ok but typically overpriced for a broiling basement room writhing with the Berkeley crazies that come out at night.
1 - Stephanie P.: The only redeeming thing about this place is the cheap pitchers of beer.  I've honestly never had a good time at Blakes, there are much better bars in the East Bay to check out.
1 - Max B.: Blake's is full of ampted 19-24 year-old Berkeley students getting tanked in order to prep for banging one of the many slutty rotten eggs that hang there. Luckily, some OK bands are seen into the basement from time to time. But as the night progresses, the slime from the main floor and upstairs inevitably oozes not only into the basement but out onto Telegraph Ave. Here, over-testosteroned boys cranky from not scoring poon start fights with eachother, barf, and eventually drive home drunk. Awesome.
4 - Jerry T.: Blakes is a tight bar.  Live music on the south side?  Fuck yea i'll take it
2 - Andrew W.: If you live close by and are REALLY bored then you could go hear and get cheap drinks... I wouldn't recommend it any stronger than that, though.
3 - Jalel S.: Music venue:  Very basic, very basement.  Nice with a good band.

Bar:  Good beer selection.  Bartenders aren't too helpful.  Otherwise, an average pub.
1 - Elissa D.: Is to be avoided at all costs.
2 - Will M.: Dont really miss Blakes as much as I miss the other places I used to eat during my time at Cal...
4 - Cassio P.: Blake's is cool.  Once again, I remember not getting carded all the time, which I though was cool though it is now quite moot.  They had good bands, the basement was all right, the people were cool, it's basic fun for college kids and they're doing all right.  I like that they support local musicians.  Rock on.
4 - Malika K.: I'm very fond of Blakes. My mom used to do nails next door when I was a kid so I have been coming here all my life. Krista is the bomb, one of the most down to earth waitresses you will ever encounter. The jukebox has a great selection and is fun when it's in working operation. Blakes has the best salads, and I really love the house dressing...sometimes I'll buy a bottle to take home. Iv'e never had a chance to check out the shows but I've heard that some really awesome bands have played here.
3 - Sam Y.: nice place to pass out, if you don't mind the dirtiness. I like their fries. Crispy, hot, and with ranch dip...mmm.
4 - Brian M.: Crazy that the food is this good because Blakes is a dump. One of the shabbiest-looking restaurants that you'll come across. Sure, it is near the University, but come-on....mix in a mop and some new vinyl once every few years. Still, a Niman Ranch burger with all the fixins on a ciabatta bun, or a grilled salmon salad with green apple and roquefort? Top notch. You'll leave feeling like you've  discovered a sleeping giant.
3 - miriam b.: Closest to Zellerbach to get a burger, cider at bar, then split. Try to avoid the BASEMENT. Seen some weird craphead's mindfrickin bloodsports.Sad, sad, sad..then don't start about the crankshank Telegraph crap.
4 - Dela A.: How did I forget to do a review on Blake's?  This place played a major part in whom Ive become today.  I walked by the day before yesterday on a trip to Blondies to kill time while the Mr washed clothes at the local laundromat and I took a trip down memory lane. I remember like it was yesterday.... 

I had been chatting for a while online with a guy about getting together and playing air hockey and ping pong.  I was actually kind of nervous because I'd never really been into meeting people from online.. You know the stories...  But he and I had talked for a while and even had phone conversations, so randomly a few days before our first planned, official date to Tilden Park and the Rose Garden, I decided to meet him before I headed out salsa dancing.  He advised we would meet at Blake's.   

Now I really am not big on bar scenes because quite frankly, I'm not a bar kind of girl.  I like dancing so I can handle a club with a bar but not a straight up bar unless I'm in good company.  Anyway, I enter this place kinda nervous and not knowing what to expect.  I stand at the door and look around only to see a guy in a black dinner jacket with the most beautiful eyes wave his hand from upstairs.  Could that be him?  Well no lie, here I am ready to faint because I'm like oh shit, I'm clumsy, going up a staircase and I have on some high ass stilettos so he wont tease me about how short I am.  I just knew I was going to fall like that girl on Clueless. 

The first thing that I adored about Blake's was the environment.  It was filled with people that were talking about politics and other bullcrap.  The decor wasn't offensive but kind of worn looking.  So I talk to this mystery man who now isn't someone behind the phone or behind the computer screen, but hes a person in the flesh and hes funnier than hell!  He had a sarcastic wit that definitely made me feel at ease.  I cant remember what he was drinking but I remember being mesmerized by his piercing glare.  I looked around at everyones food thinking damn I want some but I was laughing too hard from the conversation.  All in all, everything looked good. 

He had walked from home and the night was passing.. We all know I'm a sista on the move and I'm very selfish when it comes to my salsa time.  So even though I found this man to be quite fascinating, salsa was calling me.  lol  I drove him to his house and to hold up my reputation of being the good girl that I am, I declined his offer to come upstairs even though I wanted to... :-) As I said, at that time, nothing came before salsa.   

That experience has grown to be one of the most understanding, patient, respected and appreciated relationships that I've ever had.  It has taught me that people always enter your life for a reason...  To share experiences, to help you learn more about yourself, or to teach you how to contribute effectively to another persons life.  Ive always been very guarded in my approach with most but I have learned how to enter a situation with more trust and for that gift, I am truly grateful. 

To this day, we still haven't played air hockey or ping pong but you never know what the future may hold.  I would've never imagined it would have began at Blake's... 

Since then, Ive went back to eat their food and honestly, I love their prices (cheap), the food, the people, the complete environment... I usually always spark up conversation with a random stranger everywhere I go, but for some reason conversation always seems to be better at Blake's... ;-)

Cheers."
4 - Esther A.: This is a great place to watch a local bands in a basement like area. Has a bar area down there as well. Wasn't there early enough to try the restaurant though.
Atmosphere here is not a hip/trendy modern place so don't expect that here. Although I do like it here,  I thought the fee to get in was a bit steep for a place like this..
2 - Jill O.: I've had some interesting and memorable times here -- like the time that I met an up-and-coming lawyer studying for the bar drinking more gin and tonic than even my liver can handle or the time that my then-boyfriend put an engagement ring on one of my french fries and proposed to me (I said no) --  if it wasn't for these times, this place would be getting ONE star for the crappy food, slow service, and rundown interior, not to mention having to pay a cover charge for the bands that play in the dingy, sparsely-furnished basement. Plus, not to offend any of you that frequent this place, I cannot stand the immature frat atmosphere. But the memories are strong...

And NOW THEY ARE RUINED! 

Ok, so 2 nights ago I'm on a blind date with a fellow here at Blakes (which he informed me is actually called Jerry Blakes) and we're having a good time, talking it up, feeling each other out, ya know, when this drunk-ass, beefy, football type comes stumbling over to our table and just plops himself down right next to me. My date humors him for a sec and then politely but sternly asks the guy to give us some privacy. Well, the guy being all drunk and stuff, has beer ears (similar concept to beer goggles, only you can't hear anything) and he keeps on talking about how he's from Alameda and he plays football for Cal, etc., etc. My date says: "yeah, yeah, I play hockey, so what, can you please get to steppin', we were in the middle of something here, c'mon man." Well, finally, the drunk slides off the stool and stumbles over to his table, but not before he whispers (if you can even whisper in Blakes?) over his shoulder: "I hate N-word who play hockey." Well, that did it; my date jumped up went over to the guy and totally flashed on him, threatening to beat his ass into a bloody pulp, etc. I was SCURRED. Keep in mind, I just met my date for the first time, I don't know this guy...and he looked CRAZY!

After everything calmed down and we left I asked him to take me to my car and he started to flash on me. I was behind him 100% that the derogatory slur was uncalled for and f-#ked up! But, this man is 34 and acting like he's 21 and part of gang: "I gotta defend my hood, this is MY town, I got step up to the white man and let him no I ain't no....etc.etc." I agree that black men (and women) are not treated equally. Unfortunately, this world is not a wonderland...I am behind him all the way on that, but I need a man WITH CLASS who can keep his cool and not think he's in the street jungle all the time. I drew the line when the guy came at me with: "you're just a typical white women who doesn't understand the black man who is from THE TOWN, from Berkeley, and his struggle." I said to him, "You're just a typical black man that doesn't understand the white woman's struggle from Hayward." He laughed...yeah, sounds ridiculous....
2 - rosemary m.: The food is decent at best. The thing that sticks out is the local bands that come to perform at Blake's. If a friend of mine performs, I'll go to show support. It's overpriced for what it is.
1 - Dibital N.: This is exactly the kind of place that makes me glad I don't live in a college town. I little background: up until actual college, I flocked to college towns. They could be counted on for a few things - good music stores, a wide ranging selection of bongs, and places like Blake's. When I say place's like Blake's, I mean places with neon lights, really bad paint jobs on the walls with lots of colors and hard lines, rock bottom prices, horrendous food, and apathetic service.

Take me back to the city where the beers are cold and the burgers are pink. I'll pay an extra four dollars for the meal.
2 - Peggy w.: Well, what else would you expect from a college town bar wannabe club?

During the day Blake's serves up okay food. Order the basics like burgers and sandwiches because it's less likely that they can screw those up.  Don't bother ordering the fancier things or you will be disappointed (plus its not worth the money).

At night, all the underage kids line up outside of Blake's in hopes to get wasted and proceed to dry hump each other to the weeee hours of the night downstairs on Thursdays.  The downstairs portion (if you are not a Cal student with valid ID) is like an extra $2 or $3 to get in...okay if you're just looking for a humid, hot, crowded basement to get wasted in and hook up with random underage strangers.

However, the bar can sometimes make pretty good specialty drinks.  like scooby snacks. those were yummy. and sometimes they fail to card.  that was fun back when i was underaged.  not so much anymore.  hence two stars.
1 - Beth L.: Dude.  Blake's sucks.  Don't go to Blake's.  Ever.
3 - Jonathan Y.: Average happy hour, however the basement dance floor didn't seem to appealing. I would not go in here when there's a cover, but the beer on tap is good.
2 - karma s.: Yes, sometimes this place can smell like an icky wet rag, but I have had some good times here...For one thing the sliders and fries are really good and pretty inexpensivo.  Sit up at the top...farthest away from the nasty smell of the basement level...

Granted the last time I had a good time there I was already drunk off some Sparks and was with a really hot guy.
3 - JAYCE B.: The whole frat boy, sports bar element is wasted on me...

But I really like playing here! I've had two really good, really fun shows about a year apart. The sound guy is really intuitive and helpful. The guys working the door were super nice. I really had a great night.
Load in is moderately tough... only a stair case leading down to the basement but I had an easier time this go around. The older bar tender downstairs was really rude when he refused to give me a cup of water. That was made up for by Blake's hospitality - they are one of the few venues that hooked us up with waters and beer without us even asking! It's little things like that that make you feel comfortable and welcome.

Go for sure if 1) your friends band or 2) a band you like is playing. You'll be supporting them and getting a nice little basement show out of it.

Parking, especially for a van and trailer, is horrendous. The meter maids are huuuuuuuuuuuuuge bitches.
1 - Mari A.: BLAKES does suck! And badly! Bad management and dirty.

Wrong wrong wrong!

The only one good thing that came out of it - I met my hubby there. Haha!
3 - Ernie C.: small bar, marginal food, decent music acts, you can do better in berkeley.  but it's hard to beat $11.50 for 3 drinks!  they were a bit watered down, so you may want to stick with the beer (which ain't bad).

but i've got a soft spot for this place....after all, i did boot in a pitcher on my 21st birthday to avoid the $20 puke/cleanup fee.  thanks todd!
3 - Herra Chink y.: Ahhhhhh Blakes.  Despite your scuzziness and whoredom, you and only you allowed me to basically drink away my last six months in college.

I was a senior.  I was so over "Berkeley" and all the Azns and Greeks and the "college" scene.  But I went to Blake's one last time, to see one of my favorite East Bay bands, the KGB.  Little did I know that the KGB also attracts teenie-bopper suburban girls ages 17-19.  Man, isn't that always the case?

Anyways, my friends Z, Brian, and I arrive there early.  We get properly trashed in the downstairs sweat-soaked bar, and set up shop near the stage.  The show was great - the KGB always puts on a good show, and there was this huge 300 pound rapper dude called Diesel that rapped over the KGB horns, guiters, instruments, etc.  Diesel rocked, of course.  He was very "Lyrics Born."

There was a stupid blonde girl behind me, and she kept on pushing up on me cause she wanted to be where I was, and OMFG what the hell is she doing, is she throwing elbows?  WTF, dumb ho.  Towards the end, she got a little more feisty, and started pushing up on Z as well.  You see, I'm the type that has a calm temperament and I can handle other people's blatant trashiness.  Z, however, is NOT.

The last song ends, people start filing out of the basement.  I look at Z and she is giving the girl THE LOOK.  Oh crap.  I grab Brian and we literally start holding Z back, cause she's about to throw some elbows of her own.

Dumb Blonde Girl:  "You want some of this, huh?"
Z:  "Ed, Brian, seriously, this bitch is going down."
Brian:  "Z, stop!"
Me:  "Seriously Z, she ain't worth it.  We're holding you back."
Z:  "Ed, let go of me!"
Me:  "Z, it ain't worth it.  She's below you.  She's just suburban white trash from Walnut Creek looking to suck some KGB cock!"
DBG: [shocked] "What did you just say?!"
Me:  "Excuse me, did I STUTTER?"

I love that as I'm holding Z back, I'm starting some shit of  my own.  We grab Z and haul ass out of the bar.  I get Z a fat slice and some water.

Z:  "I'm heated, Ed.  Where is that bitch, I'm gonna trip her."
Me:  "Just eat your pizza, Z.  Drink more water."

Who do we say come out of Blakes at that moment?  Why, Diesel of course.

Z:  "Diesel!  You're a-frickin-mazing!  I'm so heated right now, this god-damn white ho was all up on me, she's gettin thrown.  Imma cut her!"
Diesel:  "Hey baby girl.  Man, it's all good, stop trippin.  These two big niggas here gon' be watching your back."

I look at Brian, who is very Chinese, is 5 foot tall, and weighs all of 100 pounds.

Me:  "Big niggas?  Is he talking about us?"
Brian:  "Yeah, I think so."

I stood up a little taller, and have had a little pride in my step from that day on.  Cause Diesel called me a "big nigga."  And that's how I roll.
3 - Nikki c.: This is a classic college town bar.  But since the college town is Berkeley, they bring in cool "unheard of, might make it big, or this may be the biggest venue they ever play" type bands to perform on occasion.  

Do yourself a favor and don't wear your cutest shoes here, because you might get upset when someone who's "21" spills beer on them.  The food is actually decent, but the service is hit or miss.
4 - Judy L.: i heard that the "club" part of it sucks... but i've never been.

however, the food there is pretty darn good. so far, i've had the garlic fries, hummus, chilli fries, chicken teasers, and pizza. they're quite good. they're not bad...

the best part is... students get 20% off!!!! hear that?? STUDENTS GET 20% OFF
3 - Tracy A.: I haven't spent much time in the bar part.  The only reason I have gone there is to support a friends band and that was enough for me.  If I wasn't supporting a friend, I wouldn't enter Blakes even though I have passed by it a bazzillion times.
3 - Kathleen M.: Once I found at condom in the Grey Poupon at Blake's. It wasn't even in the pouch, it was completely unrolled. I thought it was funny more than scary and told the server, thinking that the mustard was the subject of a frat boy prank. She looked very concerned and we were told our meals would be comped. I honestly wasn't looking for that - I just thought they'd want to know in case they have a rash of cases of condoms in mustards.

Anyway, this is a pretty good burger and fries joint. In particular I really like that they have Grey Poupon which is wonderful on fries. Just watch out for, you know, condoms. It gives new meaning to the word "condiment."
1 - Rebecca H.: I turned into Linda Blair ala The Exorcist from eating here -- full-on violently ill.  I will never ever ever come back because frankly I like my burgers without a side of food poisoning.
4 - Rocco B.: This is a good place to meet thugs, underage girls, and thugs trying to meet underage girls.

Actually the scene can be hit or miss.  Some times there are good college nights, sometimes there's a rockin band playing, and sometimes it's just the thugs and underage suburban chickidees.

I usually manage to have a pretty good time regardless.

The fried bar food at Blakes is exceptional.  It's all simple stuff, your standard chicken-finger-mozzarella-french-fry platter.  I dunno maybe they stuff a little San Francisco street crack in there.  To be honest, they could deep fry their appetizers in goat urine and I'd still eat em.  They're that good.

Drinks are cheap.  Damn one night I went there and they had dollar drafts and two dollar kamakazi's.  Almost spent the end of that night at the Alta Bates hospital down the street.

One gripe: They're annoyingly strict with ID's at Blakes.  This wasn't the case at all about five or six years ago when I lived in Berkeley for an internship.  Back then anyone could get in with or without ID and the beer flowed like [wine(?)].  To be honest, I was surprised they were still around during my second romp in Nor-Cal which began in early 2005.  I guess they just got slapped on the wrist and cleaned up their act.
3 - Matthew C.: I will remember this fondly. One night I walked away with rust down the back of my salmon-colored t-shirt. I guess that was because someone had me up against the pole the whole night dancing! Food is cheap but good, and good specials on weekdays. It takes a while to get served at the bar, but it is a pretty cool place to hang out after class or at night on Thursdays. Dance upstairs on Saturdays, or when it is poppin take it downstairs to the basement for some sweaty fun. -Matt
3 - Steve S.: Blake's is not a great bar nor is it a great restaurant. It is, however, a Berkeley college staple and I always seem to end up there more than any other place. Unfortunatly, I can give you more examples of drinks that are not good that ones that are. Avoid their martinis (I don't know why I thought they would be good at Blake's!) Their margaritas are decent (though much better elsewhere in Berkeley, like Thalassa). If you're going to get a mixed drink there, I recommend the Tijuana After Midnight. Its a nice fruity, tequila drink. The beer is fine their as well, though nothing amazing. 

The bar snacks are good and its a decent place to come with friends. I actually find the clientale pretty hilarious. Its a cross between wannabe-thugs and college freshman girls at their "first-bar-ever"! Crowd watching is always amusing.
4 - Alex M.: This is more of a 3.5 stars really but as I am such a kind, generous man, I rounded up. 

The beer and ambiance was okay. Nothing special. The food, on the other hand, was good. Well, some of it at least. They have an EXTREMELY wide variety of food. Pizza to sandwiches to stir fry to burritos to whatever else you may want. I like the assortment and variety. There is something for everyone in your party to eat. Joy!
4 - Jennifer H.: Being a health nut, I was pleased to find pita, humus and cucumber on the menu while catching some football and downing some beer.

I can always count on there to be sports, even if it's on mute and set to rock music.  Where else are you going to get a place that can accommodate sports fans AND families?
2 - sara p.: I almost remember this place fondly, because it was where I lost my 'drinking in a bar because you're 21, now!' virginity.  My two friends who had substantially more drinking experience got very inebriated and I finished their drinks for them.  I remember liking what I ordered, a Purple Haze, which was basically grapefruit soda w/ vodka and then something that made it a lavender color.  One from got a wu-wu, which was kinda lame, and damned if I can remember what the other got.

But it stands out as one of those 'age 21' memories.  It was a nice summer evening, and we walked through campus afterwards, probably to the student housing where one of them was living.

Oh, and it was called Larry Blake's back then.  And it was scuzzy as fuck and we never went back.
3 - tarabud s.: Yes it's dirty. Yes the food sucks, and my friend had violent stomach cramps after eating there, yes it is over priced cover some nights, and yes,there is no parking without giving your wallet to the parking garage.. .But let's speak of the redeeming qualities Blakes is  still clinging to. 

a. all age nights (like last night) allows those without a fake ID to go out and hear live music, with a soda in hand.  ; }

b. One kind bartender named Michael, who makes the best Hot Toddies for singers before their shows in the basement.

c. The plumbing in the basement that you can touch when stretching doesn't leak! 

d. One talented guy at the helm of the sound board, doing a fabulous work to make girl punk, boy grunge, and dream-pop band with visual affects through projector, sound level. 

e. Where else can a band be entertained by the guest watching them!  

Check it  out! (3.5 stars)
3 - Kimi m.: I have never really gone here for the food, but I've gone here for the live music downstairs. There always seems to be a crowd ready to dance and have a good time no matter what band I've gone to see here, and that wins many stars in my book.
3 - Allison L.: When one of my guy friend's picked me up to go to "Blake's", I thought we were going to a house party. When we ended up at a bar, I was confused, but that's really not unusual for me.

I know they play live music downstairs, I know there is a bar upstairs, I know that their drinks are strong & I've never had to pay for them.

I also know that when a friend gets a slice of pizza while stumbling back to the car & they offer it to me & then change their mind & want it back, they end up shoved in a prickle bush.
3 - alexa c.: Blakes is so '98, , , at least for me as that's where I spent all my drinking time. His name was John Buffaloe and I had a crush. Yeah, I used to be a little compulsive. . . . used to be.

But in all seriousness, I have a shit load of memories from Blakes. It was my neighborhood watering hole for many years when I worked on campus and Telegraph. Gosh, I remember the days of catching Charlie Hunter in TJ Kirk, Dizzy Bam and many many others. This wasn't just a music venue and bar for me. I've probably had at least 600 lunches/dinners there. Shit, I've actually held job interviews there. It was a multi-purpose venue for me, that's for sure.

The staff was great but they were my friends after all. Though they were known to have attitudes, fortunately, I was immune. The food is average, just your common American restaurant offering burgers, burritos, pasta, salads and sandwiches. Great fries and string onion rings.  

Though I don't spend much time on the Ave these days, I definitely have fond memories of Blakes. And for that, , , I thank you.
1 - Jeffrey R.: Just judging this place on the food, it is awful.  It was something like $7 for a bad sandwich and despite having a blatantly advertised student discount all over the place, their official policy seems to be to ignore the fact that you are young and wearing Cal apparel and quickly close the transaction before you can tell them that you are a student.  The cashier complained that he had to reenter my order after I let out the secret that I was a student... Whose fault was that?
4 - Daniel L.: Blake's is one of the 3 major bars on the south side of Berkeley (Kips and Raleigh's being the other two).  For just drinking, I think it's the 2nd best of them.  They have a full bar and some good beers, but it's hard to beat the prices and crowd at Kips.  The music is OK and varied and you can catch some good acts for cheap. 

As for the food, it's not going to win any awards but at least it's well made and consistent.  I don't know what people are expecting, but $7 for a meal isn't too bad.  I am a big fan of their burgers and the fish n chips.  The wait staff is nice and it is a decent place to catch a game as well in the upstairs bar area.
4 - Maricel B.: I've been to Blakes twice to watch my friend and his band perform so I can't say anything about the food. The bartenders were cool though. Easy to get their attention and fast service.
5 - Irene S.: blake's, blake's, blake's.

you are my cheers. even now, years and years after i first started coming here, i can walk in, and everybody (okay, somebodies) knows my name.

blake's, how do i love you? let me count the ways.

1. you were the first bar i ever drank in, at the ripe old age of seventeen. thank you, eric, for going there first with your fake id, making friends with all of the bartenders, and then introducing me as your old-enough-to-drink friend. i never once got carded at blake's, never. when i finally turned 21, all of your bartenders bought me drinks to celebrate, and that was very sweet of them.

2. for five long years, i hung out in this bar at least three times a week. every wednesday night. most monday nights. either friday or saturday. sometimes more often than that. even later, when i didn't live within three blocks of your door, i made it a point to stumble your way as often as possible, and you always had your door open for me. always. 

3. you have/had wonderful bartenders. amber, farah, chloe, balls. and then some dude bartenders, too, several of whom i made out with. this is the bar where i learned how to treat bartenders well. if you are nice to them, they will be nice to you. tipping well often means drinks for free. pay attention to this, people.

4. ms. pacman in the basement. smoking upstairs in the old days. hebro on wednesday nights. after hours pool. married guy. introducing me to the irish that one wonderful summer. sliding down & falling up the stairs. jack & coke after jack & coke. and coke. blues jams. teriyaki wings. 

i am so in love with you (for old time's sake) that it is impossible for me to see your flaws.

(but shit, i know you have them - look at all these other reviews!)

***************************************************************************
sometimes i am really stupid.

how could i forget?

justice is the BEST bartender, not only at blake's, but in the whole wide world. he's also very, very attractive. please remember to tip him at least 50%.
1 - Joy C.: Wayy overpriced foods in the food mecca that is Berkeley. I have only been there for lunch, but there is way better places for less.
3 - Stacy F.: I made the long gruesome trek over to the East Bay to see a fellow Yelper's band. Does anyone else notice that the Bart smells like feet?  Anyways Blakes was a pretty cool spot. The crowd (at least on that night) was heavily male and a bit on the older side. I really liked the bartenders. One of them even made a special cocktail for me when I had trouble deciding what to have..... a chocolate lemonade(yum).

The performance space was downstairs which included a fully stocked bar, so no need to go too far. I would definitely go back to see live music.
3 - Richard R.: First thought....Cheap prices for food and beer.  There is really not much I can add about the atmosphere that hasn't already been said in the reviews.  The fact that you can get a pitcher of PBR for $6.50 is worth the price of the free admission.  The place starts to get a different crowd after 10pm, as with most bars, and becomes a little livelier.  

The service leaves something to be desired.  When we wanted to order another pitcher, the well-endowed waitress first ignored us then told us that our waiter would be over shortly.  When she realized that we did not have a waiter, she managed to transport herself over to our table and help us.  The pitcher finally arrived along with 3 not so clean glasses.  Once rectified, we enjoyed our pitcher of $6.50 PBR.  Minus two effing stars for lack of attention to service.
2 - Julia L.: Blake's is good for many a drunken "memory" (or rather, a story recounted to me later that I do not completely remember), but not for much else. (Sorry, Irene, you know I love ya, but you just can't mislead the people into thinking that Blake's is a good time. Well, OK, it's a good time. Remember that time downstairs when I was slobbering on your friend? Me neither!!)

My friend lost her shoes here on her 40th birthday. That was funny...in a tragicomic way.

I love a good pub. I love places where you can get all booze-addled and then be like, "DUDE we need some NACHOS RIGHT NOW!!!" Blake's, in theory, is that place. But I feel like there's always some problem or difficulty in the actual getting of nachos, or the getting of more drinks, or the flagging down of a server and/or bartender. However, these problems could arise out of my own drunkenness. But it seems like I have these problems when I am not, in fact, drizzunk. 

Anyway. I have a love/hate relationship with Telegraph to begin with, and Blake's is sort of like Exhibit A of that relationship. Funny stories, sure, but I refuse to go there now. Not even the nachos could entice me.
1 - Lydia H.: I used to love Blake's when I was a student and needed a place I could party that was walkable.  

Last summer, my sister and I went (she was 20, I was 23) and boy was that a mistake.  During summer is when all the people my sister's age from high school went on the oh-so-popular thursday night because it's 18-up.  The line was soooo long but we only got in because my sister knew the owner (her friend's dad).  We go downstairs and it literally smells like poop.  No joke.  It was awful, smelly, sweaty...

gross.
3 - Angela H.: Cheap drinks-good.
Small drinks-bad.

The crowd was random.  Sosososo random.  But interesting.

The bands were ok.

Ended up at hot drummer's house.  For an after-party.

Hot basement.

Well-lit bathroom.

Kind of grimey.

But any bar would still be gross-er.
4 - Tim H.: Going to Blake's is like visiting that friend you've known since childhood - the one that always borrows money and never pays it back and never can seem to hold down a decent job.  

I have been going to Blake's on and off for about six years.  The food is great - as far as drunken munchies at the end of the night go and the beer is better.  I love the Hemp Ale and Racer 5.  The wait staff is surly but never rude.  It is a great place to people watch at 2:00 in the am.  You also can't beat their prices and the nachos are awesome.
4 - elizabeth s.: Squeeeeee!  The progenitors of the best music video of all time (http://cinemasports.com/index.php/movie/Girl_of_My_Dreams), who also happen to be my new favorite band, kicked an almost unbelievable amount of ass last night.  (It's possible that my perception of their awesomeness was colored by the quantities of Jameson I drank, but I doubt it...)  Towards the end of the evening the bartender graced me up with one of the heaviest pours of my long and storied drinking life.  I was in love with Blammos and the bartender and Jameson and life in general, so I dug deep into my shallow grad student pockets and tipped three whole dollars on a $10.50 tab, and the bartender almost fell over.  It's usually not that easy for me to make people happy; I'd go back just for the warm fuzzies.  Also the boy cooking the food was one of the prettiest people I've ever seen.
2 - Emilie D.: What happened to the food????

I used to go a ton to Blakes for the food...which was excellent...but the menu has changed and the quality has PLUMMETED. What has happened? My boyfriend's hamburger (ordered as medium rare) was overcooked, the ice tea had a sulfer flavor, they used to have a fantastic portobello sandwhich and this new one was truely uninspired. I'm very disppointed as Blakes food used to be excellent.
3 - Jewel J.: As a restaurant, I think Blake's is pretty good. Everything I've ever gotten from them has been good.

As a club... I had more fun than I have had at a club in the Bay Area (which isn't saying much by the way). Maybe it was because I knew I wasn't going to get shot. I don't know. The music was cool... the people were cool. It was just.... cool. No grimey dudes coming up to you or anything. Cooool
4 - Cynthia B.: Upstairs is a bar with different seating areas and downstairs they have shows.  I had some great times here drinking.  A lot of the shows they have there suck...horrible bands.  

When the bottom part is open it always seems like I know someone who works there, or at least knew some of the customers (and I don't even live in Berkeley).  Haven't been there in a long time, but always had fun when I went.

One of my friends punched one of his best friends right in front of the club one time and I think they both went to jail.  Dum dee dum dum, lol.
4 - Daniel J.: I don't know how to review this place.
My feelings are mixed.

There are good vegetarian options.

I like the raw, gritty feel in the basement where musicians are booked to provide evening entertainment.

In fact, I performed there once and got kicked off stage.
Please, hear my tale.

I was doing vocals for a hard rock group called Alias For Release.
I dressed for the occasion, in a nice black suit and maroon tie.
The cocktail waitress was even kind enough to serve me martinis while I was performing!

However, something went awry after I stripped down to my swim trunks and pulled off my socks and shoes.
I dragged a garbage bag out on stage and started throwing out floaty pool noodles and inflatable fish.
The entire floor was jumping and swinging around, hitting each other in good fun and security began to show signs of concern.
In the end, the band and I were ejected after glasses broke and tables fell and it was definitely the most insane performance I'd ever participated in.

So in retrospect, I like Blake's.
I just wish the staff would let people destroy their property.
3 - Tatyana D.: I have not been downstairs in the "club" (and I use that term loosely as it appears to be more of a bar with music than a club) so the review is only for the bar upstairs and the restaurant.
The food is basic but a little creative and fairly tasty. Everything seems to be just a notch too greasy, even the whole wheat bread on my plain turkey sandwich, but I can forgive that because I think that the place is going for exactly that - average, munchie food. 
They have pitchers of Wyder's Pear Cider which is the reason my friend and I keep going back in the early evenings when it's not yet appropriate to be drinking hard alcohol :-)
The first time we went, the waiter was AWESOME, we gave him a hella huge tip. He put up with so much confusion as my friend could not make up her mind about what to have. I wish I remembered his name. He was great.
However another time we were peeved because their credit card machine was broken and they only informed us of this after we ate and tried to pay with a card so my friend had to go to the bank as to avoid the crazy ATM fees...not cool. 
Overall though, it's definitely a fun place to go with friends for just a chill time eating and chatting.
2 - B to the Z.: For some reason every time I'm there, I feel as if the staff were those loser kids in high school that were a little bit overweight and had no friends -- they just sat in their darkened room playing video games all day. Now they work at a bar, and get to be all tough and stuff, and so now they think they're cool, like they've made it, like they're part of the cool crowd, finally.

But the fact is, no one cares any more. We are adults.

So chill out, smile, and be friendly.

And to that fat, pony-tailed manager who ranks amongst the world's most rude bartenders -- my comment cannot be posted here.
3 - douglas b.: i played a show there on a Tuesday over the summer. 
pretty chill, but the "college frat" ,as some have said were not there.  Now that Berkeley has started back up i dont really know what the atmosphere is like. 
if your in a band or like to perform with just you and your guitar it is a really cool place.
3 - Jonny d.: People who like Blake's don't like it because of the a) food, b) cleanliness, c) prices, d) atmosphere, or any other tangible quality one could think of.  It's sentimentality, and that's about "it".
2 - Mike K.: Blakes is ok. I think if I had gone to school at Berkeley I would have liked it, or at least enjoyed it for its sentimental value. However, I am a proud Aggie, and not too big of a fan.

The layout is nice for a chill night out. The upstairs has a cool set up of couches and a pool table, but other than that, it doesn't have much. Not a great beer selection, and a very very young crowd.
4 - Richard C.: I've only been there for lunch on Friday's and Saturday's.   The service is good the food is average, but a lot better than what yer usual bar grill serves. It's also a comfortable setting.   The jukebox has a huge library of over 100 albums.   Good bar, but not too many seats to sit around, but kool that you can have a drink and chow down on a steak sandwich.

Only been there once for a show to see MY RUIN and it's like playing in somebody's basement, but my review isn't about the place being a music venue.
3 - Vivian T.: Went to Blakes yesterday to see a friend perform. 

The place isn't too shabby, a little hard to miss though if you've never been there before and you're trying to see while driving past. The food is not bad, actually pretty good considering the price.

+1 star for the good food.
+1 star for the speedy service (food arrived fairly quickly!)
+1 star for the cool performance

Dock one star for the lady that was behind me in line. She pointed out that  the flyer said the show was $8 but the two ticket guys said it was $10. The ticketers said the band misprinted and that wasn't their problem so they were going to charge her full price. 

Dock another star for the furry little mouse that scampered across the floor while I was eating my southwest chicken burrito. Blakes better get that little mouse problem checked out before the public health department makes its round (PhD's? Lawl).
4 - Tiffany Y.: This place is fun to go to before an afternoon CAL game. (ROLL ON YOU BEARS) Order a few pitchers of Pabst and you're set! Their food is actually pretty good too.
2 - Lily L.: I would be lying if I said that I didn't have some good times here. Especially after the time I accidentally took off with a steaming pot of hot Sake from a nearby Sushi restaurant and proceeded to drink from its metal spout all night. I felt like some sort of twisted genie, surrounded by all the wiggers and Business majors.

But really- there is nothing cool about Blake's. Blake's is like that ugly patchwork sweater your aunt made you- a curious, clashing hodgepodge of irreconcilable aesthetics sewn thoughtlessly together under the sad, awkward banner of "undergrad college bar". It is a walking identity crisis. It doesn't know who or what it is or wants to be when it grows up. In that way, Blake's is really like us college kids, standing on the precipice of adulthood.

Anyhoo, coming from the Arts & Humanities branch of the College of Letters & Sciences, I am thoroughly ashamed that I spent the number of evenings here that I did. I pissed away much of my college fund downstairs in the basement, wondering how my life would have been different if I would have gone to UCLA.

The food is tolerable if you're wasted. Which you should be if you go to Blake's. Preferably, you should be drunk before you enter. It is the only way.

Two stars for memories that make me chuckle at my own stupidity for having spent time in this place.
4 - Christine N.: Best bar food around. huge selection and they serve til pretty late. 
Skirt steak salad, chicken fingers, chili cheese fries, blake's burger. 
Good deal on pitchers.

Its better than most bars near telegraph. They have a DJ upstairs and a club downstairs. They even have decent bands playing on fridays and saturday nights. 

the service is fast and its convenient for students that live around.
3 - Kolya R.: I was another person who lost his "drinking virginity" at Larry Blake's  on my 21st  birthday.    A couple of co-workers in the Economics Department treated me to lunch and a drink.
Oddly, I have only been there about 3 other times since.
I am still confused about the alcohol laws in Berkeley:    I've heard there is a law that prohibits hard alcohol from being served within a mile from campus ... but Larry Blake's is excepted because they pre-date the law?      OK, but what about Spat's?
4 - Jaemie D.: Blake's happens to be one of my favorite places nearby. The reason why? The architect's club sandwich! Sooooo good, I love it. The fries are also especially tasty, with or without garlic. A friend of mine got the caesar salad, and he said it was pretty good. I've also heard good things about the fish and chips. Don't know much about the night life, but it's a good place for a nice chill dinner with a friend.
1 - Lauren S.: God, I truly cannot stand this place- after many times of trying to like it, I just really DON'T. I've never eaten here, so this is a review for the venue, downstairs. Its times like these I wish Yelp! let us made negative  star reviews.

I have seen some friends' bands play here; decent sound, awkward set-up and layout, in what feels like a cramped east-coast basement with the heavy feeling that comes with layers of dried beer on the bar weighing down on your head. 

This frat-y drunken college-town scene made me wanna crawl outta my skin, the whole place has a creepy, date-rape-ish, and generally nasty ambiance, watered down alcohol, disillusioned security, dirty bathrooms and walls, bad-tattooed-up bouncers and OUTRAGEOUS cover charges (they charge $10-15, just 'cause they're on Telegraph and they can). LAMEFACE SQUARED.

I'd avoid it- if the band you're wanting to see is playing elsewhere, check em out there. That's my cranky-ass advice.
2 - Jenni D.: Of of a few places to enjoy a mixed drink or a shot near campus, Blakes is an underwhelming last resort when you need something more than beer. The allowance of under 21 year olds means that you're going to be carded an inordinate amount of times, and have to deal with young, loud underclassmen trying to sneak drinks. Although it's spacious (3 levels), seating at Blakes is neither comfortable nor abundant. They need to consult someone who can maximize the use of their space. Finally, to borrow from Chirstina Aguilera, Blakes is "dirrty."  Really, really, dirty. The floors, the glasses, the bar. Sticky, weirdly wet and grimy. 

One Star for hard liquor (and with reasonable prices), one star for the entertaining machines in the ladies room. All I can say is bring quarters. Endless amusement.
2 - Jasboods P.: If you are an adult...and you're not just looking for a quick beer before a Cal game, don't go to Blakes.  The drink selection sucks, and so does the service.  I didn't dare order the food, the wings at the next table looked totally nasty.  The atmosphere is also weak, I love dive bars just as much as the next guy, but I felt like I was having a beer in the neighbors' basement.
2 - Louis G.: Blake's was not my favorite bar in Berkeley as a student, but it was one of the places that helped me decide to go there.

My first time in, there was a fricking hot rep for Black Star beer.  I was in there with my buddies up from SoCal and getting free beer from a hottie only blocks from campus was key to my decision.  The only other bar in the entire Bay Area I have seen a rep at was O'Neills in San Mateo.  She wasn't as hot, but she was repping Michael Collins whiskey so that has to count for something.

Unless you went to the hotel up on Durant, this was the easiest place to get hard liquor (aside from the corna' sto).  As such it deserves at least two stars.
2 - Jason J.: Blake's is so disappointing. As Michael Kors would say, "I'm underwhelmed." So much potential to be a great music venue, especially since it's walking distance to the campus. Should be a built in crowd, right? But the place just falls short. Wasted table space, mediocre (at best) fare and total dicks at the door. The fact that sometimes good bands can be seen in the basement, is a side note, especially since the basement is stuffy like a closet. For the most part the only thing you'll see is barely legal Cal kids downing beers before getting in a fight in front of Top Dog.
2 - terra d.: they took off their bean burger, man! the tofu burger is the only vegetarian option and it is so-so. 

but they do make damn strong long islands!
3 - Chantay X.: I had fun there the two times I've gone. The last time was just a few weeks ago and I had a good time with my friends. We had a pitcher of margaritas and just chilled upstairs talking, laughing and people watching.
2 - Nancy G.: This 2 level restaurant bar is a mad house and filled with testosterone - the ratio between males and females were 5:1 I could have sworn the downstairs looked like an underground secret society with dim lights and a crowd of people paying homage to the big screen TV in front of them ( the Cal game was on).

As I ventured back upstairs for some grub, our waitress took 30 minutes to take our orders, and it took another 45 minutes to get our food.  We ordered a create your own pizza, and the chicken adobo taco salad.  Although the service was slow, the food came out satisfactory.  My favorite part of the meal was the pizza crust.  It was crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.  The salad tasted more like a BBQ chicken salad that I found surprisingly tasty.

I give this place 1 star for the pizza, and another for the salad that pleasantly caught me off guard.  Other than that, service was slow, waitress was rude, and this is not the place to go for a quiet comfortable meal.  Think fraternity.
2 - Ed L.: Another typical venue for amazingly lame Berkeley night life, Blakes serves up the party that you only go only when the next best thing is spending the night with Jack Daniels by yourself on the couch. Blakes has decent food and a nice area up top, but the basement is a joke, especially since they charge cover. All i gotta say is you have to be really desperate to pay to party in an ugly basement. I think after typing that I would have more fun at home with Jack.
2 - Allie P.: Came here for lunch with a friend.  The food was okay or was it good?
This place turns into a venue at night.  Close to campus.  I would consider going here at night to get a full effect.
2 - Devora L.: So last night, a friend and I decided that we wanted to engage in some girly chat over some girly cocktails.  Since we were in the campus area, we thought we'd roll on over to Blakes.  Little did we know that over the next hour, we would get hardcore macked on all night, thus completely obliterating our plans to have our girly chat.  So we ordered our drinks, grabbed a table, and the arrival of the suitors commenced.

We had what my friend called The Frat Boy, The Racist Guy, The Tool (which actually came in a pair), and The Skater Boy approach us, which were all kind of awkward, yet hilarious exchanges.  Keep in mind that these are probably all college students.

So last night was the first time that I had ever been for just drinks.  All the other times that I've been there were for shows downstairs, which is decent, though there are other venues that I'd rather be at.

This bar is by no means any place to go out of your way for, but ladies, if you're in the area and you wanna get macked on by college guys, this is totally your scene ;)
3 - Jason P.: First off, don't go to Blake's just for drinks or food.  If you sit at a table, you'll be waiting fifteen minutes before one of their clueless wait staff (hmmm, maybe there's a reason they call them a "wait" staff?) returns with your pitcher, and the food ain't all that either.  Additionally, many of the people you'll encounter there will be lame, just like Berkeley's night life scene in general.  The middle and top floors are just a mis-mash of college bar, Irish pub and TGI Fridays, minus any redeemable sense of excitement or flavor.

No sir, the only reason to ever come through Blake's is to see a show downstairs.  And basically, while their cover charges are steep ($10+), it's a pretty good time if you hit it on the right night.  The basement is divey in the extreme, the sound not-so-great and the drink specials non-existant, but at least there is a sense of some excitement and fun, which the upper levels lack completely.

I don't know if they still have the blonde rocker chick tending bar downstairs anymore or not, but she is just incredibly hot, and therefore singlehandedly raises my rating of Blake's by one star to a respectable 3.
4 - Laura E.: Friggin awesome! ('nuff said, so check it out)
2 - Sarah G.: I have never been a big fan of this place even though it is classier than Kips the other college bar around the corner. The people at this place always seem a little more sketchy than anywhere else. The drinks aren't usually made strong enough except for their Long Islands, which I warn you don't finish your night on like I did!! ha ha They sometimes have live bands play downstairs but they usually aren't anything worthwhile. Overall, I rarely went here in my 4 years and if I did it was to grab a long island. They do have food that is served pretty late, but I say go to another bar and then just grab pizza at blondies ha
3 - Casey B.: This place wasn't too shabby. Other reviews say the drinks are weak so luckily we ordered beer followed by shots of patron(we were going to the eddie vedder show). The racer 5 IPA was pretty tasty too. The service was so-so but the turkey burger was yummy. Be sure and cough up the extra 50cents or whatever for grilled onions and sauteed mushrooms though.
2 - Berna T.: While Blake's has a decent sized space, I wasn't too impressed with their drinks or service, especially on a slow night, where you would hope to get better attention being one of the few patrons there.  I had to go upstairs to get my drink since they didn't have the ingredients for it downstairs, and then had to wait until the bartender finished his little social session with his friends before serving me a very weakly poured Greyhound. 

The upside is that they have live entertainment here, and one of my friends convinced a group of us to get out here to see his band play.  Yay for live music...but I think I'll pass on ever coming here for any other reason than to support his band.
3 - Jean-Arellia T.: First place i've gotten a drink at a bar when I was a freshmen in college.  basement music, strong drinks, next door pizza......do I have to say more??
3 - Mimi Z.: good food, good service, recently renovated so it looks nicer now too
however, i don't really like going there at night. the bar is ok, there is a pool table, ok place to just have a beer and hang out with some friends
i don't like the club nights, there are always some sketchy people. the last few times i've walked by, there have always been some people yelling at each other and getting into fights. 
So, if you want to go grab some food and a beer, it's good
But not much for anything else
4 - jack w.: Sliders: White Castle meets Niman Ranch

Sauntered into Blakes on a Tuesday night immediately after the FemSex chicks finished up whatever they were up too.   They were all congenial to this fixed Breeder.  This was nice as I just wanted a beer and didn't really know what I had stumbled into.  Front of the bar was 75% Asian students and alum.  Back area was FemSex, wealthy looking make-dad-mad-sexual- experimental mostly white suburban grrls, who were filtering up into the main bar area.   No bands downstairs that night.  Beer was modestly over-priced as is common throughout the bay area.  They tend towards the more mainstream brewers and micro-brewers offerings with the unfortunate exception of Hemp Ale too atrocious to comment further on.   

Took my daughter in after ballet to grab something I been craving for a couple years, the Pizza Margarehita (The spelling I recall is something weird.)   Although it's still on the bar menu it is no longer being served.  Got the Blakes Best Damn Burger which is Niman Ranch  beef with Blake's sauce which was very tasty and a good value at less than 7 bones.  My daughter got very excited about the mini-hamburgers.  Think White Castle meets Niman Ranch with a good sauce.  They are a touch to oversized to be called Sliders but I think it was 3 of them for $3.  She loved 'em and so did Meg and I.  The seasoned fries are worth a try.

I understand you leaving the TV on to feed the brain dead fascist liberal progressives of Berkeley during the day but please turn off the idiot box at night.   

Blakes http://www.blakesontelegraph.com/
 FemSex   http://www.femsex.net/
3 - Charles L.: Review strictly on food.

If you're craving bar food on Telegraph, go to Blakes. It's a good deal if you're a student because they give a 15% discount off your meal, basically making anything you order about $1-2 cheaper than what the menu says.

I'd say to stick with the burgers and sandwiches because they taste better compared to the random Asian stir fry or jambalayas they have. I tried their fish and chips once and they were pretty standard.

Recommendations:

Beer Burger - $9 ($7.65 after student discount) - 1/3 lb. Niman ranch beef, onions, and goat cheese - no frills awesome burger that you can really bite into and taste the meat with no heaping amounts of condiments to mask the beef flavor

Turkey Burger - $6 ($5.10 after student discount) - 1/3lb Ground turkey with spices - I tasted a hint of fennel and celery seed, good for the lean option if you don't want the heaviness of beef but still want the burger

Salmon Burger - $7.75 ($6.59 after student discount) - fat steak of salmon with lettuce, onion, tomato, avocado, and chipotle aioli - kickass burger if you want some great flavors

Solid choice for me if I want some bar food with some friends and wanna watch some sports on the TVs in there too. The service can be spotty at times when it gets crowded. It's bar food that's good, but not great.
3 - Kim C.: I ate lunch here today with two of my co-workers. I orderd a grilled cheese, french fries, and diet coke. The service was a little slow, but our server was realy nice, he's been working at Blakes for like twenty years.
My sandwich was edible, nothing too exciting. The fries were pretty good, but again just average.
3 - Kimberly K.: two different experiences at blakes leave me thinking this place has bipolar disorder.  during the day, the place is actually was kinda cool.  empty, but cool.  decent lunch menu.  though the wait staff was a bit out of it.  

but what i didn't realize is that my friends had brought me here a few years ago, drunk, on my bday.  it was packed that night.  full of douchebags and girls wearing too much perfume and makeup.  super loud, super crowded, and not my scene.  it was about midnight, and there were sketchy, sketchy dudes lurking in the corners.

not.so.much.

i've decided blake was a vampire. because at night the place is creepy but during the day it was just fine.
3 - Armando L.: I am writing this from the perspective of a performer and I was bummed that no one on staff had concrete info about the open mic on Monday nights. Some performers complain about the $2 charge for artists to play, but I personally didn't mind. The host, Jacob Wolkenhauer, was very kind and an AMAZING guitarist. The Songwriter's Symposium brings out some pretty talented musicians.
4 - MAGzZz V.: I used to go here on Thursday nights for my 18 and up "club-esque" scene... it was pretty cool if you felt like partying with a bunch of people you know from highschool...i always seem to run into someone i know there. Now that i'm over the drinking age, my friends and i go there after casual dinner when we just don't feel like going home. It's a hit or miss depending on the group of friends you go with. Alot of random grown haole people there Friday nights...
2 - Mark B.: You'd think I learn..... but memory is a fickle thing, especially when alcohol is involved. My friends had been missing me because I had been spending an inordinate amount of time holed up in my apartment strumming guitar and doing loner things like hiking and running at night. 

"Jesus Christ Bro!,... get out of the house! Let's go drinking! We'll even stay in your hood to get hammered! Just stop being a total wus and have a little fun, why don't cha!"

Yeah, how many ill fated adventures have started with peer pressure backed comments just like that. So I stupidly agree to hanging out with them on the weekend and do a Berkeley bar crawl. Uggh... the night started on Shattuck, moved to College, and ended up at Blakes on Telegraph. Blakes is obviously a university bar as evidenced by the number of very young people patronizing the place. I felt very out of place and uncomfortable. You get inspected by 3-4 bouncers, go downstairs to what can only be described as the dungeon of "sin" and witness people 10 years younger than you doing things I wouldn't even consider at my 21 year old most drunkest. The place plays an awful mix of house, rap, techno, all stuff I really hate. My friends meanwhile being of the same mental age of the regular patrons and just as drunk were re-living the 80's in fine style, dancing like a bunch of hippies that just got free LSD. I decided to chill out by the bar and order vodka soda.....holding the vodka. The bartender was very sweet. She kept trying to pour me the actual drink, but after I explained to her that I couldn't feel my legs and that I was afraid that getting drunker would cause me to think all this insanity around me was acceptable.... (I really didn't want to go there)....she understood. I was here more for my friends than for me. They were here for the young drunk chicks and the multitude of dark corners and by now had completely forgotten about me. I thought I would be able to make it to last call just hanging out at the bar, BUT ! while standing there minding my own business....this crazy tweeker that couldn't be more than 22 suddenly latches on to me and starts humping my LEG !!  I'm like WTF !!  I'm desperately trying to shake her off. She's muttering something like "Let's go home Stevie" The bartender is trying to defend me, telling the girl she's "going to call security" and that "she's cut off", but this weirdo has my leg in what feels like an inner thigh death grip. Have you ever been really lazy and taken off a pair of pants and tired to kick them off your leg, but they just keep hanging on ??  Yeah, this chick was that pair of pants.  I was fighting with an "alien" leg hugger and unable to dislodge her. My drink finally splashed all over both of us and she finally realized I wasn't Stevie and unlatched to wander away looking for this poor soul that had no idea what he was in for. Poor Stevie.
So here I was in the basement of a university bar, listening to a mix of 80's, trance, hip-hop, crap, covered in soda water, and on-guard for crazy underage leg humpers.......that's when I decided liquor was the devil's drink and my apartment was a beautiful place to be. I was able to walk it home in 15 mins. I still haven't heard from my friends. I hope the leg humper didn't get them.......Maybe Stevie got away.
3 - Eric H.: Going to Blakes on Thursday is like going to the bathroom in a foreign country and finding that it costs money to use the urinal, or worse, you're finishing up the poo poo train and realize the TP dispenser is empty because the man standing outside purposely emptied them in order to sell you napkins. Unfortunately, bodily functions are a cold hard truth and can't be ignored, and the urge to boogie is no joke.

One thing is certain - anyone with at least one of the five senses intact will have immediately realized the host of pathogenic dangers they will expose their bodies to upon entrance. Any woman dancing downstairs is a 90% guaranteed freak due to this fact; the males may comprise anything from silent predators to harmless best-friend-forever's, all entranced by the cocktail of pheromones working their way up to telegraph. 

There's a five dollar cover to prance around in their dimly-lit, humid-as-fuck cove, but the current DJ is pretty awesome, and people who bring the fire to the party can always manage to have a good time.
4 - Chen N.: This place gets a 4 from me solely based on one single experience. I have to paid on a Thursday night to get to the dance floor but that was okay. They weren't really monitoring the whole drinking situation. Being the alcoholic that I am, I totally got trashed and I was pretty much double fisting it.

HAHA! All poor humor aside, the night "club" was pretty ghetto and I wouldn't go there. Partying was never my forte, but I can definitely differentiate a good scene from a bad one. There were so many nasty people grinding it wasn't even funny.

So why do I give this place a 4? Underage drinking and never want to go clubbing/dancing again in my life. HA!
5 - Helen N.: this venue brings back so so so many memories.
maybe its time to stop dating boys in bands eh?

anyway, there are always shows... the drinks are decently priced, upstairs you can get food, and even more upstairs you can hear different music.
wtf else do you need?

i dig it.
4 - Nate M.: Three levels of seating, but to be honest there's just not a lot of space.
Basement holds concerts, which look like a typical concert scene from a post-teen/young adult television show.
Hey, they have Macallan 12 so that's reason enough for me to come back!
My friend told me Marshawn Lynch got thrown out of here because he argued with a bartender about the price of a Hennessey and Coke.
Then he got busted sneaking in his own liquor, and then he was arrested that night for going into BEAST MODE.. errr.... DUI.
Marshawn, my man, you make six figures playing in the NFL.
No need to argue, really.
Shit, I promise to buy you a drink if you just stay down man.
You're too valuable to us fantasy football managers!
3 - meg w.: I've been here to eat a few times, not to get all gin'd up on a schoolnight like I imagine most of their clientele.   Wood, booths, tables, bar seating.  It's kind of set up like a maze, I assume to mess with drunks later in the evening.  I know it would mess with me.

The food is tasty -  I've most recently had the chicken sandwich with chilis and smokin' hot sauce,   this sammy's got a nice kick.  I didn't like the seasoned curly fries, but in all fairness the waiter said they were "just ok" when I asked about them (nice!)  That very same waiter was sooo charming to reno and cinzia too!  He didn't ignore kids, which so many waitstaff do... he talked to mine, acknowledged their existence!!  And when my 4 yr-old is treated like a Whole Person at a restaurant it makes his day.
Jack and the little ones had a huge pile of those sliders.  Yeah, they're cute little burgers (made even cuter by my ketchup smiley-face) but I'll pass.  I found them a bit dry and tasteless.
The bathroom is down a steep staircase into a weird little basement-y type space - I can only imagine what goes on down there when the sun goes down...  The bathroom itself is graffiti-filled, hearkening me back to high school drivel, only to be repelled back into reality when my 5 yr old asked "what does that say, mom?"  Umm, it says "Lightning McQueen is speed, ka-Chow!!"  Nice save.
Jack loves this place, I like it a lot, so when we trek to berkeley, we'll drop by again and again.

Oh, one thing that bugs me are the very able and capable college-aged urchins hanging about outside asking my 5 year old if they can "have her left-overs"  Umm, no, get a job.   I would prefer those only looking for handouts to please not acknowledge my childrens' existence.  But I can't hold this against Blake's, now can I ?!
4 - jason j.: * this applies to pre-football game eats/drinks *
awesome joint to grab a pint (or a few), burger and fries, and sit in the sun, if you're lucky enough to get a table near the window.  as a definite plus, they open the rather large-ish windows, and you can totally bask in the sun.  that fact in itself deserves a 5, but we'll settle at 4 since there's not too many tables that you can score for this mere fact.  with relation to the food, the burgers and beer selection is decent, nothing incredible, but better than most of berkeley, considering burgers aren't something you find near campus.
1 - smartie p.: This place does not deserve any stars... It's horrible... 

First of all, I used to come here back in the day (ie 3-4 yrs ago) when the food used to be good... the environment is completely overtaken by the students... the service is just plain bad.... 

More importantly, the food is POOR QUALITY AND NOT EDIBLE... 

1. The portion sizes have become much smaller while the prices have gone up. We are talking $12.95 for a plate of chicken nachos (previously $8ish on a huge platter)... which taste like they were made with last weeks grilled dry chicken and sour "la victoria" beans.
2. The recipes for the food has changed... For the worse!!! They used to have the best salsa and now they have this goop that they call salsa... I can find better salsa in the supermarket for less than $3 dollars...
They don't have the yummy vegetable soup anymore... My former favorite spicy chicken wings taste like they have been microwaved to death!!!! 
3. Nothing is fresh anymore...  It's sad... It tastes like they buy everything pre-made...

I used to come to Blake's all the time... Now I don't think I will ever go back! I won't recommend it to anyone... Not even my dog!
3 - Eric L.: I will remember Blakes mainly for the great drink deals that my roommate was able to get us because she was friends with the bartender.   Now that bartender has left, and I can't say there has been as much enthusiasm to make the trek to Berkeley for drinks.  

Blakes has a basement area where they have live music, but I have yet to see a show there.  They also have a 2nd story which had a DJ the last time I went.  There is a parking garage close by that doesn't seem to be too pricey, and Blakes is a short walk to Chipotle.
4 - Caroline F.: A group of us went there before a football game. We were all ASU fans and there were about 8 of us.  They treated us very well and went out of their way to find us a table and chairs to accomodate us.  Lots of TVs so good for a sports fan.  The food was pretty typical bar food. Lots to choose from and decent quality.
2 - sibani b.: I went here for lunch with workmates. They were not very accommodating for our group even though we called ahead, but we were finally seated.
I had the chicken sandwich and a side salad. The menu described is as: marinated skinless boneless chicken breast char broiled and served on a toasted sesame seed bun. I give them props for being so specific. I got exactly that and nothing more. It was dry and lacking in flavor.
The server was cool.
The restrooms were worse than in a dive bar. The mirrors were smashed. Anything that was not bolted down was missing, and, in fact, some things that were bolted down were missing. A woman who was going into the restroom after I exited chided me for turning off the lights. She must not be from around here.
3 - Jeremy S.: I am updating my review based on my last two experiences at Blakes.  The service has gone downhill.  One time, the server gave me the wrong beer.  Another time, the server gave me the wrong bill.  Also, they are usually out of at least one of the items on the menu at any given time.  I still like the atmosphere, and I will continue to have lunch on Saturday so I can hear the jazz duet.
1 - miles l.: this place made me want to stab myself.  food was horrible.  booze was good.  but just as good as it............. you know what........ the booze wasn't even as good as it would've been somewhere else.
3 - Tommy P.: Never saw this place before the remodel but I did play a show here once after and had a pretty good time. The setup of the place was kinda cool, the downstairs area got WAY hot though. Hot to the point where I couldn't stay down there for longer than 10 minutes. Luckily I played upstairs or I'd probably be writing a completely different review right now lol. Anyways it seemed like the place had potential and from what I've heard there's an electro night there every Wednesday that's pretty crackin. Might have to go check that out soon....
3 - Meg T.: I have friends in the music business.

And by business I mean they have bands.

And by friends... I mean several guys I know through other people.


They play here sometimes.

And by sometimes, I mean I have gone to see them once, when they were both playing. 

It should be noted that this was prior to dating the singer of one and after becoming good friends with the singer of the other.

What can I say, apparently I have a thing for guys who can sing.

Blake's downstairs has a Uncle Ted and Aunt Kate's Rec room vibe to it. It's dark and basement like. It kinda looks like a good place for a dungeon or some secret millionaires sex party. 

I ordered a beer from the downstairs bar (which every good sex party should have) and some nachos, which weren't very good.

I'd come back. Mostly because as a friend of the business, I'm obligated to show my support. 

It's either that or deal with the whining.
2 - Adam D.: Is it just me or is this place full of douchebags?
4 - Camille W.: Alright. I've never ventured to eat anything other than fries, but their fries may be the best ever.
As for shows; I'm underage, and this is one of the few places I can get into sometimes.
2 - Mikolo R.: So a coworker chose this place for lunch today, so I thought I'd give Blake's another chance. Everyone deserves at LEAST two chances before they get a bad review on Yelp, right?  Anyhoo, today I ordered a bowl of new england clam chowder soup and a small side salad.  My coworker also got soup and salad, and yet it took nearly 10 minutes to get our lunch! Both soup and salad were JUST OKAY.  Alas... my rating 2 stars stands.
2 - Michelle J.: i've been to a couple of shows here, not what i expected, kind of dungen looking boring place.... heard the food is great!

i don't really plan on going back unless one of my friends have a show there or someting, its looks just boring!!
2 - Charles C.: God this place is such a good example of the lame night life CAL students are given.  This and KIPS, guranteed lame time.
1 - Dannah S.: The food was good :) The soup and salad option was a bit sad but everything else--food wise, was fantastic.

I've been to Blake's lots because my best friend attends UCB. I decided that after 20 something visits, I'm done waiting for a good service from the waiters working there. Seriously, I believe in second chances, but after what my friend experienced there, I have had enough!!!

Here's why I gave it a star:
1. Service was crap. Almost every single time I've gone there for a meal, I've had to wait a looooong time for my food. 

2. The staff is a tad rude. Please refrain from rolling your eyes whenever someone asks for a cup of water. It made me super paranoid that you're going to spit in my water, I've actually started carrying water bottles in.

3. Thank you for checking in on us--not! I've had to ask the table next to us for ketchup more than once. 

Here's why I'm never going back: My friend went there a couple days ago for a light snack. Appetizer sampler, shouldn't take too long but apparently there was a huge party upstairs and they got priority, which was understandable. They waited a long time for their meal, and the one time they asked their waitress how much longer their order was going to take, she got really snotty. They finally get their order after waiting an eternity and a half and the waitress completely stopped checking on them. After waiting for longer than twenty minutes for their check to arrive, my friend finally decided to approach her for the check...the BEEZY ROLLED HER EYES at her before retrieving it. Of course, due to poor service my friend decided that it wouldn't be fair to tip the waitress at all since they got next to no service from her.

That's not all:

A day later, she gets a  Myspace message from the waitress that read something like "You are a foolish girl" and "You will soon regret your mistake". Are you FUCKING KIDDING ME??? Did this chick take down her name or something??? My friend paid we a card!!! What else did she take down??? HER CARD NUMBER??? How fucking inappropriate!!! I have absolutely no respect for this establishment and its staff!!! I work in the service industry part time as well, and never in my life have I ever contacted a customer through MYSPACE and leave them ill messages because they didn't tip me!!! That is completely ridiculous!!! 

If you plan on dining there DO NOT PAY WITH YOUR CARD!!! You'll most likely get terrible service, and if you decide not to tip, well good luck!!! They're probably going to take your name down and stalk you on myspace!!!
4 - Jaimie M.: Did an work event here in the upstairs are and the owners and staff were super-friendly, organized, and so pleasant to deal with.  Food was great and very reasonably priced, we pre-ordered big trays of spring rolls, quesadillas, fried chicken nuggest and tofu chunks, crudite, and a cheese plate.  

Our server went out of her way to really help us out and even suggested takeaway containers for attendees to take some of the snacks home - which was a GREAT idea because otherwise a lot of food would have gone to waste.  

I can't vouch for the drinks since I only had soda, but my partner came to meet me after the event and was really pleased with the 2-for-1 Tuesday pints that he had while waiting at the bar.
4 - Tony C.: I would be a liar if I said I've really explored the menu at Blakes, I go mostly at night for the bar atmosphere. 

For people who don't know this place, it's a restaurant during the day and a bar at night, for the most part. They have college nights and live music some nights etc. 

The bar is good, bartenders downstairs tend to pour heavier drinks, but it is pretty cheap considering they could easily jack up the prices since nothing else is really around that area. I'm sure the Cal kids would pay a lot more for a beer, especially if they're using a fake id.
4 - V M.: Blake's is kind of strange.

The food is hit-or-miss (quite often miss), the layout is odd, and the clientele is a strange mixture of drunk undergrads, bemused grad students, ghetto-looking fools, and for some reason way too many Indians.

Having said that, I've always had fun at Blake's. They have shows in the basement (some of which are pretty awesome), the drinks are good, most of the servers/bartenders are cool...and contrary to what you might expect, I've never actually seen anyone get shot or stabbed here.

Also, the last time I was at Blake's was on election night 2008, so I associate it with a warm, fuzzy feeling. Namely tequila.
1 - Elisabeth L.: I can not account for the food, I didn't eat there. 

Wednesday night my friend says "Lets go dancing at Blakes!" I didn't have time to Yelp them and find out what Blakes was like. It wouldn't have help me. 

Apparently it was Electro-Pop night.  $5 cover charge plus parking. I am standing outside in the pouring rain waiting to get in when some younger girl comes up to me and places a glitter sticker on my face. Her persumptious invasion of my personal space was the least annoying aspect of the night. 

Once I get in, they check my ID. And the "bouncer" trys to tell me my ID is fake. After I educate him on the signs of a fake I get in. This is when I turn to my friend and ask why everyone looks like their in highschool. Turns out, they are. It's 18+. 

After being introduced to "Sparkles," "Solar-Flare," and Jamiquis Fuzzy Top Hat I left. I couldn't endure a bunch of 16 year olds with their siblings ID asking my friend and I to buy them drinks. 

I had one drink, which was tolerable. But the bar was soaked with drink spillage. Plastic cups littered the floor because apparently there were no trash cans. And the bathroom might as well have been a pit to piss in.


From other reviews I recomend sticking to day-time french fries if you have an hour to waste.
4 - Nabeeha Simayah A.: to really be honest with you...the food was disgusting. but the service was AWESOME! this guy named Eric,hes a new guy,is so awesome. I go there every wednesday for Electric Pop Rocks and have a wonderful time..THE ONLY THING GOOD THAT I HIIIGHLY RECOMMEND IS THE CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD.
5 - Pegasus D.: Oh man. Hell yes! Me and Isla are vegetarians but some folks came into the store and they were like, 'dude we just had Blake's fish &amp; chips and they were amazing' so we looked at each other and, y'know, we had that look. The Clearly We Are Getting Fish &amp; Chips look? Isla biked off in the rain and came back and we GOBBLED THAT SHIT UP, mmmmm. The fish was amazing, the chips were amazing, and now we are fat and satisfied. Five stars!

I mean, I guess I've never been inside. But still.
3 - Karl H.: No more Architect's Club.  Lame.  For some reason they took it of the menu.  I use to go here on lunch breaks to catch the Euro champions league.  RC cola, fries and the Architects Club made for a tasty lunch, and since they have a couple of flat screens at the bar and upstairs they would usually be nice enough to put soccer on.   Now I just can't be bothered, I guess I will be heading over to Barclay's instead (the only other place in south Berkeley that will show soccer to my knowledge).
4 - Sara F.: I revise my last review.

I had dinner here last week and the food is actually pretty good. The grilled chicken sandwich comes on some bomb herb bread and the fries were awesome. 

But it seems like they close the kitchen earlier and earlier. They give you free chips and salsa but keep it open for late! It'd be nice to grab a bite and beer instend of going to the DC at night.
5 - Tha U.: this place was heaven on earth. the dj was hella funny. i was there that night, "did someone shiet on the dancefloor?", lol the best part is that it was me, yea i left a nice hot one on the floor for people to admire and smell the stink. Dj was cool though, he knew how to keep the atmosphere alive. but yea, not many girls in there, was plenty of sausage and eggs to go around for everyone. but i LUV a good english breakfast as much as the next guy
2 - Christie S.: God Blake's is such a bummer.  Drinks are overpriced, the kitchen closes really early, the bartenders are rude and don't pay attention to customers and the crowd is comprised of a ton of kids who act like they just turned 21.  

The only times I come here are 1) Monday Open Mic Night 2) FemSex bar night.  There are some pretty great musicians who play on Mondays, including the ever fabulous Eni and the dude who plays 'colors' and FemSex bar night rules all because our lovely facilitators tend bar all night!!!  Other than that, don't bother.  If you have to stay near campus, try Raliegh's (now known as Manny's).  Otherwise, head to Oakland.
3 - Julia R.: Came to Blake's for the first time to see a collection of bands that my friend likes play and it was a relatively positive experience. The music venue is down a bit of stairs from the main bar and has a really intimate kind of feel to it because you're basically standing right in front of the band playing. A bit creepy for the band, but awesome for anyone standing close enough. They also place pitchers of water by the bar, so if you get a little thirsty while rocking out, just nip over to the bar and take a breather.

The only problem I had with Blake's was that the sound system was all over the place. After every band finished, the new band would take at least 5-15 minutes to get the microphones working! It was a bit ridiculous after a while.

but besides all that, it was pretty good. I'll definitely be going back.
4 - Marisa R.: Great burgers! Even for all the vegetarians out there. They recently changed chefs and I have to admit I kinda like the old veggie burger better, but this new menu is very good still. I got the Boca burger and sweet potato fries (which are AWESOME by the way!) It was HUGE! I couldn't eat it all but I did appreciate the portion size for the price. Haven't been to the bar but the restaurant is a sure winner!
3 - Michelle S.: So, a buddy of mine had a gig here last weekend. Upon learning this, I thought to myself, "Good thing you're both talented and good-looking because I #@$%ing hate Blake's." After a show there, I will give it a little more credit.

It is actually a kinda fun place to see a show. I'm not sure if it is $10 cover charge fun; but it is still fun. However, if a cover charge is paid to get into a part of the bar, then that minimizes your chance encounters of homeless dudes getting all up in your business and sniffing you as happened in my previous review. However, the bums are in BRUTE FORCE by the door. Prepare yourself.

The bartenders could be a little faster. 

The bathrooms downstairs are scary. One of the toilets has written on it "You have AIDS." I'm not kidding. So, um, on that note, I would like to tell the staff of Blake's the following:

"I know that Sharpies are supposedly "permanent markers." Guess what gets that $#@% off! 70% ethanol (alcohol) gets it off. Trust me. I have to wipe a lot of Sharpie off at work. If you have Bacardi 151 at the bar, it is 151 Proof or 75.5% ethanol. Try it. I don't want to pee in a toilet that tells me that I have AIDS."

On the other hand, for 75 cents, you can also get a pleasure pack in the bathroom: condom, climax control gel, stimulator ring, and something else that I forgot....don't think for one second that I didn't almost buy one. ;)
3 - Honest O.: I have had lots of fun at the little club downstairs, but I will NEVER try to eat the food here again. We went here for a quick dinner and I think 5 out of the 6 of us were not satisfied with our food. Try that little sushi joint up the street if you get hungry on Telegraph. Blakes is for partying, NOT eating.
4 - Mace M.: +good food
+good drinks
+good music
+good atmosphere

-poor service
3 - Emily J.: I am old.  I was once again reminded of this when spending an evening in Berkeley.  When you are not carded in a college town this means that you have passed the point of any question regarding whether or not you are of legal drinking age.  While this was a bit of a depressing realization for me, I did enjoy a lovely night of live music.  

We were finally carded when making our way to the basement but I think that had more to do with checking our names at will call than for determining whether we would be allowed to purchase alcohol.  

The live music was my friend's brother's band and they were awesome and Blakes is a decent place for enjoying a show.  The live music space is cool - dark and cozy.

I definitely agree with Michelle S that the bathrooms are a bit scary.  I understand that they get a lot of use but other venues seem to be able to keep their bathrooms maintained just fine.
2 - Mary C.: Again, I haven't been here in a while. Maybe I'm just getting old, but this is a total college dive. Given it's like 2 blocks from campus. It gets packed! You might have to stand in line, which is a huge pain and once you get in, you can't even move yer hips without touching someone. Annoying...
3 - Sheila D.: We came to Blake's with a couple of ASU college kids, who were visiting to catch the CAL vs. ASU baseball game yesterday.  Wow, CAL kicked some butt ( final score 10 to 6).  Anyhoo, after spending the afternoon basking in the sun and surrepticiously checking out the hot baseball players' physiques (just me but sshhhhh!), we were ready to mangia!  

We thought about heading to Jupiter, but Pete wanted to go someplace where we could watch sports (lots going on yesterday -NFL draft, Giants vs. Dbacks, Sharks vs. Ducks playoffs), so we headed to Telegraph Ave.  The first bar/restaurant we ran across was Blake's... we peeked in, saw tv's and empty seats... done.

The first thing I noticed is that the prices here are ridiculously low (compared to similar items in Danville, CA)... makes sense, it's a college town.  We were getting ready to order off of the main menu when our kind server pointed out that we could get anything off of their happy hour menu for $1.  They offer quite a $1 menu: sliders, fish&chips, calamari, tacos, french fries and mozzarella sticks.  So exciting!

I felt the need to be "somewhat healthy" and stuck with the cobb salad (yah, I know, that isn't the healthiest choice but work with me, m'kay?).  However, one of our youngsters who is lucky enough to still possess a speedy metabolism, ordered 10 (yes TEN) sliders!  He ended up taking 4 of them to-go, but I felt like I was getting ready to watch Joey Chestnut compete in the hot-dog eating contest.

Pete and I ordered 2 alcoholic beverages apiece and our under-age guests ordered soft drinks.  Our bill was about $70 for four of us!  

My salad was okay....  not great, but decent for the price.  No complaints from the boys.

Service was definitely spotty.... our server, although quite friendly and sweet, seemed very busy and would disappear for long periods of time.  In fact, I had ordered a glass of Chardonnay and noticed it sitting up at the bar for about 10 minutes before I made Pete go grab it for me (!)

I doubt I will ever come back here, unless the circumstances are right, but I can definitely see why Blake's would be a popular joint for the money-conscious student.  In fact, as we enjoyed our meal, we noticed more and more students pouring in to take advantage of the $1 special.... after all, where else besides Taco Bell can you get food at this price?
5 - Laura C.: If you haven't been to Blakes for food for awhile, go back. They have revamped the menu to make it much for manageable to be able to make some decent food decisions. Their menu used to be just so freakin' big, it was impossible for me to choose. It was unwieldy, I tell ya.

I had an incredible salad and my bf had a burger. Where else can you get a Niman Ranch burger for under $7? You're not gonna get that at Barney's....

Our service was spot-on and attentive. 

It looks like they've done some interior upgrades to  the main floor. Nice touches throughout. I'll be back.
3 - Jennifer S.: This place gets busy on Thursday nights.  Oftentimes, there is even a line to get in.  For what?  It's not that great.  The food here is actually pretty decent: I like the pizza and fries, so it's worth coming here for a sporting event or when Cal is kicking butt during football season.
2 - sandy t.: I met up with a out-of-town friend because she wanted to buy incense from some street vendor on Telegraph.  There aren't too many eating options in general on Telegraph if you're trying to avoid the cheap college food kind...

So we settled on Blakes because it looked decent...not too grimy looking and the food seemed ok.  A step above fast food but no where near decent restaurant food.  Its more like fancy bar food.

My side salad was soggy and I was a little hesitant to finish it...because I could foresee myself with a upset tummy...the ranch dressing looked a little suspicious.  And the restrooms downstairs is just disgusting.  Lots of graffitti and one of the toilets was broken.  Broken, used toilet =gag reflex.
5 - Christopher L.: From the street stained sidewalk that leads you to the dingy pearly gates of Berkeleys heaven. 
To the midnight marauders that stand in it's presence....there's a place where the young man who runs away from the fields of Iowa comes to go. There's a sound that brings the rock sister from the taverns of the Midwest. 

There is a place that is generational and common to you and I. A place where the first beer will always be the last one remembered.

Alternative guitar players and grunge fired super stars. University students gone rogue..if only for the night. 

Beautiful women more animated then digital google lust. 
More conversation then a Yelp thread-a-thon.

The reverb is bringing my liquid glass to the edge of the bar, and only the one who's staring at me notice's it. 

Best friends met for the first time that night. Relationships put on hold, at least till the music stops after last call. 

She wore a red dress with black boots, he wore a pair of jeans fresh from the rack that afternoon.

The magnetism brought their eyes upon one another....the looking orgy begins. She wonders if he'll ever come to her...he wonders if she'd ever wait for him, wait for the courage to say "hello" to set in. All the while the musicians with no name plays a song that will one day be famous, one day be remembered.

Every year the lively seek refuge from the dull drums of despair, every season or two, you can find em in a place....a small wonder called Blakes.
4 - Rae'esah N.: I had a blast dining here!

We turned our girls loose in Wet Seal (across the street) and stepped into Blakes for something to drink and some people watching.

After a round I called the our girls who informed me "they were going to be a while" we decided to have another drink and some food.

We both ordered burgers - mine was better b'cuz I had them hold the special sauce  - really fresh bread, tasty burger and big.  

David and I shared our fries  - he had the garlic and I, the cajun - both were yummy!

Probably far better than the food are the people of Berkeley. 

 In the hour we were there we experienced:

firetrucks pull up right outside the window (which caused me to race over to Wet Seal and check on my girls) turns out a vendor was getting mouthy with another vendor and somehow threats were made resulting in a call to 911 police and fire

same mouthy blonde vendor getting into shouting match with a lady in her car driving down the street

a jewelry vendor came in ordered a "brooklyn" which he explained is my long island only hold the ice  - (that would make it room temp yuck) - but  on the upside he said if I came over and purchased any of his wares he'd throw in a dime bag of smoke.  I'm not kidding.

Man & wife get into arguing match over the amount of tip to leave the bartender  - wife storms out.

People watching here is the absolute best!  For 40.00 we had lunch and quite a show!

Berkeley has not changed one bit since I used to stomp here as a teenager 25 years ago.  *choke*

Blake's bathroom is located downstairs.  It's deserted and spooky down there as you wind your way through the sound equipment and dust.

I did find a Ms. Pac Man game to play while I waited for my girls to "go"!
3 - Michael P.: I've been here a few times for dining: a couple times not by my own will because of a group event held here, the other times because I wanted to let loose and eat some unhealthy bar food! (Ergo, no comments from me on how the salads are here)

Sampler Plate - well-portioned for 3 people as they claim in the menu.  Good variety of appetizers to whet your appetite for your coming meal, or simply have it as a light snack and chat with your buddies with some drinks in hand.

Fries/Garlic Fries/Seasoned Fries/Onion Rings - pretty standard but a little greasy in my opinion.  When eaten with ranch, both don't sit too well in your stomach...

Blakes Burger - simple, but solid burger.  Get this if you're an indecisive eater and don't want to look at the menu

Chicken Sandwich - actually a healthy option but you run a high risk of getting a dry piece of chicken; I personally like my chicken very juicy so I typically don't like to order the chicken.

As for drinks, watch for their weekly specials: Margharita Monday, Taco Tues, Wing Wed, Thirsty thurs, Fish n Chip Fri, etc.
3 - Mikey U.: [Bar/Restaurant review]

I probably hadn't been to Blake's in *cough* years; I had fond (but maybe misplaced!) memories of the place being a lil bit more character'd and bric-a brac... you know, like a *proper* college bar.

We stopped in here for a beer or two to primer ourselves for the afternoon in Berkeley before the India.Arie concert.

The place looks a little more upscale than I recall (or that could have just been the effect of daylight... and sobriety).  At the same time, it seems the establishment has lost some of its collegiate charms; most of the walls are devoid of anything eye-fetching, just plain neutral walls from floor to high ceiling.  The bar area looked particularly barren, feeling somewhat like an unfinished redecorating project. Still, for a sidewalk view of Berkeley street-life and eccentricity, its a prime locale.

The menu has changed a little bit from what I remember, still offering stepped-up versions of bar food and casual eats, burgers and the like being the staple of the kitchens offerings.  And, thankfully, there are more than a handful of vegetarian or pescatarian options.

It might not be among my first dozen choices of places to eat, but for a drink on busy Telegraph, sho'nuff.
__________________________________________
I have fuzzy memories of sweaty, rowdy concerts here,
but for the life of me, I can't remember who I saw.
3 - Andrew Y.: Sat at the bar on a Monday night with my buddy. We had 5 pints each of the sierra nevada summer ale. All was good at $4 a pint. We also saw the Giants also come back from 8-0. Anyway, back to the bar, there is a kitchen that we didn't order from. Not sure what the food is like. Downstairs was an open mic night. There is a stage where you can display your talents. i guess there's a show each night. And they're open til 2AM I think.
5 - desiree c.: I'm writing this review somewhat hesitantly. Because every dive I love gets taken over. So maybe you'll keep it a yelp-er secret. 

I have to say I only ate there once it was your usual burger and fries kind of fair. What I'm writing about is their Thursday nights. First its free for 21 and up and the drinks oh man. They are pretty reasonable, and strong to boot. The bartenders are really fast and friendly. The people here are always friendly and great conversationalists. Ive been here more then I'm willing to admit, because I love it and you can dance. 

I will admit some of their rotating dj's are better then others, but there is no cover so I'm not whining. Plus enough red-bull vodkas and ill dance to anything.
4 - Ben G.: This review is more about the food than the bar.
Blake's is part of my list of places to get cheap food near campus.

Between 3 and 6 pm, you can buy a whole bunch of different things for $1 each, like tacos or tiny burgers called sliders. This means that you can walk in and get 7 beef tacos for $7, during the afternoon. That is a lot of tacos for cheap. 3 tacos are a sufficient meal for me.

If you want a more substantial meal, they have good burgers, and will cook it to order. And they have a full bar, which means you can get burgers AND whiskey, together.

Also, the waitstaff is really friendly.
3 - Mina S.: Came for a quick snack of Sweet Potato Fries and Hoegaarden beer, after an APIA Summit Workshop on campus. The Chipotle sauce gives just enough edge that makes you want to smack your lips twice. The bathroom's a bit sketch, but hey- at least the cocktail I ordered the night prior wasn't watered down. Thumbs up, Blakes.
2 - John H.: I haven't had too many great experiences here, but when there isn't anything else to do in the telegraph area of Berkeley, this is always an option, as opposed to Kips.  I feel like the design is a bit weird and the bar service isn't that great.  There is a small dance floor upstairs, but I am not too keen to the music there, but it offers "something to do."  Also it always seems like a rave up there and like the people are on ecstasy.  It gets really hot and sweaty as well.  Downstairs offers live bands, or college nights, but that requires paid admission and/or a UC Berkeley ID.  I wouldn't make plans to go here, but it's an option/ plan B.
2 - Jennifer W.: 2 pitchers: humboldt hemp ale + new belgium fat tire
burgers all around

food: not bad
facility: bad
service: okay

returning: sure, why not, but there is a reason why I haven't been to this place even though I pass by it almost every day.

+good bartenders, I hear
2 - Jen L.: Back in the old days of freshman year, my friends and I used to come to Blake's on Thursdays nights to dance in a dark, crowded, humid basement.  Oh, how young and stupid we were.  There were so many creepers up in this biz that we'd have to form a tight circle and move around constantly to avoid the groping hands of 30-year-olds.  Nastay.  Somehow, we still managed to have fun so I'll give it 2 stars.

After freshman year, I tried to avoid this place like the plague.  Even after the renovation, I knew they weren't fooling anyone.

I did come back recently because a friend had wanted to grab some drinks here before going away to law school.  We walked in, took a quick look around, and saw that pretty much everyone else there looked like an alcoholic or somebody well on their way to becoming one.  2 years ago, we might have fit right in.

We ordered ourselves a shot of liquid cocaine from our effeminate bartender, downed it and walked out.  Never to return again...
1 - Noli V.: I've been here numerous times before, but during those times, I actually got my food. I had been waiting for around a half hour until I asked a waiter when our food would be served.  He couldn't give us an answer, but did say we would be "bumped up" (whatever that means).  What was most annoying was how they seemed to be avoiding us (along with everyone around us who had already ordered) rather than assuring us that our orders were on their way.

We left after about 40 minutes of waiting and went to Manny's Tap Room (formerly Raleigh's) and were served 10 minutes after we ordered.  Awesome.
4 - James L.: So my review will consist of 2 parts. Part 1 will review restaurant aspect of this establishment. Part  2 will review the bar aspect of this establishment.

Part 1 - The Restaurant: I remember coming here for the lunch/dinner special as an undergraduate. My friends and I used to get the friend chicken for like $5 dollars or something. This was in spring of 2006 so I don't know if they do it anymore. Damn, 2006 was so long ago. I am getting old.

I was just here on Saturday night (9/5/09) getting hot wings and beer with my friends during the Cal Maryland game. The restaurant was packed yet we got really great service. Our waitress was spectacular. But when I got home, I got an upset stomach. I don't know if it was from the wings, the pitcher of beer I chug, the crepe from that crepe place on telegraph, or the combination of the three. I knew I was going to pay for it.

Part 2 The Bar: It's a mix of UC Berkeley students and the east bay crowd. Bartenders are quite quick at getting out your drinks. The people you meet here can be so-so. I don't know what it is but it seems the most cliquish and shyest Berkeley students congregate here. If you want to meet a co-ed for the night here, try somewhere else. Most you aren't interested in making new friends. You'll find the friendlier co-eds at Co-op parties. 

But the east bay crowd for some reason like to make conversation. This might be due to the fact they drink a lot more than the students. I guess having no schoolwork to do does make a difference.
4 - Danielle K.: I recently came here before going to the Cal Bears game...

$7 pitchers of PBR and $6 basket of fried chicken and fries was the perfect way to start off the night. They were also serving a $12 buffet that looked pretty good too. It was a little crowded and we couldn't get a table upstairs, so we ventured down stairs. 

I can't really say too much about the place after that since the PBR was flowing pretty good at this time. I do remember friendly service and a great atmosphere to get pumped up before the game. 

GO BEARS!
2 - Juliana C.: Last weekend, a very irritable bartender refused to serve us because she misinterpreted our request. WTH, how does it help you if we're taking up 1/4 of your bar space and you're not making any $$ off of us? 

Another incident a few months back involved a bartender and an authentic California ID she thought was fake and a Colorado one she believed was real. Also a WTF situation. 

The bar aside, food is a bit pricey and just alright.
4 - Michelle D.: $12 buffet on game days. A lotttta food, yum! Service is friendly but inattentive, so -1 star. I really liked the atmosphere because everyone was decked out in their Cal gear, which was totally appropriate 'cause WOOOHOO 59-7! Cal smashed Washington =)!
2 - Michael F.: Overpriced mediocre food. They seem desperate lately with all these cheap specials. Lower prices, yes, but still mediocre. The sandwiches were very boring, and the salads had very, very salty dressing.
3 - Champ M.: orely wtfffffffff
3 - Meera G.: Good for drinks, just remodeled and it looks a little cooler. I was surprised that their food was decent.

I like that they are very supportive of campus and student organizations. Go bears!
4 - Alured P.: Stopped in here in on a far too warm afternoon for a beer during an out of town Cal game.  It wasn't crowded, had several TVs showing the game, and there was quick service.  Lots of beer options and if I had been hungry [it was far too warm out which killed my hunger] the food look decent.  The only real problem was the fact that it was $6 for a pint of Hogarrden.  Still, a decent place to get a beer and I wouldn't have minded watching the full game there if I had any interest in watching the full Cal game.
4 - Naomi K.: Like the revamp. Haven't been here since... oh college days. Love the telegraph vibe it's in its own time zone. Fun place to meet the regulars, the college kids, the philosophers and the foreign exchange. Sports bar-ish but you don't have to worry when Cal sucks cause people aren't that into it. Good if Jupiter isn't happening or Albatross is too far away. Parking was surprisingly not bad for a Friday night. Enter the left door for the pub and right door for the downstairs dance floor (not sure if the vibes are worth the cover- better to get live music down the street.) Still it's a classic and an old time stomping ground staple. Fun stuff. Gotta love Berkeley.
3 - Dorothy M.: I've been there a few times on Wednesday evenings. I love the EPR parties but the venue is a little random. 3 stories. Bar/restaurant the level u walk into. Dungeon basement. The upstairs sometimes feel like it'll drop to the first floor when you dance.
4 - Talia L.: The owner contacted me directly, asking for more information and suggestions so they can improve their service. I've only been contacted by a business once before and so it really says something about their character and intentions that they're actually taking the time to read our reviews carefully and learn from them. I still think their service is too slow but the food really is excellent and all of the waiters, save for one, are friendly and polite. I would recommend Blake's to anyone as long as they're not in a hurry. Come here to relax with your friends, eat some good food and have some well-priced drinks, but definitely don't come in between classes because if you're like me, you'll get way too stressed out checking your watch/cell phone over and over again.
1 - Julio N.: My only visit to Blake's was three years to see DOA. For those that don't know, DOA is an old school punk band. People DANCE at punk shows, especially for bands as good as this. Blake's apparently had some kind of anti-moshing policy and some of their overzealous bouncers were hellbent on stopping any and all slam-dancing from happening. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. Needless to say this only lead to an evening full of fights with security and people being thrown out. I've never been back to the place since then.

If you want the crowd to just stand there and bump their heads than stick to hip hop shows or whatever they ordinarily book, but if you book notorious punk and metal bands people are going to move around a little. If you try and stop them you're a freaking idiot. Seriously, who the hell does that??
4 - Lisa B.: My friends and I had a "Berkeley Assault" last night. We stopped here for dinner. Although the place is/looks a bit run down, it seemed that was the norm in Berkeley. That doesn't bother me really though, as long as it's clean and good.

I had a mushroom cheeseburger and sweet potato fries. The cheeseburger was so good!! The only complaint I would have is that they put no lettuce or tomato on it or on the side. I could have asked, but it was good without it! The fries were tasty as well, a little cold, though, but I still ate them all. My friends picked at them too and loved them. My friend had a soup and salad and my other friend a chicken sandwich and salad. They both raved as to how good the salad was. I tried the soup (Wild mushroom) and it was very good. 

Our server was very friendly as well and helped us find other places in the area to check out. We didn't stay for any of the music, but there was stuff going on downstairs.

I will definitely go back next time I'm in the area!
4 - EJ S.: Four stars for the night scene. Can't go wrong with $2 beers, fuck it?
2 - Jon F.: This place was really cool when the KGB used to play here in the 90s.
2 - Nancy T.: GROSS! CREEPER ALERTS...
So many old, middle-aged men all up on the dance floor. Talk about awkward for any young girls there just to have fun.

I'd recommend not going unless you know the dj would be good, like it was when I went. David Shim and Danny Ho sometimes dj at Blakes and I would defff go there cause their mixes are the shit!
3 - Jacob J.: If you were smart enough to check out their website or peep details via Yelp, you would know about their bangin' happy hour special. Let's recap shall we, $3 pints and $1 appetizers! Am I fucking kidding, hell to the motherfucking no. Your nodding your head saying, well the portion has got to be tiny right? Yes, of course it's a smaller portion but enough to fill you up if you order the right appetizers. Best ones are the tacos, sliders (comes with cheese), pizza fingers, mozzarella sticks and of course the sweet potato fries. The topper is that your current charge for all that is $5 and it's easy to fill up for less then that also. Again, yet another bar with a decent beer selection, decent hospitable staff and an environment which seems to only attract sausages of many kinds and ages. Downstairs is probably where they allow DJ's and bands(?) to play. It's a little dark, foul air not being recycled and they have a moving stair elevator for the handicapped. Now how bad ass is that? I've been to hundreds of bars and can say that it's as often as seeing a shooting star that I've seen a device to help handicapped people with stairs.  Their website doesn't do a good job to offer you a good look at Blakes.  Think male oriented place, red neon on exposed brick, girders as columns and high ceilings.  That works.
3 - Ronny C.: I have never eaten here, in fact I did not even know they served beer. Drinks here are well priced, bartenders are nice people.. place is pretty run down, bathrooms are pretty dirty, but hey its still a pretty fun place, and I go here regularly to get trashed off jaeger bombs. Note: if you order 18 jaeger bombs the bartenders will cut you off
3 - Stephanie W.: This was our first stop for the evening on the boy's birthday during his visit to Berkeley. I'm not pretending Blakes is good, neither of us were. But he used to work there and wanted to catch up with a few people on our evening out.

I remember going to Blakes during my freshman year of college for one of their club college nights in the basement. I remember it being full of creepy men, dark lights and bad music in a very poorly ventilated room. I remember the food looking very unappetizing and I remember not feeling any compulsion to go back. 

Upon returning to Blakes, I discovered that things have indeed changed. Though I did not try the food, it actually looks appetizing now. The drinks are strong and we started the evening with a very nice lemon drop. There is space but the issue with Blakes is that it doesn't quite know what kind of bar it wants to be. It has strong drinks at the bar, counter service food and a rave in the basement? Overall, pick a theme and stick with it.

But until then, it's still not bad for an inexpensive Seabreeze or nice lemon drop.
5 - Lois R.: I have been coming here for a long while and every time I come here I am not disappointed. Great drinks, happy hour, their hemp-ale is awesome & the vibe is mainly chill. If you want to bring your laptop, why not-- they give out free wifi!
3 - Allen Y.: They have pretty good brew and burgers here.  Nice workers and atmosphere. Its fun just being on telegraph. They have fun venues sometimes downstairs.
5 - Jessica L.: I came to Blakes to see the Bay Area group ASPECT. ASPECT was fantastic!!! The rest of the show was so so, but I would come anywhere that Aspect plays! The show was great, but what surprised me was how good the food was also. I got there a little early and decided to grab some food upstairs first. It was fresh and good, and surprisingly well priced. Bring back Aspect!!! I would love to see them again at a great place like Blakes.
3 - Ashley G.: I went here for lunch with my parents.  The cool thing was that they let us sample the beers on tap before we tried them.  Other than that it sucked.  The food was just OK.  The service was pretty much terrible.  The guy kept forgetting everything and would never come to our table, we had to always flag him down.  I am giving it two stars only because I like the location.  Other than that one star.

....updated review-
I will give them one more star.  I came here with a big group of friends for a bday party and it was cool that they had a loft reserved for us but the bartender never actually came upstairs so we ended up downstairs by the bar anyways....so that was useless :o)
Anyhow the bartender seemed cool and the drinks were decent priced.  I had a good time and there was no cover charge.  Plus, I had the mozerella sticks and they were actually pretty tasty (better than my last experience).  So Blakes, your alright.
4 - Fatty A.: Burgers here are pretty good for $10.  I've been to the club once 4 years ago when I was 16.  Its ghetto.  Never went back for the club.  If you use the bathroom when you eat here for lunch or dinner use it after you eat your food.  Its nasty as hell in the basement.
2 - Nuri K.: Is it really right for me to act all above those who still frequent the tired Blakes for their midnight trolling and booty-bumping? I will try not to judge, but when there is a glaring lack of the $1 PBR Wednesdays for which I so often frequented Blake's in the yesteryears, I must borrow the words of Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon when I say, "I'm too old for this shit."

I do actually like Blake's for their superb daily $1 menu choices, but the bar offers bleak pours (not in terms of portion but more of choices) at mediocre prices and the dance floor has suffered an invasion of the 18-year-olds. At 22, maybe a bit too soon, I'm going to have to throw in the towel. I shall perhaps see you for happy hour specials, Blake, but not after sundown, my old flame.
2 - Tammy C.: Maybe it was because I didn't get a burger that I didn't really enjoy my experience here. I was here with a group and it was a Wednesday night so I don't think it was exactly busy.. but the service was terrible. I don't know why but the guy made me feel sort of uncomfortable and they weren't exactly helpful. Just paying for the meal from (after giving the money to getting the receipt) took almost 10 minutes.

But getting back to the point of food--I got the chicken tenders and fries. Let me tell you, they do the fries right. They're crispy and potatoe-y, but the chicken tenders was weak and they only gave 3 pieces. I mean, the fries were delicious, but at the end of the meal, I didn't even go through half the fries they gave me and was just wanting more chicken. Same story with the fish and chips.
2 - Avi W.: Only been there for lunch.  Ate once, second time left after ordering drinks and not getting my drink, or the chance to order food after 25 minutes.  

Food isn't bad at all, but service is really really slow.  Nice, but slow. 

Its unfortunate because I just can't go there for lunch since I don't have a 2 hour break.
2 - Rohan D.: Wow, this place is significantly awful. 

Service: The waitress was good. She gave us food and gave us water when we could flag her down. She got everyone's orders well and the only reason I'm even giving this place 2 stars. She did seat us as a table that she didn't clean yet. She cleaned it while we were sitting there, which is kinda gross. I would have preferred to stand until she had cleaned the table off. 

Food: Wow, what a freaking rip off. I ordered the Fish and Chips for $9. I got 4 tiny pieces of fish. TINY and tasteless. Whatever they used for a batter was void of any real flavor. The Mozzarella sticks I also ordered tasted like they came from those TGIF Friday Frozen packs. 
Oh did I mention that my friend ordered a $1 appetizer and basically got 1/4 my meal? Yeah, I'm pretty sure I could order $4 appetizers and get the same amount of fish and fries as I did for my $9 meal. 

The music downstairs is loud and annoying when I wanted to talk to friends so I couldn't hear anything. I wish they would surround it with soundproofing for those who weren't interested in the show. We had to shout multiple times just to hear each other. There was also some random pounding that I'm not sure what the hell that was, but I figured it was part of the performance downstairs. 

Overall, I don't like Blakes and I'm not going there again. The only thing decent is location close to campus.
1 - k c.: perennially  bad music, lousy food, and douche-bags abound.  i go about once a year, apparently to remind myslef why i never go here.
4 - Josh R.: Good venue for shows. Beers were reasonable prices for a venue, not cheap, but not excessive.
3 - Mary Beth B.: Just stopped in for a quick dinner. I had the chicken tacos which were good, great pico. Hubby had a salad and the veggie chili. The chili was really good, probably our favorite of all that we ate. Looks like a great place to stop in for lunch or dinner.  

The menu was big- the burgers sounded great and there were lots of different options for toppings. The sweet potato fries looked really good too...maybe next time!
3 - Jenny J.: So, I have gone back a few times since the first bad experience. . .It has gotten a lot better and I still think the food is good, but I still have to say I have had the same aforementioned waiter again and he wasn't much better. However, last time he did discount my order since he forgot to put it in and I waited awhile. After having a few more items from the menu, I have to say the turkey burger with the guacamole additional thing is probably my favorite thing I've had there.  So, yeah, it's not nearly as bad as my first experience.
3 - David L.: Taste: 3
Value: 4
Service: 4

I came here when they had their lunch specials, basically premade sandwiches in front of the register. They were ridiculously cheap (less than $4 iirc), so I thought I'd at least try them out. The sandwich itself was okay, but really nothing special - just your typical bread, lettuce, tomato, and meat.
1 - Sean M.: Total shit-hole.  It smelled like a corpse, the karaoke was worse than walking through hell.  The bartender couldn't open a bottle of Bombay Sapphire and simply said "we're out of Sapphire."  He even left the new, unopened bottle on top of the bar.  I'm sure if you love popped collars, orange women, shitty music and mundane drinks you would fit right in.  I'd rather drink with the bums in the street than ever return to this bar.
1 - Anderson P.: Well first things first. I actually used to enjoy dining at Blakes and as a local artist in the Bay Area have also performed there a few times as well. But after 2 separate incidents I'll never go there in any capacity again. The 1st FAIL: I went for the wi-fi and to have a drink and a bite to eat. So I order from the bar and have a seat, set up the ole Macbook and chill for a bit. I catch the waiter (A hispanic guy with a ponytail) and order fries and sliders. To make a long story short I ask for my check he takes my card and after about 15 minutes I had to tell him I was in a hurry and needed my card back. He says "Oh I'm glad you reminded me" Really? So I inform him that I also got a Long Island from the bar. He huffs and puffs and says "I wish you would've told me that before" Well excuse me for trying to be honest. I pay and leave without tipping. For that service? I think not!  So I look at my reciept and it's $25 bucks WTF! 1 Long Island at $7.50 3 Happy Hour Slider at $1.00 a piece and a side of fries at I believe 2.75 so after taxes my bill shoudve been about $14 and some change. I go back in to tell him and he tells me "He'll void it but it won't go back on my card for a couple days" And as I'm leaving he says "Thanks for tip" Are you kidding me? So I say "Thanks for overcharging me Asshole" and leave. 2nd Fail: I go in to give 'em another chance cause it's nice to have a place with a full bar and wi-fi. So I go in and walk to the bar and the bartender (Some white guy in a newsboy cap) is having a convo with one of the patrons. So I'm standing there, and standing there, and standing there. Never once did he acknowledge me. So I walk out. Not even at that point did he say can I help you? He just continued his yapping. So SCREW BLAKES ON TELEGRAPH! And I'll be telling my fellow friends as well as artist to do the same. Oh and FYI that extra charge never came off which caused me to overdraft so I had to fight with Wells Fargo to reverse it. Thanks alot!
2 - vishal k.: My drinks are always warm. The food isn't that great. Convenient location however.
3 - Jen H.: So after their remodel, you would think it is beautiful inside, but the seatings in the back are not all that great, downstairs is STILL the same, and the bathrooms are disgusting!

I came here for my friend's birthday, and the service was decent. We got our food and drinks timely, and other than that, there's not much to talk about.

If I had different places to pick from, this would probably be on the bottom of my list. However, I heard their happy hours are worthwhile ot attend.
4 - Kathy Q.: So I really wish I had known about their happy hour; IT MADE ME SOOOOOOOOOO happy after a disappointing final.

I've perused the menu a good amount of times now, and it's sad that I totally missed reading HAPPY HOUR 3-7PM in the box in the corner of the menu.

From 3-7pm, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is $3/pint, $8/pitcher, Pabst Blue Ribbon is $2/pint, $6/pitcher, margaritas and lemon drops are $5, and a Jack and Coke is $4.

And only with the purchase of an alcoholic beverage can you order from their happy hour menu:
$1 chicken adobo tostada, $1 chicken or steak taco, $1 fries or rings, $2 focaccia pizza fingers, $2 mozzarella sticks, and $2 sliders.

AMAZINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! My dinner was $5, $6 including tip!

Seriously, happy hour just upped Blakes one star for cheap good food. x]
3 - Alicia W.: I love the crispy chicken burger with the hot damn style and bleu cheese, it is really good, and their sweet potatoe fries are addicting. They also have a really good chinese chicken salad. 

But everything else, like the Blakes Burger and the mozzarella sticks were just ok. And the service is not that great.... even when it is not busy, you do not get much attention from them and they look unhappy to be there....

but I will go back just for my crispy chicken burger, hot damn style. yum yum yum
2 - Sandy K.: good place for shows, but only if you're 14-17 years old. otherwise you'll be standing in the back being the only one with a beer.

dont know about the restaurant blakes, just the show venue blakes. kind of tweeny. and too loud for what it is.
3 - Michelle G.: The bathrooms are still gross, but the place is fun if you're up for it.  Crowded and loud, but fun with friends or to make friends.  Food is just okay, but they have margaritas by the pitcher!
4 - Tushar K.: Blakes is 4 stars because it's cheap. It makes going out for a college student on a budget much easier to do. The food is average and the drinks aren't spectacular but it attracts a diverse crowd and is always fun.
1 - Jennifer W.: I should have known better...$1 happy hour really is too good to be true. The portions are TINY ($1 taco = 1 taco, $2 slider = 1 tiny slider, etc.) and everything was generic tasting. nothing special - i probably could have mirowaved some frozen sliders to get the same quality of food. to even feel full you will have to order enough items that make it more expensive than an avg meal at blake's.

when things seem too good to be true, they are. lesson learned!
3 - Sarah W.: 2.5-3 stars. This was my first visit in all my years at Berkeley. I didn't go because NOTHING about Blake's stands out as welcoming or enticing, not even the 15% for Cal students discount or $5 Thursdays in the underground part. However, for an after work happy hour organized by the late yelper John B., I was convinced to go.

Great steals for meals? Maybe. The guys in the group thought so since they ordered multiple happy hour specials. It's only $1 for a chicken taco or tostada, fries, or onion rings. $2 for a slider or fish and chips, or mozzerella sticks. I myself tried the fries, slider, and mozzerella sticks. Things I shared with my beau.

Mozzerella sticks: They give you two, which are nicely fried, but unfortunately paired with watered down marinara dip.
Slider: Gross, salty, rubbery. Enough said.
Fries: They give you like 20 or fewer fries. A good deal. Fries are fried in a crumbly batter, giving each fry some rough texture. I liked.
In terms of beer: I disliked the beer....$6 pitcher for PBR...$8 pitcher for Sierra Nevada. Great deals, but not worth consuming.

+ Their name is misleading since they're located b/t Durant/Channing and Telegraph NOT the street Blake. Tis hilarious.
+ Service was great. They DO check your IDs here.
+ Crowd was diverse and different than Beckett's and other campus bars.
+ They have 3 screens so you can watch yo' sports here while getting a nice drink or meal. There were a group of husky men who came the same time as us and got a bunch of pitchers of beer and hamburgers. It was cool.

I'm sure I'll return for another after work happy hour. It was nice with the company.
3 - Andrew M.: Not special, not bad, just meh. Go somewhere else. If you want to go to a pub go to another pub. Although it's true that Blake's serves its purpose as a place that is comfortable for those who feel uncomfortable at posher spots whether it be Beckett's or Triple Rock.
4 - Amanda K.: I haven't been to Blake's in a long time and went last night for a friend's birthday.  I now remember why I liked it so much.  The people working there were very friendly and helpful - especially for our large group.  Prices are very reasonable and we even ordered some food.  The chicken tenders and mozzarella sticks were tasty and I especially like the cajun dip sauce.  They normally have live bands and every time I've listened to one there they have been really good.  Last night they also had a dj spinning upstairs and so it was the best of both worlds.  The only thing I would say is that I miss the pool table that used to be upstairs and the bathrooms could really use some work.  They are just so dirty.
2 - Mace E.: This is a review for the club/bar, not the food.

Upstairs gets 3, downstairs gets 1 star.

Downstairs is dark, packed, sweaty and grimy. It's a mix of creepy guys and freshmen who haven't realized that getting felt up is not the best way to meet guys. The downstairs bartenders were more condescending than friendly and my drink tasted like water.

Upstairs is a fairly standard bar, nothing special. The bartenders there are more friendly and attentive, and they didn't screw up my drink. But overall, just skip this joint and either check out Mannys, Thalasa or Kips.
3 - Angie R.: Came here last Friday to catch a bite before the Pavement concert at the Greek. Left with a belly full of healthy pub grub, and a conviction that the floor staff are required to test positive for THC before they're hired on.

Our server was a really friendly guy, but puzzled by questions like "is the black bean burger house made or frozen?" He spilled beer on my leg, took a good long look at it, and walked away without acknowledging that it had happened. I mean, I know it's a bar and not the Four Seasons, but at least give a sister an extra napkin! After dinner, another server chased me down Telegraph for half a block thinking I forgot to leave my credit card slip on the table, when he actually had the slip in his hand. Doh! 

If you don't mind a little stoner with your beer and your tofu burger, Blake's is a great place to fuel up. They have a good mix of healthy food (veggie burgers, salads, soups) and more standard bar options (nachos, wings, mozzarella sticks). Their fries totally rock and they have a happy hour special where you get little bowls of fried finger food for a dollar a pop. Lots of good beers on tap, too.
3 - Sean M.: This is purely for the happy hour bar/food service, which apparently differs significantly from the dungeon grope fest that people are describing. 

The mixed drinks are appropriately strong, and around $4 for wells and $5 for called drinks. Some drafts are as cheap as $2 during happy hour (which is 8pm-10pm at Blake's, oddly late). The bartender was pleasant, talkative and pretty cute- always a plus. The Cajun fries were perfectly seasoned and thinly sliced; finally a french fry that doesn't border on a baked potato. Come here for a quick happy hour bite and several drinks, the music venues seem to be filled with dubstep lovers (barf).
2 - Jenny M.: I recommend their pulled pork sandwich which is affordable and tasty. The bored staff are only ever friendly enough.
2 - Amanda N.: I've been to Blake's for different occasions...club event, happy hour/dinner, and late night drinks.  I'd rate it average to below average for all of the above.

One plus for Blake's is it's 18+ to get inside during dinner time / happy hour, so it's good when you are on the cusp of turning 21.  The club events are your basic student-club events...they are held on the upper floor & there is music playing & whatever.  For happy hour/dinner, the food & drinks are pretty mediocre & not particularly cheap.  I drank at the bar one night when Blake's was the only place open at 1am during finals week...the mixed drinks were really bad & way too strong.  I'd just stick to ordering beer.  Also, for some reason, I find a lot of homeless people wander in and do weird things like yell or sit at your table...but the staff is nice & helpful (i.e. will escort the homeless person away from your table...)

Overall, I probably wouldn't go to Blake's unless someone else really wanted to go.  Not horrible, but not good.
2 - F. F.: Not really a fan of this place, especially at night when it becomes an 18-year-old hangout place and creepy guys hanging around outside the building. They have a great Taco Tuesday special with their margs and other drinks but other than that, this would not be my scene to go to at night.
4 - Dmitriy S.: 21st Birthday Alcohol Run - Bar #3:

The night is getting pretty late. The street lights are starting to become a slight blur. I start hugging people I randomly meet on the street that I haven't seen in ages. However, Blake's is still open, and I can't pass that up.

I've been to Blake's before, but only for club parties. Tonight was gonna be different. Blake's was packed with people, which is also a good sign. The first thing I discovered is that you get a free birthday drink, but only after you buy your first drink. Not what I was expecting, but hey, it's still free alcohol. We had a long island, which barely had any alcohol in it. Pretty much a disappointment.

For the free drink, I was contemplating how to top off a great night. Tory L. suggested: "Hey why not take a blowjob shot?" As ridiculously homo as that sounds, it tasted really good. The bartender even decided to do it with us after realizing he's never had one before. 

The dancefloor here is underground and pretty legit. They always have good DJs and it's pretty packed most of the time. That mixed with the down to earth bartenders who drink on the job with you made Blake's a great way to end one of the best nights of my life. Thank you To Tory L. and Elaine M. (if she ever starts Yelping) for a drunk night that I surprisingly still remember very well. I guess I didn't get shitfaced enough.
4 - Sarah H.: I've been to Blakes a few times before but never on a Thursday. IT WAS ALOT OF FUN! Thur they play more hip hop but by the end of the night it was mostly techno. The dance floor was very diverse with different ages. I just remember running guys and saying I was from different countries LOL.  Drinks were alright,  lemon drop too expensive.  Best thing to is stick with cranberry and vodka :)
3 - George D.: This place is the type of place that you get what you expect. Decent service, ok food and drinks. I can't complain!
2 - LLL L.: This review is specific to the lunch time dining option. 
The menu has a selection of burgers and entrees and the staff / kitchen are happy to fine tune for personal preferences. 
The service is not particularly fast. Usually it's a while before table service, and a long wait before meals start arriving. The wait staff are attentive to empty drinks, though they are mostly ice unless you're drinking beer. 
The fries are good and a generous serve. 
The salad is quite boring.
The burgers are a bit below average, though they're charging at the higher end of the price range. $8.95 +tax + tip for a cheeseburger.
5 - Ed N.: Can't get enough.
1 - Michael K.: Brief summary - Bartender could not verify my authentic CA driver's license for no good reason and proceeded to give me attitude about it.  I am 27 years old as of the writing of this review.


Details follow, if anyone cares:

I still get carded from time to time, and I couldn't care less about it.  

A friend (Berkeley resident) and I (transplant from LA) were hanging out in Berkeley, and we randomly stopped by Blakes a few nights ago.  

So the bartender, whom I do not know by name, (my best description of her is an approximately 5'4" asian female) comes over to help us.

I asked about a vodka on the wall I had never seen before, she shows it to me, and I decide to order it (on the rocks, with a slice of lime).  

Before serving me, she asks for ID.  No problem... I give her my CA driver's license, which is in pretty good condition.  Never had a problem before, never had a problem since.  

She starts bending it, twisting it, holding the ID up to the light, poking it, prodding it, grumbling about it... then she starts looking around, possibly for help, but doesn't find anyone. 

So I find this mildly amusing, being 27 years old and being suspected of using a fake ID.  

I say "you know... it's one thing to check my ID, but to not believe that it's real... is pretty 'out there'".

She continues the bending and twisting, and utters half a sentence, "hmmm.... it doesn't have the ... "  

I casually asked if she had a UV light (which obviously would have revealed that it was authentic).  No response.  

More twisting and grumbling...  I'm waiting for her to look at my face and just *realize* that I am well over 21, but she is just too absorbed in her detective work to be bothered to look up.  

This must've gone on for a good minute and a half.  She keeps twisting, bending, and grumbling, and occasionally looking around for help.  Still doesn't find anyone.

Jokingly, I ask if she would like to hear about my PhD that I finished recently.    

Without looking at me, she responded: "If I wanted to hear about it, I would've asked you."  

Whoooooooaaaaa there... did I say something to offend you??  Get over yourself.

I held out my hand, took my ID back, and told her I didn't feel like drinking anymore, which was true.  Walked out of there and never looked back.  

I hate to do a one-star review just because of the behavior of one employee, but when you're a bartender and you're working an evening shift, you really represent the face of the entire establishment.  

I have no problem that she wanted to verify the authenticity of my ID, in fact, I think the UV light is pretty standard at a lot of bars now and have come to expect it.  Just the other day, a place swiped the magnetic strip of my driver's license to verify it.  

There's really no excuse for your attitude when YOU are the cause of the delay.  It's not my fault if you can't even identify a real CA driver's license when you're working at a CA bar.  

Here's a suggestion for how you can be courteous (or at least, you know, **moderately** civil) to your customers:

"Excuse me for a minute while I check your ID with the manager" might have been an appropriate thing to say.  I would not have protested.  

I would be happy to return to Blake's and give a real review, as long as she's not working there.
3 - Jacqueline W.: Before taking in the Cal vs. Davis game I stopped in Blakes for some pre-game libations. It was packed. Which was to be expected. 

Tried to order some food but we decided it would take too long so we just drank. They had my favorite beer Widmer Hefeweizen so I had no complaints.
4 - Helen T.: Eh, service was pretty bad almost every time I've been there., but I like the food. Blake's makes a mean steak nachos and gives me my bar food the way I like it.  So whatever, I'll go ahead an give it 4 stars instead of 3.
4 - Cory M.: Omg. Best bar food!
2 - Daniel C.: Im pretty sure Tim Armstrong has something to do with this place, and I hate Rancid.  Plus, its expensive, the basement is like some Gilman St. wannabe (which isn't saying much), and the staff is pretty horrible.  Your usual clientele is between the annoying college bros trying to pick up on the bartender, the nice people trying to have a dinner and a few drinks, and the pretentious scene kids standing out front wearing an ill fitting t-shirt with a terrible metal/pop punk band on it.

Your better off going to a liquor store down the street, getting hammered and then going to fat slice... and then make your way to Blakes to laugh at all the people.
4 - Jackie N.: This place had some yummy sweet potato fries.  Everything was alright.  Good for fried food, I just felt weighed down the entire day after eating there.  I would have rated this place a 3, but they offer student discounts and those sweet potato fries were amazing!  Can't beat  those cheap prices when you're a starving student!
3 - Kristina L.: I've been here a few times for concerts, so this is a review for that and the little bar downstairs.  We came here for ArnoCorps, who I've seen several times. The bar's all right. There's lots of beer on tap, $3 PBR for those who like to drink on the cheap, and you can get served pretty quickly. 

The best thing about Blake's is how intimate it is. Seriously, it's tiny. If you're claustrophobic, stay away. It gets crowded quickly, and you'll most likely be slamming into band members while trying to work your way across the room.

The ceiling is low and there are pipes lining the ceiling. It's kind of reminiscent of The Pound (oh, how I miss that place!). I have to say that it was a slight impediment to one of my favorite parts of any ArnoCorps show - namely, that the low ceiling prevented the usual "surfing" the crowd on a bass case. I mean, it was a great night, 'cause ArnoCorps is always fun, but in this case, the venue was probably not conducive to the show. It's all right, though. I still think you're A-OK, Blake's.
5 - Philip T.: Blakes is becoming the center for nightlife and entertainment in the East Bay. If you are interested in electronic dance music, there's some talented DJs that spin at Blakes. Every other Tuesday nights is techno/minimal/techhouse, Wednesday are either Trance or Electro, and both of these events are free.

Most of the events at Blakes are either free or for a small cover charge. Wednesdays are $2 PBRs on tap, and $5 for two Kamikazes. Tuesday nights u can pretty much get two of any drink for $5!! 

The food is also pretty good and they have an excellent happy hour. This place deserves a higher rating than it has. Service and bartenders has always been excellent.
4 - Sarah S.: My favorite drink? The Arnold F. Palmer!
3 - Breniel L.: I'll give this a 3.5.

I came here with some friends for lunch, so I don't know how the nightlife is here, but the food was pretty good. We had burgers and fries. The fries were really good. I never had sweet potato fries until I came here. I had one of those crispy chicken sandwiches.  The food took forever to get to us though. They were just lucky we were a talkative group.
4 - Terran O.: I don't know anything about their food, just went for the bar and music one night with some friends.  The places had a good crowd, the drinks were decently priced and their upstairs little dance floor was pretty fun (aside from it being unbearably hot up there).  I enjoyed this place and will most likely head back.
4 - Kevin L.: Delicious mini burger sliders and fantastic tacos. I havent had a chance  to drink, but I heard it's a bumping place. I recommend going there during their "weekday specials" like $1 mini burger slider days or $1 taco days. Great deal for great food.
3 - Jon T.: Went on a friday night, was pretty empty for a bar on friday night, but that just meant shorter lines for drinks! bartender was nice and even gave us free chasers which was cool, drinks were decently priced but it could have a few more seats instead of so much empty space. seems like a cool place for berkeley kids to come hang out or cry about their failed midterms
1 - Anne L.: The one time I've been here, I got propositioned by the sketchiest dude alive, a raging crack addict had to be subdued by five cops and was hauled away in an ambulance, and the homeless man they let in to collect cans took my Red Bull away before I was done drinking it.  True story.
4 - drea n.: I really like this place as a music venue. It's small, intimate and relatively cheap, which creates the perfect atmosphere to see some of your favorite small/ local bands. The only thing I didn't enjoy was the crap that fell down from the ceiling and on to me. It can get kinda crowded, but that's nothing new to the concert-goer. I can't really review it for the food or bar since I haven't tried either; but as for a venue, it's great. I'll definitely be coming back here for shows in the future.
5 - Dwreck C.: Yeah cold beer and a burger for breakfast for beer, watching the soccer game!!!!
3 - Amy L.: Closest dancing club around Berkeley campus and I suppose it can be convenient when you are lazy to make the trip into SF. However, I swear you get the most rando people there--you got your high schoolers, homeless people, Cal students, Oakland residents...

The bouncers are nice! worked with them a couple of times for a fundraising event there, and they are super chill and funny. 

The bar is pretty empty, but the bartenders are friendly. Really quick with drinks and if you order a jager-bomb, they will give you a lot of Red Bull. And, lots of Red Bull is always good in my book. 

The dancer floor downstairs is dark, lots of pipes on the ceiling, awkward side room, ill-placed techni-colored light ball that blinds your eyes if you are standing at the wrong place, convenient bar and bathroom, okay music (can sometime disappoint though).
1 - Diana L.: Ugh, I really don't like Blakes. I'm reviewing about their nightlife scene, not the food that they serve here during the daytime. The crowd is really ghetto and young--just not my scene. This is really the closest thing to a club at Berkeley though, so I can understand why some people would want to come here. Their drinks are pricey too, just like the club. Thursday nights are free for everyone (except sometimes they make people give donations or whatnot to some causes). I haven't been here in awhile, but I don't think it could have gotten much better, if any, at all. 

Their upstairs is definitely a lot more chilled and laid back, and attracts an older crowd. I like it more.
3 - Lisa Z.: Oh Blake's! I used to come here several times/week during the school year. I was there almost exclusively during the afternoon hours. I used to love the staff, but then it kind of seemed like all of my favorites kept leaving. Good food, good (usually) but sometimes slow service. Yummy food (except for the chicken tenders... Something was just off). Cheap food especially during happy hour. Mozzerella sticks are fantastic :)
2 - Patti F.: We just stopped in for drinks on a Friday night.  Being from out of town, it wasn't obvious there were two entrances - one for the show, one for the restaurant/bar.  If you're just having drinks/food - make sure you go into the right entrance ;-)

I have to say, I didn't love it - though the waitstaff was friendly, and efficient (even though they once brought me vodka/soda, instead of vodka/tonic - but who complains about that really?). 

I recommend sitting in the back if you'd like to hear the show, but don't want to pay the cover.  You'll hear the music, and still be able to get a little food.  

Bathrooms are downstairs (where the show is), which I thought a bit weird since they want a cover for the show.  Then I realized there's a bathroom-bouncer that won't let you do anything but hit the can and walk back upstairs.

Overall, not bad - I'm sure the music scene/nightclub is probably fun though - it was packed.
4 - ElviaNidia G.: Above average (but not superb) food, full bar, and reasonable prices. I love Blakes! Be prepared for slow service.
2 - Krystie M.: Oh, Blakes. It's a Berkeley establishment but it's really not that great. I've been here a couple of times and it's usually against my will.

ATMOSPHERE
It's such a grungy bar, but it's definitely cleaner than Kips and a lot less creepy. I usually sit at the high tables and get a few drinks with my girl friends (but only during happy hour). The service is whatever and you have to wait a long time at the bar.

The basement is gross and the floors are sticky. I don't know how people dance in there without getting dirty. The only bright side is that it's pretty spacious and my friend DJs on Tuesdays and/or Thursdays.

The upstairs dance floor is tiny... I don't even know why it's called a dance floor because it's awkwardly shaped and there's not much room to dance.

NOTE: If you don't like dealing with punk/emo/annoying teenagers from the local high schools, then make sure you figure out which days are for the 18+ crowd.

FOOD
I've ordered their CAJUN FRIES, which are good. They come with a side of ranch and ketchup. 

My friend always gets their CHEESE QUESADILLA and NACHOS, but stay away from the salsa; she said it's really gross.

Their DRINKS are a hit or miss. Sometimes they're too strong but sometimes all you can taste is juice. They're really only worth it for happy hour ($3).

Overall, a grungy college bar swarming with gross locals. I personally don't like Blakes, but at least they're nice about event planning (it's free to reserve the space as long as your guests buy roughly $200 worth of drinks/food).
5 - Manny V.: I HEART Blake's!
 
Can anything beat their drink specials on Wednesday nights? Is there anything cooler than techno lights? I love my Cob Salad, my beer selection, and the cheap drinks downstairs when the party starts. I'll never be too old for Blake's! I may get be too old for the fun downstairs, but Blake's will always be my go to place. 

PS- snobby kids you are in the wrong zip code my friends. SF is further West!
3 - Nina Y.: Birthday Fun.

We started off here because it's closest to my apartment since it was supposed to be raining. I started off with a strawberry daiquiri. It was decent, kind of strong for a mixed drink, but then again my roommate requested it strong so I would get drunk faster. FUN STUFF.

Rum sours were decent. A "shot" of tequila was a good 2 shots. 

The music downstairs sucked, but that's whatever. All I wanted to focus on was drinking.

FREE BIRTHDAY DRINK.
2 - Sierra V.: Went on a Wednesday for Womp, or whatever. I'm not a huge fan of electronic music, but I thought, "Why not? They allow ins and outs and I want some goddamn Top Dog around 11pm."

The line to get in was ridiculously long, though I'm not surprised because it was 18+. A bunch of kids wearing plastic beads and furry boots isn't exactly my scene, but once again I said to myself why the fuck not?

And, well, after saying that at least twenty times to myself I devised a list of reasons of why I'll never return:
The "bouncers" are total dicks. They say they allow ins and outs, but they hassle the crap out of you when you try to get back in. The same guy who saw me walk out with my wristband visible, I showed him because I didn't know when I had to confirm the fact I paid $5 to get groped, ended up freaking out because my wristband situated itself under my sleeve.
Someone got stabbed in the head. I frequent the Tenderloin so I suppose this shouldn't surprise me, but for Christ's sakes I'm on Telegraph with a bunch of Cal kids smoking American Spirits.
The crowd was lame, for lack of a better word. I think I'll just wait to go to bars and clubs when i'm actually 21.

However, the beer selection looked good! It's not like a drank anything, but I was definitely creeping on the bar.
2 - Pat P.: This is a bar that's very close to campus and I think that's why it gets patronage - its proximity. Otherwise, there's really not a whole lot that's going to impress you about this joint.

The beers are okay and the food is too pricey for its quality. It also has a basement that hosts quasi-clubbing nights every now and then. This place is also way too anal about ID's, even for Berkeley standards.

I'd hit up other places in the area; there are much better alternatives.
4 - Rick C.: The only thing that Blakes has going for it is that it's close by to campus so I can spend more money on booze rather than a taxi cab home, I'm serious!

I've been here a few times for some quick lunches and dinners. The food ain't that half bad, seriously. Burgers, fries, and other appetizers are pretty easy to do and aren't that half bad. However, I have to say, what the hell are you guys thinking with the mozzo sticks? It's literally five or six good chunks of mozzarella covered in panko bread crumbs and fried. It was really weird when I was expecting the traditional ol' bar fare mozzo sticks. Bonus points for offering a discount on food for Cal students and being smart enough to realize that we needed our drinks refilled without being interrupted from our chats!

The people at the bar have always been pretty cool, if a bit alternative (read: typical Berkeley). While I generally hate the music that they have downstairs, it's still a pretty good place to jump by, even if it's one of many stops on a nightly bar run!
2 - Ashley M.: Went here before a football game, and was rather disappointed.  

Food: pretty gross.. we were there for brunch/lunch time, so some of us had brunch food and others had lunch food.  The potatoes with the eggs I ordered were cold and had the texture of cardboard.  It was pretty bad.  The drinks were expensive, and not that good.  

Ambiance: Overall, Blake's is kind of dirty.  The bathroom downstairs was disgusting.  The upstairs area (where we sat) had dirty carpet and the tables were mismatched--some being plastic.  The bar downstairs was DirTy DIRTYYY and the shot we had was practically ALL juice, NO alk. 

Service: our waitress was really slow and acted like she didn't know what we were saying when we were ordering.  It took a good twenty minutes to get our drinks.  Okay, if Blake's was crackin, and all the tables were filled, MAYBE it would take a bit to get our drinks.  but HEY, it was practically empty! C'MON!

Price: Not worth what you get.  

Overall, I don't plan on coming back here.  gross gross grosssss.
2 - Miles H.: Blakes on Telegraph is one of three primary drinking spots on the UC Berkeley Campus Southside, along with Kips and Raleighs. While the other two are decidedly student bars, I've never seen masses of UC Berkeley students crowding into Blakes. Blakes is local sports bar, catering to locals in the Berkeley/ Oakland area. It can be a great place to watch a sports game, or to have an afternoon beer. 

Their food is generic pub grub, with no extras or unique flavors. They have a solid bar with good booze/beer, good bartenders, and good waiters. 

In addition, they have a event room downstairs which might be worth checking out if you're into music. They have the venue booked most nights out of the week with local bands, some of which put on good shows. 

CAUTION: the crowd at Blakes isn't your college friendly drinking buddy.  The crowd's average age is much older than the college demographic, with many old-timers. To be honest, it's the last place I would ever consider taking a girl for drink. I took a few of my close girlfriends there a while back, and so many guys made comments to them that they felt uncomfortable and we left. In addition, the crowd outside is often a mixture of locals, students, and vagabonds, and should be avoided. Someone was stabbed last week just outside Blakes: http://www.berkeleyside.com/2011/01/04/two-men-stabbed-on-telegraph-last-thursday/
4 - Nick Z.: This is a pretty cool venue. Good food, lots of great add-ons for their burgers and sandwiches. Staff is always great, friendly and responsive. They're usually pretty busy but I've never had a problem getting a table. They hold live music shows in the basement (it's actually where Cake was discovered). However, it's kind of creepy down there when there isn't a show (and you have to go down there if you need to use the restroom). Outside of that, I love this place - high recommends!!
3 - Melody L.: Typical bar food - very oily and fatty. BUT sometimes, that's what I'm in the mood for, and they do oily&fatty well. I like to get sandwich+fries! Their drinks are made well and they definitely give a fair portion of alcohol.

It''s kind of hard to eat at the restaurant, since it's set up to be so obviously a bar, so I tend to take my food to go.
3 - Fozzie D.: Gone, out of business.
2 - Mike L.: Heard in the news recently that Blakes had closed permanently, and decided to write a short little blurb on them in memory of college days.

Back in college, Blakes was one of the handful of places my friends would get drinks at.  Getting tables usually wasn't a problem, and the drinks were pretty cheap.  For poor college kids, that's probably the most you could ask for.  The crowd was mainly fellow students, and the basement would either feature a live band, or a DJ that would play hip-hop music.  In fact, it was probably one of the few (if not only) places near campus that would actually have an area for people to dance.  But then, there was always SF...but I digress.

In the years afterwards, it was pretty apparent they were on the slide.  Even towards my last year, there were times where the crowd would get kinda sketchy, and you would wonder where some of these people were coming from.  That is, assuming there were even people there.  A while back, a couple of buddies and I found ourselves in the neighborhood and decided to drop in to grab a drink or two.  In total, there was maybe a half dozen people or so and we were probably the youngest people there.  Just to make it worth walking through the door, we grabbed one quick round and left as soon as we had sat down.

In a way, I'm kind of sad to see Blake's go...but then again, no, I'm not.
5 - Toni M.: Inspired by Eric B's review, here's mine.  When I started at UC in 1962 Larry Blake's was the place to go.  When I moved into the dorm the second semester and for the following two semesters it was where I ate my Sunday dinner, since the dining hall didn't serve dinner Sunday nights.  My dinner invariably was a large plate of the signature salad, a generous portion for $1.  I liked it when it had been sitting in the dressing for a while and was a little soggy w/ it.  Not gourmet but what I loved.  It remained one of my favorite salads and Alan and I introduced Tam to it when she was little.  As for the rest of the food, I remember it as being pretty good, but in those days there was plenty of good food around campus.  Kip's Hamburgers made excellent, rare burgers.  I was astonished at how bad they were when I tried them 25 years later.

Downstairs the Rathskeller was a dark and cool place to hang out and listen to music.  It was also where the bathrooms were.  Like Eric, I'm sad that this iconic place of my youth has gone dark, even though I haven't been there in years.  Telegraph Avenue at night isn't as safe or comfortable as it was in the early 60s, when I could walk back to my dorm alone in the dark in complete safety.
2 - Denis A.: Can't help but say that I for one will NOT miss this place.  IT was a haven for trouble and compared to all the other pubs nearby, there was always trouble here.  To me it was all entertaining, but i can see why this place shut for good.
 That being said, Berkeley- UC Campus, has a shortage of places to dance, and venues for small band concerts.  That is where I will miss this place, but not enough to want it back.
  The same week that this place closed there was this girl fight outside, and i saw the bartender jump into it like superman and he got his head hit a few times with a cell phone.  I remember thinking that the guy was always kind of a jerk.

Goodbye to Blakes, but honestly.. GOOD RIDDANCE
3 - Dorothy C.: And my review to follow Toni's.

My last visit to the Rathskeller was probably forty plus years ago. At the time, the Piccolo had become the Mediterraneum..La FIesta was *the only* Mexican food joint on the Avenue and Robbie's Cafe was where you could get a pitcher of beer without showing an ID. 

Larry Blake's was where you went when your parents needed to be shown around the campus. (And had agreed to pay the bill.)

So, I am not surprised that Larry Blake's has closed. I certainly have not spent much time on the Avenue during the past half century. Too grotty, too dangerous, too well...boring. 

I am sorry to see yet another Berkeley institution bite the dust, though. I'm hoping that someone, somewhere made a last UTube tribute to the place before it closed. HIstory, you know.  Like so much of Telegraph Avenue.
5 - David N.: A five star salute for the 70 plus years Larry Blake's was an icon of Berkeley. The Rath was legendary with so many famous bands gigging there over the years. While the service and food faltered over time, it is sad to see it gone. Darn it.
2 - Austin W.: Food here was never that great. Burgers are dry, not flavorful, and their "damn good sauce"... is only ketchup. What gives? The fries that they serve are a bit on the dry side so you'll definitely need to use a lot of ketchup to make them edible. Not too surprised they closed...

The "dance floor" downstairs is the nasties. The air is bad, the floor is dirty, the music is meh, and the place is just overcrowded in general. The place is also so dimly lit there's a lot of shady stuff that goes on here. Drink prices are pretty standard. I suppose this is the closest "club" that under-21 Berkeley students can go into, but I would avoid going even if you're curious. Not worth the time. Also, I guess not possible any more since the place is closed.
3 - Adolfo H.: Closed huh? Well, that's okay, I only really have two memories of you, when I turned 21, and even then I don't remember it that well and the last time I went when they wouldn't serve me a pitcher of beer because I was by myself(note: I was waiting for someone who was going to share) last year. Peace out Blakes.
3 - Jerico P.: i will miss blakes on telegraph. 

i was hopeful when they redid the place. it looked so much better than it did before. i know many people don't like partying at the basement but c'mon now- if there are no parties up at frat row and nobody is throwing a kick back at their house, this was the place to go. 

yes it was dark, it was sweaty, and it was crowded... but the music was good and it was always there when you needed a place to party. good ol reliable blakes... or at least it use to be.

until next time

cheers!
3 - Justin S.: The first and only time I had the opportunity to purchase heroin!

At least thats what I think the shady looking guy in the bathroom said.  I was more interested in not being in front of the urinal and in the same room (let alone building) with him...
5 - Matt E.: I can only speak for my one and only experience at Blake's On Telegraph. Saw RX Bandits play a 21 and over show (extremely rare for them) back in November of 2002 down in the basement. 

The show was fucking amazing. No stage...just the band standing on a small platform mere feet away from me. I literally had to dodge Chris's trombone slide. 

Really wish I had the chance to come out and check out more shows at this venue. But due to its nostalgic value, this place marks pretty high for me.

Blakeslee & Blakeslee - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2810974, -120.6583481) ()
5 - Charley C.: David is who we deal with, and have dealt with for a long time. He knows the business and really looks at the long term with your money. He has done a fine job with our retirement dollars and shares, even in a crummy stock market. This is a good guy to see and a good place to put your retirement funds.
5 - VANISHING W.: Have years of experience with two  financial advisors at this firm: Diane Blakeslee and  Kara Blakeslee.  I have great confidence in them.

Blanton Museum Shop - Austin, TX (30.2802754, -97.7367748) (University of Texas)
5 - Mary D.: Fabulouse shopping for unique treasures.  Museum Shops always have such interesting and different items!

They have books, prints, handmade jewelry, glass, and more.  The only place in Austin for the famous Alvar Aalto vase that is in MOMA's collection.
4 - brewgirl b.: Bought some great jewelry here during a trunk shop.  The artist Mae Mae Stiles (her line goes by the name "m square" and is on Facebook) had some really lovely beaded pieces and interesting designs.  Another designer, Ingrid Kuper (designsbyingrid.com), had lovely crystal wrapped in silver earrings.  Otherwise, the museum shop felt like most other shops.  It had some cool stuff at varying prices.  Probably a good place to find a gift for someone.
4 - Lori K.: This is a very cool museum shop to find those unique gifts.  They have all types of things.  Some museum related, some not.  I actually liked the shop better than the museum itself.  You can visit the shop without visiting the museum.
4 - Cris G.: The Blanton has a good museum shop.  Seems this has become a variety of store.  We've been in a number of top notch museum shops, and while the Blanton's is on the small side, they have a lot of cool stuff.  Prices aren't that bad either.  Members get a discount.  They also have special trunk shows come through.

Blasco Real Estate & Property Management - Upland, CA (34.098031, -117.690978) ()
1 - OC W.: LMAO.. I TAKE ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL THIS BACK...  they left us high and dry ...

Blick Art Materials - Cambridge, MA (42.3651431, -71.1032722) (Central Square)
4 - Damien S.: Blick is clean. Unbearably so. Don't the good folks here know creation is messy, spattered, chunked and torn?

Art is disorganized; Blick is not. Pristine rows of immaculately arranged supplies, pointing even the most novice of budding artistes to what they need, and priced so even the starving can create.

Yeah, it's a chain and the looming ghost of Pearl will score nary a notice under the fluorescent lights and retail uniformity. But, for ease of navigation and a well-stocked selection, Blick does the trick.
1 - Jules J.: worst staff. seriously, they lack common sense and basic customer service skills. I can't even go on to describe.

Fab supplies though. But i wouldn't go back if my life depended on it.
4 - Kenny C.: The other one star review for this store has a point- the customer service is severely lacking. I don't know if they're understaffed or just lazy, but nobody helps you unless you go up to the counter and ask for it, which is kind of annoying in relatively large store.

I will say that based on the strength of their selection (and reasonable prices) that I'm giving them four stars. I came in looking for some unique coloring supplies for an ad-hoc project and was not disappointed. Left with some metallic coloring pencils and a pad of black paper that the girl at the counter recommended.
3 - Shaina P.: The issue here is that Blick happens to be on the side of the street of Central where you know it's going to fail one day, because that's what happens to everything on the north side of Mass Ave... really.. BUT because you can view its innards (consisting of rows and rows of canvas, paint, sketch supplies, and more) from the street and apparently lots of people need Art in Central Square, it will be well received for the time.

I entered Blick to share my local purchasing love and had already spent a whole bunches across the street.  My goal was to find a cute diary of sorts for my niece.  I had just returned to my home hood from a day long of shopping, which meant I was loaded with approx 50 lbs of gifts on my back, in tow, hanging out the side... like a female Asian claus of sorts.  Unfortunately, the aisles in the store were sooo tightly squeezed, I could barely settle myself without causing an aisle queue or knocking over a wall loaded with paint tubes.  Plus, I was in pain...

Without feeling successful and with sweat rolling down my cheeks, I stood in a long line to pay for a ring-bound sketch book with a black cover, cursing ... er... promising myself I would take it up a notch by gluing the heck out of the cover in pink shreds of old magazine pages (thank you, Absolut cosmo ad).  I just needed to get my xmas shopping bedoozled.
1 - Cat L.: Customer service is horrible!  I walked in today because I wanted to frame a sketch someone gave me as a gift.  I had purchased a $20 frame a couple days before from this store and, while the frame was fine, the mat needed to be cut to fit the odd size of paper from the sketchpad.

I walked straight to the back of the store and found the employee in the framing section on the customer side of the counter arranging some of the Christmas lights strung along the edge of the counter.  I could not believe my luck that obviously he was not busy and would be able to help me out.

He said the best bet was to just buy a mat without a cut out so the picture would sit on top of the mat and then tape it down.  How perfect.  How can we make this happen?He said pick out a mat and bring it to the front where they will cut it and then buy this $13 roll of tape.  Wait a minute!  I don't need a roll I just need this one item framed.  Can I buy the mat and bring it back to you and have you put two pieces of tape in place for a couple dollars and I am on my way.  

Oh no....that would be too simple!  He said he was too busy to help me and there were too many orders ahead of me.  Wait....didn't I just see him standing alone arranging Christmas lights???  

He could put the new mat and two pieces of tape in the frame for $28 and it would not be ready for a few days!  Seriously!!!!
3 - lella b.: Eh, it's OK.  I hit a 20% if it's not on sale and got what I needed.  Customer service was good: information on what I needed, etc.  The downside was I was standing in line and this woman cut in front of me.  The cashier took her first - I was in a bt of a grumpy mood and stated I was there first.  (There was a 5-6 person line).  The cashier said "she has a basket behind the counter". Um, ok? I mean, if that's the trick, I'll put a pencil in a basket to save my place.  Overall, it was ok.  A bit more crowded than the one in Fenway.  I was able to renew my Blick card for free despite not being a student anymore.  I'd go back if in the area but won't go out of my way for this one.
5 - A T.: I've had great experiences at this Blick location. The staff have all been super friendly, very helpful, and are always pleasant and chatty, which I enjoy. They set me up with a frequent buyer card which has saved me a ton on craft supplies and other odds and ends. My favorite part of of this particular store though? Cheap glue guns! Very cheap ones. Just an FYI if you're a compulsive "glue shit to other shit" type like myself.
4 - Roscoe R.: Complaints about poor customer service at Blick really surprise me. I live nearby, have needed help there probably 10 times since they've opened, and have always found the staff to be attentive, knowledgeable, and polite. Prices are great, especially if they're running a 20% off sale (common) and/or you have one of those "preferred customer" thingies.

So why 4 stars instead of 5? Because I find their custom framing department to be super expensive -- FAR more than Artist & Craftsman Supply across the street, and more than Big Picture Framing -- for no apparent reason. I also waited a really long time for customer service in the framing department -- seemed unnecessarily long.

I really like Blick -- SOOOO much better than Pearl Art (now THEY had horrible customer service -- I remember wandering around the aisles of Pearl looking for someone helpful).
1 - Sneha S.: Customer service is horrible. I don't wanna name the guy but he does not know how many feet there are in a yard and he was there to help me with cutting the canvas role. He also wanted to let the canvas drag on the floor was FOLDING it as he measured it for me (once he finally figured out the measurement when I helped him).

So at the end when I refused to take a folded up canvas that was blistered with dirt from the floor, that's when his teenage angst came out (oh my god teenagers.)

He didn't ask but TOLD me to hold the canvas while he cut it and accused me of not being clear on how much I wanted. If I say I need two sheets of 2 yard canvas each. What does that mean? It does NOT mean a sheet of 3 yards and another of 1 yard. 

When I was finally at the cashier, they didn't want to make efforts to help me wrap up a FIVE feet tall canvas. It is NOT easy to carry. "Do you want me to tape the edges or what?" he said. I at least want you to PRETEND like you wanna help.

It's an ART STORE!!! OF COURSE people are going to buy oddly sized and shaped canvases and other stuff!!!! Why you help the customer????

Dear manager, please check out this situation I reported. 

GOSH. I left regretting not going to Utrecht instead. 

Ugh. What a bad experience.
1 - Eric S.: Blick sucks!

I stopped in to pick up a few things but they didn't have them in stock.

Good thing I looked up the items on their website first, right?

WRONG

They can order items for you, but it's the same as if you ordered it yourself and have it shipped to your home.  They charge shipping to ship it to the store.

What kind of a business won't order items to put in stock for a customer that requests it?  Especially if they are items that the company itself normally carries.

The employees who helped me were very friendly and helpful, but it wasn't enough to put this up to a 2 star review.

Bottom Line:

Prices: F
Customer Service: B+
Business Practices: F-

It's too bad they put the A&Cs out of business in this area.  They always had what I needed.
2 - Anthony L.: I don't love this location at all.

When I heard Blick was coming to Central Square, I was super excited. Let me back up, I'm that guy who loves a perfect pen, amazing stationary, and little trinkets. I'm obsessed with notebooks, paints, and various art supplies. I was really scared I was going to spend all of my money here.

Alas, that was not the case. Maybe I am critiquing so harshly because I love the Fenway store, but there's something missing. 

When I walk into the Fenway store, I am bombarded with so much crap, I don't know what to do with myself. The staff there is always friendly and I could honestly spend hours in the store looking at all of the stuff. 

This is not the case here, though. It seems to me, and maybe I am wrong, that there is half the normal junk here. Where is the huge selection of pens? Markers? Paints? I don't know, it's just too much of a change for me.

The staff at Central Square isn't the most friendly. But, maybe I am judging (again) because I assume the staff at Fenway are also students at AIB, MassArt, or other art schools so they are pretty interested and passionate about what they are selling (this could be a total lie, but at least they dress the hipster part).
5 - Emily T.: I genuinely do not understand the bad reviews for this location.

Do they have as much selection as the Fenway location? No.
But plenty of businesses have flagship stores with smaller and less stocked satellite stores. 
I dont understand what all the fuss is about.

This location is perfect for grabbing a few essentials and the staff has always been great. 

I also got custom framing here for the first time and the framing staff was super helpful and my posters look amazing hanging on my apartment.
5 - Marcia B.: Staffers Jordan and Chelsea were great! They fielded questions from me, pointed me in the right directions, and Chelsea offered to look up any paints I bought the last of to see if there were more in the back. Jordan was extremely patient and didn't make me feel like a pain while he helped me ring up purchases for myself and two other artists. I dumped a basketful of supplies on the counter, parsed three separate piles and Jordan cheerfully rang them up and packaged them separately for me. Great customer service, thanks!
4 - Katie C.: Went to Blick looking for some calligraphy tools and I found a dedicated section with just the right tools I needed to get started.  The staff were so friendly and answered all the questions I had about ink types and colors.  

I could get lost in this place for days.  Seriously, if I ever go missing, check Nordstrom's, Blick, and Sprinkles Cupcakes (if I make it to LA).  The selection is expansive and the opportunities are endless.  Every time I visit, I always feel like I should go home, lock myself in a room, and paint until my fingers fall off.

Friendly staff, reasonable prices, and awesome products.  Point set match.

Blimpie Subs & Salads - Houston, TX (29.7062912, -95.4116607) (Braeswood Place, West University)
5 - Lyla A.: Seriously?  Since my last review, NO ONE has been here?  People, forget the $5 subway crap...try a Blimpie - you'll be converted for life.  They deliver and their menu is huge.  Go to this one - the owner has been with Blimpie for like 25 years and knows his business.  They gave us an excellent deal on a catering order and everyone loved it.
5 - Jamshid M.: Well ive been a fan of sandwhiches for years now.  I would consider myself a connoisseur of sorts. And let me tell you this Blimpie is by far the best sub shop I have ever eaten at.  The place is clean, the staff is exteremly friendly and their food is always fresh and tastes great every time.  Not to mention they are SUPER cheap.

Ive seen them bake the bread from scratch and even seen the owner (some indian looking guy) bring in fresh produce and meats.  He will surely give you a break if you are a couple cents short here and there.  

I had them cater one of my private events and the sandwhiches didnt last more than 5 mintues.  The delivery was fast and extremely punctual and I highly recommend this place to anyone who loves a good sub.  

Skip the 5 dollar footlong and come to this Blimpie............well worth it!
4 - Chris W.: Nice people and great environment for subs. I like the people who work there. food is good
3 - Nathan K.: I visited this place with a groupon that I found. I doubt I'd ever have visited this location otherwise. 

The food was OK, but I couldn't get what I wanted because they were out of some of the ingredients. They also appeared to be in the process of fixing a cooler, so their attention was focused on that at the time. The owner/manager seemed nice and gave me some coupons. 

I liked other Blimpies I've been to. This one is relatively close, so I may go back.

Blind Pig Brewery - Champaign, IL (40.1169133, -88.2435267) ()
4 - Ed T.: The Blind Pig recently opened a second location, one street across on Neil St, providing downtown Champaign with another bar stocked with good beer.

The real draw here will be the house-brewed beer - in the coming months, there will be four drafts of craft brewed Blind Pig brand beers.  Until then, the draft selection is a (smaller) reflection of the selection from the Blind Pig around the corner.  Despite that, the new Pig Brewery remains very busy, both in the small interior and the very large beergarden.
3 - Heather T.: I'll probably up my rating once the Piglet starts serving their own beers, 'cause god knows I love local microbrews.  But for now it's just alright.  It is a smaller version of the Blind Pig with a poor layout and a way toned down beer selection.  I hope it'll get better with the introduction of their own beers, but if not, I still have its mother ship, so all is well.
3 - John B.: I like "The Piglet" well enough but I really think downtown Champaign needs another bar like it needs another grad student sitting outside a coffee shop writing a thesis on their Macbook that is going to change the world.  I've heard the rumor that The Piglet was built to hold the overflow from The Big Pig and I'm interested to see how the business holds up once the crowds who were enjoying the unusually beautiful and humidity free evenings this summer disappear into their holes for the winter.  The interior is cozy and dark but I don't think it will be able to hold crowds in the winter months.  

On the plus side...they have $1.75 Old Style Drafts (rock on!), the beer garden really is monstrous and a nice place to hang out, and I've never had bad service from the staff.  Keep it up Piglet...I'll be back to see you next time I'm in town!
3 - Kelly R.: I don't drink beer.

I know.

I enjoy a good hard cider, or a mixed drink, or perhaps a frou-frou now and again. I was excited to see that The Blind Pig is brewing their own cider, but bummed that it isn't being sold yet. 

I (tried) to settle for Woodchuck Amber, but they were out--must have been popular, cause the guy two stools down had one, and the girl after me asked for one! I then had to double settle for the Woodchuck Pear, which actually ended up better than I remember. 

It was crazy, back to back(or worse, front to front) packed, so we retreated to the patio, which is lovely. Thank goodness it was actually a decent night for November!
3 - Thomas B.: The home-brewed beers first became available this week and we enjoyed 4 on the first day.  But by Thursday and again on Friday they only had two home brewed, one of which was the cider.  So, a little disappointing that they ran out of home brewed so soon after they first became available.  That having been said, the decor is nice and feels warm, and the sound is muffled enough that you can have a conversation without resorting to shouting.

The beer selection is good.  The wine offerings on the other hand are proudly displayed to be "Black Box" box wines, which I have never seen in any bar...

Its not that box wine is bad, it just was so strange.

My last complaint, and this probably cost them a star is that they offer almost nothing to eat.  Planters peanuts in a pouch and tiny sample bags of pretzels are the total menu.  Maybe one or two other non-perishable bar snacks would keep folks from feeling the need to leave to get dinner.
Can someone get this bar a Slim Jim or a pink hard boiled egg?
3 - John G.: So The Piglet finally revealed their micro-brews a few weeks ago.  Well, i was working for the grand reveal and missed on most of the brews as they were sold out by my next brew-focused quest downtown. I did happen to get a pint of their bitter... which i promptly gagged at. It had the distinct taste of a bacterial infection (some bacteria is needed in a good bitter, mind you) and it was simply overpowering.

 I understand that, in order for it to be the Blind Pig BREWERY, said bar has to have some micro-brews, but I wouldn't supply my customers with poor product just to make up for batches of mistakes and wasted supplies. It's called integrity, my friends. 

Poor business ethics, poor beer.

Unnecessary addendum:  I don't understand the boxed wine thing... Must do some gumshoe work on this...
3 - Scott A.: The Blind Pig Brewery aka Piglet is a nice place.  I was able to try some of their brews and they are pretty good.  I really like coming here in the warmer climate times because of the outdoor seating.  The place is crowded every time I have gone in the winter.  I like going here to try out a great new brew, but only if it is warm out because space is limited in winter.
4 - Ben L.: The Blind Pig Brewery has become my favorite bar since moving back to Champaign from Ann Arbor. I like it a bit better than the original Blind Pig because it's a long, narrow space. This can work against it because it fills up easy, and it's not conducive to a group bigger than four people until the patio opens up. Still though, I like feeling cozy with my fellow bargoers. 

The decor and atmosphere are great. The beer list is good too; mostly bottles. It's the place to go to support your Michigan breweries! If only they'd order some Shorts. Their own craft brews have generally been okay, but supply does seem to run out quickly. This isn't really an issue for me since there's plenty of other beers on the menu I've never tried, but if you're coming specifically to try some local beer you might go home disappointed.

The one other knock is that it can be hard to get served when it's busy (just like 90% of other bard, I suppose). The narrow physical space of the bar means that traversing it is difficult when there's more than a couple people waiting to order.

All in all, though, definitely worth the modest prices. Great place to either sit inside or out back with the beautiful City Building in view.
4 - Elizabeth T.: The Piglet is my go-to bar. It has great ambiance and provides an intimate bar setting with no frills or distractions other than a great selection. The best and worst part about this place is its narrow corridor shape and limited tables, small and narrow, intimate and personal and yet tends to get crowded and impenetrable during prime weekend hours.

They have seasonal micro-brews that cater to most palates. I recommend the Wietbier and Hard Cider, both out during the spring and summer season. They also have a wide mix of bottles and ever-changing draft selection, along with the four or five micro-brews to go along with the full bar. There prices are reasonable for the area. The micro-brews typically run between four to six dollars. The only downside to the menu is the complete lack of food: no appetizers or peanuts here.

This is a simple but fun bar and is especially good for afternoon get-togethers or cocktail hours in the early weekday afternoons. Something is always on special. Because they are in downtown Champaign, the management keeps a close eye on the clientele to be sure no underclassmen filter through. This is also a great place to start an evening on the town, too.
4 - Sarah B.: I really like this place. The bartender was really friendly and since it wasn't too busy when i was in took the time to talk to me about different stuff to do in Champaign since i had just moved here. I really appreciated that!

When I went in there was only one microbrew left of the four (I think there are four) but it was actually really good. I was disappointed that I couldn't try any of the others, though. It seems like they need to readjust their brewing schedule/amount or something because it seems like they're running out of their brews really fast!

Next time I go I'm going to check out the outdoor patio area because it looks so lovely and perfect for a nice summer's evening.
5 - Chris C.: There are two kinds of bars: ones that serve food in order to compensate for the lower quality of their beer and ones whose beer is so damned amazing that food is something you should've thought of beforehand. The Blind Pig Brewery is definitely of the latter type. 

There are 3 distinctions between the Brewery, which my friends and I refer to as "the Piglet" in reference to its smaller size and the original Blind Pig: 

1. The wide availability of outdoor seating makes the Brewery better than the Pig for people who enjoy fresh air over enclosed caverns of noisy stuffiness. 

2. Beer Club Mondays have a $1 off bottled beers which allows others to experience an incredibly wide array of European and specialized microbrews. Also its fun to attempt to conquer the long list of beers. 

3. Trivia on Sundays. 

I love beer and places like the Brewery and the original Blind Pig convinced me that my move to Champaign for education hadn't abandoned my tastebuds completely. If like good foodstuffs, this place is one that won't disappoint you at all.
4 - Jon C.: i went to IU for undergrad and heard about how great the UIUC bars were. the first bar i went to was on campus and smelled like 3-day old vomit. my friend brought me to the blind pig and it immediately changed my views on the bars in champaign. great place to hang out.
4 - Nate G.: The Piglet is a nice intimate bar with a great bar and some amazing craft brews. Although it can get very crowded the clientele is grad student and late 20's so no worries about loud drunks. A great place to go when you just want to unwind and relax.
5 - Samuel I.: I've been here twice now, and my only complaint is the size of the tables in the booths, but whatever, I'm just being persnickety.  

The bartenders are quite knowledgeable and will allow you to taste what they have on tap. The local brews are very tasty, quite strong (as all true beers are), and inexpensive. 

There's trivia (w/ deals on Jameson & Guinness) on Sundays, a beer club on Mondays, and probably other fun stuff throughout the week, too.

A beer garden/patio is situated out back. Once the weather gets warmer, I'm totally plopping my rear, a pint, and a book out there on a Saturday afternoon.
4 - kate c.: Beer is ok. Like the outdoor seating. But I prefer the Original Pig.
4 - David A.: Positives: Very good beer selection. They rotate taps often. Cool patio out back.

Negatives: Their own beer is generally terrible. Seating situation inside is poorly designed: a small corridor is filled with awkwardly placed round tables. 

Note: check prices. If you look carefully you can find some very good deals on larger bottles.
4 - Megan W.: The Blind Pig has a pretty good beer selection.  I tried their Apricot wheat and it was very tasty.  The Blind Pig is a good place to go if you're trying to stay away from the college crowd.  They have a nice outdoor seating area as well.  My only small complaint was that they ran out of toliet paper in the women's bathroom.  I used the unisex bathroom and the lock appeared to be having some trouble locking.  Even though I locked it some drunk woman was able to power through the lock and nearly walk in on me.
5 - James B.: I love the Brewery (Piglet?).  It has become my new go-to bar for when I want to have good beer, overtaking its older brother in my esteem.  While the Pig is now crowded and full of people asking for Busch Lite, the Brewery is comfortable and usually has available seating.

During the summer, this place can't be beat: a huge amount of comfortable outdoor seating, and excellent service always.  In addition, their beers are generally good, with a few (I remember a certain honey cider with "50 pounds of honey") being FANTASTIC.  

Mug night is also a deal, and you won't get quality at that price ($2 off each beer) anywhere else.
5 - Ben K.: I love this place!

They always have freshly brewed beer on tap, and if you are in the mood for something else, just get a bottle of something, there is a huge list of bottled beer.

I have never had any problems with the bartenders, they are always quick and courteous.

The only problem you might ever have here is finding a seat.  It is so popular that they sometimes fill up all of the inside and outside (even when it is freezing outside).
5 - Daniel W.: First of all- this place has two beers from Stone Brewing Co,
.......ON TAP.

I take it that Champaign is a drinkin' town, but this is a phenomena universally considered as kick-@ss anywhere within the known galaxy.

Also- the 'Pig is gritty, dark, and distressed inside, as any good watering hole should be. But like it's booze selection- is not without a bit of distinction. It's a labrynth of cathedral arches and dark recesses. The only thing missing is a dirt floor. It's crazy like that.
3 - Miranda W.: Long story short: if you are going to label yourself a 'brewery' and offer a really good selection of beer (they do), then OWN it.  My guess is that the owner/manager/shot caller knows and loves their beer (me too!).  However, I think that  If he/she went into his/her own bar as a paying customer, they'd find their staff cannot execute on that vision at all.  

I won't go into the details, but their staff treated me like a transient when I asked to "taste" one of the beers on tap.  I was first taken aback (it was like the guy had never heard of that), then insulted, then embarrassed...for him!  He pretty much refused me and it wasn't like I wasn't spending money.  It wasn't like I was sitting there ordering Busch Lite all night and then suddenly wanted just a little freebie of the good stuff for chrissake!  

Still, they have good beer, the concept is great and the atmosphere (kind of low-key dive-ish) is good, so despite the staff; 3 stars.
3 - Steve M.: The piglet is a huge disappointment.  I've been there multiple times and their brewed stuff really sucks for every variety I've tried.  The place itself is a horrible location for bar, just like it was before when it was IIRC Barfly.  Incredibly narrow, difficult to sit at and manages to feel hectically crowded even when there aren't many people there.  They do occasionally have a really good beer on tap on their other taps, so that's a good thing.

The only thing pulling it out of the cellar is its nice beer garden.  Besides that, just go to the regular Pig instead!
5 - Jonathon B.: Trivia night!  The best!!
3 - Max E.: Very friendly, but doesn't have as much character as the Pig.  I tried two of the in-house beers, the Cherry Milk Stout (delicious) and the Red Rye Ale (disgusting).
5 - Nakita D.: I'm a pretty picky person and not really a beer connoisseur so I don't usually like to try different kinds and just stick to my bud light. My friend and I happened in here one night when our usual bar was WAY to loud (stupid salsa night). The bartender let me try several of the on tap beers and I found one I liked. We LOVED the atmosphere and the music was fantastic. We started to frequent this bar every week and have never had a bad experience and I am now on my way to trying new beers. I also enjoy that they change the draft beers often. Mug night (Tue, Wed) is defiantly a night to visit.
4 - Le-Huy N.: For beer connoisseurs, this is the place to go to. Every week they have different beers and usually over 20 beers on tap every night. They also have alot of hard to get beers in bottles. Best of all the have a cask beer that they open every friday. I have been to the bar more that 10 times and everytime I come there is a different list to choose from. I do not think I have had the same beer tqice at the bar.
The bar looks more like an old fashioned bar without tvs. At night the bar is rather dimly lit, but still a great ambiance. The most surprising thing, is that many of the beers are priced around 4 to 5 dollars which most bars would charge 6 dollars for. Being from CA I am happy to see alot of Stone brewery beers which are extremly tasty. Many of the customers are young people who are in grad school or are working, with the atmosphere really laid back.
1 - Nathan H.: I was coming in from out of town and scouted this place ahead of time.  The atmosphere was cozy and "well worn".  I like that.  The beer list was "decent" to "pretty good" for a bar of this type.  The service....TERRIBLE.  Absolutely terrible.  We walked in on a Thursday night to a fairly crowded bar but were able to find a table.  Having never been there, we waited to see if there were servers.  No such luck.  It didn't take long to figure out there was ONE person behind the bar serving the entire place.  Really?!  One bartender?!  I placed my order for three beers after waiting 7-10 minutes at the bar and was given 3 bottles and one glass and was told by the bartender, "Sorry, I can't give you glasses for all three."  Verbatim.  So, this supposedly great "Beer Bar" is not going to properly serve me my beer?  I can't have a glass?  As someone who appreciates beer in all aspects, I cannot believe that I could go into a place like this, order a good IPA and be denied a glass.  Unreal.

I feel sort of bad blasting this place because of all the high marks, (which is why I went in the first place) but since I was in town from a good long way away, I will likely never have the opportunity to give this place a second chance.  For a place that I was quite excited to go to, they really dropped the ball.
1 - Brent S.: The first and foremost thing I expect from a place that calls itself a brewery is a broad selection of beer brewed on premises. Sadly, not only is the selection small-- at most four choices, more often only 2 or 3-- but the quality rarely gets above mediocre. More often than not there's at least one beer or cider at any time that is objectively flawed-- murky, smelly, unintentionally sour.

The atmosphere is rather dark, dingy, and claustrophobic, consisting of basically one narrow shot through the building. When the place fills up-- and it doesn't take much-- it can be difficult to shoulder past the people standing at the bar.

Saving graces are a modest and decent bottle selection as well as several guest taps, and the presence of a nice-sized outdoor seating section that's good for the 7 or 8 months a year it's not too cold, snowy, or rainy outside.

Bottom line is that I've been giving this place a chance since shortly after it opened, but sadly it hasn't seemed to come around to be the kind of place that's inviting enough for me to frequent.

(From reading other reviews I should also point out that more than a few people are getting the Blind Pig Brewery confused with The Blind Pig Pub. Though owned by the same people they're different places.)
4 - Brian C.: It felt like a tavern crossed with a kitschy antique store in here, but maybe that's just me.  I really appreciated that they played music at a level that can coexist with conversation at your table. Great tap selection and decent prices.  It was busy but not packed on the Friday night of our visit, and the setup was just right to play some cards at one of their barside tables.
5 - Anne C.: The apple cider is so good! The staff is friendly, and the beer garden is perfect on a summer night.
1 - Matthew M.: My girlfriend and I always stop in on Monday nights because they have $2 off all bottles. (beer)  That being said, we usually have about 4 or 6 beers in total for around $10. A great deal!  We each have about 3 beers and end up only paying around $10 total. 

As of this past Monday, we will not be patronizing the Blind Pig any longer. The bartender told us they were completely out of the Weach, which is my favorite. I then ask for the apricot, which they are out of as well...keep in mind, both of these beers run about $1.50 each on Monday nights with the discount.  He then offers up a raspberry beer that he promises will be comparable to the fruit beers that they were out of.  

However, the bartender forgets to mention that the beer he suggested, which I've never heard of before was $25 per bottle!!!    How deceptive and shady!  I am clearly a regular there on Monday nights due to the cheap bottle beer...shouldn't you give the customer a "heads up" that the beer you just suggested to them was $25 a bottle?  Shady and very deceptive.  I ended up ordering his suggestion, which I hated and later found out it was $25 a bottle when I went to close my tab. Buyer beware!!!
5 - Colin G.: For years, I would see Champaign on the map and would always say "I should go there at some point." A number of my favorite bands are originally from Champaign, and I've known a number of U of I graduates over the years. I finally did a year or so ago right after we moved to Indiana. I was just looking for a day trip and it seemed like a good idea. I hit the Blind Pig when it opened on that Tuesday because they were listed on a site as brewing their own draft beer. Since then, I've come out to Champaign twice more and will be back again, and the Blind Pig has a lot to do with that. This is a great beer bar. In fact, it's become one of my top ten beer bars in the country.
One thing that makes it a great beer bar is a great draft list that the staff really gets behind and knows a lot about. It changes regularly, but it's always really interesting and from various places around the country. Last time I was in there, they had a Two Brothers, a Left Hand, a Schlafly and a Stone, and I don't believe I had had any of the particular varieties, even though I'm a regular drinker of all those breweries. They also do their own beer. Sure, it's hit or miss, but they're trying. And you get some really good stuff sometimes. Downside, as mentioned, is that it's really small batch, so you're lucky to find the same house beer on tap for two consecutive weeks. They do reuse recipes though so it may come back.
What I really like about the Pig is the vibe. This is very much a locals place. In fact, the first time I heard the word "townie" used non-sarcastically was by a bartender here (it's more of a Midwestern thing, I guess, because I've heard it several times since). But it's a local beer snob place. The regulars here are a little old and drunkenly, but they really care about their beer, which is why they come back. I've always met interesting people here when I've come.
But the main reason I come back: mug club. For $5 you can buy a Blind Pig mug, which you can choose to leave there or take home. And that mug gets you $2 off all drafts on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. As a result, I've always gotten out of there well toasted for under $20.
The interior has old college town bar written all over it (although it's certainly not an undergrad sort of place), and it has a very nice patio in the back. They tend to have good music, but it's at the bartender's whim, so it varies. No food. I've seen it brought in, but I wouldn't try to bring it in myself.
I should add, also, that, although I'm not really a liquor drinker, they seem to have a very good liquor selection. This is one of the few places I've seen Johnny Walker Blue Label.
5 - Stephanie H.: Delicious beers (and cider!) My first experience here was after the reception of two of my friends' wedding in 2010. It's a staple of C-U. I've always liked it because of the low-key, relaxed atmosphere (most of the time). It's a great reprieve from the usual under-21 rowdy crowds on Green street.

A good place to relax with old friends with a tasty brew.
5 - Paul D.: One of my all time favorite breweries.  If you like the original Blind Pig, then you will no doubt love this place. It looks the same, and has the same wood work as the original. With an old barn look and lots of dark wood. The wood is taken from a 200 year old barn and antique tables. A relatively small and centrally located bar in front of the taps, the bar back is over 150 years old as well. The area has a couple of tables out front, and a great beer garden out back. Character oozes out of every wood poor here. Really laid back and relaxing. The service is good. The bar tenders know their stuff, and are usually quick.  Sometimes it takes a little to get noticed.

The house beers are great. Usually 3-4. There was a Winter Warmer, a Belgian Dark, and an IPA the first time I visited. The house beers are constantly rotating, and they are always something interesting and unique (A Peach Wit, Dry Hopped Pale, Cherry Stout, Barleywines). They also have about 15 taps of other good micros and imports that rotates regularly as well. There is always something different to try. There are a ton of bottles as well. The quality is always exceptional, just fresh as can be.

You can't beat a quality brewpub, and this one is excellent. Very fresh and always enjoyable. It is about time there was a good brewpub in Champaign. Really, one of my favorite brewpubs I have been to. I can't recommend this place enough.

Blink High End - Cambridge, MA (42.3624706, -71.101783) (Central Square)
5 - Lisa C.: Blink HIgh End is an audio lovers paradise! The products are without a doubt the best on the market and will completely change your listening experience. The Raidho C-line speakers were musically breathtaking and displayed a depth that is simply lacking in other products I have heard.

The friendly staff is more than incredibly knowledgeable, they are complete professionals when it comes to audio products. They are more than happy to help you find exactly what you are looking for and explain exactly which products would be the best fit. I could not be happier with my Blink High End experience!
5 - xiaoting m.: Well, you couldn't believe how cool the studio is and the audio equipment they are using. I've been there twice just to enjoy their music there. And it is free. Haha:) And I noticed that studio also sell those high end audio equipment, but seems that they just sell to people who really enjoy high quality music at home and are wealthy. Anyway, one of my friend gets a speaker from them after my recommendation and he likes it a lot so far. :)

Bliss Body Spa - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2810386, -120.6638287) ()
5 - Dy H.: I have been going to Bliss Salon for my hair cut and color since my stylist, Tracy Hall, started there about a year ago.  I love the place.  My four year old son is there with me.  Everyone is so kind to him while I am getting my hair done.  I bring him a movie to watch or something to play with and he stays entertained.  Tracy does a wonderful job on my hair.  The color is great.  My husband and son are clients of Tracy's also.  It is a family affair.  My husband has enjoyed a massage at Bliss.  He said it was great.  Try it out.  The location in across the street from the Mission, close to parking, and very peaceful.
1 - Coley S.: Their website pricing is a lie! I went in for an extended bikini wax, which they advertised for $35, when I paid they charged me $45! When I corrected them that their website said 35, they said that's what the price STARTED at!! When do they ever START there!! I asked that too, the lady just looked at my dumbfounded.
5 - lynne s.: First of all, I found Bliss Body Spa on Yelp!!  What a wonderful little gem of a salon.  My husband and I were spending a few days in SLO, so I called ahead for an appointment for us.  We decided on a couple's massage (90 minutes) and the hand & foot treatment.

Don't let the unassuming entry fool you - this is a gorgeous little space.  It's housed in a building that used to be part of the mission across the street!  Out back is a wonderful oasis of a garden.  We sat at a little table for a few minutes while the therapists prepared our room, which was a little cabin further back in the garden.  A pot-bellied stove warmed the room, and the tables were warmed as well.  DH has Sandy, and I had Natasha who was absolutely amazing!!  After our massage we were sent even further back in the garden to two oversized chairs piled with pillows for our hand and foot treatments.

The hand and foot treatments were just lovely.  The cool breeze through the garden was delighful, and Natasha treated me to even more shoulder massage while I had the paraffin on my hands and feet.

Almost 3 hours later we floated out...

We will definitely be back next time we're in that neck of the woods!!
4 - Lisa M.: Bliss is the epitome of SLO to me. A home grown business, literally within an amazing home with a garden area, and spa room behind it! The first time I came to Bliss, I walked in for an eyebrow wax. They were able to take me with no appointment, and just a short wait.  I sat in the living room area with the owner's golden lab skimming fashion magazines. The laid back atmosphere was a plus for me. Taking a break with the dog was just what I needed in my day of errands. It was $22 for my brows, including tip. I pay the same at Benefit's Brow Bar in Macy's located in San Diego's Fashion Valley Mall. Though I've never heard of a lower price for brow work, I consider $22 to be of moderate price. After all, you pay for what you get and I'd like to ensure my brows are in trustworthy hands. Bliss Spa exudes trust with its home grown charm and friendly, laid back atmosphere. A business I plan to return to again, and again while up in SLO.
4 - Coco S.: My boyfriend and I went here for a couple's massage for Valentine's Day weekend. We walked in through their narrow entryway and found ourselves in a hair salon. We were then asked by a nice lady to sit in the back garden to fill out some paperwork. The garden was very quaint and pretty and there was a black lab walking around. 

The reason I give the spa 4/5 stars is because they didn't exactly ease you into the experience. We paid $180 for this couple's massage which is a little on the pricey side and there wasn't a place to relax before or after, no cucumber water, tea, or anything of that nature. They took us to a shed that was set up with 2 massage tables and I definitely received one of the best massages I've ever had. On the paperwork they ask you which spots you would like more treatment on and the massage therapists really take that to heart and do a great job. 

All in all, if you want a great massage, go here. But if you want a relaxing and romantic spa experience for this amount of money, I'm not sure I would recommend.
5 - M P.: My husband and I visited this spa for massages and facials. Both services were fantastic. Spas with a snooty staff who walk around like they're the greatest are a dime a dozen, especially in California. At this spa, you'll get the level of skill but in a friendly unpretentious atmosphere. Plus, the prices are completely reasonable! 

This place was great for a refreshing facial and AMAZING massage without the snooty B.S. you'll find at other places. We will be back!
1 - Michelle C.: I came here with my girlfriends spontaneously, making appointments the same day.  Two of us got the Touch of Heaven spa special (an hour facial and an hour massage) and our other friend got a 2 hour massage. 

This is based on my experience only, not theirs.  My friend got her 2 hour massage with Naomi and she said she was fantastic!  We are all physical therapists, and Naomi was doing some muscle releases that we had learned in school.  Impressive! 

First off, my facial was absolutely lovely, but unfortunately I don't remember the lady who did that for me.  I was so relaxed I fell asleep!  More unfortunately, I received a massage from SanDee, which was an absolute train wreck - where I was wishing the massage was over and was very very VERY close to asking her to stop the massage.

The massage first started with her acknowledging that I said that I was ticklish.  I thought to myself - Great! - she's paying attention to what I had written.  She asked me where I liked being massaged, and I said I liked my shoulders and back being the focus.  So she suggested that I remain face down for most of the hour, which is usually what occurs with me during most of my massages.  She began massaging my back, first WITHOUT any oil.  The friction on my back burned!  This occurred for about 7 long long minutes - and as I was about to ask her why she was not using oil, she finally put some on her hands.  She also began with a technique of "skin rolling," which we also learned in physical therapy school - which is NOT a relaxing technique and is actually is unanimously one of the most painful techniques you could use on a patient.

And just to add, my shoulder area and in between my shoulder blades was NEVER a focus of the massage.  She would use her palms or her forearm to move from my low back up to my neck, but would significantly release pressure where it mattered the most!! First you really should not have 10/10 pressure on the low back, which she did.  And then moved up towards the angle of the shoulder blade and went down to 3/10 pressure in this area.  Ummm what

So, as someone who is ticklish, I think most of us would automatically know that one should avoid under the arms and maybe even the sides of the torso.  In PT school, we learned that if a patient is ticklish, we use a broader hand contact and deeper pressure.  Apparently, not  with SanDee.  She used pokey hands and used a quick directional pressure with "bouncing."  She also went in the direction of under my arms and my sides with her fingers lightly dragging everywhere.  I was obviously muscle guarding throughout, and she did not take notice.  When she did, she yelled "Relax!" at me and asked, "should I just avoid this area altogether?"  I stated, well, no, I'm just ticklish in my underarm area.  And she laughed a little at me and said that's not where I was going for.  Um, in my head I thought - well obviously I am being tickled and your hands are in this area and I am muscle guarding - and regardless, pretty sure the customer is always right in these situations and you shouldn't belittle them.

She then proceeded to ask me if I had gotten a gift card or something for the massage.  I said no.  And she paused and sounded confused - and then suggested that people who were ticklish usually didn't go to get massages.  I said no, I get massages all the time as a Physical Therapists (in fact, I am a member of Massage Envy) and they are just usually done with very deep pressure.

After that comment, I think she wanted to test me to see just how hard I liked massages.  She turned me over, and began with some stretches for the anterior part of my neck.  Too bad there really aren't any muscles to be stretched in this way - really needs to take an anatomy class.  At this point I began to get mad, when she gave me the most painful head/scalp massage ever.  There is really no way anyone can mess up a scalp massage right?  She did.  And would PINCH my ears.  As hard as she could!!  She was going for massaging my upper traps with fisted hands, but instead I felt like she was just squeezing my throat. She did this same technique pattern (scalp, ears, throat) for 25 minutes. 25 minutes!!  It was so painful!!

Positives: I asked her to massage my calves and my feet, but she avoided my feet, but did a great calf massage.  She also gave a good, but short, hand massage, but left so much lotion left (globs!) on my hands I was able to lotion both my legs.

I came out of the massage more sore than when I came in.  There is no reason for my pecs to hurt, other than I was muscle guarding so hard throughout the massage.  I did not want say anything at the place because we were celebrating with my girlfriends, however I almost started crying because I was so frustrated with my masseuse.  I would come here again because of the good things I heard about the other masseuses and my facial was great, but I would never EVER recommend ANYONE to go under the torture I endured with SanDee.
2 - Nicole P.: I had a nice massage but I was very disappointed in the customer service. I had a gift certificate and they kept cancelling on me, 3 times..  So it made the experience frustrating
5 - Heather S.: I love this place! I have been for several massages - pre wedding, prenatal, etc. The rooms they have out in the garden are like getting a massage outside with fresh air - more like a vacation than a local massage.

Last year I had my first facial (Ellen is amazing!). I visited a couple days ago for a facial and a bikini wax and was again impressed. I ended up with a message too (THANK YOU!!!) I was seriously treated like a queen. This was my first bikini wax and I was nervous about it - but I felt so comfortable with Ellen, I didnt even think about being nervous.

From beginning to end, I have always had great experiences at Bliss.
4 - Sky M.: I had a great facial from Ellen, she's a 5 of 5 stars. I'll probably go back to see her again :-) My skin still feels great hours later.

The 4 of 5 is for the atmosphere. It would be nice if they offered tea, fruit, or something refreshing and had an area to relax and reflect in after the service. 

Try it out, you'll probably like it!
4 - Kelli M.: Hubby and I spent a weekend in SLO (first weekend away without the kids).  I called and scheduled a couples massage and they were able to fit us in.  Before the massage we sat in their backyard area at a little table.  It was cute and casual.  The massage was in an outdoor yurt kind of a thing.  It was a greta massage but I did get a little cold and the people in the next backyard were kind of loud and you could hear them laughing which made it hard to relax.  Great price though and overall good experience.
5 - Jennifer N.: The amazing hot stone massage I received  from Kathy and the swedish massage my boyfriend had with Sarah was one of the highlights of our recent trip to SLO.  But let me start from the beginning. Making an appointment was easy, pleasant and the nice lady answering the phone and working the counter immediately made me feel at ease.

When you walk in, it looks like a small salon space. It's still open, airy and relaxing in the entry area. Once you check in and fill out your forms, they take you to the back patio area where there are several small outdoor sheds. The interior was relaxing with music playing, warm sheets and the sound of the breeze, birds and windchimes all around. 

I had a tough morning-traffic, parking, almost was late, etc...My massage therapist immediately sensed that and made sure I let go and was fully relaxed by reminding me this was my time to rejuvenate.

I had requested a 3 on the pressure scale and her technique and touch were spot on with that request. She incorporated the stones in to a complete massage and by the time I was done, I felt completely relaxed, refreshed and many aches and pains in my hips, back and legs were gone. I felt as if I were glowing the rest of the day. My boyfriend had gotten a Swedish massage at Bliss the same day and he now won't stop talking about when he will get his next treatment. He made note that when I left the spa I looked extremely happy and relaxed. 

I highly recommend this spa for a well deserved massage. Excellent experience from start to finish.
5 - Lori T.: This is an amazing spa! I felt very pampered here.  Kim, the owner, is fantastic!!  Very helpful and ready to accommodate.  The place just had an overwhelming feeling of relaxation about it.  I will definitely be back!

Bliss Boutique Bakery - Chapel Hill, NC (35.910382, -79.062915) ()
4 - Kianna M.: Bliss...the clouds' envy--the other side of sweetness in heaven.   

Yes, indeed there are various eating lifestyle cupcakes here, like vegan as the other reviewer mentioned.  Perhaps their vegan cupcake didn't hit the spot for them, but let me tell you I am NOT a vegan honey and I unintentionally bought the option of that day (which unfortunately I don't recall at the moment--yikes I know!), but it ROCKED my world--I was blown away!! Honestly, when I think of vegan-- I think dry, boring and bland...but  not this vegalicious cup cake blissfulness!  My mouth is watering just thinking about it...

The coffee is from the local Counter Culture folks and is simply lovely, and these guys whip up some good cappuccinos, lattes, espressos and americanos, as well as, multiple tea options.  

 This is the previous location of 3 cups, for those of you who frequented the location as did I.  This is a great location for the kids to play outside a bit after having their sweets and burn off some of that energy.  It's getting warm and the beautiful fountain and outdoor seating is there waiting for you so go ahead and sashay on over there for your tasty treat.  

I must say one of my favorite managers/customer service people there is Rickey, he has excellent customer service, he's highly knowledgeable about their product line and extremely professional; not to mention friendly and hospitable.
4 - Christina G.: Dear Mad Hatter Bake Shop in Durham, please be aware that Bliss allowed me and my date to grab a cupcake and a cup of coffee ten minutes before closing time AND the dude behind the counter -- as we scurried to pay and get out of his way -- even encouraged us to sit down in the store and enjoy the cupcake so long as we didn't mind him cleaning up in the background (please reference my Mad Hatter Yelp for additional disgruntled info on trying to order a to-go cupcake from them ten minutes before closing time). ANYway. Aforementioned dude-behind-counter could not have been nicer. The shop is cute, small, but still plenty of seating for a cozy cafe. You can see the kitchen where all the cupcake magic happens. They do offer vegan options, which is great. I sampled the ganache chocolate cupcake with chocolate buttercream filling. :salivate: Can't believe they're open till 10 on a Friday -- so awesome for that after-a-late-dinner dessert hankering.  Because I was rushing, can't fully remember the coffee options. I went with a latte, which was a tasty brew but a little tepid. They switch featured cupcakes out daily so I'm totally enticed to keep visiting -- and taste testing!
4 - Hoa N.: Yay!

This place is pretty awesome! 
First, located in the court yard, there is a little fountain outside which is extremely nice for a summer and nice fall day!  I would definitely take advantage of this in the future.
Second, the decor is extremely cute and interesting.  The brick walls give you a rustic feeling but modern and cute art decoration upgrade it a notch.  Give you kind of a mixture of both the old and new.
Third:  Service is very good.  The owner is extremely attentive and very responsive as well.  It's a slow night and one of the customers ask for a change in music, he would do that!!!  
And last but not least, the cupcake is actually pretty good!!!  I love the chocolate ganache.  IT is definitely my favorite.
They also have a vegan carrot walnut cupcake.  I know it's a long name... however I have to say... some people go vegan because they allergic to certain ingredients.  Walnut is one of a very common allergen.  So maybe next time they could cut the walnut and try some other things like raisins.  

Overall experience, very good!! I would definitely take some friends to come back and try more stuffs.

Not a coffee drinker so I can't say anything about the coffee. :)

Half off from 5:30 to 7:30 is a great plus as well!!!
5 - John L.: Coming from Boston, we kind of have, um, controversy among our cupcakes.  This will explain: http://www.kickasscupcakes.com/Flash/episode2/episode2.html 

That being said, I've noticed that Chapel Hill cupcakes are much more laid back, bringing me to Bliss Boutique.  Hidden within the Courtyard on the western side of Franklin Street, BBB is a nice little bakery with a patio area outside.  It's also just away from the hustle and bustle of Franklin Street, giving it a more intimate feel.

The cupcakes themselves are quite good, and a nice little treat at $2.50 a pop.  I ended up with the Vegan Cookies and Cream one (I'm not vegan, but it had an Oreo sticking out of it, and I thought that was fun :) ).  The cupcake had great frosting and good cake area, and wonderful consistency.

They're decently sized considering, and if you get there between 5:30 and 7:30, it's CUPCAKE HAPPY HOUR! :D  (1/2 price for cupcakes).  So cupcakes are about $1.35 after taxes during that time.  A great deal for a nice end of day treat.

Service is also excellent, so overall it's a very good little hidden gem off to the side of Franklin Street.
2 - Elisabeth T.: I went to Bliss 1.5 hours after their website said they opened.  They told me that their cupcakes weren't baked for the day and asked me if I'd like to place an order.  I told them what I wanted and the guy, who was very very uninterested in being polite, said, "let me check... those might be ready."  While I waited for them to finish, I asked for an iced coffee.  They told me they'd have to go get the ice.  How about a hot coffee.. they didn't have any.  So he handed me an iced coffee, filled to the brim, and didn't offer me any milk, cream or sugar.  Gee... thanks?  After a 15 minute wait, they handed me the cupcakes without eye contact or a smile.  The cupcakes are decent but nothing to write home about and certainly not worth the awful customer service.
3 - David W.: It's a good cupcake/brownie, I've tasted better but I don't think you'll find anywhere much better in Chapel Hill.  I'm not sure if their cupcakes are worth the $2.50 premium, but they do have some interesting flavors for you to find one that you might really like.  Unfortunately they rotate flavors everyday of the week so you may have to go in a certain day each week or call in a large order.   

Overall it's a good spot if you're looking for a gourmet brownie or cupcake though it's on the pricier side.
5 - Helena K.: I can't get over how adorable this place is and how friendly and helpful the staff are.  I absolutely adored my vegan chocolate pecan coconut fudge cupcake and my husband loved his vanilla with vanilla buttercream.  Also, the hot chocolate is out of this world.   We sat for nearly an hour, playing cards and writing in the book of bliss---where you anonymously fill in personal answers to various questions about your past, present, and future---and it was just the perfect stop on a chilly winter afternoon!
5 - Leesha Z.: My friend and I are visiting from Rhode Island and I have never tasted a more delicious cup cake in my life! I got the vanilla buttercream cupcake and it was absolutely amazing. We met the owner, who is an extremely sweet guy as well. The place is really cute and modern inside and feels very comfortable. I would definitely recommend this place if you're looking to cure your sweet tooth!
5 - mari h.: What can I say that hasn't been said?

Bliss has a comfortable little shop next to Sandwhich in the Courtyard (note: FREE PARKING) with a lovely little outdoor area to eat and it's staffed by the nicest guys.

This place is amazing. The ganache, the butter cream, the brownies, the brownie cupcakes, the carrot cupcakes, the coffee, the tea. Oh, and the vegan cupcake du jour, is also AMAZING, especially when it's the cherry chocolate one, and no, I'm not vegan.

A couple of notables: There are no day-old cupcakes. You will only get cupcakes that were freshly mixed and baked that day, in an unrefrigerated state. There are no cases drying out your cupcakes. Be sure to pick up a schedule so you know the day to get your favorites!
5 - Lupo A.: Awesome space, fantastic staff and management, great and inexpensive food,... Just plain bad luck. Or maybe bad location. I don't know. Fact is, one of my favorite places in a town that has a lot to offer (food-wise) has recently reduced its hours of operation and modified its business model in a direction that preoccupies me. We'll see. "Allez Madame, hang in there!".
The sitting/dining area is between the counter and the open kitchen, where you can witness magic happen. Comfy, cozy, clean, yummy, relaxed, hip and simply a gem.
5 - Its K.: I went to Chapel Hill for a visit in January and was super excited to stumble upon this place. The cupcakes here are amazing, they melt in your mouth and are super buttery and sweet (but not obnoxiously sweet). The selection is great too. I wanted to hit this place up everyday I was in town, but on Sunday they were closed, so I ventured up the street to Sugarland for my cupcake fix. Not the same...not even close! So, if you need some sugah and coffee, go here. Loved it! The owner is really nice too, I'm sure all the staff are as well :)
4 - Sara A.: Cute location in the Courtyard that actually has a coffee shop feel to it with some leather chairs and nice, slightly dimmer lighting. I'd go here to read or do work inside or outside. You can watch them do the baking, which is cool.

The coffee here has been good, and I enjoyed my cupcake, though I personally prefer the ones at Sugarland, which I think are a little more unique. The Bliss cupcakes are very light and airy. Another plus is that they offer vegan cupcakes, which if I was a vegan, I'd be ecstatic over. They change cupcake specials daily (with some regular weekly rotations) so if you have a favorite that isn't standard vanilla or chocolate, check the website to see what days they have it.

Bliss Cafe - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.279939, -120.66317) ()
4 - Chelsea S.: I ate here for the first time today, and it was delicious. I got the Peace Plate for $11, which came with a kind of sweet raw carrot salad, green vegetable curry, brown rice, and a spicy red Indian dish that I believe was mango chutney. It was all so good! The flavors were incredibly vibrant, everything was good. I had it with an iced Yerba Mate tea, which could be my only complaint, because it was sweetened and not labeled as sweetened. It wasn't overly sweet, and eventually grew to be very refreshing, but I'm just someone who very much prefers unsweetened tea. 

The service was good-the owner was very nice and answered all of our questions and enjoyed chatting. Points for very quick service; it literally took about seven minutes for our food to come out steaming hot and freshly cooked.

One of the best things about this place is the fact that things are vegan and vegetarian but don't compromise on flavor or texture. And you don't leave feeling as though you just ate your body weight and now have to go sleep for six hours to feel normal again.


Overall, I'd most definitely go back.
5 - Garrett F.: I got a bliss burrito at the MGMT concert out at Pozo. The burrito was great. All vegan, brown rice, beans, a few other things and hummus. A weird mix, but it all worked and tasted great together. The chutney that came with it was sweet and extremely good, I really enjoyed it. It was a little pricey and this burrito wasn't huge, but overall a really good burrito and I will try the cafe/Vrajas kitchen in SLO when I get the chance.
5 - Michael A.: These guys have an eggplant Parmesan plate that just can't be compared with anything else out there.  Just, pure awesome.  I usually pay them a visit once a week at farmers market to have their peace plate, and every so often I pop into their café to have their triple berry smoothie (again, pure awesome).
5 - Shant O.: Sooo delish, went in expected a natty cafe alternative... came out with a homemade quiche with mango chutney on the side.... best part about it besides the customer service is that I felt light. affordable price and a beautiful place to sit down. bless the bliss. glad there's another place in  this town that can feed balanced humans.
4 - Josh M.: After reading a few glowing Yelp reviews I decided to pickup two Bliss Burrito's to enjoy for lunch for my Wife and I.

I ordered over the phone at 12:00 and picked up my warm burritos around 12:15 after finding a parking place down town.

I like how there was minimal packaging with the food, only one small white paper box to store both of the burritos for transportation to my house to enjoy them.

The burritos were delicious! Nice and warm! The tortillas were soft and toasty and the sauce in the burritos was awesome! We both enjoyed the meal and will probably return to try other items on the menu.

Great stuff Bliss! Thanks for lunch!
5 - Michelle F.: You do not have to be vegan to eat here! Simply come because it's delicious! I've taken many friends here (all huge meat eaters) and they love it!

In my opinion, one should spend money on a restaurant worth it. You work for every penny earned so why not pay an establishment that cares about the quality of ingredients it gives to you?

Bliss cafe is SO tasty! Try the Peace plate. I always order it when i go to the farmer's markets. Gives you a variety of food all with awesome flavor. 

Wholesome, healthy for your body and your planet. Every dollar you spend makes a difference, so why not spend it making a positive change?
4 - Veronica K.: For our honeymoon, my husband and I took a road trip from Los Angeles to San Fransisco. Along the way, we plotted a few stops, including San Luis Obispo. We had read about Vraja's Kitchen and decided to go in for dinner. We had a bit of a hard time finding the place (had to circle around the block) - but then we realized that Vraja's Kitchen was actually Bliss Cafe. The sign actually says "Vraja's Kitchen" at the top, and in larger letters, "Bliss Cafe." We later learned that Vraja sold the restaurant and it is now under new ownership.

The place was pretty quiet, and seating is very casual. It's a small space with several different types of tables and seating. The lighting and decor could use a little work, but all in all it was cute. 

We came in and were helped immediately. Everyone was very, very nice. We ordered the Spanikopita appetizer, and the Eggplant Parmesan - both were delicious! 

The Spanikopita was packed with spinach. It was different from any other I'd had before - it was cut like a slice of pie, and had only a thin crust of phyllo. We both really liked the olives in it, too. It was served with hummus and chutney - both good, though the chutney was better, and tasted great with the Spanikopita. 

The Eggplant Parmesan was really tasty, too. The eggplant was breaded, and served with a thick and flavorful tomato sauce. They had a "Parmesan" sprinkle available made from Nutritional Yeast and spices that added a nice touch. 

For dessert, we had a raw ball that was rich and delicious. Very chocolatey and covered in coconut - I'm glad we shared one because I probably couldn't have finished it on my own. 

My only qualms about Bliss would have to do with the decor and atmosphere. While the employees were very nice, some of them were having a pretty loud conversation out in the middle of the cafe which, because the place is so small, we were forced to listen to. The decor could be improved drastically by a change in lighting and perhaps a more formally designed seating area. But at the end of the day, we had a great meal with a wonderful dessert, and met some nice people who were brave enough to open their own vegan restaurant. Hard to argue with that!
5 - bebelyn K.: Very chillax eclectic Vegan Lounge/Eatery its really casual! The food is so good, organic and all vegan but you wouldn't even notice since it is so filling! Try the spicy somosas or the sweet cinamon walnut Log! The workers are really friendly!
4 - C K.: Recently became a vegan and I'm so glad that there is a restaurant nearby that serves good vegan food. I tried the eggplant Parmesan and it was pretty good. Looking forward to trying other things on their menu. The raw desserts look pretty delicious.
5 - Jaime L.: This is a fabulous little cafe, whether you're vegan or not. It's great to have a dining option that uses simple, healthy, whole food ingredients! 
I first tried Bliss Cafe at the farmer's market- I had the vegetable curry (yum!) and for dessert the strawberry avocado chocolate mousse (even more yum! heavenly, really...). I couldn't wait to go in to the actual restaurant. I've been there twice now, and have not been disappointed. The raw cacao balls are delicious and filling- great for a quick, healthy boost of energy. The green smoothie (can't remember the actual name of it) was a perfect accompaniment. The service is wonderful- everyone is extremely friendly and treats you like an old friend. 
I love that you can order off the menu or choose from the delicious guilt-free treats in the deli case. Can't wait to try more!
4 - Ronit G.: Really it's more like 3.5 stars.  We were driving through San Luis Obispo just to see the downtown area while heading further south.  We were stopped in traffic and that's how we saw Bliss Cafe.  The chalkboard said they had some raw vegan options and smoothies so we decided to park and get something. Being raw vegan, this some sort of fate that couldn't be ignored.

We got a cinnamon roll and a yogi juice.  The juices ingredients mentioned ginger, lemon, celery, apple and carrot.  The juice just tasted like carrot but was good.  The bad part was how long it took - for what we had hoped to be a quick stop, it took about 25 minutes to get our juices!  Should've taken 5 tops.  The guy cleaned tables when no one was waiting and seemed to just be lingering while we watched and wondered how long it would take. I had to run back to the car before the juices were made to plug the meter!  I'd still go back here and would love to give them another shot.  Next time I'm in SLO...
2 - Edie M.: I am probably a bit biased since I loved Vraja's Kitchen so much, but my experience at Bliss Cafe was very disappointing.  I was hoping that all the positive reviews online meant that quality wasn't sacrificed with the change in ownership, but, for me, that was not the case.  

First of all, I will say that I appreciated the extra tables that the new owners added, but the look of the new menu on the wall feels more like a typical health food cafe rather than the funky, unique charm from before.  Plus, the service is slow, and we watched as a couple at another table had a drink order completely forgotten by the server.  That's pretty sad when there are only 6 customers in the entire place.  

As far as the food goes, my boyfriend and I were not happy with what we received.  I ordered tacos, and while the BBQ sauce (?) on them was tasty, it was definitely not the flavor I expected to get, as nowhere was that mentioned on the menu description.  Not only that, they were the weirdest  tacos I've ever eaten, as they contained just pinto beans and tempeh strips and a few fat pieces of cabbage.  I really don't understand why you would put pinto beans and tempeh together on a taco with nothing else, it seemed like some dish a college kid would throw together with leftovers.  The taste wasn't bad, but it wasn't something I would want to order again.  Plus, there was something on the side that I'm guessing was refried beans (with a whitish color), but the flavor was bland and I had no desire to keep eating it.  Maybe it was hummus?  I don't know, couldn't tell by the taste.  My boyfriend had the Veggie Hummus Sandwich, which he said was underseasoned and boring.  As a matter of fact, he said he wanted to create an account online just so he could post a negative review of Bliss Cafe, which is a HUGE statement from him, as he never does things like that.  

Overall, I think "boring" is the best word I can use to describe this restaurant.  I'm wondering if the reason there are so many positive reviews is because there isn't much for vegans in SLO, so they're super appreciative of anything they can get.  

I wanted VERY much to like Bliss Cafe, as I loved having a great vegan spot to stop at when I travel between northern and southern California.  Sadly, though, this is not it.
4 - Krystal C.: I am a big fan!! The food was full of flavor and filling!  I will be getting Bliss Cafe a lot!  Thank you for having a healthy alternative!  :)  Try the Bhema Burger...it is GREAT....The Humus was to die for!
4 - L N.: First time trying the food here; we both got the Bhakti bowl. Both the vegetarian and the omnivore liked the food, too. Honestly I wasn't hungry to start, but the yellow curry and spicy pineapple chutney got me to eat.   I will be going back to try more dishes. The desserts looked yummy, and another diner seemed to really enjoy the sweet potato fries, so I'll have to try those too. We also liked the art on the walls.
4 - Tina G.: absolutely delicious!! i am considering becoming a vegan and wanted to try out some the food. so i walked down to bliss cafe and got the special of the day which was eggplant "parmesan"  and yellow curry with organic brown rice.it was amazing!! absolutely delicious. their seating is not the best if you have a baby, its not very family friendly, but i got my food to go and was delighted with the quality!
5 - Thien C.: I Flove (Fucking Love) this place! I come here every time I come to San Luis Obispo. The employees are so nice and awesome, and so is the food. Definitely recommend this place for anyone who is vegan/vegetarian.
1 - joanne g.: Like many Yelpers, I stumbled across this place while taking a break from a road trip with my husband.  Being a mostly-vegan vegetarian, I was happy to find a place that did not serve meat at all (research indicates that SLO has a lot of restaurants with vegetarian dishes), and thought the options looked reasonable. I had a hard time making up my mind until  saw that the soup du jour was lentil, which is pretty much my favorite so if it's on a menu, I get it.  We also got a smoothie and a cookie to share.

The lentils were a perfect texture, just cooked enough but not mushy. Apart from that, it may have been the worst soup I have ever had, and I'm including all the yucky canned soup I consumed as a child.  For starters, even though we both ordered the soup, one bowl was full of lentils and vegetables, the other mostly liquid. So if you like the solid stuff, make sure you ask them to scoop from the bottom of the pot. There was some heavy spice action, but I couldn't tell what was contributing to the dirty socks aroma and taste, which made the soup mostly inedible. (Husband didn't mind it.) 

The smoothie was okay, your basic average smoothie. The cookie ($4!) was horribly bitter. We each took a bite and ditched it. It tasted as though someone had confused teaspoons with tablespoons when it came to measuring out the baking powder (or whatever they use instead of baking powder). 

With all the restaurants in downtown SLO, I felt as though we lost the dining lottery.

Note to the uninitiated: parking is a bear in downtown SLO, at least on a weekend night.
5 - Mandie R.: This is an adorable little cafe.  I was so happy with the experience the first time I went there!  The staff is friendly and the food is AH-MAY-ZING!!!  The drinks and desserts are also awesome!  The only thing that bothered me a little was that some of the entrees had a lot of rosemary and thyme in them, which I personally don't care for.  But other than that, this place is a must.  Extremely satisfying...five stars!!!
2 - Melanie F.: My boyfriend beat me to posting this, so if you want the even-less-thrilled, more succinct version of our experience it is below.

I was pleased to find plenty of vegan-friendly options in San Luis Obispo while vacationing nearby, so my boyfriend and I headed downtown to check out Bliss Cafe. We parked at a nearby lot that offered free parking for the first hour, and given we'd already reviewed the menu online we thought that would be plenty of time.

There were three ladies ahead of us when we arrived, and it took about 15 minutes to get to the counter and place our order. The server seemed a little frazzled and said he needed a minute to get their smoothies started, we told him not to worry and waited. When he was ready, I ordered a Gopala smoothie for us to share, and veggie tacos with tofu and avocado. My boyfriend ordered the Bliss Burrito.

The server rang us up, forgetting whether I'd asked for the tofu or tempeh. I reminded him it was tofu, and that I'd asked to add avocado. He put in the $1 avocado surcharge, and the total came to just under $27. I paid in cash and tossed a $5 in the tip jar.

I grabbed us some water and we waited. After about 10 minutes he brought the smoothie in a single glass. I got up and grabbed us another glass to divvy it up. After another 40 minutes our food came out, and my tacos were avocado-less. I asked the server if he could grab the avocado I'd ordered, and he went back to the kitchen, stopping on his way to write 1.00 on an order pad. He came back a minute later with the avocado without comment so I figured he'd double checked the order on his iPad and seen that I'd already paid the $1.

I figured wrong.

We finished our meals and headed out. At the end of the block we heard shouting behind us, and turned around to find the server running down the street after us, yelling at us for walking our check. My boyfriend told him that we had paid when we ordered (as one would expect with counter service), and he said, "oh wait, that's right. You paid with cash."

My food was good, so I'll give it that. But for $32 with tip for lunch for two, an hour's wait, an incorrect order, and a false accusation of theft I expect my food to be great.
1 - Adam G.: I'll keep this short: my girlfriend and I stopped by for lunch and ordered a smoothie and two entrees. The food was somewhat overpriced, inexplicably took 45 minutes to arrive and  was missing the avocados that my girlfriend had ordered and my burrito contained 99% rice. To top off a subpar dining experience, after we had finished and walked out the guy behind the counter ran out yelling after us demanding payment. Note that at this place you pay when you order. Meaning we wouldn't have gotten our food if we hadn't paid, because we wouldn't have put an order in. And not putting in an order is probably a good idea.
4 - Kate A.: I always like to get something at their Farmers Market booth in SLO on thursday nights, Bliss has a good variety for being all vegan. 

They have wonderful desserts and plates that they load up for you.

I dinned in one time over a lunch hour and had a pleasant experience. 
The crew that works there is always very friendly and laid back. 

It is a little pricey, but it is vegan and the dishes seem to be made with love.
4 - Susan S.: I had the quiche for lunch - delicious! Great crust, made with garbanzo bean flour, and good filling. I'm omnivore, not vegan - and this was better (and healthier) than regular quiches. Server was friendly. I'm looking forward to trying more of their food.
2 - Jewels L.: I was so disappointed. The first time I came here, last summer, I had such a good experience. I couldn't wait to come back. However, after this last visit, I am never coming here ever again.

Service: 
The service was poor. First of all, I had trouble with the front door that was closed because the latch wasn't working properly. The waitress saw me through the window and told me to press down on the latch, which is what I was doing. She didn't have a pleasant look on her face. Then when I walked in the cramped hallway like restaurant, I felt like I self-invited myself to someone's house. The waitress would greet her friends that came in after me with this warm, cheerful welcome that I never got. Twice this happened. 

Then when my order was ready, I got it in a chinese-take-out-sized box. When I asked "Is this everything?" She replied with a rude "It's alot of food. And it doesn't have cilantro." (I asked if the curry had cilantro in it before I ordered.) She had some tude going and it left me with a really spoiled feeling when I walked out the door. There was such animosity the entire time I was in the restaurant, I wanted to ask if she was mistaking me for someone else that she didn't like.

Food:
I ordered the Bhakti Bowl with the curry of the day for $8.50, which was a super "hot pepper" spicy red curry served on rice. It wasn't the traditional Thai red curry. It almost looked like marinara with root vegetables. The rice, which was a nice Biryani-yellow, had absolutely no flavor and was swimming in water. However, it could have also been due to the overpowering spicyness of the curry. It wasn't even an enjoyable spicy. It was just a "my tongue stings" spicy. Also, I did not get the fruit chutney that was suppose to come on the side.

5 Boo's for Bliss.
2 - mike T.: I once reviewed this place this place when it had the previous name. I still feel the same about it. YUMMY! Like I said prior I am not a vegetarian, I am most definitely an Omnivore. Still I eat here on a regular basis and am always happy with my experience. 
They have the best hummus and I don't really like hummus. Theirs is awesome.

In the process of writing  this review I decided to get lunch at Bliss. They apparently have a new cook and their new cook has an extremely BAD ATTITUDE! Really is it so out of your way to do your job?! Do you need to sit in the kitchen and scowl at the people who are paying you to make them some food. If your job is so miserable then get a new one. 
So I came in and ordered my food (The waiter was extremely nice BTW) and after doing so looked up to see the cook scowling out his little port hole like my order was a huge inconvinience to his day. I tried to shrug this off because I can sometimes take things wrong and I didn't want to assume this to be the case. The waiter brought me my tea and said my order would be out soon and at this point I realized I had made the mistake of not telling him it was to go. I apologized to the waiter who said it was not a problem and went to tell the cook. A large sigh eminated from the kitchen and another glare from behind his little port hole. He procedes to dump my food into a container walk out the kitchen door and instead of the 1 step or 2 feet it would have taken him to hand it to me he instead slammed it on the back counter and stormed back into the kitchen. 
Food was still good BUT I will not be going back here if this is the quality of employees that I can expect to encounter (Not counting the waiter- Super nice guy).

This was a 5 star review before I had lunch today.
5 - Susan H.: I am rating this sweet little cafe with a 5 because of the over-the-top accomodating service received from the nice guy who seems to be the one running the place.  He couldn't have been nicer and more helpful to me during my visit to SLO.   We appreciate the many vegan choices, the warmth, and the obvious love that is a main ingredient in their handmade delicacies.
4 - Naches Heights Vineyard W.: Bliss Cafe makes vegan food taste amazing.  If you've had vegan food in the past and it tasted like cardboard, you should go to Bliss Cafe.  It'll change your mind on what vegan food can be like.  Their Peace Plate is a must try and you can get at the cafe or at their booth at Farmer's Market.
2 - Paul L.: If there was a place in the downtown area that needs help from Robert Irvine's Restaurant Impossible, it would be this one.I do enjoy the food but the service is what kills this place. I remember going on different occasions. The first time was OK service, I got the peace plate which was very good. I saw there vegan cheesecake and thought I should try it but I wanted to do it separately. I paid for the peace plate and bought the cheesecake which went without a hitch. I was charged $17 for the slice of cheesecake I had gotten I stopped and looked at the menu that was posted on the wall and thought something is wrong, the desert should have been $7 not $19. I asked the server what was going on she said it is the total cost of the peace plate and the cheesecake. The thing is I had already paid for the peace plate prior to the desert. My server realized the mistake and refunded my money. 
 I decided to give this place another go around, it was the same server but she was better at getting my order just right. I went ahead and got the Bhatki Bowl with the curry. It was OK it did not have the mango chutney as promised but still good and then I got the nutra-ball which is a chocolate desert they serve. I thought it was reasonably priced at $3 and enjoyed devouring it.
 The last time I stopped at this place I decided after having an awesome lunch over at Taj Palace on Foothill but I was pressed for time and decided to go to Bliss for a nutra-ball. This time it was a different person, I ordered my desert and she did not know how much it was so she asked the guy in the kitchen how much it was he wanted $4 even though the price is listed on the wall and IPad they use as a register. I am kind of hesitant with going back. That is why I beliueve this place is the perfect place for Restaurantt Impossible because it would benefit from it.
5 - Roy V.: Excellent vegan cafe. i'm from LA where they have the best vegan options in the US, and this place has the menu and even better a unique atmosphere and personal touch. I really enjoyed their hummus wrap and the daily soup, which was actually just a red bean side bowl.
2 - Madisyn M.: I met up with my friend for lunch here. I'm always excited to try vegetarian/vegan restaurants because I love having options. I ordered the tacos. The portions are HUGE but it didn't matter because I didn't really like my food. Part of it was my fault because I forgot to ask for no beans. I just thought the food was boring. My friend's food looked better but I don't think he loved his food either. 

The service was great though! The lady brought out our food and said her main ingredients were something like friendship and dancing. Hhaha.
4 - LaPhunk E.: Extraordinary everything. (Just check your bill- they mean well, they just don't seem to be good with math). Huge portions! You don't have to be a twig to eat healthy, yo.
4 - prasana i.: It was great to find a  vegan meal at the end of a long day of driving.

We all liked the choice of smoothies and the names were a nice touch - Krishna, Balarama, Vishnu, etc.
The coconut chutney with the dishes had a refreshing mint flavor and the server told me that they are packaging it for store-shelf sale. Looking forward to finding it in a store near here soon.
5 - Auntie M.: My friend and I first tried Bliss Cafe at this past Thursday's farmer's market.  I had the quiche and the chocolate mousse pie.  The chutney that came with the quiche was way too spicy (heat).  The chocolate mousse pie filling was silky and yummy.

The next day we had both lunch and dinner there.  We both had the Bliss Burrito for lunch (I had it w/o the chutney and added avocado).  It lived up to it's name.  We both loved it!

The dressing on the side salad, tahini dressing was too spicy for me.  I will order it w/o dressing next time.

I had the Raw Seaweed Veggie Avocado Wrap for dinner (w/o the dressing).  It was perfect!  It was light and tasty.  My friend had the Bhima Burger.  He enjoyed it.  I tasted it and the burger had a nice taste and texture.  I would order it especially, if I had a big appetite.  It was really filling.  We ordered the Chocolate mousse pie again.  It tasted a little different, less sweet, but still silky and yummy.

Their sun-dried tomato hummus was perfect in the burrito and wrap.

I am looking forward to trying more menu items including the juices.

The employees were quite friendly and helpful.

Unfortunately the music they were playing in the back at dinner was not congruent to producing a blissful state for either of us.  And most of the seating was uncomfortable.

I will definitely be back over and over again for the wonderful food and service, when I return to SLO.
5 - Kendra P.: Yum! And vegan! And cheerful!

Bliss Dance and Wellness Center - Pasadena, CA (34.1380607, -118.1323786) (Pasadena)
5 - cindy h.: what a warm, inviting place to learn dance, do yoga and hang out!  you can spend the whole day getting mesmerized watching the belly dancers and then shop for some cozy tee shirts, candles and elixirs and chat it up with the teachers and dancers.  what more could you ask for?!
5 - Heidi T.: This place has just opened, but it's off to a FABULOUS start!  The teachers are fantastic - very friendly, knowledgeable and professional!  There is a wide range of bellydance classes and I even stepped out on a limb and tried a hip hop class (not my specialty!) - Lex was INCREDIBLE!  So fun, fill of spirit and truly inspiring.  There is a strong emphasis on overall wellness and having fun moving ... not just getting all the moves just so!  and as an extra perk - they have an in house boutique that is adorable too!  Definitely worth checking out!
5 - Samantha S.: An amazing place to learn to dance, grow and make friends! Heather and Lydia have created a warm and giving dance atmosphere suitable for all leveles of ability. If you are curious about bellydance, hula hoop dancing, hip hop, zumba, or just dance in general, you should definitely give them a call, or come visit! 

They offer workshops in all of the aforementioned dance forms throughout the year, and invite teachers from all over the world to expose their students to new styles! If you like to dance, come to Bliss!

SADLY, Bliss Dance and Wellness Center closed their doors in November of 2008. If you want to find the amazing Heather Shoopman, Check out Dance Garden LA. She's now teaching in Atwater Village with a fantastic group of dancers!

Bliss Salon - Claremont, CA (34.0950538, -117.7164366) ()
4 - Jon W.: I got my hair done here and it was A O K.

The product upsell was pricey but not too heavy-handed.
5 - jenine h.: i've been going to aavyn, one of the salon's owners, for about 15 years.  she specializes in black and multiethnic hair - in both natural and relaxed styles.  she is amazing with color and cuts, too, and will be honest with you about what works and what doesn't... and if you've been using the flatiron too much.

since i've been around the stylists here for such a long time, i have seen a ton of their handiwork - these ladies (and one gent) are excellent stylists and really, really friendly and helpful people.  i've been known to commute for up to 6 hours to see aavyn; that's just the kind of phenomenal service and quality work this place provides.  and they have coffee and pastries!!  yeeeeeeah....
5 - Nori M.: Love my salon! Been going here for more than 5 years and have never been let down. My recent job change from the OC to a small private university gave me the freedom for a more stylish look and Vivianne colored and cut my thin locks so well I have had at least 2 compliments a day since sporting my new style! Love the Aveda products which is how I chose this salon in the first place. Love the chatter during my appointments and fact that there is a lot of *color* in my salon just like this town. The only place to have your hair done in Claremont!
5 - Tiffany W.: I just moved to Claremont a year ago, and had been going to Urban Renewal on Yale Ave to get my hair done, but after enough mediocre cuts and botched color jobs, I decided it was definitely time to move on.  I have really dark thick Asian hair and have a section of it bleached as light blond as it will go, and every time I went to UR to get my roots done, the stylist had to do it twice and ended up rushed toward the end because her next appointment would arrive. And I'd still be left with brassy roots on my platinum sections.

I made an appointment with April at Bliss after reading the glowing reviews on Yelp, and let's just say, the rumors are all true!  She was very professional, totally friendly, and gave me the best haircut ever.  (Sidenote: Don't you love when stylists give you a head massage when they wash your hair?  April does it, and does it well.)  I immediately made another appointment with her to get my color touched up, and again left extremely pleased.  No more brassy roots!

Best of all, the prices at Bliss are half of what they are at UR!  $50 for a cut (very long hair, layers, & bangs) and $80 for color retouching (it was only roots, but took at least a couple hours).  I'll still stop by UR for my B&b products, but I've found my salon-fo'-life at Bliss.
5 - Leila L.: I got to tell you that April is amazing.  I just moved into the area from SJ and had a really had hair job coming in.  I was searching online through yelp and went through a portion of them nearby me in Pomona and this hairdresser seemed like a good match to what I was looking for.  I brought a magazine, pointed out what I wanted and to focus on the color of the lightest part of my eyes and to do what she thinks looks good.  Well, not knowing her other clients results, except from what I read from yelp.com, I left with a color so beautiful and vibrant that I was in shock.  She even offered to straighten my unrully hair that literally takes so long to straighten so it looks semi-descent.  She did the best job I have ever seen and I it was worth every penny.  I am not joking.  Ask for April.  She is the best and has been there for 6 years since they opened 7 years ago.  I would go to her in a heartbeat for any advise, haircut, color, extensions...you name it.  Plus, she sits down and listens to you and does exactly what you want.  I said I did not want to cut my hair and she not only agreed with me, both knowing that I needed one, but said that she would never do something I was not ready to do or did not want.
4 - M H.: April is great! I would highly recommend her. She's very nice and cuts short girl's hair really well (which is tough!) and very hip and stylishly. I used to think that $50 for a haircut was expensive, but after trying different places in the area, Bliss is my go-to salon. It's significantly more to do partial highlights, but still reasonable for LA. No complaints.

Make an appointment. They do nice male and longer hair cuts too, since I've taken two of my friends here before.
4 - Meryl O.: I was a little nervous about trying this place, being new to the area and only having Yelp as my guide. However, I was not disappointed. I had previously gotten red highlights in Houston, but no matter how many times I showed pictures and tried to describe what I wanted, my the color always ended up looking brownish or purplish (maybe I should have referred to Yelp down there). 

I showed April a picture of what I wanted, and she really came through. I was ecstatic! Every time I have an appointment, I always get several compliments (and not just from people I know), so that feels really great.

I am trying to grow my hair out, so I don't know too much about the cuts there (I have only gotten trims). I would definitely recommend Bliss for any new Claremont students who are nervous about finding a new stylist (also, I am pretty sure they give student discounts)!
5 - Christina V.: I have been a true customer to bliss salon for a little over a year now. Before I found vivianna I was never satisfied with anyone else. Not only is she great with hair but I go to her to get my eye brows done. I am very happy with salon and will be going until I move!! They also carry aveda and everyone there is super friendly.
4 - Danielle L.: Bliss is a professional, clean and high quality salon. I no longer live in the area but I often make the 40 minute drive up just to have April cut my hair!

I highly recommend April. I've seen a few other of the hair stylists, and while they are good, they aren't April. She seems to intrinsically know how to cut hair so that it falls naturally, and beautifully, for weeks after the cut.

Bliss Spa - Westwood, CA (34.063201, -118.441029) (Westwood)
4 - Mary L.: ok, so when you arrive at the hotel, you may be put off by the valet only parking if you're the sorta girl like me, who likes to park her own car since you never know how much tip you're suppose to give them.  

and when you get into the hotel...you may just be a bit confused as to where you're suppose to go...but after fumbling around and looking lost, you will realise that the bliss spa is on the second floor and there are signs if you just look around for it.  (up the stairs and to the right)

i was late, so my esthetician met me at the front, she asked me for my shoe size so that she can get me slippers.  (very friendly)  

they have a nice lounge around to just lounge around in while you are waiting for your scheduled event.  

I prefer girl masseus, and Tristine was very good...she talked minimally...there's nothing i hate more than a talkative masseus when all you really want to do is fall asleep.  

it's a good treat...but i'm worth it!  aren't you?
4 - Sarah T.: Compact space (if you've been to Bliss 57, you know what I mean) but surprisingly calm (as opposed to Bliss Soho(!!)). Inside the W Hotel makes it more of an off-the-beaten-path spot. Very nice food setup, go for the blondie brownies. The treatment was pleasant and they don't use steam machines, since steam machines collect bacteria. Decent service and nice attitude. Don't be fooled by the foo-foo L.A. girls in front--the spa ladies are more down-to-earth. When I went, only one other person showed up in the lounge area so you didn't get the stare-down-from-across-the-room atmosphere (Burke-Williams Santa Monica).
4 - Carrie R.: I agree with what people say about the parking thing here...it just sucks.  Simply put.  I mean really...$12 WITH a validation for Valet?  There's no place to park for an extended period of time so you're pretty much S.O.L. on it.  I would however, question the cost.  I noted AFTER paying that three hours with validation from the restaurant is only $5 plus like $1.50 every 30 after that.  But for the 3 hours at the spa (which you will CLEARLY spend more at!) it was $12 total.  RIP.

As for the spa itself...loved it.  Unassuming, simple, clean, bright.  The showers are PHENOMENAL!!  Not only is it a shower...it's your own personal steam room. How cool is that?  I want one in my home damnit.  The flooring is pretty cool in the shower as well...what looks like blades of grass between glass.  Nifty.

I had a basic facial with an Oxygen mask add-on.  $100 plus $30.  I had contemplated on getting the $165 Oxygen facial and after my experience I'm thinking it just might be worth it next time!  They don't use steam which is WONDERFUL...it's actually bad for your skin to have hot steam showered upon it for long periods of time.  The Oxygen part involved a sort of cool spray moved in a circular pattern across the face...and i have to say...WOW.  I'm wearing NO make-up today, my face is glowing...loved it.

Mani and Pedi:  got the $65 Milk and Almond pedi...feet are gloriously soft.  They use all the Bliss products so I got the scrub, lemon/sage body butter foot massage, etc.  Good stiff.  Highly recommend for dry feet.  Same goes for the basic Cream Mani...great for moisture.  Polish looks great as well...

Staff is friendly...lovely little brownie, cheese, cucumber, tea bar in the waiting room.
3 - M P.: The reason I chose Bliss Spa in the first place, was because of the great products they offer.  So far, Bliss is one of the best skin care regimens I have come across, and I have tried several!

I wanted to give the product "Poetic Waxing" a try.  I am glad that I did.  I will never go back to standard waxing products.  I am not saying that it was without pain.  I will say that the product makes the service less painful.

Parking is easy - simply valet park at the W Hotel.  Get a validation from the spa.  Parking cost $16.00 for just over 4 hours.  Take some friends and split the parking cost.

The Bliss Spa representative from the central reservation line was not very friendly or accommodating.  The W Hotel itself was nice.  Very inviting, had a nice clean noticeable scent in the lobby.

Bliss Spa check in was okay.  You receive a bottle of water, a generic robe and some blue flip flops upon arrival.  You are then lead to the "locker room", which is more like a walk in closet than anything.

Cool thing about the showers and bathroom - it is stocked with Bliss products.

If you arrive a bit early (which is recommended), you can hang out in the lounge and have some water or tea, and maybe a snack.  The one thing that put me off was the over abundance of candy in the place.  Who wants to have spa services with a mouth full of sugar...  The sofas and chairs in the lounge aren't very comfy either.

After a while, your aesthetician or masseuse will fetch you and take you to your own little spa sanctuary.

The services were okay - I am a bit underwhelmed with the results of both services.  When I got home (my bathroom has better lighting), I realized that I had tipped a bit too high.  I have had more thorough facials at other spas or full service salons.   I had the "Steep Clean Facial".  I think I would have had the same results with a different service.   I have had more thorough waxing jobs, as well.  There were a few too many strays left for my liking.

Over all, the place was very clean (which is a good thing), the customer service (reservations and front desk) could stand some improvement.  

One very cool thing is, they carry more of their products from their lines than Sephora or Neiman Marcus does - so you can test new stuff or pick up whatever you need while you are there.  You can also get samples of anything you would like to try at home.
5 - Rachael W.: I am positively glowing right now. Yes. Glowing. And I'm loving every second of it. Let me explain if you would. 

I made my appointment last week at Bliss LA for a Low Fat Facial (http://www.blissworld.com/product/spa/spa+treatments/spa+menu/the+low+fat+facial-trade-.do). I had a gift certificate, but I had always wanted to hit a Bliss spa because I think that their products are some of the best on the market.  

Upon arriving to the W Hotel Westwood, where the spa is located, the Valet told me that the spa was on the second floor and that with Validation parking would only be $5 for three hours. Totally reasonable. 

I headed upstairs, and as soon as I walked in I was greeted by a friendly face and given a pair of comfy flip flops and shown to my locker. After changing into my robe (which could have been a little longer for modesty's sake) I took a seat in their oh-so-comfy lounge and taste tested both flavors of brownies that they offered - blond and chocolate. Yum! 

Crystal, my esthetian came and retrieved me a few minutes later and then the real bliss began. She exfoliated, massaged, extracted and rubbed me in a tranquil state of happiness. Folks - this was the best facial I've ever had, and I used to be quite the spa whore back in chi-town. My shoulders were rubbed as well as my arms, hands and feet. All of the products she used smelled divine and I wanted it to never, ever end. They should call that treatment 85 minutes in heaven. 

So yeah - I'm left here in a happy glowy tranquil mess. I say mess because I have a really bad case of spa hair, but you know what? The spa hair is worth it.... cuz that felt goooooooood....
4 - Carrie U.: This was the first time I ever sat foot into the Bliss LA spa. I found it online randomly and thought "Hey, i should do this during spring break"
I walked here (since I live in westwood) so I didnt have to park. The spa design is pretty nice and generally trendy. I didn't have to make an appointment, I just walked in. However, the receptionist was a bit slow, if you know what I mean. I was getting the fully loaded facial and she didn't even give me my bathrobe & slippers. Later she forgot to tell my esthetician i was here, so I sat around 30 minutes more than I should've. :( it was okay though, because when I sat in the lounge confused as on what to do, this nice guy walked in and explained everything to me (about the sauna and steam rooms, locker room, free eats, etc) and gave me supplies. 
My facial was fabulous, and yelena was very friendly and didn't make me feel awkward at all. 
The facilities were very clean, and someone was in there replenishing products, food and drink every 10 minutes or so. There was tons of reading material and I was pretty comfortable in the lounge. The showers are amazing.
I think I would've liked it more if it didn't cost me ~300 dollars though :(
4 - Lisa W.: I read the mixed reviews here before I decided to give Bliss a try for a Milk & Honey pedicure. Luckily I live close and walked to the W Hotel so I didn't have to deal with all the valet issues everyone mentioned. (By the way, I think the W Hotel ambiance is super cheezy -- like this was maybe cool in the early 90s with the techno music and electronic wall displays...but amusing nevertheless)

I was very pleased with my pedicure -- I had an extremely competent manicurist who didn't freak out when she saw the hideous state my feet were in. I think it always helps when you get along and can talk with the person who is working on you (during stuff like a manicure where you're not there to relax per se). I think if you can build a rapport then the manicurist isn't bored, and you get more thorough service. I understand that in the ideal world that this is their job so everyone should get the same stellar service -- but human nature just doesn't work that way. So my feet look spectacular and the manicurist helped steer me away from a dark purple color to a much prettier summery coral. Thank you!!
2 - Donna Z.: How to tell when $70 is too much to pay for a Brazilian bikini wax job:
1.  The robe they give you to wear leaves an annoying waffle pattern on your bare ass.
2.  You have to wait in the waiting room for 30+ mins (further imprinting your ass).
3.  The brownies are stale so you can't even be content in stuffing your face while waiting forever.
4.  Your wax tech accuses you of changing something (meds, etc.) because your hair is "much more stubborn" than normal--and then seems skeptical when you tell her you haven't changed a thing.
5.  Your hair takes on human characteristics (such as being stubborn).

But hey, the blue wax IS less painful and you can walk away knowing that you got a free bottle of water at the most pretentious spa in LA.
4 - Tina M.: I came here because Carrie (yes the one reviewing earlier haha) told me to... I didn't want to as I'm not the spa-ish type gal, but I ended up going anyway. Must say it was the best hundred bucks I ever spent! (Though I still think it was a little overpriced.) I had the basic facial and it was really relaxing and it felt really good. Loved the oxygen treatment, my face felt all tingly (sp?).  My favorite part of the facial was the warm towel they wrap on your face after they have applied a mask. It feels SO good for some reason. The extractions didn't hurt either though I was warned they would (I had someone named Cristina I think...). I personally think those deep pimples you get, the ones deep in your skin that hurt if you just tap it, hurt more than these extractions. 

Lol at my noob-ness as I couldn't stop laughing during the massage. I'm somewhat ticklish so my esthetician said she liked watching my face as I tried desperately not to laugh.

The food in the lounge was good, but I was expecting a bit more for the price here... I ended up not reading any magazines, I just read a book of mine. I'd suggest bringing a book you like as you might not like what they have (I didn't wait long though). 

Another thing I really loved at Bliss was the showers. OMG. When I buy a house I'm so installing the shower they have. They had glass tiles inside with that giant showerhead directly above you so it sort of "rains" on you. I'll admit I'm sometimes lazy when it comes to personal hygeine, but if I had this shower in my house I'd shower 10 times a day. Felt SO friggin good. Loved the little dispensers too. The products were really great. I didn't try the sauna thing as I couldn't figure out what button to push or what switch to flip...

One thing I think they could have improved on was the robes they were REALLY thin... with the money they're charging and the fact that you have to return the robes, they should be able to get nice plush ones.

As for results? I looked much whiter than usual and my complexion is much more even. A friend said I was "glowing." I never really know what this means but I'll say my face looked warm, even and really clean. 

Good times. The next time I have money, I'm coming back! (Lol I'll have to work some more...)
4 - Dottie D.: for what i go to bliss for, i'm a completely devoted customer.  but, it took me a while to determine what was worth it and what wasn't. 

worth it:
* facials by alexandra:  she is AMAZING.  i love her.  she has done so much for my skin.  yes, it is extremely expensive.  i get the triple oxygen for 150 but it's worth it (especially if you do it infrequently, as i do).  she is so good and doesn't hurt at all - even during... extractions.  she's very relaxing and soothing and during the facial she massages your hands and feet and neck during different masks and such.  it's complete indulgent pleasure.
* waxing by alexandra:  she does my brows and bikini and it is the least painful waxing i've ever had done.  and i love how she makes my brows look.
* products: certain products are totally worth it.  the spiff upper lip and the md consult 2 step exfoliator are great, as is the home triple oxygen facial mask.  pricey but they last forever.  

wasn't: 
* the massages.  the parafin foot wrap is for the birds.  why would i want you to spend your time wrapping my feet in this goo when you could be massaging me, which is what i want anyway?  they make you think this is something extra but really it just detracts from the massage time.  and, the massage wasn't that good anyway.
* pedicure.  not worth it.  it's expensive and it isn't much better in terms of what you get than the $10 place down the street from where i live.
* products.  i've definitely bought some bunk products here.  the bath gel and the post-wax pads that are supposed to keep you from getting bumps were totally a waste of money. 

bonus:
* unlike at many upscale spas, the staff here is incredibly friendly and nice.
* the atmosphere is great - i love the lounge.  apples, spa water, tasty cheese, crackers and olives and yummy little brownies (avoid the blondies - they totally don't cut the mustard).  
* showers and locker rooms stocked with bliss products so you can have an indulgent spa day and then get ready to go out afterwards using their lovely products. 
* sauna - always fun post-spa.

i love bliss.  if i could go here every day (or week, or month...  or every few months....) i totally would.  just know what you're getting into and choose wisely as there are some pitfalls.
3 - Megan R.: I have mixed feelings about Bliss. I'll start with the good news.

The Blissage 75 (massage) is really, really great. I love the paraffin wax treatment they put on your feet and my masseuse (Michael) was excellent. He was very in tune with what I wanted (pressure, room temp, etc.), which is key for a great massage. I would say it was worth every penny, and it is, but keep in mind that is a LOT of pennies. It's definitely not something I could afford on a regular basis, but if you can I recommend it. You can hang out and use their products, and I thought the waiting lounge (complete with tea and snacks like olives, crackers, cheese, and brownies) was nice. I wish I could have tried other treatments or had time to sit in the sauna.

Now the bad news: the manicure is TOTALLY not worth it. Lucky for me I had a coupon, but when a mani costs as much as a mani-pedi combined anywhere else you would think it would be special. It is not.  It is your normal hand cream -- shaping -- polish manicure. I've really had better, plus the manicurist didn't offer me water or ask if I wanted to use the headphones or really even speak to me at all. 

Parking is a mess. I didn't get roped into the valet situation because I didn't want to pay. They do validate, but apparently not for the whole cost. Parking on the street is either two hour or permit only. I got lucky and found the one two-hour spot available, but I cut it way too close. I was surprised when I didn't get a ticket, especially in that neighborhood. Do NOT park in the permit only sections. They WILL ticket you. Bliss is also difficult to find - ask someone immediately as the hotel staff will not offer to help lost-looking patrons. 

If you think it is too expensive it probably is. Your experience is only blissful until you sign the bill. I loved Bliss but probably wouldn't go back due to location and cost. Who wants their massage ruined by a huge bill and an hour's worth of traffic to get home?
4 - Teresa W.: The place is really nice. I got a 90 minutes deep tissue massage. Lacy was very friendly. She did a good job. I like the steam/shower room. I never saw anywhere else. FYI. The SPA is located on the second floor. You need to go up the stair that is behind the reception desk. Bliss is at the end of the hall way.
1 - madhvi d.: I just had my first Bliss experience yesterday and I felt that I needed to share my thoughts about it. 

Yesterday was my birthday and I thought I'd treat myself to a luxe spa pedicure. My boyfriend came with me as well and we both had the Bliss Pedicure. We arrived early and were seated in no time at all and given the requisite snacks assortment plate. However, I was taken aback by the seats themselves! I sat there for over an hour and I couldn't lean back and get comfortable b/c the seat only went up to below my shoulder blades!  No massage chair is okay, but a chair that is clearly too hip to be comfortable??? Are you kidding???
My boyfriend said later he felt that he was sitting in a teacup.  

We're both not strangers to pedicures and this is by far the most uncomfortable one I've ever had.  The woman doing my pedicure was nice enough but I asked her several times to make sure she did a hard massage on my feet...she didn't. I gave up asking.  My b/f had the same experience with his pedicurist. By the time I was done, I most decidedly did not feel pampered. I actually was sore from not being able rest in my chair and my feet did not feel fabulous.

Also, while we were sitting there, the counter girls were pretty raucous and I thought to myself I might as well have gone to my local nail shop where women lean over and yell to each other across the room.  I have never left a spa experience feeling more unhappy than when I went in--this was a first. It was not worth $55 by any means--I should have taken to heart the comments I read on gone to Burke Williams instead.

I had a substandard experience and it was doubly disappointing b/c it was my birthday. My back is actually hurting today because of their awful pedicure chairs. I won't be returning to Bliss. Both my boyfriend and I feel cheated and definitely bitter about spending so much money and getting so little in return.

NOTE: This is not a zen spa experience. It's a very clinical, gym-like, un-soothing environment. I'm not sure why people are so crazy about this place, but I thought it was pretty lame. They have a lot of nerve charging the prices they do. The atmosphere and quality of treatment sucked.

If you want to be pampered, Bliss is NOT the place to go.
4 - Jessica B.: I love Bliss. The facials at Bliss are one of the few things I will drive that far west for, but it's worth it, especially since every time I go someplace else I always spend the entire facial thinking, "I wish I were at Bliss."

I like Bliss's waffle robes because they're light - I don't end up feeling sweaty and hot like I do with the heavier, cushier robes at other spas. The waiting room is lovely. The brownies are terrific; they make me feel pampered. And I want to be pampered at the spa. The treatment rooms are nice and big and the music is upbeat - it's the sort of cheerful music everyone likes. Bliss doesn't play sounds of streams that make you have to pee in the middle of your treatment.

As for the facial itself - there is no steam machine. I hate steam machines. I always feel like I'm going to suffocate right there on the table and I will be one of those people who died for beauty.  I always come out looking radiant and have never once broken out. Once or twice a  year I go for the "steep clean facial" which is way too much money but works wonders. 

Given that even the mini-mall lots in LA make you valet park your car these days, I don't mind the parking. Just remember to get your ticket validated.
5 - Mia S.: I had to check out bliss spa since it had so many reviews and I loved it! My facialist Katheryn was not only pleasant to talk to she made me feel very comfortable. She also had "butter" fingers, someone who massages and does everything very smoothly and stealthfully without making me feel like  they're scrubbing products off my face, which is what I look for in an aesthetician. I did the triple oxygen facial since everyone recommended it, and it was great! 

Bliss should change their name to pure bliss. I tried the brownies, but they weren't as good as i thought they'd be. The cucumber water was pleasantly good and refreshing to drink before the facial. 

SHOWERS: Where do i begin? I loved the tiles that looked like grass on the bottom and the awesome shower head that every American home should not be without. 

Althought they didn't have hot tubs like other spa places, this place was  definitely worth the money and drive!
2 - lola z.: My experience?  Just meh.  Unlike many other spas, there are no other amenities like whirlpools, true "quiet rooms," or the like -- except sitting, waiting and being near a 'brownie bar' -- aka, a tray of tiny, stale, brownies with some cucumbers and cheese.  Woo.  

The people passing through were not friendly.  One of the front desk people came in to get some stale brownies and when I asked her the time, she acted completely put out.

My facial was just okay.   Person was nice, but I have had better. 

 I thought the staff was stuffy and was disappointed that they all seemed a little too hoity and that everything felt so sterile.  And the music was WAY TOO loud everywhere so there was no sense of relaxation.  The waiting area had very hip, but uncomfortable chairs and was freezing, so while waiting in my robe, I needed three towels for warmth and was sitting upright and never felt completely relaxed. I also did not appreciate the staff  "pushing" their overpriced products on me when I was leaving, either.  Hello?  I just spent a ton of $$$ to be here and did not find my inner-Zen and now I need face cleanser that could feed a small family??

I parked down the street at their suggestion and hell if that garage was not made for Munchkin-land.  I was terrified my car was going to get smashed but then it was that or park for $30 at the W. 

All in all, there are a million spas in Los Angeles that will give you the cushy treatment and a Zen-like approach that I truly believe makes the spa experience worth every dime -- try those instead.
5 - Dani H.: I had to write a review since I felt like there were so many mixed ones regarding Bliss.  Both my cousin and I have frequented spas around the world and we decided to give Bliss a shot.  We both agreed it was great!
  Parking was not an issue- valet was only $5 at the W (plus a few bucks if you are a tipper like I am)- which was worth it for the almost 4 hours that we spent there.  We were greeted right away by the front desk staff, given our slippers and shown back to the changing rooms and lounge.  We got there about 15-20 min early so we could take our time changing and relax.  The longe was great- and the brownies weren't stale at all that day like previous reviews had mentioned.
  I got the carrot and sesame seed body treatment and it was pure heaven!  It was a perfect 90 min.  The girl who worked on me was so nice and not too talkative but certainly made me feel comfortable.  
  My cousin got the 75 min blissage and a parafin wax treatment for her feet and said that she also had a wonderful experience and that the masseuse was very receptive to her needs and it was a perfect, firm massage.  
  Check out was quick.  And the front desk was very helpful and gave us a ton of free samples.  At no time did we feel pressured to buy anything more or add on any extra treatments.  We had a wonderful experience, and would reccomend it to anyone!  We can't wait to go back!
2 - Tiffany C.: I have frequented many spas around the world and in Los Angeles. Their products are borderline crap and you could not pay me to put any of their stuff on my face or body again. I've gotten a facial and manicure there and I left with the skin on my hands super dry and my face the worst it's ever been. Go to Dangene at the Kest Clinic.
4 - Cris K.: I've been to several spas myself too and I'm extremely cautious and picky with treatments and products that go on my skin since I have eczema (a form of inflammation of the top layers of the skin that can lead to dryness, etc). I always make sure to take good care of it and use good products (by the way, good products are not always expensive ;^)  in order to avoid a break out (which is rare since I'm pretty good on taking care of my skin). So, my experience at Bliss was a relief, my esthetician was great and I loved "the youth as we know it facial"! My skin was glowing and the time I spent at the spa after my facial was also very relaxing. It's a small place, and yes, it is pricey, but the staff is very friendly and I think they should validate the valet. I love their "bliss triple oxygen instant energizing mask". It does the job and I always use it when I want to have my skin looking fresh and radiant. I think the mani and pedi services are over priced, and I would agree that the end result is not much different from any other place down the street.
2 - aura n.: I completely agree with the previous reviewers who said Bliss Westwood is NOT a zen-like, relaxing experience. The lighting is completely wrong (too bright in the very small locker rooms) and non-existent in the shower.  

I have been to many spas and this one is overpriced, clinical, unsoothing and loud. Both the staff and the music they play makes you feel like you're in the mall and not a "high-end" spa.  

The facial was fine but nothing special. The pedicure is NOT worth it. Even if it wasn't overpriced, I would never have one there again because the chairs are super uncomfortable. They sacrificed comfort for hipness. 

Staff wasn't very friendly and the lounge area is not relaxing (it has white tile floors with chairs so upright you've never had better posture). 

For facials, go to Skin Haven instead. For pedicures, go the $15 places down the street in westwood.
4 - T C.: I have been going to bliss for years now (started in NY).  I must say the services in NY are better but I think LA is still pretty good.  As far as this location I would go back and I've been here numerous times.  
MASSAGE/FACIALS
My facials have been ranging from good to great depending on who you get.  When I went regularly I never broke out not even a pimple during that time of the month.  Even if I go once I know that I will not break out the next month at least which is great.  If you can get that person that is the way to go.
My massage there once with a guy (not that great).  He was not very thorough and thanked me so much afterwards which was weird. 
The other time was with a woman and she was great.  What I love about it is when they put the footies on with that warm gel.  Heaven.
MANI/PEDI
I got this service and it was excellent.  It is definitely a splurge.  I think you can get a mani pedi for a better price elsewhere, but it is a 1 hour pedicure which is cool.
ATMOSPHERE
It is very clean, serene, and the lounge is comfy.  The brownies are good but I wish they had more fresh fruit.  Besides brownies there's cheese, crackers and olives.  They have a sauna which is nice.  I would love a steam room.  I usually get there super early so I can just lounge around.  One thing even though I went during peak times it seems they space appointments appropriately so that people are not on top of on another.
4 - Kristin C.: Recently celebrated my mom's 60th by taking her (as well as my aunt and cousin) to dinner and to see Wicked (which was great btw), put us up in a suite at the W, and then completed the weekend o' spoiling with a spa day at Bliss.  We each got 2-3 services and everyone definitely enjoyed the experience.  Mom and I both had the deep tissue massage - wish I could remember the name of my therapist (she was amazing, and I consider myself somewhat of a connoisseur of the rubbing).  Mani/pedi were fantastic - incredibly meticulous, and they went out of their way to find me the perfect colors.  Everyone was super nice.  Facilities are somewhat small but super clean and crisp.  Sat in the sauna (which I love) between services.  Wished their locker room had been a touch more equipped with amenities, but that's being fairly picky.  All in all, a little more than I'd like to spend but I'd totally go back - in fact, thinking of booking some time at the Bliss here in SF.  Ah... so many spas, so little time (and money).
5 - Heather M.: I had a great experience at Bliss -- everyone was very attentive and friendly, and my masseuse Joel did a great job.
Granted, Bliss isn't not as serene as other spas (which you can probably figure out from the bright blue all over their website), but offers little perks like brownies and cookies in the waiting room which some other spas wouldn't do
The 75-minute "blissage" massage included some nice perks that other massages hadn't -- what I believe was a paraffin wax foot treatment (sounds weird, but actually really nice) and a cucumber max.  
Be sure to ask for extra goodies and samples as you're checking out :)
5 - C L.: I love Bliss. I had a gift certificate that needed to be used, so I trekked to this location for a New Year "Blissage" today. My masseuse did a great job knocking out the "boulders in my shoulders" and he was really good about not berating me about computer use, driving and my tense muscles. They start the massage with a paraffin wax on your feet which is an incredible touch, and sets the treatment down the right path. The add ons seemed a bit over the top though. Once you are face down on a table, they all sound good, but beware, you could walk outta there a lot poorer than you intended. 

At times, my massage teetered on the border of creepy, but that was solely due my tech having to work overtime on the knots in my back and the jazzy, ballady music being played in the background. 

I ended my day with a Winter Wonderland manicure that came with a complimentary bottle of Essie Nail polish. I was a bit bummed that they forced me to pick a summery shade vs. my favorite Lady Godiva color, but it's a minor complaint. My nails look fierce. 

Overall, this spa is the ultimate. The service is impeccable, the site is clean and modern, and little unexpected touches abound,(wouldn't expect to see brownies in a spa). Can't wait to go back! 

P.S. Watch out for the parking though. Keep your treatments under 3 hours and it will only cost you $5.00. Anything over that and they rob ya, thus eroding some of the Bliss you walked outta there with.
3 - Van N.: eh. have to drop another 1/2 star. i went to a facial somewhere else i actually really really liked and one i finally feel like coming back to. and cheaper too! so i have to change it in reference to my other experiences. thank you for listening...
4 - AShell M.: I had a gift certificate so I just had to go for the triple oxygen facial I've heard rave reviews about.

I got there early (thank goodness) to find that that parking was a nightmare...I didn't think I should have to pay for valet for a spa trip that takes a few hours and street parking maxed out at 2 hours

The spa seemed to be busy without a whole lot of people using up the facilities, as often is the case at other spas. I got to enjoy the dry steam room all alone before my treatment :) only complaint on the lounge/locker room is I really would have enjoyed a wet sauna...and I would've much prefered some more fruit in the lounge - I mean, I loved the brownies, but aren't I here for a healthy day? Also, I do like that Burke Williams has multiple blow dryers, brushes, hair & skin products for use before leaving. At Bliss, I felt like I had to shower, dress & leave without looking pulled together...definetly a big pit fall for me.

However, the triple oxygen facial was AMAZING!!! I'll definetly be coming back for that one. By far one of the best facial experiences I've had. I also got talked into the micodermobrasian (for my skin spots) and I'm sooo glad. I've been a regular at Burke Williams and never once has someone suggested it to me. Between that & my facial - my skin was noticeably more radiant & baby soft immediately after leaving. Days later and everyone is still telling me I'm glowing
3 - marissa N.: whatever.

just wax off my hair, leave me no bumps or in-growns, don't charge me that much and send me on my way.

hold the attitude, excessive valet fees even when validated, unhelpful inconvenient location, and shoddy products with great ad campaigns  also- ill lay up on your butcher block- no need for the tempurpedic-like bed i was layed out on for the job.  PUH-leez.

i dont care if you give me disposable panties.  those are for the virgins.  over it.

my 3 stars are dedicated 100% to lexandra, my bad ass russian who laughed along with me at the preposterous idea of trying to stay modest (the disposable panties) for a brazilian.  girl got up in there fast with that fancy peel off wax (yes- they have that) and took care of the biz.  

one week later im smooth as butter.

so... i'll be back, unfortunately

p.s. who the F wants to eat brownies in a spa? like give me some cucumber water and go away!
5 - Ivy E.: THE BEST BRAZILIAN IN LA
OK, after being away from LA for a bit, I've tried to get a decent wax in Philadelphia, Paris and New York... City people! Tiana at Bliss has spoiled me, and today I got an appointment with her to clean up the other "technician's work.

As always, she set to work with the upmost discretion, but "HELLO very expensive intimidating woman in New York, something was wrong with your wax!" and poor Tiana had to clean up all of the broken hairs.  And I don't even have a lot of hair!

I'm around the globe frequently, but there is no replacing Tiana at Bliss. Not only does she do the cleanest Brazilian known to woman, she recommended a divine facial balm that I can't imagine getting on a plane without.

Go Tiana! 

P.S. My boyfriend wants to put her on our Christmas card list... awwww.
4 - l o.: i love this place! I've been to a few different locations & i love the service i have gotten at this place. sasha is my girl for facials. so sweet & very thorough. the parking is a bit annoying but i love the great smelling products they use.
5 - Alexa B.: Ohhhhh my God. 

This is the best spa I've ever been to. I just spent the better half of a fortune there but I feel gooooooOD! 

I got the 60-minute hot salt scrub (best thing ever, by the way)
The oxygenating facial (very relaxing)
And a little waxing... I won't say where... 

But Oh, was it all so relaxing. I even liked the little waiting room with it's Hollywood Modern decor where they had blonde brownies and cucumber-lemon water on hand, and stocked at all times. Very fancy, indeed.

I loved every minute of the treatments here (OK, except the wax. Let's be real, right?). If it were remotely affordable, I would come back every month.

Only complaints were a) that the robes were kind of crummy, b) for what I'm paying you best be sending me home with samples (they didn't) and c) they validated my parking and still charged me. Sad face. 

Otherwise A++
5 - kryssy l.: So watching ktla morning new product called fatgirl slim peaked my interest... and then i came to yelp read the reviews, thenn called and made an appointment for me and my fiance. 
Soooo I had Lacey, Super nice & very informative! I went in for my fatgirl slim treatment it reduces the visibility of cellulite, since i have vigorously running and taking tennis I have been fighting those unhappy spots all alone, but the system helps it out a little more.
Bliss Spa is great overall from staff, locker room, snacks and treats, and products!!! love love love, I even had the fiance get a 30 minute sports massage he is still thanking me!
1 - Peyton M.: I booked a scrub and color appointment a month out since I knew I was going to be in my brother's wedding. The spa called me at home the afternoon of my appointment to tell me the person I was scheduled to see had a medical emergency and no one else can perform this service. I got the message an hour before my appointment. When I called they lady who answered the phone was polite but she just kept saying how the person had an emergency--which I understand but you would think if that was the only person who can perform that service you would want to have a back up plan IN CASE of an emergency! Not only that but she had a the nerve to tell me that they wouldn't charge for the service! They cancel my appointment less then 24 hours out, they leave no time for me to try find an alternative so I have to change my outfits for the wedding and I'm suppose to be thankful that they aren't charging me? While I won't go as far as saying they ruined this event for me because it really is about my brother, I will say that this was a huge disappointment considering how big of a day this was. I WILL NEVER GO TO THIS SPA AGAIN.
5 - Alexandra T.: I've gone about 7 times now and nothing has changed (in the best way!) Except that I've discovered the "back yard"- a beautiful outdoors area by the pool where you can eat or drink.

I happened to be terribly hung over on the day of a recent wax so I got there a little early (by the way, people complaining about parking, if you park there and get it validated, its as much as youre going to pay in any of the lots around westwood) anyway- so I got outside early (BEAUTIFUL WEATHER, of course!) and ordered an iced coffee...so good. You can take it all over the hotel so I just moseyed up to Bliss with my beverage.

In this same trip, I also discovered the beautiful bathroom the spa has to offer. If I had even more time, I totally would have showered.

I've had just about every girl you can get waxed by and they are all WONDERFUL and sweet and know what the F theyre doing. Good job Bliss!
5 - h h.: love, love, looooooooooooove this bliss spa.  one of the better spa, i've been to.  this really should be the standard of good spa.  people are all nice, services are really great.  i've been coming here about 3 years, body services are the best...  scrub, massage, waxing, and all of their magical slimming services works (but you've got come often enough).  best thing is their steam shower room!!!  so go early and take a great shower and steam!!!!!  highly recommend.  facials and m&p are just above average, tho.  the parking stinks.  hope they comp it if i spend more than $150 in service or something...
4 - Shweta B.: One of my favorite spas!  I used to get my brazilian wax at Total Woman Gym's Atmosphere Day Spa until I heard about Bliss.  Now I actually *ENJOY* getting my Brazilian on here.  Plus they use the Poetic Wax which makes the entire process pain-free.

Lexandra is one of the best technicians, hands down.  She's extremely personable, funny, and really sweet.  She's so good, I don't even remember why I'm on that table in the first place.

They also have the best facials here (Steep Clean Facial) and I leave feeling amazing.  Great place to get your girlyness on!

They also have an amazing brownie bar in their relaxation room, so you can load up on sugar while waiting for your treatment!

Only downside is having to valet all the time, but everyone has to valet in LA.
4 - Cat T.: Wow, can't believe I've never heard of Bliss before since I live less than a couple miles away and have been to the W. Not only am I extremely picky but I was having a terrible week... somehow I still thought I got one of the best facials I've ever had. That's really saying something!

I had the Triple Oxygen Treatment + Micro Build On. FANTASTIC! I highly recommend Faith. 

The reason I'm not giving Bliss 5 stars is because I had intended on spending the entire afternoon at full service spa and asked the receptionist when I called in for my appointment if they had sauna, steam room, cold plunge etc. She said yes so I was quite disappointed to find that they have very minimal amenities... *sad face* one sauna and a couple steam showers. =/ However, the service is great. Faith also sold me on some hydrating gel from SkinCeuticals. Facial: $165, Microderm: $65, 75 min massage: $165, Gel: $65 + tip = $520. Not the cheapest but if it could lighten my mood today, imagine what Bliss could do for you ;)
4 - Erika M.: Just discovered Bliss in Westwood.  I'm glad I did.  I got the "betweeny" wax from Lexandra.   The wax used is considered "almost painless" and it was definitely that.  For those nervous about the idea of waxing "vay down there," I highly suggest the almost painless wax, it can't be beat.  Lexandra is so friendly, she almost makes you forget why you're there.

I had no problem with parking.  I parked for free on Hilgard which is 2hr free parking.
2 - Marisa E.: Bliss was not so "blissful..."

I was in much need of day of indulgence and chose Bliss because I hadn't been there and I'd been wanting to try it.

When I arrived, the "quiet room" was filled with what looked like a champagne-drinking bachelorette party who were SO loud and could be heard throughout the spa. I'm all for supporting bachelorette parties but when they're this loud in a day spa? Come on! This ruined any chance for quiet relaxation. And, there was no place to relax. There were a few uncomfortable couches in the "quiet room" and another in the locker room (where you heard the blowdryer and traffic from people coming in and out). The spa was tiny. Also, I was shocked there was no jacuzzi. What day spa doesn't have a jacuzzi?!?! The individual steam room was lovely though!

The saving grace? Liz, my therapist. She was fantastic! The perfect balance of pressure to get out my knots and lighter touches to relax my body. However, I made my appointment online and specifically asked for and was assigned a male. I was confused when a female therapist arrived with no mention of why my reservation had changed. I am so glad I was assigned to Liz, but from a customer service perspective, the staff should have mentioned this to me.

From the other reviews it seems like Bliss has excellent services, so if you're looking for a fantastic massage/facial and a spa experience, this would be fine. But, if you're looking for a day spa where you can go for hours and really relax, this is not the place. They've got nothing on Burke Williams.
1 - c r.: Can I just say these people have no Mercy...If you cant make it to your appointment than please be expected to be charged for that service and no reschedule. I am not flaky at all however with traffic backed up and it raining like I was going to be washed away they were still happy to charge my card....I guess thats part of having a popular name,they can ask for a credit card in advance so they get paid no matter what.  I would recommend somewhere else like La Vie L'Orange ...these ladies are very accommodating  ..there space is beautiful and they want return biz.
3 - cheryl y.: Hmm been here a few times and I'd say it's an average spa. Nothing to rave about, just that its a modern/clean smaller size spa, that offers a nice 75 min massage w/ paraffin for your feet. Though, I don't know how they can charge so much for a Spa when the amenities are very minimal. The waiting room has the feel of a "living room" rather than a spa. 

I usually like a massage to be more of a "please get the knots out" rather than a light "you are fragile flower" massage. But for some reason this last time around, i felt more like I had got an oiled aromatherapy scented treatment rather than a massage. I asked my friend and she told me that she was not blown away by her massage either. 

Lastly, if you come here in the evening, plan to exit the elevator to their lounge which is pretty happening even on a Wed night. I walked out and felt the spa experience disappear as people were ready to drink and mingle and I was ready to go home and sleep. It sucks waiting 20 minutes for your car.  

Maybe next time back to the Beverly Wilshire or Thai Sabbai I go.
5 - Mia B.: BLISS THANK YOU!!
I have to say that i love love love this cute spa. I wish i could live there! I get my manicures done here and on several occasions I've booked myself for a triple oxygen facial ( the estheticians know their stuff!) Recently I made manicure (manly-cure)  appointments for my husband & his best friend. First time manicures! They both work with their hands a lot and they needed some TLC BAD. Naturally, being men, they didn't know what to expect. They are bliss fanatics now! Their nail techs made them feel relaxed and super comfortable (they brought them brownies!). All I heard was how great every part of their experience was. Thank you bliss spa for making every guest feel special!
4 - Jen T.: I've gotten a few facials here and I keep coming back. I was a little annoyed at my last facial when the facialist asked me a lot of questions about what products I use and how I often get facials etc. I was really in the mood to just relax and not talk. But I understand they want to get as much information from you to get a better feel for your skin. That was my only complaint. Very thorough and enjoyable facial. I love the showers and lounge area. It's one of the few places in L.A. that really feels like a real spa. I'll be back for another facial really soon.
5 - susan p.: Best waxing ever !  I drive from OC to see Faith !  She rocks !
4 - Amy S.: I've been getting waxed here for about 3 years and I don't dare go anywhere else for fear of getting less than "bliss"ful service. Bliss is a cute, clean, modern little spa that never fails to put me at ease from the moment I walk in.

Lexandra is super nice, friendly, gentle and she makes me comfortable during this not-so comfortable waxing. If you haven't ever been waxed on your privates before, it's kinda like being slapped then punched, then slapped again. Rrrip!

This chick is the only one I trust 'down-there' besides my doctor. Rrrip!
And she doesn't laugh at me when I scream for mommy and shout obscenities to the heavens. Rrrrrip!

I think that the prices for the waxing are reasonable and I like that they offer different options. 
the basic bikini $35
the in-betweenie $50 (which is a little more, yet a little less-than) 
the brazilian $70 (the full monty)

There's no Jacuzzi, but there is a dry heat sauna and lovely rain-like showers. I always leave with samples and goodies and smelling nice of course, and I'm in a very bliss-full mood. 

I've only ever gotten the waxing here so I can't yelp about the other services, though I hear they are lovely. The steep prices keep me from trying anything else, for now.

Tip:
Look for street parking, unless you don't mind waiting a while for valet. Bliss does validate, but valet can take forever. Plus, one time the valet couldn't figure out how to start my car so I had to walk up 4 levels through the garage to start it for him while he drove my car and me down to the street. Weird, huh?
4 - grace l.: i got the 75 minutes blissage with the hair-dew add-on and i LOVED it! 
the reason for the 4 stars is, when i called the number listed on their website to make my appointment (and i know i specifically asked for the westwood location, which is located inside the W hotel) and showed up at my scheduled time, i was told i had no appointment!
apparently, the person who took my appointment scheduled me for the san francisco location!! wth?? i was definitely irritated, but the front desk girl was really helpful and so sweet and even tried calling someone to see if they could come in earlier to take my appointment.  fortunately, one of the other therapists (maria) was able to stay (even though her shift was over) and she did such an amazing job! btw, the hair-dew add on is an absolute must.
the only thing i would do differently next time is call their direct line!
5 - Julie K.: I got a Brazilian wax here as well as a manicure and a pedicure.  

The place is cute and clean.  The staff members were attentive and friendly. 

Lexandra did an excellent job waxing.  She was quick and professional.  She really made me feel comfortable.

The person who did my nails did an stupendous job on my nails. Unfortunately, I do not remember her exact name, but I do remember that she had a Japanese name.  My mani and pedi actually lasted for about three weeks, which was great!  She really took her time and worked very gently throughout the entire process. It was worth the price.
5 - Trish H.: Love the hot chocolate pedicures and the unlimited brownie buffet! $60 for a pedicure is definitely a splurge but the nail technicians are very thorough!
5 - Rachel M.: I love Bliss. 

It's clean and relaxing. This is the only place I get a Brazilian wax. Tiana is the best technician and the only one I ever make an appointment with. I'm glad you get to choose your technician when scheduling appointments. She's so sweet. I was comfortable and she made me forget why I was there. At Bliss, they use a hard wax known as poetic wax. This makes the waxing experience pretty pain free overall. I don't dread my waxing appointments. I look forward to them because of Bliss. 

I love their products. The "Get Out of Hair" is the best post waxing lotion. It actually extends the time between waxings. 

Parking is not free but validated. So you can find street parking on a good day in Westwood. 

If you bring your boyfriend, husband or someone that doesn't have an appointment, there's a little men's lounge where they can eat some snacks and watch TV. Or they can go downstairs to the bar since it's in the W. 

Although the services can be a bit pricey, it is totally worth it.
3 - Li J.: I've frequented this location more than any of the others but still it's not all that impressive.  I really like the Westwood W Hotel because it is low key, but the Bliss Spa prices are just outrageous.  AND they always try to up-sell you on services and/or push products on you.  Kind of ghetto for a spa charging you $200-$300 for services to consistently up-sell.

At any rate, I like the facialist I normally see, but I really don't like the products that they use - they simply don't work for my skin.  After a facial I leave seeing no real results.  I simply can't afford to waste money like that anymore so I'm back to my old reliable -- Dermalogica on Montana.  Check out the review.....
4 - Eunice M.: I regularly use Bliss products and love everything I've ever tried! Since I love there product so much I finally made some time to book a Triple Oxygen Facial. 

I have to say it was probably one of the best facials I've ever had, my skin looked amazing even weeks after!! 

The ambiance is great everywhere except for the actual esthetician room. It felt more like a hospital room than a nice tranquil spa room to relax. Other than that everything was great, good service, good products I definitely recommend this to all my friends.
4 - Yuko W.: Came here with the bestie after winning a couple of giftcards from a raffle at a media event up in SF.  The spa is located in the W hotel in Westwood.  We thought we would have to pay the $7 for valet, but the valet driver in the front kindly pointed us towards an empty street parking spot across the street.  What a great start!

We entered through the front lobby and went up the elevator.  Super neat thing about the elevators in this particular W hotel--once inside the car, the elevator takes photos of you and displays them on a screen on the wall.  The ride up was too short to make enough silly faces at the camera.

We checked in at the front desk of the spa and was given a quick tour of the small spa.  My friend and I were the only ones in the locker room/bathroom while we were there, and we didn't see many others for our stay.  We put our stuff in the lockers and put on our bathrobes, which were pretty thin and rough for the prices they were charging for their services.  Most lockers were missing robes which makes me wonder how many people stole them from the locker room.  My friend forgot to bring a pair of flipflops for our pedi and the front desk handed over a pair of Havianas to borrow, which was a nice touch.  

We went to the lounge area where there were complimentary brownies and tea, but we didn't get indulge much as we were soon called for our hot milk and almond pedicure.  The ladies who rubbed, soaked, massaged, and sloughed our feet were extremely thorough and meticulous.  A week later and my toes still look great from the polish job.

The pedi was $65 (not including tip) and probably not worth it if I had to pay out of pocket.  When we left, the receptionists offered us both bottled water for the drive home, which was really kind considering we had to deal with rush hour traffic on the 405.  

Sadness--the elevator already had people in it so we refrained from making any more goofy poses on the way down.
4 - Shar N.: cute mini spa, don't expect anything expansive but the quality is great.
also, beware of the valet fees but other than that it's great.
5 - Amanda D.: Upgrading to 5 stars.  This has become my favorite spa in LA.  Not sure if they just came into their own or went under new management after my first few trips here, but this is seriously my go to spa.  Lacey has since left the spa to work at a chiropractor, but Pam is a great massage therapist, and my husband saw Yvette this weekend for a sports massage and said it was amazing.  I tend to come to Bliss mostly for facials and eyebrows - Kathryn is my go to esthetician for both.  She is gentle with extractions and just a really nice, down to earth gal.  She is really talented.  If I can't get Kathryn, I also go to Sasha and Christina who tend to up sell during the facials a bit more than Kathryn does which was my pet peeve from my first review, but maybe after living in LA for three years now I'm just a bit more used to being sold to.  

There are definitely fancier "destination" spas in LA, but for just a special treat of relaxation this is the best place to go.
4 - OMG L.: I started going to Bliss Spa's in NY. I have not yet been disappointed.  

I would have to say i am hooked on the Triple Oxygen Facial. Yes i know its $$$$.$$ but seriously worth it! 

The Spa is at the W hotel - so yes parking is going to suck - its LA. 
You can valet -its 7.00 bucks for the first 4 hours AFTER validation. 

I was fortunate enough to have an 11am appointment on a Thursday so the spa was very quiet.   

My esthetician was Catherine - she kicks ass. Super friendly and very knowledgeable.

Facility is small but clean - i believe there is a steam room, a couple showers, sitting room, lockers, and a small sink/vanity area. 

However,  I don't think this spa is really a place you could " spend all day " using the facilities.  There are definitely other spas that you could go to for the amenities.

4 Stars for the treatment i received.
3 - Celeste P.: It is a truth universally known that a spa day is not to be shared with just any kind of girlfriend. 

Spa-Level Girlfriends are few and far between. These are the girls with whom you can carry a conversation about everything from the weather to current celebrity events. They are not Chatty Cathys or Debbie Downers (and especially not Unhygienic Ursulas! Ew!) They are fabulous, fun, and know the value of a good pedicure. SLG's are the upper echelon of lovely girlfriends a girl has who embrace their femininity and rights to spa days. 

Luckily, my bestie thinks I'm a spa-level girlfriend, which is how I found myself soaking in hot milk and almond oil one sunny afternoon in December. The staff was nice enough, but (for an SLG like me who hasn't been to a spa for just a pedicure before) I would have appreciated a tour of bliss spa and its amenities. I felt a bit abandoned once they showed me into the waiting room. A tour, or at least a little rundown of where everything is, would certainly have added a "wow" factor.  

As for the the hot milk and almond oil, I got a very standard pedicure with massage, and though I enjoyed it, there wasn't anything above and beyond about it. For a $65 service - pedicure only- I was hoping for a mind-blowing pedicure, pampering, and whatever else a Westwood spa would allow me. They did bring me a cup of tea, but it felt like an after thought. 

The polish job lasted a very long time, which was great but mostly because they used OPI nail polish. For a spa, however, the experience was pretty much no-frills.
2 - Logan G.: To clarify my rating, I must say this review is more based on the level of customer service I received at Bliss rather than the level of services offered. I recently purchased a massage for my boyfriend as an anniversary gift and though he said the massage was wonderful (Yvette was great, apparently), the customer service was something else entirely.

After realizing that you cannot schedule a massage (and pay for it) online, I called to schedule the appointment. I was walked through the reservation process, made the appointment and then the receptionist notified me that she would send me a credit card authorization form right away so that I could pre-purchase this massage for the boy. Well, five hours later, I finally received the CCA form with an email saying the Bliss email account was down, so she had sent it from her personal email. Nice enough of her to do, I thought and brushed off the fact that it was hours late. I filled out the CCA form and since my fax machine was acting up, I called Bliss to ensure I could email it back with no problem. They said that would be fine, but that I should send it to the same (personal) email address that had sent me the CCA form since their email was still down. I found this slightly sketchy but asked them to assure me it would be printed then deleted immediately and they did, so hands tied, I obliged and sent back the CCA form.

I received a confirmation via email that said that my appointment had been booked and to be there 30 minutes ahead of time. Well, no one had told me this when I booked the appointment, so I had to call back and schedule the appointment 30 minutes later than the original time. I asked for another confirmation and had to call back THREE times before receiving a confirmation for the rescheduled time. But here's the icing on the cake:

The appointment time rolls around and the boy walks out his front door and across the street to Bliss while I am working away at my desk hoping he's enjoying every blissful minute. I was anxiously awaiting the "it was great!" text when I got the "you need to call ASAP" text. Uh oh. So I call and Jelena notifies me that they have no credit card authorization form on file for me. Hm. Well that's odd, I say, since I received confirmations and all. She then insists that they don't have it on file and that I must give her my card info. So I did. Not the whole card number, just the last four digits (which is even weirder if they don't have my cc on file since you can't charge a card with only the last four digits). What was even MORE mortifying than the thought of my credit card info being in someone's personal email that didn't turn it over to the spa, was the fact that my boyfriend was treated like he was trying to get the massage for free! When he came out of the room, he said that Jelena was extremely rude and insisted he pay because it wasn't paid for. He tried to explain the situation which is when she said that he had to have me call her. Mind you, I  was at work and thankfully, was able to slip out briefly to make a call but normally that would be out of the question. The whole point in my making arrangements a week in advance was to avoid this very situation, but it ended up being for nothing and really taking away from this experience.

Spa treatments are meant to be about relaxation, stress-relief, and feeling good and I can't think of anything that negates a good spa experience more than the receptionist giving you an earful about paying for something that was supposed to be paid for on your way out the door. Even though he lives across the street, next time I'll send him back to the Four Seasons where the customer service level is more on par with what a spa experience should offer.
1 - Deb S.: Bliss used to be good but is no longer worth it.  I've only been to the ones in NYC, but I was not impressed at all with my experience here.  First when i asked for more pressure during my Rubberneck massage (I could hardly feel anything), she seemed to take it personally, and basically argued with me and told me it's not a deep tissue massage, it's a swedish one.  Why does that matter?  All I'm asking for is a bit more pressure!  On top of that it's called Rubberneck - and no where in the description does it even say Swedish massage.  2nd, I had booked the 75 min. homme improvement facial for my husband and we were 15 mins. late.  I asked them if they could just do the 1 hour facial instead - the fabulous facial that's described "fab for all" on the website.  They refused.  They insisted that it's up to the technician - for some unexplained reason - and they insisted on charging us for the homme improvement facial even though the appointment only lasted 60 mins.  I still don't get why they couldn't just switch it to the 60 min. "fab for all" facial.  Well they got to charge us an extra $40 for it.  It's a total rip-off, and for a place that charges such high prices - it's pathetic.
5 - Pamella S.: LOVED LOVED LOVED this spa! I went to the branch in the W hotel in Westwood while on a business trip and it's definitely the best facial I've ever had. The technician, Faith was very knowledgeable and although I went in for the ever popular triple oxygen facial she actually recommended another one that would better suit my face and its 'issues'. She was really professional and during the periods where my face was steaming or in a mask or whatever, she gave the best back and foot rubs! I felt spoiled, my face looks amazing and sure she did upsell me a clay mask but I'm a Sales person so I get it....

Every time I go to LA I'll be treating myself. Now if only I could claim it as a business expense hmmmmmmm
4 - Teresa C.: Ahhhh a much needed afternoon of relaxation, exfoliation and just plain me-cation. Booked two triple oxygen facials for me and K (it's called the Le Homme Improvement" at 3:30 so we could enjoy it after a light lunch. The reservation line was super helpful and easy to talk to. I had to change the time and date and they were quite accomodating. 

The Bliss Spa in westwood is located on the 2nd floor in the W hotel- classy and pretty but with expensive parking. $7 with validation from Bliss so bring your ticky. It's just not worth a ticket since the local street parking is rare and full of regulations. 

We got havana flip flops and were taken to our relative femme et homme sections. The bathrobes are comfy but like others said, not plush and on the thin side. There's only 3 steam showers, 1 sauna and that's pretty much it for the girls. The guys have less showers but K also said no one else was there the whole time. (No manly men in for facials too?) I got a chance to steam away all that work stress before slathering on some lotion (they need to keep those bottles refilled, it was almost empty) and heading over to the lounge. 

My girl was Lexandra and K's was Catheryn and we had a blast. I don't like my estheticians too chatty because really, I'm here to relax but she was the perfect balance. She explained everything, talked a little with me about where I was with my 5-step regiment and just all in all made my experience stress-free. I did tack on a $20+ seaweed mask that she suggested and felt a bit guilty afterwards but heck, it's not like I've gotten my face done in half a year.

K had a fun time too and he said Catheryn was very gentle and the extractions barely hurt. (Lucky.) All in all the triple oxygen and our trip to bliss was a success. Thank you GiltCity! (And don't forget to tip!)
1 - Evelina D.: I went to this spa to get my nails done and treat my girlfriend to a manicure as well.  I read a couple of reviews and I though it was going to be heaven.  Was I wrong!!!!  The manicure lasted 3 days, the chairs were so uncomfortable, you would think they would have a nicer mani/pedi station.  I felt rush for the price they charge!
4 - Robert M.: Fabiola is the girl to see to feel and look amazing. What a relaxing facial!
3 - Monica D.: I had a wonderful time at bliss spa but the massage itself was very average. My massage search continues. Valet set me back $7 for 4 hours. Facialist was very knowledgeable but talked quite a bit so it wasn't relaxing and they don't use a steam machine which is my favorite. I am very pleased that I got the Gilt City discount, but I don't think I will be back for a massage, maybe the Youth as We know it facial. After I left a stranger told me he thought I was 20 years old (I'm 28)
4 - Shannon R.: I've been coming here sporadically for the last 4 years, and I just love it.  The facilities are bright and clean, the staff is friendly and welcoming, and their services are awesome (albeit too freakin' expensive).  I've had waxes, pedicures, facials, and body treatments, and I always leave feeling like a pampered princess.  I recommend arriving 30 mins early, so you can enjoy the sauna and/or steam shower, before gorging on mini brownies in the lounge.

Tiana is THE BEST for waxes.  She's so friendly and cool, you almost forget she's ripping hair out by the root.  I'm not brave enough to let anyone torture my nether-region, but if I were to get some courage, I'd go to no one else but her.

Pedicures are exorbitantly expensive compared to pretty much anywhere else, but they are indeed SPA pedicures, so I cut them some slack.  Don't even bother going for their "basic" - if you're splurging, just splurge.  You even get your own TV to keep yourself entertained.

All of their massages seem like a total rip, but maybe that's just me.  If I'm going to Bliss, I'm probably going to stick to a facial or one of their body treatments, which are (on a whole) cheaper than the massages and seem to play to their strengths.  Today I had the FatGirlSlim treatment, and it was bangin'.  I wasn't in the market for a miracle or anything, I just have a wedding to go to this weekend and my chubby arms were making me sad.  The promise of a temporary tone lured me in, and I have no regrets.  Dry-brushing, rubdown with grapefruit essential oil, seaweed body mask, wrap, and then another rubdown with their magical potions, had me skipping home with soft, supple skin.

Until October 15th, they are offering a 15% discount for students with proof of ID.  Personally, I think this should be a permanent thing.  Their products target a young, hip crowd, but their spa prices mean only wealthy housewives can afford the luxury on a semi-regular basis.  Offer a pampering pedi for $30!  Have a college-student facial for $60!  I promise, your client base will only get more awesome, especially with UCLA up the road.
5 - Angela S.: I've been coming here semi-regularly now and Christina is my one and only now haha. She does it fast and chit chats with me so I'm distracted. Get there early and use the sauna/shower and relax.
4 - Lalaine G.: The best mani/pedi I've ever had in my life- and I've had quite a few.

Bliss is heaven.  My appointment was with Vera and the service she provided went way above my expectations.  Usually I'm chatty when I get a mani/pedi, but my appointment was right after a long drive to LA from Las Vegas, so I was a bit tired and just wanting to relax.  She let me do just that.  Before the services she brought me some tea and brownies.  

I opted to get the Hot Milk and Almond Pedicure and the shellac manicure.  There was a TV right above Vera's head, some headphones and a remote so I could watch whatever I wanted and not be bothered, nor bother anyone else.  

The pedicure was very relaxing and my feet were baby smooth.

This was the first time I got a shellac manicure and a week and a half later my nails are still looking as gorgeous and shiny as the day that I got them.  The polish I picked was called Cocoa, and it looks amazing on tan skin.  It is a very nice nude polish.

Just an awesome, awesome experience.  The only reason they get 4 out of 5 stars is because there is not one here in Las Vegas!
3 - Saarah S.: This spa is nice, although its really not a spa.  It simply is a place to get a massage.  If I'm going to pay over 100 dollars for a decent massage, I think amenities are a must (a sauna, steam room, hot tub...something)...My fav thing about the massage is the paraffin treatment they put on ur feet....keeps me warm during the massage.
2 - D P.: burke williams is my LA spot but i tried out bliss since i had a gilt city discount.  i've NEVER had a bad reaction to a facial, but after my triple oxygen facial at bliss my face got puffy and had little bumps everywhere.  i called the spa the next day about my reaction and the woman who answered the phone said someone would call me back the same day.  that was two weeks ago and still no call.  

besides my bad reaction i didn't find the esthetician to be all that friendly.  she scolded me for not knowing the name of my skin prescription and during the facial did not explain what she was doing.  at burke, they always give some little description of what they are about to put on your face and what it is made of.  the first thing at the bliss spa made me feel like my face was burning off.  it was hard to relax after that.  can't go back!  i'm forever loyal to burke williams.
4 - D C.: Recently came here cause it was convenient for a waxing.  Christine did an excellent job.  Minimal pain and was fast.  5 stars for her!  4 stars because their services are a bit pricy...  I was considering a massage there, but it is not truly a full service spa.  They do not have a jacuzzi or traditional steam room.  Instead, they have steam showers.  Not sure about that... If I am going to drop that kind of money on a spa treatment, I think it should have all the amenities.
4 - Caitlyn T.: Both times I have been here, Fabiola has been my esthetician and she's super nice, friendly, and does a fantastic job. I was a waxing virgin all these years because I was too shy to have my lady parts exposed like that. Although it felt like the betweeny wax took forever, it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. My roommate suggested to take a tylenol 30 minutes before the appointment. I'm pretty stoic anyway, but Fabiola was impressed with how I was handling it. The staff are super nice, there's a cute lounge to relax and wait in, and the showers are there for you to freshen up if you have a late appointment after work, which is why I chose to come to Bliss in the first place. It's definitely not the type of place I can afford on the regular, but it is convenient, and that (in addition to the reasons listed above) is why I love Bliss. I'll gladly pay a little more if it means I don't have to rush over to some place that closes soon after I get off of work...AND, Bliss is super flexible. When I went yesterday, I feared how traffic would be because Obama was in town. I moved my 6:30 appointment to 7:30, but was there by 6:10, and so I was seen right away. That's awesome that they were able to do that. I'll definitely be coming back here. Can't wait until I try some of the other services, like maybe a massage. (^_^)
4 - Talia B.: Bliss Spa is my retreat once a month!  Excellent service, very relaxing - it makes you want to stay all day.  I drop $150 each time, so it's definitely a treat but so worth it.
4 - DeathandFood b.: I was blissed out after my triple oxygen facial and delighted by my mani-pedi until the bliss was taken awake by the scary skinny blondes (one nail technician, one a client) who were talking non-stop about honeymoons  and didn't know where the Seychelles are (one thought the Caribbean, the other South East Asia). After almost an hour of their prattle it was all I could do not to smack them upside the head and scream "it's off the coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, you idiots, if you are thinking of there for a honeymoon, you should know where it is!"

Good Things

+But before my bliss bubble was burst I had one of the best facial I've ever had although that sounds a bit like line from a porno. My face was noticeably less red, my lines were finer and my pores looked smaller and all from a facial instead of a peel or microdermabrasion. I got the homme improvement which is really just the triple oxygen treatment with a different name for dudes but seriously if you are a guy getting facials just own up to it.  The table was heated and it included a head, shoulder and foot massage. 

+I wish I had known about sauna or I would have come early for my appointment. The guys' locker room and waiting room was nice and clean and totally empty when I was there. 

+the japanese women whose name I forgot who did my mani-pedi did a great job. She was very though with my nasty feet that usually only get pedicures after Burning Man or serious hiking trips. At least they had gotten a pedi the month before so they weren't too nasty. They didn't have a matte silver nail polish which is what I usually wear on my toes, who knew it was so rare to have matte silver but I like the colours we did pick. The surprised looks from the annoying blondes that I got lavender nail polish made me grateful I don't live in LA. I mean a guy is getting a manicure at a spa and they are really surprised he is getting coloured polish?

The Bad Things
-My spouse got me the appointments as a birthday present so it was in rather poor taste when the women kept telling me what they cost and had me sign for them even though the spouse had already given them her billing information. I even said this to the women but it just seemed to go over her head as to why she shouldn't bring up money with me.

-While the treatments were good the service was lacking with very little personal service. The front desk person barely noticed my existence. 

-the mani-pedi was done in a small space with three chairs right next to each other. Listening to really annoying conversation for an hour was not fun. I saw on other reviews that they had headphones to listen to the TV's but that was never offered to me nor was a beverage offered to me while I was getting my mani-pedi. 

-If I was paying my usual 40 for a mani-pedi I would have been fine with the arrangement but when just a manicure is more than that, yeah I want some privacy and luxury.

I can't really bag on them for the price because the result are noticable and it was my choice to go there. It was a nice experience and they know what they are doing that's for sure. I would totally go back from a facial although I might skip the mani-pedi.
4 - Jowel G.: Came out with the girls to spend my birthday a few days early at the spa. Let me start by saying how I have forgotten about the W Hotel in Westwood let alone think about Bliss. Shame on me!
Poshy and tucked away within the hotel, the ride up was hilarious with me and one of my friends jumping around and striking a pose in this make shift elevator photo booth. You'd be sorry if you were in this elevator with us...absolutely out of control.
As the echoing laughter settled, we checked in for our treatments and were given the mini tour-literally mini. The place is not as big as the Vegas spas, but does compete with the service. I chose to get the sports deep tissue massage. No sports played here, but I do experience the soreness and injuries of one who does. I had Steve as my masseuse - he was great! He really put the pressure on, on the spots I mentioned. After the kinks were ironed and the painted mud, scraped off my back (this is some hot stuff, really, it can scorch if you're not expecting it), my back was smooth like jelly and bounced back like a tempurpedic mattress.
The facility as I mentioned is small, but comfortable enough that we felt like anything was lacking. Lounge was set up with tea,coffee, brownies, cheese and crackers, current issues of magazines, coffee table books of different cities around the world. The locker area was spacious enough and at one point, me and my friends were the only ones occupying the lockers and shower area. I wondered it 3 showers were enough as it seemed like there were 20 lockers. Well, can't complain because we were the only ones in this space.
I would definitely come back. I have to mention that the staff was friendly and not at all pushy on selling their products and they've got great stuff!
Valet parking is $7 with validation-really convenient, since parking can sometimes be difficult in the area.
3 - Sara S.: Bliss... The very name evokes a desired state of being one is willing to shell out the bigger bucks for. However, I'd say, save your shekels and go to some place less trendy. 

I will start by saying the massage itself was GREAT!  I can totally recommend Christy. If you choose to go, ask for her. 

However, here are the issues I had with my experience:

1). No "spa" music, only Adult Contemporary. If you're like me, you may find it difficult to truly "bliss-out" to the tunes of Sade, Van Morrison and Sara Bareilles - talented though they may be. 

2). The acoustics in the hallway are stoopid loud. Correction - the guests walking and TALKING in the echoey hallway are inconsiderately loud and disruptive to the "Bliss" experience. Shut the eff up for crissakes!!

3). The stank-ass UCLA tramps flouncing through the place like they owned it. Sorry sweetheart, you don't own it because you didn't pay for it. Daddy did. So have some respect for the rest of us who worked for it and deserve a little pampering. 

If you can put up with any of these, then by all means, go. It's still a good massage. But your experience might be just a little less than "Blissful.".
1 - Kristin A.: I had a gift card for $100 I used on a pedicure, the hot milk almond one and I have to say thank goodness I had a gift card because if I had to pay out of pocket for this pedicure I would have been pissed. It was such a bad experience, you'd think for the money you pay you would get a nice relaxing massage and maybe even a neck and shoulder massage, after all you are at a hotel spa, but that is far from what you get, you barely get a leg and foot massage. I think total the massage part lasted for 5 minutes on both legs and feet and the pedicure was supposed to be 60 min! (mine only lasted 45) it was horrible and my friend had a bad experience as well. i would NEVER go back and even if I had another gift card I would spend it on products because there services are horrible. I normally go to the Nail Garden and for the price that I payed at Bliss I would get twice as much at Nail Garden, they have relaxing chairs and massage your neck and shoulders and feet for more than 5 min at the same exact price. Never go and get any nail services here. sorry bliss, i expected you to be much better!
2 - Amy M.: I've gone to bliss on two separate occasions. The first, I got a discounted massage from gilt.com, and they take late appointments, so i figured "hey, why not!" The staff was a bit rude when checking in, and honestly, the only good thing about the spa, was the treats in the waiting area. For the money that was paid for a massage, it was NOT worth it. 

The second time I went, it was because I was in desperate need of a facial/brow wax before my birthday, and again, Bliss was the only place that took facial appointments after 6PM on short notice. So I went. I think that I could have done a better facial at home. There was no steam, and she used lukewarm towels on my face. The extractions weren't done well at all either. Literally, worst facial I have ever received. Then, the staff proceeded to push all of their beauty products on me. I understand that this is typical, however, they were really pushy about it, and the girl ringing me up gave me attitude when I only picked two out of the 4 items that were suggested. 

The only reason I am giving it two stars instead of one is because of: 1) it is nice, and located within the W (BUT BEWARE OF PARKING) 2) the waiting and shower/ladies room is nice. I would go early and just hang if you have the chance. The ambiance in there is very nice. 3) ONE of the two items that was suggested to me, has somewhat helped with my face. 

TL;DR:
Only 2 Stars Because:
1. Rude Staff, 2. WAY TOO EXPENSIVE for the quality of treatments 3. Pushy sales people 4. Valet parking = BS/ they don't validate. 5. Facial was worthless
2 - Kimberly B.: Visited for the famed Triple Oxygen Facial. It deserves its acclaim. The esthetician made me feel blissed out and weeks later my skin still glows like a baby's bum. 

But, oh my goodness, the prattling receptionists at the front desk who could not understand that Bliss facials could be prepaid on their own freaking website. After double charging me, the one blonde was hesitant to void the transaction even though I handed her the receipt for prepaid. The two kept me at the check out counter for a decent ten minutes talking loudly about everything except the checkout at hand then they failed to properly validate my parking ticket which confused the heck out of the valet staff at the W. Really? Because I was holding a bag in my hands which read, "Bliss". The Westwood W was brimming with airheads. 

It's not worth the big bucks to ride this crazy train folks.
1 - Kayo G.: Absolutely horrible!  I wish I could give 0 star but I can't.  Called here ahead asking if I can do a walk-in for nail service and I did and they won't take me in and told me to make an appointment!  Therefore, I made an appointment for the next visit and cancelled my appointment without notice!  I will never go back to this place again!
3 - Quynh P.: Bought a deal on travelzoo, $99 for $200 worth of services.

Came here on a weekday.  Recommend going here for a girls pampering day if you have the deal.  Don't think we would go back without the deal because the services are very expensive for little amenities.  Make sure you make time to hang out at the W Hotel's swimming pool on a nice day before your treatments.

Oxygen blast  ($85) was pretty good, 30 mins.

Elemis exotic lime and ginger salt glow ($130)  was nice. the brushing was a little too light for me and wish they would cover more areas.  Although my skin felt soft afterwards.  A bonus...they give you the brush they used during the treatment so you can continue to use at home.

If you valet your car parking is $7 for 4 hours with spa validation, after that it goes up a lot.
5 - Rachel C.: my triple oxygen facial was incredible.  the best facial i have had in the city.  I keep going back for it.
they pay so much attention and give such helpful feedback.  i love the spa because they use a variety of products from different brands and suggest to you what makes sense for your skin, not for their business.
the bonus is there is a beautiful garden patio downstairs outside to dine after!
you don't come here for the ambiance of the spa - because there is none, but for the actual treatment, it is worth every penny!
4 - Law H.: Always a great place to relax and get a good massage...
2 - K S.: I haven't been to Bliss in a few years, and thought I would give it another try so a friend and I purchased Travelzoo vouchers (pay $99 for $200 worth of services). Both of us were underwhelmed. 

Biggest complaint is that I should have received a 45 minute massage after my body scrub (I paid extra for this!) and my massage lasted maybe 20 minutes. After getting my entire body scrubbed to death I expected the technician to at the very least apply lotion to my entire body -- didn't happen. She massaged my feet and back and that was it! I am pretty sure she was texting when she was massaging my feet ... she took about 5 minutes per foot, only one hand at a time, almost no pressure, and every few seconds her hand would stop, she wouldn't do anything, and then a few seconds later she would start moving her hand again like she remembered that she was supposed to be giving a massage! I didn't get what I paid for (I paid extra above and beyond the voucher for the extra massage time AND they included gratuity when I checked out so she was getting tipped on the full amount).

I would have told the girl at the front desk what had happened had she bothered to ask me how everything was -- she didn't. So two thumbs down on the service.

The locker room needs a remodel. There is water damage and it just has a general feeling of uncleanliness. Won't be coming back.
2 - Dalia S.: I came in for a massage and the massage itself was just ok. I probably would have given 3 stars for it, but the atmosphere just killed it. I could hear people talking and laughing the ENTIRE time I was getting the massage and it was really loud. I couldn't tell if it was guests walking down the hallways or from the front desk but it took away the ambiance completely. The facilities were really nice so I think I just expected more.
5 - Victor V.: Today was my first day visiting Bliss Spa inside of the W Hotel in Westwood and I had an amazing experience.  The staff was extremely courteous, provided great customer service, and provided prompt service upon my arrival.  

I arrived to my appointment 30 minutes early (manicure, pedicure, and extreme sports massage) and was quickly checked in and brought to the men's locker room, where I changed into a comfortable robe and slippers.  The Spa provides lockers for your belongings, and there is a comfortable lounge with water, fruits, etc. where you can relax before your appointment.  A few minutes prior to your scheduled appointment a staff member will come to get you to take you where you need to go.

I had Sarah (extreme sports massage) and Shiho (manicure and pedicure) and they were great.  All in all, my time at the spa was three hours.  Both Sarah and Shiho are great at their jobs and I will definitely be coming back for my future spa visits.  Everything about the bliss spa experience was perfect.

The facilities are very clean, plenty of magazines to read while you are being pampered, and their is also a mid-size flat screen TV above each manicure and pedicure station, as well as the lounge area.  Most importantly, my hands, feet, and body feel great thanks to Sarah, Shiho, and the Bliss Spa staff and experience.

Definitely put this on your to do list.

In good health,

Victor
4 - Amy C.: Bliss is extremely clean and the estheticians are very professional.  I love getting my brows done here, even though I have to drive over all the way from Pasadena. I also love the brownies and cucumber water in the lounge!

Bloch Cancer Survivors Plaza - Houston, TX (29.7235517, -95.3901132) (Museum District)
5 - Martha D.: This park is set up as an inspiration for really anyone effected by cancer. It focuses on survival not a memorial for those that have lost their battle. 

The sculpture can be seen from driving down Fannin. It depicts people walking through the "maze" of cancer treatments on the way to survival. There are plaques surrounding the circular of the monument that give inspiration, mediations and advice on battling and surviving cancer. There are several benches to sit for a moment and watch the bubbling fountain in the center of the monument. 

My sister recently had her bridal portrait done here because she was diagnosed three months before her wedding, which made the portrait much more significant since she became a cancer survivor right after the wedding. 

For a person that has lost a mother, a sister that has survived and gone through several scares herself, this park is a great place to sit and think and find resolve no matter how cancer is effecting you. 

The Bloch Cancer Foundation has placed Cancer Survivor Parks around the country. Houston's version is located next to the Museum District fountains behind Hotel ZaZa. There are four metered spots for parking on Hermann Drive on the northeast side of the plaza. I've seen people park on the west side of the plaza on the Montrose section of the loop around Mecom Fountain, even though there are not any "no parking" signs it doesn't seem like a valid parking area.
4 - Arie M.: As far as cancer survivors plazas go, this is one of the better ones I've seen.  The decorations are both nice and inspirational and the food and drink prices are reasonable though the drinks are a bit watered down which is why I took off a star.  Parking is tricky too but the bouncers are usually nice and friendly and let you in though suspiciously look like homeless folks.  Wait, I think I got a couple of reviews mixed up.  

Anyway, this is a very nice place.
5 - David N.: This place is beautiful, during the day or at night.  It is a proud monument to dedicate to Cancer Survivors.  It is more than just a pretty backdrop for Quinceañera pictures.  

This plaza was designed to give patients who have been diagnosed with cancer the will to fight on.  Other memorials have been used to monument those who have passed but this one instead honors the living, those who have made it past cancer.  They want to pass on the message that just because one is diagnosed with cancer it does not automatically equate to death, there is a chance to fight past it.  

Part of the whole area are life sized figures passing through a maze, this represents the hoops they must hop through for treatment.  There are also plaques inside which have inspirational sayings on them.  

So the next time you take pictures near this place, take a minute to read and realize there is a deeper meaning to this place.

Blockbuster Video - Pasadena, CA (34.14024, -118.131808) (Pasadena)
2 - sarah r.: The only good thing about this place is convenience and flexible return dates.  It's around the corner from me.  So when I need a last minute video fix, I go here.  

By and large, the selection is poor, unless you're into Will Ferrell and Adam Sandler movies.  No Shortbus here.  Their documentaries section is somewhat interesting, and they have single copies of some edgy arthouse films on their "recent releases" shelves (they stay there a few weeks and then disappear).  Their TV series collection is spotty - they only have one copy of each episode.  I've been waiting months to get my hands on the first season of The Wire.  

They blast corny scenes from movies like Happy Feet as you peruse their lame collection under flourescent lights.  We've been screwed several times by them - messing up our returns, checking out DVDs that have the wrong disk in them.  But it's Blockbuster, what do you expect?  

We also have a Penny Lane on South Lake, but their selection is so small, eclectic, and oriented toward macho cult films, that we also rarely find anything good there that Blockbuster doesn't have.  Also, I'm just not down with the sketchy porn feel over there.  

For a GREAT video store experience, and to support independent, classic, and foreign film, get thee to Videotheque in South Pasadena!
2 - judy w.: I almost feel like I should file a police report for how many times I got ROBBED for renting a movie here. $5 to rent a mother-effin' dvd. Oh sure it's for 5 days but why the heck would I want a dvd for 5 effin' days??? 

But what's a gal to do when she's in Netflix pergatory? And brrrrrrrrroke? I need my movie fix dangit!

So I finally listened to my wallet and found other more feasible alternatives - aka INTERACT (just a few doors down) and PENNYLANE (on Colorado Blvd. by PCC). 

Although Blockbuster does have previously viewed dvds for sale at 4 for $20. But I'd rather sell my soul to Ned Flanders for a donut instead of 4 measly movies from THEM........

.
1 - Anh T.: I would never come here without my boyfriend, or some pepper spray. There may be some shady characters hanging across the street, but none are shadier than the patrons who hang out in this store. I've had someone shove me (how badly do you need to see "House Bunny?") and another lady hit my car while opening her door. Not one word of apology. Furthermore, the workers all look like they want to kill themselves. Then again, I would too if I had to watch "Space Chimps" all day.
1 - Travis H.: I just wanted to post because I needed my 1st 1star...
1 - C B.: You can't create an account, and rent DVDs, if you don't have a CA state ID, alien passport doesn't work for them.
1 - richard h.: Good selection but always on edge due to fact you get charge for movies.They say free but if you rent Sat and bring back tuesday it is a $4.99 charge on your account... others you can keep longer..very deceiving.
1 - Sumin S.: Went to rent a movie, but was disappointed to see this Blockbuster closed :(
1 - Dave S.: This location is now closed. If you're looking to rent movies or buy used DVDs or Blu-Rays, check out Interact just 2 doors down at 350 S. Lake. Great prices, selection and service.

Blockbuster Video - San Diego, CA (32.8672063, -117.2333) (La Jolla)
5 - Julia S.: If you looking for an advice from the video expert or at lest want to get a balanced feedback, go to that place. It's pretty easy to find movies from shelf - collections and most of them are in good quality. Almost no lines to cashier, but always a big selection from snack bar. 
And there one more thing I know for sure, that It's a great place to socialize or share thoughts with individuals like you.
2 - caligirl l.: This blockbuster really sucks. There are no movies. literally, a person that worked there told me that. I walked up to the counter and asked what are some good popular new release comedy's and he said "well there really aren't any" lmao. lame. redbox is way better haha.
4 - Sarah V.: I actually really like this Blockbuster in comparison to some of the other ones I've been too. I see dogs in here a lot and I bring mine in all the time. All the employees are friendly and always seem like they're in a good mood. They're pretty small but you can't expect a place to carry every old movie you're looking for (that's what netflix is for!).

Blockbuster Video - Berkeley, CA (37.8678979, -122.2594294) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
2 - Kat C.: It's closed and it was bad so good riddance! Thank god for netflix.
3 - Erica C.: everything you would expect a blockbuster to be-- kosher selection, missing older movies, unenthusiastic employees. they do have a small but respectable collection of indie and foreign films
1 - Ramon E.: Is it closed now? The selection here was such a joke.
1 - Maxwell H.: I'm so grateful to see this shit storm finally pass through.  Why spend four dollars to rent a movie that you can own for five or stream for cents on the dollar.  Come to think of it, I don't know anyone who even goes to Blockbuster.

Blockbuster Video - Austin, TX (30.2925805, -97.7413909) (University of Texas, West Campus)
4 - Shane H.: A Blockbuster is a Blockbuster is a Blockbuster.  Well not really, they all have slight differences and this particular store is certainly a highlight in the chain.

This store has a generous parking lot and it is located in a good neighborhood, which some stores can't claim.  The staff here is incredibly polite and helpful and will help you locate your favorite film or even order whatever it is you might need.  

The always have a great selection of previously viewed films here on sale for dirt cheap and the staff is very cool about exchanging any you have problems with.  This and the Brodie location and probably my two favorite locations in town.  

Great staff, great selection, great location.
5 - Lauren E.: I was never planning on reviewing this place (hello, it's Blockbuster...aren't the all essentially the same?), but the one on Guadalupe happens to have some of the greatest staff I've come in contact with. They are incredibly friendly and have, on more than one occasion, gone above and beyond. 

Example: I got on a kick where all I wanted to do was watch The Holiday. I went to Blockbuster several times, and every time, the copy was checked out. Curses! One of the employees must have felt sorry for me, and....are you ready for this?......called my fiance one evening to let him know the movie was in stock. Called him. Because she remembered us. And cared that I wanted to watch a movie. 

Five Stars.
5 - Matthew O.: I am so thrilled that they stay open till 1 A.M. on Fridays and Saturdays! 5 stars just for that!
5 - Sarah S.: I've been going here for years. I have Never had a bad experience nor have been treated poorly by an employee. The staff is very welcoming and nice!  Sorry to say but I choose this over local Vulcan or I Love since those stores do not have good customer service at all. BB on Guad all the way.

Blockbuster Video - Seattle, WA (47.6632114, -122.3010264) (University District)
2 - Alex G.: I got here at ten minutes to close to be greeted by an employee who had the door locked already. He unlocks the door and says "do you know exactly what you want?" and something to the effect that if I did not I had to leave. In my limited amount of experiences around this city, this kind of customer treatment is starting to reflect a theme. It's amusing to me because I've honestly never seen anything like it anywhere else I've been!      I usually like going to blockbuster once and a while, but for this store it'll probably be more like once in a blue moon, or harvest moon, or eclipse or something.
2 - Sara L.: I hate this place.  I hate that the employees won't stop trying to sell me on their "deals", even though I already have said no at least four times.  I hate that they make awkward comments about the movies I'm checking out.  I hate that they are constantly playing crappy movies on their blu-ray demonstrating screen, and I hate that the way the sections are organized.  Also, most recently, I hate that the only reason I ever go there is to get new release movies, and I went there to get Bolt (yes, I'm a grown person), and it was entirely out.  WHAT ARE YOU GOOD FOR, BLOCKBUSTER, if you aren't good for giving me the movies that were blockbusters.  Raaaaa.  Plus one star for having fairly good used movie deals and 99 cent rentals.
4 - Nina H.: I can always count on Blockbuster for a late night or spontaneous rental. Well, not that late since they close at midnight but good enough.

They usually have enough movies that I want to watch although a lot of the time, they run out of the bigger movies. I like that they have a lot of the great TV shows so I can catch up on, e.g. Weeds or Entourage.

The food and drink items are a little pricey but I never get those. The older movie deals are like $1.99 and that's awesome! They also give you coupons for a new movie for $1.99 if you rent a new movie. And the deals they have going on most of the time are really affordable and worth it.

My bf has an account where he can rent three movies at a time from the online account but it's a great policy because we have exchange two videos in-store every month as well, which is pretty convenient when we want to watch movies immediately.
2 - Sea B.: You'd think a place like Blockbuster would check DVDs for damage but not at this store.  After literally a half dozen rentals that stopped working half way through the movie we are done with this store.  Go with a local video rental place or, better yet, go with the far, far superior NetFlix.  A much better operation than this place.

Blockbuster Videos - Cambridge, MA (42.3644736, -71.102191) (Central Square)
2 - Jessica R.: Don't come here to rent videos.  The only reason to come here is to rent video games or buy extra controllers for cheap it you need a video game fix.  

For videos go down the street to Hollywood Express
3 - Joe b.: Deicent place. Has a nice selection of cheap buys. Renting is mediocre.
4 - Michael L.: I am writing to review the combination of the store and the online service Blockbuster Online. 

STORE:
I will start with the store, which by itself would probably get 2*. I like that it's set up so that new movies are all around the edge of the store, and perusing the titles is sort of a nice stroll. The rest of the movies are organized (I use that term loosely) by genre, including a halfway decent selection of foreign movies and TV shows, which are located to the left in the back and are your best fall-back bet. 

The staff generally tries to be helpful and friendly, but there are a couple of people who are extremely grumpy and lumpish. Trying to straighten out account information here was an absolute nightmare. Also, if you keep the movie too long, they charge it to your credit card instead of a late fee. If you bring it back, they refund all but a $1.25 restocking fee, which is pretty reasonable considering it used to be pretty easy to rack up a $20-50 late fee charge. 

ONLINE: 
The selection is extensive, easy to browse, and simple to add to your queue. However, rare, foreign and box-set DVDs can take a long time to come. They simply back up in the top of the queue, and have a little "long wait" next to them. Not that big of a deal unless you REALLY want to see that movie this instant. 3 movies at a time costs $17.99 a month, and I watch a lot of movies. So considering that renting a DVD is about $5 anyway, it's very easy to get my money's worth. 

The BEST thing about the whole deal is that if you carry your crappy mailer sleeve into the store (make sure you seal it or they have a fit and foam) YOU CAN TAKE A MOVIE FROM THE STORE FOR FREE!! This is in their advertising, but I'm not sure if people understand how convenient this is. I've watched 5 seasons of Sopranos just by bringing back my mailers. 

I think that the online service alone makes Blockbuster a worthwhile deal.
3 - Matthew C.: Okay, it's just another Cockbuster, yes, but I do feel compelled to point out a few peculiarities of this place.

Sure, you've got the requisite new release walls filled with direct horror movie rips (Snakes on a Train or When A Murderer Calls, anyone?) and lots of movies about gay people that feature a few shirtless men of various ethnicities on the covers.  There's the trademark Blockbuster pseudo-alphabetization and plenty of straight to DVD sequels (Wild Things 3 is a personal fave).  

The most striking thing about the store itself is the fact that there only seem to be a few TV screens displaying the same three previews and commercials on loop, though there are speakers on just about every square inch of ceiling.  You'll hear something vaguely interesting right behind your shoulder, turn around to check out what it is, only to keeping turning in a complete 360 trying to find a visual to put with the noise.  The other night I heard screams coming from all around me;  it sounded like a Michael Bay "film."  I ran around the store trying to find a TV screen to determine what it could possibly be a trailer for, only to discover it was an ad for Six Flags.  Maddening.

The no late fees thing is a big perk and the reason I still come in here despite a feeling of subterranean loyalty to Hollywood Express down the street.  There are constant DVD sales, as well, though I never buy anything because they slap Previously Viewed stickers on all the packaging materials and put them in completely un-cute boxes.  Aside from the mysterious surround sound, it's really just another Blockbuster, although the foreign and indie sections are perhaps a slight cut above other locations.

A note of caution: on two occasions I've arrived at home eager to watch whatever lousy thing I rented, only to discover that the cashier forgot to remove the security device from the case, rendering it completely unopenable.  Again, maddening.

The Six Flags thing made me wonder, though -- will Michael Bay remake Final Destination 3 after he's done destroying The Birds?  He seems determined to leave no classic untouched.
2 - Ligaya T.: They use enough electricity in this store to power a whole block. It's a total eyesore for this alone. The new releases aren't new. It seems they don't have enough space in other sections though. But they generally have all the Weeds episodes I want available and the staff is actually quite nice. I don't know if I'd be able to manage wearing those hideous shirts without ducking behind everything. 

I'm ashamed that I even have an account here but I was in a bind one night in SF and the only thing open was a Cockbuster. Then I found of that I didn't out to fill out all this paperwork to open a new account (so there's a perk for those of you who travel). And as this one is on my way home from the T it just worked. If there's time to spare you'll find me browsing and reading the backs of movies at Hollywood Express. No Netflix for me. I like the boxes.
3 - Hisham K.: I don't really like Blockbuster - I always feel nickle-and-dimed here. Plus, I can never remember to return things on time. I rarely step into this place, especially now that I have NetFlix, but sometimes I like to rent a few video games before I go ahead and buy them.

That said, I was renting a particular video game when the guy behind the counter asked me, "Do you like RPGs?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Okay, just checking, because this game looks like a FPS but it's got heavy RPG elements in it. I thought I'd make sure you knew that, because I didn't and when I bought the game I hated it!"

Thus ensued a lively and pleasant exchange between myself and the guy behind the counter.

He saved me from spending my money on something that I most likely would not have enjoyed, based on his experience and feedback.

The movie selection doesn't impress me, and when you walk in the first you see is the video game section - good for me, but kinda counter-intuitive when your main USP is to rent movies.

Oh, and I love chucking my rentals down the return chute. :)
2 - Susie C.: Why am I even reviewing you, Blockbuster? (eyes narrowing)

The name of this chain of video stores gives it away. Blockbuster. That's the kind of movie this place has plenty of - tall bookshelves lined with multiple copies of popcorn-flick movies starring the following knuckleheads: Nicolas Cage, Vin Diesel, Will Smith, etc..  Movies with titles like "Red Eye Express" or "Target Zero" or "Generic Action Movie with lots of guns, naked women, and no real plot"

The new release section is enormous, and lined with "new" generic slasher/soft core porn movies. They have a decent size section of popular TV show DVDs. The stuff that sells.

I get a mild migraine from the neon lighting, and all the employees wear awful uniforms, making this place feel like the Walmart of movie rental stores.

This is my back-up place, if Hollywood Express doesn't have the movie I want.

Blockheads - New York, NY (40.800754, -73.965063) (Manhattan Valley)
4 - Zach K.: Dear Blockheads,

Your Jamaican Jerk Chicken Burrito set off my night of nothing.
The flavors and spicy were on point. Looking through the menu was a nice change there was just the right amount of choices. Sometimes restaurants just have too many options while I'm considering what I will get, ya know? Everything was done well.

Thank You,
Zach

PS. Thanks for coming to my neighborHOOD
3 - brenda s.: $3 FROZEN MARGARITAS!  And they're really good.  The decor is eversooo tacky with its hip-retro, neon look  mixed with Mexican streamers, and I swear blue and silver Hanukkah decorations hanging from the ceiling.   Or maybe it was the three drinks.  The food is the standard Mexican inauthentic, precooked taco/burrito/wrap  that you probably don't want.  But the drinks are great, and cute waiters too.  But, BEWARE;  COUNT YOUR CHANGE.  Every time, we have been significantly shortchanged, and  with little to no apology.  It may be SOP.   Nevertheless, we return, on guard, to enjoy HAPPY HOUR.
4 - Stephanie P.: Blockheads is great !!!!!!!!!!!! the foood is delicious if mexican food is your thing. 3$ margaritas???? i didnt try them- but can you really beat $3 margaritas- I think not.
5 - Kelly E.: BLACK FLOWERRR!!! always the death of me, 1/2 sangria 1/2 marg - how could it be bad? I love blockheads, it's always a fun night with a big group of friends. The food is good and reasonable and for $3, how could the drinks be bad? They also have corona, which non-margarita drinkers normally love, and cheap tequila shots. I actually really like the spinach-tofu quesadillo and have never disliked something i've ordered here. The one downside can be the wait time, but it's worth it! Plus, there's free chips!!!
4 - Jen S.: To be clear...I did not eat at Blockheads, but only consumed the delicious and extremely cheap margs.  Why else would you go here!?!?!?

At three bucks a pop, you can do some serious damage by spending less than 20 dollars.  Loud, crazy, fun...do you need anything more?  The servers were great and the margaritas were even better!  Definitely a  great place to start out the night (as they close at midnight) and get your drink on before before heading out.
4 - Rob C.: Cheap margaritas, good (but not necessarily authentic) mexican food, and a fun atmosphere.  Perfect for a casual night out with friends.
3 - Alison B.: I've eaten at many of Blockheads' other locations, so I was happy to learn that it had come closer to my neighborhood.  (Come on, open a location in Washington Heights!!)  The food was fine, the service was friendly and competent, the place was packed, the music was WAY too loud, and the bathroom was very clean.  The wait staff clearly enjoyed their jobs and each other, which was fun to watch, especially when they had a mini dance-fest.
2 - elise h.: I really hate to give Blockheads 2 stars because the food was decent and the manager was really nice.  But hello, it's supposed to be a fun, festive place to get dinner and a drink and the only alcohols they had at this location were tequila, vodka and beer!  When we asked the manager about it, he said they have such a limited selection of alcohol because they are a Mexican restaurant and want to keep with the theme.  But you know, I've been to plenty of Mexican restaurants that have a full bar and they still felt like Mexican restaurants!

The food itself is good but nothing to write home about.  It's reinvented Mexican food, natch, kind of like what Chipotle could be if they served smaller portions and used a few more spices.  I wouldn't eschew this place as a workday lunch spot, but for dinner, I'd either want something more authentically ethnic or something higher quality.  I shan't be back.  Much better places to get after-work drinks & dinner with the coworkers just a few blocks away.
4 - Sixto M.: While visiting some friends just a couple of blocks away, we found ourselves wondering, "where do we go and drink and not break the bank?"  That's when we thought of this place.  When the margaritas and tequila shots are $3, there's not much to complain about.  The space is a little small, but the decor is wonderful and festive.  We were there on a Saturday night around 9pm, with a party of 8.  We only waited for 10min or so, and stayed until last call (11:30pm).  The music they played was great (lots of Beyonce!), and if you like your men hot and spicy, then you will love their waiters.  Check it out.
3 - ana l.: Not the easiest place to find as it is tucked inside a plaza. But once we found it we were ready to eat. And no wait time on Sunday at 130pm. 

Don't go for the ice tea..was like drinking water, get a fun drink instead! 

I ordered the cup of soup and the sweet potato quesadilla. The soup isn't much to rave about, but the sweet potato and melted monterey jack cheese quesadilla was good (especially when you dip it in a little sour cream..yummy!). We all got large portions of food at decent prices. 

However the service was a bit weird. When he served my soup I wasn't given a spoon. I asked another waiter for a spoon and he gave me this weird look. When he realized I didn't get a spoon he walked over to a counter, grabbed a plastic spoon, wiped it with a napkin and gave it to me. And I think his  apology was telling us that it was Sunday and they were all tired. Our waiter kept on coming to our table every 7 minutes to ask if everything was ok. It was nice to have someone so attentive but he was trying WAY to hard. We just wanted to chat and enjoy our meals.

I'll definitely go for the food and fun drinks again, but I'm still weirded out by the staff.
3 - PJ G.: This is an order for delivery only.

Working on the book I hardly have any time to go out anymore. Trapped in front of my monitor all day, every day I've taken to using Seamlessweb.com for sustenance.

So one dark and stormy night I ordered the two taco specials and a quesidilla (sp??) for dinner. Well  I planned to eat the quesidilla for lunch the next day.

The two tacos were filled with flavorful meat, nice and spicy! Good sized portions; I orded the shredded beef and it came in good sized hunks.
The accompanying rice and beans...no beans (no biggie) but the rice was bland.

The quesidilla was yummy!

One day I'll walk over and sit down for a real meal.
Will definitely order from them again.
1 - Jess E.: paying $13.01 for a burrito comprised of beans, rice, canned salsa, and four to six scrawny pieces of inexplicably rock-like chicken may be one of the stupider things i've ever done. if i weren't sitting at my work desk at 7pm with five solid hours of work ahead of me, liable to burp up something solid without warning, i'd march back over there and make a scene. or at least demand a free margarita. 

shoulda gone to chipotle. shoulda gone to mexico, for that matter.
4 - Patty G.: This place is fun, has good food, and is affordable. I love it! They have awesome margaritas! It's a tiny place but the deco is fun and so is the atmosphere. The tacos are the best there, IMO.
2 - Joni K.: I really want to like Blockheads, but I just can't. If you want margaritas that ensure a hangover for less than other places charge, then you should certainly go. If you would like to pay too much for food without any flavor, then walk right in and pull up a chair. The food is bland and the prices too high (although I do like that I can swap in whole wheat tortillas).

In conclusion, if you are a college kid looking just to have some very poor quality but cheap margaritas, then by all means go. If not, I would try Taqueria y Fonda or even Chipotle where the food is better and you get more bang for your buck.
4 - Andrew M.: The magaritas are nothing special, except for their exceptional value. my god. 32oz for like nine bucks? sign me up.

The food is just typical, nothing wrong with it, but nothing to write home about either. I like their chicken burritos, and their guacamole is a-okay.

One downside. It is LOUD. Dont come expecting to be able to have a normal conversation with a big group.
2 - Miss A.: the tacos are okay but once youve had chipotle's fresh ingredients it makes blockheads taste really really really bland.  its not horrible but its not good.  its edible but the seasoning is so boring.

at least blockheads delivers through seamless web whereas chipotle doesnt.

i do, however like the dressing that comes with the salad.  the dressing for chipotle salads is kinda sweet and weird.
4 - Cris M.: I remember the first time I went to Blockheads.  It was after receiving a particularly bad bit of news, and my fiance and I needed a drink.  Mind you, this was during lunch on a workday, but still, we needed that drink.  So I had a couple of Margarita's, and needless to say the rest of my workday was absolutely faaaaan-tastic!!!  Oh, and the food was pretty good too.
5 - Amanda D.: My neighborhood friends and I still consider Blockheads our #1 drunk brunch spot, and for good reason with the generous mimosa carafes.

But the food! Recently we all tried the huevos rancheros and it's just a fantastic dish. Perfect for your hangover.

I also dig the chicken in green salsa with eggs and tortilla. Then again, I love anything covered in green salsa. 

A special thanks to the staff at this Blockheads for putting up with our rowdy antics :)
4 - Sophy B.: The decor is a little Mexican fiesta meet lucha libre fan!!! Very awesome! 

Their drinks are on the cheap side and very much on the strong side. 

Loved their ground beef picadillo burrito, it was very tasty.
3 - Sue Y.: Came here to celebrate Cinco de Mayo and the line was sooo long!

Came back the next day to try their food. They serve very cute fun little margarita drinks with an inverted Corona inside and as you drink, the Corona missed with the margarita. It also comes in a variety of flavors.

The decor is really festive and there are plenty of colors and designs to dazzle the eyes. I also really like the menu. With the cartoons and sock puppets that dotted the inside, it reminded me of something that would be on adult swim.

The menu had some interesting things, including a jerk chicken burrito in a curry tortilla. We also had the shredded beef burrito. Unfortunately, the entrees failed to deliver authentic Mexican flavors. They weren't bland, but just lacked the "umph." The burritos weren't even wrapped up! It just lay on the plate as an impotent rolled up tortilla. 

To be fair, their guac was amazing with lots of avocado chunks inside.
3 - Namrata A.: I've been here many times and it never disappoints because I know what I'm getting into...$3 margaritas, add a $1 for flavor and I get the quesadilla for $4ish bucks.  I tried the tofu tacos with rice and beans and it was a lot, but people are right, you can make this yourself, but you're too lazy to so you come here to get buzzed and/or trashed quickly and eat mediocre food.  That's Blockheads for ya!
4 - jen f.: "$3 margaritas, add a $1 for flavor and I get the quesadilla for $4ish bucks"

namrata a. has my heart 


what a weird thing to indulge in in this neighborhood
a wonderful weird thing


also the weirdest date-scene ever.
3 - Crystal F.: I've been here twice. The food is...well nothing to write home about. The service is...okay next question.  (I've been here when it's not packed & the service is fabulous). The place is usually packed & it's all cuz of the margaritas. They're cheap yet delicious. They come in lots of flavors & will put you right where you need to be, if you get what I'm saying.
4 - Beth H.: Went here for brunch yesterday for the very first time. It was 10.95 and you got to choose from an array of different items and that price included unlimited mimosas or champagne!

I got the chicken and jack omelet with rice and beans. The rice and beans were OK very cafeteria like but the omelet was delish and I LOVED the chicken.

The salsa tastes like Heinz ketchup with tapatio in it. BUT it was over all yummy and cheap!
3 - Jamaal G.: What can i say about Blockheads, other than the decently priced slightly average Mexican food & cheap beer. If your looking for something out on a frugal budget this is the place. I ordered the grilled chicken burrito ($10.95) I mean i didn't expect much but the burrito wrap was oddly coarse. Flip side was they had $4 beers after happy hour highly unexpected! Expect the venue to tighter than sardines & long waits for big groups......but for on the whim on a city night its a half decent place.
5 - Ashlee S.: I Love This Place. I'm so glad I didn't listen to all of these bad reviews. Blockheads is great for drinks and a tasty quesadillas. It is inexpensive and gets the job done. The salsa is on point and they're ingredients actually have seasoning. I'll come back there anytime.
3 - Tim H.: If you're in the area, and you need a place to chill, and have a margarita., this place works for me. The food is filling, and good for the price... but the salsa and chips with cheapish liqour works for me!
1 - Geovanni M.: Blockheads is a racist term for Mexicans, they are usually called fat heads due to their small bodies and bulbous heads. I'm deeply offended and I will not patronize this establishment...
3 - Ankita I.: I was suuper excited to come to this place because I am a huge fan of mexican food. The food was ookay...nothing amazing. Like other reviews said, the salsa was definitely pace picante, and the burritos could easily be made at home with cheese, beans, and flour tortillas. 
I got the tacos which were decent. They give you a lot of food so that is definitely a plus. I liked the atmosphere...really loud, crowded, and dim. It's a good place for a bunch of friends to go after work or class. 
Another plus point are the $3 margaritas! They are pretty damn strong for the price! 
Go to this place only if youre in the area and want to grab a drink. I don't really think the food was worth the price but I'm sure other people think otherwise since this place is full every night of the week!
4 - Sarah A.: TWO WORDS: MEXICAN BULLDOG.

Do not come here for the food. I repeat, do not come here for the food. Come for the $3 margaritas and the $8 mexican bulldogs (don't know what it is? Google it and you'll love me forever) and the free unlimited chips and salsa. Sit outside on a warm day and you'll have paradise in Manhattan.
4 - Alexito G.: i came here twice...

1st time i came straight after work with some cos. was here for drinks only. the drinks were awesome. if you like weird drinks, try a MEXICAN BULLDOG. after some drinks and having a good time we left, satisfied.

2nd time i came with my gf at about 7:00 pm. that day i was hungry like a dog who hadn't eaten in weeks! so i decided to order a BBQ CHICKEN BURRITO. the huge burrito, at first, was awesome. it was well cooked and the dish brought 3 extra different sauces: BBQ, salsa, and a white creme... but i guess the people at Blockheads didnt want to close the door and windows that my burrito got cold in a matter of seconds. i tried to get their attention as i noticed i wasnt the only one getting chilli, but no one came to our rescue. 
due to the cold ass beans on the burrito i lost appetite. i guess next time i go here im wearing a sweater.

food, drinks, quick wait staff, and salsa dip told me to give 4 stars to this blockheads.
2 - Dan T.: "Don't do it, Dan, don't do it", I told myself.

I'll be eternally skeptical of chains in NYC, especially Mexican ones not named Chipotle (and even those). Mediocre friendliness + long wait for takeout + bland burrito for which they're named = no bueno. Friendly enough staff and the lunch special wasn't a terrible deal, but certainly no steal. Decor is a bit tacky, IMO, but those who liked it seemed to love it; didn't have any of their allegedly decent drinks.

All in all, I'd rather buy my own ingredients (and add nothing) and buy my own mini pre-packaged chips.
1 - allison b.: Awful.  

Went for brunch yesterday (4/10) and the place was basically empty.  When I asked for 'hot tea' (how dare I order something on the menu!) they said they didn't have any.  WHAT?  It took 45 minutes for our mimosas to come.  FORTY-FIVE MINUTES.  We had to practically beg for refills on our waters.  The food was so-so. 

And they no longer have unlimited mimosa special.  What is the draw to go in there now?  it's not like people were knocking down the door to get in in the first place.  It comes with the $9.95 brunch special and then you pay $2 per refill.  DISAPPOINTING, indeed.  

So, the food was so-so, the service was terrible, and the lack of unlimited mimosas was infuriating.  I will not go back.
4 - Jane F.: ALWAYS rowdy. apparently the food is really good, but i have no clue because i've just been for margaritas (which are great).
3 - Scott J.: I concur with other reviewers. The drinks are awesome, and the food is mediocre Tex-Mex.  Sometimes the staff can get overwhelmed when it is busy, but they are friendly and helpful when they are around.
3 - Bryce A.: The mex food is good. The prices are alright. The drinks are VERY strong. 

Go for the free chips and stay for the strong drinks! 

~Try a Mexican bull dog. it is very strong!
4 - ml k.: I think my first review was a little harsh.  I've been here twice since then and still like it.  The frozen drinks can definitely give me a buzz (especially the large) for very little money.  I like the free chips and salsa also.
2 - RZ X.: They deliver fast and when you're hungry, this is invaluable!
I will not order from them again because their $13 burritos are bland and flavorless. The chicken breast is hard like cardboard and the cheese is questionable.
1 - ryan s.: Well first off I would like to tell you not to eat here ever. If its not to busy maybe stop in for a cheap grain alcohol margarita if you can get the waiters attention that wears an ipod while working.
2 - Jenny K.: First things first - this rating is for my in-restaurant dining experience. I've ordered delivery from this location several times and each time my food was fresh, hot, and delicious. I usually get a grilled tofu burrito with brown rice and a whole wheat tortilla (I'm not a vegetarian but their marinated tofu is yummy), sometimes with roasted corn salsa and chips as well. I've also had the quesadillas and other types of burritos, all have been great. As for the restaurant though...

I won't be going back. After reading reviews, I expected something similar in experience to the Flor de Mayo on 101st (?) and Broadway. Maybe a little rowdy because of the bar-atmosphere, but with entertaining people watching and excellent food. What I got instead was rude waitstaff, a very rude maitre d', and an order that was completely screwed up.

Cons:
1. What restaurant checks ID at the door? Are you not allowed to eat there if you're under 21? What if I'm not there to drink? Why do I have to get approval from a beefy and rude bouncer to order a stupid burrito? Ugh. It's not a bar.
2. Two people arrived well after we did, but even though we had been waiting for our waitress to reappear for 5-10 minutes to take our orders, that table was served before us (same waitress).
3. Our order was completely screwed up. I ordered a mini tofu burrito with brown rice and a whole wheat tortilla, got a full sized burrito (no salad like I wanted) with tofu sour cream (wanted regular). My husband ordered tofu tacos but got chicken tacos instead, with some sort of sauce that he didn't ask for (a red sauce). We were both too fed up by that point to request new food, plus we were hungry. Maybe if our waitress had bothered to write down our order she would have gotten it right!

Pros:
1. The portion sizes are large - whoever complained about them being small needs to go to a nutritionist pronto!
2. Drinks are unusual and inexpensive.
3. The food is good across the board and satisfying.

This experience left a bad taste in my mouth (and not just from the tofu sour cream) so I won't be going back.
5 - Erin E.: My rating is for delivery- I haven't eaten in the place itself.

Delicious, cheap...while it isn't "authentic" Mexican food (but then few places are), I really like it and order delivery from there often. It always arrives on time and I have never had any problems.
3 - Leighton J.: The food here was good.  I ordered a vegetable rice bowl and my friend ordered the chicken tacos and we both liked our meals.  My only problem with this place though is that the salsa they gave us with our meal appeared to be a generic kind poured from a bottle.  All of the Mexican restaurants I've eaten at have had their own specific salsa recipes and this place lacked that.
3 - Imke v.: Its like a frat-restaurant. The atmosphere is loud, the crowd is young, and the drinks are cheap and fun - I love the mexican Bulldog for example, and the food is american-mexican. perfect for a Taco fix, which decent size to huge portions. The lunch menue is a good deal. If you want to go with a big group, come early, it gets crowded.Dont expect great service, and do expect to show ID at the door if you come in on a weekend night.
3 - Marilyn S.: I come here for the cheap margaritas but I enjoy the food too.  There's always a wait to get a table, especially if you want to sit outside, but that rarely stops me.  I sometimes put my name on the list and then pop next door for a drink while I wait!
3 - Alex E.: I've ordered from here twice, both times great delivery and service! The grilled chicken dishes seem to all be overcooked or slightly burnt, don't know what's up with that... but the beef dishes are great! Nice sized portions, fresh grilled corn salsa, and pretty solid prices... 

Also, their side salads are the best I've ever had with a take out order from similar places - meaning that the leaves are super fresh, crisp, all-green, not soggy, the veggies aren't bruised, all neatly sliced and even the dressing is good - such a nice surprise since I never expect to even touch the salads that come on the side.
2 - Melissa G.: Ok, I know the difference between Mexican food and "Mexican" food. I don't think this even fits into the latter catagory, but no mind, as it's all we wanted after some serious drinking the previous night. 

We were ravenous. Queso dip - yes please! Guac - certainly! Oh yea, a taco platter for each of us too. tic...tic....tic....tacos. Which was great - we like tacos! - but what's the point of ordering a "starter" like guac and queso if not to start with it. Upon inquiring, they would check tic....tic...tic... 10 minutes later when we asked again, nothing but "queso takes a long time". That would've been nice to know when we ordered 25 minutes ago, and as that was not told to us and we were almost done with our tacos, we requested they cancel it. Nope, not canceled, but we did get a heaping side of eye-roll from the waitress when we told her (for the second time) we no longer wanted it. And b*tch please, I've waited tables, I know when an order is forgotton. So transparent.

But the real question is... why the hell was the queso holding up the guac. I just wanted some mashed avacado, ok? I had a lot to drink the night before and I needed this. No one told me that in Blockheads there is a weird cheese/avacado link and one cannot go on without the other. Like swans. I guess I'll go where this weird mutual existance doesn't exist. Which is pretty much anywhere else.
2 - Katie N.: This review is for dining-in: 
Pros: 
- great quesadilla with lots of fillings (not just cheese and chicken)
- large portion
- delicious and CHEAP margarita

Cons: 
- packed, I literally had to squeeze by so many people to get a table and I'm fairly certain my butt grazed a few dishes! 
- incredibly loud. people had to shout to talk over the blasting music and in turn created a screaming sound that made all of us want to pop a few advil as soon as we entered the real world again. I've never seen anything like it even in a packed irish pub. The combination of the techno music and screaming was awful.
- the bouncer at the door IRRITATES me to no end. He's rude, usually, and is there even during dinner hours! Last time I checked there isn't even a bar inside... or at least I've never seen anyone sitting at it. It sends a really wrong message to your clientele

It's obvious they are doing a good business by the amount of people inside, so I doubt they will change their practices.. But I literally could not hear ANYthing my friends were saying to me. We finally gave up and sipped our margaritas in silence, heads pounding from the blasting music and screaming patrons. Finished our pre-going out drinks at the place next door

I'll be getting take-out next time.
2 - DeMarus A.: I've had Blockheads cater an event for me and it was decent. I don't consider this to be Mexican food. It's a new genre similar to Tex-Mex but not as good. New-Mex, York-Mex, New York-Mex?

There's usually a wait to be seated when dining for dinner. I've had waits ranging from 25minutes - 1 hour. 

Nevertheless, no one really comes here to eat. It's just for those great $3 margaritas. 

If you're looking for a cheap meal option, some guac and  a quesadilla is about $9, more than filling. The prices for what they serve is outrageous, I am sure it's just to offset their liquor costs. 

The crowd is a mixture between an overweight version of the cast of "Girlfriends,"  Columbia students and people on dates. With that being said it gets pretty loud with drunkards and a tacky top forties/salsa mix blaring over speakers hiding somewhere in the decor. 

Lastly, the servers at this place add gratuity to the bill regardless of how good or bad the service is, or the size of your party. So remember never to overtip here.

If you're looking for a quick fix. This is definitely the place to go. Cheaper more refined dining it's a definite no go.
3 - Hieu P.: IN SHORT: There are other better Mexican restaurants in the city. But if you do come here, get something cheap and just enjoy their free chips & salsa and perhaps try their ice-cold margarita. 

A few friends from college and I came here for dinner because we couldn't settle on a restaurant in Morningside Heights or any other restaurant in the vincinity. Although the atmosphere was nice and the margarita looked good (I didn't try one), the food here is simply average. The chicken burrito that I ordered tasted bland (and so was the beef burrito that my friend got) and seriously I did not feel like I was eating in a Mexican restaurant. However, I definitely enjoyed their (unlimited, you can always ask for refills) chips & salsa but these fill you up pretty quickly. 

I thought the service was pretty decent. The waiters are always getting us water and refilling our chips. 

Okay place if you just want to talk, get some drinks, and snack on something (which you can do at home as well) while catching up with friends.
3 - Michael P.: Average Mexican food.  I was really disappointed with the vegetarian platter, as the menu promised a "generous" portion of their three bean chili.  If there were two tablespoons of chili on this plate, it was a lot.
5 - Jessica L.: I just wanted to post about a really pleasant meal I had this morning. I think so often complaints are the only things that get posted. Also, I want to share this great deal!

I went to Blockheads Burritos on Amsterdam (btwn 106th and 107th) for the first time this morning. I'm new to the city, and though I've ordered from them a few times via SeamlessWeb, I had never actually ventured over.
It was great! My friend and I enjoyed their Champagne Brunch special ($9.95 for a meal and a glass of champagne or a mimosa, available Sat, Sun, and Monday-holidays.) The food was great. The champagne was yummy. Our server was very attentive and polite. The manager spoke to us to make sure we were doing well and even sent over a complimentary taste-test of their Vodka Pink Lemonade frozen drink (delicious btw!) I ate until I was stuffed and still had food left over. I will definitely be going back!

I was a Blockheads fan before, but now I'm an uber-fan.
4 - Adam F.: Blockheads is pretty mediocre Mexican in general, but there's one standout. I am completely addicted to their BBQ chicken burrito, which is worth the trip.
3 - Haley R.: The food was alright, but atmosphere totally hostile. Beware that they include an "open gratuity" on the final credit card bill (and itemized bill). They don't allow drinking without ordering food, but then create this club-like atmosphere that seems more like a place to go have strong margarita/tequila/beer combos. Awful pop music, the songs just kept getting worse and worse. 

Three stars only because they have tons of explicitly vegetarian and vegan options.
4 - Josh R.: Excellent margaritas and very good burritos, but the place is always crowded, and it can be very tough to get a table sometimes. But once you do, the food is always good.
3 - Danielle S.: It is always super crowded, much rather the one on the upper east side. Super loud also, not the best place for convos. Food is mediocre but people don't come for the food but for the margaritas that are not the best but are super cheap. Good happy hour spot with good guacamole.
3 - Leroy B.: The food I'd say is so-so.... not bad by any respect, just not the best Mexican food I've had. 

But this isn't the reason I come here!  Outdoor seating(in an area that doesn't have much of this) and tasty cheap Margaritas that will have the food flavor not matter that much.

Good choice to go with some friends, be loud, and have some great drinks.
4 - Gina K.: This location is close to my friend's apartment, so I've been here twice so far (and probably plan on coming back multiple times).

I like this location because it's not  as crowded as the upper east side and midtown west locations on normally busy hours. The service leaves a bit to be desired, as both times, we've had trouble getting the attention of our waitress/waiter multiple times throughout the meal/drinking.

The food is pretty good here (I've tried the chicken burrito, chicken quesadilla and nachos), and I think better than the other locations from what I remember. The chicken is pretty flavorful and moist, which was good. The nachos come super loaded with toppings as well.

Other than that, not much else to say about this place besides "definitely get the frozen margaritas".
3 - Rach K.: Yay!

I came here with a few friends on a Saturday afternoon. A few friends had gotten here earlier and kept a table ready for the rest of us (though it wasn't that busy, from what I saw).

The drinks were delicious as usual, but the staff wasn't as attentive as we might've liked. We had to repeat our orders a few times to one guy who didn't have a good memory (but wasn't using a pad to write our order down). I didn't try any of the food because I wasn't hungry, but everyone else seemed to be enjoying themselves.
1 - Andres L.: Real Mexicans don't eat tofu burritos....I walked in, had stale chips and a watered down coke while perusing the menu only to leave without ordering (after I paid).  I told the waiter that the menu was in insult to Mexicans everywhere and he laughed.
4 - Leslie O.: The Mexican-Bull Dog Margaritas has turned a nice group of us into fans! 

What's a Mexican-Bull Dog you ask?  It's a frozen margarita with a coronita dived into it and an extra shot of tequila on top... and YUP their yummy.  At blockheads they are delicious and cheap! they cost about $8. Regular Frozen Margies are only $4 and $7 for the bigger size (+$1 for flavors).

This location is very small and they are always crowded, but wait time has never been bad during the three times that we've gone there with a group of 6, 8 and 14.  They take no reservations so you have no choice but to wait.

My friend observed that I hardly eat when I go there, and it's true.  Their food is ok but nothing is ever that appetizing to me.  I usually stick to the free salsa and chips and order guacamole which is not made fresh but it tastes good.
3 - Alexander M.: How does this pseudo-Mexican mini-chain get such high reviews? People need to find out what real Mexican food is! Blockheads is basically a sit-down fusion version of Chipotle... and without the promise of fresh, organic ingredients! I ordered the Thai chicken burrito (knowing not to attempt anything that looked like it was trying too hard) and it was pretty good. Unlimited chips and salsa kept us munching while we downed our super-cheap margaritas... which I think is the real reason people come here. There is usually a wait to get in considering the dining room is so small and there is apparently such high demand. 

Worth it for cheap margaritas, but don't wait in line.
2 - Matthew H.: Add 1 star if you like loud happy hours where you can't hear yourself think.

Called ahead for takeout. Was told that 20 minutes should be enough time for them to prepare my 2 burrito order. Arrived and waited another 15 minutes (they had managed to screw it up somehow) for the food to be ready. It took the manager's direction to get things sorted out. He comped the meal. Finally got home, and the burritos looked to be wrapped by a 3rd grader. The innards were falling out everywhere. Will not be back to this location.
4 - J N.: I ordered here for take-out only. The taco salad was huge and pretty tasty; I didn't even need dressing which was kinda nice. The chicken was pretty good too. My friend enjoyed his quesadilla which looked pretty big to me. 

I understand that for eating in it might only be a three as it's nothing to write home about. 

Pricing seemed average and I was satisfied. Then again, I'm now back in Vancouver where minuscule tacos run at about $ 4.00 and corn tacos are always tough and disgusting. Believe me NY, appreciate this place; you don't know what you have until it's gone. :)
5 - Mary M.: Blockheads never disappoints me. They have excellent food - huge portions that you can easily take home and have the next day. Their service is fantastic. I went with a friend who has severe food allergies to almost everything. She had to be very specific and ask a lot of questions and modifications. Never did the waiter look at her funny or treat her like a nuisance. He was attentive, accommodating and always had a smile on his face even though we arrived almost at closing. They deliver, too. And, of course, I love that.  :)
3 - Lauri S.: Cool atmosphere especially if the weather's nice and you can sit outside. Food is decent, definitely not the best Mexican I've ever had but it's pretty good. Beware that wait times can be pretty long especially in the summer!!
3 - Keith G.: If it wasn't for the margaritas, this place would probably be a waste of time.    Full disclosure: I'm a born-and-raised Southern Californian, so I tends to be snobby...er... particular with regard to purported "Mexican" food.    

The food is average, at best.  If you're a California transplant looking to satisfy a craving, this won't likely hit the spot--this place is about as a Cinco de Mayo celebration.  But, if you're looking for some generically spiced meat, cheese, and "guacamole" (don't get me started), this just might to the job.  The portions are generally large, but whether it's a super chicken burrito or nachos grande, the only way I can sufficiently describe the food is... "white."  

Well Blockheads shines, though, is with its margaritas.  At $4 (+$1 for a particular flavor--which isn't necessary), they're a steal.  Blockheads definitely doesn't cheat you on the tequila content and, depending on how empty your stomach is, you'll be feeling good after 2.  If you feel really adventurous, grab yourself a bulldog, frozen margarita with an upside down, ice cold corona sticking out the top (add an extra shot of alcohol as a topper well).  The margaritas are the surest way to improve the otherwise generic flavor of your meal.  Given their potency, it's no surprise that blockheads requires someone at the table to order food at certain hours (a scam if I ever heard one).  

In short: if you're looking for good margaritas, mediocre psuedo-Mexican, and you can stand a sometimes obnoxiosuly loud (and always crammed) dining experience, this is your place.  If you just want good Mexican food, look elsewhere.
4 - Hayley A.: So, I'm from California, and Blockheads pales in comparison to California Mexican food. That's not snobbery, that's a fact. BUT when compared to New York Mexican food, Blockheads shines. 

The drinks here stand alone - they're alcoholic, huge, and cheap. And delicious! Especially the blended margaritas.

Like I said, the food is good. It won't be the best Mexican you've ever had, but it definitely hits the spot.

However, the freaking wait is what kills me. They make you stand out on the street, and as far as I know they don't take reservations. Whenever I've come here, which is upwards of 5 times, I've had at least a 45 minute wait. UUUUGHHHH. C'mon you blockheads! Figure out a better system!
3 - Ken M.: Was just ok....not really bad or anything...but just ok. I had the chicken quesadilla...was ok. The ice tea was ok.

I will try this place again and try the buritto and report back.
2 - Keith T.: Cramped seating and forgetful waiters. I much prefer the Worldwide Plaza location. Luckily they weren't terribly busy when we visited, so the seating layout wasn't a problem. But even so, we had a hard time finding a place to put our bags and coats without touching the people at the next table. 

Drinks were ordered and forgotten. To-go containers were requested and never brought. The check had to be demanded. Over all, it was highly underwhelming.

Maybe next time...
4 - wendy p.: Awesome burritos and the staff is super friendly... Just became one of my new fave spots...
3 - Kara K.: Cute little place in the Morningside Heights/ UWS area. The place is a little cramped, good margaritas - cheap for the size, food was satisfactory. I'd say it was a little pricey for the quality but overall a good place!
3 - Kira W.: Drinks always on point, service not so great
3 - Alyssa M.: Probably the best Mexican in the area....those so called "authentic ones" don't seem too authentic (who puts mozzarella cheese in a taco??).

Anyhoo, I like the Havanna Chicken Burrito and Quesadilla. 

Those Bulldogs (Margarita and Corona in one) are good, but they'll get you in trouble, and maybe a headache-careful!
2 - Clayton A.: Another Blockheads, this one at 91st and Amsterdam. 

Don't let anyone ever lie to you and say there's any good reason to go to Blockhead's; there really isn't. This place is like a last resort spot when you can't think of anywhere else to go. 

The food at any of their locations is average, and the drinks are more of a novelty than anything else. 

I guess I give this place a decent rating because the bartender was friendly.
3 - Neygrow W.: Be prepared to wait a few for a table. No arm room, hold ya cell tight. Good food I must say. Very clean.
4 - Tara L.: So what if the mini quesadilla resembled a Chipotle burrito? I'll overlook the details of these confused tortilla bundles and the fact that there is a bouncer at the door at all hours. Why such liberties?

Because they have $4 margaritas all day long, baby baaaaaaabaaay! And if you like it then you better put a Corona in it!

Plus, it is almost a guarantee that at some point a Daddy Yankee song will probably be blasting in your ear. So if you're cool with that, then it's a party, it's a party, it's a paaartaaay.

If you come here for a civilized and sophisticated meal, you will be disappointed. If you come here to get drunk and crunk, you will be pleased.
3 - Darlene R.: It's an okay place, if you want to go and have a good time. The drinks are pretty cheap and pretty good. The food was okay a bit messy I would say. I wouldn't recommend taking a date here. It's a good place to go with friends and get your drink on.
4 - Pop D.: The bulldog was alright , but nothing special to harp on the burritos were big and could've used more chicken inside but I guess everyone cuts back something in a recession be prepared for the 15% gratuity added on your check automatically
3 - Lidia P.: I stumbled upon this place one Friday night around 10pm looking for some satisfying food. The lights in the windows made the place look really appealing. Our waitress was super nice, the complimentary chips and salsa were very tasty and I was pleasantly surprised at the price of drinks. $4 for a margarita (even if it is served in a plastic cup)! The burrito I got was bigger than my head! Definitely a good amount of food. 

It wasn't til after I stuffed my face (I was very hungry when I got there), that I realized that the place feels a little shady. Although there was silverware neatly set out on the tables, the crowd made the place seem a little sketchy. There were two security guards there. This made me uneasy. Why do you need them in the first place? When we were paying our bill, the waitress asked to see our IDs because "there's been some credit card fraud here" recently. Yikes.

It's not the kind of place where I would sit and sip on drinks with friends, but I would come back for a quick bite.
1 - Izzy K.: Bad crabby service. Love blockheads. Avoid this one if u want what symbolizes blockheads : fun sports atmosphere with good drinks. They called last call 1hr before close time and turned the TV off with 1 out left in the last inning with the tying run at bat of the subway series.  When the customers pointed this out manager said "oh there's a game on? Sorry I'm just following rules" How rude.
1 - Jordan R.: The food was good but the service was terrible.

We asked for water multiple times, before finally getting water midway through our meals. 

A small sign by the door informs customers that 15% gratuity will be added to all checks after 5pm (what? I've heard of doing this for parties of 6 or more, but based on time?). When we got the check, 18% gratuity was added. We asked why there was 18% added when the sign by the door says 15%. The waiter corrected it and we gave our cards. But the receipts that we got to add tip and sign didn't note anywhere that we had already paid 15% tip. In other words, for all the people having a couple margaritas and enjoying the food, but not enjoying the horrible service, many are probably paying 18% gratuity without realizing, and then adding their tip on top of that. They're clearly just trying to fool people into paying more tip without even realizing what they're being charged for. And the service was not deserving of 18% tip, let alone 40%... (from someone who tips 20% as a standard).
1 - Pia V.: What caught my attention about this place was that it advertised itself as "San Francisco style" burrito spot.  Which got me really excited since I, a born and raised San Franciscan, had moved from SF not too long ago and was yearning for a taste of home.

To keep this review short, the food is NOT San Francisco style.  I probably would've given this place a better rating had not I been expecting something totally different -- like what they were advertising.

I would probably come back to try out their drinks during Happy Hour, but that's about it.
4 - José L.: Let's get real. You don't come to Blockheads for great Mexican food. My last experience at this particular location drove home for me why I look forward to sitting over some frozen margaritas and fast food-style burritos with friends. Our server Philip was easily the friendliest, kindest, and most enthusiastic server I've had at a meal. My girlfriend, my sister, and I whiled away a couple of hours in non-crowded, but vibrant moment aided by the attention we got at our table. For a cheap, delicious, and sugary margarita and some filling food, check it out.
4 - Julissa J.: 1.cheap 2.modern 3.fun vibe 4.doesnt get better, although service could be improved...only been here once with two very Gay lovers so as the third wheel I'm not to sure how qualified I am to judge the service but anywho I love love love will be back!
2 - Stephanie B.: Overpriced. Came here with a friend in a desperate attempt for a late afternoon snack.  I had the Mexican salad which was absolutely monstrous!  It consisted of a ton of lettuce, guacamole and shredded cheese with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing.  Everything tasted OK, but somehow flavorless, and not worth what they were charging.

Bloke - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.279228, -120.664526) ()
4 - Matteo F.: It is no secret that men lack the choice of boutiques and shops women have. Bloke fills in the gap in San Luis Obispo. I stopped at Bloke during a weekend getaway in the Central Coast and loved it. They have a good selection of designer labels for the smart, modern, relaxed man. French Connection, Converse Varvatos, Penguin among others.   I have a hard time with jeans fit, but I found a great fitting pair at Bloke.
5 - T L.: Finally a contemporary store for just Men!  This store carries all the great brands like French Connection, Penguin, William Rast.   The store is very cool and the owner is super nice.
5 - Danielle T.: This store type is unique in SLO, where most people probably can't afford it very often.  They have a bunch of Lacoste, which happened to be 30% off when I went.  Yay!  A classic $88 Lacoste shirt is now closer to $50, and the $145 sweaters closer to $115... a little more bearable.  It is definitely a treat to see French Connection and ratty Purple rain T-shirts paired together like they are meant to be.

Tip:  This store only carries men's clothing.  Also, though the entire Lacoste collection was on sale (as previously mentioned) there was no "sales area" with last ones, 50%off or anything like that.

Blondie's Pizza - Berkeley, CA (37.8680339, -122.2591966) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
4 - Brandon B.: Tasty, greasy pizza.  Right across the street from Fat Slice.
1 - Herbert S.: Blondies wants to be  everything Fat Slice is, but fails horribly.  The crust is thich and doughy in exactly the wrong way, the sauce is katsupy, the cheese is greasy in the only bad way.  It just doesn't work.  i second the recomendation to do  to Fat Slice
3 - dewey d.: Cmon, its not that bad.  Cheap and quick service.   I always grab a slice if I visit Rasputin next door.
4 - Jill k.: i still like their veggie pizza!  plus, their open late, and that's always a good thing in my book!
3 - Debbie Y.: Good for when you need to grab a cheap and quick bite to eat.
2 - Thadd L.: Oh to be young again.... Enjoying the bliss of $3 for a slice and a soda.  HEAVEN!

Then the crule reality of adulthood, calorie counting and (real) pizza kicked in.

In retrospect what I really liked was being away from my parents in Berkeley when I was 16. The pizza is on what amounts to a thick slice of bread.  The sauce? Well, I guess that was tomato sauce, no flavor.  Cheese?  Does anyone remember that round table comercial from the 80s when the cheese-from-a-can bounced all over the place? 

Toppings? I can't even go there.

The 2nd star is for nostalgia.
1 - Arun C.: I think the west coast has some great pizza, but not at this place. The crust is raw, doughy, and tasteless.  It isn't worth the price.
3 - Will M.: Not bad, but its no Fat Slice! The veggie slice is pretty damn good tho.
5 - Mike S.: Blondie's is the shit.  Nice fluffy chewy crust.  Way better than Fat Slice & even though they are only like 100 ft apart, there's way less crackheads in front of Blondie's.
5 - Johnny O.: For me, the Berkeley Blondie's is the only real Blondie's. Dirtylooking staff, gobs of cheese, and spicy pepperoni. Pepperoni slice and a Cherry Coke at 1:00 in the morning. That's where its at. I have been eating here for twenty-three years now, haven't gotten sick yet.
5 - Andrew Y.: If you buy a large pizza and split it. It's a good deal, but the slices are so big, that you could just buy two slices and be uber full. 

If you feel like you want to do some reading and eat, then take a seat at the side wall and read the articles pinned up on the wall. 

Right across from a bank machine if you need cash.
4 - Tony U.: Given the price and the time it takes to get in and out of there, it's pretty darn good.
3 - Eunice B.: I just moved here in Northern California a month ago, and I asked one of my Bay Area friends what's a place here where I could get a quick, yet good lunch. They all told me to go to Blondie's. Cheaper than yucky Big Mac, and not bad for pizza.
4 - Kolya R.: A slice of pizza for $3.00 is one of my favorite snacks ...  I often went there for a slice when I worked for the University, but I was pleased to discover that they also deliver delicious, whole pizzas, for a reasonable price.     I did spot a cockroach once, which is unusual for California ...
4 - Amy J.: One of the best pizza places in the Bay Area.  The prices are still cheap for pizza and a drink even for our economy.  You'll spend less than five bucks for that alone if you get the special.  They also offer small salads if you're not feeling like pizza.  The only thing that's wrong is the lack of places to sit.  You might end up standing while you eat if it's busy.  It's a great place for a greasy bite to eat whether you're a starving student or a starving adult on a budget.
4 - Lise L.: One of the things I love about the Bay Area is we have so many different food experiences that can be called pizza. You have the authentic thin crispy crust of Pizzaiola, the stuffed yummy goodness of Zachary's and the spicy, cheesey goodness of Sicilian pizza at LoCoCo's. Then there is Blondie's, the only place that ever ever makes me miss pepperoni. I think that's because it takes me back to the good ole teen years as a novice drinker needing fatty carbs to absorb all that cheap beer I managed to get my hands on. Whatever the reason, I still every once in awhile want the junk food extravaganza that is Blondie's. Even better, it is still cheap, fast and easy - who doesn't like that on a late Sat night?
4 - Jonathan Y.: Good pizza, few seats, however $3 for an average size slice...and bounce back and forth between here and Fat Slice for my overpriced pizza eatings.
3 - Gabriel D.: Three stars might be too charitable for a place that closes early if it runs out of pizza.  The highlight of Blondie's has to be the Joke Man, standing out front.  Here's a joke:

Joke Man stops a passing girl and says "I know where you got your shoes."

Where?

Joke Man: "Will you give me a dollar if I tell you where you got your shoes?"

Ok.

Joke Man: "You got your shoes on your feet!"

Dammit.  He didn't say Payless, so he ain't getting the dollar.

Some people have no sense of humor.
3 - Wendy L.: A little doughy for my taste, but always a good call.  Pepperoni is my favorite.  And now they serve beer!

I can't believe how much slices cost these days but I guess college was a long time ago...
5 - Mari J.: Blondie's is one of my top 5 favorite pizzas.  I have had a lot of pizza in my day and I am sure there is much better than this, but I just really like their pizza.  Plain cheese is my favorite, but I like the veggie too.  Cheap, filling, fast; an all around good deal!
3 - Tracy A.: This place is so high school!  Haven't been there since I graduated in '88.
4 - Rocco B.: The pizza here is thick, greasy, and mildly disgusting, but I would always find myself coming back for more.  In fact as a man with roots in north jersey, I really hope that none of my old pals find me giving this place four stars.

Not only that, I am staunchly against dirty hippies--the people that run this place.  Listen to this.  A cheese slice costs more than a veggie slice.  What's that all about.  Please, won't someone think of the poor defenseless peppers?

I've just gotten soft now that I'm a left coaster, but for some reason I always find myself coming back for more.  Maybe it's the $2 miller lite that I get with my pizza slanting my opinion.
4 - Ryo S.: When I was at Berkeley, my mid-night snack was either Blondie's or Yokohama station. (Of course that was back then when I was crazy skinny!) I remember going to Blondie's, buy the Pepperoni slice combo with coke, load unbelievable amount of condiments on the top, then spend next 10 mins chatting with friends or reading obscure posts on the wall. Those were great times. 

4 stars for the sentimental value.
3 - Herra Chink y.: I'm at Blondie's.  It's late one night.  My friend is working behind the counter, and she just gives me a slice of pepperoni pizza.  I'm not very hungry, though, and all of a sudden, I get all humanitarian.

As we're walking out of the restaurant, there is a Berkeley transient sitting in front of the trashcan.  I offer him the slice of pizza.

His response?  With a disgusted look on his face, "No thanks, I'm vegetarian."

Evidently, in famously liberal Berkeley, California, beggars CAN be choosers.
4 - Evan K.: I am a big fan of Blondie's Pizza.  The vegetarian pizza is great.  Even better is the salad with the Miso dressing.

In fact, the pizza at Blondie's is among the best I have ever had.  If I hadn't eaten at the likes of Cheeseboard and Zachary's, this place would get five stars.  But it's tough being a pizza joint in Berkeley, and hence Blondie's, as incredible as it is, only gets four stars.
3 - Aaron J.: Locals: "Oh, Blondie's is so lame. That's where we went when I was a freshman (in high school or at Cal.) This is other pizza place is SOOO much better. I'm so much older now and have such better taste, Blondie's is SOOO beneath me."
Me: "Blondie's serves it's purpose perfectly - It provides cheap, deliciously greasy slices. It's not intended to be a contender for best gourmet pizza in the world, it's intended to be a quick, tasty belly filler... and that's exactly what it is."
4 - Alex M.: Yummy pizza with lunch special! How could one not love this place!?
4 - Anh N.: Great place to grab a fast pizza. The owner also own Fat Slice, but I much prefer Blondie's over Fat Slice. I frequent Blondie's often when the $2.50 coupon circulate; a slice and a small fountain soda for $2.50 is a steal!
5 - Stefanie R.: My parents used to bring me here as a kid to get pizza and its the best. I grew up on this stuff.  The one is SF doesn't measure.  This is the original - always have loved it and always will continue to love this place.
3 - Kat C.: Maybe I'm a bad person, but I think Fat Slice and Blondies is about the same taste, fairly greesy and cheesy, but delicious and open late. Blondies has a little more spices, Fat Slice tends to have more doughiness and less sauce. But in the Venn Diagram of pizza which includes Zachary's and Arinell's, B and FS are in the same set.
4 - Pilan C.: A little bit overrated (I prefer Fat Slice), but still a pretty good, greasy piece of pizza.  I usually go with the pepperoni or their special of the day.  One great thing about Blondie's is that it's open relatively late, and it tastes even better after a few drinks at one of the nearby bars.
3 - Joseph H.: Pizza is decent, but is rather "cakey"... that is, the crust is about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick.  Decent sauce and cheese.  The Pepperoni can be very greasy.  Salads are decent.
3 - Ryan C.: better than pleasant hill, not as good as SF. I hear they serve a "hyphy" pizza with jalapenos, a few different kinds of meats and something else. I plan on trying that...
4 - Benjy W.: The anti-Zachary's. Good cheese, tasty sauce, just the right degree of greasiness. And, most importantly, zero pretension. And in Berkeley, that's saying a lot...
4 - Diana R.: Yes...this one is better than the Blondies in the city. But go across the street and tell me Fat Slice isn't better!
3 - Tina P.: This place offers huge slices of pizza. The only thing I've tried here is their salad. I had a coupon for their salad when I came here, so I don't know what the regular price for a salad is. The salad was decent, and it came with a thick piece of wheat bread. But if you want salad, I recommend Cafe Intermezzo or Smart Alec's.
1 - R T.: In my opinion Blondie's sits at the bottom of all pizza places at Berkeley.  There is absolutely nothing especially good about it (in contrast, Fat Slice is at least very good for thick, doughy pizza), and it tastes just like Domino's, maybe even worse.  The only reason it's popular is because of its proximity to the Berkeley campus, bay area history, and cheapness.  If instead it was located where Cheeseboard is, nobody would ever go out of the their way for it.  That's why Blondie's only has locations in crowded places where people are on a budget.  

Don't get it wrong, I'm no pizza snob, I love Fat Slice and Round Table, I just call out crap when I taste it.
4 - Monica C.: Good pizza especally for the price. Open late so it's perfect for those "after O-Chem midterm I deserve a treat" moments. Seems like most of you prefer fat slice, but I would take blondies over fat slice any day.  More PIZZA for me!
4 - Wes M.: Same deal here as the Union Square location.  It was a useful spot to grab something before a concert at the Greek Theatre.  Keep in mind no tables, just a few counters, and a lot of people just take their slice and walk with it.  Pizza itself is par...of course, par for pizza is nummy, so no problems there.
4 - Maricel B.: I'm not particularly picky when it comes to pizza, so don't make your decision to come here (or not) based on my review, but I think Blondie's is cool. They give huge slices and the dough isn't bad.  I love their pesto pizza.
2 - ted a.: I understand why so many claim to "love" getting the massive slices at Blondie's.  It's located on a popular street, Telegraph, and its open really late.  And ofcourse the slices are HUGE.
With that being said, while you do get alot of food for what you pay for, the quality is lacking.  I like my slices juicy and rich, and while not the worst slices I've had, Blondie's taste more like cardboard.  I don't know if the ingredients are fresh or not, but I'd have a hard time believing they are if that is the case.
I would give Blondie's 3 stars instead of 2 if it wasn't for the fact that everybody overhypes this place so much and gives it undeserved praise, in terms of taste atleast.  Their slices do not taste great, they remind me more of Cybelle's bland slices.  If you want richer and juicier slices, try Pizza My Heart in Emeryville.  For higher quality "gourmet" pizza, nothing beats LoCoco's on Piedmont Ave.
Wow....I should probably lay off the pizza.
1 - Joy C.: A bit too doughy for my taste, but value for the price.
3 - Kay N.: I used to get a quick slice to-go for lunch sometimes if I was ever in the area and had to dash off somewhere else. The pizza isn't bad at all and this place certainly deserves more than 1 star, people! Harsh!

Good price for a big slice.
3 - Kathleen M.: It's open late, next to campus, is a classic institution, and they make a respectable pie. If you're a student  this is one of your meccas. It's more thick crust than thin crust, and the crust was always a draw for me.  If you live in Berkeley and have a car or are willing to walk past Southside, go to Pie in the Sky, Arinell, or Gioia's instead.
2 - Josh K.: I like Blondie's because the pizza is quick, filling, and convenient and the staff is great but the pizza is nothing special.
3 - eric k.: Holy cow... what do you say about a place with RHCP onthe wall wearing nothing but a sock?

No... not great pizza...  but it's a ritual... and it's cheap..  You can't say you've experienced UCB without at least stoppy by this place.
3 - Kevin W.: Great Pizza for a great price - fountain drinks could be a larger though!

Go at least once a week, easy to walk to
3 - Kelly P.: One of our hippy friends ordered a slice of Pepperoni pizza here, dropped it on the floor (cheese side DOWN) then proceeded to pick it back up and eat it, stating, "God made dirt, dirt doesn't hurt."

Staring in disbelief, I was too speechless to mention that God made hepatitis too.

Despite this traumatic visual, Blondie's has been a staple to my pizza-by-the-slice eating experience for the past 10 years. It's basic, large and hot. 

And it's better than nearby Fat Slice, no matter if it's really the same chain, or contain the same, disgusting floor.
2 - Nick H.: Magnitudes better than Fat Slice, but still pretty lame. The only times I've enjoyed it was when walking home from Bear's Lair or Kips drunk as hell. I do like their posters though.
2 - Captain P.: Blondie's and Fat Slice are basically the exact same thing.
Big huge slices of thick-crusted pizza for super cheap prices.

Blondie's sometimes has more interesting pies available (BBQ chicken the last time I was there) but this location is so ghetto-tastic and full of thugs that I just can't give it a good review.

Fat Slice across the street may be just as dirty, but at least the clientele there don't look and act like they're packing heat.
4 - Cynthia B.: I love it.  Yummy.  greasy goodness.
5 - Maryanne R.: I have searched far and wide for a slice of vegetarian pizza that would live up to it's namesake. Their veggie slice is the best vegetarian pizza ever.

Why? Because they don't load you up with mushrooms (not a vegetable!) and olives (it's pickled), and if you're LUCKY other places will put onion or bell peppers.

Blondie's uses zucchini & lots of diced tomato. YES. NOW we're talking vegetables.
3 - Rebekah K.: I use to live above this joint when I first moved to Berkeley. People always raved about it. I never saw why. 

Perhaps it helped to be a super poor student [which I was] & getting their food seemed like a deal. That's why they get 2 stars. One more because they made the hallways always smell better.

But, meh. 

I prefer Fat Slice down the street.
2 - Lauren B.: Ya want Hepatitis or food poisoning--you run a good chance here, so come and get it!

This place is super trendy and popular with the downtown/Cal crowd...Pizza by the slice that is quick and cheap.

The pizza isn't horrible, its so-so, and I don't think they claim to be the best--they do serve a special niche well.

After hearing from a former employee of this place though (who quit and was not fired), it makes me want to pass right by it...

The place is clearly dirty and not clean, common sense will tell you that when you walk in.  

Hey, when you're a broke student though, you lower your standards on food--I did and ate here often while living in Berkeley.
4 - jose m.: The best slice of thick crust for late night snack is just out of this world.
3 - Suavecito m.: This one gets more pub than Fat Slice....and it's a solid alternative but I still like Fat Slice better.
4 - Anh S.: Best pizza by the slice.  Give me give me please!
3 - monica r.: Oh my god, there's this girl that works there who has worked at like every other store on Telegraph.  And I've never seen her smile.  She has this just-shoot-me-in-the-face-already look that is hilarious.  It's like, come on, we're all a little miserable now and again, but do you have to be miserable when you work at Rexall Pharmacy AND Smart Alecs AND Blondies Pizza???  She's rung me up maybe 20 times at all of these locations and not once has she ever said "hello" or "may I help you" or even "thank you".  Sheesh.  Anyway, that said, Blondies: meh, it won't give you a stomach ache, but it's not delicious.  And usually there are kids handing out coupons for a pizza and a soda on Telegraph.  Cheap eats.  Go in with low expectations if you have a coupon and you might not want to vomit.
2 - Wilhelm Y.: The pizza is super greasy, but quite inexpensive.  I've grabbed a quick slice here while visiting the Cal campus on several occasions including this afternoon.  Take your pizza to go because the counters and tables (rarely available) are usually pretty filthy.  With the amount of foot traffic here it seems they've just given up on cleaning after patrons during daytime hours.  It's probably a lot cooler to stand outside and people-watch on Telegraph Avenue anyways.  I'd give them a solid 2.5 stars.
3 - Jaemie D.: This is the place to go for a poor college student such as myself. I like greasy pizza, so if you don't then I suppose don't listen to this review. You can get a big slice of pizza and a coke for four bucks, which is cheaper than a whole lot of other places on Telegraph. It's quick, cheap, and delicious. Blondie's isn't a five-star restaurant, but it serves up some decent pizza.
2 - L.A. W.: I don't think I'll ever go here after a Cal game again. Ever.

I got more funky asshole looks from uptight drunk students than I've ever gotten. Even when I was a pregnant teen in the conservative Midwest.

This is effing Berkeley assholes! I can walk into a pizza joint dressed however I like. (and yes, I was completely dressed) and order what I want.  I never thought I'd ever feel like a weirdo in Berkeley. I was dressed in a pink plaid mini and black boots and a black mesh shirt with a tank bra under. We had just performed a song for our first audience and I was totally dressed for stage, but I don't have any body modifications, and my tattoo is fairly tame. WTF?!?!?

I was so distracted, I just ate my slice with my companion as quickly as I could before he got in a fight with one of the asses giving me looks and we left. 

Pizza was doughy and short on sauce, and the people behind the counter were disgruntled...although it was midnight, so maybe that's why. The album cover decor was cool, it kept me from making eye contact with the other customers.
2 - Rob C.: Pretty much a Berkeley institution, and where students often go to get a quick slice of pizza.  That'd be the only reason to go.
4 - Mary T.: I love Blondie's, Cal doesn't. But I always get my way. Cheap and greasy pizza slices are the best!
5 - Mark D.: Blondie's Pizza will change your life. The ooey gooey cheese pizza and thick soft crust outshines all other pizzerias in the area. The lines at Blondie's can get long, but for good reason: the Berkeley staple serves its pizza hot, fresh and quick. Four different types of pizza are usually available by the slice: cheese, pepperoni, vegetarian and a daily special such as tomato alfredo or Hawaiian. Blondie's also makes fresh pies to order and is open late. A slice of pepperoni and a soda goes for about four bucks. 

Be on the lookout for employees on the west side of Telegraph handing out coupons for a pizza and a soda for $2.50. Blondie's is usually the last restaurant on Telegraph to close, perfect for everyone who craves a slice after a long night of partying.
3 - Dominique N.: The pizza here is not bad. Its a bit too greasy and gooey for me, but maybe that is your thing. What I do love is that they make really great salads on the cheap. I think they run about 3-4 bucks and come in a heaping to go box. I highly recommend the miso dressing. Also awesome, in the summer you can buy a large wedge of watermelon for a buck. Great alternative to the other unhealthy offerings in the student budget.
3 - tammie v.: DAMN DELICIOUS PIZZA!

I'd give them five stars, but pizza isn't always hot or fresh out of the oven. Went there last night around 11pm and it tasted not up to par. I'm guessing it had been sitting out there for awhile cause it tasted dry and not warm at all. I guess you just have to time it and go get your slice right when they take it out of the oven. Also, it can get REALLY crowded and there's no where to sit and it's really hard to move around.
4 - Dave K.: One of my old faves from my Cal days.  Blondie's was the pizza place.  Forget Fat Slice, forget La Vals, forget the chains.  The only thing that came close was Zachary's but this was all about location.  The place is pretty dirty in true Berkeley fashion.  Seriously, you go here to order a slice, fold it up and eat it while walking.

The place is just a big square.  Easy to walk in and walk out which facilitated the sometimes long lines it had.  But like I said, it was less than a block from main campus, so they reaped the rewards.

If I really had to think about it, the pizza is more like a 3.  It's not HUGE or easily foldable like good old NY style pizza.  It's a bit oily but that's from cheese glorious cheese,and there isn't a ton of selection.  From what I remember, there's a pizza of the day and three other choices (cheese, veggie, pepperoni).

If you're a Cal alum, you must be looking back on this place with fond memories.  If you're a visitor, you just have to go.  That's why it's a 4.
4 - Chili L.: SO SO pizza its pretty good i guess for the cash. 1 slice and your done...not bad
3 - Russell L.: I believe I've burned the roof of my mouth on their cheese more times than should happen for a normal human being.

Good, cheap pizza by the slice - though if cheese hits $3, then it will become increasingly better to just get a cheap crepe from right next door. The vegetarian pizza always manages to depress me - just stick with cheese if you're vegetarian.
3 - Ryan Y.: The pizza here is decent.  If you crave food late and want grease, Blondie's is the solution.  The quality of pizza by-the-slice depends on how long it's been sitting, so if you want the cheese that stretches off the slice like it does in the commercials but never in the box, get an entire pizza fresh out of the oven and eat it there.  The pepperoni is pretty darn good.  Granted, you will meet strange and sometimes rowdy people at night, but you're in Berkeley so stop complaining.  It is getting expensive though at over three bucks a slice [sometime's I'll want two]

One of the three southside late-night favorites for Cal students, along with topdog and la burrita. I'm partial to it over fat slice because it's closer to the rest of the late-night food, closer to most of the southside students, and in a better-lit path than fat slice.
3 - Mea H.: In the debate between who is better, Blondie's or Fat Slice, I will have to go with this one. It's cheapo pizza, greasy, heavy, not at all delicate, but they at least can cook the crust all the way through and it's just significantly less sketchy than Fat Slice. 

Is it great? No. Quality? Probably not. Does it satisfy? Sure, if you're in South Berkeley. For super delicious, out of this world pizza, I'd head over to Cheeseboard, but this is good enough for quick lunch or something. I'm not in the drinking crowd, so I never stumble into any of these places drunk, so I couldn't say how well it satisfies that particular need.
1 - Eazflo O.: it is a real feat to have pizza worse than Fat Slice... Cheers!
1 - Pink ..: The last time I went here was years ago.  But here's why:

It was hot outside.
I walk inside.
The guy behind the counter was wearing a tank top.
He was flipping the dough...spinning away.
The phone rang.
He folded the dough under his arm to hold it while he answered the phone.
THE PIZZA DOUGH WAS TOUCHING HIS SWEATY HAIRY ARMPIT.

I walked out.
3 - Nicolas H.: Pretty much the same as the Blondie's on Powell in SF. Greasy but decent pizza at average prices. Although they did go out of there way to let the customers know that their pepperoni is made of 100% beef. Thank goodness, I was worried for a second...
3 - John S.: I'm being generous with three stars.

Blondie's is a fixture on Telegraph right outside UC Berkeley's Sather Gate.  I try to go there as rarely as possible, both because Telegraph is pretty disgusting when you get over your nostalgia about the birth of the Free Speech movement being very close by and because it's just not a pleasant place to eat.

Oh yeah, the pizza.  It's good.  Well, it's greasy.  It's the way pizza-by-the-slice is supposed to be.  The service is good in terms of getting you what you want promptly, but the people who work there aren't friendly.  I wouldn't be either if I worked there.

Their prices are OK.  I'm going to end this review now because I really want to knock it down to two stars.
4 - Ignacio L.: This place holds a very dear spot in my heart because this was "The Spot" for me and my friends in High School and College.  Is this the world's best pizza?  No but it is good.  Personally I like the flavor of the sauce, cheese and crust.  It is a bit greasy but if it is bothersome just dab it with a napkin to save yourself the guilt.  

My personal slices of choice are a pepperoni slice and a cheese slice. Sometimes I prefer the bigger slices of Fat Slice, but as far as taste goes I prefer Blondie's of the two.  

The location obviously is a nice spot near all the bars and clubs on Telegraph so it is nice to head there if your fiendin for some food after a night of dancing, drinking, listening to bands, or all of the above.  

Memories, water colored memories, of the way we were.  Good times.
1 - Dan W.: Can you swear on Yelp?

If so, I'd like to throw out a huge "Fuck this place and the whole staff that was working the same night Dethklok played at UC Berkeley!". I've never encountered such a group of completely inept and useless lumps of flesh, or been as close to punching a restaurant supervisor or manager in the face as I was a few months ago when eating here. 

If you order a slice of pizza that they don't have made yet, and are given  a number, make sure you stand right against the counter to wait for the slice. If you make the mistake of stepping back and walk 10 feet to the rear of the restaurant, so others can order, you get the shaft. They are going to make 3 slices, call out 4 or 5 numbers, and it's first come first serve as to who gets the slices regardless of what number you have. After they give your slice away to whoever stands closest  and you complain, they will accuse you of already getting your slice, then change their mind and say you didn't come to the counter fast enough.  While you are arguing with them, another pizza will come out of the oven and they will give every slice of that one away to the other customers, while saying "I'm sorry...oh I'm sorry, it will just be a few minutes for more, uhhhh  I didn't realize you didn't get yours yet...oh sorry". Then the supervisor or manager will say "Here's what I'll do, I'll give you an extra slice". Guess what asshole, when I went up to the counter and placed the order, I thought about how hungry I was and made sure to order enough food to fill me up. Not everyone wants to be a useless fat piece of shit eating until they are sick or burst. One slice of your crappy pizza weighs a pound and has 4 trillion calories. No human needs an extra one for free.

With that said, one of my greatest regrets in life is not accepting that extra slice of pizza just to throw at that moron.

Also, does the Health Department even make an effort anymore? Don't you have to have some basic hygiene standards for employees in food service? I guess not because the workers I dealt with look like they rolled up fresh from a night spent in People's Park. I know this is Berkeley... and I don't really care what your personal grooming standards are on a day to day basis....but if you are serving food, clean yourself. In the words of DJ Assault "You need soap...and water....soap and water". Read some reviews farther down and you'll see someone mentioning how they watched an employee hold the raw pizza dough IN HIS ARMPIT WHILE WEARING A TANK TOP so he could answer the phone.

Go to Fat Slice a block down the street. The pizza is the same (crappy but cheap) and you don't have to deal with brain dead acid casualties behind the counter. You'll also avoid getting mouth AIDS from eating armpit pizza. Douchebags!
3 - Dont Call It Frisco D.: This location is much better than the one in SF.

My review of the SF location: http://dontcallitfriscoblog.blogspot.com/
5 - Crystal L.: Inexpenisive Pizza by the Slice.

You cant complain.


Vegitarian Pizza is the Bomb!!!!
5 - Wilson C.: Blondie's is the pizza place I go to when I just want a good slice of pizza.  They have a special everyday which is 2.50 or 3 bucks a slice.  I can't remember because it's been a while since I've been there.  One time at the Blondie's in SF, they had a chicken asparagus pizza which was the best combination ever.  I've never seen it offered at Berkeley but the chicken pesto is good.  If you want a quick bite near campus, go to Blondies.  The pizza is amazing.
3 - Julie L.: 3.5 stars to be exact. The place is a bit inconsistent. Sometimes I get huge slices and sometimes I get joke slices. Sometimes my pizza is so fresh and juicy and other times it seems like it's been sitting out on the table for hours. The people there rude at times but I guess you can't expect much out of a pizza joint. Even though it is relatively cheap for a lunch, I personally think they charge a bit too much for pizza. All in all good for a quick lunch or even dinner.
4 - Bridgette G.: When I was pregnant with my first two, I used to make my husband drive out to get me a pizza from Blondie's.  The pizza there is really good but you have to kind of chance it out because you might end up getting a slice that's been sitting out for awhile.  You can ask to have it reheated though but of course the fresh, hot ones are even better.  I've had the one in SF before but I think I like the one in Berkeley better.  Parking in Berkeley, of course, always sucks but I eat there now only when my family and I want to take a stroll.
1 - Radha M.: The pizza is good...and the place fits the "how telegraph used to be" feel...

However, i haven't eaten here since I heard from a former employee that the employees spit in the food...dunno how true it was or is now, but i don't want to take the chance after hearing that...
5 - Chad L.: Yay! I'm the 100th review for Blondie's! 

Anyways, If you live in the bay chances are you've heard about Blondie's Pizza and if you've been to Berkeley, chances are that you've been down Telegraph. If you haven't, just keep nodding your head so as not to draw attention to yourself. Go to Berkeley walk down Telegraph and get some pizza at Blondie's. 

I have been coming here for over a decade now and I still can't get enough of the pizza. Blondie's in Berkeley is historic and in a town where that word gets thrown around a lot Blondie's really does have a lot going to back up that statement. I can not explain how perfect their pizza is when it's fresh and you're just walking out the door taking your first bite. There are no words to describe the goodness that is your first bite of Blondie's pizza. 

If you go out to Telegraph bring 20 one dollar bills like I do, you can help the homeless and feel less guilty about your pizza's sinful goodness. Or if you're broke, just let them know... trust me they'll Identify with having no money, (they're homeless). Don't wander into the park near here after dark though, or you might be privy to someone using the facilities or making sweet love on the lawn. Long story short, Blondie's rocks and you need to go grab a slice.

CHAD
4 - Song A.: I have to say that this is the ONLY place that serves pizzas whose pizza crust I will actually take pleasure in eating. 

Yummmm....

Delicious! I love when they have BBQ chicken slices. 



I never go when there's an event on/near campus and it's crazy busy. I rarely ever feel like standing on the sidewalk in line or hustling for a table. If it's moderately busy, I'd rather just get that sh*t to go and be about my merry way. That is just me.


Service makes me feel like I'm actually ordering pizza in New York and nobody really smiles unless of course you smile first and then they're obligated to smirk back at you. I'm sure your jaw hurts after the 200th customer. However, on the occasions when someone behind the counter decides to give me a genuine smile, it makes my delicious pizza experience (crust included) even better.
3 - Charles L.: Blondie's has good cheap pizza, but it's less doughy than Fat Slice but tends to have more toppings. Blondie's has all your standard toppings, but it also tends to have alot of eclectic special days such as asparagus chicken, sweet and sour chicken, or Mexican chicken. Super healthy crowd can enjoy Blondie's too because they have a whole-wheat vegetarian pizza.

One day they had HYPHY PIZZA. The description was "Jalapenos, pepperoni, olives, and pineapple. Go dumb!" Ordering a slice of hyphy was pretty awesome, but the pizza definitely made me make a thizz face.

I don't really recommend sitting in there because it feels really sticky or greasy anywhere you touch. Best to get it to go.

There's a line at lunch but it moves pretty fast. The daily special for pizza and drink for $3 is a steal.
5 - Tee w.: Blondies is the bomb... a fat slice of pizza and a soda.... 
parmasean cheese and peppers chained to the tables too..

Can't go wrong having to go through all the Berkeley parking drama to get a slice of Blondies.
3 - kay L.: unless it's fresh .. it's not that great. 
good for its inexpensiveness, though.
5 - Ginger L.: 5 stars if pizza is fresh from the oven
4 stars if pizza has been sitting there

I think I'll just order a small cheese pizza just so I can have my eyes roll to the back of my head experience and take the rest home.  Blondies is the only pizza that I will willingly eat the crush.  The dough is great!  If you order the pepperoni, beware of the greasiness...you will not need lip balm for the rest of the day!
5 - samanta v.: I've been coming here since I was 16, had a license and could drive from Napa to get slices of pizza late night when the craving called.  

I came here after prom OOHHHH so many years ago - for yup - you guessed it Pizza.  (I had a choice between sex and pizza and I chose Pizza.. it's THAT good)

The plain cheese or the pepperoni are my two favs, can't go wrong with either of them.  I will sometimes try a different slice, but really, if i'm driving well over an hour to get a SLICE of pizza - I tend to go with my habituals.

As an adult - I tend to head down here now, in daytime so I can hit the record stores, and urban shops and bum around rather than just come for a slice - but if you live locally, nothing is finer than late night pizza here.
4 - Pamster j.: pretty good pizza place for a late nite snack!!! (especially after partying?)
4 - Matt C.: I like this place, its not cheap cuz its about 3-4 bucks for a damn slice of pizza but its good.  They have a special everyday, they got a fuckin calendar of their specials posted on the fuckin front door so peep that if you want to come back a different day and shit.

Make sure you get your shit heated up if its been sitting for too long, real talk.
5 - Ramon V.: Blondie's.  Pizza.  Yum.
I discovered Blondie's in the early 80's, when I used to hang out at the Keystone every Wednesday night.  It was love at first bite.
I've also eaten many times at the Powell St  and Pleasant Hill locations.  All good, but Berkeley is my favorite.  If I'm in Berkeley, it's hard to keep me from going to Blondie's.
If you like New York style pizza, this is probably not the place for you.
But if you like big, thick, greasy slices of pizza, you can't go wrong.  Tasty, filling, and reasonably priced.
I love this place!
They need one in Rohnert Park...
1 - Megan H.: Although both are horrible, I'd say Blondie's beats fat slice. Thick, soggy pizza, too much nasty cheese. It's cheap, but you get what you pay for.
1 - jamie c.: i get confused when people tell me that they're craving a slice of blondie's.
3 - Manny H.: The pepperoni pizza was OK (my son had it) but the Whole Wheat Vegetarian pizza was fantastic. I was also gladly surprised by the Spinach Salad: didn't expect much of it and liked it quite a bit.

The service could use a bit of help (plus what is up with the yelling out loud of people's numbers?) and there's not enough sitting, but hey... you get what you pay for. :)
3 - Uncle Fishbits Aeneas X.: Terribly boring pizza that was one of my first "by the slice" pizzas I have ever had in my life, hanging out in Berkley like some mod skater punk rude boy idiot.

Lovely memories, okay pizza.
4 - Sean B.: Heard a lot of hype about this place... and it was, in fact, very good, but not enough to beat the reputation... not a five-star place.

The garlic chicken pizza was quite nice, large and flavorful, and for $4.76 with a small soda, not a bad value.

Good place, just not exceptional.
4 - Sparkely K.: I loved going to Blondie's years ago and thought their pizza was exceptional, especially the pepperoni slice with a fountain coke.  Quick in and out and tasty tasty tasty!  This was my first Blondie's so it remains my favorite location.
5 - Jason P.: Blondie's is a straight up Bay Area classic. 3 words that incite an instant Blondie's craving....ALL BEEF PEPPERONI. This may not seem like a big deal but if you don't dine on swine or put pork on your fork it is. Try finding a pizza place that serves all beef pepperoni and you'll see what I'm talking about. Actually all the slices are pretty crackin no matter what you get. The slices are big and the crust is perfect, not thin crust but mos def not a deep dish. A big slice of pepperoni and nice cold root beer for $4, what's not to like?
4 - Vince S.: this place is bomb.com and that's all that matters.

great location and awesome pizza....NOT the best you've ever had...but still very delicious.

it's a bay area classic!!!
3 - Navid N.: All it's got going for it is that its better than Fat Slice...That's about it. I hate these thick pizzas!
4 - adam m.: Good pizza, good price. 'nuff said
5 - Devora L.: Two words: Veggie Slice.

A wheat crust pizza that's light on the cheese, but heavy on the veggies.  As healthy as a real pizza can get!  Okay... not really, but close enough.

Sometimes, when I feel extra gluttonous, I order two slices and eat them both in one sitting.  Yes, I may look small, but I can eat.  I know, my friends keep telling me that I shouldn't eat anything larger than the size of my face (and a slice of Blondie's is definitely bigger than the size of my face), but I can't help it; it's so good!

I mean, c'mon, with most of the food pyramid plopped in the pizza -- cheese, egg, vegetables, bread -- how can you possibly go wrong?!

Oh, and I always unscrew the top of the parmesan cheese dispenser ;)
3 - Dik Shun K.: After craving some top dog after the college football season opener and then being disappointed by the ridiculously long line in front of this Cal institution, we dropped by Blondie's for a bit of nostalgic college grub.  The line was luckily not as long and moved much faster since the slices were grab and go.  Not as good as I remember in college but still good for what it is: large slice of pizza that will fill the tummy.
5 - Dancasali T.: My husband is a Berkeley grad and always insists we eat here whenever we are visiting the campus. (Insists like I resist- yeah right, I plan trips to Berekely just to eat at Blondies)

Very cheap prices
Very good pizza
Very interesting newspaper articles hanging up on the walls.
Very busy- avoid peep times or you'll be standing up eating your lunch.

A must try if you are in the area!!
4 - terry h.: Berkeley and Blondie's go together like Berkeley and tree sitters. You can't have one without the other. It's also a love/hate relationship. Both get the press and the emotions run high because like tree sitters, you either love or hate Blondie's. No middle ground here.

The line is long. The help is fast. The slices are large and the homeless are many. But in spite of the dangers, I luv my pizza so this is a big time stop whenever I can find a parking spot for my car. That's the issue, parking.

So whenever you are in Berkeley and find a place to park your vehicle, stop by Blondie's. It isn't THE BEST pizza in the world but it's not the worst either. Just stomach filling, hunger-killing greasy drip-down-your-arm grub to soothe your hunger jag.

Then walk away over to TopDog and do the hot link. Not many can double up on hard gastric goodness or badness depending on your culinary point-of-view.
3 - yayoi s.: yes, another late night food stop.  when i was a child i marvelled at the huge pizza slices that my big sis would bring home for me on occasion.  such a treat.  the prices are freaking right on!!

here is my story.  one afternoon, while admiring all the hippy dippy art, i noticed an all seeing cockroach looking down upon us all, antenae slowly rotating independently in contemplation of his reincarnation into this berkeley institution, (which i am sure has been nothing but fulfilling for him.)
did i eat a piece of his family while biting into my slice? maybe.  it was good.
2 - sharon m.: pizza is only ok. i expected much better....
4 - R A.: Berkeley wouldn't be the same without Blondies.
Love the chill atmosphere. The funky bar seating is cool because they put up fun and new articles to read up on the wall in front of you as you try to figure out how to conquer your giant piece of pizza.

Lines can be pretty long but it only confirms that the food is that good.
4 - Ashley R.: I've always had Blondie's be my default pizza place since I came to Cal. Its right by campus, its cheap and its quick. It takes Cal-1 card debit too, which is awesome, cause I always charge $50 a month to my CARS account so I can get "free" food.

Before I discovered the varied wonders of Berkeley pizza places I thought Blondie's was the best. I've discovered better, but its still really good. Their slice special changes everyday and they even have a calendar where you can see what slice will be featured so you can go back for your favorite (I love the hyphy slice-jalapenos, pineapple etc!-!). 

The crust is thick, but light. The sauce is zesty. The cheese isn't amazing, but its not gloopy and gross like most cheap pizza. They charge fifty-cents for each soda refill which is a bummer, since I drink diet coke like its the last cup on earth, but whatever. They have HUGE salads with really good dressings and they're quite filling.

I came here yesterday though for a whole new experience. They now serve FROZEN YOGURT!!!!!!!!!!!! This is some delicious-ass fro-yo, yo. It's creamy so its kind of like a milkshake. They have even better toppings than (dare I say it? yes.) Yogurt Park, especially since you can get mochi in your fro yo!. OMG. Blondie's is about to blow up son!!!!!!!!!
4 - megg l.: The age old question: Blondies or Fat Slice?

Um, Blondies.  Definitely Blondies.  4 stars for awesomely delicious pizza (unless you get the pepperoni, which is too greasy for this mama.)

We are missing one star because sometimes I have to wait for seating which is mildly irritating.
4 - Jay L.: Gets crowded at peak times, and for good reason. Service is fast and pizza is good.  Also, they typically have someone a store or two down handing out coupons that many a passerby ignore. Pick up a coupon, get in line, enjoy.
2 - Chris K.: A step above Fat slice. Still kinda of pricey. Slice and soda will run close to 4.75 The funniest thing I saw here was the condiment jars were tied with a string to the wall. Hmm I guess its a high theft item, or they fall to the ground and break!
2 - Josh G.: Everyone from the bay area loves this place.  I think it isn't a step over mediocre.  Nuff said.
3 - vicki V.: The cheese slice is good. the crust is crunchy just the way I like it. You'd think it'd taste gross when you see it sitting under the heat lamps, but when you take a bite, it tastes so fresh and delicious!! People watching while you eat is fun, too.
5 - Shante E.: I LOOOOOVE BLONDIESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS SO MUCH! it's the best ever!!! BEEF peperoni i know, sounds kind of weird huh but it's not it's one of the best things besides JESUS that hit my life!! you have to try it..i dunno about the rest of the pizza stuff but i just get the regular peperoni and cheese. PROMISE you won't regret it...just make sure you work out afterwards...it's extra greasy, hey if you gonna have a FAT day might as well go all out right? LOL oh also go at night, that's when i go it's better it's something about the ppl that make it durning the day...i like food that is prepared with love not like, and at night they make it with love. They also always give me a slice that comes out of the oven and let me choose my slice. : )
2 - Karen W.: On Black Friday, all the other Fro-Yo places in Berk were closed, so I resorted to Blondie's. I felt kinda sick already, seeing the Fro-Yo machines amid a kitchen of greasy pizza.

Blondie's actually has a nice array of toppings, including fresh blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries. I tried their Green Tea, which tasted kinda weird, then ordered a Plain Original mini with 3 toppings. Came out to a whopping $4.88. I wished that I'd gotten a slice of pizza instead...

Unfortunately, I don't know if it was just the idea of eating Blondie's yogurt or the yogurt itself that made me feel queasy. First I thought it was the former, but as I ate more and more, I found myself wishing that they hadn't given me so much damn Fro-Yo. It was very dense and creamy, barely tart, and tastes kinda like...cream cheese. Couldn't finish it, felt too grossed out. Ew ew ew =(
2 - Grace Y.: I used to really like their pizza back when I was living in the area. Despite my lactose intolerance, I'd swallow a few pills and grab a slice.

I'm not fond of the thick crusted pizza normally, and Blondie's is pretty thick but I don't mind.

What I do mind, is despite 2 lactaid pills, I'm dying a few minutes later. To my embarrassment and horror, I had to run and find a public bathroom. Do you know how hard that is in downtown Berkeley? The closest public bathroom is that miserable place in the parking garage a few blocks down. 

An hour later, I'm pretty pissed, and my friends are properly bored.

I try not to stare them in the eye and we continue along our day.

And that is the story about why I eat at Fat Slice when I want pizza.
3 - Bubbers S.: Yummy pizza for a great price! =)
4 - Mary B.: Some of the BEST pizza I've ever had. I used to love coming here when
I lived in the Bay area. The slices were huge and totally yummy.
I miss it!!
4 - Katherine C.: I've done the taste test and now I can safely say that if you are on Telegraph Avenue, craving pizza, but unable to choose between Blondies and Fat Slice....Go for Blondies.  Hands down.

I always choose Blondies, but I was never quite sure why till the other night when we got a slice of pepperoni pizza at each location.  The pizza from Fat Slice lost points early on because the pepperoni topping was so sparce...I could literally count on one hand all the pepperoni pieces on the slice.  The Blondies slice on the other hand was covered with crisp juicy slices of pepperoni...

Fat Slice does live up to its name, the slices are extremely thick and doughy and also covered with a thick coating of cheese and a very light layer of sauce.  Unfortunately the extra cheese didn't turn out to be a good thing....it was so thick that it overwhelmed the pizza and became tough as the pizza cooled down.

All in all Blondies is a much better choice for any pizza craving.  It's not going to be the best pizza you'll ever have but it's a pretty solid choice for by-the-slice pizza eating.  The crust is thick and crisp, the toppings are abundant and the cheese is greasy and gooey as it should be.  

Don't trust me though, do the taste test yourself...
5 - Richard H.: I love this place . I been eating  here for many many moons. GReat Slices. Funny staff quick service. Place for young or young at heart. Good for breakfast of late snack
4 - James D.: Cheap, yummy pizza and other foods (salad I had was better than one from Cafe Intermezzo), and semi-eco-conscious (organic veggies and compost bins) all in one joint?

Wow, that is impressive in a college neighborhood.  Blondie's over Fat Slice hands down in my opinion.
4 - Vicky L.: #808

Walk up.
Place your order and pay.

Pick up your slice of pizza. Remember to bring a sponge to soak up all the grease and lard on top.
Eat your pizza and drink your coke.
Don't forget to have you cardiologist on call so you can schedule your coronary bypass.
4 - peter h.: Thin crust is the place to be.  Usually comes out nice and crisp just they way i like it, not mushy like fatslice. Daily special rocks.
5 - Nancy R.: Best Blondie's by far! Always delicious slices for the prices :D GO HERE! DO IT!
4 - Cath M.: Since it's recession and all, the boy and I are constantly looking for cheap but good date night spots. Since I haven't been here since college era (all of my friends went to Cal) so this used to be the spot for us.

Anyway, I got the usual (cheese pizza + a diet coke) and the boy had the pepperoni with his "fanta"  - by the way they have their own frozen yogurt now! Whoa! In the end, it was a good date night - just make sure you work out the next day!
5 - Nicholas C.: Where else are you going to get a slice of Vegi. Pizza on a whole wheat crust at 2 AM? No where.
3 - Stephanie S.: Delicious reliable pizza. Never cold. Never too greasy. Always a great price.
3 - steve t.: If youre looking for good pizza, Blondies is not the place. Its two star food in a three star location. The pizza is edible and at least used to be fairly cheap, but thats about it. The things that earn it the third star in my book are its late night hours, and excellent people-watching opportunities.
2 - Joyce C.: ahhhhhhhh... it smells so good when you pass it on your way to class but it really isn't that good. it's good food if you are inebriated but c'mon who is picky whilst under the influence? 

I'd have to say the only pizza that I like here is the healthy veggie one with wheat crust. all others are weird or a little greasy (for the ones with meat). also, no refills :( 

don't expect too much from this lil joint.
4 - Alysia W.: Yummmm Blondie's Pizza [: A nice place to stop and have a bite to eat while shopping. I don't recall there being a larger dining area other than what's up front, but it's not somewhere I'd stay too long at anyway.
5 - Rosita S.: BEEF  Pepperoni !!!! Its The Best =] This is a Great Place to come grab a Very Quicky and Yummy Bite to Eat!!
2 - mark z.: great pizza really it is! But it costs to much. I wish I could go here, but what happened to the $1.50 slices, now it costs over 3 bucks! this place is badly managed, or just plain greedy
4 - Dana B.: great pizza and the typical chill Berkeley atmosphere makes for a very happy Dana! Though I do remember the pizza being very saucy--watch your clothes! Plus they have Snapple...or at least they did the last time I was there :)
4 - Melissa T.: one of  my fave cheap eats.
huge portion +garlic fries also the daily lunch specials are a good deal too. I frequent this place when I'm feeling poor and hungry.. then I walk down the street and grab a hot dog from Top Dog.. my other fave cheap eats place.
4 - J. Ass. M B.: 3.5 Stars...(that extra edge to the 4 is for the Beef Pepperoni)

This pizza is good after a night of drunken debauchery. The dough is pillowy and the fact that they have beef pepperoni is Right ON!  The amount of cheese is good (although MORE cheese on ANYTHING makes it better!) and the sauce is cool.  I also like that they have some harder to find Snapple flavors rather than your basic tea, lemonade, and strawberry kiwi.  They also have tall can Arizona's (Grapeade is the Grape-e-est!) Stays open late..and even later on weekends.  The people there are always great! (maybe they just love me...cause I show them love back!! You know me...all SPRaU!)

Go get a slice...I recommend! ;)
4 - Jennifer T.: blondies brings me back to my college days in Berkeley when I didn't have a lot of money and just wanted something warm and yummy in my tummy. I would get the pepperoni and if it was fresh and hot from the oven, it was killer. 

tons of hot pepper flakes, a sprinkle of parmesean and I am a happy camper.
3 - Mike P.: When I think of Blondie's pizza I think of mediocre food. It's not bad necessarily, but it's not really good either. Their chicken plates are OK, but the skin tends to be kind of slimy. 

Meh. There is a lot of better pizza in the area.
1 - Bruno R.: Blondie's is in a fierce match with Fat Slice for the worst Pizza on Telegraph Ave.,but Fat Slice wins. These places make pizza making seem like an incredibly difficult art. You would think a little tang to the sauce would be doable, or a crust or cheese that wasn't related to the cardboard family could be managed. Couldn't they go steal whatever they do at decent pizza places like Gioia or Escape from New York Pizza ? They seem to have a built in clientele of students needing an infusion of some greasy salty negative nutritional value food item and they just don't try. It's sad.
2 - Mace M.: I don't care for Blondie's. I find that their crust is usually burnt, and their cheese is so thick that some parts aren't all the way melted. Even their other foods here aren't that great.

I've experience better, its true, its called Fat Slice and for ten cents cheaper and block walk, its worth it.
2 - Michael J.: Blondie's used to be the Jam, but they have def lost some swagger. I went back to Norcal for the weekend and found myself in Berkeley looking for late night snacks. Thought I'd give Blondie's a shot. 
I can't really place exactly what was wrong with it. The slice was just a bit limp. The cheese was flavorless and the crust was like day old wonder bread. Not sure what there deal is. I guess it would've been a better decision to go down the street to the other pizza joint for a slice.
5 - number one l.: Beef Pepperoni OH YEAH
3 - terra d.: their salads are pre-made and packed with tons of stuff. i was disappointed they were out of the spicy walnut AND the strawberry fields and ended up with the greek. it was still pretty good, fresh and the dressing was great.
3 - Remy C.: bl0ndies is either hit or miss.
point blank.
i have been going here most of my life.
there are some rules you have to follow if u want good pizza.
1. try to get the pizza when its hot and fresh out the oven. ( even if you have to wait!)

2. dont get any fountian drinks. get a bottle soda.

3. d0nt eat inside. find a place outside.

follow these rules if you want a good pizza experience at blondies =)
2 - Doan D.: I go to blondie for pizza quite often, but the quality have been getting lower and lower. I think the the dough they use are not good or they don't cook it long enough, there's not enough crust on the slice. But I just dont know where else to go for a quick slice of pizza, Blondie and Fat slice got the same owner?
3 - Akiko I.: My friend @ Berkley took us here after everyone was buzzed from all the beer at one of the bars on the campus.  She told us that Blondie's pizza can only be consumed happily if and only if you are buzzed.  She was right, we loved it.  The pizza is really cheap and it is totally greasy...which is GOOD when you have tons of alcohol in your system.

*Food = good but be sure to be buzzed before you go
*Location = convenient
*Service = ok
3 - Ander C.: One of my favorite pizza places in Berkeley! Always great tasting, especially the crust and if you can get the coupons for $3.50 drink and pizza its even better!
5 - James K.: Maybe I just got lucky b/c I can't see how some yelpers gave this place a poor review

--and the previous person who said to eat this only buzzed is mistaken..I was completely sober (wish I wasn't), and still was good

--this is your typical small pizza joint..limited seating, loud atmosphere but good pizza by the slice..I went with a slice of pepperoni...sauce wasn't overly abundant, just enough cheese and well cooked pepperoni (not burnt)..it's greasy I won't lie there..but it's pizza ya know?? if it bothers you, simply wipe some of the grease off with a napkin (you'll save something like 50 calories or something, look it up)

--they do also offer wheat pizza for vegetarian eaters for the health conscientious

--along with pizza, if you want to crave your sweet tooth or cool down on hot sunny day, they offer frozen yogurt..can't recall all the flavors but they had chocolate, strawberry, peach etc..I had a taste of the strawberry and it was very tasty

--overall good place to eat on the go
4 - Stephanie S.: i think blondie's probably just sits there waiting for me to stumble out of a telegraph bar with an empty tummy. biggest attraction: always open! veggie slice is delish on wheat bread that's pretty sweet. nam nam nam
3 - Victor G.: blondie's is known for their pizza. they also sell a generic commerialized version of froyo..

froyo review only

available flavors
-
-strawberry: a little tart
-pistachio: greenish, with hint of pistachio, very sweet
-cable car chocolate
-country vanilla
-cookies & cream

pricing: (sm2.95) (m3.50) toppings .99 cents each. 3  toppings  for 1.99 fruit toppings. 17 dry toppings(cereals, nuts, grains, chocolates...).

yogurt drips:
-creamy texture, melts fast
-sweet generic  flavors.
-froyo tastes similar to yogurt park.
-generic service.
5 - Jason L.: Great pizza and a solid choice for lunch or dinner on the go.  I usually go for the veggie or special slice if it's interesting, and the toppings are quite generous.  It's clean (particularly for Telegraph standards) and a good place to people watch.  Plus, it's not awkward eating alone since there's always reading material on the walls in front of you at the counter spaces.
3 - Michael P.: My place of choice for pizza on southside!

I love walking past this store and looking at the daily special.  They have a great rotation of daily special slices so you always have something new you can order when you're tired of the normal cheese, pepperoni, or vegetarian slices.  My favorite specials are the ones with pesto sauce! Yum!

Blondie's pizza is still greasy but not as greasy as Fat Slice.  Vegetarian on wheat crust is the healthiest option while the daily specials are usually the greasiest and unhealthiest.  Good place to hit up for a quick bite!

Oh yea, they usually have coupons for pizza/drink combos passed out in the beginning of a semester.  Stock up!!!  They're extremely useful if you're a poor college student like me.

Side note: One thing I don't get....Blondie's sells...fro-yo?  huh?
2 - Michael L.: A little slice of history right there on telegraph. The pizza is a good fill, but I warn you, do NOT get the "salad" pizza, you'll want to die. Heaps of tomatoes and spinach do not belong on lukewarm pizza. They added a yogurt machine now too, so that makes it like the 5th fro-yo place in the 2 block area...
4 - Sarah K.: This is where I'd eat when I was a poor undergrad and needed a quick, cheap bite. It was either this or a donut from kingpin...needless to say, I love blondie's. It's open late night too, which can be really convenient. Some people say fat slice is better - they are wrong, it is just greasier and limper. Blondie's serves up a nice, old fashioned slice and it is big, cheap and delicious. This isn't gourmet, this is BLONDIE'S!

And in addition, this place is definitely old school. My dad has been taking me here since I was a wee one, when he'd walk me around campus and tell me "look, this is where you're going to go!" (he was right). We'd buy our Blondie's pizza and eat on campus watching the college kids go by (it was weird seeing little kids doing the same with their parents when I was a student here). The crap they have hung up inside blondie's used to disturb me as a kid. And they still do.
3 - Diem L.: Love me sum Blondie's...I always get a cheese slice...If I'm feeling really hungry, then I might get the pepp...Love the cheese & crushed peppers available at ur convenience 2 shake on as much as u want...Cool spot...Been coming here 4 years...
5 - Monish S.: I love their pepperoni pizza here. It's the best I've ever had.
4 - Jamie L.: Why does a scruffy pizza place like Blondie's seem to draw people in like flies to a light bulb?

Maybe it's the potential. Maybe it's the dodgy appearance. Yet nothing beats greasy pizza in the evening when one should be eating a decent meal and getting ready for bed. Or maybe it's the quick service which shouts, "here's your food, now go f'en eat it!". Of course projected in a way where you aren't offended but just glad you got your steamy hot paper plate of gooey pizza that burns your mouth as you close your eyes over the goodness of the carbs and the temptation to buy a whole pie.
4 - Scott F.: Okay I need to add a star because I end up going here so often that it must be better than I think it is.  The only slice worth getting though is the pepperoni.  Maybe it's just that pepperoni itself is really good...
3 - Eric W.: If you're looking for pizza in the Berkeley area, I'd say that you could do a lot worse than Blondie's.  They have all the normal stuff like cheese and pepperoni, but they also have specials that are different every day, and a really good vegetarian pizza (i usually get it, and i'm not even a vegetarian).  The prices are reasonable (the drinks are overpriced though), a slice is about $3.50 if i remember correctly.
4 - Andrea C.: ahhh berkeley memories. being raised in the bay, this is a standard. sitting along the wall where the latest rolling stone is posted with a gigantic slice in front of you is just a perfect pizza lunch.  

what really brings the charm to blondies isnt the actual pizza (standard. simply standard. little greasy.), but the daily specials.  

two words, my yelp-amigos:

HYPHY PIZZA.

how bay can you be? um, you scrape out to b-town and pick up some hyphy pizza. iit comes out about twice a month (there's a calender on the door so you can plan accordingly).  ts not actually that good, kind of a fustercluck of toppings, but the simple fact that there IS a hyphy pizza in exsistance is probably the greatest thing ever. i have a 510 tattoo, and i feel it. 

hyphy pizza? ahhh i'm so totally always there.
4 - Chris D.: I love Blondie's.  Classic Berkeley.  It isn't the best pizza in the world but it is damn good for what you pay.  If you are in Berkeley you have to eat at Blondie's or Top Dog.  Two of the best bangs for your buck.
1 - Susanne M.: Extremely bready and bland; you can't taste anything but the bread! Filling --yes, but for $3.50 I want something that stimulates the taste buds. 

Was starving at the time, so it worked but would risk mal-nutrition to not come back here again.
4 - Hanna P.: Man I love Blondies.  The pizza's okay but I love their miso dressing salad!!!! And their garlic fries are off the hook! The berkeley ones better than the SF one.
3 - Nathan W.: This place will never receive a Michelin rating, but damn if it doesn't serve a purpose when you are stumbling back to BART from a Cal game...
4 - Sylvia Z.: I love it!!!! good portions and great price!
3 - Sarah W.: pepperoni pizza. mmmmm. $3.50 for a nice pizza.

Shame on them for running out of parmesean cheese on a GAME DAY. tsk tsk.
3 - Sherelle V.: I don't really understand the hype about this place... maybe its because I got a veggie pizza on wheat dough, but this place wasn't that yummy, and I am VERY easy to please.
3 - Christopher G.: It's okay. If you're in the area during the day they'll probably hand you a coupon for a pizza and drink for $3.50 (pretty much a free drink). Fat Slice is cheaper without the coupon, and has well, fatter slices. Really it depends on what their special is because their BBQ Chicken or Sausage Supreme rules, but if you don't like spicy and all they have is Hyphy Pizza, go to fat slice.

Though they're open super late so that's pretty cool while drunk!
2 - Linda M.: When I was in high school we'd drive 45+ minutes into Berkeley for a slice of Blondie's with the emphasis on hanging out on Telegraph.  Either the pizza was really good...or there was NOTHING going on in the town I grew up in.  I think we all know which was the case.  

Had a slice of veggie after tonight's Cal game.  Meh.  It's like boring crap food you feed your picky kids but don't want to eat yourself.
3 - Meera G.: Tastier than Fat Slice, I think they rub garlic on the crust. I like that they promote literacy and musical awareness. By posting Rolling Stone magazine clippings on the wall.
2 - Meghan A.: I am disappointed in Blondies for increasing their prices. I can not believe I had to pay 3.75 for a slice of pizza that was barely larger than what I would order from Domino's. Blondies used to be the place I would go when on Telegraph or Powell Street because it was cheap and there was seating, but now I will have to look elsewhere, the pizza just isn't worth 3.75.
3 - Jennifer K.: This place is worth it is you're short on cash and don't really care about being healthy. Although, to give them a little credit, they advertise a health vegetarian option, but it looks nasty (I apologize to its fans). I've tried fat slice, but if you get the daily special or use the coupon, it's basically the same price. I'm not a huge fan of pizza and I can't really differentiate between quality pizza and common pizza ( I like costco pizza, if that says anything) but I'd say try it at least once. But then again, if you don't, you're not really missing out on anything.
4 - Dano S.: The prices have gone up =( and the slices seemed slightly smaller. Maybe I've just grown up and am using my own money now instead of asking dad for a $5er. Still love the sauce though!
3 - Katy B.: OK, well I got off to a shaky start in this place, but my husband swore the pizza rocked! I'm not sure if it was the red and blue tape lines on the floor to indicate where to go, or the gaudy mish mash of colored ugly signs everywhere, but esthetically it wasn't pleasing. I couldn't get beyond the cold, unwelcoming ambiance; just didn't feel like where pizzas should come from. However, I have to admit my husbands pizza crust looked REALLY tasty...that brick oven flakiness. If you are looking for a quick bite, and are willing to walk with it...Blondies might work for you. There are a few random tables and stools facing the wall to sit on. I bet this place is busy during school...within a block of U.C. Berkeley.
3 - Kenny L.: I'm sorry Blondie's, after years of business after getting food poisoning at Fat Slice I'm going to take my business back to the place that got me sick, why?  Your crust is bland and dry and the toppings are good enough to offset it.

I'm sorry, but back to Fat Slice I go.
3 - Rick C.: I'm more used to the San Francisco branch but this place does rock. I ate here about once every week in my freshman year in between an awkward one hour gap in my schedule for lunch. I would alternate between pepperoni or their special if it wasn't too weird. 

Good times for some cheap, greasy, filling eats. Hey, it might not be too good on the belly but at least it does its job, right? I also love those coupons that they always pass out on Bancroft and Telegraph right at the entrance of campus for $3.50 slice of combo and a drink. 

Ah, Blondie's, you really hit the spot. It's a shame I haven't been back for a while.
3 - Mike M.: Been going here for about 20 years... somethings never change... good pizza, cheap price, no seating... AND DIRTY AS HELL!

Went here with my son for the 1st time in about 13 years... he loved it BUT I think I've out grown Blondies
3 - Mike N.: Been coming here ever since there was a Mr.Rags next door. That was about a decade ago or so. Love how they have reading material posted up on the wall.
5 - kris v.: I love this place! I go all the way to Berkeley for their pizza lol i tried this asparagus and chicken pizza from there and it was great i should have gotten 2 pieces!
2 - Randy D.: haven't been here in a while but at the time it was some of the worst pizza i ever had.  telegraph does not do pizza well.  although you don't really have to when your demographic is a bunch of poor hungry college kids....
4 - Marie Q.: There's always a lack of seating... you pay an extra quarter for a box... and delicious toppings on large slices of pizza.  Why are there no small pizza shops like this in the LA area?...anyway,  I am intrigued by the stool/bar seating because they have news/media postings on the wall you can read... This is where I learned about that Sri Lankan singer that sang about her experience during the war and that's why she rapped about airplanes, terrorists, and other crap... See, if it weren't for blondies I would've just thought the Chicky was a little nutcase. :) thanks, Blondies for your food and entertainment haha
5 - Kate W.: I sure hope this place hasn't changed, but as I remember it, best pizza of my life.
4 - Jennie R.: GREAT PIZZA. Simply orgasmic. I'm not sure WHAT they put in their pizzas, but simply their pepperoni pizzas taste amazing. Usually they are pretty large slices, but honestly, this was the place to go whenever I had a pizza craving.

Every single time I went to Blondie's for a late night meal, their pizzas were always fresh and still hot. As with any place in Berkeley, at night, however, sometimes it was a little scary walking down there. I will say the inside isn't the cleanest and the seating isn't very comfy, but togo your pizza!!!!!
4 - Tisha K.: Everytime I come here, I'm starving. All I know is that I'm hungry and that the food here is affordable, tasty and I money enough in my pocket to survive afterwards! Ahh love this place but beware! There's never even close to enough seats for everyone :)
3 - Beth M.: Definitely gone down in quality. 

I went out of my way to go to Blondie's when I was in the East Bay and I was very disappointed. I used to LOVE Blondie's pizza, but in the past 5? (I'm not sure when I made it there last) years they changed the crust and it was nowhere near as thick.  I don't plan on going back. It was really disappointing.
4 - Ed W.: I don't know if I only love this place because I go when drunk and all food tastes good, or if Blondie's is just as amazing during the day but...their slices are great. then again, i drop most of my slices on the floor walking home before i get to eat em--being drunk and everything.

They always have the pepperoni at night--classic. Vegetarian (also late night) is surprisingly good, but as a carnivore, it doesnt really quite hit the spot. i like it when they switch it up with the selection. @ 1 am, besides getting laid, the only thing better is hitting up blondie's and seeing they're offering the chorizo sausage pizza w/ jalapenos. i'm good. 

and $4 a slice? like i said, when you're drunk, not an issue. so i should probably also check it out when i'm sober though...
2 - Wes S.: Very inconsistent. When it's good, it's delicious, but when it's bad, it's pretty bland/dry.
4 - Alexis M.: Blondie's is seriously the best pizza you're going to get on the West Coast...ok, maybe Haystacks in Noe Valley is comparable. I mean, it's no East Coast pizza, but it's good.

It's loud, it's crowded, it's dirty, it's near impossible to find a table but the pizza is good.

This last time I got the veggie on whole wheat and it was excellent. 

Oh, and surprisingly, the people who work there are nicer and more polite than you would expect.
3 - Debbie Chiou S.: blondie's pizza is just pizza. nothing special. people have to be out of their minds to be giving this place more than three stars.
2 - Hong C.: Today was the first time I had Blondie's in a long time so it's tough for me to compare. However today's pepperoni slice could have used more time in the oven so it was undercooked and lukewarm. I don't see it ever rising over 3 stars though.
4 - Barrett C.: Good pizza all the way around. Prices aren't to bad either.
2 - Jeremy T.: Two stars for being open late, for being on Telegraph, and being pizza (sort of). The more pizza options the better. So while I'm glad Blondie's exists, I choose not to eat there when presented with other pizza options.

If it's before 10pm it's worth a short walk to Arinell for a real slice. You'll be glad you did.
4 - kent c.: Best pizza on Telegraph. 

Good quick cheap pizza with creative daily special flavor. Nothing special but better than fat silce on the same street.


I got the pepperoni pizza combo for ($3.50) A slide with a small soda..

The dough feels airy and light, so with one slice you might want another
5 - Melonee R.: The pizza is good and so is the service. Cheap, quick and easy.
3 - Fernando H.: Good, inexpensive. Came here upon my visit to UC Berkeley. I actually remember the pizza and also recall wanting more LOL May visit on my next excursion up there :)
2 - Jenny J.: I have to say, in the epic Telegraph battle between Fat Slice and Blondie's, I'm going to have to vote for Fat Slice. The sauce and dough just taste funky here. . .I don't know what exactly it is, but things are just not right. There was a weird after taste and the pizza was way too greasy. For the price, I would much rather walk the block or two to Fat Slice and get double the amount of food for the same price.
3 - Carolyn T.: This is a great place to go to if you're too cool to go without smoking for the ten minutes it takes your friends to eat.  Simply lean in the wide, open windows, cigarette and all, and have a great time!  The staff doesn't seem to care, and the people who turn and glare at you just haven't reached the level of coolness you've achieved.

Long story short, if you have asthma or like clean air, this probably isn't the place for you.  

They do have great pizza, though.  I think it's decent.  They always have cheese, pepperoni, and two other options.  Sometimes they have a great six-cheese pizza, but I always seem to miss that.  

I wouldn't call their pizza fresh.  You either get it when it's not really warm, or pretty warm with too-crunchy crust.  

Being one of the only places open so late seems to improve how I think it tastes, but it sustained me while I lived in Unit 3, ages and ages ago.  

It's not excellent, but I'll be back again and again.  Parking (street) isn't too bad after 10pm, either.  


Friendly tip:  Be careful when sprinkling garlic or oregano on your pizza.  The holes are really wide, and you'll find your pizza covered with the stuff.
5 - Johnson N.: Ohhh my, I haven't been here in SUCH a long time... but tonight, my friends and I decided to hit up Gypsy's Trattoria... a hop, skip, and a jump from the coveted Blondie's.  I decided that I HAD to go there, even if I had to call the slice of pepperoni pizza an "appetizer" to the dinner I was going to have at Gypsy's.

Oh what an appetizer it was!  It was the most beautiful thing.  Every bite rocked me sideways, forcing me to clutch my overly satisfied tummy as I closed my eyes, moaning in ecstasy, devouring this triangular piece heaven, mouthful by mouthful.  

The service was fast, and the pizza was fresh out of the oven and mine for the taking!  

Oh Blondie's, how I've missed you.  5 Stars for bringing me back.
3 - Sara M.: Came here on Saturday..I've been here a couple times, but it was years ago. The place is small, very few spots to sit down and eat. the place was pretty empty when we walked, we got our pizza right away.
luckily it was raining so no one was by the windows smoking their cigs. 
For the pizza, yeah it was ok for a slice, it was thin, and really greasy. the grease was in puddles on top the pepperoni. didn't care for that at all.
If you want something quick for pizza i guess this is the place to go.
4 - Christina C.: I LOVE PIZZA.. especially NY style pizza. Blondie's delivers. Big fat hot juicy oily slices of yummy goodness.
4 - Arianna M.: To Jason I.- Pizza is not supposed to be good for the body anyway, just suck it up and wipe your pizza off before you eat, you'll be fine.

Blondies is amazing. Greasy as hell or not, I'm never disapointed with this place. Ever.
5 - Jeffrey A.: I have dreams about this pizza! The price is good and the pizza is even better.
4 - Jen N.: Truth be told, what brought us here was the fact that they were the only place we could find on Telegraph that was open. 

I'm not a fan of the super-cheesy, super-greasy pizza so I got a slice of the whole wheat vegetarian pizza. It was really light on the cheese, had loads of veggies and a crisp whole wheat crust. I loved it! 

But let it be known that this probably wouldn't be the option that someone who's really into pizza would choose. That said, it's always nice not feeling disgusting after having some pizza. :)

The bolted down parmesan and red pepper flakes added to the college-town atmosphere of the place. Hehe.
4 - Dennis C.: absolute drunk food.  thats the best way to describe it.  i dont know a single soul that comes here during daylight.

not the best pizza, but it'll do.... when youre drunk.  every UC has "a pizza joint"... i would say this is berkeley's....

in the whole scheme of "UC pizza joints", it cant even compete against woodstocks in UCD or UCSB.  same goes with the girls too. =P
5 - Clayton J.: I love this pizza, I discovered this place the summer I was staying at the I-House for a NSF Summer Class over at Cal, got to meet some Nobel Laureates, to boot!

I have never been to New York!  But, I love this pizza sans the grease, just pat off with the napkin provided!  Specials are a slice with a drink for cheap!  Can't get better than that!

Always when I am up in Berkeley, I stop off here and get my slice!  I love the thin crust, with the crust firm enough to hold it to your mouth.  Truth, be told, I can't stand the places that have crusts that are flimsy!

This place is an institution.  I think the thick pizza place up the street and around the corner downstairs, La Val's, is long gone!  There was some serious action going on over there!  I went by one year and the subterranean location was empty.  But, I digress...

Cheap, Greasy pizza, plenty of toppings, with a firm backbone, that keeps you coming back for more!  Real Comfort food for the masses.  Wherever, you are, it beckons you back, back to the abyss!  There is really NO parking on this street unless, you want to double park and get a ticket.  There are parking meters around the corner.  But, that depends on your luck!
4 - Jen H.: Typically, this place is a 3 star, but b/c of such great memories here, i decided to give it another star.

One night, after a long night at Raleigh's aka Manny tap room, my friends and I decided to stroll over for late night grub!

I was not even hungry, but my friend forced me to eat half his pizza, even though I knew he was hungry, b/c he felt bad i wasn't eating. Little gestures like that makes me smile. Thanks friend!

Blondie's has..i think three choices every day. Cheese, Pepperoni, and pizza of the day.

Unfortunately, prices has steady gone up, like all the stores on Telegraph!
2 - vishal k.: Blondies is normally a 3 or a 4 but in recent months the pizza has been tasting drier and less flavorful than usual. Always like that they have oregano and garlic powder in addition to red peppers. I will fondly remember the many nights my friends and I came here after going to the local bars.
4 - Jessica G.: Blondie's isn't the most legit pizza place on earth. It's pretty good, but it's more for the ambiance.
When I go to the Telegraph - I HAVE to go to Blondie's. It's right on the cooler yet not janky street, and has just a Berkeley-esque about it. It pretty much defines that crazy city.
Pizza isn't bad or great - but regardless, you have to come here.
4 - Tushar K.: They have a variety of flavors available. I like that they have a daily special. You can also order a whole pizza to go, but I'd recommend calling in your order ahead of time. I typically order the carnivore pizza as well as the pepperoni. I came here many times while studying at UCB. Definitely recommend it when you're on the go.

Expected bill: $4
1 - Yi C.: There are so many things that are wrong with Blondie's.

The available seating is pretty weak because if you are traveling with a group you are essentially condemned to sit at a table that will intersect with the lines waiting for the cashier or their pizzas. So for groups you pretty much HAVE to choose carry-out. If you are eating alone then have fun sitting at one of the bar stools staring at a wall :(.  

The biggest travesty is how weak Blondie's pizza is. The ratio of sauce, cheese, and dough is a delicate thing in pizza. Blondie fucks it up on so many levels. I think it's a combination of the shitty/low-quality ingredients and not enough sauce and/or cheese. The dough tastes really bad and there's too much dough and not baked enough.Honestly, I do not understand how people can keep on subsidizing this shit especially when better options (Cheeseboard's, La Val's, etc.) exist.
 
AVOID
3 - Steve S.: I used to eat here a few times when I went to school at UC Berkeley.  They give you big slices that are affordable, but that's about it.  Pizza is just a-ok, not super good, but not bad.
3 - Karen F.: I dunno - I didn't like Fat slice, and I didn;t like Blondies.
When you've lived in NYC and Philly - there's something just off about West Coast pizza.

It's not awful - it's just not worth the calories for me.

Meanwhile, people RAVE about Blondie's.
And the placed is always PACKED with students (gee - I wonder why) so it's great for people watching.  (All of Biz-erkeley is great for that!)
4 - Karen H.: Remember when the slices used to be $1.50??? What happened to that :'( The pizza is greasy and not amazing- but the pepperoni is made of beef! And they have a lot of variety, with attempts to be health and environment conscious. 4 stars because it's Blondie's- it will always be an integral part of Telegraph Ave and Berkeley. Not for pizza connoisseurs :P
3 - Kathy D.: Closes at 10pm.

The location is quite convenient. Right on telegraph and near campus.  Affordable prices.

and WOW, they have so many choices for pizzas now since the time I attended college here.  They aren't available like the last 1 hour of the day though.  They always have your basics available at the front: cheese, pepperoni, combo, or chicken!

I noticed they have frozen yogurt here also on their menu.. which is strange..

Plenty of chairs and tables inside.  Not the cleanest place but a good pit stop along your way home to your apt/dorm.  Counters are located on both sides with extra toppings for your pizza.

but MAN....... you use ALOT OF GREASE in your pizzza. I always end up dabbing the top of my pizza with ten million napkins!!!!!!
5 - Soni M.: Oh gosh in just a few words, I love this place!!!!!  I crave it like there is no tomorrow and even if I have it the night/day or week before I want it again and again!

My favorite is the cheese and pepperoni ofcourse.  The pizza is soft, cheese is fresh and it's always right out of the oven.  I've gotta say this place is one of the best, you have got to check it out.  They also have one in SF, too bad it closes so early ahhhh.
4 - Leah K.: I'm generally a nonpicky pizza fan so I would give blondie's a solid 3.5, mainly for its price and its substitute, fat slice, across the street. I've rounded up and given this place a 4 because of their daily specials which are sometimes excellent! I save the date they serve deep dish style pizza as their daily special in my cellphone... I just love how it costs the same as the other choices (which aren't very wide, by the way.) 

Still, I'd only pay for their 4 dollar slice of pizza for their daily special menu- not their other toppings which are pretty mundane. At fat slice, you can get a faaat slice for the same price on any day. 

Solid 3.5. Not too shabby, satisfactory pizza, great special menu, decently priced.  The concept of shelling out 4 dollars for slice of pizza is still hard for me to overcome, since you can get 5 dollar pizzas at little caesars, but i'm coming to terms with the fact that the price is pretty normal for most pizza places that sell individual slices.
4 - Desiree L.: Oh, Blondie's. Nothing beats a juicy and tasty pizza except for this place. They have plenty of different kinds of pizza flavors, along with a variety of other food menus besides pizza. I always decide to get the original cheese or just plain jane pepperoni. FACT: I tend to see a lot of oil, so its a no no. And there aren't much tables/chairs if there's a lot of customers.

While on telegraph, its nice to stop by for a quick meal after shppping around and eat at this great pizza place. I recommend Blondie's & I would always love to come back!
5 - Adrian H.: amazing!
2 - Justin F.: It's like the worse tasting version of Fat Slice. I will say it's less greasy, but if the grease on Fat Slice is what gives it the flavor then I'd have to go with the grease... still cheap and fast though.
2 - Derrick H.: Kind of disappointed. Got the Six Cheese pizza (daily special). The crust was a bit dry (main reason why I dislike pizza). The good thing is a guy is passing out coupons for $3.50 a slice of pizza and a small soda. Maybe if I'm in the mood for pizza again, I'll stop by.
3 - Maggie L.: Last time I went to Blondies, I got.. I believe it was called "Meat lovers special"? It was one of the daily specials for $3.45+tax.  Nothing too special about it. It was VERY thin with lots of toppings. It was kind of hard to even hold up the pizza to eat it and I needed to use my plate to help me balance the slice of pizza.  I saw other customers folding the pizza in half before eating it and that seemed to help them considerably.

The interior has a bunch of articles on the wall.  I don't know if they're random or if they may have some sort of significance.  There are only a few tables to sit at and some counters too.  You would think they'd have more chairs or something considering all the Berkeley students who go and buy their pizza.

Anywho, I just thought the place was okay. I'd come back if I was really super hungry and nothing else was open, but other than that, I think I'm gonna pass.
2 - Jazmine S.: The pizza here is edible. That's about it. Like the reviewer below stated, it's pretty much similar to a slice you'd get at a street fair. 

Don't go here expecting a whole lot of anything...except for attitude. The people behind the counter can be quite unfriendly and abrasive. It actually seems to be a common occurrence in the UC Berkeley area that restaurant owners and their staff are extremely rude to the customers. I'm not really sure why that is, but I don't dig it.  

Also, I think that price is a bit ridiculous. Almost $4 a slice! You can get cheaper pizza than that in New York! And it tastes better!!!!
4 - Kevin L.: Blondie's has got some interesting flavors! The pizzas of the day have some definite kick to it. The pizza is fresh, the slices are big and the prices are reasonable. I would definitely recommend Blondie's over Fat Slice.
5 - Brandon L.: I love this place! The pizza is over priced for sure!!! But its the famous Blondie's  Pizza in Berkeley California!!! Its one of my personal favorites... what can I say ; )
5 - Anna B.: I was a lost high schooler in Berkeley for Doctor Camp one summer -
[ yes, I said doctor camp!! ]
- and I came across Blondie's Pizza as I was rushing towards Wheeler Hall for a lecture.

I was practically late, but hey, good food was calling to me. Who am I to ignore it? :]

Blondie's was nothing short of amazing. I walked in and marveled at the menu and the pizzas. The slices looked ginormous and the pepperonis were just glistening under the warm lights. I got a simple slice of pepperoni pizza.
....best frickin' decision of my life!! it was sooo good!!!
I've been hooked for years now. Every time I'm in the Bay area, I make an effort to visit Blondie's :]

Tip: bring cash and change for quick payment. Then skip outside to enjoy your foodage. Cheeeeers!!
3 - Nuveen D.: I've been coming to Blondie's since I was 14 year old coming up to Berkeley for debate tournaments and to meet with coaches. 

The pizza is pretty good, but not outstanding. It's thinner, saucier, and tastes like it's of better quality than the pizza at Fat Slice. 

I only patronize Blondie's these days when I'm in a rush, ie, I'm 10 minutes late to a class on north side and haven't eaten lunch yet. Or I'm about to go out to bars and haven't eaten dinner yet. Blondie's is useful because it lets me walk and eat. If you're in this situation, you have to ask to make sure that they don't have to warm up the pizza. Actually, this is good practice in general, since the pizza tastes like crap when it's not fresh. 

Biggest problem is that I have to eat two slices to be full, which costs about $7.50, which seems like too much given the quality and nutritional content of the food.
4 - Alice X.: BBQ chicken pizza was yummy!
5 - jasdeep g.: Every time someone mentions Blondies I am taken back to a more humble and simpler time of the late 80's when I was a little girl, my uncle was finishing up his MBA at UC Berkeley, and we'd walk over to Blondies to get a slice of heaven for just a buck...once in a while I still get the craving for a slice of pepperoni with a sprinkling of their Italian seasoning and parmesan...yummm (I actually just had this last weekend at their SF location with a couple of friends who thanked me for introducing them to the healthy wheat crust veggie) ;)
3 - Amy L.: The service is alright, everyone in there aren't really friendly, but it's fast food what do you expect? It can get really busy during noon-2p, lunch hours. Definitely try it, I suggest the pepperoni pizza or cheese (the classics). Their vegetarian pizza with the wheat dough is not that good. They literally put all types of vegi on the pizza without thinking if the taste would mesh well together (broccoli?) random. If you are vegetarian, go with cheese. 

You definitely go to this place more out of convenience than for the pizza. I think Blondie 'used' to be good, but now, its just lunch. The only plus about Blondies is they put your slice in the oven to melt the cheese and give you a hot slice. This is definitely a place to go if you are running late, hungry while tabling or just want something super cheap and junk food related.
4 - Drew P.: They have gone downhill in recent years, but the pizza is still good. Come in hungry, leave full. Bonus: They now serve frozen yogurt. Although, you have yogurt park right down the street, so I don't know if this really counts as a bonus. I do love the whole wheat vegetarian though!
1 - David S.: I hadn't been to this Blondies in about 7 years and longed for the great pizza I used to get. What a shock. The pizza was awful, we had to wait for warmed up slices while fresh pizza got cold on the front counter and to top it off the service SUCKED. I'll never be back.
 Oh well, at least Fat Slice is still good
2 - J L.: The pizza here is SO expensive. And it's not even good. It's not even comparable to Arinell pizza yet much more expensive. I would avoid going here.
4 - Marilynn B.: Good and cheap pizza. Late at night is the best time to get it. The ambiance calls for it. Very retro and located right by UC, convenient for me since I was staying in one of the dorms with my sister and friends! Yummy! Bring cash because I think they do not accept credit cards! I like to stick to the usual, pepperoni or sausage means yum.
4 - Anne N.: Awesome choice for lunch here!  We tried the veggie pizza and the meat lover's pizza.  A slice of each of course, I can't stomach 2 pizzas with Lewis in one sitting.  I think lunch was around $6-8?  Don't order a fountain drink here, it's such a ripoff, our soda was even filled up all the way.  You're better off running over the Walgreens to buy a liter of your own soda for the same price.  Will definitely come back here to try more pizzas!

Tough place to find a seat so be, be, be aggressive!
2 - Jeanine M.: This place is good, but I feel it has gone a bit downhill since when I used to come here back in high school. 

The pizza here is good, and I love that they have a flavor of the day, but I also find the pizza a bit plain and bland. The crust doesn't have an appealing taste, and the slices are always covered in grease. 

Its a small place but there is a fair amount of seating. Service is okay and they also have frozen yogurt and salads which is nice. 

This place is good for students cause it's cheap and quick, but the quality is going to either clog your arteries or make your taste buds turn on you.
2 - Melissa L.: Blondie's just doesn't do it for me like Fat Slice does. 

What it lacks in taste though, it makes up for in seating. But still, I'm here for the pizza!
3 - Geoff U.: I love the veggie wheat slice here but service can be REALLY slow and the staff are totally inefficient.  The other day there were about 7 employees standing around doing nothing while one guy was doing all the work.
4 - carlos a.: Adding to life's great debates like blonde vs. brunette, every Berkeley freshman is forced to pick:  Fat Slice vs. Blondie's. 

I happen to think they are very similar with a slight edge to Blondie's for being 25 cents cheaper.

I am a huge fan of their pepperoni pizza. It's on the greasy side, but if you were concerned about health you would probably be at intermezzo having a salad rather than stuffing your face with pizza.
5 - Em J.: Some people are trippin'. Blondie's is simple, streamlined, delicious pizza. I'm all about cheese, and these pizzas do not lack in that department. I've never had Fat Slice, but the BF has, and he says Blondie's wins. I take his word for it, especially since he's an Oakland native and has been having both since he was a young lad (Cybelle's too, to which he says Blondie's still wins).
Get a slice from Blondie's and then stop over for dessert at CREAM. Now, that sounds like the most perfect diet breaker of all time.
4 - Julie D.: Blondie's, why do I always come back to you? So convenient, so close to campus, so cheap and filling! To be absolutely honest, I can't always tell if the pizza is stellar (I pick off the cheese and drown my slice in red pepper), but the crust is perfectly thick and bready, the sauce tangy, and the toppings plenty.

I've turned down hearing horror stories about Blondie's as to keep the dream alive... the college student's most important dream.. the dream of pepperoni pizza.
4 - Amy V.: I am a fan the sauce -- it seems that no matter where I go for pizza they always have this lame sauce thats sweet, becuase it came stright out of a can and on to the pizza dough. Im a fan of the 2-hour simmered sauce with all the spices and blondies -- weather or not its simmered for 2 hours, taste that way. Its tangy the crust is PERFECT not too thick not to thin.

I ususally get the cheeese or pepperoni. its glorious.
5 - Trevor B.: THE BEST SLICE OF PEPPERONI PIZZA I HAVE EVER EATEN

Why?
1. Sauce with so much garlic that loved ones will flee from your presence in disgust.
2. Spicy pepperoni that will convert any vegan.
3. Thick, soft crust.

Rules:
1. Order by the slice. (A cut from the Godzilla just tastes better)
2. Order pepperoni. (Don't get fancy)
3. Add Parmesan cheese liberally to soak up the grease. (Don't you dare dab with a napkin!)
4. Get a Coke.
4 - Diana C.: Very convenient place to eat. They always have pepperoni and cheese and a daily special. I usually just get the pepperoni, but once in a while when I'm feeling adventurous, I get the daily special.
5 - Jia J.: Ten tips:

1.
The pepperoni slice is the best thing here. Wait for a fresh pie if you see the dredges of an old one before you. If you don't have time, don't accept the small, shitty endpiece...walk a couple blocks down to Fat Slice and get a veggie, telling you it's better for your health.

2.
Do something good for humanity and be fast with your order. It's a slice and maybe a soda, for god's sake. You have no excuse if you space out or are slow about that, and someone behind you (me) might just kick your ass.

3.
If you won't be fast for someone else, do it for yourself - bring exact change so you can get to your pizza faster without fumbling around with a bunch of coins and shit. 

4.
Don't be afraid to point out exactly which piece you want. They are used to it, and this is something all real pizza lovers should do.

5.
Unscrew the cheese shakers and go crazy; the holes in the top are always blocked up. Stay in control: it's all in the wrist. As Trevor B. below says, enjoy the show as the cheese takes care of the grease. If you're a dabber, GTFO.

6.
For some reason, the pepper flakes here can be hotter than hell, and can ruin a slice if you aren't careful. So watch yourself. BTW, this is coming from a Korean so you know I'm not f'ing around.

7.
Drink water. It's still free, and you'll feel a lot better. Plus, it keeps the palate clean for the pizza itself.

8.
Score window seats, or enjoy being bumped in the back constantly by the traffic indoors.

9. 
The napkins are in weird dispensers on the walls. You'd think this is obvious, but it might not be.

10.
If it's closing time and they say they can't serve you, it means they're going to throw the fresh leftovers away and let some bum get it while you stare the derelicts' ungrateful, stoned faces down with pure and futile jealous rage. So when the servers deny you and walk to the back to clean things up, hoist yourself onto the glass counter. Just do it. Their walking away is a tacit enablement of what you are about to do. They're going to throw it out anyway, so it's not technically stealing since it is now trash, valued at $0.00. And what's the worst they'd do if they saw you running out like a fat version of Prefontaine with an ankle injury? They're just trying to get out of there. GET IT, or your stummy will ache the morning after.
2 - Danny C.: I used to be a fan of Blondie's (SF) until I started buying slices from this one in Berkeley. The slices are way too greasy, albeit large, and they are thick-crusted abominations of true pizza. I got diarrhea once from eating this greasy mess. Yes, it's a pretty large slice plus soda for about 3 dollars, but you can do better with 3 bucks in Berkeley.
3 - Justin K.: Maybe having just spent a week eating pizza slices in New York has jaded me. Blondies used to be a personal favorite of mine. Unfortunately I feel that they have started to go a bit downhill. Maybe using cheaper ingredients? Not as fresh? Maybe I just know the difference now. 

Blondies is still good but unfortunately she's past her prime!
2 - Melody L.: To me, this place is just like every other pizza place. Good fatty pizza, but nothing super special. The seating layout on the inside is also kind of empty - they could definitely fit in more tables or chairs or something inside. I like reading the magazine & newspaper articles on the walls though.
4 - Rachel S.: This joint serves almost-New-York style, by-the-slice (or whole pie) pizza at around $3.75 a slice. The quality seems to change day-by-day, and I highly recommend stopping in right when your desired topping is straight out of the oven - sometimes the endpieces turn a little bland, and they usually serve the largest pieces first - if you're going to get a slice, get a SLICE. Specifics - lots of mild-medium cheese, a tolerable amount of grease that definitely will soak through your paper plate (sounds scarier than it is), and a pretty solid bone of pizza crust - enough for dipping; extra dressing for that purpose is available.
Plenty of toppings around of you just aren't a straight-off-the-pan person like I am (cheese, pepper flakes, and herbs).
And salads at Blondie's actually great! They're prepackaged but a lot larger than meets the eye initially. I'd recommend Yogurt Park around the block for froyo, though; you can get a lot more for the price, and at higher quality.
Dining area is cheap-looking, so don't bring a date here to eat - however, it's roomy enough so that you're not bumping elbows with the customers in line.
4 - Elisa C.: Gooey cheese, crispy thin crust. Delicious. A must try in this area!
3 - Shine S.: I'm biased... I like NY Pizza, thin greasy large pizza

This pizza nonetheless is great for the price. It will get you full (because it's almost all bread. Not my cup of tea, but a good price when I'm on the go and wanted to taste some pizza!
2 - Joseph N.: crap pizza. crap salads. with so much good cheap food in berkeley why settle for blondies?
4 - Vivian T.: so sad i came the other day and it looks like they're not doing froyo anymore :( ... i almost liked their froyo better than the pizza!
4 - Nathan M.: Greasy as heck, but very good traditional thin crust New York style pizza.
4 - Tom G.: Excellent Pizza. They use the best quality cheese, meat and sauce from organic farms and hands-down the best pizza in Berkeley. The problem is a whole pie can be expensive. If you go there, make sure to buy a slice.
3 - Karen M.: Great fast food pizza. Love their vegetarian and pepperoni pizza. Also a great place to sit and people watch while you eat.
3 - David D.: Blondie's is definitely better than Fat Slice. But that's like saying Gaddafi has a better sense of style than Kim Jong Il: Although factually correct, I'd rather be dressed by the Queen of England. In this case the Queen is the Cheeseboard.

Okay, who am I kidding? I don't need to be proper all the time, and unlike the Queen, I certainly don't go to bed at 8. So Blondie's is a great spot for a slice of pizza late at night when most everything else is closed. Also, it's almost a requirement to come here if you are a college kid, drunk, or a drunk college kid.

If other things are open, it seems more prudent to spend $5 for an entire pizza at Little Caesars or $2.50 for a slice at the Cheeseboard rather than $3.50 here. If you don't want to stray far from Telegraph Avenue, though, Blondie's is okay during the middle of the day too. Mmmm, grease!
2 - Rodel R.: Honestly, nothing special.  I ordered a "fat slice" of pepperoni pizza and a drink and paid close to $5.  The drink was tiny, and there were no free refills.  The "fat slice" wasn't all that big, and for all of those Costco fans out there, my slice was slightly smaller than the average $2 Costco slice.  Not a bad deal considering the location however.

I just wasn't impressed by the balance of the cheese, sauce and crust.  I was also not very happy at the lack of the bathroom facility of a place to wash hands.

Spicy pepperoni was a plus however.
3 - Jennifer W.: Blondie's is pretty awesome. It's cheap and easy. One can always go for a slice. The slices here are not super big, even though they use slices from their largest size of pizza. They have four sizes of pizza if you order whole ones: medium, large, giant, godzilla. For everyday slices, they have cheese, pepperoni, veggie, and a  daily special. They post the daily special in front of the store and online. They're yummy, but not all pizzas were created equal so it's a hit or miss on some days. I tend to find the vegetarian specials better than the meat ones, like the bbq chicken, pesto chicken, garlic chicken, and Mexican chicken. The chicken here is simply too dry. Plus, this place is the only one beknownst to me to tout a hyphy pizza, but the combo of pineapple, jalapenos, and olives really did not do it for me. One daily special I am thankful for is the deep dish. Those aren't easy to come by.
3 - Brett L.: Best pizza in b town, which aint saying much but my god this stuff hits spot whn ur a little drikn or a little =~. AnywY cant go wrong with the pep and it kills fat slice or westcoast anyday, plus they are always givn out coupons for cheap deals! Shipoopi
5 - Steevens A.: I loveee this place. Conveniently located adjacent to an inconvenient campus, and yes, they have very, very affordable prices. My brother and I had the 11" 2 topping with Pepperoni and Spinach.

It was merely a simple pizza in the sea of complicated, interestingly-named specials. Plenty of space and choices here, it suddenly got busy closer to 1 than noon.

The pizza was not nearly as greasy as the horror stories I've read recently here on yelp, and in fact the pizza was crisp with just enough sauce, cheese, and a slight amount of grease on top. That excess was easily sopped off with a napkin.

All in all, I would come back here again if by some messed up twist of fate I were back in the area.
5 - Erica S.: I absolutely love Blondie's!!

Usually I'm a "Plain Jane" when it comes to pizza, I like cheese or Ham and pineapple and that's pretty much it.

I was a little more adventurous when coming here only because you basically have 4 options Cheese, Pepperoni, Vegetarian, or the Special of the Day.  So I decided to try a few specials through the few times I've been there.  And I loved all of them, I tried their BBQ Chicken, Special Mushroom, and of course their Hawaiian.  I can't wait to try more!!

Their staff is very fast and friendly and the location is very convienent (right off of Telegraph).
1 - france d.: Certainly my judgment of this pizza place has been influenced by the 
worst experience ever I had here. 

I usually order a Veggie and a Pepperoni slice, which are what you expect from this kind of place - still, I do believe prices for slices of pizza are extremely high in the US, how the hell can I pay $5 for a slice of pizza, when they sell me proper food for $6 next to it?? This is what I keep telling my friend when he wants to go there, but apparently his desire to rush to go back to work in his office is too big to even contemplate the chance of having an at least minimally decent dinner....

anyway, we were once eating our stuff when a terrible guy, who had been staring at us from another table the whole time, came to us and sit at our table - the guy was probably on drugs, or anyway had serious mental issues. He started shouting crazy things, then he moved his hands (all dirty of pizza oil and tomato) to us and started touching us, and at some point he started telling us we were assholes and racists because we were asking him to please leave our table. 

None behind the counter was even considering also telling the guy something - it's jungle style. 

I just hope I'll never have to go back to such a place again.
1 - Declan M.: Rather than throw out old pizza that's been sitting for hours, they lump it in with new slices and reheat it for you if you're unlucky enough to get those pizzas. They know this is a bad practice, and recently have instituted a new ticket system where a guy comes from the back and chooses your slices rather than the register man, so you can't ask him for the non-rotting pieces, and you have no expectation of being served immediately the fresh pizza sitting right up front in the window. Not only are you paying 3.44-4 bucks for an old slice, you have to wait 8 minutes for the oven to regrease it and bring it back to life rather than being served the pizza you see and is ready to be consumed immediately.

The old dude up front in glasses and the little fedora is a big time jerk, dripping with contempt for his customers. He'll linger and charm any young college girl though. Just saying.

Used to be able to get a slice and a drink for 3.50 a couple years ago, but now it's around 5 bucks if you want that. You get a small 12 oz. cup packed with ice, so maybe 5 oz. of soda. No refills.

The place is pretty dirty, considering bums wander and linger around in there. The only good thing about Blondie's is they don't let indigents out front cuss at you like in front of Fat Slice, but I think that may be because they're flanked by more respectable businesses.

Should be shut down, but a continual rotation of new college freshmen and people giving it 5 stars simply because you can get it at 12:30am after drinking ensures it wont. The artificially good reputation I see here is probably why they've raised prices so much since I was in college.
3 - Jennifer L.: I suppose it helps having an outdoor eatery with open space.  Just a few feet away, I could already smell the aroma of fast-food pizza!  That's really what brought me in here.

I ordered a veggie slice and it had a deal where I got a bottled water for 50 cents, pretty cool!  I guess it's to promote eating healthy.  Although, in my opinion, the slice was 4 something and that's too pricey for this fast-food joint.  I expect that to be the price at a gourmet pizza eatery.  

The veggie slice had a wide variety of healthy greens, reds, and purples, but a sparingly amount of cheese.  It was not greasy and I gobbled it up within 5 minutes.  Either it was that yummy or I was super hungry, but I believe its the latter.

This place is good for a quick, decent bite, especially if you're on the go, which is most likely its purpose.  The price, however is disappointing.  And if you don't like standing up to eat while people converse loudly, it may not be a good choice.
4 - Stephanie U.: You gotta mess with the hyphy pizza
3 - Amanda N.: Blondie's is a Telegraph staple and pretty good pizza, just not my favorite.  A bit saucier than Fat Slice (and sometimes smaller), and not quite as flavorful as La Val's or Arinell's.  They do have options ready to go, though, with the daily special.

If you're visiting Berkeley or SF - you gotta try Blondie's.  It's a tourist thing - you just have to do it at least once.  And if you're a Cal student, I believe they take Cal 1 Debit, so that's pretty convenient.

Overall, Blondie's is not my go-to, but it's a nice option to have in the neighborhood.  They're also open late, so plus points.
3 - Bridget P.: Came here once on a business trip. It looks like it's been around forever, and seems to be a college staple. Seating was pretty limited and I ended up at the counter, but there are lots of posters, articles, etc. to look at. Definitely an eclectic place. 

The pizza was okay. I have a hard time finding a "bad" pizza, but this was quite a bit of bread and nothing really outstanding about it. If you're drunk and it's late at night, or you want something quick and cheap, come here, otherwise, go a little further to Zachary's! But Blondie's seems to be exactly what college students go for, especially at 2AM, and I'm sure that's why it does well.
3 - The L.: We drove all the way from Sacramento to eat here because I missed eating at Blondie's pizza in Union Square, SF.  I was disappointed because it was not the same.  When I held the first piece of pizza to eat, it was like holding a tie.  The piece was so thin and limpy, I had to use two hands to eat.  It was not like that in San Fran.  We ordered a large pizza to go as well and the whole pie was thin.  I don't remember requesting them to make it a thin crust pie.  They get 3 stars because they do have the best pepperoni and cheese of all pizza places.

But this place looked very depressed to me.  The guy who called our order was upset because he said he was calling our order no. a few times.  I didn't hear him and my husband said he did but it wasn't our order no.  Maybe he should lay off on the pipe.
3 - Phan H.: Blondie's pizza location is great. However, the service was somewhat slow especially for a busy place. I ordered 2 slices of pizza with a drink and it cost over $10. Granted the two slices were packed with meat and was a large portion.
5 - Liz W.: Pepperoni Pizza
*wipe off grease*. *wipe off more grease*.  *and wipe again*.

+ Parmesan cheese
+ red peppers

BLISS. 

buy another slice. :)
2 - Alex S.: Dude, if I wanted to tip you, I would have. Thank you for gypping me from my quarter.

Anyways...Pizza here is the kind you eat when you're hungry and don't give a fuck how you get full. Reminds me of Chicago Pizza out in Cambridge. Pepperoni special is just under five dollars; you get a slice and a drink. The menu claims it's a fat slice. I would have to admit that is true, but the crust is airy, as if the dough they used was watered down. 

Did you ever buy those Red Baron or Mama Rosa's frozen pizzas at the supermarket? The pizza kind of tastes like that but greasier. They interestingly promote organic ingredients and display the farm from which they apparently get their ingredients. That's cool and all, but if you're going to go through the trouble of getting quality ingredients, you could make the effort and produce a better slice. 

I know pizza-by-the-slice places have to deal with things others don't have to, but it's really weird seeing my slice being put into an oven and reheated. That tripped me out.

I might come back...
3 - Fabian S.: Used to be better back in the days, now its just a huge slice of greasiness.  Wouldn't eat here as much now but for the price for that huge slice of pizza is a good deal.  

causes your pipes to run brown water if you know what I mean, eh eh eh????!111!11
4 - Nick P.: Despite my 6 years of Bay Area living, today was my first time visiting Blondie's Pizza in Berkeley, CA. My friend suggested grabbing a slice to share (since they're pretty damn big), which was definitely a good idea on her part.

We shared a slice of the pepperoni (which I ordinarily steer clear of, but now realize why it's such a popular topping!). Quite greasy, but hey - that's what fine pizza's all about.

The physical environment of Blondie's is pretty basic, but that's okay. It's obviously clean, but still has an overall grimey-chic Berkeley feel to it. The staff were friendly and one of the workers totally chatted up my friend because she was wearing an "I love London" tank, written in Arabic. Nice of him to notice, though!
4 - Simon F.: I like Fat Slice a little better, but I often went to Blondie's while an undergraduate too. It's a classic establishment that everyone should go to at least once.

+As Jennie R. has indicated, the pepperoni pizzas are out of this world. The crust is thick and soft, the sauce is noticeable but not overpowering, and there's always a generous helping of cheese.
The vegetarian pizzas are supposed to be very good too (as a big carnivore, I can't really comment on them).
All pizzas are hot the vast majority of the time (I had one or two lukewarm slices while I was a student).
+Slices are served all day, and they're very big. I often ordered two, but most people will be satisfied with just one.
+Lunch deals are going on all the time. A slice of pizza with a small soda costs about $4. A slice of pizza by itself costs about $3 (some slices are as cheap as $2.25).
+There are a lot of concert posters on the walls and other vintage decor to look at.
+There's usually great rock music playing inside.
+Fast service. Even if there's a line (this is usually the case), you're not going to be waiting more than a few minutes. The employees really try to move people along.
+Good hours. Blondie's is often open until 9 or 10 p.m.
+Great location. Blondie's is right in the heart of Telegraph Avenue, and there are a lot of great stores around (of course, there are other places to eat too). You can also buy something from one of the street vendors (I ignored them when I was a student, partly because I never had much money on me).

-Berkeley employees tend to be competent, but not very friendly (in general, employees working in a place as busy as Blondie's are going to be more concerned with working quickly than with smiling at every customer who walks in).
-Maybe things have changed, but I always found the pizzas I had delivered to be better than the ones I ate inside (this is definitely a minus because only people living in the area can have pizza delivered). This is the case with some other pizza places too (ex: The New Yorker Pizza in Union City). It might have something to do with slices being rushed out (the pizzas probably aren't as carefully made as the ones being delivered).
-This location is a hole in the wall. There are a few tables inside, and you can eat standing up facing the left or right wall (there are also some spots facing the back). That's it.
In contrast, the Blondie's in San Francisco is situated in a two-story building, and there's a lot of room to eat downstairs (the area by the counter is fairly small). You can sit at a table and everything.
-It tends to be dirty inside.
-It's worse outside of Fat Slice, but don't be surprised if a homeless person or two asks you for change while you're entering or leaving.
-This isn't an issue with me, but the large pizza slices are somewhat greasy (if you order a whole pizza, the slices should be less greasy).
-While inside, it's hard to put pepper, parmesan cheese, or anything else on your pizza (the shakers are big, but there are only a few of them, and sometimes you have to reach over someone to grab one- they're tied to the counters by string).
-Customers won't really care if they get in your way or jostle you a little while you're eating. It's especially busy here in the early afternoon.
-Telegraph Avenue isn't the safest place to be at night (in an attempted mugging, someone I know was beat up by a bunch of thugs when he refused to give them his wallet). If you decide to stop by late, it's wise to have someone go with you.

A lot of people love, or at least like, Blondie's. The pizza isn't for everyone, but I definitely recommend giving it a try if you haven't already.
2 - Jeremy G.: A few words come to mind when I think of Blondie's: 

-overpriced
-overloaded
-ironic
-unoriginal

Every day they have a new signature slice, but they come so loaded with toppings that one must ask themselves, if the slice is really that original.  I had a pesto slice that tasted like peppers and not pine nuts.  I also had a pepperoni slice that was greasily adequate.  For less money, I can get better ingredients at Cheeseboard or even a better take on the greasy pepperoni at Fat Slice.
4 - Sean N.: Haven't been to Blondie's since my old SF days, and Swanie was still slingin pies there. Took my boy, which was nice. (the circle is now complete). I love the pepperoni, which I think makes their pizza what it is. It is a little less thick than I remembered (one slice used to be a meal), but still thick and awesome. Vibe is still the same - vague smell of urine from the sidewalk, and some street vendor sermonizing through the open window about the virtues of 60's and 70's rock. Awesometown. 

Historical footnote:  late night grand slam from college road trips to Cal included a slice from Blondies, a Top Dog, a burger from a long gone joint, and a King Pin Donut.
4 - kim n.: Make Pizza Not War. Indeed. One of the first good by the slice pizza places I experienced when I started going to college. Like that of Fat Slice across the way, it's a great big slice of greasy goodness, especially if there's pepperoni oil flowing all over the plate. Bigger and more eclectic, though I discovered this place first I think their in a dead heat with Fat Slice and I like them both equally. Sorry, just not willing to take sides and this is strictly a mood thing. Or crowded thing.
5 - V L.: This is a Berkeley Classic! Who doesn't like Blondies... I've been going here for almost 20 years now... the staff is always friendly, it's wheelchair friendly... and the pizza tastes GREAT... the prices are descent.... what's not to love about Blondies... other than the sometimes annoying teenagers that hang out there - but it's near UC Berkeley so you have to expect that... :op
5 - Nick S.: A favorite of locals and tourists alike, Blondies goes hard in the pizza game. Fat slices and a drink for under 5 bucks is hard to beat especially with the quality they provide. This place is the ish to put it lightly. Do yourself a favor and try the Tomato and Artichoke special. Comes with tomatoes, artichokes hearts, mushrooms, and pesto sauce. Its on point!
4 - PHAN V.: My first time EVER in Berkeley was roughly 10 years ago, I was traveling to the city to check out the campus and get a feel for the town.  Right there in the middle of the hustle and bustle known as Telegraph resides Blondie's.  This place is always packed and understandably so.  The slices are huge and the taste is superb.  I have tried three types of pizzas that they offer here, their pepperoni, BBQ chicken and vegetable.  The amount of pepperoni that comes with each slice is generous and they bake it to perfection, a little greasy but hey its a pizza right?  The bbq chicken was good, the BBQ sauce they use is sweet with a slight tang to it towards the end of your bite, I recommend trying it out when its the special of the day.  Lastly, I am a MEAT kind of guy but decided to try something different for once.  The veggie slice did not disappoint, the amount of toppings they gave me made me forget that there was no meat in it, it was really good.  Blondie's is open late and if you're a starving student or pinching pennies, they have a little something for everyone!  Eat Up!
2 - John M.: Oh how the mighty have fallen. The Blondie's of my teen years was always worth the drive. Biting into a thick cheesy bite of pepperoni pizza is one of the main things I remember about hanging in Berkeley, yet it seems Blondie's has decided that "thick pepperoni slice" (from the sign above the registers) actually means "thin floppy pepperoni slice". Additionally, the cashier charged us 6 cents extra for the combo due to keystroke laziness on his register and just made excuses when I pointed it out. When I went to get a refill on my pathetically small drink I was told I had to pay an additional 50 cents. Are you kidding me? Fuck this place, never coming back.
3 - Learnee L.: I don't think this place need another review.

Blondie's is an old establishment and hasn't changed much.
One thing I noticed: crusts got thinner.

cheap, pretty good, quick.
4 - James C.: So first, the price is fair, the veggie pizza is around $3.25, but the pizza could be considered gourmet so it is totally reasonable.  The service was good, I asked for my water bottle room temperature, the girl was more than willing to go back in to their storage room to get me one.  The atmosphere was cozy, feel free to go by yourself (I actually recommend it).  They have a nice wall full of magazine articles to read while you enjoy a wonderful pizza by itself.
4 - Sara N.: Absolutely the best crust on a pizza. I felt that the crust on Blondie's Pizza was really unique. I thoroughly enjoyed eating the not too thin and not too thick crust that was nicely seasoned. 

Warning Chiptole Pizza is very very spicy...in a good way of course.
4 - Juan R.: Doughy crust, lots and lots of cheese.  Toppings are plentiful if you choose to order them.  Relatively affordable too.
3 - Analisa S.: There was no wait when I entered Blondie's, but it looks like the pizza is pre-made and reheated when you order. It seems like, when I was in school, Blondie's had a bigger pizza and thicker crust with cornmeal that would get everywhere. The one I ate recently was a lot thinner and crispy (I always enjoy a crispy crust), but it was just wasn't as I remembered. The restaurant also looks different; the vintage posters are gone, replaced with a mural of sorts. I do like the layout; it's an open eatery with seats . They have a good beer selection and a much more extensive menu than Fat Slice, including more custom combinations of pizza and salads. I enjoyed my classic pepperoni, which had a pool of grease sitting at the top (yum!), but I felt like the pepperoni was overcooked, a little chewy, and some of the flavor had been lost.
5 - Luis O.: I've been going to Blondie's Pizza since the late 80's (as far as I can rememeber, lol) in both SF and Berkeley. Still love the pizza, can't go wrong here. I've never had a bad experience.
1 - Katarina M.: Individual slices flabby, greasy, lukewarm, somehow not even as cohesive as Round Table.  And dude, the cheese didn't make that string between slice and bite.  It was coagulated. And no golden brown crunchiness. :( All of these problems can probably be chalked up to not-fresh-ness.

just... walk to Cheeseboard.  Nice workers though.
3 - Kathy C.: A great place to grab a quick bite. Maybe we went here at an off time because they were out of chicken and chorizo so my boyfriend and I both weren't able to have our first pick of pizza. To be fair it was around 4pm but lots of their menu items had chicken on it so it was kind of weird to run out of one of the main ingredients! 

I forget what my slice was called verbatim but it was a white pizza with pesto sauce and lots of veggies on top. My boyfriend ordered the chipotle pizza with sausage instead of chorizo (since they ran out of it).

Overall, really cool place with a nice feel. We sat by the window that opens up completely so we got some fresh air and a front seat view of Telegraph. 

One major thing that turned me off though was that our slices were luke warm. When it comes to pizza, it should be piping hot to the point where the cheese is really oozy and melted. 

For the price this place is great but I don't think I'd be going back. I would rather spend a few more dollars for a place that has all ingredients in stock and serves their slices hot.

Worth trying once though if you're in the area!
4 - Jessica P.: I've only been there once.. and it was amazing!!
My friends and I were going to a Cal Berkely Volleyball game and we wanted to stop for dinner. So we went to Blondies and there were a lot of us... They have many different sizes. We got the biggest size and it was huge and it wasn't very expensive as i recall. We got sausage and peporonie. it was yummy
3 - Joie T.: Cheap pizza!  That's what this place is, cheap pizza!  And I'm not calling it cheap, like a cheap whore, or maybe I am.  But it's hella cheap pizza!  If you're low on the funds and need some grub, you need to get the cheap pizza!

I got a salad, which is pre-made.  For some reason I was thinking that they would make the salad for me fresh.  I'm not sure why.  Maybe because the pizza is made fresh.  Otherwise the salad was decent.  I would have felt better if it had more chicken in it.  But like I said it was decent.  I really should have gotten the cheap pizza!

The place is kind of dingy, but what do you expect when you have cheap pizza?  Candles, romantic music.  Oh, hell no!  You get sticky tables and counters.  If you are a germ a phobe, please make sure you wipe down your table and seat before using them.  Or better yet, get your pizza to-go and eat else where.  The workers there look intimidating, but they are hella nice.  Like hella nice and patient!  I'm glad they have quality workers to go with the cheap pizza!!!
5 - Salonje R.: Love this place!  Pizza is great!  Staff are super hot!
4 - Briget P.: Fresh, hot, slightly crispy, and ol' fashioned greasy goodness with a side of coke for about $5 -- Holla.
2 - Dayton T.: Very cheap, but not much else going for it. Lukewarm pizza without much substance to it.
4 - Daniel C.: I lived off these slices for a while in my younger days.  I have had NY pizza and this is comparable. It was always a great place for young skateboarders and anarchists to get some work and make some awesome pizza for cheap.   Always look forward to grabbing a slice of just the cheese and making a meal out of it.
5 - Jimmy H.: My favorite Pizza in the bay area thus far!
2 - Jonathan C.: Updated preface/background: I used to eat more than average in terms of quantity (I've eaten 2 Chipotle Burritos in one sitting) but now I am more focused on quality and am always looking for a great deal (read: value).  And my ratings don't really take service into account, although if it is a terrible experience, I'll make that known.

Came in around 6pm, and ordered a cheese pizza, since I knew I didn't want too much since I knew I was going to eat dinner in a few hours (I know, late dinner).  The pizza was floppy and soft, and kind of reminded me of elementary school, rectangle pizza.  At the time in elementary school, I absolutely loved that pizza.  But I also didn't know better.  Blondie's pizza is kind of like that.  And I'm no pizza snob, but I do appreciate a good slice.

The ambiance/decor, though is very very unique, and definitely has that skater/retro type of feel to it.  Again, just to see the place, I would come here to simply check the place out, but not necessarily order food from here.  It was filled with what seemed to be hipster and skater high school students, and a few hipster adults in there too (not sure what category I was under, probably the tourist category).

I came here because I was in Berkeley, and saw this spot off of Telegraph.  But all in all, I wouldn't come back, but the sign lured me in, because it looked so...fun.
4 - Christine D.: The best buy by the slice pepperoni pizza I've ever had.  Great in a pinch or if you've got the munchies while on a budget.  A little greasy but so delicious I had to have 2.  I'd try some of their signature slices if I lived in the area.
2 - Rebecca H.: (vegetarian reviewer)

Pros: You get interesting combinations and the veggies look like real veggies

Cons: My pizza was floppy, with cheese that fell off in a droopy style. The salad did not taste fresh to me (regular side salad, served in a paper bowl with plastic wrap over it). And the pizza lacked any oomph, almost like it had been cooked in a microwave. Definitely like cafeteria food. The floor was not clean, either, and so I sat with my bag in my lap to keep it from getting sticky.
3 - Anthony C.: Quick, cheap, and inexpensive pizza by the slice. These 3 things earn Blondie's 3 stars.
1 - Chris P.: Don't get me wrong.
Their pizza is great.
HOWEVER, they wouldn't serve me what I wanted, a whole 18" Chipotle Chicken pizza because they didn't want to make it. WTF
5 - buddy p.: without a doubt - best pizza on the planet, perhaps in the universe. regardless of the kind i got - i was not disappointed. i never am. the crust alone is made from bready goodness, and the ingredients!! i believe they have a bunch culinary elves in the back who put it all together. 
great wait staff - very patient, and courteous. i've never had issues with them in all the years i've been going there...
 the fountain cups could be bigger,but on the whole - it's a yumfest.
every time i've gone, i really haven't had to wait in a long time, which is great because there have been times when the line goes out the door. 
i love people watching and the window seat. telegraph avenue provides great entertainment value for free. 
for me - a trip to berkeley involves pizza from Blondie's,  and dogs from Top Dog.
3 - David C.: A decent slice of pie at competitive prices.  In terms of taste, I'd definitely prefer fat slice down the block.  Blondies definitely has more topping variety under the heat lamps.
1 - Nick B.: This place is horrible!!! Avoid. Extremely rude and bad service. Bad quality and price.
3 - Rocco D.: Pizza's just alright here.  I usually just get the Godzilla with all my friends.
5 - Joseph P.: Hands down this is my favorite place for a slice of Pepperoni Pizza. I don't eat swine so I normally wouldn't eat Pork Pepperoni, Lucky for me this place uses Beef Pepperoni! It tastes amazing! They always have slices coming out fresh out the oven, if you are in the area, do not miss the chance to have a legendary slice of pizza at Blondies! - Extremely satisfied customer!
4 - Carl T.: QUICK, EASY AND GREASY!

This is a great stop whenever you're in Berkeley. Get a quick bite of pizza heaven. Its decently priced and not really too dirty on the inside! Most people are really on the go around here but they've got tables and chairs if you just wan to chill and eat and people watch since we all know that there are some crazy character in Berkeley. There's not really much to say about the place, it's a quick pizza joint. Flavor wise it isn't that bad but to me it isn't the best. its also very affordable slices and the selection is abundant with unique concoctions to satisfy your craving. So all you kids out there if you're ever in the Berkeley area stop by and grab a bite and you wont be disappointed!
3 - Samuel C.: It's pretty good pizza, and it's definitely better than Pepe's down the street.
I first came here with my family on the day I moved in as a freshman, and we ordered the whole wheat vegetarian because we're all conscious eaters. We waited around 15 minutes, which I suppose is around the time it takes for a pizza, but I noticed when we got our pizza that the entire bottom was burnt. Literally charred past distinguishable flavor. We took it back to them so that they could make us a new one but they argued with us that it was how it was supposed to be. Finally they relented and baked us a new one, but their quality checking is pretty dismal.

Now, onto the actual food, the pizza actually tasted a lot better than it sounds. The vegetables tasted pretty fresh and the dough was crispy. It was also around $18 for a large 16" pizza, which seems pretty decent a price.

If you crave pizza, this will probably be the place to get it close to campus.
3 - Varada G.: Blondies is okay. It's a pretty good value meal (especially the drinks---they're $1, but the new cashier who started work today didn't know any better and was selling them for 50 cents) and I think well-suited for their average cash-strapped collegiate customer who just needs to quell his hunger for a few hours between classes. 

The pizza comes out pretty greasy, unless you get the healthy option which is meatless and rather unappetizing looking. It tastes fine though and made for a completely adequate meal, nothing more. 

I think Fat Slice tastes better (if you compare pepperoni to pepperoni, veggie to veggie, although not much else can be compared) but Blondie's has a much better seating area. It looks cozy and clean, while Fat Slice's frequently reeks of the bathroom right behind the kitchen or an extremely odd, pungent mixture of pizza ingredients. 

Overall, this place is alright, not the best.
3 - Kay A.: Coming from New York I'm always a bit skeptical when I'm eating pizza from a local area away from home but this place isn't so bad. They do advertise huge slices of pizza and these slices just wasn't that big to me. 

I got a few slices of pepperoni pizza and a cheese slice. I had to carry the slices for 20 min back home so they were not as warm as I would have liked. I enjoyed the crispiness of the slices along with the grease. Even somewhat cool the pizza tasted good, I was just a bit disappointed by the size of the pizza: I was expecting gigantic slices of pizza.
4 - Luis-armando A.: So when I lived in San Francisco one of my favorite places to go on the weekends was to Berkley across the bay. I would spend my days going to the great record stores and book stores and my favorite place to eat was at Blondies Pizza. They have the biggest and best slices of pizza at a great price. The pizza was greasy and cheesy and always went home happy. If your in the bay area you have to go to blondies!
2 - Mel Z.: Quick, cheap, easy 'n greasy. 

Came for a late-night slice. Clearly mistimed my visit because I was seeking the hallowed BBQ chicken but today's special was chorizo instead. Bummer.

Ended up picking the whole-wheat vegetarian slice, which looked thicker than the chorizo and pepperoni. Pizza was pretty tasteless until you bite your way through the cheese. For all the grease involved, I did not feel like I was eating the "healthiest pizza in all of Berkeley" (beg your pardon, Blondie's). Oh well, whatchu pay is whatchu get.
4 - Lo S.: Love a veggie slice where the veggies outweigh the cheese and crust.
5 - Sabrina Alexandra L.: Simple, cheap, and amazing pizzas. What else can you ask for? 

I know this place is highly overrated, I don't think I've ever not heard anyone say "Let's go to Blondies" while being in Berkeley. If your ever in the neighborhood, give it a shot!
3 - Frank K.: Blondies, classic Berkeley place ....
Pizza is better than average, no where near as good as Zach's, but then again, two different types of pizza.  
Blondies is great for a quick piece of pizza when crushing thru Berkeley.
4 - Heather J.: A Berkeley classic, cheap pizza in a convenient location on Telegraph.  Blondie's can get a bit busy during the school year around lunch time, but other than that is a good little pizza place to try.
1 - Dave S.: Once great, no more! This place used to make one mean pizza, but I went there yesterday and it was lousy! The service was poor. The girl at the front counter acted as if she had never looked at their own menu and spoke with a barely audible voice. After waiting 20 or so minutes, they delivered a flat, blah looking pizza. It looked nothing like I had remembered. When I told the guy who dropped it off it was supposed to be thick crust, he just stared at me, said nothing, then walked away. Another girl came over to check and explained "it's because of the weather."  The pizza was greasy, had almost no sauce and sparse toppings. I explained to my family, it used to be great, it did.....just not anymore. The pizza was crap, it tasted like a frozen pizza. I suspect hey must've sold the chain or something? What was once a great pizza joint is now completely passable. I will never go back!
5 - Shawn T.: Love It!!!
4 - Mya M.: Not as big as one in SF, but just as good.
Back in the day the pizza use to be so thick and puffy, now they're thin and crispy. Oh well, times are tough. The pizza is still really good tho. Affordable, good assortment of pizza and fast.
1 - Jeffrey M.: Yuck!! It is not at all like I remembered it...
2 - Nevena G.: I feel like the service wasn't that great. The workers had somewhat of a sarcastic tone of voice. The pizza wasn't anything special either.
4 - Frederick Q.: Pizza is good but $4 a slice is way overpriced.
5 - Michael M.: Good greasy pizza and pretty cheap. They won't validate your parking, but they will help you with your hunger. Grab a fast slice for under 3 bucks or a pretty decent sized pizza for 10. Just look out for seating because this place fills up fast.
4 - Tina S.: As a long time patron of Blondie's Pizza, I will say this: wont stop on Telegraph without grabbing a quick slice. There's nothing like it and they've got decent prices. Only thing I can say is: Please think about closing the window in the winter; maybe sweep near the cheese, pepper, etc shake area on that one wall. Thanks for still being there, Blondies. Miss your Pleasant Hill Location.
3 - Jenn Y.: Really fast service with reasonable prices, I tend to go here when the lines for other places are too long. The pizza is okay, nothing fantastic, but not bad at all.
1 - jen r.: i don't know why i bother ordering a pizza when they just wait til you get there to make it. this has happened at least 5 times in the last year. i have called in orders, gone in & talked to someone face to face & every time same result. i go in tell them i ordered a cheese pizza easy on the sauce & well done they look at me with a blank expression say it will be a minute & give me the next cheese pizza that is barely cooked to come out of the oven. thank goodness for nicks pizza on shattuck. maybe you guys should go in there to see how to treat your customers & make a pizza. you have disappointed me for the last time!
2 - Carrie A.: I love pizza but this place is just so gross. There is such good pizza in Berkeley, but not at this place.
5 - Rick K.: Just because they are Blondies.  But seriously, is there a better pie?
1 - Sarah H.: Really underwhelming...we came Friday at 10:30pm. They weren't taking orders anymore for whole pizzas (even though they are open until 2am?) so we had to get slices. The pepperoni pizza was really greasy. No one was full after 1 slice (hence why we wanted to buy a whole pizza) and we ended up going to Top Dog after. Top Dog was delicious, we wished that we'd skipped the pizza and headed there first.
4 - Voidy Q.: There are only a few things that can pull me away from Bongo Burger when I'm in Berkeley. Ready? Here they are: 
1. Magic Mushroom
2. Pesto Chicken

Those two daily specials are the BOMB DIGGITY. When I'm eating it, it's like there's a party in my mouth, and everyone's grindin' up on each other and shit. Bomb freakin' diggity. 

Sadly, I'm never in Berkeley on the days when a magic mushroom slice is served. It's a sad feel, indeed. ;_;

But, oh! What's that? I'm missing one star? Well, that's because their pizza can be greasy (but the pesto chicken isn't too bad) and the crust is thin. Also, their vegetarian option really could have been so much more (it's so DRY), but that's an issue beyond the control of anyone working there. 

The magic mushroom and the pesto chicken make up for those faults in spades. If you ever see those daily specials, do yourself a favor, and go in, and get a slice. It'll be like a party in your mouth, and everyone's all dancin' and grindin' up on each other and shit. Bomb freakin' diggity.
2 - Lanee J.: Meh - pizza was not great.  Veggie was bland and pepperoni was just sort of . . . meh.  It was open late but probably won't be going again.

Blue Angel - New York City, NY (40.8141019, -73.9597774) (Harlem)
4 - Heather H.: You know that little restaurant that opened up around the block from you a year or so ago and you've been a couple times and you think it's awesome and just what the neighborhood needs but every time you walk past or go have a meal, it's basically empty, leaving you to fear that one day you'll come to eat only to find it closed, and then you wonder how it's managed to stay open as long as it has with such (undeservedly because it's such an awesome place with great atmosphere, good food, and an excellent lunch special) poor patronage (I mean can they really be making that much on take out and delivery) so you conclude that it must be a front for some sort of evil crime syndicate with good taste in decor and food?

Well, that's Blue Angel for me.  I love the place but it always seems empty.  Just in case it's not backed by dirty money in need of laundering, please go check it out, like it, and keep going so it doesn't close.

Thank you.
4 - Rose S.: This place has wicked good Thai Curry, Pad Thai, and spring rolls.  The owner got all the furniture and assorted things from Thailand.
4 - Jeff K.: When I order soup at Thai restaurants, I like it really spicy.  On the verge of pain, and at least to the point where people at adjacent tables are convinced I'm having a heart attack.  Asking for this level of spice is difficult sometimes, though, since when I ask, the waitress usually gives me that look -- "Uh, pale white boy, you want it really spicy? You can't handle it.  I'll bring it to you mild.".  Thankfully, this waitress had a scale, which allowed me to choose precisely how much I wanted to sweat.  Sure, it was a scale from 1 to 7 (???), but I adjusted, and ordered a 6.  And it hurt, but in a really good way.

All in all, the food here was great, but I'm concerned about it's future as a restaurant.  It's a little intimidating from the outside -- empty, dark, "serious date" feeling -- and with Kenny G rocking the airwaves on the inside... thank god the food is great.

Anyway, I really hope they stick around.  I think that may require a few changes, though.
5 - Carl F.: The fact that this place closed is proof that quality sometimes doesn't survive.  What a nice place.  MUCH better than the restaurant that's replaced it.

Blue Bird Antiques - Ithaca, NY (42.4395013, -76.4995097) ()
5 - Q. C.: I am going to RAVE as this wonderful antique store is chock full of the types of things I adore: propaganda posters, objects and ephemera from the Masons and Odd Fellows, great ceramics and china, fashion, and things that communicate illustration and humor. The owner is engaged and loves what she does--which communicates in her selection and feel of the store. Worth the trip (and hang on to your pocketbooks! as the temptations are amazing!)
5 - Lisa Frank F.: Awesome quality estate pieces and clothing. 
I arrived in Ithaca with no furniture, table, dresser and set to Bluebird my first day in town to fulfill one of these needs.. and I scored BIG time! As sson as I entered the door a marvelous grey & red speckled formica 1950's table with leaf and 4 matching chairs gazed at me. I could not resist its uniquely intricate ice/speckled pattern, as usually these tables are kinda boring in how iconic they are..but not this one. 
I browsed a little bit and fell in love again with a navy blue satin Edwardian dress with blue velvet bows at the waistline that led to inset blue velvet stripes in the skirt, and blue velvet bows on the cuffs! EEEE!! And after asking if I could try the fragile beauty on...it fit perfectly, of course!
After an inquiry on my part as to whether there were any "Buy-one- table, get-a-dress-50%off-sale", the shopowner kindly obliged and gave me a lil deal on the dress!
Everything in the shop is already affordably priced according to their rarity and condition, so I was stoked this magnificent table and rare piece of textile & fashion history set me back only $300, because it would surely be double that in any other antique dealer mall
Thankyou Bluebird for making me feel at home already!
5 - Demetra M.: Love to shop around for interesting pieces here!

Blue Coral Seafood & Spirits - La Jolla, CA (32.86996, -117.2247421) (University City)
4 - Amy P.: Great upscale seafood restaurant with awesome cocktails. I loved the lobster macaroni and cheese. They serve king crab totally out of the shell that floats in a butter broth, it was incredible. Really pretty on the inside, great service too, dessert took a long time but was a tasty chocolate cake. Pricey but worth it.
4 - renee w.: My 1st time! loved the atmosphere. Great service! Must try it out for yourself!! Not to mention the food was prepared perfectly!
2 - Bob H.: I totally disagree with the other reviewers here... I took my wife to Blue Coral and we were very disappointed.  While the decor and service were good the food wasn't good (at any price).

We started with the lobster bisque.  It wasn't hot enough and was bland.  The yellowtail crudo appetizer was odd.  The blood orange vinaigrette had  a strange finishing taste.  

The shrimp scampi tasted like it just came out of a plastic bag.  It's also had too much butter.  Really disappointed with this dish.

My wife had the fillet mignon with shiitake mushrooms and peppercorn demi-glace flavored hollandaise.  She said it was very salty.  

The best item for me was the mushroom risotto.  While it was also a bit salty it had a nice flavor.

It's a very cool restaurant.... Have a drink and then go next door to Flemings (don't feel guilty, Flemings is owned by the same company as Blue Coral).
4 - Megan M.: We came on a Tuesday night with a group of 13. Service and decor are phenomenal. They have a great outdoor area that would be nice on a summer night. 

The food overall was good, but some dishes were definitely lacking. Entrees were great except a few...namely the chef's special of sole. Several at the table ordered it and commented that it was too rich. The standout's were definitely the sides. The mushroom risotto was out of this world, not salty like the other reviewer noted. The blue cheese coleslaw was awesome. I had the baked goat cheese appetizer and it was great. The one thing that was boring was the lobster mac n cheese. Too bland for my tastes.

Cocktails were phenomenal. I had the "Blue Bubbles", a mix of champagne, Stoli Blueberi vodka, apple liqueur, pomegranate essence with a few blueberries. Very tasty. Everyone at the table loved their drinks. 

Dessert was awesome as well. The chocolate cake was a wait but worth it. The chef's special of cheesecake with peaches was phenomenal as well.

Overall, pricey but they do have a few dishes that are standouts. Next time I'm on the La Jolla area I'll return to try more!
4 - alicia L.: Went to this modern sexy seafood house for our anniversary and were delighted by the swanky attitude and the great service.  The cocktails and food were out of this world!  We had lemongrass infused vodka and then chowed down on two huge lobster tails!  The food was exquisite as was the service. We would highly reccomend the hamachi sashimi appetizer too!
4 - Bony K.: My bf & I came here to celebrate our bday here. We made reservations online through their website which is pretty high tech to the point that your reservation can be booked onto your Microsoft Onlook schedule. There is a bar when you step in with these nice blue lights. We were seated & greeted right away into this big round like booth. The iced water that they serve you with the choice of lime or lemon on a stick was different.  The bread is quite different & the best bread I've had so far since it taste closer to a biscuit, but their butter is so soft close to whip cream texture with a hint of sweetness served in this unique little bowl. For appetizer we shared this large crabcake which is just full of quality crab meat (it could be just as good or possibly better than Oceanaire's) along with a different take on coleslaw that wasn't heavy at all. For entrees my bf had the Chilean seabass which was picture perfect & the crispness/tenderness was just right. I had the Alaskan crab legs which I could not for the life of me finish only half my plate which was meaty with the succulent sweetness. The butter sauce served over a fire was a nice touch. The wild mushroom risotto that we shared as a side was also good as well. For dessert after being close to not being able to walk at all we were offered dessert & shared a trio fresh fruit sorbet consisting of mango, berry & pineapple which was definitely cleansing to the palate. What I really liked about this place although it's definitely a place I would return for a special occasion celebration or for business clients, is that our waiter had a comfortable sense of humor & charm.  Staff service was awesome couldn't ask for more, they didn't come around too often interfering with conversation & our glasses of either wine or water was always kept being filled. At the end I noticed they comped our dessert for the bday. The interesting ending was walking out the door & hearing the chanting of "kiss, kiss, kiss, then dance, dance, dance" from a group of white haired older men from Flemings outdoor patio. It appeared to be 2 lipstick lesbians getting alittle cozy while waiting for valet with one another as we were passing by.
4 - Neeno S.: I've been here twice over the past few months, the most recent last week. Only for business, this place is pricey and is actually owned by Flemings two doors down. In fact, you can order any Flemings steak from here if the rest of your party is ordering fish as there is only one steak item on the menu.
The cornbread to start off is delicious, probably not the healthiest but I liked it. Some fish you can have them prepare any way you like (broiled, poached, sauteed).  I ordered the special halibut encrusted in blue corn chips with a chile based sauce. Hot and delicious. Big portion too.  We also ordered a la carte (all sides are a la carte) the mushroom risotto and grilled vegetables. Both of which I would recommend.  The side mushroom risotto is only $9 but can be easily split with 3 people!  You can actually order this as a standalone dish is you don't feel like fish or steak. It 's very creamy and cooked perfectly.  The grilled veg platter is also large.  Wine selection is great, not as much variety as Flemings but enough to satisfy.
Ambience is great service is excellent.  I love the wall waterfalls by the bar.  It is kind of wierd though to see a big flat screen tv from the dining area since I would consider this to be more upscale restaurant.
4 - David T.: Went here for drinks and apps....we sat on the patio outside it was very nice.  Calamari is outstanding!  Will come here again to have dinner.
3 - Candice A.: I wanted to like this place -- I really did.  I went here for their recently instated happy hour, which was where I went wrong.  While the bartender was awesome and friendly, the rest of the experience left much to be desired.  Their happy hour menu is still being worked out, but they basically have a few food selections and a few drink selections for $5 each.  Which would be a good deal...except the food was mediocre and the wine selections were even worse.  The bartender even admitted that the $5 Pinot Noir was pretty bad.  His justification was that it's hard to find a good $5/glass Pinot Noir.  I happen to agree, but that's not a good reason to stick it on your menu anyway.  There is no reason why they need to keep a bad wine on the menu -- either charge more for a better wine and forget about the catchy $5 pricing, or charge $5 for a better wine and suck up the loss 'cause it's happy hour.  As far as the happy hour food went, it was pretty mediocre.  There was no sushi on the happy hour menu, which made me sad.  They did have a salmon pate that was weird, but not too bad, and some shrimp dish that was just okay.  The bartender admitted that they were still working the kinks out of the happy hour menu.  I appreciated their honesty and  quest for improvement, but it's unlikely that I will come here again -- for happy hour or for anything else.  

They did have a pretty impressive vodka bar though.  Lots of obscure (to me) brands that I expect vodka drinkers will appreciate.  So maybe come here for that.
5 - Kim L.: Amazing seafood.  Seriously.  I ate so much food here, and ALL of it was out-of-control amazing.

Here's what I had that I love: clam chowder (with BACON!), scallops with a meyer-lemon glaze, oysterst rockefeller, raw oyster appetizer, chilean seabass with blood-orange sauce, crab cakes, lobster mac 'n cheese, truffled french fries, and buttermilk biscuits with whipped butter.  Lots and lots of outstanding seafood, everything cooked perfectly with perfect sauces.  Oh my goodness I need to go back.  Oh yeah, and a wonderful pumpkin cheesecake.

I do have to mention the cocktails.  They take a lot of time to infuse their vodkas and do a lot of different and delicious things.  I personally loved the two lemonades they have on the menu, and my husband had a couple of others that were so unusual and delicious.  If anything, I highly recommend going there for drinks if you're not up for seafood.

Unfortunately this establishment shares the same block as the Melting Pot, Flemings, and Japengo, which happen to be somewhat more popular choices.  If you're a seafood fan I definitely suggest trying this place out, it was an unforgettable experience!
4 - Karen Y.: why is this place empty on a sunday night? oh well that's fine, just means more attentive service for me.
great place for dinner when living in temp corp housing in utc.  crabcakes were delicious with a tomato aioli sauce.  the salmon with bearnaise sauce was perfectly cooked- sauce was not overly creamy and heavy.  i liked what my husband ordered better though, stuffed lobster with a hint of cajun seasoning.  sides are tasty as well, more than enough mushroom risotto and grilled veggies for two more people.
we were way too full for my usual dessert choices (usually the chocolate items), so we split raspberry sorbet with fresh berries- it was awesome.
4 - Phu P.: I went this past Friday evening and it was surprisingly empty.  Well, it seemed empty at least.  This place is huge inside with plenty of comfy seating.  We had a booth and it was very private.  The decor is put together nicely - on the upscale side, but not too stuffy.

I had been to the one in Newport Beach in the OC and had a great experience there.  I had high expectations for this one in La Jolla.

We had a field day with the appetizers and that left little room for the main course.  Things to try:  Seafood trio, yellow tail crudo (with jalapeno), and oysters.

The petrole was awesome.  Light and tasty.

The service was spotty throughout the night.  The server disappeared for long stretches without checking up.  My sushi came without chopsticks, but the guy who was responsible for the drink refills was on top of it before the server.  And for a nice place like this, it's always appreciated when the manager swings by - especially when it's not so busy.

In the end, really good all around.
5 - joanna s.: The biscuits with sweet butter is to die for!

I thought the lobster bisque was sooo flavorful, and there was a good chunk of fresh lobster in it.

the house special lobster mac and cheese was good - but overpriced in my opinion. The bisque was much better in terms of getting solid lobster out of it.

I had the seabass that was cooked to perfection - it totally melted in my mouth.

No comments about the spirits but i did have their blue corol lemonade that was extra delicious -- they had floating raspberries in it for the final touches.

they also have snobby fish and chips made out of mahi mahi! what a waste! was too full to try dessert but they had the standard molten chocolate flair.
5 - Jay O.: This place rocks, as long as you are ready to drop a little cash.  The restaurant itself is beautiful and sexy - GREAT place for a date.  The bar has nice booths in which you can get close or spread out.

If you like fruit-infused vodka drinks, this is the place.  You will pay top dollar for their specialty cocktails, but if you're only having a few, it's worth it.  The fruits and juices found in their drinks are fresh, delicious, and the flavor combinations are exotic and sexy.  Try the Blueberry Drop.  If you're a guy, just get your girlfriend to order it and have a sip..

All of the food we tried was outstanding and FULL of flavor - beef tenderloin sliders (with a really nice cole slaw that contained a touch of blue cheese), lobster macaroni and cheese (big chunks of lobster in a thick, rich sauce), clam chowder that was near-perfect, and great little biscuits with sweet whipped butter.

Will definitely be heading back here.  I'm pretty sure I want to try almost everything on the menu, which will be a long-term project on a scientist's salary.  :)

Take your date here, or just go with some friends for happy hour!
4 - Elizabeth H.: I've only been to the Blue Coral for Happy Hour, so I that is all I can base my review on.  The Blue Coral lemonade was one of the best speciality drinks I have ever had.  It comes with a blackberry, raspberry and blueberry garnish and is sooo refreshing.  Just the right amount of alcohol!  

The interior of the restaurant is beautiful, very tastifully done.  If you sit at the bar you can watch the big screen tvs through this waterfall type thing.  The bartenders were very very nice and did not have an attitude at all (which you sometimes find in the area).  

I don't know what they put in the biscuits they serve, but they are amazing.  Amazing enough for anyone who is cutting out carbs to slip up and stuff their face.  :)

The only thing I was disappointed in is that I was there during HH, but they did not have a HH menu.  Afterwards I asked about it and they said "Oh yeah, we do have HH specials".
4 - Jen T.: San Diego needs more seafood places. This place is 3.5 stars for me...

Last weekend the BF asked where I wanted to go for dinner and I said I wanted seafood, so we decided to try Blue Coral.

I really liked the decor. It was trendy, chic yet felt comfortable at the same time.  The decor is very similar to Flemings, but not as dark. 

We ordered very bacis things that night. Lobster Bisque, Shrimp Cocktail, Broiled Lobster, Seabass...everything was good and tasted fresh. My seabass was cooked perfectly. It was pan seared so evenly golden on both sides. The fish was tender and flaky. The lobster bisque was very flavorful. Not too creamy and they had chunks of lobster in it. Tho it was not fresh lobster, and it was the cheap frozen kind of lobster. The BF said the shrimp cocktail and lobster was good.  They also had fresh homemade bisquits, altho they did taste a little like Bisquick bisquits.

So would I recommend coming here? Sure, its a pretty good option for seafood. Altho next time Im gonna try their house special which is the Lobster En Fuego.
5 - Holly Ann J.: THIS RESTAURANT CLOSED - Sad but True!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blue Coral opened in early 2007 so it really hasn't been here long. It's located at the Aventine La Jolla/Hyatt Regency complex.  It's one of the creations of the founders of Fleming's Prime Steakhouse.  

Lucky for us, this fabulous seafood restaurant is right in our neighbor'hood.'  

I've had dinner here once and cocktails twice.  

Dinner  was a muy romantico getaway for my husband and me!  The service was impeccable.  The food delicious.  The decor and lighting impressive. If I recall correctly, our waiter brought us water with a choice of sliced lemons or limes on the side.  I really appreciated the extra effort and detail in service!  

On two other occasions, I enjoyed cocktails in the outdoor lounge area with girlfriends.  Very relaxing and posh.  Love the outdoor fire pit over galvanized glass pieces.  It's such a great place to relax and unwind.

Blue Coral Seafood and Spirits will definitely make a grand impression on you ... as it did for me!
5 - Sara M.: My husband and I went last night for Restaurant Week - and WOW. Everything from the atmosphere, to the service, to the food itself was exceptional and peerless among the restaurants I've attended in the past. 

After a quick conference with my waiter friend to get his recommendations, I chose the blue coral tempura roll for my appetizer and the alaskan halibut for my main course. I requested a substitute of lobster macaroni for an accompaniment, which the waiter was happy to accommodate. And I finished everything off with the flourless chocolate cake. My husband also got the tempura roll, but ordered the mahi mahi for dinner with a side of spinach, and the new york cheesecake for dessert.

The tempura roll was fantastic. I was a little leery of the unagi, having never had the opportunity to indulge before, but it was succulent and wonderful, with just the right amount of spice, and very nicely complemented by the crunch of the tempura. I was quite finished after the third slice, and pushed it off onto hubby's plate, where it quickly disappeared. He loves sushi in ways that escape me, although I suppose if every piece of sushi I had tasted like this, I'd soon be in sushi nirvana with him.

Upon tasting a bit of each of our main course fishes, I was satisfied that I'd made the right choice for myself - the halibut was cooked perfectly, moist with just an edge of crispiness, and although it didn't taste as clean as the sea bass I tried elsewhere last weekend, it was still deliciously devoid of that too-fishy flavour. And the lobster cream sauce pond it sat in was amazing - not half as heavy as I'd expected, and a really nice complement to the halibut. Beau's mahi mahi was much more moist than my halibut, and infused with a lemony citrus flavour - excellent if you're a fan of citrus, but not my dish. He says he wasn't particularly blown away by it, but then admits that he's not the best judge of cooked fish in the first place (being such a fan of sushi, that is; he "prefers the natural oils of the fish") - and adds that the butter sauce brought a lot of flavour to the fish.

The lobster macaroni. Holy gods, the lobster macaroni. This was quite possibly the best dish of the evening; part of me still finds it incredibly difficult to believe that this is merely a side dish, and not the main event! At first I was a little disappointed because I could see no visible lobster, and I thought that maybe they'd cut it up super-small and scattered it throughout the shells - a huge underestimation, as my first bite turned out to be the most succulent, opulent piece of lobster I have ever tasted. It was creamy, it was dreamy, it absolutely melted me. They talk about going weak in the knees at the sight of your first love, but this dissolved every bone in my body with rapture. Sorry, first love :p

My flourless chocolate cake was to. die. for. And I don't necessarily mean that as an exaggeration; if I were on Death Row and they asked me what I wanted for a final meal, it would be this. It was warm, incredibly moist, and rich, the chocolate like velvet in my mouth and it was just so good, there literally aren't words I could use that would do it justice. It was, overall, the perfect ending to a perfect meal.

And what a meal. At the end of the evening our total damages were $140 - but the $40 was tip, which I felt was the least we could do for having been offered stellar service in a relaxed, enjoyable atmosphere with the most incredible food I've had to date. Sadly due to a bill that size we will not be able to go as often as I'd like to; never let it be said that I am a cheap date! But it was definitely worth the indulgence this time around, and I'll definitely be keeping it in mind as a choice for any special occasion that happens to pass our way.
4 - Pauline E.: I really wanted to give this place 3 1/2 stars, but unfortunately, that's not an option on here.  Oh, well, here we go nonetheless . . .

First of all, parking kinda sucks.  It's a little hard to find parking on your own (especially since they apparently recently painted much of the curbs red on the street) and the other option is to valet.  My boyfriend and I parked up the hill from the restaurant and walked down--not a good call in new heels, but that's my own fault.

On the plus side, we were seated almost immediately.  (Granted, it was Sunday at 5:45p, but still.)  I had made reservations online, but it turned out to be more or less unnecessary, as the restaurant was relatively empty when we showed up.  The service was prompt and the servers very friendly and helpful.  They even managed to make me feel okay about knocking over a wineglass with my menu almost immediately after sitting down.  

The ambience is very nice--low lighting, quiet environment.  I could easily see it being a nice place to go with someone special even when it's more crowded.  

The food itself was good, although I felt it was a little overpriced for what it was.  We ordered the steamer clams as an appetizer and they were absolutely delicious.  As for entrees, my boyfriend ordered the yellowfin tuna on a wasabi sauce (can't remember the exact description, sorry) and I had the chilean sea bass with a blood orange butter sauce.  They were also having a great deal where bottles of wine were half off, so we ordered a bottle of Cakebread . . . was it Chardonnay?  Sauvignon Blanc?  I think it was the latter, but at any rate, it was quite good.  I was fascinated by the scepter they put in the bottle to keep it cool without having to put the bottle on ice, but again, that's just me.

The big beef I had with the entrees was that the fish was served on a plate of sauce, more or less.  The bottom of the plate was covered with whatever sauce came with the fish and my boyfriend and I both found that the flavors of the sauce tended to overpower the fish.  In addition, while I thoroughly enjoyed the chilean sea bass, I did find it a little salty.  Still good, just not as good as I had hoped.

For dessert, we received complimentary berries sabayon, as we had mentioned that it was our anniversary.  Delicious, but at that point, I was so stuffed that I couldn't really do the dessert justice.  To top it all off, they brought us three pieces of toffeenut chocolate with our check.  Oh, dear, I'm glad I wore a flowy dress.  Walking back to the car was somewhat painful.

So, to sum up this rather rambling review: good service, good ambience, good food, just a little overpriced, in my opinion.
4 - Hope R.: What I remember most is the beautiful interior decor and ambiance - electric indigo lights highlighting the bar, waterfalls cascading over sleek flat-screen TVs, blue coral sculptures pedestaled atop booth ends, large modern lanterns adding a soft, honey-colored glow to the otherwise deep aquatic atmosphere. The service is just as august and well-architected as the decor. You can hardly think of a request before it is promptly and kindly satisfied. The bar offers an extensive wine list and flirty cocktails. With respect to the food, the seafood is excellent with creative and decadent entrees, but I would prefer a simple, purist dish from the Fishery any day. All in all, Blue Coral is an indulgent, worthwhile experience, but perhaps better suited for drinks than for dinner for the seafood purist.
5 - meg r.: This place single handedly changed my opinion of seafood. I never really liked it before, I thought I hated fish, but I loved everything I tried here. Since this experience I've actually been ordering fish of my own accord!

Before I get into the food, the atmosphere was pretty nice. It's dark inside and lit with blue light. We sat in the bar/lounge area, there are still a few booths up there and you can order food. It's a relaxing atmosphere, and it was fairly quiet, you could have a decent conversation without shouting. They also have an outdoor seating area, as well as a fire pit that you can sit around. It was pretty romantic. The staff was fantastic as well, they checked on us a lot and made sure everything was going well and that we had everything we needed. It definitely facilitated more drinking. 

Now for the food!
We started off with the dam dam shrimp (which is damn damn good) and the fried calamari. The shrimp all disappeared, they were so tasty. I was expecting something a little spicy from the description, but there was no heat to it at all, a little sweet actually. The calamari was pretty standard, it was nothing compared to the shrimp, but it was good. 

For dinner we got the blue coral cioppino (colossal shrimp, jumbo sea scallops, alaskan king crab, manila clams, p.e.i. mussels and hand-cut fresh fish simmered in a rich and zesty tomato broth). My partner in crime tells me the fish was halibut (I hunted out and ate every piece of it I could find). It was really a great dish though, I got to try all kinds of seafood and it was tasty and delicious. They had some enormous scallops too (not the biggest fan of the scallops, but I think my love of the halibut may have interfered). 

Also, some nummy spirits to be had. They have infused vodka on the lounge menu and it was really something else. I got the lemongrass one and it was fantastic, it tasted like juice, pear juice in particular. My friend got the blueberry pomegranate one and it too tasted like juice! I couldn't taste the alcohol in either. The four-berry one did not taste like juice though, could definitely taste the vodka in that one. Beyond the infused vodkas they have a large selection of vodkas, and even offer vodka flights. We didn't try those, but I'm keeping it in mind for another trip. They also have a nice selection of mojitos. We tried their classic mojito, it was definitely the favorite. We also tried their vojito, which is a vodka mojito with blueberry flavors. It wasn't as good, but points to them for experimenting. 

Overall, I loved this place. Great atmosphere, great food, great drinks. It made for a very enjoyable evening. Let's go back!
3 - Min K.: I've been here 4 times total, 3 for after work happy hours and once for dinner. 

First, the happy hours. They were all work related events so, free booze and appetizers. YAY! Their cocktails are VERY good. My favorite is their blueberry cocktail. It tastes so much like yummy juice, and they give you fresh blueberries on a stick in your drink. But they are deceptively strong. All of their appetizers are good too. I'm not sure if the food we have at these events are on the regular menu, but their beef carpaccio type thing is super good, and so are their crab salad type of thing on a cracker.

If it was just based on the happy hours, I'd give them 4 stars (not 5 because parking is a pain and it's quite pricey). But the one time I had dinner here, I was very disappointed. I ordered some type of fish thingy baked in foil. It sounded so delicious, but I was wrong. It was very bland. Also, the rest of my party seemed to love their biscuits, but they just reminded me of the biscuits you can get at Red Lobster. I thought it was "meh". For the prices they charge, I was definitely expecting more.

So, try this place for drinks. I think they make all their cocktails with FRESH fruit juice, no flavored syrup here. Also, they have a huge vodka bar, if your into that type of thing. I'm not, but the people I go with always rave about their vodka selection and quality. Try the food at your own risk...
2 - Chris W.: As fans of the Hyatt, Japengo, and Fleming's, we had high hopes for Blue Coral.  High hopes dashed, unfortunately.  As far as decor, it's very corporate hotel chain chic -- I would never bring a first date here, unless they like plasma screens and a few random ice sculptures.  We liked the fact that we were there on half price wine night -- a pleasant surprise.  But my fish entree was dramatically overcooked, and if you're a fish restaurant, that's really inexcusable.  Sure, I could have sent it back (and should have), but more importantly a "seafood" restaurant should never have served it in the first place...
4 - Carrie-C N.: Pretty tasty.  One of the best clam chowders I have ever tasted.  Decent portion.  Very friendly.  Highly recommend.
1 - Marcelo N.: Unfortunately they closed it down. Going to miss the butter biscuits.
4 - Ciejay S.: they're closed? You have to be futher mucking kidding me? Ugh! They have the best blueberry pomegranate martini EVER! Ugh. I'm going to cry myself to bed now that I know I'll never be able to have thise drink again.

HEY, but if you knew any of the bartenders...tell them to holla atcha poi and give this Hawaiian coconut the recipe! word!

Blue Elephant - Providence, RI (41.819668, -71.396915) (Fox Point)
4 - Damon I.: I awoke waterlogged from the previous evening's revelry in dire need of a hangover absorbing breakfast.  Our homely beadheaded entourage trundled it's way down the street in hopes that Blue Elephant had more cowbell for our fever.

We threw the team name in the hat for a sizable table of nine that nearly filled one of the two rooms.  The menu stated, "Fine Food and Jewelry?"  Sure enough, hand made jewelery of beaded, turquoise, and general seventies variety adorned the walls and was for sale.  Of course, I was there for the food, so I'm just going to list everything we ordered that was all really good and recommended, including beverages.  Hot chocolate, latte, soy latte, macchiato, nova lox platter, seaside benedict, caprese fried egg sandwich, huevos moboso, and (deep breath) challah french toast.  To be fair, the challah french toast wasn't good - it was a moving work of colorful culinary artistry that's only available at BE on weekends.  The challah bread soaked in egg and served with fruit, pecans, and nutella now haunts me at the thought of ordering french toast elsewhere.  The coffee drinks also deserve special mention.  Eyes across the table lit up with pleasant shock as we passed hot cups around to share flavors.

Blue Elephant is small and easily missed on Wickenden St., but a better breakfast can't be found easily and where else can you pick up jewelry at the same time?
3 - Jonny C.: This occupies the space formerly filled by Restaurante Romanza on Wickenden next to Samson Realty and the Wick Pub.  Great space, victorian design, two rooms, ample seating.
 
Ate here on a Thursday morning at ten and it was d to the ead. Huge menu, including some funky variations on eggs Benny: a Crab benny, a southwestern benny and some others. The menu was split 50/40/10, breakfast, lunch dinner. The dinner menu looked like the lunch menu with some ridiculously overpriced entree specials. This is a meal one and twoer, fa'sho.  

I had a some creatively named breakfast sandwhich which was essentially a western omelet's separate ingredients on a breaded vehicle of choice. They dashed it with green Tabasco which was nice. It came with homefries and ended up being like 4 and a quarter. hella cheap, pretty tasty. The lady had a sando with eggs, feta, greek sausage and tomatoes which was tasty. Also cheap, like 3.95. Coffee was standard.

I'm sure ill be back when on Wick and not wanting to deal with the bullshit at Brickway or the boringness of Zogs.

They sell local made jewelry as well, and it is featured on the walls. Nice stuff for the most part.
2 - Will D.: So...the Blue Elephant. I'd been wanting to try breakfast there. Sunday early afternoon, the wait was 25 minutes. The atmosphere is cute, homey, comfortable. The vibe pretty relaxed. The food? A huge dissapointment. I ordered the Buddy Steak and Eggs, my steak medium rare. It arrived 20 minutes later, the thin steak well done to the dry point, the eggs were ok, the homefries bland and absolutely tasteless. My white toast could have been a sponge from the kitchen left out for a few weeks. No taste, dry as a bone. At 10.95, I wasn't expecting the best, but how about some seasoning? The server was friendly, and the coffee was good, but, that's about it.
5 - GARY-SOUSA G.: Josh does a good job with the restaurant....food is better than the brickway down the street....i like the steak and eggs.....tastes like steak......juicey....nice job josh (Josh is the owner)....
4 - Alicia C.: 3.5 stars
Stopped in this little place with my old roommates while I was home for the holidays. Kind of felt as if we were busting in to someone's row house home at first, but inside it was quaint. Tables were done up decoupage-style making it hard to focus on the task at hand (deciding on breakfast!) since I am easily distract-able... but they were very interesting nonetheless. As an added bonus, you can 'window' shop while dining as they have jewelry for sale set up along the walls  (talk about killing two birds with one stone... wall art for the restaurant and a side business!)... yet another thing to distract from the food... but again, I enjoyed looking, so not complaining!

Getting back to the food (finally)... I decided to go with 'beauty and the feast' - french toast (or pancakes) with eggs, choice of meat (I went with bacon), home fries, and fresh fruit. Being hungry, all that food sounded like a good idea at the time... but as it came out I started to question whether I'd finish... then they brought out the 'side' of fruit which was nearly a meal in itself... and I knew I was doomed. The french toast was great, bacon was good but a little too crispy for my taste, the potatoes I wish had been a bit -more- crispy but had good flavoring with a bit of a kick, the eggs - just OK... by the time I even attempted the fruit I was already way full, but tried it anyway. It was a mix of cantaloupe, honey dew, pineapple, red grapes, and kiwi... kiwi and the grapes were my fav... but definitely didn't have enough room for more than a few pieces.

All in all, a good choice for a late morning Sunday brunch. Bonus points for the decor, but docked slightly for sitting us down at a sticky table that we had to clean ourselves. Not sure how great this place would be for large groups since the space it pretty tight, but pretty good for a party of 4 or less I'd say. If I lived in the area, I'd definitely be back to give this place another try.
3 - Lauren R.: I had brunch at Blue Elephant the last time I visited my sister in Providence.  The restaurant is located on the first floor of an old house; there are two dining rooms, with a waiting / welcome area in between them.  It's a very cute space, but it is very small and gets overly crowded very easily.  One of the more interesting aspects of the restaurant is that handmade jewelry is for sale and on display on the walls of the dining rooms.

My sister and I went here on a Sunday afternoon.  The line was long, the waiting area was crowded and really hot (the fire in the fireplace hadn't quite died yet), and there was a crazy, disgruntled waitress talking loudly to herself about how she wished she could tell everyone to go home.  Some actually did.  When we were seated, it was at a very small table (which was decorated with vintage music posters) against a wall right next to the door...it was a little claustrophobic.  There also weren't enough menus for us, which I had to approach the staff about.  The same goes for silverware and napkins.

As a consummate omelet enthusiast and a former art history student, I experienced a moment of geeky euphoria when I saw that the Blue Elephant has named its omelets after famous artists.  After much deliberation, I ordered the Caravaggio ($7.50), which features pepperoni, tomato, olive tapenade, and mozzarella.  It also came with home fries and toast.  My sister tried to order a hot chocolate and the challah french toast complete with Nutella, was told that they were out of both.  She settled for the Magritte omelet ($7.50), which has green apple, red onion, cracked red pepper, and brie.  I really enjoyed my omelet; the ingredients hit all of the flavor notes that I expected them to.  Not so for my sister's (and I had some of it, so I'm not just basing this on her observations).  Personally, I had almost ordered the Magritte, but had refrained from doing so because of my reservations about putting brie in an omelet.  Its consistency just didn't seem to lend itself to being in an omelet.  Also, the onions in her omelet were raw; it was like whoever had made it had forgotten to put in the onions until the last minute.  It wasn't all that appetizing.  

It was an interesting experience, to say the least.  I really enjoyed my meal, but wouldn't recommend that anyone come here during the brunch rush on the weekend - between the harried employees and rookie mistakes in the kitchen, the Blue Elephant's energy just ends up being really stressful.  This is definitely not a restaurant where you can sit and relax for an extended period of time on a Sunday afternoon.  I wish I could give it more stars, but the shoddy service prevents me from doing so.
3 - Juhi D.: i think its the best breakfast all day menu on wickenden. the service is questionable- we had two different servers. everytime i have walked by here it looks closed but then i pushed forward and it was open! 

the only tiff i have with this place is that i don't quite understand what they are trying to do. the jewelry on the walls...the asian icons in the window with bettie page pinup...lending library...i just didnt get it 

the food was great! they have nutella french toast!
5 - Jenny M.: WHAT!? I cannot believe the Blue Elephant is closed. This place was AMAZING! Delicious challah french toast with fruit and nutella, delicious omelets named after artists... delicious side patio with so many warm-weather hangover-nursing memories attached. This is TERRIBLE!
4 - Stella C.: I used to love coming here! They had some menu items that were different and always delicious. I guess their closed now!! I hope I can find someplace to make me that delicious challah french toast... it was heavenly!!!

Blue Fin Sushi & Teriyaki - Claremont, CA (34.107552, -117.704011) ()
3 - Ryan P.: Average strip mall sushi.  Edamame is good.  Prices are slightly high for what you get.
4 - Mack S.: I go to Blue Fin only on Sundays, every Sunday afternoon they have live music outside on the patio. The only problem with this is they don't serve food outside, so you have to get it to go. Now about the food, OK sushi, the prices seem rather high for the quality they make. The people at the counter are not really to knowledgeable about sushi or 
sashimi so know your sushi if you plan on going!
3 - Betty L.: This place is neither particularly good, nor cheap. The service is friendly and the place is clean, but it is basically what you would expect from a fast food sushi place. Most of the rolls ran around $9 and the fish didn't really seem that fresh. I got a Bento box which cost 10.50. My suggestion is to pass on this place unless you're really in a rush.
3 - Seth G.: This is more of a type of Japanese restaurant to go if you want decent Japanese food but haven't the time to take you time to sit down and relax as would be wont of most diners. Ordering is done at the counter, which saves a lot of time at least if you know what to order, and you aren't the type that stands in the line at a coffee shop pondering ad infinitum about what to get while the queue behind you beings to resemble a human model of the Great Wall of China. 

It is slightly pricey, but it is not inconsistent with nearly all businesses in the Claremont area. 

They also feature a nice patio area where jazz is presented every Sunday between 2:00-5:00PM.
1 - Sean B.: Bad overpriced sushi.  The same price as going to a real sushi bar with nowhere near the quality or selection.  It is a mystery to me that it continues to stay in business.  There may not be a great variety of top quality sushi bars in the area, but you could certainly do better for the money.  Try Kishi in upland, or even Kinya in the village is usually pretty good.  I think if you're going to have a fast food sushi restaurant, it shouldnt cost the same as a real sushi bar.  Not recommended.
2 - chelsea c.: This is the Inland Empire, one doesn't really expect to find great sushi here.  This place is not about to prove you wrong.  It is not authentic sushi, given that I heard Korean spoken in the kitchen.  Fish is a step or two above "edible," slices are small, and prices are unreasonable.  My outrage over the rip-off that is their chirashi is what instigated this review - I was just at Ranch 99 and a sushi bowl there, with four times as much fish at the same level of freshness, with three times as much rice, was half the price.  You do the math.  My guess is that they can get away with it because honey, ain't NOTHIN out here.  This is a land of Walmarts and In N Outs.

However.  During your wanderings through these bland and cultureless streets, should you be seized by an insatiable craving for something, anything resembling Japanese or Korean cuisine, this place suffices.  Get one of their teriyaki plates: GREAT portion of meat for the price, plus soup and salad.  They serve kalbi here too, albeit extraordinarily priced.   They have what looks to be a creative selection of rolls, including a "lobster roll," though I have not tried any of them due to the price factor, except for the Claremont roll, which again was a huge rip-off (really tiny, with mushy rice, for about 8 bucks).  Their patio area is enchanting in the evening, with all those twinkle lights up.  There is jazz here on Sunday afternoons which I have yet to try, that alone may garner the place one more star from me.

In short: do not come here for sushi.
5 - Andrea H.: I don't know why people have given this place bad reviews.  The sushi is quite good.  Try the California Rolls, Hawaiian Rolls, Baked Salmon Rolls, Tuna Tuna Rolls, or Pink Lady Rolls.  The teriyaki is quite good as well.  If you get your meal to stay you get free miso soup.  The prices are reasonable, the service is fast and friendly, and the place is clean and well run.
4 - Sam S.: Do not come here for the sushi! I will echo the other reviewers and warn you, the sushi is overpriced and will not leave you satisfied. However, if you are down with other dishes, you can walk away quite satisfied.

I usually order a bento, which includes a salad, miso soup, three sashimi (meh), a california roll (actually, pretty good 'cuz you can't really screw it up), and something else. That something might be eel, teriyaki chicken, gyoza, or tempura. All of the above are delicious. That'll run you $11 dollars, medium priced, but will leave you stuffed!!

Also delicious are the spicy tuna bowls and unagi (eel) bowls. Yummers.

Definitely the best japanese cuisine in the area. And they deliver!!
3 - Anna C.: Sushi is ok not fantastic and also not the worse in the world.  It is overpriced for the quality but when you're in a hurry it's a decent substitute..
4 - erin s.: Came here the other night because i wanted chicken teriyaki. I ordered the chicken teriyaki bowl, and it was a good sized portion for 5 bucks and some change. I also ordered a spicy salmon hand roll and a spicy tuna crunch roll and it was way too spicy. Too heavy of a hand on the sriracha hot sauce when they prepared that, but I would come back and try the other stuff. They have a lot of different rolls and dishes to choose from.
3 - Jason W.: Went here because of the reviews on Yelp and I have to say its ok, I wouldnt go here over my other sushi resturants. The rolls all taste pretty similar, uni sauce and spicy tuna. The handrolls dont have enough fish in them and for the price you can get better
2 - Susan P.: Blue Fin is your typical Korean owned local sushi joint. The sushi is at best mediocre, but will suffice if you have an unappeasable craving for sushi. Their bentos come with miso soup and a side of salad. This place is really better suited to those with no access to better sushi places, or those who want to take out a quick lunch. 

If you have a car, it would be better to go to Shogun(La Verne- on Foothill and D st) or Sushi Cruise (Claremont- Foothill and Towne) Shogun has lunch specials for $9 that will fill you up, with better quality sushi. Sushi Cruise might require extra bucks. . .

Prices:$5-9 per roll
Bentos: $10-12
4 - Jack G.: I recently had a "beef bowl" and it was amazing. The resturant should have a more kid-friendly apmosphere.
2 - Jasmine W.: we live less than a 5 minute's walk to blue fin and since we moved into our new spot yesterday (sans fridge) we decided to swing by and try out the local offerings.  while they're relatively friendly (we were a little annoyed because phone orders are a higher priority than when you're standing right in front of the register), offer free jazz on sunday afternoon, and have up-to-date magazines to flip through, the prices are more expensive than what i'd expect with the typical take-out set-up. 

i ordered the unagi and avocado bowl (tasty and decently portioned but with a lot of rice) and forrest y ordered the beef udon. we left feeling full but not spectacularly so and even though it's right around the corner, we probably won't be frequent diners.
2 - Natalie Rose L.: My boss recommended Blue Fin for 'excellent sushi.' I placed a phone order for crunch shrimp rolls & salmon sashimi. Upon arrival, I was surprised at the 'fast food' like look of the place. I will say the young man at the counter was very friendly. 

The food was very mediocre kinda blah. The salmon had a fishy smell, I didn't finish it or the rolls. I won't be heading back to Blue Fin... 

Needless to say, at least my boss was happy with over half a meal I left for him.
4 - Jason S.: This place rocks! It's nice to have a Japanese option that you don't need to sit down at. I have been there several times always for take out. I got the bento box every time so I can't comment on the other menu items. 
The soup is good and hot. I hate it when my soup is not hot, and I am always happy with this restaurant's soup. Tempura is pretty good & has a good variety of veggies. The salad dressing is a good typical Ginger dressing. The quality of meat is good and tastey. I've had the chicken, beef and salmon. The beef was a little over-salted, but tender. I really like the California rolls.
3 - Keiko T.: Way too expensive for fast food style sushi - almost same as nice sit down sushi. 
Sashimi= no good
1 - Robert T.: I want to like this place because it's convenient (e.g., local, quick and decently priced), but have been 3 times and have been disappointed.  The nigiri is flat out bad (although fair enough I shouldn't expect super high quality fish in a place like this, but I tried it).  But even the rice was always a bit old (dried out).  My last trip I thought I'd try a California roll in hopes that it would do in a pinch (as it is close to both my hose and office), but even that was a disappointment. So even as a SanSai level fast food sushi place, I have a hard time with it.
2 - Krysten I.: Blue Fin is really convenient for Claremont College students (right across the street from Mudd). Other than the convenience, Blue Fin doesn't have much going for it. Sure, it has a very extensive menu including sushi, sashimi, specialty rolls, tempura, salads, appetizers and MOCHI ICE CREAM. But the sushi isn't fresh and the teriyaki is salty and not very authentic tasting. The teriyaki bowls ($7-$8) come in a large styrofoam take out box and include vegetables. Depending on when you go, the staff ranges from an older Korean woman to Hispanic men to college age Caucasian men. I think I'd be more trusting that I was getting authentic sushi and teriyaki if there were some japanese staff (and/or some japanese customers).
3 - Robbie R.: For take out this place is pretty decent to me.  Prices are a little high but most sushi places are.  I like spicy chicken but I can't really taste theres.  It's just hot.   So next time ill just get teriyaki cause the chicken its self was fine.  The sushi is so so.  Overall its decent for Japanese take out.
3 - Kit W.: In terms of food, Blue Fin is okay for a take-out Japanese food place.  Some of their items are om nom and others are meh.  The om noms that I know of are their Mango and Avocado Salad (big portions and goes great with the ginger dressing!), hand rolls (all tasty and they don't skimp), and tempura.  The mehs are anything with sashimi as the fish is not very fresh (sadly I gave them a few tries before I figured that one out).  

In terms of service and convenience however (they deliver if your order's over $25!), I really like this place.  The woman who usually works the counter is incredibly friendly and we often chat whenever I am there and she's free.
3 - Nye T.: Typical fast food Sushi place. You get what you pay for. Places like these you dont get the fresh stuff. 

Location: Nice cozy place in Claremont, it seems like a location where many people would see. Next to an overpriced Chevron, and Starbucks. 

Atmosphere: ....riiiiiight. I think i saw like 5 tables inside. The intent of this place is most likely to-go styles, or a quick meal. 

Service: Order, wait, and eat. 

Food: Its alright. not impressive in anyway, and nothing to want you to come back for more. I ordered cooked stuff from here, mainly because i dont trust the raw from places such as these. 

Sanitation: Good, I hope. Nothing to report. 

Overall: If you dont care much for quality in your food, go eat this place. price is chill, but as stated above, you get what you pay for.
2 - Emma T.: I mean, it doesn't make me want to throw up...?

Blue Fin is obviously not a high-quality sushi place, but it's edible. Like other reviewers have said, I'd generally avoid eating large quantities of their sashimi. It's not revolting or anything but fish is just something you want to be sure is fresh. Blue Fin's fish is hovering near decent. That's not good enough for sushi.

Other than sushi, the portions here are pretty damn big, so if you're down to eat a cheap and ginormous plate of lettuce (iceberg blah), tomato (meh), and avocado (surprisingly tasty for a place like this) slathered in a dressing made of, according to the woman on the phone, "tomato, mayo, and salad," you're in luck.

This is a total "I'm bored and hungry and nothing is open or delivers right now" kind of place. The guy at the cashier is really sweet but they have a penchant for messing up orders. One time I went with a vegan friend and since it's a big deal if you mess up her order she checked and sure enough they gave her the wrong thing. So I checked and saw I had the wrong thing too. We told them and they took the orders back and then a while later gave us back our food and it was wrong again. At least they were trying? But they were failing. That hasn't happened to me since I went to Noah's Bagels when I was little and they got my order wrong FIVE times in a row. Ehh...

That being said, if you want green tea in a can, goodish udon, and a big-ass tempura roll, Blue Fin is totally fine.
4 - Nick N.: Good food, but pricey for a take out place.
3 - Rachid G.: Pass on the sushi. The other stuff is pretty good though a little pricey for the quality. It'll get the job done. I always feel like I'm waiting for a while here. Pretty good for takeout though. If you're eating in pick one of the other better Japanese restaurants in the area (Takumi, Cruise, Hayato).
2 - David B.: After a week of institutional food on the Scripps College, we were desperate for something outside of campus dining. Without a car at our disposal, we were looking for something we could easily access on foot. Blue Fin seemingly fit the bill. 

As described by others, it is sushi, fast food style. Everything was served in styrofoam containers. The maki roll I had was made quickly and looked pretty sloppy in its clam shell. The price was reasonable for what I got. Still, I have to admit, it was tasty. The sushi consumed by my dining colleagues was described as tasty. 

Although our stay on the Claremont campus will continue another week and a half, I think we will stick to Claremont Village for our non-institutional dining options.
3 - Ary A.: I gave it a 3 this time because the other reviews had it spot on. It's pricey when you realize the quality of food you're getting isn't that spectacular. The portions don't quite justify the price either. It's still good food, but Blu Fin has to remember: they are in a college town. They need to adjust their prices accordingly. :/
4 - John N.: I mostly come here at least two or three times a week and I order my usual #125. I've never have any complaints about this place. I got my wife hooked onto this place. So, she always gets the #78 with potstickers and sometimes she'll get her tempora shrimp along with it, but is if she's in the mood for some shrimp. If you haven't been here, I highly recommend you should go. It's a bit pricy, but it's worth your money. Because they get their supplies in fresh every week.
4 - ANDREW C.: I love its Yaki Udon and House noodle. I can go back time after time!
2 - Van D.: This was probably one of the worst sushi places I've ever been to -_-' 

When I came I didn't even expect much at all. They looked like an average sushi joint with the same prices and items on their menus, nothing special. which is fine, because I only wanted a quick dinner. 

I remember the asian waitress was standing there like she was trying to rush me (there was no one else in line, calm down chick!!) And when I tried to ask her about the menu, like "is the yaki soba good" she was just like.. huh? i dont know.. .. (jeez can't you freaken ask someone) But then her cowrker came over and told me he's had it and he liked it. He was nice.. but it doesnt make up for anything else.. .. 

So I sit down, the tables look really worn down and old. The miso soup comes, not yummy at all.. Tastes like there's old tofu in it =/ and the bowl looked all scratched up like it's super old. 

Then the food came out. I got the vegetable Yaki Soba .. and the waiter was nice, in asking if I wanted anything else, which i didnt. I felt a lil less annoyed cause the food "smelled" great... Too bad it didn't taste good. It was so unflavorful and bland. I did not taste any essence of the bell peppers, onions or sesame seeds in the dish. The noodle itself was too chewy. I took a bite and decided to just to-go the food -_-

The only reason I ate out that night was to save my time cooking so I can have more time to study. But instead I had to go home and "fix" this dish to make it edible.. ... 


Don't come here unless you're so cheap that you like eating cheap food and bad service -_-
5 - Joe C.: I eat here for lunch about once a week, and like it a lot. The teriyaki beef and spicy pork are my two favorites. We usually order take out because it's more convenient and it lets me get back to work faster, however it does have a nice dining room and on a nice day the patio is great!

It gets pretty busy sometimes at lunch but the help there is efficient and gets the food out quickly.
4 - Rebeka A.: My co-workers and I eat here at least once a week. Overall everything has been excellent and the staff is always super nice and friendly.  For a fast food (inland!) sushi place, I have found the (red) tuna and the salmon especially fresh and delicious! They have a huge variety of rolls and offer a generous amount of fish on each. I feel their prices could be a tiny bit lower (rolls range $11-$14), but they are fast (for mid week work lunches,) clean, friendly and their lunch combos are huge, we usually end up taking 1/2 home.

My friends love their spicy pork/chicken dishes which are delicious. And they have a nice outdoor seating area as well--although they count it as "take out" if you sit there. 

Overall for a quick, easy (although not necessarily cheap=) sushi "fix" Blue Fin is a great go-to!

Edited 8/20/12. As of my original review this place is under new ownership. The menu has not changed, but the quality has been inconsistent as far as service, freshness, flavor and presentation since then. Some of the meats have been flavorless or just plain greasy. While the presentation of the rolls remains high, I've actually had to send a roll back because the Maguro "red" tuna they brought me was a faded light pink that looked a week old! Gross! The new staff seems to be trying, so hopefully they will get the kinks worked out.
2 - Jenn A.: Terrible sushi. It had dry rice and the roll was falling apart! The fish was not fresh and I was very hungry after two rolls. Not worth it. I hear the Teriyaki is good? Stay FAR away if you want sushi though.
2 - Laura F.: This place has good food... But the worse service!!!! The lady had big attitude and very rude. If you want friendly service try King Kong Sushi in the Village in Claremont:) and they have way better food.
5 - Christina S.: Been coming here for years and you always get amazing service
4 - Cynthia S.: If you are looking for a fast food sushi place, this is it!  Good food, fast service, fresh sushi.  You'll spend about the same as you would at a regular sushi bar, and won't get the sushi bar atmosphere, but otherwise, a great lunch-hour choice. Their combo plates are plentiful.. you won't be hungry when you leave!
2 - Gifty B.: I really wanted to like this place as I love Japanese food and it's close to a place I go to frequently so I was hoping this was going to be my next quick go to Japanese food restaurant.

But nope, they didn't live up to my expectations.  Why?

When I ordered, I asked if I could have rice instead of miso soup. The cashier girl said yes, then quickly said oh, let me check with the kitchen.  I heard her asking but I didn't understand the response.  When I got my food I got miso soup, which tells me the answer was no or they forgot (both which I don't appreciate).  If the answer was no, I wish they would have just told me because I would have been willing to pay extra for rice since my son LOVES rice and since we were eating in the car miso soup just wasn't going to work.  I threw the miso soup away as I walked out of the restaurant. Strike 1.

I ordered tempura and the broccoli in the tempura was really mushy.  I don't know about you but I need my broccoli crunchy and I've never before had mushy broccoli so this was Strike 2.

The salad had a mayonnaisy type sauce, yuck, didn't like that but that's not worth the strike.  

Initially, I thought the prices were good but after eating, I was like that was a waste of money. This coupled with the 15 minute wait for my short ribs did equal strike 3 though.  Luckily, I had nothing better to do and was just listening to a cd in my car, but otherwise if I was in a hurry a 15 minute wait for short ribs would have really annoyed me.  

Good things:
Easy parking
Slow when I got there
Lots of pictures of everything

Note: Offer a Yelp deal or a Groupon and I might be willing to try again.
3 - Abby K.: I come here all the time. Not because it is great, but because it is convenient. The "combinations" are by far the best deal if you're looking to get a lot of food for not a lot of money. Otherwise it's basically japanese restaurant prices for a sub-par product.

The waitstaff is always friendly and accommodating. I'm also a big fan of the fact that they now offer brown rice!
3 - Deanna M.: Just moved into the area and found this place while pumping gas. Decided to check  it out because I was pretty hungry. I ordered a caterpillar roll and spicy tuna. This place wasn't the best experience but it wasn't horrible either. It's your run of the mill sushi joint. I'll come back for a sushi craving but not somewhere to go with a date.
3 - Elizabeth S.: My friend took me here while on our lunch break. 
The way he put it was "It's like fast food sushi." Didn't know that there was such a thing, but I soon found out why he would describe it as that. The sushi is of A-OK and it does come out pretty quick. It's a good spot for those craving for sushi but are only on a short lunch break. 

I had the avocado and eel rice bowl. I would probably recommend something else. It didn't come with a lot of eel like the other bowls. My friend got the teriyaki bowl and it came with a LOT of meat. I'd definitely recommend getting that instead.

Careful of eating outside. There's bees!
5 - Stephen E.: The chicken teriyaki is amazing! You get a huge portion that normally lasts two days for under 6 bucks. I haven't had their sushi but my co workers seemed pleased. I will def. keep coming back here. The food is great, the service is efficient, and you get a lot for the price.
2 - Catherine W.: I wish this place was better since it's close to campus, but the California rolls are kind of weird in texture and taste, like too much mayonnaise or something. The service is okay, a little slow, and not very authentic tasting.
4 - Matt w.: Great quick little spot to grab lunch. I would compare this to a nicer, family owned version of a Yoshinoya beef bowl type place with much better quality. 

The prices are excellent as well. I often forget about coming here, but wish I did more often. Also the staff is very nice as well. 

It's an easy place to get out spending only 5-7$ for lunch. How many places can you do that where you will get served solid, fresh food?
5 - Yong L.: This place was just ok before, but they have new management in here now. I recently went in and met the new manager, a jolly and friendly dude named Alex. I guess his family bought out the place not too long ago. Anyway, I think I'll be coming here more often since it's near where I get my hair cut. The prices are decent, and once you taste the food, you know you're getting your bang for your buck. I bought an Aloha roll and a shrimp crunch roll to go. I got busy and had to eat it later. I expected my sushi to be nasty by then, but even over an hour later, it was awesome. Of course it had cooled down by then, but the fish still tasted fresh and delicious. I've also had some roll with baked lobster on top of it, I forget what it's called. But that was good as well. They even have some bento boxes and teriyaki plates for people who are looking for that. Definitely check out Blue Fin if you're in the area.
5 - Jenna E. R.: very wonderful sushi, great customer service and friendly. Thank you very much.

Blue Garden Cafe - Menlo Park, CA (37.4420398, -122.1792626) ()
4 - Lillian Z.: My friend and I accidentally wandered into the Allied Arts Guild this afternoon (and it is GORGEOUS), and we decided to stop at this cafe for a bite to eat.

I was slightly confused at first because there was no sign indicating the name of the cafe, but the menu said it was the "Blue Garden Cafe." Apparently, the Blue Garden Cafe had its opening day today! Previously, it was called the Cafe Primavera, but since it's under new management, it's now the Blue Garden Cafe. The Cafe itself is really quite adorable and fits in nicely with the atmosphere of the Allied Arts Guild in general-- it was very charming and serene and made me feel fancy just by sitting there. Once it gets a bit warmer, they are planning to open up the cafe to have outdoor seating near the fountain outside and beyond, which I think will be lovely and add to the pleasant atmosphere of the entire place.

The food here is like what I would expect to find at a fancy cafe, which is appropriate, seeing as the place seems like exactly that... a fancy cafe. It is a bit on the expensive side for what they offer, but I do think that if I was to come here, it would be for the ambience AND for the food (which is all presented very elegantly). They have an assortment of fresh salads to choose from, as well as about 7 different entrees that all sounded quite appetizing. I want to come back and try the wild mushroom & gruyere! The burger was served with some really delicious honey mustard sauce on the side, and came with chips. For dessert, we ordered the flourless chocolate cake with warm berry compote. The cake itself was very rich-- almost brownie-like in texture, but combined with the warm berries (which turned out to just be strawberries), it was quite nice. I'm not sure if it was worth the $7 though. 

The servers at the cafe were all very sweet and accommodating. They closed at 3:30pm for lunch, but let us stay until 4pm without saying anything!

tl;dr: I'd say 3 stars for food, and 1 star for ambience. For cafe fare, it is quite good, albeit expensive, but the atmosphere of the place is simply amazing-- will definitely come back to just sit and catch up with friends. It's definitely a treasure hidden away in a residential setting. Tres adorable!
4 - Jennifer B.: Needless to say, the garden is gorgeous.  I would go here just for the beautiful flowers and garden.

My husband and I went here expecting to have lunch at Cafe Primavera, but were surprised to see that the restaurant is under new management.  We decided to try out Blue Garden Cafe and well, the food was okay.  

My hamburger was delicious, but my husband's sandwich, however, was just OK.  Nothing spectacular.  Definitely not as good as Cafe Primavera unfortunately.

But still, I'll give them four stars because the servers were very kind, the ambiance was nice, and of course, there's a beautiful view of the garden while you're having lunch.
2 - Angela p.: What a bummer!  Went here expecting Cafe Primavera and found a new restaurant had opened.  Oh well, I'll give it a shot.  The inside of the restaurant and atmosphere is completely different.  No friendly face to greet you as you enter; the front door is locked/blocked off and you have to enter through the side glass door which goes directly into the dining area off to the side.

The main dining room looks like a ghost town.  Some tables, no chairs, people, etc.  There's a little basket of plain cracker bread on each table and it would have been so much better if there was something to put on it (butter, dip?).  I ordered the BLT wrap, which came with home made potato chips.  The chips were the best part of the meal.  The wrap was dry and the chicken had absolutely no flavor.  There was a little balsamic dressing inside, but it just didn't work.  It was so watery, that the balsamic completely drained out of the bottom of the wrap as soon as I picked it up.

My friend ordered the burger and he said it was good; the only thing he would change would be the size of the bun as it was much larger than the patty.  He liked the flavor and also enjoyed the chips that came with it.

The service was good, although my server was the only one there and had his hands full (seating people, taking orders, filling water glasses and clearing dishes).  I was exhausted watching him.

Overall, based on this visit, I wouldn't return.  Too bad because it used to be such a lively, fun place to go.
5 - Mary G.: Great spot for lunch. Good food
4 - Mar S.: Pleasantly surprised after a long absence, of approximately 10 years.   Last weekend, a group of girlfriends, the GEMAS (real housewife wannabe's), and I visited this spot after a morning of pampering at LaBelle in Stanford.   This place is definitely a hidden gem in a residential area of Menlo Park.     We strolled in and were greeted by the sound of the fountains, beautiful Spanish style architecture, gorgeous flowers and serene surrounding.   This a perfect location for aspiring photographers as there are numerous photo opportunities.

Shopping:  There were only a few open shops.  However, the service was friendly and they offered cute and unique items.

Restaurant:  Beautiful Spanish style interior, awesome old fireplace, cool ceramic tile in the bathroom.

Food:  Various complimentary delicious flat bread slices(whole grain,  spinach, etc)  in cone receptacle.    Lunch -  

a)  Salmon Niciose Salad - Yummy but small portions
b)  Papperdelle & Prawns -  Delicious per Gema#3  
c)  Wild Mushroom & Gruyere grilled cheese w/housemade potato chips- Delectable!

Service was warm, friendly and accommodating!  We will be back....with our husbands!
4 - D. S.: Beautiful garden view, outdoor seating available (make a reservation and get one of those little tables by the fountain).  Great service!   The desserts are a delight.
3 - Karen C.: I was trying to find a contact for them so I could write a note.. but couldn't so here I am .. The food is always great.. the setting great..  the service.. agh..seriously we stood in the door way  for about five minutes today.. a waiter said yes we could sit outside, pick a table.. I thought he was following us with menus.. i finally got up and got them myself.. No one came to the table for about 15 minutes plus.. until I flagged someone down.. Everyone..but us.. had the nummy flatbread.. I had to ask for that.. We were almost done  when our waiter asked how our lunches were..   I love the restaurant ..please get some better waiters(where are the women?)  I watched them work and they basically never looked up..to see if anyone needed anything..from a waitress long ago... please make it better so I am happy to come back!!!
5 - tiana w.: Their bread pudding is heavenly!
3 - Amy O.: I want to like this place more. It is pretty and had a great patio as well. 

Our server was pretty half assing our table and there was an automatic gratuity of 18% that he didn't deserve (we had a larger party). Either he was high or just didn't get it. Hardly checking, on us, also would clear half the table and not the rest...just lame.

The food was ok. The people that ordered they'd tomato soup wetter super happy...i had one and it was delicious!! Most of everyone thought their sandwiches were ho-hum, but we all agreed the desserts were awesome.

Maybe pick a beautiful day to walk the gardens, sit outside, and order a dessert. We tried three different ones and were pleased.
5 - Mallory C.: I had never been to the Allied Arts Guild or the Blue Garden Cafe before. Last week a friend ask me to meet her there... oh my gosh, what a treat! It's a magical place! We ate outside on the patio. The blue themed garden was peaceful and the service was very friendly. I had baked salmon and a bowl of tomato soup. It warmed my tummy on the cloudy day. Next time I'm going to sneak in a bottle of wine. And I really want to go back and take the time to check out all the art studios. This adorable little restaurant is surrounded by a ton of artists. It's hard to believe how close this place is to Stanford Shopping Center and yet it feels like it's miles away from all the noise and chaos of the mall. It's very zen-like and I was amazed that I was driving through a neighborhood to get to our lunch destination. I just kept going since I usually believe Google maps, and sure enough, there it was. I love this little place.

Blue Hand - Houston, TX (29.7149772, -95.4137138) (West University)
5 - Janelle B.: I feel downright privileged to be the first to review this store.  I absolutely love it.  It is full of all kinds of little knick knacks, novelty items, figurines, clothes, bags, religious items, jewelry, and anything else unique and distinctive enough to make you fall in love.  I absolutely guarantee it, that you will find something that you feel you simply must have.

There are no two items alike in this store.  The layout is rooms full of tons of litlte things spilling all over the shelves, counters, bookcases.  Although you can find almost anything here, there's a definite cultural/eastern religious theme running through the store - lots of hindu, buddhist, native american, african tribal, etc kinds of items for sale.  
When I first walked in, I felt like I couldn't possibly open my eyes wide enough to take it all in.  I thought I was just going to stop by and browse for maybe 10 minutes.  An hour later, I was still looking.

The best thing about this store, though, is the storekeeper.  Her name is Marlene (although I understand there are two women who work there, I am only familiar with her).  After spending so long browsing, I eventually got to talking to her.  She is wonderful.  She has a gentle demeanor and a genuine interest in people.  She will put you at ease, and help you with anything.

Everything in this store is high quality, and reasonably priced.  Although the random assortment may make it seem kitschy, instead each item feels significant and distinctive.  It's a great place to find gifts, because while you are browsing, you are sure to see something that reminds you of somebody.  If you are the kind of person who wants to own things that nobody else has, this is where you will find what you are looking for.
5 - Erika V.: This store is like a hidden Jewel of buried treasures... 

They have an awesome selection of art from around the world and everything from post cards, to kids toys, drums, clothing, purses, Jewelry, and imports of all kinds from every spot on Earth! 

They always have something new and like the other yelp review stated they don't have two of anything. Everything in there is hand picked and one of a kind =) 

So, if you find yourself walking around by Rice University go take a look at the wonderful world of art and goodies inside of the Blue Hand!!
1 - Indigo A.: Mean shop girls.  I posted a review a couple of months ago and it was deleted.  I guess that YELP only keeps the good ones.  That doesn't make this a fair review if there aren't any opposing ones.  C'mon.
The parking sucks, you have to know where it is to find it.  They act like they are in the Village in NYC - PUHLEASE!!! This is Houston, Tx. 
It is a cluttered mess.  I guess if you love an uptight, yuppy garage sale store environment for Nordstrom's prices -- enjoy!!
1 - William F.: I went to the Blue Hand with my wife and three children. We were looking for interesting decorative items.  The lady working there was VERY mean and made us feel most unwelcome. My children were all well-dressed and well behaved.

It's a shame, because the store looked interesting. We won't be returning.

Blue Horn Lounge - Chapel Hill, NC (35.91352, -79.0548094) ()
5 - Kianna M.: This tiny bar & lounge is just in the downtown Chapel Hill area on Franklin Street.  It has super tinted black glass on the windows & doors, which keeps it "night like" even on bright sunny afternoons.  It's a small space, but it's really classy inside; there's seating at the bar and there are some side tables as well.  You'll find that they'll have bands playing in here on many nights & the music is great to stop in and listen to and chat with friends.   The service is excellent, ask for Rose, she's awesome and she's the master bartender, she knows how to make a superb drink.
3 - Henry S.: Blue Horn Lounge is probably the smallest bar in Chapel Hill, which doesn't fare well for an establishment that has live music almost every night. When there is a band there, it takes up about 1/3 of the available space, leaving the max occupancy somewhere around 15. I find the drinks overpriced for the quality, and it is sometimes hard to get to the bar as people try to cram in. Since it is the former Katie's pretzels remodeled, it is nice on the inside, with one of the nicest bathrooms I've seen in a bar or restaurant. On a dead night, it might be nice, but otherwise I wouldn't recommend it.
4 - Adrienne E.: The Blue Horn Lounge is a great place to grab a quick and semi-casual drink, but definitely not a place where I would spend an entire evening. 

The decor is naturally UNC-related, but it's still pretty elegant. There are a few barstools directly to the right of the entrance that face the window and it's kind of fun to sit and watch people walking by. Every time I've been there there bartenders were friendly and professional. 

It really is a tiny bar - more than 20 or so people in there at once would be crowded. There is only one toilet, but it's a very nice restroom. 

They've gone non-smoking somewhat recently, which is great because the ventilation just wasn't strong enough before. Overall it's a nice place to occasionally have a drink or two, but just not large or comfortable enough to be a whole lot more.
4 - John L.: The Blue Horn Lounge has a unique charm.  It's small, has tinted windows, and does seem a little uninviting.  But once you go inside, it's not too bad.  It's a little dark, but otherwise it seems like a nice place to grab a drink while waiting for a bus at the Varsity.  

That being said, I have no idea how they would have musical events here, as it is incredibly small.
5 - Rachel K.: This place rocks. The bartender are really easy going and are really good company. It's cozy and feels like drinking at home. 

It's a great place to stay all night or just to stop in for a quick drink on ur way to the game without being surrounded by children who can't hold their liquor. 

Working at a bar, it's one of my favorite places to drink which I think says a lot. Looooove it!
5 - Jake W.: Blue Horn is the best example of "your local neighborhood bar" I've ever been to. 

I grew up in Chapel Hill, but don't live there anymore, but came home for Christmas last December.  My friends and I randomly stumbled into Blue Horn one night and ended up going there every night after.

Tim, the owner, was tending bar every night and we became friends with him the first night.  One night he asked us what we wanted the special to be the next day.  We said Jager, and the next night, Jager shots were on special.  Consistently doing things like this is what make the place so special.

Instead of playing the radio or some random CD, they had a computer hooked up to one of the flatscreens and played music videos (taking requests, of course) most nights.  

This is the best place to go out on East Franklin if you're not in college anymore.

Blue Leaf - Houston, TX (29.716443, -95.415163) (West University)
4 - Anna W.: I've passed by Blue Leaf many (many) times on my way to Sephora, and once the word "stationery" registered in my mind (it's above the Blue Leaf windows--no other words really registered), I hopped my way in.

Blue Leaf is remniscent of Kuhl-Linscomb--there are furniture and home trimmings, but gifts and knickknacks. To the wall on the far left, you have your fancy schmancy lotions (e.g. Mor, Jo Malone) and stationery (Vera Wang, Kate Spade, Crane & Co.). With Kuhl-Linscomb, you definitely get the feeling that you're in a retail space. However, with the dim lighting, preponderance of dark wood furniture, and smaller second level, which sometimes doesn't have anyone working up there, I felt like I was in the "castle" in "My Little Princess." Wait--isn't that a horse? What's that book/movie where the girl is up in a tower, but pretends she's a princess, and turns out to be a princess, never mind that that story line runs in just about every fairy tale? "A Little Princess"! Thank you, Google.

There are two staircases, one in the middle and one on the right. One has fun notebooks at the bottom of the staircase. I now own a glittery moose notebook (kitsch is always cool) and a cherry blossom notebook. Though, I had bought some cherry blossom paper and a blank notebook at Paper Source, determined to make my own notebooks, only to realize that had cost more than the one from Blue Leaf. Damn. On the second floor, you have individual greeting cards, gifts for your dog, fun/tacky gifts, books, perfume, smaller and more expensive gifts (such as a hand-carved chess set--more than a grand is all I remember), and things to go on your bed (excluding Fabio).

Blue Leaf is fun to browse, though it gives me various heart-attack inducing moments (oh, that looks nice *flips over to look at price tag* ack, ack, okay, time to go look at some cards).
5 - mollie y.: For a one of a kind shopping experience GO TO BLUE LEAF!  The variety makes it a fun store for everyone!  For adults shopping to furnish their homes to their teens looking for fun gifts Blue Leaf has anything and everything inbetween.  

The second story of the store has an incredible collection of Bella Notte bedding and Pinecone Hill linens as well.  Blue Leaf is one of the few stores that carries Madame Alexander dolls and other timeless collectables.

Blue Leprechaun - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2749178, -83.7335841) (South University Ann Arbor)
3 - Elaine C.: The Blue Leprechaun has replaced Touchdowns, a change seemingly for the better. Note that I've never been to Touchdowns, so I can't really compare. But from comments I've heard (e.g. "it's worse than a cross between the Brown Jug and Studio 4"), I can only begin to imagine what it used to be like.

So, when a group of co-workers and I decided to have dinner at BL, I was definitely nervous and curious. Turns out the BL has completely renovated the interior. There were bright lights, lots of tables, and a central bar area, with fancy plasma TVs. Downstairs were pool tables and a private bar area you can reserve (Red's Den).

Although I made reservations for Bo's Den, the private dining room in front of the restaurant, another group was seated in the private room, and we ended up sitting in the main dining area. Happy Hour ends at 7pm, and all draft beers and appetizers are $1 off, so of course we ordered a few appetizers. We started off with jalapeno poppers (deliciously fried, but not spicy), spinach and artichoke dip with blue corn chips (nothing special), and potato skins (6 potato slices covered with bacon, cheese, sour cream, and onions... so good!). 

For dinner, I ordered the shepard's pie, per the menu's recommendation, which came with a small side salad. The shepard's pie was okay, but I realized/confirmed that I actually don't like lamb, so I'm not sure why I ordered that particular dish. I mooched off some of my friend's dishes, including the corned beef and cabbage (yum..), and the skinny fries that came with sandwich meals. 

The service was decent. Everyone seemed to be young (in college, or a few years out) and friendly. There weren't too many other people during dinner, but it was early on a Thursday night. Prices were reasonable as well.

I'd definitely come back to BL again to check out the bar scene on Friday and Saturday evenings. From what I've heard, it's a mix of undergrads and older folks, and not the same vibe as Touchdown's.
3 - Sarah R.: For me, personally, this is a 2-star kind of place, but I'm not their target audience. If you want someplace to drink cheap pints ($3 for a black and tan!) and watch U of M football or play some pool in the basement, it's great. My friends and I went there for an Irish pub atmosphere to have dinner and drinks and were underwhelmed. It's smoky and loud, and this made conversation difficult. 

I loved the cheap pints and the food was fine if not amazing. I had the fish and chips. The fish was good and came with shoestring fries and a small dish of coleslaw. I thought the slaw was fine, though my husband thought it was a little dry.

Another friend also got the fish, which is served in a basket on paper that's checked blue and white. She was grossed out by the fact that the blue dye came off on the bottom of her fish fillet. I didn't notice it and so it didn't bother me, but the cook staff there might want to rethink the blue theme in this particular case.

One last positive: the booths there are quite roomy; there was plenty of room to fit six adults without being packed in too tight.
3 - Sam S.: Nostalgia is a bitch. It can creep on you just like that.

For instance, it might make you hit a beer bong filled with champagne. Or call your ex-girlfriend from like 8 years ago, drunk, at 2am. Or do shrooms again. (N.B., I've never done any of these things.) 

Or maybe, just maybe, you'll want to get shitfaced midweek with coteries of Abercrombie wannabes, thuggish dudes, and peroxide blondes who think camisoles are evening wear. Maybe you'll even want to see a fight. I had such a yearning the other day and surmised that a visit to Touchdown's was in order.

Unfortunately, upon arriving, I come to find out it's been replaced with... "The Blue Leprechaun." I cringed at the cheesiness of the name, but simultaneously appreciated the austerity of it. I entered, prepared to relive the glory days of my youth. 

Imagine my surprise: People sitting quietly at tables? Sports on large-screen TVs? The smell of cabbage and grizzling beef emanating from the kitchen? BOOTHS!? This isn't the place I knew, or wanted. I ended up stealing some of their jalapeno peppers (which I use like shuriken for protection) and absconding to Studio 4.
4 - Erin G.: The Blue Leprechaun used to be Touchdown's, a grimy college bar that had live music. Now they've changed it to the Blue Lep, and I really like it. It feels cozy in here, and it's got plaid wallpaper, which is something I can get behind. They have a sign above the bar that says "Erin Go Blue" which I like just because it's my name. They too have live music sometimes, and karaoke, and a cool lounge downstairs that has a different feel than the bar upstairs. They have a separate room with a fireplace in the front. All I've had to eat here was fish and chips, which was good but I'm not sure how I feel about their superthin fries. Their drinks are priced much like the other bars surrounding the place. The Blue Lep has more of a mixed crowd I think than the other bars on the street...you often see grad students and profs here, which I like better than wasted frat boys trying to mack on sorostitutes. Their hideous blue awning leaves something to be desired, but you get a leprechaun stamped on your hand when you go in, so it's ok.
2 - Marie H.: The atmosphere here is decent, but the food is really blah and greasy.  I've had the fish & chips (way too greasy and limp), a salad, and some of the appetizers.  Truly lackluster food.

If what you're after is a drink, The Blue Leprechaun isn't a bad choice, but I wouldn't order the food.
3 - David M.: As far as the night life goes here, I've only been a couple of times, but it did come off as pretty classy on those occasions.  Nothing special about the drinks, but nothing lacking either.  I remember upstairs the music being too loud, but it is nice that there's music and that you have two floors to traverse.  Being a little classier, though, it also won't produce the crazy next-day stories that some other places in A2 will.

I've also been here for food one time, and Marie H hit the nail on the head.  It's borderline gross and definitely not worth the money, or any money for that matter.
4 - M - G.: Two words: grad night.  On Tuesday nights everything is half off for grad students (except for Specials, which are cheap anyway).  This means that my $7 Bombay Sapphire and tonic is only $3.50.  It also means that you can get one of those, plus two shooters, three bombs, and an order of onion rings to share, for about $15.  I don't know about you, but I have never found a place with as good of a deal.

Now on to my second favorite part of the Blue Leprechaun: happy hour.  Happy hour gets you dinner for a total of $3 (my favorite is the buffalo chicken strips), pints of various beers for $2 and well drinks for $1.50 before 8pm, besides the daily specials that last all night.  The place is never that crowded during the week, and the chill atmosphere is accompanied by songs that make you say, "Oh, man, I remember this song.  This song is awesome!"  Various sporting events are always playing on TVs above your head, and the waitstaff is accepting of requests to change the channel.  And speaking of waitstaff...on Tuesday nights we always have the same waiter who is both attentive and friendly.  He is patient with our indecisiveness and even sits down to chat about various topics, such as how our days are going and "that weird guy at the bar."  

The bottom line is: if you are a poor grad student and need to take a break during the week, the Blue Leprechaun is the perfect place to hang out with friends and drink to all the work you should be doing.
3 - Robin Z.: It's a place to go if Ashley's is full (and Ashley's is always full). Hence going there something like three times in two weeks earlier this year.

There really isn't anything special to be said at all, which is simultaenously its one advantage and disadvantage. It's loud, crowded, and the lower floor is essentially a souped-up frat basement. 

I wouldn't want to go if I really wanted to talk and enjoy the company of people I like, but it's a good place to go with people you don't really know.
4 - Anne I.: Of all the bars I've been to on South U. I think Blue Lep is great.  I like the fact that it's so open, space-wise, or MORE open, I should say, compared with the other bars lining the street. Even when it gets crowded, there's always some room to stand to the side to chat with friends or even squeeze into a corner table.  There's a downstairs, too, with a bar and pool tables.

The drinks are moderately priced, typical.  The food is okay, your average bar food, but I don't think most people go there just to eat.  I think mainly, Blue Lep has a great atmosphere that you can enjoy without being packed in like a tuna.  I've been here on a number of occasions and have always had a great time.
4 - Dennis F.: Hands down, the Blue Leprechaun is the best bar on South University. Ever since replacing the notoriously shady bar, Touchdowns, Blue Lep has been offering their patrons great drink deals and a great atmosphere to hang out.

There are great deals every night of the week at the Blue Lep. As mentioned in other reviews, Tuesday night's Grad Night is awesome. If you're a grad student, enjoy 50% off almost everything (I think it also includes appetizers). If you like some dancing action, go to the Blue Lep on Thursday night when they clear out the front of the bar for a DJ and a small dance floor.

Blue Lep is also a very large bar; there is almost never a line to get inside. If it gets too crowded on the main floor, you can go down stairs to get drinks from the bar there, play some pool, or just relax in the Red Lounge Room. They have some great TVs located all around the bar, usually broadcasting the games of the night.

Blue Lep is a great place to hang out and it's my and my friends favorite bar.
3 - Megan H.: CHEEEEEEAAAPPP!  Or shall I say 'inexpensive' for all of you that love to come here, but don't want to be classified as cheap.  We went last night and drank like little fishies...and for 2 of us, the bill was $40 - AWESOME!

The music was ok - they were having difficulties with the stereo most of the time.  There are lots of TV's that wrap the room, so we were watching hockey, basketball and baseball (go A's!) all at the same time without having to crank our necks around.       

This place is solid if you are looking for a standard bar.  No bells and whistles to see here folks....just a good 'ol watering hole.
4 - Michael S.: Went there recently after a long hiatus. 

The bad: We were one of two parties (small) in the place. One waitress and one bartendress were there. What was lacking was the attention that should have been given. We waited a bit longer than usual for the waitress to come around to see if our drinks needed refilling, which they did. 

The good: Happy Hour is until 8 PM. Good deals on drinks and beer. My friend got mixed drinks and they were good, large and powerful. I opted for beer. Not a huge selection, but decent. The pricing pulled it all back to fantastic. The food is a cut above bar food and much to our liking. Prices here were fine, as well. 

I usually go there on Saturdays to watch the game in the Fall. TVs are great and plentiful. It took a while for the staff to figure out how the system works to get the right channel on the right monitor, but that seems straight now. 

A good place with good prices. Staff service a bit sketchy, though.
4 - Meredith F.: I like that this bar draws a somewhat older, more mature crowd. There is quite a bit of seating, and they even clear tables to make a dance floor some nights. I don't go regularly, so I'm not sure what nights they do this. But I like that they have pool in the basement, and they even have an area called Red's Den where people can relax in couches and have more intimate conversations.
Everything is pretty affordable, and they have some pretty nice specials. I also probably hold a special place for this bar in my heart, because it's where I spent the majority of my 21st birthday. Oh, the fond memories. :)
4 - Ashley L.: I think Blue Lep is underrated in Michigan. I love Charleys but Blue Lep usually has a shorter line, if at all and cheap drinks. Their shots menu isn't as extensive as Charley's but they have different deals each night - drinks under $5, usually $2-3! You can find a seat here more easily too. There are also pool tables downstairs.
3 - Amy Z.: A LOT better than... what was it before? Touchdown? What a joke... Touchdown was a failed attempt at a club/bar. Blue Lep is a pretty good bar, nice atmosphere, not-so-good bar food (super oily) but great for a good old drunk reunion with the friends.
2 - Omid F.: It wasn't crowded. Like, at all.

Ordered wings.

Took 20 minutes.

Most dry, least meaty wings I've ever had in my life. Freezer-to-microwave Meijer brand wings would have been infinitely better (even if they don't exist?)

They get a bonus star for having an AMAZING happy hour on Tuesdays... grad students get 1/2 off almost everything.

tl;dr: Go with a group of grad students on Tuesday for beers, and don't order wings.
3 - Saul W.: The Good: Tuesday night is Grad Night- 50% off on drinks, and there's a great selection. A lot of the (non-fried) food is solid.

The Bad: Tuesday night is also Annoying Trivia Night.

The Hilarious: This is supposed to be an 'Irish Pub'. It is not.
5 - Jessica C.: Ugh. This is THE spot for the pharmacy school kids. Drinks are cheap as dirt, staff is friendly, and you can always find a familiar face. On Thursday nights a dj spins good dance music. The only good dj is the young one. I have no idea what his name is but I just remember he's a brunette and he is young. The other (not sure if he's even there) older dj is horrible! 

Food is bland but drinks are good. Don't come here expecting to eat. Come here expecting to throw back a few and mingle with people. 

Overall if you want a more mature grad school crowd, don't Wana pay more than $3-5 dollars per drink, & are NOT eating a meal than this is the place for you.
4 - Rodger W.: 13 dollar pitchers of Bell's Two Hearted Ale.  Hard to beat that.
5 - Ryan S.: Very good place, Tuesday night is game night and half off all drinks.
4 - Julie C.: The Blue Lep: place where I spent most of my 21st birthday dancing on chairs, hugging everyone, spilling drinks, vomitting in garbage cans, losing my wallet, and generally being a belligerent fool. But hey, how else would you expect me to welcome in adulthood? Plus, they didn't kick me out! Anddd I went back the next day, and someone had returned my wallet unscathed! So this place if frequented by stand-up people :D
1 - Claire M.: This place is loud and so crowded that you can't move.  On their busier nights, the waitstaff tends to get an attitude and you may or may not end up with the drink you ordered. It tends to be filled with a bunch of sloppy 21 year olds' trying to hump each other.  Needless to say, it's not really my scene, but if that's what you were looking for, then go for it!  Whatever floats your boat my friends.
4 - Hannah L.: We went here on Friday evening for happy hour. There was plenty of places to sit at tables and around the bar. Wait staff was friendly and efficient. Lots of background noise, not sure if there was music, but not so loud you couldn't have a good conversation.

Drink special were great. Awesome prices for Black and Tans and Guinness. There are different special of each night of the week on beers, mixed drinks and shots. Check them out here: http://www.theblueleprechaun.com/specials/index.html 

Pretty good specials on food, although the food wasn't anything too spectacular. We ordered the chicken tenders special. We got two tenders and a bunch of fry pieces. They weren't terrible but I was hoping for more
3 - Rodger R.: what to say about this fine establishment.  As a 'new kid on the block' to ann arbor i figured this side of town must be where it's "happening."   My first stop was of course the lep.  Quite an interesting experience.  First, the space is pretty cool, two floors, as many downtown buildings are.  Bar-staff were awesome and quite talkative.  The crowd seems something to the effect of mid 20's college kids, and quite a lot of bromancing going on.  I went several times and on all occasions found it to be sort of a frat hang out with much of the atmosphere of a sports bar and conversation at about the same level.  Not really my scene but a decent spot, and the drinks were good.
4 - Ryan B.: Grab a group, grab a table & let the party begin!

The atmosphere is electric on Thursdays, and just a great place to assemble with a group to grab a drink. Especially love the basement. 

Only criticism is there is not a lot of mingling outside of the various groups.
2 - Peggah G.: The food is okay, the bar is loud and the trivia atmosphere is not exactly great. Their PA system for trivia doesn't work that well and doesn't compare to other places on campus. 
Their pitchers are bigger than Good Time Charley's, but for the price of GTC at happy hour, it's way more at Blue Lep.
5 - Nathan T.: Blue Lep is a great bar/restaurant. Great place for large groups and is very large. The drink and food specials are amazing.
5 - Clare G.: I much prefer this fine establishment over Charley's. Tuesday night grad student night = best deal around town. Love the specials; not too many bars have happy hour specials M-F with $3 for pretty much all of the food deals. I have tried every one on the menu, and the mini reubens and chicken fingers are the best. Waitresses are always super cool. Go early around 7 or 8 if you want to have conversation before it gets loud after 9 or 10.
3 - Erin B.: Better environment than Charley's, but still a college bar.  Usually a line out front on the weekends.
5 - Asia H.: Celebrating my birthday

Can't remember my server's name but he did a good job of getting us drunk! My drunk friend left him a huge tip which is why he was so excited when I gave him the money.  I thought it was quite comical. haha

Blue Mercury - Princeton, NJ (40.3505802, -74.662018) ()
2 - Savannah E.: I went here for a brazilian wax and it was super uncomfortable. The girl seemed very nervous the entire time, kept chattering away, and couldnt seem to look me in the eye. 

I felt as if she was really rushing thru the whole thing and Im not surprised, as there is not much lighting in the room and you are practically in the dark. Not sure how that figures for removing body hair?!? 

When I got home, I (again, not surprisingly) realized she missed quite a bit. 

Blue mercury should advise its employees (and dare I say)  TRAIN them to make spa clients feel comfortable - ESP when they are getting something done as personal as a wax. 

If you arent comfortable seeing another womans vagina, perhaps you are in the wrong field.
1 - L K.: I signed up for Yelp just to write this review.  It deserves a 0/5.

My experience with the Blue Mercury at Princeton (Palmer's Square) was undoubtedly the worst wax and/or spa experience that I've ever had, by far.

I had a brazilian wax.  The woman definitely rushed (much like in the other review on here) and put the wax on in a very sloppy manner compared to my past wax experiences elsewhere.  She had a brusque, condescending manner about her to go along with it.   (All of Blue Mercury's staff act in a pretentious manner that I cannot fathom: you work for a middle-range esthetician or salesgirl salary in Princeton, which basically puts you near the bottom of the salary range in this town... what do you have to be snobby about?  Waxing the pubic hair off of rich girls in town everyday?  Unfriendly people will not get my business... I've moved to CompletelyBare, downtown NYC location)

Even though the bluemercury site said that trimming may be done before waxing by the esthetician, and when I called I was assured that it would be done, there was NO trimming and therefore I felt incredible pain all the way through.  Plus there wasn't any numbing cream to make up for that.  Most painful and rushed wax experience ever.

Even with all that pain, the wax was insufficient and left stray hairs too.  No wonder, given the poor lighting and sloppy, imprecise job overall.  No tweezing at all. 

I'll take self-waxing, or completelybare spas, or a privately owned boutique spa over Blue Mercury's sub-par services any day.  Wish I could pay double the price of the wax just to take it all back.
5 - K C.: Meg at Blue Mercury did my make-up for my wedding, and I could not have asked for a better make-up artist.  She was professional, knowledgeable, and understanding of my request for a subtle look.  She also did my sister's make-up immediately after mine, and was able to get us out the door on time on a day full of appointments.  Never did we feel rushed, however.  She was thorough and efficient, and I cannot recommend her enough.  When I was scheduling my make-up trials, I wanted to make sure I found someone who could work with my Asian features, and Meg was perfect.  She's knowledgeable and adept with women of color; I am fairly certain my sister will be hiring Meg next year for her wedding as well, so please we both were.  Thanks, Meg!
1 - rococo c.: Ick! I just purchased over $600 of Trish MacEvoy cosmetics here on "presale" and am considering taking everything back. Why? Because I wasn't even greeted by the snooty girl at the desk. In fact, I wasn't even looked at. She seemed annoyed by the fact that I was there at all, despite the fact that I was handing over twice her weekly salary in a cosmetics purchase.

Did she say "thank you"? Of course not! Even though I saved 20% on Trish MacEvoy products, I am considering returning every bit of it and rebuying at Nordsrom, where I am always treated nicely.

Blue Mercury gets a black mark from me.
1 - Bootylicious J.: WORST brazilian wax EVER!

AFTER the lady started waxing me, she told me my hair was too short. WHAT??? If she knew that from the beginning, she should have sent me home! 

Also, she kept complaining about how "coarse" my pubic hair was. How rude! And really, you can ask my partners, but I really don't even have that much hair. She just saw that I was "ethnic" or whatever and just decided what kind of hair I had without even looking at it.

She committed the BIGGEST waxing faux-pas ever: she triple-, sometimes quadruple-waxed over the same spots! I was lucky I didn't walk out of there bleeding. Any good aesthetician KNOWS you can only wax one spot ONCE. And after she couldn't get some hairs on the fourth try, she tried to tweeze. OH GOD that was even more painful than the wax!!!!! She was TERRIBLE at tweezing! 

When you tweeze, you're supposed to draw the skin taught, then make sure you have a good hold on the hair and pull tight and fast. This woman was so bad. She didn't try to get the hairs close to the root and her hands kept slipping mid-pull. 

Seriously, I have given myself better waxes at home and not paid myself quite so much. Do they train these people at all?
5 - Jackie M.: I love this place!  They have a great selection of products and give great samples.  They also have a spa which is not a high end day spa, but you can get an appointment quickly and the staff is great.  Painless waxing and amazing facials from the staff.  I will definitely be back.
5 - Eponine J.: I love serge lutens perfumes, skinceuticals skincare, t leclerc makeup (the eyebrow pencil in particular) and deborah lippmann nail lacquers. the spa services here have been quite good to me. i've had some facials here and the esthetician gives really good advice of skincare.
1 - Kimberly T.: I went in for a make up session with Bobbi Brown makeup after reading a very favorable review of the line in the New York Times.  The woman who did my make up, Yvonne, was wonderful.  I loved the look. Unfortunately, I have had a horrible allergic reaction to the Bobbi Brown skin care and make up. My eyes were swollen shut, then infected with styes in both eyes. I have never before reacted so negatively to any make up.   $800 later, I am now trying to secure a refund -- and that does not begin to compensate for the discomfort. Has anyone else had this sort of reaction to the Bobbi Brown line?
1 - Julia S.: Rude, snooty staff, tried to sell me far more than I wanted, and did not care that the products that I ended up with were not the right match. The women that work there seriously need an attitude check. A baseline of respect would be a good start.
3 - Elise M.: Summary:
SIX (out of 5) stars for my facials from Marianne
ZERO stars for everything else
Average = 3 star review

Long version:
Here is the good news: Marianne gives the world's best facial. And I have had A LOT of facials, all over the world. She is in a category all to herself. Here is why:
- Her knowledge about skin is astounding. Like getting a facial from a dermatologist.  She knows exactly what my skin needs and what products she needs to use.
- Her knowledge about products is unrivaled. She can tell you what high end products are rip offs and which are worth it, as well as what the best value-for-money products are, all for your personal skin type. But she never tries hard to sell me anything, even after I ask for recommendations. 
- She has magic hands. The whole treatment is enjoyable, and even the extractions are tolerable.
- During the facial she can talk about anything, or nothing, depending on your mood.
- But bottom line, my skin always looks radiant when I leave (and believe me, it does not look that way when I arrive)

I live in New York City, where there is no shortage of estheticians, but I travel down to Princeton to see her. I love going to spas, but never ever book facials because I will always be disappointed with anyone other than Marianne. Now if only I could find a masseuse I liked as much.

The bad news is that I have to walk into Blue Mercury to get to Marianne. Other than to see her, there is no compelling reason to go. The staff is perpetually snotty and browsing is frowned upon. The "locker rooms" don't even have lockers that lock. They have a nice range of products, but they usually steer you towards the basics whose reps are present (so you are not actually getting the Sefora-like benefit of bias-free advice across multiple lines) and the prices are high. 

But despite all that, I am still a loyal fan of Marianne's facial. I'll keep going back as long as she works there.
4 - Robyn W.: I've noticed bad reviews on here for waxing, so wanted to add my own. Having tried a few other places in Princeton I now ONLY go to Christie at Blue Mercury for my waxing. She is great. Everything she has waxed (including bikini) she has done in a professional, efficient, and warm manner.  
This is also a great place in town to get brands that can be hard to find in this area - Dermatologica, Kiehls, etc...   I agree some of the staff can appear a bit snooty (and sales reps can be pushy), but I've equally had excellent service from others who've been prepared to give me samples of things to try even when I'm not spending lots of dollars.

Blue Mercury 2 - Philadelphia, PA (39.9533341, -75.1955049) (University City)
4 - Elizabeth P.: This is a relatively new beauty store opened right next to the Penn Bookstore. The original Philly Blue Mercury is in Center City, I believe. Unlike the Blue Mercury in Center City, this store has a more modern feel, is bigger, and carries more brands. I like how the store is organized and I think the products they carry are top of the line. In my opinion, the store is going for a more 'classy' feel compared to Sephora's glitz and the glam, and no, I'm not saying one is better than the other! I love both -- just an observation! =)

Blue Mercury reminds me more of the Korean beauty stores, where the sales rep follows you around and tries to give you 'consultation.' lol. Sometimes, I want that sort of attention (mainly when I'm completely lost as to which product I should purchase) but most times it's a bit... much. I appreciate the initial, 'would you like some help?" but not someone to follow me around while I look at different products! Personally, it makes me feel uncomfortable. Anyway, I think that's just their way of providing customers that 'value-add' ...maybe. 

They don't do returns so one star off for that, and I'd probably dock another .5 stars for that pressure-cooker service but 3 stars seem too harsh so rounding up to 4 stars.

Also, tip for y'all: the CEO of Blue Mercury has released her own skin care line apparently. Might want to go check that out since they're heavily promoting it with lots of samples and free face cleanser and such. I personally prefer sticking to one skin care line that works but if you're looking for a skin care line right for your skin, might want to check that out soon. I believe that deal will end soon (or ... has ended already? oops)

Cheers to beauty! :)
5 - Larissa M.: My go to beauty store in Philly!  Their inventory is vast and unique, carrying many specialty products that you won't find in a typical department store or Sephora.  On top of that, their customer service is great, and manages to walk the fine line between being overbearing and ignoring the customer.  The workers all seem to be very informed about the products and give their honest opinions on what works and what doesn't.  Don't let the fear of high prices keep you from visiting this place; you definitely get what you pay for.
3 - Di P.: Ok, maybe 3 and 1/2 stars. I think if I had to chose between this place or Sephora I think I would chose Sephora. Yes, Blue Mercury does have a nice selection and I love running in here to get my wider range of Essie nail polishes, but really this place doesn't give me enough options in terms of prices. At least when you go to Sephora you know you can purchase Sephora branded products at a more reasonable price. This is important to me because I feel like I'm still experimenting with make-up and I like the freedom to try different colors etc without paying such crazy prices for it. Basically I'm looking for something above the drugstore and before I'm at that stage in my life where I have to drop some serious cash just to look decent because I'm lookin' old and gross. And here, you can easily drop $100 on three things. 

I went for a make-up tutorial for the Bobbi Brown Make-up party and I really loved the make-up artist. She put 30 different things on my face (she cleaned it and then put on lots of different moisturizers) and she really gave me the full work up. So I was glad for the opportunity. But to me this place exemplifies the stores that surround UPENN students--i.e. trying to suck out money from rich ivy league kids. And every time I walk in I feel the eyes of the sales associates constantly following me because there's barely anybody ever in this store and so they must be bored to death. And a little bit snobby. 

I hope this isn't overly harsh. But I would say, get some friendlier and not fake sales associates, and have more specials to draw those college kids in, and you'd be bangin'.

Blue Nile Of Ann Arbor - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2804298, -83.7463204) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
2 - Margot F.: The Blue Nile is a fantastic example of Ann Arbor's weird collective delusion about itself.  I adore Ethiopian food, and there's nothing wrong with the injera (buckwheat, not tef flour) or the vegetable alecha or the wat or any of the other flavorful dollops primarily composed of lentils and potatoes, although the heat has clearly been turned down for Midwestern tongues. Some of the Nile's attempts to deny its location in middle America are even endearing: servers deliver warm towels for pre-meal handwashing (pouring water over guests hands probably proved too messy), the bar offers a random selection of imported beer and wine rather than serving everyone the traditional Tej, bright murals and low mesab (those wicker hourglass-shaped tables with concave tops) offer an "exotic' dining experience for "adventurous" midwesterners but standard booths are also available.  These are all reasonable adaptations to serving a cuisine that's typically prepared and eaten in a family setting in Africa at a restaurant in Ann Arbor.  But they stubbornly refuse to offer individual menu items or even offer a mixed array for any dining party that might not be able to reconcile individual dining preferences to the all-meat or meatless options.  Of course, they've happily adopted the standard restaurant practice of charging guests for food ($18/head, which is way out of line for mass-prepared lentils, all-you-can-eat policy notwithstanding).  Overpriced, overrated, and that's really when the Blue Nile reminds you that Ann Arbor, Michigan is in fact in the middle of fly-over country, whatever delusions anyone else might harbor: you can get almost anything in this town, but you can't rely on multiple options should one disappoint.   This restaurant would never survive in a real city.
3 - Haroun K.: It really isn't so bad.  It isn't great, though.  When I went to the Blue Nile, I got the vegetarian plate.  There was plenty of food, but it was pretty bland.  By far, the best part of the meal was the tea, which is heavenly.  The ambiance is also quite pleasant.  This helped comfort me when I got the bill - really expensive.  I wonder if things are similar at the Ferndale location.
1 - Margot L.: Agreeing with my fellow AA Margot, this place is very overpriced and does emit the air of pretentiousness that AA seems to don so naturally.

The bad news is that you HAVE to order a huge meal with lots of dishes, and cannot order a la carte.  There are two options: vegetarian, or not.  Personally, I don't like being strong-armed into eating a lot, or meat or veggie, or spending my remaining arm and my leg for a meal in downtown AA.  Just my thoughts.

Another downside (at least when I was there last year) was that there was some terrible god-awful music playing - imagine a guy with a synthesizer, with programmed chords and drum beats and bad singing.  Ouch.  Remembering it just hurts my ears.
3 - Mae S.: The atmosphere is appealing (despite the gripes of some of the other reviewers). Everyone I've eaten with wishes that there was more variety of spicy food -- not just hot or not hot. If you come with enough people, you can sample all the little dollops and then selectively re-order favorites, which comes close to ordering what you like. I kind of like the challenge of eating by hand from a large shared plate and solving the problem of where to put the chicken and lamb bones when you are done with them, especially if  you are with people you don't know well.

Ok -- maybe it's only exotic for AnnArbor. However, I have eaten in Ethiopian restaurants in other US cities, and the flavors varied more but the overall experience was comparable. I too would like to taste real teff.
2 - Coco C.: Um, I was going to review this but Margot L. already wrote it for me.

The only thing I'll add is save your pennies and go to an actual city to eat better Ethiopian food than this stuff (I recommend West Philadelphia - Baltimore/48th streets, or Chicago in a pinch...)
3 - dan s.: OK, so I haven't been to Ann Arbor in over 15 years, so this is a slightly dated review.  So why the review?  Well, my Yelp profile only shows review flags on both coasts, so I feel bad for the middle of the country.

Once upon a time I worked for a company that had offices in AA, and I flew out for a visit.  I intended to go visit a German restaurant (I forget the name) that was recommended to me, but en route I passed Blue Nile.  I chuckled to myself and thought of the old joke:
"What do they serve in an Ethiopian restaurant?"  "Glass of water and a toothpick".

Then I noticed the place was BUSY.  Looked at the menu - all you can eat for $13.  I was on an expense account, but heck, value always does it for me.  Let's try it.

This was my first time eating Ethiopian food, but I was pleasantly surprised by the flavors, and shocked at how dense the food was.  One round of whatever was in my basket stuffed me completely, so I paid my bill, bought a jar of their tea (sweetened with rose hips) and went out into the frigid Michigan night.

I thought the food rocked.  Recent reviews are pretty bad, so perhaps it's gone downhill.  Or, it could be that the food was never that good, and I just didn't know any better?
2 - Chris S.: Like the others have said, the food is respectable but there is much better Ethiopian to be had outside of the A2. The fact that you have to order set courses and can't pick and choose means you're in for a huge meal that you won't finish and that will end up costing you more than you probably want to spend. Don't be fooled by the "all you can eat" as you'll likely not get past the first serving.
2 - Professional Eater S.: If you are going here for Ethiopian food you are throwing away your money. The best place for Ethiopian is Red Sea, which is way down Washtenaw in the land of Ypsilanti, but oh is it worth the drive. Red Sea cannot possibly compete on atmosphere, where Blue Nile really wins, but the service, food, and prices leave you with an infinitely better feeling when you leave. The best part about Red Sea is that the more people you bring, the cheaper it is for everyone. 

Anyway, enough about Red Sea, Blue Nile is pretty OK Ethiopian food, nice atmosphere, and they have nice tea and wine. You won't be disappointed. It's just that they charge unconscionably high prices for what you get, and that just won't do. Drive the extra 10 minutes and go to Red Sea.
2 - Jay Rand B.: I agree, in principal with the other reviews posted here.  I was expecting more than what I got, having fond memories of Red Sea in Adams Morgan district of D.C.   The food is so-so and is overpriced for the quality of food served.  I would save your taste buds for another location in another city for decent Ethiopian food.
1 - Andrew L.: All of the reviews that give this place a 2 out of 5 are exactly right. And yes, Randall B., my DC brethren, being from the District gives us a less forgiving palate when it comes to Ethiopian food. For me, I can neither forgive or forget. This place makes me cringe.

I went here thinking I was going to get some baller Ethiopian food and I left feeling like I wanted to catch the next plane to DC. The food is sub par, and dear god I hate paying a lot for unsatisfying food. 

The only reason I went here more than once was because my ignorant friends had never had REAL Ethiopian food and thought Blue Nile was the shit. I'm sorry, some shit is more like it. 

So yeah, more than once means I gave this place another chance (although it was an unwilling venture) and it was still awful. 

If you've never had real Ethiopian food, by all means stuff you face to your heart's content. For those who have had a taste of the real thing, don't waste your time.
3 - Parisa K.: Overall, I know a lot of people who aren't a fan of this place.  I've only eaten here twice, both times I only got the vegetarian plate, and I've never had anything close to Ethiopian food aside from this place.

With that being said, I liked Blue Nile.  It's not a place I would rush to go back to, but I would go back.  I know one thing that turns a lot of people is the spongy, not quite bread, not quite a pancake "bread" you eat with your food.  I didn't mind it.  Definitely not my favorite, but it was interesting and different.  I though the experience was pretty fun.  It was something different.  The way the food is presented and the way you eat it is not at all anything typical.  The inside of the place is entertaining, too.  I don't know if it's authentically Ethiopian, but the decor appears to be so.

Like I said, I only tried the vegetarian plate.  It had a variety of small piles of vegetables in sauce, like lentils, legumes, etc.  I don't remember the food being bad.  I don't remember it being spicy, which I guess it should be.  

Honestly, if you don't know what to expect, then you could actually enjoy yourself like I did.  I liked the whole experience enough to want to go back with a friend who I knew would like to try it out.  Reading the other reviews, I'd definitely like to try a "better" place, but I do recommend this place to any unfamiliar and open-minded eater.
2 - Alex Z.: The food here is pretty good, but not outstanding.  The reason my review is so low is the inflexibility of this restaurant, and the high prices relative to the quality of the food.

There are only essentially two options on the menu: the vegetarian and meat option, which are about 15 and 20 dollars, respectively.  It's all-you-can-eat, but in practice, you typically won't be able to eat more than they serve on the first round.  Furthermore, they refuse to let you take the food home (this is the first restaurant I have ever eaten at that has done this), which struck me as outright bizarre.

Is the food good?  Of course.  It's flavorful, and not too heavy, and there's a fair amount of variety.  However, I do have some complaints: the "spicy" food is not really that spicy, and also, the injera bread is made out of white grains, not whole grains, as it traditionally is and as it is in most restaurants.  The white injera bread, in my opinion, is not nearly as tasty...it is very bland and a bit pasty.

Service was good...but I still feel a little shortchanged in that there is no flexibility.  Don't like one or two of the dishes?  Tough, you have to pay for it anyway.  Want to come here for a light meal?  Tough, you're out of luck.

My biggest complaint, still, is the price.  $20 per head is too much, especially when there is NO variety.  Combining this with not letting you take food home (even from your first place), it's pretty absurd.  Ann Arbor is not a particularly expensive or pricey place to eat--there is much better food in town.  I've also had much better (and much cheaper) Ethiopian in other restaurants in many other cities across the U.S.  If you DO come here, I would recommend the vegetarian plate.  The vegetarian stuff here, in my opinion, is significantly better than the meat stuff...and do yourself a favor and save yourself a few dollars--it's not like you are getting any extra value out of the extra money spent anyway.
3 - Tyler B.: First, the caveats:
1.) I am not an ehiopian food connoisseur 
2.) I attended this restaurant as part of a group dinner, thus not part of a 'normal' dining experience.
That being said...

I give the decor, service and overall setting top marks. Its colorful, welcoming, and feels slightly upscale without pretension. The food was tasty.  I didn't pay the bill so I'm guessing those doing cost benefit analysis are correct, but the spicy beef was something I'd go back for.  The only truly subpar portion of my experience was the musak being pumped in.  Sweet baby james it was like a casio keyboard from 1985 on the demo setting.  Seriously, minimum one star tagged off because of it.

So had I paid $20 for what I ate, I think i'd probably give the requisite 2 star to this place, but I had fun, my food was good, and the unique qualities of the experience make this an A-OK in my book.
3 - Adelais T.: Ethiopian food sounded so exotic so I couldn't resist stopping here.

The pro? 
The food was delicious! I went for dinner and ordered the Vegetarian feast. I love the Injera bread and the system of using it to pick up the different types of veggies and lentils. Everything was so flavorful and rich.

The con?
The pricing is way above me, college student that I am. I suppose their 'early dinner special' which ends at 6pm may have been better for me, but after 6pm everything is essentially around the $20 range. Eep.

Also, the waiters were a little negligent of us. They did not introduce themselves and took forever to come and refill our food even though it was all-you-can-eat.
2 - CrapulentMoose ..: Two stars just for the food by itself. It's tasty, but paying $15 to $20 is ridiculous.

The first and only time I ate here, I was naive enough to think that the $20 family style was for two people, because it was just too damn much to charge one person for potatoes, lentils, and greens with a little meat.

I was annoyed by the waitress who demonstrated how to eat the food by eating off our communal trough with her hands and by how low the table was relative to my seat, so that I had to lean over and compress my stomach while eating (a restaurant ploy?).

Seeing a $40+ tab for two people to eat peasant food told me I was never coming back.
3 - Theresa F.: Since by husband is 6'4", we walked in and definitely opted for a booth. The more traditional style Ethopian dining experience involves a low-lying communal table.  It hit below Steve's knees...I knew if we didn't move, the poor guy would be miserable all night.  

The food was tasty -- I have to say though, for $19 a person I was expecting a little more depth to the food... layers of flavor and complexity to more of the vegetarian dishes.  The lentils and collard greens were my favorites. There was a beef dish on our plate that tasted pretty good as well (albeit slightly overcooked).

You eat on a communal lazy susan, sopping up meats, veggies, and juices with your sponge-like translucent bread and your hands.  You best like the people you are dining with!

As a daily tea drinker, I had to try their version.  Not my favorite at all -- very minty, reminded me of chewed gum.
5 - Bradley S.: I had the Beef Tibs with Mushroom Cabernet from the seasonal lunch menu for $9.25--very nicely prepared and elegantly served in an atmosphere with class. I finished my meal with a delicious bread pudding dessert. This meal had little to do with Ethiopian cuisine which I also enjoy, but it had everything to do with fine dining.
1 - Meg H.: The atmosphere is nice, 'exotic,' though felt slightly pretentious. The service is good. The food is all you can eat, but basically all you can eat is one platter anyways. The injera bread was cold after about two minutes and  flavorless (I mean, completely devoid of flavor, it tasted like bland sponge). The food is extremely overpriced. The only options you have are vegetarian or meat platters. I like to think that I am pretty open to trying new places and types of food, but this was just not good! Not just 'not good,' but bad! Maybe I have an unsophisticated palate, but everything tasted the same - mild curry. I would definitely never go back here, and would not recommend this to friends.
4 - Joshua R.: To pithly review Blue Nile from an outsider and out-of-towner's perspective: I like it!  I'd go if I were visiting again, and to the rest of the details, I'll step aside to allow the other reviews sort out.  Cheers, Blue Nile has this man's endorsement.
4 - sri n.: Would give 3.5 stars. Four stars more for the ambience and service.

I had the vegetarian feast. I was just too happy that there were so many things to eat for a veggie! I am no Ethiopian food connoisseur, but the food tasted fine for me. Of course there are a couple of bland items on the list. 

The coffee was great as well. 
Overall a very enjoyable experience.

Yes, the downside is that it is somewhat pricey.
4 - Tiana O.: I ate here during Ann Arbor restaurant week, so I was lucky to have lunch for 2 at $12.  That being said, our food was fantastic and that Injera bread is so yummy.  They bring you towels to wash your hands as the actual eating is very interactive.  You scoop veggies up inside the spongy bread from a shared and edible plate.  It is a fun experience and not having a table to hide behind forces you from your comfort zone.  I highly reccomend anyone try this once, if only for the experience, and bring many friends.
1 - Akilah W.: Ugh This food is gross. But I'm biased since I'm from Los Angeles, where food is good. Injera was white, food did not have a touch of spice or flavor, and it's way too overpriced for what it is. This place totally waters down Ethiopian cuisine to make it suitable for Ann Arborites. Definitely do not go here if you're used to REAL Ethiopian.
5 - G B.: I've enjoyed the Blue Nile for several years when I was in school.  Now, more than 15 years later, I return to Ann Arbor and head immediately to rekindle my affection.  After eating in significant Ethiopian restaurants around the country (Meskerem in DC, Awash in NYC, Mudai in San Jose, and more), I think I've decided that the Blue Nile is back on top! 

My family (wife, daughter [5 yrs], son [3 yrs]) recently spent 2 weeks in Michigan, and we dined at BN twice.  Each time was excellent (meat and veggie combos) -- ingredients were fresh and preparation was healthy.  Wait staff was Anglo but seemingly well-versed in the dishes and preparations.  

Can't say I've had a better meal in the last couple years . . . and I travel more than 100 days/year.  So, I clearly appreciate what Blue Nile offers and delivers.  Haven't had a even a slightly bad experience yet.  Bon appetit!
1 - Christopher F.: Talk about pretentious this place should be in the dictionary next to the word.  As someone who has experienced Ethiopian cuisine in various places I was really excited to try this place.  The decor is nice the staff friendly, and parking is not that terrible since they are right next to the Washington street parking structure, however, the food very mediocre, the price terrible, and the menu horrible.  You have two choices thats it one is a vegetable buffet $13.99 and the other is a meat buffet for $17.99.  They start out by bringing you one option of everything they have, of course you do not know what that is unless you ask the waiter or waitt to your food arrives.  The waiter will then check with you periodically to ask what more they can bring you until you have reached your limit.  The food comes served on traditional Ethiopian Injera and is eaten with the hands and shared with everyone.  The food is mediocre at best, just because Ethiopian cuisine may be humble in nature does not mean the food has to lack spices and flavor.  The menu is arrogant, and implies that we do not know how to properly order so we are just going to give you two choices meat or veggies.  Description of the food on the menu is terrible at best.  Never going to eat there again wouldn't recommend it to anybody unless they like bland grilled meat and bland steamed vegetables.  There stew not that much better.
4 - Sara G.: Ah, I remember when the Blue Nile was a small joint in downtown Detroit. It's been a few years since I've visited the one here in the 'Deuce, and then only for dinner.  Yesterday I went for lunch and was not disappointed.

After ordering we were given hot towels and steaming cups of spice tea.  Luxurious way to start the midday meal on a brisk autumnal day! 

Their lunch menu is pretty basic, you get to choose a meat item accompanied by two veg items, or just three veg items.  Everything comes with unlimited injera. It's still a LOT of food for basically the same price as any Indian buffet around town. 

I can't resist the chicken.  I ordered it mild because I also ordered the spicy red lentils.  That way I could wrap a morsel of chicken in injera, dip it into the lentils and savor all the flavors.  

I don't usually order dessert, but being the chocolate fiend that I am, I couldn't allay the temptation to try their DARK chocolate mousse.  Kind of like a mousse version of Zingerman's chocolate gelato (another weakness of mine) where the ratio of chocolate to sugar is much higher than normal--exactly how it should be!

Twas a very good meal and I left rather full and satisfied and unable to eat for the rest of the day.
3 - Robin Z.: More of a mainstream intro into Ethiopian than really good Ethiopian. The atmosphere and service is quite good, and the decorations are very nice (loved the woven tables!!). The dinner menu is basically just all-you-can-eat, which is nice if you're hungry, but the food itself isn't amazing.
3 - Jason C.: I was introduced to Blue Niles by a friend of mine.  So one day, we decided to go after our class project to celebrate.  I was told, we will eat with our hands, so I was thinking about taking my own chopsticks with me, just in case :)

We ordered the meat buffet.  The chairs are low to the ground, so you are even with the table.  The wait staff brings brought the food out and the bread and showed us how to eat the food.  As for the meat went, there were two types of chicken, lamb and beef.  Lots of bean based vegetable sides, but they were good.  So you take some of the bread, pick up the food and eat it.  

If you want to try something new and outside of the norm, this is a place worth visiting.  It's been some time since I have been there, so it's time to revisit and see if things have changed.
3 - Shon C.: Fair warning - my review is based on lunch, I didn't have the all-you-can-eat feast, which is probably the more popular thing to do at Blue Nile.

I came for lunch yesterday and actually had a pretty nice meal - Doro Wat w/ cabbage and lentils as a side.  Strangely enough, the soup du jour was French Onion (?) - not super traditional.  It was actually decent, especially considering there was no crouton or cheese topping...

Lunch was good, but I wouldn't quite put it at the level of Red Sea in Ypsilanti.  Bread was fresh, meat (chicken on the bone) was spicy; I actually found the veggie sides to be a little on the bland side.

Pros:  great ambiance, nice lunch menu, excellent service, hot towels before and after meal

Cons:  expensive (especially compared to Red Sea), perhaps a bit on the non-traditional side
4 - David M.: I'm surprised this place has such a low rating.  I went for the restaurant week lunch special, got the chicken, which was nothing special but tried the beef dish which was quite good.  Kind of reminds me of the only other Ethiopian place I've been to, which I guess makes sense.  But I'm looking forward to going back sometime for an all-you-can-eat slaughter.  Also, there's apparently some Red Sea place that I should try...
4 - Anne I.: Finally getting around to writing a review of this place . . .

I'd never had Ethiopian food before, so I don't know how this might compare to other places in terms of authenticity but I can tell you one thing, the food here is really good!

I love the service here. The staff is friendly, and they even explain all of the dishes to you and how to eat them, so fear not if you've never had Ethiopian before. The waiters also bring around hot towels at the beginning and end so you can clean your hands before you eat . . . and after since you eat the meal with your hands. Regular utensils are available too for those of you who don't care to get down and dirty. Personally, I think eating with your hands makes the food taste much better.

When you walk in, you can opt for conventional table seating, or the more traditional basket table seating. I think if you are going in a large group and sharing the buffet, the regular table seating may be easier to work with. However, the basket table is a pretty fun experience.

Whenever I come here, I always order the same thing: the meat buffet. I love that there are so many dishes that come with it, and they are all you can eat. Don't let your eyes deceive you--it may not look like much, i.e. little mounds of food on a tray, but typically one or two refills of a few dishes will be enough to leave me happily full and satisfied.  The buffet is great in that you get to try a little bit of everything.

My favorite of the buffet dishes are the lamb and the mixed vegetables. I can't get enough of them. I also love the soft, white bread--happy, heavenly, starchy goodness.  

I haven't tried any of the desserts here, but I have to admit, they all look really delicious. The problem is, I usually fill up with too much buffet and don't leave enough room for the after party. Either way, it's a win-win situation, and one happy student walks out of this place for the night.
2 - David R.: For an Ethiopia restaurant without an Ethiopia staff, its not bad. However if you have ever been to an actual Ethiopia restaurant (especially if you're from the DC area), don't waste your time.
3 - Nadi T.: This restaurant was highly recommended by one of my professors. Usually I would ignore anything a teacher says unless its related to work; however this one professor seemed to know a thing or two about food.

I was rather shocked to see the restaurant filled with customers. That was a good sign to start off the night. The service and wait staff was perfect. They explained everything in detail and made sure you weren't lost. I did not adore the menu selection, especially considering you're limited to the vegetables feast or meat feast. Also the lighting was awful.

The seating concept is great. I love to see traditional ideas as it can always educate us. Was it the most comfortable? No. Maybe lower the chairs a bit, but i'm not going to complain too much over this minute detail. 

The food is impressive. I loved the way everything was set up on the plate. It looks odd, however trust me it is very practical. The outer ring covers the vegetables, and all the meats get placed in the middle. I was impressed with the flavor of the vegetables. I thought the lentils, greens, and potatoes were wiked! The Lamb was outstanding, it was so good my gf and I asked for seconds four times! Everything works well on the plate. Combine as much as you can in one bite, and don't limit yourself to just chicken or beef. I also loved eating with my hands! 
The bread of course is an important player in the meal. Its best described as a sponge bread, and like all sponges eventually they wear out. Near the end of my meal I was dreading the taste and texture of the bread. I would have preferred Arabic bread or even "Tamees" which is found in Ethiopia. 

Overall I paid $45 for two. Thats a hefty sum for a college student. Was it overpriced? I would argue that, but it was a great experience and some of the vegetables and meats were terrific.
1 - emeril l.: big disappointment....we had the meat buffet....crapulent moose's review is spot on. 

overpriced, bland food.  Just skip it and go across the street to Mahek. 

btw - who are the people giving this place the award for best buffet in ann arbor? -- clearly, they are mistaken.

also, the service---subpar, at best.
4 - Amy N.: This place is definitely a different experience. This is the most expensive finger food I ever had.  Well, it is Ethiopian food and you do eat with your hands.  The breading is like a pancake and you eat it with the shredded meat or puree like veggies.  I like it and its mushy good.  You can bring your kids here and they might think its a cool place.  The food filled me up and you feel that Ethiopian belly coming along.  No food coma here.  So you do kinda get your moneys worth.  This is a unique place and different style for me.
3 - Beth H.: Blue Nile is one place that I can get my meat -and-potatoes guy to always agree to go when I feel like ethnic food.  Consistantly tasty, plentful portion because, of course, it is all you can eat and great service.  

It is very disappointing that they no longer include lamb with the feast.  It is now an additional charge per serving.  The lamb is the reason I would want to go there.  Now, I don't think we will be going as often to pay $18 for a couple dark meat chicken legs, pea, lentils and little beef.  Patrons fill up on the bread anyway, they couldn't been losing that much money on it.  

I believe they should have kept the lamb with the feast and made it by request only, and not an additional charge, if it was being wasted by some that don't care for lamb.  

The dining experience is still just that, an experience.  Hot towel, spiced tea, interesting food makes it worth a visit.  Unfortunately, when you familiarize yourself with a restaurant and they subtract from the service without adjusting the price, it's hard not to feel like you are being take advantage of, as a patron.
5 - LaTasha J.: I have been searching for Ethiopian food in my home state ever since I moved back to Michigan from Washington, DC.  I finally found this place in Ann Arbor and I'm so glad I went!  The food was amazing, the tea was great, and the portions were just right (if not too generous).  My boyfriend and I didn't even come close to eating it all.  The staff was very friendly and answered all of our questions kindly and patiently.  They serve you with hot towels for your hands before and after meals which, even in the fancier, more expensive place in DC I was used to, they did not do.  The decor is beautiful.  I expect to be back time and time again.
3 - Jenna I.: I was amazed they even had Ethiopian food in Michigan to be honest, and I had really hoped it would surprise me... but alas, their food is just strictly OK. 
I found the injera to be especially bland (more like just a plain old crepe) and the food to be lacking in spice. While none of it is bad by any means, the prices are just painfully high, which just sort of burns after tasting the second rate food. Lets also be honest- Ethiopian food is so filling, it's ridiculous being forced to pay for All You Can Eat when all you can eat is one serving!

However it's not all bad at the Blue Nile- their honey wine is made in house and it's really great (you can buy it in bottles at Whole Foods too). The place itself looks nice, a lot of decorations and a nice large space. The service is very good as well. They have everything you'd expect on the menu, and again, seeing as it's basically all there is around, it's certainly not BAD. 

What it comes down to is this- If you've never had the food before, it's a good introduction- kind of like Ethiopian 101. But if you've been around the Ethiopian restaurant circuit, maybe just wait it out until you're back in a city with better choices.
5 - Joseph D.: Always excellent. Friendly, good food.
4 - Julia S.: I happen to like me some Ethiopian food. I think dinner's a tad over-priced, but it is all-you-can-eat and I like almost all that's on offer.
3 - Red G.: It's simply overpriced. There's only so much you can eat because all the starch from the lentils and spongy bread (which I didn't mind unlike some other people, though my friend wasn't crazy about it), and it's $15+ for vegetarian feast and $17+ with three extra meat dish. The spicy dishes had a lot more flavor, and while I enjoyed some of the food from the all-you-can-eat dinner, it's simply overpriced in terms of quality and quantity.

The service, on the other hand, was great. Our server was kind and later on a guy who seemed to be either the owner or the manager came by to ask how everything was going. They give you warm towels before and after the meal, but you might want to ask for a fork for some of the spicy meat dishes unless you want the tip of your fingers smelling like what you ate. It lasts. I can't speak for lunch because I don't know how much food they give you, but I'm thinking paying 10-11 bucks for a meat dish and two vegetable sides for lunch is a much better deal. I might try that another time. I will come back here if somebody's buying me dinner but I won't be shelling out my 20+ bucks here.
5 - Carrie B.: The blue nile is fantastic. I've been to quite a few ethiopian restaurants in various parts of the US and nowhere else really compares. I can only speak for the vegetarian dishes but they all have distinct flavors and are perfectly seasoned. $15 may be a little expensive for regular visits but it's all you can eat and is worth the price in my book.
4 - Mimi K.: As my friend and I were looking over the menu in the front lobby, a man with a strong accent, presumably the owner, came out and started talking to us. It was hard to say no because every time we expressed a hint that we might go somewhere else, he would tell us to come in to talk about it more. I was a bit annoyed but we gave in, and boy, am I glad we did.

Knowing that it was our first time visiting, the owner let us order from the lunch menu. After washing your hands with hot towels, you use pieces of injera bread to scoop up the servings of food on the tray. Between my friend and me, we got the Mixed Vegetables, the Kik Alecha (split peas with spices), the Tekil Gomen (cabbage with spices), the Defen Yemisir Alecha (lentils with spices), and the Doro Wat (spiced chicken). The one thing I didn't like was that because one of our choices of dishes overlapped, they just gave us one serving of it, so together we paid the price of six and got five.

I loved the injera bread-- the subtle flavor combines well with the intense spices and textures of the dishes-- and all of my dishes were good, except the Mixed Vegetables, which left something to be desired. My friend did not like the chicken much, but she was crazy about the Ethopian tea, which also entails free refills. Normally this restaurant will not let you take home any food in a box because it is all you can eat. However, they let us because it was our first time. Therefore, I guess I should say if it's your first time, make sure they know and you'll get special treatment.

We also got carrot cake for dessert. It was good--nothing super amazing, but solid.

Overall, it was a unique and delicious experience and not too expensive either-- 8.50 for me (Vegetarian Plate--although that was lunch--generally, dinner is much more expensive). I'm planning to take my family there next time they visit.
4 - Chad C.: When I'm searching for a place with a little bit of novelty for an out-of-town guest, this is one of the places I suggest, but always paired with somewhere to go either before or afterward for a drink or dessert.  It's a little too subdued to stand by itself.
4 - Dom P.: Stopped in here a couple of months back during a low-traffic time of day for late lunch/early dinner with a friend. We got the Vegetarian Feast and a couple of beverages. This was my first experience with Ethiopian food. Maybe I was just hungry or maybe I was just having a great time, but either way I thought everything was amazing! -- the service was great, the ambiance was great, and I couldn't stop eating. Normally, I don't like lentils and I'm not a big fan of collard greens, but I ate both like they were going out of style. I ordered the Spiced Ethiopian tea and my friend had the Ethiopian coffee. Both were perfect the way they were served. Not once did I try to locate condiments for anything I ate. In fact, the injera (bread) was so good that if someone had wrapped my hand in it, I would've eaten that too.

For dessert, we enjoyed tiramisu. I'm no connoisseur, but I thought it was fantastic as well.

I will definitely return to this restaurant as much as possible.
5 - Emily A.: This is my favorite restaurant in Michigan.  I'm from Michigan but now live in NYC, and travel often.  But when I come visit family in Michigan, a trip to Blue Nile is always in the plan.  The food is amazing, and the spiced tea is so good I always make sure I have some at home (they sell the loose tea).  Blue Nile was the first Ethiopian experience I had, and when I'm in a new city I always want to try the local Ethiopian spots.  None have compared.  I don't like sour dough, so I appreciate that unlike a lot of other places, Blue Nile doesn't use sour dough in their injera.  The food is so good that, after getting several rounds of refills, I happily gobble up the bottom injera that has soaked up the spices.  I know that any trip to the Blue Nile will be followed by a food coma.  I see they are now serving lunch.  Too bad they weren't doing that back when I worked in downtown Ann Arbor.  Then again, for the sake of my wallet and my waistline, maybe that was a good thing!
4 - Brittany A.: Coming from DC where there are Ethiopian restaurants everywhere, I was a little weary of one in Ann Arbor by itself.  BUT I was very impressed by the taste, quality and service.  My only disappointed was that they didn't have the lamb wot and the lamb they had was pretty bland.  Luckily that is an upcharge for the meat platter any way so I would just not add it.  The spicy beef and chicken were my favorite, also the spicy peas and spicey lentils.  They even brought us more when we finished what they gave us.  If you've never had Ethiopian before beware a salad is tomatoes and jalapenos only.  Delicious!
5 - Julia D.: I went here with my mom and my sister and I LOVED it.  I haven't eaten a ton of Ethiopian food, but I thought this was pretty delicious.  We stuck to vegetarian and I was quite satisfied with flavorful lentils and split peas.
5 - Becky H.: I really love the food and service here and wish I could afford to eat here more often. (Alas... the grad student budget.) The (super-friendly) owner often stops by my table to make sure everything is going all right and sometimes to offer wine.

When I'm in a group, some of us will order the vegetarian feast and others the meat. They are always very accommodating and don't force us to go with one or the other (so that some of us with the vegetarian order can mooch off of the meat plate). I always thought that was nice. :)

Haven't tried any of the desserts, though they always look so. very. good. But I never have any room left at the end of an all-you-can-eat meal!
4 - Janani S.: I love this place, I have been here 6 times and I like the way we eat :)  You need to share a plate ( 4 share a plate) and eat, more like a community atmoshphere :)...

Food is simple yet taste good, you end up talking a lot which i like to do. So if you are a person who likes to share a plate and talk a lot, eat simple food. Go here :). 

I wouldn't recommend this place for "First few Dates"
5 - Amy A.: Yum!!! I'm so sad I live in California and probably won't be back in Ann Arbor for...years! I'm vegan, and I went here with my sister and brother-in-law, who are not. Fortunately, they are the type of omnivores who feel totally fine about skipping meat in their meal, so we all shared a plate of Gomen (greens), spicy red lentils (can't remember the name), and mild, yellow split peas (also something in Ethiopian). Everything was delicious! The injera was fresh and perfect--not too sour. The red lentils were pretty spicy, but with great flavor! I left stuffed and satisfied. They also appear to have a pretty extensive alcohol menu, which is always a plus. The waitress was cool and kinda sassy, which I like. Also, hot towels at the beginning and end of the meal! I wish all restaurants did that. It feels so pamper-y!
4 - Craig Z.: Very good, but not as good as it used to be, and more expensive.  At the same time, they have cut out at least one meat from the feast, which was disappointng.  I'd still recommend it though, just not as frequently as I once did.
3 - Roland C.: I'll give Blue Nile a 3, but that is being a little generous.  The food is okay, not impressive but it is fine and will do if you aren't well versed in Ethiopian food or limited in options.  I had the Ethiopian Feast on two occasions and booth times wished it could have been better.  I'm no expert but I've had several Ethiopian dishes at various restaurants across the US and this just doesn't stand out.

Another issue is the price.  Paying for delicious food is never a problem, but the prices are rather high for the quality.  The service was also not spectacular.  On both occasions I went in on weekdays, once right after the lunch crowd and once before dinner.  The restaurant had a few tables full... not dead but by no means crowded.  The staff seemed disinterested and preferred to stand in the corner and chat rather than wait on the tables.  

Overall it's fine if you are really in the mood for Ethiopian food or want to try something new.
5 - Whitney G.: Mentioning quality authentic Ethiopian food, I used to go to the Blue Nile in Downtown Detroit as a little girl.  Since it's moved to Ann Arbor, the food, the service and the decor is still the same... Excellent!
5 - Charles P.: This is a great place. 

The atmosphere was cozy and intimate but not crowded. Loved the traditional uniforms of the servers. We went in the evening and had the pleasure of hearing live music. Before the food was served, they gave us warm towels to clean our hands. Very thoughtful!

The food was exceptionally good. The bread was served warm and servers were attentive to refill our drinks and replenish our supply of bread whenever it ran low. We ordered the family sharing dish. It was all very tasty. The tea they served was good-earth tea: very rich and satisfying on a cold winters night.

Great food. Great atmosphere. Great service.

Bravo, Blue Nile. Bravo.
2 - Stephanie H.: Meh.... Is the best way to describe this place. The host, who I assume was also the manager/ owner was just out of it. No clue at all what was going on. Aloof and uninterested in some guests and broke his neck to get to others. Very odd. The service was okay until it was time for dessert. If you have been to the Ferndale location you will definitely be disappointed. This location is not nearly as cozy. The food not as hot and the servers not as attentive. All in all I would not go back. The food is the same at both locations but not the service. Like I previously mentioned the host/ manager/ owner was no help we could not find our server, who obviously forgot our desserts, (which by the way were terrible and grossly overpriced) and he just stood there. I don't think he moved at all. After our server finally came out with our desserts she disappeared again. Again we enlisted his help. Rather than moving he actually went to talk in depth with the table next to us asking about the food and the service, joking about the weather.... not sure what that was about but it seals the deal on me never returning. If you have never been here don't go. It is a little pricey to not get out of it what you want and unless you want lukewarm food, inattentive servers and a clueless host you should dine elsewhere.
2 - Aaron J.: Very decent food but some glaring problems with this place. There are literally only two options on the menu and each is over 16 dollars for a 'feast'. This does not include any drinks or dessert. They also have a strict policy that you cannot take home leftovers, so any extra food is simply thrown out. I love Ethiopian food but there is no way I will be back to the blue Nile any time soon.
4 - Hakeem J.: I will be going back. My buddy and I both ordered the Ethiopian Feast with meat, which was quite good. The bread was warm, the vegetables and meat were delicious, and the service was great. This place is a great place to go with friends or family as the traditional serving of the meal, notably the Ethiopian Feast, allows you to share the entire experience with others. I haven't had Ethiopian food before going to Blue Nile, but will certainly be having more in the future. By the way, you can get quite full off the vegetables and bread. Thinking back, I could have done without the meat.
3 - Michael T.: Atmosphere is wonderful!  I like the colors, layout, noise level, painted lights, and the guy on the keyboard is great!

The owners and hosts are great!  Very pleasant and want you to feel welcomed. 

The food is good - not great.  Some of the items seemed bland and others seemed to spicy.  I thought the food could have been warmer too.  There was not alot depth of flavor, but the tastes were pure - not remarkable by any means, but good.  The "feast" with meat was $18.90 and $5 more if you wanted lamb.  Tea or soda is $2.50.  Food is priced 30-40% more than it should be.  The tea had a very strong cinnamon taste that was undrinkable to me after a few sips as the flavor intensified and I wanted to taste the flavor of the veggies, so I switched to soda.

The service was definitely grade C as there was too few staff.  My waitress brought towels to start and clean up, but I don't think I saw her  throughout  the meal.  Another girl was running around, refilling drinks, and putting out the dishes every so often.  Small drink jars emptied quickly and wouldn't be refilled.  I asked the waitress helper for a refill, she said sure and then 10-15 minutes later another small jar of drink would show up.   This doesn't work when you want to drink in between different dishes.  Again - not the staffs fault - there just isn't enough of them.  The restaurant was half filled on Saturday night, so I would have expected better service.  They brought out the dessert tray before asking us if we were done, which is not what I would have expected with the all you can eat feast.

We had great company, so had a great time.  I would say this place is way over priced for the quality of food and short staff, so I only give it 3 stars.   I would come back and give this place another chance, but only if  I  get a killer coupon though.
3 - Brian W.: A family favorite,  including our 2 middle school aged girls, we went here for our 4th wedding anniversary dinner.  

First off- while it is a bit costly,  the food is top notch and the service as always was excellent.  We always get the Ethiopian Feast, and add on the lamb.  Something for everyone to choose from.  

Parking can be challenging.  There is a public garage near about 2 blocks away unless you luck out with street parking close by.

We prefer this location over the Ferndale location. They also have a private dining area for larger groups if needed.
4 - Angela S.: This place is an experience. More like a taste of culture than just a restaurant. I really liked that aspect. 

 I went for dinner with my boyfriend who has been wanting to take me here for months. I was a little skeptical the menu looked a little boring. My boyfriend had never been here either but thought I would like it since I like vegan, more ethnic food. 

I had no idea what to expect going into this. I have had Ethiopian food before but the whole hand towels before and after a meal, eating with your hands, the uncooked no refrigeration thing was very unique. I ordered the vegetarian feast and it was overall very good. I loved the cabbage the best. A few dishes were a little too salty and bland but the greens and yellow peas were so good as well. I've had better bread like this but it was still good. 

Only downfalls were the price almost $17 per person for this all you can eat. Which is steep seeing its just lentils, peas, and green. I would rather have one serving for a smaller price or something. Than we asked if we could take our leftovers home and that isn't allowed. That really made me mad because I hate wasting things and this food could have been eaten later instead of being thrown away!!! There are many starving children in Ethiopia! 

Still good food and service by me!
3 - Bill B.: Long ago, I made many trips to the old Blue Nile in Detroit's Greektown.  It was novel, fresh and delicious.  Since then, I have tried other Ethopian restaurants in Southeastern Michigan and other cities.  Thus, I was curious about how my more educated palate would feel on my first trip to a Blue Nile in years.

It was OK.  The collard greens (gomen) still rock in that special tangy way.  The cabbage, though not as sublime as I remember, was gentle.  Red lentil dishes retain a pretty good bite.  However, I was disappointed in the blandness of the potato, carrot and green bean and yellow dal dishes.  Green lentils, which once were served cold, seemed to lose something with the heat.  Salad, which used to come with the veggie feast, is now an extra charge (really?).

The is not to say that the Blue Nile was bad.  It's still a kick to scoop these dishes into the spongy injera bread.  The food doesn't crackle as it once did, though.  I don't know whether it is my taste or the restaurant that has changed but the meal wasn't as magical as I hoped that it would be.
4 - Andres B.: Super unique and culturally interesting dining experience and I'm very glad I went. However, you will certainly overeat and you might feel sick afterwards. Tea was also fantastic and service was excellent. 

With that being said, the food is probably not worth the price, because when you break it down what you are eating is fairly basic, even if it is very tasty. For that reason, I will probably only come back when I have friends/family visiting who are looking for something different. If you haven't been at all, I'd definitely recommend trying it out at least once though -- FUN TIME.
5 - Ashly C.: Ethiopian food is one of my favorite cuisines and this place does it amazingly!  Definitely my favorite of all the Ethiopian restaurants in Southeast Michigan (and believe me I've tried several:  The Blue Nile in Ferndale, Taste of Ethiopia in Southfield, Addis Ababa in Downtown Plymouth). 

I love the authentic decor and woven basket tables. Every time I've been here I always order the Ethiopian Feast (with meat and vegetables) and everything is full of flavor and not too spicy, I also love the Ethiopian Spiced Iced Tea. Just make sure to arrive very hungry because the feast is "all you can eat" and once you start eating you won't want to stop :)
3 - Daron D.: I recently went here for the first time a couple of days, and i must say i left feeling good and full. When i went, i had the Ethiopian feast with my girlfriend, and it was good. The greens and cabbage as good as i have ever had and the spicy lentils was good and so was the yellow split peas (and i don't even like peas). The meat was OK, not great, and the bread used with the meal compliment it pretty well. So would i go again, yes, but i wouldn't go on a consistent basis, just as a "special location place", but it is somewhere you should experience at least once in your life.
5 - Chris K.: I've never had Ethiopian food before, and I have to say it is now one of my favorites! Fantastic atmosphere, just enough lighting to be cozy but enough to easily see what I was eating. We were greeted immediately upon entering, and our food was at the table in 5 minutes flat. Everything we had was incredibly tasty! We will definitely be coming back :)
5 - Mandy F.: Yum! Better than the Ethiopian food I have found so far in New York. Amazing flavors, good price, excellent portions!
4 - Christina D.: Definitely an experience!  Got the Ethiopian feast with the family and everything was tasty and very filling.  Love the spongy bread and all the lentils!

Blue Nile Restaurant - West Lafayette, IN (40.424524, -86.908327) ()
4 - Brian A.: I love Blue Nile.  The shawarmas are great and try the lentil soup.  It's the best soup I've had.  I would go here purely for the soup.  If I could take home gallon buckets of the stuff I would.  This was one of my favorite places to eat at Purdue.

As a note, don't believe the map as to where it's located.  The address may in fact be correct, but it's on Northwestern around the Subway.  Go north on Northwestern from Chauncey.
5 - Jamal A.: Great place to eat, the best middle eastern restaurant in town
4 - Julie T.: I was hooked after I had the Chicken Biryani- love it!  Chicken shawarma is also great.  The full size portions are huge.  Even the half size would be enough for a typical entree.  

Nice service.  Great food.
3 - Megan C.: I have mixed feelings about blue nile.  Sometimes the lentil soup is amazing, but other times it has been watered down or there are burnt bits in it from them not stirring it enough (and they still serve it?!)  However, the hummus is really good and so are several other entrees.  As another reviewer mentioned the half sizes are plenty enough food.  My only other complaint is that whenever we go here it seems really dead.  I generally prefer the Olive House.
5 - Siraaj M.: As good as when I went to college, best arab food in the midwest bar none, and I've eaten in chicago, no one compares to this place.  they have a special home made spice if you want heat things up a bit.  If there's any place you go to eat in West Lafayette, this is it.
3 - Christopher D.: Had lunch here with some workmates.  As noted by others, the place is fairly quiet, though it picks up a little during prime lunch hours.  

Hummous was super-fresh, as in just made that second.  Good ratio of chickpeas to tahini, though it could have used a touch more garlic and lemon juice.  Needed a little zip, in my opinion.

I had falafel, others chicken shawarmas.  Solid, substantial, and cheap.  Nothing to write home about, but it's a good place for a fast lunch.
5 - Jane E.: Tried it for lunch this afternoon.  I have lived in Michigan and am familiar with Middle Eastern food.  This is a wonderful restaurant and they make authentic and fresh food.  I had the Chicken Tawook and the Chicken Schwarma.  Both of them are delicious and just perfect.  They were seasoned a bit on the salty side, but it just added to the taste.  The rice were perfectly cooked and the vegetable and meat were a good combination.  

I just ate it and am writing this review.  Am hungry just from describing it and want to try it again.  Definitely a place to go to!
5 - Ryan M.: If you want authentic Middle Eastern food, Blue Nile is where you want to go. I have had many meals here, both in small groups and large groups. As well as at lunch, dinner time, and late at night. I have never had bad service nor a bad meal. After eating here so much, here is my list of recommended menu items:

--Appetizers
Hummus with meat
falafel

--Lunch
Blue Nile Shawarma
Chicken Shawarma
Lunch portion lamb biryani (or chicken)

--Dinner
Full portion lamb biryani (or chicken)

Due to their resizing of the seating area, there is no longer a lot of space for many large groups. Therefore, if you are planning to have a large group of people with you, make sure to get there early and get tables pushed together. Other than that, this is a great place for large groups!
4 - Paul K.: I love ethnic food.
One thing I love about Purdue is it has so many different kinds of food. I haven't really eaten Middle Eastern food a lot, but I loved this place when I was at Purdue. Chicken and Labm Biryani are always my go-to menus.
5 - Leah S.: The food here was plentiful and delicious and the people incredibly friendly. Highly recommended.
5 - Matt O.: I'd think very few cities ten times the size of West Lafayette have a Middle Eastern restaurant this good. Unassuming decor, superb food -- they excel at both the standards, and at the more unusual items on the menu -- and a very nice family that runs the place. Can't recommend highly enough.
5 - Rachel D.: Excellent! The food was so authentic and delicious. Service was fast and so helpful. We had hummus and tajine, falafel, shish kebab combo, Jerusalem salad, lentil soup, and fatoush. So good!
The desserts are great, baklava and white nights
We highly recommend this place!
5 - Alexander G.: I'm an Israeli and really picky about my humus,tabulech  and baba- ganush. 
 I was in West Lafayette for work. Usually  I hesitate to go to Middle Eastern places in US as most  of them quiet  disappointing and not comparable with the real thing which you get at the Middle East. 
 So I reluctantly flowed my colleagues who were craving for some Middle Eastern food. 
 And I was really surprised with this place it is almost as good as you can get it at home. 
 The Humus , tabuleh and masabacha are great!!!
 Also Falafel and the deserts are really authentic - 
In one sentence it was my first time in the US when I manged to have the food like at home, which I have missed for so long time.
4 - Ken C.: As-Salmu `Alaykum, all!

It's amazing what you can do with some chick peas and olive oil. Their Hummus is just absolutely amazing, it's as smooth as butter and it melts in your mouth! I felt like their Pita's were amazing too! Warm and fresh right outta the oven (not sure if they made it themselves actually, but dang it was good!). I also got a meat shwarma, which was also pretty dang good, though, I really wanted to try their couscous dish.

The place is small and there were very few people, when I was there, but the lady who was working there was nice and was quick to serve us. What's funny was that the waitress was also from Jersey! 

There were 4 of us who had food and in total came up to almost $35 dollars, which would have been easily $70 dollars in NJ. 

Would definitely go back, if I lived in West Lafayette, IN. Seems to be quite a few hidden gems in the West Lafayette, IN.
4 - Saimah A.: One of the local gems of WL. One of the better middle eastern restaurants in the Purdue area, although for out of towners it may be hard to find. They are located kind of in an alley. They're space has gotten smaller so it is a tight squeeze for a large crowd but their food is very good. Their hummus is amazing as are their falafels as far as appetizers are concerned. For a middle eastern place they probably have the best briyani I have ever eaten. Spicy and tastes amazing. [it's a chicken and rice dish]. I always get their beef shawrma [full order!] but their chicken is good too. Each entree comes with a soup or salad. I always opt for their yogurt salad. No longer at purdue but I will def miss this place.
5 - Shriphani P.: They have v awesome veggie food.
4 - Michelle E.: Food was amazing! Service was ok, but the food did come out fast.
5 - Juan A.: This was the first restaurant I tried when I got to West Lafayette and I really liked. I have been in the area for almost two weeks and I have been there three times already so that tells you how much I like their food. I have been to plenty of Middle Eastern restaurants in California, Virginia, and I have even gone to an Egyptian restaurant while I was in Kuwait City so I think I have plenty of experience with this kind of food. I can say with no doubt that the Blue Nile has the best Middle Eastern food that I have tried so far. 

I have tried three different items from their menu and all were amazing. They food was fresh, tasty, and inexpensive. Yesterday I had the Mazaa platter and it was amazing!! The grape leaves and humus were specially good.
4 - Mithun J.: One of the best places around for Middle Eastern food. The Monday special of roasted chicken is reminiscent of the rotisserie chicken sold at most shawarma shops in the Middle East. The shawarma is good, packed with meat and vegetables. I would have preferred the tahini sauce to be more garlicky, and the version with diced tomato, and coriander leaves but regardless, it's still good shawarma.

The service is good, and a bit slow at times due to the busy lunch hours. I'm a regular, so I would certainly recommend Blue Nile as well as its incredible daily specials.
3 - Ellen K.: I am sad to say that I have to give tonight's meal 3 stars.  I loved the food, and yes, that's what we came for.  (We had already travelled 6 hours by car, and we'd looked for the right place to eat - worthy of the Yelp search and the extra 20 minute ride from our hotel, each way.)  This place sounded great... and indeed, it was true:  the food is authentic, tastily seasoned, diverse, clean... excellent quality and fairly priced.  Yes, we could say the atmosphere is homey in that it feels like we're in someone's extended kitchen.  But the on-going screaming of the owner's kid, combined with the mom's impatient reprimands at the top of her voice, and the children's continuous intrusiveness with other customers (and the place in general) so detracted from the pleasure of the food that we couldn't wait to get out of there.  Comparing this to other family owned restaurants we've been too, even late at night (it was 9-10 pm - and we still couldn't get a peaceful dinner!) we could only remember the pleasant experiences we've had. Not so here.  We have never been to Lafayette (or West Lafayette) before, but this whole dining thing left a big negative for us.  We had a sweet night guy at the hotel (Quality Suites) who made up for our dinner with an upgrade... but otherwise I know I'd never come back here unless I had to.  So if you're ok with high pitched screaming kids throughout your meal with no management / parental intervention (and no mom, we don't want to hear you yelling; just gently take your child out of the room), the food here is worth the effort.  Blessings....
2 - Comyar S.: Got the chicken shawerma sandwich. The chicken ok, nothing special. Came with a bag of potato chips. Pretty dry meal. Should add some lettuce to the wrap or some veggies.
5 - Sandra H.: Although I just had the Combo Kabobs and the baklava, I've been to the Middle East and the food at this restaurant is very much like what I remember eating there. The service was very good considering they had only one wait person. I would definitely go again and try more of the menu.
4 - Yan K.: This was probably the first restaurant that I tried on my campus that was not fast food. I went with some friends to the restaurant base on the yelp review.

Food: I ordered the chicken biryaki. It came with rice, chicken, onions, and some seasoning. The taste was pretty good with the seasoning and the rice. Though I got to say the onion had a strong taste if you're eating it plain. It probably would be better mixed in with the food. The meal also came with a soup (potato soup I believe), and that had a good taste to it.

Environment: The restaurant itself was somewhat small, and the environment was not bad. I wouldn't say it is complete authentic, but is about what I would expect.
4 - Chris E.: Blue Nile is located right on campus, but tucked behind Potbelly's sandwich shop in the back an on alley with very very VERY limited parking out front.  But even after a long walk on a hot summer day, I showed up at Blue Nile's front door knowing that it's going to be well worth the sweat (especially since I knew their A/C would not be cranking, but then again, who needs cool air when you can have some delicious spicy food!?!).  Here's the trick to almost guaranteeing yourself a satisfying meal at Blue Nile - ORDER THE SPECIAL!  Their specials are under $12 after tax and there's enough food to get your belly full and still walking away with a doggie bag (if you're not busy stuffing yourself because it's just too yummy to stop eating).  The Lamb Shank is tender and scrumptious (note to self - must try to figure out what is used to marinate it)!  I've had beef (usually ground beef), chicken, lamb specials and have never been disappointed (wish I had written down all their names so I can share here).  The Arabic Salad is great for summer, cucumber and tomato chunks sitting in a cup of lemon juice and minced cilantro, just what I needed to cleanse the palate and cool down a bit.  The Lentil Soup is good, tastes like it was made just before I showed up.  Chicken Shawarma sandwich comes in a pita (dry and not greased, which is how I like my pitas) with onions and tomatoes on the bottom and marinated chicken cubes on top, the Tahini sauce is what really tie the ingredients together.  If ordered as a meal, it would be the chicken on a plate of rice.  Speaking of rice, their rice is very flavorful just by itself, mixing that with whatever sauce that comes with the protein or vegetables of the dish (depending on what entree you get), it will keep getting better and better.  My only gripe about Blue Nile is that I wish they use fresh corn, green beans, and carrots instead of canned ones, but I can imagine using pre-made ingredient instead of having to prepare for fresh ones every day on top of having to mix a million spices together to marinate/soak/rub the proteins and other fresh veggies like eggplants and okras can be overwhelming in that tiny kitchen of theirs, so I suppose they have to choose their battle there.  If they get rid of the canned veggies and up their vegetarian options, I will have no choice but give them a 5 star, saying that I'm a fan is almost an understatement!

***Oh btw, my Muslim friends tell me that Blue Nile serves Halal meat.
4 - Jennife W.: The food here is really great.  I've eaten the stuffed eggplant... it's cooked really nice and the cheese inside is super yummy.  The hummus is also tasty.  I've tried the chicken from the platters and they were seasoned well and cooked nicely.   The baklava is okay... I prefer mine to have more layers, rather than just nuts on that bottom.

The owner (the woman) is very sweet.  Both times I've eaten there she has come out and talked to us.  She is very much a host and you feel that you are really at her home when you are there.  

The only thing that's super awkward about this restaurant is the service.  It may have just been a fluke, but even simple questions went unanswered and we seemed to be annoying the waitress when we even asked.  The last time I was there the dirty dishes sat on the table even after our to-go containers were filled and we ordered and ate dessert.  Then we weren't told that we pay by the door and just sat there staring at the dirty dishes until we saw other guests going to pay over there.  Grabing our plates, letting us know how to pay, and wishing us well would have been a nice service ending to the meal.   Other than that, I would recommend it.

Blue Point Grill - Princeton, NJ (40.3523637, -74.6510468) ()
4 - Karina M.: There is a good chance that I have developed an allergy to fish, and the only reason I am upset (other than not being able to eat sushi..) is because of this restaurant. I try to avoid food involving fish in general (again, unless it's sushi..) but practically everything that comes out of the Blue Point Grill kitchen is delicious--and it's alll fish. If you're looking for some meat, dont bother. But if you want to enjoy some salmon, tuna, shark...any sort of edible fish, you should go here. The entrees arent huge but still fiilling (which i love because i dont leave the place feeling like i am going to puke from eating too much). There's always a long wait though, the main restaurant is only open for dinner--the little store to the left of the restaurant has lunch (sandwiches) though, and I dont think they take reservations. So if you have a lot of free time to wait for dinner and want some good fish--BPG is perfect.
5 - Henry Y.: Nice place....we brought our own wine as that's the way they do it here. The service was fantastic and we got really good recommendations from the server. 

The Grilled octopus appetizer was perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious. I had the mixed grill with Sea bass and another fish, both of which were perfectly cooked. My sister had the scallops which were super excellent. So succulent. The rice and potato were good, and the side of broccoli was good.
5 - C. G.: One of two high end restaurants worth eating at in Princeton. (The other being another seafood restaurant, The Ferry House.) The raw oysters are excellent here. Whole grilled fish is usually great, once was burnt. The orange glazed scallops appetizer is delicious. The prices are expensive, but not for the quality you get. There are a lot of expensive restaurants in Princeton and most of them are not worth any of your money. The outside seating is nice, but they do not take reservations, which means a long wait during certain weeks (graduation, etc) as well as Friday and Saturday nights after 5pm.
5 - Shelley H.: Finally got to check this place out for dinner after walking past it on our way to Small World Coffee (crack in a cup) so many times...  definitely did not disappoint.  I had the steamed mussels (tender, juicy, perfect), portuguese sardines (grilled, salted, perfect),  lobster cakes (dry and disappointing), and a side of mixed squash (again, cooked to perfection).  Our waitress was really friendly too and accommodated our veg coworker with a veg ravioli that he said was quite tasty.  I also liked the fact that it's BYO and their mints by the doorway are those junior mints kind (soft mint center coated in choc, coated in a candy shell).
4 - Stryker C.: a great restaurant, excellent quality seafood, great service, fun, bubbly place...it's nice to BYO, but would be cool if they served wine. Other than that, this is a highly recommended place.
5 - Nicole E.: The menu was so full of tempting options that we couldn't choose.  We ended up getting 4 appetizers and a couple of soups so that we could try a bit of everything.  The crab martini was to die for and the tuna appetizer we had was just right.  I can't wait to go back!  

If I have one complaint it was that the restaurant was a bit small and so it was also a bit loud, but I can live with that when eating such great seafood!
4 - Imtiaz P.: After going on about wanting to check out Blue Point Grill for the last 2 years (I'm really not a procrastinator, just too many restaurant options and so little time), I finally had dinner there last night with a couple of friends.

The restaurant is owned by the same group that owns my favorite Princeton restaurant, Witherspoon Grill. The menu is all seafood with lots of options, actually way too many. The cute young waitress, very bubbly helped me choose and she made excellent choices. The jalapeno and andouille sausage calamari appetizer was unbelievably good. I also tried the bacon wrapped scallops - perfect. Everything we ordered was really good, except the dessert. Chocolate creme brulee, not a good choice.

The restaurant is BYO. 

Overall, excellent resturant. I may have to change my view that Princeton restaurants don't cut it. We'll see.
4 - Kat J.: Went there two nights ago with my boyfriend and my parents. Based on the reviews here, we went next door and picked up some wine. We only had to wait 30 minutes when we arrived around 7pm and the hostess was happy to open one of our bottles of wine and gave us glasses so we could enjoy ourselves while we wait. VERY nice :)

Once we got seated we had a bit of trouble figuring the menu out. There is a list of like 20 some seafood dishes without any descriptions - menu of them are just names of fish. I'm pretty picky about how my fish is prepared so it's hard for me to decide if I know nothing. However, the waitress proved very helpful in guiding our choice and the fish that we ended up getting was great. We got a ton of dishes and shared everything...

My favorites were the crab stuffed shrimp, the ahi tuna martini, the baby beets and the Australian Barramundi which was lovely. The lime and jalapeno shrimp was good but quite tart and spicy. The grilled calamari was flavorless if you ask me - perhaps all the other dishes had very flavorful sauces that it just paled in comparison. I'm not sure what else we got to be honest but overall the meal was quite enjoyable. I'd go back as I love seafood and they have a wide offering of very fresh seafood.
4 - Brett M.: Oh yum!

This may be my favorite restaurant in Princeton.  The menu is practically all seafood and they do it well.  I went with a party of 4 and everyone enjoyed their food.  Fish was cooked perfectly. The apps we ordered were interesting and tasty (Clams Casino, Maine Lobster Cakes).  I want to deduct a star because the food was a tad on the expensive side, but the BYOB policy saved us money on the wine... so it is a wash.  I do deduct a star for the "no reservations" policy.  The place gets very crowded especially on the weekend.  They will take your cell phone number and give you a call when your table is ready so that is pretty cool.
2 - jimmy d.: the service was excellent. the atmosphere was good enough although too dimly lit. the meals were very tasty, the pricing was overboard. it's simply too expensive. like most places in princeton. does affluence make people stupid? apparently.

these same people own the fish market that adjoins the restaurant. i went in one day and got 1 swordfish steak and 1 cod fillet, the guy at the counter told me my total was $48.

are they smoking crack in the walk in?

i told him to unwrap it and put it back on display i went to the shop rite and purchased comparable (i swear) goods for $23.

jersey fresh farm market on rt. 1 south in south brunswick, by the old j&j plant, has EXCELLENT quality fresh fish and decent prices.
5 - Ian P.: Basically my favorite seafood restaurant just about anywhere.  Super fresh and delicious fish that is never frozen.  As environmentally bad as it is, the Chilean sea bass is to die for.  I've also had great luck with the barramundi, sockeye salmon, tuna, and several other fish entrees.  I inevitably find the menu a bit overwhelming, so usually a helpful server can help you make a choice.  

They don't take reservations which has greatly limited the number of times I've been able to enjoy their food.  Their preparations are also very simple, don't expect anything elaborate done to the fish.  If you don't want to pay the pricey dinner prices, the little shop next door will make fresh lunch sandwiches which are often delicious and filling for $7-8--a well kept secret.  It's also BYOB which I love.
5 - MS. F.: This place is GREAT!

We saw awesome reviews and decided to give it a try even though it's about 30 minutes from our house, and it was well worth th drive!

The hostesses are incredibly friendly and will even take your cell phone number if there is a wait so that you can wander around the area and not worry about losing your table.

The menu has a TON of options, whether you are a fish lover or a shellfish lover.  My favorite has become the fried oysters.  They give you a HUGE portion with a couple of different sauces and a choice of a side item.  It is well worth the price.  I have also had the a couple of different types of fish there now (we have been back 3 times, they hooked us) and everything has always been cooked to flake perfectly and has been seasoned with just the right touch, never too much, never too little.  They have a spinach salad with warm goat cheese which makes an excellent starter and plenty of options for side dishes.

The restaurant is incredibly busy, we have had a short wait everytime (no reservations taken on Fridays or Saturdays for dinner), but it has never been too bad.  Parking is ample on any of the side streets, the entire staff is pleasant and attentive, and you definitely get a lot of value for your dollar.
5 - Ca G.: The fish is excellent. Many exotic fish choices. The wait can be long but well worth it. Very cute place with decent prices and very fresh fish. One of my favorites.
5 - C S.: I was prepared to not like this place, so we avoided it for the past few months.

It was my husband's birthday, and we had some good news, so we decided to come here.  I purchased (and chilled) a half bottle of Veuve Cliquot as well as a bottle of a Lodi Zin to have with dinner.

Our server immediately opened the Veuve and asked whether we wanted the red opened (not yet).  For a deuce, it was nice having the shelf next to us to put the candle, salt & pepper, extra glassware, bread, as the table was narrow.  It really made it more comfortable.

We started with the lump crab atop tomatoes.  These were divine.  I used some of the breadcrusts (soft artisan white; not a baguette, more of a German or Irish styled bread) to sop up the flavoured oil.  

Then a half dozen of the Cape May oysters (trying out the local fare): wow.  These were saline, creamy, with a floral note.  There were 8 varieties to choose from tonight, and of them, I had only tried 3-4 in the past.  My husband, who considers oysters snot, liked one too (he's limited to trying one, considering his opinion of them).  The cocktail sauce and mignonette were also good.  I dipped my bread into the mignoette--it was a fruitier variety--possibly a raspberry vinagre--with a healthy dose of dill.  So good.

Then the entrees.  We had trouble deciding, and chose the duo of Icelandic Arctic Char+S. American Tilapia--grilled--plus crispy red snapper.

Char: excellent.  Much like a mild salmon, without any bitterness. Not as firm as most places make it (overcooked).  This place knows fish, and does it properly.

Tilapia: creamy, a little mushy, with that soothing flavour expected and done perfectly. I like tilapia because it has the flavour of catfish without the bones.  

Red snapper: wow.  this one had crispy fins and tail (yes, I eat those parts until it gets boney) with a tender, slightly mushed texture, but again, perfect.

We had fries and garlic mashed potatoes on the side; avoid the fries, as they're nothing special (nothing wrong with them, just nothing special) and my husband liked the mash.  

We ended with the creme caramel (real vanilla beans!) and a decaf espresso which was also perfect.

We left happy and content.  The food was served perfectly done, the service relaxed but prompt when we needed bottles opened or glasses removed.

We were there roughly 2 hours for an incredible meal.

2 for dinner, $93 with tax before tip.

Knowing that there might be a wait, we called ahead (just in case, considering their call-back service for waits; no reservations).  By the time we left (8:15), there was a line out the door.  

I now understand and appreciate this place.
5 - Katya O.: My favorite restaurant in Princeton. Here's what appetizers you have to try: jalapeno lime shrimp, steamed shrimp dumplings, and the buffalo shrimp. These are all amazing! I daydream about these appetizers, seriously... Their rice pilaf (with entrees) is also really good; their fish is all fresh and so delicious. It's BYOB so bring a bottle of wine; they'll even uncork it for you while you're waiting (there can definitely be a wait on weekend nights). Love this place! 

Pretty sure they're closed for lunch. Strictly dinner.
4 - Tom C.: Slap your mama fresh
Bent Spoon ice cream for dessert
Bring extra bottle

Can't miss Blue Point, they have a Yelp Sticker on the door! 

You go here and you realize just how long it has been since you've really had good seafood. These guys do it right, with some 25 varieties of fish offered fresh in various forms of preparation on one side of the menu and appetizers ranging from Portuguese Sardines (my first choice and of course no longer available) to several versions of calamari and 16 types of raw oysters...a seafood lovers paradise. 

My girlfriend's pistachio crusted trout was amazing (and huge, I would not want to run into that sucker in a dark alley) and it came with the best mashed sweet potatoes I've ever had. My Bouillabaisse was outstanding. 

Their dessert menu had lot's of tempting options including fresh ice creams from the bent spoon! http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-bent-spoon-princeton#hrid:4oe0KcEnscAd-3k1fDuQWQ

I say bring an extra bottle because it is BYO and they don't take reservations. So get there early, enjoy a few glasses while you wait and get ready for a great dinner. 

I cast my price range vote at the $$ with the warning that one could easily get over the $30 a person mark...
4 - Jen C.: Tuesday night dinner - called ahead before we went, still had to wait. BYOB. Spicy fried calamari was tasty, but not very spicy. I had the halibut with lemon and capers - super good. My co-workers enjoyed their oysters, tuna and striped bass. Waitress was great.
4 - Paul K.: Excellent food; excellent service.  Fish, fish, fish -- if you do not life fish, go someplace else. BYOB!!! No reservations -- we came at 5 pm on Saturday, and IT WAS CROWDED; we walked by at 10 pm and there was room -- in between 5 pm and 10 pm it was hell if you did not have a seat already (we did).  Definitely worth coming here for a good fish dinner.  Street parking -- good luck!
5 - Brian M.: Amazing restaurant.  I'll get the downside out of the way first... you're gonna wait for a table.  Probably an hour if my experience is any indication.

But we'll start the upsides with this is a BYOB - and you can drink while you wait.

Started my meal off with the Maine Lobster Bisque - which was nice and had a slight bit to it I loved.  Along with I shared a Lump Crab & Guacamole Martini with my girlfriend - which was great but didn't go with the soup at all... although it looked fabulous and was.

On to dinner - this place has an amazing array of fresh fish.  I'm told they belong to the fish market next door - which might begin to explain how they can have such a variety.  There were 27 varieties on the mixed grill menu - prepared pretty much any way you want them. 

I skipped the mixed grill menu and went for the Hazelnut & Cherry Crusted Tilapia off the Fish House Classics Menu instead.  Amazingly prepared.  I expected the cherries as part of the crust because of the name of the dish, ut they were on the side which I ended up appreciating.  I had the sweet mashed - which were good but I wish I had gone with a baked potato to pair with the dish.  Either way - it was perfect and left me eating WAY too much.

We did Creamed Spinach and Brussel Sprouts for our vegetables - which are served family size.  We should have only ordered one veritable because it went to waste - this place serves serious portions.

I also got to try the Dayboat Maine Sea Scallops - which were perfectly cooked.  Actually, after tasting them I wish I had gone for the Skate Wing - I find most places that do one well do the other well also... and I havn't had a good skate wing in like two years.

Overall - great service and atmosphere, cool band with the outdoor seating area, amazing food and great location if you're in Princeton for the day.  Highly recommend Blue Point Grill.
4 - Christina L.: Freshest, high quality seafood. High prices, but it is well worth it. I am not a big seafood junkie, but their Halibut (when on the menu) is fantastic. They are always featuring something new and different, and you really get to try out new types of fish you have never even heard of. Their Skate special was delicious, and you don't really see that offered anywhere. I'm a fan of their soups, shrimp appetizers, and calamari. My boyfriend loves their raw oysters, a nice variety to choose from.

It's a hard place to get into, anticipate a long wait. But i'm telling you it's worth it!

Oh and by the way, it's BYOB   =D
5 - Briana S.: I found Blue Point Grill when I was working in New Jersey in 2006... it was on my regular rotation back then, but alas, I was not yet a yelper. I last went there in 2007.

Flash forward to 2009... I find myself back in NJ for work, and I convince my colleagues that we must go slightly out of the way for dinner. Two plus years later, BP doesn't disappoint. 

We walk in, and see that the restaurant is popular as ever. After a 45 min wait (right along what we were told), we were seated. A very friendly and knowledgeable waiter immediately greeted us. We started with the buffalo shrimp (6 jumbo shrimp in savory buffalo sauce) and the crab and guacamole martini. Both disappeared in short order. I went with the Wednesday lobster special and had a lobster roll--as close to New England as one could get. The lobster was prepared perfectly and had that great lobster top-split bun. My coworkers each picked a different fish and were pleased as well.

Blue Point Grill is every bit as good as I remember. As a tip, if you call ahead, it will shorten your wait. I hope I find myself nearby again soon.
5 - eliza b.: i need to award 5 stars. this has turned into one of my favorite restaurants - not just in princeton - but in life.

i met my parents at blue point to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary, and it was a spectacular meal. we ordered the jalepeno shrimp and the mussels (in white sauce) to start. the mussels were some of the best i've had outside of new england. i'm unfortunately allergic to shrimp, but everyone else was freaking out about how good they were.
my husband got the mixed grill of trout & arctic char. the trout was the standout dish. blue point apparently really knows how to cook trout. my pan seared day boat sea scallops were UNBELIEVABLE. maybe the best i've ever had. the bronzini my mom got was out of this world, cooked to perfection and they really allow the fish to be the main flavor instead of smothering it in rosemary and capers. my dad's blackened trout was delicious as well.
this restaurant really knows what's up. the BYOB factor keeps the price reasonable. the service is outstanding - our waitress spent a lot of time answering questions and helping us order.
the sides - haricot vert & sweet potato fries, were excellent as well.
get there early so you can take full advantage of all of their specials!
i love you, blue point grill!!!!!
4 - Stephanie S.: I'm only giving Blue Point Grill four stars because of a few things:
- They have a no reservations policy, but you can "call ahead," which is apparently not a reservation. If you don't "call ahead" you'll end up waiting for at least an hour, if not more.
- The prices are ridiculous, even for seafood.
- The place isn't that big, so I wouldn't recommend going with more than four people.
- The hours suck.

However, as everyone else has said, the seafood is great. I love seafood and I've never had a bad meal here. It is BYOB and plenty of people do.
4 - Bill M.: Seafood lovers paradise!  I will definitely be returning.  Went here for my anniversary and it was wonderful.  Delicious appetizers and a huge fish selection.  Raw menu had 6 different types of oysters!

Only cons: Long wait and BYOB.
4 - Matthew C.: It's rare that you walk into a seafood place and you don't smell anything fishy.  This place is just that.  It's clean and quick.  People forget that fish isn't supposed to smell fishy.  You'll never smell anything fishy in this place.  They pride themselves on fresh rare to find fish.  Plus they serve it simple and done perfectly.  The oysters are excellent.  They shuck them quick and properly.  Sit at the oyster bar and watch their magic.  Plates can get a bit pricey but given that Chilean Sea Bass comes from over 10,000 miles away and onto my plate fresh...I'll pay it.
4 - Amanda S.: Blue Point is on point - to the max. This place has GREAT oysters. Plus, the staff is such smarty-pants about them, making it easier to choose from their extensive collection. I have NEVER had fish here that was not fresh .. always perfectly fishy. And lots of fish to choose from - gives you that opportunity to try something that you may not have had before. 

BYOB .. don't forget to tote along your bottle of white !
4 - tricia w.: Great place if you like fish/seafood.  Menu is always changing as it all depends on what they have - there is a giant chalkboard with all your choices (and prepared to your liking).  Don't worry if you're not familiar with many types of fish - the wait staff here is quite knowledgeable.

Be prepared to wait - this place doesn't accept reservations, although you can call ahead and get your name added to the list.  Since they close earlier than most restaurants, aim to get here earlier so you can enjoy your meal and not feel rushed.
4 - Rae Ann D.: I've been to Blue Point Grill at least 30 times.  Every time is was great.  I love fish and there are very few places where you can go and get a simple piece of fish.  The mussels are AMAZING.  I love the mustard sauce - I strongly recommend you share this with someone as an appetizer.  I strongly recommend you try Blue Point if you are in Princeton.  It never disappoints.  I love to bring other couples here - everyone always raves.  The food is delicious, consistent and affordable.
4 - L K.: Pros:
-the steamed mussels appetizer was the highlight of the night 5/5
-the wasabi and soy-seared tuna was also very good; highly recommended!
-entree: pan-seared salmon with lump crab 5/5 (the salmon was not better than at the Ferry House but the lump crab was fantastic)
-entree: new zealand suzuki mulloway 5/5 and the potatoes were great as well
-entree: grouper and scallops mixed saute 5/5

Cons:
-the lobster cakes were too "bread-y", with too little lobster and natural lobster flavoring being retained overall.
-the place is noisy and crowded, with tables packed tightly in a small space
-the waitress was not very attentive to our table
-no bar...
5 - N B.: My wife and I got a sitter and headed to this place for a rare dinner out for just the two of us.  My wife had selected this establishment from our Zagat guide.  I was a bit leary and really was having second thoughts as we strolled around Joe Canal's in search of a wine since the place is BYOB.

There was a short wait to eat inside. The wait to eat outside in the patio area was over an hour. We ate inside.

The decor was ok and every inch of space has been used to accomodate diners.  Our waitress was friendly and knowledgeable about the items on the menu. She was VERY helpful to my wife who was having a starter of raw oysters.  My wife was very pleased with the variety and taste of the oysters.  I had a nice clam chowder that was thick enough and had enough meat to be very satisfying.

Our main courses were phenominal! The best grilled salmon I have ever had...ever.  The vegetables and mashed potatos were awesome as well.  I loved the byob aspect and it was clear that many other patrons did as well with an array of wine and beer bottles on virtually every table.  Our waitress was great about providing an ice bucket and attending to us.  Great place with great service and food.
5 - J B.: This was by far the best seafood restaurant I have ever been to.  All of their dishes were perfectly cooked and delicious!  The beets are awesome, definitely worth the extra!  

The lime shrimp appetizer is superb!  Just to name one of the good dishes at the restaurant.  The service is excellent.

Gets quite busy on the weekends, try to call ahead to get your name on the list.

Definitely recommend!
4 - Jett T.: My brother took me out to eat last night.  When he found out I've never been to the Blue Point Grill he flipped out.  Obviously one of his favorite places to dine.  Only draw back he said, there would be a long wait.
Keep in mind this was a Thursday evening around 7pm.  I never really mind a long wait during the week night because, to me, it's a good sign.  After parking the car and giving our name we took a walk to the liquor store conveniently located a block away.  I love BYOB places.  You're best bet for a decent wine would probably be a Pino Grigio since you haven't placed your order yet...easy to please with most people and great with fish.
After arriving we were seated within 10minutes.  Total wait time was 35minutes...which, by the way, is not bad for this place.  A small place like this should NEVER accept reservations for parties less than 5!  Our table was a very small two seater booth toward the kitchen.  I thought it was perfect but my brother, who is a big guy, felt very cramped.  
The menu changes frequently here depending on the fish available.  Our server arrived and never introduced herself or asked if we had any questions about the items on the menu.  She simply turned and said "do you want a bucket?"..."Are you ready?".  The smile on her face was warming but being in the service industry it drove me nuts!  Does it KILL people to say "hello"??
My brother started out with the Maine Lobster Cakes, which were tasty but a little too much mayonnaise-taste for me.  We both enjoyed the grilled calamari, VERY tasty!  You can order the calamari fried as well.  For our entrees, my brother swears by the Chilean Sea Bass, but gets it 'every time' so he ordered the Nova Scotia Halibut.  He enjoyed the taste of the Halibut and said it was very good.  For my entree I ordered the Mixed Grill-Swordfish and the Salmon.  The fish was so tasty I finished everything even though I was full.  You really could tell that this was truly FRESH FISH!  We both opted for Sweet Potatoes along with our dish.  The presentation was not something to write home about but honestly the food was amazing so I didn't mind the lack of decorations on my plate.  
After dinner we both enjoyed a cup of coffee and ordered desserts.  Chocolate Lava cake and Key lime pie...yum!  I will always opt for Key Lime Pie when I see it on the menu and I really enjoyed it.  The Lava Cake was very good as well.  They have Bent Spoon on the menu which was a plus for me!  That was very impressive!
All in all a wonderful dinner with amazing FRESH food!  The total for us both, appetizers, entrees, desserts and coffee was $110 without the tip.  ENJOY!
4 - Renee M.: One of the good things about having friends and family in 2 places is that I get 2 birthday celebrations! Sweeeet. So, my second birthday dinner was this past weekend at Blue Point Grill with my family.

First of all, MAKE SURE YOU CALL AHEAD on a Saturday night. When we walked in, the wait for people who hadn't called was an hour and a half!!! Therefore... CALL AHEAD!

Anyway, by reading other Yelp reviews, I knew that the place was BYOB, so my family and I brought along 2 bottles of wine. Started off with some oysters from Maine, was actually able to see the guy shucking them from where I was sitting! The oysters were delicious, and were served with lemon, cocktail sauce and some other kind of tangy sauce (not really sure what was in it, but it was really delicious). My brother ordered the buffalo calamari, which he greatly enjoyed.

As my main entree I went for one of the specials from the mixed grill, which was some Barramundi and some Canadian Lake Trout. It was served with capers on top and with sides of garlic mashed potatoes and cole slaw. The fish was cooked to perfection, tender and delicious!!! I truly enjoyed every bite, especially the Barramundi which I've never tried before. Yum yum.....

A quick comment on the atmosphere and I'll be done, I swear! Simple decor, nice and classy, yet not super fancy. Another great Princeton restaurant... how could I not have known about this place until now? (And now I'm 300 miles away!)
4 - Jessica L.: I will keep this short and to the point.  I grew up in the area and I honestly believe this is one of the better places to get a good, fresh piece of fish and have it prepared how you like.  There is almost always a wait if you go on a nice night, but they will open your wine/liquor and have live music on certain nights.  I always recommend those looking for good seafood to stop by here.
5 - Isabella O.: Perfectly delicious, perfect for alfresco dining during summer months. The seafood dishes are absolutely sumptuous. Last time I had the Grilled Seabass, and it was so tender and aromatic, it felt like the fish was melting in my mouth. 

The chefs really do know what they're doing, and spices are kept at a minimum to maximize the flavor of the fish itself. Hence you can trust that they use only the freshest fish. The side dish of sweet potatoes was also made minimalistically, no added cream or sugar. The combination of tastes was fantastic. I am amazed by how much flavor can be brought out from the food itself rather than applying seasoning. 

This is the place to go for a perfect seafood experience, but be prepared to unleash some major damage to the bank.

Bottom Line: Perfect seafood alfresco experience, prepare to pay $$$$
5 - Kara L.: It may be an uneven sampling, but of the long-time Princeton residents I know, this is MOST OFTEN cited as their favorite Princeton restaurant. That has to count for something.

I've never taken advantage of the BYOB status, but nearly everyone does, so I'd want anyone considering the place to know about it. 

The restaurant is, for my budget, an expensive splurge. But when you taste the quality of the seafood, it's really, really, really worth it. 

I've only been twice: once I got crab cakes (yum) and once I got scallops (double yum). Strangely enough, I was really impressed with the mashed potatoes as a compliment to the scallops. 

I think, basically, if you order fish cooked in a way you'll like it, you'll be pleased.

The most surprising thing, however, was the fried calamari we ordered. Now, I love calamari. And the traditional breaded, fried, served with marinara never fails to satisfy. But my husband and I decided to try something new at Blue Point Grill. We got the Buffalo Calamari, which is very lightly breaded and drenched in a *sweet* Buffalo sauce (not overly spicy at all), which pairs beautifully with the creamy dipping sauce. I would recommend it to anyone. Anyone. I have dreamed of the BUFFALO CALAMARI ever since and can't wait to go back.
4 - Danan R.: This is a great BYO for seafood lovers.  The food is very fresh and always nicely seasoned and flavorful.  I love the crabmeat and guacamole martini appetizer and the bouillabaise.  Even the sweet potato side was seasoned perfectly in a way that brought out the natural flavorin of the entree tha it accompanied.  A great place for dinner if you're in town, especially if you're visiting the university since it's right across the street.
3 - Cherry L.: much better this time, sorta fan fan 

i wish they had the chilean sea bass, but sadly they did not...and i got something "similar"..........

the rock shrimp tempura app was no bueno, the grilled shrimp with lime/chile sauce or w/e....was soso at best......

sadly, another B- experience there.

the service on the other hand was excelente!
5 - James B.: I love the Blue Point Grill.  I've lived in Princeton for 17 years and this place is definitely in my top 3 in-town restaurants, best seafood in Princeton.  This isn't a place you want to come if you're looking for an intimate meal, but rather a great place for socializing with friends and/or family.

First of, this place is BYOB, so bring a nice bottle of white wine and then expect to wait at least 20 minutes to over an hour depending on the night and size of your party.  You can call in and get your name on the list the night of to minimize the wait, but of course they don't take reservations.

My last visit was especially nice; dinner with a good friend.  We only waited about 20 minutes for a table inside (it was very humid outside).  Our waitress was very pleasant, opened our bottle of Riesling and brought bread to the table very promptly.  We ordered the crab and guacomole margherita as an appetizer, which came with corn chips for dipping.  Delicious.

After the bread and appetizer, I was actually quite full, but still thoroughly enjoyed half of my hazelnut-encrusted tilapia with cherry glaze, garlic mashed potatoes and sauteed veggies (yes, as delicious as it sounds).  

Overall, this place is fantastic!
5 - Bon B.: One of the best seafood hot spots in town! I would avoid going on weekends because they tend to get packed very early on and they don't take reservations!
5 - Rich G.: local friends pretty much demanded that we go here, and i see why. this was definitely a treat for us. i have never eaten so many oysters in one sitting. everything was absolutely delicious. one of our friends had a complaint that one of her soft shell crabs was slightly burned, and the waitress was totally receptive to criticism and made it right. we'll probably want to go back the next time we're visiting new jersey.
3 - Myrtle T.: Great fish. Small portions. Extremely overrated. But a notch above the Mediterra/Alchemist & Barrister crap around town.
4 - Eric B.: The food was amazing. My wife says it was the best lobster bisque she's ever had (better than the soup she got at McCormick and Smicks a few weeks ago). The service was fair and that is pulling the rating down- Are they not allowed to pour our wine for us at a BYOB? (never had to pour my own first glass at any restaurant). The fish was beautifully grilled and tasted fantastic.
4 - Allie G.: It's funny.  There are so, so very many restaurants in Princeton, and yet I feel like it is so difficult to get a good bite to eat.  Blue Point Grill is one of those places where you go to spend money for the purposes of not being disappointed.  I've never been disappointed with their food, or service, or atmosphere...even though when I was there this lady passed out and the ambulance came, but I asked and it had nothing to do with shellfish allergies, and everything to do with drinking an entire bottle of wine when you weigh a hundred pounds dripping wet.  
But I digress.  My only problem with going to Blue Point Grill is that it's expensive and I can't go there more than I do.  But I have no problem paying for quality seafood, and that's what they have there.  
By the way, I would just like to say, every restaurant should be a BYOB.  
Anyway, I had the scallops, and though they weren't u10 scallops that you see in stupidface chain restaurants that were probable farm fed corn somehow....eek, they tipped a good nine or ten little suckers onto my plate, and damn.  They were good.  Very well seasoned -- not too much!  And the baked potato was the best baked potato I've had out in...well, I can't even remember.  Let's go with ever.  It was very soft and tender, not like it had been sitting in a hot pan all night long, even though it was close to 10pm when I got my food.  Speaking of getting food?  It was SO FAST.  Which I love, because I was really hungry.  

Also they give you oyster crackers in the bread basket.  Nice touch.
3 - Mad S.: Just an update - they now take reservations on sun-thurs which is a big plus.

Went there twice this month and first time we had grilled octupus full of sand. The waitress were excellent and immediately took it away. She then came back later and said the kitchen said it is normal. I think NOT!

Crazy about the spinach, crispy crawfish, egg bacon salat! Yummy

The jalepeno lime shrimps are also excellent.

Also had the buffalo shrimps both times. First time amazing. Second time overly sweet and not spicy at all. A big disappointment.

Generally the quality varies a little too much but still no better seafood in town
5 - Pete S.: When I want to have Chilean Seabass, Blue Point Grill is the best destination in my hometown and around the region. No other seafood restaurant comes close. My second choice is Legal Seafood. Fresh, simple preparation and perfectly cooked almost everytime. Once, the fish was overcooked (which completely ruined the delicate flavor of the fish) - no problem - our waitress replaced it with no question asked.
5 - rachel d.: My husband I knew that blue point grill would be good. Every time we passed by we've seen the lines, the crowds, and that its packed all the time. 

We enjoyed this place tremendously. We ordered the creamed spinach, Coho Salmon, wild, which came with mashed sweet potatoes. We finished off with a chocolate lava cake.

The spinach was out of this world. I am surprised also! Who knew spinach could have such glory. I don't know what they put in there, probably butter, but it was amazing, and we both couldn't get enough.

The mashed sweet potatoes were fabulous, cinnamon-y, soft, and really complemented the salmon to a T.

The salmon was incredible, not too fishy, really well prepared. The Waiter suggested it as the most complex in flavor.

The lava cake was rich, warm and served with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream and a strawberry on top. 

The whole dinner was amazing. It is pricey, but well-worth it for a higher quality of ingredients/meal.
4 - jay w.: A really nice seafood place close to campus.  The oysters were great.  I had a salmon main course that was  very good.  I was with a group of 10 people and everyone was very happy.
3 - janice s.: This byob restaurant had excellent service and enjoyable outdoor seating.  The staff was knowledgeable about the different menu items.  I had the Crab & Guacamole Martini as my appetizer and it was excellent.  I'm a big fan of sweet and savory dishes, so for my main course I had the Hazelnut crusted & cherry tilapia with wild rice. The crust made the fish very dry and it had little flavor (as did the rice). They gave you a small cup of cherries that were whole and appeared to be soaking in something that I couldn't tell what it was.  If the cherries were used in a cherry sauce then it could have made the dish less dry and more flavorful.  

On a good note, my mother had the the barramundi.  The fish was cooked perfectly in a lemon butter sauce with capers and the garlic mashed potatoes were perfectly seasoned and creamy.  My only call out here is that no where on the menu that explain in what manner some of these fish dishes are cooked.  We had to ask if the fish was cooked in a sauce.

Although I was not satisfied with my main course, I would definitely give it another try based on the Barramundi and the crab appetizer.
3 - Iris M.: Nestled in the college town of Princeton, Blue Point has all the makings of a stellar eatery--excellent location, nice ambience, attentive waitstaff but, unfortunately, the food falls a little flat.

I started off with a butternut squash soup that was pretty tasty but the lobstercakes that followed tasted like they were made from canned seafood--never a good thing. 

I had crabcakes as an entree and, while Baltimore will always reign supreme in this category, Blue Point put forth a pretty decent offering.  All in all, nothing was garbage but nothing was mind-blowing either.
4 - Ed M.: If you're looking for a great fish dinner in Princeton Blue Point is the place to go. This very busy restaurant serves wonderfully prepared meals. The staff is very friendly and efficient despite the large number of dinners they serve. Blue Point is a real treat.
5 - Alison H.: Great fish. Menu changes with the seasons. It is a bit pricey but it is Princeton and it is great food. Be sure to have a reservation for ANY night. BYOB keeps the price from getting to high. We ordered lime shrimp, buffalo fried calamari, new england clam chowder, lobster, fish n chips and mussels pasta. Everything was great. Very friendly staff as well. They will give you wine glasses so you can drink up while waiting for your table. 

Great place for a date.
4 - annelise s.: My darling husband and I spent the night in Princeton. While escaping our role as responsible parents, we ate at this delightful, family friendly restaurant. The food was amazing and I love that it was a BYOB. I've read many reviews saying that the wait is long. So, we made reservations on line for 7 pm on a Saturday night. I completely expected to have to wait. Pleasantly, we walked in at 6:56 and were instantly seated. 
Based on an earlier review, I tried the Lobster bisque. AMAZING! It was not too creamy or heavy. No, it was just right and had lovely chunks of lobster! Yum! 
The Crab Guacamole was perfect, enough said. 
I also tried the Garlic Clams and linguine. I am officially ruined for this dish anywhere else. There was a perfect amount of spice and no chopped clams, just fresh, in shell. 
Overall, a wonderful experience. The only reason I rated this establishment 4 instead of 5 stars is because, it was too family friendly for me. I wanted a romantic evening with my love and ended up being seated next to and near children on all sides. I would go again and bring my kids.
4 - Mike M.: Great seafood restaurant - you can really tell that they use simple, fresh ingredients and then just let that do the talking.  No overcrowding the amazing natural tastes with over-preparation or crazy sauces.  We all got different items - Bay Scallops for me, mixed grills with Swordfish, Arctic Char, etc. for others and everyone was totally satisfied and I don't think said a single word during dinner!  Great service.  Just remember - BYOB!!!!  I absolutely love BYOB places, but it can be a big disappointment if you are not prepared!
4 - Mike V.: Excellent seafood, simply prepared and cooked to perfection. Great selection of fresh oysters. Specials were delicious. They also take reservations now.  It is BYOB and during the warmer months you can sit outside near the sidewalk and get the flavor of Nassau Street on a busy night.  They are pretty kid friendly as well.
4 - Marcello M.: Me and my gf wanted fish and decided to check out Blue Point on a whim. We had both never been there so it was to our surprise how delicious it turned out to be. The place gets very crowded and it isn't the quietest of settings, however they do offer wine glasses to the people waiting which is very cool.  

We had little neck clams to start which were great with the cocktail sauce.  Then our fried calamari and buffalo shrimp came next which were equally as good (the table next to us had the buffalo calamari and they looked amazing).  

Entree included scallops for my gf and salmon/swordfish for me.  The scallops were incredible, and you get a choice of many sides including garlic mashed which I would recommend. The salmon was good, swordfish was eh. I blame myself for ordering it, as there was simply so much to choose from but overall we were more than satisfied and definitely want to go back. A great place to go with a group as well.

Staff was great, food was even better. Bluepoint wins.
4 - Allyson P.: Delicious!  Can't wait to go back.
2 - Joe B.: Exhorbitant prices. Granted the fish is fresh and good - but the prices are NYC fine dining prices and all you get is the Fish and a choice of rice or potato and a basket of below average bread & packaged oyster crackers.
I had the scallops. Five on a plate with a baked sweet potato (I had ordered sweet potato fries) and the price was $28.00 that's close to $6.00 a scallop!! Someone is laughing all the way to the bank.
5 - Douglas D.: My wife and I have been recommending the Blue Point Grill for years.  The seafood is fresh and the prices are reasonable.  It addition, the place is BYOB!  When dining here we usually start our meal with oysters which are excellent.  We have dined here over the years at least a dozen times.  Myself, I usually opt for the Branzini which is a mild Mediterranean fish.  The place is rather small with seating outside during the summer when the weather permits.  Sometimes they also have small groups of musicians playing outside.  So, you can enjoy a bottle of wine while waiting for your table.  Parking is usually hard to find on the street but they have a small parking on the side between the restaurant and the Ivy Inn which is next door.  The Ivy is a dive bar but you can get a good cocktail here before your meal.  Once seated you enjoy a great meal without being rushed for the next seating.
4 - Melissa L.: What a great seafood place in princeton!

i came here with my boyfriend and had a great meal. he got the whole fried bass while I got the seafood paella and we definitely did not leave the place hungry.

Starting with some oysters and ending with some simple dessert, this restaurant has such a simple menu yet amazingly delicious food! The seafood is fresh and abundant and had so much flavor.

The bass was definitely the winner. My seafood paella was good but had a lot more fish than other seafood in it, which disappointed me. 

A little bit pricey but not so much compared to the other restaurants around the area, this place would be perfect for any occassion! (dates, business dinners, family outings, etc.)

In the end we had a great meal and would return again!
4 - Foodie Y.: This restaurant is a excellent seafood restaurant. Their fish is fresh and has an awesomely wide variety. They have many good salads and soups, too. The goat cheese salad is amazing because of the crunchy walnuts. Their sweet potato fries served with the fish are an original amazement. Blue Point Grill is a wicked addition to Princeton!
5 - Conway Y.: Best seafood in Princeton and probably the best restaurant on Nassau Street.

Yes, it is tight. Not that many tables, so it feels a bit crowded. But that's fine. I'm glad they don't seat too many people, or else the quality of the food will probably suffer. 

Came here with family. Ordered crab cakes and lobster bisque for appetizers, both very delicious. Bisque had plenty of lobster and right amount of cream, crab cakes were salted and rich.

Unfortunately, by the time we had sat down (later in the evening), some of the fish was already out of stock. I ended up with Barramundi, which was tender and terrific. I'm glad that they were out of Arctic Char and our waiter recommended the Barramundi, which I've never had before. 

Service was prompt and knowledgeable. Even though we were outside, we never felt forgotten.

I will definitely come back.
4 - Ryan L.: I've been going to Blue Point for about 8 years or so and I've never had a disappointing meal. It is a bit pricey but I've always found the fish to be fresh and always prepared well. My biggest complaint is the wait (they are taking reservations now). I've waited as long as one hour to be seated! 

The she-crab soup has always been one of my favorites and I always order the halibut if it's on the menu! One of these days I'm going to participate in Oysterfest....
3 - Larry P.: Ok but not spectacular seafood. Since they don't have a liquor license you have to byob. Fortunately there is a convenience store next door. .
5 - Roberto B.: On a street, with no water in sight, is NJ's best seafood / fish restaurant.  Even though the noise here can be raucous, the absolutely freshest oysters and outstanding variety of fish, push BPG to 5 stars and beyond! 

BPG has been our favorite in Princeton for more years than we can remember. With it's growth a few years ago to the adjacent insurance office and the expanded sidewalk dining, it's lost some of it's charm, but more than makes up for with what's being served. 

Favorites here include the nightly supply of ultra fresh oysters, and the grilled whole branzino. Yep you'll have to dehead, fillet and debone the branzino, but no complaints as it's easy to do. 

BPG is BYOB and there's a wine shop two doors down Nassau that owes it's longevity to BPG! 

Reservations now allow us to eat at desired dinner hours versus standing at the door when they opened to avoid the nightly hour plus waits. 

There's lots to like at BPG and we'll be back again, and again, and again.... !
4 - asdf d.: This is a great restaurant in terms of food but I do think it is overpriced. And the lady that answered the phone when I called was a bit snobby and unprofessional which rubbed me in the wrong direction. They charge $3 a person to cut a cake for you if you bring in your own cake for an occasion - $3 per slice, thats an insult to my intelligence! Otherwise I would give this place 5 stars.
4 - danica w.: Went here for my husbands 30th. Everything was pretty fantastic despite feeling rushed by our waitress, who despite her hurried attitude was pretty efficient. A bit on the pricey side but worth a try. Outdoor seating [we sat inside due to cloudy weather and a chance of rain] and a yummy menu. best of all - BYOB!
5 - George L.: I'm not a huge seafood person. This is freakin nice though.  prices are somewhat reasonable too.
5 - M G.: Best seafood place in Princeton. Excellent service, BYOB makes it perfect.  A little pricey but worth the money.
4 - Stephanie R.: Great seafood overall. Tuna dip app was yummy. Lobster bisque was good, but not the best I've ever had. They were out of a few things by 8pm on a Saturday, which was surprising. Mixed grill with a salmon and a sea bass-type fish was great. Grouper wasn't as expected, came with a sauce drowning it that wasn't even noted on the menu. Disappointing. Choc PB pie was yummy for dessert. BYOB worked for us, much cheaper and we could bring what we wanted! Nice outdoor seating. Very crowded, make reservations!
5 - Louise S.: The Blue Point Grill, (BPG), is quite simply the very best seafood restaurant in Princeton.  I do not get over to Princeton as often as I would like to eat at BPG, but every time I have eaten there over several years now I have been absolutely delighted with respect to every aspect of the experience. Considering the quality of the food the prices are extremely reasonable.
5 - Richard C.: Food was fantastic,  the service was excellent.  I had the grilled salmon, with sweet potato and tried a sampling of their oysters. I followed the servers suggestions on the oysters, very yummy.
3 - Claudia B.: Went here for a birthday dinner with my boyfriend. Atmosphere and service are great. We were seated outside. The food was fresh but not up to our expectations given the reviews. The grilled octopus was a disappointment. There was no flavor and it was just greasy tasting. I am not even sure if they used the proper olive oil since it was lacking in all flavors. If you want to know what good grilled octopus is supposed to taste like..go to Varka restaurant in Ramsey. I suggest the chefs in Princeton make a reservation. Also, authentic calamari is floured not breaded. Overall it was a nice night but I wouldn't go here again.
3 - Molly C.: Attended a dinner party here recently. Cons: prices are steep, lobster cake was bland/canned. Pros: Oysters were awesome, fish was fresh, salad was perfect. 

We ordered 3 side dishes to share family style; hushpuppies were soso, but brussle sprouts and beats were delicious. Atmosphere is really enjoyable with good service, lively crowd and nice decor.
5 - Eric Z.: Would probably give 4 1/2 stars if I could, but this Princeton staple was very, very good. Restaurant has a cool classic feel to it with towering ceilings and interior brickwork. Stays very busy, but you don't feel on top of other tables or rushed through your meal.

The oysters were fresh and served with a homemade garlicky sauce. Clams and garlic in spicy red sauce was just right. You pay a premium for the seafood, but you get what you pay for and they don't gouge you on the drinks and desert.
3 - Proteus D.: Hmmmm. The food is nice enough. But at this price...not worth it quite frankly. Had the buffalo calamari which was good...but just calimari in a wings style sauce for $15. And then the Salmon and White fish combo. All local. Again, nice enough but nothing that would justify the very steep prices in here. I feel maybe they have aspirations to be more than they are. Bring prices down $5-$10 per dish and I would have given this a 4.
5 - Zarzuela K.: Our favorite restaurant so far in Princeton! Casual, friendly service, great food, and byo. Favorite dishes: octopus and the grilled whole branzini! Even my 10 month old niece enjoyed some of the mashed sweet potatoes.
5 - Sophia K.: If you love seafood, this is the place to go.  
I'm a big seafood fan and it's alway fresh here.  I especially love the oysters here!
4 - Lily W.: Blue Point Grill has a great atmosphere-it really feels like we're at the beach.  The clam chowder is... AMAZING!!!!!  My daughter loves to eat the crunchy oyster crackers, that have the slightest hint of saltwater.  My husband likes both the fried and grilled calamari.  My son has found interest in the lobsters in the aquarium.  He also stuffs his pockets with the colorful mints!  A great family
seafood restaurant!
4 - Leslie G.: I have not had better oysters anywhere else!  Friendly staff, delish sides, sit at the oyster bar.
4 - Anita K.: Great fresh seafood.  Loved the rock shrimp appetizer - pretty presentation, too.
Service was slow and we were among the only ones in the restaurant.  Closes too early (before 10pm).  But great food.
3 - Trish o.: seafood entree in this restaurant was fresh, my husband ordered the fried oysters was fresh but the batter is thick the shrimp scampi pasta i ordered is ok nothing special but the appetizer crab martini was good and the cream spinach as well was seasoned nice. The parking was hard to find specially dinner time, in all my experience was ok nothing bad but nothing spectacular either.
4 - Michael W.: Had good seafood here
5 - Troy S.: Excellent.

Best oysters around. Very knowledgeable staff - ask for reccos. 

Try the cape may salts - surprisingly awesome oysters. Better yet just get the sampler...all the oysters sourced are excellent.

Have the John Dory - delicious, buttery fish. 

BYOB makes for an affordable fancy meal. 

Definitely will go back - hopefully in summer to sit outside.
4 - Sammy S.: When people visit from out of town, this is my must stop - food quality is consistently high with a good atmosphere despite being almost always very busy. Service is friendly and efficient. Have developed a few favorites over time (Charr, Sea Scallops, Grilled Calamari starter) and don't step out of these too often but always nice to grab a bite off a friend's plate and taste something new. Have never been disappointed in a meal here. BYOB is also a plus as the prices are on the higher side. The only negative here, IMO, is the wait - and if you don't have a reservation it can take a long while or is impossible to get in.  Great fish!
5 - Shantanu D.: Very Fresh seafood, prepared simply with great ingredients. 

I've been there a few times, the vibe is casual, its BYOB and the staff doesnt blow me away with service. Its not a technically challenging menu but the simple preparations are executed flawlessly. 

The warm goat cheese salad really stands out. The Salmon, Swordfish and halibut are all excellent. The Yellowfin really stood out as the two sauces served with it were outstanding. 

Its not inexpensive. But the value is certainly there as its consistently a great experience.
4 - Sadie R.: Fantastic food, bad acoustics!
5 - Neera S.: Great service, and wonderful ambience. The server known as Triple A is awesome! I went there for my birthday, and she brought out the creme brulee (which, might I add, was divine) with a little candle on it. 
The Warm Goat Cheese Salad is perfect. I also had Blackened Mahi Mahi, which came out exactly the way I was hoping it would. We tried a bunch of oysters, all very flavorful and juicy. I love this place!
4 - Sabrina D.: Love this place! Ignore the Princeton pretentiousness and come here for the very fresh and very tasty seafood. 

I cannot stress enough how fresh the seafood is. The raw bar selections are varied and taste great. Seafood dishes range from the classics (Fish & Chips, Bouillabaisse) to the interesting (Skate sauteed in lemon, oil & capers). It's not crazy or too strange. 

Food is simply cooked and refreshing. The dessert menu is amazing! Wait staff is pleasant & friendly. Nonetheless, during the warm temp months, be prepared for a very long wait. Make reservations! You will not be disappointed.
2 - Nina W.: On a college tour of Princeton.  Wanted to love it but couldn't.  Restaurant was visually pleasant but loud.  On top spent $140 dollars for three people for two appetizers, 3 salads,3 mains, 1 dessert, two coffees and 1 iced tea.  Overall mediocre meal and not worth the money. Jalapeño lime shrimp appetizer barely saw lime and had not even a hint of spice.  The scallop special appetizer was pretty but cloyingly sweet.  The salads might as well have come out of a purchased bag of salad as they lacked imagination or originality. Dressings were sweet and oddly not what one would have expected.  Bouillabaisse was disappointing; thin and without much flavor.  Grilled fish was perfunctory, not particularly interesting and somewhat small in portion.  More than half the plate was comprised of sweet potato fries - which were excellent - but too many.  I found it dismaying and antiquated that a vegetable substitution was not allowed.  Blackened snapper was ok but again, nothing special.  Broccoli side was delicious - and for $6 should be. Ordered one slice of peanut butter pie.  Mixed review at table.  The younger one was, the more it was liked.  Coffee was unremarkable.  All in all, the flavor and execution did not match the price of the dinner.
3 - Terri H.: Went at 5:15 pm no reservatin, got a lovely table outside near heater.  Watress was superb!  Oysters excellent, sweet potatoe not wortheating, fish fesh and delicious,  - BYOB spot
4 - Theodore B.: We were looking for a good seafood restaurant not far to travel.  We found it n the Blue Point Grill.  We started with the fried oysters and Lobster Bisque, the fried oysters were amazing but we would not do the Bisque again.  For dinner we both had a steamed Lobster that was cooked perfectly.  The food was great and we would surely eat there again.  However, it is a bit pricey so it would have to be a night that we had some extra cash. The parking also is a bit deceptive, you need to park by going down the driveway next to the Ivy inn.
4 - Howard S.: The seafood is amazingly fresh and exceptionally well-prepared.  And best of all, you can bring your own, sit outside and really, really enjoy it.
5 - Evan K.: All ways good. No frills just good fresh seafood. Simple and cook to prefection. I moved to the area five year ago and this is my go to spot. I am now move to a new area and come back just to eat here.
4 - C L.: My only regret about this restaurant is that I did not try it earlier.  I went there for the first time this past week, and loved it.  My mixed green salad was excellent.  The fish was very good (but not spectacular).   

The waiter was excellent, without being annoying.   One of my pet peeves with elegant restaurants is that the wait-staff is constantly trying to push product--constantly picking up the wine bottle and  refiling your glass so you will buy more--that sort of nonsense.   Mediterra, another local restaurant, is constantly doing this.  My fantasy is to super-glue the wine bottle to the table. 

There was NONE of this at the  Blue Point Grill.  The restaurant is BYOB, so there is no incentive to keep filling the wine glasses. 

My other pet peeve with elegant restaurants is their desperate attempt   to differentiate themselves but trying to serve more bizarre food.  No, I'm not interested in eating organic lizard's tongue in an Asteroid feces reduction.  Just serve fresh fish, a decent salad, good bread, and be done with it.

Blue Point Grill is a breath of fresh air:  very good fish served by an attentive wait-staff.

I can't wait to go back.
5 - Fat Guy In A Skinny Man's Body G.: I love this place.  Not too pricey for Princeton.  The bacon wrapped scallops are awesome.  The Chilean Sea Bass is amazing.  I have had a good experience every time I have gone.  Fat Guy will be returning very soon.
5 - Mark B.: Fantastic find in Princeton!  Largest selection of fresh fish and oysters I have ever seen - particularly for such an unassuming place.  Outdoor dining was great. Service was exceptional.   Can't wait to go back.
4 - Mark D.: Prices are high here. Expect to pay $30+ before tip. Ate here a few times and have tried the following:

New England Clam Chowder - $7 - about 1 cup of soup. Creaminess was just right. Could have used more flavor though. They use bacon instead of salted pork. A dish I wouldn't order again, but wouldn't mind it if I had to.

Steamed Mussels - Forgot price - You pick red, white, or mustard sauce. Forgot what the white sauce was, but I picked the red one which tastes similar to marinara. Can't remember details, but mussels were very nice. Would order again.

Day Boat Maine Sea Scallops - $30 - 7 pieces in not too buttery sauce, a wedge of lemon, parsley, and this cinnamon butter spread. I didn't really understand the cinnamon spread with the scallops. The cinnamon overpowers the scallops' subtle flavor in my opinion. Scallops seared on one side only. A good dish. Would order again.

Chilean Sea Bass - Mixed Grill Special ($32) - I got it from the mixed grill special, so I would assume the portion size was smaller than the regular one which is $40. The portion size was ~5-6oz. Forgot the details, but It was delicious. Would order again.

Atlantic Salmon - Mixed Grill Special ($32) - A dish I wouldn't order again, even if I had to. It was just too mediocre for me, and the fish could have been cooked more rare.

Whole Greek Bronzini - Forgot price - Definitely would not recommend this to anyone.  It's the whole fish either pan-fried or deep-fried, couldn't tell. Problem was the flavor was almost nonexistent. 

Garlic Mashed Potatoes - side dish - nothing special, a solid choice for a side

Baked Sweet Potato - side dish - again, it's just a baked sweet potato. Good choice as well.

They start you off w/ 2 packs of oyster crackers and 3 or 4 slices of bread. You can ask for more bread free of charge.
4 - Han M.: Great sea food at resonable prices.  Buy wine next door for byob.  An unpretentious favorite.
4 - Suresh K.: Consistently great food, and friendly service, though a tad pricey
5 - Susan Y.: 6 of us were in town for  a wedding last week and needed a good place for dinner upon arrival. The menu was staggering. lots of great choices and most of us had something different. I wish we could have eaten outside but fortunately they had chosen to seat our party inside.. it was raining, thundering and lightening the whole night.  The crab/guacamole martini was superb, calamari so so and oysters great.  for dinner.. my halibut was the best choice of all, the ivory salmon was good, the person who had the monkfish felt it was overcooked. all in all, very good and sad to say we were too full to consider the desserts which looked so yummy as they were carried by our table.
5 - Cynthia T.: Best fish I ever tasted and the wait as totally worth it!  If you plan to come here on a Friday/Saturday night, plan ahead and make reservations, or you will have at least an hour wait.

We started with an appetizers of clams, which were the tiniest clams I ever seen, overpriced, but the sauce was amazing! I think the fish is a bit overpriced but definitely very fresh! Recommend to order the chilean sea bass!  Oysters were all fresh and raw and delicious!

It is BYOB (bring your own beer/alcohol) and there are liquor stores right down the street, 2 stores away.  Which is great because you can drink as much as you want!  I suggest to bring your own wine. 

I wouldn't know anything about dessert because I was always full once I finished my entree.

Overall, great and fresh food.  Great environment with outside seating.  Great Service.  Definitely a huge recommendation for a special dinner with the family, or your significant other, or with friends too!
5 - J W.: Phenomenal meal here last week with a business associate.  The place was bustling, the food was phenomenal, the service was superb.

I loved this place and I can't wait to get back to that neighborhood to eat here again, the food was VERY VERY VERY good.
4 - Robert J.: Love this place and alwasy grab the tuna wasabi appetizer if I am in town for a football game or seeing friends. Good service if a little cramped on the seating but it helps more people get in to the restaurant so I guess that's not a problem. fresh skate and scallops.
3 - Rich W.: Three of us went out on a recent Friday evening.  Things started off pretty well as we got a parking spot right across the street on only the second lap around the block.  (Hey, Jay's Bike Shop Owner!  Lighten the hell up and let people use your parking spaces after you close! )  

We sat back near the little oyster bar (boney-assed people be warned--those benches are freakin' hard and uncomfortable!) and started with some oysters, which were very fresh, and the cocktail sauce with it was so good that even a cocktail sauce hating guy like myself was using it.  Next we shared an appetizer of fried calamari which was pretty good, if a little on the small side.  I also ordered lobster bisque, but I can't tell you how it was since it was never actually brought to the table.

For our entrees, my scallops were a little over-seared on the outside, but still remained tender inside, however the over-searing gave it a burned flavor that really took away from the flavor of the scallops.. The halibut served to my sister-in-law was a little overdone too. It wasn't overdone to make it inedible, but enough to make it less tasty than it could have been.   My sister-in-law is less picky than I am and enjoyed it nevertheless.  My wife's lobster was good and correctly cooked.  The key lime pie for dessert was pretty damned good.

The servers seemed a little overwhelmed while we were there, but I got the impression that the place is always busy, so they should either be used to it or they should have more help.  I'm pretty forgiving during rushes, but if this place is as popular as it seems, they ought to have more help.  All that said, we'll probably go back.  The oysters were really good, and we had a good time while we were there, which is pretty much all that really counts in the end.

Still, I really wanted that lobster bisque.
5 - Lauren S.: One of the best restaurants in town! They take reservations 7 days a week now over the phone or on opentable.com. 
Fish is fresh, service is amazing, reasonable prices, etc.
Monkfish and Bass are the best!
5 - Amy R.: My first 5 star review! We tried to make a reservation for Saturday night but they were booked. We walked in and found out the outside tables are for walk ins if available. After about 1/2 hour we were seated, very easy.

I am a NYC foodie and seek out great food experiences. I can say for sure that this was one of them!

The shrimp dumplings, warm goat cheese salad and buffalo rock shrimp appetizers were great for the 4 of us to share and we loved them.  Our entrees included seared scallops, blackened redfish, triple tailed snapper with capers in a lemon butter sauce and crab cakes. All 4 of us loved EVERYTHING, including the sides....mashed sweet potatoes, french fries, rice and baked potato. Perhaps the best crab cakes any of us have had and trust me when I say we've tried them all over the east coast. Service was solid and not rushed.

We brought wine since it's BYOB and skipped dessert because we were all just too full. We will absolutely be going back, hopefully soon.
4 - Christina D.: Was in Princeton for an evening and found the reviews on Yelp to be great, so we went to check it out.  The ambiance was casual, and the food was excellent.  My companion and I shared the Old Bay Chips and a house salad for an appetizer.  He got the steak and shrimp, and I got the scallops for entrees.  Both were cooked very well and everything was really delicious.  LOVE that it is a BYOB!
4 - Steve E.: Another outstanding selection in Princeton, NJ! Blue Point Grill is a great seafood house with about 30 selections of fresh fish and shellfish dishes each night. Roughly 10 different raw oyster opions with homemade chowders and soups, along with delicious and unique appetizers and salads. The restaurant is BYOB, and many people brought in bottles of wine to accompany their dinners.

I started with she-crab soup in a spicy tomato broth with big chunks of potatoes and claw crabmeat. Many of the others in our group had the New England clam chowder, and they proclaimed that a big success as well.

For my main course I opted for the mixed seafood grill which was fillets of Arctic charr (a member of the salmon family) and tri-fin snapper (which had a texture similar to a swordfish steak). The pieces of fish were grilled with a simple lemon and capers preparation, and served with wild rice pilaf. In my opinion, the charr was the star of the night - really an excellent piece of fish.

For five of us, the bill was around $250, which felt like a fair price fr the quality of the food.

Our only negative for the evening was the noise level which was high due to the brick floors, tables being very close together, and general animated chatter at the neighboring tables.
4 - Dee S.: We went on a Friday evening. It was very crowded. I think a reservation is a must to this place for the weekend. Food was excellent. Jalepeno lime shrimp were great. Our fish entrees were great. The place is pricey for what you get. We have found bluefish grill in flemington that is comparable to blue point grill with half it's price. Both r byob.
4 - Kristina Q.: Whenever my boyfriend and I crave seafood we make the half hour trip from New Brunswick to Princeton just to eat here. Their food is amazing and fresh! A little pricey but so worth it. They have a wide selection of seafood dishes that constantly are updated depending on the season/day's catch. We've tried their monkfish, mahi mahi, scallops, tilapia, crab cakes, and clams casino - all very flavorful and delicious. You can't go wrong with whatever you choose, so if you're looking to try something exotic I'd recommend coming here. 

Since it's summer, the last time we were here we got the added bonus of a live jazz band when we had dinner outside :-)

The only complaint I have is that it can get crowded and you have to flag down waiters sometimes because they forget you in the hustle and bustle.
5 - Hassan J.: This is my hands down favorite seafood place, we go here every 6 months or so. Prices can be a bit steep, especially if you like oysters. I would recommend most items on the menu....
4 - Bill H.: Blue Point Grill is one of the best restaurants in Princeton and the Yelp reviews were spot on. Most people (reviewers) liked Blue Point. We did. A couple people complained that it was noisy inside (it was) and delightful outside if the weather cooperates. We sat outside between a German family pondering applying to Princeton and a family with Jersey Shore voices. Nice touch of Americana. The off-the-point reviewers were easy to filter. They said you could buy fish cheaper at a fish market and cook it at home so they had to downgrade the place. Well, yes, eating at home is cheaper. BYOB is a benefit ... and it's as cheap as drinking at home. . Our waitress was articulate, funny, and made good suggestions. Great fish, well done, not the cheapest night out we've had but good value. Blue Point Grill gets 4 stars because there are other places around the US that do it better (and there's the noise inside). Were this rated compared to the best of Princeton, then 5 stars.
4 - Stephanie Q.: A delicious seafood restaurant in Princeton. Slightly pricey. An appetizer and 2 main courses was $70ish. + tip but the food is good.
Appetizer: calamari rings. You can have them fried, grilled, or buffalo coated. I chose fried.
Main course: pistachio encrusted trout. Delicious! It was amazing. The fish was tender and soft. The pistachio crusting was amazing too.
5 - Bryant Y.: I usually never say this about any restaurant but I absolute love this place. I've been to "upscale" fine dining places and their seafood still does not compare to what this place offers on a daily basis. The decor is not fancy, but in no means is it a dive or grimy atmosphere. BYOB here that allows you to pick out your own wine from any of the multiple nearby liquor stores and not have to blow an extra $100 on a $20 bottle. Their seafood selection is tremendous and I would come here everyday to try a different fish if i had the chance. I wouldn't recommend this place for any sort of bday or anniversary celebration as the ambiance is not fit for that but if you want a casual meal with amazing food that seems to always have a high quality .... COME HERE.
2 - Anya R.: Princeton is a strange little town when it comes to restaurants. You'd think for such a nice city with an ivy league school and tons of million dollar homes there'd be an equal amount of high grade restaurants. But there just isn't any. And this average food is seriously over priced. My husband and I had 1 appetizer, an ice tea, and an entree each and the bill came to $85 + tip. New York is cheap compared to this. The food was just average. The appetizer was mediocre and the entrees as good as any average American restaurant. Not special at all. Most importantly, we got a crab and spinach dip which turned out to have artichoke and almonds in it! Those two ingredients were not stated, it just said "crab and spinach". If someone had allergies to artichoke or almonds, they'd be in for a big surprise. I hate artichoke, so I would have never ordered it had they written it in the menu. Bizarre. The fish was decent, selection was good, but again, just so so average, bland with no real distinction of flavor, no ingenuity, no culinary pride. But everyone seems to love this place. Probably because there are no real options. Disappointed with Princeton restaurant scene.
PS - Reviewers who give this place 5 stars: Please go to any 4 or 5 star restaurant in NYC and THEN write your reviews. I think you haven't been out in a while.
3 - Hanne V.: My husband and I went to this restaurant on a Sunday evening. We didn't have reservations and had to wait 30 minutes for a table. This was no problem however, since it gave us the time to go to the liquor store to buy a bottle of wine (this place is a BYOB).

We ordered two appetizers, the clams casino and a selection of oysters. The oysters were very good, and they came with a particularly good dill sauce. I would go again to this place for the oysters alone. We didn't really know what clams 'casino' were, but we were disappointed because they turned out to be covered with a pepper and bacon topping, which completely overpowered the delicate flavor of the clams. 

For entrees we ordered the suggested mulloway and salmon. The mulloway was cooked perfectly moist, but lacked flavor, and the salmon was a tad overcooked. Both of the fish lacked seasoning, though (in fact, they had no seasoning at all). The mashed sweet potato was so overly sweet it tasted more like apple sauce than anything like a potato. The creamed spinach was good enough. 

Would I come here again? Maybe, for the oysters. Maybe, because there doesn't seem to be anything better in Princeton. But overall, I feel this place is overpriced (we payed 100$ without tip). I don't expect fancy food, but if it's simple, it better gotta be good. And it wasn't that good. 

Pros: - BYOB. You can drink a good bottle of wine without having to pay too much. 
          - Oysters by the piece, accompanied by a good sauce.
         - Friendly staff

Cons: - Fish not always cooked to perfection (which I would expect for 35$), and being a seafood restaurant.
          - Fish had no seasoning at all.
          - Sweet potato mash overly sweet, almost like a dessert!  
          - Restaurant lacks charm, and is overpriced.  
          - Other reviewers have commented on how fresh the fish is here, but how      can it be fresh, if most of it comes from the other side of the world!?!?!?
4 - Dipan P.: Went for a family dinner here with our 2 and 5 year old for our anniversary.  The experience was amazing. Picked up wine a liquor store few stores down. (BYOB)  food was amazing!!!! Kids loved it also which is not easy to do.  Octopus appetizer was brilliant. My wife who is as picky as ca be when it come to seafood, loved the place. And the wait staff take the time explain the menu if needed, and are chef adjusts where possible to accommodate.  By my take one of the best seafood place I have been too, in Central NJ I wold rank on top of my list. A must go. Highly recommended.
5 - Harold K.: Excellent service and superb food.  The restaurant is a little noisy, but the quality of the food compensates for this.
4 - Marvin N.: The food was excellent. It seemed fresh and tasty. I would strongly recommend this restaurant.
3 - Tran K.: My husband and I went there for a date night on a Sunday evening.  I chose this restaurant due to the great reviews and the results are mixed.  My husband ordered the whole fish and had it fried and I ordered the mixed grill with salmon and a white fish.  His fish was fantastic and mine was very much underwhelming and overpriced for what I got.  Both of my fish filets were overcooked and seemed small to me.  I've had more and better elsewhere, at less esteemed restaurants.   Unless you like your fish very well done, I would recommend that you let your server know otherwise.  Everything else was satisfactory but some things to keep in mind before you go:

*  Make reservations via their website or on open table
*  It's BYOB so bring your own alcoholic beverages
4 - jonas L.: We are big fans of this popular spot in Princeton, a town that should have more good restaurants than it does. Owned by the same man that owns Nassau St. Seafood, a retail operation, the food here is first rate. Though the preparations tend toward the simpler side, the fish is always very fresh and impeccably prepared. I don't think I've ever had an overcooked piece of fish here. Some of the selections can be pricey, but you can always order their incredible $22 Etouffee or Bouillabaisse (when they offer it). The salads, appys and raw bar selections are also fantastic. Cheers.
5 - Mickey C.: Amazing fish. Definitely worth the price. BYOB :)

We ordered the Crab & Guacamole Martini to share and for dinner, I had the Gulf of Mexico Yellowfin Tuna. Possibly the best ever.

My tuna was seared so it was raw in the middle and just the way I like it. 

Tip: they are extremely busy and there were many groups waiting for a table. I would say definitely make a reservation and do it early! We tried to make it on the day of (Friday evening) and it was booked completely until 9pm.
5 - Drveronica E.: Always great selection of seafood, well prepared and with attentive waitstaff.
5 - margo o.: This place is amazing.  Service, food, ambiance.  Love Laura ( server) who is very knowledgeable.  Steve the GM knows how to run a restaurant.  Have never been disappointed.  A MUST for anyone who loves fresh fish.

Blue Shield of California - Palo Alto, CA (37.4324633, -122.1850795) ()
1 - Vera S.: I had been with Blue Shield for about 6 years, since I became self-employed. They started out great - I was in my mid-20s, perfectly healthy, and my premiums seemed reasonable. 

But:

~  Every year, even though I (almost) NEVER use my insurance (I mostly use alternative practitioners who are not covered to maintain my health) my premiums went up 15-20%. As of this year, when I finally terminated my coverage, I was paying 300% more than when I started 6 years ago - an increase of over $250/month. A MONTH!!! 

~  The one time I actually did need to use my insurance was last year - I was hospitalized for 2 and a half days with Pancreatitis. something that is very painful, but not chronic. While they paid for some of my hospital bills, I was left with over $9,000 to pay myself - this is after I'd been paying them over $300/month for several years, and needed no pay outs from them. I was floored - WHY should I keep paying them close to $4500/year and then have them not pay out the one time in 6 years that I need help? I realized that it would have been cheaper to just not have insurance at all, and pay for the occasional ER visit out of pocket. 

~  But...unfortunately, I'm too cautious/paranoid to do that. So, I looked around and found a wonderful plan with Aetna, at $200/month. To be fair, I haven't had to use Aetna for any payouts, so I don't know if that will be any better. 

~  Also, after Blue Shield raised my premiums, I was ONE DAY late paying the difference between my old premium and the new one - I had paid the old premium on time through auto-pay through my bank, and not realized that I owed an extra $50. I spoke with Blue Shield on the phone, let them know what had happened, and that I was sending in the $50 by X date. They said fine, they wouldn't cancel my coverage for October. I terminated my coverage the following month, November, to switch to Aetna. And today, I get a letter in the mail saying that my coverage was terminated as of October because the $50 was later than X date - my bank mailed it to them by X date, and Blue Shield took 4 days to process it - those 4 days are apparently my fault, and resulted in the termination of my policy. This was after I was assured on the phone by two different people that I was covered until November. 

I am SO glad I am no longer insured through Blue Shield - they take your money, more and more of it every year, and then are a complete pain in the A@@ to deal with if you ever need anything, whether financial or administrative. Once I'm done dealing with my October coverage, I'll be glad to never deal with these people again.

ETA: I spoke with Aetna, and found out that it's still considered 'continuous coverage' if you don't have more than a 63 day gap in coverage, so the 30 day gap isn't the problem I thought it was. Blue Shield didn't tell me that - in fact, they wanted 2 months' worth of premiums from me in order to 'reinstate' me for 1 month of coverage. So glad I'm done with them. I am never, ever going back.
1 - Joao C.: Blue Shield of California has a terrible Customer Service. Keeps increasing rates all the time. They deny the medicines prescribed by your doctor, usually. They want the doctors to prescribe the cheapest drugs not the ones that might work for you !!! They deny treatments, do whatever they can to make a buck !!!

Blue Sky Cleaners - Seattle, WA (47.661436, -122.29606) (University District)
1 - Jeff S.: Stay away! This Blue Sky location is awful. 

Sure, I'm into the eco-friendly thing and I'm willing to pay extra for safe dry-cleaning, but I expect accountability when something goes wrong.

I don't spend alot on clothing, but my wife did buy me a very nice $120 men's dress shirt that I absolutely loved. The shoulders have removabel button straps that add detail and complete the shirt. When I received the shirt back from BS, one of the straps was missing. How could someone have returned the shirt this way? When my wife followed up, they promised they would check their faciliities. We had to call back several times to get an answer, but they could not find the strap. They made no effort to compensate us in any way. Pretty much tough luck for me. What horrible service and follow-through. 

For now on, I'm going elsewhere for my dry cleaning and will be sure to tell everyone I know about this experience.
3 - Julia A.: How could you go to a dry cleaners that uses chemicals?  That is just a bad decision for your health.
Therefore, you have to go here.
Well, my silk curtains were returned to me creased over the hanger, and puckered along the seams.  Oh well, I just got a price adjustment. 
One pair of pants was shrunk.
I have actually taken to laundering and ironing dress shirts myself so I don't have to go there very often.
Overall, this is the only healthy option. So even though quality controls are definitely lacking, I will continue to support the business.
1 - Nicole W.: Stay away from this place!!!!!!! I dropped off my bag in May, and got it back  in June.  It was a pink Juicy bag, and it got brown spot on the pick suede when I picked it up. The manager at the plant kept telling me the spot was not a result from the process. And she would not shut up on the phone while we has a conversation. She never listened and never apologized. My friend called her for me and had to said, can you please just let me finish my sentence" so so so so many times. Its been almost 5 months, and I still have not yet received my bag. When I called back the plant, the manage accused me that I was the one spot the bag, not them!!! are you out of your mind????? I am just very very very very pissed about this store, and I don't anyone to undergo the same frustration that I went through. I will definitely write a compliant to the Washington state government and  report this. DO NOT GO TO THE STORE. BAD SERVICE, BAD MANAGEMENT, AND THEY WILL RUIN YOUR BAG!!!!
5 - Erick S.: My wife had been on an anti chemical kick for the last few years. We were in Seattle on business and needed a few things dry cleaned. 

Blue Sky Cleaners were great. We dropped off a few suits, and some of my wife's clothing and when we picked it up I was amazed at how nice the clothing came out not using chemicals.  

Everything was pressed beautifully and even a small stain I thought was going to be difficult to come out was completely gone.

The lady at the front was very nice and even got our clothing done in a rush for us. 

I highly recommend Blue Sky Cleaners if you need chemical free dry cleaning. 

Pluses: Very fast and friendly. 

Minuses: They were busy and I had to park about 50 feet away at the Safeway next to them. I know it is not a reflection on them but I am getting lazy in my old age.
5 - Tyler D.: Awesome toxin free dry cleaner.
2 - Stephanie B.: I dropped off 4 items at the University Blue Sky and they told me delivery was free, so I said "why not?". I was told I'd get a call and that my clothes would be delivered to my house in 3 days. Seemed kind of a long wait for me, but I wasn't in a super rush so it's fine.

4 days later, I call and leave a message asking where my clothes are. Very polite. No call back.

I went back to the University store and the dude (and he is a total dude) said that it seemed they were still at the factory - 2 weeks later! He said he'd find out what was wrong and give me a call. No call.

I went by the factory on 15th Ave to pick up my dry cleaning and the woman there was super nice and apologized and paid for the whole thing. Thus, the 2 stars (otherwise, it'd be 1). Not sure how other stores are but the University one SUCKS... I think I'll try a different one before giving Blue Sky the boot completely.
5 - Justin G.: I've only had good experiences with these guys, and I've been there a few times. My clothes always come back clean and stain-free, and I always get them back in a couple of days. One time, they even sewed a button that was coming loose on my suit pants. Sure, it's not as cheap as some other places, but you're also paying for NO TOXINS.

Blue State Coffee - Providence, RI (41.8301162, -71.40115) (College Hill)
3 - Erin C.: Blue State has a lot going for it. It is on Thayer Street but it is not Starbucks. Its coffee is organic, fair trade, kosher, and roasted by New Harvest Coffee (suppliers to Seven Stars and White Electric, purveyors of some of the finest brews in Providence). It donates ten percent of its profits to progressive causes, and gives customers some say in just what those causes are. It even has free wireless Internet, biodegradable plastic cups made from corn, and a cute logo.

It also has a few knocks against it. When Brown is in session, Blue State is so packed that one can almost never be sure if seats will be available, making it a tough place to meet up with someone. The music is hit and miss. The decor is a bit cold. And although the coffee has come a long way from the shop's earliest days, it's still far from the best cup of joe to be had in Providence (although they do boast the city's finest latte art).

That being said, though, if the place isn't too crowded, it's not a bad spot to sip decent coffee from a real mug, eat a Seven Stars pastry, and mess around on your laptop. Stop in sometime.
2 - Adam S.: I'm kind of down with Erin C. on this one - this place was just decent. In town for the day and was excited to journey from the train station to find Thayer street in all its eclecticness. Stopped in for a coffee and to do some work and just wasn't feeling it. A coffee house needs to exude a certain vibe and this place was almost a little too polished and modern to be comfortable. Besides that they were playing a really bad mix of music that you couldn't even drown out with your own tunes because they had it turned up too loud.

The latte I ordered was very bland, the tables kind of dirty, and the staff fairly condescending in that -- you don't look quite liberal enough collared shirt and sweater to treat you well so I'm going to hypocritically treat you like crap because i'm going to judge you by what you're wearing -- way. All they had to do was ask and I would have told them I'm a blue stater too! *sigh*

It's marginally better to hang out here than Starbucks, but that's not saying much. There have got to be better options in this cool campustown.
3 - Michael P.: I'll third Erin and Adam's comments, though I have to say I didn't feel the staff was condescending, even though I was dressed somewhat "conservatively" and doing big bad engineering work on my laptop.  Maybe I got away with it because I was reading Al Franken and laughed at the "Card Carrying Liberal" greeting cards on the counter.  The coffee is acceptable, though not the best.  The Big Train Chai, at least, is very good, but there is no decaffeinated variety to be had.  Music comes from the staff's own iPods, which occasionally means good jazz or '30s pop, but usually results in bad '80s music or screaming hardcore punk.  Their business model of donating profits to liberal causes, selected by the patrons, is noble, and I wish them all the best.  It's also the only place on Thayer Street besides (ick) Au Bon Pain that has free wireless.
2 - Stephanie M.: I want so much to love Blue State.  It's the closest coffee shop to my apartment, it's not a chain, AND it has free wifi.  Major points to them for the wifi and for importing Seven Stars' pastries so I can get them in the evening, but still - their coffee sucks.  I got regular coffee and it was undrinkable, so the next time I tried a mocha, thinking, silly me, that the chocolate might mask the burned taste.
I left it sitting on the table until I left, and threw it away nearly full.  Now I stick to tea.
I love sitting there: the crowds amuse me, the staff is nice, they donate 10% of your drink to the charity of your choice, and they have borrowable books in a rotation and free wifi.  But please - can't a girl get a drinkable cup of coffee at a coffee shop?
4 - Brian G.: I liked this place. The neighborhood is cool and this seemed sort of like what NYC would have had more of if there was not Starbucks. 

My decaf berry tea was good! I liked sitting outside and people watching!
4 - Kelly A.: I've been to Blue State a couple of times, and I've enjoyed it both times.  But I haven't had the plain old regular coffee before, so I can't really comment on that...

I had a latte once, which was fine, and last night I had a hot chocolate, which was actually really good.  Plus I decided to purchase some bags of white peony tea, which they didn't have readily available, but which they packaged up for me anyways.  They didn't have to do that, but they were nice people.

My friend and I sat down in the fluffy chairs, sipped our drinks, had good conversation, and killed some time before the concert we were going to see.  Blue State proved to be a good place to do those things.  Plus they support causes that I agree with and they use compostable materials.  A-ok in my book.
3 - Amanda P.: I'm with Erin and Stephanie on this one.  I'm so into the mission behind this place, but unfortunately the coffee just can't keep up.  That and the music is hit and miss.  The staff gets to play their own iPods, and it doesn't always lend to the coffeehouse vibe.
5 - James H.: Meeting friends for dinner in Providence (at Andrea's -- a great spot), I was pleased to see this cafe nearby. A student had suggested it a long time ago, and I had forgotten to go look for it. (My students are required to scout coffee shops for me -- at least in my coffee class they are!)

I like that the place celebrates its particular brand of patriotism with a U.S. flag in the steam of its coffee-cup logo. Very clever. I like the voting for causes, too! On my visit, I noticed that of the four causes, three were about even, with the Democratic party bin in distant fourth. So, the patrons seem to be progressive in in a way that is more community-minded than partisan.

Anyway, back to the shop. It gets five starts from me because I only review shops that I can give my best rating. I had a cappuccino that was quite nice and served in a properly-warmed cup. The baristas were nice and knowledgeable.

The dessert offerings were very limited (as the baristas readily admitted), but we had some fairly-traded chocolate bars that were out of this world. I might drive back over there just for the chile-cherry chocolate bar. Unbelievable!

Blue State gets extra points for walking the walk -- not only promoting lefty causes but also supporting local businesses and making its operation as socially and environmental sustainble as possible. Good show!
3 - Amanda M.: I agree 100% with Erin C. (hi Erin!)

The only thing I'll add is that I really, really appreciate the cannisters of FREE honey and FREE soy milk for customer use. Starbucks now charges 40 cents to add soy milk to any drink. Starbucks can suck it.
2 - LU A.: I think I can land a spitball from my dorm window on Blue State's roof.

The mission and atmosphere of the shop is great, but the coffee is weirdly subpar. I wish I could come here in the mornings for coffee, but it's so undrinkably bland that I'm forced to make my own.

Four stars for atmosphere (minus one for the new location in New Haven--as one pundit put it, "Now we know that when someone says Brown is their first and only choice, they're waitlisted at Yale"), and zero for the coffee.
5 - Maryam S.: Dear Blue State Coffee, please move to California so i can visit you all the time.  Also, please continue making the best hot chocolate ever. 

kthxbai
4 - Nicholette P.: I really enjoy the cold brewed iced coffee! VERY good! Usually throw in a flavor shot to make it extra yummy!
Love the eco-friendlyness! :)

The voting for causes is real cute. The atmosphere is nice. Not very crowded unless its 8am on Brown's graduation day! :)
5 - Earl C.: This place is neat! I just came in after a haircut across the way from supercuts... Big spender i know. Haha anyway cool place to hang out and the people there nice. They even that a counter where you can hang out at which is always an awesome thing to have at a cafe. I would love to come back here again. Nice ambiance and good coffee! So come and try this place!
4 - Olivia C.: Delicious hot Chai.

I know, it's "summer" but many times I am a hot beverages kind of lady.

Friendly workers. Nice tunes. Green cafe; throwaways are biodegradable. Free wi-fi. I am not sure if there is a better/other non-franchise cafe on "The Newbury Street for College kids." Boring logo. Good place to see fliers, listings of what's going on.

Good "Kind" bars. 

I was comfortable hanging out there for hours. Listening to some bizarre conversations from some of Providence's more downtrodden obese type as well as militant anti-high fructose corn syrup talk from the baristas. The girl skips over the MK songs on her I-pod, she says "she just doesn't care." Ha.

Just found out this place donates 10% of it's profits to progressive causes and customers can vote on them. Hmmm..

Food Inc. now playing around the corner.
3 - areia s.: Excellent iced green tea - hell, great iced drinks period. They use lots of local produce and stuff, too. Strange mixture of patrons, from Brown students to street weirdos, and slightly less tolerable than the Coffee Exchange in that regard. 

I judge all cafes in the Prov by their wi-fi, unless they happen to be the Cable Car. Blue State has it. It's free. This is good. Now have fun finding a table.
4 - Bailey M.: $2.00 for a regular cup of coffee?? Seems a bit steep. But if you come here for the free wi-fi I guess its worth it. 

The atmosphere here is perfect-- a fun mix of hipsters, college students, and intelligent looking middle aged people. They have indoor and outdoor seating. 

The guy who served my coffee was pretty cute too.
4 - Nicole B.: i'm not  a coffee person. but the hot chocolate here is good. above average even.

however, it was the LAVENDER CUPCAKE WITH LAVENDER ICING that was amazing. like wish i could eat one every day of my life amazing.

the place looks chill enough. VERY crowded. not enough outdoor seating (but then again where would you put it?) a good mix of hipsters and yuppies. free wifi with plenty of outlets to charge your laptops on.
4 - Mckenzie G.: I like the concept behind this place and the variety of seating: sitting at the counter, at a small table, at the large table, in one of the comfy chairs, or outside on the patio.  

From the other reviews I now am going to have to try the hot chocolate and the cupcakes that did look very tempting, but I was good at resisting the last time.  

I realized that I'm not a huge fan of the darjeeling tea, but I rectified the situation with the honey available at the counter.  While they don't have the classic English or Irish Breakfast tea, I will have to try some of the herbal teas before I make my final decision.
4 - rohn g.: Great place for a hangover coffee fix. They have their own way of doing things at this place and I didn't get it right but I ended up with a good coffee and some kind of pastry while I threw off the shakes and snooped on the brown kids back early from summer break. If you ever want to see people who love love love college, sit in this place for awhile and it'll wear off on you. Good place, great coffee.
3 - Lou P.: Political brew
They really know their coffee
Try the aeropress

Young Republicans take warning: you'll get more raised eyebrows than fist bumps here (do Republicans fist bump?), but that shouldn't deter you. I'm a bit right-leaning and I still go here but shhh, don't tell anyone. What might deter you is wanting a seat or some table space. Only the lucky few get the prime real estate here, especially during the peak times, which on a college campus is all the time.

The main draw though is not the coolness factor, but the fact that I can talk about the do's and don'ts of cold press brewing with the barrista while he pours me a perfect cup of aeropress coffee. These folks (for the most part) know their stuff, and it shows in their shots and their presentation. I'm a sucker for a good foam design like most everyone, but what gets me is that if you ask for a ristretto, they'll know just what you mean. Plus they'll be able to pull it correctly because their machine isn't an automatic.

Moral of the story: if you like your coffee with a side of politics, especially left leaning, go for it. If you like good coffee, go for it. If you still haven't taken off your McCain pin and prefer green tea, seek alternate ports.

Points deducted for lack of table space and the folks who always stare at you with that 'scener-than-thou' lok of judgement.
5 - Bill K.: Innovative coffee shop.  Brewing methods reach beyond drip and espresso to cold brew and aeropress.  Plenty of seating.  Excellent baked goods.
4 - marie m.: Good location for an early Spring get together with new friends. Copious amounts of FREE on street parking so you can get here, have your joe, find a seat (good luck!), kick it back and listen to all the young (and not so young) people being so very gosh-darn earnest.

- Leather chairs against the back wall give you an overview of the place. 

- Lighting follows the "clean, well lighted" rule that shows each and every detail. 

- And due to the obligatory free wi-fi, you will probably never get a table as they are filled with aforementioned earnest, young students on their MacBook Pros, earbuds plugged in, BMMing away for world peace or checking their trust funds.
5 - Bill K.: Innovative coffee shop. Multiple coffee brewing methods. Good seating. Supports causes.  Worth a visit!
4 - Carolyn L.: I love their mochas.  And they introduced me to the miracle of the dirty chai (a chai tea latte with shots of expresso).  I seriously love their coffee.

As for the actual place itself, a huge fan of their free wi-fi.  Yes, I too would sit at Blue State for hours to GETTHINGSDONE, but alas I am no longer in college.  Bar seating, small tables, some comfy leather chairs, patio...

The staff is very nice and friendly.  The Blue State in the Brown Bookstore - they've always got smiles on their faces.  Much appreciated!
4 - Chuck A.: This is a fantastic spot!  I've stopped three times and had three good experiences.  I need to mark this place, no...no....not like that!  Anyway, three different barista's - all very knolwedgeable and three damn fine lattes (each complete with artwork).  Note: I asked for either the Boston Red Sox logo or the Paw Bump and all I got was a fancy leaf.
4 - Kaity J.: Good coffee, convenient location. Very chill vibe.
3 - Olivia U.: Blue State Coffee is alright for what it is. Cheap, organic fair trade coffee at very reasonable prices. In addition to that, it's right next to one of my jobs so if I have to step out, it can be quick.

Issues:

- The espresso. Is. So. Bitter. It's actually sour, and it made me want to retch, but I had to earn that $2 so I damn well choked it down. Awful awful awful.

- Is the pushy liberal agenda necessary? I'm no conservative by any means, I just don't like politics with my coffee. (Or at all, really.) Whackness.

- NO CHARGE SOY. That's what it really gets points for. And being close and generally pretty quick to serve.
3 - Erick M.: Good place to get a properly made coffee. 

I only stop by here when I find myself in the area, which isn't often. I spend as little time as possible inside though, there's something unwelcoming about the normal patrons.
2 - Taylor T.: Decent coffee, but nothing special. Definitely not worth going out of your way. Staff always seems preoccupied. For better coffee, try Coffee Exchange or Seven Stars.
3 - James F.: Relatively inexpensive good coffee but difficult to find a place to sit.
4 - Sarah V. M.: Bright and clean with free poetry to go.  Order, drink, and inspire your mind and suggest charities to which they will donate.

Everyone in here has their laptop, so I'm guessing they have free wi-fi too.
3 - Amy B.: Love the idea, not so much the execution. My organic coffee may have been fair trade but it simply didn't taste that good. 

What I do appreciate is the ultra-tasty, fresh sunflower seed (!) bagel, and the availability of peanut butter as a topping for $1 extra. I was given a small plastic container of peanut butter and a knife in my to-go bag and later discovered that it was natural, fresh-ground peanut butter. I gotta admit that sugar-laden Skippy is more my speed, but I admire that even the peanut butter aligns with Blue State Coffee's crunchy granola hippie identity.

I'd go back, but I'd try a different coffee from their standard roast in the hopes it would be tasty.
4 - Amanda C.: I came here because it stated on their website it was open till 10pm and on Yelp it says it is open till 11 pm.  Well, they actually close at 9 pm.  I wish the hours were correct because I picked this place because I thought it would be open later.

Bummer.
3 - Bill H.: Plenty of seats, space, and wifi. Coffee is so-so. If I was to come back, it'd be for the space, and not for the coffee.
2 - May R.: If you are looking to do work/study avoid the Blue State coffee in the Brown University Book Store. It is excessively loud and the baristas add to the noise level by blaring the music. So much for a quiet "cafe" "bookstore" setting.
5 - Ettya F.: Remember those juicy R.L. Stein books you used to hide under your covers and read as a kid? Remember that tingly feeling you used to get after finishing a chapter? Remember how excited you were when the "choose your own ending" phenomenon came about?

Yeah, getting a beverage from Blue State is kind of like that. The latte's are fresh, creamy and delicious. The espresso isn't burnt so there's none of that pesky acerbic aftertaste. The drinks make you tingle with caffinated pleasure.

And then there's the whole "choose your own charity" element. Mega props to Blue State for letting you pick a progressive cause to donate to. Whether you select to fund the local leftist NPR station or to give money to that organization that helps kids get off of the streets and into the seats (of a classroom), you have the satisfaction of knowing that every sip of decadent frothy soy milk you take is more than just good taste physically, but karmically as well.
4 - Brad P.: Good coffee and good causes.
Insert liberal hippie joke of your choice here.
5 - Jacqueline G.: The A/C is cold, the ideals are great, and the iced coffee is liquid energy legs!
5 - Amber M.: I am sitting at Blue State now in a nice, sunny spot as I write this review! Good coffee, good food (yummy pastries, oatmeal and some savory foods too), good service, philanthropic values (they have a system where customers can vote on how the donation fund is allocated to different non-profits), and good space for studying/doing work. What more could you ask for? 

It gets crowded pretty easily here, but every time I've been here, I haven't been disappointed!
5 - Tom S.: Absolutely wonderful service and great coffee, I come here regularly and get a mocha coffee. The staff is quick and efficient and very fun. They are good at what their doing and it looks like they love what their doing. Very cool environment, fun staff, and most importantly GOOD COFFEE.
5 - Jennifer M.: Love the delicious coffee, local,sustainable foods, the cast of characters that provide top notch service and a friendly cafe atmosphere...don't miss the little satellite location inside the Brown Bookstore!
4 - Christine R.: Coffee! Need it a fair amount nowadays, and so I had read about Blue State in some foodie blog or magazine, and made a point to stop by and taste some of their stuff while visiting Providence. 

I was not disappointed- their coffee was really good! The ambiance of the cafe was really chill, filled with students and people studying, reading, hammering away at laptops. They had some good desserts and goodies too- I had a nutella bar, which was pretty legit. 

Anyway, they also had this wooden token system that I saw at the fixings bar, in which you can donate your token to four different causes, which I thought was pretty awesome. The baristas were all extremely friendly, and not surly at all.
4 - Hilary H.: I'm not a coffee drinker - it's true. But when my buddy suggested we grab a cold-brewed iced coffee from Blue State because "it's so effing good,' I had to try it. 

So effing good it was, kids! Delicious, bold, not a hint sour and totally smooth. I added some milk and a titch of sugar, and this seriously was the best dang iced coffee I've had this side of the Atlantic. 

Now, for the service: it started out completely pleasant. We were ordering, we were singing along with Billy Joel, we were having a ball. Then my friend realized I misspoke, and ordered regular iced coffee, not the cold-brewed. Heaven forbid! So, I obviously corrected myself, and the woman who had just been singing along to Billy Joel with us suddenly turned sour and very grumpy, indeed. 

The lesson? Go for the cold-brewed iced coffee, and order accordingly. Perfs.
5 - Kendra O.: Pros: Good-to-great coffee. The service is super quick, the milk & fixings options are varied, and the pastries are to die for. Free wi-fi with plenty of outlets and ample seating make this a good place to get some work done. Late hours and good espresso also draw me here after concerts pretty often. Local business partners, sustainability and community outreach are the icing on the cake.

Cons: The new chick has gotten three of my orders wrong, but then again, I haven't seen her around in a week or two...

Nothing brightens my day like a well-made latte with foam art in winter, or a cold-brewed iced coffee on a spring afternoon. You can find me here at 7:30 on any weekday morning. The woman with the short (often shaved) hair and glorious blue eyes is my favorite barista, but the ginger guy pours me hearts in my lattes.
4 - Alma C.: One of the better coffee places in Providence. I like that this place holds free coffee tastings on Fridays and that the take out cups are compostable. Like many of the independent coffee shops around town, they go with New Harvest which is good if the baristas know what they're doing and make the effort, and the baristas here definitely take the time and effort when they make their drinks. I like their mochas here b/c of the nutty espresso that is used to melt the good quality chocolate into the drink. The local Rhody Fresh milk they use is fresh w/o the plasticy taste of other milk and gives the drinks here an extra creaminess. Overall, this place is a good choice especially as compared to other coffee joints around Thayer.
4 - c h.: I don't usually drink coffee, but when I do I go to blue state... because it's not starbucks or au bon pain. And it seems that the cold brewed coffee crazy has hit providence.
5 - Kristin R.: Good atmosphere, good service, and good coffee. Not to mention it's cheaper than a lot of the other local coffee shops and more environmentally friendly.
3 - Jennifer E.: The main place that I'll go for a cup o' joe when I'm on Thayer. There's something about the layout that I'm not a huge fan of, but their coffee is still pretty awesome.  Why is that?  They serve New Harvest coffee, my fave in Little Rhody. The egg sandwich was pretty amazing too.  Local eggs, delish cranberry walnut bread, and crispy bacon.  Yum.  If you are in the area, skip the Starbucks and head over to Blue State.  There are actually two on Thayer:  Brown Bookstore cafe or a little farther down the block near the post office.
2 - Cato M.: I like knowing that the money I spend on food and drinks here will go to a good cause, and I love being able to pick my cause of choice at the end of every order. However, I just don't like the food or drinks that much.
5 - Lauren A.: I really like the coffee here, but i LOVE the vegetarian chick pea "tuna salad" sandwich. It's a problem y'all- i go there once a week to devour one. the name is a bit confusing- there's no tuna, just a really good chickpea salad on freakin' fantastic toasted bread. I love it on the rosemary bread or the cranberry walnut bread. Me oh my- i want another one just writing about it!
5 - Mark P.: Five stars for customer service. I was having a really crappy morning, and the staff managed to turn it around. And I had only been in there for five minutes.
4 - Tonya R.: Chai latte with almond milk is SO GOOD. Not too sweet. Apparently toasting a bagel takes a good 7 minutes, but that aside, I like the place. Not crowded when I went. Will definitely come back.
4 - Ryna D.: Good indie coffee shop near the university. Wish there were more seating inside. Cappuccino was great!
1 - Otto D.: I ordered one of their new Egg White Frittatas, and baked into the center was what appeared to be a fly or small insect. They are very lucky I did not call the health department there and then.
The food is overpriced for low quality and the directors have no idea how to successfully run the shop. There are advertisements for the food director's catering service, and I cannot fathom as to why anyone would want to order the food for an event, let alone pick out of a trash can. 

Will never return to. The baristas do great work, they deserve better conditions. Definitely great customer service and knowledge of what they are doing.

I also read the owners are from the Greenspan family. No surprise.

Blue Tractor BBQ & Brewery - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2804484, -83.746975) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
2 - Lisa W.: This is actually a 2.5 star review.  My BF liked the IPA and the nitrous creamy beer they had was smooth, light, and flavorless -- great for a poseur beer (well, microbrew) drinker.

Now I love me some southern food.  I love catfish, ribs, greens, mac 'n cheese, grits.  Pile it on, honey.  We ordered all of that plus some corn bread.  But man, they couldn't put together a solid southern dish, and we ordered oodles of them.

It was as bland as canned food.  You could tell there was no love in making the meals.  Who cares if the stuff is made with organic ingredients?  The ribs were cold and the sauce was disappointing.  The sliders didn't have enough greasy flavor.  The so-called "catfish" was like fish 'n chips, honey.  That ain't how you make catfish.  I can honestly say I cannot recommend any of the food here.  The least disappointing thing were the veggies we ordered for my son.

The service was great, the atmosphere was really comfy.  But man, if you are going to do soul food, DON'T FORGET THE SOUL!
3 - Mark A.: Food = 4 stars
Beer = 2 starts

I had the smoked brisket which was very good.  It came with a very unique slaw mixture which I liked a lot and a good lumpy mashed potato.

I shared a portion of mac and cheese (really a dinner) for an appetizer.  The mac and cheese was spicier than I would have anticipated, I liked it, but my dinner companion did not.

The main disappointment as several other reviews have noted, was the beer.  I tried the sampler, and was not impressed by any of the beers offered.  I expected more from a restaurant which bills itself as a brew pub.  I would say this is more of a good restaurant that happens to dabble in brewing beer.  Its my hope that as time goes on, there beer will improve.
2 - Theresa F.: Meh, I've experienced better is right.  Too bad too!  I was excited about getting some southern food right here in little ol' Ann Arbor, and boy was I disappointed.

The decor is a lot of fun -- points there.  The exposed, thieved-from-a-barn wood on all the walls and rusty metal lights meshed nicely with the southern theme, even if it feels a bit forced.  

The microbrewed beer is lackluster -- their lighter nitrogen beer was okay, if a bit tasteless, and the rest of their beers were subpar for me.  And I like light beer too, I'm not discriminating!  It's too bad, since I so love the Grizzly Peak beers!

And I wanted so badly to like their food.  When I saw their expansive menu, the first flag went up.  How could they possibly get all these dishes right?  I know how time consuming really good, southern BBQ is supposed to be, and as I looked around and the throws of people around me, I thought, something's gotta give.

The BBQ pulled pork had good flavor, but the texture was very rubbery. The cheese grits and greens were lacking any real flavor... and the beer can chicken had a nice outside flavor, but it was clear the giant piece of chicken had not been marinating in a can of beer full of yummy spices. "I like my beer can chicken better" I believe Sim said.  Bottom line, the preparation feels rushed rather than a real labor of love, which is what everyone always looks for in real southern food.

The giant cookie dessert and fruit cobbler was the best part of the meal.  

Glad I tried, but won't be going back.  I'll make the trip down to Slow's in Detroit and get real BBQ.
3 - Chris S.: Like the first reviewer mentioned Tractor is owned by the same people who own The Peak, Habana, AND Vinology. You can taste it in the food. Each place has its own "theme" and unique menu items but for some reason all of the food tastes the same. I know for a fact that many of the same chefs work these places. I also bet they buy all their ingredients in bulk. End result: different joint, same grub. 

My girl and I ordered a beer sampler, onion ring appetizer, mac'n'cheese side dish, and ribs main course. The only beer I really enjoyed was their "Lite." I thought it was pretty tasty. The others were not memorable, though I'd expect this to change once they've got their technique down (I know they had trouble getting their first batches of brew on tap, and I hit this place up shortly after it opened). 

The onion rings were pretty damn good--big and flaky. I can make better mac'n'cheese. The rib plate was as good as I'd expect for Ann Arbor. If you want the real deal go to Memphis.
2 - shannon r.: Server was friendly but a little too attentive/pushy. Really underwhelmed by the beer. I had the creamy nitrous one and it tasted really watery with practically no flavor. This place has brewery in the name so I expected them to deliver on the beer front at least. I had the bacon and sage mac & cheese. It was good in the sense that anything with bacon and cheese is good. Nothing memorable, no reason for me to ever return here.
2 - Matt B.: Blue Tractor is what happens when yuppies try to make barbecue. It was all presentation but the soul ends up in the back alley in a grungy old coat muttering to himself. Feasting upon thrown out leftovers, for really there's no point in finishing a plate or taking it home. The moisture, flavor and texture- like the soul- have been sucked out and left for dead. But the ultimate tragedy, is that a brewery can't even deliver in their fermented brews, the beer tasted like piss. The only thing I enjoyed was the fried okra in the Fried Goodness Basket appetizer. My pulled pork sandwich was dry and crusty and the bbq sauce selection does not exist...FAIL. All told, my lunch left much to be desired. Next time I want BBQ in Ann Arbor, I'll go to Smokehouse Blues.
2 - Tony C.: While I think some of my fellow Yelpers were somewhat harsh by delivering a one star review, this place definitely causes some concern.  If you consider a 3-star place is one that's acceptable with maybe one item that's a standout, this place definitely does not deserve that.  For beer and BBQ (which are two things that inevitably go together), both are better elsewhere.

Food:  Having only gone there once, i had the ribs, but I got to also try the onion rings, sliders, and a little bit of the pulled pork.  If you want ribs, go to Smokehouse Blues.  These ribs were overly sauced making me think that they needed to cover up the low quality ribs.  Plus, they had no smoky flavor whatsoever.  Maybe the city wouldn't let them put a smoker in the back.  For whatever reason, it just wasn't up to par for what you'd expect out of a BBQ place.  Mr. Spot's, the dive near campus, serves up onion rings that would put these to shame.  The sliders were actually pretty good, but I've had better elsewhere.  Finally, the pulled pork was a bit dry.  I've had better pretty much anywhere else I've had pulled pork.

Beer:  My IPA was ok, but not nearly as good as the Sacred Cow IPA at Arbor Brewing.  My wife's cream ale (in her words) tasted like "sweat".  At first, I didn't believe her because I've never heard of beer referred to as tasting sweaty, but sure enough, it did taste like gym socks.

Ambiance:  They tried.  It has a BBQ place vibe, which ended up misleading me about the food.

Service:  Was acceptable.  Waitress was friendly and attentive.

Ribs are a serious matter and Blue Tractor just doesn't take it very seriously.  Pity.
2 - Chris V.: Well, it certainly wasn't the worst dining experience I've ever had.  The decor was more-or-less Panera meets Brokeback Mountain - but the lighting and the atmosphere in the dining room was pretty good.  The booths are pretty cozy and could spaciously seat four (or six if all your friends are little people).

I wasn't in a beer mood, so I opted for (you guessed it!) the girliest drink on the menu - which in this case happened to be a sexy sounding little peach number.  I really wanted to like it, but there was way too much sweet & sour for my taste.  And seriously, Blue Tractor?  This drink was too strong for Liz Taylor.  Definitely too strong for me.

The menu was exactly what I expected: uninspired American which, mind you, can be very welcome depending on the circumstances.  More specifically, being STARVING, which we were.  The spinach & artichoke dip was good, but not nearly enough bread.  We were going to see if the waitress was going to offer more before we finished it, but she came and swiped the half finished bowl of dip away before we could get a chance to ask.

I ordered the BBQ shredded pork shoulder (no bun necessary for these guys - that got brownie points).  While it was certainly pretty tasty, it wasn't a home run, and it's very difficult to mess up pork slathered in BBQ.  The sweet potato fries were great -  the best part of the whole meal - but they sell the exact same quality in the frozen aisle at Trader Joe's for much cheaper.

These places are a dime-a-dozen, folks.  I'll say it again: it certainly wasn't the worst dining experience ever, but why bother wasting your money?
2 - Lane M.: I didn't partake in the beer, but I'd like to throw my two cents in.

The bourbon milkshake (supposedly made with Maker's Mark) was delicious and giant.  I personally enjoyed it (even if it was 8 bucks).

Also the food wasn't half bad - I don't know how I feel about the baskets instead of plates but *shrugs* I can live with it.

It was kind of a weird mixed crowd...but ok atmosphere.

I had high hopes but alas, it was just so so.  At least it gives me some variety to choose from around that area.
5 - Lawrence L.: Despite my impending sense of doom, I liked Blue Tractor.  

After reading so many horrible things, I was hesitant to dine here.  After a little discussion we decided to "take-a-chance."  I'm glad we did.

When we arrived we were told there would be a 35-40min wait - not atypical for a Saturday evening.  We waited at the bar where we were promptly served by a very nice guy, with a sense of humor, but not doing a stand-up routine.  He was busy, but the drinks arrived in a timely manner.  In 20-25min the little "tazor-looking" notification devise went off.  We paid our bar tab and were seated.  

All the while I'm waiting for something HORRIBLE to go wrong.

The table was set for four but a chair and place setting was added for our fifth diner.  Ok, no problem here.  The waiter was nice - efficient; we were greeted, given menus, a drink order taken.  And still nothing bad to report.  My impending sense of doom was growing - whatever was going to go wrong would surely be HUGE.

We did not order, fast - this was not a problem for our server.  He checked back at the perfect time intervals.  He knew the menu, answered all our questions, and brought more drinks.  

$12-$14 for Mac & Cheese seemed steep, but the "hip" restaurants are all sporting "Gourmet M&C" these days - it's all the rage.  Soon "Blush" wine will be de rigueur again, and Mac& Cheese will be back to $6-8 bucks.

STOP THE MADNESS - when is that other foot going to FALL?!

Our food arrived -- we all got what we ordered.  The food was good - everyone had nice things to say about their meals.  The server checked back with us.  I had the "Cowboy Ruben" - more than a meal for $8.95.  The shoe-string potatoes were great!  I took half home with me.  No room for dessert, and passing up bread-pudding is not an easy thing to do.

We paid our bill and left.  FINALLY IT HAPPENED, I stubbed my toe on the way out the door!  I ALMOST fell down.  Damn You Blue Tractor - and you faulty threshold.  

Next time I am going to save room for desert.
2 - Meg B.: I've been here twice.  The first time the food was mediocre and the service was great.  The second time both the food and the service were sub-par.  

On my first visit I had the veggie burger, which was under-seasoned and didn't hold together well.  But the accompanying sweet potato fries were tasty.  

On my second visit I had blackened catfish, which came with several sides.  I asked the waitress what was in one of them, and when she told me it included pork, I told her that I didn't eat meat and asked if I could substitute something else.  She obliged.  But when my entree arrived, one of the other sides had large chunks of bacon.  Euw.  My friend had the sweet potato pierogies, which tasted pretty good, but had a strange sticky film covering them, which the waitress couldn't explain.

Since my visit I have learned that the Blue Tractor, Cafe Habana, and Grizzly Peak have common owners.  Everything makes sense now.  All three of these places are pretty terrible.
2 - Josie L.: CD and I decided to eat lunch here on NYE, so we cut them a little slack in case they were stressed about that night.  So the food was ok.  The BBQ was fairly good, quantity was good.  They were out of the one appetizer though that we actually wanted. 

The service was really lacking.  We watched them seat couple after couple at a table by the door that was very cold.  Each time the door would open the couple would remark about how cold and draft it was and ask to be reseated.  Then they'd seat someone else there.  it seemed ridiculous to me. 

And for being a brewery.we were sorely disappointed that they didn't have any dark or red beers and they brew of the day was PBR.  It seems is they want to compete with the other breweries downtown, they'll need to find their game a bit more.
4 - Tasha M.: The decor is snazzy and the food is delicious!  We had sweet potato piergoris as an appetizer and macaroni & cheese and a cobb sandwich for our entrees.  The pierogis were sweet, topped with sugared walnuts and sauteed vegetables.  The macaroni & cheese was lightly breaded and juicy!  The service was random.  Yes, that's right: random.  The waiter came to the table at odd times and spoke so softly that I couldn't hear him!  I will not let random service scare me away though, because there are other dishes on the menu I plan to try.
3 - Alison T.: This was my second attempt at eating here after a failed Friday-night mission (an insanely long wait turned us away). I've also heard from others to expect a 45-60 minute wait on your average weekend night. So my husband and I decided to try going to Blue Tractor for lunch on a Sunday. It was a good choice--we were literally the only people in the restaurant from noon to 1.

The atmosphere of this place is pretty nice. It's a cozy, trendy, dark little pub with a southern flair (unfinished wood paneling, random tractor paraphernalia on the wall--so clever!). The giant casks of beer above the bar add to the rustic feel. I'd say there are probably only about 20 tables in the entire restaurant, which explains why it's so hard to get into one on the weekend. Service was excellent, but given that we were the only people in the entire restaurant, I don't think I can give it a fair ranking.

The food was just...OK. Maybe I didn't order the right things, but I was underwhelmed. We ordered the "fried basket of goodness" appetizer to split (fried okra, fried green tomatoes and fried pickles). It was definitely a fried basket, but I'd hesitate on the goodness part. The dipping sauce was delicious, but aside from the okra, everything lacked enough breading to be seriously considered fried, and the tomatoes were sliced way too thick and RED. (Having lived in Alabama for a portion of my teenage years, I have a lot of experience with good fried GREEN tomatoes--big difference.) I wasn't really in the mood for BBQ and we weren't starving after the app, so we split a regular burger with pimento cheese, grilled onions and sweet potato fries. The pimento cheese and fries were delicious; the meat was lacking in seasoning or something because I could barely taste it. One thing I'll give Blue Tractor is that their portions are huge! We took home half of our appetizer, and despite splitting the burger and fries, had lots of fries left over. Another nice touch was that the waitress split the burger into two portions, each with their own fries, so we didn't have to do it ourselves.

I know one of the big draws here is the microbrewed beer. Since I wasn't drinking, I had to rely on my husband's review of the bock, which he claims was "very good" (direct quote).
3 - Brad T.: My wife and I came here for the first time for lunch, since getting in during dinner seems nearly impossible. The hype has really been good about this place, so we were optimistic about the meal we were about to dive into. 

We decided to split a number of items, including the Fried Basket of Goodness and the Tractor Burger (with pimento cheese and fried onions). My wife posted her review here and talked about the burger lacking flavor; I must disagree and say that she avoided the scallion mayo on her burger, which pulled an essential part of the taste away. It was very, very good sauce, and I think she would have ranked the burger higher with it.

The Fried Basket of Goodness was only okay, which was sad considering how amazing it sounds when you say it out loud. I just didn't really like anything but the okra, and there were way too many fried pickles in comparison to everything else in the basket. On the flip side, the shoe-string sweet potato fries were excellent, on par with the very best sweet potato fries I've tried in the area. Seriously, those alone were a huge thumbs up.

Being a Sunday at noon, I wasn't about to start pounding their micro brew selections, so I do feel like I was missing out on a crucial ingredient. Still, I had to try their Bock, which was very good. I also feel like not getting barbecue was probably why I didn't get a proper feel for this place. I liked our experience, I'd definitely go back, but I think I'll need to try the pulled pork or the ribs before I start dishing out any more Yelp stars.
1 - Julie M.: A BBQ joint needs to BRING it, seriously.  Pulled pork seemed as good as the kind you buy in buckets at GFS.  Why do restaurants think I want my pork shoulder tossed in sauce?  What are you trying to hide?  It may as well have been shredded carrots in BBQ sauce - no pork flavour at all.

The brisket had no smoke line, was astringent tasting from the vinegar sauce they used on it.  It was moist and had a nice layer of fat, but they served it up in razor thin slices - so you couldn't get a good taste of the rub.  

The menu billed seasonal vegetables as a side to my meatloaf.  It's March in Michigan.  That means root veggies and possibly greens - atleast to me.  Instead I got brocolli with shredded carrots.  That's not seasonal 'round these parts.

My dinner arrived piled in this order:  Cedar plank, buttermilk mashers, meatloaf slice and the whole deal completely covered in home made ketchup.  So my mashers tasted like CEDAR & ketchup - I was really hoping for buttermilk.  The ketchup was more like a cocktail sauce - and I would have preferred Heinz or a reduction of some sort.  The meatloaf was bland and uninspired, wrapped in a rubbery piece of bacon. 

All three of these items came recommended by the server. 

I should have realized that when I opened the menu and the BBQ was NOT front and center.  Instead I was looking at burgers & sandwiches.  It's trying to masquerade as a brewery & bbq joint and it isn't.  What brewery would serve PBR, Schlitz and other nasty beer over their own microbrew?   

I won't go back, complete waste of money.  I'm pretty miffed about it too.
3 - Kate B.: Blue Tractor is in dire need of some real southern or soul-food cooks:

- Canned/pre-packaged taste to many dishes.

- Salad greens were gritty/sandy...a big NO-NO! Don't serve your people dirty salad, yuk! Granted, the pantry cook or prep person may have been sick/absent but still...nasty.

- Burgers are good - don't use the yukky roasted-red-pepper paste that comes with unless you try it/like it.

- Staff was generally very nice but they quickly get overwhelmed at rush times, I imagine they will learn the trade after being open a few more months.

Mac and Cheese was very satisfying...I've tried all the kinds and it was good :O)
1 - Leslie R.: To preface this, Dan S. (below) and I experienced this place for the first (and last) time together, and I believe his review to be a bit conservative.  We had attempted to eat/drink here about four times prior, but immediately went to the Arbor Brewing Company after we were told the wait time (40+ minutes) for a table by the hostesses.

I came here expecting great southern cooking and a good beer which would rival any of other breweries in Ann Arbor.  After looking over their beer menu, I wasn't impressed by the descriptions and opted for their version of a Tom Collins.  While I found my drink of choice to be great, my co-drinkers were not as impressed: their beers (all of which were brewed by BT) were not cold and were nothing new.  Upon the arrival of our food, the four of us were all aesthetically impressed by our selections.  However, upon sampling each of our choices we were sorely disappointed.  The only mildly impressing and redeeming  aspect of my dish (side salad & macaroni and cheese) was the homemade dressing.    I am categorically in support of the "three strikes and you're out" philosophy; I won't even give BT a second chance to redeem themselves. 

Each of us left BT, feeling full yet "unfulfilled", and walked down the street to ABC to get the experience for which we were each anticipating.
3 - Tyler B.: OK, I've had the food, and a star is docked.

Given my affinity for the groups other two A2 restaurants (Grizz Peak and Habana) I had high hopes and big assumptions.  Disappointed all the way around.  I was there with a group of friends and we went the many appetizer route.  Bottom line - everything was pretty bland. Pulled pork quesadillas?  Meh.  Minny  angus burgers? Blah.  I will speak highly of the warm chips - as long as they are consumed warm.

Couple that with the unspectacular beer and this is  3 star joint.  I love the atmosphere and the service (the bartender shook my hand and said 'Vodka soda?' as I sat down - which is not uncommon but nice.)  and the fact that they have Blatz and Shlitz in the can.  But if I'm going to pay for a decent dinner somewhere, I don't think Blue Tractor merits another chance.
2 - Sam S.: A friend of mine ordered the salmon and it came out still slightly FROZEN. The waitress didn't think this was any big thing; she just took it back to be thrown on the George Foreman for a few more minutes. At this, I began laughing hysterically, like a freaking psychopath, mocking my friend and espousing the virtues of vegetarianism. He then punched me in the fucking face. 

I deserved it.
2 - Russell L.: Good atmosphere but food was tasteless.  Not worth it.  Still looking for good BBQ in Ann Arbor.
1 - Kristina B.: There is no reason to ever go to Blue Tractor again.

Absentee waitress on a Sunday with the dining room 75% empty, completely mediocre food, and empty glasses throughout most of the meal. The hottest food we were served was the warm potato chip appetizer, all dishes that made it to our table later were lukewarm at best. The pulled pork quesadilla was a tortilla filled with beige looking cheese and meat, barely enlivened by a scattering of chiles. My mother wouldn't even eat it, and she rarely misses a chance for martyrdom. Beer can chicken was lacking in flavor, buttermilk potatoes had an odd skin, as if they had been scooped on the the plate 15 minutes before the rest of the dish. Dining companions said the standalone pulled pork was decent, but the accompanying grits had odd flavor. 

Worst of all was hearing the vibrant thump of Latin music coming though the wall from Cafe Habana and being reminded of the good tasting and hot meals we've enjoyed next door. 

Should not have taken this restaurant off my grudge list!
2 - Anna D.: Happy hour on a Friday night?!  Wow, that's fantastic.  Of course, the waitress will disappear (Smoke break?) after your first drink (which you received 20 minutes after sitting down), and then some other dude who doesn't quite appear to be a waiter will take over for her.  It's very fun that this place serves Schlitz and Blatz in a can, but I can go to the Beer Depot and then sit on my porch for that experience.
2 - Ronny E.: I had the BBQ grilled turkey sandwhich.

It had large pieces of bread to highlight how little meat was on it.  It was a joke. 

Their BBQ sauce lacks flavor. I believe masterpiece or anything has much more flavor.

Last time I went there I had some brisket and it was ok.  The food is mediocre, just like Habana. If you're going to go, I'd stick to drinking.
4 - Stever G.: Let me preface this review by saying that I know next to nothing about genuine Southern cooking, so I can't comment on how authentic the food is here.  Also, I judge a restaurant's food based on the variety and quality of their vegetarian fare, 'cause that's what I eat.

I've been to Blue Tractor three times: when they opened, a couple months after that, and this past Friday.  I had a good experience each time.  The first time I went, I had the black-eyed pea veggie burger, which was delicious.  It was a house-made burger (which doesn't seem like a lot to ask for, but I've had plenty of veggie burgers in restaurants where the patty is obviously store bought) and had a really nice kick to it.  I liked it so much I ordered it again my second visit. There are a couple other veggie entrees, but I have yet to try those. Both times, I had the Pilsner, because I wasn't too into the descriptions of the other brews offered. I'm not usually a fan of Pilsner, but BT's is fine by me.  I was disappointed on my second visit that the same beers were offered and there still was no "seasonal."  

I decided to get a salad my last visit, and I couldn't decide which to get of the three vegetarian ones.  I settled on the Market salad (which had a nice color combination of seasonal veggies that would please any phytonutrient-aholic) with a sweet onion molasses dressing that was to die for.  I also had a 50 cent green chile corn muffin, and I probably could have eaten six of those.  Finally, I had the Seasonal Summer Wheat beer which is one of the tastiest darn microbrews I've had in this town (though my heart still belongs to ABC's Blonde.)  We went for happy hour, and I was able to get three pints of these babies in for under seven bucks! I only regret that I waited until August to go back here and had no clue that they finally had a seasonal.

Each visit, the service was excellent.  I also dig the atmosphere, though one time we were seated in one of the "shared booth" areas with a family that had too many poorly behaved children, which made for an unpleasant and claustrophobic dining experience.  Otherwise, I like going here, though all but two of my friends really dislike it.  Pffft!  So perhaps it's best to stick with veggie fare and down some of that wheat beer before the summer's through!
2 - Zachary L.: I generally try not to be critical of the food and service at breweries, as the beer (generally) more than compensates. However,  my experience at the Blue Tractor was poor enough that I feel this rule does not apply.

Firstly, while the food was not inedible, none of the items that my table ordered were satisfying. Namely, the Pulled-Pork Quesadilla was quite bland; the pork could have used some more seasoning. The Plank Meatloaf had a very strange "sweetness" to it, that I suppose may be to some people's tastes but just left me confused. The Chile Cornbread Muffins, which I actually were quite excited about, were also very blase. Not bad, just not good, either. Though, thankfully, it was only two dollars for a basket of them. I suppose that counts for something?

Secondly, the service was questionable. Though our waitress was friendly and helpful, she seemed rather clueless. When asked for a recommendation, just just gave me a blank stare... I suppose it may not be something she gets asked a lot. She was also quite oblivious to our empty water and soda glasses. However, my largest complaint was when it came time to pay the bill. She placed the bill on the table and we promptly placed our card with the bill and set the bill on the edge of the table to let her know that we had finished. We waited for our waitress to come and take the bill for a good twenty minutes and when we finally gave up and flagged her down, she honestly seemed SURPRISED that we were trying to pay the bill. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's a part of the standard restaurant transaction, correct?

Other than that, the beers that we sampled were quite tasty, but nothing spectacular. Definitely not enough to salvage our visit. I would not be opposed to giving Blue Tractor another try in the future, I will just have a bit of difficulty working up the excitement to do so after this disappointing first visit.
3 - Robert H.: I am from the deep South and know good BBQ. One of the things I miss most is genuine Southern cuisine and soul food. You simply can't find the kind of BBQ in Ann Arbor that you can in Memphis and other Southern cities and towns. However, I think Blue Tractor comes the closest of all the places I've tried in Ann Arbor. I've been about 6 times and have left satisfied each time. I enjoy the pulled pork sandwhich, cowboy ruben, and the burgers.
3 - Anna S.: I wanted to take my parents somewhere in AA for their anniversary, I suggested a few places and when my Dad asked for BBQ I mentioned the Blue Tractor (even thought I hadn't been there and was weary from reviews). Well, he picked the Blue Tractor. While no one was really disappointed with the food, I didn't think it was anything to die for. I was disappointed, however, that my first two beer choices were both out! The server was nice and at first I was hopeful when our orders were taken in a timely fashion, however, everything else took forever- and we were there on a Monday! Not exactly a weekend rush. Overall I left with lukewarm feelings. Had the service been better and beer more plentiful, I may have actually given a 4 star rating.
5 - Jon C.: OK- not an owner but my friends are.  The beer is Awesome now. Yep, Yelp, Awesome! The Tractor actually opened up with pretty lousy beer but that has completely changed. They have a new brewer that is ripping things up there. The place is so cool looking and the BBQ is fantastic- actually even more a fan of their burgers- umm good, good , good. If you haven't been back to drink their beer you must go back.  Put your running shoes on and go check it out. I know that they will joining the Michigan Experimental beers scene soon so get ready for some exciting and unique brews.
3 - Liz W.: This is a definite Southern style place. From Carolina BBQ to fried green tomatoes, it screams down home deliciousness from south of the Mason-Dixon. I came here following a 16 hour fasting test that had my blood sugar plummeting, excuse enough to eat heartily I figured. I sure did come to the right place. Health food does not seem to be the agenda here, it is just not the southern way. There is plenty of meat, starches and fried food, all homemade and full of temptation.

We started with some Smoked Chicken and Corn Chowder. Filled with big chunks of chicken and tasting of pure sweet corn, it was not too thick but rather had a creamy broth. It was Michigan heaven in a bowl. I could have eaten another bowl it was that good.

I decided on the Carolina Beef Brisket, served over buttermilk mashed potatoes that were decidedly from scratch with lovely lumps but no skins. The beef was braised in a vinegar based Carolina sauce but they offered a basket with two other sauces, a rich tomato based and a zesty Texas variety. I found that by mixing the Texas with the tomato that it created a very satisfying sauce. This was accompanied by the veggie of the day, fresh shredded brussel sprouts, so good I cannot begin to describe. Truly a taste sensation, I ate both mine and my husband's I must confess.

My husband had the Meatloaf, wrapped in bacon and served on a cedar plank and covered with homemade spicy ketchup. It was also served over buttermilk mashers with brussel sprouts on the side. He scraped off the overwhelming ketchup and avoided the sprouts but really enjoyed the rest. Sampling a bite of the meatloaf, I have to say it was tasty indeed. For the money I think it should have been a bit bigger chunk or perhaps another thin style piece at the least. It was not quite enough for my husband, he was peckish so he ordered a side of the excellent mac and cheese but found it to be a bit spicy to his taste so he satisfied himself instead with pilfering pieces of my brisket and eating most of my mashed potatoes.

My mother had the Braised Short Rib, thoroughly coated in the red tomato BBQ sauce. It is served over utterly delicious cheesy grits with greens on the side. The greens were zipped up nicely with the pickapepper sauce from the table. The short rib was nice but I found the BBQ sauce to be a bit much on it. My mother quite enjoyed it though, her favorite part was the cheesy grits which were sinfully rich.

Accompanying these things we decided to get a basket of the beer battered onion rings, also served with the homemade ketchup which is quite salsa like in both consistency and zip factor. It went much better with the rings than with the meatloaf. The rings were to die for, just hearty and fresh. Perfect.

We saw a lot of sandwiches and they look quite healthy in portion, tasty looking too. I think I may give one a whirl next time, I have my eye on the Low Country BLT. Also on my agenda is trying the southern fried appetizer combo which features fried pickles, fried okra and yes indeed fried green tomatoes all with buttermilk lime dressing to dip. My dietician would keel over dead at the thought but hey you have to indulge a bit right?

The prices here are a bit high, the portions a bit on the skimpy side for it in my opinion but the food is fresh and homemade tasting with variety not often seen in these parts. 

If I were to make one suggestion it would be to include a bread basket or biscuits with the dinner plates, it would go a long way to increasing the value and filling up men such as my husband.

If you are looking for a bit of southern home, complete with excellent sweet tea, this may well be the place for you.
3 - Matt G.: Blue Tractor is what I would like to call proper BBQ joint. It's not dirty, smelly, you don't have to eat your meal on deli paper, and the cook in the back isn't named Bubba and have a Southern draw when he talks (that I know of); all are reasons why Blue Tractor ISN'T a 5 star BBQ joint! Great BBQ to me isn't pretty, it's not served on things we call "plates", and it sure as hell isn't eaten with things called "forks" or "spoons", if anything it should be eaten with a spork. My 5 star BBQ joint shouldn't be pretty or proper; you should be able to smell the smoker from a mile away; it sure as hell shouldn't even come close to the health inspector's standards of cleanliness; and they waitresses and waiters shouldn't be dressed nicely and be polite, they should smell of smoked applewood and simply ask, "what the hell do you want?" To me, having a place like Blue Tractor offering "BBQ" is an oxymoron. I still gave it 3 stars because even for being proper BBQ, it is still OK.
3 - Rebecca W.: Blue Tractor is...A-OK, I suppose.  To speak like SK for a moment, I didn't not like any part of our meal...but most of it was just average.  The run down: 

-Tried the seasonal beer, a Chocolate Cherry stout.  The first sips were interesting and tasty, but the thrill didn't last.  It was more exciting, however, than 
-SK's bearded pig lager....now, maybe my palate is not sophisticated enough, but this may as well have been Miller Lite...it just didn't taste like anything to me. 

I had the pulled pork sandwich and sweet potato fries.  The pulled pork was tasty (the sauce isn't too overwhelming--you can really taste the pork).  I skipped the bun and just ate the pork with a fork.  I'm always pretty happy with sweet potato fries, and these were good, but nothing extraordinary.  (I did appreciate that the sweet potato fry upgrade was only $.50!  That's rare).  The cole slaw, sadly, wasn't worth it. 

Our server was friendly and attentive, but why don't they write things down?(???)  I hate restaurants that do this, because the servers always forget something.  And you can't blame them--no way could I keep all that straight.  But that's WHY you write it down.  No one thinks you're cooler for memorizing the order--it just makes us nervous.  Luckily he came through in the end (after we reminded him), because the thing he forgot turned out to be the best part of the meal: 

chili cheddar corn muffins!  This was the only standout feature in an otherwise satisfying-but-average meal.  An order of 6 is $1.95...this is a great deal.  We brought four of them home!  They arrive crispy on the outside, warm and soft on the inside, and have a delightful flavor.  A muffin like this would be $2 on its own at a cafe--six for the price of one is a durn good deal. 

In the end: Blue Tractor was fine; I'd work it into the Washington St. rotation and return when I'm tired of everything else around.  But it might be awhile.
2 - Patrick K.: I don't like giving bad reviews, but the two stars for Blue Tractor are for the food, not the beer.  The beer only gets one star on it's own.

The beer was solidly average, no different than something I could find a bottle of at any restaurant in town.  No better, possibly a little worse.  

The food was pretty good though, but we didn't go there for the food. 

The bock was a little too sweet, but not malty enough and no one else in our party was raving about the beers they had.  

On the other hand, the homemade BBQ potato chips with Blue Cheese Fondue was really good.  I just wish the beer could have been as good as the bar food.
4 - David M.: A2 certainly doesn't have a dearth of beer bars with good burgers (or is it a burger joint with good beer?).  I actually didn't get a beer the one time I was here, but I have had their stuff at Cafe Habana, so I still feel like I can decently review the place.

Like many of the reviewers, I wasn't blown away by the beer, but it also wasn't bad, which happens a surprising amount of the time with microbrews or whatever you want to call them.  It's probably me, not the beer (I sound like I'm breaking up with a microbrewery right now), since I'm no connoisseur or anything, but I'd probably come back here for the food anyways.

The buffalo burger with goat cheese was great; what an option to have.  They put a ton of goat cheese on it too, probably too much, but I'd rather have too much than too little, since a bunch of it is all glopping off on the fries anyways, (yummy glopped on fries too!).  I also very much approve of the dark atmosphere.  Most places I go I'm thinking "come on turn the lights down" so my ugly mug don't look so bad, and also because it's just more relaxing, especially if you're in a bar for crying out loud.  They do that right here.  

Good stuff, would go back again.
2 - Colleen Z.: My first visit to Blue Tractor was well......just ok.  Best thing about the evening was the service provided by our server Kim.  She provided attention to our party of 12 with what appeared to be ease and experience.  

Appetizers of onion rings and fried pickles were amazing and the best items we were served.  If I ever return it will be to order the rings and pickles.  I had the BBQ pork shoulder plate which included greens and cheesy grits.  The pork was lean and pretty good although nothing to take pleasure in eating.  The accompanying greens were gritty and bland.  Unfortunately the grits were cold.  I tried a couple of bites anyway and I think warmed they would be awesome.  Hubby had the meatloaf plate which he said was terrible.  Our friends had burgers and appeared to be happy with them.  I didn't ask.  (I did ask later and the concensus was the burgers were OK but not great.)

I had a Black Label beer which was fun to drink.  It actually tasted good too.   

Blue Tractor won't be on my list of regular restaurants to visit but I might stop by occasionally for the great onion rings and pickles.
2 - Mark E.: Wanted to like it.  Concept is good: name, sign, atmosphere, bar (with wrap-around cooling strip for setting drinks on) all good.  Not good?  The beer.  And the food.  That's a problem.  And it is not just me - many of my friends, huge beer fans, find the beer unpalatable.

To be fair, only been there a few times but not a big incentive to go back.
4 - Aaron B.: I don't like much, but I like BBQ.  This is, as far as I know, the only BBQ place in Ann Arbor.  Other places have some BBQ items, but this is the only real restaurant of this type.  It's not great.  And four starts may be too much, but it's above average and certainly great for Ann Arbor (where almost nothing is above average).  I don't drink beer so I don't know if it's any good...it's all bad to me.  The ribs I had were great, the pulled pork was good too.  I personally prefer the sauce used over at Grizzly Peak for both these items (same owners by the way...and Vinology and a dozen more around town).  The corn muffins had a little jalapeno action going on and they were fantastic.  The Onion rings are the best I've had (at least that I can remember).  Thick batter and perfect for the rib BBQ sauce.  I've been twice inside a week to try a few different things.  

The service has been pretty bad when I've been there...missing servers and no greeter.  But the place has been quiet too, so those people are probably off taking care of other things during the weird hours that I eat.  I'd go back again to try the blackened catfish and cheddar grits.  I grew up on this kind of food so maybe I'm biased.  Good blues music, no smoking, decent decor. Overall a good addition to the mediocre restaurant scene of Ann Arbor.
3 - Justin S.: This post kicks off my Restaurant Week reviews here in Ann Arbor.

My girlfriend and I got the two pulled pork sandwiches for $12 for lunch on Sunday. It was definitely a good value for the price. The food was good, but as many reviews have stated, nothing all that special, symbolizing the mediocre Ann Arbor culinary experience through and through. I can't see myself paying full price here.
3 - Julia H.: This place is decent.  The atmosphere is that of a typical bar/restaurant -- nothing really stood out to me regarding decor.  The food has a great southern flare to it.  I am a sucker for southern food.  I wish they pushed the envelope a bit further though -- but as I said, it's more of a typical joint.
My sister and I shared the fried pickles for an appetizer -- these came with a buttermilk-lime dip.  The pickles were completely fantastic -- lightly breaded and salted.  My qualm with the dip was that it was watery. It didn't stick to the pickles well and was very mild in flavor.  I would have preferred a better coat to better even out the saltiness of the pickles.
I was pleasantly surprised to see they have a homemade veggie burger on the menu -- its the hearth burger made with black eyed peas, smoked tofu, walnuts and vegetables -- for $8.50.  I added sweet onion jam for 35 cents extra - as well as a green tomato chow chow.  I subbed out fries for a great brussell sprout vegetable mix.  
The burger was a bit disappointing.  The bun was large and tasty -- but the burger lacked something -- it was a bit dry and crumbly and didn't have a remarkable flavor.  Nonetheless, I appreciated the fact that they had a homemade veggie burger.  
The australian Woop Woop Shiraz was decent -- but at $7.95 per glass, the bill could rack up quickly.  
My sister's friend ordered a 5 beer sampler and also came with a glass of nuts.  The glasses were of substantial size and the selection was good -- spanning with a bock, ipa, and chocolaty stout.
My sister ordered a grape martini which she loved because she likes drinks that don't taste anything like alcohol and are very fruity.
DIS-gus-TING.  I don't like that type of drink.  It tasted like five packets of kool aid mixed with a teaspoon of vodka - but she was happy, so that made me happy!
This place is a brewery as well, so you are able to take home a nice growler of beer.  
*I also heard the ribs are fantastic.

Eh.  I probably won't be back.
2 - Lily P.: The food was standard here, if the decor was better or set up well I probably would go here as much as Grizzly peaks. The pulled pork was great, and the group I was with seemed to like their other food too. The microbrew def can be overshadowed by other options ann arbor has though.
  
The burgers are good yummmmm and everything comes in baskets..so on second thought they do need to fix more stuff to match up with grizzly peaks. Its a great location to start off the night and then go to arena, cafe habana, or etc. They were pretty damn strict about the happy hour so if you ordered with you friend within a min of it ending they might just be mean and charge you more. 

On the positive side..I AM EASILY AMUSED. After a few drinks..the snow strip to keep your drink cold (as seen in the pictures people posted) entertained me for a good half an hour. As you can gather a decent amt of snow to throw at someone...hey I wasn't the only one..but with a lack of upbeat music, more people, better food...the snow kept us amused.

I'm not too sure who normally goes here? considering it was pretty empty and just the most random people walked in and out of it while we were there.  Blue Tractor...please try again and make yourself a little cooler. While drunk the snow was amusing..but 2nd time around I doubt it will be.
4 - Peter S.: This good southern-style barbecue place is becoming an Ann Arbor stand-by for us.  We've enjoyed the pulled pork, brisket, and meatloaf to name a few.
2 - Isaac W.: Novel and Trendy, Blue Tractor's provides value in the forms of ambiance, location, and staple menu items. Oh - and also in the vintage tractor grills hanging from the wall in the dining area.

Notice that Service, Price, and other factors were not included in the list of values that I found pleasant.

Unfortunately, the most positive experience was that parking was readily available on this Sunday afternoon, and also free since the meters weren't running.

But from there it was mostly down hill:

After finding our parking, we had to figure out which of the three doors should be used to enter the building, none of which was clearly marked at the time. Of course, it wasn't until we reached the third that we were granted access.

I had the Buffalo Burger which was rather unmemorable.Had the stout beer arrived as I asked for -with my meal- it would have been a perfect compliment to the burger and improved my overall perception of the meal.

Although we did get seated promptly, and water was delivered in a very timely manner, we had to wait an unnecessary amount of time before we were able to get the check and pay. Additionally, our table was hit with a harsh winter wind every time the door was opened as more guests came in to suffer.

For the price, I would have expected more food, better quality food, far better service, or some combination. The only reason this gets a two, instead of a single star is that the vintage tractor grills on the wall were pretty cool.
2 - Nadi T.: It was a tough decision to make. Go for the authentic Ethiopian restaurant, or what seemed to be an appealing BBQ. The Menu for Blue Tractor  won us over, and we decided to check it out. 

I'm not one to talk about interior ambiance and overall feel; however I thought Blue Tractor did a good job.

Since we already had a 30 minute wait, we ordered our food right away. The waitress was brilliant. She was on the ball, and wasn't reluctant to show a genuine smile. I ordered a small basket of the corn bread as an appetizer. Lets just say, it was the worst decision i made. Its description on the menu makes it sound a lot better. When my "Cowboy Reuben" arrived I had high hopes. The size was perfect, and the fries were loaded! It looked scrumptious! Of course I had to ruin the moment by trying it. It was awful! Sure it didnt taste like plastic, but there was no flavor. It was "blah" I was forcing myself to eat it up, luckily I used some of the sauces provided to drench the meal with some character. My friend ordered the Tractor Burger, and the meat on this was simple and carried no flavor. 

Compared to Smokehouse Blue's, there is no comparison worth attempting. The beef brisket from Smokehouse Blue's murders that from Blue Tractor, even the BBQ sauces are kick ass! If you want a better dinner then check out Smokehouse.

To sum it up, I would go back to Blue Tractor only to admire their menu and salivate to their meals; but I wouldn't be foolish enough to ruin the moment by actually trying the food.
4 - Jerry K.: I had a great experience at the Blue Tractor. 

I loved the atmosphere - what seemed to be authentic reclaimed barn wood planks covering the walls with vintage tractor grills scattered around. I found it very cozy and definitely unique. 

Our server was friendly, prompt, and attentive. My girlfriend and I got a six beer sampler. I loved the Pilsner and the IPA, though the wheat ale and the bock were so - so, and the stout was a little poorly done (even if I had known it would be a coffee stout, the coffee flavor was way too strong). Their red was one of the worst beers I have ever had. These aren't reviews of my taste preference (I don't normally even like IPAs), but my take on the styles. 

I got a massive portion of pulled pork, the BBQ was delicious, and my onion bacon soup was incredible. 

I will be back....
3 - Arlene A.: I enjoyed myself very much here.  The comfy warm walls and authentic antique fixtures make this a nice place to stop in for a stop on our way home to Chicago.  Steady business going in and out was comforting for a Monday evening, a good sign as it were.

I had a very delicious Manhattan, and my Honey had the 6 beer sampler.  Yum all the ways around.  For dinner, we split the pimento Mac & Cheese and the Brisket dinner.  Perfect comfort food combination.  The brisket is served with a NC style vinegar sauce, while not my cup of tea, tasty.  Our waitress brought additional sauces to our table, which were a little closer to my taste.  The meat was tender, and the mash was pretty good also.  The pimento Mac & Cheese was pretty good, although it tasted as if put together the last minute.  It lacked that "married" flavor of a baked Mac & Cheese, and the crumb topping also seemed like an afterthought with the non-bakedness.  

The drinks were inexpensive, the atmosphere is cozy and the food is all right.  Good times.
2 - Robyn T.: I feel really bad not liking this place.   I wanted to, but the more I tried for it, the more I felt a little disappointed.   

The atmosphere is awesome and reminds me of my grandpa's old barn, but in a cool way.  And they had outdoor seating which I am always a big fan of.    Unfortunately the good experience ended there.

I ordered the BBQ Beer Can Chicken, which sounded delicious based on the menu description.  I can't really nail down specifics on the meal,  only to say it was good, but not great.   

I didn't order any alcohol, but they seemed to have an interesting blend of home brewed beers, including a 6 glass flight.  So I may go back to try some of that, but that might be about it.
2 - Dan T.: The atmosphere and interior design is very nice, but their food & beer are both big misses.

I really really want this place to live up to expectations, but I've given Blue tractor multiple chances to sway me and they have failed each time.

First, this is a brewpub, and the beer is not very good.  I think a lot of trendy brewpubs have sprung up lately that don't focus enough on crafting quality beer, and this is definitely one of them.  After a few tastes of their house beers, you will likely switch to cheap cans of PBR or Blatz, as I did.

Second, the food - it doesn't live up to the promise of the menu.  I think the menu is great looking, but the kitchen can't seem to make any of it taste good.  Even the burgers are very inconsistent.  How hard is it to get a decent burger down?

The BBQ is all very mediocre, with the ribs being one of the few menu items that are passable.  Avoid the artichoke spinach dip AT ALL COSTS - it tastes like it is 99% cream cheese.  The greens are over-seasoned (red pepper flake overload) and the mac & cheese (not baked) tastes like it is made with cheap ingredients.

If you go, I would stick to the ribs or a sandwich (like the cowboy reuben).

I am mostly disappointed by Blue Tractor because it builds your expectation so much.  It looks like it will be a great place for beer and BBQ, so when it falls so far short of that, I am more disappointed.

If they significantly rework their food and beer, I would definitely give them another chance.  But I'm done getting burned for now.
3 - Max G.: I recant my previous 2 stars. My beautiful and intelligent friend was with me. But she too was distressed over the insect situation.
3 - Jessica Y.: The Blue Tractor is a fine establishment.  Meaning, not great, but not bad.  The food is slightly expensive and there's usually something slightly off with my order (a strip of bacon where I least expect it, e.g.), but it's good.  LOTS of fries, free pickles if you want them.  The beer on tap is fine but nothing to write home/Yelp about.  But the desserts, my goodness, go there on your birthday and get a free "Chocolate Chip Cookie and Ice Cream Bar."  Yowza.
4 - cee g.: Blue Tractor is now easily my favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor.
Solid food at reasonable prices.  Why is it so difficult for this town to get right?  
Things I like: BBQ chicken, blackened catfish, microbrews, inventive/tasty side dishes and occasional meal specials (which often include a free beer).
And locally grown ingredients.

It's just such a relief to leave a restaurant in Ann Arbor
a. very happy with the food
b. not ignored by the wait staff
c. not feeling (once again) screwed over by unjustified prices

Honestly, just the predictability of the experience is worth it.  I now go almost once a week.
1 - Jill K.: I used to love this place, but tonight, I don't. Service was sub par as we  waited for a long time for *BBQ* sauce. Not sure if it's because we sat at the bar for dinner, or maybe the bartender was new. He asked a waitress for BBQ sauce and she replied, "We don't have any". Nice. This is a BBQ joint, people. Way to "look alive". This combined with finding pieces of broccoli  in my pulled pork made me never want to come back.  Goodbye old friend.
3 - Catherine M.: I have a slight obsession with BBQ. I was very excited to go with my friends, who ensured me it was one of their local haunts. Food (esp. sweet potato fries, pulled pork, pickles!, tomato-ranch sauce) is easily worth four stars. Beer total crap. Save your monies, for better local microbrews. But unfortunately our service was also awful, and the stairs of death that went downstairs to the bathroom were also slightly scary.  

I would go again and gorge on more slow-cooked meat products. And then go to a different place to drink.
1 - Matt B.: I have been to Blue Tractor twice in the past 18 months, and I always leave feeling I've been cheated.

For starters the food is, at best, even with a TGIChilliBees. There is absolutely no reason to go here for food. This time I tried a buffalo burger, which was not cooked correctly and served in a basket. The basket makes a sloppy sandwich sloppier to handle since one cannot even pick up the burger from the side, let alone effectively use utensils. The fries were boring and too salty. The meat was undercooked, not cooked as I ordered.  The BBQ sauce reminds one of Open SXXX.

The staff were friendly and attentive enough, but impersonal and fake. The decor is uninspiring and as fake as any chain you can think of.  What really kills the atmosphere is the tired yacht-rock tunes they play. Boring. It was like listening to any classic rock station in anywhere U.S.A.  They are obviously are catering to the boomers, typical.

The only thing redeeming about Blue Tractor is the beer; it is a step above most brew pubs. I would not recommend this place to anyone, the beer does not make up for a lousy atmosphere and lousier food. This is the kind of place where forty or fifty something men try pick up girls younger than their own children.  This restaurant is as easily ill conceived as the owners other venues: Grizzly Peak, Vinology, or Cafe Habana. In short, these restaurants serve over priced Sysco food with very little differentiation from anywhere U.S.A.  I don't recall anything local on the menu, nothing innovative or distinctive.  If you want a great burger, try the Old Town, Casey's or Sidetracks, and they are far cheaper with locally butchered beef. Better BBQ can be found at Smokehouse Blues on Washtenaw and Hawkins Place BBQ in Ypsi - that's real BBQ.
4 - Renee S.: First started with GREAT service, immediate seating but it was a Tuesday evening.  We had a taste of beer, then one ordered the tasted which was a specialty with a cinnamon taste (very good, we both liked it) then I ordered the IPA.  I liked that too, but it did have bite.  My bf did not like it.  Second round, I ordered a wheat pilsner with a fruity aftertaste from their sister restaurant.  They were out of their own.  It was very good and let me tell you, after two pints...I was feeling it.  

Put in for an order of fried pickles.  Oy, the sauce was absolutely scrumptious.  I loved the very finely sliced and barely battered chips.  A definate reorder for another time.  (we are new to the area though so it will be a while before we go back, so many places to try)

For the meal, we split the 3 meat bbq.  The grits were terrific.  Beer can chicken, very very good.  Brisket was mediocre and the pulled pork was quite moist and yummy.  I was not a big fan of the beans, although edible.  This split was PLENTY of food.  Our bill was under 50.  I was really full and even had some left on my plate.  

The sauces were nice.  A vinegar (not for me) a mustard bbq, a sweet bbq and a spicy bbq (which needed more spice, in my opinion).  

The atmosphere was comfortable.  It was busy, but not over busy.  I would go back here without hesitation.
3 - Erin H.: Finally made it to the Blue Tractor after an unsuccessful attempt to get in on a Saturday night.  Our book group met here for the southern inspired food after reading a southern book and we were mostly pleased.  I tried a beer flight and enjoy the chocolate stout and hated to IPA but I think just hate IPAs.  The cheddar chowder that I had was fantastic and the corn muffins were also tasty.  I got the special jambalaya and also really enjoyed it - particular love that they have a beer/food special where you get both for 1 price.  Sadly my companions who had the "hearth burger" (veggie burger) both thought it was dry and another thought the fried chicken salad was generally tasty but her chicken was really spicy and yet not salted.  So there are clearly  some kinks to  work out, but I guess I chose the right things!  I love the decor and interior - the wood walls are awesome.
4 - Jen F.: I have no idea really how Blue Tractor has 2.5 stars. It really is better than this. 

I didn't do a sampler this time around but I had the Amber which had good hops that weren't too strong and a bit of sweetness. My friend ordered a vodka martini and it was well made - this doesn't always happen in a brewery for sure. 

For dinner we had the corn bread, the peppercorn buffalo burger, and a pulled pork sandwich. 

The BBQ sauces were a huge win. Mix the hot with the mustard tangy. Oh wow. Match made in BBQ heaven. I was even dipping my goat cheese topped burger in it. 

The onion rings were well done but what won in my book were the sweet potato fries. Thick cut. Not deep fried tasting. Perfect. I could have just had that for dinner. 

The service was great and the atmosphere was really perfect for a late night beer and snacks. 

The food isn't phenomenal but it's creative and different. Most importantly - it's tasty and enjoyable. Isn't this what we want for our lives???

It's on my list.
2 - Brian H.: I went here for the second time yesterday. I ordered the 3-meat combo platter with the baby back ribs and the pulled pork. The pulled pork was mediocre, but edible and the baby back ribs were useless. They were tough and the meat just didn't taste good. I think they need a different source for their pork as something just seemed "off" about it. I ate one rib and sent them back. Management was cool about it, as they took the price of the whole dish off the bill even though I ate the pulled pork. After I sent the ribs back, my friend remarked that I had sent them back the last time we were there six months ago. I wish I had remembered that before I ordered.

Also, the service was sub-par. We got a table quickly, but it took 10 minutes for the waiter to come over and take our drink orders. It then took another 10 minutes to get the drinks. Once we had our drinks, it took the waiter 20 minutes to come take our order. Once we were done eating, we had been there well over an hour and just wanted to get out of there. After waiting 10 minutes for the waiter to come with the bill, I went and found him to get the check. I don't think the slow service we experienced was his fault so I still left him 20%. I don't think the restaurant staffs properly for Saturday dinner rushes.

However, the only reason I gave this place two stars instead of one was because of one "drink" they offered - the crow bomb. For $5 and some change, you get a shot of Old Crow and a 12oz can of PBR. Pretty good deal in my book.
5 - Chris C.: Love the new menu. Pulled pork and brisket sandwich are amazing!! Plus the great beer. Cheers!
3 - Blair H.: Love the beer and atmosphere at Blue Tractor, but the food is hit or miss and pretty pricey.  Definitely a place that is great for drinks (great stouts and RyePA's) and appetizers (love the fried pickle chips!) but have had a few disappointments for dinner.
3 - Jim U.: My second visit to the Blue Tractor was this past Monday evening.  I had the slider combo and the burger sliders were much better than the BBQ sliders - maybe it was just the bits they chose to use for the for the BBQ ones.  I've had things there before that I liked better - I'd go back, just won't get the slider combo.
4 - Jillian D.: the bar has a ring of ice around it. to keep your pints frosty. that got me right away :) oh, and the fact that they offer happy hour specials EVERY DAY! from 4-6 p.m., all beers are half price. which meant my bar tab (i ordered a round not realizing it was happy hour) was a piddly $11 for five people!!

moving to the main room for dinner...what a fantastic find! beautiful decor- dark barn wood and wrought iron. a very classy yet casual atmosphere. 

appetizers all sounded so good. we tried the pulled pork quesadillas, bbq chips with blue cheese dipping sauce and the fried pickles. loved loved loved those pickles! like none i've ever tried. crisp and battered without the grease. and the dipping sauce is damn tasty.

delicious 'cue too!! everyone at my table got different dishes - pulled pork sandwich, monster burger, beer can chicken and a few people got sampler platters with an array of meats. they let you sauce yourself - and they offer up four delectable versions to try. the table fave was sticky hands down, the sweet and smokey (the purple cap). and here's the best deal in town - if you order a sampler, you get a 32 oz beer for the price of a pint. NO JOKE.

for my entree, i tried the mac and cheese topped with pulled pork. omg. HUGE portion, and even splitting it with my bf didn't put a dent in it! 

since i had brought desserts up from chicago, we didn't get to sample what they had to offer. maybe next time.
2 - Robb T.: The name and the atmosphere are about all this place has going for it. Behind the bar, the service was good, but out in the dining room it was so so. 

Just like the beer and the food. The highlight was the order of fried pickles, which were pretty good. The pulled pork platter was mostly fat, and the brisket sandwich was... eh... I had to sauce the BEJESUS out of it.

The place was packed, though, so maybe I'm missing something. Anybody? Am I missing something?

I'll go back and try again, because like Dan T. I really want the place to be good. Maybe I want it too much, especially since the Ann Arbor Brewing company has slipped so far in the last few years. 

A barbecue-brewery sounds like heaven, but so far the only good pulled pork I've found in Ann Arbor is at... Conor O'Neill's: A "traditional Irish pub." 

Really?! An Irish bar tops the barbecue at a barbecue joint. That makes sense, right?

The two stars are for the pickles, the atmosphere and the name. Hopefully my next trip will be better. If not, it will be my last.
2 - Anna G.: Ordered the pulled pork with cheese grits. The pork was so dry it might as well have been saw dust and was beyond resuscitation from BBQ sauce. The grits came with a hardened film over them. In short, nasty.

The beers looked pretty good, though. And the tv's showing the World Series definitely helped.
2 - Dave Y.: looks like a local place, but the feel and quality of the food is essentially the same as chili's or other big chains. it's not really all that bad, but not good either. very meh. there're lots of restaurants like this in the downtown a2 area, which is quite perplexing...
4 - Heather K.: After a heart breaking loss against Wisconsin I found myself at Blue Tractor.   Unlike the other reviews, I had a great experience.  The service was excellent - Brad was an attentive bartender.  We tried the artichoke dip which was standard and tasty.  Although we didn't eat dinner there, the food smelled great.  As for the beers, I appreciate the fact that they brew their own beer.  We tried the flight which was served in a muffin tin.  A cute gimmick.  The IPA and Pilsner were the faves but the Bock deserves an honorable mention.  After drinking there for 2 and a half hours, our bill was 40 dollars.  HUH?!?! HAPPY HOUR from 3-6 even on a football Saturday!    Sure, they're not the next Bells but certainly a great addition to Ann Arbor's downtown.
4 - Omid F.: Pulled pork mac and cheese.

Buffalo chicken mac and cheese.

Are you kidding me.

YUM
3 - Brian T.: The BBQ food is great here. I've had the pulled pork and the ribs. I favored the pulled pork. The craft beers could be a lot better. This place is owned by the same people who own Grizzly Peak, so I expected a lot from the beer. I was a little disappointed, but it certainly didn't affect my opinion of the menu. The desserts are also pretty good. I had the Bourbon Milkshake (I might order an additional shot next time), but it was really good. I also really liked the atmosphere of the place. It was very trendy, but rustic.
3 - Izabella d.: came here for dinner and some beers... beers were yum - i had the five beer sampler  for $5.95. we ordered the half slab of baby back ribs and a two meat combo bbq plater (chicken and pulled pork).  the meat was cooked well, ribs were tender and juicy.  the sauce was tasty, but slightly too much of it.. chicken was also quite tasty, and had nice crisp skin to it. the pulled pork disappointed a bit with its watery taste.. we needed to add a lot of bbq sauce to perk up the flavor. for sides we had the collard greens, grits, baked beans and mac and cheese. greens and grits were ok, nothing to write home about.. but the baked beans were great.  the flavor was complex and really tasty -- definitely order these !!  mac and cheese was advertised as so great and honestly it was terrible.. looked and tasted like velveeta , not what i was expecting from the other diners positive reviews.
2 - Kyle H.: We didn't aim to go here, but after flying in, driving to ann arbor, we were starved.  My first yelp find was packed with an hour wait and the second was closed so we parked and walked in to the first thing we found.  Blue Tractor.

To sum it up, our server was pretty bad, and I go easy on servers.  She didn't know the specials, failed to mention they were out of the brisket until we tried to order it, dropped the checks off after she took our plates without asking about dessert and brought them back with our slips to sign without a goodbye or thank you or anything.  Maybe that's an Ann Arbor thing?  This is my first time here.

The food was actually ok, the fried pickle chips were a little greasy but that didn't stop me from eating all of them.  Need a little salt.  Beer can bbq chicken was ok, the dark meat was way better than the white.  Good bbq sauce.

I did really like the barn wood on the walls.  That was a nice touch.

And thats about it. Eh, I've experienced better.  Just not in Ann Arbor.  Yet
4 - Garrett P.: Awesome macaroni and cheese (pulled-pork with a couple different 
sauces) and I consider myself somewhat of a konisewer of this fabulously famous dish. 

Their IPA was awesome... far surpasses Jolly Pumpkin's. I had three. It was happy hour (great happy hour by the way) 3pm-6pm beers are half-off.

Good music in that 'it's the kind my dad would listen to, too' kind of way. And the highlight was when some guy pulled up near the curb in his Dodge Avenger while we were outside smoking and got stuck in the snow and preceded to rock the car back and forth to no avail.  It was cheap entertainment. It was fun.
2 - r c.: Atmosphere - 5 star
Server - 5 star
appetizers - 4 star

Main course(the actual BBQ food) - 2 star

We really did enjoy the "feel" of the place.  It was divided into smaller rooms, making it cozier.  The old barn wood on the walls was a nice look.  The 6-beer sampler were almost all good (not too keen on the chocolate one).  The server was very good.  Both appetizers were delicious - the dill pickle chips & the warm chip basket.  Sauces served with both were very awesome.

My hubby ordered the 5-meat combo.   The brisket was dry and bland.  The pulled pork was so dry, it was almost "jerky-like" on the ends.  Even all the sauce he added didn't soften it up.  The chicken was okay.  He didn't care for the dry-rub ribs at all but did like the other style ribs.

I ordered the cowboy rueben sandwich.  The brisket in my sandwich had no smoked flavor and was tough.  I added A LOT of sauce and still found it dry.  The fries were good.  The mac & cheese was awesome; so creamy and cheesy.  

The reason for two stars is because this is a BBQ joint and none of the BBQ food was good.  Because of the nice atmosphere and service I might try it again but if based on food alone, I wouldn't.  We didn't just try 1 or 2 of the BBQ meats - we tried 5 and were dissappointed.
3 - Chad C.: The great backcountry atmosphere (though dark) had me digging the place at first, but the quality of the brew is not up to par.  It tends to be on the flatter side of flat beers.  The food is decent, so when you mix in the BBQ with the drinkable beer and laid back feel to the place, it draws me in to eating there on occasion.
3 - Denise C.: Wandering around Ann Arbor on Sunday afternoon gives you a decent appetite. So a place that sells BBQ was a welcome sight.

Food:
I got the Blackened Catfish (which came with cheddar grits and baked beans)
He had the Pulled Pork Sandwich
Both kids had Burgers, girl had Tractor (build your own) and boy had The Rancher (comes with an egg).

And we started out with fried pickles.

The first couple of pickles were deee-lish... or was it the hunger? as we got into the basket they got greasy.. then onto the mains.

First, me. The catfish was nicely spiced, and crisp on the outside, although it was super soft (undercooked a little??) in the middle. Grits were nothing to write home about. The beans were really good (think Heinz baked beans that you only buy in places that sell British food), and had little crispy tasty bits in it. It couldn't have been bacon, because I don't eat bacon, but it was wow good. Not bacon. Right?

Him - dictated: The pulled pork sandwich was ok, but not amazing. It was nice of the server to remind me that there was a sandwich option as I was going to order the main dinner course (which cost more). I upgraded to fries from chips; they too were ok (thin fries are either inedible or bland and edible - these were the latter). The pork itself was not bad - not overly fatty and just a little dry. I had a pint of their Bearded Pig lager. Mild - just right for drinking with bbq.

Back to me:
Sauces - having been to Slow's, we now understand how important a good choice of sauces is. Blue Tractor does not have such a selection - there were 4 on offer - mustard, sweet, tomato and vinegar (which had chili flakes). The sweet was ok, the mustard was good - didn't try the tomato, but the vinegar chili stuff was pretty good - if you like vinegar bbq sauce. Perhaps be a little more adventurous on the sauce selection?

The kids enjoyed their burgers, the girl upgraded her chips to onion rings and they were gooood. At least those which she ate - the rest came home. The boy, as usual, ate everything. He did comment that putting lettuce on top of an egg was not a good idea - build the burger differently!

So, all in all the food was relatively good. What they could do better perhaps is offer more choices of sides (the mains all came with a fixed list of sides) - maybe take a lesson from Lockharts or Slows and allow a choice of sides from a long list. I would not have ordered grits if I had the option to have something else instead.

The price: For what we had, it seemed a bit over-pricey - a glass of wine and 2 beers on top of the above (no dessert) and it was over $70 before tip - more that we would have paid at Slow's (ok - I'll stop the Slow's comparisons). But it was downtown Ann Arbor, so that comes at somewhat of a premium..

Service was good up until the end, when we had to wait quite a while for our check, but it seemed our server had been abandoned and left to serve the entire bar on her own so we'll give her a break.

We will try it again!
4 - matt p.: I loved the jalapeno cornbread, i've also had the BLT and
the ribs. I went on my birthday and got the free pint glass with
their logo, a free dessert (i chose the coconut cream pie,
very tasty) and then you also get a $10 gift card towards a future
meal. good stuff! This is like Zingermans Roadhouse only affordable.
I wish someplace downtown would have blues bands
on the weekend, this place would be a good fit.
3 - Shunda B.: The bar is OK... 

How do you run out of type of rib at BBQ place?!  That's just like running out of burgers at McDonald's.  Lol!  Now you see why I rated them 3 -- I was really suppose to be 2.5 but not available.

It took our group of people about a good 20mins but it was about 15 people, so I guess that good.  (I think!)  The food is a little pricy but their special drinks are good -- I had a drink called "Bay of the pigs"; please don't judge the name but it was more fruity and sweet.  (Pineapple tasting drink at $11)  I only had one which as you can tell by the price I wasn't ordering anymore because I'm crazy cheap and on a budget -- they do specialize in house brewery drinks as well.  

So if you are willing to drive the distance for some different selection of beers, then this would be your place.  

Please beware of the corn bread (which are more grity if thats a word) and the mac-n-cheese is over rated; it taste like regular mac-n-cheese with crunchy stuff on top.

REMEMBER... Don't go to a bar trying to get full for a low price!!!
2 - Diane L.: Seriously good hamburgers...BUT... the service is very inconsistent and it's pricey. We've eaten at the Blue Tractor several times and the last time we ate there, it wasn't very busy (mid afternoon on a Saturday), but  the food didn't taste fresh - cold hard fries and inattentive service. And they just raised the prices plus now you have to pay extra if you would like fries instead of just house made potato chips (which were stale when we got them). There's just too many other choices in town to bother taking chances with such inconsistent quality.
3 - Christine N.: I will preface this by saying I lived in Kansas City most of my life and am BBQ spoiled. 
I went with a group and we sat outside. The server was quick and polite with our drinks and orders. I got the pulled pork with fries. Our table got the fried pickles. The fried pickles were ok. The dipping sauce they come with really makes the dish though. However, they are very greasy and the pickles toward the bottom of the basket were soggy from pickle juice & grease. 
When our food arrived they told us they would be right back with the BBQ sauces. I think they forgot about us though because we had to eventually flag someone down to get the sauces. By the time we got the BBQ sauce, my pork was getting cold.
There are 4 sauces to choose from; tomato, mustard, sweet, & vinegar. None of them jump out as amazing but they are all good. The buns were grilled so they had that buttery crisp on the open sides. The pork was decent. It didn't have a flavor of its own though. No smoke or rub flavor to it, just pork. I ended up putting the BBQ sauce, pickles & coleslaw on the sandwich to get more taste. Combined it was pretty good. The fries were skinny and crisp. 
Overall, the meal was decent.  The BBQ is ok. It's not bursting with flavor like I am used to though. The only issue we ran into was the long delay on BBQ sauce. I'm not sure if that was because we were outside or because our food was brought by someone other than our server & communication was lost.
2 - Andrew R.: OK...yeah, just OK 

Let me start by saying they offer some of the best micro-brew beer around. I ordered a sampler and enjoyed all of the beers they have (except the stout, since they ran out). 
Them not having the stout was just the start of a lackluster dinner. The server spent a good deal of time visiting every table around our, but not ours. She forgot an appetizer that we ordered and when we did get our food they messed up my order and forgot part of my wife's order.
The food was good, but no Slows! 

I'd recommend going there to drink your lunch or dinner.
4 - Holly P.: This place has really good food and is reasonably priced.  I was surprised so may BBQ places overcharge and don't taste good, ribs too dry and no flavor.  I had the cowboy reuben and was a little hesitante to order beef brisket b/c a lot of places don't cook it right and it is dry.  Boy was it not dry and was so delicious.  We had the chocolate chip cookie ice cream bar for dessert and it would have been even better if the cookie was softer, or even served warm.  Really good and will make the trip next time we want a good BBQ lunch/dinner.  If you are contemplating give it a try I bet you won't be disappointed. YUM!
2 - Nichole C.: I've come here twice now and had the same experience twice.   Very meh.  The other people in my group said the beer was good and the macaroni was good but that was about it.  There were around 15 of us in our group and I think only about 3 of us liked it.  The atmosphere is great but the food pretty much sucked.  When we ordered onion rings, we could tell their fryer wasn't turned up high enough because there was literally a pool of grease in the basket.  My burger was alright but not amazing.  Funny as it is, the barbecue sucked because that's what their known for.  The brisket was gross, the ribs were meh, and the pork was dry and nasty.  All the sauces were pretty much gross too, unfortunately.  My chips were soooo gross because they were so burned as well.  Really wanted to like this place because the servers were nice and the place itself was very cool inside but unless you're going to just grab a drink, I wouldn't bother.

Food - 1/5
Atmosphere - 5/5
Friendliness of staff - 4/5
Menu selection - 2.5/5
Price / value - 2.5/5
2 - Amanda G.: My significant other and I tried the blue tractor during restaurant week and were a little disappointed. Our server was great, as was our smoked chicken and corn soup but the entrees were a let down. I didn't particularly care for any of the four sauces they offered us, my pulled chicken sliders were tough and the sweet potato fries were more like fried halves of sweet potatoes than crunchy, sliced fries. It probably doesn't help that we were coming from North Carolina where you can get solid barbecue almost anywhere. My advice, if you're hungry go to one of the many similarly priced but much more delicious restaurants in AA, if you're dying for barbecue make the trek to Slows in Detroit.
4 - Matt B.: I see a lot of reviews here trying to compare this place to Slow's over in Detroit.

First off, Slows is almost an hour away from this place. Second, Slow's is barbecue in a class all by itself, practically. It's the pinnacle of the form in Detroit, as far as I'm concerned. What they're doing at Slow's is on a whole other level compared to anyone else in a 100-mile radius.

So you can't compare this place to Slow's, and quite frankly, it's unfair to. This place gets bashed needlessly because "it's not Slow's." 

So what did I have? I had St. Louis-style ribs with mac-n-cheese as well as the deep-fried pickle chips and onion rings. All of which were really quite good. Well-seasoned and paired with a good sauce (their Texas sauce is really well-executed), the meat was tender, fell off the bone, and was smoked well. The mac-n-cheese was also solid, and I love the crunch from the breadcrumbs that topped it. The pickle chips were excellent, and the sauce that comes with them is a great addition.

Is it perfect? No, but if I've just got a hankerin' for some solid Q, I'll come here. Prices aren't too bad considering that it's downtown Ann Arbor, and their house microbrews are pretty solid. 

So in short, would I come here again? Absolutely.
3 - A E.: This place is overpriced and not as good as I expected. I've had the pulled pork and brisket, and while the selection of barbeque sauces is pretty cool, the meat just wasn't that good (if you want good BBQ, go to Satchel's BBQ on Washtenaw, much cheaper and you get good sides). Their burgers are pretty solid, though. Another problem is their beer selection is pretty unaccountable. A brewery should have more constant selections. DO, HOWEVER go during March... they have a bourbon-barrel aged stout to die for. They do have half-off microbrews daily after 10pm, which is nice to stop by for a good beer for cheap.
4 - Amy C.: I loved their beer-can chicken and my dining partner loved the seasonal succotash (he's still sad you don't have it anymore!!!)
4 - Sylvonna R.: Let me preface this review by saying that I went to college in Memphis, TN where BBQ is a BIG deal.  I've been to high class restaurants and my fair share of hole-in-the-wall BBQ joints.  I was skeptical about trying this place, but I was *very* pleasantly surprised once I did!

First off, the decor makes you feel like you're in an old barn at a cookout and the seating is intimate and cozy.  The menu offerings are pretty typical: meat, meat, meat...but they do also offer vegetarian items (which is NEVER the case down south).  Me and a friend of mine both had the Mac and Cheese with Pulled Pork in it; odd, yes, but also extremely delicious.  I just HAD to try it once I saw it on the menu.  The Mac and Cheese was so cheesy and the meat was very flavorful; the combination of flavors was just perfect, though unexpected.

All in all, this is a great place downtown.  Prices are a bit expensive for a typical BBQ joint, but this place also has a bit more class (blends in very well with the other establishments nearby)...you can have a drink or two and hang out while enjoying really good eats!
2 - Holly B.: Let me start off by saying that I think it's absolutely ridiculous to compare Blue Tractor to Slows because they're world's apart. With that said, I was definitely expecting more and left feeling unsatisfied and rather disappointed.

Since BBQ is seemingly the titular hero of Blue Tractor, I opted for something off the BBQ portion of the menu. I ordered the beef brisket because I wanted something meaty, and it sounded good with the accompanying mashed potatoes and veg.

When my meal came out, I felt my heart sink. The portion was SO SMALL, and that says a lot for me considering I'm often unable to finish a full meal. I can accept a small portion if the food is exceptional, but the meat was dry with very little BBQ sauce (I had to ask for extra just to give it some much needed moisture). The piddly side of veg was obviously an afterthought, and the scoop of mash tasted almost stale.

I did eat every bite, but that's because I was starving and there was hardly anything on my plate to eat. The price was completely unjustified (~$15).

To be fair, our server was attentive, friendly, and fast--though almost to the point of being rushed. My fiancé also seemed to enjoy his meal much more than I did, but I think that's because he got a big, fat burger with onion rings. I was able to swindle him out of an onion ring and a half, which marginally helped to fill the void.

It wasn't complete rubbish, but I'm in no hurry to return anytime soon.
4 - Aaron M.: Disclaimer: My review is only for the Blue Tractor's beers. 

I already ate dinner on Friday night, but I wanted to drop in to sample the selection here. Compared to the other downtown A2 breweries (Arbor Brewing and Grizzly Peak), the Blue Tractor has the fewest brews on tap. However, they are very well done. Blue Tractor is home to one of the tastiest Pilsners I've ever had, and each of the other beers (IPA, Bock, Hefeweizen, Belgian ale and stout) were equally delicious. Added bonus: The sampler cost a mere $6.95, which is fairly cheap compared to other beer samplers I've had before.

The food? I didn't try any, but I have my eye on the pulled pork and fried donut bread pudding...
4 - Jo H.: Service was good, we were able to sit right down inside, but there would have been a wait to sit outside.  No reservation unless you have over 12 or 14. The 6 beer sampler was very nice. The portion size was generous and BBQ tasty. Yes try the mac and cheese and the BBQ sampler platter.  We would absolutely go again.  No room for desert.
1 - David R.: Visited last Friday evening. Arrived around 6:00 and were seated in the back room. Little did we know we were the only table seated in a large group of at least 20. The entire time we were there we had people walking around our table, children running everywhere and worst of all, people's rear ends backed up against our table while they had a conversation. I think we should have been asked / told prior to seating us at that table. 

As for the meal, they were out of most beers on the menu. My date ordered the catfish which we were informed they were out of as well. (Run down to the Huron River and catch more!) I ordered the three meat combo. Ribs were quite good. Fall off the bone however they went a little heavy on the sauce. The brisket was dry and unedible. The chicken was fair however a little under cooked. As for the sides, cole slaw had no flavor what so ever and the baked beans not much better. 

I too am a huge Slows Fan and also Redsmoke in Greek Town. I am not comparing Blue Tractor to either but was expecting much more. 

Overall would not recommend.
4 - Jessie S.: The Blue Tractor's bar on the main floor has something I've never seen before!  All the way around the bar along the far edge closest to the bartender is a frozen strip of metal about 4 inches wide.  It's so cold it is covered in frost. It's purpose? To keep your drink cool.  You just set it on top. I think it's fantastic!

The food was alright.  I liked the fried pickle chips.  In fact, I filled up on them that when my pulled pork sandwich came I didn't have the stomach for it.  What I ate of it was good and overall I thought it to be reasonably priced.  Plus, they give you 4 types of barbeque sauce!

I was pretty amazed when I went downstairs to use the restroom and saw the humongous lounge and bar.  It was empty at the time since it was still pretty early on a Tuesday.  I look forward to checking it out late night sometime.
4 - Christy R.: I have been dying to check this place out for years. I know that my co-worker Seth swears by their Bourbon milkshake...and I must agree that does sound delectable! But yesterday was not the day for that as I was being treated to lunch by my supervisor. He happens to live in Ann Arbor, and this is one of his favorite places to dine. I also thought that it was super cool that he remember me mentioning that I wanted to try it out. We work in downtown Detroit, but I was at the Federal Courthouse that day for a hearing. Thank goodness I do not work in downtown Ann Arbor....foodie heaven, I would go broke. 

As soon as we walked in, I noticed that the special board said coconut, curry chicken soup...and I was jazzed. I am a sucked for curry, esp. when paired with coconut. Yes, I do realize that is not very BBQ-ey. 

So with that being said, I was drawn to the half sandwich, soup combo. I was bummed that it is a pre-selected sandwich (because I had my eye on either the brisket or the BLT which starred a fried green tomato for the T) that changes daily. So it came with a pulled pork sandwich with cheese and pickles on grilled pumpernickel. The meat with super smokey, which is awesome in my book. It was nice and juicy too....there was little or no sauce, but it did not matter...the flavor was on point. A definite reorder. 

The soup was wunderbar! The coconut and curry was perfectly balanced. An abundance of yummy chucks of grilled chicken, tons of fresh red bell pepper too. If only I could get my mits on that recipe. Seriously, blue tractor people, if you read this, I will pay you top cash. 

It was also served with a generous portion of HOMEMADE potato chips. I have to admit, potato chips are one of my favorites and when a place serves fresh homemade ones I am like Winne the pooh with his honey. 

It also came with a cup of homemade bread and butter pickle chips....divine! Wouldn't mind that recipe either....I also would not have minded about a gazillion more. Hummmm, maybe I should check out the zymology guild. 

I had water with lemon, the waitress refilled it many times (love that as I tend to drink at restaurants like I just survived a stint in the dessert). 

My supervisor cleaned his plate...so I know he was happy. He had the cowboy Ruben for the record. 

I cannot wait to come back....I definitely want to check out this ice bar, the green chile cheddar corn muffins, maybe the fried pickles since their pickles are the boss, I swoon over the potato chip basket with blue cheese fondue dipping sauce (it is like food porn to me-seriously), malted milkshakes (a hard find these days), coconut cream pie (never see that on a menu) and clearly more BBQ!

The place was empty, but then again it was 11am.  So, if you want to beat the lunch rush...come early!

They also brew their own beer.  I also saw they have an oktoberfest event coming up.
5 - Jenni H.: The only reason this place didn't get 5 stars for me intially was because the hamburger bun would always get soggy! Not so yum. But it kinda seems like they fixed this? Last time I went my cheesebuger was delicious and not a soggy area to be found. I love sitting at the bar and watching a baseball game while I eat. They have a neat ice strip to put your drink and I love that it keeps my drink cold.
5 - Michelle C.: Awesome beer from their brewery, great food. They give you 4 bottles of barbeque sauce on the table with your meal to fulfill your bbq sauce needs!

Be sure to start with their fried pickle chips with chipotle cream sauce. Trust me, you won't regret it.
I recommend their assortment of slideres (burger, pulled pork, and pulled chicken). This way, you can doust your way and try all 4 unique BBQ sauces. 

This is a very popular place, so be prepared for a wait on Friday and Saturday nights. Be sure to go to the bar- there is a frosty metal strip on the bar that you set your drink on to keep it cold!
2 - James B.: First warning sign: it doesn't smell like barbecue smoke inside, outside, or anywhere near this place. I really don't think they have a slow cooker or anything besides a range and an oven in their kitchen, in which case I could open a barbecue restaurant in my house.

I was here twice and had the ribs once and the brisket the other time. First time shame on them, second time I should have known better. Both of these dishes should be slow cooked, and it appeared that they just slapped the ribs on the grill and stuck the brisket in the oven. They were tough as hell.

It seems that the better quality barbecue you want, the further you'll have to drive from Ann Arbor. Smokehouse Blues near Ypsi was better but not memorable, and then there's Slow's in Detroit, which I've heard is the best. It appears that Blue Tractor was trying to take advantage of a hole in the market, but just because it's the only BBQ game in town doesn't make it good.
4 - Valerie J.: Delicious food! I love the smoky bbq sauces. So good. And the traditional tomato-based one is amazing too!
I had the pulled pork macaroni-- I have to recommend this. The only downside is that there wasn't very much meat compared to the amount of pasta, and it's rather expensive, but I liked it a lot! I'll go back again for sure.
4 - Mark S.: Went to the Blue Tractor last time I was in AA, and was thoroughly impressed. Had to wait a little bit, but that's what happens when you show up after a football game with a large group. It's not the best BBQ I've ever had, but it was more than adequate, and definitely the best in the area. The portions are generous as well, as I was fully nearly the entire next day after eating there. The beer is good although kind of generic (think: Rock Bottom). All in all I had a great time and a great meal here.
2 - Wes V.: Been twice, great beer both times. Sampled everything. Great starters. Good burgers. Service on our last visit was some of the worst we've ever had. Waited 20 minutes before our waiter even showed up and he was very disrespectful. We'll be back to go to the bar, but will never sit down here for a meal again.
3 - Marya A.: Ok food and great beer! Two drinks, two entrees and a dessert only runs a party of two ~$50 which is very reasonable.

It would have gotten more stars if the waitress/service was better, if the wait wasn't so long (which will change once they've finished expanding). The cocktails were way too weak and overpriced, which bugged me the most. Otherwise, overall worth the trip!
1 - Mike R.: Our food was so bad I can't even give them the benefit of the doubt. I have been a few times before it was very good. The Mac and Cheese I would rather have eatin A box of Kraft. Blue cheese Burger cold and onion straws pure grease, Blue cheese dressing for salad was like pouring water on it. Server didn't care never saw her after she dropped this garbage off. Grizzly Peak and Arbor Brew Pub are on the same street and consistently great. Sorry Tractor A2 has to many other great spots we will never go back.
2 - Becky H.: Only a month later and I have to dock a star? It pains me to do this but...

As someone who really likes variety and easily gets tired of eating the same thing in one sitting... I am terribly disappointed in the new dinner/lunch menu, mainly because they got rid of the mix-and-match meat plates (where you could get two, three, or four of your choice of meats with sides). The only comparable item on the menu is the BBQ plate (three slices of beef brisket, some pulled pork, and three pieces of baby back ribs together with a side of baked beans and a scoop of cheddar grits). But it was not quite big enough to split between two people (unless the two are not all that hungry to begin with) and costs $18.95 before tax+tip.

You can add 6 pieces of jalapeno cornbread for $2.50 (which is what my bf & I did), or one piece for $0.50. They are pretty filling and the order comes with some spiced butter, but the butter didn't really help with how dry the cornbread was. I had to soak it in BBQ sauce to make it more palatable. They weren't as good as I remembered them in my last review of this place.

At least the waitstaff was friendly. Not sure if I'll be back though...
4 - Hymae W.: I avoided this place at first because of the bad reviews on yelp. But after one of my girlfriends students suggested going here we tried it out. There beef brisket sandwich was excellent  and a good portion. My girlfriend enjoyed there mac and cheese (which was a little too smokey for my taste) and there house salad which had a awesome garlic dressing on it. They also had a good scotch ale on tap. 

I will be back.
2 - Dj M.: Have tried a couple of times over the years, and never have been impressed. It doesn't suck, the food is just really forgettable. A shame because it's a very cool space. Noticed a big change in the menu, so, gave it another try. FAIL. Get the food right, THEN worry about t-shirt sales. You want BBQ, you gotta take the ride and hit Union Woodshop or Slows.
2 - Jennson W.: Have been here twice in the last month (tonight being my second time) with large groups and neither experience has been that great or memorable. That being said, this is one of the few places that serves large parties in relatively short notice. I felt that their execution had a lot to be desired.

First, the drinks. The first time I came here for dinner, I ordered a mint julep, which was way too strong for my taste. All I could taste was Jim Beam and sugar in my drink. The second time I came, I ordered a Porch Swing Hooch, which was also way too strong. All I tasted was sweet tea vodka. I haven't tried the beer because I've heard that their beers have a lot to be desired. 

The appetizers. The appetizers are okay IMO. The dipping sauce for the pretzel bites was a bit too thin (liquidy) and the pretzel bites had too much salt on them. The green chile corn muffins were okay as well. They were a little dry and the jalapeno overpowered the taste of the corn. The highlight for me was the pickle chips with the horseradish dip, but I have nothing to compare it to.

The main course. For a place that calls itself a barbecue joint, their barbecue could use a lot of improvement. The first time I came here, I ordered a burger. The burger tasted fine, but wasn't anything special. The burger was overcooked (I ordered medium rare and got medium well) and underseasoned with only a leaf of romaine lettuce and tomato slice. The menu had said the burger would come with shredded lettuce, so I was a bit disappointed in that regard. The fries were also okay, but there's nothing special about them.

Tonight, I had the beef brisket dinner, which was a bit of a disappointment for me. The brisket was a little dry and was a little tough. That could just be a bias on my part because I prefer to get brisket that just falls apart in my mouth. The strangest part about the brisket was that they sprinkled hot pepper flakes all over the brisket, which gave it the spiciness that may or may not have been lacking from the spice rub. sThe smashed potatoes mentioned on the menu were not smashed at all. I received little fried potatoes that came with brussel sprouts that were okay. I personally felt they could have cooked the brussel sprouts better - they were crunchy and covered in slices of bacon. Clearly, I see that it's been cooked with the bacon, but it hasn't been cooked long enough. Some free advice to the chefs there - there's no need to use that much bacon to cook with your brussel sprouts. 

The most frustrating part of the dining experience was the service. In large group settings, it's important to get the check once everyone is ready to go. We had two waitresses serving us tonight, a party of more than 20 people and they were clearly struggling. They were nice enough to split the checks individually per person, but if it is going to take an hour for them to do this, I think we would have rather figure it out ourselves rather than wait. 

During the entire time while we were waiting for our bill, we didn't get a visit from the manager to help the two waitresses out. This would have helped immensely with the dining experience. He or she seemed absent the entire time we were there. From the looks of the wait staff, who looked young and inexperienced, they could have used a little help from a manager to help with the table service of such a large party.

All in all, Blue Tractor is okay. It's unfortunate that the food isn't terribly exciting or tasty and I felt a little bad for the two waitresses who were struggling to keep up with our party while also dealing with other tables nearby.
5 - Erika K.: You must go here! This place is awesome!

Perfect place for late-night happy hour during the week or if you want to catch a game. Great tap list and even better hot wings. Also, the bartender on the night we went was awesome and friendly - went out of his way to make us feel welcome. Go here!
3 - Chelsea M.: I went to Blue Tractor with a group of friends and their kids on a Sunday. They have good drink specials and nice atmosphere. The staff was very friendly and accommodating.

Overall everyone in our group enjoyed their food. One of the younger people in our group devoured the majority of the half rack of baby back ribs. They looked tasty! I thought the Mac and Cheese was creamy and delicious.

The prices were fair, maybe a little on the high side, but the portions are large. Consider sharing a selection on entrees with your fellow meal mates.

Oh and one last thing- the sweet potato fries are killer.
3 - Mark K.: Was here with my daughter and her roommate on a recent visit to A2. They had burgers and both were very happy. I was more ambitious and ordered the pulled pork nachos and a thai style beef skewer special. Both dishes were mediocre. The pulled pork was dry and overpowered by a spicy orange sauce. The skewers were skimpy and served on a huge bed of onion jelly - a small dollop would have been more than enough. The moral of the story is stick with the basics here.
3 - Sherri T.: Blue Tractor BBQ & Brewery is incredibly average. I was excited to find a Korean-inspired bulgogi burger on the menu, but the glaze on the beef tasted more like what Americans expect Asian food to taste like than actual Korean bulgogi. Nevertheless, it was good. It just wasn't outstanding. I also tried their Belgian style beer. It was also fine but not special. Likewise, my brother had the pulled pork sandwich, which he liked though he complained that the meat wasn't smokey enough. With so many other great restaurants in Ann Arbor, I probably won't go back to Blue Tractor BBQ & Brewery. It's just not that exciting.
2 - Jaclyn B.: Dear Blue Tractor,
I wanted to love you more than I did.... and I have tried you two times just to make sure.... but you failed me.
Your beer is decent.  We had tried the stout and a light beer- they were just ok compared to Liberty Street Brewing Company.  You are in a hot spot in AA, you should have something more impressive than just ok beer.
Your food is ok- a little pricey for what you get.  It came out warm after a long wait.  
I wanted to love you a little more.... but I just cant.

Love,
Jaclyn
4 - Ryan K.: I have had the BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich twice now, So GOOD! They give you multiple BBQ sauces to add on while you eat or for dipping your fries ( I got sweet potato both times). They have a lot of appetizers and I had the fried pickle chips twice and they come with a white BBQ dipping sauce. I have also had the beef brisket which was good but overshadowed by how good the Pulled Pork sandwich is. 

They have a bunch of TVs here so it is a good place to watch any kind of game and they even brew their own beer. I do think the prices are a little high but overall worth it. I will be back again for sure, perhaps for an NBA Finals game!
3 - Beth H.: Unremarkable visit. My hubby had a burger and I tried the pork belly tacos. Ordered sides of mac and cheese, and cheesy grits. The service left much to be desired, but she was friendly.  My tacos were good and filling. I was expecting shredded pork, but it was thick sliced bacon with shredded veg and cilantro. A lime would have been nice but tried the BBQ sauce on these and it wasn't too bad.  Cheesy grits were nicely done.  We had a good meal, just didn't strike us as a place we would like to visit again. Maybe in a few years and a menu change, we will try it again.
2 - Natasha A.: What can I say? It's been a few years since I've been to the Blue Tractor and I can honestly say that I will not return.  The service and food were completely unremarkable.  I can not see this place staying in business that much longer with the mediocre food and service that they have.
1 - Julie P.: I really want to like this place, but unfortunately I cannot recommend. They have strong drinks (to forget about the poorly seasoned food), good pulled pork, OK barbecue sauces, and lukewarm beer. 

We had the pulled pork nachos and pulled pork sandwich. The nachos were alright if you forget the large piece of pork fat and the liquid at the bottom of the plate from undrained lettuce. The pulled pork sandwich was really good with curly fries, no complaints there. 

Do not order a milkshake... You've been warned. This 20 ounce monster was a full cup of liquid milk (no shake involved). 

Overall, this place is REALLY hit or miss. If you feel like rolling the dice to take a chance, this might be your place. But for me, no thanks.
3 - Robert K.: Stopped in here with some friends to get out of the heat for a while during the art festival.

I had the pulled pork, a side of mac n cheese and a pilsner.

The food was delicious, the beer could have been colder, and the service was unbelievably slow.

We waited longer for the bill than we did to order and eat...even after we tracked our server down, it still took a long time to process the transactions.

The sauces were OK at best.

We will return, but hopefully there's more urgency from the staff.
4 - Alien T.: Great place for food, beer and enjoy the evening with friends and strangers alike. I think is one of the best place in town for bbq food. I had pulled bbq chicken. Just something different then red meat. I was not disappointed. Infact I am glad I got pulled chicken sandwich. It was really delicious. They got 4 different types of sauces that adds additional flavor. I would go back here again.
2 - Craig Z.: I have never had pulled pork with less taste.  The bun was actually delicious, and I enjoyed all the different sauces--though they were just OK--but the pork didn't taste meaty or smoky.  Sweet potato fries were good, as were the pickles.

Beers were good not great, and definitely not cold enough as indicated by many people.  Also, they only offered 5 beers on tap...not enough in my opinion.

Service was acceptable.
3 - Lindsey S.: I wanted to find a solid spot for BBQ in downtown Ann Arbor, I fell upon the Blue Tractor BBQ & Brewery as it is walking distance from my apartment. There is street parking and a garage near by.
There are two sections to the restaurant, a bar area with seating and a "newer"side with more seating. this place is great for all sized parties - alone, 4 ppl, 6+
At each table there is a selection of 4 BBQ sauces, one is a vinegary, one is tomatoe, and is smoked, and i forgot the last. they are okay - my favorite was the purple topped bottle -- smoked style - it wasn't super smokey.
the service was terribly SLOW!!!!!!!! we waited 45 minutes for our food, no joke!! the waitress said it was bc they were under staffed that evening.

this is what we ordered -
person 1 Baby back ribs with curly fries -- some of the best curly fries i have ever put in my mouth!! crispy to perfection. the ribs were pretty good, a solid amount of meat on the bone, it was pretty lean and the sauce was already on the ribs which was really delicious -- better than the ones in the bottles

person 2 - plain hamburger and sweet potatoe crisps - the burger was very thing, comparable to burger king, this may not be the best thing to order on the menu. eater said it lacked a bit of spices. the sweet potatoe fries were good, a bit potatoey more like wedge shaped.

person 3 - cracklin chicken breast and potatoes and brussel sprouts. these were some great brussel sprouts, cooked with some bacon flakes - which were barely there.  the potatoes were alright, had a bunch of seasoning on it, i wasn't a huge fan of these. wish i had gotten the curly fries or home made chips. the chicken was very good - it came with three pieces of wings. the sauce was plentiful on the chicken and really good!!! only the skin is fried, making it cripsy outer layer.


i would go back, but waiting so long for the food sucked.
1 - Jason C.: If I could write a book about my experience at Blue Tractor, I would title it:  "The Missing Waitress".

Once a week, a group of buddies and I get together to eat in/around Ann Arbor and we randomly pick a place or a place we never been or a place one of us wanted to go but haven't tried... so this week we decided to go to Blue Tractor... for many of us it was our first time and unfortunately for me, it might be my last time.

I went in, told the hostess the number in my party, got seated right away... Waitress named Megan G. came and greeted me and said she would be our server tonight and asked me if I wanted anything to drink... I said water for now.

As she brought out the water, the crew came... diet coke was ordered and it cameo out... so we looked through the menu... this place is known for their bbq, but I decided to go for Bulgogi burger.  Others went for pulled chicken burger and chopped brisket burger.  I also ordered pulled pork nacho.

In about 10 minutes, we got our nacho.... then we never saw her again for another 10 minutes... she asked if we wanted anything, and we asked for refills and she left, got our refills and disappeared again.

As for the nacho, the chips were cold, pulled pork was tender and juicy... I was hoping the waitress would stop by to check on us so I could get some BBQ sauce... no chance... well... we were done with the nacho and we waited for our food... about 10 minutes after we were done with the nacho's, another person came and took our plates... then nothing... no updates on our food, etc.  We just sat and waited for our burgers....

Then after waiting 30 minutes since we got our nacho, I went up to the hostess and asked when we might be getting our food... explained that we were waiting for long time... she followed us to our table and said she will see where things were at... (To be honest, she looked lost as well, but she just walked around trying to find a waitress).

Then, what do you know, as soon as the hostess disappeared, the waitress reappeared with our food.... then she came back back three times... once to see how our food was, to get us our bill and our credit card slips.

As for the Bulgogi Burger... the meat was not seasoned at all, thus I had to wonder if they used the wrong meat on my burger... the spicy napa slaw... yeah... wasn't spicy at all... while the meat was cooked great, no seasoning at all.  I also tried the pulled chicken burger and man was that meat drenched with light fluid... it penetrated into the meat... not sure how he finished that thing... hope he doesn't get sick.

Okay, so why one star?  

1.  Missing Waitress - She only had two tables she was serving... the vibe I got from her was, she did not want to be there... she was in the wrong line of work... as if she was being forced to be waitress that evening. 

2.  The Burger - while the meat was tender and juicy, I'm convinced that the meat they put on my burger was not bulgogi version, rather their standard meat.  Again, the meat had no seasoning what so ever.

By far, the worst dining experience I had in very very long time!
1 - C M.: My boyfriend and I went to the Blue Tractor because I had heard some nice things about it.  First of all, I ordered a soft drink and my boyfriend ordered an alcoholic drink.  Mine came in 30 seconds, but it took at least 15 minutes for him to be served his.  The waitress apologized and I sensed it had to do with the bartender. I ordered the pastrami with the homemade chips, and my boyfriend ordered the carnivore burger with curly fries.  Well his burger was supposed to have pulled pork on it, but he couldn't taste any pulled pork on there at all and was disappointed. His fries were not in any way curly.  They looked like overcooked ends of fries, maybe the leavings of a couple of batches that were just scooped up and served. Ghastly. My sandwich...oy vey! First of all I was shocked at how little pastrami there was.  And the pastrami that was on the sandwich was really really tough. I have never before had to tug at my meat while taking a bite of a sandwich?!?! I left most of it on the plate and had to fill up on my chips.  It was sooo disappointing and we didn't even realize how disappointed we were till we wwre on our way home. I emailed the management about my experience as soon as I got home Saturday night.  It is now Tuesday night, and I haven't even gotten an acknowledgement of my email. Nothing. Evidently there is trouble with the bartender, with the quality control person in the kitchen, and with their customer service. DON'T DO IT!!!!
3 - Randy G.: Not bad BBQ, but not great either, could be so much better. Being their own microbrew, I was surprised that they were out of one of their blond beers. It was nice of the server to bring over a sample of another beer to try, even though I ended up not liking it.

We started with the pickle chips, because I'm a sucker for fried pickles. The chips are nice, but I prefer full pickle wedges. They are nice and tart, stronger vinegar than I normally like. The batter is better than other places. It's a nice beer batter that sticks will to the slices.

I thought the ribs were ok, well seasoned and sauced and importantly tender. However, the pulled pork and brisket were very dried out. The brisket didn't have any of that delicious unhealthy fat to keep it juicy and flavorful. It's all been removed and the meat suffers from this butchery. The pulled pork seemed as though it had been removed from the slow cooking process earlier and pulled apart, then left off to the side to dry out instead of to order. The balsalmic beans had a nice flavor to them and I wouldn't do any adjustments there. This also applies for the grits as well, cheesy and a slight gritty texture that grits delivers.

It looks like a neat place to try again and hope that the meats are a little better. I'm hopeful for the pulled pork, but I'm guessing their brisket is going to stay that way because of how they cut it.
3 - Natasha P.: This is going to be a pretty long review. The evening turned into an extremely long one and I would like to recount to you all of it. First off, I read lots of the other yelp reviews about this place and went in fully expecting terrible service and mediocre food.  But I'll get back to that... In the words of Julie Andrews 'Let's start at the very beginning'. 

We walked in around 8pm, put our names down for a table and were told there would be a 45 minute wait. Understandable since the game had just got over, every restaurant was going to have a wait. We decided to go downstairs to the adjoining bar and have a drink. They had given us one of those buzzers that lets you know your table is ready. The bar, Mash, was recently opened and we'd never been. When we sat down, ordered  and were told that the bills were separate for Blue Tractor and Mash but we could carry our drinks over if our table was called. So we sat and drank and drank and waited and waited. At 9pm a friend (whose name we'd given for the table) went upstairs to find out how much longer it would be and the hostess told her we were coming up within a few minutes. At 9:15 I got impatient and went up and told the hostesses (there were 2 of them) that they had told us it would be a 45 minute wait and it had now been an hour and 15 minutes. They pointed to a name on their sheet and said we were the very next table; however, it was the wrong name. When I told them that, they realized that they had skipped over our name by mistake and had gone on seating other people. They apologized and said we would be seated next. 

I went back downstairs and told our group what had happened, I think the waitress realized something was going on, and came over. We let her know what had happened and she immediately apologized and told us to order some appetizers and that they would be on the house. The manager of Mash then came over and said the same thing. Right after we ordered, our buzzer rang, so our waitress came upstairs with us and explained the whole thing to someone in the restaurant. As soon as we were seated, a lady came up to us and apologized for the whole mix up and took our drink orders (I'm not sure if she was the manager or a waitress). She brought out our drinks extremely quickly, and when she had served us all, she said they were on the house too. While we were talking with her our appetizers came out. Now mollified our table turned to the menu for dinner as our indignation ebbed with every sip of our free drinks and bite of fried pickles. From here on our server changed, he was extremely busy but quite attentive. 

Now I can actually tell you about the food. For appetizers we ordered the Fried Pickle Chips which were delicious. The chips were lightly coated in batter but still vinegary and went perfectly with the sauce they serve. We also ordered the Smoked Tomato Flatbread. It was ok... I felt they had put a little too much feta. It was extremely lumpy, where one bite was all feta and the other almost plain bread. 

My husband and I decided to share the BBQ Plate for dinner, but asked for seasoned fries instead of the grits, and a side of sweet potato fries. When the plate came, we were both wondering if we'd ordered the right thing. I wish I had thought to take a picture of it; it looked like a thrown together mess. It had three pieces of beef brisket which was very dry and stringy. A small portion (about  cup) of pulled pork that was cooked to perfection but had very little flavor to it, I drowned it in their BBQ sauces. The plate also had three short ribs which were the best meat on the patter. It was perfectly fall-of-the-bone cooked, and had a very nice flavor. The two other things on the platter were the baked beans, which were excellent, some of the best I've had and the seasoned fries. When we saw the plate, we ordered a side of the Thyme and Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits, but in the end I don't think we really needed it. The biscuits were terrific; they were very fresh and hot. 

The biggest disappointment was that everything on our BBQ Plate was cold. All the meat was cold, the beans were cold and the fries were room temperature. I think we would have liked the food a lot more if it had been hot. If we had been alone we would have returned it to the kitchen, but we were at a table of 6 and everyone would have had to wait for us if we had sent our food back. 

This was definitely not the best BBQ I've eaten, but it's not bad. I'd go back for the ribs, the sweet potato fries (hot and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside) and the biscuits. I would have given them 4 stars overall, they handled our situation very well, and the service was great once we sat down, but I have to give them 3 stars because I got a cold plate of food.

Blue Velvet - Austin, TX (30.284027, -97.742277) (The Drag, University of Texas, West Campus)
4 - Jackson R.: Cool vintage store on the drag.  It's a swell place to hit after catching a matinee at the Dobie.

My favorite section is the hats.  The have these killer zebra striped pimp hats that come in many colors and are too funny!  They also have a nifty selection of clothing, and a lot of shoes to choose from.

Prices are fairly reasonable considering the campus location.
4 - Christine C.: This is definitely one of the better vintage stores in Austin. First off, a good lot of the merchandise is vintage. I've had a number of good experiences here -  Joseph Magnin skirt suit, embroidered small coin purse, a Mod wool suit and a cupcake - just to name a few. The prices are extremely reasonable.

I remember seeing Blue Velvet in 2000 when I was moving my sister into the dorms her freshman year. It was just calling to me - I wasn't even into vintage then, I just thought the place looked cool. I now find it my beacon of salvation in the ever-changing image of The Drag.

***UPDATE***
I found it most depressing that as I was walking to get some grub in the Little Asia area of the Drag, I saw that Blue Velvet was gutted out. Nothing seems very reminiscent of the Drag from 8 years ago. This was definitely my favorite vintage shop. Favorite being gaged by my ability to find things there. No more cupcake Tuesdays :(

The drag now is really...a drag~

Blueclone Networks - Princeton, NJ (40.3553827748276, -74.6123170852661) ()
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Bluefin Bistro - Lafayette, IN (40.417136, -86.893374) ()
3 - Jean K.: OK. My friend was graduating in August and I decided to go back to my old college hometown, Lafayette, IN. My friend told me that there's a new hip restaurant that's opening soon, and asked me to give it a try knowing how much I love to try new food. 

RATING:
I am being very generous for giving them three stars, and I am giving them three stars ONLY because they just opened and I'm hoping that they'll realize their mistake and improve their menu, food quality, taste & service ASAP.

FOOD:
First of all, I did my research before I went to the restaurant. They're labeled as "American Restaurant". Wait. What do you mean by "American"? I thought Bistro meant French. Also with your mediocre sushi and rolls? I specifically ordered Kalbi, Texas roll, and Scallops that were advertised on the newspaper thinking they must have advertised those items because they're phenomenal. Right? I hate to be extremely critical about food, but all I'm saying is their food did not excite my taste buds at all. If there's one word to describe my experience there, M.E.D.I.O.C.R.E. is the word. (I am still being generous.)

IDENTITY:
Bluefin Bistro definitely have identity issue as well. They have everything you name it. Japanese, French (only because of the cream sauce they use), American (mash potato that was served out of the fridge & steak), Korean and even Chinese. My friends and I ordered at least one entree from each category, and... none of them made me want to go back to their restaurant.  

SERVICE:
Service was OK. But our server couldn't answer anything I asked and I had to constantly ask for water although the place was not busy at all. But it's definitely understandable since they just opened. 

I hate to see another restaurant going down after Lafayette City Grill which was another Bistro-like restaurant that was shortly there before they ran out of business and Bluefin Bistro took over. 

Bluefin Bistro, please step up. If I can't pick out one food that I liked from the menu I've tried today, you guys have a major problem.

And having Liquor License would've made the experience a little better.

Good Luck!
3 - Anant H.: Bluefin's got a bit of a bad rap here. Their $20 unlimited sushi and crab on Saturdays is an amazing deal, particularly with the lack of sushi buffets in this town. 

Their snow crab was actually pretty delicious; and being able to glutton out on as much as you want was definitely a plus. The sushi was better than a few other places in town, and their fire roll was impressive and fairly tasty. However, all of the sushi pretty much tastes the same. They apply spicy sauce to almost all their rolls; its a tasty sauce but it can get boring too. They really need to work on their variety, even if they need to raise the price a couple bucks for the all you can eat.

That said, preparation was VERY slow. We had a lot of people but it took a long time to prepare our food, dinner took well over two hours.

I would recommend giving the place a try; with some work this could be a very good place. I will be going back.
1 - Amy D.: While Bluefin does offer a $20 All you care to eat crab leg and sushi deal, I would pass on it if I were you. That is a deal, but the sushi is junk. Why not just go to Marsh or Payless and get the sushi out of the display there. It's about the same quality. It all stinks too. Sushi should not, I repeat SHOULD NOT smell like fish. That means that the fish is old and you shouldn't eat it. I know we are in the middle of the country here, but let's set our expectations a little higher and go to someplace with great sushi. I would suggest Hei Sei, but if you want this "deal" buffet, by all means go.
2 - John T.: Went to Bluefin Bistro for lunch today and had three sushi rolls and miso soup.  The miso soup was unusual -- it seemed pre-made.  The miso didn't settle in the clear broth as it usually does.  It just kind of stayed muddy looking.  This was a disappointing beginning considering miso soup is about the easiest thing on Earth to make.

The rolls were on the small side with a high rice to filling ratio.  Pretty unremarkable.  They were also heavy on the spicy sauce and crunchy topping.  To me this signals a restaurant trying to mask the taste of less-than-stellar quality fish.  

The interior is kind of nice and the outside area has a good "loungey" feel to it.  So maybe this would be a good spot to have a few cocktails at night and hang out, but the sushi gets two stars.
3 - Mae S.: Our experience was mainly good because we were with eight people that we really wanted to visit with.

The food was pleasant, and the wide spaces between the tables  make for a nice atmosphere. The service was mainly good, a few flaws. I'd give it 3.5 stars if there were half stars. I had no problem with freshness of the sushi, the rolls, or the sashimi, and there were really a lot of combos to choose from.

Two questions:
1) Does anyone check to see if they really put ALL those ingredients in the ever-more-complex sushi rolls that are the "signature" of Asian fusion places? I'm not sure they were really all there. And I'm beginning to think this trend has gone over the top.
2) Is gelato an Asian fusion element normally? I thought it was from Italy. Anyway the white stuff on the (fairly ordinary American) chocolate cake was ice cream in my book. Gelato should be more dense and creamy. This wasn't even as rich as Edy's.
4 - Meg M.: It's difficult to find fine dining in Lafayette. Though we have many restaurants here, most of them are chains.

Bluefin is a nice place to go for a special night out. I was very satisfied with the food and service. The restaurant had an inviting atmosphere perfect for an intimate dinner date.

We ordered a California roll for an appetizer. It was my first time having sushi and I liked it! For dinner I had the Bistro Filet and Spicy Shrimp -- very good!
4 - J P.: I've had fantastic food here, swordfish and crab are great. Complaints in previous reviews were valid, but I think they have improved over time.  Go on a Wednesday, seems like fish is freshest then.  Service can be spotty, but I've also had great service.
4 - Dave A.: Though I'm not a huge sushi fan (just a California roll  kind of guy) I really like the Bluefin. The atmosphere is sharp, seating comfortable, and the music, usually jazz, is good. It is a good place to take friends or family from out of town or nice to go and have a quiet relaxed dinner with my gal.

The "$19.95 for a Pound of Crab and All-You-Can-Eat Sushi" sandwich sign on South Street was what first got the Bluefin on my radar, and that is what I usually get. It has since gone up to $25, but it's still a swell deal.  

On appetizers: I am sure they are all good, but I can't get past the lettuce wraps. They are REALLY good, seasoned just right, and in a generous portion. The miso soup and salad with peanut ginger sauce come with the meal and are excellent. Consider substituting seafood bisque. Yum!

The crab comes out first with drawn butter and little forks for getting at the hard to reach bits. You get to order one roll at a time - six or eight pieces, depending on your selection. If you have two or more people you can share and have an assortment of tastes. They have a great bunch of wines by bottle or glass and can recommend something for you.

The only things we were not fond of are the deep fried sushi (huh?), anything sushi with cream cheese (bagels and lox should not be creeping into sushi, thank you), and the sauces which seemed to overpower the sushi. They will leave the sauces off or serve them on the side if you ask.

Wait staff have always been attentive and helpful. It is not a bad idea to come at five before the restaurant gets too busy, as later in the evening it can take some time to get your next roll out of the kitchen.

While not a "kid place" it is a reasonable place to bring a well behaved child who has the patience to sit through a meal. Though I've not come with a wheel chair I believe it would be easily navigated in a chair.

Next visit I'm going to jump outside of my rut and try one of their steaks...

UPDATE: Currently on Wednesdays all bottles of wine are half price(!) Last visit we sat on the patio and that was very nice -- the wind was blowing a bit and it felt great after the hot day we had just had. Inside is nice, but I recommend the patio.
2 - Christopher D.: The short:  it's pleasant enough, with friendly, attentive service, but the fish quality does not justify its prices.

The long:  ate here for the first time last night with my wife.  The kids had a sitter, so we were looking for a nice night out alone.  We decided to try Bluefin because neither of us had been there before, and had heard some good things about it.

As soon as we walked in the hostess directed us back to the Patio area.  It  seemed a little noisy so we asked to be seated in the main restaurant.  No problem there.  Our waitress was quick, attentive and informative.  My wife ordered a Diablo roll and I opted for the Sushi Deluxe.  The menu offered no listing of what fish was available for either sushi or sashimi.

One odd thing about the menu was they had a large "Cheesecake Factory" logo printed inside it.  I asked the waitress about this and she explained that no, they weren't a subsidiary of the Cheesecake Factory, they just served their cheesecakes.  For a local restaurant, that doesn't qualify as a selling point in my book.

But back to the food.  The Diablo was a big roll, both spicy and kind of cheesy.  The scallops were melt-in-your mouth yummy, but overpowered by the hot sauce.  Presentation was non-existent, as the roll looked like a collision between a California roll and a Frito pie.  Our food was served on melamine-ware, slightly déclassé for a joint with a $27 halibut entrée.

My Deluxe was eight pieces of nigiri chosen by the invisible chef, plus two rolls -- California and spicy tuna.  Fish was fresh but on the dry side, making for a chewy sushi experience.  The selection was salmon, tuna, yellowtail, octopus, and mackerel.  The mackerel was marinated to the point it was beginning to taste like pickled herring.  California roll was standard and passable; spicy tuna was veering dangerously close to brown and mushy.  For $20, there are much fresher options in town.

We washed down the dinner with a People's Procrastinator and Goose Island's Matilda.  Both were very tasty, and reasonably priced at $4.50/pint.

Several other tables were indulging in seafood towers, apparently a Bluefin specialty comprising lobster, crab, tempura, and assorted rolls in a double- or triple-decker metal hanger affair.  An interesting option for a future visit?

And we may try the Patio another time, especially if they have a more pub-centric, cheaper menu.  But Bluefin is not a sushi destination; go for the drinks, the ambiance, the service, perhaps.  Just not for the fish.
1 - Kimmi M.: Bluefin Bistro looks nice on the inside. It has a great decor.

That is the only good thing about this restaurant.

I used to work in downtown Lafayette, and one day the office decided to try it out, derailing ourselves from the most sacred Taco Tuesday at Chumley's. It took us about 30 minutes to be acknowledged for drinks by a ditzy waitress in a skin-tight "uniform." My water glass had a lipstick ring on it. The cocktails are outrageously expensive for Lafayette at lunchtime. 

Upon ordering a lunch special, my seafood bisque came out with a giant piece of plastic in it. It was obviously from the bag that the soup came in. Our ditzy waitress laughed it off, took my bowl, and never brought me another. The sushi was marginal at best, my roll was falling apart, and the bento box seemed to have dried teriyaki sauce in it from another unfortunte victim of Bluefin. 

When the meal was over, I was presented with a check for FULL PRICE. The manager was nowhere to be found to complain about the atrocious service and sanitary practices, or how many times our waitress said "OOOOOOPS" and laughed it off. I will never go to Bluefin again.
4 - Nick R.: The Bluefin Bistro has housed 3 different restaurants since we've lived in Lafayette, but this particular iteration seems to be lasting... and that's a good thing. 

There are two somewhat separate parts of the restaurant -- a more formal dining area in the front and a "patio" in the back with a much more relaxed feel (and a slightly different menu, I believe). 

We've enjoyed a light dinner or two in the front section, but typically sit out on the patio, so that's the part I'll review here. 

This has become our go-to sushi destination because they really do it well. The prices are pretty reasonable and they've got a wide variety of rolls to choose from (as well as a selection of sashimi, if that's your thing). 

Our favorites include the Las Vegas Roll, Maui Roll, Crunch Shrimp Tempura Roll and Crazy Roll. They've also got a couple of 'towers' that include crab legs... and if you go that route, I'd strongly suggest going with the cheaper 'Snow Crab' option. IMO, the more expensive version that includes some king crab isn't worth it (especially at $25+ more). 

Also, major props for an Indiana restaurant that can pull off half-shell oysters and do it well (and without being outrageously expensive).  

They've got a full bar, a good number of cocktails and a decent beer/wine selection as well. 

**Note -- If you go for lunch, make sure you park in the correct lot because there's a good chance you'll get towed by the adjacent bank (like I did once -- not cool).
4 - D D.: We went here twice in the same weekend.  The seafood was excellent, rolls, entrees or the seafood tower.  The service is better inside than outside but the food is the same, great.  The seafood tower was exceptional, fresh tasty seafood and generous portions.  If you want a very good seafood meal, this is the place.
1 - Colleen R.: First off let me say that I am from California, I know my sushi and my seafood, maybe I am biased about the quality but I feel like I know my food.

When we first arrived to Bluefin Bistro, me and my two guests were seated at a 5 person table. There were plenty of other tables that were open that would comfortably fit 3 -4 people. Being sat at an extra large table with two seats empty made ordering our food and sitting at dinner very awkward. 

Looking around at the decor, its not a very nice restraurant at all, the paper lights have rips in them, the inside can't decide if its a ocean theme or a pub. 

As for the food, seafood linguini without clams, or mussles.... uhm what? calamari, shrimp and scallops does not make a seafood linguini. There was white sauce, that while it was good it did not pair well with the fish. The samuri sushi roll was sub par, the roll was TINY, and smothered in spicy sauce, so much to the point where my mouth was on fire. Mind you, I LOVE spicy food. Spending $12 on a roll that has no fish in it, is a huge rip off. My sister ordered a non-spicy shrimp tempura roll, and she said that the tempura shrimp was most likely made in the morning. We also had the Salmon Penne, the salmon was very dry and very fishy. 

Now onto the service. It took about 15 minutes of us awkwardly sitting there to order our drinks, which then took 10 mintues for two glasses of water and one glass of wine. Once we waited for another 10 minutes to order our food, our waitress condesendly told us how amazing their sushi is and asked if we have ever had sushi. I politely told her yes, that I am very familiar, and she gave me some snarky attitude. It took about 30 minutes (NOT JOKING) to get our food, the restraurant was again very empty. We recieved our food, while it was garnished with pounds of spicy sauce (sushi) they never even brought me a spoon for my linguini despite me asking. I could be correct when I think that the wait staff must have cooked the food since they would disappear for 20 minutes at a time. Took us 15 minutes to eat and 10 minutes to get our waitstaff attention that we were finished and needed our bill. We got our bill about 10 minutes after asking for it, I am not sure why it took so long but it did.

I have never had more slow service for less than mediocore food, when a restruarant that is not even at half capacity. They also made a mistake on my glass of wine and charged me $9 opposed to the $5 glass they had told me was their Sunday night special.

This is safe to say I will never come back when I come to visit, I am sure there are way nicer and better places to get your seafood fix. It is expensive for small and tasteless portions.

Sidenote - The poor couple sitting next to us, who got there BEFORE US and ordered before us, did not recieve their food until AFTER we got the bill, which they had to sent back for some reason. I felt horrible for them! 

Save yourself the trouble and try somewhere else.
1 - Jamie W.: I wish I could give this place half a star. The food is only acceptable because it's the only place downtown with moderately priced sushi. The lunch special is an okay deal- 2 rolls and miso for $10 or 3 rolls and miso for $12. The thing is, you can't even go on your lunch break because the service is TERRIBLE. This is seriously the worst service in town. They take so long to serve that they've had to comp me meals before. And it's not just the kitchen, I gave it one last chance today and there were maybe 3 full tables in the whole place, but when we sat down no one gave us menus or greeted us for so long that we got up and left! And I know they saw us because I made eye contact with several servers and the hostess. I doubt that I will ever go back here- my boyfriend was so mad at how consistently awful it is, he said he was going to create a yelp account just so he can give the place a bad review. Don't eat here unless you like mediocre sushi rolls slathered in mayonnaise and have lots of time to waste.
1 - Teresa N.: The restaurnt looks kinda nice inside but thats the only good thing about the restaurant.

Service: Bad. I sat at the bar, I almost thought I upset the bartender for some reason.

Food: Average. I ordered salmon and they said one option to cook it is "blackened". I went with it and they put a few dollars extra without telling me in advance. 
There was like 0.5 ounce of cabbage underneath the salmon and they called that a side?!?!?

Pirce: Bad

I will NEVER go there again.
2 - Cindy L.: Felt this place strives really hard to be high class LMAO. The food isnt that good there though.. try harder
4 - Brett P.: I recently tried Bluefin for the first time. I had heard mixed reviews from friends, so my expectations weren't the highest however I was pleasantly surprised. 

The restaurant is nicely decorated on the inside, and the patio is a nice place to sit regardless of the weather.

I was there with a large party, and the service was good, timely, and friendly.

With such a large group, we ordered off of a limited menu. Most of us chose the sushi and no one seemed disappointed. I had the red spider roll which was very good and the redfire roll. The redfire roll actually was served flaming and looked really cool. Although it wasn't bad, it looked better than it tasted. I also traded rolls with a friend of mine who had the tempura cream cheese roll. This roll was amazingly indulgent and rich; not for those on a diet, but delicious none the less.

Overall, I enjoyed my meal at Bluefin and would love to go back. I can't really say if it was worth it or not because I didn't pay, but it was delicious.
4 - Kristen H.: My impressions of Bluefin have changed. Why? Two words: unlimited sushi. Moreover, unlimited sushi for a very reasonable price (under $10--I can't remember if it's $8.95 or $9.95).

My friend told me that Bluefin had changed, and that when you go for a weekday lunch, you can get as much sushi as you want from the servers who walk around. I had to see for myself. I've been twice so far, and I would absolutely recommend giving it a try. 

What I really appreciated about this deal is that they have a wide variety of sushi. You won't be stuck with just California rolls or the basic sushi. 

I rated it four stars instead of five because of the tiny parking lot and the unpredictable service. Some days the service is fantastic, and others not so much. Whichever, the unlimited sushi is so worth it.
1 - Andrew C.: Shame to give one star since the food was quite good, however the service last night was the worst I've ever experienced and totally ruined the meal. I can't blame the servers 100%, as I imagine the restaurant was slammed for Purdue's Graduation Weekend, but their inattentiveness did not help matters.

Our table of five arrived right on time for our 8:30 reservation and the hostess told us our table wasn't quite ready, so had us wait almost ten minutes. Before we went to the waiting area, I noticed a table set for five and assumed it was for another party ahead of us. Nope. That was our table, inexplicably left empty.  Perhaps by "not ready" they meant they weren't ready for us. It would certainly explain how the rest of the evening unfolded.

If you look at the menu online, it appears to be exactly what's provided in person.  I don't understand why there are so few details with their entrees. The "Seafood Linguine" is only described as being $17 and under the heading of Chef's Selections. Turns out it's a really tasty combination of scallops, lobster, and calamari with a light truffle oil and garlic sauce. Why not advertise this? Even when I asked the server what was in it, she listed the fish but I had to ask her to describe the sauce in a followup question.

That gripe aside, we ordered drinks, four of the five of us ordered salads to start, and our mains. I will say the cocktails are strong, tasty, and reasonably priced. After about 35 minutes, our salads finally showed up. The house salad looked basic with dressing on the side and my seaweed salad was good, but icy cold (I think I even had flakes of ice in there, no exaggeration). Needless to say, these should have rolled out after only 15-20 minutes.

With the bottle of wine for the table, we found out they'd run out of wine glasses so they were pouring it into the goblets they traditionally use for water and serving water in pint glasses. A useless detail to us, except when your server goes to refill your glass of "water" which happens to be half a glass of white wine. When told her mistake, luckily she was able to fetch a fresh glass of wine. All was forgiven, until two other servers nearly made the same mistake.  Yes.  Two more times, we had to stop them from diluting our wine. Funny in hindsight, but a little stressful when you have to reach for your glass in a panic when they reach for it with a pitcher of water.

All that aside, it was around 9:35 (about an hour after we were seated) when I was told the kitchen reported someone else ordered the last Seafood Linguine and that I could either order something else or see if the chef could substitute the trio of fish since they apparently had noodles and sauce. Suggesting shrimp and/or crab, she went back to check on this possibility. Maybe 10 minutes later, I find out what would have been the last Seafood Linguine order was cancelled (later, I might assume because it took 90 minutes and the customer gave up on it).

It was around 10 o'clock when we started getting antsy. Our server told us there were a couple tables ahead of us still and they were pushing out orders out soon. Yes, that's almost one and a half hours, with one in our party not eating anything since he didn't order a starter. At this point, you'd think he'd be offered something. When asked if there was anything he could nibble on, we were told they had run out of bread earlier in the evening. Not a good sign, as far as planning goes.

Tired of sitting and being neglected, I was about to step outside but the hostess texting at the entrance gave me a customary farewell. At this point, I nearly snapped. I told her that I actually wasn't leaving. In fact, we hadn't eaten yet and had been here 90 minutes. She checked on our reservation and seemed genuinely shocked. I asked if there was a manager to talk to. She told me he was in the kitchen and she'd send him soon.

Returning to the table, it was something like 10:10 now. The one without a salad earlier now had a seafood bisque to tide him over. The server told us our food would be ready in five minutes. About that much time later, four of our entrees arrived, the fifth "on its way" being my mother's grilled shrimp entree. She insisted we all start without her, which I resisted doing for about one minute. A few minutes later, her dish finally arrives.

We eat, and the hostess comes over to assure me the manager will come to talk, but didn't want to interrupt our meal. That's right, she interrupted my meal to tell me they didn't want to interrupt my meal. That aside, we finish, wait around a little while longer before our server offers us complimentary dessert. None of us have any interest now that it's 10:30 or so and we have no idea how long it might take to deliver anything else from the kitchen.

A few agonizing minutes later, the general manager joins us for a chat. He seems sincere, though a touch clueless. Ultimately we're offered 25% off the meal and a 100% chance I'll never return.
4 - Ria V.: This was my first time in the area and I thoroughly enjoyed my meal at the Blue Fin. Will definitely go again!

Blueprint LSAT Preparation - Berkeley, CA (37.8697012, -122.2662531) (Downtown Berkeley, UC Campus Area)
5 - Poonam S.: A friend in LA recommended Blueprint to me after they helped her get into NYU law, and when I finally got around to studying for the LSAT I decided to give it a shot. So now that the Dec LSAT is upon us, what's my verdict?

Well, Blueprint was a really solid lsat course; the evening/weekend schedule worked really well for me, and of course it was much much much better to be prepping with the class than by myself (as prepping by myself inevitably ended with me using my princeton review book to prop up my ashtray while I watched West Wing eps). The materials were very comprehensive, even at times slightly overexhaustive, and they included nifty podcasts of lessons and hw. And Colin was an excellent instructor. It was pretty much like being taught how to take the LSAT by Seth Rogan, and hey who's not a fan of some comedy testprep?

In short, if you're embarking on the grossness that is the law school apps process definitely give Blueprint a call. It won't just keep you from attending 1-800-college-of-law... it'll probably give you a shot at some pretty stellar school options!
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I would recommend Blueprint to anybody looking into the LSAT, totally worth the $ (and it's cheaper than other classes), the instructors and schedule are great and you would dumb to go with any other prep comapny.
5 - David C.: The first time I took the LSAT, I got a hold of a few empty Testmasters and studied on my own with other books.  Blueprint is infinitely better.

First, Colin, the teacher, is awesome.  He's a sardonic evil bastard who has a lot a fun with the class.

Second, the methodology is far better much better than Testmasters (or anything else).  I wouldn't say either clearly dominates the other in regards to games or logical reasoning, but Blueprint completely blows everything else on the market out of the water in regards to reading comprehension.  Everyone else's strategy boils down to: read faster and understand better (no shit).  Testmasters actually has a system they teach you that is tremendously helpful.

To top it all off, Blueprint is cheaper than any of the other major LSAT courses.  Absolutely no contest.  Even if all you get is the materials, I still highly recommend it.
5 - Eugene C.: I've taken a look at some other popular LSAT books, including the Powerscore series and Nova, and the methods taught by Colin at Blueprint include all of the other books' strategies and one-up them. Among people I know, more highly recommended than any other program, including Kaplan or Testmasters, and it didn't hurt that it was cheaper.

The best thing about Blueprint was my instructor, Colin the Cynical, who always said things as it is, and never got boring. Having a live instructor helped me a lot in being able to ask questions, especially from someone who actually scored in the top percentile on the test.

If you want to do well on the LSAT, take Blueprint, and practice a lot!
5 - Cory D.: It's a really good course, and if you get Nick you get someone willing to do anything to help you get the score you have the potential of getting.

They're also down to earth with you, and let you know how terrible an idea Law School is, but help you to get there anyways. I had a full time job and still had a sizable score increase, so go for it.
5 - Amy B.: So I took the San Francisco location class from Blueprint, and only have excellent things to say about it. First of all, the class was very small, probably one of the smallest ever given with like, 12 students. I heard that the classes are usually much bigger, around 50, but I was definitely lucky enough to get a small class. Second of all, Brad Snyder, our instructor, was absolutely stellar. His approach, much like the two other Blueprint instructors we had that subbed during the course, was very easy going and funny, while still challenging. There is no doubt his attitude and teaching style is what made the class tolerable for four hours a night, three nights a week. Thirdly, the material that Blueprint supplies is fantastic. The lessons are broken down and almost always cover a portion of each of the three sections, so it isn't too draining on you mentally. Brad would spend a quick minute going over the approach, then do a few practice questions with us, and help us work out the kinks, then we would practice on our own, and he would go over the entire problem or set. There was never a question unanswered, and the explanations for each problem were covered extremely thoroughly. Moreover, there is incredible online support which is so handy for reviewing homework problems. Not that you need them, because there was always time before and after every single meeting to review questions or talk about anything LSAT or law school related. Brad kept it very real, and gave us sound advice on both avenues. 

I was working full time, but had good attendance (I think I only miss 1.5 classes), and honestly only had time to do like, 1/100th of the homework, and still managed to improve my score 20 points from the initial intake. Admittedly, I had never even done a single LSAT question in my life at the time of initial intake, I am satisfied with being in the 88th percentile on my first attempt.Other people I've talked to about Kaplan and Princeton review in the area tell me that the classes are usually much bigger, and the instructors are dry and old, and unrelateable. Blueprint's approach is clearly the opposite- young, relateable, knowledgeable instructors. Blueprint gives you the confidence necessary to conquer the LSAT and with commitment to the class and paying attention to the lessons, while doing as many practice tests on your own as possible (come the last month), I have no doubt that Blueprint is a great class to take to ensure a successful LSAT score.
5 - Daniel S.: I had the pleasure of taking Blueprint's course in Berkeley which is literally less than a block from the Downtown Berkeley Bart Station. I will try to summarize my experiences with you:

Instructor:  Brad Snyder was a very effective teacher. He has actually passed the bar and practiced law which isn't the case with all the instructors unfortunately. Brad was very good at managing the class, explaining concepts, answering questions, and especially good at injecting some humor in the class to break up the mental abuse that is the LSAT. Brad made himself available to us between classes via email and we were also provided with a Teachers Assistant's (located in LA..lol) email. My attempts at contacting Brad via email was not great however, one email was blown off completely and my other two emails were not responded to for over a week. Overall I would still rate Brad as an outstanding instructor. 

Classroom: The classroom sucks a little bit to be honest. The rows of seats are too close together making it impossible to get out with other students seated unless you're the closest to the aisle. There is no drinking water available so be sure to bring your own. Also the room is noisy at times and you will often hear the tenants next door through the walls. 

Students: I was very disappointed that there were always 3-5 students that would come in up to 15 minutes late and disrupt class almost without exception. This was especially maddening during practice exams.

Curriculum: The course is outstanding. I made substantial gains in all 3 sections of the test. There are video explanations for every single Logic Game in the course!! And these videos are excellent!!  There are even video explanations for many of the Logical Reasoning questions and the instructor comes in 15 minutes early to each class to answer questions from your homework. The strategies used in all three sections are very effective and organized. I had studied using books by Kaplan and Princeton Review prior to taking this course and was shocked by how much more I was able to learn from Blueprint. One criticism I would offer is that there was not enough time left at the end for review, we were still learning strategies up until a week before the test, also, there was no mention of LSAT test taking strategies that I had learned from Kaplan. Previewing sections and transferring answers in groups for instance were not taught. 

Practice Exams: We relied on substitute teachers to proctor (2) of our practice tests and the first time no one ever showed up and we all went home. The second time the proctor showed up and it took her 30 minutes to open the front door. Hopefully they can get this figured out. 

Support: One really cool thing about Blueprint is that they post daily on twitter and facebook. It may not seem important but there are a lot of useful tips, motivational messages, and inside LSAT geeky humor that really is nice to have. 

Overall I would recommend Blueprint to EVERYONE wishing to increase their LSAT score. I really do believe that Blueprint cares A LOT about the performance of ALL their students.
5 - Aya K.: I took the Berkeley location since it is really close to school. My instructor was Aaron Cohn and he was great! 
He was nice and really cared about the students' success. No matter what, he always e-mailed back any questions I had and he was always open for any questions people had for him before, during break, after class, and even outside of class. Although it can be taxing since the classes are 4 hours long, the sense of humor and enthusiasm really makes learning the material easy and time flew!
Overall, the whole class was super helpful and the curriculum is well laid out in a logical fashion which really makes the information stick. 
What I really liked about Blueprint is that it is run differently from other LSAT prep classes. For example, my friend taking another one (won't name it) was taking so many practice tests per week!
With Blueprint, their method is to:
- introduce us to the material, take apart what it means, put it into practice, and really understand what the question is asking you at a slower pace in the beginning.
This way, whatever I learned was more concrete because there was a specific method for each type of question. Once going through the motions to get the right answer was solid, the instructor then started to time us and get the speed up in preparation for the set time limits during the actual test. 
Also, having the practice tests spaced out was really good as well. It showed the progress within each time frame and even tells you which part you need more work on and etc. 
I have nothing but good things to say about Blueprint! They really are the best!! I think the price I paid is fairly cheap for the amount of time, effort, and work the instructors put in for us. They are also very accommodating as well, so I felt comfortable bringing up any issues or concerns. So glad I chose them :)

Blueprint LSAT Preparation - Los Angeles, CA (34.063006, -118.4453101) (Westwood)
5 - Albert H.: Blueprint is a new test preparation company that specifically caters to law school hopefuls. They only instruct on the LSAT and advise for law school applications. They are a young company going up against a lot of heavy hitters with name-brand reputations.

I took a chance with them, and although sometimes I felt like I was getting the run-around, their staff was very friendly and as helpful as they could be. It's maybe just a bit chaotic over there.

Nonetheless, the course materials were excellent. The instructors are fun, engaging, and knowledgeable. And although I have yet to take the LSAT, and as such, cannot report on their efficacy yet, I am glad I chose Blueprint over their established rivals.

***** UPDATE 05/14/07 *****
I forgot I even reviewed Blueprint.

So, I took the LSAT back in December and scored 173 (99th Percentile). My base score was in the low 150s. I didn't quite hit my target score, but can't quibble over such an improvement.

Hopefully they've gotten their act together, because they have solid instructors and top-notch materials. Highly recommended, aside for the chaotic office (not that you'd really need to deal with them).

***** UPDATE 02/01/08 *****
I'm getting into top law schools left and right. Thanks Blueprint!
3 - Shannon P.: Okay, so I am just about finished with the Blueprint Movie and I think it has been a fantastic experience. There isn't a lot of info given on Blueprint's website before you purchase the movie. 

You get to watch video lessons from 1-16, audio lessons of the same thing, logic game explanations in .pdf and video form for 3 - 8 games per lesson, logical reasoning from lesson 1-16 in audio form, and 2+ quizes per lesson. The great thing with the audio and video explanations is the fact that it covers harder lesson questions as well as the homework. Of course they don't explain every question in the entire book, but they have done a good job picking difficult ones most people need help with. You can also email a "study buddy" who will help you out so you are not toally going it alone.

I took the in class version and we went so fast on certain thing and wasted time on others. I had fatigue by working full time and then having class until 10. The video is better because you go at your own place and you don't waste time with dumb comments/questions made by other students, etc. I feel this is a great value and I wish I would have chosen the video instead of the class the first time around. I know there is a lot of prep stuff out there, but this is a dang good foundation. Worth the coin??? not sure.
1 - meg r.: Please don't waste your money on these guys. It's an alright course, if you want to study on your own. The books are easy to follow. But I sure as heck wasn't expecting to spend over $1000 to hear some jackoff tell me about sorority girls in wet t-shirt contests and imply that he got his 180 by doing coke (and to encourage you to do it as well, though not directly of course). 

Blueprint says of their instructors, " We understand that a student's improvement largely depends on the quality of instruction. For this reason, we have the highest teaching standards in test preparation." -- That is one smelly pile of crap.

Honestly this course was a waste of my time and money. I wouldn't recommend it to *anyone*. I made several complaints to the blueprint management about my instructor and his inappropriate behavior and it was basically ignored, they don't care.  I was told that he had been asked (per my request) to not call on me anymore, and it lasted a little while till he decided to make a scene in the class about it in front of my peers. Yeah that's professional, it really made me want to keep going to class. Also, they don't give refunds, no matter how bad your experience is. If anything these people *added* to my stress concerning the LSAT. 

And now I get spammed with emails from them concerning their lawsuit with Testmasters... really?? I don't care. I hope Testmasters wins and takes them for all they're worth.

I wish I had taken the Princeton Review, and if you get the instructor I had, you will too.
4 - Simon L.: I really wanted to give this place 5 stars, but when it came down to it they really had no answer to reading comprehension (and man, did that show on game-day. at least for me). but for the most part, their LR and and games are right on. I made huge improvements there and although I can't say I "nailed it" on game day, I wasn't unhappy with my performance. Unfortunately, reading comp has gotten much harder than in the past, and with a lack of "tools" to help tackle this part of the exam, you could literally fall apart and watch your score tumble. Normally I was usually pretty good about curbing the number of mistakes I made on RC, but on game-day my 2nd passage really threw me off and it was downhill from there, made 50% of my errors on RC. =( That said, if you've always been bad at RC you should really spend a lot of time upfront in this area. I've seen tons of people oscillate in this section and it is a game-changer for many.
5 - John N.: I took a prep class at TestMasters and was really unsatisfied. I never got really comfortable with their method of teaching, which was overly complex and not intuitive at all. The whole vibe was too cold. Fortunately I had a friend who was raving about how awesome Blueprint was and decided to give it a shot.

Blueprint was well worth every dollar I spent. I managed to have a fun time while managing to be engaged the whole time I was in class. I like that the teachers at Blueprint emphasize having fun while learning. Law school is sterile enough as it is, no need to start during LSAT prep! 

I was able to fine tune my games section skills and really bumped up my LR score. 

Go to Blue Print if you want to learn in a comfortable atmosphere with teachers who will go the extra mile for you to do your best! I had Trent and he definitely gave me pointers on other non-LSAT, but law school admissions related topics. Much appreciated!
5 - Jennifer C.: I took Blueprint in 2007 and I LOVED it!! I was choosing between Testmasters and Blueprint and there were a few reasons I initially chose Blueprint (in no particular order):
1) Friendly staff! They actually answered my questions about the class, whereas the Testmasters people seemed to have other "more important" things to do
2) Less expensive! I think I paid 1100 for Blueprint whereas Testmasters was 1500 for less hours in the classroom (which brings me to my next point)
3) More hours in the classroom--I think there were 100 hours in the class over the course of three full months. 
4) Highlight on instructors--to some extent, an LSAT class is an LSAT class... the material is similar, but the instructor is the one that really makes you "get it"--I had an AMAZING instructor, Trent, who made the class entertaining and enjoyable, while being able to explain the test to us, as well. The focus on instructors is awesome--it's a smaller company, so they have fewer instructors and they really handpick them.

These qualities distinguish Blueprint from Testmasters, but what distinguishes Blueprint from most other mainstream companies is that they not only use real LSAT questions, but they give you ALL of them. 

I really loved my class... the materials were great, and I loved the podcasts, because I could listen to the lessons while driving or at home. Now, it seems that they have expanded into video, which is really cool--I wish I had that! I also love that we were provided with diagrams of EVERY SINGLE logic game and reading comprehension passage, because I was really using those to check and make sure I was using the methods and getting them correct.

The materials were wonderful in that they really were conducive to doing well on the test--the way questions were grouped together and what not.

I also loved their idea of time trials, which definitely helped prepare me for the test.

I will put a disclaimer and say that I put a TON of work into studying, but the materials and instruction that Blueprint provided me with was instrumental. Don't think you can just go to class and get a good score on the LSAT (if so, lucky you!)--you need to do the work; Blueprint teaches you the best methods, gives you the materials most conducive to learning, and puts you in an engaging environment to keep you focused on the test.
5 - Do K.: Simply the best. 


Let me first say I have experienced Testmaters material and Powerscore material. Blueprint bitch slaps those around.  That's it and they keep getting better. I don't know what it is, but when you listen to their lectures they take you in a very well paced manner that makes clear sense. Well worth the investment.
5 - Lo T.: As awful as the LSAT seemed in the beginning (and at the end too), I am now in my first year of law school and WISH EVERYDAY that I could go back to Blueprint!!

It was an overall great experience. I had since recommended Blueprint to every single person who has mentioned any interest in going to law school. They are really amazing at what they do. Not only are the instructors entertaining, but I actually increased my score by 19 points! I don't mean to brag, but I think that is pretty impressive. They have a lot of variety in instructors (some people like small groups, others like humor) so they pretty much have something for everyone. I know a lot of people that have taken Blueprint courses at UCLA and at USC and I have yet to hear one complaint about them (no idea who these negative yelpers are..).

I also did their application workshop which helped TREMENDOUSLY. I don't remember exactly how much it was, but I remember getting a discount for being a former student. I walked in there with no clue as to I was going to write a personal statement and walked out with everything I needed to know, including my topic and an intro sentence. 

In relation to all of the other LSAT courses I checked out, they were actually the cheapest. I know they were about $500 cheaper than Testmasters for sure (and I actually have heard complaints about them from their former students). Overall, for a very reasonable price, 

Blueprint got me into one of my top choice schools with a pretty sweet scholarship, so I would say their performance speaks for itself at this point.
5 - Matthew G.: I took Blueprint in 2007. I started with a 151 and got a 162 on the LSAT. Not quite the 170 I was hoping to get, but it was certainly a great improvement. The 85th percentile is surely a lot better than the 50th. 

My instructor arrived early and stayed late every time class met. Not to mention he was a funny SOB. If I could, I would honestly sit in on these classes just for the comedy. But don't get me wrong- the comedy was mixed in with instruction. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would enjoy learning about sufficient and necessary conditions as much as I did.

A previous yelper stated that she specifically asked her instructor to not call on her because it made her more anxious about the LSAT. I wonder how the Socratic method has been treating her lately. But I digress... 

The only I advice I could give to anyone who is thinking about enrolling in this or any LSAT prep course would be to make sure you are willing to dedicate a ton of time to studying. The students who worked hard and did all of their homework did well on the LSAT. Students who sat on their ass the whole time didn't.

I can't compare this class to any others because I only took Blueprint. But, based upon my experience and the experiences of my friends who also took Blueprint (with both my instructor and other instructors), I'd recommend it to anyone who wants/needs to do some LSAT prep. If anything, I think blueprint is 100-200 dollars cheaper which is always a plus.
5 - Trisha A.: I  heart Blueprint for many reasons, not the least of which is my shiny post-class LSAT score that enabled me to go to one of the best law schools in the country.

I read a previous review that mentioned that the class was only good for students who had somewhat flexible schedules and weren't working professionals. I did not find that to be the case at all. I was in the middle of a career and decided to go back to law school. I worked every day, then twice a week, I made my way to Westwood Village for class. Of course, it made for a really long day on class days, but if you have decent time management skills, it is doable (and I still managed to complete most of the problems assigned for homework, even if it meant working on them during my lunch breaks). 

In any event, I had been so intimidated by the LSAT that I gave up on going to law school. My Blueprint class actually made the LSAT fun -- and trust me, I never thought I could use "LSAT" and "fun" in the same sentence! Matt Riley is a fantastic teacher and not only did I like him as a person, I loved being in class with him. Yes, it's crowded. Yes, in the summer, it's hot. However, I didn't miss a single class and I attribute that to what a great job he did in engaging those of us in the class.

I felt prepared for every moment of the day of the LSAT, from waiting in line before the test to crappy logical reasoning questions, to "new" types of logic games...at least they seemed new to all of us until Riley wisely pointed out they were a form we already learned. Overall, I went from -32 to -8 on the LSAT, a score improvement of 17 points. I improved from -10 on logic games to -0, consistently. A weak spot of Blueprint is that there isn't much they can do to teach you reading comp, but that isn't a weakness of Blueprint so much as any test prep company. However, the methods they taught for attacking the reading comp section took me from getting -10 to -2 or -3 on each test. 

I can be diva-like and demand nothing but the best for myself. If you want the best for a good price, take Blueprint. If you want to throw your money down the drain, send me a check for the difference between Blueprint and their competitors, and then still take Blueprint.
5 - Misha S.: I am so happy that I listened to my friends and decided to take Blueprint for my LSAT prep class. I have no doubt in my mind that no other program is as engaging as this one. There's no way I could have learned so much about the LSAT without my instructor, who was engaging but also made the test more fun and class more enjoyable. The materials are well presented and have humor mixed with simple breakdowns of the different questions. Everything is classified in an orderly system which makes it easier to keep track of what you're doing.

Some of the complaints in here talk about focusing too much on homework. That's simply not true. BP has more hours of instruction than any other LSAT course and if 4 hours per class isn't enough for you, I'm not sure what you are expecting. Yes, once you learn a concept, you do have to apply it by doing homework problems. That's how learning works; if anyone here is expecting a magical solution to a test that is 100% skill based (meaning memorizing won't help whatsoever) then perhaps you shouldn't take any prep course at all because they will all lead to similar disappointment.

Blueprint was a great experience for me. So great, in fact, that I went on to become an instructor for the company. And I can honestly say that all of my colleagues are nothing short of professional. I do not come to work hung over and discuss drug use (unless it is mentioned in the exam, of course) and my colleagues do not either. I am also confident that if any student mentioned such an issue regarding my class on their survey review, I would get a call from the office immediately. We like to keep things fun but not offensive or unprofessional.
1 - J L.: Trent Teti/Dave Woods:

I think it's ironic you want to "rectify the situation" only after I posted this review. On two separate occasions I called your office to complain and they refused to give me even a partial refund. The second person I spoke to was very rude and hung up on me.

I don't want anything to do with your company and I will advise other students to stay away. Please stop contacting me.

J.L.
5 - Jamie C.: I'm sooo happy I chose Blueprint for my LSAT prep. I had originally signed up with Princeton Review for an online course, but decided that I needed to take a course with a live instructor. I decided on Blueprint after a classmate raved about it. It was walking distance from my school and the pricing was pretty good - it was better priced than Princeton Review or Kaplan, especially for what it offers.

Pluses:

1. The lesson plans and workbook are extreeeeemely helpful. They use REAL LSAT problems from previous tests instead of making up their own. This gave me security knowing that I wasn't practicing on "fake" questions that could differ from the real test.
2. The lesson plan was very well thought-out. There was a very logical progression from learning one question type to another, and there was a good balance between learning all three sections - logical reasoning, logic games, and reading comp - instead of tackling each of them one at a time.
3. The online resources were PHENOMENAL. They go in-depth into a lot of problems. There's even a blog that they keep to help you with the rest of the process of applying to law school.
4. The instructors/book were fun and enjoyable. My instructor was Brad, and he made each 4-hour class fly by like it was nothing. He was knowledgeable, funny, and very patient. I actually looked forward to going to class.
5. Their methodology for helping out my timing was also very effective. We had a few time trials and practice tests, which really increased my stamina for the real test.

Granted, you have to put a lot of your own work into it - you can't just go to class and expect magic to happen. But overall, I highly recommend taking a Blueprint course if you really want to up your LSAT score.
5 - Vanessa F.: This is simply the best LSAT prep!!  During the time in my life when I thought I wanted to go to law schools & be a lawyer, I signed up for Blueprint because who can resist those sexy ads on Bruin walk?  Although I ended up not going to law school & pursuing a career in medicine..... LSAT was still very helpful!!  THE BEST!

I had Trent as my instructor and he makes each lesson entertaining & informational.  He was crude, rude, HILARIOUS, ridiculously smart & a great teacher.  He knew exactly what he was doing & he knew exactly how to make you ace the LSAT.  

The books were great.  Really helpful & a ton of practice problems.  Each lesson was super helpful.  They taught you exactly how to tackle each type of LSAT question...literally EVERY TYPE.  By the end of the session you knew exactly how to solve each problem...with a little bit of practice of course.  

I started out with a score of 143 and by the time I finished Blueprint I had a 163.  I think I could have done better with more practice...but it was a fun summer that year and I just couldn't find the discipline.  But hey!! I improved by 20 points!!!! That's gotta tell you something!!! I also know a lot of people that took Blueprint and ended up in the 160s or the 170s.  

You really can't compare any other program out there to Blueprint.  Blueprint specializes in the LSAT & only the LSAT unlike other preps.  they also offer special classes for writing your personal statement, or even special classes for those who want to only practice logic games.  They have everything you need with the best instructors & the best learning tools.  If you choose Blueprint--which you should--you will not regret a single penny spent!
5 - Mia S.: I did the self study program and loved it!  The video lessons are clear and funny and they have a ton of practice tests available.

I scored 160 on my first practice test (literally not knowing what the test covered, how long it was, etc) and ended up scoring between 173 and 176 on my last couple practice tests.  (Unfortunately, I was medicated from a hip surgery when I took the real thing which made me all foggy-headed and dropped my score to 167.)

I already have one full-ride scholly offer--from my top choice school!--and another $87k scholly offer.  No rejections.  :)

Thanks Blueprint!!
5 - Charles S.: I got an 11 point bump after the blueprint course. It was fun (hard to believe, I know) and I made some friends. Definitely worth it.
1 - D V.: They state that their average increase is about 8 points. I can't speak to their whole system but my experience. My first practice test with them I got 154. On my actual LSAT i got a 159. I felt that the materials provided me were inadequate and dated. I was taking the 2009 test, yet the latest test I practiced on was 2007 and in LSAT I felt the test changed so much that I was not prepared for the 2009 test at all. Instead I obtained online the last 60 or so LSATs and just practiced with them on my own. This includes 2009 tests. I retook it in  2010 and scored 167.  The takeaway should be that , they can only help you so much, but in reality it's up to you to get your good score. Also a side note. Somehow Blueprint the company finds out your score and then asks people who improved quite a bit to do yelp reviews. These reviews are skewed as  result of that. I do find it unsettling that they found out about my 167 despite no communication from me.
5 - Lydia P.: The LSAT is actually a lot harder than I imagined. Before finding BP, I was really discouraged when I looked through a sample of the exam and scanned the types of questions.. only to be even more discouraged when I found out a friend had taken the lsat with barely any studying and scored a 177. 
sooo... I'm definitely not on the same boat as my friend.. and after graduating, I searched in desperation for the best prep course. I found BP and took the 100-hr prep course last year (which was just down the street from Cal) for the October exam. It's intense training, but the classroom environment was set so that theres no such thing as a stupid question. When the Oct exam came around though, I wasn't ready for 2 Reading Comp sections back-to-back and my brain was basically overwhelmed and fried by the second readingcomp. I wasn't feeling too confident and so cancelled that score  [ lol and just a heads up for future lsat-takers that there IS a possibility (though brutal) of 2 consecutive reading comp sections and u gotta be ready for even that ;D ]
Now i'm signed up with BP's  video lessons to take the lsat in June now, and the video lessons are REALLY great because I can pause/move ahead at my own pace. Another great thing about BP (whether you take the live course or online course) is that you can score your practice exams and there is a breakdown to show you exactly what "type" each question is and categorizes the sections so it's easy to see which areas you need more improvement on. 
The staff at Blueprint is also amazing - everyone is so friendly and if any problems/inconveniences arise with the course you're taking, theyre fast with communicating and do their best possible to accommodate you. 
I highly suggest signing up for both the live course and online videos together- (bc sometimes other classmates' questions arent you're q's and vv so its nice to go home and throughly go over certain questions)
blueprints GREAT-- and i tell all my friends who plan on taking the lsat to prep with them! :)
5 - Andrew M.: How do you make a seemingly impossible test seem possible? By taking one of the best LSAT prep courses in existence.

Took the course with Derek. Much better than any other LSAT course by the simple argument that I cannot imagine any other course being more effective than this.

Test is broken down beautifully and they give LOTS OF MATERIAL to study from. They also provide a TON of information and absolutely crucial strategies that would be very hard to come up with without taking the course itself. If you do the homework and pay attention in class, your score is guaranteed to go up. Its that simple.
5 - Jeff L.: I took the course down in Irvine/Newport Beach with Jay Donnell and while the course was engaging and relaxed, the material was laid out logically and coherently. He's a great teacher and was willing to stay late, answer your dumbass questions, and even bought us pizza during tests. I've also sat in on Matt's classes and the same level of teaching quality is reflected across their staff. They know their stuff. 

You're there to work your ass off, to do well on a test that counts for up to 70% of your application, and generally, the awareness of that fact among other students made for a conducive learning atmosphere. 

Yeah, I could have done with less of the sexual puns/jokes in the books etc but overall the class is structured well and the core concepts taught in a easy to digest manner. I'm happy with my "" and my acceptances into top 10 schools. Without Blueprint, I think I would've been too damn lazy to study well. 

That being said, I just gotta say to the reviewers who gave the one stars--how are you going to survive law school and your subsequent stint at a firm if you cannot deal with a few harmless jokes and your own debilitating fear on being called upon? Did you have an undergraduate experience?
5 - Julie H.: Matt and Trent saved my life and my sanity.  If you have any doubt about what course to take, BLUEPRINT is the way to go, unless you have absolutely no sense of humor.  If you don't like people poking fun at you, this is not your course, but I ACTUALLY ENJOYED CLASS.  Not to mention how good the course is, with an average 11 point score increase!! The website is interactive and helpful, the homework help is so well explained, I really just can't say enough good stuff.
5 - Tamirra S.: Update:  My Studybuddy has emailed me twice.  I'm writing the first time off as "stuff happens".
3 - Natalie M.: Conditional statements? Soft Must Be True? Necessary/Sufficient? Crux? Parallel Flaw? Tiered ordering games? Mapping games? Unstable grouping games? Say whaaaat???....

To say I was overwhelmed by LSAT prep, would be a gross understatement. This test is a nightmare and preparing for it can make you want to pull your hair out (but please don't)!

Blueprint is one of the better LSAT prep courses available in that it does a great job breaking down difficult concepts into smaller, digestible components, and outlining the best way to approach each question type. 

On the other hand, I got the sense that their live-course is almost designed to overwhelm students by dumping an unwieldy load of new material at one time, for even those who made this their full-time job!

So, while I do think Blueprint offers excellent resources and pretty decent quality instruction, the fast paced courses they offer are a clear indication that "course repetition" is at the heart of their business model. This initial impression was further solidified when the Blueprint team emailed me on the last day of class with the message below, outlining several options available to those who want to study beyond the run of the course "for whatever reason"...maybe it's because you move too fast...just a thought....
 
"1. Retaking the course. 
Double your pleasure at a great discount ($776 with new books, $600 without new books).
 
2. Blueprint: The Movie 2.0. 
The same great course with the Blueprint sense of humor you know and love, but in the comfort of your own home and discounted for previous students! This new and improved course is taught by Trent and Matt and features hand-drawn animation to illustrate important LSAT concepts. The course is normally $825 including shipping, but you can enroll for only $626, which includes a new set of books or $400 without a new set of books. You can see a preview of the video lessons here.
 
3. Online Access.  
Your 'My Blueprint' account will deactivate two weeks after the December LSAT, but you can reactivate it through the next exam ($200)"

Anyway, I will (unfortunately) be paying for additional services and material from the Blueprint team since the first time around was not sufficient. One could make the argument that considering the small fortune you'll end up dishing out for law school (150K) this is just a drop in the bucket....but I'm afraid I didn't get the bang per buck I had anticipated.
5 - Soo H.: I felt compelled to write this review after seeing the negative reviews.

With any test prep course, you will get out what YOU put in.  

Blueprint is fantastic - it really provides you with the materials and techniques you need to succeed on the LSAT - they are amazing at breaking down the problems so that the problems seem a lot less daunting.  With that being said, however, YOU HAVE TO PUT IN THE TIME YOURSELF.  

I did not really study for the first month or so of blueprint, and went out partying a lot.  I then proceeded to study like a maniac for the month leading up to the exam and did all of the questions that Blueprint provided me with, using the techniques that they taught me.  In addition to the materials that Blueprint provided me with, I also went out and purchased a lot of old LSAT exams and did them.  Blueprint did not provide me with EVERY SINGLE LSAT exam that was administered, but that's not their job. Their job is to provide you with the knowledge of HOW to break these exams down, and they do that phenomenally well.  Also, it seems like people complain about how much material Blueprint DOES give you, so if they gave you all of these old exams, there would probably just be more complaints that there was too much material.  Yes, they do move quickly, but the LSAT is a tough exam, people.  There's a lot of material to cover.  

I started with a 165 on my first diag, and I got a 175 on the actual exam.  I recommend Blueprint to all of my friends who are considering the LSAT because it is a good deal compared to other LSAT prep places and the teachers are friendly/smart/really good at what they do.
5 - Natalie L.: So you wanna go to law school? Blueprint is decidedly the first step on a long path in that direction. But be aware, even the best prep (as I will argue Blueprint is) is only part of that effort. The majority is how hard you work.
I took the course near USC taught by Derek R.  Here's the breakdown:

Pros:
Derek is a FABULOUS instructor. He's been doing LSAT prep for years. He easily relates to all of his students- from the kiddies still in undergrad to those of us "nontraditional" (re: old) students who have been in the workforce for a while and are looking to change course. I chose the course over Kaplan and Princeton Review because it promised 1) it wouldn't be boring 2) more classroom hours. (Testmasters wasn't even an option, I took their GMAT prep when I thought I could stomach being around business school students and it was a giant waste of time.)
He makes even the most occult concepts clear. After he explains an answer, you must resist the temptation to bash your head against the desk and yell "DUH". Don't understand how the holy hell you are supposed to get through a game in 8.5 minutes? Where the hell the main point in that reading comp passage that you are pretty sure was written in Klingon is? Fret not, mon ami.. follow him towards the light. He stays after class to answer questions, calm nerves, and provide study guidance. He's very dedicated to making sure that his students truly understand the concepts. And he's actually pretty funny. Not in a comedy traffic school kinda way- like actually intelligently humorous. Good, because the class is four hours. 

The Blueprint materials are prolific, you will not want for practice materials. 
Better than quantity of course is quality- and the Blueprint material is well organized and clearly explained. The few (seriously, like 1 or 2) areas that aren't LITERALLY drawn out in the books, Derek manages to clear up. You will have a pile of homework. Do it. (For those of us who work full time, Derek can let you know which areas to focus on, but folks- you're only shortchanging yourself. Do as much as humanly possible. You aren't going to get shortcuts in law school. 

Cons:
The website is a little buggy. I bought the videos and never got to watch them. Not one. They froze, wouldn't load, skipped, and stopped every couple of seconds when I could get them to play. I changed laptops, browsers (Chrome, Firefox, IE 9 & IE 9 64bit), updated software and finally gave up. For some reason I could only get the videos to work at my office computer (Chome on a Win 7 Pro desktop).  Also, for some reason in the middle of the course I couldn't score my exams using my laptop- no idea why. Finally got the scoring (but not the videos) to work on an old Mac airbook.  I am not the only one in the class who had issues with the website- at least 3 other students I spoke with said they had similar problems. When I called (twice) to trouble shoot with the BP HQ, after establishing that I had tried multiple browsers, updated all, etc. it was suggested that I watch the videos at work. Uh, no. Look guys- those of us who have been around the block a couple times and are dropping a significant sum on your services expect (and deserve) real customer service. Suggesting I watch the videos at my place of employment is NOT an option. I would fire me.  No refund for me either- this would have dropped the rating by at least 2 stars but Derek pretty much negated the need for videos. Having friends who work in webdesign, the site appears to be generally well thought out, but I am going to hazard a guess and say that the few hardworking individuals who are managing back office operations just aren't sufficient- and it shows. Some investment needs to be made in this area before their online services come close to being comparable to their live class.

Time- 2 months just ain't enough prep time. (An earlier reviewer mentioned this as well.) Look, it's a business and they need to make money- I get that. But if you are planning to take the LSAT I would recommend the following (assuming you aren't already testing in the mid 150s or higher): Take the course for the test cycle BEFORE the one you are planning on taking (i.e. take the course that preps for the June test if you are planning to take the October test.) You WILL get all the knowledge you need to do well in the two months- but you will need to fine tune your test-taking skills and practice doing LOADS (seriously, like 20-30) timed tests to really ensure good game-day performance. You can choose to take the course again, purchase tutoring time (this is a pretty good option if you have the cash) or just study on your own. If you don't have the discipline to do those last two months on your own, you should really ask yourself if law school is really that good an idea.

FYI (because I know you're wondering) I've gone up 17 points. You can too- take the course and bust your a$$. G'luck!
1 - Grette L.: Worst Instructor Ever! I might as well gone with the videos alone. 

Although he has the potential for greatness, he was at times disengaged and dismissive. I felt discouraged and belittled every time I had a question. I was never able to get his minimal attention to my concerns with the exercise and/or the homework during the breaks or after class because he was often on his phone and would not even make eye contact. He never responded to emails. 

He displayed preferential treatment to some students while, completely neglecting others. I ended up tutoring myself with the videos because that was my safest bet. I do not know that this is the case for all Blueprint instructors, and the reason I feel compelled to write this review it's because as a consumer I feel I did not get what I paid for. I paid extra because I needed the structure and the encouragement of a class setting... and in the end I got more results sitting at Starbucks by myself watching Matt and Trent on a computer. 

I signed up with Blue print because I got awesome recommendations. I fully committed myself to this endeavor because in live you can only get what you put in... However this was not the case. 

I changed my fulltime job to part time to fully concentrate in the LSAT prep. I wanted that extra ratification of having a live body teaching me and helping me with the course. I drove 3 hours 3 times a week to be able to attend class. I studied for 12 hours a day almost everyday. I had great motivation to do the best I could... however Blueprint with all its fanfare and its great features failed me on the part of my instructor. 

The only complaint I have in regards to the program itself is that it moves too fast across the material and students end up having to re-take the course and/or repay for the videos. I feel there needs to be more time for this course in general; otherwise the material truly is GREAT. The books, the videos, their website was AWESOME. I was able to log my progress and focus on the areas that I was lacking. I'm truly satisfied in terms of what I had to work with.

I recommend the program as I stated before the materials are excellent, as for the instructor in my personal experience... it was not worth it.

 If I were to rate Blueprint in terms of the program and materials alone I would give it 4 stars, but unfortunately I paid for more than materials and I did not get my money's worth...

Blueprint LSAT Preparation - San Diego, CA (32.870453, -117.231284) ()
4 - sarah l.: I strongly recommend blueprint test prep course/online.  My opinion is a little biased since Blueprint is the only test prep company that I've taken. Though I can say that I did a little research and asked my friends who have taken lsat prep courses and from the consensus I got, Blueprint is the best out there. 

The company is young so you really appreciate the "freshness" that comes with that. For example, the book is pretty humorous and has some pop culture references and could be crude at times (just adds some sweetness in studying for a sour test). Unlike big companies (who take your money and pump generic + dry course materials), I appreciated  that the founders/instructors valued the students and really wanted to build a relationship that prepared you for the test.

I would recommend Blueprint over any other lsat prep course. Though the course is pricey, it's well worth it. If you can, try to get the online video instruction as well. Again, like the course, it's pretty pricey but it is helpful if you missed a class or if you just need extra help in a theory or rule. 

*Side note: the course goes by pretty quickly + is intense + lots of homework so I wouldn't recommend students that are still in college to take a full load of classes while taking Blueprint. It would be a waste of your time and money since I've seen the students in my class try to juggle both. You either can't finish your blueprint homework (so you're behind in class) or your school grades might suffer. The Blueprint classes are pretty intense and you'll have to devote about a full 5 hours or more a day (no joke) to be on pace.
5 - Janelle B.: I know this is a little late, just finished my first year of law school!  But to report on the results, I raised my score from a 158 diagnostic to a 164.

Blues - Urbana, IL (40.1069951, -88.2218906) ()
4 - Kwoky L.: Blues has got the best pulled meat sandwich in town. It is super affordable and there's so much pulled meat in the sandwich that it is impossible to take a bite without being messy. Trust me, you'll need a napkin or two. They also have awesome rib tips and the best baked beans in town. This is a must-try!
2 - Troy S.: I was underwhelmed by Blues.  They dropped off a sampler at my office when they first opened and I never wanted to go back.  The food was passible but having ate real southern BBQ and even having eaten at other CU BBQ restaurants, there are much better options.  There was hardly even a smoke ring on anything, it's not BBQ if it doesn't have a smoke ring.
2 - Jenna M.: Vegetarian bbq sandwich -- gross. It was $7 to boot and nearly all bread.

Cornbread -- delicious! Sweet and moist. The small is $0.49 and it is a little 4-bite muffin. I could have eaten two large orders ($0.99 each, total 4 muffins) at once, so order more than you think you would ever eat and it should come out to the perfect size.

Red beans and rice -- mediocre with huge chunks of sausage; about 3 oz per side dish for $1.29.

Unless I get an intense craving for cornbread that warrants fighting campus traffic to get to Blues, I won't be going back.
1 - jeff k.: If you have a craving for the Chef Boyardee of BBQ--this might be the place for you.  There are no smoke rings in the meat as another reviewer mentioned because there is NO smoke!  The food is made (who knows when) in Chicago in a gigantic commercial kitchen, sealed in plastic bags and sent to Urbana to be heated up in crock pots for unsuspecting folks.  The manager I talked to tried to impress me by telling me the same food is sent to the armed forces (when was the last time you heard a good review for cafeteria style military food!) and pointed out the refrigerator filled with plastic bags of their product that you could take home to heat and serve.  Because the food has to be sealed in plastic bags for days on end and shipped to various locations, it is loaded down with chemicals and preservatives that change the texture of the meat and obviously the taste.  I tried a pulled pork sandwich and found is so repulsive I brought it up to the counter and asked if I could trade it in for something else (I have NEVER done this at any other restaurant, nor have I since).  The replacement sandwich (chicken) I got was not quite as nasty, and I managed to eat some of it in my hunger and annoyance that I wasted my money, but will never, ever go back.  I get the shivers just driving by.  If you want BBQ-- real BBQ, this is definitely not the place to go!
3 - Ashley R.: Full disclosure: my father makes the best pulled pork sandwich ever. I am slightly biased. I love pulled pork. However, I am nothing if not open to new experiences.

My roommate, who went to undergrad here, suggested we order Blues on Monday night. The food came very quickly. The coleslaw that we both got to put on our sandwiches was somewhat generic--like what you might get at a grocery store. That's alright. The pork was tender, but too much sauce. The hallmark of good barbecue is that the meat tastes good regardless if it's covered in sauce or not. I wanted to get a better taste of the pork itself. Ah well, maybe if I try a different entree I can see how good the meat is. The sauce was good, if a little sweet for my taste. I really did like my friend's cornbread, though. I'd definitely give this place another chance. It wasn't terrible, it just could be better.
2 - Ana L.: After trying Black Dog Smoke & Ale House last week, I was eager to try a new BBQ joint. In order to make a fair comparison, I ordered the same thing- a pulled pork sandwich. The sauce itself was ok- a little sweet, but unfortunately I couldn't taste the pork. My sandwich consisted of bun + BBQ sauce with almost NO meat. The sauce was so overwhelming, and the lack of protein so significant that you almost couldn't tell if you were eating pulled pork or brisket. It tasted exactly like my mother-in-law's shredded BBQ beef made in the crock pot...Which is fine, for a crock pot dinner, but if your whole restaurant is BBQ- you should make something better than anyone could make by sticking a pork butt in the crock pot, covering w/ BBQ sauce and walking away for 8 hours. The mac and cheese was also meh- it tasted like Stouffer's frozen with salt and paprika sprinkled on top.

If you want great BBQ, skip Blues and Hickory River, head to Black Dog in Urbana!
1 - Sarah H.: This business is now closed.

Bluestone Grill - Ithaca, NY (42.4399656, -76.4956722) ()
5 - Celeste C.: This is the cutest little restaurant - great vibes and great food! It's a pretty tiny place but there's great artwork all over the walls and all the stress from school/life just melts away when you walk in here. 

The one time I ate here we had:

-Beggar's Purse: brie baked in puff pastry along with pistachios and cranberries. YUM

-Jamaican jerk catfish: heaven for me since I love fish, the cilantro-lime sauce it came with, sweet potato hash, spinach, and plaintains (I've had better plantains but this was still really good)

-Crab Cake sandwich: I only had a couple of bites of this as it was my friend's but I remember it being really really delish!

They also have a ton of other stuff on the menu, including salads, pizzas, and burgers. They also have a pretty sweet bar that I am definitely hitting up once I'm back in town for school.
5 - william l.: I haven't had the food, but the bar is great.  It is very cozy, and the bar tenders are very friendly.  IIt is the best bar on the commons to hangout and chill with a group of friends.
5 - Christopher F.: I've never had a meal here that I didn't like.  If Doug would only bring back late night burritos..
2 - Lola B.: The only reason I give Bluestone two stars instead of one is because they really do have the best mojitos ever.  The bartenders there are also great.

Ok that's the good.

I have eaten here a strange amount considering my strong dislike for it.  but my husband likes it, and hey, he goes to sushi places with me even though he hates fish, so I can suck it up and go to Bluestone once in a while.

The biggest problem here is the SERVICE.  wow - it blows my mind how bad the service can be there.  I seem to get the same very ditzy young woman most times that I go.  She can not pronounce the items on the menu, she doesn't write down your order and then of course she forgets it, and just in general she just does not seem to know how to do her job.  One time we ate there while the restaurant was really busy.  We waited a LONG time for our food, and finally saw her come out with the two plates that we had ordered.  She proceeded to walk around the dining room looking at each table - I had no idea what she was doing.  Looking for people without food?  Looking for people that looked familiar?  While we attempted to wave her down, she eventually put the plates down at the bar (which was right next to us), and ran back to the kitchen.  A chef emerged, seeming in a huff, grabbed the plates off the bar, turned around to face my table, and placed them promptly and correctly where they needed to go.

Bad service also is problematic because the food is so often dissappointing.  The last time I ate there (despite my husband's love for this place and my love of their mojitos, I hope I never eat here again), I got a BBQ chicken pizza.  I ordered this thinking "how can you screw up pizza."  I was so wrong.  The BBQ sauce was so sweet it was completely inedible - and I'm actually a lover of sweet and spicy things.  I ate about two bites of this pizza and decided that I just wasn't going to be able to get this down.  My husband had already finished his meal by the time she came to check on us, and she simply asked if I would like to box up my pizza.  I told her no thanks, in fact the reason I did not eat any of it was because it was so sweet it was not edible.  Her response was "oh, I'm sorry you didn't like it.  are you sure you don't want to take it home - do you have a dog?"  Right.  Of course, when the bill came, it still had the "dog food" on it.  

Steak gets overcooked here and it is rubbery.  I have had the catfish dish mentioned in another review and yes, that was decent fare.  Desserts are a joke.

Go here for a drink while you wait for your table somewhere else.
5 - Holly C.: Blue Stone is my favorite place to go. They have the best blueberry mojitos ever, and I love their chicken skewers with Thai peanut sauce, it is an artsy little restaurant that doesn't have a lot seating but its worth waiting. We go there for office get togethers and I've never had a bad experience. The only down side is that they are not open on Sundays and Mondays and they stop serving food at 10.
1 - Ashley M.: EAT HERE CAUTIOUSLY. My girlfriend and I decided to try out this spot for our six month anniversary. We had driven by it but never stopped in; it looked cool and the menu looked good, so we thought it would be a good meal. 

I ordered some pasta dish and my girlfriend ordered the ravioli. When she took her first bite, she noticed something hard. Since we were having a nice time and enjoying our mojitos, she just put it on the side of the plate and continued the conversation, until I looked down at it, concerned, and realized... THERE WAS A PEICE OF METAL SCRUBBER BRUSH BAKED INTO HER RAVIOLI. This, I promise you, is not a fake story. It was not floating around in the sauce, it was LITERALLY baked into the ravioli.

So, obviously, we called over our waitress to take the plate away (expecting our meal would be comped, or at least her entree, since she could have literally choked and died). Instead, the cook came out and explained to us what it was exactly, which we already knew, and gave us a free drink? Then, they brought out the new entree, which was about half the price of the other one, and charged us for the more expensive one on our bill! They fixed it when we pointed it out, but it was a little ridiculous at that point.

I don't recommend this place, but if you do go make sure to check your food and bite a few times before swallowing.
2 - Robert S.: I came here alone on a beautiful spring Thursday evening. The outside seating was bustling and the inside was maybe 2/3 full. Lots of good energy. I sat at the bar where there was maybe 1 other patron having dinner.

Menu had some interesting choices. I ordered a steak that came out really overcooked. I asked for medium and received rubber.

The bartender was friendly and attentive when the bar was fairly empty, but around 930pm it started getting busy and he pretty much ignored me, even though I wanted to order more drinks. I know you're busy, but you're theoretically getting more in tip $ from me than some guy sitting at a table who has their own waitress that's tipping out to you.

I'd maybe go here for a drink before eating somewhere else, that's it.
3 - Jing L.: Bluestone Grill is somewhere I think of going when I want to grab a decent bite to eat but nothing too fancy. 

Examples: the Salmon Hoison Wrap was pretty good, but the wasabi-ish flavor was overpowering the salmon. I wanted a salmon wrap with some wasabi, not wasabi with a side of salmon. But the noodles were nice, very rich but not overpowered by the peanut sauce. The pork loin or ribs (I can't remember) was really good, but the meat didn't fall of the bones and was kind of tough here and there. Still, flavor was excellent. The curry dish was fine too; the rice got a bit bogged down, but otherwise it was flavorful. Maybe just a bit too spicy though. The grilled vegetable plate was kind of greasy, and I ordered vegetables to be healthy, so that kind of defeated the purpose.

I most enjoyed the peasant's purse and the appetizers are quite nice.

The service is on and off; usually it's quite good, but sometimes it can be a bit slow. Also, the drink list isn't bad. They have some really good house specials. Good sundaes too... 

Overall, a solid place...but nothing to write home to mom about.
4 - William W.: Considering the negative reviews, I was a bit apprehensive about dining at Blue Stone, but the menu was so appealing I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did. I had a wonderful meal. 

The place is small, dark, and rather plain. Tables are bare except for a small votive candle (unlit) and an odd little pile of polished stones in one corner. The room is dominated by the bar, but then it is a bar and grill. 

Service was quick, friendly, and attentive. Shortly after seating me, the waitress brought a basket of absolutely delicious bread -- fresh, crusty, chewy and flavored with garlic (the foil-wrapped pats of butter that came with it were ice cold and therefore unspreadable, but the bread was so good by itself the butter was superfluous). 

I kicked off my meal with the house salad, which turned out to be a small, chilled bowl brimming with a wide variety of greens in big shards -- the kind of salad you need a knife in addition to a fork to hack through all the vegetation. The caesar dressing was served in a little tub along side the greens. I prefer a salad to be dressed and tossed before being served, but it's not the end of the world if it's not. The dressing was advertised on the menu as being homemade. It may well have been, but it tasted like ordinary mayonnaise spiked with a little vinegar -- not bad, but not really a caesar dressing either. 

The menu is big on pork -- it appears barbecued, pulled, and braised in various dishes. I ordered the pork osso bucco, a big pork shank (a piece of the pig's foreleg) slow-cooked in a sauce of tomatoes and wine, served on top of well-cooked penne pasta and soft. silky braised escarole. The pork was meltingly tender -- the knife that came in so handy with the salad was totally unnecessary here -- and the winey, garlicky sauce was so good every drop of it demanded to be mopped up with that amazing bread. 

I should also mention the presentation. Jacques Pepin calls it "architectural cooking." The pork shank was arranged vertically on the plate, rising like a fleshy spire above a pool of pasta and escarole, with a big sprig of rosemary towering over all. Obviously the chef has a flair for the dramatic. 

Good as it was, the meal didn't come cheap -- $33 with tax and tip for the salad and entree (no dessert and a diet Coke to drink). I think it was worth it though -- a delicious, warm, comforting meal on a cool autumn evening.
5 - Adam K.: Bluestone is easily the best restaurant in Ithaca.  While in law school at Cornell, my friends and I came down to Bluestone at least once/wk.  The bar is great -- they make fantastic moscow mules and mojitos.  Doug Gruen is a terrific cook and can tailor the food to whatever you're in the mood for.  I love the entrees, but the appetizers here are divine.  You can't go wrong with any of the starters.  If you want a place with a cool, lighthearted vibe, but amazing food, Bluestone is your place, especially in the summer with the outdoor seating.
5 - Angie H.: I have been several times over the past year.  I've tried probably 5 or 6 dishes, and the food has always been delicious!  They do a good job of making dishes flavorful.  The service is usually good.  I forget how details about how it has been in the past, but the most recent time I went, the server was great--friendly, competent, fast and responsive.

I love the atmosphere.  Mood (dim) lighting, tables have a chalkboard finish and a piece of chalk to keep you entertained while you wait--very creative!

I should add that I think most restaurants in Ithaca would never survive outside of Ithaca, but I would definitely go to Bluestone even if it were in a major city.

Highly recommend.

Only two complaints:  wish it were bigger and open earlier (i.e. for lunch)
5 - Kerry F.: This is a review of the mojitos.  They are perfect and delicious!  errrr and nice & strong too - two of them and I am a happy happy girl.  

I should eat here soon, too - they brought food to a recent Business After Hours (Chamber event) and it was yummy yummy.
4 - Erin L.: Deeee-licious.  For the Commons, this is about as good as you're gonna get.  It's basically American bar food with some added spice (a few Asian fusion type dishes, some pastas).  Good service, nice presentation, and the place has a cozy atmosphere and cool art on the walls (although I think they change it from time to time).  

Also the owners moved to Ithaca from Westchester, so, you know, hometown pride?

For a longer review, check out my blog post: http://ithacaeatingproject.blogspot.com/2011/04/53-bluestone.html
2 - luuuah m.: not sure about the mojitos, cause i had a draught beer....but the food was very UNREMARKABLE. 
for a $10 angus steak sandwich, i got a toasted onion roll with about 6 little strips of meat. pretty dry, pretty poor. the plate also included okay smashed potatoes(big deal). the plate garnish sadly looked like something from the 70's...little piece of lettuce and sliced tomato.
they would improve this item if they served the steak sandwich as one small piece on the roll instead of strips.  also, get a new roll, this is old stuff.
my friend said her garlic chicken was good but lacked garlic flavor.  could be because she removed the skin. sounds like a pretty weak item for a restaurant menu...something i can prepare at home.
i eat out to enjoy things i generally wouldnt get at home. 
this place is pretty boring and needs to tune up the menu and preparations
4 - Emmeline A.: I was in Ithaca for a conference, and on my last night, a group of friends and decided to eat at Bluestone because everything else was pretty much packed.

I'm glad we did!

The service was fantastic; the gentleman who sat us was very nice and accommodating and our waitress was friendly and knowledgable.

All the food came out in a timely manner and it all looked delicious.  I had a salad; unfortunately as this was actually a few weeks a ago, I don't remember which it was.  I just remember that it was goooood.  Everything else looked delicious as well.  I had a mojito--definitely delicious.  I had a sip of my friends Zombie--delicious. For dessert, I went for the fried cheesecake.  Being Filipino, it reminded me of a cheesecake lumpia--delish!

All and all a great meal.
What really made the experience for our group though were the tables, and the sheer fact that we could draw on them.  That most definitely kept us entertained.

I love BS! :)
4 - Mario L.: Very good food. Can be expensive if you choose the dinner entrees.  Service is good.
4 - Michelle H.: This is a great little place. I love the ambiance (you can write on the tables).  The entrees can be a bit small for the price, but still delicious.  The sandwiches/burgers are also very good and reasonable.
4 - James S.: Cute cafe, worthy of 3 stars for what we had, drinks...I added one star because I met the lovely owner and she was very eclectic and friendly (due to the fact she is from the West Coast probably) and she was so proud of her little cafe.  

I have not tried the menu, but it looked a bit scattered and rather ambitious for such a small place.  I get the feeling that is place suffers from so many options close by and I am sure they get spill over from "Just a Taste" next door (which is a rip off IMO).

I look forward to coming back and trying the famous Mojito and having some Poutine.
3 - Virginia G.: We've come here a handful of times for drinks, but this was our second time here for dinner and it was much better than the first (I had the chipotle BBQ pizza the first time and just wasn't wow'd at all). We started with drinks--a dark & stormy and an infused margarita. Both were good, but the waitress spilled a decent portion of the dark & stormy (which has the liquor sitting at the top) onto the table as she set it down, then didn't wipe it up, offer a refill, or apologize. It looked like she was the only one working that night besides the bartender and she was very friendly and attentive the rest of the evening, but that started things off on a little bit of a sour note.

For dinner, I had the Jamaican jerk catfish, which was really good! The edges of the fish were a tad overdone, but the cilantro lime salsa was perfect and the sweet potatoes on the side were melt-in-your-mouth delicious. My husband had one of the night's specials, which was ravioli in a vodka shrimp sauce. It was good, but the sauce was incredibly thick and rich--it was almost too much to handle.

Overall, the evening was very nice, but there are so many other restaurant options in the Commons and Bluestone just hasn't quite won me over yet as more than a place to stop for drinks.
4 - E B.: Excellent casual dining! Reggae on in the background, cool art on the walls. Definitely recommend the Taste of Bluestone app, and the Wic-burger. Will be back!
3 - Wayne D.: If I had a restaurant it would be exactly like this- a nice bar and about ten or so tables. It's a nice intimate setting, not too loud, despite the fact that it probably sees a lot of college students.

I had the braised pork shank, and there's no better way to win my heart than to bring out a tower of pork on a plate. It was pretty good. The demi-glace wasn't all in your face, but complimented the pork well. Service was good.

All in all, if it wasn't 3000 miles away from my house, I might stop in again and try another offering.
4 - brigitt i.: The nachos aren't really like nachos. It's a few chips around a plate of black beans with two jalapeno pepper pieces and some cheese. Get a different app instead.

Their chili is great, you will not be disappointed. 

What I absolutely loved here was the fried sweet plantains. They are served in this buffalo sauce that surprisingly goes perfectly. I wish this place wasn't so far from home, I'd like those plantains right now! You have to try them!

Definitely not a place for kids. Earlier in the evening it seemed like it could be and we attempted taking my son here. Within a half hour, all the lights dimmed, the ambiance was different and we rushed through our meal to get him out. I don't hold this against them, as a parent I should have asked more questions before staying.
4 - Joy Y.: I like Bluestone.  I can wear heels here because it takes me approximately 30 seconds to get there from my apartment, and that about the time that my feet start to feel as though they are going to fall off.  Oh and the drinks are quite tasty as well.  The mojitos are strong and delicious and I have yet to be disappointed by the food.  Their burger is pretty solid (although really, if you f up a burger, you probably have bigger problems.) I went all out and got the braised pork shank once and that was seriously delicious and falling off the bone good.  I don't think it hurts that they have super cheap bottles of wine and creative drinks either.  Go here.  Cause I like it.
3 - Dennis C.: I had their Snake Bite pasta as recommended by the bartender. It had a pretty good kick, but the overall taste was on the bland side. We were only in here because the sports bar we wanted to go to for the NBA playoff game was jam packed across the street.

Blush Boutique - Los Angeles, CA (34.0630882, -118.4453075) (Westwood)
5 - Deniz S.: Okay, THANK GOD a new boutique has opened in Westwood. As much as I adore the staples in Westwood, this place takes the cake when it comes to customer service (they actually HELP you and STYLE you!) and they have a great selection of clothing at really amazing prices. The mix of classic staples to trendy pieces is amazing! I always need chic professional clothes, but I also love sequins and prints and funky jackets and so forth. It's really a place I could shop, and my mom can shop without breaking the bank! 

I highly recommend this place! It JUST opened too! 

It's on Westwood Blvd, next to Top Shoes and a UCLA Store across from the Bank of America! 

Brava Blush!
5 - Bridget P.: I love to see another boutique in Westwood, and such a good one! I've been by here on my lunch break a few times. They just started using a "Everything for $20" model, which is great. The staff is extremely friendly, and pulls off the perfect balance of being helpful and making good suggestions, but also letting you shop leisurely and do your own thing without hovering. I've seen few other businesses pull this off so well!

Anyway, they have a great assortment of cute clothes (trendy pieces for when I pretend I'm still a UCLA student, and things I can wear to work now), accessories, and some shoes. My only wishes are that the fitting rooms had mirrors (but there are huge ones directly outside), and that they had more clothes, but there seems to be more offerings every time I come back. I love that this is such a cute store with friendly people and great, well-priced stuff, in this little town that needs a store like this. I hope they're successful, and I'll keep going back!

Bo Bo China - Champaign, IL (40.110409, -88.233218) ()
4 - Amanda W.: Let me start by saying that, for the first 24 years of my life, I had zero experience with Chinese food.  My parents are meat-and-potatoes people, and Chinese carryout was simply not a part of my upbringing.  Enter my Chinese-American husband, who grew up on the stuff (naturally) and can cook it like nobody's business.  This (lengthy) disclaimer is basically to tell you that I am not an educated critic of Chinese food, so it's based on whether or not I liked it.  I have no way to judge how "authentic" someplace is.

All that said, Bo Bo is pretty good.  It's a campus town take-out type place, although they do have a dining room and a few tables, so you can eat there if you choose.  They have a very extensive menu, printed in English, Chinese, and Korean.  The menu has every Chinese food item you can think of, and many that you probably can't (and here I am thinking specifically of a dish, whose name I cannot remember at the moment, involving fried pork intestines.  I'm told it's good, although my Leviticus 11 Diet prohibits me from partaking).  

My favorite item here, though, is the bubble tea.  I don't know how they do it, but they make the best bubble tea I've had.  I've tried replicating it at home, and simply can't do it, so, much to my chagrin, when I get a BTC (bubble tea craving), I hop in the car, drive to campus, finagle a parking spot, feed the meter, go get my bubble tea, and repeat the process.  It's a lot of trouble to go to for bubble tea, but it's THAT good.

I did take off a star because they don't always have the bubble tea.  One (very busy) day last month I was running errands; it was cold, it was rainy, I was tired, and all of a sudden, I was siezed by a powerful BTC.  I was sort of near campus anyway, so I drove over there, finagled a parking space, fed the meter, went in, ordered, and was told that they didn't have any bubbles cooked.  Unfortunately, I simply didn't have the time that day to wait half an hour for the bubbles to get cooked, so I ordered the tea sans bubbles, which was still pretty good.  However, I was annoyed that they charged me the full price.  I thought I should have gotten a discount for a bubble-less bubble tea, but I didn't have the time or inclination to press the issue.  Hopefully, that was just a one-time occurrence, and I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt.
1 - Melissa M.: I can overlook a slow delivery order that mixed up crab rangoon with egg rolls, but the final straw was getting bubble-less bubble tea. We ordered it and it came out as basically a sugar slurry. I asked the people working there where the bubbles were and they said they didn't have any. 

Would have been nice to know before I ordered...
1 - Jason L.: As much as I love my Chinese heritage, I will not dishonor it by writing a good review about Bo Bo China.

Let me put it this way, I have eaten here about 3 times in the past four years, and after my last time... well it is going to stay the last time.

I ordered a spicy chicken with fried rice combo which arrived in a hour to my workplace. Since it was busy i was only able to eat 1/3rd of it. The next day at home I heated up another third of it. And finally on Sunday, I ate the final third.

AS I WAS FINISHING THE LAST COUPLE OF BITES:

I FOUND A COCKROACH IN IT... AUGHHHH

The cockroach had been cooked with the dish and I guess settled with the sauce to the bottom of the takeout box. I had a moment where I thought I should be vomiting uncontrollably. But thanks to my superb nerves of steel i calmly spit out the food I had been chewing and proceeded to scrub my mouth out. Dry heaves ensued.

I am never eating here again. I am one to hate asian stereotypes about subpar kitchen cleanliness but this one takes the cake. Honestly? A cockroach? *Sigh*
1 - Jessica E.: I ordered for-delivery on campusfood.com.  No complaints on this end, the food was quick and delivery was only $1.  

However, the food left a lot to be desired.  I ordered General Tso's tofu with fried rice.  Being vegan, I requested the fried rice to not include egg... and they obliged.  However, it seems egg is the only thing they put in their fried rice, because I basically got white rice that tasted really, really funky.  I've never gone to a Chinese food restaurant and had this experience....

The General Tso's tofu had an incredibly liquidy, no-I-won't-stay-on-your-broccoli sauce (which in my experience is abnormal, as I have a bit of a General Tso's sauce obsession), but the tofu was alright.  It just really wasn't very good, at all.  I definitely won't be coming back here.  Certainly not after experiencing the pleasurable dining experience I had at Peking Garden...
1 - Lesley A.: My mom never walked out on a restaurant - until the day we stepped into Bo Bo China.

Bo Bo China didn't know what to do with themselves when my family and I said we DIDN'T want to eat their buffet , which was sad looking, and we wanted to order from their regular menu. We were handed some poorly copied paper menus and sat down in the pretty empty restaurant. 

Apparently there's an unspoken rule here that you either go for the buffet or order takeout, because the lack of service was offensive and we were hungry. The buffet also had flies buzzing about it. 

Never again will I come here, which isn't a loss since there's another Chinese restaurant next door and one across the street. What is up with this stretch of Green St. in Champaign, IL and their Chinese restaurants?
3 - Nicole B.: Hot pot is good if you know what it is! But they charge you $3/person just for the sauces they provide. Buffet can be good sometimes. You just have to check it out yourself. There was one day I went there and found nothing I like in the buffet and went to mandarin wok instead. Overall, best hot pot place on campus.
5 - Slick S.: It is the only restaurant in the Champaign area that serves authentic northern Chinese food. If you are from northern China, you can't miss it.

Bo Sing - Philadelphia, PA (39.957064, -75.2023056) (Powelton Village, University City)
5 - Emily P.: Don't be fooled - while this place may look like your average West Philly Chinese take-out/convenience store hybrid, it's home to the best water ice in the city.

I'm giving it five stars based on their water ice alone.  50 cents will get you about 12 ounces of the stuff, and it's the best I've had. Ever.  Even when I try a flavor I don't usually enjoy (like Mango, or Cherry Vanilla), I end up loving it.  I am now on a mission to consume every flavor (even the weekly specials) by the end of the summer.  Possibly by the end of this week.

The location is incredibly convenient (right next to 40th street station on the El), albeit "sketchy" if you're not used to venturing off Penn's campus or getting water ice anywhere other than Rita's.  But this water ice is so worth it - and at fifty cents a pop (or a dollar if you want enough water ice to last you a week), you can't go wrong.
5 - Ciara S.: Bo Sing definitely got me through hot summer days with hot summer days & nights with their water ice.

50 cents and you get a 3.00 Ritas water ice size cop.... 

You splurge and spend a $1.00 if you really feeling frisky lol...

Passion fruit is my FAVE!

Only thing you cant mix but who care its 50 cents!!!
5 - Joshua J.: Cheap water ice!

I actually like some of their Chinese food, I ordered it quite a bit last summer. It's grimy but it's really cheap, that's what it's good for. 

Beware of the customers in there though, there are some not so friendly types that hang out on that corner.

Boardwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries - College Park, MD (39.021652, -76.9252034) ()
2 - Ian K.: It's no Five Guys and I mean that as a criticism of Boardwalk...  

It's a brand new location, where Moe's used to be.

They do the same thing really... but the burger patties were dry, not juicy, and they offer whole wheat rolls but mine crumbled apart from being dry, then I had to eat the rest with a fork.  Lots more topping and sauces...The jalopenas were jarred while the ones at Five Guys are fresh.

Fries were too crisp/cooked for my liking... 

So, one and done for me.
2 - Pete Z.: I agree with review #1. Burger average but fries were decent. Highlight was the orange Fanta on tap! My roll broke apart as well.
4 - Maya C.: Totally need to bump this place rating... 

It took me a LONGGG time to park as we were going to Buffalo Wings and Beer across the street...well the wait was 15-20 and after walking for 3+ hours at Ikea..you just want to go and eat! so instead of parking again we found Boardwalk Burgers! 

1) Reason for the bump...the black bean burgers!!!! not on the menu as of yet but once they get the new menus they will be there!... 

Ok...2) reason...the 35y/o guy that took my order was kind of cute...hehehe...but I could had gone HUNGRY if he did not mention the black bean buuuurrrrgggeeerrr. I gave up on the salad...lettuce, tomatoes, onions and cheese (their version of garden salad...yuck)...that's not a salad! suggestion: more veggiessss!! (cucumbers, beets, tiny corn, shredded carrots...blue cheese crumbled....ok, now I'm going off topic!) 

3) sauteed mushroom topping...I thought THAT made my bun fall apart...was pretty a great addition! and my black bean burger with a side of chipotle sauce...and of course, mustard! was awesome...for a black bean burger! I hate those other cardboard veggie burgers or the overcooked Boca burgers...this was a winner! 

4)...not really a plus...but the fries were PLENTY but needed salt. Or have I gotten used to the over salted fries everywhere! 

We mentioned FG...the feared Five Guys...but you guys got veggie burgers... woooo hoooo!

Boathouse - Cambridge, MA (42.371337890625, -71.1168212890625) (Harvard Square)
4 - Paul S.: This place just opened up last week. Went with a group of friends, and loved the vibe. It's a little dark & mysterious, romantic, casual, and hipster-y at the same time. Also had tv screens easily accessible to watch games. 

Had the steak sandwich, and it was delicious. Additionally, the prices seemed fairly reasonable.
5 - Noshii R.: Good food...OMG!!  Can you belive it finally a place with good food!!

Onion rings/fries are so good--I think its one of the owners' grandmother recipe--yeah to grandma!   I hpe the food stays good.  

I tend to be dissapointed with the food in Cambridge unless you go somewhere super expensive and even then there is no guarentee.  

This place is nice, quite, quaint, friendly and delish.

Good beer, wine and drink selection.  The prices for the wine are great--that alone is a draw for me as its quality wines. 

The service is excellent!  

Will be going back for sure!

Boathouse Row Bar - Philadelphia, PA (39.96244, -75.19993) (Mantua)
4 - Felicia D.: It's kind of cheating, but I wrote this CP Choice for CityPaper a few months ago and I'm reprinting it here. I wrote it, but I seriously have no idea if this is copyright infrigement. 

CityPaper Choice Awards 2007
Best Place to Meet Your Secret Lover

"Baby, you know I love you.  Let me buy you a cucumber martini at the poshest joint in town. Boathouse Row Bar, tucked in the tony Rittenhouse Hotel, has cozy leather club chairs, an incandescent mural of the boathouse, bar food by Lacroix- and it's usually emptier than an adult bookstore on Sunday morning. Now, let's leave this world behind and get lost in each other's eyes- just for tonight. " 

-FMD

P.S.  It's also a dope spot to watch any sort of sporting event, due to abovementioned comfy chairs, lots of TVs (they bring in a giant projection screen for big games) and the constant emptiness and lack of moes.
3 - Anna Marie C.: blech.
alright, it's nice, it's got lots of tables, and lots of teevees for those who enjoy sports.
it's cushy and dark--looks like a place serious businessmen go.
but our waitress was seriously not equipped to handle a large party--forgetting drink orders...and not being able to make conversation.  if you're struggling, there were 3 other servers not doing much, they might have been able to help you out.
seriously, i would not have tipped her the entire 20% she added to our tab.

Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum - Austin, TX (30.2799384, -97.7384838) (Downtown)
4 - Larry M.: This As-Big-As-Texas shrine to our state can be a bit overwhelming with its comprehensive three story history trail, themed "Land," "Identity," and "Opportunity" leaving no question as how we're supposed to perceive "Progress" as the development of Texas. 

While that can be a bit mind-numbing, I've found great success in taking guests to TEXAS: THE BIG PICTURE (IMAX, of course), where it's never disappointed, nor has it failed to get the most cynical of Yankees or foreigners thinking a bit differently about the state.

There is, as you would guess, a great deal of hyperbole marshalling the 40 minute film ("Texas is bigger than..." "The Texas capitol building is taller than.." "Texas has the largest/tallest/fattest..." etc., etc.). 

Yet the natural vistas, the reminder of Texas' place in history, and even the huge chunk of the film dedicated to high school football is a pleasure to witness and a great aid in helping our visiting guests let their hair down and just go with the ride. 

There's ample metered parking on the street, so no real reason to pay at the garage. Also this IMAX shows some animated films from time to time.
5 - Astra L.: During the summer, the Bob Bullock museum (or Texas State History Museum, if you wanna go with a longer name) hosts "Concerts under the Star," which are free and feature live music under their big lone star sculpture out in the plaza. I went a couple of times, and each time was quite enjoyable. The music often had a "worldly" vibe, such as belly dancing or Celtic tunes, and folks could either sit outside and enjoy it, or else wander through the museum, with a free admission, until the concert was over.

There are three stories, so there's plenty to see -- it took two visits for us to get through all of it. I think it'd be a pretty cool place to take kids, too, since there's a lot more to it than just reading boring old textbook-style stuff. Nice, big lavish displays, and I especially liked the looming Lady Liberty that once graced the Capitol's dome, carved by Austin's own famous sculptress, Elisabet Ney.

Most of the collection is permanent, except on the first floor, which changes. I was lucky enough to see their display of Texas films and filmmakers, which was both informative and fun, and included everything from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre to Miss Congeniality.

There's also the IMAX theater, though admittedly, I haven't been to that yet. Might be a good reason to visit the Bullock again.
5 - Michelle C.: Two words:  3D IMAX.

Seriously the coolest thing EVER.  If you ever want to feel like you just spent 90 minutes in space, in the ocean, in Africa, etc., but you can't afford the time or money to actually do so, you MUST go see one of the 3D movies here.  They are amazing.

I'm also a fan of the "Concerts Under the Star" series that Astra P. mentions.  I saw Papa Mali here last week, and it was awesome - even though it was drizzling almost the entire time the band was playing, everyone just hunkered down and had a good time.  They sell drinks and limited food (snacks and hotdogs), and there are chairs out so you're not relegated to sitting on the concrete to enjoy the tunes.  The museum itself is open (and free!) during these concerts, which is an added bonus if you can tear yourself away from the music (I couldn't).

I guess I should confess that I haven't seen the actual museum exhibits here, which I am guessing some folks would say is the point.  But I can't resist posting a review anyway to rave about the 3D IMAX and the free concerts.  They're both terrific.
4 - Kristen F.: My husband got accepted to the Executive MBA program at UT recently, and they hosted a welcome party at the Texas State History Museum.  I have driven by this place a bajillion times and have always meant to go check it out, but never has.  It's gorgeous.  Marble floors with star cutouts give way to a huge domed ceiling.  It is the most architecturally striking building I've ever seen in Austin.

The catering staff was attentive, bartenders were friendly, and the food was decent.  I'd totally go to another party here.
5 - Cory O.: In college, I changed my major seven times.  Yep, seven.  But I started off with Anthropology (it ended up as my minor) and have never really shook off that first love.

Enter the Texas State History Museum.

I came with with my husband's class (it was a fun field trip where people could bring friends) and was so impressed.  First of all, you drive up to this gorgeous building that is both Texas-sized and stunningly beautiful.  When you walk in, the awe will continue. 

You can choose from all their various exhibits at different price points, but be aware that it will take you hours to see just one of them, so don't be overly ambitious.  Give it the time that it deserves and just make multiple trips.

So, why did I start off this review by mentioning my nerd love for anth?  Here's why.  The main exhibit is split into three groups:  LAND -- First Floor Exhibits, IDENTITY -- Second Floor Exhibits, and OPPORTUNITY -- Third Floor Exhibits.  The first floor was my favorite (duh).  They had all sorts of great artifacts to look at, great information on the walls, and a wide breadth of topics.  My husband was patient with me as I squealed with delight every time I came across something new.  The other two floors were interesting as well, though the third one may feel a bit like propaganda about how great Texas is, but it isn't overly done.

If you're a teacher (or even an involved parent), this would be a great place to take kids for some fun education.  They have an IMAX theater that I haven't checked out yet, but it is on my list of things to do next time I visit.  I love when museums can make learning fun, and am jealous that Austin gets to enjoy such a great place.
4 - Remedios V.: REALLY cool. I actually think the Texas history (as in Texas, proper) is a little dull, but the really old stuff is super.
4 - Jolene W.: I have gone to the museum in the past, but this is just about the IMAX.  I love going to the IMAX.  It is a luxury I only indulge in when I have friends or family in town.  The most recent movie I saw there was Dolphins and Whales.  I never knew that there was so much I didn't know about dolphins and whales.  It was more of a subdued IMAX than I have seen before.  There were no crazy twists and turns - nothing to make you feel sick to your stomach.  However, leave it to IMAX to make such an educational topic entertaining.  Whatever the topic, I recommend seeing an IMAX!
3 - A G.: Well, it was somewhat educational.  I guess technically it is a museum, but I think so much more could've been done.  The displays were lacking in description and, um, authenticity.
I just think they were stretching it to make it last for three stories.  Texas has so much history and I left feeling really disappointed and a bit ripped off.  Admission is $7, so there, I guess you get what you pay for.
Parking is $8.  We chose to go to a meter.  Don't park in state employee parking--DPS does monitor it.
Overall, I'm glad I went because you have to do it once, but I don't feel a need to go back for a learning experience.
3 - Amy C.: Pros- you get a little bit of history of the huge state of Texas, the iMax theater is fun, you can buy a Texas T-shirt if your child pukes on his own.

Cons- the price tag is HUGE!!, you have to pay for the theater separately from the museum, parking sucks (although I walk/bike/bus there now), there isn't all too much nearby for eating, kids don't love it as much as you'd want them to.
5 - Jennie C.: This review is for the IMAX only.  I have gone to the museum and IMAX several times before, but those were so long ago I can't even remember what show I watched there.  I did wind up at the Museum during one of the Music under the Stars on a Friday night.  A band plays as a crowd dances around in the grass. The alcohol there is priced like alcohol at the Toyota Center.  7 bucks for a beer??!?!  That's nuts.  I say get there already sloshed at those prices.  Other than that, it's pretty neat just to hang out, listen to music, and watch kids dance to Latin music.  

On Wednesday, I went to the IMAX with a fellow yelper, Chris M., to see the Dark Knight.  I secretly think that he just wanted to see me scared to death.  That's a common goal for many people come to think of it.

A few tips about the IMAX: *Lines for the Dark Knight are probably going to be incredibly long and crowded, even for the next month.  Get there early, cut in front of people, or get crappy seats.  

*The parking garage under the museum is free after 6 pm.  The sign is small, so now you know.  

*The only food and drinks allowed are candy and bottles with a screw top.  Sorry, no pop corn with the Joker.  Either eat first or hide food in your purse or manbag.  

The seats there are nice.  The bathrooms are clean.  The place is kept neat and tidy.  

I don't think I have to review the Dark Knight because if it raked in 158.3  million opening weekend, chances are you've already watched it.  Now I'm a chicken when it comes to scary movies.  I openly admit it.  I know as a phlebotomist (for my research) who engages in autocrossing, skydiving, regular visits to prisons (for work, CSI style), and other "dangerous" activities, I should not be scared of a movie.  I am scared though.  Even 4 days later, I'm still a little scared that the Joker might pop out and ask "Why so serious?"  

Unfortunately, since the movie was packed, the only seats that were not in the front row were on different rows.  Chris M. sat a few rows above me.  I sat next to two teenage boys.  During the one part (you know which part, I won't spoil it for the few who haven't watched the movie yet), I screamed and jumped.  The two boys next to me giggled and pointed at me.  They did that repeatedly during the movie.  I was terrified.  Oh, and yeah, Chris M. did confirm that I had indeed jumped 3 feet straight up during that one scene.  

After the movie, I turned on my phone as we were getting into the elevator.  The first thing that popped up was a text message that said "HELP" from a friend who was supposed to be on his way to Belize the next morning.  

This is a person that I've known for years that is just as much as an adrenaline junkie as I am.  He never freaks and always knows what to do in a tight situation.  The fact that I get a text that says "HELP" actually freaks me out.  He does drive some rare and sporty vehicles so the first thing that I think of is that someone is car jacking him.  Everyone else in the crowded elevator hears me panicking.  One woman leans over and says, "It's time to call the BATMAN!"  Everyone cracks up.  I'm still freaking out.  

I finally get out of the elevator and into cell service range.  I call him wondering if it's time to spring into action.  I do love one of the cars as much, if not more than he does.  He picks up.  "Hullo."  "Are you okay?" "Yeah, I'm just packing for my trip."  "Are the cars okay?"  "Yeah."  "How come you texted HELP?"  *Laughing*  "I texted HELO, but the iphone autocorrected it to HELP."  "That's not funny."  *Laughing*  "Dork, I'll talk to you later."

Tip for Iphone users: Wautch owT 4 de aouto-corRrekt.
5 - Ellen J.: Holy Giant Head of Morgan Freeman, Batman!! ( I want a funny vote, give it to me!)

I have only been to the IMAX (to see The Dark Knight) so I'll need to come back to check out the museum. If you are going to see Batman, here are some things to remember, especially if you plan to go on a weekend:

Buy tickets ahead of time--still selling out!

Arrive at least an hour ahead of time--they allow a limited number of people to wait inside while the rest stay outside until the movie starts (at least that was my impression of what happened).

Bring bottled water or sodas and snacks for while you're waiting in line.

Sit in the top two or three rows, center.

Bring a sweater if you usually get cold in theaters.
4 - Lori T.: Having always wanted to be a Texan, I moved to Austin from Miami just over a year and a half ago. Now, as I'm packing up to head back to Florida, I thought it was time to pay tribute and visit the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. 

Entering the museum, I was star-struck. No really - that massive start kinda blinded me. The lobby/atrium area is larger than the capitol rotunda. HUGE. Not until after we paid, did I realize it was three floors of Texas history. My mother and I only made it through the bottom two. 

The amount of 'stuff' packed into the first floor was a little daunting. The displays weren't clearly marked from start to finish, so starting off, I was a little discombobulated about the history. I didn't know how I was going to make it through the whole museum at that rate. But, as I kept reading the displays, everything started to weave itself together. Before I knew it, we had finished floor two. I wanted to go to the third, but my feet were hurting (wear sneakers!).

The first floor ("Encounters on the Land") details the native peoples, Spanish exploration, colonization and the "Gone to Texas" movement. The second floor ("Building the Lone Star Identity") details the revolution and independence of the Republic of Texas through statehood and the Texas Centennial. The third floor ("Creating Opportunity") details ranching, oil and information post 1936.

Overall, the museum is a great introduction to Texas. I wish I had visited the museum when I first moved here. Even for a native, there's so much history packed in here, I am sure there's much to learn for everyone.

The museum store is large and has a wide variety of souvenirs. It did seem quite pricey though, so I'll be bringing back gifts for my non-Texan friends from somewhere else.
2 - Dee C.: As for the IMAX theater:

It's totally worth it to make the trip to San Antonio and go to the IMAX there.  We will not be going back to the Bullock IMAX.  Not only are the seats uncomfortable, crowded, and lacking in armrests, but they decided to cram 8000 people in the theater on a late August evening and not turn on the air conditioning.  Is this a green initiative? 

The only reason I bumped it a star was because the sound system was very good.  But if you want to see a feature film in IMAX and do so in any amount of climate controlled comfort, go to NW San Antonio.
5 - brooke l.: my cousin was visiting from italy so to entertain his love of history, my brother and i decided to take him to this museum. i ended up enjoying it more than i thought i would since i was born and raised here and didn't think i'd find it fun or interesting - BUT I DID. i would recommend this museum to anyone.

the NASA space section wasnt very big but with NASA in houston, i can understand not having a large section devoted to it again here. still enjoyable.
5 - Gabo L.: Living in D.C. area for some time i had a playground of Museums to choose from. The smithsonians, the monuments blah blah blah. i know you dont care about my comparisons so, i will just stop. damn it man! but i love to compare...this museum is cool. i came here when my family from Maryland came down to visit. I like this museum. Texas has good history that most states dont. They also have the IMAX theater here, and then of course my brothers favorite part....the resturant. ok food for a museum. i recommend this place for everyone!
3 - Ron M.: The reviews of this place are pretty much spot on, but there are two things nobody mentions:

1. The restaurant. This is the WORST place to eat in Austin, if not the planet. The food is horrible, cold, ready-made and overpriced.  ALL the condiments, like salt, mustard/mayo, ketchup, etc. are only available at the counter in those tiny little tear-open packets.  Even McDonald's is more pleasant that this. The staff is rude and sour, especially the ones that hand you the food over the counter.  They actually appear to be pissed off at you.  Just a consistently horrible experience, and I've been there many times: I work across the street.

2. The kids. On any weekday, look for a dozen school buses parked nearby, and hundreds of screaming rug rats running all over the building. SECRET: wait until about 2:30 p.m.  to visit the museum. By that time, all the kids need to be back to school to close out the day and go home.
5 - deno f.: I'M PROUD TO BE A TEXAN!  And after reading every single little placard in the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum I am now totally prepared to explain in great detail to everyone I know WHY I'm so freakin' proud to be a Texan!  

First words from space...Houston!
Only state that was it's own country...Texas!
Only state who whoop an entire other country...Texas!
Birthplace to LBJ...Texas!
Birthplace of the corney dog...Texas!

Check this place out, plan to break for lunch!  There's a lot to see and you really do want to see it all.  They have some amazing things to see including the original statue that used to sit atop our state capitol building...man that chick is uuuuuugly.  They explain why, but you have to go to the museum to find out. 

If you are from Texas you are shucking your duty by not heading over right now.  If you're a transplant, consider this your final exam to being Texan.  Either way, this was a lot of fun.  My 12-year old daughter even had a great time.
4 - Barron F.: Fascinating exhibits about Texas history. I must admit that I wasn't that interested in it, but after a few minutes on the first floor, I was hooked. Unfortunately, I was with my 4 and 7 yr olds, so I didn't have more than 30 seconds to look at each thing. I really need to come back when I can spend plenty of time at this museum and read up on all the interesting facts and presentations.

We also saw a movie at the IMAX theater here. It's the best IMAX I have been to. It's amazing!
5 - Kevin N.: Every now and again I'm asked by someone who doesn't live here how long it takes to drive from one city to another in our state. And it's always fun to note the sign that you can see on I-10 driving in from Louisiana: Houston 150 miles, El Paso 832 miles.  The point?  It's a big state we live in, and a tall order for any museum to try to encapsulate the rich and varied lineage of Texas, which is as much a state of mind as it is a geologic certainty.

Many of the features here rotate, and the IMAX always seems to have interesting options at the ready, like the 3-D version of the Polar Express they'll be running this holiday season. In the mean time, the movie on Texas is terrific (mind your seat...trust me), and the exhibits (from space exploration to the wild west and beyond) give you a true and definitive sense of why we Texans bring the state pride like no one's bidness. 'Cause it takes a place with a mission and approach the size of a ten-gallon hat to pull this off.
4 - Nick and PJ D.: Cowboy's and presidents exhibit was great and had a lot of very interesting exhibits.  The I-Max theater also was as good as when I went before. The Ocean 3-D  movie was great.
4 - Timothy S.: the imax here is awesome. i saw batman there. you do have to get there early and i dont think they allow food inside. the place is really clean and the screen is huge. get there early to get a good seat. they dont let you in once the movie starts.
5 - Yolanda G.: Being a born and raised Austenite, I'm ashamed to admit that I hadn't made it a priority to get to the Bob Bullock museum before this past weekend. Playing tour guide to two out of town guest motivated me to show my Texas pride with a visit to this treasure of a landmark. 

AMAZING is the only word I'm going to use to describe my experience because no other word would give this visit justice!!!

 Previous to attending the museum, I arranged for a docent a.k.a tour guide who can be done for groups of ten or people with disabilities. Request for Homer if you do because he's super duper knowledgeable about Texas history.

 Learning about everything from our Texas heroes like Sam Houston and Stephan F. Austin and the Native American Indians made my heart swell with pride. Absorbing the rich culture of being our own country and the battles fought deepened my loyal ties. There were even videos showing the specific history of various Texas cities and their origins. 

Checking out the Story of Texas interactive movie in the Spirit of Texas theater was lots of fun with its little surprises. Your seat would react with the action being shown on the screen. There are also descript video headsets for people who are visually impaired.

The interior of the building is beautiful and contains lots of statues, the coolest being the original lady liberty sitting on our state capitol from 1888. Everything really is bigger and better in Texas! Plan on eating at the café on the second floor as they served some hot yummy food which is reasonably priced. 

The museums creators did a fantastic job capturing centuries of history in addition to the Texas spirit and pride. Ok, so maybe I'm a little biased, but even my out of town guest were impressed with the Texas museum. So you don't have to be a true breed Texan to appreciate the history and culture of Texas. Lucky for me that I am though!
4 - Yulonda M.: There's a lot to love about this place: 4 stars to the IMAX theater, it is awesome!!! It's hard to watch movies in regular movie theaters after this. The sound and visuals are, of course, out of this world. 

Had a great time last summer during some of the "Music under the stars" events, 4 stars for that too. It was deathly hot but I enjoyed the music and the free salsa lessons, and the older folks were just adorable dancing.

I've never seen their permanent exhibits but I did drop in to see the Dallas TV series exhibit. Who didn't love Dallas? There was an entire science project  tri-fold display dedicated to who killed JR. Negative stars for the exhibit--cardboard cutouts and a few photographs of the TV series just doesn't cut it. I could have cut and pasted the whole thing together myself.
2 - Lauren W.: After living in Austin for four years and driving by this place all the time, I finally went a while back. I only saw the museum, so I can't say anything for the IMAX, but I was pretty unimpressed. 

It looks so grand and inviting from the outside, especially at night. And while the exhibits were informative, I found it really boring overall. I kept wondering how all those poor kids could stand it. 

As a graphic designer, I thought the graphics were sub-par, especially for a state museum. They could have done much, much better. There were some cool things on the top floor, but that wasn't enough to save me from my boredom and disappointment. 

I'm still proud to be a Texan; I'm just not so sure about you, Bob Bullock.
3 - Chandler M.: imax part is of course amazing.  no cup holders in the theater, and the seats i sat in tonight looked old and stained, sorta smelled like someone sprayed anti-barf perfume on them.  the food at the theater is way limited, and there is no popcorn, which is sorta unbelievable to me.  if it wasn't for it being an imax theater, i would probably rate this a 2.
4 - Tracey S.: This review is mostly for the IMAX theater part of this museum.

All my IMAX movie experiences have been at this museum and have been enjoyable.  The theater is clean and spacious.  The heads of people sitting in the row in front of me never block enough of my viewing area to bother me.  

The box office sells drinks and candy at generous prices compared to typical movie theater chains.  There is a cafe on the second story of this museum that closes at 5 pm so the theater box office sells only a limited selection of drinks and candy.  Think boxed candy and bottled drinks (20 oz Sprite, water, Coke, etc...)  The drinks are only $2.50 and the candy is $1-$1.50.  

The movie ticket prices are reasonable.  Non-full-length films such as those 45-min IMAX documentaries are $7 and the full-length films are $12.  At the time of this review, evening prices of movies at other theaters in Austin are about $9.  The larger screen and 3D effects are worth the extra money.

The restroom of this museum is very clean, spacious, and uniquely-decorated.  This museum makes you feel proud to be a Texan.

My only annoyance with this theater is the volume is usually a little on the loud side.  

Parking is usually pretty convenient, but you should reserve at least 30 minutes to find parking (to be on the safe side).  I usually park in the State parking lot right across from the theater at Brazos and MLK if it's after 6 pm Monday - Friday.  Or, if all the spots are occupied or if the parking lot is reserved for some UT Football game tailgaters, I just parallel-park along Colorado a block west.  Walking up the hill on the way back to your car can be tiresome, though.

This theater is also convenient to some fun places, most notably the UT campus with all its events and the Blanton Museum of Art.  You can also walk to the Texas State Capitol a few blocks south or even further to explore the rest of downtown Austin.
5 - Veronica H.: I am a fan of this place. It is beautiful. A few years back my company hosted a Christmas party here and that was my first visit! I have been back twice since then. I love everything about it, the history, IMAX EVERYTHING!
3 - Lorena O.: This review is solely for the theatre.

I've seen a couple of films here, most recently "A Christmas Carol" in 3-D.  Though the theatre is quite expansive, I don't feel like the seating is far enough away from the actual screen.  Is this the case with all IMAX theatres?  I have no clue!  But especially with this last movie I saw, I felt like I had to turn my head from side to side to be able to take in the entire view.  Perhaps the view from the very last row is considerably better?  Take it from me, though, if you're going to see an action flick within it's opening week, get there SUPER early.  Otherrwise you'll end up in the front row like me regretting you didn't think to pack a barf bag  You've been warned!

My biggest complaint is that there isn't much leg room here, so I felt cramped throughout the movie.  On a positive note, though, they wash the 3-D glasses before each viewing.  (At least I'm hoping that's what the wet residue was on my pair.)

I do have to give it to IMAX though for always bringing interesting movies to its theatres.  For that I give an extra thumb up to this place.
4 - Robert S.: This is an absolutely gorgeous museum that has really great displays and just enough interaction without dumbing things down to four year-old level like so many other museums.  Every time I visit, I am reminded how boring Illinois state history is compared with the founding of Texas and its torturous path toward statehood.

One big change since the last time I was here: you can no longer take any photography inside the exhibits area.  And loathe him or admire him, why is there no mention of George W. Bush's two-term presidency alongside the pantheon of famous politicians including Sam Rayburn and Lyndon B. Johnson?  An update is sorely needed.

Oh, and if you eat in the Story of Texas Cafe, try the Chicken Fried Steak sandwich.  The cafeteria might be paltry, but it's a decent place to grab something light.  :)
5 - Paul L.: I wish YELP allowed me to rate movies (AVATAR in this case), but that is probably some other website, so I'll do the next best thing, rate the theater I watched it at.  

Oh my.  I will have a difficult time seeing a movie in 2D after seeing AVATAR in 3D.  For anyone deciding where to go see this amazing movie, you must see it at this IMAX
5 - Justin M.: This museum is a great place to spend at least 3 hours of time. There is so much colorful Texas history to learn and it's all packed into this museum very nicely. I recommend seeing a show in the Texas Spirit Theater which is one of those 4D special effects theaters where you are immersed in the presentations. It's a lot of fun and a good way to start your visit. The museum also has a Texas sized IMAX theater that always has great documentaries playing and sometimes a major release Hollywood film that is presented in 3D. 

The exhibits are very well done and occasionally the museum will present a special, temporary exhibit that focuses on a specific subject relating to Texas. 

They have a nice cafe on the second floor that does not require paid museum or theater admission. I like to grab lunch there. 

On the first Saturday of every month from 2:00-6:00 p.m. the museum offers free admission and there is free parking every day after 6 p.m. in the museum garage. The parking garage is very convenient for UT events in the evening.  

There is no photography allowed in the exhibits, but I don't know any museum that does allow photos.
4 - Troy H.: We always enjoy our time spent at the museum. The movies, exhibits, staff, and environment are top notch.
  It isn't our personal taste to go often, but when we have out-of-towners visiting, or need to see an IMAX; this is the place.
  Fun for the kids, the "Star of Destiny" movie.. it is filled with surprises that will have you "jumping" from your seat (lol) and history that delights kids and adults.
4 - Kelly S.: The cinematic experience of the IMAX is like finding yourself suddenly in my favorite level of Super Mario Bros 3, giant land.  With huge sharks, quidditch playing wizards and blue Na'vi flying at you in 3D, its like the best dream you've ever had. Except in this one, you're a. awake and b. eating theater candy. 

Whats nice about the imax is that they show educational films as well -- as much as i love my state, I spent a good part of both years of Texas history daydreaming about the guy in front of me.  The Story of Texas gives you the full bodied experience that a dusty textbook never can.  New shows like the "Life of an Artifact" and "The Alps" are actually educational AND entertaining. No, its not an oxymoron and a great Saturday family outing. 

As a side note, this theater is always clean -- worlds away from the kind of popcorny/funky feet smell of other normal sized theaters.  The staff seems to be a step above as well. Even when we went to see HP, the staff handled the line of foaming Hermiones with grace and efficiency.
4 - Felecia I.: Why we love the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum:

1) IMAX (especially 3-D!) in a lovely theatre with comfortable, plush seats.  Big sighs of satisfaction after every visit.

2) Things you wanted to know about Texas but never thought to ask are covered in detail here.  Informative displays and awesome props all come together under one roof in this majestic building.  

3) The gift shop.  It's Austin's best kept local shopping secret, y'all.  This is THE place to look for that unique Texas-themed gift, whether for a newborn or great-grandpa Jack.  There's a nice selection of high quality items, i.e. cattle metal sculptures, beautiful pottery pieces, coffee table books, large-sized antique reproduction maps.  In the mood for quirkier stuff? They also have Willie Nelson bandana braids, "Hardcore Texan" stickers, armadillo coin banks and bats in a can.  There's something for everyone in every price range.
5 - Christine A.: The mister snagged two free tickets from The Austin Film Festival yesterday for a screening of the movie "Arabia" at the 3-D IMAX.  It is narrated by, Hamzah Jamjoom, a young Saudi film student at DePaul. The film is beautifully presented and features the amazing history of early Arabia contrasted with a new Arabia.  With the added 3-D effects, I was completely enchanted!  Hamzah was present to introduce the film and meet the group afterwards.

After schmoozing with Hamzah and his over 6' tall blonde girlfriend, we got up close and personal with a couple of camels stationed in the front lawn of the museum and listened for a few minutes to a band playing Arabian music. Unfortunately for my husband, the belly dancing was scheduled for a little later in the day and we had to leave.

On the way out we noticed a sign indicating that the first Saturday of the month, between 2 and 4 p.m., Wells Fargo hosts whatever is showing at the IMAX free!  I've put this on my calendar for the summer.  Parking in the garage is $8 a car but meter spaces are available free during the weekend. Nothing better than free summer fun.
5 - Mark D.: I love seeing movies at the IMAX. The screen's so frickin' big, it's so easy to get totally engrossed in the film. But the main reason I prefer IMAX is that's it's so much cleaner than other theaters - and nobody talks. People go to IMAX to watch the movie, not talk to their friends. I've seen the new Star Trek here, Avatar in 3-D, and now Iron Man 2. Never a bad experience. Couple tips: Buy tickets online and get there early. Parking in their garage will cost you 8 bucks. And bring a coat. Not a sweater, not a jacket. A coat. Like you're going skiing. It's effin' freezing in there.
4 - Joe L.: Since I will be vacating the Lone Star state pretty soon, I made a point to get downtown and feast on some Texas history.  The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum is probably one of the best state history museums you are going to come across, and it's that way for several reasons.

First off, the state of Texas has a richer history than most, I mean c'mon, this state was an actual republic of it's own for awhile and there were real wars fought over the territory back in the day.

So of course, that helps when it comes to putting together the exhibits and films for the museum.  The Spirit of Texas film is only about 15 minutes, but it's the best thing in this place when it comes to interactivity.  Pay the extra couple bucks and take it in.  There are three levels of exhibits and lots of great items to look at and read about in the process.  I think you realize how great a museum this is if you have been to other state museums, which mostly pale in comparison. 

As mentioned by several others, there is a great IMAX theatre in the building as well, which helps make this attraction that much better.  So whether you are a long time Texan or just passing through like I was, it's worth you time and the kids will love it too.
3 - David N.: So I attended UT from 2002-2006 and always saw this museum across the street, I even parked it the parking lot to go to the gym or other various activities on campus but never bothered visiting it.

4 years later and basically all of my friends that I knew from when I was in school were finally graduating and it would be one of my last trips to Austin.  I decided that this trip would be full of "touristy" things that I never got to check out during my time here.

This museum did not live up to the hype.  It's sad when the most interesting thing is the giant star outside.
1 - Jarren W.: I love seeing movies at an IMAX and growing up in Htown had many options to do so.  Unfortunately fot this theatre it is poorly organized theatre does ImAX shame.  If you're going to sell so many tickets, start the movie on time and organize the masses standing out front.  If there was another Austin IMAX I'd never return...
FAIL!
5 - Laura A.: We saw Avatar & Alice in Wonderland here in 3D.  Awesome experience!  We also took the kiddies to see Arabia, they had fun.  There were camels outside, someone to paint their name in Arabic... fun stuff.  Looking forward to seeing more great movies at the IMAX and to take my sweetie to the museum.
1 - Rene G.: Austin needs a new IMAX. 

If the BBTSHM cannot accommodate a line of people to stand inside during Texas heat maybe they do not need to be in the IMAX business. 

I intended on writing this review while I was standing in line but I wanted to wait to see if my thoughts on this were different the next day. They are not. It is unrealistic to ask people to stand outside for 40 + minutes in Texas heat to watch a movie. I really do not give a hoot if there is a event going on in the other room or not. There are ways around it and the management at the BBTSHM need to figure it out. 

I was almost pacified since the movie I went see (Inception... go see it now, just not at IMAX)... was so good but this morning I was still pissed off about having to sit and wait outside. Its just uncalled for and could be handled differently. There are benches outside but they were made of stone that had been baking in the sun all day so if you had thin pants on (or shorts as i did) they were not an option cause you'd roast your rump.

I will still go see movies here cause it is a pretty great show... however I will get there earlier and make sure my movie is in the evening in case i have to stand outside again.
3 - Dan G.: This review is for the IMAX here. It's definitely one of the best museum based IMAXs I've been to, but it's not the best for a major release screen.

They definitely make up for the limitations based on the structure with great service and friendly announcements. The seating is also comfortable and it is VERY clean.

The problems are with the structure of the theater. The screen bend (inherent with IMAX) is really hard to not notice in this theater and you seem to be closer to the screen. The picture is a little distorted no matter where you are in the theater and the sound system isn't up to snuff.

Now, the museum itself looks pretty darn awesome and I'd definitely like to check it out.
4 - Jillian S.: This place is very nice and clean.  It's just like any other IMAX experience I guess you could say.  I saw Inception here and the sound system alone made it a more enjoyable time.  The screen is HUGE so I would recommend sitting in the very back.

Get there early to get in the front of the line so you can get a good seat! Some people will be there an hour or more before if the movie is popular enough...(with cards to entertain them for the wait)

I suggest bringing your own snacks in your purse as they only have typical movie drinks and boxes of candy that are way over priced.
5 - Mario L.: Hubble 3D was amazing. I was captivated and left wanting more. My 6 year old son never lost attention and exclaimed "Oh my goodness" on several occasions.
2 - Logan H.: Terribly Outdated, Seats are decades old, and before each movie there is a 10 minute lecture on what door to use.  Sound system was that of a standard theater and screen was not much larger... Not impressed.
1 - Karl M.: Went to see the Hubble in IMAX.  The movie was pretty cool, but that's where the good news ends; and the IMAX theater has nothing to do with the beauty of the film.

First, it smelled like a toilet as soon as you walk in.  Pretty gross to begin with.  Then about 20 minutes in to the movie, when it really starts to take off, it just goes black--turns off.  About four minutes later, the staff "fixed" it and the movie resumes.  However, they didn't start the movie from where it stopped, they started it as if it had never stopped--four minutes later.  

So what I saw was something like "...and we have to be so careful with this next step, because one false move and the whole satellite will go---" [movie cuts out...four minutes go by...then you see four astronauts returning from their successful repair mission on the telescope].  WHAT??????  What the heck happened?  What did I miss?  Oh well, guess I'll never know.

That wasn't the end of it either.  Turned out the movie wasn't really FIXED.  They just had the video back on.  It turned out that one of the audio channels wasn't back on.  So while 60% of the time we heard stuff in the movie, we missed all of the narration and half of the dialog.  This went on for 20 minutes because we weren't exactly sure there was a problem.  I eventually caught on and told the staff about the issue--they fixed it.  However, by then, there was only 10 minutes left in the movie.

So basically, for a 60 minute move, I missed out on 25 minutes--the most interesting parts of the movie too!

They were nice enough to give a refund, but I don't plan on going back to watch a movie where it smells like I'm in a dirty bathroom and the movie keeps cutting out...  C'mon, it's a movie theater, it seems like it should be pretty hard to screw that up...touche' Bob Bullock IMAX.
4 - Ed U.: They do everything big in Texas, and there's evidence of this with this expansive museum near the state capitol. It offers an ostentatious and comprehensive look at the history of Texas on three floors dominated by an impressive, Capitol-like dome. Its namesake - no relation to Sandy - was a tough-talking, five-times-divorced, true Texan who served as lieutenant governor for two disparate, opinionated governors, Ann Richards and George W. It's well worth the $7 to browse a couple of hours, although be aware that using the underground parking lot may send you to bankruptcy with the $12 flat fee. 

There's all sort of interactive exhibits to allow you to listen to actors reading from historic diaries, as well as screening areas that show vintage newsreels and one that showcases a clip-filled look at the role of the Texas cowboy in Hollywood movies. The three floors reflect different themes - "Land" on the first floor where focus is on the early settlements well before statehood, "Identity" on the second floor explores the journey from independent nation to its admission as the 28th state, and "Opportunity" on the third floor spotlights the state's riches, in particular, the role of the oil industry, and how the state stays at the forefront of space, medicine and technology. 

My one complaint is that they overdid the ambiance when they decided to install a rocky texture to certain areas of the third floor to make you feel like you're in the great outdoors. Yeah right. For additional fees, there are two screening rooms. One is the Texas Spirit Theater ($5) which shows history-focused features filled with special effects to recreate the sensation of natural disasters like hurricanes. The other is an IMAX theater ($7) that shows movies that have nothing to do with Texas. "Inception", anyone? The museum is just a short walk from the UT campus in case you are heavily into an academic mood.
4 - Muerto D.: Honest portrayal of the lone star the heights and lowpoints. From the first Spanish explorers to the space program.
Videos and interactive displays. Educational and informative.
5 - Oliver F.: Hey! Quick review of the exhibition TANGO ALPHA CHARLIE: TEXAS AVIATION CELEBRATION at the Bob Bullock Museum. You need to see this exhibition. It's not around much longer and it's somehow stayed under radar (ha ha) but it's really an exceptionally well done exhibit featuring some truly interesting stories. Super artifacts. Great visuals. Lots of interactives. A very handsome presentation overall. Even if you know/care nothing about airplanes, you'll like this exhibit.  Seriously. check it out. (suggestion: Check it out when you go to see Harry Potter. Buy your tickets and see the exhibit while you wait....But it's def worth a visit all its own.)
4 - Jess C.: Free on select Saturdays!

(IMAX not included)
5 - Joseph F.: History! History! History!  I can't get enough of it and to make it all better this is about my favorite topic, TEXAS!  It is three floors of amazing history.  You start off with the Native American tribes that were (some of which still are) here up to almost present day.  It is an amazing museum full of interesting information.  If you are a native born or naturalized Texan you MUST stop by and visit sometime.  Plan on spending several hours though.
3 - John P.: This review is solely for the IMAX Theater: 

People GET RESERVED SEATING FOR GOD'S SAKE!!! The management that runs the Imax theater sector of the museum need to take a lesson from Navy Pier Imax Chicago, New York City Imax, and even San Antonio imax -they all have a reserved seating option on their ticket websites so you can select your exact seat and not have to wait in line for 1+ hours in advance and/or outside in the heat if you don't get there early enough to be one of the lucky ones sitting on the lobby floor. 

I am just baffled as to why they don't have reserved seating. Really pisses me off because I'd like to see more movies here. 

I will give them credit for free parking in the underground garage on the evening and weekends. You'd be raped (financially)in Chicago if you parked at Navy Pier's garage at any time. 

I recently sent management an email as to why they don't have a reserved seating option. Looking forward to hearing a response. They probably are just too cheap to spend the money to add the technology to update their website -that is the only reason I can think of since reserved seating would completely eliminate the masses of people getting there so early and would decrease crowd control issues. 

Get with the program Bob Bullock IMAX and get reserved seating!!!!!! 

*****UPDATE 4/27/2011: I received an email from the director of the theater in response to my inquiry regarding reserved seating (I am also adding 1 additional star to my rating to 3 stars from such a prompt and thoroughly explained response from management): 

"Hi John, 

It does sound like an ideal scenario. Rational, intelligent patrons like yourself know their seat number and they simply find their seats and sit down. Unfortunately, my experience after more than a few years in this industry has been that a large percentage of people with reserved seats either prefer to be led to their seats or have trouble finding row and seat markings on their own no matter how prominently placed. This is compounded when patrons who could normally find seats on their own see other people being helped and feel like they are missing out on a service. Then, there are the patrons who mistakenly sit in the wrong seat and invariably need an usher to straighten things out for them. It's a matter of psychology, not common sense. The reality is that in order to provide reserved seating you need quite a few people in the theater to make sure it happens smoothly. These would need to be in addition to the staff we have posted at the front and rear doors, those dedicated to assisting special needs visitors, and those handling glasses for 3D presentations. If I were to initiate such a change without doubling my theater host staff, the complaints would undoubtedly increase exponentially as confused patrons became upset and shows became delayed. As for the cost of initiating this service, our ticketing software and infrastructure does not allow for reserved seating. The cost of that upgrade alone would take several years to pay for itself. 


Next time I talk to my colleague at Navy Pier, I'll ask how many ushers he needs to fill a 400 seat theater with reserved seats in 20 minutes. I'm guessing it is quite a few more than we have and they can afford that additional staff because of the immense volume of daily traffic. According to their website, that's a $17 ticket. 


We're doing the best we can with what we have. Thanks for understanding." 



John L. Lewis 
Director of Theaters 
The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum
3 - Heather R.: Went to see an IMAX movie here.  Line was quick and short, they had limited concessions and the theater was small, cozy and clean.  Would go back.  

It does look like you can bring in  your own beverages, such as water or soda, as long as they are in a bottle.
5 - Jules R.: As a California native, I was thrilled to learn Texas History at the Bob Bullock Museum. I had such fun, and all of the exhibits were very well done. It held my interest easily, and my son was equally enthralled. The interactive theater was pretty intense. So cool! 
The museum itself is quite an impressive building. My fiance and I considered it as a venue for our wedding reception. (Instead, we stayed in California to marry.)
4 - S R.: The first two floors are amazing. Great exhibits that really tell the early parts of "The Story of Texas", as you're reminded at every turn.

The third floor, on the other hand, is where it stars to peter out. It's like nothing happened in the state after Reconstruction, except for some boring stuff about ranching and oil, and an all-too-brief exhibit on the space program.

Still, it's a nice place overall and an amazing facility to boot. Many state and local history museums are in mediocre digs, but they spared no expense for this one. If you're a tourist visiting Austin during a 100-degree heat spell, you really should be spending an afternoon in here.
3 - Teresa M.: I'm not from Texas and I didn't take Texas history in grade school. Some of the past history stuff is mildly interesting. I would say this museum is a bit "Texas Sized" for its exhibits. The IMAX does show some fun show, like about Space etc. 

It's not going to be an entire afternoon of fun but in these hot days it is a fun place to check out with a little bit older crowd (i.e. not 5 year old screamers). 

I've only been once but I think first impressions are worth sharing with the crowd....
3 - BossMan W.: Overload of Texas history that I can honestly say you could probably do with any other state to the same magnitude.  There are things to see but it is overshadowed by the amount of things you need to reed to figure out what you are looking at.  We were told there was free parking but if you go during the weekday good luck finding it.  The large parking lot across the street is heavily patrolled by wrecker drivers and is for State employees only until 5 or 6 pm.  Garage parking at the Brazos Center Garage is for the Blanton Art Museum but you don't know that until you try to pay for parking and have to walk across the street to pay.  I did like the Spirit of Texas Theater and was fun for the kids with the special effects.
4 - Linda C.: A great primer on Texas history from the original settlers (Native Americans) through the Spanish explorers to current Texas.  The exhibits were interesting and informative, with a great variety to offer.

I would recommend that only children 6+ explore here.  My 6 year old first grader was very interested, as it touched on things they have talked about in school.  My 4 year old was bored to tears.
3 - Clare G.: My boyfriend and I had decided to spend a day downtown to enjoy the city. Unfortunately our first choice activity, the Museum of Natural History, is closed until October. Instead, we went to the Bob Bullock. Every employee that we ran into was friendly and helpful. Heck, before we even entered the exhibit, someone told us where all the bathrooms are located. Good job being one step ahead! We decided to buy combo tickets: museum and the new Transformers movie in the IMAX theatre. The exhibit is wonderfully laid out in chronological order starting from the floor level and ending on the third level of the building. It was also simple to navigate and interesting. If you don't much like reading every detail, there are overviews on each time period. If you do enjoy knowing details, there are plenty of first-hand accounts and other information. Throughout the museum are short films about different epochs such as the 100th anniversary of Texas' statehood.

The shop is as you might expect. Some silly tourist stuff but also some more interesting things. There are plenty of objects with "Come and get it" stamped onto them or "You all can go to Hell, I'm going to Texas".

The IMAX was in tip-top condition. We had no problems with sound or picture and they reminded the audience which doors to use when exiting in order to keep the theatre dark. Snacks and drinks can be bought in the lobby but expect to pay $4 for a 20 oz bottle of soda. There are no refills.
4 - Jenny C.: Only IMAX in Austin.  We had a great time seeing Transformers in 3-D Imax.  We had eaten before we went and got there about an 1 1/2 early and were the 6 sixth people in line.  We had pre-purchased tickets online before we got there.  The concession stand was closed when we got there but opened up about an hour before the movie.  It was a sold-out show! The restrooms were really nice and the staff was friendly.
4 - Gina E.: IMAX!!! This was my second trip to Bob Bullock for an IMAX showing and it never diappoints. This time was a first seeing a 3D HD movie here though and it was amazing of course! Since it is the only IMAX in town, seats sell out quickly and the line to get in starts early. We caught a 7:30pm Saturday show and were there 1.5 hours early and were not the first (maybe the 12th). And you almost have to get there early enough to get a seat high up in the theater since the screen is so large, this is crutial to me. They have a very small, limited concession stand.
4 - Susan H.: How could you not love a place built to allow visitors to explore Texas History (pssst it also has an IMAX theater). 

3 floors of Texas History with "mini" programs to watch throughout the exhibits. If you need more entertainment jump into the the IMAX or the Spirits theater for more shows. If you love history and want to be intelligent this is the place for you. If you just need to wander to get out of the heat and don't really care about Texas History or movies - it might serve you well to find another air conditioned place.
4 - Katie T.: Despite the fact that someone, somewhere, thought it might be a terrific idea to have an entire high school marching band flood the lobby and perform to accompany the High School Football exhibit, we had a great time. 

We ended up having to go up a floor and to the back corner to start our museum adventure. If you've ever been, or are looking to go, the front entrance is a giant echo chamber. Fill it with loud teenagers armed with instruments in between performances and it instantly becomes a torture chamber. 

Eventually they disbursed, only to flood the exhibits. Being teenagers it didn't last long, they weren't interested in what Bullock had to offer. Good for us. :-) 

The history of Texas is fascinating and complicated. From indians to oil rigs you'll get a chronological breakdown on the who-where-what-when and why this great state was founded. A little disappointed in the lack of historical artifacts and abundance of paper mache people. The movies, if you are patient enough to watch them, are quite good. The Bullock has a great balance of the types of exhibits throughout the museum. In my opinion the most fun is to be had walking through the large scale houses and rooms scattered throughout the museum. 

I'm not sure I'll be back here anytime soon. Most of the museum is built to last forever and I don't know if I'd have the patience to wander through all the floors again with an out of town guest. I do want to check out the IMAX theatre though. 

Great place to kill part of the day when it's hot enough to melt your flip flops.
5 - Zem Z.: Very fun place. Loved it.
5 - Bo Y.: absolutely amazing IMAX experiences! I watched Batman The Dark Knight twice here. This is a full size IMAX theater, 3 story tall screen and a great sound system. Tickets are cheap too, only $11. Be sure to show up early to get in line or else you won't find good seats.
3 - Eric W.: This museum is definitely worth a stop if you are spending a couple of days in Austin. Whether you are a native, or a visitor, there is something to be learned here. Texas has a rich and colorful history, and this is probably the best single place to get the most complete picture of Texas history. 

The museum also features an IMAX theater, a gift shop and a cafeteria. As much as I like the museum, there are a few things about it that annoy me: 

1) I'm docking a star for no free parking. You pay to get in, "validated" parking should be free. You'll probably save money by parking in one of the nearby public lots (http://www.yelp.com/biz/capitol-visitors-parking-garage-austin). And it's not a bad walk either. 

2. I'm docking a star for no picture taking. I don't think there is much in terms of genuine artifacts here (that might be harmed by a flash), so I can only assume this rule is to sell more gift shop items. 

3. Almost docking a star for fake, er, replica, cannon ("Come and Take It") from Gonzales, but at least you told us where to find it (http://www.yelp.com/biz/gonzales-memorial-museum-gonzales).
5 - Andrew C.: Nice building.  Good crowd.  IMAX specs.  Recommended.
5 - Derek W.: I went here during my trip to San Antonio. It is defintley worth it if you are interested in the history of Texas. The exhibits go into deep detail about the history of Texas from the time of the dinosaurs to present day. The building is very new and very clean, i would highly recommend this museum to people going to Austin
4 - Alek Z.: Even if you aren't a rabid connoisseur of Texan history, the Bob Bullock is still worth a trip.

The place is several floors of exhibits and artifacts and such, from prehistory to the present. I haven't been there in a few years, so I don't know what all they might have added, but they've got quite a bit, including a model of the statue on top of the Texas State Capitol. 

They've also got the only IMAX theater in town, which is pretty awesome. Iron Man in 3D? Hell yeah. 

In fact, my single biggest beef with this place is their outrageously overpriced concessions. Seriously, it's worth than a movie theater in there.
3 - Mike P.: Great cafe.
4 - Ricardo G.: Very interesting place to go to. I take out of towners there. It's a good place to learn about the State of Texas History. Also in the gift shops, it's cool just to go browser. The food in the Museum  is not bad.
5 - Dev S.: One of the best museums in Texas.  The museum is 3 floors and tells the story of Texas from the start of time to current.  The exhibits are full of rare artifacts with full descriptions.  One of the great things I did notice is the artifacts come from all over.  From the Texas State Archives to private collections and everywhere in between the staff has done a great job in securing some of the most rare artifacts to put on display.  In addition to artifacts they have interactive exhibits which include video, audio, touch and smell.      

This is not a museum where you can spend a few hours at and get something out of it.  To get the full experience of the museum you need to spend at least 5 to 6 hours to see everything.  With that said they have a cafe which serves great food at a great price.  The museum has a IMAX which plays films about Texas and Texas History.  You can get a ticket package where you can get admission to the museum and IMAX tickets for a low price.  

This museum has something for everyone....young and old.  This is one of the best museums I have been to and the only one that comes close is the Oklahoma State History Museum.
4 - M S.: We had a great time here.
4 - Kathy C.: Finally a museum that tells the comprehensive story of our great state!  As a native Texan, I was thrilled to see exhibits that spanned early settlers to NASA.  The quality of the exhibits was excellent.  The architecture gave a nod the the traditional with fully modern functionality.
4 - Le B.: A great place for school age kids and adults.  Lots to learn about Texas and the exhibits are very well maintained and updated.  The current exhibit on Texas music is fantastic...Janis Joplin to The Big Bopper to Stevie Ray Vaughn.  There is also an exhibit with artifacts excavated by A&M from the La Belle shipwreck.  The IMAX is also always fun, though I don't necessarily understand why they would run an R-rated movie all weekend with no options for kids.
5 - Charley C.: This place is Texas History on Texas Steroids! It is a beautiful museum and will take at least a half day to get through all the exhibits, and and whole lot longer to absorb what you have seen! The IMAX is nice, but the Texas story looks to me like it is high school oriented. The other theatre is very nice and has surprises I will leave for you the discover. Oh yes and the display on music seems to go on and on and I think I may be going on and on a bit too! Enjoy!
4 - Christian B.: Everything's bigger in Texas, including the movie screens. Tucked in the state history museum, the single-screen theater shows a fair amount of first-run movies in addition to the usual IMAX fare. The picture's great and so's the sound. It's no fake IMAX like they advertise in those suburban multiplexes.
2 - Trevor H.: Review for adults:  not bad. Not nearly as exciting as a Smithsonian or a major city history museum. Perhaps being an Okie is part of the problem (::pinkie to mouth::).  A place to cool off. Not sure I'd be happy to go with other adults for full price.
3 - Robert G.: I waited in a long line to see Prometheus on it's opening and was amazed to be outside standing in line. At the time I texted that I hate the place but the theater is clean I just disliked waiting in line so long. I'd no clue Prometheus would be that much of a draw.

I've never been to the museum itself but for an IMAX film show up early. The theater is grand.
3 - E V.: After the Harry Potter disaster last year I was reluctant to visit Bob Bullock again. But my recent experience was much better. You just can't beat watching a movie on the humongous IMAX screen. You will want to bring a jacket. It is cold, cold, cold in the theatre which is great. But you'll end up a popsicle before it's all said and done.
2 - Gene S.: Very disappointing.  This museum tries to be everything, and accomplishes very little.  The exhibits are not well organized, and in most cases are not well explained.  The lighting and method of display is poor.  You are not allowed to take photographs.  Seminal events in Texas history are treated in an unorganized and incomplete manner, and receive the same level of exposure as obscure musicians and cultural, not historical, events.  With all there is to do and see in the Austin area,  this museum is a poor expenditure of time and money.  Never again.
4 - Joseph S.: I only did the exhibit, it has 3 floors: Indian era, Revolution time and modern era. 

One of my favorite room is on the 3rd floor, it is called Texas Connected. You get to choose which city you want to hear about. I really liked it. 

Highly recommended if you have kids and wants to spend a good hot summer day inside.
5 - Sam S.: The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum is a really cool musuem on Texas history. Divided into three floors: Indians, Revolution, and the Modern Era, the Museum does a great job of telling the story of Texas and the people of Texas. Although it may not be as well organized as it could be, I've seen museums that were a lot worse, and overall I'd say they did a pretty good job. I loved seeing all of the many artifacts on display including the western guns, the old Ford truck, neon signs, aerospace items, and more. I feel like I learned a lot more about Texas history and would go back again.

Bob O'Connor Golf Course at Schenley Park - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4397358, -79.9360907) (Squirrel Hill)
5 - Mike C.: The Bob O'Connor Golf Course at Schenley Park is one of those hidden gems that, for some reason or another, doesn't get the credit it deserves.  I've played there quite a few times this past summer and was blown away by the value. For $10 (9 holes) or $15 (18 holes) you get a view of the Pittsburgh skyline and some great golf.

While it definitely isn't country club quality with turf tee boxes and the occasional over-the-road or fence obstacles, the value really can't be beat. For this price, I was really expecting the worst but was really surprised by the quality of the fairways and greens.  Whether you're a low handicap player or a newbie, I think everyone would have a good time.

Just watch out for balls, some days it feels like you're standing in a shooting gallery.  5-stars for an unbeatable value.
1 - John B.: I've golfed a lot, and never have I thrown up on a course like I did here. 

I golfed here when I went to pitt, I didnt have a car, so the fact I could walk here was awesome. When i saw the first tee I should have ran back to my dorm.

I dont think I have ever seen a golf course with turf tee boxes (if you even wanna call em tee boxes). Picture a driving range mat at the beginning of each tee.

I really can't write any more about this corse as it seems to be bringing gag reflexes back. 

Don't pay good money for this.

Bob Rohrman Lincoln Mercury Hyundai - Lafayette, IN (40.409994, -86.85724) ()
5 - Becky P.: I never thought I would give an auto place 5 stars, but the service department here deserves it!  Seth M. really helped us out when we were in a terrible jam.  We can't thank him enough for everything he did for us.

They didn't try to rip us off (gasp!) AND they were super nice to us stranded, out of towners.  They even let us leave our heap of metal in their parking lot until we could get it towed back to the Land of Lincoln!
4 - Desola O.: Fast, efficient, courteous, friendly, very professional and comfortable.

Bob Slate - Cambridge, MA (42.3741037, -71.1211323) (Harvard Square)
5 - Meagan H.: Bob Slate is an old-fashioned kind of store. I suppose one would call it a "stationary shop", but they offer all kinds of dreamy note books and envelopes, pens, Sharpies in an array of colors (I LOVE Sharpies more than any person should) and other gifty sorts of things which I honestly shy away from. I like the hardcore office supply element of Bob Slate. 

This place is a very welcome, and necessary, alternative to Staples and Office Depot. Those stores have their place in this world too, but neighborhood office supply stores are a dying breed. Where else can you get a 100 count box of delicious buttery yellow manila shipping envelopes in a  perfect miniature size??? Or a single sheet of mailing labels. Bob Slate offers it all, and at fantastic prices.
5 - Melissa M.: Need a knick knack for your home office/regular office?  Want to traipse through the narrow aisles of binders, folders, cool pens and highlighters.  Need a journal, a bag, a REALLY PRETTY AND INEXPENSIVE UMBRELLA?  Want to meet some of the nicest workers around, they don't make these people like they used to.  If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions, then what are you doing here?  GO.  Go on, they'll be waiting for you!
5 - John F.: I love Bob Slate's. I buy all my pens, pencils, and notebooks there. If you need any sort of writing, or even some basic art supplies, check here first. The staff is helpful and knowledgeable, and the selection is pretty top-notch. Highly recommended!
5 - Josie G.: Need to plan your life away?  For the past three years, I've gone to Bob Slate's to pick up my Quo Vadis planner.  They've got a great selection, and I've sent a number of friends their way too... And yes, I'm a little OCD about my planner.  Other than that, they've got great knick knacks for offices, teachers, desks, etc... journals, pens, highlighters, folders, paper, ribbons... all in a teeny-tiny store.  Their sales people have always been super friendly and helpful, I love going here!
5 - Heather K.: Oh my gawd, this little stationary store blew my mind. I was on vacation (visiting from Chicago) and was just meandering around the area looking for some interesting souvenirs to bring back for my family. I stumbled into this store just 15 minutes before closing, and I wished that I'd gotten there an hour earlier! I managed to get some really cool stuff - a colored pencil that had 6 COLORS IN ONE, a mini sketchbook, drawing pencils, a lovely Moleskine 2010 planner and would have purchased even more if it wasn't closing time. 

If you're the kind of person who drools over journals, fancy pens and markers, and adorable paper clips, do yourself a favor and pay a visit to Bob Slate. It's a good thing I don't live in Cambridge because I would probably spend my entire paycheck on stationary and art supplies each month.
5 - Kwan H.: I walked in here the other day just as a half-way stop since it was freezing outside and man, I found myself in stationery heaven. It reminded me of when I was younger and how i loved collecting stationery even though I didn't have anyone to write to so I started writing my cousin who lived next door.. anyway, I digressed. Bob Slate is such a great place to kill your time and an awesome way to discover your hidden paper appreciation. Seriously. I didn't realize that you could fall in love with a piece of paper, until I found this textured resume paper that... umm.... well, it was a plain piece of paper but when i touched it, it was like one of those "wahhhhhh" moments for me, you know, like in the movies, when you find your inner God the the sun rises at the horizon and all. Anyway, so I got like 5 pieces of those because I just had to. And now I'm just staring at them and don't know what to do with them. They're too nice for anything. I guess I'll just keep them on my night table and rub them for good luck before I go to bed every night. I so love my papers...
5 - Salvatore R.: I've always loved a good stationary store, but Bob Slate really is as good as it gets.  I've gone to them countless times with ridiculous requests from my office, and they always provide - - magnets, price tags, every conceivable kind of envelope, high quality pens,  magazine holders - it goes on and on.  

A real bonus is the fact that they sell many hard to find stationary store items from yesteryear that are amazing - and the prices are always to match.  For example, you can get those cool manila tags to tie on parcels with string included for cents on the dollar.  This kind of thing is basically impossible to find elsewhere.  

They also have spectacular art supplies, and really the best cards and postcards around - there is something there for every occasion, and not the usual commercial stuff either.  The card selection rotates regularly too for return buyers.  This is an amazing resource - with excellent service as well to help you find anything in this well stocked store!
5 - Laura A.: Bob Slate is amazing. I am a total office supply/stationary junkie, and this place does not disappoint. I came in looking for holiday cards today and next thing you know I'm testing out every single black pen in the pen department, oohing and aahing over notebooks, and trying to justify buying a fancy pack of permanent markers for no real reason other than the fact that their rainbow colors lined up looked visually satisfying! They have a lot of gorgeous stationary here that is well worth checking out. This would be a great place to buy some nice notebooks or organizational gifts for a grad student or freelancer friend.
4 - Lauren E.: I went in the other day because there was a sign saying the place was closing! However, I was a little confused to find that nothing was on sale at all. Either the sign is wrong or they are NOT trying to move their merchandise. It's kind of a bummer, but I have always preferred their location in Porter Square to this one. This is a great place to buy a notebook, pen, or calendars. You could easily end up walking out with a few things even if you just go in to browse. I like that it's such a Cambridge fixture.
5 - Bill B.: Gone...
3 - Barbara A.: Miss you guys already :(
5 - A R.: Bob Slate (the Store) Lives!  
Yes, the older locations did close.  And, the Slates finally got to retire.  However, a new Bob Slate store has opened with a new owner on Brattle St..  Stop in -- visit with the same kind & helpful staff as the before, same great service, same great stuff.

This is the place - and there is no other.  Shop local, shop small: you'll be happier.  And, you'll have beautiful note cards, lovely pens, and the best selection of the most useful pocket calendars anywhere (far better than electronic).  And, of course, there are other things such as paper, envelopes, and, um, staples.

Bob Slate Stationer - Cambridge, MA (42.3732116, -71.1207873) (Harvard Square)
5 - Elizabeth S.: Bob Slate is back in Harvard Square! I always bought Bon Slate brand spiral notebooks there. The have pale green pages and heavy cardboard covers - they told me that they are arriving soon. I'm looking forward to it. I haven't been able to find a decent notebook since they closed.
1 - Johnna F.: And just when you thought pretentious customer service was reserved for wine cellars and bike shops, Bob Slate bursts onto the scene.

Went there looking for a pen that wouldn't bleed through paper, and was "helped" by a rude old dude who was too busy standing behind the counter doing absolutely nothing (takes a lot of concentration, I know) to help me out. He told me the Sharpie pens I was looking for didn't exist, and that what I wanted was a ball-point pen. I told him I was looking for ink, and that the Sharpie I was looking for was more like a pen than a marker. "Well is it LIKE a pen or is it a pen?" the gentlemen said with exasperation. He then brought me over to the pen section, and said, "THESE ARE THE PENS." Oh! Pardon me! I thought a huge part of going to your local small business was to enjoy the friendly customer service. My mistake. 

I bought the Sharpie pens I was looking for at the busted old CVS down the street. Lesson learned.
4 - Lizzy T.: I just took a five minute break to run over there and buy some watercolor postcards.  Awesome.  Now I am counting the seconds til close, and very much looking forward to the activity that will accompany my wine tonight.  

I like art stuff.  I like making collages and smearing ink, and graphite.  I am interested in how the color red looks in various media on the same piece of paper.  And I can't get enough of those mushy eraser/smearer thingys!  

Tactile interaction with art and equipment is my release from the stresses of  job/school/neighbors fighting.  Bob Slate is a store that has many of these wonderful things that make me so so happy.  And they're back in Harvard Square, so convenient to my job.

Yay, art therapy!  Wa-hoo for Bob Slate back in business!
4 - Molly Y.: I came in looking for a Parker fountain pen, specifically a Vector. A young lady named Jen helped me, offering all different pens for me to try, sharing her expertise, and sharing in my enthusiasm for fountain pens (which was very nice of her - I often feel like a weirdo for how much I love fountain pens). I was a bit disappointed that they couldn't order a refillable cartridge for me, but whatever, I can get one online. The pen was the most important thing, and they had exactly what I wanted at a very, very decent price.

The four star instead of five star rating goes to the older man who rang up our order. "Surly" doesn't even touch this guy. He was very unfriendly and acted like we were a huge burden on him just by being in the store. Talk about a shock after Jen's welcoming attitude! We completed our order and scooted out as fast as we could. I'll hesitate to go back for fear of having to deal with this man.

In short: great little store, great location, needs to work on the customer service for everyone over the age of 30. It's a shop - make it welcoming or folks will find somewhere else to go.
4 - Claudia M.: Devastated when they closed their old location - glad they reopened but parking is a PIA.  This is my go to place for Claire Fontaine notebooks - love them and am so glad I can buy them locally rather than ordering them online.  They do carry less inventory than they did at their old location - looked for the big sets of Pentel markers but did not see them - assuming they could probably order them for you.

Bob Slate Stationer - Cambridge, MA (42.374091, -71.1211612) (Harvard Square)
3 - Nicole M.: I like Bob Slate but there are other paper stores that I'd go to first.  I will say that the prices here are very reasonable and the staff have been so nice and accommodating anytime I've been in.
4 - Dorian G.: this is my preferred BS location. i love the old school stationery store feeling it has. Office supplies and art supplies give me a really good buzz, so I'm happy when I'm here. I spent many long hours here trying to find the right weight/color/texture of paper for  countless book projects. the staff knows what they are tallking about and will no doubt always send you on your way with exactly what you came in looking for.
5 - Christina and Jaime F.: My husband and I ordered our Save the Dates and Invitations (by Crane & Co.) from here. After going to Papyrus across the street, we decided to stop by this stationary shop to see what they had. The service was excellent, and they custom ordered our invitations to our liking. Our invitation and save the dates actually came a week earlier than they were supposed to. I would definitely recommend this place for great service, classy selection, and on time delivery.
4 - Pete P.: always nice
always helpful
usually have a solution for exactly what i want.

if you want a full service art supply store, go to pearl... if you want some "stuff" - go here.
4 - Tullia F.: Much smaller than the store on Mass Ave, which I think is a plus, this Bob Slate feels like my home away from home.  I could stare at the middle aisle with all the Crane cards and thank you notes for hours.  

Service is very good here, and when I have asked them for things they don't have they're been honest about offering to order it, but suggesting Staples down the street might have it too.

Yes, they're a little bit pricey, but that's what happens when you sell nice things.
4 - Basha S.: this store is so oldschool. it has isles of office supplies packed with awesome finds. whenever i go to this store, i find something really useful or awesome that i wasn't looking for. mostly i'm into their classic notebooks.

this store is also really easy to steal from, but i always feel too bad to do it.
5 - Tiff T.: This place has an amazing selection of pens and pencils.  I particularly love Japanese fine-point pens (0.5 mm or smaller), and the store allows you to try them out before you buy.  I came in looking for a fine-tip silver marker for writing on black surfaces, and they had a good selection (better than Pearl in Central Square).  What was especially nice was that they had samples of what each one looked like on paper, which most stores don't do because the markers are all individually wrapped.  The pen was reasonably priced, and I was very happy with my purchase.
4 - Amanda A.: I can't believe this place is closed. It makes me very sad. I loved coming here for the great selection of card sets and markers/pens. Lots of artsy calendars and cards. The staff was very knowledgeable.

Bob Slate Stationer - Cambridge, MA (42.3728279, -71.1169894) (Harvard Square)
3 - A T.: Well, the place is what it says it is, a stationer. The store is huge, has a lot to choose from, and is a bit pricey; however, it's a good place to go to get little thank you cards or other special items.  I do like that they have a lot of vintage style notecards that aren't too steeply priced.
4 - Jessica R.: I am not that familiar with Bob Slate as a place to buy stationary. Mostly I shop there for their excellent selection in sketchbooks. It is the only place in town where I can buy Cachet Studio Select Sketchbooks.

Also have an excellent selection of pens and some architectural and technical drawing supplies.

Also have a good selection of grease pencils.
1 - Juliette V.: I went in here a couple of times looking for different card stock. They did not have what I needed and the staff was unfriendly and actually bordering on rude. There are too many other places to shop to deal with poor service.
4 - Ellie L.: It confuses me why they have three locations all within spitting distance of each other (harvard, harvard & porter), but do not fear, bob slate is no chain.  it's a place to find funky graph papers, neat post it notes, old school notebooks, pens that make you want to write lots of to-do lists...it goes on.  the stationery ranges to fit all budgets and tastes, as well.
4 - Jennifer K.: The location(S) are convenient. (all a block apart...ha)  I purchased the prints and frames that hang in my dining room here. I also made several trips there to get supplies to make customized photo albums.  I'm always satisfied...and the prices are about right... no huge bargains - but no rips either.
4 - Shannon C.: Bob Slate...I almost always find a great, unique card here and spend a half hour trying to decide who to send it to so I can rationalize paying $5 for one card.  They have a second store on Church St., and though it is smaller, the people are usually nice.
4 - Dorothy C.: I love office supplies - notebooks, pens, correspondence cards by Crane's, roll-on-glue-tape, folders... Yes, I love them all.  And this is the only place other than Bromfield's Pen Shop that has a decent selection of Fountain Pen Inks (and fountain pens) - they don't carry Noodler's, but they DO have Pelikan, Waterman, & a few others - both bottled and cartridges.  And a variety of Clairefontaine notebooks - yay!
[1 point off for lack of friendly service - they're not MEAN, but not particularly helpful or cheerful either - for that, one must visit the Artist & Craftsmen Supply store in Central Square.]
4 - John F.: Like Jessica R., I have only been to this store for sketchbooks and drawing materials. And for that, I was totally satisfied. They had everything I needed and then some. For artists and aspiring artists in Harvard Sq. (of which there are many), I would recommend this place first.
4 - Kristin S.: I could spend hours in this store.  If you are looking for any type of paper product you can find it here...the cards and invitations are adorable, the notebooks are great, and there is a ton of stuff that you need but never knew you did.   They have a great selection of paper....different stocks and colors.  It is a bit disorganized and there have been times where I've found the *perfect* invitation or card to only find they have one package.
5 - Molly R.: if you are a notebook fiend like myself, you will totally dig on Bob Slate on Mass Ave (also in Brattle Sq). Bobby's got a large variety of notebooks, pens, and other assorted office supplies. Consider it a quirky version of Staples. A great place to do school supply shopping or casually picking up a  Bob Slate notebook.
5 - Cath K.: Oh Bob Slate Stationer, how I love you.  Let me count the ways...
Great selection of notebooks--moleskine, clairefontaine, rhodia--yay!
Quirky and funny; beautiful and unusual greeting cards--I love buying cards there because whenever I send one of their cards, the recipient always comments on how (funny, beautiful, different) it was.
Neat and colorful office supply "organizers"--foldable bins, translucent folders--the works.
Good selection of Baggallini bags and other totes, messenger bags.
And G. Lalo stationery.............ooooohhhh!!!
For anyone who loves office supplies, this is like going to the Office Supply Store Hall of Fame...
4 - Kiwi H.: Oh, what a great spot for stationery aficionados! This shop holds more stuff than it seems, which means there is a lot of browsing and there are aisles crammed with pens, pencils, crayons, art stuff, pretty much any writing tool you want, papers, so many different kinds of notebooks, cards, organizers, desk organizers, folders, bags, bins, etc. Basically, whatever you need that you might find in a fantastic stationer.

I also really love that they have the Quo Vadis line of organizers and planners here, and in such a wide range - they're my favourite, and I'm very picky about organizers.. it's nice that I can get a large selection to choose from here, since it's hard to find in other shops in the city. 

The service isn't supremely friendly or chirpy, but they don't bother me and let me browse as I please which is just fine by me. They aren't unfriendly either, so I don't have a problem with them at all. Overall, a much more fun place to go to for your office or home stationery-related needs if you'd like to avoid somewhere like Staples.
4 - Leighann F.: The practicality of Staples meets the creativity of something like the Paper Source combined with Pearl Paint (or Michael's?)! 

Want to get organized? Bob Slates handles that with a neat assortment of boxes, bins, folders and a variety of labeling options.

Want to send someone the very best while supporting smaller, artist-created ventures? Bob Slate has a large variety of cute cards and great prices.

Want to jot down your ideas as they come, perhaps the next great novel or a spot you must simply yelp? Journals and notepads galore - guaranteed to have one that fits your style.

Ahhh, so you're the creative type? Mr. Slate has oodles of paint (water, oil, acrylic) plus top quality brushes, paper, portfolios, not to mention crayons, markers, charcoal and pastels!

Something for artists, writers and even the occasional clutter bug looking to organize!
5 - Suzanne S.: I love this place. I get happy just walking by it. Great stationery, notebooks, address books, typing paper (recycled choices too) folders, pens, art supplies, organizers, bags, cool toys, cards. The people who work here are really smart, helpful and clearly love their jobs. It is virtually impossible for me to come in here without buying something.
5 - Angela L.: I have this little known obsession with paper. I will spend days on end scouring for the perfect journal. The paper hue; line boldness, color, and spacing; cover material; binding; size - it all must be just right. And Bob Slate has been one of the places I have consistently turned to for my journaling needs (along with the giant Barnes and Noble in Burlington). Aside from journals, they have a host of other stationary supplies. This is a gold-mine for creative types - a beeellion different pens and other writing implements, papers of all sizes, shapes, and textures, organizational devices galore. I am filled with anticipation every time I visit.
5 - Francesca R.: Every semester when I was in grad school I would kit myself out with the creative, fun, and extremely useful stationery options from Bob Slate.  Notebooks with brilliant covers, document organizers of every ilk, pencil cases, day planners, colorful pens and pencils...they had everything I needed to keep my brain stimulated during my 3-hour-long night classes.  

This store is also great for browsing.  You can pick up or just peruse calendars, cards, stamps, stickers, calligraphy supplies, totes, wrapping & gift materials, stuff for organizing and filing, magnets, clay and markers (and more!).  You can get custom made invitations or thank you cards and signature stamps.  

This is a fun little place, not immediately obvious as such due to its crisp and functional business name.  Stop in here for creative school, art, gift and browsing fun!
4 - Gordon G.: Well, they have everything you'd expect at a stationary store.  It's not the most organized place, or the cheapest, but if you want it they've probably got it.
4 - Lauren R.: What is it about stationery stores that make me so incredibly, disproportionately happy?  Perhaps it's the cute note cards, the calendars that feature work by some of my favorite artists, the colorful organizational tools, or maybe it's the fun, quirky little gadgets that don't seem to have any other purpose than to make someone smile.  I may never know, but I do know that I always have an enjoyable experience at Bob Slate Stationer.  

Adorable 'Very Hungry Caterpillar' stationery? Check.   Everyone's favorite Moleskin notebooks?  Double check.   A calendar featuring Edward Gorey's 'Gashlycrumb Tinies'?  Yes, please.  Add calligraphy pens, colored pencils, stamps, assorted paper goods, and a score of other art supplies, and you start to get the picture.   

Of course, your vibrant, quirky organizational tools and art supplies tend to be a little bit more expensive than the stuff you might find at Office Depot.  But hey, that shouldn't be surprising; you get what you pay for.  Bob Slate Stationer is basically my equivalent of a toy store; not where I shop for my school (or, at this point, life) supplies, but every now and then, I let myself splurge so I can feel like a cool kid with my new stationery.
5 - Ryuji S.: If you are looking at this business profile with some interest, you are warned. This store is dangerous. If you are paper fetish, pen fetish, or if you have good taste for fine things, this store is dangerous. If you think Staples and Office Max carry only cheap, crappy stuff that's not even worth bothering to look, this store is right there for you, but it's a dangerous store. Also, fine stationery and cellular phone don't go well together; pretend you don't have such thing as cellular phone in this store.
5 - Heather H.: My recent paean to Kinokuniya (in New York) got me thinking about how much I miss Bob Slate.  It's one of the things I miss most about Cambridge (even if they don't have the pen I love most).  I'd go in here weekly.  I should be way more organized, considering all the folders and things I bought over the years.  I miss the great Bob Slate notebooks-- the Mt. Tom is the perfect size, and perfectly priced.  I buy piles of them every time I'm back in Cambridge.  

And, I love that they sell single red wallets, single envelopes, and sheets of fancy papers, all for a reasonable price, for all those job and fellowship applications.  The aesthetics of my applications has gone down since I no longer have Bob Slate.
5 - Betsy M.: I recently ordered business cards here, and I want to sing their praises.   Now, when I ordered, the staff was very clear that they were NOT guaranteeing their arrival by a certain date, but that in all likelihood they would arrive by then.  The reason this mattered was that I was leaving for a conference soon and needed them with me.  

So, when I hadn't heard from them 3 days before I left, I called.  The man I talked to seemed perplexed that they hadn't arrived.  He said he'd call the printer and call me back.  At 4:30, he called me just to let me know that the printer hadn't gotten back to him, but that he hadn't forgotten.  The next morning they called me back to explain that the printer had lost the original order. I figured that meant I was out of luck, especially since they'd specifically warned me that the cards might not be in on time.

However, the staff was completely wonderful.  They re-ordered them rush delivery to try to get them in the next day, and offered to print a few on their own card stock at the store to tide me over for the conference if they weren't delivered in time.  In the end, they arrived the next day, I picked them up, and all was well.

In short, they provided a level of service far beyond what they were obligated to do, and were helpful and polite throughout.
5 - Jules H.: Huge selection of notebooks, stationery, calendars, drawing materials -- I come in just to look around and admire the stock.  And an awesome selection of pens.  You COULD go to Blick or another big store for this stuff, but Bob Slate is so much better, and more specialized -- and yes, there are two Harvard Square locations, on Mass Ave and Church Street.

It's hard to price this place, because they carry a range of stock.  I chose two $$ because it's not dirt-cheap, and you can buy very nice brands here.

Bob's Auto Service - Trenton, NJ (40.314767, -74.727896) ()
2 - P. S.: Had a couple of services and repairs done here but found the owner and son to be not-too detail oriented. And that scares me when it comes to my car, especially with teen drivers in the family.
5 - Chris L.: I live in NY and work in Princeton.  My car battery died last night and it would not take a charge from another car using jumper cables despite two separate attempts.  I called Bob's at approx 8:30 pm and after letting the phone ring for some time Bob answered the phone from his house (i.e., the shop was closed).  I explained my problem and he offered some advice.  If all else failed he asked me to call the next morning and he would come out to replace the battery.  Well, he remembered me when I called the next morning and he arrived within 15 mins  w/ a new battery and swapped the batteries in less than 10 mins.  It turned out that I didn't have enough cash on me to pay him at that moment and he was more than happy to allow me to swing by his shop on my way home to settle the bill.

This kind of customer service is a rare commodity in any industry nowadays.  My experience w/ Bob's Auto Service was an exceptional one and I will not hesitate to call on him again.

Bob's Big Boy Restaurant - Pasadena, CA (34.1408505, -118.1317484) (Pasadena)
4 - Janice K.: Today Friday, January 22 was opening day for this Bob's Big Boy restaurant. They are located in the old Baja Fresh restaurant space on Del Mar. This restaurant is run by the same people who own Bob's Burbank location. 

This location is table service with waiter/waitress service. This location is not too big inside (remember what is was like at Baja's) but now there are booths and tables. They also have tables outside (covered). You can also order food to go. 

Just had the Bob's Original Double Deck hamburger combination for lunch. It was delicious. It brings back memories. It's a full menu here with breakfast, lunch and dinner. I'm glad there is another place to get hamburgers, sandwiches, breakfast and dinner. I was getting tired of all the Mexican restaurants in the same block. Definitely will be back again!
2 - Steven P.: I got a burger and fries to go today. Keeping in mind this was only their 3rd day of operation, they were clearly disorganized up front. A little challenging to find someone to take my to go order. The manager was coaching the staff in the front on who should be doing what. Everyone was super nice and apologetic; they recognized that they were a bit chaotic which I actually appreciated. Now let's get to the food...

Burger was just not how I remember Bob's burgers. I used to go to the Burbank location but haven't been there in a number of years. The fries were really disappointing. They were just plain soggy. I remember the crispy outside, smooth inside fries from the original Bob's. These not only lacked the quality but were missing the light sprinkling of seasoning salt that had become Bob's trademark.

I'll wait a couple weeks before returning to see if things are running more smoothy.
5 - Carla F.: I am so happy that we finally have a Bob's! I had the o.g.--Big Boy Combo. It was just as I remembered, good! Our server was Adam, who was really sweet. Sitting outside was nice, they have heating lamps. Great experience for me! My girl had a regular burger, and she did not like it because of the seasonings. I ate some of it and while I thought that it was good it did have a bit of a kick to it. We were both pretty darn happy with our Hot Fudge Cakes.
3 - Casey D.: I came in here with a group of 8.  The place is a bit small, but nice.  The service was friendly but seemed to get orders mixed up (to be fair, there were 8 of us and it is a new restaurant with new staff).  The food had some inconsistencies.  The burgers were good, as was the chili.  My chocolate shake was a generous serving size, good consistency, and decent flavor.   The fries were a pathetic, oily, soggy mess.  After all 8 of my parties meals were done, all that was left to be seen were heaps of uneaten fries.  Overall not a bad place to stop for anyone in the area who used to frequent this once popular restaurant.  Maybe one day they'll get the fries right.
4 - Alberto C.: Bob's Big Boy is back in Pasadena (their original location a long time ago, if I'm not mistaken, used to be in the space on North Lake currently occupied by Coco's).  

Anyway, the Bob's Big Boy went into the space formerly occupied by Baja Fresh (four Mexican restaurants in one block just didn't work), and all they did was basically install booths and change the decor.  It is much more appealing now.  The restaurant has a comfortable and festive feel to it.  

Now on to the food - I ordered the original double decker hamburger, and it was delicious.  It was one big sloppy mess, with their special sauce, but it was great.  Their special sauce (whatever exactly it is), adds a kick to it that makes it much more tasty.  Fries were fresh, and in a way, reminded me of In N Out fries.  The double decker hamburger combo also came with a generously-sized side salad, with a choice of dressing.  I ordered dessert - an apple pie a la mode, and the slice was fresh and hot.  Dinner for one, with everything I've mentioned, complete with a soft drink, came out to about $15.00. 

Service was friendly and attentive.
3 - Gerald S.: I haven't gone to Bob's Big Boy in a loooooong time so when this came to Pasadena, I wanted to try it.  I guess they're known for their burgers considering the Big Boy statue up front is holding a burger.  I went with the Big Boy classic double-decker cheeseburger with fries.  The burger tastes like a burger, but nothing special.  In fact, I could probably make a better one at home.  The fries are a bit soggy so that's disappointing.  If you want a better burger, just go to Islands for their lunch specials.

The pulled pork sandwich is pretty good actually.  The BBQ sauce has a little zing to it, which I like.

The best part about the whole experience was the service though.  Our waiter, Jacob (I think that was his name), was awesome.  It was busy at the time we came in but he made sure no cups were empty and everything was fine.  His service compares to a restaurant of Ruth Chris' or Fleming's.
5 - Joie P.: I so love that this franchise is back in the area.  It's small but I don't care about that really.
My memories of Bob goes back to high school...heh...you know, the caveman days, cuz I'm so old  ;)
My HS use to steal the rival cities Bob and place it right in the middle of their football field.  We even stole it one year and put it on their football coaches front yard.  
That's not why I love Bob's the way i do though.  Bob's was the place you went to for your first date.  Chocolate shakes, french fries and chocolate fudge cake.   And then there was the Bob's at our mall.  As a teen I spent hours in that mall with my friends and there was only one place we would eat.  Burger combo with a chocolate shake.  mmmmmm
So is this one comparable?
Of course!  It is reminiscent of the Burbank Bob's where I've spent many an after-club night at attempting to sober up....or dancing in the parking lot....or eating at a table while a friend sleeps head down on the table.
On this particular night I ordered the cheeseburger wrapped in lettuce.  Scott ordered the bacon cheeseburger & Noah ordered the chili size.  We were all extremely happy with our orders and the waitstaff were always there when we needed them.  It's comfort food at it's best and they even change it up if you ask them to.  I drive by this location many times during the week and I can confirm that this place is busy all of the time.
We will hit this place every time we need some sweet family quality time with an old friend that serves reliable cozy foods.
1 - sonia g.: I give it a 1, because the eggs were alright. Now said, my buscuit was burned, so burned I couldn't take a bite. My partner ordered the famous burger and quite frankly there is nothing special about it. The special sauce consist of ketchup and onions. 20 dollars we should have spent somewhere else, like in n out or the hat, you never go wrong there. It was such a dissapointment we were still eating and saying how bad it was and not worth our time again.
5 - Stephen B.: This is a great addition to Pasadena.   We found the wait staff to be very professional and the food to be exactly what we expected.
1 - James M.: So, I know it's a burger place, but their burgers didn't look real impressive, so I ordered a fish filet thing...terrible. Small. Both the hundred pound girls eating dinner with me with appetites the size of baby flies thought the portion was almost non existent. My buddy ordered the chicken parmesean and it wasn't breaded. Ridiculous? I think so. Not going back.
3 - C. V.: The plain burger was delicious.  The fries were quite distasteful.  They seemed wilted and flat and dry.  Not impressed at all.  It seems no one can match McDonald's fries.  Apple pie was decent.  Will have to try a milkshake sometime.
2 - Cat H.: So I was on a casual date and had a hankering for cheese fries...

This Bob's Big Boy is definitely not the same quality as the Burbank location. They took over the old Baja Fresh location and made good use of the space, but it is definitely not an improvement.  The decor is the same old school 50's/ 60's diner type that Bob's is known for, but there's where the similarities end with the Burbank location.

The staff was barely cognizant that we were there. After a wait (I guess ample opportunity for first date conversation) they wanted our orders.  Ten minutes later, burnt greasy cold old looking french fries lathered in cheese came out. Er, this was not what I thought I'd be getting. Definitely sub par considering any number of places (cough, cough, Johnny Rockets or Pie n Burger) do their cheese fries warm and fresh and juicy looking. This plate just looked stale and old. My date's soup looked like it was freshly popped out of the can and equally cold. If they can't do these simple items, I hesitate to think what their entrees look like. 

I was severely underwhelmed. Too bad because I really like the Bob's Big Boy in Burbank. Guess they can't all be good.
3 - Shant J.: This place can be best described as so-so. I have never been to the Burbank location, so I really can't compare the two.

I ordered the pulled pork sandwich, which wasn't too bad, but it didn't set off sparks in my mouth.

I say it's worth a loook, but I won't guarantee that you'll love it.
3 - Nadia F.: Meh...a so so.
Went there for breakfast today with the parents and hubby. Our waitress (other than having a bad hair day) was a little disoriented, it seems like... we had to repeat ourselves a few times each to make our orders clear, and still didn't exactly get what we asked for... and then had to ask a few more times for the rest of the items to come . Overall the food was okay, service ok... 1 extra star for the effort, because she was very nice to us.
1 - jonathan m.: aloof staff seemingly not trained sufficiently enough to be even remotely competent. It's bizarre how out to lunch everyone is. Are they overworked? Very confused by this location, I love Bob's but they need to fix this problem. There is no system and they don't appear to care.
5 - Paul V.: Finally bringing 50's style dining back to Pasadena! Bob's was one of my favorite restaurants during my childhood. I was fortunate to be a part of the opening week festivities and the turnout was amazing! It's great to see so many people out there still appreciate and love the flavor and taste of Bob's great food!

Newcomers to Bob's should try their signature Double Decker Cheeseburger, their delicious shakes and their famous Hot Fudge Cake! If it's cool American classic dining you want, with the taste of great food, then Bob's is your place!
1 - John S.: I remember this place being so much better when I was a kid. The food was mediocre and slightly cold. The service was not very good either. Some people in my group got all together the wrong food and it was way overpriced for what we got.
3 - Toni L.: I can't remember what the old Bob's Big Boy restaurants were like even though my parents dragged my screaming child self to them fairly frequently. This newest incarnation serves simple food with no frills and does it quite well. 

Food: I scarfed down my classic hamburger which was drizzled in creamy, tangy sauce (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/_GTu9MAHtHMkpIUbGSMsdg?select=Ib7Q6Q5mhrgwHL65MvgjwQ). The meat was tender and was sandwiched between two slices of cheese and a assortment of the usual veggies. No skimping on the fillings either! The buns have that characteristic flavor of being toasted with butter. My sides included the coleslaw and two dipping sauces, but there are other choices on the menu. All in all, this is not the most healthy meal, but it is pretty satisfying. I also sampled some of the fries. I'd rank them as average. 

Atmosphere: During the lunch hour, this place is packed full of baby boomers. You can cut the nostalgia with a spork. It's pretty loud inside and during my one visit I noticed there was a LOT of trash and spilled dry condiments like pepper and salt on the ground. Gross. Watch out for the giant Big Boy out front. He's super creepy.

Service: Our waiter was very friendly, but seemed rather forgetful. We did get our food, but only after some order corrections. 

Synopsis: Burgers are a bit pricey for what you get, but they do taste very fresh and delicious. It beats McDonald's at any rate.
2 - R E.: I went here for breakfast one Sunday morning. And was the overall experience was not great. It took a long time to get our food and it was just okay. The service was not good at all. This is not wroth the time or the money.
3 - Andrew P.: Jesus, this place certainly has very mixed reviews. I guess this place opened up recently right? Idk, I don't pay attention but I vaguely recall an open sign. Well, I came in on mother's day to eat with a buddy of mine, yes we love our mothers. I think we spent like an hour picking a place to eat. I was originally going to go to Europane, but that place was pretty expensive. Though a salmon sandwich sounded exquisite to be honest. I was alsocraving a thick, juicy burger. Idk, but in n out does not satisfy me. Yeah bring the hate, but I get sick of that thousand island sauce and the thin ass patty. So Bob's Big boy was a change. I ordered the All-American Burger. Because I love America. My friend ordered that thing that looks exactly like a McDonalds Big Mac. I forgot what it was called. I think it was the Bob's big boy or something dumb like that. Nah jk no hate. Anyways the burger was good. I mean it's your standard diner burger. But idk, I've been wanting diner burgers over fast food burgers, but that's probably just me. It was thick and juicy, cooked medium well, without thousand island, thank god. Idk, if I eat something too much, I get sick of it, I guess that's the way with me and in n out. It was a solid burger, so this gets a solid three stars.
4 - Jennifer H.: Not as classic as the Burbank location and a bit smaller, but the staff is great and the food is good.  I've been to a couple Bob's elsewhere and they were crappy.  I was happy to find this one as the food reminded me of my childhood.  A worthy Bob's.  I heard they are run by the same people as the Burbank one, and you can tell.

Update: Sad this location closed.  It wasn't very buy every time I went in, so I wasn't completely surprised, but now I have to drive to Burbank when I have a Big Boy craving.
4 - Lowell H.: 50's music, pictures of old Pasadena, i.e. the building stages of the Rose Bowl., a mural of the classic 20's bridge out side, with a watering station for dogs.  Balloons for kids and Bob's classic menu, Big Boy combo with salad and fries, the Brownie Sunday, Pappy Parker's Fried Chicken.  Covered outdoor seating available.  A great place to go with kids, dogs or boomers.
3 - Max P.: Adequacy, thy name is Pasadena Bob's.  I noticed that this branch of Bob's opened on the site of a former Baja Fresh (which, by the way, was great--why did you leave, BF?).  This imparts a weird geographical vibe to the place; Bobses that I recall from my now-distant SoCal youth were large, sprawling, airy joints that took up like a city block (e.g., the one in Burbank), while this one is basically cramped and labyrinthine like the fast food restaurant it recently was.

I hadn't actually been to a Bob's Big Boy since I was a kid, and nostalgia was like 99% of the reason I was there.  And having now gone as an adult, I can safely say that the experience was nothing if not adequate.  The service was punctual and perfectly polite.  My turkey burger was solid, if unspectacular.  The iced tea tasted exactly like iced tea.  The prices were completely fair for what we got.  Bob's is utterly, completely, and entirely ... fine.

On balance, I can say only that I have been to this restaurant, found it entirely serviceable, but am hard-pressed to think of a reason to return when there are so many distinctive and memorable places to eat in the area (Counter has much better burgers a block away, for example).

Oh, and for what it's worth, families w kids dominated this place.  When I was in the lobby paying I felt like I was in the Lollipop Guild scene in Wizard of Oz.

UPDATE!   I went back to Bob's in Pasadena just tonite, and can report with confidence that this joint remains utterly, totally, completely and entirely ... adequate.
5 - Mary W.: Have not been to Bob's Big Boy since I was a child and I was NOT disappointed!! Great food and great service! Will definitely go back.
1 - Ho D.: First time at bobs.  I got the big boy burger with fries.  It taste like a big mac. Fries were nothing special. Won't go back.. I rather go to the Counter in Pasadena for better burgers or McD to be cheap.


After posting this review, I received this message from the owner.

"Thanks Ho ! I assume you came for the free big boy day and then spit on us after we gave you free food.  Your kindness is greatly appreciated.  You are right McDonalds is way better than Bobs.  And Bobs is three times as expensive as the counter.  Do you realize that comparison to these restaraunts is wildly inaccurate ?  The Counter is fine dining with check averages over $20 and McDOnalds is fast food."


I thought about going back and trying the chili or something else.  But, after this message.  Why bother?  If you can't give a honest opinion or review without getting harass, why yelp?  

And no, I did not get a free food on Big Boy Day.  I actually paid $12.03 for a Bob's Big Boy Burger, Fries, and a soft drink, plus tax and tip.  Next time, I would gladly pay over $20 to eat at The Counter.
3 - Douglas G.: I can confirm that this Bob's Big Boy exists.  There's no pros or cons I can list that would change your thoughts on what a Bob's Big Boy is.   Easy parking!
4 - DK F.: I am indeed a fan of Bob's Big Boy.  I have now eaten there more than I care to admit to.  :)  I grew up in the Mid-West so a Big Boy to me means Tartar Sauce, not Relish!   Thankfully, this restaurant is well aware of the regional difference and will gleefully make me the burger to my liking!

The staff is quite friendly and I have never had any problems here.  They even offer free Wi-Fi!

I honestly surprised at the negative reactions on this board, but hey, I guess a 50's style restaurant atmosphere isn't for everyone.

I drove by West Covina last night and noticed the Bob's Big Boy there is now closed!  I certainly hope this fate is not waiting around the corner for this location.  Burbank is too far to drive and this place has my permanent business.  We used to have a Bob's here in Alhambra and lost that to the never-ending growth of Noodle World chains.  They still have the Bob on display, but that's where the similarity ends (although to be sure, I am a fan of Noodle World too).
5 - Mark G.: Bob's Big Boy was a place my mother use to take my brother and I when we were kids and I have not eaten here in over 30 years. I remember coming here religiously. Saturday I was finishing up with shopping and was waiting at the signal light at the corner of Del Mar and Lake Ave. While I was waiting for the "WALK" sign I could see the Bob's Big Boy off in the distance. I was hungry and decided that I would eat there tonight. As a kid my brother and I would bug my mother to take us to Bob's to get a hamburger and to get the comic books they use to sell showing Bob's Big Boy doing the adventure of the month. With that in mind I wanted to find out just what and why in the hell we use to come to Bob's in the first place. 

This Bob's opened up, down from where I live, about 1 year ago and I felt my visit was lone over due. With hunger grumbling in my stomach I decided to try what they are know for, their hamburger. The people that work their are friendly and my server directed me to a booth from where I ordered my "Super Big Boy" with fries. I also ordered it with a cup of coffee. 

Waiting for my burger I had I listen to some guy loudly talking in the next booth to someone about the second coming of Christ and how 1 million believers will disappear from the face of the earth when he comes. I'm use to blocking out B.S. so when my hamburger arrived I saw the second coming of the burger and when it came the saliva started to form. My server asked if "there was anything else he could get?" Deep in the recesses of my mind I was saying "ya get the hell out of here so I could eat my burger."

After taking a photo of my burger I grabbed it, held it up to my mouth and bit into it. Hot damn tamale it was juicy, tasty and delicious. Yes, it was everything that I had remembered from my childhood. With every bite kaleidoscope visuals of my childhood were bleeding thru. The meat was juicy and the cheese excentuated the taste  and I like how the 3 buns were toasted, with what I think was butter. I asked for grilled onions on my burger.

Can you tell that I will be back? Yes, the answer truly is a Big Boy "YES!!!" Oh and next time I'll be coming back for breakfast. They open at 7 a.m.
2 - Samuel M.: Burger was average, fries not my favorite maybe I should of asked for steak fries however I did like the layout of the place and service that's why I gave an extra star to be fair.
3 - Peter C.: I stopped in purely out of curiousity, because I can't even remember the last time I ate at a Bob's Big Boy.  It must be 15 years at least!  The remodel is actually quite nice, especially if you get a booth (see pic).  The covered patio also has heaters and ceiling fans, but not sure if those are holdovers from when this was a Baja Fresh.

At any rate, the food is unremarkable.  Salad & turkey sandwich on grilled sourdough are very standard, and competently prepared.  The menu reminds you a lot of Dennys, and whether that's good/bad/neutral, I'm gonna leave that up to you.  Breakfast food is served all day.

My server, however, was extremely polite and very on top of it, so that's the main reason this Bob's Big Boy pulls up to 3 stars.  Hey corporate and store manager - this guy spared you from getting the oh-so dreaded 2 stars.
3 - Diana H.: Came here last night after watching the opening of the Green Hornet with a friend. We came in two minutes before it closes. Luckily, the manager and staff were nice enough to let us order and even dine there. Very friendly staff and our server, Darryll, has the most amazing voice. His voice makes you think that he's an announcer or someone who works as an announcer of some sort. 
The food, tastes good, but not spectacular. I ordered the Club sandwich with sourdough bread and the side...fruit (fruits were meh.)
Decor, I love the vibe and the design of this place. 
Service, well, I'm not complaining because I love our waiter.
1 - jessica r.: the worst place to eat!! worst lunch me and my family ever had. our salad had wood in it. the manager only took it back and said would take it off our list one dollar difference on the bill which doesnt correct the horrible experience. the burger meat was the worst i tasted. i send my burger back and order a chicken sandwich that was worst than the burger. the chicken in it was over cooked taste like rubber and wood. i try cutting the burned part on top but the taste was still no where to taste like a good chicken burger mcdonals could have been better. not to mention the cups that look very old and not cleaned well. my three year old didnt even finish her burger. and my husband had nausea through out the night. and for my pregnant self just to think of the meat and the wood in the salad i couldnt enjoy my next meal for dinner. i do not recomend this to anyone dinning in with children . worst experience we had.
3 - Cristiano D.: Dont get me wrong, i LOVE Bobs.. However, that said, this particular location lacks the ambience and decor that makes Bobs bobs..  The food is about the same, but not the experience. if you are craving Bobs and you are too lazy to drive, then this place is perfect.. Otherwise, make the trip over to riverside dr., and visit pne of the few REAL Bobs that is left.
3 - Adrian C.: Im going to agree with the other review (Cristiano D.) This place tends to lack the feel of a Big Boy restaurant given that theres low lighting and not many windows only at the front... but thats really not going to stop anyone (maybe some) from returning. But it takes away from the experinance that I know Big Boy gives...

The food is good and at great proportion with good prices...
I would suggest the Big Boy in Burbank.
5 - Dobie D.: Great service, great waitstaff, great food, great location.  They serve customers quickly, even when its busy.  I love the old photos on the way to the bathroom.  This location doesn't have as much of the old school drive-in feel as the other Bob's.  I come here more for the food than anything else.  If you want the atmosphere, Burbank's Big Boy is the place to be.
4 - Michelle M.: I LOVE this big boys!

Most of the big boys are old, parking is horrible, or is just super busy to the point you want to leave. Parking ~ not a problem because there is a huge private parking in the back. This place opened couple of years ago, so you can tell its pretty new. And even when its super busy, its not super loud to the point you get a headach. Also, if you have kids, they are really nice cause they really try to put a smile on every kids face (I always see a few leaving with ballons). The waitress are super nice, and are one of the best waitresses I ever had! The food came fast, and my glass was never empty. Super friendly, and fast service? What more can you ask for?! And my friend & I LOVED our burgers, and the sauces were the best we ever had! (YUM to the ranch & thousand island) And gotta love that big boy statue! Always take a picture with that huge boy before I go home. Gotta love it :)
4 - Eug M.: Honestly surprised to see the complaints about the service, as it's easily a strong point for this Bob's; perhaps things have changed in the past couple months. Staff is friendly, fast, and competent, and the restaurant is clean. Portions are generally good, food is decent but not amazing. Selection is underwhelming, and if you frequent here, you'll be running out of things to try.

That said, their patty melt is delicious, and their chili is the sort of cheap, tasty stuff that heart attacks are made out of. The burgers leave a bit to be desired and tend to be on the skimpy side.

It's a nice place to grab a bite if you're visiting South Pasadena late at night.
2 - Leonard B.: It was alright.. Me my gurl and the kids went here just to try it out.. it was whatever. ill never come back here the taste was below normal on the burgers and the food was to over-priced... womp womp
3 - Novy D.: A little bit of nostalgia never hurt anyone.

After the South Pasadena community egg hunt we ventured over to Big Boy's for burger's. There's ample parking (2 hours free) at the parking lot  just a few steps away. Service was exceptional and we were looked after by the hostess, our waiter and store manager. 

The order; Bob's original combo, kid's chicken fingers and patty melt combo. All burger's are made to your liking. The patty melt that my husband ordered looked tasty and will be my next choice on our next visit. The onion rings were really tasty too, with a nice seasoned batter and crisp rings. My son loved their fries, which were cooled slightly in comparison to mine, most likely to avoid any burns. I noticed and I appreciate the thought.  This is certainly not my first choice when it comes to burgers but for steady service, food and an atmosphere that is family friendly ( a big plus in our house) Big Boy's is a certainly on the list of places to go.
4 - Liz B.: Yum. I was able to relive my childhood by eating here. Ah the memories are coming back. While it's not the best burger, there's just something about Bobs Big Boy that is part of our American culture. They have the best blue cheese dressing. The employees here are incredibly polite and totally customer service oriented. I was pleasantly surprised to be surrounded by such polite people. Now this is how all places of business should be. Will def be going back. Love!!!!!
2 - Kristin T.: The food is really greasy and oily. I had major heartburn afterward. It's not that good. I don't think I'd come back again. I remember when there were car hops and the waitresses were really nice. i guess times have changed.
4 - Antoinette C.: Best damn bacon avocado burger EVER!
4 - Tiffany P.: ***Dog friendly establishment***

That is what brought me to Bob's and why I'm giving it 4 stars.  It's one of the few restaurants in Pasadena that accommodate your furry friends.  There's a small patio out front with 6 or so tables and comes complete with a doggie "filling station" in case he/she is thirsty (filled with fresh water). 

The service was exceptionally friendly on the day of our visit...maybe they're always like this..?  Not sure, but nevertheless, it was nice!

I had the Bob's double decker burger.... very fresh and delicious!  Got chili cheese fries on the side and oh man, it all hit the spot!

Will be back again, especially if I have my dog with me!
5 - Cha-cha C.: Stopped by with my husband for breakfast and it was a very positive experience.  The waitress was very friendly, and when we told her we were in a bit of a hurry, she brought that food out FAST!  I loved the retro feel and I've always been a fan of Big Boy's.  It was a good breakfast and the friendly service made it even better.  I also noted the "dog water" out front in the patio area - I can definately appreciate a dog-friendly establishment!
4 - Nathan G.: Ok, my bro & I were heading out to Cali for a family reunion. We made an epic road trip out of it with our nephews (Vegas, Zion Nat Park, Yosemite, Napa, SF, the PCH...)

I digress, my grandma and grandpa used to take us to Bob's on Colorado Blvd & they lived on Lake a few blocks from this Bob's. So we had to go grub for old time's sake even though I had a monster list of places to hit from Yelp, thanks to Hannah. 

Bob's is Bob's = good. It's a good burger. Not transcendent, but old school goodness. I asked for jalapenos, they said no dice as they serve old school burgers & I'm fine with that. They get 4 stars b/c of nostalgia. If I lived out there I probably would not frequent the joint since I avoid chains -- that makes no matter, solid burger.
4 - Robert D.: Still one of the best burgers. Good service, good food, good prices; what's not to like!
4 - Amanda K.: The first thing I see when I am about to walk in is a doggy water station. That made me smile because I would love to take my puppy out with mento lunch sometime. 

I order a BLT with fries and ranch. My significant other Jeremy gets the guacamole bacon chicken sandwich with fries. Service was great, very nice and helpful staff. The BLT is lacking bacon and tomato. And it was all piled in the middle. But apparently Jeremys sandwich was delicious and the chicken itself had great flavor. Ranch was okay, but I am picky with my ranch lol. Just don't order the BLT and you'll have a good experience!
4 - Pete D.: Growing up in Pasadena my family regularly ate at the original Bob's Big Boy restaurant that was on Colorado Blvd.  We loved Bob's because as a little kid it was a place where we would go after church as a family, birthdays and other special occasions... the double-decker burger, Pappy Parker's fried chicken, chili spaghetti w/ a hamburger patty and the hot fudge ice cream cake... Oh YEAH!

My family loves watching food network and my kids saw a special on Bob's Big Boy.  Ever since then have wanted to try it.  I heard they opened a smaller Bob's on Del Mar Blvd so we tried it when we visited Pasaden recently.

I don't care for this micro-Bob's Big Boy restaurant because it just seems to contradict the "Big Boy" concept.  After walking through the patio seating area, you enter this dark, small dining room.  I'm used to the old school Big Boys with the spacious dining room, long counter seating & bright natural lighting from windows.  For this location, eat on the patio so you won't be shocked at how small the interior seating area is.

Service was friendly, attentive and responsive... 5 stars!

The food was very good.  My kids had cheeseburgers and fries.  They are actually cheeseburgers snobs so I was surprised when they told me how much they loved their cheeseburgers.  I asked them what makes the burger so good, they said the meat patty was what tasted the best.  I had the four-piece Pappy Parkers Fried chicken with salad (bleu cheese dressing), cole slaw and french fries.   I always loved Bob's fried chicken and this serving did not disappoint... crispy broasted chicken, tender & juicy on the inside.  My son said it tasted better that KFC... and I have to agree with him.  The cole slaw was limp & bland, fries were hot & crispy and I almost forgot how great Bob's Blue Cheese salad dressing was... creamy & tangy.  

Overall, this Bob's Big Boy continues to the tradition of good food in a family-friendly environment, it's just a little small.
4 - James B.: I haven't been to a Big Boy restaurant in ages, This experience didn't disappoint one bit. My server Adam, was very attentive and saw to my needs, despite coming close to the end of his shift. I ordered the Chili Spaghetti and salad on the side with blue cheese dressing and cheese toast and an ice tea. The whole thing cost me a little under $14.00 and that was only because I wanted to give a tip.
3 - Carrie D.: No, only in my dreams
As real as it may seem
It was only in my dreams...

Yes, I am channeling Debbie Gibson for my review of Bob's Big Boy. Sadly, the Bob's Big Boy of my childhood truly now exists "only in my dreams." My partner in crime and I found ourselves across from the Pasadena BBB at dinner time and in a fit of nostalgia thought we would check it out for old times sake.

As soon as we walked in we were greeted enthusiastically by Bob, not Big Boy Bob but waiter Bob. He was very friendly and quickly seated us and took our drink order. Our server Aria arrived quickly with the drinks and took our food order which consisted of the following:

Super Bob's Big Boy Combo ($9) Basically this is a larger version of the regular combo (bigger patties and more cheese) along with fries and a salad. I ordered this without the bun...I know, I know, but I am gluten challenged.

Chili spaghetti size ($9) This is a huge hamburger patty covered in chili spaghetti and comes with soup or salad.

Hot fudge sundae ($4) Vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, shipped cream, and cherries.

We ordered our salads with the world famous BBB Blue Cheese dressing. The salads arrived and we excitedly dug in...unfortunately my salad consisted of brown, slimey lettuce. I mean really brown, really slimey lettuce that you bought a month ago and suddenly find at the bottom of your crisper drawer. It was beyond gross. Our lovely waitress really tried to make it right. Eventually she brought me a new salad with fresh lettuce...but I was really kind of grossed out by the whole thing.

My burger arrived sans bun, and looked gray and lifeless on my plate. There was indeed alot of oozy cheese, and it tasted OK. It was not the epic burger experience of my childhood dreams.

The Chili spaghetti size was huge, and pretty much lived up to the memory my PIC had in his head of what it used to taste like. And seriously, the portion was monstrous. 

The sundae was just an ordinary hot fudge sundae...not bad, not great...really just OK.

Overall the entire experience was OK. What really stands out here is the friendly, efficient, authentically great service. What does not stand out, sadly, is the food. I also have concerns about their standard operating practices...that brown, slimey lettuce should never have gone out on a plate and there were fruit flies flying around in the restaurant. We will not be returning.

No, no, no, only in my dreams
As real as it may seem
It was only in my dreams (*sheds one tiny tear*)
3 - J. Francisco A.: I have found memories of Bob's big boy as a kid, I think it's where my parents did my restaurant training since they seem kid and family friendly. And legend has it that one of my uncles once showed up to a birthday party of mine with a full size Bob's big boy as a gift for me (allegedly). 

I've wanted to check out this local (Pasadena) Bob's big boy for some time and since I installed the groupon app and saw they had a $6 for $12 deal I thought the timing was right. A meal for $6 is hard to beat. 

I order a meal that came with what was a cheeseburger, fries and salad. I also got a drink and it brought my total to just under $12. 

I got the food and the first thing that stood out where how small the fries and salad portions where. I think I might be better if they just did one side but did more of it. 

The second thing that stood out was the burger; it reminded me of a big mac with the third piece of bread in the middle. 

I dug in and the burger was fine, not great not bad, the fries where good, and the salad was ok. I ordered with salad with blue cheese and although the salad seemed drenched in dressing I couldn't taste the blue cheese. 

It's hard to complain when you get dinner for $6 but the meal didn't really stand out. And if I had paid full price I think might have been more upset. If you haven't been its worth checking out but see if they have a groupon deal.
2 - Kirt F.: One of my first jobs ever was at a Big Boy in MI.  I LOVE this place.  I've been in Texas the last 25 er so years, and there is clearly NO Big Boy anywhere near Austin.  When I got to Pasadena and found there was a Big Boy in town, I could not wait to get there and relive some of my younger days.

The food, dry.  The soda, semi-flat.  The spoon, scored.  It ripped my lip open as I was taking a spoonful of the amazing shake I had.  I brought this horribly broken spoon to teh waiters attention, requesting another.  He lamented that some folks, when making shakes, stick the spoon in the mixer to get the ice cream down into the mixer and they get torn up.  There was a roughly 1/8 inch gash in the spoon, the waiter gasped and apologized for the cut.  He then directly proceeded to throw the spoon back into the tray that holds the dirty dishes.  I found it troublesome that he didn't A) bother to throw it out, as it tore my lip open and 2) didn't bother to comp our shakes.  The wait staff is friendly, and somewhat attentive, but they seem to lack some basic service understandings.  I am clearly no wait staff extraordinaire, but there are clear ways to cater to customers that makes sense.

We've been there three times, twice for food and all three times, we had shakes.  The shakes are rock solid!  The food, meh.  We now go there for shakes for dinner, as they are HUGE!  Don't tell my wife, she will be upset I am feeding our son only a milk shake for dinner.  ;)
5 - Lisa L.: What can you say about Bobs. Bobs is Bobs. You have to try their cherry-lemon-oj. It's like a tequila sunrise, but without the alcohol. It's not on the menu, but you could ask for it. Yummy!
1 - Evie B.: This review is strictly with regards to the service at this location. The food and prices are good. I have been going to this Bob's Big Boy location since it opened and was always satisfied with the food and service. Recently this has not been the case. There are two male waiters that work there that have absolutely ruined my last 4 or 5 visits and I will not be going back. I don't know their names and I have just named them Mr. Jazzy and Mr. Creepy. It's as if both of them took a course on how to be a friendly, fun waiter and have taken it to extremes. Mr. Jazzy will come up to your table with a huge smile, and do some kind of over the top dance and hand motions thing when he loudly asks for your drink and food order (it's hard to describe in words). It is so over the top that it's uncomfortable. Mr. Creepy is a bit worse. When I have gone in there with my daughter he will do an over the top reaction to us being there "OH MY GOD!! SO good to see you guys!!!" Then he calls me "honey" or "sweetie" A LOT and then will ask a bunch of questions, like what we've been up to for the weekend or our plans for the week. I don't know him and really wasn't going there that often. He also wears very strong smelling cologne and it's a bit unbearable when he stands there long enough. The last time we went, he actually pulled up a chair and sat down with us. He was not even our waiter that day. It was so uncomfortable that I decided not to go back. A few days ago I was telling the funny story of these experiences to my parents and I did an impression of Mr. Jazzy. It turns out my parent also have stopped going to this Bob's location for the exact same reason. They told me of their own experiences with  Mr. Jazzy and how it was so over the top and uncomfortable, AND how Mr. Jazzy frequently got their orders wrong (too busy being jazzy to pay attention I guess) that they wont be going back either. I hope the management reads this and does something about it. It is an awkward thing to report and I'm sure others have felt the same but just not said anything.
4 - S C.: Went using Groupon Now deal -- not the most amazing breakfast but it hit the spot.  The waitress was completely on it and gave fantastic service.  Will probably go back again when I want breakfast made by other people.
4 - A M.: Not the Bob's Big Boy we all remember as a kid, and it is fairly pricey... but the taste is still there. Service here is decent, and it 's a convenient lunch stop if you work around the area. I keep coming back regularly. :)
2 - Nina S.: They no longer serve plain spaghetti nor chicken parmagana since they dont make marinara sauce anymore...

Disappointed : (
1 - Theresa R.: I just left this location and I had the WORSE service EVER!!! I will never again go to this location. They seemed to be very racist!
5 - Liz V.: Well, don't get too excited.  They have now closed the restaurant.  I discovered this when I went with my dog, Poppi, to get my coffee jag, and Poppi, could get her bacon.  

The closure has broken my heart.  It was great to go there and have Caryn bring me out coffee as soon as she saw me, she knew what I ordered and both Georgia, the manager and she were just the most warm and lovely people.  I am certain that the rest of the staff was wonderful too.  It was just a pleasant place to hang out.  Never rushed, coffee cup always full, prices fair.  

I know there were other regulars, but we tended to be there in the early morning and I rarely went inside, because of the dog.  

When we had our huge windstorm recently, they were packed.  It was the type of place one could go to when you had no where else to go.  

I hear a vegan restaurant will be occupying the space.  

Nothing against Vegan restaurants, but I miss my Bob's.
4 - Sachmo N.: Sorry to see that it was closed : (

I would have liked to consider myself a regular there.  Their Turkey Club was the best in town.  The menu was much smaller then the Bob's in Touluca Lake (same owners) and I think this is the reason why it did not survive long.  The servers and management were always friendly and efficient.

We ate there for the last time during our week long power outage in December.

My family will miss having a local Bob's Boy.  I have seen them all leave the area over the last 30 years : (
4 - Kathy F.: My husband and I are very sad that this restaurant has closed.  Pasadena needs a Bob's like the one we went to as youngsters.  The food was probably not as good as we remember, but the nostalgia factor was outstanding.   Won't someone please bring Bob's back?
4 - Adrienne H.: Went to Bob's Big Boy today for the first time. I chose the classic double decker with fries and a strawberry lemonade. Oh it was so good! You gotta try the strawberry lemonade. Fresh strawberries with flavored syrup...Mmm....I will be back!
3 - Victor C.: Sorry to see Bob's has closed this location. Excited to see Real Food Daily is taking over the location. Coming soon.
Local institutions closing in Pasadena. Acapulco and Bob's now. Hmm.
4 - Kay S.: Why is it that Bob's Big Boy keep closing their doors even when they are always full of people and people seem to like them? I love Bob's! Been going there my whole life. The Bob's in Burbank, close to Universal Studios, is probably the best but it was nice to have one back in Pasadena. Sorry they have now closed too.
1 - Penny M.: Boo!!!!  This location is now closed!!!
1 - Dwain C.: I ate at "Bob's Big Boy" in Pasadena, CA on 1/25/2011.  Evidently I didn't eat there enough --- it's now CLOSED.

Bob's Diner - Watervliet, NY (42.7326397, -73.709971) ()
4 - Aaron T.: 24 hours? Check. Bob's holds strong where so many other's fall by the wayside. Reliable, hunger-quenching satisfaction at all hours. Gravy fries are a must for first-timers! Good for groups, hangovers, and impressing the ladies.
3 - Meredith S.: When you think "greasy spoon", think Bob's Diner.   Standard diner fare is  offered up 24 hours a day at this Watervliet institution.  Their coffee is good, the onion rings are tasty and their desserts are fabulous (go for the strawberry shortcake).  Great for that late meal after a night out or a study break while in college.
4 - Rotem G.: Where to start, where to start...

For months now we (Sharon F. and I) have been lamenting the fact that our favorite local diner (Doesn't everyone have one?) seemed to have gone down the tubes. Recently our diner remodeled and after reopening the food quality seems to have suffered as well as the fact that the diner was no longer open 24 hours a day. So, our search began...

Before Christmas we found a candidate, unassumingly named "bob's diner". Hoping that the diner was open late we called ahead to find out. The call went something like this:

Us: "Hello, we just wanted to know until what time you're open?"
Them: "Thanksgiving."

A new hope, 24 hour service, the way a diner should be. Unfortunately we couldn't muster up the energy to go that night, so the diner was relegated back to our 'gotta go there some time' pile. (It's quite a large pile).

These many months later bob's diner resurfaced upon the pile, and we decided to give it a try. Right from the moment we walked in the diner had the feel of a real old-fashioned diner. We were invited to
seat ourselves at any free table, and the waitress promptly brought us menus. The offerings were mostly classic diner fare, no surprises there, but how would it taste?

Thankfully, we needn't have worried. We ordered an appetizer to share and decided to split two dinner entrees. Sharon ordered a cup of coffee and I got myself a soda. Normally I wouldn't go into detail
about the drinks, but I wouldn't want anyone to miss out on that fabulous black gold served at bob's diner. The coffee was simply
divine. And this is coming from someone who doesn't drink coffee. The coffee is from a company called 'Chris coffee' and was incredibly smooth to drink. Of course the refills on the coffee are free, as it should be. (Soda refills are 50 cents).

Then the appetizer arrived, we had ordered the skinless chicken tenders, half buffalo, half teryaki (Combo #2). The buffalo sauce was slightly vinegry, though still throughly enjoyable. The teryaki sauce
had an enjoyable sweet and tangy combination. It was well worth the price.

It was about at this time that we realized we'd found a local secret, as
more and more customers slipped in for a reprieve from the cold. It wasn't too loud, rather the diner was endowed with a very relaxed
atmosphere thanks to the conversations going on around us. Our entree arrived fresh and hot, a platter of southern style fried
chicken for Sharon and a cheese steak for myself (accompanied with cheesy waffle fries). The cheese steak was just a tad greasy, just the way I like it, giving it a warm chewy feeling that just makes you forget the cold outside. Sharon's fried chicken entree though was enough to feed us both! the crust on the skin was peppery and crunchy, a wonderful combination to encase the moist chicken inside. Even the side of cole slaw was delightful, fresh and not drowned in a pool of mayonnaise. It only took us a few bites of our entrees and we understood just why this place had such patronage. Classic diner fare served well, and at a good price... We'd found our local diner.

... Now if only I could find a good sushi bar, maybe next week?
1 - Caleb P.: The first time I came here, they managed to serve me chicken that was  completely hot on the outside, but completely frozen on the inside.

The second time I come here, they managed to serve a breakfast that was completely cold. My eggs were cold, my sausage was cold, my bacon was cold. Cold. My toast wasn't even toasted; they were just taken out of a bag, heated on the griddle and thrown on my plate. I wished the coffee burned my taste buds, but unfortunately, the coffee wasn't hot enough to do the job.

They, however, managed to cook my pancakes to the point where they resembled and tasted like vulcanized rubber. I guess you could consider that the high point of the meal.
4 - ThinkAnd D.: Three of us MAY have acquired food poisoning from a visit to Bob's a couple of evenings ago. What other 24-hour diner makes it possible to take two days off from the drudgery of work? "I ate at Bob's" is now a part of our excuse repertoire.
1 - Amanda M.: Me and my boyfriend wanted to treat ourselves out for dinner, and wanted to go to a diner for options. The menu was limited and it's mainly a breakfast place. The service was very slow and there was all of 4 tables there. I got a chicken sandwich, and no joke, it was the size of a white castle burger. The ice tea tasted HORRIBLE. Needless to say we will never be going there again.
1 - Robert F.: I'd rate this place zero stars if possible.

Where do I start....

Waited 10 minutes until asked what our group of four wanted to drink. Coffee came and we were given cream, no sugar. No big deal but it would have been nice to get a spoon to stir our coffee with.

Appetizers come out drenched in side sauces we had asked for, a little annoying but whatever.

Each of us four had our dishes messed up. Some of it was fixed, other items just straight up werent delivered, even after politely reminding twice. 

When the server would swing by (I think we saw her 3 times and we were the only people there) it was all attitude. 

Bill was messed up and overcharged so we brought it to the cooks attention because the waitress was still no where to be found. When he called out to her she shouted back "Can't you see I'm in a conversation?" and never came by. we had to have another server bring the check and make the corrections for us. 

On top of that all of our food was server cold or under cooked.

The 4 of us are all understanding people as we too are in the service industry, just having finished a very long night shift at a local bar (all of us stone sober, it was a rough night). We are extremely polite to our waitresses, do not make special requests, and tend to tip very well.

All in all, the problems mentioned above don't even include it all, it was worse. 

If you are looking for a good meal or at the very least good service DO NOT go to this place for either.
4 - R B.: A very nice old-fashioned diner. Portions are large, if you care. The food is good and very greasy spoony in a comfort food kind of way. A quiet local crowd mornings and a raucous college crowd late at night.
4 - Ann M.: Dear Bob's,

Thanks for always being there, for being open 24/7, 365 days per yer.  I really appreciate knowing that when I'm in the Capital Region and in need of some late night greasy spoon action, you're there waiting for me with open arms.  When I'm feeling suffocated by a too long visit home or when I'm feeling tipsy from a too long visit to some local drinking establishment, you always know just what I need - a yummy breakfast sandwich or a delicious cheeseburger platter.  

AS for Bob, the man, the myth, the legend, I've never met you. I'm not even sure if you're still with us, but you, sir, are a wonderful human being.  As those crazy golden girls would say: thank you for bein' a friend.
4 - Sam S.: Regular, good diner food.  The coffee was especially good.  Also, the place is noticeably clean even though it's dated.
3 - akin t.: Open 24-7, open until 2 on thanksgiving day. Awesome hours. A good place to go when it is really late, or really early. The most recent visit was after an 10k run - so really famished

I have visited this diner about ten times, never when any other options are open and always when I am really hungry. And I always order breakfast, because it is very hard to mess up breakfast and it is even harder when you have lots of practice. I think the trick of enjoying a meal at Bob's is to order breakfast and be in a somewhat altered state of mind (hungry and/or wasted). Also, avoid anything that requires fresh produce.

With that caveat, I have to say the breakfast at Bob's is okay. My food has always been warm enough, thoroughly cooked and promptly presented. While, I am sure that most of the ingredients arrived on the back of a Sysco truck, they do a good enough job for me to ignore that and keep Bob's as a viable last resort.
2 - Eugene L.: This place is nothing to brag about. It is a typically diner, I think it is a dive but nonetheless at ok place to grab breakfast, especially in wee hours of the morning after drinking all night. Their serving plates look like they are about 40 years old, just funny to me that their haven't updated plates, but I guess if it isn't broken why fix it right? I've been here a few times and ordered their breakfast sandwich nothing special, serves it's purpose along with their home fries. This time during my visit I order blueberry pancakes and a side of bacon which was awesome. You can totally tell they make their own batter, nice and airy pancakes good.  So if you are looking for somewhere to eat to soak up all the alcohol after a night of drinking check this place out, they are opened 24 hours.
4 - Ro ro G.: It's a diner, so I'm not really expexting much. But the food is good and always hits the spot. Can get crowded at the end of the night and the patrons at these times aren't always the most behaved, but any other time is what you find at other diners.

Not a big fan of their homefries, but I almost always get an order of fries with cheese and gravy.
1 - Crystal C.: Recently, on a crisp, cold autumn morning we decided to try a diner we've been driving past a lot since moving into our new house. We walked into Bob's Diner, and after waiting a bit for a booth we were finally seated. At a booth right under the air conditioner. Which was on full blast. Did I mention "crisp, cold autumn morning?" So we sat under the AC, shivering, and waited for the bus girl to take our drink order. An waited some more, then waited a little longer. Finally after about 15 minutes she wandered over. The waitress came over soon after and took our food order. The food came out fairly quickly, and she topped off our coffee. Then we literally NEVER saw her again. No, seriously: LITERALLY.  I will give them this, there was a lot of food on those plates. But for the price they are charging, the quality should definitely be kicked up a notch. The coffee was bitter and burnt, the bacon was paper thin and flavorless, the home fries were bland and buttery, the eggs were ok...I mean how hard is it to screw up over easy eggs? Then there was the french toast. White bread, egg wash, griddle, done. No seasoning at all. This was seriously made with WONDER BREAD. Who does this at a restaurant any more? This was more like "I'm at home, I'm lazy, but I want some French Toast" kinda French Toast. Not what a diner should be serving.

So we ate our breakfast in shocked, freezing amazement. Then waited for the check. And waited and waited. The waitress was NOWHERE to be found. Finally after 15 minutes the bus girl came and cleared our dishes. But the waitress was MIA. 20 minutes after our dishes had been cleared we were finally sick of waiting, and went to the register where we stood for a few more minutes before a different waitress came over to help us. We could have literally walked out. She asked us where our check was, and we told her that we were wondering the same thing. Then we rattled off what we had ordered, whipped out the debit card, and finally escaped. 

The clientele at Bob's was mostly elderly or older folks. I'm convinced that it's because they are all still sitting there waiting on their checks from 20 years ago.

Never again. Bob's you are officially at the bottom of the list.
3 - Peter C.: It's a 24 hour diner, what do you really expect?
4 - Sara R.: great place to get a quick breakfast! Good food, hot food. We come here often for inexpensive breakfast dates. :)
3 - Daniel Z.: My boyfriend was a little disappointed about our last visit, because he can no longer substitute home fries for cottage cheese. We visited Bob's earlier this year, and back then, he got cottage cheese instead of home fries. It would be nice if they still keep the cottage cheese option.
3 - Michelle R.: I have eaten here many times, great place to go to after hours, since it is really the only place open.  Many items on the menu can be made easily at home, nothing really stands out to me.  But overall, if you want a quick bite and don't want to cook, this is a good place to grab some grub, whether it be breakfast, lunch, dinner or a midnight snack.

Bob's Discount Furniture - Hyattsville, MD (38.9559442, -76.9455301) ()
1 - J D.: Dealing with this store was the worst customer service experience I have ever had.  I ordered a couch back in June and was originally told it would be delivered in July.  I called a week before the original delivery date to confirm delivery and they had no record of my scheduled date and the couch was backordered until August 6th.  Not one person from the store called me to notify me of this change.  In August I received a call from the salesman I ordered couch from back in June and he apologized for the couch not being availble until August 13 (Now the 2nd backorder).  A week later I called to confirm delivery date again and now was being told that the couch couldn't be delivered until the 16th.  FINALLY I scheduled a delivery for the couch for a few days later.  I told them I had Apartment restrictions and would need a morning delivery window.  I asked for between 8am - 1pm.  They said no problem and put it intheir system.  A day before the couch was to be delivered I received a call that my couch would be delivered between 1pm and 3pm. I told her this would not work for me and she said they had to re-route the whole truck to accomodate my request for the 1pm-3pm slot WHICH I DID NOT ASK FOR.  

Every issue I had was met with the customer service reaction of "Well this is how it is do you want to keep your order or cancel it."  No one there cared at all that mistakes were made on numerous occasions.  I was supposed to receive a $100 gift certificate upon delivery but, of course, I did not receive that either.
5 - peggy m.: I visited Bob's for the first time a few weeks ago. I had need looking for a dining room set and was comparing priced. On my first visit, I was surprised at how bright and clean the place was.  A salesman greeted me and I told him I just wanted to look around. He told me to let him know if I needed anything, and he pointed out their free snacks and coffee in the back of the store. He didn't stalk me through the store like salesman usually do, and I was allowed to browse without any pressure, which I quite liked.  I took some pictures, grabbed a few cookies and a cup of coffee and went home to think about it. One my next visit, the saleswoman who greeted me did follow me quite closely everywhere I went in the store, which was a little annoying, but I guess that's her job. This time I brought my sister with me to look at the table and took measurements. We got some free coffee and decided to order it the next day. I came back on Saturday morning and told the salesman I was interested in applying for financing. He told me they have no interest if pain in full in 6 months. I told him I wanted that. I filled out the paperwork and he said it would take about 15 minutes. It was actually more like 35 minutes. When ringing me up he mentioned the "goof proof" warranty plan but didn't ever ask if I actually wanted it before adding it to my bill. I didn't notice until later, but I probably would have gotten it anyway. I scheduled delivery on Wednesday. You can track your delivery on their website.  It said it would be delivered between 11:30 and 11:57 am. The guys got to my apartment at 11:45. The spent about 20 minutes putting the table together. They were very nice and professional. I am pleased so far with the quality of the set. I will definitely be returning to this store, and not just for the Yummy coffee!
1 - Chontelle M.: Their policy is to return money to you if you receive damaged furniture and reject it at delivery. I received a couch that was too big and returned it before it could get off the truck. After working with a few people to get my money back from the couch that returned in November, I still do not have my money back. I talked to people in their corporate office and at the store level. All they have done is talked and explained to me they are trying to help. I am in the process of filing a lawsuit. 

Be careful shopping here.
4 - Keisha J.: I visited Bob's for the first time about a week ago. I was looking for a living and dining room set. The reviews online and the website does nothing for the store. A sales person greeted my family and I. He showed us a number of selections that were pleasing to what we was looking for.  He recommended different products that we could use especially for the children. The quality of the furniture and dining room set was of great  quality. He allowed us time to make our decision as well as being well informed. My family loved the freebies! The ice cream and lemonade was very tasty. The employee were nice. My delivery was actually early! The delivers were fast and efficient as well polite. They were also knowledge full of other products that we could add to our new home. I even went back to buy my daughter her own pink recliner. I left satisfied and eager to receive my order. I would order for Bob's again if I had more room to order items.

Boba Cafe - Berkeley, CA (37.8683059, -122.260181) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
5 - Claire B.: Good almond boba tea and slushes. The honey and almond slushes are amazing. They have a stamp card so if you get like... 10 bobas you get one free or something along those lines. They're really speedy about making their boba teas so if you're in a hurry and are craving boba this is the place to go. Their tapioca pearls are the perfect flavor too! mmmm boba.
4 - Captain V.: "Their boba restores my faith in humanity."
3 - Roshni R.: good cheap boba, but i prefer sweetheart cafe on durant.
4 - Jill k.: tapioca express has more variety, but boba cafe's quality is fine
4 - sandy t.: I'm so use to seeing a boba cafes on every corner when I lived in L.A. and in the east bay, it seems like theres one in every city.  So I walked by this cafe one day while strolling around and it caught my eye.  Boba!  I couldnt resist...I ordered something "safe" and got milk tea with boba.  Good stuff.

Boba Loca - Los Angeles, CA (34.0226687, -118.2916202) (South Los Angeles)
3 - Tracy D.: Decent boba-- the tapioca pearls are pretty consistent every time I'm there; chewy but not too soft or too hard.  I like their juice combos...  watermelon, lychee, peach, you name it.  They're pricier than other places ($4/cup I think) but then they also have a frequent buyer card as I recall.

Chill little place with big chairs and small tables if you don't just want to grab and go.
1 - Matt P.: Boba Loca used to quote Jesus Christ on their plastic cups. Quite frankly, that creeped me out. I just want to drink my fucking Boba, man. Can you leave the Lord out of it, please? 

My Korean roommate loved this place, incidentally. Not quite as much as he loved Jesus, though...
2 - C P.: It is not horrible, but it is not that great either. I prefer their big and chewy boba (overcooked?) to the ones you normally get at other places, and their boba milk tea and bobaloca coffee are pretty safe. $2.95 for the regular size, and I've never been food poisoned or anything. Plus, this is one of the very few boba places in this neighborhood, so basically it's a monopoly.

The shop itself isn't filthy, but it just doesn't feel very clean.
4 - Monica M.: Don't know Boba too well, but I CAN say that I am a fan. There is also free Wi-Fi if one buys a drink. Service can vary between unique and friendly, to just downright rude. And how is it that the cool chick always makes it right and the lame dude who plays Blur over the radio but doesn't actually LIKE Blur makes it all warm and nasty?

I still go, like, three times a week, though...
2 - Eiline Y.: i ordered thai iced tea w/boba, which is one of my fav, but o man was it nasty. watered down and the boba tasted like they were made from a softer form of super balls from back in the day (good consistency but bad taste). if i ever go back i wont ever get the boba again. i know that not all boba locas are like this.. just this one.
i did see that they had froyo. should've went w/my gut and ordered that instead. on the up side, the place seems clean, small, quiet. nice place to sit and check ur email while u sip one of their non-boba items.
1 - Alli S.: Wow this place is not good. The yogurt is icy and they skimp you on toppings. I literally saw her chop two strawberries and put them on top of my cup for $1. Really?

For about the same price (or more) as Red Mango, I'd keep your money and go elsewhere.
2 - Julia W.: It's okay. They have a froyo machine now, but the boba's still a bit off, in my opinion.

They're cheaper than Cup O' Joy, but I'm not sure if that justifies going here.

The store owners are very nice. Easy to work with if you have catering needs.
1 - Diane L.: The boba here is OK, and they have Jasmine tea (but never have had the red bean flavor, even though it's featured prominently on the menu) but the big problem here is the service.

There's an older lady who is very sweet and polite, and I've never had a problem with her.  However, there is a younger woman who always without fail seems bitchy and acts put-on that I might actually want to buy something from her.  Girl, you are not doing anyone a favor by working here!

I used to ask them make change for quarters for me (I had an evening class at USC and it was cheaper to pay $2.00 for metered parking rather than $8.00 to park on campus, and I figured even if I paid for a $3.50 boba I'd still be coming out ahead), but after the younger gal bitched me out about that I quit going.  

If they had a store policy about making change for parking or making change period they should post it, or at least be more polite about it.  If I knew it was a problem for them I wouldn't have asked to begin with, and it's not like I was asking them to give me change for $20s.  Most of the time I just needed the additional 50 cents and would ask for a dollar's worth of quarters.

So now whenever I go to campus I just give USC the $8.00.
2 - Brad R.: In a word, meh. This place is really a hit or a miss for me, with the boba often too hard for my taste. The honeydew melon is usually good, but don't order the Thai milk tea because it's always watery and tasteless. Also, the owners/workers are a little rude and overbearing. This place is all right if you're already in the shopping center for another reason, but there are better boba places around the USC campus.

Another downer about this place is that they're real hard asses about their frequent buyer cards. You can't combine them. You can't share them with friends (or the lady will yell at you). And the stamps freakin expire. I finally managed to get eight out of ten stamps on one card and the lady looked at it and said "These stamps too old. No good. You start new card." WTF lady. WTF.
3 - Alexander M.: There's nothing wrong with Boba Loca - they serve a very standard cup of boba, in many variations. And it is certainly more enjoyable as a place to hang out than Cup o' Joy on the other side of campus. In addition to the usual suspects of milk tea, milk/ice, and slushee boba varieties with almost every flavor imaginable, they have a selection of sketchy-looking pastries and other questionable lunch items. Stick with the drinks. The staff are very nonchalant, verging on rude, but are probably just tired of dealing with homeless people asking for handouts. Despite the fact that there are nice cushy chairs and free wireless (I think), the place is usually empty. 

Standard boba, convenient to south side of campus.
2 - Jennifer C.: Honestly, if I had any options I would never come here.

But I'm a college student without a car so sometimes when I really, really want a drink I'll come here. That being said, I almost never have a positive experience here. The cashier working is usually marginally retarded and there's almost always only one person working (if there are other people, they're always on break so one person does everything). 

The honeydew milk tea was powdery, and the slushies I've ordered are really sub-par. The boba has never been cooked correctly and is consistently overcooked (or, I suspect leftover from the day before). My friend has ordered the frozen yogurt there, and let me tell you it was literally the smallest, most miserable amount of yogurt I've seen for $2.50. It was so small that she ended up finishing it within a minute and thirty seconds, and ended up ordering another one. We thought that once the cashier saw how quickly a normal human being could eat that amount of yogurt she might give her more, but she literally gave the same amount again.

If you have absolutely no choice, come here. Otherwise make the trip out to Cup O'Joy nearby.
2 - Dianna D.: Boba at Cup O' Joy is better than the boba here, although not by much.  I also hate made-from-powder boba, so I just avoid this place altogether, especially after trying this place just once.
2 - Kristine G.: I bought honeydew slush, coconut milk tea, and taro milk tea.  The boba was OK, but the flavor of the drinks itself tasted really watered down.  It was nearby for quick gratification, but didn't satisfy the craving.
1 - Monica C.: I randomly came here the other day because I was trying to find a place near campus to read while waiting for my friend. With the kind of service I received though, I won't be coming back. 

I walked up to the counter, ready to order, but there was no one standing behind the cashier. I waited about a minute or two but still no one came, so I leaned forward a bit to look inside the back and I saw the girl sitting there at a table on her laptop. She saw me looking at her so she reluctantly walked up to the cashier like she was annoyed to have to stop what she was doing to help me. 

When she took my order, she had a blank expression on her face the entire time, then her friend walked in and they started chatting in korean.. all while I was still standing there, waiting for my transaction to be completed. Rude! 

The drink wasn't even that great either. I ordered the Green Tea Latte and it came out to $3.85. What a rip off. I wish I went to Starbucks and paid the same price (or more) for a better tasting drink.
4 - C S.: The quality here's really great. I got almond milk tea. Definitely better stuff and more variety than the Boba shop in the UV. They also have a wide variety of frozen yogurt. The pastries etc. looked like they'd been bought from Smart + Final next door, but the boba itself was tastier than that which I'd gotten at the UV.

However, at lunch hour on a weekday, when I came, the place was completely unpopulated. One other customer came in after I did with a dubious look on her face. But I don't think her dubiosity was from anything except the lack of customers. The place is clean, has an A, and actually has a nice ambiance with some comfortable-looking chairs and tables. It's a right shame that such a gem should be overlooked right next to a bustling Togo's. 

For what it's worth, I could get its wifi clear and strong from Togo's next door.
3 - Mark R.: Eeh, ive had a bit better. Its not bad, but its not that good either. I had taro one time that was delicious. Im serious, so good. Then a few weeks ago i went back and something had changed. It wasnt as smooth before. It was cold, but felt warm. Idk how to describe it but it was just not the same taro. The boba was okay. Ive had better, like in Los Gatos, CA. Strange because the area looked so promising. Im sure i will come back, but not that often. Sorry Boba Loca, better amp it up soon.
2 - Jocelyn O.: The asian lady throws your card back at you....soooo rude.
2 - Mannat K.: Service is slow, and the boba pearls themselves don't taste fresh for some reason (they have variable textures from hard to over-mushy).
1 - Jackie G.: I enjoy supporting mom n' pop like establishments but let's be real, there is better boba in this world. You can tell they purchase their snacks at Costco and probably jack up the prices. My friend and I got Peach Iced Tea (tastes reallly good!!!) and my other friend got the Thai Iced Tea (pretty good). The boba part was just not quality :( Service was... well... not too friendly.
3 - Sam L.: Before I start, I should say that I consider myself a boba milk tea enthusiast, having been to countless places throughout the San Gabriel Valley and in Taiwan. That said, here goes nothing.
The boba milk tea here is decent.  It tastes very much like Lollicup's, which is objectively good, but if you're someone who's had Lollicup too much in high school because there was one about a block away from school, then this taste gets tiring and derivative. The boba itself is mediocre at best. While it is fairly chewy, there is no sweetness or taste to it, leaving it completely up to the milk tea to support it. Add to it the fact that you can get boba elsewhere in the SGV for far less money and considerably better quality.
As far as the service and atmosphere are concerned, the middle-aged Korean lady who I believe runs the place is pretty friendly, asking me on a number of visits whether I was Korean (I'm Taiwanese). The atmosphere is pretty welcoming. Tables, walls and floor are clean, and there's free WiFi too with some power outlets. My only complaint in this department is that they close early, leaving a late night boba run out of the question.
Overall, mediocre-to-decent drinks in an above-par environment. But since it's one of the few boba places near USC, if you're stuck on or around campus and need some, you'll be hard-pressed to find a "better" alternative.
1 - Alice Y.: I've been meaning to write a scathing review for this place. I'm finally getting around to it now...

So I've come here on numerous occasions all because it's one of the few boba joints near USC. I walked into this place today while running an errand at the post office and remembered why I detest this business.

Having parents in the food industry, I try to support mom-and-pops joints since I know how hard it is to run a small business (let alone restaurant). But everything about this place makes it hard to support them. It's come to the point where it's a moral obligation to choose to not support an establishment where employees are verbally ridiculed and the management doesn't care for anyone/thing.

I stood waiting for 5 minutes, even after saying "excuse me" in Korean to the lady working behind the counter, to place my drink order. She briskly and with eyes staring-down-at-me told me to 'wait' in Korean and continued helping the employee with the other drink orders. I was so pissed that she would tell me to 'wait' in such a rude manner that I walked out.

Other times I have come here, I have heard that same lady yelling at the top of her lungs at her employees. I was so embarrassed for the employees. I'm guessing she's the manager, but she's obviously not service-oriented because she's terrible with her customers, she's always cranky, and she always stares you down. There's always 'help wanted' at this place, which makes sense with such a horrible boss.

The drinks at this establishment aren't anything to write home about. They're your usual boba and tea place. Even if it was the best drink in the world, I would never come here. Also, the shop is really musty because the air conditioning is never on! So it's always too warm in here. 

The manager makes you feel terrible and she's obviously got a stick up her butt. Save yourself the hassle and go to Ktown for your boba!
4 - Aida D.: Reasons I come to this place:
1. Their mint chocolate boba drink is refreshing and delicious! 
2. It's close to home 

However-I have to agree with the service, it's not that great. I have not seen horrible service, but not that welcoming either. Kinda makes me want to write them a letter to let them know how many more regular customers they would have if only their service was friendlier and welcoming. Hmm- too bad I'm too busy for all that.

So...I give them 4 stars for their chocolate mint boba drink- 
but  2 or 3 for their not-so-great service!
3 - Michiko M.: Not too bad. The drinks are tasty, but the service is a little slow.
2 - S C.: I only come here because it's the closest boba to my lab.  The service is horrible, the owner is a mean and downright racist to my white friends when she's in the mood.  I've always had to flag her down to get my food because she can't seem to wait at the register when customers come in but stay in some room in the back.  They're too cheap to turn on the A/C or heat when its appropriate as well.  The joint itself is clean, but often empty (because of the horrid service most likely).  The quality of the boba  milk tea is decent -- not amazing, but decent.  If there was another boba place that I knew of close to my work, I'd go there instead but in the meantime, I deal with owner's sour attitude for now.
3 - Ivana K.: Had better boba for better price and service. It is. Hit or miss here withs service. The Korean lossy will sometimes be nice or sometimes be rude and brusque.
2 - Greene B.: The Soup Nazi meets Boba Loca...
I dont know if that was the owner who took our order but after she took our order she pointed to the front of the store and told us "ok stand there".
I thought maybe this would have gotten me an extra scoop of boba! AND BOY BOBA IS WHAT I GOT!!! I couldn't enjoy my thai tea, because there was entirely to much boba in my cup. So I told the owner "this has to much boba inside" she lifted the cup up for a better look I guess and said "no its okay"....Because of all the Oprah Self Help Books I have been reading, I refrained from turning into the Tasmania Devil and getting maced by the security outside...Bottom Line is..you want Boba? Go somewhere else! dont ignore the reviews! GO SOMEWHERE ELSE SUCCA!
1 - Amy W.: This is the worst Boba place I've been to. I took my son there after the summer camp, he needed to use the bathroom. I asked several times and got ignored by the lone guy working there. Finally someone came to tell me the bathroom doesn't work. Inside of the store was so hot, because they didn't have air conditioning on. I asked why and just got a blank look. I should have left then and there, but I promised my son Boba so I decided to stick to it. We ordered two different Boba tea, the tapioca and Thai. Both tasted terrible, very watered down, not much flavor at all. So stay away from this place!
1 - Lillian L.: Terrible... bad/impatient customer service (irritated by my questions), overpriced milk tea (3.25 for premade milk tea), overpriced everything, dark & depressing atmosphere.
3 - Dee C.: Convenient, fresh boba due to high turnover but should be cheaper considering the quality (or lack thereof).
1 - Tapas L.: Low quality, high-prices, and the worst and rudest service I have ever experienced.

The drinks, especially the iced ones, simply taste bad. The sugar is coarse and grainy, and if you ask for a refund or a different drink, you will proceed to experience the worst service ever.

It's needless to since so many other reviews are unhappy with the place but the lady who runs it could not be more abrasive, obnoxious and unaccommodating.

They've also had a help wanted sign up there for at least the past 3 years. I'm not sure if that's because they are discriminating based on who they hire (since I have seen people go in requesting applications and be brushed off).

They leave their cookies in boxes from costco (where we're all aware they cost about 30 cents each) and sell them for ~$2 each.

This place is extortionist, poorly ran, and simply bad-tasting. The only reason they are still in business is because they're across the street from USC and most people dont bother looking up reviews before buying a taro milk tea.

This is the type of business that does not deserve our patronage. Thank god we have sites like Yelp to vocalize these concerns.
1 - S P.: Bad service + Regular taste + pricy = not worth to go
4 - Joe R.: Mocha Frappucinos are good, but they need to crank the A/C, hot in here!
4 - Lisa O.: This place is great! Delicious drinks- my favorite is the chai frapp with boba, which only costs 3.25 for a small. Pretty inexpensive in comparison to other places. Also, their coconut frapp is really creamy. It's hard to limit myself to coming here- I go three times a week, easy.
One star off for the lack or air conditioning inside, but otherwise there are plenty of seats, comfy or study spots.
4 - Cassie R.: Right next to USC and accessible for me!  It's usually not too crowded, which makes it a nice place to do homework.  I'm not a boba snob (maybe I should be...) so I think it's delicious!  The lady who always works there seems pretty rude but I just smile at her and things are okay.  Although the AC is never on, which makes it a little warm inside, with a cold drink it seems just right, especially since I'm always cold.  I did get asked to move when studying one time so a guy could vaccuum the floor.  Haha.  But the boba loca coffee is good, and it's there.  I didn't have high expectations so my expectations were met quite nicely and I'll be back :)
5 - Ariel M.: Well I jumped on the Boba bandwagon late and I really like it! I've been to the Boba Loca in Bell and the taste is a little different and it's because it depends on who makes it for you really. Is it the best boba in the world, no, they're cheaper and a little tastier in SGV but it's pretty good for the convenient location. My favorite is the Thai Milk Tea and the woman who works here makes it the best and she knows it cause she always says, "I make the best Thai Milk Tea huh? That why you keep coming back" LOL I love that lady. Sometimes her husband's working too. Parking is good sometimes and not-so-good other times, I mean it is located in the USC Village so that explains parking. Anyway, I really like it and since I work nearby I'll keep coming back.
2 - Erica P.: I came here because my friends and I were really craving boba and this was the most convenient place.

The service was not too remarkable. Actually, it sucked. There was a long line and the lady at the front was really slow. As more people came in, she got increasingly agitated and became snappier and snappier to her customers. It was weird.

I got the honeydew milk tea, and while the tea was okay, the boba definitely was not. The balls were a little discolored, and they weren't firm or chewy; they were mushy on the outside and sort of hard on the inside. I was sad.

I shan't be coming here again.
3 - Jacob C.: The boba is good but pricey. Service depends on how busy they are. They don't handle crowds well. The food is generally not worth getting.
2 - Sowon P.: The Korean lady who works there is really nice but the drinks are just sugary and the boba itself _is no good.
2 - Brenda Y.: Decor is awkward. Manager is usually very nice to me (Asian USC student?), but she ranted at a guy who came in after me for not leaving his umbrella at the door: "THINK! THINK! WHY YOU DO THAT?!" No joke, who treats their customers like that? Otherwise unremarkable; the place has been empty whenever I've dropped by.

I usually get a regular milk tea with boba, which is nothing special, but does the trick. I was compelled to write this review after getting their coffee boba, which was actually undrinkable. It had the sour, old coffee taste that was really unacceptable.

Flanked by a Smart & Final and Togo's; post office a stone's throw away. Parking can be chaotic, but the there's usually a spot or two in the private lot. If you want to head north on Vermont, would highly recommend leaving out the south exit where there's a light; otherwise, it can take a while to get through the traffic.
3 - Jim A.: Have not been here for a while. Liked it. Simple as that.
4 - Sara T.: I love Boba Loca!  The Mocha Frap is my favorite boba drink of all.  I used to go to the Honolulu location all the time while I was in high school, so I was elated to find out that there was another location right near USC.  It's not the cheapest boba place, but I haven't found another place that makes anything like the Frap (think of a Frappuccino with boba in it).

That being said, the customer service is pretty bad. I was given a "frequent customer" stamp card on one visit and had accumulated 6/10 stamps, but when I tried to use it again, she Korean lady told me they didn't do stamp cards anymore.  Confused, I just silently pointed to the identical sample stamp card that was still prominently displayed under the glass on the countertop.... she just kept shaking her head, so I gave up and bought my Frap.  Also, angry Korean lady is definitely nicer to Asian customers.

I just recently moved back to Honolulu and my local location is gone!! *TEARS*
1 - Sydney M.: I never thought I was going to take the time to write a yelp review, but I've been shaken out of my virtual reviewing silence: this is quite possibly the rudest service I have ever experienced in my life. 
Back story: I like my boba in unsweetened tea, which isn't too difficult an accommodation given that it is the base of many sweetened boba drinks anyway. I have gone in here several times before requesting the same item, spending time gently conveying what I want, trying to be considerate of the ESL factor. 
     Dear Korean Manager: I am respectful of the fact that you have a difficult time understanding what I am asking for, even when you keep telling me "you need to decide what is right for you, I can't decide what is right for you" in response to different versions of my request. I wait as you quickly and politely serve an Asian customer who came in after me. I want to use your wifi, so am patient when you tell me that it is "too early" for the espresso machine to work and ignore me when I ask if I could have a coffee. I sigh in relief when we settle on hot peppermint tea, only to find out that all sizes of tea are below your credit card minimum of $2 (why would any coffee/tea shop have a card minimum?). When I explain I have no cash, you tell me a few more times that  "you need to decide what is right for you, I can't decide what is right for you". I tell you I am not trying to be rude, to which you detonate a variety pack of: "you take too long" "I don't have time for you" "I am so busy" "I am right, you are wrong". I silently left you to sweep your floor, unbothered by an empty shop.
I do not believe the customer is always right, but you have proven that you are inconsiderate and discriminatory, both of which are unacceptable in any setting, especially the service industry. Go in peace and stack your dusty coffee cups like the insensitive, reverse-racist that you are. I hope no patrons ever disturb you again.

Dear Boba Lovers:Don't support these values, even if "there are only a couple options" in the USC area. Your dollars are your voice. Take them to cup o' joy. Take them to mello jello. Don't use them to condone a business who values extortionist profit (see other reviews) over the descent treatment of customers. 

I am going to tape this review up on the dingy little shop so that all the people who blithely enter without having consulted yelp will patronize one of the two other boba places in the neighborhood.
1 - L M.: The service of this place is the worst! The lady there behaves like I owe her money. I won't come back again
1 - Alexandra B.: Blech. Yucky boba, mean service. Won't come back here. Wasted 5 dollars for something I took 2 sips of.  At least they take credit cards, unlike most other boba places.
1 - Ashlie L.: I ordered two drinks, a thai milk tea and a milk tea, and what did I get? Mean service and probably an iced coffee. 

After ordering the drinks, I noticed the grumpy old asian lady yelling at a customer for asking for a second straw...HOW CHEAP COULD SHE BE?

Then I got my thai tea, which tasted alright, but my milk tea tasted like coffee; had the grumpy old asian lady given me the wrong thing? Ugh. 

In addition, the tapioca was BLAND. I've been to SF's Teaway, several Quickly's, and many more tapioca places, and this tapioca was worse in that it was both bland and probably instant. 

Also, their pastries are probably from Costco, and the poor quality of the drinks makes them way overpriced. 

Very disapointing place. I'm definitely not 'loca' for their boba.
4 - Yvonne E.: This place made me laugh, though I understand why some customers did not like the service. I ordered a soy chai tea latte with a shot of espresso (a dirty chai latte). The owner, the older lady, did not know what I was asking for and refused to make it. I told her that it was a real drink, a delicious one in fact. She continued to tell me that it would taste gross and I wouldn't drink it. After a few minutes of this, including of a few times where she just looked at me like I was crazy, she made it. She refused to use my reusable cup, which annoyed me, but I just laughed it off. When she gave me my drink she made me take a sip of it in front of her, even though it was pretty hot. I did and the drink was wonderful. I need to go back more and order it so that it becomes a regular menu item. 

This was an odd experience, but I thought it was funny. She didn't offer the best customer service, but the drink was really good.
5 - Ryan S.: Boba Loca is one of my favorite new places to go for tea! I love boba and milk tea and this place is a great place to go. The owner is so sweet and friendly. We always get the milk tea with boba and it's always perfect! The tea is very refreshing and the boba tastes so good too! It's very reasonable. I think the large milk tea is around $3.85 and the regular $3.50 or something. The owner always remembers me when I go in and sometimes gives me a little extra boba! The parking lot is very sketchy. The spots are so small and people don't really care. Just be careful when you park.
3 - Gary S.: Oy I mist have gotten the owner this time. I stood waiting while she read the paper for 5 minutes.  The bathroom was locked and she couldn't open it.   Then she argued with me out of my first two choices and didn't want me to have My third choice.  If it wasn't hilarious to me I would have left.  But alas I got what I wanted a nice Taro with half ice boba.
1 - Daisy R.: Horrible place! The older lady is really something. She provided the worst customer service. Everytime we ordered a drink she would be bother on the questions we asked and did not want to give any recommendations on any drink. While waiting for the drinks she kept yelling at her  employee in the back. The drinks were bland. Believe every bad comment about this place. Don't waste your time here, it's only rude service and bad drinks. If I could I would give 0 stars.
1 - Jen L.: The old lady that works here (prob owns it too) sucks. The AC was out AND bathrooms were closed for cleaning. Expect there was NO ONE actually cleaning it!!!

We were here on a HOT May afternoon for my cousin's graduation you could only imagine how uncomfortable it was inside. We had decided to come here to get some drinks and sit down and relax a little before the ceremony started since we were there early. BIG MISTAKE. This place is dirty, gross, hot, and overall a complete mess.

I feel so bad for USC students if this is the only boba place they have near campus. 

They were obviously understaffed....PFFFFFFH who am I kidding, it was just her in the front taking orders and some guy in the back that she kept yelling at to make the drinks. 

At first I wanted the taro slush, but the the old asian lady told me that there were no slushes because the ice machine was broken?!?!? Huh okay. So I had to settle for a taro milk tea...which ironically had ice in it. AHAHAH WTF. The drink itself was meh.

In the past my cousin had bought me milk tea here once before we came to the actual store...THE ONE DRINK NO ONE COULD EVER SCREW UP AND I MEAN NEVAAAAAR EVER, and the damn thing tasted worse than dog piss. It had gone sour or something and was damn watery. No taste of tea whatsoever. 

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE STATE OF CA HEALTH INSPECTORS SHUT THIS PLACE DOWN!!! HORRIBLE!!! ACK!!!

Oh and not that is makes a difference of whether I would come back (which is NEVER) parking sucks!!! :-)
1 - Eunie C.: SLOW SLOW SLOW SLOW SLOW SLOW AND RUDE. With 2 people in line, it took 20 min to get my drink.The lady was also talking shit about me in Korean right in front of me too. Wow I guess she didn't know I was Korean, so she was talking a bunch of shit right in front of my face. Please don't go here and support this horrible excuse for a business.

Boba Loca - Los Angeles, CA (34.0625576, -118.4469041) (Westwood)
3 - franky d.: This is a fun little spot in Westwood to grab some boba and sit and relax. However I don't like Boba. So why am I writing this you may ask? Well to tell you all of the other great things Boba  Loca has to offer.

Boba Loca in Westwood give you free internet so that you can do your work or browse the net with a laptop. This is a great little secret I found out when I had to write a paper for class and was working in there and found I had a signal and it was free!

Even though I don't like boba they have many other cool things like shaved ice, smoothies, and just the tea without boba. Its pretty cool. It smells like fruit in there. Prices aren't bad either I'd say with 5 bucks you can buy almost any thing in there.  

The complaint I have with this place is it feels very crowded. There is no clear sitting area b/c the whole palce is a sitting area. When you stand in line, the line goes into the sitting area but other than that it's a great place. 

only reason I don' t give it more stars is b/c I don't like boba and its crowded often. Other than that it would have gotten 5 stars!
4 - Matt L.: Speaking from someone who does enjoy some boba every now and again, I can say that this place is pretty happening.  It's a small place, but there is some seating if you would prefer to enjoy your beverage away from the hustle and bustle of the outside world.  They even have a small collection of books for you to peruse.  Don't worry, though, they manage to pull off the reading room aesthetic with a level of grace a place like Starbucks could only dream of achieving.

Be warned, though, if you need a hit of that boba and are waiting outside, frothing at the mouth when those doors open, you'll have to wait 20 minutes for the boba to be ready.  Why they don't just start making the boba 20 minutes earlier is something I don't quite understand, but this has happened on more than one occasion (or so I am told...).  But far be it from me to judge too harshly, for I am by no means an expert on the nature of this delicious style of beverage.

Never could I have imagined how much I would enjoy having balls in my drink.
1 - Regina L.: I don't really like this place. What can you say - my taste buds are spoiled  from years and years of good tea that can be found in the SGV. I went here because one day, I got homesick for some boba and tea goodness. I forgot what I got, but all I can say is that I wasn't satisfied. The boba wasn't soft enough and the way the tea was prepared was not up to par with my spoiled taste buds.

I went there the second time, probably a year or so later from that incident, thinking that bobaloca might have had a bad day that one time. I ordered a milk tea since I thought, Hey, how hard is it to mess up milk tea? 

Well...I was wrong. The milk tea tasted too bland for my spoiled taste buds liking (damn them for being so damn high maintenance. They're not an accurate reflection of the owner, I swear...!) Nevertheless, I'll never go here again. The place itself is cute and pretty good for people watching but, I actually rather drive out to a boba/tea place in Sawtelle rather than walk 5 minutes from my Westwood apartment to go here.
3 - Justin D.: Just sat down to a taro slush with boba. 

MMMMM purple color taste good.

I had to knock some stars down cause the guy working the register kept talking back to a customer about a menu item she thought they had instead of discussing it with her and she demanded her money back and stormed out.  

Perhaps I'm too used to the Trader Joe's ethic of customer service.

okbye
1 - Shing H.: For a place that has boba right in the name, the boba here was not very good. I had the tapioca milk tea - and again, boba is in the name of the place, so why not call it that on the menu? The tea itself was very sweet, which I happen to like but may not be for everyone. The problem was that the boba was WAY too mushy, especially on the outside, and not the proper firm chewy texture throughout. Also, the boba was not sweet enough. My friend had a strawberry kiwi smoothie and it was very watery instead of icy. Not worth another visit.
1 - Jen C.: Is Bobaloca really a one-word chain?

Either way, it's probably not important - aside from being grammatically awkward and therefore irritating - but this chain never really rubbed me the right way. 

I first met Bobaloca in K-town my second year of college, when a bobaphile friend decided that we should try every late-night spot in the area, and I was very disappointed in their (lack) of tea selection. They do have a variety of fruit flavors like strawberry kiwi or mango peach, but most of them are made from frozen, unappetizing fruit and fruit concentrate blends.

Also, minus one star to Bobaloca for opening a bigger, roomier, cushier location RIGHT NEXT DOOR to the Lollicup that shared the space with Stan's Donuts. While Lollicup may have been written up for some kind of vermin infestation, it definitely didn't deserve a neighbor like Bobaloca, with its surround sound speakers and noisy high speed blenders and psuedo faux wood library feel and NO popcorn chicken. 

Also, Lollicup put up polaroids of frequent customers on the wall, which gave you the illusion that, if you went back enough, one of the elderly Chinese people behind the counter might feel compelled to put your portrait up for all the other UCLAsians to gawk at while in line (this was pre-Facebook). The most I've ever gotten from a Bobaloca employee was him shaking the boba into my drink, which made the whole thing warm and melty. If it doesn't work for ice cream, it don't work for boba!!
4 - Toni L.: They mix ice cream with boba. Sheer brilliance. I don't frequent boba places much as I actually dislike the stuff for providing empty calories (shame on me. I have no Chinese pride), but the combo of boba with just about anything you'd like adds to the appeal of this place. 

Food: They have standard milk teas, thai iced tea, shakes (basically ice cream and fruit juice), and iced juices in lots of flavors. I especially like the fact that they have a good variety of Asian tastes as well. They also have an assortment of energy drinks and ramen in a creepy basket by the bathroom. I don't know who buys that stuff, but I hope to never reach that level of desperation. 

Atmosphere: They have wifi here for paying customers (they'll give you the password if you pay although you could just remember if after one purchase and come in later if you're that cheap) and books by the window. Watch out! Some of the novels are sticky from most likely years of handling. People come here to study, but I find it weird, especially if you're a girl. There are a lot of creepy, seemingly older guys who seem to hang out here just to check out female UCLA students. I'd consider this as a study spot more seriously if not for that. Iso is a much nicer place with wifi and a lofted eating/ studying area. 

Service: Ranges from good to not so good. They hire a lot of students who can't seem to figure out how to operate a cash register.
3 - Vivian H.: I wanted green milk tea tapioca, my regular back home in SF.  They didn't really know what I was talking about when I ordered.  I was going to order the Thai milk tea instead but they suggested the Jasmine milk tea which is what they said, "the same thing" as green tea.  Any Asian person would know that Jasmine tea is NOT the same thing as green tea, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt because you know, I like to give people a chance.

It was not the same and definitely wasn't as good as green milk tea or the Thai tea I would've ordered if it weren't for her poor suggestion.
3 - Chai V.: Free internet, decent drinks. Best of all, if you get on the owner's bad side, he won't hesitate one second to kick you out ^^; Great place to study, but occasional people talking out LOUD about the stupidest scheit.
3 - Matt R.: Everytime I come here, I get the feeling everyone came for the internet and no one is actually buying the tea.  

The boba isn't bad.  It just isn't very good either.  And I'll admit that I don't really come here to satisfy my boba cravings.  Still, there aren't many places in Westwood Village that do it any better anyway.

Boba loca is however warm and cozy.  The staff is friendly and I've generally had a pleasant experience there whenever I could find a seat (its incredibly small).
4 - Denis S.: Great small shop that has some amazing shaved ice.  But you need to be ready, because it is huge.  So make sure to bring a friend and be ready to share.
4 - Ginger E.: I hate boba. I just don't get the appeal. Not to say I hate Boba loca. But I do hate when I forget to order my drinks sans boba. 
Like Matt R said, I do come for the internet. It is a great place to study. Comfortable, clean, and quiet. One of the better establishments in Westwood.
2 - Akilah W.: SUCKS! Boba Loca should have gone out of business a long time ago with its hard as rock Boba and headache inducing slushes. Not great at all, go to WestSubs in Culver City for yummy Boba.
4 - Diana T.: I always get the honeydew milk tea when i come here. it's soooooo good! and for $2.95 for a regular plus boba, it's really decently priced! i like to study here sometimes.. but the blender starts getting on my nerves the longer i stay..
3 - May W.: I like boba, but this place doesn't make it very well.  It's too mushy and I am always given a ton of ice even though I ask for less ice.  Also, I don't like the attitude of the guy who works here...is he the owner?  He always exudes this "I am too good to be here serving you" type of attitude and doesn't know how to be friendly to customers.

There are a few tables available inside Boba Loca for people to sit at.  There's free internet connection, but I would never stay longer than I have to at this place.  I only hang out in places where I feel welcomed, not simply "tolerated".
2 - Ming-Jou C.: AK and I had never noticed this place before. It was a non-Asian person behind the counter, so I was already wary upon entering. The guy was nice though when he took our order. I got a jasmine green tea with boba and AK got a lychee fusion tea thing. Boba was okay, but a tad on the mushy side. There are a few tables and bench seating along the window, with cushions that looked like they came out of a really old, disgusting fraternity house. I felt dirty after sitting there. Probably will just pass on any craving for boba, rather than come here again. Free wireless though, since everyone in there had a laptop.
3 - Kat L.: Okay before I go any further I must say this... They have the WORST boba ever! Every time I come here with friends I warn them about the boba.  Normally I can take it if I accidentally say no boba, but not here.  The few times I forgot I had to spit them into a trash can immediately.

Now you may ask why I still give them 3 stars... well here is why... I love their Sesame Slush! For some odd reason most Boba Loca doesn't have the mix for it! I can't get it anywhere near home! I still recognize the guy that owns the store and he is Asian.  He's not that bad at service so I don't mind giving him business.  I have been coming here since it first opened.  They also have free internet so that's a plus! Much better than the crappy internet you have to pay for at Starbucks and no strict rules posted everywhere. =P

I do think it's ironic that it's called Boba Loca when their boba is so nasty.  Word to the wise... stay with just the drinks! Also I recommend Sesame Slush and the Peach & Mango Smoothie ^_-
4 - Chris K.: Tell you what, this place has boba and free wi-fi. Here's what's up. The boba may be mushy but that problem can be solved. Get an icy drink like a snow bubble or slush and wait about 2 minutes, then the boba should be at the right consistency. Can't tell give you a recommendation on what flavor because its preference. In terms of the owner, he's a cool guy. Here's the deal; if you see a Brandon working there and mention that you read this review from the CKdeezy, Chris Kim, he'll hook you up with a large boba at medium price.
3 - Amy S.: I agree with most of the reviews here. The boba is mushier than usual (but not clumped together) and their is a lot of crushed ice in it. The only case I think may work well with is the taro milk tea. The taro milk tea is so dang creamy that the excessive ice kinda works to offset it. The staff is really friendly and show their ucla spirit off in small ways--a plus. 

The space is warm and inviting to students.
2 - Eileen T.: We grabbed a Buy 1 Get 1 Free coupon from Entertainment Book and head to Westwood for boba.  Parking in Westwood is a pain.  So I got off the car to go buy the boba while BF drove around the blocks.

Boba Loca was a small place.  It was packed when I went in.  Every table had people working on their computers.  Then I noticed, there were no Asian here.  Not even the clerks.  I am just so used to Boba places with Asian clerks.  After all, boba is an Asian thing, right?  I told the Caucasian clerk, "2 boba milk tea, please."  He replied, "uh... you mean TAPIOCA milk tea?"  Yes, I meant tapioca, a.k.a. boba, milk tea.  Boba is the name of your store!  Or would you like to change it to "Tapioca Loca" instead?

It wasn't the best I've had, but the boba milk tea wasn't too bad.  It was probably the least boba I've gotten in a boba milk tea though.  I think I probably got 20 pieces of boba in my tea.  For $2.95 a cup, it's totally not worth it.  Even $2.95 for buy 1 get 1 free, I wasn't happy.

Going to Boba Loca for Boba is probably a Loca idea.
4 - Soleil D.: 1. Quiet study place. 
2. Free Wi-Fi, but don't download illegal shit or they'll yell at you. 
3. It's cheaper than Starbucks. 
4. The drinks are good. 
5. I like the art work displayed, it gives the place a personal touch. It's refreshing! 
6. It closes at Midnight...It'd be nicer if they stayed open a little later during finals though.

Minus a star
-It gets crowded quickly...but that's a good thing for Boba Loca I guess.
4 - Anne V.: Pros:
- Free wi-fi
- Great service
- Nice ambience (lots of light, cushy seating)
- Free parking in the Broxton lot before 6pm
- Great study space
- Shin cups for a buck (they also have cookies, cereal, and other health bars)
- Clean bathroom
- Closes at midnight
- Next to RedMango
- Extra star to their Jasmine Milk Tea (except when it's a little bland, which happens sometimes, but only rarely)
- Not an overwhelming amount of pearl (I'm from the Bay Area so it'll always be pearl to me - I don't care what the name of the store is :P)

Cons:
- Plugs for your laptop are in 1, and only 1, corner (so bring an extension cord)
- No free parking after 6pm
- Occasional influx of obnoxious college kids (they are in Westwood afterall)
- Doesn't open till late morning
- Kinda small/cramped
2 - Brian S.: Hmm I'm really not sure what the appeal for boba loca is other than the fact that it is the only real boba place within the 2 mile radius of UCLA. The atmostphere isn't that great and neither is the price. Actually, it's probably one of the most expensive boba places I've ever been to (ever check out quickly's or tapioca express?)

And I don't really see how the place is a good place to study. The tables are tiny, there's often loud drunk college kids and/or traffic rushing about outside on Broxton and Weyburn, and theres always not enough plugs for your laptops. 

The drinks are usually decent, but once in a while I get a bland drink that makes me very sad that I've spent almost 5 bucks for it. bleh
1 - Ryan J.: So yeah, the boba saga continues.  Those little mounds of glory are addictive, damnit.  I... can't... resist... musthaveboba.  MUSTHAVEBOBA!

So the place is called Boba Loca, so that's kind of weird in and of itself.  'Boba' isn't spanish, but loca is.  Hmm.  A conundrum.  Want to know another conundrum?

How a place with the word 'boba' in the name has such crappy boba!

First off, there were two guys working behind the counter.  Based upon their ages and attitudes, it was clear that the elder of the two was a college student who was working to pay his rent, and the younger of the two was a high school kid whose parents told him he had to get a job.  The older one was instructing the younger how to do things, but the younger was lazy and clearly resented the job and found it to be beneath him.  But the elder kept on him... good work ethic. Professional.  And the younger?  Rude and lazy.  Not going places, hope mom and dad are paying your gas because you aren't gonna last long in the workforce.

Not having had it before, I asked if red bean milk tea is sweet.  I even asked the younger employee, and he said "yeah" (of course, he wasn't listening to my question I later realized).  My thought was that, if you go into an asian bakery and get a red bean pastry, that shit is the sweet-tastic bomb, so red bean boba should be to!  So apparently either a) I'm a stupid guero (remember the establishment is called 'loca') who likes to generalize or form seemingly rational connections between two truly dissimilar notions (ie, that if red tea is sweet one place then it's sweet at another), or b) their red bean milk tea sucked.  

It wasn't sweet.  It was like drinking straight milk.  And I don't like milk very much.  Makes me a little gassy.  Not lactose intolerant... just a possessor of high amounts of flatulence.  And now you know that.  So sue me.  And the boba?  Hard, not chewy, not sweet, too small... terrible.

Now it's possible that I ordered the wrong thing.  In fact, I'm fairly certain of it.  Nonetheless, the service sucked, and the boba sucked (regardless of whether I ordered a milk tea or not, so don't blame me).  1 star.
4 - Jeremy E.: All the smoothies were $4.00 and were a reasonable size. Too bad I had to try out boba for the first time here with a perfectly good smoothie. I don't know if boba usually tastes like "bla," but it did here. I just kept trying to stop from getting any of those balls in my damn straw because the smoothie was delicious. 

Very small hometown feel. Quiet, so it would be a good place to study, but apparently a lot of people already know that... as 5 people were studying when I did go there. 

I would go back, but only for the smoothies.
4 - Julia G.: I've only gotten the iced fruit tea drinks, so I don't know how the milk tea or coffee is, but I'm a fan of the passion fruit iced tea with boba. I personally rather have soft boba than hard boba, so I like how the boba is "mushy". I'd say if you like boba, and you're in the area, it's definitely worth a try. Oh, and a small is 2.95, which is pretty cheap if you ask me.
5 - Amy C.: The best boba milk tea I've ever had!!  The taro slush is also another one to try.  Hot almond milk tea on a cold night is delicious.  Everything on the menu is good.  It's a great place to study with free wi-fi.  The owner (John) is so lovable and he's great to chat with while enjoying your tasty drink.

Pros: can't go wrong with any item on the menu, the best boba milk tea ever!!

Cons: none.
5 - Matt S.: Best Boba in Westwood!
3 - Diana T.: 3.5 stars. The only place I get boba from in Westwood, the lychee tea is quite delicious and not too sweet.  There seems to be a good number of students studying here which means you have to be quiet.  The service is usually good and the price is right.  $2.95 gets you a refreshing drink, boba included.  I still love Volcano tea the best but this place will satisfy a boba craving well enough.
2 - Lawrence C.: Pros: in the heart of westwood village.  

Cons: drinks, service, parking, boba.
5 - Ricky V.: Is this the best Boba eva!! Arguably yes. 

The staff is cool, the place is chill, set in Westwood, a great haunt for students and the wifi needy alike. The place serves a great Taro Boba, Watermelon is also dang good, I would know, I recently served 4 varieties of melon for a week and learned a lot.

This place is underrated and should not be missed in your future.
3 - Hyang L.: it was my first time trying the bobaloca after two and half years of staying at westwood. 
The most important part, Boba or called Tapioca, was cooked right and nice. it was at that right state of what boba should be.
other part of thing is.... well... alright.

But, since their boba was right, i'm gonna give three and half stars!
that alone should deserve that much star!
3 - Jenn L.: nice place to study and sip on your favorite boba...

not a great place to:
-find parking (so not worth it!)
-service... there ain't no "customer's 1st" policy...
-be in groups with friends and socialize, it's dead quiet in there because of students studying, it's like library status.
2 - Vicky V.: The boba is super mushy and overcooked, consistently disappointing. The milk tea itself is not bad. 

The positives: free Wi-fi, walking distance from UCLA campus.
2 - Megan S.: I came here to satisfy a boba craving and left unsatisfied.  Their milk tea boba is absolutely tasteless and really watered down.  The only reason why I could imagine someone coming here is because it has wifi and is close to UCLA... as for myself, I'd much rather spend my $2.50 on a Stan's donut or a slice of pizza at Enzo's.  

One star for location and one star for good customer service.
4 - Nancy P.: The only boba I like here is the jasmine milk tea, warm or cold :) Do NOT get the honeydew milk tea. They make it way too sweet. I happen to like the boba balls here, but I rarely get them because they'll make me fat. :P I prefer Volcano Tea boba drinks over Boba Loca, but they make up for it with the studying environment.

I like studying here because they have nice bright light and it is a little quieter than the Starbucks across the street. The benches are so comfortable and there is free Wi-Fi (so screw you Starbucks). They are also open pretty late. 

Oh, I think they hire pretty cute people.

I need to include one of my experiences here. It was so badass! A homeless man came into Boba Loca at around 11pm and he was making a lot of noise. The buff Asian guy who worked here got out a big stick and threatened the homeless man with it. I swore they were going to get in a big brawl (I was prepared; I got out my pepper spray haha). Things settled down and the man left, but it was pretty intense.
4 - smriti k.: ALGORITHM :For Shortest path to feel BOBA BLISS

Step 1:Start-Go to westwood
Step 2:Enter Boba Loca
step 3:Places order for Boba coffee
Step 4:Sits down and takes a sip
Step 5:Gets enlightened -BLISS!!!
....SORRY THIS ALGORITHM HAS NO END.I AM GOING TO THIS PLACE AGAIN :D

-SMRITI
4 - Yvonne S.: I appreciate Boba Loca's presence in a place that is in (dire) need of a boba joint like TapEx or Lollicup. After trying Boba Loca, I was actually satisfied with the milk tea here! Since everyone has their own boba preferences (mushiness, sweetness, etc) I'm going to review only what I have tried:

*Tapioca milk tea: it is very standard milk tea. I don't have strict standards for boba so I didn't think it was too mushy or anything. The milk tea is a bit on the too sweet side, so if you like your mild, you might not like it so much.

*Taro milk: I loved this!! My favorite at Boba Loca. It was so sweet and kinda textured so it was great. It's a great combination to have with mushy boba haha :D

*Green apple slushie: it was pretty refreshing although tasted more artificial, like Jolly Ranchers. I think they put too much ice in it.

Until there is a competitor, I will be going to Boba Loca for my tapioca fix!
2 - Daniel L.: Kudos to their free wifi or otherwise I wouldn't be livin' la vida loca over their yucky creamy boba here. This is not my favorite boba place but I do stop by from time to time for the sake of convenience. I happened to see a promotional sign about their Intelligensia coffee beans so decided to try a small cup of their Coffee Boba ($3.75). Prior to purchasing I inquired about the quality of the beans and was told that it is "very very strong with great flavor". To the contrary, my drink turned out to be a light hazelnut blend and was overshadowed by thick heavy cream with a skimpy serving of boba. The quality of the boba was mushy, overcooked and lacked the alluring chewy texture for it to be satisfactory.

More importantly, I wished I had known about the heavy creamy content since it's something I cannot have in my diet. Besides the drink, their ambiance is suitable for studying and having free wifi nearby campus is always a good idea. Their restroom was out of order during the visit so it didn't take long before I had to bounce and try another place to get my work done. I wouldn't be coming back unless there are absolutely no other boba options nearby. Westwood shouldn't have to settle for a boba place like this, it was done in poor taste.
3 - Bryan B.: The service here is always ... so .. slow. Most recently when we came, the clerk was alone, left to take a 20 minute dump, had the line back up, served us, then ran out of boba.

The drinks themselves are good. I recommend the taro, thai iced tea, and almond milk tea. The boba can be kind of chewy to the point where it's melty but I'm not anal about my boba as long as it's not hard and nasty.

But really. Work on the ... slow ... service.
4 - Mona S.: Advise: Try the jasmine milk tea!

The jasmine gives it this subtle hint of mintiness and freshness; when added to the regular milk tea it makes it so refreshing. Their milk teas are not as sweet as some other boba places, which is why I like them better. 

Can't comment on all the other variations. Parking sucks cuz it's in Westwood. There is the broxton/weyburn lot next door that validates for 2 hrs I think. Good place to study for a bit with free wi-fi. The service can be slow if there's a line because there's usually only one person working who plays cashier and boba-maker at the same time.
3 - Eva H.: There is surprisingly a lack of boba places near campus- I *think* this the only one dedicated to serving boba drinks in the westwood village.  

*decent milk tea with decent prices, yummy chewy boba
*cleverly hidden line of outlets against the wall, laptop-friendly 
(I hate those places that have free wifi but never have outlets). 
*2 free hrs parking on the Broxton lot, right around the corner
*a cozy quiet place to study that almost captures the feel of a coffee shop  

If you need to study... if you need to study while sipping on some sweet refreshing milk tea- boba loca is the place to go.
3 - Joseph G.: Because of the free wifi this place is both good and bad. It's pretty crowded with stressed out undergraduates pretty much all day, but if you can score a table next to a plug it's easy to spend 5 hours here. 

Unfortunately there is very little by way of food options (which can be a problem during long study sessions fueled by coffee), but I will say this:
Boba Loca bears a hidden gem. They now serve Inteligentsia single-cup-brewed coffee. They will add boba to this coffee. With cream and sugar, this is the most delicious study beverage I have had lately. 
That is, if you are a weirdo like me who thinks every drink is improved with the addition of tapioca pearls.
3 - B Z.: Not a bad place to study.  Drinks are alright.  It can get loud with teenagers and the tables are a bit wobbly.  Basically come here for the wifi, but the coffee is ok.
5 - Pam Z.: My fave place in Westwood for boba when I went to UCLA! Last time I was in LA, they still had their rewards program (one of those stamp cards, get 10 get one free kind of thing). Great location, cozy atmosphere, and a very student friendly business. Wonderful place to catch up with old friends (like when visiting your alma mater) but also an awesome place to hunker down and study (right next to the fuel line of milk tea - the best finals fuel ever)!

I like to the basics at a place to assess them (because if they can't do basic coconut/almond milk black tea, why bother?) This place passes with flying colors, and consistently delivers. 

LIQUID SELECTION: They have a good selection of both milk teas and slushy smoothies. Their milk tea isn't watery or powdery. I think their green tea is a tiny bit on the sweet side, but I like my green tea plain anyway. Also, I believe they are one of the few places that serves HOT boba tea. 

BOBA/PEARLS: Their boba itself is perfect, not too squishy but not hard. The only place with better boba/bubbles/pearls was Green Tea Terrace, but alas, they closed in Westwood and only had ice cream and tea flavors. No *milk* tea there. Sad. 


BIG PRO: I'm lactose intolerant and this place never gave my stomach any issues (they must use a non-dairy creamer or something). 
Free wireless @ Boba Loca doesn't hurt at all either. Just grab the password from the guys behind the register after/during your purchase. 

CONS: The only cons are 1) it might be hard to grab a seat since it's often crowded, 2)their seats are really close together  and 3)their electrical outlets are few and far between.

Overall, I have fond memories of this place and wish we had something half as good in DC!
3 - Steve L.: Had a mango slush with boba -- just so-so. Go to Volcano Tea instead.
4 - Phoebe C.: Best (and only?) legit boba place in Westwood. Boba Loca drinks are ideal for a stroll around Westwood on a hot summer's day... but it tastes equally, if not more satisfying as a late-night, post-dinner dessert. 

Back in the day, as a UCLA student, I would get the Green Tea Frapp + boba with the UCLA Senior Class Discount... It was probably a measly 20% off (a few cents, really), but I would get it multiple times a week (no joke) to "save money." (What was I thinking?!) 

There used to be a really cute waiter that worked here... So naturally, after nearly NINE months of Boba Loca deprivation, I was delighted to come back to good ol' Westwood and see that the cute waiter STILL works here!
2 - Santi T.: While cruising around Westwood, I was desperate for some tea to keep my eyes open. By chance, I found this place and saw my favorite passion fruit fusion tea ($3.45/large). What I got was an overly sweetened juice where I couldn't taste a hint of the tea. As Daniel L. mentioned, the boba was overcooked which didn't help my drink. 

This place definitely had the college atmosphere with plenty of students occupying the seats. That's okay because I needed to walk off all the sugar!
3 - Rick K.: This is the most popular boba joint in Westwood. Tables are ALWAYS packed with students doing what they are supposed to do... study. hahaha... their drinks are good and so is the quality of the boba. The only thing throwing me off about this place is the single bathroom (which may or may not be out of order, depending on your luck that day) and the fact that the ppl working behind the counter are NOT ASIAN. Not that I am a purist or anything when it comes to franchises, but it's just weird for me. I am sure it doesn't make a difference (but it does to me... for goodness sake... would you eat sushi with forks?).
5 - Janet Anne P.: Awesome study spot in Westwood if you don't like the library/are sick of your apartment.  
Why's it a good study spot? 3 reasons...

1.  Free wifi when you buy a drink.  All study spots need wifi. ALL. And fo' free? I'm a happy camper.

2.  Lots of outlets...if you know where they are.  
HEADS UP--all the outlets are on this wood post near the register and there are a couple on the other side of the room.  As a result: PRIME STUDY SPOT -- right next to the cooler/wood post next to the register.
There's no limit to how long you can stay either.

3.  Boba = good study drink.  Boba Loca makes their boba just the right amount of chewy, so for all you studiers who need to do something else while studying, eat/drink away some milk tea with pearls :)  It's about $3 for a drink, including boba.  They accept card as long as it's +$2.95, and luckily, one milk tea with boba is that price!

They also offer hot milk tea with boba.  Try it on a cold night, I personally think it's better than coffee :)

Another HEADS UP--if you're there before 6pm, park in the parking garage on Broxton...free parking for 2 hours, no validation needed!
5 - Kelly H.: Really good boba that is done perfectly every time. I recommend their almond milk tea. It's also a nice place to study or work with free wifi.
2 - Lane W.: It's dirty, the bathroom never works. It often gets too hot. It's claustrophobic positioning of the tables.

good thing -- it closes at midnight every day.
5 - Sherry S.: When I used to go to UCLA, I would always come here to get boba.  I loved the boba coffee and the milk tea boba.  Its also a really good place to study since there is free wireless internet and plugs to charge your laptop.  Now, everytime I drive by westwood, I make a stop here to get a boba...
5 - Joyce C.: I love this place...what can I say?  I'm just a bobalicious loving girl.  I work in Westwood and come here quite often.  Boba makes me happy.  And the people at work know that :)  My boss knows how to make me happy when I'm feeling a bit, er, stressed at work..."Would you like a boba?"  "Hell yeah!" I reply.     

Every now and then, I'll end up with some overcooked boba, but that doesn't really happen much when you consider how often I'm there.  I'm in love with the milk tea boba and on extremely hot days, I opt for the mango boba slushie.  I definitely take advantage of the "buy 9, get 1 free" promo they have.
4 - Emily T.: I really love this place. When I'm around school, I always get a Jasmine Milk Tea. It's just an all time favorite of mine. I think the password is "LosAngeles" now, but I'm quite sure. 

Sometimes the line gets long and it gets super hot, but it's worth it. I never buy my drinks and enjoy it there because there is a lot of students usually studying there, which I don't understand since it gets loud and crowded, and it is not the cleanest place either. I just walk and drink my milk tea :)

Oh, and their restroom is ALWAYS out of order.
1 - Mike N.: Business first, Customers last.

While I was hanging in Westwood, one of my friends picked up Starbucks. Since there were smokers at Starbucks, I figured we could chill in Boba Loca. Of course I didn't want to to hang out there without buying anything, so I bought a regular milk tea. 

As a I proceed to sit down at a table, the cashier comes over and tells us we can't sit here because my friend has Starbucks. I proceed to tell him that as a paying customer, I bought the milk tea with the intention that I would be able to sit inside. He argues with me and tells me that we will be kicked out as long as my friend has his Starbucks.

Needless to say, I will never come back.

The cashier saw my friend sit down with his Starbucks and WAITED until I bought something to kick us out. Now that's horrible customer service.

As a student at UCLA, its understandably hard to find good boba around the area. This place is no exception. The boba is overcooked, and the tea tastes like chalky powder, lacking any flavor. Quicklys, Lollicup, Volcano, Ten Ren, and many more boba places I've had are much better than here.  If you want free wifi, there are other restaurants in the area that provide as well.

Simply put, there are better options than Boba Loca that know how to treat customers correctly.
2 - Willis C.: Not the best boba around.  It's a bit overpriced but I guess for the area it's in it's about average.  I use to come here for boba because I had no where else to go, this was like the only place.  Now that I've learned more, I would go somewhere else if I'm really looking for boba.

This IS a good place to study tho, although I think they make you buy a drink, cuz they don't let you bring in outside stuff (reasonable).  It closes at about midnight and they have a good amount of chairs, free wifi, etc for people to use to study.
1 - Catherine Q.: No. Just... no.

Which really sucks, because if you're at UCLA sans car and you're struck with a sudden craving for boba, sorry. You're shit out of luck. I've gone back to this place so many times in hopes that my last visit was just a fluke and that they're not that bad.. but alas, I've been disappointed each time. Their milk tea is terrible and the boba is even worse.. but at least it's cheap.
5 - Martin M.: Absolutely love Boba Loca, the way they make their boba is very soft and never bathed in a sugar bath which makes it less sugary than most other places. I only ever get boba milk tea so this review is exclusively for that. The milk tea itself is mostly consistent but sometimes it's too strong. The baristas here are really nice too, they don't get too anal about bringing outside food in. On one particular day I wore a shirt from EDC and the barista at the time, Z (sorry if I spell your name wrong), struck up a convo about electronic music. I guess after years of coming here during my college career, it's refreshing to have engaging customer service. The last barista was one of my friends too so that was a dead given that I like the service. They don't exactly have to talk to customers about anything other than ordering but it shows they go out of their way to be a little friendlier. Only thing I don't like is there is now a minimum credit card charge which is, coincidentally, the size for a large boba. I blame the establishment for this though...grumble grumble.
3 - Catherine N.: Boba Loca... Owner's always been nice and I've never had any complaints with the teas.  Way better than Volcano.  You can actually taste the flavor it's suppose to be :-)
4 - Grace C.: What would I do without you? Without Boba Loca, I would've arrived sluggish to my UniCamp meetings, I would've been thirsty for good boba every time I'm in Westwood, and I wouldn't be able to get my fix for jasmine milk tea with boba. Their prices are decent for including boba in almost all the drinks. Get the 10 drink deal if you're a frequent patron -- it saves you so much! My faves here include the jasmine milk tea, the thai milk tea, the taro milk tea, the peach slush, green tea frapp (yes and it comes with boba), and the almond frapp. The boba is soft and chewy and the drinks itself aren't too sweet.
5 - Mae S.: I go there all the time.  Some of the drinks are extremely sweet but, other than that it's pretty good.  I've been there so many times and now am on first name basis with one of the workers there.  Sometimes it's really crazy in there 'cause it's such a small place.  But, I don't really hangout in there anways.  Parking is a biatch but, that's just Westwood period.
3 - Karen L.: This is a great place to grab a drink and just chill--I see a lot of students here with their laptops. However, that can be a drawback if you come here to hang out with friends, because the students take up all the tables. It's a good place for boba, though not the best. Their milk tea is good, but their boba (the actual tapioca balls) is definitely not the best. The prices aren't too bad, but if you happen to have a car or don't mind the trek, Volcano Tea on Sawtelle is definitely better.
5 - Khathy H.: I give Boba Loca 5 stars because the place is really the best you're going to get in the Village.  There's this place or Fuzion Cafe, which has less flavors, costs more, and is far away.  

I found myself coming here at least once a week!  Especially when I was trying to spend less on iced drinks, $3 here did it for me, plus something to chew on (boo expensive Starbucks and Coffee Bean)!  

It all started my first week of school at UCLA with a dorm mate.  Then I found myself bringing visitors here, stopping by for a drink on my way to work/class, or studying 'til closing on their high tables or comfy window seats.  When other places didn't have free wi-fi, Boba Loca was my go-to hotspot.  It probably still would be!

About the artwork, they'll change it up once in a while, which is great for artists trying to get local exposure.  There's also a restroom here which is nice.  Some people find that when it gets crowded it's not a good spot but when I'm in here it feels comfortable.  It's just a completely different vibe than the other coffee spots.  

Perks -- the owner's little boy, who can be seen occasionally, is so cute.
3 - Maggie K.: One word describes this place: mediocre.

The strawberry smoothie tasted like every other place that uses artificial flavoring, and the bobas are alright.

It's one of the only boba places around the UCLA campus.
3 - Lendy L.: I'm a denizen of Westwood for food, coffee, and tea but sometimes I'm surprised by how some stores are so nondescript that they almost remain hidden on purpose.  Boba Loca is one such store where I'm sure I've passed by Stan's Donunts or even Red Mango multiple times with failure to notice Boba Loca sitting right in between the two.  A coworker of mine introduced me to this place and I was quite pleased with how small and quaint it is.  I noticed a few people studying and thought to myself perhaps I'll try this place out to study one day.  I ordered a small taro milk tea with boba ( ~ $2.60) and my friend ordered the larger version (~$3.50).  I did enjoy my tea although I think the portion was sort of small for the price paid. I'd come back here for more boba and tea, even though Starbucks and Coffee Bean are just around the corner.
2 - Chris D.: I've been coming to boba loca for 3 years now and up until recently, this place has been serving up pretty okay boba drinks. It was a great departure from the horrendous "Relaxations" on ucla campus and closer than the tastier volcano boba on Sawtelle. That's where this place gets its two stars. but thats all it gets.

This year I have been to boba loca twice and each time I have come off sorely disappointed. The first time I ordered the honeydew milk tea. It tasted watery and flavorless; the boba was mediocre. I figured they were just having an off day since all my previous experiences had been pretty good here. The second time I ordered a watermelon slush. AGAIN completely tasteless. This time I wasn't about to let its slide. I approached the cashier and told him the drink tasted like ice. He took it back and made a new drink. I tasted it, told him it was better and left. Unfortunately It really wasn't any better. It just tasted like they added syrup. gross. 

I might give this place one more go should I find myself craving boba closeby. For now however, I am willing to make the 20 minute bus trip to sawtelle for boba, just to avoid this awful place.
3 - Lucy W.: 4 stars for the service and 3 stars for the drinks. 


Finals week and my friend and I were stressed. We needed a study break bad. We headed down to Westwood to get some boba for a little caffeine kick and some fresh air. After finally finding parking, we walked over only to see the server closing up shop. 
"We're closed." He said to us. 
"OH NO! We just wanted some boba..." I said. 
"What did you guys want? Milk tea?" He looked very apologetic. "Hold on a second."
5 minutes later, he came out with a milk tea for each of us, on the house! That made our night and studying a little more bearable. We are forever grateful to you. 

As for the drinks, in general they're your average boba drinks. I haven't had a bad drink, but they're nothing special. Good enough to satisfy boba cravings at 12am.
2 - M W.: So as the name suggests, I should expect some pretty good boba:

Unfortunately, tt's pretty inconsistent and more often than not, it's bad. 

but since this place is located near the UCLA campus, this small drink place that provides free wi-fi is a hit spot for many students. 

The drinks are always super sweet. 

If I don't need to study and I don't live around the are, I'd probably never come here.
4 - Vivi T.: As a UCLA student, Boba Loca is my favorite go to spot for boba because its location is convenient, it's reasonably priced, and it's SO much better than Relaxations Boba in Ackerman.  They have my favorite flavor, taro, and it actually has a strong taro flavor.  LOVE.  The actual pearls are really good too.  I've never had undercooked pearls here, so that makes me a very happy camper because undercooked pearls annoy me so badly!  The drinks here are good.  Not the best I've ever had, but I think it's the best boba you can get in Westwood.

The service here is great!  My friend once dropped her drink and they gave her a new one for free.  So nice of them!  

This place is a great hang out spot too.  Free wi-fi which is nice.  There aren't too many tables here though, so if you go at night, it may be hard to get a table.

One thing I didn't like was the minimum charge for credit/debit card usage.  I don't remember what the amount was, but I remember that I had to get a large drink (even though I wanted a small) because the small didn't meet the minimum value.  I guess it was just fate that I haddddd to get a large instead of a small :)
3 - Krystal V.: Meh. At a place called Boba Loca you'd think that boba would be their specialty. If you need a quick boba fix and this is your only option, then I say go for it. Otherwise, head a couple miles west to a good boba place like Volcano Tea. 

At Boba Loca, the boba are a bit small for my liking (I prefer the big chewy ones). The ice they use is slushy so it makes a weird texture combo when it gets sucked into the straw with the boba--not so pleasant. 

Flavors are okay--the Tapioca Milk Tea was a bit bland/watery in my opinion. Taro and Thai tea is pretty good though. I haven't tried anything else, but I think they do boba with all of their coffee and slushy drinks. 

Parking can be difficult to find since it's metered street parking, but if you park on Brockton nearby there's a garage with free 2 hour parking (that's if you REALLY need this boba enough to walk from there). 

Oh yeah, they accept credit cards with a $3.45 minimum purchase. I think that's the price of the large boba. If you're in a sugary mood, grab a boba then head down the street to Diddy Riese! YUM :)
2 - Steven W.: They could easily lower their prices. They're near a college, they need to be cheaper. It's simple math, guys.
4 - Alice H.: I remember freshman year when this place blew my mind in a pretty bad way (context: I grew up in Garden Grove where there's a very VERY Korean branch of Boba Loca). Really? A white guy's going to make my shaved ice? Hm.

Over the past few years, they've really transitioned into a great coffee shop type of hang-out for UCLA students, even advertising 'boba coffee' with Intelligentsia brand grounds (how much more LA can you get?). I like their jasmine milk tea, it's generally well mixed without being too sweet or creamy. Their fruit teas are always too sweet for me, so those are a no-go. The boba has a great texture with just the right bounce and chewiness. My dear boba connoisseur boyfriend really likes this place so we stop by whenever we walk around Westwood as super cool alumni. :)

This place is tiny and very busy during midterms/finals weeks, so it's generally a grab-and-go type of situation.
2 - Diana N.: The drinks here are nothing to rave about, except for their watermelon slush thing they have, since they blend in real watermelon chunks in the tea. I studied there today for a few hours, and I've decided that I probably won't be back there again to do work. Although you can study there for as long as you want and use the free internet...

1. The place gets so stuffy bc they don't have AC and don't turn on their fans.

2. I was told to put my Kirkland brand water bottle away bc they don't 
allow outside drinks (even though I had bought a large drink from them).

3. They ran out of boba today.. I guess it happens, but it just seems like they should plan ahead right? 

I wish Fantasia, Ten Ren's, or Au 79 would open up in Westwood, since they have better quality milk teas and boba. I've realized I'm probably complaining right now because the guy working there made me put my water bottle away :'(
4 - Wendy L.: Boba loca... decent, not terrible boba. This is typically the type of place that would draw a really average three stars from me. So why the extra star? They have very good service, extra friendly for a casual cafe.  

In the midst of a stressful study week, a friend and I rushed down here for a late night study break, only to arrive at a closed door, the lights dimmed and all the chairs up. One lonely worker was mopping the floors and clearly, we had just missed their open hours. Maybe we looked really sad and desperate or maybe the worker was having a really good day, but whatever the reason, he not only let us order some milk tea boba, but he also gave us HUGE cups of it gratis. That's right. FREE. Free large amounts of milk tea when we were the ones at fault? That's star-worthy. It was an incredibly pleasant surprise for a study break after having been stressed out all week. He even apologized for having the chairs up when he let us in. 4 stars Boba Loca! Thanks for being good to us poor students.
4 - Eric I.: Best boba drinks I've had so far! The taro milk tea and the thai milk tea boba are my favorite that I've tried. I used to go to lollicup all the time but now this place has my business. Especially since it's right next to UCLA  :)
2 - alex d.: the boba balls were undercooked so i had a few and left the rest at the bottom of the cup.

gf liked the chewiness though, but i thought they just tasted raw.

the jasmine milk tea tasted watered down, definitely the worst i've had.  but maybe i just ordered one of their less popular drinks?

gf had coconut milk tea and she thought it was delicious, chewy balls and all.
4 - Angela V.: I really love this Boba Loca location compared to the others I've been to.  It is my go-to boba place in Westwood, mostly because the prices are good for decent boba that more than satisfy my fix.  They have really nice people working there, and I always appreciate their friendliness.

Only issues--really small space and bad parking situation.  But what else do you expect from Westwood?
3 - Kristina K.: Boba Loca is great for late night thirsts - such as we had tonight. 7-11 was just too far ...well no, it wasn't too far but we were just too damn lazy to drive down Wilshire. Boba Loca, it is! It's conveniently located on Weyburn next to Red Mango and open until midnight daily. Perfect for us since Joe had a stomach ache that only a sweet slushy could cure. I, on the other hand, am always up for anything sweet! 

Unfortunately they ran out of boba when we got there, so that's a major bummer. But we figured we were already there so why not just try the slushies. I ordered Kiwi-Mango and Joe ordered Passionfruit-Peach. Overall, we both enjoy the drinks! They're not too overly sweet and have just the right amount of both flavors in each of our drinks. The prices are reasonable, $3.50 for a Large and $2.95 for a Small.  

I recommend this place; a lot of students were in there studying for finals so apparently, it's the place to be!
4 - Helen Y.: This is one of my favorite places in Westwood. Whenever I'm around the area, I try to come here at least once. Boba Loca is almost always packed full of people with laptops and books, quietly reading and sipping on their favorite drink. The place smells delicious as well, an infusion of tea and coffee aroma. They have free wifi here, which my iPad smartly recognizes every time I step into the store. My favorite drink is their caramel latte. I order it "for here", so I get my latte in an adorable white cup. Oh I could sip on that drink all day, it's just that good.
1 - Tak T.: First time coming here, and I'm not coming back. There's a $3.45 credit card minimum, which i guess is common but still a nuisance. There's 1 guy working here on a Monday night, and he ain't the nicest. I'm sitting next to the beverage cooler, which is getting annoying with a metallic hum. The two tables my friend and I tried to use for studying wobble like no other, and they have not one wedge to stabilize.  Oh, but please don't use napkins to stabilize them. 

And worst of all, some girl came in to chat with the cashier, and they're having the stupidest conversation I've ever had to listen to. And I have headphones in, with moderately high volume. Trust me, I'm not trying to eavesdrop, it's just that I hear snippets of Valley-girl talk with douchetastic responses. 

Wow I'm in a bad mood. I even made a Yelp account to write this review.

Edit: oh god, the girl WORKS here. I'm definitely not coming back.
5 - Matt L.: 4.5 stars but I'll round up.

Atmosphere: I actually really liked this place once I stepped in. From outside, it didn't look too cool or anything.

Taste: I got the milk tea with boba, and it was perfect. Great consistency (not too thick/syrupy or watery), excellent flavor (very tasty and not too sweet), and good boba (slightly chewy and tender with a subtle sweetness).

Price: Very reasonable $2.99 for a small and $3.45 for a large.

Misc: Minor annoyance that it's a $3.45 minimum for credit card, but whatever, not a big deal.

Bonus: Owner is Korean. Winning. LOL
3 - Steven V.: Convenient location, good drinks and an overall good place to fulfill boba cravings! 

They have a variety of drinks and they all come with boba (QUE LOCA!). The large is cheap, you get lots of boba, and if you time it right you get freshly boiled boba! It seems to be a popular study spot, but it's loud and sometimes too crowded so I would avoid coming here to study. The service is okay, they usually give you your drinks pretty fast. A good place to go if you're looking for boba in Westwood!
3 - Alvin-Christian N.: Every time I go here, the drinks are just alright. Service is pretty fast and they do have some good options. It's a decent place to go to if you are walking around in Westwood and need a quick boba fix, but I think I'm more willing to drive to Volcano Tea on Sawtelle.
4 - Ethan S.: The boba here is really good.
Lots of people sitting around and doing work (from UCLA, I presume).

The place just seems kind of cheap though: (no credit card unless minimum purchase, signs in the bathroom to turn off light, etc.)
Kind of slow because only 1 guy working there from what I saw, but it wasn't busy at the time I was there. Took maybe 4 minutes to get the boba, which is kind of long.

Anyway, small place and they do a good job with the boba, so stop by if you're craving one.
3 - Sera P.: My last resort when I'm craving boba and stuck in the Westwood traffic.

+ Authentic variety of tea/coffee selection

+/- Pretty good & chewy boba - but inconsistent

- Overly sweet teas - Try to ask for less sweetened
3 - Cindy C.: I only go to Boba Loca when i'm loca for some boba after dining out in Westwood and my sugar cravings are at an all time high. Other than that there's really no other reason for me to visit Boba Loca. 

PROS
-chewy boba.
-attention grabbing photographs hung on the walls.
-local company endorsements.

CONS
-milk tea (and a few other popular teas) cannot be customized. comes pre-mixed at the push of a lever.
-service is mediocre.
-too many stressed out UCLA students flood this place. Table turnover rate? Slower than a snail.

Just o.k.
5 - Carrie U.: This is the best Boba Loca in the area. Why? Because it is the ONLY Boba Loca in the area with CHEAP DRINKS and the same quality. I asked the owner or whatever why, and because he knew he had to cater to the poor UCLA students on a budget. Hell yeah, thank you!

Also, they don't care about you sitting there for a while to get your work done. Which is good for the people who like to be social workers.
3 - Chantelle T.: Decent boba for those who don't want to venture to Sawtelle for Volcano Tea.

The Jasmine tea was strongly brewed but lukewarm. The boba was meh -- the usual from boba loca.

I would seriously only come back because of its convenient location when in Westwood.
3 - Allan H.: Why I go to this boba place? It's the only one in the area. Don't get me wrong-- the boba isn't BAD, but it's not GOOD. I go here because I'm reduced to this place. The almond milk tea(my fav) is usually too milky, or too creamy, or something is not right... I still drink it because ya know... it's that or drive 15 mins to Volcano tea, but whatever. Also, the reason you know it's not super legit...(they take ATM) Asian places NEVER TAKE ATM. Weirdly, they do... NOT LEGIT ahhahaha anyways, go here if it;s your only choice. remember it's not bad... but not good. if it was cheaper(like 2 buck a cup-- I'd probably say its good)

The service is good though! Prompt and friendly

lots of study room too(if it isn't finals week!)
5 - Anthony M.: Boba-freak-ING-sane!
I am not a boba-snob by no means but, I loba, boba and have it where ever I can.  Today I had a coconut milk boba while eating at flame boiler next door.  Wow!  It twas amazing.  Such a silky, creamy, perfect drink.  I didn't step inside the place, (my wife did) so I can't comment on the store , I didn't even ask her the price but, damn, son, I don't think I would have cared if it was 10 smackers.  (  please don't start charging that.)
4 - Michelle M.: Trojan in Bruin territory? ....eeekk.....


This place is located in the middle of westwood, and is close to literally everything (movie theater, cpk, taco bell, and etc). It is next to UCLA, so almost everyone is a Bruin. Which is a bit weird because I am a Trojan lol. So my friend comes here a lot because of their coffee. They appearently use intelligentsia coffee. He got me addicted. I crave this coffee like no other coffee has. It is a tiny place, not that many seating. But its a good place to come and hang out with Bruins and study with free Wifi.
5 - Katherine R.: So I know that when I come here, I am basically purchasing a very expensive cup of corn syrup... But with full disclosure, I see no problem! 

If you are loca for boba, I recommend you do the cheap thing and buy the 10-drink "gift" card (gift I buy for myself heh heh). It costs $27 and comes with a free regular-size drink when you purchase it, so it's like getting 11 drinks for $27--that's about $2.45 per drink which makes it cheap for Westwood!

Additionally, you can use the card to purchase the fraps--normally $3.45, so you are saving a dollar there if you're into those. My friend likes the white chocolate mocha but being the starbucks fiend that I am, I like to order the caramel frapp since it satisfies my bloodthirst for boba and my frappuccino addition at the same time. 

The boba is usually soft but chewy (opposite of hard and breaking apart), and the "tea" is decent too!  

Just be sure to bring cash if you plan on buying a small drink (not using the drink card) because they only take the card if your  purchase costs over $3 or something.
1 - Valerie M.: The people that work here are assholes. The tea is so so, but if the service was just a tad better, I might actually consider coming back here.
3 - Andrew N.: I love the almond milk tea here. It's the best almond milk tea out of all the boba places I go to. That being said, it's the only drink I get now at boba loca. The drinks here are hit or miss. I tried a couple different drinks when I was a freshman and several of them tasted like watered down milk - I haven't tried them again. After a while, I figured out that only a few drinks are consistently pretty good (almond milk tea, thai tea, some of the fruit teas) so I've stuck with those.

A lot of people study here during the school year but it always seems too hot, stuffy, and noisy for me. The display fridge that they put all the soda in is really, really loud. There are several tables to study at and there's free wifi although the bathroom seems to always be out of order so you might not be able to stay there for too long. I've also noticed that sometimes there's a few bugs flying around the tables where people are studying...  

Credit card minimum = $3.45. They also have a prepaid 10 drink card for $27, which is definitely worth it. You get a free milk tea when you buy the card, and then you can use the card for any 10 drinks on the menu (even the $3.45 smoothies). 

I also have to point out that they blend the ice into the milk tea drinks so that the ice is small and fine. I think the blended ice makes it tastes a little bit better than regular chunks of ice BUT it's actually kind of cheating. Blending the ice into the drinks leaves a layer of icy foam at the top. It'll look full when you get the drink but if you let it stand for about 5 minutes, the foam/ice will melt and you'll realize that there's about an inch missing from your drink (I felt shocked and cheated the first time I noticed this).
5 - Rylee M.: Awesome lil spot! I always go here to get my boba, it's delicious! Great place to study (if you can find a spot cause it's not much of a secret). Right in the heart of Westwood. If you like coffee, like boba, you'll like Boba Loca...simple as that.
4 - Roxanne B.: All I can say is: Tapioca Milk Tea. mmmm.
4 - Nelson Y.: I've come here about 50 or so times already. Boba Loca is not extraordinarily special, but it's pretty awesome. 

I'm no longer a fan of Volcano's since they jacked up the prices & the ladies there are rude. The atmosphere is abit too Asian for me. Yea, I'm Asian so if I'm sick of my own race, that should tell you something... jkjk!

The milk teas are pretty good. You can't compare Boba Loca's to Half & Half. 

I usually get the Almond Milk tea, which is amazing. Thai Milk Tea & Passion Fruit are also pretty good. The rest, I feel are so-so. I heard their coffee is pretty good, I shall try that next.

I haven't studied here. But usually, boba loca is packed with ppl working & Studying. I guess it's a good study place. lol. There's free wifi.

Pretty convenient location for UCLA students! I like to play ball & get boba afterwards to reward myself for a good workout... ehhh. The boba prolly cancels out my workout... Oh well! Boba is awesome!
3 - Justin N.: I love boba but please, make it flavorful, don't try and play me for a sucka. There is more to boba than just the texture, it should add at least a little flavor, something to step the beverage up a notch.. The tea/juice options here are tasty enough and the staff is helpful, but unfortunately if the boba doesn't taste like much there really isn't a point is there?
4 - Tracy L.: Great jasmine bubble tea! Free wifi with wall plugs for laptop. Good place to study or hangout with friends.
3 - Nahal A.: My friends & I went here last night. They had already gotten Yogurtland and Starbucks but I was craving some boba. I have to admit, my standards for what my boba should taste like are fairly high because I used to be a regular customer of Zen Zoo on San Vicente & 26th in Brentwood. Anyways, back to what I'm actually reviewing lol, I thought it was a little lame for lack of a better word. I wouldn't necessarily come here for the drinks rather if I wanted to be in a studying environment other than Starbucks or Coffee Bean. Also, I wish there would be more people working here instead of just one person running around for everyone, I almost felt bad ordering a drink. My drink was bland, nothing special, definitely not worth my money. Overall, if you don't care much for how your drink tastes as long as you get the tapioca then go here, otherwise I would find another boba place with more quality tasting drinks.
5 - Blah B.: this rating is just for the coconut milk tea. it's awesome. creamy and just the right amount of sweetness to complement that milky taste. yet, it's dairy free! i tried the almond milk tea (after reading some of the previous reviews) but found it to be disgusting - way too sweet for my taste! I felt like i could taste the artificial almond syrup they must have added to sweeten the drink.
3 - Thy L.: Solid boba place.  It's close enough to walk to, which makes this spot all the more attractive.  I like the almond milk tea and thai ice tea.  the milk tea is okay as well.  The boba is a bit too soft.  This might sound strange, but I like their ice (it's crushed)!
2 - Danielle B.: I wasn't impressed with this place.  The cashier just stared me down when I walked in.  I ordered a drink with extra boba, and paid the corresponding fee.  When I got my drink, I saw that I had the same amount of boba as the girl in front of me, who did not order extra.  To top things off, the boba was waaaaaaaaaaaaay too mushy.  I doubt that I'll return.
4 - sasha h.: I'm sad this place only has 3 1/2 stars. I loved it so much in college and still do. I've only gotten the chai frap boba and the passionfruit but they are both reallyyyy good. My favorite part is punching the straw through the top, i know lame, but i get some sort of satisfaction from it. Anyhow, this place is small but a nice change to a coffee shop to do work and i think the tapioca balls they have are actually quite good. I'm still a fan.
4 - Mary A.: I only give this place a 4 star because the service is slow.. the boba is great, the coffees are good too! - Mocha or Thai Tea boba - you cant go wrong man. 
:)
4 - Sara C.: I decided to try the Almond Milk Tea this time... and it was delicious! :)
4 - christy m.: mmmmmmm great milk tea
3 - Natalie G.: I LOVE THE FRAPP DRINKS! Especially the Coconut Frapp, and their actual boba is usually pretty good. 

I never really like their teas though. I've tried a lot of their teas, but they seem to be over steeped and over sweetened. meh.

Customer service is okay. There is a girl there that is kind of rude, but the worst part is that they close the doors early... I've been there 10 minutes before they are suppose to close and they have chairs blocking the entrance. If you want to close at 11:50PM, post that instead of 12AM.

It satisfies a craving!
2 - Michelle C.: In a nutshell: your quick fix for boba in Westwood. Not the best, but cheap and decent. The prices ($3-$5) include boba, while other tea houses charge extra. However on several occasions, they've also run out of boba... Like the stars say, "Meh. I've experienced better."
4 - Bridget P.: I've liked this place ever since college. Cute, cozy coffee shop atmosphere to study, and they offer a wide variety of frappes, shakes, hot and iced fruit teas, etc. The hot almond milk tea is THE perfect drink for a chilly day, and the strawberry-banana smoothie is another of my favorites. If you're a student, check out the Bruin deals at the beginning of the quarter for free upgrade coupons, if they still do that. 

They also promote local services and all of their bakery case seems to be stocked by local, independent bakeries too. 

$3.45 credit card minimum is kind of a pain in the a$$. Otherwise, I never really have any complaints, except that it wouldn't hurt the cashiers to be a little friendlier.
4 - Calvin H.: You'd think that there would be more good places to study in Westwood, but there aren't. I just discovered Boba Loca and really like it. It was quiet on a weekday afternoon and there were plenty of open seats. All of their cold drinks come with boba unless you specify otherwise, which is good. The boba in my drink had the right texture and the almond milk tea was just sweet enough. I see that they serve Intelligentsia coffee and will do pour-overs; I think I'll come for that next!
2 - Brian W.: Drinkable. My pearl milk tea wasn't very sweet at all, but it was too far to the other side-- NOT sweet at all.

Boba is okay. Haven't tried enough of their selection yet to be sure, but decidedly not impressed. I'll keep driving to Sawtelle for my fix...
4 - Alex K.: I recommend Boba Loca as they make far more tastier drinks than other boba cafes.

I've been to Boba Loca countless times by now and have always received a positive outcome: good customer service and consistently tasty boba drinks. Finally, there is a spot where one can try a wide selection of boba drinks and not get disgusted. The prices are reasonable, service is good, and drinks are fresh and tasty.

Overall, a relief to have found a good boba cafe after a long search.
4 - Andrew L.: I've put off writing an update to this place long enough.
You can tell that they (management) really care about this business and their customers.  If you ever see them, talk to them.

I'll still say that Thai Iced Tea and Taro Milk Tea are the best things to get.  And this place is still cheaper.  A lot of places don't have Thai iced tea, and for some reason everyone loves orders it whenever I take orders to go to get boba.

Oh, another unique thing: they have "popping" boba with a few assorted flavors.  It's something new to try with a flavored tea; I don't recommend it with a milk tea, since the juice inside the boba is more of a syrup.  And yes, they really do pop!

I don't know if they still do it, but they give out a discount to UCLA "seniors."  Ask them about it next time you're in.
3 - Suzy S.: It's a chain with very average boba. Nothing out of the ordinary. The texture of the boba is consistantly good. It has a nice chew. I usually have almond milk tea or honeydew. They were a little too sweet.  It has intelligensia coffee but sometimes they run out. Service was excellent. Lots of places to sit.
4 - jane l.: iced taro milk tea on hot days and hot almond milk tea for cold nights. free wifi and open till midnight for late night study sessions, but outlets are few and far between. it's been good for the most part, but there were a couple times when the drinks i ordered were way too sweet. still... it's the best boba i've been able to find in the neighborhood.
5 - Ariel H.: I think this would be my favorite boba place around Westwood. The boba here definitely satisfies my cravings for it. It is perfectly chewy and I like that the boba is smaller! There are places on UCLA campus with boba, but it's really not as good. My favorite drinks are the milk tea and the almond milk tea. This is also a great place to study or meet up with friends for a drink. 
I recently posted about a small issue regarding a drink I purchased here on yelp and within hours received an e-mail from the owner with the sincerest apologies. Not only is the boba delicious, but the owners really care about their business and their customers. I am extremely impressed with the level of service in and out of the shop and I would highly recommend boba loca to anyone!
3 - Christine T.: It has already been four years since I've been coming to this boba shop. Hot damn.

Let me just say... 4 stars for their boba and 3 stars for their drinks. I probably wouldn't come here so often if their boba weren't good (first thing I'd judge on). The texture and sweetness of the balls are one of the best places I've tried in the area, mildly sweet, soft on the inside and freshly made. I don't think they have the option for small boba.

I usually stick with the milk tea drinks and rotate between regular milk, jasmine green,  thai and almond milk tea. I get regular milk most often because they make that drink most consistently. Their jasmine can be fragrantly good at times or really diluted. I get that based on my mood. I do recommend their thai tea since they give a good thai tea to milk ratio. It's not as strong and as sweet as other places like noodle planet. Almond milk tea is probably one of the best I've tried compared to other boba shops. I've also had their red bean milk tea. The red bean chunks give that extra two bites on top of the chewy boba balls. They don't make it too sweet or too diluted so that you lose the red bean flavor either. 

I do have to say, they don't always have their boba ready once they open, which sucks when I really crave boba. On another note, they serve egg pudding now and it's pretty darn smooth and sweet. I definitely recommend you try it. 

They have a few selections of pastries and serve intelligentsia coffee and a bunch of out of the ordinary drinks you'd never find at the supermarkets. Like my favorite, MR. Q CUMBER SODA! Gosh, I love that drink. It's really just carbonated cucumber water but it's really good, try it! I have yet to try the sweet blossom flavor and the other ones I can't think of (they really are unique so I can't remember off the top of my head). 

Service is great! Wait for your drink is short. Regular size: $2.95 and Large: $3.45 for milk tea drinks. To use card, there's a $3.45 minimum. Go get a stamp card or buy the boba loca gift card check thing for more drinks at a discounted price. That's if you go often. Don't come with a car, you won't find parking (unless it's before 6pm, free 2h parking in structure in the back). You'll need to walk off those extra calories from the boba you order anyways.
4 - Idy T.: Because of my addiction to boba I cannot help but to stop by this place and get myself a drink! There is something about this place that keeps bringing me back. Ever since my last visit, this place has really stepped it up. 

This time, I decided to be a little more specific about my order because during my previous visits, I would be getting drinks that were either too sweet or drinks that did not have enough milk. I asked to have my jasmine milk tea half sweetened with a little bit more milk than the usual. I am glad that I was specific with my drink. It came out perfect to my taste. If Boba Loca sweetened their boba, this drink would be even more perfect! This is the only thing that I can really pick at. 

If you are picky with your drinks like me, I recommend speaking up to the cashier and let them know what you want! The workers are really friendly and willing to work with you so the drink is catered to your palate. 

Boba Loca has fair pricing for us, poor college students. This place is also good for studying and reading. I have been coming to this place for the past four years and their boba drinks have accompanied me throughout my UCLA days! I am really going to miss this place after I graduate and move away from Westwood! :(
4 - Brandon N.: This chain of boba stores has been one of my favorites for a while. I used to hate boba, thinking "what is this black stuff in my drink...?" and I'd usually try to drink around it. But as my sister started taking me to Boba Loca, I started loving it. The tapioca milk tea is simply amazing. Amazingly refreshing, and just slightly sweet, making it the perfect drink to cool down with on a hot day. And as a student at UCLA, the boba place on campus is rather lacking (and expensive too) so when I feel the need to have some boba, I'm willing to walk all the way down to this store just so that I can have it. Sure it might be a hassle to save one dollar and a couple cents from the UCLA, but the quality of the boba sure is worth it. It's chewy, but not hard like at other stores. I appreciate boba when it's rather soft, so that it can work well with the drink around it, and this place delivers. Plus, it's pretty cheap too! So that's always an added bonus. Definitely would be a regular.
5 - Sarah S.: This location is far better then the one in Torrance.
it has a really cool and trendy vibe and is very welcoming.
I got 2 large Thai milk teas with boba and i cannot find fault with it. it was not too sweet, the mix of tea and milk perfect and the boba was fresh and pleasing to the mouth.
if i lived closer to this location id be here every day!
4 - Ken T.: Wanting some boba in Westwood? Boba Loca is probably your best bet! Of course, for the best boba, you'd have to travel to the 626 where there are more boba joints than there are Asian people. And just like people, only some of those places are tolerable and good. I've had the chance to try Boba Loca's Thai Iced Tea, Boba Milk Tea, and Jasmine Milk Tea and I can honestly say that it is very good, refreshing, and tastes the way it's supposed to. 

One minor criticism that I have about this place is that their boba doesn't really taste like anything at all. In my opinion, the drinks would be SO MUCH BETTER here if only their boba was sweeter. They have the texture and chewiness down. Now it's just a matter of improving its taste. All you readers out there who have had honey boba know what I'm talking about!

Pricing-wise, it's not cheap yet it's not expensive. It is typically what you would pay for boba. I do appreciate their customer service here a lot. Very friendly service and the owner always makes sure you are satisfied with your drink. 

Bring a laptop with you and chill/study in the seating area. Cool little spot to hangout.
4 - Lizzie M.: I love the atmosphere and boba tea's but the OWNER IS A DOUCHE BAG. Well he might not be the owner but he's the oldest asian man who just has the worst attitude, if you aren't 100% sure of your decision before you purchase, or if you show any mistake (i.e. saying uh, i'll take...) ANYTHING, he will remember his dislike for you and always show you it afterwards. 

Kinda puts a damper on the place, and sometimes its really crowded so you can't enjoy your boba because of the screaming teens who feel the need to invade personal space.
2 - Jera D.: meeeh. I tried ordering watermelon boba but it's not available that time, so I decided to order strawberry boba. It looks good but gahhhh the taste was awful. Too sweet and too sour. 

Just to be fair, the place is nice and has a good vibe. Great for people who likes to spend time with their computers because they have wifi (asian version of starbucks). Customer service was just okay.
3 - Yi Y.: I keep on forgetting to check in here, but trust I've been plenty of times.

This is probably the best place to get boba in the westwood area. I'd rather go here than volcano just because it's more convenient and there's usually not huge crowds of people waiting.

I always get the thai milk tea, which is probably my favorite thing on the menu, but everything else is pretty good too. The store itself is slightly small, but there is some outdoor seating.

Overall not a bad boba place, but not the best I've ever had.
2 - Travis L.: Only source of Boba in westwood? Okay, I guess. Prices include boba, which is nice, but nothing really stands out on the menu. The mix of more "asian style" boba (e.g. Taro) against the Intelligentsia coffee is odd to me, but it gives you a nice range of choices. You have to get the large size boba in order to use your card ($3.45 +), so be aware. 

The drinks are often inconsistent. I've gotten the fruit fusion teas, which are pretty simple, but the honeydew milk tea and honey apple tasted different the few times I've gotten them. I don't feel like the staff is too inclined to make it better, so don't expect to have them tailor it to your tastes. 

Really dislike the sloppy arrangement of tables and chairs. It's extremely cramped, and really uncomfortable for any long term studying. Not a fan of the fly infestation that likes to chill out in the middle of the place, either.
4 - Christopher S.: Good boba in Westwood. I prefer their Taro over Volcano's.
It's not too pricey and the service is extremely fast.
Great place for a quick rendezvous with a friend!
3 - Rebecca Y.: It seems to be the only place in Westwood for Boba, but it isn't the greatest nor most innovative drinks. Fast service, a-ok employees (no one has ever been rude, but a little pretentious). Honestly I'd rather just get a nice drip coffee here, but even then it's a little price for some beans. 

What does deserve a shout out is the ability to get HOT COFFEE with BOBA. Sounds tacky and it totally is but it's worth a try if you've never had hot boba.
4 - Debbie N.: I love this place. Best boba I've ever had. The owner, John, is supercool and the staff are hard working UCLA Bruins.  The coffee is individually brewed & painstakenly prepared per order.  The free   
wifi just adds to the laid back ambiance of the cafe atmosphere. I highly recommend Boba Loca for a quick drink or a people watching break in the heart of Westwood.
3 - Joey L.: I went in to grab a regular size Thai milk tea, which is my personal favorite from here. However, the guy at the counter informed those of us in line that he only had enough boba for the next 3 customers, me being the 4th. I've noticed in the many boba runs I had here that they tend to run out of boba quite occasionally.  They normally don't have boba the first 30 min after they open in the morning, and often they would run out occasionally during the day. I believe this is because most of the time there's only one person working the cashier and making the drinks, and there's not enough time for the guy to make the bobas while tending to all other businesses of running the place.  Anyway, I didn't need boba anyway as I wanted to cut down on my sugar intake, but the guy said he'll see if there'll be any boba left after the first 3 customers. When he found out there's none left, he upgraded my boba from a regular to a large and apologized. While it's frustrating that the place tends to run out of bobas sometimes, all the people that work there have been extremely courteous.  It's the best place to get boba in Westwood in my opinion. It's not too pricey either.  The price posted already includes tax, so you pay what you see on the menu, which is definitely convenient.  There's also a parking structure next to it that provides free parking for first 2 hours if you go in before 6pm, so you don't have to look for parking if you drop by early enough.
1 - Amberlin J.: If he could, I bet the cashier guy would roll his eyes at every customer at least 5 times before handing back their credit card or change. 

Their jasmine milk tea is the worst I've ever had. I'm sitting here at the shop and with every sip I take, the more bitter I become. That's why I'm writing this bitter review. Because, you know, gotta complement the bitter yet watered down taste somehow, right?

Terrible customer service. Terrible drink. Also, I'm tired of hearing "we can't remake this if you order it that way." 

Boba loca, you so cray cray.
----------------------------------------------------

UPDATE:

John, the owner of boba loca, contacted me through yelp. His message was genuine, considerate, and the response of a responsible owner-honestly I'm impressed. Since I have yet to go back my rating will remain unchanged, but here's hoping when I swing by it won't be another bad experience.
1 - Assaf L.: The sweets are so-so, the drinks are alright, but what really ticked me off is all these annoying rules they have. (1) can't bring ANYTHING from outside, (2) can't be on the phone when you order, (3) can't use credit card for anything less than $3.25.

Dude, there's a Starbucks 20 feet from your tiny store, please try and make it fun and easy to buy your coffee. If you had better pastry maybe I wouldn't have to bring my own freaggin donut, you know?
2 - Jane N.: Been here a few times because it was conveniently close to where I was parked.  Maybe it's a function of being employed by a bunch of college kids in a moderately wealthy area, but just about every cashier I've had has served me with an upturned nose.  I agree with the reviewer who said they'd probably roll their eyes several times if they could.  Service is fast, but snooty.  Oh, I'm sorry, how dare I come in and order boba at this boba place?  Next time I won't bother you.  You can text your friends uninterrupted.

I could probably deal with that, actually, if the teas weren't so bland.  Every time I've gone I've thought, "well, I'll try something different this time, and maybe I won't be disappointed."  And then I am.  The boba itself has a decent consistency, but all the teas I've tried taste about the same:  milky with a tiny hint of tea and some nearly unidentifiable syrupy flavor.  All in all, blerg.
2 - Fiona Y.: This is a great study spot but I would not be here if not for the free wi-fi. If you think this is good boba.. you haven't tried honey boba that's chewy and sweet. This boba unfortunately falls short, due to inconsistency in the quality of their boba. Sometimes hard, sometimes chewy, sometimes a combination of the two. I'm sorry but I can't call this real boba.
2 - Laraine B.: One time I went to Boba Loca a few minutes after it opened, and the white hipster behind the counter told me he'd just started cooking the boba, so I'd have to wait about an hour for it. NOPE, not waiting that long for Boba Loca boba, known for being exactly the opposite of what good boba should be.

My only fond memory of Boba Loca was the one time I managed to crank out a microbiology essay while sipping on their admittedly decent taro milk tea that was of course ruined by their terrible hard boba. 

If you're a UCLA student craving boba, befriend someone with a car and drive over to Volcano Tea in Sawtelle.
4 - San K.: The actual boba is a hit or a miss but their caramel frapps are always good. My friends all love the milk tea boba but I'm not really a fan. The slush drinks are also nice, but can be a little too sweet.
1 - Shannon M.: Just went here because yelp said it was the best boba place by ucla but was veryyyy disappointed!! The milktea tasted like water and the boba was flavourless..... plus when I drank it the ice came up through the straw with the boba ~.~ 

Never again.
1 - Lizet G.: The owner/cashier man absolutely kills any good vibe this place can have. He has always been rude but in one particular incident I think he went over the line and I have decided to never go there again. What happened was that these two six or seven year olds were laughing and eating boba and I guess they were being loud that he secretly told them "if you EVER act like that again I will kick you out and you will never be able to get something from me again. Now, you better clean up any mess you did...." and the rest I couldn't hear because I left. I felt he went about the situation completely wrong. That is the worst way to ever approach kids. Secondly, before that incident, he scolded some girl that picked up her order because she wasn't being clear on the phone or something. If I were her, I would have thrown his nasty and cheap overpriced boba and not give him a dime. Put this rude man out of business. He doesn't deserve anything with the way he treats his customers. I wish I could rate this place negative stars.
3 - Phoebe T.: decent place for a boba drink.
Not too much to option to choose from, which is a negative for me.....as i'm used to going to boba places with TONNSS of option.

pretty cheap price, but i've had better boba at a slightly cheaper price. 

maybe it depends on who makes it, but I guess if youre in westwood and youre looking for a Boba place, this place will do.
2 - Sara P.: I have only come here once, but I doubt I'll be back. I ordered an almond milk tea from the guy behind the counter. He took my order and instead of engaging with the customer he quickly turned around and continued his conversation with a fellow employee. This wouldn't totally bother me, but I was just looking around the place waiting for my drink. Apparently, my drink was done and he set it on the counter, but didn't bother to let me know it was ready even thought I was standing right there, only with my head turned away because I was scoping the place out. Of course he was busy with his conversation. I would come back if the customer service is spotty, but the drink itself was boring. The boba was too hard and I like it when they are slightly sweet. Also, it was not very sweet and only had a very subtle hint of almond flavor. I like mine a little more on the sweet side with a nice bold almond flavor. This place just isn't for me!
3 - Stanley L.: I was hesitant to try this place at first, but I can honestly say that their boba really isn't that bad. I've only tried their slushies, Honeydew and Taro, and they were quite good; Boba was warm and chewy. The place is modeled like a cafe or Barnes and Noble but it's not the best place to study. There's no AC so the place can get quite stuffy--it could be a tactic to get you to buy more boba--but overall it's a nice place to drop by and catch up with a friend. Outlets are also quite limited; I wish there were more against the window, which is where I like to sit. Plus side, their free wifi is pretty fast but you'll need to buy a drink to get the password. I like how it's password protected so that random people don't lag up the network like CPK and Starbucks. Overall, a good place to settle but not worth the extra trip.
5 - Victor K.: Great service, cool spot to hang out and do a little work and enjoy what ever beverage you may like.
2 - Annie V.: The boba was hard.

The milk tea was watered down.

But I was desperate.  

And never again.  The end.
5 - Charlotte B.: I love Bobaloca! Everytime I visit my boyfriend in Westwood I have to go numerous times! Best boba around! I was very disappointed by all the bad reviews... i've yet to have a bad experience.

Boba World - Los Angeles, CA (34.0604049, -118.445093) (Westwood)
5 - Alicia F.: Have the Japanese green tea latte with boba- delicious and I'll take it over a Starbucks (or Coffee Bean) any day. I only wish there was one here in Chicago since I moved out of LA!
4 - Linda T.: One of the few places you can satisfy your boba craving in Westwood, at least when I was there. It's a big pricey, especially since I've been spoiled by 98 cent bobas in the San Gabriel Valley, but it's good. It's also within walking distance for students on campus.
2 - jin y.: this used to be like the only place you could get boba on this side of town... this was before all the lollicups and the i love bobas and the volcano teas, etc.

now they're just whatever. i haven't been there in a long long time. in fact, i only get boba from there if im mistakingly eating at noodle planet.

gone are those days.
4 - Maricar M.: Boba World was my first boba experience.  I enjoyed it then and I enjoy it now.   I have never been disappointed with any flavors I have gotten, but my favorite will always be the taro smoothie.  

It's a great dessert to have once you've eaten a dinner somewhere in Westwood.  The portion easily fills you up, and if you find any uneaten tapioca balls at the bottom of your cup, just use your straw and fire them babies out.
3 - Sara P.: I walked here last night with my dear hubby who is fasting and in the mood for big portions, greasy food, lots of flavor and a high-calorie drink. (I would be too if I hadn't eaten or drank anything all day). It was my first time. First off, note that they only take cash - that can be a problem for people like me who use credit all day, every day.

The restaurant is casual, but they still insist on waiting to be seated and having wait staff take your order. I found this a little weird, but whatever. The menu was very extensive and is a mix of thai, chinese, and vietnamese. We didn't have trouble finding two entrees that would satisfy.

We started with a Thai Iced Tea with Boba. It was good, but overpriced! I think it cost us $3.25. Now, maybe this is the going rate in Westwood, but back when I was a college student Boba was never more than $1.25... sheesh.

I got the Pan-Fried Spicy noodles with Chicken, he got the Beef Yakisoba. Both were decent. Too much oil!!! How  hard is it to reduce the amount of oil so I don't feel like I'm eating noodle soup?

It's hard to complain about the taste - very good. Spicy enough. Nice mix of fresh veggies and meat. Overall, I liked it. I think I would return if I am ever in the mood for greasy, greasy americanized Asian food. Someone please tell me if there is cheaper Boba nearby.
5 - Diana S.: Great BOBA!!  OK food.  Gotta go for the boba!!  :)
4 - Darina H.: Boba world is such a great place for good PHO and boba! They're pretty good for large parties (I remember attending many student organization meetings and having lunch afterwards here at Boba World). They make their boba pretty well (never too hard or soft) and you can never go wrong with Thai Iced Tea w/ Boba. This place is ALWAYS busy because the food is GOOD!  Can't wait for my next trip to Boba World.
1 - Sam C.: I came here one night to get some after dinner Boba.  I got to tea places often so i kinda know what the normal standard for tea should be.  I ordered a Almond milk tea which seems like should be fairly common fair at a tea house.  It was easily the worst tea i had ever drank.  The tea it self tasted like water.  Barely any almond flavor.  It was supposed to be milk tea but it tasted like they had just mixed the almond flavor into water and called it quits.  The Boba had terrible consistency.  Tasted like oddly hard jello.  Not good at all.  I took two sips hoping it would get better on the second one.  When it didn't i threw it out.  There has to be better Boba then this in the area.
1 - Kendra K.: BEWARE OF SLOW SERVICE! We ordered a couple of bobas from the front register, and it took them more than 15 minutes to bring us the teas (I timed it, as I had the parking meter running out front and had to put more coins in to avoid a ticket). And when they FINALLY brought out the drinks, they had gotten the order wrong. When I told them it was mixed up, the waitress rolled her eyes and acted mad that I wouldn't just take what she had made, even though it was wrong. Terrible service and the longest wait for boba ever = skip this place! There are plenty of other places to get good boba in Westwood.

Bobby & June's Kountry Kitchen - Atlanta, GA (33.7862229, -84.399474) (Westside / Home Park)
4 - Drew W.: Bobby and June's is basically a real version of what Cracker Barrel is trying to replicate, but without the gift shop. The menu is classic southern breakfast short order items, and it's done well without any fuss. You'll see a lot of older customers who have been coming to this place for a long time, and you can tell that they really enjoy the food and the company.

I keep it simple when I grab breakfast here: biscuits and gravy and some bacon. Not that there isn't a lot of other things on the menu, but these remind me a lot of what my grandmother would cook up for early Sunday mornings in the mountains of Virginia. This place isn't for everyone, it's a little slow and the interior looks a little old, but for me it's a sentimental favorite.
4 - Margo R.: This is possibly the most southern-feeling restaurant I've ever stumbled inside of. First of all, the sign outside spells "Country" with a K. Love it! The walls are covered with animal heads (fake) and photos of pretty southern girls that are signed "With Love, Bobby Jo." The waitresses are unbelievably sweet old ladies, and the patrons are mostly local folks. I must use the word folks. And the breakfast is great! Bottomless coffee, grits, eggs, sausage - which all taste like they were prepared by your mother. Gotta love the south.
4 - Sarah M.: Expect grease.  Expect fried.  Expect yumminess.

And expect the nicest group of southern people you've seen in a while.

Thinking back on my lunch from yesterday, the people working here were what resonated with me the most.  I think every employee we passed on the way in AND on the way out said hello, or thanks, or something cordial.  It was nice.

The food: your basic southern cooking. A meat-n-3 type of place.  I had fried chicken with mac and cheese, fried okra, and green beans.  Greasy goodness.  The mac and cheese was my least favorite because it was cooked so long, it was a bit more like cheesy mush. Lunch was served with buttery biscuits and moist cornbread.  Yum!

The other thing is that they are so fast here!  I think our food was on the table less than 5 minutes after ordering!

This is a great place to go if you are in the Midtown neighborhood, you're looking for some good, comfort food, and don't have a lot of time for lunch.
3 - Casey S.: This place is country with a capital "C" (or "K").  It is a poor man's Cracker Barrel and is very crowded around lunch hour.  There are lots of knick knacks hanging around the restaurant.  I think I ate in the golf themed room.  I was a little disappointed in the portion sizes.  Too small.
3 - Laura M.: This is yet another spot to add to my mac & cheese list.  Good texture--creamy, but not too runny--but I had to add a good bit of salt & pepper for flavor.

The BBQ sauce on the other hand is really good AND the mashed potatoes were really good too.

Bobby was sitting out on the porch in a rocking chair and he welcomed me with a " come on in darlin".
4 - Deanna J.: A little oasis of kountry cookin' in the heart of Midtown. Polar opposites of all them thar there fancy places on Peachtree, enter a log cabin with a ton (and we do mean a ton) of country (excuse me, I meant 'kountry') kitsch. . . not to mention some of the nicest people working there this side of the Mason-Dixon. 

Your standard country menu, yes, but that's what you came here for, right? Also quite a menu full of barbeque. I had the veggie plate and enjoyed the waitress describing the peas that looked like baby lima beans to the super huge dry butter beans. Big or small, I'll eat 'em all! And like Mac & Cheese girl Laura M says, high fives to the mac & cheese. 

Dear Bobby & June, this is one yelper that will be back!
1 - Anthony R.: This is the worst breakfast I have ever eaten. I mean that literally. I went there one morning with a girlfriend before leaving town on a big trip. I expected extremely good southern breakfast and got the worst meal I have ever eaten. I ordered scrambled eggs with cheese and a side of ham from my recollection. The eggs had the consistency of raw dough. The ham tasted like it was marinated in salt water for a year with a few teaspoons of salt smothered on top. I would not recommend this place to my worst enemy.
4 - Jason L.: Golly gee willickers I love this place!  You don't know whether the waitresses are going to take your order or take your temperature with those white nurses outfits they wear.

A visit to this little wooden shack, a stones throw from the modern Midtown skyscrapers, is kinda like stepping back in time to what Atlanta used to be.  The waitresses greetings are as sugary sweet as the tea.  Watch out for Bobby, though!  He doesn't let anyone linger too long.

This place is mostly known as a classic meat-n-three, however, I think the bbq pork and brunswick stew are their strong points.

For those that like to eat a late lunch - beware.  They close at 2pm.
3 - Molly S.: Great breakfast place when I'm craving a true southern breakfast. I'm a big fan of the bacon and pancakes. Everything I've had has been as good as I had expected. I wouldn't go in expecting amazing greatness, but it's definitely a place I'll come back to occasionally. 

Love the excessive knick-knacks and the log cabin look. The staff is extremely nice and friendly, and always make you feel welcome. Really perfect for a casual breakfast or lunch.
3 - jasen j.: Major General William Tecumseh Sherman took special care not to burn down Bobby and June's Kountry Kitchen, which was no small feat given the Kitchen's lard stockpiles. This chinkered log cabin is a relic of an older, tackier Atlanta and it delivers all the greasy and salty promise of a southern breakfast at half the cost. The food is cheap. Really. 

And the waitresses are sweet even if the owner's son is a mouthy, abusive arse to'em. One time, when Junior raged on while I was trying to work through a pile of biscuits and gravy, I got the Camper van Beethoven song "Jack Ruby" stuck in my head. Now whenever I go to Bobby and June's I hear "He seemed like the kind of man/ who beats his horses/ or the dancers who work in a bar." 
Tip the waitresses well, please.
4 - Shawn M.: Jesus Christ on a Big Wheel that's some good BBQ. One of the best in Atlanta. The limited hours make getting out of bed before noon totally worth it. I had the BBQ pork plate with mac and cheese and pickled beets. Just like grandma used to make. I am a fan!
4 - Lesa T.: Good southern food.

Get there early so you don't have to stand in line too long.  WARNING:  They get you in and out, not a place to stay and chat or you will be glared at by the waitresses.  As soon as you make up your mind on the menu the turn around time is 5 minutes, seriously.

This is a spot we head to when we need to have a fast (but not fast food) lunch.

I always get the veggie plate and have never had a veggie I did not like.  Everyone I have gone with has loved the BBQ, Meatloaf and other meat selections.
5 - adrian w.: I have been here more times for breakfast than for lunch but boy was that lunch good.
They have really good biscuits.
I like the coffee also.
They have great prices for both breakfast and lunch.
The ribs were really delicious and the best part of the meal was the cucumber salad.
I will definitely try to make my way over to this place again soon.
3 - Ryan L.: Kountry with a K? You know you're about to get some good southern cookin.  It's the typical country menu with meat and vegetable choices that no doubt clog the artery, but comfort the soul.  Walking in with my friend, i was greeted with "How y'all fine young men doin today? Come sit next to me while we get a table ready for you."  I knew this was exactly what i wanted.

The biscuits were good and the sides i had (mac n cheese and creamed potatoes, which turned out to be mashed potatoes) were pretty tasty as well.  Steak was fine and pretty much the food was good, but nothing to write home about.

The little old lady who was our server puts me to shame in terms of energy and speed.  She was quite fast with our food and our never ending refills of sweet tea.  To our waitress, do the damn thing.
3 - David H.: 3.5

Bobby and June's serves up inexpensive, unabashed greasy Southern breakfast and lunch.  Their breakfast selection is somewhat of a foil to the organic/healthier/hipper breakfast trend typified by West Egg or The Flying Biscuit -- you know, with turkey bacon, non-pork sausages, black bean cakes and so forth.   Not here.  This is good old-fashioned, artery-clogging stereotypical Southern breakfast (and lunch).  Pork products figure heavily into the equation.  

Their lunch menu is pretty straightforward comfort food too.  BBQ, biscuits, fried chicken, etc.  Nothing here is fancy; it's grub not cuisine.  And the place is extremely tacky.  But that's appropriate enough.  My only major complaint is their limited hours.  They used to be open on weekends, but now it's just M-F and only till 2pm.  Also, there can be a decent wait since they are a pretty small place.  Still, it's worth making the effort to get here during business hours once and a while if you like their formula.
5 - Noel D.: Bobby &amp; June's has the best biscuits in the ATL! And Bobby - owner's son and manager - is a real cool guy. I haven't been there in a little while but I will be again especially on a Saturday morning. The restaurant's hours got changed temporarily due to the bridge construction reducing traffic, but expect the hours to expand again soon.
1 - Laura N.: Disgusting.  Greasy.  Bland.  Insipid.  Possibly the worst breakfast I ever ate.  And it's not that cheap - I spent around $6 for the extremely subpar grub here.
4 - Andrew C.: Visit Date: 10.13.2008

Good southern cooking at affordable prices. I had the Liver & Onions because that was the Monday special. In general, I haven't had liver & onions in a long time, and this recent time it was good. My side items, the green beans and mac & cheese were good. I had the banana pudding for dessert and it was awesome, as I'm a banana pudding aficionado.
5 - Scott M.: I had been passing this old azz shack for months.  Each time, their sign that brags on their warm biscuits caught my eye, but never enough for me to venture inside.

Then one weekday morning, I decided...."Today is the day".

As I walked inside, the smell of warm country goodness was overwhelming.  

The owner and the server/cooks, exchanged witty banter back and forth, and the environment was friendly.  I sat at the counter since I was by myself, and began to peruse the menu...

"Business as usual", I thought to myself.

All the usual suspects are present on Bobby & Junes Kountry kitchen.  I had to ask about their different types of ham.  I cant remember the name, but apparently one is much saltier than a typical piece of ham.  I chose both.

Those along with scrambled eggs and bacon, I was all set up for success.

I am not a biscuit person, so I cant even give a good review on that. But the food here is down right amazing.

The service is fantastic the servers are very friendly, and the owners seem to have a great relationship with a lot of the regulars that come in.

I love this place.  It perhaps has some of the best breakfast in the city.

Dont sleep....I know I wont.
4 - Dina C.: Loved it!  No pretense...no fusion attempts....no frills.  If you are a picky, super healthy, vegetarian, or gluten free type of person, then you may want to go to one of the Southern fusion joints instead.  Bobby and June is the real down home stuff.  You can't believe you are in Midtown when you come to this place, but it is right on 14th St.  It is one of the only places in the city where you can can a decent breakfast for $5-6.  The Southern goodies were wonderful and to the point...fried chicken, mac'n'cheese, fresh bisquits, and fried okra...and coffee....$8....very nice.  Our waitress was super friendly and refilled out coffee at every turn. They also have Brunswick stew, BBQ, and everything Southern that you would expect. The bathroom needs some repair, but the run down look kind of fits well with this place.
3 - Dana S.: I am sad to report that Bobby & June's Kounrty Kitchen will close their doors April 30th, 2010 after being a landmark in Midtown for over 30 years.
4 - Steve B.: Just like a previous poster said, I been trying by this old @$$, run down building for 2 years and decided to give this place a try.  This review is solely on the breakfast (although I need to do a part 2 for lunch).  The breakfast is: very good, cheap, and portions are reasonable.  The service is very friendly and I highly recommend people that live or work in the area to dine here for lunch sometime.  This is home cooking with a home feel.  May have to check out the lunch because that BBQ be smelling slamming every time I drive by during lunch time.
4 - Winston G.: This is one of those places you will never go to unless someone takes you, and then you just fall in love with the Southern food and hospitality.

Ended up getting a meat with 2 vegetables, but the next time I come back, I'm going to get some of their BBQ.  That looked delicious.

The servers here are some of the friendliest people and also the quickest servers I've ever met.  Really hospitable and just a great place to be.  Hope to be back here again!

Oh, and I personally like their biscuits better than the cornbread.
5 - Jessica M.: This here isn't just another greasy spoon dive, it's an Atlanta tradition. Now open 31 years,  I'm told 80 year- old owner Bobby was ready to turn off his grills forever on April 30. His loyal customers came out in droves for two weeks straight and he's decided that although he's still going to sell, he'll remain open until that date.

With pleasant cups of sweet tea, moist biscuits, creamy grits and a meat + 3 menu - this here is authentic Southern home cooking. Plus plates for under $10 and deserts such as pecan pie and peach cobbler for $1.25. 

Beware: they're only open until 2pm so don't wait for dinner!
4 - alfredo h.: Fast and friendly service. The food and the service are more genuine than Cracker Barrel. The pancakes were lighter than J Christopher and, I know the vegan underground is going to come after me for this; the biscuits were Better than Flying "Triscuit's". Lighter, fluffier and more flavorful. The fried chicken could not have been moister and did not have a thick KFC coating. True, feel good, down home cooking. Start here for breakfast, come back for lunch and finish with adult beverages and dinner at The Colonnade.
1 - stacey h.: No No No! I dont know where to begin, there was a bug, bland food and a food rating of 72! The service was good, waitress was very nice, but other than that, nope . So I must have caught them on a bad day but I won't take that chance again.
1 - Andrew H.: Oh man....nasty. 

I took a coworker here on his last day at his request. 

They should have just gone ahead and closed this dirty, greasy pit. The signs that read "Do to the demand of our customers..." are funny and even funnier when you realize that there are about 10 of them up everywhere.

We are led in to be seated and then yelled at by the owner because we didn't move fast enough to the 2nd table that he directed us to. This was a GREAT way to start off the meal. 

All of the waitresses are dressed in filthy hospital scrubs....wtf?? 
The food was a joke. The fried chicken, mac n cheese and collards were all way over cooked and tasteless. I can deal with shitty food every once in a while....but not when it costs me 9 dollars with a drink.

To add insult to injury, I popped a quarter into a candy machine on the way out to wash the taste out of my mouth and to my horror they were fake Jelly Bellies!  Oh no you didn't.
5 - Tommy M.: Try the breakfast, it's great and served all day. The meatloaf is an institution when they have it. The southern style banana pudding is authentic and delicious. The bacon cheeseburger with more crispy bacon than burger is amazing.
5 - Rambo K.: Friendliest staff ever. The fried chicken is pretty pretty pretty good! The Mac n cheese is like momma should have made it. Will continue to visit this place!
4 - Cooper G.: 3.75 for Breakfast... Are you kidding me?  I mean I guess this is the kind of place you either love or hate.  I guess because I grew up with a grandmother that lived in Slocomb, AL that I'm used to the saltiness and can understand why some people wouldn't like it.  Bobby had some prison tats and seemed to know everybody.  It's worth going to once just to play checkers with the bottlecap pieces on the front porch.  I'm not lying when I say  that it was probably the best service I've had in Atlanta.
2 - Adam S.: Stopped in for the $3.75 Breakfast Special.  The meal arrived too shortly after ordering to be "southern cookin."  The two eggs dissolved in my mouth, no texture.  The bacon broke apart as though it had been sitting out under a warmer for 20 minutes, as was the same for the biscuit and it's chewy bottom.  The grits--nothing special.  The regular coffee?  Coffee-flavored water.  So disappointed, and I hope you gather what my recommendation is if you are considering breakfast at Bobby and June's.  2-stars for the friendly staff and hopes that their "famous" daily lunch (an item either fried or barbecued) may turn this review around.
3 - Daniel R.: The meat at Bobby and June's is very traditional southern style. Specifically, the exceptional country ham. The biscuits aren't to my liking, but the gravy (whitewash with country ham) is good enough to make up for them. Their breakfast is much better than the Silver Skillet down the street IMO.
5 - Caesar M.: There is a reason the citizens of Atlanta refused to let this place go under. The sad part is the city is what caused them to have to shut down! There water bill according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution was $4000 for one month!!? I can see why they shut down! the food here is great and super cheap! The atmosphere is very country and all the decor fit perfectly with all the employees that work there. Our server was rude and blunt (in a good way) I loved her. I like sassy attitudes when you can tell they are not intended to offend. I would gladly recommend this to anyone except that it is no longer in business.
1 - suenotto e.: Friendly waitress recommended the fried chicken which was fine. The sides that came with it tasted either overcooked or "out of a can".  The baby cockroaches crawling on the counter and the dust covered trinkets that line the walls prevent me from recommending this place to anyone.
5 - david m.: My personal favorite BBQ joint in Atlanta and I've tried practically all of them. Fat Matt's has better ribs, but Bobby & Junes rules the chopped pork, beef and brunswick stew. I don't know about their other food because I've never strayed from the barbie.

Before I left Atlanta, I saw that they had finally shut down. So sad. Such an iconic place will probably be replaced by a burger king or yet another cookie cutter hipster bistro.

Bobby Berk Home - Atlanta, GA (33.776455, -84.383909) (Midtown)
5 - Tyler L.: Bobby Berk Home is a great destination in Midtown Atlanta for modern and contemporary furniture as well as an endless array of accessories, gifts and even baby items. It is a great addition to the Midtown landscape and most importantly has unique merchandise Atlanta has never had under one roof before. Everything from candles, to pillows to baby beds and outdoor furniture, there is something for everyone at Bobby Berk Home.
5 - Slean P.: What a great home store!  Super friendly staff. Very chic. Like a little slice of New York in Atlanta.  Love it!
5 - Greg M.: Service could not be better. They are helping me every step of the way with my new condo. Kelli even calls me when trey are having any sale in case I am looking for something else.

Bobby Dodd Stadium at Grant Field - Atlanta, GA (33.7712867, -84.3924738) ()
4 - Drew W.: There's a reason why ESPN gives Georgia Tech a Thursday night game every season: by night the stadium has one of the best views in college football. ESPN loves those establishing shots with the Atlanta skyline lit up in the background, and Bobby Dodd delivers. Oh yeah, the ESPN staff gets to run to the Cheetah after the game too...but I digress.

The stadium itself has undergone so many additions and renovations that it's nothing like the original. It's not the biggest or the best stadium, but the views are good from almost any spot and it's convenient to downtown with MARTA and parking over at Technology Square. It's not too hard to get tickets to see a game whether you're a fan of Tech or the visiting team. I've been to a few, typically to see who Tech is playing since I grew up in a UVA family.
5 - Aditya R.: I might be a little biased, being a Tech fan and all, but I still believe this is one of the best sports tickets in town. You should come out this Thursday and watch Virginia Tech lose second week in a row.  Just for kicks, Big Boi from OutKast is performing at halftime!

Tech tickets are not hard to find since most of the grads leave the state after college. Tech also has some great deals that include food, parking and tickets for 4 under $130. 

www.ramblinwreck.com
5 - Katie W.: Of course I love it here!  I went to Georgia Tech and this has been my second home in the fall for the past 15 years (yes, I am sure I am biased).  But, with that said, I do think this is a great place to watch a football game.  It is a big stadium but not so large that you can ever get really far away from the action.  My seats are on the second level on the Upper East Side and they are great - from up there I get an excellent view of the entire field and can really see the plays setting up.  But, I have also sat in lower seats and they are great, too.  I have even sat in the upper end zone section and it really was not bad.  The field itself is also very well-maintained.

My favorite thing about Bobby Dodd Stadium (other than our tailgating RVs where the beer and food are) is that it is right in the city.  I love seeing the Atlanta skyline when I am in the stadium, especially at night games.  Night games here are just dreamy.

They used to have concerts here but not for a long time.  I saw Jimmy Buffett and Pink Floyd, and the Rolling Stone played here, too.  That was a lot of fun but they haven't done it for quite a few years.

I feel it is worth going to a game here even if you are not a Tech fan - it's right in Midtown, you can take MARTA, and it's just fun.  Go Jackets!
5 - Liz S.: Watching football at Bobby Dodd Stadium makes me feel All The Way Turned Up !  This Stadium is one of the reasons I fell in love with football.  While you're sitting in the stadium it feels like you are in this secret  spot  nestled deep in the city. I love staring out at the wonderful Atlanta skyline.  I always look forward to night games at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The view at night is just amazing.  I've been to a lot of different football stadiums over the years and nothing can compare to a night game here.  
When we go to the games I always have to get a little Papa John's Pizza, popcorn and a coke. Papa John's Pizza always tastes better when eaten at a football game.  I love to munch down and watch a good game.  I didn't go to Tech, but I always enjoy watching all the die hard fans get all wound up.  It's cool to be able to tailgate right  in the city.  We love pulling out the grill and having a few drinks with friends on game day.
4 - Lucy W.: Love the stadium in the middle of the city- I had a seat with a great view of the Atlanta skyline.  Not too big, so it has a more intimate feel with 1000's of your closest friends and you have great sightlines from anywhere in the stadium.   The bleacher seats throughout the stadium are a little tight and uncomfortable, and the ramps that lead to the upper level is great exercise if that's what you're looking for.

I won't give away my secret for parking, but as with any urban sports venue, parking can be a bit of a pain...but it's just down the street from North Ave Marta stop so public transportation is an option.   Not much around in terms of food options, other than the Varsity and some pizza joints along Spring St.  Tailgating and other vendors set up on the side opposite to North Ave side, if that's what you're looking for.
4 - Gary T.: A friend and I came here for the Georgia tech Vs. Miami game on November 13th and we were very impressed by this venue. The stadium holds about 50,000 people (I was told) and is very easy to reach from the North Avenue MARTA Station. There were stewards posted everywhere to help you find you seat and there were information stations set up if you had any other questions. Any time we spoke to the staff there, they were very friendly and had all of the information we needed. The men's bathrooms were also very clean, which isn't always the case at a sports stadium. 

Another feature that I liked were their concessions, they had concession stands located on each level so you didn't have to make this epic trek when you wanted something to eat or drink. I also bought a game program which was of very high quality in my opinion and only cost $5, which I thought was pretty surprising given the outstanding quality of the book. My friend and I are Miami fans and we sat with a bunch of Georgia Tech fans and they were all very nice people, which isn't always the case at away games also.

All in all we had a great experience here. The weather was fantastic and the Georgia Tech knows how to put on a good football game. I plan to go back here to watch some more games in the future.
5 - Jessica H.: I love coming to see a GaTech game in the fall! I have lived in the Atlanta area since 2008 and this year will be my second time getting season passes for the Yellow Jackets. I'm by no means a "die hard" GaTech fan, but I love college football and love supporting my home team (ok haters, that's right I said it, I root for yellow and blue NOT red and black!!). 

The season tickets are pretty reasonably priced and it's always cool to get them for a year that GaTech plays UGA at home. You can always get single tickets to the game and chances are, if you decide at the last minute that you want to go watch, you can grab tickets the day of. The stadium doesn't have a bad seat in it -- but the stadium bench seats are SUPER close together so expect to get cozy. There's a little overpass that's above the locker room entrances so you can stand on it and watch the players run out to the field (fun to do at least once). Night games are especially fun! 

There are a TON of bathrooms throughout the stadium, and as long as you don't try to use one right at the start of half-time you should never have a wait. 

I've never attempted to drive and park -- why bother when Marta has a stop just a couple blocks away? Take Marta to the North Ave. stop and enjoy your brisk walk to the stadium. BONUS - you best plan to stop at The Varsity for a hotdog first (please see my review for this place, which includes tips for stopping here during a GaTech game day) -- and maybe even again afterward?? 

They do a quick purse check but you can definitely sneak some little snacks in if you're in the mood. I think my favorite game-day memory was watching a couple of girls whip out a gallon ziplock baggie filled with fried chicken to scarf down during the game...genius, really. But also go ahead and support the school by throwing a few bucks at concessions (all run by students), it's all good food and sodas come in plastic GaTech keepsakes. 

Let's goooo Jackets!! :)
5 - Angela M.: Today marks the start of my 13th season of Georgia Tech football.  I know that doesn't sound like much, but I did grow up in Alabama, not Georgia, so cut me some slack.  Of course, this also makes me biased for loving this stadium, the oldest continuously used stadium in Division I football.

From the very first game that I attended at this stadium, I was impressed by the location.  How many other schools have such an awesome skyline view behind them?  That's why we get at least one Thursday night ESPN game a season. Also, it's pretty convenient to a MARTA train station, so it's easily accessible if you don't want to deal with parking and you've got others bringing the tailgating supplies.

As others have mentioned - it's big enough to be a serious stadium, but small enough that even the upper upper seats have a decent view of the action.  Also, there's a good view of the video screen from all the seats, and enough side boards with scores and stats that it's easy to keep up with the action without having to crane your neck.  They've improved access and cleanliness over the years.  The concessions could still use some updating, but that's probably because I sit on the East side, and it's the rich alumni on the West side that get the fancier choices.  

Go Jackets!

#Yelp365 - 244/365
5 - Tyler G.: Bobby Dodd Stadium is awesome!  It's great seeing a football game in the middle of the city.  Looking up at the score board and skyline and seeing an airplane advertise no cover charge to Cheetah's, with your ticket stub of course!  The fans were friendly and the bathrooms were clean.  If only all sporting events could be like this.     

My brother is an alum and loves to tail gate.  We got there at 7:30 AM to get a good spot and you know what?  There were already people there working their grills.  There is one thing that bothers me, people tailing gating in their Prius.  Really?  At least they got there early, you know those cars are so quiet someone may walk out in front of the car.  

THWG!
4 - Broderick S.: Go Jackets! It's a beautiful old stadium right in the middle of the city. The Georgia Dome might be downtown but the surrounding area can't compare to the Tech campus. Solid options for eats include Petro's chili & chips (Frito Pie!) and their orange iced tea. You can't beat the fried fruit pies from Mercier as well.
5 - Daniel B.: Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field ("The Flats").  To me, this is the best football stadium in the world, but I'm biased, of course.

Today marks the 106th meeting between Georgia Tech and Georgia and Tech's last home game of the 2011 season, the school's 119th year playing football.  The stadium was constructed in 1913 and has remained in use ever since.  That's why "Historic" is in the name.  Bobby Dodd Stadium is the oldest on-campus stadium in NCAA Division I-A football.

I still remember the first game I attended, September 2, 2000 vs. Central Florida.  I was a lowly freshman living on East Campus, next to the stadium.  I've attended games every season since then, 11 years and counting.

I've been there for big wins...

10/28/06 vs. Miami (30-23) - this win pretty much punched our ticket to the 2006 ACC title game
10/17/09 vs. Virginia Tech (28-23) - we stormed the field and afterwards, went on to win the 2009 ACC championship

...and gut-wrenching losses.

9/9/00 vs. Florida St. (26-21) - we led in the 4th quarter against the then-No. 2 team in the nation
9/29/01 vs. Clemson (47-44) - Woody Dantzler marched into the end zone untouched to end the game in OT
10/6/05 vs. NC State (17-14) - game on the line, Reggie Ball's short pass intended for Calvin Johnson was intercepted in the end zone

I got to experience ESPN College GameDay in 2006 when Notre Dame faced us in Atlanta.  I've had the pleasure of seeing many future NFL players don the white and gold including the aforementioned future pro hall-of-famer Calvin Johnson (a.k.a. "Megatron").

Bobby Dodd Stadium and its setting are unique.  Where else in college football do you have a magnificent view of a downtown skyline?  Yes, the stadium does look like it's been piecemealed together, but I think the architects did a very good job considering the limited space on-campus inside the city.  It gives BDS @ HGF some of its charm.

I'll admit, game day parking and traffic can be a pain, but tailgating is fun, especially with new greenspace available on campus.  Yellow Jacket Alley is a tradition not to be missed.  Everyone has to experience at least once in their lives.

The stadium can hold 55,000 fans.  Not too big and not too small.  The best places to sit are the West stands (because the sun is not hitting your face) and the Upper North stands (excellent Madden-like view of the action and great view of the downtown Atlanta skyline).

Bobby Dodd Stadium is a popular choice for ESPN's Thursday night football coverage.  The Yellow Jackets have been on ESPN Thursday night football for 19 consecutive years.  Impressive.

There's nothing else like watching the Ramblin' Wreck lead the team onto the field.

Georgia Tech: 4 national championships, 14 consecutive bowl appearances.

Mottos/taglines during the CPJ (Coach Paul Johnson) era:
2008: The Perfect Option
2009: Full Steam Ahead
2010: Brace for Impact
2011: Engineered for Success

You get the idea.

"I'm a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech and a helluva engineer!"
4 - Gino M.: I'm going to be biased as a Tech alum.  I love this stadium.  From my freshman year in the marching band where Tech went 1-10 and all we could do was mock our team to the current lack of any ability to beat the U(sic)GA dawgs.  I still love this stadium.

The bathrooms are clean and the food is quick.

The best seat in the house is the front row of the upper deck.  Get there - close enough to the main action to see stuff without glass and no one in front of you.  Love it.

Up with the white and gold.
5 - Jason B.: Greatest Football Stadium in the land.  Beware does not sell beer.  But having the greatest football team in the world makes up for it.

Bobby's Burger Palace - Princeton, NJ (40.3143033, -74.6606725) ()
5 - Brian D.: Went here on the second day it opened. Got there about 11:00 am, there was not a big crowd yet. The burger's were great . Not over cooked and was very juicy and flavorful. The sauces on the table were very good, but they need to put mayo on  the table. The sweet potato fries and regular fries were really good and they come with special sauces. I also had the onion rings although the cashier said there a really big portion there really enough for 1 person. I got the classic bacon cheeseburger with the potato chips on it they call it " Crunchfied" can't wait to go back and try more burgers. The price was very fair and not overpriced
2 - Matt R.: Very dissapointing. The line, which could not have been more that 10 people since we went early, somehow took 20 min just to get our order in. Add on that, the manager was a jerk when asking people to wait outside and not sit until the order is made. I gave it 2 stars because the burger was pretty good but definitely not great or worth the money. Stick with 5 Guys.
4 - Andrew H.: I went here with my family on opening day.  The atmosphere is great - sort of a mod diner with long tables and counters.  Don't go here if you're looking for an intimate dinner or private chat.  The burgers were great.  I got a buffalo blue burger and my wife and mom got the L.A. burger.  They are not huge - about 1/4 lb. by my estimation.  They're cooked to order and were done perfectly.  The sauces on them were very good.  The price of the burgers is good, around $7.  My wife and daughter both got milkshakes, which were quite small, and at $5 a bit pricey.  They were also very thick and rich.  We got regular fries, sweet potato fries, and onion rings.  The fries were all great.  The SP fries came with a yummy dipping sauce.  The sauce that came with the regular fries looked like mustard but was very bland.  The onion rings were good but way too salty.  Hopefully that was someone in the kitchen just shaking too much salt on opening day.  Kids got grilled cheese sandwiches which they reported as great.

They also offer a discount card where once you spend $100 you get a free burger.  Given that I spent close to $70, I'm almost there!

Overall, a big thumbs up.  Good food, fun atmosphere.
1 - Muhammad M.: Line took 20 mins even though we arrived at 11:45am. 
Grilled cheese had no flavor.
They dont have a veggi burger on the menu.
The chipotle and BBP sauces were awful.
Don't think I'll be going back.
4 - John C.: Went here with my family on the second day of business. The line is going to be long so be prepared. However, once you get your order in, everything was great. My wife and I split our burgers. I had the Cheyenne and she had the Napa Valley and our daughter had a grilled cheese and we all split some sweet potato fries. 

My burger was actually medium rare! and was well seasoned with salt. The fries were some of the best I have had. The staff was great and very friendly and outgoing. I will definitely be coming back.
4 - Don Y.: Went to BBP opening day.   This is my second BBP I have been to, and this one is smaller than the one in Eatontown, NJ. Seating is communal and with the establishment being not that big, it is not ideal for large groups.  You order your food up front, you get a number, you sit down at the communal tables and wait for your 'made to order' burgers and fries.  Being it was opening day I expected to wait a long time, but it didn't take long for the food to come out.

The Cheyenne Burger I ordered was delicious (bacon makes everything so delicious).  French fries and sweet potatoes fries where cooked perfectly.  If I had to say anything negative about the food I would have to say it was a little salty for my taste.  

My wife is a vegetarian so we were kind of disappointed there was no veggie burger option.  A grill cheese sandwich is not a veggie burger. Come on Bobby with all your culinary experiences, you cannot put a veggie burger on your menu?

Would I go back there again...yes I will.
4 - Danan R.: I love that the burgers here are actually cooked to order and not automatically well-done.  Taste-wise, it's about the same as the Philadelphia and Atlantic City branches.  I had the Napa Valley with goat cheese, honey mustard, and watercress and was very happy with the juicy, medium rare patty (love the pinkness!) and goat cheese topping, which went quite well with the watercress.  Leave it to Bobby to use watercress instead of the ubiquitous spinach and/or broccoli rabe.  Simply ingenious.  It's a great combination in the summer/early fall since the watercress gives it a nice refreshing boost, and the goat cheese isn't very heavy-tasting at all.  The sweet potato fries were pretty good when hot but not as great 15 nuts later after they cooled down a bit; the honey mustard dipping sauce was sweet and spicy, simultaneously, and definitely a lot better than ketchup.  Burgers are about $8, and the fries about $3, so yes, it is pricier than Five Guys or Cheeburger, but the gourmet toppings combos and rather avant garde seating make it worthwhile to visit if you're shopping at Marketfair or catching a movie at UA.  Personally, I would much rather come here and get a burger cooked the way that I want it rather than paying maybe $2 less for a dry, overcooked burger at another fast-food chain.
5 - Daphne T.: Good burger and good service.
4 - Dan F.: I've been to other BBP's and always liked their burgers.  Went here a few days after opening, giving a little time for the chaos to die down.  Never an excuse for an employee to be eating or drinking while on duty and in view of customers, and the cashier was sipping on a drink.  They are selling me an upscale burger experience at twice the price of fast food, so they deserve to be called out on something like this.  My fountain soda was plain seltzer, but they quickly tended to it when I notified an employee.  Missteps aside, the burger was what I have come to expect from this chain and I'll visit them again.
5 - Nicole G.: So last week I read that Bobby Flay was at the Princeton Marketfair for the opening of his new Bobby's Burger Palace (BBP). I was a but miffed that I was unaware this was happening until the day after it happened, but I had to try out the Iron Chef's new place anyway.
With nothing much to do on a rainy day off from work and a belly grumbling I hopped in the car and headed down Route 1. BBP has it's own entrance near the movie theater of the Marketfair, on the inside door are instructions so simple even a child can follow them: 1. Stand in line. 2. Place your order. 3. Take a seat. So I stood in line and perused the wall sized menu. It had everything from burgers to salads. All the meat is certifed angus beef, ground turkey or chicken breasts. Well to me a burger is not a burger unless it is made of beef. There were some really good combinations of toppings designed to highlight each burger's name. I opted for the L.A. Burger with avocado relish, watercress, cheddar cheese and tomato. I also had it crunchified (meaning they added potato chips) for $7.75. I added fries with the BBP fry sauce ($3.00) and a coke for ($2.00).

I placed my order, paid, was handed a cup for my fountain drink and a number to place where I sit. The fountain drink machine is set back and easy to miss (it is by the exit door) so of course I walked right passed it. 

The seating is either at a wavy counter, optimum for maximum seating, or at long communal tables. By the way ladies, there are hooks way under the tables for you to hang your purse instead of putting them on the back of your chair, on the floor or on the tables. These are a great idea, but they are so far under the table you really have to reach. 

After seating a nice waitperson comes up and sets the table with your napkin, fork and knife. On the tables are an assortment of bottles with ketchup, yellow mustard, jalapeno sauce, chipotle ketchip and BBP steak sauce.

Because I got there about 11:20 there was not much of a crowd, my burger and fries came out pretty quickly. The fries were served in a good sized tin cup, one serving could feed two people. The fries looked fresh cut like the kind at Five Guys, but unlike Five Guys they were nice and crisp on the outside while tender on the inside. The BBP fry sauce is basically mayonnaise with chipoltle powder and not very flavorful, but the fries were great!

On to the burger, I should have skipped the crunchification because with the avocado relish the chips got soggy no there was no crunch. I also did not notice the watercress at all. The relish was delicious though, nice chunks of avocado, full of flavor. The cheddar offered a nice flavor to the burger too, oozing out the sides. The burger was moist (medium-well) and tender, packed full of flavor reminescent of Rossi's in Chambersburg but I did not have to unhinge my jaw to enjoy it.. Every bite was even better than the first and the size of the burger (I would estimate a quarter of a pound) was just right. I added some chipoltle ketchup for a little kick and oh was my mouth in burger heaven. Step aside Five Guys and Cheeburger, Cheeburger I have a new winner for the best burger in town.

I can not wait to head back and try the Napa Valley Burger (with fresh goat cheese, watercress and meyer lemon honey mustard) or any one of the other yummy looking burgers or maybe one of the two griddled cheese sandwiches which appear to be a serious cheese lovers dream.

So it is not some place I would go to every day at almost $14 for a meal (only a couple of bucks more than Five Guys but well worth it), but when I want a great burger I will definitely be heading out to BBP and I suggest you give it a try too.

 I am now a little upset I did not get one of the milkshakes or malteds ($5.00) but hey there is always next time and there will definitely be a next time.
4 - Penny T.: To me, there is nothing more fun than trying a new restaurant, and since I am a fan of Bobby Flay, we had to  try this new place, which opened recently. I am always silently inspecting eating establishments, and this one looked nice and clean, and I was pleased to see that everyone in the kitchen was wearing a nice head covering. We ate at about 4:45 PM, and there were plenty of available seats. Ordering did not take too long, and we both had the turkey burger called the L.A. Burger. The  avocado relish was very tasty and fresh, and we also enjoyed the watercress, which sat atop the burger.  We shared delicious sweet potato fries and were both very happy. The only thing we could have wished for was a nice whole wheat bun.  That would have been a nice touch.   The music was raucus and much too loud, but at a burger place, I guess that is what one must expect. All in all, we enjoyed the meal and look forward to returning for more nice, fresh, delicious, well-cooked food.
4 - Joel S.: Took my kids there (ages 6 and 4) to try it out.  We went there at about 3:30 p.m. because I figured with its recent opening, we should go at off hours.  Despite the time, we still had to wait on line for over 10 minutes (which was only bad because I had the kids in tow).  I got the regular cheeseburger, plus kids burger meal and grilled-cheese meal.  The cheeseburger was good, i liked it better than 5 Guys, it was not as greasy.  Because I ordered the kids meals which included fries, I didn't realize that my burger did not come with fries and failed to order same. However, I used my prerogative as father and helped myself to the fries on my kids' plates -  Good fries!  I liked the various sauces available on the table.  Speaking of which, there is a little bit of an issue with bringing small children in that the seats are all built-in and could not be brought closer - this put my 4 year old daughter in a position where even when she was kneeling, the space between her and the counter was a little bit tenuous - this was probably more of an issue for me as parent than for her.  All in all, BBP is a solid addition to the local cheap eats list and will replace Cheeburger Cheeburger accordingly.
3 - Debbie C.: Eh. Burgers and fries were good but nothing unusual. Would go back but only if I was at Marketfair for another reason.  It's modern cafeteria style; your order is delivered to your spot. Very friendly staff. Went on a Saturday night and it wasn't crowded at all.
3 - C B.: Eh - nothing to write home about
I got a normal cheeseburger just to compare it to other "regular American burgers". Was it good? Sure, meat was still kinda moist? But it didn't WOW me by any means. I still would prefer a fiveguys burger anyday to be honest. I checked with my hubby and sister who had the special burgers (crunchified and dallas burgers) and they felt the same about theirs - it was just OK. Their sweet potato fries are incredible though! The fries were also very very good, but if I'm craving a burger, I probably won't go here unless I'm in the area. Service is good, but its kind of weird cos it felt like we were being asked every 3 mins by different servers if "everything was OK" or if we needed anything. Also another weird thing -- the soda fountain is on the side to fill your own, but if you get Iced Tea the servers have to fill it for you.
5 - Marlon I.: Blew way past my expectations of a burger place. Innovative set up and the service was incredible. Definitely comming back!
4 - janice s.: I've been to BBP in both Paramus and Princeton!  I've not been disappointed yet.  This time I got the Crunchburger with bacon and it was fantastic.  My favorite...I'm a purist.

It had great flavor, the bacon was perfectly cooked and not soggy like most places serve.  All I have to say is Yum!  

The place in Princeton is a little small, but people moved in and out rather quickly.  They had plenty of people working so our food came pretty quickly.

Another good experience!  I'm glad to know that the food was just as good on my third trip.  Sometimes these places go downhill quick.

Another great Burger Friday!
3 - Lisa H.: It's just not Shake Shack which is pretty much all I have to say. But bonus points for the ice cold, crunchy pickles.
2 - Kristina B.: I went for lunch with my husband today at 12:15.We waited in line for 30 minutes.We placed our order which came to $27.00 for 2 burgers 1 onion ring 1 sweet potato fries and 2 drinks.The food was ok nothing great.For the same money i would rather have gone too Houlihans or cheesecake factory and sat down and not have to pray  that someone would get up so i could get a seat plus i would rather have my own table rather than sit at a counter next to strangers.
5 - Amanda N.: Love, love, loved the griddled cheese.  Next time I go (yes, I am already plannign my next visit), I am going to try the deluxe grilled cheese.  In my opinion you must try a side of fries and a dark chocolate milkshake just to get the real experience.  Very yummy!  We went on a Friday night, so there was a very long wait.  It was about 30 minutes  or more of standing in line, that was my only complaint.  I forgot about that as soon as I bit into my grilled cheese though!
2 - Andrew S.: Staff seemed annoyed that I was in such a large group: 8 people. They got 3 of 8 orders wrong. The fries came out cold. One in our group asked 3 times for mayonnaise, but never got any. We all ordered our burgers medium but most came out closer to rare. The sauces are decent at best. I'm told the coconut shake was good, but one in our group ordered a chocolate malt and really only got a regular chocolate milkshake.  This place needs a new staff because other locations are GREAT. This one, not so much.
4 - Georgianne V.: Kevin and I were finally able to have a burger at Bobby's! We'd heard so much about it that we were super excited. I thought the process was fun, the buger was yummy and the prices were uvery reasonable. I liked that the menu kept mostly to the burgers and I felt like we had plenty of options. I, for one, am not one of those people who loves a huge menu. When I go to a place like this, I expect a good burger and that's what they provided. The staff were especially nice and the onion rings were delish. The only thing I did not care for was the burger sauce but that was just my personal preference. I'm sure Kevin and I will return again to Bobby's Burger Palace!

Bobby's Burger Palace - College Park, MD (38.9912787, -76.9338723) ()
5 - Judd L.: STARVING STUDENTS ?  NOT HERE IN THIS LINE...

Bobby Flay et al opens this upscale certified Angus, ground turkey or chicken breast burger joint right underneath the newest student housing facility on October 13TH.  It is a super success !

We walked in around 7:30 PM and the line to the order counter was all the way back to the front door.  We ordered two burgers, sweet potato fries and one soft drink. Took our tent sign with our order number and looked for a seat at the counter.   Within twenty minutes our burgers and fries arrived via designated food runners. From that point on, the runners did everything for you including busing your plates and getting refills for your soda or water. Swift and most efficient is what this place is all about.

My wife ordered the LA Burger medium cooked with avocado relish/ watercress /cheddar cheese & tomato.  My order was a medium rare Philadelphia Burger with provolone cheese/griddled onions & hot peppers. The sweet potato fries come with a honey mustard horseradish sauce.

Like I had mentioned earlier our meal arrived within 20 minutes and in perfect order. Every bite was consistently flavorful and super tender. To mix it up a little we tried all the different sauces in the condiment carriage. Considering it's a certified Angus beef burger... the prices are most reasonable.

I found the experience to be delightful, quick, professional, and a great dining environment and MOST important the food was excellent!  I left with a great feeling that Bobby Flay has lived up to his most renown culinary reputation.
3 - Kenneth W.: Was expecting a great burger and okay service and ended up with an okay burger and great service. 

Went this past Tuesday at lunch time and surprisingly, there was no line. Walked right up and ordered the Dallas Burger, medium and an order of fries. She had the Palace Classic Turkey Burger and sweet potato fries. The person taking our order was kind and courteous and even went to the soda fountain to get me a Coke even though it was self-service. Nice touch. 

We sat down and were kept abreast when our order was coming out. Another server came by and explained what the sauces at our table (Jalapeno Hot Sauce, Burger Sauce, Chipotle Ketchup, Ketchup and Mustard) were and what they tasted like. Not long after, our food came out. Another server came by and brought napkins. We never had to ask for anything and everyone was very polite and didn't act as if they were doing us a favor by just being there. 

As for the food, as mentioned, it was okay. The fries were good, but the fry sauce they came with was a mystery. It had a soupy texture and didn't add anything to the dish. If you like the sauces at Good Stuff Eatery, you'll be just as confused as I was. I dipped my fries in the Chipotle Ketchup instead and it was a much better accompaniment. 

I asked for my burger medium, and that's exactly how it was cooked, however, it was smaller than I expected and just wasn't as good as I would've hoped given Bobby's reputation as a burger maestro. The cole slaw wasn't as crunchy as I would've hoped, the barbecue sauce was drab and the bun didn't taste fresh. Not stale, but definitely not fresh. Overall, it was okay. If i got it at Burger King, I wouldn't have minded, but it wasn't a gourmet burger worth the $7.75. 

I'll go back and try their other varieties as it was a nice dining experience mainly due to the top-notch service and I didn't have the room for one of their milkshakes. 

Not a bad place to get a burger if you're in the area, but not somewhere I'd go out of my way for.
2 - C.M. P.: I guess because this is Bobby Flay's place, my husband and I really expected to be "wowed" by the burgers, but we were a little disappointed.  The burgers were fine, but didn't live up to our expectations.  We ordered the buffalo burger and the LA burger.  There was only a hint of hot sauce on the buffalo burger and neither had a strong beefy flavor that we've gotten accustomed to at other burger places in the area like BGR or Good Stuff Eatery. We did like the sweet potato fries a lot and the service was really good despite the place being really crowded and they offered to recook one of the burgers which was not cooked as thoroughly as we liked.
4 - Danny H.: I got the L.A burger which was really good...when coupled with the jalapeno sauce, its great. The location didn't offer medium rare, but medium was juicy, not overdone. The guac is what made the L.A. burger imo...without it, it'll be just a normal gourmet burger. The sweet potato fries are meh, nothing special but the horseradish sauce was decent albeit runny though. It is a bit pricey though, for 11$ I could have gotten a better deal at Chipotle...or couple dollars away from all you can eat korean bbq. 

The burger itself is a work of art, too bad I had to squash it to eat it.
4 - Margaret Z.: The burgers here are DELICIOUS! I'm not a fan of Five Guys, or really burgers in general, but I ended up finishing my whole meal here. I got the Philadelphia burger which had peppers, provolone, and sauteed onions--the onions were an awesome touch and I loved the peppers. The burger was cooked perfectly and I'm SUPER picky when it comes to how my beef is cooked. The patty was cooked medium and it was perfectly pink and tender on the inside. The only complaint I have about the burger itself is that the buns tasted like they were McDonalds buns... no texture whatsover and were kind of "smushed". 

What's REALLY to rave about are the sweet potato fries. I hate sweet potatoes, but have a weakness when these are fried. They come served in an adorable mini metal bucket and you get a huge serving for $3. They are lightly sea-salted, not oily at all, and the horseradish honey mustard was AMAZING. It had a spicy kick to it, but was also tangy and ever so slightly sweet. Definitely try the Chipotle Ketchup as well.

I also got a dark chocolate milkshake... it was not as thick as I would have liked it to be, but the flavor was great. Not bitter like most dark chocolate, but also not overly sweet. 

All in all, it was a great dining experience. The customer service is fantastic, and the dining environment is much classier than the College Park establishments I'm used to. Bobby's Burger Palace is a great addition to Route 1 and the College Park area, and I can't wait to go back and earn more points for my rewards card!
4 - Ben J.: Do you want to take in a lot of calories, fat, and sodium? Do you want to pay a lot for it? And really, really enjoy yourself? Well, you're probably American. And this is a place for Americans.

These folks don't advertise their nutritional information on their website. But that's the last time I'll mention nutrition in this review. The burgers are pretty good. The service is even better. The counters are clean, the layout is very open, modern, and sensible. Great ambiance for morning, afternoon, or night. I can see the wait getting out the door, but I went for an early burger around 11 am.

I got a Miami burger as it was recommended by the staff. It was full of flavor, and you're offered plenty of sauces to increase the flavor. It was essentially a burger with ham and Swiss cheese. The folks on staff are readily willing to acquaint you with the extra ingredients if you're a first-timer. They are very willing to talk, and are a very pleasant presence during the time you're eating. It's service like this that gets people coming back to the establishment.

The waitresses were arguing with the cooks for a short time, which was annoying, but it doesn't take off a star. What keeps this from being a 5 star establishment is that it's too expensive, the burger patties are small, and the only reason you get full is from the fries and optional shake. I passed on the fries and optional shake. The menu seems pretty large and you'll be able to come back plenty of times before you get bored (or find your favorite dish).

This is a very well run establishment with a product that is not worth its price. It's identity of gourmet burger 'fast food' is not going to beat a burger that is put together quickly on a grill with excellent flavor, twice the size. You better do something magical with your burgers to make them that size and sell me on the price. Try it for yourself!
3 - Mike S.: I went here the other day with my roommate. People at work told me that BBP was packed all week, so I thought I would give it a shot. We went around 6:30 at night (on a Tuesday), and it wasn't too packed. The menu has a lot of interesting things on it, and after a lot of thought, I decided to go with the Miami Burger and my roommate went for the Dallas Burger.

We sat down with our numbers (the seating is pretty cool inside - kind of like a diner/school lunchroom mix), and my roommate's burger came out right away, but mine took about 15 minutes longer AKA he was already done eating by the time I started.

My burger was pretty good. The burger meat is of really good quality, and the toppings (mayo, mustard, ham, and pickles) brought out some cool flavors and textures. My roommate said his food was pretty good (when he ate it before...), and I saw some coleslaw on it, so I'll take his word on that. Everything was good, but not amazing like it was hyped up to be.

The service was really good - even a bit TOO good. The cashiers/food runners were really polite and go around asking to refill your drink for you even though it's self serve.

Everything was good except for the price - $8 was too much for that burger... I'll be back though.... After I graduate and can afford such high-priced burgers.
4 - Katelyn G.: It's worth the wait-I had the Dallas burger and it definitely reminded me of home with just the right touch of spiciness.  My burger was cooked perfectly and I haven't had such a tasty margarita since I left Texas!  I will definitely be going back (at least 30 min. before you plan on eating) to tough out the line and eat in the super-chic somewhat retro little dining area again.
4 - Theresa W.: Surprisingly crowded late afternoon on a Sunday, but after some hawk like table watching, my friends and I managed to get a table for six.  I got the LA Burger, which comes with avocado relish, watercress, cheddar, and tomato.  Excellent combination, though I was a little confused how the avocado counted as relish--it seemed more like guacamole.  Next time I'll do the crunch thing with my burger.  Who doesn't love potato chips?

Tried someone's sweet potato fries.  Very well done. Hot, crisp on the outside, and really nice and soft on the inside.  You can get table service apparently once you've placed the initial order and sat down, though I'm not sure how they're charging you...most of us got the frozen margaritas, which are strong without being overpoweringly tequila, and at $5 for one, you might as well make this your new happy hour location--happy hour prices at any hour.  Tried another friend's adult milkshake--vanilla caramel bourbon flavor.  Very rich, and I didn't detect a painfully strong bourbon flavor.
1 - Dan K.: It could be the best burger in the universe, unfortunately I did not have 2 hours tonight to experience the ordering process.  I sat in a line to the door that didn't move because the one register that was open was being taxed by the person trying to place an order.
I could have been patient had it been very busy and that was the only register available to place orders, but it isn't, there are two.  To add insult to injury I could see other workers in the back hanging out and half the tables were empty.
When I was leaving I walked past a server and asked if the line was normally that long, hoping she might say, "oh sorry sir, let me get my manager to open the other register".  But we all know she didn't do that, what she did do was roll her eyes and say "well dinner is the busiest time of the night".
Exactly what I and the other 5 people thought when we walked out hungry.
2 - Anthony M.: I ate here last night and was unimpressed. College Park needed to get a great  burger place and unfortunately, this wasn't it. I did enjoy the burger that I had (The Double-Crunch) which is a very average sized burger that was made from a frozen patty I'm guessing. The sesame bun was good quality and lightly toasted. The toppings of potato chips and american cheese made it a decent burger. I loved the different ketchups that you had to choose from at the table on your burger or fries--chipolte, jalapeno, & this mayo/red pepper combination that was tasty. With that said, I just expected more out of something with Bobby Flay's name on the place. There was a crazy line to get in the door, so it's a buzz now because it's new. Bottom line is: it's good, but not great. If you want to taste the greatest burger ever created on earth, go to Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington, VA.
3 - Ralph K.: Food was good. Prices are a little high. Just got a Turkey Burger and Sweet potato fries. It came to $10 and change. I give it 3 stars because of the cashier on the night I went. She was talking to coworkers about random stuff while there was 4 people in line waiting. Then when you get to her at the line she doesn't even look at you. She stares outside the window or at the seating area as she takes your order. Plus she wasn't consistent with taking orders.  She declined to ask me and the person in front of me if  we wanted to join the rewards program, but she just so happened to ask the next two people.  I really hate giving 3 stars just because of one person and the high prices, but I can't do 4 stars right now.  Food is delicious.  :-)  Oh by the, parking atrocious!!!
1 - W. Somerset M.: Given that this is a Bobby Flay operation, I expected more: fresher, crisper, tastier; flavors that 'popped'. But about the only thing that almost 'popped' were my tires as I navigated the horribly aggressive parking ramp, attempting to find a space, and noting certain sections closed off by rows of protruding steel spikes. Not a very welcoming impression, to be sure.

The food came up amazingly quickly, almost magically so. I ordered the LA Burger, medium, and a side of onion rings, both to go, and took them back to campus, a five minute drive.

Here's what happened:

Ratings: Onion Rings 4/10. They taste fine, batter wise, but are a bit 'wide', and not as crisp as they should be. The onions seemed rather like pale, slippery eels, not at all a pleasant texture.They have a reheated feel, especially for $3.

LA Burger, cooked Medium. (w/cheddar, tomato, watercress and avocado relish): 2/10

Unimpressive, and with an almost processed, fast food taste. Mushy bun; the bottom portion was compressed down to about a micron of slippery, gussied up Wonder-Bread.  These are allegedly 'cooked to order', but feel again reheated, far beyond the medium I ordered, not at all juicy, and not at all fresh off the grill...in fact, it barely tastes grilled. For $7.75, this really isn't cutting it.

The ideas seemed good, but the food had a bland processed taste, so different from the fresh, bright, sensuous flavors I'd been hoping for. Better burgers can be found in the lowliest of Baltimore pubs.

Overall: If you live on the east coast, stick with 5 Guys, or if you're in California, In and Out beats Bobby black and blue.
4 - Brian C.: There's a new burger joint in town, and it's a palace!!  So let me start with my expectations.  I thought for sure that being a celebrity chef owned chain restaurant that this place was really gonna be a waste of time and more an example of branding then good food.  To my absolute delight tho, I was completely wrong!

I showed up at peak lunchtime on a Wednesday work day.  Parked across the street in the empty lot and just walked over.  There was a short line of about 6 in front of us, but their order were taken quickly with the right amount of friendly banter.  I ordered the Dallas burger, crunchified!  My friend got the double-crunch.  Also added on some sweet potato fries.  Then we scouted for some seats.

We both loved the decor inside!  Welcoming, urban, fun, and efficient! Loved it!  The tables are extremely large for multiple groups, but spaced enough so you have good privacy.  After sitting a server brought over my drink and then offered to fill my friends water glass for her.  Not a big deal, but a welcome surprise from a casual dining joint.  Our food was out under 9mins and both were perfect!  My medium cooked burger was fresh, juicy and cooked exactly perfect with potato chips piled 6 inches tall!  Fabulous flavor combination and the BBQ sauce really stood out as amazing!  The sweet potato fries also cooked to perfection.  Crisp outside, fluffy inside... perfect!  The horseradish mustard sauce was off the hook!  My friend was couldn't stop going on about how good it was!  But for me the most exciting part was discovering the table condiments.  There was the normal ketchup/mustard combo, but then also there was burger sauce (meh), chipotle ketchup (sweet/hot/smoky = so good!), and jalapeno hot sauce....  The jalapeno hot sauce is what your taste buds dream about for their wet dreams!  This stuff was mind blowingly good!  I wanted to fill my mouth hole and swallow in gulps!  OMG so good that when I discovered it half way thru my meal I started putting it all over everything I ate!

So to sum up, this place is really a very good burger joint.  I loved it!  I'm knocking one-star off just because it's a chain and I really enjoy independent places best.  But great food, good service and reasonable prices.  Go here, and enjoy!
3 - Erika S.: Overall, this was a decent experience, but I did expect a bit more.  The food is really expensive for the amount that you actually get.  The burger was a little too salty for my taste, but the fries were pretty good.  I like how they give you a ton of sauce options.  

The decor was probably the best thing about the place.  It wasn't too crowded when I went (benefit of going late on monday night) so we got our food almost as soon as we sat down.  It wasn't too loud which was good.  They did have servers that assisted you by delivering your food and what not which sounds great.  But that also means you have to tip them which I'm not sure I want to do at something that acts like chipotle.
2 - Gavin F.: Nice concept, poorly executed.  

I came here with A tonight (a thursday).  The decor is fun, and they have a nice menu setup.  The options for the burger are all really tasty.  There isn't anything really weird or that has a contrived, so-called "fusion" feel to it; the choices for burger toppings all seem to complement each other well.  The shake and malted options are really great, too, with both classic flavors and some newer fruit choices.  Add to that they only wanted $3 for an order of onion rings, and I thought it was going to be awesome.

So, what went wrong?

We ordered two burgers, an LA burger for her (medium) and a Palace classic (well done), crunchified, for me.  We also ordered a strawberry shake with whipped cream and an order of onion rings to share.  The shake came out first, and there wasn't any whipped cream on the top.  Actually, it looked like it was hastily poured into the glass without much thought to presentation.  It tasted fine, but I'm not sure if it was worthy of $5.  

Next, we waited for the rest.  We saw the onion rings come to the kitchen window, and they sat there for a few minutes while the burgers were being finished.   Once we got them, we worked on the onion rings.  They are really tasty: large, thick-cut, in a batter with a hint of cornmeal so it's a bit reminiscent of county fair corndogs (in a good way!).  However, an order contains maybe 4 rings, and no matter how large that didn't seem worth $3 to me.  

The burgers themselves had good toppings and were presented nicely, but with the first bite we immediately noticed that both burgers were undercooked.  A's looked more like medium rare, and mine was probably medium.  A was content to work on hers and skipped the nearly-bloody center, which she saved for the cats to eat.  I refused, and they had to make a new one that, predictably, took several more minutes to cook.  By that time I was tired of the BS so I packed it up and we went home.  

I don't intend to come back.
2 - Lisa R.: OK, this is worth checking out when there is no line whatsoever - if nothing else for the spiked shakes.

Unfortunately, everything was slow, and while in theory is a good idea (love me a burger and shake) BBP missed the mark.

I can even tolerate the smaller portions for quality food, but that simply wasn't the case here.  There were four whole onion rings in the order and that was just insulting.  The grocery store quality bun was a smack in the face.

Bobby Flay is an Iron Chef, I was hoping for an experience closer to that of his culinary expertise than his "Staggering Dicketry" (thnx flak magazine).
3 - Mo A.: Visited this Bobby Flay restaurant with a frame of reference of what to expect after visiting another celebrity chef owned burger joint (Good Stuff).

Walking in, the decor is modern basic and thankfully the ordering line was pretty short.  They have waiters who bring customers water, their orders and anything else that is needed.  A nice touch would have been to have a couple of televisions in the dining area.  

I ordered a Dallas burger, which provided a nice kick with their spice crust and bbq sauce as well as the coleslaw that offered a good flavor and texture contrast.  It was also medium portion sized.  The regular and sweet potato fries were decent sized and plentiful.  They were crispy but could have been enhanced with a little extra seasoning.  The sauces for the fries were pretty good.

The coconut milkshake was a disappointment.  The presentation was sloppy and the whip  cream lacked the proper consistency.  The mikshake was not mixed well and looked like it was just thrown together.  

I would say that while the Good Stuff burgers might be a tad more upscale tastewise, Bobby's burgers are bigger, better presented and offer really good flavor.  Generally Bobby's fries are better although Good Stuff sauces are a notch above.  Good Stuff's milkshakes totally blow Bobby's shakes out of the water (gotta have that Milkyway Shake...amazing!).  Service is much better at Bobby's.  Prices are equally ridiculous.  Both restaurants will run you $25-$30 for two burgers with fries and beverages..
4 - Erin D.: I was annoyed. I was ready to rip them a new one. I was literally sitting at their beautiful counter, waiting for my order and drafting (what I thought would be) my two-star review.  Rewind 30 minutes...

I called BBP at 11:15am to order my burger and fries to go. The gal who answered the phone told me, "I'm sorry, we're not set up to take phone orders yet." I thought to myself, "Really? Because your website has a menu that indicates otherwise. AND how hard is it really to take my order, bag it up and have it ready when I get there?!?"  I was annoyed. But I wimpishly said "ok" and hung up the phone. One would think I'd say screw it, but I decided to just head over there and order my food to go. (I blame this on a lack of food options in the College Park area and having a short lunch break.)

So, I walk into BBP, which is a gorgeous space, and get in line. Fortunately for me, it was only 11:25am and there was only one guy ahead of me (and one guy already ordering at the register).  The line moves quick enough, I place my order and sit at the counter and wait.  It's 11:30. 

As I'm waiting, I notice the line getting long... maybe 10-15 people. And only one girl working the register (they have three). Another girl comes out and starts counting the money in her drawer at the second register. Problem is, she's s l o w, and people in line are getting antsy -- you can see it in their faces. Meanwhile, I'm looking around and people are sitting waiting for the food and people in the kitchen seem to be dilly-dallying and not pushing out food fast enough.  The second-register girl is still counting her drawer, the line is moving slow and people are containing to come in.  The girl finishes counting her drawer and goes into the back. Really? Lunch rush is starting and you're not going to open your register? Wow. 

Then a gal comes with my lunch order. Hmm. 11:39, only took nine minutes.  Not bad. I head back to the office.  Now the food -- I had their burger of the month, the Brunch Burger (bacon, sunny-side egg and cheese) and a side of fries. OMG.  I've had this burger at different places (e.g., Good Stuff Eatery) but the BBP version was fantastic. Burger, egg and bacon were perfectly cooked and nicely seasoned; fries also seasoned perfectly and crisp. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this lunch! 

I think I lucked out; perhaps a few minutes later I would've been in the midst of their lunch rush, had a long wait in line, a long wait for lunch and maybe a different experience and maybe a two-star review.  But for now, it's four stars ("Yay, I'm a fan!"); I'll definitely be back.
4 - lisa y.: Woo!  Finally made it to Bobby's Burger Palace.  I kept meaning to try to get to the one in DC, but it was much easier to get to the one in College Park. 

The food was quite tasty!  I had the Bobby's Blue Burger and my brother had the Brunch burger (Burger of the month, burger with bacon and an egg), mom just had the plain burger.  They were all cooked quite well!  We also got a side of fries and onion rings to split.  LOVED the onion rings.  The fries were ok, nothing out of the ordinary.  

Staff were very friendly and attentive!  Will definitely be back again!
4 - Timir D.: I am really glad this place opened up in College Park. This town has a huge number of horrible places to eat. There is just an overwhelming sense that the majority of establishments could care less what "food" they shovel our way. Now on to the review...

I was pretty excited upon hearing that this was a Bobby Flay enterprise. The last flay restaurant that I ate at was Mesa Grill in Vegas and that was an experience to cherish. I understand that this location is more like a franchise, but still I expect a lot when an Iron Chef lends his name to a venture.

I ordered a Bobby Blue Burger (medium) to go, this burger comes with bacon and bleu cheese and lettuce and tomato. The burger was ready in about 5 minutes and came in a bag with a pickle and some ketchup. I quickly drove to work and was sitting down to eat within another 5 minutes. The bottom of the burger was slightly soggy from melted cheese and burger juice, this is to be expected since I took it to go.  The burger was composed of a 7/8" thick patty with a rather large mound of cheese. The meat was cooked perfectly to what I consider medium, others may say it was more on the medium rare side, but I think most people overcook meat. The meat was juicy and the overall burger was excellent. It is true that the bleu cheese was bit salty but I like salt and the cheese to meat ratio was about right. Apart from the saltiness of the cheese I would say that this is the best cooked burger that I have eaten in as far back as I can remember (I eat at five guys and BGR regularly).  I cannot wait to try the other burgers. Especially the current burger of the month which has a fried egg on it, I would have ordered that today if I was planning on eating in the restaurant. 

Before eating here I read the reviews on yelp (3 star average) and was really curious as to why the low rating. Most of the bad reviews are because people didnt like that they had to wait in line to order. What do you expect? Its a new place. Also, some of the bad reviews mention that the meat is undercooked. To those people I say stop overcooking your meat and be a little adventurous.
4 - Siobhan T.: Yummy!! Great burgers and fries!
3 - Pinki P.: This place is overrated.  The burgers were not bad, but not the best either.  They are better than any fast food place, but they're nothing special compared to places like Red Robin.  I got mine crunchified (added potato chips - which is the way to go).  I would go here again if I'm too lazy to drive far for a great burger, as this place is just down the street from where I live.
4 - Starr C.: I finally got to visit BBP on Tuesday after craving a burger for the past few weeks.

In the spirit of pre-Thanksgiving, I got an LA burger, ground turkey no cheese. (I forgot to ask for it to be crunchified, which is making me so frustrated because I just REALLY wanted chips on my burger. -sigh-) I also ordered a side of onion rings.

My burger was pretty good. The avocado relish was good, although it didn't seem to want to stay within the limits of the bun or on top of the ground turkey patty. It was a little bit salty and I wasn't wowed by the burger in general, but as Yelper, I kind of knew that, walking in, I wasn't going to be blown away. It did satisfy my burger craving, though, for sure.

The onion rings were large, but kind of underwhelming when I realized there were only about 6 in my little bucket. They tasted good and all, but I think I'll stick with either the regular or the sweet potato fries. Those were quite good, and dipping sauces were decent for those also. (I like the sauce that comes with the fries, I had it back when I visited in Philly.)

I like the feel of the restaurant. It is really clean and the decor is fun but not too quirky or weird. We were able to have a pretty intimate conversation without it being like the entire restaurant could hear us. The music was loud enough to drown out our craziness but not so loud that we couldn't hear each other.

All in all, good experience! I will be coming back. (Getting my burger crunchified next time!)

[Quick Edit]
Got my burger crunchified and it was soooooo tasty! A bit daunting to see at first, because the chips take up a lot of space. You have to smush the entire burger to make it mouth-ready. 
Highly highly recommend getting your burger crunchified if you, like myself, enjoy having that extra crunch with your burgers and sandwiches. 

One note, what kind of pickles do they serve here? I'm not a big fan of this type of pickle.
4 - Myaa Y.: Visited  last night after hearing great reviews about the other locations. Ordered the Sante Fe burger while my boyfriend ordered the LA burger. We also ordered onion rings and french fries. It doesn't seem that they have a liquor license yet so we could not try the margaritas or alcohol shakes which was slightly disappointing.

Both burgers (we shared) were fantastic! Mine has the right about of cheese and crunch to satisfy my tastes. The onion rings are HUGE with a good flavor, but I was not a fan of the fries. They were hard and dry. The sauce that came with the fries, however, was delicious. The chipotle ketchup was a favorite around the table, with our friends buying a bottle.

While I am sure that it is extremely busy during the school year, it was practically empty during the Thanksgiving break. It is by far one of my favorite burger places in the area.
4 - LaToya E.: This was my second visit to a Bobby Flay restaurant (I went to Mesa in NYC) and it was less expensive, but just what I expected from Mr. Flay. I tried the classic burger and sweet potato fries and they were both pretty good and pretty filling. 

The hype about the place must have worn off because I walked right in, ordered and got my food all within a 10 minute time frame. I did get to sit at the little burger bar while I waited on my meal and the place has a nice modern atmosphere. Since I opted to get the BBP reward card I guess this is gonna be a regular spot for me, so many more things on their menu that I cant wait to try!
3 - Sina E.: So after passing by it a few times, and reading reviews, I decided to check out Bobby Flay's burger joint here in CP. Before going in, my expectations were to compare it to places like Five Guys, Shake Shack, and a few other burger joints that are suppose to be above fast food with more variety, and uniqueness. 

Walking in, the decor is fun, but reminds me of the decor in Shake Shack. Regardless, it's a good atmosphere to eat. I went around 1:30 pm, and it was not busy at all. I figured it would have been busier but there was nobody in front of me, and only a few people scattered throughout.

I ordered the Nappa Valley burger, medium rare, and crunchified (obviously!), and also sweet potato fries. It all came to be $10.75. I got it to go, because I had to get back to work. It took about 10 minutes for my burger to be ready. 

The burger was cooked just right, medium rare as I had asked. It's a thick burger, bigger than shake shack, and thicker than Five Guys. Taste wise, it was good, but not anything amazing. I feel like it could have been juicier and better seasoned. 

The goat cheese spread had melted, and made the side of the bun soggy. Watercress was just extra and I don't know if it added anything special to the burger. Plus, there was so much goat cheese on there that it overpowered any taste the sauce had. 

The bun was really similar to the Burger King bun. I like the sesame seed bun, but it was a little disappointing. I feel like they could've used a higher quality, better bun. Another review also said that the buns were toasted, but mine wasn't, so I'm not sure what happened there. 

Sweet potato fries were okay, but I didn't love it, and for $3, I didn't get much. I don't think it's worth it. I did like the variety of sauces they had though. Burger sauce had a nice spicy kick, and chipotle sauce was also good. 

Overall, this place is decent, but I don't know if I would prefer it over some other burger joints when you take into account food quality, taste, creativity, and price. I expected more from an establishment started by Iron Chef Bobby Flay. 

I'd still recommend people to try it, and I will probably be back to try another burger, but it falls short of what it's striving for. Oh, they also have shakes, but burger and fries was enough calories for me for one day! Maybe next time ($5.00 per shake).
3 - Jerry A.: If you want a nice experience with your friends and you're okay paying $15.00 for a burger, fries, and a shake, then Bobby's is a good choice.
However, if you care more about quality of the food and cheap prices, Five Guys cannot be beat.
5 - Heather R.: YUM. Burgers are awesome! I had the Santa Fe Burger, Sweet Potato Fries and a Pistachio Shake. Sweet Potato Fries come with their own dipping sauce. As do the regular fries. The pistachio shake was the BOMB! I can NOT replicate that at home. So I guess I'll be buying those till kingdom come! I've always loved Bobby's style and now I'm a die hard fan. Place is so busy, we had to stand in line for about 15 minutes during lunch and dinner rush. then you have to wait at least another 15 minutes for your food. But it's worth it. Definately worth it. Only weird thing is the long tables. Not sure why he designed seating that way. No matter. It's a casual setting so it's not of any importance who you sit next to. Can't wait till they get their liquor license so I can get my shake spiked!
5 - Jason A.: 1st time here with my son. I had a Bobby blue burger, my son had the Philly burger w/ reg and sweet potato fries washed down w a vanilla bean and pistashio shake. This meal was heaven, absolutely wonderful. Nice decor and nice music playing overhead. A must visit especially if your a Bobby Flay fan. This area is all University of MD,a lot of nice trendy little places for the college student. Rt 1 can be a nightmare with traffic, but once you get here it's ll good.
3 - Stephany T.: Had the Miami Burger and Sweet Potato Fries. It was all pretty good and I would recommend it, but only as a one-time-experience kinda visit. Five Guys hits the spot much better when you have that burger craving. I don't expect to visit again... the Bobby Flay novelty is gone after the 1st time.
2 - Donna Y.: I came here with some friends last night and I ordered the crunchburger $6.75 and a side of sweet potato fries for $3. Almost $10 for just an ordinary meal. The horseradish sauce that came with the sweet potato fries was a little overwhelming and off putting but the burger was med well just like I like it. 

While I was here, I was also able to try (from my friends) the french fries and beer battered onion rings (meh). The french fries came with a BBP fry sauce that tasted quite good but the fries definitely feel flat. The onion rings order came in a bucket and looked like there was only 4 rings (def not enough to share). 

The burger sauces were average the jalapeno sauce was glutenous and not spicy enough but the chipotle ketchup tasted good with a nice balance of sweetness and spicy. 

The soda machine was a little disappointing. I wanted to see the 'new age' soda machine that has been popping up at every burger place.... nonexistent here. 

oh Bobby flay you've disappointed me. I think I'd rather go to the chipotle down the street for $6 instead.
4 - Adil B.: Bobby's Burger Palace is located in the same building as the Varsity apartment complex near the University of Maryland, College Park. The interior design of this place is bold and features vibrant colors and interesting lights.

I ordered the medium-well crunchburger (a burger with potato chips on top of the patty) and a dark chocolate milkshake. The burger tasted good and went well with the fries that I sampled from my friend's order; the milkshake was heavy and creamy.

I would have liked a bit more spice in the burger seasoning or the available sauces - they were both a bit too bland for me. A good place to visit for lunch!
4 - Richard M.: Went with the wife and kids before a Terps basketball game. The line took 45 minutes and they even stopped taking orders because there were no seats available. Now it was Christmas break so maybe they were understaffed but whatever it was, way too long to wait for a burger. The food was pretty darn good. I liked better than Five Guys and Elevation and they had way more interesting choices. Both of my kids got the Crunch Burger (see picture) and they loved it but what kid doesn't like potato chips on a sandwich? We got the sweet potato fries and the regular fries and everyone seems to like the sweet potato better. We're not drinkers but I did notice that they had a pending liquor permit to serve beer and wine so that's good news just around the corner. Parking wasn't easy.
3 - Kimberly I.: I decided to give BBP a try today, since I'm a fan of Bobby Flay.  I ordered the Philadelphia Burger and regular fries. The burger was pretty good, juicy, well done burger was not overcooked.  The staff was really pleasant and helpful if you needed anything.  The disappointment actually came from the bun itself.  The bun was soggy, not holding the weight of the burger, onions and hot peppers.  I don't know if they were suppose to toast the bun, but make sure to request this.  This can make the experience more enjoyable.  I hear the milkshakes are very good, so I may visit again.  I was kind of expecting more from an $8.00 burger.
5 - Chuq Y.: Another burger place right?  Wrong.  This is my new favorite burger place in the DC area, and it's by Iron Chef Bobby Flay!

We ordered a Philly and Crunch Burger, Sweet Potato and regular fries, and a black and white milkshake.

Since it was New Year's Day, I'm guessing that most college kids were still out on break.  There was no line, and that was pretty awesome because we were hungry!  The staff was friendly and helpful, but let's get to the food.

My Philly Burger was great.  I got it medium-rare (since you can do that at BBP).  I don't think you can order a burger that way at any other burger joint around.  There were caramelized onions, hot peppers and cheese on it.  It was so juicy that when I bit it, the juice started to fill in the crevices in the patty.  It reminded me of digging a hole too deep on the beach.  

I think I like the regular fries better than the sweet potato ones.  They were fried so the outside was crispy and the insides were actually creamy.  Take time to eat one fry and tell me if that's not the case.  Regular comes with BBP's fry sauce, which is mayo, red pepper, chipotle and is delicious.  The sweet potato fries came with a honey mustard which was fine, but a little sweet for me.  

I took a bite of the crunch burger, which is a cheddar cheese burger with potato chips on it, and it was tasty too.  It reminded me of being a kid.  Apparently, you can crunchify any burger too!  I'll have to try that next time!

The black and white milkshake was awesome too.  It came with a spoon and one of those straws that you usually get with bubble tea.  Great for instant brain freeze if that's your thing.
1 - Susan s.: I paid 10.25 for a classic burger and side of fries.  I placed the order to go.  I ordered my burger med. well.  When I came back to my office to eat my burger was rare, the fries were small and overcooked, looked like they came from the bottom of the deep fryer.  I was not give nany sauce except for ketchup and there was none on the burger.  I would definitely not eat here again.  McDonalds is better that this place!
3 - Edward L.: Had the Dallas Burger.  It was delish.  It was crowded in there, however.  We went on a Tuesday night before watching the Terps men's bball team play Cornell.  The seating is like a cafeteria with long tables and random ppl sitting with you.  There's also bar seating.  It's a cute curvy bar.

The decor and atmosphere was okay.  The food was decent but nothing to write home about.  Wouldn't go out of my way to eat here.  Just another burger joint.  Only great if you're into telling ppl you ate at some famous person's restaurant or are a Bobby Flay fan and want to have his babies.  I'll stick to Fuddruckers, BGR, and Five Guys which are closer to me.  I prefer food quality and location over marketing hype.
1 - Karen P.: Bobby Snobby Flay.  My hubby told me that he'd take me to lunch anywhere I wanted to go and we were in the area.  I had heard that BBP had opened up in College Park.  I do love a good cheeseburger.  

I liked the fact that, as you walk in, directions are written there for newbies (that's why I gave this review one star).  From then on, it was "downhill".  I ordered the Dallas Crunch Burger and my husband ordered the Classic Burger.  We ordered it medium (slightly pink inside).  The wait was longer than usual, but I thought "perfection takes time".  Burgers arrived and my husband's burger was perfectly cooked (slightly pink inside) but mine was red.  I sent mine back (afterall, it was $7.95) and waited and waited.  Four staff members stopped at our table to ask how our food was.  I explained that mine wasn't cooked correctly and had to go back.  I asked if they'd bring me a few sweet potato fries to try while my husband sat there and ate his lunch.  They said "sure" but nothing came.  

Finally, my burger arrived and I have to say "meh" ... what's all the hoopla about?  Nothing special.  My fries finally arrived and they too were ok.  Nothing to write home about.  Don't order the bottled root beer either...way too sweet with pure cane sugar.  

If you want to try a GREAT organic burger, Elevation Burger "tops them all" no pun intended.  I won't be back to BBP.
1 - Glen P.: Our experience was not good, and we will not be returning.  The gentlemen did not accurately take our order, and two burgers, one drink, one order of fries and a shake was $23. It did not represent good value.

My wife's mealwasnot cooked properly and the joint made us feel like we misordered.  Go to Elevation Burger for a better meal for less money.
1 - Spencer H.: I am a Huge Fan of Bobby Flays restaurant in the Borgata, A.C. so I was anxious to try out his burger joint in College Park. I ordered the Miami burger which is topped with smoked ham. I picked this burger because I use to love the Roy Rogers  Double R Bar burger so i ordered it with ham and cheese only. it was one of the saddest looking burgers i have ever seen. I thought it was going to be piled high with ham.. WRONG! It was a ham slice that could have come out of an Oscar Meyers variety lunch pack. The burger came out 20 minutes before my onions rings so by the time I received my onion rings i had two bites left of my burger. The waiter kept apologizing saying every time my onion rings came up another waiter would take them.. are u kidding me?? The burger was mediocre in taste and size at best (NOTHING special at all). In my opinion, Mr. Flay should go back to the drawing board with his burger joint concept because in this economy, you better have food that people rave about and impeccable customer service or pretty soon there will be a big FOR LEASE sign in front of that address!!
3 - Angela A.: Went here with 3 of my friends and it was pretty good but not fantastic enough for the price.  I would have been happier at Five Guys. I had the burger with blue cheese and bacon and the fries. The burger size was okay but quite expensive. I got a burger and fries and it was $11.40 for both and you didn't get that many fries. The sauces on the table were just okay but none blew me out of the water. My dining companions were underwhelmed and one had to send her chicken burger back because she said it tasted funny and the chicken patty was small and as thin as paper. You honestly couldn't see it on the bun.  This place was okay but for the price it just doesn't live up to the hype. I didn't try the milkshake because it was $5.00 and the cup looked a bit small for a five dollar shake and I just couldn't bring myself to spend so much on a burger, fries and a shake. The tap water worked out just fine. Try it once if you are in the neighborhood and keep you expectations low.
2 - Jon R.: Look, I love my burgers. I enjoy them with cheese. I enjoy them with bacon. I enjoy burgers. I will even eat a faux burger cause I love burgers. I was so upset about this place i almost give it one star.
We got there at 642pm and we had theater tickets at UMD at 8pm. We ordered pretty swiftly and tried to find a seat as it was crowded. And then we waited. 
and waited.
and waited.
and waited.





and waited.






and waited. 



Finally around 725pm our food came. And let me tell you, it was not worth the over 1/2 hour weight for a burger. The burger, although good, was nothing to write home to mom about. I could make that same burger at home for less price. Hell, i could go to Five Guys and get a good old fashioned cheeseburger and it would be 10x better. I did order the sweet potato fries and they were good but it was like they gave you maybe 10 fries for the whole thing. My husband got the onion rings and they were okay but again... nothing to write home about. 

Shame. I am sure it will be fine at its location due to the closeness to the college but I have to say, you will not see me there anytime soon again.
3 - Sandy C.: Heard some astonishing reviews about their burger, but honestly, it doesn't beat Ray's.

smaller in size and cheaper in price, but I rather drop by Ray's any day
2 - C B.: I stopped by about 1pm in College Park. No wait to order the food, but there was a longer than expected wait for the food. The restaurant was dirty with alot of dirty dishes and cups waiting to be bussed off the tables. I didn't like the idea of the staff looking lost for those tent table numbers ... seems like they need to be raised up higher so staff can find it or call out the numbers like everyone else does.  Also dirty tables need to be bussed right away...first impressions are big! 

Ordered the Bobby Blue burger medium, but it came well done. As compared to five guys, it was just ok. Ordered french fries, surprisingly they were tasty with a light crunch and appropriate amount of salt. Maybe I just came on an off-day.
2 - John P.: So disappointed....the service was horrendous.  

We decided to grab a burger at Bobby'd for lunch.  When we arrived, the place was packed.  The UMD women's lacrosse team was there and they took up a large majority of the restaurant.  

I ordered my burger at 12:42 and at 1:20, my burger had still not arrived.  When I went to the counter to ask for a refund, they responded "we looked for you but couldn't find you".    Very strange.   They courteously gave me a refund for the $13 and a  to-go bag but it did not make up for the lack of service.  

I spoke to the lacrosse team who look more than a bit peeved and they said that they were there for 90 minuted and because they screwed up the entire team's orders.  So i guess my experience could have been much worse. 

All in all, I could not really enjoy the burger at my desk at work, but the burger did not blow me away be any means.   

Bobby, you really need to get some folks in there who know what they are doing.
2 - Mang J.: Ahh, Bobby. You come across as a funny but somewhat insufferable #@(!$ sometimes, but I still love watchin' ya. I've sat through many a repeat of your barbeque and boy meets... programs and countless throwdowns (my favorite; even that psycho-jerk-donut-guy episode). You'd probably be cool to kick back a beer with and talk about...food. Maybe. You're just entertaining in that I-wanna-watch-ya-but-not-know-ya-too-well sort of way. Anyway, I just knew your burgers would be filled with the awesomeness that you seem to display in your preparations on screen.

Right.

Last night, I went to the festively decorated palace--the throwback decor matched the hot '70s tunes that were cranking during our dinner--with high hopes after eyeing the menu online. I was really itching to try the vanilla caramel bourbon milkshake. Ahh...no. When you arrive at the restaurant, all alcoholic beverages are marked "coming soon" on the menu, so I suppose they don't have their liquor license yet. Okay, I was a bit disappointed, but no real foul there--these things take time. There was a bit of a line, but the place wasn't terribly crowded.

We gave our orders to the pleasant young man at the register. Thirty dollars later (for one burger, one topless (no bun) burger salad, two orders of onion rings, one milkshake, and one iced tea), we went to sit in those, um, lovely avocado green chairs at the diner-style bar, rather than the communal tables. Yes, the chairs are avocado and really uncomfortable. My pistachio milkshake came out about five minutes later; thassa good milkshake! It tasted like ice cream used to taste when I was a kid.

About 10 to 15 minutes later, our piping hot food arrived--note to Bobby: You've really got to create another system for your staff to deliver orders easily and efficiently. As Lady of the Rings, I attacked my beer battered subjects. They're the giant style of onion rings, and though I prefer the thick-baby rings, these were seasoned well, and absolutely not greasy. I wished for a more pronounced beer flavor, but they were still good--not great. I finished them while they were hot, and moved on to my burger salad.

Okay, this is a *burger* palace, right? So, it's reasonable to expect the burgers to be worthy of a king, right? Sigh. I ordered my burger medium, but it was well-done; it had a strong salty, but *not* beefy, flavor. It had insufficient toppings (c'mon, man! Four pieces of sauteed onions on a Philly burger is ridiculous!) and was dry--not juicy/succulent at all. Does someone squash the burgers with a spatula? Y'all know better than that. It was probably slightly better than a typical fast food burger.

The Flay-vor just wasn't there.

Dang it.

So, two stars for the pleasant cashier, the milkshake, and throwback feel. Clean up the tables better after people leave; implement an efficient order delivery system; and, most importantly, get the juicy, Flay-vor groove into your burgers, Bobby. Then we can have that beer.
2 - Vicki L.: Burger was just ok.  Not very juicy - their version of medium-rare is my medium-well.  Toppings were actually not all that inventive; I was hoping for more choices.  Would've loved some lettuce, actually. Went with the Santa Fe burger (queso sauce and jalapenos and yet somehow was not spicy???) and was underwhelmed.  About the same quality as Elevation Burger for more money.  Sigh.  

Fries were pretty decent - nice and crispy and not too oily.  Onion ring was less impressive; kind of bland.  Sauce with onion rings tasted like that McD's (or is it Burger King?) onion ring sauce.  Meh.

It wasn't bad - it just wasn't special. No reason for me to go back.
3 - Ryan B.: I went to the palace the other day, since I was in the neighborhood. We got there at around 5-ish and they weren't that busy. As you walk in they have the velvet rope path that leads you to the giant menu mural on the wall. I thought the burger counters looked cool. I don't care much for the big communal table. The whole look and feel of the place reminds me of a mix between a '70s style diner and Ikea. They offer gourmet beef burgers cooked to order, chicken breast sandwiches, and vegetarian. For sides they've got regular fries, sweet potato fries, and beer battered onion rings. 

There's a menu for beers and alcohol, but without a liquor license, it does me no good. I just ordered a coke. For my meal I went with the blue cheese and bacon burger, sweet potato fries and the onion rings. I ordered my burger medium and it came out well. It was still pretty good though,  The sweet potato fries were good. I used the different BBQ sauces on the table  to dip them in. I didn't really care for the onion rings. They make them too big and the rings lose that crunch. Maybe it's just me, but the thinner the slice, the better the texture. 

Price break down:

Beef classic burger: $6.75
Blue cheese burger: $7.75
Sweet potato fries: $3.00
Onion rings: $3.00
Iced tea: $2.00
Soda: $2.00

Total with tax $25.97

The food to me was A-OK. Not worthy of winning a throwdown challenge, well, maybe against White Castle or McDonalds. I'd go back every now and then. Hopefully they'll have some beer next time.
4 - Martin B.: Pretty fantastic burgers here. BBP is another great addition to the CP food scene. Owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, this restaurant features many creative varieties of burgers as well as milkshakes (including alcoholic ones!) and beer and more. 

I've had a few burgers from here now and for the most part they've all been great. The Crunchburger is a patty with double helpings of cheese and potato chips on top (the chips are actually available on all burgers free of charge). If you're craving the salty mix of blue cheese and beef, opt for the Bobby Blue Burger, which also comes with the greatest of all meats: bacon. The Dallas Burger, slathered in BBQ sauce, is an interesting sandwich that is more similar to a barbecue pulled pork sammie with its coleslaw and all. The only problem I've had with the burgers it that the bottom buns are usually very, very soggy. They dont' break apart but it's just not pleasant to hold on to a soggy burger; a layer of mayo on the bun would do the trick but oh well.

The french fries and sweet potato fries are both delicious if a bit pricey, and the milkshakes come thick and tasty. Boylan's soda is also available! If you want a good burger in CP this is definitely the place to get it, and with the rewards card you get a free burger for every 100 points ($1 is 1 point, so about every ten trips).
4 - Geoff E.: Everyone has their own interpretation of what a fantastic burger really is. Size, toppings, buns - it's all debatable. I really like this interpretation of the classic burger at BBP. 

I put this in the same class as a Red Robin, Fuddruckers, and  Five Guys which I think is a fair characterization. In that class, this is best of breed. The burgers are fresh beef, cooked to order - try as they might, about 6 oz (i think), and served on a sesame seeded bun. There are various concoctions to choose from from the classic to the less-than-ordinary Buffalo or Dallas burgers. There are also 3 side choices - Onion Rings, Sweet Fries, or Regular Fries. They offer a selection of sauces - some of which i liked.

The burger is juicy and tasty. It's fresh. It tastes like a burger should taste. I was even suprised with how much I liked the "crunchified" aspect of it, which I came in expecting it to be lame. The fries are crisp and of reasonable size to share. The onion rings are really for one, though. The shakes are fantastic - thick and served with a wide straw. 

They got my temperature right. That said, the key to this restaurant's success is nailing the temps time and time again. Not sure if they've got it down yet, based on the reviews here. I got the crunchburger - I forgot that I really like American cheese on a burger! 

Couple things that I was less enthusiastic about:

-community tables
-grilled cheese (our party order two of them, not impressive)
-flacid bacon (gotta fix that, bacon needs to be crisp every time)

Other than that, I really have to give it up. Great food, clean fresh environment. I wouldn't travel for it but I'd be a regular if I lived in CP. I hope the chain continues to succeed.
2 - Brandon D.: I am obsessed with burgers. This place I would say is a bit overhyped. The beef in my burger (medium-rare) was kind of bland, which in my opinion is the most important part. I don't know what to think about crunchifying (putting potato chips) on my burger because I'm all about the burger, but it's an interesting concept.

All of the different combinations on the menu look pretty interesting but if the beef isn't solid, I'm not sure if the experience will be any better. The food takes pretty long to come out. The milkshake I had was good. I'll be back to give it another try because I love hamburgers and one can only eat so much Five Guys.
3 - Steven W.: I was initially surprised by the rock solid, 3 star rating here.  BBP makes a solid, flavorful burger...good size, average value...I'd go back in a heartbeat if I were in College Park.  The sweet potato fries are some of the best I have ever had...and the honey mustard horseradish dipping sauce goes well on everything.

Having said this, I wouldn't drive out of my way to eat here, and I do find it expensive compared to Five Guys for sure and maybe even Shake Shack...both of which I still prefer, as far as the actual burger goes.

I also don't care for the communal tables.

Having said all of that; the solid 3 stars makes sense after all.
3 - Ian K.: Can't believe I hadn't been yet, but I'm not crazy about the gourmet burger trend because of the price premium associated with the gourmet-ness of it all.

Bobby's is bright and fancy. The burger selection is mouthwatering and I had a hard time deciding.  I chose one with grilled onions, got fries and shared o-rings with my dining mates.  The burger was delicious, fries were tasty and the rings were good.  The jalapeno relish added some tasty fire.    So, some of the downside... took a little too long for the burgers to come out for a lunch time order, the prices were a bit premium. The fries order is $3 and really more than one person would eat.  The dining is family style tables, which is unusual and doesn't work here.

So, I'll go back probably with a group but this really isn't a stop in and get a burger by yourself... imagine it would total close to $20 all-in with burger, fries, drink and a buck or two for the service.
3 - Lola F.: Have eaten here twice now and have mixed feelings about the food. The burgers are good though don't induce an OMG experience. They are cooked well and have a nice assortment of options as far as types of burgers but nothing that wows me. The 2nd burger I had was actually quite salty. The main problem with the burger is as others have mentioned the sogginess of the bun. These burgers are juicy and just cant hold the moisture and begin to fall apart in your hand making this a multi napkin experience. I think next time I'd probably go to 5 guys, Rays or Houstons in Bethesda for a great burger. The onion rings were great... crispy with a great flavor and not greasy! The fries were possibly some of the best fries I've ever had. Probably handcut and cooked to perfection!! The dipping sauce was OK, I prefer good old ketchup. The restaurant is very casual and has communal eating tables and up front "bar" seating. You order at the front as you walk in and then a waiter/ess delivers the food to your table and cleans up.
2 - Barry S.: I came here with my family for lunch.  I liked the retro decor and found the seats nicely comfortable.  Probably a good thing--since we had a bit of a wait for our order-and then half of it was incorrect and had to be sent back.  The second half of our order was finally served after a 45 minute wait.  

My LA turkey burger was excellent--the meat was flavorful, perfectly cooked and juicy.  The topping were good, but the bun was tasteless waste of calories.  I wish these places would make some effort to find good bread.    The sweet potato fries were fresh and good, but one order was half the size of the other--how about some portion control?

Overall, we were happy with the food, but the service seemed disjointed, slow, and confused.  You only make hamburgers--how hard is it to manage an efficient kitchen?  Also, the lack of a veggie burger left me scratching my head--would love a few vegetarian options.
3 - mike f.: Really tasty burger -- I had the Philadelphia-style, daughter had the cheeseburger "crunch" style. Meat tasted excellent. 

So, why three stars instead of four or five? Well..

--Difficult location. That is, if you're not a UMCP student, and you have to drive here. Metered lot, with only one pay station to serve an entire floor -- waited nearly 10 minutes just to pay to park.

--Sloooooooooooooow service. From the time we ordered to the time our onion rings and sweet potato fries came out: 35 minutes! Long line of people waiting to pick up to-go orders makes me suspect it's not much better if you phone in. 

--Too expensive. Eesh, it's a university area. Burger and fries should run less than 10 bucks, even if it is a really good burger
5 - Vee S.: Best turkey burger and sweet potato fries I've ever had. I love gourmet burgers.. They are definitely not huge, but they are high quality. I would recommend the blue burger style )   ..
3 - Bethany P.: Just another regular burger joint. I was kind of surprised when I found out they don't grind their meat in house, so that's one star off...if you specialize in burgers then take every possible food safety measure please.

My spice crusted burger was delicious and juicy (not done to medium well--more like medium rare--but I won't judge on that). The bun and toppings left a lot to be desired. I expect a crappy bun from Five Guys but not some place that I'm paying a novelty fee for.

The fries are tasty, kind of like Boardwalk fries but kind of bland after a while. They make up for that with their.  The sauces are pretty good, but I'm no fan of the jalapeno sauce as it is not thick or spicy enough.

Good atmosphere, nice decorating and the staff seemed pleasant enough.

IMO go here and try it out yourself. You won't regret it but I can't guarantee you'll be jonsing to go back...you have to figure that out on your own.
4 - Pete D.: First and foremost: My burger had some quality beef in it! Great meaty flavor...

Second... Love the eclectic choices and the creative sauces. Chipotle ketchup on the table is a real winner! Had a strawberry milkshake that definitely satisfied (even came with a super wide straw which made it easy to drink)!
5 - Josh B.: The only reason why I decided to go to this restaurant was because of the prestige of Bobby Flay. The first thing you see is 1. Get in line, 2. Order, 3. Take a seat. This was very nice -- I wasn't really expecting to be served.

When I first walked in, the upbeat music and cheerful staff astounded me. I expected a good experience because of who designed the place, but not of this caliber.

It took about 10 minutes for me to get my food (doesn't matter, I was writing the first part of the review). The sweet potato fries in a honey mustard sauce is amazing and so was the Dallas Burger.

Would highly recommend.
4 - Tu-van L.: I don't know what's in their Burger Sauce, but it added something special and elevated the burger to a higher level.  It made my mediocre Chicago burger (monthly special with American cheese, celery salt, relish, banana peppers, onion, tomato) from bland to delicious.  My husband's Dallas burger had a really good barbecue sauce that made it delicious.  It came with coleslaw with he thankfully got on the side (not a big fan of coleslaw in general), and I was told it didn't add much to the burger flavor.

Fries skinnier and flavorful.  Don't eat them with the accompanying sauce - tastes just like thousand island, Dab them in some regular, chipotle ketchup.

If not for the burger come here for the milkshakes.  The regular ones looked on the small side but the alcoholic ones are larger and so delicious.  The Mocha Kahlua vodka spiked shake was absolutely delicious!  Just the right amount of chocolate and Kahlua flavor (though I'm not sure if it was Kahlua or malt that the husband added that I tasted)....either way it was amazing - the only place I know so far in the DMV for alcoholic milkshakes.

A solid boutique burger eatery that makes it as special as burger boutiques try to be.  Of all the boutiques out there, this one is worth trying out.
3 - Happiness H.: I read the mixed reviews for this place and I just wanted to try it for myself. 

The food was ok. I ordered the Philadelphia Burger $7.75 (provolone cheese, sauteed onions and jalapenos) cooked medium and it was good. The fries $3 were alright which came with an interestingly good sauce. BUT the milkshakes $5 were small, runny with no flavor! Chikfila has way better shakes that are cheaper and bigger.
5 - Brian C.: I've been here probably twenty times.  Everything I've eaten is great.  Everybody I ever went there with thought the place was great.  The staff is superb - you can tell everyone at both the College Park & DC like working at BBP.    The only complaint I can say is that the burgers are on the smaller side.   I'm not sure if Mr. Flay is sending me a message telling me that I don't need the extra calories that would come with a larger burger or he wants me to order a second burger.
4 - Karen S.: The burgers are small but delicious-- I even tried the turkey burger yesterday and it was really flavorful! 

I usually get the LA Burger or the Napa Valley burger and I don't know why they call the topping on the LA burger "avocado relish" because it is clearly just guacamole. 

The sweet potato fries and regular fries are pretty good-- $3 gets you a good amount so you can definitely share. The onion rings are nothing special. 

The sauces aren't that impressive to me, but they do offer a lot of different kinds for you to try out at the table, which can be kind of fun. 

Now that all the hype has died down it's a pretty good place to go because service is pretty fast and the environment is fun, and it doesn't get as crazy crowded.
4 - Lee A.: My Bobby Blue Burger was the ieesh!! The ppl were really nice esp Mike & this other guy. They were cute!:-)
My fountain coke was super refreshing which is rare at any burger joint!! 
I would advise ppl to try it medium!! Yes I normally get my burger cooked med well but the med is what makes the Burger gr8!
They should open a Bobby's Burger at the Nat'l Harbor instead of Ketchup. 
The decor is very clean, simple & easy to navigate! A little hard to find on route 1 cuz its College Town USA but well worth it the new Grad School or just plan or hang out. 
Yes $7 to $10 for a burger is high but worth it if it's gr8!
The only bad thang!! Yay I said thang was I found a Lil piece of paper stuff on my burger & think I ate some of it. So I didn't finish my lil bit of burger!! :-/ 
I took pics & video of the paper. Y? Cuz hey.. R u still reading this?..lol Thxs. 
Well the moral of the story. 
I called the mgmt & they were super nice & offer me a new burger next Time after I explained the situation & that my burger was the boomgeezy b4 the paper discover!! Chris Rock! 
I will b bk but only a few b/c I'm going vegan soon but they hv food for non-meat eaters too!! Happy Eating!!
5 - Shanae J.: I like this place. I have nothing negative to say about Bobby's Burger Palace. I'm tempted to write Bobby Flay a letter explaining to him how grateful I am that one of his burger joints is so close to home. The burgers are a bit pricey, but I don't really care. I've had three different types of burgers there, all cooked to perfection and well worth the $8-$10 price. The onion rings are stupendous. I haven't had the fries yet, I just cannot pull myself away the onion rings and my college student wallet won't handle the excitement of purchasing both. If you love burgers how I love burgers, then you don't want to miss the chance to visit Bobby's Burger Palace.

My only gripe is that ridiculous parking situation, which requires that I memorize a parking space number, purchase a slip of paper that indicates how much parking I've paid for by the quarter hour, then walk back to my car and put the slip on my dashboard so that the Jakes (you know, the police, the feds, jump out boys) don't ticket me or have my car towed. How unsophisticated is that? Maybe I'm being lazy but the paid parking meter thingy is really irritating to me.
4 - Jenna J.: Yum! I went here with a co-worker of mine last week and it was delicious! I don't eat beef so I had the Crunch turkey burger and it was AMAZING! My friend ordered the sweet potato fries and they were good too! You should try to go here when school is not in session because I have heard it can be very busy. I can't wait to go back and try other varieties of their turkey burgers.
4 - Samantha G.: I'm torn. I loved it, but it was alos a little bit of a letdown. However, overall experience helps this place average out to 4 stars.

The decor is great. Modern and simplistic. Kinda what would happen if Crate & Barrel designed a restaurant. I loved that the doors and entrance hallway clearly indicated what you should do - order, sit, wait for food. The long counter by the kitchen was a great place to sit - almost sorta felt like being at the chef's table. 4 stars.

The menu has several offerings - including non-burger options. We opted for the Santa Fe Burger. And, of course, we had to get fries and a shake. Opting for the regular fries with fry sauce and a coconut malt shake.

We paid, received a plastic number, and grabbed our seat. And then our shake, followed shortly by our burger and fries, was brought to us.

The shake was small, but delicious. It was definitely made with high-quality ingredients.

The fries weren't as crispy as they could've been, but I enjoyed them. Well-seasoned and the fry sauce was yummy. 

The burger was small - too small for the price. But there was plenty of cheese and the burger was perfectly done and juicy.

However, had I known about the multiple tableside sauces, I would've opted just to get a regular cheeseburger ("crunchified", of course - which means a layer of potato chips) and played around with the sauces. The burger sauce and jalapeno sauce would've equated a fantastic burger - and saved me a couple of bucks. And the sauces all paired nicely with the fries too. Have I mentioned before how much I enjoy dipping sauces?

Overall, it was a pleasant casual dining experience. I will be back.
5 - Paul L.: I actually like this place a lot. It's a clean and casual place to have a really tasty and juicy burger. I think the size of the burger is the right size. And if you compare it to big chain joints (think Friday's, Applebee's, Chili's, etc.), it's pretty comparable pricewise. But the burger is much better tasting.

Love the sauces, especially the Burger Sauce.

Definitely better than the overrated BGR burger joint.
4 - Brett W.: It ain't Bobby Flay, but it's pretty damn good.
4 - Esther B.: The shakes are delish. Burgers are good. I'll likely visit again but without the baby. It says it's good for kids -- high chairs? Yes. Changing table in the restroom? nuh-uh. If you provide the facilities for the input, you must also do so for the output. I'm just sayin...
3 - Liz N.: I removed a star b/c i learned how to make the jalapeno sauce, u can't get me now bobby!!!-- i returned and got a salad instead--- the salad was def a 3, chopped, filling but lots of olives and probably not very healthy and NOT worth $10.
2 - Fenny L.: Ehhhh...I was severely underwhelmed.

In the interest of full disclosure...I kind of hate Bobby Flay.  I find him obnoxious, arrogant and honestly, his flavor profiles aren't that unique.  But still, I will say that he makes *solid* food, if not the most interesting food.

So when we stopped at Bobby's Burger Palace, I wasn't expecting that much...but I was expecting at least solidly good food.

And I was pretty underwhelmed.

I had the Buffalo Burger, as a turkey burger, and the turkey was so dry and hard that I wondered if it was actually made from turkey jerky.  The toppings were just some bleu cheese crumbles and some Frank's Hot Sauce.  Yeah, I know, I didn't order the fanciest of burgers, but I was expecting something...more.  Especially as the burger was almost $8, doesn't come with sides, and the patty was thin.

We also ordered the sweet potato fires, which were good, but nothing unique or stellar.  The onion rings were...eh.  My husband is an onion ring fanatic, and even was very "take it or leave it".

All in all, a very mediocre burger joint, that ended up being a little on the pricy side once you realize that you're not really at a sit-down restaurant, and the food was pretty bland.  

I will give it props for having nice decor...although the floors were filthy (it was as if an army of 3 year olds had a food fight in here)...and no one was cleaning it up.

Eh.  Pass.
2 - Brandon C.: Cool, chic, clean-looking place with pretty decent burgers...but its too damn expensive!

Don't get me wrong, the food here is very good. The burgers a juicy and creative and the fries are good as well. The only problem is that for a college town restaurant, this place is far too expensive to make any sense.

The burgers aren't very big and cost somewhere around $7-9. Fries don't even come with the meal, you have to buy them separately for $2-3. I want to like this place because it tastes so good, but I really cannot look past the fact that I can take my $12 and go to a Red Robin and have a more satisfying experience.

That all being said, if you have money lying around or your parents are in town and willing to buy, I recommend you give it a try.
2 - EliteCruises A.: Service, manager (from Joisey) were top notch. French fries were great. Burgers were fair (kid claims Burger King's are better).  Ordered a burger on top of "greens" and the greens were over salted and swimming in oil.  Onion rings were NASTY.  Wife ordered some kind of glowing, flourescent pink frozen Margarita, which (as one of their staff characterized it) tasted like kerosene.  Mgr. swapped it out for a much better std. margarita at no charge and took it off the bill.  Bobby Flay personally serving or supervising the cooking may have helped.   Not worth a drive. Sorry Anthony (mgr.) and Bobby. . . unfortunately, a great manager cannot cook and do everything else.  Give the mgr. a raise and we'll ease on down the road.
4 - Richard I.: Delicious burgers(Get them cooked medium). Tasty but pricey milk shakes. Funky interior. Friendly service. What's not to like? I'm a fan despite being a Bobby Flay hater.
5 - Jon E.: Holy cow. I went back and it was even better than last time. Every single time I have to go to the Washington DC area for business, I am coming back to this place. I cannot believe how wonderful this place is.

Bobby's Burger Palace - Philadelphia, PA (39.9541371, -75.2019963) (University City)
3 - Johaun C.: I was fortunate enough to be the first customer to enter the doors--literally, and quite by chance.  Aside from the waitstaff, my friend and I were the only ones in the restaurant eating and trying the food (and all for free!).  It was definitely a nice experience--not sure how and why I was permitted entry, but it was definitely fun to smirk at those denied entry after me.  now onto the food....

Money has obviously gone into this place, as expected of an establishment bearing the name of the rather conceited Bobby Flay.  I decided upon the Napa Valley burger, simply because "goat cheese" immediately caught my attention.  I ordered my burger to a medium doneness, and it was cooked perfectly so.  My Napa Valley came with a substantial amount of goat cheese that melted and oozed pleasantly with the patty.  I also ordered a side of the sweet potato fries that came with a delicious honey mustard horseradish sauce (tables come with an assortment of condiments as well--jalapeno sauce, which was my friend's favorite, a chipotle ketchup, a burger sauce, and a honey mustard, off the top of my head).

i enjoyed what i had.  especially cuz it was free.  that having been said, i dunno if i would come back to pay $8 for one of those burgers.  if you want fries?  another $3.  and a milkshake?  tack on another $5, and suddenly you're looking at a $15 bill.  now, if they had some sort of meal plan, or HAPPY HOUR (!!!!).... bump this review up to four stars immediately.  until then.... three.
3 - Vivian H.: Waited in line for a good 30 minutes or so and was thankfully not disappointed by the food!

French fries -- perfectly crispy and the sauce is so good!!
Dallas Burger (spice crusted, cole slaw, monterey jack, bbq sauce, pickles) -- beautiful medium rare like I'd requested, great flavors and texture, even the buns were good!
Santa Fe Burger (queso sauce, pickled jalapenos, blue corn chips) -- didn't really taste the corn chips since the jalapenos were so overwhelming but still good
Strawberry milkshake -- yummy but small and def not worth $5

The food's pricey but it's a good place to go for some spiced-up burgers. The meat's realllly good. We'll see how the place does in a few weeks when the novelty wears out.
4 - Hoa T.: I was so excited about this grand opening especially the fact that Bobby Flay will be there the whole day.  The hour + wait was more than worth it.  I had the Crunchburger and the Napa Valley Burger.  I have to lean toward the Napa Valley more so.  Both were cooked to medium so you definitely see some pink in the middle.  This made the burger very juicy and delicious.  The service was very friendly and attentive.  I however would NOT order the margarita.  It did not taste good at all to the point where I was not able to finish.  Next time I have to try the shakes.
4 - Leslie M.: In devoted obedience to my stomach I have finally answered the call to taste the burger offerings from Mr. Flay. And despite my dislike for the chef I will certainly appreciate his food.

Ambiance: Southwestern modern to put it best. The bright southwestern color scheme would be almost garish if it weren't paired with sleek and modern furnishings. You can seat yourself at tables when you roll in strong with a crew or if you are flying solo you can eat in peace at a curvy countertop. 

Service: With smiles abound I would say it's definitely going through the opening week jitters of upbeat, friendly and sometimes nervous service. All of which were appreciated and endearing. There was nothing to lack in the service. We'll just have to see if it passes the test of time and the often stuck-up and demanding patronage of Penn undergrads.... 

Food: Hello LA Burger! This was delicious and while I doubted the "crunchified" (chips in burger) recommendation I am glad that I gave it a try. The added texture of the potato chips was a welcome addition and contrast to the rest of the burger. The burger comes dressed with guacamole relish (really just tasty guacamole...didn't taste the "relish") and watercress in place of lettuce. The watercress-lettuce exchange isn't perceivable in flavor but makes for a less "crunchy" texture which can be made up some by "crunchifying" your burger. 
Now...the most important part... the meat. Oh baby. Here is where Flay has got it right. Juicy, REALLY flavorful but not oversalted and cooked perfectly to an ACTUAL medium... And I'm not sure how the Iron Chefs are perfecting their methods but one thing I notice similar between the Garces' Village Whiskey Burger and Flay's Burger is the ability to cook the burger to the perfect temperature without searing/burning the crap out of the outside of the patty... I mean I like a good black and blue time to time but I personally find it unpleasant to have to crunch through an almost carbonized outside layer to get to the juicy treasure within. 
The fries were decent. A good size/amount. Crisply fried outside while soft and fluffy on the inside. My partner's sweet potato fries and accompanying honey mustard were the star of the fries show...
One thing I really appreciated was the entire half pickle that came with my burger. I love pickles and more is always better. 

One thing I expected more of and recommend more of... the HEAT!!! Come on Bobby! You always talk about your love of spice. The array of sauces were tasty but nothing close to even a bit spicy ... 

Drinks: My lunch time excursion had me play it safe with a fountain drink but I am pleased to see a nice offering of alcoholic beverages of spiked milkshakes, margaritas, beer and wine. I'll be back to sample the beers, margaritas and milk shakes.

Overall, delicious and for 13 bucks it was a flavorful and filling lunch meal with pleasant service without the hullabaloo of complete table-waitered service. I know this is a franchise concept but this whole hot sauce issue needs to get worked out... otherwise I'm going to have to come back armed with my own arsenal... I think some Jamaican scotch bonnet will do these burgers good...
4 - Gabrielle B.: When I heard that Sir Bobby Flay was opening up a burger joint in my town, I freaked out! Me & my friend wandered down to University City the day after the grand opening to get a taste of BBP. When we arrived the line was long, as we had expected but surprisingly moved pretty quick (almost half the time the staff had anticipated). The menu features many unique burgers including the LA (avocado, watercrest), the Napa Valley (goat cheese, lemon honey mustard), & of course... the Philadelphia (cheese whiz, onions, hot peppers). 

I ordered the Classic but forgot to get it crunchified! But the un-crunchified burger did not disappoint, along with the fries and onion rings that were equally delicious. They offer an array of sauce options as well: the standard ketchup & mustard, plus chipotle ketchup, jalapeno relish, & burger sauce. You're also suppose to get a side of "fry sauce" but for some reason they forgot to give us some. Service was pretty quick & the staff was consistently friendly (sometimes too friendly).

The decor of this place is awesome. It's not trying to hard to be fancy nor is it overly cheesy. Although it is a bit overwhelming with it's tall ceilings and excessive floor space. It almost looks more like a cool bar rather then a restaurant.

All in all I highly recommend BBP. Bring a friend & an appetite and you're good to go.
4 - Mikey I.: What do ballers do? Love burgers.

What do the biggest ballers do? Open burger joints.

Bobby Flay is an Iron Chef and one of the biggest ballers in the food world. I checked out his Burger Palace today. I did not find my princess, she was in another castle.

What I did find though, was a really great burger. I walked right in even though the line was mega long (that's right, because I'm a baller and have mad food biz connects).

I spoke to the PR dude. Snapped some pics. Scored me a Philly Burger. I opted for whiz, because non-ballers and off-duty ballers would only  order prov where whiz is available.

It was juicy and perfect. The fried onions were delicious, as was the whiz and the hot peppers added just enough kick to it.

Also tried: the fries, pretty decent but it's hard to mess up fries... and ballers never do.

Pros: I loves me some condiments. Flay offers up three signature sauces on every table in addition to the regular non-baller ketchup & mustard. Those sauces are: jalapeno hot sauce (not really all that hot at all), chipotle ketchup (a little heavy on the smoky chipotle flavor) and burger sauce (a mild bbq sauce, in my opinion). Long list of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Cola milkshake? Mind blown.

Cons:  No veggie burger included in the mega long list of burgers. I'm gonna have to throwdown Flay if he thinks vegetarians are going to love the fact they have but only one item to choose from: grilled cheese. Did not get a chance to speak or interview Bobby. I am not a big enough baller yet, all work no Flay.

Wants: outdoor seating and college kids to leave for the summer so I can ball in peace.
2 - Victor C.: Big fan of Bobby Flay's shows and food, not a fan of this restaurant.

45 minute wait, understandable. You know, celebrity chef's new restaurant in one of the BEST locations for a burger joint in Philly along with gorgeous weather, of course there's going to be a line. But why are half of the tables empty? This isn't a nightclub where long lines promote popularity. 

Ordered my L.A. Burger, sweet potato fries, and black and white shake, and a number was given to me to place on my table. I wasn't timing them because I was busy taking pictures and checking out the cool decor (which is definitely Bobby Flay style), but the food arrived fairly quick. 

The shake was OK, nothing special (Lee's black and white shakes are a different story!). Sweet potato fries were good and so was the honey mustard dipping sauce that came with it, but it was too runny and barely any would adhere to the fry. My burger came out and it looked delicious. They sure know how to make a pretty burger, with HAIR on it. Yes, my burger was topped with avocado relish, watercress, cheddar, and a strand of light brown hair. People make mistakes, fine. They brought my new hairless L.A. Burger out. The meat of the burger is actually pretty good. But the toppings were so so (more lime in the relish maybe?). I practically had to drench it in the sauces, mostly the jalapeno, on the side. Meal finished.

I ordered a kid's meal to go for a friend of mine. Waited **20** minutes for it to come out. During the wait, we were asked about 20 times if we were done (not exaggerating) and if any of you have been there this week, you know what I'm talking about. No sauces came with it, not even ketchup packets. 

No compensation was offered for the hair incident, which I'm not going to make a big deal about. They did apologize, good enough. I'll give the place a second try, but I am not waiting in that ridiculous line.
4 - Elizabeth A.: The wait was over an hour on a late Saturday afternoon.  For some reason they only had one cashier working....as I got closer towards the register they finally had another person working the register!  (there are ONLY two registers).  I ordered a Dallas burger medium-well, sweet potatoe fries and a coconut milkshake.  My companion ordered a Napa Valley well done and a mango milkshake.

We sat down and were greeted by a young man who brought us water.  He was not our waiter...just a greeter of some sort?  We didn't even SIP our water and BAM our burgers were out!  WTF?!  THAT was super quick service!!!  No complaints here!

The greeters/servers were very nice coming by every few minutes to ask if everything was okay.  The burgers were delicious and definately worth the wait in line.  The sweet potatoe fries were okay the sauce on the side was a bit runny (should be a little thicker to STICK on the fry).  The milkshake....well...I would return JUST for that!  My companion didn't utter a word while he devoured his burger and his shake - that's a good sign :)

There were plenty of seats and at no time did I feel like we were being rushed out....on the other hand....I'm not a lingerer...I eat and I'm out.  I enjoyed the meal and the atmosphere and would definately go back!!
5 - Akshay M.: Before I write anything, I must confess that bobby flay is the reason my TV sets is always tuned to food Network ... That being said I have been waited with bated breath for his burger place to open , though it turns out that so for 1000 other ppl  , and that would explain the near 2 hour wait to score a burger @ the palace. 

While we waited outside the restaurant in serpentine lines , I was reminiscent of waiting in line for a roller coaster ride and the excitement was palpating. 

Standing in line made me salivate so much so that, My order went from just a burger to begin with, to add fries and as we neared the counter the shakes were added too. One thing that befuddled me was that even though there was ample seating inside the restaurant, dint understand why the lines were soo long. The interiors were plush and more pictures of food items decorate the wall and that sure doesn't help with ur growling hunger.

The service was above par too, the hostess made trips to the outside lines talking bout the restaurant etc , and the waitstaff was prompt to get the food and take care of the clientele, though they need a better way of tracking who is sitting where after the order is placed.

There are a plethora of options on the type of burger u can choose from to suit ur palate , ur mood and even maybe ur geographical preference , but don't fret too much , each burger would deliver on its promise. I ordered medium rare bobby Bleu burger  and thts exactly wht I got, the patty was soft and juicy the bleu cheese wasn't overpowering and the bacon was from another world. I was sad the burger had an ending.

I ordered the strawberry shake, maybe next time go for one of those spiked shakes,kalua sounded too tempting. Just a piece of advice have the burger there , cos if u order to-go the bread gets squeezed and iccky and u'd have nightmares of Roland Mcdonald serving u.

The sauces need a whole review on their own, each table has five sauces jalapeño,chipotle ketchup, and my fav the burger sauce to name a few. I must say the burger sauce was so perfectly smoked u can taste the wood and that I mean in a good way :) even the sauce with the fries was spicy and scrumptious , though the cut of the fries was a bit small and u'll end up eating bits and pieces of fries before devouring ur own fingers dipped in the sauces.

I'd go back to taste all the burgers on the list of which all can be crunchified. He also has burger of the month, so ur burger outing won't be monotonous anymore but an adventure. For ~7$ i would call bobby's burger place the new "Pound for Price" champion, so fasten u fasten ur seatbelts folks as Bobby flay is finally in town. Get ready for a throwdown.
4 - Mike M.: One day, the celebrity chef burger joint craze will blow over. That day has not yet arrived. After one aborted attempt on opening day, I finally got crunchified at Bobby's Burger Palace on Sunday after a brief 40 minute wait, most of which was spent in line just waiting to order. Once I ran the gauntlet of the ordering line, it was quite easy to find seats and the service really was a bright spot at BBP. Even though it's just an order at the register and wait for somebody to bring you your food type of place, the "waiters" were bustling around, cleaning up, chatting with customers, and making sure you got everything in your order. 

The Good: LA Burger, crunchified. Delicious. Cooked to a perfect medium, it was juicy and well seasoned. The guac was fantastic. Loved the bread. Often I criticize burgers for being oversalted, but I didn't find that to be the case tonight. Not huge, but a good size when combined with fries and a shake. Speaking of which, the vanilla milkshake I ordered was thick and ice creamy. Oh, and it came with a decent size  half pickle. I'm a sucker for pickles. 

Needs improvement: I got regular fries. The fry sauce was nothing too different than you might get at Monk's and the fries tasted like they'd been sitting out for a while. Next time, I'll skip the fries. Also, they were out of Margaritas, which was a real let down. 

I'm going to have to rack up 4 stars for Mr. Flay based on the main attraction: the burger. Can't wait till the crowds thin out a bit.
4 - Stacy K.: Serious yum!  This place is down the street from my office so a colleague and I headed out at 11:30 beating the lunch crowd by about 10 minutes.  Since the opening about a week ago, the lines are ridiculous!  

I ordered the Classic Burger, french fries and a coconut milkshake (sans alcohol since I had to work the rest of the day).  The milkshake came out first and is truly, magically delicious with pieces of coconut throughout.  The fries were so so... too crispy for me and just kind of warm.  After trying them, I really wish I had gotten the onion rings which looked wonderful.  The burger, however, was also excellent.  It was thick and juicy with onions that made my heart sing.  

Thank you Bobby for deciding to put this definite palace of yumminess within two blocks of my office.  Should I sign my paycheck over now or later?
5 - Jennifer B.: My boyfriend and I wanted to go to the opening of BBP in Philly last Tuesday night, but with 4 young kids between us we decided to wait. Thank God we did.  We went on Friday night - sans kids - and the line was insane! 

That being said, the one hour wait in line was well worth it.  Folks are commenting on how there was only one cashier working - I made the same comment to my boyfriend when we got in the door to which he pointed out that if they moved the line along any quicker by adding another cashier there'd be no seats.  And there were seats available which at first was surprising given the number of people in line and the relatively small size of the place.  We sat right down at the counter.  It is worth mentioning that the wait staff was super friendly and accommodating...be interesting to see if that lasts past the first week.

Anyway, on to the food...I had the LA Burger and I fretted over this decision the entire hour I was in line because there were so many good ones to chose from.  Turns out it was probably one of the best burgers I've ever had.  It doesn't come with any sauce on it and I never even thought to put ketchup and mustard (my normal burger combo) on it because the flavor of the burger was just so damn good I didn't want to mask it with anything else.  My boyfriend had the Ceasar burger which was the April burger of the month.  We taste tested each others burger.  He said mine was better than his.  He was right.  But,  the pepper flavor on his burger was super delish.  

I agree with some other reviewers that the fries left a litte something to be desired.  We got the sweet potatoe fries and the regular fries.  Sweet potatoes were probably the best I've had, but I'm not gaga over sweet potatoe fries so I was more interested in the regular fries.  They were a litte disappointing because they really weren't seasoned.  No salt, no spices, nada.  The dipping sauce was tasty and I was thankful to have it to dip my unsalted, unspiced fries.  I actually dipped my fries in all of the sauces at the counter and loved them as well - especially the Chipotle Ketchup.

We also split the Vanilla Caramel Bourbon shake.  Wow, that was a good shake.  Try the shake.  I want the pistachio one next time - no alcohol, but I love pistachio ice cream.

Bottom line on BBP - you've got to go.  They hype on a Food Network star opening a burger chain will not let you down.  Bobby knows how to make a great burger and uses the best quality meat to do it.  I can't wait to go back and try another one.
5 - Lori R.: I can honestly say that after indulging in some Bobby Flay goodness my life has become better.  I swear I am not over reacting.  The Bobby Burger Palace made my stomach so content and happy that I smiled all weekend long.
My life changed for the better on Friday after eating at BBP! The bf and I decided to check out this magnificent place because we love burgers and we have admired Bobby on the Food Network for years.  So yes of course there was a line but it surprisingly moved quite fast.  We ordered the Sante Fe burger, the LA burger, regular fries, sweet potato fries, a milkshake spiked with kahula and an anchor steam.  After ordering we took our designated number, grabbed a seat at the S shaped bar and anxiously waited for deliciousness.  
We got our tasty beverages rather quickly.  The kahula milkshake was unbelievable.  The consistency was thick but you were able to drink it through the straw.  And I'm pretty sure I will only be drinking milkshakes with kahula in them  It was so good!  A couple minutes go by and then the food arrives!!!!  The appearance of the food was everything I expected from the Iron Chef.  And the taste and the flavors were amazing and almost indescribable.  I'll start with my LA burger which was cooked to a perfect medium rare.  It was juicy and it didn't run all over the place which happens so frequently with burgers that aren't cooked to well doneness.  It came with chedder cheese, watercress and avocado relish.  The toppings were perfect and complimented the burger well.  The burger was a perfect size meaning it  completely filled me up and it was an easy burger to hold and eat.  My BF got the Sante Fe burger with pickled jalapenos, blue corn chips and a queso sauce.  He said it rocked and the corn chips gave it such an interesting texture.  The fries were good. We got both the regular which came with a fry sauce and the sweet potato which came with a honey mustard sauce.  I thought the fries needed some salt. But the dipping sauces were fun and tasty.  They also have a variety of sauces for you to try at the table.  There was a burger sauce, a chipotle ketchup ( I don't think I every want regular ketchup again!) and a couple other sauces I can't seem to remember! 
It was a great dining experience from beginning to end.  The service was friendly and efficient, the decor was groovy and super clean, the food was seriously on point and the prices were very reasonable for how awesome everything was.
This place is absolutely worth a trip.  Please come hungry!!!
5 - Jamilla A.: My daughter and I went on a Saturday afternoon and the line was out the door.  We probably waited for about 45 minutes or so before we ordered but I have to say it was worth it.  I ordered the Dallas burger with sweet potato fries and a coconut milkshake, she ordered the Philadelphia burger with onion rings and a black and white milkshake.  We split the burgers in half and swapped so one could sample the other.  Both burgers were phenomenal.  I loved the way the beef was not bland but seasoned lightly with salt.  The sweet potato fries were the best that I've eaten so far with their thin cut and perfect crispness.  The onion rings were huge and fried perfectly.  My coconut milkshake was off the chain!  About an hour after I left I was craving a second coconut milkshake.  All in all, we had a great experience at BBP.  I'll definitely be returning soon.
4 - Michelle C.: Yes, I was one of the people waiting outside of BBP on opening day for and hour and fifteen minutes for a cheeseburger. I'm passionate about my vices, okay?

So, the ordering here is kind of wonky. You place your order at the register, pay, then sit down with a little order number card in front of you. The seating is mostly large tables and bar area, the staff is very quick (maybe too quick?) to refill drinks and clear plates.

I ordered the Palace Classic Burger with chips. Er, CRUNCHIFIED™. I also tried the fries and the cactus pear margarita. 

The burger was a perfect medium rare, the cheese was totally melted, and the chips were a nice texture contrast. The fries were also excellent, though the serving was a bit small. Everything was quite good, and above all, it was cheap. I think my entire order was $11. Not bad for a burger, fries, and a cocktail.

Speaking of which, let's talk about that margarita for a second. It's $4.50, it's pepto-pink, and it's.. delicious. Not too sweet and VERY strong.

All in all I was impressed and I'll definitely be returning. Next order of business; milkshake.
2 - franco x.: I will have to give it another try.  First the wait was not to bad being it just opened 25 minutes. What the problem was gave me the wrong burger and then readily exchanged it but when what I ordered came out.  It was cooked the wrong way, always happen in any resturant when you return the food cook gets pi@@@@!  So willing to go back and try again.  Plus it was alittle salty too.
3 - Kevin P.: I'm not a huge fan of Bobby Flay. When I watch Throwdown, I hope he gets destroyed by the competition. But I will admit he is a talented chef so we went to check out his burger "palace."

Nice decor, modern, colorful, upbeat. Liked it. As soon as you walk in, you get in line to place your order, you get a number to display at the table of your choice and they bring your food out to you. There's quite a bit of seating but I'd imagine this place getting pretty packed during lunch and dinner.

We ordered regular fries, sweet potato fries and onion rings. The regular fries were just ok, I thought they were a bit too hard. The sweet potato fries were better imo and the onion rings were my favorite out of the three. There are a couple of free dipping sauces you can eat your sides with. Free sauces are always a nice bonus.

The consensus was that the burgers were good but not super. We kept on comparing the food against Sketch and thought that Sketch was better in almost every way. My burger was kinda dry, despite being pink in the center. I think the toasted bun added to the overall feeling of dryness. The burgers tended to be undercooked. So medium was closer to being rare. 

A basic burger is $6.50 and the specialty burgers are $7.50, which I think is kinda on the pricy side. However, everything had sort of an upscale feel to it, so I guess you're paying for that too. BBP is more yuppie-ish whereas Sketch is more hipster-ish.

Would I ever say..."Hey, let's go to BBP!" Well, if I was attending college in the area, yes. I'd probably go back and try every burger on the menu. But since I'm not, if someone asked me "You wanna go to BBP?" my reply would be, "Are you gonna drive?" If the answer was yes, I'd say sure.
4 - Beca M.: I'll jump right in with this one. 
I had the LA Burger (avocado relish, cheddar cheese, watercress, tomato) (3/5 stars). It was edible, and enjoyable, but not the best burger I've ever had, it's not even the best burger in the neighborhood (Local 44 reserves that right). I like my burgers chargrilled, with a slightly crisp crust on the patty, and this one did not have a hint of that. I ordered medium well, and my burger was cooked to perfection (though one of my friend's was a little overcooked for his order). I also wish I had some more avocado relish on it. 
The regular fries were extremely unsatisfying (2/5 stars) and greasy. The sweet potato fries were somewhat better (4/5), but I like regular fries with my burger. 
The milkshake was out of this world, I had vanilla bean and I really think It might've been the best vanilla milkshake I've ever had. I just wish they were bigger for $5!! 
Overall, it's not worth an hour long wait, which is why you should go around 3-3:30 and you'll be in line for around 10 minutes. 
The area was missing a quick and tasty burger joint. Yes. I gave it a star for convenience, and that milkshake really left me wanting more.
4 - Erin M.: I went here with a coworker two days after the opening for lunch. We knew we were in for a wait and gave ourselves an hour for a leisurely lunch.

I have to commend Bobby's team on excellent logistical planning. There is a BBP employee assigned to monitor the line. She stands outside and lets people know how long the wait will be, asks them about what they think they will order, and hands out menus. We were told it would be about an 40 minute wait until we could order and that suited us because the office is around the corner. The line was out the door, but it moved constantly. Also, it was sunny outside, so I enjoyed standing in the sunshine. As one other person mentioned, yes, there is a single cash register. It's likely that way on purpose, to make the line move at a speed which the cooks can follow.

Once we got to the head of the line, I ordered a LA turkey burger, crunchified, my coworker ordered a Napa Valley Burger, and we split an order of sweet potato fries. We both got the fountain sodas which come with free refills. We chose to sit at the bar and wait for our orders, which was nice because a waitress came by to refill one of our drinks for us, although it was self-serve. Our food arrived in record time: around 5 minutes after we ordered.

On to the burger; my burger was perfect. The turkey was moist, not overcooked, and the huge melty slice of cheese on touch was just the right amount. I barely noticed the tiny sprig of watercress, but it was nice for presentation. The bun was toasted on both sides which made the sesame seeds exceptionally delicious. The chips on top of the burger, AKA the crunchification, were a nice touch of texture.

The sweet potato fries weren't great, just okay. The side of sweet mustard that came for dipping was over-sweet. I don't think I'd order the fries again.

I'm going back for dinner with my husband soon. This is going to be a place I frequent.
3 - Anna Marie C.: patience is a virtue that i do not have.  
bobby flay (i do love throwdown) + burgers = what could go wrong?

so it's a gorgeous sunny day in west philadelphia, and it's 11am and i'm hungry.  off i trek in search of the perfect burger.

so the rate limiting step between me and my slab of meat turns out to be the line of hungry people...and one cashier.  i mean, really?  it's lunch time, there's a line out the door, and you have *one* cashier at the register??  

it's enough to get this now hypoglycemic girl in a little hissy fit.

once i sat down and had a bite of my burger (a little bit pinker than the medium i asked for and too many sesame seeds on my bun)... i calmed down a bit.  it was a good burger.  the sweet potato fries with a too watery honey mustard dipping sauce were also pretty good.

dear bobby, now that you've got your food down, can you work on efficiency?  thanks.

amc
3 - Serita L.: okay, first off, let me say I am a Philadelphian, born and bred...and  I DO NOT STAND IN LINES - not for clubs, not for movies or for restaurants... I live and work in West Philly so I have seen the phenomenon that is The BBP line. Pretentious is the word that comes to mind.  My co-workers wanted to try Bobby's so I figured - it's nice outside and fairly early (not yet 12:00) so we take the trek. Why does Bobby's not open until 12:00 today?  Why is there a line outside already?  I am not what one would call a follower, so WHY am I actually entertaining this as doable?  

So we wait... and the doors finally open.. and we stand there.. and at 12:32 we finally get to the register - did I mention that there is only ONE cashier working??? The kitchen can't keep up with the orders... HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? There are like a million cooks in the back! grrrrr.  So I order my food..then wait another 10 minutes to get it (I understand, they gotta cook the food.. So I get back to my desk. and the burger is red at the first bite. grrr... call Bobby's and the phone rings and rings... I inhaled the burger at my desk anyway cause I have no time to go back - I only get an hour for work - was the burger good? Sure.. great? Not at all. It was like going to any other place to get a burger that would be several steps over Mikey D's or Wendy's.. There are too many other places on campus that charge the same for the food plus wait staff and minus the pretentious line
4 - T. B.: Solid burger joint, but try to go during off peak hours. Our wait was about 30 mins at lunchtime on a Friday.

The ups: juicy, juicy burger cooked to perfection (had the LA), decent sweet potato fries (your standard, nothing too original, decent portions), and a damn good strawberry shake. Service was also very good, although I'd be curious to see how long it lasts. 

The downs: just the wait, really. And the price - $7.50 for a burger with nothing else, no options for add on's either. In this country, I think burgers should come with fries, and you should have the right to vote and to add bacon or grilled onions to everything.

Next time, I will try one of the spiked shakes...those look yummy.
3 - Melissa P.: i'm sure it's delicious based on the theme park lines, i'll revisit my stars when i actually have enough time (and a crossword puzzle in tote) to wait in line.  i'm sure it's worth it.
1 - Thomas M.: First of all I have a stomach ache after having the Dallas burger and,  second of all, it was the worst burger i have ever had compared to some of THE BEST BURGERS I HAVE EVER HAD. But anyway, Johnny Brenda's has the best burger in philly even though it is a bar.
3 - Julie H.: A fun place, but I'm not sure it's worth all the hype.

I came here during the soft launch when Bobby Flay and all the other head honchos were wandering around the restaurant, and the service was quick, attentive and friendly. I got the LA burger, which was delicious. Juicy burger topped with avocado = one of the best things ever. 

I came again about a week later to join my friend who had already been waiting in line for about an hour. There was only 1 cashier working, and she wasn't exactly trying to hustle things along. This time I got the Santa Fe burger, which was ok but didn't leave quite the same impact as the LA burger. Waiters were few and far between, and it was hard to catch their attention. However they were still very pleasant, and overall, it was a good night.

If you haven't had a chance to go yet, I would recommend waiting until the lines die down, because the food isn't worth the wait. I mean, it's definitely good... but it's also $7.50, so it really ought to be. I was also slightly peeved that there were so few people working. For a restaurant that is so new, I didn't expect the quality of service to drop off so quickly.
4 - Nati J.: The FOOD definitely lives up the hype that is BOBBY FLAY!

Good selection of various types of burgers (beef, turkey, chicken)

*Be sure to tell them how you want it cooked, because most of the time they cook them medium-pink*

Milkshakes are absolutely amazing. I recommend the COFFE shake.

Fries are all handcut and come with very good dipping sauce.

Food comes out very quickly. It has a COSI style service, i.e. order from the counter, they hand you number, and then food is brought out to you.

Tends to get very busy around lunch since its on a college campus. Try getting there before 12 or after 2 to avoid the massive student rush.

Prices are all fairly cheap
 - Burgers : $7.5
 - Fries : $3.5

Definitely worth trying out yo!
4 - Nikhil K.: I love goat cheese.

When I saw the menu for BBP hanging while the rest of the restaurant was still under construction, I knew exactly what I would order on day 1.

After waiting in line for 45 minutes, I finally got to order the Napa Valley Burger, medium rare. It was delicious.

Since that first time, I've been back 4 or 5 times. I'm usually one to try many things on a menu, but so far I havn't ventured past the California ones-- LA and Napa Valley. 

I have tried the vanilla caramel bourbon milkshake- also delicious. Add the sweet potato fries (which we got for free) to the delicious list.

So far havn't been disappointed by BBP other than the huge lines, which are dying down a bit day by day. If you're around U City and you like burgers, definitely stop by.
3 - Emily C.: IIm not going to complain about the wait, but I will complain about the salt.   WAAAAAY too much salt in the avocado relish on my LA burger, waaaay too much on the 3 different burgers my friends ordered.  

Putting aside the fact that the meal fulfilled my sodium intake for the day after just 2 bites, the burger itself was really tasty.  I ordered it rare and that's how they cooked it.  I dug the cheap Sierra Nevada I ordered and thought the staff was very friendly.

Overall - my meal was too salty for me to call my experience anything more than okay.
2 - Darlene O.: First let me say how much I love Bobby Flay. He made pumpkin soup with chocolate on Iron Chef and I instantly became a big fan. I have his books, I watch Throw Down, I even visited the Pop Shop because of the show. But his burger palace was a bit disappointing. His name is on the door but after that it is just another burger place. 
I traveled nearly thirty miles, got stuck in city traffic, and then waited an hour in line for pretty much the same burger I could have gotten from my local Ruby Tuesday. I think I was expecting food that tasted a little more chef prepared. The selections are unusual enough and definitely got my taste buds curious but basically this is chain food. LIkewise the sweet potato fries are also a good idea but the regular french fries were more like potato sticks. If I lived nearby I would go again but this really isn't was I was expecting. Maybe there was too much hype but I don't think I will be back.
3 - Rachel w.: For the price and location, it is worth checking out. 

The burger meat was adequate and the toppings delightful.  The milkshakes are out of this world!  

However, the service is poor and they messed up our orders.  I went with ten friends -- most of whom think the food is just "ok."
3 - Mel F.: I went here on a Thursday night and thought it was great, just be prepared to wait in a line out the door.  They don't have a ton of space to sit down, but once we ordered we only waited a few minutes for a table to open up.  
 They have a great variety of burgers, toppings, and different sauces which were quite good.  They also have Cherry Coke from the fountain, which is always a plus for me.  We had all three sides, but the onion rings were the best.  The fries and onion rings are also large portions so they are good for sharing.  The coke milkshake was delicious, but thought it would be a little bigger for $5. Another downside was that the food was very salty.  However, the service was good, and everyone was friendly.  
 
 Overall, the burgers were good, but I wouldn't say they were the best in the city.  And I would go there again, but if there was still a long wait would probably just go somewhere else.
3 - Valissa W.: Bill who? Oh, Bobby. Hmmm, right. 

I confess, I am a terrible excuse for a foodie. I don't play chef trivia, I can't remember the names of half the international foods I consume, and when a restaurant opens with a crazy long wait just cuz it's some guy from the Food Network... well, that don't impress me much. 

Bobby's turkey burger, however, did make me sit back and say wow. I got it in the LA style: avocado-relish, watercress, cheddar, & tomato. It was the perfect size, on a fresh bun, and mouth-wateringly-good. My group shared an order of sweet potato fries with horseradish honey mustard. The fries were ok, but not the most amazing things ever. The dipping sauce was kinda watery so you had to do a serious scoop to taste any on the fries. I considered getting a milkshake (you can have yours boozed up for an extra $2.50!), but luckily waiting in line so long meant I had a chance to see how tiny they were before ordering. Pass. 

While I certainly can't knock the place for its food, I'll say I was a little disappointed to wait 30+ minutes in line for an $8 burger in what I'd call a posh cafeteria. (Long, communal tables = hovering for seats. Ew.) I love the decor, the burgers are great, but the overall business model really turned me off.
4 - Di P.: You can't hate on this place. Mostly, if you love a burger, you're going to like this place guaranteed. But then again, a good cheeseburger warms my heart just as much as a perfectly timed mojito.

I had the Dallas Burger and honestly it's been a long time since I've ordered a burger "medium rare" and truly got it medium rare. That makes me smile right off the bat.

The jalapeno sauce they have has even made me want to go home and replicate. That's the when a restaurant goes from a 3 to a 4 star-- if it makes me want to go home and duplicate. Afterall, imitation is the highest form of flattery.

I could do without the ostentatious 45 minute line (and that was during a line that was just barely out the door). They have two cash registers. Use 'em, people.
4 - Helen M.: We went on a Friday.... the line was out the door!! The burger was excellent, I had a Philadelphia burger and and regular one, along with onion rings, fries, and sweet potato fries. THE Onion rings are out outta the world good and so was the sweet potato fries!! Burgers were delish! But i recommend putting the burger sauce on it. The shakes were just a bit too sweet for me. 
O Bobby, you did well on your burgers!
4 - Kristin C.: BBP totally met expectations.  We had to wait in line but the tables turnover accordingly, and we didn't have to wait very long.  I had some B&W milkshake with "real whip cream" and it was AMAZING. 5 Stars.  I also had the Napa Valley Burger with generous goat cheese and honey mustard and it was totally awesome.  At my table were also great feedback on the Philly Burger with Provolone, The Crunchified (?) Burger and the Original.  Everyone was happy, the burgers were a great size, not mammoth so you feel sick afterwards but just right. Onion Rings and fries were good but not spesh.  Totally recommend it although maybe wait until the Penn kids clear out for the summer.
4 - Sam P.: I have been to BBP twice now, and I will comment on each of the experiences:

First time: Minor preface: I was pretty inebriated (it was Spring Fling -  gimme a break). Waited in line for probably 25 minutes. Waited  probably another 10 minutes to be seated/get food. The wait wasn't all that bad though - everyone was nice, plus I was quite excited to finally try this place. Ordered the Dallas burger medium-rare with sweet potato fries. When I order something medium-rare, I want it medium-rare. When my burger came, it was medium-rare. I was excited. Very excited. As soon as I bit into the burger, I was lifted to a meaty nirvana. The burger was perfectly cooked and the toppings were quite tasty. I love me some bbq sauce and cole slaw. The sweet potato fries were uninspiring, but I was diggin the horseradish sauce they came with. I am also a huge fan of chipotle ketchup (I mix chipotles in adobo w/ketchup at home - so this place clearly is stalking me). The sauces on the table were a nice addition. Decor is also well done - love the winding bar seating with the bacon-inspired  lamp. My friends were equally pleased with their meals. 

Second time: Went for lunch yesterday around 1:45pm. Waited about 5-7 mins, found seats promptly, was served expediently. Ordered the Napa Valley turkey burger (goat cheese, Meyer lemon honey mustard, watercress) and onion rings. The turkey burger was quite juicy and the goat cheese was smooth and lovely, but the honey mustard was lost in the mix. I wish it were a bit more potent. Onion rings were fabulous - asked for some of the horseradish sauce (see above) and tried the burger sauce. Their burger sauce is goooooooood - it's a nice mix of A-1 flavor with bbq sauce. Loves it. The highlight of the meal, though, was the vanilla caramel bourbon shake I shared with my friend (it was the last day of classes...drinks at lunch are totally appropriate). It was rich and the flavor was fantastic. The fresh whipped cream was sublime. The bourbon paired so well with the flavors of the shake. Major foodgasms.

Bottom line: This place has got something right. I am impressed that within a month of opening, both of my visits have been consistent positive experiences. BBP fills a niche that is currently not fulfilled in the area. I am not a huge Bobby Flay fan (I really loathe his Throwdown show) - but I gotta give him props because he can make a solid burger. Props to you, Bobbo.

This place needs a veggie burger, though. I hope it's coming soon.
2 - Oski B.: Fair burger, great fries.  Their servers are pretty eager to take your plates while there's still food on them to help show you the door.  Very classy.  Will look forward to returning to nurse a beer and an order of fries for a couple hours to spite those bitches.
3 - Micaela F.: Came here with two friends and we each ordered 3 different burgers and split them into thirds so we can sample the burgers we selected. Honestly, is ok but not one of the best in Philly. It was pricey for a burger and it did not come with fries.
2 - Jim M.: I went back today in the midafternoon after a crazy morning/afternoon in which my lunch got pushed back about 3 hours. Thankfully I didn't have to wait in line. The cashier and servers were very attentive, efficient and polite. Though it was almost a little too creepy with at least 3 people cleaning every square inch. I could almost feel the gaze of the manager boring into the back of their brains as they wash, washed washed. But hey, the place was spotless, so kudos to the cleaning staff.

I got the Santa Fe burger, medium with sweet potato fries. The sweet potato fries were good, but not better than or more noteworthy than any other sweet potato fry I have had previously. The burger, well it was underdone again. At least this time it was only medium rare and not Cowboy Way. I actually enjoyed the juices and the meat was good. Once again, the bun wasn't noteworthy. The pickled jalapenos weren't real spicy or pickle tasting either. Sort of disappointing. 

I finished up and was just reading a little bit, savoring being not busy for once today. Just as I was completing that though a cleaning staff person came up, said "Can I take your dishes if you are done" and yanked them from the table. Hmm, can you say, create turnover?

Also to that Sarkozy wannabe Wharton School asswipe, learn some manners and go outside with your phone calls.  No one is impressed.
1 - Aruna A.: Bobby's Burger Palce is interesting.  Bobby Flay seems like a pretty awesome chef.  My experience was limited here, as I don't eat meat, and they don't have a vegi burger. I am entirely basing my review on my friend's thoughts on his burger, and on my thoughts on my milkshake and fries.  And quite frankly, I've had MUCH better elsewhere.  For much less. 

Bobby's Burger Palce is an interestingly designed space.  I think they were going for the 50's drug store lunch counter feel, which they have partially achieved with the long tables where you sit down next to whomever.  This also reminds me of a cafeteria though - so I dunno how much I am a fan of this.  However, the seats are comfy, and I sort of like the open air space, and the forced socialization.  The service is great too.  No complaints there.  

Where I do complain is about their ACTUAL product.  Their food is okay.  I hear 500 degrees is better - and I am excited to try 500 degrees.  I was excited for Bobby's, but feel as though they fell really flat.  The milkshake I had was by NO means speical.  It was a milkshake. It was actually not particularly awesome.  I ordered chocolate, and my friend ordered the black and white. They tasted and looked the same! The fries I had were regular fries - and oddly reminded me of french fries I've had that were frozen and then reheated in an oven.  They weren't exciting.  They were remarkably overpriced.  My friend had a burger that was crunchified.  Which, he said was cooked to his exact specification - but beyond that was just a burger. 

I don't think we'll be going back.  Boo. I was excited for you Bobby's! At least now I know.  

To 500 degrees I go!
4 - Sarah K.: Burgers cooked true to scale (medium is actually a medium) avocado relish is actually cut up avocado (and not just a smear) and the fries and sauce are GOOD.

Burgers are reasonably priced- $7.50- AND DELISH. I got the LA crunchified (with potato chips) a milk shake and shared fries with the hub. The milkshakes are a little over priced at $5 but still tasty. 

I like the whole ordering at the counter and sitting down bit- this is like a gourmet fast food joint- we were in and out in about 30 minutes- it wasn't too crowded and (aside from the milkshakes) decently priced.
2 - Brian M.: Ehh. That's what I would use to describe the entire experience at Bobby's Burger Palace. While all of the burgers on the board sounded very tasty, I ultimately decided for the Dallas burger, hold the coleslaw. A nice touch was having a replica of the giant wall menu in front of the register, so you didn't have to break your neck if you needed some reference. 
 After sitting for about 10 minutes (if that) our food was here. My fries came out first inside of a cool little metal pot on a place, so I expected some similarly nice plating for the burger. WRONG. Just a burger on a plate. But you can't judge a book by it's cover, right? Partially true. While the disheveled burger looked like it had seen better days, it tasted pretty good, even if it was a little on the bloody side. 
 My favorite part of the meal was the sauces. The burger may have cost me $7.50, but I could use as much as the sauces as I'd like. Overall, my favorite was the burger sauce with it's dark, sweet, molasses like taste with some tang. It also looks pretty interesting in there, the design is kind of funky, kind of fresh, but comfortable altogether. 
 Overall, I would say that I can't believe people waited in such long lines for this place, it was good, but nowhere near great. Give it a try if you'd like gourmet-ish burgers. Otherwise, I prefer the burger at Noddinghead :)
4 - Asuka N.: I stopped by for a quick lunch at Bobby's Burger Palace while paying a quick weekend visit to Philly with my girlfriend. All of the burgers are pretty reasonably priced (generally in the range of $6-8 or so), and there's plenty of variety in terms of the kind of burger you can get. I ended up getting the LA Burger, while my girlfriend went for the Bobby Blue Burger. We also ordered a side of sweet potato fries and a milkshake as well. It was pretty packed for a Saturday afternoon; we weren't able to get a seat at the bar, but we ended up scoring a seat at the end of a table.

Service was very quick despite the crowd - we got our burgers a little over 5 minutes after sitting down. The milkshake was great - not too heavy, but still tasty as the classic. The fries also surprised me as well...I've had sweet potato fries, and generally I'm put off by the 'sweetness' of the fries. These were more fried and tasted great with one of the many ketchup assortments that were available. As for the burger itself - it was delicious. I have been a hamburger guy my entire life (I detest cheeseburgers), but even with cheddar melted all over the pattie, I still enjoyed the burger immensely. The avocado relish added that unique avocado flavor I'm a fan of, and a mixture of the chipotle ketchup and the burger sauce really brought out the flavor of the entire sandwich. My girlfriend was a huge fan of the Bobby Blue; I thought there was a bit too much Blue Cheese on it, but it was still very delicious as well.

So why only 4 stars? Simply put, I honestly feel like I could create this burger if I took a regular pattie and added the accompanying condiments and toppings. Unlike Shake Shack, where you can really taste the flavor in the burger itself without adding ketchup or the Shack Sauce, I thought this was a rather ordinary burger that could be easily replicated. Maybe it's wrong to hold it to a higher standard, but the restaurant is run by a freakin' Iron Chef - I expect to be blown away, even if it's just a burger joint! The meal itself was fantastic, and I'd definitely come back once in a while for a sit-down lunch (it's a bit heavy, so don't plan on doing anything athletic after chowing down). But the real value-add here is the variety of toppings you can add to the burger...just not the burger itself.
3 - Paul L.: Just a disclaimer first: I hate Bobby Flay. I find him obnoxious, he is indeed my most loathed TV personality and that's without exaggeration. When he comes on TV, I usually change the channel but when he opened up a new Burger Palace in my city, I made it my business to go check it out and see it the pomposity was warranted. I know, it's only a burger joint, not like an actual restaurant that he actually cooks in, but still...

It's understandable that a trendy burger joint opened by an American Iron Chef in University City will be mobbed. The line usually wrap around the building on  weekends and there's about half an hour wait. So me and a friend gave up once, but returned by myself on a week night when school's out and only had to wait about 10 minutes to purchase and got a table.

Since I'm not a big fan of Goat Cheese, I opted for a medium well Dallas Burger (Spice Crusted / Coleslaw / Monterey Jack / BBQ Sauce / Pickles), an order of fries and a pistachio milkshake. On every table, there is a condiment rack loaded with salt & pepper, ketchup, yellow mustard, Chipotle ketchup, Jalapeno hot sauce and a burger sauce. 

Since there wasn't many people, I got my food within 5 minutes which I was surprised. The burger is meaty, well-proportioned and it tasted good, certainly not the best burger I've ever had but it was pretty satisfying. The fries comes with a BBP fry sauce that tasted a little bit like an aioli, though both the fries and the sauce were quite salty. The star of the whole show was the milkshake and reading through the other comments, it seems like everybody liked the milkshakes. 

I do like the trendy decor, though I would have loved to have some utensils with me so I can scoop up the missed coleslaw on my plate. The price seems to be reasonable. I'm sure a lot of people would love a vegetarian option. At the end, I think it was decent, but I suffered from MSG attacks halfway home and I have tasted better burgers in half the other places. And no, my meal in general didn't give me any clues on why Bobby Flay is so full of himself on TV.
4 - Sarah F.: I've been there twice since it opened. The burgers are the best I've ever had. But i suggest ordering yours more done than you normally would, or else they're a little bloody. Make sure you try the burger sauce! The fries are just ok, and the onion rings are too salty, but the sweet potato fries are delish.
2 - Max K.: I'll get my complaints in first: 
My burger which ordered medium rare was actually probably still breathing.  Yuck. 
Other than that the sweet potato fries were tasty.
The best and only redeeming part of this place was the milkshake. The Black & White is what I will hands down recommend to anybody.

I may just come back for the milkshake.
4 - Jessica C.: Finally, after several attempts to beat a ridiculous line, I tried Bobby's Burger Place!  The wait was not that bad (if you want to be seated right away try coming during the week at off hours) but I would not recommend coming here with more than 3 people at a time because the seating availability is pretty much first come, first serve.  A little annoying, but the burgers are great!  I wanted to have a regular burger before I tried some of the more adventurous ones.  It was surprisingly very good and the milkshakes are great, too!  Fun and affordable, I will definitely come back for more :)
4 - Frank C.: Worth the wait.  Wasn't crazy about the fries (regular or sweet potato) or the onion rings.  However, the burgers are top notch.  Not the biggest but everyone has great quality and flavor.  Somebody is making them with love.  The milk shakes are quite possibly the best I have ever had.  You pay a little more for the decor, location, and quality but it is totally worth it.
5 - Jessica W.: At Mr. Flay's Burger Palace, I feel like I am in heaven. I get my Anchor Steam (OH SF, I miss you...I love these little reminders of you in beverage form). I get my burger delivered like a piece of modern art. The "bus boys" are freaking rad. I don't even know if you would call them "bus boys". I'm pretty sure they're more like MY NEW BEST FRIENDS. One of them came and sat with us and discussed our food, my boyfriend's faster-than-the-speed-of-light eating capabilities (ridiculous), and whatever else happened to pop into his head at the moment. Best friends. 
The burger. Good god. Such a good burger. If you don't like yours well seasoned, this isn't the place for you. We both got the LA Burger. It was served with cheddar cheese, watercress, and an avocado relish. Delicious. You can pick how you want your meat cooked, what kind of meat you want, and whether or not you want your burger "crunchified" with some potato chips.There are all kinds of condiments on the table for you (THEY GIVE YOU CHOICES)!  I decided to keep it simple, just adding ketchup and mustard...no chips. It was phenomenal though.
I was unable to fit fries or one of those spiked milkshakes into my tummy, but perhaps next time I'll try. They both looked great. 
I have to admit, I'm pretty glad I live on the other side of the river from this place, because it takes me 40 minutes to walk there and if I'm going to be eating these burgers as much as I plan to, I'm going to need some serious exercise. 
A full 15 hours later and my tummy is still thanking me. 
Side note: Seating is a bit tight. Get over it.
Side note #2: the place looks like a giant hamburger on the inside. Anyone else notice that? Heaven.
4 - Terry C.: Take out, Carry Away, or Bag and Go - whatever you call it, they have it! Do not try to call ahead and place the order, though. For some reason they "don't have telephone ordering" yet. Really?! But it is still possible to go there and place a to go order. Three of my coworkers and I decided to get burgers to go today, and they were just as amazing and tasty as eating them in the restaurant! I had the Nappa Valley burger (goat cheese and watercress), which was heavenly! I'm going to keep going back until I have sampled all of their burgers!
3 - D J.: This is just a burger place. 

The black and white milkshake was good, the fries were only okay, and the burgers were just burgers.  If anything, the popularity of this place is a testament to how many bad hamburgers exist out in the world. I guess we should be grateful that Flay is pointing out that you can eat quick and good.  You don't have to eat quick and crap.  Maybe it'll catch on.

A little pricey, though.

And the kid's burger my son had was like a salt lick.  He couldn't eat it and didn't want to order a replacement.
4 - Michelle L.: There are two types of people in the world (well, three, if you count vegetarians, but we all know they're not really people): Those who eat steak, and those who eat hamburgers. I am definitely a hamburger type of girl, with the small requirement that it be a restaurant-style burger - it may not be steak, but you should still get to order it like one :)

Bobby's Burger Palace breaks a few rules of the restaurant-style burger, though. While you do get to choose how you want it cooked and the prices are indeed north of $6 (not exceedingly so, with the classic cheeseburger starting at $6.50), fries don't come with. And it's not a restaurant, it's a "palace."

You kind of have to go to understand what I mean when I say it looks like a restaurant, feels like a bar and functions like a fast food joint. You start by ordering and paying at the register, but then after you seat yourself (after all the work is done, right?) someone suddenly shows up who looks like a server and acts like a server but is mostly just there for moral support, because if you try to order a beverage from this person, they will do something like give you an empty cup and direct you to the self-serve soda fountain. But they do bring you your food, based on the number placard you set on your table (and bus your plates away after you're done). The system might sound a little awkward, but it actually runs completely smoothly and efficiently as far as I can tell. It's probably somehow a profitable strategy, but for the unassuming customer it means no hassle of splitting the bill or paying tip.

I've come on two occasions and on the first, I tried the L.A. Burger, which I thought was good but too salty (it's pretty heavily seasoned). The latter sentiment faded away as my taste buds readjusted so I was fully in burger heaven by the last few bites. The "avocado relish" is amazing and aptly named (it's sort of a pleasantly sweet, chunky guacamole), and I liked how instead of lettuce there were some sprigs of watercress. I also went all out on the sauces, which are in plastic squeeze bottles (the unmarked white vans of the condiment world) next to the salt and pepper shakers. I never took a bite without drizzling some chipotle ketchup or jalapeno hot sauce on it first. Because of this, the second time I went, I thought I could get away with getting the cheeseburger since I knew I'd be all about the sauces anyway. Bad idea, because the iceberg lettuce and onion were overpoweringly fresh (when have I ever complained about freshness?). I preferred the softer texture and more complex flavors of the L.A. rendition, which meshed better with the sauces.

As for drinks, I've ordered the frozen pear cactus margarita which is a complete steal at $4.50 because this thing is positively doused in alcohol, but that's about the only reason to feel good about getting it. It's the shade of peptol bismo, and tastes worse - like liquid salt. While "pear cactus" certainly sounds like an appealing flavor, all it did for the drink as far as I'm concerned is shock it into a color not occurring in nature, and make it "spiked." I've also tried the vanilla milkshake, which unfortunately looks better than it tastes and is definitely overpriced at $5. I can see how their milkshakes might bring some boys to the yard, but I was unimpressed. I think they use real ice cream (with visible specks of vanilla!) which is commendable but as the texture is too thin it starts getting runny pretty fast... Such potential but when it comes down to it, a real wet blanket. I've had better milkshakes at Wa-wa and Wendy's! (But then again I really like those.)

As good as the burgers are, the big draw of Bobby's Burger Palace for me has to be the layout, which somehow feels both retro and contemporary, both refined and informal. Because the countertop-style tables are communal, it's more of a public space than most restaurants where you get your own isolated cove; it's kind of like a family-friendly bar or an indoor picnic area. (At peak hours, I'd recommend going with one or two friends max to find seats easily.) The Palace's appeal may be its novelty; it feels trendy and gourmet but not bougie. But it's also the kind of place that you can't go to too often without wearing it out. While I loved it the first time and would recommend it to the uninitiated (omnivores, anyway), I personally feel decreasingly enthusiastic about it with each visit - not because it has changed, but precisely because nothing has.
4 - Shanell P.: Damn Bobby you came correct! I loved the place before I even stepped foot inside, after reading you had spiked milkshakes and margaritas for 4.50....4.50!

Any who, I got the Philly burger with fries and the pear cactus margarita. He got the Dallas burger. Both were delicious!  Never had a burger so good. Tastes just like a cheese steak with sweet peppers, and onions, but in burger form (makes sense?) It was nice and juicy (medium rare). I got mine with Provolone. The fries were so good with big salt flakes and I got so much! Couldn't finish em. Which surprised me because a few of the reviews here complained about how little they got. Didn't like the sauce it came with but loved the chipotle ketchup. Nice and spicy.

The margarita definitely had a good kick for 4.50. Another surprise. And it didn't taste at all like pear, and it was pink. So not sure where the Cactus or Pear part comes in. But the tequila part definitely made itself known ;-)

Didn't have to wait on line at all. All the Penn students were busy graduating so it worked out great! Service was quick and friendly. I will be back.
3 - Jason L.: We were looking forward to this for awhile, so our expectations were quite high coming in.

More like going to Noodles where you order and they deliver to your table, unfortunately, unlike Noodles, the line was like 30 deep to order and they weren't efficient getting people through it.

As for the food, the burgers were okay (nothing approaching a Rouge burger), the vanilla milkshake was fantastic (best in some time), and the sweet potato fries are a necessity.
2 - Al F.: The Miami burger is fine, as is the Napa burger. Don't try the "Classic"--too much cheese (American!). Service was very friendly but the place has the feel of a fast-food restaurant. You walk in, stand in line, order your food and then...good luck finding a seat.
4 - Prince P.: So I went into this being harassed by Bobby Flay's Iron Chef Pedigree, and all the local buzz regarding his new burger joint, so needless to say I was getting ready to be let-down.  I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the Burger's here!!  The most compelling thing about the Burger's appears to be the high quality meat, as my taste buds could not discern anything else in the meat or preparation that contributed to the taste.  The meal was complimented by a great selection of specialty Ketchups and sauces.  The sweet potatoes fries, were a nice change up to the standard French fry fare.  Comparatively speaking the Burgers are on the pricey side, but well worth it.  Lines are long but go quickly, and seating is the type where you share tables and counters with fellow patrons!
4 - Paul C.: I am the short and sweet type of person.  I am a foodie, so you can trust my review lol!

Burger:  I got the L.A. Burger; 7.50 for this burger is definitely gets your money's worth.  I got it medium, and it came a little on the medium rare side.  I really liked the avocado on the burger.  This burger definitely met my high expectations for Bobby Flay, but it didn't exceed it.  I mean, how great can a burger really get?  He would have had to do something really special to make an AMAZING burger.  However with that being said, it might have been the best 7.50 burger I've ever ate.  Hopefully you guys can understand where I'm coming from.

Fries:  Got both the sweet potato and regular fries.  The sweet potato fries were pretty good, however, the regular fries were soggy and bit too greasy.  Think worse version of 5 guys fries.  

Onion rings:  "Standard" huge onion rings.  Good, but just your average huge onion rings.  Feel me?  

Sauces:  Fry sauce is top notch, the best sauce of the bunch.  The rest of the sauces were okay, but nothing noteworthy.  The horseradish sauce that came with the sweet potato fries was okay/relatively good.

All in all, the experience met my expectations, but didn't exceed it.  If you're looking for a great burger, I'd definitely come here, but if you're looking for the greatest burger you've ever eaten, look elsewhere.
5 - Lea S.: Any place that has onion rings the size of my fist is getting five stars. 

I tried to talk to my boyfriend while eating here, but couldn't. 
Why? Because my face was stuffed with delicious food. 

The service was really friendly and attentive!
I have been to Bobby's twice. 
First time I got the classic. The burger was cooked perfect, and the ingredients fresh. 
Second time I decided to get the texas, but went with chicken breast. Not a mis-step folks! Again delicious. 

Also they have chipotle ketchup. After having this ketchup I feel the new standard should be chipotle ketchup. I don't even understand why anyone would have regular ketchup anymore. 
This is a problem for me, because now when I go to other resturants I just throw the ketchup bottle on the floor. 
I have been thrown out of three places so far.
4 - Scott F.: The line wasn't that bad so I finally decided to try Bobby's Burger Palace. Pretty solid burgers at a very reasonable price. A little overseasoned for my taste, but I enjoyed the sauce selection on the table. If there was no line I would eat here again but it did not exceed my expectations enough to warrant waiting again.
4 - Margaux P.: When I found out that Bobby Flay opened a burger place in Philly I was excited. When I found out I was going to Philly on business I got even more excited because I could have it on my company's dime. But after going I would go on my own dime time and time again if I only did not live 2 and a half hours away. I had the Miami burger which is like a Cuban sandwich burger. I love a good Cuban sandwich so I was intrigued to have it as kind of a burger. Since I do not eat beef I got it as a turkey burger. I also got an order of fries and a frozen cactus pear margarita. Everything was soooooo good. The burger was moist not even a bit dry like some turkey burgers can be. The fries were crisp with just the right amount of salt and the fry sauce was amazing. A little kick but not overwhelming. The margarita was tasty as well. Stronger than I though it would be. My co-worker had the L.A. burger, fries, and the mocha Kahlua vodka shake. She liked them all as well except hers took a lot longer to come out than mine so I watched her eat most of her meal.  Besides the wait for her burger I have no complaints. I really hope Bobby keeps moving south and opens a Burger Palace in DC or even Baltimore.
2 - Angela H.: I went back after another stressful day of studying and assignments. 

I changed it up and went for a L.A. Burger (turkey burger, avocado relish, watercress, cheddar cheese and tomato) for $7.50. It really stunk. There was a mound of avocado that I could best describe as obnoxious. The sandwich was pretty boring as far as taste and even with one of the table top dipping/topping sauces I was not into this mess. 

Again, I went with sweet potato fries and were still delish. Service was perfect and everyone has a smile there, not that cheap fake smile either. I wish I could squeeze out a 3 stars rating but that burger killed it. Take that gunshot off the menu!
5 - Karma B.: One of the best burgers I've had.  These are In and Out style, handpacked patties -- not your dense pub burger.  If you like that kind of burger (the in and out style) you'll love this place.  I had the Classic with fries.  The burger was incredibly tasty.  The cheese perfectly melted.  The fries are good but not the best I've ever had but good enough to complement the burger.  The decor is great.  The ordering system perfect for the place.  A great addition to W. Philly and U. City.
3 - Seema F.: With all the hype surrounding this place, I expected a lot more. We ordered the Dallas Burger, Buffalo Burger, regular fries and sweet potato fries.  Both burgers were ordered crunchified--which as you might imagine is a stupid gimmick.  The crunch is a handful of off the shelf potato chips, but they made the entire burger rather salty.  The Dallas burger was a strictly average burger whose only distinguishing feature is a bbq sauce that bears a striking resemblance to the "burger sauce" that sits on every table in the joint., The buffalo burger was essentially a run-of the mill burger topped with blue-cheese salad dressing and a slight reddish appearance (no taste) of buffalo sauce.  Both came with a half pickle which was a translucent and spongey.

The regular fries were mushy as if fried, then held in a steamer,  and served with a rather neutral chipotle mayo.  The sweet potato fries, on the other hand, were nicely crisped, but oddly paired with a honey mustard dressing.  The one thing I did like about this place (apart from the decor) was the reasonable selection of condiments on each table:  regular ketchup, common yellow mustard, sweet jalapeno relish, 
chipotle ketchup (the best sauce offered), and 'burger sauce' which seemed to be a tamarind accented bbq sauce. I did, however, find the omission of a spicy mustard to be conspicuous.

For all of Bobby Flay's talk about spice, there was very little of it in the food I had, which instead relied upon an abundance of salt to ineptly draw some rather dischordant flavors together .  The meal wasn't awful, but average at best, so I will not be buying anymore $8 hamburgers from this fashionably decorated burger hut.
4 - Claire O.: I came here pretty late on a Thursday night so there was no line! Yay.

I ordered the LA Burger with avocado relish, tomato, cheddar, and watercress. I liked it - the ingredients were fresh and the meat was cooked just fine. Towards the end, though, I couldn't really tell the difference between this and a quarter pounder from McDonald's, taste-wise.

The sweet potato fries were great, also loved the free refills. Nice selection of sauces too! Decent pricing for a better burger.
5 - cmdr n.: Bobby's is definitely a great burger and quite possibly one of the best I've ever had ( I'm from so-cal and yes better than In N Out).  Been in Philly for less than a few weeks and have already returned twice.  The first time I tried the buffalo burger and the second time, I tried the burger of the month.  The meat quality is excellent, and surprisingly how well they cooked the burger and how fast the service was for a burger of this quality.  I enjoy the second burger crunchified.. but wouldn't recommend it only because the meat tastes great as is and adding the chips sort of distracted from the great taste.  Also the amount of sauces and dips is amazing.
3 - Danan R.: I finally stopped in last week to try Bobby's in hopes of finding the Phila version of Mr. Bartley's.  Alas, I will be continuing on my quest.  The Dallas burger were merely okay and there was nothing spectacular about the bbq sauce.  It was good, just not amazing.  I did enjoy the sweet potato fries, which were nice and crispy and a change from the standard.  The honey mustard dipping sauce went quite well with them; it had just the hint of horseradish which gave it a nice twist and made it stand out from the bottled Ken's.  I sampled both the black and white milkshake and the spiked mocha Kahlua vodka.  The spiked milkshake was excellent and definitely one of a kind.  While the black and white was pretty good, it wasn't the best that I have had (again, Mr. Bartley's frappes).  Overall, this is a decent place and I will stop by in the future for the spiked shakes, in addition to giving the burgers another shot since I have been wanting to try their turkey burgers.
3 - Jeremy B.: I was nervous about waiting  a while-from all of the reviews, but we had burgers in front of us very quickly on this thursday night. The staff made it easy to get into the flow of the place. The burger was mighty tasty and cooked correctly for myself and my date. I love the toned down casual atmosphere of Mr. Flay's place, great concept. Kind of a hike for me, but definitely worth it.
2 - Brock B.: No matter how cool you think your restaurant is, no matter how hyped it may be, if your burger is missing beef, you don't have a good restaurant.

My burger was good, but there wasn't much to it. Ditto with the toppings. I felt as if I was eating from the kids menu considering the price of these burgers.

If they added beef to their burger, they might actually get business that isn't based on conspicuous consumption.

Come here if you want to impress someone easily impressed by overpriced burgers or if you need to otherwise go to Five Guys (which is overpriced too, but at least you get meat and flavor in the bargain).
3 - Ro M.: If you like your burgers neat (melted cheese all over your hands and your plate) or are a vegetarian, then this is probably not a good place to try. Went to BBP on 10 PM on a Saturday night and was surprised to find quite a few families eating (small children under the age of 10) .  I ordered the blue cheese burger and sweet potato fries. The burger was really filling and the cheese just oozed out of the sandwich, which I really like. 

Thumbs up  
+ burger variety 
+ sauces!
+ they serve beer and a margarita!

Thumbs down
- stingy on the napkins. just one?
- service was poor. my medium rare was mixed up with my companion's medium well and we had a hard time getting a server's attention for more napkins. 
- I wanted to take some of the jalapeno ketchup home for my left over fries.  When I asked for a container for sauce, I was given a beverage cup! I should have just stolen the dispenser.
3 - Rami R.: Great burgers (especially the burger combinations), but the lines are ridiculously long and the prices are pretty high. I recommend the Bobby Blue or the Napa Valley (the fries are also delicious with the chipotle ketchup).
2 - Steve R.: I might have given this place 4 stars if the burgers (burger, cheese and onions - a Philly Burger) was $495 and not $7.50 with no extras like fries., And all the burgers are $7.50 at least. The fries were good but not THAT good for $3.00. This place makes Johnny Rockets look cheap. And the order process is strange. You order and pay then go find your own seat and then a server brings you the food and expects a tip. 

The burgers come one way - medium. It was tasy but not filling and a wimpy roll. Hey, Five Guys does this but they don't charge $7.50. 

I noted a lot of U- Penn students there eating. Not sure how students can afford to frequent this place. Qdoba in down the street and Marathon Grill is a half-block away. Better burgers and fries at Marathon.

I think this place is a fad.
3 - Tracey L.: Short version: it's just a burger

TL;DR version.

I had the topless Bobby's Burger which is blue cheese & bacon. By topless, they mean no bun and placed over a salad with balsamic vinegar. The burger had a melted cheese on it and covered nearly everything on the plate along with the blue cheese on top. The patty and toppings were placed on a large piece of leaf lettuce which was then placed over the salad greens. I found the extra lettuce cumbersome and so I removed it to get to the greens. They were mildly wilted from the heat of the burger and minimally dressed. I don't take points off for the wilted greens since its to be expected. The burger was cooked medium-well as requested and it was done nicely. It had little to no seasoning on it at all which was mildly disappointing. There wasn't enough blue cheese on the burger to give flavor and the other cheese was a mild american cheese (by my estimates) and had very little flavor as well. In general it was pretty bland. The bacon was crispy and plentiful so that was an upside but it was the bacon alone that provided all the "flavor" of the burger. I'm a big bacon fan but I like other flavors as well and on a burger I want a mixture of flavors that I didn't get here.

 I also ordered the sweet potato fries which weren't bad but they were hardly warm when we received them. They had a good crunch to them even after sitting at our table for the time we were there. 

The place was crowded, it's loud, the colors are very autumnal and a bit much and I'm not a fan of communal tables. 

But, it was clean, the wait staff was polite and the food arrived quickly.

In the end, it was nice to try Bobby's attempt at burgers but like his other restaurants I think he tries too hard and the result is always mixed.

In hindsight, I should have had a taco at Chipotle next door.
3 - Shaun O.: I finally bought into the hype and checked out Bobby's Burger Palace.

First, kudos to Bobby Flay for opening a restaurant in University City as it will definitely help to continue the improvement in the area.  I can definitely see this area around Walnut becoming an even bigger hub due to the Burger Palace and the addition of the Tap Room.

The selection of  burgers is great, but just be prepared to spend 10-20 bucks for a meal-which didn't exactly filly me up. I had a Dallas Burger, which although tasty, was a little small by my standards (although maybe ordering a Dallas themed item in Philly warrants being short changed).  The fries weren't too bad...but still for $3, I expected a little more.

The service here is great, as the waiter brought us our food, and did a good job in making sure we were satisfied with our order.  Placing the order was pretty routine, although only having one cashier meant having to wait a while.

Overall, the food was tasy, but it wasn't filling...and if you want a full me, be ready to shell out the big bucks.  By comparison, I think 5 Guys does a better job at filling you up for a similar price.
5 - Miakka N.: I'm going to start a Yelp list called "Food I Will Travel and Slay Gorgon's For" and at the top will be BBP. 

Seriously. My sister was moving from Philly, and I volunteered to help her move specifically so I could go to BBP. It is that serious.

I am a turkey burger connoisseur, and beyond a doubt it is the best turkey burger I've ever had. They are so deliciously meaty and seasoned, every time I taste I ascent to 7th heaven. 

And the black and white milkshake?? I die. Divine. 

I might start a moving business in Philly and accept BBP turkey burgers and milkshakes as payment. I have no shame. They are that good.
3 - Emmett M.: Since the learned masses had likely thinned for the summer, I decided to break from the second season of job hunt '09 and reward myself for not finding one by revisiting the BBP. Right away I noticed the timing of my arrival was spot on because the velvet rope maze between heaven and Emmett was completely empty. Looks like 2:27 was a great time to stop by; not so much for 2:42, when the line filled up to the door. 

Wasted no time thinking about my order; since my last trip here Dallas has been on my mind more than the first time I saw Debbie doing it. I am glad I was finally able to try it for it was tasty, with a spice crust that was right up my alley, but not as glad as I was for the removal of my curiosity about the Palace. Got mine sans pickle and slaw, but I was still able to enjoy part of what master Flay was going for. Forgot to say crunchified but at least I remembered to ask for medium, a request they honored expertly. 

The french fries were fresh cut which is cool, but the only thing special about them was the sauce. It tasted like roasted red bell pepper blended into ranch. I love that pepper flavor but I am not a big ranch eater, even though it tastes so good. What I used most on the fries was the chipotle ketchup, it had nice heat. 

As I slurped my delicious black & white milkshake (it tasted like Nestle Quick ice cream) through the biggest straw I ever pocketed after using, I began wondering what the tipping policy is at this strange establishment. During my dinning experience at least five people served me so I felt obligated to show some measure of gratitude, but the cafeteria style table (why they didn't get 4 stars) made me hesitant to let a neighbor have another order on my dime. Ended up handing the cash directly to a worker who seemed taken aback. Apparently all you BBP lovers are so euphoric from eating you forget to tip, weird. 

This really is just an average joint with pretty good burgers. You can get a good burger from a lot of places, some of them for less than $7.50, but it was nice to try what Flay had to offer. I'd eat here again, though not if I had to go out of my way
4 - Robert C.: I can't say much others haven't said, but it was one of the best burgers and sweet potato fries I've had.  The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is the $13 price tag.
4 - Nate R.: This place has a fun atmosphere.  My wife and I ate here for a late lunch on a Monday.  It was not busy and the food came very quick but it was an off time.  I can see this place getting packed at peak times.  We came with our 11 month old.  It is a fine place for kids but they did not have any infant friendly seating.  The burgers are great but very rare.  When they tell you they are pink all the way through they are not kidding.
4 - Ben P.: Cool concept. Order burgers from the counter, get number, find seat, wait for burgers, eat burgers, leave. The burgers are inventive and it's hard to decide on just one. The sides are generous and good. Lots of fun sauces on the table and that's awesome becuase I like condiments... Self service soda from a fountain (and they have Fresca on the fountain...cool), beer and wine, too. Finding a seet can be hard and when it's busy, you need to be ruthless. I'm not saying jump the line, but definitely be eyeing people who look like they're leaving. Once seated, servers do float by to make sure you have what you need. Also, for those not in the beef mood, they have every burger available as chicken and something non-meaty (tofu? black bean? some shit like that...). I'm definitely going back! Oh, and leave a few bucks on the table.
5 - Tom D.: Mm MMM!

I couldn't resist it. It has been a slow day here at work, I needed to pick my bike up from a tune up, and I says to myself, I says "go get a burger, you deserve it". So that's what I did.

Dallas Burger, medium rare, with fries, and a coke. Give it 8-10 minutes to cook and I was off to burger heaven. Slaw and bbq sauce and burger grease melding on the plate as I watched myself tear through half, then three-quarters, then all of the burger. The pickle on the side was garlicy and slightly spicy, perfect match to the sweet bbq and slaw. 

The fries were good, but I figure that I will skip them next time. The burger is all you need.
4 - Martin R.: I was a little hesitant to eat here but figured that while I was nearby, what the heck. After examining the burger options I narrowed it to 2: blue burger (blue cheese, bacon and lettuce) and the crunch burger (cheese and potato chips ie. crunch). I decided to consult the cashier and she suggested i combine the 2 into one. Sure, why not! Apparently the chips can be added to any burger and is called "crunchified."  I was also impressed that when she said it was going to be medium rare that it was ACTUALLY medium rare. It was definitely a good burger, but you certainly cant go wrong with bacon and blue cheese. I dont know that I would go out of my way to get here, but if youre near by its worth a stop if youre in the mood for a burger (not from McDonalds etc) and see for yourself. Although I did not have one, they also had some interesting options for milkshakes and malts (pistachio for example) as well as "spike" ones added with alcohol.
5 - Stephanie Y.: Walking into this place, I really wasn't expecting much.. some people tend to hype it. In any case, I ordered the dallas burger, medium, spicy crust, cole slaw, monterey jack and spicy bbq sauce. The cole slaw didn't sound very good, but surprisingly it was delicious and juicy. We also ordered a griddle tomato sandwich for my friend's son along with fries and sweet potato fries. OMG... SWEET POTATO FRIES!!!! I never thought I would taste them as good as the ones in Pittsburgh... since I've tried City Tap House and UPENN Houston Hall. They're either burnt or raw. BBP was perfect. We couldn't stop eating them and now I feel like I need to order another and then roll myself out of there. ORDER THE SWEET POTATO FRIES for sure!
2 - Ah-Young K.: totally thumbs down!! expected better!
our burgers (LA, Dallas and Kids) were dry, salty, and overcooked.  service was friendly but our table smelled mildewy and sticky.
2 - Bill M.: Philly is no stranger to meat slinging quasi-celebrity chefs whose food generates long and unpleasant lines (http://www.yelp.com/biz/genos-steaks-philadelphia). So in an odd way I liked the idea of Bobby Flay coming to Philly (Although something like a Mesa Grill would have been a hell of a lot cooler.), And especially liked the fact that it made Philly one of the very few cities to have three Iron Chefs inside of it. But overall, much like Jose Garces wipes the floor with Bobby Flay inside Kitchen Stadium, I found that Philly has a lot homegrown burger joints that do what the Burger Palace does a whole lot better.

Overall Bobby's does deliver a solid burger, and some even better milkshakes (the Vanilla Caramel Bourbon shake floored me over how good it was). But, as you may often expect with a spot like it, it relies more on the hype and marketabilty of the Flay name, rather than actual good food and service. And while they do have some cool things to go along with it, like the Burger of the Month and spiked shakes, they don't have enough of them and they aren't that well thought out. Go to PYT and chow down on their Burger of the Week while washing it down with Diplo's Key Lime Pie shake and you might taste what I'm talking about. The novelty of stylizing their burger menu after certain cities is kind of cool. But figuring out what ingredients best represents Chicago, and crunchifying burgers with potato chips is nowhere near as good as the love and creativity that somewhere like Sketch puts into their menu. When it comes to things like that Bob's Big Burger falls flat on its ass.

Another flaw I have with the Burger Palace is the assembly line mentality of it. Wait in a super long line, pay burger drone up front, sit in oversized tables with many people you may not know, wait for different burger drones to bring your food and drink, have other burger drones constantly check on you while you try to eat, then get up and leave. Don't think about trying to order another drink because the pay bot is at the whole other side of the building! And as you can imagine it leads to some awkward moments when it isn't executed properly. My burger arrived before my shake and I had 3 drones check on me without the shake before it arrived, making me want it even more. the person sitting at the spot I was in before me was drinking water and the drones failed to pick up the glass before I sat down. So I had burger drones constantly asking me if I wanted a water refill, which filled me with gross thoughts. So overall while Bobby's is a novel experience that brings along some pluses, its also one that isn't without its downfalls. And now I just heard from a good source that, although it's at a prime college location and serves alcohol, it closes at 9pm on a weekday? Weak!
4 - Ryan S.: As much as enjoy devouring slabs of red meat, I have to admit that I'll rarely rave about a burger.  For whatever reason most places just serve 'meh' on a bun and call it good, but BBP is an exception.

The ordering process, as others have mentioned is...awkward, to say the least, but once you've decided and made your way to your seat it gets better.  The decor is pretty slick with a retro feel and the seating is arranged to encourage folks to sit and have a meal with strangers (large tables in smaller numbers).

I ordered the bacon and blue cheese burger, crunchified (mmm potato chips on top of bacon on top of cheese on top of meat) and we split an order of fries with the chipotle ketchup.  I'm drooling a little bit thinking about it now.

The sauces at the table were just alright, there were maybe 1-2 that I would try again but probably just to change things up with the fries.  The burger was very juicy and gooey and everything just came together really well for a calorie-tastic experience.  Definitely going back next time I'm in Philly, or at least adding it to my short list.
4 - Sophiya S.: N and I always saw long lines when we passed by while getting food from Chipotle. We finally made it and we were not disappointed. N was satisfied with his Philly burger but was not a big fan of fries. I liked the fries though and loved my LA turkey burger (with avocado relish). I was so proud of finally eating burger with N.

N and I came back again and I got the same thing. I think N got classic burger but like the Philly burger better.

Nice ambience, good service, well priced - all in all good place.
4 - Allen A.: Real simple place with a pretty awesome menu. Juicy gourmet cheeseburgers cooked and served at a good pace makes this place a must for the neighboring college student. 

I highly recommend the LA Burger. Avocado relish. That's all you need to know. Their milkshakes are also really good, both regular and spiked. And their side orders aren't bad either. Huge onion rings and delicious sweet potato fries just to name some. 

And I'll add that all burgers can be crunchified!
4 - John D.: I enjoyed everything I had. Cuban burger with sweet potato fries. The extra fat added in the burger makes it super juicy and the double fried fries are cooked perfectly. A little bit pricey for a "burger and fries" type lunch but when you tack on a name like Bobby Flay you would expect shelling out a little more coin.
4 - jen b.: Mmmm... burgers and fries.  There are about 10 different burgers on the menu plus regular fries, sweet potato fries, and onion rings.  You can get your burger without certain ingredients (I got mine without the coleslaw).  The food was excellent.
We went on a Monday evening and there was no line.  The seats were all taken but some people left so we took their seats.  You order at the counter and they bring the food to you.  
Bottom Line: Share an order of fries but get your own burger... And try the chipotle ketchup!
4 - Najah B.: I came here to get a bite to eat before I went to the movies. People were raving about it so I decided I must go. I came at a perfect time because shortly after I got in line the line got really long. I got the Santa Fe Burger. I liked everything about the burger minus the tortilla chips. I thought it would go well with the burger but I felt it didn't taste well with the burger. Everything else was good. I got the onion rings. They were to die for. I can honestly say they were the best I ever tasted. To drink I just got a fountain soda. It was only $2 and free refills and you can't beat that. As I look back on this day the food was better than the movie lol
4 - Nick C.: 3 Stars for the burger
5 stars for the sweet potato fries and the sauces

I was lucky enough to get to try Bobby's Burger Palace on a Friday for lunch.  The line was short in placing our order cafeteria style.  I opted for the Miami Burger- a take off of a Cuban with a slice of ham, swiss cheese, mustard, mayo pickles and a burger.  I ordered mine medium and without mayo.  The burger was pressed like a cuban and was cooked excellently- nice and juicy and a little pink in the middle.  The overwhelming flavor was the pickles.  The sandwich wasn't bad, but I would probably order something different the next time.

Now for why this place is so wildly talked about.  The sweet potato fries caused me to vocally moan.  I felt like Meg Ryan.  They were crispy but did not sacrifice taste.  To take the fries to another level, the mustard sauce and chipotle ketchup used as dipping sauces were what the youngsters call "off the chain".  To put on my Food Network hat, they both featured good heat and the Heinz empire could be in jeopardy.  It was orgasmic.  For Christmas I want Santa to bring me a case of the chipotle ketchup.  I think that it would also work well as a facial mask; the heat could open up the pores.

Overall, I can't wait to try this place again.  I will try a different burger, hopefully order an adult milkshake and drown myself in sweet potato fries and chipotle ketchup.
3 - Teresa L.: The first time I went, I went in a group of three, so we split the 3 types of sides ($3-4): regular fries, sweet potato fries, and onion rings. By far, the sweet potato fries were the best, but I want to be explicit that sweet potato fries are just naturally better that normal fries... The onion rings were also really good, but there were 6 onion rings...and then there was none...

Burgers (around $8): We each three got different burgers, but I can only remember the avocado/watercress infused one, which was the best. (now I know what to add to my burgers at home!).  

Sauces: It was cool to try the 6 different complimentary sauces on my burger and fries. 

Atmosphere: The place kinda looks like the fillings of a burger, with respect to color and organization (seriously, take a step back to see!). The chairs were comfy enough, but the restrooms are located in this dark hallway and I was scared I was going to get jumped. 

Tip: So do you tip at a place that's self-serve? We did but less than normally since we got our own drinks. 

Lines: What lines? I think the hype has gone down. Oh wait...the freshmen from Drexel and Penn are coming. Expect (future) lines. 

This is a good place to try and get your Bobby Flay, but for a second time? My taste buds are seeking new adventures.
2 - Kathy D.: Crunchified burgers were WAY too salty
Fries were okay
Shake was okay

Overall meh. Would not make an effort to try this place.
4 - Brad P.: Oh man that cola shake is so freaking serious.
3 - Jaesi G.: For the wait and price you can definatly get a better burger elsewhere.

Sweet potato fries and shakes are awesome... but with a place called a burger palace... don't you want an awesome burger?

The staff always seemed friendly on the three visits I've made to the palace.... but yeah I wasn't sure about the tipping, I'm assuming most people don't but I left a couple bucks.

all in all I've been here because it's a couple blocks from my house, if i lived elsewhere I'd probably not return
2 - Neil K.: I would give this place 2.5 stars actually. I was pretty excited to try this place when it first opened after hearing good reviews from a few coworkers. I ended up going there the second weekend it was open. It was very crowded with a line stretching out the door and up the block. My friend and I decided to stay and eat despite the line as we had already made the trek from south Philly to University City. 

All in all the burgers and fries were pretty good for what I would call fast-food style. I liked the different ketchup options, especially the chiptole favored one. I also liked the retro style dinning room. 

That being said I thought the prices were pretty high for basically a glorified fast food burger. A burger, fries, and a drink are gonna run you $13-$15 dollars which is pretty steep. Especially when you can get a way better gourmet burger at Village Whiskey from Philly's resident Iron Chef for only a few bucks more. So although I like the creative aspect of the burger toppings and the concept the price just doesn't really reflect the quality of food you are getting. 

This place may be great for New Jersey or UNCASVILLE, CT (wherever that is) but this is Philly! You gotta do better than that Bobby! I would suggest Royal Tavern instead of this place.
4 - Chontelle M.: Okay, my boyfriend is putting the pressure on me. He called me and told me he had dreams of being in BBPs eating another burger and then described all the sauces to me and I have to admit, my mouth began to water. If you want something that is similar to it in MD, try The Burger Joint in Bethesda. Those Burgers are of the same quality, but dont offer as much sweet sauce choices.
5 - Kazia N.: I absolutely love this place and am so glad it opened in University City. Bobby Flay has long been a well-known chef famous for his delicious southwestern grilling techniques and style. I don't think that this restaurant puts his name to shame at all. It's a fun place that is easy to order from and serves up delicious food. Order your food, get a number, find a seat. The burgers are served medium/medium-rare unless otherwise noted by the customer. They come out perfectly juicy and absolutely tasty. Even more fabulous are the milkshakes (Bobby's even serves up spiked alcoholic ones)!

On a downside, the menu is a little pricey and you have to pay for fries/onion rings separate from the burger. And the milkshakes are $5 and are somewhat on the smaller side (but it's okay, because they really fill you up). Additionally, they should have put in more seating, but the shortage is due to its popularity. Opening week was rough because there was always a very long line. However, now I never have to wait more than a few minutes.

I'm all about good food - this place is worth it.

[Also while the survey says beer & wine only, there's only one choice from each, both being BBP selected wine. Bobby also serves up a really good-looking margarita.]
4 - Leah G.: Bobby is not getting much yelp love . . . but I stopped in last night, sampled the Philly Burger . . . judge me all you want, but I thought it was delectable.  And the woman who took my order made me audibly laugh twice.  That deserves credit in my book.
3 - Chris M.: BBP, while making a pretty tasty burger, occupies a limbo state in the stratification of restaurants. 

For example, there are times when you want a leisurely sit-down lunch, complete with waitress service, etc.  -- there is no dearth of options in West Philadelphia for this. Sometimes, you are nearing starvation, your ribs threatening to puncture your stylishly tight dress shirt, and have minutes to eat before your next meeting -- there are innumerable lunch trucks that fit the bill. Bobby's attempts to straddle the two, and, in its attempt at moderation, doesn't offer the comfort of waiter service nor the inexpensive rapidity of a food truck.

The BBP model requires one to wait in a (sometimes tortuous) line, order your food at a the counter, pay, take a number, locate a table (biggest challenge is this stage), and wait for a server to bring the food to you. Eh...

But, centrist service model aside, I must say the burgers here are pretty good. I highly recommend the Philadelphia burger with provolone (comes topped with fried onions and hot peppers, oh yes). And the array of fancy ketchups and hot sauces on the table really do serve to elevate the taste of the burger. Sweet potato fries are OK, but cut a little thin for my taste.

The pricing is a hair high for what it is, though. I paid $12 for the Philadelphia burger and an iced tea, with tip. That is getting dangerously close to making Pod the opportunity cost of coming here!
3 - Kate G.: I have a huge crush on Bobby Flay and def would bone him if I could, but BBP was pretty mediocre. Sorry!!!!!!!!!

I found the sauces heavy-handed and the bun unremarkable. The meat was delicious, but too many ingreds?

I had the Dallas Burger. 

But I guess I like LA hamburgers better.... they tend to have more upscale ingredients that are a bit more texturally variable and flavor-ally subtle.

awk!
4 - Pinkjadez Z.: I tried the onion rings and sweet potato fries and a vanilla milk shake...I like everything that I had...except I found the price of the milk shake a lil pricey for the size...come on bobby add a veggie burger...you just can't feed us vegetarians with a grilled cheese sandwich...
4 - Aaron H.: Great burgers but not the best i ever had
5 - Eilefterios F.: Good food great service very quick and efficient
5 - Garrett K.: Wow, I was honestly surprised, based on appearances.  I mean, I know he's an Iron Chef and everything, and the decor is pretty cool, but I thought, really, what can one possibly do to a burger that I haven't had before?  Well, somehow, he did it, and most of the burgers are around $7.50, so it's a bargain on top of it all!

My friends and I had spent the Sunday of our Labor Day weekend doing some wine tasting in Bucks County, and we were getting really hungry by the time we drove back.  Someone had commented about Bobby's Burger Palace, and on a whim, we decided to go.  Well worth it.

I got the Dallas burger, which had BBQ sauce and Pickles, another friend got one with Avocado relish (which also was pretty delicious, I tried it), and the other two people we were with each thoroughly enjoyed their meals as well.

I may be the oddball who doesn't like sweet potato fries, but the rest of the group seemed to love theirs.  I was happy with my regular fries and chipotle dipping sauce (though I liked the horseradish sauce that came with the sweet potato fries better).

Overall I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who enjoys a good burger and doesn't like spending a fortune.  And if you're feeling like something to do beforehand, definitely visit some of the vineyards in Bucks County beforehand!
3 - Yelena Y.: Although the interior is kind of ugly, the way the seating is set up is actually pretty cool. We got an L.A. Burger and the classic crunchburger with the buns switched out for a bed of greens. The crunchburger is just a burger with potato
chips sprinkled over the top. The LA burger was really good and the fact that they serve beer is a mega bonus.  Service was very fast here and the people are relatively friendly. What bothered me here were the bathrooms. There is a hallway with individual restrooms they were filthy. There were paper towels spewing out of the garbage
can and all over the floor. The bathrooms were a disappointment. If I come back here I'll make sure to check em out and update this review.
3 - Jared G.: Drop the extra "a". It's just a place.

A palace, on the other hand, is a grandiose establishment with gilded ceilings, red velvet seats, housing some kind of crown jewels.
The decor seems more like a bowling alley coffee shop with its avocado green vinyl seats and polished wood counters.

The burger is good. Easily on par with say, TGI Fridays. It is not in the same league as Village Whiskey, Royal Tavern or Monk's.

The burger sauce is interesting.
Fries are damn good.
Their shakes have booze. Worth a visit for that.

Now if you could only get Jose on the grill and put Bobby on the fryer...
4 - Brendan K.: BBP offers an array of tasty burgers at very reasonable prices.  The meat is nice and salty but not overly so and the topping choices are interesting if not irresistible.  Go for the Philly burger with provolone, hot peppers and "griddled" onions.  The Burger of the Month is usually a good choice as well.  The onion rings are big and crunchy, salty and sweet.
3 - Craig D.: Very creative toppings & decor, BUT too salty!;-)
3 - Jen T.: I wanted to come here mostly because it opened a couple weeks prior to my visit and I'm a sucker for anything Food-Network-related (I'll admit it). 
I got the LA burger, which comes with avocado relish, watercress, cheddar cheese, and tomato. I also split sweet potato fries and a mocha kahlua vodka spiked milkshake with my friend. 
The burger was not bad, but the avocado relish was really just guacamole. For the size of burger, it should've been half the price (not $7.50). The sweet potato fries were tasty and a huge portion for $3 and well-worth it. We had a view into the kitchen while they were making the drinks, so I would NOT recommend getting the margarita, since it essentially comes out of a slushy-like machine. The milkshake was okay, but again, way overpriced.
It's self-serve seating and the servers are pretty friendly/helpful. Overall, if you like "gourmet" burgers or the idea of eating at Bobby Flay's restaurant, it's worth a try, but not really worth it for the price & quantity.
5 - Jay R.: This place is fantastic, I love the quick service, the order-at-a-counter but we'll bring you your food service, and the items on their menu are great. 

I've had both the Crunchburger™ and the Philadelphia Burger, Crunchified (I recommend that, it's potato chips!). The only reason I was upset with getting the Crunchburger was that it was so simple. It was still a delicious burger, the sesame seed bun was nice and soft and the perfect size for the burger, it didn't become slop from the burger's ingredients, either. I get my burgers Medium because that's how I like them. However, they are definitely medium. A lot of places will go a bit beyond medium, and these guys tend to go a little under medium, I like it, just beware if you're not looking for too much pink.

The Philadelphia Burger was pretty awesome. The large grilled onion was great and the peppers were a nice touch. I got it with Whiz which was deliciously oozy. *note: since my first visit, they are using smaller rings of onion and not the huge one I got at first

I've had the onion rings and the fries. They're both good, the fries are GREAT. I didn't like any of their sauces, but plain fries are just fine. The onion rings are HUGE, not my type, so I won't get them again, but they were still good.

The shakes are good and thick as well, with extra large straws. I've only had the coconut milkshake because its so good!
5 - Theresa P.: Looking for a date spot that won't break the bank?  Bobby's Burger Palace definitely hits the spot. 

Saturday night the boyfriend and I were looking for somewhere new to try without having to get all dolled up.  For under $30 we both enjoyed a burger, a side, and a beer. The food was delicious--I had the Classic Burger cooked well done (and it was--without being burnt which is hard to find) and he had the Miami Burger medium which arrived perfectly pink through and through.  We also had a side of onion rings and the sweet potato french fries.  Both were awesome.  The dipping and side sauces were a great addition as were the homemade (?) pickles (which we requested extra of they were so good!)

The decor is very Farrah Fawcett meets Philippe Starck.  Other yelpers have described it as a "retro bowling alley cafe" which although I do agree is aesthetically somewhat accurate, I should add that it definitely has a clean, contemporary, and bright atmosphere that feels comfortable and modern simultaneously.  

Our service was top notch and definitely worth raving about.  Our "server" was friendly and polite and definitely worth leaving $5 on the counter for.  We watched as several other patrons left their dirty plates without so much as a dollar.  In my opinion, regardless of the fact that you pay on your way in does not mean that you shouldn't consider the service you receive while you're there (which was great!)
1 - Regina F.: I LOVE Bobby Flay so I was super excited to got here.

But I ordered the chicken got a turkey burger..which wasn't even that great. It was small and not worth the price. I also got the fries and they weren't that great either. The fry sauce was just bla..and all the sauces at the table I thought were gross. I got the chocolate milk shake also and it was nothing special. Just seemed like melted ice cream to me. And not good ice cream. 

Sorry Bobby, but I'm not going back.
4 - Kim D.: The classic (turkey) burger was great, and the fries were SO GOOD. The staff was very friendly and helpful, I definitely enjoyed this place.
3 - Sparky B.: Delicious burgers, good & fast service.  Line was long but moved quickly.  The girl who took our order was great, she made us laugh.  We ordered the Miami and Dallas burger, "crunchified" with chips on top.  Sides of fries and onion rings (and great o-ring sauce!) Overall the food gets a thumbs up...cooked to order and very tasty.  This place is simple and clean with friendly staff.  Yes, the interior looks like a updated bowling alley snack bar with shinier countertops and better lighting, but hey, it works.  A great place to grab a quick bite.  Gotta go back to try the milkshakes.  Saw a couple people drinking chocolate shakes and they looked mighty tasty.
5 - Yohann S.: One of our friends informed us that the place always crowded and it's hard to get a seat. But we went there anyway on a nice Sunday noon after church was done. 

I'd recommend this place to locals and visitors that never been here before. It's just that great. Very fast, friendly, attentive and excelent service (no we didn't get here drunk our ass off). I won't say it's cheap.. since if you're looking for cheap, you can go to McD next door. I mean.. $7.50 burger, $3.00 onion rings, and $2.00 unsweetened iced tea wasn't exactly cheap. But the food, accompanied by the service, just make it that great.

So anyway there were 4 of us. Each of us got different burger. Bobby bleu, Philadelphia, Dallas, and Napa Valley. I'm not sure about my friend's burgers but I enjoyed my Napa Valley Burger very much. It came with fresh goat cheese, watercress, meyer lemon honey mustard. It also came with a side of pickle. My friend who ordered Dallas said that LA was better. She's been here before. I also ordered Beer Battered Onion Rings... I think I should rephrase that.. STEROIDIZE (is that even a word? lol) Beer Bottered Onion Rings. The size of it literally just like a bracelet. It's huge.. (thatswhatshesaid). They served beer but me trying to watch my calories at the same time (dont yell at me :p), ordered unsweetened iced tea instead... I should've ordered them milkshakes at least..

The interior was pretty unique. And.. oh did I tell you about the service? :D The service is that excelent for just a burger place. Love it, love it, love it. Thank you Stan :)  This guy should get his salary raised or something because his attentiveness.

I will definitely be back to try on different menu.
3 - Anne B.: I stopped in here after class for lunch.  The menu looked quite tasty: lots of custom burgers, sweet potato fries and onion rings, spiked milkshakes, regular milkshakes and margaritas.  I only wish it was after 5!!

The line was a bit off-putting and I can't say it moved all that quickly.  It didn't seem that crucial, however, since the seating situation was very tight.  I was by myself and found a lone seat at the counter fairly easily, even though it was noon.  Other parties of 2 and 3 had it much harder and I saw several people change their orders to go. 

I got the Napa burger.  It was well cooked and the goat cheese was quite generous.  Even with sauce, the meat tasted a bit bland.  Service was very friendly.  

I hit the bathroom afterwards and give a thumbs up to the single bathrooms.  A nice touch.

Overall, a good place to grab a burger. . .a bit pricey at $10 for burger and coke (no fries).  I didn't feel a strong sense of ambience or anything, but I am looking forward to trying the spiked shakes and the onion rings!
3 - William S.: When I review a place on yelp I review the entire experience, not just the food.  Although sometimes it IS just about the food.  Except when it's not.  Okay in all truthfulness my reviews have no consistency whatsoever.  But I know what I like and what I don't like, and what I think is just okay.  BBP is just okay.  The burgers are good, yes, but I guess I expected more from Bobby Flay, who has mentioned that the classic American burger and shake are his favorite comfort foods.  With a claim like that, I'd expect a little more love put into his burgers, even if it's a fast-food joint.  My Dallas burger was cooked nicely but the slaw they topped it with was disappointing, and with the amount of BBQ sauce they used, they might as well have left the slaw out all together and just put lettuce in for texture.  Or potato chips.  I also got a strawberry shake, and that was fine, but for half the price and a plane ticket to California I could have had an equally satisfying In-n-Out shake.  I miss In-n-Out.  

As far as everything else goes, the ambiance is a cool, although the layout is a little too cafeteria-ish for me, and the service was quick and friendly.  But save your money and go to Five Guys IMO.  Or move to California.
3 - Gustavo B.: My wife and I made a stop there one night after a movie, when we were both starving and didn't really know where to find food in walking distance from the theater. It turned out to be a good place to eat a burger. The sweet potatoes fries were very good. Also the burgers were very tasty and the prices were not bad at all. I would easily go back, either when we are craving good burgers...or just after an intense work out session at the gym.
5 - Lee M.: If you haven't tried Bobby's burger palace - you must. However - avoid take out. Now that I have had his burgers fresh from the grill - this will be the way I will enjoy them in the future. 

The future Mrs. and I went with my soon to be stepson went here for lunch. I ordered the standard bobby burger and she ordered the bobby bleu burger. I enjoyed playing with the sauces on the table. excellent. 

We finally tried the milkshakes and they were heavenly. They were think and great.
2 - Justin F.: I was thoroughly disappointed after attending Bobby's Burger Palace. I am a pretty big Bobby Flay fan, often takes lot of his grilling tips and utilize them and I guess I was expecting to much. 

First off the location all the way on 40th street, so living in Old City, it was a pain in the ass to get out there. When I arrived I was surprised by the lack of burger options available. Knowing this is a Bobby Flay restaurant I was expecting a lot of options, bacon, chipotle sauce etc... Sadly the options were limited. 

I ordered my burger medium well and received a burger that was really undercooked. The burger was also not very large and left me hungry afterwards. I also ordered french fries that were nothing special. The one bright spot was the batch of onion rings I split with a friends that were surprisingly good due to the ridiculous amount of salt on them. 

I have tried many of the burger spots in Philly and was disappointed with Bobby Flay's. Your better off hitting up Good Dog or 500 Degrees. I'd even put a place like Five Guys or FudRuckers above the burgers here. 

Bobby.... I am disappointed...
4 - Andrea S.: I am by no means a hamburger expert, or eat them often. But every once in a while I'm in the mood for a hamburger, usually just go with a trusty five guys burgers and fries. But saw that this place was opening up, i decided my boyfriend and I should try it out, we went for dinner one night, there was no problem getting a place to sit. 

I loved the sweet potato fries, i got an LA burger, it was also very good, I really enjoyed it, I love avocados and they went great with the burger, it was cooked well, the bun was good, not too doughy, and I got a chocolate milkshake, which was good, but then again, when can you have a bad chocolate milkshake. I was not able to eat all of that food, I believe it was the milkshake that I had while waiting for our order. 

If I'm in the mood for a burger and dont want to go far I'll stick to five guys, much closer to me, if I'm in the mood for a burger with a little something on top then Bobby's Burger Palace it is, 

I did order take out once from there during lunch time, and it looked like every seat was taken, so I was glad I was getting it to go.
2 - Nancy P.: I've been hearing such hype about this place since it opened so I was excited to try it.  I work close by so I decided to stop by for lunch one day with my boss.  We came at good time because right after we showed up, so did everyone else.  The decor is cute, very casual and friendly.

I ordered Bobby's Blue Burger medium rare with sweet potato fries.  It was definitely a knife and fork job cause the blue cheese was oozing everywhere.  The burger was cooked perfectly to my taste but the blue cheese and bacon was overwhelming salty.  The sweet potato fries were nothing spectacular, no seasoning or anything..I guess that's why they offer so many different sauces.

The burger and fries came separately, so I guess it's pretty pricey for an okay burger.  Not sure if I'd come back any time soon
3 - Mindy K.: i expected so much from bobby flay... 

overall, i was a bit disappointed! the meat on the burger itself was great; very flavorful and a good size, but the toppings (at least that we ordered, weren't stellar). important note: here they say the default temp on the burger is "pink in the center" and boy do they mean it. unlike 500 degrees where their medium rare is really a medium temp, at bobby's burger palace be prepared for an authentically medium rare preparation unless you tell them otherwise.

dallas burger: burger + bbq sauce + coleslaw + monterey jack cheese + pickles
i was sooooo excited for this burger. this was the reason i wanted to go to bobby's burger palace, but the toppings were just all MEH. the coleslaw, while providing good crunch, was flavorless! the pickles were the brightest flavor and despite my love for pickles, that is not ideal. i didn't really taste too much of the bbq sauce either. though disappointing, i'd try this again. after i try others.

napa valley burger: goat cheese + meyer lemon honey mustard + watercress
i normally love love love goat cheese, but did not like this burger. at all. didn't eat more than a few bites of it. it was heavy on the goat cheese, light on the watercress and who knows what the actual ratio of honey mustard is normally.
what i mean is, when they say watercress, they mean like 2 sprigs of it, so it may as well have been left off. AND as it turns out, they did leave the honey mustard off of our burger. sigh. they completely forgot the mustard. which we didn't realize until a few bites in. i wouldn't recommend this.

sweet potato fries with horseradish honey mustard
hands down, best sweet potato + condiment combination i have ever had. fries were crispy but substantial enough to have good tension. the horseradish honey mustard is AMAZING. i want to have this with me ALL. THE. TIME. it was just so interesting with that spicy kick and very slight hint of sweetness.

beer battered onion rings
HUGE rings. and THICK. these were like an inch high! that is crazy for an onion ring. but the batter tasted good and was not too thick. crunchy delish.

sante fe burger: queso sauce, jalapenos, crushed blue corn tortilla chips
brought one of these back as a take-out order. i only took one bite of this, but it was better than either the dallas or napa valley burger and that says a lot, especially considering it wast eaten about 30-40 minutes after initial preparation. the good thing for take-out orders is that they wrap the burger in foil so it stayed warm. the queso sauce was TASTY. cheesy and just salty enough. jalapenoes gave much needed kick. and the CRUNCHIFIED-NESS was great.
3 - Vanny K.: The food was alright... nothing to rave about.  

I ordered the Dallas Burger (okay), french fries (good), sweet potato fries (somewhat amazing), onion rings (salty .... didn't even finish one ring) and my bff had the LA burger (okay). It was pricey and fries weren't included. Also got the home made ice tea and it was not good ... with or without the dead mosquito floating on top. 

Would I go back? Nope.
3 - Jennie H.: ***If you want a burger that doesn't involve slaughtering animals, then this IS NOT the place for you***

If you want food that could potentially clog your arteries, increase your cholesterol level, cause weight gain, then you made it to Bobby's Burger Palace.

My BFF and I came here last Thursday during the lunch hour. It was pretty packed, but we managed to find seating when we placed our order. 

We ordered the Dallas Burger (spice crusted, coleslaw, Monterey Jack, BBQ sauce, and pickles), L.A. Burger (Avocado relish, watercress, cheddar cheese, and tomato), and ALL three sides: French Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, and Beer Battered Onion Rings. Yes, we are greedy. Along with our food, we had drinks (iced tea and soda) that came up to approximately $30. 

The burgers were delicious! I preferred my L.A. Burger over the Dallas Burger (Shhh... don't tell her... I don't think she'll read my review, anyways.) Both fries were equally good, but one bite out of those onion rings will instantly give you high blood pressure. I kid you not. 

We did enjoy the food until my friend found a little, lifeless critter floating in her iced tea. I guess burgers aren't the only items on the menu that can be "crunchified." We immediately told the server and she brought out another iced tea and apologized.

Although that occurred, I think I'll still come back to try something else. I have my eye on that Topless Burger Salad... maybe because it sounds naughty.
2 - Connie S.: Meh. I don't understand what all the buzz is about. I've been there on multiple occasions because I really want to like it-- I really do!

But several times, my patty was severely undercooked (I would ask for medium-rare, and it would come out unambiguously rare)-- unless things have changed recently, I would order my burger cooked one level 'higher' than I really want it. The burger buns are nothing special, and it doesn't help that they're not warmed up. The sweet potato fries are overcooked and they don't taste fresh at all. 

Only thing special about this place is the option to 'crunchify' (a word that Bobby Flay recently got the trademark for), to add potato chips to any burger at no extra cost for more texture. Worth a shot if you're getting a burger here anyway. 

If I had to pick one burger, my favorite of the menu is the Philadelphia Burger with provolone- the peppers and onions were well done. The Napa Burger just wasn't flavorful enough for me, and I normally love anything with goat cheese on it. The Dallas Burger was drenched with a ton of BBQ sauce- some people like that, but it's not my thing.

One time I did try the Napa as a topless burger salad, and that was pretty good, so that's an option if you're watching your carbs or if you also find that the sub-par burger buns detract from your eating enjoyment. 

I will say that the ambiance is really quite nice-- I love the comfy swivel chairs up at the bar, and the servers who bring the food are extremely attentive. I just would have expected grill-master Bobby Flay to only put his name on a place that cooks burgers perfectly.
2 - Ritu K.: I'm soo on strike from this place.. It kind of blows and here's why. On our most recent trip we ordered their delicious pear margaritas. What we got was some shaved ice in a glass with a shrivelled lime wedge thrown on the side.. Hmm I was kind of hoping for a drink not a sno-cone. When we asked management for new ones we were told the margarita machine has been on the fritz for some time.. My friends had the same problem weeks ago, so fixing the margarita machine was apparently not on their to- do list. 

He graciously offered an exchange, so my friends choose some spiked milkshakes (I opted for the refund but the milkshakes were awesome). So how tacky is it that they were asked to pay more for the milkshakes. To add insult to injury my friend found a piece of plastic in her drink. Management did not seem that surprised and explained the frozen ice cream containers often had plastic that broke off.. Hmm is it safe to drink the water?? 

I've never been that impressed with the undercooked burgers at BBP, but the margaritas kept me returning. Now there's nothing....
4 - Ryan C.: Great burgers and fries. Be sure to go for the Dallas burger or the L.A. burger. The turkey burger is good if you're looking to stay (somewhat) on the healthy side, but the beef burger is the real reason to go.
4 - Sohee C.: Bobby's--very good. For a gourmet burger, an excellent price, and it has a nice atmosphere for a lunch date with a friend, as well as for groups. I had the avocado burger, which was very good. I did not have any expectations for this place, so perhaps that was why I was very satisfied with my meal. I know some people who knew about the hype were disappointed.  I heard that the smoothies are a must--unfortunately I did not have the pleasure of trying any.
4 - Sean G.: Food: 4 stars
Price: 3.5 stars
Location: 3.5 stars
Ambiance: 4 stars
Service: 3.5 stars

Recommendations: The Dallas burger is highly recommended if you enjoy BBQ sauce (a Bobby Flay specialty).  The Philadelphia and LA burgers are also delicious.  Keep your eye out for the monthly burger specials too.  I was disappointed with the CRUNCH option on the menu.  I expect any Bobby Flay establishment to make potato chips from scratch not just use Lays Potato Chips!  The sweet potato fries are delicious and its always a nice touch to get some alcohol in the mix (spiked milkshakes, frozen margaritas, beer).  Overall, quite enjoyable experience

Overall: 4 stars
2 - James C.: I went here when it first opened and haven't been back. I remember the ambiance and service was spot on, the thing I wasn't satisfied was the burger. When I went I ordered a Santa Fe Burger, which consisted of queso sauce, pickled jalapeños, and blue corn chips, I also got the sweet potato fries.  
The burger was very very very salty, it was like I was drinking salt water or something,  I asked my friends that came along if their's were salty and they said it was.  I did try my friends burger, she got the LA Burger, it was a little better but I would say it was because the guacamole in the burger that masked the saltiness.
The one thing that I did enjoy was the sweet potato fries with the honey mustard horseradish sauce.  They were very tasty.  
Overall I was real excited to hear that Bobby Flay was opening up a burger joint in Philadelphia and went in with high expectations and the place really disappointed me.  I don't think I will ever go back which is sad to say.
4 - Joe M.: The "Brunch Burger" was the monthly special..... Bacon and a fried egg on a burger and I had it crunchified with pototoe chips.   It was cooked perfectly - medium rare.    I think the egg kind of distracted from the burger flavor but the bacon was delicious as it should be.   The rolls they use are kind of generic, seeded burger rolls like you've seen a a million home barbeques.... I would have liked something a little more fancy in the roll catagory.    

The french fries were awesome with the sea salt on them.   The onion rings were large, hot and crunchy and there's a good choice of condiments/sauces.    

I also had half of the "Crunch burger"  which was actually a little better because it didn't have the distraction of the bacon and egg but it more pure burger and cheese flavor.    Very good...... not the best burger of my life, but pretty darn good.

The milkshake was awesome.  We were in and out in less than 45 minutes.
5 - Cristin S.: I went here earlier this year with two co-workers and enjoyed every bite.  I got the jalapeno burger which was just awesome.  I tried making it at home from his cookbook but it was NOT the same.  I also got the fries which were really yummy and the bourbon milkshake.  YUM.

I can't wait to go back and try more burgers!
4 - Britt C.: I will start by saying that I strongly dislike Bobby Flay. He seems like a cocky jerk and ever since he disrespected the Iron Chef by jumping on his table I just can't get behind him on a personal level. That said, I am a fan of his burger palace.

The concept is refreshingly simple but offers plenty of unique options. The sweet potato fries are great and the medley of sauces is lots of fun to sample with fries, burger and fingers alike. The milkshake options looked amazing (add a shot of Kaluah?), though I maintained my willpower and chose to stare at other people's fatty ice blends rather than eat one myself. 

As for the burgers, the L.A. burger (with a turkey patty) is delish and I will have to be go back to systematically try them all. Luckily for my waistline, the closest one is more than 1500 miles away :)
4 - michael p.: Service starts with a smile couldn't be more true for Jermaine who took our order, great start to a great lunch. Brunch burger and Dallas burger were perfect but overall it's hard for me to give this place five stars because it's not the best in the city. The vanilla caramel shake was a great break from norm and I will be getting another one on my return trip.
3 - Schuyler L.: "Consuming raw or undercooked meats may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions."

The cashier can't complete your order until he taps that you agree to accept this liability.  This is because every burger comes pink in the middle.  This isn't a healthy practice.
Aside from under-cooking the burgers, the fries are good enough, and the shake comes with a huge (wide) straw.  The shakes come with or without alcohol, but they can only be consumed inside.  BBP is another trendy, pretty good, celebrity restaurant.  Because it's right next to Penn's campus, the restaurant  constantly has a long line.
Take out is available, but it really wouldn't be worth it.
5 - Lawrence H.: I'm back in LA now, but I'm writing this because I can't stop thinking about this place.  I had the L.A. Burger and it certainly has to be one of the best burgers I've ever had.  I've had LA's allegedly best Kobe burger at Red White + Bluezz, but this is a fierce competitor along with Rouge in Rittenhouse (truffle fries are hard to beat).  I actually was moseying around U Penn and got hungry and when I spotted this place, it was bustling well past lunching hour, clearly for a good reason.  The service was a bit so-so, but their burgers will make anything better.  Trying a burger without a side of their sweet potato fries should be a crime.  Lastly, considering how much they're charging for their shakes, you know they can probably afford to put a pint of Haagen Dazs in there - and they probably do - making for an epic shake.
2 - gd s.: I just moved to the area and was in Philly this weekend and found this place.
For around $8, the burger I got was very small !!!
and taste wise its just normal burger in fact it was very bland, nothing special and it doesnt even come with fries.
if you go to other places, for $7-8 you get a much bigger burger with fries.
then i looked around, all the burgers were small. 

And the worst thing is after I gave my feedback to the nice polite manager, she acted dumb. Not even a single word about how they can make my experience better or so. And No I didnt want my money back or any freebee.

In the menu, burger names are just fake representation to befool ppl.
2 - Rob S.: This place was packed with Penn kids and we had difficulty finding seats for a big group.  Tried the burger that had hot sauce/blue cheese, the sweet potato fries and the vanilla caramel bourbon milkshake.  The burger itself had an ample amount of delicious blue cheese on it.  But I'd have to agree with my buger connoisseur friend that for a place dedicated to burgers the burger here was not very big, juicy or flavorful.  I found myself being hungry an hour later.  The option for sweet potato fries is great.  The sauce they gave with the fries tasted nice but was way too runny to dip in.  The sauces they put on the table are good options with regular ketchup, mustard, as well as "chipotle ketchup," "jalapeno sauce," "burger sauce," etc.  The BEST part of the experience was the vanilla caramel bourbon milkshake.  It was delicious and you could taste the subtle hints of all the flavors.  The chocolate/Kahlua shake was also great.  It was phenomenal and nearly even worth the $7.50 I paid for it.  Also - and yes, I know this is a burger place - but there was not any good vegetarian options for those not inclined to eat meat.  My girlfriend is a vegetarian and would have loved to try one of the burger options with a good veggie or black bean burger.  Why not?  Instead, she got a pretty sub-par salad.  Overall the inside looks cool, and it's a nice idea for an upscale burger place, but I don't think the burger was worth the price.  I probably would not return.
4 - Emma H.: I am a big fan of this place, though I have only been there twice. I like how you can crunchify (put chips on) any burger you want. I love the set up on the inside and out. The staff is really friendly and quiet humorous. I love the college atmosphere. It is only not getting a 5/5 for cleanliness.
4 - Niana K.: I'm a little depressed because I always thought Bobby was the spice king, but his burger place does not show this off. Why do they call it spicy jalapeno sauce? They should rename it to sweet jalapeno sauce...

I got the LA ground turkey burger (cheddar cheese, avocado relish, watercress) and sweet potato fries. The burger itself was very tasty, but I was not impressed with the avocado relish. I felt like it needed some kinda kick because something was definitely missing IMO. BUT overall, the flavor combination was great, especially when you dip it in his chipotle ketchup.

Now, I would've given this place 3 stars, but because of his sweet potato fries with the horseradish mustard dipping sauce, I bumped it up to 4 stars! They were SO crunchy and tasty, and the sauce was PERFECT with the fries. 

FYI, I read that he's trying to open another location in Bethesda for all you MD folks!
5 - Nicole H.: I was looking for a place close to the movie theater to eat and ended up choosing the Burger Palace on Bobby's name alone. I fully expected it to be way more expensive than it was when I walked in, so seeing the prices on the wall lower than my expectations was the first good sign.

I'd just started dieting when I was visiting, so I had a little anxiety about whether or not I'd be able to stick to it. They have an option where you can get any burger on a bed of green salad with a light balsamic dressing, which is what I opted for (with the Turkey cheeseburger). This was quite possibly one of the best turkey burgers I've had in a really, really long time. The salad was good and the dressing didn't even appear to really be on there, til you actually take a bite. It was refreshingly light.

The staff was really helpful and I enjoyed the environment as well.

Can't wait to visit again!
4 - Joseph K.: Renowned Chef Bobby Flay's Bobby's Burger Palace (BBP) is a fresh change of pace for most of the University of Pennsylvania community. They offer gourmet style burgers at a fast food pace, and served in a diner style setting.

What I Order: I usually go with the Dallas Burger, and substitute the beef patty with the seasoned grilled chicken breast. Highly recommended. Also, don't forget to "crunchify" (Lay's Potato Chips stacked inside the burger). If you're feeling hungry, I'd recommend going with the sweet potato fries ($3.00). They also have regular fries ($2.50), as well as beer battered onion rings ($3.00). BBP does serve alcoholic beverages (spiked milkshakes, beer, wine), but I heard their milkshakes are pretty darn good.

If you're feeling up to the challenge, they feature a "burger of the month." This month (January 2011), for example, is a Canadian burger. It's a regular burger served with provolone, Canadian bacon, and their own maple syrup-mustard sauce. It might sound a bit overboard, but it's worth a try...trust me.

Verdict: BBP puts together a decent sit-in restaurant quality burger. I feel their chicken breast is more flavorful than the beef patty. But be your own judge and try both.
2 - Sean D.: Incredibly disappointing.

Found bone pieces in burger. Order taker was unfriendly and talked with her friends while we told her what we would like.  Ketchup on tables was spoiled (it takes a long time of not rotating stock for ketchup to turn so vinegary). 

Manager quickly came to table when we asked busser if we could talk with her; her reply was professional in tone, but nothing else. She said thank you for letting her know, but did not apologize or try to make anything right.

Dallas Burger (spice crusted, coleslaw, monterey jack, BBQ sauce, pickles) was bland, and for $7.50, it should have at least been tasty. 

Yo, Bobby, you need some quality control check.  All these things are avoidable and unacceptable, even if the place is located in a college neighborhood with transitory and young customers. I won't go back, and am hesitant to try your other places.
5 - Hiu Ting C.: Hands down best sweet potato fries w/ the perfect dipping sauce out there. Love the many burger varieties available for guests. The burgers are delicious, I love his choice of sesame buns, I love how you have the option to crunchify any burgers (adding a layer of plain potato chips to the burger). The only downside is that there's no veggie burgers which means I could never take my sister there. The milkshakes are delicious, you also have the option to spike it w/ several kinds of alcohol.
2 - Sherry T.: Wow.  I don't know how so much could have changed since my last couple of visits here.  Went here yesterday and it was CROWDED.  Maybe that had something to do with the quality but I just think it took a turn for the worse. 

Burger was meh, the pistachio milkshake was the only redeeming quality. Worst part was the service.  I've praised the customer service at Bobby's here before but this was just awful.  I went with a group of 6.  We ordered together and 5 of us got our orders pretty quickly.  The 6th person did not get anything for about 20-25 min.  By this time, our food was getting cold, so we started eating.  We finished and his food still hadn't come.  We spoke to 3 different ppl trying to figure out where his food was: a manager, a waitress and the woman who took our order.

Waitress went and checked the system, saw it wasn't there, ignored the fact and kept waiting on other ppl, instead of just putting it in.  Then, manager came and asked for my friend's receipt.  Meanwhile, our big group is taking up several seats and several others are waiting to sit (now, their food is getting cold too).  He finally gets his food and we sit to wait for him to finish.  Meanwhile, one of the cooks in the kitchen is giving us a death stare and shaking her head, probably because all the orders are now getting backed up and several ppl are waiting to sit.  Well, not our problem!  My friend paid for his food just like everyone else, ordered at the same time as us and should be given the time to eat his food in peace.  

Horrible.
4 - Kristin W.: I ordered the Napa Valley Burger and against my better judgment got it "crunchified" - and loved it!  The burger was delicious, the chips added just a little crispyness, and the goat cheese was heavenly.  The only downside was after I had wolfed down my burger, I wasn't full...so we decided to order a couple of sides.  The Onion Rings were light and flaky and gave me the chance to sample the wide variety of ketchup options; the Sweet Potato Fries were also pretty good.  All in all, very good but over-salted.  Don't come here if you have high blood pressure, but otherwise, definitely visit BBP.
4 - David L.: Sometimes in life you crave a good REAL burger and get that fix in Philly, I come here. The burgers are always juicy and flavorful, the fries and sauce are great and the atmosphere is nice and trendy. With a decent variety of different creative twist on the American classic, each visit can be a new adventure. If you don't eat CERTIFIED Angus Beef, you can get fresh ground turkey or a chicken breast. If your not feeling burgerish today you can get a salad or other little bites too.
4 - Cara N.: A friend and I ate at BPP this past Saturday evening.  We got there and had to wait in line for a few minutes, but it wasn't too bad because that gave us time to decide what we wanted.  I opted for the Bobby Blue burger and a side of sweet potato fries.  The guy at the counter was very friendly as he took our orders.  

After paying and getting our drinks, we sat down and waited for our food.  As we waited, one of the employees came over and pleasantly welcomed us to the restaurant.  The waitress who brought our burgers was also very friendly, and she told us to let her know if we needed anything. 

 Ok, now on to the burger.  That thing was delicious!  It was cooked perfectly, with just the right amount of bleu cheese, bacon and red onion.  In fact, I didn't even have to put any ketchup on it, which is pretty much unheard of for me.  The fries were also really good, and the mustard they came with complimented them well.  

As we were eating the line got REALLY long, which says a lot.  You can get a burger anywhere, but this place is good enough that you don't really mind waiting in line.

All in all, I had a great experience, and I will absolutely be going back to BPP in the very near future.
4 - Mary S.: I've been here twice now and I can honestly say, I'm a fan. The burgers are generously sized, juicy and delicious. The sweet potato fries are EXACTLY how others have described. At the food is in your face faster than you can say Bobby's Burger Palace. Truly, any place that can get your meal on the table that quickly deserves some serious probs. (unless it's name is mcdonalds in which case, who the hell cares). 

The first time I walked in I was surprised that you ordered out of a queue, then got a number, then your food found you. But the second time, I was prepared for it all, and the results were simply fantastic. It's certainly not my idea of a place to go for a leisurely lunch. But you want to get your burger on, and you haven't got a lot of time (or if you are starving and must eat NOW). This place is going to make you happy on all counts.

You should try it. I did, and it's kind of changing my life :)
3 - Vichet O.: How did I forget to review this place?

Anyways, Burgers here are good, and the onion rings are great. Also, they have beer (bottles), and because fries are extra and the burgers themselves are medium sized, you won't overeat.

I recommend the buffalo (buffalo sauce and blue cheese), L.A. (avocado relish) or Dallas (cole slaw and something) burgers. But that's just me.

As for my overall impression of the place, it's aight. Nothing spectacular, but then again, that's the reason why I can't give this place a 4. 

Don't get me wrong, I like the place. However, since they ONLY do burgers, I kind of wanted... a little more umph. Or something less predictable. We all know you can put lots of different -toppings- on a burger, but what about doing something with the burgers themselves?

Homemade burgers are actually one of my summertime passions, and I have my own variations. Chopped pineapple, allspice, soy sauce, garlic and habanero, all mixed up into the meat (versus on top of it) can really make a difference. Not to toot my own horn (toot toot toot), but that's only one of my recipes. And I'm an amateur.

Think of what Bobby Flay could do if he just did something special with the meat. Think of how wrong that last sentence sounds out of context.

So, I cop to being biased to my own methods, especially since only the toppings distinguish this place's burgers from, say, a burger at New Deck. Or Village Whiskey. Or wherever.

I know the burger is an American standby, fighting communism since forever, and all that. But can't we, for once, do something a little bit different?

And isn't it horrifyingly sad that Burger King beat us to it (http://blogs.ocweekly.com/stickaforkinit/2011/01/burger_king_introduces_its_fir.php)? Although Burger King IS a guilty pleasure of mine. That's neither here nor there.

Pro-tip: Don't be afraid of the long line. They take orders, then give you a little placard to stand up wherever you seat yourself, so you don't need to stand up and wait for anything.

Pro-tip 2: Put an onion ring on your burger. Do it now!
2 - Barrett L.: Bobby's Burger Palace is a classic example of when a celebrity chef tries to make a burger joint "work", but somehow misses the point.  In the two times that I've been here, I've left feeling less than impressed and not getting my money's worth.  This probably has to do with a few key elements: crowds, ordinary ingredients, and poor overall value.

This place is almost always crowded, with long waits both to order and receive food.  You spend so much time pondering the menu and waiting for your food that you either can't remember what you want when you order at the counter or you barely remember what you ordered when the food finally arrives.  As for the burgers, there's nothing exceptional or extraordinary.  Normally, this would be ok, but when you're paying the premium price for Bobby Flay's fare, you should be getting something that's a cut above your standard burger.  Most burgers on the menu are masked by an array of gourmet toppings that distract the eater instead of complementing the meat.  No amount of spice crusting, meyer lemon honey mustard, or blue corn chips is going to make up for the rather ordinary burger contained within.

Bobby's Burger Palace should get credit for a few things: they allow you to sub in ground turkey or chicken instead of beef (good for those looking for healthier eating options), and the sauces served alongside the fries and rings are really tasty.  But unless you're looking to impress an out of town guest or you're in the mood for lower priced Bobby Flay, there are much better dining options in and around University City.
2 - Ryan A.: Overpriced cafeteria food.  The atmosphere is nice, and the service is quick given the volume of people but eh I don't know the food was lacking.  I was expecting to be blown away but I've had better burgers from a dive bar.  The burger was pretty juicy and decently cooked, a little rarer than I asked for but it just look processed.  It didn't look natural.  I wasn't impressed with the barbecue sauces either.  One of them tasted soo bad.  The salt on the fries was probably the highlight of my visit but getting a side of fries puts the meal at over 12 dollars which I think is alot for a simple burger and fries.  I would go back but only if I was peer pressured.
3 - Alicia O.: I've been back to Bobby's Burger Place a couple times since it opened. I believe you'll have a good experience if you stick the following items on the menu: the burgers (the LA burger is my favorite--but I'm a sucker for anything that has avocados on it), sweet potato fries, onion rings, and the milkshakes. 

If you order anything else off the menu, you should prepare yourself for disappointment. Regular fries? Not great. Grilled cheese? Ehh. My friend really wasn't in the mood for a burger when we came here, so she ordered the chopped salad. It was a pitiful looking salad--mostly iceberg lettuce with some super salty dressing. It was like a side salad you'd get at a crappy restaurant. I think I saw some olives and tortilla chips on it too...and it cost $8. Ridiculous. She ended up sending it back. The servers were nice about it and ended up getting her a regular burger, which she enjoyed. Definitely stick to the burgers. I'm also surprised there are no veggie burgers on the menu. There should be.
4 - Steve S.: The burgers are excellent.  Not the best in the city, but damn good for the price.

The beer battered onion rings actually tasted like beer.  What a concept, eh?

That fry sauce they have is a real treat too.  The heck with ketchup!

So what if you have to wait in line?  Suck it up!  Did you ever stop to think that there's a reason there's always a line at the place?
4 - Jade P.: Though the food is a bit overpriced, I think it's a great place to go if you want a step-up from the typical greasy burger joint. The staff recommends ordering the burgers medium-well, with a little pink inside, and I'd suggest doing just that. The meat is tasty, well-seasoned, and perfectly juicy. The buns, a typical roll topped with sesame seeds, is okay, but the sauces and toppings are divine. 

I'd recommend trying the chipotle sauce and the Napa Valley burger. Goat cheese and watercress are a great twist on the typical burger! You MUST try the pistachio milkshake- thick, flavorful, and perfectly mixed, I definitely crave it at times! The fries are pretty unimpressive- don't waste your time. I wouldn't recommend the cactus pear margarita. Though it sounds good in theory, it's crammed with salt and not well-mixed. 

The staff is attentive and service is fast. The dining room is clean, hip, and cafeteria style. A great place to grab a quick bite when you're craving some fancy junk food!
5 - Ciara S.: I must admit and slap myself for walking past this place so many times in the summer and just thinking it was just hyped up because it was Bobby Flay's restaurant. Well I must say I was very impressed with everything about this place. I made the big move in on Bobby's Burger Palace on V-day 2011. How ironic I fell in love on this day ;)

When you walk into this beautiful vibrant restaurant you are greeted with warmth. If its your first time you may get overwhelmed with the almost 6 feet tall menu towering over you. I decided to get the Miami burger, with 2 sides of reg and sweet potato fries topped off with a milkshake.

THE HONEYMUSTARD HORSERADISH SAUCE THAT COMES WITH THE SWEET POTATO FRIES IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DELICIOUS!!!!! 

The cashier was very helpful being though it was my first time.... He helped us through it all... 

So cool that you can get any burger on the meny either beef, chicken or turkey. This is what I really love because everyone doesn't eat beef therefore they could substitute the meat and do not feel left out. 

Also you can get anything CRUNCHIFIED!!! That's means chips on your burger...!!! 

Only flaw I would say The Palace has is that their milkshake size is very small but otherwise it was GREAT! 

Bobby has definitely graced University City with his wonderful food that I became a instant fan that night.
2 - Anna D.: I frequently have cravings for Vanilla Carmel Bourbon Milkshakes after my first experience. Though I could probably make it at home and save $8 and a trip to west philly.
4 - veronica c.: When I want an all-american burger, I go to bobby's. I love going in, and getting the really fun vibes from the orange and red modern decor, anticipating the california burger + sweet potato fries goodness I usually go for. thanks bobby flay, for thinking of philadelphia when you decided to open up a burger joint!
3 - Yiwen S.: "how are the burgers cooked?"

"medium rare."

asa! ok perfect. now i can order. but really? $8 for a gourmet fast food burger? hi bobby flay, have you heard of shake shack?

ever since this place opened, i've tried really hard to avoid it. it seems like an undergrad trap, and perpetual long lines turn me off. but after some heavy bourbon drinking at capogiro down the block, a juicy burger really would hit the spot.

and so to here we came. don't get me wrong, the burgers are decently good. the meat is moist and appeals to my olfactory sense. the sweet potato fries are also good.

but for a price tag that's more than halfway to the price of most other gourmet burgers and a burger diameter that measures the same as every other fast food joint, bobby's burgers sure didn't have the sensational taste required to make up for the difference.

biggest bang for your buck? i think not.
4 - Alexis G.: You guys. These onion rings are insane.

Stopped in here for a quick snack after City Tap House with my brother and only got fries and onion rings. Left wishing we had gotten two orders of onion rings. I barely even like onion rings. Not too battery with the perfect amount of flaky sea salt right around the top. Skip the fries next time, the onion rings are what's up.
4 - Enid C.: I met Bobby Flay here after standing in line for 2 hours on opening day. While he personally seemed a bit cold and uninspired (understandably so, I suppose), his burgers did not. Running favorites are the goaty cheesiness of the Napa Valley and the avacado reliciousness of the LA Burger. Get it medium rare or go home. Also never say no to the sweet potato fries. The Griddled Cheese Deluxe is another pleasant surprise, but really who wants to spend $7.50 on white bread and cheese. 

A few negative points:
- the line moves painfully slow
- the price to size ratio is a little unsettling
- spiked milkshakes are tasty, but could hardly even give a buzz to a drowsy toddler

Overall, you're still on my good side Bobby.
5 - Luke M.: BEST BURGER AND A SHAKE!!

For only $7.50 a burger, this place is a steal!  The burgers are all cooked to perfection, made from excellent beef, and full of flavor.  Their milkshakes are so thick and creamy that they come with a straw that is the diameter of my finger.  The onion rings are huge and piping hot!  You will not be disappointed unless you are a vegetarian!
4 - Ashley L.: I'm a huge Bobby Flay fan so I was dying to try one of his creations! Went for lunch during the week and it was pretty busy. The decor is very trendy, with long "group dining" tables. Even though you order at the counter, they bring the food to you and are pretty attentive with any other requests. I was satisfied with my burger and would definitely go back. Had a lot of different sauces to top your burger with. I went during work so I would like to go when I'm "off duty" so I can try the alcoholic milkshake!
4 - Tiffany J.: Ok, the burgers aren't cheap...but they are good!  I feel like fries should come with any burger over $5, but, my logic aside, the food was worth it!  The turkey philly burger is what I get, and I LOVE it!  The fries and sweet potato fries are great also, but the best thing here: the spiked milkshakes!  The fact that I can have a liquor filled shake, burger & fries....A-PLUS!  Best turkey burger in Philly is at Fairmount Pizza on 20th & Fairmount, but if you're looking for 2nd best, or just a different vibe:  this is it!
2 - Bob S.: The burgers are boring, dull, and flavorless.  Skip this place and find a better burger spot.  The atmosphere was fun - but do you want to pay all that money to be sitting in an ultra-hip MacDonald's?  No you don't.
4 - Christian L.: I had the Santa Fe burger with queso sauce, jalapeno, blue tortilla chips medium. 

Over all it was pretty good, but I am not use to eating food with heavy sauces so it made my stomach a little upset. But, I inted on trying some other food there soon. 

When you get the burger with "crunch" it comes with chips inside the burger and it is a pretty interesting experience. 

As for the abundance of sauces at the table they have chipotle ketchup which is pretty good, ketchup, mustard, jalapeno hot sauce which is actually sort of sweet (I didn't care for it) and also burger sauce (I didnt care for this one either).

But its a nice atmosphere decent price and pretty quick service.
2 - Joe D.: Hype? Maybe. I ordered a Classic with American medium well. In retrospect - I should have tried it medium. The burger was on the dry side and although it was tasty and properly cooked, it lacked texture. 
I blame the patty itself. After the fancy decor, long line and multiple assurances that this would be the best burger I would ever have, I didn't expect a pre-shaped patty. 

I enjoy the ritual of the condiments almost as much as the burger itself.
I really like a hamburger topped with lettuce, tomato and onion w/ my own at the table mix of mayo and yellow mustard. There was a good sized slice of tomato and onion. The lettuce was puny, resembling endive. I did ask for more lettuce and got an identical piece to supplement it. The condiments were good - just not enough lettuce.

My daughter had grilled cheese  - which was served charred pretty near black. The charred side served face down. She ate it without complaint and enjoyed it. She's 5. 

Fries were good. They were served warm, not hot. Not enough big fries, lots of the dregs of the fryer fries. Luck of the draw, some people like that. I ate them all. Like that dipping sauce. 

Over all I don't think this burger met my expectations. I find the best place to get a burger is at your favorite tried and tested local pub or diner.
4 - JENN W.: Been awhile since returned, due for one. My dining partner was not only a Bobby Flay-virgin, they had no idea who he was, or anything else.got there about 6:30pm, found parking right away, there was a line, I ended up with Bobby Bleu burger, omitted bleu cheese for American. I wanted my Burger med well, looked med. rare, but I wasn't disappointed, since it was juicy I had a shake with sweet pot. fries to accompany them. My dining partner likes theirs, found it to be good choice. All in all, my experience here left me we great impression, our waiter had GREAT personality & attitude, definitely a plus working there. Most of the employees were . Guess they make sure all of them have good sense of pride, personable & positive -that work there!! I was impressed.
3 - Paolo D.: Good but not great. Ordered the Chicago burger. Five Guys is waay better!
3 - Gavin S.: Went here recently one afternoon after visiting the Penn Museum. I was impressed by the fun architecture, the attentive wait staff, and the overall pleasant atmosphere of local students, but in the end it really is all about the burger, and I can't say this is the best burger I've ever had. Bobby Flay is not only an Iron Chef, but has said in the past that burgers are his favorite food!! You'd expect something special out of that. The menu choices are quasi-interesting, but overall it doesn't seem like he put a whole lot of thought into the menu. Potato chips on a burger? He can do better. A nice place to stop if you're in the area, but really I expected more.
4 - Katrina S.: This is a pretty solid burger place.  I always get the L.A. burger because I love avocado on my burgers and the boyfriend always gets the Dallas burger because most of the others have something pork related.  I always get the sweet potato fries (and honestly this is why go to BBP on occasion instead of going to Five Guys every time I want a burger) and the boyfriend gets the regular fries.  The lemonade comes with free refills which is nice, and the table servers are more than happy to add to your order if you see something else you want.  I generally leave satisfied but deep down I question whether it was really worth it (the money and the calories haha).  If it weren't for the SP fries I probably would never go, but there really aren't many other options for SP fries in Philly.
3 - Katie L.: Pretty good, but you are definitely paying for the experience on top of the food.  A somewhat confusing seating scheme, and are you supposed to tip for the kind-of table service?  I like the food a lot, but clearly, if burgers are not your thing, there's not much else to choose from.  A healthy campus lunch crowd, but I can't speak for the evening service - something tells me that the spiked milkshakes might be a draw for the college crowd, for better or for worse.
3 - Melissa R.: I was actually a little disappointed by this place.  Burgers were just "eh", although I did enjoy the adult Vanilla Caramel Bourbon milkshake and the fries.  However, the service was pretty impressive, everyone was extremely friendly and attentive.  Now that I think about it, the service was better than the food.
5 - steve n.: Had the monthly burger special which was a bayou buger. Had tasso ham, remolade sauce, cheese. it was AWESOME! not to mention the fact you can get beer while you are there and the servers who work there are really nice and friendly. All of the sauces on the table make life much better. Who doesnt like a good sauce. Bobby Flay does and his sauces are awesome!
4 - e. K.: creative burgers that taste legit and awesome sweet potato fries! interesting interior set-up.
3 - JJ N.: It's pretty good.  I'm not a huge fan of their bun and the fact that my medium cooked classic soaked thru the bun half thru me finishing it.  Nice decor but I will stick with 500 Degrees.  Better than 5 guys but not worth the trek to University City to be honest.
4 - Bruce B.: I was visiting a relative at U of P Hospital and I've been wanting to checkout Bobby Flay's Burger Palace for a long time now and this was the ideal opportunity to do just that. 
The restaurant is very appealing to me and it reminded me of a sixties style eatery and the long, communal table looked like a lot of fun if you went there with a gang of friends. 
I was surprised that BBP sold adult beverages, I guess that's what you can expect when the spot is owned by a world re known Chef. I looked at the menu and the selections had a few time inspired selections, but I was impressed with the out of the box concoctions and all the delicious sauces and condiments available. Again, that's what you get from a world renown Chef. 
I ordered the Bobby Blue Burger cooked medium well (I don't process bacteria to well these days) with an order of Sweet Potato Fries and a non-spiked, Dark Chocolate Milkshake. Everything was perfect! 
The Milkshake was rich and thick, the Sweet Potato Fries were crisp and the accompanying honey mustard horseradish sauce was the B-Bomb. The Burger was perfectly cooked and the bun was tasty, but the sauce poured over the burger was the star of it all. To me, this is what separates BBP from places like Five Guys, it's that Chef thing and I want to mention that the service was great and a employee named Stan hipped me to all the sauces and he gave me a sample of 4 or 5 sauces for me to take home. 4.5 stars, would of given BBP 5 stars, but a burger, fries and a shake shouldn't cost nearly $18 bucks.
4 - James S.: Keeping this short and sweet.  They have a great variety of very creative burgers here.  Tried about four of them and I'm yet to be disappointed.  Nice simple menu other than the burgers.  Fries, onion rings, shakes and surprisingly some alcoholic beverages.  Prices are slightly higher than you might expect, but the food is very good.  Burgers are cooked to your liking.  Definitely love all the signature dipping sauces.  They compliment the burgers and sides very nicely.  Shakes are a refreshing way to wash down that big juicy burger.  Love the table side service, but its kind of confusing whether or not you should tip and if so, who you should tip.  Love stopping in here.  Suggest it to anyone looking for a good burger that wants more than just cheese and pickles.  Try it if you haven't yet!
4 - Katy K.: Oh Bobby, why do you do this to me? Your burgers are truly wonderful--I love that I can expect a high standard, tasty burger, cooked how I like it, friendly service every time. I can never resist sweet potato fries or onion rings, which means I can also expect to spend at least $11 every time we have a rendezvous on Walnut Street. Your mouthwatering options never disappoint: I've had the LA Burger, Palace Classic, Bobby Blue, Dallas Burger, Crunchburger. 
I love you, but my wallet does not. 
PS Vanilla Caramel Bourbon Milkshake, you da bomb! (Strawberry, you're a fave too) Your southwestern sister, the Cactus Pear margarita, doesn't get the same amount of love.
4 - Kenny W.: Stopped in here over the weekend(Sun, 3/27). I'm a supporter of Bobby Flay, so I wanted to give his burger palace a try and I wasn't disappointed. Keep in mind though, Bobby Flay is not the one on the grill. The burger was great. The fries were great. The dipping sauce for the fries was tasty. They have several different types of ketchup(sauces) to put on your burger, but I didn't need to use any of them. The Bobby Blue Burger was just right as is.  The only negatives were the server never brought my lemonade. After 10 minutes,I had to go up to the counter and ask for it. Secondly, for a burger joint, I thought it was a little pricey. $23 for 2 burgers fries and a drink. For the record, I'd pay it again.
5 - Paul D.: Love this place! I go everytime i'm in the area. 

-Gotten a different burger everytime (10 times so far). They have options from various regions around the country and, after you get them all, they still have a "Burger of the Month" so there's always something different to try. 

-Beef, chicken or turkey options for every burger. I chose turkey the first time and havent changed. It's tender, juicy and delicious which I wouldnt expect from turkey. 

-Sweet potato fries are healthier alternative to other places.

-Love the option of beer, soda or milkshake

-Only knock is that the place fills up so you might not get a seat, but that just shows you how good the food is!
5 - Jordan F.: Such a great place to eat. As a student in university finding a quick bite to eat is hard. But BBP (Bobby's Burger Palace) fills that void. This time when I visited I had my new favorite burger . The L.A. Burger and a side of sweet potato fries. The avocado relish was so tasty. everything was so fresh and good. I will be coming back soon to try the Miami burger your next on my list.
3 - emmalee c.: I've been here a few times, and I will continue to come here. It's alright and it's down the street from my house. Yes they have adult milkshakes and intersting burgers, but personally I dont think there anything to write home about. I do love that they have sweet potato fries, but the horseradish honey mustard mixture they give you with it is crap, ask for the regular fry sauce, trust me, you won't be dissapointed.
5 - Allen P.: As good as high-end burgers in NYC and LA!! Give it a try!!

Let me start by saying that I *love* burgers, and am always on the lookout for the perfect burger. I travel for business, and have eaten at Umami Burger in Los Angeles, as well as the Apple Pan, In-n-Out, Five Guys, and multiple renowned burger places in major US cities. Bobby's Burger Palace is up there, and has some of the best burgers in Philly. 

I stumbled upon BBP while I was walking around University City, and tried it for lunch. I was pleasantly surprised, and have taken several friends back to share the experience. It's not crazy expensive (burger, fries, and soda for about $14), there's lots of great options, and the various sauces and ketchups are all interesting and add a nice touch. 

My favorite is the Dallas Burger, as well as the Bobby's Bleu Burger (blue cheese). I have not tried them "crunchified" (ie - with potato chips), but it might be worth trying once. Both the sweet potato fries and regular french fries are worth the money, as well.

Time it right, and you won't have to wait long to order and pay at the register. Then sit down, have a quick chat with your friends, and your food will be out before you know it. 

Bottom line - serious burger fans need to stop in and try the place.
4 - Michael S.: Bobby's Burger Palace has been opened at the edge of Penn's campus for about a year. The burgers are well seasoned and made with fresh toppings and a tasty buns.  The onion rings are just about perfect and the fries are above average, but pretty tasty

It's nice that BBP serves alcohol, there are isn't a better pairing for a juicy, savory burger than a cold, crisp, hoppy beer. Milkshakes are also a good match for burgers, and I hear that Bobby's make good ones those I haven't tried them myself

My only criticism is that meals here can get a little pricey. My typical meal would be a $7.50 burgers, $3 onion rings, and $3 beer, which would make this about as expensive as the same meal at Royal Tavern, Local 44, Standard Tap, South Philly Taproom... BPP Is a nice occasional treat but it's not the best burger and definitely not a good value. The decor is cool and at least you know you'll get a quality product.
5 - Stephanie M.: Love Bobby's!!

I'm a fan of Bobby Flay and had to try this place. You can't go wrong with any selection, I went with the classic that was cooked to perfection, and the fries were very good. It's hard to forget such an awesome burger. Hope they open one in San Francisco!
5 - jen h.: Awesome Burgers! The Best I've ever had actually and I'm a big burger eater!

You must get an alcohol infused milkshake, AMAZING!!
5 - Austin B.: AWESOME BURGERS! The Watercress burger with goat cheese is amazing! I usually try the burger of the month and have yet be let down. In fact the two burgers of the month I've tried have turned out to be the best burgers I've ever had...ever! The milkshakes, fries, and various sauces are also on point! With Bobby's phenomenal burgers and genuinely friendly staff you can't go wrong! Hats off to you Mr. Flay...5 stars!
2 - Carrie C.: Being somewhat of a Food Network fan, Bobby Flay's name on a burger joint automatically gave me high expectations.  Unfortunately, my experience here was extremely underwhelming.

The food itself was pretty good, but it would have been better if the service got it to us in a timely manner.  The boyfriend and I split a Napa Valley Burger and a vanilla malted shake.  We waited probably about 10 minutes for the burger to come out, which was pretty slow but not too bad.  The Napa Valley Burger was actually quite good, as we are huge fans of honey mustard on practically anything.  The patty was substantial and moist, and the flavors of goat cheese and honey mustard worked well together.  After waiting a few minutes for our shake with our burger sitting in front of us, we decided to just start eating.  We asked one of the waitresses about our shake, and she said she would check on it.  She did not.  Five minutes later, we asked another waitress about our shake.  She said she would check on it, she did not.  This happened another time before we finally got someone on the fourth try who actually checked for us.  We had previously noticed a vanilla shake sitting on the counter ready to be served, and waitresses kept looking at it and leaving it there...and lo and behold...that was our vanilla shake.  Literally.  They ended up serving us a melted vanilla shake that had been sitting on the counter for at least 15 minutes saying that they didn't know which table it was supposed to go to.

Overall, the food here is pretty good, but the service here was pretty terrible.  One of the cool things about this place is that it is so open that you can really see everything that is going on.  However, that includes when waitresses are NOT working and gossiping about their weekends in front of customers, when they say they will do something and do not, and when they go straight from mopping the floor to carrying food (which they did...).  It was such a turnoff of an experience that I will probably not return.
4 - Kaitlin L.: Darn it, Bobby Flay, and your seductive grilling creations! I wanted to dislike this place so so much. But no, you had to deliver one of the most solid burgers I've had in Philadelphia and then top it off with avocado. The L.A. burger was fantastic. 

Then, the sweet potato fries. Oh sweet potato fries. Alone, they were tasty, but the dipping sauce really put them over the edge into crave-worthy. Being the gluttonous person that I am, I also got a dark chocolate milk shake. It was smaller than I expected, but I honestly have no idea how I could have finished a bigger portion. 

Finally, to top it all off, the staff is awesome. Solid service plus humor. 

I left waddling, but with a smile on my face. I am happy this is on the other side of the city from me or they'd get to know me by name quickly.
5 - Melissa V.: Perfect.  The burgers were delicious.  The onion rings were tasty.  The service was friendly.  The price was right on.
3 - Zach M.: I think I was expecting too much for Bobby Flay.  My burger was ok, but a little undercooked (dripping blood for a medium).  My friend had to send his back because it was bloodier than mine.  Everyone agreed that it was ok, but nothing to brag about.  The onion rings were pretty good though!

Its probably ideal for University City, where your market is college kids.  I have many other burgers in the city I prefer.
4 - Corwin P.: I don't know what is up with the hating on Bobby's Burger Palace.  Yeah its a more expensive burger than McDonalds, but its cheaper than eating a burger at say Applebee's or TGIFridays and those places make some of the nastiest food I have ever eaten.

The burgers here are fantastic, not incredibly expensive gourmet ingredients, but absolutely solid flavor pairings cooked to perfection.  I've had the Miami, Buffalo, Napa, and Santa Fe burgers and they were all fantastic.

The real stand out though to me is the Vanilla, Caramel Bourbon Milk Shake.  I have road my bike from Fairmount out to here multiple times just to have that glass of perfection and ride back to my place.
3 - Angela E.: Oh Bobby, I hate to fall in to a tourist trap and my hubby hates to be trendy, but we couldn't resist a short walk over the bridge to visit your burger den and I'm so glad we did. I ordered the L.A. Burger because I love anything with avocado and sure enough, I loved this burger. We skipped the fries and got onion rings instead, which I am still sad about, but maybe I'll get a chance to try the fries (and/or the sweet potato fries) next time we find ourselves in University City!  

The ordering system was set up to expedite and there's no tipping the waitresses from what I can tell (although that felt very strange). It's got seating for all types of groups and it's a pretty big place. Also, milkshakes and other yummy drink choices. Yes, please!
5 - Ryan B.: I really tend to be anti-Bobby Flay because I dislike his TV persona, but I love the burgers here.

I have tried two different styles, the Santa Fe and the Dallas, both very very good.  Both times the burgers were cooked to a perfect medium (which is hard to find these days).  Between the two I would recommend the Santa Fe over the Dallas, but I don't think you could go wrong here.  Both the sweet potato, and regular fries are quite good.  The prices for the food are reasonable, but not cheap (although the beer is an OK deal).

Bottom line, if you are in University City and hungry for a burger, you should definitely go here.
3 - Robyn H.: Bobby's is just ok to me. I'll stick to Red Robin for my chicken burgers. I ordered the Dallas Burger:  spicy chicken, coleslaw, pickles, monterey jack cheese, and bbq sauce on a roll.  Mediocre.  Maybe because I got it to go. Perhaps if I had eaten it at the restaurant I'd have enjoyed it more, who knows? 

Equally unimpressive were the fries and the "fry sauce."  I saw no need for the spicy fry sauce because my burger was already spicy. Overall, I'd say Bobby's would be ok in a pinch, but not my first choice for a burger.
1 - Rob Y.: Updating this because of my recent visit to Jose Garces's Village Whiskey.

  http://www.yelp.com/biz/village-whiskey-philadelphia#hrid:TaTfCqpTwV5vz4Ov5imgbA

One could argue that if Bobby Flay was actually the one making the burgers, and not just a bunch of line cooks, the burgers would be great.  Well Jose Garces isn't the one cooking at Village Whiskey, and the burgers there are phenomenal.

If you are around Bobby's place, walk over to Chestnut, take Bus 21 to 20th, enter Village Whiskey, and experience what a real burger should taste like.
5 - Kevin D.: Really good outing today, saw the X-men movie and had one of the most enjoyable burgers that I can remember. Quality meat, cooked to perfection and great fries. My daughter who is not normally a Burger fan loved it, Especially the fries. My son got a second Burger to go.
5 - Kevin J.: great burgers and shakes. the burgers are different and aren't your average run of the mill. not pricey at all. much better alternative to wendy's or McDonald's. i hate eating tasteless food thats why im glad i found the palace because it definitely has lots of flavor. and the menu has something for everyone.
3 - Comedian T.: I enjoyed myself. I went for lunch. The view is nice and not a lot of people; so you can really enjoy your food with out all the noise. I do see myself coming back. I had the LA burger with sweet potato fries (Med). It was a pretty decent burger, and the fries was crispy. A very good place to kick it with the guys or grab a fast bite when your with your lady.
3 - Sybil K.: Ok-so I came here when they first opened and had the LA burger with sweet potato fries. The line was long and it was real noisy. But hey, it was new then. Well, tonight I felt like having a burger and McDonalds is not on my radar ever so I ventured up to University City for a Flay burger. Line was shorter, place was less noisy, service was really slow. My chrunchburger was a bit salty and my regular fries looked like they were the last of the barrel. Hopefully when I have my next yen for a burger they will get it together.
5 - Tom M.: Had a realization about BBP: A burger is a burger. A turkey burger is a turkey burger. Whatever. Been there, done that. BBP is about Bobby's topping choices. The burgers have juices and grease that distract you from that. So from now on I will do what I did last time: get the chicken on the topless salad. The toppings stand out so much more if you do it that way.
4 - Tim F.: I'm really picky about my burgers but this place is really good! I would probably give it a 4.5 in reality, here's my reasoning:

The burger selection is different than what one would normally find in a  burger joint and all the ingredients taste really fresh.

Another reason to go is their milkshake selection is on point as well. This is the only place I've seen that has dark chocolate milk shakes; super good by the way.

The only reason I did not give Bobby's a 5 is the price; the burgers aren't huge but they charge you as if it was. It's definitely not a frugal burger joint and there's not a meal option. So if you want a burger, fries, and a drink, it will be over 10 bucks. Also, it wasn't too busy inside, yet our food took a little while to come out.

This being said, I will most certainly be visiting Bobby again.
1 - Vanaro C.: Good burgers the fries could of been better n the margarita had way too much tequila might as well have been a big shot. I recommend the sante fe burger if u wanna give it a try. Great looks on the outside but just like any other burger joint.
3 - Jonathan J.: Didn't know what to expect going into this place, the tips on 4Square all said it was overpriced and overrated.  One of the nice things I saw was that all burgers could be made into a burger salad, a plate of mixed greens and then the burger.  Being someone w/ a wheat allergy this is nice so I'm not just ordering a "burger no bun."  

I had a Bobby's Blue Burger and it was good, nothing to blow my socks off but it was a decent place to go to.  Expensive because of the name behind the burger but still pretty decent.
3 - Anne K.: For a restaurant that's owned by a celebrity chef, I thought I would be more impressed by the burgers.

I've only been here a few times, and I usually get the the L.A. Burger (I love anything avocado) and a side of sweet potato fries. It's not that the food is bad, but there's nothing about it that really compels me to come back again and again. I'd rather go to Five Guys.
2 - Bling B.: Good idea, decent service, mediocre execution. Called to ask about options and a lady on the phone said they had gluten free bread... arrived 20 minutes later and they said they had no idea what I was talking about or what that was. so that was pretty sweet. then ordered medium burger... no bun... it was more like full on rare. pretty good burger, but still bleeding profusely and cold. overall it was pretty good, but they need to up their allergy awareness. and Bobby Flay is a huge duesche. that's bought it.
4 - Michael L.: Solid designer burgers.
3 - Sandy K.: 3.5 stars

I was expecting more...

The burgers are good, but nothing amazing. The sweet potato fries are delicious and the decor is fun and modern. The food is a little overpriced, but I guess that is expected.
2 - Maya Y.: This place prepares a passable burger, granted, at $7.25, it costs more than your average one.  The L.A. burger comes with avocado relish which is good even for non-avocado enthusiasts.  I was pretty disappointed that the place just serves average fare, since T.V. chef Bobby Flay owns the place - he's supposed to be the "king of the grill" and stars in a bunch of shows on the Food Network which should say something about his grilling chops.  The sauces are probably better than what you can get in those awful squirt packages of ketchup that you see at a cafeteria or at Mickey D's.

I heard from a friend that her burger was undercooked and bloody even after she'd sent it back to be regrilled.  I haven't had a bad experience per se, just a string of underwhelming ones.  Why do I still go here?  The simple answer is, the food is edible, and that is more than what can be said about some other places.  If you're going to order a burger and they ask you how you want it done, always remember to say, "Well done."  

If you just want to satisfy your sweet tooth, order a shake, though I'm not sure you can stomach the $5.00 that one costs.  I had the blueberry-pomegranate one and it was pretty good.  I'm assuming that the recipe calls for using real fruit in the strawberry and blueberry shakes.

A note about the service: the storepeople try to make you feel "at home" by setting down a knife and a napkin at your table before your food comes, smiling obsequiously at you and welcoming you with a "Welcome to Bobby's Burger, how ya doing today?" but make sure they don't rush to clean stuff out of your way while you may be conversing with someone and still working on your food.

Service: B
Taste: B-
4 - Henry D.: I've been here three times now and each time I go I hear someone in my group raving about their order, whether it be the burger, fries or shake.  BBP does a nice job with the main attraction - a juicy 80-20, nicely sized and the different varieties I've tried (Dallas, LA, Classic) are all tasty.  The accompanying sauces are very good, particularly the bbq.  While the burger is not the best I've had it's at or near the top for this price point.

Sides: the fries are great, well-seasoned and the fry sauce has some zip.  And the shakes are on par with what you'd get at a bona fide ice cream shop.

There is one negative worth mentioning.  My wife has a slight complaint about the lack of seasoning of the burgers here.  If you get the Classic which lacks flavorful toppings the absence of basic salting/peppering is noticeable.  This is intentional on the part of Mr. Flay but a reasonable gripe nonetheless.
1 - Erin Q.: Can't Bobby Flay find room in his tiny little heart for a veggie burger?
2 - Dawud A.: There aren't a lot of good gourmet burger spots in Philly so I was very excited to try this place out...........

Pros: 
it's in UCity. There are a lot of places to walk to after you eat here
The Burgers are tasty but not as good as I expected them to be. I was expecting a life changing experience(burger wise). 
The dipping sauce for the fries were pretty good
It's owned(?) by Bobby Flay.(i'm trying to come up with more pros) 


Cons:
Long lines
Cashier that looked like she hated her summer job. 
Cafeteria style seating
Dirty counters.
$25 for 2 burgers, 1 fries, 1 soda and 1 bud light





I still don't think there are any good gourmet burger spots in Philly. Can we get a In and Out burger over here or something?
4 - David C.: Bobby Flay is single-handedly trying to bring the burger joint back. Definitely a place to give five guys a run for their money. Burgers are terrific, as are the sweet potato fries. The decor is very interesting, and the crowd and wait staff are young and vibrant. If you want a great meal in a cool environment head to bobby's.
3 - Monique E.: We came here after we saw that it was on 'Best Thing I Ever Ate'. We got our burgers crunchified. 
It was okay. It was on the show obviously for promotion, not for quality. I expected A LOT more from Bobby Flay. The beef itself didn't have much flavor and was dry.
4 - Zachary S.: You know what?  I was really expecting this place to suck.  Everyone talks about it being "overrated" and the consensus is "the burgers are pretty good but nothing special."  But I think this is the foodie (or wanna be foodie) just trying to act too cool for school.

The burgers are great, for a few reasons.

1) great selection of toppings

2) choice of beef, turkey, or chicken (beef=obvious choice, duh).

3) THEY ALWAYS COOK IT THE WAY YOU ORDER IT!!  I can't say enough about this.  The most important thing to me is that my burger comes out mooing, and here this happens.

I've had the Santa Fe Burger, L.A. Burger, Crunchburger, Mulberry Street Burger.  All of them were solid.

The fries kick ass, too.

Bobby, your love for "dipping sauces" (for anyone that watched America's Next Great Restaurant) may piss me off, but you've made a great burger joint.
2 - Kit F.: Just bland. Way overpriced and overrated. There is absolutely nothing special about this place, and I would avoid eating here again.
3 - Sylvia M.: So it's been over a year since I have been here and uhm... 

Well where to begin. The first time I had a burger it was amazing! Maybe because it was brand new, the anticipation and perhaps Bobby himself had a lot of say on how to do things. I also took it to go.

This time around I dined in. I guess it was UPenn's orientation or some sort of summer program because as soon as we sat down at the end of the table about 40 kids walked through the door and my initial reaction was oh my goodness... obnoxious teenagers who are loud, talking on their phone about glitter and rainbows to their BFF... will they sit next to me?!?! Please say no! please say no!

They did. Sad face. 

SO the burger. I got Bobby's Blue Burger I think is the correct name for it. Blue cheese and bacon. Well, it was ok I guess. If I have to rip the bacon myself and place it on the burger and fix it up so it's not sloppy... I shouldn't be paying you this much Mr. Flay. The onion rings were delicious! I want to go back and get an order. You only get like 7 but they are huge and paired with the chipotle ketchup- OMG! 

It's not the kind of place I think I'd be a regular.
4 - Eric W.: Wear a bib.  The cooks here seem to have mastered the art of searing a burger so none of the juices escaped.  Your first bite will unleashed the fury of a thousand Krakens as the imprisoned purple goodness escapes.

Other than that impressive liquid flourish, everything else is above average.  The burgers are tasty, the service is fast, the array of sauce choices is refreshing, and they seem to have their act together.

Everything on the menu seems a bit "mass-produced" - particularly the salads, which seem depressed to be surrounded by a bunch of burgers - but it's Bobby Flay.  His solution to every problem is to grill it.  God help you if you rear end him one day in a crowded parking lot.
4 - Jeanne M.: A friend of mine is always making the journey downtown to have lunch with me, so for a change of pace, I made the trip to University City for a change.  I'm so glad I did.

We tried Bobby's Burger Palace, which according to one of the guys in my office, has some of the best burgers in the city.  That tidbit is debatable, but what is not is how Bobby Flay has managed to make this burger place so likeable.  (I'm not the biggest Flay fan, admittedly).

I ordered the "Dallas" burger which came with pickles, coleslaw and bbq sauce.  Beware, it is messy!  I really wanted to try one of their spiked milkshakes, but since I was on my lunch break, I had to pass on that.  I also had a side of sweet potato fries with a zesty horseradish dipping sauce and would go back just for them.

So if you're in the neighborhood, give them a try.  They have friendly service and attentive staff.
4 - Anthony O.: This cool little burger place sticks out sorely, with an awful name and even worse, bright green lettering blaring far out down Walnut Street, right next to red brick UPenn of all places.  The inside has a nice contemporary feel, 

I had the LA burger, because I'm from cali, and I wasn't very impressed with the "avocado relish".  Admit it, its guacamole.  The sweet potato fries were good for...sweet potato fries.  I liked the food, it wasn't anything amazing, like something you would expect from a place that displays the name of a Food Network Chef.  

Pretty Good, but not 5 star.
3 - Lenny Z.: I went to Bobby's Burger Palace with high hopes. I figured if the man can throw down, he can make a good burger. And, it was good. But average good. Once you've been to Danny Meyer's Shake Shack, all else is compared to it. But Bobby Flay is a big name chef too, so he certainly should have the tools.

Don't get me wrong. It's a decent burger. But if you want the best of the best, keep on walking. Thankfully, Philly is the future home of a Shake Shack. Until then, I'll just have to settle for average good.
3 - Starr C.: I didn't get a burger here.
I KNOW, who goes to a burger palace and doesn't get a burger? Well, I was getting dinner later. (Please see my Don Memo review.)

I ordered fries, because my friend who was with me said they were SUPER amazing or something. They were decent fries and the fry sauce was interesting, but I wasn't as blown away by them as I thought I would've been. Should've gotten onion rings, I always looooove onion rings.

I don't know what burger my friend got, but he polished it off pretty quickly. I like that you can get chips in your burgers because I love having some crunch in my sandwiches. I will definitely have to try one the next time I stop by.
I will also try a shake, because I hear those are good also.

Is it true that the people who work the tables are called NINJAS? If so, that's pretty awesome.

Mmm, so since I didn't get to experience what makes BBP really special, I can't give it more than just a satisfactory review. Nothing made me upset, but nothing made me extraordinarily happy about my fries and the establishment. The decor is pretty fun, though, so it's a nice place to just chill with friends over burgers and shakes.

Will definitely make a note to visit again. I hope I will be able to upgrade this review after I do!
3 - Rizwan A.: I really wanted to give this place 4 stars but they have one big problem that just takes away all of their 4 star credit: Terrible service. 

Sometimes the staff is lively and energetic. Other times they act like they can't wait to get done with work and walk around talking to each other instead of paying attention to people sitting around in the restaurant. Some of them only pay attention if you have a girl with you and then they stand around staring like they're on a street corner instead of peepin it on the sly. The sad truth is many of the workers are ghetto youths and not real familiar with manners or professionalism.   

Yes it is a burger joint so I don't expect the sun, moon and the stars when I go here, but quite frankly ALL you people in the service industry need to understand this: It is actually part of your job to pretend to be happy. That's right, you are not there to just bring food from point A to point B- I can do that myself and without a bad attitude. If you hate your life and hate your job, then quit, don't stand at your shift like you're a traffic cone who isn't supposed to move all day.

The food here is great when the "chefs" makes it right. Honestly this used to be one of my favorite burgers in Philadelphia. What I don't understand is why a burger can come to you 3 different ways when you order the same burger and order it medium each time. Sometimes it's stiff, other times it's made perfect, and other times it's so soft you're not even sure that it was cooked at all.

Still, when it is good, I really love the burgers here. Their fries and all their sauces are also great and I love that about them. The shakes are also really good and thick. Seriously, this place has a lot of great potential which is why it's even more upsetting that the clowns who work here are ruining it.

On to less important stuff: The place is clean and usually has a nice crowd, plus it's close to the movie theater (the ghetto one). I would probably eat here anyway regardless of the service because of how much I like the burgers but it's a bit out of my way so I don't go as often as I'd like.

I'll definitely be back here anyway, but I'm really disappointed that I'll have to cross my fingers every time and hope that everything goes well.
3 - Jessica S.: I was expecting more from this place.  It was good, but not exceptional, when you consider the big-name reputation of Bobby Flay -- and how the sign above the joint blares like nothing else on the street.  I ordered a Dallas burger medium-rare, which came out medium-well-done, and my burger was the only one who was over-cooked.  The toppings were okay.  The sweet potato fries were the best, with the horseradish sauce. We had a milkshake, but it did not even come close to holding a candle to an In-N-Out shake. (mmm.)  Maybe next time I'll try a Napa burger.

The service was pretty good, though.  There was a mistake with our order, and they were very accommodating and polite about it.
3 - A C.: Though just a burger place, I was excited to add a restaurant affiliated with yet another Iron Chef/Iron Chef competitor.  To be fair, I can't say that I'm a huge Bobby Flay fan, but food deserves objectivity (and I was hungry after a long plane flight).  

The place was definitely crowded and the line moved a bit faster than I expected.  The burger menu had a mixture of burgers with varying ingredient combos - named loosely after cities/regions.  I can't say that any of the burgers really called to me and at the gf's urging I avoided the very "classic" Palace Classic Burger by settling on the Dallas Burger (spice crusted, coleslaw, monterey jack, BBQ sauce and pickles).  How this combination of flavors evokes a memory of Dallas eluded me, but I was intrigued by the spice crusted patty.  The gf went with the burger of the month - Cheyenne Burger - (Smoked Cheddar Cheese, Bacon, BBQ Sauce and Shoestring Onion Rings).  Orders of sweet potato fries and onion rings accompanied the burgers.

A little on the pricey side (especially since it's on the edge of the Penn campus), the burgers were still pretty tasty.  I was happy to see that they were of manageable size (and not a gut-busting calorie packed mega-size).  The combo of flavors were pretty good for both burgers, although I think I am a bit of a burger purist and would likely have been just as happy with a "classic."  

Sweet potato fries were great and came with a cup of sauce (honey mustard horseradish) which was good but got a little old after time.  Luckily the table comes with a few squirt bottles of alternative sauces.  Speaking of which - the restaurant has some traditional rectangular tables, but has these waved counter-style seats near the kitchen (nice that you can see other people while eating - downside is it eats up space).
2 - Chau L.: Iron chef name?  but not Iron Chef food.

I like the burger menu.  Whatever burger you get, have it crunchified.  The beef in the burger was ok, but not delicious.  The variations kick up the burger a notch, but this place is average.  While here, I also got the salad.  Don't do this - it was an iceberg salad with crunchies, and a whole lot of dressing - kinda disappointing for a salad.

The one thing I do recommend you try?  The sweet potato fries served with honey mustard sauce - I could not stop eating these things.  The staff walk around trying to be as helpful as they can by asking you if you've tried their sauces, and recommending different ones to try with the burgers.

I probably wouldn't come here again - there are many more burger joints to try in Philly.
4 - David A.: Finally got to try a Bobby Burger tonight but had to take it out so my review will be edited once I get to eat in, which is always better. A cool environment adjacent to the Penn campus. Nice variety of toppings with either beef,turkey or grilled chicken. I go the Philly Burger with Provolone and sauteed onions cooked rare. Took about 10 minutes (but not a fast food place!), so time was fine.  The burger was cooked perfect, was about half pound and was not greasy at all. The soft sesame bun was perfect and did not overwhelm the burger, a gripe I have often with local burgers.  This beef has great flavor and hit the spot. Also ordered the sweet potato fries. These were very soggy which I will blame on take out. Need to try these and regular fries eating in next time. Tried my friends shake. The real deal. Too thick to drink with a straw and delicious.
This place is a winning concept. Blows away their competition in their space such as Five Guys.  Lots of great topping options that I look forward to trying.
4 - Lori H.: I always call this place "Bobby's Burger World".  Seems to fit better.  Anywho, I haven't had a burger, but I am in LOVE with the Napa Chicken and the LA Chicken.  Both are delicious.  And the sweet potato fries with horseradish honey mustard dipping sauce are the best I've had.  Good place for lunch or even casual dinner, but don't go if you're in a hurry.  Even if you call ahead, plan to wait at least 10 minutes for your order.  Worth it, if you ask me :)
3 - Kendyl C.: Sweet potato fries weren't impressive, but cooked well. The honey mustard that people were raving about wasn't all that delicious. The Santa Fe chicken breast sandwich was yummy, although I could've done without the corn chips. 

I will say that I'll go back and want to try a different sandwich cause there are a few different options that peaked my interest. 

The staff was super friendly. No complaints there. 

I'd recommend, but advise the person to check out the menu first.
2 - KJ S.: I've been here 3 times, because I wanted to be fair when writing a review and not judge things by one or two potentially sub-par experiences. I suppose I went with high hopes since Bobby Flay has his name all over this joint, but I'm sure that if Bobby made burgers like these, he wouldn't be as famous as he is. Don't get me wrong, they aren't bad. They just aren't anything special, and definitely not worth the price you pay for them. The sweet potato fries are good, but again, probably not worth the price. 

I like the various sauces and the cool, retro-style decor. It's a good place to go eat lunch by yourself and not feel like that weird lonely person. It's not a good person for a large group because you probably won't all find seats together in the cafeteria style seating.
4 - Aaron T.: Had the LA Burger.  Avocado, lettuce, tomato & cheese.  Cooked medium rare to perfection with sweet potato fries to round it out.  The best part is Flay's side sauces.  Chipotle ketchup, jalapeno hot sauce.  Much more interesting than yellow mustard and heinz.  Would rate the place higher, but it'll take a few repeat performances to prove its not a fluke.
4 - Nooreen D.: There is a wait especially while looking for a seat, but that's followed it by delicious burgers. Have been back many times.
3 - Chris G.: It was ok but nothing amazing. I think it might be getting some extra love because of its cool look.
2 - Kennedy T.: I have a love/hate relationship with Bobby Flay overall ... my sentiments also reign true with his restaurant. 

Bobby's Burger Palace is more about the "semi cool" atmosphere than it is about the food. The burgers are not bad - but they're not fantastic either. Stay away from the margaritas - you'll be mad that you wasted your money...
4 - Carter P.: This was my first time in the University District of Philly. I was there for Penn Model Congress with a group of friends (which for some reason was mostly vegetarians). Anyway, this place has stellar service and the environment is second to none. The burgers are customizable and absolutely delicious. My only complaint is that our burgers were unusually greasy. Other than that, this is a burger place worthy of Bobby Flay's name!
4 - Stacy B.: At there best the burgers are AMAZING! But every now and then when it get's a hectic the burgers can come out under cooked or not how you asked. Over al it's definitely worth it. It usually comes up to about $12, which is very average where ever you go for a good burger.

They only draw back is the seating arrangement. It looks better than it functions. 

My only advise is to get the rewards card, the first time you go, because you'll definitely be back!
4 - Emily W.: Go for the classic burger here- American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion, on a lightly toasted sesame bun. Mine was cooked to a perfect medium and was juicy and flavorful. Two of my gripes with many of the  fancier, pricier gastropub burgers is that they are just too big to get your mouth around and that the bun often overwhelms the patty. This one gets it right on both counts. 

Another thing worth ordering: the sweet potato fires with honey mustard. They're addicting. 

My boyfriend has tried some of the specialty burgers there, but we both agree that the classic is where it's at.
3 - Lorie D.: As a regular at BBP's, I'm sorry to say that our last 2 visits have been a bit disappointing.  Dirty countertops, overcooked or undercooked burgers that took 30 minutes to replace when we brought this to a server's attention.  This location doesn't seem to be as tightly run as it used to be.
5 - Mikki K.: Finally I hit Bobby's Burger Palace with all of the mixed reviews swirling around in my head and I didn't exactly know what to expect.  I knew I wasn't about to get a milkshake just before Thanksgiving....  ya know?  :-)

So I get the L.A. Burger (Turkey) and Sweet Potato Fries.....

The Turkey Burger juice just missed my eye when I bit into it!  Wow!  A Juicy Turkey Burger????  I was speechless!  Good thing, I had a mouth full of burger!!!
The Chipotle Ketchup I topped it off with complimented the mild taste of the avocado and the greenery on top!  The bun was so good, I'm hoping they didn't butter it!  But if they did, I understand why!  

Now on to the Sweet Potato Fries....I'm a fan for life.... the honey mustard horseradish sauce was not too spicy...I can't deal with too much heat and so it was just enough. 
They were sweet potato bliss!

I shall return....
5 - Chrisna S.: I remember coming here with a group of friends a few weeks ago, on a Saturday night. It was quite busy, I already had the impression that this place would be worth eating in. With a decent amount of burgers to choose, I chose the Crunchburger (their new one). Simple as it sounds, it was just a burger with potato chips. A friend bought all of us fries and it was pretty crunchy and delicious, with 2 side dipping with
it. Service was on point, even when it was busy, I even got a free drink. When we sat down, there were sauces to choose from on the tables. Not only the simple ole ketchup was among them, but also BBQ - Chipotle - Hot Sauce and some other sauce was on there. It was convenient. 
 My burger tasted great, atmosphere was fine - and I honestly have to say.. this is one of the best burger places I've been to.
3 - Gib B.: I ordered Avocado Relish.... It wasn't as good as i expected, maybe b/c I didn't eat fresh, I took it home. And the burger size was pretty small comparing to the price.
3 - Victoria L.: This place was a great addition to University City. Quality burgers down the street from McDonalds! Especially now that Marathon is closed *cries*. 

Giant onion rings are yummy, especially with the different sauces. (Way better than fries.) Alcohol all tastes good, but don't expect to get drunk. Personally, I think the ordering/seating system is annoying but not enough to deter me.
5 - Matt C.: Killer burgers.  My only complaint is that it's a bit on the expensive side, but I guess that's to be expected with the famous name attached to the establishment plus the swanky furnishings.  

I go for the Bobby's blue burger.  Really hits the spot.  Get it with bacon and you got a real winner.  Every other burger I've seen also looks great.

The sweet potato fries are really really good, and I'm not one who usually likes sweet potato items.  

Milkshakes are AMAZING.  haven't tried the spiked ones but I'm sure they're on point too.

Tends to be a line of weekends, but this place runs like a well-oiled machine.  No matter how long the line is, I have NEVER waited more than 15 minutes and I have NEVER been unable to find a seat.
4 - Miguel R.: Spend the extra $2 and opt to go here instead of McDonald's - it's not nearly as good as Village Whiskey, but you're also paying about 1/5th the price.  

It gets a little overcrowded at times, but they've got a fun menu, and a nice relaxed ambiance to the place.
4 - Shivon R.: The burger's are pretty tasty, but a bit on the expensive side. $6 for a plain burger, and $7-8 for a specialty burger. I also had some of the sweet potato fries, which were delicious. Has a fun retro feel to it and unique seating/set up that you can't really see from the street.
3 - Morgan D.: I was actually intending to get lunch at Saad's but they increased their card minimum to $30. I left on principle. Since I'd been meaning to try Bobby's Burger Palace anyway so i swung back around to give it a shot.

There is a lot to love here. I really like the setup with the long, wavy bar and the communal tables. I like the assortment of condiments available. The service was unenthusiastic, but friendly and fast. 

I ordered the Napa Burger and it was seriously one of the best cooked burgers i've ever eaten. It was positively gushing juices and cooked to a perfect medium. The goat cheese and arugula were a good accompaniment. 

Now the negative. Either the meyer lemon honey mustard if void of flavor or they forgot to put it on my sandwich. I used some of the available "burger sauce" to compensate for the missing sweetness and tang. I was really disappointed, the honey mustard was a big part of what sold me on the burger in the first place. 

Also, while the beef was perfectly cooked, it wasn't flavorful at all. it could have used some salt on the outside and just more beef flavor in general. It didnt really taste like much of anything. Just a base for toppings and condiments. 

If i go back and have a better experience, i'll be sure to update. But i don't picture myself going back there when i can just as easily have a delicious Sketch Burger.
3 - Arshi b.: we have been here twice, we had an awesome experience the first time. Last time we had family out of town, and we thought taking them here would be perfect. Except, our onion rings never made to the table, my salad was soo salty( if i had high blood pressure, i would def. end up in a hospital because of hte excessive salt), the waitress who we approached was unapologetic and actually had an attitude. I expected more from a name brand "bobby flay". why is service in philadelphia hit or miss, i dont understand why people are soo lazy. No one prides in their work.
1 - Joey T.: I went there three times. 
The first time I went, I was in burger heaven. 

But the second time, my friend was getting verbally assaulted by a REALLY aggressive employee there. She was sitting at a table saving a seat for me while I was picking up our food. He shouted that the tables are for customers only. "Do you not see this bag in my hand?!" He came off very aggressive, telling us we shouldn't be here and have to go. Racist much? I thought it was just a fluke - maybe a guy was just a jerk. 

Third time I went by myself, and it was just as bad. Employees being aggressive, and just hassling customers. What the hell happened? During the summer, everyone was polite and there were a lot of happy workers. 

Is there apparently a 'no ethnics minorities' at this place now? Cause I'm getting really bad service here and I don't think I can come here again.
5 - Miss L.: I've been to Bobby's Burger Palace a few times and every time I come the food is always good. The burgers itself are seasoned really well. It's not just masked by cheese and other toppings. The milkshakes are the best. I love getting the onion rings. The are huge and the sweet onion makes it all the best. Don't get discouraged if you see the place packed. It moves pretty quick. There whole system is sit, eat, and go. It's not a place where you sit for hours and chit chat. So that's why the line and wait moves so quickly.
3 - Laura H.: Good but not great. I've been here twice and I have to say the sweet potato and regular fries are by far the best I've had in a long time. Perfectly crunchy on the outside with a soft center and great dipping sauces. Why I give it a three stars is for the burgers themselves. I found them to be bland and rather average. For a Bobby Flay place I just expected something more. Not a bad meal but not amazing.
4 - Nikkia M.: Loooove the sweet potatoe fries!!
3 - Emmelyn C.: Went here for lunch on a week day around midday - zero wait (could have been because of the holidays), but it was filling up by the time we left.  Tried the buffalo burger with sweet potato fries and a pistachio milkshake.  The buffalo burger was ok - not sure if they forgot to put on the buffalo sauce on, but I couldn't really taste it.  The bleu cheese sauce wasn't that strong tasting (which is a good thing for me!) but kind of overwhelmed the flavour of the beef (which was cooked to medium as requested) and left the flavour of the burger unbalanced.  A couple of squirts of the burger sauce (kind of like bbq, but with more of a honey flavour) and the chipotle ketchup (yum) helped a lot.

The sweet potato fries were FABULOUS (I liked them better than the burger!).  Perfectly crisp on the outside!  And the honey mustard sauce had the right amount of bite to it.  Yum.  The pistachio shake was also tasty with good pistachio flavour (though a little sweet for my taste).

Service was perfectly pleasant and helpful.

3 stars because the burger should be more mind blowing from a burger place!  Shake Shack is still better overall, but I would come back for the sweet potato fries ;)
5 - Kasey E.: Seriously good burgers. Great "adult" shakes. Service was quick and friendly. Loved my burger "crunchified".  I will be back.
4 - Abbe F.: Went for a quick bite before the movies and enjoyed every bit.  The Dallas burger (spice crust, cheese, slaw, barbecue sauce and pickles) was tasty and cooked just as I requested.  The onion rings were wonderful, and the large $4.50 glass of wine was a bargain.  The service was very attentive, and two of us got out for $32 including tip.
4 - Sara X.: Love the sweet potato fries! L.A burger is wonderful:) Recommend the dark chocolate milk shake for chocolate fans!
3 - Kristen H.: First off, the place is a bit pricey for what it is.  Although some aspects were very good, overall, I'd have to say that Burger Palace doesn't really live up to Bobby's reputation.  Everything on the menu sounds wonderful, so choosing may take a while, although the menu is actually somewhat small.  Lots of gourmet burgers and shakes in tons of yummy flavors, such as coconut, mango, mocha, and more.  

When I got my burger, the one with the goat cheese, there was really no pop of flavor as expected.  The bun was very nice, and I was especially appreciative of the fact that they had seedless buns available since I, unfortunately, can't eat sesame seeds.  Everything tasted very fresh, but for goat cheese, I was shocked at the lack of a tangy bite.  The patty, although definitely a better quality than other places, was not amazing and was seasoned much less than I would have preferred.  Everything on the burger was very mild in flavor and there was no real textural variety.  I felt like it was all soft and everything kind of blended together.  However, I must say that got one thing absolutely perfect.  Burger Palace has THE best sweet potato fries--perfect thickness, awesome crispiness, added crispiness from the coarse salt, mmm!  Usually sweet potato fries are just wrong in some many ways--sugared instead of salted, soggy rather than crispy, and cut far too thin to not be limp and boring.  Bobby's Burger Palace, however, gets it absolutely perfect.

The milkshakes are very good.  They're fresh-tasting and creamy without being overly so and not overly sweet either.  I had the coconut and it was so yummy and clean-tasting.  At first sip you're kinda like "hey, what the heck?  I ordered coconut, not vanilla..." and then, BAM!  in comes this fresh burst of coconut flavor, mmmmmm!  The flakes of coconut are very fine, which I appreciated, because they weren't big enough to crock the texture.

Overall, things were ok, not bad at all, but certainly not worth neither the price nor the hype.  I am still a bit shocked since everything sounded so great on the menu.  I still don't get how my burger ended up a bit bland.  ::shrug::  I guess come for milkshakes and fries and you shall not be disappointed.
4 - Ben F.: Let's get this straight. I think this place is fun. 

I came here after a seven and a half hour shift, of which four and a half were at a front desk doing coverage for an extra shift. I was slowly going into hibernation mode. 
This time around I asked for just the Napa Burger because I wasn't exactly ready to be stuffed to the brim with fat burger, fries and a shake. The wine haven of california stands out on the menu as one of the more healthy options. Please compare the land of vineyard to the potato chip slam of the Crunch or the wiz of the Philly.  The adjective fresh, which I in my opinion can be considered vague modifying the goat cheese on the menu, did the job.

...Watercress, Meyer lemon honey mustard...they're aiming to please the open wanting to be sated mouth of the epicurean.

This thick patty was rarer than medium rare, okay considering that it wasn't raw, great considering the taste. Picture a juicy, bloody red, buttery creation and that's a fair ostentation of Burgerdom. A critique I have it that is there was not enough cheese to spread the love. However, I was satisfied, if not by the bi-characteristic contrast of so much juice and so sparse cheese, then by that one perfect bite of excellence.
I slept well that night. 

The atmosphere, a composition of multiple shiny tables of students, families with a habit for nice fast food, people in there for the old moment of a wild sandwich, was cut into by a thoroughfare of employees busing between people noming. A couple suits sitting next to us, talking about a plan I had for my new job, were uncharacteristically in the land of greasy sweet potato fries and magic.
4 - Kate D.: Overpriced but filled the burger bliss craving me & my man were having this past Sunday. Now these burgers sure weren't any Charlie's burgers (Folsom PA) but they sure were juicy, filling & definitely worth a 2nd trip!

Best surprise to the meal - Sweet Potato Fries/dipping sauce & there buns were out of this world. 

I indulged in Dallas Burger that consisted of some tangy BBQ Sauce, Coleslaw and monterary jack cheese. It had a crunch to it as well. . And everything tastes better with a crunch!
4 - Wade G.: This is a fun burger joint.  Retro style and very tasty burgers.  Alcoholic milkshakes are incredible!!!!!  Must go to!
1 - Kevin b.: Today me and a friend decided to try out the Bobby Flay place in University City. First let me say that I've never been moved by anything Bobby has ever made on the Food Network so I should have known I wouldn't like the food. Surprise! I hated it. When I was being served my meal my first thought was," That thing looks tiny to be $7.00+". Then I bit into my sandwhich. YUCK!!! They dump big chunks of salt on everthing which made it all taste like I was eating a box of Morton salt (the salt & the box) but with NO REAL FLAVOR!!!! How in the world is it possible that one meal can have so much freakin salt but somehow still taste like a shoe? I've had frozen burgers from the grocery store taste better. Guess what? I would have enjoyed anything on McDonalds menu better then the overpriced, overhyped crap I got at the so called "Burger Palace". The next time I want to run my pressure up & risk a heart attack from eating tons of salt, I'm heading straight to to Micky D's or Burger King where at least I know the food tastes good & I"ll get what I pay for.
4 - Danielle M.: When it comes to burger joints, I am a bit skeptic and don't always go in with the best attitude.  Usually the order is missing something, fries are cold or the burger is over cooked.  This wasn't the case at Bobby's.  The cashier that greeted me for my order was beyond friendly and also patient.   The prices are a little high, however I was willing.  I opted for dining in and was given a number and grabbed a seat at the counter.  It was there that someone came over to check in to see if I needed water or anything else while I waited.  Exceeded my expectations for a place without a waitstaff.  My pistachio milkshake was heavenly with a rich full flavor.  I ordered the LA burger with an avocado relish, cheddar cheese, water cress and tomato.  It came out medium rare just as I asked and the meat was juicy and the other toppings were very fresh.  The fries (in a steak fry form) were piping hot.  The only thing I didn't like was the chipotle ketchup it came with, then again I'm not big when it comes to condiments.  Received another check in from the staff which was appreciated.  Overall really great!  I live/ work in center city area however it is worth the trek over to the west.
4 - Sara N.: Delicious Burgers and fries with no fuss.

This place serves delicious all american burgers with any toppings you could think of. you can even sub in ground turkey or chicken instead of beef. Its better burgers than what some of the popular bars serve. (e.g. PYT)
service is friendly and fast. 
A great option for a no frill fast food burger thats not greasy and is well prepared.
4 - Alex T.: Bobbys Burgers is a great addition to the University City area scene for a good lunch or dinner. Their servers are always kind and enthusiastic. While it is a little pricey, the food is always delicious. May want to avoid it when it is super crowded though, because it can take a while for your food when it's packed.

I usually like to go with the Buffalo burger w/ provolone. One good tip: always order your burger a little more well done than you would like it... their scale seems to lean a little on the rare side.
5 - Sarah D.: Let me start this out by saying I didn't really intend on going here ever, because I am not a fan of Bobby Flay.

This place opened after I'd already moved across the company, and last week was the first time I was able to try it. I loved the restaurant's ordering style (order, pay, get food brought to you), and the wait for the food wasn't long at all. I had an "LA burger" which had guacamole relish and chedder cheese. I thought it was fabulous (oh, they also ask you how you want your burger cooked when you order, so points for that, too). The fries were pleasantly salty with an interesting sauce to dip them in. Friend and I split a black and white shake which was probably one of the best milkshakes I've ever had. I wish I had an opportunity to go back and try different burgers! Next to Steak N Shake and In N Out, this is one of the best burger chains I've ever been to.
4 - Samantha L.: Though a little pricey and somewhat kitschy, I am still a fan of anything Bobby Flay.   With the whole star chef's doing burger phases, you often either get a place like Shake Shack that is very good, but not a place for an entire evening out, or a place like DBGB, that is pretty darn high-end for a simple burger.  This is a good middle ground and perfect for a low-key night out.  The decor is fun and retro, the options are plentiful for how you can dress up your burger, the vanilla milk shake is delicious, and the french fries hit the spot.  The price tag is more than McDonald's, but that's obviously to be expected.  I just wish it was not in University City and filled with college students!
4 - Joanna H.: I love this place. It is definitely one of my favorite burger joints in philly. It's not as good as a $16+ burger from places like Whiskey Village of course, but for the $6.50-&8.50 burgers they serve here, I would give a 4/5stars. Last time i came here my burger ( i think i had the Dallas burger) was sooo salty and this time I ordered a medium rare instead of medium (which I think is what they normally recommend) but my burger came out to be totally rare. My bun got soggy from the blood and I wasn't feeling too good from drinking the blood instead of chewing the meat. That's why I can't give this place 5 stars. But yes, for the price and type of burger they serve, definitly love bobby's burger palace!
4 - John D.: Great burgers, plus they have some cool "adult" milkshakes and serve beer and wine.  The atmosphere is kind of like a "modern diner" but the food was great!
4 - Josh A.: Burgers are tasty and cooked to your liking. Fries are well-portioned. Service is friendly and fast. Seating area is spacious and appealing.

If all of that wasn't enough, I would go here for the condiment selection alone.
Fry Sauce, burger sauce, and chipotle ketchup. I could do shots of those and be happy.
2 - Gary V.: Burgers are good no doubt, but I have to say the service is terrible. Especially from the cashiers who  could care less if you ever came back or not. They messed up my order two of the three times I have been there. Yea, the burgers are good but its hard to justify getting frustrated before even get to enjoy the burger. Nice try in Philly Mr. Flay...but unforetunately you have a bunch of baboons running this place.
3 - Lilli C.: Ordered the Bobby Blue burger medium with blue cheese, lettuce, tomato and bacon.  The burger came out well done so it was a little dry.  The burger was also SUPER messy!  They also add some kind of sauce to the burger which made it really drippy and the bun was sopping wet.  My boyfriend got the Miami burger (w/ ham & swiss cheese) which I liked a lot more, and his was cooked to a perfect medium.

The onion rings were big and delicious, but could have been a bit crispier.  The black & white shake was awesome. I love fat bubble tea straws they give you to slurp it up with.  All the sodas were flat from the fountain and it was also out of ice.  

I'd probably come back again to try a different burger.
4 - Mary R.: Love burgers of this place!
4 - Andrew H.: it was decent, not outstanding, not overpriced, it seemed like the cheddar was high quality
4 - Paulash B.: The burgers are a bit smaller than I would like for the price, but the flavor is undeniable.  As someone that has spent a lifetime happily clogging his arteries with delicious cheeseburgers, the flavor of these burgers is next to perfection.  My favorite is the Buffalo Style Burger (crunchified, of course).  The milk shakes are also nothing to shake a fist at.
4 - Sean H.: I've had mixed results here. I went on opening day, which was a disaster. Long line, obviously, and they were so slammed that they just couldn't get all the orders right. I understand that, though, so I forgave them my soggy, undercooked burger and promised to try again. When I did, the hype had died down a bit and they had the capacity to actually churn out some very yummy burgers. My favorite part, though, is the condiments. I love trying different ones on my burger and/or fries. So yummy. I make it a point to go back regularly after work.
4 - Meg A.: For what it is - a celebrity chef burger place - the price is not bad at all.
The burgers themselves are nice and juicy and a decent size.  I can get behind that. I do love a big old burger!
The fries and onion rings are FABULOUS!
I also enjoy that there are sauces on the table for you to use on the burger. It is fun to mix them and experiment.
I order medium here that way it comes out medium rare.  Remember, this place IS ultimately owned by a guy who is REALLY serious abou how meat is cooked.  If you order rare, prepare for it to MOO!
4 - Sarang K.: Price is OK.
Taste is pretty good.
Ambiance is great.
Noise level is high.
Company was excellent.
Location is superb.
Parking is annoying.
Food was slow(er than I expected). I mean if Bobby Flay can do five crazy dishes in 60 minutes, you better be able to cook a burger in less than 10 minutes. I guess not mutually exclusive, but I was very hungry.

Onion rings were AMAZING.
Love that they have the four/five sauces in the middle at every table. 
Taste to satisfaction.
Burger was too big (as in tall) and difficult to eat but the patty was marvelous.
4 - Elena C.: After a looooooooong afternoon of house hunting, T and I wanted nothing more than to stuff our faces. Quickly. We got to BBP at just the right time, no line. By the time we placed our order (with the very nice cashier) and took a seat at the counter, the line was almost out the door. 

It took about 5-10 minutes for our burgers to arrive which sucked since we were so hungry but on an ordinary day, this would have been no matter. I ordered the dark chocolate milkshake which was the first item to arrive, soon followed by my order of French fries. This combination of foods is right up there with chocolate and peanut butter. The shake was think and rich, the fries were salty and crunchy and served with a tangy dipping sauce. Yum. Then my Crunchburger arrived. Solo. Apparently our waitress had given T's order away to another patron. If he was writing this review I have a feeling it would be two-three stars. :) However, my burger was cooked to perfection. The potato chips were salty and crunchy, the burger was cheesy and juicy. Delish. It really hit the spot. 

When T's burger finally did arrive he said it was just okay. He had the Santa Fe Burger with queso, jalapenos and blue corn chips. We didn't see any evidence of blue corn chips. I think he was disappointed with his order. He had a bite of my mine and proclaimed it much better. He also had the onion rings which I didn't think were as good as the fries but that's just my personal opinion.

Me? I thought Bobby's was awesome. T? I don't think he's raring to go back. :)
3 - Rachel M.: Bobby's Burger Palace has an amazing staff. They are courteous, helpful and always willing to modify your order to your exact specifications. It also has a wide array of delicious sauces, I recommend the chipotle ketchup (has a bit of a kick) and the burger sauce (sort of like bbq sauce but better). They make really good medium burgers, nice and juicy. BUT their burgers have no flavor! It's crazy considering it costs at least 7 bucks but it's so boring. The bun is very chewy too. The milkshakes are really good, I personally love the coffee. It's very smooth and easy to drink thru a straw.
3 - Chris W.: I enjoyed my first and only experience here.  It was a long time ago so I forget what I even got but I remember it being on the smaller side and sloppy.

They also serve beer which is always nice.  Big selection and you can customize your burger with anything you want

Worth a visit (If your in University City)
4 - Eric B.: Im addicted to this place. The burgers are fantastic. The service is pretty good. The set up of the seats don't make me want to eat in, so I just pick up and leave. The price is reasonable. I wish they had a loyalty card like most other fast casual restaurants.
3 - Mary S.: Let me start this review by informing you that since my first trip here, I've begun dreaming about these burgers on a fairly regular basis. I've tried a number of the burgers here, the Dallas and Santa Fe were both excellent, but at the end of the day I usually stick with a Crunch Burger because it's the only option they have that really allows you to enjoy the flavor of the meat. The toppings on the other burgers are great, but a little over powering if you, like me, enjoy your burgers for the quality of the beef you're eating. 

One of my many trips here was with my mother who is notoriously hard to please with food. She was also feeling queasy and a burger wasn't really going to cut it for her stomach, so she ordered the grilled cheese and proclaimed it the best grilled cheese she's ever had. 

My only complaint is on the service when the restaurant is even somewhat crowded. Service can be fairly disorganized if they're even slightly full, which means that sometimes your burger will come out ten minutes before your milkshake or, even worse, you'll see your milkshake or burger waiting in the window but no waiter can take the time to pick it up and bring it to you and it's melted  or cold by the time they've brought it over. 

It's also a pretty solid choice for take-out, though you have to time your order carefully. They ought to have a separate take-out line because if you arrive at the same time as a lot of other people, you (again) may have to watch your food get cold in the window while you wait in line. Burgers that come with chips on them usually are a bit soggy by the time you get them home.
2 - Krystal A.: I was expecting the best burgers ever. They did cook my burger exactly how I wanted, but I have had better tasting burgers. Not sure its worth the $ average of $8 for burger-- doesn't include fries (another $3.5), then add cost of drink. Does have liquor licence which is nice.
4 - Nam N.: They have the best burger
5 - Allison B.: I had no intention of day drinking on Saturday, March 10. "The Erin Express is stupid," I told Zack H and friends. We're not in college anymore. And it's not even St. Patrick's Day. 

By 4:30pm, I was in University City and my caloric consumption for the day had added up to 1 piece of toast, 2 egg whites and 4 Coors Lights. I was getting a little lightheaded watching the Drexel dance team grind up on each other at the Blockley and I needed to eat. To Bobby's Burger Palace we went.

It's hard to find a turkey burger (or black bean burger, for that matter) that isn't "southwestern" themed. You can keep your chipotle mayo and your mango salsa, thanks. I was overjoyed that I could pick from nearly a dozen different themed burgers and ANY of them could be made with ground turkey (or chicken!). Not sure why there isn't a veggie burger option. Bobby, get on it.

I chose the L.A. Burger, which came topped with watercress, avocado, cheddar cheese and tomato. Can you say perfection? Juicy, flavorful meat with a great patty:bun ratio. The bun held onto the toppings with strength and diligence. The sweet potato fries were pretty good, but I think I'd choose regular next time (even though they are the same price). 

The ordering system was easy. Order your burger up front and they bring it to you. I had a grand time imagining an angry Bobby Flay (https://twitter.com/#!/angrybobbyflay) in the kitchen while I waited for my meal. Not sure why people are complaining about prices. Two burgers, an order of fries and two beers came to $25. 

We came, we ate, we conquered. Then we moved to the next bar.
4 - John L.: I really liked this place. I went in thinking I was going to be paying $18 for a hamburger. I was so wrong! 

I took my dad for lunch and he had the Bobby Blue Burger and I had the LA Burger. We both really liked the burgers. A lot. They were only about $7.00 each which I think was totally worth it for a GOOD, FRESH, BIG burger. TGIFridays charges more than that for a crap-burger that is covered in salt.

Also the sweet potato fries ($3.00 for a good sized portion) were EXCELLENT.

I liked the decor of the place, very 60s/70s style, no clutter, no license plates stapled to the walls, etc. You can sit at the counter or at communal tables. Very bright and cheery. Also, the waitress was very nice and knew a lot about the menu.

I would definitely go again and actually I look forward to it. My only fear is that on the weekends it is probably inaccessible because the food is so good.
4 - Dayna R.: Delicious! MY only complaint it... having to pay separately for fries.... Burgers are meant to come with fries, without having to pay an extra $3. I always get the burger with jalapenos and tortilla chips on it (forget the name) but I have never been disappointed, except for the one time I decided to be different and get the burger of the month, which was only okay. Also, one time I went and ordered a medium well, and my burger was bleeding, which kind of freaked me out. Overall though, I like the atmosphere and the burgers (almost) never disappoint.
5 - Michelle J.: Wow! You haven't had a real burger unless you have tried a Bobby Flay-style burger... The sweet potato fries were very good without being overly salty, and there are different kinds of burgers for every individual out there. Check this place out; you won't be disappointed!
2 - Gabby F.: I was pretty disappointed by this place. The burgers are good and so are the fries, but I wouldn't pay that much for something when you have to order fries and drink separate. The shakes were thin and the service wasn't very quick the few times I went there. I won't be going there again unless someone else treats me.
3 - Ray H.: Maybe it is just me but if you are advertising yourself as a burger place why no classic burgers? Could be that it seemed like half the burgers have tomatoes or tomato based sauce on them and having a bad allergy there makes it tough to order. I do have to say the staff where very nice but only having a choice of guac or chips on my hamburger didn't really excite me.
4 - Scott H.: Initially I was going to give bobby's burger palace 3 stars, after my first visit. However, based on my recent dining experience I will have to bump them up a star. I dont know if my first visit was on an off day, but my most recent visit was a very nice one. I am not saying this is the best burger in the city, but there are many things I like about the place.

1. the service has always been good
2. the place is very clean
3. The burgers are cheap (7 or 8 bucks)
4. its quick and easy
5. its close to the rave movie theater
6. the onion rings & the dallas burger (bbq sauce and cole slaw)
3 - Andrea V.: For me, this place is just ok.  That's not to say the burgers aren't good.  They're tasty enough for me to have gone 3-4 times since BBP opened (once with a friend who idolizes Bobby Flay, and a few more times when I was in the neighborhood and in need of a quick dinner).  Unfortunately, the food here is just not as special or ridiculously delicious as you expect it to be when you hear all the hype.

Two main gripes:

1. I really wanted to like the turkey burger option, since I'm not a tremendous fan of beef after a little run-in with post barbecue e-coli a few years ago.  However, I've had  better turkey burgers at other places and prepared by my own hands. 

2.  Every option I've tried here has a wacky ratio of toppings and condiments.  There's either way too much sauce so the other tastes are overpowered, or not enough sauce so the bun is dry.  If the burger is supposed to include a certain veggie or the like, there is one little piece of said addition and you can barely taste it.

Maybe I've just been there on off days, but how many off days can a place have before it's considered a pattern?  I mean, this place is supposed to be all about the burgers, but I haven't been completely satisfied with any of the burgers I've tried.

On the positive side, the sweet potato fries are delicious, as are the shakes.  The soda fountains are self-service so you can get as many refills as you want.  And I have to say, the staff has been exceptionally nice and helpful each time I've been there.
5 - Andrea T.: first I want to share with you how much I loathe Bobby Flay. I used to watch throw down just to see him squirm. 

N, was all like lets go get a burger. So, my savvy I don't want to feel gross plan worked. We split the cubano burger which was awesome, an order of onion rings and a vanilla shake. I know I kill at ordering. 

The onion rings were killer. Only 4 or 5 but worth it. They are perfectly coated and not too greasy. So good. 

The vanilla shake had homemade freshly whipped cream on top, and vanilla was a stellar choice in a wake of a zillion other flavors. It was pure and simple yet luscious and exotic. 

The burger was basically a cubano with a burger in it. However, they pressed the whole thing and the sesame seeds sort of caramelized almost. I think its probably the best burger on the menu except the blue one....trying that one next. 

It was a cheap date about 20-something and we still had room for capo giro next door! Score!
4 - Venus V.: delicious food! i always get the crunch burger with sweet potato fries. not a lot of places serve sweet potato fries so i was excited to see that here. the burgers taste great and are cooked pretty quickly. the only reason i'm not giving it 5 stars is that it is still just a burger and fries, so putting down $11 (without a drink) seems like a bit much. but i still go and love the food.
2 - John P.: So I'm not the type to write negative reviews-- in fact, i would ordinarily never write a review unless the restaurant deserved five stars, and was relatively unknown at that! However, a number of things really disappointed me about the Burger Palace to the extent that I feel I need to speak up-- the problems I encountered were not necessarily with the food or the ingredients, and thus they could be easily solved. When I went, there were very few people in the restaurant, being past the lunch rush hour. The two people on the floor were so caught up in their conversations that they did not notice that my food was up. It sat there for a few minutes. The cook behind the counter never said anything to anyone... he just stood there watching my plate, staring at the back of one of the chatting servers in front of him. And I don't begrudge the servers their conversation at all-- it's just that someone should be keeping an eye on whether any food comes out. I got the impression that he took satisfaction in doing only his required duties, and not a single thing more. The burger was warm--- and very tasty. The fries were bone cold and moist-- they must have been done way before even the burger. I liked the dipping sauce a lot, but it's hard to enjoy when the fries are cold. This is the second time (out of two times that I've gone) that the fries have been cold (to be fair, last time they were lukewarm). I would suggest that they either not make fries in advance, or simply bring people their fries as they are done so that people have hot fries. I did not dare mention this to one of the servers-- they give off unfriendly enough vibes already, and I would not want to rub them the wrong way in the event that I return (which I undoubtedly will, due to the dearth of serious burger options around Penn).
4 - Elizabeth B.: This is where I head when I'm craving a grilled cheese and a pickle. (Who am I kidding, I am always craving a pickle)

I know it's a "burger" place but since I don't eat meat and they don't serve a veggie burger, the grilled cheese (which comes with tomato) fits the bill. 

Sweet potato fries are also good!

Pro tip: during the school year the place is flooded around 1215. Come early or come late!
4 - Mariana B.: I really like the food here, and I don't even eat meat! But I like the fries and the onion rings and the shakes! Can't go there very often but try go there whenever I'm in the area.
4 - Douglas K.: Great burger.  Maybe a little more pricey than I'd like, but I was happy when I left.
4 - Liz K.: This concept blew my mind. Never before have I heard of gourmet burgers on a fast-food timeline (sorry folks, I love In-N-Out too, but that just doesn't count). Maybe I'm late to the game? Wouldn't be the first time. 

In any case, the burger selection is between 7 and 8, I think. They also have a few different options for sides as well as a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. If I had a bottomless stomach, I definitely would have ordered a spiked milkshake - um, delicious much? But I ended up with the Santa Fe burger, sweet potato fries, and a beer. The burger was excelente; pepper jack cheese (I think?) with jalapeños and corn chips, but the fries were only so-so. I prefer more of a strong salty taste with sweet potato fries if they're being paired with a honey horseradish sauce (which I forgot to mention...they are), so that was the only part of the meal that let me down. 

I wish I had one of these near me! My only recommendation would be to come with only one or a couple other people. The tables are basically all common so it wouldn't be likely to get a large number of seats together.
4 - Amy S.: Didn't try a burger here, but seem interesting.

If I had to judge this place based off the milkshake I got and the service, it's a 4.

Milkshake was pretty good! There were like.. weird solid pieces of coffee (I guess) in the drink.. and also the service was.. pretty slow.. I mean yeah there was a lot of people, but still! Kind of rude too..
4 - Tina C.: Great burgers! Great fries! Great adult milkshakes!! The food is so tasty.  Again, only 4 stars because of the location, it kinda takes awhile to get your food, limited seating, and it is pricy because of the name...BOBBY FLAY of course! :-) I would go back though!
3 - Ettya F.: Bobby Flay and I have embarked on a great many adventure together. We've baked the ultimate pretzel, throwing down with the Philadelphia Pretzel Boys. We've razed the steel, sterile walls of Kitchen Stadium, defeating lofty contender Marcus Samuelsson. And we've explored assembling the simple yet imitable BBQ dessert: grilled pineapple topped with vanilla bean ice cream and doused with caramel sauce. In all of these escapades, Bobby and I emerged victorious. 

Yet one escapade remained: I needed to consume one of Bobby's famed burgers. This time, though, it was a solo mission. Bobby could not join. As the flame master, his signature item ought to glisten like an oasis in Death Valley. 

Unfortunately, my oasis quickly metamorphosed into a chimeric puddle on an urban sidewalk speckled with weeds and adorned with cracks. A "medium" burger translated to "medium well." Pink now means light brown.Fresh goat cheese  of the Napa Valley Burger made it into alternating bites, and the Meyer Lemon Honey Mustard sauce, which would have added much needed moisture, was as illusory as Fountain of Youth.

The sweet potato fries would have been fine - had they been salted...at all. (Protip: order them "to go" and you'll get more.) The cola shake, a lyrical, whimsical idea, proved nothing more than vanilla ice cream blended to creamy perfection with a mere shot of generic cola flavor. It wasn't horrible, but certainly not worth its weight in calories.
1 - Romualda M.: Is it me or does Bobby already have too much money he doesn't deserve more of mine? He has an interesting concept enough. I think I ordered "wrong" cause my burger sucked. It was too small and burnt. I know that sign out there for the weak hearted was for me. The one that fears bacterial infections from uncooked red meat. 

The service was very patient with me so thanks. Overall too many signs, very confusing. The minute you walk it there is the overwhelming graphics of the larger than life menu adhered to the wall. Those designer out there will like the decor but if you've been smoking too much hash before entering this little establisment you might sh#t your pants. Too many options to mess up, just give me a burger. The seating if that is limited...you'll have to share at one point with some upenn or drexel fool. Sharing tables with strangers sometimes gets annoying. I never liked that about the Melrose dinner either. Why should I share? I avoid Septa for that reason.

Lol just kidding ok this food is lack luster Bob, tell me do you not care anymore? Chipotle doesn't always go with every meal.
2 - Ray B.: Expensive and nothing special.
3 - Tracy N.: If reviews were based on food alone, I would give Bobby's a solid 4-star.  The crafted burgers are delicious even if they aren't as carefully put together as the pictures.  I like my meat medium-rare, but I always order medium after the first time I ordered medium-rare - the burger was literally seared on each side for 10 seconds and my first bite made the patty crumble into raw strands of ground beef, pretty gross as I am not a fan of low quality raw meats.  I gave it another shot, and the next couple of times I went were pretty good and I often crave Bobby's burgers.  

The reason for the 3-star is the service.  So incredibly slow, sometimes taking 30 minutes even when there are only 3 people ahead of me.  Even when I order take-out, my order isn't ready for 30 minutes and the staff is often times clueless as to where my order went.  Sometimes they are nice, more often times they are rude and unhelpful.  After the weeks following opening day, the service took a dive and hasn't been getting any better.  Sad considering I love their burgers, fries, and milkshakes.
2 - Kevin W.: I've eaten at his restaurants in both Atlantic City and Las Vegas and wasn't impressed by either one of them,here's the breakdown
Bun--boring,nothing special about it
Meat--not very well seasoned and pretty boring
Toppings--nice choices which keeps it from being a one starq
3 - Casey K.: It's so sad, because this place opened to such hype, but it has since gone downhill. The clientele, the quality of service ... 'nuff said. They do serve a decent burger and if you're looking a for gut busting meal, BBP is your place.
3 - Janice C.: Despite all the hype around this place (especially when they were opening), I wanted to love it. The few times I ate here when I was in school... I was underwhelmed. The burgers were decent, not terrible.. but nothing to rave about. On the plus side, they do have many options and sweet potato fries. I liked the burgers at Copa Banana better...
3 - Melissa S.: I was in town for the week in University City, and we made it a point to visit Bobby Flay's restaurant. My friend asked the cashier if Bobby Flay ever comes to visit, and he said that he had actually just come by the previous week.

Bobby's Burger Palace is fast casual - you order and pay for your food at the counter, and bring a number back to your table. I believe that the appeal of this place is the inventive burger combinations on the menu, moreso than the quality of the burger itself. You can also order any burger "crunchified," i.e. with potato chips, but I wasn't tempted to try it.

I had the Dallas burger, medium, and a blueberry-pomegranate milkshake, and shared sweet potato fries and onion rings with friends. The Dallas comes with coleslaw, barbeque sauce, and monterey jack cheese. I thought it was OK, but nothing extraordinary. On the small side, really, and extremely messy to eat (make use of those napkins on the table!). My milkshake, however, was delicious! Best part of my visit here.

Hip and trendy space. Aside from my milkshake, I actually enjoyed the ambiance more than I enjoyed the food. Service was friendly and efficient. If I had to judge based on my Dallas burger, I think we have better burgers in Los Angeles, though.
3 - Joe C.: I'm a huge Bobby Flay fan.  Replicating his awesome recipes make me look like a better cook than I really am.  And I think he's more passionate about food than most of his celebrity chefs brethren.

I'm totally on board with the fast casual, lower price point BBB concept but it just didn't grab me the way I thought it would.

Service was fine.  Vanilla milkshake was well above average.  The fries?  I really don't remember them, honestly, which means I guess I didn't hate them.  Now, the burger...

I went "no frills" on my visit - the Palace Classic.  First, as someone who came up on the mean streets of Central PA, I give Chef Flay big ups for using a soft and spongy, sesame-seeded Martin's bun, a far better choice for a burger than any kaiser roll.  Burger itself was moist and tasty.  And, in keeping with my "no frills" approach, I didn't have it crunchified (wait, how do I type the little TM sign thingy) ;) because I really don't see how it adds to the burger experience.

In all honesty, I'd only come back if Chef were making an appearance so he can sign my copy of "Boy Meets Grill".
1 - Danielle P.: Whelp, my last visit will be that... my last.  I ordered my favorite.. the Buffalo Bleu turkey burger. My turkey burger was raw in the middle, but I didn't notice because of the massive amount of blue cheese on it. Once I was halfway through, I realized I was eating virtually raw meat. I did get my money back, however, it was not worth the food poisoning that followed. After bringing it to light on Bobby's Burger Palace facebook page, I was deleted from their page and blocked from posting. I will never be back to this establishment.
4 - Jennifer A.: BBP is my #1 pick for a burger the cashier clearly informed me that the burger are medium well and you have to specify if you want well done, which I did.  My simple American burger was perfection...a little pricey.  The size of the burger is perfect and the texture to great!  I'll stop in again when I'm in the neighborhood!
3 - Kristin E.: Best not to go when it is busy otherwise you could wait a really long time for your food. The burgers are great and there is little to say about service. The more "stuff" there is on the burger the more you can expected it to be messy. I would consider going back
3 - K C.: Overpriced. Large selection of burger types. Fries are good.
2 - V B.: This is my cousins favorite burger spot in Philadelphia. So when she took me to this place I was ready to experience the hype but I was so disappointed. The fries weren't good. I was tempted to walk down to McDonald's a block away for some better tasting fries. The Bobby Blue Cheese Burger (Bacon, Blue Cheese, Tomato Lettuce) was just okay nothing to brag about. There milkshakes are okay. I just don't understand the hype.
5 - Natasha C.: All I can say is all hail the king!

I am totally a red meat kind of girl. Nothing's better to me than a great steak and a good burger, and I can honestly say in my best Drake voice "it's the best I ever had".  Though it doesn't matter much to me, bc as I stated I'm a beef girl, I do like that all the burgers are available in chicken or turkey. I had The Dallas Burger in all it's spiced crusted gloriousness. So I definitely recommend trying that one out. Shake Shack to me is overrated, Five Guys has been a long time favorite of mine but this has pushed them down to second place. Also skip the plain fries and go straight for their sweet potato fries with The honey mustard sauce. Only place I've tasted a better dip for sweet potato fries is Public House. And what's a burger and fries without a milkshake, right! So if you're going to go for it, I say go all the way to home plate and have a Spiked Shake. While their limited 3 options leaves a lot of room to long more flavors they are absolutely delicious. However PYT, over in NoLibs def. Takes the cake with their numerous "adult shakes".

Overall try these burgers they'll make you want to slap your mama.
4 - Matt M.: Just know what you are going in for, we were a little confused because we thought it was a sit down kind of place. This functions like a Five Guys but is much, much better and you wont leave feeling like you need to enter a grease coma, run to the bathroom or shamefully hit a tredmill for three days straight.

I got the blue cheese burger and the only thing I would change is to ask for no cheese other than the blue - had really tasty melted blue on top and it was great but i'm not that much of a cheese person. Burger was ready fast and cooked perfectly. A lot of reviews said the portions are too small... side effect of a obese, overeater country, portions are actually perfectly sized just not the huge ones you'll see elsewhere. 

Sweet potato fries were some of the best i've had too. 

all in all - its a great place for a quick good burger and a cool atmosphere, give it a shot!
3 - Tom Y.: In town for a conference and everyone was like "OMG, you have to go there", I consider myself as a man about the burger so I gave this place a shot.

This place is an upmarket burger joint, set in a casual environment.  The idea works, I m all about grabbing a good burger in shorts and flip-flops but to say the burger here sits at the top tier of burgers for me is something that is not.

There are a number of burger options here off-course, this being a B. Flay's joint, burger was overall good, the fries were okay but is it worth the price of admission, considering with fries and a beverage you are looking at around $13-15? I got a In-n-Out Burger 5 minutes from where I live so, no.  

The spiked milkshakes at about $7.50 was pretty good though, not a lot of booze but I want one and the million or so calories associated with it.
4 - Christian S.: Most definitely not the best burger place in Philadelphia but you really can't go wrong here. Some of the menu items are not for the simple pallet, but if stepping outside the box and experimenting with flavors is your thing then give Bobby's Burger a shot. Oh, and the variation of ketchups is also worth a shot. The only negative thing about this place is that you could leave here wanting another burger for example finishing your lunch and purchasing one to go for dinner.
5 - Shane W.: Yeah, this place rules. I'm not always in the mood for it... but when I'm in the mood for a good burger, I could almost always go for Bobby's.

Tried almost every burger on their menu (gluttonous, I know) and some rate much higher than others, but they are all pretty darn good.

Not as greasy or heavy feeling as some of the other burger-joint models, and a lot more options if you want a different burger. A consistent burger that doesn't fall apart and from my experience is rarely over or under-cooked... in other words, I think they might actually train their cooks how to cook a burger. The sweet potato fries are awesome, regular fries are good too, and there are a plethora of different sauces to try for dipping/topping.

Also... get it Crunchified. You won't regret it.
2 - Katy O.: I sort of despise Bobby Flay, so it took a lot of effort to put aside my disdain for him and walk into this place.  I managed to remain neutral up until the point I bit into my burger, as the layout of the place place is sort of nifty and the menu looked promising.  But wow, I've never had such a bland burger in my life.  For reference, I ordered the classic.  It's not juicy, it's not flavorful.... it's not really anything, except oversized.  The fries were also a big disappointment as well.  Kinda soggy, way too salty.  The sauce that comes with the fries was nothing to write home about, I ditched it for ketchup.  I can only describe this place as being like a Five Guys: same price, minus the flavor.

I'm giving Bobby's 2 instead of 1 stars because at least my order came out fast.  But really I should have just gone to McD's across the street.
3 - Jon D.: -The people who work here are friendly and have good customer service skills. 
-Burgers come out quick, even when it is busy. 
-They do a good job following your cooking specifications.
-Margaritas are WEAK. Don't order one. 

Dallas Burger: Eh, I was hoping to get wow'd on this one, which didn't happen. They must have given me a regular burger, cause mine definitely was not "spice crusted." What was even worse was the sad, soggy coleslaw that sat atop the beef. Wilting crapiness and all, it looked and tasted like it was sitting in a pre-prepped bin for the past week before making it to my burger.

Miami Burger: Ah, like the one, very rare occasion on which Bobby Flay succeeds and does not exhibit a lackluster performance on Throwdown, this burger was a winner. I'm a big fan of anything Cuban, especially women and sandwiches. The ham, swiss, and pickles were portioned out well, the burger was cooked perfectly - definitely the best selection at BBB.

Palace Classic Burger: Classically average. Not much else to say about this one. 

Sweet Potato Fries: These are worth ordering. They are cooked just right, crunchy, not greasy but also not dry, and the honey mustard horseradish sauce is a nice change from the usual ketchup.
3 - Kevin C.: Great atmosphere, super friendly waitstaff, and reasonably priced beers (for the area). The burgers are your standard "casual-fast dining" burger, nothing to write home about, but the waitstaff was exceptional. Super friendly, fast, and are not hesitant to see if everyone is doing alright (but not to the point of being obnoxious). The price of a burger with a side of fries and a beverage will run you about $15, so it's not cheap, but it is definitely an experience worth having if you are in a time crunch and want a reliable bite to eat.

Would definitely visit again.
4 - Mateusz K.: Best burgers I have ever eaten, try the Blue Cheese Burger
4 - Bee's Knee Z.: I'm not the burger-eating type, but when I'm craving one it better well be damn good!  My guy, on the other hand, is a burger connoisseur. We've had all the usual suspects (shake shack, 5 guys) and many others from fancy joints.  I have to give it to red-head Bobby for doing it right with his burger palace.  Customer service is great and if you sit close enough you can watch the guys on the grill. They are professional and seem concentrated on their job.  I had the regular burger and he got his crunchified, which basically means adding chips to your burger.  Ordered medium and got it.  Sweet potato fries are amazing and onion rings are huge, as in you get a whole onion huge (even a bit too much for my guy).  Burgers are flavorful and is enough to stuff you.  The decor is relaxed but still classy.  I'll definitely go again when I get my craving. I have a feeling my guy has already been a few more times!
2 - Meg S.: BBP is very hit or miss. Sometimes I will walk in, and get a great burger (my burger of choice is the Santa Fe-try it with the jalapeno sauce on the table) and fries...other times, there's a large line, my burger is either rare or overdone, and my friend and I can barely get a table. The main benefit to me is that they're open relatively late and in a central location for meeting up with friends or going to class-NOT the food itself, unfortunately. 

The shakes are not good here-I've had them two different times and they were one step above being straight milk and expensive. Regular fries are also not good-the sweet potato are fine if you have a craving but I wouldn't go out of my way.
4 - Dave B.: I love this establishment, it's a sit down or to go delicious burger goodness! You can crunchify any burger, they add chips on top of the meat! 

My absolute favorite is the Philly Burger, turkey or beef. The peppers are delicious but pretty much you cannot go wrong with any choices they have. The fries are delicious and the sauce options is very eclectic. 

This is a must try joint in University City.
4 - Reeba M.: I've always loved the food here, but was never very keen on the service. Last time I was there, I was pleasantly surprised. My friend's turkey burger took a few extra minutes to come out and the waiter brought us an extra batch of hot sweet potato fries. Every other time I've been there the waitstaff hasn't been nearly as attentive. The food is great, albeit a bit pricey for a burger, but this is definitely turning into a Philly staple.
4 - Kathleen W.: Really enjoyed this restaurant.  I went with a group of folks (probably about 15 totally).  The service was decent.  I ordered the Crunch Burger and Sweet Potato Fries.  The fries and the dip for them were AMAZING although we did try the variety of condiments that were on the table as well.

One of my companions got the Bobby Blues Burger and it looked amazing.  I was really wishing that I had gotten that and crunchified it.

I would definitely go back again.
2 - Damon N.: I've been to BBP four times and my last experience prompted this review.  1st  and 2nd time I have been there the food was cooked to order and very good.  The last time will most likely be my last.  Burger was over cooked, fries were soggy and the service was tragic.  In addition,the place is not that clean, the walls were dusty and I didn't get a clean feel here.  

The sauces provided on the table are not good.  The BBQ sauce was one of the worst tasting things I've had in a while.  

I'm surprised at the decline in this burger joint, bc I really have enjoyed it
4 - Rich M.: After a lot of research we decided to try BBP while staying in University City. Short walk past sorority-fraternity houses to reach the storefront and in we go. LOUD right off the bat, mix of music and people talking about the music but we worked past it.
Simply place your order, grab a seat with your number and it gets delivered.
Ordered the Cheyenne Burger (burger of the month) daughter had Turkey Burger and wife standard cheeseburger. Sweet Potato fries were great as well as the sauce that accompanied them. They have a burger sauce and spicy ketchup they make which was very good. Got a Spiked Milkshake with Kahlua tasted great.
Sat at the curved counter and the nicest waitress Janelle assisted us. She truly made us feel welcome and comfortable. Spoke to the Manager about how nice she was how our experience was and he was glad for the feedback.
With school back in session this will be a popular place to eat, so choose your time wisely and enjoy a decent burger.
4 - brian w.: Great burgers, best that I have had since moving to Philly 17 years ago. They have the right balance of taste and portions. I had the vanilla bean shake with my blue cheese burger and the taste combination was sublime.
3 - Dan W.: In my experience, the food here is decent.  Truly, it's adequate.  I've never had anything that rocked my world, but I will say that this month's burger (a nacho burger of some sort) was good.  The fries aren't that special, but they're certainly better than McDonald's down the block (obviously).

However, last night I was there with a group of about 8 other people during the Saturday dinner rush (7:15 PM).  Milkshakes were ordered and delivered in a reasonable timeframe as expected, and we began waiting on our food.  Since we ordered our burgers to go, we stood in the middle of the restaurant and watched others who had arrived later than us getting served.  The second time we asked where our food was (a little before 8 PM), someone apologetically informed us that they had forgotten about our order because they were busy.  To their credit, they said they had then placed our orders at the very front of the line to get us taken care of ASAP.  One member of our party got free fries she hadn't ordered, but otherwise there was no real attempt to compensate us for our wait.

I'll admit that last night's incident was likely an aberration and not the norm, but still.  The food and the prices are better at Copabanana at 40th and Spruce, and that's why I won't be coming back to BBP by choice.
3 - Jill L.: I am on a constant quest to find the ultimate burger.  I am talking about perfect meat, perfect bun, perfect toppings.  Sadly, my quest is not ending at Bobby's.  However, this is a pretty solid burger joint.

When entering BBP, the interior is pretty cool.  It has a giant bar that loops around in front of the kitchen, and then a bunch of high tables along the perimeter.  When we visited, there was no wait to order our food (despite it being one of the first Saturdays that school was in session).  When we sat down, our burgers came out pretty quickly.  Service, from my experience, is pretty good here.

The burger itself was good but not earthshattering.  I think people mostly come here for the funky toppings (like the crunchified burger with potato chips) and spiked milkshakes.  The meat and bun was just average.  I got the Dallas burger, which had monterey jack cheese, BBQ sauce, pickles, and coleslaw.  To be honest, it was a little bit too much and I had a tummy ache later in the day :/  Not your fault, BBP, I should have known by the description that it was going to be alot going on under the bun.

I would definitely come back and maybe just try the crunchified burger and get one of those spiked milkshakes.
5 - Scott S.: OK - the 5 stars are due  in large part to a 10 for service bolstering a 4 for food. I mean I have never had service this good anywhere, period.  The person taking the order went out of her way to find enough hot stuff for me - extra hot sauce, extra jalapenos.  Whomever walked by where we were sitting asked if everything was OK or if we needed anything.  I went to get another margarita but there was a line so one of the staff told me to sit back down since I had already ordered, and she rang it up for me and got me a new number.  I was able to pay her and she took care of things at the register.  Now the food - good  burger but not great.  I had a special with monterey jack, sals and blue tortilla chips.  It was tasty but not something that Bobby Flay ever made on TV!!  If he is going to put his name on things, then he should assure Bobby Flay quality.  I ordered it medium well and it came closer to well.  The food came out pretty quickly, as we had just beaten the dinner rush, but the toppings did not seem glistening and fresh - things had congealed a bit and the blue chips were no longer crunchy.  The sweet potato fries earned their own 5!  Crispy on the outside, soft inside, coated with nice salty/sweet crystal.  The horseradish honey mustard dipping sauce was good enough to do shots with, although it could have been a drop thicker so that it could stick a bit more on the fries!  Btw, the order of fries for $3 was huge - enough to share.  I washed everything down with a cold Sierra Nevada and 2 prickly pear margaritas.  Decent beer selection and downright tasty and adequately strong frozen margarita (only $5).  This is a very unique place and would be a regular stop if closer.  If they had a veggie burger in addition to their turkey burger, it would allow vegetarians to experience the toppings and "crunchification".
3 - Elaine L.: Overpriced burgers for sure. The burgers are made well and they're good with their respective toppings. I've had the LA burger and original burger and I certainly enjoyed it but it hasn't rocked my boat all too much. The meat is juicy and tender and made to what you want it to be. I love the crunchified option but I can't always justify adding 25 cents worth of potato chips for and extra dollar. Their toppings are also good quality and certainly add to the wonderful burger. However, I have to say the highlight of this place is actually their sweet potato fries with the mustard sauce they serve it in. OMG, so good. I also love their milkshakes too. Wow, creamy and decadent just like I like it. I have tried their chocolate milkshake and their black and white and both are actually quite good. Did I mention they also have spiked milkshakes? This will certainly be my next adventure at this place. However, for the area it's in, this burger place will probably be your best bet!
4 - Tariq R.: I must admit, when it comes to turkey burgers, an establishment either gets them right or gets them terribly wrong.  Well, Bobby's Burger Palace does burgers quite well in fact. It's casual dining, but the interior layout and hospitable staff, make the place one of  THE hangout spots for UPenn & Drexel students.  Unpretentious. Never boring. Each visit brings back memories of my undergraduate days.  Just a cool, laid back atmosphere to hang out with friends and enjoy a good burger and an authentic shake.
5 - Mitchell C.: wow  in quest for the best burger in philly born and raised here i have found it
forget about shake shack bobby burgers takes em all down,and the fries
are the best love were its at too.university city can park easy too carry on bobby see you in a couple of weeks
3 - Jen K.: Solid burger joint on Penn's campus. The burgers are a bit more gourmet and come with a higher price tag than McDonald's down the block. I've been to another BBP around my hometown, and I'll have to say that compared to my local BBP, this BBP in Philly is really a hit or miss. Service is on par, but the food is sometimes overcooked, which makes it inconsistent. 

Food wise, I recommend the LA Burger or the Miami Burger and make sure you crunchify it. They'll add potato chips into your burger. Since burgers don't come with fries, then you can take out the potato chips later and they'll serve as your unhealthy side of oil-infused potato. If you really want fries, sweet potato is the way to go. However, as I mentioned, this place is inconsistent, so sometimes you'll have perfectly done sweet potato fries and sometimes they'll be fried to a crisp--and not in a pleasant way.

Drink wise, I think the milkshakes are quite good but definitely overpriced. The spiked milkshakes are also quite delightful with my personal favorite being the Mocha Kahlua Vodka.
3 - J K.: The burgers, fries, and shakes are all solid.  I personally preferred the LA burger given my affinity for avocado, but I've tried 5-6 different ones and they are all delicious. The servings are just too small to justify their lofty price tags.
2 - Nikila D.: Disclaimer: I'm reviewing Bobby's Burger Palace as a vegetarian.

I came to this BBP late on a Sunday night with some friends on a whim. I used to be a big follower of Food Network, so I was excited to try a Bobby Flay restaurant, though I knew my options were limited as a vegetarian.

The interior is really cool--a bright, colorful interior, striped bar-like tables, and nice shots of burger food paintings on the walls. The line was short, and it wasn't too crowded since it was a Sunday night, so we only waited about 5 minutes to order. I got a Griddled Cheese--which is basically a bunch of different cheeses and tomato between white bread--and Sweet Potato Fries, which came with Honey Mustard Horseradish Sauce. My friend who was eating ordered a Palace Classic Burger.

We sat at our table, and the food came out about 15 minutes later. I was very underwhelmed by the cheese sandwich I really could have made at home, yet paid almost $6 for. It was boring, bland, and randomly oily. The sweet potato fries were a bit better, but not outstanding by any means, and the honey mustard/horseradish sauce was watery and sad. The only thing I really liked food-wise were the variety of sauces at the table, ranging from Chipotle Ketchup to Jalapeno Sauce to Burger Sauce, which were all actually really interesting and made the food substantially more tolerable. 

Maybe the cool burgers are better, but my friend said he was just content with the one he got--he said we might as well have just gone to the nearby McDonald's to get a burger instead of wasting money here. Overall, at least from my experience, don't go to BBP if you're a vegetarian unless you feel like blowing a ridiculous amount of money on a basic cheese sandwich. Hopefully the celebrity chef restaurants I go to in the future are more up to standards.
4 - David R.: When you have a craving for a great burger, this is your place.  My wife and I will endure the city traffic and hunt for a parking space just to enjoy one of these burgers.  Get a side of sweet potato fries, they are the best, and the shakes are very good too.  A little pricey, but you do get a very good product.

The burgers on the menu are very creative and have some very interesting ingredients (cole slaw, avocado, etc.).  The Buffalo Burger is great (yes, topped with buffalo sauce and blue cheese).  I like that you can specify how you want it cooked (rare through well-done) and they do it right.  However, when ordering medium, the burger tends to come out very juicy which makes the bun soggy.

You order at the counter and are given a number which you can take to any seat in the cafeteria style dining room.  Staff are friendly and the seating arrangement usually makes for a fun, though sometimes loud, atmosphere.

Boca Burger - Claremont, CA (34.1071454, -117.7207066) ()
3 - Jason M.: Burger was not bad at all.  Usually burger places are all the same but this one was actually OK.  I ordered a Boca Burger w/ Cheese.  It was about Four Dollars, beats paying twelve dollars for other burgers in claremont, lol....  The burger patty is formed by hand, however could be a tiny bit bigger.  The bun was a standard burger bun, w/ sesame seeds.  The chimichurri sauce is what made this a Boca Burger as opposed to it being a regular burger.  Regular burger is an option at this establishment.  The owner was making empanadas, will try next time.
4 - Hector P.: Tried the beef and chicken empanadas with fries...they were very good and a good deal.  Coming back next time to try the choripan and/or milanesa sandwich.  Also, I love the sandwiches de miga from Titos in El Monte, hope these can approach them in taste and quality, will be trying these too.

My suggestion to them would be to sell some Argentinian products like dulce de leche, alfajores, and dulce de batata so I don't have to drive far to get them!
4 - Felicity K.: I really like this food place. We were lured in by a coupon but didn't need it after all. The menu prices are very affordable. Most items under $5. A steal considering the yummy and fresh ingredients. 
We got the $5 cheeseburger, fries and soda special, a chicken empanada and a spinach empanada. It's hard these days to find a simplistic & tasty burger except for the biggest go to chain around. This place cooked the hand made patties on a flat top which sealed in the flavor. A dash of salt & pepper with a huge leafy green piece of lettuce, tomato slice and cheese-this burger was a krabby patty if I ever had one. The bun was perfect-soft and a tad firm, just enough sesame seeds. The steak fries were not anything special but good to accompany the cheeseburger. I asked for chimichurri sauce to add in it which was great! Apparently I could have ordered a burger which would have been marinated and grilled with chimi-I just missed that lol. The chimi is very fresh & tasty. The empanadas were filling and very fresh cooked to order. My favorite was the spinach because the chunks of mushroom paired very well with the greens and chimi. I will definitely be back here. The service was friendly and fast an the bano was squeaky clean. YUM
5 - Michael F.: Wow I came in for breakfast with a coupon add that I found in the Clipper Magazine.. Did I need it no way.. I ordered a breakfast platter that had bacon, sausage, ham, eggs, hash brown , and an english muffin. All for $4.99. Drink not included. But with that price you can afford to get a drink. The lady at the register was pleasant and very energetic. She also prepared my meal. I saw her wash her hands and put on gloves. She was amazing to watch her work. Fresh food, great service, and then ahe came over to see if my meal was ok. I said it was awesomr. A must try. Great lil joint , affordable, very clean, and great vibes.. Will be back for sure..just a tip... Leave a tip.. They deserve it..
3 - Paul A.: As the restaurant name suggests, the specialty here is burgers. I ordered a cheeseburger special. The burger is cooked on a barbeque grill over an open flame, which is, in my opinion, the best way to cook a burger. The flames trap the juice inside, while the hot temperature cooks the meat thoroughly. The burger is very simple: Regular buns, slice of cheese, mayo, fresh leaf of lettuce and a slice of tomato. I found myself adding ingredients (few spices, splash of tabasco and a splash of worcestershire) to flavor up the burger. The fries are just as special as almost anywhere else: frozen out of the bag and into a deep fryer. 

In conclusion, Boca Burger gets three stars from me: The burger taste falls somewhere between a drive-thru and sit-down restaurant. The service was a little slow, there were only two workers at the peak of a dinner rush. The price was fair. If I return to this restaurant it would not be because of the burgers, but perhaps giving the Argentinian empanadas a chance.
5 - Critic C.: Loved the Spicy Chicken sandwich. Got it grilled not fried.
5 - Laura C.: I have to say this great family run restaurant food is delicious!  The Boca Grilled Chicken Sandwich is so tender and juicy.  The homemade Chimichurri sauce is delicious. It seems to taste great on everything.   You can tell they use very fresh ingredients.  Nothing frozen expect for the fries which are crispy and seasoned just right.   The hamburger are delicious also with or without the Chimichurri sauce.  I like that they don't try to cover up the food with unnecessary condiments.  Everything comes with just mayo, lettuce, and huge beef steak tomatoes.  I have also tried the homemade empanadas.  They are fried but are not greasy and they do not skimp on filling.  The prices are great.  A family of four can easily eat for under $25.00.

Boca Grande Taqueria - Boston, MA (42.3493167, -71.0951283) ()
2 - Tom E.: Grande Opening! says the sign... behold, another welcome addition to the dining options at the perpetual construction site that is Kenmore Square. A Boca Grande for the BU students and post/pre Fenway Park crowd. Hopefully this can finally put the Taco Bell on Comm Ave out of business.

I've not been to a Boca Grande before but it tasted pretty good to me - I had red pork burrito (huge) and lemon chicken quesadilla (effing gorgeous). Top late nosh option for hard workers who miss dinner time. Here and Uburger next door will be competing for my post 10pm hunger.

As for this branch - well there are lovely big windows and they're most definitely mexican in this place too. I was certainly out-of-the-loop on the language front and the decor included some great skeleton dolls and a Frida print. Watch out for mexican cuisine - it will soon be the best in the world. Don't think for one moment that all those Mexican guys doing the cooking in just about EVERY restaurant in the US aren't learning something. They won't just be the soux chefs forever.

EDIT------------
I go quite often now and it does make a good lunch, but it's nothing special. I actually get quite pissed off at how they just assume you're going to get the grande with extra s-cream and g-mole for those dollars more.

EDIT------------
Hate this place now. They're such dicks and they can never make a good burrito without fucking me around. To think I gave this 4 stars initially. That was before the unholy trinity of the 2 guys and that girl on the counter.
5 - Sean C.: Solid food here.  Not too many places where you can get dinner for $5 or less and be filled up.  Oh, and this place isn't Taco Bell.  Genuine Mexican right near the Kenmore Square stop.  I wish that they could sell Dos Equis or Corona here!
5 - Sophia F.: Boca Grande, where do I begin?
First a little history, as a native Southern Californian, I am an extreme mexican food nazi. I have not approved any other mexican food place in boston. I've been a big fan of the Boca Grande in Coolidge Corner and I was super excited to see that the opened close to me! 
This place was just as good, if not better, then their coolidge corner location. They have the best enchiladas in boston (i go for cheese or chicken ranchero). Both sauces are bueno (I think I like the red better) and they actually bake them! Their burritos are huge and they have one of my favorite beverages HORCHATA (cinnamon rice drink). If you were as disheartened about mexican food as I was, boca grande shouldn't dissapoint you. 

ps: one time I brought some friends who are native to san deigo and they werent dissapointed but still said that it wasnt as good as west coast mexican food. i had to explain "remember we are in the northeast!!!!" then they moved back to california.
3 - Andrew M.: Maybe I ordered the wrong thing...I wasn't satisfied by my vegetable and cheese tamale, although it was a lot of food for five dollars. Still, three stars for being Mexican food that isn't Taco Bell. I wish Yelp let you give half stars.
5 - Tim S.: I began working in the Kenmore Square area last year and was always told that no good food can be found around here.  Well I found it with the right price and more.  The burritos are packed with all the fillings you would expect for a traditional Mexican burrito, with the right price of around $5.  The line moves very fast and be prepared to know what you want when it is your turn.  

The customer service here is great too! One night after hanging out after work, I've decided that I wanted to have a burrito to soak up some of the alcohol in my stomach.  I walked in and noticed all of the staff cleaning and putting the food away.  Behind me walked in a large group of students from BU.  Rater than tell us that they are closed they began to unwrap all of the food and started to serve us.  When I walked out I took a look at the sign and realized that they closed 45 minutes ago.  To me that says a lot about a place.  

To sum it all up if you are in the Kenmore square area and are looking for a good, quick and cheap bite to eat, you will find it at Boca Grande.
2 - Morgan F.: I am not sure what to think when I read everyone eles's reviews, especially ones referencing Cali because I am from Cali and LOVE mexican food, but can't stand this place. I usually LOVE whatever Tom gives high rankings to, but in this case I just CAN NOT agree.

I live in Kemore Sqaure, so you can imagine when something new was added I was very excited to try it and add it to my local food rotation.

But this place just keeps letting me down. The first time I went my chicken was burnt, then my burrito was just off tasting, the third time I got a salad and still was not happy.

In my book, its usually 3 strikes your out, but my roommate brought home a chicken burrito from there yesterday and again, just too dry and the contents were badly placed. Too much guac in one part, then barley any in anther.

Yes, the location is nice, well decorated i guess for a bare type of place and nice big windows, but the food has to at least pull you in!!

I am just going to say it, more than once I have wished this was a Boloco instead!
3 - Charoline D.: Met up with a friend at Boca Grande last night, with intentions of going to Burrito Max, which has been nonexistant for at least a year apparently. As of late, I've found myself avoidant of burrito chains, save for Tacos Lupita (Lynn,Revere,Slummerville). Places like Qudoba, Chipolte, and Baja Fresh kind of lose their oompf the 80th time around, lack creativity, and are usually overpriced. TL and Bucky's Burritos (started by Bucky Lasek, pro skateboarder) up in Newburyport are my two favorites thus far. 

Overall I was fairly pleased with the experience. I was dissapointed that they didn't have any steak for my "California Burrito", well priced at $4.95. What made this burrito Californian was the addition of avocado and bean sprouts, apparently that means California. Regardless, portions were pretty huge, it was rolled well (no trainwreck when I get within inches of finishing), and was prepared within minutes. There was virtually no wait.
1 - A T.: Two things I can't stand: Laziness and people who waste my time.

This place is fucking ridiculous--I ended up storming out without even ordering.  People will probably hate me for this review, but all I wanted was a side of beans--I came in and the woman at the counter was talking to a customer. I step up, the only person in line, and suddenly she loses all ability to speak english--even when I just point at something and say "vegetarian?"  She just rolled her eyes, kept saying "one moment" and would stare off into space.  The guys in the kitchen ran back and forth a few times, chatted with her, stared at me, then walked back.

Fucking ridiculous--I don't know why I even bothered with this place anyway--in the end I'm glad that I walked out b/c looking into the kitchen was a nightmare--the place was incredibly dirty, people weren't wearing gloves while they were cooking, and I'm sure nothing was veg friendly.
4 - patrick r.: Food is great.. my favorite is steak tacos with the green salsa which has a good spiciness to it.. not the best mexican food, but its cheap and a great quick lunch... (and i agree with tom that it is annoying that they always assume you want guac or sour cream)...
1 - Ryan L.: I used to be confused when it came to choosing my favorite mexican joint .  Was I an Anna's guy or a Boca Grande guy?  After dining at all the Anna's and Boca's locations, I've decided to lean towards Anna's?  Why? 
Consistency.  Although Boca's flavor CAN be as good as Anna's, Anna's food at whatever location you go to is consistent.  Boca's on the other hand is a crapshoot.  You better pick the right one otherwise you're going to be disappointed.  The one thing that Boca does that Anna's does not is provide different marinades for their meat.  At Anna's a chicken quesadilla is a chicken quesadilla but boca's has ranchero chicken or colorado chicken and variety of other marinade types of meat.  Pricewise the two chains (anna's, boca) are the same, cheap.  But what really dropped Boca's standing in my book was the inconsistency of their locations.  The Brighton center location was by far the worst mexican food I've had.  They had the audacity to serve carnitas that was crunchy, dry, and full of gristle.  But if you go to the Kenmore square one and the Brookline one, it's a completely different story.  Those 2 locations serve pretty solid food and are on par with anna's.  Sorry Boca, until you fix your problems at all your locations, I can't give you a better rating because your Brighton Center carnitas was THAT bad.

   Update (5/11/10): Tried the original Boca near the Cambridgeside Galleria today.  Again crunchy dry carnitas burrito.  Granted I bought my burrito at 2 in the afternoon but I've walked into an Anna's at 3 PM and still got a consistently good soft tender carnitas burrito.  Anna's wins, sorry Boca you had your chance.
2 - Tyler B.: Everyone told me this place sucked, but I didn't believe them.  Mainly, I didn't think a burrito could be bad.  Unexciting yes, but bad?

My friends were right.  This place is bad.  The burritos taste like nothing.  Even the guacamole, which I paid extra for, tasted like nothing.

So I guess they're not bad, they just suck.

Unfortunately, living in Kenmore Sq, there are no other food options besides U-Burger.

Can they just put a Boloco in this location instead?  I would go here every day.

HEY! BOLOCO!  BUY THESE GUYS OUT!  YOU'LL MAKE A FORTUNE!
1 - shary m.: Boca yuck!  Not set up well, people didn't bus their own stuff, so garbage was left many of the tables. I opted out of getting any type of meat in my burrito because I didn't trust that it was fresh, and my stomach is still doing summersaults.  booooo! I'm a sucker for staying!
3 - Lia M.: The burrito wasn't great. 3 stars because they have wheat tortillas and it's bright & cheery inside, though I have not figured out why a burrito joint has adult contemporary music playing. They make the burritos fast, so speak up quickly if you don't want something on it. The spicy chicken in my burrito was good. I asked for veggies to be added to my burrito and all I got was a piece of broccoli added to it. The tamales looked good. Staff is not friendly.
3 - Kristen L.: In terms of fast-food-ish mexican burrito places, I like Boca. They have more selection and an overall better burrito than Anna's in my opinion, at least if you are vegetarian (I can't speak for meat-eaters). My favorite is the California burrito. Reasonable, fast,  and pretty reliable, if not a somewhat middle-of the road burrito. Good, but not as good as El Pelon.
3 - Kelly G.: I hear that you're either Boca or you're Anna's and that's just the way it is.  Well...I go to school in Kenmore and have been going to the Boca there since before I knew what Anna's was...and when I tried Anna's I was disappointed.

I'm a Boca girl.  And the first time I went into one (brighton center) I was stunned at the speed of their burrito making.  They just fly through it and karate CHOP at the end.

I love the Kenmore square one best, though-- the harried employees always lighten up and smile when I come in (once a week).  I know people have mentioned in their reviews that they're unfriendly-- but if you smile at them, they open right up.  I think they're used to being ignored by people as they're making their food and have hard shells...but I get at their soft underbellies (and so could you).

Anyway- I also love that the soda machine has cherry coke in it-- I try not to drink soda but I have a hard time resisting cherry coke on draft.

I like the steak burritos best-- and get some lime to squeeze on it every few bites, yum!  I also always nod my head vigorously when they say, "guacamolesourcreanayxtra."  It's good stuff.

I agree that during lunch rush they get a little overwhelmed, their smiles are weaker and the tables don't get bussed as often, but I still really like the place.  It's my favorite lunch spot in K-Square.  Also, check the manny and big papi dia de los muertos figures, they crack me up.
2 - Huan z.: the burrito has very dry bread and too short. would perfer to have Anna's instead
3 - Ari F.: I eat here constantly, and understand why everyone says the staff is unfriendly... their english isn't very good! Get in there and practice / use your spanish, these guys are actually very nice people. 

Burritos are made fast, and are decently tasty. They're wrapped up tight in foil and rarely leak, but are sometimes a bit dry. Definitely go for the extra cost sour cream and/or guacamole.
4 - Nicholas S.: I am from southern California, so I have grown up eating Mexican food. I had the hardest time finding a place to get decent Mexican, but then I found Boca Grande, and it's much more than decent! You can imagine my surprise when I walked in the door for the first time and saw that they had Chicken Colorado! I was just going to be happy if I found a place with shredded beef instead of crappy tex mex ground beef blandness, but I was blown away when I found that Boca Grande actually marinades their meat. The staff is always nice to me, and if you talk to them in Spanish then they will like you even more! Their iced tea is always good, and they even have Horchata. I highly recommend the Chicken Colorado enchliada, which is a ton of food for a good price. Their tamales are also highly recommended.
2 - Tristan B.: Fool me once, shame on you.

Fool me twice, shame on me.

Or is it the other way around?

Boca Grande has, without a doubt, given me non stop the BLANDEST and most terrible mexican food I've ever had.

I'm all for bland. When I'm hungry, hung over, or sick, bland is the best. Give me a heaping hunk of pasta, some soba noodles, a bunch of rice with egg on top... But! Don't make me pay for it!

And that's where Boca Grande fails so miserably. Chicken, pinto beans, lettuce, hot sauce, and guacamole (for an extra dollar even!!), taste like... Well they taste like nothing, more or less. Like the blandest pinto bean soup you've ever had. Fail.

Service is whatever, but not even the best service could even make a gigantic disappointment like their burritos good.
1 - Billy B.: People are giving this place more the one star?! Seriously?

Sure, this is a great place if you want a poorly wrapped and bland burrito.  The meat, beans, rice, and "hot" sauce all had negative taste.  Yes, that's right, my own mouth lost its natural flavor after eating here (hrm, I guess by that analogy one could use a Boca Grande burrito as a palate cleanser...but i digress).

+'s: Picture of Frida Kohlo on the wall, Grapefruit Jarritos.

-'s: The food.
2 - Jimmy H.: I wanted to say "It was OK" and give them 3 stars, but it is more appropriate for me to say "Meh, I've experienced better". That's exactly what crossed my mind when I had the first bite out of that steak burrito that I order from every single burrito joint.

I came to this place with high expectation as lots of my friends place this place above El Pelone. But I think my friends are so wrong. El Pelone still reigns the top of Burrito joints in my book.

Although I couldn't yet identify what ingredient makes El Pelone better than others, like others reviewers commented on this place, I can't say nothing more than its blandness. 

However, the burrito joint previously existed on this location, "Burrito Max" was far worse. If I came with comparison of previous business, Boca Grande would've earned 3+ stars from me.

Considering that, Boca Grande is definitely good addition to Kenmore sq where good cheap food is scarce.
2 - Matt C.: I figured it's got a mexican name, it's got a mexican vibe, they can't mess it up right?  Man...boring food, dry chicken, employees giving me attitude and just not caring.  My wife is lactose intollerant, yet they put cheese on her tortilla and steamed it before even asking.  So when we say no cheese, we get an eye roll and a pissed off re-steam.  Screw you, buddy.  Then, when it's time to pay, the dumb woman at the register is on the phone, speaking in spanish to lord knows who.  rather than put them on hold, or at least work WHILE talking, we waited.  and waited.  and waited.  until i said (rather rudely, may I add) "CAN I PAY FOR THIS OR SHOULD I JUST LEAVE?!"  man...all that time to just eat a crappy, crappy burrito.  never again.  oh, how i wish it was still burrito max.
1 - Bradley D.: This place is straight up garbage.

I go to the Art Institute of Boston in Kenmore Sq, and at the end of last semester I was overnight at school doing lots of work to finish up my projects. Anyway, I start to get realy hungry later at night around 10:30 and it was either Boca or McDonalds. 

So I head over to Boca and get what is possibly the worst burrito I've had in Boston. First off the burrito was just so soggy. It was falling apart before I could even unwrap it. It was completely over-stuff with rice and a lack of pretty much everything else I requested. I had the carnitas and that was a mistake. They were stringy and not very tender (the small amount that I actually got).

Two thumbs way down.
1 - Michelle D.: I love burritos.  I really do.  I don't like this place because the guys hit on me every single time I go there, and they talk about me in spanish.  They think I'm a gringo that doesn't know spanish.  Well this time it pissed me off and I said chingate to them.  And I meant it.  It annoys me.  Go back to Mexico. 

Also, make it like subway where all the ingredients are offered in addition to whatever "meat" item you offer.  Both Boca Grande and Ana's suck for this.  They always try to charge for things you never get. Just give me some freaking guac. and charge a little more on the base price if you need to.
1 - Jen A.: GROSS, GROSS, GROSS, GROSS!

Bad service, bad meat, bad everything. Not worth it. Do yourself a favor and go to Anna's.
3 - Jason C.: FYI, I don't think it's possible to tell the difference between Boca and Anna's.  Or maybe I'm just so hungry any time I eat at either of them that I don't even taste the food.  All I get from here is burritos.  I may try the tamales some day.  The "salsa" (what they refer to as tomatoes) is a bit oniony these days, boo.  One time I tried the horchata, it wasn't very good...way too sweet.  This place is alright as long as you're just another sweaty hog waiting for them to fill the trough.  Oink oink.
1 - michael p.: The service at this joint blows.  Dude making our burritos could not communicate with other humans.  Tough when you're getting food to order.  The heavyset woman ringing us up was simply a bitch.  The tofu burrito specifically mentions including rice (makes sense, for the complete protein for the vegan crown), and when I noticed they had not put any in, I mentioned it before they wrapped it up. Nno dice, they simply ignored me.  Then once i began eating, I requested a side of rice.  This time instead of ignoring me, they simply denied me.  rice.  really? How much could that have really cost them????   A customer.  Never again.  the burrito itself was decent though, the red tofu in the "Special sauce" tasted pretty good.  too bad.
2 - Jen L.: Ick. Definitely made me sick. Not sure what it was but no es bueno. And the guys do hit on all the women who come in. Gross!
1 - Rob W.: Can you give a half a star? I didn't get sick afterwards, so they should get something. Other than that, this place is horrible. The service is awful and so is the food. The staff were carrying on conversations with one another even as I tried to order. The portions were tiny, my quesadilla was smaller than my cell phone, and no I don't have one of those sweet Zack Morris style phones, it's regular size. Also, I understand the extra charge for guac and sour cream, but  for an extra buck you should get more than ketchup packet full. And 50 cent refills for soda, ridiculous! This place should be avoided at all costs!
3 - Cindy G.: This one isn't as good as the ones in Coolidge corner and Brighton center.
2 - Tarah H.: Ick!

Seriously.

Thank goodness I got my dinner free, otherwise, I think I'd have some serious qualms.

I'm picky about my tortillas. Happily, most places in town have the appropriate thickness and steam it for the appropriate amount of time.

The abomination that was my burrito was wrapped in thick, dry naste. The chicken ranchero had the flavor and consistency of wet cardboard. The rice was overcooked. Is it possible to water down guacamole without making the texture watery? Y pico de gallo es "tomato." Los gringos no compreden. Extra charge for guac. Extra charge for sour cream. $0.50 for refills of fountain drinks.

A friend wanted chili verde, pero no tenemos mucho! - he would have taken a little of this, a little of that. But they talked him into the "spicy" Chicken Colorado. Very not hot - but had at least a little more flavor than mine.

Quesadillas are made lazy style - simply fold the two opposing ends, so nothing is closed. Sort of grill for a minute.

The staff seemed bored and disinterested. And my tummy was not loving me later.

Waste of time. Never again.
1 - Brendan D.: Rising from the ashes of the once popular hipster hangout "Burrito Max" comes a new(er) installment of the terribly misguided chain Boca Grande. Known in many circles as "Bogus Grande", this chain has garnered the nickname through boring, listless burritos and lackadaisical service that leaves one wondering if the restaurant owner has any interest in succeeding at all. The number of restaurants in this chain can only be attributed to the owners' savvy at picking locations where it might be the only late night option for drunk and/or desperate customers. 

Many years ago a brother and sister worked in the restaurant industry together. For whatever reason they parted ways on bad terms and opened rival restaurants. The brother opened Anna's Taqueria. The sister opened Boca Grande. I think it is obvious who the sibling with superior restaurant management skills was. 

Onto the food: 

Have you ever eaten a rock? If you would like to experience the feeling with less gastrointestinal damage try eating a burrito from here. I've sadly eaten here multiple times and always end up with the same feeling. The meat is dry. All of it. Chicken, steak, carnitas, you name it. The guacamole tastes like it came out of a plastic bag. The salsa can't possibly be considered salsa by normal standards. At least the soda is normal. 

If you are hungry in Kenmore square and are thinking about stopping in for a burrito please keep moving. This isn't the worst Mexican spot in Boston but it sure is close.
1 - Betty P.: Ugh, I agree with all the previous reviewers.  The burritos here are bland and not a good value at all.  Even the guacamole had no taste!  The only notable thing about the burrito that I got was that it stayed together and didn't fall apart on me.

There was also no air conditioning on this hot summer-like day so I was melting while I ate my flavorless burrito.  No gracias.  Voy a ir a Chipotle la proxima vez!
3 - Leslie F.: Am I eating the same burritos as the rest of you? The burritos at Boca Grande aren't amazing but they're not bland and the service there isn't horrible. No, they're English isn't great but they've always been nice to me and my friends when we come in for a quick and cheap meal. 

I usually come in here when I'm sick of the dining hall or when it's closed. There's a Qdoba across the street now and a Chipotle a few blocks away but I usually get my burritos from Boca Grande. They're cheap, taste good, and very filling. I particularly like the Chicken Colorado burrito.
2 - Rani P.: What a hilarious experience. It was definitely a place that if I wasn't in a good mood- it would have been disastrous. 

We walk to the only person at the counter- and she looks at us. We look at her, look at the menu, look at her- she still just stares at us. Finally, we decide to order- after ordering, as she continues to stare at us, she yells to the back something in Spanish, and then looks at us and tell us we can't order with her- we have to wait for the guy in the back to come. Okay....

She then begins to tell the guy who came from the back our orders in Spanish, and I see him preparing them wrong. I begin to try to tell him (and her?) that it is incorrect, and she yells something at me I don't understand, so I stood silently until they handed me the burrito and I had to refuse and reorder it.  

The burritos would receive a D for effort- the chips were stale, and there was only enough salsa for an eighth of the stale chips. After being an Anna's Taqueria fan for years- I was really looking forward to finding a burrito place that may slightly compare. This was like comparing McDonald's to Le Bernadin... no comparison.
4 - Amanda F.: The quality tends to vary depending on who is working... but I can never say that I've been disappointed with Boca Grande in Kemore. My personal favorite are the Chicken Colorado Enchiladas... so much food, for only like $6 (they used to be a lot cheaper, but they only use fresh food and don't cook with transfats so I guess the .50 increase wasn't too bad). They are also one of the only places that serves DECENT HORCHATA. 

Their English isn't that great, so try to speak a little Spanish with them. You'll end up with a lot more on your plate, if anything. The staff are really friendly once you try to say more than "I would like a Burrito Grande." 

Plus, it's great hangover food.
3 - Anuj S.: Ugh, this place could be so much better.  I've been to this place many times with friends.  The quesadilla is usually what I get and its pretty good (if you get guacamole and soul cream).  I like spicey food, and I ask for the spicey sauce, but I can barely taste it.  Most of the other food there is filling and not bad.  I do enjoy the burittos, though they can sometimes be made a little dry.  I would've considered four stars if they didn't charge 50 cents for a drink refill (it's more a matter of principle).  At least a cup of water is free.  I've been told that food is authentic, which is always a plus.  I do have to say that the people there are really nice if you get to know them a little bit.  I think if you stick to the basic items (burritos, quesadilla, etc.), you should be okay.  Also, the food is prepared relatively fast.
4 - Dorise G.: tofu burrito
washed down with a jarritos:
i am addicted
2 - Sarah G.: I'm looking at the bright side - I've eaten approximately 3.7 million burritos in my 28 years (give or take a few) and I've never had to throw one out until today.  Most Boca Grandes are meh, but this is meh supreme.  Salsa and hot sauce somehow both manage to be bland.  Not sure how this is possible when a main ingredient is raw onion/pepper, but they achieve it.   1 extra star because my love for all burritos transcends this experience.  Tortilla+beans+cheese+rice = magic.
2 - Cindy W.: I really want to like Boca Grande because they do have one of the best loaded Nachos in the Boston area.  But other then that, I really don't like anything else.  I think their burritos are a little on the bland side and when putting "it" together, they all do a messy job about it.  The first bite to me is really important.  Other then the flavor the neatness to a burrito or anything in a submarine looking thing...NO WATER or JUICE should come out.  A burrito must be moist and not runny.  They maybe need to work on their techniques and also add some flavor into their meats.
4 - Andrew R.: Big Mouth!

The 4 stars are based on the tamale only. I also tried a carnitas enchilada (which was tasty but average (except for the carnitas)), but I want to talk about the tamales.

They are EFFing huge! I love that. I've never seen a bigger tamale. For only like $5.50 too. The masa was sweet and delicious; I couldn't get enough of it. The chicken was juicy. The sauce mixed perfectly with everything. Though it wasn't 100% perfect. It was a chicken corn tamale, but aside from the masa, there was no corn. Also, the husk is a bit of a pain to deal with and it can be messy if you're not careful. Yet seriously worth it. My gf and I have been thinking of going back ever since. I only wish there was one closer to home.

Who will help me franchise Boca Grande? said the hen. (if only to steal their tamale secrets)
3 - Ryan H.: Okay so I originally gave boca five stars and I still do give it five stars for anything with al pastor or a tamale. This was all I ate here considering it was so good. 

I have however decided to try a few other items on the menu and they are very average and on the bland side. I still say boca is the most authentic Mexican Food in Boston and their al pastor burrito is the best burrito in Boston but overall boca is just another average place in a city filled with average places
2 - dio c.: Uh, my burrito totally sucked.
3 - Michael L.: My dad doesn't really like burritos, because they make him sick. They make me smile eve if I end up on the toilet, but what the hey. 

We went here before a Red Sox game, spent $5 a piece, were hungry when we walked in and satisfied when we walked out. 

It was just okay and they charge extra for stuff like guac but I like a nice slurpy burrito and refuse to complain.
5 - Andrew C.: I pity all 'yelpers' who gave a less than satisfactory review to Boca Grande Kenmore Square. Clearly you do not understand what it means to be American. After a long day being an effective member of this contemptuous workforce I crave nothing more than a quick and satisfying burrito.  In fact this very evening, after a less than enjoyable day of labor, I turn to Boca Grande for a late night chicken colorado burrito. Naught less than perfection is packed up in a small paper bag to return to my apartment and accompany my well deserved beer. To all you naysayers; remain ignorant and stuff your face will Boloco and Chipotle.
3 - Casey C.: Boca Grande serves up burritos that can best be described as run-of-the-mill.  The tortillas are frequently under-steamed and the ratio of rice and beans to meat is truly hit or miss.  At $5.50 for a burrito grande (no matter the filling) + $1.50 for sour cream and guacamole, prices are in line with Qdoba or Chipotle.  Reports of blandness are not without merit, so don't forget to ask for extra salsa and hot sauce -- though such requests are sometimes ignored by Boca Grande's rather dispassionate staff.
1 - Andrew H.: I normally go to the location in Brookline and I think that one's okay. The employees at this Boston location, however, do not speak a word of English besides the stuff on the menu and the toppings/fillings/whatever that they offer.

Most of the time, there is no line to wait through and I've noticed that the cashier actually takes naps behind the counter. Once, as I was ordering my food, I noticed the cashier magically popping up from behind the counter to get ready to ring me up. I can clearly see from her eyes that she had either just woken up from deep sleep or is really stoned.

They often get my order wrong and charge me extra for it too. I usually get a burrito with rice, beans, salsa, and hot sauce but for some reason, they always end up squirting sour cream in there which costs an extra $0.75. I tell them that I didn't ask for sour cream and they just stare at me with a blank look so I just let it go but they still end up charging me for it.

So overall, I have had a pretty bad experience with Boca Brande at this particular location. I do not plan on ever going back there. There is a good reason why this place is nearly empty most of the time despite its super-convenient location right outside of the Kenmore MBTA Station!
4 - Mels K.: They have tofu, and it's awesome. When I'm in Kenmore and in need of some Mexican food, I always choose Boca over Qdoba. Prepare for your joyous burrito coma!
3 - Allyson G.: I'd give 3.5 stars if Yelp allowed me to do so, but I just can't bump it up to four.  The employees are nice, and the pricing is reasonable.  I'm not a burrito fan, so I've had various other things off their menu.  It's hit-or-miss, entirely dependent on what you order.  The chile verde quesadilla is actually quite tasty.  They sell Jarritos soda, too, which is a plus.  I don't love it, but I will continue to return.
2 - Crosby B.: Burrito satiated my hunger, but did not wow-me in the least.  Other people's food looked similarly "vanilla."

Also worth mentioning the...awkward (I don't know if that's the right word)...ambiance.  There were a ton of people in the restaurant but nobody was really talking and there was no music playing.  Just a bunch of people eating their chimichangas in solitude.  And come one, it's a Mexican restaurant...where's my Shakira, Ricky Martin or Mariachi music!?

I also really, really dislike any Mexican food place, such as Boca Grande, that uses sliced cheese instead of shredded cheese for quesadillas, burritos, etc.  Que unauthentic-o!
2 - Cassie H.: I thought I'd give Boca Grande a try since it's much closer to my house than the Chipotle we usually go to... the staff was friendly, the service quick. I ordered my burrito to go and when I got it home, it was still hot and steaming. The rice is a little bit bland, which is unfortunately since it makes up a majority of the burrito. The grilled chicken was warm, but it was a little on the dry side and didn't have as much flavor as I have come to expect from my trips to Chipotle (that and Freebirds are my favorite burrito places from TX). Overall, it was decent but felt more like a "healthy" burrito than a great tasting one - I expected to be salivating from the spicy salsa and licking my fingers as I finish the last half of my burrito... but it was a bit of a disappointment.
2 - Mike C.: This Boca Grande is hit-or-miss. The burritos can be fresh and tasty. But 50% chance you'll receive room temperature and bland. Still, I'd rather take my chances here than go to Chipotle, Boloco, or Qdoba. I badly miss El Pelon since they've relocated to Brighton due to fire. I wish Anna's Taqueira would come to Fenway/Kenmore and settle the burrito wars once and for all.
1 - Siri Devta Kaur k.: Vegetarians beware! The way they organize the steam table, when they  serve up the pork or beef, it drips all over the veggies. 
If you don't care, fine- but if you are a veg and tend to get ill from time to time after eating there that's your reason.
What I find a real bummer is that given the prime location and foot traffic they get, there is not a lot of motivation to improve. But, then again, they serve the hungry short of cash masses, so....
Also, a double door entry in the winter would be a significant improvement. I agree with another reviewr's comment about music- the decor is lively, the din of people talking not so much fun. But again, for the above stated reason, I will not be returning.
1 - Kyon S.: I enjoy the east coast a lot more then my time spent on the west coast, most things are better. Except for Mexican food, there is no Mexican food in Boston. This place is a joke. The meat is dry, rubbery, and flavorless, the tamales don't have that warm family love found in real taquerias and well the tortillas are stale. Don't come here, it's worse then Chipotle and that's not saying much.
2 - Jordan A.: I am sad not to write a better review because this place seems legit. I will try it again and let you know if I have a better experience next time. However, I felt that the burrito I ordered was bland. It needed and extra kick. I am not talking cheese - yes I realize good Mexican food does not have to mean lots of cheese, which I did appreciate here - but their hot sauce was a major let down. I need some spice on my carnitas burrito and Boca Grande let me down.
5 - Jonathan P.: Chicken ranchero burrito grande. Nuff said. Delish.
2 - David V.: I usually have a good experience here, however, today was not so good.  I've never thought Boca's burritos were the best, but I thought they were pretty good.  After finally eating at Anna's for the first time recently, I do believe that Anna's makes a better burrito.  That said, I usually come to Boca Grande for the tamales.  

Today I went with my father, because he loves Mexican food and had never been there.  After today's visit, I don't think he'll be eager to return.  

First of all, the employees that we encountered were so unfriendly and appeared to be miserable.  The guy who took our orders and prepared our food barely made eye contact and seemed like he hated us and the world.  The woman working at the cash register was no different.  My father told me that he was attempting to chat with them before I arrived, while he was waiting for me, and they were just as unfriendly then.  While we were eating, the same cranky cashier was all smiles as she was chatting with her friends who were there eating.  I guess she's only nice to her friends.  The employees that I've dealt with here in the past have been great and very friendly, so I'm not sure what the problem was with these two today.  

As for the FOOD:  The tamale (pork) did not disappoint.  The burrito, on the other hand, was not good.  My father pretty much spit out all of the pieces of beef from said burrito because they were chewy and "really bad".  

Overall, the poor customer service is really what ruined this lunch.  Not sure if I'll come back after this experience.
1 - Chris A.: Awful... just awful. I wish I had read the reviews before going here. 

Three people behind the counter, had to wait for them to finish their conversation before I was allowed to order. Then he couldn't speak English... but whatever, I speak fluent Spanish, so I would have been good to go.... except I'm pretty sure they were all high or something because none of them could look at me while speaking or open their mouth enunciate words. 

I see there were only half the options available than there are elsewhere. On top of that, they just start throwing on things without asking. They tried to throw guac and sour cream on there and then charge me $1.50.... even though they didn't ask if I wanted either one and I stopped him before he ever put the guac on. 

So I took the burrito home, even though their "extra large" is smaller than the burritos at Boloco and Chipotle. One end was all beans, the other end all the meat. One end had all the salsa, the other all the sour cream. There was no cheese, their "hot sauce" was about as spicy as water.

Also, I had the "steak"... which was only "steak" in the same sense that the meat that Taco Bell uses is "steak." Not to mention I'm pretty sure it had been sitting there for days. 

Overall just a horrendous experience. If Yelp would allow for a 0 rating, or better yet, negative numbers, Boca Grande near Boston U. would most assuredly have received them.
3 - Rinaldo D.: Good food, mediocre service. 

Everything that I've had here I've completely enjoyed. Some of the menu items are unusual and fun to try. I thought the tamales were nice, and I loved the carnitas. 

The problem is getting the food is another issue. Half of the time I've ordered something and they were out. Which I think is because they actually make it, meaning that they run out. That really wouldn't be a big deal if they notified you at all.

Its fast, inexpensive and good food. Just not as fast or efficient as their competitors.
5 - Brian R.: Amazing tamales. Not just good. Big, overstuffed, amazing tamales. The rest of the food looked good too. Don't know why the crappy reviews. Service was good. This is also a real deal place, meaning, if you have lived West of the Mississippi, this is not your east coast gringo's Mexican with timid sauces and dull palette foods.  Worth a stop for lunch, to be sure!
3 - Ezra B.: Service was definitely lacking in this joint but the tasty-ness of the food was spot on. Chile Colorado was good, steak not so much. Good flavors although I have had better, and the prices are legit, $6 for a massive plate of food that filled me up. I can't complain too much, but the staff straight up did not care.
4 - Ryan W.: I'm giving this place four stars to balance out some of the wildly negative reviews. Truly I think this place is a solid 3-3.5, but I feel like it needs some love. Boca Grande is very reasonably priced, the food is very well prepared and seasoned and I found the servers to be very warm. 

I've been to other not to be named burrito slinging joints where the food makes me feel heavy because they use lard (gross) and the servers only want to get your sh*t off the assembly line. I don't feel that here. Please come to Boca Grande if you are in the Kenmore/Fenway area and want a tasty, affordable mexican meal.
4 - Kimberly T.: I eat here more than I'd like to admit, but how can you resist a burrito that's hot, made to order and right around the corner from your house? Exactly, you can't. Anyways I am a huge fan of the burritos and enchiladas.  I know some Bostonians are particular about their burritos and prefer Anna's (which I have been to) but I do think that Boca is better.  The staff has their routine down pat and you can be fed in a short amount of time. Everything is fresh and they really pack it in so you definitely will get the meal you're looking for. 

Watch out for game days and other busy days because this place gets packed pretty fast being right in Kemore.  There's ample seating, but the queue lines up quickly. Be ready to eat!
4 - Grumpy P.: The Pollo con chile darbol and Chicken Pineapple are my favorites...there are a good amount of mexican fast food franchises, but this stands out because of the two different kinds of burritos above. Worth a visit.
3 - Jason H.: I don't know why this place has such a low rating.  Probably all the BU students in the area-they screw up all the ratings.  (ie, why the cruddy sushi place next door has ~4stars and is not very good).  In any case, this place isn't amazing, but it is better than qdoba, chipotle, or boloco.  Not as good as Anna's.

Here I like the red pork tamale, even though it's not the best tamale I've ever had, it's still a quality choice.

Bocado - Atlanta, GA (33.7794602, -84.4101365) ()
4 - Sumier P.: Went with fellow Yelper Chetan B. for lunch here. I have been driving past the signs for this restaurant for ages and when we saw it open we decided to stop by and see if they had a lunch menu. 

First of all the space is lovely. Lots of natural light, loft like, but cozy looking indoors and a covered patio in the back. I loved the look of the place. We were seated promptly by our server, but here is where our service woes began. It took forever for someone to come to us and get us water, it took forever for our checks to come and it took forever for him to run our credit cards. Now to be fair, it was the second day they were open to the public and every restaurant goes through some growing pains so im willing to forgive them. However, our server was kinda strange. We asked him to show us the dinner menu out of curiosity cause we were wondering what that was like. The first time he said "I'll try to rustle that up for you". After about 30 mins after we were almost done, we asked him again and he said "i'll see if I can find that for you". Whats the big deal? If you don't have it just say so. Its like he didnt want to deal with it. Finally at the end of the meal he brings it out and says, "It took some doing, but heres the dinner menu". Um yeah, ok. Thanks for the huuuuge favor buddy.

Now for the good part. As Chetan said we tried two sandwiches (and almost all of them look yummy from the descriptions by the way including the veggie ones). Our Vietnamese pork (their take on Banh Mi) and "the Mexican" sandwich were fantastic. The bread was great, the Banh Mi was artisanal bread that was very baguette like, the picked cucumbers were fabulous, the pork was very flavorful. The Mexican was wonderful as well and very spicy. After the meal, while we were waiting for our checks, the chef Todd came to chat with us and was very nice. We complimented him on the food and told him we'd be back. The Bocado site tells me he used to work at the Ritz-Carlton under Joel Antunes and opened TAP and was executive chef at Trois. He seems to have definitely done a great job here. I'll definitely go back to try dinner. New Atl restaurants need some lovin.
4 - Chetan B.: Now, I try not to review a place if I haven't been there at least 2 times or more. But had to make an exception in this case.

I am a regular at octane and when I am tired of staring at my laptop screen I occasionally try to stare out of the window - and over the last few months I've seen this place come into existence (with the promise of new and exciting food??) Anyway, drama aside - I finally had an opportunity to have lunch here this afternoon and was very impressed right off the bat by the interior decor, the cool wine racks, the contemporary style furniture all being very well contrasted by this vintage looking lemon juicer. 

Staff was pretty friendly even though the particular server I got was a little slow and not very good at communicating. 

Ok, now for what you all have been waiting for...the Food! Since I went there with a friend, I got to try 2 of the sandwiches on their lunch menu. The braised duroc pork sandwich which was an interesting twist on a traditional Vietnamese Bah Mi sandwich. The flavors were excellent, just the right amount of kick and a nice baguette bread (even though I usually don't like baguette sandwiches).
The second one I tried was "the mexican" and I loved this one just as much if not more. For those of you looking for a nice spicy kick after every bite, this is the way to go! The heat of the chillies paired with the cool creaminess of the avocado was pretty darn good! 

On our way out we got to talk to the chef (Todd) who seemed really friendly and has invented all the sandwiches on the menu. Since this is only the 2nd day the restaurant is open to the public, I can see it getting quite popular if they keep churning out some good food. Great new addition to the westside! 

4 stars based on what I tasted today and the promise for more.

I look forward to going back again and might have to update this review (or not if i get too lazy to write more)
4 - S S.: Went with hubby on Friday night. Like the other reviewers said, it's new, so there were a few kinks, but overall a great spot and one that we hope sticks around for a while. Pretty inside (though looks like it might be cold in the winter?), but we chose to sit out on the patio which was lovely. We ended up splitting 3 items - we had the beet salad which was delish (hard to mess up fresh beets!), a risotto with veal cheek which was very good and similar to something I had at Trois years ago, and then we split the Mexican sandwich. The latter was a little greasy and way to spicy for me - though I'm a wimp when it comes to heat. I just took off the jalapenos and carried on. Nice wine selection and overall it's well priced for a casual to slightly upscale night. I definitely recommend trying! I'm sure we'll be back - maybe for a lunch next time around.
5 - zach k.: We had a large group tonight.  All felt that there was real creativity with food and drinks alike.  Given the high quality of our meals, this seems to be a nice value across the menu with an engaging and thoughtful staff.  We tried bisque, burger and several different sandwiches.  All were well prepared, served hot and tasty.  We also shared 3 different apps to start.  Each was unique and got totally devoured.  Shrimp and grits were solid, but crab fritters were snatched up even more quickly.  Service seemed to be team oriented and all 6 main plates were set down at the exact same time.  That was a nice touch that we all noticed.  Can't wait to return to try more items and see what they come up with next....
4 - j l.: we swung by bocado last night after facing a long wait elsewhere with a movie to make...couldn't be happier with plan B!

sat at the bar--nice fresh juice squeezer :) always a good sign
started with a vodka cocktail that included rosemary and grapefruit. it was so delicious, we both ordered a glass of water to keep from gulping it down in one fell swoop! of course, it did come in a glorified shot glass so it wouldn't have taken long...not to be stingy, but i began to resent the $10 price tag when that tiny drink hit the bar. ouch.

moving on to the dinner menu--it's a division between "shared" and "entrees" and everything seemed to be between $6 and $15. affordable, but it definitely adds up if you're truly hungry and want to order more than one thing...which we did. we could have gone through the whole menu, everything was so good!
mussels with red wine and fennel---delicious. the sauce was just...velvety goodness. the flavors were a-ma-zing, rich and fragrant, and the mussels were sweet and artfully arranged as opposed to just being dumped in a bowl...ultimately not the most important part, but i don't usually see that.
prosciutto and tomato on country bread---also very delicious. loved the tart pop of the tomato next to the creamy garlic spread and bright greens.
gnocchi with dinosaur kale was AWEEESOME, very potato-y and soft without mushing up in the bowl. and the sauce! simple lemon butter, but i licked the bowl.
still hungry, we ordered the chicken thigh with friend polenta. i've seen this chicken thigh dish many times, but bocado nailed it. crispy skin, melty fat, and a sauce of bacon and brussels sprouts. yum.
i can't wait to return. i have my eye on the BLT with pimento cheese and fried green tomatoes.
4 - Sabrina S.: Based on previous reviews, I had to try "the mexican"... and it was amazing! Came with great, fresh-cut fries which were awesome. Also tried the gnocchi and it was really tasty. As we got our meal, the chef came out to see how everything was and talk to us a little bit. Nice!
5 - Kim W.: My husband and I tried Bocado for dinner last night on a whim; we were looking for something different to eat on the west side before going grocery shopping. Got there rather early (a bit before 7) and there were only a few other couples seated in the main(?) dining room, but there was a party going on in the other.

Anyway, to the food and service. Our server, Nina, was very pleasant but wasn't at all overbearing. She answered all our questions and mentioned that the chef would probably stop by to say hi. He did, and the owner did as well, which was a nice gesture.

It didn't take us too long to start gushing about the food, to each other, to the wait staff, to whomever would listen! I apologized to Todd, the chef, for being a phone geek but told him I had already tweeted about how good it was. And good, it was! It was one of the best meals we have had in a while, and as my husband is a chef, we tend to go to pretty good places, as often as we're able to.

So to the food. I ordered the crab fritters which were really delightful. They were served over an apple salad with a spicy mayo (but not too spicy, just right actually) on the bottom. Hubby started with a caesar salad which I sampled (was good, didn't blow me away) and the chicken thigh. I don't do chicken, but he couldn't stop talking about how great it was.

For our entrees, I got the Gnocchi; he got the burger. He's picky about his burgers (for obvious reasons, if you know us) but he thought it was really good. My Gnocchi... OMG. Melt-in-your-mouth delicious. He sampled it also and thought it was "bad ass," and told the chef that as well.

We were too full for dessert but the pastry chef sent us out two little house-made chocolates. They had some chili flakes in them so they had a little kick to them. Really tasty and a nice finish to an outstanding meal.

I can't wait to go back and try other things on the menu. I hope this restaurant sticks around. It's a rather large space and parking is not ideal. But it really is top notch; from the atmosphere (which I'd be remiss if I didn't rave about that... it's the perfect combination of nice yet casual. Not stuffy at all. Really great, minimalist, clean design) to the pleasant but not overbearing service to the delicious food... I can't say one negative thing about it. So happy to have such a great option on the west side that's a little more affordable as compared to some of the other similar options from that area.
4 - Blissful G.: By now, you are well aware of my burger obsession. I can't explain it, but I just love me some burgers. And there is little else--except fantabulous Chinese noodles--that can get me as hot and bothered as a good burger. I'm not big on filler (cheese and beef only please), which is why I got so giddy over Holeman's burger when they opened. I went to lunch with my good friend, neighbor and bon vivant, Jonathan Baker (the editor of Citysearch Atlanta among numerous other titles) at Bocado (887 Howell Mill Road, 30318. 404-815-1399. www.bocadoatlanta.com) the other day. Amidst the list of interesting sandwiches and sides on the menu, my eyes zeroed in on the "burger stack." So, I ordered one just to check it out. Sweet baby Jesus Christo. That burger. That burger. It is still haunting me days after. Yes, it was THAT GOOD.

As you can see (picture above) the burger closely resembles the H&F burger--note the double patties, American cheese and homemade pickles. Bocado is even using the same bun, which H&F bakery sells to many restaurants around Atlanta. They butter it, toast it and top it with two freshly ground patties made from three cuts of beef. This thing is epic. Epic, people! And I love that you can get it at lunch or dinner.

Another thing I appreciated about the burger was the portion size. It wasn't some unmanageable monstrosity. Instead, it was just enough for my greedy little mouth to devour in mere seconds. I think I may have given Jonathan one bite before I inhaled the rest. I want one NOW, but my last dress fitting is next week (the wedding is next month) and my diet has to stay clean. Blargh.

More to come on Bocado at a later date. But my initial experience was incredibly positive and I've got a good feeling about this place. Dinner's next.
3 - jimmy s.: Not a full review, just curious, am I the only one that doesn't expect gnocchi to "melt" in my mouth?

I expect them to have a firm texture, not fall apart like a shaped mashed potato, which was the case at Bocado. I liked the sauce and the dinosaur (rar!) kale. 

Chef came out to ask how it was, as did the owner. Felt like a dick telling him I didn't like the style of the gnocchi, so gave the ubiquitous "good". I realize I should probably should tell him my thoughts, but who am I to argue with someone who is obviously well trained? Maybe I'm the wrong one, as there are some people on Yelp (with 2 reviews and no friends/picture btw) that gave it 5 stars.
1 - Rich T.: Tried to go here last night with a buddy because I got an invite from a promotion company that was promoting an opening party there. Supposed to be food and drink specials, etc. So we show up at 9:30 and the parking lot was deserted. We parked in one of the many open spot in front. On the way in we were greeted by the valet guy. I asked what happened to the party. He said, "Oh, they canceled it because nobody showed up." Ok, we still wanted to check the place out, but as we were walking in, he said, "Hey, I'm going to have to ask you to move your car." Excuse me? The parking lot was empty, the place was empty. We must have said something like "are you kidding" I mean you just admitted that nobody showed up for your opening party and you want the only customers to move their car. Then the valet guy said, "Ok, you can just give me your keys" of course he didn't finsh with, "and then you'll have to tip me to get them back after you tour our empty restaurant."  We just turned around and left. There is something wrong with letting the valet guy be your customer service rep. I mean, he was the first and only impression we got of the place and he blew it. There should have been a hostess paid to make people feel welcome instead of a kid trying to make a buck representing the restaurant. Anyway, we may go back some day, since it is across from the best coffee shop in the city, but I'm not in a hurry.
4 - Matt L.: Had a quick dinner here with some friends and had a good time.  The space is pretty spare and kind of cold.  The giant table covered in silverware is a bit strange.  The bar is rather spacious and there's a lot of great patio seating.  I hope this place sticks around until the weather gets warm so I can take advantage of that.   The place was pretty empty for a Saturday night.

The food was pretty good and very reasonably priced.  They have a number of Sweet Grass Dairy cheeses and a slew of shareable appetizers.  There were more than a few that I'm interested in going back to try.  The handful of entrees are well selected and it was touch to choose which route to go.  Ultimately I went with the gnocci and while I'll agree with other reviewers that it was a bit too squishy it wasn't offputting.  The "dinosaur" kale was terrific.  The burger, while not as blissful as the hype was certainly very good.  Gooey and cheesy with tasty pickles and a great bun.  We must have hit a good night for the fries because they were fresh and crisp, no hint of sogginess. Another friend had the mexican ham sandwich.  It looked pretty good to me and had a good amount of heat to it.  

Service was generally pretty good but at times a bit slow.  We passed on dessert.  Nothing really jumped out except the chocolate tart with root beer ganache... but none of us were chocoholics.  

A nice place in the neighborhood that we'll try to get back to soon, there are many apps we'd like to check out.
4 - Victoria H.: Bocado is tasty new restaurant on the Westside.  Unfortunately I generally take a late lunch from work, so the first 3 times I stopped over there they claimed the kitchen was already closed.  Once was within 3 minutes of when they had said it would be closed the time I had been before.  Once I was finally able to order something I was very happy with the results.  I had the califlower and eggplant sandwich and it was delish! It is the least expensive on the menu and was extremely flavorful for such a small portion.  I could have used more, but in the end I was satisfied.  Next time I will get a side item to complete my lunch.
4 - Carlos P.: A friend and I met there for lunch. The space was full and we waited approximately 10 minutes to be seated. The menu had plenty of sandwhichrs to choose from. I had the hamburger stack and my friend had the Mexican sandwhich. We both ordered fries as sides. I had the regular fries and my friend  ordered the garlic and herb version. 

My burger was perfectly cooked with two patties of ground meat, American cheese and home-made pickles.  My friend's sandwhich was equally tasty.  

The only problem was the fries we ordered were late in arriving.  We were finished with our main courses before the fries arrived.  That said the regular fries were very good and the garlic fries were a little too garlicky for my taste but my friend enjoyed them.  One order is enough for two to share.
2 - The Food Abides W.: Bocadon't.

I stopped in to Bocado for lunch after some hype surrounding their burger. Located across from Octane on the Westside, Bocado looks relatively upscale in an area that is undergoing a very brisk and popular revival. The interior of the restaurant is pretty, although moderately generic and Swedish-furniture-company inspired. 

Service was just awkward. Our waitress just lingered around our table while we were mid-conversation or even after we had ordered and had nothing else to say to her. Later, she even tried to strike up a conversation (twice) which became an even more awkward mess. Ugh. 

The burger is a complete rip on the H&F Burger and they do a pretty good job at replicating that juicy bugger. They use the same fatty mix of meat (some brisket is even in there), the same bun (made by H&F), and same ingredients (American cheese and bread and butter pickles) sans grilled onions. However, the burger isn't as good.

The patties aren't the same size, so I left not as disgustingly full as I have from Holeman and Finch. I also really missed those grilled onions. You can't help but feel strange ordering another restaurant's creation. Down to the bun... Lastly, I found not one, but two large pieces of gristle in my burger.

My main qualm with the Bocado burger was the fact that it doesn't come with fries. At $9.25, this is not a cheap burger and I can't even think of a sit-down restaurant that doesn't include fries with their burger. The garlic fries that I ordered were good, but at $3.75 they netted my meal into a price range that's unacceptable for lunch. Another bit of weirdness - I had to ask for ketchup which wasn't served with the burger. 

Frankly the menu, which is scattered with fancy-ish sandwiches is overpriced. Additionally, they express their cents in fractions on the menu which is annoyingly confusing at first glance.

All in all, my meal - A burger, an order of fries, and a water came out to nearly $18 with tax and tip. Lower your prices Bocado and I'll be back, but not a moment sooner.
3 - Jeremy A.: Great burger way way good and one of the best I have had in Atlanta. The mexican ham sandwich was also good, the fries left a bit to be desired though and the dinner was fairly pricey. 

This place is REAL close to 4 stars for me and I would totally go back for the burger but the rest of the dishes I saw looked a bit more like you were paying for presentation. And although ok in some instances, im not a huge fan of that. 

Great Burger Bocado, ill be back.
4 - Jonny G.: I had a team dinner at Bocado's some weeks back. Great food and great ambiance. The fish dish (I believe it was flounder) was quite tasty, and their various appetizers were also well made. Beers were served in small than pint-sized glasses, however. I would highly recommend.
4 - Jonathan J.: For perspective, I have been to Bocado seven times and have had the opportunity to sample many items on the menu. Bocado  is less than a year old, evolving and quite good. In simple terms......highly recommended.

I am a little perplexed at the audacity of some "reviewer's to make overly strong negative comments about Bocado's service when they have been but, perhaps, one time. My advice - take those reviews with a grain of salt and don't let them deter you from visiting Bocado. If the packed house on the weekends is any indication, many have found this new restaurant and many find the fare to be as exceptional as I do.

As with many new restaurants that get overwhelmed with business - and Bocado IS packed on the weekends - Bocado's  service has taken time to come together. On my last visit, the service had arrived. I think they have their act together now.

A quick blurb on the atmosphere before I comment on some of the dishes. It is perfect for midtown - contemporary and just sparse enough not to appear........sparse. A bit loud for my middle aged ears, but that is solved by eating in the private area or on the back porch. 

On to the food! 

If you can sample but one item, go with the Poblano  and pimento cheese sandwich - no kidding! Swear on my mother's grave - it's to die for! And If the name does not titillate you, one bite will. Why is this simple sounding sandwich so special? The blend of flavors explodes in your mouth. Spicy poblano with buttered toast and, yep, plebeian homemade pimento cheese. I will go so far as to say that  this is THE best sandwich in Atlanta. And it is served at dinner! 

Chef Todd Ginsburg also makes one of the best burgers in town. (Is this similar to the Holeman and Finch uber popular burger? Yes it is. Go have both. But I give the nod to the Ginsburg burger and give a double nod, spin around, jump up and down, to the Ginsburg garlic fries.) Certainly one of best $12.00 meals in Atlanta. 

Ginsburg mixes chuck with brisket and short rib and then only adds salt and pepper and, surprisingly, American Cheese. I love that he only adds those two "herbs" as it shows he understands  the point of a burger is to feast on the meat. (BTW - he would not reveal the percentages of each cut of beef and I understand that the recipe is guarded by the same group trusted with the recipe of Classic Coke!) A toasted, buttered bun rounded out the Bocado burger to deliver a crisp cover for the delicious 6 ounce fare. It is a double stack and, perhaps, the only criticism from some in the group was that a few would have preferred a single pattie instead of two. Chef Todd explained that a double stack gives four areas of caramelization - thus increasing the flavor. The Bocado burger has two options for fries. Take the garlic and herb fries - really, really fantastic fries.

But don' t let my comments make you think this is a sandwich and burger joint. I began my last  meal with the foie gras which was served with a small cooked apple. Outstanding!

Bottom line, Bocado is a "definite go" and a proud new addition to serious Atlanta eateries.

Congratulations to Chef Todd on this new midtown restaurant. Might we see Bocado listed as one of Atlanta's best new restaurants? Well, I believe it has already been listed on the AJC's best new restaurants!
4 - Ryan V.: We had a very good experience on a relatively quiet late night at Bocado.  Rather than going for the entrees, we shared a few small plates, which turned out to be the perfect amount of food.  

We each got soup, and we agreed that the sausage/lentil soup was the better one -- thin but flavorful broth with mirepoix, spicy italian sausage, some kale (which didn't do much either way) and lentils.  It was perfect for a chilly night, well-seasoned and greater than the sum of its parts.  I had the sunchoke soup, which was creamy (although our waiter said there was no cream involved - impressive) and had the essence of a sweeter, more interesting potato soup. The dots of crouton were good, although they began to get soggy quickly.

For the rest of our meal, we had chicken thigh over polenta, crab fritters, and roasted brussels sprouts.  The sprouts were unique and flavorful - shot through with some kind of vinegary marinade, but not soggy and very well-cooked.  I would have liked a little more char from the roasting, but that might be too much to ask.  The fritters were outstanding.  The crab wasn't overwhelmed by the breading or frying, as is all too common.  The three fritters rested on a bed of asian-inspired slaw, which was a little skimpy but very flavorful.  The chicken was fine, but nothing to write home about.  

We had a little room for dessert.  My friend enjoyed his apple tart dish.  I got the chocolate pudding on a recommendation from the waiter.  Good, but it wasn't what I expected, based on the menu's description - "peanuts, caramel, chocolate."  Half the dish was whipped cream, which was tasty but unbalanced given the amount of pudding.  The "pudding" was really more like a mousse, and I never found any peanuts or caramel in there.  The best thing about the pudding were the two cookies that were poised on top - wafer-thin, lightly sweet.  

The waiter was very helpful without being pushy, and we found her recommendations to be well-placed.  Most important for me, we never went without water or tea.  We left happy, sure to return.
2 - Kathleen M.: I really, really hate to do this, but it must be said. The food at Bocado is quite good, but the service was deplorable to the point of making me feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. 

Yes, I was a party of one, but that doesn't make me a leper. I entered through one door, made my way to the host stand, got the shaft for a few minutes until a guy came and asked if I needed help. I was ushered over to a crappy table along the wall with the fire alarm right in my face. Charming. They don't have wifi, which was a bummer, but no matter. The waiter arrived, took my order without offering recommendations or assistance, and then brought out my sandwich about 10 minutes later. The whole exchange was painfully cut and dry.

My sandwich (chicken with fennel and other goodies) was quite lovely with fresh crunchy bread and flavorful toppings. I hate sandwich spots like this that make you order sides a la carte, as the servings are typically much too large for one person. The same is true here, so if I ever come back solo I'll just go with a sandwich without anything in addition, which is kind of a bummer. 

I paid my check and left without so much of a thank you from any of the staff and made my way across the street to Octane where I was greeted with open arms and friendly smiles.
4 - Sue C.: We really enjoyed our dining experience at Bocado. The atmosphere was reminiscent of the inside design of the Globe Restaurant (same designer) and had a nice buzz. The waiter was attentive and the food was tasty and delivered hot. Try the burger and the gnocchi ... great! Our only complaint was the ventilation system in the restaurant. There was an obvious problem as the restaurant had a haze throughout, my husband could barely breathe (nor could our waiter) and our clothes smelled like the kitchen when we left. Please fix this problem as it really annoying. Otherwise, we liked the food very much!
4 - Joel C.: My friend Bryan recently had his birthday party here!  They ended up sitting all of us in a private dining room in the back of the restaurant, which was really nice.  It was also nice that we had two servers to take our orders and the customer service here was fantastic!  

I really enjoyed the limited menu options.  Most of the items were small plates with a few main entrees.  I ended up getting the Cesare salad and I had to try the burger that everyone was talking about.  The salad was awesome...really good recommendation from the server.  The burger was amazingly good!  Very basic and simple...it was perfect.  Plus, I ordered my fries with herb and garlic and they tasted really good too...although I was surprised that it was an additional $1.00 to add!

Looks like a great place for group parties and even cool and fun for a date.  Definitely coming back for that burger!
3 - Ben H.: I'll admit it - I jumped aboard the hypetrain and went to try the burger.

Service - Brutally awkward.  Just really, really bizarre and painful.  WHY???

Burger - I've never been to Holeman & Finch, but apparently this is kind of a rip off of their gimmicky burger (they even use the H&F bread!).  Anyway, it's a good burger for sure, but I'd rather have a thicker, cooked-to-temp burger any day over their thin, fast-food style burger.  For this type of burger though, it was very satisfying.  At nearly $10 it better be at least pretty good.   It didn't blow me away though.  

Fries - I got the regular fries.  They were good - maybe a little too crispy, but good.  

Honestly, I didn't really have any problems with the food, but the service was pretty lousy and the prices are wack.  It's just too expensive for what you get - it's like $15-20 with tip for a sandwich and side for lunch.  Maybe if the portions were larger or the quality was better it'd be passable, but really this place has just priced itself out of my future considerations.  A lot of the menu looks pretty good, but I'm just not sure that I can afford to hit this place up.  I will give them the benefit of the doubt with stars because I'm feeling nice...

2.5
2 - Sandra J.: I have to agree with everybody here...what's up with the service?? the waitress was so pushy and then the food took 30 minutes...30 minutes for 2 sandwiches? really? grrrr...the food was Ok...the place was just plain boring
4 - Mariana R.: So good!!!!!
Very modern atmosphere, they use locally grown ingredients and feature small plates instead of huge portions which I like because  you get to try more stuff and I am totally into that. I  went there for a late lunch with a couple of people and we all ordered sandwiches. 

I had the roasted cauliflower  sandwich with chinese & thai eggplant, cilantro and spicy mayo, which ended up being the best thing on the table, it had cauliflower, eggplant and it was like I said previously so good. We all shared a little bit so I tried the burger as well and it was not Holeman & Finch's burger but it was up there, with their homemade pickles. I also got to try the roasted poblano & pimento cheese fried green tomato sandwich and it was okay. 

Good place, very attentive service, the owner was around, checking everything and I can't wait to go back for more cauliflower sandwich!
4 - Michelle K.: Went here Saturday night on a double date with my boyfriend and a very fun couple.  The four of us had an amazing dinner and we even got a chance to check out their dessert menu.  The place is very "modernesque" but the food is great and their herb/garlic fries are worth trying as a side to your burger.  Complimentary valet, well lit, & good food.  Can't get better than that for a night out or quick lunch.
2 - Ryan M.: Bocado is OK.  ...definitely has improvement opportunities.  

we had a selection of 4 small plates and drinks. (didnt try the burger which I hear is amazing)

The mussels were sub par.  They had a rough texture and the broth lacked flavor.  For a minute thought the mussels weren't fresh which made me wonder what my body was in store for afterwards.  (See Anthony Bordain's Kitchen Confidential on mussels in restaurants)  The chili flavor comes in the form of a few chilis they add to the broth but flavor does not impart in the broth.  Overall a very bland dish compared to mussels almost anywhere else in town.  They also served it with overly toasted bread, not ideal for sopping up broth, one of the best parts of eating mussels!

The crab fritters were very good but $14 for 3 small fritters 
The artichoke dish was solid but also a small portion
The roasted brussel sprouts were good but not memorable or extremely unique.
I had a bite of the veal cheek which was VERY good. 

The rosemary vodka cocktail was very tasty but served in a tiny glass.  you could almost down the drink in a few sips.

Overall I thought the place is promising, and I'm sure had I ordered the burger I would have thought more of it.  I really wanted to try some of the more interesting dishes though.

I also thought the menu was kind of strange with a ton of small plates and a few entree options.

The place is very overpriced  too for the quality you get.  (entree prices seem reasonable, small plates no way)

atmosphere was ok.  simple and casual.  service was very good.
3 - Lindsay E.: Bocado had been on my "to go" list for quite some time, so I was excited to finally make it there for dinner.  Went with a party of 6 on a Wednesday night. 

I'd sum my experience there with an exaggerated shoulder shrug and an "eh."  

the service was great, no issues there, but they seemed extremely eager to clear our plates and rush us out when we were done, and it was only about 9:30.  i know it was a wednesday night, but come on.  

i sampled a couple of the specialty cocktails and they were good, but not horribly interesting, i'd take h&f or top flr any day.  

for eats i tried the artichoke salad, roasted brussels sprouts, mussels, crab fritters, and the veal cheek.   the 2 veg dishes were good, but nothing i'd go back again for.   the crab fritters were tasty but overpriced -- $10 or $12 for 3 two-bite patties served over a meager matchstick carrot salad and a generic spicy remoulade type sauce.  the mussels were the biggest disappointment -- totally bland.  one of the great joys of mussel eating is sopping the delicious broth up with bread at the end, and to be denied that pleasure... blasphemy.  other people at our table tried the steak and the flounder entrees, and they found the food similarly fine but uninspiring. on a positive note, there may have been one exception -- i stole a bite of the veal cheek from my table neighbor and it was actually quite tasty; it was smoky and tender and melted in your mouth.  i think it was the only dish that got rave reviews from anyone.

so, while bocado was totally okay, there are too many restaurants in Atlanta with better food, drinks, prices and atmosphere for me to keep it on the "to go back" list.
3 - Rachel A.: So maybe we are starting to get spoiled in this town, and Bocado isn't up to par anymore. For what I paid, I wanted something a little more special and a lot more inviting.

For starters the space is very industrial - which would totally work, except that I found it to be contradictory to the type of food they were serving. The food is warm and organic and the space was....not. 

The veal cheek was definitely the highlight of the entire meal - everything else were taster portions - even the entrees. The striped bass that the waitress was raving about was only 3 slivers of fish - that quite frankly were a little too fishy tasting for my liking. The burger was pretty large, and the fries were lovely, but not something I craved in the morning.

Overall it was a fine meal - but not worth raving about, and not worth the price.
3 - Laura M.: I really wanted to love Bocado because it's super close to work and it was designed by my favorite local interior design firm Ai3.  But, the food let me down a bit.  I met a friend for lunch and I had the burger on the recommendation from the Blissful Glutton blog: 

http://blissfulglutton.blogspot.com/2009/10/i-fell-in-love-with-burger-at-bocado.html

Honestly, I was disappointed.  It wasn't nearly as good at Holeman & Finch (which loses some points for its after 10 only hours) or Grindhouse.  Also, it was pricey and comes with no sides for the price!  My friend had a turkey club-like sandwich on bread that was supposed to be crispy and tough, but it was sooo hard it actually but the roof of her mouth.  Not so pleasant.

I would probably try Bocado again because of the close to work factor and when it warms up it seems like the patio should be nice.  We'll see if the next time impresses...
3 - Todd W.: Nice addition to the neighborhood.  The space was nice, in the sparse-y modern way, wait staff didn't hover and was generally ok, and the food was very good.  We had crab fritters (excellent) and assorted cheeses (very good) for appetizers, and the burger entree was tasty - one of the better I've had lately in town.  Prices were pretty reasonable as well, think there was only one entree of $20 or more.  I think it's a good location for a casual night out with friends for sure.  Bit worried about its long-term prospects, though, we were there on a Tuesday night and it was pretty empty.  Granted, it was a weeknight, but...
1 - Lucas M.: Waitstaff sucked. Manager sucked. Two hour "half hour" wait sucked. Cheeseburger rocked.
3 - Live To Feast I.: Bocado is an example of one that has been on my list for far too long. In fact, it's been there since opening back in October '09. Seriously,...it's on my "restaurants I want to try list" that I keep on my iPhone, right under my list of "bands to check out" and "stuff I want". Doesn't everyone do that?

Unfortunately, things did not start off on the right foot. We arrived late on a Thursday evening (post 9 PM) and were seated immediately. The problem came when we ordered drinks. My date ordered her drink, the name of which escapes me, that included Cynar, a bitter Italian liqueur. I wish I could tell you what else was in this, but the overwhelming bitter aftertaste is all that I can remember. I know that the bitterness of Cynar is a big reason to use it in a cocktail, but a good mixologist should balance that bitterness so that it isn't all-consuming. That was obviously not the case here. This thing was undrinkable. And before you chalk it up to personal taste, we had a cocktail with Cynar in it the next night that we both loved.

For my drink, I ordered a Woodford Reserve Manhattan on the rocks. It arrived "Up" in a cocktail glass instead. It was still a Manhattan, so I didn't make a fuss to my waitress, as I still enjoy drinking them that way. But I didn't enjoy this one. It barely tasted like a Manhattan at all, and I know enough about bourbon to know that it was not made with Woodford. That was later confirmed while reviewing my bill.

Now, I love me a good cocktail. For those keeping score, that is 2 cocktails out of 2 that I didn't like. And one of them even had bourbon in it!

The food was a different experience for us. First we had the Roasted Brussels Sprouts, served with thyme, lemon, parmesan, croutons, and capers.

Brussels sprouts are a great example of a green that, in the right hands, can shatter the misconceptions most of us develop during childhood. And I'm a sucker for well made Brussels sprouts.   

They were browned just enough to add flavor without being overcooked. At first, we thought this might be a little under seasoned, until I combined all of the components simultaneously into one bite. Make sure you do the same. Paired with the sharp flavor of the parmesan and salty pickled capers, the sprouts are magnificent. I would definitely order these again.

Next up was the only "miss" in the food department, and it crushed me because I was so excited about it. As soon as I spotted the Veal Cheek, served with baby rutabaga, turnips, grits, and jus, I knew that I had to order it. Excitement turned to resolve when our server told me that this is prepared sous vide.

 I mean, come on! Sous vide veal cheek?! Just writing those four words is making my mouth water.

Alas, as much as I wanted to love this, I was left wanting. It definitely wasn't bad; it just wasn't everything that it could have been. The meat was tender and the grits slathered in jus were delicious. This was still good, but I found myself slowly chewing each bite, waiting for that thing that makes your eyes roll back into your head. It never came.

The most noticeable correction that could have been made was the crust of the meat. As with all things sous vide, there needs to be a nice crust to contrast the soft textures that this method produces in proteins. The veal cheek had been seared at some point, but all of the crunch had gone soft by the time it reached the table. That might have been the only issue. Whatever the cause, it felt like this was one flavor layer short of badass.

This dish really pissed me off, because it should have been mind blowing. The cheek that I ate had enough potential to merit a second try, and if you've had this I'd love to hear from you. I'm hoping I just got a bad plate.

Next up was the Roasted Poblano & Pimento Cheese sandwich with bacon and fried green tomato. The pimento cheese was fresh and smooth, and the poblano had that slow heat that creeps up on you 6 bites into the meal. This sandwich is highly recommended.

 Fortunately for you, this is on both the lunch and dinner menu. Fortunately for me, it was dinner so I got a cup of their creamy tomato bisque to go with it. It's very well done, with a nice thick texture and rich flavor. We got an extra batch of H&F bread just so we could soak up every last drop.

You really want to blow your own mind? Dip the sandwich INTO THE BISQUE!
Thank me later.

Don't let my bitching confuse you. Even though my experience here wasn't flawless, all of the issues could be easily explained away as flukes. The pros outweighed the cons, and I will definitely be back. With the knowledge that I work minutes from a lunch that includes that sandwich, I'm not even sure how long I'll be able to wait.
5 - John L.: I came to Atlanta to visit a friend.  Fine, I'll admit that a close second was to eat.  Well, a friend of her's recommended the burger stack, and after looking at the mediocre reviews I was a bit apprehensive for a couple of reasons.  First, the lukewarm reviews and second, I'm generally not the type to order a burger at a restaurant.

My first impression of the burger was that it was quite unremarkable.  It consists of a sesame seed bun, two patties, cheese and their house made pickles.  How utterly simple and boring.  But when I saw my friend bite into it and how her face lit up I got excited.  My first bite into the burger confused me.  How could something so simple be so good?  The toasted bun, the juicy and flavorful patties, the sharp cheese and the sweet house made pickles together formed what will now be remembered as the best burger I've ever had.
3 - David Z.: Really more like 3.5 stars, but $17 for lunch is just a little much. I was very pleased with the short rib sandwich (served panini-style), but for ten bucks it should come with the teeny salad that I had to buy separately for $4. On the other hand, the sandwich had good flavor and was very filling, so that's a plus. 

Nice atmosphere and decor, too.
3 - Stephanie K.: lunch at bocado was quite good, just a little slow.  

first off, the interior is done by ai3 and is quite lovely (though the bathrooms are lacking in beauty).  the lack of sound attenuation does make the place quite noisy when it's crowded.  almost to the point that it's distracting.

i split the bocado burger and the portabella panini with a co-worker.  the burger was good, but nothing really special.  very juicy, though.  the portabella panini was quite delicious, though.  it's hard to turn down goat cheese... our other co-worker had the tuna, which was good, but mispriced on the menu (by 75 cents).  we all split the herbed fries, which were quite wonderful and not too, too garlicky.  

my complaint is the slowness in the kitchen.  "i think i may have drank my weight in water waiting for lunch," was one of the comments my co-worker made.

also...don't think you're going to get full on soup and salad here.  the girl at the table next to us ordered just that and they came out in these teeny little bowls.  i will say that everything else is portioned well, though.

not bad at all, i'll definitely return, as the food was delicious.
4 - Mark B.: I need some good reviews or people are going to think I hate everything. So I thought and thought and then remembered a really good lunch experience I had here a couple months ago. It was quite empty so I sat at the bar- nice bartender. I had a sandwich which was delicious, but I cant remember if it was the spanish one or the mexican one. What made it better was that it cost about the same as that sandwich that I didnt like just across the street from here! I do want to go back for dinner but hope to avoid the waiter that Kathleen M had.  I know- sit at the bar!
3 - A. S.: After my visit, I feel like Bocado pretty much screams out everything that I DON'T look for when I go out to eat... I'm even little hesitant to give 3 stars, but I think the burger was decent for 5 bucks.  oh wait.. it's 11 bucks without sides.  

Expensive overpriced food, awkward wait-staff, yuppie to the maximum, OK food... I just don't find myself going back to this place again.

I'll agree that burger was delicious, just not $11 delicious.  It's made with two patties, two slices of cheese, with homemade pickles on sesame buns.  The meat was nice and juicy, but I found myself trying to figure out why they would charge so much for this burger.  I'm usually not tied to $$$ of the food, but this one really made me question the concept behind it.  The homemade pickle added a good flavor to the burger, but I felt like it was just a sweet slices of pickle.  

I had the seasoned fries and a hefeweizen which waiter really didn't know anything about.  Finished the food with chocolate/banana pudding recommended by my friend.  It was nice and thick, separated in a vintage mug with banana.  In the end, our check came out to be 65 bucks...  and it was two of us.  Granted that we had a full course meal, but we still had burgers and fries!

I agree with other yelpers about the awkward waiting staff, but I was greeted with a smile and taken care of immediately by the hostress.  There was no wait (6PM on weekdays) and I had no problems there. 

The interior was nice and clean, just another modern restaurant.  I think it plays a huge factor in your price!  

Overall, it was just an OK experience for me.   I think there are better places in Atlanta.
3 - Jessica M.: Delicious Cuban sandwich, surprisingly like the bread and butter pickles -  usually I prefer straight sour. The pork was delicious and the whole sandwich was dripping with complimentary flavors. The mustard- not too spicy, the bread was ripe but toasted crisply.

It's a higher end sandwich, but a delicious one. -- Note, wanted to get the "mexican" but was informed they are no longer serving it -- maybe something to do with Arizona's immigration policy :)
3 - Katherine M.: I love Bocado. I love the location, and I love the food, but the service is terrible. This past Saturday, with an 8:30 res, we weren't seated until 9 and didn't get out of there until 11. 

They ran out of 1 of the 3 advertised cocktails, and ran out of lobster rolls. 

Our food was good, but it's disappointing to come in looking to try something and only get turned away. 

The bartender was awesome though, and he made me a different cocktail with tequila that was actually really good.
5 - Lindsay M.: Great Place!  I've been several times over the past few months and absolutely love it!  Not to mention, this is my favorite part of town.  

Here are my must try's at Bocado:  Tomato Basil Soup, Burger Stack and the Roasted Cauliflower and Eggplant Sandwich (trust me, it's to die for).   Happy dining on the Westside!
4 - MandA R.: Last Saturday, 5/29,  we were looking for somewhere cool & fun to eat so four of us from Surburbia (E. Cobb) ventured inside the perimeter.  We weren't disappointed.  In fact it was great. 

 We started with 4 app's. (crab cakes, green pea arancini, 2 salads) and all were really great, but the crab cakes & green pea balls were killer.

Our friends had the burger which they said was really good & we had the Flounder & Ahi Tuna sandwich.  My wife said that her fish was great and I am fast becoming an Ahi tuna fanatic.  This one was moist, perfectly cooked, deliecously seasoned and a WoW !  And it was only $12 and came with really tasty aoli sauced french fries.

As one who eats frequently, I am very thankfull that Atlanta has these type of interesting & affordable restaurants run by top chef's like Todd  Ginsburg.

In fact I enjoyed it so much I returned just 4 days later craving a Cuban Sandwich and not having to go to Buford Highway to get a mediocre one.... In fact, Bocado's cuban is the best one I had north of Tampa.
This sandwich is like a real Tampa cuban only on steriods.  The roast pork portion seasoned with cummin, the slightly spicy mustard instead of the boring yellow variety and the close to perfect bread made this a don't miss treat for those who crave all things Latin.

This place gets it.  Casual elegance, hip food, super quality ingredients, fun cocktails make this one to keep on your short list.

I'll be back soon ....I just wish I lived closer !
4 - Winston G.: Tuesday night special (apparently from now on):  Burger and beer for $12 (basically getting a free beer when you purchase their burger).  

Had the burger and fries today and was impressed -- a very similar style to the Holeman and Finch burger, although, was a bit tastier in my opinion, even though they might be identical.  I felt like the beef patties were a bit thicker on this burger and the meat was flavored well.  I still don't like the fact that many of the burger places here do a double patty -- I would like to see this burger's potential if they just made one larger beef patty, medium rare, with the same toppings and bread.  That would be delicious.

Fries are decent -- not as good as Holeman's fries.  However, I would be back here again for the burger, even though I still think Flip is better.

Had the deviled eggs as an appetizer -- good stuff, would get that again too!
4 - Lara H.: Just had our first meal at Bocado. Very good; the crab fritter, flounder and burger were just fantastic. That burger, that burger! I can't see a reason to go to the 2 other burger "boutiques" in the neighborhood. And Brian Lewis took very good care of us too. Bocado is a real neighborhood gem.
5 - Juan M.: Really nice atmosphere and casual environment. Good food, creative combinations of flavors. Loved the crab po boy and the blueberry crumble. The owner came to our table and was very nice to us.
4 - John S.: I enjoyed my meal at this restaurant.  The service was good and fairly prompt.  The food was very good, although I'm not completely convinced it was worth the price.  However, having said that I would go again.
4 - Justin H.: I finally had the Bocado Burger...and it was great!  What I am about to say is a total compliment...but it's a fancier version of a McDonald's cheesburger, which I love!

My wife had the poblano/pimiento cheese sandwich which was also very tasty!

Bocado the restaurant has a great vibe and beutiful industrial interior.  Our waiter was very pleasant..and he even comped us a dessert becuase the kitchen took 20 minutes to get it to us.  


We definitely enjoyed our experience and since we live in West Midtown, Bocado will definitely be added to our regular rotation.
4 - Justin J.: Went there Saturday night, had the pasta (so good), 3 cheese tray and the chicken.  Sat a the bar and the service was great, met the chef and have to say its one of the better food that I have had in Atlanta in while.. Wine was paired nicely and we will be back for sure.
4 - Becky C.: Went here this past Saturday night and was very impressed. We sat at the bar and the bartender was very nice. He was very helpful with helping us pick a wine we liked and helping us pick things off the menu. We had the Chicken Liver Appetizer and the Cheese plate to start off. Both were very good. Not a huge fan of Chicken Liver so it surprised me to say that I liked it. For our main meal, we shared the Orecchiette. It was delicious and the ingredients were fresh. 

I will definitely be back.
5 - Roxy I.: I was there with a large group and had the most amazing dinner.  Service was superb and those who arrived late were served quickly.
I would highly recommend for large groups!
4 - louis n.: Bocado--which means 'mouthful' in Spanish--has become one of my favorite destinations in West Midtown. 

The menu is simple and inviting, with a focus on sustainable ingredients like meats, cheese, and fish, as well as an emphasis on fresh produce.

Chef Todd Ginsberg goes beyond what Atlantan's want by grabbing them by the tastes buds and telling them "this is what you need" with affordable small plates and fresh ingredients.

The spacious patio is perfect for after-work cocktails and "al fresco" dining. 

Menu highlights:

Appetizers-

"Chicken liver goodness on rustic toast, side of quince confit"

"Lump crap fritters, asparagus salad, herbs, pistachios, mustard ailoi"

Plates-

"Bocado burger, American cheese, house-made picked, fries"

"Roasted poblano & pimento cheese sandwich, bacon, fried green tomato, tomato bisque"
4 - theron t.: Bocado is definitely worth the trip into the Howell Mill corridor that's fast becoming the place to be for up and coming restaurants. 

Cool little place that's decorated nicely. Huge long bar and a patio out back (was closed for the summer). When we sat down, there were only a couple of tables with customers and the space was quiet and pretty open. 

Had the deviled eggs, heirloom tomato salad, crab fritters, and a cheese plate. All were really good. Everything had a really nice presentation and the ingredients were super fresh. I was going to get the frog legs, but I'll save that for next time. 

They had a few specialty cocktails, and they were okay, but nothing over the top. I'd personally like to see more focus on cocktails since they have such a good looking bar. 

There are no problems with service here that I could see, and our server was very pleasant and helpful. I even saw a server inspecting his station while he was waiting on customers, making sure tables didn't wobble, straightening silverware, etc. It's these little touches that can make someones visit that much better. 

As the place filled up, it got pretty noisy in there. They've got the whole exposed ceiling thing going on and the acoustics are pretty bad. Lot's of money people rolling in here when we were settling up. 

Prices aren't bad, especially for the small plates. The small plate portions were larger than most places, making it a great spot to take a date and split some plates. 

Got to meet the chef on the way out, seems like a good guy who's got a good spot here. Super fresh ingredients. Definitely be back.
4 - Cara B.: Okay, so I really can only review the hamburgers b/c my entire group went for the $12 hamburger+fries+beer.  It's definitely a good deal!  The burger was nicely cooked and the bun was delicious! It's a pretty no-frills kind of burger but a pretty good one at that.  Especially when you throw in that "free" beer that they pick for you or for an additional dollar you can pick your own tap beer.  The fries were pretty standard, nothing to write home about.  You can spend an extra dollar for herb garlic fries if that's your thing.

The service was a little slow but not to the point that it really made a difference. 

Reading over the menu my mouth was watering.  I imagine I will make it back here to try something else on the menu soon!
4 - Jennie K.: Valet parking only? Bleh.  Good thing it was within walking distance.

No reservations, showed up on a Tuesday around 7:30 for their $12 burger + fries + beer special. Waited all of 2 minutes to get a table - the bar was filled with the after work crowd and the place was lively, but not packed. And didn't have a problem conversing with my lovely ladies.

The beer that comes w/ the special is one of their choice - luckily for me this week it was ommegang witte (a delicious belgian white) - but you could substitute any other draft for $1 or bottled for $2. Not sure how regularly the drink menu changes - but since it wasn't on the website I've got a picture.

Finally, the burger. The first bite was amazing - and I quickly credited the toasted bun - so continued to eat around the circumference first. After that, it lost some sparkle and was just good. Fries were average, and you could substitute herb and garlic fries for $1 more (I stuck w/ the regular stuff).

I hear they have a skillet deal on Wednesday I might be back for :D
4 - Melissa T.: I love the decor, love the food, prices are reasonable for the flare, service was excellent... 

We had one of the salads (heirloom tomatoes, avocado, green goddess, radishes, cucumbers) and their take on an oldie green goddess sauce was deelish, avocado was perfect, and the heirlooms were very fresh. 

The deviled eggs were just ok. I was expecting something a little more like H+F. The crab fritters were also dee-lish, but that salad really stuck out to me as something special. 

Just one pet peeve: Our table was unlevel. Being a server for over 10 years, one basic rule I had was to always check table levelness at the start of a shift.
5 - Cruzan R.: Wow! Bocado has the best burger in town.
4 - Tracey R.: The burger is one of the best; but a little salty.  But if salt doesn't bother you, you must get it.  Also enjoyed the lobster roll very much.  Excellent draft beer selection.  Atmosphere is a little loud; so don't go there for deep conversation.  Nice bar; but service is much better at the tables than at the bar.
3 - Jessica O.: It's OK, but nothing spectacular.  The decor is not what I expected - it's cold and loft-ish, not cozy.  The patio is nice.  

We had the deviled eggs, cuban, burger, and chicken special.  All were not bad, but nothing special either.

Also, be aware it's valet parking only.  He was not outside, so I self-parked.  He knocked on my window and asked to park me, and I said he could, but I apologized for having no cash - to which he replied "Just don't worry about it."  I thought that was sort of rude.

But it's not a bad place overall, I just don't have reason to go back.
3 - Cooper G.: The Burger was good (there are about a million burger place in atl though).  The drinks were decent.  The atmosphere was kinda cool.  I don't know.  I thought it was good, but Holeman and Finch is so much better.  I'd go back... but I"m not rushing back.  What cracked me up was that we went on a Tuesday night.  We were asked if we had reservations to which we replied with a no.  I mean the place couldn't have been half full.
3 - Lisa C.: I have been here for lunch and dinner. Both experiences were mediocre. Love the space and cocktails. Food is so so. Worth coming to for a cocktail after dinner.
4 - Billy H.: Atmosphere: Casual feel with some simple but cool decor, very inviting.

Drinks: I like craft beer so I loved that they recommend beer pairing with your food on the menu. Decent selection. Like it!

Food: I got the burger w/ no pickles. It was smaller than I expected for having two patties on there but I have to say that it was one of the best burgers I've ever had anywhere. Period.

Service: Our waitress was fabulous. The kitchen made a small error on my wife's order but the Chef personally came out and apologized. It really wasn't a big deal but he was very nice and hilarious actually. Definitely made up for the small mistake.

Parking: There is very limited parking so they have valet that basically just parks your car where you could have parked it yourself so valet is a little unneccessary. 

While I would give the burger 5 stars, I have to give the place overall 4 stars. I really liked Bocado and will definitely be returning.
4 - Broderick S.: I originally wrote a review that was a tad on the negative side when they first opened. I wasn't a big fan when it opened. I've since been back several times and enjoy Bocado a lot. The menu changes often, although I keep coming back to the burger. The H&F bread sampler is always a good place to start. It's a great neighborhood spot and an anchor on the Westside
4 - Sean W.: Excellent cheeseburger, nice beer selections, and they always play great music (which is a biggie, because I'm a music snob).  That unique combination makes it a semi-regular stop.

The other food is good, too... but the burger's so good I usually go with that.

I'd recommend making a reservation if you want to sit outside, though.
4 - Gayle B.: I loved this place! We sat outside. Started off with the mozzerella and eggplant - yum! The mozzerella was warmed just enough to make it melt-in-your-mouth delish! We split the tuna BLT, and the hamburger. I questioned a place like this putting American cheese on a hamburger, but the whole thing went together perfectly, and all the flavors blended. By the time I got to my half of the tuna blt, I was too full, (even though both the burger and tuna blt looked small) but my friend enjoyed. The garlic fries were outstanding, and the dipping sauce just right. No room for dessert. Jason, our waiter, was great, and played along with our silliness. He was a good sport. I go to so many places just once...but I will return here!!!
3 - Christian B.: Last night was our third time at Bocado. All in all we like this place, but last night's meal had as many misses as hits. 

Previously, we've ordered the delicious cheeseburger, pillow-like gnocchi and hearty poblano/pimento cheese sandwich. Each has been particularly tasty, which is no surprise since I've enjoyed the chef's food at other places around town. 

The service has consistently been so-so. It's the little things that have annoyed me, like empty beverage glasses and a 10-minute delay on coffee after dessert was set down.

Dinner Saturday was largely enjoyable, but my roasted poblano and pimento cheese sandwich was shockingly salty (I doubt it was the bacon). Nova's roast chicken was also a little overcooked. But her sides of creamy grits and collards were well prepared, as was my cup of tomato bisque. 

One welcome change was the dessert situation. On our two prior visits, none of the desserts really grabbed us. This time, however, there were several cakes sat out on the central serving table. We tried two -- the red velvet and the carrot cake. Both were incredibly moist and flavorful. 

I also think they made some positive design changes around Bocado as well. I don't recall there being much color or art before, but I could be misremembering. 

So there were things we liked and things we didn't. Before last night, I would've given this place four stars. But a few hiccups makes me think Bocado should get three for now.
4 - Sarah E.: My friend and I ate lunch at Bocado yesterday.  Despite what other Yelpers have said about receiving poor service, we didn't have any problems.  However, that may have had something to do with the fact that we arrived promptly at 11 am when they opened and were the only customers in the place.

One thing that my friend and I noticed while we were waiting for our food was that this restaurant seems to be rather oddly designed.  We watched a person who appeared to be delivering food or beer to the restaurant having to drag his dolly filled with boxes up a flight of stairs to get to the back door.  I'd be kinda pissed if that were my job.  Also, the acoustics were weird - we were able to hear each other because the restaurant was pretty empty, but I bet when it's busy it's impossible to carry on a conversation with those at your table.

One other question - where the heck are people supposed to park?  There are four or five spaces in the small self-park lot in front.  This was fine at 11 am when the place was empty.  But what do people do at night when it's packed?

Anyway, on to the food.  Both my friend and I ordered the burger because I've heard it's one of the best in Atlanta.  While it was good, I'm not sure I'd agree with that assessment.  As I've said in other reviews, I'm hesitant to call a burger "the best" when I don't have the option to choose the temperature to which it's cooked.  (The H&F burger is a notable exception to that rule for me.)  

The two meat patties were very juicy and although I didn't like the house-made pickles on their own (not a sweet pickle fan, sorry!), they did go well with the sandwich.  The burger was served without ketchup or mustard and I had to ask to have ketchup brought out.  The ketchup tasted odd to me - my friend said she thought it was Hunt's.  Too bad - I'm a Heinz girl.

I ordered the "herb fries" for a small additional charge.  They smelled super garlicky (and made my breath smell that way too), but didn't taste as garlicky as I expected.  Still, they were good and I'm not really complaining.

I'd eat here again because it's close to my office and the food was good.  It's not the best burger in Atlanta, but I'd be interested in trying other items on the menu.
4 - Lori F.: I don't really know how to describe it in words, but here goes:

Bun - lightly toasted & buttered.  Normally I hate this, but here?  Perfect.

Meat - two patties stacked and topped with cheese & pickles.  Fine.

The combination here at Bocado?  I don't know what goes on in that kitchen, but holy hell is this a good burger.  Best burger in Atlanta.  Check.
4 - Karl H.: The Bocado Burger is WoW -- might be the best I've had in ATL!

Pricey at $12, but our server described something wonderful:  (2) grass-fed angus beef, beef brisket and spare rib ground patties / cheese / pickles / lightly toasted and buttered H&F bun.  It's worth every penny.

I will pass on the apps next time -- they are pretty small and pricey.

Our waitress was wonderful, this always helps get stars!
3 - Frances H.: I'd heard really good things about this restaurant and looked forward to trying it! Everyone raved about the burger and I'd been told it was the best in the city, but after trying it, I'm not sure it really is the best in town. Sure, it's good, but the best in town? I don't think so. The friends we met for dinner arrived before us and apparently got some major attitude from the bartender when trying to order cocktails. Our server, on the other hand, was a delight - she was knowledgeable, recommended good wines, joked along with us, and was very prompt and efficient. We had the crab fritters to start with and I was shocked by how small they were! At $13 for an order, I was expecting something a bit more substantial than 2 golf-ball-sized fritters. They were quite good, but I do think they were overpriced. The prosciutto we tried was delicious and the aioli served with it was a perfect complement to the flavors. I had the pork schnitzel as my entree and really enjoyed it. The pork was very tender and the breading didn't overwhelm the meat. A poached egg on top was a nice touch - I liked having the yolk mixed in with the mushrooms and bites of pork. As I mentioned above, the burger was good, but not mind-blowing. I wouldn't go back just for it. The shrimp and grits dish was great, which surprised me because I'm not normally a fan of grits. These grits were super-creamy and had roasted red peppers in them - I thought that added a nice twist to an otherwise standard dish. The crowd here was pretty interesting - about half young professionals and half older (late 50s and early 60s) couples/groups. Overall, we had a good dinner and a fun time here, so I'd recommend giving the place a try.

(This would have been 4 stars, if not for the surly bartender and over-priced crab fritters.)
4 - Addy C.: Finally made it to Bocado - and I knew it was going to be a good experience after I scored one of the few parking spots in front of the restaurant. I met Sarah E for lunch, and we both decided to do soup & sandwich. 

TOMATO BISQUE SOUP - $3 for small bowl
I'm not a tomato bisque expert but this was really yummy. Like Sarah E, I'd remembered Emily R tweeting about how good the soup was. It really is. 

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER, CHINESE & THAI EGGPLANT SANDWICH - $7.50
This sandwich also has cilantro and spicy mayo, and our server compared it to the Banh Mi sandwich. It's more than double the price but she was right - it had similar flavors (pickled veggies, spicy, toasted French baguette). Very delicious but a little on the salty side - I still really loved it. Also got a side of pickles which were nice & crunchy but too vinegary for me.

ROASTED POBLANO & PIMENTO CHEESE SANDWICH - $7.75
I had a few bites of Sarah E's sandwich which also had bacon, fried green tomato, and spicy sauce. The flavors in this sandwich were great, too, except I thought it was a little too salty and I'd probably use a little less pimento cheese. Still, I liked that it was different ... but I liked my roasted cauliflower sandwich better :) 

Our server also recommended the Blackened Tuna, Crab Po Boy, and Farmer's Chicken Salad. Service was good & friendly.

Loved the ambience - maybe they call this industrial chic? At 11:30 the restaurant was empty but by 12:15 or so, they had a pretty good lunch crowd. 

FYI - asked server about parking options besides the few spaces in front. She said we could also park on the side street, and the gated lot just a little north on Howell Mill, just past Nouvelle Nail Salon.

I'd definitely come back to try the other sandwiches ... and maybe their burger.
4 - Jim G.: I recently ate at Bocado after hearing about it from my friend.  The location is pretty convenient and easy to get to.  There were just two of us there.  The restaurant is a  business casual dress code.   The restaurant is really trying for  an ambient atmosphere.  The prices are about average - pretty close to the overall cost one would expect to pay at a restaurant like this.  I ordered hamburger and it was probably the best hamburger I have ever had.   service wasn't awful, but not great either.  I would probably come back to Bocado in the future.
5 - Christina H.: I don't care what is said, I think this is the best burger in the world.

Additionally, I once went there with a child.  I think everyone can agree this is not the most child-friendly of all places, but the server could NOT have been more LOVELY.  They gave him orange juice, even though they don't really serve Orange Juice and treated him like a "big boy."  If they could please him, a fussy 2 year old, they can please everybody.
4 - kristy j.: On a whim, I stopped into Bocado on a random weeknight (after my pedicure at Nouvelle Spa, next door). The decor is minimalist and clean but still cozy, which is A-OK with me. I like to know that it's clean. The restaurant was at about half capacity with a mid 30's to mid 40's crowd. The food was better than expected. Service was on point and the prices were relatively inexpensive.
3 - Jin K.: The reason their burger is so good is because it tastes like a fast-food burger ... only with real meat! I swear the double patties, American cheese, pickles, and toasted bun are on a similar, but of course better, taste factor as McDonald's. Omg, did I dare just write that?! Blasphemy! Well other members of my party all agreed with me.
 
The garlic fries were ok. It comes with a garlicy mayo dipping sauce but I preferred plain old ketchup. Additionally, they were a little soggy so that was disappointing.

The Holemam-and-Finch carrot cake on the other hand was amazing. Moist and delicious. Cream cheese frosting ... Yum.
2 - sultan w.: Best burger? Naw!!! Not even in my top five for burgers... The only thing that sticks out on this burger is the buns, and they get those buns from the best burger in the southeast ( Holeman & Finch). With there limited menu I can't see myself going back....
2 - Jacqueline P.: Bocado is a cool space and they have friendly staff. Unfortunately there's much to be desired on the menu. I had the deviled eggs as an appetizer and they were quite good. Then for dinner I had the burger. The only reason this burger tastes good is because it is a very close copy of the best burger in Atlanta at H&F. They use their bread and formula to the T. They just are off with seasoning the meat. It wasn't a bad burger but I don't see myself going back.
3 - Eric M.: My absolute favorite burger in town.

FULL DISCLOSURE - I've never had the burger at H&F, but you know what I really like about Bocado? I can order the burger WHENEVER I WANT!  I've heard the tales about H&F on a Saturday night at 10PM, and as much as I want to try that burger I hate they way it's hyped up.

Anyways, Bocado is a double edged sword.  The rest of the menu is decent, but not mind blowing.  The deviled eggs are really good, and the burger is just heaven.  I tried ordering something else once and regretted not getting the burger for the rest of the night.  I've been here numerous times and in my opinion the only reason to come is to get the burger.

Now the downside, and it's a huge downside.  The service here is HORRIBLE!  If it's busy, which is essentially everyday for lunch, and weekends for lunch and dinner,  expect to wait 10-15 minutes to give your drink order.  Then at least another 5 minutes  to receive your drinks.  Then another 5 minutes before a server comes back to take your order.  The only reason I give this place three stars is because of the burger.  Honestly, I wouldn't come here if it wasn't for that delicious hamburger.  If you are going to Bocado, I recommend dinner on a weeknight.  That seems to be the time when they are not too crowded and the service moves up to TOLERABLE.
4 - Gloria M.: When I asked the server what's good there, she said that they are renowned for their prosciutto. And all I can say is, she was right. Oh gaaawd, the delived eggs felt like they were melting in my mouth. And the proscittuo w/arugula was so heavenly. The burger I tried...I prefer holeman and finch but hey, maybe my tastebuds were off? I'm willing it to give another try. Make sure you try their cakes, they have awe sounding flavours and you won't regret it.
3 - Jennifer N.: I had been looking forward to eating at Bocado as it had been mentioned in a few of the best burger lists for Atlanta. I got to the restaurant about 30 minutes after dinner started so I almost had the place to myself. It is very open and chic looking. It looks like there is a nice patio for when the weather is nicer, as well. I was very excited to see JK Scrumpy on the beer menu since I didn't think I would see it outside of the Chicago area being an organic cider product. The waiter was very nice and got excited when I told him I was doing a burger blog. He said their burger was "layers of flavor" and that people would say "if they had a better burger they couldn't remember it".  I was certainly eager to try it after the hype. On first glance I was a little disappointed because for a $12 hamburger you do expect it to look really good. I really think it tasted and looked a lot like a Whopper without the special sauce. Two very thin, greasy burgers with unmelted American cheese squares plopped atop. I actually thought the burgers were pieces of bacon when I first saw them. Also he had twisted my arm (not very hard) to get the garlic fries instead of the regular but failed to mention it was a $1 upcharge. I realize that isn't much but considering how un-garlicy they tasted I didn't think it was worth an extra $1. I definitely would go back for the atmosphere, friendly folks and JK Scrumpy but I wouldn't try the burger stacks again. I guess the stack in the name should have been a clue.
5 - Huazzy K.: Cons
- Parking situation. There is always street parking but it's sketch. I know one day I'll come back to a shattered car window. I just know.
- Depending on who/when the wait staff can be kind of arrogant. My favorite item to get (read the Pros later) is the burger and I obviously have brought people here specifically to try the burger. So after 4 out of 4 of us ordered the burger the male hipster waiter gave us the most condescending roll of eyes I've ever seen on a heterosexual male. Dude.. we're not getting the burgers b/c we're cheap but b/c they're good. Just mosey your dark rimmed glasses wearing self over to the kitchen and get them for us.
- With a better beer selection this place could be huge(r)!

Pros
- Their Prosciutto/Country Toast appetizer is the 2nd favorite/most delicious food item I've eaten in Atlanta. It is heavenly. Get it. Get it. Get it.
- Bocado Burger - In my opinion: the best in Atlanta. Beware, it's kinda bare bones (no vegetables- only pickles). Just cheese, buttery, grease, meat goodness. I love it.
- One time we went w/ a few friends and waited at the bar for our table to open up. The waiter was this guy that looked kinda like a poor man's Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Good guy. Talked to us and what not. I like little things like that about service.

Summary: Go there and get the prosciutto/country toast appetizer and the burger w/ garlic fries. Don't mind the hipster serve staff they're just being hipster. Good food. Highly recommend.
3 - D S.: The few times I've been to Bocado, the food has been quite good. The soups (tomato bisque and Italian wedding) have been exceptional. I haven't tried the burger, but the roasted poblano sandwich is great. 

The reason I can't give this place more than 3 stars is because of the service. Although I don't want the server constantly at my table, I don't want to wait half my meal to get my water glass refilled or wait for silverware. 

A couple of weeks ago, I went there on a Wednesday night around 8:45 p.m. to grab dinner with my parents. We had to wait for the valet to come out for  a few minutes. When we went inside, we stood around for another few minutes when a server decided to come over and tell us that the chef closed down the kitchen already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are supposed to be open until 10. Granted it looked a little slow in there, but come on! And at least tell the valet that the kitchen is closed so we don't waste our time with valet parking. 

I hope the management does take note of these reviews. I'll give it another chance.
4 - T L.: Before visiting Bocado I checked out the reviews on here and Im so glad I did and followed the advice of others.
I got the burger and it was very delicious. Im not a huge burger fan (yet) but this burger was tender and juicy. I got garlic fries to go along w/them. I walked away stufffed/ full and didnt even clean my plate. :-)

The restaurant itself is cute, nothing extremely special about it. Bocado definitely draws a crowd after 7pm on a Saturday evening. Our waitress was fairly attentive, the manager was polite-he checked on us, and the chef came over to see how we enjoyed our meal.

Im sure I'll visit again though $12 is a bit pricey for a burger and fries...maybe next time I will get someone to treat me.
2 - Susie L.: Back in November more than 12 of us went to Dinner @ Bocado for a business event.  We were not pleased.  I shared my opinion. I received a resonse from the owner (Brian) which I will copy below this message.  He offered us gift certificates to try the restaurant again.  The certs haven't showed up, and I ven wrote him a note after giving him the holidays as a grace period.  Just wanted to follow up gang. Susie, in Atlanta
Brian L. has sent you a message on Yelp:

Apology

"Hi Susie,

Please accept my sincerely apology for our missteps last evening, I had instructed the servers to remove those items from your bill.  I would like to offer a $20 gift card to all seven couples, if you could please provide an address of where to send. 

Again, I am very sorry for the service that you received and hope that given another opportunity we will make things right.

All the best,

Brian
brian@bocadoatlanta.com
404/704-5850"
5 - Wendy R.: I can't believe I haven't written a review of Bocado before now. Only a little more than a year old, I feel like it's my go-to spot for lunch, dinner and even just drinks at the bar.

One of the best burgers in Atlanta is the Bocado burger. A seemingly small double stack, bursting with flavor. I've gotten several friends hooked on this burger, but don't think that's all this restaurant has going on. 

Located in the prime westside neighborhood, Bocado is right across from Octane Coffee and 5 Seasons Westside.

When it's nicer out, the patio is a must. When it's cold and rainy - their ham and cheese sandwich with apples and onions, paired with their delicious tomato bisque soup is a must.

I've tried lots of different things on the menu, from their special lobster roll, to the soups and sandwiches and have never had a bad meal yet. Great service, great beer selection at the bar and some yummy handmade desserts to top your night off with.

So go to this gem of a restaurant in Atlanta. You'll thank me for it!
4 - Michael O.: Order the coconut cake! It's like no other because it's light, not too sweet, and appropriately moist, with oh so fine shavings of coconut. Todd Ginsberg, the executive chef, even humored me with a five-minute conversation about the cake. As for the small plates and plates, the menu is purposely limited, which I appreciated. The roasted Brussels sprouts (small plate) were magnificent and the flat iron steak (plate) was perfect (crispy on the outside, pink and juicy on the inside.) The selection of wines is superb for its quality. I can't wait to take more friends there for dinner! MiLO
3 - Stricky T.: We were in a mad rush to get to an event but we just had to stop over at Bocado.
From its exterior I had imagined a brilliantly designed restaurant with modern fixtures and I was spot on. Everything from the bar stools to the wine racks were absolutely brilliant. We had to wait at the bar for company to arrive, so I ordered a glass of wine which was quiet nice and then ordered a salad since there wasn't enough time for the famous Bocado burger. I ordered the roasted carrot, arugula, avocado salad with a cumin vinaigrette..............simple salad brilliance.......inspired a return visit...............
5 - Kristen S.: Wow. There was nothing I didn't love about this place. It has great ambiance and a lot of character. Our server was excellent, very informative and observant. The food was simply put delicious. The cheese plate had good variety and the ingredients were all fresh. We had an excellent pinot noir wine at the server's suggestion. I'm going to try and find it online and order it. I really have no complaints at all!
4 - Andre B.: Bocado:  beyond the burger.  This casual, elegant restaurant has so much to offer beyond its unassailable burger.  There's clarity of flavor in Bocado's entrees that speaks to Chef Todd Ginsberg's respect for ingredients.  You'll not have to worry about overwrought sauces here.  The diver scallops entree is an exercise in refinement - easy on the eyes, as well as the palate, the scallops being perfectly cooked, accompanied by young vidalia onions.  Another entree, the French Style Sole, initially startles you with the aromatic bacon broth; settle in for a treat, as the lightly crisped sole atop the horseradish creamed golden cabbage is one of the best entrees on this regularly updated menu.  Proprietor Brian Lewis and Chef Todd Ginsberg regularly check in on their guests, and the rest of the Bocado team follow suit - great service is provided all around.  Dessert?  I'm fairly conservative:  it just needs to be chocolate, and Bocado provides a properly indulgent slab of chocolate cake.  There's a new bartender on board, along with great new cocktails - Bocado still feels like a secret:  and now you know.
4 - Maxine C.: I have seen this place from afar but finally had the pleasure of stepping inside on a double date. L and I arrived right on time, ahead of our friends, and asked to be seated. I gave the hostess the name, whoops. No reservation.  I called my friend "They don't have our reservation" "What?!? I called TWICE" 

I spoke with the hostess again and before I said that my friend had called twice she assured me that they would take care of us. And she was so very nice!  I was not that concerned as there was not really a line but it was a packed house. The main dining room is really noisy so imagine my delight when my friends arrived and the hostess showed us to a more private room immediately. Very nice! Well done. 

Anyways, we ordered the cheese sampler first. I liked it. It's hard to live up to the One Midtown Kitchen cheeseplate, in my opinion, but this was good.

I ordered the burger, L had a sampler of the small plates and our companions had steak and scallops. The burger was ding dang good and I would eat that again. No complaints from anyone on the rest of the food. We had dessert, a carrot cake and a salted caramel chocolate i think. The latter was delicious, I hear the carrot was good too. 

I would go back. Menu is diverse, atmosphere is nice, people are very nice.
5 - Meg R.: A perfect al fresco dining experience. My husband and I grabbed dinner at Bocado before a show at the Fox. Fresh seasonal flavors presented beautifully. I had the pleasure of being the first guest to try a new menu item--Diver scallops, lentils, turnips, southern style greens, jerusalem artichoke, lobster jus.  RUN to Bocado and order this entree: you will want to lick the bowl. My husband had the Burger, which is now in his Atlanta Top 3 Burgers. We also had the beet salad and local sweet potatoes for small plates. Service is knowledgeable (ask for Sean), and the right balance of enthusiastic and low key--it's refreshing when the servers have actually tasted the items on the menu and can walk you through the ingredients and preparations. The owner, Brian Lewis, and Chef Todd Ginsberg stopped by our table to see how we enjoyed everything--both were very gracious. We will definitely be back again and again.
4 - Scott D.: Excellent food.  Lobster roll - wow.
4 - Todd P.: I've been crazy about Brussells sprouts lately. Don't know why. I think it's because I've figured out how to cook them at home, roasting with garlic and finishing with balsamic vinegar -- I could eat a whole pound in one sittting.

When I'm out and about and I see sprouts on the menu, I have to get them. So, what better side option to get with my Bocado cheese burger than the roasted Brussells sprouts. Healthy side with a not as healthy burger, kind of balances out, no?

The burger was as tasty as others have described. Moist, flavorful, tender meat, juicy, perfectly cooked. I enjoyed it.

Next time, though, I'm going to try the lobster roll since apparently it's nirvana on a plate.

And by the way, my sprouts at home win. (wink)
4 - Melissa M.: Still thinking about the burger I had here the last time I was in Atlanta. Great little gem with a changing menu of excellent food. We started with some small plates for the table and the favorites were the bean bowl and the sweet potatoes. As previously mentioned, I had the stack burger, which was recommended from repeat patrons, and I was not disappointed. The dessert looked great, but we didn't leave any room. Service was fine, but nothing special. I'll definitely keep this on my list for future visits.
2 - Andrea P.: I had the burger and found it to be nothing special.  Same for my spouse's pasta dish.  My friend's lobster roll just tasted like a big lemon too.

They brought us the wrong appetizer and when we brought it to their attention and asked for our ordered appetizer they brought it to us and just left the wrong order on the table instead of taking it back like we had asked.  Then yup, guess who got charged for both appetizers?! They refused to take it off the bill too.  

Also, when they ask if you want regular or herb fries be warned the herb fries are a $1 upcharge.  Of course the waiter pushed how much better the herb fries are but never mentioned their extra price.  They were good but not worth the extra money.

We will not be going back.
4 - Daniel B.: When I heard from fellow Yelpers that the burgers at Bocado rival that of my favorite at Holeman & Finch, I knew I had to check it out.  I went with a friend the next evening without a reservation.  Probably not a good idea, especially since it was a Friday night, but the restaurant appeared half empty when we walked through the front doors.  All tables inside were reserved, but we were able to be seated immediately on the patio, which was fine by us.

The burger at Bocado is called the "Bocado burger stack" and it's hard not to compare it to the H&F burger because they are so similar.  Like the H&F burger, the Bocado burger is served with a side of fries and ketchup.  The Bocado burger is similar in size to the H&F burger and uses H&F buns.  However, the buns at Bocado have sesame seeds on them while the burger at H&F does not.  The Bocado burger is also $12 compared to H&F's $10.

OK, enough with the comparisons.  The Bocado burger is a double patty burger with two slices of American cheese, housemade pickles, and a little bit of mayo.  The meat is made from short rib, beef brisket, and organic ground beef.  The cheese melts right into the bun and meat.  The burger is tasty, juicy, and almost melts in your mouth.  It's simply excellent and is indeed a worthy rival to H&F's burger, IMO.  Every bite is delicious.  Creative Loafing named Bocado's burger the best burger in Atlanta in 2010.

I'd like to come back and try other items on their menu.  Their menu is just one page and you can tell they emphasize quality and focus on local ingredients.  The restaurant itself has been open for about a year and a half now.  It's not too large in size, but does feature a bar and, as mentioned above, an outdoor patio.  The interior design is modern and simple.  Our server was friendly and knowledgeable, although service was slow towards the end as business picked up.  The restaurant reached capacity by the time we left around 8pm.

Valet parking is available, although we just parked on 8th St. right next to the restaurant.  Unlike Holeman & Finch, this is more of a sit-down restaurant and not a pub, so reservations are recommended.
4 - Danielle C.: following a discussion of the best burger in ATL, where i proclaimed my new affection for Holeman & Finch, i was advised to check out the Bocado burger...

i started with a tasty, refreshing salad of greens, avocado, grapefruit & pinenuts topped with a punchy vinaugrette. I followed that with the burger stack! this was a very tasty burger, but my allegiance remains with Holeman & Finch! the seasoning and the cheese of the burger specifically just didn't compare to the H&F burger stack. definitely worth a stop & a taste!

but get the Ginger Daisy, oh yum, sweet, refreshing memories of the Ginger Daisy!
5 - Ken L.: hm... The burger here is slightly different from the holeman and finch burger... which I've had but did not review... I will.

I actually think its slightly better than the holeman and finch burger... but maybe because I took very few pictures because the lighting was better and was able to bite into the juicy goodness sooner than the holeman burger where i spent a good 5 minutes trying to get a good picture of my food before I actually tasted it...

The burger is realllly juicy and the bun is a little softer than the holeman one... I think it actually tasted a little better than the holeman & finch one... but my friends had differing opinions... but in any case... everyone did enjoy the burger and thought it was around the famous holeman burger quality... some thought it was better and others thought it was slightly worse...

Like the other reviews stated, it is pretty much just an awesome awesome awesome double cheeseburger... my goodness.

They don't really hype it up like holeman does where they make it an experience... and you can get a burger whenever you want here... 

I really enjoyed the cakes here too... we ended up getting a slice of carrot cake and chocolate salted caramel and they were really delicious.

Our server was pretty nice too...so thats a plus!

The manager or some guy there came by and said yelp doesn't really like bocado... so upon hearing that... I've decided that I will give this underrated place 5 stars... I would have rated this place 4.5ish... it's not really life-changing... but its pretty darn good...
4 - Michelle M.: Did you know?  Bocado has a semi-private party room for those birthday parties, graduation parties, etc.  It's really tough to find a place that will seat 15-20 people comfortably and allow for reservations.  However, its $300 down (toward your check), but the room looked fantastic.  Good for an upscale dinner party without breaking the bank.

I came here with a group of 5 friends and the service was impeccable.  Our waiter was so good with water, taking orders, timing of our food, etc.  We started off with the steak tartar -- absolutely delicious!  They chop of the steak, serve it with thin potato chips, parsley, and a homemade sauce.  It's probably one of the best ones I've had.   However, I must say the portion size was a bit small for $14.  

For dinner, I split the bocado burger and the tuna BLT with a friend.  The bocado burger was delicious.  A genuine, solid burger with no extra fixings similar to the H&F one but I felt like it was a bit more greasy than I would have liked.  However, this one is available 24/7.  =)  The tuna BLT was delicious as well.  They over seared mine which came out to be more of a medium than rare.  I was quite disappointed but the taste of the sauce, arugula, and bacon made up for that fact.  They were both solid dishes and I enjoyed them very much.

DESSERT?  YES!  They have house made cakes.  We tried a salted caramel chocolate cake which IMO was okay.  The salted caramel was too subtle.  When you advertise those adjectives, I really expect them.  However,  the carrot cake was absolutely delicious!  Not too sweet, but still had plenty chunks of carrot and flavor.  Pricey for $7/slice, but definitely delicious.  

Overall, a well notable treasure on the Westside.  There are definitely some new, delicious flavors that are worth trying.  4 stars for worth going and enjoying the experience again.
5 - Jonah K.: One of the best restaurants in the city. I haven't had anything there which was okay. The new burger version is amazing. This place has the best burger in the city hands down. The food is reasonably priced, the bartenders make excellent mixed drinks. I have been here several times, and they are always on their game.
4 - sarah p.: Finally made it to Bocado after hearing about the burger for months. 

My poor boyfriend thought I was dragging him to one more overpriced burger establishment. I know he thought we would be disappointed.

The interior here is kind of spartan - in an IKEA inspired way. I like it for a Friday night easy dinner- I wouldn't come here for a special occasion. We wanted to sit outside but it was full.

We shared a really spicy bottle of Tempernillo and started with a few of the starters:

Feta and Hummus Snack - chunky, flavorful, served with crisp veggies including radishes
Burrata on olive toast with swiss chard - I wanted to love this- I love Burrata, but it was completely overwhelmed by the overdressed greens on top. We both pulled ours off. This was insulting to burrata. 
Egg and Asparagus over grits with truffle oil - exactly how it sounds - the awesome combo of a perfectly poached egg, charred green stalks of asparagus and accented by truffle oil over creamy grits. 

Starters were a 6/10 for me.

Burgers were a 10/10 - don't mess with perfection. Even american cheese is welcomed on these things. They are very reminiscent of the Shack Burger at Shake Shack in NYC - a true smash burger, bursting with flavor, accented with just a bit of mayo and the american cheese on an H+F bun. 

Done and done. For $12, that burger should be in the hall of fame. And my honey finally got the burger he wanted without the huge bill. Yum. Can't wait to come back!
4 - Jennifer F.: Yes, I had the burger and the chocolate cake.  The burger was juicy and I love that their pickles are homemade.  The cake was rich and moist.  The caramel was a bit hidden under the bold chocolate flavor.  It was great for me because I love chocolate cake!  Anyway, both were delicious.  However, what I loved the most was the drink I ordered, the luminary.  It was refreshing on a hot afternoon.  It was so yummy that I ordered 2!  I recommend this place for lunch.
3 - Jennifer M.: I actually went for their grand opening (wandered over from Octane), but I actually hadn't been back until today.  My coworkers were having a debate about the burger and how it stacked up against other burgers.  So today I went to try the semi-famous Bocado Burger (+ herb fries).

Burger:  pretty good!  Very juicy, which was a nice plus.  As far as the double patty burger goes, my ratings are in this line:
HF (greater than) Bocado (equal to) West Egg (greater than) Yeah! Burger

Fries:  meh at best.  I love garlic fries, but these just didn't do the trick.  They weren't quite crispy enough and it seemed like the chunks of garlic didn't quite make it to the fries.  I only tasted garlic if I managed to get a huge piece atop a fry.

On a plus side:  my server was really awesome.  He gets the third star.

Also, I'm with David:  $17 for lunch?  Yikes.

Overall, I might go back, but I'm not racing.
5 - Jeff M.: This is my favorite burger in Atlanta. Like Holeman & Finch, it's not a burger place, per se. I arrived at 11 AM. I was the first customer. They ramped up the music: Arcade Fire's "Rebellion" followed by Bright Eyes & Gillian Welch performing "Lua." An excellent start. The leafy greens were fresh and delicious. The fries were perfect; ketchup not needed. Then the burger. You know when you deliberately eat something slowly savoring each bite until finally you are near depressed at the last bite? Yup, that was me eating this burger. It reminds me of my all-time favorite burgers: the simplicity of Louis Lunch, the juiciness of Shake Shack, and well, how it is the complete opposite of the loaded extras at The Habit Burger. It wasn't until halfway through the Bocado Stack that I realized there was no lettuce or tomatoes. Only cheese, a little bit of mayo, and house-made pickles. That's it. The two patties are the focus and rightfully so. For the ambitious, there's an off menu item called The Wimpy Plate: three Bocado stacks for $25. Yeah, I'm thinking about it ...
5 - Judy H.: Their burger is the absolute best one I've had since moving to Atlanta and I've certainly tried my share! It's quite possibly the best I've ever eaten from anywhere! The Carrot Cake is rich and lush, lovely in appearance and flavor. Other items I've tried range from good to excellent but the burger is the star. And the service is usually good and always adequate.
2 - Daniel A.: For the price, three words:  good-not-great.
5 - Mark A.: The short rib sandwich with gruyere, preserved cherry tomatoes, garlicky sauce and beef jus has got to be one of the best sandwiches I've had the pleasure of eating (aside from an amazing baguette sandwich I had in Paris). Add the herb fries that come with a blend of mixed/diced garlic, onions, herbs and a great yogurt dill dip and it is a lunch worth mentioning to your friends. Liquid sugar reduction for your iced tea was a nice touch and the service was professional and courteous. Only complaint is noise, the acoustics are what they are. 5 stars for your trip to Atlanta.
5 - Husham M.: We really loved this place.  We went in after reading up on line about what they have to offer, and we have never seen some of the combinations that they do with flavor here.  The fried green tomatoes were out of this world.  We also liked the hamburger.

We were so pleased with our meal, that we told all of our friends and will definately be back!
4 - Chris R.: Tried Bocado for the first time this past Thursday for lunch not knowing entirely what to expect.  Everyone compares the Bocado Burger to the H & F Burger and rightly so.  My friends told me that their burger was pretty on par with H & F's Burger.  I would say that I have to agree for the most part.

So, I got the Bocado Burger ($8.75) and added Garlic Fries ($2.75) and then had a pint of a high gravity beer ($5.00).  So, there burger certainly is a little more expensive then H & F's, but then again you can get it whenever you want as opposed to artificially limiting the supply by arbitrarily offering it at 10pm and some other random time.  Anyways, the burger is served on some sort of locally-made bun with 2 patties, American cheese, and topped with their own pickles.  As a whole, the burger was quite tasty.  I suppose one might call it a bit juicy, but that's probably b/c it's a bit on the fatty side.  That's probably what make everyone like it so much.

The garlic fries were good and easily could have been shared with someone else as they're plentiful.  They're located on the Westside basically across the street from 5 Seasons Brewery and parking is a bit limited.  As a whole, I enjoyed my meal, and will likely come back to try the burger again.
4 - Jennifer L.: Really enjoyed this place. In-town spots tend to get overly hip and obnoxious, but this small restaurant maintains a really casual feel with exceptional food. 

Had to try to the burger, and it did not disappoint. The blend of meats makes for an unbelievable flavor. Not a fancy burger, but very flavorful. 
Had a nice bar area. Yummy cucumber/gin drink! Short beer list, but included some impressive choices. 
Other highlights would be the appetizers. We started with the fresh peach and prosciutto plate as well as the heirloom tomato plate. Outstanding, local, fresh flavors. 

Go for the burger, but don't miss the awesome apps and drinks as well. 

Only negative is that the place is VERY loud. They may need to work on that a bit. 

(PS- Skip the valet. We parked on the street nearby.)
4 - Ravi T.: I definitely liked this place.  To tell you the truth - the vegetarian roasted cauliflower sandwich was amazing.  It had me wanting to come back for more.  When I did - I found out it was dinner, and I couldn't have it.  Made me a bit sad but, since there weren't any vegetarian entrees for dinner - I decided to go with some sides.  All were amazing.  Seriously, they were.

I truly fell in love with this place when I sat outside along the rail and took in the warmth of the gorgeous colored skies and had, my now all-time favorite cocktail, Death in June.  Great balance and depth.  After some Googlin', I found out that Bocado housed some serious talent in the Mixologist department.

Now to the service - I had a wonderful server who was very attentive.  The place was pretty close to being full but kept its calm.

I loved the experience and will be back soon.
3 - Josh M.: Ate lunch here last month.  Pretty expensive, but sandwiches are very creative and extremely flavorful.  And, they have real pomme frites (we've had trouble finding these in Atlanta).  Atmosphere is very cool, minus the Botox ladies from Buckhead. They are fun to stare at.
4 - Thea J.: Yummy!  The chicken salad was delicious.  Everyone at my table was raving about the fried chicken sandwich.  

Clean, Contemporary, Colorful
4 - Kara C.: Really enjoyed our casual anniversary dinner of simple menu items well-prepared. Daily menu changes according to available fresh ingredients, but we had brussels sprouts small plate (tangy, earthy, salty) and the bread-and-butter basket (nice variety of warm breads). Our entrees were the pan-seared chicken (crispy with coarse grits in wine-tobasco sauce and pepper-vinegar collards) and the c.a.b. flat iron steak (with beets and green beans). For dessert, we had slices of their carrot and chocolate cakes. Caveats not complaints: they appear to cook steak toward the rare side as hubby's medium was closer to med-rare and the collards were a bit overpowered by the vinegar they were cooked in so that the fifth bite or so was mostly tartness and little green, a bit too noisy as they really need to give the room some acoustic treatment. Pros: crispy chicken skin and very tender meat, light salting of chocolate cake, they have simple syrup for sweetening tea, attentive & friendly service but no hovering by Ian C., friendly hostess (didn't get her name). They have valet parking but there is also free parking at 5 Seasons Brewery lot within two blocks. All told about $100 for for two including apps, entrees, desserts, and two beers.
5 - Francie T.: We were in Atlanta for a wedding and dined at Bocado the following evening. We couldn't imagine anything could be as festive for us after that, but Bocado and Chef Todd Ginsberg gave us a fabulous evening. The small plates were delectable, the hamburger was amazing, and the lobster roll dazzled the four of us from Connecticut. We couldn't believe we got lobster like that away from home. The service was pampering and charming. Can't wait to come back!
4 - leah v.: I usually hit Bocado for lunch. I think I get the same thing everytime... Grilled Pimento Cheese with bacon and fried green tomato. If you do not like this combination, something is wrong with you. And, Bocado does it right. So flavorful. So perfectly toasted. Just enough stuff on the bread to fit into your mouth. Bliss! They have fries that are covered in garlic and parm. Yup. This place makes my taste buds write thank you notes.
5 - Anton E.: I totally agree with a former issue of Atlanta Magazine.  This place has one of the best burgers in Atlanta,  Contemporary decor, friendly staff and consistent good food from  a simple menu.  A must try for lunch or dinner,  Great spot for a pre or post game event,
4 - Sanna B.: Super good.  We sat at the bar and enjoyed a chill mid-week meal.  We shared the deviled eggs - yum! I had the bibb lettuce salad (a little too much goat cheese) and the hand cut pasta w/ sweet potato puree, pork shoulder & brown butter - to die for.  5 days later, I'm still thinking about that dish.
Great drinks, cutie bartender and good companionship made this a definite thumbs up spot.  I'll definitely be back to try their burger & a slice of their good-looking cakes that they had.
3 - Sara R.: If 3.5 were possible, that's what I've give this dining experience.  I went with a party of six.  We were seated on time if not a little rushed to get up from the bar and claim our table.  

The wine/beer/cocktail menu is @ three times larger than the food menu.  Small, varied food menu.  Most had the burger, including myself.  We were slightly scared by the waiters description of it - rich! so we shared and 1/2 was plenty.  Started with the bibb lettuce salad.  It was simple but fresh, crispy and delicious.  then the burger and fries.  The garlic fries were too much for me - little pieces of garlic on top but the regular fries were good.  Burger was as described - rich and tasty on a plain bun w/a couple sliced pickles.  Not your standard beef patty as described but 3 kinds of beef.  

Others in my party had the beet salad - all liked it and the fish which looked and I was told was delicious.  We ended with the carrot cake; yummy.  Moist, fresh, light icing.  Great ending. 

Our server was very good and patient.  The place itself is simple decor, tables are spacious and not crowded together.  I did see some nooks for larger parties.
4 - Mario P.: Interesting combination of American cuisine and gourmet. I found this place with a very interesting Menu. It is a grate place for a data or special dinner.
4 - Robert M.: What a great lunch, this place does it right.  The price isn't bad either for the quality you are getting.

I went short rib.  AS in a short rib sammy.  Damn that's some good shit.  The short rib was a tad overcooked, but overall it came together nicely with some cherry tomatoes, garlic and gruyere cheese.  Bread coverings was quite alright as you may already know.  It looks on the smallish side but ended up filling.

Side of hand cut fries tossed in garlic.  Awesome.  For me, garlic with fries is always a winning combo.  Nothing more to say here Jack.

Italian wedding soup.  Hearty.  Fresh veges and some nice chunks of sausage, although it could have used some more sausage.

Stay away.  The place is too crowded as it is.  Thank you.
4 - Brian K.: I'm not necessarily a beef enthusiast, so I never felt overly compelled to try a restaurant that was lauded by Creative Loafing for serving the "Best Burger in Atlanta" in 2010. However, I recently visited Bocado with friends who were set on trying the infamous "Bocado Burger Stack", and I must admit that it's a colossal shame that I didn't make the effort to dine here sooner. 

Food: The menu at Bocado is comprised of very well-executed American Continental fare. Aside from the well known burger, Bocado serves an innovative assortment of small plates, artisanal cheeses, and large plates. During my first visit, I opted to start with the bread and salted butter basket and three artisanal cheeses, all of which were exceptional. Although I'm usually critical of restaurants that make you pay for bread, I'm going to give Bocado a pass because they at least had the wherewithal to make sure it originated from a stellar bakery (Holeman and Finch). For an entree, I opted for the duck confit, which was perfectly prepared and presented. I was actually the only member of our party of eight who didn't order the burger, but the general sentiment was that it was quite good. For dessert, I opted for the carrot cake, which was made in house and among the better I've had in Atlanta.

Service: The staff were consistently pleasant and efficient throughout the entire meal. The waitress even managed to split our party's bill correctly on the first attempt, which is a rare achievement in the Atlanta restaurant scene. I also sat at the bar prior to our entire party arriving, and the bartender was quite friendly.

Atmosphere: The decor at Bocado is sophisticated, yet relaxing and unpretentious. Many of the functional items, including the lampshades and wine racks, are all reused materials recreated in inventive ways.

Cost. Moderately pricey, but worth every cent. Appetizers and small plates cost between $7 and $13, while large plates cost between $15 and $25. The infamous burger is $12  (includes fries).

Other: Parking in this section of town can prove problematic, especially on the weekends. The restaurant does have a limited number of spaces directly out front, but this is typically reserved for valet. However, the restaurant does have an additional parking lot on Marietta St. between 8th and 9th Streets, which is free of charge. The lighting between the lot and restaurant leaves much to be desired, but the walk only takes a few minutes.
3 - Greg R.: Mixed emotions about this place.  The atmosphere is a little boring.  Not as nice and hip as their prices and menu want it to be.  Our server was great, but for some unknown reason 1/2 of our tables food was delayed in the kitchen.  They wanted to do the right thing and take the other orders back and re-prepare it but we had waited so long and were so hungry we just had them leave it.  That being said, the food was great.  Highly recommend the burger stack.

All in all, good food, good service, but nothing too memorable that would send me back.
5 - Raj B.: A very very close runner up in the Atlanta Burger Wars.  There.  I said it.  While I do give the H&F burger a slight edge, the Bocado burger is absolutely delicious, and quite honestly I have found myself coming here with increasing regularity.  There is something to be said for being able to just order the damn burger at whatever time you want to, without the theatrics of the 24/night deal.  Best night to go for the burger is tuesdays, when they have a special; 12 bucks gets you a draft beer and the burger.  Upgrade to the parmesan garlic fries.  Shout out to the excellent bartender David - friendly, and very talented at his craft.  In addition to the burger, which he once caught me defacing with a heinous amount of cholula sauce, Todd Ginsberg has an excellent menu.  Deviled eggs trump those at H&F, and be sure to save room for dessert!
4 - Vanitha S.: This review is only for their bar service and italian wedding soup.  The soup was hands down the best italian wedding I've ever had.  Campbell's and Olive Garden just don't come close.  This soup was brimming with dinosaur kale, lentils, carrots, shavings of some type of mild cheese, onions, croutons, spicy sausage and sprinkled with a little cilantro.  And evoo, which I just learned is extra virgin olive oil.  Just so tasty and delicious.  The service was fast and pleasant, and the decor was very serene.  Loved the wine holders in the wall.
5 - Hadley H.: We have come back to this place over and over, and still can't get enough.  Don't worry if you don't like burgers - Bocado is oh so much more than that.  I have yet to try an item on the menu that I didn't like.  I wish they would bring back the dessert in the mason jar.  Never got to try it...

The service is another thing to brag about here.  We always get top notch recommendations from the service, and they truly understand the importance of timing during a good meal.

We'll likely go back again soon... It's just plain worth it.
5 - Erika E.: So after hearing and reading about Bocado time and time again, I decided to meet a friend there for dinner to see what all of the hoopla was about.  Turned out to be a smart move on my part!!!!

Let me begin by saying that the customer service at Bocado was awesome.  Everyone from the valet guy to the hostess was friendly.  Our server was very pleasant and was able to give recommendations from the menu without being overly pushy.  She checked in on us several times throughout our meal, but never to the point where it felt intrusive.

I ordered the Bocado Burger Stack with Herb Fries and was very impressed.  The ingredients tasted fresh and homemade, and I can honestly say that it was one of the better meals that involved burgers and fries that I have had in a long time.  Even if you don't particularly care for ground beef, there are other items on the menu that looked good.  If you are craving something sweet after your meal, definitely try the carrot cake-- apparently it's made in-house and one slice is generous enough to be shared between two people.

It looks like Bocado has become a major player in the burger trend that has taken over Atlanta in the past couple of years.  I will definitely make an effort to visit Bocado more often.
4 - Leeanna L.: Interesting menu. Consistent. Dependable. Good service. Overall, food is really good (the carrot cake is great). I've been several times for lunch, once for dinner. 

The lunch menu consists of sandwiches and burgers. Bocado touts an "award-winning" burger, the Bocado Burger Stack ($8.75), that is oft mentioned in the same sentence with the more illustrious one over at Holeman & Finch. You can add a side of fries ($1.75), herbed fries ($2.5), or a side salad ($3). Soup and salad options (mostly meatless) round out the rest of the menu.

I've gotten the burger before because of the aforementioned infamy. It comes with American cheese and house-made pickles. There are no other options for additional toppings. I get it. This is serious business. However, without the bun and cheese, it's pretty pointless (I'm on Paleo diet). I've also ordered the short rib sandwich ($9.75) before and eaten around the bun. It was fine. I haven't really tried to go bunless with any other sandwiches on the menu but safe to extrapolate that the portions sizes are equally small across the board. If you're ditching the bread and cheese, you'll be leaving hungry.

Now let's talk about the side salad. As of today, I've gotten it one too many times and it is definitively the sorriest excuse for a salad. It comes in a teeny-tiny cup containing what amounts to roughly two lettuce leaves lightly dusted with some cheese. Consider it a garnish...that you paid for. Griping about prices versus portion sizes is not my thing but this one is just too much. Eyebrow raised. Scrap the side salad and go for the deviled eggs ($3). It's a much better deal in my book and  it's the same price. 

So there you have it, above average restaurant for foodies in general. I'd come back for dinner. Rethink your lunch plans though if you're Paleo.
3 - Chris F.: First of all, I'm not sure what level of service they aim to provide, but it's certainly not of the highest.  In my book, it is the responsibility of the host and/or waiter to notice who is wearing dark pants, especially if you have white napkins that easily shed, which is the case at Bocado.  Both the waiter and host fell down on this.

I was part of a large lunch group.  Our waiter seemed annoyed to be serving us as a large group.  They were also out of two of the sandwiches at 1pm on Thursday.  Rather frustrating.

I think about half the group got the Burger Stack, a couple got the Fried Chicken Sandwich, and myself and another got the Portabella Panini.  We all enjoyed our food but nobody raved.

I'd go back at some point, but I guess I'll call ahead to see if they have the pimento cheese available.
3 - Christine K.: I went to Bocado for lunch with 5 other people. The lunch menu consisted of soups, salads, and sandwiches. Nothing too impressive. I got the Roasted Turkey Breast Sandwich. It was good, but didn't really stand out in anyway.

The price is very steep. I paid $12.00 (including tip) for pretty much a turkey sandwich and a glass of water. I would only eat here again if it was on someone else's dollar.

The service is VERY slow. My group ordered 3 Italian Wedding Soups, 2 Tomato Soups, and 1 Sandwich. We waited close to 20 minutes for our order to come out. The restaurant wasn't even that busy and they had more than enough servers.

Bottom line is, the lunch menu is completely overpriced and the service is sloth-like.
3 - Elizabeth S.: Loved the apps, sweet potatoes and deviled eggs were terrific. I ordered the burger stack with fries; i liked the fries better than the burger. Interesting drinks and friendly and helpful bartender. I recommend the ginger beer mixed with either vodka or tequila. Finished with the chocolate caramel cake with sea salt which was quite tasty.
4 - Paul N.: This restaurant is located in Midtown of Atlanta, and it is a great place for any occasions. It does get quite busy during lunch and dinner hours, and the place accommodates outside sitting as well. The place is clean, but the bathroom only allows one person at a time, which can be a problem if you really need to use it. 

The restaurant is famous for its burgers, and I had the opportunity to try the burger and other items on the menu. The Bocado Burger Stack was a pretty good burger. It contained a nice portion of the meat, and additionally, it was very moist and flavorful. My patty was very well cooked, and the texture of the meat was not too buttery or rough. I must say that this burger is better than the Holeman and Finch burger (which is not worth the wait). The house made pickles did not overpower the burger itself, and it was a good mix with the patty. The cheese was aged well, and they did not use some cheap cheese. One thing I would suggest is that the restaurant can work on a bit more on the fries. The burger is not a big portion, so don't expect yourself to be completely stuffed. Most importantly, it did not leave a greasy feeling in my mouth after consuming the burger. 

The Pan Roasted Chicken Breast was very good too. The chicken was fresh, and the meat was cooked well. The chicken was not dry, rather it was quite moist and easy to the palate. The white wine tobasco sauce was surprisingly good, and the dish well complimented by the homemade grits. The dish was not too large or small, and it provided the right portion along with the appetizer. 

Overall, it was a great dining experience, and the food was much better than Holeman and Finch. I would recommend this place to anyone who is around town looking to try out some burgers and other menu items with a great atmosphere. 

If you have a girl, this would be a nice place to take as a date, but I wouldn't waste the place on an okcupid date.
4 - Angela H.: A friend of mine wanted to go to Flip Burger one night, but since I'm not a fan of their tiny, overpriced burgers, I did a Yelp search and came across Bocado.  Based on the reviews here, I suggested that we go to Bocado instead.  Luckily, my friends decided to go with my suggestion.  I'm so glad they did!

I wasn't pleased about the parking situation.  Apparently, Bocado has a free parking lot on Marietta St. between 8th and 9th St., but I could not find it.  Maybe because I'm almost legally blind and it was really dark?  I don't know.  Anyway, after looking for the parking lot for a couple minutes, I gave up and took advantage of their "complimentary" valet where all you need to pay is a few bucks for tip.

Since it was a Wednesday night, the place wasn't busy.  Our party of three was seated immediately, which was great.  The server brought us glasses of water, which did not contain any ice.  I thought this was odd, and asked for some ice, but never got it.  Oh well...

I glanced at their menu, but I knew exactly what I wanted to order - the Bocado Burger Stack cooked at medium temperature.  The burger includes American cheese and comes with fries (as well as a pickle, which I didn't get since I told them I didn't want it).  The server asked if I wanted the "garlic herbed" fries or just regular fries, and I chose the garlic.

WOW, I am SO glad I got the burger!  It was absolutely delicious!  Juicy and bursting with flavor, it was probably the best burger I've had here in Atlanta!  The garlic fries were also amazing.  The burger wasn't huge nor was it tiny - it was the perfect size to fill me up with the fries.  At $12 for the burger and fries, the burger is obviously considered "gourmet," but it was so worth it.

Overall, I feel that Bocado deserves 4.5 stars!  I really wish we could give 1/2 stars but since I can't, I will have to round down to 4.  The burger itself was worth 5 stars, but the parking situation keeps me from giving the restaurant as a whole 5 stars.  If you're looking for a truly amazing burger, look no further than Bocado!  You will not be disappointed!
4 - Randy T.: Very good burger. Nice place too. Next time I come I will try something different.
3 - Tom C.: You don't need to wait till 10pm for the Holeman & Finch burger, you can come here during operating  hours and grab one here.

From what I understand, Bocado uses Holeman & Fitch buns and burger formula for their own burger on their menu. I tried the burger and it's pretty good but I feel like Holeman & Finch does it better.

I also tried the deviled eggs...nothing impressive...just regular deviled eggs. I feel like it's hard to improve upon that appetizer, there is not much you can do for it. I also tried their beet salad and it was delicious. It had fresh greens, a really yummy but light salad dressing with an assortment of nuts.

The food service was whatevers but what impressed me the most about this place was the interior design. It's modern and chic, easy on the eyes and a good date spot to take somebody.

Overall verdict...I'll have to give it another try to try their other food menu items.
4 - Aja M.: I decided to finally get out and meet a group of foodies for a meet up at Bocado to experience the Lobster Roll. Mind you I am already a HUGE fan of their burger (and yes I have experienced the HF burger as well) so I did not want to pass up on trying something else on the menu.

In a party of 20 with most of us ordering the Lobster roll...that is until they ran out...lol. The servers were as usual very nice and quick with bringing out requested items. I decided in addition to getting the lobster roll I would order some brussel sprouts...because I have a serious love affair with them going on right now. Well let me say that these are THE BEST brussel sprots I have EVER had....sorry Nana.

Shortly after came out my lobster roll and tomato bisque. The bisque was creamy and had perfect flavor. The lobster roll bun is about the size of a hot dog bun but is STUFFED with lobster in this creamy mayo based sauce that has the perfect amount of acid in it. It was worth the $21 I paid for it...but as I was watching some of the others eat their burger, I kind of wanted to order one of those too. 

Just gives me a reason to go back...
4 - Carrie Neal W.: The Boyfriend got to make his Yelp debut at last night's Lobster Roll UYE (thanks to my dear Emily R. for setting it up!!) and it was so nice to introduce him to everyone that went!! Unfortunately, the only bad parts of the night were that we arrived about 6:20 and they had already sold all the lobster rolls (note: do not dilly-dally if you're wanting this semi-famous sandwich!!) and that he didn't feel great so we went light on food and got him some cocktails.

The cheese plate (I got the pick 3) was tasty, though definitely on the small side. The French goat cheese was my favorite- deliciously creamy and smooth, good by itself on the toast and with the apricoty glaze paired with it. The dry jack and comte were also good. Big fans of that blood orange cocktail- the Boyfriend felt much better after a couple!

It was so good to put names and faces together of people I hadn't met, like Helena and Other (who we now know also goes by George), and to see my Yelp sweetie Richard R and his lovely wife, Todd P (it had been too long!) and dear Sarah E. (no Chubs sighting but hopefully soon!!). 

Even though he didn't feel great, the Boyfriend thought everyone was great and was pretty amused at all the picture-taking of food (I didn't realize I'd done it on our first date but was reminded of that! oh well, he knew what he was getting into!). Can't wait for the next Yelpy evening to see everyone!
5 - Jeremy H.: OK - I admit it. I've only been here for the burger.  I got it the first time I came for lunch and it's the only thing I've cared to order since then. I don't know how their fritters and frotters and lobster mish mash is. I just know that the burger is incredible. Holeman & Finch buns, two patties, cheese, house-made pickles - simple, juicy, flavorful and delicious. I crave coming to Bocado for their burger. The garlic herb fries are pretty good too.
4 - Juan M.: More like 3.5 stars than a full 4.
Service was okay and it was a business lunch so I can't talk to the evening.
It was fine; I wish I had felt more comfy with my company to totally jam on the garlic fries, but I was in the middle of my business mojo so I couldn't risk blowing my cool and spraying bits of garlic fries in people's faces when making a crucial point.

I'm pretty sure that they do the simple syrup thang with the iced tea (which I prefer) - stainless steel tables too, if I recall.  The burgers were good, but nothing to include in my autobiography.

Need to take my roommate with me to check it out and get her input.
4 - Tramaine W.: The deviled eggs were phenomenal and the burger was great. Since we are doing comparisons to H&F, the deviled eggs are way better here and the burger patties are juicier. The flavoring of the patties might have been better at H&F if my memory serves me right. If you want a good solid burger with cheese and a few toppings both these places are solid choices but the flavors are too one dimensional to me. Farm burger and flip burger put this white-ish sauce on their classic burgers that is amazing to me and it takes the burger to the next level. Other than that I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch at Bocado and would encourage you to give them a try. The customer service was also good for takeout.
4 - Brian S.: Jennifer L. pretty much nailed the review for this place.

This place has made a name for itself because of its signature burger. When you go, I would definitely give that a shot. For the appetizer i tried the deviled eggs and I wouldn't recommend them to you fine people. Luckily, there are a host of other options for your pre-meal snack that I'm sure would better ready your taste buds for the joy their about to experience.

This is a $$ restaurant by definition but be sure you're ready to pay more towards the the second $. (especially if you get drinks) Speaking of drinks, GET THEM! this place has great and interesting combinations that just simply work together.

For a place that seems to like to meld flavors and cross section tastes they're doing very well for themselves. I would definitely recommend checking it out for yourself. Remember to sit close because it really does get noisy in the open dining atmosphere.

Enjoy!
4 - Taylor A.: Can a place in Atlanta have my favorite burger AND my favorite lobster roll? Yes!

Thoroughly impressed with their Saturday night special lobster roll! They have a limited amount, and on the night I went, they were sold out by 7pm. So, if you want one, get there early!

The lobster roll was stuffed with lobster and a light mayo dressing to keep it together. There is a slight lemon flavor that adds to the freshness of the dish. At $21 it's priced about right for what I received. 

I started with the deviled eggs, which were exactly what I expected, but nothing over the top. 

Whenever I'm in the mood for a good burger or lobster roll, Bocado is at the top of my list!
4 - Vania H.: bocado is easily one of my new favorite discoveries in atlanta!  i was very impressed with the atmosphere of the place, and their food as well.  the biggest down side to this location is the lack of parking - you'll have to park in lots in the back, or alongside the road behind the building.  i saw 7 or 8 cars parked directly in front of the entrance and all of them received parking tickets.

my first time there for lunch, i had looked at the menu on their website beforehand and was dead set on the croque madame.  i mean, who can resist a good croque madame?! i was very disappointed when i arrived to find that they had replaced it with a grilled cheese sandwich / tomato soup combo.  never one to turn down a good grilled cheese, i went for it.  it was pretty good - quite similar to the one they have at jct kitchen (which is my favorite grilled cheese EVER) - so, no complaints there.  

my friend ordered the blackened tuna blt sandwich and it was to die for.  not too heavy, and not too blackened (some restaurants i've been to are too liberal with the word "blackened" on their menu and end up serving an unrecognizable, completely burnt piece of fish).  the chipotle mayo was a delicious addition as well.  

we split the herb and garlic fries with ranch, and those were definitely good.  i always like restaurants that offer alternatives to regular french fries!  just a warning though - you'll need not one, but TWO pieces of gum afterwards to get rid of that garlic taste! but it's totally worth it.

my second time there, i was SURE i was going to order the blackened tuna blt, but even at 12:15pm on a thursday, they had already run out.  i had heard that bocado's burger had been voted best burger in atlanta, so i decided to try that instead.  truthfully, the burger was good - but not "best burger in atlanta" caliber.  

i think the atmosphere is what keeps me coming back each time (although the food is definitely a factor as well).  it has a very modern feel with a lot of natural light, and is a perfect venue for lunch.
4 - missy a.: Love to sit on their patio.  Wine list and specials always please me.   My husband is a big fan of burger.   Great place.
4 - Rob P.: Stumbled upon Bocado on Yelp and was shocked to find that there was yet another famous burger in town. In Atlanta!  I know, insane.

Made a reservation for a Friday night, but not sure it was necessary.  The decor was similar to other West Midtown spots, modern, sparse, and classy.  Drink list had a good selection of beer, wine, and cocktails.

The highlight of the meal was the salad. No lettuce? No problem!  Just have some beets, orange, avocado, hazelnuts, fennel, faro, and feta, oh my!  That was amazing.  Lady had the chicken with grits and collards, it was okay, kind of bland.  Of course, I got the burger with the herb fries.  The burger was very good, but it wouldn't make my top five in Atlanta.  It's very similar to the Holeman/Finch burger, just not as epic.  The herb fries were too garlic-y, I would probably go with the regular fries next time.

Final note on the parking, I pulled into a spot directly in front of the door. As in, three steps away from the door. But, of course, it's valet only.  Atlanta!  This angers me!  But then I saw a sign that it was a non-profit valet for charity. Jigga what?  Not sure how that works, but sure I guess I'll tip you now for inconveniencing me and providing no service.
1 - Virginia V.: Passed Off Unknown Fish as Sole--Denied It

The Chef Lied

The Waiter Essentially Told Us We Did Not Know What We Were Talking About

I grew up in a fishing village on the North Carolina coast.  When my mom wanted fish for dinner, my dad would go to one of the two fish houses about 4 PM when the trawlers were coming in.  He would grab the fish off the conveyer belt as they were being unloaded from the boat.  While sole was not something that you would find in such warm waters, pompano, flounder, puppy drum, red drum, rock fish, not to mention the best shrimp on the east coast and the sweetest bay scallops anywhere were plentiful.  Skates are also plentiful but were immediately sent to the cat food factory down the road.  Locals did not eat skate (and still don't).  Now skate is frequently passed off as sea scallops in even some of the best eateries.

We have sent dozens of people to Bocado since it opened.  I have had Bocado's flounder and sole dishes tens of times.  We started eating there before they had a liquor license.  We have probably eaten there 30 plus times since they opened.

Wednesday night, we had dinner before the Hawk's game with another couple.  Better half was the only one of the four of us that did not order the sole.  

The sole came prepared perfectly.  Surrounded by sweet muscles, in a lovely fish broth over creamy rice.  However, when I lifted the filet, it was clear it was not sole.  It was almost 3/4" thick and had very visible muscle striations.  The texture was not nearly as delicate as sole and seemed closer to catfish.  While the dish itself was very favorable, the fish had no flavor whatsoever. 

When we mentioned to the waiter that it was not sole, his response was, "I think the CHEF knows what he is preparing," and he huffed off.  No apologies, no follow-up, no nothing.  Not another mention that we had just been served something we did not order and did not have a clue what it actually was.

Passing off one food for another is the first step in committing suicide for an upscale eatery.  Totally ignoring being called out on it, is criminal. 

All of my friends who we have recommended Bocado to, we take it back.  They are cutting corners and counting on their customers not being smart enough to catch it.

I do not know an Angus beef from a Hereford cow, but I do know fish.
5 - Leanne E.: Oh my, what a treat! On Saturday, I arrived around 6 and immediately found parking. I was whisked away to an outdoor table on a delightful Saturday afternoon/evening. Lobster rolls were plentiful and most in the restaurant had ordered this dish. For $21, you get a sandwich that is larger than most standard mouths, so consider eating with your fork. The tomato basil was so creamy and smooth. I chose the Tiki Ember for my drink, and if you're a chick who likes cocktails but doesn't necessarily taste the alcohol, get this pineapple goodness in a glass.
5 - Joy G.: Met up with a friend here to try the burger stack! It was delicious! I usually like to pile my burgers with every topping and sauce available but the way they make it is just perfect. I also loved the herb fries! I thought the fries were better here than Yeah Burger & Farm Burger. Nice atmosphere. Nice wait staff. Sweet tea with the simple syrup you add yourself was cute too. I can't wait to have it again!
3 - Shirley Z.: Herb fries are the bomb!

Went there for lunch with friends and was pretty OK with my experience. I got the bocado burger & my friends got the chicken salad and some sort of sandwich. The burger was good but not to die for. Chicken salad was nothing exciting and was over powered by the massive amount of grapes. i would have to say the highlight had to be the fries. It was perfectly seasoned with fresh herbs and it came with an amazing cream dipping sauce. YUM.

I would go back and try again.... with low expectations. hopefully with a better server too. 

FYI: PARKING IS SO ANNOYING. DO NOT park on the street right off of it. you will get a ticket.
4 - Robert A.: As much attention as their burger gets (and deserves) for being great, don't neglect their other sandwiches, like the short rib, or the one my wife describes as the best veggie sandwich in town (can't say myself, as I stick to the meat ones).  Seriously, while it's totally worth going to Bocado if you haven't had their burger and want one of Atlanta's best, don't make the mistake I did and refuse to order anything else for way too long, as their other selections are just as worthwhile of your attention and hunger.
5 - Jill K.: The burger really is that good. and the herb fries rock! only down is the atmosphere isn't cozy and warm, although very fitting to the area of town.
3 - Bon V.: I have dined here twice now. Tried the lunch and dinner. The burger is on the lunch and dinner menu. It's good but Yeah burger is around the corner. At dinner I had a pappardelle with lamb ragu. Nicely executed. I would have liked a little more thickness to the pappardelle and I would have liked a little more! The menu is creative. Worth a re-visit every so often. Decor is okay. Parking is silly. Staff is zombie-like at times. Sometimes rude.
5 - Richard R.: You ever had something so good you can't help but tell everybody?

THE SCENE
It's a lovely Saturday evening and we decided to drive into Atlanta to picnic in view of the city lights @ Centennial Olympic. We brought along two other families who both wanted to try Antico Pizza & Bocado's burgers since I talk about them quite often. To save a little time, I dropped the families off @ Antico Pizza while I headed to Bocado for the Stack Burger (and Lobster Roll to be eaten tomorrow). After gathering our to-go orders, we arrive @ Centennial Park to discover it was closed for a prom... seriously?!? So we made the best of it and picnic'd across the street in the gardens between Georgia Aquarium & The World of Coke.

-------------- - - - -
THE DETAILS
Date & Time:  Saturday May 5th, 2012 @ 8:15pm
Dining Companions:  Wife, our kids +3, other parents (2)
What to expect: limited parking, free valet (if there is such a thing), greeters at the door, business casual to dressy attire
Conversation: Quiet enough to hear your table mate, but a little louder than average.
Decor:  Chic, white painted brick walls, lots of windows, huge lamp shades, cool bar
Service:  Called in order, so it was already waiting. Ordering over the phone was very easy.
I had the:  Bocado Stack Burger ($12), Lobster Roll ($21) Garlic Fries http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/NhRYzLtnHbZivgUGjT8qFw?select=HMosl-pXSccAGmFU09p-dA#_9-WLu2MmOS3cSk1-iYrrQ
Dislikes: It was my second Lobster Roll here and I still prefer my lobster meat warm
Total:  $36.72
-------------- - - - -

THE VERDICT
I'm upgrading the Stack Burger from 2nd best (as described in my previous review)  to my #1 favorite in the city and possibly anywhere in the world. Ann's Ghetto Burger is unmatched for shear size and flavor, but it is more of a burger experience to be enjoyed in well spaced increments. Bocado's burger can easily be enjoyed every day. I shared half of my burger with my wife's good friend who came along for the ride with us and she just about lost her mind. Her exact words "Oooo, OMG, this is heaven! I can't believe a burger can taste THIS GOOD... and the garlic fries are the best EVER!" Nuff said. Took a bite of the Lobster Roll before condemning it to the fridge for tomorrow's consumption. I'm still not convinced after two tries that it's worth it's $21 price tag. Go for the burger. It really is very, very, very good!


UPDATE:
6/24/2012 - I finally had the famed Holeman & Finch burger. It is indeed worthy of it's high praise! Either burger is a winner and hard to say which is better, but I lean toward Bocado's because it is regularly available on their menu.
2 - John S.: We have eaten at Bocado at least 6 times in the past year, all  but one at night ; and we have taken friends several times.  The drink service has always been slow but continues to deteriorate. It takes up to  20 minutes to get a drink order from the bar. The service is ok but not attentive , and, of course, it's loud.   We can live with these problems as long as the  food--especially the burgers and fries--maintains its quality.  BUT, last night my wife and I were disgusted by the dirty restrooms. We were there after 9 pm and know that there had probably been heavy traffic in the restaurant but there is no excuse for facilities being as dirty as the these were .  In the women's restroom: towel container empty and dangling from the wall; un patched holes where the toilet paper container had hung; empty soap container.  The men's room was dirty with used paper towels on the floor. We hope that management will take notice and clean up the restrooms and improve the bar service.
5 - Bonnie F.: The single most under-rated restaurant in Atlanta.  Yes, the burgers are legendary and you do not need to be BFFs with some late night snotty server (cough cough H&F) to get one but Bocado is so much more.  At a recent meal we feasted on small plates of super flavorful seasonal ingredients as well as a Kobe beef tartar that is crave worthy.  The mains we had were satisfying and again deeply flavorful.  My husband had the flat iron steak, I had the pasta (reminded me of Italy) and my girls both had burgers (all the better for me and my husband so we could nibble at their leftovers).  The homemade chocolate layer cake was worth the splurge and I didn't feel too badly since we split it four ways.    Service is efficient and friendly.  The vibe is modern without being too cold.  Writing this is making me want to make reservations this weekend.
4 - Max S.: Wow, I love a good burger...and this one is damn good. It must be in the meat, cause it comes out on the plate so simple with a few pickles. You do have to request condiments. I would put it up there with the best burgers I've ever had. When you walk in the place...you wouldn't even guess they serve a greasy double cheesey, the setting is upscale contemporary. 

The fries are amazing too, garlic and herb BOOM...so dank. 

Person next to me had the tomato soup, which looked delicious.

Service is always pretty good...great lunch spot.
4 - Jack H.: The simple reason to visit Bocado is the Burger Stack or, on Saturday nights, the Lobster Roll.  But the better and more important reason to visit is Tyler, the bartender, who is one of the best mixologists in the ATL.  We eat at the bar near Tyler, so we can watch a master at work.  He is incredible.  Please try his recommendations, and order the dishes that you think might pair well with his concoctions.  Thank me later.
5 - Liz V.: I've written and deleted this review at least three times and finally settled for this draft so bear with me, I will probably edit this any second now!

I have been to Bocado many times for lunch but thought, with the empty parking lot and lights off inside, they were closed. Finally, on a random Tuesday, we decided to try the door and sure enough, bliss-they were open. 

My foodie idol, Richard R., has raved about Bocado for months and considering I have a weakness for beef (use your imaginations) I had to try the famed stack burger and I have to say it did not disappoint. 

We were seated on the back wall so I had full view of the entire restaurant. Once we were seated I enjoyed not having the lights on. It was quiet, very calming and a tad romantic, even for lunch. 

The bar was interesting with the black half pipes stuffed with wine bottles, chic metal chairs and tea light candles across it. The decor inside was very modern with a corner full of different sized lamp shades, one that looked a bit obnoxious but I won't go in to that. I loved the black table in the center with all the yummy desserts on display, table water, napkins and extras for the staff to grab. It really made me feel like I was eating at a friends house despite not being able to see the kitchen. 

I ordered the stack burger with garlic, parmesan fries and requested it be cooked medium rare. Go ahead, you food Nazi's, chastise me for eating somewhat raw meat but I think anything over medium is a waste! I want to taste the meat not just eat Slim Jim rations. 

I could hardly contain myself when I saw the waitress carrying over the plate. I was literally clapping and had a huge smile across my face anticipating as it got closer and closer. She put it down in front of me with a small cup of pickles and I almost cried, wait, are those bread and butter pickles?! Just like my beef, I take my pickles seriously! (do NOT use your imagination!) 

The first bite was heavenly. The bun was toasted, the meat was tender and perfectly cooked, the sweet taste of the pickle and the melted cheese now covering my thumb seemed like an erotic dream. Why on earth had I waited so long?! I have just found my 2nd favorite (tied with another place) burger in the US! Yes, my loyal readers, I have traveled to CT just to try a burger and I have to say, the pickle is what put it over the edge. 

Needless to say, after my first bite I was not worth conversation until my plate was clean. I could go on about how the fries dipped in their homemade ranch also brought on excited laughter, or the coke served in a Spanish style glass bottle, brought me back to my Spring Breaks in Cancun but no, the burger is all I can find myself thinking about! I wake up in a cold sweat imagining my first bite and of course, the way I slowly licked my fingers when I was done. 

Bocado, you have won this girls heart of beef! If only you allowed me to dry hump the chefs leg with gratitude.
4 - Patrick M.: Dined with 4 work colleagues and we all loved the food. Service was especially slow and inattentive when we sat, but the pace turned around quickly. We all agreed that the food tasted fresher than about any restaurant meal we could recall. This place is a hit! One of my colleagues finished her salad saying it was the best salad she'd ever had.
5 - William K.: My date and I were sharing... as usual... and so with the help of our server we shared the Burger Stack... People... settle down... let me talk... This thing is good.  Yeah I said that in my Ron Burgundy voice.  I wanted to play the jazz flute when I ate it.  It was juicy and gooey and messy... Like so many things we love in life...

But wait, that's not all...

THe avocado appetizer was unique and delicious.  I really dug the peach with bleu chefs and bacon... weird ambitious and AWESOME.  

I also got a big chunk o cake because it was my birfday, Mm Hmm... yep that's how I roll...

All kidding aside, I am going back because the whole menu is just kookoo...
3 - Jon A.: So, I have to caveat this ENTIRE review with the fact that our dining experience on Saturday night was dealt with and resolved in a professional and courteous manner by management befitting a restaurant of this caliber.  That being said, dear reader, read on...

We arrived for our 8:00p reservation and were seated promptly.  It took a bit of time for our server to take our drink orders (and subsequent food orders) which really was a premonition of things to come.  One of our cocktails came out wrong from the bar, which was replaced with the right cocktail and we got to keep the incorrect cocktail.  BONUS!  We ordered appetizers and our main courses - there were two sides of the table, the beef side (the Bocado stack burger and the steak) and the "other" side of the table, which is where things got a little...fishy, pun intended.  

In the beef corner, you have three satisfied diners.  Our other two companions, namely the husband and mother-in-law, ordered the sole and the lamb bolognese.  They barely picked at their entrees and our waiter never checked on the table after our food arrived.  In fact, runners brought the food, and we didn't see him again for quite some time.  Well, I mean I saw him - I saw him schmoozing with his table of two besties who happened to be very close to us.  Being relatively non-confrontational people (but becoming less so each and every day) we did not flag down another waiter.  When the wait staff (not our waiter, mind you) began to clear our table - she noticed the nibbled entrees and asked if they wanted it boxed up.  *laughter laughter, giggle, giggle* the short answer was: No, they did not want it boxed up.  

A couple of minutes later, the evening manager arrives at our table - the two unsatisfied diners gave their rundown of what they didn't like about their respective meals.  He seemed EXTREMELY receptive to the feedback - he offered to fire their entrees again (mind you, we were going on hour #2 of being in the restaurant at this point) and ultimately settled on a free dessert.  At the end of the day, a free dessert does not make up for poor entrees, but they did try to rectify the issue in the moment, so kudos there.

So, similar to Kathleen M.'s experience - my food was excellent, beef is definitely the way to go here in my opinion, but sadly the service was abysmal and practically nonexistent for our table.  The manager did say something to him and of course after that our waiter was sweet as southern tea when the bill came out, but I could just see the daggers shooting out of his eyes, like it was OUR fault he messed up our table that evening.  

When I got up to leave and exited the restaurant, once again the manager ran out and spoke to us.  He apologized and thanked us for coming...his comments and concern were genuine, which is noted and appreciated.  

We're moving to this neck of the woods in about a month and a half, so I am sure we will return to Bocado and I hope that I am able to revise my review.  This is one of those moments you wish Yelp would separate food / service ratings for places - I'm sure there's a reason behind not doing it, but if there were a suggestion box I'd put that in it.
4 - Belinda S.: Food is delicious! We had the amazing burger stack, the chicken with grits, and for appetizer for the fried avocado with quinoa and of course the bread basket from holeman and finch. We sat on the patio which was breezy, it was really loud and claustrophobic inside so the patio was a nice escape. 

I am only knocking them down one point because the service was PAINFULLY SLOW! We sat for a good 10 minutes before anyone even brought us water or took our drink order, breezy patio or not it's still hot out and we needed water.

We will of course go back, but they need to remember to pay attention to all of their patrons and do their jobs even if they don't feel like going outside themselves.
5 - Parker H.: I'm a big fan of burgers, and I've visited most in the metro Atlanta area so far. And I think it is safe to say that the Burger Stack here at Bocado is among the finest I have EVER tasted!!!!

This burger was perfect in so many ways: its size, the meat-to-bun-to-cheese ratio, the quality of the beef, just the right amount of mayonnaise and those yummy butter pickles....not to mention, their fries are simply amazing as well.

Since working in downtown Atlanta, I have yet to find a burger that even remotely compares to this one and it might be safe to say that I never will, and I am okay with that, because in my eyes I already HAVE found it.....
5 - Lacey G.: I LOVE Bocado!  I live between LA and NY, and when I am in Atlanta, I always must make a trip to Bocado.  It is one of my favorite restaurants ever.  The deviled eggs for a starter are to die for, as are the fried oysters.  Oh boy!  

The cocktails are great too, and the service was really good.  I recommend this place to anyone who likes a great dining experience!
3 - Susan P.: I'm surprised so many people are raving about these burgers.  I thought it was pretty good but by no way would it be my favorite in Atlanta.  I prefer a medium rare burger which the server told me was not an option.  The fries were awesome though.   Too pricey for lunch - $17 for burger, fries and iced tea (including tip).   Parking was bad.  Saw a couple of people get tickets for parking on the side of the restaurant.
5 - Tristan A.: The BEST burger I ever had in my entire life. And I'm fat...ate madddd burgers kid. 

Atmosphere of the restaurant is really cool, and I ordered some weird ass milkshake that had bitters in it.  It threw me off..because when you see a milkshake you automatically think sweet, but it has a bitter punch to it.  Lets just say...I had two of them..lol. Damn good!

Can't wait to go back! It also helps that my waiter was nice and knew the different types of meat in the burger. A+
4 - Steve Z.: This is by far the best burger in Atlanta and more reasonably priced than some others (Houston's). As another reviewer commented, this is the tastiest burger I have ever had anywhere. There on a Saturday evening at 8pm we were seated promptly. Our server opened the bottle of wine we brought and the four of us ordered burgers and fries. The burgers were cooked to perfection. Interestingly we asked for our fries to be well done/ crispy and the waiter thought we wanted our burgers well done, he  replied the chef only does burgers one way! Again the burgers (the chef's way) were perfect. The fries were well done & crispy as we had requested. The herb garlic fries are fantastic but be forewarned, bring breath mints. The corkage was a reasonable $15. Desserts don't seem to be their thing, a choice of three cakes, none of which appealed to us. Our waiter was fine but without personality, all business. I would say this should be 4.5 stars; easily five stars but for the lack of an exciting dessert selection.
5 - Amy S.: "Wait. That's a restaurant?! Let's try it." So we did, one romantic evening, for dinner.

We were worried after driving by and seeing the rather small parking lot packed with cars, so I called about availability. Turns out they had plenty of seating and just an extremely small parking lot. We parked on a side street with no problems. 

We opted to sit out on the patio. There was a nice breeze courtesy of a storm coming in, and we got to see a pretty cool lightning show. I felt safe, and the waiter said he'd be more than happy to move us inside if we asked. The view was too cool to give up -- the Atlanta skyline from the West End with sweet, swirling black clouds and the infrequent illumination of lightning. Pretty freaking romantic if you ask me!

Back to the waiter - I can't remember his name, but he was awesome. He started us off with their relatively small, made-daily menu and an explanation of some specials.  He had some great suggestions, made just enough small talk, and brought out our drinks quickly. 

We started with the baked bread basket, which was light enough and a great conversation piece, as it contained a great array of baked breads and a unique butter. For my entree, I opted for the hanger steak with a hash brown-type side and heirloom tomatoes. Delish and perfectly cooked! The fiance got the burger, which was immediately engulfed. Post-entrees, we sprang for a slice of carrot cake, which apparently they're known for. I know why now! It was awesome. Perfect icing-to-cake ration. Just enough nuts, and a great portion size to split.

The restaurant and bathrooms were clean, and everyone on staff, including the manager who chatted us up about being engaged and visiting on our dating anniversary, was pleasant. I'd definitely recommend for a great date night spot - or even an intimate business meal.
3 - Mary L.: Update: Shortly after we went, Bocado failed their health inspection, with mold and fruit fly problems. Grossed out to learn that.

I would really like to give the restaurant four or five stars, and I probably would if we'd had another server. My boyfriend took me and his friend to Bocado last night as a last meal together before his friend moves to Boston. We came in a little late, probably around 9, and waited a few minutes at the bar to get a table on the patio (Which is beautiful). 

The bartender was helpful, but too busy I guess. He took our drink order, and gave us our drinks, but the GM let us know our table was being made ready and that we should settle our tab and our bartender was impossible to flag down. We had to ask the second bartender, who gave us the check. I paid for it and didn't need change, or I would have been waiting for it for a while, because no one came to check on it before we left for the table a few minutes later. That said, I think all of that is pretty excusable. Bartenders are busy, that's pretty standard, if not great service.

Our server, though, was abysmal. Not the sort of service I would expect somewhere like Bocado at all. I don't know what her name was, but she was in her 20's I'd guess, African-American with chin-length hair. It was getting to be the end of the night, so I guess she was just over it. We ordered four or five small plates, two cheeses and a bottle of wine. We had intended to order them leisurely, and so we asked her when the kitchen was closing and she only then told us we needed to put our orders in quickly before the kitchen closed. So we did, with at least 15 minutes to spare. While she was originally pretty bright, our waitress became surlier through out our meal and we all noticed and talked about it. As the dishes came out, we were waiting in particular on the deviled eggs that my boyfriend ordered for me as the other dishes were mostly things I wasn't going to eat for various reasons. 

When she came around quite a bit later, he asked after it, and she only then told him that they were out, very casually and unapologetically. First of all, I feel like this might be made up. You can certainly prepare deviled eggs ahead of time, but you can't run out unless the restaurant somehow runs out of eggs and the other ingredients. I told her point blank then that I wished she had told us earlier so that we might have ordered something else instead before the kitchen had closed, and she gave the barest and least earnest of apologies and left immediately. She was never very nice after that, or very present, and we had to ask another server to take a photo of the three of us together (And she was very sweet about it).

This is all a real shame, because everyone agreed that the food, wine and cocktails were all great. The watermelon goat cheese salad was amazing. The GM, also, was very accommodating. But when you leave a restaurant, the service makes a bigger impression than the food, and bad service makes a bigger impression than good service. So Bocado would not be our first choice of restaurants in the area, but I hope to try it again and find the service improved.
4 - Dio S.: I think of this place as a refined new American bistro.  The strengths are its famous burger stack and excellent cocktails--so much so, that I rarely get anything else here.  The loft-like space is elegant and cool though not exactly the most relaxing or warming, but if you sit at the patio you can feel very laid back.  

The menu is very short, usually about 6 appetizers, a pasta, a couple bistro staples like roast chicken or sole, and then the burger.  The dishes are not ever super exciting, but the execution is usually pretty good, and thoughtful especially with the appetizers.  Any misgivings I may have about the lack of excitement in entrees (and these misgivings are well founded), are safely averted by the fact that the burger is the one you are gonna want to eat most of the time.  A simple but decadent double stack similar in style to H&F and a few others, where you are getting a lot of mileage out of superior buns and very beefy patties (never rarer than medium), with a simple drape of American cheese and house-made pickles.  I still like H&F's better, but Bocado's is definitely one of the better burgers around.  Fries are very good as well, but again, not so good that I would especially crave them.  I've never had lunch here, but looking at the menu it actually looks like there are better choices at lunch, with many sandwiches that look appealing.  

Bocado is one of the about half dozen places in Atlanta that I consider to be very good and very serious at doing ambitious cocktails.  Like with the burger, this is pretty well known and the reputation is well deserved.  About a dozen evolving selections are offered, most are sophisticated, inventive, and smooth.  I feel that they could trim down on the number of these drinks and focus on making sure every single one is superb though.  It's better to have about 6~8 where every one is delicious than to have 8~12 where a few of them don't work.  

Overall a good place with a focused appeal (burger+cocktails).
5 - Dionne I.: Tried to get in to Holman and Finch with a party of 6 last weekend, no bueno. So we hit up Bocado where we got a table right away. I tried their burger which was amazing! I'd had the flat ironed steak with horseradish cream there a few weeks ago which was alos  perfectly cooked an d delicious.  Dinner was def. a nice lateral move.
5 - Lindsay K.: We went to this restaurant after learning of its amazing burgers, and it did not disappoint.

My husband and I went a little early on a Friday and got a table indoors, although their outdoor seating looked equally nice. We were met with a great beer and wine list - from which we tried a few :)

We started with the tartar - which set the standard. It was delicious, fresh, and seasoned perfectly.

I came prepared to have the burger - and it was great. Probably the best I've had in Atlanta so far (followed by Vortex, Flip and Farm, in that order). It was cooked perfectly, and a great size - some places over do it with the thickness, but Bocado nailed it. Great house-made pickles, and awesome bun.

Highly recommend for a nice meal out that doesn't break the bank :)
2 - Carlos M.: Don't really know what the fuzz is all about. Went there for dinner 9/17/2012 the service was good, although at 945 PM we were kinda rushed to get out as they were closing very apparent my the loud noises being made by the staff and the not so subtle Valet parking attendant coming to the table asking for the ticket (Dude there is only one car left in the parking lot) approach.  

Dinner for 4 (Mediocre to good but not spectacular) was 270.00 and the reality is that the burger and fries looked less appetizing than the pictures on Yelp (And they are not really appetizing looking at all)

Most likely will not be back.
5 - Shafin D.: This place is awesome. One of my favorite burgers in Atlanta. I've been here 5 times, all of which the service has been great.

Food:
The burger is consistently good, and it's normally what I eat. The brussels are really good, as well as the deviled eggs.

Definitely recommend
4 - Dina C.: Bocado is a great place to host a party or special event.  I booked the private room for a grown up bachelorette party and Bocado (Manager Sean and his staff) did such an excellent job in taking care of our group.  Bocado is a beautiful space with perfect lighting and romantic feel.  Everyone loved their dish.  I had the pasta with clams.  Some of the other girls had the chicken, sole, and the infamous burger.  We also ordered the fried avocado appetizer which was pretty cool and the H&F bread baskets.  I highly recommend Bocado as nice place with a chef driven menu to dine and relax.  They effortlessly pull off the high end dining experience without a vibe of snootiness.
4 - Justin A.: Good burger, friendly staff. Can't really speak about anything else, as I haven't ventured away from the burger (it's that good).
5 - Stefanie M.: Hells bells.  

I guess if you are going to go off diet, Bocado's burger stack is the way to do it.  I was SO good yesterday on my diet, that I was starved today and all I could think about was a burger.  So I thought, well, Bocado near my office is supposed to have one that rivals holeman and finch's burger (which I've never tried H&F because I don't believe a burger should require that much planning and effort), so I hit Bocado for work lunch by myself at the bar.  

God damn that was a foodgasm.  I kinda feel bad talking about it with y'all, it was such an intimate moment between me and my burger stack.  I don't smoke, I never really have smoked, but once my burger was gone, all I wanted was a cigarette, and to just sit and wallow in the delicious of my lunch.  

Oh yeah, there was some tomato bisque too I got as a side that I remember being somewhat decent, but I think my memory has already pushed it out of the way to remember the home made pickles, the perfectly crispy and juicy beef patties in that golden puffy bun that begins to melt in your mouth at first bite.  

Holy hell. . . I'm gonna need to bring a clean change of underwear before I go to Bocado again.
5 - Crystal S.: Best food! Great Service! One of my favorite spots !
 
The chicken. PERFECT. It came with a side of local grits and collard greens. I about died. Perfection. I've also been in for lunch and let me say. The burger? Perfect!!! 

I believe my server's name was Dawn. She has helped my friends and I a few times and she is so attentive and sweet.  She always helps us decide on what to order and makes sure we are taken care of. 

I recommend this place any day and any time of the week.
 The Lobster roll on Saturdays are amazing too !!!
4 - Mick D.: Still no chicken liver love to be found here, but I have finally had the legendary Bocado Burger, and it was goooooood.  The secret?  It's two-fold: 

1) Start with good beef.

2) Keep in all the fat.

And that's about it.  Top with some homemade pickles, add some herb-seasoned fries, and there you have the magic.  Delicious.  Enjoy.

Bocian Robert MD - Palo Alto, CA (37.4402229, -122.1610427) ()
5 - Andrea R.: Dr Bocian is one of the best drs I have ever seen and at PAMF this is rare. He is thorough. He takes the time to really problem solve and help you manage your allergy issues. He ares. He will give you tons of samples to try before you spend the $ to only find that it doesnt work for you. He really listens and makes the effort to solve your problem. I feel like I can tell him anything and I never ever feel rushed or not listened to. He is one of the few drs at PAMF who is like this. Thank god for Dr B! He has helped me so much. Other drs there wanted to puncture my ear drums or other crazy ideas just to fly, Dr B did not feel we needed to take such extreme means to remedy things.
5 - C H.: Fabulous, thoughtful, and thorough. Takes his time to talk and listen to what works for you and what doesn't. Impressive follow up, too - after one of my appointments, he actually emailed me (very) detailed care instructions. A sweetheart of a doc, highly recommended.
5 - Deboarh M.: Dr. Bocian is AMAZING!  If only all doctors were like him.  It's such a relief to find a doctor so informative and able to provide immediate solutions to medical issues.  Ironically,  Dr.  Bocian helped me with endocrinology issues because I had an allergic reaction to my auto immune medication.  I'm extremely appreciative of everything he has done for me and only wish he could teach other doctors how to help/interact with their patient's.  A true gem!
5 - Lili C.: What a fantastic doctor! Dr Bocian is very knowledgeable, extremely nice and takes the time to answer all my questions and make me feel less overwhelmed by my babys long list of allergies.  This has been tremendously difficult to deal with, and I am confident that if the baby has any chance of overcoming some of his severe allergies Dr Bocian is the right care provider to guide us through it.  

We are so lucky to have Dr Jan Rydfors as our pcp/ob and dr Bocian as our allergist! They are both knowledgeable, experienced and compassionate.  Now if I could only find a good dentist....

Bodega Wine Bar - San Diego, CA (32.8833688, -117.2442543) ()
4 - Helen W.: wine list changes by the season and they have a build-your-own sliders menu!  nice ambiance inside, fire pit outside (:

don't think it's part of the la area chain
4 - selina l.: nice environment. great wine selection.  i'm a fan of the house champagne.

the food is good too.  had a polenta appetizer that was yummy.  a little off the beaten path for a quiet time (except of occasional UCSD business school gatherings).

Bodega's Taco Shop - Houston, TX (29.7235673258865, -95.3873677103738) (Museum District)
5 - Jackson M.: This place just opened up last week. It's pretty similar to Chipotle in the way that you get to chose the meat and veggies to put into your taco/burrito. I had a shredded pork burrito with habanero papaya salsa and it was muy rico.I noticed that this place has a bar which sets it apart from Chipotle, and a decent looking drink menu. Bodega's is right in the middle of the Museum District, and it is one of the three restaurants that I can think of which is in walking distance of all of the museums (the other two being the ZaZa restaurant and Cafe Express in MFAH).  It's also in walking distance from where I live (which rocks) and very close to the Museum District light rail station.

Unlike most restaurants in H-Town, this place isn't in a big strip center with a huge parking lot. It's on the ground floor of a building which happens to be a hospital near the Museums and near the residential streets of the Museum District. We need more places like this.

Here's an article with a bit more info about Bodega's: http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2009/02/bodegas_taco_shop_bringing_som.php

EDIT: Whoever complained that the restaurant is on the ground floor of a hospital, why do you care? It's independently owned and on the ground floor of a building that rents out retail space and just happens to be a hospital. How does that make it like a hospital cafeteria?
3 - David S.: Just opened, and still training the staff so expect some evolution in the service and concept over the next few months.   Your basic build to order cafeteria style Mexican.  Fresh ingredients and cheerful staff with very pleasant patio seating under the trees. 

Hope this place is the beginning of a trend, decent eats in the Museum District.  Actually a great location, very close to the Metro stop, but a bit hidden because the entrance is on Caroline even though the address is Binz.

Why only three stars?  Could have done with more creativity on the menu, like maybe some suggested combinations rather than just long lists of options.  The fajita steak burrito was a little light on the steak, especially given that they charge an extra dollar for the steak.  Also, the ice tea was warm, although you could get ice in a nearby soft drink dispenser.
4 - Ryan M.: Burritos. The very word makes me think of microwaves, lack of originality, flatulence, heartburn and food coma. 

After eating at Bodega's I now think of delicious carnitas, fresh toppings, inventive salsas and an overall gratifying experience. I have been to all the "big three" burrito joints (Chipotle, Freebirds and Mission) and to be honest, none of them have ever really blown me out of the water. This place did just that. 

The basic rundown is like other burrito joints in that you choose your vehicle (burrito, salad, tacos, etc) choose your protein, choose your toppings (they have a wonderful selection here) and choose your salsa. 

At most burrito joints, the only choice that comes after your burrito is which fountain or urn do I want to get my drink from. This is not the case at Bodegas. They do have the obligatory iced tea urn and soda fountain, but in addition to this, they have three aguas frescas (I had the horchata, which was absolutely stellar) and a fully stocked bar to choose from. As it was lunch, I had to forego the prominently promoted fresh fruit margaritas, but I plan on a second visit to sample those. 

My food and drink were both delicious, the staff was extremely friendly, the place was spotlessly clean and well decorated and most of all, it all cost under $10.00. 

To be honest, I fear for this place's future as it is in a horrible location with no parking and no Main Street signage. Trust me, it is worth seeking out.
2 - Amaranta C.: Sorry to disagree folks- Bodega's is barely above Chipotle! My bf and I have been walking at twilight around Hermann Park (cute, huh?) and almost every time we wanted to go eat after at Bodegas. For some reason or another, we never went because of forgotten wallets, other cravings, etc. But this past Friday we finally got our act together and walked to Bodega's after feeding the ducks, turtles, & nutria's. 

Previous yelpers mention choices- Bodega's doesn't have any pre-designed combo's. Instead, you order cafeteria line style, and you start by picking what you want to eat- tacos, torta, nacho, etc. My bf got 3 tacos (2 crispy, 1 soft) and I got the nachos. Then you pick from a choice of meats such as rotisserie chicken, fajita (beef or chicken), ground beef, etc. Then you choose your dressings- everything from the regulars (lettuce, tomatoes, cheese) to nacho cheese and red onions. Then you pick a dressing to go on top- I can't even remember how many choices there were, with varying ingredients such as papaya, chipotle, habanero, etc. 

I hate these kinds of restaurants!! I always end up picking combinations of items that taste good indivdually, but together are a big mess. My nachos also came in a bowl, and was about 2x as much as I could possibly eat. What a waste.

However, Bodega's does have a selection of aguas frescas, including horchata, limonada, and pepino. I got the pepino (cucumber). Their desserts included flan and tres leches, amazingly I resisted. 

Bodega's offers a full bar, and other patrons were indulging in the big margarita's. But I don't really understand how Bodega's can expect to have any business outside of the M-F 9-5 crowd from the Med Center. The space, however, is huge- the entire side of the building Bodega's is located in has been turned into a patio.
5 - Patrick S.: Unlike the poster below the word burrito makes my mouth water. This place delivers. Not literally. 

Margaritas = delicious. 
Burritos = cheap. 
Bartender = hot. 

What more can you ask for?

You can take your choice of outdoor or indoor seating. They served our party of 10 on the patio, but i dont think that's typical. Normal people will have to go order their burrito chipotle style. I made a note that the music playing was always good. 

All in all everything was great. Will visit again soon.
2 - Chris G.: A friend recommended this place so I checked it out.  It was basically like chipotle.   Tortillas out of a package.  Fillings were ok, nothing special.  I don't mind them loading it up with beans, but I ordered some beef and they seemed to be skimpy with it.  Nothing special.
3 - Danielle S.: I stopped in at Bodegas for a Friday night get together with a few friends.  I've been wanting to check them out for a while now, and especially after the buzz on Yelp about the best taco in town, I was eager to see how Bodgeas measured up.  Ok, so if we're being completely honest, for a place that has "taco" in its name, the tacos here are merely serviceable.  However, for a spot in the Museum District that's cheap and offers great deals on drinks, I'm sold.

Bodegas is located on the bottom floor of an office building, so it's a little bit hard to spot on the first go-around.  As other reviewers have mentioned, the address is on Binz but the entrance is on Caroline.  I had to hang a U-turn when I pulled up because I was scanning for a storefront on Binz.  The interior is largely unremarkable--there are a few flatscreen TV's that show sports programs and there's lots of seating, both indoor and on the patio.  The evening we were there, instead of the customary Tejano, Norteno or mariachi music that plays in Mexican restaurants, we were treated to nostalgia-inducing 90's alt-rock.  Ahh, memories.

The menu is fairly wide-open--you have choices like salads, tacos and burritos that you can load up and customize according to your tastes.  I decided on three chicken fajita tacos and chose lettuce, tomato and cheese as the toppings (keep it simple, stupid) along with the salsa roja, which was pleasantly spicy with a little too much cilantro flavor for my tastes.  All in all they were solid, but definitely not taqueria quality.  I puffyheart my Tapatia or Arandas tacos.

Though Bodegas doesn't have any happy hour specials, their regular drink prices are cheap enough so that they're practically on sale.  My bill, after ordering two off-menu well drinks and a set of three tacos?  $15.  Pretty damn reasonable for food and drinks, and my friends were saying the margaritas they had were some of the best they'd ever tried, though I didn't indulge.

All in all, I didn't have high hopes but was impressed with the overall package.  I'll definitely think of this place for happy hour some other time.
2 - Ana W.: Thirty minutes ago I vomited. My last meal (and pretty much only meal today) was at Bodega's Taco Shop. It's definitely a case of food poisoning, and I'm definitely feeling ill. 

So why does Bodega's merit two stars? The service was really good, and I can't be 100% sure that it was their relatively tasty vegetarian taco bowl with cilantro lime dressing which sent me running to the bathroom. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt just because they've received great reviews from other yelpers. But you can be certain I won't be back any time soon (or ever).
3 - Christine M.: Looking for a place that will satisfy a group of people fast? Head over to Bodega's Taco Shop!

It's convenientally located about 2 blocks away from the Houston Museum of Natural Science. So after hours of stimulating your brain at the museum, you can walk over and stimulate your stomach with some satisfying food. 

The menu is set up in different steps. First you choose what you want. For example a salad, a bowl, a burrito, etc. I decided to get a burrito. I think they only have one type of tortilla which kind of sucks especially if you really wanted that whole wheat option. Next you choose your fillings. The one thing I do like is that you can see everything that you can put in your meal. So if you're not sure what something is, you can look and just point to what you want. Finally my burrito was done...a steak fajita (which they charge $1 extra!) burrito with some fillers. It can add up if you add guacamole and sour cream, because guess what...those are each $1 more. 

The burrito was OK. It wasn't anything spectacular. This place kind of reminds me of a Chipotle with a little bit more kick to it. This place has a happy hour which makes me want to come back to try their drinks for a cheaper price.
3 - Asha M.: The place is cute, and small, and probably has a horrendous parking situation during weekdays. But we were there after 7, so street parking was no problem. Ordering food is setup like your standard build-as-you-like restaurant (think: Chipotle, Subway, Mission Burritos, Quiznos, etc).  You pick out what you want; tacos, burritos, fajitas, quesadillas, etc. And choose your toppings.

My friend and I both ordered tacos. They come in a choice of corn or flour, crunchy shell or soft tortilla. I chose veggie fillings which are grilled potatoes and veggies (labeled simply as "vegetarian") or black beans. I LOVED the potatoes. They were so good! I could eat them plain, easily.  The black beans were just standard black beans, nothing to write home about.

For what it's worth, my friend liked her chicken tacos a lot, too. 

The thing that makes this anti-Chipotle (in addition to having a full bar and decent margaritas and not being a chain) is that they have a million sauces. And by a million, I mean eleven -ten of which are vegetarian.  I was really jonesing for the avocado ranch sauce, but alas - it was the one sauce that had bacon in it!  Lame.

The food is pretty cheap, at $2.75 per taco. The "plates" are $6.45 and are served with rice and beans. 

I docked two stars because despite my best efforts, I couldn't eat my tacos like tacos. The tortillas were small and yet the servers overstuffed them and drenched mine with sauce, so that I was forced to use a fork.   Additionally, the chips were over-salted and the queso tasted like velveeta (nothing against velveeta,  but I'm a believer that if I eat out, it should be because I can't make this stuff better at home.)  If I wasn't lazy, i would have asked for a bunch of pico de gallo to throw in to it. I'm sure that would have saved it. 

Good: good sauces, vegetarian & vegan options, excellent potatoes!, good margaritas, relatively cheap, convenient to museum district/Hermann Park area.

Bad:  mosquitoes outside were crazy violent!, avocado-ranch salsa isn't vegetarian, there seemed to be free chips and queso at the bar and the cashier didn't mention it to us!, queso & cilantro rice is meh.
5 - Sara L.: I can't be sure just yet if the traffic cop was in the right but the mutherf&%$er gave me a ticket on a Saturday afternoon. I am going to fight the ticket! 

Now as far as the restuarant goes; it is fantastic! I have had the nachos, taco salad, and tacos. I probably won't stray too far from that because those are my favorites when it comes to Mexican food. Nothing on the menu is bad! You can be as healthy or gluttonous as you see fit! 

There is a full bar with just enough screens to watch a game. The cucumber lemonade is delicious! I was told it is an acquired taste, but I was ready walking in the door for it! Free WiFi too!

Oh yeah, did I mention parking can be a bit tricky over there? So park (legally) at the open lot on the corner of Binz and Caroline.
4 - Katie W.: A great little shop that I can order a $3.75 margarita on the rocks that is actually tasty and then walk myself home.  Can't beat that!

I had the three taco plate and it was about twice as much food as I needed.  The pork taco was my favorite of the three I had.  The only issue was that the tomatoes were from a new container that was pulled from the refrigerator.  Tomatoes+cold = yuck.  And that made the rest of the tacos cold.  Next time, I will ask them to put them on the side.

Service was great!
3 - Cory O.: Bodega's is nothing special, but I enjoy coming here because of sheer proximity.  It is equadistance from my place and work, so it is a nice place to grab a bite to eat.  The metered parking initially bothered me, but the really cheap rates can't be ignore.  At least I always find parking in the general vicinity everytime I come here.

I'm a sucker for nachos and got them the first few times I went.  The portions are big, though not the size of Freebirds.  There are the extra costs for guacamole that continue to annoy me, but it seems like this is the new standard for the industry.  Last time I went, I had three tacos and they were pretty good, though smallish.  

They do have a nice collection of salsas at the end and I've enjoyed each one so far.  The fresh juice is delicious and definitely worth checking out--even with the high price tag.  Also overpriced are the yucca fries.  The last time I got them, they weren't that good anyway, you may as well skip these.

While most of my review my seem negative, Bodega's is worth visiting for a quick and casual bite to eat.  I haven't been at night so I can't comment on the vibe, but the bar looks pretty well stocked. This is a solid three star place--it'll neither knock your socks off not will it offend anyone terribly.
4 - Alan S.: This is my new Burrito place.  I feel that it has surpassed Chipotle and Freebirds in customer service.  The first time I went in I was not sure what sauce I wanted on my burrito so the lady behind the counter dipped a chip in each one for me to try!  I've only been here a few times, but I've enjoyed it every time.  

I would avoid the bowls though since they are served in a metal bowl, they tend to be cold... while the burrito's are pressed again after construction to ensure they are warm and toasty!  I've also hear that they margaritas are good, but I've never had one...
2 - Sandra V.: I got talked into returning to Bodega's again for lunch.  :(  I guess I don't understand why people go here.  The tortillas are not cooked properly which ruins it completely.  The chicken was particularly salty for me so I had it replaced with fajita.  Definitely should be on stuffwhitepeoplelike.
5 - Saleh B.: Best Mexican food I've ever tasted...

Loved Everything in there, I became a regular after a week from finding da place...

My quesadillas were Messy, cheesy & tasty just the way it's suppose to be!! =D

ohh & Get da apple juice too ;)
4 - Dwight A.: Delicious, inexpensive food.
4 - Roland O.: Build your own Mexican favorite from $6.45!!!  Start with a base and keep adding from their extensive list of options in meat(vegetarian options as well), extras and salsas!  The only downer is that there is only street parking but with so many museums in the area you can afford to take a little stroll to fuel up.
4 - Chris S.: If you are looking for tasty quick food and are in the Museum District, you need to try Bodega's Taco Shop. They were voted best Margarita by the Houston Press. Park across from the Holocaust Museum and walk over....its worth the trip! The food is GREAT and the price is very reasonable....(some would say cheap....).
4 - Elizabeth W.: It is so nice to have a place to eat in the Museum District that I can walk to.  The burritos and quesadillas are large with generous portions of ingredients.  However, the chicken poblano soup is the very best.  Pieces of shredded chicken on the bottom, hot fresh creamy soup poured over the chicken and then topped with some shredded cheese, sliced avocado and cilantro and tortilla strips.  It is absolutely wonderful.  Creamy with a mild spicy blend of flavors.  This is a great addition to the neighborhood.
4 - Scott C.: Good Stuff people. My burrito with pork carnitas was excellent as was the 2 salsas (out of 14) that they have. But let's not forget (read as DO NOT FORGET) the real reason we go for mexican food, the margaritas! Go top shelf and you will be SO happy. Thanks to the friendly staff and patrons, this will be a regular hangout for me.
4 - Elizabeth T.: The sheer number of choices on the menu is very daunting the first time you walk in the door. The place offers up much more than tacos, a seemingly endless list of sauces, and very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Take a few minutes to take in the menu, ask for tips for good combinations from the person behind the counter, and then dig in!

I've only been here once, but I'm sure I'll power up the number of stars on subsequent visits. It's a steam table set up so your eyes can feast on the endless possibilities. Have fun and play around with the different flavors. Don't pass up the corn tortillas. The chimichurri and carnitas is spot on. Ancho honey and rotisserie chicken are also winners.
5 - Bryan A.: We passed by this place several times because from the outside it appeared to be just another quick food place attached to a hospital.  Were we ever wrong!   Yes, the food was quick, but the service was both friendly and excellent. The quality of the food was really good, and the margaritas were ... well, you really have to try one!  Bodega'a will now be a regular stop for us when we're in the Museum District.
5 - Kristi A.: If I could give this place more than 5 stars, I would. Carnitas and mango blaze sauce, need I say more?  Every time we come to Houston proper, we have to come here!
4 - Lisa O.: Just celebrated my birthday there for lunch with 20+ friends and it was PERFECT!  It's so good for groups, the food is quite tasty with plenty for vegetarians and the margaritas are strong and delicious.  

I ordered the salad for $6.45 loaded up with roasted veggies (including potatoes which I thought would be weird but actually added well to the salad), beans, cheese, and the cilantro lime dressing.  I was definitely a happy camper, the staff was super nice, especially the bartender!
I think I'm reserving a star because I want to go again and try a few more things before my final verdict.

Definitely worth checking out if you need a bite to eat in the area!
5 - Kyle W.: I was looking for something reasonable in the museum district to take my family to but was fairly original.  Bodega's is about the same price as their most direct competitor--Chipotle, but in my opinion, way better.  There are more toppings to choose from and as a vegetarian, they serve a MUCH better veggie burrito.  I loved it!!
4 - Tony C.: This place is great, alittle hard to find but well worth it. The choice and flavor of the salsa accompaniments really made an impact with the proteins!
4 - James A.: Unlike Mission Burrito this place didn't have dry and bland food or sassy kids with emo hair. Which means I enjoyed it immensly.
2 - El Rauncho Grande G.: What you've got here is a typical, nondescript small office building ground floor retail space into which someone has slotted a fairly standard assembly line burrito place (think Mission Burrito, Chipotle, etc.) where you decide between a burrito or tacos or a burrito bowl, then work your way down a sneeze-guarded assembly line calling out whatever you want on your meal.  Salads and bowls of "nachos" (chips covered with a slurry of watery, Americanized "chile con queso" and other stuff) are also available.  The kitchen is clean and efficient, and the prices aren't bad, but it's just not that remarkable.  

There is, though, one major advantage that Bodega's has over Chipotle or Mission Burrito--a full bar--and that seems to define the weird niche this place is trying to fill: a lunch spot for office workers and nearby Medical Center folks by day, a strangely a-thematic maybe Tex-Mex maybe sports bar in the afternoons, evenings, and on weekends.  

A little hole in the wall bar with decent food is a thing of beauty, and if you think of this place as that, then it's more enjoyable than it is as a taco/burrito shop.  As the former, you can excuse its lack of soul--it's your job, as the increasingly drunken patron, to provide local color, after all.  If, however, you think of it mostly as a food place, then, sad to say, Bodega's just isn't anything to write home about.  It's decent, clean, and not badly priced but is that all it takes to get four star ratings from Yelpers these days?  Apparently, in many cases, it is.

So, come for lunch, or come to watch a game and get a drink with friends.  You'll need to get lucky to find one of the few "feed the meter" parking spaces on a side-street, or poach a spot at the Garden Center in Hermann Park, otherwise you'll have to park in the building's garage, adding substantially to the cost of your lunch, and your reward will be...eh...a burrito...nothing special...but, to each his own.  Personally, I'll take the crappy parking but nice tree-shaded patio at Mission Burrito on Bissonnet, and just have a beer instead of a margarita.

El Rauncho Grande
5 - Becky S.: I love burritos. Frozen, fresh, Chipotle, Freebirds, gas stations, you name it. But honestly, no burrito has really wowed me like the one I got at Bodegas.

The company I was working with at the time had done the construction for this restaurant so we were invited over for a free lunch. The interior was eclectic but inviting with dark wood tones contrasting with rustic metal pieces (my friend actually worked on the chandelier himself).

I was feeling "healthy" that day so I decided to go for the vegetarian. Usually I don't have high expectations for vegetarian burritos (seeing as everywhere you go, it's just the meat burrito, sans-meat), but they actually had a separate vegetarian option with freshly grilled, chunky vegetables they stuffed into my burrito. They even have different sauces you can try with your burrito, and I liked all of them. I couldn't believe it... being a meat-lover myself, there was not one moment when I was missing meat, because the vegetables were well-seasoned and plentiful.

I meant to go back one more time before I moved to California, but alas, that must wait until I visit Houston again.
5 - Michael M.: Awesome
2 - Abby B.: Walking into Bodega's I was expecting something akin to Freebird's or even Mission Burrito. They have many options, something that Chipotle doesn't really offer. However, I felt the quality of the food was poor. I ordered a chicken bowl with their cilantro dressing. The chicken had no flavor, the dressing overpowered all the other ingredients and the rice was mushy. 

The staff was really friendly and helpful though, I ordered the margarita boasted as "The best in Houston". It was pretty good, but not the best I've had. 

I was disappointed and will stick to Mission or Chipotle to fulfill my burrito cravings.
3 - Maria L.: Dinner here was pretty good. I ordered tacos with corn tortillas, 2 with pork carnitas and 1 with rotisserie chicken... for 3 tacos, I thought the price ($6-7) was very affordable. I was also impressed with the variety of sauces you can pick from.. I got ancho honey, mango blaze, and avocado ranch. All very interesting, and I was glad I could get different sauces for each of my tacos. The tacos tasted good. So I would give 4 stars except one major gripe I had: my taco pretty much tore apart when I picked it up.. and the sauce was oozing everywhere. It was SO messy, I ended up having to eat it with a fork. Maybe next time I'll try the burrito, bowl, or tostadas to avoid this problem. The other problem is that parking is terrible around there. We ended up parking several blocks away after circling around the area a few times. Tried the flan -- the consistency was really off.. it was more like cheesecake than flan.
4 - Josh J.: Of all the eatery genres in the world, burrito joints seem to be one of the most polarizing.  People will get up in arms to defend their choice in tortilla stuffery quicker than an Xbox fan boy will crap all over Sony.  I'm not exactly sure why that is, maybe it's the relative newness of the concept or maybe people were just tired of arguing over best burger place...who knows. All that said, when it comes down to it, the differences between them all are few and far between and often seem to be more perceived than based in reality.

When it comes to distinctions, I think Bodegas has a few good things going for it.  

First on the list is the last thing on the serving line, the range of salsas and sauces. The 10+ choices is one of the most varied I have seen and all 4 I tried were very good.  The Papaya Habanero  was  the stand out for me.  It was pulpy and tart with out being sickly sweet and while it wasn't hot enough for my tastes as an actual hot sauce, it packs plenty of heat for just about anyone and is more than a match for the Papaya.  The tomatillo sauce was a very  good standard version.  Either one could have the burrito ingredients tailored around them as opposed to the typical other way around.  I think my next visit will be to get a carnitas with the papaya salsa.

The full bar is another unique aspect and while I passed on liquor this visit, the prices I saw will bring me back for a visit.  They also had a modest tap setup, I think I counted 5 with a few mexicans and a St Arnold among them as well.  $2 drafts advertised for happy hour.

All and all the ingredients were fresh and up to snuff with what your typically going to see at a burrito joint.  The fajita chicken wasn't amazing but I don't think it's all that good at  Chipolissionbirds either.  The rotisserie was better I thought.  The carnitas looked a bit dry but any self respecting Texan BBQ fan knows not to judge meat on appearances.

I'll definitely be back to visit and I might have to do one of every salsa this time.
3 - Christine L.: Build-a-meal place that is decently priced. Flavors are solid, not excellent, but better than mediocre.

I would normally choose a small business over a chain (such as Chipotle) but this time I think the chain wins.

A ton of choices is what bothers me. One of the few times I will say that, I assure you. Sure, great for variety, but let's face it, you bog down customers with too many options. I found this out when I was there. I guess that's what makes this place stand out, but for me, it was a negative. If I wanted to build a burrito with every option I wanted... it would be 10 lbs. Ok fine, maybe really 5.

Want details? I got a burrito with pork carnitas, cilantro rice, lettuce, pico de gallo, corn relish, and pineapple salsa. Now that was ordering with restraint, trust me. Also, I'm not so keen with the warming method (smashed by a tortilla press) before they hand it off to you. Color me not impressed.

I'm not one to be a dainty burrito eater, but it was so oddly shaped and the tortilla wasn't holding up (juices running down) so I was forced to knife and fork it. I felt like a defeated foodie, but there was no way I was holding that thing to my face.

p.s. Chipotle, I think you should add pineapple salsa to your menu. Please??
5 - Grace G.: If your in the Medical or Musueam district, it's a good place for some Tex-Mex food. You can have a nice filling meal for under $10. You stand in line and tell the person what you want in your bowl, burrito, nachos, or salad and they put it all together.
3 - Jen P.: I probably never would have known this place existed if my sister hadn't taken me. It is on a small side street where there aren't really other restaurants. There isn't much parking right around it, so we stayed in our spot over by Hermann Park and walked over after spending some time in the park.

The food was okay. Similar in restaurant style to Chipotle, but more options. My pork carnitas on my burrito was great, though I wish I had tried a different sauce. The cilantro-lime sauce I had wasn't very interesting. We had margaritas as well and I was actually a little disappointed in them. They were big and contained a decent amount of alcohol, but the taste was a little off. I've definitely had better margaritas elsewhere in Houston. 

The staff was helpful and friendly.
5 - Gabriela E.: I enjoy Bodega's for many reasons. One being it's located around the corner from my place. Plus they have great margaritas and I always get their (large serving) nachos. You are given a variety of toppings to choose from. The atmosphere is fun for a group or just a date. We've had a birthday party out on the patio and the wait staff couldn't have been nicer. Very professional and clean.
4 - Michael C.: Bodega's does the Build your own meal concept, like Chipotle, but with more options.  The ingredients are fresh and well prepared.  
 
They also have a full bar and apparently they were voted best margarita in Houston, by the Houston Press, in 2009.  I have not tried the margaritas yet, but plan on coming back to try them.

This place is walking distance from the light rail Museum stop.
4 - Nancy C.: I LOVE THIS TACO SHOP. For months, I wondered as I drove by... why is this place always packed??? At all times of the day. WELL, they have great hours, outdoor seating, a bar, and DELICIOUS food at a very good price. Surprising for a place located in a medical building, but I've never had taco shells as crunchy as theirs. I even crave their chile con queso. The fish tacos was well-seasoned tilapia and slightly spicy, I really liked it. Tons of sauces to choose from, garnishes, and combos. I ate here twice in one week and I'm going back next.
5 - e z.: Bodegas is easily my new favorite burrito joint! Bigger and cheaper than the other guys. Not many vegan options to throw in the burrito, but to name a few: Cilantro Rice, Black Beans, Grilled Veggies.
3 - amit k.: I'll take you to the Taco Shop. Go Ahead and lick the nacho dip. 

well, that didn't really rhyme. 

Anyway, Bodega's Taco Shop, tucked away in the museum district underneath the park plaza hospital is a fun little place with affordable bites to eat and tasty margaritas. It's close to Hermann so you can just stroll on over for a quick and tasty bite. 

The food is flavorful and solid. Well priced and always a good time. I think sometimes they have karaoke there too....might be interesting.
4 - Alexandra V.: Iz hard to choze betwien mani 
rico opciones butt I choze de tostadas.

La senorita behind the counter
recomendo "carnitas" for my tostada.
Yupee! It was a good choice. Muy sabroso!

Haste pa' ya finger licking good.
Tostadas are face wiping good.

Dey got diz cool machine for da tea,
where ju prez de buton tu select de
flayvor ju want. Me gusta de "rasberry
tea." 

De boss es berry friendli.
"Dis iz knot Tex mex;
eat iz filling affordable Mexicano
comida with a beet of Americano 
influencia," exsplained the jefe.

You'll leave with a big sonrisa on 
your face, and the jefe will csay to ju too,
"Welcon tu Bodega's Taco Chop"

Catering from Bodega's is top notch,
flexible, punctual, reliable, consistent.

For a nice cerveza with friends,
decent prices, colorful atmosphere,
rock/pop/tropical latin music, you 
should visit Bodega's.
5 - Monica F.: I absolutely love Bodegas Taco Shop and anytime I go the museum, I make a point to stop in and eat.  Go there hungry because this place gives you so much food that you will need to be rolled out by wheel barrel when you're done.  Now on to the food ...

You walk into Bodegas and are greeted by 3 signs that tell you what they have and what you need to do ... Pick your meat, pick your sauce, and pick your toppings.  So you walk up to the counter and pick whether you are having a burrito or tacos.  My review is only on the tacos, because that's all I have ever ordered there. (Although hubby only orders the burrito and he loves it, but he can sit down and write his own review).

So I get 1 flour tortilla and 2 corn tortilla tacos.  The tortillas are very good, not as good as mi abuela or mi madre makes, but still very good.  I always get 2 ground beef tacos and 1 chicken fajita.  The ground beef is melt-in-your-mouth excellent ... perfectly seasoned.  I really don't know why I always get 1 taco with chicken fajita, because it's simply never as good as the ground beef.  Then I choose my toppings ... guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, and other stuff.  My only MINOR complaint is that the tacos are stuffed so full that the corn tortilla always splits while I'm eating ... A small price to pay for this little taste of heaven.

They have a full bar, soda fountain, and tea.  They also have events every now and then on Friday nights, with drink specials.  I wish these people would open a Clear Lake location, because I simply cannot get over to the museum district often enough!!
4 - Helen Z.: I love this place because you dont feel like a fat pig after eating here which is so nice when you have to get back to work right after. The prices are very decent.

I get my tacos here on a corn tortilla (they give you two per taco), chicken in one, beef in the other, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, sliced avocado and the best tomatillo sauce ever. I mix my rice and beans together and chow down.
5 - Thuylieu A.: I wasn't sure about this place at first but I'm so glad I went!

I had lunch here with my co-workers as birthday lunch for one of our employees. It's a small place, and it wasn't very crowded for lunch. 

The menu confused me a little at first but once I got up there counter, I realized it was like a Subway set up. choose your type of food (Taco, burrito, bowl, or nachos, etc), Choose your meat and just point or tell them what toppings you want. 

I had Nachos with spicy ground sirloin... and I lost count of how many toppings I had asked for. I wanted a lot!

I was thinking it might be expensive since I had asked for so much- but when I got to the register, the guy only asked what type of food I choose (Nachos), and what kind of meat (Spicy ground sirloin). That's it! 

I had assumed you could choose just a certain number of toppings and then charged extra for additional toppings... like a pizza. But it's all the toppings you want. Fabulous! 

They used a huge stainless steel bowl to serve it. The nachos were so much I barely finished half. I added a fountain drink it came out to about 8 bucks. 

It was fast, fresh and delicious. I definitely coming back and bringing friends! I'm getting nachos again but next time, I'm going to slit it with some one... its huge!
5 - hang n.: This place is awesome.  Love the way you can pick what you want on you burrito, taco, etc.....you can put just about anything on it and its the same price.  some are extra but not by much.  and the great thing is they have 9 different salsas. something different for everyone's taste.  the price is great too.
5 - Kamy M.: I roll deep so we got an order of Nachos, a burrito, three tacos, a quesadilla and a small taco. Not to forget a couple of margaritas too. The Nachos are amazing! I love how you get to pick out each topping without paying extra... With the exception of the guacamole, fruit salsa and fajita steak which is each $1 more and I ended up getting two of these three "extras".... I can understand the guacamole being extra but they should not charge extra for the steak or salsa. Anyways this place is still five star quality since the food is fantastic and as I stated earlier, the Nachos are great!!!!!!
3 - Scott B.: The tacos are very good!!! The black beans and rice could use some work.
5 - Ravi S.: Not only a great little taco shop (one of our favorite places on Friday night before going to the Miller Outdoor), but great customer service too. We both forgot our cash at home but the manager didn't turn us away. With a little trust and a smile, they served us now and we'll pay later. 

That's a rare moment of kindness and trust in a cash driven world. Oh, and did I mention how good the food and margaritas are?
2 - Monique H.: Meh. I cam here for happy hour. I needed a serious rita in my life. Well unfortunately for me, although I work my typical 8+ hours on Sundays, nobody else does. Their happy hour is only Mon-Fri... tragic. Well though I needed a drink I was starving too, because somehow I managed not to eat while I was at work. So I got their shrimp taco meal and a mango margarita. The margarita was good, it would've been better if it was at happy hour price though. And the shrimp tacos weren't all that. I think there were 3 pieces of shrimp in each of my tacos, which hardly left me full. The flavor was just okay, nothing to write home about. I think because pappasitos shrimp tacos are soooo good, I expected more out of Bodega's since their yelp reviews rave about the place.

Inside Bodega's reminds me of my favorite bar from college, especially since they have a dj at night and they're open late. I might have to return here after hours or maybe I'll give it another try on a weekday for the actual happy hour. Happy hour prices always seem to make me happier with my overall experience of places.
4 - Christine G.: I love this place. Great bowls:).
4 - David N.: First off museum district parking may actually be WORST than RICE VILLAGE parking.  I didn't think that could be possible, but there is just no where you can park.

However, on this night as I circled around for the 5th time, someone was backing out and I was able to park right in front of the place.  However, be warned, there may be lots of homeless people who ask for change.

I came in and saw a build your own nachos.  That seemed cool, I had the pork carnitas and it was good.  A huge bowl with whatever toppings you wanted.  I was stuffed by the time I was done.  The cheese was superb!

But what makes this place even more great? The strawberry lemonade.  Damn only if they had free refills!
4 - Ruby D.: carnitas were so good.

huge portions, lots of topping and sauce/salsa options to choose from.

similar to a chipotle/freebirds kind of set up,

really cheap, huge portions.
awesome!
4 - Jill L.: Supet tasty! I enjoyed a burrito this week with all kinds of good things on it! I wasn't sure if the cost was equivalent to the tastiness, but I can assure you, it was! Definitely going back!
4 - Mike K.: this place was where i tried my "Tex-Mex". The burrito I had was really good..a much higher quality type of burrito ud get at a qdoba/chipotle. But then I tried the Fish tacos and Holy Moly! Those are some great Fish Tacos. You gotta try 'em
5 - James H.: This is my new favorite place! I absolutely love the nachos here. After finding out they have $2 draughts all day everyday and that they're open until 2am with a full bar, I will be hanging out here for drinks on the weekend in the near future. Great food, location and prices.
4 - Rachell N.: Good! I like the Yuca fries...yummy....
4 - Kasey G.: One of my best friends lives in the Museum District and this is one of the few places where we can grab a quick and casual bite to eat. It is pretty quiet in here in the afternoons, but I have seen it get packed on weekend nights.

We always sit at the bar and get amazing service! The bartender is very friendly and makes great conversation without being intrusive. 

My favorite menu selection is the nachos. Bodega's is similar to Subway where you get to choose everything you want and they assemble it for you. The portions are giant and can be easily shared if you are more into drinking than eating. 

Only 4 stars because one time the bartender overheard that it was my friend's birthday and provided us with shots "on the house" and after we left I looked at the bill and noticed the shots has ended up on it. My fault for drinking too much and not checking it before I left?
4 - Tammy N.: I went here after checking out one of the museums and it was a nice way to end the day.  They had happy hour from 3-8pm but nothing too crazy.  Just a dollar off margaritas and $2 domestics.  I got a hibiscus and strawberry margarita on the rocks with a customized rice bowl.  Ordering food kind of reminding me of Chipotle, a conveyor belt type of ordering.  Just a warning, the bacon avocado sauce is super sweet and creamy!! I wished I only asked for a little bit bc it overpowered my bowl.  And they don't have hot sauce in bottles to counteract the sweetness.  My margarita was really well done.  The perfect sweetness and strength of the alcohol.  This place is worth checking out if you want a chill meal.
3 - Danny L.: I couldn't find anything spectacular about this place. For one, you have to find a good parking spot on the street or pay garage first before you can even make it to the door. I ended up paying $6 garage parking because I had to stop by the doctor's office anyways.

I got the chicken burrito for $6.99 after tax and for that you get a pretty big sized portion. The only problem was that it was a bit dry so I depended on the salsa too much to work my way through... and ran out half way. To get another small cup of salsa costs 50 cents more! Blah. It wasn't bad though but wasn't the best. So basically my $12.99 (6+6.99) burrito was just OK.
3 - Jade T.: I made the mistake of coming here on a Friday afternoon before going to the Houston Zoo. Good grief! The restaurant was packed with hospital workers, locals, and A LOT of school children. My boyfriend and I waited in line for a while, but the ordering process was quick and the staff was nice. 

There are vegetarian options, but I must admit they weren't too tasty. I can't remember exactly what was in the vegetarian option, but carrots and zucchini were definitely some of the ingredients. When ordering a taco, the vegetarian mix falls out. So, I recommend ordering the vegetarian burrito. Anyway, I didn't find the tacos to be very tasty or exciting. The lime-cumin rice was a saving grace (somewhat) and the black beans were a little soupy (not chunky). 

We were hoping that they'd have horchata (sweetened rice milk) but they didn't have any at the time. How disappointing.

There aren't too many restaurant options near the Zoo, but Bodega is an acceptable one. Just be mindful of the lunch crowd during the week.
4 - Roger S.: Good healthy lunch under 10 bucks. For this area, that's a great deal. A bit of a copy of Chipotle Grill, but still, well done.
3 - Jay H.: It's trendy to run a build-your-own Tex-Mex restaurant (Chipotle, Freebird, etc.). So the "pro's": good and tasty food, and reasonable prices.

The "cons": the service - even at a slow time - feels rushed, as if they are too impatient to explain what options a customer even has, what spicing and flavors are used on their meats, what ingredients are in different condiments. Also, if it's crowded, scout out and claim a table before you order, or you might get food and have no table.  Last, the atmosphere: More like a college frat or trashy dive hang-out than an establishment for working professionals.

I'll go again, but with with moderate expectations for a middle-of-the-road eatery.
1 - Lauren T.: Gross. 

Went on a Friday afternoon at around 1:00. The majority of the tables were covered in trash and sat unbussed throughout our whole visit. Completely unsanitary and unacceptable. Tables should be cleaned within 10-15 minutes of the last guest's departure at the most. Fajitas tasted off, burrito was average at best. 

I cannot understand why anyone would make a special trip to come here. It is totally just a place to eat if you are detained at the hospital. Or if you work in the area at most. The only reason we have ever gone here is because it is across the street from the hospital and we needed something to eat. There is no ambiance. It is on the ground floor of Park Plaza Professional Building in the middle of a medical complex. Not a sexy place to have dinner if you ask me. 

I am consistently puzzled by the "crowd" that goes here at any time besides normal clinic hours. They need to just capitalize on what their target business is and stop trying to market it as a hot taco shop/watering hole. Most depressing place to drink on the planet! The patio is directly across from an Emergency Room. Ick.
1 - Daniel T.: dirty tables, gross
burrito not the best choice
close to hospital
5 - Loretta M.: On Feb. 18, 2012: After our ( 17 Pasadena ISD TAH Grantees) field trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science's Civil War/Emancipation Proclamation exhibit, we were trying to decide where to go eat  lunch. I asked the museum store clerk, where she went to eat. She told us 'Bodega's Taco Shop' and drew a map for us. She said it was a 2-minute walk. We walked over to Bodega's. The manager helped us put the tables together and we stood in line to order. The food is fresh and smelled delicious. Everything is served in a bowl. I ordered the chicken tortilla soup. Large bowl, chock full of chicken, tortilla chips, veggies, avocado, for $3.75. To drink, I ordered a fresh lemonade; but they had run out. The manager said they had 'pepino/cucumber' freshly made drink. He gave me a sample, & it was good.  So I ordered a tall glass of pepino/cucumber. It was thirst-quenching!
 Everything was good. Other teachers were happy with their lunches. The Nachos looked appetizing. Was told it was delicious.
 I thoroughly enjoyed my Chicken Tortilla Soup, hot & fresh flour tortillas. 
 The atmosphere had good vibes/karma. The waitstaff & manager were helpful, friendly, courteous, &  professional. 
 I will go back. You get more "bang" for your 'buck.'
4 - Helen C.: Good fresh burrito. Visited Sunday for lunch after Hermann Park. Sitting outside with kids and we were the only people taking the outside table. Nice. Not packed at all. In expensive, a huge burrito was $6.45, can feed two people if you are not super hungry.
4 - Hildegard T.: Chipotle, for those who want more choices and beer.  Lunch drew a lot of local workers.  Fun vibe.
5 - Casey K.: Recently moved to the area and bodegas is walking distance! Good place. I like there pork tacos topped off with there habenero salsa. Great micheladas to.
5 - Amanda E.: The SO and I just stopped in (I am currently sitting at the bar and couldn't wait to review.... Yes it's that good).

First time here. It's always best to stick to a true Mexican Streetfood, so I got 3 carnitas tacos with red onion, jalepeno and cilantro.  Let me start with the pork.  So very tender, the right amount of salt and obviously cooked for hours in its own juices. Some of the best I have had.  They doubled up the piping hot white corn tortilla and didn't skimp on the meat.

I went for the Bodega Blaze sauce... Amazing flavor and VERY spicy... But in the best way possible.

Service and people were so very friendly and efficient.  This is a great spot and I will certainly jump on the rail from downtown to the Museum District any time I want a taco.... It has taken the place of Freebirds in my heart.  If they had breakfast tacos I am sure it would take over tacos a go go as well....

Oh.... I havent even talked about the margarita yet!  No margarita mix here! Obvious hints of real lime juice and packs a punch.

Truly the exact experience I needed on this beautiful Saturday!!
5 - Liz D.: After a long day of walking through the parks and browsing the Houston Museum of Natural Science, my and the man were ready for some food. So glad that Yelp brought me here! I ordered the fish tacos everyone raved about, and it was worth it. They were no doubt the best fish tacos I've ever had- amazing fresh flavor, fish perfectly cooked and huge slices of avocado. YUM. The rice and beans also had great flavor and I gobbled everything up. The man had made-to-order quesadillas with the avocado bacon ranch, and those were really great as well. Love it. The balanced great flavors had me wanting more. I need a reason to go back!
4 - Lauren K.: After passing this spot a few times, I finally made the smart decision to stop in. Bodega has good burritos and even better nachos. The nachos are served in a large mixing bowl and loaded with everything that would be served in a taco or burrito plus smothered in queso. 
I definitely appreciated that the veggie mix looks like it was actually designed to be served alone instead of the usual onion/bell pepper mix that seems to just serve as a complement for the meat choices; the mix has carrots, potatoes, squash, etc! 
Another upside: happy hour every day from 3-8 with discounted margaritas. There's plenty of seating outside and in to take your time and enjoy the meal and drinks.
4 - Emily V.: I love their nacho bowl - so crunchy, and I just can't stop after one! I just love nachos. But not Taco Bell-grade nachos. Bodega's-type of nachos. It's just fresher, and you get to pick what you put in it. Their corn I got yesterday was so sweet that I wanted more. I also came during happy hour (3PM - 8PM) and it was $1 off of margaritas! I ordered the watermelon margarita, which was pretty potent. But I love potency. My friend ordered the orange margarita and it was delicious. My nacho bowl + watermelon margarita during happy hour was just under $13, which is not too shabby. The employees were also really nice. I will be back when I'm craving a nacho bowl!
4 - Shawn P.: Good tacos. The carnitas are AWESOME! Great beer selection and I love the front deck/patio area.
4 - Nathaniel H.: Ordered the Enchilada Combo with the beef fajitas filling.  The 3 enchiladas had more cheese on it than a large pizza.  Food was good overall.  Will go back.
5 - Tulsi P.: For me it really was third times a charm. Been here twice before an wasn't really blown away, but then on my third visit something magical happened. The customer service blew me away and as a result my food was amazing!
Basically in the past I tried veggie versions of their salad bowl and their nachos but wasn't super impressed. For example, on Cinco de Mayo when I went, they had a limited set menu with no beans or rice that we're vegetarian friendly. Meaning pretty lame nachos for us. Plus, the bartender or who ever forgot to bring us our drinks until we were basically done eating. But the dosarita, I must say, was yummy.

Anyway so on my third time I was starving and knew they'd have their regular options. I picked a burrito this time and literally said I love toppings so when I ask for extra, I mean EXTRA. The lady was great and like dug her hand into the olives and pulled out a giant fist full of them. Then she did it again! I've never had an equal amount of olives and rice, in anything, before! Then she was similarly generous with the other toppings. Needless to say, I was in burrito heaven.

Later while my friend and I were eating, a guy, who I think was one of the bar managers, came and asked us how our tamarind margaritas were (I'll comment in a second). He struck up conversation with and shared his plans to bring in more DJs and bands. He was nice and welcoming. The margarita was good, but my friend said they used be even better.

BTW the burrito lasted me two days because they're huge. It was great being in burrito heaven TWICE.
2 - Roosevelt C.: Step up your game people!!

Ever dated someone that had potential but just didn't put in the effort and ended up sucking? Well, that's Bodegas.

Good, flavorful Mexican food,  margaritas and a decent bar, outdoor seating, modest ambiance, reasonable prices is a pretty safe recipe for success. Factor in that this place is one of a few, if not the only, mid-tier dining out option in the area and you've got a potential gold mine. People love this place just because, well thank goodness somebody's in the neighborhood!  So the bar is set low, and this place doesn't really need to do much to coast to 3 or 4 stars.

So there's no excuse for rude bartenders and food preparers, and lazy bus boys that allow the birds to feast on dirty dishes outside for way too long. That will turn your easy 4 stars into 2, and will make me drive past you, 2 or 3 miles, to overpriced, unauthentic Chipotle's, just on principle.

And I don't care how many other people gave you 4 or 5 stars! 

Eventually either they will come around or you will! And IF I come around again, try not to have that rude chic behind your bar (you know which one!). There's one more star you can lose, no matter how tasty and cheap your food and margaritas are.
4 - Maria J.: My go to spot for nachos and fish tacos!! The nachos here are insane, you literally get a whole giant bowl of chips covered in cheese with all the fixins you choose. I usually share one bowl with my boyfriend, and we have a little bit of leftovers, that's how big the bowls are. The fish tacos are the bomb! I pass on the margaritas, though. A must if for anyone who likes fish tacos and nachos, just don't try to eat both on the same visit!!
4 - Jennifer T.: Living down the street, we eat here at least once a week and feel so fortunate that it exists - there are no other decent food options within walking distance. We have always been really happy with the food - portions are enormous, so we can easily get one of the larger options (like nachos) and split them between two people with no problem. The tacos are great, too, and they have a great array of salsas that are worth trying. We do both dine in and take out - either way it is easy, laid-back, kid-friendly, and hits the spot. They are doing all the Museum District residents a big service by providing good, inexpensive food in the area.
5 - Richard W.: I was visiting Houston and was in the museum district a couple of weeks ago, and saw Bodega'sTaco Shop.  It was close to the science museum, and since the food they have inside the museum is McDonalds we decided to give Bodega's a try.  My wife and I both had the fish taco plate.  The tacos were wonderful and enormous.  The sides were delicious, but were a bit skimpy.  Didn't bother me too much, since we could barely finish our food anyway.  I saw a woman ahead of us in line order a burrito, don't know how it  tasted but it was huge.  They're close to the hospital, and seem to have a stream of regular customers.  Excellent food, reasonable prices, the only problem I had was the music that was playing at a normal volume in the rest of the restaurant could blow out your eardrums in the mens room.
5 - Sonia S.: Best tacos ever. Just moved to the museum district and I've found my one of my top 10 restaurants ever. Great serving, great atmosphere. Amazing food!!!!
3 - Julia T.: Chipotle concept with way better salsa.  I always get the salad with mango blaze salsa and pineapple or cilantro salsa.  SUPER SPICY.  They offer 12 different salsas that are very addicting.  I always get the barbacoa.  It's only about $6.75 for a huge bowl of salad.

Bodies In Balance - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2823836, -83.7466605) (Kerrytown Ann Arbor)
4 - s g.: I am a frugal grad student who has grown bored with gyms (read: i got too old for the young adult membership discount at the YMCA). Looked into spinning because as an aspiring yuppie it seemed to match my juicebar cravings and reusable grocery bag fetishes. 

I really like bodies in balance. It's just a little place in kerrytown that only does spin and some personal training. The classes are cheapy cheap (my fave deal is 10 for $75), last an hour, and depending on the instructor can give a moderate to intense ride. Personally I find Elmo (sat and sun 9:30 am) to be exactly on pitch with my target workout. Formerly I was a certified (but reluctant to admit) couch potato, but after spinning for about a month (1-2 times a week) i've seen at least 6 lbs dropped (REAL inches, REAL lbs, not water weight, and this includes the net lean muscle i've GAINED in my legs) and i feel awesome and limber and my dude says "omg your thighs are so amazing they make me want hand you over my checkbook."

that's a win.
4 - Kim L.: I love this place. No gimmicks. Unassuming humble looking studio. Its just about a good workout.  I can be a total cheapo, but I totally feel like I get my money's worth here (10 dollars walk in, 45 dollars for five classes, 75 dollars for ten classes). The instructors are great--Bonnie and Elmo are my favorite, they usually give you a 60 min work out when the classes are supposed to be 45 min.
4 - Michelle C.: This place has the most affordable spinning classes! Although I prefer a 60-minute class over 45, the instructors do give you a good workout. The sound system isn't too great and the bikes aren't the newest, if you like spinning and don't want to drop a lot of money on a gym membership, this is the place for you!

Bodre Cut and Color Room - Manhattan, NY (40.8001239, -73.961797) (Manhattan Valley)
5 - Sam D.: I'm from the Upper, Upper West Side where this establishment started out. They now have two locations, including this one on Columbus. I was sent here from the uptown location as they only have one available men's stylist, Hector. What a cool spot. A "hole in the wall" in the most literal sense, place is tiny. The interior is completely minimalistic. I got their early and the staff entertained me with gay bar recommendations and new music until Hector came in for my appointment. 
Not only did he give me a great cut, but he really took his time to make sure it was perfect. I really enjoyed chit-chatting with Hector and the other staff. My hair cut was $30 which to Manhattan standards is dirt cheap. This will be my regular salon. Highly recommend.
5 - Marina R.: I had a groupon for this new location and was extremely excited to get my color, cut, style and blowdry! Granted I've never used a groupon for something beauty related so I was a little nervous but as soon as I walked in- I knew I was in good hands!

Freddie did my hair and I couldn't be more than happy with the outcome.  I wanted a dark shiny color and he picked out a beautiful one for me, layered my hair and gave me some side swept bangs. My hair looks shiny and healthy!  See ya dead ends!!!!!!!

My hair appointment was finished in record breaking time too!  TALENT TALENT TALENT!!!  I get so impatient with salons sometimes but I enjoyed my time at Bodre- loved the music selection and overall vibe.  I'll be back soon enough!
1 - Laura L.: The nice brown color promptly washed out and I was left with a weird orange-brown that cost me $200 to correct elsewhere. Never again.
1 - Sharona J.: Beware!!

I was on time for my appointment-was told staff member was running late. After 1hr of waiting- Freddie came to the rescue and I made it to my event in time. This place is all messed up with their appointment setting and not  consistent with their staff :(
5 - Taylor B.: I've been meaning to write this for a while but haven't had the time! I bought a Groupon for a cut and a full head of highlights on a whim. The space is small and cozy. Freddie was amazing! I went with my mom (because I hate going to salons by myself - I usually get bored) but I totally could have gone by myself because we had so much fun! The music was good, the conversation was excellent, and they give you booze. Plus my hair turned out amazing. I had a really terrible cut in Nashville when I was on vacation and then I had been using Groupons to get my hair colored for a while. I will NEVER go any where else! Freddie was the best, but honestly I would go to anyone in there at this location, I am sure they are all great. Plus, good vibes. What more could a girl ask for? Reasonable prices, thats what. And they have that too!

Body Design Midtown - Atlanta, GA (33.7815616, -84.4054116) (Georgia Tech, Westside / Home Park)
2 - Mike P.: The facilities are in a rather small location in a strip mall. It seems rather safe, clean, well lit and hygenically sound.

Body Design is ideal for those who are out of shape and need to build up a basic level of work out consistency and stabilization. The equipment is not very great nor is the selection. This consists of 1 treamill, 1 eliptical and 1 stationary bike in addition to kettle bells, medicine balls, jump ropes, resistance bands and those rinky dink customizable dumbells that stop at 95lbs. They have other little things such as punching bags but in my 3 months there, they were never worked into my workout. So it goes.

They also offer free cardio blast sessions to members at Piedmont Park at 6am and 6pm M-F and then Saturday mornings at 10am.

As I just mentioned, I've been there for 3 months and in that time have had 5 trainers. Not due to cycling or the need to share innovative workouts or ideas, but the fact that the personal trainers in this location run like a turnstyle. The reason for this is up for debate. Having heard straight from the horses mouths of why these personal trainers left, they will tell you the owner of the business is one of the most megalomaniacal people they've worked for. I've met this gentleman on three occasions. On the first, I introduced myself to him, spoke highly of my enthusiasm for joining his gym and he could care less for me. The second, after one month there, I commented to him that after my first 30 days I am seeing gains and general improvement in addition to asking him specific questions pertaining to the meal plans they provide and other related questions, could care less by responding with just follow what's on the meal plan and dismissed my compliments towards his facility. The final time, he was there and approached my friend who goes to work out with me and told him verbatim, "hey bro i busted up your girlfriend this morning, busted her up real good", then laughed about it. He then went on to say how he isolated her out during morning Cardio Blasts and pushed her to physical extremes which caused her to be sick. This concluded my friend and his girlfriend's membership. Back to the trainers; the trainers that prospected me in were gone by the time I joined mainly because they were tasked with the chore of telemarketing their services as well, overworked and treated poorly.  The trainers, who you really have to sympathisize for work 6 days a week, nearly if not 12 hours a day and really don't get paid as you'd think. From a very limited perspective, it's similar to a Ponzi scheme. I would have left after month one had I not felt sympathy towards the trainers. The owner however has his own version of the story of why previous trainers have left and again, it's subject to debate as to how much of each version is true.

The workouts are completely different from what I am accustomed to coming from an actual gym. I would best describe it as "weighted resistance cardio training". After a while the workouts become stale and repetitive. I've on numerous occasions spoke to both trainers currently there and expressed my 3 desired goals and 4 target areas I'd like to see the most improvment in on me; nothing changed. There is a feeling that there is no "personal" in your personal training as the current class I'm in consists of 3 other people of very different ages, body types and levels of strength and we are all given the same weights, workouts and reps. I was put in this class by one of the trainers as she felt I was being matched up with other members that have the same focuses in mind, this couldn't be farther from the truth. I no longer break sweats, become winded, no longer feel challenged and have become bored with the routine. Again, not great for me but absolutely great for someone who is several months removed from working out or first timers.

Body Design also provides meal plans for their clients. At first I was excited by the notion of having something personalized that I could follow and commit to in terms of dieting...until I found out they generally give the male clients identical meal plans...that weren't customized to me and weren't administered by the trainers I saw. So who put these together and how do they know what's best for me? What if I have a peanut allergy?

Having a friend who's currently studying to become a certified personal trainer, I showed her the meal plan that was "customized" for me and she told me to stop following it. It's built like a choose your own adventure with no sound structure and an overabundance of protein. I won't drill deeper in detail but to put it simply, it's not that good of a meal plan.

There is no annual contract, it's monthly billing.

Overall, Body Design is an adequate starter gym until you find something better.
4 - Jason W.: I must say that I disagree in most aspects with the other reviewer. I've been going to Body Design for over a year, and I have been nothing but satisfied. Sure, their facilities are small and their equipment is not the standard that you'd find at a big, multi-location, mega-Gym, but that is not their program and they tell you that when you go into your free consultation. Their program is one of a cross-training aspect, and no workout is ever the same (they even guarantee it or the session is free). As to the "owner" issue, I have never had a problem with Corey. Corey is not one of the main trainers, as he typically runs the corporate side of the company, but I've been trained a few times by him as he sometimes fills in as a substitute, and I have been just as satisfied. He also comes in to the club a lot while training, and is always very encouraging. He still knows all of the clients names (if he's met them) and as corporate as he might be that's a good thing.
     I will agree that the trainer turnover has been higher than I'd like to see, but for the most part, I understand the reasoning given as to their departures, although, and it's the main reason I'm deducting a star, is that I don't like how the handled the change in trainers with their clients, but that's not a deal breaker and I am and always have been satisfied with the replacements. I just hope that with the changes that are currently being made there will finally be some stability in it. 
    As for the meal plans, I also disagree with Mike P., as the meal plan is generated after your fitness profile is done and put into the computer. It analyzes all the data, and customizes amounts, protein levels, etc. for your goals and your current fitness level. I think personal training set-ups like Body Design are an important, and vital way for those that find it hard to get motivated to train, and for those who like the structure, Body Design is great. 
    As for not changing the workout for your fitness goals, nothing could be farther from the truth, as I am constantly asked if my goals have changed. They have modified weights, exercises, etc. so that I can meet my goals more easily. Body Design has a bunch of loyal fans, and I happen to be one of them. 

Pros: The trainers are great, a good variety in workouts, BodyDesign College for their Trainers, cool Monthly events for charity such as 5k's and Sky Diving, workout partners, no long term contracts, responsive staff, and an expansion of clubs with a new one in Vinings, and others opening up soon around Atlanta, CardioBlast free classes at Piedmont Park, weekend classes at only 10 dollars for members in things like Abs, Yoga, Gluteus "to the max", etc., and GREAT prices.

Cons: lack of phone communication abilities to the actual club; trainer turnover, time slots fill up quickly

Body Harmony Massage Therapy - Blacksburg, VA (37.2321178, -80.4164724) ()
5 - Kimberly M.: Fabulous massage!  Very professional massage therapist. Office is currently under expansion, so its not a fancy spa; however, it does not diminish the experience. Highly recommend.
5 - Karen C.: Great massage! Truly a wonderful experience. Highly recommend.
5 - Summer M.: Great and relaxing

Body Rock Boot Camp - Philadelphia, PA (39.951004, -75.180087) (Rittenhouse Square)
5 - Molly G.: There is nothing like a workout with Nate! I've done the outdoor classes and the indoor. Both types have been the best workout classes that I've ever attended. Nate is fully invested into each individual's fitness. He tailors classes to your level and pushes you to your limit. Trust me - you won't get a better workout in Philadelphia.
4 - Krystal A.: I took the Indoor Bootcamp class (in west philly)-- it was killer! My whole body hurt for days. It was a great workout. 

I also took zumba class at the west philly location, it was a lot of fun-- didn't feel like I was working out more like dancing :)

Body Shop - Palo Alto, CA (37.44264, -122.1702547) ()
5 - Benjamin M.: Soap soap soap... clean clean clean... yay yay yay. I like this place and wish more women thought to buy guy's cleaning things. The location is deceptively small, but they have a good selection of cleaning amenities. Great for presents, or to find that special soap.

Body Therapy Center - Champaign, IL (40.1173562, -88.2451704) ()
5 - Brandy S.: This guy really knows what he is doing.  I always feel better when I leave!
4 - Melissa B.: This was a great massage!  You can tell he is very knowledgeable and experienced.  He is super professional which is important since he is a male therapist and I am a woman, which can be awkward sometimes.  The only downside is I was not a fan of the building it is in, its a little old and smells kind of funny, but his space/room was totally fine.  I would definitely recommend it, especially because the prices are AWESOME.
5 - Gretchen C.: My husband got me a gift certificate for a one-hour massage with Glenn.  I have to say, this was probably the BEST one-hour massage I've ever had.  When you go in, you fill out a sheet describing any problems you might be having, the amount of pressure you desire, etc.  If you're a first-time client, he'll have you fill out a questionnaire afterwards so you can offer any suggestions.  I'll definitely be referring Glenn to my friends and look forward to setting up my next appointment with him.  His prices are also VERY reasonable.  Also, he is located in Suite 501, not 518.
5 - Donna P.: I went a few weeks ago for a couples' massage and it was fantastic. The place isn't all fancy or anything, it's more comfortable and homey. As students and newbies the price was discounted yet the services provided amounted to more than we paid. That was, hands down, the best hour massage I have ever gotten. Both of us were so relaxed and just felt great after. We will be returning..today lol. Our appointment is at 3:30 and I can't wait.
5 - K N.: I loved this no-frills, just-massage approach. Very professional, the perfect amount of pressure, and GREAT student offers. He goes easy on the twinkly celtic heart music, so I could relax instead of thinking of Celine Dion. I will definitely be back and recommend to all!

Body Worlds 3 - Los Angeles, CA (34.0143804, -118.2851112) (South Los Angeles)
3 - Simon C.: an hour and a half of "plastinated" bodies is a bit much.  it's kinda like watching your parents' vacation slideshow: the first 10 minutes are pretty interesting, but after that, it just becomes a chore.

what is plastination?  it's basically embalming bodies in plastic so that they don't rot and look as similar as possible to real, living tissue.  for the exhibit, the presenters dissect as much or as little of the body as necessary in order to present whichever layer of skin, muscle, fat, organs, etc. they want.  the bodies are then posed any way they choose for dramatic affect.

the posing can actually be pretty impressive, if only for the shear detail and physics of it all.  there are some where bodies are suspended upside down by only a foot, or others where a male gymnast lifts a female gymnast in the air by one hand.

some of the more interesting displays:  

-  a 300lb fat man sliced lengthwise into literally 1/4" slices so that you can see where all the fat is stored in a body.  there's even a slice of his pacemaker!
-  a plastinated display of all the blood vessels of the head/face.  only the blood vesels, with none of the bone, muscle, tissue, etc.  pretty neat to see how many blood vessels there are!
-  plastinated fetuses at every stage of development.  sure, this is going to be controversial, but there is a dislaimer in front that says that all of the fetuses were aborted due to natural causes.
-  the video at the end of the exhibit that actually describes the plastination process is pretty interesting.  
-  also the booth where you can sign up to donate your body was fascinating.  the sample waiver forms that were presumably filled out by some of the bodies you've just seen give you insight into the psychology of somebody who would want to have their body exhibited in such a manner after their death.  

most of the bodies are beautifully fit...you can't help but think "gee, i wonder what he/she looked like when they were alive, because i bet they were HOT!"

oh shuttup.  i can't be the only one that thought that...

it's all a bit creepy actually, and expect to wait up to 45 minutes in one of those big, winding, amusement park-like lines.  still, it's definitely worth seeing at least once in your life.
4 - Regina L.: I'm a total nerd for saying this, but I've been wanting to go to this exhibit for a long time. I've heard about Body Worlds in 2005, but I've never had a chance to go to it because of my busy bee schedule. Now it's in town again, I got to apply what I spent studying 2.5 years in school into good use. I also brought the nerdier bf who loves medicine with a passion to enjoy the exhibit with me. 

The number one plus of going to Body Worlds 3 instead of taking an anatomy lab class is that you get out without smelling like formaldehyde, the chemical used to preserve cadavers.  If it's one thing I absolutely hated about getting out of lab, it's smelling like formaldehyde. It's kind've like getting out of a smoky Korean bbq place and your clothes smelling like Korean bbq all day...except your clothes smell like preserved dead bodies all day. Thank goodness for plastination for preserving the bodies without the smell.

It was really amazing to see the specimens displayed in artistic positions. He was able to admire the clean dissections of each art piece and I was able to recall the names of body parts I learned in years prior as I looked at each work. Having the luxury of walking around each work to have a 360 view of the body was extremely convenient...moreso than having to flip a body part in lab.

My highlights of the exhibit:

* The athletic heart in hypertrophy 
* major developmental stages of a fetus 
* plastinated transverse cross sections of a smoker's lung
* seeing internal organs displayed outside of the bodies' musculature 

I definitely recommend this exhibit to anyone. Those who don't have much knowledge about the human body can learn a thing or two, especially since the emphasis of the exhibit is on the heart and heart disease. Those who have studied it before can see things in a different way. All in all, a must see. It probably doesn't compare with the Mutter (http://www.collphyphil.org/mutter.asp ), but it's not fair to compare oranges to apples, right?
5 - Natasha D.: Absolutely fascinating.

I went here for the first time not knowing exactly what to expect. I'm kind of a nerd when it comes to anatomy and the human body...it's just all so interesting to me. If you don't like the human body that much, this exhibit is not for you. It's pretty long and can be a bit repetitive. But if you find it as interesting as I do, waste no time and go!

I agree with the reviews below. There were a lot of interesting displays, including:
-A man sliced into four different halves
-A woman archer with her brain popping out of her head
-A fetus display with the stages of development, including one the size of a silver dollar with facial features and hands
-Animal displays (A display of the blood vessels in the entire body of a lamb and rooster, the hearts of a bull, newborn calf, duck, chicken, and cat. I wish they had more animals!)

That's just a few. It's truly amazing to see how intricate and extraordinarily detailed the human body is, and how every body is unique.  Great exhibit, highly reccomended.
3 - Danielle G.: I was totally expecting some serious gore at this place, but when I saw the lines of children entering the facility, my weak stomach decided to lie back down. 

This exhibit was cool, but not mind-blowing. And since I went with my boyfriend and my Dad, I didn't have to front the $18 entrance fee myself (sweet). I did, however, have a problem with the "this is what a smoker's lung looks like" exhibit next to a huge stop smoking campaign, because when we got to the "this is what an alcoholic's liver looks like" exhibit there were no huge signs urging everyone to quit knocking back the cold ones! That is discrimination!  

I did learn that if the human circulatory system, if laid end to end, would wrap around the earth more than twice (For Serious!) and that you can actually die of a broken heart! (I knew it!)
5 - Eugenia B.: Fantastic exhibit!   So inspiring!  I highly recommend using the dial up audio phone commentator thingie for the extra 5 bucks.  

You enter the exhibit to the sound of a beating heart and are given the opportunity to read about Dr. Gunther Von Haagens and the exhibit you are about to enter.  As you walk in, the first body you see is holding his own heart, gaze fixed upward, in a gesture open to being interpreted as offering, sacrifice, blessing, salutation, celebration, etc.  You can either listen to or read a short essay about the basic function of the heart and the ageless perceptions of heart as the seat of the human soul, intuition, etc.   

The human bodies have been preserved via plastination- a lengthy process in which tissues are saturated and then covered in plastic, preserving them in such a way that they do not deteriorate and will forever appear as they would in a living person for our observation sans blood, fluids or GOO.     

Don't be afraid people! There is nothing gross, gory or bloody about this exhibit. There is nothing that will shock or traumatize. The exhibit is designed to educate you NOT scare you. 

My favorite displays are the isolated arterial system of the head showing from the branches of the right and left subclavian and carotid arteries to distal capillaries of the face. There were also several examples of where blood vessels and nerves travel through the tiniest, most perfectly placed portals through our bones.  The cross section of an obese person was absolutely impressive.  

NOTE TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TAKE CHILDREN:  Due to the sensitive nature of this exhibit I do not recommend taking kids who are inconsolably fearful or who are badly behaved.  However I do believe Body Worlds is something any intelligent parent would want to encourage a child's curiosity and interest in.   If you aren't sure and have decided to take a child to the exhibit it would be wise to do your homework and prime them beforehand with a book showing anatomical structures such as Inside The Body by Guiliano Fornari (one of those lift the flap books)  I only suggest this because I saw one kid crying about a plain skeleton of all things.
5 - David S.: This exhibit is a must-see!

At first, the thought of seeing real live (well, not alive, but you know what I mean) human bodies was, shall we say, less than appealing. However, upon hearing more about the buzz, we decided to take a look for ourselves. We were certainly glad that we did.

Body Worlds is such a unique concept: the ability to literally see into the inner workings of the human body. They also have some animals in the exhibit, but the focus is on the human body. You quickly get over the fact that these were once living, breathing people and you start to marvel at the inner workings of human anatomy on a more clinical level of appreciation. It is amazing to see just how intricate our bodies are! 

There are some other creative exhibits within Body Worlds besides just looking at the organs. There is a cross section of an obese person, so that you can see just how much fat you'd actually carry if you were that heavy. They show what a normal lung looks like compared to a smoker's lung, and that makes the Truth smoking commercials pale in comparison. One of the most fascinating things for me was seeing the development of a baby from the cell all the way through the embryo, fetus, and finally just-before-birth stages.

I wouldn't necessarily see this just after a big meal, but it is definitely worth taking a look. They also have a film that you can see in conjunction with the exhibit, but you have to buy tickets for a specific show, which you view first, and then go walk around the exhibit. You don't have to see the film to see the exhibit, but it is recommended to purchase tickets in advance either way.

Prices aren't that bad: adults are $16.50 or $22.50 for the exhibit/film combo, ages 3-17 are $11.50 or $15.50, and students and seniors 62+ are $11.50 or $16.00. Kids under 3 are free!

See it!
5 - Linsey S.: Interesting and disgusting and unnerving and totally worth seeing!  I definitely reccommend seeing the IMAX film before the exhibit.

My favorite parts of the exhibit were the 300 lb man, the comparison of cancerous, emphysmatic, and healthy lungs, the individual organs, and gymnasts, and the giraffe at the end!

I wouldn't take squeamish kids.  And DO NOT get stuck waiting at thefirst floor exhibit exit.  There is an anti-smoking video playing there on a loop and you will hear it repeating and driving you nuts.
2 - Erin D.: I've had more fun in my anatomy lab than I did at Body World's 3. And it's not like my anatomy lab was anything to write home about. WAY to crowded, they let too many people in at one time. I saw what looked like nursing students taking notes, which seemed like a joke to me. The descriptions were limited ... VERY limited with very little detail. Also, they misspelled 'seminiferous' on the testis display. Come on now. 
Now the plastinated limbs and parts are a lot easier to look at than the formaldehyde-drenched, brown ones at school. That is definitely a plus ... if you can get through the crowd to actually see anything up close. They glue the cadavers' eyebrows on and put them in crazy positions. It's more of a joke than an actual learning experience.
4 - Sergei N.: This is a great although short  exhibit that a lot of people would probably enjoy. We saw the imax film before going to BW3 since it was only a couple of extra dollars and completely worth it.

Without getting into a ton of details about each thing at the exhibit, I thought the whole experience was pretty interesting. Its a good balance of entertainment vs science. 

Its very packed with people though so its not always easy to take in all the little details.

Definitely go and check it out.
4 - Christina S.: I have finally seen the Body Worlds exhibit. Sometime ago I watched a documentary on Gunther von Hagens and his work. Ever since then I have been wanting to see the exhibit.. So glad that I did... However,  I was  a little bummed... Sure it was educational and it took me back to when I was in college taking anatomy, living body and physiology classes... .. (fun stuff).. But, I was hoping to see the "man on the horse" and the "pregnant" cadavers....... There were plenty of cadavers don't get me wrong.. But, I really wanted to see these two in specific. It took three years for Gunther and his team to complete the "man on the horse". 

Some interesting exhibits (for me) was the stages of life. They have on display in little glass cylinders filled with formaldehyde the stages of an embryo. It was amazing to see this.  At 8 weeks this tiny little thing is visibly human.  I stood there for a while studying  it.. The fine strands of hair are visible as well as the wrinkled skin.. At 8 weeks it looks like a little person...  Amazing... It really is something to see.. It is a little disturbing and it bummed me out a bit to see the stages of life. Especially the stages of the fetus's  life up to 31 weeks.. The fetus's almost looked liked baby dolls..  Just keep in mind that it is science and life.. 

Another interesting exhibit was the sliced obese man who weighed 300 lbs. and  died around the age of 50..... It was really gross to see the subcutaneous layers of adipose tissue. Makes one to want to put that burger and fries down and work out.. 

Oh, then there is the lungs of a smoker......... Seriously scary..  They have several lungs on display. There is the lung of a smoker with emphysema and the lungs of a smoker and a healthy lung....  It would make one want to quit smoking if they could see how gnarly it is... Oh, the sliced brain is also interesting. There is one exhibit where they show slices of the brain of a person who suffered from migraines and another of a person who had a massive hemorrhage. It was all interesting..... 

The show ends next week so if you have not yet seen it.. You must!!! Tix were cheap.. Normally $18.95 but we had a $4 off discount...
3 - Mary F.: First of all, I want to thank my fellow Yelpers for the Body Worlds advice.  Per your instructions, me and my mum splurged and got the audio tour and it was well worth it.

I was beyond fascinated with the male obese body.  I couldn't stop staring at it.  I wondered if I have fat squishing my poor organs inside me, too!  Ahhh!

Anyways, I think seeing Body Worlds is one of those 'things to do before you die'.
5 - Ema S.: This exhibit was so cool.  I wasn't really into the idea of spending my Sunday off to check out at version of an "anatomy class"....was i wrong
Seriously...this is a total must see. 
You have to get the audio too. its only 5 bucks and well worth it. There is a bunch of stuff that I didn't know was....and since there was so many people i couldn't see the written descriptions of certain things but with the audio you can totally just listen and walk through. 
That is the only downer.....its sooo crowded.  I hate lines....i really took my time through it though. 
I highly recommend this exhibit....just don't have a big lunch before you go!!
4 - Lynn N.: For all those who have a solid stomach and a love for science, this is a wonderful and educational exhibit. The plastination process really make what you read in your biology books come to life. Each exhibit shows both what the body is capable of and what the body is vulnerable to in terms of disease and physical deterioration. But if you faint at the sight of blood, go see the airplane models in the next hall.
2 - Tina m.: personally, spending a couple of hours looking at human beef jerky isn't my thing, but if you're into anatomy and science, it might interest you. i'd rather spend the day at LACMA. It seems like a place Hannibal Lector would thoroughly enjoy; I did see a human skin blanket.

I think the saddest part was the aborted baby fetuses.
3 - Phil L.: i went to body world 2 today in san diego, and let me tell you... it was AMAZING, but only lasted 1/4 of the way through. this place is really awesome to go to if your in the medical field or medical class such as anatomy. these human bodies were donated to science or art, forgot, but yeah they are real bodies. sucky thing is you cant take pictures

reason why it died for me after 1/4 of the way was that it wasnt interesting to me anymore since its the same thing the whole way through but there were a few things i did find interesting on the way.

wouldnt go again though. wasnt worth $30
5 - JULIANE N.: Going to Body World was a really "cool" experience, that's if you're into health/anatomy stuff, which I am! 

I was amazed at all the things I saw, which was basically everything in and out of the human body. There were female and male bodies as well as several fetuses. There were also blood vessels and other animals as well.

Price was cheap, especially for students and seniors. If you're a student, bring your i.d. so get get a discount. You should at least go here at once. The downside is no food, drinks, or cameras allowed in the exhibit.

BodySense Massage - Providence, RI (41.818021, -71.410658) (DownCity)
4 - Briana M.: BodySense offers an experience that feels right. Since they specialize in massage, and there isn't a litany of other services to cloud their focus, I have always found their massages to be of a higher quality than other spas.

It must be noted that when I get a massage, I am not looking for frillsy pampering that includes slippers and rare tea that has been harvested by children in the mountains. What BodySense offers is just what I like: a balanced combination of relaxation and therapeutically intentional body work. Their space is minimalistic, but warm and inviting with exposed beaming in the ceiling. It also has a distinct and calming scent that always stimulates my hippo campus immediately upon entry. A rare treat: they offer you a steam before your massage. Sit in a private stall, breathing in humid steam to clear my lungs and relax my muscles? Yes please! This is totally your choice, though, steaming may not be your bag and it's not an international incident if you pass. 

I ascribe to the 'hurts so good' philosophy of bodywork. Because of this, my regular massage therapist is Michaela. Her style of goal-oriented, strong-handed, and rolfing-inspired work is particularly beneficial to my activity-weary bones. Tip: check out their website - their six or so therapists each have a different skill set and style that you can match with your preferences. 

Now for a Michaela lovefest: She is always careful to chat about what I am looking to get out of the message on that particular day, and if there are any areas that I would like her to focus on. She will then place a warm lavender sachet over my eyes, silently sidle up to the massage table and design a massage based on my requests and the needs that my muscles display to her. I always feel free to talk or not talk based on how I'm feeling, and she'll follow my cues. That has ALWAYS been an issue for me in the past. I HATE when a massage therapist talks when I just wanna drool on myself or doesn't talk when I'm feeling chatty. 

The focus on personalization at BodySense is paramount to me. Plus, I always leave feeling like my brain is floating a couple feet outside of my uber-relaxed body. That ain't so bad, either.
4 - Sohini R.: I can't wait to return to BodySense, after much searching for a place to get a massage in PVD.  Michaela asked and really listened to my description of tough spots in my back.  The building is a bit industrial, but once that lavender sachet was put on, I felt extremely relaxed.  Next time I'll build in a little more time for a steam (we were driving out of town right after the appointment, so I couldn't avail myself of the steam this time).  The price is also right at BodySense, compared to Boston.
4 - Monika S.: Laurarose brings true knowledge and respect to sports massage therapy. She has an understanding of muscular structure and the energy that is generated from spasms and knots and what that means for the rest of your body. I am in acute state this week and she helped me. I will be back one more time then she showed me how to manage my back pain on my own at home. I reall recommend this institution.
4 - Malissa R.: Great place! Susan did a phenomenal job. She really focused on my problem areas and mixed therapeutic massage with soothing massage. Feeling good!

Bodyrock Bootcamp & Executive Training - Philadelphia, PA (39.961291, -75.199464) (Powelton Village)
5 - Ann C.: I do the 'bootcamp' program from this gym. I joined back in July and am still going strong (even through winter!) So it's been 6 months.
It's run by a fitness trainer/ the gym owner (formerly a Villanova football player) who has really transformed the way I think about outdoor fitness training. I used to only consider outdoor training for runs. After 6 months w/ Bodyrock (that's the bootcamp's name, as well as the gym), every bench has potential for a full body workout...
After I joined, my husband also joined, and we're both very happy with the results. Most importantly, there is definitely a team spirit here, as there's a group of 'regulars' who show up several times a week. It has really helped me motivate to keep coming.

Training is 5 days a week, 6am on Tues/Wed/Fri, 7pm on Mon/Thurs. The group meets under the Walnut St. bridge on the Schuylkill footpath. You'll be able to pick out Nathon (or Nate) easily (usually wearing a red BodyRock t-shirt). 
Of-course, the level of fitness you achieve depends on how many workouts you make (and 6am isn't easy!), but Nate will definitely work with you to achieve your full potential.

Check out the link for more details and contact info. Group rates available, first workout is free (www.bodyrockbootcamp.net)
5 - Brooke T.: I love these guys. Just ended my membership (but you bet I'll be back as soon as my schedule permits) and I have nothing but good things to say about Nate and Kendrell. 

Having never done any free weights, Kendrell paid amazing attention to my weaknesses. Over a few months, I went from BARELY being able to do a push up to doing 30 of them with the rest of the regulars. When I told the guys I was ending my contract, they went out of their way to give me enough information/exercises so I could continue my training outside of their gym. 

I'm obnoxious and I pout when I don't 'get' things the first time. Kendrell saw that, called me on it and pushed me. He has the patience of a saint, for putting up with my whiney crap (I talk my way through discomfort and training at this gym does make you sore in an awesome way). 

Either way, I went from having a very sad excuse of an ass to having something to call home about and my arms just keep improving.

Bodystrength Fitness - New York, NY (40.8011051, -73.9673445) (Manhattan Valley)
4 - Kimberli M.: What can I say? It's a great low key gym!
Classes that keep you coming back and staff that's encouraging. It's never a fashion show...instead it's your neighbors all rooting each other on through a workout helping towards their goals (weight loss, increased good health, upcoming special event.) Great trainers too!

A far better experience than the other gym chains I've tried (NYSC & Equinox) where the pretentiousness was overwhelming.
Check out Body Strength.  Simply put, they're nice.
4 - Gil H.: Great neighborhood gym, although it seems to get a little crowded early evening. Then again I guess most gyms are that way. They might not have every machine I want to use, but all the essentials are covered. 

Honestly, the best thing about Body Strength are the down to earth staff and members. You won't find any gym nazis or testosterone freaks here.

Winter time + sauna = heaven
3 - Bill C.: As others said,  a nice neighborhood experience, and its great feature for most is its proximity. The people are very friendly and there is no "attitude" or testosteroned behaviour. I'm basically happy there -- but in truth, I'd  prefer a gym with a more serious weight-lifting area -- am not as intested in the cardio or the many classes. So it's fine -- just not really recommeded for serious lifters, since the weights are very rudimentary, and the weight area is quite small.
2 - Josephine A.: Opened by dancers, this place attracts fellow dancers, locals, and smelly patrons.  I decided to join this gym when I moved to NYC because my boyfriend has a membership here and we live a couple of blocks away.  When you get buzzed in, the first thing you smell upon entering is mildew.  The place is old and dingy.  The exercise/equipment room is rather small, but has 4 arc trainers, several stairmasters, and quite a few treadmills.  Of course they have free weights and the weight machines.  The exercise room is kept pretty tidy.  One annoyance, is the sign-up sheet for the exercise machines... it wouldn't be so bad if everyone obeyed the rules.. but seriously... am I going to tell someone to get off my machine.  Plus, I hate feeling so sneaky when I try to go 30 minutes instead of the 20 minutes max.... even though there is no one else on the list behind me.   

Anywho, there are some frequent patrons who smell really bad... I think a lot of people complained because a sign eventually was posted on the door that stated rules such as 1) shower daily, 2) do not wear work out clothes more than two days in a row.... must I go on?

The positive aspects are the price (approx $700/year) which includes classes.  The instructors are nice and the staff is very friendly.  Maybe I am being a little bit of a snob... In Chicago I was a member of Equinox which I hear had more modern locations in Chicago then NYC.... clean, warm towels, large, squeaky clean locker rooms, tv's on the exercise machines, steam and sauna rooms... I can go on forever.

If you don't need a lot of amenities and you can't smell anything... Bodystrength might be the perfect gym for you.
4 - Megan F.: I took my first class here yesterday and had a great experience. I decided it was time to get off the couch so I took a Saturday Pilates class. Jon was my instructor, and he was amazing -- he gave me lots of personal attention, especially as I wobbled through some of the harder moves. The class pretty much kicked my ass, and my entire body is sore to prove it. But it was a great workout. 

The facility is cute, and it must have shaped up since the older reviews were posted. It was clean, though a little cramped, and all the staff members couldn't be nicer. Plus, there's a sauna in the locker room!
5 - Brittney V.: I went to Bodystrength for the first time today for Zumba class at 6:30. First of all, the gym is super cute and the people are very friendly. The open room upstairs is nice and spacious with an open-window view on two of the four walls. The Zumba instructor, Ryan, was absolutely fantastic - the routines were fun, easy to follow and set to good music. I got such a great workout! I have been to Zumba classes at a few other gyms, and this one has been my favorite so far. Zumba is great for people of all ages and is such a fun way to burn calories and have a great time doing so.
4 - Aaron L.: What the hell is Zumba?! Should I even be capitalizing it? Is it a proper noun? Look, I'm not gonna knock your classes too much; I'm sure they're great for you -- but I went to a boxing class and I didn't even get to hit anyone! No ring, no fight, just a bunch of air-punching. Frankly, I felt gypped.

While their aerobics classes may only be for the discipline-challenged, Body Strength Fitness has a quaint, down-to-earth gym for that's perfect for the serious body builder. The staff is not only friendly but extremely knowledgeable about the equipment and training routines. For instance, I had a clavicle injury that left my collarbone healed in an "X" shape, but they've dealt with similar injuries and have offered advice as to what routines to avoid.

Also interesting, compared to other gyms I've been a member of, the general clientele of the gym itself seem fairly well-versed in cardio and strength training. This is in direct opposition to such gyms as those at Columbia and Reebok where the members seem to dick around with machines that they have no knowledge about. There was one time where a woman just bounced on a medicine ball for 5 minutes, but aside from that anomaly, it's mostly gym-junkies with an above-average workout IQ.

Body Strength isn't without its downsides, however. For one, the space has a tendency to get a little tight for certain machines. I find that I always have to make room for the incline seat and move it around so I can use the weights instead of a bar. Occasionally, the downstairs area smells of trash. The towels aren't free. The yearly membership is a bit oppressive at $800/y (at least, compared to the usual $300/y for suburban corporate gyms) and I think that it's a gross oversight that they don't have TV's

Also, one of the reasons I joined was because I wanted a place where I could be social every day since I work from home. Unfortunately, the reality is that most of the gym-jocks don't want to chat and all of the women give me odd looks when I talk to them. It could be because everyone wears earphones, but hey. I'm trying here. Just keep that in mind.

All of this said, I have no regrets about joining Body Strength. I get (almost) everything I want out of the gym, and that's a 4-star review.
1 - Lisa S.: Went for a Zumba class and loved it! bought a ten class card at a great price! That's the end of the good news.  The Zumba teacher was replaced with a new instructor who is clearly a dancer and frustrated choreographer.  The class was a nightmare of gyrating hyper sexual , uber fast " step ball change" nonsense.  definitely not Zumba.  I've got years of ballet and dance training and this class was a mess.  Several people complained to the girl at the desk who simply told us to Email "Mike".  Mike has never replied.  That said the bathroom needs a real door, the musty odor in he hall needs to be addressed and the people at the desk need to understand that good customer service can make people easily overlook drab, ugly surroundings.
1 - Richard J.: I called this gym to join and train. I am currently a member at Equinox and wanted to pay a bit less and train more. I called the gym on 9/28 and asked for rates. I was given the email of the Manager, when I asked could I actually speak with him I was told "He is really busy and can't be disturbed right now"..WOW!!!! What customer service is that!!!! NONE!!! If you are going to treat me like that over the phone chances are you will treat me even worse in person....and could I ask what is more important that a customer?

Then I actually took a look at the place. This place is nasty, I am sorry to everyone who admires that "Mom and Popness" of the place, but come on! The cleaning staff actually wears masks!! Yes!!! The cleaning staff cannot clean this gym without putting a mask on. So I can only imagine the air quality of the gym. 

Net-Net the place has no TV's, Bad Air Quality, Unsafe Lockers, Dirty Showers, one set of weights, deteriorating machines (while on my visit someone from the front desk was actually fixing one of the stair masters). All of this for $140 a month!!!  

Spend $20 more a month and join NYSC or more and go to Equinox. So what you want about the price - at least you have top machines, clean showers, a cleaning staff without SARS, and EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!!
3 - Sam S.: Pros:

Bodystrength Fitness is a decent, strip down gym, with an upstairs studio for yoga/pilates etc. The machines are kept clean, and the staff is very courteous. I visited as a guest with a friend several times and eventually got a 10-day pass ($150). That's a good value, I think, if you're only hitting the gym a few times a month, and it's a great idea for a Columbia student residing in NYC because the fitness center closes between semesters and on weird holidays, so you could use those passes very economically instead of joining a gym to cover weird 3-week segments. 

Cons:

The quality of the equipment here is not stellar. For example, on the seated reverse fly machine the weight increments are out of order (50/90/70/110). The bench press machine is weirdly close to the ground which is uncomfortable - I guess this prevents people from throwing weights onto the ground too hard? I've sat down to use the incline bench and had it wobble horizontally on me with two fifty pound weights above my head (yikes!). 

All said, I still think this place is still worth checking out if you want a clean, relaxing place to work out in the neighborhood.

Bodywork Professionals - Latham, NY (42.7260022, -73.7601565) ()
5 - Colleen M.: I have been coming to Bodywork Professionals for about a year now and there is no place else in the Capital Region that I would consider going to for deep tissue massage and body work.  I have always received professional, courteous, and caring service from my practitioner and the owner.  

I recently referred my boyfriend's daughter here when she was having back pain from her vigorously active life style.  She was originally scheduled with one of the practitioners who is also a doula who had to attend a birth and couldn't keep the appointment.  The owner went through great efforts to make sure that he got her in with another practitioner and that she received the care and treatment that she needed.  My boyfriend's daughter went back for a second appointment and was equally as pleased with her second session.  

This is one of the few businesses that I recommend without any hesitation or caveat.
5 - Tim C.: I have used Bodywork Professionals several times now and I have been very happy with each occasion.  I have had work done by Nick, Karden, and Evan, and my infant son has seen Diane for cranial sacral work.  My bodywork focused on plantar fasciitis and neck/shoulder tension.  All practitioners have been great, each time I left feeling rejuvenated and my son absolutely loved his sessions with Diane.  Nick and his team have a wealth of knowledge pertaining to the body and its structure.  It is very apparent that they each care deeply about their clients and want them to feel better.
5 - Katie V.: I'm pretty sure the staff here are wizards. 

I scheduled a deep tissue massage for my husband and I and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm not really good at describing the problems I'm having with my body, so I did the best I could, and when Michelle got down to business she was able to pinpoint and work out the stiffness around my neck and my lower back and legs. She told me what she was doing and why, why things were stiff and sore, and how to stretch my muscles to help take stress off of them.

I left feeling fantastic. I feel like my body is working properly and I can relax my shoulders finally. The staff are courteous and friendly and the location is warm and inviting. Go early because they share a building with other businesses and parking can get hairy.
1 - Sabeen M.: Moving forward on Law suit of this business owner Nick P.! Any other clients who have been violated by this business owner should come forward as the ball gets rolling. It is terrible when these things happen after being a long term client like I have been and trusting the professional to use the "Ethics of Caring" over the long haul. 

Now I cannot try out other body workers at this place because of what the owner did to me! Additionally his yelper friends have bullied and threatened me to take my reviews down and targeted me on talk threads based on this experience. Most of these threads have been removed from public consumption but once it has reached public domain it is forever. 

When the proprietor is also your body worker one can never be too careful of how alarming situations are handled or "MISHANDLED".

Since posting my first review on Bodywork Professionals, Nick P. has completely changed his business site's web page. He also added the content:

"Your comfort, convenience and privacy is our priority. Our staff includes both female and male therapists, and you don't have to disrobe for treatment." 

If the above is truly the case then why has my personal client info been given out to certain members of the yelp community who are affiliated back to him. (Last friday  one of his yelper friends with bad skin drove past the house I live in!) I had also referred him to my physical therapist office last summer. I thought it would be good networking for them because both are small business owners in the region. Huge mistake because now my former bodyworker goes on the PT's boat! So breach of client privacy there too now that I know what I am dealing with. 


Also what do the positive five star reviewers on here have in common all share Nick P. on their friend list. Propriety is very important and should be upheld at all times especially by the person who makes the business policy and breaking them sets a bad example to staff. Sex organs should never be exposed or touched or discussed among staff about clients.

Bogart's Casabalanca - Champaign, IL (40.1092117, -88.23147) ()
3 - J. B.: Closed for business!  


Remember this place? Yet another head shop on campus. And what's the secret code to buy drugs here? ...oh nevermind... 

But wait! Come back - you're the only place that sold essential oils!
4 - Virginia T.: My mom and dad grew up in Chambana and got married in 1977. My dad bought my mom a little wooden (stash) box with ivory inlays back then, that I inherited.... and then I fell in love with this place (especially the hemp "chapstick"). A good memory and a unique place bites the dust.

Bohemia Realty Group - New York, NY (40.802885, -73.9569) (Harlem)
1 - Marley N.: There are myriad reasons why Bohemia Realty earns zero stars from me, and I shall share a few of them with you now, dear reader. 

First and foremost, any landlord of an apartment in New York City that  has bed bugs ought to take care of the infestation. Second, a claim of ignorance simply does not cut it when there are multiple complaints on the property for such an infestation. 

With that settled, let's move into why you must NEVER hire Bohemia Realty to assist you in your apartment hunt. Today's reasons come to us in list form:

1. Matt and Jeff, two brothers, apparently "run" this business and disagree on what time scale to use with clients; it was clear to my cousin and her roommate that these two "partners" lack the ability to communicate effectively not only with clients but also with one another. Mark this reason as the first red flag. 

2. The apartment in question was entirely gutted: unfinished walls, fly glue traps hanging from the ceiling, etc. Matt assured the two roommates that they would be able to sign the lease after viewing the apartment in a more finished state. At the same time, Jeff pushed the roommates to sign the contract and pay the security and first month deposit immediately, all for the fly trap-filled unfinished and hot mess of an apartment. 

3. When the roommates proved themselves savvy enough to question Jeff's bizarre requests for a west Harlem apartment, Jeff became threatening and began to insult the roommates. 

4. The un-brotherly behavior didn't end there! Matt, not wanting to leave the business reputation-ruining behavior all to his brother then--and surely accidentally--forwarded an email thread to the potential hell-hole occupants, one where he berates the roomies, insults the places from where they hail, and proves both himself and his brother to be utterly incompetent business partners. 

NEVER USE BOHEMIA REALTY. 

For evidence of the email OR for an excellent realty referral, please private message me.
1 - Mary P.: The review concerns Jeff and Aaron at Bohemia.  My fiancé and I answered the Craigslist add and Jeff got back to us saying there was an open house the next day at X time.  Cool.  The pictures look awesome too, stainless steel appliances, gorgeous floors and a lots of closets. 

We show up about 5 minutes early and there are 4 other groups there waiting.  No sign of our broker.  The time for the open house comes and goes.  We are try to call Jeff and Aaron and their office, and a guy there says he does not know where they are.

Another broker arrived about 20 minutes later with his client, buzzes an apartment and goes inside.  I'm assuming the tenant had no idea that we were all there to see her apartment.  By now, everyone else had left and the brokers had not called us back.  The tenant (who was very nice) takes us up to see her apartment.  And all I can say is SQUALOR! It looked nothing like the pictures that Jeff and Aaron posted.  It had no stainless steel, only one closet and the place was a complete dump.  Great.  Another bait-n-switch.

The next day, we get an email that says they "didn't know what we were talking about" and that "they (the brokers) had been in the apartment the entire time." 

DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THESE PEOPLE.
1 - Elizabeth K.: I'll keep this short. Although our original agent Don was very good - the following customer service at Bohemia Realty was unacceptable. I speak specifically of Jeff, our broker, however I have had to call the office a few times and always received a less an helpful agent. Horrible communication, rude staff and never a clear answer. I would not recommend their services - way too much hassle, especially when paying a significant fee!
5 - Anna B.: After moving to NYC early June, I decided to sublet prior to getting my first apartment. During those four months of subletting, I worked with a number of brokers to help me find an apartment, and to say the least they were all terrible (in particular CitiHabitats, don't ever work with them). 

Then my roommate and I stumbled upon Bohemia, in particular Don and Jeff. Don spent an entire Saturday driving us around and showing us apartment in every part of Morningside and West Harlem. And I must mention, after working with shitty realtors, we were left with less than a week to find a place (I have never been so stressed in my life). 

Anyway, the last apartment we saw that Saturday, we really liked. The only problem was that it was owned by a different management company, so they didn't know whether the place would be ready by our move-in date. Surely enough, we ended up getting approved for the apartment three days later, sent in our deposit that Friday, and were in the apartment the following Monday (one week post-viewing). 

I don't know about the rest of the these negative reviews, but Jeff and Don were very accommodating and answered emails within the hour (and we emailed them more than necessary). Even today, a week and a half post-move-in, they have responded to our requests of having things fixed in the apartment. 

In a nutshell, I'd definitely recommend Bohemia and will work with them in the future.
5 - Michael S.: Bohemia Realty Group is simply the best.

I am a grad student at Columbia and recently moved to the city for the first time from a small town in New England. Upon beginning my search for an affordable apartment, I very quickly became overwhelmed. Many of the brokers I talked to were rude on the phone and seemed rushed. What ever happened to good customer service? I finally made an appointment with a broker who ended up showing me the perfect apartment (very far uptown, but still)... I said yes on the spot, only to find out the apartment had been rented the day before.. WTF??

Back to the drawing board. That night, I stumbled upon an apartment posted by Sam, a broker at Bohemia Realty Group. I called him, and he answered immediately. Bracing myself for another ass hole, I was pleasantly surprised to hear a human being on the other end. Sam patiently answered all of my questions in layman's terms, and we set up an appointment for the following day. While showing me apartments, Sam was genuinely interested in where i came from and why I was moving to the city. 

I had been looking for a cheap 1 bedroom. After seeing the few apartments Sam had available in my price range, I wasn't sold on anything. He informed me that he, most likely, wouldn't be able to find a 1 bedroom that met my criteria in Manhattan, and asked if I was open to a 2 bedroom apartment and finding a roommate. I didn't know anyone in the city at the time, so I said no. Instead of saying "good luck" and "goodbye," Sam called a friend of his who was looking for a subletter. Long story short, I moved in. 

If you are looking for a great realtor who will actually care about your well-being call Sam at Bohemia Realty Group.

Boiler Market - West Lafayette, IN (40.424542, -86.908882) ()
5 - Tom W.: Yes!

I spent many-a-day at Boiler Market. It is definitely the best pizza place on campus. They also offer the famous pitcher and a pie for $12. I have found myself at Boiler Market with friends between classes devouring a pitcher and a pie only to leave 100% satisfied. I love this place.
4 - Brian A.: Pitcher and a pie.  Great deal.  Boiler Market was a great place to hang out before going out to the bars.  Get one of the X-box sized mugs you can buy and enjoy 32 oz (more?) of beer for a cheap price on special nights.  Food's not bad either.
5 - Amy J.: I miss Boiler Market so much after graduating. What a fun place. First of all, it's perfect for college students. It's a market with anything you need, along with a full cafe/restaurant and tables to study at! They have a really nice menu for a sandwich/pizza place. Tons of options, Pizza, Pasta, Soups, Salads, Sandwiches... All of it is really good, too. Not only that, they serve beer! And the best deal on campus is a pitcher and a pie. It's great. $12 for a pitcher of any beer and a pizza. Can't imagine what is better than that, plus it's right on campus so convenient. I miss this place so much. Oh, and it delivers!
5 - Alex C.: Best pizza on campus. Period.

Make your own pizza, or get one of their specialties. If you want a pepperoni pizza, get Dominos
3 - Lindsay H.: I always came here when I was under 21, so maybe I'm not as excited about it because I didn't get to experience a "pitcher and a pie" here. Although I did eat plenty of their sandwiches.

I was never too impressed with their food. Prices were average in my opinion. A little under 10 bucks for a huge soda (with free refills) and a sandwich with chips. Sandwiches were good, but nothing I ever craved afterwards.. just decent enough. They have wireless internet, and some of the booths you can plug directly into the wall with your e-thernet cord. One side of the restaurant was supposed to be for 21+ but I often ventured over there to sit at the high top tables and nobody noticed.
4 - Kristen B.: I came here several times with my coworkers and always had great sandwiches. The pesto panini was definitely my favorite. Many of the pasta dishes look fab as well.
5 - Laura B.: Pitcher and a pie is one of the things I miss most about being on campus... that, and cheesesticks, the cactus, roadhouse fries, breakfast club, Harry's lunch special, and plenty of other epicurian adventures.  I guess it's a wonder I managed to make it out alive.

The PnP makes for a perfect lunch, mid-afternoon snack, dinner, or mid-evening snack.  The only bad thing about Boiler Market is that I could never understand their hours... they always seemed to close at really odd times.

Anyway, order a pie (pineapple and green pepper is a fave), your pitcher of Blue Moon and BTFU.
5 - Julia O.: I absolutely love Boiler Market!  I'm at school now, and I don't know what we would do without the Pitcher and a Pie (PnP).  Every fraternity, sorority, and student organization has various forms of fundraisers here, and it's the IDEAL college student hangout.  The PnP is a necessity for completing After School Club on Friday afternoons at the bars :)

Unfortunately, Boiler Market isn't open too late, but they do deliver, so that's definitely a plus.  And if you're not 21, get a pizza and a Boiler Pop (it's like a Den Pop, a huge soda for around $1).  Their soups, salads, sandwitches, and appetizers are really good also, so feel free to browse the menu with confidence!  Definitely recommend it, and you can bring your kids there, too!
1 - Megan C.: The food is really not good.  I don't know why I ever go to this place.  It's like i just keep banging my head against the wall.  The pizza is probably the worst in town.  The soup is okay, but is not homemade.  The sandwiches are bland and the pasta is really not worth mentioning.  The service is also not so great and the atmosphere blows, unless you like the roar of everyone else talking drowning out your conversation.  They have a pitcher and a pie special, but you'd be better off going to Jake's if that's what you are in the mood for.
4 - Roy H.: pitcher and a pie, 'nuff said!!!
3 - Michael D.: The pitcher and a pie deal is good but not exactly sublime- the pizza is pretty meh, but if you're lucky you can get some pretty good beer with it.

As far as food goes, I've never been impressed with the pastas, and the pizza is not so good when compared to what's available nearby.  

That said, if you're done studying and you need a brew and some food, this is a good place to show up.
2 - Philip G.: I was visiting Purdue this past week, and I wanted to find a local place for dinner on a Sunday evening.  I still don't understand some of these towns where most restaurants close early on Sundays.  But this is a college town, so I guess that's part of it.

I was just in time for half-price appetizers, so I had the fried mozzarella.  I also had a salad and a small pizza with pepperoni, sausage, and mushrooms.  (Ok, so I hadn't eaten all day.)

I wanted to like the fried mozzarella, and I did for one bite.  While fried enough on the outside, the cheese was clumpy and cool inside.  I literally ate one mouthful from each of the pieces and that was it.  The salad was actually very good.  It surprised me.  I thought it was going to be something out of a bag, similar to a grocery store.  While it may indeed have been something from a bag, it was a good bag.  It was a nice variety of greens, and the blue cheese dressing was good.

The pizza was a disappointment.  It wasn't much better than a frozen Tony's Pizza.  Ok if you're a college student, I guess, but not for me.

The restaurant itself -- again, I realize it was a Sunday evening -- was not very welcoming.  One section was closed off, chairs upended on tables.  Anywhere else people weren't sitting also got the same treatment.  It was as if the staff was saying, "Ok, we're still open, but place your order, eat, and get your butt out of here so we can go home."

So I guess I was doing them a favor when, not having the stomach to finish the food, I left quickly.
4 - Aja M.: Pizza is great and so is the Montarey Chicken Sandwich...on certain days.  Overall a great bet.
4 - Kristen H.: Went back today to try pizza. This time, I was served quickly and in order. I got an 8" pizza for myself and that was just enough, plus a fountain drink, all for under $8. Not  bad at all. I'll bump the rating up one because this was a better experience than last time.
4 - priss l.: It's a good place for hang out during lunch or afternoon, enjoy a beer or two with friends. Their pizzas are pretty good, some of the sandwiches are decent, too. It's within walking distance from campus, so it's definitely a plus.
5 - M M.: This place was buzzing with people when we walked in which is a good sign that this is a good place to eat. You order cafeteria style and when your order is ready, your name is called. We got pizza which was very good for the price - we paid about 11 bucks for a 12 inch pizza with two toppings. The place is nice looking, nothing fancy but clean with a good ambiance to it. The pizza was a little too cheesey to my liking but I like very little cheese on my pizza. Next time I will remember to ask for "light on cheese". I will definitely visit the Boiler Market again. Its wonderful. The food is fresh,hot and tasty and the place is nice and clean.
3 - Jenny V.: I was here for 20 minutes tops for a pitcher of blue moon, wings, and buffalo chicken dip. 
the buffalo dip was delicious, wings were tasty too.
they have a special, wings and a pitcher for 12.99 (i think)
4 - Lee C.: Vodka pasta for lunch, the right amount of creaminess to spice.  Pizzas are pretty good as well.  Can get very busy at lunchtime but the wait time to get your food is never that long.
2 - Pete S.: In a town bereft of a good pizza place, this restaurant fits right in.  Pizza is warm with cheese, sauce and crust.  It looks the part, but it is entirely uninspired. Typical college bar fare.  The atmosphere is fine, the beer selection admirable and the ambiance is acceptable, save for being a little sparse and warn around the edges. In all, the place is a jack of many things, and not really a master of any, especially pizza.
4 - Jackie L.: This was one of my favorite places on campus to get a pitcher and pie. However, the place has been closed since April.
5 - Sarah S.: I had not been to Purdue in 4 years and decided to come up today for a quick day trip. We purposely got there around lunch time so we could park and go directly to Boiler Market for some delicious food and a Boiler Pop. I seriously could not believe my eyes that it had closed. I thought it was some kind of mistake and literally stood there staring in disbelieve. 

I worked in the C-Store (back when it still existed) at the Boiler Market from 2004-2005. I can stay with most certainty that I had some of the best times of my college career working there. The owner and ever single person that worked there was great. I loved seeing all my friends, while I worked my shift, come in to pre-game with pitcher and a pie (and then more pitchers) before heading out to the bars. I loved having a beer while I worked and then head over to the bars to meet up with my friends. I was so very thankful that this place gave me a job that helped me pay my way through college and probably will never love a job as much as I loved this one. I wore my "shut up and drink your beer" shirt with pride.

It makes me sad to think that so many Purdue students will miss out on such a beloved place to hang out. And I can't stand the fact it's going to be a Mad Mushroom (does Chauncey Hill really need ANOTHER fast food place?!)

An end of an era for sure. RIP Boiler Market.

Boiling Pot - Pasadena, CA (34.139926, -118.133108) (Pasadena)
3 - Reg L.: I'd heard about shabu-shabu and had never had occasion to try it. So for my birthday this year, I drug my friends here. It was okay. Certainly not worth the hype or the price. I've heard there are better shabu places in Pasadena, but don't know where they are.

Shabu-shabu is Japanese fondue: you get raw meat and a pot of boiling water & cook your own food. What really (apparently) makes the shabu (and what was lacking here at the Boiling Pot) is sauces. I can't really complain about the way the food was cooked, since I cooked it myself. But the water was flavored only with a piece of strange-looking seaweed (and I'm not seaweed-shy) and there was no way to season any of the things that we cooked. Maybe if we threw all our ingredients in the bowl and let it stew for a few hours, we might have gotten something tasty out of it. As it was, it reminded me of camping food: it sustained and nourished me, but it wasn't something I would go out of my way to do again.
2 - jin n.: It's whatevs.  Go to DT L.A. and have the shabu shabu there instead.  It's better quality meat for your money.
2 - Priscilla H.: Everything but the shabu shabu is good. I think it's pretty flavorless and not that great, not to mention overpriced. 

Try the hot pot place on raymond instead.
3 - joanna e.: Not the best shabu shabu... but it will do for a random shabu shabu craving in the Pasadena area. 

The prices are atrocious - 4 pieces of beef + veggies for $14.99... but again, if you're desperate then come here!!

Service is stellar, always attentive asking us if we needed anything... but really 4 pieces of beef + veggies for $14.99??

Ambiance was an A+, clean and nice plates.... but really, $14.99 for 4 pieces of beef + veggies?

Little Tokyo Shabu Shabu... open in Pasadena, I will be your forever customer. 

(Oh, btw... they had Friends playing on the big screen, so that was FUN!)
3 - Anthony L.: It was o.k.  It was a little expensive in my opinion.  It's just super close to where I live though.  I think you can get better quality shabu shabu and for cheaper in the SGV and MPK.  You should probably get rice with your order because the food is not very filling.
3 - Julia C.: If you are in Pasadena and don't want to drive to Little Tokyo to get Shabu Shabu then this is a decent enough place. Their apetizers are not very good and the service can be very slow, but the Shabu Shabu is pretty good even though it's pricey.

The restaurant is a little whole in the wall on Del Mar Blvd., just west of Lake Ave. You can easily park in the lot for Trader Joe's and Macy's lot. The food is extremely expensive for what you get, but if you are looking for convenience (which I usually am) then this is your place.
3 - Siena S.: Quality of the meat is not bad, but the sauce is just okay.  One good thing is they offer brown rice.  

The BEST is still Shabu shabu house in J-town.  Definitely a long wait though, but you can buy some crackers from the supermarket next door while waiting.  :)
3 - Gerald S.: After having my last shabu shabu at a place in little tokyo, it's kinda hard to imagine having a better one here in Pasadena.  I was right.  This place was empty when we went (right at lunchtime in Pasadena and it was empty; can you believe that?!).  The reviewers are right in that the prices are a bit on the hefty side.  They do not have an "all-you-can-eat" option so don't even ask (because I asked and they said no).  You do, however, get unlimited rice.  The vegetables that came with my beef platter was missing tofu.  Fortunately, no one else in my group cared for tofu so they gave me theirs.  The decor is nice and the service was good.  The food just doesn't quite sit right with me.  The sesame dip was a little watery for my taste.  I'll come here again only if it's for Happy Hour.  Apparently ALL drinks are 40% off during Happy Hour!  Woo hoo!
2 - Todd C.: The granite counters were nice, and the place was squeaky clean and fancy...in the sort of stuff you see in architectural magazines in which humans don't exist.  

The entrees are outrageously expensive - a few slices of beef smaller than an Ace of Spades is almost 20 bucks, and a sad lot of Noah's ark paired vegetables looking a bit wrinkly.  It tasted ok, but required a lot of sauce and condiments to get remotely palatable. 

I love* Japanese-inspired places where nothing is remotely japanese, and the bubbly fountain was clearly bought from a Pier 1 store.  Even the waitresses aren't Japanese!  Do they hire asian-but-not-Japanese women on purpose?  I don't get it.

*by 'love' I mean 'emotionally vomit at the sight of'
3 - Sandy S.: I have to agree that there is better shabu out there, like Shab on Raymond Ave. if you want to stay in Pasadena, but this place isn't bad. 

After reading the other reviews, if you get sick, you are not cooking your food long enough! I thought the meat wasn't a terrible price. It's sliced thinly and right in front of you if you sit at the bar. It also comes with vegetables.

A draw back is the broth of the shabu looks like it's just water. It's pretty bland, so they have sauces to dip your food into after you cook it. However, if they don't mix the sauce for you, definitely ask them to show you how because that'll make all the difference.

I also have to say I had a good experience because I was there when the chef was there and he let us sample some things. The ahi salad was delicious. They also had a fun dessert called voo doo for two. If they still have it, try it, there's a whole interactive show that comes with it! You should be a fan of cinnamon though.
1 - Jane K.: The worst shabu shabu...EVER.

How do mess up hot water, fresh unseasoned veggies and uncooked unmarinated meats?  I don't know but they seem to.

The sauces are the worst.

Don't go!

*drive to little tokyo and get real shabu shabu...and its cheaper!
4 - David M.: Not the Best, but Good for a Local.

The place was pretty empty for a late lunch, so service was good for us.  I liked how the meat was cut right in front of us and the size of the cuts is pretty generous.

The best place is in Little Tokyo, but I wasn't about to drive out there and wait 45 minutes.

The vegetable plate is standard and obviously pre-prepared since it was all chilled right out of the fridge.  Udon, mushrooms, carrots, seaweed, onions, and broccoli.  I got the medium lunch that included 9 slices of beef and it was very filling.  I would have to say the sauces are pretty bland, but again - I know of only one really good place for shabu and their ponzu sauce.

I thought pricing was fair - 14.50 for lunch.  This is right in the middle of all the shabu restaurants I have been to.
1 - Erika G.: i am an idiot for not reading the reviews here on Yelp first. a total idiot.  

i admit it, we went here because we were lazy & didn't want to drive the extra 15 or so minutes to San Gabriel to eat shabu shabu at the place next to 99 Ranch Market.  super dumb move.

it was bland.  the vegetables were straight out of the fridge; i watched the server pull the saran wrap off.  the enoki mushrooms were wilted and the napa was brown around the edges.  the scallops were old & i basically cooked the crap out of the rest of the seafood for fear of getting food poisoning.  the rice was overcooked and mushy.  mushy nasty rice at an "asian" food place?!?!  it's practically sacrilege.

the service was terrible; i think there was only one person for all the tables.  occasionally a guy would appear from the kitchen and grab something but would never help.  there was a pile of filthy dishes in the corner and the meat slicer looked as if it hadn't been cleaned for ages.  the decor is sloppy and the way the tables are arranged, all the noise from the surrounding tables just bleeds into your conversation, so that not only are you upset about your horrible bland overpriced craptastic pathetic excuse for shabu shabu, but you also are stressed out from straining to hear what your dinner companions have to say.

run, do not walk away from here.  for heaven's sake, go across the street and eat at San Sai if you must have Asian food.
3 - Fiona C.: A-OK and overpriced.

The quality of the meat and vegetables weren't that great.
Portions were pretty small for what you pay for - I wasn't full when I left dinner but didn't want to spend any more money there. Even in Pasadena you have better choices for shabu shabu - like Shaab.

Overall? Meh.
3 - Ron B.: there 8/29/2009
with a Meetup Group of 40 people

Shabu Shabu- Chinese owned!
Hot Day- 100+, and the Air conditioning did  not cool interior with all the pots boiling, stoves hot, and 50 people in the Boling Pot! Many were sweating!

Jose the manager the best part of the Boilinf- as lots of character and fun! Pot~ and food table service from the 2 waitresses.
They tolerated us, and Jose did not run out the tarot reader and all of us till a litle after 11pm...

Since the place is a work in the making, with menu and food changes coming, and lots more in theme and ambiance planned~!

Bathroom very clean-!

See pictures but hot pot cooking stoves 2 to a rectangular table seating 6 people, thus ability to cook 4 pots per table!

Now, for seasoning, and spicing the Hot Pot~ bring your own Maggi Sauce and spices and Chili, as this is limited!So bland tastless ShabuShabu!

The choice we had was Agnus Beef like $17...
As a group we had 15% discount...

Just not enough veggies- poor quality, meat, and such~ for $17!!
The veggie was mostly cabbage! Just not good for a complete experience!

Ambiance: 3.75
Air conditioning: 2
Seating
Food ( poor quality as to choices- and poor seasoning available)
Parking: 3.5
Value: 2
2 - Melissa G.: I should have listened to you Yelpers.  I should have.  But what to do when you want to try something new, don't wanna drive far, and you've been meaning to give Boiling Pot a try?!

So the boyfriend and I headed over to Boiling Pot.  The manager (or who I am assuming is the manager) came over to greet us and quite franky...he's the only reason I give this place 3 stars... if it weren't for him, I'd have likely given them 2 stars.  The food isn't bad or anything.... but as Fiona C said below.. it's just "A-OK and overpriced."  Does that deserve 2 or 3 stars?  Maybe not... but it was just so disappointing to get some clear hot water and very little food for so much money.  

We ordered two "platters"...the beef platter and the seafood platter...I'm not sure if you could really call it a platter though.  two shrimp, some tiny scallops, two imitation crab meat sticks... really really not enough to get you full.  

We really wanted to like this place.. and we really liked the guy who kept greeting us... but overall.. just an average place.
3 - Stephen M.: Wow, tough reviews this place got! The food is good and the manager is a great host. The happy hour drinks are a good deal. It would be a better deal for more pieces of beef.

I continue to go back since it's great service.
2 - Kevin S.: This place is under new management from the original owners.

Service was great - friendly and attentive.

Portions were very small.  I had the large beef shabu shabu and it was maybe 9 (possibly 12) paper thin slices that shriveled up to nothing once cooked.   The beef slices should never be that thin.  Originally, when this places opened a few years ago, the beef slices were much more substantial and thick.  I would say stay away if you are hungry.
4 - Liz W.: I thought this place was very good!
the service was great.. 
Its not crowded so you don't have to worry about the wait like other shabu shabu places. 

I love their spicy tuna roll thingy ( dont really remember whts it called) but yeah.. I'm a fan! :)
4 - Eric K.: Okay, so this place was a little weird...  Good, but odd... 

The backstory:
The lady and I decided to go out for the 45th time since our move (no stove until the end of the month) and we thought we'd try something new.  It's strange how its location is both very memorable (RIGHT under Trader Joe's and share a parking lot) and completely forgettable (faces north, strange parking situation, signage you see once you've driven past it already).  So, during our brainstorming and constant purchasing of pre-packed food from TJ's, it popped into our heads.

We decide to go and got there about 6:30 or 7pm. Had no problem whatsoever finding parking in the structure, which was a pleasant change from the norm in that parking lot.  The restaurant was EMPTY...  There was literally NO ONE else in the entire restaurant with the exception of our server and another guy working there.  In fact, that didn't change the entire hour and a half we spent there.  Mind you, it was a Wednesday, but still really odd that not a single other person showed up the entire time.  I probably would have just closed the place down for the night because God knows they weren't covering the cost of keeping the place open with the two of us...

Since we were the only people in there, the service was very attentive, if not almost too much.  It was clear that this was her first job as a waitress, but she was really sweet and the 15 questions on how we were doing (during a meal that you cook yourself) was passed with a laugh.

They had some unusual drinks on the menu and from 4-7 they've got a 2 for 1 drink special so the lady had a watermelon martini and I had  a "Tokyo Iced Tea".  While sweet and fruity isn't my normal M.O., I do have a particular like for Midori and it's a staple in a good many of their STRONG drinks.  Yay booze!

We started the meal with shumai appitizers and they were fantastic.  Six of them were served, three to a skewer and had a great sweet sauce, similar to a hoisin sauce.  Perfectly done, nicely presented, A+ for the apps.

The main course (we got the same thing) was the Certified Angus Beef platter.  They brought our cooking pots over with cold water and put all of the eats in front of us before we could cook them (chalk it up to the server's inexperience) but all of the ingredients were very fresh, and presentation was pretty standard for a Shabu-Shabu place.  They had a "medium" and "large" size for the platters and we went with the medium which was sufficient with the apps we had beforehand.

We were both filled up so I didn't even look to see what they had on the dessert menu...  

Overall, this was a very positive experience.  The cost came out to about $25-ish per person with drinks and splitting an app, however it would have been significantly more expensive had we gone with the seafood platters which were about double the cost (but looked really tasty including crab and lobster amongst other things).  Definitely worth a trip back, just need to make a note to remember that it's there!
4 - Antoinette K.: There tofu poppers are really good to start with. There meat is fresh and there service is good. There happy hour drinks is a great deal but it only goes until 7pm. I suggest you get the beef. The chicken tends to be too dry.
1 - A K.: never ever again.

i used to frequent this place all the time before it changed owners. i yelped this place because i was looking for the phone number. saw these recent bad reviews and thought....well what the heck, i loved this place, i'm still going to go.

boy was i wrong. i should've trusted the other reviewers on here! i ordered the tofu poppers bc it had a tasty unique description that included "parmesan, garlic, crusted ... lime chip... chipotle aioli jam...pickled daikon"....amongst other fancy things. what i got on the table was 4 pieces of plain, unflavored, fried tofu.

when i spoke to the manager about this...she went over to discuss with the owner. the owner, instead of coming over to apologize about the situation, started complaining loudly in chinese that we were just being "annoying complainers" and that our situation was "no big deal" and to pretty much just ignore the problem.

i am in the hospitality space. i was just trying to HONESTLY give them an opinion on the false advertisement to prevent future instances of this happening to other guests. instead all i got was the owners' indirect insults. obviously she assumed that i don't speak/understand chinese...which i do. fluently. 

either way, the rest of the food comes. EXTREMELY subpar quality. old refrigerated vegetables, frozen meats, and MUSHY MUSHY rice.

the sauces were disgusting. this is supposed to be japanese, but what i got was a chinese noodle peanut sauce (totally wrong for the cuisine). the soy sauce based one was edible, but also the wrong flavor for shabu shabu.

following the meal, the manager came and apologized (the owners still just sat there in the corner watching TV and not even bothering to apologize themselves. did i mention the male owner also took 45min in the bathroom when someone from my party NEEDED to go??) ... and they DID NOT EVEN TAKE THE NASTY TOFU OFF THE TAB. they just said sorry about the tofu and offered 10% off.

then they had the audacity to offer a free tshirt and another 10% off my next purchase coupon. of course we left the coupon. YEA RIGHT we would ever go back to this joint.

if you're in the mood for shabu....please go elsewhere. this place will make you hate shabu shabu.

the server we had was nice. she was pretty attentive. that's probably the only reason why i'd even give this place 1 star.
1 - Carrie D.: I just HAD to write this review...

I never write reviews but, after having just eaten at this "Japanese" shabu-shabu place, I just had to. Terrible restaurant. 

My first clue should've been the signs that said "100 best Chinese restaurants" and the Chinese grandma behind the counter. At a Japanese shabu place?!

Poor quality food and condiments, which are the foundation of any good shabu-shabu experience. Then they made us wait for the rice--WTF?

The straw that broke my back: the unapologetic waitress forgot to order my 3-year old daughter's tempura udon. So annoying, and I think most parents of hungry toddlers would agree. And when the udon finally came, the tempura was incredibly bad--soggy and overbreaded. And don't think the tempura was soggy from the udon broth because it came on a separate plate. 

If you don't know shabu, then go ahead and try this place. If you're familiar with good shabu, I encourage you to stay away from this restaurant.
1 - hsiaoyu l.: Dear Yelp,
How do you give a 0 star? NOTHING is FRESH at this Boiling Pot!!! I been to this place when it first open- it is nothing like it now!  The Daikon is dry like flakes; cabbage leaf is bitter and brown; mushroom is mushy; and how can an easy as a root vegetable like carrot be dry as wood!!!  This gotta be the WORST shabu I have ever had.
1 - Jennifer B.: Ok, any person that gave this place 2 stars or more is clearly a friend of the owners or lost their taste bubs years ago...this place is gross! no taste, and just a waste of money.  BLAH!!!
5 - Kai G.: I can not understand how people don't like this place. This shabu shabu is absolutely great! Clean, very friendly staff, and amazingly good food! 

The reason many people don't like it I think is because they don't know how to do it right. You have to make yourself your own broth which is different from other shabu shabu places, which makes it a lot better I think. 


You should check it out!
2 - Ginger L.: Boiling pot is pretty expensive for a shabu shabu restaurant. It has good food, but relatively small portions at a high price.
5 - nicochan n.: I really love this place. 
The food quality is good and the all waitstaffs are friendly and prompt.
I am from Japan and I am sometimes dissapointed "Japanese food" in America, but shabu shabu is AWESOME!!! This is the reason I keep coming back.
3 - Lisa T.: came here with the bf since mr. shabu shabu was close and he's came here once before. 

it was pretty dead inside. but the price was decent. the service was good. this place definitely is your typical shabu shabu place and i was not disappointed. we each ordered a large beef shabu shabu original and an order of gyzoa. 

they did have a sign on the door that states, "100 best Chinese restaurants" & the bf states that they have to be good if they have that. 

there's a parking garage so its an easy parking situation.
3 - Christine A.: My first experience having shabu shabu was at Shabu Shabu House in Little Tokyo, Downtown LA. I liked it, however I did not like the difficulty trying to find parking and the 2 hour wait and you're not even guaranteed to be called because the owner might decide to cut the wait list! Forget that!!!

I saw Boiling Pot Shabu Shabu driving by Lake. Mouth watering memories of shabu shabu beef goodness prompted me to try the place.

The waitress was very sweet and attentive (eventhough there were only 3 other patrons dining that night). My husband and I made it in time for Happy Hour. 1/2 off drinks and discounted appetizers. We chose the large beef plate (each), which was pricy at $20. But it came with some noodles and veg. We both chose the miso broth. By the way, we each had our own boiling pots. No need to share.  Came with ample sizes of peanut sauce and a dark brown sauce that tasted like ponzu. 

Overall very yummy experience and I'm definitely coming back.
2 - Ann L.: I came here in high hopes of finding my new shabu shabu place since my favorite place Mr. Shabu Shabu is now closed :(.  Another reviewer haad mentioned that the Boiling Pot was comparable - soooooo NOT true!  For one, the quality of the meat was really bad - once cooked, it was stiff and white, like pork and Angus beef has never tasted so bad to me.  The broth was bland, even after I added the onions, garlic, & daikon and chili powder.  

There were no other customers there when we showed up @ 8 PM on a Saturday night - that should have given us a clue.  While service was decent, the bland food, powdery udon, and wrong rice used (they didn't use japanese rice, but used broken rice) has made both my bf and I really sad after we ate it.  

The Boiling Pot has left a bad taste in our mouths - literally - my mouth had the same taste as when I got sick and everything tasted bland, even 30 minutes after eating it.

Eat here at your own risk!
4 - Lulu A H.: Decent. I was skeptical because of he mixed reviews but after stopping in here for dinner, we were surprised that they had a decent happy hour, two for one drinks and the place was packed.

Happy hour ended at 7pm, FYI.

Regardless my husband and I had a plate of gyoza and ordered the regular size beef entre of shabby, around 16.50 each. All in all we walked out of there full and with a 51.00 tab after tip. I'll be back!

Only downer was the staff had an argument right in front of us before we got our food.

FYI, if you sit on the counter you'll get your hot plate.
3 - Irene C.: Stopped by here after visiting the Pacific Asia museum, so I really had a hankering for Asian cuisine.  The service was good.  I enjoy the cook-it-at-your-own-table concept in general.  

Pluses: the seafood and the veggies seemed fresh.  And the happy hour special: 2-for-1 drinks. 

Minuses:  the lighting was way too bright and the atmosphere a little bland in general.  Same with the food; tasty, but not amazing.  The sauces were a little too bland for me, although I'm used to Korean BBQ's.  

The one thing that does concern me: I did not see a letter grade displayed out front.  Maybe I just missed it (tho when I couldn't see it right away I really did look for it...).  Just sayin'...
2 - Jessica C.: It was different then the other shabu shabu that I have been too before and lied to my friend who took me to dinner how well it was because I didn't want to hurt his feelings since he was so excited about bringing me here and didn't want to look like a Foodie snob!  The service thou was decent and our waitress was very humorous but the menu lacked was I was use too at other shabu shabu's, when asked if I wanted water or beef broth, I opted for flavored water and was brought a water bowl with bouillon, there was no choices if how much meat I wanted, it was either beef, chicken or seafood choices. I found the meal lacking flavor! I wasn't thrilled with the noodles or vegetables either and filled up on white rice and soda since my 7-10 pieces of thinly cut beef went quickly! Thank you to the staff for the free dessert since apparently my friend frequents there, but why? When we left he stated I'm still hungry want to get a Burger?
5 - T- P.: healthy and inexpensive food.
they have an anniversary promotion going on all Shabu Shabu is $2 off !
2 - Jaime K.: Eh, this place is mediocre. The food is overpriced and the soup base isn't very good. I asked for extra noodles and they gave me some on a small plate. That costs $3. Not worth it. Not coming back. We arrived on a weekday afternoon @ around 6:30p. From when we entered and exited their doors, there were no other patrons. Hmm....
3 - Jennifer M.: We came here today because we LOVE Shabu and are always looking for new places to try. We happened to see a coupon that Go Pasadena Deals is running now, so we tried it before purchasing the deal. 

We came for lunch but posted on the window was their new hours as of Aug 1st. CLOSED FOR LUNCH.  We drove too far to leave so we had some sushi down the street and went shopping. 

Finally at 4pm we showed up. Great happy hour with an extended hour. 4-8 instead of 4-7. 

The food was really great!! The prices were really great. Our kids loved it. 

I wouldn't opt for flavored water to cook your food in. With the sauces they give you it's enough flavor and makes a great soup for later. All the ingredients were fresh too. 

Two down sides are if you've never had Shabu they don't explain it well, and we've had way better sauces. It's really the sauce that makes it. Our favorite place is Koji Shabu in Hollywood. But this place is good if you don't want to hassle Hollywood traffic. 

I think this place has gotten a bad rap for not being busy, and they sure weren't but I'm not sure why. Hopefully my review will help. I'd hate to see them go out of business. Maybe it's the location.
2 - Mike D.: Not worth it!  Too expenisve for the the amount of food you get plus the food is so so.
2 - V E.: I was flipping through the local Clipper magazine and saw a BOGO coupon for this place, so we gave it a try. I had never been to a boiling pot type of restaurant but had seen it on TV, with spicy, hearty sauces and a fun eating experience.

Unfortunately this place fell below my expectations. First, our server seemed really annoyed and unhelpful. She asked us if it was our first time there, and we said yes. Then she walked away. I was expecting her to bring some kind of "helper" menu, but she just walked away. She did not offer any explanation on how to cook the food, season it, etc.

Second, the food was bland. The water in the boiling pot was very bland--it did nothing to infuse flavor into the cooked food, and the server did not offer any suggestions. We tried using all of the condiments but we were not successful. However, the the quality of the raw meats, seafood, and vegetables was good. The seafood plate was actually impressive. But a general lack of flavor left us dissatisfied.

Third, boiling the food required too much effort. It sounds weird, but I actually felt tired after the experience. It was not fun, like Korean BBQ, and by the end of the meal we were trying to finish quickly to get out there. The steam from the pots was getting to me as well.
1 - Sylvia C.: Clueless service led to uncomfortable and weird dining experience.

The food was decent, I guess.  We ordered the miso soup base.  It was bland.  

The server grabbed the Go Deals coupon from the table, stood there, and studied it for quite some time.  I felt like I was going to be scolded.  

We had the appetizing experience of waiting for our cold water to boil and small lump of miso to dissolve into bland soup.  

The restaurant was sad.  No music, no tv, no customers.  Server? Hardly there!

As our soup was reaching boiling point, we were presented with our seafood platter and were left wondering about our chicken and beef platters.  When we asked her, our poor clueless server explained with a chuckle that she was the only person working and that she would get to it.

So, we dared not ask about our appetizer...which appeared magically at the end of our meal. 

Did I tell you about the mid-meal excitement?  We were asked if we wanted anything to drink!  

More excitement?  Pipe and drain repair people in the middle of the dining room!

At the end of our meal, I was asked, for the first time, if I wanted more water.  Since we were leaving, my server decided filling up my glass halfway would suffice.
3 - Liz T.: I've been dying to try shabu shabu and was stoked when Living Social offer a deal to The Boiling Pot. At the end of the day, I am pretty thankful I found the deal i.e. I am pretty thankful I didn't pay full price to eat here. 

The service wasn't too bad, but it was a one woman show. Our server was the only one on duty and she did everything - from the drinks, to breaking down the meat. She was great at explaining how shabu shabu works and even went as far as helping us season the soup.  Though the she was great despite the staffing handicap, the food on the other hand was just meh. 

The gal pal and I ordered the shabu shabu deluxe miso soup ($24). It came with a variety of meats: Chicken, beef, scallops, fish, crab and shrimp. The crab was actually imitation crab and was quite gross when it went in the soup. It turned into a mushy mess. I was anticipating the fish being equally as unappetizing, but it wasn't too bad as long as I took it out of the pot pretty quickly. The chicken and scallops were okay, but the shrimp and the beef were yummy.  Even though the server helped us season the broth, most of our food was pretty bland. I think perhaps the flavor is purposefully mild, but I like my food to pack a bunch. If I were to come here again, I would get only shrimp and beef, plus I would add a shit ton more seasoning. 

Overall, I give kudos to our wonder woman server, but the food just wasn't that spectacular. I would be hesitant to go back.

Tip: The restaurant is on the side of the mall, near Macy's. Park in the parking structure on Del Mar for a short walk to the Boiling Pot.
4 - Nicolle G.: The rating her is highly based on service...when looking at it from a food perspective I'd say 3 stars is more like it...but then again I am not a huge fan of boiled food...bit the service we for was outstanding...this was our first time trying shabu shabu and really had no clue what we were doing...lucky our waitress showed us the ropes and made our experience delightful.
3 - Lindsay B.: This place is just OK.  Not fabulous, not horrible, but definitely not as good as some other Shabu Shabu places I've tried and a bit more expensive.  And the other reviewers who stated that the service was "clueless" are absolutely, 100% right.
1 - grace J.: I was really excited when i saw this living social deal for this place. I love shabu shabu and was dying to try it. Too bad i didn't read the reviews before i actually bought the thing cause if i had i probably wouldn't have bought it.

When my friend and I went, it was almost empty. there was one other small table of people and there were 2 waitresses. We sit down and we take a few minutes to decide what to order. The waitress comes around once while we're trying to decide and she gives us attitude cause we're not ready! seriously??

So we finally order and we both got the miso broth and it was literally a cold pot of water with a chunk of miso paste floating around in it. it wasn't warm broth or even dissolved broth. we apparently had to mix the miso in ourselves and season the broth ourselves too (which we didn't know).

she brings out 2 plates of veggies for us and doesn't mention that i'm getting a second plate of veggies for my actual order. i was sitting there thinking, this is sooooo not worth the money. so she finally brings out the actual plate of veggies, which was better, but it still wasn't the type of veggies i was expecting . it was just a lot of filler veggie, oh well. i guess i'll know not to come back again.

my friend ordered the chicken plate and the waitress brings out a plate of the steak..umm, you heard us say chicken, but i guess you wrote down steak?? what's up with that? Anyway, so we clear that up and we proceed to the eating...which was fine...a little bland, but fine. 

toward the end of our meal, our waitress comes up to us and tells us that the total of our bill is the exact total of our living social voucher (which i've never had a problem with before) and that we needed to order something else. I was like, "What?? Why??" whatever, so not worth my time. i ordered a pellegrino which i received and drank. we come to find out later on the bill that it's twice the price as it is on the menu. Apparently, they had run out of the size that's quoted on the menu and so they gave me a different size without telling me that there would be a price difference. I don't really care about the couple of bucks difference, but come on, when i order something i expect to pay for what i order. I took the bill up to the waitress and explain to her that it's the wrong price and she says, "well, it's not the wrong price, it's the different size and it cost more". okay, but that's not what i ordered or what it says on the menu, which i show her. and she says, "well, there's nothing i can do it's the price that it is".

at this point, all i want to do it just pay the stupid bill and leave so i paid and left, but seriously?? you're going to argue about a couple of dollars with a customer who is clearly in the right?? NEVER GOING BACK HERE AGAIN!!!

If i could, i would give them negative 1 star! argh! makes me so mad! Horrible customer service!
1 - tom p.: Whoa...looks like this one is kaput. Tried going there three times this week and they were closed up tight each time. Looks deserted with every thing emptied out  (nothing had moved on the counter tops during the time period). Never even had a chance to try out the miso. No signs on the door to explain anything or hours posting..
Oh well. Bad Yelps equal doom.
1 - D K.: Don't bother. They are gone. For lease sign on door.
2 - Shirley V.: While the food was good, the service not so much. It was my first time ever being at a shabu place and as that had no idea what to do. They explained it really fast and left. For the prices they give a little amount of meat, they said it'd be big enough for 2 people, it wasn't.
3 - Larae H.: I can't believe that this place closed down! I'm so sad :(

I came here before with a friend of mine, and the food was delicious. I'm really sad to see it go.

Bolin Creek Greenway - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9131, -79.0563) ()
5 - Nicki S.: I went running for the first time here yesterday and it was AWESOME. Flat enough that my slow ass could handle it and beautiful enough to recharge my road-running weary spirit. It was so peaceful, that it actually made my run enjoyable (imagine that!). And it was shady, so the heat wasn't too overbearing. Can't wait to go again...
5 - Kianna M.: I love Bolin Creek for a run-- although I haven't been lately.  It's beautiful and full of trees so you're running in mostly shaded areas.  Its a great starter trail for new runners-- then you can graduate to steep hills and such which are plentiful here in Chapel Hill.  There is a little playground area to bring your kids swings and such as that, but leave one open for me; its so much fun to swing up as high as you can go and jump out.
4 - Christina G.: A nice, easy run at 1.5 miles. Or a pleasant stroll with the dog or the kids (it's paved, so you can do the stroller thing). Very well shaded and takes you over a few creeks, but most of the scenery is just so-so. A little into the walk, you'll see a trail that splits off up a hill. Go forth; be adventurous! The trail leads up to Cafe Driade -- so you can treat yourself to a coffee and sit on their huge, excellent patio if you need a break during your walk. If you access the trail at the Chapel Hill Community Center, before you get to the trail proper -- on the part that connects the park to the path -- there are sometimes neighborhood kids with a snack stand set up (lemonade, bottled water, and packs of chips and crackers). They love dogs, so you might get begged to pause for a pooch-petting session.
3 - William J.: Bolin Creek usually marks the turn-around point for me on one of my longer runs.  It's a great trail, pretty, winding, and easy on the shins.

It can be a problem for a runner, though, because of all the families.  On some days this trail gets positively choked with strollers, dogs, and rowdy families of six, which kind of spoils the bucolic peace of the thing.  On the other hand, that means that it's friendly to those groups, so families swing on through for a good time.
4 - Adrienne E.: I'm not much of a runner, but I do enjoy walking this trail with friends or a pet. The trail starts at the Community Center where there's a large playground, a rose garden, and some cool outdoor art. I think the playground aspect makes this trail especially great for families with young children. The main trail is paved and winds through 1.5 miles of woods, ending on Airport Rd. near the police station. There is a detour you can take that leads you to UNC's campus. There's a nice little creek that runs alongside the trail in certain parts and all diverging paths are well-marked. Shortly after the trail begins, it runs right through a small neighborhod cul-de-sac, which seems sort of strange to me. It's just common sense, but I have to recommend leaving before sunset - it's not easy to get lost, but it is fairly wooded in some areas.
3 - Michael B.: This is off topic as I think on Yelp (and especially in this thread) we're supposed to review existing trails not discuss politics of a new trail. In any event, I agree with tristan m. However, the trouble with extending it to the north along the creek is the huge difference in terrain. 

The current paved path is great, but paving switch backs and blasting your way through Bolin Forest is really bad for our collective water and air resources. Please consider the alternatives, a preserve with access and alternative transportation routes placed outside of the existing forest surrounding Bolin Creek. See more at: http://savebolincreek.wordpress.com/

Thanks!
4 - Phil G.: This is a nice stretch of trail for running, walking, biking, etc. The trail is paved so you won't have to worry about jagged roots and misplaced rocks. There's a nice little rose garden at the start of the trail to get your spirits up. The trail follows Bolin Creek for most of the way so you won't feel too far away from nature. The trail has good tree cover so you get a little shade during the hot summers. Overall, nice trail. It's an easy run/walk but very pleasant.
4 - Ellen C.: A nice, paved trail for runners, walkers, and cyclists alike. I've used the path for all three activities and each time it's been a pleasant experience.
On any given day, you'll spot plenty of birds, turtles, and frogs; I've also seen deer in the woods. It's a very dog- and family-friendly route, and because of this, the trail can get crowded at times. In the summer, many sections of the trail are not shaded and so it can get unbearably hot in the sun. Despite this, it's a very accessible green space in which to enjoy the outdoors and get some exercise, especially while pushing a stroller.

Bollo's Cafe & Bakery - Blacksburg, VA (37.2299, -80.4158999) ()
4 - Mary L.: One of the best independant coffee shops in town. The coffee is delicious, the people who work there are really friendly and the atmosphere is very welcoming. A nice place to get some work done (free wireless) and a great place to have a cup of coffee with friends. I always take friends here when they visit. My only complaint is that it's a rather small space. Perhaps it's crowded just because a lot of people frequent it, but sometimes, it can be hard to find a seat and that's the only reason why I don't give it 5 stars.

Oh PS: Their chocolate chip pumpkin muffin is pretty much the one thing that gets me out of bed on weekends. It's SO good and they also have baked goods that are vegan friendly.
4 - Eileen O.: The baked goods are extraordinary - I love the scones. I usually get a chai latte, but will sometimes get an Italian soda.

What's fun is seeing bakers go back and forth between here and Gillie's with fresh baked breads.
3 - Jeff W.: I applaud the attempt at providing a token independent coffee shop environment but Bollo's just isn't comfortable or good enough to earn much praise.  I'm not a coffee drinker, but the chai that I had was pretty crappy.  2 star quality but I'd say it's worth three stars since there's not much else like it in Blacksburg and they really do cater to just lounging around and not hurrying you out the door.  There are a few tables, board games, and free wi-fi which is very welcoming, but it's basically just some seats in an empty room and a counter with a drink machine.
2 - Misono A.: Bollo's is a little independent coffee shop nestled in downtown Blacksburg, which provides a good alternative to the Starbucks down the street. Can't say much about their coffee since I am not much of a coffee drinker, but their lattés were decent. Mostly I would go for Bollo's baked goods. Their scones are the best, and they usually have a pretty wide selection of treats to choose from. As the other reviewers mention, though, it's a very small space and not somewhere I could call comfortable. It is right across the street from the Art & Art History Department building, so you'll find a lot of artsy fartsies going there between breaks in class or studying in there.
4 - Callie B.: To all the people reviewing a coffee house that don't drink coffee.... please stop. Moving on: this place does offer reliable, consistent, full bodied blends that will wake you up and potentially make your armpits hurt. Yes, they are small, but it not really a lounge now is it? Its a place where most people stop by to grab a coffee and then trudge back to campus. Oh, and someone mentioned the "artsy-fartsies?" If you're concerned about what the people look like, go to Starbucks where they'll all look like you. Aside from the consistent good coffee (and espresso drinks) I like that this place is also a bakery, with gluten-free and vegan options available on occasion. They also provide bread for Gillies down the street. I also like their collection of board games and their small space, makes people bump into each other and actually interact instead of just plugging in their iPod headphones and staring at their shoes. All in all, I'm a fan.
4 - Brittney G.: I really love the atmosphere at Bollo's. The drinks are alright (my personal gripe is thermos coffee) so I tend to order espresso drinks which I've been very happy with. Also I'm a gluten-free gal, and I appreciate the fact that they carry gluten-free baked goods on occasion. A great place to study, do work, or meet a new friend! And Free Wi-Fi is also a BIG plus!
2 - Elizabeth M.: I am completely over Bollo's.  There is always a SLOW SLOW line with bad service- as though customers are really putting out the person working behind the counter.  My last three attempts here have failed because I just don't have the time to stand in line for an insanely small cup of coffee...although their baked good really are delish.  Too bad their fake hippie attitudes make the place annoying.
5 - Lauryl S.: They've always had good coffee and service. So they're a bunch of hipsters--isn't that more interesting, at least? I like the raw brick on the wall. This is my favorite place to go in Blacksburg, and they're gutsy being a few blocks from Starbucks on one side and Mill Mountain on the other.
3 - Bonnie B.: Great coffee and great pastries--when they want them to be. When they have a decent selection of pastries, they are just killer. But often times I go in and there's hardly any selection and what they have is very limited and hardly appealing. The coffee is always great and the atmosphere is fun. Great place to sit and do homework or read--if you can get a table. Its small and popular, so good luck finding a place to sit on the weekends.

Oh and its cash only. Fail.

Also, the hipster crowd there is pretty hilarious. And if you don't like cigarette smoke, be sure to sit near the back because they leave the door open and if anyone is sitting outside on the bench smoking it just wafts right in. Gross.


The pumpkin chocolate chip muffin is their BEST pastry by far. Absolutely the best I've ever had--so moist and epicly good. If only they had it available more consistently....sigh.
5 - Sara H.: Bollos is not-large-enough room populated by hippies, grad students, hipsters, vegan baked goods, and ratty board games with lot's and lot's of bicycles parked outside. 

It is a college town coffee shop. It is good at what it does. It's crowded and atmospheric. The music playing at any given moment represents the tastes of the barista on duty. There is local art displayed on the (exposed brick) walls. You'll get lectured on how to properly support small, local businesses if you try to pay with a credit card. It is full of regulars. 

Here's the secret: They have the best coffee in town. I am not kidding. The pastries are great. On top of all that, Bollos is also the best (indoor) people watching spot in Blacksburg.

How can you fit in? Question: Do you ride a fixie? No? You don't know what a fixie is? It's ok, we can work around it.

Here is what you do. Come in and order coffee. Keep coming back. Bring cash (no plastic accepted). You'll get to know people. Eventually the barista will remember your order. You'll figure out the best time of day to find a free seat. Better yet, you'll make a friend who you can get to scoot his books over and let you share his precious table no matter when you arrive. 

Insider tip: If you are a poor student and love lattes, order a cafe au lait. A suitable substitute for the latte you love, but the same price as a regular coffee.
4 - Sean T.: This is one of those few establishments in town that makes me sorta not hate it here. 

The coffee's good, their lattes are decent, and it's all local and fair trade, so you can be a good person by supporting them (as opposed to Starbucks or that weird evangelical Christian coffee shop in Christiansburg). 

My only problem with them is that its way too small of a place- don't expect to find a seat when you come here during the school year, or at the very least, expect to be stumbling over people while you get up for a refill. Otherwise, it's the closest thing to a real coffee shop Blacksburg has, and I fully support it.
4 - Addyline L.: A blueberry filled muffin and a hot cup of chai on a rainy day. Enormous windows you can gaze out of and take notes about that novel you will eventually get around to writing. Great coffee selection. My only qualm was the angry barista all three times I went in there. She seems to be either the boss, or high up on the barista latter so nothing can really be done, but my advice to her is: Breathe. Man, you run a "sic" shop. Everything is "totes" great here. Just please don't get snarky at a customer since not everyone knows it's cash only, especially if it's their first visit. Oh, and on their second visit do not ignore them to gripe to another employee about your life. And on their third visit don't be a frowny-frowny-frown face.
4 - Dee Y.: Best place in town for hot chocolate!  Love that the evening barista learned my order by my second visit!

Bollywood Dance With Mollie - Seattle, WA (47.6607946, -122.3131112) (University District)
5 - Imei H.: Mollie is not only a gifted teacher and choreographer of Bhangra and Bollywood, she infuses every lesson with humor, repetition, and challenge so you can accelerate or take it slow -- your choice. As a performance student of hers, I can attest that her choreographies and styling points have helped me to become the Bollywood dancer -- and soon the choreographer -- of my dreams.  

Imei, Bollywood and Belly Dance Artist, Hipsforhire.com
5 - Michelangelo S.: SIT-REP

While visiting mom in her Northgate neighborhood, I love hitting the interesting eateries and establishments in the nearby community of Lake City.

I have a tendency to peek into windows and wander into stores without knowing absolutely nothing of what I'm getting into.  This is ONE such case.  

THE SET-UP

Being a long-time lover of the art of belly-dancing and other ethnic dances, I could tell RIGHT AWAY that this is a FUN place to take lessons.  I saw only a few women on this particular outing, but it was a recommendation that I certainly made to my mother - whom is still quite active for a young 73 - and think she would get a total kick out of it, OR at least watch it.

The instructor MOLLIE apparently has quite a diverse number of students of all ages and proficient at various levels of technical skills, some of them, judging by pictures and involvements at very high levels of success in the "BOLLYWOOD" style of dance art.  

THE LOWDOWN

My curiosity is really racing over this novel dance school and I have to admit I am going to check it out a lot more with future visits to Seattle.
5 - Jean H.: We asked Mollie to help us with a bachelorette party, and she went above and beyond the call of duty providing us with an evening of great fun. Mollie is responsible, dependable, good at communication, and everything turned out really well. We all had a really good time and would highly recommend her services.

Boloco - Cambridge, MA (42.3720326, -71.1182373) (Harvard Square)
2 - annie k.: Mediocre student food. Yes, you can wrap lots of stuff in a flour tortilla: this is not innovation. The question is whether it's tasty.  Boloco's wraps have that cheap "fast food" taste. It seems like they have lots of bland filler ingredients and one overwhelming flavor agent (simple, oversweet teriyaki sauce, for instance). Voila: the teriyaki chicken burrito. As far as I can tell, there's no element of culinary skill behind these wraps.
4 - C. W. P.: I have a thing for the Buffalo chicken wrap. I used to get the chicken caesar wrap, but now I never want it any more. That's all.
3 - Wendy L.: The wraps at Boloco are fine but not that great.  If you really want some reasonably priced food in a tortilla, go down the street to Felipe's.  If you're feeling guilty about having too many burritos at Felipe's, Boloco is the healthier tortilla option...not just because they actually have vegetables in their wraps but they have much healthier meat...and brown rice.  I used to always get the teriyaki wrap which was tasty but I was usually hungry afterwards - definitely get a large wrap!
4 - Alexander W.: I like Boloco for the simple fact that they have Asian-inspired tofu wraps made to order quickly and at a decent price.  However, the service at this location is a bit lacking.  The people are nice, but two days in a row this past week they butchered my name (they ask for it at the register then start calling it at the pick up station).  My name is ALEXANDER and yet they called it as Alexandra and then Alexandria the next day.  It's pretty damn obvious I'm a guy when I stand there . . . these people are just fools, I'm sorry.
4 - Michael C.: I was a tad disappointed when I was in Hanover, NH, last spring, and saw a Boloco. The name is short for Boston Local Company. But if they're halfway up New Hampshire, are they really a local Boston company? Ah, well. That's a minor beef.

Speaking of beef, let's get to the food. (Sorry.) It's good! I love the Bangkok wrap, with that heavenly substance called Thai peanut sauce. Sometimes they put more on than others, though. I like it so much, that I haven't often tried the others, but when I have, I've been satisfied. Today I tried their seasonal special, the clumsily named "Late November Burrito" (is "Thanksgiving" now politically incorrect, too?). It's turkey, stuffing, cranberry chutney, and Asian slaw. I didn't actually notice the cranberry chutney, but otherwise it was quite good.

I once tried one of their shakes, with peanut butter (mmm...). It was good. And they make them with frozen yogurt.

The prices here are kind of high, for both burritos and shakes. Burritos are $5 small, $5.95 large, significantly more than at Felipe's. On the other hand, there's a lot here (the non-Mexican stuff) you can't get at Felipe's. So it's worth a trip. I'll keep going.
4 - Katamari D.: This is sadly the closest I get to California in Cambridge. It's not fancy, nor is it particularly good but I can order tofu in anything and not find chunks of pork in this and that. The staff here is pretty friendly but tend to botch orders. Very crowded at lunchtime... if it wasn't my favorite restaurant, I would have given 2 stars... but I'm a sucker for wraps.
5 - Mike K.: I LOVE this place. WAY better than Felipe's/Anna's.   The Summer and Mediterranean Burritos are amazing.  Whoever invented  Mango Salsa is a god.
5 - Scott S.: What I like: Free wireless, great music, fast service, some tasty flavors, rewards card that seems to get me free stuff, a convenient stop when I'm in Harvard Square.  (Did I say free wireless?)

Update: Last winter, I complained that their door wasn't closing well, letting lots of cold air in.  I got a quick response back, and next time I went to Boloco, it was fixed.  What great responsiveness.
2 - Julia F.: I have yet to eat here, because the line was long enough that we left somebody here, went to Fillipe's, ate and came back and they were still waiting for their food. Also, the smell coming out of the place was the LEAST appetizing I have ever had the pleasure of smelling...
4 - Kristina B.: I love the Jimmy Carter smoothie, every single time.  However, some of the burritos can be hit or miss (depending on the person who wraps it, as other reviewers have stated).  I usually eat them with enough green Tabasco to cover a small elephant.

-Bangkok:  I don't care for it, but my boyfriend likes it.  
-Mediterranean: My favorite of the ones I've tried.  I like it with chipotle Tabasco.
-Teriyaki: So-so.  I'm not crazy about broccoli in a burrito.
-Huevos Chorizo (I think that is the title):  Pretty good, but I didn't like the salsa
-Bacon & Eggs:  I ordered it without salsa and liked it.

Since I live so close, I'll probably try all of them and update this list accordingly.

Edit:  The Summer with chicken is my new favorite.  It has mango salsa and black beans.

Edit (9/30/07):  Summer with steak and Buffalo with chicken are my two new favorites.  I also like the Whey-Out Protein smoothie.

Edit (1/27/08):  I rescind my previous comment about the Bangkok, and would also like to add that the Classic is okay.  The Thanksgiving limited edition burrito was unexpectedly good.  I wish it stayed around past December 2007.
4 - Mindy S.: First, to dispel misinformation, this is not a Mexican place. This is a wrap place. It's a little more expensive than Felipe's, a couple of blocks away, but it has healthier offerings (tofu, brown rice, whole wheat tortillas or just rice bowls, salads). Regular burritos run at $5, and large burritos go for $6. Their menu, pricing, and nutritional info is on their website. The major downside is that you can wind up waiting 15 or 20 minutes when it's busy, but the wait is pretty short if you avoid the lunch rush.
4 - Clara R.: Free wireless internet; enough variety of things wrapped in tortillas to suit most tastes; smoothies; friendly staff. What's not to like?
4 - Stephen K.: Please tell me I'm not the only one that still calls this place "The Wrap." I miss that name. It also corrects for a problem which a lot of people seem to have with this place, which is the perceived misnomer of "inspired burritos." It's true, these really aren't burritos, and you shouldn't come here thinking that you're going to get what you would in a Mexican place. But some things can be tasty.

I've had a few other things here, but it really comes down to this: get the Chicken Teriyaki or go home. That's really the best advice I can give. 

If you're nutrition-conscious, they have all the numbers on their website, which is kind of nice. Also, you can get any of the things in a bowl instead of a wrap if you want. Their smoothies seem to be really popular, especially in the afternoon, though I've never had one myself.

I also can't give this place lower than four stars even if I was tempted to, because there were two days in June when they gave out free wraps to anyone that brought in a print-out of an editorial written by the founder. I confess I printed out half a dozen copies and had about five meals in wrap form. Don't worry, I've since made personal rules against that.
4 - Terry C.: I am a big fan of The Wrap, er, Boloco. Change is hard. I do love their "burritos", but being from California I can assure anyone who has not had the pleasure of Mexican food from out west that this is definitely gringo fare. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I think these taste just great, and as a vegetarian, I really appreciate their yummy baked tofu. And where else can you get a "burrito" with brown rice, a whole wheat tortilla, and add veggies for no extra charge? I did take away one star because service has been spotty lately (I go almost every week on my break for lunch), although I think there was a spell where the Harvard Square store was understaffed, a problem they seem to have fixed. Anyway, enjoy your wrap!
4 - Kiki B.: here's the thing about boloco: if you go there for a burrito, you shouldn't. if you go there for a somewhat inventive wrap, especially after 4 when 2 regular "burritos" are $8, you'll be relatively happy. in short, the "classic" that attempts to be a burrito should be avoided, but the "summer" with mango salsa is quite good and the thai peanut variety isn't bad.
4 - Christopher R.: I know that I may be in the minority about Boloco. But I much prefer to them Anna's Taqueria. They have more flavor.

I usually avoid chains, but I like the fact that I can go to Boloco just about anywhere really. I love the Bangkok burrito and I get it with Tofu.

YUMMY!
4 - Jeremy K.: Boloco is a growing chain which take the classic burrito recipes and give them a twist. Their food isn't bad at all, and I found myself going there a few times and though that their menu was creative and refreshing. The prices are a tad high but they are quick and good. Their seating is limited to a few tables so if you want to actually take a seat make sure you don't go there during their peak hours. Aside from that the place is great!
3 - sunny n.: I like the fact the menu is quite simple..stickin to some creative burritos, salads...like the bangkok..coz frankly im sick of quick to go places that have menus spread across the entire wall..near the ceiling ( hun)....
inexpensive..quick fresh ingredients..Carnitas is dam good..the choice of wheat wrap is great...more choices of drink would be appreciated...lines get long during peak hours..and there is limited seating here..but hey if its a nice day..grab n go and enjoy ur grub outside..!
4 - Giovannah C.: Boloco is certainly on my " satisfying yet easy lunch" choices list. The place is pretty consistent and offers hassle free and somewhat creative burrito concoctions to please the palate and ease  the perpetual "where do we eat with a budget and little time" conundrum.

I must admit I relish the idea of enjoying a burrito with as much or less hoopla as your little heart desires. The classic is my favorite, if you want a real authentic burrito however this is not the place.

Another great thing about Boloco is their brown rice, wheat tortilla opt-in.  In addition, their carnitas and steak are all nitrite free and free range! 

The name however left  me a bit giggly when it changed from the former The Wrap. I stopped laughing when I found out that its a poor attempt at tapping into our common day affinity with abrevs. Boloco stands for BOston LOcal COmpany. Come on guys how about a little extra hot sauce on those brain storming sessions?

Either way...its yum and fresh and I frequent Boloco
3 - Matt W.: Boloco is just about as average as they come. The price reasonable but not cheap. The food tastes ok but not great. The decor is that of a fast food chain. Basically, you walk away fed and forget where you ate 5 minutes later. I will say that I haven't tried their smoothies which I hear are decent. Stop in if you are passing by and require sustenance....otherwise keep on walking to one of the local burrito joints.
1 - Sarah L.: Neither inspired, nor a burrito. Lies, all of them.
2 - John L.: I've been trying to find a more healthy dinner-eating option on Wednesday nights for my standard "Take the T up to Harvard, check out the new CDs at Newbury, and then walk down to Drinking Liberally at the People's Republik" routine.  It's a good routine.  A little long, yes, but it's a great walk.

Anyways, I digress.  I've had my ABP fill in the past, and some of the other places are also old hat, but I've never been to Boloco.  

For one thing, this place is situated on Mt. Auburn, away from some of the Harvard Square wackiness.  It's relatively hard to find unless you're actually looking for it.  On the plus side, the climate control is nice, as it's air conditioned, but not in a "I'm in Antarctica" sort of way.  

As for the food itself, I ordered the teriyaki wrap with chicken.  It's definitely not a burrito place, per se (as many others have noted), which I knew coming in and therefore didn't raise my expectations on that end.

However, my real issue is that the wrap I got was doused in teriyaki to the point of bleech.  It was kind of messy (which I expected for a teriyaki wrap), but I didn't expect it to be so doused to the point where the teriyaki taste overtook everything else.  I knew that there was apparently broccoli in there, and chicken, but it was all about the teriyaki.  Now, I like teriyaki chicken, but not when it's so overwhelming that I can practically taste the salt in the sauce.

Would I do it again?  Probably not.  I'm probably better off getting a yogurt at Berryline and walking to People's from there.
3 - rewan a.: My friend got me hooked on the Buffalo Chicken. If you like buffalo sauce, then definitely definitely get this one. And get the large one, if you're a cow like me. It's just the perfect amount of spice, blue cheese, and the freshness of celery. So good. 

The other burritos are mediocre. I'm torn... 2 stars because everything else is lousy? or 4 because the buffalo chicken is so damn good?
4 - Stephanie B.: I was at the Dragon Boat races this weekend and wanted to get out of the heat.  I haven't been in Harvard Square in sometime at least a year so started walking up Mt Auburn St to the square.  My friend and I saw this little place and decided to take a chance.  

I must say I was very happy with the selection of wraps.  I ordered the Bangkok with chicken.  I enjoyed the cucumber and asian slaw and was happy that it was not over powering with peanut sauce just enough.  My friend had the Summer with chicken and she was very happy with it.

We decided because it was so hot to try smoothes, I am glad we did, I had the cape cod and she has the berry one.  Both were great and filled us up.  I would like to go back and try the Jimmy Carter next time.
2 - Francesca R.: The choice to change the name from the perfectly decriptive "The Wrap" to the useless "BoLoCo" (for Boston Local Company...?!?!) is my first issue with this establishment.  They wanted to be identified more as a burrito place, ignoring the rather unavoidable fact that they don't sell burritos, they sell wraps.  One wrap, The Classic, is *kind* of like a burrito, but that's it.

The wraps themselves aren't so great.  Their sauces are always too salty, and I don't know what ingredients they use but the restaurant and the food has a weird smell almost like meat that's about to go off.  If I'm really busy at work I'll jump in here and get a tofu terriyaki without rice and it will be sufficient as a meal but still vaguely unsatisfying.

I do like their smoothies, though, and the chocolate chip cookies.   

I do have a request for you boloco patrons out there.  If you ever think "hey, I could buy a burrito and go into another local establishment to do my other errand and eat the burrito there!" - please stop thinking this.  I don't go to your work and eat a pungent meal in front of you while you're trying to do your job, do I?  If you must eat and work with me at the same time, at least buy me a cookie.  They're only a $1!
3 - Sarah T.: The food a Boloco is pretty decent... but it can be pricy.  I enjoy their burritos and the ability to mix and create my own if I would like.  In addition, they have a great selection of smoothies.  I like their buffalo chicken and steak classic burritos... and their Jimmy Carter smoothie.  However, I would recommend when purchasing a smoothie... check out the calorie content on the smoothie before you buy and consume it.  I was horrified to find out that a large Jimmy Carter is the equivalent of practically 2 meals of calories at 1,000 calories... if you have it, I'd recommend getting the small.
3 - Lisa O.: So...Boloco's pretty good. I ordered a burrito though, and was a little underwhelmed. I should have ordered a wrap, since I pretty much knew the burrito wouldn't measure up to all the other options in Harvard Square, but I was feeling the Mexican and went for it. I LOVE the options of wheat tortillas and brown rice, both of which added another dimension of flavor to my lunch. Either the beans or rice were a little undercooked and the crunch was a little off-putting. I also love the portion size. Nobody needs a burrito the size of those Chipotle serves up, and my Boloco burrito was the perfect amount. My lunch companion enjoyed her Buffalo wrap immensely, so next time I think I'll get a little creative with the ordering. Updates might be forthcoming!
2 - Amanda S.: Adequate would be a good word to describe Boloco.  It is definitely not on any of my "recommended" lists because the food is so average.  The people who work there are nice, but the food is uninspiring.  The only time I really ever go to Boloco is if someone else wants to eat there, in which case I can eat the food but I know to go in with low expectations.  The Mediterranean chicken burrito is okay, as is the chicken teriyaki.  There's something about the smell of Boloco that I find mildly gross; i think that it's a clean place, but still, something weirds me out about the smell.  The smoothies are okay, but I have ordered some that are closer to juice because they are so thin.  I'm not positive how Boloco really stays open because it seems that there are multiple places in the Square that people would go to first.
4 - Diane I.: i can't speak for the wraps/burritos, but the smoothies are delicious!!!
i'm so into them that i keep passing up the chance to try real food.
definitely the best you'll find in harvard square.
you'll see me here after every yoga class. its like the perfect treat after bikram.
can't wait til friday when i get to go again!

beware of the jimmy carter though - it is not figure friendly (you'd have to go to yoga again to make up for it...)
3 - julia r.: i know i need to retrain myself not to crave burritos. but to taste the perfect blend of beans, guac, and rice with a sweet little cilantro-y salsa would be oh so good. sadly, boloco's is way too average to satisfy my burrito longing. and while i heart the original burrito, i am not a purist. i have definitely had me some t as in tasty fusion versions. so i thought boloco's easily adaptable menu had potential (what's not to love about peanut sauce in anything, right?!). but sadly, they dish out their deals in an assembly line that lacks one crucial ingredient: love. so i was a little disappointed in my boloco experience. also, and maybe i am a just a huge fattie at heart, but their large is disappointingly small. i'm going to start daydreaming about clam chowder from now on...
3 - Anna B.: I love their Jimmy Carter milkshake- yum peanut butter!  But I definitely stay away from the burritos after trying the Buffalo chicken one- ick
2 - Sam M.: What kind of burrito place sells their chips in bags that look like they would come from a vending machine?

The burrito itself was edible, but slightly below average.

If it were not for the fact that their smoothies and shakes are good, this would have gotten one star from me. Oh, they also take crimson cash, which is nice if you are a student. But smoothies and burritos? What kind of combination is that? Its not really what comes to mind when I think about good fusion in food.
5 - Rozzalyn S.: I absolutely love this place, I remember when it was called THE WRAP, I used to eat here when I was in college and every time I'm in Boston I always eat here. I'm a vegetarian so its great to actually have tasty options. I like to get the Bangkok with Tofu in it. OH SO YUMMY!!! If you haven't gone you should go! I've been eating there for over 4 years!
5 - Charles V.: I'll fully admit, most of the burritos here are only okay, not great.  But the Buffalo chicken wrap is good enough for this place to get 5 stars by itself.  I love this thing - moving to California, I find it's the thing I miss most about Boston.   And the option to put brown rice in the wrap, and to use a whole-wheat tortilla, is fantastic.  It's tasty, it's cheap -- Boloco is the way to go(even if I preferred the old name)
4 - Britt C.: When I lived in Harvard Square, it was Boloco that kept me alive. Because of the lack of any decent grocery store within reasonable winter walking distance of my apartment, I ended up eating way too many burritos and becoming embarrassingly familiar with the people who worked at this wonderful burrito place. One cannot go into a burrito place twice in the same day without feeling some sense of shame.

Luckily, because Boloco isn't a typical bean and cheese burrito place, I did not end up becoming horribly obese, just a little pale from leaving my apartment only twice per weekend for Boloco provisions (alas, how I miss the life of a graduate student).

Anyway, the "Bangkok" (peanut sauce, brown rice, cucumber slaw, and a bit of spice) with tofu was my favorite for a good period of time. Then I moved on to the chicken teriyaki when I felt I needed some more color in my life (this one has broccoli in it). The "Summer" (mango, black beans) with chicken can be nice in hot weather or for lunch. Toward the end of my days in Cambridge, I tried out the "Buffalo," which was pretty indulgent and packed most of its calories and nourishment in its excessive amounts of ranch dressing and oily spiced sauce. Their new burrito, the "Yucatan" is a little spicy (jalapenos, I think), but it's pretty damn good.

They do a nice ceasar salad if you're burritoed-out, but their bowls leave something to be desired.

As for smoothies, the Cracy is good and if you feel like having a liquid meal, get a chocolate shake (low fat milk and yogurt) or a Jimmy Carter.

Be sure to get a Boloco card...you'll get lots of free burritos! You can also pre-order and pre-pay online if you're feeling extra socially-awkward.

Their breakfast burritos (before 11am) are pretty tasty too...and cheap!
3 - Cleopatra P.: Boloco is a perfectly decent, if somewhat flavorless choice for lunch in Harvard Square. Don't be fooled though, Boloco (for the most part) is *not* a burrito joint--they sell wraps. There is only one truly burrito-like offering on the menu, and if you're looking for New England Mexican-lite, you'll be better off swinging by Felipe's, which is down the street. 

The wraps themselves are pretty good, but they tend toward the the bland--after eating here, you'll most likely be full, but you will probably not have a distinct memory of what your meal tasted like. Boloco's saving grace as a mediocre chain is that they definitely try to accommodate health-conscious diners. Whole wheat tortillas, brown rice, and vegetarian customizations are always available, and they tout their meats as being humanely-raised, sans antibiotics and growth hormones.

Boloco's other main draw is that, unlike many of my preferred Harvard Square lunch eateries, they accept credit cards. For a last resort, Boloco is perfectly cromulent, but they are definitely not a destination dining spot.
4 - Jess L.: I went here on a whim at a low hour, 4pm. Thus, I was the only one in the restaurant. 
I had a tasty Mediterranean burrito with tofu. I love that they have the option of tofu!
The burrito is smaller than Chipotle's but, come on, are you going to eat a whole Chitpotle burrito in one sitting?
I like Boloco's variety and multiple combinations. My burrito was made quickly, and the staff were nice. 
I look forward to trying their long list of smoothies next time!
1 - Dave J.: Boloco catered an event at MIT today, and I was unimpressed by yet another dissapointing burrito in Boston.  I had the typical "steak burrito", but the "steak" was more like pot roast and my pinto beans were crunchy.  Anna's Taqueria and even Chipotle are better than that!

Other people seem to like their wraps.  Maybe those are decent, but stay away from the burritos!
4 - Ken M.: I'd love to give them 5 stars for this location but I just cannot do it. The now defunct Davis Square location was just that much better.

Heaping on praise for the new addition to the menu, the Yucatan burrito.

So good with the pickled onions.

Try it.
4 - brian h.: Good taste. A little pricy, but good stuff. Smoothie was good, too.
4 - Holly W.: I happen to love this burrito place because it's very easy to build your own healthy burrito. Unlike most burrito places in Boston, Boloco has whole-wheat tortillas, brown rice, tofu, and an assortment of vegetable options. You can request their pre-made recipe (my favorite is the Teriyaki chicken--and its presence on the menu should tip you off that this place is hardly Mexican), or they're very accommodating if you want to build your own (for this I highly, highly recommend the online-ordering option, though, because sometimes people in line irritated when you make a chain of off-menu commands). 

After a year of living in Harvard Square, Boloco became a staple because I knew I could get a relatively affordable dinner with a lot of relatively healthy things in it (as opposed to the 10,000 calorie burritos as Chipotle). I never had a bad experience with the service and I'm happy to know everything is clean.

By the way, my roommate made a contention last night that they shouldn't call them burritos since most of the pre-made options are simply wraps.  ("Why would you call a Caesar salad wrap a burrito?") She's probably right.
5 - Jenn W.: Today, Boloco was hopping at lunchtime. The line got super long, so I understood when my Chinese Chicken Salad order got lost in the hubbub. When the manager realized I'd waited ten minutes for my salad, he made a generous one. And on top of that, he gave me a Boloco card with a free item on it for next time. 

I've been a regular customer for over two years now. Boloco has never disappointed; the Summer burrito with mango salsa is the best! Boloco also tries hard to be environmentally responsible in its ingredients and corn-made cups. So it's not like I wouldn't have come back after today. The manager's thoughtfuless was above and beyond.
5 - Melinda C.: As Anna's got worse, this place sprung up.  My brother first found it for me after I had left Boston and this place was just beginning to sow its roots.  When we would go home to NY, he would freeze this delicious buffalo chicken burrito and bring one back for me.  One time I went to Boston for a visit, and got 4 of them, froze them, and when I landed back in DC and realized they were still in a freezer at my friend's place in Central Square, I swear my heart broke.  Last time I bought 9 of them and brought them back for my boyfriend and his housemates, and they were in love instantly.  Burrito wrapper stuffed with buffalo chicken, blue cheese, rice and ranchy goodness?  I ask you: What's not to love.  My only beef is that they ran out of bags and I had to carry 9 huge burritos in my 2 tiny arms.  People driving by on Mass Ave must have thought I was nuts.  I'll never come back from Boston without these again, and Bolocos are springing up everywhere there.
5 - Sara M.: Love it that you can get a smaller sized burrito rather than a Qdoba/Chipotle massive one. Loved the mango salsa - got it on a cajun style. Also tried the bangkok style burrito and fell in love. Can't wait to go back to try the memphis!
5 - Jeanette S.: We go here every Sunday for lunch. The burritos with brown rice and a wheat tortilla have a very low glycemic index and taste fantastic!! Bonus for the environmentally-friendly cups made out of corn.
4 - Nick L.: OK, I'll admit, I didn't understand the allure of Boloco the first time -- it took until I tried a buffalo chicken burrito to realize just how much flavor you could pack into a tortilla, and that it didn't always have to be the well-tried rice + meat Tex-Mex mix. My other all-time favorite is the Thai inspired burrito with peanut sauce mixed in (try it with chicken or tofo). Plus, they have chocolate chip cookies and smoothies and wi-fi: not your typical burrito place.

The Harvard Square location is pretty good for swinging past on the way home after a long day. They're open until 11PM, and there are bike posts right out front, along with a few street signs for locking up. Also, there's a BoA ATM right next door, so I can cover two needs with one stop. If you start going regularly, get a Boloco card to save up freebies.
4 - T M.: While probably not the greatest burrito around I still really like it - very simple and clean unlike most burritos out there. I always get either the classic or the mediteranian. They have been extermely consistent. I do miss the Davis Square location though- it was def the best space.

I also love the smoothies there. I can practically live off of the Jimmy Carter- I get it every time I go.
1 - Ellen C.: Chalk it up to the fact that it was late at night and being new to Harvard Square, Boloco was the first place we saw that was still open. So we sauntered in since we had seen quite a few scattered throughout Boston. The menu was admittedly intriguing and I thought the concept was intriguing and would definitely be a great experience for my taste buds.

Unfortunately... it was not that way. Ordering and watching them make the burrito went fine -- they were very nice and seeing as how we were the only people ordering, made sure to give us our attention. We ordered the buffalo chicken burrito, thinking that a spicy, well-seasoned novel burrito would hit the spot. The first bite wasn't too bad but then each bite after became unbearable. The rice had been drenched in the buffalo sauce so all I tasted was super salty, tabasco on rice. The chicken was okay but there was very little of it. There were too few cucumbers, a buffalo chicken staple accompaniment. And the ranch that is generally provided to cool the heat was nowhere to be found. By the end of the meal I just wanted to throw it out and I never throw anything eatable out. I think it may help to mention that I only ate half the burrito and I like heat in my food, making this review all the more surprising.

An added bonus was the little mouse friend we saw scampering around, gathering nachos and other food scraps from the ground. It sure was cute seeing as how it was no more than 3" in body length with a small 3" tail. But the crunching of the nachos as it ate, the squeaking of the mouse, really pushed this experience over the edge. 

I think one of the only big pluses here was the ice-cold water and their environmentally-sound concept. Good concept though... but just not well executed or cleansed.
3 - Jonathan S.: Boloco makes what I can only describe as fusion burritos.  It is not a mexican restaurant.  I enjoyed my buffalo chicken burrito and it filled me up for an afternoon of work.  Definitely a good, quick stop for students and young professionals on the go.
3 - Wendy K.: I remember back in the day when Boloco was "The Wrap".  I wasn't nearly as excited about it as I am now (though that really has nothing to do with the name change).  It was really their Soy Smoothie that won me over this past summer.  Since my coworker introduced me to this delicious blend of protein and fruit, I have visited Boloco several times a week!

I recently tested out their Mediterranean burrito with chicken - pretty good, but I prefer mine with brown rice and without the dressing.

Overall, it's a good, fast meal that feels healthier than other burrito joints (though I'll forever be an Anna's Taqueria fan) - just don't forget the Soy Smoothie!
4 - Bridget H.: My attitude towards Boloco is more instrumental than emotional.  Hence, a list: 

1.  Great value for the $.  Get a good lunch for $5 in harvard square?  Boloco's the place. 

2.  High quality ingredients.  Almost as quality as Veggie Planet but cheaper and faster.  

3.  Friendly. Not crowded. Free internet. Has smoothies.

4.  Hot sauce (make sure to order it). 

5.  Not Qdoba.  

I say yes.  For lunch.  At least once a week.   And if you want to feel more healthy, and less sort of burrito-grubby, get it "in a bowl," no tortilla, with brown rice, and you'll feel nutritionally superior all day.
3 - Dominique N.: Good for a quick bite or lunch.  The staff was friendly, the service quick and the food quite fresh.  I'm not sure how I feel yet about "international" burritos (i.e. a Mediterranean burrito with cucumbers and feta, an Asian burrito with teriyaki) but the burritos themselves taste quite good, as long as you don't think of them as burritos per se (more like wraps).  The 2 for $9 special after 7pm seems like a particularly good deal for those who are big-eaters or heading out for the night with friends.
5 - Timothy J.: I go to Boloco about once a week, sometimes several days in a row.  I always get their classic chicken burrito and have them add sour cream and their habanero hot salsa (which is really good salsa) and it is consistently pretty delicious.  I think what makes this place 5 stars instead of 4 stars is their customer service/rewards card.  They are always very nice and having a rewards card is great.  I'm always happy to go to Boloco.
5 - Giselle E.: Boloco is the place to go if you want nontraditional burritos.

I love getting the buffalo chicken burrito with extra celery. White meat chicken on top of white rice, topped with buffalo sauce and bleu cheese. Extra celery--no problem, no extra charge (unlike other burrito places!). Get that with a side of blue corn chips and FRESHHH guacamole (no guacamole generic spices added from the market). Wash it down with a berry smoothie and you are good. Feel like a champ cuz you bought yourself food for under 10 bucks. Located within walking distance of the Harvard Sq red line train stop and the bus 1 or 69 on the mbta lines.
4 - Lauren G.: Casual, quick eat, solid food, good portion size- great value/ $!

Boloco has good quality ingredients, there are enough options that it doesn't get boring (but not so many that you are overwhelmed by the menu).  Dinner for $6, the restaurant is fast and clean and the atmosphere is pretty pleasant (you can actually sit and have a conversation with someone).  Overall it is great value for money- a good cheap eat!
3 - Melissa M.: First, I don't like the name.  What the eff is BOLOCO?  I tried to explain where I got my burrito to co-workers and I just ended up saying, "The Wrap."  Yes, this is formerly the Wrap, same stuff.  I do enjoy the whey out protein smoothie when made correctly.  There is one girl who makes the smoothie and it comes out like a cold pink broth.  There is a dude at Boloco that makes the smoothie perfect every time.  However, I normally get stuck with Miss Pink Broth.  Damn.

I would love to give this place five stars, but today it was just all wrong.  The white meat chicken was dark meat.  The rice was undercooked.  The broccoli was not cooked and the burrito fell apart as I was eating it.  

Roll that shit tight!

I do enjoy their salsa, so that is why I am giving them the A-OK.

I will probably come back since there are very few decent places in Harvard Square to grab a quick lunch.
3 - Mardget P.: For the price, it's the best burrito in Harvard Square, and the people who work there are nice as pie (as burrito?). They have lots of good options, especially for cilantrophobes. But for some reason they never, ever get the order right...there's always either a mystery ingredient (did I order peanut sauce in a black bean burrito?) or something that got left out (maybe someone else is enjoying my black beans in their Thai wrap). But, they have frequent fundraising events for local orgs, so support them I shall.
2 - Iya M.: I don't like Boloco.

Basically, I think Boloco is where you and your friends end up going when you want to go to Chipotle and someone else wants Felipe's and someone else wants Qdoba... "Fine," you say. "Let's go to Boloco."

And then no one's happy.
2 - Jessie H.: I used to frequent Boloco often for burritos. Then one day I walked there during my lunch break at work feeling fine. After lunch at Boloco I proceeded to walk back - just 10 minutes away and I became violently sick. 

I felt dizzy, nausea, and diarrhea (hope this isn't too much information). Anyway it was a painful struggle to make it back to my office (10 mins). I stopped a few times along the way on random stoops to close my eyes and gather my energy. I will never eat food from here again. I will drink their smoothies though.
3 - Julia M.: Boloco is an excellent change of pace from the many national chain burrito factories in the nearby Cambridge vicinity.  

There is a pretty eclectic selection of burritos beyond your typical beef, pork, chicken, etc.   I particularly like the Ceaser and the Buffalo style ones.  

And though I doubt that Boloco's fair is actually super healthy, they at least give you the illusion of healthiness by offering wheat tortillas and brown rice.  For when you need junk food but don't want to feel terrible about packing weight on the hips.

Fresh food, good service, good value.
5 - Robyn G.: Fast food service that won't give you a heart attack, at first. This is the only mexican burrito restaurant that I'm aware of that offers tofu as a substitute for meat. Also, they have a wide variety of what type of burrito you can get rather than your standard; rice, beans, salsa. There are many other flavors to choose from.

Also, smoothies to die for.
4 - Danan R.: I remember coming here back in high school when it was still called "The Wrap", and thank goodness the quality hasn't changed.  I still get the chicken fajita wrap every time (yes, even fter 7 years) and it's a nice break from the artery-clogging greasiness of Anna's, Chipotle, and Qdoba.  Everything is very healthy, clean and fresh.  For under $10, you can get a complete meal, which is decent for Cambridge.
5 - Chris M.: I love any Boloco - This one, the Boston Ave one, and the Berklee one. They're not overpriced, and if you're looking for something mexican-eque while not too big on feeling like your insides are melting, you're better off here than someplace like Anna's. Their Summer wrap is pure quality. 
And smoothies? Fuck, i missed the last bus home until 1am (they close at 11) one night because I was craving a mango smoothie after a hot 30mi bike ride.
5 - Leighann F.: Build your own burrito and free WiFi, all in the same glorious place. Forget the coffee shop (ok, maybe not forget), but consider Boloco as your new spot take your laptop and get a little work done, all while being able to get a delicious, well-priced meal.
1 - Beznas M.: Blant and dull burrito. The meat was tasteless and had that boiled out of it's mind kind of taste.
1 - Mr. N.: Horrible place, horrible service. Constant errors in orders and they blame the customer. Never eating there again.

Edit: I've received some feedback that this is a harsh review and I'll elaborate. Over nearly 10 years I've gone to boloco (going back to when it was The Wrap) and recently I've seen a real dive in the quality of the food and service. More recently, I found that really there are only a handful of wraps that are worth anything. The Caesar, and the buffalo being two of them. The rest are just bland and uninteresting. From the ingredients to the proteins to the sauces, they are all lackluster.

That said, what really made me finally give up on Boloco is the service and the way the system is set up. There is a robotic way they divide and conquer the wrap making that leads to multiple errors and needless pauses. I think the main problem is that the people taking the orders OFTEN get them wrong. Then when customers complain, there is always a holdup because it causes problems in the conveyor-like system they have going on...

Case in point. My last visit to this place I ordered a fairly simple wrap. A chicken Caesar. There was only one customer in front of me and they ordered some sort of salad. I moved forward after ordering and could already tell that there was going to be a problem. The order ahead of me really didn't look like a salad and when the people in front of me saw this and complained, it all came to a screeching halt. The woman who had started my wrap couldn't finish mine because all she had been trained to do was to pass it on to the next stage of the building process where it was folded by someone else. The problem was that person was busy arguing with the couple ahead of me that they had ordered a wrap and not a salad. 

I asked the woman who had started my wrap if she could finish it, and she looked at me like I had grown another head. Her job was to steam the tortilla and put the meat on it. After that, she didn't have a clue. Meanwhile the "finisher" was getting into a heated argument with the other couple. His take on it was that the ticket said it was a wrap therefore the customer is WRONG.

Sigh. I just walked out and went to Felipe's. You got my $6 for this wrap, but you'll never get another $6 from me again.

Like an abusive relationship, I've suffered enough from you Boloco. I'm done. Goodbye.
3 - Aboud Y.: The burritos here aren't that great (pretty standard fare).   But what sets this place apart is...THE NUTELLA MILKSHAKE!  Friggen awesome.  In fact I have to go get one right about now.
3 - Alvin C.: This is the spot when you want a non-traditional burrito or wrap. The Late November is like Thanksgiving in a wrap.  I highly recommend it.  It's seasonal so hurry.
5 - Jessie Z.: I'm a HUGE HUGE Burrito fan - I see them as a separate food group - on top of that - I LOVE BOLOCO! 

I did try my hand at online ordering yesterday and I have to say, it was super easy! We ordered for the office online and I headed over to HSq to pick them up. Loved it. They had my order ready and waiting.

One little note - more mango salsa next time please? Hee hee. Love that stuff.
3 - Irvin S.: I really like burritos.  Having just joined Yelp, the first thing I'm doing is reviewing a bunch of burrito shops.

Boloco burritos do not really fit into the traditional burrito mold; they're basically the California Pizza Kitchen of burrito stores.  Everything is a fusion-y spin on the basic burrito concept.  Instead of carne asada or carnitas, you get buffalo chicken or turkey w/ cranberry sauce. 

The concept is sound and some of the flavors they have are decent.  That being said, the burritos sometimes suffer from a lack of attention to detail - the rice may sometimes be a little mushy, or even be a not particularly good type of rice; the balance of stuffings may be a little too heavy on one ingredient and too light on another, etc.  I've had a ton of these things over the years (usually in catered format) and because of these details, I'd be hard pressed to say that this place's burritos ever really rise above just being "decent."
4 - Cait D.: 100% delicious. Employees are usually very very friendly. Nice place to relax, plug in and enjoy a burrito (or two) Teriyaki steak is my all time favorite.
2 - Jared S.: Not BAD really... just nothing seems to go off right.

Rice can be either too hard or too pasty. The burritos themselves have a habit of being poorly wrapped. Balance of the ingredients can be iffy (sometimes all of one thing pushed to one end, sometimes almost absent all together). The ingredients themselves are pretty tasty, it's just the execution that makes me pretty unhappy. 

The taste and the price are fine which is why they get two stars, but there are much better options within a quick walk.
3 - Tom G.: Think of it as a more expensive, lesser quality Anna's.  I go here (rarely) as it is walking distance to my apartment but I'd never choose this over Anna's if they were both an option.

The meats and rice are often not done correctly (either over or under done) and the sauces get slathered on.  The burrito ends up being a mess and not in the good way.  They have a lot of combinations for the burrito, though.
3 - Alan Y.: I am a huge fan of Boloco. The service is usually prompt and the food is really fresh and somewhat healthy. Their smoothies are also decent, if somewhat pricey. When I do come to Boloco, I usually order the chicken teriyaki burrito, which includes rice, chicken, and a whole slew of green vegetables. The teriyaki sauce might be sodium-laden and a bit strong/salty for some, though. 

However, I have been a little displeased with the service at this location. Sometimes, the people making the burrito would forget to include key ingredients or dish them out disproportionally. One time, they even forgot to add the sauce; dry burritos do not taste very good. I would generally rate most Boloco locations between 4 to 5 stars, but this location is definitely ranks on the lower end of the 1-5 star scale.
1 - B R.: I am a fan of boloco, especially the ones in Boston. But Harvard boloco really sucks. The customer service was very bad. They gave us much smaller portions of the original compared to other costumers and other bolocos that we've tried. I ordered a buffalo which is my favorite. There was too much blue cheese and buffalo sauce compared to the amount of rice and celery I got. I asked for some cilantro and they gave me a hint of some old crushed cilantro. I have had much better cilantro at other bolocos. Fresh and yummy. The blue cheese had big clumps in it. So you'd suddenly have a big cold clump of blue cheese in your mouth. And the nutella milkshake. They added skim milk to it and it was not creamy at all. Once again, go to for example copley boloco and you'll get a nice creamy nutella milkshake. In general, too much sauce, small portions and stale ingredients.
4 - Jason S.: The Soy Berry Shake was AWESOME! Well worth the $
2 - Justin H.: This place is like Chipotle if it adopted a more eccentric global menu and shrank it's burrito size significantly.

I like the tofu teriyaki burrito that comes with brown rice, broccoli and a spinach wrap.

They also have tasty smoothies- I like the soy, banana strawberry one.

My issue is the burrito sizes are too miniscule, especially because when I decide to go here I am always weighing it against Chipotle, which in comparison provides enough tonnage in one burrito to feed a small family.  It's also a bit pricey, especially for the amount of food you get.

One the plus side, I do like how the cups are made from corn.  It's trendy but it does get me, and somehow makes the cup more delicious, like I want to bite into it (did you ever eat those packing peanuts that are made from corn and dissolve when you eat them?).

I've never seen the place overly crowded which means there's generally a vacant table inviting me to sit and enjoy my food.

I also appreciate the eccentric branding they have (I get funny quirky emails from them with exclusive offers), although I find the Boloco loyalty card to be a bit of an overkill, I've used it once and haven't been back since.

All in all, if I'm in Harvard Square and looking for a burrito I'm going with Chipotle. Boloco is a solid option but in terms of value and food quantity Chipotle reigns supreme.
5 - Rachel H.: Order this and you will love: small classic mexican with fajita vegetables with brown rice in bowl. Also, their new guac (from scratch) is delicious.

Boloco is a company with a nice personality. There's a lot of transparency when they change the menu and prices. Their promotions are creative and they appear to genuinely welcome feedback.
4 - Michael C.: Picture it.  A rainy day in Harvard Square.  A little hungry, a good bit wet, and terribly behind on my Psych reading, I decided to duck into anywhere close to me that served food and was somewhat quiet.  I was happy to find a cozy atmoshere with brick walls and friendly smiles behind the counter.  Also, the noise level in this place wasn't bordering on sonic boom so it seemed like a winner.  I was right.  Thank you Harvard Square Boloco for providing sanctuary from the elements, healthy choices at wallet friendly prices, peace and quiet and that killer chocolate chip cookie that I can't seem to resist most visits.  

I did mention that I sort of became a regular after my first visit, didn't I?
5 - Ronan O.: Love this place! Always go there for burritos!
4 - Jenna H.: Boloco is like Chipotle, except there is more variety of burrito ingredients, and there are three different sizes instead of just size massive! I ordered a mini (which is admittedly really small, I got chips and guac to go with it) Yucatan Habanero which was quite spicy and sinus-clearing, so good! The guacamole was fresh and good, although the tortilla chips were admittedly not as good as Chipotle. But I like the healthy options, the different sizes, the green orientation of the place (they have recycling and compost!). Good stuff.
5 - Suze C.: Boloco's burritos and smoothies taste great, and I love that they have three different sizes. (The "small" burrito is usually more than enough for me!) Their huevos rancheros breakfast burrito is the best thing ever and a great deal ($3.50 for a small burrito, I think, which is actually huge). Most of all, everyone who works here is really nice and tries their best to make sure they're giving great customer service. As someone who first came to Boloco because I was sick of the perpetual rudeness of the people working at Felipe's down the street, this goes a long way. (Plus their burritos are so much fresher tasting and less greasy!) For example, I ordered a burrito with guacamole once, and the cashier forgot to add it to my order. When I realized the burrito I got didn't have guacamole and brought it up, they gave me a large container of guacamole on the side (more expensive than just in the burrito) for free. Not a big deal, but little gestures like this one (not the only time something like this has happened when I was at Boloco) go a long way.
2 - Jared S.: Online ordering through gomobo.com: FAIL

I went into the packed boloco at lunchtime, proceeded to the register, and told the guy that I was there to pick up my online order.  He turned to the guy next to him and said, "Did we get **another** online order?  (emphasis mine) No?  Sorry, we didn't get an online order."

So I showed him the receipt email on my trusty droid (which is only sent upon confirmation that they actually received the order) and he quickly reentered it into their system with no hassle.  It was only an order for a single burrito and I ultimately got it, but I had to wait for the 10 people in front of me which totally defeated the point of online ordering....

For the savvy and unscrupulous reader - 
1. Walk into boloco at lunchtime 
2. Tell them that you placed a prepaid online order
3. Walk out with someone else's burrito
3 - Nicole H.: This place is kind of like a more creative Chipotle. The menu is set up the same way, except there are a few more ingredients here and this place offers some pre-made burrito ideas if you're not quite as innovative.

I ordered the Classic Mexican burrito (steak, pinto beans, cheese, cilantro, salsa) with a whole wheat tortilla, no rice, and habanero salsa.  I LOVE spicy food, so I'm a fan of the habanero salsa. My roommate, however, can barely manage with just a small bite of it, so watch out if you're not a spicy food person!

I came in at around 6pm on a Monday night and it was basically empty. They messed up on my order the first time through and would have messed up a second time if I didn't catch them. 

Overall the burrito was just okay, but I'd still rather go to Chipotle. You don't get as much for your money here.
4 - Dorothy W.: Do you remember your first time? You are a bit nervous, you don't want to appear ignorant, you are unsure of how things work and fairly intimidated by the confidence of your more experienced partner? 

Don't worry. Ordering at Boloco may seem confusing to the first-timer, but the friendly staff helps you figure it out as your dining companion breezes through the ordering experience with the wisdom of a pro. The folks here also tell you about their famous card, which allows you to get a free meal on your birthday (done!) and accumulate points for other goodies. I now have my Boloco card planted right next to my Charlie Card and my credit card in my wallet. 

Your first decision regards size - original, small or mini. I recommend original, aka large. Come on. Who wants small or mini? 

Choice number two: Burrito or bowl. All of the same ingredients but one is served burrito style and the other served in a plastic bowl. Recyclable, of course. (You can also choose a wrap or a salad at this stage, which I have not done yet.) 

Third decision: The melange of ingredients and flavors. One is spicy- the Yucatan Habanero- and the rest are not. Ingredients range from BBQ sauce to roasted corn salsa to melted cheese and all have rice. If you do not see the combo you like, order up your own- easy! 

Then you pick your filling. Chicken, steak, carnitas, tofu or veggies. You can also add extras like guacamole hot sauce, sour cream and more. 

Order up a drink, including some delectable smoothies (many are dairy free), and then wait a couple of minutes for your order to be made. (You paid, right? The large is only $6.25- what a deal!) 

If ordering and waiting around are just too difficult for you, you can place your order on line and then go pick it up. Nice! 

Affordable and filling, your meal will keep you going for the long afternoon in the office. Many of the Boloco locations also serve breakfast. We need to check that out, especially when they have the coupons for a $2 breakfast burrito. 

I've been to a couple of the Boloco locations by now but this remains my favorite because they were so nice when it was my first time. (If you want a hint for this specific location, go in the door on the left as you face the building, where you will merge right into the line.) Thanks, Boloco.
4 - Jamie M.: Walk in to Boloco and repeat after me:

Original Sized

Buffalo

Dark Meat




Enjoy!
5 - Raheleh K.: YUMMM!! The buffalo chicken wrap is the best tasting thing ever!! My mouth is watering just thinking about it now.
3 - Lisa R.: I love Boloco, but I wasn't impressed with this location. They have two entrances, but you don't realize until you've gone into the "wrong" door, that the left entrance takes to the register line.

The people working there are completely clueless about filling your order, and there are very few places to sit.
4 - Jamie T.: The people who work at Boloco are always amazingly nice to me.  I came into the Cambridge location and they had run out of the steak I wanted, and ended up refunding my order without any prompting. 

The food itself is decent, and it's a great place to go when you're looking for something fast and cheap.
4 - Meagan H.: I like my burritos super plain, verging on boring. To me, they're terribly delicious and not boring in the slightest, but I've been given a little flack for the basic-ness of my burrito tastes. And so, here it is: black beans, rice, and cheese. Maybe guacamole if I'm feeling adventurous. 

Boloco does this burrito perfectly! And they offer whole wheat tortillas and brown rice. Love that! And the icing on the cake...they compost, and recycle. I'm a huge supporter of of both of these things, and to see a business putting these into practice makes me very happy. 

They also offer some very yummy smoothies. :)

Definitely my go-to place in Harvard.
4 - Cy K.: A remarkably delicious burrito.  While this has become known as the late night Harvard drunk food stop, I really do miss their burritos.  Something about the way their sauce combines with the burrito wrap is amazing and unique.
5 - Bobby H.: Once again I have been SUPER impressed by the service at a boloco. I've been to at least 5 different stores and everytime I go in there I'm blown away by the service and quality of the food they prepare. Once again I mentioned I had a food allergy and everyone went the extra mile to make sure that everything was made fresh.
3 - Ernie F.: RATING: 2.5 stars, rounded up (few places open until 11PM in Harvard Sw.)
FOOD: Teriyaki bowl (steak)

QUICK SUMMARY:
Teriyaki Bowl:
*Steak = Not overcooked
* Carrots = Looks like they came from the local supermarket, precut strips
* Brocolli = Raw
*Onions = OK
* Sauce = Generic
Freshness = As fresh as Subway's "fresh" ingredients.
Localness = If local meant that the ingredients were fresher, then I don't think it fulfills my notion of local.

SENTENCE SUMMARY:
"Teriyaki Bowl got by, but I would not eat here unless it was the only place open, which it was at 10:30PM in the evening."
4 - Andrew R.: Nicer burrito's than chipotle, with more variety.  That's not always a good thing - Chipotle can be pretty healthy and delicious - but if you want something healthier or fancier, this is a good option.
4 - Due H.: Goods: I like the super burrito goloco. Here usually, they are willing to put so much stuff into the burrito, it can't even close. Thats definitely my style. Load as much as you can please! For quantity in a burrito, I come here. And the taste is right. For the milk shake, although most of you probably won't believe me, I think the best thing is strawbana with whey protein. I know what you think. Whey protein, ewww, gross. Well, the whey adds a really nice thick texture and lowers the sweetness of the milkshake a pitch to make it not too sweet and delicious. I would say try it, you might like it. If not please come here and trash talk me. Maybe I do happen to have a unique taste bud....

Bad: I don't think the meat is as fresh as the next door felipe taq.
1 - Christine k.: Really? Really? It's really hard to mess up a burrito. That said, the burritos here are terribly mediocre, and expensive to boot. We had the classic mexican and the Korean BBQ. We both left hungry and unsatisfied.

Chipotle alone makes a better tasting (and better value) mexican burrito. And as far as I can tell their "inspired" burritos are not anything to write home about.
4 - Annie C.: Well, the other day, I was running around, and realized I needed to eat lunch before work started at 11am.  Few lunch places were open, but Boloco was, and they were serving lunch at 10:30!  I was very happy to get a filling and tasty lunch, at an hour where it would have been tough to find food that wasn't egg- or sausage-based.  Thanks, Boloco!
4 - julie m.: I got the buritto bowl thing and enjoyed it a lot. It was way different than Chipotle, which I liked. Much more flavor. I just wish they had more down in the south shore. 

I also got their hand made quacamole with chips and that was delicious. Overall 4 out of 5 stars.
4 - Mike W.: I love Boloco's burritos!  My favorite is a Original sized, Memphis BBQ... can't beat it, in my opinion.  

The staff is the true stars of the show.  This is one of the most active food chains, I've seen, in social media.  Constantly giving deals through their Twitter, and more then willing to solve any problem you might have.

For instance... The first time me & my girlfriend went here, we got take-out and when we got home my girlfriend realized that what they gave her wasn't what she had ordered.  Needless to say she wasn't happy (especially because it was our first time there).  But she didn't want to drive all the way back into Harvard Square to complain.  So she did what everyone does now if they have a problem... she took to Twitter.  Within minutes of her sending the tweet out, she had a DM from @boloco asking if there was anything they could do to make it right.  After a few back-n-forths the credited us a few burritos and smoothed things over with my girlfriend.  All's well that ends well.

Since then we've been back, countless times, without anymore mistakes.  I'd call that a pretty good track record.
4 - Hannah M.: I LOVE Boloco!

The Summer burrito (with or without white meat chicken) is delicious.  Coupled with a Nutella milkshake?  Divine!!

The Thai?  Holy peanutty cucumber goodness!

Breakfast burriots too?!  Yes please!

Ingredients are consistently fresh and almost everything can be composted or recycled at the end of the meal.
1 - John J.: Went there for breakfast today at 7:15 (sign says they open at 7), but there was no one in sight, I had to resort to ABP around the corner, too bad because the breakfast burritos sound delicious.
4 - Alex T.: I'd give them 5 stars, but for some reason I get the feeling they're going out of business. I don't know why, but there are usually very few people here, and unhappy employees that seem like they might go postal if you ask for too many changes to the burrito. With that said, the thai burrito with steak just rocks me. Hits the spot every friggin time. Savory, a little sweet, and utterly satisfying. And I like their sodas. And the fact that everything can be recycled. 
Anyway I hope they don't go out of business because I like the burritos and the branding. And I hope the employees get happier. 
Go Boloco.
4 - Karan A.: The best Mexican food I have had at a chain restaurant. Absolutely love the 'customize the burrito!'
3 - Tamas S.: haven't gone back to any location just yet but I will say I am impressed by their public relations.  I give them 5 stars for the PR and will update my review if/when i return to Boloco.
3 - Jeffrey L.: The taste is a little weird here... Doesn't seem authentic to the cuisine and is a little awkward at times.  They do everything fresh and the service is good but besides that I would say they trail the rest of the burrito chains around.
4 - Megan C.: For a while I had this mixed up in my mind with the Chipotle** in Harvard Square and was like "huh, Boloco is really inconsistent, why is this location so bad" Then I heard great things about their Nutella shake and decided to give it another try, and this was the closest one, so tentatively, I headed to Harvard Square...

And realized that the mysteriously bad Boloco I'd been going to was a Chipotle. 

The actual Harvard Square Boloco is delicious. As it should be. I wish they'd sell breakfast burritos after 11, though, or at least make it obvious on their website or somewhere that this was the case -- ok, I've just realized that I'm seemingly destined to make a lot of burrito-related errors. I need a minute. 

Had the carnitas "summer" burrito. Flavors were excellent. Didn't realize the mango salsa wasn't going to be gloopy (which is a good thing!), or I'd have added guac or something to make it less dry. Nutella shake was good but I couldn't finish it -- the flavor is just too rich and nutty to get through a whole regular size. Next time I think I'm going to add strawberries and honey, which apparently you can do. Decadent.

All in all, a pretty great burrito place! Somehow they feel like less of a good deal than Anna's, though, even though the prices are only within like a dollar or two of each other. Maybe that's because Anna's also has cheaper stuff (tacos etc.) and because I'm not tempted into buying expensive delicious smoothies there. But both are great! They're usually not right across from each other a la Starbucks and Peets or CVS and Walgreens, so, no difficult choices! I can have it all!

**Note: I may be unfairly judging Chipotle too. The Harvard Square one is a little off though. It made me sick once. Don't go there, even if you think it's a Boloco.
4 - Elizabeth G.: Boloco has updated their menu, and I've tried a lot more items now, so it's time for an update. In a nutshell: I'm still in love.

Boloco makes the best burrito around. The meat is higher-quality, the vegetables fresher, the quality more consistent than Qdoba or Chipotle. I like the menu selections better than Anna's. So my loyalty goes to Boloco.

My new favorite: the huevos rancheros breakfast wrap (black beans, salsa, cheese, scrambled eggs, add guacamole). You get a free coffee with any breakfast burrito. Don't miss out -- this coffee is delicious. A light, aromatic roast that's barely bitter at all -- it has a sort of cinnamony taste to it.

The new spicy BLT wrap is good as well. I got one at the Children's Hospital location a few weeks ago and I've been dreaming about that crispy, crispy bacon ever since. The bacon tends to be a bit chewier in Harvard Square and that's really not my thing but I'm sure some people like it.

The new menu has a few nice features. One is that if you add guacamole, it is now priced by size -- before, you paid the same price whether you were adding to a mini burrito or a large. My favorite trick: now you can get two mini burritos for the price of one large ("original," as they call it). Can't decide? Try two! One can be a small lunch, the other a midafternoon snack.

Some of the old favorites never really sounded great to me, but I gave them a try when I started feeling a bit bored with my standbys (the Summer and the Classic Mexican). Let me tell you, the Bangkok Thai is worth getting. It's got chicken, peanut sauce, cabbage, and these tangy, succulent marinated cucumber pieces. The Teriyaki is also great. With carrots, broccoli, and brown rice, it's one of the healthier lunch options around.

When Boloco updated its menu, the prices also went up. When this happened, a long, detailed e-mail went out to everyone on Boloco's e-mail list, explaining the reasons for the price increase and reminding people that this was the first price increase in... a long time. More than a decade, I think? They also created an incentive to use the iPhone app to order: 10% off (and your order is waiting for you when you get to the restaurant). You get the sense that they mean well, and really care what customers think. You feel that there are people behind this chain. I like that.

I come here at least once a week. For awhile, I would always get the Summer in a bowl instead of a wrap. And I swear, there was one guy who, every single time, would start to make it in a wrap instead, no matter how loudly I said "IN A BOWL" as I was ordering. To avoid having them throw away a fully finished burrito, I would hover like a hawk over the burrito assembly line, and the minute I saw him take out that wrap, I would say, "IN A BOWL!" Still, he'd usually plopped some ingredients onto the tortilla before I could get his attention. It pains me to think how many tortillas Boloco has discarded on my account. It used to annoy me when this happened, but over time, I came to think of this employee as a lovable character -- just part of the Boloco experience.

Do pay attention as they are assembling your food, though. There's nothing worse than getting back to your office and finding that a key ingredient is missing. Once my Summer bowl was missing the black beans; another time the mango salsa. These are both essential elements of a burrito that doesn't have that many ingredients to start with.
4 - W E.: First, I have to say this place has some of the best  management and customer service of any place in the square. Food comes out quickly and if there is ever a problem they go out if their way to fix it. Their smoothie selection is extensive. Although I'm not a fan of all of them, the soyberry shake is delicious. As for the burritos, I'm not the first person to note that they aren't the largest you'll find out there. However, the different flavors/themes (buffalo, Thai, etc) are nice. In brief, the extensive and flavorful menu makes up for the smaller quantities.
4 - Eunice E.: I am such a burrito snob. Coming from Colorado, home of some of the best Southwestern/New Mexican food (as well as the awesome Chipotle and Qdoba chains), I found myself skeptical, at best, every time I passed by a Boloco. But I am glad that I was struck with a sudden desire to step out of my comfort zone and try a different burrito joint this weekend.

First of all... I *love* the fact that you can get two mini burritos for the same price as one giant one. That means I can try two different flavours in one fell swoop... w00t! And I am really appreciative of the fact that they give you a choice of wheat or white tortilla (unfortunately, that's where my beloved Chipotle falls short... though they're on board with brown rice--score!--they have yet to bring in whole wheat tortillas). I was able to indulge in the Tikka Masala mini with chicken and the Summer mini with steak. And the latter was like sinking my teeth into sunshine. It really was. That mango salsa, with fresh chunks of fruit, the black beans, the melted cheese, the rice! I don't even know what the heck Boloco rice IS, except that it was mighty tasty.

I ended the meal with a Nutella shake, just because it seems like everyone is obsessed with it. And for good reason. It tasted just like a spoonful of Nutella (no... I've never done this... *cough*) with skim milk, but mixed with a bunch of other deliciouness aka fro-yo. Delish.

I'm excited to try their breakfast burritos, as well as some of their other flavours (Bangkok Thai, Buffalo, etc.) --. definitely a good alternative to Chipotle, especially if I'm feeling like a "different" kind of burrito. Yum.
4 - Meredith a.: Great service! I just got a Boloco card and the guy gave me some free stuff on it just because!
Very clean, cheerful place.They even have a bathroom, which is a major plus for Harvard Square!
4 - Peter B.: This is one of the better locations of this chain. Each location has a different feel, different dining room, different service but they all have the same great, cheap food. This location has fast accurate service, great location, and a comfortable dining room where they keep the noise level just right. There's a big screen TV in there if you like that sort of thing, if you don't just sit with your back to it. Thanks for the cheerful service!
3 - Aimee M.: I went back to this place tonight to give it a second chance. This time the staff seemed a little more with it and the food was slightly better. This time around I got the Memphis BBQ with white meat chicken on a whole wheat wrap. It was much more flavorful than the Mexican original I had the last time but it seemed like it was all rice and BBQ sauce and a little cole slaw and chicken. My partner got the Mexican original (she past on the guacamole this time) she thought it was good, but would not order it again. We wish this place was better but it is just not there for us. We did also get two chocolate chip cookies which were really good.
4 - Jamie B.: Boloco is the perfect place for delicious burritos for a great deal. They are my favorite burrito place in Boston. They also have burrito bowls, wraps, smoothies, and breakfast burritos - all delicious as well. My favorite is the "summer burrito" with mango salsa.

The staff is friendly both in person and online. The CEO even tweeted me back!

Boloco also has a great rewards program. You earn 1 point for every dollar you spend. 50 points = one free menu item, 25 free points for registering your card online, and a free burrito for your birthday!
4 - Frederick B.: Good tasty burritos that put Chipotle to shame. Goes to show you can have tasty, healthy and cheap food from a chain (is it a chain?). Fresh ingredients, well cooked, good service. Keep up the good work!

Bolt Bus - Philadelphia, PA (39.9548238, -75.1832756) (University City)
5 - pearl l.: i used to only take the chinatown bus to ny, but after it broke down twice and i ran out of spicy squid to eat and i finally made it to ny...oh about 3 1/2 hours later, i switched to greyhound, which when you book online is 20 bucks roundtrip. 

but, now, lo and behold, i have found a new ride. boltbus. it is a freakin $1! i thought this was too good to be true! but, as i boarded the bolt bus at 30th station, i was sooo blown away. the bus was new and CLEAN. free wi-fi on it too! how my macbook was happy! bathrooms clean. driver knew how to drive and well, which i can't always say for the chinatown bus drivers.

the bolt bus drops you off either in chinatown or near penn station. the $1 fare doesn't include the 50 cent service charge. book online and ahead of time. no big whoop. anyways, when i arrived in ny, i was in such a good mood. i mean a clean ride, free wifi, and i was still in once piece. honestly, i thought for the $1 fare, i thought all of us on the bus were going to be sold into slavery or work in the mines. what the heck can a buck get you these days? i'll tell ya, one sweet ride to nyc. hell yeah.

bolt bus is my new bff.
5 - Rachel L.: I have taken a lot of buses in my day. From quick trips to huge, horrible 8 or 9 hour jaunts. Nothing compares to Bolt Bus. They took three rows of seats out of each side of a normal coach bus so that there is plenty of leg room. It is temperature controlled, extremely clean, and best of all, prompt and timely. We arrived early to NYC and early again on the other side in Philly. And you can't beat the price. It seems almost over the top that they also offer wifi on the bus, with certain seats having outlets so that you can even plug in a charge your computer or cell phone. 

In my book, Bolt Bus is prettly much the best of bus transportation that you can get around here. It is always good to find new, cheap ways to get around!
4 - Dave H.: I used Bolt Bus to go from Philadelphia to New York yesterday. It wasn't crowded. The bus had typical amenities, including monitors for movie-watching (LCD), air-conditioning, footrests, personal lights and air vents, padded seats, overhead storage, and a rear toilet.

Now for the good stuff. The free Wi-Fi connection (tested with an iPod touch) was good enough to let me answer Facebook messages. Power outlets on every seat back kept my phone (and the iPod) batteries topped off.

More frequent departure times would be appreciated - currently the bus leaves Philadelphia every three hours. Perhaps depending on demand, they'll add more buses to their fleet. (Wish we had seat belts; never understood why most buses don't have them.)

The Bolt Bus drop-off point (6th between Canal & Grand) is a brisk walk to Chinatown and nearby Metro stops. Give them a try - they're competitively priced (Chinatown buses, I'm looking at you) and Wi-Fi is a bonus.
4 - Karen F.: I had been taking Amtrak (way expensive) every 2 weeks up and back to NYC, but now that my dad told me about Bolt bus - ihave used it twice.  The first time was awesome - but the second time our 8:30 AM bus did not arrive until 9 AM -needless to say we arrived about 35 minutes late to NY.

Like others below - how the heck to they make money?  For me and 2 other to go up and back to NYC was under $60.00.  The tickets ranged from $7 to $13 one way.  I did not get the $1 fare yet.

Also - there is a 50 cent surcharge for each transaction - so kep that in mind when you book.

I am kinda hoping this stays a secret because the busses are getting more & more crowded each time we go.

I also agree that the seats are very stiff and not comfy - but the busses are new and CLEAN (not like Chinatown hell, I mean, bus).  I did not use the wifi - but others did.  There are plenty of outlets (pugs) and also sometimes they'll play a movie.

MUCH cheaper than Amtrak.  During the winter (icy roads) I may be forced back to Amtrak.
5 - marie r.: Cheers to yelp and the reviewers for helping me find out about the Bolt Bus! 26.50 for a roundtrip. I hear the wifi is O-K.....i didnt use it myself, but there are outlets behind the seats---that is amazing. We departed and arrived on time both ways. The bus is clean and I hear (way) better than the Chinatown bus, which I have never taken. Bolt Bus is the way to go---pre order your tickets online! By the way- i dont think that $1 fare really exists !!!!!
5 - Jen M.: 9 bucks to New York, I would pay that much on top of my ticket just to have internet for the duration of the trip. In fact, I'm writing this review from a Bolt Bus right now. The bus is clean, air-conditioned, and not crowded. Sooooooo awesome!!!
4 - Erin G.: Bolt - you are awesome. You leave from a convenient location, are sparkling clean, have a working bathroom and padded, un-broken seats, and are cheap. The driver I had was incredibly friendly and helpful, and I didn't have to fight, pushing and shoving, to get my seat on the bus. 

All I need now is for you to leave from NYC later than 5pm. Give me a slightly earlier service, a 7pm and a 9pm, and I'm yours forever.
4 - Dima M.: I took Bolt Bus to get to New York City and was very impressed.  The actual bus is very nice.  There is a good amount of legroom and the seats are comfortable.  I used their WiFi with my Dell laptop and it worked fine.  I could check my mail and look at Google maps to see where I was going in New York.  I payed $15 one-way, which is the walk-up fare.  If I had planned ahead and ordered online it could have been cheaper.

But I agree with Erin that their hours could be better.  I travel between Philly and Boston and Bolt Bus does not have any buses leaving New York after 6pm.  So I ended up taking Mega Bus, which might not be as nice as Bolt Bus, but gives me more options.  If Bolt Bus gives me a little more flexibility, I will give them another star.
4 - Mike B.: Bolt Bus has the single best cost/comfort ratio of any of the regular transportation options between Philly and NYC.  In fact, the only thing I can think of that would beat it would be a free, 1 hour helicopter ride with the cast of Battlestar Galactica and an open bar.  But let's not delve too deeply into my nerd fantasies.

The Bus that the GF and I took had no more than 12 people on it, driver included.  And speaking of the driver, raise your hand if you're the nicest person in Philly?  If you're not the driver of my Bolt Bus, you should put your hand down.  I would seriously let this guy stand up in my wedding.

As for Bus amenities, let's run down the quick list.

- Seats that are comfortable and fully functioning: Check
- General odor of anything besides chicken parts and urinal cakes: Check
- Power outlet for each seat (!): Check
- Wireless internet access (!!!): Check


As mentioned in multiple prior reviews, the only serious drawback to Bolt Bus service is the lack of early and late evening service.  If this gets sorted out, Bolt Bus would easily be 5 star service.
5 - Meghann p.: Fabulous....I took Bolt to NYC over labor Day weekend....convenient and comfy and will never take a china town bus again.

can you leave from NYC later?
1 - Poker Bunny Y.: It's damn cheap.  And guess what?  You get what you pay for!!  SHOCKER!!

If you're high maintenance like me, there is just no f'ing way.

Yes, the bus is cheap, but you pay for the discount with hours of your life.  Amtrak, 1 hr 22 min (non express to NY).  Bolt Bus 2hr to NY and 2.5 hrs. + home to Philly.  Bus stops at 34th St and then Canal St-- which takes TOO LONG.  The bus also makes stops in both Philly and at the Cherry Hill Mall.  I tried it because it was so cheap, but I'll never do it again.  Bus home was CROWDED, SLOW moving, and extremely unpleasant.

I guess it's better than the Chinatown bus, but I can't say cause I have never taken it.  I'm not a bus person.  However, I can compare it to Amtrak.  Bolt Bus=like flying in the luggage area of the plane.  Amtrak train=first class cabin.

Amtrak is worth the extra $$$$.
4 - Nora S.: So far I've had a wonderful experience on the Bolt Bus. It has been so successful that I have even sent my parents, my younger sibling, my coworkers, and now my office is even using it on a regular basis! It is clean, and the drivers are friendly. Some drivers even tell jokes. Each ride I've been on has arrived on time or early, sometimes as much as 30 minutes early. My one big complaint is that there is no place to wait for the bus indoors away from the cold (or heat). But for the price, that's really no big deal. And the free WiFi is fabulous, it brings the whole package together. Sometimes I even think that those two hours of productivity are worth the 10, 13, or 15 bucks alone.
5 - Emily J.: I took Bolt Bus for the first time 2 weeks ago with my boyfriend to go to NY.
Ever since I can remember driving down Market Street, I saw the sign for Bolt Bus, and always thought that it was a shabby, sketchy, cheap Chinatown-esque bus for $12 to NY. Boy was I wrong.

Since I reserved the tickets only a day before my trip, the ticket was $10 per person, it's still cheaper than driving to NY myself [toll is a ridiculo thing nowadays!]. So until the day of the travel, I didn't know exactly where the bus stop was, but it was pretty easy to spot as I got off the Market-Frankford Line and started walking towards the 30th St Station. The bus stop is on the street between the postal service [closed at the moment] and the grill place/Thompson Institute. My bus was at 2pm, I got there at 1:50pm. I was on Boarding Group C, but the attendance didn't seem to care, and all I had to show her was my reservation number saved on my phone since I didn't print one out. I thought, "Anyone could have done that..." haha.

Whoa, the bus was CLEAN. The first thing my boyfriend said was, "This is alot better than Greyhound or Megabus." That pretty much sums it up, right? The bus left on time at 2pm, and we got to NY at 4:20pm, which is right on time since we stopped in Cherry Hill, NJ first.

Overall, ditch Greyhound if you need to get to NY; never consider Megabus, which I have to write a separate complainer review on; take Bolt Bus. Long live Bolt Bus!
3 - Hank C.: So far, nothing too bad about Bolt Bus. They had a promotion where the first ticket they sold would be $1 on each bus. So far they've held onto that. Not too bad, and they pick up at Penn Station in New York and drop off at 30th St. Station in Philadelphia. There are other locations, too. Cheap as the rest of the buses, or cheaper, and slightly newer, but assigned seating on buses, I think, although I've never been late to a bus.

I heard this was partially owned by Greyhound?

The only negative - no real good signs telling you where to wait for the bus, and no shelters. Keeps the costs down, I suppose.
4 - Robin T.: I took the Bolt Bus for a weekend work event in NYC. It was just as I had been told. Rather inexpensive, left exactly on time (don't be late!), clean, efficient. Got me from A to B with no fuss, but to a handy location near the Javits Center plus one other stop before that. The return trip was delayed, but that was because of traffic  - nothing that can be helped.
5 - Amy M.: I LOVE YOU!

no seriously, i love bolt bus.  after i accepted my new job here in philly, i had to come down from NY a few weekends to explore and check out new digs.  bolt bus never let me down.  between the low fares, CLEANLINESS, outlets, and wireless, it's fantastic.  mad props to you.
4 - Jessica D.: Bolt Bus is the god of buses except for one thing. On a busy travel weekend or day be sure to get your ticket well in advance. You don't want to end up with a C ticket toward the end of the line when trying to get to Boston from NYC. May sound foolish but keep it in mind. 

When the next bus comes, if you weren't let on the previous, you aren't guaranteed a seat on that one either. You still hold a C ticket and could potentially be passed over for hours waiting until there just so happens to be a seat for you. 

Nonetheless, the tickets are cheap, the buses are clean, and there is WIRELESS INTERNET.
3 - Michael P.: In a perfect world, I'd be able to take Amtrak to NYC with comfort and speed.  Unfortunately, Amtrak price gouges the northeast corridor to pay for the rest of the country, so that's just too expensive.

For years I've taken the Septa/NJTransit transfer in Trenton.  From a comfort standpoint, its the method I still prefer, as it is more comfortable than any bus option, and most of the time I can have a bench to myself for  most of the trip.  Unfortunately, fare increases have taken the round trip cost to nearly $40, twice the bolt bus.  It also takes nearly 3 hours, which can be frustrating.

I've take the Bolt a few times now, and have had a mixed experience.  You can't really count on them using the boarding groups you purchase tickets from, so its better to get their early.  I've been lucky with the weather, because the boarding area is the sidewalk across from the post office loading docks.

Occasionally you,ll get lucky and get a better appointed bus, with newer comfy-for-a-bus seats, water bottle pouches and more outlets for you electronics.  Most of the time, its the more rundown buses with uncomfortable shag carpet seats,  fewer outlets that work only half the time, and the unmistakable stink of diesel fuel.

The ride isn't great, you bounce around a bit getting onto the  highway in Philly, lurching across one of the bridges, possibly picking up someone in Cherry Hill, and then finally getting relatively smooth on the jersey turnpike.  The tangle of ramps in and out of the Lincoln Tunnel is a nightmare, like riding a commuter flight through a thunderstorm.  If you suffer from any motion sickness, or don't like roller coasters, you might think twice about it.

The dropoff location in NYC is pretty convenient, right next to Penn station and MSG, You can pretty much walk right down into the ACE downtown from the drop.   In Philly you are right next to the El/Trolley stop at 30th st, and a short walk  from the Regional rail.

I'm kind of torn here, because the Bolt is a pretty good option, but mostly because the only better options are so much more expensive.  I wish that Amtrak would take a look at the huge success these buses have achieved and realize that there is a demand to get from Philly to NYC, and they are way overpriced.  I also don't get why they don't have a similar bus from Philly to DC, at least a couple times a day.  Again, it would be better to have an affordable train, but until that changes, the Bolt is probably the best inexpensive option.
4 - Catherine L.: Why take Amtrak or Greyhound to NYC when Bolt Bus is around?

 Fares are either $10 or $12 one way, they drop you off right by Penn Station at 34th and 8th, there are outlets in each set of seats to plug in your ipod/phone/computer/what have you, the bus is clean, seats are roomy and recline comfortably with a foot rest. Bonus!  They are almost always on time. (traffic-depending)

But you get what you pay for.  It's a bare-bones run company.  They do not always seat by group section number (especially in NYC) - so it's often a free-for-all.  

It seems that the boarding process in Philly is a tad more civilized than in NYC where four or five Bolt Buses (for departures to D.C. and Boston too) pull up and you're never quite sure which bus is yours because no announcements are made and the bus 'screen' at the front isn't always correct.  

Seems like the bus drivers run the show, and for the most part, aren't the friendliest - but for saving $40 each way I'll take the 'tude with open arms,  sit back, relax, have a short snooze, charge my phone, turn on my ipod and enjoy the ride.
3 - Daniel D.: I'm a fan, and yes, affordable trains would be great, but two complaints:

1) The wifi is inconsistent 

2) Why no bus from Philly to DC? There are a lot of us with feet in both cities.
4 - Grace N.: I've been taking the Bolt bus since Jan 2008.  i work in NY 2 days a week. so its great, convenient, professional and cleaner than the Chinatown bus. they are continually expanding into more cities. the 9:30pm weeknights departure from NYC to Philly was recently dropped but as a compromise, they added an 8:45p departure. yeay! i highly recommend it. unlike the chinatown bus, its almost a guarantee that no one will sneeze or cough with their mouth open in front of your face.
4 - Regina W.: I'm new to the east coast.  I'm from California. I've always flown directly into NYC, wandered around, and flew out of NYC. The rest of the east be dammed! *Actually, while that's technically true, I've always wanted to get to the other cities in the northeast.  The "be dammed", however, adds a bit of punch to this review, no? ;-)  

After living in Asia for over 8 years, I'm planning to move to NYC, but first comes searching for a job and searching for an apartment.

For now, I'm staying with a friend just outside of Philadelphia.  That means I need to get myself into NYC quite frequently.  Also, since I just moved back from Seoul, I'm used to efficient mass transit options that run regularly and are AFFORDABLE.  Amtrak's Acela is not affordable for frequent trips unless your company is paying for it or you're comfortably well-off.  

Right now, neither of those descriptions fit me.  I'm paying for this move and all my expenses are on me. I'm unemployed and looking for both work and a new place to call home.  I need to be frugal with the money I have.

Through people I know, I'd heard about the Chinatown buses and all the craziness that comes with them.  I was looking forward to that to a certain degree.  However, for my first trip into the city, I needed reliable transportation because I was going for a job interview.  

I decided that Yelp.com was probably the best place to figure out the best bus line to get me into Manhattan on-time and untraumatized.  Bolt Bus came up as the top ranked bus service.  I read the reviews.  Compared those reviews to other bus lines.  And decided that I'd try them out.  I booked my ticket and then just worried about how to get myself to 30th Street Station in Philly.  

It all worked out.  I got to 30th Street Station from the suburbs way early.  I had time to walk to the corner of 30th to see where the stop was, double back, get breakfast and still have almost a one hour wait for the bus.  (Yes, for a job interview I was erring on the side of long waits rather than unforeseen complications and being late.)  

The driver showed up a few minutes behind schedule, but she got us on the bus and moving very fast.  Most people got on at 30th Street, but two boarded at Cherry Hill.  Then we were off.  I was jet-lagged, so as much as I wanted to watch the scenery, I napped for most of the way.

The bus was fairly new and it was clean.  The seats were soft and had a slight recline.  Also, each pair of seats has an outlet. I used it to make sure my laptop and Blackberry were 100% charged.  We got into the city at 34th and 8th on time too.  From there, again, I'd scheduled my trip so that I had tons of time.  I had time to go to Duane Reade for some things I needed, run to the restroom, get myself over to where my interview would be, and still had time get coffee, leech wifi and fill out paperwork.

Because I wasn't sure how long my interview would be or if I wanted to stay later, I'd not booked my return to Philly.  However, that was easy to do too.  I had some things to do and found a wifi spot over on Park Ave.  I booked myself on a 4:15pm bus and got myself back to 34th and 8th way early, got on the bus and had a pleasant ride back.

There were some things I learned.  

* If you're booking online and won't be able to print out a confirmation, have your number written somewhere.  It was a rainy day and one woman dropped her Blackberry in a puddle.  It wasn't working, so there was no way for her to show the driver a confirmation.  I let her use my laptop but the driver also was able to finally get through to their office (only one person was working there.)  It just makes it easier to have the number with you - write it down, just in case.  

Also the return time, in rainy weather and with hold-ups, like getting that woman's confirmation number, we left late. However, honestly, I thought a 4:15pm departure and the scheduled 5:55pm arrival time was already a bit ambitious.  Our arrival was more like 6:40pm.  I know this because I'd wanted to get back to see 8pm encore screening of This American Life's Return to the Scene of the Crime episode at the King of Prussia mall.  There was no way I'd get back in time and that was too bad but not the fault of Bolt Bus.

I'd say between the clean buses, organized booking and boarding system, affordable fares, reliable wifi and outlets for every two or so seats, this is great.  Even in Seoul with their regular schedules, cheap fares and clean buses that fan out all over the country, they still don't have wifi and outlets ;)  Bolt Bus was a great experience and, since I took it before ever getting on a Chinatown bus, I think I'll stick with them.

The only thing I've noticed is their return buses from NYC don't run very late.  The last is at 8:45pm.  So if you're heading in and want a night on the town, you might have to switch to the train or another bus service to come back or just stay overnight.
4 - Edward L.: Sooooooo much better than the chinatown bus. Clean, easy to use, and on time. Awesome service!
4 - Hannah G.: I love the Bolt Bus! I've taken it back and forth between Philadelphia and New York a few times and have always been really happy with it. The most behind schedule I've ever seen it is 20 minutes, and the journey goes very quickly. I like that it drops off right down the block from Penn Station, and that there's a Chipotle to wait at across the street in New York. The only problems I've had are not booking soon enough- the seats can fill up quickly! Really, hat's the only caveat to the Bolt Bus- not being able to take it! It's almost as convenient as the train, and about six times cheaper.
4 - Mark D.: The bus left timely and got there when we expected them to.  Comfortable.  Clean.  I wasn't expecting much from the internet service, but it exceeded my expectations; there was nothing wrong with it.  (However, I did not try the bathroom.)

The web site was kind of a pain to use and some stuff didn't work properly.

The price was good.

Caution: not every seat has an electric outlet.

I would certainly do it again.  It beats the crap out of driving.

Addendum 20090824: I did it again.  Everything I said above applies. It beat the crap out of driving.
1 - Elizabeth B.: Bolt Bus almost ruined my most recent New York weekend. 

1) Philly to NY: Left on time. Then, no AC. Crowded and uncomfortable. Pull off to the side of the road and wait for another bus to "save" us. Rescue bus never arrives so we climb back on the bus that now feels like an oven. Pull off to the side of the road for rescue bus #2 (success) and spent 30 min in AC comfort. Total travel time: 4 hours (2 hours late)

2) NY to Philly: Bus shows up 1 hour late. Bus is overbooked and driver spends 30 minutes trying to convince passengers to take the later bus so a couple of girls can get on (no takers and the girls are left stranded) Then we tour Manhattan for 30 min before getting on the Lincoln tunnel. Total travel time: 4.25 hours (2.25 hours late)

Never again, Bolt Bus. Never again.
5 - Andrea T.: How can you not heart boltbus? I didn't have the seating assignment just an email with my confirmation number. James, our lovely driver, looked it over and said ok, what's your name and on I went. He gave us a lovely little chatup about the ride and got us there ten minutes early.

I took the 10pm from NYC to Boston. Great free wifi. Nice leather seats. cool drink holder. Seats recline nicely. Great overhead and underneath storage. 

My only complaint is the weird seatbelt holder thing on the chairs that my hair gets stuck in and the seats could have a little more leg room. After five hours a girls knee starts to hurt!

Otherwise who could complain ten bucks nyc-boston?
5 - Serge B.: The definition of a 5-star company/bar/restaurant is that it provides a service consistently above and beyond what one expects.  Bolt Bus makes getting to NYC or DC easy, affordable, and definitely on time.

Leather seats + WiFi + clean bathrooms + cheap tickets = 5-stars.
4 - Mary B.: Last week, I rode New Century to NYC and back; this week, it was Bolt Bus. While New Century is cheap and convenient, Bolt is around the same price (price varies depending on the departure time), and even more convenient, with a couple amenities not available on New Century. 

For the 7:15 am departure, the bus was 30 minutes late, but it had been raining all night and still was raining, so I'll give some leniency for weather. Just make sure to bring an umbrella with you; the stop is in the middle of the block and with no covering. Once the driver arrived, she apologized several times, and was very friendly with all the passengers. The seats were comfortable and had a plug available. On the return bus, I sat further back, had considerably more leg room but no plug. 

The internet availability is a big plus. It was slow, occasionally dropping, but did the trick. It was a bit cold and I had no way of stopping the air from blowing directly on me, so be sure to bring layers.  I used the bathroom on the return trip. It did have a faint urine smell, but appeared to be clean. No water to wash your hands, but they provide hand sanitizer instead.

Riding up with me very early Saturday morning to NY was a mix of a crowd, including what looked to be some professionals and some students. Riding back Sunday night was almost entirely 18-25 year olds. Take from that whatever you wish. 

All in all, it was a good experience. I would like to see some sort of covering at the 30th street stop for those stuck waiting in the rain.
5 - Martha M.: Today I had my first experience on the Bolt Bus.  BB came highly recommended so I thought I would give it a try.

Booking my reservation was quite easy with a super simple process on the internet.  To my surprise the buses was clean, roomy and very convenient.  The bus left right on time, wireless internet was readily accessible and I arrived in NY a few minutes ahead of schedule (under 2 hours).  And we made one step to pick up some additional passengers.

At $10 a trip, it just made sense.
3 - Christopher R.: I've heard nothing but positive things about Bolt Bus but I noticed a couple flaws that could easily improve their service:

1. The website lists all travel times between Philly and NYC as two hours.  Sometimes, this is accurate but others times it is wildly off the mark.  Intuitively, a rush hour trip will not take two hours.  Last Friday I took a bus departing Philly at 3:00 and it arrived at 6:45, a three hour and forty-five minute trip.  That is to be expected at that time of day and I completely understand that it will take that long.  What annoys me is that the website still lists that trip as two hours.  I would wager that trip, and all of the trips occurring during that time frame have never made the trip in two hours.  Why not change the schedules on the website so that they reflect approximate travel times for that specific departure?  Its not that difficult to keep track of that kind of stuff.  

2. The wi-fi is a bit wonky on iPhones and iPod Touches.  In order to access the Bolt Bus network, you need to accept the Terms & Conditions.  However, the T&C page loads improperly on the Safari browser--you can read the T&C but there is no scroll bar embedded into the window to scroll down to hit 'Accept' which, as you can imagine, is a real punch in the junk.  It is possible to use the two-finger scroll on the devices to get there but unless you can solve that riddle, you're stuck without wi-fi.  This fix never even occurred to me until I emailed Bolt Bus after my trip, and based on the reply from customer service, this is a common problem.  Wouldn't it be better to have someone write some script that loads properly on these devices instead of letting people mess around looking for a solution or offering post hoc tech support?

Otherwise, the trip was nice enough.  I might use this again.  Not during rush again, though.
4 - Will T.: I was debating between Mega Bus and Bolt Bus, but after reading up on yelp, I think I made the right choice. 

The bus to Penn Station in NYC was on time and very clean. The driver was friendly and had some nice moves behind the wheel! We breezed up the turnpike and actually made it to NYC before the scheduled arrival time. 

The bus back was nice as well, although getting through the Lincoln Tunnel  at 4pm was not so fun. Despite the traffic, we still made it back around the scheduled arrival time. 

Overall, I was very pleased and will definitely be using Bolt again!
5 - Erica S.: I rode this bus when i went to NYC. Super nice, clean, quiet, smooth ride, and inexpensive. It gets booked fast so its better to buy the ticket ahead of time but definately one of the best transportation bus out there!
4 - Tina L.: This is my second round trip on Bolt Bus to Philadelphia. On my last trip both buses arrived around the scheduled time and didn't depart until a quarter after. This time the bus left on the dot and... I watched it leave from the sidewalk on the other corner. Yes, do arrive 15 minutes as advised. On the up side, I was able to standby for the next bus. 

It took exactly two hours on both legs of this trip. The down side is that the return bus' wifi wasn't working (bus driver said it needed to be repaired). Otherwise, cheap, clean, and efficient.
5 - Megan K.: was scheduled for the 230 bus on sat oct 17th fron nyc to philly. i got there in time for the 145. i asked the driver if there was room for me. he asked me to wait until everyone got there. but then he saw i was freezing and told me to get on. he was soooo pleasant. made up for the previous surly driver i dealt with. he was all smiles. a pleasure. finally good customer service. bolt bus is roomy and confy. even when full. we got home on time. all in all a flawless ride.
4 - Kathleen B.: It happened again: I got to ride an earlier bus because the people on that bus didn't show up early. I was 30 minutes early for mine, so I got one of their seats. 

Motto: show up 30 minutes early, and you have a good chance of getting on an earlier bus without paying a walkup fee. I paid $8.50 for my ride and ended up getting home a half hour earlier than I thought I would. Sweet!

EDIT:

Bolt needs to run a line from Philly to DC. I don't see why you can go from New York or Boston to DC, but Philly, which is closer to DC than either of those cities, is shut out. Lots of people in Philly love DC! I'd love to go on some day trips with the assistance of Bolt's cheap fares.
4 - Kim C.: While one million and one times more reliable than their counterpart in cheap-o transportation Megabus, my big qualm with Bolt Bus is the wild fluctuation in bus cleanliness. I took Bolt up to NY and the bus was immaculate (Quote from the bus driver: "If you see spray on the bathroom toilet, you let me know and we'll trace it back to the person who left it. We're not gonna be riding dirty!!), but on the way down it smelled like human excrement. Otherwise, you get what you pay for I suppose: on-time, reliable, and free wifi.
3 - mike y.: Ride to was perfect

Ride back the driver hit off someone's side mirror. Took me an extra hour to get home. I thought to myself "there is no way this should be taking this long".
3 - Luis C.: I'd heard all kinds of good stuff about Bolt Bus, so I tried it when going to New York for Thanksgiving.  Here's what I liked about it:

-- The stop at 30th Street, between Market and Chestnut.
            -- Always busy and well-lit.
            -- The El, trolley lines and buses stop at the corner.
            -- Really convenient to Center City and University City.
            -- Right down the street from 30th Street Station.  If you don't
                live in Philadelphia, this is our Amtrak station, where you can
                also pick up SEPTA Regional Rail and NJ Transit.  It's open
                24/7 if you need to wait inside in cold weather, it's really
                beautiful, with clean bathrooms and some shops and places
                to eat or get coffee.
-- There's a Bolt Bus attendant there to board passengers
    and answer any questions.
-- Boarding is organized like Southwest Airlines: the earlier you
    book, the earlier you board.
-- If you miss your bus, you'll be able to board the next bus on standby at no extra charge.  
-- On-board wireless.
-- The buses are in really good shape, if not new.
-- A great mobile website that works brilliantly on my BlackBerry.
-- You don't have to print a ticket, you can show them your ticket  
                right on your phone screen.

The praise stops here. 

My experience on Thanksgiving Eve wasn't so perfect.  I arrived a few minutes ahead of my 10:30 trip to New York.  The bus had already gone, but I was able to board the 11:00 bus.  Since I was one of the last to board, I had to sit in the back, next to the bathroom.  Ok, fine.  The bus left on time.  Good.  About 15 minutes later, the bus pulled to the shoulder of 95.  The driver got off without explanation and came back 20 minutes later to announce that we'd had a flat in the front.  We sat there for 2 hours without another word from the driver.  Once the flat was fixed, we got to New York in 2 quick hours, but that was thanks to the lack of traffic, not to our brilliant driver.  Since we'd had such a long delay, people were trying to use the outlets to plug in their laptops or phones, but they didn't work.  People asked neighbors and came to the back trying to find a working outlet.  Once in New York, we were unceremoniosly deposited on 34th Street.  Since I was one of the last off the bus, I found my bag waiting for me in the middle of the sidewalk, where anyone could have swiped it.  I wonder what Bolt Bus would have done if someone got to it before me?  

If there's a $1 or $5 seat available, I'll be happy to try Bolt again. Otherwise, I'll stick with Amtrak.
3 - Kristen S.: I'm torn about the Bolt  Bus. It is definitely 10000000000 times better than the China Town bus! However the drivers are a bit inconsistent. 

My first experience with Bolt bus we took it from Philly to NYC to Boston. The tickets were cheap, I'd like to see a deal for a "transfer" maybe to save a little bit more money if you are traveling like I did. Anyway, the first driver we had was mean. She stood at the front and barked at us not to sit in the first for rows never explaining that they were saved for the people getting on at the Cherry Hill stop.

Our next driver was way nicer but he didn't seem to know how to break smoothly, I literally had to fall asleep to keep myself from feeling nauseous. 

The drivers on the way back were a mix of the first two. 

I love the internet and outlets!! I got to stay productive while traveling which is always a good thing.

Oh and by productive, I meant online shopping.

All I have left to say is that while this bus did not "wow" me, I'll definitely use it again and again!
3 - Colin S.: I hate taking the bus - but like the BoltBus.  NYC for anywhere from $12  - $30 round trip, depending on how far in advance you book.  Like being able use the text message confirmation to board and they are usually very flexible about missing a bus and going stand-by.  The buses don't smell, the crowd ranges from students and young professionals to tourists and people looking to avoid SEPTA and NJT.   Bathrooms are clean and the wi-fi works - BUT make sure to ask them to turn it on before they start driving or you'll be very bored.  If you've ever taken the crazy Chinatown bus, you'll never go back....
3 - mishel c.: I used the Bolt Bus for my last trip to NYC + it was ok.

I was a little annoyed that the bus showed up 20 minutes late, and that there was total chaos in actually boarding the bus....but otherwise, we managed to get to NY relatively painlessly + quickly. I'm also not sure how one procures the $1 fares they advertise, but $13 each way to NY is pretty cheap anyway.
5 - Brendan D.: My girlfriend and I went from NYC to Philly for the weekend.  Bolt Bus was the best way to get there.  We consider other means of transportation, but Bolt was the quickest and most affordable.  We paid $20 for two round trip tickets.  This was a steal!  

The drivers were helpful and professional.
3 - Joshua H.: BoltBus is typically clean and offers cheap transportation to and from New York or Maryland, but I've had issues on various occasions,  Like all the bus companies, they don't take traffic into consideration when scheduling, and often arrive way later.  One bus I took to NYC went through rural Jersey off the turnpike, drove through Jersey City, and ended up arriving almost 2 hours late.

I've also had multiple times when there was no WiFi and no electricity.  I feel that MegaBus is more reliable.  I must say that my girlfriend has had awesome experience with their customer service.
3 - Rocio U.: I could have given it 5 stars except for the staff...your gain must be in hiring the most disgusting people around: lacking everything except bad manners
1 - Bri H.: My boyfriend and I just took the Bolt Bus from Philly to NYC this weekend.  It was our first and last time.  The whole experience was horrible.  For the ride to NYC, we got to the bus 10 minutes early.  It wasn't early enough.  The bus was mostly full and some obnoxious girls had  put their stuff all over a big block of seats to save it for some friends that hadn't arrived yet. So we were stuck sitting in the back by the bathrooms. The smell of urine was nauseatingly strong.  I sat with my hand over my nose for most of the ride.  I thought I was going to vomit.  We figured that for the ride back we'd arrive early and then would not have this problem again.  We were wrong.

For the ride back home, we arrived about 45 minutes early.  There was a huge mass of confused people waiting for both the Philly & Boston busses. No one knew which bus was which and all the busses were running late.  I asked one of the drivers a question and he said he was a Boston driver.  He pointed to a Philly driver and told me to ask her.  So I went up to her and politely said 'excuse me'.  No answer.  She completely ignored me.  So thinking that she hadn't heard me, I said again 'excuse me'.  She turned and screamed to me 'CAN I DEAL WITH MY LIFE FIRST?!?!'  Her response was so absurd, so rude and uncalled for that I was completely shocked by it.  I just walked away from the miserable hag, I wasn't about to have it out with a bus driver.  When it was time to board, the passangers swarmed around the bus.  We then realized that it was boarding by sections (A, B and C).  We were in group C.  Wonderful.  We again were stuck in the back of the bus and this time couldn't even sit together.  Oh, and lucky us, the bathroom was covered in puke.  The driver was nice enough to warn us that the bathroom was 'nasty'.

Pros: cheap, convenient pickup/drop off locations

Cons: horrible customer service/rude drivers, dirty bathrooms that stink up the back of the bus, unreliable electric (our outlet didn't work), no guarantee of a good seat no matter how early you show up to board. 

Needless to say, I will never ride the Bolt Bus again.  If I wanted to ride a smelly bus where people yell at me I'd ride the Chinatown bus.
3 - Melvin B.: I'm on the bolt bus as i type on the way from dc to ny. I must say that I don't have much complaints. I found the bus pretty easily. The wifi works well ..so does the eletricity. My iPhone thanks bolt alot for the outlets! My one big complaint is that the seats are very uncomfortable. Yes, I'm 6'5...but the seats are placed really low. So yeah they have ample room between the seats, but the seats are placed really low. Another thing about these is that when put the seat back, your head doesn't sit comfortably on the headrest. You need a pillow or something to fill the space if you wanna be comfortable. Other than these seats, all is well...i'll be trying vamoose next time though
4 - Melissa P.: I have been to New York twice in the past three weeks.  The first time I drove (NEVER again).  The second time I bolted, literally bolted in and out of NY.  Boltbus is ridiculously convenient.  We were off in a flash.  I didn't have to deal with traffic, the seats seemed pretty clean and the drivers were amiable.  You cannot get to NY cheaper than this.  

What's more, you can charge all of your electronic must haves along the way!

I'll definitely be frequenting boltbus now that I'm frequenting New York.
4 - kap n.: This is the only way to travel.  I am so happy with the service, cleanliness, and the upgrade in technology [wifi access].  I've always ended up arriving early which is always a good thing. 

The only downside to the bolt bus was sitting next to people who decided they didn't want to groom themselves properly, nor use proper hygiene which really isn't bolt bus's fault.
4 - Mary b.: My hubby and I headed up to NYC last month and used Bolt Bus.  I was a little leery due to some of the reviews I read.  However, it ended up being a very good experience.  Our 8 AM bus out of Philly did not leave until 830 AM.  But once we got going we were in NYC in 2 hours at 1030 AM.  On the way back home the next day, our 315 PM bus left on-time.  It was a little late getting back but it was pouring so that was to be expected.  

The bus was clean and the boarding process was fine.  The price was right for us .....$40 for both of us roundtrip.  If you drove yourself to NYC, gas, tolls and parking would easily exceed $40 and you needs the stress of driving in NYC.  

Highly recommend Bolt Bus.  We'll use it again!
4 - Tom B.: PROTIP: Sign up for Bolt Rewards. Normally I put the PROTIP at the end of the review, but this PROTIP is so professional that it deserves top billing. There is absolutely no reason to ever purchase a ticket from http://www.boltbus.com/ without being signed in to your Rewards account. First and foremost, you always get "Group A" boarding. This alone is worth handing over your email address. Second, you get a free one-way ticket after only eight one-way trips. Third, your email address is safe with Bolt. They never harass you. They use it to send you your tickets and receipts and that's it. No newsletters, no updates, no nothing. To summarize, if you purchase a ticket from Bolt without being signed in to your Rewards account, you are a fool.

Onward with the review... There isn't much to say that my esteemed colleagues haven't said already, so I will very briefly share my personal experience with Bolt Bus. I've probably taken the Bolt Bus eight to ten times and I have no horror stories to share. One time I was stuck waiting outside at 6am in the middle of January for an extra 30 minutes and another time I was stuck driving around scenic Seacaucus, New Jersey for an extra hour and 15 minutes, but neither of these incidents have had any lasting negative effect on my psyche.

BOTTOM LINE: Bolt Bus offers cheap, convenient, and comfortable transportation between Philly and New York. They have a top-notch Rewards program and the vast majority of my experiences with Bolt have been positive... The ones that have been negative have been only slightly so, a delay here and there. I would recommend Bolt to anyone looking to travel between Philly and New York.
5 - Ting Ting G.: THe only bus that makes any sense and knows what they are doing. period.
4 - Michael L.: i first took Bolt   bus the first time In Nyc in last Oct in Nyc  to Boston had a  very good   experience the   driver was dick  we had Boarding passes he wont let us on till later but he let people on whom paid him we finally got on the Bolt was very comfortable ride they have comfortable leather seats wi fi service so i   give it 4 stars MEGA bUS
4 - Kristine d.: BE ON TIME. These buses are no joke, they say they are leaving at 7, they are leaving promptly at 7. But, if you do miss the bus by meer minutes, you can wait for the next one. I missed both of my buses and was able to get on the next ones by waiting on stand-by. The seats are not comfortable, but its not a super long ride. There are plugs in the seats so you can charge your phone, or whatever else you need to use a plug for. Bolt Bus has changed my mind about day trips, i will be taking them more often now.
4 - Robin S.: Bolt Bus is the best way to travel between Philadelphia and New York City.  The train is more comfortable, but I can't justify taking the train with the price difference.  And in a way, Bolt Bus is better because it has wifi.

My only complaint is that I travel to D.C. very frequently and they do not offer a DC/Phila bus.  Maybe if we launch a huge email campaign or something they will start one.  :)   Right now Megabus is the only option and it is just inferior.
4 - pracheta t.: I've been using Bolt Bus ever since I heard they existed and have consistently been satisfied. Can't complain about anything! Cheap, efficient, clean and has wifi. Yes.
4 - Ritu K.: Hmm here's your travel options for a Philly to NYC trip..,

1. Spend a fortune for the comfort and ease of Amtrak..
2. Spend almost a fortune for tolls and gas to spend three hours cursing NYC traffic
3. Travel in the comfort of a brand spanking new bus complete with free wi-fi for the price of a cup of coffee in NYC.. Ok maybe a bit of an exaggeration but it's cheap.. 

Watch out though-if you're late you're screwed. Your seat is surely lost to another..love bolt bus!!
4 - Ben B.: The initial experience with Bolt Bus on their website is pretty good. It's well organized and of course amazingly cheep prices for the trip.

Then comes getting onto the bus. The organization of the website does not translate into real life. Once arriving at the departing station you will see a mass of people - in Philly it was a mass of people for 3 different bus services as well. No one really knows where they should stand or what the order is. The only saving grace is that Bolt Bus has lettered groups (A la Southwest). As long as you are in the A group you will be able to have the pick of seats. I recommend shaking and wobbling the seats to make sure that they're secure (a whole other story for another time).

The Bolt Bus has the necessities - gas, tires, windows, etc. Then it has the luxuries - wireless internet, outlets in every seat, air conditioning, etc. Overall the buses that they use are pretty new and in good condition. They are efficient with minimal stops making the trip almost as easy as hopping into your friends car. Just bring a snack for the longer rides.
5 - Chris A.: Guys, this is the way to get to Philly/Boston/DC. 
Megabus is less reliable, runs late, and seems to be a bit of a shitshow. 
Bolt is close to on-time, will let you on an earlier/later bus if there's room, has lots of space in the seats, is clean/not smelly, and has power and wifi connections that have consistently worked (1 ineffective wifi in over 200 trips? not too shabby!). 
Tickets are cheap, guy them early!
2 - Sharon C.: First the bus was 45 minutes late! Then the driver was rude and didnt let a pregnant woman on the bus after I was freezing from the wait.
On the way back it was so disorganized and the "coordinators" were rude and had no info about where and when the bus would come. When it finally did arrive it was a bum rush to get on. Finally there was no wifi the whole way home. The driver did maneuver around some traffic pretty well but I definitely prefer mega bus!
4 - Elizabeth D.: Instead of driving and paying an obscene amount for parking in NYC, we took the Bolt Bus! Leaving PHL, the bus was on time, and the crew was organized. However the bus had broken outlets & busted WiFi. Clearly not their fault per se, but a bummer nonetheless. 

Heading back down, the bus was a little late (but the Lincoln Tunnel sucks). However we got in at our scheduled time anyway. WiFi was great and everyone was very helpful. 

TIP: Join the rewards club. Pays off in the long run.
5 - Shawn A.: I said it on the New York side, and I'll say it again on the Philly side.  Bolt Bus is the real deal people.  Top notch buses.  Great prices.  Wi-fi.  They just nail it.  There really is no reason to travel any other way.  (Unless you know... you can fly all Superman like or whatever... but if you could, I think you could do better than sticking to a Bolt Bus destination.  Check out Thailand.  You'll like it.)
4 - Stripe t.: I've updated. I mostly ride bolt bus now --- and I have YET to be late leaving NYC.....which is the opposite of my riding mega. I have ALWAYS made it on standby when needed as well.

I had to take mega the other day --- and realized that I don't get dizzy/carsick on Bolt like I did on Mega....its not the size of the bus as much as something with the engine/drivers --- Mega drivers are maniacs compared to Bolt.

I'm totally over Megabus now - unless its urgent, I won't take it again.
4 - Stephanie Y.: BEST transportation to NYC EVER!!!! Scrap Chinatown bus, amtrak trains and Megabus. Bolt Bus is actually ON TIME and leave from the RIGHT location!

Plus there's wifi, but it's weak in some spots. People on this bus are generally nicer too and not smelly. Definitely a plus.
5 - Phillip Y.: Wow, I just took the Bolt Bus yesterday from Philly to NYC.  Buses ran on time and got there within 2 hours.  WiFi and outlets makes it for an even better experience when I brought my iPad with me.  It has a super convenient location at NYC being at Penn Station.  You can just hop onto the subway after getting off in front of the Tick Tock diner near Penn Station.  Sign up on their rewards program and earn a free one-way after 4 round-trips.  I will never take Greyhound/Peter Pan or Amtrak again.  Thank you, Bolt Bus!!!  It's a bargain at $26 roundtrip + $21 parking (12 hours at the Circa Center attached to 30th Street Amtrak station).  Amtrak would have charged $96 for the entire trip without parking fee.
4 - Nikki T.: Much better than MegaBus, its main competitor, but not as good as taking the train. Below, a brief list of Bolt Bus's advantages and disadvantages.

GOOD
1. More legroom and better seat lining than the horrendous MegaBus. 
2. More punctual and less crowded than MegaBus.
3. Drivers and crew are nicer, though I've been riding Bolt for a while and have found that this seems to only be getting worse. At first everyone was really chill and nice. Now they pack everyone on the buses like sardines by selling standby tickets to as many people as they can cram on and are rude to passengers who already have tickets, sometimes accidentally double-booking. Bolt, please don't start acting like MegaBus. I really liked you.

BAD
1. The wifi often doesn't work like they say it does.
2. See point 3 on the "Good" list. Recently someone was accidentally kicked off the bus although she had a ticket because too many standbys were sold. The buses are now crammed full all the time, which makes it much less comfortable.

I wish there were a third competitor that would make both MB and BB clean up their acts a little.
4 - Jerry H.: At this point I've rocked most varieties of buses out of NYC to philly. There's a couple of Chinatown joints I haven't tried yet. What's obvious is that Bolt Bus rocks the funhouse. Seats are more comfy, wifi, cleaner, better service directly outside of Penn. 

 Yeah, it's a bus and to the uninitiated it's seemingly unorganized. Dial the ego down let your National Geographic / Lonely Planet side kick in and enjoy the trip.
 
 Not for nothin', but If I were a guy who had any Photoshop expierience I don't think I'd ever pay for another ticket to ride.
3 - Stephanie P.: #48 I've taken Bolt Bus three times now to get into NYC and the actual trip has always been an easy one. The buses are obviously well-maintained and I love that they have electrical outlets for laptops and such. The only reason why I wouldn't give it higher than a 3-star rating is the fact that, on my second trip into the city, the driver was OBVIOUSLY sleep-deprived and was seemingly having a hard time staying awake. He kept drinking bottle after bottle of water and moving around like a madman. Not to mention, he actually pulled over to the side of the road at the toll booth outside of the city because he desperately had to go to the restroom. Even more, apparently someone called in about his weird behavior and his reaction was INSANE. He actually got onto the mic and started berating the person for criticizing him. Talk about unsatisfactory customer service! =\ 

Fortunately, my other trips have been pretty good and the drivers have been alright. I wouldn't say they're the nicest people nor are they efficient with their lines, but they get the job done. It's probably the best way to get into the city if you don't have a car. =)
2 - Yunji L.: Seats are too uncomfortable!!!!!
3 - Brad P.: Bolt is not the service that it used to be. Their buses have been outfitted with inferior chairs. The buses have not been running on schedule. I used to love Bolt Bus and now I do not.

Greyhound 2.0
2 - Paul L.: Did four legs on this bus. Thru the first three, I would have given it five stars. However... on the NY to Boston, a mystery bus (no logo shows up):  no big luggage racks overhead, no electrical plugs, and no wifi.  Not awesome.  Quite frustrating, in fact.  I could deal with the bus being 20 minutes late.  The 6 hour ride, however... not so much.  Bolt Bus, if you're reading this, I expect my $17 refund in the mail shortly...
4 - Kat S.: Trip: Philly to Boston. Can't beat the price! Pleasant staff and drivers. On-time, clean bus. Seats not the most comfortable - felt like I was sliding forward. Wireless a bit slow and no tray tables. But overall good experience.
4 - Kristin P.: Great way to get from NYC to Philly. Prompt. Courteous. Free wifi. Way cheaper and much less stressful than driving.
1 - Nancy P.: Bolt bus, you are the worst friend ever.  I cannot depend on you for consistency.  Either you are late.. At least 30 mins every time.  Or your outlets are broken.  Today they are working but here I am, three ans a half hours into my adventure and we aren't even in New York yet. You constantly ruin my dinner plans, so I guess that's the only thing you are good for.  

You are a deadbeat friend and I am finally saying goodbye... If I ever get to New York and off this damn bus.

Hello NJ transit, let get to know each other more..
3 - Jane D.: My trip on Friday, August 19th from Philadelphia to Newark, NJ with expected departure time of 5:45 pm and arrival time of 7:30 pm was one of the worst trips and service I have ever experienced. Not only was the bus 4 hours late, but the worker stationed to answer questions was not helpful at all! He kept saying the bus was stuck in traffic, it was stuck in traffic. So I decided to call the bolt bus company at 8 pm, the representative said the bus had already departed from Phila and arrived in Newark. I then disputed this claim because it was impossible, as I had waited from 5:15 pm and on, asked every bus driver and worker their destination and not one said they were going to Newark. It was ridiculous, and on top of that, it started raining extremely hard. I then requested for a refund and the dispatcher transferred me to customer service, where I was then disconnected. Why doesn't this surprise me? Because Bolt Bus has chosen to skimp on deploying enough buses and workers. Instead of having buses make multiple trips, keep it simple and direct, have the bus go from one location to the next, not from boston to newark to phila back to newark. When my bus finally arrived, the driver said he had to get gas, which took another hour! So my actual departure and arrival time? I left Philadelphia at 9:45 pm and arrived in Newark at 11:30 pm. I emailed them for my refund and still haven't heard back yet. Bolt Bus this is a warning, if you don't improve how you manage your drivers (as in making it mandatory for them to give an ETA when they're late, not just turning off the walkie-talkie), if you don't deploy more buses and get more drivers, you will go down as a business because you are unreliable and your service is horrible.


---------------------------------------

Update: I heard back from bolt bus customer service and they did an exceptional job of addressing my complaints. They refunded me the cost of my trip as well as gave me credit for a free trip. They also said they looked into my complaint and the bus driver apparently took a route that was not approved, so they had internal disciplining. They also said they will have clearer communication between the bus drivers and the customer service representative stationed at those sites. So I have decided to up their 1 star to 3 stars.
4 - Jenn H.: yay bolt!  I took boltbus from PA to NYC for the weekend.  We had a rather strange bus driver...but he didn't talk most of the trip, so whatever.

The tickets were cheap, the seats were comfy enough (for a bus anyhow), bus was clean, the driver was pretty safe, we left on time, wireless worked, plugs worked, and I got into NYC only a little late (it was Labor day weekend, I'll spare them).  Nothing to complain about.
4 - Anthony W.: Left on time and arrived in NY right on the dot! I made a mistake in ordering the wrong ticket time for my return trip and the driver was forgiving enough to let me on without paying any premium. I got dangerously close to getting stuck in NY because it was the last bus and there were a bunch of people with reserved seats plus others running up. And this was on a Tuesday. 

On the downside, it's cramped. I get "restless leg" on long rides. And what good are the power outlets if there's really no room to open a normal sized laptop. Other than charging a phone (or whatever), I don't see the point. Overall, the service was stellar, but I was hoping it would be more modern. It really could've been any bus company.
1 - AA A.: so terrible experience worth writing another review for it...
4 - Tara P.: Bolt Bus is affordable and I've always had a decent experience while traveling with them. I ride the bus between NYC and Philly and this is by far the cheapest, safest way for me to ride, and aside from traffic, I usually arrive on or very close to time.

I've heard of faulty or not operating wi-fi, which is expected, but for the safety of a Greyhound or Peter Pan bus for the price of a Chinatown bus, you can't go wrong. If you need to travel and aren't on a strict time schedule, try Bolt Bus.
4 - Ann V.: So far I must say that my experience with boltbus has been nothing but positive. They've been on time and at times they even arrive earlier than expected. The staff was friendly and always made time to answer my questions. 

My only complaint is that the seats were kind of uncomfortable - since it was quick ride up to nyc it wasn't complete misery.

Sidenote - They should have heat lamps for the ppl waiting in line for the bus. The wait can sometimes be so so painful.
3 - Frances L.: Oh, Bolt Bus...I so wanted to be in love with you. 2.5 hours non-stop from Philadelphia to NYC for only $14 with free wi-fi, outlets, and sleek new buses that can hold luggage and have a restroom just looked so great on paper. However, our experience, while at a solid 3-stars, had a few hiccups in terms of service and quality. 

Leaving from 30th Street Station, we had to wander around the station for a while to figure out that the Bolt Bus departs from across the street off JFK and 30th. We caught an early bus at 7a.m and when we showed the lady our reservations and confirmation number she ushered us onto the bus. A couple of hours later, our "non-stop" bus ended up at NEWARK PENN STATION instead of NYC. 

What. The. Hell? 

Turns out, the bus we got on was bound for BOSTON by way of New Jersey, and had we not asked the driver why we stopped at Newark, then we wouldn't have known. The driver was cranky and kind of rude when he told us he was headed to Boston. This annoyed me considering the fact that at no point during the drive, did he make any announcement of the final destination nor did the woman who checked us in tell us that wasn't our bus. Luckily, it takes no time to take the train from Newark to NYC. In fact, we beat our regular bus there by 15 minutes! 

The way home was a better experience. The bus was easy to find off 34th Street near Herald Square, check-in was more efficient, and the driver was much nicer. However, this bus did not have any outlets nor did it have wi-fi...which was disappointing since that's part of the selling point for this service. We bumped into some bad traffic due to construction, but otherwise, the ride home was pleasant. 

I'm not sure if I would recommend Bolt Bus. It was an OK experience, but improvements need to be made.
5 - Nick B.: I would've written this review while I was on BoltBus this morning, but alas, I was enjoying the free WiFi far too much, even at 6am!

BoltBus is everything Megabus is NOT.

I really didn't want this review to be a "BoltBus v. Megabus", but how can I not point out the striking contrasts between these two bus services?

Megabus says you'll depart at 6am, You leave an hour later or worse.
BoltBus says you'll depart at 6am...you depart at 6am!

Bolt's WiFi and power plugs almost always work for me. Mega's work about 10% of the time, if that.

Bolt's drivers are courteous, kind and don't drive like maniacs. They get you there on time and SAFELY!

If you're debating Bolt v. Megabus, would you just stop reading and just go book your Bolt ticket already?!
2 - Stephanie R.: Extremely disorganized and the seats are quite uncomfortable, but it's cheap and a short trip back to NYC. My bus out to Philly was extremely more comfortable, so the experience might just depend on luck of the bus you get.
4 - Beth K.: Thanks to yelp, I chose Bolt over rival Megabus for a day trip to NYC this weekend. I admit, I was apprehensive, but it was a positive experience.
 
Upon arrival at JFK and 30th street, there were several buses and lots of people.  After being initially misdirected to the standby line, I found the correct wait area for the NY bus (marked by a rather small sign). The bus arrived a few minutes before 10, filled quickly, and departed less than 10 minutes late. The Bolt peeps vary in helpfulness, but the frequent Bolt riders were happy to tell me what I needed to know. 

The return trip was easy. Very clear where to wait in front of the Tick Tock diner, the bus left on time, and we got back to Philly 15 minutes early.  Plus the bus was randomly nicer (leather seats nstead of cloth!). 

I don't think I'd recommend this in rush hour traffic (can only imagine what traffic adds to the trip time). But I booked pretty last minute and most times were still available, and I got a $13 each way fare.  Amtrak was coming in over $100 round trip for comparable times, so all in all, happy with the experience.
4 - Jenny B.: I love you Bolt bus. Thank you for not charging me to go standby on your bus like Megarude, Megalate, megaunprofessional Megabus! Thank you for the wifi that you said I'd have, for the drivers who are courteous and respectful of people's time. Thank you for being there for me.
3 - Louis B.: Very cheap transportation to the major cities on the Eastern seaboard. 

Buses need a good scrubbing and there's chewing gum in the mechanism in back of the seats.  

I'll pay the extra fee and ride Amtrak.
4 - Loli L.: I'd read horror stories and had prepared for the worst. It probably helped me in the long run because it helped me pay attention, ask questions, and make sure we were getting on the right bus. We did.

The ride was cheap, comfortable, I got to overhear all of the driver's phone (or radio) conversations, we got to our destination earlier than expected, but most importantly, we had dependable wifi the entire ride. Awww yeah.
4 - Jason B.: I became a slight bit concerned when I arrived ten minutes before my bus was scheduled to leave and found a nearly deserted bus stop. No buses and only a single person in sight, a woman waiting with her suitcase. Glad I asked her otherwise I might've missed my bus.

In case you've not discovered yet, they've moved the bus stop further on up the road, away from the 30th Street Station.

The signage at the former stop, I feel, is insufficient to garner my attention in the direction of the new stop.

Just so you now know.
1 - Nando F.: This is gonna be fun to review... we made it a family thing.. my sister, my mother , and my wife driving all over Philly. My father was smart and said he didn't want to go for the ride... (departure from my parents house was 5:45pm) Get ready.. get yo popcorn cause its gonna go down. Don't be late or else

She had a 6:30 ticket to NY that she gets via cell phone when she orders it , but seeing she had missed the first departure they allow you to hop on the next one that pulls out , but you go on a waiting list, or stand by. Now seeing it was fathers day weekend alot of traveling went down and you can expect alot of traffic.

They next bus pulls up and unloads the passengers and goes to their hub I believe to refuel and clean up. Now they prep the next wave of people who have their 7:30 tickets and if there is room they start doing a stand by line. It goes on when you signed in and thats the order you go on. My sister was 19 on the list and she knew she wasn't gonna make the 7:30 bus, but her name doesn't move.. she just advances and the others who were late go on the list .. you see how this goes... The thing is she knew she wasnt gonna make that cut , you can't leave because the attendant is gonna call out your name to see if you are still there. If you leave and he calls out your name and don't answer you lost that position. She waited he called out her name and now from 19 she moved up to 4th on the list... Gaurantee spot  for the 9pm departure.

We decided since we have almost 2 hrs to kill and I am not gonna leave my sister on the street waiting we went to the greyhound hub on Filbert to see if there were any buses leaving earlier and she could get home sooner than 11 pm. We get her a ticket for 8pm departure perfect timing .. the bus was loading , she had her ticket in hand , luggage ready to be loaded .. said our goodbyes and we were off... YAY for me seeing my patience level was at an all time low now. We leave I am hitting all green lights from Market St. to JFK Blvd .. i am about a quarter of a mile from the onramp and my sister calls. The bus she bought the ticket for had already left .. her and 15 other people never knew. So now me almost seeing the light  I now had to turn around and go get my sister (8:15pm)

She had gotten a refund , they had told her that she has  a seat for the 10:50 departure seeing the 8pm bus had already left. She said F that i am not waiting . We go back to the Bolt area by 30th St. station  seeing now its only a half hour before the 9 pm bus leaves and she is 4th on the list .. safe spot right... ohhh this gets good.

(8:50pm) The bolt bus pulls up and the people who have the 9 pm departure are boarded.. they call out the classes so they get seated.. now comes time for the stand by people... The guy has the lsit from the previous attendant, who now is home cause his shift was over at 8pm. The list was given to the driver when he pulled up earlier to drop off the people. It is now 9pm all the people are loaded and he is about to start on stand by.(6 open seats) 2 people arrived a minute late and they have the 9pm tickets.. (4open seats now you would figure)the guy refused them both because they were late.. They have to go on stand by.. ARE YOU KIDDING ME 9pm boarding and they are late by 1 min they missed out because of the class ticket they had. Now they are irrate(as i would be ) the stand by people are about to board and now we have people about to fight. My sister was 4th.. final 4 spot so I/we know she is in. This guy stops the stand by people, sits on the steps of the baording area and says he is not letting anyone on.. Cops are being called the 2 people who have tickets are blowing up at the guy, the stand by people are agreeing with the people who have seats for them.. Mayhem 

(9:15pm) The other Bolt bus comes and unloads the passangers and now this guy is is coming to the aid of the guy who dropped the ball.... Tells them that the people who are late"Tough shit" you should have been here on time, the list the other guy had was thrown out.. now my sister has to fend for her own here.... People are now rushing the door,, the guy points out 6 people .. tells them to get on the bus.. his response to the list "not my problem , if i pointed at you .. you get on" What an asshole... people that were 15 deep just went on... another guy waived a 20 spot to the guy... he accepted the cash and got on.... My sister.. now lost her seat the list is gone. The next bus and final for the day comes at 10:30pm.

(9:30pm) Pops calls asked where are we.... we get into an accident...I explain it to him and he then has some choice adjectives for what is happening... I told my sister with all this time that we just wasted i could have driven you to your place in NY... and be back . We ended up going to greyhound again and her on the 10:50pm departure. I arrive back to my parents at 10:15pm.. home in Jersey at 10:45pm. What a day I will never use this service after what i have seen
5 - Parker S.: I give them a few dollars, they drive me to NYC (or pretty much any major east coast city).  All I really expect out of it is a clean bus that does its best to get me where I am going on time and does it safetly.  Bolt Bus provides this...and gives you wifi.  I'm not really sure where there is room to complain. 

I think the issue is that when people book Bolt Bus they think they are choosing a luxury mode of transportation, even though they are paying economy prices.  I would say to those people that are complaining about the service to NYC, they should go with Amtrak Acela and see if the $90/one way tickets are worth the additional cost.  My guess is you'll be back on Bolt Bus shortly, with a pocket full of money.
4 - Peter D.: The BoltBus is definitely the most consistent ground transportation after the government-funded, overly priced Amtrak.

After being a pretty devout Megabus rider, I have come to take BoltBus more as it is normally cheaper and more reliable to/from New York City and Philadelphia.

Furthermore, since they started offering the Boston service, it has made traveling to Boston a little easier. Now that Megabus has consolidated its east coast service to Boston, it makes it less appealing. Why would I want to board a bus at 1:30 or 11:30 that's already 2/3 packed with people from DC and Baltimore? It's just dumb!

Another great perk about BoltBus is that after eight trips, you get a free one-way ticket from any destination. This is especially great if you want to travel between DC/Baltimore and New York or Philadelphia and Boston, since these are the most expensive trips on the system.

So for sure, make it a priority to register with BoltBus to get on their Rewards program and book early and often if you are a frequent traveler between the cities that it serves. 

For day of departure, my suggestion is to get there about 20 minutes before. If you are not a person to buy in advance, typically (on non-rush hour buses), there are about three to five seats available at $15 stand-by pricing. VISA or Mastercard only.

One last note: The BoltBus is now the ONLY carrier that allows bicycles for storage. With the abrupt death of the Chinatown bus carriers, Bolt serves as the only service for people who wish to travel with their bikes.
3 - Tom M.: Experience has made me reconsider my view of Bolt Bus.

To start, if you are getting it early in the morning from Philly to New York, you are fine. It almost always works fine. The only problem I've had is if there is an accident on the bus lane on the turnpike or in the tunnel. I still highly recommend for the early morning way to get to NYC.

But getting back to Philly, that's a whole other matter. The last few times I have taken it in the evening to leave New York I have had an issue. And its not like a train or bus station where there is monitor giving you status updates. The last time I tried to use it, the bus didn't show and we simply had no clue what was going to happen. I just went to Penn Station and used my old favorite, the NJ Transit switch at Trenton to SEPTA method.

Additionally, standby to leave New York is now useless. In 2009, I would book at very late Bolt Bus. Then if I was done New Yorking early, I would just get an earlier bus on standby. Now, the standby line is so long, you can forget it. As Yogi Berra said,"No one goes there any more, its too crowded."

For my future New York trips I will get Bolt Bus to New York in the morning and then go to Penn Station when I feel like it for the next Trenton bound New Jersey Transit train.
4 - Vivian L.: Got a bit nervous for the first time riding the bolt bus and to make matters even worst; I lost my ticket along the way to the stop. The bus arrived as I turned my backpack upside down so I decided to just explain to the employee about this whole situation. Very friendly and helpful staff; checked my ID and got me on the bus before the standby crowds.
The AC was a bit strong as I heard girls sneezing.
Overall got to NYC an half hour late due to traffic.
5 - Jill L.: Jill L + Bolt Bus = Love

As a NJ native who lives in Philly and has friends/family in NYC, I've tried every form of transportation between these two fine cities: 
- Amtrak from 30th St 
- Septa train to Trenton, then NJ Transit train
- Greyhound bus from Market East
- Greyhound bus from KOP (yes, it does exist)
- Chinatown bus 
- Megabus from 30th St 
- Drive to Hamilton NJ and take NJ Transit
- Drive to Newark NJ and take NJ Transit
- Drive to Metropark in Edison NJ and take NJ Transit

My transportation option of choice is by far taking Bolt Bus.

I've been riding Bolt Bus for many years now (probably as soon as they started running buses from Philly to NYC).  In my opinion, its the quickest, most affordable, and most convenient way of traveling up to NYC.  In addition, they offer free wifi and if you stalk the website enough, you can get $1 bus tickets (I have been lucky enough to get them a few times)

If you are choosing between Bolt Bus and Megabus, I would consider this:  Bolt Bus may be a few dollars more, but I feel like getting on the bus in both Philly and NYC is way less hectic than on Megabus.  Also, I feel like the buses are a bit nicer on Bolt Bus.

On this particular trip, I drove to Cherry Hill and left my car in the mall parking lot and took the bus from there.  It was nice because it shaved a half hour off our trip.  It was not nice because the bus was already about 90% filled with people from the first stop in Philly and it was hard to find a seat.
4 - Sean H.: I've been using Bolt Bus more than MegaBus of late. There's no real reason for this except that Bolt had better fares and schedules given what I needed. The wifi is pretty spotty on-board, as is to be expected on a budget bus line. Luckily I tend to sleep for the first hour or so of every journey and have 4G coverage for however much time is left after I wake up. Some of the buses are new and cooled to a nice, frosty temperature...annnnnd then, some are like the one I had to NYC last Friday. It was hot as heck outside, and our rather ancient-looking bus was barely cooled enough to hold off a major deluge of sweat.

That said, check prices on Amtrak and see if you aren't scrambling to get a seat on the poorly-cooled Bolt Bus, too.
3 - Shereen C.: Bus was late (from Boston to Philly) and it was packed.  I didn't even get to sit with my companion.  There were 2 empty seats in the front row of the bus, occupied only by the driver's bag.  Sucks that he wouldn't let anyone use the seats when the bus was so full.
5 - MC M.: Look, there is no reason to pay for an Amtrak ticket to any major city on the east coast as long as Bolt Bus is around 

unless you're a snobby-wobb who doesn't travel by plebeian bus.

Bolt Bus has never been late in my experience (and I use it fairly frequently between Philthy and NYC), and lately their boarding organization has been tightened up, which just makes for a smoother transition.

The interiors of the bus are leather, and the a/c is on full blast.  People were actually getting the wifi to work (?!) on my most recent trip.

21$ is what you pay if you plan poorly and order tickets a week in advance ... but sign up for an account.  You get one of those "buy nine, get one free!" deals and A-level seating always.

So, yep, Bolt all the way.
1 - Schwudy Foodie F.: If I could give the BoltBus -2 stars, I'd do it.  Last Friday my 5 year old and I went to NYC.  We didn't go on the Boltbus.  We took the train.  I had tickets - 12 dollars for both of us for each trip.  I am waiting on a refund for Friday - Monday's tickets I threw away.

Why?  The bus I reserved had a broken front door - they couldn't open it.  No Air Conditioning.  No electric.  No internet.  Oh, did I mention no A/C?  

The AC worked fine on the train.
1 - Cat D.: I've travelled all over the world and yet the Bolt Bus takes the cake for being the most confusing mode of transportation I've ever used.  That's right, people: I've had an easier time translating freaking ICELANDIC to catch a bus. I wish I was kidding.  Sweet Jesus.  

We had heard from other Yelpers that the Bolt Bus isn't always on time and to just wait it out, but this morning we had a gut feeling that the bus really was there and we weren't in the right pick-up spot.  I ended up calling customer service and the representative on the phone told me the bus wasn't there yet.  When I asked him if he knew when the bus would arrive, he told me he doesn't have any notification if buses arrive or depart - he was just "guessing" it was late.  Seriously?  Still thinking that perhaps we were in the wrong spot for pick-up, I asked if he could verify the location for me.  He refused and told me I "needed to be more patient and wait."  Lo and behold, our bus was really right around the corner at an unmarked pick-up location (we still don't know why) and was just about to leave.  If we had listened to customer service, we would have missed our bus and had to pay for a new set of tickets!  

It's a sad state of affairs when even your own employees can't tell you what's going on and give out such poor advice.  The Bolt Bus is cheap and you get what you pay for here.  I would never recommend this service to anyone.  Try NJ Transit or Amtrak.  I know it's tempting to save the money, but it's stress you don't need (and if you miss your bus and are forced to buy a new ticket, you're not really saving anything anyway).
4 - Louis D.: Just remember what this is and you'll be happy: You're paying $10-15 for someone to take you from Philly to Manhatten, and they're usaully on time (much more so than Mega bus). Yes, sometimes the reading lights don't work or the wireless (!) is weird, but still. The price is the same as the toll to drive through the Lincoln Tunnel! For being so chaotic, overall it's actually a pretty smooth operation, although it would be nice to see them staff more than one person at the stop.

Things will usually work out, and you didn't spend $50 on an Amtrack ticket
3 - Marc L.: I used Bolt Bus for the first time this weekend and as a frequent Public Transportation user this wasn't something that was putting me out of my element.

The place where you need to stand in Philly is a bit farther down from where the website tells you but at least it's somewhat marked and there are helpful signs on where to stand for which bus. The Friday 8am bus from Philly to New York departed about 10 minutes late but got to New York an hour late. There wasn't a single announcement by the driver -- not when we got to Cherry Hill or even to say that there was an expected delay for arrival. There was no WiFi on the bus (to the point where it wouldn't even show up as an available source) and, not that I minded at all --  but there was a dog on board. If someone walked on with a chicken I wouldn't have been too shocked. I give this ride a "D."

When leaving from New York the area where you need to stand it very close to where the website leads you but the organization on the street is atrocious. The Sunday 4:15 bus from New York to Philly departed pretty much on time and got in only 1/2 hour late. The driver was much more communicative and helpful. The WiFi, while functioning, was terribly spotty.  This ride overall gets a "B+."

My Bolt  Bus experience overall was OK. I think they could use some more organization/customer service help. The boarding/seating system is a joke as I saw people with C-tickets getting on first.  In fact, while I was getting on the bus in New York and standing in line with my ticket behind OTHER people who had tickets, the driver essentially told me to "hurry up" -- how this was my fault I have no idea.

It's a cheap alternative to Amtrak or Grayhound, but if you're using the bus for the WiFi forget it. Don't coun't on WiFi, cross your fingers that you wont be the last person on the bus and hope above all hope that you're standing where you're supposed to.

Bolt Coffee Co - Providence, RI (41.820514, -71.413211) (DownCity)
5 - Vilay S.: These guys know everything about coffee. They can wax on about the the farm it came from, the variety of bean, the growing conditions of the soil, the different ways to brew it, and of course the taste. Try getting that much thoughtfulness from Starbuck's? 

It's a mobile/pop-up coffee shop, so you have to be lucky enough to stalk them at their location of the day. You can also arrange to have them at your private party or your office. Sometimes they just set up at their own office on Westminster (near the high schools). In addition to being the nicest people around, they pull out perfect espresso drinks because they have so much pride in their work.

Boltini Lounge - Champaign, IL (40.1177497, -88.2436703) ()
4 - Margot F.: My idyllic memories of Boltini are almost assuredly the product of imperfect memory and undiscerning taste, reader beware.  But even the particulars I can recall still sound objectively wonderful.  Metal baby feet for door handles, internally-lit glass panes that trap splays of branches and project Tim Burtonesque shadows on the walls above the intimate circular booths and swank cushions in the recessed lounge, Bells on tap, a full array of top shelf liquors (not normally a special attraction, but it's in Central Illinois after all), and a martini list I used to adore.  This is really where the lovely memory gets shaky:  I was horribly fond of the "Hollywood": Absolute Mandarin, Chambord, and orange juice, which now just sounds heinously sweet and I seem to remember them costing far more than I ever wanted to pay for a drink in Champaign.  It makes me wonder if perhaps I would be disappointed were I to return, but I suspect that Boltini is still the only bar in Champaign that manages to be sort of hip, almost pulls off posh, even seems legitimately urbane.  And once in a while, in a college town, that's absolutely worth the slightly higher prices.   Light appetizers are available until 10pm, and the menu aspires to a cheese-plate and pesto bruschetta sort of class, but I never got there early enough to judge the execution.  Oh, and don't miss the doll's head in the banister....and it suddenly occurs to me that maybe I'm just squicky about the dismembered infant parts.  Regardless, four stars.
2 - Sarah L.: Update:  I recently had the WORST SERVICE I HAVE EVER HAD AT A BAR at Boltini.  I have never been as insulted by a waiter in my life as I was last night, when our waiter threw our checks at us and then went to the trouble of getting cash out of the register to RETURN OUR TIP, also throwing it at us, even though we paid with credit card.  Not only was this guy completely out of line, when I began reciting this story to friends later in the night "We almost got in a fight with our waiter..." everyone I told it to knew which waiter I was talking about from previous experience.  I won't be going back to Boltini for a while, and it gets demoted to 2 stars.  That kind of treatment is unacceptable.

I think Boltini is my favorite bar in CU since it is essentially the only one that does not pander to Illini sports and skeezy undergrad men trying to get 18 year old sorority girls drunk, but it's hard to get my friends to go there because they think this makes it "pretentious" and "snobby," preferring to get barfed upon at Mike and Molly's or wherever.  

Personally I do not think it is pretentious, and I tend to think that the staff are only snobby when the patrons are acting like they are at a kegger and not like normal human beings trying to enjoy a non-Keystone Beverage.  Notably, when I first visited Boltini on a grad school visit whileI was living in Boston, I was SHOCKED at how cheap the drinks were.  I did not expect such low prices from such a well-appointed bar.

I would EXPECT Boltini to have the best cocktails of any place downtown but I think that award , bizzarely, goes instead to Guido's.  The other factor contributing to the four star rating is the terrible, omnipresent, cigar-doused in ammonia smell that is even detectable out on the patio.  Perhaps this will improve when Champaign becomes smoke-free.
4 - Amanda W.: I'd never even heard of this place, despite having lived in Champaign for three years (drinking wasn't my thing as a student) until a couple of weeks ago, when we went there to celebrate the birthday of a friend of mine.  I had no idea there were so many different kinds of martinis, and each one I tried was just sublime.  The baked brie/cranberry was fabulous, too.  I took off a star for the slightly disturbing decor and the pervasive odor of smoke, but come January 31, that shouldn't be a problem anymore!
4 - melina l.: This is an excellent place to have an adult beverage. Until the Blind Pig reopened it had the best beer in town - small selection, but CHOICE. This is where I learned the love of Three Floyd's Alpha King. The decor is cool, the round booths are cool, the clientele thinks it is cooler than it really is, but that's the case almost everywhere. 

I just wish it were open in the afternoons! Always my favorite time to hit a bar, when it's deserted, quiet, and smoke-free.
4 - Anne W.: The place looks posh.. but the people that work there and go there are a little weird.  In the winter, the place is small so you might have to wait in line and stand when you get inside (because there aren't any tables or chairs available).  Oh.. and sometimes the people are rude there.. but not often.  So that's why they get four stars.

I do think they serve the best martinis in town.  I like the lemon drop and appletini.
4 - Will K.: I was in town for a short period of time and this place came highly recommended. I was told it had 'an extensive martini menu,' so of course I had to go!

The vibe here was interesting. You could tell it was one of the posher places in town, but it felt like one part dive bar and one part lounge. I must admit I liked the music. They were playing Jamie Cullum as I entered the place.

I tried the Pomegranate Martini. It was okay. It was pretty sweet for a martini... but I felt pretty buzzed afterwards. So I'm sure it had a decent amount of alcohol in it.

The bathroom was quite nice, though. I would go back and try the food next time. It had several things I would have wanted to try had I not eaten earlier.
4 - Melissa M.: The bar here isn't really my scene. I'm not a fan of house music or their prententious bartenders. I do like the food though and you can actually enjoy a good early dinner or late lunch at Boltini before the bar crowd saunters in and it gets loud. My favorite is the "adult" grilled cheeses because the cheese they use is amazing. Smoked gouda and bacon alongside shots of vodka tomato soup? Heaven. 

However, the cheese plates themselves are less satisfying. I wish they had more cheese and fewer garnishes.
3 - Ariel G.: oh, boltini, i hate everything about you except your delicious, delicious drinks. 

in short: metro-yuppie atmosphere [bad]
live dj's spinning house music [bad]
mediocre bar food [overpriced and bad]
delicious martinis [overpriced and good].
4 - Matthew L.: Still 4-stars, but I really need to say that the Cheese plates are awesome at Boltini... I love the options, and that you can choose any number of cheeses. The Cheese plate and the half-price appetizers n Thursday are definitely the highlights of the food menu.
3 - Helen H.: Good fruity drinks... cheese plates.. all great. Dark booths that  gets rowdy. It's really down to the company you're entertaining. I wasn't blown away by their menu or the ambience, but rumor has it that the pineapple gimlet is all you need...
4 - Rob L.: After a fun filled fish fry rehearsal dinner, friends and I gathered here for a night cap or two... or three. It was mentioned to us by the beautiful bride to be to try this place. Wonderful high ceilings, comfy curled couches, interesting bar seats, cute bar staff, (well... okay the girls behind the bar), and a very mixed crowd. But what were we here for? Well, myself and the rest of the crowd wanted a beer, my friend wanted some girls he could hit on. I won. Were there girls he could hit on here? Yes, so don't get me wrong on that account, but not the skanky girls he was interested in. We sat at the bar, I poured over their menu, rather impressive. About 8 to 10 different dirty martinis as well as a multitude of drinks and wines. Plenty of imported and micro brews abound,  Food looked pretty good as well, but my stomach was full from munching earlier, but on the other hand if it wasn't, I would have chowed down. I do have to say the staff behind the bar was hustling their butts off, so I allow the waiting a bit to get some attention to slide. Yet, I didn't understand why the bartenders were also serving tables as well, perhaps some one called in sick. Yet, they were still friendly and even made sure my friend's martini was just right when he said it was too dirty for him.  Even a DJ was spinning some tracks. 

I do have a weird feeling that this place is trying to do too much, perhaps with the competition of bars in the area they are trying to serve an everything under the sun atmosphere in a more upscale college town. I really liked it and if I ever find myself in town again, I want to stop by here. However I need to find a driver for this town to whisk me away back to my hotel. Finding a cab is harder than finding a Michigan Wolverine fan here.
3 - Heather T.: This place may get 4 stars after a future visit.  But for now, it stands at just okay.

So, you go in for the first time ever, and there's a huge list of fancy schmancy cocktails for your perusal.  You read through it, and are interrupted no fewer than 3 times by impatient bartenders.  You try to be polite, but dammit, they are really all up in your shit.  I appreciate the effort to be efficient, but it was so obnoxious.  I finally order my relatively overpriced elitist martini drink, and the very unfriendly lady bartender goes off to make it.  It was not particularly good.  It was all grapefruit and very little liquor.  In fact, it looked like a cosmo, because it was so laden with grapefruit juice.  Later on, someone else in my party ordered what I had, because it sounded good.  Hers came ruby red in color, because it had more liquor than juice.  It completed my theory that Bitchy McWaitress had a thing against me for looking through the menu.  

But whatever.

The perks to this bar: Lots of seating, nice & helpful waitstaff if you're seated away from the bar, insanely excellent gin gimlet (I mean, really, really awesome) served in a martini glass which was an unexpectedly classy touch, and great cheese plates.

I'll probably be back.
4 - Rachel R.: I love that I come into this place, order a couple of the oh-so-tasty drinks, and get tanked. You get your money's worth here. The waitstaff is always nice and helpful, and the seating is comfy. It's a rarity to not find a spot for a small group of people. Plus you're guaranteed to see some hilariously drunk girls falling out of their tiny dresses. Always entertaining.
My only problem with the place is that the music gets a little loud sometimes.
If you're craving cocktails, this is THE place to go. The atmosphere is classy but not overly so, and there's always a good mix of people hanging out. If you know of any place comparable to it in Chicago, let me know!
4 - Sarah H.: The first time I came to boltini, I knew it wasn't my scene.. the thumpin music, the extensive cocktail list, the prices! 
This past Friday has changed my mind. I went out with the ladies, and was a few drinks in by the time we got to boltini. I had the strawberry gimlet, which was a homemade mixture of strawberry puree and vodka, topped off with a healthy pour of chambord ($7.25). I don't usually like paying this much for a cocktail but you really do get what you pay for! The drink did not taste of sugar or artificial strawberries... it tasted fresh and was absolutely fantastic! Also, the drinks are strong. They really aren't messing around. All of the employees were nice and accommodating too! I might not bring the boy for a quiet night out, but for me and my girls, boltini is a nice treat :)
5 - Jason L.: Even back home in the San Francisco Bay Area, it's hard to find a lounge where good drinks, small crowds, great ambiance, and plenty of good seating mesh.

The seating at Boltinis is comfortable and intimate. Think black leather semi-circle booths with high backs in the middle of the room. Towards the back of the room are black leather rectangular IKEA couches with glass tables and candlelight everywhere.

The drinks are large, mixed well, strong, and tasty. Personally, I prefer a perfect (half dry, half sweet vermouth) gin martini, shaken.

You CANNOT go wrong with the cheese plates here. Make sure to come at least in a group of four so you can order the 3 cheese plate. You choose from a cheese list and it is brought out with sliced baguettes (toasted and non-toasted), fruit (green apple slices, grapes), and olives. I would highly recommend the gueyere, euro cream, and the cheese infused with port wine. But seriously, pick and choose to your hearts content because the pairing of great cheese with great drinks will make you feel reallll sexy.

I exposed my friends for the first time to Boltinis last weekend and they were highly impressed with the classy setting, quick servers, and amazing cheese and drinks. Even on a hectic Saturday night, we found a nice seating area in the back of the pit for all 8 of us.

Boltini Lounge is a place that should stay hidden (thank God it's in dtown Champaign and not on campus) for its adventurous, sick-of-underage-teenybopper-gangsta-wannabes, discriminating clientele. 

I tell my friends that Boltini Lounge is where the people sick of the same scene at Joe's, Fubar, or even SoMa turn to.

We will be there again tomorrow night for a birthday :)

EDIT:
Only downside is that they don't serve wine... So unfortunately you can't bring your own bottle of nice wine to enjoy here. But I guess you're supposed to be here for the martinis right?
4 - Brooke H.: Great place to relax and listen to live music....mainly local dj's spinning on turntables. A pretty rad place to chill outside in the summer!
4 - Teej T.: Imagine that you live in what is, for all intents and purposes, a farm town with pretensions due to a large university.  Imagine that students and faculty remember their snooty martini bars from back home.  Now imagine them building it in aforementioned farm town.

Congratulations, you've found boltini, which shouldn't be as awesome as it is.

While Boltini might not pass muster in San Francisco or L.A., it's amazing here, and the staff are friendly, accomodating, and the mood is light.  Spinning music, low lighting, amazing martinis, fantastic cheese platters--yeah, Boltini is a good life choice. I've enjoyed all my boltini visits, and marveled at the joys of pretentiously sippin' strong drinks in triangular glasses while glancing all about me.  Nicely done, Boltini.
5 - John B.: Boltini is the bar with a sexual orientation crisis.  The staff is mostly gay, the clientel is mostly gay, the music is gay, the decor is gay, etc.   When I'm home in the 'Paign and I have extra money to burn I love to sit outside at Boltini and watch the people pass by in Downtown Champaign.  Boltini is pretty much the bar you go to when you "graduate" from C Street so I'm always bound to run into someone I know.  Sitting outside isn't as amusing as it used to be when "Three Dollar Margaret" used to roam Neil Street hitting people up for money, but it's still fun to watch everyone thinking Downtown Champaign is Chicago....it's not.  If you're in Champaign and want to avoid Highdive (do so at ALL costs) and don't want to deal with the high school reunion at Guido's go to Boltini.  You'll leave broke but you'll have a great time!
4 - helen t.: this is a really nice bar that you wouldn't expect to find in the middle of a college town but that you would find in a big city.  we came here for drinks on sat night.  they have a ton of drinks, and they are reasonably priced (compared to sf, ny, etc).  if you can snag some seats in the back, it's a nice place to relax.  i left early, but i guess a dj comes later in the evening.
4 - Christine Y.: Definitely one of my favorite places to come drink and look pretty with my girlfriends.  The interior is pretty chic, the drinks are good (love their house strawberry infused vodka!), it's off campus (aka fewer undergrads, no offense), servers actually walk around with some semblance of regularity, and there's a bit more seating here than at other places.  It can get very crowded and loud especially on the weekends, but if you can manage to grab a booth/table it's a pretty fun place to be.
4 - Helena B.: So - stop me if you've heard this one - a Beer Girl walks into a Martini Bar...

Ok, couldn't help myself.  So yes, Boltini is known for their martinis, but they have quite an awesome (and oft overlooked) beer list.  I got a Shipyard Pumpkin Ale - that stuff's hard to find in Chicago, so points to the C-U mini-metropolis on that one!

For dinner, we went with the crab cake appetizer (as a Child of the Chesapeake, I am honor-bound to try any crab dish heralded as "best in town").  I must say, this appetizer held its own.  While these were not traditional Chesapeake cakes, they took on a sort of Asian flair with the sauce and the vegetable pairings (I had no idea what to expect when I read that this came with "Asian Slaw".  What is that?  Eh, I'm still not sure, but it was delicious).  We definitely cleaned the plate.

For my entree, I ordered the Blue Crab salad.  It was basically the appetizer salad-ified.  Without my asking, the dressing was on the side (gold star!).

Overall, everything was fresh, tasty, and a touch unexpected (you never know when it comes to "bar food").  While their drink menu far surpasses their dinner menu, Boltini is still a decent spot to grab a bite downtown.
3 - Eva S.: In the middle of February when the snow decides to attack us, my friend decides to go to Boltini for a birthday dinner.  I didn't even know this place had a dinner menu since all their drinks have the spotlight, but it's not too bad, depending on what you get.  For a cold night like this, a selection from their 'hot drinks' looks perfect to warm you up, and someone ordered a 'Peppermint Patty.'  A bunch of others got their $4 specials of Razzmo's and Clementine Cosmo's.  I just stuck with water.

But back the the food.  It is cheaper than most of their drinks!  Pastas started at $6.50 and sandwiches were up to $10.  The Liar's Club Sandwich caught my eye because of the raw ahi tuna, avacado, and sriracha aioli sauce.  Everything was tucked inside of a soft sun-dried tomato bun cushioned with a bed of sprouts.  They could have spiced the tuna a bit more, and added some more sriracha.  I was searching for more flavor with each bite and before I knew it the sandwich was gone.

It was easy to eat because the softness of the sandwich, but needed a stronger punch ... and maybe some crunch.  My friend had to add hot pepper flakes to everything.  I'd say get the pizza or pesto pasta if you want something that is guaranteed to be good.  Their ahi tuna tacos and "grown up grilled cheese" looked interesting.  They have something called the 'Brownie Tower' which is self-explained heaven and served with a shot of chocolate milk.

The ambiance is alright, they have cool names for everything and an endless list of classy drinks.  However it's funny I felt like the menu was trying to assure me that eating here made me "grown up." Hence the "grown up" grilled cheese or a "grown up" shot of chocolate milk.  It's a creative twist to kiddish foods but thanks for the reminder.  A word of advice, order the things that are listed the most on the menu.  The 10 pages of drinks and 5 pages of cheese were no accident.
4 - Amanda K.: Stiff and very tasty drinks!  You definitely get your monies worth!  The atmosphere is very relaxing as well.  I tried the strawberry bellini martini and it was ok. I thought the grapefruit one was very good but sour.  The cherry one tasted like a sweet tart and I liked it a lot.  Our group ordered oysters (which I did not eat but they liked), the cheese plate and brushetta.  The brushetta was my favorite.  I would definitely return to this cute bar/restaurant!
5 - Tim J.: This is a solid 4.5-5 star place. The prices may be higher than we all want to pay, but they are right for the value delivered. The servers are as good or better than any other bar in CU that comes to mind (and, for better or worse, I drink nearly everywhere).

The place where Boltini really stands apart (for me) are their martinis and mixed drinks. If you order a dirty martini, for example, but specify that you want it only a little dirty they'll get it just right. Their Old Fashioned is quite a production. I forget what all Robb (mgr) put in it, but it was delightful. 

My absolute favorite mixed drink at Boltini is their Sugar Plum. It sounds pretty froofy, and it is indeed delightfully delish, but this straight arrow stands behind this very strong and very purple (tasting) beverage. I am not sure if the fact that I order mine without sugar on the rim of the glass makes my Sugar Plum swilling any less emasculating, but I do want that fact noted for the record.

Lastly, Boltini's hosts 'Tuesday Night Trivia', starting every Tuesday night at 7pm. It is a lot of fun and all you have to do is come with a friend or two or 4 (I think 5 is the max, but it may be 6) and let them know your team name. At this trivia night, as opposed to Canopy Club's, which takes place at the exact same time, team names are punny, but not perverse. The host(s) pass out answer sheets for you to fill in and ask several rounds of questions over the PA. Dont be afraid to ask questions if you are curious. 

Competition is fun, and the whole thing lasts about 2-2.5 hours. Winners get prizes, including free drinks, appetizers, and even massages. The crowd is good: think professionals, teachers, librarians, grad students and profs. I don't go regularly anymore because it is just a 'lil too dear and also a 'lil to slow. Canopy Club's questions come faster. NTN trivia at BW3's is faster still.

Park behind Boltini's in the lot.
5 - Marjie T.: I love Boltini!  It's such a great place to sit and chat and have a glass of wine.  I've been here a couple times and I will say that going in warmer weather is so much better because of their nice patio.  The inside is nice, too, but can get incredibly loud after 10ish on the weekends and cancels my original statement of being able to have a nice conversation.  However, before the music gets turned way up and it gets packed with college students, the inside has a really great ambiance.

I've only tasted a few small bites on the menu, but they seem to have a really great offering, including desserts.  I'd recommend Boltini for a date night or a night out with the girls.
2 - James H.: This place is pretentious and snobby, but that's exactly it's appeal. It's just doesn't appeal to me. If you like laid back beer-bars like Esquire or Mike and Molly's, you'll be confronted with something entirely different at Boltini. If you're interested in paying a bit more for girly, froo-froo cocktails, food that looks like food only smaller, or an entirely different experience this is the place for you. 

My most memorable moment at Boltini: asking for a Blue Moon and being handed a bottle (it's on draft everywhere else), and nearly spitting it out when I was told it would cost $4.75! (UPDATE: Blue Moon's are $4.25, not $4.75). They also assigned a single waitress to a group of over 20. When the clearly over-worked waitress couldn't keep up with the groups demands for drinks, I went to bar, and was rudely told by the snobby bartender woman that she couldn't add my beer to my tab because I had started the tab with the waitress. Again, I feel this would be an easy request for any other downtown pub to fill; but Boltini staff are too good to add one number to another number. 

That being said, if you're interested in fancy cocktails and fancy food--and are willing to pay extra for it--you'll probably like this place. If you're not a cocktail drinker, then skip this place.

UPDATE: Thanks to Robb for responding to my concerns. Like I said, it's not my taste, but many people seem to like it. I'd rather have a diverse downtown than have everything the same.
5 - Sarah M.: HELLO, new favorite place in Champaign.

We decided as a family to go here for dinner on a recent visit. My brother is newly 21, so why not go somewhere with an amazing looking drink menu as well as an amazing looking menu?

We got there relatively early on a Saturday, roughly 645pm. There were only a few individuals when we got there. We started the night with drinks, continued the night with drinks, and ended the night with drinks. Oh, and maybe some food. We each had martinis to start and were fairly pleased. Then I stumbled upon this gem of a mojito - strawberry basil. There were no mint mojitos due to the seasonality of mint - I love when restaurants acknowledge this fact. However, strawberries are in season, and made the most delicious drink. Maybe this is why I had 3.

Oh, yeah, there's food. Do yourself a favor and order a cheese plate. A lot of the cheeses are from local farms and DELICIOUS. I continued the cheese parade with the Mac and Cheese. Cheddar and strong blue cheese? YUM. By the time we left (about 9:45pm - we take our time!) this place was PACKED, and much louder.

Maybe since I'm used to paying Chicago prices for drinks, I found this place to be very reasonable. My mojitos were $8. We spent $95 on drinks, $50 on food, and were stuffed and well "hydrated" and very pleased.  Very pleasant service, although as Boltini got busier, we saw our waitress less (she was also doubling as a bartender). I will be back, Boltini.
5 - Angela L.: People say they are too pricey, but they also make the strongest drinks in town and the service is wonderful. I love the people that work there.  So friendly.
4 - Robert R.: First, the good: The food was absolutely amazing. I had the rare tuna sandwich and it was far and away the best sandwich I've had. Also, I had the "Fancy Mac&Cheese" (I think that's what it's called) and it was phenomenal. I talked to the manager for a while about the menu and he was very friendly and helpful, and they served free samples of Maker's Mark. Also, my wine was fantastic, but I credit the wine more than the restaurant. 

EDIT: The bad: Originally I had posted a rather harsh review of the service, but in retrospect I think they were just understaffed/overworked due to trivia night. It's sort of an odd shaped restaurant, and I understand it's easy to lose a table in the shuffle. However, I still need to knock them down a star for it (but knocking them down 4 stars was way too much). 

I really appreciated the manager commenting on my original review, and it made me warm up to the place a lot. I'll come back on a different day, and hopefully that will let me give this place 5 stars. The food really was fantastic, worthy of 5 stars. Hopefully it was just an "off night" due to trivia when I went in.
5 - Sassy O.: I love Boltini and Boltini loves me :)
5 - Jenna H.: One of my favorite bars...anywhere. Boltini consistently has delicious food that surpasses traditional pub fare ( try the Liar's Club, it's a favorite :) ) and highest quality cocktails. This bar exceeds the expectations of most downtown spots with it's superior service and atmosphere. Sure, the drinks might cost you a dollar or two more - but trust me, you're getting more bang ( ahem, booze) for your buck.
5 - Pete B.: 4.5

I went to Boltini for dinner twice, and the food was good! We ordered a ton of appetizers and they were all good. My two favorites were the artichoke dip and the ahi tuna wonton (but again, I like everything with ahi tuna). The sandwiches were also really good too. We also got all their desserts (they had like 3 to choose from), and I loved the creme brulees. Best of all, the price was surprisingly cheap!

The drinks were mostly good. Their beer of the month was good and cheap at $3. Other than that, their drinks fall in the $6-9 range which is a little steep for a town like Champaign. However, they make their drinks really strong, so you kinda have to pace yourself through the drinks.

Overall, I like this place a lot. Great ambient, great food, great drinks, reasonable price. It's quite a rarity in Champaign.

4 stars if you want to go there for drinks
5 stars if you want to go there for dinner (because it's a bargain for the quality of food you get, especially when you have a gift certificate from restaurant.com).
5 - kate c.: Tomato soup with vodka and grilled cheese? Yes please!

Awesome cheese plates? Thank you!

Stiff-ass cocktails (made correctly)? For sure.

Excellent service.

Great bar.
4 - Cat C.: I love the atmosphere in Boltini - it's an amazing place to just relax and have a few drinks with friends over some food. Inside is dimly lit with strategically placed candles and intriguing local artwork hung throughout. Intimate booths up front for a date night and plush couches in the back for larger groups - I'm a fan of both. 

Drinks are priced relatively high for Champaign-Urbana standards at around $7-10 a cocktail, but they are made strong and well so it's worth it in my opinion. Food there is alright - I'm trying hard to remember it but failing ... which means it must not have been that spectacular.

Summary: Go to Boltini if you want to get away and relax in an intimate setting. Not if you wanna get wasted and start dancing on the tables. Go to Joe's or Murphy's for that.
4 - James B.: I really, really loved this place.  Fantastic ambiance, fantastic martinis, fantastic service, fantastic food.  I love the variety of martinis here, which you don't see often at this level, and I especially love the dirty martinis (the Bloody Hot and Dirty).  

Appetizers are fantastic to share, especially the pub pretzel fondue and "Euro Crostini."  

This all leads me to the only reason I knocked this place down to four stars: My girlfriend got the pub pretzel fondue for me as takeout one day, and the dip was just dumped into the cardboard container with the pretzel, where it inevitably began to seep through.  Why a place that is usually as top-notch as Boltini would just dump a sauce into a cardboard container, I don't know.
3 - Steve M.: Faux upscale bar in C-U.  Not my cup of tea, often with bad dance music and DJs involved as well.  That said, if it's your thing, I would say you could do much, much worse in C-U.

I must admit I've never had the food.
4 - Sivling H.: The chic decor, dim lights, and cozy booths set the intimate mood at Boltini Lounge. There are also additional seating areas in the back to accommodate larger groups but, especially during busier hours, I think that smaller groups work best. 

I love the menu's variety of selection to choose from. My personal favorites include the crab cakes, liar's club (the sriracha sauce is absolutely delish), meat-a-balls, and grilled cheese that you can dip into shots of the yummiest tomato vodka soup! The drinks are a little pricey, but are always really good and stiff; you'll get your money's worth.

The male servers during my first two visits to Boltini were exceptional. They were knowledgeable, hospitable, and professional. During my last visit, however, we had a female server and although she was polite, she was very curt and seemed impatient for us to quickly order, eat, and pay as if it were a full house (in reality, we were one of only two tables during that early dinner hour).  

Overall, I would recommend Boltini. The prices are reasonable and the food is pretty great. If the good service was more consistent across the staff, I would be more keen to give Boltini a straight 5 stars.
4 - Lester B.: There are tons of bars in downtown Champaign and this place is fortunate enough for me to have walked into it! Met up a couple of friends here for a drink and ehh it was alright. My mojito was too sour and the leaves are grinded up pretty good so you can sip up a herb and not even know it. I sipped an herb and chewed on it by accident and YACKCKK!! 

My friend's martini was too strong for her so she asked to have it re-mixed, the waiter said he was too busy but questioned her for 3 minutes about her drink saying he couldn't do it, and wadda-ya-know, he did it! He was friendly overall, however, but saying one thing and then the truth comes out is a slight pet-peeve for me.

Environment was nice; music really cranked up at 10 on the dot. Good place to chill and have a few drinks, what i really liked were the prices. They were very moderate and not overpriced. I would come back again but next time i'll pre-drink so I can babysit another mojito that i don't enjoy. :).

P.S. I received a follow up message; this goes to show that this restaurant really shows effort to tend to the comforts of the customers. Great service!
2 - Cris H.: The atmosphere and drink menu are great.  I think if you come for that you can expect friendly service and a nice night out.  However, I was greatly disappointed with the food.  The menu reads well but it in no way lived up to the descriptions.  I ordered the liars club, and while the tuna was cooked nicely (just a quick sear), there was so much of it on the sandwich that its juice soaked through the sprouts and the bread.  Having a raw tuna soaked sandwich is not the most appealing thing.  I just picked at the tuna a bit but could not manage touching the rest of it.  My friend ordered the mac n' cheese.  It was some plain noodles set in a dish with pre-grated cheddar sprinkled over it and the tiniest amount of crumbled blue cheese.  This is NOT mac n' cheese, where was the creamy goodness?  All in all, I will not be returning because I simply can't get past the disappointment of another place with mediocre food that could be so much better.
4 - Melissa K.: Nice, dark late-night atmosphere. It was a little hard to find a table (the place was packed), and we had to seat ourselves (boo). 

Food was great. We shared a mushroom/goat cheese crostini appetizer. The mushrooms and cheese were sort of creamed together, which I wasn't happy with at first, but liked it once I tasted it. 

I had the lobster bisque, which was a special, and it was a nice price (I think $5 for a nicely sized bowl). 

The drinks will kick your ass... in a good way. 

Our waiter was SO FUN. Only downside is that we were checked on a little too often, and weren't really given enough privacy to chow down.
4 - Aaron M.: Skip the food, just go here for the cocktails. Impress your parents this is what you do for the weekend, not KAM's.
3 - RJ D.: remember when you saw your mom get drunk at a wedding and things got awkward?  well, that's boltini's at dinner time.  i'm in my early 30's and go to boltini's for dinner with my husband sometimes.  we usually have to fight the throng of 30-40-somethings dressed in ill fitting clothes from wet seal to find a seat.  chicago it's not, but it tries... soooo hard.  that's the problem.  this place tries TOO hard.  i get it.  the downtown area needs a trendy place to serve martinis, but it is like watching a five year old play dress up.  you know what they're aiming for, but it's a long way off.  

the cons: the music/ambiance is way too loud for dinner time.  if you want to eat and carry on a conversation with your party, forget it.  it's not going to happen.  if you know sign language or can psychically connect with your date, awesome, you'll be fine.  also, the servers are okay at best.  i know the odd design and lay out of this building makes it difficult to navigate for people who just go there to eat.  if i had to carry plates or worry about a platter full of drinks, i'd probably make only the necessary trips to tables, too.  it's dark in there, too.... so so dark.  be prepared to hold the menu to the candle on the table.  at first i thought that it was on the table for ambiance.  i know realize it was there out of necessity.

the pros: the food is really pretty decent, which is why i have returned several times.  the cheese platter is good and the creme brulee was super.  if you want some decadent food, you'll get it.  the martini's are alright.  i have tried the sweeter ones on a few occasions, and they are good.  strong?  i don't know.  they were ah-ight.  

my suggestion?  if you want to eat here and enjoy it, go during a weekday night.  even better, go when it's warm outside so you can sit outside.  there is nice seating outside and it's far easier to have a conversation with your companion.
2 - Lisa B.: Kind of a dark place to be.  The building is long and skinny.  When we walked in we were not greeted in a friendly manner actually we were not greeted at all. We noticed there were reserved signs on all the tables that had daylight on them so we were directed to the back where they have creepy crescent shaped booths.

They have daily specials and the special was $5 cosmos so we all ordered one.  It was really good and really strong!  One is all you need.  We also ordered the margherita pizza, artichoke dip & the fancy mac & cheese.  The pizza was good, the dip was fabulous and the mac & cheese was gross. I do not know why they called it fancy mac & cheese.  The noodles were too big and chewy and the cheese did not have any flavor.  It was bland and boring and sticky.  Nothing fancy about it all so that was misleading.

The dip had some hotness to it and had good flavor and consistency.  None of the food came out hot.  The pizza cheese was luke warm at best so I think it was sitting in the kitchen waiting to be brought out for a while.

Our waitress was really nice and very helpful with helping us select menu items.

Would I go back?  Yes, I would go back and try something different and hopefully we could sit somewhere towards the front and the light of day.  This place is really dark.
4 - Chelsey S.: Definitely not quiet by any means but it is a great place to go if you are looking for something more upscale than the local tavern. The martinis, of course, are to die for and the servers are always a joy to be around!
3 - Lydia M.: Last time I went, I had a subpar experience. The cocktails were good, as usual. However, my favorite dish, the liar's club sandwich, was nowhere near as good as it used to be. One of my dining companions agreed, she got the same thing. What used to be a wonderful seared sushi grade tuna steak reminded me more of canning grade tuna that wasn't cooked long enough. I finished it anyways, my dining companion couldn't cope and didn't eat it. We mentioned this to the server, and I hope she passed the concern to the kitchen. I might try the place again for dinner, because I used to really like it, but I'm really disappointed they messed up my favorite.

Boma Cho's Kiosk Gallery - Seattle, WA (47.6575977579745, -122.313376665115) (University District)
5 - Eric H.: Boma is my friend and an amazing artist.  His shop is one block North of Broadway Market (you know, the gigantic QFC, etc.).  He mostly sells shirts that he has placed prints on, but also does paintings and will be selling handmade soap soon.  You'll see him playing guitar on his down time and shining a big smile out onto passersby.
4 - Lisa F.: Take a look at this guys stuff when you walk by. There are some pretty neat original hoodies for sale. I'm not too into hippy icon imagery, but there might be something you like in there. 

check it out.
5 - Libby C.: And...Boma tha man is now in front of Cowri African Imports on Broadway near John.  Glad to have him back on the Hill!

Bomb Shelter - Los Angeles, CA (34.0694705, -118.4448745) (Westwood)
1 - Henry C.: All I have to say is that the employees that work at Pacific Noodle Trader are ridiculously stingy. Whenever I order a teriyaki bowl, the food workers seem to try and pack as much rice into the bowl and as little of the teriyaki as possible. I mean sure I love steamed rice, but at the price I'm paying at UCLA I could buy a 5LB bag from Ralphs and make my own. 

I've always wondered why some food workers are so damn stingy. Do they think they are actually saving their company money or that their "efforts" will somehow earn them recognition and a pay raise?

To add insult to injury, I don't think they even serve noodles...
1 - Dave Y.: avoid it like the plague... the only incentive is convenience. other than that, food is crappy and portions are tiny, and the staff is either not very nice or not very competent. they charge you extra for a few pieces of bell peppers or spicy mayo, and they rip you off so watch out
4 - Kenneth S.: Alrite, here's the complete list of food vendors at Bomb Shelter.  

Subway
Yoshinoya
Fusion - a rotating menu of foods from around the world or so they say
Bombshelter Bistro - more of an upscale dining experience with gourmet sandwiches, soups, salads, and entrees
and Southern Lights - frozen yogurt and coffee

They also have a small convenient store at the entrance for snacks and drinks.
BTW, I was wrong about the food trucks and Bomb Shelter co-existing.  It looks like they've Xed out the trucks from the Court of Science for good.  I guess they don't wanna share the lunch crowd and $$ with outsiders in a typical UCLA fashion.
2 - Krystle N.: I don't know anything about the old one, but the food choices here now suck and the staff is extremely stingy with the servings. They really need to bring back the food trucks. 2 stars for the decor

Bomb Tacos - Austin, TX (30.2896858, -97.7413938) (The Drag, University of Texas, West Campus)
3 - Stephen S.: Eh... not so bomb...

I had a bistec taco and a chicken breast taco.

She put the same odd brown sauce on both, seasoned both with the same red powder mix... and, consequently, they were pretty similar to each other...

She also included what I first thought was an avocado salsa, but am now pretty sure was a mantequilla de ajo, garlic butter sauce... which would have probably made the flavors pop if they hadn't been killed by the brown sauce...

All in all... If you're curious and in the neighborhood and are in the mood for tacos and don't have the leg strength to get to Torchy's (or have been to Torchy's 27 times in the past week), it's arguably worth a shot... I probably won't go back

...but it wasn't terrible.

Also, they don't sell drinks of any kind.
4 - Erica C.: I've stopped by here twice for a breakfast taco before my classes. The lady is sweet and the breakfast tacos are delicious. 

I've had the egg and chorizo and the egg and spinach. Both were yummy in the tummy. She makes it on the spot when you order. Half the fun is watching her cook your breakfast taco on the hibachi grill. I'm licking my lips, going "oh boy oh boy", while clenching onto my $2 enjoying the aromas and watching the egg and chorizo sizzle on the grill. 

I can never eat another breakfast taco from Jack in the Box or McDonalds again.
1 - Kristina H.: We were at Lustre Pearl last night, ready for some tacos. My boyfriend placed the order and we waited very very very patiently while we thought they were making them. A half hour later, we started to ask where our tacos were (we ordered only 2 of them, mind you, and we asked a couple times) and they kept saying they were on their way. Over the next 15 minutes, we saw no tacos leave that truck and two workers in the trailer were just standing around not doing much. We decided to just ask for our money back and when we did, the guy said "we'll make them for you right now!" Well, you should have made them 45 minutes ago. That would have been great.

I'm sure the tacos are wonderful when you actually get them.
5 - Francisco T.: Had them at lustre pearl last night. GREAT CUBANA burger! was i yelling? oh, cool cause it was  GREAT BURGER. didn't notice that much bacon in it but meh, the rest of the burger made up for it. pineapple chunks were great, cheese even better and for the price, definitely can't beat it.  And while ususally its a good thing and i could have waited two minutes, the food was right off the grill so it was really really hot. i know, i should have let the fries cool off but i was hungry. still though, great seasoning on all the food and my buddy loved the burritos. Will try again next time i'm at lustre pearl. in fact, might go back to lustre just because they have this food truck on sundays. lustre is great, but damn its hot out there in the summer. might go back later at night for the food....
5 - Amit A.: Okay so this rating is only for the one thing on the menu that i tasted- the fried pickles. after reading the fearless critic review of the place, i cant really comment too much on the service or any of the other items, but the fried pickles were AMAZING! They are so amazing that i would drive all the way across town just to eat them. i mean lick your fingers good. so maybe on your visit to bomb tacos, have no expectations for the rest of the menu, but the fried pickles wont disappoint!
5 - Richelle T.: This little trailer is quite delicious. To be honest, I don't remember what I ordered but I remember being very pleased. I remember there being one taco that had pineapples sauteed on the grill with onions and chicken/beef. It was amazing. Like seriously fantastic. I really enjoyed that taco. I have not completed a culinary tour of their menu but I can vouch for that one. The service was prompt and the cook/cashier was very friendly and made pleasant chit chat as I waited. I will most certainly visit again. My only complaint would be that I wished they opened earlier in the morning. I think they target the mid-morning crowd (after 9am), I am a before 8am type of person.
4 - Megan L.: NEW ADDRESS ALERT!! I need to figure out how to change that.

I've had so many good experiences with this taco stand outside of Lustre Pearl. As a Corpus native, I'm typically pretty snobby about who I let make my tacos but these guys are legit.

My absolute favorite part is that they use really yummy refried black beans. Most people think I'm so weird but I think the beans are the heart of the taco. If you get those wrong, you might as well close up shop. That and the tortilla of course. 

The only reason I'm not giving them a 5th star is because the queso leaves a little something to be desired. For a whopping $5 you can just skip it and get an extra taco for cheaper. :)
5 - Sean G.: Don't tell anyone, but I think these tacos are the best in Austin.  Even better than El Naranjo down the street.  

Keep it on the DL, though.
4 - Scott R.: One of the more reliable taco trucks I've found in the city.

Seemingly anchored to Lustre Pearl's backyard off Rainey Street, the tacos run $3 a pop in this taco truck and there are many to choose from.  I can vouch for the Al Pastor (the right balance of pork and pineapple) and the Fish Taco (nice kick).

General comments:
- They tend to be a little spicier than the average taco.
- They use a lot of cilantro.  If you're the type that taste soap when they eat cilantro, putting one of their tacos in your mouth might feel like 1950's punishment for saying a cuss word.
- Service isn't super-speedy.  They give you a number and it might take 15 minutes or so before they come by w/ your taco.  So kick back w/ a drink and start talking to take your mind off your hunger.
5 - Sky R.: I have eaten a lot of tacos in Austin. Probably safe to say pretty much every taco place here. I have to say the name says it all. They are probably the best tacos in town, which is a bold statement but true. I am a vegetarian and they have a great veg menu but most of my friends that are non vegetarians say its the best tacos in town.
3 - Kelly S.: I remember when Lustre first opened and I had a glorious experience with Bomb Tacos. Fast forward to now where they're not that glorious at all. We had the queso, a black bean/avocado taco and a campechana. 

The queso tasted like nacho cheese... and not even the good kind that comes in cans. The bad kind like you get at the movie theater. It was ew gross. Then the tacos... mine had flavor. Grilled onions, pineapple, chorizo but still, I just wasn't blown away by what should be an incredible taco. 

It's drunk food and so assuming I hang at Lustre more, I'll probably eat it again. But I'll be on the hunt for something less disappointing.
2 - Jason M.: The tacos are good at the Lustre Pearl location.  Really good. In fact, I can think of only a few that are better. The nachos are also top notch. Too bad the service borders on hostile. It was bad. When I had the audacity to try to order, the guy just walked away. When he finally got back, he just stared at me til I ordered. If I got it wrong, would he hit me? Declare a blood feud? 
Instead, he grunted 'nine', took my cash, and walked away. A real treat, that one. 

Minutes later, the food came. It was wrong. When I corrected him, he said nothing and walked away. 

He eventually returned, dropping off the rest of the order, then left. 

Delicious tacos, but me not feeling threatened is kinda important when I'm ordering food. There was probably a language barrier there. But you know what? I don't care. He could have at least smiled.
5 - Lisa B.: Love their Lustre Pearl location. Their 5 vegetarian tacos gets my vote, but also love the unique choices like pulled pork with pineapple...mmmm. $6 for two large, stuffed tacos? #winning

Bombay Bistro - Montclair, CA (34.0929683, -117.6895289) ()
3 - Daryl I.: This is probably one of the better Indian restaurants in our area, then again, we will never take the place of Artesia or Cerritos.  I've been a few times, for both lunch and dinner, and it never seems like it gets very crowded, so it's a safe bet if you just want to go some place and not have to wait.  Maybe it's the location, which is set inside a strip mall off the main street.  Right next to a reptile shop.

The service is really good, which is an added bonus, or a by-product of not being too busy.  They have a number of dinner specials that allow you to try and number of different items with your meal, sort of like a combo dinner that you usually see in Chinese restaurants.  I think one of my favorite dishes here is their Chicken 65, which was flavorful and juicy.  In fact, this is the first place I've ever tried it, and I thought it was better than their tandoori chicken.  The other items I have had were merely competent, such as the Chicken Vindaloo, Rogan Josh (lamb), and Vegetable Pilao.
3 - Mari J.: I agree with the other review, one of the only decent Indian places in the area.  I have never actually eaten here, only had the takeout.  The vegetable samosas are ok, but are kind of salty sometimes.  I usually get Lamb Saag and Chicken Korma with naan, or whatever variant of those they have on the menu.  The food is good, but it can be inconsistent.  I don't know if it's a changing of the cooks or whatnot, but there have been times that the food wasn't as good as a previous time.  Nonetheless, not many other choices around, so go for it if you want some Indian food.
4 - justin r.: YAY MANGO LASSIS!

The food here is not deserving of 4 stars (more like 3.5), but I love going here and fattening my ass during the lunch buffet (I think it's $7.99 or less).  For some reason I feel more cultured when stuffing my face at an Indian buffet rather than a Chinese one (maybe bc I can't pronounce some of the dishes?).  Anyways, their naan is good, and like I said, mango lassis!  I thought the food was amazing the first time I went, but after eating at other Indian places I would say it's just above average. I've never been there for dinner, but it seems like the atmosphere would be pretty romantic and a good place to take a date (isn't spicy food supposed to be an aphrodisiac anyways?)
4 - Karen L.: Very decent Indian food! Prices are within normal price range as far as Indian restaurants go. The interior decor is very interesting... and they appear to have a full-bar. I've always had EXCELLENT service here, and they are oh so good about filling up your water consistently... and you know this stuff can get hot! If I'm in the mood for Indian around my place, this is the place I venture out to.

Two things I got last time that were yummy yummy: Chicken Korma and Chicken Tikka Masala of course!
5 - Mack S.: New owners here and the food is once again made properly! By that i mean that it tastes good! Their tandoori chicken is really good, one of the few places that lets is marinade long enough to get actual taste out of it!! More on this place later.....Peace.
4 - Ali P.: I have been coming here since we first moved out to the area back in '93. The food is pretty good, and they have a good selection of Indian beers which go surprisingly well with the main entrees. 

My favorites here are Chicken Tikka Masala and Palak Paneer (veggie), which go well with rice and/or bread. Service here is also good; waiters are attentive and there's rarely a wait for a table.
4 - tekah m.: let me preface my review by saying that i haven't eaten here since 2005 as i have since graduated and moved out of the area, but i remember this place having really great indian food (and yes, i eat a fair amount of indian food and have had amazing homemade indian food as well).  my friends and i always used to go for the weekday lunchtime buffet.  if i remember correctly, it was $5.99 per person and had a full spread of salad, pakoras, samosas, vegetarian and meat dishes (at least 2 of each), dessert, and naan.  

however, i remember eating there for dinner once with a group of 10 or so and the waiter seemed so stressed out that it stressed me out having him wait on us.  generally, i've gotten better service there, but i think their buffet is the best bet.
4 - kate w.: I used to come here with tekah.  She is totally right, the lunch buffet is a great deal.  This place had changed management several times though service, selection and quality seems to stay the same.  I too haven't been there in some time ( i live like 2,000 miles away now) but i can still taste the samosas, best ever.
2 - Joshua T.: Lots of money to leave unsatisfied.

The food was tasty. Got 6 pieces of Chicken, Vegetable Curry, Side Salad, rice, tasty bread, to eat. Karma 22oz beer and mango yogurt to drink. split for 2. Still hungry. Where most restaurants we would have been stuffed. so we ordered 2 deserts. a very runny rice pudding and a frozen solid homemade ice cream. Then we had to wait forever for the check. When the check came it was so many cents short of $50. ... the atmosphere is nice. very empty for a Saturday night. People of Indian descent did come in... which usually means the food is good.

Might try it again. Next time we do, we will be informing them that we are writing a review.
4 - Seth G.: I have been patronizing Bombay Bistro for approximately three years. The food has been quite consistent and good, although the portions to price ratio could be a bit better. Unless you load up on rice, the average portion may not be sufficient to sate one with a decent appetite. This being said, they have the best Chicken Tikka Masala around. The tandoori, biryani and vegetable dishes have all be well prepared. 

The waiting staff has always been very good and cordial. 

Another plus is the kitchen is generally open past 9:00 or 9:30PM - even during the week, which is rare for the area as most restaurants close shop at about 9:00PM (If I recall correctly, the restaurant is closed on Mondays during the summer.)
1 - stella a.: The food was so very salty and the rice extremely oily, found it hard to finish any of it.  Incredibly overpriced which makes me think that they are overcharging because they are obviously not getting many repeat customers...my husband is British (they know their Indian food) and he thought it was rubbish and our daughter was ill after eating the chicken korma, would never go back
4 - Lester L.: We've been coming here for years, and we love this place.  We have fours kids from infant to nine years old and they also love this place.  The food is good, the prices are right, and the service is fantastic!!!

We usually order the "Bombay Bistro" which comes with a ton of food for under $40.  We always have leftovers.  The great price on this family sized entree allows us to indulge in other stuff like lassis, parathas, various appetizers, and of course, dessert.  Their rice pudding (kheer) is very good - not too sweet, really good texture).

Go and enjoy.  If you go the last Friday of the month there are live belly dancers, although I think I saw more belly than dancing...
4 - Andrew M.: Made a trip up Central to Bombay Bistro.

Tucked away in a little shopping center, the night we went... it was a bit slow.

Food was priced fair as we got the family dinner special. However, we substituted the Tandori Chicken for another Tikka Masala. 

The color of the Tikka Masala was a red orange... a bit more red than I am used to... maybe it needed some more cream?

The rice was white and I think it would of been fun if it were yellow... maybe cause I am yellow?? I don't know what that would comfort me but it does....

Food was good, price was good. 4/5 stars....
4 - Sean B.: I love this restaurant, but it has been a little hit and miss lately.  The lunch buffet varies (which is a definite plus), and the dinner menu is extensive.  The service is always awesome and the food is generally delicious.  For dinner, I prefer the dining room to the bar.  It is more intimate and quiet.  My only real complaint (and factor that is keeping the restaurant at 4 stars) is I recently ordered take out chicken curry.  It was terrible, I almost took it back.  It was obvious that it had been sitting around and was left over from the lunch buffet.  The chicken was tough and stringy, and the curry was starting to separate.  I really try hard not to judge based on one bad experience.  I have been here many times and the food is generally really good.  Despite my one bad take out experience, I still highly recommend the restaurant.  I love the Goan fish curry with coconut!
2 - Meredyth L.: good food but really poor customer service -- took forever, didnt honor our gift certificate.. all around,m not impressed.
5 - DAHVIA I.: yum 
bombay bistro dinner special..have a ton to take home too.
 want some buffet for lunch buy havent come by that early yet. 
service excellent.
addicted instantly.
5 - August G.: For dinner their food is amazing, and I love that their rice comes in the little metal bowls. Although they are not cheap and they look like they only give a little food (the dishes come in metal bowls too) those bowls are kind of on the never-ending side. Will fill you up. Their naan is also very good, and always served warm. Their lassis are okay. Their teas are very good.

On weekends they have brunch buffet, which is much cheaper, and also typical Indian brunch. Rice, naan, curry or masala or vindaloo of some sort, the rice pudding and sticky flour doughballs for dessert. Very decent fare. Obviously will also fill you up, since it's a buffet.
5 - grace f.: Oh happy thoughts...I always get excited when I'm going to head to this place. I have been to many many Indian restaurants but this one is my fav. 

The place may be misleading when you first walk in but trust me, ride it out its worth it. Although service can be a little slow at times the food will make up for it. 

Try one of these tasty threesomes: Chicken Korma, Chicken Vindaloo or Garlic Chicken Tikka pair it up with some Basmatti Rice or Naan and you are set for Nirvana!! Its really, really, really good. Go and check it out and once you see how good it is you can be the "cool kid" who recommends the great Indian restaurant to eat at and don't worry you wont have to give me credit for it. :)
5 - J B.: My wife and I went to the Bombay Bistro around 5:30pm on a Thursday evening and we had the place to ourselves.  We ordered a few appetizers (samosas and pakoras), and a mango lassi.  The veggie samosas were excellent and the cheese pakoras were decent.  The samosa was good but a little small.

For dinner we ordered this set meal for $35, which was called the "Bombay Bistro" I think.  It included an appetizer (65 chicken?), chicken tikka masala, saag paneer, tandori chicken and naan.  The appetizer was a sizzling skillet piled high with onions and some really spicy chicken, but it was delicious.  The chicken tikka masala was the best I've had in IE.  We don't like our ctm spicy, so we ordered it "mild" and it came out creamy and wonderful.  The spinach and cheese dish was excellent, but by the time the sizzling skillet with the tandoori chicken came out we were too stuffed to eat any more.

We packed up the rice and tandoori chicken, plus the extra pieces of naan.  The set meal was more than enough for two people and everything on it was wonderful.  If you like the standard US Indian fare, chicken tikka masala and naan, this place can't be beat.  Next time I'd like to try the Goan curry fish.
2 - Pooja B.: At the last minute my dad called me and asked me to have lunch with him. I was so excited because I was just thinking what am I going to eat... Then he suggested Bombay Bistro. I feel like we may been gone on a off day considering that a lot of people gave it a better review. To me the food was NOT good. The chicken tikka masala was too sweet, the lamb and chicken vindaloo was so watery. The garlic naan was ok and the mango lassi not too bad. The think that did it for me was the price. For a lunch for two people it came to about $25 for bad food... Well I tried it and now I know... NO more Bombay Bistro
2 - Oleya P.: I've been to Bombay Bistro quite a few times, but the last two visits have left me really disappointed. The service can be slow, but that's not what was bugging me. It was the rice/naan either not coming out as the same time as the entrees or not coming out with the food at all, and we had to ask for it. 

In addition to that, the rice I got on my last visit was terrible! It was watery and all smushed together. It looked old. My mom's biriyani was the same, too. I asked them to make it again, and the second time it was much better, but my mom couldn't even finish her meal. I guess that's what we get for going an hour before closing, but we were still disappointed. I guess we'll be going elsewhere for Indian food now.
3 - noel s.: 3.5 stars. What killed a possible 4 stars was the chicken in the tikka massala wasn't fresh. It was like chewing small pieces of plastic.

But the rest of the Sunday "Champagne brunch" was pretty decent. The egg curry was nice because it was more tomato based. The tandori chicken was nice and fresh. I also really liked their samosas. They're the right size and while the skin is too doughy for my taste, the filling was spot-on. The garlic naan was tasty. I didn't have the champagne but had their chai which was pretty good. 

The place wasn't too busy so service was decent.

For $10 for a Sunday brunch you can't beat it. I'd come back and try it again and perhaps give them 1 more star.
4 - Christina L.: I loved the lunch buffet - had a great variety of vegetarian options.  

The garlic naan was so delicious (hot and fluffy), especially with spinach paneer spread on top of it.  I also tried the veggie rice with curry, the tandoori chicken (which was perfectly spiced and grill), and the chicken tikka masala.  

We had no problems with the service considering we were the only ones there on a weekday lunch hr.
5 - NItin S.: Been there atleast 20times in the last year.

Awesome food. Ask about hot appetizers.
2 - Flannery W.: I was really hungry for Indian food, and this place had a good coupon trough restaurant.com. I had been here before for the lunch buffet and never had any problems. This time my husband and I went there for dinner. While the food was good, they brought out my mango lassi after I had already eaten dinner, and were pissy when I told them I wanted it during my meal not afterwards. Not to mention that we had no forks the entire time, and no one came over to ask us if we needed anything! Um..yeah...forks would have been nice. Spotty service, but probably because they were busy. Not going back. Sorry Bombay Bistro.
4 - Danielle L.: This restaurant is delicious if you are looking for spicy, delectable Indian food. It's rather large inside (don't be fooled by the exterior) and the lunch buffet is always above par.

I often come for dinner, and find the staff to be courteous and helpful. I've tried many of their menu items, and I love to rave about their Palek Paneer. Truly delicious.

A great dining experience, all around!
5 - Meredith R.: Two things: Tofu (or Chicken) Tikka Masala and Palak Paneer.  Add some garlic naan, a mango lassi, and maybe some veggie samosas and you're in Indian food heaven.

I went to the Claremont Colleges (graduated in '08) and whenever I'm in the area I have to stop for dinner.  Haven't found a better Tikka Masala anywhere... and believe me I've been looking.
4 - Jasmine W.: a co-worker recommended this spot and since forrest y and i have been hunting / craving good indian food around here, we stopped by yesterday evening. we pulled up and the windows are completely tinted... mysterious but we eagerly entered anyway. when you walk in through the main doors, you first hit the "sports bar" area with a small bar, solitary flat screen, a few tables, and the buffet set-up for lunch. to the left is a nicer decorated dinner area. we're given the huge menu and were immediately impressed by their great selection of appetizers, tandoori items, chicken, lamb, seafood, and vegetarian options. we were also very excited about their large variety of naan flavors; in addition to the traditional plain and garlic, they had olive (which we ordered - it's stuffed inside with sliced green olives and was deliciously chewy and fresh) and lamb naan along with naans with various spices - yum!

we ended up selecting the mixed tandoori plate and lamb vindaloo, both a la carte (comes with rice; the combination includes house soup or salad and rice or plain naan). the mixed tandoori plate was huge - it had two types of beef, chicken, fish, and shrimp along with onions and bell peppers. it came on a heaping sizzling plate and was way too much food for even us hungry eaters to finish! the lamb vindaloo was nice as well - it had the perfect amount of kick at medium (their choices are mild/medium/hot and based on their medium, i'm thinking "hot" is indian hot!). the vindaloo was slightly sweet with a tomato base, the lamb was stewed and tender, and i always enjoy the potatoes since they perfectly absorb the flavor.

my husband also loved the beer selection - they were out of his hayward 5000 but was very happy with his pint of old monk 10000 (and with a name like that, who wouldn't love it?). i tried some and it was delicious - medium bodied, refreshing, and with a slightly sweet aftertaste. we also noticed that the other tables around us also ordered the old monk, so i guess we got lucky on our order!

prices were reasonable for all the food that you get (we paid an even $50 for 2 after tip and tax), great service, and that it saves you a hectic drive to pasadena or further west to get yummy indian food. 
bombay bistro's da bomb! *dorky chuckle*
3 - Robert K.: Chicken Tikka Masala and Palak Paneer are my two favorite Indian dishes, and both are very good at Bombay Bistro.  The Tikka Masala had more herbs than I have ever experienced before.  The extra herbs enhanced the flavor.  I would give this dish a 4 star (when served at dinner).   

We have been to BB for lunch a few times and this time we went for dinner.  They do offer a dinner combo meal for two.  You can expect the lunch buffet to be lunch buffet quality and not dinner quality.  This is very typical and to be expected at all of the Indian restaurants I have frequented.   

We didn't like the extra charge for Garlic Naan. Being that I have eaten at several Indian restaurants from Los Angeles to South Orange County.  I have been to the following: Diamond Palace, Peacock Garden, Natraj, and Shehnai Cuisine of India.  I need to head out to Cerritos, CA
4 - Marilyn B.: I have been here a couple of times and me & some friends just dined here a week ago. It was perfect, everyone loved it. Great atmosphere, friendly staff, and tasty, spicy food! Many vegetarian options. Highly recommended.
3 - Johnny N.: So, unlike Michelin which grades based what's only on the plate, I have to use my prerogative to introduce other factors in this review. Because if it was based on what was on the plate, then I would have given Bombay 4 stars.  The food really was delicious, and though I've had better elsewhere the food here stands on its own.  I had the chicken tikka masala, done medium spicy, and it came out as that.  Full of flavor and the right amount of heat.  The naan was delicious as well, and piping hot when it came out.  The mango lassi was ok, I'm not sure I would order this every time though.  Maybe just once in a while, if I haven't had my lassi kick in a long while.

And the restaurant is pretty nice and clean, though a little dark for my preference.  Servers were also nice, but one seemed a little inept.

Unfortunately, I have to knock them down a star because of the value.  I spent WAY too much money for what I got.  Sure it was delicious, but as I stated before, I've had better, and it was less expensive.  Including entree, naan, lassi, tax & tip, I shelled out $30.  Really??

So, I'll probably go again if others go, but leave it up to me, and I'd rather spend the money on gas to drive to Cerritos.
1 - Rebecca F.: This place saddened my heart!
If you are a lover of Indian cuisine this IS NOT the place for you. 

I went last week (Thurs. night) with my boyfriend. We Yelped the place, and the reviews were raving, and being a truster of Yelp, we headed out. 

Outside the place is gorgeous. Inside, it looks like someone put a lot of thought and (many years ago) a lot of money. It's large and there are dozens of tables which were nicely decorated. It was prime dinner time and there was one other couple who sat in the room we did, and a group of 5 or so in the main dining room who stared at us as we entered. The dark windows and tinted doors make you wonder about this place, but this isn't the place for that discussion. 

The waiter was friendly. The service was decent and quick. The prices are exorbitant, even for Indian, which is always a bit pricey in the West Coast. I didn't second guess the prices, given that there isn't much option for a sit-down Indian dinner in this area. 

But, then, the food came. Disappointing, to say the very least. The portions seemed reverse. A large bowl of rice, and a tiny itty bitty bowl of Chicken Tikka. Sigh. The Popadoun was good (crispy, tasty, warm), but the tamarind and other dressing that came with it was FREEZING cold. It had clearly come from the refridgerator - and it also had that refridgerator taste. Gross. Of course, I ate it anyway. 

The Chicken Tikka Masala was a strange bright red color, not too far from what I've had a hundred times, but it just was OFF. The flavor was mediocre at best. It just didn't taste right. I actually wondered if the waiter mistook our order. 

The rice was the worst. It was some strange white rice (extra long grain) with large pieces of uncooked cilantro. Odd. Maybe this is just more authentic than I've ever had - but I will tell you - I have been to atleast 15 Indian restaurants in my life and I always have the same meal. 

I don't know what Yelpers are thinking. Maybe I was here on an off night. 

The worst part for me was the naan. We ordered a normal naan. None of the fluffy breadyness I have come to cherish, it ws burnt and crispy. 

It's hard to go wrong with Indian food, but Bombay Bistro found a way.
2 - Jadira R.: I wanted to like this place. The reviews seemed good and it just looked so cute inside. Clearly, I was deceived. 

The service lacked and the waiter was extremely soft spoken, so it wasn't very welcoming. We also waited about 5 minutes after entering the door for someone to come out and greet us. I think they were all just back in the kitchen, but still, it was dinner time, that's not something they should be doing. When we got one of our meat dishes, we wanted rice so we asked the other waiter if we could have some and he said "did you want that now or later?" WTH. Because I really like rice for dessert...

The food, wow, what can I say about that? Well I was very disappointed to say the least. This is probably the worst Indian food I've ever tasted. I never thought I'd try Indian food that I didn't like. It wasn't even like I tried anything new. I stuck to my same tikka massala and palak paneer order, but it just tasted so bad to me. The tikka and the paneer were both SWEET and that's something totally unexpected and it definitely wasn't a pleasant surprise. 

I don't know, I didn't like this place. I feel bad giving an Indian place such a low score because I never thought I'd do this. This is also the first Indian place I've tried in CA, since I'm from Vegas and I was just not satisfied. The only thing I liked about the place was the decorations and the presentation of the food.
3 - Juan F.: Indian food is, for some reason, a difficult find in the Inland Empire. Bombay Bistro is, if nothing else, the best Indian food I've been able to find in the Claremont Colleges area. That being said, because of its small meat portions at a hefty price, I've given it 3 stars. What you get is delicious enough (and they will indeed give you as much spice as you desire), but the food quality does not reflect the entree prices.

Now, for service: The waiters all seem to be from the same, very sweet Indian family. Unfortunately, one or two of the those waiters suck. It should not take 20 minutes to deliver me a Sprite. Also, try and give me a damn smile and don't scowl at me (I've been there at least 11 times in the last 12 months, so this is based on a fair number of visits). The only reason I still frequent the joint is because there are no other decent Indians joints in Claremont.
4 - Jeanna L.: My boyfriend and I shared one of their deals for 2 people that included an appetizer and the 2 entrees with rice and naan.

The first thing that came out was the Tandoori Chicken on a sizzling platter. It was very citrusy tasting and was delish.

Then the rest of everything came out with the spinachy/tofu Palak Paneer (I think that's what it's called) was pretty good and the Chicken Tikka Masala. 

About that Tikka Masala; the reviews don't lie. It was really good.

this "deal" also came with rice and naan (bread).

All this food we got for 2 people was about $40; and we even had some left overs to take home.
3 - Michael J.: Been here a couple times for their lunch buffet. Food is good but I think they have 2-3 fewer dishes compared to other Indian buffets in the area. Buffet price comes out to like $10.80 with tax. Service wasn't great. I had to ask the waiter to refill my drinks at times. Like someone else mentioned the waiter was soft spoken. You can find better Indian buffets in Rancho Cucamonga like Handii or Koyla.
4 - Julia G.: I have been here several times and usually ended up coming for birthday parties. They handle large groups very well and never got angry when we all paid with cards or took a long time with the bill (we were in college and didn't know the meaning of expediting or planning ahead). Their Chicken Korma is the best I've had anywhere and I remember their Chicken Tikka Masala, Palak Paneer, Daal, Vegetable Korma, and Lamb Biryani all as being fantastic too. It's a great place to go with friends and share. And you'll still have leftovers.
4 - Ronaldy M.: 1. Interesting location as it's next to a reptile store.
2. No, they don't serve reptiles.
3. No beef. DUH!
4. Try the mango yogurt drink. YUM!
5. Naan is a must.
4 - Kit W.: YUMMY!!!  I came here years ago and can't even remember what I ordered (I think it was the Chicken Tikka?) but daaaaannng was it GOOD!  No, I was not drunk when I had it and I am not drunk right now as I am writing xD.  The Mango Lassi was amazing too.  I want to come back...  2,500+ miles away right now but someday...
4 - Alicia D.: This restaurant has been in Montclair as long as I can remember. It has changed owners a few times, some were better than others. I recently went back because it is the closest Indian food restaurant to my place - and hey, who doesn't love Indian food? 

The last time I came here was probably over a year ago and I was not very impressed. But this time the food and service were excellent. I came here with a friend for dinner. Upon arrival we were greeted with papadum, green curry and tamarind sauces. We ordered veggie samosas, raita, aloo gobi, chicken tikka masala and garlic naaan. I asked for the main dishes spicy and was pleasantly surprised by the amount of heat each had. The aloo gobi was very interesting. Along with the potato and cauliflower there were large slices of zucchini and ginger in the dish. This added a wonderful flavor complexity, especially when you got a big piece of ginger. The chicken tikka masala was also very tasty, on par with many other Indian restaurants in the area (Haandi, Bombay). The naan was light and crispy - a bit well done which I enjoyed. Samosas were delicious, well flovored and the potatoes were smooth and balanced with the peas. For all of the dishes and 2 big beers (Karma is my favorite) the total came out to about $50 - which wasn't bad. There is a coupon on restaurant.com which I will definitely utilize on my next visit. 

http://www.restaurant.com/rdc/bombay-bistro-montclair-indian-restaurant-rid=327598?&prti=4627

If you haven't been here before, or in a while I encourage you to give this place a try. You will not be disappointed!
4 - Shayna W.: I really love this place! 

The food is great - I love the chicken 65, the chicken tikka masala, and the naan. I always eat SO much, its just so tasty I can't stop! They will make it as spicy (or as mild) as you want, and they always bring it out steaming hot. Today I also tried their tandoori lamb, and it was awesome!

The family who runs this place is very friendly. They always recognize my fiance and I when we go in, and they are super sweet. The service is good.

I only gave them 4 stars because the the atmosphere here is less than stellar. Its dark, run down, and kind of tacky - though I actually kind of like the Bollywood music videos they always have playing.. ;-p

The lunch buffet is also not super great - I suggest sticking to the menu.

Definitely worth a try if you are in the neighborhood and want some good Indian food from a nice, family-owned restaurant.
3 - Steven C.: You just cant beat this place when it comes to indian lunch buffets!
$20/ person gets you all the indian food you can eat!

Although Manny M. did suggest to try Koyla, $10/person, I haven't tried it yet though. Since that persons account has been closed. lol, I'll write more on that later.
3 - Joshua L.: Good, but nothing special. It's reasonably priced, and their lunch buffet has a good selection. I had higher expectations; everything tastes very okay. Nice place, but Koyola in Rancho Cucamonga is probably better.
5 - Michael A.: Great Indian food! My girlfriend and I usually get the bistro special. Lots of food for about $35. Also try the lamb samosas, a little greasy but delicious. The staff is great too!!
4 - Maribel M.: This is, by far, my favorite Indian food place. The only reason that I am not giving them 5 stars is because their service can be slow. However, I have been coming here for years, so they have a spot in my heart.

I would highly recommend their Chicken Tikka Masala. It is always delicious and they can adjust the level of hotness to your liking. Their lentil soup used to be very tasty, but something has definitely changed, so I would highly recommend the Mulagutani soup (chicken and lentils, in a delicious creamy base). I also highly recommend their garlic naan....yummy!

The Mini Sampler is a great appetizer that includes their veggie samosas, pakoras and a deep fried cottage cheese item that I can't remember the name of. Very tasty, however, in recent times, this sampler's portions have shrunken, so I would not recommend this appetizer for more than two people.

Everything else that we have tried has been tasty as well. Their lunch buffet is a great value and is great for those who want to sample different items.
4 - Catalina K.: My family & I came by here on a whim... we were all feeling like Indian food and yelped and came up with Bombay Bistro. 
Walking in, the restaurant wasn't appealing to the visual. The atmosphere was nothing. Just a big banquet room with tid bits of Indian decorations. We were seated right away and everything went smoothly. I ordered the Mumbai Martini, a mango martini & that was DELISH! I was tempted to get another. For my entrée, my mum in law & I decided to split the Bombay Bistro special which included Chicken 65, Tikka Masala, Spinach stuff, & Naan/Rice. The amount is plenty for 3 people. I especially liked the Chicken 65. We didn't want any bell peppers & they customized it to our taste. 
So... I would have given 5 if the aesthetics were a tad better... but for the food... AWESOME!l
4 - Neil A.: Food was a solid 4 star! Flavorful,spicy,and tasty! Nan was fresh and warmed to just melt in your mouth. We had a chicken curry, lamb dish and the bistro special which was $35 and served 2-4 people. 4 people is a stretch but 2 people with 2 other picking it was perfect. 
The atmosphere was pretty boring. Plain white walls, with tables and chairs. 

Service was good. For us it was just a husband and wife(?). As there was only 1 or 2 other tables it was easy for them to handle. 

If there was a restaurant I would nominate for kitchen nightmares it would be this place. Not because of the food. But it could use a solid face lift. And injection of energy. I felt kinda bad hey where that slow on a Friday night.
We will return again and try other dishes as the food was that good!
3 - Sinae v.: Would've been a pretty good place to eat if the people at the table next to us weren't so obnoxious and loud.  Good food....bad seating.
4 - Heather J.: As others have mentioned, the lunch buffet is a great deal.  I have never had Indian food so when my dad suggested this place for lunch I was all for it.  The buffet was a good price and allowed me to try several things.  The food was tasty.  I will definitely be returning.
4 - Henry R.: After months of driving by I finally decided to stop in.  The chicken special was perfect because it offers there top 4 chicken dishes. The chicken 65 has great flavor, tender and has a nice crunch.  It comes with another bbq style chicken. Its served fajita style hot sizzling with grilled onions and bell peppers.
The chicken masala was so good. The spices and flavors are bold but not overwhelming. All the side dishes were amazing. The prices are very fair and service was friendly and helpful.  I'm looking forward to returning.
5 - Michael P.: I've been to many Indian food restaruants and this is my favorite. I love the beingan bhartha and malai kofta.
5 - Jenn A.: Came here for lunch and ate the buffett; loved it! Lots of different curries and even a salad bar. Their rice pudding is very yummy and the Garlic Naan was excellent! Everything was fresh and the bar was stocked with adequate amounts of food so that it had to be replaced often, meaning: everything was very fresh from the kitchen. Waiter was attentive and we were in and out with very full bellies in under 30min. Good food, coming here again!
5 - Arianna W.: I came here for lunch with my mom and my boyfriend, and we had a great time! We ordered garlic naan, a couple of different lamb curries, and a goat curry. All of the curries were spicy, but not too spicy; in the mild to medium range. I really couldn't pick my favorite dish, because they're all so good! They all came with white rice, big chunks of meat, and more food than we could finish. We left completely full, and were eating curry for days! I saw their full bar, but we were too busy stuffing our faces to try the drinks. We'll definitely be going back some another time.
5 - Stephen N.: Great Food!!
3 - Laura R.: Had it for the first time ,will come back
4 - Krysten I.: For $10 a person, the lunch buffet is a steal. Food includes, fresh fruit, salads, rice, chicken, 5 or 6 different curries/palak paneer and naan bread. 

There was hardly anyone else in the restaurant, but it wsa a little noisy from the indian music videos they play on the tvs....

I will admit, its not the best curry I've had, but the price makes up for it. My only complaint is that our waiter, the only waiter in the restaurant when we were there, was playing on his phone most of the time. He didn't realize we were finished for about 10 mins.
4 - Kathy E.: so my first time trying Indian food and I loved it! I loved the service  and the food.. they are very warm and welcoming :) I tried the tofu tikka masala-mild plus , rice, and nan and I was very pleased:) I also had goan sex in he beach-yummy! will definitely returning!
5 - Jolie L.: pretty delicious... garlic naan and chicken tikki masala. the lunch buffet is definatly a steal. im still trying to figure out why there is a room with a bed in the back..?
4 - Lacey H.: It was my first time eating here but my co-worker eats there at least once a month. We went there with our boss and his wife and they were both Indian Food newbies. We were all impressed. We started with a few appetizers and unfortunately I don't recall the names of any of them. We had a spicy chicken which was very good, and some super thin bread topped with a veggie/tomato mix. Very good.
For dinner I ordered the chicken tikka masala with garlic nan. Both were fantastic and I can't wait to go back and order the same thing again. I tried my bosses soup which was a creamy chicken and lentil soup I believe and I loved it...which is pretty crazy because I don't really like soup but I could and definitely would order this every time I go back. Don't order the dinner salad go with soup...the salad is iceberg lettuce, very boring.  
And at this point we were all perfectly content but since we were on our companies dime we ordered desert. They had three to choose from so we ordered all three. One was a hard to describe but it was doughy like, and warm...looked like frozen grapes but wasn't, it was okay. Another was rice pudding which was also okay. Last but not least was the mango ice cream which was to die for...where do we buy that on the outside is my question...yummers!
All in all I would highly recommend and can't wait to go back and bring some more Indian Food newbies with me.
4 - Andy G.: It was good stuff.  I'm not usually up this way, but when my little sis said she craved Indian Food, this was a good place to find.  Lunch Buffet was good and very reasonably priced.
5 - Miss J.: This place has delicious food.  I came here with my dad and we ordered a little bit of everything so we could try it all.  We ordered the Chicken Tikka, Lamb, and Chicken Curry with rice, roti and garlic naan.  Everything was so delicious and the servers were very nice.  At the time they were having a party in the banquet room so we got to listen to the beautiful indian music.  I will be returning again :-)
1 - Crystal S.: Asked for a cup of Coke, they opened a hot 1 liter bottle and put little ice.  All the food was COLD- talk about fearing food poisoning. Remember the scene in slumdog millionaire when the kid ends up covered in sheeit?  Imagine that as your dining experience.  Im not kidding!  i couldnt pinpoint where that odor was coming from but it was intense.  total lack of ventilation to make matters worse.  Is eating with flies buzzing your face also part of the authentic indian dining experience too?  i really wanted to leave with out paying......  STAY AWAY!  HEALTH HAZARD!!!
4 - Taste M.: This is a great place to take a date, the muted acoustics in the back dining room are excellent. The pirces were reasonable, my gf got the Makhni made with tofu and I had the tandoori chicken. We also had some potato pancake things to start with that were very good. To be honest the chicken was not five star but they had the best garlic naan I've ever had. I'm not sure if they've got a lunch buffet.
5 - Matt S.: For those of you with bad reviews me and my wife have been eating here for years and I have tried many Indian restraunts and this is by far the most authentic and deliciuose, Tikki and masala chicken is like california rolls, all the same and nothing exciting. I search for a good Rogan Josh and they deliver here, the tast of the New Zeland lamb and the subtle blend of curry will knock your socks off, The Malik Kofta is my personal fav, vegi balls in a yellow curry with currants and nuts, the curry alone over rice is like desert. If you are realy looking for an experiance than do not leming it up and order safe, go all out and order somthing strange and new, cut the cord and live, with Bombay Bistro's menu you will not be disapointed, and as for size of portions study a little about Indias history and lifestyle, small portions and variety shared with many. The staff has always made us feel like family and are sweet as can be to our three boys, the food is delicious and leftovers are even spicier the next day, the somosas are second only to my mother in law from Fiji. I recommend this place to all my friends, a true flavor delight.
4 - Tejas M.: We were here for a private party... It is a good place for the price!
3 - Sandy S.: I've only been to a handful of Indian places and I have to say that this place is good if you want a quick bite. They offer a buffet during lunch for about $10. Their garlic naan is so good! I usually don't eat lamb, so I went for the Chicken Tikki Masala and the Tandoori Chicken, which were very tasty and perfect together with the naan. I didn't care much for their dessert, i.e. rice pudding.
4 - Kim M.: This place has good food, attentive service and decent prices. I love Indian food and I'm always amazed at how expensive it can be!

My meal consisted of lamb Rogan Josh ordered spicy, which had a nice sauce and tender chunks of lamb. Chicken Karahi was by far the best dish ordered. The sauce was spicy and rich with a hint of grilled/toastiness. Vegetable Korma was good with a sweet thick sauce.  Tofu Tikka Masala was a bit boring as the the sauce lacks something without tandoori meat thrown in, but still good.

The onion naan was amazingly tasty - better than the garlic naan and the rice was cooked perfectly with each grain separate and flecks of cumin seeds throughout.

I will definitely come back for dinner and if I get a chance, I'd like to try the lunch buffet that other Yelpers have reviewed.
4 - Alice Y.: One of my college stomping grounds! I used to come here often with my friends back in college since it's so conveniently located from the 5C's. I've had their buffet lunch, their delicious bhiryani, and samosas. I've never been disappointed with the food.

I came back for lunch on President's day after a long hike with the bf. We both went for the buffet. The food was pretty good. I especially enjoyed the tandoori chicken (so tender and moist), chicken curry and samosas! They have a great mint chutney that my bf seriously used to dip everything we ate. I love that the garlic naan comes out piping hot from the oven with a little bit of char on the bottom of the naan. 

I'm no Indian food connoisseur, but this place is pretty good. I'll definitely be back when I'm in the area.
2 - Rebecca O.: I would give it 2.5 stars.  The food was pretty good, but nothing special.  We got the vegetable and lamb samosas; the vegetable ones were mostly potato, but were pretty good; the lamb had a good flavor, but they were very oily.  We ordered the garlic naan, which was ok but very dry.  We also ordered the chicken vindaloo (ok but not amazing), the lamb korma (very good, best dish by far), the tofu curry (good), and the kashmiri pilao (rice dish; not worth the price, as it was a bit dry, the "whole fruits" were only mushy green grapes, and there were no nuts in it at all).  I felt that the prices were too high for the low quality of the food.  

We used a restaurant.com card, which was a good deal.  The full menu is available on that site, as well.  

The restaurant was nearly empty on Friday evening, and the dining room was awkwardly laid out (there were about three tables, and we could easily hear the other tables' conversations).  The design wasn't bad, but was nothing special, either.  They have a "B" rating.  

We might return, as it is close to home and there are not many Indian restaurants around here.
4 - Mac P.: From the outside you can never tell its open, but my friend from school is Indian and she had her birthday there and I have been hooked ever since! I had never had Indian food before and once I had it I became hooked! The food taste good, and the portions are pretty big! I usually get the dinner for two which is plenty and I don't feel guilty after eating it! The food isn't greasy and it taste great! I don't see many people in the restaurant when I go which is sad because the food is so great!
4 - Jenn B.: WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!! 
Super mellow environment. 
Indian music in the background but not super loud :)
Clean
Super friendly service.
Never had an empty glass of ice water.
All food was super good and great portion size. (We had veggie dishes)
LARGE variety of naan
Definatly will be putting this plce into our rotation.
4 - Jason M.: Just went there today for lucnh. The food is good great atomospher very authentic. Garlic naan is good, food has a little spice not much could be more but still very good. The lunch buffet is a steal for all you get.  I highley recommend this place. Took my BF there this is his first time having Indian food and he had 3 plates, he is now hooked on it.. :)
1 - Hannah B.: Possibly the worst restaurant experience I have had in my life. Aside from the food that is. It was really my server that was the worst of it. The appetizer came after my entree, the bartender "wasn't in that night" and I couldn't get a drink. I was rushed to order and then he never came back until after I got my entree (still no appetizer). They were playing 2 different types of music at the same time.... so strange. I will never be back. ehh it was so bad!
3 - Michael W.: Tried the food here again since we were once regulars and thought we would give it another shot since we live 2 minutes from here.

Well, again 3 stars, since the flavor of the sauces are good, no problems there as always.  The issue is the amount of meat you get in the dish.  It is hard to share the dish when you feel like you cannot take too much meat as the other person will not get any.

This time we were not too happy with the Samosa's.  I wouldn't call them vegetable, but simply a potato samosa since that is all that was in there.

Summary, good taste but would like more meat when I'm paying a good price for a meat dish.
5 - Young Mi K.: Back in college, I would frequent this spot. It was a steal for a $6 lunch, with lots of vegi options. Only a couple bucks more now and 7 years later , I would say it's still a steal AND...just as good as I remember it. So good. Garlic naan. Yum...
4 - Todd H.: My girlfriend and I went on a Saturday night. There were only 6 other customers there! The store is very nice with tablecloths and everything. Our server was nice and the food was brought out quickly. We got the Bombay Bistro Special. Everything was very delicious - especially the CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA! We had plenty leftover to take home for another meal. I am very satisfied with the restaurant. I hope their lack of customers was a fluke and they stay in business!
5 - Catherine W.: awesome place! they have buffets, they cater, they can handle really big groups of around 50 people, and they're really nice people. The food is pretty good, I'm no expert on Indian food, but it's yummy. I've heard there is an endless champagne brunch on sundays, so that's something I want to do. I definitely recommend this place plus it's family run which is a plus!
4 - Maanas S.: Went here tonight, it looks a little shady and once we entered it was mostly empty so initially I was a little worried, but once we sat down our server was really friendly!  We got papad and samosas as appetizer without saying anything as well!  A nice surprise.   Our food was garlic naan, ajwan naan and chicken tikka masala.  They also brought us rice with our food which was unnecessary but I ate some since I didn't want to waste.  The masala tasted good, and the chicken was tasty and not tough like a lot of Indian places serve.  One piece of naan out of the 8 they brought was a bit burnt.
4 - Juan M.: So there I was last Saturday, kicking it with the wife and compadres in the pool, talking about food instead of swimming. The subject of Indian food came up. We wanted to try it, they wanted to try, neither of us ever had the balls to go and actually do it. On a whim, we decided to go. Greatest choice I coulda made that day.

We got there, were greeted by a nice Indian lady and sat in a teeny tiny somewhat rectangular-zig-zaggy-ish dining room, complete with tables and chairs that looked like they belonged in grandma's dining room. Not the prettiest, but homey and oh so comfortable! We sat by the window, so we were able to get the light and the warmth from the sun. What's interesting about the set up is that when you walk in, you are walking in to what must be their banquet room/bar/buffet area and its big an empty, so it throws you off a little and makes you second guess your choice of dining here.

However, after tasting their food, you'll realize that you made a good choice! Let me start off by saying that this establishment apparently specializes in northern Indian cuisine, but at this point in time, I honestly can't tell you the difference yet, but know that there are quite a few dishes from the region of Goa on the menu. For this, our visit, we decided to play it safe and ordered the Bombay Special, which serves two for $35 or $40 and consists of naan, basmati rice, their wonderfully delicious "Chicken 65", tandoori chicken, chicken tikka masala and this tasty spinach puree that has cheese in it I i can't remember its name. At first it doesn't look like a lot of food, but it will fill you up.

The "chicken 65" was the consensus favorite and I would've been happy eating that all night long! Chunks of chicken sauted in ginger, onion and spices, topped with green onions, this dish was taken to a whole other level when squeezing lime over it! Tandoori chicken wasn't anything special, but it was still good. Charbroiled over mesquite, it reminded me of those pollos asados  you can get driving along the highway when you are driving through Mexicali or Rosarito. The tikka masala by itself was tasty, but when it was poured over and eaten with the rice, that's when you could really appreciate the depths of its flavor.

To sum things up, service was excellent. We told the waitress, who was probably the owner, that this was our first experience with Indian food, and the chef, probably her husband, came out to ask us if everything was okay. Mango lasse gets on honorable mention, and the Bombay Punch and Kingfisher beer from the bar get my highest recommendation as does their decent selection of Indian beers to choose from. My only negative comment is that the dishes came out one at a time instead of all together and since it felt like you were eating at your auntie's house,I think it would be nice if they could make that minor adjustment. Will definitely go back to try their buffet soon!
2 - Chi N.: My brother and I wanted to try out this place since a friend recommended it to me. We came here for dinner one weekday and we were among the first to arrive for dinner so the place was pretty empty. After looking at the menu, we opted for a family shared meal for $35. What came out of that meal was some appetizers, and 2 entrees I believe. 

The dishes are ok, it wasn't as flavorful as other Indian food I've tasted before. I thought you couldn't go wrong with the curry, but I was wrong. THe curry wasn't tasteful and flavorful as I expected from other places I've tried. The portions were rather small and it felt like you wouldn't be able to fully enjoy yourself without having to worry that the other person wouldn't get enough food to eat. For the price, I don't think this place is worth it.

Bombay Bite - Westwood, CA (34.0610559, -118.4472248) (Westwood)
3 - Abbi C.: A solid indian meal in Westwood village.  Bombay Bite definitely isn't my top pick for indian in LA, but it's pretty decent, with a good sized veggie menu.  The price is a bit high ($9-12 for an entree, plus rice and naan are extra), but it does have a "fancy" ambiance for Westwood village, which I suppose accounts for the price.  I've had the chana masala, saag paneer, paneer masala and daal, all of which were delish, if not the best I've ever had.  For vegans, they can do dairy and egg-free, but you have to ask.  They also mark gluten-free items, which higly impressed my my gluten-allergic friend S.  For meat eaters, my friend K. likes the lamb there a lot, so maybe give it a try!
3 - Peter B.: I have lunch here every couple of weeks and I have never been disappointed in their food.  In Westwood, this is the best place for Indian food I have found, and their chicken tikka misala is great.  The sauce is perfect for dipping your Naan.  I have never tried dinner there, but the lunch specials aren't to bad $8-9 for just about any meat/veggie dish and rice with Naan.
5 - O K.: Get the Bruin Bowl (I think that's what it's called?) You have to order to go, but you get a really good sized bowl of rice with chicken tikka masala on top (other options include eggplant, spinach, etc) and a huge piece of naan. FOR ONLY $4.99!!!!!! It's the best deal ever. I love it. It's soooo tasty too.. Amazing.
3 - jin y.: it's not the best indian food, but i like their chicken tikka masala.
2 - jin n.: I went to Bombay Bite for the third time last night.  Two years ago, I was telling everyone that it's the best Indian restaurant around.   I know my curry well, and that includes Indian style.  This spot that I stumbled upon turned out to be featured in LA times and also Zagat Rated.   I think the LA times article and the Zagat rate must be overdue because it sure didn't taste as good last night.  The Chicken Tikka Masala (which was their best dish) wasn't that great anymore.  The Samosa's were okay because  they were re-heated.   The Chinese or Japanese waiter (funny) was an awesome server though.  Good service and good ambiance.  I was disappointed with my food but my friend liked it.
4 - justin v.: I have lived with an Indian and been to dozens of different places and Bombay Bite is far and away my all-time favorite.
It is never really crowded.  An order of naan, chicken tikka masala, saag paneer and rice is a great meal for 2.

If you eat Indian a lot and go here often soon they won't charge you for the naan or rice.
4 - Susan Y.: I never liked Indian food.  I liked Bombay Bite.  What does this mean?  Bombay Bite must be good.  haha.  

Their naan is soooo good.  It reminds me of this thing called Japati I had when I went to Kenya.  I've been craving it ever since I left Kenya and to my pleasant surprise I found it here. 

 I go there about once a week with my coworkers and we love it.  They have lunch prices, and their dinner prices aren't that much more expensive.  Chicken Tikka Masala. Chicken Tandoori (it takes a while, but it's still good). Chicken Tikka, Chicken Tadoori Salad.  All very good.  

They also have this mango yogurt drink (the name I can never remember)  that is delicious.  If you like yogurt, you'll like this drink.

Just a heads up, sometimes the chicken in the chicken tandoori is a bit dry so watch our for that.
4 - Michael K.: I'm a big fan of Indian food and I was pretty satisfied here.  The lunch menu is reasonably priced and the portions are decent. If you're going to eat lunch though, I recommend doing it during the week b/c the rice and naan are free. I went on a Saturday and was slightly disappointed that I had to pay for rice and naan. Even still, for two people we spent about $30 and got our fill, sharing 2 entrees between us (which is definately the way to go).
The service was friendly and it was really clean and nice....almost too clean and nice. I'm used to Indian restaurants being loud and packed with people with Bollywood videos blaring on a TV somewhere.
4 - Yoning Y.: Really good Naan and Chicekn Tikka Masala

Service is great too.

Parking in westwood sucks. (but I am learning more and more it's a very LA thing to have bad parking or traffic I guess)

Price is a little higher than I'd like. Thus the 4 stars.
4 - Riti S.: This place is definitely one of the better Indian restaurants in LA (though not many), serving pretty authentic fare.  Unfortunately it's overpriced and a bit lacking in atmosphere.  Still, we end up going back there for pretty consistently good food.  Never crowded.
4 - Genius L.: Thank goodness, a decent north Indian restaurant walking distance from my work.  Consistently good lunch menu, small portions, but not too pricey for a sit-down place in Westwood (damn the high rental fees!).  I miss the free papadum that used to come out while you're waiting for the meal but ah, what the heck, at least i'm eating healthier.  And no ghee overuse here- the meals taste healthy but not in a bad way.  Any of the chicken dishes should leave you satisfied (tandoori, tikka, frankie, saag) and the same goes for the bhunas; i've had better rogan josh though.  Be sure to ask for it spicy; i've forgotten to do this before, and boy was the food lacking the punch i've grown to love in Indian cuisine.
2 - Dorron M.: I'll keep it short.

Bland food (I had the chicken tikka masala and a samoosa), sub-par service (took over 35 minutes to bring our lunch order), overpriced (hey, it's westwood. $3 for a cup of tea), oh, and I only got 3 little pieces of chicken in the tiny bowl dwarfed by mass quantities of rice). Naan was nothing special, I've had better.

too many other options in the 'Wood, give this a miss.


DM
4 - Jenna R.: With a name like this, it would be so easy to make fun of this establishment if it were lackluster. But it ain't. It's pretty darn good, albeit erring on the cautious side (what do you expect in Westwood?). So my heat-seeking friend and I ordered all of our dishes extra spicy and -- surprise! -- they were pretty darn hot, not cautiously Caucasian hot, as most Indian houses tend to be. Our waiter looked at the three of us pale-skins warily when we asked for ear-ringingly hot meals, and the saag paneer, malai kofta, and vegetable korma were, in fact, rather spiced -- not enough for me to lose my hearing, as I once did in Kachipuram, but still very spicy. 

The waitstaff was attentive, far better than we'd expected, and there was even a vegetarian version of Indian frankie on the menu, but I was too in the mood for my favorites to try their cauliflower-and-potato concoction of the ubiquitous dish; next time, perhaps.

I would have given a half star more if their dishes had been slightly more flavorful (they were very good, but just below the level of "standout"). The room's acoustics were far too sensitive; I barely whispered, "Cabernet," and the whole room knew I was a wino. If you want more privacy, sit on the north side of the restaurant, under the dropped lighting fixtures, where your voice doesn't reverberate as if you were in the Thunderdome.
3 - randall s.: Not too shabby. Not much heat. I like my indian food on the spicy side, and this place doesn't even ask how spicy you would like your food. Decent tandoori chicken and I enjoyed the Bhunna Beef? I will go back again. Theres not too many places around Westwood.
2 - Chai V.: Overpriced, small portions, and the service doesn't make up for it.

The food takes forever to come out. It seems very Americanised, so if you're looking for flavour, you'll have better luck elsewhere [maybe down the way near Westwood and Santa Monica]
3 - Toni L.: One word: peas. They like 'em and they want you to like them, too!!!

Value: This stuff is pricey (~$15 for a veggie dish and rice). The meat and seafood dishes are more expensive. Sadly, the portions are small so you feel sort of cheated in the end.

Food: My paneer had peas in it as did my rice. They're not stingy with them either so good luck with picking them out. As far as vegetables go, peas are definitely not topping any of my favorites lists so that was a definite negative for me but maybe not for someone who actually enjoys eating those mushy green balls. The food here is not especially spicy, but at least nothing here is colored an artificial shade of orange. Other than the excessive amounts of peas, I'd say the preparation is better than average here. 

Service: The phone ordering service sucks. I was put on hold for what felt like an ETERNITY. When the restaurant finally took me off hold they told me I had reached the W Hotel, then after some argument (I wasn't about to hang up after that wait) they acknowledged that they had someone from the W Hotel on hold as well and that they were in fact Bombay Bite. How confusing is that?!?

Synopsis: Not glaringly bad, but I'd rather drive down Wilshire or Pico for Indian than go here again.
4 - Sophia C.: I like it for its $5 to-go bowls.

You get a choice of about six-ish currys over rice and a long piece of naan. The spinach panjeer is the best (chicken masala was kinda bleh) I'd say. 

A great deal for students in an un-collegiate-feeling Westwood.
3 - Michelle L.: Pretty standard Indian food, but I think it's overpriced since you can get great Indian food for less than $10 bucks. I think my friends and I each ended up paying a little over $15. Not worth it. I think they're supposed to have pretty good lunch special deals though...will have to check it out sometime.
3 - christina y.: Once in a while, when I get sick of the food in Westwood, I'll opt for Indian at this place. Now, I'm no expert when it comes to Indian food but their Chicken Tikka Masala and Samosa is pretty good. The place is small and their hours are weird. They open late in the morning and then close the restaurant for a few hours in the middle of the day. As far as the service, it's always been mediocre - not bad, not great. I give it one thumb up ( = 3 stars).
3 - Dorothy S.: I have mixed feelings about Bombay Bite. Do I like it? Do I not? Argh, it's like a high school crush all over again!!

Well, I guess it's safe to say that, for Westwood VILLAGE, Bombay Bite is one of the better places to eat. I mean, this was definitely one of my top restaurants before I started eating beyond Wilshire.

Food is reasonably good - I like the Chicken Tikka Masala A LOT...but I think it's more because I like Tikka Masala in general. That is, the credit goes to the dish itself more than it does to the restaurant. Same thing for the chicken korma. Same thing for the naan bread. You get the idea.

And this place is fairly pricey compared to other places around town. I mean, I still think the prices are pretty reasonable but if I just walk for an extra 15 minutes, I can get equally good - if not better - Indian food for a cheaper price.

Maybe that's why I haven't gone back to Bombay Bite in a long while...
2 - Seymour L.: My Wallet's Bleeding!
Well to put it shortly and bluntly; it's as yelp's rating scale calls it "Meh. I've experienced better" and please spare my wallet.
3 - Sherry R.: It's hard to find an Indian restaurant that has both good food AND a nice atmosphere, but Bombay Bite manages both! No strip mall, no plastic chairs, but a nice, relatively small space with warm wall colors and silk Indian decorations on the walls. The paneer pakoras were yummy (although, how could deep fried paneer be bad?) and the saag paneer and chicken tikke masala were both pretty good, but the chicken was not very tender or juicy. Also, I prefer non-whole wheat parathas, but in any case they were hot and crispy with nice fluffy layers! They also serve a few different filled parathas, naan and roti. 

Came to $40 for dinner for 2 with lots of leftovers...muja indian khana buhot pasend hey (I love Indian food)!
1 - Sally P.: So I decided to take my roommate here for his birthday once.  The employees thought we were gay, and poisoned our food.  

We both had to sprint back to our friend's apartment, because we couldn't make it all the way back to our place.  I was not pleased with the food, and especially not the service.  It was obvious they hated us and I was not happy about the whole situation.  Unfortunately I did not have time to express my opinions, because the komodo spit dragon was breathing fire.
5 - Jenn K.: Most of their food is gluten free! Well, most Indian food is gluten free, but they actually list it on their menu. I've never had a bad meal or service. If you're worry about money, go during lunch.  Dinner does cost a bit more because everything's a la carte, so I'd suggest going with a group of people.
2 - Linda I.: Maybe it's the high expectations that I have for Indian food to kick me in the mouth for its rich spices but this place was decent.  More like a 2.5 star decent kind of place but that may be because I've been spoiled to have the luxury of trying authentic Indian food in Little India (in the city of Artesia on Pioneer Blvd.).  

Some friends and I got 3 different dishes yet they were all pretty similar.  All that it seemed like was whatever meat you ordered with the appropriate sauced pour on, and maybe simmered for a minute or two for the flavor to soak up a bit.  They were all orange sauces, a shade or two different from one another.  The service was good and the ambience is nice but the food is alright.  Save your money for another place unless you really have no other option for Indian.
3 - Camille N.: NEVER and I mean NEVER was a fan of Indian food... always thought that the spices were too strong and smelly... until I came here with an Indian food lover. I must say that its because of this place (although my Indian peeps say is not authentic) that I am a fan of Indian food. 

Usual orders are Chicken Tikka Masala OR Chicken Korma (yes I can be adventurous sometimes!) with basmati rice and a side of naan bread. I also discovered their daal which is slow cooked lentils... and it goes perfect with the naan bread. 

Be prepared to drop some twentys... this place is NOT cheap! not even their lunch specials... hence the three stars.
3 - Harvs K.: Overall their food is a little high priced esp for lunch time.  They do give enough food to be satisified; however, pricewise its a bit high.

Ive tried their lunch specials where you get rice, chicken (for example), naan, lentils, etc... And it was good.  I did like it,- again price wise not so much.

I even tried their frankie- (the wrap type thing) and I was surprised at how good it was.

The one GREAT thing here was their take-out lunch special- $5 for a chicken tikka masala bowl, with rice, chutney AND naan.  TOO GOOD!  the food was good, the price-- at $5?  You cant go wrong! We were SO stuffed after that its almost worth taking out rather than eating in!  

I would recommend that if just want a quick and easy, but filling lunch- order their take out bowls.  They've got six options - garbanzos, chicken tikka, lamb, eggplant, spinach.. and paneer... 

With that at least you cant go wrong ;)
2 - Sri P.: I came to Bombay Bite for lunch today, and was reminded why I don't come here for Indian food. I thought maybe I'd give them another shot, now that I'd gotten over the unsatisfying dinner experience I had a couple of years ago. Foolish, forgiving heart! What a mistake!

I ordered the malai kofta (vegetable dumplings in a curry cream sauce) lunch special. My friend ordered the saag paneer (spinach curry with paneer) lunch special. The lunch specials come with naan, rice, and daal (spiced lentils). For the small portions, the lunch special was really overpriced. Tiny little cup of daal and the main dish, mostly rice and very dry, somewhat too crispy, plain naan. The rice was dry, but glistening in butter to try and make up for it. 

The dishes that came with the meal were just so bland. Daal especially. My friend's saag which I had a bite of, and the cream in the curry sauce, tasted okay, but the little koftas (vegetable dumplings), were so exceptionally dry when I cut them. It was incredibly disappointing. If I'm ever stuck in Westwood Village again, and having an Indian food craving, and have to resort to Bombay Bite, because they're the only Indian restaurant there, I am never eating the malai kofta again. It was even more disappointing than Chandni's on Wilshire. At least Chandni's tasted fresh, even if bland. These koftas tasted like they'd be left out for a while to weather the elements. Shudder. If not for the raita, I ordered as a side (also overpriced! $4 for a small bowl of yogurt with a little bit of cucumber in it!), I would have been even more steamed, Sally!
4 - Lily J.: It's not the best Indian food, but I like the Salmon Curry dish... it's delish! 

MY YUMMY LIST: 
Tandoori Salmon 
Samosa 
Fish Bhuna 
Rogan Josh 
Garlic Naan 
Rack of Lamb 
Stuffed Spinach Paratha 
Chicken Tikka Masala 
Vegetarian Hakka Noodles 
Chicken / Beef Frankie Wrap
4 - Kim F.: Like every other place, you've got to know what to order. I think it's a good Indian restaurant that even those who are afraid of Indian will enjoy. The chicken korma (with saffron!!) and chicken tikka masala are good. I love rice with peas and the naan is always perfection. I think their lunch specials are a rip off and not as good as their regular entrees. They are a bit pricey but there are so few good restaurants in Westwood village that I'm willing to pay the price. It also has a really great calming atmosphere and everyone who works there is super nice.
4 - pslice p.: 1- Overall, the food was good. The service was good; timely fill ups on drinks and checking up on the table. It is one of the better Indian food restaurants I have been too. But no where near as good as places on Devon in Chicago. Indian restaurants in LA lack the authenticity in their dishes.
2- The waiter was nice enough to give us an honest answer about a dish.
3- There Chicken Tikka Masala was better than I have had at most places. It wasn't too creamy, but not as spicy as I usually like. But still very good.
4- Chicken Saag is worth getting.
5- Naan was a bit overcooked, but eatable.
2 - Jen G.: This place is just OK.  It is a little pricey like everyone says. And, I hate it when indian places dont have a dinner combo.  the chicken tikka masala was pretty good.  the chicken was kind of dry.  same with the chicken paneer.
4 - John S.: So this is the place where the wonderful Alyssa A. met the wonderful Ellie D.  This is also the place where said Ellie D. shockingly tried Indian food for the first time.  Although she's my age, Ellie D. is ridiculously picky (or should I say "boring"?) when it comes to eating out.  She's not horrible; she likes everything served at normal restaurants and will eat basically any kind of meat, but when it comes for non-American, non-salad, non-pizza places, Ellie D. basically won't eat anything.  Or won't like what she does eat.

So it was early March when Alyssa G. and I were driving around Westwood looking for a place to meet Ellie D.  I don't remember how we found this place, but Alyssa G. hadn't ever eaten Indian food (!) despite the fact that she's a newbie foodie and loves to try everything (not only foodwise), so I figured since Ellie D. was a lost cause I might as well make Alyssa G. a happy camper.

Shortly after Ellie D. arrived, her then sister's fiance (now brother-in-law) literally came through the door and began taking pictures of Ellie D.  He looked slightly familiar to me, and because Ellie D. wasn't totally freaking out, I assumed she knew him.  He was simply documenting the fact that Ellie D. was "all grown up now" (his words) and was actually eating something besides grilled chicken.

To this day Alyssa G. thinks a person barging into a restaurant to take pictures of someone is really strange.  And I guess it is, but not really.

The food itself is really good.  I wasn't expecting very much, both because this place's name screams not-much-thought-put-into-it and because in college towns Indian restaurants that look this nice usually are overpriced and/or inauthentic, but I was proven wrong.  The portions are large, and they have all my favorites.

I'd even venture to say that this is a good date place, although if you don't want your picture to be taken by your future brother-in-law, you should probably request a table near the back.  The restrooms are also very clean.
4 - Dominic L.: I suggested that I meet my friend on lunch break and this is where we ended up since he works in Westwood and this is within walking distance of his office- making it perfect for his short 30 minute lunch break.  I'd never been here before, but I really enjoyed it.  Incredibly clean and attractive atmosphere,  I had the Chicken Tikka Masala which came in a little bowl of good sauce with 4 little pieces of chicken and a large plate of rice with peas and another little bowl of maybe black bean looking/tasting stuff.  The naan sp??? that came with it was yummy for dipping and had a cool pizza-dough but almost chewy texture.  I went ahead and tossed in a Sierra Mist and with everything including a tip I was out of there for under $14 bucks.  I saved half of the meal and brought it home for dinner.    I'll be back.
3 - pepper e.: Overpriced for dinner, solid for lunch. They also have an excellent take-out special of a curry bowl with naan for $6. Worth it.
3 - Sirinda S.: So far this is one of the few Indian places that I've tried that offers vegetable korma on the menu so that's a big draw for me.  Unfortunately the entree doesn't come with any sides like rice or naan so by the time you order both, you're pushing $20 per person for dinner.  It's a bit expensive for Indian food, I think.  But when my korma craving hits, I'll be back.
4 - Jaime B.: In my view, the food here is excellent.  I love the chicken tikka masala, as does Mateo.  It was the first non-baby-food dish that he liked, and boy does he.  Other excellent dishes include vegetable korma (or any korma dish), tandoori chicken, vegetable samosa, and channa masala.  I love lamb but I'm not a fan of the lamb dishes here.  Although the flavor of the sauces/spices is great, the quality of lamb is below average as is the preparation of the lamb.  Occassionally, service can be a little slow, particularly on delivery.  And the price is a tad on the high side.  Could have a better dessert menu.

But over all, I love their food and eat there, order delivery and take-out all the time.
3 - Wendy C.: I love Indian food, and Bombay Bite definitely satisfies my craving for mushy goodness!!  The tikka masala is excellent - easily their most popular dish.  Their palak paneer (spinach & cheese dish) is also one of my favorites.  They don't have a very extensive vegetarian menu, but their naan is delicious and well prepared.
The downfall?  Definitely the price.  It is one of the more expensive Indian restaurants I've been to in LA.  (Even on budget, dinner for 4 cost at least $70.  And you can easily spend over $40 dollars on two.)  The restaurant is always very empty, which leaves a very eerie feeling when the waiter/waitress disappears into the kitchen every now and then.
If you go to UCLA and transportation is limited, I'd say trying out Bombay Bite is worth it.  Otherwise, head eastward and find better pricing on Indian food.
4 - Erica L.: I rarely eat Indian food, but on those few occasions I choose Bombay Bites.  The quality of the food is delicious!  I usually go with my Indian roommates and I highly recommend ordering the Saag Paneer and Paneer Masala with Garlic Naan and rice to eat as sides.  The place is a bit small, but has a great ambiance.  However, waiting for the food does take awhile.  But it is well worth the wait.  I always leave feeling satisfied and full.
1 - Jay L.: The food just plain wasn't good.

We ordered out so I can't comment on decor, service, or cleanliness, but based on the food I have no desire to ever go back here. I don't think any of us ordered the tikka masala and apparently that is their strong suit. Maybe if we had we would have liked it but the random things we tried off the rest of the menu were very disappointing.
3 - Diana D.: They've got all the standard entrees but nothing that gives me the wow factor.  Since I work a couple blocks away, it's easy to stop and grab dinner here when I'm too tired to cook.  It's a bit more pricy than other Indian restaurants in the area and a little shocking since I'm sure they cater to a lot of students nearby, but service is good.  Try the vegetable korma instead of the chicken tikka massala everyone always order.
2 - Zachary W.: Unremarkable over priced Indian food.
3 - Amber B.: Good food just overpriced (like a lot of Yelpers have mentioned).

Yesterday was just a crazy packed day at work so we decided to order take-out since Bombay Bite is super close to the office. We all went for the lunch specials since well, it was lunch time and those were the cheapest options offered. I don't know about you, but when I think "lunch special" I think of a price point somewhere around $7. All of the lunch specials at Bombay Bite are just shy of $10. Ok, so it's no big deal to shell out a couple extra bucks but in my mind I anticipated that I'd be getting a whole lot of food...and I did...but it was more like a whole lotta rice and a little bit of chicken. I ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala. I got 4 little pieces of cubed chicken breast w/curry, a really shallow scoop of lentils (it didn't even fill up half of the small take-out container partition - you know how they have 1 big area and 2 small ones) and then a giant pile of rice adorned with a sprinkling of peas. They also threw in some naan (delicious and hot hot hot) and cups of dipping sauces that I'm used to using with samosas not curry or naan. Oh well, I used the green sauce and it was awesome as expected. I chucked the dark red sauce though as I've never been a fan of that one.

I have no complaints about the taste and quality of the food, everything was scrumdidliumptious. I just wish that either A) there was more of the entree in my meal or B) it was less expensive.
4 - Thai Hien H.: i agree that the food i a bit pricey. but then again, alot of the indian restaurants these days go by that same standard unless maybe you're in artisa?. I really like it. it has good food and really cute atmosphere.
4 - Phyllisia K.: The food here was delicious. It's the first Indian food I've had here in LA and I loved it. My mom and I shared some eggplant bartha, bhindi masala, basmati rice, and parathas. It was delicious. It's worth the price in my opinion. Especially if you sit down and enoy the atmosphere. It's a very pleasant dining experience and the staff is very courteous. Oh and the masala chai is divine. I definitely plan on returning.
3 - Kitkat N.: The food was not bad. I really liked their bread. I was going to give it four stars until I considered the price and not remembering too much what I ate. I know it was curry but I could barely recall the taste which isn't the best sign. 

The curry was decent. but like I said it was like 15 dollars a plate or something and it wasn't the biggest plate either. The service was decent too.
3 - Abigail B.: I know that people have mixed reviews of this place, but I think their $5 lunch bowls are pretty good (it's 5 bucks including tax).  I usually get the Spinach and cottage cheese bowl.  They have 5 other dishes for 5 bucks like chicken tikka, eggplant bartha, etc.  I work in Westwood so it's nice to be able to eat lunch without having to pay an arm and a leg.  The dish is a little like baby food on top of rice but overall worth it for the price.  If it were more than that, I don't think I'd buy from them.  I would recommend this place if you're trying to save money on lunch and don't want to sit and dine in.  Dining in does get expensive as the others mentioned.
2 - Robert L.: A more upbeat atmosphere but overpriced. 

Their bread (nam) are better than others. However, entrees have tiny portions and taste just decent. If they could use heavier curry, and a bit more meat, I would not hesitate to come back again.
4 - Sandi C.: IN MY STOMACH: Rojan Josh (Lamb), Chicken Masala, Chickpeas, Eggplant, Naan, Cheese (that looks like tofu) in green sauce.  

IN MY MIND: All the items I had were part of the 5.99 (not including tax) Bowl Deal. It comes with the sauce, naan and the Main item over rice. All the bowls are decent but my favorites are the Josh, Chicken Masala and Chickpeas. Since I work around the area, this place is one of the office's default take-out place.  It's worth a try and I wouldn't mind getting this for lunch when I'm indecisive. Although the Naan isn't as great as other places, the sauces are tasty. I can't imagine dining in at this place. I always order take-out since parking is a hassle around the area.
2 - James P.: A bunch of yelpers have complained about the food being overpriced.  It is not overpriced, it is is just mediocre for how much you are going to spend.  Are you afraid that Indian food is too spicy?  Go to Bombay Bite and you will not worry about breaking a sweat.  I had the Lamb rogan josh and it was passable.  The chicken vindaloo that someone ordered only had a hint of spice.  You know you are in trouble if the vindaloo has no flavor.  The tikka masala tasted more like tomato sauce than anything else.  Drive the extra mile or two and find a better place to get your Indian fix.
1 - Miss S.: The one star is only for location. Its in the heart of Westwood Village but not the most authentic Indian place. I ordered vegetable samosas which did not smell good at all, the service was so slow. I didn't even order any entrees and left. A place that serves beef is not authentic Indian (or not even Indian...) I had a bad experience and will never go back.
3 - Brent W.: Location is unfortunate, the food is tasty, the prices are okay. As with any other restaurant in Westwood, if you want free parking the lot on Broxton is the only viable choice. Otherwise you chance it at the Whole Foods lot across the street or fight for meters. It was difficult finding parking when I invited my family to try it for dinner. 

The have only lunch and dinner hours, something like 10-2 and 5-9 or so on weekdays, and only dinner hours on weekends. This limited availability hampers spontaneity, as when I'm in the mood for something new it's usually an off hour. 

The curry, which makes up the bulk of their menu, is smooth and creamy. I didn't find anything spectacular about the 10-13$ entries and the portions were on the small side. But the meat was tender and moist. I had the chicken and lamb. Naan is excellent. 

The saving grace is by far the "Bruin Bowl" special, which is oddly only available for take out. From a large menu you can choose most types of curry, including their specialty, chicken tikka masala, and some lamb dishes, and get a small bowl of it with rice for 5$. And with this special only, a full serving of naan is 1$ extra. 

The staff was friendly and the waiter could explain to us what was in the curry and which ones he recommended. As one unfamiliar with Indian cuisine, that was helpful. I'd return if I had a group that really wanted Indian food, but I won't go out of my way.
3 - Karen A.: That is a barely ok place, which I consider to be "the last resort" when it comes to Indian food.  It is conveniently located on a relatively quiet part of the Village, has a reasonable selection and the only thing to really complain about is the prices.  What they do is push everything here and there by $2-3, charge a bit extra for this and that, something like $3 for the rice which cost them virtually nothing.  The food is ok, not terribly bland, but not particularly memorable either.  They don't have a lunch buffet, nor validated parking, nor they are open late.  It's like they really don't care about their customers - no wonder they are mostly half-empty while all other village places are overcrowded... 

In summary: if you are in a large company and somebody else is paying, eh, why not...  The standard Indian fare (like Lamb Vindaloo or Saag Chicken) is totally fine.  If you are by yourself, do a take out (but then argue that their rice should be free or you won't order anything at all) or better yet call another place for delivery.  If you are with someone special and you want your dinner to be equally special, definitely go elsewhere.
2 - Pablo B.: Meh. I've experienced better. Much better, frankly.

This place is always quiet, the lunch special portions are small, they've stopped offering complimentary papadum, and the food is quite bland...so how does it stay in business?

The answer must be drugs. (My Dad always thought that any business that was perpetually quiet, but somehow managed to stay open, had to be involved in drugs.)

I don't know which ones are involved here, but hey, Bombay Bite, please put some of them in the food. Maybe it will help. I won't be back.
3 - Kristina R.: Food here is good.. But the super small portions are not worth the amount of money you pay. Ambiance and service were nice also, but seriously, as you're eating, all you'll be able to think about is.. "I'm paying that much for only this?!"
4 - Regina L.: Went with some friends who were wanting Indian food and we found this one 

We ordered Chicken Tikki Masala, Chicken Tikki, and one other curry which I can't remember the name of now. Each entree came with rice and then we ordered a separate basket of garlic naan. The curries were both really good and the chicken was nice and tender. The naan was delicious but I always think it's good so I'm probably not the best judge (although my 3 other friends agreed it was good). 

The entrees were decently sized but they were definitely on the smaller side compared to other Indian restaurant I've been to. They were also a bit pricey for the portion size they gave. Our waiter was really nice, gave us good suggestions, and accomodated us well (it did help that we were the only ones there). 

Food and service was good so that's sometimes enough to overlook higher prices. I might go back for a lunch special or something since it's the closest Indian restaurant to campus.
3 - Lauren O.: This is the only game in town when it comes to Indian food in Westwood. And considering it's a college town, the prices are pretty high.

Dropped in with a group of coworkers for lunch- shared a number of dishes- the chicken tikka masala was standard but good (if you're and Indian restaurant and you can't do Tikka Masala you will very quickly be SOL, let's be honest). Rhogan Josh, okay, sag paneer okay. Rice was stand-out delicious; naan was just okay. So...nothing really disappointed, but nothing was charming either. 

Lunch special which includes a small pot of curry, rice, dahl, and naan was $10. Dinner prices are at least $14. Great for a date now and then, but too expensive to be a regular.
3 - Snow T.: The dishes are decent, staffs are nice, but a bit pricey. Lunch special can easily go up to $15+ per person.

If you are craving for Indian food but a more economic choice I highly recommend their Bruin Bowl ($5.5 or so, $1 for naan), which is the best value lunch special. 4 choices to pick including lamb and eggplants. It's not on their menu and for take out only. Remember to call ahead because it may take some time.
4 - Salma M.: The place was very cute. The ambiance was nice. The staff was great. Food was delicious. We ordered the veggie kofta (don't remember the exact name) and the daal makni. The veggie kofta was well prepared in this absolutely delicious sauce. It was kind of tart but went very well with rice and garlic naan. The daal makni was okay. I think it could have been better. It was just black beans with some spices. I liked the fact that they had a huge vegetarian menu. I will definitely be returning to this place soon.
4 - Gilda R.: My go-to Indian place even though I no longer live in Westwood.

I'm a big fan of their korma, and the garlic naan is to die for. My boyfriend swears by their chicken vindaloo and claims it's even better the next day--and he always has leftovers.

I've never been here for lunch, but dinner prices are bit steep. Service is courteous and fairly prompt. Parking can be bad, being Westwood, but we've often found metered spots almost right in front the restaurant.
3 - Erin G.: Points for having an extensive vegetarian section on the menu. Came here with a group of friends and everyone enjoyed their food. And I seem to remember them not having a corkage fee, or at least it was very minimal, so we brought some wine enjoy with our meal. I love Indian food but I tend to stick to lunch buffets b/c dinner prices (at all Indian restaurants, not just this one) tend to be much higher.
4 - Mary Q.: You can get a Bruin bowl for just $5 and add naan for $1.  It's a bowl of rice and your choice of main course.  Now that's a good deal that's great for students!  Now if you get this cheap meal, you have to take out, so don't expect to sit and chow down at the restaurant.  I always get the eggplant bharta (yummmm) and it is prepared pretty quickly!  It's a useful alternative to ordering from their normal menu, which can get pricey.

They have these awkward seats in front that are so low you may as well be squatting or sitting on the floor.  I never could figure out if they were meant to sit in while you waited for your takeout or if they were just decorative.  Whatever the case, I'd always sit in them!  They can be kind of hard to get out of, but it's sort of fun to observe the passersby from such a different angle.  Random, yeah.
4 - Ronnie S.: We liked that they will make it delicious while still mild. Why go to an Indian place if we don't eat spiciest? Well, we like seasoned and spicy, but not hot! Liked the moderate size dishes. We have enough for left overs, but it's not 'claim jumper' sizes. Great service! They also said on phone they had a kids' menu, when we got there, they didn't. Could have been a language miscommunication on the phone.
3 - Sarah W.: You know Westwood, you impress me with the variety of good to decent cuisine. Bombay Bite was a good surprise amidst the rubble. Try the eggplant, avoid the dry chicken. This is not the best Indian food I've ever tried but it stops the craving and is a walkable distance from campus.

Expect great service, a nice complimentary 15% off your next visit per receipt, as well as decent prices. For $11-12 you too can get rice plus masala. Naan is extra... I say this because dang. So many Indian restaurants charge an extra $2-3 for basmati rice. It's just not worth it so thank you BB for not doing that to my wallet.
3 - Ani P.: Only worth it for the bruin bowl.  I failed to consult Yelp -- shame on me.  I even lunched with a Bruin!

Veggie pakora -- dry and the ratio of besan to veggies was off.  I like my pakoras light and fluffy not heavy!

Bindi masala:  I adore okra and this is typically one of my fave dishes.  Many pieces of okra were stringy.  The flavor was sadly bland.

Chicken byrani:  Flavorful pieces of chicken.  Rice was flavorless.

Service rocked (which is the only reason I'm giving a 3 star rating).

The flavor profile is a bit on the sucktastic side.  Truly not worth the price.  Stick to the Bruin bowl.  Sigh.
3 - Annie R.: Love the price of the bruin bowl. Korma has no flavor but masala is good. Place is always so empty it doesn't make me feel good about eating there but the location is good and it is friendly service.
3 - Janet W.: It was solid.

After wandering around with my friend for a long time in the area, we finally settled on Bombay Bite (she's vegetarian, which seriously curbs our choices since I am a ridiculous meat eater). I picked the chicken t-something or other (I can't remember the name, but it was spicy and involved potatoes. Yum!) and ordered naan bread.

It was weird at first because we were the only ones in there for a while, but they never hovered and were very uninvasive as far as service, which I feel like sometimes goes a bit overboard without many people around.

The food was good. The naan was a bit thin and was cooked crispy, which I didn't really mind but I like my naan a bit more bready :( The only thing that's stopping me from giving this four stars was that I felt it was a bit pricy for the quality.
3 - Emanuel R.: Indian place in Westwood. It's...alright.

Chicken tikka masala is a tad dry. But the people are nice. So there's that.

Recommended if you're in the area and you're craving Indian food.
4 - Angela H.: I've never been to the restaurant, but we get delivery from here a couple times a month. The food is very tasty, but I'm probably not the best judge of authenticity in indian food. I know that our whole family loves it, though, including the kids. Prices are decent and best of all, they deliver! Delivery usually takes a little longer than they estimate, but Westside traffic is terrible, especially around dinner time. The first time they delivered, the driver got terribly lost, the owner had to come and get him and drive him over to our house. It took over 1.5 hours to get our food, but the owner was so apologetic and gave us our food for free.

And on the receipt, you get a coupon for $10 off your next meal that's $50 or more!
4 - Ben P.: I ate for the first time at Bombay Bite tonight and it was excellent.  People complaining on here about the flavor profile need to learn how to order in a desi place when they are not in a desi neighborhood.  If you like spicy, ask for spicy!  The chicken korma and beef curry we had was powerful and good -- my wife usually doesn't order korma because it falls short of what she makes at home and we were both happy.  Garlic naan was fresh and tasty and the chai came in a pot instead of just a cup -- spot on.  The mango lassi was good -- not too sour and not too sweet -- it balanced the spiciness of our dishes well.  Great service.  I only give it 4 stars instead of 5 because my wife is Bangladeshi and I reserve a 5 star rating for home cooked desi food!  :)
4 - Andrea H.: Came here for a dinner with my boyfriend before going to a movie down the street at the Regency also in Westwood. We only had 40 minutes before the movie started and we were really in the mood for Indian, so I suggested this place. I was worried that we wouldn't have enough time because sit down places usually take a while.
We got in, the place was really cute. It had a nice atmosphere. We were instantly greeted by the host, and we ordered our food quite promptly. They had dinner specials, with around 13 dollars for a dinner plate that included rice, lentils, naan, a salad, yogurt, and meat of choice. Such a good deal, and much cheaper than dinner meals at other indian places like New India Grill on Westwood. I ordered the chicken tikka masala and my bf ordered the chicken vindaloo and both were great. The chicken tikka masala was delicious, I love the sauce. The vindaloo was also really good, tangy and a bit spicy, but very yummy. I would've liked to have a little bit more of the main meat for the meal but I guess it was a good portion. We asked them to give us the check when our food came. We ordered our food and we were eating within 10 minutes. We finished our delicious meals and paid our checks and were out of there with 5 minutes to spare. It was great. Definitely recommend this place if you want a quick bite with a sit down restaurant feel and quality food. Much cheaper than other indian places around and great service!
They also have "bruin deals" for lunch, where you can get plates for 5 bucks! Definitely going to check this out for lunch one day!
3 - Erika M.: I had the paneer masala lunch special.  While it was very tasty, I felt it wasn't enough to spend $8.50 (before tax and tip) on.  There were only 4 or 5 pieces of paneer and it came in a tiny little bowl on the plate.  My waiter was very nice though.  Maybe I will come back and try the Bruin Bowl that I just now read about.
5 - Gabriela F.: A true gem in Westwood Village and in Los Angeles!  The food is excellent and the service is excellent!!   We are regulars here and we visit once a week, sometimes twice a week! The food quality is consistently good and we recommend it to everyone we know.  It's definitely a must visit for everyone...locals and visitors!!!
The chicken tikka masala, the lamb korma, the vindaloo, the eggplant, the naan and everything on the menu is DELICOUS!!!!
4 - Paul T.: This is my favorite Indian food place.  It's a little pricey, but if you want Indian food this place is solid.  It's in a good location too near lots of interesting places and things to do.

Their Chicken Makhani and Chicken Tikki Masala are staples, and their naan is very good.  

Their mixed drinks leave a lot to be desired.
3 - Kyle A.: Love Bombay bite! $5 Bruin Bowls all day. Closed in the middle of the day but I guess that is normal for some restaurants.
3 - Alex B.: Decent indian fare for a price
Tandoori salmon was very good
The dinner special did not include much meat
The prices were high for the quality of the food
Overall a decent experience
Worth a try
5 - Lois K.: You cannot go wrong with their $5 Bruin Bowls! (for take-out only lunch and dinner)

I've loved the eggplant one since my undergrad days. And for days that you want some meat, the chicken tikki masala one is a good choice. They also have lamb korma and lamb curry. 

Love the consistency of the rice but my favorite part is the 2 sauces that come with the bowl - one red and one green (no idea what they are called but they are sooo good). I usually dunk my meat in those and drizzle some over the rice.

Lip-smacking good.
2 - Thach N.: To be honest, was sorely disappointed. Had the tikka masala lunch sepcial.

Rice: was not very flavorful and tasted very greasy.
Naan: was pretty good! a bit burnt for my taste but best part of the meal
Tikka Masala: just really bland and not a lot of kick; maybe i shouldve requested it spicy but i figured that it goes without saying...
3 - Dorothy X.: I came here with my coworkers for a birthday lunch and we were all anticipating the $5 bruin bowl, only to find that it's take-out only. Darn! But at least there is a lunch special to help save the day. Most dishes on the lunch special were about $10, so that's not too bad. Lunch special includes naan, a small cup of dal (black beans), basmati rice, and a small bowl of whichever meat you choose.  

I wanted to try the tandoori dishes, but they all take at least 20 minutes to make and we only had a 1 hour lunch break. My server recommended that I try the Beef Bhuna (marinated beef in "dry" curry, which basically means it has less of a creamy consistency), and my friend got the rogan josh (lamb curry). My beef bhuna had a tomato taste that's almost similar to the Thai curry sauce, so I didn't think it was very special. Everything didn't seem to have enough spice; I like it when the seasoning explodes in my mouth, but there was only a small weak kick. It also wasn't very spicy at all, which is a little disappointing. The chicken tikka masala had a great orange color, but it looked like it only came with 3-4 pieces of meat. 

I'd come again just so that I can get my take-out Bruin Bowl, and perhaps order ahead so that I can get the tandoori dishes. There is a 10% discount with your Bruincard, so make sure to show them!

Bombay Brasserie - Houston, TX (29.7150732, -95.4151726) (West University)
3 - Rebecca F.: I actually went to the one in the Village, because of a coupon in the Houston Press.  It was much more expensive than I was expecting, rice and bread come separate from the entrees you order, but the food was pretty good.  I probably wouldn't go back without the coupon because there are other Indian restaurants that are more vegetarian and this place is more about the meat I think.
4 - Roy L.: Food: Good
Selection: Good
Location: Good
Ambience: OK
Price: OK
= 4 stars
4 - P K.: I'm not the biggest fan of buffets in general, even less so when dining at an Indian restaurant.  While the selection is nice, if you know what you want, there is nothing better than ordering a la carte and getting a dish prepared freshly for you, minus all the food-coma inducing fill-you-up-fast grease.  But Bombay Brasserie's buffet was very tasty, fresh, and less heavy than the average Indian buffet.  

Vegetable pakoras were perfectly crisp but the Bombay aloo were my favorite.  Chicken makhani and saag were good. Naan was the right texture.  Kheer was outstanding.  They also gave us a complimentary tasting of the ras malai which was a nice touch.  Wish there were more places like this in SF.
3 - ben h.: decent and moderately priced lunch buffet. not the best food i've ever had but it was easy to get in and out and the buffet had a good variety of food. generally pretty average kinda place.
3 - Cory O.: I have to couch this review by saying that I'm not a connoisseur of Indian food.  And besides the one delicious meal at The Clay Pit (if you're in Austin, it is a must go), I've been left unimpressed each time.

That being said, I'd heard good things about  Bombay Brasserie and it is right next to one of my favorite sushi places in Houston (http://www.yelp.com/user_details_review_search?userid=wY-zDQAk449VKfXia27L1Q&q=kubo&x=0&y=0) so I kept wanting to check it out.  We had the perfect reason to visit and even printed some coupons (there's one on their website and one from the Houston Press) for our night out.

We ended up with the The Viceroy of India's Dinner for Two ($49.95
Includes Tandoori Chicken, Boti Kabab, Tandoori Prawn, Seekh Kabab, Daal, Naan, Pullao, Kachmumber).  It was plenty of food for two people and was decently priced with our 15% off coupon.  

My complaints lie in the tough meat presented to us.  The chicken was rock hard!  It took so much effort to actually cut up the meat, it was unbelievable.  The pork shekh kabab was awful.  I'm not sure what it was, but no one at our table seemed to enjoy it.  On the other hand, the spinach dish was fantastic.  The prawns were delicious.  And the complimentary ice cream (lychee and pistachio) were both delicious.

I have a suspicion that there is better Indian food to be had in Houston (the next time we try it, we're going to Kirans) and with Kubo's right next door for very good sushi, it doesn't make sense to come back here again.  I heard that their lunch buffet is amazing, but I'm not tempted to come back here after such a mediocre experience.
*****************************
After dinner on Saturday, I felt the need to bump them up another star.  This time, the food was incredibly tender and all the meat was very moist.  The service was solid, but I'm unhappy with the exhorbatant prices here.  Even with their coupon, it is quite pricey for a simple dish of meat and rice.  Even though I'd be more willing to check them out again, it still has not won me over into thinking that Indian food is the greatest on earth.
4 - Larina C.: I love this quaint restaurant. The staff has always been friendly and remembers me and whoever I was with last time I dined there. I am a big fan of their chicken tandoori and chick pea masala.  I've ordered other dishes before and have always been satisfied with my choice.  It's not over the top traditional with the Indian decor- just nice and simple.  Generally Indian places leave you smelling like spices post meal, but not here. The prices are higher than most, but I think it's due to the location and because it's classier. I've been to 2 Indian  receptions where they had Bombay cater and it was amazing!
4 - Jackson M.: Their biriyani is tasty (I say that in all the indian restaurants I review because that's often what I end up getting), as is their weekend brunch buffet. The atmosphere is slightly more fancy than your average indian place with white table cloths etc. The waiters can be a bit rude sometimes but not too bad to make me stop coming. Best part is the buy one get one free coupon that is ALWAYS in the Houston Press. Last time we forgot our coupon and we just got one from the newspaper stand outside the restaurant. I hope they don't read this or maybe they'll stop giving coupons. :(

EDIT: We went there again tonight and the waiter refused to let us use our Houston Press coupon to get a biriyani. The coupon just said "buy one get one free", it didn't say anything about biriyani, plus we used the coupon with the biriyani the last time I went there. And the waiter wasn't too polite about it either. I have no idea why we couldn't get the biriyani because there were more expensive items on the menu that we could get for free instead. Just nothing with rice for some strange reason.
3 - Venu N.: This is not a "true" Indian restaurant; for those looking for "real" Indian food, I would suggest the Hillcroft area (namely Bombay Sweets -- there are also some stellar Pakistani restaurants out there as well).  Having said that, Bombay Brasserie is a decent place for buffet-style eating.  I would highly suggest their rendition of the British classic chicken tikka masala -- it certainly hits the mark as far as that particular dish is concerned.  The rest of the food is rather unremarkable, but it's not such a bad deal.  Oh yeah, you can also get your parking validated here!
4 - Lisa C.: I love their lunchtime buffet - They always have Chicken Tiki Masala & Saag Paneer. Their naan is outstanding.
2 - vy h.: I went here after hearing my teacher raved about how yummy the food was! It was very disappointing to walk in and see that the buffet table was so small and not only that I only had like 4 things to choose from, since I am a vegetarian. You would think that there would be more vegetarian option considering that it is an indian restaurant!
4 - Jeannie P.: great lunch buffet... their masala sauce is the best.   they skimp you on the mango lassi though... really expensive and half the size what a normal lassi is.  their saag paneer is also good.
4 - Derek R.: good Indian food.  Not the absolute best I've ever had, but pretty good nonetheless.
4 - Lisa O.: Very tasty, spectacular service, bit pricey

NOTE: This rating is based on only having been there once, which was about an hour ago.

THE GOOD: I ordered the Malai Kofta (vegetable indian dumplings filled wtih potato, peas, carrot, cheese, topped with a creamy/tomato/onion/spinach sauce), a vegetable samosa, rice, and naan.  All of those items were very well prepared, especially the Kofta sauce, which was bursting with flavor.  The samosa was piping hot, the naan soft, the rice speckled with vegetables, yum.  Service was fantastic, I feel like we had 5 waiters rather than just the one, and yet I didn't feel bombarded.  Sidenote for the meat-eaters: my roomie ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala and seemed to enjoy it very much.

THE LESS GOOD: Dang that was pricier than I thought it would be.  Everything I mentioned above had to be ordered separately, rice and naan were not included in the entree!  I found that to be a little ridiculous but wasn't upset or anything because afterall, it was a very enjoyable meal-- ending with a complimentary lassie (though I don't think that's an 'always' thing) and a hot towel.

All in all, a very good go-to-sometimes restaurant.
4 - Kim K.: I've only recently started to eat Indian food, and my Indian food diet is pretty limited to just a few dishes.  However, having tried a few different Indian restaurants myself, this one was really, really good.

This restaurant is a small, cozy restaurant.  The waitstaff was pretty attentive from the moment we walked in, providing us with menus, drinks, etc immediately.  I ordered my favorite Indian dish - buttered chicken, with rice, and garlic naan.  A co worker of mine ordered a vegetarian dish - okra.  Let me tell you, everything that I had was to die for!  The buttered chicken dish had very nice and tender chicken and the sauce was great to smother the rice with.  And, I coudln't help but keep stuffing my face with that fabulous naan.  I also snuck many bites of my co worker's okra dish which was seasoned to perfection.  I also ended bringing home a nice to go box, which I enjoyed the next day for dinner.

The price?  A bit pricey.  But, I didn't care, this was a company dinner because we had a co worker come in from another country to work with us.  So, I didn't have to personally foot the bill!  Overall though, great dining experience, and when I am having a craving for Indian food, I will surely need to come back here.
2 - Daniel H.: i found the food to be remarkably average and a little over priced.  the service and atmosphere were fine, but i just didnt enjoy the meal.
3 - Becky S.: if i could give 3.5 stars, i would... a little higher than 3, but not quite 4.

i went with my family on a sunday evening. the place is nicely decorated (much nicer than shiva), and the waitstaff was very attentive and polite. but the food was a little overpriced (and indian dinner is expensive already) with tiny portions. we were going to get an order of tandoori chicken (which they said was a WHOLE chicken), so we opted to get the "half" portion. needless to say, "half" of a chicken consists of 2 legs. very disappointed. delicious, but disappointed.

maybe i'm just ghetto, but when it comes to indian food, the more, the better. i don't want to compromise taste, but i think in this case their food tastes just as good as other indian restaurants i've been to, but just with a higher price. if you're craving indian but you don't wanna see pink and purple colors everywhere (like on a date or something), then i'd say come here.
5 - Liz C.: So far, its the best Indian food I've ever had.
I recently moved to Portland, OR and it makes me sad that I probably won't ever eat there again.

Their Saag Paneer is THE best I've ever had, the chicken tikka masala melts in your mouth, and don't even get me started on their Naan.
They've got some pretty good Mango Lassi's and the Kheer is really freaking good.

If you are new to Indian food, I recommend the lunch buffet.  There is a pretty good selection of things to try ranging from chicken, lamb, & vegetarian options (okra masala is amazing) and its all you can eat. yay!
4 - Allie N.: When your Indian friend recommends you eat here, then you know it's gonna be authentic and good. The moment we walked in, it smelled so good in there! Little did I know I would stink when I leave, but the food was totally worth it in the end. 

We started with samosas. The bf was hoping that they would be filled with meat, but they were vegetarian samosas. They were so flavorful that I totally forgot there wasn't meat in them. If you aren't familiar with samosas, it's kind of like an empanada or a fried wonton. They are a little spicy for those of you who can't take the heat.

I've only eaten Indian a few times before, and each time I go I never remember what I had the last time. I love Thai food, particularly the curries, which has many similarities to Indian food as far as flavor and spices. The waiter told me to get Chicken Tikka Masala if I didn't know what to get because it's one of their best dishes for Indian noobies like myself. He said if I didn't like it, he would take it back and not charge me for it!

The bf got a mixed grilled platter which came out on a sizzling plate and smelled heavenly! And my Chicken Tikka Masala? Absolutely delicious. The chicken was so moist and tender and I loved the sauce it was in. We got some rice with it which had some delicious spices mixed into it (including a cinnamon stick!). 

The service here was outstanding. They were extremely attentive and paid attention to every detail. The waiter even reminded us to get our parking validated! And when we asked them for some to-go boxes, they politely boxed up our food and even wrapped it in saran wrap so it wouldn't stink up the car. What a great idea! I've never been to a restaurant that did that before.

Like others have said, the price is a little high--around $13-20 for an entree and then you have to pay extra for rice and naan bread. But the service is great and the food is amazing, so I think it's worth it.
3 - Brandie D.: If I'm going to Rice Village to get my curry fix, I'm going to Shiva...but some coworkers invited me to Bombay Brasserie after much hype, so I agreed to give it a fair shot.  We went for lunch to enjoy the buffet, which had juuuust enough meat and veggie dishes to constitute a buffet.  The food looked better than it actually tasted though.  

My tikka masala was so foul tasting that I couldn't even eat a second bite of it...and I've never had a chicken tikka that I couldn't say no to.  The naan was prepared well and the lentil dish was lentilicious (thank goodness, or I would've put a call into Shiva for a to-go).  But what really got me was the price...$10 for a lunch buffet?  I could've gone to the other indian place on the block and got better quality food, in a less stuffy atmosphere, for less.  Sorry Bombay, I love chaating and I love Brasseries, but I think you're off of my curry fix list.
3 - Peter T.: Food: 3/5
Ambiance: 3/5
Services: 3.5/5
Prices: $$$ (avg 20/person)

Well, we have been planning to check this place out for over 2 weeks and we finally made it last Saturday before catching the 9pm movie at Weslayan. It was crowded and we took the last available table which is directly in front of the door, so we could feel the cold draft coming in but not too bad...

First of, i am not a connoisseur in Indian food, so let get that clear, i'm simply picky & bitchy at time (just pertaining to my food, nothing else ;). We had a late lunch and its about 7.15pm... So we decided on ordering 2 dishes and skip the Viceroy of India Dinner for Two option, which I will definitely choose if we were hungry! While waiting for our dishes, I finished up the papadum, one of my fav and both the dipping were excellent (which i have no idea what they are, a sweet & tangy and a greenish ones). We had the following:

Prawn Masala $15.95 - prawn, in tomato and cream sauce. Love the cream sauce, just the right textures where you can dip your naan bread with. Even though the prawns (about 8 of them) are in good sizes but they simply dont have the flavors.

Rogan Josh $15.95 - lamb curry, cooked in yogurt and onions. This is a traditional dish which i usually try in most Indian restaurant but this one is really a missed. The curry was just ok and there's generous helping of the lamb chunks. Though they are tender but they are tasteless too. However, my partner & I agreed that this is better than the prawn dish...

We also have to order the naan bread & rice separately - WTF? The naan bread cost $2.95 per portion which they sliced them quarterly and the rice is $3.95. For 2, i suggest to order 1 each, we ordered 2 portion of naan as suggested by the waiter, which is way too much!

So, my conclusion is both dishes are being prepared the same. They simply boil the meat or seafood (per your order) and then mixed them in the pre-made sauce or curry, thus BLEND, BLEND, BLEND! The masala tasted like the same one you get from Ragu (bottled sauce) but with a slight added spices.

Looking around, I noticed that a lot customers ordered their tandoori or tikka dishes, maybe those are their specialties but if i go to Indian restaurant, i prefer to try the more traditional dishes, those that mostly cooked at home...

For now, I dont think i will go back again even though we got a 15% discount (with the coupon i printed out from their website) on the bill but its not enough to lure me back. I will go back to Mayuri instead...
4 - Michelle K.: I've only been here for the lunch buffet. Each time I have gone, the waitstaff have been very welcoming and friendly. They will often bring out dishes that have just come out of the kitchen to offer each table a fresh serving. The selection is pretty decent, with lamb korma, chicken tikka masala, lentils, saag paneer, potatoes, rice, naan, pakoras, etc. I like their naan, potatoes, saag paneer, and lamb korma the best out of the buffet selection. The rice could be a tad more aromatic, but it's still pretty good. Of course, I love kheer and they do a good job with it as well. Although I do enjoy the food and atmosphere here, it's not the most flavorful Indian food I've had, so it is 4 stars for me :)
5 - Prad N.: Coming from an Indian family, it's hard for me to get excited about Indian restaurants. But Bombay Brasserie blows my parents' food out of the water.  The chicken masala had the perfect amount of spice (the kind where you feel beads of sweat coming from your scalp).  Naans are extremely soft and deliciously warm.  Veggie biryani was also delicious and appropriately spicy.  Decent price (group of 4 with mediocre bottle of wine, under $150), very prompt service.
3 - Julia S.: This is our regular ITL Indian joint in Houston. We've been coming here for years now. Throughout our visits, one thing this restaurant lacks is consistency. Sometimes we get great food but at times, not so great. I can't even tell you what my favorite dish is because I can order one thing one visit, and it tastes completely different on another. 

Overall, food is decent. Location is convenient to us. Service is always friendly although beware when dining near their closing time. Once that clocks hits 10pm, they want you out! They'll rush you, even going as far as putting the rest of your beer in a to-go plastic cup.
4 - Danielle S.: I didn't think I'd be writing an update for Bombay Brasserie so soon, but I surprised even myself.  When I called Shiva during lunch service and was told they didn't offer pickup during the midday meal, I called Bombay Brasserie as my backup and they were more than willing to oblige.  Thanks to their validated garage, I expected to be able to find quick, in-and-out parking, but ten minutes of circling later, I finally found a spot and ran inside.  The owner asked me how my day was going, and I told him better now that I had found a space!  For my trouble he ended up plying me with a small container of rice pudding, which I found incredibly nice.

As for the food when I got home--everything was impeccably packaged and we ended up making two meals out of our feast.  Papadum and chutney are included when you get something to go, and our pulao rice and chicken tikka masala were safe inside two plastic containers with lids firmly on.  The only complaint I had was that the naan was likely put inside the aluminum foil when it was fresh off the grill, so by the time I was able to make it over to bf's it was a little slimey from the steam.  Definitely not inedible, though.

The lamb tenderloin was deliiiiiiicious.  I don't think I've ever eaten a more tender and well-seasoned piece of meat.  However, at $16.95 for three pieces of lamb, I'm not sure I'd order that particular dish again.  At any rate--Boyfriend said what I was thinking when he told me that maybe we'd found an alternative (and dare I say replacement?) for Indian takeout.  The incredibly kind service may have just tipped Bombay Brasserie over the edge for me.  Four well-deserved stars.
4 - Lauren J.: I have been wanting Indian food since we discovered a place just before moving bak from SF. A friend suggested this and I'm ao glad she did! It was very nice and the food was delicious. I had the tikka masala and my friends had one of the vegetable plates (spicy) and the spinach/cheese thing (consider ordering as an app with naan). The waiters were all very good, quick and friendly. We even got treated to some ice cream afterwards -- pistachio and mango. Really good! I definitely want to go back and try more
4 - Claire C.: An oasis in the terrible service that is Houston.  We have always had good food and service here.  Yes the rice and bread have to be ordered separately.  The chicken tikka masala is my favorite. Mango lasse is very good.  I usually do not do buffets but this one was good when we went by one Sunday.  The staff is always friendly and take care to pay attention to the details in serving you without being in the way.
5 - Mandy L.: From all of the reviews I have read about Bombay Brasserie I give it 3 stars....until I went there tonight, the place is very nice...on the 2nd floor off University in the Rice Village, my companion and I ordered different dishes and shared. I am not only completely FULL but I had a great time, and the wait staff was very accommodating. 

I will be coming back!
5 - Jimmy N.: This place has a great lunch buffet and great food at night as well. The service is good. The parking is annoying since it is in the Village and you can never find parking. But they will validate parking if you parked in the Village garage.
5 - Alex P.: Excellent Indian food. Very fresh and juicy. Just right amount of spices. Their service is impeccable. A wonderful place in the Rice Village - quiet and cozy. If you like ethnic food - go for it!  You'd be glad you did.
4 - Lalitha K.: Went for dinner one late evening after moving our oldest back into her dorm room on a very humid typical Houston day. Tired and hungry, my better half and I needed quick sustenance. He prefers Indian when he is grumpy and tired. Never been here before; nice decor, very attentive staff. Being a week night, not many customers, but still semi busy. The wine list needs a bit updating; we wanted a cool crisp Pinot Grigio, the one we chose wasn't available anymore. The waiter suggested a substitute which supposedly they are the only ones to carry this label: from a California  vineyard owned by a local Houston Dr. He gave us a taste, quite good. Can't remember the name now. I am sure they still have available. 
We ordered an mixed veggies appetizer, not bad, nothing Wow.
However, their Okra curry, bhindi masala curry, was delish!!! It was made fresh, nicely spiced, perfect portion for sharing. 
Like other Yelpers have written, our daughter went a few weeks later, ordered the same curry, said it was bitter with too much turmeric. Maybe consistency is a problem with the kitchen since the curry is made when ordered, and every recipe can taste different every time it is made.
Ordered a basic onion naan, forgot to say no butter, so a bit greasy for us, but still yummy.
The raita with the cool yogurt and cucumber with chopped tomatoes, very nice.
All in all, a nice dinner. Great service. Need to return on a weekend night to see if the staff is still as friendly and as attentive.
4 - Bobby B.: This restaurant is hidden on the second floor of the Rice village complex. My expectation was pretty low and I was thinking that this place was going to have the typical over spiced,oily Indian food. However, the food here was surprisingly delicious and seemed to not have any of the common problems with most indian restaurants. 

My friends and I shared the dal makhani and chicken tikka masala. The dal was really good, but I've had better versions of dal makhani. The chicken tikka masala was first class. I highly recommend it. I'm definitely returning to this spot and ordering some of that chicken tikka!
2 - Ryan L.: Those darn Indian buffets and their post lunch food comas.

They serve the mainstays solidly and not spectacularly. I avoid the tikka masala, and vegetable koorma is disappointingly bland. Tandoori is OK, as is lamb koorma, but most of the specials remain bland. Naan is serviceable, and kheer is a high point. Overall, it's too bland for my tastes. It seems that they brought the flavor down a notch in recent months.

Lunch is $15, which is kinda steep, but I guess this is inside the loop and Rice Village. Expect dinner to run $50+.
4 - Cameron B.: This was my first Indian food experience about 6 months ago. An Indian co-worker brought us all here and most of us are now huge fans of Indian food and eat it often!

The chicken tikka masala is so delicious. I love that this place is a buffet because I get to try it all. 

The service here is excellent.
3 - Mike F.: i dont know why but the Bombay Brasserie in galleria is so much better than this location. I dont know if it's the ingredents they use, the ambience, the cooks, the space? Who knows.

True Bombay Brasserie in general does not offer an array of selection but the entrees they DO serve are very good.
4 - GEORGE P.: My girlfriend and I Love this place. The food is awesome and the service is impeccable. The waiters always make sure your glasses are full. If you are looking for great Indian food with great CS, this is the place! Might be a bit pricey for some. Otherwise all good. If you park in the garage, you can get your ticket validated.
4 - Matthew N.: This is my favorite Indian Food place in town.  You have got to go for the lunch buffet at some point.  I am particularly fond of their lamb dishes.  Wish it was a little cheaper, but I think you get what you pay for with this place.
2 - Georgie M.: A friend and me went for here for dinner a couple of weeks ago and this place definitely comes under my to forget Indian food experiences in Houston. The place did not stand out to me on any aspect and the feeling I got was that the place was stuck in a time warp with nothing new having been done on it for ages.

All this would not have bothered for the fact that even the food was not upto the mark. The food at best was just average. Me and my friend ordered chicken tikka masala, dal fry, malai kofta, onion kulcha for the main course. The food was bland and had no flavor to it. The only saving grace were the onion kulchas which were really good. The other unusual thing was that when we were given the option that do we need the malai kofta to be spicy when traditionally it is dish that is sweet and is never spicy. For desserts then we ordered kulfi which is an Indian ice cream like dessert. The kulfi had ice crystals in them and did not taste anything like a kulfi usually tastes. Disappointed we turned to our last recourse the pan. This after food mint was also just average.

This after going through the hassle of parking in rice village, the pains of a time warped ambiance which did not do anything for me, and an average service.

So overall this place gets a thumbs down from me and would take a lot convincing for me to try this place again.
3 - Samantha S.: I visited this place for an early dinner last Monday.  The service was quite attentive as there was few people in the restaurant.  The saag paneer was really delicious, but far from authentic.  I enjoyed it as a creamy spinach dish but it was not the saag paneer I was expecting.  The chicken tandoori was also yummy.  The chicken vindaloo was fine, but I will try something different if I do go back.  For me, chicken tikka masala is always the test if I like an Indian place and on this count it failed.  The tikka masala was ok but unremarkable.  There was way too much sauce for the amount of chicken and it was more tomato-y than normal (think vodka marinara sauce).
1 - Katherine W.: I'm really miffed about my recent experience at Bombay Brasserie.  The service was, to say the least, lacking.  I know that we put them out a little by showing up without warning in a relatively large group (8 or 9 people) and not all of us at precisely the same time, but there's not really an excuse for flat out ignoring a table for a solid twenty minutes.

We went around 5:45, when they weren't slammed but were fairly full, and I needed to order and eat before everyone else because I had a hockey game and should have eaten much earlier in the night.  Clearly this is not the restaurant's fault or anything, but when I made eye contact, then waved, then starting asking everyone who walked past for the waiter, and still waited twenty minutes for him to finally show up at the table, that's ridiculous.  

Furthermore, the prices are not good.  I paid $14 for the same meal I can get at Shiva for $10, and had to order the rice separately.  It cost another $4.  So, in the end, I got the same amount and quality of food that I can get elsewhere for almost double the price, and I waited about a century to order.  For $18, I should have leftovers for a week.  I don't think I'll be back, because I can't think of a single thing they have to offer that's better than or even equal to the quality and service you can get elsewhere.
4 - Holly O.: Yum. The location of this restaurant is the only thing i'm not 100% excited about.  It's in a strip center of a million stores.  It really deserves it's own freestanding building.  Anyhow, the wait staff was extremely accomodating.  We had several dishes, chicken, lamb, eggplant, naan and other veggie curry.  It was all so delicious.  I was very pleased and cannot wait to return.  :)
4 - Vanesa V.: Good place for lunch because of the buffet, I don't think I would come here for dinner because it gets pretty pricey. Lunch is around $14, they usually always serve the same thing everyday. 

Tikki masala...yum
Saag pander...nice n creamy
Chicken tandori... Kinda dry not my fav
Naan..only good when served warm
Rice... Always cooked perfectly

And service is always pretty good here. Don't forget they validate your parking!
5 - Jillian W.: Food is AMAZING. Service was exceptional, very warm and welcoming. They threw in free desserts for us for no good reason! Prices are very decent and they validate your parking. Go here!
3 - Lorena Q.: Nice restaurant, food was good although I think Chivas was more authentic. Staff was great always checking our table.
5 - Anthony M.: I absolutely love this place! The buffet is fantastic. Well put together restaurant also. The staff is friendly and attentive. Pretty standard Indian buffet but the quality and freshness is the best I've had for a buffet. Totally worth the $12 for lunch.
5 - Elaine K.: Houston has a lot of Indian restaurants but this is our fave! Service is excellent. Portions are filling! We always have leftovers. This is a favorite indian restaurant in Houston.

Recommendation: Lamb sagwala, it's lamb that melts in your mouth!
5 - D C.: Great Saag Paneer which is critical for me.  The mixed grill for two meal is fabulous especially if you are new to indian food it gives you a taste of multiple things, you will like something.  Waiters are great constantly alert and super nice.  Once again a great place to try indian food out.
4 - Helen S.: I love this place for lunch. They have a great Indian buffet with all my favorites: chicken tikka, saag paneer, lamb korma. The lamb can be a bit bony, but I don't mind. The naan is good. They have a yummy rice pudding for dessert.

The buffet is reasonably priced, but dinner and the regular lunch menu are much more expensive.

Also, the service can border on intrusive at times, with the waiters refilling your water after you take two sips, and whisking away your half-eaten plate when you get up for extra naan or whatever. I've mentioned this to them several times, and they have stopped taking my plate before I'm finished.

But overall, a great place for lunch.
3 - Kate F.: I went here for lunch.  I did not realize they had a buffet.  I am not a buffet type person so while my other lunchmates went to fill their plates at the buffet I asked for a menu.  The lunch buffet is 11.95 a person, so I figured they would have some pretty reasonable lunch dishes.  Well nope!  Every dish is 14-19 bucks.  So really it did not make sense to do anything but the buffet.  I didnt try everything, but I really enjoyed the Naan here.  Plus you cant really beat unlimited naan.  I also had the tikki masala and really enjoyed the sauce.  The lamb dish (sorry foget what its called) was medicore and the meat was kind of tough.  Also had some of the veggies, which were all good. 

I might come back here again, but I think I would come for dinner.
4 - Hoosier D.: The lunch buffet was wonderful. I don't know what I ate, but I loved most of it. My plate was clean. I will definitely return.
3 - Kait M.: Very crowded, good food though for a buffet that is.
4 - Sandy H.: When I think buffet... I think BOMBAY BRASSERIE!  Okay, so I really do not ever get my money's worth at any buffet (I know... I'm such a foodie too!), but I feel like this place is worth it every time I come here for lunch :)  

The selection is not huge, but it's good enough.  They have saag paneer, chicken tikka masala, fresh buttery naan... I can go on!  Service is always excellent and it's not super crowded.  

To me... I love coming here because I don't alway want to get a single plate at an Indian restaurant.  There's so much flavor and variety that I want to taste so I feel like a buffet is always best.  I love it here... they have "patio/outdoor" seating for nice weather days.  

If you park in the garage, it's validated so no worries about finding parking!
5 - Caroline E.: I love this place!  Best saag and chicken tikka masala.
4 - Curt L.: I have not had Indian food in a long time............mostly because Wifey is not an Indian food fan. Oh Well.
After a beer at The Ginger Man (please read my review).......we walked across the street to BB.
Good Call.

Warmly greeted by the staff who told us that 'we will make the best Indian food for you". That is a hell of a greeting and one that they did achieve.
Papadum was brought along with 2 chutneys. A m.
int jalapeno thingies and a more traditional chutney. Consider this like chips and salsa .
Great flavor....could not stop snacking on the wonderful spiciness.

Ordered some Kema Naan...bread lightly stuffed with lamb & fresh ginger & cilantro. Enjoyed it much...as I dipped it into my vindaloo that was soon to arrive.
Actually it was a seafood curry called Prawns Madras.
I wanted a shrimp vindaloo but the waiter told me this is the same thing.
Loved the spiciness and flavor....as the shrimps were juicy and plump.
Really really good.

topped off with a Kingfisher beer (when in Mumbai my friend................)
2 - Samrat B.: AMAZING SAAG PANEER! Everything else is mediocre at most. The naan was really soft, which I like, but that didn't really give me much to jump for joy about. The malai kofta was extremely spicy and sweet. If it was not so sweet, it would have been good. Then again, I'm not a huge fan of malai kofta. I have to say that my rating is a little bit harsh, simply because I've really had better. That said, though, I just can't give a place a 3 star rating if they close their kitchen earlier than they say they will. They said 9:45 PM, but they closed at 9:42 PM, so "the most [they could] do is let prepare it to go." If I wanted that, I wouldn't have stopped by such an expensive restaurant. 3 Naans, a malai kofta order, and a saag paneer order cost me close to $40. Really? Come on!
3 - Trevor M.: After finding a rare outdoor parking spot in this shopping center, I decided to stop by for the lunch buffet.  There was a decent selection of vegetarian food, and the vegetables fried in garbanzo flour with spicy green sauce were good.  My waiter was helpful with offering some vegan and gluten free options once I asked.  Somewhat less interesting than the more authentic (and cheaper) options on the Southwest side, but a solid lunch option if you're in the Village.
5 - Kevin W.: This is one of the best Indian Restaurants in Houston!

Honestly, I've only been there during lunch, and it's buffet style food. Their quantity of food is somewhat limited, but the *quality* of the available food is fantastic!

From the buffet line I normally grab some Java Chicken, Chicken Tikka, Sagg Paneer (my favorite), and Tandoori Chicken. When I'm close to "fat and full", I swing by and a final serving of their Kheer dessert.

I highly recommend this place for a Saturday lunch/brunch trip.
2 - David B.: Totally lame. Everything just tasted like a bunch of butter was slathered on mediocre food (and nothing was nearly spicy enough when we asked for it). The Naan was pretty good, but the Saag Paneer and Chicken Tikka Masala that others recommended here were really poor.
3 - Anjou K.: I took a bunch of business colleagues for good Indian food here and was utterly embarrased as both women's and men's bathrooms were disgustingly dirty. We informed the staff but they never circled around to let us know if the problem was fixed.

The food for lunch buffet is ok. Tandoori Chicken is often overcooked and dry. Vegetarian dishes are good. I have to agree with others about the delicious Saag Paneer.
5 - Gulam H.: not every restaurant is great in houston...ive been to bad to the worse to the mediocre to the cheap lame places where they charge high prices for an appetizer...since houston is based with so many small businesses privately owned...they try to be competeable in their own market...this place is a nice and cozy one is rice village...not too large but a great place for a nice and lovely lunch or romantic dinner....shiva is their comepetion...sure they give u rice with their entrees....but how bout the quality??means more when i wanna eat really great food...they truly have the best buffet in town...hands down the even deliver to the v a  hospital which means a lot to our collegues....we never get a break...but its kind of their servers to take out time for us helping veterans...thats what i call service....sometimes gets so busy that we have to wait for seating....its not a bother becuz the tandoori chicken is superb and i love that they have lamb curry and chi tikka masala everyday of the week.....for anyone who needs a good recomendation try this place....i have been a customer for a while....sometimes they have flaws but the way i am treated there is worth my business any time thanks bombay!!!!!!!!!!!! gulam
4 - catherine h.: I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this place... This was my first time actually dining at an Indian place.. I had the Chicken Tikka with the spicy potatoe masalda? sorry if im not accurate in my choice of words but i was so wrapped up in the food i had a brain fart... But i love the food.. its amazing.. but beware, indian food does have a spice factor and my mouth sure did pay for the deliciousness.. But the good thing was that the service was on point! Our waiter was veryinforamative on our plates, what we should and shouldnt get...

I read in other reviews that it was a buffet? Maybe during lunch because at dinner it was just the menu.. I have to come try it for lunch.. :)


Defitnely coming back.. :)
4 - Stephanie F.: Chicken Tikka is AWESOME!
Went for lunch, found out it was a buffet. Bill came to about $25.00 (for 2) which was cheap! Its very small so you might have to wait. Java Chicken is good too! Its somewhat of a pain to park, so make sure you use the garage. 

They give you parking vouchers with your bill!
5 - s a.: ok so i'm an indian food snob, when you can make it yourself and get moms home cooking then restaurants have to cross a very high bar.

But i really loved the food here, we got the bhindi (okra) and grilled lamb chops, and naan. Now the way you know if you have good naan is when its not buttered and its still slightly crunchy on the edges and soft inside -- score!
the okra was fresh and perfectly seasoned, the lamb was very well done and the spices weren't crazy so my korean compatriot wasn't foaming at the mouth.

small place but very cozy, the wait staff is very attentive and i'm definately going back soon.

fresh, yummy and not crazy expensive. i might be going home a little less, sorry mom!
5 - Mr M.: Absolutely incredible buffet. I mainly ate the chicken tikka and the butter chicken but the lamb was good to, although served boney. Naan was perfect, drinks were refilled constantly, validated garage parking. I will be coming back for lunch again.
5 - Tina Y.: Just had dinner here with my husband. Ordered the garlic naan, regular naan, lamb vindaloo, chicken saagwala, rice, and sweet lassi. House made complimentary chapatis were thin, crunchy and savory... Soo good. We had three baskets of them even before our food came. Service was attentive and our waiter provided moist cloth napkins both before and after our meal, a nice touch. The garlic naan and regular naan tasted authentic, were fluffy and had a good texture, served warm from the tandoori. Lamb vindaloo was super spicy. Awesome. Chicken saagwala was just the right amount of creamy. You can really taste the ghee, cumin, and coriander in the spinachy cream sauce. The lassi provided sweet yogurty relief. We really enjoyed our visit and will be back.
2 - Fivedollarmeals O.: took my wife for her first Indian food.  the food was just okay.  very nice dinning room.  service was good except for when the waitress asking for cash for payment. i was just not impress.  sorry.
1 - Davina C.: Severely disappointed!!!! Everything seemed great until two roaches ruined our experience!!! The first roach my husband took care of and I really tried to be nice and brush it off but when another appeared shortly after I was done!!! We had just gotten our dishes and we were charged for everything. Might be good but beware!!!
5 - A. P.: Bombay Brasserie catered our wedding reception and cocktail hour for our wedding. All of our guests told us that the food was amazing and they were shocked because typically it is the same ole' wedding food but they were shocked at how delicious our wedding food was, especially the saag paneer/saag chicken and the chicken shashlik and chicken tikka. Overall, we were very pleased with the food and will definitely use them again in the future and recommend them to our friends. 
A. Patel

Bombay Coast Indian Tandoor & Curry Express - La Jolla, CA (32.8754964390104, -117.23961353302) ()
4 - Jen W.: I'm kind of on this discovering-new-eateries binge on campus. 

And I'm kind of in love. I don't know if it's authentic, but I do know that I like the food here. A lot. (I feel like a white person who swears by Stix... haha) I came here once on Friday. Then I came here on Saturday to pick up food for myself and three others. Then I came here on Monday to eat with a friend. Officially addicted, I think.

The employees are really nice. Not always the fastest service ever sometimes, but I assume it's just the kinks of the whole new-restaurant thing.

Watch... I'll be back in a day or two.
2 - Mick G.: So it is nice to see a little variety at the UCSD Food Court(s).
I saw the initial 5 Star reviews and was actually excited, so today I made the trek across campus to visit the new Price Center and find out about this Bombay Coast place.

I was disappointed, and yet not.

My disappointment came from the hopes generated from previous reviews, but in truth the fare was what I had expected.  

The food was better than the usual fast food junk found in food courts, but the Sag Paneer was greasey, and the Chicken Korma was bland.  The Naan was alright.

I did not venture into trying the Chai (I am picky about Chai), 

The foodcourt Indian at Sitar is MUCH better, and not too far from campus.
4 - Wilmar D.: After a few weeks of increasing my experience in Indian cuisine, there's a few things I can now compare between Bombay Coast and the competition.

First, the amount of food you get at BC for the amount of money you spend?  It's on the steeper side, but considering it's in a food court, it's understandable.

Second, the portion of naan that you get is miniscule compared to places like Indian Tandoor and Punjabi Tandoor.  Additionally, the consistency of Bombay Coast naan is more like hand-tossed pizza dough, which is still good, but I'm starting to see that it's not the general interpretation, which tends to be a little more doughy, tastes more grilled, and is slathered with butter.

Lastly, despite these points I had to make, Bombay Coast is still my preferred place to eat on campus, and man I love their baigan bharta.
3 - Miguel V.: Well, my wife are students at UCSD and at SDSU, but I don't make it on either campus much these days. She was on the UCSD campus recently though and told me that they had an Indian place in the food court. This alone is awesome as any college student is usually aware of the poor food choices that are usually on campus. Having some kind of ethnic food that's not tex-mex is nice. That being said this is not the place to go if you want good Indian food and are not a student stuck on campus. 
     I don't claim to be  an expert on Indian cuisine by any means, but I know decent food from below par food and I also know what I like and don't like. This place was just okay and about as good as you can expect from a college campus place. My wife ordered the chicken and lamb curries, some samosas, naan, and some seasoned rice. Well, the rice was extremely bland, but it did have a little more flavor than plain white rice, so whatever. I didn't get to taste the chicken curry because it didn't last long enough. The lamb curry however was decent. It was not as flavorful as I usually prefer, but again, fast food place. The lamb was nice and gamy, but it was also pretty tough. I prefer my lamb cooked with some patience so it stays nice and soft. The samosas were alright, but the minced meat that should have been inside did sort of resemble just straight ground beef or hamburger meat, but the seasoning was decent. By the time they made it to me, they were a little soggy, but I doubt they were served with way initially. Finally, the naan was somewhat thick and very doughy. Aside from using too much dough, they just clearly did not cook it enough. It tasted like I was eating a ball of raw dough. 
      I think if we are on campus, we would most likely eat here over some of the other places, but otherwise we'll just roll down to Black Mtn. Rd.
3 - Joyce L.: Good food for the price. It's not the best Indian food I've had but for something at PC it's pretty good. I wish they gave more meat in their entrees and not just a lot of sauce, but can't really complain.
4 - Joe M.: As an addition to the new Price Center Expansion project (and at the expense of the campus Wendy's), UCSD welcomed the addition of several new eateries, including Indian food in the form of Bombay Coast.  Craving a departure from the bland $5 foot longs from Subway, I decided to give this place a try, especially since it was finally open, a rare occurrence for a weekend.

Noticing their finals week special for a $5 3-item plate, I was elated that there was finally a reasonably priced alternative to the rest of the expensive offerings in Price Center.  If there's one thing that this place is not short on, it's choice.  There was at least a dozen different kinds of curry to choose from, and not exactly being a connoisseur of Indian cuisine, I had no idea where to start.  I ultimately decided to get the chicken tikka masala, chicken masala, and a spicy meatball dish in curry, all served with naan and over rice.  The chicken tikka masala was pretty spicy and I personally prefer the creamy, mild version that they serve at Naan & Curry. In fact, the spice level was a little on the high side for all of the dishes, a nice touch, but unexpected and certainly not for everyone.  However, all in all, it was definitely one of the better meals I've enjoyed a Price Center.

Considering that this was a UCSD food court meal, I was actually pleasantly surprised with the experience.  If they continued to keep the price at $5, I could see myself eating here again.  However, considering that the regular price is about 35% more and their hours tend to be extremely sort, I probably won't be around again when they are actually open.  It is really nice to finally have a little variety in PC, even if it is only for a few hours a day.

Food: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Price: $

Atmosphere: 6/10
1 - tandy w.: I ordered the 2 entree plate for 5.99 and proceeded to find a seat. After I sat down, I realized that I needed a fork so I went back to the counter to get one. Both of the employees working there kept telling me that these are for "customers only." I told them that I had just been there like 2 minutes ago...seriously. No apologies, they just shrugged it off. There wasn't many people in line before or after me. I think this ruined my experience of eating here and won't be returning soon.
2 - Timothy N.: Some items are okay.  Especially items that contain sauces.  

One huge drawback to this place is that the portions are so small.  I seriously get hungry again in 2 hours.  That's after a 2 item entree plate with mango yogurt.  

If you look around it has the shortest lines in all of Price Center and there's a reason for it.  Bad quality, high prices.

We once saw flies hovering over the food so yeah...not a good sign.  Well, maybe to other flies.
3 - chris c.: reaeeellly good if you are craving indian fast food.
otherwise its just regular old indian fast food.

service is pretty good. the people are nice. the food is ok. i like the naan. it doesnt taste like traditional naan, but i still like it. its kinda chewy :) the entrees are good for fast food. the rice is.. rice. that salad thing is weird though. i dont really care for it. chutney is good

the price is ok i guess. i would prefer to pay less obviously hahaha
3 - James F.: Got a two-item lunch yesterday while working on campus. The naan was fresh and good, the chicken tikka (served over the rice) was a lot of small chunks - maybe i got the bottom of the serving dish. I got something else that was green (but not palaak paneer), and it was so-so.

For a lunch time place, there was no line, which maybe speaks a little to how popular the place is compared to the other eateries in Price Center. then again, it is tucked into an odd corner by itself.

the food was not bad, but not superb, but i guess it fit the price for ready-made indian food.

they do have a wide variety of vegetarian options, which is a plus - and vegetarian combos are cheaper than other combos.
1 - Natalie U.: One word: BLAND. I got the two item veggie combo, nothing had any flavor. The rice tasted like nothing, the saag paneer was watery and had barely any paneer in it, the aloo mutter looked good, but again, had very little spice or flavor at all. The naan was not fresh at all, and all too crispy and chewy at once. 

I know not to expect anything mindblowingly delicious out of fast food, but I'd at least like to be eating something that tastes a little more like food rather than cardboard. One star for being faster than Burger King.
1 - Daniel N.: I could basically sum up my experience with Bombay Coast in one word: Forgettable. 

Everything about it is forgettable, from the location (it's sort of shoved off into a corner of the new Price Center), to it's food offerings, the actual taste, and the price. 

The service is typical of what you would find at Panda Express - they scoop your food and ring you up and along the way they will try and milk you for your money with tantalizing offers of drinks that sound much better than they will taste. 

I ordered some dishes that I know I've had experience with so I could effectively compare. 

I had:
1. Chicken Tikka Masala - Sometimes I get embarrassed to order this dish, knowing that its watered down conception is still strong today. The dish is pretty gross. It's basically a weird cream broth with solid chunks of mass that I suppose was supposed to pass as chicken. 

2. Baigan Bharta - This wasn't very good either. I couldn't taste a trace of eggplant in the dish and... it just tasted meh. 

The whole experience was pretty meh. To me, it was a bunch of mediocre sauces that had to be drenched in chutney that tasted more like ketchup than tamarind to make it taste like anything. The naan was scarce and the rice was dry and tasted like cardboard. 

I felt sick afterwards, and even during the meal because I felt like I was eating vomit because everything was a discolored saucy mess with weird particles in it that were supposed to be eggplant and chicken. I've had prison food that tasted better than this.

Definitely not worth the money.
4 - Tim S.: I'm not sure if they improved the recipe or if I just got unlucky my first couple times, but the Chicken Masala and Chicken Tika Masala are now quite good, at least around lunch time. The tandoori chicken isn't too bad either.

I still can't recommend the veggie dishes beyond "cheap and relatively healthful". But at least I've found my favorite of their dishes.
1 - Briget P.: A big thumbs down for this place. I ordered Chicken Tikka Masala and Chicken Masala since the other entrees didn't seem too appetizing. It was very weak tasting and dull. Not worth the price and not worth the time. If your eyes wander across this place in Price Center food court....MOVE ON!!!
1 - selina l.: First time I didn't finish even 1 pc of naan.  

'Nuff said.
2 - Chris C.: Keep on coming back to try this place, hoping that I just got unlucky the time before. Each time is more disappointing than the last, with tantalizing bits of good speckled between a gigantic mush of meh. 

The best of the selection they have is the Chicken Tikka Masala- though the chicken chunks can be kind of rubbery, the sauce actually has spices in it and tastes fairly good. None of the other selections I tried had much flavor and the vegetarian portions looked like they were simply frozen and refrozen every night.  

On all three of my visits I've made sure to ask if the naan was fresh and the guy/girl there invariably says "oh yes." It's not. It looked like it had been re-heated and was flaky and crumbly. It tasted like any ol' piece of bread with zero flavor. If an Indian restaurant can't get the naan right, that's a bad omen for everything else. 

Prices are relatively reasonable and they do have some periodic specials that make it more affordable. But I'd rather go across the center to somewhere that makes food with a bit of flavor.
1 - Diana L.: Horrible Customer service.
Yeah..I know it's a college campus but who keeps students waiting for 20-25 min for a single garlic naan. yeah..I know it's fresh but when you see all the other normal naan come out 15 min before...you know something is wrong.

My garlic naan has nasty canned garlic and was completely forgettable.

I asked for one of those little containery things she was serving the naan in because the foil was too hot and she said said "no, you asked to go." Um...I wasn't aware that disposable french fries containers were so expensive that you couldn't afford to give me one after waiting 20 min...

Their tikka marsala is really just watered down sauce and little tiny shreds of chicken. Gross. You gonna pay $7 bucks for it? That's fine by me. I'd much rather head over to santorini's, tap ex or even burger king and get a better bang for my buck.

So during my 20 min wait I was snacking on the salad, which is eh..ok. I get tired of eating out of their little itsy bitsy condiment containers and just grab a water cub. At the end, she tells me that next time she'll charge me. Fat chance fat lady. 

I'm not coming back.
2 - Michael F.: So I never had Indian food before, but it always looked very interesting to me. So one day I decided ok, it was time to try it out. I work at UCSD so I've always passed this place. I got the chicken tikka masala, and I must say, on a good day, it is pretty good.

But the problem is, well there are many problems with this place. First of all, the woman employee there didnt used to have a very friendly attitude. She would give you this huge thing of rice, not all that much food to go on top of it. All I ever want when I go is the chicken tikka masala. Well it seems like 10-20% of the time I go there now, they dont have any. Maybe I picked a bad time to go get food, but as a food service business, they should be making enough and adjust accordingly to match the time of day. Sometimes they will have just enough at the bottom of the dish, and scrape every last ounce out, only for it to add up to about half a serving, and then just hand you the plate as if nothing was wrong.

Additionally, there have been several times where I find some of the chicken not to be of purest form (bone).

The last time I went there, I asked for a 2 combo dish, with two servings of chicken tikka masala. Well they served it up, and then said they only had enough for one serving so asked what my 2nd item would be. I told them I didnt want a different item, so I would just take that as a single item dish instead. So at the cash register, they charged me for a single item, but didnt offer me the free naan that comes with a combo dish. I asked for the naan but they said it was only for combo dishes. I told them that I wanted a combo dish but that they ran out of the food I wanted. I said nevermind because I didnt want to push it. They rang up the price, dude, 6 dollars for a single item! only 1 dollar less than a 2 item combo with free naan. wtf! I told them no way, and left the plate there and walked away. served them right. Now they've got one plate of food they cant serve!

Sadly, I do love Indian food now, so odds are I will probably be back tomorrow.
4 - Rei O.: MMMM BOMBAY COAST!!!
I love their food! Maybe my Indian-food-palate is not well matured, but this place is tasty and definitely hits the spot! My suggestion is the lamb curry (spicy) or the chicken masala.

With that said, a warning to people who aren't too spice-resistant. Their food can be pretty spicy! Avoid the "Spicy" choices and ask for a sample if you can to see if you can stand certain items.

Its also nice that this place has very nice portions! A point off for being a bit on the higher end of the pricing range, but I don't complain.

Another nice thing is that it doesn't get too crowded compared to other places. Line moves pretty fast too!

I very much recommend this place to people who can stand spicy food. Its definitely a nice option with all the crowded, unhealthy chain restaurants that occupy the rest of Price Center
4 - hetty y.: As it states above, Yay! I'm a fan.

Yup, since freshman year!
I guess it really depends on what time of day you come here to eat..sometimes it's not hot enough. Other than that, the curries are so yummy! Masala, the mango one, and the mixed veggies are my favorite. Don't forget the naan.
4 - Andre L.: This is the only Indian place I've ever tried, so as far as I know, me likes Indian food so maybe I'll try one that's actually highly rated eventually. I usually opt for the combo #1 and get two meats and one vegetable item. I usually go for the Chicken Tikka Masala and it's delicious. The chicken's good, and the sauce is nice and sweet. I also think the lamb curry is delicious, although it's pretty spicy and I was sweating and sniffing up a storm as I was eating it today in the library. As for the vegetable item I usually get Saag Paneer, which is spinach which I believe has some cheese in it as well. With a huge piece of naan bread, you've got a nice and satisfying meal.

Some stuff to look out for:

- Be warned though, a lot of the food compartments are filled with sauce so sometimes you might not get as much meat if there isn't much left. The combo still only comes out to be about $7, which is still a good enough value for me if I don't get that much meat.

-Most of the food has funky names I don't want to butcher and there's no descriptions but if you just ask they'll tell you.

-And to be honest, the food here really does not look very appetizing so although the food might look gross don't be a skank-ass drama queen about it. I know whenever I open my box of Indian food it'll basically look like an assorted mix of red, green and brown throw-up but it'll end up being a tasty meal.
3 - Chrissy N.: It's okay, if you're looking for something to eat other than Burger King, Panda Express and Subway. The ladies working here are friendly.

The curry unfortunately, is a little watered down and the naan is always cold, but eh, you get what you pay for. Get the garlic naan, it's always prepared fresh and is topped with buttery, garlicy goodness. The turkey samosa is good, but nothing special. The mango lassi is yummy.

I'll be back here, when I'm tired of Subway's $5 footlongs haha
3 - Peter H.: It doesn't compare to Punjabi Tandoor, another Indian restaurant not too far from UCSD, but this place is quick and does the job of filling you up.

I usually order two sides of Chicken Tikka Masala w/ rice and naan. The curry does seem to be more on the watery side and the naan is just naan. It's decent but I like eating here b/c it's different from the other places to eat on campus and you don't feel like crap after. The price is decent, around $7-8 and I definitely come here regularly as a student when I want something quick and a little more on the healthier side.
2 - Taylor W.: You know that 25 cent tent at the traveling circus? The one with all the wax figures inside that are meant to look like movie stars? You know the one that is meant to look like Angelina Jolie and just ends up looking like Liza Minnelli? Well this Indian food is that statue.

When you're really craving Indian food and you're stuck on campus, I guess it can kinda suffice. But the food here is just a poor knockoff. I find the ratio of curry to meat/vegetables is always a 9:1 ratio and when you're done with your meal, you are basically left with curry soup. 

So I guess I'll give you an extra star for offering me something different on campus, especially when I'm craving Indian food. But no matter how much I squint, you'll never look like Angelina Jolie to me.
3 - Power D.: PRO: It's filling

CON: Mango lasse is not worth it here. 

This place is 1/3 of my favorite place to eat on campus. The food here fills you up, and it's pretty decent. I usually get the Combo #4, rice, nan, and like 3 curries. ~$7.50 which usually fills me up. 

I would recommended the the Lamb Curry, Chicken Tika Masala, and the meatball one. 

They have a promotion where you eat there 7 times and get the 8th one for free. 

They accpeted Visa and MasterCard. And no AMEX.
1 - Tien T.: food poisoning
2 - Bekka K.: I honestly don't know why I keep coming back here. The first few bites are always good, then it starts going downhill from there. I always get the Chicken Tikka Masala and the Saag Paneer, which are solid 3 stars out of 5, watery, great when hungry. Naan was kinda dry this time. Servicewise, there's one server thats always polite, the others can be kind of rude.
Had Bombay about an hour ago and my stomach doesn't feel too good right now...I'm actually feeling kind of sick and nauseous...don't think I'll be back for a long long time...
2 - Andrew Z.: There is definitely no reason to make a special trip here.  The location is inside UCSD and quality of the food is merely average.  I found their curry to be quite watered down.  The saag is supposed to be spinach, but something tells me it isn't 100%.  I really tried to like this place, but I simply cannot find a good reason to.  The one thing they have going for them is that there really isn't an extraordinary place to eat on campus and so the people eat here simply for the sake of variety.  
I think this place has potential.  If they would raise the quality and the prices, more people would eat here. I would give them a second chance.
2 - Aurora L.: Whenever I eat here, it never bodes well...for my digestive tract. The prices are fair for getting a 2 entree vegetarian dish with rice (for like $5.75). The rice isn't the traditionally basmati, and all the vegetarian dishes are oversauced and either overly underspiced or overspiced. The naan is not fresh and slightly stale 

The only thing that I think is okay here are the vegetarian samosas, if you douse them in the tamarind sauce.
3 - Ann O.: I am a big fan of this place. The choices for vegetarian food on campus are slim, so this restaurant is a great option and worth the walk across campus. Most of the staff are friendly and the food is always fresh and hot. The Channa Masala is a personal favorite and the flavor is fantastic. Other favorites are the Aloo Mutter, Dal Makhani and the Aloo Jeera. The only downside, is that because it is an express version of this restaurant, they don't always have all my favorite dishes. I also don't like their bread and usually pass on it. Overall; great option for lunch on campus.
3 - Alea T.: I've only had indian food from here and the place at utc. Each has something that the other is missing. Bombay coast has the better naan. Its best when its warm and its doughy and yummy by itself. I recommend chicken masala and the mushroom and corn curry. Their rice is blah. If youre going to get samosas, get the veggie ones! I'm a meat lover but something about the meat samosa is a little off. Also, their service kind of sucks. The bell they put out front must get used a lot bc even walking by I dont see a single worker out front a majority of the time and when they do come out of hiding from the back, they look so sad...kinda depressing so good thing you get in and get out!

BUT I'm the duchess (currently) so that means they're doing something right and I will be back! 

BTW...naan makes a really good snack for class! its cheap, tasty, filling, and doesn't make noise (except for the foil it comes in if you get it to-go).
3 - Ruth T.: Bombay Coast, thanks for putting some variety in my campus diet.  Otherwise I'd be eating Shogun and TapEx all the time D:

So, the food here is NOT BAD. If you can get over how visually unappealing the food looks, you might discover that items such as the chicken tikki masala and the egg curry are actually pretty good! I am a little weary of the more slop-like food items, but I'll venture out of my comfort zone the next time I go there.  Wow, I'm really selling this place.  Real talk though, if you are a fan of naan bread, this place has the most DELICIOUS soft, doughy naan bread!  Totally makes everything worth it. But this can be hit and miss too; hopefully the naan bread hasn't been sitting out for too long when you get there.  Also, I like how they have this salad thing made of cabbage (??) by the sauces.  You can take as much as you want, and it really cools me down after I've ingested too much spicy curry.

Customer Service: 
What? Customer service?

Price:
 You get your money's worth.  I'm full to bursting after getting a combo with 2 entrees ($6 something).  The portions are super generous.

Protips: 
* If you're expecting to make Bombay Coast a big part of your life, request a frequent buyer card.  After you buy a certain number of entrees (I forgot how many), you can get an entree for free!      

* I think you used to be able to get a free Mango Lassi if you paid with tritoncash.  THIS DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE, BOO. [okay, not really a tip, but I was really upset when I found out]
1 - Brandy C.: Can't believe I am dare to come here again!  I got food poison last time I visited here, and I had really bad memory on their food.  
I think I was too hungry, and the line was short, so I chose here.  Otherwise, I won't risk my life to try the dangerous place like here.
5 - Vivek G.: Awesome samosas. The proprietor is friendly and kind too...
2 - Madeline T.: Is it just me, or does anyone else get major tummy aches after eating at Bombay Coast?

Maybe my stomach can't handle the spices of Indian food in general, but every time I've come to eat here, my meal is satisfying until the last bite -- then when my stomach starts to grumble.

I've been craving Indian food on more than one occasion lately, and every time I do get food, I always end up regretting later (and yet I still continue the vicious cycle...)

First time I went here I had the vegetarian-option combo. Got the channa masala, which was pretty good, the baigan bharta (or whatever it's called), which was a little too sweet of a curry for me, and something else that was obviously forgettable and probably got mixed in with my other options. 

The second time I had the #1 combo, cause on the weekends its only $5.99. Got the chicken tikka masala (probably the most recognizable/cliche item to order), aloo mutter, and some super spicy beef curry. The food was a lot better this time around; it was under-spiced, and I managed to get a taste of all three options without one over-powering the other. 

Note: The chicken tikka masala tastes JUST like the frozen entree you can get at Trader Joes. Don't know if that's just TJ being awesome, or BC being lame...

The curries are way too watery for my liking... so watery that the curries just kind of blend together to create a schloppy mess. Sure, they're supposed to be pretty soupy (to dip in your naan, I suppose?) but there's like no meat in there whatsoever.  The naan was just plain meh too, not fresh and rather bland. 

I do really like the mint chutney though, it cuts a lot of the spicy.

And yes, I gave it a 2 star review, but will I be back? You betcha. I need my Indian food fix, and this is the most convenient way to do so.
5 - Z P.: They just introduced wraps. I had the $5.00 veggie wrap that comes with potato bites and a soda. IT WAS REALLY GOOD! I had never tried the potato bites before, but I'm hooked-they taste like mini samosas. I like ALL the veggie options here! In fact, every visit to Bombay Coast has been positive and I hate to see them get such mediocre reveiws. 

I suggest that if you're on a (student) budget you should try the 2 samosas for $2 or the 1 menu item on rice witha side of naan for about $5.50.

Yum!
1 - Sang P.: NEVER CRAVE INDIAN FOOD WHEN YOU'RE IN THE PRICE CENTER OF UCSD.

Sorry about the capitalization. Overpriced Indian food that will hurt you in every aspect. Most of their curry is watered down and therefore flavorless. Nan is burnt and the Mango Lassi tastes like water with mango powder.

Don't even bother saying, "maybe this time it'll be better." I can guarantee you it won't be. I made that mistake about 15 times over the span of two years.

Pros:
My stomach probably is stronger after going through the excruciating pain that their food has HONORED me, and with all the training I've gone through, I am finally willing to try raw pigeons...well maybe not yet. I need about three more Bombay trips and I'll be ready.
3 - Christina K.: Not my favorite Indian place in San Diego but for Price Center, decent place to eat and they give enough for the price. Try their samosas. I've had their samosas at many events and they are DELICIOUS, even the veggie ones. Curry bomb in your mouth!

I've tried the tikka marasala, tandoori chicken and a couple other curries. The tandoori chicken is not my favorite. It lacks flavor and the chicken is a little dry. The other curries are okay but not memorable. Tikka marasla is mediocre. If you need a quick ma
3 - Stella W.: Is it cool to hate on price center restaurants, or something???

I've only had the veggie dishes here because I'm cheap and I can live without meat. For $6.20, I can get combo #4 which has 2 veggie sides, a ton of rice, and naan (+ complementary chutney bar, cabbage salad). This amount of food can last me 2 meals. I eat half, store the rest in the fridge at work, then eat the other half the next day for lunch. That's a little more than $3 for a decent meal.

If you're a cheapskate like me and a student or staff at UCSD, this place is perfect to buy 2-meal lunches. Curries still taste good microwaved. Most recently I got dal & spinach and aloo mutter. I'd definitely get the aloo mutter again but the dal & spinach was too papery and didn't have much flavor.

TLDR; 
It's a restaurant on campus for students/staff at UCSD, not a place to go out of your way for gourmet indian food. Treat it as such and you will be a more satisfied customer.
3 - g.o. d.: ok folks, look, it's a mall Indian place in a student center. you expect, what, Ashoka the Great? Seriously, it's about the best food in the UCSD Price Center, and pretty high on the list for the whole campus. Which is not saying much, admittedly, but it's either here or the Vietnamese place near the old student center or...*what* else at UCSD is worth eating and fast? Krishna, but only if you want to wait in a long line on Wed. only.
Some of the stuff here sucks & some is ok. I always get the 2-item combo: chicken masala and channa masala. That's a real filling lunch right there; I pile on that nice cabbage salad stuff they give for free, and of course ample hot sauce, and I come away stuffed. It's only about the 25th or 30th best Indian food I've had, but whaddayagonnado?
(BTW, WRT another review, I have never had the lady try to trick me out of my naan. Not like I'd be too bummed, there's like a bucket of rice in the combo; if that's not enough carbs for you, then congratulations: You're an American!)
(I just picture some Yelper running after a terrified food service lady, screaming "GIVE ME MY NAAN!!" Seriously, you want *what* kind of service as she's shoveling rice & goo into your styrofoam plate-- the Marine Room? Four Seasons? Please. Give the minimum wage lady a break.)
4 - Noeline A.: My favorite place to eat at on campus.
4 - David L.: Considering the price, the location, etc., this place was great. We had a three vegetarian dish combo and thought everything was very good. The half nan was especially nice and my wife loved the free cabbage salad.
1 - Ahmed A.: The worst food i ever tried since coming to San Diego
3 - Cryetti C.: Not bad!  I'm not much of an Indian food connoisseur, but when I'm craving it, BC hits the spot!  People have stated that the curry is watered down, and maybe that's why I like it so much.. that's it not tooo strong.  I've gotten the baingan bharta (SPICY), saag paneer and tikka masala and have enjoyed them all.  Naan is yummy fresh and so are the dips.  You do get quite a bit and I always feel like such a pig when I end up finishing the whole thing!
5 - Alexander V.: In a nutshell: excellent vegetarian combo plate.

Recommendations:
(1) Vegetarian three item combo - comes with basmati rice and naan.
(2) Chana masala - very well done.
(3) Saag - I am no saag expert.  However, I have tried it here and I think it is exceptional.  In particular, it was not drowned in butter.
(4) Hard-boiled egg curry - peculiar but very delicious dish.
2 - Christopher P.: Let's all be honest, we all feel somewhat bad for the Bombay Coast, lunchtime at UCSD, this one the only that never has a line.  The employees stand there absolutely bored, students avoiding eye contact, looking for anywhere else to get fed - anywhere but here.  And you might think, perhaps UCSD students just don't like Indian food, the something slightly different?  But no, if you've ever been to Hare Krishna on Wednesdays, you'll find that that notion very, very wrong.

When it comes down to it, Bombay Coast is mediocre at its absolute finest, the combo meals a tad pricey, the naan only good in the first 30 seconds, and the water cups downright lame.  The combos are a rather large quantity of food, making the vegetarian combo a decent value, but...I don't know.  

Take it from the crowds.  UCSD isn't racist enough to avoid foods based on ethnic profiling; the food's just that bad here, that people would rather line up at freakin' Burger King, of all places.  And all the cool kids get their fix at Punjabi Tandoor.
3 - Katherine Y.: This place is okay considering it's on campus food....but just FYI, the curries are really watered down. It's really weird because every time i eat here, i get really gassy afterwards....
4 - Antriksh Y.: Whatever they have is good. But they don't have a huge variety to pick from. But you'll find all the essential Indian dishes there. The food may not be the best Indian food I've had (I'm Indian, so I can be picky about this), but they have good food. It's perfect for a quick lunch, but not for inviting your business partners and having a full dinner over.

They are very friendly and quick. Plus, their prices are very good. 50c for an extra naan with your meal? Well, I give them one extra star for that. No kidding.

Bombay Food Market - Pittsburgh, PA (40.452203, -79.9518159) (Oakland)
4 - Tim S.: Relatively nice selection--bigger than Kuhli's, anyway, though I wish there were some Indian soft drinks like Limca and Thums Up!. Friendly staff, who reminded me about two deals that I was only taking advantage of half of a BOGO. 

And very clever in including an American aisle for the college students who have no other grocery stores in walking distance since Giant Eagle closed down a few years ago.
3 - Nina B.: its just ok. not a-ok. the veggies and everything else are pretty great. Local milk and butter (real farm butter). a nice suprise when in an indian grocery. the to-go mini food bar is my complaint. Tried it out. its 3.99 a pound and it was fine. good amount of veggie options. my big complaint is that the chai tea tasted like cigarretes. It's $1 and Styrofoam plastic cups. 
Though this place is bigger- koli's still has my heart.
4 - Vishal S.: I like this store since it is bigger than your usual Indian grocery store. Aisle are narrow like their peer but they have a much bigger selection of grocery and food items than the rest.

Staff is friendly too.

No Parking is a bit of a pain though.
4 - Jamie b.: Best all-over Indian grocery in and around town that I've been able to find. They have an extensive section of fruits and vegetables that are hard to find in other grocery shops, a whole wall of freezers packed with a plethora of foods, and aisles of various dry goods. There is also an aisle endcap that houses a large amount of Indian desserts. As previously mentioned by other writers, parking can be tricky at times at this busy intersection.

Additionally, this shop has a hot food bar, where the items are supplied from India Garden restaurant. Food is spiced decently--about or just below medium I think. There are consistently 2 meat entrees and 4 veg entrees as well as rice. It is the cheapest meal in town that you can get, coming in at $3.99/lb. Samosas are also available for about $1.
5 - Alyson Y.: A grocery store that mostly sells real food!  You know the basic layout of most grocery stores: the two edges sell real food (produce on one end and dairy/bread/eggs on the other), and then the middle is stuffed with expensive stuff that doesn't really do you right (with the exception of grains, sugar, spices, cooking oil, and such somewhere in the middle).

Bombay is my go-to place for just about all of the staples.  They have really great, cheap produce, including delicious things like okra and little eggplants and curry leaves that you can't easily find elsewhere.  They have a whole aisle of affordable spices.  They sell local(ish) dairy products, including really good commercial yogurt.  They have more legumes and nuts and rice than you can shake a stick at--and all for waaaay cheaper than "health" food stores.  Oh, and they sell flax seeds for cheap here, too.

The free meal with a purchase of over $30 or $35 or whatever is great, too, but it's seriously hard to spend that much money at Bombay unless you're just buying, like, frozen meals and giant packages of incense.
1 - William Z.: this place is so horrible and I can't believe the rice they sold is mixed with really bad one. And they would never return it and exchange it!!!!
3 - Mangala M.: A decent and clean Indian store that's close by.  For the most part they have a good selection of Indian staples.  Their fresh produce can be iffy.  You have to go on the right days to get to the fresh veggies, which is on Thursday.  Their products are moderately priced, and the staff is friendly and always helpful.

Bombay Grill - Latham, NY (42.7368354, -73.7620805) ()
3 - Ian W.: This review is based on the Lunch Buffet.

Bombay Grill is located at Routes 155 & 9 in the former Toyko Sushi and serves up Indian, Pakistani, and Afghani cuisine. The dining room atmosphere is relaxed, fully carpeted with several tables (linen covered tables/plate glass surface) with flowers, curtains in the windows, TV in the corner, and light background music. A Lunch Buffet is offered Tues-Fri 11:30AM-3:00PM ($7.95) and Sat-Sun 12:00PM-3:00PM ($9.95). 

I arrived here on a quiet Friday afternoon around 1:15PM and had the Lunch Buffet with a basket of hot naan included. The Buffet had 15 items including the 4 sauces (raita, mint, tamarind, onion chutney), green salad, chana papdi chat (cold chick pea salad), basmati rice, vegetable pakoras, tandoori chicken, chicken tika masala, lamb korma, bhindi masala (okra), chana masala, aloo palak, and a hot sweet rice dessert. 

Most of the food was good and hot including the chicken tika masala and the lamb korma. Some of the food was lukewarm including the rice and vegetable pakoras (very dry). The food had the right amount of spiciness and flavors. The hot rice dessert with sliced almonds was pretty good and I had to have seconds! The service was good and my used plates were cleared and the water glass was refilled and topped off between trips to the buffet. 

Overall 3.33 STARS for the lunch buffet.
2 - R C.: i also had buffet here on a friday afternoon in may of 2009 and the place was empty.  there were two older men by themselves having lunch.  i mention this because a dead buffet usually means the food is getting cold and nothing is being refreshed.  as for the food itself, it was the most standard north indian style cuisine i have ever had.  it was edible, and not at all terrible, just average.  if i were a teacher i would give this student a c+ or a b-.  they did what was expected of them in a plain and boring manner and attempted to do nothing more.

Bombay Hookah Lounge - West Lafayette, IN (40.421603, -86.90516) ()
2 - Lizz C.: Edit: As with my husband Jon C, I'm dropping some stars and adding this header to the review to note that our hookah smoking experience was not as smooth as compared with the experience at other places and that we have had at home.

Bombay Indian restaurant was our favorite restaurant in this area - now we have them and their fabulous food back in another form: The Bombay Hookah Lounge.

Burgundy walls, comfy alcoves and chandeliers greet you as you walk in.   There's a hookah alcove set aside for private parties or hookah-fun, and a lot of tables/chairs in the middle of the floor.

The bar is full and stocked with most of the basics - they have no craft beers on tap, but have pitchers of some of the nicer macro beers and bottles of a few others including Kingfisher.

The appetizer and entree menus are well done and not expensive. I think the most expensive appetizer was $6 and the most expensive entree $9.  They range from Masala fries to Chicken Kebabs to Biryani (mmm, Biryani!).  The dessert menu has a lot of luscious sweets to complement whatever sweeter smoke you may be enjoying.  Ice creams, Indian cheeses, fruit plates and more!
4 - Jon C.: 8/10/2011 Update: I'm updating the review and dropping a star, as upon further hookah experiences I've learned that Bombay's hookahs don't smoke quite as smooth, cool, and enjoyable as they could.  I still prefer the decor, music, and atmosphere over Egyptian - but Egyptian's smoke is nicer.

My wife and I had been talking about trying a hookah lounge for quite some time.  There's a few here in the Laf/WLaf area - mostly on campus and usually fairly crowded with campus-people.  (We're townies... :D)

So, when our previously-favorite Indian restaurant re-imagined itself as a hookah lounge with Indian food, we figured we had to give them a try - it would just be a matter of "when."

That was to be Saturday night.  We were planning a late-night - there was a music event at Sparrow - so we figured we'd chill out with some hookah and maybe some small Indian-fud beforehand.

We went in, and were immediately impressed with what they'd done with the place!  Dark red walls, cushy seating, an elegant looking dark wood full bar.  

And they were playing this cool mix of Indian trance music.

Kick ass!

We let the server know we were total n00bs, and he was happy to explain how the hookah worked, and told us about some popular smoke flavor combinations.

We ordered our first blend ever - just white grape and mint - and one of their mango lassi/vodka drinks for each of us.  Not long later, the hookah was brought out, and short thereafter, the drinks.

The drink was *incredible*.  Their lassi always was good, and the addition of Ketel One just made it better.

But what you care about is the hookah.  As I said, this was our first time, but the hookah smoked super cool (like not smoking at all, as far as mouth/throat feel), and the flavor was exquisite.

We went on to the aforementioned event, and afterwards, we decided to go back!  My wife was tired out from the dancing, and I needed to chill down a bit too, as, oddly enough, it was really my first time dancing, and I'm not real good at it. (But it was a good time!)

Later at night (it was pushing 3am by now), they were playing a mix of some pretty cool hip-hop.

This time, we got the "kama sutra" blend, and it was also quite wonderful.

Then on Sunday, we went back a third time!

This time, a female server who was *very* knowledgeable helped us.  We asked her what "pan" was and she extolled it's virtues (look it up!), so we settled on a pan/mint blend, and then after she told us what she was smoking, we got a refill with her "signature" blend - pan, white grape, and a tiny bit of rose.  Amazing!

The food is just as good as when it was "just" an Indian restaurant, albeit with a smaller menu.  But, the addition of the hookah makes it...amazing!
4 - Aditya P.: Best Indian food on campus + Best Hookah on campus...!

The food is reasonably priced and they keep doing drink specials. Make sure you try the JalJeera drink. One of the best places where you can relax after a stressful week of classes. 

The music could be a bit loud and annoying, but people feel free to bust their moves on some Punjabi tunes sometimes :) . They also have Karaoke nights occasionally.
1 - Kerisa M.: Awful management! The service was absolutely awful! They only had one server on staff until 8 pm on a Friday night. Once more servers got there it got better, we were switched from our original server to a friendly girl server. However, throughout the evening before she got there our hookah was given away, we didn't receive all our food, and very slow to get refills/more drinks. At the end they make you pay at the front and do not have any digital dining system but write it out by hand. They completely overcharged us and added gratuity to a party of 4. We explained about the service and the bar manager yelled at us saying he have us great service(he was not our server but did get us 2 drinks). The issue escalated and both another manager/owner and the bar manager were yelling at my friend. I tried to get everyone to calm down and they continued to tell at us then me and said to never come back (with a lot of profanity) and that if we cannot afford to eat out do not and pointed at the manger's watch saying it was $20,000. I was so offended that they were talking to a woman in such a manner and would treat customers so disrespectfully. They are running a scam and were just awful. I would neve recommend this place to anyone. The food wasn't that good. We got 4 dishes and they all were sub par. The only good thing was the hummus. The server from the beginning admitted to running out of seesha and the manager made him go get more for the whole restaurant. It didn't taste that great and the mixed drinks were not good blends. It isn't worth it. Don't eat there- It just isn't worth it!
4 - Juan A.: I really really really like this place :-) Good hookah, good beer, good service, good prices, and good atmosphere.... Can't ask for more. I have been here twice and I have enjoyed both times. It's a very cool place to just come with your friends and just relax and enjoy some drinks with a good hookah. The flavors are very good and they are always paying attention to move your coals or give you new ones. I have been to many hooka places and this is one of the best places I have visited.
4 - Tabitha W.: My first visit here was with a friend to try hookah for the first time. We didn't eat anything but a small dessert, but after looking at the menu, I was a little sad that we had eaten dinner beforehand.  It was about 7 or 8 on a Friday night, and there were a few tables full.  The hookah experience was interesting, but probably not something I'd be eager to do again.

I insisted that we return to actually eat dinner there a few weeks later. They had an extensive vegetarian menu, so I had an Indian dish that was pretty good.  They had an extensive drinks menu as well. However, we felt a little awkward as we were the only diners at the restaurant at about 6 on a Friday night.  There was a table of what seemed to be restaurant employees near us.

Good place to try hookah with lots of different selections or just grab a bite to eat!

Bombay Indian Grill - Champaign, IL (40.1102514, -88.2335202) ()
4 - Melissa M.: There is a long standing debate between my friends and I over the best Indian restaurant on Green street. Unlike Chinese food here, there isn't much competition, so it's basically Bombay vs. East and West. East and West is completely vegetarian and leans towards Southern Indian style snacks, whereas Bombay Grill has heartier food  and has a more formal dinner.

I think some of their dishes are a little overspiced, but the Tandoori chicken is absolutely divine with a crisp skin and the perfect amount of seasoning. I only wish it came with more chicken and less of the lentil side and gigantic naan. Don't get me wrong, the naan here is great, but more of that chicken would be better. 

The service is quite slow and it is pretty expensive, so I reserve going here for when I really need a treat.
4 - Unknown S.: Ok, I am a food snob from Los Angeles. Just moved here and to be totally honest  I think the food here is so plain. Yes, you have a lot of great steak places and American food but things such as Sushi ( there is NO good places I have tried each and every one) and Indian are hard to come by. We first went to Basmati and honestly I thought we were doomed. There was no flavor and most dishes seemed to be watered down. NOW, we were driving near campus and we drove by Bombay and I am more then happy we stopped. As for the other poster whos friends said its over spiced, have you tried real Indian food? This is tame in comparison. The food is just right and always served fresh and hot. The semosas are great and served with the best sauces. We love the Gobi Aloo and chicken masala, we will be back to try other dishes. Bottom line other then the lackluster decor and sometimes dirty looking floors this place was a sweet treat for those of us who are used to some variety!
4 - Anna M.: This is probably my favorite place to eat in C-U.  I come from Boston, the land of 100 Indian restaurants.  I fell in love with Indian there, and was very wary of moving to a tiny midwestern city.  However, Bombay definitely hits the spot.  I like the typical curry dishes, chicken tikka masala, samosas, naan - all are great here.  My husband is a bit more adventurous and he has never been disappointed.  Granted, it's not better than many of the places we've been to in Boston - but it's way better than I expected for around here!  On the down side, it's pretty small and very crowded around lunch time.  Good luck finding space for more than just 2 at noon!
3 - Kwoky L.: I was a little reluctant to try this place out but after getting a thumbs up from my Indian friend, I finally gave in. It is quite a small place with 20 or less small tables. I was there with 5 other friends and found that it is particularly hard to find a table that was big enough to accommodate all of us, especially during lunch time.

I was surprised when I tasted their food because I thought it was gonna be really bad. It turned out to be okay although it wasn't excellent. I love their paneer makhani because the sauce was wonderfully creamy but oddly, the paneer tasted like tofu to me. I also had their lentil curry and briyani rice but that weren't as good. You have a choice of a huge naan or rice for lunch specials I think. I'd go for the NAAN if I were you.

Expect to spend at least $7 or $8 for vegetarian dishes and more for meats. For the amount of food that they give, the prices are a little steep in my opinion. It's usually the naan that fills me up, not the curry.

Updated 5/10/08:
I was there for dinner and I realized that it was a completely different experience in the evening. For lunch, you order your food and pay at the cash register. When the food is ready, they will serve it to you in styrofoam plates and plastic cutleries. For dinner, it becomes a sit-down restaurant with table service, cute waitresses, and food served on china and silverware. A stark difference, eh?
4 - Anne W.: I think this place is pretty good and affordable.  It beats the other Indian joint in town.  The only drawback is that it's not very clean (flies may be buzzing around as you eat) and it's very hot in the summer (their air conditioning sucks).  So I would not recommend going there on a hot humid day.  I would also not recommend going there with a large group.. as other reviews have suggested, the place is not big.  Waiter service ONLY at night.

Anyhoo... there are many choices you can make but not all are good.  I like the chicken mekhani (aka butter chicken) or lamb biryani (aka lamb and fried rice.. but it's delish).  If you are accustomed to Indian food or want to be more adventurous then I would suggest the saag paneer (spinach and cheese), spinach and chicken dish, eggplant dish (I believe it's called bengan bartha), or gobi aloo (cauliflower and potatoes).  I'm not a fan of the tandoori chicken.

Oh they also have this naan (which is like pita bread) with lamb in it.  I forgot what it's called but I've tasted it and it's pretty good.

Well worth a visit if you want to try something different.
5 - Annie S.: I absolutely think that Bombay Grill has the best chicken mahkani.  No restaurants in Chicago (even on Devon) can compare!  Or maybe I just haven't found that one perfect place in the city yet...

So anyways, when I was an undergrad, I luckily lived across the street from Bombay so I would come here all the time.  The manager knew me by my first name, hahahahha that was embarassing.  

Yes their prices can be a little expensive but I think it's worth it.  I love their garlic naan too.  What I hate about all indian restaurants is that everything is always separate--- naan, rice, etc.  Blah.

Anyways, A+ for Bombay!
5 - Andrew C.: This is one of my favorite places in CU.  Their Naan is the best Naan of all Naans I've had - and I've had a lot of Naan.  Chicken Tikka and Lamb Curry are my favorites.  With a mango lassi expect to pay around 15 bucks after tax and tip.
3 - Teej T.: I have no pretensions to being an expert on Indian fare, but Bombay does what it's supposed to do: fill your belly in a reasonable fashion while remaining tasty. The naan is fluffy and delicious, and any of the chicken dishes (I've tried several), are excellent.  However, the lunch rush is pretty intense, and the staff make no bones about letting you know that they are not there to indulge in your lunch hour relaxation.  Expect to see your plates taken away and your table cleaned as a *hint* to mosey on along, partner.  Seriously, a bit awkward to have my table wiped down in mid-sentence.  Still, decent food for what it is, a tiny lunch factory in Campus Town.
4 - tessa c.: Food is always fast and fresh here. And I've noticed the naan has gotten considerably larger since I last set foot in here in early 2007. But I'm not complaining!
3 - Archana P.: This place makes no qualms about itself. It is a solid Punjabi joint, creamy curries, paneer and all.  That said, it's rather lacking in spicy inspiration - both locations didn't feature any sort of kick to their curries.  However, the lunch special is all bang for your buck...I recently went here on a lunch meeting and my professor and I were able to split one plate and leave completely stuffed!  I'm glad the only real traditional Punjabi Indian joint in C-U isn't a disaster, but it's nothing to write home about either!
1 - Gina P.: If you are a female and like to be gawked at, I recommend this place for you. The staff stare like they have never seen a woman before. Also, if you like black hair as a garnish in your chicken makhani, you'll really enjoy it here. 

Disgusting. Threw out a $10 plate of food after finding hair. Not to mention when brought to the attention of the staff, there was no apology or anything to fix it.
2 - Tim H.: Let me start by saying, I NEVER had a bad meal at the location on Green Street.

However, the problem started when Bombay moved into the old Basmati's restaurant on 1st.

For all intents and purposes, this restaurant is Basmati's all over again.  The decor was exactly the same.  The waiters seemed to be the same too.  However, would we still have the same bland food that made Basmati my least favorite restaurant?

Well, yes and no.

Even with an expanded area for cooking and serving, the food is identical to the location on Green Street.  Wait, no, not identical.  The main courses cost about $3.00 more than on Green Street.

Of course there's the addition of alcohol on the menu, but the location on 1st doesn't afford you the great meal at a low price that the Green Street location was so good at.
4 - Michelle K.: Totally solid, no-frills Indian food.  The lunch specials are affordable and come with rice/naan (THE LARGEST PIECE OF NAAN YOU'VE EVER SEEN), salad, and a veggie pakora - for under $10.  Yes, please!

I've only been to the 1st Street location once, but from what I've tasted, the food is basically the same here.  Creamy chicken tikka masala (my fave, I'm a gringo, I know) with crispy, buttery naan, mmm.  I tried my boyfriend's Lamb Saag dish and loved it also.

Why is the lunch so affordable?  Because it's a really small place (the tables are tightly-packed in), there's no waiter service, and your meal is served on Styrofoam.  This is Indian food for poor college students.  If you want a more relaxed, "restaurant-y" atmosphere (and don't mind paying a few extra dollars), head over to the Bombay Grill on 1st.  But if, like me, you are in grad school and up to your ass in student loan debt, this is the place for you.
5 - Kris H.: Bombay has been one of my favorite restaurants in Champaign for almost 5 years. It's dark and cozy inside and smells of masala and fresh yogurt. It seems to be popular, too, because every time I have gone it has been absolutely packed -- but I've never had to wait long for a table, and usually there is no wait at all. They also give you so much food, and I always have enough left over for lunch the next day. Great selection of vegetarian entrees, too, for those that are into that!
4 - Ashley R.: Well, the first week I went here somehow I ended up going three times. I really like the food here. I wouldn't say I'm a connoisseur of Indian food, but it tastes really good to me, and they really do give you a ton. I had the biryani the other day and I was able to eat it for three more meals. The only complaint I might have is that it's a little expensive. (I'd rather have less food and pay less money) Also, I love really spicy food. I've learned my lesson in the past--don't tell Indian or Thai restaurants that you want the food spicy or you might not be able to eat for a week. But I feel like the food here is just not that hot. One exception was this one appetizer...it had big old chunks of jalapeno. Pretty tasty! I'd love to come back.
5 - Amanda C.: For my grad program I have to spend a few weeks in Champaign every year. When I'm there, I go to this place all the time. The food is great, and it's really cheap at lunch - for $6.99 you can get an enormous amount of your entree, plus either the biggest piece of naan in history OR a giant pile of rice OR some of both, plus a couple pakoras and a salad. What? Fabulous. And it is more than enough food to last for two meals, which is another huge plus.

In case that weren't enough, they frequently give me free stuff. I don't totally understand why. I'm not really a regular, and I'm not a supermodel. If this place were on the east coast, I'd guess it was because I'm polite, but this is Champaign, where everyone says "please" and "thank you" and smiles. So...I don't really understand it, but every time I go there, I get some of another entree, or an extra piece of naan, or a dessert, or a soda. Maybe everybody gets free stuff. Whatever. I'm not one to look a gift daal in the mouth.
4 - Bonnie C.: This place has a great variety of food! Go here for lunch! The portion is bigger and it's cheaper. You get a salad and a small appetizer with your entree during lunch, but you have to pay for it during dinner. The naan here is absolutely to die for. the only complaint i have about this restaurant is that you will walk out of there smelling like the food. The odor is not the most pleasant so I wouldn't suggest wearing your sunday best.
5 - Karla G.: This place is Awesome! Chicken saga is tender and flavorful. Coworkers really like the jelfrese. Don't miss the cheese or garlic naan! YUM!
4 - Barb J.: Nicely seasoned paneer and enormous naan.  Very good and reasonably priced.  Only con is that they serve it on styrofoam plates which isn't very environmentally friendly.  I'd be back once a week or two if I lived on Champaign.
4 - Devin B.: Great indian food; spiced well and not Americanized.. The naan is fresh and amazing.
5 - Julia P.: I would highly recommend the lamb curry which is spicy and comes with fragrant basmati rice. The naan is really great too. I also enjoy the aloo tikki appetizer, as well as the samosas. I am not an expert on Indian food so I can't tell you how authentic it is, but I can tell you that it is delicious.
5 - Nicole B.: this is one of my favorite restaurants on campus! I usually go for lunch because dinner is usually more expensive. They have lunch specials so it can be very cheap. chicken curry is one of my favorite and its only 6.99. but yesterday I went there to just want to order something new but got the similar thing as chicken curry and its almost $10...I don't know why the prices differ this much but the food is so dang good...before I find another indian restaurant I will stick to this one cuz the food is just so good.
3 - Daniel J.: This restaurant was good, fine, but I wasn't particularly impressed.  Ordered vegetable vindaloo.  The place lacks any ambiance, though it does have a nice view of Green Street.  The naan is very good.
5 - Phil P.: I would eat here for lunch every day if I could.  If only my idiot co-workers would get over their aversion to "ethnic" foods.  Rubes.

Don't make the same mistake.  Even if the closest you normally come to adventurous food is Panda Express, you would like this food.

If you eat here, make sure to order the naan.  It is perfect and HUGE!
5 - Morfyndyr M.: I've eaten Indian all over the state, and this place remains my favorite. The portions are generous, the prices are low, and the food is vibrantly flavorful the way Indian should be. 

I actually worked here for a summer, and I can honestly say I've never eaten better in my life. All day and all night my stomach was a bubbling cauldron of curry. Try the vegetable vindaloo- I put it on the menu!
5 - Ricardo M.: Tasty food. My favorite was always chicken makhani. Sometimes the manager would give me additional nan (some kind of pita bread but much more tasty) for free. The price is low and you will always end up as full as it gets.

Seating was sometimes a problem because the place is kind of small, and it is so good that it gets crowded.

I moved away from Chambana to the south west. I have been in some other indian restaurants but no one compares to Bombay Grill regarding taste. I miss it.
4 - Erick Y.: Despite the small seating availability of the restaurant, the food at Bombay Indian Grill is huge in flavor.

While I have only eaten here several times (and ordered typical dishes - chicken korma, biryani, saag, jalfrezie), each time was a pleasant experience. The food is loaded with flavor and portions are fairly generous. As other yelpers have commented, make sure you get the naan bread - it is absolutely fantastic. 

The dinner menu differs from its lunch menu in that serving sizes are slightly greater, as is the price. Waiter service is also provided so tipping is common practice as well. Prices in general can be a tad on the expensive side, so I generally only eat here occasionally.
5 - Steve M.: I think for cheap Indian, it's hard to do better given its city (C-U).  It's not top shelf Chicago/big city Indian or anything, but it's very good.  In particular, I think this location is better than their sit down restaurant, as it serves very similar food but is noticeably cheaper.  I've had a lot of different dishes here and wasn't really disappointed with anything.  Particular favorite is the saag paneer and spicy chana aloo.
2 - Lydia M.: The food isn't terrible. That is the best I have to say. We cook Pakistani and North Indian food at home all the time, which is what this ostensibly is. Every damn dish tastes the same here. This type of food is supposed to be rich and nuanced, and every dish should have its own set of flavors that make it unique. I really wonder if they just have a base curry sauce in the kitchen, and throw whatever combination of meat and veg in when they get the order. I'd rather eat my own versions, thank you very much, and I'm not even the desi half of the household!
Go to Annapoorna grocery, buy some spice box mixes, follow the instructions on the back, and you'll probably do better.
5 - Jordan D.: Awesome food, friendly staff, great environment.
3 - lisa N.: I reviewed this in 2009 to let people know that I got food poisoning here. I ate here again and am rating it more highly cause I ate the veg food and it was fine, but mostly because I highly approve of the quantity and quality of their rice.  Working class Asian Americans like myself love their rice and this place is super generous and the quality is very very good. Better than the entree itself in fact.
5 - Anastasia T.: Delicious curry, their Nan is also amazing. They have several kinds of Nan, try the garlic or cheese stuffed!
3 - Elisa L.: The food is really good, terrific. The only reason I would give it a 3 star because the light system in the evening there is absolutely terrible.. I could hardly read my menu there at night..
5 - Sivling H.: I love Bombay Indian Grill. I frequented the Green St. location all throughout my four years of college, and the 1st St. location twice. So far, this is my favorite place for Indian food. Everything is so good, especially the Naan, and the service is really nice. The prices are fantastic and I love the dim-lighting/ambiance during dinner times. 

I have moved back to the Chicago area since having graduated, and miss the robust and fresh flavors of Bombay. I have not yet been able to find any place back home that meets the high standards of taste, service, and good service like at Bombay.
4 - Szy K.: i know indian food.
how ? well, you can use your imagination.

B.I.G scores on the lunch - 6.99$ daily special, you get to choose between rice and a naan (i always get the naan, cuz it's always good). But other than that, it's not the kind of place where you'd go 4 times a week as a student, not even for lunch, because outside of the daily special, it'll still cost you about 9.5$. And that it still cheaper than Dinner. 

Which brings me to the not so hot part - 15$ Dinner for one, you better hope you're not a student.
3 - Idan S.: I've been to Bombay Indaian Grill a couple of times now and everything I've had there was delicious. I've gotten the Bengan Bartha (spicy eggplant) and Aloo Gobi (cauliflower with potatoes), both of which were very tasty with a side of naan bread. The only reason I'm giving them 3 stars instead of 4 is because the food is overpriced: $10 for a small cup of stewed vegetables and naan bread... Pretty ridiculous if you ask me.

Overall, I like the food there but because I don't like feeling ripped off, I probably won't come back too often, unless I'm in the vicinity and have an extreme craving for Indian food.
4 - Eli H.: I've ate at a lot of Indian places and I love Indian food. I must say, I was very pleased with this place, especially given its location. The food was delicious and pretty authentic. I gave it four stars because the service was so-so and there was no ice in the water.

Bombay Indian Grill - Champaign, IL (40.113792, -88.238739) ()
5 - N A.: This is the new, off-campus (yay!) and more fine dining Bombay, and I have to say, it is fantastic.  It's in the old Basmati building, and they are doing a wonderful job of bringing their delicious food to the non-student crowd.

They've only been open a couple weeks and seem to have everything down already.  The service was perfectly attentive and the food was amazing.  They bring out an Indian version of chips and salsa at the beginning of the meal that was really good.  Their Naan is some of the best I've had, and the Tandoori lamb was so wonderfully tender that a butter knife was more than sufficient to cut it.  Everything was perfectly flavored, just the right temperature, and the portion sizes were right on the mark.  Our bill for two was about $40 and included appetizers, extra Naan and drinks, so the prices are very fair.  I was really stuffed by the time we left and still had plenty to take home.

The owner stopped by at the end of our meal to see how we liked everything and to tell us a little about his restaurants and business philosophy (ie, made to order food using his father's original recipes), which I though was a nice touch.  I sincerely hope that this new location takes off, as it certainly deserves to!
4 - Robin M.: I'm a fan of the new Bombay Indian Grill.  As the first reviewer said, it's off campus, which is a huge plus, and the atmosphere is pleasant, less casual and overall what I have come to expect from good Indian restaurants after years of living in the Bay Area.  The service is also much more attentive at the new location than it is at the original place on campus, where the staff seems very frantic.  They even remembered me when I returned a third time!

Since they opened, I have been to the new Bombay Indian location three times--once for lunch, once for takeout and once for dinner with a friend.  Their menu is quite extensive and everything I've had has been delicious.  I especially like their saag dishes, which are well seasoned and creamy, a nice interplay with potatoes (saag aloo), paneer (paneer saag) or chicken (chicken saag).  The makhani and tikka masala dishes are both very tasty; they include more vegetables in the tikka masala than I am accustomed to, but the sauce is what really makes these dishes and in both cases, it's fantastic.  I haven't had as much from the chaat menu, but the samosas are very good, as I love the thing with the deep fried potatoes and lentils.

The menu at the new location of Bombay Indian Grill is expanded from the menu at the campus location on Green Street; they offer a lot offer a lot of variations and each section, like biryanis and tandooris, is pretty extensive.

The campus location is fine and equally tasty, but I avoid it because it's frequently so crowded at lunch time it's impossible to get a good table.  The new off-campus location does not have the same lunch specials and the prices are slightly higher all around, but the servings are enormous and even when I went with a friend our bill came to less than $35.
5 - Matthew L.: OK. 5 Stars might seem weird, BUT for the mid-west, this IS as good as Indian cuisine gets outside of Chicago. It is such a HUGE step up from the previous Basmati owners in the same building, I can't believe it. The food is absolutely delicious, with generous and interesting portions. I LOVE that they regularly serve a Goat special, it is always amazing. TOTALLY a fan. Like, totally.
3 - Archana P.: In the interest of full disclosure, Bombay Grill is decent Indian Food. What makes me indifferent is that I can have what they make for me at home, for a cheaper price and tastier result.  That said, this place beats the socks off it predecessor - the sorry excuse for an Indian restaurant Basmati.  However, the curries were insipid, the Samosa was all right, and the raita ran on the sour side.   I did appreciate the free rice with the curry though!  I'll be back when I'm too lazy to cook for myself, but maybe this time I'll ask for a higher spice level and see how they treat me.
5 - Heather T.: This would normally be given 4 stars with room for improvement, but since is the only place in CU to get Indian food, it gets 5 stars.  The food itself is pretty damn phenomenal.  I had Lamb Saag, which knocked my socks off.  I've had better Lamb Saag, but that was at Taste of the Himalayas in San Francisco, and I don't see myself getting back there anytime soon.  The lamb was tender (but not totally melty-tender as at Taste of the Himalayas), and the saag was creamy and flavorful (with a hint of lemon!).  My fiance had Chicken Tikka Masala, which was definitely the best I've ever tasted.  The side order of naan was plentiful--definitely enough for our party of four.  The rice was not plain, but decorated with little vegetables, and most importantly, was not sticky with starch.  I didn't try the dishes my mother and stepfather tried, but they were extremely happy with their choices.

My only problem was the service.  They were overly attentive in the kind-of-intrusive way.  We'd be talking and a waiter would come up and start talking over us immediately--that sort of thing.  And they were constantly there in some capacity, whether it be filling up 3/4-full water glasses or asking if we wanted more popodums or naan or if they could take our dishes yet.  Cool it, folks.  We're trying to have a leisurely dinner here.  I know there are worse things than being served attentively, which is the other reason Bombay retains its 5 star rating from me.
4 - S. J.: don't get me wrong--i absolutely love this place.however, my only complaint is the same thing someone else mentioned: the service. true, there are worse things than overly-attentive service, but when you've got 12 different guys coming up to your table literally every three minutes to fill your nearly-full glass of water or take away silverware you're not done with, it gets really annoying. i know, i know, it could be worse, service-wise, but it's...well...annoying. 

that said, the food is excellent, and right on par with what you'd find in bigger cities. i've never had a meal here and come away disappointed. plus, with them having handed out 15% reusable discount cards, who wouldn't be pleased? hell, just writing about it makes me want to go ;)
3 - Rishoo R.: Good food overall!! Offers a wide variety of dishes to pick from, and all the vegetarian' curries taste good. I would rate it a zillion times better than the lame 'Basmati' that it used to be earlier. However, i wouldnt recommend any dish that involves meat (chicken/lamb). I auways end up finishing the whole dish, leaving all the meat aside. It feels like huge, bland chunks of cisco meat that taste no better than rubber had been dumped into the gravy/sauce/curry that you ordered for, and then served. Now i stick to vegetarian food when ever i visit this place.

Note: good cust service.
3 - Erin M.: The lunch buffet is usually great, the food is good, and like another reviewer said, a VAST improvement over the depressing Basmati restaraunt that used to be in the same space.

BUT. Oh my god, the service. We've made a game of how many different servers we'll get coming to take our order, or how often the water glasses get refilled (current record: 19 times in a single dinner). It's almost impossible to relax, eat, and talk with friends when every two minutes someone is reaching across you to take away your silverware, switch out one plate for another one, or top up your almost-full water glass. And when the servers aren't at your table, they just stand in a line at the back of the room, staring at you. It would be funny if it weren't so distracting!
4 - Thomas B.: They do have a nice buffet for lunch, but its overpriced in this market at $10.99 for lunch without a beverage.  The service is very attentive, almost to a fault as it felt at lunch like they were hovering over our table.  There was a good crowd on a snowy Tuesday at noon, and they had at least 8 hot entrees available plus several salads and a soup.
These are the same owners who have a more casual location open on Green Street in Campus and now an Indian grocery at Springfield and Locust.  As of right now they have a monopoly on prepared Indian food served at your table in CU and they have earned the success they seem to be enjoying.
5 - Bruce R.: Bombay has a place on Green Street which is campus oriented, plastic table tops, styrofoam service, and fabulous food. After trying it for lunch I went to the 1st street place with my spouse. The setting was beautiful, the service was great without being pushy, and the chicken tikka Marsala and the lamb biryani were the best they could have possibly been. 

I've lived and eaten in Champaign Urbana since 1972 and Bombay is the best restaurant in my experience, bar none. 

The food is mild, not "too much" curry, just nearly perfect. A must go-to restaurant.

I have since back for dinner and again for the lunch buffet. The dinner was oustanding once again but the lunch was a bit overpriced for what you get. Bombay is still the best restaurant in C-U.
4 - Tim J.: They handle large groups well. We had about 20 and it went off without a hitch: checks were separated with ease, orders were correct, and service (on a non-busy night) was perfect.

One thing to avoid: "Taj Mahal" brand beer.  "Brewed for Connoisseurs" my ass. Per born-on date, it was brewed 8 months ago. It was apparently then shipped on the poop deck of a shit raft from the smelly part of India to the smelly part of the US and along the way exposed to the sun as much as possible. What I am trying to say is that it was as skunky of a beer as I have tasted since high school.
3 - Pete B.: The food was good, not great. The portion size was a bit too small for the price. Ive had frozen Indian food that is comparable to what I had at Bombay. I mean, the experience was enjoyable (minus the cramped table) but I really don't think it's all that great.
4 - Sarah J.: So nice to get great Indian food in Champaign-Urbana...  While from Chicago and am spoiled with great Indian food, I am perfectly happy with the level of quality when visiting my boyfriend In C-U....   

Yum.
2 - Eli a.: once you've had indian food from amar india in dayton, ohio, everything else is just bland.  this place is okay for a fix i guess.  still waiting for a place that serves indian food as good or better than amar
1 - Julie C.: This used to be a decent Indian restaurant, but the last time I went (mid-summer), the food was so greasy it was practically swimming.  I hope it was a one-time thing, because I'm not inclined to go back, especially now that South Indian food is available in Champaign.
5 - Myles M.: If I could give this more stars than five, I would. It is a phenomenal restaurant. I have only been here for the buffet. Usually, they have about 8 entrees with a mix of Veg and Non-Veg. The Naan is to die for. I haven't tasted Indian food so delicious and authentic since I was in India. If I could afford it, I would eat here every day.
4 - Kali M.: Very good Indian food, with lots of veg options.  Absolutely delicious naan and their paneer is some of the best I've had.  Yummy mango lassi, though more sour than I'm used to.

Solidly recommended!
3 - Katherine C.: Given the growing popularity of Indian cuisine, I am surprised that the Bombay Grill conglomerate (Green Street location, First Street location, Bombay Bazaar) have such a monopoly on Indian food in this town.  The other student-accessible restaurants (Zyggyz's and Mirsung) are good options for a casual lunch, but this Bombay Grill is the only viable option for a "nice" dinner.

If you want to try Bombay Grill, lunch time is the best time.  They serve a fully-loaded buffet that features both a cold bar and hot bar.  Almost nobody touches the cold bar.  What's the deal, people?  The raita and chutneys are some of the best things here.  Along with several hot dishes (curries, stir-fry, tandoori chicken), they serve a soup, dessert(s), and cumin chips each day.  Most dishes are above average, but the curry sometimes tastes watered-down.  The price of the buffet kind of makes me balk ($13), so I usually fast for a day before gorging myself (sorry, that probably sounds unnecessarily gross).

I try to avoid this place at dinner.  The quality of food is certainly better than what is available on the lunch buffet, but I also have to break the bank to pay for it.  If you want to sample a broad range of food at dinner, I would suggest going with friends who will split dishes.  The best dinner deal is probably the biryani (Indian-style fried rice), which is served with raita.  It comes in a huge serving for a reasonable price ($12-$14).

I can't complain about the service.  The wait staff is always awesome at refilling drinks and clearing plates without interrupting your mealtime conversations.  I've also often come with large groups, and they've been perfectly hospitable when accommodating us.
5 - Denise H.: I love Indian food and loved this place when I visited friends in Champaign. It's a MUST for anyone who love Indian food.
5 - Jae-Woo K.: When I was an undergrad at UofI from 2003-2007, I loved going to Bombay Grill.  I think they actually opened in 2005?  Not sure.  Regardless, my life hasn't been the same since I have eaten their food and also when I had to leave Chambana for St. Louis.  Every time I drive up to Chicago, I stop by Bombay Grill - the last several occasions they have been closed and I have resorted to eating at Za's.

Anyway, the chicken jalfrezi there is amazing.  I would gladly eat dog shit to be able to eat Bombay Grill once a week in St. Louis.  For all you lucky people still in Chambana, go and enjoy.  I-L-L- !!!
5 - Glo K.: It seems like the Bombay on Green Street and First Street are the same franchise but this Bombay on First Street seems cleaner and nicer than the other one on Green Street. The place seems very intimate and quiet -a nice place to take your hot date lol. Each table was set up nicely with utensils, folded tablecloth, plates, and water glasses. Also one of the staff would lit your table with tiny tea candles as you get adjusted. I think the nice staff and the environment made the food even more enjoyable. 

My boyfriend and I shared a Lamb Aloo Ginger Curry entree with butter na'an and samosa. The Lamb Aloo Ginger Curry had tender pieces of lamb and potatoes in some kind of ginger curry sauce. I really liked how the curry wasn't too hot but hot enough to enjoy the flavors. Also, I think Bombay makes the best naan in CU. You can't forgot about naan! I have a penchant for naan at Indian restaurants. Bombay's naan was so soft, fresh, and warm. A great addition to your meal.  

I also recommend people to try the Samosa. They are crispy crab ragoon-like shaped appetizer, stuffed with potatoes & green peas.I loved how everything came out fresh out of the kitchen, and our whole meal was perfect for two people. I think two curry entrees can be a little too much. The price was eh a little too much. I think the price at Indian restaurants can be a little too much, but this meal was too enjoyable to complain about the price of the meal. The staff was friendly and the food was great. I am a fan of Bombay Grill.
5 - James B.: At no other restaurant have I received service as excellent as I got here.  Your needs are attended to almost instantly, and the treatment is much better than most establishments at this price.  

I originally went here for my birthday, in large part because I was sick and Indian food was one of the few things with strong enough taste for me to enjoy.  I am glad I did.  While I can't remember the specific name of the dish I ordered, it involved Basmati rice, lamb, and cashew sauce.  It was excellent.  The provided chips (not sure of the specific name) were good, and free of charge, as was the pudding-esque small dessert.  In addition, the tea I got, which might have been called "Masala Chai," was a good thing for sick me on that day.

Overall, one of the nicer restaurants in the area, and it cannot be beaten for Indian food out here.
4 - Nic H.: Now I don't have much of a history with Indian restaurants, but what little I do has not been very good. So when coworkers suggested "Indian" tonight, I was outwardly on board but internally a little skeptical. After having Bombay Grill--well, my attitude's all different.

Nothing special about the decor; it was all about the food! For starters, papads (fried chips made from lentils) and samosas, complimented with green chili and plum sauce. As an entree, I had the "Lamb Aloo Ginger Curry"--sticky rice came with it. Ordered some naan, which held it all together really well. Wash it all down with a Kingfisher lager. Seriously, purrrrrrfect.

I walked in unsure, feeling a little off. I left Bombay Grill totally excited about Indian food. Yeah!
5 - Ashley B.: This place had THE best chicken tikka masala I've ever eaten in Champaign-Urbana!

My boyfriend suggested that we go there and I have to say I'm bummed that I've lived in Champaign for so long without knowing this place existed! I really love the crispy bread they bring out with the two different dipping sauces. It's light and flaky but still somehow has a lot of flavor. I also had enough to take home for lunch the next day, it was all soooo good! Not to mention, while the atmosphere wasn't the classiest, it was still really nice and romantic and the staff was fast and polite. I definitely want to come back and try to venture away from my usual Tikka Masala, even though it's my favorite!
5 - L H.: I adore everything about Bombay!  I tend to eat mainly vegetarian, and the options at Bombay are numerous.  The weekend buffet is loaded with savory and spicy vegetarian dishes and some meaty stews as well. The cold salad bar has lettuce and the usual fixings with Indian dressings (yogurt, tamarind,etc.)  There is also a fantastic cold chickpea salad.  The naan bread is the best I've ever had.  The hot part of the buffet includes soups, tandoori chicken, several  vegetable stews, and sometimes they even serve goat meat.  Desserts are different and good.  I'm fond of the sweet Cream of Wheat with carrot, and the sweet vermicelli pudding.  Service is attentive almost to a fault.  I think the price for the buffet is a bargain considering the quality and quantity of food offered.  I also love the attractive,clean, and comfortable interior, the cosmopolitan mix of customers, and the easy and ample parking.
1 - Milt F.: First time - and last. Food was good, but overpriced. $10.99 for weekday lunch buffet is too much. That's without drink. Then the tip was added to the price making the total with tax 3 cents under &14. Adding the tip for a group of 6 is in poor taste. Probably it was done because of so many waiters, almost as many as there were customers. The buffet was self-serve - the waiters just poured water. I don't even want to look at the dinner prices.
4 - kate c.: Went for the brunch buffet. Good value for 11.99. Would visit again.
4 - Teej T.: This is my go-to Indian place in town, and for the sit down restaurant experience, it's definitely great.  I'd recommend it for the atmosphere, the prompt and reliable service, and oh my god everything from Chicken Korma to Lamb Saag has BEEN AMAZING.  So yes, go.  Now.
2 - David A.: I love Indian food, the food here was OK.  The naan was good.   The service was terrible.   He seemed annoyed when he had to come over to our table, there were only 3 other small groups in he restaurant.   He asked me 3-4 times if I wanted the spicy dish and didn't once come to our table to see if we needed anything after the food was served.   The food was ok, nothing that couldn't be found at any Indian restaurant.
5 - Nicole U.: OMG I'M SO FULL BUT I WANT TO KEEP EATING.

When the food comes out, I always think it looks small but I get filled up so fast and I always have to take home my food.

I've been pleased with each visit I've made here.

Unfortunately, I don't know much about authentic Indian food so I try my best. I don't even know what I ordered so I end up trying something different each time!

For my most recent visit I ordered the "Bhuna Chicken Saag" which is a hot Chicken entree. I can taste the spice but it is not that spicy. I don't need to take a drink of water or nothin', ya know? It is still deliciousss, the vegetable portion is good, I mix it with the rice. The chicken is tender & juicy. I'd say it's about 3:2 vegetables to meat.. As it should be.

BASMATI RICE. YUMMMM. In my culture, eating rice everyday is normal. I can only wish we had that delicious Basmati rice everyday.

I also ordered the "Onion Kulcha". I've had their "naan" & "tandoori roti" as well. All I can say is WHY ARE INDIAN BREADS SO GOOD? These pieces look like pizza & you get full after one. It's weird.

Complimentary lentil chips come with your order before your food comes. They taste good. Don't really do anything for your hunger lol. The red & green sauces that comes with them is bomb. I wish I knew exactly what it was but I'm too shy to ask.

Their buffet is also really tasty. There isn't TOO MUCH of a selection but I mean, it's enough to have a bit of variety. I never feel I get my money's worth though cause I get full after 1 - 1 1/2 normal sized plates. (I don't have the biggest 

My dad likes their Mango Lassi. He says it's the best he's ever had at any restaurant (Other states and Canada).

OTHER NOTES:
- All the dishes I've ordered have been kind of oily.

- They have a large vegetarian section.

- Every time I've been here, this place has only been maybe 1/4 filled at the most.

- I'm black and a few times I've been stared at by Indian families while eating, which is uncomfortable and kind of disheartening, but it's alright. I'm not going to let it really bother me.

- Waiters/Waitresses/Hosts are very nice, informative if you have questions and seem to come at the perfect times to check on you.
5 - Nikki B.: This is a great place to start if you want to try Indian food and have never had it before. My fiance' and I were on a date night with no kids and we wanted to try something different. We decided to give this a shot. It was delicious! We plan on going again!
1 - Lesley A.: I am praying that I had an anomalous experience.  I came here on a Sunday not realizing that there was an all-you-can eat buffet that costs around $16 without tax (expensive for a student).  Fine, whatever, I was there already - but the food was cold and not great, especially for what I paid.  My favorite dish is the saag paneer and it left me lacking.  The naan was also disappointing because it was cold and chewy.

Even worse, the mango lassi was not fresh and you could tell they used some mango syrup.  Or even if it was real, it was sickeningly sweet.

No thanks.
4 - Reet S.: Experienced Bombay Indian Grill for the first time this evening for dinner! 

Things to note:
*Service was prompt! 
*The portion sizes were generous, especially the naan!
*Prices were very reasonable. 

I ordered Chicken Curry, Plain Lassi, Raita, and Naan. The Lassi was a bit too thick, but still very enjoyable in the sweltering weather of Champaign.

The Naan was humongous, well-buttered, fresh, and delicious! Chicken Curry was excellent too! 

Overall, a great first visit! Look forward to many more!
5 - Brandy S.: My favorite Indian restaurant. The food is fantastic and the service is great!
2 - Sunshine M.: The food is good, but it is pricey and the service is awful! If you want to be treated with respect and to receive your food sometime thus century, don't come here.
5 - Suran Y.: My boyfriend and I call this 'our place' because it's that good!

I think our waiter knows us pretty well by now and know that we like the homemade cheese on the side in addition to our meals! It's not really on the menu, but if you ask for it, you won't regret it!

I also never fail to get the Chicken Korma because the creamy sauce is just too yummy.
4 - Alice D.: This place is so good, but at the same time so pricey. The portions are also pretty small. As in, I never have enough for leftovers to take home for future meals unlike many other places I go. 
I've only really had a few of the curries, naan, and one of the fried triangular things (made from chickpea batter and something else) but every time it's been delicious. I have cravings for it every now and then. 

They have waiters here, which I didn't expect from a smaller restaurant like this. 

I think I would come more often if the prices were a little lower.
4 - Jamie L.: I've only been here for the lunch buffet and I'm a fan!  I like coming for lunch because they always have popular dishes available.  I'm always pleased with their curries and sauces, but the naan is probably my least favorite of all the Indian restaurants I've visited.  Service is a little flaky and slow sometimes, but always friendly.
4 - Rene O.: Amazing, authentic Indian food with a great buffet at a reasonable price.
4 - Loren B.: I love Indian food and this place knows how to do it right. My boyfriend goes here once a week and they know him by name, that's dedication. 

You can range on how spicy you want it and I love spicy, but after one pepper it's almost a wrap for me.

It's a small restaurant, I've never dined it and we've always ordered out. It's authentic and delicious, definitely a must if you're in Champaign, IL.
1 - Andy S.: I had a mango lassi, the buffet, and spent the rest of the day praying to the porcelain diety.

Im sorry. The proximity of this place to campus means that you need to take the other reviews with a hefty grain of salt. The food here is typically  not fresh, oily, and of poor quality.  Students seem to like anything that they didn't get in their home town growing up, but as indian food goes, this place is poor.  I have watched the quality steadily decline over the last several years, and the last time i went was for a candidate interview visit, so i had to go since i was on the interview schedule for lunch, i was physically ill for a day with food poisoning.

I will never go back.

Students continue to eat there, and thats fine with me.
4 - Kevin Y.: I've eaten from here a number of times during my college years.  Last time I ordered the chicken tikka masala and garlic naan.  The garlic naan was nice and warm with plenty of garlic bits and good garlic flavor.  The chicken tikka masala was nicely seasoned with spices and a good amount of chicken chunks.  Definitely a satisfying meal.  While the food is delicious it is a bit on the pricey side for college students like me.  Worth it yes, but not something to eat regularly on a college budget.

This location has a buffet which the Green Street location doesn't, but I can't comment on the buffet, although I've heard good things.  Also this location seems to have slightly higher prices than the Green Street location.  Probably due to the better ambiance in comparison.
4 - Sarah I.: I've eaten here several times with my co-workers who LOVE Indian food.  The Lunch Buffeet is pricey 10.95 plus tax.  But it has a lot of options.  I love the Tikka Masala...though how it is prepared (mild to medium) depends on the day.  For a friend's birthday they will even prepare (cost/free?) a large plate of select traditional Indian desserts for you table - mango ice cream, etc.
4 - Sonny S.: This place is a little pricey for what you get in my opinion but nonetheless the food is spot on. My fav thing to get here is the tikka masala chicken. The yogurt marinate makes the chicken incredibly tender and is complimented well with the tomato based sauce flavored with spices. The naan is really good too, served warm and soft. It also comes with different sauces to try - sweet and a spicier one I believe. My friend had the chicken saag, which has the tender yogurt marinated chicken, but served with a spinach based sauce. I've also had the samosas too but they weren't that great. I prefer the samosas at Mirsung grocery much more. Overall good food!
1 - Karl B.: I dined at Bombay last year and had a wonderful meal. I dined at Bombay last night and had a horrible experience. We were informed that "they" did not renew their liquor license, so I could not have a beer, even though the decorations consisted of numerous bottles of alcohol. The paneer in the saag paneer was both dry and burnt, which is quite a culinary trick.  We were ignored by the 3 waiters who were too busy setting up for the next day's buffet lunch to pay any attention to us. The final insult at the end of a very bad meal was the disgusting condition of the bathroom: the toilet was clogged with tissue and fecal matter, and had obviously been clogged for a long time. We will not be returning. Has there been a change in ownership? The poor quality of the food, service, and atmosphere indicates a drastic shift from previous dining experiences.

Bombay Indian Restaurant - West Lafayette, IN (40.421205, -86.904703) ()
4 - Jenny K.: ** i didn't actually eat here but i'm yelping for my cousin..**

so, i was talking to my cousin about places to eat around purdue university.  he said that there's not much but there is good indian food.

we yelped and saw 5 indian restaurants (2 of which are good).  he told me that the best one is bombay indian restaurant.  it's authentic cuz a lot of indian people from india go there. 

the chef allows you to order however you want.  as long as he knows how to make the indian dish, he will cook the dish to your desire.  

my cousin's favorite dish is butter chicken (a curry).  i will try it if i'm ever in the area..
2 - John T.: Yuck.  I got cold food, good service, and two annoying flies that seemed to follow my food.  That was not a good sign.  I did not enjoy this place whatsoever!  I had gotten some type of lamb in a pot of some sort, and it wreaked of grossness.
2 - Heather H.: I've been here a few times, and I want to like it, but I really have a couple issues with the food that kind of ruins it for me. First, the positives:

The restaurant has an elegant atmosphere. This is a nice place to bring a date, with the low key lighting, big windows, and most importantly an attentive yet reserved wait staff. 

The garlic naan was really good. I can't make it at home to save my life, so I always look forward to it when its done properly, with just the right amount of oil and a subtle kick of flavor. 
Another positive was the spice level for my curry. I had to order ice cream because my tongue was sizzling. (also, I love ice cream, so maybe it was an excuse.) 

On the downside, I have a real pet peeve when I'm paying good money for a nice meal, and it's obvious it isn't prepared from scratch. To order a vegetable curry, I expect fresh Indian vegetables with fragrant spices. It really grates my nerves when they use the same frozen mixed vegetables you can get at a supermarket, and toss it in with a bland cream sauce. I can do that at home for less than 2 bucks. I come to a restaurant for an authentic experience.
Further, the mango lassi didn't taste right. It wasn't sweet or thick and I didn't want to waste the calories. Maybe it was prepackaged? Who knows, but I think I'll stick with the place up the street.
3 - Amit A.: It was alright !
3 - Christopher D.: We've never eaten in, but ordered takeout a couple of times.  It's been decent -- standard northern-style Indian fare.  Palak paneer, baingan bharta, chicken tikka, vindaloos, naans, basmati rice.  All done well and tasty.  The cook seems accommodating to a variety of spice preferences, and it's good to have some vegetarian options in this town.

But here's one weird thing: every dish came garnished with lots of slivered ginger.  Not too big of a deal, as it was easily removed, but odd, nonetheless.  What gives?
3 - Sree Harsha U.: This is a decent place. The food got better once it turned to a hookah bar instead of a sit down restaurant. I think they changed the chef. The chicken biryani is good. Don't try the mango juice, it's not at all good.

Bombay Jewelers - Seattle, WA (47.6600544, -122.3131534) (University District)
3 - Robyn H.: Nice. Expensive but there are some budget pieces so its worth a look.
4 - Zarah M.: I like this place.  I used to swing by afterwork and see if there was anything I could pick up.  There's plenty of jewelry that are handmade, unique and fair priced.
5 - Sara E.: I love this place.  They really give ya the hard sell - bringing out piece after piece, forcing you to try it on, and offering you $10 off one piece if you buy three pieces, etc.  However, if you tell them what you're looking for, they'll sometimes whip out a couple huge ziploc bags full of stuff and dig through it to find you the perfect thing.   They have gorgeous handmade necklace and earrings sets, all one-of-a-kind, and big huge stones in interesting settings.  I get a lot of stuff here and always get compliments.  Check out their nose jewelry if you have a pierced nostril.  The best part: not much of it is over $50.

Bombay Mart - Pittsburgh, PA (40.439181, -79.955521) (Oakland)
3 - Mangala M.: This is my go-to Indian store when I'm in need of something quick for my weekday meal.  They have a decent variety of Indian staples.  Their produce is mostly OK, and I tend not to buy anything fresh there.  I notice that it goes bad quickly.  Although their cilantro, and spinach seem to be a safe bet.  You can find most things here, but I still prefer to shop at Patel brothers.  They do have an Indian buffet, priced per lb.  The food is from Indian Garden on Atwood Street.  This def doesn't look appetizing to me (mostly because it's Indian Garden's food), but I've seen many people swing by just to pick up to-go food.
4 - Tara M.: This place is really great for produce - whenever I shop here, I've noticed consistently lower prices than the supermarkets in the area. I agree with the reviewer who noted that the produce sometimes expires pretty quickly (perhaps that's why it is so cheap?), so I tend to purchase small amounts of items like peppers and tomatoes that I plan to use that night or the day after. They also have decently priced spices. 

A hidden (?) benefit is their relatively cheap oils. If you are Black with natural hair (or someone of any race who uses/makes primarily natural hair products) you can find staple oils like coconut, castor and vatika oil for great prices compared to online and at many specialty retailers. After produce, that's the primary reason I go there. 

I've never tried their lunch buffet, but India Garden is decent, so the lunch is probably decent as well.
4 - Christina A.: They have really cleaned this place up since it opened. It seems to have most Indian staples to make a good meal. I'm weary of the frozen entrees a they seem older and taste older than other frozen food. I love the India garden buffet food. And usually on Saturdays you get a free meal when you spend $35.

Bombshelter Bistro - Los Angeles, CA (34.068161, -118.4426023) (Westwood)
5 - AndrewScott S.: FOOD: Turkey with garlic string beans and wild rice. Also, a side of the red wine mushroom sauce. The turkey was so soft and juicy. Beans did not have much flavor. Rice was delicious. That mushroom sauce was soooooo GOOOD!!!

PRICE: Around $7-$9 pretty reasonably priced.

PORTIONS: More on the conservative side but IMO you get quality not quantity.

PRESENTATION: Really gorgeous the way they lay your food on the dish. 

AMBIANCE: Really crowded. Duh?! Just opened at UCLA. Expect massive crowds during peak hours. Beautiful place!!!!!!
4 - Tom T.: Coming from an alumni standpoint, I was reading up on the mixed reviews people were having about this new "Court of Science Student Center", and how people missed the food trucks or how great everything looks. I decided to see for myself, being that a) I was in the area, b) I was a student when the ACTUAL old-school Bombshelter was there, and c) because I got hungry.

I walked into the center, quickly passing up on both Yoshinoya and Subway, because of the matter that they had ridiculously long lines and because I can get those two off-campus. The Fusion place didn't sound too appealing to me, so it left me with the Bombshelter Bistro. Again, coming from an alumni standpoint, I am kind of glad that they kept the Bombshelter name, just for memories sake.

However, the food is nothing like what Bombshelter had; basically an upgrade, face lift, boob job, tummy tuck with a few needles of botox and laser hair removal. Okay, maybe not THAT much of an upgrade, but from what it used to be to what it is now, the bistro really gives the center a new edge.

Not knowing what to get, I just opted out for a roasted turkey sandwich, and played the honest card again, to see if they were going to give me the student discount. (Unfortunately, I didn't, but that's totally fine.) Now, for dine in, I'm used to getting my food on a paper plate or some paper tray of some sort, but I got an actual ceramic rectangular dish, the ones you see in ACTUAL sit down restaurant. Amazed what three years can do to a place.

All I have to say is, the new center is giving North Campus a run for its money, in terms of modernizing. And this new center reminds me of the food court in Westfield Mall of Century City or the USC student center.

Keep up the good work, and I hope to see more unique dishes coming out from the bistro.
4 - Uy T.: After tasting two other items, my initial review has been confirmed: welcome to the king of campus cuisine.

Turkey sandwich came with avocado and bacon, and used real slices of turkey. Minor bits of gristle at one end of the slices kept in from being perfect. But it was a great sandwich, especially for $6.

Also tried a grilled skirt steak w/ chimichurri sauce, with brown rice and veggies as sides. Veggies were good and the rice wasn't dry, but slightly oversalted. Steak itself was actually nicely cooked, and the chimichurri sauce was nice and light. Still amazed that I can get a real steak from an on campus eatery.
3 - Brian W.: came to the new south campus student center. walked past yoshinoya and subway because i'm not really a fan, and i can find them other places anyway.

third shop was closed, so i ended up at bombshelter bistro. looked nice, why not?

I got the roasted turkey sandwich... It was aight. Average.

The guy filling my soda didn't wait for the bubbles to settle and ended up giving me a half filled cup. Thankfully, soda dispenser by yoshinoya for free refills. SCORE

+ for being aesthetically pleasing, but food is just whatevz. I wanted to try the pulled pork sandwich, but it was kinda on the expensive side for my college student budget. (greater than $5-6 for a quick service meal) maybe I'll come back some other time and try it but right now, I don't see what's so amazing about the new south campus student center. it's pretty, and maybe some people like the fact that yoshinoya and subway are coming on-campus, but it REALLY doesn't live up to the hype in terms of food deliciousness.
3 - Tiffany B.: What the heck Bombshelter Bistro?! You're really screwing us over the way science professors screw their students on finals. 

The first time I ordered the salmon, it was cooked to almost perfection & it was a good size. This time, their salmon was half the size & slightly over cooked. I'm glad I'm still paying $8 for half the size of the original salmon I had. Perhaps the dimensions are deceiving because it still weighed the same as the first one I had, right? NO. WRONG.

Didn't really get full off of the portobello mushrooms (really good), garlic green beans (decent), & the minuscule salmon (had lemon caper sauce, delicious). Really disappointed in that portion size. If you can't profit off giving us larger portions of salmon, use a cheaper fish!! Come on, guys, get it together.
5 - Penelope J.: I make an effort to eat really healthfully and I have found that the meals from the Bistro are made of really good quality ingredients and are very tasty as well!  The prices are also very reasonable.  I love the breakfast of eggs, chicken sausage and potatoes.  The turkey with brown rice and veggies is also excellent.  The food is truly as good as any of my favorite restaurants.  I talked to the Chef and he told me that they are making a real effort to serve healthy food and you can see the results of his efforts.  I have all sorts of food allergies so I will feel really bad after I eat something made with poor quality ingredients.  I have consistently felt really GOOD after eating food from the Bistro.  Do you think I like the place?  Yup, I sure do.  Give 'em a try!
3 - Ryan T.: I recently graduated from UCLA and am still on campus from time-to-time. So, I was happy to finally be able to check-out the new bombshelter. Specifically their campus-owned establishment. 

For those who never experienced the old bombshelter, just know your options are 100X better. But Yelpers never settle, so here's why it gets 3-stars. 

The time for your food to get served is way too slow. The prices are decent (I got a salad that wouldn't have cost much more if I had gone to Greenhouse in Ackerman). The serving size was adequate, not large but enough. Another person ordered food with grilled veggies and potatoes, while it was seasoned well, there was too much olive oil on the veggies and all of it was too cold! They have a good menu, some small refinements can make this the best place to eat on campus. For now though, it's just alright.
3 - Jenn W.: I have mixed feelings about this place. I ordered turkey + zucchini + side salad + pesto sauce. 

The turkey was warm, moist and delicious, albeit on the salty side. Reminded me of a real thanksgiving turkey! And I saw them carve my pieces from the whole, which was refreshing to know. Pesto tasted freshly made - impressive.

Grilled zucchini also comes with onions. They were okay, very obviously mass produced and slightly overcooked. But had I known that it was actually zucchini with onions, I wouldn't have ordered it. I'd rather have had all zucchinis, as I was expecting!

Side salad was drowning in a mysterious dressing. Not bad tasting, but way, way soggy and didn't look appealing at all. I picked out a few of the greener leaves and left the rest. 

I might try this place again, but order something else - the cobb salad on the menu looked pretty good.
4 - Isabella L.: For campus dining, this place hands down is your best choice. They have a great range of vegetable options for sides and overall pretty healthy food, like grilled salmon and chicken and roasted turkey. The prices are good too. The students working there are always nice and efficient. They bust their ass so give them some credit.

Maybe it's because I'm getting old, but why do all the undergrads gravitate to Yoshinoya? I can kind of understand Subway, but Yoshinoya is just not good.
4 - Chris K.: I'm and alum and former staffer who lives just off campus so I find myself on the walk quite a bit. I enjoyed the food trucks when they were there and wondered how they could be replaced by typical UCLA catering. I was more than pleasantly surprised by my lunch at the bombshelter bistro the other day. I had the short rib sandwich on chibatta and I really enjoyed it.. The meat was flavorful as well as cooked down tender. It worked well with horseradish spread and grilled onions/arugula condiments. It was delicious. The only thing it needed was a little crunch which the pickle on the side would have provide had it been sliced and served on the sandwich.   I still really enjoyed myself. If you like a tasty, wet beef sandwich, this is a great choice for you.

Bon Appetit - Princeton, NJ (40.3746767, -74.6163694) ()
4 - Christine D.: Excellent sandwiches and a small but tasty selection of sweet and savory snacks, bakery items and prepared foods. I'm not much of a coffee drinker, but like finally having the option of getting a real coffee somewhere in Forrestal Village besides the often deserted Starbucks counter at the Westin. I'd love for there to be a more extensive selection of prepared foods and for them to be open on Sundays, but even as it is this outpost of Bon Appetit is just what the Village needed in terms of an alternative to food court fare or a full sit down restaurant meal.
5 - Nuala M.: If i could give them 6 stars on a scale of 1-5 i would wholeheartedly do so.  This is the yummiest most wonderful lunch place to come along to a VASTLY underserved area.  Everything in this place is fresh, expertly prepared, delicious, healthy (mostly) and the service is impeccable.  The ladies preparing and serving are wonderful, efficient, gracious and so nice!  I adore coming here and will continue to go here every day!  I found that they also do catering for corporate offices, so will definitely recommend for my next meeting.  The salads selection (#13 ROCKS!!!!) is great!  The bread is wonderful.  The treats are divine!  Perfect cappuccino and lattes.  Can not praise them enough.

Bon Appetit - Princeton, NJ (40.363321, -74.6507263) ()
4 - Michael B.: A nice, simple gourmet food store.  It's somewhat small in size, but there is a pretty good selection of foods from around the world.  Their  prepared foods are  consistently excellent, as are their breads.  

I like going to Bon Appetit before I make some of my homemade pizza -- they have some excellent sauces and sausages as well as some intriguing cheeses.  There's nothing here that you can't find at Wegmann's, but it's always good to support the small, local shops!
3 - Stoo B.: Alls I know is my brother worked here and he said they bought these crackers in bulk from Sam's Club then repackaged them saying like "fancy crackers" and quintupled the price. Also I'm naturally suspicious of any place that poses such a level of prestige while being located at the Princeton Shopping Center.
5 - Meredith K.: Another gem in the Princeton Shopping Center (the other being McCaffrey's) - this place picks up where McCaffrey's leaves off.  This plaza has a mixture of decent places like the pet store and spa/salon and then some strange places like a bookstore that is only open 10-4 (what kind of hours are those?????) and empty shops. 

They have tons of interesting cheeses, and all kinds of sweets, teas, jams, olive oils, vinegars, prepared foods, pastas, desserts... etc.  Another place I wish I could shop at more often. We picked up some sweets like homemade ginger gummy bears, and chocolate filled with caramel - so tasty! I wish I got more! 

It's the perfect place to buy gifts at (like for a gift basket), or pick up items for parties - plenty to choose from. Definitely will be stopping here on my next trip to Princeton.
5 - Ed P.: Under new ownership and even better now. This place is terrific and we need to encourage stores like this in Princeton. If only someone would open a prime butcher shop...
4 - Hans H.: Formidable!

Delectable assortment of gourmet foods one won't find at grocery stores.
As others reviewers have stated, knowledgeable staff. If you meet Mr. Lemmerling, the Belgian owner, he will dazzle you with his knowledge of cheeses.

If you have ever lived in Europe or would love to one day, this is the place for you. My German wife and I shop here at least once a week. She loves the cappuccino yogurt muffins!

One suggestion: make the cafe lounge area more inviting...put a terrace area outside...or just expand the store as most people won't want to spend free time at the Princeton Shopping Center.

Bottom Line: regardless of the less-than-desirable location, the selection and staff are every reason to frequent Bon Appetit!

Two thumbs up.
2 - Sasha K.: It used to be an European style deli under previous ownership. Nowadays it turned to be the same as uneventful cheese department at the Shop Right. Breads are good but do not warrant a trip there. People still talk about the Mr. Lemmerling as the owner mistakenly. He was very knowledgeable and took a great care of business under his ownership but now he only works there as part of his package, I guess.
5 - C S.: I should give them a 5*, but I'm in a wierd mood.

I went in and asked which cheeses would go with a dry rose with white pepper overtones.  The cheeselady helped me.  I tried at least 6 cheeses.  Chose 3.  It's helpful when you know the wine and its undertones, and my goodness these people are helpful.  They seriously go backwards to make you happy.  And if I said I wanted 1/2 inch of cheese instead of 1", they would have done it.

Ok.  I'm giving them a 5. 

The meat recs were good too.

They also have ends of meat for 1/2 price. I will use these instead of fatback for my collards.  Yes--I have to make things good.

Why I went here today?  Witherspoon Grill for 2 glasses of mediocre wine or our porch for great wines from Coolvines and a plate gathered from Bon Appetit.  $25-70 either way, but with one choice, you get leftovers. 

Nothing says romance like a picnic.  Try it.  If they don't like it, they're not worth it.  Trust me.
1 - Mad S.: Don't know how to start.

One of the few times in my life that someone has talked so much down to me. I went there to get baking ammonia for my European cookies (and they wont get just right with neither baking soda, baking powder or anything else). Then the woman starts lecturing me that there is no such thing as baking ammonia and I must be getting it wrong. I just said ok, but she followed me around the store telling me that just the fact that I asked for this showed that I had no clue about European foods. Finally I said to her to just look it up. And she found her books about specialy foods and sure enough it was right in there! She did apologize afterwards, which I will grant her. But really this is no way of treating a customer.

The owners seem very arrogant. Also had another funny experience where a woman walks in asks for the owner and says hi "uncle Lemmerling". She was visiting from Europe. He then said hallo and turned to us customers pretending she wasn't there. The poor girl looked so disappointed. It was a very awkward situation which makes me wonder what kind of person the owner is.

My friend used to buy cakes there - they look beautiful. But makes you wonder what kind of place that doesn't know the ingredients. When we have asked (because many children in our sphere have food allergies) they have never known and are not able to tell. Obviously they cannot bake it themselves or they would know. And they don't follow the FDA laws regarding labeling ingredients and warning for possible allergens. And the cakes are overly sweet - more american than European.

Most foods are truly overpriced but I have to admit that I used to go once in a blue moon when I craved something from home. But then I always was a little disappointed and irritated over the rude treatment. 

Now I swore that I will never set my foot there again and in stead buy from NYC, Philly or via the Cheese Club.
3 - Abigail W.: so.. it's kind of a hard decision. the cheese selection was perfect. lots of favorites here. bad part- the guy working the cheese counter totally did not know how to wrap cheese. sir, if i'm paying that much for the piece, you can atleast learn how to properly wrap this up so i can enjoy it in a better condition. also, if your going to handle the chimay cheese i'm ordering then touch the boucheron piece, AND grab the roaring 40's with out washing, you're mixing up my flavors. small selection of the harvest song jams that are $$ and some dried fruits, lots of cracker choices.
4 - Myrtle T.: Friendly service. I've only eaten their prepared meals, i.e. crab cake, orzo, poached salmon, sandwiches, soups, and chicken pot pie. The chicken pot pie was kind of weird. I didn't like it too much. Everything else was great.
4 - Robin d.: Bon Appetit is a highly-priced but mostly worth-it gourmet market, especially for certain items, or for those who wish to broaden their knowledge on fine foods, especially cheese and French products.

I was wary when the market changed ownership, but it seems that nothing has changed (other than the removal of the Red Currant Juice machine!) other than the sprucing up and re-organizing of the space to accommodate the large crowds that usually fill the place up.

The cheese selection is very nice, and you can learn a lot from the cheese-monger there, who can help you choose a cheese plate, or simply let you sample until you find your perfect cheese. Most cheeses, however, are priced much higher than the same selections at Whole Foods, so if you are already a connoisseur, you may do better at WF, save for a few unique items that only Bon Appetit have.

The dessert selection is wonderful, but mostly imported and therefore pricey. Their fruit tarts are perfect for dinner parties -- pretty to look at and delicious -- and their Truffle Brownies and Petite Fours are a guilty pleasure of mine.

They have very nice sandwiches, my favorites being the ham, cheese, and dill mayonaisse on a croissant, and the one on their french bread with turkey and balsamic vinegar.

Speaking of french bread, their's is the best I've ever tried in the area. Ask if they have any straight from the oven, and take a seat in the back to enjoy it with some good cream cheese and one of the many smoked salmon selections they offer. 

They also have the best selection of pates, cured meats, caviar and truffles that I know of in the area, though they are all very pricey and, if you know exactly what you want, you may do better to order online. Though there's nothing like ordering an eighth of a pound of Pata Negra and eating it all on the drive home!
2 - Lily P.: Okay place..but if you want something about the same or more variety go to Mccafferys right next to the place. There is a good selection of candy and cheeses. For the most part the deli is ehhh compared to Olive's down the street. I don't think I'll go back just due to other options in town that have more selection or fresher food.
4 - Rebecca P.: I remember the days when this location was home to a hardware store (in fact, my father worked there for years). For many years, Bon Appetit has since occupied this space, but I had never really bothered to check it out as I had automatically written it off as empty, overpriced Princeton hype.

Yesterday, however, I went in on a whim after finishing up at NYSC. I immediately had to kick myself for having ignored this place for years! They have a great selection of specialty foods including chocolates, cheeses, etc. They have a small baked goods selection that looks pretty good, as well as prepared foods that also appeared quite tasty.

Are things pricey? Yes, but no more so than any other locale in Princeton. All in all, I found pricing to be pretty fair. I got a goat cheese/walnut/cranberry salad that was quite good, and even scored a free coffee (Belgian chocolate = major yum!).

They had samples of chocolates and crackers out which always rates high in my book, and the woman who helped me was very sweet. 

Great place...I'll definitely be back!
4 - Eve C.: I hauled my cookies all the way to Princeton for a sandwich.  True story. 

The sandwich BLEW MY MIND.  

Do yourself a favor and get to Bon Appetit and order a Spaniard.  It is the absolute divine combination of manchego cheese, serrano ham and quince paste on a super crusty baguette. 

The lemon charlotte was lovely, as was the croque monsieur.  

The only negatives were the bathroom was very messy and the cinnamon babka was suuuuper dry.
5 - David S.: Excellent upscale deli.  It's a lot like Zabar's in NYC, which is a huge compliment.  Everything I've had there has been great, from pancetta sandwiches, to duck rillette, to chocolate babka.  So many wonderful treats, with quality ingredients, that are hard to get elsewhere!
3 - Barbara C.: The cheeses and olives are divine; the fresh crabcakes are consistently delicious.  HOWEVER - on two occasions I have purchased food off the shelves which had expired, and in both cases the expiration date was months earlier.  I checked with the manufacturer of one of the products, and they said it had a stable shelf life of 2 years, so that food was sitting there a really, really long time.  

Stick with the fresh food, and if you must buy their packaged food, CHECK THE EXPIRATION DATE FIRST!
4 - Omerly S.: I love this place great selection of European items. The chocolate, fudge brownie is amazing as well as the breakfast egg and cheese on a roll. They don't use nasty cheese that every other breakfast place uses. The only thing is a little over price but worth it
4 - Alison H.: Wow this place is great. They have a wide selection of everyhting delish. Cheese, Bread, Meats, Desserts, Chocholate, Nuts, Salads etc. You can eat in or pick up something to go. They have sandwiches and other foods like lasagna they can heat up for you to dine in. 

Down side is eveything is hella pricey. Its Princeton I know but still its a bit much.

Bon Appetit Management - Palo Alto, CA (37.4425145, -122.1623616) ()
5 - Cathy T.: Bon Appetit catered my wedding at the Legion of Honor. They are the house caterer there and we decided to go with them because we wouldn't have to buy out their liquor license, then they would be using their own kitchens instead of cooking in tents outside and they promote sustainable, local and organic food choices. My fiancee and I wanted a different kind of reception from the usual sit down, eat your salad, eat your main, now listen to speeches kind of reception. We asked Bon Appetit if we could do several food stations full of fun comfort foods like sliders, grilled cheese sandwiches etc. and they were more than accomodating. We even requested mini Philly cheesesteaks as an homage to my husband's college days in Philadelphia. They weren't Pat's cheesesteaks but they were awfully good! They made the whole process really easy and listened to what I wanted before coming back with the perfect menu for me. I also loved that everything was organic and locally sourced. And more importantly everything was YUMMY. They also took care of all the linens, chairs, tables etc and everything turned out exactly the way I wanted it!
1 - Eliot K.: Wedding reception at De Young, Catered by Bon Appetit:  Not a good experience for wedding vendors.

As a "wedding vendor," I come second, after guests.  But, my job, photographer, runs best if I eat when the bride and groom eat, and then am available when the bride and groom are schmoozing with guests who are still sitting at their tables.

Often, the dinner break is the first moment I get to relax and eat after five or more hours of photography and driving.  

But Bon Appetit at the De Young Museum (don't have your wedding reception at the De Young) treated me not as a vendor, but as a notch above party crasher and a notch below human.

The 120 guests had been eating for maybe half an hour when the De Young coordinator told me I could eat after the guests were all served.  Then the Bon Appetit catering manager told me that there was no food for the photographer because the client hadn't ordered vendor meals, " but I could scrape together some mac and cheese, left over from what we fed the kids."

Either leave the premises to buy my own dinner, or go to my client,  "the caterer wants to give me mac and cheese."

It turns out that my client had ordered six extra meals - enough for every vendor, even one who wasn't there.  And they were to be identical to what the guests got!  So she had to interrupt her meal to tell the catering manager to feed us. 

The client should NEVER, EVER, EVER have to speak to one vendor on behalf of another vendor - the workers are there to make the clients' day magical and perfect!

Ten minutes later the caterer delivers a box (like a box lunch at a picnic) and a plastic knife and fork.  I open the box and saw a hunk of filet mignon, and a puddle of mashed sweet potatoes. No plate, no drink. "I'll bring you a glass of water," he said.  Did I mention: No table and chair for eating - just sit on the bench and have a picnic of  poorly prepared filet that can't be cut with the plastic "knife."  (Filet as finger food!!)

 (Poorly prepared filet - I couldn't finish it.)

Ultimately, when I had almost finished the boxed food I had to - unbelievable - go to a guest table, ask for two unused glasses, and then grab a pitcher of water from the server station.

Big-city caterers don't treat the vendors as well as caterers in the rest of the Bay Area.  But to condescend, lie to us, "mac and cheese" then feed us WITHOUT PLATES, without drinks, with a long delay, is passive-aggressive and counter-productive to our collective job of creating a wonderful experience for the couple and their family.

The topper to the caterer's disrespect - when I am done eating, he walks by to give me a bottle of water, "I was able to scare up some water."

Problems with wedding receptions at the De Young for guests and bridal party.

1) If you park in garage, entry from garage to the museum will be closed to wedding guests.  Also, lot may close before event is over!

2) If you arrive early, you may have to wait outside in the cold SF evening

3) The view from the Tower - cocktail hour and dancing: most SF wedding venues having better views than this one.  Plus, the outer shell of the tower drops so low that it obscures most of the view above the horizon.  Maybe that's why the view remains insipid.

Summary:  The museum design and personnel are not suitable for wedding.  You should select a location that is wedding-friendly.  The disadvantages of the De Young:

- Parking and signage not wedding friendly
- Clumsy pedestrian flow for guests
- Staff not wedding-oriented 
- Staff annoyance that they have to deal with wedding
- Tower view does not impress SF Visitors, let alone Bay Area natives
- The magnificence, audacity and grandeur of the DY Museum don't translate into a good wedding venue.
3 - Cristobal T.: Bon Appetit caters the food services for mostly all Santa Clara University events and serves food in our cafeteria at the Benson Center.  They're OK and serve a variety of different foods, but they kind of charge more than you'd expect to pay for their food somewhere else.

Kudos to the Engineering events that I had to help out with for work and not being carded by the Bon Appetit guys working the beer ice buckets back when I was 18-20.  Getting buzzed with your bosses and co-workers on-campus was always more fun than actually working.
1 - ashley w.: Bon Appetit manages the University of San Francisco's cafeteria and caters USF's on-campus events.  Bon Appetit is grossly overpriced.  On campus, they charge $4 for a single box of mac and cheese.  This same box can be purchased at Safeway (which has also been accused of being overpriced) for less than a dollar.  I once purchased a chicken breast that still had a feather shaft in it.  It looks as gross as it sounds.  This was my grossest experience, but the food in general was gross.  And the people who worked for Bon Appetit were, in general, mean (not the servers or cashiers, who have always been friendly to me, but the managers).  I got yelled at once by a manager and I've heard stories about the rudeness other managers from those who were employed by Bon Appetit.  Also, I have a friend who was in a club that wanted to have a fund raiser on the USF campus.  The club wanted to sell In N Out burgers on campus, but due to USF's contract with Bon Appetit,  the students were forbidden from doing so.  That may not sound so bad, but the club was trying to raise money for a volunteer trip to another country to work with children.  And to think that clubs can't sell *food* on a college campus for a *fundraiser* to do *good works* because the school has a contract with some stupid money -hungry company is just absurd.  And very wrong.
1 - RC K.: Another USF student here - representing Student and Faculty general disdain for Bon Appetit.
The contract with USF offers Boner ApeTit a monopoly over the school's food. Their exploitative card charge and pricing process is in direct conflict with USF's Jesuit principles of social justice.
(Examples abound: $1 extra for coffee at law school campus, average price for meal on campus is greater than or equal to high-quality local restaurants, and please see previous reviews)
The only relationship that makes any sense is if Boner ApeTit offers some large profit or lucrative kick-back to whomever is in control over on-campus dining.
This relationship prevents fundraising, acceptable quality of food, market price value of food, and student run projects from existing on campus.

If you live on campus please venture elsewhere for food. This city has so much diversity and quality to offer in food and your dependence on on-campus dining prevents you from this realization.
1 - Wilson A.: This is for the Santa Clara location... ABSOLUTELY UNPROFESSIONAL. Avoid dealing with Kimberlee in the catering dept. I used them to cater a business Breakfast /Lunch meeting. They overcharged me and added a penalty fee to the order because they claimed I did not make the order change in time. I showed them the emails to prove I requested the change 2 days before the event and they still refused to give us a refund. Our company spends $$$ using Bon Appetit annually and they still are withholding the refund that is entitled to us. Please look into another catering company and save yourself the hassle.
1 - Tony L.: For the past four years, I've suffered through plate after pate of Bon Appetit  cafeteria food in several of their Silicon Valley locations. You know the kind of food you get college dorms? This is pretty much the same stuff, scooped and slopped on your plate, and charged an arm and a leg for. Sure, it's convenient, but at what cost?

My biggest complaint with the food at Bon Appetite is that it's missing the most essential ingredient of all--love. Whether it's a sad wheel of a quesedilla filled with low-grade cheese, slathered with soggy beans, or any filet of chicken or pork, dry, and flavorless, sitting in a metallic bin for hours before arriving on your plate, there's no pride, no visible effort by any of the chefs to make the food taste better.

But hey, when you have prime, high-traffic locations (or more accurately, when you can get rich serving shitty food), why bother putting in the effort?
1 - Marie L.: Bon Appetit recently started catering for my company and its one of those situations that you never knew what you had until it was gone! I wish my company would have considered some of the negative reviews which seem consistent  for Bon Appetit cafes before pulling the trigger... or maybe they really don't care and it's all about money. 

I used to look forward to lunch, it was a welcomed break to my stressful day. There was always a ton of variety and even if nothing on the menu looked good, I could always piece together a decent meal from side dishes alone. 

Now eating lunch isn't even worth my time. It's just a midday disappointment, a waste of my lunch break, and unnecessary calories. After giving most of my old favorites a shot with Bon Appetit, I only go there out of necessity and I typically regret it. I've noticed the options don't change much during the week, so I assume they are carrying over large amounts of food day to day. Some of the feedback and observations:

I've gotten soup 3 times, twice I just threw it away after tasting it
Dirt on the lettuce in the prepackaged sandwich
One day tofu was recalled, one of the chefs told me the supply was bad
I felt ill after eating sushi and didn't come to work the next day
I stopped eating my lunch because it didn't taste right and I was afraid of getting sick
Mayo on a grilled cheese sandwich?
For Mexican, some sugar/cinnamon flour tortilla chips have been shuffled into the corn chips
They serve Cornish game hens cut in half
The "display food" had mold on it
The veggie reuben wrap is cabbage, carrots, and tofu in a wheat tortilla and that's it! 

The service has taken a dive too. There aren't food trays and utensils available throughout the entire lunch hour anymore. One day there was no tea in the iced tea... it was just water, colored water... making we wonder whether the tea container had been properly cleaned. 

The poor cafeteria quality has become an unfunny joke during the small talk before meetings. Did I mention the prices have increased too?

Bon Baguette - Houston, TX (29.706268, -95.4171486) (Braeswood Place, West University)
4 - Savannah G.: This was a great lunch! For under $20, we had 2 sandwiches, chips, soda, smoothie and spring rolls--a great deal! The sandwich bread was excellent, nice and crunchy bread with a soft center and the veggies were very fresh.  My smoothie (strawberry-banana) was so good!   The restaurant is very clean and has plenty of tables and a big tv in the corner.  Staff was very courteous and gave great suggestions on what to order.  Lots of extra parking in the back and makes it easy to get in and out of traffic.  They also deliver! We will definitely be returning...maybe for dinner tonight!
4 - David G.: Loved it! I got the tofu sandwich, amazing! The chunks of tofu were large and well seasoned. My husband got the grilled BBQ pork. He said it could of used more meat and sauce but the flavor was good. I will be back!
4 - Lesa T.: A delicious banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) joint in the Rice area.

After driving pass this small shop multiple times on Holcombe near the corner of Kirby, I decided to finally try this place out when they posted a large "Vietnamese Sandwiches" sign outside. With a name like Bon Baguette, I assumed it was a bakery - apparently, a lot of people thought so too, said the owner, which led him to post the sign outside. 

Bon Baguette serves up some pretty mean banh mi - my sister and I tried the combination and grilled pork BBQ sandwiches, and they were delicious.  The bread was fresh and crunchy (and not too fat or skinny), and the ingredients were fresh too.  The pate and butter-mayonnaise they use are out-of-this-world! The BBQ pork was very gingery and had wonderful flavors. I'd give these bad boys 4.5 stars. However, these sandwiches are quite steep at $3.75 a pop. I guess these prices are justified by their location, if I'm too lazy to drive to Midtown or Chinatown to save a buck. Apparently, they also have a $5 lunch special for a sandwich, chips, and soda. The only other place that has the same thing for cheaper is Rice's Valhalla $4 lunch special, which they get delivered from Les Givral's.

The only complaint(s) I have about this place are:
1. They have a $5 minimum on credit card charges, and they don't take bills higher than $20s.
2. When I went (2pm-ish), the service was very slow and they had run out of meatballs (which I REALLY wanted to try). It took them about 10 minutes to make two sandwiches, which is like an eternity when you compare them to similar joints in Chinatown. I'll excuse them for this, since it was an off-hour and they had recently opened.

Bon Baguette also boasts of making some great smoothies and spring rolls - I'll get to trying them the next time I come back (which I definitely will!) There's a few parking spaces out front, and there's free wi-fi and tv's in the little shop. They also offer delivery service at a $20 minimum.
4 - Peter T.: Cute little location in the Rice area that far exceeded my expectations.

Decided to try it after work one day and was absolutely delighted with my banh mi. The prices are very reasonable and the portions are fair. Got the combination sandwich, chips, and a drink, and paid about $6. They make the sandwiches fresh (you can see them make it right behind the counter) and the whole place is very clean. Staff was very courteous, but it did take a while (~10 minutes) to get my sandwich. Lots of space for parking (around the back) and there's even a TV available in the restaurant, so that's a plus.

Would definitely come back again - great place for a takeout lunch or a quick dinner during the week.

BONUS: Right now they have a promotion for 10% off your tab if you check-in with yelp and show them!
4 - Caroline E.: I stopped in after picking up some alterations next door.  I am a big fan of les givrals and so I decided to try something new.  The vietnamese sandwich was really good.  The staff is friendly and nice, which is always a plus.  It is convenient and easy.  Parking can be a bit tough but it is worth it.
3 - Jason W.: It was a hard to find location, but it is not easy getting a Vietnamese sandwich near Rice Village.

The sandwich was mediocre.  It failed to compare to Don's or Les Girvals, but it was decent.  In a pinch I would swing by here for a snack.  In addition to the sandwiches, they had a large selection of drinks.  I got a mango smoothie and you could taste the fresh mango.

The service was attentive and the shop was well kept.
2 - Todd S.: Although it looks a little sketchy from the outside, it's quite clean and "nice enough" inside.  The server at the counter was pleasant.  The menu consists of two chalkboards... with one being nearly filled with various smoothie offerings.  Perhaps that's their specialty.

I don't mind paying $3.75 for a BBQ pork bahn mi (this is a bit high... but, well, it's the only Vietnamese place I've seen in the medical center).  I mind that it was stone cold, that the bread was "chewy," and that the pork was very cold and in a gravy (it may have come from a can).  It didn't taste good.  However, fifteen seconds in the microwave and a few healthy squirts of Sriracha improved the sandwich a bit.  Compared to Cali's, Les Girval... or the dozens of other places I've had bahn mi... well, it failed.  I don't even mind that it took longer than expected to make my sandwich (I was the only person in line).  I was just really disappointed with their product.  Pity... for if not for this, it would be a fine little lunch spot.
5 - Linh P.: Although the place is a little small and hard to find, but it was well worth the search!

There's not many banh mi places nearby so I was really happy when this place opened up. Right near school and fast, personal service!

I tried the combo, thit nuong (bbq pork), and shredded chicken.

The combo was pretty good. Unlike most places, the meat wasn't overwhelmingly fatty. Most places, the Chinese bbq pork (the pink one) is SUPER fatty but this place was actually pretty good! It was filled with lots of meat and lots of pate! mmm pate is so good.

The bbq pork (thit nuong) was really different than most places I've been to. Most places, the meat is really sweet but this was a really good balance and I actually liked it was kinda sorta saucy.

Shredded chicken was good (better the Les Givrals in Midtown - its super super salty). Not too salty... I would add pate to it since it doesn't come with it. 

Overall, pretty good. I'm a big fan of the do chua (picked carrots and daikon) and it was REALLY good here. Some places don't pickle it enough and its bland but it was scrum-diddly-umptious.

Oh and the ca phe sua da (Vietnamese coffee) was delicious too. Not too strong but still strong enough to get me through my studies!
4 - Mallory G.: I am so glad to have Bon Baguette in the med center! While the location can be a little hard to pull into, they do have parking in the back if you don't want to have to back up onto Holcombe when you leave. There is also an entrance from the back parking. 

Now maybe these are expensive Banh mi but very cheap food in the medical center and they are delicious! I have had the chicken sandwich twice, once with avocado once without. Couldn't really taste a difference. But both were amazing. I will be trying more soon!

I also tried the mango smoothie with tapioca. I love having a "bubble tea" place close to me. While they do not have the same amount of options as Teahouse they have all the basics I need. 

There is a small area to sit inside and outside. But they also do sandwiches to go. I have a feeling I will be coming here a lot.
5 - Erin L.: Great sandwiches and smoothies. A welcome addition to the neighborhood. The shop  isn't fancy but it is cute enough and immaculate. The Bahn-mi are great and all the ingredients are very fresh and so tasty!  Great price and value. Welcome to the neighborhood Bon Baguette
5 - Nikki T.: Been here a couple times because it's close to work.  Don't be fooled by the outside they have great food and great service!  Not only that they also have smoothies. Go for the bbq pork and hawaiian breeze!! You won't be disappointed :)
2 - Shervin J.: I wanted to like this place so bad... BBQ pork meat in their sandwiches is so different that what I was used to. Almost stew like.

The smoothies are good.

Sadly i don't think I will be going back.
4 - Stephanie S.: Overall it is pretty tasty...especially for $3.75...although I definitely agree with the reviews - get your Banh Mi to go and heat it up in the microwave for about 30 seconds and add a little sriracha sauce...yummy!

Not at all what I was expecting from the outside either - clean and quaint.

I highly recommend the Wookie Cookie smoothie too - oreos, vanilla wafers, banana - tastes like banana pudding!
4 - David N.: I am all about convenience.  Whenever, I see openings around my area I just MUST check it out.  When I found a new vietnamese place opening up that serves banh mi, I just had to be there.  

First off they have a 10% off if you check in on yelp or facebook.  I took full advantage of that.  It's small place, but they do have a few parking spots out front.

My gf and I wanted ordered a variety of sandwiches, from the combo, to the chicken, and the BBQ pork.  My favorite by far was the BBQ pork.  The flavor was very good.  The bread was soft AND crunchy.  My only complaint was there was not enough meat.  But the price was right.  We also had one of their smoothies, the merry berry, it was decent but I'd stick to the banh mi next time.  They came out pretty quick, but you could tell they were making them fresh.  Now it will only take a few minutes to get my banh mi fix!
2 - Johnny M.: I was really excited about this place, because in the medical center their are only a few places to get banh mi sandwhiches, the other being GO FISH which has no parking and the little stand inside the Fiesta on Old Spanish Trail.  My enthusiasm quickly settled once I was told the price of a sandwich--$4.06.  Maybe that doesn't sound so bad to some, but you can get a killer sandwich for less than 3 bucks easy.  Like David N. said checking in does get you 10% off your bill.  Anywayz, I was still excited to try the sandwich, since I don't mind paying for really good food.  But again my excitement was tempered once I tasted the sandwich.  Though it appeared tasty it was anything but....

First the bread was kind of limp, not the fresh, crumbling, flaky baguette I am used to.  Next the sandwich was drowned in soy sauce, so much so that it was dripping through the sandwich leaving a pool on the wax paper wrapping.  And finally the ham inside the sandwich tasted exactly like the ham you get from the cheap end of the deli counter.  Not the nice stuff, but like the salty watery "chopped ham" stuff you eat when you're on a budget in college.  I asked the nice lady behind the counter if the deli cuts were home made and she said yes, so I don't want to accuse somebody of anything, but it sured tasted like it.

Its a shame...I really wanted to like this place, and the people there were really nice, but knowing that the Vietnamese sandwich has the potential to be culinary nirvana, I don't think I'll be going back.
1 - Dee d.: I really wanted to like this place because they are so close to home and work.  The sandwich was not what I expected - in a bad way. It was, well...gross.   the prices are a bit high compared to other places.  The iced coffee was bland and priced more than other places.  Again, I really wanted to like this place.  I just don't.
3 - Anna T.: I was working around the area for the evening and I accidentally encountered this cute, little Banh Mi shop. Tired and starving, I ordered my safe, go-to sandwich: Bánh Mì Thit Nuong (baguette with grilled meat). Except my usually safe, go-to sandwich wished I had gone to somewhere else. I wasn't feeling the "grilled" meat at all because it didn't seem grilled or very well seasoned. The baguette was mediocre to me...sort of tasteless. The only aspect of the banh mi I mildly liked was the veggies. Sorry, it wasn't as "bon" as one would hope!

They have combo deals where you can purchase a Banh Mi and add a drink for a slightly cheaper price. I ordered the $3.75 Bánh Mì Thit Nuong and added a smoothie (regularly $3.75?) but I got it for only $3 buckaroos. 

Although their banh mi was a miss, their Hawaiian Breeze smoothie was a fresh and delicious hit! :) I like my smoothies with fresh fruit (with little to no artificial flavoring, powder, syrup) and they had real pineapples and bananas in their freezer. But don't waste your $0.50 adding tapioca if you like your tapioca bland...

Free WI-FI (pw: baguette), one large flat screen TV, about 3-4 parking spaces in front of their restaurant but additional parking in the back!
5 - Patti S.: I came here with a friend earlier this week and had the BBQ pork banh mi.  Tasty.  I like a little more jalapeño heat but still tasty.  So I came back today to try the chicken banh mi and a smoothie.  The sauce on the banh mi was really good.  Real mango not powdered smoothie.
2 - nadia t.: Just got back from this restaurant, and lets just say, I will never go back. I suggest you try it out for yourself, but don't expect anything great. 

Pros: Location (Med Center)

Cons: 
1- Expensive. Its about $4 per sandwich, I've had bigger for cheaper.
2- Not the best. The sandwich was cold, the bread was floppy. 
3- Not award winning customer service. I've been here 3-4 times before and I always order the same thing (BBQ pork sandwich and passion fruit smoothie). The passion fruit smoothie was white in color and milky (gross..). The passion fruit I always ordered was bright yellow and icy. The lady who made my drink clearly saw how unsatisfied I was and insisted that the passion fruit is always white and milky. She didn't care that she saw me chunk the drink in the trash as I walked out.
1 - Seth B.: The owner/proprietor was nice, and a friendly guy.  However...

The sandwich prep area (knives, etc) was dirty with crumbs and smeared ingredients, but I'm an adventurous eater so I stifled the voice inside me that said, "Don't do it!".

Sick. as. a. DOG.  Will not go back. Ever.  The mere thought of the place makes me feel nauseous now.
5 - Eunice C.: I work around the med center and this restaurant is in very convenient location for lunch and dinner!
They had there own parking spaces and the service was quick. The sandwiches are made with fresh ingredients and they also have yummy thai tea!!
2 - Texas S.: I walked to this place for weekend lunch.

There were no patrons at 11:40...most other places in this area are getting serious lunch traffic at this time, including Subway.  Maybe that should have clued me in.

My only other banh mi experience was off Canal St in NYC where I fell in love with this style of sandwich.  Crusty, chewy baguette, crisp sometimes pickled vegetables, jalapeños, grilled meats with spice.  

Bon Baguette missed on pretty much all of these fronts except the vegetables which did meet the mark.  The bread, although stated on the website is delivered fresh daily, tasted anything but.  Meats (I had the combination) tasted anemic.

I ordered a side of spring rolls and didn't eat the second one.  The noodles are not the typical al dente rice noodles, these were overcooked mushy fat noodles.  I always eat the second spring roll, but not this one.

The prices are very good, shop is tiny and quaint, but I'm not sure I'll be back, ever.

(P.S. Mildew in the ice machine according to recent Dept of Health inspection, so I would a-v-o-i-d any drinks.  Mildew is not the same as "benign" slime which is innocuous.)
1 - Eli G.: First time here, 

Ordered the BBQ Pork with a strawberry tapioca smoothie.The sandwich and smoothie were savory and delish but I ended up sick for 1/2 a week. The kind of sick you end up spending most of your day in the rest room. Unproductive!No bueno!!!!
3 - d x l.: One of the only places in the med center that i can my bahn mi fix in the med center.  For 3.50 i recommend the BBQ pork sandwich. The bread has been getting a bit stale when i go.. but nothing that stops me from eating there.
3 - Jo-Lawrence B.: Vietnamese sandwiches are one of my all-time faves. Bon Baguette is close to where I live, so I'll have to give them another shot. 

Here's what I think starting with the "things to improve." It's probably a little overpriced for what you get. More meat might cost a business in overhead, but you can't replace the power of word of mouth in increasing business. The place isn't well kept, and there are little things they can do to improve their presentation. We ordered boba, but they didn't have any ready.

Here's what's good. The sandwich tastes great. Could use a little more meat, but the sandwich is delicious. They use a different type of bread, something softer than traditional french bread, and a little sweeter. It was a pleasant surprise. 

In the final analysis, I'd like to go back and give them another chance at another star from me. So for now, let's leave it where I've rated it.
3 - Sanghee C.: It's located close to medical center which is very convenient. Overall good sandwiches at slightly higher prices but I'd pay a dollar more for convenience. I just wish they would FREAKING toast the bread. They always serve it cold and it is very hard to eat. If you don't have good ,sound teeth,these sandwiches are not for you!
5 - Margaret A.: Yummy sandwiches and smoothies!
5 - Sarah D.: I have been coming to Bon Baguette since I moved to Houston in November 2011. Their sandwiches and smoothies are delicious! The grill BBQ pork sandwich is a must. I had no idea was vietnamese sandwiches were before but these are amazing. I love to see small businesses thrive, so I love trying places like this! The guy who works there (I think may own it) is really nice and they always get it out quick to us. Their shrimp rolls look amazing too but I never have room for them. I think its strange that someone says that they got sick there, I have never been sick from eating here. Thank you Bon Baguette for being awesome.
4 - Ted W.: Enjoyable banh mi, and pretty good spring rolls. Very enjoyable little spot.
4 - Sandra I.: Bon Baguette, my dearest Banh Mi place in my area. 

I stopped here purely by chance. Driving down Holcombe and just looking at my surroundings and then I saw it. And I knew I had to try a banh mi. 

The parking lot is quite small, and the venue is small too. If you're not actually looking for it and just driving mindlessly down the street, you will probably miss it. 

Compared to other banh mi stores I felt their prices were a little high. $3.75 for the sandwich? Yes, most other places will be under $3, but sometimes you just don't want to drive up north to save $1. 

However, they do make up for the price with lots of extra pate. I am no banh mi expert by any means, but I've noticed that most places use this buttery-mayo sauce in their banh mis, others use just mayo, and lastly some use pate. This place uses pate and their quite generous with it. They also packed it with all the usual veggies to make one of the freshest banh mis you've had.

I will definitely come back for more sandwiches.
4 - Thomas D.: Wonderful place right around the corner from my apartment. Always very clean interior. I've tried two of their banh mi sandwiches, the BBQ pork and the combo. I've got to say the combo is the better of the two. Great size sandwich, good meat to bread ratio. I haven't tried their smoothies but their Thai tea and jasmine tea are very very good. I enjoy this place and will be back soon!

Bon Chon - Cambridge, MA (42.3721361949998, -71.120907538337) (Harvard Square)
4 - Sue H.: I went to Bull BBQ for the first night of their soft opening. I'm not going to go into too much detail because they've literally JUST opened up their doors and it wouldn't be fair to judge them too harshly or lightly in lieu of actually getting the chance to get their footing down and steady.

For my fellow Yelpers, I will keep it nice and concise -- so you can all go and judge for yourself.

The Korean food here is excellent. I was eating with a Korean friend who said there's a homemade quality to how everything tastes and is presented at Bull. This is no surprise, as there's a Korean woman in the kitchen doing the cooking (take a peek into the kitchen while waiting by the bathrooms)! We ordered A LOT of food, so I'd say we got a good feel for the menu. Definitely use the grills at your table and order some BBQ items. It's DIY cooking, and the a la carte orders come out in smaller portions, which I  really liked, as opposed to other Korean BBQ restaurants like Koreana, where I normally feel rushed. The Gaeran Jim (steamed egg), Manduguk (dumpling soup -- favorite of the night!), and Sundubu (soft tofu stew) are great dishes to get to round out your meal. They also offer BonChon, which I'm sure will be popular with students in the Harvard Sq. area (although my group didn't order any -- so no comment there). They will also be serving alcohol in the future.

Service needs work, but obviously that's what a soft opening is for. Regardless of some of the hiccups that were made throughout the night, the servers/management were all incredibly courteous and helpful. I could tell they were hustlin' their butts off, so if you're planning on stopping by in the next few weeks, cut the servers some slack.

Another interesting thing to note about Bull is the space they occupy. It's a little odd that they're underground in the Galleria basement... but it seems like they're trying to do the best with what they have. It's a little bare, but I'm pretty sure they're still in the process of getting everything in place.

I will be back!
4 - Sarah C.: My husband and I went for lunch yesterday.  We've had bon chon chicken before but since I am Korean it was nice to be able to order bon chon chicken and also get some of the Korean staple food items.  We were not too hungry so we got an order of mixed wings/drumsticks and okdol (hot stone) bibim bahp.  The okdol bibim bahp was delicious, it was sizzling in the hot stone bowl and all the veggies and meat were prepared well.  I also really liked how they actually put a raw yolk on top and not a totally cook egg . Why?  Because the hot stone is sizzling hot so when you mix it, the yolk actually cooks.  Most places put a over-cooked fried egg on top and then when you start mixing your bibim bhap, the egg has this rubbery taste since it was already fried the heck out of it before placing it in the bowl.

  Bonchon chicken was also very good.  They are known for their extra crispy skin and  you can get spicy or garlic/sweet sauce.  My husband and I like both so we got both flavors.  

They recently opened up so they are getting into the rhythm of things with service but overall we had a good experience.  They do not serve liquor yet but will be getting it soon.
5 - Jason P.: OK, I'm confused. I thought this place was in fact called BonChon - and that the Bull name never quite happened? I mean the takeout menus and bags and chicken boxes say BonChon, right?

Whatever, the BonChon fried chicken is as good as all the net kiddies say it is. Really really fine. Got the thighs and wings combo (small) with soy ginger sauce (having maxed out my personal chili points with another Korean dish earlier this week). Had some kind of chickengasm at the first bite. 

And when I asked what I should eat with it and the owner suggested bi bim bop (which is like the 20th different English spelling I've seen for that dish) or fried rice and I went for the beef and kimchi fried rice, it was was a great move. Totally toothsome. 

I'm sold. I'm gonna have to restrain myself from going there too often ... because let's be real, this is not precisely health food.

Anyway, I demand that everyone go there regularly because I really want this place to stay in business. Rather than tank in a year like so many other Harvard Square businesses. Judging from the decent crowd at 5 p.m., five days after their opening, I expect some staying power from this place. Fingers crossed.
5 - erica y.: this restaurant is called Bonchon.  i'm not sure how the Bull BBQ shows up when one searches for Bonchon Harvard Sq.  However, if you Google "Bonchon Harvard Square" you can find the link below:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bon-chon-chicken-cambridge

hope this glitch can be fixed soon.
4 - Eunice E.: Bull BBQ, BonChon, whatever it wants to call itself, I'm delighted to eat here.

I came here, confused and excited... if it were a Korean BBQ place, I'd definitely opt for that, but if it were BonChon, then I'd absolutely get the wings. Lo and behold, it's both (???), so I was able to sample both the delicious wings (with its impossibly thin, ridiculously crispy, amazingly flavoured skin...) AND the awesome marinated short ribs (kalbi) at our table/grill. 

So, the BBQ didn't come with banchan (side dishes), but the wings did, so we settled for that, but it would have been nice if there had been some kimchi at least! Oh, well. Disappointingly tiny portions of BBQ, but impressively big flavours... almost as good as my mother's kalbi... almost! But that was what was so surprising about this place. The food really does have a nice home-made quality to it, as someone else had mentioned. Like the ddukbokki (rice cakes in spicy sauce, mmm)... it was REALLY good. I was impressed. And even my girl, Elizabeth G., who had never tasted Korean cuisine before, loved everything we ordered.

Our waiter was goofy, kind of like a tableside jester (with ridiculous, overexaggerated facial expressions and vehement hand motions, etc.), but he added a bit o' something to the evening. 

I'll be back... can't wait to try the bibimbab and other Korean comfort foods/staples.
5 - Chloe K.: The foods are definitely delicious. I have tried the  mul nangmyun, bibimbab, kimchi jjigae, galbi, and so much more. Especially chicken taste much better than the one in Allston, in my opinion. Oh and I loved the seafood BBQ, I really want to recommend people to try.  Foods are delicious and services are great! :)
4 - Angela K.: Delicious! The chicken is great and the seafood pancake is also good.  One qualm is that they don't appear to have vents for the bbq's so I don't think they can turn up the flames too high; our galbi took a fair amount of time to cook.  The service is very fast and attentive.  Great addition to Harvard Square.
4 - U V.: I heard they recently opened up in Harvard Square and I couldn't be more excited.  I can't possibly go to Allston each time I want some of their wings.  The service was good and attentive.  The taste is the same compare to the one in Allston.  Their bbq portion is small compare to the price they charge.
5 - Matt G.: Awesome lunch.  The wings at this place are off the hook.  If you are anywhere near Harvard Square you MUST go to Bon Chon.  Service and food worth it
5 - David A.: The Bon Chon at Harvard Square is the best Bon Chon I have visited so far. I'm not usually prone to hyperbole and I rarely take the time to review most places but I felt that this place merited it.

I'm from NY and have been to most Bon Chon and other Korean restaurants in the tristate area. The food and service here easily surpasses any Bon Chon found in NY and rivals the quality of similar dishes and service in established Korean restaurants.

The soy and spicy double fried chicken here is about as good as it gets. I usually like mine drenched in sauce (like in 33rd & 5th NY) but it's still very good.

Where they shine are in their other dish offerings. I've tried most of their dishes including their tteok bokki, nakji bokkeum, and buldak and they were all cooked very well. I've told the Koreans in my class about this place and they've went and come back saying how the food was "legit" (sans the cheese). 

Korean restaurants around my area also tend to tone down the spice in their dishes and it can be frustrating to convince them otherwise. I'm really appreciative they didn't do this on me and gave me the benefit of the doubt when it came to my buldak and the nakji bokkeum. I actually doubted that Korean food was spicy at all compared to the I'm-in-Thailand-authentic dishes but their buldak was right up there with their spiciest offerings.

Lastly, I've never had service in any Korean establishment as good as the way they provide service here. This matters to me as much as the food and I make sure I tip well each time. I'm from NY though so take that with a grain of salt...

I highly recommend this place.
3 - Alma C.: Bon Chon wings are super tasty, I happen to prefer the Allston location a lot better than Harvard Square due to the location (Harvard Square location is in a windowless strip mall location that has a bit of a dungeon vibe to me).
3 - Martin R.: It is pretty good chicken.  I was disappointed that there aren't the sides you normally get i Korean restaurants.  Service is very inattentive and you have to wave and call out to get the waitress to come over despite not being very busy.  Still, I'd walk in again if I was in the area.
3 - Jon S.: Oh man, the chicken is to die for. Those wings are crispy and covered in a delicious soy-garlic sauce. We ordered ten as an appetizer to share, but I probably could have eaten twenty of those. I'm not even usually a huge wing fan, but they're amazing.

The rest is whatevs. I didn't order any of the BBQ but I don't think I'd recommend it. I'm not sure about the state of KBBQ in Boston, but they were charging more than $15 for meat without any sides. In LA, you can get all you can eat for the same price, sides included. 

I ordered the rice dish that comes in the stone bowl. It has a name, but it's not coming to mind. There were a variety of different veggies, marinated bulgogi, and an egg over rice. The bulgogi was tasty, but there weren't very many pieces of meat. In fact, the portion itself wasn't very big, and I ended up leaving a little hungry. I also thought overall the dish itself was a little bland. They served it with chili sauce that added some spice but not much flavor. I'm not Korean, so I'm not familiar with authentic cooking, but I think it could have been better if they added some of the sauce they used to marinate the meat in. 

With tax and tip, it came out to about $20/person. A little pricey considering I wasn't even full when I left. I'd come back for the wings, but skip the rest.
3 - Jeannie H.: It's definitely worth coming here for wings but not much else.  Brilliantly crispy skin smothered in soy/garlic or hot sauce. The BBQ is decent but nothing special and the prices are relatively high.  The rest of the food is barely edible.
4 - Timothy T.: I consider myself a true champion of Korean fried chicken, both in the sense of an advocate and as a victor. Having dined at multiple venues, and not all of the Bon Chon brand, and subsequently introducing dozens of friends and colleagues to the glory of this type of chicken, the title of advocate I believe is well deserved, but the victor business needs some s'plainin'. In short, one venue in particular, Boka, which serves Bon Chon in NY, has a happy hour special that is AYCE and AYCD. I am undefeated. You may refer to that review for details.

In any event, Bon Chon was one of the first things I looked up when I re-relocated here. And just like Miley, I had my sights set and was ready to aim.

INT. TABLE / BON CHON / CAMBRIDGE, MA
Me: Can I get the spicy pork bi bim bap, and 10 piece half and half?
Waiter: Oh... you cannot get half and half with 10 piece, you have to pick one.
Me: But if I order the 20 piece I can get half and half?
Waiter: Yes.
Me: Ok, 20 half and half.
Waiter: Sure. You can get the leftovers to go if you don't finish.
Me: Right...
-Waiter exits-
Me (cont'd): but there won't be any leftovers.

Challenge accepted. 

I use Boka as the gold standard, not only for their happy hour, but also because their chicken is amazing. Most Bon Chon is good to excellent, but Boka's is life changing. The chicken at this Cambridge venue is excellent. The flavor is plentiful, the skin is crispy, and the meat is tender, with all of the said qualities being a bit less so than at Boka's - but don't let that deter you!

As far as drinks, they do not yet have their liquor license. To make up for it, they have unlimited refills on soda.

Where they stand out, however, is in service. All the staff members are attentive and polite, as per the industry standard, but they are all extra nice and super enthusiastic. I got the impression that they were all happy to work there and talk to patrons. Additionally, my server pretty much met every Asian stereo-type, from his trendy hair style, to his anime facial expressions, to the way he literally ninja jumped over (empty) tables and benches to help a coworker fix something. +1. Seating-wise, they can accommodate both large and small parties. The table dividers are removable, so they can arrange seating as needed.

Anyways, when it was all said and done, my plates were empty and I had room for  ice cream around the corner. No doggy bag needed, and I claimed my first victory in Boston.

As for the bi bim bap? Mostly veggies, so meat lovers beware.

(^_^) Glorious wings
(^_^) Service
(T_T) No liquor license (yet), and therefore no happy hour
(T_T) Not much meat in bi bim bap (otherwise well portioned)
(^_^) Options (Korean BBQ available too!)

Glad I came, and in fact, I returned the next day. The wings are good enough to keep this joint with at least 4 stars.
1 - Steven T.: Service was horrible, enviroment not,lively, no TV, Took very long to replace an order of 10 chicken... I suggest maintain the attendence at the original Bon Chon @ Allston
4 - Anne W.: When you thought that Bonchon would stay within the safe confines of Allston/Brighton.. they got smart.. started selling their franchise and opened up in Harvard Square.  Too bad they opened this place out when it was summertime and all the kiddies were let out.  I am sure business will improve when everybody comes back in September.

This place is located in the basement in the same building as Wagamama and Shabu-Ya.  Clearly, this is Asian central.  Good because nobody likes taking the green line ALL THE WAY TO ALLSTON.  Especially in the winter... esp the ones that are at the edge of campus.. you know who you are law and MBA kiddies.

So since this is a franchise, they are not actually obligated to have the same menu.  As the one in Allston focuses more on sushi (a huge chunk of their menu is this).. you will not find that on this menu.  More traditional Korean foods... jigae, seafood pancake, bimbimbap, jap chae.  You won't even find the rice cakes with seafood... they do have Korean bbq.

I thought the jigae was okay.. not nearly spicy or flavorful enough for me.  The seafood pancake was unbelievable.. fluffy and good.  I have only had it like this one other time in Australia.  The seafood consisting though mostly of squid.  They need to work on including other types.

I did not try the chicken here but I am sure it's just as good as it is in Allston... only thing that bothered me is that this place is in the basement... no natural light or people watching.  No alcohol yet... so that's too bad.  And of course parking in Harvard can be quite challenging.
2 - valerie d.: Ugh really? The chicken was a 3, the rest was one. Ok, the coleslaw was five. Um whatever that egg thing was, it was like scrambled eggs that a toddler spilled their water glass into. And the chicken was fine but everyone talks like it's gonna blow my mind. It was like chinese food chicken wings but a little better. And expensive as fuck for what it was.
3 - Andrew C.: Looks like they renamed it. Get the BonChon chicken! Nothing else is worth it.

I might try again later, but for now just the chicken. Try both spicy and the soy garlic. And if you're afraid of spicy then you might not want to make yourself cry.
4 - Apolinaras S.: I wanted to like this place, but the food was just OK. Their "famous" fried chicken is good. Bimbimbap is also better than usual.
Honestly, I just don't think I will be back.
4 - Priscilla T.: How is Bon Chon HSquare only 3 stars?? I'm not sure there's anymore I can say that has already been said except...

Spicy chicken drumsticks. Order a huge box. Eat them all.
2 - Imran G.: Oooh, Korean Wings. Sounds tasty. In fact they are pretty good. But there are some pretty big problems from being top drawer.

First, I love me some spicy wings, but there's gotta be something to calm yourself down. No ranch or anything, yes, I realize this is a Korean restaurant. However, I'm sure there must be some Korean equivalent. I guess there was some "cole slaw" or what I think is actually kimchi, but it didn't do that great of a job.

And of course, the pickles. LOL. I'm chuckling as I write this. Its almost preposterous as to how this restaurant could serve this piece of shit. Literally though, it smelled like crap. No, I'm not insane, because as we took the leftovers home, a lady on the bus noted how it smelled like death. There isn't even a fictional smell from a Harry Potter potion that could rival how crappy this thing smelled. I'm glad no one realized the smell was coming from our Bon Chon bag, otherwise we might have gotten kicked off the bus.

Stay away from the pickles, otherwise the other things are pretty good.
5 - a M.: the food here is great.  amazing fried chicken and fresh, well-prepared dishes. the people working here are very nice and the service is excellent.
5 - Thuy L.: Soy Ginger? Hot and Spicy? Why not both? These beautiful succulent chicken wings are a far cry from Buffalo Wild Wings. Perhaps BW3 should take a page from this wonderful Korean recipe. The twice-fried chicken wing is done to perfection to maintain crispy and moisture. The Bim Bim Bap is okay, but the chicken is this chick's pick. Now only if the Bon Chon in Harvard Square could get their act together and get their liquor license. How wonderful would fried chicken over some kirin or sapporo be?
4 - Anna W.: I was SO. FRIGGIN. EXCITED. when this location opened up. I've already been to their Allston location and gave it a five-star review already. Much of what I already wrote in that review still holds true for this location.

I met my friend here for lunch one day. It is located underneath Wagamama -- you kind of have to walk to the back of the hallway, turn around, and go down the stairs. It is where the former Shilla used to be. The location is small and dark (dark tables, dim lighting, even at lunch time, etc.). The hostess and wait staff were incredibly nice and attentive. I assume not many people have heard about this location or Bon Chon's magical chicken yet, because it was sparse inside.

I saw that they had a lunch menu, which is pretty awesome. The prices were incredibly reasonable, and you get a good amount of chicken and some sides for that price. If you dare to look past the chicken, the flip side of the menu has a variety of soups and other dishes to choose from. 

Get the chicken. After all, it's what they're known for, and you will never regret it. For the sides, make sure you get fries as one of them. I know it's a little weird to order fries from an Asian chicken restaurant, but trust me, the fries are almost as good as the chicken.

The reason I had to dock one star was because of the "other" side of the menu. My friend decided to be adventurous and try something other than the chicken. She decided to get some spicy noodle soup dish, and it ended up being too oily, and not spicy at all, even though it looked like it was full of sesame oil and chili paste. Oh well :-( 

Yeah, so... back to my original point -- get the chicken. Then come on Yelp and write your own 5-star review to help cancel out my 4-star review.
3 - Lily X.: I am a big fan of korean bbq and korean fried chicken. 

Fried chicken--pretty good, comparable to those I had in Boka in NYC
BBQ--forgot what type of meat and it tasted okay. The server started by grilling for us but never came back, and we were so deep in our conversation that the meat was burnt... 
Rice rounds with fishcakes--Very salty and spicy, I am not a fan of salty food. 

Overall, sort of average and expensive, but I will definitely return since there are not many better options...
5 - Joe U.: Best KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) around, comparable to NYC/L.A., with other tasty Korean dishes, such as the best dduk-bokki around. I am a huge fan of chicken wings in general, and I think the recently developed Korean-style twice-fried wings are the only evolutionary step forward since the Anchor Bar in Buffalo invented the buffalo wing. These Bon Chon wings are better than the Kyochon wings in Seoul (sort of like saying I had a hamburger in Tokyo better than McDonald's). Don't get your expectations up...they are still chicken wings after all, but I'd rather have a mound of these with a candle on top for my birthday than any other wing, period. Some caveats: the spicy ones are killer spicy, almost suicide-buffalo-wing level. Problem is they look just like the non-spicy ones. And the "coolants" daikon radish and cole slaw can't put out the flames. All you can do is eat more spicy wings and fight fire with fire. 8)  The bigger surprise is that other Korean dishes are particularly well-done. The dduk-bokki (rice cake cylinders in spicy red pepper sauce) is my favorite in Boston; they do it streets-of-Seoul style, with deep fried gimbap (Korean maki), vermicelli noodles and odeng (pressed fish cakes...sort of like Korean chicken McNuggets of fish). The sauce itself is delicious. If they would only put more *stuff* into it, including the rice cakes, it would be killer. They also had a dish called bulgogi stew, which to me is the best part of a good bulgoi - lots of meat plus that awesome brothy au jus which is best slathered over all the rice. The other jjigaes were also good, comparable to the better Korean restaurants in Boston. Overall, a great meal, plus their service was extremely nice to us. We had a birthday cake from an outside bakery. They helped prepare, light the candles, and brought it out. Since it's not their food, it was nice of them. Plus, the great manager threw in a freebie dish, real Korean style, because we were frequent customers. 

My suggestions to management (for whatever they're worth): 1. Ranch dressing - as one yelper mentioned, people around here like ranch to put out mouth fires. Although Koreans don't seem to generally like Ranch (lactose issue?), it'd be good for many, including Ranch-loving Koreans. 2. Medium-spicy wings - the spicy sauce is delicious, and if there was an in-between spiciness, I'd get it every time. 3. Dduk-bokki with more dduk and other stuff in it.
5 - Jenny T.: OH MY GAWDDDDDD GUYS! ~~
They have Bon Chon in Harvard Square now.. my life is officially complete!
I went to this Bon Chon for lunch with a friend yesterday and I must admit.... every dish we ordered ended up EMPTY. I'm not talking about the regular type of empty..... I'm talking about empty to the point where there isn't even a crumb left on the plate. & Do you want to know the best part? THEY HAVE KOREAN BBQ HERE! AHHH, I was so excited for this.

I 'm like a kid in a candy store there. I honestly don't think anyone could possibly be THIS happy for food.... but then there's me. Hehe~ 

HIGHLY RECOMMEND
+ the staff is SUPER friendly. Can I add like 4 more stars for that? :P
4 - Nicole K.: Service was good and the food came out pretty quickly!

A bit on the pricey side for what kind of food your paying for, but it doesn't damper the taste of it either!
4 - Simon L.: All my friends had left me on my lonesome for the weekend - weeps, tears fall.

It's late on a Saturday evening. Where can I feed myself? Davis? Been to every place one too many times. 

Porter? Same.

Harvard? Shite, two faaahhhts and a beer. 

Korean Fried Chicken (Bon Chon's signature product is called KFC - Korean Fried Chicken - just what the Colonel would have ordered.)

Enter the food court and follow the sign for Bull Korean BBQ. It's kind of hot. Maybe a little sweaty. Head downstairs to the wall of frosted glass. Dark and subterranean. Give them your name and sit down and wait.

Name is called, table made ready - I feel guilty as the tables are giant and made to seat four to six and I am one: but I can eat for four! Fortunately, it is late and there are a few extra tales so guilt subsides.

The menu is traditional Korean and broad. Multiple flavors of broth for jiggae and stone pot stir fry and stew.

Soondubu jiggae ($12.95) I order is fiery and complex - loaded with chunks of tofu and plenty of beef - a delicious rendition. 

Tofu & Kimchi Da Eji Bulgogi ($15.95) is thin sliced pork with gochukang (fiery yet sweet chili sauce) served with thick slices of tofu. 

Galbi tang ($13.95) has a rich broth. Three plentiful short ribs. Slight spice. Good clear noodles. Spicy to perfection. 

The small combo ($10.95, chicken wings) of 3 drumsticks and six wings spicy is unbelievable. Believe it folks. Believe it. Moist. Tender. Crispy. Meaty. What else do you want?

Cozy. Friendly. Quick. Delicious.
4 - Abby F.: Went there with a Korean friend for lunch: she had the spicy wings/legs combo and I had it soy/garlic:  absolutely delicious and crispy!  We both had leftovers to take home and the sweet server gave us both full portions of the sides we had ordered.  Next time I'll go for the bimbibap!  

Lovely modern atmosphere, pleasant music, friendly service--I'm sold!

Bon Chon Chicken - Cambridge, MA (42.3716203, -71.1209581) (Harvard Square)
4 - Chris C.: there was a young lady on the street giving away checken wings which I thought were excellent! if you like crunchy wings on the outside tender on the inside, this is the place for you
5 - Dor Z.: BON CHON!!!!!!!!!!!! I've been meaning to go to the one in Allston for so long, but it's always either too packed or too far. The Harvard location is perfect, although it's easy to miss because it's not right in the square.

Got the fried chicken combo with half spicy and half soy garlic. YUMMY. I don't know how you can argue with Korean fried chicken. Oh, if you can't handle spice too well, make sure you bring a gallon of milk with you - that shit is HOT. I even got asked why I was so sad because I had started to tear up. My response, amidst bountiful and  boogerful nose honks into my poor napkin: "I'b so habby because dis chickedn is delicious bud id is so damb sbicy gahhhhh."

Prices are decent - a combo with 15 pc (10 wings, 5 drumsticks) is $18.95. They also have a standard Korean menu with BBQ, soups, bibimbap, noodle dishes, and all that jazz. Service was awesome; our waiter was super cool and accommodating.

In conclusion, I wish we had Taste-O-Vision because I don't know how to properly convey how scrumptious this experience was.
5 - Joe S.: FINALLY! I've been waiting a while to try Bon Chon Chicken, and I wasn't disappointed. The wings are delicious, just the right amount of heat for the spicy chicken, and the soy sauce is also quite good. Other Korean dishes here are also great. I tried a spicy soup that cleared my sinuses right up. 

Our server was really friendly, more so than most places. Shout out to Phil! I don't really have anything bad to say about Bon Chon Chicken. We'll be sure to go back soon.
3 - Christine T.: This was a pretty good experience, not super awesome but, pretty darn good.  

The only thing exceptional was the fried chicken, mmm boy tasty.  SUPER awesome crispy chicken skin, juicy little wings.  The spicy, and trust I love me some spicy, was REALLY f'n spicy on the front, but didn't have a painful linger after you eat something else.

If you like crunchy fried chicken this is it.  The only unfortunate thing is they only do wings and drumsticks.

Lunch special comes with 8 chicken wings, carbs (rice or french fries), and a side (radish, coleslaw, salad, and something else)   the radish was chopped daikon that was slightly sweetly pickled in vinegar.  Pretty good but I felt like it needed a dipping sauce like gochu-jang or that black bean sauce or something.

We also got Doenjang jjigaee, which was alright.  generous portions of seafood and tofu though.  The broth was just a little too salty.

Word of warning:  The unrolling action of the toilet paper holder in the bathroom is like turbo-warp speed so be sure unroll slowly to conserve tp...

The place was clean, still being put together, service was quick and attentive.

The menu on the corporate site online doesn't exactly match what the menu at this location carries.  

I will go back and try new things, and I will definitely be eating more chicken!!!
5 - erica y.: It's so exciting to have a Bonchon Chicken in Harvard Square.  These Korean fried chickens are hands down the best I've ever tasted.  The wings are thinly battered, lightly fried then coated with sauces.  We ordered the Combo in both the soy sauce and the hot sauce flavors, and we love them both. Man, these wings are so crispy and juicy!  The spicy wings have some heat but it doesn't linger long. We also ordered a cold noodle soup, which is perfect to go with the spicy wings.  The restaurant doesn't have a  liquor licences yet, but the owner told us they would get one later.  The wait staff is very friendly and informative.  We learned they also deliver.
We'd definitely go back for more wings.
4 - Tammy K.: Spicy food and I do not get along, which is why I get my spicy drumsticks to go. Nothing beats eating spicy, fried chicken from the comfort of my own home while chugging a gallon of milk.

They forgot to include my side order of rice with the take-out order, but that's forgivable. They also offer delivery services via all the usual channels (MixMenu, GrubHub, etc).

Extra star for not having a wait during dinner time (unlike the location in Allston). Let's hope this doesn't change as more people learn about this new location :)
5 - Janis C.: BonChon Chicken ruined my life.

The place is a little dark, but it's nicely decorated, and the people who work there are very nice and attentive. I went in to have a bowl of soondubu jjigae, but the person who seated me was so emphatic about the fried chicken that I had to try it. I ordered it to go, popped it in the fridge when I got back home, and decided to try it a couple hours later. Yeah, I'd just eaten a bowl of jjigae, but I couldn't stop eating the damn chicken. It was SO GOOD. It's the stuff that you wake up in the middle of the night craving. Their soy ginger chicken's, like, coated in all the things that dreams and rainbows are made of. Just when you thought all hope was lost, there it is, a shining beacon of love and light, gleaming from inside a take-out box. Man, I wish I knew how to quit you, BonChon Chicken.
4 - Anna W.: I was SO. FRIGGIN. EXCITED. when this location opened up. I've already been to their Allston location and gave it a five-star review already. Much of what I already wrote in that review still holds true for this location.

I met my friend here for lunch one day. It is located underneath Wagamama -- you kind of have to walk to the back of the hallway, turn around, and go down the stairs. It is where the former Shilla used to be. The location is small and dark (dark tables, dim lighting, even at lunch time, etc.). The hostess and wait staff were incredibly nice and attentive. I assume not many people have heard about this location or Bon Chon's magical chicken yet, because it was sparse inside.

I saw that they had a lunch menu, which is pretty awesome. The prices were incredibly reasonable, and you get a good amount of chicken and some sides for that price. If you dare to look past the chicken, the flip side of the menu has a variety of soups and other dishes to choose from. 

Get the chicken. After all, it's what they're known for, and you will never regret it. For the sides, make sure you get fries as one of them. I know it's a little weird to order fries from an Asian chicken restaurant, but trust me, the fries are almost as good as the chicken.

The reason I had to dock one star was because of the "other" side of the menu. My friend decided to be adventurous and try something other than the chicken. She decided to get some spicy noodle soup dish, and it ended up being too oily, and not spicy at all, even though it looked like it was full of sesame oil and chili paste. Oh well :-( 

Yeah, so... back to my original point -- get the chicken. Then come on Yelp and write your own 5-star review to help cancel out my 4-star review.
4 - Traci K.: The chicken is fried 3 times. THREE TIMES. That's right - Koreans know how to do fried chicken right.

Ok. So when I saw that a Bon Chon had opened in Harvard Sq, I cried a little bit - but only a little because I'm really ugly when I cry. Me & my fella rushed in, sat down and go ready for some legit fried chicken wings.

We started with the dduk bookei (I hate spelling Korean words out in English. Awkward). The flavor was OK. The rice patties were chewy and delicious, the glass noodles were delightful, the odeng was fine but then there was cheese. I didn't know that dduk bookei had cheese in it. I know for sure that cheese was not in the ingredients when my grandma used to make it for me. 

What's next? Okdol bibimbab. Delightful. The veggies were tasty, the bulgogi was marinated well and perfectly tender. The best part? The egg yolk was (I'm pretty sure) raw and it was ONLY the yolk (best part, amirite?). I broke that puppy and mixed it in with the hot rice, veggies and meat - added a good amount of jochujang and was in heaven. Crispy rice on the bottom heaven.

Finally: the chicken. We got the medium combo (10 chicken wings, 5 drumsticks) and split the sauce half soy-garlic and half 3-chili-pepper-spicy. The soy-garlic was really tasty. Super flavorful and a little bit sweet. The 3-chili-pepper-spicy was...3-chili-pepper-spicy. (My mouth is watering just thinking of it.) The spicy wings still had great flavor, but the heat lingered for a long while after and it distracted me from all the rest of the delicious foods.

The chicken came with a cole slaw side and a bowl full of pickled radishes. Both delicious palate cleansers.

The service was also pretty darn good. Friendly and attentive. The kitchen clearly got a little backed up on chicken frying and our server came by a few times to apologize and make sure we were ok. Party time. Excellent.
3 - Erica H.: I was looking forward to having a taste from home while I was working in Boston. The area is beautiful and the restaurant was easy to find in the basement. Their menu doesn't have sushi, but has Korean BBQ.

I ordered the medium wings half spicy and half soy garlic. It was the normal wait time and the hostess was sweet and brought me water while I waited. The wings were a little dry and much smaller compared to the ones in NYC and VA. The coleslaw was mixed evenly and delicious. The radishes flavoring is consistent at each location, only there was a weird combination of sizes. There were some that were teeny tiny and some that took three bites to finish.

I'm still a lover of BonChon and if there's one in the city I'm visiting, I'm eating there!
5 - Susanna T.: Came here a few weeks ago. Heard so much good things about their chicken. 

The new location in Harvard Square is super convenient. The menu isn't as large as the Allston one but the chicken is great. We had the scallion pancake, bulgogi, and a medium order the famous chicken in soy & garlic and hot. 

The chicken is sooooo crunchy and good. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the soy & garlic one. The hot chicken wings...was..hot...I couldnt take it after eating one. But it was soooo good it was worth the pain.

Delicious scallion, seafood pancake. This place is downstairs passing Wagamama, hair cut place, and Staples.

I gave this place a 5 because...I can't stop thinking about those damn soy and garlic chicken wings...
5 - Robo t.: I cant explain it.  Bonchon drumsticks (spicy style, of course) are the most amazing thing in the world.  I have dreams about them and I'm not even that fat.  Within two days of having them, I crave them again.  Someone needs to take some to a forensic lab and check for crack or meth.  I mean, something cant be THIS good... can it?

...and just to add something meaningful to this update... For the first time, I got takeout from this location.  Everything came out perfect and hot.  I also got the mandu's this time and maaaaan, they were scrumptious.  I cant even fathom how people be eatin' at other establishments in the area?!  For me Bonchon is like a magnet, my body wont even go near the doors of those other places...
4 - Alexis C.: I prefer the Allston location because it has a much larger menu and has more of an Asian fusion vibe, but the Cambridge location has a smaller yet more classic Korean food menu.

The chicken is the same in both places, and that's probably what most people come for anyways. I got the drumsticks, and they came with some cabbage cole slaw (not the American kind, but still yummy), and some sweetened raw radish cubes (they're pretty mild and not actual kimchi; I didn't really like these as much, but I could see other people liking them).

The service was great, and I got the feeling that the manager (possibly owner?) was really striving to go above and beyond. The location seems a little funky at first because it's next to Staples and Wagamama and then you have to go to the back and then downstairs, but the energetic, fun music they have playing lets you know right away that you're in the right place.

This is definitely a fun place to go out with friends, and I can see this place getting mobbed by students in the future due to its location and good food. Go before it gets too popular! I'm going to try to make it back for some lunch specials.
4 - Mama P.: 3.5 stars really.  a bit pricey for wings this small and service is inattentive but not unkind.  The waitress is a but inexperienced and wander about not emptying bone bowls not filling water glasses.  Plus no real Korean side dishes to speak of.  I can't believe you have to pay for kimchi if you want it.
4 - Dan G.: Wow so many choices in Harvard Square...so I chose Bon Chon as I have heard some pretty good reviews from friends.  It was kind of later at night, around 10pm and they were still open, so I went, sat and enjoyed.

The menu consists of noodle and fried chicken, not really into that so I turn to the back and voila, meat dishes! I was leading toward the bulgolgi but since I've had that countless times elsewhere I decided to try the Bull Dak (Fire Chicken). I was questioned by the waiter if that is REALLY what I wanted since it is super spicy. Of course it's what I wanted! A big heaping pile of mouth fire. I also asked about the vegetable sides (cole slaw and radish, both delish!) and my dude brought me some free of charge, super nice!

Next, the chicken arrived. It was a beautiful platter of fiery red chicken, enough for 2-3 people, topped with cheese and shredded scallions. Oh man, this was super hot and super delicious. As I am eating it, some other staff passed by and made sure that I was ok since it was so spicy, of course I am! Just needed a few napkins. 

Needless to say, the staff were amazing, very attentive, friendly and overall just made the fiery experience that much more fun.
5 - Ashley S.: best. chicken. ever.
3 - Jiyea C.: The chicken is good, no doubt about that. But the other Korean foods is eh...not impressed. I wish restaurants would only stick to what they are good at. If this place only had the chicken, I would have given it four stars. 
Service for takeout was good, efficient. I had ordered a small box of chicken strips and when I arrived 20 minutes later, it was waiting for me at the counter, no mishaps, quick in&out. However, service inside was just ok, although I went around 2 pm on a Sunday and half the tables were empty..what gives? I thought they were a little slow, which probably wouldn't have been as big of a deal if I wasn't feeling a time crunch that particular day. (Usually I feel a little uncomfortable if the service is too~ attentive. I'm not a demanding diner and usually I'm happy as long as my food comes in a timely manner and my water glass doesn't stay close to empty for too long.) But we had to flag down our server for more water as well as for them to bring our check. It seemed like our server was nowhere to be seen and the manager?owner? attended to our needs. Maybe everyone was busy filling the takeout orders, idk. 
My friend from NYC claims that the chicken in the new york locations taste better than in other states, and he has tried bon chon here and in DC. Hmm I don't know if there is any truth to this (he could just be partial to his current city of residence) but I hope to try the NYC locations and see if there is any truth to his claim.

In the future, I will just stick to take out chicken.
5 - Rene F.: My son was excited when we passed by this place driving around Cambridge, MA. He said they have the best chicken & he was right. I had the soy garlic chicken wings with the cole slaw and radish as sides. It was so good. They ran out of the ramen noodles for my birthday noodles. The owner stepped in and suggested  a simple udon noodle soup that they can make, not in the menu. The soup was delicious and not simple, the bowl was empty dry when I got done with it. Good food, good price and  good customer service: gets my 3G = 5 star.
5 - kirby c.: I enjoyed the new location. The menu is a little smaller than the Allston location but not an issue since I was primarily there for the soy garlic wings. I was surprised there was no wait when we arrived at 6:30pm on a Friday night. Not sure if this will be the case when the new semester at Harvard begins. They are still working on getting their alcohol license so no alcoholic libations were available yet. Again not an issue since I don't drink. 

The wings are great as usual. Crispy and delicious. Ordered the ok dol bibimbap with bulgogi and it could have been a little crispier on the bottom of the rice but overall it was good. I could have stirred the whole thing a little sooner than I should have so that may have been the cause. 

It's nice to have this location since it's a little easier for me to get to off the Red line as opposed to to having to take the Green line to Allston. I will definitely be back. Also host and server were aces. Very friendly and welcoming.
4 - Courtney C.: Delicious soy garlic chicken, love the texture and great service
3 - Kimmy U.: Great service and pretty good food!
Came here on a Monday night and it wasn't too crowded. The interior is very nice and modern. It's down in the basement, in case you get confused walking into the 'shopping center' type thing it is located in. Just look for the Staples outside.

For the 3 of us, we ordered quite a lot, so we had some good leftovers to take home. 
-We got the small chicken wings combo (10.95), which was actually perfect for the 3 of us. I'm sure it could also feed 4 with some other food.
The soy garlic sauce was nicely spread on and the fried chicken was not overly oily. Even when you bit into it, it was juicy but oil didnt drip out of it burning your lips. Super crispy because I heard it is fried twice!
My brother said the spicy sauce is SUUPER spicy. He couldn't even finish 1 wing.. so beware :P
Each order also comes with a side of radishes and coleslaw which I reallyy enjoyed. The radishes were refreshing, and I usually don't like coleslaw, but this one tasted more like ranch dressing than mayo
-Seafood pancake (12.95) is reallyy big and thick. Much thicker than other places. The taste was just ok for me. It was a little too cakey because of all the batter, so more seafood could've evened it out.
-Stir fried seafood udon noodles (14.95)- A LOT of content! Seafood, veggies and buckwheat udon noodles in a nicely flavored sauce. Not too spicy. We actually had more leftover seafood than noodles
-Beef tongue BBQ. Plain and simple, comes with mushrooms and squash. 

This was my first time coming to this type of Korean BBQ, and it seemed healthier to me when I ate it lol. It didn't seem like there was any oil on it or anything cause it was a barred grill. Plus, it's sunken into the table a bit, so I felt like there wasn't as much smoke, and my clothes didn't smell like BBQ after!
3 - Kat T.: Not my favorite Bonchon, but probably because it has only recently opened up.

A few issues:
1) Went there on a Saturday night and it was crowded! Found some friends there and swapped their seats to avoid waiting half an hour or more in line. 
2) Service is pretty slow. Maybe this is because it was so busy that day (I think the entire Korean Association of Harvard was taking up half the room), but it took 20 minutes to get our first order of food. 
3) No alcohol.... I'll come back when they get that liquor license!
4) Ventilation issues, the room became extremely smokey with everyone's smokey grilling

Otherwise the food was good, on par with Bonchon Allston, though fewer offerings. But really, everyone's just there for the chicken, right? The grill was good too; kalbi for cheap... mnn yum!
5 - Clayton B.: So excited to see this pop up in the square ! The place has the most amazing chicken wings. They are so crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. I also loved their crispy fish with sweet chilli sauce. I would recommend this place to anyone who likes chicken wings
4 - Sarah G.: How is your chicken so good? No really? I brought home leftovers since Maarten and I were a little too excited to try these magical chicken wings, and even cold and not fresh, Matt J. (who had my leftovers) said they were some of the best wings he has ever had! So again, how is your chicken so good?

Really that is all you need to get here to be completely happy with life. They perfectly fried so they are crispy on the outside and then extremely tender and juicy on the inside. And the soy ginger sauce they glaze them with---wow. I am telling you, it is hard to say a lot of chicken wings normally, but this time I am speechless more so because their chicken really is that good. We got one of their Korean rice bowls as well, but really in comparison to that chicken...well you can't compare to it. Anything else at Bon Chon will always be in that chicken's shadow. The rice dish was just so so in my book. Next time--more chicken! And maybe I will try the BBQ too since this is one of those fun places you can cook your own BBQ at. 

Just an FYI this place is in the basement of the building with the staples in it. A little weird to walk to once you are in the building, but it is worth it. And it is very popular too and almost club like when you get there--fancy chicken bumping music and all!
4 - Cy K.: Just what we were expecting!  Fresh crispy sweet spicy wings!  I'm so glad its finally in a central location.  Service was quick and nice.  Only downside to this place is the lack of a liquor license.
4 - Alexander C.: Wow. BonChon serves up some really good chicken. I never knew that the words "Korean" and "fried chicken" could be combined, but BonChon is one of a kind. I had 10 strips and each one was fried perfectly, not too crispy anywhere. The sauce was very flavorful as well.

The takeout box that the chicken came in was well design, with multiple holes to allow the chicken to stay crispy. And I particularly love that the employees' shirts say "Addicted yet?" on the back. It's funny because it's true- one taste of this chicken and you'll be hooked.

Bon French Cleaners - New York, NY (40.8056476, -73.9659973) (Morningside Heights)
3 - Rachel K.: Extremely overpriced, but did a decent job on my clothes. Plus, the location on Broadway is perfect and right by everything else that I usually run errands to.
2 - Matt B.: On the whole, they do a decent job and offer free delivery.  They are indeed quite pricey and the service is a bit rough around the edges at times.  Not my first choice, but I have yet to find a better place in the area.

Cleaning is done off-premises by a 3rd party, so if you have a question about the cleaning process or ask for attention to be paid to a spot/stain they don't respond with much confidence.  It is irksome that they don't take a greater sense of ownership in the cleaning process itself particularly since they charge a premium.

Their tailoring is a mixed bag.  Sometimes they get it right, other times I've needed a second alteration.  Their "dressing area" is a small clothes rack in the outer lobby with a curtain draped over it and clothespins all over the floor (ouch!).

Update 3/10: I have found a better place: LaMode on 109 and Broadway.  Much better.
2 - Laurie R.: Expensive, and not great with my clothes - stains aren't taken out, etc...
1 - Izzet Y.: Poor service, poor ironing, extremely expensive compared to other places in the neighborhood and overall that they are very rude.  They accept only cash and although they said free delivery , they don't want to deliver when it comes. Moreover they don't want to give receipts!

The worst dry cleaner I have seen in my life,  I will use again my old dry cleaner in expense of walking few more blocks, it was definitely much better
2 - Eloisa J.: They've weirdly rude.  The dry cleaning is OK, but the tailor tends to turn down things (like putting in a zipper!).  Add that to the fact that they're expensive and they only accept cash, and it's just not worth going.  Too bad, because the location is great.  In the end, it was really the rudeness that got me down.  It's just not nice to go in there.
1 - W R.: I had to have two dresses and a pair of pants shortened before a trip. The tailor refused to do one of the dresses, saying it would be ruined (the tailor at Ye Olde Cleaners subsequently hemmed it beautifully). I tried on the other items to be measured, and left them. After I picked them up, I realized at home while packing  that the pants were way too long. I returned and told the tailor what had happened, explaining I was leaving the next day, and he replied: "so now your problem is my problem?" Amazed, I answered that he had made them too long, and he categorically announced that he had NOT measured those pants (which he had). I told him that yes he had, and he insisted very rudely, several times--even as he accepted the pants to fix them--that he hadn't, and that he NEVER measures pants wrong. When I asked to speak to the owner (who had actually been present when he first measured the pants), she asked what I was arguing with him for, and instructed me to let him work. I told her that as a client I did not appreciate being called a liar, and she replied it didn't matter, he was going to fix the pants, and to let him work. I tried them on when he was done to make sure they were the right length this time, and while I was inside the curtained area, he loudly insisted that he had not measured the pants. I told him if he said that one more time I would walk out of there straight to writing a bad review of that pkace. And he did, so here I am. Mistakes can happen, but rudeness to clients is unacceptable. Never got an apology! Truly appalling. Price tag; $15.

Bon Temps Creole Cafe - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2869022, -120.6653276) ()
4 - Caroline C.: Oh my god, I love the ever-dirty counter tops. This place has been a staple and majorly overlooked dining establishment in SLO for as long as I can remember. You've got to come here for lunch and enjoy a FANTASTIC shrimp po boy! Get it with sweet potato chips and a big hunk of mud pie and a beer, and you'll be a happy, happy, fat camper.
3 - Stacko M.: Went here a month ago.  Between the two of us and our different plates, the only difference between the 2 dishes was presentation, one was mixed, the other wasn't-awesome! Staff was friendly/fun.  The owners are trying so hard to sell these boiled peanuts.  The table behind us got them, hated them, as well as some girls at the bar.  We asked just to try some, and yeah, no big whoop.  Taste like soft boiled beans with a peanut aftertaste.  A must-do experience for all.
3 - Albert C.: Staff was really awesome. Very friendly and courteous. 

I've tried the gumbo and jambalaya, both of which are decent. Not awesome or to die for, but decent. If you're just dying for some creole food, give this place a try.
4 - Lilani E.: I thought it was only right that I review Bon Temps on Mardi Gras.  Bon Temps is only open in the AM until about 2 pm so don't think you're going to have it for dinner. 

Their breakfast is delicious.  I get the fried green tomato dish with egg and creole sausage.  It's all just kind of sloppy, but so so good!  

You have appreciate the decor of the place and how laid back it is.  And yes, their counter tops are indeed, ever-dirty.
4 - George F.: I really like this place.  Being born and raised in the south, I know that anything fried is fried in Crisco.   That's a staple of the south.  However, Bon Temps uses veg oil  :(  So I avoid the fried foods except for fried green tomatoes because that's about the only place you can get it.  But everything else I've had here has been really good.  The service can be somewhat of a gamble.  I've been there and it's been prompt and I've been there when 2 other tables were seated and it's taken forever.
3 - Ralff d.: Maybe the best hashbrowns in all of SLO Town. I love this place for breakfast and they serve it until 2:00PM, for you hung over types.
5 - b. N.: The Bon Temps Creole Cafe is a bit hard to find, located in the Ramada Inn at 1000 Olive St. in San Luis Obispo, just off the Hwy 101 Santa Rosa exit. But it's well worth it! On a recent evening I tried the pecan-encrusted trout with cornbread and sides of greens and fried green tomatoes, which I found excellent! They also feature live blues and jazz music some nights...
3 - JC D.: Easy to find. I got off on Santa Rosa to put some gas and it was right in front of me as I got off the ramp.

I was not impressed. Maybe I'm naive, but I expected to find a black dude in the kitchen. NO, he wasn't Mexican. Maybe that's what I should have expected. The Chef? Maybe just cook; was a white dude.

I ordered the vegetarian faidodo. It's two poached eggs with hollandaise sauce, served with rice and beans and a side biscuit. Then all slapped on a skillet. 

Prices are good, though: 6.73 with tax. 

It looked soooooo good when I got it, BUT

The beans were canned beans. = /  And they weren't even red beans like the menu said. Oh, well...

Maybe I had to order shrimp or seafood to get the real New Orleans experience.
5 - greg T.: I originally hesitated to review this place for fear of opening up this local favorite to nose-in-the-air bay area elitists on their way to LA.  But alas, it's been reviewed a few times so the secret is out.

Ok, let's get the atmosphere out of the way first.  In that department, it's basically a Denny's strewn with marti gras beads and hot sauce bottles.  It's cozy.  Save for the occasional live band, that's what you get.  But we come here for the FOOD!  Okay, the food...

1.  You can't go wrong with the pecan encrusted trout.  Yummy.  It's always cooked to perfection and bursting with flavor.  This is my favorite dish!  That comes with fried green tomatoes, collard greens and of course the excellent corn bread.

2.  Be adventurous.  Try the frog legs or alligator bites for an appetizer  They're delicious.

3.  Another way you can't go wrong:  anything blackened.  Basically, I think you can order just about any meat blackened.

4.  The Jambalaya is awesome, as are most everything else including the daily specials.

p.s.  George, get over the veg. oil.  Lard is gross!
5 - Lizzie B.: WOW! I had breakfast there one time when I was staying at the Ramada next door... and it was the best breakfast I'd had in eons!!! :O

I highly recommend this place to anybody who is traveling along 101 over there. Seriously, stop in SLO for a bit and check this place out, you will not be disappointed.
4 - Sara W.: What a great treat. I've never had Louisiana food before, and I loved the food here every time. Breakfast is wonderful; I love getting the skillet of grits, poached eggs, red beans, and fried green tomatoes. The service is friendly and pretty fast, and the prices are good.
3 - Emily Y.: We went here for dinner during New Years Eve and we were instantly greeted by live blues music.  I liked the toilet seat on the wall where the restrooms were located, just something random I like to point out, heh.

So I ordered the trout w/ the pecans based on the reviews here and I must honestly say, it was in fact delicious. The fish was cooked perfectly and seasoned well. It was a good size portion as well. For appetizers, we got frog legs. My bf almost finished one leg when he discovered that part of the leg was still raw. I took a bite of another one, and it tasted weird to me so we informed the chef, who apologized and suggested we try the crawfish popcorn. Now THAT was good. It was crispy and not undercooked. 
The shrimp jambalaya that my bf got was not too bad. He added some louisiana hot sauce for a spicy kick. However, I got a shrimp that was undercooked. 
If you come here, just make sure your food is cooked all the way. 
I've only come here for dinner so I'm curious about the breakfast menu. Hopefully I won't be disappointed next time I come here.
3 - trogdor b.: we came for lunch and were a bit underwhelmed by the gumbo and jambalaya. the gumbo isn't a thick, hearty gumbo like at Big Sky; it's more of a clear soup. the crawfish etouffee, however, was very tasty. prices are quite high (expect to spend around $15), but I assume the price is high cuz the rent is high (they're attached to a Ramada Inn)
.
5 - Joy H.: Stayed at the Ramada Inn next door to this place, and the guy at the front desk said it was yummy.  A friend and I were visiting SLO and decided the menu looked good, so we stopped in the next morning for breakfast.

Boy were we surprised!  This little hole in the wall served up some delicious food! I ordered the Bon Temps breakfast consisting of poached eggs covered in hollandaise with fried green tomatoes, red beans, fried green tomatoes and grits ALL served in a skillet with a biscuit on the side.  I wanted to go over and hug the chefs it was so delicious! My friend ordered the Eggs Sardou and loved the artichoke and spinach combo of that dish.  We ordered Pain Perdu (New Orleans style french toast) and I wanted to smack someone it was good!

This is an excellent find at a reasonable value for anyone traveling thru the area.  I cannot wait to try the lunch/dinner!
5 - Brian M.: I love this place! I lived in the SLO area 8 years ago and just stopped back by and still can't believe I moved away from this.

This is fine dining in your mothers kitchen / whole in the wall - great food restaurant.

I had the Fat Tuesday Omelet and was surprised at just how mouth watering these eggs folder over a ladle full of tender beef and smokey bacon simmered in their Marchand du Vin sauce with melted cheese could be. The hash browns were about the best I have ever had, too. 

My wife had the Fried Green Tomato Benedict breakfast and remarked that it was better the the famed Court of Two Sisters in New Orleans where we ate on Dec. 30. The Court had a grander atmosphere, but Bon Temps is where the good times roll.

My son had the Egg-A-Muffin and he even enjoyed it. He liked playing with the nice selection of jams tubs more, but that is a 4-year-old.
4 - Kik T.: Dinner Review

Okay yes, this place is known for its breakfast, but there's certainly something to be said about dinner.  As mentioned by previous posts, if you're super health conscious, this is not the place for you.  But if you're willing to sacrifice healthy food for a tasty dinner for a night, then i highly recommend this place.  Also, I should mention that I used to live in New Orleans for a bit, so I'm using the real deal for comparison.

Items ordered (no extra charge for sharing):
Free cornbread with butter - pretty tasty (I even had mine without the butter and it was still good).  There's also honey on the side of the table if you want to mix it in to make honey butter.
1. Fried catfish with hush puppies and fries - the catfish was amazing!  The breading/batter was crisp and flavorful and the fish was perfectly tender.  The hush puppies were so so (the only mediocre thing we had for dinner), and you can't really go wrong with fries, although I think this would have been better with sweet potato fries.  They also had this dill tartar sauce which tasted divine with the catfish!
2. Grilled cajun sausages with mashed potatoes and gravy - the 3 half sausages in this dish were spicy and extremely flavorful.  Warning, if you can't handle spice, you won't be able to handle the sausage.  But even the flavoring in the sausage is enough to make me order this again; very cajun indeed.  The mashed potatoes were creamy and seasoned just right, and the white gravy was delicious!
3. Jambalaya with shrimp and andouille sausage - a perfect blend of rice, green bell pepper, celery, onion, shrimp, and sausage.  If you've never had jambalaya, it's somewhat similar to Spanish paella.  To truly appreciate this dish, you have to realize that jambalaya is traditionally made in a big iron pot, so yes, some may think it's cafeteria-like, but that's just the way it's done.  I've had better jambalaya in new orleans, but for a california restaurant, this definitely satisfied my jambalaya craving.
4. Dessert - Banana nut bread ice cream sando - this was the only thing that was messed up for the night.  This was supposed to be two slices of banana nut bread with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the middle, However, the waitress decided to bring us bread pudding bread slices with ice cream in the middle without telling us the substitution.  First of all, the bread pudding bread was very stiff, not soft and mushy like rum sauce soaked bread pudding is supposed to be, and was a disappointment after expecting to taste banana nut bread.  So we asked the waitress if they were out of banana nut bread and she said yes and that she gave us what she could find.  Okay, well, the least she could have done was told us so we could have ordered something else from the dessert menu like the bananas foster, the pecan pie, or an ice cream sundae.  So that's reason #1 why this place gets 4 stars instead of 5.  In her defense though, she saw that we weren't eating it and took it off our check.

let me just make one last note on the slow service (reason #2 why i'm giving 4 stars instead of 5).  Keep in mind that in new orleans, there's a much much slower pace of life.  If you go to dinner in the south, there's never a rush, the waitresses take their time, and you expect to enjoy a slow, leisurely meal.  This restaurant kept true to that pace, so i can understand why californians are frustrated with the slow service and understaffing (there was only 1 waitress there that night).

Overall, phenomenal dinner at good prices (about $13/plate), disappointing dessert, slow service, colorful decor, but still one of the best dinners i've had in a long time!
3 - Kristy H.: This is a great breakfast spot in SLO. It might be one of the only creole breakfast spots in SLO. I loved their fried green tomatoes. It is the one thing you must order. They're andouille sausage is pretty tasty too. I would definitely come here with an appetite. It is more of a diner, definitely a greasy spoon breakfast spot and you will leave feeling very full.
4 - Gary M.: Next time you're in SLO, always one of my favorite parts of Cal., stop here. You'll be pleasantly surprised, especially if you like REAL food prepared well. Their food is probably the best west of 'Nawlins I have found. We had breakfast here & it left me wishing we would be having lunch & dinner here too!
The pain perdue I had was outstanding, topped with pecans - without whipped cream. It was second only to the same I've had in Louisiana, of course there it would be topped with pralines. Still, quite tasty & cooked to perfection. Gloria had poached eggs & hash browns, also very good. We both had blackened sausage, though it was a little dry & had obviously been cooked earlier. Nonetheless, quite good.
Overall, food & service were very good. Well worth a stop. In fact, next time I'll try a poboy or jambalaya, which, along with a Muffelata, truly define Cajun/Creole food.
I highly recommend this place.
I am sure you will agree it's well worth a stop.
4 - Elliott M.: Place has pretty good cajun food, and especially good breakfasts. Im just greatful to have a real cajun place in the county that it gets four stars. misses one because there is better out there, but not in the county. also the live music is great.
3 - Matt R.: I've only had breakfast here but it was great. pain perdue was what i had and it was oh so tasty.
5 - Steven S.: This is one of just a few Culinary Gems of the Central Coast, and one of the most overlooked. One of my favorite placed to eat when I was a local, and unfortunately a place I really miss now that I'm living in LA. The food isn't just authentic, it has Soul. It really speaks to your heart on a cool SLO day, and makes you smile. I've invited friends from out of town to Bon Temps and years later they still bring up how great it was. They've even told their own friends to swing by if/when driving through the area. Dinner is superb and Breakfast is filling. Ignore the fact that it shares space with a motel and you won't be sorry.
4 - Luke W.: I never have been able to get past their Great Fried green tomato Benedict breakfast....I ate breakfast here quite often, I never ordered anything else....so damm good.  Makes me want to drive to San Luis Obispo to eat breakfast here.

They hash browns are prefectly flavored w/ papkrika and green onions...are also very good.
3 - J W.: I'm not sure if this is truly authentic cajun food because but it sure was good.
4 - Karen P.: I love it, I love it, I love it. 

Crawfish etouffee. I fell deeply in love with this dish. It was spicy, savory, flavorful and the crayfish (as I said back in Manassas) were tender and bite sized...oh, it was really heavenly. Yes, this was the first time I've eaten this particular dish, but not at all the first time I've sampled Creole cooking. Served with rice upon the top, green onions sprinkled upon the top, it was a great blend of spicy and mellow. I'm eager for more! 

Then, there were the Hushpuppies. Different from what I remember as a child, but quite delectable. Spicy again, which is one of the main differences from my childhood, but really tasty. They didn't hold up too well in the car for leftovers, as I *think* they were deep fried and that kind of thing never seems to last too well, but when they arrived at my table, from a very nice and excellent waitress, they were, as they used to say, da bomb. Delicious. 

Some beers, not many, but a few Creole/southern/Cajun varieties. FANTASTIC children's menu. As in real food, not junk-on-a-plate. And their side salad...it has a Muffalata olive mix in it. They also have a Muffalatta sandwich, but I was with my 4 year old and that is usually a huge sandwich and just not quite her style. So next time, when I have an adult to help me out, will I give that one a try. Unless I have something else amazing on that menu. Sigh...yum...sigh...How to choose?  

Do, please, oh please - DO stop here if you are passing through lovely SLO, and if you live there, shame on you for not going already. Now get your bums out there and eat some food that will make your heart sing! 

Oh..one just one, teeny, tiny other issue...they have...ready? Bread pudding is on the menu. I would like to see a Throw Down between The Press in Claremont and Bon Temp in SLO - A bread pudding show down, Baby! Bring it! 

Some important information - there is a "Treasure Chest" inside where children can pick out a piece or two of candy. There are many (and only) Marilyn Monroe pictures in the women's room. They have Fried Green Tomatoes on the menu. So go, enjoy, sit outside, bring your dog, even! (outside only as a pet that is) It's a diner in many ways, yes, but it's also a really good place to eat with great service and the lovely blue skies of SLO smiling down on you. What could be wrong with that?
5 - Richard R.: The best breakfast in town! Cajun food done right.
3 - Matt C.: I visited Bon Temps on Super Bowl eve, hoping to buy some luck for my bet on the Saints.  That part worked.  As for the food, well, I've been to NOLA a number to times, and Bon Temps would last about 2 days down there.  I tried the classic dish -- red beans and rice -- with corn bread, collard greens, and fried green tomatoes.  The star attraction was as inadequate as a Zydeco singer at the Met.  Canned brown beans cooked with big chunks of onion, virtually no seasonings, and a scope of Minute Rice on top.  Fortunately both the collards and the tomatoes were worth the trip, especially the fried green tomatoes.  The crowd was small for a Saturday evening, and the entire building was uncomfortably cold.  However, the waitress, Chelsea, was cute, pleasant and attentive.  In fairness, most of the reviews of Bon Temp are for the breakfast menu, so I will have to visit again and focus on that.
3 - Leslie P.: Came here because of good reviews and because it's the only restaurant in SLO that doesn't serve Italian, Japanese, or BBQ and can hold a group of 10 people. Yea I might be exaggerating, but there's only a few, and I picked this one. We first ordered alligator bites. it was my first time trying it, and it tasted like chicken! My friends who can be somewhat picky eater, enjoyed it as well! We ordered cat fish, gumbo, jambalaya, and some other stuff that I forgot (I came here a while ago). But everyone enjoyed their meals. I don't think this place is too authentic, but hey, it's SLO. What do you expect? 3.5 stars
4 - Mitra W.: We were on our way down to Pismo Beach for Valentines day and I picked this place for us to sop for breakfast based on the Yelp reviews.  We loved it.  We had the salmon benedict, faedodo, and the pain perdu with a side of fried green tomatoes.  We also ordered $3 mimosas that came with a FREE REFILL.  Everything was delicious and it's too bad we live 4 hours away!
5 - Jeffrey S.: Tried this place last night.  

great food and service, not expensive either.

And they have Vegan options!

I will make this a regular stop anytime I'm passing through SLO!
2 - Heather G.: The food is OK.  The service is good.  But this place is dirty.  The cheesy decor was really dusty and the food comes served in these cast iron skillets crusted in goo with dirty potholders on the handles.  ICKY ICKY ICKY!  Complete trashes taste and service when the place is sticky yucky dirty.
4 - Suzy A.: I love me some Bon Temps! I could eat the Cajun Breakfast every single day. I won't, because my waistline couldn't cope, but mmmmmm...

The portions are hearty, the service is friendly and the food is consistently delish. We rarely go for dinner, but the breakfast and lunch rock. The desserts are also really good. 

I would love to see them improve maintenance and take more care in how things look. The whole place needs a good deep cleaning. The bathroom floors get seriously nasty, the ceilings are badly stained/damaged in some areas, and there's lots of dust throughout, clinging to the cheesy but entertaining decorations.
1 - Henry H.: This place is disgusting.  It is without question the filthiest restaurant I have ever eaten in.  

The last time I went there, my bacon was rancid, my silverware was filthy, and they gave me two different coffee cups covered in lipstick.

I would not recommend Bon Temps.
4 - Saturday night a to Z.: Bon Temps is great!  The food is reasonably priced and really good.  Great music playing (it's live on Thursday nights) and cheesy decor add to the feeling that you're not in San Luis anymore.  

Breakfast is king at Bon Temps, but lunch and dinner are also good.  Tonight I had the filet mingon medallions with grilled shrimp on top.  Really delicious, and served with cornbread, mashed potatoes and sauteed greens for only $18.99.  You gotta go!!
2 - Kristin P.: Not a fan of the boiled peanuts. Service sucked, was nearly impossible to get our check. The live music was enjoyable. The shrimp and andouille jumbalaya was good as well as the bbq shrimp and artichokes. I would drive by before returning to see who the waitress on duty is.
4 - Kris G.: My fave food here is the eggs sardu, though the pain perdu is pretty darn tasty also! delish food and fun atmosphere
4 - BRIAN s.: I have gone here a few times for breakfast.  It is a nice change than your normal breakfast.  I had the eggs creole this time and it was very good.  Their hollandaise sauce is very tasty and the hashbrowns are buttery perfectly seasoned goodness.  All the hot sauces at your table are great to pour on your meals.  There seemed to be only one waitress for the restaurant and she was speeding around getting things done.  I will be back again and again.
3 - Eddie C.: I wouldn't call San Louis Obispo a mecca for southern cooking, in fact I was surprised that there even is one, especially a homey little place with great service. Away from the downtown foo foo food places, Bon Temps is attached to Ramada Inn. In fact, there's nothing fancy about Bon Temps. It is a very casual cafe that looks like a cafe - coffee shop. Got there on a Satureday night and it wasn't very busy but Nicole C. assured me that it does get busy and the food was very good. What she had was very good. It was one of the Jambalaya specials that was on the white board facing the front door. She also ordered some hush puppies that came lightly fried with a great dipping sauce on the side. The sauce was sweet yet tangy at the same time - a great complement to the sizzling hot hush puppies. I had the blacken chicken. The chicken breat fillets were good but a bit on the small side. It came with fried green tomatos - very good- and a side of collards - not so good, had a bit of bitter after taste.
 
Next time? I gonna try their Muffaletta. What is that you ask, some kind of sandwich I think... but hey I'm game.
5 - Claire H.: This is one of my favorite places to eat anywhere, but in November of 2010, a fire caused enough damage to shut the place down.  From what I hear, they are working on cleaning up and reopening.
5 - David K.: One of my favorite places to go after a hard nights drinking in SLO. I always get the faitdodo and substitute hash browns instead of grits. Don't forget to ask for gravy on that biscuit. So good! It's break even the worst hangover curse. Can't speak to the lunch menu as I've only ordered breakfast, but why would I order anything else?
5 - Hayley T.: Bon Temps Creole Cafe is back and better than ever!!! After an unfortunate fire incident that had them shut down for 6 months, as of TODAY, 7/13/11, I am jumping up and down excited that Bon Temps is open for business. I had the blackened chicken salad for lunch which is amazing - one of my friends had the alligator etouffee.. Next week it will be for breakfast with the Eggs Sardou for me, and the fay-do-do for the hubby! 

The patio is small and dog-friendly. This one is a sleeper. Put it on your list and be sure to not miss it. Eat here early and often!
5 - Wendy S.: We have been coming to SLO just to eat at Bon Temps for about 10 years.  We had dinner the first night they opened after the fire.  I usually order the fish special and as usual, I was not disappointed.  This is the only place I ever eat fried green tomatoes.  YUM!!  We were so full we were going to pass on dessert but they sent out complimentary bread pudding, the best in the world, so we just had to eat it.

Went back the next morning for breakfast.  The pain perdu (french toast) is the best and the honey rum syrup to die for.  I always take home a pint to hold me over until the next trip to SLO. 

Phil, we are so glad you are back.  We will see you again soon.
4 - Janice T.: We happened in on a spur of the moment performance by some musicians who had been in Pismo Beach doing a jazz gig.  Made it all that much more fun having live traditional jazz.

We started out with the fried sweet potato chips.  Yum!

I had trout muniere with collards and fried green tomatoes.  Could have used a few less pecans on the trout.  Also, the tomatoes were soggy- ick. BUT - all was delicious except for the tomatoes.

Husband had crawfish pie (interesting) and gumbo yaya.  Others rave about the gumbo, but I personally did not like the flavor (maybe I am used to a darker roux and more okra).

All in all, we had a lovely meal and would go back should we happen to be in SLO again.
5 - Anjelica C.: i'm no expert on creole food whatsoever so when i first tried this place about 3 years ago, i was hesitant to write a review about how great it was. but after trying a few jambalayas elsewhere, i still haven't found anything as great as bon temps. i'm soo happy that they're back in business because it was torture not being able to eat here for the months following their restaurant fire.

soo the food. the shrimp and andouille jambalaya is my absolute favorite but i have never been disappointed trying other meals. BF loves the pork loin and mashed potato meal. i enjoy the pecan encrusted trout once in awhile but the last time i went i had the blackened salmon and WOW it had such great flavor, i'll definitely be getting that more often. their menu has such unique items that are exciting to try. don't be afraid to ask your waiter what menu items are because i sure have no idea what hush puppies or ettoufee are and, "are the alligator bites, really alligator?" yes! they are, and we tried them, and it's pretty cool to say that we ate alligator ;). i've had a friend say that the gumbo yaya is hit or miss here but i've generally enjoyed it whenever i get it, so go for it! i've had the red beans and rice and it's good but when there's so many other exciting things on the menu, i wouldn't go for that.

always check out their daily specials board to see if there's something there you'd like to try!
4 - Danielle F.: so good! the atmosphere is great and so is the food! the fat tuesday omelet was delish and the gravy is some of the best i have ever had. so glad this place is open again!! only bad comment was that the girl who seated us didnt look at us, didnt say a word do us, and just tossed the menus on the table. it wasnt even busy! however, the waitress was great and the food was sooo good.
3 - Jon K.: We ordered:
    Filet and Shrimp
    Steak and Salmon
    Fried Green Tomatoes
    Water

The Good news:
    The fried tomatoes were very very good, Id say as good as can be
    The Salmon was cooked perfectly, even though it tasted like it may    have been sort of like frozen farm raised, it was not over cooked so that is good news.
    The Steak was great. They cooked it just right to our order (rare and extreme rare)
    The complimentary corn bread is brilliant, shallow cast iron skillet served with honey butter 

The Bad News:
When I ate the gravy I said "W.T.HECK!?" this tastes like instant sauce! No offense to the fine fellows who made it, and maybe it's a southern thing but we just simply scraped it all off the meat and everything. So the meal was great as long as you wash it off a bit you know.


Also, the place could use some more decore to take it over the edge, just 
like New Orleans
4 - Josh M.: On the way out of town we stopped in, drawn by the good reviews and the promise of an exotic bayou breakfast.   

Always torn between sweet and savory, while on vacation I had both, a fine tender pain perdu with two thick patties of blackened sausage and a side of hash browns. 

The latter soaked up one of the dozen varieties of hot sauce set on each table (we found the house brand the best balance of flavor and lack of chemicals) while the former came laden with pecans and the house-made honey rum and spice "syrup" which  was thicker and sweeter than maple, but when contrasting against the pepper sauce it sure hit the spot.   

For all the extras, including a standout french roast, breakfast rang in at under $15 a head.
5 - JOhn F.: I graduated from Cal Poly in 2000 and until then came here at least once a month for breakfast.  I make excuses to come up here for work once or twice a year just so I can eat at Bon Temps.  

Their chicory coffee is fantastic!  I have had almost everything on their breakfast menu twice and love the Fried Green Eggs Benedict the best...with a side of biscuits and gravy...MMMMMM!

If you like good food in a laid back atmosphere, make this a priority stop when in SLO town.
5 - Melissa G.: God I love Yelp! If it wasn't for you, we would have never have found this little gem hidden on a small side street off the 101. I had the biscuits and gravy and it was by far the best biscuits and gravy I have ever had. The biscuit was homemade and had have been cooked in a skillet as it had this crunchy char. The gravy was perfect consistency - not to liquidy and not too thick. And the sausage were these huge patties that tasted homemade. 

I was contemplating making myself sick just so I could eat every last bit of that dish. Oh yum.

I had a bit of my husband's fried green tomato Eggs Benedict and was blown away. Those maters are fricken delish! 

The service was great and the restaurant was clean. Whenever we manage to get back up to SLO, this will definitely be a spot we'll be visiting again.
5 - Kathleen A.: seriously insanely awesome! I found this place on yelp after staying at one of the most dive hotels in SLO. Portions are huge, coffee hot & never ending, and I had the Eggs Sardou.sigh...I still dream of the perfectly poached eggs, nestled in tender artichoke hearts, lightly drizzled with fresh hollandaise sauce. wipes drool off of keyboard plus the biscuit, and Cajun hashbrowns made for a perfect morning. I couldn't believe my luck finding the Cafe, and it just reopened after a fire 3 days prior! This is my GO-TO for every SLO trip!
5 - Matt P.: Always a great breakfast! This continues to be one of my favorite places and never disappoints. I've been telling my friends all week to go there!
5 - Amanda C.: Delicious! That's all I can really say about their food. We had frog legs, crawfish bites, catfish and hush puppies. They were out of alligator which I really wanted to try so I'll have to come back when they have some! Just incredible! Serve beer and wine and the staff are extremely friendly. I can't wait to come back and eat more!
5 - Nicole D.: Sadly, I had never set foot into Bon Temps until last weekend. That's after spending a good portion of my life in SLO. But I plan on making up for lost time :-) 

As of late, my boyfriend and I have been talking incessantly about Cajun food and where to find quality Cajun food. I told him there's a place in my ol' college town that supposedly serves up some up some sizzling delicious Cajun food. I told myself that the next time I was in SLO, I would definitely check out Bon Temps. With the family heading down to SLO last weekend, I knew my time had arose. 

Wonderful long-standing Cajun cafe with lots of southern charm and mouth-watering food. The selections are endless. They have Cajun favorites, including Frog Legs, Fried Green Tomatoes, Alligator and Jambalaya, and creations unique to Bon Temps. Cajun music and blues pulsate from the speakers as you plunge into some Creole comforts. You can catch live music on the weekends too. 

Creole comforts: 

+Fried Green Tomatoes with Hollandaise Sauce
+Fried Okra
+Bloody  Mary  Oyster Shooters
+Shrimp & Andouille Sausage Jambalaya
+Seafood Gumbo
+Bayou Breakfast (biscuits and gravy with creole sauce and sausage)
+Faitdodo withGrits (red beans topped with poached eggs, hollandaise sauce and sausage)
+Sweet Potato Pie with Cinnamon Ice Cream

Everything, save for the Bloody Mary Oyster Shooters, we thoroughly enjoyed. The Shooters were just too big and slimy for our tastes. The Fried Green Tomatoes were a pleasant surprise. Super tasty with a killer Hollandaise sauce. The Fried Okra was delish and the sauce they  serve it up with is celestial. The Gumbo was a beautiful cornucopia of salmon, oysters, fish, crab, okra and rice. My mom enjoyed her Shrimp & Sausage Jamabalaya, served in a cast-iron skillet with a fusion of rice, beans, vegetables, shrimp and andouille sausage and finished with their Creole sauce. 

My Faitdodo and Grits was quite nice. I'll probably opt for the Eggs Benedict or the Fried Green Tomato Benedict because I prefer my poached eggs over an English muffin, instead of red beans (just personal preference). All and all, great flavors and a very comforting cuisine.  The Sweet Potato Pie wasthe perfect finisher...warm, soft and feel-good flavors that dance in your mouth. 

My family had a joyous time at Bon Temps. Great food, atmosphere and service.
3 - Kevin P.: I brought my girlfriend here one evening when she came down to visit me in SLO. She just came back from Texas and was talking about how she had some really good Cajun food while she was there. Sure enough, she still had that craving and was making me crave it the more she talked about it.

Once there, we were seated quickly and it didn't take long for us to decide either. To start, we had the fried green tomatoes. This was pretty unappetizing. It is basically just a couple slices of green tomatoes with a mayo-like sauce smeared on top. I guess everything deep fried doesn't always taste better. As for the entrees, I had the crawfish etoufee, which kicked a whole lot of ass with the perfectly cooked crawfish and was even better with a couple of droplets of the habanero hot sauce in it. My girlfriend had the jambalaya with perfect shrimp and smoky andouille. This dish was pretty darn tasty too. A complimentary side of cornbread was also served and was pretty good.

Everything was satisfying, maybe on the saltier side but there was a lot of flavor to enjoy. Watch out for their plates, as almost all of our dishes came served on a hot cast iron pan. The food was easily a solid 4 but the service (or lack of) brought this place down to a 3.
5 - Kiya B.: LOVE THIS PLACE! I have come here every time I've stopped in San Luis Obispo over the years.

We are all about the Bon Temps Breakfast - Grits, Fried Green Tomatoes, red beans, eggs with hollandaise, and a biscuit (which I got with gravy) and I can't leave out the plethora of hot sauces! It came on an iron skillet. It was the best breakfast ever, this may come close to my favorite meal. It's affordable, the decor is fun, and the staff were pleasant.
4 - Marissa H.: Loved the food! I had blackened chicken and red beans and rice and it was amazing! The cornbread was great too! I highly recommend this place! The only thing was that it was a little pricey. My meal plus two black voo doo beers cost $26 plus 15% tip.
4 - Curstin P.: Absolutely delicious food. First time in SLO and I saw this place on here and decided to try it out. Their coffee actually wasn't bad, some places should just be ashamed of their coffee. For my meal I had the bayou breakfast with a side of hash browns which was biscuits, sausage, and gravy. The spices on the food made it amazing, not spicy though. They had about 8-10 bottles of different hot sauces on each table which was fun. I sat in a seat that had a little plaque which read "Pete's Seat" so we asked what it was. Apparently Pete was a regular and passed on and they put it up as their own memorial for him. I thought that was incredibly sweet. Now I would have given them 5 stars but going over my bank statement this evening I realized they charged me twice for my meal. So now I'm going to have to call them and have them refund it to me which will hopefully be easy. But despite that the service was great the girl was really nice and helpful. I would definitely recommend and I will be going back every time I'm that way.
4 - monkey d.: during a road trip, we relied on yelp for a good breakfast place in san luis, and once again, yelp proved correct.

we sat outside and were instantly greeted by a hummingbird and a delightful waitress. though the hummingbird was only there temporarily, our waitress was in for the long-haul. she was very attentive, without being intrusive. 

the chicory coffee left something to be desired, as i could hardly detect the chicory notes. i've lived in louisiana, and was a bit disappointed with bon temps coffee. but moving on from there, we ordered the bon temps breakfast, and a po'boy hot link sandwich. the bon temps was served out of a cast iron skillet, which was a nice touch. the flavors blended nicely together, and it was a very hearty meal. the hot link po-boy was really great, though it was a small link, and i had many bites of just bread. the hot link itself was good quality, flavorful, not too fatty, and well-seasoned.

bon temps makes their own brand of hot sauce. it was damn good, and i bought two bottles to go! the price was reasonable, and i always love supporting a small business. 

i'm so glad we yelped this place, because had i just driven by, i likely wouldn't have stopped. it's connected to a motel, and i assumed the food would've been substandard. i was wrong, and think yelp hit it out of the park with this one.
5 - Hannah M.: Does anyone watch the True Blood series on HBO!? Well if you do, you know I had to see if Lafayette & Sookie were working here.

I bookmarked this place well before my trip to Hearst Castle because Cajon/Creole is a pretty hard cuisine category to come by in California, even when you live in a large city.

We came for breakfast and it was delicious! I got the Pain Perdu (New Orleans style french toast) topped with walnuts and a nice brown sugar sauce. YUM!

My boyfriend got the French Quarter Omelet and was really happy with his meal too. They have a house hot sauce that we used and it was tasty. 

Portions were large and the price was good. Great find in this cute little college town.
5 - Dwigt S.: LOVE this place. I've had the fried green tomato eggs benedict and the eggs sardou here and both are quite delicious.  I've also tried the blackened salmon with red beans and rice and the crawfish etouffee which are also exceptional and quite memorable. This is perhaps my favorite place to eat in SLO (or, at least up there with Splash Cafe and Jaffa); it's kind of too bad it's off the beaten path (or maybe that's good, since it means I'll always get a table when I show up).
5 - Joe K.: The breakfast here is ridiculously good.  I often have friends in from out of town that have this place marked as their must-visit breakfast spot.

I highly recommend consuming the hash browns and biscuit as breakfast sides. The eggs sardou, red bean dishes, and Ash Wednesday omelette  are amongst my favorites.

My only complaint is that the service has been a bit on the slow side on a few occasions, but as long as you're not in a rush it's all good.
4 - Josh M.: Hooray! I've lived in SLO County for nearly 20 years and finally had the chance to come here with a group of 10 friends for breakfast and I am now a fan!

We arrived about 15 minutes early to start waiting for the rest of our party to show up so I started looking over the paper menu's they had set out on top of their hot sauce display case in the waiting area. We came on a Sunday morning around 10:30AM for brunch. Wow! So many delicious sounding things on the menu! 

The wait service was very friendly and asked to seat us no less than 3 times while waiting for more members of our group to show up but we were still a few short. The place was moderately busy on a Sunday but didn't affect service.

After 8 of our 10 people showed up we were seated and I spent another 10 minutes studying the menu to decide exactly what I wanted to try for my first Creole food experience. I eventually decided on the Egg's Sardou (Egg's benedict on top of an Artichoke heart base - You get the entire round!) then it is floating in a deliciously creamy Cajun style spinach puree - It had had slight hints of pesto taste to it. Hash browns on the side with a large fluffy biscuit with butter.

I'm really glad I decided to try this dish because it was amazing from start to finish. Hash browns were perfectly cooked, Poached eggs were awesome too. It's going to be hard to avoid getting this dish again next time I go but I imagine everything else on the menu will be just as good.

Great food, great friends, Thanks Bon Temps! Hope to see you again real soon!

I'm a fan!
4 - Gina B.: I had the jambalaya and it's a good size portion in a black cast iron pan!  Very tasty and well done.  I loved the corn bread too. I enjoyed the New Orleans / Mardis Gras decor as well.
5 - Elise E.: I'm a so-cal girl with a southern stomach, so when I got back to SLO to find that this place had re-opened, I couldn't wait to try it. So my roommate and I went for lunch today and my tummy is very happy now. We started off with fired okra, one of my most favorite southern foods. The breading was light and the okra was crisp- perfect. That was followed po-boys- fried green tomato for me and blackened chicken for my roommate. We both loved our meals and the portions were huge!
The entire menu looked wonderful and I can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu! The prices were a little high, but for the portion sizes it was justified. Overall, as good as southern food gets west of the Mississippi.
5 - SLO L.: 5 stars for breakfast- they are far and away the best breakfast option in the county.  The rest of their menus is excellent, but the breakfasts stand out.

You can't put a fork wrong in the mornings, but my required eating list features the Eggs Benedict and its variants, Fried Green Tomato Benedict & Eggs Creole.  Nobody poaches eggs like Bon Temps- rather than the usual watery mess, you get a neat, tart snow white oval filled with liquid gold.  Entirely delightful.  

And they're one of the few places left making genuine hash browns rather than the ubiquitous 'home fries'.  A dash of cajun spice blend, fried golden brown- the perfect morning side.

Their take on french toast (Pain Perdu) is also spectacular, fluffy bread perfectly battered, buried in toasted pecans & their particular rum syrup.  Guaranteed to satiate even the sweetest tooth.
5 - Miranda M.: I have zero complaints about this place.  I have not been here for lunch or dinner yet, but their breakfast is exceptional.  I have eaten breakfast here several times, and each time the food is divine, the service is good, and the ambiance is likeable.

Highly recommended for breakfast!  Especially their Eggs Sardou (Eggs Benedict with artichoke bottoms in place of the English muffin...with a side of delicious creamed spinach)...YUM!!
3 - Sarah S.: This is a total dive, the kind of place Guy Fieri would love, and the only Creole food in the area. The food is said to be excellent by people who ought to know, but if you are like me and love good atmosphere but are a little iffy on the consumption of reptiles and amphibians, this might not be the best destination for you. The ambience and location are certainly interesting - an extension of a rundown Ramada, it felt half like a cafeteria, half like a Waffle House, with flickering flourescent lights,  faded old posters of the glory days when SLO held the largest Mardi Gras celebration West of the Missippi, crusty bottles of hot sauce lining the walls, and plastic beads thrown everywhere. The food was good, but for a place this dive-y and gross in a college town,  I would have expected cheap. But for dinner, you'll be hard pressed to find an entree under $15. 

All that said, we had a good time. They serve their entrees in cast iron skillets, which is a nice touch, they brew their own beer, and our server was super nice about splitting checks for a group of ten.
2 - mike w.: We got nervous when we saw that it was in the Ramada but decided to try it anyway.  I was psyched for Cajun food.  We got seated about the same time as 2 other tables then we all sat waiting for someone to help us.  Eventually the guy who was cooking told us they were short a waitress and would get to us soon.  Nope.  The other two tables bolted.  We stayed since were visiting SLO and didnt have another place in mind.  Eventually we got service but then it took forever for the food!  Can't blame that on a waitress shortage.  When we finally got it the cornbread was disapointingly dry.  My wife didnt care for her etouffe, it was horribly fishy.  My sausage was decent but I felt like I could do just as well with Zatarans.  So overall a big disapointment.  Also a tip for anyone running a restaurant:  WHEN YOU KNOW YOU'VE GIVEN BAD SERVICE TRY TO MAKE UP FOR IT WITH A FREE DRINK OR SOMETHING.  A SMALL GESTURE CAN GO A LONG WAY.  BARELY ACKNOWLEDGING IT JUST MAKES IT WORSE!
4 - Garrett F.: I gotta say first off, the service here is amazing. Like 10 star for me. The two waitresses always were there when needed and were super fast with anything I needed. Oh and super friendly as well.

 Now to the food. I ordered the crawfish estouffe, due to them being out of gator and boy when she means the food comes out hot(to the touch) it is. The food was pretty spicy too, and had great flavor added by bay leafs and other spice. Adding in some of the huge selection of hot sauce added some more tasty kick. But it was very good, just be careful of how the food does come out, cause its hot.  

For dessert I got the sweet potato pie and it came with cinnamon ice cream. Again very good flavor, it reminds you of pumpkin pie with look and flavor, but has a different taste, a good one. Yeah it is kinda strange eating a potato for dessert but its worth getting, especially with the ice cream. The ice cream is great, probably my favorite of the meal. Most meals come with cornbread and though  its pretty much your standard cornbread, its still very enjoyable. 

A little bit pricey, but not to bad. Overall great food, great staff, and a uniquely awesome restaurant. I will be back, you should stop by and see them too.
4 - Sabine M.: Really good food. Had the breakfast. Very tasty food. I would recommend the Eggs Sardou. I went by everyone's recommendations and also asked the waitress and Eggs Sardou was what to try and it was indeed amazing. Want to go back for lunch or dinner next.
4 - Angela M.: I've had very limited experiences with Creole food, so when my boyfriend suggested taking me here I decided I'd give it a go. And I was very happy with his choice for breakfast.

I really liked the restaurant itself, with its lively Mardi-Gras theme and all the light pouring in through the windows. I ordered the creole omelette, with Creole sauce, mushrooms, and cheese, with hashbrowns and an english muffin on the side. I wasn't sure what I was going to get with Creole sauce, but it turned out to be a delicious tomato-based sauce with onions and celery - it really made the omelette, which was also pretty big. I wasn't too big on the spices they put on top of the hashbrowns, but they were still really good.

What I was pleasantly surprised with though, were the biscuits here. I tried a piece of my boyfriend's when he offered me some and became an immediate fan - big, fluffy, and moist. I was also happy with our waitress, who was super nice and came around just often enough. The food was also super cheap, especially considering how much we got for the price. A good first impression.
5 - Dave M.: Bon Temps is AMAZING! I come through SLO a few times per month and every time I have to go here and try a different breakfast dish.  I never leave disappointed.  For some reason I have been craving their grits.  I don't even usually eat grits, let alone crave them!  Theres something about their consistency and flavor mixed with everything else that is simply delicious.  I always get a side of pain perdu for an extra 25 cents which I love.  Rum syrup and pecans? Mmmmmm.

This is a breakfast like nowhere else I have ever eaten.  I guess I need to go down to New Orleans!

I also love the atmosphere of the place.  I feel like I'm in the south every time I step into this place.    

I think its about time to start trying lunch and dinner here.  I might find myself eating here 3 meals a day...
3 - Val F.: Went here for breakfast on our way out. The restaurant is very busy but the food was good. If you are into creole  food you should definitely check this place out.
5 - Lina B.: I love this place...I get so excited on Saturday nights because we always go here for breakfast on Sundays. Best breakfast in SLO ESP if you have eating restrictions (a lot of vegetarian choices) and if you love spicy Cajun food. You must try their eggs sardue!!!
4 - Matt B.: Great Service, Great food and served with a smile.  I have been here 3 times and very consistent.  Clean restrooms and dining area.  I cant give it five stars because its not that kind of place.  It is attached to a Motel, but it received four because of the great food.
5 - Joey H.: Love the frog legs! Me and the boys used to come here often, back in the day. I read about the recent fire, and well, with what's been happening down there in the big easy as of late I dusted off an old memory and gave this place a visit. Breakfast is damn good, sassy hollandaise and artichokes topped with delicious! Come here after the swap meet; who says you can't have beer with breakfast? All in all, worth a go. Try the live music at night, IT WON'T KILL YOU!
4 - Malia D.: Love this place. Fried green tomato eggs benedict is my favorite. Hash browns are delicious and i love the seasoning they put on them. Have yet to have bad service there.
2 - Jackie R.: The food was decent, could I have made it at home just as easily?  Yes, but I enjoyed my sausage and shrimp pasta jambalaya.  The corn bread was so dry I could hardly eat it-seemed like it had been sitting in the oven all day.  My boyfriend's blackened chicken was pretty blah too, although the collards were good.  

The service and atmosphere?  Horrible.  Totally dirty and divey.  The table was sticky and there was dust everywhere.  I think the server wanted to be anywhere else but at Bon Temps-she was miserable.  I will cook at home next time.
4 - Tess S.: I am big fan of Bon Temps. I usually don't read reviews about places that I go to all the time, because I already know how they are, but for some reason I read through some of these and felt like I needed to post my own. First off, most of the "negative" and less than 3 star reviews are from out of town snobs who should just keep on driving up to Monterey or Santa Barbara because you're just too good for us anyways. Yes, Bon Temps is divey. They were closed for like six months a couple years ago (and we went through withdrawals, jonesing for our breakfast- which is, in fact, the best breakfast in the area for food and price) when they re-opened it was just as divey, so that is probably what the owner is going for. That "white guy" someone mentions who's the cook- is actually the owner. No, the beans are not canned because I have had them on the first day they were cooked (a little watery) I prefer them a few days old when they are creamier.  I have never been to N.Orleans, so I don't know if the food is authentic, I just know that it's really good and comforting. If you want a savory breakfast have any of the variations of the Bon Temp breakfast which are jazzed up Benedicts accompanied by things like fried green tomatoes, red beans, grits, and smothered in an awesome hollandaise all are under $10. At lunch you can't beat the gumbo yaya and salad for $10.50. The shrimp or chicken po' boys are also good. If you are wanting dinner, go on Thursday night when the Red Skunk band plays hot jazz. Whenever you go, expect jazz or zydeco to be playing from the speakers, the owner cooking in kitchen and to have leftovers to take home.
4 - Paul G.: Fat Tuesday omelette still great!
5 - Kate L.: delicious omelets, best hashbrowns i've ever tasted and i don't even like hash browns! friendly staff and efficient service. well-priced!
1 - Claire S.: Would not recommend it. It truly felt like a Denny's. What's the big deal? Their biscuits are obviously not fresh and came out of the freezer. The Grits were tasteless and watery. Would definitely not recommend it!
2 - Doug S.: Could this restaurant be on the food channels  Diners, Drive ins, Dives? I don't think so.
The wife and I went for a late breakfast today.We both had different omelets.
I thought the food quality was below  Denny's, but filled with heat! Lots of spices.
The coffee tasted like dirt, worst coffee I've had in many years.
  Our server brought our food and then walked away, We had to get our own silver wear from the next table, when we called out to the buss boy he turned away, Twice we tried to get  attention.
Cost for two for breakfast $25.00 before tip.
4 - Kari Z.: I have not been here since before the fire, and again I was pleased with my lunch.

First off, they close at 2, and we started at 1:30, we were never rushed, or even shooed out when we kept talking past 2:30.

I got the shrimp po-boy with a salad and I loved the tapenade on the salad - unique and delish.

All of it was good - it was a nice place to go for lunch - and I need to go again, sooner this time.
4 - Heather S.: It's a pretty close place to where I was staying and I never say no to some good ol creole food. I ordered a creole pain perdu. It's basically French toast and you know me.... I don't like French toast but it wasn't bad. It came with honey rum syrup which I found wayyyy too sweet. The andouille sausage was delicious though. Really yummy. The waitress was pretty darn cute and funny. Definitely gave her a decent tip :)

Bon's Home Cookin - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9122265, -79.0581269) ()
4 - GeneR S.: Bon's is simple, great tasting Southern food in a bright, clean, friendly environment, close to campus and with ample parking.  

Bon is the daughter of the famous Mama Dip -don't tell Mama, but I prefer Bon's cooking!  The bbq (both chicken and pork) is excellent; the meatloaf, chicken n' dumplings, and pork chops are all favorites, and the hush puppies are to die for.  Even better, there are a plethora of side dishes to choose from, many of which are vegetarian AND vegan friendly.  This is a great lunch spot, but for a quiet, relaxed dinner with friends Bon's can't be beat.

To top it off, try one of her homemade cakes, which rotate as daily specials.  The coconut cake and simple yellow cake with chocolate frosting are to die for, and are a brave-but-rewarding way to top off a hearty Southern-style meal.

FYI, Bon had a restaurant a few years ago in Carrboro plaza, but closed it waiting for a better location to open up in Chapel Hill.
5 - Sierra G.: Bon's is a hidden spot with great food. Its very clean, very quick and has a great selection of simple southern food. 

We like to eat breakfast there, but they are only open on weekends and open a little later then most. The breakfast is all made as you order it, Bon herself is often in the kitchen and she is big on everything being made from scratch. 

The sweet potato pancakes are excellent for breakfast. They are also very cheap. The two egg breakfast , with hashbrowns  or gits and a biscuit is under 4 dollars. I've recently been a few times for lunch and dinner. While breakfast is my favorite, the lunch and dinner are also fresh and delicious. They have great hush puppies, sweet potato casserole , fried green tomatoes, apple cobbler. I actually haven't had many entrees, but my friends rav about their bbq and sandwiches.
4 - Caroline Z.: Bon's makes everyone happy. It was a popular pick for catering when I worked at UNC, because you can satisfy the BBQ enthusiasts and the vegetarians all at the same time. Bon is the daughter of the famous Mama Dip, but she's got more going for her than just a famous name - this is good food.

I've enjoyed the barbecue and fried chicken, but you can also have meatloaf and fish for dinner, or wings and burgers (plus veggie burgers) at lunch. One of the most distinctive things about the Bon's menu is the super-long list of veggie sides. Beyond the expected fried okra, cole slaw and potato salad, you'll find fried green tomatoes, squash casserole and zucchini. 

I mentioned the catering earlier; their catering menu is extensive, and accommodates just about any taste.
4 - Kianna M.: Bon's is located on the backside of University Square on Franklin, near Granville Towers.  The owner is friendly and health conscious in her preparation of the these southern style delicacies.  There is seating available and wait staff service, as well as take out.   Their candied yams and hush puppies are delicious treats, along with the BBQ baby back ribs, it's simply amazing!
3 - Kun P.: Bon's is definitely a logical alternative to Mama Dip's. They use fresh ingredients. They even shuck their corn. They have enticing daily specials, and their hush puppies are always piping hot. 

Everything I've had failed to disappoint. The only reason for not giving it 4 stars is due to the fact that, although the place is good, the food tastes almost too "clean" per say for a southern home cooked meal. Sometimes you want more traces of grease with your food. 

Owned by one of the daughters of Mama Dip herself. Very nice lady, and appreciates everyone's feedback. Although I have to say that as of late, their portions have gone down. A good place to have lunch.
4 - Henry S.: Bon's is a great place to go for lunch. I've been here several times and am always impressed by the traditional southern feel in such a bland location. The barbecue here is excellent, rivaling some of the other 'southern' restaurants around here. I have to reiterate what some of my fellow Yelpers have said too: everything is fresh! You can taste the freshness in everything from the biscuits to the corn, and that makes me love Bon's even more. The prices are cheap, too, making it a great option for a college student. My one complaint is that it can get extremely busy during the work week, and that the hours are not that accommodating.
3 - William J.: Bon's has closed, sadly, for what reason I cannot determine.

They do still cater, though, so feel free to call their catering line or contact them through the website to set that up.

Bonded BoutiqueCleaners - Philadelphia, PA (39.950948, -75.197734) (University City)
5 - Es K.: Excellent fashionable choices for the fashionistas! The owner has an incredible eye for clothes, jewelry, accessories, and taking risks.  Everything from jewelry to essentials to hot items, this quaint, cute boutique is a surprise gem in the university city area! Ask for fashion advice and you'll get an honest response.  I've seen several girlfriends stop by to try on something that they wouldn't normally buy, only to see them coming out with a HUGE smile on their face because they LOVE how the clothes make them feel.
5 - Ej K.: What a beautiful boutique shop!  I got a number of gifts (which my friends loved) from this place and a cardigan that I wear very often for casual, work and going out occasions.  The owner is really nice and knows what she is talking about.  It's unique because it's paired with the dry cleaners as well.  For a boutique shop, the prices are extremely reasonable.
1 - Lawrence G.: I was visiting Phildaelphia and took three items for dry cleaning on a Saturday morning.  I was told the items would be available after 5 pm on Monday.  I asked what time on Tuesday they would be open and was told 8 am.  Perfect since I was planning to leave at noon that day.  I have been there three times today (Tuesday), but the store has been closed -- with no explanation.  I called the number on the receipt, but it does not work.  I am now at risk of losing over $150 worth of clothing because of poor management.  SPare yourself.  Do not use this "boutique" for your cleaning needs.

Bonded Cleaners - Philadelphia, PA (39.9510629, -75.1984011) (University City)
2 - Michael C.: Sure, they can get your shirts clean. But don't expect them to do it with a smile. The first dress shirt I sent there, they managed to break a button (I've been getting shirts dry cleaned for years now, and this was a first in my book). The second dress shirt I sent, they managed to iron the "collar stays" into the collar. Quality. Needless to say, I'm looking for another neighborhood dry cleaner to fulfill my fabric needs.
1 - David C.: Multiple times I have had poor results from this business: shirts coming back with new stains that hadn't been there before, the inability to remove simple discolorations, and so on. The employees are basically nice enough, but after giving them so many chances (due to its very convenient location for me), I will be trying out something more distant in the hopes that I won't have to make return trips.
5 - Alex L.: This cleaner did a great job with my dress shirts and slacks.  The shirts came out very clean (especially around the collars) and crisp (starched it perfectly to my request.)  The ladies were very friendly and service was excellent.  I highly recommend this place  and will be a returning customer for sure.
5 - J. K.: I thought I'd try out this cleaner when I discovered it a few months ago because it was so convenient for me.  I'm glad I did!  I've never had any problems with the quality of their work and service is always excellent.  I'm really glad to have found a place I can trust that is also easily accessible!
5 - Ej K.: They're reliable and they do a really good job on spotting and cleaning.  Extremely convenient for my work schedule because it's right on campus and open a bit later than other dry cleaners.
1 - E N.: Two months after loosing an item and promising to find it, I was given a pathetic excuse...So finally, I went in, told them that I will give them one more week and then I am going to send them a bill for the item, they found my polo that same day.

This place is just a terrible cleaner, with no experience in handling clothing and lack any professionalism.

Bondir - Cambridge, MA (42.3680698, -71.0978549) ()
5 - JJ G.: I am so excited that Bondir is open!  It's around the corner from my home, and I go by a few times a day, so I've been watching and waiting... and salivating a little.  
Chef Bond's reputation is stellar, and the feeling when you walk in reflects how carefully the decisions have all been made, even though the feeling is not pretentious or fussy.  You know that if this much thought was put into the tables, and the plates, and the lighting then the food cannot have been neglected.  Sure enough, the stunningly fresh and local ingredients are treated like royalty and the few things I have tasted so far, in my two stops in to check it out, have been delicious.
Bondir is a jem, and I am so thrilled that it is my neighborhood!
5 - M C.: Oh my goodness, I had high expectations going into dinner here, so it means a lot that those expectations were exceeded.  I met Bondir's chef at Pete and Jen's Backyard Birds (peteandjensbackyardbirds.com).  Jason was volunteering and scoping out his food sources.  With so much obvious care and attention to his choice of vendors, I knew I would want to visit his restaurant when it opened.  

I really respect the thought Jason puts into deciding where to get his meats, poultry, and produce, and I am ecstatic that he is able to turn out amazing creative dishes as well.  Topped off with a really reasonably priced menu (see perk #2 below), Bondir has unexpectedly shot up to being my favorite restaurant in the Boston area and is my new go-to when I want a fine dining experience.  

Some extra perks I found upon dining at Bondir: 

1) You have the option of ordering a half portion of any of the entrees, which is a HUGE plus for me because I have a hard time picking just one dish, especially from the enticing line up of menu options offered at Bondir.

2) The pricing is completely reasonable; a very good value for what you get.  I was definitely prepared to spend a bit more for responsibly-sourced foods, but we got entree, dessert, and wine for $50/head. 

3) I fell in love with the place, the food, the people.  Even the bathroom was creatively and uniquely perfect.  I live just a block from the restaurant and immediately felt tied into a sense of community.  I am really psyched Bondir is part of my neighborhood.  I think this is the beginning of a really good relationship =)  

I hope this review is helpful.  While it is suspiciously glowing, I assure you it is not planted!
4 - Helen R.: Perfect seasoning and doneness are the two things I judge a restaurant on.  At Bondir, doneness was perfect in almost everything we ordered, but where was the salt?  This might not be a problem for most people (particularly in salt-phobic New England), but it was a problem for me.  Here is what we ordered:

1) winter squash soup with marshmallows -- a tad too sweet for my taste, but not bad in principle
2) grits with vegetables -- lovely creamy grits, a huge variety of vegetables cooked in all different ways.  fabulous dish, just needed salt
3) lobster risotto with mussels -- mushy texture of rice and somewhat muddy flavor
4) poached egg with mushrooms and sage stuffing -- tender white, perfectly runny and very rich yolk, fabulous mushrooms (I am guessing maitake and wood ear), stuffing that was absolutely decadent once you break the yolk over it.  one of the best egg dishes I've ever had (after I added some salt :)
5) monkfish with safron broth, leeks, turnips, and potato -- very juicy monk with a good sear, flavorful broth and very nicely done vegetables.  the only dish that didn't need extra salt.  maybe just a little on the potato
6) lamb chop and stuffed leg, beans, vegetables -- perfectly medium-rare and juicy lamb.  The chop was under-seasoned, but the leg was stuffed with so much anchovies it was way unpleasantly salty even for me.  vegetables and beans had perfect texture just needed salt.

We got a little dish or sea salt, but a basic Diamond Crystal Kosher would be more useful.  The sea salt was a little damp and clumpy (that's a feature of this salt, not a bug).  But it doesn't integrate into the finished dish very easily.

The bread:
They make their own bread and even put it on the menu.  It has promise, but is no where close in quality to Clear Flour or Iggy's.  Two problems with it were very low salt level (I am guessing only 1% instead of the standard 2% by weight), and burnt crust.  They put a swirl of something interesting into each loaf (rosemary, goose cracklings, cherry and walnuts).  I must say that the goose cracklings were tasty, but these flavorings don't make or break the bread for me.  In my opinion a restaurant shouldn't bother baking their own bread unless they can match the quality of what they can get from Iggy's and Clear Flour.  But bread baking is hard and I admire Bondir for trying.

I loved the fact that almost all the dishes offered a small and large size options.  This allowed us to try almost the entire menu at a very reasonable price.  We ordered 6 small dishes ranging in price from $9 to $15.

Wonderful wine list with many food-friendly wines by the glass that are not widely known and don't break the bank.  We got a glass of Grüner Veltliner (excellent) and barbera, dolcetto, nebbiolo blend (very good).  I believe they were $8-9 per glass.  

Overall, it was a lovely meal and I'd like to come back.  If Bondir was better at seasoning, it would be a serious competitor to Craigie on Main.
5 - Sam S.: I was able to book a last minute reservation at Bondir last night and was not disappointed. The staff is very friendly, and knowledgeable about the cuisine and all of the ingredients were very fresh. The decor was charming, arranging a very nice waiting area for drinks by a cozy fireplace. I had the Roasted Macomber Turnip Soup with a Ragú of Pancetta, Chestnuts, Lobster, and Mushrooms as an appetizer and the Scituate Skate Wing with Kohlrabi, Leek, and Fingerling Potato Chowder as an entree. Both dishes were very well conceived and executed and the portions were quite large. My girlfriend also had the turnip soup, and had a very generous and delicious half portion of the Laying Hen and Noodle Stew with Roasted Onion and Aged Vermont Cheese as her entree. We split a dessert called tangerine dream which was a perfect combination of sweet and savory flavors. I recommend Bondir and would encourage you to make a reservation for dinner asap.
5 - Jeremy K.: Bondir was and is possibly one of the best meals that I've had while in Cambridge, Craigie on Main aside. The place in some ways, has vague resemblances of a 10 Tables or Bon Savor but is still very unique; small, with only nine tables, for a total of twenty four covers: it is very intimate, cozy and welcoming.

We proceeded to arrive for our reservation, for two, and were immediately taken care of; our coats were taken from us, and we were graciously seated to our table. A selection of fresh breads (whole grain, walnut-cherry, Bronze fennel seed and Sepia-Nori) and butter was brought to us, and our menus as well. Those are printed and updated daily which is quite remarkable - I noticed that their website is also updated accordingly although it fails to list their desserts... But more on that later.

After ordering a nice glass of Malbec wine, I decided to start my meal with their hand-made burrata offering. Priced at $12 it featured some French butter pears, a celery salad and some Mangalitsa Guanciale. It was drizzled with a walnut dressing. It was absolutely delicious and the crisp celery's texture worked well against the softness of the creamy burrata. It was very fresh and the portion rather large. 

Then I did something which makes this place standout and in my opinion, something that restaurants should offer more frequently. Every entre they offer is offered in half or full sizes, each at it's own price and instead of getting a single entree, I got two different halves. In my case I settled for their roasted Futsu Squash, which came with vegetable mignardises and some sage stuffing ($12) and the Flat Iron Steak which was plated with a mole sauce, some celeriac and some kale ($12). 

First came the squash which in no way was a half-portion. They could have fooled me with the size of the thing! It was pretty damn big and very, very tasty. It was beautifully roasted and the sage stuffing was... well. like crack. I devoured the whole thing in just mere instants. The vegetables were beautifully sauteed, and were very fresh. You could taste every single one of them and they were cooked perfectly and in no way were mushy, instead tasting crisp.

And then came the steak. While I noticed that at no point was I asked how I wanted my steak cooked, everything came out perfectly. The steak was a bit on the rare side but was absolutely delicious and the mole sauce, although untraditional, worked well. The side vegetables were great as well and the portion, again was quite large.

At this point of the meal I pretty much hit a wall, I was rather stuffed but when the desert menu arrived we decided to share the trio of ice creams, which features the following flavors: Kefir Lime, Cranberry and Olive. Although the Lime one was tasty, we had a bit of trouble distinguishing between the Olive and Cranberry one for a few seconds before noticing the vague hint of saltiness in one versus the other. It was not what I expected but was good none the less. We also had a chocolate desert, a pyramid of sorts which came plated alongside a froth and I couldn't remember what it was unfortunately but it was very good and surprisingly light.

Bondir has a great balance of high end food at affordable prices and in a very intimate, small and cosy restaurant atmosphere; the fireplace adds a wonderful element to the dinning room which otherwise is decorated in the most simple of ways with only a painting on one of the back walls and the fireplace serving as a centerpiece alongside a small table next to it where a few bottles of wine and plates are stacked. There is however a uniqueness to it, especially since there's nothing like it in Cambridge; it feels like the kind of place you'd find in Jamaica Plain and yet no, it's just a few minutes away from Central Square and I find that remarquable. Chef Bond has always been a very underrated chef in this city and this is a great way for him to possibly get the exposure he deserves. 

Everything was fresh, the setting was great and they did all of the small things right - from the service to the beautiful silverware and plates - It was all very impressive and the attention to detail is phenomenal. I will definitely be back there in the near future and very much look forward to it.
5 - Maureen O.: I had a great experience at Bondir.  As soon as I walked in I was greeted and my coat taken.  I was directed to have a seat by the roaring fireplace and offered a glass of wine.  I hardly noticed my friend was 15 minutes late.  

The room is lovely and cozy without being hokey or too dark.  Patrick was our sever, he was friendly and attentive.  The food is fantastic.  They let you order half portion entrees - hooray!  

The fresh bread is delicious, there was a bit of a skirmish over the goose crackling bread at our table; we went halfsies.  I had the beef with the mole a bowl of squash soup. A perfect Sunday night dinner.  Get there and make friends before it become the  hardest place in Cambridge to get a table (It will).
4 - john d.: Bondir was great fun in a cozy and intimate space. When you enter you feel transported from Area 4, Cambridge to an old country dining room. The organization of the menu facilitates tasting and sharing multiple items. We shared 4 half entrees plus oysters and desserts. Everything was great but surprisingly, the oyster app and tangerine dream dessert were the absolute standouts. The vermouth soaked cake combined with sweet and bitter fruit, ice cream and topped with a perfect merringue made this dessert a dream of Baked Alaska without the often Palin-like bombast of the original.
5 - Andy L.: Bloated, overhyped chefs like Barbara Lynch and Kenneth Oringer take note: Jason Bond is the real deal, blessed with raw talent and creativity balanced with professionalism and careful execution. 

Literally every dish we tried was a work of art, with beautiful ingredients simply but perfectly executed. From the homemade breads to the proper tea service to innovative dessert menu, this restaurant has a laser like focus on the smallest detail.

If you are lucky enough to score one of the 8 tables at this tiny treasure, be prepared for a real treat.
5 - Sandy H.: We have eaten at some of the finest restaurants in the Boston area and in our humble opinion, we believe that Bondir's food and service ranks among the best of them.  Once we crossed the threshold into the restaurant, our every need was taken care of.  The hostess attended to us while we waited for our table.  It took a little longer than usually so she offered us a complimentary glass of sparkling wine.

I love that Bondir allows patrons to order half portions of the entrees so we were able to try a variety of entrees.  We had the beet salad to start and my fiance who really never cared for them, ate it all and wanted more.  My butternut squash soup was a little too peppery/spicy.  For our entrees, we ordered 3 half portions: braised chicken, scallops, and steak.  It was more than enough food for the two of us.  We ordered the chocolate dessert even though were were too full to eat another bite.  Needless to say, we somehow found room to make it disappear.

Overall this was a great dining experience and I look forward to coming back.
5 - Jon S.: Jason Bond knows what he's doing.

Bondir is a cozy neighborhood restaurant with food that stands up to the best the city has to offer.   Go for the half-portions so you can try a few things, and don't let a heavy snow dissuade you from venturing over - they have a nice fireplace to warm you up, some spicy squash soup to make you feel comfortable, and pasta, venison, wild bour, and the like to make you do some mental date-checking so you can start planning your next visit before you leave.
3 - Jeff M.: My dining experience at Bondir was very nice. The team as Bondir appears to still be on a learning curve trying to concretely define what they are doing in the front and the back of the house. A brief example is not bringing plates out together, other plates followed very quickly, and not explaining all dishes on the table. Another is the plating of a desert in a bowl inside a cup that was sliding around - what do I hold on to? 

That being said the small intimate dining room with real fire place, real as in burning logs, was a huge perk. The location is also nice because its away from the hustle of Central Square, yet only a ten minute walk from Mass Ave. Another plus is the affordable wine list. 

Bondir presented us with three different made in house breads. They kinda all tasted the same. My favourite dish of the night was the tagliatelle with chestnut pasta. Nice light flavor. The seared cod was also a very nice dish. The protein itself was the standout on the plate. It also featured hazelnuts; bold but the verdict is not out yet if it really worked. I feel like some of the dishes here needed some restraint. Maybe a component could be taken off some. The ragu with wild boar and venison was very nice but lacked a bit of refinement compared to the rest of the meal. 

I'll be back in a few months time to see what happens as Bondir comes more into its own.
5 - UN A.: We had a wonderful time at Bondir and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys great food, trying new things and a welcoming/homey atmosphere.  I am a big foodie who travels over 40% of the time and I constantly eat or entertain clients at best restaurants around the country.  I was able to call and get a seating for 7 of us on Saturday night at 9:30.  It was well worth the wait to eat late.

Our group consisted of my friends and family that in their own rights are great cooks.  We wanted to try Bondir because we heard/read good things about Chef Jason Bond and his staff.  For sure he didn't disappoint us.

There were so many little things that made our dinner more enjoyable.  Many of these little delights are written in previous reviews but I believe that is why I would want to go back to Bondir.  

From first moment we arrived, we were cordially invited to take a seat by the fireplace.  We enjoyed beer and wine while soaking in the warmth of the fireplace and engaing in pleasant conversations with staff and few other patrons; a unique experience in itself.  Bondir has an excellent wine and imported beer list at reasonable prices.
  
Best part of the night was our meal and how we could order it.  Because Bondir allows you to order half portions (brilliant idea), we were able to virtually order everything and share among friends.  That was so much fun.  Every course represented something unique so, I learned with every dish.  Soup was just fantastic and it included lime caviar. These are little citron pearls from a lime shaped like a pea pod.  We asked to see it and Chef gladly showed it to us; my first.  Beet salad was perfectly executed.  Meats and fish were outstanding. We had boar, cod, and beef brisket.  Hand-made pasta really enhanced our experience.  To finish, we ordered three different deserts to share; Chocolate Enlightenment (perfect for chocolate lovers), Tangerine Dream (in a bowl inside a cup that was sliding around but made you grab on and enjoy it more), and Crostata made to order with red wine-poached pear, almond cream and lemon mousseline.  This one was simply a perfect desert which if you close your eyes and eat it, you would taste, apple pie, pear delight and lemon tart all in one bite.

Up to now, the only rating on Yalp that is less than 5 but still respectable (3) is from Jeff M.  who seemed to eat there on the same night as we did.  I can honestly say; we had a totally different (much better) impression.  I truly respect Jeff M.'s point of view and I guess that is why it's nice to read different comments.  Here are some of my personal thoughts on Jeff M.'s comments: 

Food - I agree with him on proteins being done just right.  I thought it was all great!  Same as Jeff, I thought using hazelnut with code was odd.  Then again, I recall asking to clean up and eat the last bite of that plate too :).  I disagree that there was too much happening in a plate.  At the end of the day, I want my dish to introduce me to a new taste.  If I wanted something simple then I would've cooked at home.

Breads - yes, at first glance all 3 did seem similar but it was far from it. In fact, we spend a good while discussing it at the table.  We thought it was a bold move by Chef to use all grain versus so many restaurants that use white breads.  All three breads were totally different in taste.  One was cranberry-walnut; the other 9-grain (simple); and the last, perhaps the most interesting one of all which we couldn't get enough of, was the Sepia-Nori.  It represented a unique balance of whole grains, salt particles and squid ink that delightfully intrigued everyone to extent of begging for more.

Service - Our experience was amazing.  Not only they explained every dish that they brought to our table but every staff was quite educated on what ingredients were used and how it enhanced the dish.  Kudos to Chef Jason Bond for making sure his staff knows about what they serve.

We decided to put Bondir on our favorite list and make it new tradition to eat at.
4 - Lisa S.: I've pretty much been stalking Bondir since it opened, waiting for a chance to try it out. And I finally got my chance last night! 

The decor of the restaurant is perfect. It is small, with a small fireplace near the front of the restaurant. They have a little bar set up next to that, with their chilling wine, wine glasses, coffee cups, coffee machine, etc. The seat cushions and pillows were decorated in a cute white/green bird design, and the small room only seats 28 people. The host immediately took our coats for us and seated us. The clientele was dressed fairly casually.

The food was definitely the highlight of the evening. The menu, which changes every day, was short but everything sounded delicious. They even make their own bread- a plus for me since I love bread. My mom and I both started with the potato and leek soup ($9)- which was AMAZING. We were literally still talking about it on the walk home. It was filling and satisfying without being creamy or heavy. We both went with the half portions on entrees- my mom got the squash ($12 for half) and I got the chive pappardelle ($13 for half). I was obsessed with the squash, but while the chive pappardelle was good, it didn't completely blow me away. For dessert, we shared the tangerine dream ($9), which was ridiculously amazing. Like.... I wanted to go into the kitchen, grab all the ingredients, run home and eat it all. That's how good it was. All the dishes had tons of ingredients but tasted simple and delicious. We left full and satiated but not uncomfortable- the food was not heavy. Based on the food and the decor alone, this place would easily have been 5 stars. 

However, the service was a bit sub-par for us. It was really only our waitress... she wasn't friendly and seemed overwhelmed. When we asked her what something on the menu was, she gave a short, incoherent response- and we still had no idea. She also did lots of little things that were a bit odd/rude- for example, she took away my bread plate without asking when there was still bread to be eaten (but left my mother's), and took away my napkin when I went to the bathroom towards the end of the meal but while we were still drinking. When I asked for sweet n low for my pot of tea, she told me that they only had sugar- which was fine. She gave me sugar, and then 10 minutes later, without saying anything, she grabbed the entire container of sugar and gave it to another table. I still had an entire pot of tea left. My mom and I just looked at each other and I was like, "I guess I'm done drinking my tea?" And then on our way out, we saw a container of sweet n low on the table. Our interactions with her were like that for most of the night- just mostly odd. But on our way out, we stopped and chatted to another woman who was super friendly and seemed really great. When we left, I turned to my mom and said "I wish she had been our waitress!" and my mom just said, "I know!!". 

I'm pretty sure the service was an anomaly, and honestly the food was so good that it barely mattered. I would definitely come back here with my family or a date. The prices were reasonable and the ambiance was perfect. If you love food, definitely check out this restaurant!
4 - Michael C.: Bondir is a great little restaurant that has some great and creative dishes in a unique space. They have a great fireplace at the entrance that looks like the perfect place to enjoy a few cocktails. Their menu changes daily so the choices are endless. I wasn't a big fan of the squid ink pasta, but the homemade burrata and roast chicken were very tasty. Also they serve some great bread too.
4 - Lena B.: we were so excited to hear about a new restaurant in cambridge and one with a fireplace nonetheless!!  it is a small, unique, romantic restaurant, with very knowledgeable waitstaff.   you can get whole or half portions.  the food is fresh and in season and very good.  the wine list is reasonably priced.  we recommend making your own tasting menu by having two half portions a person in addition to apps and dessert.  thank you bondir for existing in cambridge.
5 - Aaron P.: My wife and I had our Valentine's dinner at Bondir, and it exceeded our high expectation in every single way. The atmosphere and staff were outstandingly warm and professional and saw to our every need. The food was inspired and exuded warmth and love. Every course was beautifully conceived and executed. The timing was impeccable, and the wine parings were out of this world. I cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough. Compliments to the chef, sommelier, wait staff, and everyone involved.
4 - Kait K.: My boyfriend and I ate at Bondir about a month  ago and it was absolutely delicious!! The only reason I give it 4 stars and not 5 is because of the bizarre hostess (she was just erratic and made us uneasy from her anxiousness). 
I loved the waitress. She was very helpful with food descriptions and suggestions. She also chose a fantastic glass of red wine from the description of what I was looking for. 
Definitely make a reservation. 
Great spot for a cozy dinner date or intimate gathering. 
Food was thoughtful and just absolutely delicious. A MUST have!
5 - Andrew F.: Amazing menu! Great service! Wonderful ambience.
4 - Renee B.: The atmosphere was really quaint and cozy and I did not think it was too dark as another suggested.  The staff were friendly and attentive.  So the food - it was good.  It didn't wow through out the whole meal - but to be fair after all the reviews I think I was expecting menton level food.  Looking back - I really enjoyed my meal and would definitely return.  The specifics:

Bread - The seaweed bread was just not for me.  The whole wheat bread was good but nothing fabulous.  The current bread was really fabulous.  Butter was disappointingly average.

Turnip soup.  The flavors were very subtle and the soup was good but it left me wanting a little more for some zip.

Grits and roasted veggies - The grits were very interesting.  It took time for the flavors in the bite to taste the familiar grit taste but tasty.  The veggies were absolutely cooked to perfection

Scallops were really the wow factor of the night.  The chef said they were caught (do you catch scallops?) that day.  They were perfectly cooked with a crunchy outside and tender  inside.  My life goal should be to try to cook a scallop that well.  

I will be back!
5 - Jessie Z.: Delicious. I've had a lot of good meals recently but this one is certainly way way up there. Great job guys!

I highly recommend getting the half dishes and sharing when you go -it's way more fun plus you get the taste lots of different options.

Also - make sure you checkout the bathroom - i love it! so many soap and cream choices, plus the color is delightful.
5 - Cecilia L.: I want to move in to this little farmhouse-style restaurant. Or seriously hire their decorator to make my house look just like it. I want dark woods, painted wainscoting, whimsical bird cushions and a humongous brick fireplace. Oh, a $2000 espresso machine would be cool. Chef Bond should move in and cook for me too.

Let's start with the breads, which are more than belly fillers. Each night features four house-baked slices. I was delighted when the waitress described one called "the sea," which features kelp and ground shrimp, but this just tasted funky. I wound up preferring the more orthodox selections of 9-grain, spelt, etc.

The menu, which changes daily, features a couple appetizers and a handful of mains that can be ordered as half or full portions. We got the wonderful spice-poached beet with greens and heavenly buttermilk viniagrette to start, followed by three half entrees. Saffron risotto and steelhead salmon came out together. The risotto topped with an amazingly delicate piece of yellowtail flounder was dreamy, but I felt it could have used just a touch more salt to bring everything out. The crispy-skinned salmon was the favorite of the night for both of us, accented with flavor-packed pickled mushrooms. The salmon rested on a bed of something that looked like hummus, though I couldn't place it at all. Turned out it was rutabaga puree, whose mildness perfectly supported the dish's more pronounced flavors.

Third course was the meltingly tender veal shoulder roast with braised greens, carrots and black pepper pears. I wish we'd gotten a full portion of this.

French press coffee was the best I'd had in a long time, and the cheese was accompanied by a dazzling orange marmalade. The one thing I really did not like was the tangerine dream dessert. The genoise was too sweet like a commercial cake. The cloying, marshmallowy meringue overwhelmed the dish, leaving me to search for the tangerine and the scant traces of thyme-buttermilk ice cream. Couldn't taste any thyme.

Bondir is truly charming and, at $100 for two including drinks and dessert, a bargain for the sophistication. The crowning touch is the playful colors and delightful selection of hand creams in the toasty warm bathroom.
5 - Tai Z.: We had a lovely time at Bondir; the food was excellent! I had wagyu beef and it was the tastiest thing I've had in a very long time. The celery bisque was quite nice too and the desserts were amazing!
5 - William K.: I went to Bondir last night for dinner.  It's the kind of restaurant you usually only dream of having in your neighborhood.  Small.  Intimate.  Beautiful mis-matched plates.  A fire going just inside the door.  Interesting arrangements of flowers.  A small selection of exquisite dishes for both starters and main courses.  I had squash soup to begin that had some excellent complex flavorings.  Halibut for the main course was also beautifully done.  The "half" size option for the main courses is wonderful.  The staff were young, fresh, well-dressed, well-informed and not intrusive.  I cannot tell you how happy this place made me.
4 - Priscilla T.: 4 stars because I think this place has potential.  Actual first experience: 3 stars.  They ran out of the pasta dish for the night when I arrived and that was the main reason I decided to eat at Bondir that evening :-\

However, the service is extremely accommodating and friendly, the restaurant vibe is small and intimate and they stoke their own wood burning fire.  How quaint :)  I'll be heading back here for a 2nd try and will keep you all posted...

+Rare lamb sirloin (appetizer)
+Good wine selection
5 - Ashley S.: What a delightfully romantic and charming restaurant, perfect to take your sweetheart. 

You walk in and are greeted with smiles (and hugs for repeat guests!) accompanied by the warmth of the crackling fire. The decor is cozy and relaxed with just a handful of tables for an intimate dining experience. 

The menu is crafted each night from local seasonal ingredients from the area. In addition to that, they are VERY accommodating to food allergies and preferences. They remixed 2 dishes for my husband to make the perfect seafood-only dish for him and handled my gluten and lactose allergies with ease. The food itself was beautifully plated, moderately portioned and absolutely delicious. We didn't leave a morsel behind. 

The service was attentive yet still gave us the space to enjoy our meal. The wine selection complimented the dishes delightfully as well.

I couldn't be happier that Bondir is just a couple of blocks from our home. I see us coming back often.
3 - Josephine L.: Really? 5 stars and rave reviews? Compared to all the other farmhouse-style locavorian restaurants in Boston? Did I come on an off day or something?

Bondir wasn't bad but it wasn't mind-blowing. It was decent, with food that ranged from good to underwhelming and service that started off okay and then got lousy.

Food: 

I am not a bread person and don't care about bread. Bondir's house-baked breads were okay but far from spectacular. The cranberry/walnut one was the only one that stood out. The boy and I split a Spiced Pea Soup and Saffron Risotto to start, and both were very good. The half-size portion idea is fantastic and you should definitely take advantage of it. We got the salmon and pork loin entrees to share. They were just okay. Nothing memorable and the pork was on the tougher side.

The desserts were much more interesting but ultimately disappointing too. We split the Crostata, Chocolate Panna Cotta and a scoop of the Jersey Milk-Vanilla Ice Cream. The ice-cream was the best, in my opinion. The panna cotta was far too rich for me and the crostata was okay but kind of forgettable.

Decor/Ambience: Cozy farmhouse-style with crackling fireplace, but hardly the coziest place I've ever been to. Deuxave, Baraka, Central Kitchen and many more come to mind as being much cozier, more intimate and better-decorated.

Service: Started off fine. We were seated quickly and our drink/food orders were taken promptly. Our soup and risotto arrived at a reasonable time. Then everything went downhill. A party of 4 seated next to us, who only arrived when our soup/risotto came, ended up getting their entrees BEFORE we did. How is that possible? We had to sit there and listen to them moan and groan over how good their food was when we'd placed our orders before they even arrived! We probably waited a good 20 min for our entrees. Desserts--same story. The party of 4 got all of their dessert orders before we did. Service FAIL.

Maybe Bondir just needs more time to get their act together? I don't know. I do know that if I want delicious locavorian fare, I'll go to the far superior Bergamot (also in Inman), or pay a little more for Craigie's always-stellar service and food. Even Journeyman, despite the long wait times, is better. Bondir--sorry. Won't be a repeat customer.
5 - Noah S.: I really enjoyed dining at Bondir -- the food was interesting and tasty, the staff welcoming and friendly, and the entire evening was a delight.

Of course the food is the most important thing about eating out -- and Bondir gets that just about right -- but the overall experience was fabulous. When you walk in, you are greeted by a friendly hostess or waiter, encouraged to warm in front of the fireplace if it's a cold day, and then shown to your seat in the cozy dining area. Our waitress was just the right mix of helpful and enthusiastic about the menu but not overbearing, and the entire meal was relaxing and perfectly paced.

My girlfriend and I went together, and took full advantage of the option to get half-portions of multiple menu items. I would say the food wasn't quite as perfect as at Craigie on Main or Oleana, but really good nevertheless, and the dining space and staff more than make Bondir a five-star dinner in my opinion.
3 - Catherine L.: Perhaps my expectations were a little too high after reading the stellar reviews on yelp but I think this place was just okay.  There are aspects that were great and some that were not so great.  

First off, the staff is very inviting and friendly.  The decor is very cute and cozy.  The whole ambience reminded me of going to a friend's house for dinner.  I really like that neighborhood feel to the restaurant.

Ok, on to the food.  Note that they change their menu all the time so it's unlikely one would be able to order the same thing.  I like how they make their bread on-site.  We were served 3 kinds.  My fav was the seaweed one.  Interesting combination but it worked.

We ordered the parsnip soup which was delicious.  I really like how they used clove and it added a nice spicy finish to it.  We also got the home made burrata, which is home made mozzarella with shaved veggies.  We love cheese so this was the perfect dish for us.  The contrast in texture between the mushy cheese and crisp veggies was excellent.  

They ran out of the mallard duck so they gave me the duck confit instead.  We also got the mutton shoulder and the scallops dishes.  They offer half sizes for their entrees, which allows for guests to sample more dishes.  The dishes here are very small though.  I had expected to be more full given all we ordered.  

The duck confit was okay.  It was good, but not exceptional.  The white asparagus that it was served with was very interesting.  It had a bread crumb topping that was delicious.  The mutton was awesome.  Very little gaminess and was cooked perfectly.  I really had a problem with the scallop dish.  The scallops had this fishy taste to it and I'm not certain that it was cooked all the way through.

For dessert, we tried the Tangerine dream, which is a cake with tangerines and thyme ice cream and topped with a meringe.  The thyme ice cream was awesome!  I wish I could buy that somewhere.  The meringe was a little rich - I like mine more airy and fluffy.  

It was a nice experience but not expectional.
5 - Richard L.: Yelp reviews are interesting, because they prove that you can't please everyone all the time, and I am puzzled by some of the negative reviews.  We felt that Bondir was spectacular, I can endorse the vast majority of the reviews that are glowing. I hesitate to write this review because it is so small and pleasant, and I am worried that I won't be able to come here as often as I plan in the future.

The service was warm and pleasant, and we felt like we had been invited into a home. The food was uniformly wonderful, with fresh vegetables that were perfectly prepared. The scallops were outstanding, and pasta dish was also lovely. There aren't a lot of dessert selections but they were all tasty.

When I got up to leave, I glanced around as I put my coat on. Almost everyone at the other tables glanced back and smiled, and I think it is because they were enjoying their dinner! (I am a bald middle-age guy, so it wasn't because of my looks)

If you are looking for the steak house or Huge Servings with mashed potato experience, Bondir is not the place. You won't get 2300 calories in one sitting at Bondir (thank heaven!). But if you want fresh, interesting and delightful food, it's the place for you. Before we even got home, we'd made plans by email to go again our best friends, and I am planning on eating there every chance I get!
5 - Jerry H.: Outstanding Cambridge restaurant. Among the best bread I have encountered in Boston--home made.  Beet appetizer ok. Beets could have more flavor.  Nice wild  Salmon with a great morel mushroom sauce. Nice desserts. We had a very nice Cotes de Rhone wine with a a good price

Staff very friendly. Chef came out to say hello.  We will go back soon
5 - Sara F.: This irestaurant s a lovely jewel, a beautiful candlelit sanctum in which you can savor fresh local sumptuous food and well-chosen wines. It is truly special, in a rather surprising spot which somehow lends more to its intrigue. Dined here with a friend last night for her birthday - they brought a candle in a tiny teacup when they delivered the amazing dessert - a very sweet touch. Half and full portions are a brilliant concept. Staff help you to feel very welcome and pampered. A real treasure I will return to  . . .
5 - Adam G.: Amazing meal.  Wonderful, complex flavors, cosy atmosphere,  incredible service  (thank you Kathleen)  The best meal I have had in quite some time, and I eat out quite often!.   The menu changes daily, as they try to use only local and readily available fresh ingredients.  Our table tried the duck, steer, scallops, beets, chicken grits... and every single bite was savored and fully appreciated.  I'll definitely be back!  I also love the way the menu is designed.  Any entree you can get a full portion or half protion.  So we all got 2 or 3 half portions (instead of an appetizer and full) and we got to try many more things without spending a fortune.
4 - Matt S.: I have been here twice now and it has been a very pleasant experince both times. Here it is broken down by category.

Decor, Service, and Atmosphere :
The restaurant is very cozy and homey, but without having you sitting to close to the table next to you. The place is very small so it stays quite. The decorating is very nice. They have a front area by the a fireplace that where you can gather while you wait for your table, which is exceptionally well done.

The wait staff is great and is knowledgeable about the menu. When we ate there late Jason Bond, the chef, came out to talk to us. Everyone is extremely friendly and welcoming.

The Food:
The food at Bondir is all very original and mostly very good. They offer almost everything on the menu in either a half or full portion, where a half is about an appetizer size. Both times I have gone we have order half portions of the entire menu and shared it among the table. They seem to encourage dining like this which is fine with me because I like to try lots of different things.

The scallops and chicken were my favorite things both times I went. All of the dishes were very original and many have odd combination of tastes. It was fine for the very small amount you get when splitting everything but some of it would have been hard to eat a whole plate of.

Overall I would recommend that you go try this place out. It is a great dining experince with some very original food.
5 - Ira H.: Excellent meal.    We were warmly greeted when we arrived.  We were guided into an excellent bottle of wine.  

I had the Parsnip soup which was amazing.  For dinner I had two half portions.  First came the seafood mix which was a small assortment of perfection: Some small scallops, an oyster, a clam etc.  The 2nd half portion was a piece of slow cooked beef.  Also amazing.

Cappuccino was great.  I had some of my wife's sorbet mix for dessert which was very rich and full of flavor.  

Parking was easy.  Definitely will return.
5 - Rebecca S.: Bondir is a gem.  Tucked in a small building on a quiet stretch of Broadway, Bondir's charming atmosphere and warm staff welcomed us the moment we stepped inside.  The interior's style is quaint without being cloying or clichéd.  Bondir is a small restaurant, but the tables don't feel cramped, and there's a small seating area in the front where you can sip a glass of wine while waiting for a table (if you didn't book in advance; reservations advisable).

The food was superb.  The menu changes frequently, focusing on fresh, local ingredients, so what we ate may not be on offer in future visits -- their website lists the day's menu.  Here's what we had:  first we shared a delicious appetizer of roasted beet and greens with a delicate buttermilk dressing, and also mangalitsa prosciutto served with baby artichokes.  We then shared half-portions of duck breast, and roasted lamb.  We finished with a delicate chocolate panna cotta, and some very nice coffee.

Perfect evening, excellent meal.
5 - Mimi X.: A+ Bondir! Every dish of our meal was so thoughtfully conceived, from the contrasting textures, to the colors, to the architecture of how the food was plated. I'm completely baffled as to how the chef, Jason Bond, has the time to think through these dishes when they adjust the menu to seasonal vegetables and meats daily! (Our menu was printed with the date, May 19).

Our waiter satisfied our curiosities about the menu, and patiently explained to us how every dish was cooked, detailing how they cured their own prosciutto for 18 months in-house (!!!) and make their own breads, one of which contained shrimp and squid-ink. Not sure where they have the room to do such elaborate preparations in the restaurant's tiny space (kitchen elves?), but bonus points for not buying the bread from Hi-Rise.

One of the fun things about Bondir, as mentioned in other reviews, is the opportunity to order half portions of almost anything, which is a perfect excuse to sample as many of their inventive entrees as you can afford. 

We started with a spiced beet salad with pumpkin seeds, which had the most delightful sauce made of pistachios, buttermilk, and grapeseed oil. Then we moved onto the famed prosciutto (delicate but punchy), hand made pasta (tasty, but perhaps the least exciting), pork belly (crispy skin on the outside, fall-apart tender on the inside), and last but not least the duck with roasted kale, which was out of this world. My boyfriend claims the duck might have knocked off his favorite dish of Hungry Mother's Oatmeal Crusted Catfish from its top standing, which is quite an impressive feat. 

Pass on three mediocre meals elsewhere, save up your moolah, and spend it here. Your stomach will thank you.
5 - Lynn C.: My fiance and I have been trying to go to this restaurant for months!  We came on a Monday evening and on the outside, it's very unassuming. It's painted white brick with the word Bondir on the front. Inside, it's very warm and cozy with a fireplace in the front, warm lighting and quaint tables.

We split a bunch of things and like a lot of other people, the half sizes are great for sharing. The menu changes daily and we ordered five five different items and dessert.  The waiter was very helpful, explaining each item and offering recommendations for wine.  

We started with the complimentary bread which was not worth writing about. It was definitely not the best part of the meal.  We started with the Local Baby Lettuce Panzanella Salad with Lemon Sumac Dressing and Spring Vegetables and the Mangalitsa 18 Month Prosciutto
Ricotta, Tuscan Olive Oil, Arugula, Olive Oil Toasted Bread Crumbs.

Afterwards, we had the  Aged Carnaroli Risotto with Rhode Island Mussels and Periwinkles, Lardons, and Spruce Shoot Froth.

For the mains, we had Roasted Mallard Duck wuth Mustard Greens, Black Lentils, and White Flint Cornmeal Cake and the Beef Bavette
Red Wine Braised Carrots, and Triticale Wheat Berries.

Portions were just right and everything tasted delicious!
For dessert, we had the Tangerine Dream.

Service was lovely and the hostess even took us to the kitchen to meet the chef.  We had a great time and would recommend this place to everyone!
4 - Carolyn S.: Bondir is a tiny little spot somewhat off the beaten path. If I had not been on the lookout, I would have easily missed the subtle sign out front. Inside, the mood is cozy, quaint and charming. Despite having such limited space (there must be only around ten tables), there is a little nook in front of a brick candle-lit fireplace suitable for a drink or even a light bite. Waitstaff was professional and attentive as soon as I walked in the door.

The best part of the Bondir menu is the fact that nearly all dishes are available as half-servings, allowing one to pick and choose multiple plates for tasting.

We started off with the house-made bread, a delicious 9-Grain, a rugged Cranberry Walnut-Spelt, and an intriguing bread titled, "The Sea", which contained whirls of nori seaweed and dried shrimp (hearty and oddly delicious). Having spent a fair amount of time baking my own bread, I would rate these choices very highly - they had excellent texture and the creativity in flavors and ingredients is commendable.

For appetizers we opted for the fantastic Mangalitsa 18 Month Prosciutto
Ricotta, Tuscan Olive Oil, Greens, Olive Oil Toasted Bread Crumbs. The prosciutto was some of the best I've tasted in recent memory and the toppings were light and perfectly complimented the rich intensity of the thinly sliced meat. The Handmade Burrata Shaved Vegetable Salad, Pistachio Vinagarete, Aniseed Tuile was also excellent. The cheese was creamy and the salad was fresh and crisp. My favorite dish, by far, was the Aged Carnaroli Risotto Rhode Island Mussels and Periwinkles, Lardons, Spruce Shoot Froth. This dish was packed with flavor - perfectly cooked and flavors that complemented each other wonderfully. The Herbed Tagliatelle Confit Duck, Georgia Peas, Sorrel, Scamorza was also delicious. The Roasted Mallard Duck Mustard Greens, Black Lentils, White Flint Cornmeal Cake was incredibly flavorful - delicious and like all of the meat dishes, quite generously portioned for a "half" serving. My one complaint is that the duck breast was on the sinewy side. The other meat dishes (salmon and roast lamb) were fantastic.

For dessert we had the Génoise, Vermouth-Infused Tangerine, Thyme-Buttermilk Ice Cream, Meringue Brulée served parfait style and Chocolate Panna Cotta Seville Orange and Rhubarb, Cocoa Nibs and Pistachio. Both were excellent. The tangerine dessert was creative and fun, and the panna cotta and a perfect texture.

Overall, I would recommend this new restaurant. The food was creative and excellent, service was friendly and attentive and the ambience is wonderful. The menu changes daily so there will always be something fresh and new to try. A wonderful spot for a romantic meal or cozy meeting with friends&family.
5 - Melissa F.: This is just one of the most delightful restaurants you will ever find in the area.  It's not just the food, it's the whole experience.  Don't be put off by the rather austere looking outside -  once you enter, it's so inviting.  Every person on the staff is fully involved in your experience, in a good way and very knowledgeable.  I was in a cast and with crutches the evening I was there and despite being a small place, they went out of their way to make me comfortable. Don't go expecting gigantic portions, but do go expecting the best ingredients and superb technique, all resulting in one of the best meals you will get in the city.
5 - Jason B.: My choice for best restaurant in Boston!

I want to eat here every night, I work close by and go when I can!
5 - Shaina P.: Venison. Duck. Calaminthe papparadelle. Morel. The Sea. Butter. Soft poached egg.

Dinner at Bondir is an experience, not your typical night out.  Not even your typical date night out.  The casual dress of the staff in combination with the white tablecloths and the ethereal home comforting atmosphere barely even fazed me given the eating enjoyment I experienced the other night.

Despite the complicated ingredients on the menu, the staff were patient and knowledgeable about the selection (which changes daily).  I went with my husband and two friends, but next time I'm stealing the sweetly romantic atmosphere for me and Dave alone! (on a cold winter night, hopefully with ancient fireplace in full flame and some food like braised shoulder of some animal you can only buy at Savenors on a bed of the fattest homemade olive-flecked tagliatelle and a BIG glass of red wine).

Of course I will return and of course I recommend the restaurant to others, but I think it's best suited for a special occasion requiring a call ahead.
5 - Tray R.: This is by far the best restaurant in Boston!!!   Everything from the reception when we walked in the door, to the friendly and knowledgable waitress to the out of this world food- what more could you want?  It's so refreshing that a chef in Boston recognizes that it's important to treat his customers like guests and appreciates offering excellent service!  That is so hard to find in this city.  thank you for a fantastic evening.  Can't wait to come back
4 - Morris R.: The meal itself was inventive and fun. My only complaint is that the space is so tiny that I felt like people at the tables adjacent to and behind mine were shouting in my ear, and the staff were like flight attendants, squeezing through the aisles. I really expected, at any moment, to be sold a headset for $5.
5 - Blair H.: This is what a hug tastes like.  

Just made the top of my Boston/Cambridge list.
5 - Kathy A.: Dining here was truly a wonderful experience. The ambiance is cozy and welcoming, like you're going over someone's house for an intimate dinner party. My boyfriend and I shared 6 small plates, and the standout dishes were scallops and chicken, as well as the rhubarb tart. The homemade sodas were great as well. We asked a lot of questions about the menu and our server was very helpful and patient. Everything about Bondir is well thought out, from the lighting to the plates to the food. This restaurant is truly special.
2 - priya r.: First of all, for a higher-end restaurant not to have air conditioning - it was disappointing.  We came in from 90 degree weather into a hot restaurant.  But, I guess that is good for the environment, so I am not holding it against them.

However, I WILL hold it against them that our sparkling wine was lukewarm, even though it was served in an ice cold container.  You HAVE to serve this cold, especially when we are spending good money on it.

Nothing on the menu stood out.  Nothing interesting, and definitely nothing complex. They came out with a few types of bread - I've had better from Whole Foods. We ordered a half order of a pasta dish (with squid ink or something) and it was TINY.  We both had a couple of (small) bites each - $16.  Our main entrees came out, my boyfriend had scallops with marjoram foam and I had beef bavette.  Nothing new, but tasty.  But not good enough for the prices.

The service was mediocre.  We decided against dessert and went to Think Tank instead for their peanut butter bread pudding - that was awesome.

For this type of experience go to T.W. Foods - I have NEVER had a better dining experience in Cambridge.  This place does not compare.  I don't understand the great reviews on this page.  NOT complex, NOT interesting, sub-par service and our sparkling wine was lukewarm.
4 - Vita L.: Great experience the other night. 

Really liked cranberry and walnut bread, the seaweed one was weird, not sure I liked the taste.

The ambiance is nice, very cozy place. 

Even China matches the decor!

I had German Pinot Noir and it was fantastic. Very light. 

For food we had vegetable soupe Potager with shaved black truffle (good), tagliatelle (good) flounder ceviche (interesting flavor), lamb (good) and duck (excellent). 

Dessert was just OK. We got cherry trifle and crostata. 

Overall, 4 stars. Will back back!
5 - Nick H.: It says something about today's restaurant landscape when menus change so often that daily blog posts can update you on the menu. This is a beautiful thing for foodies, and I'm pumped.

This was such a good meal I'm gonna lay this down with a dish play-by-play like none other. From our May 6th blog post, here are the dishes we sampled. Before we begin, I should add that all dishes are available in full and half portions, which is why we were able to take on such a nice sampling.

Even though this meal transpired over two months ago, the dishes are steamed, seared, and roasted into my mind and taste buds in a way that should bring them to life for you in perfect clarity.


**Friday, May 6 Menu**

-- 9-Grain, The Sea, Cranberry-Walnut, Spelt

Nick H commentary: When even the bread spread wows you at a restaurant, you know you've found something special. We gorged on wonderfully soft grain bread, a variety that really DID taste like the sea, and found the cranberry/walnut and spelt quite nice as well. The night was off to a good start.

--Braised French White Asparagus
Black Garlic, Whelks, Razor Clams, Periwinkles, Shiny Sea Oyster

Nick H commentary: One of Boston's Best Dishes dear reader. One of those eating experiences that opens your eyes to flavors you've never found before. My virgin taste of periwinkles and sea snails (the whelks) made we want to start stealing them out of sea beds, but what really elevated this dish was this smoked milk froth layered over the asparagus and shellfish - simply out of this world complex and yet so simple. A truly eye-opening dish that screamed the essences of the sea. Art.

--Hand Rolled Tagliatelle
Georgia Peas, Pea Greens, Sorrell, Fresh Ricotta

Nick H commentary: This was one of those dishes you just can't help but order. As I read each ingredient my pants became tighter. Inappropriate I know, but I just get this way when I talk about good food. Hopefully we can still be friends. 

--Scituate Cod
Roasted Golden Turnip, Wild Water Cress

Nick H  commentary: Perfectly-cooked fish atop simple yet elegant accompaniments. What more to say?

--Heirloom Keener White Corn Grits
Braised Chicken, Pu-Erh Celery Branch, Fresh Chili

Nick H commentary: This is one of those dishes you need to ask questions about. "Uhhh what is pu-erh celery branch?" My best description of the experience eating this dish is that it tasted like comfort chicken soup reincarnated in solid form. Chicken was oh-so-tender and played nicely with the smooth grits and other components. Well done.

--Tangerine Dream
Génoise, Vermouth-Infused Tangerine,
Thyme-Buttermilk Ice Cream, Meringue Brulée

Nick H  commentary: Simply put, one of the best desserts I've ever tasted. No joke. C'mon - thyme-buttermilk ice cream? Vermouth-infused tangerine? This bad boy was served up in a kingly goblet and just floored my culinary hopes and dreams. Amazing. 


To top it all off, they finished things off with a gratis secret off-menu dessert that included goats milk ice cream and Japanese knotweed puree that had a flavor similar to rhubarb (though a little more tart). 

Chef Jason Bond himself even came by to wish us well with a smile. And no, he did not say, "The name's Bond..." but he may as well have given the fact that he served us a culinary golden-gun bullet filled with food heaven.
5 - Jeff S.: Amazing!  Simple.  Elegant.  Delicious.  Gracious.  Accommodating. I could not find one thing to criticize even if I wanted to.

I'm not going to on and on here detailing every bite.  The food was perfect. Fresh, in season, artfully prepared. The heirloom tomato salad was a perfect example of restraint with cooking.  Just a hand full of ingredients being able to speak for themselves.  My duck main was gloriously medium rare, tender, flavorful and so elegantly served with just the thinest strip of perfectly crispy, salty skin on each slice.  

Our server (whose name I've forgotten) was incredibly attentive and knowledgable.  We started with two half portions for four, and she suggested a full of the tomato.  Spot on since there would not have been enough for all of us to sample otherwise.  When raving about the red wine lentils that accompanied the veal, she informed us that Jason (the chef) would be happy to send the recipe along and to simply leave our email on the comments card. She even doubled check to make sure that we haven't forgotten to on the way out!

A sensational value as well.  I enjoy modern american, but often I'm left slightly hungry and unsatisfied over potion sizing (as I did at Craig on Main). Not the case here. A bottle and glass of wine, 1 half sized, and 5 full sized plates, plus dessert for $240. And all of us left completely full and satisfied.  

Jason, the chef/owner, was even gracious enough to come out from the kitchen at the end of the meal to thank us for our feedback and chat a bit.  For a place that's only been open 9 months, Bondir not only lived up to, but completely surpassed my exceptions. 

Arguably the best meal I've had in Boston!!

***I'm not sure what Priyra R. is talking about with the air conditioning.  I was in last night on a 88 degree day, and the temperature was perfect.
5 - David H.: Outstanding. Simple preparations of ultra fresh food without an ounce of fuss or pretense. This is what dining out should be, exciting without being overbearing. Can't recommend it highly enough.
2 - Mo B.: Scallops were delicious, in a unique sauce.
Had peach trifle for desert,  that was heavenly.
Waiter was extremely overbearing.
It was obvious that he wanted to turn the table over as quickly as possible.
Absolutely not in a rush to return!!!
5 - Simon L.: Ok, Mr. Bond actually gets seven stars. We were lucky enough to order the entire menu with a couple bottles of red wine. Start to finish, maybe the best dinner of all time.

This second visit provided two food knowledgable friends from away an opportunity to sample something unique. My first visit in February was equally superb and is also the reason I chose to bring them to Bondir. Service was/is impeccable, preparartions perfect. An experience unrivaled in Boston's culinary reperetoire.

Starting with corn and potatoe chowder with roasted onion petal and chili oil. This hearty comfort soup sets a new standard for food that should not be as good as it is. 

A spiced poached beet salad with fine herbs and vinaigrette of buttermilk and pistachio allows the chef to demonstrate his mastery of preparing a difficult ingredient into a unique and noteworthy course celebrating the season and the root.

Next we sample the rabbit galantine. Cucumber mint and yogurt dressing alongside shaved vegetable salad. A quintessentially French country dish straight from the Provence region. An original take on a charcuterie that is avoided by most due to difficulty in preparation. Taking the forcemeat of additional animals minced with pork and rolling in a de-boned rabbit body to simmer in a bouqet garni stock for several hours is more than most chefs care to attempt. Not here, an incredibly fine demonstration of skillful hands using unique ingrdients to enhance the apallate of otherwise finicky diners.

Followed by blood red corn grits, braised rabbit, beet greens and gumbo file. A dual preparation of country grandeaur using the rack of rabbit to add protein to this starchy entre-course. Sassafras entwined the combination.

Steamed summer veggies, mustard oil polenta and glace add another layer of substance that incorportes irony proteins with savory substance.

Calamintha, read mint, pappardele, accompanies a wonderful confit duck with ricotta and arrowhead cabbage.

The roasted bluefish with eggplant, broccoli, purslane and shellfish vinaigrette is fresh, unique and singularly unfishy. 

Local chicken leg, thigh and breast with roasted squash, white flint cornmeal cake new corn kernels and special onion enlivens this multifaceted eating triumph.

Beef bavette next to white carrots glazed in butter and sugar, delectably sweet, while triticale wheat berry is tender, diametrically opposite  the wonderfully prepared medium rare meat. 

Without a doubt, Chef Bond prepares an incrediblly diverse and tasteful menu that outshines any restaurant in the Boston metro area. Ordering the entire menu using the half portion option for the entrees allows one to create a tasting menu of the chef/proprietors specialities. 

Take a trip to Cambridge to check out this quaint French country style affair.
5 - michael r.: This is the best meal we have enjoyed in over 20 years and is superior to all of our dining in Paris this past year.   The service is incredibly kind and superb, their amazing homemade breads including a bread with dried shrimp and seaweed.   The half plates were more than generous and had amazing concotions and tastes with their salmon and chicken dishes absolutely excellent flavors, seasonings and blending of ingredients....cooking here is an art form at an affordable price with the simplicity and service of the most elegant restaurant without the pretention.

Update.....we ate there again last night......all was wonderful, noise level a bit high, still amazing cooking....but.....there was a lot of salt in the food, particularly the fluke and chicken....they need to be more careful with that....we love the place so we didn't complain....desserts were fantastic especially the apple trifle which was incredibly good.....glasses of wine poured were small, only about 3 ounces and shouldn't be at this caliber restaurant  and at $12 a glass for a fairly standard wine.  Service was especially good and attentive and friendly.
4 - Tanya A.: My husband and I went for our anniversary, and enjoyed the experience immensely. From the outside, it looks like a little hole in the wall, but inside you're immediately struck by the charming, eclectic decor. The menu looked great-- we took the waiter's advice and ordered numerous "half" portions of 5 dishes to share.

The breads are amazing-- particularly the "Sea" bread, which is swirled with squid ink and has tiny bits of dried shrimp in it. It was as if sushi and sourdough had had a bastard child, and it was really fantastic.

We started with what was basically a duck confit, served over bread and with mustard and some greens. It was rustic and very well done.

Next was this amazing lemon verbena tagliatelle with chicken mushrooms-- very delicate and flavorful. Also a scallop seared in duck fat (best dish of the night) that came with a silky smooth eggplant puree.

We had the stuffed veal, which was a bit heavy but still tasty, and also "duck three ways" which involved confit, seared duck breast, and I think a sausage of some sort.

I generally am not impressed by restaurant desserts, but we ordered a dark chocolate panna cotta with a fruit sorbet, and it was excellent.

All in all, we left full, happy, and feeling like we got a very nice meal for a relatively low price. Maybe not as "fabulous" an experience as the tasting menu at Craigie on Main (still our favorite), but at only a little over half the price it definitely stacks up pretty well!
4 - Ellen R.: I love the devotion of the staff to the food.  Our waitress was very knowledgeable and clearly loves the chef's food.  We sampled several dishes including a superb corn soup with a lobster reduction base.  The scallops were perfect and the pasta with duck was outstanding.  We also had a beet salad but alas, the beets did not have any flavor.  One can't blame the chef for that.  however, they could have been perked up with more of the delicious lemon dressing  if someone had judged the beets before serving.  We also had a tart with tomato and other vegetables.  It was a bit unbalanced and needed more of the wonderful vegetables with the pastry.  I love the size of the restaurant which is small.  You can actually chat with fellow diners.  I will recommend  the restaurant and will look forward to a return visit for the innovative cooking.
4 - Mike R.: Everyone in our small group liked Bondir. They don't bring all the plates out at the same time and making reservations involves annoying phone tag games, but I'd happily go back. All the food was delicious and seemed fresh and high quality. The menu is small but no one had difficulty selecting dishes, and the half-sized orders allowed us to try a few things.
5 - Maura M.: Five stars because of extraordinary food thoughtfully and deliciously made. 

But please change the bread routine: we were served 5 slices total in a pile. Couldn't tell it apart and were forced to rip it up. 4 diners and 3 types of bread should mean 12 pieces of bread. If it' so special, and it really is, please portion it for us so everybody has an equal taste. 

The butter in quarter inch cubes totaling maybe a tablespoon? A little bit more butter please.

And the servers, while sweet, are a tad prim. Lighten up ladies!

Obviously small complaints. The food is brilliant!
5 - Sarah G.: Thank you, Bon Appetit for letting me know that this place was in  your top 10 newest restaurants in America. I can see why you chose it, since I am already trying to figure out another time to come back here!

You walk into this tiny 28 seating restaurant which from the outside looks like some hole-in-the-wall joint, bu you know the moment you enter Bondir that you are in for a treat. It is one room with a sitting area in front with a fireplace during the winter helps to warm your soul before their food does, and in the fall when I just went, it has some truly delightful candles that just create this completely inviting atmosphere for fine dining. 

But it isn't really fine dining--yes the food is fine and divine and all that, but the servers are not dressed up despite the white linens on the tables. Their wine list does have quite the price mark up on it, but that's how the story goes for most restaurants in Boston. My mom and I started with a soup and salad...and that soup is what will forever make me want to eat here.

It was butternut squash with bee pollen, carmelized shallots, and  a melted spiced marshmellow on top. My god. That soup has to be the most perfect soup ever made. I even asked the server about the spices so I can attempt to recreate it at home, it was simply amazing. Their spiced poached beet salad served with fresh garden herbs was also just a lovely beginning to our meal. We then split two half size entrees (this was more than enough food for us despite our server's recommendation of more!) of a roasted chicken that was so moist and that skin was roasted to perfection--it sat on top of a cornmeal cake with this squash and these green beans that would make any veggie lover sing out with joy. Plus it was topped with these mini ripe vine tomatoes that were just perfect. I got the rabbit canon which was served with butcher blood red grits. I wasn't sure what to expect but then we got the plate, and there it was--blood on  the grits! I know this sounds gross, but it honestly all worked together so well. The rabbit was so so good, kidneys and all ha ha Yup that is how incredible inventive they are here. They use all the parts of the animals that they can, and it still just looks and tastes like pure art. 

We ended with their house made hot chocolate which honestly should have been served hotter, but their apple trifle surely made up for that! This torched meringue topping that tasted like whipped heaven on top of these apples sitting on this spice cake that tasted like it had a little rum soaked into it--either that or I was drunk and in love with this place! I will definitely be back!
4 - Alastair F.: Normally, I hear that you get what you pay for. Here, I feel you pay for what you get. The service, atmosphere, and food are phenomenal, but the cost to get a full tummy is pretty astronomical for a hungry 20 something. If you are a light eater or going for the experience then you can't go wrong here.
5 - Jordan D.: One of the better dining experiences of 2011.

My gf's brother recently moved right by the vicinity of Bondir. He checked it out once with his bud and raved about it. Then, one morning on the Today show, we saw that it was named one of the ten best new restaurants in the county by some foodie magazine. With my gf knowing we were visiting months in advance, we made reservations (2-3 months in advance, keep in mind) for a table for 4 on a Friday night. I wasn't sure what to expect a place gets ton of hype; a lot of the times, it's a let down. Plus, on that same list Bondir was one, a local restaurant that is over-hyped made the list, so I was definitely skeptical. 

We finally make it on our Friday night, in a torrential downpour. Immediately as we walked in, I notice this place is tiny. It's just a rectangular space, with about 7 or 8 tables on each side. From the looks of it, this place seems to be reservation only. We sit down and are greeted by a super friendly waiter. We decide to go with a few bottles of craft beer and 2 bottles of wine and after some deliberation, we decide to order the whole menu and split everything down the middle. You can either order a full portion or half portion. With our party, we decided to go mostly with half portion and we picked 2 or 3 of the heartier dishes for full portions. 

Now, I was a bad foodie that night. I definitely didn't write down or catalogue what we ate and since the menu is always changing, I doubt I can find out haha. We ended up having some pork shoulder, skate, berrata, duck, etc. and everything was outstanding. Each dish tasted like a million bucks and was executed perfectly. To top it off, each dish was explained by our waiter too, which was a nice touch. The chef even came out at the end of our meal to chat with us, which was really nice as well. 

I'm a figidity type of dude. After a few hours of sitting down at dinner, I'm usually itching to get up, but after a few hours of drinking good and eating good, I had no desire to get up! Ambiance, food, decor, presentation - 5 stars across the board. Bondir is a real gem!
5 - Judith K.: Others have written about the exquisite food, so I will write instead about the service, because my experience was so remarkable on a rainy, awful night that I have tears in my eyes thinking about it. . Having misunderstood an invitation, i arrived TWO HOURS early, cold, wet, embarrassed, miserable.  EVERY SINGLE PERSON on the Bondir staff went out of her/his way to make me feel comfortable as I sat in the tiny antechamber waiting. i had strength only to order an aperitif, but they brought me bread and a bowl of hot soup, and directed me to a tiny library of cookery books to while away my time.  They would not let me pay for anything, and because I had a patch on one eye and no depth perception, they guided me to the bathroom.  When it was time to leave, one server, Kathleen, came with an umbrella to escort me to a car that was waiting for me.  If you are old and a bit ditzy, and people are unfailingly kind to you, you will have an idea of my experience at Bondir.  I praise not just the gorgeous food and lovely accoutrements, but the perfect humanity of the place.
4 - Bobby C.: Been meaning to go to Bondir for many months now.  One of my friends decided to take me out to dinner to celebrate my birthday.  We got on the waiting list as we had no reservations that very day.  Luckily some cancelled due the inclement weather so we got a table last minute on a snowy Saturday evening.  

Bondir is romantic and cozy.  It was mostly couples with maybe one or two families dining that night.  Before we were seated, our coats were taken from us.  The hostess and server were both polite and professional but with a slight solemn demeanor.  

You can order half or full portions from their menu that changes daily.  Our server recommended that we get three half portions for each person.  I ordered the Red Wine Braised Chicken Leg, Scituate Scallops, and Gloucester Old Spot Ham.  My friend had the Pasture Raised Chicken, Scituate Scallops, and a clams/scallops dish.  I enjoyed the red wine braised chicken the most.  It was cooked just right, very tender.  The chicken just fell off the bone.  The seared scallops were pretty good.  The ham was just ok.  I thought portions were decent or more on the generous side compared to restaurants around this price range.  

Overall, I think the dinner was good from the point we stepped into the establishment until we left.  I liked the ambiance and service.  The price/portions were decent.
3 - Hussam B.: We heard about Bondir through an article in Bon Apetit magazine. After reading their review and a few of the others on Yelp, we decided to give this trendy restaurant a try.

The restaurant was fully booked for the weekend we wanted to go so we opted for Monday on Halloween. We arrived to small restaurant. It is quaint and feels like an old country farmhouse. There is a real fireplace in the waiting area. 

We were trying to keep our expectations low despite all of the rave reviews. The food lived up to our lowered expectations. The breads, although interesting, were not ground-breaking in flavor. The 9grain was the best tasting one, followed by a pumpkin and gruyere brioche (whose name sounds utterly delicious but tastewise was utterly disappointing, not much flavor at all) and then the sea bread.

We shared a pumpkin soup that was very good. The cheese they used to top it was strong, which was definitely a pro. It was rich and creamy and therefore a nice winter soup.

We ordered four half dishes. A squash tart which was the most enjoyable, the scallops which were good but not particularly memorable as others seem to suggest. Our final two dishes were the buckwheat rigatoni, which was rather plain and served tepid, and the chicken breast that although tasty and tender did not surpass any expectation or provide any groundbreaking flavor.

Our desserts were rather disappointing. We had the cheese platter that came with one slice of cheese. It was a nice strong goat's milk cheese however the dish itself was rather plain. The apple trifle that we also ordered was too sweet for either of our tastes.

The service was very good and our waiter was very attentive. By no means is Bondir a bad place, it is simply not exceptional, at least for us. Also, while it is a nice touch to change the menu daily, the one we had was particularly limited for someone who doesn't eat pork and wants something heartier than chicken. The only options that night were two ham dishes, two chicken dishes and scallops. The lack in protein options also influenced our restaurant review. Overall, its worth a try but not a place we would go back.
5 - Sam G.: Wonderful food, great atmosphere, and an amazing personal touch. Jason Bond came out and checked in with us as we were heading out. The half-portions are a great option, and sharing is not just tolerated but encouraged. We couldn't have been happier with the experience. One of my top all time restaurant experiences anywhere.
5 - Forest C.: Excellent food, cozy atmosphere and great service.  Ordered small version of everything on the menu and nothing disappointed and many of them thrilled.
4 - David C.: Eating at Bondir is like judging on an episode of Chopped. The dishes seem to be thrown together from a hodgepodge of mystery ingredients that shouldn't work together, but somehow miraculously do. I would recommend eating with the menu on the table, otherwise you might forget what in fact you are actually eating. (A post-hoc examination of the online menu reveals that there was bitter cocoa in the sow and venison ragu. So THAT'S what that flavor was. Very interesting.)

Go for the half-sized entrees and construct yourself a tasting menu of unbridled creativity, flavor and craftsmanship. It will be an experience you won't soon forget. Bondir also earns major style points for its bread selection, and the servers are not shy about dolling out slices. Barley flour bread with cascade hops and duck cracklings? Check and mate.

In true Chopped fashion, there's always room for nitpicking (dessert leaves much to be desired), but I'm not going to dwell on anything here. When you aim this high, you're bound to fall a little short. Overall, I love what Bondir has to offer, and I will most definitely be back.
4 - Molly O.: After planning a trip to Boston, then seeing Bondir named one of  Bon Appetit's 10 Best New Restaurants, I had to get a reservation. Fast forward to lots of tweets back and fourth with the Chef, my friend and I got a 5:30pm seating. Whoopee! 

The decor of Bondir is incredibly comfortable; farmhouse-ish decor, but in that cute, vintage way. Wine list is fabulous and includes a large selection of $30-$40 bottles; pretty affordable. Our server helped me choose a wonderful bottle of white Burgandy. Score. With the option of half and full orders, we stuck to halves...more different dishes that way, right? 

Tasty bread was brought to the table, and my friend and I started with the spice-poached beet. It was good, but I was more interested in it's wonderfully dressed side salad. My friend started with the corn chowder; perfectly seasoned and perfectly delicious! 

For entrees, I went with a duck fat roasted monkfish, and roasted duck half portions. The monkfish and root veggies tasted great, but I didn't realize the fish was served bone-in. The bone was easily 1/4th of an already small-ish portion. Sadface. For the roasted duck, the duck itself was some of the best duck I've ever had (um, Next's Paris menu, you have competition), but was served on a cornmeal cake that was preeeety charred. I didn't finish it. 

For dessert, I had juniper sorbet (and another scoop of something was thrown in by the chef), and a glass of dessert wine. Chef Bond came out to say hello (awesome!), and I noticed a few things were comped on the menu...a lovely evening
! 

Plan a month or so ahead if you want a prime dinner hour reservation. Woot.
5 - Amanda B.: My trip here totally took me by surprise, because my boyfriend actually found this restaurant on his own and then actually called to make a reservation, and told me that he had dinner plans for us that night.  I'm not saying he's not wonderful in many ways, but it wouldn't kill to up the romance a bit.  ANYHOW, this is how I ended up at Bondir and had a wonderful experience.

With 23 seats, there is a cozy, shabby-chic feel to the interior.  For anybody who doesn't know, the deal with this place is that they serve local, sustainable food.  This is really cool, since the menu changes daily depending on what is fresh and available.  

We went on August 12th, so we had lots of great choices in produce from the height of summer.  They also have a neat option where you can get a smaller portion of the dish for the half the price so that you can try a bunch of different things.  

We got a beet salad that paled in comparison to the other dishes.  The duck rillettes, for lack of a better description, were like an open-faced pate sandwich with salad greens and a yummy mustard sauce.  It was nice to start the meal with these two plates.

For our main dishes, I got the Calamint Tagliatelle, which was a delicious mix of pasta with duck confit (one of my most favorite things ever), mushrooms, and scarmorza.

However, the bf's choice of Vermont lamb was easily the most delicious lamb I have ever had in my life.  It came with saffron glazed carrots and cranberry beans, but to be honest I had to look at my saved copy of the menu to even know that they were there, because the lamb was the star of this dish.  I don't know if meat can be classified as luscious, but this certainly was -  it was like eating delicious ribbons of lamb.  (Sorry vegetarians, I am sure that you're gagging now.)

Dessert was not memorable and I just remember it being kind of "meh." 

I must say that dining here really made me feel special, and I think it would be worth it to visit once a season because it would be a totally different experience each time!
2 - Razan B.: It was a complete disappointment!  I don't know if it was because of the Saturday right after thanksgiving.. But the atmosphere was austere, pushy, and "trying too hard"!  The duck was so gamey and my scallop dish was a mishash of salt, overcooked pasta, and nothing short of any "farm to table" they are eager to tell you as soon as you step in.  There was nothing "fresh farm to table about it last night".  Dessert was okay, and I got the feeling the whole time, its all about turning tables around as quickly as possible.  I keep wondering given others warm reviews in the past if this was just an "off" night and the time of year and what is available on the farm. But is that an excuse for serving such sloppy food.  Not sure.
5 - Te T.: my most favorite place in boston area.
delicious creative food. i couldn't recommend anything because their menu changes every day. they are fine dining that actually feeds you because their portions are quite reasonable. but if you want something like tasting menu you can order half a portion. 
it was one of the most enjoyable dining experience i had. they played good relaxing nonpretentious music. the ambiance is not so fancy and flashy so it felt casual and nice in there. 
love love love this place.
5 - AB H.: Um, delicious. I mean really good.  SO GOOD!  We had and loved the pumpkin soup (spiced marshmallows!  caramelized shallots!), the butterball potato and treviso salad with scallops and lobster, and the bloody butcher red corn grits with confit duck.  All fabulous flavors, perfectly cooked, so good.  We had and liked the the spice-poached red beet salad.  We had and did not like the rigatoni, which was undercooked, as was the squash that came with it.  It was such a shocking disappointment after the over heavenly dishes.  We finished the meal with a tangerine meringue cake layered, which was perfect: light and flavorful.  They had a our reservation 30 minutes after what they had told me, so the evening started on a sour note.  When you mess up someones reservation, you should do something for them.  Bondir did not.
5 - Imran M.: This is a wonderful place to go that's really quite well hidden in the Cambridge area. The restaurant itself is tiny, but what it lakes in size it more than makes up for in charm, food selection, and service. 

Let's start off with the interior, my girlfriend aptly described it as something that reminded us of "foodie restaurant in Portland, Maine", which, to me at least, means that the restaurant felt warm, cozy, and safe. 

The hostess was so accommodating and made us feel totally welcome when we came in. After being seated, we were treated to the menu (which, as you can see from other reviews, is different every day) and we were served some really interesting bread (seaweed and dried shrimp? surprisingly delicious!). 

The meal itself was fantastic, and the dessert that we had afterwards (the Tangerine Dream) was delectable. 

Make sure you get a reservation here, and be prepared to spend a little bit of money. It's totally worth it.
4 - Richard L.: Real rating: 4.5 stars.

Loved our meal here! Everything was delicious, and our server was very helpful. I won't rehash what everyone else has mentioned already (half portions to share, sustainable, daily menus), but will give descriptions of our experience rather than the food. For reference, however, here's what we had with a brief comment.

-Pumpkin soup: delicious. Perfect for the weather. Pumpkin seeds were slightly tough, but added great depth and contrast to the soup
-Red beet salad: best beets I've ever had
-Grits with duck confit: hands down our favorite dish. Grits were silky; duck was velvety; mushrooms were perfect
-Black bass: skin was amazingly crunchy
-Duck with cornmeal cake and sweet potato puree: creative and mouth-watering
-Pork shoulder: felt it was slightly dry, but combined with the apple cider glaze and radish, it was awesome
-Tangerine dream: layer after layer of delicious surprise

Arrival: warm greeting, sat by the fireplace to wait and defrost from the cold outside; waited less than 5 minutes to be seated

Plating: I actually adore the cute plates they use. Really takes me to some quaint countryside lodge run by a mom/pop.

Portions: this was a little weird. For example, beet salad was tiny compared to the soup, grits with duck confit was very large compared to the fish dish, and the duck dish was also large compared to the pork shoulder. My partner and I had trouble "keeping pace" with each other and at one point, I felt rushed to finish up my larger portion. At another point, I felt like I had to slow down in order to not finish before he did. Not huge enough problem, but knocked off a star (if I could, would have been 4.5).

Service: the timing of the courses was good, but the portions were a little off, as stated above. Server was friendly and knowledgeable about every dish.

Ambiance/Decor: I think the small size of the restaurant adds so much character to the space. With the fireplace on the inside, wooden decor, throw pillows in the waiting area, flowery plates, and a lemon tree on the service table --- it felt like I was in someone's house. Such a perfect setting for a great meal. I felt like it went with the sustainable theme, without being too over the top.

I highly recommend this restaurant, whether it be for a special occasion or a just a casual meal on which you want to splurge. Best for groups from 2-4 given its small size.
5 - Craig C.: Perfect.

My wife and I went there for our annual pre-Christmas dinner and Bondir exceeded our expectations. 

Food was the best we've had in Boston.  The atmosphere was intimate but not too quiet - It's a small place.  The service is impeccable.  

Overall, our new favorite place in Boston!
5 - Angela H.: I've waited a few months to finally step foot into this place; almost every night seems to be completely booked, and it is a very small restaurant, so make your reservations well ahead in advance!

First, the food: The breads served were 9 Grain, The Sea, and Sour Cherry and Walnut. My favorite was The Sea, aptly named for the squid ink and seaweed in it, which show up in the form of whorls when sliced. Of course, because the menu changes daily, I can't recommend the same dishes I had. But they offer half-portions of everything, and you should definitely experience at least a couple of different things when you dine here. Between the two of us, we shared 5 half-portion plates, and it seemed to be just the right amount of food. They were: Bondir Charcuterie (includes head cheese, duck rillettes, chicken galantine, and foie gras terrine), Perigord Black Truffle, Whole Wheat Garganelli, Olive Oil Confit Rosefish, and Vermont Lamb Shoulder. I guess it wouldn't make sense for me to review every dish, because it might not show up on their menus again, but I will say my favorite was the lamb shoulder, which was smooth and moist enough that it almost resembled the feeling I get on my tongue with foie gras. I didn't have to use my knife. The top layer was charred and tough, but flavorful enough that I could still enjoy the chewiness. The rosefish was served with two slices of apple and brussel sprouts, all seasoned lightly and delicious. 

Each dish was so beautifully simple, yet every detail and ingredient augmented with intention. The flavors in every bite were uniquely uncomplicated, solid yet subtle. Complex but not confusing. Can simple and complex coexist in one dish? I think so; it's called true sophistication. In an era when many chefs attempt to ride absurd creativity as the vehicle to their claim to fame and sui generis, the straightforward flavors here are unexpectedly refreshing. Chef Bond's mission is transparent in his food --to deliver honest, organic, and delicious food to the table-- and it shows. It is consistent, but never boring. 

Ambiance/decor: Just like the food, the decor is intentional yet unpretentious. It's intimate and cozy, with a fireplace and exposed brick walls. The space is decorated with birch tree stumps and tulips hanging arbitrarily yet tastefully all around the place from the entrance to the tables. The space could feel a little cramped, but I couldn't dismiss a restaurant based on their space alone.

Prices vary, half-portion plates ranging from $14-35, and full portions anywhere from $26-60. With a couple of glasses of wine, our meal, and dessert, the bill was $182. So that should give you a good idea of what you might be spending.

I'm no "foodie", but I'd imagine a true foodie's raison d'etre is to constantly seek out simple, honest, exceptionally elegant food. And if this is true, Bondir is it.
3 - Borris C.: I wanted to love this place, but I guess it wasn't to be. The food was wonderful (4.5 or 5 stars). The service needs work (2 or 3 stars).

Waited six weeks for a reservation - that creates pretty high expectations right there. Arrived on time for our reservation and waited (20+ minutes) to be seated with no explanation, and my question about the seating/timing was met with a cold non-answer. There were clearly enough available tables and the right configurations to accommodate everyone who was waiting (several other parties came in after us) the entire time we waited. I've been at restaurants when the chef has quit and walked out of the kitchen into the night, never to be seen again. There was no way they could feed us in that situation, but the staff let us know, and we were able to be compassionate and understanding. Not at all what happened at Bondir.

There were several servers who seemed dedicated to filling water glasses, bringing bread and clearing plates. We were asked and made the mistake of ordering drinks from one -- the drinks never arrived, but eventually our other server took the order again and brought what we'd wanted.

The second server was well-versed in the cuisine and enthusiastic about the chef and the menu. Made good recommendations, answered questions, and described things accurately. Bondir has a lovely menu with a great variety of dishes. I really liked the small/larger portion option. It's a nice way to share food and try some different things.

Food was delicious - fresh, delicious, beautiful, well-paced. We shared a few small plates and larger dishes. Loved everything we tried, the only exception being the fish (shrimp, I think) bread. We'd definitely go back for the food, if the service and wait for reservations wasn't so off-putting.

I like that they kept and improved upon the warmth and homey feeling of the Portuguese restaurant that was in this space before. The bathrooms, however, need significant improvement. For a restaurant that is trying to be nice and somewhat high-end to have bathrooms that could so easily and inexpensively be fixed, but haven't, is ridiculous.

We won't be back soon, but I'll probably give it another try sometime. Maybe they'll work the service out over time and figure out a better reservation system. I hope so!
5 - Cathy S.: I came here for dinner over the holidays with my in-laws and husband. We wanted to treat them to a culinary experience much like the ones we frequent out in Seattle. This place definitly met the bar. We ordered a half plate of all the dishes (but a full plate of the Lamb). This was the perfect amount for 4 people.

The squid ink rissoto was my favorite along with the lamb and duck confit coming in at a close second. The menu here is constantly rotating through the freshest localy ingredients and obviously what's in season so if you check out the menu online, note that it won't be radically different, but it might not be exactly what you see.

You can take the T to Central Square and then walk a short distance (about 5 minutes) down the street. Definitly go to Bondir if you're looking for some amazing food!
4 - Amy D.: After being named one of the best new restaurants on the Best of Boston website, i immediately made a reservation at this spot.  A few weeks later when we arrived in Boston during the hurricane, we expected it to be closed like the many other restaurants in the Boston and Cambridge area.  However Bondir stayed open and weathered the storm, no pun intended.
We arrived a little early and were greeted by their host and were treated extremely well, being offered beverages and bread.  The bread selection was original, however they had one with squid ink and it was very dry.  Once we were seated i had the foraged summer veg with polenta.  the vegetables were glazed and the polenta was luscious.  My sis had the heirloom tomato salad with greens, radish, wheat berries, and smoked hazelnuts.  The unexpected additions of the wheat berries and the smoked hazelnuts really made the app.

for our mains what i wanted was sold out, so i took the servers advice and had the chicken with cippolini's, tomatoes, and lettuce.  For me the chicken was supper moist and well cooked but there wasn't anything that stood out, it wasn't memorable.  My sis had the wild turbot with potatoes, greens and lemon balm froth.  The dish was bright and the fish was perfectly cooked.

For dessert i had the assortment of ice creams which were cherry sassafras, spearmint, and berry.  They were all satisfying and had great texture, i really enjoyed the cherry.  My sis had the peach trifle with buttermilk ice cream and meringue.  The flavours were good, however the vessel it was served in made it slightly difficult to eat.

Overall the food was classic, nothing seemed super inventive or flashy, it was solid food.  I also respect that the chef came out and service and came to every table.
1 - Maggie W.: I just attempted to dine at this establishment, that is literally across the street from my new residence.  I can look out my window and see the front entrance.  I stopped in just after 6:00 p.m. on a Monday evening, and upon entering saw that less than 1/4 of the tables were sat for the evening, with no persons waiting in the small area reserved for such a purpose.  I asked what I thought would be a rhetorical question - "do you have room for one" - as there was obviously copious amounts of room for one person.  I was told "no" - that it would "soon be the dinner rush..." - It did not occur to the person telling me this to find a time when I might come back, or suggest that I order take out, etc.  It also evidently did not occur to him that a person dining alone does not linger and would likely eat and be back out the door before any of his seemingly more important (and absent) guests arrived.

He evidently did not want my business which is really too bad considering I am a professional, 42 year-old, single, person living directly across the street - who eats out most nights of the week.  I appreciate fine cuisine and budget monthly for significant discretionary income outlays to fine dining.  Bondir would have received a great amount of my business - if they had just wanted it.  I won't step foot in there again - and I will counsel my friends and colleagues to remove it as an option when considering which place they might try in Cambridge.  Seriously - in a metropolitan area with so very many amazing choices for dining, the real item that an establishment has to rely upon beside outstanding fare is the customer service.  They would do well to remember the adage - "people may not remember what you say, and they may not remember what you do - but they will always remember how you made them feel..." - They made me feel like I wasn't good enough (although wearing professional clothing) to eat in their restaurant.  They aren't good enough for me to consider it again.
3 - Ed W.: I ate at Bondir this past weekend with my family. Its a nice place but I was a little dissapointed with food that we received.  We wanted to be able to enjoy a nice relaxing evening but we felt like we were somewhat rushed into placing our order so that they could probably turn the table. I got the roast chicken which was very good, my wife got the pasta dish wich was so so and my son and his girlfriend got the Perigord Black Truffle Soft Poached Egg which they said was very under seasoned and dissapointing. For what that dish cost there should be some good truffle flavor that you can taste. I am glad that I went to check it out but for what the meal cost us I feel like there are better choices in the area.
2 - Sarah G.: We'd heard great things about Bondir through word-of-mouth -- and then Bon Appetit picked it as one of America's best new restaurants -- so we were very excited to check it out. 

Unfortunately, the food was mediocre. We started with a potato leek soup and a blood orange and beet salad, both of which were tasty, but not particularly inventive or delicious. We then moved on to what looked like a really promising dish, black truffles with a poached egg over grits (and about half a dozen other ingredients), but which really underdelivered. It wasn't that it didn't live up to our high hopes; it was that it didn't taste good. We then had a scallop dish that we didn't even finish, even though it was tiny. The best dishes we got were an herby (but fairly salty) spaghetti and a beef dish with rutabaga, wild rice, and a cider glaze. Having tried most of the menu at this point, between the two of us, I was wondering if we should just go somewhere else for dessert -- but since we were unlikely to return, we figured we'd see it through. We ordered the chocolate panna cotta, which tasted just like the chocolate pudding mom used to make. Unfortunately, my mom always makes her chocolate pudding using the JELL-O powder. It capped off a really underwhelming evening, I'm sad to say.

It wasn't all bad. The service was friendly, if a little inexperienced, and it's convenient that you can order half-portions. The decor is charming, if a little too hip (the pair of skis leaning casually against a back wall suggests, ridiculously, that someone just schussed in from the Cambridge sidewalk) but  it's nice to spend an evening in a restaurant where you can actually hear your partner talking. 

Given that we tried most of the things on the menu, I don't think we can blame ourselves for mis-ordering, or say that they just missed on one or two dishes.  And with so many consistently great restaurants in the area, we won't be back. Hungry Mother beats Bondir hands down in every category -- the food, the cocktails, the beer, the wine, the service, even the price -- and Oleana is just around the corner. In fact, because we couldn't get a reservation for Bondir until 8:30, we sat at the bar at Oleana and had a snack that ended up being the best dish of the night -- a delicious octopus-and-brussels-sprouts concoction. 

And if you want to really try a young, up-and-coming chef's ingenious creations in an intimate setting with locally sourced ingredients and a menu that changes daily, drive out to Lenox, MA and visit a place called Nudel. That's the real deal, no matter what Bon Appetit says.
5 - Sam D.: After our third visit to this restaurant it is time to post comment. 

This place is small, seats maybe 30 at most. Last night was "Robert Burns Night", prix fixe, six course tasting menu. Each course was paired with a craft brewed beer and, between each course, a bit of Burns poetry was recited. A fiddler provided really lovely backroung music.

The food was excellent - service was precise and consistant - and all was good. I think I like the chef's tasting menu better than ordering off the menu on one earlier visit - the soup was delicious, Venison sublime and the Haggis sweet and less oat flavored than this dish usually sports. Beer pairings were a good match for each course. As a beer lover, I thought the pours were not as generous as I would have liked - but had they filled our glasses for every course it would have been too much.

We will visit again - and certainly will try to return to next year's "Burns" night.
4 - T W.: So it took us about 6 months to finally get a reservation here and we still had to eat at 8 15 in the evening.  I went with 2 friends last night and the ambiance/decor of the place is incredibly adorable.  Everyone was very friendly and professional, and the location is GREAT -- there is 2 hour parking right outside for non Cambridge Residents and ample free parking for Cambridge Residents, too.  

The homemade sodas were delicious and we ordered all of the vegetarian dishes and a lobster dish to split. They do half and full portions and most people get 2-3 half portions per person.  Calling it tapas is not at all correct it's essentially larger tastings of many different things you get.  My one complaint of the food (and this might not hold true for you because the food changes every night) is that there were way too many carbs on the menu.

It felt like every meal had pasta in it.  The lobster dish did and then 2 of the other vegetarian options on the menu were also pasta (ghnocci however you spell that and pumpkin spaghetti).  I think a a five star restaurant makes vegetarian options that are not your classic carb dishes so that is why I don't give this place 5 stars.

The dessert -- a gelatin chocolate dish -- was delicious and the waiter was very friendly although spoke VERY quietly but maybe that was just to fit in with the ambiance.  Anyway, wonderful place and I will be coming back on February 24th with my parents so who knows what kind of food it will be that night but I will Yelp! again for sure...
5 - javier v.: Excellent restaurant! It is just what we need and more: a great excuse to go out to eat. Terrific menu!
5 - Gina M.: Oh, my. the only problem with our meal at Bondir is that I am now worried that every other restaurant in town will pale in comparison. Really very very special. Intimate, and cozy. Mind-blowing food. Similar to T.W. Food, but dare I say, maybe a little bit more exciting on the food front (maybe it would just depend on the day). But the overall feel is very similar. Amazing.
5 - Whine Snob L.: Been here twice so far and the experience was perfect both times. Mid-week, I was able to get a reservation for two with only a couple of days notice.

The food is everything that the hype suggests. I -LOVE- that everything can be ordered as a half portion, and, after you look through the night's menu and find you want to try everything, so will you. The server recommended 3 halves per person. As a competitive eater, I shoot for 5 plus dessert.

Because the menu changes every night, it's hard to give specifics for things to try. I've had cow, duck, lamb, pig, and deer so far, and each was prepared to perfection. The Tangerine Dream dessert lived up to the name. The wine list isn't huge but is carefully selected, and both times my server made good suggestions for pairings.

I will definitely be returning.
4 - Gregg S.: My wife and I met my cousin and her new husband at Bondir this summer, for a "get to know John over some wine while not at huge family events" night.  We all loved the restaurant.  The ambiance is casual but pleasant, though the seating is limited and a bit tight.  Our waitress was terrific, just what you want in a good server - attentive but not obsequious, with excellent food suggestions and wine recommendations.  An excellent 'feature' of the Bondir menu: they offer everything in half or full size portions, making it much easier to decide between all the delightful options.  We wound up getting basically 1/2 portions of 90% of the menu and all shared.  Superb food all around.  The bisque was outstanding, as was the salad.  The entrees were all excellent as well.  By no means a cheap dinner, with several bottles of wine and all the apps/entrees, but considering we got to sample everything and no one left hungry, it's well worth the cost.
3 - Val S.: Great ambiance and service. It is on the quiet side so perfect if you want to have a nice chat with your dinner mates. The servers weren't really explaining food and drinks but it was OK by me since I eat out a lot and am familiar with most cuisines. I wish they had more options for wine by the glass but what they had was very good.

The food - it was good but not memorable, I am sorry to say. The short ribs were dry, the scallops were just fine. After several dishes, the only plate I truly remember was the burrata. The pasta was fine as well but nothing gripped my senses to send me in that ecstasy of sensations over flavors. Maybe because the menu changes so frequently and the staff does not have a chance to deepen their skills into some specialties? I don't know what it was. I left wandering what will happen the this place when the hype is over.
5 - Sue H.: Hands down, Bondir takes the cake for best ambiance ever. I love how they have transformed the small space into what it is today. I really felt like I had been welcomed into someone's home in the countryside for an intimate dinner. The use of the fire place, all the cute little decorations, and the comfy waiting area added to the great feel of the place. They did a great job making me feel super relaxed and ready to eat.

Now on to the food. My, oh my, did I enjoy this dinner! I had extremely high expectations coming into Bondir and I am thoroughly pleased with how it all turned out. While I loved everything I ate, the dish that really stood out to me was the scituate scallops with apples and turnips -- the scallops were perfectly cooked and there was a wonderful balance between all the different flavors in the dish.

As many of the previous reviews mentioned, Bondir offers both half and full portions of all their entrees, so make sure to take advantage this and try as many things as you can. The menu changes daily, so don't be too disappointed if the scallops aren't on the menu. Everything I ate was delicious, so I'm sure that no matter what you order, you won't be disappointed.

In addition to the food being amazing, the service was spot on. My waitress was very attentive and answered all of my questions knowledgeably. All in all, my experience at Bondir was all I had hoped for and more. I will definitely be back!
5 - Micol A.: I went to Bondir with my family, when they came to visit in Boston from Italy. My expectations were very high because I had read a lot of excellent reviews about this place. And, I have to say I was not disappointed. 

This place is lovely. It is small and cosy and as you go in you immediately feel welcome and at home. The atmosphere is very relaxed, so it is the perfect place to go on a date or to have a chat with a friend. The service is excellent, with very good descriptions of the plates on the menu. The dishes change daily, so there is a chance that we good lucky on the food, but I don't think that is the case.

The menu is structured so that you can have an appetizer and then two or three half portions for the entree. I have to say, even though I was surprised at first, this is actually a very original idea. All the menu was very appealing so it was great to be able to try more than one plate. And the portions are quite big too, a half portion was almost enough for me!

Lastly a pleasant surprise was the homemade complementary bread. A very nice touch, considering that a lot of places don't even serve bread these days. 

I will definitely try and go back, if I can :)
5 - Kimberly T.: This unassuming Cambridge restaurant is a transcendental foodie experience. Lucky enough to snag a reservation from a friend, my boyfriend and I had never heard of Bondir and were hoping they would live up to their impressive menu - refreshed daily - and stellar reviews...

We are very happy to report you will be far from disappointed during your meal here.

Daily baked bread set the scene(the Sea is an interesting seaweed take on bread, 9 grain and then the barley cranberry and walnut - this was my favorite) . Main dishes: Asparagus, Bacio di Satana Carnaroli Risotto, Maryland Striped Bass, and Roasted Tamworth Pork Loin with Crackling. Dessert: Espresso, Rhubarb Crostada and Westport Spring-Dug Sunchokes. And to drink: Bodega del Desierto (Red). Each of these dishes (desserts included) had a subtle sophistication and incredible refinement that blew me and my boyfriend away. The dishes were simply presented, but had a complexity worthy of this 5-star rating. Also, for fans of French cooking, the chef uses duck fat and liver, and you will not be disappointed.

The service was wonderful. We arrived early, were seated in the cozy salon area by the fireplace, our drink orders were taken, and were soon seated at our table. The venue is very cozy; appropriately dubbed a "farmhouse style" venue, Bondir is all the fluff without the stuffiness. The knowledgeable and attentive staff were welcoming and were willing and able to address menu questions, make suggestions, and help you decide what amazing dishes to have at this restaurant.

As with anything, reading negative reviews can inform the decisions you make. While other patrons may have had issues with service (which is always unfortunate), I would definitely recommend Bondir, definitely heed the early RSVP warning, but don't shy away from an amazing meal at this lovely restaurant. We will definitely be trying to make another trip to Bondir soon.
5 - Emily W.: Charming ambience, nuanced French food. Half plates allows for a party of 4 to explore nearly the entire menu.
5 - Jessica B.: Went here for Valentines Day and it was AMAZING.  It may have been the best meal I have ever had in my life.  Seriously blew my away on so many levels cannot even describe it in words.  You haven't had a real meal in Boston until you have been to Bondir.  Did I mention it was AMAZING?
5 - Stefanie Y.: This is the most photogenic restaurant I have ever been to. The flower arrangements, the water pitcher, everything was charming. And the food was absolutely amazing! This place absolutely lived up to the hype.

The service was great. We didn't like the first wine that we had ordered, so the waitress kept pouring wines and asking what we looked for in a wine until we found one that we enjoyed. Also, she was extremely apologetic when our desserts took a long time to arrive and gave us a scoop of gingerbread ice cream on the house! Throughout the meal, the servers in general were extremely attentive, explaining the dishes and constantly refilling waters, but never seemed overbearing.

We did a tapas style meal, ordering five dishes for two people. While we enjoyed every dish, my favorite was the saffron and whey carnaroli risotto, which had a beautiful combination of vibrant colors and great flavor. The radishes were absolutely delicious and the seafood was done perfectly. We also enjoyed the roasted natural chicken, which boasted the juiciest white meat I've ever eaten. The cornmeal cake was the perfect complement for the chicken. The spelt flour spaghetti, spice-poached red beets, and chatham tilefish were also delicious. For dessert, I had the rhubarb crostata, which shone with its flaky pastry crust and the sweet yet tangy taste of the rhubarb. 

It's true that this place is pricey, but it is definitely worth it. The chefs here definitely don't just rely on fresh ingredients to speak for themselves: their dishes have an interesting mix of flavors that showcase the main part of the dish spectacularly. We will definitely try to come again (if we can get a reservation!) next time we're in the Boston area.
5 - Takashi W.: Delightful food!  Farm-to-table dining is now abound, but the food at Bondir was refreshing.  In particular, the vegetable appetizers were memorable because of the amount of flavor brought out of the relatively neutral tasting ingredients.  The food, combined with the friendly service and homey setting, topped off with the chef's personal greeting, makes Bondir more than worthy of another visit.
5 - Rob C.: We went again, this time bringing some friends along.  Again, the experience was spectacular - same waiter, different food, all very good.
3 - Joel M.: While I recognize the difficulty of creating a new menu every day, out of six small plates ordered at our table I would say one was fantastic (vegetable mignardises), two were pretty good, two were ok, and one (a steak that had an almost chalky texture) was pretty bad.  Considering it was my first successful attempt at a reservation after three attempts, I was extremely excited walking in the door and left disappointed.  

Service and ambiance are second to none, and it was still a great date, but I expected more from the food.
2 - Russ M.: Finally got a chance to try this after hearing rave reviews from co-workers and friends.  Getting a reservation for myself and the parents required a bit of planning-ahead, but I managed with a couple of weeks' notice.  

In short, the food was mediocre-to-ok (2.5/5) but the service was poor (2/5).  

The restaurant is an unassuming brick building near Inman square.  I guess they were shooting for a farmhouse motif.  It all came off as kitschy and I thought the shower curtain at the front door was a tad obnoxious.  I guess it was supposed to be "whimsical."  Nothing that a good meal couldn't out-weigh, however.

We were seated quickly and given menus to look over.  After a few minutes, the waiter stopped by and asked if we had any questions.  Now, we had divined that the two prices on the menu were for half and full portions.  So we asked the waiter, "Could you explain the difference between the full and half portions?"  His response was "Well, the full portion is twice as big as the half portion" and gave himself a self-satisfied little laugh.  Thanks.

He then proceeded to launch into a little spiel about a few items on the menu.  At the end of his spiel, my dad asked about one of the items he hadn't described - a barley flour rigatoni.  "Could you describe that for us?"  "Well, it's a rigatoni made from barley flour."  *self-satisfied laugh*.  At that point, we figured we'd just fend for ourselves and placed our orders.

Service aside, I'll grant them that their menu is ambitious. Each item on the menu was an attempt to combine a challenging set of flavors into a single dish using some pretty refined techniques.  There was invariably a lot going on with each plate.  Some observations:

- Overall, the meal only really ever hit on one note - earthy.  Everything, across all the dishes we tried, was uniformly earthy and umami.  I don't know if that's just the modus operandi here or what.

- Leave a menu at the table, maybe?  Have the waiter briefly describe the dish when delivered?  With 3-4 unusual ingredients and textures and preparations per menu item we often had no idea what it was we were eating.  "Was that the pressure-cooked rye berry?"  No idea.

- I admire the ambition it takes to create a new menu each day with such challenging ingredients, but it just wasn't working.  None of the dishes "wow'd" us.  Most were technically well-prepared, but the flavors just didn't come together. Some were ok.  Some were downright bad.  Some were just confusing (the "Brothers' Walk" dessert comes to mind).

Long story short, I really wanted to like this place.  But it wasn't working, and it wasn't worth lead time to get a reservation.  And I won't be back.
5 - Douglas M.: Bondir is very likely the best restaurant in either Cambridge or Somerville, and it holds its own against top restaurants in much larger cities (such as New York and Tokyo).  In my experience service has ranged from good to great, though it is the food that really shines.  Sadly, getting a table requires far too much patience.  Get ready to book now and wait three weeks.  Yes, it's worth it.
4 - Tiff T.: Easily one of my favorite restaurants in Boston, Bondir is a hidden treasure.  I literally biked past this restaurant every day for half a year without ever noticing it, so I'm very glad to have been introduced it.  The flavor combinations are unusual but work surprisingly well;  Bondir is certainly the most creative restaurant I've been to in this area.

The housemade breads we had were a 9 grain bread, a nori bread, and a cranberry walnut bread.  I enjoyed the flavor of all three, but I found the bread itself to be a bit tough.  We took the server's advice and ordered three course tasting portions with the following dishes:

Red broiler chicken consomme with duck foie gras, goose foot spinach, and turnip green raviolini - Delicious broth, nice foie and raviolini, surprisingly light.

Spiced-poached Forono beet with white nectarines, mutton prosciutto, Teff polenta, and yogurt vinaigrette - The nectarines were the star of the plate (and one of the highlights of the entire meal); they were some of the sweetest nectarines I've ever tasted.  I enjoyed the beets and prosciutto, which counteracted the sweetness of the nectarines well.  The yogurt vinaigrette was tasty as well.

Red wheat cavatelli with chanterelle, Mousseron mushrooms in a pickled pig foot-truffle vinaigrette, snow peas, garlic scapes, nasturtium, smoked seamorza - The pasta was perfectly cooked, but while I liked the vegetables, I found them to by surprisingly oily.  

Scituate scallops with guinea hog prosciutto, fresh onion, broccoli, Yuina savoy, olive oil toasted bread crumbs - The scallops were nicely cooked, but again, the vegetables were sitting in a small pool of oil.  The toasted bread crumbs added a nice texture to the plate.  

Rouen duck breast with Rhode Island white flint cornmeal cake, fava leaves, Marfax beans, and collard greens - The duck breast was perfectly cooked and was absolutely delicious.  I had never had Marfax beans and found them to be one of the best discoveries of the night; they added a needed sweetness to the plate and had a very special flavor.  The cornmeal cake was pretty good.

For dessert, we had the rhubarb crostata and a sampling of their ice creams and sorbets.  The rhubarb crostata was delicious; the pastry was perfectly warm and flaky, and the rhubarb had a very nice flavor without being too sweet.  The crostata was accompanied by a malted vanilla gelato, which had great flavor but was a bit too icy in texture.  I sampled the juniper sorbet, toasted almond milk gelato, and strawberry cabernet ice cream.  The juniper sorbet was very refreshing, the strawberry ice cream was nice, and I enjoyed the toasted almond milk gelato, although I thought the flavor was the most subtle of the three.  I felt that the texture of the almond milk gelato was also a bit icy for ice cream.  

The homemade sodas are exceptionally good and surprisingly inexpensive at $3 a cup.  I tried the lemon lime soda and spiced ginger soda; the lemon lime soda was good, but the spiced ginger soda was on another level.  It was a mix of ginger, cardamon, and all spice.  Each sip was different, complex, and delicious.

Overall, an excellent meal with interesting and unusual flavor combinations.  The meal was nicely paced, and service was helpful and knowledgeable.
3 - Zac C.: I have been wanting to go here for month and finally had a reason to last night.  You walk into the restaurant and there is an adorable local/farm atmosphere.  Very comfortable and intimate.  We got seated right away and the service was great the whole evening. My fiance and I split 4 small plates- two salads and two entrees.... all equally priced and listed below.  

Handmade Burrata
Petit Greens, Spice-Poached Baby Beets, Watermelon Radish,
Today's Peaches, Teff Polenta, Yogurt Vinaigrette
16/30

Cantaloupe and Yellow Watermelon Salad
Baby Lettuces, Washington Geoduck Clam Ceviche and Sashimi,
Hakurei Turnip, Pickled Green Cantaloupe, Persian Cucumber,
Lemon-Chili Vinaigrette
16/30

Scituate Scallops
Snap Peas, Roasted Fresh Onion, Guinea Hog Prosciutto,
Broccoli Leaf, Burnt Eggplant Purée, Fennel Seed Lavash
16/30

Pasture Raised Red Broiler Chicken
Rhode Island White Flint Cornmeal Cake, Black Lentils, Black Kale
16/30

Two were disappointing and two were great.  Both salads were extremely minimal.  The Burrata salad was good as all elements were beautifully prepared and uniquely flavored.  The cantaloupe salad was also beautiful but left much to be desired.  The clam sashimi was also way to fishy and left a bad aftertaste.  Maybe its not my thing, I love sushi but this was not very good.  

In general both were tiny and very underwhelming when compared to the two meat dishes we got for the same price which were phenomenal.  The scallops were perfectly cooked and the eggplant puree was amazing.  Every worked so well together.  The chicken was well cooked and both the lentils and kale were so flavorful.  I would of ordered a side of the beans if it was an option.

All in all, I am going with a 3 star because I don't know if it was worth it value wise because of the salads.  I would go to Hungry Mother or a similar restaurant instead.  The stars might have been higher had we ordered all their meat dishes, but I guess this is a more fair rating in that sense.  I would definitely go back, but not unless there is a specific reason and I wouldn't pick it myself.  My fiance feels more strongly than myself about no need to come back..
5 - Ian B.: Bravo to Chef Jason!  I've had the pleasure of tasting your artwork before, but I believe you've taken it up to the next level with Bondir.  I finally figured out how to get here to Cambridge and was fortunate to coordinate a business dinner with two colleagues there this evening.  Good for us that I did.  My colleagues walked away proclaiming their love for the place, the food and attesting that Chef Jason is a genius (how could I argue?).

My meal was fabulous:  the breads are freshly baked on site (The Sea is very creative!).  My two plates were:  the Scituate Scallops (great flavor) and the Rabbit Turnover (with a unique take on flan:  carrot-mustard flan!) - the turnover was my favorite because of its flavor, creativity, and beautiful presentation.  My dessert was amazing too:  the angel food with blueberry-rose geranium semifreddo.  My colleagues had the spaghetti & truffles and various other dishes.  Overall we were happy, impressed, and trying to figure out how to come back.  I'll have to figure that out myself (and how to bring my wife with me next time!).

I wish Bondir great success.  If you live in or around Boston and have not been here yet, "what the heck are you waiting for?"
5 - Lala I.: bondir instantly becomes one of my fave restaurants in boston. 
i must say the meal was exquisite. food was well executed. loved the ambience, cozy, intimate. great service. waiters were extremely knowledgeable and friendly. 

impressive wine list - 09 St. Urbans-hof, Oekonomierat Nic. Weis, Mosel, Germany / riesling
as good as it gets. smooth, sweet, delicious. 

it's always a good night when the wine is delicious.

instead of appetizers, bondir offers half portions of the entrees. this allows you try more variaty of their dishes. 

everything is homemade here. 
we had: 

Breads
9 Grain, The Sea, Barley Flour with Hops and Summer Herbs
the sea was awesome, made of seaweed. 

Roasted Shallot-Pistachio Tart
Summer Vegetable Mignardises, Rye Berries, Herbs, Sorrel,
Mustard Oil, Toasted Pistachio Powder

Buckwheat Rigatoni
Braised Chicken and Chanterelle Mushroom Ragu with Lavender,
Garlic Scapes, Smoked Scamorza
this was my fave dish. the chicken was amazingly tender.

Scituate Striped Bass
Wax Beans, Roasted Fresh Onion, Guinea Hog Prosciutto,
Burnt Tomato Purée, Bronze Fennel Seed Lavash

Red Wheat Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe
Australian Perigord Truffle, Parmigiano, Fresh Pecorino,
Long Pepper

Lychee Sorbet

Chocolate Panna Cotta
Bitter Orange Mostarda, Angelica Gel,
Cocoa Nibs and Pistachio

i had an amazing night here. perfect for 1st date, she will be impressed.
5 - Laura L.: This is undoubtedly the best restaurant in Boston. We've been there twice already, and left completely in awe. The food is impeccable. I cannot point out any dish in particular, but they were all amazing. Tastes are complex, and at the same time, perfectly balanced, as  every ingredient in the dish is can be tasted.  I love the fact that they have the half portion option, because it enables diners to try more of the wonderful dishes offered. Each time, we ordered 8 out of the ten or so dishes offered, and none disappointed. The wine list is impressive as well, and the waiter (we had the same french guy (sorry i don't know your name if you're reading this) both times) was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. The service was very satisfactory and we were treated in a very inviting way by every member of the staff that we interacted with. 

Reservations are needed a long time in advance, especially for the weekends. 

Highly recommended!!!!!!!
5 - Linda N.: Visited Bondir on July 19.  Among the top 5 restaurant meals I have had, ever, anywhere.  I had three half portions that evening...1. the buckwheat rigatoni with lamb and fennel ragu (superb, with garnish of lavender which went perfectly with the garlic scapes, dandelion greens, and smoked scamorza cheese), 2. the cantaloupe and yellow watermelon salad with mutton prosciutto, cucumber and a lemon-chili vinaigrette, and 3. red wheat spaghetti cacio e pepe with the freshest and most generous shaving of Australian black truffles I have ever had the fortune to be a part of.  Melt in your mouth, delicious, delicious food.  So thoughtfully prepared, with delicate flavor balances.  And try The Sea bread if they have it!  Made with shrimp and squid ink and sea salt.  Creative.  Lovely setting and decor.  Chef seems lovely, too.
5 - Evan L.: Seven stars. One of the finest meals and holistic dining experiences my friend and I have ever had. Save room for dessert.
4 - Sweta B.: Well!! my previous review was in February of 2012 and this one September of 2012...I finally made it to bondir!! and I had the most fabulous evening!!!

My husbands birthday dinner...we did not take any chances this time and we left early and of course the roads were all empty so reached at 5.30 for a 6 PM reservatons...we were seated immediately so no complaints on that...the server was friendly, informative and casual...we ordered almost everything on the menu and them the food started to come....each plate was a piece of art, cacaphony of flavours exploding in my mouth, subtle yet all working deftfully well together...there food was all fresh as they claimed and really really good....I ordered the blueberry-rose semifreddo and then ordered it again...it was cool and refreshing and the portion size perfecto!!

And the wine...beautiful...it was our first time trying an Astrian red as the server insisted after hearing the kind we were looking for..and he was not wrong!!

I have had better bread in this genre for restaurants...but baring that everything was impecible...I wouldnt call the service michlen star grade...it was more homey and casual...I am not sure if thats intentional but we certainly didnt mind it...

I think Bondir does a very good job of keeping its promise to focus on a good food experience more than anything else...and there are very few restaurants in boston for whom we can say that....
3 - TH T.: I only get to know about this place when a good friend recommended it and made arrangements for us to be there for a birthday gathering.  

When one says a hole in the wall... literally I could see Bondir blend right in between the brick buildings and the simple exterior decor on their sign name with the door as a portal hole.   

The inside is simple with fresh vegies, fruits and wine glasses by the mantel.  Resturant is very small and cozy.  My four-stars will go to the absolutely delicious food!    The price is steep for the excellent choices you have.  All food was made fresh daily, and they only use the best ingredients of the day.  Therefore the menu changes daily with date on top to tell you their daily menu.  Our waiter was very knowledgeable about his menu and even wine selection.  There was 5 of us, we order the ENTIRE menu to have a sample of each dishes.  Yes we had all 12 dishes on our table!  At the end we managed to squeeze in 3 more dessert dishes.

Bondir lost 2 stars from me because of the extremely DELAYED wait when we had our reservation.  We came at 7:45pm for our 8:00pm reservation.   The hostess didn't seated us til 8:50.  8:50PM!   The table bread didn't come til almost 9:30pm.  We had our first dish at almost 10pm.   That is not dinner time.  I don't think anyone should wait up for 2 hours AFTER their reservation for their dinner like this.  Not even for Bondir.
5 - Gwendolyn G.: A dear friend gave my husband and me a gift certificate to Bondir.  Initially we were not thrilled b/c this is not really our "style" but she wanted to take us out of our comfort zone and we're so glad she did.  Bondir is simply wonderful.  We loved the atmosphere and the food is delicious - very fresh and creative.  The wait staff is extremely attentive and knowledgeable.  Kathleen (our waitress) recommended the perfect bottle of wine, which is no easy task.  We will DEFINITELY return!
5 - Adam A.: Unquestionably the best restaurant at which I have dined in Boston.  Both in absolute terms and at this price point.  Full stop.

The atmosphere is comfortable and unpretentious, and the staff are both knowledgeable and interested in discussing the details of the food that they are serving.  It is very much a place where foodies feel at home, yet a mere culinary mortal (such as your truly) did not feel condescended.  On the contrary, the emphasis on fresh, local ingredients inspired me to search out new varieties of produce at my neighborhood farmers market.

For wine, we had the "controversial" carignan.  It was very bright, as warned, but excellent for what it was.  We ordered over half the menu in small plates.  Everything was excellent.  Most enjoyable were the mushroom salad (fresh hen-of-the-woods mushrooms are great this time of year!), scallops (burnt eggplant puree was a nice combination), and the lamb shoulder (turnip puree was amazing addition).  Bondir truly puts to rest the stereotype of New England as a wasteland of bad expensive produce.  Who knew local food could taste so good!

Bondstreet Shoes - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4516275, -79.9326048) (Shadyside)
5 - Deena E.: Spectacular selection of high quality European shoes. Owner is extremely helpful and knowledgeable. A must-stop spot on Walnut St. to find unique styles!
5 - Robert N.: This is an amazing shoe store.  The price point and selection are the best in Pittsburgh.  Karsten is charming and knowledgeable.  The store carries Tamaris shoes from Germany- the only place you can get them in the US.  The selection of shoes changes with every season and there is always something there for both men and women.  Great accessories too!!!!
4 - Kaitlyn R.: Really attractive and pleasant store to shop. I've only bought two pairs of shoes in here but that's because the other times they didn't have my size. You won't recognize the brands but that's so refreshing. It's quality stuff, and not overpriced. The man who's been there every time I was there (I think he's the owner) is extremely nice and helpful. This shoe boutique is very New York-ish and a great addition to the area.

Bone & Joint Clinic of Houston - Houston, TX (29.709124, -95.401911) (Medical Center, West University)
1 - Paul M.: Physical therapy here is a con game.  
PT skills are definitely above average but the billing here is atrocious.  Everything is billed as if the MD is doing the procedure.  As a physician myself, this is borderline billing fraud - luckily with their prices, they can probably afford a good lawyer. Additionally, there is no mention when certain services (e.g. two pieces of cloth tape over a muscle on my back, placed by the PT) are going to be charged extra - the cloth tape was $167. Come on.  
When I paid the first bill, the payment I made was not even noted on second bill...come on now. 

Overcharging. Inappropriate billing. Poor record keeping.   

I'll be looking elsewhere in the future.  Shame on you Bone and Joint.  You're making our world class Texas Med Center look bad.
5 - Edda T.: I saw Dr. Taylor Brown here and had one of the best Dr. experiences ever.  
I saw him for a second opinion on a meniscus tear in my left knee.  

He wasn't overbooked that morning. When he came into the exam room he literally said to me "I'm not in a rush today, so let's go through all of images and discuss your options.  I have time to sit and chat a while"  I was blown away.  

I got all of my questions answered.  I learned a tremendous amount of information about my knee, the injury, my options, and the felt very confident with the plan going forward.  

I absolutely recommend this office. The facility was very nice, new, and clean.  They have all the imaging equipment they need at the office as well so you don't have to go any where else for xrays or CT scans.
1 - K L.: The office operates very poorly. I have been eight times (will not be going back) and each time I have waited at least 45 minutes. This is extremely unprofessional considering I am the one paying for the visit. It also assumes my time is not valuable. I don't have time to miss a half day of work each time I come for a follow up visit. After a long wait you see the doctor for maybe 5 minutes because they completely overschedule the appointments. I also started to think they were scheduling unecessary follow up appointments just to collect more money. For instance, while I was in physical therapy I would have to come in just to say how it was going. Couldn't I have called for that? I felt sort of taken advantage of.

Also, the girls at the front desk are not friendly and lack professionalism. I am also bothered that my co-pay is collected is soon as I walk in considering I have not yet received any service. 

Also, I called the get copies of my medical records and was told the medical record people are not at work every day. I was then transferred to an automated message system to leave a message. I called back to ask if anyone else could help me and I was told "no." Classic example of a large company that lacks a personal touch and gives you buyer's remorse each time you spend $40 to have a follow up appointment (to speak to someone for a few minutes). I will not be going back.

Boneyard Bar & Bbq - Champaign, IL (40.112114, -88.241292) ()
4 - Alec Z.: Great staff, great prices, and good BBQ. This place is great, it has a nice bar area with all the tv's you could want. A pool area, and a patio out back. The food is good and very reasonably priced. Also when you put in your order it is out in under ten minutes. However the brisket can be a bit on the dry side, on a plus not though their Buffalo Wings are quite delicious.

Bongo BBQ and Beer Barn - Austin, TX (30.2883467, -97.7483267) (University of Texas, West Campus)
3 - Kristen F.: I'm vegetarian, so Bongo's specialty, barbeque was lost on me.  For that reason, I'd probably encourage you to still go try it out.

I used to live around the corner from here, so I went more out of convenience than really liking the place.  I'd say it's average.  I would order a bean burrito that I liked slightly less than Freebird.  You can sit inside or on covered picnic tables outside, and they have huge giant jugs of lemonade and tea to accompany lots of bottled beers.

The connecting drive-through beer barn is quick and decently priced.  When my college roommate came to visit me in Austin for the first time, I took her through here.  She's from MA and couldn't believe the concept of drive-through pickup alcohol.  She loved the Beer Barn!
5 - Don R.: I went by here yesterday and unfortunately it is closed. No more Bongo's.  Beer barn is closed too.

That is unfortunate, I always liked this place. I celebrated my 24th birthday there with my sister. That day I had my first and last Zima.

Bongo Burger - Berkeley, CA (37.870404, -122.266394) (Downtown Berkeley, UC Campus Area)
3 - Kione E.: Their burgers and fries leave a lot to be desired, even if it is "student prices". I prefer Jack in the Crack.
Though their breakfast is perfect, if you want a good high cholesterol, carbohydrate and protein fix to start your day. Thats pretty my only reason to go there. Not to many places on that block serves up breakfast.
3 - Luis M.: I went to Bongo Burger this weekend specifically for the falafel sandwich, and I wasn't disappointed.  As suggested by my friend who has been here many times, i got the half falafel with hummus and american cheese.

Even though I had been warned not to get the full falafel I had my moment of doubt as to whether a half order would do it for me.  A half order comes with two falafel patties in a pita and stuffed with veggies and sauce, the full order is four falafel patties.  I thought for sure the patties would be tiny and not filling.  I was wrong.  The half order was plenty enough and the falafel patties really do stick to your ribs for the rest of the day.

I also got some onion rings with my order and those were pretty damn tasty.  They are very similar to Carl's Jr. onion rings, for a point of reference.  Their fries are crinkle cut but on the small side.  They aren't like the big fat crinkle cut fries that you had back in the high school cafeteria.  They were tasty though.

I'm definitely going to take the BART ride up to Berkeley more often, and maybe even try to make a lunch run from the FiDi to have the falafel again.  I want to also make an effort to try their other items.

Overall the little place was nice, conveniently located just a short walk from the Downtown Berkeley BART station, and the price is very resonable ($3.25 for a half order, $3.95 for a full order).  With more visits and a better idea of what everything else tastes like I may add a star.
3 - Jonathan Y.: Burgers are average and fries are okay. If you must have a burger on your way to class from the Bart station, give this place a try....You prolly won't come here THAT often
4 - Mari J.: I like Bongo Burger.  It's a little pricy for a burger place, but I think the food is worth it.  I got the persian burger special.  It is pretty big and enough for two meals.  I like their fries too.  This location is pretty good as well.  It was crowded, but it wasn't hard to find seating even though it was lunch time.  I hear they do a decent black bean burger as well.
2 - Will M.: Doesn't taste like anything special to me... I guess its better than fast food... but just barely.
4 - Anna G.: This was/is one of my favorite Berkeley lunch spots.  Relatively cheap, healthy (black bean/turkey burgers, hummus and pita), and easy, plus everyone that works there is super nice.
3 - Eric S.: Was up here on business and met customer for lunch. Way better than average fast food.  Fresh squeezed OJ and carrot juice, make a nice choice.  I had a great Persian Burger and my buddy had a MED. plate, very good.  I'll definitely eat here again, next time at CAL on business....
Still just fast food and a fast food atmosphere...
4 - Anne d.: So, Bongo Burger is really named after me...JLo ain't got nothin' on me...but that's another story.  And not one I will tell here.  

Ah...I digress, yet again.  Sorry, back to the review.  

This place is crowded at regular lunch times, but if you go just a little earlier you can beat the crowd.  Located on Center about 1/2 a block from Cal, you will find this place to reflect the college culture it is surrounded by.  

Good and reasonably priced for a burger joint.  I usually get the Turkey burger lunch deal (burger, fries and soda) for $6.  Occasionally the turkey burgers can be a little dry.  The black bean burger I have been told is excellent, coming from some vegan/vegetarian friends.  The beef burgers are tasty as well.  Fries are yummy.  Onion rings doubly so.  

I will miss you Bongo Burger...
4 - Private I.: For hearing so much about the Persian burger, I was expecting it to be something really exotic (like a GardenBurger!), but it's just lamb.

I don't know how I feel about eating baby animals, though adult animals I'm fine with, so I opted for the turkey burger deal (about $7 with a drink and fries) and it was rather scrumptious (though it could have been baby turkey for all I know). It left me satisfied without feeling too heavy, and another plus, easy to bite into, which is good for someone with no teeth (or something like that). 

Stop in if you want a filling, reasonably-priced meal.
3 - Jeffrey R.: This is the same as all of the other Bongo Burgers.  Good turkey burger, but the rest is pretty standard.  I don't really like their middle eastern entrees.
5 - Joy C.: Great spin on hamburgers! I love their Persian Burger. It's in a long roll with a thin pattie of lamb. It's flavorful, moist, and delicious! Their fries are excellent, as well as their mushroom burger. Everything is great here.
4 - James K.: Best Falafel around especially for $4.50. The fries are good and always hot. We call the hamburgers the "All Day Burger" because it literally takes all day to eat one because they are so big. Pastries have to get the boot but everything else is good.
5 - Ahu S.: I would give this place 10 stars if I could. I don't even eat meat (ESPECIALLY not lamb), and I can easily kill a persian burger here. 

stop reading this, and run to the nearest branch and get yourself a mind-blowingly delicious persian burger (don't waste your time on a regular burger either).
5 - Lily M.: There are times when being Iranian can be a bit embarrassing; '79 Hostage Crisis, Salman Rushdie Fatwa, The Anti-Holocaust Convention; The Black Cats. And then there are times when being Iranian fills me with pride, and one of those times is when I'm sippin' down a doogh at Bongo Burger. 

Sia introduced me to this place during his brief stint living somewhere other than our parents' house in Fresno. Then I started school and Bongo Burger became a second home. Delicious burgers, delicious fries. Their doogh isn't on the menu, guys. You gotta be in the know. 

When I graduated from college all my family came up to watch me walk. Afterwards my Dad rounded us all up and walked us over to Bongo Burger. You shoulda seen us; a bunch of browner than white, lighter than Arab, clucking Iranians pouring into the Iranian burger joint to celebrate the completion of my American education. I'll go ahead and throw that experience up on the "Proud to be Iranian" side of my ethnic-experience tally board.

Maybe somebody should get Ahmadinejad a Bongo Burger doogh. Maybe that's all the guy needs to chill the fuck out a little bit.
4 - Michelle N.: Plenty of places make burgers but this is easily one of the best burgers in Berkeley. The cheeseburger is a delight: a generous, flame broiled beef patty topped with cheese on a crispy, toasted sesame seed bun with slathered with just enough condiments, piled with the right amount of fresh veggies. Simple yet awesome stuff. Their fries are crinkle cut fries, lightly salted, perfectly crisp on the outside and mealy on the inside. 

Go here for your Berkeley burger fix. You won't be sorry.
4 - Stephen H.: This place does everything on their menu right.

The turkey burger has a healthy feel while still being satisfying.

The bacon cheeseburger is a calorie splurge no doubt, but ohhh is it worth it (don't eat this every day though)

The falafel is okay, nothing spectacular unfortunately, but considering the strength of their other offerings I don't fault them too much because some times you just want a filling meal without killing bambi or her friends, that is when the full falafel comes in.  

The breakfast special used to be the deal of the century but since has crept up in price.  Still though two eggs toast and some tasty potatoes for around $4 is not too shabby at all.

Finally the Persian burger, quite delish, with nice peppery grilled flavor with just enough lather of mayo on a french roll.  Wonderful!
4 - Big Raw T.: The only lamb I eat is in a Persian burger - anyone know the seasoning they use to cut out the gamey flavor? I see paprika flakes, but there's got to be more....
3 - Karen W.: Expect not to be greeted or acknowledged by the depressed/crabby cashier, a middle aged woman. 
Bad service aside, this place is pretty good. I've had just hummus, and the Eggplant plate. Sadly, the 2 slices of eggplant in this were tiny and overwhelmed by grease and cheese. The rest of the plate, however, was wonderfully refreshing. Tabouleh with crispy shredded lettuce, lots of hummus, and  pita bread, which I wished they had toasted.
I would go back and order something else, without eggplant.
3 - Amy R.: Meh...I found this place to be just average.  My food was good enough to eat and cheap, but there wasn't anything overly special about it.  I ordered the falafel plate and all I was thinking was that when I get the one at Trader Joe's I get hummus.  Yeah...it really wasn't better than that.

All that being said, if I have somebody cool to hang out with, I'd go there again...but not if they ever raise the prices.
4 - Taun T.: The portions are really big and pretty tasty, though my falafel got rather dry and tasteless after awhile. Still it's really cheap and the food tastes pretty authentic to me. The fries were good though and once again HUGE portions. Still, it's hard to mess up fries. My own real complaint is that it's very annoying to sit near the door on a windy day because it doesn't shut itself.
5 - maxine m.: Five stars for Bongo Burger...
I love this place...
I love the tahini, falafel, tabouleh,Dolma, salad, 
the fried things (fries, onion rings are very crispy and super good)
the black bean burger (even though I love the other things more and rarely get this- it IS really really good)
I still like this place, and have not outgrown it even after all of these years.
3 - Matt G.: Matt was in the East Bay for a work-related project. He went to one of many popular hangouts lunch spots for UC Berkeley students. Some of the restaurants are attention- getters for strangers, but a jewel to city-locals and college students, depending where they dine. 

Matt went to one of the city's institution for lunch, which is Bongo Burgers. The busy burger joint is small with a few tables and located not too far from the campus and the adjoining strip of the city of Berkeley.

The Mushroom-Swiss burger meal (#1) is what Matt had for lunch. The $7.50 combo meal had the custom-made burger with melted Swiss-cheese and Grilled Mushrooms compressed in a puffy hamburger bun. Matt has been on a burger-binge lately. The burger wasn't too oily, leaving no drippings and a mess on his uniform or his tray, but the patty was thinner than other recent places Matt has been to back home. Nevertheless, it's "just" a good burger, but not worthy of a 5-star.

The meal also comes with a small tray of thinly-cut and crispy French fries and a 16oz fountain soda. (Diet-Coke).

There are 3 locations for this city's burger place. And to avoid the rowdiness of the crowd in the weekends, this location closes at 8pm every-night. This place also accepts credit-cards and of course cash, in which Matt paid with. Are you surprised?

Matt was enjoying his meal while looking at the students and future Nobel Peace-Prize candidates walking up and down on one of the Berkeley's busy streets.
3 - The Sock S.: Good burgers with the steam grill taste. Crinkle cut fries just like you used to get at school cafeterias. And a surprisingly tasty mediterranean plate. And all pretty cheap. 

Now if they only had the original chalupas/taco boat or tater tots, this could be like my elementary school cafeteria and I'd give them five stars!
2 - Christina C.: Not was I was expecting.  

When I was in high school and I was part of that annoying dance/theater crowd that had rehearsals until late in to the night (8pm), we would sometimes come here during a break or right before.  The half falaffels were huge and enough for the whole night, the fries were mealy and delicious and the burgers looked juicy (I never got one).  It was ridiculously cheap too.  

Well, the prices have gone up and the quality has gone down.  The only thing that looked worth it in the place was the hot dog that was $0.25 more than top dog but twice as big.  The persian burgers looked thin and limp.  The regular burger that I saw some guy eating looked good.  It was the size of a large grapefruit.  He enjoyed it with relish but alas I was too shy to go over and ask for a bite.  

I almost got the fries except when I looked over at that same guy's tray, his fries looked skinnier than they used to.  I think crinkle cut fries shouldn't be too skinny because the extra surface area already makes them crisper.  I was never a big fan of the over fried crunchy fry so I decided not to get them.  

The sandwich was not so good.  It was bland.  And it had too much mayo.  There was ample lettuce and tomato so they get an extra star fro that.  But the absence of anything else, the filling I ordered, was disappointing.  Ok, it wasn't absent, just very very little of it.  Nothing to sink my teeth in to except the salad.  

It made me want to go home an have a salad sandwich like Rob would make me except his also has slices of cucumber, pepper, and a little salt.  Yummy.  

This sandwich filled me up so I'm glad I didn't buy the french fries.  So now I feel unjustly full but disappointed at the same time.  Why is that?  How can that be?  I feel like I wasted valuable real estate in my stomach for something that was not worthy of being digested.  

Maybe I'll get the hot dog next time.
3 - Rachel H.: It lacks ambiance, but the price is right. I also like that they have some different types of burgers, like the "persion burger". The french rolls are delicious, fries barely mediocre.
3 - Ian C.: Had lunch here today. Good size burger that tasted good, and fries that tasted even better. Combo meal for about $8 with a drink, so not too bad. 

I probably could have given them a 4 if they had my favorite burger - Hawaiian (pineapple with teriyaki sauce....YUM). Other than that they did have a good selection of meats to have instead of beef.
5 - M I.: I love this place. When I work from home I go there once a week. If I am not working from home, I sometimes go there on the weekends.
The meat they use is good, much better than at other non-chain restaurants.
I like the Persian burger and their fries. It is good food, fast and fairly cheap.
3 - AccioSoyMilk ..: It was okay. I was leery because of its proximity to the campus (most food is overly priced and just gross--the perils of having college students as your clientele.) 

Anyway, I made it in just before the lunch rush. It wasn't crowded, although it quickly became so. The cashier seemed slightly impatient when I took my time, but was prompt and efficient. It was only 11:30, so I didn't quite feel like lunch would go down well with my stomach (darn not eating a proper breakfast!)

I ordered a hummus sandwich and a small Sprite. It kinda ticked me off that it was nearly 6 dollars, but the combo meals certainly look like good deals. The sandwich was okay, although the pita bread started falling apart and I started getting sandwich sauce/liquid all over my hands. I decided to give up and threw out the rest. 

Still, it seems popular with students and workers. It was relatively clean and the food came out pretty quickly. I'll keep this place in mind when I'm in the area.
4 - Mike C.: I have gone to this place for burgers for more than two decades, and I have not been disappointed once. The hamburger is juicy and perfectly charbroiled, the fries are crisp, the tabouleh salad well spiced. I lalso like the so-called Persian Burger, which is done with lamb, though at times I find it dries out. At under ten dollars, an excellent value!
3 - Jessie B.: Inna & I had lunch here today, pretty tasty.  I had the no. 3 w/o onions.  Decent burger on a nicely toasted sesame seed bun.  Fries were good.  Very crowded, but we were able to get a table before our order was up.  Thanks, Inna!
4 - Michele F.: My boss told me to go here when I first came to Berkeley.  The first thing I had here was the Persian Burger.  It was a hoagie filled with tomato, shredded lettuce, and grilled lamb.  Oh so good!  I loved it so much the first time that every time since, I have gotten the Persian Burger.  One time I did try my boyfriends Mushroom Burger, and that was equally delightful.  The best thing about this place is that they don't make their patties too thick.
2 - sharon m.: got this a couple times. i thought their burgers were dry! both locations!!
5 - Sean B.: Tried the black bean burger and though I'm not a vegeterian by any stretch of the imagination, it was different and fun. I liked it.
3 - Monica L.: On the the way from BART to the Game.  Check.
Serves Niman Ranch Beef.  Check.
Cheap.  Check.

So, I confess that I got the Falafel sandwich and it was tasty.  The falafel (is the plural of "falafel" just "falafel"?) were hot, crispy and moist inside.  I don't think that these things had been sitting around in a pool of oil for a long time.  The lettuce is just iceberg (not my thing) but the freshly fried greaseless falafel made up for the average fixings.
2 - Tony T.: We were in Berkley after driving down the coast from Bodega Bay and desperately wanted beef. My friend and I stumbled into this places and ordered some burgers. Both of ours were good and the fries were crispy and yummy. Good? Yes. Sublime? No. Value? Yes. I'd god back if I was on that side of campus again. 2 stars with leanings towards 2.5 if it were an option.
3 - Sarah M.: Passing by the door and have heard from locals (I'm not from CA) that this is a great local place to grab a burger. I finally broke down and went there for a burger and some fries. The Burger was real hamburger meat and cooked right there in front of you. I recommend getting one with everything on it, makes it taste incredible. It is a good burger when it is "dripping" down your hand! The fries were the crinkle kind with the right amount of salt, I'm English so I added vinegar and let me just tell you I was in heaven! I would go back and try the different things they have on their menu. The service was average, however if it was a sunny day and lunch hour I can image it being busy.
5 - Sascha B.: My first review is  for one of my favorite restaurants ever.  I have been coming here since the early 90's.  At first I was just a teenager looking for some fries, but now my standard order is a persian burger with fries, and either coke or coffee. (and yes, the coffee sucks, but caffeine is caffeiene, lol.) I'm Greek, so even though not exactly Persian, I do like my lamb very much, and I know the right and wrong way to cook it, and Bongo Burger consistently gets it right.  It isn't "cheap" but if you get the whole Persian Burger you'll have another amazing meal the next day or whenever.  My first love there, the fries, are still quite tasty  I got them with ranch even before they had it in a squeeze bottle, so  maybe the trend came from me?:)  Since I'm a salt fiend I  don't mind the saltiness of the fries, but i do taste them now to make sure they don't need more salt.:)  I have had their beef burger once, and it was ok, but the lamb is where it is at for me.

One note, I never come here if I'm in a hurry.  Everything seems to be freshly made which is good, but that also means it may take a minute for it to come out.  I allow myself 45 minutes to a hour for lunch here.  I also use a wheelchair, and can't  bring my own food to the table . (unless I want to wear it, lol.) and they have been very helpful, and I think know my likes enough to know what condiments I like with my lamby goodness.   The resturant isn't spacious but I can fit fine in my wheelchir without blocking anyone. (once I order.)   I might  think twice about coming with another wheelchair user is it may get cramped, but have never tried.   If I lived in Berkeley, I  would come here even more often!
4 - G A.: Short and sweet review.

To be honest, I only really get the falafel 1/2 sandwich and fries here. Both are excellent and imho the fries are the best of their type.

Th eating environment is fast-food'ish but the food is a cut above. Very reliable and consistent.
1 - Mikolo R.: The 1-star rating pertains to their breakfast food.  I tried their 'two-eggs-and-two sausages' breakfast meal that came with 2 slices of toast and some potatoes.  The eggs were nothing out of the ordinary, and same with the sausages.  The toast was average, and they only gave me enough jam to use on one slice.  Now, their potatoes... let me just say they are the worst potatoes I've had in a long time; they were SOGGY.  I would think they are supposed to be fried in a skillet, as most potatoes are at breakfast places, but these were just hot and soggy, like they came straight out of a pot of water.  I'm never going there again for breakfast.
4 - Cori W.: Very similar to the Euclid location but cleaner and friendlier. Black bean veggie burger is where its at. Crispy french fries are also amazing.
2 - Roya K.: Wow... I was really disappointed. I have been hearing how good Bongo Burger is for YEARS, in particular (what is now called...) the Persian burger. So I finally made it down to the Center Street shop, hungry and ready to be wowed, but left feeling letdown. So when we went in, the place was empty, but it seemed as though a million and a half people followed us in. I thought that was a good sign as I waited for my food. My first impression of the meal was that the burger was super long. It looked good! I started off by munching on some fries. They were neither good nor bad. They were just fries. Sorta crispy. VERY salty. But whatever, right? Rarely do you go to a burger joint JUST for the fries. So I took a bite of the burger... the anticipated moment and... blaaaaaaah. My burger (overall) was dry, as if there was no sauce/mayo/mustard... nothing. And because the meat is thin (not that I am complaining about the meat), it just wasn't enough to add any kind of moisture to the burger as a whole. AND... I can only assume they toasted their rolls with a nuclear toaster of some sort because that puppy was TOASTED. So much to the point that it hurt the roof of my mouth. :( To end on a good note however, I did think that the meat on the burger (Persian) was VERY tasty! Just wish the rest of the burger was as good as it was!
3 - Luisa B.: Ok maybe this is just me but I get really turned off by cashiers who have no where to go, nothing to do, and still find the time to look at you like you're insane when you only have $10 to spend and can't decide between the fifteen choices on the menu.  Eh, maybe it's just me...

As far as the food goes, the fries were delicious.  The sheer size of the "Mushroom Burger" made me recall the ginormous creatures I've seen in only magazines.  The bun was a fresh-from-the-bakery-quality sesame bun: perfectly crusty on the outside, chewy and soft on the inside, with more sesame seeds than I've ever seen on any burger joint bun.  

But when I go out to have a hamburger, I go out to have a damn-good hamburger.  And the Niman Ranch patty did have a beefier flavor than any you'll find at your typical burger stop, but ultimately, it was underseasoned, and that was tough to look past.

It sounds like I would have been better off with the falafel.  And I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to go again.
2 - S R.: I guess the Persian burger is the one OK thing I've tried here, but it's kind of flavorless and really not that good. Which makes this place kind of like that "hole-in-the-wall with great food" minus the great food.

I can understand hitting up Bongo Burger on Dwight or Euclid if you're an undergrad who doesn't know any better or doesn't venture west of Oxford St. But here, you're just steps away from real food, for crying out loud!
5 - Sherelle V.: I don't understand why this only has 3.5 stars. I really love this place. I never really understood what the Persian Burger was, so curious about all the reviews on it, I tried it out myself. It is sooo good and HUGE. When you get it, looks like a sub, but when you unravel it, you realize its fattyness. mmMmm. I also liked the fries. While they look like regular crinkle fries, something about them makes them taste almost like they were dipped in corn dog batter (completely reminds me of something you would get from a fair). Great location too! Steps away from campus, the BART, and Shattuck shops... I really don't understand where it COULD go wrong!
3 - Michael F.: I had the All-American burger. The buns were well-toasted and  the beef patty had good beef flavor. I'm not sure what to make of the fries, since they came in a sort of jagged shape that suggests they may not be freshly made. But on this, I couldn't tell. I thought my meal was kind of expensive, and I would like them to make thicker hamburger patties.
2 - J S.: 4.11.2009

For the past week, I've already eaten Thai twice and Persian once, so I wanted something different and my colleagues said this was good, which was why I phoned in my order for pick up. They said it'll take about five minutes, but I was expecting them to take longer because it was lunch hour, but they really meant five minutes because when I picked it up in 15, my food was luke warm. 

When I arrived to the somewhat empty place, the lady at the counter had her eyes closed and I had to say excuse me twice before I got her attention, and a group of male workers were playing with their electronic devices toward the back. It was a Saturday, so UCB students weren't around, which was why so many restaurants close during the weekends. 

I saw a bigger than average commercial worthy assembled All-American Burger which I appreciated because some places (such as the fast food chains) don't and when you try to pick it up things slide and drop. I peeked under the bun to see what was in there: a lot of lettuce, a little bit of tomato, very little grilled onion, which I finally found underneath the bed of lettuce. I wished they gave more onions and ketchup. 

This didn't compare to Rico's. The burger lacked flavor because it was diluted by the very generous portion of lettuce that wilted by the time I ate so no crunch, but I could still mildly taste the ripeness of the tomato and ketchup with a hint of beef from the very thin, dry beef patty.
3 - Carol V.: When you're an undergrad at Berkeley you're bound by how far your feet can take you, no In-n-Outs for those of us without cars!  So Bongo Burger is that substitute for you.  Although I prefer Barney's, Bongo Burger is a quick pick me upper with a dash of grease.  I had their mushroom burger and it was good.  I also noticed my heart hurt a little bit more and decided to forfeit the bus ride for a hike home instead.
3 - Debbie Chiou S.: had the black bean burger. it's a vegetarian burger patty served on two thick onion buns. decent taste and fill, but could use more spice.
3 - Bella G.: Damn fine burger and good fries.  The prices are reasonable and despite a lunch time crowd, they're as quick as you can expect them to be.
4 - Judy W.: Everyone in Berkeley has had a delicious experience at Bongo Burger, and this reviewer is no exception!  Here are some highlights of the place:

Awesome:
1. Persian Burger - so good.  I'm not a fan of lamb, but their Persian burger does not taste strange at all.  The bread is extremely fresh and crispy, and the veggies are all crisp and delicious.  Try it, at least once!
2. Fries - they know how to make fries the right way.  The fries are crinkle cut and are way better than any Ore-Ida fries (although I like those too).  These will disappear into your tummy in no time.

Good:
1. Cheeseburger - Niman Ranch beef = good.  The buns are just perfect and everything just tastes great together.  They're made-to-order, so paying a dollar or two more than McD's is totally worth it.
2. Mushroom Burger - not bad.  This is a pretty standard mushroom burger, which also means that it needs more mushrooms!  It's a good, safe pick, but won't blow you away.  (head over to Rocky's for some delish mushroom burgers!)

Every time we come here, they are super friendly and super quick.  The location at Center St. closes early (8pm I think?), so you've gotta eat earlier to catch a meal.  Parking's kind of sucky at night, so take-out is always an option and it tastes just as good at home!
4 - Eric S.: After hemming and hawing over this for far too long, I'm pleased to declare Bongo Burger my Berkeley burger favorite. As much as I like places like Amanda's, Barney's, Al's and the newly-opened Burgermeister, Bongo is more consistently delicious than all of them combined. The cheese to burger ratio is always exactly right, and holy crap, their crinkle cut fries are AMAZING. They pretty much do everything right here - the only minus is that its proximity to campus makes it ridiculously crowded at lunch time.
4 - Akash P.: Saw this place while walking around the city, and decided to try it out with a couple friends. All three of us ordered the bacon cheeseburger meal, which came with krinkle cut fries, and a small drink. The burger itself was great, the meat was really juicy. The one thing about it that I didn't like was the fact that they used bits of bacon rather than strips of bacon; however one of my friends really liked that, so to each his own I guess. The fries were wonderfully cooked; they were crispy on the outside, but were still soft on the inside. I also really liked the fact that they had ranch squeeze bottles set out along with the usual ketchup bottles. The drink was just a drink, but I was upset by the fact that they filled it to the brim with ice, so that there was barely any soda in it (I don't really like soda so it wasn't THAT big a deal to me, but it might suck for others). On top of the fact that you dont get soda, they don't provide refills, but again it didn't bother me that much. I say it's definitely worth going to.
4 - Amir A.: Bongo Burger is a great place to dine. All three branches are awesome, but I go to the one on Center the most. They're all basically the same thing. The food is fantastic, especially the Persian burger. And fries. And onion rings. And everything. Tip: the half-sized Persian burger costs significantly less, but it's almost as big as the full-size so if you want to save some money, I recommend doing that.
4 - M. M.: six words: persian burger and crinkle fries, YUM!
5 - Salma R.: Bongo Burger=Good Burger. I've only had burgers here twice but both times they were excellent. The first time was in between finals so it definitely helped me maintain my mental sanity. The second time was for late lunch. I've tried the All-American Burger, Mushroom Burger, and fries. All were great! I liked the Mushroom Burger over the All-American (too plain for me). Also, I've tried a bite of the turkey burger and it had a really awesome taste! And usually, I don't like turkey-Thanksgiving or not! The sauce on the burger makes it worthwhile. Not expensive either. Around $5 for a burger. Also, the toasted sesame bun...mmmm mmm! I like how they have a decent selection of "regular" burgers and then different ones too-like the black bean burger! Next time, I'm going to have to try the Persian burger!
4 - Mimy P.: I love Bongo Burger! Almost every time I come here, I get the mushroom burger. The meat is nice and juicy and the mushrooms are smothered in sauce. It hits the spot every time.

One time, I had their falafel and it was not as good as their burgers. I would recommend that if anyone orders falafel, they should order the half falafel rather than the full falafel because the full one is too big for one serving. Also, most of the pita is filled with lettuce and tomatoes rather than falafel. Oh well, I guess there's a reason this place is called Bongo Burger and not Bongo Falafel.
4 - Michael I.: Big, generous, juicy, and packed with burger flavor.  This is an unpretentious place that makes an excellent burger.  Also lots of less traditional burgers to try. If you are walking along Center St. during lunchtime....YUM.
4 - Justin F.: This place is pretty awesome. Decent variety of burgers, the fries are tasty, and they let you take your own ranch dressing sauce! Hell YES! Burgers are around 6 bucks each and fries are about 2 do if you want the full experience it'll be a bit pricier than any place with a dollar menu, but it's with checking out.
4 - David K.: My two favorite things: tasty and cheap.

When I'm in Berkeley and don't feel like going to Top Dog, I'll go Bongo Burger.

Just today, I had the combination #7 for $8.75 plus tax.  It was a Persian burger, fries, and a small soda.  The Persian burger is seasoned ground lamb in the shape of a rectangle to match the shape of the tasty toasted roll that surrounds the meat.  Lettuce and tomato is also in the sandwich.  Very tasty.  I normally don't eat lamb but this lamb was very good.  Even the fries were very tasty.  

Bongo Burger also has hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and steak sandwiches as well as falafels, hummus, mediterranean salads,and  shish kabob plates.  I've had the hamburgers and falafels in the past and they have all been good.

Since I had my meal shortly after 10 AM, I was tempted by their breakfast combinations.  For $4.80, I could have had two eggs any style, bacon, homefries, toast, and jam.  Or the same without meat for $3.05.  I'll have to get breakfast next time.
4 - Elise H.: I love the mushroom burger here! add some of their ranch dressing into it well I think its ranch and your good to go! Great place if your in search of a quick bite.
3 - Wen Y.: I got the half Persian burger when I read all the rave reviews for it.

The flavor was pretty good (I love lamb) but I felt a little jipped when I saw the lamb patty stick out and thought "wow, they don't skimp on the meat." As I started eating, I noticed that they actually just pushed the patty outward and the inside portion of the bread didn't actually have lamb in it. 

I shall try their beef burgers next.
4 - Shab S.: I LOVE the Persian burger, with some of that ranch sauce...MMmmmm TASTE GOOOOOD!
3 - Chris K.: Tried the Bongo for the first time today.  The standard cheeseburger is great. It comes on a Sesame seed bun with Niman ranch meat. Yum

The fries are standard frozen fare, nothing special. 
What really sucks is soda refills are 65 cents. Please! It only costs you 5 cents.
If I go back soon I will only get the hamburger! Enough said!
3 - Chris Y.: Randomly chose to try this place for dinner while walking through Berkeley... not great, but not bad either.  It definitely has some sort of Persian influence ... not sure how the name "Bongo Burger" fits in anywhere...

Anyway, on to the food.  The menu seemed appetizing.  The food was mediocre.  Better than dining commons, but not by much.  The burger was pretty dry and overcooked, but greasy at the same time.  The french fries look like they came from the grocery store's frozen-food section.  But in spite of it all, as I polished off my meal, I found myself liking it more, and it really didn't taste that bad.  Just enough to get three stars.

It's a pretty small place, maybe half a dozen small tables.  and because it's downtown Berkeley, there's no parking.  But it's close to the Bart station!
3 - Henry T.: I usually get the mushroom burger or just their normal burger (I think they call it an American burger...?). The burgers are pretty good. The way they make their buns is actually pretty good. It's sorta toasty but soft. The fries are also pretty good. I think the only thing it has going for it is that it's close to campus...because, honestly, I'd take In-N-Out Burgers over this any day of the week.
3 - Rachel S.: So so service, considerably long wait, okay food. The veggie burger is good, the homefries were okay but the bell peppers were not fresh and were overdone, and I found the mushroom burger sloppy and plain tasting. The ranch they have is delicious, especially with the regular fries. Prices, location, and seating are decent though. A good eatery for a vegetarian student.
4 - Evelina E.: These burgers are really good, but I have one compliant... the fries taste almost HEALTHY, and I don't want that. I want big greasy fries that make your hands all slippery when you try to pick up your soda to wash down the salt that's just coated your mouth.
4 - John S.: I've been lunching on Center Street, off and on, for almost six years now.  I've tried most of the non-chain places between Shattuck and Oxford, and even some of the chains.  I've fallen in love with establishments that closed, and then I fell in love (or infatuation) with their replacements, only to be disappointed when they predictably closed.

Top Dog and Bongo Burger were the only real holdouts, and I don't have an excuse for that.  OK, for Top Dog maybe I did (who wants to order a Wienie anyway?), but I bit that bullet before the new year, so what kept me from Bongo Burger all this time?

Pure stupidity.

Yes, they have burgers, but they also have a very decent black-bean burger, and they have crinkle-cut fries.  But what I liked most about my meal was the bun.  I'm not usually one to comment on buns except to criticize them for being too small for the burger, but this one was ample enough and delicious to boot.

I'm coming back to try the falafel.  Boo for only having Coke products in the fountain, but yea for some really sweet service.
4 - Aaron S.: Solid Burgers with Niman Ranch meat means you're getting something delicious without completely trashing yourself on processed food.  It's a really good burger at a good price.  It's not hard to see why they're doing good business and expanding.

Service is quick and effective, though seating can be limited at busy times, or when weather is poor and outside seating is limited.

I don't do the veggie stuff, but the meat is top notch.  This is my go-to place to get lunch when I'm on campus.
5 - Shahin S.: Well, they have a Persian Burger which is simply the best. It is so good I rarely ever order anything else. And if you are Persian: They also have Doogh, but you have to ask for it.
3 - Ernie F.: The Short:
Having eaten at all 3 Bongo Burgers near the UC Berkeley campus (North, South, and West side), I have to say they do a good job keeping their flavors consistent. Come here if you have a burger craving and want to enjoy a nice sit-and-eat with a friend.

 If you're looking for a large and satisfying burger, Bongo can help get you satiated with their generously sized burgers. These are filled with chopped lettuce, tomato, and a large Niman Ranch patty smothered with something that resembles Thousand Island dressing. These burgers don't taste like your traditional American burger though-- the buns are slightly crispier and ketchup and mustard does not come standard (or least in non-noticeable amounts). Despite this, they still taste good, but not good enough to keep me coming back for more. The fries are very delicious-- cooked well and definitely crispy.

My mine gripes would be the prices of their additions (adding cheese costs $0.75) and the price of their other offerings like the Persian Burger. Their breakfast menu is nothing stellar-- offering the standard toast (not that well made), eggs (decent), and potatoes (meh).

Service is nothing out of the ordinary, and the decor of the restaurants are comfortable for sitting and chatting. 

Recommendations:
- Cheeseburger Meal

Pros:
- A nice twist on the American Burger (crispier bun, shredded lettuce, wide patty).
- Beef is from Niman Ranch (I like higher grade beefs, they taste better in my opinion).
- Fries are golden brown and crispy.

Cons:
- Other food offerings are pricey.
- Additions don't come cheap.
- Average-at-best breakfast menu.
4 - Greg M.: Hella good!  Luv the skinny crinkle cut fries.  Had the #1(mushroom & swiss burger) add bacon which came w/ fries and a drink.  It was really good, tho i agree with some other reviewers in that it's a little bread-y but overall a great burger.  

Great Value! My total w/ tax was just under $10 which i thought was well worth it for the quality of food I got, especially since i recently spent close to $8 for a crappy Burger King combo last week.
3 - Ann E.: OK, I have this thing going where I'm trying to decide if Bongo Burger or Burgmeister is the best. Theses places are several blocks away from each other.  I have went back to both a few times and I'm still up in the air. The burger is good, but a little on the thin side. 

The bun is huge and I noticed the same guy slamming meat on the grill is the same one touching my burgers, so I am concerned about getting sick. Now for under $8, you can get burger, fri, and a small drink. 

They also serve breakfast which I have yet to try. There seems to be tons of eating places near by so probably good to try them all. The staff is kind of blah, blah. No music, no tv and ambiance is non existent.

The do have several other good looking things on the menu I would like to try as well. I still think Nations Hamburgers are the best. You be the judge.
3 - Jose O.: Black bean burger is the best I've ever had.  And it tastes amazing every single time I have it.  Add in some crinkle cut fries and watch out.

Not overly impressed with anything else on the menu really and that's the downer.  The breakfast is ok, and I kind of like the turkey burger.  I've had the Mediterranean plate and it was fine.  So that's why the 3 stars.
5 - Catelyn T.: hands down BEST burger place I've been too.  This beats In-N-Out, Fentons, the small burger joints, Mel's diner, anything! I got the spicy chicken burger. omg, the bun, the dressing, the flavor.  I can't stop thinking about it after I had it! AMAZING
2 - Y. Abigail H.: Good burgers! + tasty crispy onion rings - nasty employee attitude (and this is not just once, this happens everytime I come here) = 2 Stars.  The only way I'll eat a Bongo burger is if I get a friend to get it for me, so I won't be offended by their horrible customer service. Lol!
5 - Hubert H.: The neighborhood standard for a nice fat juicy burger! The prices have gone up but the quality has stayed constant. Near campus and easy to get to. At times the service seems indifferent, but all in all great experience.
2 - Chris P.: Bongo Burger served me literally the worst bacon I've ever ate in my entire life. It was unpalatable. If I weren't in a rush, I would've gone back and complained. Bacon is an easy meat to cook. For $6.04, I expected better -- I literally could've got superior bacon from McDonald's.

I was originally going to give a four-star review, but the star of my bacon cheeseburger -- the bacon -- was the stringiest, toughest, most gristly mess I've ever eaten. It felt like chewing on a knot of floss and boogers. Absolutely terrible. And no flavor, either.

The burger patties themselves are of respectable quality (Niman Ranch, which to my mind sold out a long time ago) and the other ingredients were also adequate, if not delectable. I do appreciate the toasted sesame bun that comes with each burger. Service was friendly and the venue, while spartan, does have nice, large tables that are good for groups and working lunches.
3 - Denise M.: I liked this place okay. 

At the suggestion of someone at my hotel I had my first Berkeley meal at Bongo Burger. 

A 1/2 falafel, fries and a drink was about $7 which I thought was a fair price. The woman working isn't overly friendly but I guess she's okay. 

My favorite part of the meal -- skinny crinkle cut fries...very tasty. All and all a solid, cheap meal.
3 - Shaniqua A.: Bongo uses Niman Ranch beef, which matters to me. And their prices are cheap. And I have had Bongo Burger jags when I have eaten there at least once a week. But I might be done with them now. Yeah,they are cheap but I'd like a meatier burger. They will sell you a second patty for $2.75 and I am willing to pay $2.75 for the added amount of beef but I want a thicker patty, not two of their very skinny ones. I want a thick hunk of beef. If they just grill two of their skinny burgers, it's completely different than grilling one thick patty.

I won't go to Burgermeister:  their prices are gouging, altho they use good beef, also use Niman Ranch. . .

Now I go to Phil'sSliders. At Phil's, you get tiny two ounce FAT meat patties cooked medium rare for two bucks. If I pop four bucks, I get four ounces of beef, which is what you get in a standard Bongo Burger but the meat is pink in the middle, the patty is thick. .. you get the same amount of beef, the beef is arguably a higher quality than Niman Ranch. .. 

Good bye Bongo.
2 - David O.: Meh. I ordered a Bacon Burger w/ onion rings. The rings were good. The bun was past its prime and dry, but I'm glad they grilled it. The meat was untasty -- yeah that's right, untasty. 

I'd go again to try this Persian (ground lamb) burger everyone else has raved about. Might add some hummus too. We shall see if I ever make it back, however, since my burger cravings come about once every six months or more.
5 - Julie T.: I was craving a burger when I got out of class and decided to make my way to Bongo Burger since I have never been. I wasn't expecting it to be anything great but it was a damn good burger.

I paid $8.37 total for a #6 meal which comes with a fat juicy turkey burger, crinkle-cut fries, and a small soda. The turkey burger was sooo juicy and flavorful! & surprisingly pretty big! They use a different kind of bun - more of a crusty roll than your regular smushy hamburger buns... they don't get as soggy and hold the burger together better.

My go-to burger joint!
4 - Allister D.: I def like this place a lot. This burger joint has an interesting middle eastern vibe to it. They sell different kinds of burgers with flavorful toppings including falafel. The service was a bit bland here but the food was actually well done! I ordered the turkey burger and it included crinkled cut fries which I don'd see anymore in any burger joint. These fries were interesting and very unique. I also enjoyed the freshly grated cut lettuce in the burger. The turkey was very flavorful. I enjoyed how the buns on the burger was lightly toasted in a way where the burger was held tightly packed. 

The place was spotless and the condiments were clean such as the ketchup and ranch bottle. 

I would come back here again for another burger!
3 - Craig O.: Coming from a very good burger city (Seattle), it was a good, hearty burger. Liked the sauce and toppings, but wasn't mind-blowing. Definitely above-average, and good for a quick eat. Also, centrally located to downtown Berkeley on University Ave (the location I visited).  

Biggest disappointment were the fries. They tasted like they were the frozen crinkled kind you get at Safeway.
4 - Jessica H.: Honestly, this place is exactly the same as the Bongo on Northside and on Southside. Except for the outdoor seating. The outdoor seating makes the greatest difference.
4 - Bernard B.: Best burger spot to eat around downtown Berkeley. A little expensive but worth it. Its pretty crowded from 1115 - 1230 on the weekdays so avoid that timeslot, service is REALLY slow.
3 - Stephie D.: Well done burger. No fancy schmancy creations here ala goat cheese and sundried tomatoes, just standard, meaty, fresh ham-NOM-NOM-NOM -burger. I had my doubts but I was glad I got get my burger fix here. 

Pricing is pretty standard, and I honestly haven't eaten crinkle fries since elementary school but everything is cooked well and nice and filling. 

I am interested in trying their mediterranean stuff as well.
4 - Carolyn T.: 1.  They don't wash their trays.  Take from that what you will.  

2.  Their half-falafel sandwich is about as messy as a burrito without the bottom folded in.  The bread always breaks and the fillings fall all over the place.  That being said, it's very delicious and probably the best falafel I've ever had.  

3.  They serve that High-C pink lemonade that I like.  

If I'm in the area, I usually come here when I get sick of Saturn Cafe.
1 - Jerry M.: The smell of dirty grease when I walked in should have been a clue, but Bongo had been recommended so I wanted to try it. This has to be the worst burger I've ever had at a place that "specializes" in burgers.  The most flavorful item on the sandwich was the lettuce. The burger was so flat it could have passed for a tortilla. There was a tiny sprinkle of processed shredded cheese on the cheeseburger. The crinkle cut fries were crispy but cold, and there is no way I will go back
3 - Shari M.: 4 stars for the turkey burgers
1 star for customer service

*Nothing else needs to be said*
4 - Steph N.: I absolutely love Bongo Burger! I usually come here to get burgers over the summer. One thing I always get is their classic cheeseburger meal. The portions are quite reasonable for a burger, fries, and small soda. Their food is always fresh and delicious. It gets crowded in here at lunch hours, but the line moves by pretty fast. Bongo Burger was definitely worth my $8!
3 - Kelly E.: I like this Bongo Burger better than the one on Dwight because it feels so much cleaner which is kinda a big deal for me.

On that note, the service is much friendlier here but the burgers are pretty much the same! Personally, it takes 1.5 burgers to fill me up at Bongo so I like to get 2 and save half for a late night snack!
3 - Akvile H.: I don't eat burgers often but I had a severe craving for one the other day. Bongo Burger popped up, was walking distance from home, seemed like a solid lil spot.

Stopped in for a lil lunch date with my hubby and we ordered up two American Burgers with cheese and one order of fries. The burger was legit, flavorful, well done. Fries were also good, they were the crinkle kind. The bun on the burger was a bit burned, but other than that, the place was good. The menu seems good and has some vegetarian options as well. Staff seemed nice.
4 - Yolanda M.: Bongo Burger is an affordable, accessible place to satisfy a burger craving! At first I wasn't a fan of how bread-y their burgers are, but after multiple visits I grew to appreciate their food. I'm yet to try any of the middle eastern dishes on their menu, but I'm confident that they'd be tasty as well.
3 - Tony W.: I tried their mushroom burger and California Omelet. The burger is quite good but the omelet is nothing special. Both items are very greasy. Their prices are not that cheap; for example, the Mushroom Burger combo costs $9.

The cashier is really unfriendly.
2 - Jennifer M.: I don't get the hype. This is probably because I didn't have a "real" burger. I tried the half lamb burger, and I asked for it plain, thinking the lamb would be filling enough and not wanting mayo and all that other stuff on my burger. Mistake. 

1. The "burger" was a very thin rectangular patty of lamb, and was SO SALTY. 
2. Also, I got it in a pita, and the pita was thin and stale. 
3. I also don't get the appeal of their crinkle cut fries - those were not french fries I would waste any calories on - they were thin, and sort of limp and soggy  (I like my fries very crispy and hot)

I won't be back unless there really is nowhere else to go - there are too many other good burger places in Berkeley. For an AMAZING lamb burger (that's a real burger, not a tiny condensed rectangular patty), go to Free House (at least it was really good back when it was Adagia).
5 - Heather L.: Great value for breakfast!
3 - Phan H.: Tiny burger joint. The food wasn't too bad, the fries were different and good. However the drinks were tiny and packed with ice. If you want a refill, they charge you. A little pricey for what you get, which is decent at best. The place is very tiny on a very busy street, so seating is limited. There are better options out there
5 - Nerma L.: I got the mushroom burger combo which came with fries and a soda.

The burger was super tasty. The bun was toasty warm, the burger itself was nice and grilled tasting. The toppings were super yum - sauteed mushrooms, melty cheese, fresh lettuce and tomatoes, and just the amount of of ketchup, mayo, and mustard that I like.

I really liked the fries, too. They weren't overly greasy or salty. Very crispy, warm, and tasty. Also, cute and crinkly.

The service was fast and friendly, and the atmosphere of the place was simple and comfortable. A nice place to people watch out the window as well.

I also thought the price was good compared to other places.

Currently my fav burger place.
4 - Jeff M.: Got a recommendation to get the Persian Burger and it was great.  Made with lamb meat and is huge with plenty of lettuce and spices.  My daughter got the Bongo salad which is only $3.50 but could have been a whole meal.  It was a very Middle Eastern creation and tasty.

Great food, large portions and cheap pricing.
3 - Tina A.: I usually get breakfast from here.  In their morning specials, you can get scrambled eggs, potatoes and toast for $3-$5.  I usually call and place the order and pick up after 10 minutes.  The food is cooked right in front, and it's worth paying the price.  The customer service staff is very unfriendly and gladly I wasn't the only one that noticed.
4 - Victor G.: bongo has falafel too. went for the 1/3 lb.  niman ranch burger (4.25)
-medium rare, a little red, very tender meat
-lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard. 
-added a cup of tahnini(?)  sauce available on the counter.
best $5 spent on a burger!
5 stars!

crumbs:
-cooked to order, 10 minutes.
-cheese not needed. saved .75 cents...
4 - sean m.: good but not great falaffel. sufficiently filling, good price, reasonable taste, but missing that "je ne sais quoi" that bumps food from good to great.  nonetheless, i will be back!
5 - Voidy Q.: Before I happened across this place, I used to spend my lunches at Blondie's Pizza. Now, there's nothing wrong with you, Blondie's Pizza -- I ain't hatin', you know we're still cool -- but eating a slice of pizza every day can get old, fast. I needed something new. 

I was wary of Bongo Burger at first. I stumbled in and shyly ordered the first thing on their menu -- the number one. The mushroom burger. I sat at a window seat and waited. It was done. I grabbed it, took it back to my table, and -- and this part, I'll never forget -- the moment I smelled it, I knew. I knew it was the one. 

Indeed, my nose has never let me down before, and this time was no exception. Their mushroom burger was fantastic. Thus began a beautiful relationship. I texted Blondie's the breakup letter. We still see each other sometimes, when Bongo's line is too long, but it's just -- it's not the same. Blondie's is my silver medal, and I think it knows. Anyway, the mushroom burger -- it's truly grand. I used to get one every time I was in town, before I started eating healthier. Oh, who am I kidding -- I still get one all the time. I have no self control and it's just so delicious. ;_;

It's a tiny restaurant, though. When it gets busy, seating can be damn near impossible. I feel so bad for the nice people working, because it seems like they get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of business the place gets. 

In all seriousness, the food and the people who cook it are what truly matters, and this place really hits the nail on the head. Great chefs, friendly cashiers, excellent food -- all around, this is a great place to eat. Kudos, Bongo. Keep on stylin'.

Bongo Burger - Berkeley, CA (37.8652379, -122.2582112) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
4 - maiko h.: Bongo serves burgers, breakfast (til 11am), and Mediterranean food such as falafel, hummus, etc.--a good place to go if you're a vegetarian with a carnivore in tow.  Their burgers, beef or turkey, are charbroiled and the buns are toasted well; not the best burger in town, but it still hits the spot.  They also serve the "Persian" burger:  lamb patties with the usual burger fixins and a squeeze of tahini on a long hoagie-like roll.  It's fantastic!  If you're craving Mediterranean, they have falafel sandwiches and various Med plate options including one that comes with falafel, hummus, tabouleh, dolmas, a slice of stinky feta, and pita--all this food for around $7!  They also serve cheap breakfast (it used to be $1.99, but it might have gone up thanks to the recession) early in the day, but that's not a highlight of Bongo aside from the price.  Everything is very affordable here, including the fresh-squeezed orange juice.  There are some tables indoors and two tables on the sidewalk if you want to observe the Telegraph Avenue characters.  They also have a location in Northside as well as downtown Berkeley on Center Street.
4 - Richard H.: Great lamb burgers (beef available as well), middle-eastern sandwiches, tabuli (heavy on the parsley), fresh orange juice. They need to open one in Santa Cruz too!
3 - Andrew K.: It's a solid burger and fries. They need BBQ sauce and other condiments. The atmosphere is just blah. Prices are decent. Not memorable, but I would go every 7 weeks or something, if I'm in the hood.
4 - Harsh K.: Go for the fullsize lamb sandwich, add a couple falafel, and top with extra tahini,  the northside and southside location make it a great pre-drink spot if you're looking for some cheap mediterranean
4 - Noelle M.: I survived on bongo burger while i was an undergrad at berkeley. I won't say how long ago that was, but the breafast was 99 cents and a 1/2 falafel was less than $2 and  was a complete meal.

Recently I had the occasion to enjoy a falafel there again and it was delicious and still cheap and filling. i have not had their breakfast special in recent history but it was great for a dollar  i think it will have to be better for $3.00
4 - Andrew Y.: The description below is right on. So when I went to Bongo Burger, I heard about this fake meat burger. I didn't try it because I don't like them no matter what, so I actually don't remember what I had, but I remember that it really didn't seem all that worth it to me. Even the fries left a lot to be desired. Anyway, why 4 stars? it's close to where my friends live and really, it's not all that bad. They could do with some specials or something like that. Competition my friends!
4 - sandy t.: 4 stars for the yummiest black bean veggie burger!!!
5 - Ryan Y.: A+ burgers,  A+ fries (esspecially when made extra crispy),  Beautiful chicken and falafel plates, all at a great price!  I love this place!
4 - Mari J.: I had the mediterranean plate with falafel, hummus, etc.  Actually I think I had to order the hummus separately.  You can end up paying a lot for lunch/dinner here, but the food is pretty good.  I have pretty high hummus standards, and while it wasn't the best, it was acceptable.  The portions are quite large and you will leave full.  This location is a little small and can get crowded depending on the time of day.
4 - Kolya R.: My rating is based on value for your buck, not great food quality.    Don't get me wrong, the breakfasts are  good, especially for the price (three bucks!).    You won't find a better deal in Berkeley - even at McDonald's.

Update:     About 12 years after my last visit here, I found a spruced up atmosphere, and higher prices of course (but you can still get two eggs and hash browns for $2.95).    I also ordered, for the first time, something other than breakfast -- a mushroom and cheeseburger, which was delicious, for  $5.15.
4 - Bill R.: Good food reasonably priced.
Great breakfast specials.
I enjoyed the Mediterranean dolmas, hummus and falafel.
The sandwiches are good and tasty.
Overall a good experience.
Small place with outside seating.
1 - Rebecca H.: Hmmmm... people seem to like this place. Well, I went there once, and had a different experience. 

I was starving, and had a 30 minute ride back to the city ahead of me, so popped into Bongo and had a Burger.  I thought it tasted ok, but not great. Then I hopped on  BART, and before I'd even reach MacArthur, I knew something was wrong. 

So wrong, in fact, that as I sat there in a cold sweat, zooming past West Oakland, I was forced to strategize for what I hoped would not happen before I reached my safe, clean bathroom, and I decided that in the event of an under-the-Bay-Bongo-Burger emergency, I would fake a seizure. 

Luckily, it did not *quite* come to that. But it would take a lot to get me to go back there again.
5 - Brandon B.: The Dwight Bongo is my favorite Bongo Burger, and the one with the most bongo memories.  Everything on the menu is tasty, but I'll keep coming back for the turkey burger and swiss.
5 - Joy C.: Great spin on hamburgers! I love their Persian Burger. It's in a long roll with a thin pattie of lamb. It's flavorful, moist, and delicious! Their fries are excellent, as well as their mushroom burger. Everything is great here.
2 - Alex Y.: Not a place I like too much. The burgers are okay when you try them the first time, but it gets tiresome pretty fast. It just seems to lack a burger's substance. As a result, I tend to go for their so called persian burgers for a change.

 If you like the burgers here, you're a burger newb. N00b I TELL YOU!!!
3 - Bill B.: For years I have ordered the Persian Burger when visiting Berkeley, ground seasoned lamb patty on a long toasted bun and have never been unhappy. Don't know where else to find this but it is YUMMY!!!
3 - Andy M.: Bongo Burger gets the award for the cheapest breakfast around, and I have taken advantage of this many times. But the fact that they (1) don't serve bacon, (2) their "sausage" is a hot dog, and (3) everything is served on a paper plate with plastic utensils, makes Bongo a pretty bad choice for breakfast unless you simply need fuel.

Burgers for lunch are much better, particularly the Persian lamb burger, although the burger prices have gone up recently and it seems a little steep for what you get.
5 - Cynthia B.: I am a vegetarian and I love to eat here.  Usually I get the falaffel and it is delicious!  When I was broke and driving home I would often stop here and get some dinner.  This place is inexpensive.  I love it.  They need more of these everywhere.  The food is fresh.  I probably ate there 50 times, and never a bad experience.  A great place when you want to get full and not spend much.
3 - Neena S.: What a surprise, when we were just looking for burgers and fries, (and had walked out of Top Dog, next door because they don't do fries...) to find a Mediterranean restaurant in disguise. The tabbouleh salad was very good, as were the burgers and fries. On the tabbouleh salad spectrum, theirs was heavy on cucumber, light on bulgar. I think they use vinegar rather than lemon juice, but it was tasty and perfect for a sunny lunch side dish.

Somebody here knows how to cook and prepare traditional middle eastern foods. 

I'll be back.
4 - Alexei B.: 
4 - Eazflo O.: bongo has something for everyone. salads, lamb, beef, fries, and so on. it is great. I was recently in Minneapolis at the good earth restaurant (why isn't there one in Berkeley?!) and the waitress found out I was from Berkeley and asked about Bongo burger because she used to live here and loves it so. Come on people it has to be good.
5 - Mike L.: Hands down, my FAVORITE place to get a burger in Berkeley. It's consistent, it's decently priced, it's fast, it's Niman Ranch meat, it's crispy CRINKLE CUT FRIES WITH THINNED OUT RANCH and it's CRISPY BUNZZZ!!! Yes, warm crispy toasty sesame seeded buns, where else does this exist no where that's why Bongo Burger get's a five. Try it they way I like it: hold the mustard and raw onions and you got gold baby.

Oh, and their Mediterranean stuff is pretty tasty too.
4 - Grace L.: Persian burger and fries gets me every single time.

Fast, doesn't-feel-like-it's-going-to-clog-your-arteries, easy food.

Eat it. =)
4 - Paul K.: Though I have not been there for seriously 7 years (dates me), their cheap breakfast is for the ages.  The only thing that would motivate me to get up before noon while I was in school.
4 - James N.: I only been here once, but my experience with this place is pretty awesome. I had a falafel. Very tasty and you get the bang for the buck.
2 - .James A.: I've been coming here since the late 80's when I was in college and always ordered the full falafel plate freaking loved it better than anything I had in Amsterdam which has some pretty good falafel joints but I had a hankering and stopped in last Saturday, something was off. The patties were kinda dry, they didn't have that cuminy, spicy, garlicy goodness that I love about falafel, frankly they were tasteless. The tahini sauce tasted like thinned out ranch dressing, I couldn't find anything remotely tasting of sesame and lemon. Not only that they raised the prices by about a buck. Until this visit I always found their falafel so satisfying not anymore. I think I'll try my hand at making my own.
4 - Stephen H.: This place does everything on their menu right.

The turkey burger has a healthy feel while still being satisfying.

The bacon cheeseburger is a calorie splurge no doubt, but ohhh is it worth it (don't eat this every day though)

The falafel is okay, nothing spectacular unfortunately, but considering the strength of their other offerings I don't fault them too much because some times you just want a filling meal without killing bambi or her friends, that is when the full falafel comes in.  

The breakfast special used to be the deal of the century but since has crept up in price.  Still though two eggs toast and some tasty potatoes for around $4 is not too shabby at all.

Finally the Persian burger, quite delish, with nice peppery grilled flavor with just enough lather of mayo on a french roll.  Wonderful!
4 - Franc S.: Synopsis:
I've only had the burgers to go and they were really good. The fries came in a nice portion too.

The Scene:
Bongo Burger is a nice place, very quaint. It's interesting to see elements of middle eastern cuisine tied in with american staples like burgers. In terms of looks, there isn't much to report other than the fact that there isn't too much seating area. It was nice, however, to know that if you are having take out, you can get ketchup and ranch (as much as you want).

The Food:
The burgers were delicious. The beef was well spiced and cooked to perfection. The shredded lettuce and tomatoes added a nice touch. Fries were just okay, but if paired with a burger, who really cares?

The Best Part:
The Burgers
2 - Nicole S.: I've heard good things about Bongo Burger so Sunday morning I decided to try it out.

The service was AWFUL! My friend and I tried to order 1 breakfast special (3 eggs, toast & jelly, hash browns) and 1 turkey burger combo (fries and soda), from the unfriendly and intimidating cashier. But they were out of potatoes so we were told our only option was fries. We asked if there were other options, the cashier told us no! 

Minutes after ordering we realize that: 1. You may substitute tabouleh or another side for fries in any order for $1 extra. 2. Fountain soda is not the only drink available, they also have fresh-squeezed orange and carrot juice. Why did the cashier not tell us this? 

The girl who ordered after us asked for a carrot juice and the cashier gave her a withering glance which seemed to say, "do I really have to turn on the carrot juicer today?". Not friendly.

Upon receiving our food, there were no forks and no jelly and no knives. Had to go back to the counter twice to get items which ought to have been served with the food! At least the server was apologetic...

The burger was very delicious and had a good amount of toppings. The eggs and fries and toast were hot, greasy, and yummy as expected.

But the service is enough to convince me not to come back.
2 - Vinh N.: I was craving for a burger really bad tonight when I decided to try some place new. I always passed by Bongo Burger and after some research on Yelp, I decided to try it out. I was in a mood for lots of meat, so I ordered the Bacon Burger and its best friend, a side of french fries, to go. 

When I ate the burger, I found the meat to be a little too red for my taste but the parts that were a little more cooked tasted fine to me. The bacon was a little thick and not as crispy as I would've liked, but it was the buns that killed it for me. The buns were so incredible tough and chewy that it felt like I was gnawing on leather. Every bite was a battle and I came out the loser - the burger totally fell apart. I eventually ditched the top bun and sloppily ate my way through the rest. The fries were crispy, but they didn't knock my socks off.

Even though I was expecting more, maybe I'll give the much talked about Persian Burger a shot, but I'll be passing on their beef burgers.
5 - Alicia L.: Bongo Burger is one of those places you go to when you're really hungry and just really want a burger and fries. They have other stuff too, of which I've only tried the lamb sandwich, which was delicious.

Recently they changed their buns so it's kinda hit and miss with those. They are either too big and crispy or flaky and hard. Every now and then you'll get one that is perfect-soft on the inside and slightly crisp on the outside. Fabulous. 

I don't know what the poster below me is talking about with the meat being "too red" since they seem to cook their meat medium well to well. I've never had a red burger from there-seems like you can't really cook ground meat like that. 

Anyway, the service is fine-to be expected from a fast food place. They are a bit standoffish, which honestly works in my favor because I can't stand overly friendly staff. Yes, you have to get your fat, lazy ass up to get forks and ketchup and salt and other things you might need. This is a three-steps up from McDonald's fast food place, not Harris'.
5 - Jennina C.: Their Turkey Burger is delish. I love the crinkle cut fries...It reminds me of when my mother tried to cook once when I was little, but these didn't light the kitchen on fire only my taste buds.
5 - Bianka G.: persian burger so good!!! thats it
3 - Scott F.: This place is a solid 3 stars, maybe approaching 4, but I'm only giving them 3 since everything is good, but I'm not sure it's I ever particularly crave it.  I always think my meal was pretty good when I go, but that's sorta the limit of my enthusiasm, "pretty good."

Bonuses are that they have some middle-eastern fare in addition to the regular burgers.  This is something you can't get most places.  Stuff like falafel or lamb burger or something.  That and they serve the burgers on something besides Wonder Bread-type buns.  The burgers didn't seem horribly greasy or anything.  Good, but I came for the burger not as much for middle eastern options.

On the bad side, the location is small and usually pretty cramped if you go when people are there.  I guess you could walk over to People's Park and eat with homeless people or something if you can't deal with the claustrophobic crowding.  It's pretty tiny to eat there.  Oh, yeah, I seem to remember some attitude sometimes, but it's been a while.

I do like the burgers slightly above average.  It's pretty much one of the better cheap-ish burger places near campus, except for Smart Alec's which is a thinner and completely different kind of burger (with baked fries).  Or Oscars which is a grease-slathered cheapo drive in-type Americana burger (good in a sorta trashily delicious way).  Or the overpriced "gourmet" burgers at someplace like Barneys.

Who knew there were so many varieties of burgers within a reasonably close distance to campus?

Anyway, decent burger for a sorta healthier fast-food, but not trashy kinda burger with middle eastern options if you want them.  Less obnoxiously hippy-tarian-seeming and faux-healthy than Smart Alec's (just saying, even though Smart Alec's is about as ok). Somehow I can't elevate it to four stars, though, since it's just not stand out better than anything else to me.  I like it but rarely feel the urge to eat here in any addictive way..
4 - Don G.: Bongos is really a three-point-five tops, but Yelp doesn't allow half points, and I'm feeling generous tonight.  The falafel is very good, the fries are too, but the burger ... well, it's my fault for noticing only midway through my dried-out husk of a dead-cow that the "Best of the Bay" signs they so proudly display are all from about eight years ago.  I think my burger dated from the same era.  Making the whole thing even less palatable was the cranky woman who took our order.  The cooks all looked like they were having fun anyway, but the woman -- presumably part owner, at least -- was sour and unpleasant to us and them alike.  Yikes.
3 - Irene S.: the best thing about bongo burger is the mushroom sandwich. i think they soak those mushrooms in crack somewhere in the back, then put them on a toasted bun with cheese & lettuce & tomatoes (if you don't think tomatoes are gross) & condiments for you to eat. i eat one, and immediately want five more. 

man, oh man alive, those crack mushrooms are really good.
4 - Navid N.: I LOVE Bongo Burger- and not just because I'm Persian. 

Although I do enjoy the 'Persian Burger', I generally get the mushroom burger. As someone wrote a few posts down- those mushrooms are seriously marinated with crack and with a hint of more crack. 

Back to the Persian- A whole entire Persian Burger is sooo huge, that I've only finished it once (when I was REALLY stoned). The half burger is more than enough when complimented by fries. I personally don't even think it requires an acquired taste to appreciate, just know that its lamb (and so it tastes different than normal burgers because of the meat). 

Their fries are okay. And overall, I love the quality of their meat (Niman)

What I REALLY love is their Ranch. Yes, oh yes. This is such a huge plus that comes from such a minor detail. They not only make their own ranch (thus ensuring freshness) but its absolutely delicious and doesn't even get close to the "salad-y" types of ranch. It's pure ranch made for burgers and fries. mmmmm

I think it's the best burger on the Southside of campus, easily edging out I.B Hoagies, Smart Alec's, Julie's and probably only rivaled by Blake's (which is sit-down status).
2 - Tony D.: When did this place get so expensive? The food is pretty good (esp the mushroom burger), but you can get a sandwich at Gregoire for the same price as some here. For the price of pretty good you can get 'actually good' food elsewhere.
4 - Matt D.: Great burgers, reasonable prices. Most surprisingly of all, however, is the quality of their Persian food; I'm a fan of Persian food in general, and for such a reasonable price from a restaurant that doesn't strive to be fancy, they churn out some decent Persian grub here.
5 - katie k.: hella guud! whenever i'm too lazy to "cook" (which is about 95% of the time) and i'm in search of something just damn delicious and down the street (from oakland to berkeley that is) i find myself at bongo burger. the order is quick--no need to think--just get up to the register and say "persian burger." it's lucky number 7 on the combo menu and it's damn good. within just a few minutes i'm chowing down on my foot long lamb burger and crinkle cuts fries. I douse my meal in the white sauce; a lot of people call it "ranch" but that's blasphemous. it's SO much better than ranch. with in a few i'm full off of lamby-ness (baah! so sad!)

I save half for now and half for later. and it's so good that i plan out when i'll eat the next half. and am i crazy or do i wash down my burger with RC cola? perhaps. anyway, the place is spick and span and always serves up quality eats in fast food-like speed. 

the only thing i hate about the place is how cold it gets from stupid customers walking in an letting the door fly open. "geez man i'm freezing over here!" it messes up the persian burger-ness. parking sucks everywhere in berkeley so go after traffic and you'll have plenty of time, cuz they're one of the few telegraph eateries that actually have reasonable hours.
3 - Tabitha P.: I ordered the Lamb burger and what I got looked more like a hero sandwich. The lamb meat was good and the fries were okay. The small drink is a joke.
4 - KebabKing ..: So here I am at a fancy hotel one day attending a sleepy cocktail fundraiser and in the midst of wolfing down lamb chops, I start chatting with one of the friendly servers. Turns out he is Persian and noticing how I am annihilating the meat in my hands, points out that he is a foodie too. So we hit it off well.

I ask him what his favorite Persian food joint is in the area, and expect him to mention one of the more traditional joints. He says "Bongo Burger." I say "Bongo Burger???" He confirms "Bongo Burger." And then throws in "Try the Persian burger there." And then he draws out a slow whistle.

Not one to let a good recommendation go - especially one backed by a slow whistle, I end up at the lively Bongo Burger the same week and order said Persian burger. Holy sideburns of the Shah! Why didn't anyone think of this before? A very, very tasty and perfectly grilled chailo kebab with all the works in a bun? It is, simply put, "khailee khoob".

Thank you anonymous Persian server.
4 - Kristina R.: The place is always very crowded and full of university students. They have one of the bet falafel sandwiches I have ever had!!!  The lamb burger is also really good. Make sure you check it out.
5 - grey h.: Maybe I was just really hungry.. But after Hitting Top Dog, my friend and I came here for meal #2 (this is within 15 minutes).  We ordered the Mushroom burger combo and split it.  And even with diminishing marginal utility, the flavor just kept getting better.  The mushrooms were marinated to perfection, so juicy.  As was the burger patty itself.  As I bit into the burger, the juice came out of both the mushroom and burger patty, melding together to make this heavenly melody (like in the beginning of simpsons)  Almost as good as Kobe :)  They use beef from a specific farm?  I still must try the Mediterranean food, since it keeps getting such good reviews for it.  This place is definitely a must try, and at a very legit price.  Try it Out!
4 - Stefan A.: Both the falafel and the persian burger are great.  Fresh squeezed carrot juice is delicious (if you swing that way).  Breakfast isn't bad either for cheap eggs and toast.

Odd recognition - I've easily gone there 100 times in my life, and I've never ordered the regular burger.

Northside location is equally good.

And a note to Grey H.  Your 8/15 post was completely nostalgic.  When I was 16 (and could eat like 8,000 calories a day) an appetizer at Top Dog followed by main course at Bongo Burgers (with a concluding stroll to Vivoli's at Trumpetvine for dessert) was a frequent fave.
4 - Meredith R.: Yum + Cheap ($7.80 for burger/fries/soda) = Excellent

Only in glorious Berkeley do you find a cute little burger joint that accommodates vegans and vegetarians, too... ah, I love California.

While I stumbled in for real burger on my way to somewhere else, I couldn't help but notice the wonderful (and healthy) menu --- full of fun stuff like falafel, tebouleh, etc. 

The cashier was so darned friendly and so were the young guys cooking up the goods. Good vibes all around. Cute little stop-in joint, no doubt.
4 - terra d.: mmm. so delicious. i finally got around to trying bongo and was impressed. the cheeseburger was cooked perfectly and i randomly got free french fries. good price and fast service. ive yet to try their breakfast but i hear its delish.
4 - Maryam M.: The black bean burger is so good!

It's a real no-frills place with good burgers.  My husband got the falafel, and he thought it was just ok, but I loved my [black bean] burger and my sister really enjoyed her bacon burger.  The fries are pretty standard, and there are fountain drinks, fresh orange juice, and different teas.

I'd pair up the burgers with a nicer bun, though.
4 - Jonathan K.: Mmmm, delicious.  The Persian burger was amazing.  The lamb was spiced and cooked up just right.  My only complaint was that there wasn't enough!

One thing that stood out to me was their crinkle-cut fries.  Usually I detest those abominations, the soggy and bland abominations gracing the halls of public school cafeterias everywhere.  But they were fried up perfectly and completely shattered my perception of crinkle-cuts.  Those bags of frozen fries in the freezer aisle will probably still make me want to gag, but I will know that somewhere out there, crinkle-cuts are being well defended.
4 - Garfield J.: had the full falafel sandwich. loved it. the 4 falafel balls were deep fried but had no signs of greasiness. 

one star reduction cause the menu said it had their famous tahini sauce, but later found out they do not put it in for you, there is a bottle of tahini at the pick-up counter, which did me no good once I left.
4 - Aromy X.: Oh Bongo Burger! How I dream of you from across the pond. 

And all your Persian burger deliciousness. 

*Sigh*
4 - Reza K.: I've come here a few times. Everytime has been very good. The Persian Burger is good lamb. Not greasy at all like some lamb can be. It's funny, I'm Persian and realized today that I was the only person in the place who gets the regular cheese burger which I love. The fries are simple, crinkle cut fries, but man are they tasty. Nice and crispy. Good food for sure.
4 - Peter J.: Monday nov 17 08

Location is bright and open. I enjoyed how the front windows open like doors to give you fresh air and so you don't choke on cooking fumes. Also you don't wanna leave smelling like cooked beef patties or the usual berkeley stinkies you find around there.I ordered a Persian Burger (lamb) and also a steak burger.No, not just for me my cousin was there so we split them to try each.
The bread is nice and toasty to my liking but the insides were not packed with enough meat. I esp. hate it when you get a bite of just bread, lettuce, and well nothing else. If I wanted 20% of my burger to be vegan I would have ordered that. Strech the meat to the ends of the bun, or better yet, have the meat sticking out the side!! For how thin the meat patty was, you would expect it to reach both ends of the bun!

I started off eating the steak sandwich, the steak needs to be marinated in something, it was bland but somehow enjoyable. Fresh and neatly packed but I feel like I am spending 2-3 bux more than what I feel this grub should cost. I still give them 4 stars because when I ate the lamb burger it had flavor. Not the overwhelming  lamb flavor, I'm sure they use a little lemon juice in this.

Crinkle Cut French Fries are cooked just right. No complaints here or raves.

Overall I enjoyed my trip here, Parking wasn't too hard to find and only half a block away. The spot is what I liked, The seating wasn't cramped and the open airy feeling was good because I tend to overheat easily, I think I need more exercise to burn all this food off, ok it's winter, I could use the extra insulation, I'll wait till march!
4 - Stel G.: we went after bikram got the Persian Burger with crinkle fries and Whole Falaffel, and baklava.

Overall:  Delicious as everyone stated!  Service was good.
5 - Katherine H.: I used to live two blocks from here when I was a Berkeley student, and I used to come by all the time to get their $3 breakfast. I have no idea if they still offer this, but I LOVED it. Eggs, toast, potatoes - so good for a starving college student.

I also loved the burgers and fries here, I still dream of this place. If only this existed near me now!
4 - Matthew P.: I went here after a few cold beverages at Raleighs. Because I thought the wings were a joke, I was still hungry and didn't want to drive all over Berkeley. 
 I've learned never to watch anyone cook my food, so I ordered my double burger combo and sat.  I wish I would have eating there, but my potty was calling me at home, so I had to take it to go. Even ten minutes after I got it, it was hot and tasty.  
 Next time I'll eat there. The fries were good, as well as the Baklava. Service was fine too.
5 - Richard F.: Awesome persian burger, pretty good regular burger, and fast.  A little on the pricey side for fast food, but its worth every penny.
5 - mike s.: I just finished eating my turkey burger from here and I'm totally satisfied!..I got a big turkey burger w/ fries and small soda for 7 bucks!! I also added a baklava which was good because it had pistachio...the place it's not really big but it's a nice place to stay and enjoy your food and the service wasn't bad. I'm ready to try the Persian burger next time.Oh by the way they also have some Mediterranean items like hummus and falafel !
4 - Kathy D.: For some students, bongo burgers can be a bit more on the pricier end compared to the massive amount of food that you can get for like $6 at Steve's Korean BBQ at the Asian Ghetto a block away.

There burgers are very juicy and fat!  Order any style you want.. and if you are in the additional mood to eat mediterranean items, then that is also available to order.  I haven't tried any of their mediterranean items though, only their burgers and fries.

Nice crunchy fries and fulfilling burgers that will make you stuffed for hours.

Make sure to Ask for plenty of ranch sauce at the front!!!!!!  :)
4 - Ada T.: Mmmmmm! I broke my Bongo Burger Boycott (okay it wasn't much of a boycott but I like the alliteration) after about a year, and I was very pleasantly surprised. My cheeseburger was totally yummy and enormous, with good quality beef and cheese. I also loved the shredded lettuce, the sesame bun that was toasted to crunchy perfection, and the crinkle cut fries. Burgers at Barney's and elsewhere might be more satisfying, but this will do when I can't be bothered to walk beyond a 2-block radius of my apartment...which is more often than not.
4 - Ramon E.: It's another perfectly good Bongo Burger! Conveniently located next to Shakespeare and Co.! A great way to spend 2 hours on a rainy afternoon like today.

Is it just me, or are the fries better here than at their Euclid Ave. location?
3 - Kenneth H.: not bad. might give this place another visit whenever i feel like it (which would probably be years from now, or never.)
nothing i'd go out of my way for since it's a bitch to find parking sometimes.
4 - Momota E.: This place is very solid. Great tasting burger with Niman Ranch Beef, grilled onions and well-mixed toppings and sauces. The burger was also made very well, something lacking at most burger places. The fries were also very good. A burger and fries for ~$6 isn't the cheapest you could find, but you're definitely getting your money's worth here.

The service wasn't exactly cordial, but at a burger place, I don't expect much as long as the food is good and served fast. A great place for students and other residents looking for a great burger near campus.
5 - Rosita S.: Can you Believe The First Time I ate Lamb Was Here???!!! Weird Right Lol ......Well I use to Date an Afghan sooooooo we use to Love to come here and Have their PERSIAN BURGERS....... and Oh My is it YuMmY!!! you have to try One!!! I love this place its nice and Clean and the Prices Aren't bad at All .... So if ever your Around telegraph doin some shopping or what not come here to Eat YumMy Burgers!
4 - jose k.: I used to live only two blocks away from Bongo Burger and eat at this joint for their amazing food all the time. It is a comfortable little restaurant with delicious food at a very affordable price.

As the name suggests, they serve a variety of burgers here. Mushroom burger and bacon burger are always delicious and Bongo's versions are to die for. The burgers are made fresh and the portion is generous. Other than burgers, they serve some Mediterranean plates and sandwiches. They are healthy alternatives which are delicious at the same time.
4 - James K.: I just had the experience of eating a Bongo Burger yesterday, while on my trip to San Francisco.  My cousin recommended this place to me and my friend, saying that his was the place that he went to whenever he got hungry and was too lazy to walk all over the place.  

When we got there, instead of ordering a traditional burger, I ended up ordering their... HUMMUS sandwich!!!  I am a sucker for Hummus and I always make sure to get a side of hummus whenever it's available, but I thought maybe this will taste good.  And it was, until about halfway through.  Let this be a lesson to everyone, there CAN be too much of a good thing.  The sandwich was very large for the price I paid and it was stuffed with Hummus, Lettuce, Onions and Tomatoes.  It was delicious from the first bite but Hummus has a very distinct taste that needs to countered with something else or else you'll get sick and tired of it. 

Needless to say, that was the only thing I ordered and fries wouldn't have helped since they have such a neutral taste.  I ended up finishing the burger but I will make sure NEVER again to order a pure hummus sandwich.

My friend got a more traditional affair with a Bacon Cheeseburger which filled him up quite well, maybe next time I'm in the area, I'll make sure to eat a normal sandwich.  The service was good and the food came out extremely quick.
3 - Ryan Y.: Seems more like a thin restaurant burger than a fast food burger. It's large but thin and not spectacular. It's good but not spectacular to recommend.
3 - Christine L.: With our sudden craving for a burger, my boyfriend and I decided to go to Bongo Burger to satisfy our hunger. I was expecting a burger that would do just that but I ended up becoming a little disappointed. 

I ordered the mushroom burger, which was a Niman Ranch beef patty topped with sauteed mushrooms, Swiss cheese, lettuce, grilled onions, tomatoes, mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup with a side of french fries. My boyfriend ordered the mushroom burger as well with a side of onion rings.

Here's where my 3-star rating comes from. My boyfriend and I noticed that the onion rings were frozen in a name-brand box, not the freshly- made kind I was expecting. To make things worse, they charged us $2.75 for 7 [previously frozen] small onion rings. The crinkle-cut fries were good, definitely better than the onion rings. They were crunchy and piping hot, just the way I like them. The burger was okay, nothing too extraordinary. The patty was pretty thin and a little burnt, not the juicy patty I was hoping for. There was too much mayonnaise, which kept flowing from the sides of my burger. My boyfriend's burger patty kept slipping out of the buns because of the overabundance of mayonnaise in his. The lettuce and Swiss cheese were good, but who can mess up on that? I loved the grilled onions though, which was definitely an incentive for me to finish my mushroom burger. 

Overall, it was okay...but the next time I am craving for a  good burger, I will look elsewhere.

I wonder where that could be...
3 - Len S.: Maybe I'm sentimental but I have wonderful memories of eating at Bongo Burger before and after shows at the Greek theater. The falafel isn't the best that I've had, hell I make a better falafel, but the persian burger is quite nice and the whole setting is pleasant and easy on the wallet. They do some fresh carrot and orange juices which are very nice. Their fries suck so don't even bother with that, stick to the falafel and persian burger and you can't go wrong.
5 - C C.: Let me just say this joint ROCKS

Combo no.4 is the best thing ever, period, the fatty burger, the perfectly fried fries and a small coke. 1000 cals with pounds of saturated fat, yummy

4 years ago when i was still a Cal student,  I was a regular and one night at around 8, I walked in for a combo no.4.  The Iranian lady ( kinda milf type) was shaken, I was like, what the heck? Then I turned around, two bullet holes on the window.  Some Oaktown dude shot at the joint just 3 minutes ago!  I asked myself, what would Chairman Mao do? Then I decided to just calm the fuck down, order a combo no.4, sit down and help the good folks pass the hard time. 5 minutes later, all the relatives came, it's quite a warm thing to see...

falafel plate, Persian burger are also very good like other folks said.. BTW, what's in the white sauce? it's magic
2 - Jason W.: I really don't like this place at all. They have  a poor attitude and their burgers don't taste any different from what I can make at home. Next off, their fries are super salty and they don't have the greatest variety to choose from.

Like how they have a tv in there, in addition their breakfast isn't too bad. You can get eggs , toast and a side for less than $2.50.
3 - Rachel G.: Very yummy, non-greasy, reasonably priced burgers await.
4 - gillian c.: i had the hummus combo. 
the falafel was incredible and the hummus was better than average. 
for the price, it's amazing.
4 - Olivia H.: I have been craving a turkey burger from Bongo Burger for weeks. I have an extremely sensitive stomach and I didn't get weird after eating here, which is rare for a fast food restaurant. This is because the burgers here are fresh and not super greasy. Amazing. Check it out if you are in the area and are craving a burger. Can't wait to eat there again!
5 - Terrence G.: When I was a poor student in the early 80s, I lived on top of Bongo Burgers and tried everything they had.  The same Middle Eastern guy has been running it for the last 25 years.  I've eaten a lot of Kip burgers and Top Dogs, but these guys are tops.  They were voted best burgers in Berkeley.  They are now a Berkeley Institution.  But better than their burgers are their Persian burgers.  Even the owner says the Persian burgers, made with lamb, are the best.  My favorite is the half Persian burger on Pita bread ($3.95).  I haven't figured out what the white secret sauce is.  The only reason why I pit-stop from time to time in Berkeley is for their half Persian Burgers (once called the Lulah Kabob), French fries, and root beer.  Then top that off with a Baklava.  This is the best lunch ever and totally worth the detour to the corner of Dwight and Telegraph Ave.
4 - Kevin L.: I went to Berkeley/lived here for 5-6 years, and I finally tried Bongo Burger. I don't really have any idea why I hadn't tried it before, as I love burgers and I had heard this place was decent and priced pretty cheaply.

I'd have to say the burger I got was overcooked and the meat patty is very thin, but it was still pretty tasty. I just got a regular hamburger, though I hear their alternatives are quite good. I was pretty surprised by the menu, as it had a good selection of vegetarian items (as if I'd ever order one) and stuff like falafels and pita wraps. It's definitely not a IB Hoagie's style menu. The fries were quite enjoyable as well, though they don't have a good ranch here, probably something out of the bottle, so I had to settle with regular ketchup.

Considering how much I like hamburgers, I should have come here before when I was a student, but maybe it was better I didn't since I probably would have gotten it almost every day. :P
4 - Gordon L.: This place is a sleeper! The Persian burger is bomb! The fries are really good too. Nice and crispy!

You kinda have to look around for this place cuz its not right in your face and the store front isnt too impressive... but the food is really good and its pretty fast. Would come here again.
5 - Matt C.: After that horrid experience with Smart Alec's, I was reluctant to try another burger joint within nuking distance of the UC Campus area.

OK, let me just state for the record that BONGO BURGER ROCKS.

First of all, the lady behind the counter (owner?) is really nice--she didn't even get mad when I broke the Tabasco bottle by accident (Sorry, I'm such a Klutz!)

Anyway, I tried the TURKEY BURGER ($4.50) and was glad that I didn't order fries, because this burger was gi-normous!  The turkey patty was about 6.5 oz (1/3 pound), with lots of leaf lettuce & tomato and a very high quality bun.  

In my lifetime, I've had few turkey burgers of this quality or taste, and the other folks in my party were really satisfied with their cow burgers & fries.
4 - CandE e.: I had a craving for a good burger and fries, so decided to check out Bongo Burgers since I figured if your name has the word "burger" in it that it must be good.  Surprisingly there menu had an array of different types of dishes and there burger selection was very minimal.  I ordered the # 1 combo which was the Mushroom swiss burger, fries and a small drink.   I actually really liked the bun they used on the burger as it was perfectly toasted on the grill.  They had the right amount of mushroom and gave a good portion of fries.  

My gf wanted a side of onion rings so we ordered that and have to say there onion rings was really REALLY good.   The lady taking our order was not very friendly but at least she took our order correctly.  

One thing I liked a lot about this place was the fact that they had a bottle of ranch laying out on the counter which you can use as much as you want.  Most places will charge you for a side of ranch but being a guy who eats ranch with everything, this was a major plus.  Only gave 3 stars b/c there was nothing really special about this place and we've has better burgers elsewhere.
3 - Pikachu P.: bongo burger...not bad ...but not the best.  If I am in the neighborhood, I'll stop by.
3 - Ali L.: A large group of about 11 of us went here for lunch about a month ago and though we all had pretty standard orders, we were glad to find that there were no mistakes made on any of our orders.

We originally had a little problem finding seating outside but after a couple of parties left we put together two or three tables and brought chairs from the inside to seat all of us.

All of our food was good, but not great. The food was filling but it seemed to lack some flavor especially the persian plate. It was really just the burger minus the bun. The fries tasted like school cafeteria fries, which some people like but I don't care for.

The food is good and filling, I just wish it had more flavor.
3 - Chuck N.: For a fast food joint, Bongo Burger is pretty good. It's simple and good, but probably not a place you want to visit TOO often due to health reasons. Good fast food can't be good for your health, right?

I liked:
*An 'American Grill' with a Persian twist = options include lamb, falafels, etc...
*Place is clean, has a TV, and plenty of seats
*Food comes out quick n' fresh
*CHEAP and decent quality (especially breakfast)

Blah:
*The main cashiers come across rude and not really happy with their jobs
*They charge for minor changes to the orders - don't be bilks to people who frequently visit!

Final Call:
*It's a good place to visit if you're on this side of Berkeley and need a quick meal with limited funds. It's not good enough to visit more than one or two times a month though, there are healthier and better alternatives.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Munched on...
*Turkey burger
     -Juicy and yummy
*Falafel plate
     -I've had better
*Fries
     -Nice n' greasy
5 - anonymous i.: we found this place while circling the neighborhood for parking..and i am so glad we did! after walking the streets, we conjured up a huge appetite!

its  a small little place, up the street from upperplayground and they have all kinds of burgers/sandwiches/juices here.  they have persian burgers (not sure whats in it), turkey burgers, black bean burgers, kababs, carrot juice (lol), falafels, and other kinds of food. i got the cheeseburger because i wasnt too sure how everything else tasted.. each burger came with a small side of fries and a small drink for about 8 bucks

wow! very impressive! the bun was something that i never had before! it was a sesame seed bun, toasted and it was delish! the hamburger patty was humongous too! everything was sooooo good! 

if your ever on the other end of telegraph, this place is a must! but they have 2 other locations near campus for your convenience!
3 - moto t.: Way back to mid 90's, I was so impressed how juicy this burger was.  Still it is quite a good one as a fast food.  
Personal note: when I was eating on 8/7 Friday...around 5 pm, a girl was sitting by herself at outside table, eating some sushi box form other place.  She was really cute....really.
4 - Carlet A.: The burgers are fresh and delicious. The chicken sandwich was ok...the falafels are also very good. Their french fries are always a hit.
4 - Andrea D.: The vegetarian bean burger was fantastic!  The fries were crinkle cut, which always makes me happy.  The woman behind the counter was nice enough and the burgers came out quickly.

They charged for refills, which made me a little sad since I love refills.  Even if you only get one.  Just one refill would have helped this place boost itself in my rating.  So if you aren't a soda fan, this place might be burger heaven on earth for you
5 - Lana H.: I am by no means a burger fan. Honestly, the only ones I'll really consider eating are Wendy's. But Bongo Burger is my exception. The best burger-and-fries joint I have ever stepped foot in. Service is good (though the guys behind the counter tend to eye me more often than not). Prices are fair. Seating is always available. Yum!
3 - vishal k.: Solid standard burger place.
4 - Charles L.: I had a very juicy standard burger with onion rings the first time I came here. I was surprised how inexpensive the burger was ($4.75 I think?).

I was very unhappy when I finished my meal and almost wanted to order another one. I'll be looking forward to going back to this place considering how just the REGULAR burger tasted that good.
3 - Kameron K.: Why is this place so expensive?  For the price they charge and the amount of food they give you is not really worth it.

They only have one vegetarian burger, the black bean burger, which is like $7 for the combo.  The burger is tiny and not that great.  I thought the crinkle cut fries were better than the burger.  You also get a soda with the combo but its more like a small size.

I've had the falafel here which wasn't that bad and a little more reasonably priced.

I have to say my favorite is the really cheap breakfast they have which is like 2 eggs and toast for only $2.

I also don't understand the decor here, they have a painting of a chef holding a naked pink woman and another man from afar staring at them.  WTH is that?

In the end, the bongo burger has me left with this place not feeling very special or memorable.
3 - Sandy K.: I LOVE burgers & it makes me sad this is the only decent burger place within walking distance in South Berkeley. 
(Triple Rock & Barney's burgers = AMAZING) 

3 stars for food. The burgers are inconsistent & there is little bacon on the bacon cheeseburger. The quality has gone down since I've been at Cal. The fries are also average. 

2 stars for the cold service. I order here a good amount & each time I'm greeted with rudeness. The cooks seem friendly though.
4 - Sandia O.: I'm not really a burger fan, but these were tasty.

Had a bite of the falafel sandwich (really good) and the Persian sandwich. The whole Persian burger is only appropriate if you're starving, otherwise the half Persian burger was plenty for me.

Still haven't tired sunrise deli, so I'll have to compare their falafel sandwiches. But for a HUGE juicy burger, come here.
4 - Jennifer W.: Hmmm... don't know why I haven't review this yet! Aside from the classic burger, I recommend the persian burger and steak sandwich. I don't think the vegan plates are that great, but do go for the vegetarian plates. I've never been here for breakfast, but I would for an omelette. While it is expensive, you do get a lot for your money.

Yesterday:
1 bongo salad + 
1 mushroom burger combo + 
1 cheeseburger combo = 
$21 for 3 people with small appetites
5 - Vivian L.: We came here just for the persian burger combos and that's what we got. I thought it would be a persian spiced regular round burger but I was so wrong. It's like a 1.5 foot long nice, toasty, yet soft, hoagie like bun with a flat, large piece of perfectly seasoned beef kabob with even sumac spice, with tomatoes, diced onions, lettuce, and some olive oil or some kind of light seasoning on it. I kind of wished we had shared one since it was huge, but I I figured I don't come up to Berkeley often so I should just eat my heart out. Paired with the hot, fresh from the fryer french fries and my drink, all for $9, this was an awesome dinner. 

I would think everything here is good, too, but since there are Persians running the place, I'll stick to the persian burger. The order came out very prompt and the staff were all very nice and friendly.
4 - Albert S.: This restaurant offers great quality food at a low price!
5 - Daniel K.: Oh Bongo Burger.... how I love thee. I OMFG love the bacon burger. I cannot express in words my love for their bacon burger. But this was back in something like 2003ish. I see a review somewhere about little bacon. I remember there being lots of bacon. That was the best part of the burger.... *drools over keyboard*
4 - Andrew M.: I would classify this place as an above average typical campus restaurant. The seating is limited, the location is convenient, the staff and service are OK. The selection is kind of limited, but I think this is the only place i've seen that serves a "Persian Burger" or a "Black bean burger". 

I love the mushroom burger here. I don't know what kind of sauce they use, but it is delicious. The bread they use for the burger too is also pretty tasty. They also serve a selection of sandwiches, which are also pretty good as well. I used to think the price here was expensive, but I have come to terms that it really is pretty average around the area. 

If you need a burger and don't have the time to get to Barneys, this is the place to go.
5 - Shabz A.: mmmmmmmmmmmmm eggplant mmmmmm no 7. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm thats all.
4 - Cindy K.: I came here on the suggestion of my friend, who likes to eat out a lot. I wanted to try a place with an awesome mushroom burger. I love mushrooms so much you have no idea. This is a small place, but it works for them. They've added a Persian flavor do some of their dishes. I haven't tried them though. 

I just ordered a mushroom burger. The patty was very flavorful. My only complaint is there wasn't enough mushrooms! Also, I really liked their fries. I think they're using Oreda fries, which I find funny.
3 - Diana T.: My boyfriend and I decided to make a trip to Berkeley today, so I came onto yelp to find a decent place to grab a bite to eat. 

I came across Bongo Burgers and saw the reviews and decided it would be a good place to try.

I ordered the Persian burger, and he ordered the Bacon burger. The Persian burger was decent. The meat was moist. The fries were what I can make at home, but would probably taste better at home. 

A bit pricey for a burger, small drink, and fries. I rather have spent my 17 dollars at In n Out.
1 - Becky P.: What a ripoff!

I went to go get a cheeseburger to go, took it home, opened it up, and there was NO CHEESE.  I couldn't taste any cheese, and I couldn't see any cheese.  So I call them up and the lady talks to the cook and she says "No, he put the cheese on, you just can't see it".

Hold on right here.  Can't see the cheese? WTF? Is this invisible cheese? Disappearing cheese? Yeah right, lady.

So I say "NO, I can't see ANY cheese, and I can't TASTE the cheese, and I have it right in front of me".  And she tells me "No, he put it on, we know, it's there you just can't see it."

So I'm just ready to blow at this woman, because I already paid for an overpriced cheeseburger and now I'm told they only serve invisible cheese?  I say goodnight and hang up, and I will never ever go to Bongo Burger again, it was a mistake going there this time.

What rude people, I hope no one ever buys from this overpriced no cheese place ever again.
3 - Noey P.: I've been getting turkey burgers at Bongo Burger for eight years now (omg I think I'm getting old) and they've consistently delivered. This is not your gourmet-type hamburger spot so don't come here with those expectations. On the other hand, it's medium quality yummy burgers with average toppings at a good price. For those who don't eat beef, you know how difficult it can be to get a good burger. Put this one on the list!
4 - Orlando R.: So all I wanted was a good burger. So my buddy puts that request into his cell phone and it leads us to Bongo Burger. It doesn't look impressive but what burger joints really do? So we both just order a regular hamberger and it was amazing. Both of us where shocked at how good it was. Would I go back....yes. Would I bring friends.....yes.
2 - Allen Y.: So I came here on the suggestion of my friend with high expectations and found that the food at this place was below average. The location is great, but if it weren't so close to campus this place would struggle.
4 - Kaman C.: That's one tasty black bean burger.

Fries are only ok; I'd recommend the onion rings.
4 - Rick C.: I have always walked by Bongo Burger and have always heard a lot about it but I had never once gone in and ate any food. It wasn't until last night that my friends stormed into my room happy that finals were over that we decided to get some late dinner at Bongo Burger.

I wasn't too hungry and so I had the large hummus with two pita. The order came to a little more than $4 after tax and I had to take home some of the hummus, sweet! I love hummus and Mediterranean food and so I was kind of suspicious of a burger joint offering hummus. I didn't know that they were Persian and I certainly didn't expect the great hummus! 

Their burgers were pretty sweet (I took a bite out of my friends' burgers) and the crinkle-cut fries are simple but a classic. You could never get enough! 

While it was a bit expensive than what a burger usually is, their hummus and sides are pretty reasonably priced. I'll have to come back and try the Persian burger or maybe the mushroom burger. I do love my mushrooms (they're my favorite fungus)!
5 - Chutney B.: Been going here since 1984. I have tried several persian burgers elsewhere. THIS IS THE BEST! The yoghurt soda is great too!
4 - Jennifer H.: i only tried the all american burger, which had a nice toasted bun with cheese, medium well done patty, lettuce and tomato. it was quite delicious, esp the way that toasted the bun!! i wish the meat could be a little hotter since i like hot cold, but over all, pretty good food. it was $4.95 for the burger, didn't come with fries or drink. nice hanging out location for students. would i go again? i think so!
5 - Jen M.: My husband had been eating at Bongo Burger for years and always told me about how great it was, but I don't spend too much time in Berkeley. When I finally got around to trying them out, I realized I was missing out on a gem. 
The food is consistently high quality (they use Niman Ranch beef). My fave is the shish kebob sandwich - a huge french roll with sliced up steak, onions & tomato. simple but delish. They also make the best falafels and hummus I've had anywhere.
We now make the drive to Berkeley just to get Bongo Burger!
4 - lovetoeat a.: Blast to the past!! We used to eat these when we lived in Berkeley, and this week end we took our youngest son to his dorm, and we had Bongo Burgers.... As tasty as we remember it!!
I guess good things don't need to change!
4 - Randy D.: the persian burger may be the most flavorful i've ever had.  the taste of lamb and swiss cheese will be permanently ingrained in my taste buds' memory.  although, my only complaint has to be too much bread and not enough meat.  but it's a minor transgression for the best...
5 - moises m.: I'm not really a burger kinda guy, but dam bongos makes some dam good burgers. The bread was of the hook. I like this place a lot.
5 - Mikes M.: I am particularly fond of the persian burger and the half falafel. My family eats here wehn I am too tired to cook and the price is right. The Telegraph area store is next to a bookstore so you can browse as you wait for your take out order.
4 - Mike V.: I went here for the first time on Saturday after the gym, and I came back on Sunday (again, after the gym).  This should speak volumes to the simple perfection of an uncomplicated and uncompromising Bongo burger.

I was comforted by the "We use Niman Ranch" sign and surprised by the quality of the bun.

I look forward to returning for the Persian Burger and the Mushroom burger.
2 - Kelly E.: This Bongo burger gets a star lower than the Bongo burger on center namely because of service/location.

Personally, eating right near People's park and telegraph? Call me snobby but let's be honest here people, it's not very pleasant eating outside the restaurant. 

Burgers are about the same as its University Ave. and Euclid St. counterparts - standard sized burger, but nothing too crazy. I really felt like the bun didn't get that nice golden crispy look = disappointed kelly D:

If you're in a hurry for a decent burger + fries, hit up bongo burger. If you're in the mood for a better burger... Well. It's berkeley. What do you expect?? 

Only 2 nomstars!
3 - Michael L.: They make a damn fine burger here, flat but with a large surface area. Tasty, especially with bacon, very satisfying overall. Fries are good, I only wish you got more of them. One problem, however, is that everything costs about $2.00 more than I'd like. For about the same price you can get a bigger, Flame Gourmet burger on college. Still good though.
5 - roxana m.: Ahhh if they had a location in LA, I'd frequently visit this place! The ground lamb patty is a healthy and DELICIOUS alternative to beef! UCB students, consider yourselves fortunate to have this place in close proximity
4 - billy t.: soooooooo im pretty sure that bongo burger's persian burger is one of the most delicious things i have put in my mouth. that little lamby was so tender and flavorful and a very filling. I also sampled the bacon burger which was average at best. 

I also thoroughly enjoyed the krinkle fries that came with the meal.
4 - Steven G.: Ok so like, it was Good Friday and me and my amigos were lookin for some fine cuisine. We were high out of our minds when we stumbled upon Bongo Burger. We decided to let our mouths taste some of their goods. I ordered the Persian Burger because I haven't had lamb in years. The burger came out looking like a long sandwich which freaked me out at first, but it tasted like the lamb of Christ. The bread was a little too toasty for my liking and the fries are the shriveled looking ones (still pretty tasty). I like how they have ranch available to squirt in a small sized cup to use as a dipper. Overall this place satisfied my hunger, but there are a butt load of better burger joints out there.
4 - Ronny C.: two words.. Persian Sandwich
4 - Christopher B.: I'm not sure why I like this place so much. There really isn't anything that amazing about it. Everything is fairly average. However, for some reason I end up eating here almost every time I'm on telegraph, and I'm always extremely satisfies afterward. It's like they put nicatine in their patties. I always get the Cheeseburger combo, which is a pretty sweet deal for 7.50ish. I think what sets this place apart is their clean, cool atmosphere, their kinda large patties, and their quality buns. What ever it is, I'm down with it.
4 - celia and jeff c.: Sweat beads erupted from Celia's forehead. The sun's heavy rays hit Jeff's face as he and John carried a sofa up to the third floor. 

After a morning of tiring manual labor, Celia's apartment finally had a nice sofa bed! Accompanied by Judy, Celia and Jeff walked down Dwight in search of food. Bongo Burger!!!

Bongo Burger makes delicious burgers to order. The ingredients are fresh and very high quality. Jeff ordered the mushroom burger and Celia ordered the regular cheeseburger. Both were delightfully surprised by how filling the burgers were. Jeff believes it is because of their denser, more bread-like bun. 

When Celia passes by Bongo Burger now, she always looks longingly at the menu before Jeff pulls her away.

To Celia and Jeff, Bongo Burger is the In-n-out of Berkeley!
1 - Jp K.: 5 bucks for a burger that's like a billion others but with A RUBBER TIRE FOR A BUN!!!

if nothing else, i can use it for a spare when i get a flat...

my hunt for the great bay burger continues...
3 - David L.: Keeping rating at 3 stars.

I came here a few weeks ago and tried their persian burger since I've only had it once before. It definitely failed to meet my expectations. The meat was okay, but the sandwich was just very plain. It's definitely not worth the $7-8.
5 - Kevin K.: This place is made of win. I used live less than a minute's walk away and ate here all the time. Everything on the menu is delicious (except for maybe the salmon... but I don't like salmon). My favorite combo was the half persian burger on peta bread + fries + fresh squeezed OJ. The quality is also very consistent, once in a while they give you kinda soggy fries towards the end of the night but it's still not that bad. Bongo definitely tops the list of the best fast food places around campus. Yeah, I'd take it over Gregoire any day.
5 - Will L.: I went to Cal from 1988 to 1992.  I have not had a sandwich or burger since, better than the Persian Burger.  Go Bears!  Go Bongo Burger!
5 - Natan O.: Went here with a friend after a long bike ride through the Oakland Hills...man did this place hit the spot.

I ordered the persian burger, a delightfully satisfying blend of lamb and beef in a delicious baked roll.  Also ordered the side Mediterranean salad which was a great compliment to the burger.  Add a small drink and french fries for a total $12 and this place just rocked!
4 - Annaliese D.: Whenever I want a burger in Berkeley I lean towards Barneys - I like their curly fries.  Finally, this past weekend my boyfriend and I went to Bongo Burger for lunch.  There was a short line that moved quickly and the lady at the counter took our order. One bacon burger, one mushroom burger and two fries.

The burger was pretty good and you could taste the chargrilled-ness of the grill which was yummy. The bun was also really good. It looked too thick, but it was light and squishy yet held up to the burger patty and toppings. 

The big disappointment for me was the fries. The portion size of crinkle cut fries was generous, but they weren't fried very well. I could also see that they had the fries sitting under a heating lamp, which resulted in not so crispy fries =(

Overall, it was a good experience...the price is right and it's close to home, I just wish they would improve their fries!
4 - Jennifer W.: i don't usually like burgers but this place is GOOD! even their turkey burger was tender and juicy (for a turkey burger). everything is always made hot and fresh with quality ingredients. i also really enjoyed the mediterranean plate and eggplant plates.
4 - dj b.: bongo burger s on point. it's one of the few establishments in the telegraph area i haven't grown weary of. admittedly, it's because i try not to come here too much lest i begin looking like i weigh like i come here too much. 

but i am a bit of a burger nerd. and i can spot a quality burger from 45 ketchup packets away. yeah. i measured. 

their burgers are really good. i only wish they'd use bacon that was less chewy. the bacon they use tastes alright but it sticks in my teeth. 

my favorite item here is the turkey burger. and everyone should try the persian joint. 

crinkle fries are the thizzness. 

and that's pretty much it. 

oh and the workers are always cool as penguin pussy.
3 - Skylar S.: Not particularly memorable. Never tried any of their burgers, but I do love their (don't hate me all you foodies) falafels. Falafels + ranch = bliss in this sort-of-southern-gal's mouth that goes straight to the heart. :)
3 - Terran O.: I guess I was expecting a little more.  I can honestly not say there is anything special about their burgers.  Are they good, yeah, are they worthy of any rating above "A-OK", ummm, don't think so.
3 - Marco V.: My favorite food in the whole world is a burger. Any kind of burger, as long as it has meat (chicken, beef, and fish), fresh vegetables (tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, red onions, and condiments (ketchup, mayo, mustard, American/Cheddar/Swiss cheese). If you know me, you know I love burgers. And I am pretty excited to write my first review on a local Berkeley's own Bongo Burger.

 Bongo Burger has a unique approach to the way it makes it burgers. The bread's texture is different for some reason- in a good way though. The meat is good- Niman Ranch Ground Beef (so it's really tasty and healthy), vegetables are fresh, and the fries crispy as ever. I've had the American cheeseburger, with fries and small drink combo. Enjoyable meal, but for me it was pricey- it was about $10 dollars! 

The menu is pretty cool too. Not only do they offer different kinds of burgers- Persian burger, but they also offer a variety of options- from breakfast, to vegan and vegetarian options, to main plates. I have yet to try these other plates, but will update this review if I do. 

I plan to continue eating here, but sparingly- when I have money and when I am in the mood for Bongo Burger. Other than that, probably not as much.
4 - Nathan M.: Get the Persian Burger.  It's a sub sandwich sized burger made with seasoned lamb in lieu of beef.  It is quite unique and tasty.  Although probably the best non-gourmet burgers in Berkeley, you pay for that distinction as the meal combos (with small drinks and fries) come in just shy of $10.
4 - Allie C.: Ah Bongo Burger. So consistent. So wonderful.

I may dream about their onion rings.

They put grilled onions on their burgers!

I've heard their breakfast food and falafel is pretty good too.

Can bongo burger do anything wrong? I don't know.
3 - Edi B.: This place is kinda weird. I think I didn't order the right thing.
I got a regular burger which was fine. Nothing special. I like the toasted all sesame seed bun. It gave the bun this weird chewy toast consistency that was actually kinda good!
If I return I will go for the 'foot long' looking lamb burger.
3 - Elle S.: The Persian Burger: Lamb, tomatoes, and lettuce on flaky french bread. 

For me, the Persian Burger is the thing to order at Bongo Burger. 

Even though sometimes it seems like a hit-or-miss sort of deal, Bongo Burger is definitely worth trying!
4 - Rachel C.: OMG! I am crazy for their dolmas! They are homemade and cost 50 cents each. Also the burgers. I so love the Persian Burger, so big I save half for lunch the next day. It is lamb on super fresh roll. Black Bean Burger is flavorful, moist, so heathy I get the fries too.
5 - Criselle O.: I Would come here and order the mushroom burger meal and every time I would visit, I was always satisfied. The burgers here are absolutely juicy!  Plain and Simple!  I wish there was a Bongo Burger in SD because if there was, I would definitely be there all the time. ):
5 - Neuro S.: This is a Berkeley staple. Add extra tabasco and white sauce to the burgers. This is why Berkeley is better than Harvard. Lived near both schools for a long time and there is no place near Harvard that comes close to a decent, casual joint like this. Proof that Bostonians don't intuitively know how to eat.
1 - Jay P.: The Persian burger is top notch, but that doesn't make the normal beef burgers any better. I am a ranch guy and they serve a nice mild ranch.
4 - Kat C.: Let me begin by saying, get a combo.  

So, the plan was to eat at In n' Out but we were in Emeryville... and had developed a serious case of lazy.  Then, came Trueburger in Oakland but they were closed on Labor Day.  And then came Rocky's... but we'd tried it before and wanted something new.  A quick hop onto my Yelp mobile app and search for "burgers" near Berkeley led us to Bongo Burger (comes up as the first restaurant!)  It's a total mom n' pop shop with plenty of neighborhood street parking.  

Throughout my search, all I saw was "Persian Burger" and "so juicy" and "white sauce."  We got a combo Persian ($8.something) with a mushroom burger ($7.95) and an extra side of fries (cause one isn't enough!  Getting a combo next time...$2.14 after tax)  For someone who doesn't like lamb, this burger was pretty bombastic.  Can definitely tell it's lamb but the flavors all work together really well.  The mushroom burger was chunky, juicy and very filling.  I thought it had plenty of mushrooms and was deliciously melted with cheese.  

The white sauce looks like ranch dressing but is faaar from it.  It has a subtle mediterranean-y/yogurt-y flavor that really enhances the taste of the meat (and fries).  OHH the fries... crunchy, crispy, wholesome deliciousness.  Fill a condiment container with ketchup and pour some tabasco and pepper in it.   MMMmmmMMMm, classic dip...  

My allegiance goes to Bongo.  Touche.
3 - Omar A.: so this isn't your authentic persian style restaurant if your thinking that, The workers seem to not be of persian decent which was the case with previous workers. The persian burger is good, very good infact, i enjoyed it, they use high quality condiments and meat on their burgers and you can watch them make it as well. I would give them 4 stars but they messed up my order and the workers are hard to communicate with.
2 - Anna V.: A coworker had recommended Bongo Burger to a group of us and so we all adventured over to Bongo Burger for some lunch.  After an adventure through Telegraph to find the restaurant, we ordered and got our food.  

I ordered a bacon burger with fries. The burger included a thin pattie cooked well done on a toasted sesame bun filled with the standard condiments in it.  The fries were swiggly fries that were slightly crunchy, but mostly soft.  In general, I was not too wowed by the meal.  I really didn't like the amount of sesame that was on the bun (a few flakes I can deal with, an entire bun with toasted sesame?  not so much) and the meat didn't have much flavor.  I only a few of my french fries but I couldn't have cared much for them.  They weren't seasoned nor did they hold that crunch french fry texture.

My coworkers weren't too equally impressed by their burgers, though my friend's chicken sandwich looked a lot more appetizing and fulfilling than our burgers did...
4 - Samson V.: Best place in Berkeley for a good burger.  I've only tried a couple of the burgers and the steak sandwich - - all good.  Call ahead and order to save some time.
4 - Danny S.: Bongo Burger is a very good solid burger. It's none of that health conscious crap they serve at Smart Alec's or ridiculously over-priced gourmet stuff they serve at Flame. 

When you come to Bongo Burger you have to know what to order. What I always get from Bongo when I come here is the Mushroom Burger. The combination of sauteed mushrooms and the veggie toppings is sublime. 

Recommendation:
Mushroom Burger Combo + Baklava. 

Good Food, Good Friends, ENJOY!
3 - Kate Marie G.: Yep, it's a college burger joint.  Nothing fancy but the burger was decent and the server offered to wrap mine in lettuce since I can't eat bread.  Good prices, very low-key with pleasant staff.  It is not a place I'll be craving in the future, but if I'm in the area and I want a burger, Bongo Burger will do the trick.
5 - Vince S.: I came here with my family for breakfast, and the parking is easy during the morning and we parked right in front of the establishment. 

I had their Persian Sandwich and it's incredible. The taste of lamb is perfect with the tomato and the bun. 

My family members enjoyed their meals as well, I would call this joint a winner.
3 - Kevin L.: The Persian burger is definitely a step up from their hamburgers. The Persian burger still suffers from the ridiculously thin pattie, but it is hella long. It is almost like a footlong sandwich. The sauce that they put on it is also fantastic. The second time getting their fries, they're greatttttttttt, like frosted flakes! +1 star for good persian burger and fries.
4 - Jason W.: My (and many other college students') quest to find the perfect burger has led me to Bongo, a popular joint next to UC Berkeley. Though not as affordable as other Berkeley restaurants, the simple and filling burgers are worth the price tag 

The burgers come with a 1/3 lb patty. I ordered the bacon burger with cheese. I found the patties to be a little dry, which was why I was thankful for the juicy bacon. Unlike the usual grilled slices we are all accustomed to, Bongo's uses English-styled bacon, similar to a thinly sliced layer of ham. Complementing the burger is are the burger sauces (the name escapes me...), and the basics of lettuce and tomatoes.

A combo is the way to go, which is generally a burger with fries and a drink. The fries and drinks are both small sizes. The fries are very basic, crinkle cut, so be sure to load up on sauces or salt. A combo will cost around 7-8 dollars, which isn't exactly ideal for the college student's budget. But the burger packs a punch in both quality and quantity, so it's definitely worth the price.

And like most of the restaurants in Berkeley, plenty of vegan and vegetarian orders are available. Also, the Persian burger and the falafels are very popular.

Seating is limited at Bongo, so this is an ideal place to order to-go, for in between classes or whenever you're around the area.
3 - Monica S.: I pine for cheeseburgers about once a week and it's been my dedicated duty to scour any and every city I'm in for the very best. Since moving to the Bay Area, I've tried a handful and on my list of bookmarked spots to check out, Bongo Burger proved to be good, not mind-blowing, but decent. I'm sensing that the Persian burger is clearly the standout option. Alas I'm not the biggest lamb fan.

Unlike In N Out, Shake Shack, and Five Guys style burgers, these burger patties are super thin and suuuper wide. Holding all the condiments and toppings together is a pair of fully seeded sesame seed buns. In my perfect burger world, the bun is either a potato roll or a sesame bun, but never should they be wider than my hand with extended and parted fingers. It strays too far from my ideal beef to topping to bread ratio.

Fries were crinkled and over greased, so nothing to note there. How does this compare? Pretty average I'm sorry to say.
4 - Xean L.: Their Persian burger was great
3 - alex g.: great muncy food. i have been  literally eating here all my life so i may be a little bias (also i am Persian and my weakness is lamb ) if you are a lamb fan get the Persian burger, if your not a big eater you may even have enough for another meal( this burger is not small )
4 - Sati K.: There was a period of time in my life where I was going to Bongo Burger every other day. If I had not recently become more concerned with my health, I would probably still be going there as frequently as I did in the past. 

First off, I just want to say that the meals are definitely filling and worth the $7-9 price. I've had 3 of their burgers: the Persian Burger, the Black Bean Burger, and the Cheeseburger. The Black Bean Burger is by far my least favorite. It tastes like crappy Mexican food mushed up into patty form which is placed in the middle of two pieces of bread. GROSS. The Persian Burger is pretty freaking good, however, my heart is devoted to the Cheeseburger (literally). I can't pinpoint why it tastes so good, but it is very satisfying (maybe it's the Niman Ranch beef). The thick, crisp cut fries are always the right extent of crispiness and are perfected by adding ranch (which is not really ranch but some ranch like sauce. It's the best fake ranch like sauce I've ever had)

The cartoonish semi-nude picks on the wall also definitely add to the meal.
4 - Dave P.: Good lamb and solid burgers. 

This was my first restaurant visit in Berkeley when I arrived at college 20 years ago and I have been going back since.

Pros:
* Good lamb
* Luleh Kebab, which is a ground lamb patty in a 1/2 pita with lettuce is great but not a big value.  So when it college I couldn't afford it often.
* Fries that are crispy.
* Good burger
* Chicken sandwitch, but get it with hummos because it's kinda dry without it.
* Lite eaters will go there with you because they have all those dolma, tebuleh, salmon kind of options.

Cons:
* Breakfast potatoes are never crispy, they are kinda steamy and sometimes even crunchy and that is disturbing.
* Random use of cucumber, sometimes it's in falafel, sometimes it's not.  I hate cucumber, and 1/5 of the time they sneak it in.
3 - Mari H.: As a whole, I was disappointed. I expected burgers, lots and lots of burgers. And sure, there were of course lots and lots of burgers. BUT. The whole attempting to be Mediterranean thing, completely unnecessary. To give it a shot, out of curiosity, I ordered a Shish Kabob Sandwich and a dolma. The dolma was barely an inch long, and tasted NOTHING like real, authentic dolma. I don't even want to know what was in there. The Shish Kabob Sandwich was basically grilled beef in bread with lettuce, tomatoes, and mayonnaise. I'm not saying it wasn't delicious, it was, it was a delicious sandwich indeed. But a delicious grilled beef sandwich, NOT a Shish Kabob Sandwich. They could have at least wrapped it in lavash, or pita bread, to make it look slightly more convincing. 

Anyway, my only problem with Bongo Burger is its fail attempt at being something it clearly is not. I would appreciate a little more effort. Otherwise, it's fast and it's food. Their bread tastes great. But everything is overpriced. My 75 cent excuse for a dolma, especially. I wouldn't even eat whatever that was if someone paid me 75 cents. My suggestion: Knock a few dollars off everything on the menu, and stick to burgers. Just burgers. Three stars for that delicious grilled beef sandwich. Good luck to you, Bongo Burger.
4 - Tory L.: After my first try at Bongo a few years ago, I totally forgot the existence of this amazing burger place. Recently my roommate reignited my interest in oily American foods, so I dropped by this place for the mushroom burger combo (#1). The buns were slightly burnt and crunchy and there weren't as many grilled mushrooms as I thought, but the flavor of a good burger was definitely present. I had a nostalgic moment of being a freshman - totally entertaining!

Come here for a hearty and aromatic burger and fries!
4 - Gypsy J.: Tastiest burger I've had in Berkeley.  Different.  Not nearly as fast as Smart Alec's, but with a superior and more unique flavor.  Nice locations, but not so great seating.  Definitely to go.
4 - Zin M.: A few words to think about....

Persian Burger.

Fries.

You will come back.
3 - Austin W.: The burgers here are very forgettable. Nothing special about them...at all. They're your standard frozen quarter pounder you can find at Costco in a 60 pack. The only thing that's a *little* different is that they offer a turkey burger, which from my experience, is pretty good. Props. For about $4 a burger, this is cheaper than most burger places I'd say, but the fries that they offer (sold separately) are like their beef patties: frozen and completely standard. Nothing special about them at all. I feel like Bongo Burger was a restaurant started from a Costco shopper who had too much leftovers in their freezer rather than a burger joint. 

I'd come here if I wanted a cheap burger, but if a McDonalds were closer, I'd probably go into that instead.
3 - Hilary L.: The burgers are good here, but for me, just not as good as the one on northside, the buns are not as fresh and toasty tasting. The fries are still delicious here, I always order the bacon burger, but I try to eat at northside as much as possible.
5 - Krystie M.: My favorite burger joint in Berkeley, hands down!!

ATMOSPHERE
I love the large glass windows and the ample seating! It never feels cramped in there and I especially love stealing the large table right next to the cashier-- gives my friends and me enough room to thoroughly enjoy our meals.

The owners and workers are Persian and they have this "cool air" to them. You can tell they live another life beyond the restaurant, but they're still really friendly. I always ask them to cut the burger in half for me and they always oblige! 

FOOD
Combo #3 (Cheeseburger, fries, and a small drink) is the only thing I order here and I have yet to be disappointed.

The quality of their ingredients rivals In-n-Out and there isn't one thing I dislike about their burgers.

The sesame seed bun is toasted to perfection, and the veggies are fresh and crisp. The lettuce isn't a whole leaf; instead, it's cut into skinny strips, which are so good. The patty is made with high quality beef and it's succulent and juicy. 

My favorite thing at Bongo Burger has to be the old school crinkle fries. THEY ARE ALWAYS AMAZING. The texture and consistency cannot be beat. They are always made-to-order so you can expect a tray of piping hot and crispy french fries when the worker calls your number. I've definitely found myself wandering in just to buy an order of fries...
2 - Pat P.: I'm a big fan of burgers - restaurant burgers, fast food burgers and everything in between. Bongo Burger here is about as forgettable as any burger can be. There's absolutely nothing outstanding about it.

The burgers are generally dry and virtually inedible without a soda. They're not very generous with the meat either, although the service itself is quite good.

Yelp defines the 2-star rating as "Meh, I've experienced better" so that's what I'm going with. You can get a much better meal elsewhere in the area for the same amount of money.

NOTE: My college roommate LOVED Bongo Burger and ate it almost every other day. I'm not sure why, but I suppose it does work for some people.
4 - Julia Z.: I never ate here as a Cal student so I'm glad I finally tried it, especially after a massive burger craving. Loved that this place has ample seating (for a spot near campus). I got the #7 combo which is a Persian burger  that's made with lamb, fries and a small soda for about $8. My friend and I also shared a mushroom burger. 

I thought my combo was a bit expensive so was pleasantly surprised when I got the order because it is quite big! My friend and I could have shared just shared a combo and that would have been enough. I wouldn't really call the Persian a burger since it looks like a subway foot long. The lamb was thin and tasty enough but I definitely liked my half of the mushroom burger better. It was a sizable burger, juicy and flavorful. The crinkle cut fries were piping hot. 

They also have falafal plates, fresh juices and baklava! But no refills on the sodas. There are better lamb burgers out there but the beef burgers here can definitely stand their own!
3 - Zha L.: Persian Burger.. You were quite tasty. Even though you were put together like a sandwich, the lamb meat made it up to me. The chopped up lettuce, tomato, and some mayo did add some nice touch. I like the idea of being able to choose from a french bread bun or pita to wrap you up... or if I want you whole or half. And you do go quite nicely with the crispy crinkle fries. But I do wish you were a bit meatier because that would had been more savory. 

Bongo Burger.. You're a good spot for a quick bite to eat. My friend seems to really like your mushroom burger since he ordered one to nom in the restaurant, and the other for to-go. That must say something about your burgers. Plus, I thought the portion size was good for it's price, and there's a pretty good assortment of food in your menu. And your service was not bad, but it was a bit too obvious on how much nicer you became after getting tipped in the tip jar.

Since I am from way out of town, I believe my first time meal here would be my last one as well.
4 - Mike G.: Pros:
The Persian burger plate (no bun/ carbs) is awesome! Great flavor and solid price. 

Cons:
The ambiance is a little more of a takeout place even though they have a few tables to sit on. Works well for students I'm sure. 

Fun:
I drank a 50/50 fresh "squeezed" carrot and orange juice blend (can you squeeze a carrot?)--that was interesting. Not to mention if you can't find fun on nearby Telegraph Ave then you're in the wrong place.
4 - Melody L.: I really liked this place! The burger and food was yummy - not anything super special, but delicious anyways. The people working were SUPER friendly though.
4 - Sophia L.: I've only had one thing here before--the lamb sandwich and I'm a HUGE fan of lamb SO I WAS ECSTATIC!! The taste is not super amazing, but for some reason I'm very intrigued by it. But like I said, I just really love the taste of lamb. Definitely an interesting sandwich that all lamb lovers should try.
5 - John C.: The cheeseburger I had was fresh and didn't make me feel fat after eating it. Tasty!

This is easily my favorite place to get a burger.
4 - A A.: Yummy, there burgers are DELISH and fresh! And for the money, its well worth it. Try their bean burger or the mushroom one. So good. I had their falafel one and it was ok - I just stay clear off that!
3 - Tim L.: I checked this place out on the recommendations from some people in SF.  I figured if they are driving from the city all the way to Btown just for a burger... its gotta be good... 

It was OK..

I got the mushroom burger combo.  It was a good average burger.  Not bad, but nothing special.  I should have tried something different that they don't have everywhere (Persian burger or steak sandwich) but oh well..  

If I'm in the area and craving a burger I would go back.
4 - James H.: Wow I saw my boy Steven Lee review this place.  Now I gotta write one too.  I lived about 5 minutes walking from this place for 2 years.  My roommate and I would literally eat here at least 3 times a week.  Their burgers are delicious and filling.  If you can wake up in time, as most college students cant, check out their breakfast.  YUM.  

A burger + fries + drink will cost you about $10.  Not too bad.  Give it a shot!
4 - Steven L.: Can't believe I forgot to review this joint.  My friends and I used to come here at LEAST every other week for our burger fix back when we were undergrads.  Let's face it, decent burger joints are hard to find within walking distance of the southside of campus, and though this place doesn't exactly hit the spot, it comes pretty damn close.  Their burgers taste pretty amazing and it's huge, and their crinkled fries are just right.  I think the secret is in their Niman ranch sauce or whatever they use.  I'm a real sucker for ranch so you apply that goodness on the burger and fries and all of a sudden I'm a fan. 

Only problem was the steep prices, sure their portions are heavy but expect to shell out around 9-10 for a combo meal, and though it might be worth it, I"m willing to bet that most of the customers here are money starved college students and I'd say that's a bit on the steep end for us back then.
4 - Murphy O.: Mmm...Best burgers in Berkeley.

This place is tasty, fresh and reasonably priced, I just wish they would come to SF!
4 - Lloyd S.: I come here. A lot. Maybe more often than my arteries can handle. But, for a good reason: the food is simple, but solid.

I can't really say it's the best burger I've had, perhaps it's one of the better ones you can get in Berkeley for lunch. Nothing too fancy about the burger either, sesame seed bun, patty, lettuce, tomato, ketchup/mustard. But, I think what may put it over the top is how they toast the bread. It puts a nice crunch to the burger. I'm not even sure if that's a legitimate reason to speak well of their burger, but it certainly caught my attention the first time I bit into the burger, as shards of hardened bread dough sprinkled upon my tray.

The crinkle-cut fries are, for God knows what reason, AMAZING. Actually, it's probably because it's fried in heart-attack-inducing oil for awhile. But it is definitely a crucial part of my order every time I visit this place. Their ranch is unusually good too. I'm usually not a big fan of ranch, but their ranch, which probably isn't anything particular, is served cold and just compliments the salty crunch of the fries.

I'd say the item I order the most often is their breakfast special. Most people don't even bother ordering it because they wouldn't think much of breakfast at a burger place. But, let me just say, for about four bucks, you can have yourself two generous eggs prepared anyway you like it, soft, fall-apart-in-your-mouth homefries, and four slices of toast. You really can't go wrong with breakfast, especially for four bucks. 

Probably biases my review that I live literally seconds away from this place, but I love Bongo Burger!
4 - James M.: I decided to check this place out after reading the reviews. I have to admit it didn't disappoint. The Persian burger is served with lamb meat, lettuce, tomato, mayo, served on a roll. If you add the onion rings and a drink, it will cost you around 10 bucks. Now, considering that the portions are huge and definitely tasty, it's a pretty good place to go. If you are looking for some gourmet burgers that have expensive herbs and spices, this isn't the place for you. I'm only talking to those that want some cheap eats and huge portions...good food that's it. What else could you want from a burger joint.
4 - Tarun B.: Living literally only two streets up from Bongo has made it my burger go-to for the last couple of years. If you are looking for a meal that is economical, filling, and most importantly, delicious, I highly recommend you give these guys a shot.

My top two favorites:
1. Hamburger Meal - Keeps it simple, but a damn good burger and those crinkly fries (always hot and fresh) are the perfect side dish.

2. Black Bean Burger Meal - Coming from a vegetarian family, I usually like to try vegetarian burger options if they are available since most restaurant veggie burgers easily fall flat. Bongo definitely has an above average black bean burger and it serves as a great replacement for those days where a hamburger might just be a bit too heavy.

SIDE NOTE: It one day dawned upon me to squirt a little bit of their Sriracha sauce into my obligatory Bongo ranch cup. The mixture was easily my most life changing experience. Trust me, if you get on your Sriracha-ranch game at Bongo, there is no way whatever else you order can go wrong.

Minus 1 star because I am not a fan of the no-refill drink situation, it's a small cup of soda (with a lot of ice) for the amount of food to be consumed.

Bottom Line: Worth trying if you're in the area and you are more than likely to leave satisfied!
5 - Joseph N.: so, after going back here a couple more times i'm upgrading these dudes to a solid 5. the burger and sandwiches are consistently delicious. they cook everything to order and put care into the preparation, which is unusual at this price range. usually for 3-6 bucks you'll get a heat lamp burger. the crispy bun is what really wins me over i think. something about a toasted burger bun paired with a juicy (medium rare on request) hamburger patty is just the bees knees. also the turkey burger is one of the best i've ever had. all of this is enough for me to look past the backward drink refill policy. plus i usually just pickup a 40oz on the way home anyway.
4 - Cristelle J.: Let's first start out with me saying I HATE BURGERS, HATE EM! I grew up on rice and a side of meat, never putting bread and a slab of hamburger together. The boyfriend took me here on one of those "I'll make my girlfriend pissed off days by taking her to a food place she hates" but jokes on him, the burger here was so yummy! I may go back to putting beef in my mouth...(yes i went there)
3 - Atif Q.: Good Persian burger.
4 - Michael N.: This is one of the rare times I've gone to a restaurant and said: this is just a really well made (*insert food item*). Well..at Bongo Burger, they know how make a fucking well made burger. DAMN. Although Bongo Burger isn't anything special, their attention to detail just makes a great burger.

I got the CheeseBurger with swish cheese and a fries and coke. Initial thoughts:

-Fries weren't salted enough and I had to add a good amount to get the right taste. WHATS UP WITH UNSALTED FRIES?!?! It's not really being that much more healthy. ARGH.

-Soda cup  was pretty small and they charge for refills

-AMAZING BURGER. Focusing in on the main course, I realized this was going to be a great meal. All the ingredients, the burger bun, the shredded lettuce, the tomatoes, the patty: all could have been bought at your nearest grocery store. However, at Bongo Burger, they serve these ingredients together just the way you want them...so delicious. The buns were perfectly toasted and the patty, although not thick, was plenty juicy. The shredded lettuce was nice especially since the burger is pretty big in size. This sitting in a bed of melted swiss cheese just hit the spot.

Finally Verdict?!

Come here and get blown away by how awesome a simply well prepared burger can be.
5 - Raman S.: Bongo burger has been a staple for me for the last year and a half.  They have a lot of vegetarian options and have some of the best fries you can get in Berkeley.

Aside from their burgers their falafel is actually really good too, but unfortunatley there are no combos (with fries and a drink) that come with the falafel.

Great food, decent price (~$10/meal), yum.
4 - Saeed E.: Everytime I come here, I get the Persian burger.  Large portion and tastes great!
4 - zia h.: Food was good. The lamb burger was phenomenal and delicious. The cashier didn't look too happy to be here.
3 - Amy G.: Had the Persian Burger today--it's huge size definitely makes for a filling meal at ~$7, but taste-wise it is an a-okay sandwich. I was starving though, so I ate it all happily.

In the past, I've had one of their mediterranean plates, in which everything was pretty tasty except the falafels, which were too hard and a bit overcooked. In general, Bongo Burger is a standard spot to get a no-fuss meal.
4 - Sophia Z.: I LOVE BONGO BURGER! Whenever I'd walk down from the UCB campus and take the BART home for either lunch or dinner, I'd contemplate about pigging out at this delicious joint.

The burgers are AMAZING. They (and the fries) are made on-order so everything is fresh and hot when you pick up your order. The buns are toasted to give you that extra bready crisp when you sink your teeth into burger heaven. The meat is the perfect blend of salty, beefy, chewy, soft, and anything else the meat should be on a burger. I love the dressing they use on their burgers to lightly add taste to their shredded lettuce and veggies.

I LOVE these fries. Sometimes I go to this place just for the fries. They are shaped in the crinkle style and perfectly salted. Crispy, crunchy, juicy, moist... yum. The combo meals come with a drink too so you'd get a filling lunch or dinner for just $8 (including tax).

I wish I had a Bongo Burger near where I live now that I've graduated from Berkeley.
5 - Jessica H.: Yum yum yums! Deliciousness in my tums!

Bongo burger is delicious, and I'm salivating just thinking about my next burger. I usually get the Black Bean burger or the Persian Sandwich, simply because I no longer eat beef. Both are delicious, and as well as all the beef ones (well, the ones that I tried before I gave up beef.). However, at this point, I almost religiously always get the Persian Sandwich. Can't really go wrong with lamb.

But honestly, it's not the sandwiches that captivate me. It's the fries. I know wavy fries are one of the lowest on the fry scale (with criss-cut/waffle fries at the very top), but for some reason, Bongo makes wavy fries like no other. They're perfect, and everything wavy fries should be. Not to mention that they offer a ranch dipping sauce, which is better than crack cocaine (it's a metaphor! i honestly wouldn't know). I usually need about 3.5 portions of ranch, 2 for my sandwich, and 1.5 for my fries. *licks lips*

Bongo makes me happy. I mean, I think I prefer the Northside and Westside stores over the Southside one (Southside wins only due to proximity). It's location next to People's Park has made it an interesting journey on several occasions. However, one of the conviences of the Southside location, it offers a huge table. Good for groups of 6!
5 - Komsan K.: Love it!
5 - Nina N.: Mmmmmm. I love Bongo Burger. It's my favorite burger place in Berkeley.
I usually get the hamburger combo. The hamburger bun is crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. The beef is nicely cooked and all the fillings match up nicely. It does drip a bit but it doesn't get too messy. However, the best thing about bongo burger is the FRIES. The crinkle-cut is pretty unique. They are crispy and nicely salted. It's not oily at all. Even after they've gone cold, they've still got that crunch. So delicious. I would go back just to get the fries. The food is five stars. Nom nom nom.

As for the restaurant itself, there's ample seating and I've never had trouble finding a space to sit. The service is nice and quick. The location can lead to some interesting characters but the restaurant workers are pretty good at solving issues.
4 - Meera G.: as i watch them make my food, i am amazed at how efficient they are. they understand teamwork and they get really close to the grill. that's crazy. they are dedicated and i appreciate it.

and the food's good.
4 - Helen Y.: This review is a shout out to my lovely Norwegian friends who introduced me to this place. Imagine this, having them repeatedly telling me, "what?! you've never had Bongo Burger", in their slightly accented English, then going on to chant "Bongo Burger is the best burger in Berkeley", "Bongo bongo...". You see why I had to give this place a try? so I did.

I tried the mushroom burger, which was really fresh and tasty. The mushrooms were nicely sauteed. As I was munching happily on my burger, it bought back memories of when my -ahem- lovely friends tricked me into almost believing that Norwegians were so health conscious they'd banned McDonalds in Norway. GRRRR but definitely good memories.

So Kenneth, Michael, Havard & Matthias you all were right. This is definitely a solid burger place.
5 - Jo Jo P.: Holy Cow - this place rocks.  The burgers are on my top-ten EVER.  I've even had the falafel sandwich, and it rocked, too.  I'm kind of glad that it's not in the City - otherwise I'd be here every day.
4 - Liz W.: I LOVE bongo burger!  Not only for its convenience and proximity to campus, but its delicious mushroom burger!! Def recommend getting that if you're okay with the shrooms :)  Also, I really love the fries here, they remind me of mcdonald fries, just without the sogginess.  I always ask for ranch to dip the fries in, and I love it!
4 - David C.: If you live in Berkeley, you should be forced to try Bongo at least once.  They have some of the dankest burgers.  While most people will compare this place to Barney's and criticize Bongo to serve smaller portions, I really do prefer the taste of Bongo's burgers.  The patty is always cooked very consistently and is pink in the middle.  It has a nice smokey flavor to it.  I always either get the mushroom or bacon addon, both of which add tremendous flavor to the burger.  It is topped with fresh lettuce, tomato, and spread.  One of my favorite parts of their burger is the bun.  Their buns are lightly toasted and are extremely fluffy.  They feel great when you bite into it; you'll know what i'm talking about when you try it.  The staff is always friendly, and they get orders out FAST.  I live right by this place so I've had this on multiple occasions, and the service and consitency of taste really impressed me.

PROTIP:  Their fries have the zig zag texture, meaning they are fried more evenly and taste great with their house made ranch sauce.
4 - Janecia T.: Nice little place to grab some great old fashion burgers and crinkle fries. The burgers are pretty big.  Location is descent with little shops around it. Neighborhood is a little ruff after dark. All in all, great food at a good price. Worth the stop.
4 - Joan K.: Bongo Burger is freaking delicious! Definitely one of my favorite burger places in Berkeley. (Just for reference, I only have 2 favorite burger places in Berkeley...) Anyways, My favorite is the Turkey Burger! It's healthy? (that's what it says on the menu!) I think Bongo Burger tastes different from other burger places because their bread is different! (&& I freaking LOVE their bread.) The burgers are very filling & cheap so if you are ever in Berkeley, try Bongo Burger! =)
2 - JK C.: Not very impressed
4 - Tim W.: I used to live right down the street from Bongo Burger, so it became a convenient place to get a great burger.

I've actually never had a hamburger at Bongo Burger because I only happened to go there during my "no red meat" phase (I eat red meat now). Fortunately, this allowed me to stumble upon the wonders of their Turkey Burger. Now I haven't had many turkey burgers in my life, but this is probably the best one I have ever had. It's juiciness and flavor rivals that of a medium rare beef burger.

The bun is also different than most traditional buns and has a thicker and chewier consistency to it, which can cause some bites to be a bit too bready. I'm also not a big fan of shredded lettuce as it gets soggy really easily, but Bongo Burger somehow manages to make it work out. The crinkle cut fries are also a classic and consistently crispy and crunchy. (Unintentional alliteration).
4 - Mae S.: Bongo burger--tasty burgers. I was confused as to why a burger place sells baklava, but let's not focus on that detail. I love their bacon cheeseburger. Nice pieces of bacon, lettuce is shredded really finely, with a toasty sesame bun to boot. If you're hungry, don't opt for the onion rings! They only gave me 5-6 pieces... I mean come on, if you're going to charge me almost $2 more for it than fries, at least don't be stingy about it!

Anyways, their burgers makes up for everything else. It has a nice char on it that smart alec's burgers just don't have, and they use Niman Ranch beef.
4 - Katy O.: Gave this place another try and, this time, I did not let me diet hold me back.  I got a burger (don't remember the name on the menu, but it's just a regular burger) and fries.  The fries are delicious as I remember them being the first time, but the sandwich I got before was what kept me from rating this place higher last time.  When I first took my burger out of my to go bag, I already knew I would have to update my review.

The burger is massive.  The bun is a perfectly round and golden masterpiece.... if you're thinking something dirty, it's not my fault!

The patty itself is juicy and delicious.  The toppings are again the downfall of this burger - shredded lettuce, a few slices of tomato and a blander than mayo yogurt sauce.  Still, I can tolerate this much better with the moist, flavorful patty.

Too bad I ate this the week I was graduating... otherwise I would have been a frequent customer of Bongo Burger.  Good I thing have friends to visit in Berkeley :D
5 - Lisa N.: SUPER fast service; DELICIOUS food.  Prices are reasonable and very affordable.  I love the option of a half burger on a french baguette  - AWESOME.
4 - Jonathan C.: Persian people know how to make a burger, cause Bongo Burger is BOMB. I have two burger places that I go to in Berkeley, one of them is Smart Alec's and the other is Bongo Burger. 

Hands down, Bongo Burger beats up Smart Alec in the taste arena. I usually get the Bacon cheese burger or the Persian burger. Both are unique and pack plenty of flavor. The burgers are juicy and when mixed in with their diced lettuce and tomatoes, is even better. The bun is unique too, and they always cook the bun a little, making it extra delicious. 

TIP: Get the ranch sauce and add it to your burger. You won't regret it. Hell, fill two containers of it. 

The atmosphere is cool too; good amount of seating and a nice big tv. Perfect to watch a game for a short time while you enjoy your meal. 

It's a little pricey though  - $9 for a whole meal. But the burger is pretty big, so it'll probably fill you up. Anyways if you're looking for a good burger, look no further, go get your Bongo on.
5 - Kourosh K.: as far as i am concerned the best burger in the bay area,and i know a good burger.i have been going there for the past 4 years.and will continue going therefor many more years.
2 - Andi C.: Berkeley is too fast food deprived. Come on, burgers that come from a long plastic sleeve of frozen costco patties aren't that great. They're not even good.
3 - Andrew R.: One of the few reasons I go here is because they accept credit cards, and most other burger places nearby do not. Other than that, they're burgers are okay, and the fries are decent.

That being said, I still like the taste of the food, especially the bacon burger. It's only a short walk away from Unit 2, so I can run down, come back, and still have time to study for finals.
5 - Jonathan C.: I really like this place, mostly because there aren't that many burger joints here. I ordered a Persian burger combo, which came out to be less than $10, and enjoyed the hell out of that lamb sandwich. The fries were zigzag shaped and fried to a crispy delight and the burger was everything done right to a lamb kabob. 

Cheap, fast service, delicious kabob, credit card okay? Yeah, FIVE FUCKING STARS FOR YOU, BONGO BURGER.
4 - Katie M.: How can you ever go wrong with a good burger? I always end up getting either the cheeseburger or double hamburger combo, but they have a lot of other choices (sandwiches, hummus, and breakfast?!) on their menu.

The burger patty is always juicy and well-cooked, and the fries are a big bunch of zigzaggedy goodness. The portions are pretty big for me, and just right for most guys. 

I like Bongo Burger because it doesn't feel too greasy, and it's about 5 minutes away from where I live. It's affordable and fast, and it's an easy hangout spot to grab a quick bite with friends.
4 - Kimberly A.: This place has the best onion rings I've ever had! They're done in big, thick slices, and so have more of an onion taste than the rings at most burger places. They're amazing!

I like the variety of different stuff on their menu here, especially as it's all quite cheap. I particularly like their black bean burger (pleasantly spicy, with a sorta odd texture that isn't bad but takes a bit to get used to), their turkey burgers (which are made with some kind of seasoning that makes the patty simply delicious), their new special spicy chicken sandwich (it's a seasoned ground chicken patty, not too spicy, but very tasty), and their shishkebob sandwich (very good quality beef, seasoned with what they call "soma," which should perhaps be sprinkled on all food for the rest of time, as it is so tasty). I've also been known to order the Mediterranean Plate pretty often (falafel, pita, hummus, dolmas, tabouli, and a big wedge of feta cheese), and I appreciate that there are some distinctly non-burger options at such a distinctly burger-ish place.

They have a number of plates and specials (sandwich, fries, drink), and they are totally flexible about substitutions: you can get onion rings instead of fries, get a different size drink, etc. They adjust the price slightly, and you still end up with a nice discount.

The dining room is very small and often quite crowded during the school semester, but I still find it quite pleasant when I can get a table. One entire wall is made of windows looking out onto a fairly quiet side street, and the large windows slide open, so that you can get a very nice breeze sitting there in the summer.
4 - Autumn W.: Great burgers right near campus. My fav is the mushroom burger with swiss. I skip the fries to be a little bit good. They actually will cook your Niman Ranch Burger medium rare. I wish there were a bit more elbow room and more small tables. 

Yummy!
4 - Chia L.: I
LOVE
THEIR
FRIES.

I would sell my soul for a lifelong supply of their fries, with a tub of ranch. They look so simple, these wavy well-done fries. But something about their crunchy sturdy outer shell yet soft interior make me feel like I'm eating Satan's trap and I'm actually secretly being led to hell... Why are they so good??

Their burgers are all good, partly because of the meat, but mainly because of their bread. Their buns aren't like the soft buns that break easily (that you'd buy from safeway or other grocery stores) but instead are like actual bread. They're toasted, of course, and don't fall apart when you bite it, but instead are a bit chewy. My favorite here is the Persian Burger. A long patty, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and ranch sauce are put in between a foot long piece of toasted French bread. Sounds so simple, but so satisfying. I really recommend eating their fries/burgers with their ranch sauce. 

Burgers here are affordable, and aren't as greasy as most burgers are. For 9$ I can buy a Persian burger, fries, and a small drink and I can never finish. Definitely a good deal for your buck, not to mention it's super close to the UC Berkeley campus.
3 - Bill B.: Fairly tasty burger, though thinner patty  than I expected given the height of the final product. The fries were ok but nothing special. Definitely gets credit for lots of veggie options and Persian flair - hummus, tabouleh, and lamb burgers are all available. If I'm nearby again, I'd give the lamb burger a shot. 

TRIVIA: Bongo drums are especially popular in Cuban music and have Spanish origin. The larger of the pair is called the "hembra" (female) drum while the smaller is the "macho" (male drum.
3 - Janvier M.: Great great great onion rings! Had to start off saying that. The turkey burger I had was a good solid tasty burger (though I was highly upset to learn they didn't have pickles, as no burger, sandwich or the like is quite the same without them). Kudos for the delicious, buttery, flaky bun; it made the burger.  Not the best burger I've ever had, but a solid find ... I wouldn't mind coming again
5 - alex c.: Bongo Burger is one of my favorite businesses in Berkeley.

You get a quality burger for a great price. Toasted bun, Niman Ranch meat, grated lettuce, tomato, etc. And the fries are delicious.

They also do a few things a little bit differently, not that you're getting an unusual burger experience or anything. They butter the buns, and provide ranch alongside the ketchup. It's good.

A hamburger and fries is less than 7 bucks. The lady who works at the dwight location is gorgeous and regal. And there are several locations very close to the Berkeley campus. If you're a student and you've been in the library studying for hours and you stumble out into the dying light wondering how far your plummeting blood sugar is going to get you - know that there is Bongo Burger - right outside North gate on Euclid, on Southside on Dwight and Telegraph, and out of West Gate on Center.

Bottom line: burgers are delicious, economically priced, consistently good, and available from multiple locations close to campus.
5 - Trish S.: YES. I am so excited to write a review for Bongo Burger. I'm sure everyone has given this place well deserved 4-5 stars, but I will reiterate what has most likely been said and say that I LOVE BONGO BURGER. Not only because it's down the street from my house, not because it's near school, but because the meat is so delicious. Their burgers are so good. The bread is thick and perfect with the meat and all their lettuce and onions. It's a place that will always satisfy my burger craving (which I admit occurs quite too often). I do not need to continue raving about bongo burger. Crack of the burgers. End of story.
4 - Andrew W.: This review is for the Persian burger ONLY, which I love and would eat every time I come to Berkeley if I didn't want to try other restaurants in Berkeley. Bongo Burger advertises using Niman Ranch Ground Beef, and the Persian burger beef does not disappoint. It is flavorful and cooked perfectly medium rare and paired with a roll. The biggest plus is the size of the burger; definitely enough for a hungry boy like me. 

What I recommend: Persian Burger
4 - Audrey C.: I was sold with the Persian burger. Lamb in a burger...?! I ordered the combo number 7 that comes with zigzag fries and a drink for 9.50ish. I was starving when I got my food. The edges of my burger were sort of dry, but by the time I took a couple bites I was pretty satisfied. I think if I had Tzatziki sauce with me I would have plopped it right on. 

I think Bongo is a place everyone in Berkeley likes to recommend for burgers but it's different than those tiny fast food places. I've tried Barney's down on Shattuck and these two are similar in the taste of the patty (a little more charred) but Bongo has a slightly better taste (Barney's has too many flavors)

I should also mention that the first time I tried this place I was really craving In-N-Out but friends recommended Bongo Burger to satisfy my craving. If you're looking for in-n-out, Bongo isn't really what you're looking for!

Also, they have fresh squeezed orange and carrot juice! :)
4 - James C.: So their burgers are good.  Service is good.  Place is clean.  But, OMG their fries are amazing!!!  Their fries are like my favorite Mexican fast food place, Del Taco's, but OMG their fires are 10X more amazing!  I also love the fact that they are not cheap about giving away free sauces ( most restaurants these days charge for everything).  I am a fan, I want to go back.  Highly recommend for a great lunch with friends.
5 - John L.: I have been going to Bongo's for over 25 years never had an bad burger or Persian burger love the Persian. Back in the day after they opened other locations we would do "the walk" and have burgers in all three stores! Great stuff if you don't Ike these burgers you don't like burgers!
4 - Connor J.: Great burgers! Not much to say after that than nom nom nom...
5 - Sheeva G.: i love you i love you i love you. First of all, i love berkeley, second of all, i loooove bongo burger. i've only tried south campus, not the others, but i have history here. i basically used to live up in berkeley (was there 4 days out of the week, then was at Cal for a bit), and i would go here almost every day. I got to know the ladies that ran the place, super nice, and persian obvi ;) so they loved me. my usual was the bacon cheeseburger with onion rings...the onion rings are HUGE..some of the best i've had. and the ranch..omg the ranch...buttermilk ranch!! ahhh! so good. the persian burger is so good too! second favorite thing on the menu to my bacon cheeseburger ;) i have been here so many times and i will keep coming back
5 - Casey P.: I live down the street.  I come here often.  The turkey burger is really good!  It is what it is and I appreciate that.
5 - Lilla M.: The burgers are good but breakfast is unbeatable! Two eggs any style with yummy potatoes (I add their bomb ranch) and toast for $3. Ate at the Southside location practically every other day. A Berkeley favorite.
4 - Wendy F.: TEAM MUSHROOM BURGER. Big, juicy, messy, delicious goodness.  My man, on the other hand, is a bit jealous cuz he got the persian burger (based on all the good reviews), and regretted it the moment he laid eyes on my beauty. The persian burger wasn't bad,  but it doesn't compare to the classic mushroom burger. I will definitely be going back for more. Oh, and the fries were good and crispy. It wasn't dry like I thought it would be. Good job, Bongo!
4 - Gabe R.: They have a couple of good menu items here: The Salmon or Persian Plate is nice and filling and you don't get as full as when you get a combo with fries. Surprisingly inexpensive. There aren't many places that serve grilled sea food around telegraph so this plate is extra special. The persian burger was a-ok, nothing too praise-worthy, at least not for the extra price. You should try it at least once though since you don't see many lamb burger places around. The turkey burgers are also good, as well as the regular beef burgers. The fries are some of the best also, always nice and crispy.
5 - P B.: 5-Line-5-Star Review

1: Great Ingredients

2: Great Prices

3: Great Spot

4: 5 Stars
4 - Katherine K.: Pretty good burgers, but kinda expensive. Sorry, I'm used to combo meals at In-N-Out (:

I got the mushroom burger which was really good. So big, though! And their zigzag cut fries are yummy, too.

The cashier was not that nice..she did not look like she was having a good day.
4 - Elaine L.: Mushroom burger. MMMMM so juicy. This is my go to order when I come here. I get the combo so I can get some fries too. The fries are zig zag cut. 

Since the mushroom burger is so juicy.... it gets kinda messy so I find it odd and a little annoying that they dont have napkins available to grab yourself. You have to go and ask them for some and they give you like two. -_____(") my messy eating needs more than two please!
5 - Webb H.: This burger does the job. I usually get the turkey burger, place the fries inside, and pour some greek sauce on top of the fries and veggies. It's nothing fancy, but the burger always holds together. So many of them fall apart. It's a clean burger experience. When I lived in the Bay Area, everyone loved Barney's, but their burgers fall apart. Great place to go if you're craving a burger and are hungover. 

I'm not totally sure why I'm writing a review of Bongo Burger, which I haven't eaten in ten years ago, but I'm in South America right now and am craving random food from my homeland, mostly ethnic. I find the food in Santiago disappointing. If you're in the University neighborhood, and you're hungry, go to Bongo Burger!!
1 - julie b.: Pretty good burger - but, if you are hooked on this place, take a little visit to the restroom -         G R O S S.  I WILL NEVER GO AGAIN.  This is the same restroom the staff uses and it is not habitable.  Repeat - inhabitable - should not pass any inspection in my estimation.  Who cares about the food - get a quick peek in here and you'll not care any longer!  Note to any wheelchair visitor - there is NO WAY you would ever be able to use this restroom.  I don't know how the City of Berkeley and their ADA requirements allow this.
3 - Shubs K.: I had their mushroom burger and loved it! It gets everywhere, so I had to eat a lot of it with a fork, but so worth it! For people who like real, somewhat greasy burgers, this is your best bet. (For a delicious burger sans grease, try Smart Alec's up the street.) Every time I pass by there it's pretty crowded, so if you come in a group, have a friend snag a table before it's snatched up.
5 - Alex J.: Persian Burger. Best burger in the world. Yum.
5 - Hena S.: I ordered the Persian Burger combo and it was insanely delicious. It's like a foot long so I was only able to eat half of it alongside the crispy fries. I would definitely come here more often.
2 - John J.: This place is the definition of a greasy spoon.  I ordered a cheeseburger meal and was satisfied, but it didn't blow my burger mind or anything.  My companion got a turkey burger and was left asking "where's the beef" (translation: less than impressed).  You have to go behind the counter to use the bathroom, which I would rate 1 star (tiny, dirty, walk past the kitchen crew preparing raw meat, etc.).

Overall, I'd say it's a decent place to get a cheap, quick greasy fix.  Burger connoisseurs should go elsewhere.
4 - Alvin J.: I love to order their MUSHROOM burger, so juicy, especially with their special sauce. I always order more than 1 burger to satisfy my needs. YUM
4 - Mary J.: On our Saturday Random Eats, BF @JaRue2011 & I flipped through my Yelp bookmarks to find ourselves making a lunch drive to Bongo Burger in Berkeley, CA (courtesy Yelper Peter J) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G3d-xJF_Rt-P_za2eZ1q-Q?select=R9En8v3vSH1uYj_Zmzpj6g

LOCATION:  Located on Dwight Way  just a few meters East of Telegraph Ave; you can't miss it. Parking on the street (good luck) or garage parking options in vicinity. Lots of other neighbor restaurants & dives in area; lots of foot traffic from local Cal Bear students & others like BF & myself just out for a foodie adventure.

RESTAURANT: Small space, but table seating is not truly arm to arm. Most ppl who dine to eat, do just that & then they're out; else folks take it go. With small space, patrons come w/ the hawk eye of seating availability & the fast pace stretch to grab the seating before it gets taken. It's not combative tho, everyone seems to know you either find space inside, find space on outside tables, or stand out on the sidewalk & eat. Armless wood chairs, simple wood tables 2-seater or 4-seater inside, & few outdoor patio seating on sidewalk. Courteous patrons after dinning inside/outside & bring their empty tray inside & dispose of trash.

CUST SVC: Friendly, helpful, & fast. Arrived on a Saturday late afternoon, about 3rd-4th person in line, grabbed indoor 2-seater table (think we lucked out honestly), & waited like 5-7min for our # to be called for pick-up. Being our 1st visit here, cashier was friendly & helpful for questions ...like "What's in the Perisan Burger?" Their condiment bar options are kept well full for their many Bongo Burger eaters.

EATS: All around hot fries & flavorful burgers served! Almost a bonus when a joint grills your buns, & they do here. BF absolutely loved the condiment options available with Ranch, Sriracha Hot Sauce, etc.

BF-J with his Persian Lamb Burger http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G3d-xJF_Rt-P_za2eZ1q-Q?select=xxOBYkHeSyyZSqLozCinBw
** $6.50 Persian Burger almost length of serving tray http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G3d-xJF_Rt-P_za2eZ1q-Q?select=F1RG82mIU9zGqltx3pKjPA
** Few bites into Persian Burger http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G3d-xJF_Rt-P_za2eZ1q-Q?select=VKHP6X67J8DlZomBg0aHkA
...Ingredients all fresh, toasty bun, enjoyed the shredded lettuce, & flavorful. BF's only "wish" would be for a thicker pattie; he felt there was more bread ratio than meat.

Me with my Mushroom Burger http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G3d-xJF_Rt-P_za2eZ1q-Q?select=9d55sdKJSjNASTIvKSzwUA
** $7.95 Mushroom Burger Combo http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G3d-xJF_Rt-P_za2eZ1q-Q?select=1p5rpJI1ElEQLHhoExI3VA
** Few bites into Mushroom Burger http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G3d-xJF_Rt-P_za2eZ1q-Q?select=GKqcDaP4YkCnJLUh4j1dsg
...Toasty bun, fresh vegs, a good tasting pattie. Combo comes with small fries & fountain drink prepped from behind cashier counter; not sure if free re-fills.  

OVERALL: Final tab for our "Yelp flipped coin decision" to Bongos came to $17.84 http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G3d-xJF_Rt-P_za2eZ1q-Q?select=Ja4IMy2HBaCaOld78LjbYw It was a good foodie adventure that we both enjoyed.
4 - Yvette P.: I love love love love love love love love Bongo Burger... I wish I could give them a 5, but I am not a very big fan of the male owner. I hate onions, and one time I ordered the same, the number 2 (bacon cheese burger) with no onions and no tomatoes, and I guess they made a mistake and put onions on it. I usually hate taking food back, but I felt so comfortable since I always went to bongo burger ever since I went to high school. Well, the owner guy basically made a huge deal and said it was not onions that it was lettuce and did not want to take my order back, so I kind of got pissed and showed him. Anyways, he was not too happy with taking it back but did anyways. 

Overall, everyone there is nice and I love the burgers and especially the fries. When I meet someone, I always tell them how delicious their burgers are and they end up loving it too! One of my favorite places ever!
3 - Rocco D.: Interesting twist of burgers.  The lamb burger is my fav.  A little on the expensive side.  Love the shorcut I take through People's Park to get there.  Oh the character's I've seen there!
3 - Vanessa S.: I've walked by this place so many times over the past 15 years, that I finally decided to try it. And I was a bit disappointed. The people there seem friendly and the prices are decent for what you get. I was enjoying my burger until I saw that they don't prepare them there. They just come out of a bag. I'm not sure how they have won best burger in Berkeley when they don't even make the patties! I understand why I just kept walking all these years.
4 - Christina H.: Really Yummy burgers. Definitely would come back here, definitely would walk the 4 blocks from campus to get here if I'm looking for a good burger. I've  only have tried the American burger here.

Only real downside is that the place is small and usually crowded, and its a little more expensive than some other places.
3 - Dana L.: The burgers are flavorful. And they have those neat crinkly fries you had when you were in elementary school. But the burgers are almost too flavorful, overpoweringly so. 

If you just want a burger though, I would suggest going here. It's still pretty good.
5 - Kern C.: OMFG this is what a burger is suppose to taste like.  Fries are fair.  Been here after getting the munchies from toking with friends and had to have something better than that nasty fast food crap.  This place makes them all shameful.  Burgers are made to order.  menu is limited but choices are good.  I always leave satisfied.
3 - Shirleyanne Z.: Restaurant area and service: small but clean. Cooked up the food quickly.  Cashier was nice.

Persian Burger plus mushrooms: It had a flavorful but thin lamburger patty housed in a long bun.  I can't even call it a burger because it looks like a sub or hoagie. I paid them to add mushrooms but I feel like they didn't put much of it at all.  The sandwich tastes great with the sriracha and ranch that they have available at the counter.

Bacon Cheeseburger: The hamburger patty was really thin and slightly dry.  You can barely taste the beef.  The patty looks like one of those frozen prepackaged patties you buy from Safeway. I suggest making the patties thicker so that the burgers are juicier.

Fries: Nothing fancy. They look and taste like the crinkly Ore Ida fries you can buy from Safeway.  

Bottom line: I am not really sure what the fuss is about this burger joint. I was really disappointed because based on Yelp reviews, I was expecting my tastebuds and belly to be blown away.
4 - Sahil T.: I have been here many times and usually have shish kebab sandwich. The taste of food is great. Nice staff. The only con is the environment. It is not very clean.
4 - Melissa J.: I went here with a friend a few days ago and got the falafel plate, which was delicious and cheap. My friend got the lamb burger, i think it's called the Persian burger, and he loved his as well. Their french fries were delicious too - perfect crispiness! No complaints here!
4 - Angie M.: My roommate and I have a tradition of coming here to celebrate birthdays, end of midterms, etc. I've successfully converted her into loving black bean burgers and i absolutely adore their fries dipped in ranch/ketchup/Sriracha.
It's a small place so we always take it to go and deal with the pouring rain as we trek back to our apartment, but the food manages to still stay hot. :)

Worth a try, i promise
4 - Anna T.: The burgers are delicious and huge! My friend and I both ordered the bacon cheeseburger combos and we were so stuffed after just eating our burgers that we couldn't even look at the fries afterwards. Seriously, we ate a late lunch/early dinner at around 4 and weren't hungry the rest of the night. Pretty good deal for only about $8 per person!
5 - Jennifer J.: MmmMmmMmMmMmmmMmMMMMMMmmmmm

Came here today for lunch again. YUM just yum. Mushroom burger = best by far. Tried the spicy chicken sandwich (not bad, but sort of dry)

Sauces are the best. I love mixing their sauces. My suggestion is that they pre-mix the sauces and call them..."RANCHUP" or "KETCHRANCH" yummy for burgers, fries, & everything.
5 - Estela Y.: I had never heard of a Persian burger, but this joint has some of the best burgers ever! I was very impressed by the taste. I don't even remember what burger I ordered, but it was really good. The hummus was amazing too.
4 - Lindsey S.: After I tried their delicious Eggplant Plate, that's all I ever get when I come here. The perfect combination of veggies + swiss cheese + hummus that you can scoop up in one delicious bite with pita bread, yum!
5 - Sam A.: I love this place. I always get mushroom burger with fries and ranch on the side. tastes awesome.
5 - Greg H.: The first time I heard about this place, my first response,"Bongo? Sounds kinda lame." After eating at this place, I was quite wrong. This burger joint knows how to make a pretty good burger. I got the bacon cheeseburger meal (fries and small soda) which was all awesomely delicious. This place definitely ranks itself at the top of my burger places list.
4 - Jin P.: Probably my favorite burger place in Berkeley. 

Best bites: (1) Mushroom Burger (2) Persian Burger (3) Bacon Cheeseburger (4) Fries with RANCH.

I eat fries with ranch. And of all the burger joints I've been to (which is a lot -- burgers are my favorite food), Bongo's ranch lands at the top. It's insanely good. My friend Glen suggested dipping fries into their ranch mixed with ketchup and pepper, which sounds horrendous but is actually delicious.

As for their burgers, toasted sesame buns, charred juicy beef patties that are packed with flavor (and decent cuts of beef too, not excessively fatty), sweet grilled onions, tons of lettuce and tomato, and an assortment of condiments to choose from.

Baklava isn't so good though, OVERWHELMINGLY sweet.
3 - Arnold H.: Mushroom burger or Turkey burger for me whenever I come here. Both of them taste ...standard. No extraordinary ingredients or anything. I think of this place as the equivalent of the bigger fast food chains if there were any in Berkeley (excluding Mickey Ds). 

I mean I guess, between McDs and here, I'd go here, but that's not exactly a tough choice, quality and location-wise. The buns are kinda nice--a little crisp and not all soggy and soft. Not much more to say. Cashier/Service was quick and nice. Place is pretty clean. This location doesn't have that much seating and its windows are so big, I almost stepped through the frame of one once because I thought it was the door.
5 - Eddy P.: My favorite non-slider burger in Berkeley. The thought of the mushroom burger gets my heart racing, and not just because of what it does to my arteries. :/
4 - Sandy B.: I always come here after school, (easier to cook food at home and impossible when you have homework!  unless you have someone who cooks for you )

Food is so delicious, If you are new I recommend you go for Shish Kebob or Persian Kebob. 

The bad thing about this store is that between 12-1 it is very crowded and sometimes you need to wait 15-20 minutes to get your food.

Prices are moderate, quality of the sandwiches and stuffing are very good.
5 - John D.: Maybe the best and most reasonably priced burger place in Berkeley.Their fries are quality ones, though sometimes a little undercooked(usually they're perfect).Burgers of course are good but my fvoirte is their steak sandwiches.SO awesome.And one of the other awesome things about Bongo Burger?They're not cash only!!So many places in this area are cash-only and it's a pain in the ass but Bongo Burger knows what's up.
3 - Shimon T.: The burgers are above average. The prices are a little steep however. 

Persian Burger is AMAZING and you must try it. Perks to this place are they have a nice seating area and the environment is warm and welcoming. They give you ranch and ketchup to dip your burgers and fries in so that is nice. The fries are average usually, and sometimes not freshly made.

Overall: Great burgers, but pricey for college students. Might as well go all in and try the Persian Burger!
4 - Gustavo G.: Always a great place to grab a burger.

Combo #2. Bacon Burger.  Love it.  Near campus this is the place to go.

All in all a tasty burger.
3 - Emmanuel C.: I go here whenever I want to binge eat on juicy burgers and fries. Their grilled onions are so good! I also ordered breakfast here at one point and got their omelette, which wasn't too bad.
4 - Lucy C.: I've been a HUGE fan of Bongo Burger ever since my very first burger here! From previous experience, I ABSOLUTELY recommend the mushroom burger. It's perfectly savory, not too dry (like many burger places), and completely filling! Plus, the fries are ridiculously addictive.

Yesterday, I got the All American Burger which was all right. It's your typical burger with patty, cheese, lettuce, etc., but without the mushrooms, it just wasn't the same.

Bottom line: Bongo Burger is completely worth your money, and a great casual eat-out spot. The prices aren't too bad and everything is delicious!
4 - Ozzetta B.: Just want to say that I love this place sooooo much!!! The best Turkey burgers ever. I even love the black bean burgers... It's a cute little spot to go to while out shopping with friends. I prefer the one on Telegraph Ave verses the one by the U.C Berkeley campus. However, don't go here on a busy Saturday, parking is horrible! It's defiantly a place that I like to go to when I'm off during the day, enjoying  the weather. 

Your friend,

OB
2 - Alex E.: I like this place but they often mess up my food. Almost every time I have to wait for it to be remade... Today I'm in a rush and I had to wait over 20 mins because they acted like it was my fault. Everyone else after me got served before I did. Horrible customer service. I don't think I'll be back here anytime soon.
5 - Ann C.: Want a really good burger and really good fries for cheap? Come to Bongo Burger!! Seriously, the food here is high quality and very tasty and a meal is under $10. Unfortunately, you're compromising ambiance for price. This place is located right next to People's Park so may get someone ask, "Are you enjoying your burger cause I've been starving my whole life," then guilt you into buying them lunch. 

Still, I love Bongo Burger and usually get either the black bean burger or turkey burger with fries, then load up on sriracha and ranch.

They also have a really neat painting of a woman cheating on her (I assume) husband with the cook.
5 - Sam A.: Bongo burger definitely makes really great burgers and I am always satisfied when I come here. There are some burger places in the bay that I prefer more, but bongo burger never lets me down (especially when they have free ranch dressing just sitting out in a squirt bottle for your fries)
5 - Michelle H.: get No.2 [Bacon Burger + fries + drink]
get the Eggplant Sandwich, if you are an eggplant lover like me. 

The Eggplant is a bit expensives for a sandwich, but it's big enough to split between two girls. 

Never opt out of the burger combinations. These fries are golden. Buns are superb.
THE best burger place in Berkeley. Doesn't make you feel fatty afterwards either. 

They also have a bathroom.
4 - Sarah W.: Love Bongo Burger!  It's well-priced and their burgers are large as well.  I would definitely advise the french fries as well--after all, what are burgers without french fries?!  I think my biggest compliment for the burgers here are that they are perfectly proportioned.  Exactly the right amount of bun to offset the juicy burger, just the right sauce to balance the bun, and not too much tomato to overpower the other flavors.  GETTING HUNGRY RIGHT NOW WRITING ABOUT THIS.  

Tip #1:  Sriracha sauce + ketchup + ranch + french fry = ?????? Try it and see!  (I go with half and half ketchup/ranch with a dab of sriracha, but mix it to your own spicy tolerance).  

Overall: Top burger place in the Berkeley campus area!  Actually, possibly the only one... But still.  It's yummy.
5 - Audrey G.: Best burger place close to campus! I LOVE their sesame buns, and I'm not a huge meat-lover so their thin patties are just right for my taste! I always get their mushroom burger, which is just a regular burger with mushroom and swiss cheese, but the bacon burger is really good as well! (How can bacon not be delicious?) Their prices are very reasonable, and they even have dine-in space.  There usually isn't too long of a wait either, although you can also call in your order. Plus points for using Niman ranch beef!

Bongo Burger - Berkeley, CA (37.8755712, -122.2602229) (UC Campus Area)
4 - Roshni R.: decent burgers for a good price.  lots of other random mediterranean stuff on the menu.
4 - Jim L.: It probably comes as no surprise that Berkeley's home-grown version of the short-order burger joint is a bit unconventionally spiced with a mediterranean pizzazz.  They have beef burgers, wrap sandwiches, falafel, middle eastern plates and even serve a cheap and good basic breakfast, but the real house specialty is the Persian Burger, which consists of a patty of charbroiled ground lamb, delicately spiced and served on a grilled soft roll with onions, lettuce and yogurt sauce.  Really unique and quite tasty, this is a great place for a cheap, quick slightly different lunch in Berkeley.
4 - Debbie Y.: Aw yes, when you have the craving for a hearty burger with french fries.  Can also satisfy falafel cravings.
4 - Caroline C.: The burgers are great and the price is right but try the persian burger or the hummus combo plate instead--both are surprisingly excellent! Staff is also helpful and nice though sometimes it seems there is a small language barrier or communication problem since sometimes they speak quietly or mumble.
3 - eric g.: conversation at work today...

me: what do you want for lunch?

stephan g: hmmm...well, i had a bongo burger on friday, pizza on saturday, and a burrito on sunday.

me: guess its a burger then, huh?

stephan g: yup, guess so.

bongo has great fries, decent burgers, and alternative mediterranean options for those people who don't want a burger...whoever that might be.
4 - Kat C.: The best dish at this restaurant is not on the menu!
Get the bongo salad with chicken on top, it's very healthy, very low carb and tastes amazing! Most of the employees know me and know my invented dish, but just explain you want the grilled chicken on top and they'll know what you mean.
3 - Daniel C.: Their persian burger is a must try. Other than that, their regular hamburgers are just average.

The only thing is that the persian burger combo is 7 or 8 bucks. A tad expensive for a college student
3 - Mark P.: Their Persian burger is a good quality burger on a long French roll.  Neat and good.  Skip the falafel.
3 - Patrick A.: The burger is ok.  And so are the prices.  

So little can be said about this burger place.  I had forgotten about it until I saw it on Yelp.
1 - Thomas P.: Yuck!!!! How does a thin little patty ever qualify as a good burger?
3 - Jonathan Y.: Burgers are average and fries are okay. The lines are justifiable considering every other place on Euclid is packed like Bay Bridge toll plaza at 8AM...
4 - Hayley L.: I love this place for the chicken plate.  The chix is always juicy and tasty, and goes great w/the salad and pita bread it comes with.  Plus the best part is the fresh fries.  

Good thing I don't live too close to this place, or I might get a heart attack soon from the fries...  

PS - Don't try to go to this location at Noon.  It's always packed w/a line out the door.  Try earlier or later.
4 - Jessica C.: Normally I am vehnemently against all vegetarian items. It just doesn't sit well with my stomach and causes me to be both hungry later as well as a grumpier person all together. Except when I have had the portabello mushroom burger here. It's delicious, filling and tastes like meat.
3 - Amber G.: The Black Bean Burger at Bongo Burger is out of this world. I can't remember the first time I had it, but the patty has actual whole black beans in it, and the entire burger--though it somehow takes 20 minutes to cook and assemble--is a true treat. Plus, it is a tried and true hangover cure, which has saved me on multiple occasions.

The fries are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and the falafel is extremely tasty--and they do not use hydrogenated oils. The prices are not that bad, though still a little much for me to spend on lunch, so I don't end up going very often.


The big reason I don't end up going very often, though, is that the location on Euclid has HUGE LINES at lunchtime, every day, without fail. And even if they didn't, which happens if you get there early enough, it somehow takes them 20-25 minutes to get everything made and assembled anyway. If I get there at noon, I can expect to leave with my food to run back up the hill to my office AFTER 12:30, and I only get a 30 minute lunch break. I haven't been back here in months because I can no longer take liberties with said break, and it really is a sad thing.
4 - diana s.: Bongo is my kind of fast food.  Breakfast from Bongo is the way to start the day--particularly if the day follows an endless evening.  The 2 eggs any way with homefries and toast (sausage is extra) is nice and greasy, the perfect compliment to any hangover.  And the mornings tend to be pretty quiet, so it's a nice place to sit and eat and read the paper.  Burgers are also quite tasty--I love the black bean burger and the turkey burger.  The fries and the onion rings are fabulous (one of the cooks seems to follow the "I shall serve no fries before their time" rule), piping hot and slightly salted.  I tried the falafel plate for the first time tonight (falafel, tabouleh, salad and pita bread) and it was very tasty and filling.  And I felt healthy after eating it!  Well, kind of.  If I wasn't so full.
4 - Quyen T.: When we were planning our wedding, we had to decide on a red wine.  We drank a bottle a night for weeks on end.  We discovered during that period the beauty and complexity of the Bongo Persian Burger.  As some reviewers note below, it's absolutely delicious.  A lamb patty on a french roll.  What could be better.  We ask for it with feta cheese too!  And it's absolutely out of this world- and it goes even better with a glass of red wine!!!

I took away one star because the one time we ate the burger there, we asked them to cut it in half for us and they charged us an extra $1.00.  HELLO?!  What is that about?!!!  To the owner's dismay, the next time I was there I just asked for a plastic knife and cut it in half myself (in front of her - yeah, I'm a brat like that).

P.P.S.  Hummus plate is alright.  Not terrible, but definitely not the best I've had!
3 - Jeffrey R.: Good turkey burgers, but I would avoid the falafel.
5 - Joy C.: Great spin on hamburgers! I love their Persian Burger. It's in a long roll with a thin pattie of lamb. It's flavorful, moist, and delicious! Their fries are excellent, as well as their mushroom burger. Everything is great here.
5 - Cheshire I.: I only get the turkey burger here, along with either french fries or onion rings, depending on whether I'm taking the food to go (onion rings hold up much better than do the fries). I love those three things at Bongo.

I give it five stars not because it's the best thing I've ever eaten but because I think it succeeds at what it sets out to do. Plus, I love that they have a (always chilled) squeeze bottle of ranch for you to serve yourself. Bad for you, but good for them!

Lunch can be crazy there, but dinner is practically dead most nights.
5 - Burcin T.: To the people who always get a turkey sandwich here: You are not asking for the optimum taste of the place, so don't complain about the food. 

Get persian sandwich in pita bread: It is ground lamb slices grilled and seasoned perfectly! Mixed with tomato slices, lettuce and the hummus sauce.

Get eggplant plate: Deep fried soft eggplant slices topped with a diced tomato/pepper sauce and melted cheese. I think melted cheese part is to look appealing for the american customers with traditional taste, I would put a yogurt sauce with a hint of garlic on it (like tatziki).

Get all american buger: Best burger around campus! Delicious juicy beef patty topped with fresh stuff.

For lunch on the north side of the campus, it is either Nefeli's (mousakka) or Bongo burger (with one of the above)...Great food for good prices.
4 - shane c.: Great burgers, especially the mushroom burger.  The breakfast is terrible....."Hella-Sketch"
3 - Brad L.: There's good Middle Eastern food around campus (Sunrise, Hummingbird) but no good Middle Eastern meat - there's a huge market hole for a good and cheap kebab place. Bongo's Persian pita is a decent effort: the lamb is OK (Niman Ranch, though you wouldn't guess) but without that extra spit-roasted goodness I remember from innumerable kebab dives on Queen Street in Auckland.

Falafel has a nice crisp crust but is kind of tasteless. Apply their delicate thin tahini generously.

I never get the non-Persian burgers anymore. In that price range near campus, I prefer Smart Alec's.
4 - Stephen H.: This place does everything on their menu right.

The turkey burger has a healthy feel while still being satisfying.

The bacon cheeseburger is a calorie splurge no doubt, but ohhh is it worth it (don't eat this every day though)

The falafel is okay, nothing spectacular unfortunately, but considering the strength of their other offerings I don't fault them too much because some times you just want a filling meal without killing bambi or her friends, that is when the full falafel comes in.  

The breakfast special used to be the deal of the century but since has crept up in price.  Still though two eggs toast and some tasty potatoes for around $4 is not too shabby at all.

Finally the Persian burger, quite delish, with nice peppery grilled flavor with just enough lather of mayo on a french roll.  Wonderful!
4 - Rachel B.: Every once in a while, a girl just wants some french fres (okay, maybe every few days).  When that craving hits, I run to Bongo Burger for consistently crispy, salty, fully calorie-laden fried potato goodness.  The persian burger, which is lamb, is a nice departure from your typical burger, and the black bean burger is another interesting alternative - a little spicy, not as beany as you might expect, but all in all a good vegetarian option.  And my favorite part?  They big squirt bottle of ranch sauce at the counter.  Make yourself some russian dressing for those fries and you won't regret it.
3 - Paul B.: Back when I was a student, I had a few favorite places to get some food in my stomach between classes, and Bongo Burgers was one.  I think I only ever ordered one thing-- the Shish Kabob Burger with fries and a coke.  I probably ate that several times a week.

And we had such a love/hate relationship.

The fries were OK.  The coke is... coke.  The burger though-- oh, that meat was so damned good.  I think they sprinkled crack on it.  But the god damned bun... those things weren't buns.  They were mini loafs of bread scientifically engineered and baked to rip the roof of your mouth to shreds.  That delicate balance of pleasure and pain made for quite the culinary adventure.

I have certain predilections that I blame on that sandwich.

I only hope that the students of today can share in that one-of-a-kind experience.
4 - Alissa S.: Serious burgers for the yuppie crowed. 

The portions are huge, and let me tell you--the onion rings are nothing short of a revelation: not too oily, very crispy and with parmesan cheese sprinkled lightly on top.

I would give five stars, but somehow my tummy would get overwhelmed every time I ate here, so I could only eat like one onion ring (so hard to eat just one!) and like half my burger. My eyes were always bigger than my stomach at Bongo.
3 - Charles L.: The standard Niman ranch beef burger ($4.25) or turkey burger ($4.50) are solid choices and never disappointed me. I just got bored of their food because nothing really set them apart in taste (seasoning is standard), but they did their stuff consistently.

Burgers are solid, but I found their other Middle Eastern offerings quite lacking. Pretty cheap prices for a decent burger if you're in the mood for it, but it's nothing awesome. Meh, I've moved on.
4 - Matt J.: This place is definitely my guilty pleasure. My normal routine is order a burger meal (#2 - bacon burger - or #7 - turkey burger) to go, sneak it back to my room, and it in solitude. Everyone I know makes fun of me for eating at this place.

Sure, all their food is just reheated frozen patties and mediocre buns. But who said that's a bad thing? Their persian food isn't bad, and they definitely are one of the best restaurants on Euclid.

I'm not really sure what they serve is from Niman Ranch. The burgers definitely aren't - I totally have the same frozen patties at the house I live in, and those things are cheap franken meat. Maybe the all-beef bacon?

Overall, not a bad place. Greasy, cheap, and fast.
4 - Suheil N.: Chicken Sandwich - add the Sumac --- OFF THE HOOK!!! Great quality, a little expensive, but you get whaht you pay fro in the end.  Everything is grileld to order - no heat lamps for thier burgers!
3 - Bacon Lover M.: When I lived on northside I ate here often. Pretty good burgers, the turkey burger is definitely one of the better turkey burgers i have ever had (tasty seasonings). However I once made the mistake (early in my patronage of bongo burger when i was living near telegraph) to order a burger with bacon on it. HUGE MISTAKE. No pork here folks and what the hell is beef bacon anyways? Its just not right is what it is. So dont do it. They shouldn't confuse us bacon lovers like that, its just mean. 

Breakfast deals are pretty reasonable here too, although only had the egg plates a couple of times and one time it was pretty oily. 

the fries rule though!
4 - Cori W.: Black bean burger is amazing. I love it. Price is decent for how large the burger is. I'm curious about their falafel and other vegetarian options. It's always been not busy when we've gone, which is a plus. I'm sure it will get busy once school starts in a week :(
4 - Sergei B.: I used to eat here quite often during my days at Berkeley. So basically I would usually get a mushroom burger, fries, and soda.. The burger is pretty good, not too greasy, just the right size, and the other ingredients are fresh.. Fries are also pretty good but you can tell they come from the freezer.  

Then one day I decided to be adventurous (doesn't happen often when it comes to food) and ordered the Persian (lamb) plate.. Comes with some pieces of marinated/spiced ground lamb, side salad, and tabouleh salad. (You can also get fries instead)  From then on that was the only thing I ordered.  It's somewhat strange because I don't generally like lamb, it has a weird after taste to me, but when grounded up and served with spices it tastes pretty good.  The tabouleh salad especially is very fresh and tasty and this plate is much much healthier than the burger meal.  It also costs a little more but just think of it as insurance against a future heart attack.
4 - Wendy H.: I went to Bongo Burger for the first time yesterday.  I wish I had knew about it when I was a student.  I ordered a Turkey Burger and I loved the toasted bun.  It tasted light, but also flavorful.  

I was impressed by the diversity of the menu, with items like the Persian burger, Baklavah, and crimped fries. I can't wait to go back and try the other stuff on the menu!

Other pluses:
1. the meat is Niman Ranch, more sustainably raised
2. the lady at the cash register was very friendly and made me feel at home
2 - NAEL K.: plainnnnn blahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh  fries are ok its hard to mess up anything fried :)
3 - Lisa N.: Overall this restaurant is pretty good for burgers and fries.  The meat is flavorful and juicy and they have some interesting things on the menu, such as hummus and falafel plates, dolmas, persian burger, etc.   

However, you MUST order the mushroom and cheese sandwich - not the mushroom burger, mind you.  Yes, its veggie, and it's great.  The mushrooms taste delectable and there is this creamy-ish sauce that, along with the cheese, melts in your mouth.  I've also had the mushroom burger, which is also good, but I actually prefer it without the meat.  Either one is a great option for any of you mushie lovers out there.... Goes great with a side of fries!
3 - Brian L.: Thanks to Yelp I've discovered the Persian burger, and in turn discovered that Bongo Burger is a decent place after all. It's a long Niman Ranch (yay) lamb patty in a French roll with standard burger fixings, which sounds odd and simply must be tried to be appreciated. The meat is seasoned well and the bread makes for a delicious sandwich-- coupled with fries (don't bother) and a drink it makes for a big lunch.

The black bean burger is good, too, and the falafel is only so-so; fortunately I'll be spared these decisions in the future. Also, sadly, no refills, and sometimes-slow service is a mixed blessing: yes, it's made to order, but it's only a burger.
4 - Ramon E.: My husband and I like the onion rings here, and the black bean burger is very good, too. The coffee has been good, but no free refills. Service can be slow and occasionally unpleasant. Lots of newspapers by the door to browse while you wait/eat.
3 - Rochelle N.: A completely competent burger.
5 - Omid S.: I've been here on the regular since I moved to Berkeley.  I decided on the Persian buger since I am persian and I thought this would only be appropriate.  I wasn't too stoked about it though even though people love it.  I went in on Election night when Barack Obama won and feeling particularly proud to be an American at that point in my life I ordered the All-American Burger, I fell in love and thought it was fate that I should fall upon this sandwhich on such a historic night.  I enjoyed the burger and many many since.
2 - Ty C.: I would give this place 2.5 stars if it was available, but since I feel like most folks have overrated this place, I'm going to stick with 2.  Also the "Meh, I've experienced better" description that goes along with 2 stars is about how I feel about this place.

No free refills on soda?  What the hell?  $1.30 for a small soda with no free refills at a burger place is just not right, especially since it would probably cost about a quarter to give you two refills.  

The burger I had was good (mushroom cheese) but the slice of cheese was not thick and didn't even cover the whole surface area of the burger. STOP SKIMPING!  The bun is also way too big.  Eating just the bun is a mini meal in itself.  I found the price point to be a little high (I think it was a little over $8 for the combo (mushroom cheese burger, small soda and fries)).  

I'm not a big fan of crinkle cut fries, but I may be the outsider on that one b/c all of the people I was with love crinkle cut fries.

The service was terrible and the cashier made it seem like she was doing me a favor just by being there.  This was a weekend day a few weeks ago.  She was rude and had an attitude.  While waiting for my meal and drinking my non-free refill small soda, I decided I was going to need another beverage of some sort.  I asked for a cup of water and the cashier looked at me for a second and said, "didn't you get a soda?"  I was already sick of the poor service, so I simply gave her a stone face and answered "yes."  I guess she thought that if I had a soda, there was no conceivable reason why I might want a cup of water....  She begrudgingly gave me a cup of water.

There is ketchup and Ranch dressing on the counter, but one thing was missing, sauce cups.  When I got my food, I realized why, there was one sauce cup placed on my tray.  I guess they want to limit the sauce that you can get.  I'm glad they don't do this at any other burger place I've been to, if you just take Berkeley Burger places, none of them come across this stingy, Barneys, Oscars, Nations, All Fast Food Places etc.

I read another review that said that the bacon isn't pork?  I'm glad I didn't order a bacon burger, but that just seems suspect to me.  I've heard of turkey bacon, but it is always called turkey bacon so there is no confusion.  

If I'm going to spend this kind of money, I would much rather go to Barney's.  The burgers are better, the service is friendlier, the indgrediants are better etc.  Nations doesn't have all the options, but I would go for Nation's over this place.  Free soda refills, all the sauce you can eat and an overall good burger.

One more thing before I step off the soapbox, it was freezing inside.  It was a cold say to begin with, but it was even colder inside.  I guess everyone in the kitchen wanted to make sure they were not warm, who cares about the customers anyway.  An overhaul in customer service and a few minor changes and this place would be a lot better.  Hopefully the owners will read this and make the improvements.  It would cost them a new cashier and a few cents in water, soda, and sauce.
4 - Jay E.: used to go here for lunch a couple of times a month .  burgers are good, fries are good. waiting can be a pain sometimes especially  if  you only get a 30 minute lunch.falafel plates were tasty.
4 - Hubert H.: Er - How can I not have reviewed this? It's a lifeline to those nerdy science postdocs and grad students in the EECS department. Go for the standard, cheese, or mushroom burgers (though I hear the falafels are great too). Nice and juicy, and very fatty, of course. Do they only use organic meats? I can't remember.

The combo is probably not a good option - just stick with the burgers and avoid the fries/ soft drinks, which only save you about 20-50 cents and merely shorten your life span by years.
5 - quinn v.: O man I love this place!!  My best friend and I were slaving away on the streets on Berkeley and came across Bongo Burger.  Since we were both starving, we went inside.  I am so glad that we did!  I ordered the hummus/veggie plate, so delicious! Big portions too! Come to Orange County please...:]
3 - john l.: Onion Rings: sum of the better ones around oddly enough...NOT 2much batter(sum cornmeal mixed in?...yum)...good amount of onion...

Fries: as a prev yelper stated-as bad as cafeteria...yp

burgers: avg-better many other places( if distance not an issue, these are ok)...make SURE u specify med rare/med, otherwise a cinder

Lamb Burger: meh...no flavor

Veg Plate: avg +...ask for X-tra pita

Service: tends 2get a bad rap...never had a prob...

seems popular for a bargain breakfast ala Nations.
2 - Hannah B.: Went into Bongo on a random weekday for dinner.  There were 2 people working (one as cashier, the other as a cook), they both looked so miserable! Either that, or they were giving me death stares. The atmosphere was dreary and a bit creepy :(

Almost $9 for a meal consisting of the mushroom burger, some fries, and a small drink.  The burger tasted similar to that at Burger King (flame broiled flavor).  I thought the whole meal to be a bit on the expensive side, considering the meal was a bit on the mediocre side.

My sister who tagged along, didn't order anything but waited while I ate my meal, became thirsty.  But she was afraid to ask for water, claiming the employees and their death stares terrified her.  

I would not come here again.  I left full but sad for some reason.
3 - Michael P.: One of the experiences that ties all EECS students is having eaten at Bongo Burger (the other is TC Garden-bleh!)  So why here? I had noooo idea!  That's exactly why I took the effort to come here myself and be a part of this recent EECS trend.

I had ordered the mushroom burger (~$6).  It was #1 on the menu and usually #1 items are the best.  The burger is a good size to satisfy anyone's appetite for a quick lunch sitting.  Beef patty and sauteed mushrooms were tender and moist.  It wasn't spectacular, but nevertheless still a good burger.  If you frequent Euclid restaurants for lunch, it's worth putting this store into your rotation.

My friends recommend trying the Persian Burger and falafel; I'm no longer in Cal so I can't try it myself, but I'm just throwing it out there for those who are interested.

Oh yea, teehee! friendly reminder to my fellow EECS comrades: Bongo Burger is not a place for a romantic date!
3 - Allison L.: Good food. Nasty people. I'll stick with the Bongo on Northside.
3 - Stephanie W.: Bongo burger is one of those restaurants that you're ashamed to admit you like. The burgers and fries really aren't that memorable, the service is perpetually nasty and unhappy, and the sodas are very overpriced. The burgers are overpriced for what you get, the fries are that weird crinkle cut frozen store kind, the burger is extremely thin/dry and any moisture comes from the condiments (although the flavor is good, they're a great size and the bun has a just right crunch). So why eat here, like I just did, when one is sober and there are other things open.

Because sometimes you just need a damn bacon cheeseburger. Sometimes you miss your lunch break and have a shitty day. Sometimes you have your work raped with red pen, have an entire room of moving boxes to unpack AND need to fix the red pen raped work before 9:30 tomorrow morning.

In short, sometimes you need a bacon cheeseburger, with fries, and a diet coke that's been watered down with bourbon...
3 - Rob L.: Bongo burger is a restaurant that caters to those who want classic American hamburgers or falafel/vegetarian alternatives for the vegetarian types.

Their selection of hamburgers and french fries are nothing out of the ordinary, except they taste above average compared to other burger joints within a few miles. However, my choice for a meal was falafel, hummus, and a salad, which consisted of green lettuce, tomatoes, and other greens with light salad dressing, where the hummus wasn't memorable, then topped with dark falafel pieces with pita bread that seemed very average for a $7+ meal without a drink.

The cashier who took my money and gave me my change did not smile nor seem happy when I asked for a small cup of water. When I went to get my food up it being ready, I wanted some more tartar sauce, but they smugly told me only the large bottle of ranch dressing was available, which they reluctantly gave me a small dipping cup for the ranch dressing upon me asking for one.

Overall, I'd give this place 4 stars if it weren't for the service that I received. However, it is above 2 stars due to my friend loving their burgers, which is their signature product (not their vegetarian alternatives that I ordered). I won't be coming back anytime soon to this particular Bongo Burger, but I think overall this Berkeley chain serves the best overall hamburger in the area.
2 - Eric L.: I'm not sure what all the hype is about. So what if they serve breakfast items in addition to burgers? This isn't McDonalds. The burgers aren't anything to celebrate about. I'd rather just eat elsewhere and go to In-n-Out on the weekends. The price is a bit high for the quality, but it was good to try.
3 - Hannah H.: I've eaten at all three Bongo Burgers near campus, frequenting the Euclid Ave one the most (since it's near the EECS and CS buildings, which I spent a lot of college days at). The mushroom burger and Persian burger are worth mentioning, but the turkey burger was a bit too salty on one occasion. The joint seems to have trouble having consistent taste and quality in their foods, such as the fries. I've had good ones and not-so-great ones where they were a bit limpy. In almost all occasions though, they were pretty bland.

The service is perhaps this joint's weakest point. The lady behind the counter never smiled, and in fact gave a bit of a cold stare when I or my friends asked for an extra tiny cup of ketchup or even more napkins. Other employees were better, but if the clerk behind the cash register doesn't put up a good face, it tends to lower my opinion about the place in general.

Another weak point is the pricing. Each burger could set you back at least six or seven dollars, which could be staggering compared to more conventional burger joints. Sure, the burgers here may be different and fresh, but inconsistency between visits makes me hesitant to justify the price.

Admittedly, the only non-burger dish I had was a salad entree (can't remember what it's called), and never had the falafel. The salad, by the way, was disappointing.

So if you really want to try an exotic burger, Bongo Burger would be your best bet, but try the other two joints, not the one at Euclid. My experience at Southside and downtown has been better.
3 - Ignatius D.: I am very patriotic when it comes to food. I ordered the cheeseburger. The meat was very good, and they got it right when I asked for no mayo (many places take this to mean EXTRA GROSS GOOP). I liked the crinkle fries--haven't had those in a while. My only suggestion is to cut down on the bun size--it was far too fat and large. Though I guess I should take a long look in the mirror....

Anyway, ladies, this place was crawling with male specimens of the young and impressionable variety. Come, take advantage.
3 - Michelle D.: Middle Eastern tho? Really? haha.

Anyway.. this place is good. The combos are a bit pricey for lunch, but I guess it's not that bad for what you get since the servings are big. The fries are the best!!!! Mmmmmm

Tip:
Call order in ahead of time. It can be packed out the door during lunch rush!
3 - Sean T.: I tried the salmon dish, which comes with green salad, a choice of tabouleh or fries, and fried (?) pita, at about $8. The salmon was a little dry and overcooked, but OK overall. If you added some seasoning I suppose it might taste better. The salad had some sort of mediterranean-tasting dressing on it and some tomato and other light vegetables. It left a weird texture in my mouth when eating it. The fries were the same as come with the burger combo: simple but decent. The pita was too dry and a little flavorless, but maybe I was supposed to eat it with the salad. Overall, a decent meal for the price, but lacking in taste; my rating remains the same. The salmon dish is a decent alternative to the burger/fries, though.
4 - Christian F.: 4stars for having the same meal every Tuesday and Thursday for a whole year and never being dissatisfied.

Turkey burger. Fries. Green Tea. Wait for next class and surf the internet. Win.
3 - Brian P.: My standby North Campus lunch place for when I am really effing hungry.  Their Persian Burger (lamb) must weigh at least a pound, and paired with fries always leaves me in an afternoon food coma.  

Burgers are pretty average fast food, fries are a little below average.  They do squeeze fresh OJ and carrot juice, which makes for a much healthier (and more expensive) combo than a soda.  The black bean garden burger is also an option for the heath conscious, and is just the right amount of spicy.  The middle eastern fare is decent too, but not as authentic or as tasty as the Hummingbird Cafe across the street.  

The lunch rush here is a pain in the ass - go after 1:30 if you can swing it.
4 - Susan D.: This place is nothing much inside but, it fills a need or a memory....I don't know...but when I eat a turkey burger it releases my "happy" endorphins and "don't bother me" I'm in my own burger heaven. 
Maybe because it's grilled and that shredded lettuce? Or maybe because it's big and saucer flat kind of like old style burgers when I used to eat beef, back in the day....who knows....who cares really. All I know is I drive my sister crazy, who lives on the corner when I come visit...."Bongo Burger...Bongo Burger"...My mantra.....She finally breaks, even though she's probably eaten there already that week....and let's me have my juvenile moment of demanding and gives in..... Because she knows how much I love my Bongo Burgers! Oh and a few fries please too.
3 - Jennifer L.: If you would like a burger and you are on the North Side of campus - this is the place to go.  The food is nothing special.  Main draw, the abnormal ratio of men to women.   After spending all day in the School of Social Welfare, it is quite refreshing :)
3 - David L.: Taste: 4
Value: 3
Service: 3

Like my review for their Southside location, I think their sandwiches are pretty good, but definitely overpriced. I've only been to the Northside location two times.
5 - Mike V.: My favorite Saturday and Sunday morning stop in Berkeley. Hands down. especially after the gym. Their Persian stuff is fantastic. The Med. plate is delicious and the Persian burger is tasty (get them to put mushrooms on it or it's a little bland) 

But what brings me back time and time again? 

The Mushroom Burger. 

I NEVER order the mushroom burger....unless I'm at Bongo. 

Sometimes I order two. One is usually gone before I get back to my girlfriends place (since everyone knows a surefire way to frighten off a new beau is by downing two huge burgers during a commercial break).....[hmmm...I wonder if she reads my Yelp reviews?] 

Just don't forget some of that white better than mayo sauce on the counter. [insert obligatory "white sauce" + orgasmic joke here] 

Helpful Tip: Do NOT try to eat the mushroom burger or apply sauce in your car. Yes, yes. i KNOW you're hungry. But unless you have a Nissan Xtera or something with waterproof seats, you'll regret it.
4 - peter k.: i really like food here.  better than any regular hamburger.  i like the northside bongo burger better than the southside one.
4 - Joyce B.: Came here again for dinner. Instead of getting the burgers, I decided to try their Hummus Combo, which is consisted of falafels, hummus, and salad. Personally, I thought the portions were kind of small, considering that if you were to pay the same amount, or even less, you would be getting a huge burger. However, surprising, after I finished my dish, I actually felt pretty good. 

I have to say, their mediteranean food is legit. Not as good as Sunrise Deli's med food, but the hummus is pretty good. 

My friend got the Mushroom Burger and it was delicious. Definitely beats La Burrita and La Vals across the street if you want something good/tasty and slightly on the healthier side.
4 - Amiee H.: Food: 
-Turkey Burger: SOO BIG! The bun was SOOO GOOD! it was all warm and perfectly toasted; crunchy exterior and a chewy center! YUMMY! Tasted like a baguette but it wasn't...you've just got to try it. The turkey patty was literally larger than life! But it was delicious! The burger came with lettuce, tomatoes, and some mayo spread (I think it was mayo anyway). 

Service: 
-None, you just order at the front, but the lady at the front was super nice!

Ambiance: 
-Just a chill burger joint close to campus. Nothing special. A good place to come for a quick chow down!

Price: 
The burger came out to be around $5. It was well worth it! I can't wait to go back and try the other things on the menu!
4 - I A.: The persian burger is great. Most of their food here is actually great. I know I tried their steak sandwich and remember thinking it was a little skimpy but all in all...great place for a untradiational burger/sandwich.
5 - Derek N.: I just love this burger joint ever since my UCB student days...greasy take-out bag and all.

I've almost tried the entire menu.  I still go with my "first love" and that is the Number 7 (Persian Burger).

Juicy...mouth-watering...satisfying...this is what you want in your BURGER!

Prices are reasonable too.  The south-side campus location is also good too, but I prefer the north-side location.
4 - Nathan M.: Get the Persian Burger.  It's a sub sandwich sized burger made with seasoned lamb in lieu of beef.  It is quite unique and tasty.  Although probably the best non-gourmet burgers in Berkeley, you pay for that distinction as the meal combos (with small drinks and fries) come in just shy of $10.
3 - Gemma J.: No. 3 Cheeseburger (no tomato, no lettuce) meal with fries and double-dip ranch-ketchup. MMMM. 

Fulfilling and convenient meal for that hour-and-a-half break between awkwardly-timed midday classes.
5 - Kamyar J.: How good is it?
Let's just say, when it came to choosing schools....The Persian Burger was a deal breaker.
Enter this place, and it's easy to get confused. The semi-atypical mix of burgers and persian food may confuse some, but fear not. I will show you the delicious, meaty, light.

Order the persian burger. Order some french fries. If you like it order a doogh. The persian burger is a lamb sandwich/burger composition that never ceases to please. The french fries are cooked in very fresh oil and the ranch is delicious as well.

As far as the rest of the menu, i've only sampled a bit. But that is not even important. Order the persian burger and you will understand my enthusiasm.
4 - Justin F.: Soo good. The fries are exceptional, the burgers are good (mushroom burger all the way across the sky!!) and the service is fast. A bit pricey (burger + fries is 8 and change) but good enough that I still go there semi-regularly.
3 - Rohan D.: They basically take frozen patties, cook them on a grill and add some standard toppings with standard buns. Everything here is ok, it's not bad. The patties aren't super preserved like McDonalds but they aren't mouthwatering delicious like Barney's. 

For those Berkeley kids (especially you engineering majors who get stuck in Soda, Cory, and Etcheverry). This is the place to go when the good places in Asian Ghetto are closed, but you aren't desperate enough to want to go to La Burrita or TC Garden.
5 - natalie n.: I don't exactly have happy college memories. But I do of Bongo Burger. Persian Burger, I miss you so. No matter where I go, the memory of a cheap yet immensely satisfying meal and that strange white sauce that goes awesome with fries will stay with me.
5 - Tony L.: To me, Bongo Burger is both good news and bad news:
-Bad news: I discovered Bongo Burger 3 months before graduating.
-Good news: I ate there no less than 17 times during my last 3 months of school (which, come to think of it, is really bad news for my health)

During those 3 happy months, I mainly ordered the mushroom burger, a side of fries, and coffee instead of a soft drink. The thing I really like about Bongo Burger is that their burgers are simple, but everything is done just right. The beef patty and mushrooms are freshly grilled, the lettuce is crisp and thinly sliced, and everything is neatly stacked into a giant burger.  

Thank you Bongo Burger for sustaining me through many late nights working on ME 107B. If I had discovered you earlier, I'm sure I would've done much better in school.
3 - Kristi M.: I got the turkey burger, and it was not the best--it was just really obvious that it was a frozen patty! 

But my husband got the Persian burger, and it was amazing. Great flavor! I definitely ordered the wrong thing! Get the Persian burger!!!
3 - Jenny P.: This place is good for quick, tasty burgers and sandwiches. Usually get the Persian burger, and though it's really delicious, I still didn't feel like I was getting the best bang for my buck. Otherwise, if you want to treat yourself, do stop by Bongo Burger and grab a bite! There's a quite a line during lunch hour by the way...
4 - Jennifer W.: While I tend to like restaurants with large open windows such as the ones at their locations around the city and campus, there is something alluring about this one. It's narrow and somewhat hidden. The burgers are just the same and good. I like beef burgers usually, but their turkey burger has me convinced. The Middle Eastern food still somewhat lacking and I don't suggest the falafels.
3 - Michele O.: In the Bongo, the patties come bigger than the bread that holds them.  Mid-chow-down your bottom bun has gone missing and your desperately gripping the rest of your patty by a sliver of your top bun.  This all makes for good lunch time entertainment and foolishness, while you begin to analyze and improvise on how to finish your burger while still looking cute for the geeky B-boys.  

Some days are Bongo days, when the need for a fat, juicy, turkey burger with lettuce bits swimming in ketchup and mustard takes over your mind late-morning.  A deal that leaves my stomach packed for hours at $4.94 (sans fries and soda).  Even though the crinkle fries are bomb, I resist to save my figure and instead plot to steal a few from my friends who order them.  

3 stars... well, because its Bongo Burger, not Barney's.   You'll only catch me here at lunch out of necessity not amor.
4 - Diana L.: I like their mushroom burger and their lamb burger (I forgot the name). And trust me, I NEVER eat lamb--I just don't like the taste and smell of it. But this one was really good because it didn't taste or smell like the traditional lamb lol. 

I'm usually not a big sandwich/burger joint fan, but this place is pretty good! And I really think northside and southside one is about the same.
4 - Hilary L.: I really like their burgers, especially the bacon one that I always get, and their fries are freshly fried to order. And you have to get the white sauce to dip the fries in, they are soooo wonderful. The buns are also toasty and delicious, it'll really fill you up, for about 9 dollars for the meal. The burgers are quite large and decent portions for a burger, not dry at all but not entirely juicy-but still quite good.

I also tried the persion burger, but its more like a sandwich and it's not one of my favorites because it just doesn't seem to fill me up as much.
4 - Eric A.: My favorite fast food burger in Berkeley, bar none.  Amanda's  comes close, but their portions aren't especially filling.  Bongo Burger's are.  If I'm jonesing for a burger, I go here first.

I'm pretty pedestrian when it comes to my tastes in hamburger--a straight-up patty with lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, and ketchup sounds pretty spiffy to me.  So I haven't tried all of Bongo Burger's various permutations yet.  But their standards--hamburger, cheeseburger, turkey burger--are all excellent.  So are their fries, and for about $8-9, you can get a burger-fries-drink meal, which is a decent value given how big their burgers are.

I've lived in Berkeley for close to three years and have eaten here dozens of times.  Their food has yet to disappoint.  Ever.  They've got that consistency thing down solid.
5 - Pooya K.: I live in So-cal and whenever I'm up in bay area I come out to Bongo Burger, Persian Burger is the best.. tastes, smells and looks just like the burgers we eat back in motherland. and ppl that work here are very friendly and awesome.
3 - Nicholas M.: Northside's Bongo sucks. I mean, the food is still excellent, but the service isn't as friendly. Dude actually tried to charge me for a refill -- I know it's their policy, but I've never had that happen at the Southside one. It's too bad I'll probably endup going to this one a lot 'cause it's so close to all my classes. Whatev.

I can't get over how much I love their crappy fries. God. Also, get the mushroom burger.
4 - Hanson Z.: Mushroom Burger at 8AM? Yes I did. 

The burgers are pretty darn big but I feel like it's mostly bun. Delicious, but it gets unexpectedly pricey especially when you add fries and a drink to your burger.
5 - Tyler R.: Quality Burgers and quality ingredients on the burgers.


Tastes Amazing:
Buns
Burgers
Sauce
Tomatoes
Lettuce
etc.

Completely fresh and incredible.

The straight up All-American Burger will cost you $5.00 and it will more than fill you up.

Completely worth it.
3 - Augusto T.: Satisfying casual burgers perfect for a quick meal during a work break. 

I have been to this Bongo Burger location quite a few times because it is so close to work. The burgers at Bongo are similar to a fast-food burger, but made fresh with better ingredients. 

You order food at the counter and can decide to dine-in or have your food to-go. Bongo Burger can get quite busy during the noon rush and getting your food will take forever so avoid coming here if it is packed. 

The regular burgers are all pretty good, but I prefer the Persian burger. It is a large lamb patty sandwiched in French bread. Bongo burger is not super cheap, but you can get a meal with fries and a drink for $10. I did venture off the burgers once and ordered the falafel sandwich. While it was certainly the best falafel I have ever had, I thought it was good alternative if you are looking to get something vegetarian or just in the mood for something different. 

Despite being a little slow and not super cheap, I have yet to be let down by Bongo Burger.
5 - Kevin D.: i've never had anything else here except the persian burger...which is frickin delicious
1 - Hamed F.: The food is good but the service is awful. I rather have less tasty food to see that cashier lady. I won't go there again.
4 - Iknowasianfood C.: Of the burger places i've tried in Berkeley, this is my favorite. They use quality Niman Ranch beef, frozen, but you can still tell the difference. I usually get the cheeseburger and fries or onion rings or both if i'm sharing with someone. The fries and onion rings are always crisp and perfect while the burger also has good flavor. The one thing i don't like is that they use thick roll-like buns here which they toast and i prefer soft buns with my burgers so everything doesn't get squished out as i'm eating. The persian burger is also really good and probably my new favorite since they use a softer baguette for this one. 

The burgers will definitely fill you up and it's a good price for a great quality burger.
4 - Zachery J.: I have been to Bongo Burger about 1 million times since starting grad school at Cal. It actually was the first place I ate at when I moved to Cal. I unpacked my boxes, strolled the area, and decided a burger would be delicious. How little I knew how many times I would be a customer.

Bongo Burger provides a good quality burger for a slightly above average price. The burger is delicious. I get the standard beef burger, but occasionally spring for the bacon cheeseburger. The beef is Niman Ranch and very juicy. A few times I have had it come back a little overcooked, but it usually is spot-on. The bun is crispy on the outside (warmed on the side grill). The fries need a little something...they are crinkle-cut, but lack enough salt in my opinion. Thankfully, ample salt packets are available.

The service is pretty good unless you go at the lunch rush. There isn't much room for standing there while waiting for a togo order. They people are really nice (and even have memorized my order!), but they do occasionally forget to give me my drink because of the crazy rush.

They take Discover! Woo hoo! Just don't ask if they take Discover, because even though there are stickers on the door, some of the cashiers don't think they do.

Overall, a good burger place. Standard burger combo runs $7.50, which is a lot, but pretty standard for Northside. Peppermint Grill is much cheaper, but also much crappier, and Vinnie's has a cheeseburger combo for a few cents less, but it's a toss-up between the two styles. All in all, if you're looking for an escape from endless ethnic food on Northside, come down to Bongo Burger!
4 - Rishi C.: Had an order of the #9 combo deal (~$8): black bean burger (w/lettuce, tomato, & mayonnaise), fries, and soda. Food was delicious, staff was wonderful, and the ambiance was laid-back.
1 - J G.: I've gone to this Bongo burger occasionally these past 3 years. In general their food is OK. The main issues being an overtoasted bun and bland, dry meats. The only thing they get right are their french fries which are always cooked perfectly crisp

BUT, today at about 12:30pm I witnessed something and I will never be returning here again. I saw the cook indecisively place a slab of raw hamburger meat on the cutting board for a second. By the time he was ready to throw it on the grill it had created a puddle of raw meat juices. 10 seconds later, the guy who puts the sandwiches together placed two buns and a pita in the puddle unknowingly. He proceeded to serve these contaminated items to their unsuspecting costumers. I really think I should have said something, someone could get extremely ill.

So, proceed at your own risk.
4 - Victor K.: Ate here for the first time for lunch today, and decided to go for the Mushroom Burger Combo. The burger was pretty good. The way the swiss cheese and mushrooms tasted together made it a pleasant palate experience. I liked how the sesame seed bun was warm and crispy, unlike most buns I guess. The fries were above average, the way they are cut makes them super crispy.

Honestly, after I sat down at my table while waiting for my food to be ready, I realized I should have went for the Persian Burger. I didn't see it initially because I was feeling a burger and only looked at the items they had under the burger heading. The Persian Burger was listed under Sandwiches. But damn, I definitely want to come back here to try that lamb sandwich creation they have. People here on Yelp think it's pretty good...
4 - Anna S.: Mmmmm.... Mushroom Burger. The way those mushrooms just kiss that swiss cheese, while the cheese simultaneously embraces the warm bun, which envelops the meat. It's a complete orgy in the mouth. Save your money and don't buy the fries or drink. JUST GET THE BURGER.
3 - Noor M.: Bongo Burger is a top-notch fast food joint; high quality food, fast service and above average prices.
I have tried the Mushroom Burger, Cheese Burger and Persian Burger. The meat is always well-cooked, the cheese is a perfectly melted and the burger bun is toasted to complement the juiciness of the meat and the absorb the combination of sauces (ketchup, mayo and mustard)
The crinkle cut fries are under-seasoned but nothing a sprinkle of salt and dip of ketchup won't fix :)
The hummus is pretty average however, the serving is small compared to what other places offer.
The carrot juice is wonderful; fresh and cold. It is the perfect way to make myself feel healthy after the carb-a-licious meal that I consume!

Overall rating - - 3/5
5 - Christopher C.: Our new favorite burger place. I like how the burgers are big, but not thick - that way you can eat them without all the toppings falling out. Price is good too - $4.50 for a regular burger.
3 - Steven R.: It's a decent burger at a good price. There's basically no reason I'll ever need to go to a fast food chain again (which is nice, because Berkeley doesn't really have any).
4 - Pauline L.: Got the half-Persian burger ($3.95).
Great price for the size and the fact you're eating LAMB.

Flavorful meat, good French roll, typical lettuce and tomatoes but luckily not wilted, light smearing of mayo adds a little decadence, and some ketchup on the side adds some tang.

Good composition overall. Fast service. Good, spacious area.

(I think their fries are wavy fries, which I think is funny because it reminds me of middle school or something.)

Will have to return to try their other burgers, maybe a falafel, and maybe their black bean burger if it's housemade.
4 - David S.: Imagine my delight when I found out there was a second Bongo Burger close to the CS department!  Shorter walk for a Persian Burger...need I say more?
4 - sepi a.: Great place, good service.  First thing I tried was their half falafel. The portion was just right for lunch. The falafel was moist and delicious, it came in pita bread . Really enjoyed it.  Next time got half Persian burger. The portion size was good and the price was fantastic.  

I hear Persian burger is a Berkeley "institution".
4 - Akshay K.: This is the only place I know of where I can get a tasty turkey burger to go, with decent fries.
4 - Mary P.: tastes are great , prices are moderate. I love taboleh salad and their frys.

If you have no experience with their food, I recommend you to have shish kebob sandwich, you will love it. 

The decoration needs to be remodeled.
5 - Jennifer J.: YUM! Lovee them! The burger is so delicious (mushroom burger) and the prices are really affordable for college students. Definitely go with the old school favorites - can't say I haven't thought about trying some of the other items on the menu!
5 - Tom B.: I've been eating at Bongo's on and off for the last 40 years starting with binges of 2 or 3 Persian burgers after high school back in the 70's when the only location they had was on Durant that was 1/2 the size it is today. I tend to frequent the north-side location now as it's easier to park here than at the other 2 locations. I live about 3 hours away now, but we make a point of still coming here to indulge in their Persian burgers and bongo salads. Occasionally get a baklava as a treat for desert. All I can say is that if this place has been in business for 40 years they must be doing something right.
5 - Sam A.: Friendly staff. Food tastes awesome. I love their fries it's so good
3 - Alex L.: good persian burger
5 - Jessica K.: First time I had a burger in Berkeley was right here: the mushroom burger. I'm not one to buy a gourmet burger that often ie Barney's even if it is delicious so when I can get an equally delicious burger at a cheaper price I take it! Try the mushroom burger you can't go wrong. Their fries are super yummy too!
3 - Mary L.: I had the mushroom burger.  My daughter had a plain burger.

Burger:  3 stars--a well done piece of beef that turned into a hockey puck.  The toppings and the bun were fine--the burger ruined it.

Fries:  4 stars. Really good--crispy and served fresh.

Service:  3 stars.  The woman at the counter offered to cut my daughter's burger in half.  We asked for water--they use an old coffee pot filled with water as their pitcher--ick.

Not sure we would come back--but am curious about their Mediterranean fare.
3 - Mickey W.: This is a 3.5 in my book - the burger is too small given the price - actually like their fries better than burger.  I had the mushroom burger - while I enjoyed it - it was not memorable and it was definitely on the smallish side - In-n-out is same size at 1/2 the price.  

I guess if it is open (and nothing comparative was) and you are on campus it might be better than the burgers on campus but while I admire successful small business where I see owner behind the stand grinding it out to make business a success - the line can be very slow if more than a half dozen people (the cooking area is absurdly tiny - we beat a crowd of a dozen by less than minute and the difference in time would have been at least 30 minutes) - 

So even though 3 stars I would return if my son said he wanted to go but wouldn't be in my rotation if I was going to college for the next four years (as my son will be)
3 - Jessica C.: I had gone to Bongo Burger once before a couple years ago and didn't remember it being that memorable, so I went in today with low expectations. However, I was pleasantly surprised as it actually turned out to be pretty good.

What I ordered:
- Mushroom and Cheese Sandwich ($3.95): sauteed mushrooms, cheese, lettuce, caramelized onions, tomatoes, and mayo

Although it's technically called a sandwich, it actually is a burger since it comes on a seeded, toasty bun which had a nice crunch to it. The mushrooms were plentiful and tasty, but they were a tiny bit salty. I really enjoyed the caramelized onions which added to the flavor, but they resulted in a very drippy burger eating experience. I think it was the onions at least. Good thing I was eating over the outer wrapper paper of my burger or else I would have had a pool of liquid on the table! Also, there was a little too much mayo for my liking, but the burger was still decently good. I wouldn't mind coming back here for the convenience, but I probably wouldn't crave it either. It is really cheap for a filling meal though!

There are definitely better burger places in Berkeley, but this one is probably one of the closer, more convenient locations near campus.

Bonne Soiree - Chapel Hill, NC (35.910443, -79.062233) ()
5 - david s.: it's an elegant experience to dine at bonne soiree.  having eaten at per se in new york and arpege in paris, and knowing what fine (i mean really fine) dining is about, i highly recommend this delightful charming restaurant.  you are greeted at the door by tina, the wife owner team of chip and tina who wants to know how you want to begin the evening.  i started with a sip of champagne.  we were led to our table and the whole evening is orchestrated so really all we have to do is choose the food and the rest magically happens.  i started with the boudin blanc, a treat for me since few establishments in the area offer the delicacy.  tina paired the wines for us, knowing that our palate could be directed by her knowledge.  after that i had veal wrapped around shortbreads.  divine.  the pace of the meal was spaced so that i could linger, not having to think about where my waiter was, and the focus could be on the conversations at hand.  dessert was also a treat, a very light marie antoinette.  all courses were treated with care and focus on my having a great time without ever worrying about my evening.  

this restaurant is for someone who wants to skip the pace of the world, be taken care of, deserves the delight of no worries for a few hours and truly appreciate great food and wine.
5 - Kianna M.: This is fine French country dining.  Please don't confuse it with provence or brasserie style of French faire.  The Chef, Chip Smith, trained closely with Jean Louis Palladin in New York and prior to that was taught his exquisite meal preparations from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in upstate New York.  If you were to ask him where he first cultivated his love for cooking I'm sure he'd say from his wonderful grandmother.  He was born and raised in the Greenville, NC area went to East Carolina and decided to follow his passion and dream of being a supreme Chef-- which we are pleased to have in the triangle area.
The Chef's wife and partner Tina Vaughn is extremely meticulous in the style and pace of  the front  house; she is in a word-- a perfectionist. One can only control the reservation book as much as the clientele will allow.  In that I mean, there may be times when some guest my sit and chat a bit longer than would be expected when other guests have arrived and the room is full.  Ms. Vaughn is an expert and highly selective about the wines she chooses for the Chef's food.  While working there I learned a wealth of information about wine--more than I could have ever imagined.  
The food is exceptional, simply heavenly-- each and every item on the menu and the specials as well.  The Chef is very accommodating to those with food allergies, vegetarian or vegan lifestyles-- they simply request that you let Ms. Vaughn know when you speak with her (while arranging your reservation) what your eating lifestyle consists of; so that the Chef can set aside items in advance that will best suite you.
I must say the service is impeccable indeed, I've dined there on several occasions and my co-workers at the time treated me as if I were a guest as soon as I entered the door;  they were professional, knowledgeable, witty & very attentive. 
I'd recommend a wine pairing with each course that Ms. Vaughn selects based on your order.   When of my personal favorite items to tempt guest with while working there were the desserts; my favorite is the Walnut Tart (that is if its still available), I also loved the Baltimore Lady cake, the Strawberry  Lady cake & the Sacher Torte.  The Chef changes some of the desserts from time to time so leave room for a dessert-- surely your entree will be just as good the next day for lunch.  
As a note, there is valet parking available both on Franklin Street and in the back of the court yard.
4 - Nathan V.: I think that Chip is cooking some of the best, if not the best, food in the Triangle.

The wine list is eclectic and good, but not great. There are lots of interesting choices, but I think that a tighter focus on French wines that would accompany Chip's cuisine would be preferable.

I'm not thrilled with the decor, but I like the calm of the dining room.

The service has generally been spot on.

The most remarkable thing about this restaurant is that every meal has been as good or better than the last. This is no mean feat. Often, places will open strong and then deteriorate a bit as the staff gets bored. This has not been my experience here.

If I were forced at gun-point to recommend one fine dining place in the Triangle, this would be it.
5 - Michael H.: Bonne Soiree redefined our standard of the perfect culinary experience in the Triangle when it first opened and does so every time we go.  I wrote the following review a while back on another site but it remains as relevant today - 

This jewel box of a restaurant is owned and operated by a miracle couple - Tina and Chip.  Tina runs the front of the house and doubles as an incredibly enthusiastic sommelier.  They offer a $25/person wine pairing that seems an incredible deal given Tina's breadth of knowledge and the selections they provide. Her passion for fine cuisine was palpable and exciting and added to our anticipation at what creations would be brought forth from the kitchen.

Her husband Chip Smith handles the dirty work in the back, and believe me, it's some of the finest tastes my palette has ever encountered. For our first course, I started off with an endive salad with carmelized onions, a most delectably ripe pear, toasted walnuts, a few other goodies, and a light dressing. It was beautifully and tastefully presented on the plate, but the standout was definitely the perfection at which the pear was chosen. Couldn't have tasted better. My fiancee ordered the ravioli filled with Carolina sweet potatoes and a broth comprising of Virginia ham, collard greens and pot liquor. She was floored at its goodness.

Second course: I wish I could remember all the ingredients, but my memory eludes me, so you'll just have to excuse my generalities. I ordered oxtail with delicious morsels of sweet potato, porcini mushrooms, and other brilliant elements that built upon one another is such a silken and unified manner that it was difficult to believe that something could taste so wholesome yet be wrought from such ingenuity. My fiancee ordered a braised pork tenderloin, also with a pork belly, with some wilted greens, grilled sweet potato chunks, and some other really delicious elements. The entire dish was heavenly and each ingredient complemented the other so nicely. 

Service as impeccable beyond belief. I recall many prior complaints lobbied at high-end restaurants around here being seriously lacking in the service department, but finally one bucks that trend, and bucks it completely asunder. The service was understated, smooth as silk, perfectly paced, respectful, and appropriately conspicuous. Out of the many dozen restaurants of national and international renown at which I have dined, the service fell within the highest echelon.

Dessert: my fiancee ordered the warm walnut and caramel crisp with fresh whipped cream, and I had a pot de creme served in a dainty and tasteful...well...pot with a lid. What a beautiful way to top off a beautiful meal.
3 - Meg T.: Really good food, but kind of stuffy and  the service was not very friendly and kind of slow.  When I say that I do not mean the hosts, who are great, but the wait staff.  It took too long to get our drinks, which is unacceptable to me in an establishment of this caliber.  It's really an elegant dining room, and elegant food, but would be so much better if it was just a little more laid-back.
2 - Jeff F.: For my money the most over-rated place in the Triangle.  I thought the food was not special- and the soup we had was awful.  The service was pretentious and the prices extortionate.

Not nearly up to the standards of Magnolia Grill or Nana's.  The food was not as good a Ill Palio.  Will not return.
5 - Nicole M.: This exceptional French restaurant is my favorite in the area.  Each dining experience I've had there has been a delectable culinary adventure that has yet to disappoint.  Owners Tina and Chip (chef) are both warm and charming hosts and pride themselves in making your dining experience one to be remembered.  The service is impeccable.  The intimate dining room provides the perfect romantic setting for couples looking to escape for a long, leisurely meal - just the way one should dine when at Bonne Soiree - take your time, sit back and enjoy the experience.  You will not regret it.
5 - Lupo A.: An instant classic! Currently, by far the best restaurant in town. Elegant room, classy service, friendly and very knowledgeable management (Tina at the front and Chip at the stove), and outstanding food prepared with local, seasonal produce. Yes, pricey for Franklin Street standards, but considering the quality of the food and the overall dining experience, this place is a bargain.
5 - Mimi T.: My husband and I came to Bonne Soiree for his birthday and we were blown away. First, it is a unique experience - a lovely, quaint restaurant with creative, feminine decor and lots of details, right down to the handwritten calligraphied menus and checks. Second, it is a divine gastronomic experience - we had the pleasure to partake in wine pairings and a 3 course meal. Each dish was very special. It helped that the staff were incredibly enthusiastic about the food and wine and gave us luscious descriptions of everything to get our palates ready. We tried a chicken terrine with foie grois, striped bass, and a flavorful lamb dish, to name a few. This is a foodie's heaven! The wine pairing was well worth it- we really felt that the pairings were well thought out, and for 30$ it was basically all you can drink wine for the night (as we finished each glass they just kept refilling!). Third, everyone who worked there was very gracious and most importantly, knowledgable and enthusiastic without being stuffy or pretentious. The dinner was an experience that we would like to have again for another special occasion in the future..
5 - James M.: This place lived up to its press.  First, the husband and wife who run the restaurant are very personable and very involved with your satisfaction.   They will gladly suggest ways to make sure you get just what you want. Had one of the tastiest gin martinis here-they use the Scottish Hendricks brand of gin. The starters were just the right size, beautiful to the eye and tasty.  They prepared a main course of sweetbreads, something one rarely gets at home and they were easily the best I've eaten in this country.  The dining room is very conducive to conversation and they insist that the clientele dress well (jackets required-what a nice change) and that cell phones are not used.  Hooray for the small touches.
5 - George C.: A true culinary adventure.  Food was perfectly prepared and presented.  Flavors were unlike typical French fare available in the area.  A real treat for the distinguishing diner.  Loved the wine pairings and would recommend to others.  We never even looked at a wine list, simply deferred to their knowledge.  Especially enjoyed the chicken prepared two ways.
4 - Christina G.: So much intrigue, with the beautiful dark door with only a small round sign reading 10, thick curtains hiding what's within, and only one thing visible at the outside window: a menu with items written in script across the pages. 

Prohibitively expensive in my college days -- and my $8-an-hour first job out of college days (thanks for everything, publishing industry) -- it wasn't until recently I was finally able to pass through that door, take in the Carolina blue walls and feast on some decadent French food.

The occasion: my birthday. The time: 8pm. 

The meal:
Magically replenished French rolls, which we felt guilty letting go to waste and so, might have made a meal out of the bread itself had it not been for my bottomless pit of a stomach which allowed me to also enjoy a jumbo lump crab first course that was on special. It came sandwiched between wafer crisps. The crab meat was delicious and generous, but the dish tasted uninspired. Though presentation was great!

My second course was the roasted quail, stuffed with cornbread and served with green beans. Prepared wonderfully. The meat fell from the bone and was, tender juicy and delicious.

The final course was a chocolate ganache and buttercream multi-layer cake (oh my...), a special; and a chocolate souffle/mousse dessert (very rich and cocoa-y) that is one of their regular players. Dessert list was surprisingly large -- about eight different selections, so be sure to save room. Coffee was served with brown sugar cubes and steamed milk -- a perfect conclusion to the meal.

Prompted by reviews on here, we opted in on the $30 per person wine pairing. I wouldn't do it again. Though the wines brought out were well explained and seemingly carefully selected, we found the pours shallow (3-oz or so?) to justify the price. And no refills were given though some other lucky yelper received that treatment.

Note:
Not at all pretentious on our visit. In fact, half of the staff seemed dressed pretty casually (especially considering they encourage men who are dining to wear a jacket). Very friendly service.

Free valet services offered at West End Wine Bar; have your ticked validated by the hostess.

Verdict:
An occasion restaurant, to be sure. The total for two was $250, and frankly I was left feeling like it should have been more of a 'wow' meal.
5 - Jennifer P.: Delicious and inventive seasonal food, great atmosphere and the people who own and work in the restaurant are very nice and welcoming.  I highly recommend it!
5 - Wilson K.: Extraordinary find for the area: Bonne Soiree is easily the best restaurant in the area, but perhaps I'm partial to French cuisine. The service was old world professional with all the grace you'd expect from a five star restaurant. Their sommelier is tip top; the food is exquisite; the location is convenient; the price is apposite for the quality of food. In sum, it would be tragic for you pass through Chapel Hill without trying this gem.
5 - Eric C.: Absolutely phenomenal cuisine!  Excellent wine selection and attentive service. Fois gras was to die for!  Quaint charm.
4 - Caroline S.: Since Bonne Soiree is closing at the end of the month, this review maybe more of an obituary than a helpful musing.  After learning that they were closing, I immediately made a reservation.  I had been wanting to try Bonne Soiree for years, trying to find a good chance to go for a special occasion, but it never happened...and it was now or never to try this famed restaurant.

Bonne Soiree is a small, tucked away restaurant in a somewhat unstable complex on Franklin St. of other restaurants and businesses.  Not sure that this was a great location for them.  They're really tucked away, and with the parking fiasco there years ago, I'm not sure anyone new would have found them.  But then again, I think that's what they're going for: discreet, exclusive dining.  The dining room itself is beautiful with light blue walls, scones, artwork, and hardwood floors.

As someone who researches menus weeks in advance, it was a bit frustrating that Bonne Soiree doesn't post a menu online...they don't even have a website (another element of exclusivity?)  I think that was a miscue,  at the very least they should have a basic site with their info and a high level overview of items they may serve.  With only 16 Yelp reviews and a scattering of other reviews - it doesn't give me a lot to work with.

One thing that can't be debated is their service.  Impeccable from beginning to end.  Starting with taking my jacket, pulling out my chair for me, refolding my napkin when I walked away, filling up my water glass so I never got more than a few sips in, a through run-through of the menu, wine recommendations, hand-written calligraphy bill, and speedy pick up of my jacket when we left.  Everyone was great, each attendee seems to work every table.  We prob. had about 4-5 people wait on us in one way or another through our dinner.

Which brings me to the best part, the dinner. I was a bit scared of the $250 bill I had heard of earlier by Christina G.  We went to Bonne Soiree on a Wed night, there was no special occasion to celebrate so we played it low key and spent....$190.  Way more than I wanted to spend, and to piggy back on what Christina G. said for that money I was happy, but I wasn't $190 happy.  Here's the breakdown:

-Opted not to do the flight of wine (since I'd read mixed reviews) - started with a half glass of wine wine each, and they paired a full glass of red with dinner.  I like that they give you the option of half and full glasses - but since you never see a wine list you have no concept of how much the wines cost.  In hindsight I should have asked for a price range or some idea of cost.  The impeccable service of just bringing wine to the table is great, but not everyone who wants to dine at Bonne Soiree can throw around money.

-First course - their scallop and small caesar salad.  $16+ for the scallop - that's right one scallop, but it was good.  Paired with a terrific sauce, caviar, califlower, it was a great start.  Caesar was great with lardons for about $12.

-Second course - Duck and Lamb.  Duck was good, but it wasn't outstanding, lacked some of the rich flavor that I grew accustomed to of duck in France (and that I was expecting at Bonne Soiree).  Lamb was terrific.  Both entrees were in the $32-36 range.

-Dessert - their pot de creme and Elizabeth Taylor - very rich chocolate desserts that helped define a true French dining experience.  Capped of the dinner nicely.

I'm very happy that I tried Bonne Soiree before they closed.  Now the issue is the gap in fine French restaurants in the Triangle.  After losing my beloved Bistro 604 on Glenwood years ago, I've found that Coquette and Vin Rouge have been great replacements, but they don't have that refined element that Bonne Soiree presented.  Anyone know of any other great French restaurants in the area?  I've been wanting to try Provence in Carrboro and Savoy and Saint Jacques in Raleigh.  

Until then,  I'll remember my visit to Bonne Soiree with utmost fondness!

Bonner's Irish Pub - Philadelphia, PA (39.9519388, -75.1783957) (Penn Center, Rittenhouse Square)
3 - Keith R.: Bonner's isn't my favorite, but the Wharton hockey team swears by it. Therefore if you want the chance to snag a drunk Wharton guy, this is the place to do it. The cheap pitchers and smoky atmosphere complete the image Bonner's is going for.
3 - Graham C.: I stepped into this dive in order to use the bathroom and get a beer after a stressful Philly parking situation.  The bar is laid out as though it was designed to prevent other bars from attacking it.  There two full doors you walk through to get inside.  This means you can see in or out.  Robbers might take note of this, though there can't be that much in the till.  

The lady who was working there looked like she could leg wrestle me and win over and over again.  The bar is shaped like a rhombus in the front of the place, and it blocks a lot of foot traffic.  

But the Smithwicks was cold and the toilet flushed in the bathroom, and that's all I wanted out of this place.  So thank you Bonners.
3 - Alex C.: I was introduced to the "institution" that is Bonner's with my hockey team after finishing a game at the soon-to-be demolished Penn ice rink. Housed in an unassuming green building next to a Rite Aid, Bonner's characterizes your standard dive bar--devoted local crowd, blaring jukebox, charming decorations. What sets the place apart from most though are the bathrooms. Entering the bathroom is like going back 40 years in time.

However, as all dive bar appreciators know, the more disheveled the stalls, the smokier the room, the better the bar. A perfect place to go drink lager, shoot the breeze with close friends, and slow life down.
3 - Lauren P.: Bonner's is not for the faint at heart.   It is smokey, there is no ambiance (except for the cute bartender on Saturday nights), and its a a lil grungy.  However, it does have a comforting local feel to it.  Loyal patrons buy one another drinks from across the bar and the bartenders start to remember your drinks.  I'm not quick to say "let's go to bonner's" but I certainly wouldn't snub my nose at it when I want to drink downtown and avoid $14 drinks... unlike most bars in Rittenhouse, Bonner's charges $7 for a Grey Goose drink.
4 - Chrissy R.: Oh Bonner's.  You were one of my first real hole in the wall places in the city.  You're not up your own ass about being a dive, and you are not filled with unwashed 20 somethings in skinny jeans and ironic Elvis Costello glasses.  I love you.  

Look.  I know I've not been around much lately and I am sorry.  You see, as I've gotten older, I've started hanging out further east and you're just too far west for me, but when I am in the neighborhood, I do try and stop by.  

You may not recognize me anymore--bit older--bit fatter--bit more world weary.  Thinking of it--I'll probably fit in better with your regular crowd than I did before doe eyed fresh out of college.  

Yeah, you know what, I'll stop by for a stiff yet inexpensive drink on your awkwardly located bar sometime.   I'll bring the wetnaps for the bathroom.  See? I still do remember the great times we've had! 

Gosh I miss you
3 - Laura D.: Ah Bonner's.  It's old and kinda crummy, but definitely a good time.  The pitchers are cheap and it's not too loud so you can talk with friends.  The first time I came I had trouble finding how to get in, and I still can't find the bathroom.  But for a cheap, local, unassuming bar it's fantastic.
3 - Brett D.: Ah, Bonners, the place I'm afraid to go into in groups of less than four.

Don't get me wrong, it's not at all physically dangerous.  Having said that, the times I've gone to this slightly run-down bar with it's empty side dining room with less than a small crowd in tow, I've left depressed, drunk, and contemplating the meaning of everything a little too deeply while having trouble staying on the sidewalk.  Stumbling from a $15 bar tab. 

However, this is where I go when my group has gotten too large for most bars, and with a proper-sized entourage, this place is amazing.  The built-in crowd is respectable, almost friendly, and the pitchers are actually clean.

For the people who like run-down bars, but not the weird, manufactured dives, this is a mandatory stop on a city-wide pub crawl.  It's not the greatest bar in town, but it's one you should unquestionably know if you consider yourself to be a drinker.
4 - Jim M.: I went here and met up with some fellow Yelpers a week or so ago. I don't know if I'd call it a dive bar so much as a neighborhood bar that somehow got stuck in Rittenhouse. Which is fortunate for Rittenhouse. The decor is plain and looks like it hasn't been changed since the 70's. But that's not why people come here. They come for beer and a chance to relax. And that's what this place provides. 

Guinness on tap for $5 in Center City is impossible you say? At Bonner's its de rigueur.

A burger and fries for 8 bucks in Center City that isn't McDonalds? Yes, Bonner's has it too. A big, thick burger with melted blue cheese and thick slabs of bacon no less.

If you want to talk to people/regulars there you can. if you want to chill and just talk amongst yourselves or watch TV you can. 

The only things that I don't like are that they allow smoking there(though thankfully no one was smoking when I was there, but I could still smell it in the bathroom).  I also don't like the bathroom because its really cramped and I'm clausterphobic.  

Outside of those things, Bonner's is a good place to unwind with good beer, good friends and a good burger.
4 - Max K.: Cheap beer. good tvs. great homey feel. a little grimey but hey im not complaining. 

Will be coming here for karaoke often
3 - Christopher R.: Jim M., who accompanied on my visit to Bonner's along with now-defunct Yelper Daniel C., nails it when he he describes this place as a a neighborhood bar incongruously located in Rittenhouse.  Prepare yourself for macrobrews and typical fryer-centric bar food; annoying snobs like myself make do with (unfortunately) breaded buffalo wings and a pint of Guinness.  Since its served up by an old Irish woman who looks like she doesn't take sh*t from anyone, much less some no account punk kids wandering in off the street, I give it a pass.  

Bonner's doesn't pretend to be anything it isn't and doesn't have to.
2 - Katie R.: (this review is strictly for the food)

Move-in day in my new Philly apartment, located in near proximity to Bonner's. Parents want food, they want food NOW.

I see Bonner's Irish Pub. Being relatively no-frills Irish-Americans, this seems fine, dive bar or not. 

The employees seemed shocked when we walked in looking for food... probably not a good sign! Fish n chips tasted like a microwaved frozen dinner, BLT's were no good (tomatoes were probably in the 'fridge for a few weeks)... etc etc. 

I'm sure it's a fine place to grab a brew.... but I would recommend looking for food elsewhere.
4 - Dave W.: I started swinging by Bonner's Irish Pub every once in a while, due to the laid back atmosphere and cheap beer.  I don't really have any complaints, once in a blue moon, its hard to find the bartender if its a dead night.  I sat there on 3 occasions for close to 10 min, feeling like I was literally the only person in the place.  Otherwise its a great, relaxed feel and gives you that pub vibe.
2 - Boris M.: Two stars because they let me smoke cigarette inside besides this I feel vomit about this place. I order hamburger and fries and I eat better hamburger and fries at McDonald's! Boner is ugly on the outside and more ugly on inside. They have jukebox and I play Rush song.
4 - Tom V.: A nice local hangout, with some real nice staff
4 - Nu S.: Great place for karaoke on Thursday's! Cheap drinks and pure people watching. Love this dive!
4 - Kevin D.: I have a love-hate relationship with Bonner's. I love it because it's basically the cheapest bar within a few miles of City Hall ($6 PBR pitchers? get outta town) and because the bartenders are across the board the friendliest I've encountered.

I hate it because every time I go there I end up staying longer than I wanted to and dying inside the next day. It's a trade-off.

They have a pretty sweet shuffleboard table in the little-used back section and the food is good for the price. The place is deceptively huge and has several good TVs, so it's a great place to catch a game or just hang out on a weekend.
5 - Laila D.: 8 dollar pitchers of Lager.  6 dollar pitchers of PBR.  Yep.  It's that cheap.  Bonners is depressing as hell inside, so I try and stick to the outside tables in the summer.  Outside you can sit along 23rd street, choking down fumes from idled traffic and smoking cigarettes.  Everyone in Bonners is a personality.  From the chain-smoking owner, to the old guy Whitey that grew up in South Philly, the cook that used to work in the Zoo, surly bartenders (they're actually all friendly, just with different exteriors); I love this place.  I like it even more because it's empty half the time and everyone inside seems to be trying to escape something from somewhere.

Also if you like Shuffleboard, it has one!!
2 - Karen F.: It's a dive bar, it's cheap - and  it can be fun.
I attended a large company party there - and we had blast - and some folks got good and blasted themselves.

Dan is a charmer - and Liz, our server was terrific.
Food was just Meh, (Extremely salty green beans (frozen), overcooked rice, and average meatballs.

But dive bars just ain't my thang.

P.S.  They are remodelling soon so it may improve things,
4 - Lilli C.: Cheap, divey Irish bar where they let you bring in your own food.  You can even get  pizza delivered here.  This place is great for goups, not very crowded, they have photo hunt and shuffleboard!
5 - Marissa N.: Renovations are happening....Guiness and shuffle board what more could a girl want.
5 - Lisa L.: We had a 21st birthday party here and had a really good time. The food was really good. Bobby, the cook did a great job. Of note was the home made roast beef, pasta salad and amazing potato salad. Bartenders, Nik and Niki easily handled the guests needs and were very accommodating. Venue was reasonably priced with open bar.  Atmosphere was homey and friendly.  Our guests are still telling us what a great time they had.
4 - Liz M.: They are in the process of renovating. They just got free wifi for customers which is awesome. Get a beer and a burger and work for a few hours. Perfection.

So many changes are coming up soon, including a 60 inch widescreen addition in the front room. A smoking lounge on the second floor is rumored as well.

Bonnie Jean's - Champaign, IL (40.107661, -88.233757) ()
2 - J. B.: Closed for business!


It wasn't that great anyway. This town does NOT need another pizza joint.
3 - Jason P.: an acquired taste, the best part is that they have habaneros

Bono Pizza - Riverdale, MD (38.9588051, -76.9196776) ()
4 - Jaimie K.: Update: Ordered the same pizza today and it was consistently as delicious as the first one.  I also shared with two other people in my office, some picky "Philadelphia has the best" pizza eaters, and it got a big thumbs up from both of them.  I still haven't tried anything else from their menu but A+ for the pizza.
4 - Ti C.: Ordered again earlier today, delicious. I ordered the Vegilicious pizza and some plain wings. The veggies tasted very fresh and the chicken was well seasoned.
4 - Tashieka S.: The pizza is delicious. probably the best I've had since living in this area (originally from NY) delivery was super slow. Thats why im giving it a 4.
2 - Sam W.: Now I am not an angry one-time customer. Every time I try something different hoping something is going to be anything other than mediocre. I have given up on that.

Pizza is nothing special. Standard crust. Standard sauce. Standard toppings. Thoroughly mediocre. Same can go for their overpriced calzones. There was about 4-5 inches of plain crust around the space that actually held meat. Hardly any cheese and way too greasy.

Sandwiches have barely any meat. I'd be surprised if there was even 1/4 lb of steak on my footlong. Meat is about 1/2 inch thick in the MIDDLE of my sandwich.

Pasta was just plain nasty. I ordered chicken parm with mine and there were like 2 nuggets in the whole entree.

Fries are bland. By the time they get to you they are going to be stone cold. Have I mentioned that delivery here takes forever? And that is if they get your order right the first time.

Service is horrible. People and delivery drivers are rude. Drivers won't get out of their cars to deliver. I'm paying a delivery fee for a reason.

Tonight was the final straw. I made a decent sized order (about 45 bucks). Nearly an hour later I get my food, except we are missing half the order and I have a regular soda. I specifically told them I needed a diet soda, but apparently they don't understand what that is. The food is cold. I called them about the other half of my order and soda and they say they are on their way. 40 minutes later (they are a half mile away) they come holding the diet soda they said they didn't have. Since I decided to wait for my friends to eat their food I open mine up and realize it's wrong.

This is the last time I will be ordering from this restaurant. It's a shame. For a place with such variety, they can't seem to get anything right or know what customer service is.
1 - anon h.: I thought I'd try this place out for delivery. Ordered 6 things. 3 things arrived after 45 minutes. I called them. They promised to bring the other 3 things. 20 minutes later I called again. Apparently the guy grabbed 2 of the things and left, actually nearly arriving at my place when the owner called him and told him to come back for the last item. All in all, it took over 45 minutes to get the first 3 things and another 40 minutes to get the rest. Lame.
3 - Emmy M.: We tried this place a few weeks ago and we were shocked to find it to be extremely spicy. We ordered a plain cheese pizza and a side of fries, the fries were decent (although a bit soggy) but it was sooo spicy! I would have enjoyed it much more if it wasn't for the heat. I will also second/third the comments about the delivery being sloooooow, my boyfriend was starting to think it would never come, but then I told him about the yelp reviews warning about slow times.

Boo Boo Records Inc - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2816193, -120.6618651) ()
4 - Patrick D.: A good indie record store is hard to come by, especially in a smaller town like SLO, but Boo Boo's pulls it off nicely. The staff here know their stuff. A nice collection of vinyl as well, both used and new. A local institution.
4 - inga r.: if there was one shop i could transplant from SLO to alameda , it would be Boo-Boo's.

Great selection of cd's and vinyl and usually a knowledgable staff member id present.  They had the best electronica section even before electronica blew up outside of urban areas.

Plus it has that "screw the corporate mass across the street" vibe while still catering to indie, jazz, classical and music you love.
4 - Courtney B.: If you've got some time to kill, this is a great place to do it.  The staff are pretty laid back and leave you alone so you can just browse.  They also have a separate jazz part of the store with a solid selection.  It's no Amoeba, but it's a pretty cool spot in downtown SLO.
4 - Charles M.: This is one of the stores I have to go to when I'm visiting SLO.  I manage to blow close to $100 every time I drop by.  They manage to cover all my indie rock needs and just about all my metal needs in one location.  The staff has always been nice, fast service and helpful when I ask them if they have an album I'm looking for.  The only record stores I can think of that might be better are Amoeba or  Newbury  Comics.
4 - Ian M.: Boo Boo is a great place to go for music, especially used CDs.  Their selection is fantastic and the prices are never too high.  Also, they're very good with letting you use the CD and record players scattered around the store to listen to selections, which helps immensely when shopping.
4 - Russell S.: Great used selection, great variety of posters (not sure if they were for sale or just decor), great prices, I could have spent a lot more time (and money) in here, oh well, always next time, typical music store workers that thinks all their customers are idiots
5 - Jon H.: this is SLO's definitive answer to "big cool indie record store" for the area.  it has a big vinyl and used cd selection in the back, along with a sticker/patch station that is fun to look at. the listening stations are certainly a nice touch, particularly the stations in the back where you can put in used cds and listen before you buy, so you dont sink 7-10 dollars on a cd you thought might have been pretty good but wasnt.  

also, their dvd shelf is pretty good, if not small-ish.  if you look hard enough you might find something you like used for cheap!
5 - Amelia D.: For those of us who have record players....and not just to have, but to use.....this is nirvana. Not the band, you tool, the place.

The "back room," which late into my residency in San Luis I realized has its own door, contains a plethora of classics, new stuff, 7 inches, this, that, lots of fun things. I usually never go looking for something specific. I feel that my luckiest record-shopping moments have been "look and see" adventures, yielding some of my most prized vinyl possessions.

Boo Boo is also a decent place to purchase CDs, of the used and new variety. Most of the time, there is some sort of bonus giveaway with the purchase of newly released albums. Some examples might include, but are not limited to, 7" records and limited release posters. If I can pay the same dollar amount and get more than I would somewhere else, I get really excited.
2 - penney c.: I've always found this place obnoxious, dis-organized and over priced. I like Cheap Thrills better
5 - Jeremy D.: aahhh Boo Boos! How I love you! When I moved here 13 years ago I was always really nervous to visit. The staff was so "cool" that I was intimidated. But I still came and spent hours browsing and finding lots of great new and used albums. Now I'm a proud alumni of you. Btw..don't be fooled by the staff, they really love what they do even if they act like you are dork, which you aren't,they are really helpful. And Mike will do everything in his power to get you your special order even if he has to hit up his secret contacts, he loves his customers and it shows. From a great record selection to cool in-stores you never disappoint! Amoeba makes my a.d.d. go crazy, but you make me glad. Thank you Boo boos for a nice relationship!
4 - Sara W.: I'm always happy every time I come to Boo Boo's. I got my first poster for my dorm room here, they have great shows, the prices are right, the selection is great, and they are very giving when it comes to fundraisers and other activities for the college. The location is great, and it's a nice place to stop when you're shopping downtown. I really love when you have the items for sale outside... so cheap! Thanks!
5 - Tony A.: But first....a disclaimer.

I was employed by Boo Boo Records in Grover City (Now Grover Beach) from 1979-1982. I proudly wore my Boo Boo's jacket while guiding people to musical gems, and without a doubt, it was the best job I've ever had.

......fast forward to 2009

 There is only one Boo Boo Records standing, the main store in SLO. The harsh realities of downloading has even come here.... they recently shuttered their separate Jazz/ Classical store on the same site.

 Yet still, there is something so wonderful about having Boo Boos remain and thrive in San Luis Obispo. From the generous selection of used CD's to the vinyl room, Boo Boo's will pull you in and consume your day, providing that you are a true audiophile. I have spent untold hours just on the dollar cds, knowing that I will eventually wade through the 95% of the junk to get to the 5% of the good stuff. Imports, DVDs, knowledgeable 
friendly staff....it's all here.

One of the last great record stores.
5 - Tamara P.: Yay Boo boo's!

First off I would like to mention I worked here some years back, and I miss it. I actually miss a job!

The selection is amazing. From rare obscurities to top billboard you will find it all. The generosity of the entire staff is truly remarkable and refreshing, quite knowledgeable as well!
The listening stations are wonderful, the memorabilia is entertaining and the in-store, live performances from local and touring artists is awesome!

Boo boo's often gives back to the neighborhood donating gift certificates and participating in local events.

A special, truly independent record store that I'm so happy to have been a part of. :)
4 - Brian B.: Excellent selection by any standard, especially for a smaller town. Staff is very knowledgeable (I hear their music test for employment applications is killer) and helpful. The staff is not even close to as elitist as can be the norm at a record store. I'm always impressed coming here, especially since I used to be a music buyer at a record shop myself. The vinyl selection needs a bit of work, but I still always manage to find something. Also a good place to grab a pack of guitar strings or a strap- much appreciated. Very supportive of local musicians and shows. Great improvement when the merged their used cds with the new ones. Keep up the good work guys & gals.
4 - d. j.: I stopped in this shop as I was driving back north from Arroyo Grande.  It was the Yelp reviews that made me decide to take a look and downtown SLO is always a pleasure to visit..  It is a nice place, lots of used music with a great section of $2 CDs that had some good stuff in it.  I always like places that showcase a lot of their local talent.   I usually find new music expensive when I travel due to the big music stores in San Francisco and the bay area that I am used to so I tend to look for places that have a good used selection.  The staff was super friendly and very helpful but left me alone to browse which I always appreciate.  I did find a couple of things I had been looking for at a really good price.  The shop is neat, interesting and laid out nicely with lots to look at.   I would definitely stop by again.
5 - J.Lynn J.: Boo Boo's is one of the few remaining independent record stores.  In the truest sense.

I'm convinced that, between the sum of their employees, these guys know everything there is to know about music.

There's somebody to tackle any and every recommendation from any genre, and they've usually got a wide selection of used offerings.

They still have bands play in-store.  They still have a solid selection on vinyl.  They also sell guitar strings and drum sticks and stuff, which comes in really handy if you're in a bind right before a gig...

Long live the Cosmic Chicken!
5 - Ricky F.: I love this record shop. They have all kinds of t shirts, posters, etc... Awesome listening station with a wide variety of new albums. Friendly staff and a perfect location downtown.
5 - Nine N.: i don't live in SLO, but visit as often as i can.  have since my late teens, and umm, now that i'm not in my late teens, i can still say i LOVE this place.  ahh the memories.

that being said, this place is my only choice of record shops to go to.  i don't care if i have to save mucho moolah to travel far and wide to be able to check out all the cool posters, knick knacks, vintage and vintage-y type items this store carries...traveling to SLO is always worth the trip.
i find the used cd section the best part of store, last i came i scored 20 used and in excellent condition cd's for 20 bucks.

the staff always seem so intimidating (to me & most i'm sure), but really, when they help you and you start talking to them, you'll find that they are very friendly and that they know their music.

i hope that this place is still here when i've reached another decade of double digits and beyong ;)
4 - Christina G.: Back in my high school days 7+ years ago, I used to spend countless hours at Boo Boo's, beefing up my LP collection.  I'd buy their patches and buttons (Sublime, CAKE, Social Distortion) and sport them proudly on my backpack.  The Verve and The Doors posters were plastered across my bedroom walls.  Sort of made me feel like a rebel without getting into trouble.  I'd pick up random 1$ CDs that introduced me to other genres and took me to other parts of the globe: Spanish Guitar, Hawaiian, Soul, Swing.   

I also credit Boo Boo's with my slide into house music.  When I came back from college my freshman year I spent hours listening to their huge selection of electronica and house music.  Much of my college rowing team was european, and we had been listening to "their type" of music for months- but it was really at Boo Boo's that I expanded my house-education.  They used to have CD's from many of the major artists that were already open, ready for you to listen to.  I must have listed to 20 different CDs for each one I purchased.

Boo Boo's, I'm really tempted to give you 3 stars because your electronica selection has dwindled significantly over the last few years (Daft Punk & Moby, that's what you've got to choose from?).  Such a shame!  And there are so few used CDs or samples that I really can't listen before I buy.

But I'll still give you 4 stars for the good 'ol days.  Thanks for the memories, Boo Boo's.
4 - Christian P.: You can find just about anything in here. Especially used CDs and even vinyls. Unfortunately, they didn't have what I was looking for. And even though they tried to order it for me, it took them 4 weeks to get back to me. But it's still better than going to Best Buy! ~ www.ChristianPerez.bravehost.com
4 - Simon P.: This place lived up to expectations - a pretty large music shop that had a lot of variety and selection to look through. The staff was friendly and offered help when I walked in and a couple of times while I was walking around. 

They had a lot of new CD's, used CD's, and Vinyls both new and used. It was a pretty neat place, I spent an hour looking around and could imagine losing a whole day in the confines of their store. They had a number of categories, I wasn't sure what to expect after hearing they had closed down some sections, but they still have a large selection.
5 - koa h.: Boo Boo is what record stores were all about at one time, and its great to see them still going! Wish there were more like it. This place is so much more then just a music shop, aside from scores of CD's, vinyl records and dvd's, there's alot of memorabilia and classic knick knacks and posters plastered everywhere. This is what rock n roll is all about, sensory overload! Go Boo Boo!
4 - Velanche S.: This is a terrific music store that really fits in with the rest of SLO. It's survived through some chain records stores that are no longer in business, and can hold its own alongside chains like Best Buy and Wal-Mart. 

It's all about the service and selection, and its customers can be finicky about a wide variety of music. Especially in a college town like SLO, Boo Boo Records fills an important vacuum of catering to people with tastes beyond mainstream music like me. 

And records...plenty of records, both new and used, and several different turntables! Not to mention, CD's, music magazine, t-shirts, and much more.

Also, the store has always had a friendly and knowledgeable staff who really are passionate about music. If the store doesn't have what you're looking for, just ask; the music may be ordered for you.

Again, great and vital independent record store.
5 - Reid C.: This is THE place to pick up great music in San Luis Obispo. The staff is helpful and nice.
4 - Sophia G.: There are some stores that make you immensely proud to be from SLO, and Boo Boo's is one of those.  The selection of music is excellent, but where Boo Boo's really stands out is for its tribute to the music- you can find a huge assortment of posters, apparel, buttons, pins, and patches among other things, supporting even the most obscure bands.  The staff is also great about informing the community about bands coming through the area and even hosting some lesser-known artists.  Props for selection and service!
4 - Kris G.: Took a walk around downtown today and forgot just how dangerous it is for me to be let loose in this store. I ended up walking out with 6 CDs, but only 2 of them were new. That is a big part of why I love this store, the amount of fabulous used CD and vinyl available. Always have friendly and knowldegable staff!
5 - Osvaldo D.: An oasis of a record shop here in San Luis Obispo.  A great independently own shop with knowledgeable and friendly staff.  They give  a pretty good return on CDs you sell them.  Shop around for some cool knick-knacks, T-shirts and books, too.   Music aficionados...they have vinyl, too!
4 - Truc N.: I thought this place was pretty cool and my boyfriend loves this place.  He loves music and finding lost treasures.  It has pretty cool decor and service was friendly.  Other customers were very pleasant and also music enthusiasts.  Very chill and laid back vibe here.  Overall a really cool record store.  Great finds and low prices.
5 - SLO L.: Great selection of vinyl, substantial collection of used music in varied formats, stocking a wide range of genres, staffed by well informed folk with deep connections to the local scene...if you value shopping for music as an organic, tactile experience rather than an 'adventure' in mouse and keyboard, this is the store for you.
4 - Alex P.: a student resident of SLO, i visit this place often. in fact, perhaps half my decorations inside my room came from this place.

the selection of music is very up to date, and the staff is friendly. honestly this is probably the best music store in SLO. 

and that's not considering the numerous amounts of very very old records that they keep in the back

i'm not sure how they sell those, but props simply for having them!

i respect old stuff.
3 - tammy c.: I like record stores. 
I like good record stores better. Boo Boo Records does a good job at stocking its shelves with a wide variety of music in a bunch of different formats - but that means that their selections and depth of content are odd in some places. Like their Bob Dylan collection was HUGE while the entire metal music genre was small - get it? 

It is great to have the availability of Boo Boo's as a ticket vendor and their location is fun for a quick downtown pop in. 

I dropped their stars for lack of music selection and aloof staff members who seem more into themselves and judging my music choices than helping me find the things I need. I like Cheap Thrills because of the wider selection and the massive used collection - plus they sell tons of movies!
5 - Anthony B.: What a quaint little store this turned out to be! It's not often you find an old school LP/CD store in this day and age!

They have listening stations along with some information regarding the CDs. Of course they have vinyl too, in a seperate room all to itself. Talk about a trip down memory lane! Wow! They even had numerous LP players for sale.

Not stopping there I noticed they also sell DVDs, T-shirts, Posters, and other great nostaligia for the 70s, 80s, and all the way to modern music.

Definitely worth a look if you're wanting to experience a bit of historical greatness.
4 - Beth F.: I love Boo Boo Records! They carry a solid selection of CDs as well as records, and if you visit the back room, the walls and ceiling are lined with posters. You can also pick up pieces like Big Lebowski action figures, Dr. Who Tardis and Dalek items, and a selection of literary themed tees for kids and adults alike. I walked out with a bright blue Great Gatsby shirt and a canvas Pride and Predjudice bag. If you prefer to show love for the store itself, they now sell fitted biking shirts, tanks, Boo Boo Records bags,  and the like. Always worth a visit when I'm in SLO.
5 - Evan D.: I'm not sure if SLO knows how blessed it is to have not one but two AMAZING record stores in town.  Every self-respecting city has at least one surviving record store that is owned and operated by people who actually give a damn about what they're doing.  Boo Boo Records is just such a place.

Why 5 stars?  

1) Because Every time I go to the listening stations I find my new favorite artist.
2) Because they have a respectable vinyl collection
3) Friendly/Awesome/Knowledgeable service
4) They sell hard to find record player parts
5) There is NO proper musical instrument store in the small downtown section of SLO and there are scores of venues that bands frequent night after night...  Where do you go if you need strings or other periphs?  Boo Boo Records, that's where.  They stay open later and they've got what you need for a fair price. 

Total Side Rant Below (but a worthy observation):

The irony is there is a rather ironic company, Urban Outfitters a few doors down.  UO's does a fantastic job at bringing thrift store sheik sensibility into a fashionable focus and sourcing these seemingly one-of articles for mass production along the pacific rim. These items are then displayed in a semi counter culture empty-gesture warehouse store atmosphere. You know, the old 'pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!' trick.  My guess is Richard Hayne of UO is not wearing the same distressed canvas his chains are selling.  I'm not saying UO is entirely evil.  They're huge, they support and employ thousands.  The price we pay is that they make our place look like every other place.  Look at what happened to places like SLO.  Santa Barbara, Pasadena.  They now look like shopping malls neatly fitted into historic buildings.  Isn't it what makes a city unique also what you cannot find anywhere else?    

I think that's the real reason why we love places like Boo Boo Records.  Places that didn't turn to the side of extreme obesity.  A place with a history only 4 years younger than UO but never lost it's originality.  Just a worthwhile thought when you're out spending your hard earned.
5 - Jareb K.: I love this place so much.  Hands down one of the best places in SLO.  They've increased their inventory to include basic apparel, books, posters, electronic gadgets, and pop culture stuff.  Fantastic selection of music, offering all kinds of genres, local artists, independent labels, etc. I like how they have a few stations of music recommendations where you can sit and listen to new/upcoming CDs.  You can sell your used music here and purchase cheap used music as well.  I've bought many used CDs and they have been of good quality--nothing too sketchy or anything--a very inexpensive way to discover new music.  Boo Boos sells local concert tickets (a lot of times exclusively) and staff is nice.  A couple of times I couldn't find albums I was looking for, and I asked the staff, and they order the music for me.  Fabulous stuff all around--go to Boo Boo Records and support a great independent record store!
5 - C K.: where the cool kids go
4 - Jordi P.: For a music store they do a pretty job at keeping a good selection. You can usually find what you're looking for. Their prices are a little iffy though.
5 - Ryan H.: Always come here to get concert tickets for the local shows at SLO Brew and Avila Beach. Plus they have a wide range of CDs, records, posters, shirts, and tons of other things. Great local music store.
5 - Susan M.: Best record store in all the land! Everyone who works there is so friendly and helpful and the owner is always there taking part in his business unlike most small business owners. From their huge selections of vinyl to the awesome live music, Boo Boo's is as good as it gets. :D
5 - Chris W.: The best record store I have been in, these guys have everything from doom metal to dream pop.  The staff is extremely friendly and knowledgeable, the only time I stumped them was about some 60s French YeYe pop.  I am surprised by the amount of imported and brand new records they carry. I have always found something I am interested in, even being an internet music nerd.  

Boo Boo is a must visit location in San Luis Obispo if you live here or are passing through.

Book Alley - Pasadena, CA (34.1459263, -118.1247394) (Pasadena)
5 - Thao L.: I was momentarily transported to Zabar's Deli in the Upper West Side when I found the  Zabar Deli Book (1979) for a friend who lived in NYC for his birthday. Oh what a find for new and used books!  

This is the last week that the Book Alley will be in this location until they relocate across Aardvarks on Colorado. Two whole floors of stacks of books that you can spend a good  morning or afternoon totally engrossed in whatever book you picked up. 

I found recent NY Times best sellers, academic books, children, cook books, etc.They also buy, sell, and trade books. 

Book Alley also has a collection of books autographed by authors such as James Baldwin and Charles Bukowski for sale for your book lover/collector. The list is at the front counter. 

www.bookalley.com
5 - Corazon R.: It's always sad to see an independent retail establishment bite the dust, and Dakar Music will always be missed. In the light of its departure comes Book Alley's new location, right down the street from PCC.

This cavernous store has a very impressive selection of used books, as well as new ones for those who don't like the idea of second hand goods. The place is organized pretty well, but as secondhand dealers go, you really don't know what kind of a selection you'll be rummaging though. What was fun was going through their bargain shelves, with books going for as cheap as $1, and those offerings were pretty varied and decent, from a few self-help books even I entertained purchasing, to an old UCLA engineering textbook from the mid 50's. 

Even more impressive is their selection of used art books. It seemed they had an entire wall dedicated to the stuff (as these kinds of books tend to get rather unwieldy). They also have older issues of periodicals as well, which is great if you fancy a certain artist and they have an article featuring them, or if you're in need for a bit of inspiration. The books they had on these shelves were really impressive; they have a lot of books that are out of print or hard to come by, and at decent prices. I found a book (the camera i) that I've been considering buying, and found it there for at least half the price LACMA would be selling it at their store, if they still had it on their shelves. When I grow up and have enough money to build my library, I'd probably go here to get good deals on the volumes I don't already have (of which, I don't have much). 

Also very impressive are the here and there locked cases that hold some of the rarer books, which reminds me of that scene in You've Got Mail where Steve Zahn's character (who works in Meg Ryan's small, independent children's book store) is showing Tom Hank's character (whose family owns and operates the big, bargain bin bookstore chain that's likely to bring this store down) a very rare book from a locked case. It looks they have some pretty valuable pieces in there, and even though they're expensive, much like what Steve Zahn's character said, what that book has isn't want makes it cost so much, it's what makes it worth so much.

The place also is something of an art gallery, adorning any wall that's not occupied with a bookshelf with someone's art, that they have for sale. They have events and art openings as well, if you fancy the artist and would like to pick their brain.

It's great seeing a place like this do well, and especially seem to upgrade themselves. As much as Dakar will be missed, Book Alley is a wonderful addition to the neighborhood along with a bike shop, comic book store, and Zankou Chicken.
4 - Skylar L.: Killing some time until I met the lovely L'aura for some Daisy Mint I wondered into Book Alley. I had just finished my last novel and the current book I was reading was a little boring. 
I walked into the bookstore to find the whole front-left section empty. It was a little off putting to say the least. That being said, I was willing to overlook the glaring eyesore in the hopes of finding 'the' book. I didn't know what 'the' book was and that is where the thrill of the hunt comes in. 
I looked up and down the fiction wall for something to jump out of the more than 5000 (? I'm bad at guesstimating quantities) titles. I was hoping that the calling would be from a weathered early edition of a long forgotten book, but instead it was a new copy of "Ham on Rye." I know, I know, I should be embarrassed it has taken 14 years with the ability to read (I didn't start reading until I was 7) for me to read this classic, but I'm willing to put my flaws out there. 
Right when I was going up to pay for the book I heard the last part of a conversation with someone else talking about Bukowski. I guess it was just that kind of day. When it was my turn to pay the guy at the till for super nice. I always love the feeling of going to an independent media store (be it books, music, etc) and being able to have a leisurely conversation with the employee. I feel like it's times like these that I learn the most. We (the cashier and I) talked about Bukowski's childhood in Pasadena and then about living in China and how unfriendly people from Beijing can be. 
With a little more elbow grease, this location will be one of the best of the last bookstores in LA. 
BUY INDEPENDENT. BUY LOCAL!
4 - Austin S.: So I finally had the chance to take my books over to this place to sell them.  I had 2 legal boxes full of books.

The buyer quicky went through them, already sorting out the potentials and putting back  the ones he knew they didn't need.  I was disturbed when he was putting back more books than he was taking.

Out of, I don't know, 40-50 books I originally brought in, he ended up only taking less than 20 of them.

After entering them and going through them, he gave back another 6 or 7 books.  So out of 40 books, I ended up only selling about a dozen of them... freakin A.

At least I got rid of a few books and made a few bucks....
4 - danny n.: I came out with one cool book for $4 and was very pleased. Why 4 stars? while I was browsing around the store, I could hear the workers there's on the phone, talking to customers, and they were so helpful and nice to each and every caller. They provided top notch customer service and it was very refreshing. Not something you come across so easily anymore, naw mean?
5 - Jessica S.: Customer service is superb. I call them to see if they have a used book I want, they usually do. They have a wide selection of books to choose from books published in the 1800s to 2000s. Prices range from $1 to $30. It depends how popular the book is. I've only seen two workers there, the store owner and his assistant, but they keep the store well organized in alphabetical order. So if I ask for a book, they find it in less than a minute.
4 - Meriam V.: I'm the type of person who can spend a whole day at Barnes and Nobles, so when I stepped into this place, I was in awe.

They have inexpensive books from all categories and they also have rare books. You name it, they probably have it. Well, I'm not sure, but it looks like they would. (:
5 - Darren B.: This is quickly becoming one of the better bookstores in southern California.

Their hours are good, their prices are good, and there's always new stuff appearing on the shelves.  No junk or tatty books taking up space.  There's a good literature/poetry section, and a huge wall of floor-to-ceiling art and photography books.

And as a couple of reviewers have said, Book Alley has some of the best customer service of any bookstore in town.  The last time I was there a customer called in looking for a particular book, and the staff member who answered the phone not only checked the shelf and the stock room, she even asked someone working in the back if they had seen a copy of this book come in recently.  I have seen staff hold books for customers who needed a few days to come up with the money for them, give a discount to someone who bought a large quantity of books, even offer advice to a customer who was starting an online bookselling business.

No bookstore is perfect, and that includes this one (Staff: Lower your voices!), but Book Alley is doing a great job, and I hope they'll be around for a long time.
5 - David K.: Large Used Books seller on the south side of Colorado Blvd. on the corner of Chester, parking is in the back or on the street but the entrance is in the front, it is about one block west of Pasadena City College. 
I have been going to Book Alley for years with out even knowing it. I used to go to it back at its old location farther west on Colorado Blvd. When it was near Vroman's and Cliff's. I was sad when it disappeared but then another book store popped up here, I didn't realize until recently it was the same store. At its current location it has expand quite a bit to become the huge premier used book store in the area. This place has tons of books, literally it would take forever to move the books, you can tell by the way they are sprawled all over the place on the ground lol.
They have many eclectic books on a huge number of subjects, from children's books and comics to some very unexpected subjects even text books, some very very old and locked up for their protection. Some books are VERY CHEAP and others are HUGELY EXPENSIVE, but all of them are pretty reasonably priced for what they are. Think of them more as antiques and classics then old used books. The strangest thing is they have this dusty dark room in the back where they just have piles and piles of books stacked up all over and people just sit at computers there and research them to find prices and things so they can sell them, it all looks kind of top secretish.
Anwyay, this place is a must see for book lovers, but be warned it will be hard to go into the store and come out empty handed.
4 - Jeanne W.: one of the very few truly fine secondhand & rare books stores left in the environs of los angeles county.

amazing range of books, both minor and major, in a relatively small space.

the 'new' book alley, about a year or two at this site, does not hold a candle to the previous one that was housed on the street level of an early 20th century bank building. that store, with its multilevel nooks, and old wood bookshelves, really felt new york city-ish, as well as being an excellent place for burrowing through the eclectic & unpredictable stock of the store.

naturally, the landlord tried to catch the wave of the inflated economy, and jacked up the rent, so book alley moved a few miles east on colorado.  i am happy to report that the old site remains unleased.  a fart on you, thomas putnam.

tom, the proprietor of book alley, is a knowledgeable and easygoing fellow.  he is also very generous if you are trading in your books for more books.  [they no longer buy books outright, because of the tanking economy, but anyone who has books to sell will probably buy books in the future so the trade for credit is a great deal.]

wonderful california history section, as well as a fine art section.

still great to browse, although not as cozy as the previous store, by a long shot.
4 - Joe K.: Book Alley is great! All the other review say everything I would saw. It's a weird place with books everywhere, including all over the floor. If you're interested in finding some hard to find animation books or reference books, this a great place to start. I've found a lot of out-of-print animation books here. Great for the Disney collector.
5 - DC Q.: Last of its kind. Beautiful chaotic messy and lively used bookstore with a little bit of everything. Really helpful but totally eccentric staff, roaring Jazz music, and strange old men waxing poetic about the history of Mcdonalds. 

Just great. Nothing like browsing at random.
5 - Larry H.: In all meekness, I can't deny my literati ways. While Los Angeles bros and their hos have a good time with their mixed drinks, shitty music and bad taste in foods, the old battle axe and I go out to the Cinefamily to see Czech New Wave films or go to art shows or see strange bands perform or explore book stores. That's our idea of a good time. That's why I love the gal.

This place is like a mecca for those who those fortunate enough to pass the third grade and have a decent grasp of the English language. This is what I remember book stores being growing up. I would describe this store as a cavern of literature waiting to be explored, but it's too well lit and clean to be described like that. It is one hell of a store. Last visit alone, I picked up a rare copy of a book on the cinema of John Cassavetes by Ray Carney, 1st edition of the biography of Mishima by John Nathan, Brian Wilson's disowned auto-biography full of errors and a few cheap plays by David Mamet all under sixty bucks. Sweet deal, if I do say so myself. And the sweetest deal of all: the lack of coffee. I love my caffeinated beverages, but coffee or a coffee shop in a book store always feels like a middle-brow substitution for class or taste. And does the book store really want to risk spilling coffee over their items? Sorry, Border's! There's also always an intense charm in owning used books. New ones are nice, but to know one has already been man-handled and passed around and explored only to end up on your personal shelf with its nicely designed cover and spine is a nice feeling rivaled only by taking off your socks in bed and peeing first thing in the morning.

Plus, if you're going out with a smart and cultured girl on a date, nothing impresses them more than taking them book shopping. I think book stores are heavily neglected as possible places to take dates, but it definitely gives you a way to share your tastes, ideas and whatever in a pretty quick and friendly setting. Book Alley is among the best for this and can't stress enough how great this place is.

In fact, I can't wait to get home and rest in bed with my belle. We'll just relax with some Moondog playing on the speakers while she reads her stories of distorted sexuality and I rest next to her reading about the cinema of Yasujiro Ozu. To be in love!
3 - Sam V.: I was in here today and bought an out-of-print dog training book for $4.  Looked through the gardening books and at the cookbooks.  In the gardening books I found two seemingly identical, good condition books, one priced at $5 and the other $10.  So check various copies before you buy.  They may have more than one person pricing.

They do have a website, above, and you can check that from home if you're looking for a particular book.

I had a little trouble physically moving around in the store as there are stacks and stacks of books in the aisles.  Janet Jarvitts' cookbook store is worse.

Book areas have subject headers on the wall to help you know where to go.  What surprised me was the El Cholo Restaurant Cookbook for $35.  It's a fairly small hardback and I couldn't imagine why they charge so much, but I just looked it up on Amazon  and it's $60 new.  On the Book Alley website it's $66...

I hope this used bookstore stays in business.
4 - Maya d.: This is a beautiful collection of books. I have purchased some very loved books at this store. I once found a first edition of James Baldwin book The Fire Next Time. Some are expensive and others are very inexpensive it depends on what you are searching for in the books. I know there is a website but I enjoy the experience of walking around the piles of books so I am completely hooked on this place. I highly recommend it to any intellectual.
5 - Anthony M.: Great used book shop.

Extremely helpful and honorable staff.

It's a little intimidating, as there are a NUMBER of books, but once the shock wears off...exploration ensues.

Happily.
4 - Serena H.: With the recent infatuation with old books and hole-in-wall bookstores, I'm was delighted to stumble upon this little treasure. 

I'd say it's a pretty decent bookstore with shelves and piles of books everywhere--an awesome variety ranging from classics to children, and honestly, I could spent hours and hours just browsing (had my brother not been there pestering me to go home). 

I found some real old books, though they have the real deals locked behind some glass window. Kind of wish they'd have that open for us to look at (without having to ask), though I understand the risk of having someone tear one of those babies is prob not worth customer curiosity.

I noticed, however, that many times I'll pick up a book, look at the price written on the inside and a voice in my head will go "WTH" at the price. I would expect a place like this to have good prices overall, and which some books are decently priced, I'm sad to say I had to put down many becuase of the ridiculous price.

Bottom line? If you've got hours, a good pair of shoes (since you'll be crouching most of the time), and an willing heart to explore, try it out. And don't bring a friend unless you know they're the type to also excite over inhaling mold from these old books!
5 - Em L.: FULL of Jewels
5 - Zod Z.: The best used bookstore I know of. The average used bookstore never has anything I'm looking for, and this makes sense, right? I'm sure that's many people's sentiment, but at Book Alley this is not the case. Every time I have been here there are at least ten books that I would like to buy, but I don't because I don't read that fast. Awesome selection of Mystery, Film, Art, and Philosophy books. Anytime I'm aching for a hardboiled story, I'm never disappointed. 

Prices here are pretty reasonable, yet another great thing about the place. Plenty of street parking is available and the staff is always friendly and polite. 

'nuff said.

Take in the aroma of used paper.
5 - William Y.: I recommend this place to all of my students when I assign a book review.  They have a great selection and for HS students its no Amazon but a place where you can actually browse and open a real book.  Please support this hidden treasure in Pasadena.
4 - Ann T.: What a treasure to find on a random afternoon. I'm not from the Pasadena area so I googled a bookstore and this came up! So happy it did! Great prices and such a wide selection. The employees are super helpful and the prices are about half the price of Borders. Plus I checked in there on my yelp app and I got an extra 10% off! With all the bookstores closing I hope this treasure remains untouched

ONLY negative is theres so much to see and it's somewhat disorganized, it could be overwhelming.
4 - Josh C.: Where I come from, finding stacks of books in the aisles of a used bookstore is a very good thing, not a reason to grumble.  That said, I did not find Book Alley at all cluttery.  The sections were well organized, covered a broad range of topics (i.e. not an esoteric or specialized store), and with a good mix of mostly standard used books with some occasional collectible editions.  For not being in the shadow of a UC campus, it is also pretty good on academic books, with an especially impressive philosophy section.  Prices are a bit high, but I still definitely recommend Book Alley; they know what they're doing.
4 - Steven W.: A great used book store with a wide variety of titles.  The staff are friendly and helpful.  My only complaint about the store is that they sell personalized autographed copies of books at prices that seem to be bit high.  An unpersonalized autographed copy of a book I can understand a bit of a higher price...but if your name isn't "Jane"...

Overall, a great book shopping experience.  If you are looking for a hard to find title or out of print book on just about any subject you should seek out Book Alley.  And don't forget to check in with your Yelp app and get the 10% off check in coupon!
4 - Andrew P.: With a helpful staff and a large selection of used books, Book Alley is a great way to spend an afternoon.  The prices are pretty reasonable too, and there's a Yelp check-in coupon for 10% off a single item!  Go and check it out, they love Yelpers :)
1 - r m.: They may have good prices for the buyers, but if you're selling books, BEWARE!  They won't pay you much for anything.  Mere pennies on the dollar for high quality items.

I wouldn't sell to them.  His assistant is an awful, bitter person as well.
1 - Justin l.: Representative was unhelpful and rude, mis informative and has no customer experience. Assistant is awful bitter person with no service experience . BEWARE DO NOT GO TO THIS BOOK STORE!! 

any other book store has the same books with nicer people. 
Ive never been more dissapointed in a book store like this.

Book Barn the - Latham, NY (42.7382599, -73.7308822) ()
4 - Victor L.: Now I know this isn't really the same Book Barn that used to exist down the street from the current listing in that Collonade plaza where they had the same american food buffet but with about 5 different names over the course of 3 years.

The Book Barn is a quaint little bookstore specializing in locally circulated older and used books. But the best thing about it was the comics section. When I was younger I would go here all the time before comic stores really became prevalent in the area and I would get a lot of back issues, especially of X-Men. No, they weren't all valuable or in great condition, but I wanted them for the stories.

And occassionally they had classics, like Hulk #1, for sale. the bulletins for local stuff is always a bonus, and the man who used to run it was incredibly generous and kind.
4 - Andrew J.: The book barn is awesome.  When I was a kid they had tons of Fear Street books.  All the books are in pretty great shape and all the stuff is super-cheap.  Victor L. is right about the comics as well.  Although with this new store they opened a few years ago, the comics have dwindled.  But I was in there last summer and purchase about eight or nine books and only spent around $19.  You honestly can't be that price for top notch literature.
4 - Ari S.: The cheapest used book store I've ever been to, bar none.   Most of the books are priced between $3.75 and $4.50 which makes it only marginally more expensive than many thrift stores (with less - but only slightly less - Grisham-esque schlock to wade through).  As an erudite (and only mildly pretentious) book snob, most of the Barn's sections can be safely ignored (lots of self-help, gardening, romance, craft books and just plain crap like Understanding Your Cocker Spaniel) but when I hit on a $4 university press book that would normally go for $25, I say jackpot.
4 - Olga P.: A place to get lost in!  I love to just hang out there (if I have lots of time!). Best part that the owner is always there and is very helpful. He has often been able to check a book's availability when I called on the phone. Many Shaker High required reading novels, which my kids needed by "yesterday"! were easily and inexpensively obtained there.
5 - R F.: I was a little surprised on entering this place.  It's bigger and nicer than it looks as you drive by.  I thought it would be sort of like a thrift store inside, but it was very well organized, and well lit. The books are grouped by subject, with big signs, so if you're looking for something specific, you can hone in on it pretty quickly.  

The books (and magazines) seemed a nice high-quality mix, many recent, some old and unusual.  There's an inviting kid's corner (good-sized). Overall, selection seemed very good in a something-for-everyone kind of way.

Book Culture - New York, NY (40.8050981, -73.964929) (Morningside Heights)
4 - Amanda M.: A great place to find books, especially for college classes, if you don't feel like going the college bookstore route. They tend to run a tad bit cheaper than the college bookstores.
5 - Flora B.: Great bookstore...
5 - Heath R.: One of the best bookstores in New York City. You'll get smarter just walking through the door, even if you're not a student at Columbia.

Labyrinth is one of the most focused cultural studies, politics, and academic bookstores I've ever seen. The selection of little magazines and journals -- academic and literary -- just inside the entry is extremely impressive. And the new-title tables remind me a little of the Harvard Book Store in Cambridge, Mass. (Smarter even than Bookcourt's!)

The politics of the shop run slightly left of center (What do you expect from a shop that advertises in the Nation?), and that's reflected in its political, philosophy, and cultural studies sections, as well as throughout the store. Between this and St. Marks, you should be set, you pomo thinkers, you!
5 - Tom L.: One of the only bookstores in the city that reliably has a great selection of critical theory/cultural studies and other awesome stuff. The best part is that they actually carry used books, marked by orange stickers, and I save a lot of money that way. Of course, you have to take into account how many more books I buy because they actually have them in stock, so I'm out much more in the end. Alas.

Anyway, the closest thing to a brothel that a grad student ever dreams of.
5 - Sooj O.: About the only bookstore in NYC that is comparable to University of Chicago's Seminary Co-op, Labyrinth Books is right by Columbia University. 

A Columbia art history Ph.D student I knew told me that the Ph.D candidates were given a $400 scholarship by some wealthy lady to spend at Labyrinth Books.  And it might be the luckiest thing to happen during the grueling Ph.D. years for some of these people.  Labyrinth certainly has the wealth of art history and art criticism books to accomodate all these students.

Furthermore, their holdings in all academic categories are prodigious.  They boast their continuing support of poetry as a pallative to the horrors of living in U.S. post-9/11 (and rightly so).

But beyond the academic categories and poetry, they also keep their current events and fiction categories well stocked with good books.  

They've been expanding out to set up bookstores at Yale and Princeton.  This is important as chainstores such as B&N have monopolized most college bookstores and left college bookstores filled mostly with utter tripe and nonsense.

As their website quotes: 
A room without books is like a body without a soul --- Cicero

I couldn't agree more.
3 - Kimberli M.: They carry textbooks mainly...
Sadly -- every time I've tried to support them, they didn't have what I was looking for. Oh, and they don't have ANY travel books unless you're looking for a book on NYC. There's a rumour that they may add this section Spring 2007. I'll go back and check.
5 - Hubert H.: Probably has the lowest prices of remainder books in the City. I found a Houellebecq there for $6 (hardcover!) and some texts pertaining to music theory and criticism.

But the cutthroat factor works both ways! They offered me 50 cents / $1.00 in trade for my hardcover (okay, it was beat, and had markings all over inside of it) copy of Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections, and yet they sell paperbacks for $11, when used hardcovers can be found on the web for $4. The guy in charge of used acquisitions gave me attitude when I suggested I receive $1.50 in trade if I bought $20 worth of stuff. Huh? Maybe rent for businesses in NYC is so high that shopowners feel like they need to pinch quarters.

Needless, to say, I bought the other books with cash anyways, and kept my copy of The Corrections, which means that I get to read about Alfred and Enid and Chip and DIane over and over and over ....
5 - joseph c.: Great bookstore for cultural/political studies and occasional discount and remainder sales.
5 - David S.: One-of-a-kind bookstore in New York City. I finally had to check it out after listening to the raves from both my dad and brother, both of who are bookworms (eh... who am I fooling, I am one too...). The place specializes in humanities, and the selection of books on history, philosophy, sociology etc. is impressive. The also have a good literature and fiction selection, and a lot of foreign language books (including recent releases). Their French literature aisle is impressive (and probably the largest I've seen in the US, but I have yet to go to Librairie de France at the Rockefeller Center). The bookstore is a bit out of the way (a couple of blocks south of Columbia), but it's worth the detour and the area is actually quite nice to walk around.
5 - Tim T.: I want my bookstores to forbid Starbucks coffee, to have stairs instead of escalators, and for their staff to have a genuine passion for literature and, well, books. Labyrinth is just that: a true book store. I come to Labyrinth when my only focus is on books (mainly fictional classics), and I don't want to be distracted by the sale of mints or Norah Jones on the speakers.   Their selection of books is actually breathtaking, and if you're just leisurely shopping for a read, you will slowly pace back and forth down the isles, slowly shifting your eyes up and down the stacks. Get to Labyrinth, satisfy your inner-geek, and leave the store just that much smarter.
4 - Zoe P.: I went to this bookstore in the last few weeks that it was still Labyrinth. They had a great selection of academic books - the newest stuff, and discounts on older books upstairs. 

The joint owners split up, that's why it's called Book Culture now. And, according to a news item I read:  

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6473537.html

The owner that kept the store said, "Our neighborhood . . .  has been booming, and we're in a position to become a terrific neighborhood bookstore as well as a scholar's destination."

Hopefully that just means more books, not Norah Jones, coffee and breath mints. I'm with Yelper Tim T. Besides, there's a number of well-stocked card and gift stores around the block. Book Culture should stick to what a good bookstore does best - books.
5 - Lily H.: I used to come here and see what the Columbia students were reading. Or rather, what the smart faculty were assigning for them. "Book Culture" --  great concept, but they might have come up with a more clever way of conveying it.
4 - Zach H.: context: I spent the last 2 years of my life becoming a MAster of social sciences at the university of chicago, which, like, having a non-ivy inferiority complex and, like, being located in the asshole of chicago, makes it SOOOO fucking indie. correspondingly they have two of my favorite bookstores in the world: the seminary co-op and powell's.

And Labyrinth (still refusing to call it by the ridiculous new moniker 'book culture') looks like a Barnes & Noble compared to those. I was a little disappointed when I walked in the first time. Then I eventually got intro'd to the rest of the NYC bookstore scene and realized I wasn't in THAT bad of shape. Labyrinth lacks charm, in my opinion, but its gots what I need -- good/'important' fiction/lit and academic and arty books all around.

I've also strolled in here a couple times during readings and gotten free wine/cheese, which is a bonus, and its of course awesome they host such things, free and open to the masses.

Bottomline: this place lacks the dingyness and charm I typically like, but if you are an academicky type its going to be right down your alley.
4 - Sienna K.: I visited here again today and was once again astounded by how lovely this place is when it isn't school time. As I said before, during the textbook rush times, this place is an awful place. It's overcrowded, they make you check bags, people are brusque, and so on. But, on a nice lazy Saturday like today, it was absolutely pleasant. 

I moved back into the neighborhood and had no books to read (they are being treated for critters... of all things). I remembered that somewhere amongst my scattered stuff, I had a coupon for 20% off my next purchase at Labyrinth. And since the coupon isn't valid for textbook purchases, I decided to go ahead and use it today. 

Although they didn't have any works of Mario Vargas Llosa, they did have Chang Rae Lee's "Native Speaker," which wasn't available at either St. Mark's Bookstore orThree Lives and Company. Though disappointed that they didn't carry anything by the Peruvian writer, I was happy to finally get the chance to finish "Native Speaker," which I stupidly returned back in high school having read only half of it. I also picked up two other novels, including a marked down copy of Mishima. 

They also have new canvas tote bags with a much better design than the last. I figured I needed a new tote bag, so I snagged myself one of those too. 

Anyways, they've recently (ok.. within the last year) started a Book Club program. You just sign up and you get random emails, a coupon giving you a 20% discount on non-textbook items, and a membership card. The membership card keeps track of how much you've spent, and for every $200 you spend, you get $10 in store credit... which is... better than nothing. 

But yes, run far away from this place in September when it's a total zoo with all those darn Columbia kids running around buying textbooks. Come here during the summer when it's nice and quiet in the neighborhood. Seriously, those Columbia kids are such pests! I should know... I'm one of them.
2 - gyro k.: This place hardly ever has what I'm looking for! The type of books I'm talking about aren't exactly main stream, but they're far from unheard of. In fact, two of the books they told me they didn't have - and have never had in stock - are on the Random House 100 greatest non-fiction books of all time list - and pretty high on the list at that. It's possible that some sections are better than others, but I can't say much for their philosophy and sociology sections. Sure it's a cute little place, but next time I need something slightly obscure, I probably won't waste my time going to Book Culture.
4 - Andrew M.: The management are helpful, and undoubtedly superior to the Columbia Bookstore.  At Columbia's bookstore, finding a semester's books is a scavenger hunt; at Book Culture, they eagerly search out what you need.

One detail, that may cut for or against, depending on your tastes: the staff can be a tid-bit pretentious, and the book book displays seem to encourage the behavior (proust is just a little to obviously displayed... c'mon). The staff sometimes seem to be putting on a bit of a show; I have witnessed two native-english speaking staff members conversing in (poor) Russian, and for all appearances I'd say it was for demonstration, rather than practice.

In all, it's the best in the neighborhood, and I shop there whenever I can. Don't miss their tote-bags.
3 - Hank C.: A mini-maze of books by class on the second floor and subject on the first floor. Watch which direction you peer through, you might knock over a stack of books with your gaze.

While you can find many a strange subject here, and local publishers from the University and "thought"-provoking authors, don't expect to find much in the way of mainstream fiction or fun children's literature here... this is a bookstore that knows it caters to the university students and their professors.
4 - Brian L.: Great bookstore. Vast selections! Piles of books everywhere, even on the stairs towards the second floor!
They had the book I was looking for too (I live in Staten Island, and the bookstores around my area did not have what I was looking for)! So a big thumbs up to Book Culture for having that book I wanted! Quite the long commute to get to this store though, unfortunately.. 
A bookstore to recommend!
5 - Bibiana C.: I heart  this bookstore. It services the columbia community and intellectuals everywhere. 

The true test of this is where you go: if you walk in and go straight to the back, you might as well go the Barnes and Nobles Columbia bookstore. If you head directly up the stairs lined with books, you are in search of intellectual stimulation. My favorite is the sociology and anthro section; its MASSIVE, and alll those random names your professor happens to drop during class can be found here. Ahhh, enlightenment. Also makes for an excuse to go to office hours.

The best part is the friendly staff. They are happy to help, and if for some reason you cannot find what you are looking for, they will either refer you to a place known to have it in stock, or order it for you. How much more could you ask for? I like to ask for reading suggestions, since they seem to be well versed in all subjects.
5 - Bria D.: Book Culture is fantastic!  I am almost never in Morningside Heights, but this place is so great that I might have to justify an hour trainride from Brooklyn to make it my independent bookstore of choice and habit.

It has the perfect crammed-to-the-gills look without obstructing your movement between shelves--I particularly liked the mounds of books along the stairs up to the second level.  For a parenting section that consisted of only two short bookcases, they had an amazing selection--definitely a better selection than you'd get at much larger chain bookstores.  I managed to restrict myself to only 4 titles, but it was a struggle.  I might cave and head back for more soon.  What's a little hour-long trainride between friends, especially when I can read during it?
5 - Mark L.: This is quite possibly the worst business to locate on the same street as my apartment.  Why? Because I am tempted on a daily basis to wander through this amazing bookstore and buy something, anything, to the point that I will go broke.  I am a huge nerd, and any new book (particularly something architecture related) will keep me happy.  Book Culture carries a huge selection in any genre you can imagine, and this is especially impressive given the relatively small space they occupy.  But this is not the dusty, musty, crusty old bookstore you may be picturing.  On the contrary, everything is kept in an efficiently robust order that the helpful staff would be more than happy to assist you in finding your next great read.  For an independent seller, I have found that their prices are not exceedingly higher in comparison to big chain stores like Borders or Barnes & Noble, which is exactly why I look there first for any book I crave (support local!).  I could not ask for a better neighbor than Book Culture!
2 - Shannon O.: Obscenely expensive.
5 - Matt S.: It's expensive, but I found lots of things on sale here. I went near my birthday, and I did a lot of celebrating. (Way too many academic books to buy when I was away in NY for the weekend, but that's what grad students in the humanities and social sciences do.)

I guess the new name fits (it was still Labyrinth Books when I was last there three years ago), but judging from the reviews and the new website, not much has changed.
2 - Dan T.: Is there a secret room with handjobs & unicorns? If so, directions please...if not, damn, I must be missing something.

Everything's in good shape and appears new, but that's why it's whack. When I think independent bookstore, I think old, hard to find books, not standalone B&N or Borders. Book Culture is small yet wastes space, much like Columbia, bless its soul. Most importantly, this joint lacks charm (and adds creepy, leering employees) and is as pretentious as it sounds.
5 - Colleen S.: Book Culture (aka Labyrinth) is perhaps one of my favorite places in Morningside Heights.

For the reviewers that are complaining about price: Yes, if you stay on the first floor it is expensive.  You're paying retail for newly released, usually hardcover, books.  It is no different than going to Barnes and Noble.

The magic happens UPSTAIRS.  The scholarly collection is spectacular and it is easy to find previously read and previously loved books at great discount prices.  

The staff has always been delightful, polite and helpful whenever I have visited.
4 - Melissa S.: As a student at Columbia, I'd have been thrown into a relationship with Book Culture eventually. It was either that, paying full price on EVERYTHING forever at the Barnes & Noble bookstore, or waiting anxiously for books to come in from half.com--70% of the time long after we'd discussed them in class.

During the school year, no, Book Culture is not a fun place to go. It's clogged around the clock with students loaded up with books, the staff is too distracted to really help you out that much, and if you're buying anything that vaguely looks like a coursebook, don't think they'll let you use one of those awesome coupons you get for joining the Book Club. If you can come in on a less crowded day, though, Book Culture is one hell of an academic bookstore, and has loads of books on basically anything you can think of. And because of the unending supply of cast off books from students, you can often find a used, much less expensive copy of whatever you're looking for. For students selling, they also offer pretty good store credits in exchange, speaking in comparison to B&N or auctioning them off to Powell's.

The staircase to the second floor is itself enticement enough to go upstairs, as it invariably houses marked-down books on Really Cool Stuff. A few of the employees can be a bit distracted, but the majority of the staff is really nice and eager to help you find something. Overall, a cool and well-stocked local bookseller.
5 - Jeff Y.: Very helpful and attentive staff and a great selection.
4 - Hillary T.: Maybe it's a hazard of the job, but I find myself becoming more and more particular about the bookstores I frequent.  But, this one is worth the crosstown trip.  Attentive staff, great selection.  And, great space for book events.  Fine, free wine and a book reading might not be the norm, but it's still worth a trip back.  

Award yourself bonus points for supporting your local independent.
4 - Liz N.: independent bookstores seem to be harder to find these days but book culture i believe will withstand the test of time.  they've got sharp, knowledgable staff who actually deliver customer service in a clean & thoughtfully laid out, large space.  A vast & diverse collection is the draw here...it's in an excellent neighborhood where i can order something online from their website, pick it up in the store and then hop down broadway and read my new purchase in a coffee shop.
4 - Steven S.: Come for the sale items that line the staircase on your way upstairs, where you will also find a dreamscape of Columbia course books. Sometimes this is best for reference purposes, since anything that isn't used or on sale is usually retail price. But this is a great place to browse if you're an intellectual sort of person. Well-curated collection. There's another branch on Broadway now with a less scholarly m.o. but also with discounted volumes out front. The staff are generally affable and not so rushed that they won't chat with you, but you may encounter (less and less frequently, I'm finding), the occasional twat. Not as bad in that department as The Strand, though, where it seems to be a hiring principle.
5 - Trevor L.: I've loved this store since it was Labarynth, and I was a student. This is definately the best bookstore in the Columbia area. There used to be a totally "used" bookstore on Amsterdam that was really good, but it closed a few years back. Book Culture has pretty much any academic type book you want and also has a pretty good literature selection. I see a lot of complaints about the prices, but the books are marked at retail value. Sure you can go online and order at discount, but then you miss the experience of actually browsing the books, seeing something that catches your eye, even if you were there to buy something completely different. I better stop this review now, before I squirt kids with a garden hose and tell them to get off my lawn....
5 - Rachel M.: I am in love with Labyrinth/Book Culture. I drop in pretty much every time I'm in the neighborhood. Just can't keep away.

Hint hint, academics: check out the remaindered titles on the staircase. I've found crazy-expensive recently published books for crazy-cheap.
3 - Claire V.: I like you.  I can stop in any time on my lunch break, find something interesting, wander but a few steps and find something else very different and interesting.  Once, you had a great sale of New York Review of Books titles.  That was awesome.  Please please do it again.  And the upstairs discounts are awesome.  But my boss keeps giving me gift cards to Barnes & Noble.  It probably wouldn't be the best business decision, but if you reversed the floors so that the sale books were calling to me, out on the sidewalk, from just within, I might succumb to you more often.
4 - Marygold H.: I bet you know that I am not an easy star giver, and have given no more than three to those nice and cozy stores that have sprung in Bklyn. But I can't help giving four stars to this former Labyrinth despite its obvious flaws such as unfriendly staff or limited space they don't seem to change. Perhaps out of reminiscence of the time that I spent here years ago, or out of the neighborhood's atmospheric power, I still find myself being a total sucker of the charm whenever I am around there. Their late schedule and some stationaries and totes are irresistable baits as well, beware .
4 - Annie H.: I can always count on Book Culture, to find books I need for class! Especially more progressive or radical literature that can't be found at Barnes and Nobles. It's always a nice place to sit down and read or just relax.


The staff is friendly...The only thing that bothered me is that they sometimes ask to check my bag, as if I'm going to steal the books.
4 - Sam S.: Book Culture evokes the maze like prison of it's erstwhile moniker, "Labyrinth." Luckily there is no hugeass man bull monster trying to eat you, and the staff is really helpful. 

Big plus: they carry Dover Thrift Editions sometimes, which is great, because sometimes you would like to be able to afford food. I mean, I'm assuming you're a poor ass Columbia student and you've already found out that the meal plan stuff is laced with arsenic and laxatives. 

What, you didn't know? ;)
3 - Chris C.: Great for academics. Well-priced.
4 - Scott J.: Excellent selection, despite the confusing layout. Employees are helpful. It was a saving grace when I was in art history.
5 - Adele K.: I love this bookstore! It always has what I need, and certainly contains almost all the books I want. I like their "new release" section because it is not ladened with useless self-help books by celebrity pseudo-scientists. In addition, they have a pretty awesome stationery collection, and a well-stocked magazine section. This bookstore makes it a lot easier to support a local establishment!
5 - JOSEPH M.: Best book store in the city for highbrow, academic topics: philosophy etc. There's a great bargain section on the staircase where there are always irresistible deals.
4 - Dimitrios D.: The employees here were quite helpful in quickly locating the books I needed for one of my classes.

I walked in and checked my backpack in with a desk on the 1st level.  This bag check employee then directed me upstairs to another gentleman who assisted me within seconds (literally) of locating the texts I needed.
Finally, once carrying my books, another third employee then asked me if I needed further help and when I said no, directed me downstairs to purchase.

A smooth textbook machine!
5 - Hayley A.: Love love love love love. This is the kind of bookstore you go to when you need a reminder that Barnes and Noble sucks. While the store seems small, they honestly have every book you'll ever need. I went here primarily for course books (they don't carry textbooks), but almost always ended up picking up a few for personal reading. 

I love the way the books are laid out along the stairs and bursting from every table. The store is chock-full, but not messy, and it's a pleasure to browse. 

The staff is super knowledgeable, and really friendly. They also buy back books, which is great if you're a student. 

What topped it all off was when I went on my final trip as a graduating senior to buy back books. When I told one of the employees that I was moving to the Financial District, he thought about it a couple minutes, and then made me a list of all of the independent book stores in the area. Wow. Pleeeaseee give this place your business.
4 - Alice G.: This bookstore does have all of your academic book needs!  Sometimes the staff are amazing--sometimes they don't know what they're doing, and think you just might steal Lacan in French.  I mean, who really wants to steal this, except those of us who think it's easier in the original.  Very few people want to steal this book, or Foucault's Surveiller et Punir in French.  The bag-checkers can get aggressive.  However, Cependant, this is the only bookstore which would actually have these books.  It's expensive.

I know, I'm complaining.  Why am I giving them 4 stars then?  Mainly because they do understand what you're asking for, and they do have an extremely wide selection of everything literary.

Alice
4 - Michael W.: My Holiday Nook will take a silent step backwards to the Book Culture's grab table of Modern Philosophy and Poetry Books.  

This place is a bibliophile's Tardis. It just looks small from the outside.

The place is browser friendly. And have a friendly, helping, and knowledgeable staff.
4 - Seth G.: Best used fiction selection I've found in NYC, and the price is right. Book Culture makes my list as one of the best used/indie bookstores in the city. They have new books, book bags, and other items, as well.
3 - Rachel H.: I don't find anything special about this place. One of my Columbia professors had the books for the course placed there so I had to go. She liked Book Culture simply because they let her bring her dog in. Anyways, so I went. It was alright. The staff tried to be as helpful as they could. They were in general knowledgable about where the books are kept, and whether they were originally written in English or not, in which case, any edition should be okay because there was no translation. That part, I'm impressed.

The only thing I found annoying about this place is that they wouldn't tell us if they would buy back certain textbooks over the phone or not. I called and asked if they would take x,y,z books. They were like "you have to come in and bring the books. We can't tell you on the phone" So I went in with all my books which were very heavy, waited in line for 15 minutes, then the staff just checked the bar codes and said, "They are older editions. We can't take any of them."  So I walked for 20 minutes with these heavy books just to walk back with them!! What's so hard about spending 5 minutes on the phone letting us know if our books are salable or not???? Super annoyed!
5 - Sudie S.: So many more books than I expected! It's like a miniature Strand! And so many SALE books, which is always a testament to a good bookstore. They have a terrific selection in every department, and many books that you're not likely to find in the big chain bookstores.
4 - Claire O.: I'm so glad this is in the neighborhood.  Book Culture is a great testament to the importance of a good independent bookstore -- I'm mainly shopping for fiction, and their selection is huge and well-curated.  There are always great finds and staff recommendations displayed on the tables and I always manage to find something new in addition to whatever I was specifically searching for. The store is deceptively large -- while not quite the Strand, it's quite a warren once you get upstairs.  Be sure to sign up for their membership program as you will want to keep going back!
1 - Jane K.: WARNING: DO NOT SELL YOUR BOOK BACK HERE.  They will give you $1 or nothing.  SELL THEM BACK ON AMAZON AND GET A GENEROUS GIFT CARD! 

I tried selling back my books and the guy there informed me that many of my books were out of date and that no one would probably buy them.  I trusted him and told him I would just donate them.  I came home, checked my books on Amazon and could have made a good $80.  Many of my books did not come out with new editions.  I should have brought my books back instead of trusting him.

Book Culture on Broadway - Manhattan, NY (40.8067198, -73.9651592) (Morningside Heights)
5 - Manisha B.: I love the Book Culture on 112th, and was very happy when they opened a second location on 114th and Broadway, right across from Columbia. It's just nice to shop for light reading somewhere that isn't filled with textbooks.

As much as I love sitting in Barnes and Noble for hours, Book Culture is just a better shopping experience. No, they don't have floors and floors and rows and rows of books, but the people who work there are just so much more helpful and are quite obviously avid readers themselves. They will always be able to recommend a book to you and give an actual review of it as justification. 

The prices are no different than anywhere else in the city for new books - perhaps even better - and why visit a corporate machine when you can go independent?
4 - Katherine A.: 4.5  The sequel to its original shop at 112th street, Book Culture's new location at 114th is a lovely corollary to the first.  The selections are overall more like what you'd find in a "generic" bookstore chain - many bestsellers and always copious "new" works - but the shop retains the same intimate, intellectual feel as its counterpart, with a friendly staff, and with merchandise that, though mostly contemporary, steers clear of pure frivolity.  I can't give it five stars simply because the original Book Culture remains my favorite, but by all means, I highly recommend it!
5 - Kristin H.: I love the kid's room downstairs. They have a great selection of kid books, games, and toys. Darling, quality things that you won't find many other places... I always end up leaving with way more than I came for. And it's a nice place to shop for gifts. I am often torn between Book Culture and Bank Street when I have to pick something up for a birthday.

The upstairs, grown-up section is pretty nice too. I particularly like their selection of magazines/journals... stuff you wouldn't find at Barnes and Noble. 

The only thing that is kind of a pain is that you have to go down a steepish set of stairs to reach the kid's room. If you have young kids, and a stroller, it's not easy to visit. Which is a shame!
5 - Marina R.: Cool book store, reasonable prices and friendly staff.
4 - Matthew W.: This is a great NYC bookstore. It's small, but that hasn't seemed to hinder selection. When they do not have something readily in stock they are happy to order, and the order comes quickly.

Only had one instance where they could not order the book I wanted, but I'm not sure of why. Overall, a great place to shop for books outside of the megastore environment.

Book Exchange - Montclair, CA (34.092037, -117.699442) ()
5 - Pam S.: I have been shopping at this used bookstore for YEARS nearly 18 years. They have a HUGE array of all sorts of books and the owner and staff that work there are friendly and willing to assist you in finding "like" authors. Has a nice Science Fiction collection and if you are into HTF (hard to find) romance trashy novels look no further!! =] but really they have a good array of all genres not just Romance all though that seems to be the main focus. They also have art books, general fiction and children's literature too. At a time when people are watching pennies every where I say take a look at your local Used Bookstore this place doesn't take battered books they are usually in pretty good shape and I believe they won't take any that smell like cigarette smoke either.

They also will allow you to "trade" your books in for store credit. Do not expect anything "trendy" this is a USED book store but it doesn't smell like one and I am very particular about my book stores. Having over 3000 books at my house TRUST me I am seriously a book store fanatic =}

Respectfully Reviewed
4 - Christine P.: I have driven past this place a gazillion times, always vowing one day to visit it. Then, Pam S. reviewed it and I knew that I had to make time for this place! 

I was heading off for vacation and was in the mood for some trashy romance reading, and HOLY HELL, do they have it. Go here to get your trashy romance novel fix! Being so overwhelmed by the selection, I chose some chick lit instead. They were brand new and half-off...yay!
4 - Tracy J.: Love this place. My son and I have been coming here for years. The kids reading is lacking, but if you need a mystery or romance, this is your place. Expect to pay half of the paperback price. The owner is super nice and very helpful. 

I am heading there now, wish me luck!!!
4 - Michelle P.: I have been passing by this place for years and finally went in and I was not disappointed. As other reviewers have already mentioned it had a wide variety of romance novels in many genres, but I enjoyed the horror section. I didn't get to stay long but did come out with two horror books for a little more then five bucks. If you are a book junkie this is definitely a place to check out because you can appreciate the used book factor.
5 - Fern R.: I Have Been Coming Here For Years!!!  This Is A Used Bookstore.

I Love This Bookstore!!!

I Am Able To Find Books That Are Out Of Print And I Can Sell My Books That I Have Already Read For Store Credit!!!

I Have Actually Bought Books There That Don't Look Like They've Been Opened Or Read...

This Is A Great Little Used Bookstore And The Owner Is Very Helpful And Friendly!!!
3 - Doug C.: This is a so-so bookstore, well-organized but with a pretty indiscriminate selection.  Presided over by a fairly unfriendly woman and mostly interested, it seems, in romance novels.  Its science fiction section is a clearinghouse for forgettable paperbacks, few classics or titles of importance to speak of.

Book Kennel - Seattle, WA (47.6599627, -122.3131379) (University District)
3 - Alan F.: Right across the street from the U-Bookstore, Book Kennel is clearly positioned to challenge its grip on the new and used textbook market.

And they're doing a fine job of it--their prices are lower, even with the bookstore rebate (unless you ignore sales tax). They are much more upfront than the U-Bookstore about their buyback rate and will quote prices without requiring the actual presence of the book, which I appreciate.

The only downside so far is that Book Kennel is much more cautious about buying back books they already have many copies of. They fill much lower quotas than the U-Bookstore and will offer only "wholesale" rate when they have a textbook well-stocked. Which means ~10 bucks for a books which sells used for ~80 if you are late to the party.
3 - Inna B.: They're all the same to me, really.

Book Kennel is kind of funny in how much they talk about how they're cheaper and give more for the sell-backs. They are crazy over-staffed when the quarter begins, but.... I guess that means more people to answer questions and point us on our way?

Um... I like their popcorn machine?

As for cheaper. Well. I bought a textbook there for about $60. I got $23 when I sold it back and they man was like "We give more! They would have only given you $20!" Maybe... but then they would have given me another $6 come September (through the customer rebate thing). So... I guess the bookstore gives better deals, but... I happened to be on the Book Kennel's side of the street when I realized I had unnecessary weight in my backpack and... well.. $3 now or $6 in several months? Not that big a difference.

So pretty much... textbooks are expensive regardless of which way you swing it, so... it doesn't really seem to matter too much where you go. (Except some websites, I guess, but... I have not yet planned well enough ahead to use those yet.)
2 - Reesa T.: I was sucked in by a pretty green flyer someone put in my hand.  Books here are priced something like thirty cents under what they are across the street at the UW bookstore.  I am a total bargain shopper, with experience though and I don't buy ANYTHING without knowing I am not getting screwed.  I shop around for textbooks.  Anything I can save all of thirty cents on here I can save way more if I buy it on Amazon.  So I do.  (I have prime so the shipping and wait time is less of an issue... but still..)  Anything I can't get cheaper on Amazon is brand-new out and I end up getting at the UW Bookstore anyway.  

The Book Kennel feels like a maze, I don't really understand how they opted to set it up.  I spoke to the manager-guy as it turns out and he was rude...  I just has a question about their cash-back policy thing... 

Finally I did almost buy a book here cause I thought they were out of it at the UW bookstore.  I am glad I waited, as it turned out the prof hadn't used it in like 2 or 3 years. They just have a bunch they bought from students god-knows-when... are think its ethical to try to push onto unaware students now....  I thought this was bad business....

As mentioned their free popcorn is nice.  But the "deals" are NOT worth it, by all means comparison shop (believe me I will stop in every quarter to be sure I am getting things at the best price I can) but  I would say that in dealing with the Book Kennel 1) always be an informed consumer and 2) always be an informed student!
3 - Lilly A.: This is how I tend to go about things: I go on amazon first. You must ALWAYS go to amazon, they have the cheapest books.. really. 

Anyways, the book kennel, while cheap is not that much cheaper than their neighbor across the street. I notice a huge difference on some of the more expensive books that I have to purchase. 

My biggest issue: my major is fairly small, this is true, but seriously? I struggle to find some of the books for my courses, and then for the ASL 200 level series, you won't find them at all...

But really, its worth it to check out and just that, you have the final say on where you buy/sell your text book

Book Mart & Copy Center - Pasadena, CA (34.146127, -118.1185928) (Pasadena)
4 - Cheri. A G.: So I am trying to teach my son College 101.  

Day one...book buying.  DON'T buy your books on the campus bookstore.   Save your money buying at the always located nearby off campus bookstore.  

This store is directly across from "the pool" on Colorado.  Some of the new books were the same price but the used book prices were better.

Second buy a newish used book unless you plan on keeping that book then buy new.

Funny thing was when I and another mother walked in and they told us to put our large purses in cubbie we both were like "this is my purse"  I felt like I was some kid that they think is going to rob them blind.  I guess rules are rules (leave purse in car and just bring in wallet).
4 - larry l.: I like this place.
1 - Carla F.: This place sucks. They sell the codes for classes that they get for free. They also pay less than the PCC bookstore for buyback. The booklist changes all of the time, so you might even buy the wrong book there. They do not support the campus at all, the bookstore on campus however does .
1 - Angela S.: Beware.  This place either has a problem with employee theft, or they offer crummy buy-back prices for your textbooks. Either case warrants a one star rating.

So the semester is over and I decided to go to Book Mart to sell my used textbooks. The buy-back took place at the back of the store with a lone employee, and it was a rude one at that.  I waited in line and watched two students in front of me sell their books. The employee scanned every one of their books before she told them the price. When it got to me, she simply looked over my book and said "30 dollars.  Your ID?" without ever making eye contact. I was a bit suspicious since she didn't scan my book and I was actually expecting a little more for my nearly mint book which I'd paid $100 for.  I opted to not ask any questions and said "I'll pass."

I walked over to the PCC bookstore where they scanned my book and gave me $47 for it.  So I sold it there. It's hard to believe that the campus bookstore would pay me 56% more for the book than Book Mart, so at this point, I'm kind of convinced that the chick at the Book Mart was trying to scam me.The book I was selling is for a very high volume course so the employee probably already knew the price. In order for her to make a few bucks on the side, all she had to do was take my book, give me $30, then keep the remainder of whatever the Book Mart was really buying it for. 

I later called the Book Mart and spoke with a lady who claimed to be the manager, and she told me, "Don't worry, the employees are honest" and "We pay $30 for every book of that subject." That sounded like bullshit. There is a high variance in price among books of the same subject, not to mention there are different versions of every textbook.  If a book isn't going to be used for the next semester, it's worth less than a dollar.

If I am right, I feel sorry for the owner but he/she needs to do something about it as it is the students who are getting directly robbed.  

If I'm wrong, I apologize for the false accusations.  But this place still sucks because they buy your books back for less than the campus store and they have rude employees so why bother venturing across the street.
1 - Jonathan G.: Same prices as the campus book store...WTF I'm suppose to be saving money. Only thing I'm losing is calories by walking across the street what a waste of time. Good thing I called before going over there. CALL FIRST!!
4 - Ronald R.: I like coming to this place because the have a large variety of books from multiple subjects. The staff is nice and are helpful in finding what you need. The price here are much cheaper that the actual Pasadena city college book store (Usually about $10-15 less). Also most of their accessories just as scan-trons are cheaper, you can either buy a pack or singles. I buy and re sale all my books here and save. Only downside is the parking. Since its a busy area.
3 - Lillian L.: I'd have to say that this place is a pretty run-of-the-mill bookstore for textbook. The place is in a little dingy shop right across the street from PCC which makes it really easy to grab stuff when you need it. The staff is helpful and they generally try to be friendly. 

I heard that there was a downside to the place that they will only give you refunds if you have proof that you have dropped the class. This means that DO NOT BUY YOUR BOOKS IF YOU ARE NOT OFFICIALLY ENROLLED!!!!!! However, other bookstores that I've been to (e.g. UCLA's version of Book Mart) do not even accept returns.

If you're looking to sell your books, they said the highest price they pay for books are at the end of the semester. And don't dream about textbooks dropping in price once school starts...it doesn't happen! Now, if they only followed the supply and demand rules of econ...

Bookbinder's Grill - Christiansburg, VA (37.1618, -80.4327) ()
5 - Patrick M.: Simply the best restaurant in the New River Valley. Amazing service, amazing food.
2 - Kevin O.: You are paying for the atmosphere, plain and simple. The food is not worth the premium price. I have had better quality food for much less than the meal ticket here. The only reason I imagine people like the place is it makes them feel elite. I have mixed feelings about the Ala Carte style menu. And things like Charred Tomato Soup? Come on, I can burn soup at my house, that's what it tastes like.

Bookholders - College Park, MD (38.9818949, -76.9371797) ()
4 - Molly R.: Best place to get used textbooks near UMCP. I probably find the cheapest prices here about 90% of the time. Their website is also really easy to use.
4 - Jen F.: Cheapest place to buy textbooks.  Screw the Maryland book store or the Book Exchange.

But on that note, when selling books back, you get the least money here.  Don't sell online- most of my books have decreased and been donated.  I regret doing that.  Do the 'cash now', but try selling back to one of the tents on campus first.  They pay the best in my experience.
4 - Mike S.: This place definitely had the cheapest prices for buying textbooks. It's my first stop at the beginning of the semester for books. I've never tried selling anything here yet. Basically, they take your books and sell them for you, taking a small percentage of the sales for themselves. This can take some time, and when they eventually do sell your book, they will send you a check in the mail. I'm not particularly patient, so this process doesn't work for me (I like my $$$ fast). I've heard from some friends that it is worth the wait, but again, I'm really not looking to wait a couple of months for my money.

Other than that, if you're new to UMD and don't already know that Bookholders has the cheapest prices for textbooks, well now you know. Don't go to the University Book Center or Maryland Book Exchange because about 85% of the time, they will have higher prices for what you need.

Also, if you don't already know this, go to their website and check out their terpnotes section. They may have the notes you need for some of your classes, and trust me, they help A LOT. You can also buy these notes in the store for a little bit of money.

Alright, I'm going to stop writing this review because it sounds like I work at the place, but trust me I don't.
2 - Mel S.: Don't waste your time. Just order your books from Amazon or eBay. If you do buy books from them, have them go to the back and bring you several books to look through and make sure they are in good condition with all the pages, no gross stains or strange scents, etc. Even if they find that annoying, make them go back there or you'll have to send them back there when you purchase the books and they are missing pages or something silly.
1 - Jaime J.: These people sent me a book that they said was in "good" condition -- it was not.  I returned it to them a while ago, but there has been no response.
5 - Ashley G.: I absolutely love it here.  Although I wish it were a traditional bookstore suited to browsing, you can't beat the prices.  I have gotten many, many good buys here.  It is definitely the cheapest place to get books in town.  Some of the classics are as cheap as 5 cents!
5 - Dahna S.: Bookholders is a way to get the college books you need at a low price, and with great convenience. With their help, I've managed to avoid buying a single textbook from my university's book store that has sky-high prices. I also always sell my book right back to them, so you often make back a majority of the money you've spent. Overall great customer service, friendly employees, and a good way to get cheap textbooks!
4 - Margaret Z.: Simple: 
1) Cheapest place to get your textbooks, hands down.

2) Most convenient place to sell them back at the end of the semester. You can get cash back right away (I recommend this for books that aren't really in demand) or sell them online through them (consignment-style). I usually opt for cash back, but one of my textbooks sold for almost 90% of the original price online last semester so that was awesome. They even have little tents on campus & in front of the diner where you can get cash back right away, or you can stop by their storefront on Route 1 to sell online. They are open until 11 PM usually, so very convenient.

I disagree with the review that says the books come with writing/highlighting... if you simply select the option that indicates no writing in the book, I've never had a problem with that. Sometimes there's a little pencil mark here and there, but that's why they invented erasers. I consider myself to be VERY picky when it comes to getting a book that hasn't been marked up, and I've never been disappointed by Bookholders.

-1 star because their website can be a little difficult to navigate sometimes. Given all their business, I would hope they could update to a more sophisticated webpage host but sometimes you do have to click around to access what you need.
4 - Smithen L.: This place is awesone. I have bought several books from them from under $1. I don't go to UMCP so I don't buy textbooks. However, they don't sell just textbooks; they sell all books from all wide range of topics. Plus when they buy your book, they give you a fair price. I am taking off one start because they won't actually let you see the book before buying it. All the books are stored in the basement or next door or something and they won't let you see it.

Books - Palo Alto, CA (37.4386537, -122.1592569) ()
4 - Rob M.: Good quality bookstore located at the Stanford Mall.  Decent science, social science section in particular and a reasonable selection of magazines as well.  I'm not driving too far out of my way to come here but if I'm at this mall it's a must place to stop in.
4 - Benjamin M.: A nice little book shop in the heart of Stanford Shopping Center. I've never been too amazed by their selection, but they do have depth in some areas I don't normally look in. I always feel I should be buying something, but the large number of other people perusing the shelves gives me hope when I'm not looking for a book.
5 - Delaine Z.: So far, I haven't found a book store I didn't like, and this one is certainly no exception.  It is small, a little cramped, but lots of good stuff in that space.  They also have a small assortment of some fabulous stuffed animals.  If I was an elementary teacher, I could spend a small fortune buying the animals that go with the books.  Very good selection of young readers books.
4 - Nar A.: As an independant bookstore, this place has a really good selection of materials, a wealthy supply of bargain books and helpful staff. I almost always wander into this store when I'm at Stanford Mall, and almost always leave with another book. This location is pretty small compared to the larger store in Mountain View on Castro St, but its in a good location and is usually pretty busy when I go in.
4 - Vicky B.: I had a three second experience at Books, Inc. yesterday, but it was enough to make me want to write a review. 

I went in to get a book on tattoos for a friend and was quickly approached by an employee who asked if I needed help. I asked her if they had anything on the topic and while she couldn't think of something off the top of her head, she went to go look it up in their computers. Another employee jumped in and let me know that they didn't have any books on tattoos. The first employee then recommended that I got to Rasputin Music and assured me they would have multiple book on tattoos. 

What really struck me about this, is that when I go to Borders/Barnes the employees never point me to an alternative store. If they don't have a book, their response is that they can order the book for me and I'll have it in 4-6 weeks. I just thought the employees at Books, Inc. were so helpful and understood that I wanted the book now and not in 4-6 weeks. 

I will definitely be back.
5 - Sarah P.: The staff here really knows their stuff, and I love that they have moved to the much more child friendly environment of Town & Country.  Always a pleasure, and I always find more than I came in for!
5 - Kimberly K.: I love pretty much any bookstore, and especially independent bookstars, so I'm biased.  Books Inc. has a good selection and is very browsing friendly.  Generally a decent selection on their new & noteworthy display.  I love that they have a "frequent reader" card where you get a free book after buying ten -- though if you buy more than ten at a go, they'll generally just give you 10% off the whole shebang without having to fuss with a card.  The new location has ample parking, which for me makes it more convenient than going to Kepler's and not being able to park because everyone is at Borrone.
5 - greg d.: This book store has 2 things going for it; 1. a well designed store that is inviting and comfortable to browse through and 2. a great staff whose recommondations have been spot-on for me.

I recently visited before a long trip and was nosing around on my own, when someone from the staff asked if I need help. (I rarely do ask for help because I assume their tastes are nowhere near mine) However, this time I told the woman from books, inc. that i was traveling soon and need something to read on a long trip. "I want a page turner", I said. "Oh, I just finished a new book that would be perfect", said the woman who worked there and proceeded to tell me about it. It sounded interesting so I went for it and I'm damn glad i did. It was a great book.

I am know telling all of my friends and family about the book. And the experience confirmed my commitment to local books store where this kind of relationship can still happen.
4 - M O.: Does not have the quantity that you might be used to, but so nice to be in a bookstore that doesn't feel like a chain. Kepler's, Books Inc., etc. We need smaller book sellers like this, not just the big box. 
I stop in every time I am in Town and County just to browse if I am not buying.
4 - Jillian R.: I went in not really looking for anything; just to see what it looks like inside. The environment is nice, comfortable, and really clean. I always like neat shelving, and this bookstore definitely offers that, making browsing easier and more comfortable. 

As expected, they don't have much quantity of books in stock in their store, but nevertheless, this place offers ENOUGH and all with great quality. Plus, it's always nice to support local and smaller book sellers like this, so id definitely come back if im ever in the area.
3 - Xue H.: Good selection of books, although they didn't have too many.  Nice for browsing but not really any seating anywhere...
Nice to browse after having a meal around here :) but I'd recommend the Stanford bookstore over this due to selection amount.
4 - daisy d.: I love the ambiance of a bookstore. Books Inc is quiet and air conditioned. 

Yes, it's cheaper to buy books online, but it feels good to support your local bookstore. I generally pop into this location just to browse new titles. On the rare occasion I've been looking for something specific, I generally don't find it, as it's not a large store and the selection is much, much smaller than Borders or Barnes & Noble.
5 - Jaime L.: This lovely shop is a gem to step into and get lost in.  Lost in the books, not the shop since it's small.  They have some interesting reads in nearly every category.  If I'm searching for a specific book, I'll buy it online.  If I'm in the mood to peruse for a good read that'll keep me entertained in my fort (under my sheets with a flashlight), I'll stop here. 

Some added incentive: they have a punch card that gets you a discount.  I don't recall the details, but it was something like "buy 'x' amount of books and your tenth is 40% off."
4 - Cynthia H.: I love coming here on a weekend morning and checking out their "Sale" table - I've gotten quite a few books there for $6 or $7.  You can also get a "frequent reader" card, which is a buy-10-get-one-free.  The staff are helpful and don't seem to mind if you hang around flipping through books, though there aren't really any places to sit.
4 - Cherryl D.: My Ratings:
Quantity: 4 - They have what I wanted
Quality: 4 - great condition
Price: 4 - just right
Location: 4 - nice and clean
Parking: 3 - parking lot or street parking
Service: 4 - Friendly
Speed: 3 - just right!

Overall: Nice homey bookstore, excellent reading choices, friendly staff. Will definitely come back for more books.

My Opinion/Story:
I tried this place after getting a discount coupon. Purchased several books that I've been meaning to get and was very satisfied with it.  I like the ambiance and the service. Since I got more discounted certificates, I plan to get more books.
3 - L A.: Beautiful store, well-lit and organized.  The magazine section could use an update--why are there no foreign magazine shops in the South Bay? The staff is generally super-nice but I'm subtracting two stars because I went in yesterday asking for The Catcher in the Rye and the staff member asked me if I knew the author.  I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but seriously?  Doesn't everyone know the author?  Am I being a snob about this?  I'm still thinking about the three stars and I may amend later.  I will of course continue to support the store because we have to support small book stores.    Also, all the cool author events seem to be happening at the other stores so would love to get some of the "big" authors to visit this store.
5 - Leslie M.: Have been there before and I'm sure I will go again.  Randomly stopped in today because I was driving by and had a book in mind I wanted to get.  Then realized I had bought a Groupon, but had not printed it out.  Asked the girl if there was a way for me to get it off my mobile phone.  She led me to a computer in the back and let me print it out.  I was so impressed with the service.  I was fully expecting to have to pay full price and use my Groupon another day.

Also, worth mentioning all the books are in good condition.  Whenever I go to Borders and find something I want to buy, it always seems to be the last copy and horribly beat up.
4 - Raymond M.: One of the few small ma & pa independent bookstores, Books, Inc. was a store you must visit often.  My favorite section in bookstores was the bargain section.  Books, Inc. bargain section was better than Barnes & Noble and Borders.  The bookstore was turn back the clock for me going to true bookstores that was small and cozy.
5 - Diana C.: Awesome selection with books that captivate. We couldn't leave the place. The sales table weren't the rejects. Perfect for finding "that gift" for someone you know really well. I'll definitely come back.
5 - Audrey B.: I love Books Inc. They have a diverse selection of books and always seem to have what I'm looking for. I like their favorites tables and staff suggestions, and they have a frequent buyer card that allows you to get a discounted book after you fill up the card. Great location, easy parking, friendly staff.
2 - Cath M.: Came in here looking for some creative inspiration to browse and to buy... design magazines and design books ... BUT... they hardly had anything. They didn't even have the normal "Print" "How" and "Communication Arts" on their magazine racks. Their design book selection were non-existent. 

Probably the least helpful "Books" location I've been to...
5 - Pat M.: Nice little bookstore. I went in a little unsure about exactly what I was looking for, and the salesperson was extremely helpful. She also immediately offered to order anything I wasn't able to find. I know most bookstores will do this, but I liked the fact she proactively put it on the table without me needing to ask. The selection was good without being cramped feeling. Nice variety of employee selections in each section as well. I wound up picking up a few things, and started one of their stamp cards; not sure what the details are on that or how long it takes to get freebies.
3 - Ellen L.: i enjoy the mountain view location so much that i was pleasantly surprised to find another one of these bookstores in palo alto's town and country village.  this location is smaller since they don't have a cafe upstairs, so everything is on one floor.  as far as the layout is concerned, i do feel a bit more cramped at this one since the displays and shelves appear to be tighter, closer together.  there is one bench near the magazines section, as well as some chairs scattered throughout the store, but on a busier day, it is hard to get a seat.  i try to go during "off peak" hours so that i can read the paper (in peace and quiet), browse the magazine section, and check out the newest bestsellers.  they also carry greeting cards, children's books and toys.

Books, Inc. - Palo Alto, CA (37.4381851, -122.1585488) ()
5 - Sheralee I.: May 22, 2010 at 11 AM on Saturday, Come to Books, Inc. 855 El Camino Real, Town and Country Shopping Center, Palo Alto, CA.(next to Hobee's).  Sheralee Hill Iglehart B.S., M.A., Reading Specialist. Currently, a Substitute Teacher who gives Private Reading Lessons and Book Talks coast to coast, reads her new book, "COUGH IN YOUR SHIRT, BERT! , on May 22, 2010 at 11 AM, Saturday! This special children's author's event is called BOOKS, INC, Picture Book Pals, Come to the event located at rear of store in the new Palo Alto Bookstore, BOOKS, INC.!  Author will personally autograph your purchased copy of "COUGH IN YOUR SHIRT, BERT!" to your child after the reading!  Press Release 2010.
Come and join the fun.with Sheralee as she reads her book, with Bert puppet!! FUN on SATURDAY at 11 AM, MAY 22, 2010.  All are invited who are interested in children's books ages 3-10.                  Free.                                                     
"A must have book during the flu season for children. Filled with important facts  ( for the older child or adult to read) to help your child avoid colds and flu. Stay healthy with Bert and his friends!".....Barny Books Review
5 - Daniel Y.: I love the variety of books they have. Since Border's closed down and the only book chain I know locally is Barnes and Nobel. The people at Books Inc are at least nicer and less rude than when I shop at B&N.
4 - Cathy E.: Not the biggest bookstore, but what they have is first-rate, especially the fiction and children's sections. I love to check out what is new and the staff recommendations. An extremely pleasant browsing environment, and that's what bookstores are all about for me! So sad that Books Inc. is an endangered species. I loved the one at Town & Country San Jose (now Santana Row with no bookstore since Borders closed).
5 - Tracy B.: The Palo Alto Books, Inc. has become a sanctuary for whenever I need to kill time in the area-- such as to wait on a Caltrain, a dinner reservation, or my boyfriend to finish his cyber-commute from the nearby Peet's.

The staff is much more helpful than larger chain bookstores, and I appreciate that!  I also love the frequent buyer cards, because apparently I buy here more than I realize ;)  You can also use the cards at any of their other locations, such as on Chestnut in SF.

The recommendations written on the shelves for certain titles are an adorable touch, and accurate.  The biography and history departments are awesome, and I have been steadily purchasing my way through their inventory.

Please shop at a Books, Inc, instead of a larger chain.  Also, it is so much more fun to spend a leisurely bit of time perusing here versus online shopping on Amazon.  Help keep this local business thriving!  It is a gem!
4 - Sam L.: Oh, goodness. How precious is this place? The minute I enter Books, Inc., I feel like I have stumbled upon a little shop in the heart of a small town, and I love it. 

The shopping experience is just so personal here. My favorite part is the staff recommendations, each written by hand on an index card and signed with the staff member's name. There is a special detached shelf full of a variety of these staff picks, as well as a few index carded books dotting the various genre sections. This loving touch is what keeps me coming back.

Another cute perk is the "Frequent Reader Club," a little card to stick in your wallet which allows you to buy 10 books and get one book FREE!!! at the average price you spent on those 10 books. For each book purchased, the cashier writes his/her initials next to the price of the book on the card's dedicated lines. Then, after 10 books, they average the price of each purchase, and that amount goes to your next book. 

Of course, it's also just fun to browse around in Books, Inc., while conducting other business in Town and Country. With just 13 locations, all in Northern California, I can't resist supporting this rare independent bookseller.
4 - Sparkely K.: For years I've been so smitten with Borders and Amazon.com for books that I've neglected our local bookstores. With the end of Borders and my impatience waiting a week or so for books from Amazon, I've renewed my love for stores such as Books Inc.  They've had whatever I'm looking for despite the PA store being somewhat small, and the service has been terrific. What's best is that after I purchase 10 books I get one free (based on average purchase price of first 10).  It's moments from home and a wonderful small business to support.
4 - Jenny M.: Love how they host Q&A sessions with authors now.
5 - Juliana T.: You welcomed my dog so warmly as I shopped. Thank you.
4 - Liz J.: This is a really nice bookstore, though it is fairly small. It's in a great location and the inside of the store is really lovely and inviting.

The staff are really helpful and I enjoy their "Staff Picks" book section--it always seems to have a good mix of new releases and older books. Their frequent reader club, as others have mentioned, is also a nice bonus for customers.

One negative for me was their extremely small selection of poetry. Given that this bookstore is across the street from Stanford, I would expect there to be a few more poetry books. I know it's a small store, but their poetry selection consisted of only two shelves!! With all the great poets at Stanford (on faculty or via the Stegner fellowship), I wish Books, Inc. would feature more poetry books--especially from "local" poets!

Aside from books, Books Inc. also has a pretty good selection of cards, journals, etc. They have tons of Moleskins as well as cards from some nice brands, like Rifle Paper Co. 

As a final note, they also offer a lot of events with writers, which I've heard good things about. Definitely a place to check out!
5 - Ryan L.: Books, Inc. is a great bookstore chain and one that I like to support as often as I can. This Books, Inc. It's located in the Town & Country Village off El Camino.

I think this store is bigger than the one in Mountain View but not as big as the one in Berkeley. I may be wrong though. The store has a good selection of interesting books.

I like the local feeling of this bookstore and the friendliness you don't get from a chain. I enjoy the large number of notes and staff picks around the store.

If you're in the area, this is the place to go for a good book.
2 - Bryant C.: Not too much selection. Helpful staff though.
4 - Lily L.: Nice little bookstore in a cramped clustermuck of a shopping center. "village".

It's small but well curated. All of the bestsellers there. A litte section on Palo Alto history, 

When I walked in someone had tied there dog to a post outside. A big dog with a lot of hair. He just stood, stoicly. Waiting.

When I came back out there was a posse of "villagers" surrounding the dog.,
"Who tied this dog?" "Should we go inside and find the owner?" Etc, etc. Hahaha.
I'm a horrible person. I think dogs will be okay if you run into a store for a few minutes. This guy was no purse dog. I don't think he wanted to go in that bookstore anyway.

Consumers inside were very old. Venerable ancestors. And I wanted to everthing to
go quick so I could get my big hairy dog. Just kidding. But checkout took FOREVER.
And people were paying with exact change. What a concept.
This store is too small to relax in. But too laid back to quick run in and out of.

I'm going to try to stick to used book buying and librarying. Much better for the 
environment. But I do love books and book stores, Including this one.

Boom Noodle - Seattle, WA (47.6626542, -122.299099) (University District)
4 - Stella Y.: I love my noodle soup, but I have never been to either of the Boom Noodle locations.  I never find myself in Bellevue and I hate parking in downtown Seattle.  So imagine my excitement when I saw that Boom Noodle opened its doors to public today!  

Since I am a Boom Noodle virgin, I wanted to stay close to the standards.  I ordered the cucumber mint fizz which was absolutely delicious. Sweetened but not sugary and refreshing.  The Tokyo ramen's broth was good and and I liked that there was decent portions of pork but the noodles were a little too soft and perhaps a little overcooked.  I'm willing to cut them some slack only because it was their grand opening day.  The okonomiyaki was yummy and it's nice to know there's somewere close by that served this.  Lots of pork pieces and cabbage.

All in all, the portions were good, everything was tasty, and the prices were reasonable.  I am definitely coming back to check out their happy hour!
4 - Kelly L.: Went with the family yesterday on a warm Seattle evening. Great space inside and out, a new visual texture for U Village. Nice addition!

At such a place in which there are many types of noodles etc, the worry is always that there is no focus and variety will take place over making any one style well. Happily, all the dishes we sampled were actually quite good (and I'm part Japanese and part Cantonese!). Among the 4 of us, we tried 2 kids meals with tokyo ramen and the gyoza. Both tasty and surprisingly good. The kids enjoyed the wooden (bamboo?) kids chopsticks. The  pho also was tasty as was the curry noodle soup (a tad salty). Subtle and good flavors all around.

The green tea though I would skip, had an off chlorine flavor (I HOPE they didn't use straight tap, bleh). Would have to try again to know if it was in the brew or water or leaves or whatnot.

The staff was attentive and friendly and amazingly tolerant of our 2 year old who mistook the booth for a jungle gym and noodle toss.

We'll be back! Lots more noodles and dishes to try. Welcome Boom!

Since another reviewer has compared the new Boom to Zao in U Village, I must append a note regarding the two restaurants. At least based on our one meal at Boom and 3-4 previous ones at Zao, the food at Boom was better, less bland, more together, and the space inside is considerably less noisy than Zao (impossible to have a conversation when it is crowded).
4 - Patricia E.: At last, Boom has arrived.  Sorry, Zao - but you especially need to pay attention to the basics here:  

1)  Boom offers flavorful noodle soups and stir-fry -- love the spicy beef udon...2) Tasty apps...recommend their edamame dip - so light & healthy but still manages to be tasty...3) their drink menu (alcohol bevs) are creative and more importantly, strong (!)...4) stylish, sleek contemporary surroundings...5) they have a great Happy Hour (this applies to all locations)!

Class adjouned, Zao.
4 - Micah A.: Went with a friend for lunch to celebrate my birthday. Thoughts described below:

Food

Ordered the Yasai Yakisoba. Great portions. Lots of vegetables, which I don't like but I'm counting it as a good thing since you should eat your veggies. It had a little bit of spice, which was great. The fried tofu was a little cold, which leads me to believe they make it separately and let it sit, but it still tasted okay.

Setting

I like the way this place is set up. They put us in the back near the bar, and the seats are C-shaped with a lot of room and cushions. There were TVs everywhere playing baseball (yay!) and NASCAR (boo). Everything was clean. The only slight negative was that the only TV in view with the Mariner game playing was directly above this stunning woman, and I'm pretty sure she thought I was staring at her. Maybe if the Mariners were better it would make more sense that I was watching the game, but they're terrible so I can see why that wouldn't be the first thing on her mind.

Service

Service was friendly but not very pushy. It was a hot day so she brought out extra water in a pitcher, and she still stopped by later to pour our glasses. Not bad at all. 

Price

Price made sense for the amount of food, but was still on the slightly pricier side for any Asian-inspired restaurant. I'd say it accurately reflected the meal, but may still but a couple extra dollars more than it should be for a casual place in U-Village.

Overall, not bad. The food didn't wow me, but it wasn't bad, and everything else was nice so I'd probably still go back.
3 - Jerome B.: I decided to come here with my cousin, mom, and aunt after driving several hours from north washington state. We get in the entrance of the restaurant and it looks really nice. The decoration was very chic and the ambiance seemed very exciting. The wait was about 20 minutes, but there was opened seating at the bar so we just proceeded to sit ourselves there. 

The service was bad, to say the least. It took them like 15 minutes for them to come to us and ask if we wanted waters. Mind you, that although the restaurant side of this establishment was busy, the bar was pretty empty. I even had to walk to another table to grab a few menus because we only had one menu on the table when we arrived. I was basically a waiter there, because I also had to grab napkins and chopsticks from their cart situated on the wall. Really?? Wow... I gotta do this shit by myself. That's awesome.

The only thing that saved this review is that the food is actually pretty good. I enjoyed the edamame puree with the sweet potato chips. The puree tastes so refreshing and the chips are a great compliment to this appetizer. I ordered the shio ramen without the shiitake mushrooms. This tasted really good. It had chicken, a very tasty broth, some vegetables. 

If the service was better this would have been a 4 star review, but in this case and in this sitting, it just wasn't completely satisfying.
4 - A.J. S.: I love Okanamiyaki. The name is derived from the word okonomi, meaning "what you like" or "what you want", and yaki meaning "grilled" or "cooked". It's definitely what I like. The downside of this is, there aren't many places that have this dish. Moving to Seattle I was excited to eat as much of this as possible, However I haven't found a ton of places with it.

Boom noodles has it, and it was FABULOUS. It was cooked great, the toppings were interesting, though I admit I am skeptical of how authentic jalapenos are to Japanese cooking. The servers were very nice. We also have spring rolls which were good. Overall, totally worth going back to.
4 - Samantha C.: I was impressed immediately by the trendy decor. After finding my friends through this iron curtain... thing, I was impressed that our booth felt very private and intimate. 

We had the Boom Edamame Puree to start, served with sweet potato crisps. While the dish was tasty, they kind of skimped on the crisps, we had a ton of puree left over. 

I ordered the Miso Ramen, and being a die-hard ramen lover, I was very impressed by the flavor, texture of the noodles, and restraint of saltiness. When I finished, I felt warm and fuzzy inside, like a good bowl of ramen should.

 I really enjoyed the place, other than the brief moment of screaming child, I would definitely go back and try more of their dishes. I thought it was fairly priced, and I think its a great place to have an inexpensive, casual date or fun with friends.
2 - Mike Y.: Nothing really to recommend here.  Service was friendly, but very inconsistent and then our order was confused and we received the wrong dish.  Dirty bowls were brought for the soup, too.  Not very appetizing.  The best thing was the edamame spread.  Probably won't return.
3 - Leimalani F.: You got that Boom Boom happy hour! 

Great happy hour prices for appetizers and small plates. $3.50 - $6. COOL!
We sampled: 
The ahi poke tacos - 4 fried wonton tacos filled with grated pickled daikon and fresh ahi. No distinct poke taste, but add a little ground chili oil and voila! These were very fun to eat. (Not on happy hour but not expensive).

Edamame hummus with sweet potato chips and marinated eggplant slices (clearly the winner on the table).

Shrimp tempura - fried in shredded filo. Nothing special other then the ume flavored cucumbers, which our nice server described as kimchee... Duh, that is NOT kimchee, but whatever cute-non-asian girl.

Summer rolls (again, nothing special here, but they tasted good). Note, these are summer rolls b/c they are not fried. Spring rolls are fried. But again, whatever awesome-non-asian happy hour having restaurant!

Drinks were pretty ok. I had the Shiso mojito and the Boom Bloody Mary. Both were not very strong, but the concepts were interesting. The mojito had very little shiso or mint flavor (or alcohol flavor haha) and the bloody mary had ume salt around the glass that kind of clashed with the whole thing.  Too bad because it sounded really good. I kind of wished that the ume salt was on the mojito?

Anyways. I'll be back for BEERS and more happy hour appetizers. TWO happy hours (3 - 6) and again after 9pm (I think). The also have sake flights.
4 - Angie K.: A solid place for an after work casual dinner with your sweetheart. 

Pluses:
All the entrees are around 10 bucks, give or take a couple of bucks.
Service is basic but friendly and perfectly OK.
They have cocktails.
They have lots of outdoor seating.

Minuses:
Don't sit in the non-bar area unless you want to be surrounded by dozens of children. Loud children. Loud. Children. Never again!! But good news: the best outdoor seating is in the bar area, and the inside of the bar has plenty of seating too.
2 - CJ B.: We are consistently disappointed in BN in both U Village and on Capitol Hill. The decor is cool, the menu looks interesting and the food (when it comes) is well presented but there are so many places that do this food better and cheaper.  And we agree abut the poor service.  At the Capitol Hill location we had to wait almost an hour for three dishes when the place wasn't even half full!

Try Zao across the Village.
2 - Edwin W.: I really had high hopes for this place, particularly because I've had good experiences at the Capitol Hill location. I suggested this place to go with a group of people. I'm really annoyed when I suggest a place that fails to deliver.

This was my second trip to this location. My first visit was for happy hour with two other people. Good service at the bar, attentive, accurate orders, received a dish on the house (albeit it was a mistake from another table). Good atmosphere overall.

Today was my second trip, which was not so successful. The katsu curry, which I've had before was bland and under seasoned. The chicken pieces were way to big for this type dish that you're supposed to eat with chop sticks. Seemed like a rush job in preparing my plate, which was the third out of five to arrive at the table. None of the dishes arrived at once. The time elapsed between the first and last dish was about 10 minutes, which is totally unacceptable considering there were only five people. Complaints from other dishes included "the seafood donburi was bland, not enough seafood" and "the phad thai noodles were too firm".

The staff appeared as if it were in disarray. The kitchen was packed to the gills. It appeared this operation just had too many people. The confused our appetizer, as they brought spring rolls out twice. Yet, for a restaurant that had so much staff, the waiter was slow and confused. All and all another disappointing U-Village dining experience.
3 - Jaime C.: We have been here twice the man and I.  We can walk here so that's pretty good.  First time was meh.  Kinda sorta okay service and nothing to get in a tizzy about food.  Second time was better...and the only reason I say better is because of Boom's Happy Hour.  Their prices are FAB for happy hour.  We got   a couple drinks each and food and cruised outta there for under 30 bucks.  5 buck martinis?  um...yes please!  Service was still meh, but hey for those prices i'm kinda fine with it.  You work ok for me Boom.
4 - Queen Anne m.: Fabulous kids bento box!  That alone will have us returning.
3 - Chelsea J.: Boom is a new Asian fusion noodle restaurant in U-Village. The interior is modern and a little sterile looking and pretty spacious. I sat at the bar and had the fresh rolls and pad thai. The fresh rolls were okay, 4 small rolls for $4.50. Nothing to write home about, wouldn't order them again. The flavor just seemed a little strange to me and I usually love fresh rolls.

The pad thai was good! Prices for entrees are reasonable, the pad thai was $9.50. Not the best I've had but I did like that the dish came with tofu and chicken and the tofu was tasty. (This is coming from someone who would never choose tofu over meat, maybe I'll consider changing my tune.) You don't choose the meat for the pad thai. The menu listing says it comes with chicken and tofu. Spicy level was mild to medium, I'd prefer more kick. The portion was huge! Ate some at the restaurant, had some for lunch the next day and still didn't eat all of it.

Prices were reasonable, wide range of options. Trendy place to get a quick lunch or casual dinner. Happy hour is every day 3-6pm.

I'd like to go back to Boom Noodle and try more of their dishes. Menu items range from yakisoba to coconut curry.
5 - rikkirachelle h.: Delicious food and trendy ambiance.
2 - Tarah M.: I'm all for Asian Fusion but I wasn't too excited about Boom Noodle.  I expected the boom and all I got was mostly blech.

The positives include:
* Attentive and fast service (although we were served by 3 different people and they got our bill a little mixed up)
* Snazzy decor
* Outdoor patio
* Vegetarian options

The negatives include:
* A little too attentive service (as one of my former co-workers was still working on her meal when the server asked her twice if she was done AND reached for her plate when she said no)
* Shiitake soba soup was a too sweet for my taste
* Spring rolls and miso broiled rice cakes WERE tasty but at $4.50 and $5, are too much

I experienced the boom and won't be back.
3 - Pam I.: Boom Noodle was our first stop after checking into our hotel near U.W. - we'd heard it was the new place to try in University Village.  I loved the planters outside and the sleek looking "Boom" sign over the walkway.  Inside, the decor was cool and modern - and the noise level was very, very high.  Granted, the restaurant was busy, but it still seemed very noisy inside.  Luckily, we were seated outside in the patio.

Our waiter was very pleasant and friendly.  We got two glasses of water and he left a corked bottle of water (room temp.) on the table.  I think there was a sad little piece of lime on the bottom.  The cork was a bit difficult to remove - it was one of those thingees that you have to flip a metal piece over and then loosen the cork.  (Well, maybe I'm just uncoordinated...)

My daughter had beef yakisoba, which she said was as good as my homemade yakisoba, but not as good as what she had in Japan.  (So she knows where to go if she's craving mom's yakisoba when she's at U.W. and has a few extra $$ in her pocket...)  

I had the Vietnamese noodle salad.  I liked the drizzle of hoisin sauce around the edge of the plate, the abundance of thin, al dente rice noodles, and the grilled chicken.  I didn't quite understand why they placed the stalk of basil on top of my salad; they could have put it to the side with the flask of dressing, or on a separate plate.  I know some people don't care for basil so I understand why they didn't toss it into the salad, but it still looked out-of-place.

We may try some other dishes at Boom Noodle sometime.  The patio was nice on a summer evening and the food was okay.
5 - Jessica N.: This is definitely the best ramen place I've ever been.  The restaurant has a sleek, chic design and also has a really nice outdoor seating area, so I didn't have to worry about any of the noise inside.  

I had the yuzu eggdrop ramen, which had little chili peppers and was the perfect amount of spicy.  The coconut curry was also excellent, as were the specialty juice drinks (I tried the pear, cucumber, and lemonade and thought the pear was probably the best).  I also tried the pork bun and spring roll appetizers, but I didn't think those were worth the cost.

I'd definitely come back anytime to try some of the other things on the menu.
3 - Linda K.: Meh..... Food was nothing special. I had chicken teriyaki and my husband had beef  yakisoba maybe I should have gone with one of the less mainstream noodle dishes. What we had was just ok. 
I did like the edamame paste with chips. Hated the lemonaid. Liked the cucumber mint fizz concoction. 
Probably will not be back.
4 - Sharad A.: Kimchi ramen was great. Fresh apple juice too!
1 - Kimberlee E.: I've been to the Capitol Hill location. Great ramen there, and I love the edamame puree. I wish I could say that I've had the same experience at U. Village. I attempted a visit on a Sunday with my family (which includes 3 small kids). We walked in at 11:40 and were told lunch service starts in 20 minutes. We returned at noon, to have the very same hostess tell us that breakfast had ended and that lunch would begin at 12:30. What?! With so many dining options in U.Village, this place will not last by turning people away from an empty restaurant at noon on a weekend. Ridiculous.
4 - Thigh C.: Personally I don't like Asian Fusion cuisines but my friend was starving while hanging out at U village so we decided to give it a try.

Likes:

1. I knew this place to be Asian fusion so I didn't expect something decent. But I was wrong. I ordered the shiitake soba and it's really good.

Dislikes:

1. You have to add 1.50 bucks to have a beef Pho? (7.50 for a regular chicken or tofu).

2. Kind a overpriced. 

3. The server is not attentive. We were waiting for our glass to be filled with water and he is minding his own business. I called him. Then he gave us a bottle of water (from the tap). I think this should be the first thing the server should do. Just leave a bottle of water.

I'm still giving 4 stars because the food was good. The server was un-attentive but not rude.
3 - H. L.: This is a somewhat Westernized Japanese restaurant that serves OK but a little overpriced food in very chic surroundings. I have been here three times so far, and their food is decent, but not quite as good as identical dishes you can find in the International District. Example: the katsu curry I had here was not as good as the one at Fort St. George, and the ramen is, in my opinion (and those of Japanese acquaintances), not as good as what Samurai Noodle serves. Boom is also slightly overpriced, charging around $3 more than what you would pay in the I-District.

However, Boom shouldn't be written off because of this. Their U-Village location is quite convenient and, like I said, very chic and modern. This is a great date restaurant. However, if making a good impression on your dinner companion is a lower priority than good food, then consider going elsewhere.
2 - Desiree V.: I had heard so many great things about this place, so I was super excited to try it for the first time. 

We ordered the salt and pepper tofu for a starter, which we both really liked, but would have like some dipping sauce to go with it. 

I ordered some of the "ramen" and he had beef yakisoba. We both agreed that both entrees were very mediocre. Nothing special at all. I was pretty disappointed. 

Save your money and buy Top Ramen.
2 - Christina B.: I've been to Boom Noodle twice. The first time I ordered the Mizuna Salad, since I really love kabocha. Everything was tasty, and I liked that there were so many ingredients and greens, but it was *soaked* in a vinaigrette that made it very oily and hard for me to really finish.

Second time, I went with a friend and had the miso-broiled rice cakes and edamame puree. Again, too much grease. The edamame puree came with slices of cucumber and eggplant and the eggplant was soggy and shiny with grease. The edamame puree also didn't have much flavor. The miso-broiled rice cakes were good but they came with way too many sauces and ingredients. Also, $4.50??
3 - Alice R.: In a pinch, Boom Noodle is a great little place to meet up with friends with something for everyone in the asian fusion noodle department.  But, I have a higher bar for ramen so I was disappointed in the Miso Ramen.  First of all, I prefer to sprinkle the black sesame seeds on my own.  And when I say "sprinkle," it's maybe 5-6 little seeds not half the jar! Otherwise, 
setting and service was nice so I give you points back for that.  If all you really crave is a nice hot steamy bowl of soup and noodles, this place will do.
5 - Kay N.: I went to the bar, got quick service, waiter was attentive and the food was good!! I got ramen and enjoyed it very much.  It came out quick too! The drinks were good and the names were very creative :)
I love the ambience of the restaurant--very modern and chic.
3 - Cat C.: Tasty and for a good price.

We stopped in shortly after landing at Sea-Tac and had a late lunch. I had the shio ramen with pork -- the broth was tasty but not as hot as I like it to be but the pork was the tastiest pork I've had in ramen. Husband had the katsu curry and cleaned his plate so I guess it was good. Friends had the katsu curry too and the okonomiyaki. We were all full, happy campers within a hour of sitting down in our booth. 

Service was quick but our server never asked me if I wanted a refill on my soda. Maybe they don't give refills, I'll never know?
3 - Kristen C.: Everyone I know complains that this place is "just trendy" (with no substance) or that everything is too salty.  Here is my take on Boom Noodle at the University Village:

Short version:  The small plates are great, the main courses are salty and oily.

I ordered the Edamame Puree and Ahi Tacos.  I liked both, especially the edamame puree.  Both are small plate dishes that are good as mini meals after shopping.  The Puree is light and refreshing, as well as the Tacos.  But the tacos are more difficult to eat (without getting messy).  I ended up just breaking the shells into bite size pieces and scooping up the ahi poke.

I also had the Pike Street Pear.  Don't get this.  The taste is NOT worth the price.  While you do get that "fresh" juice taste, the taste is still not very appealing (perhaps too much ginger).

My friend ordered the Miso Ramen and said it was good.  But I know my ramen, and looking at her soup I could tell the soup base was too salty (and oily).  This was later confirmed by my other friends who have eaten there.

I would go to Boom again, but only for the small plates.

One more note:  If you go during lunch, expect a lot of "moms and kids".
2 - Roy E.: OMG, worst ramen I've had ever. I've ordered a yuzu eggdrop ramen.
It had chicken carrots, shiso, red chilli flake and citrus taste to the clear broth. Seriously my instant ramen w/ egg drops definitely taste better than this. My wife ordered the beef yakisoba which it was ok, and also ordered boom edamame puree. Yuck...
3 - Melody P.: It was ok considering it's not authentic Asian food. Once a while, I'd eat some fake Asian food somewhere. 
I had the Spicy Beef Udon. The flavor was good. I think it's the seasoning from cumin. However, the beef in my soup was too chewy and the soup was a bit too salty. As far as the service went, it was ok! But, it's a Saturday afternoon. What can you say?
3 - Cindy T.: Boom Noodle brings in a sophisticated twist in modern Pan-Asian cuisine. Upon walking through the huge wood-like model doors, I could tell that the interior and layout was thoroughly planned out. Modern structure and seating. Very nice! We were greeted right away, and something I liked about what the hostess asked was if we wanted a booth or a table. BOOTH for me! Comfy, plushy seats. 

Anyway, we sat down, got our drinks and got our menu handed promptly. The waiter even introduced herself, kept checking back on us. We noticed other people's orders as we looked around-and they had these huge bowls of soup. As a result, my friend got pho, and I, the coconut curry. For some reason I thought it was going to be Thai or Indian style of curry (with the side rice and small bowl of strong curry). However, I was wrong. They brought out the same type of huge bowls out to us. And my "curry" was in noodle form....hm, I guess makes sense since the name of the restaurant is Boom Noodle. Nevertheless, it was a different way to have my curry. Now that I think about it, its not really curry...but more of a heavy soup base with coconut flavor, and pho noddles mixed in. I was disappointed when I received it. I have to admit that it wasn't my favorite, and wished that I opted to try salad instead. 

Our waiter was very good-always checking up on us consistently, friendly. Lots of seating, fun, modern style restaurant with a Asian twist on cuisine. Good to try maybe once OR twice...but I think there are better places around instead of hitting the high end of wallet for your noodles.
3 - Chani B.: Its been a mixed bag of bomb at boom. Ive been 3 times and the first two times,we ordered appetizers. I think we have had all of them at this point and we only like 2;the spring rolls and the shrimp. The mushroom with beef tasted like 30 year old beef jerky. In future I will stick to the pho 
( beef yummy) and any noodle or rice dish ( safe) I prefer hole in the wall pho places and I know its purely atmospheric,but I miss that last restaurant that used to be there ( of which I cannot remember their name;so sad) (tear)
3 - Eric F.: Food is decent, but not really outstanding, and a bit pricey for what you get. If you're after ramen, you'll get a better meal at Aloha Ramen in Greenwood, which is about $2 cheaper and rather more authentic. The place is outfitted with modern decor, I guess to try to attract the hip crowd; I wish they would have invested that kind of effort in the food to make it really top notch. 

Not saying I wouldn't go again, I just wouldn't go out of my way.
1 - Benjamin K C.: I usually don't right bad reviews about places, but my experience today was kinda sucky. We had 5 people and and ordered the Kimchi Ramen, my friend ordered the Tokyo Ramen. When the ramen came, the noodles tasted mushy, like plastics... we asked for a re-do, but they still tasted the same. I was really surprised that the chef did not taste the ramen before serving them the second time after we have told them that the noodles was inedible. You will never find a ramen place serve this quality of ramen. Shame on them for calling themselves a noodle specialty restaurant. 

Other then that, the previous time I went to this particular branch, the server was really busy and did not really have time to take care of our table. We even have to grab our own chopsticks after the food was here! Failed. I usually don't care about the service, but the the price you are paying, I think we deserve a little better service than this.
3 - Midge C.: Boom is alright. I think it's a nice addition to U Village's food options, and the place was packed when we came in for lunch on a Sunday. We had to wait 20 minutes for a table, but the hostess took my phone number so we could walk around while we waited (love that). The boyfriend and  I can kill a lot of time at Mrs. Cook's!

I had kimchi pork ramen, which was nice and spicy with generous cuts of pork. The BF had yakisoba which was not that great. We also had a pretty good plate of calamari. 

I'm not in love with the place, but I'm sure I'll stop by again!
3 - Lindy M.: Was at U Village the other day and wanted to get take out from Zao - I love their cold grilled pork w/ vermicelli. What? They were closed just after lunch - it looks like they actually closed the business. SO I went over to Boom to order the same and compare. Well, it didn't compare. It was boring and I won't be trying that again. The hostess was very nice but the person that brought it out of the kitchen to bring me the order just placed it in my hands in a crummy plastic bag and it wasn't tied. I almost lost it on the way to my car - duh! 
Atmosphere was awesome - looked like a nice place to meet with friends, just don't order what I did.
Zao - where are you?
3 - Phan Y.: Good but not delicious! If you've ever had Zen noodle (which is a very short walk away), then you can pretty much say you've have Boom noodle as well. The menu is loaded with noodles from all over Asia, which is good cause I'm all sorts of Asian!  I don't think I'll be coming back though, the prices are a little higher than I'd like to pay.  I don't like paying 8 bucks for Pho, or 10 bucks for yakisoba noodles (unless its family sized).  The only advangtage of this place is if one day you looked up aimlessly at the sky and quietly whispered to yourself, "hmmmm.... I want some sort of asian noodle, but I'm not sure which kind." Then my friends.... this is the place for you!!
2 - Tanya S.: Meh!  I wanted to like Boom Noodle because I like ramen and there just aren't too many places where you can find good ramen.  Sadly, Boom Noodle did not deliver.

We had the Kimchi ramen, curry katsu, and salt and pepper tofu.  The portions are huge, but not really that great.  I think that this is a mediocre asian fusion restaurant, with the selling point trying to be trendy to appeal to American customers.  For me, it's a step above Zao Noodle Bar (which I hate) and a step below P.F. Changs (which is ok for what you expect).   Since I am particular about my noodle dishes, I am probably a bit biased.  I know I can get far better at a hole in the wall restaurant in the ID, so the trendy factor really doesn't do anything for me.  The kimchi ramen was not served hot, which just added to the already mushy texture of noodles and oily kimchi flavor.  I can't imagine anyone messing up curry katsu, it was decent, but nothing spectacular.  The salt and pepper tofu was too cutesy and not tasty.  A pile of salt and pepper on one end and luke warm tofu on the other.  No sauce... dipping dry tofu in a pile of salt and pepper is not exactly what I had mind.  Luckily, Sriracha makes everything better! :)

The redeeming qualities are that it adds to the mix of choices in UVillage.  It is spacious and the bar has several large TVs and a good selection of drinks where I think that it would be a nice place to sit and enjoy a drink or two while watching a game, if you were looking for an alternative to a sports bar.  No complaints about the customer service either, which is what bumped this up to a two star rating.
4 - Lori M.: Always happy to find an option in U Village. Plus, it's great to have the soupy ramen option on a cold rainy day (and the sweet ice cream crepe option on a hot day!! lol). 

The interior was much nicer than I expected given that it's in a shopping center (albeit it is the U Village). My friend and I got a huge dark wooden booth to ourselves. 

My server recommended one of the pork ramens substituting the broth with a kimchee broth. It was tasty, and adding a bunch of sriracha helped knock the spice level to the right place. 

I wouldn't seek this place out unless I was in the UVillage, but once you're there, it's a fine option.
4 - Josh H.: I must say, I'm am surprised by the negative reviews. Their service is not always the best, and yes, on occasion they have some odd changes in the menu that seem arbitrary. 

But I disagree about the quality of the food. I think their chicken teryaki is yum (order extra sauce). Their beef/brocoli with peppers is also delicious. Their edamame puree and yam chips appetizer is good.  My 7 year old daughter loves their chicken ramen or their bento boxes. 

In Seattle, you have many options for going to an 'authentic' Asian restaurant. It seems like Boom Noodle gets quite a bit of bashing because its clearly targeting a more mainstream audience. If your goal was to get something authentic, then why would you go to a restaurant full of white people in a shopping mall? 

A welcome addition to the U-Village restaurant scene.
4 - Mary N.: My friend and I came in after I had gotten my haircut. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not a very big "noodle soup" fan, but I really enjoyed my soup. I had the egg drop soup, and my friend had the ramen. We were both very satisfied after our meal.

Another really nice aspect of the restaurant was the bartender (Chris? Christopher? Christian? Something like that.) He was super helpful in picking out something to eat (actually asked what our general preferences were...it was a Christmas miracle). I felt very confident when ordering based on his recommendations. It was a good moment.

The reason they lost a star is because they took SO long with our appetizer. It came out after we had finished our soups, and I was a little disappointed about that fact. But it was absolutely delicious, so the timing didn't totally hose over their review.

I would say give it a go.
3 - Allan W.: Went to BOOM Noodle with the in-laws and 2 kids, 4 and 7. Having lived in Osaka, Japan for 1 1/2 yrs, I was intrigued by some of the menu offerings. Okonomiyaki is a fun street vendor/fast food dish I had not had for years. "Grilled whateveryoulike" would be an approximate translation, describing a savory cabbage egg-foo-yung type pancake. Why did they think they could make it better by adding jalapenos? Overall, it was good, but served on a cold plate, it got cold fast.

I also had another cold dish, this time I expected it to be cold.  "Spicy Sesame Tofu", was good. Simple, understated, just like the real thing, it consisted of four large-ish cubes of firm tofu, each atop a small bed of sweet chili sauce, garnished with a slice of cucumber and chopped scallions. I felt a garnish of bonito flakes was missing, however-an attempt to keep it vegan friendly.

The kids split a chicken teriyaki, which was moist, tender, and excellent overall , the sauce not too overbearing. Why so skimpy on the rice? We had to look for it under the salad. The Japanese like rice.
The "Coconut Curry Soup" was good, basically a variant of Thai "Tom Ka Gai" soup, with rice noodles added. The "domburi" my father-in-law ordered was not served in a domburi bowl, but on a platter. Why? Rice gets cold faster this way.

Our waiter was a 20-something pierceling with the stretched out earlobes. A pleasant enough fellow, but wet behind the ears, and not inclined at this stage in his life to know automatically what kids need.  My son said the water served at the table tasted like swimming pool water, and I had to agree.

Overall, I would rate BOOM Noodle 3 1/2 stars, but Yelp won;t let me do the half thing. Boom, until you heat the plates for serving hot dishes, and do something about the water, I gotta give you 3 stars. We would happily eat there again.
3 - Sarah R.: This review is based on one visit... so far.

I thought the food was mighty tasty! We went in there this evening because we really couldn't decide where we wanted to go eat.

None of the appetizers were looking very good based on the descriptions from the menu. I mentioned this to the server and asked what she recommended. (I didn't want meat) She suggested the "edamame puree." How not good does that sound?! But we decided to trust her anyway.  OH MY GOD. It was fantastic!! The sweet potato chips with the puree tasted delightful. Plus it comes with eggplant & cucumber slices with this amazing seasoning. Foodgasm. So good.

For dinner my husband had the chicken teriyaki. He really enjoyed the entire dish. I took a bite of his rice to taste the sauce. Very tasty. 
I sort of made up my own dish. (sometimes I am difficult.. ok most of the time) I ordered the Yasai yakisoba with the pad thai noodles and added egg. The smell of the dish was slightly off putting... I was nervous about taking a bite. The flavor was waaaay better than the smell! I dabbed a little chili sauce on it for spice and enjoyed the dish. In fact I am really looking forward to having the rest for lunch tomorrow. 

The service was good, the atmosphere was very fusiony and I would totally go here again. If for no other reason... I MUST have the edamame puree appetizer.
4 - Sarah M.: The food tastes exactly the same as the Bellevue location, not surprisingly, but I like the set up better here.

While these restaurants always smell weird to me, I like the trendy, clean decor and the eclectic menus. They have meat dishes, noodle soup dishes, and salads. 

I always start with the pork gyoza - while a little greasy, it's just the right amount of grease to make them delicious and probably terrible for you.
I also always order the miso ramen with egg noodles, corn, chicken, and bean sprouts. While some might find the broth bland and some might find it salty, I think it sits well right in the middle. My husband had the spicy beef soup with egg noodles which I wasn't as crazy about - it wasn't super spicy and I didn't love the flavor. 

The food here is reasonably priced - around $25 for an appetizer and 2 soup dishes. I keep coming back again and again!
1 - Kate S.: We had a non-experience-- the service was terrible. My party was seated, and no waitstaff came to check on us. Ten minutes in, after we saw at least three parties seated, given water, and ordered, we flagged down the hostess-- she said someone would be right with us. Ten more minutes, and nobody even acknowledged us as we left.
5 - Ane P.: I make it here more often than I ever thought i would.  In comparison to its other Seattle location (Cap Hill), this is 30x's easier to find parking at.  Their happy hour is amazing...I always order:

salt and pepper tofu
ebi katsu
fresh spring rolls

The sauce for their spring rolls is vinegary with the perfect amount of chili added.  The ebi katsu almost melts in your mouth when dipped in the sauce, and the salt and pepper tofu has what may be the most simple yet delightful salt and pepper dipping powder ever.  I can't get enough of it..so much so, that I dip all of the peppers and green onions in it too.

The mizuna salad is one of my favorites--yummy chunks of squash, with crispy chips and a fresh green taste.  I like to add shrimp to that one.  Of course their soups are great--the citrusy chili one is my latest fave.  And their juices--freshly juiced pear with ginger, and even their lemonade sparklers.  Everything here is something I crave...perfect mix of sweet, salty, and sour.  Hop over to Tokyo Sweets next door for some nutella banana crepe dessert :)
5 - Sarah S.: Went to Boom for brunch again today. This place is still holding strong as the best brunch in Seattle. I have no clue why anyone waits in line anywhere else since 1) Boom'w brunch is the most ridiculously delicious in Seattle and possibly North America and 2) there's no line here, people. Walk right in, grab a seat, and eat what my boyfriend calls the best french toast ever (he should know, he's tried the french toast at virtually all the brunch spots in Seattle, LA, and Paris).  

The only problem with Boom's brunch is that it ends too early, at 11, when most Seattlites are just getting out of the house on a Saturday morning.
2 - Christina B.: I have been to Boom noodle a couple of times, never really impressed.  Part of the big appeal for me was that items are marked gluten free and vegetarian, but I am not wholly convinced to trust them with my gluten free-ness.  They offer things with my soup like fried tofu, which looks very breaded, and there on-line menu and in-house menu are inconsistent with items they say are gluten free.  The last time I was there, my gluten free order was brought with ramen (wheat) noodles.  My husband noticed they looked different and the server insisted they were gluten free.  After our request to double check with the kitchen, she took my soup back and brought another.  

We were there recently and my husband ordered his soup "vegan with no egg" (it was a vegetarian marked item.)  When he received his soup there was an egg in it.  He pointed out the error and when they brought it back there was soup over the side of the bowl, obviously where they poured out the the egg and he said it still tasted like egg.  If this were mine, where I am actually allergic to eggs, this would have been very no-bueno.  

The staff is inconsistent, sometimes they are really nice, but often they have an air of being too busy and pre-occupied to help.  I also wish they had a smaller size option.  The noodle portions are ridiculously huge.  They are good noodles though, I just don't need that much.  I'll eat there in a bind, but definitely not a top choice and doesn't really live up to they hype.
4 - Jeff S.: Okay, another situation where a 3.5 star rating would be more applicable. But I'll give them 4 stars. Perhaps because they're located in a mall, I have to give them the benefit of the doubt. Plus, they've replaced the awful restaurant that was here before so it's nice to have something good to eat at UV.

My wife and I have eaten here two times and have enjoyed our dishes. The kimchi ramen was good and flavorful, and they were able to accommodate a vegetarian version. I really like the shittake soba noodle soup. The dashi broth is a bit sweet, but very savory and delicious. Noodles were cooked just right. Went great with a kona lager.

Friendly staff, good service. And you can be in and out within 30 minutes or so. Can't say that I would go out of my way to eat here, but if I'm in the area (I live 2 miles away) I will be sure to go again.
3 - Kelsey F.: Like the other Boom Noodle I've been to (Cap. Hill), the idea is good, the food isn't bad, but the execution just isn't there.

Reasons to go:
-Hot noodle soup on a cold day = awesome
-Bar has TVs that show sports.  And I am easily won over by sports.
-The pork bun appetizer.  They come disassembled and require you to put the pieces together.  The flavors here are really solid.

Reasons to not go:
-THE SERVICE

Oh, the service.  On a good day, service is mediocre.  On a bad day, you will be ignored entirely, so if you're going to go, don't go right before you have to rush off somewhere - go when you have a lot of time.  (Because we all know that when you have a lot of time, service is on, but when you're in a hurry to get somewhere...well, enjoy that cushion you're sitting on because you're going to be there awhile.)

Their pricing isn't great, which is a bummer as well.  For $9, you can get beef pho.  NINE DOLLARS.  Any UW student or UW alum can tell you that for half of that you can find a place on the Ave that'll give you beef pho.

Get the pricing to be a little more reasonable and improve the service and this will be a better place.  Sorry Boom...you're good for a fix or a craving, but that's about it.
3 - Audrey I.: I've gone to the U. Village location a few times and am a big fan of the Capitol Hill location. My observations and feelings on what I've had here:
- The edamame puree is always good, and one time when I ordered it here they brought me really pathetic chips to go along, but the waitress noticed and brought out more intact ones. Good save but why was it even sent out?
- The ahi tacos and okonomiyaki continue to amaze me and are probably the main reasons why I keep coming back
- Five spiced pork buns - amazing, the one time I had them. I've wanted to order them TWICE since then on return visits and both times they were out of them for the evening. Get it together, Boom
- The pad thai and the Tokyo Ramen are what I usually order here and really love. The soy eggs you can order extra are worth it, especially to beef up the protein of a vegetarian order like mine tend to be
- Their amazing juice drinks like the cucumber mint fizz are amazing and a must-order, but at this location vs. the Hill, I've noticed some inconsistencies in quality between multiple orders
- Really not a fan of the Tokyo Sweets desserts and this has also been an issue in being out of stock in certain yummy looking flavors
- Love the Boom-produced desserts like the mochi trio and chocolate lava cake forever and always
Overall its more like a 3.5, but II fall to the shorter side only because of how much I love the concept of Boom Noodle and have seen it be so much better.
1 - yekta a.: So we went in today and first wanted to sit down but then decided to get the food to go, so we ordered with the hostess and sat down and waited----or so you think!

The hostess was SO rudely unattentive---and she apparently didn't write down the correct way we ordered our meal--I mean how can you not listen and double check what we ordered?  And on top of it, she didn't pay attention to the fact that our food came and was sitting next to her in a bag for  ALONG TIME, so we walked over and asked if that was our food that was sitting there and she acted, sorry but she seriously acted DUMB, and gave us our COLD food.

The food didn't taste the same either----the noodles were overcooked and stuck to each other.....YUCK!

I'll never go back to this Boom Noodle ever again, the one in bellevue is SO much better!
2 - Chris C.: So my wife and I really wanted to like this place. I like the ambiance and am a big fan of Japanese ramen. That being said, we've given it 3 try's and it has been a fail each time. Service was helpful and the ramen was good enough, but if that's what you're looking for I recommend grabbing the $7 happy hour version in the bar.
After having a bad experience with the Shoyu ramen last time, my wife decided to play it safe this time with the chicken pad thai. But choice, it was just plain bad. The chicken tasted old and I even gagged on the piece I tried. The noodles were too rubbery and it was over seasoned.
On top of that, the water was nasty. Tasted metallic and we both still have dry scratchy throats from it a couple of hours later.
4 - Amos P.: So far so good! I've visited Boom Noodle once and been very pleased. The decor is modern with an open feeling. The service is fine, nothing special but we didn't feel neglected. 
The menu has good variety, with vegetarian and vegan foods identified. All of the foods have an Asian influence but this is not really a traditional noodle house.
Absolutely amaaaazing starter was the green beans with sea salt, served with a seasoned lemon wedge on the side that provides just the perfect zing. Honestly, any restaurant that lets a vegetable's natural yumminess star in its own feature show is thumbs up in my book! Heaven.
Based on the name of the place, I thought ordering noodles would be the right thing to do. The shitake soba (available vegan) was wonderful. A little bit sweet with flavors of sesame and fish sauce, this hot dish made a very satisfying lunch. It's piled with lovely mushrooms, steamed tofu, inari slices, and scallions. 
So far I'd say Boom Noodle is a good spot for a nice variety of Pan-Asian-Influenced foods. I'll definitely go back, and update this review with the results.
3 - Samantha E.: This review is for the Happy Hour only.

The reviews had me worried, but as far as I can tell, Boom Noodle isn't that bad.  A friend and I tried it out last week for a yay-it's-Friday happy hour.  The beers on tap were fairly limited, but we both found one we liked.  Their specialty drinks looked more interesting and were at a lower price during happy hour, but I just wasn't up for anything harder than beer at the time.  As far as food goes, the ebi katsu (shrimp) were absolutely delicious, and they came with a great sauce.  We also tried the spring rolls, and they tasted good-- can you really mess up spring rolls?-- except they were super-big-around and kind of hard to eat.  

The ambiance was more trendy and almost sports-bar like in the bar area than authentic Asian.  You'd expect that in U-Village, though.  Service wasn't exactly friendly, but not rude in any way and definitely efficient.

Based on our experience and the price of the regular menu, I'm not sure if I'll be back for dinner, but I'll definitely try it again for a happy hour spot.
1 - Tom S.: Service is very poor...food ok but cold.. .
1 - SANDRA M.: The manager contacted me after my initial review, offering a gift certificate to lure me back and give them another try. Never got the GC. FAIL
2 - Pete S.: Always been a fan of Boom Noodle and will go back but not for breakfast.  Not sure why they decide to venture to the breakfast side anyway, but went this AM and had the curry breakfast bowl.  It was OK but others in my party had bad food.  The service however was terrible.  After the food was served we were basically ignored for the next 30 minutes.  Drinks and menus arrived way late and at the end of it all the server said "i took some items off the bill since, well, I didn't know what else to do".  Um ok....bizarre.  Maybe she was new.  They should focus on lunch dinner and happy hour and figure out the service issues.  It was unacceptable.
5 - Lisa N.: Tokyo ramen + Five spice pork buns + Edamame puree + Okonomiyaki + 2 drinks (yuzu lemonade and bloody mary) = 2 stuffed bellies + leftovers = under $40 (why can't I do the less-than sign, Yelp?!)

Happy hour is the shit.

Their late HH starts at 9. DO IT.
2 - Melissa S.: I came with three friends on a busy Friday night and we were seated promptly.  The decor is kind of modern-chic and cool-looking.    We ordered a filled pork pancake appetizer to share, three of us ordered curried soups and the fourth ordered the yakisoba.  

The pancake had an elaborate description in the menu that listed all the ingredients (none of which were seafood).  When it arrived, it was covered in dry fish flakes that gave it a very fishy smell/taste.  The majority of our table thought it was totally inedible.   When I asked the waitress why it had dried fish on top when the menu explicitly listed pork and veggies only - she shrugged.   The soup was watery and had no curry flavor and the yakisoba was so greasy it reminded me of Safeway Chinese.   

Since the appertizer was uneaten, I figured she might offer to take it off the bill.  When she didn't and I asked her to, she asked me if we were allegic to fish (as if that was the only way she was willing to comp it).  I said no, but that I still thought she should take it off the bill (she gave in).  We did pay for everything else because while it was dissapointing, it was at least edible. 

Not impressed.  The prices are too high for what you're getting.
2 - Cathy G.: BLAH BLAH 
Vapid smile from a thin very made up hostess.
MSG? Nice selection on menu but my soup was BLAH.

Another try sometime? maybe.
2 - Ponarett X.: i was so excited to try the brunch at this Boom Noodle and when it appeared on Tippr, I knew I had to go. Unfortunately, I was greatly disappointed by the entire experience. 

First of all, brunch ends at 11AM. This is usually when brunch is just getting started at other places. When my friend and I entered, I noticed how empty it was. Probably because it was still really early for a Saturday morning. I ordered coffee and the boom benedict and my friend ordered the french toast and a "momo-sa". 

The service was SOOO slow. There were hardly any people in the restaurant and our food still took forever. My coffee took about 5-10 minutes to get to me and when I asked for cream, that took another 5-10 minutes. My boom benedict sounded great on paper but the execution left much to be desired. The pork itself looked so sad and lifeless on the english muffin and the miso hollandaise sauce could have been more flowy atop my eggs. The house potatoes were also very sad looking. The "fresh fruit" consisted of a few chunks of pineapple and half a tangerine. 

My friend's french toast was good but not spectacular. It was basically one thick slice cut in half and served with some sauce. No sides, no nothing accompanying it. Totally not worth the price.
4 - cindy g.: had the kimchi ramen,  definitely good flavor,
4 - carrie L. B.: With apologies to Homer Simpson and Usher, I offer you this review:

Boom got some noodles like pow pow pow!

Give me lots of presents, now now now!
1 - Kat L.: BREAKFAST REVIEW

I came here in January when they launched their new breakfast menu.  Boy was I disappointed.

The smoked salmon eggs Benedict with miso Hollandaise sauce and your choice of English muffin or rice cake looked absolutely to die for.  Well, apparently they don't do rice cake.  Why this annoyed the hell out of me is that its on the menu and only two boom noodles do breakfast.  I forget what my partner got, but it was absolutely unrememberable.

Oh yes, our food was cold and the restaurant was almost empty.  Service was really slow in the almost empty restaurant.  It was awful...
2 - Tracy I.: Let me start by saying that I have been here a few times.  The food here is subpar - nothing special.  It was just convenient.  Should have gone to Sonrisa instead!  I'd give this place 1.5 stars, merely because they're convenient.

The last time I dined here I had the worst experience.  My boyfriend and I walked in on a Tuesday night behind a family.  When we came through the door the hostess was no where to be found.  There were other parties of two waiting, but I saw empty tables to my left.  The hostess finally showed up after several minutes had gone by.  She asked us if we had been helped, but I pointed to the family and told her that I believe the family was here before us.  I don't think she processed my comment until 30 seconds later.  

The wait was long, so we went to the bar side instead.  Service was overly poor, and I mean overly poor.  I know that when sitting in the lounge that I shouldn't expect much, but it was HORRIBLE.  The girl that was working didn't seem like she wanted to work - she had a poor attitude, but maybe she was just having a bad day.  They got our appetizers out in good timing, but took around 45 minutes before our food arrived.  People who sat down after us in the bar got their food before us.  On top of that, when she brought out one of the dishes (oh because you know, his dish came up before mine) I noticed that she brought us the wrong entrée!  I commented on how I thought she brought out the wrong dish and the girl told me that it's made differently every time because it was a new item.  I was confused.  Sure enough, after a few bites I realized that she did bring us the wrong item.  There's even supposed to be an egg in the dish, but there wasn't.  This place was a definite fail.  I will never eat here again because of this one experience and overly poor service.
5 - penny j.: Seriously good ramen! We were a bit off on timing, showed up around 630 on a weekend and had to wait an hour for a table. Loved the fresh juice squeezes and cocktail menu- the ramen bowls were hefty sized and immensely delicious.  Mini build your own pork buns were a fun appetizer. My new go-to spot in university village for refueling.
1 - Karen L.: FYI: This review is only for their terrible service and not their food, since we couldn't even try their food!

Boyfriend and I have tried Boom Noodle in Bellevue, so we decided to eat here when we went shopping at the University Village last weekend. The hostess brought us to our table and handed us a couple menus. No problem there. We decided within a few minutes what we wanted to order, and mind you, in those few minutes, no one came by to take our order for drinks. After waiting an additional 5 minutes, we managed to flag a busboy down, and he told us someone would be with us in a couple minutes. We waited. And waited. No one came, despite our efforts to flag someone down. All the waiters seemed to be in the kitchen area doing god knows what (not taking our order, obviously). Finally, a waiter came by, but he stopped at the table next to us, who came in AFTER us. He took their order and we figured, alright, we're next. He brought them their drinks and completely ignored us! What are we, ghosts or something? All of the waiters seemed to be in their own little world and couldn't see us waving our hands like idiots. Boyfriend and I thought, this seriously can't be happening. He even wrote a long note on a napkin (and mind you, no one came by while he wrote this elaborate note!) and we left it on our table, and simply just left.

Maybe they were having a bad day, but c'mon! We waited at least 20 minutes for a waiter just to come by and we were completely ignored. We are never coming here ever again (though the one in Bellevue is fine in our book).
4 - Jonathan L.: I recommend the Yasai Yakisoba and the Mongolian Beef only because i've only been there twice. 2 for 2 is good and the plan is to try everything on their menu...eventually.
The spring roll is excellent (contains cilantro, nice!) and the Ahi Tacos are good eats as well. If you don't mind the loud atmosphere, Boom is an asian place you must try while in Seattle.
The service is fair; an area they can improve on.
2 - Meghan M.: Bleeeeeeee. I was so excited to have a new restaurant in U Village, and was more excited to find out it would be from the same owners as Blue C. I love the atmosphere, prices, and yummies at Blue C. 
I've tried Boom three times now (I work in the Village and we have limited options otherwise I wouldn't have done this to myself). Each time I knew I would be overpaying (around $13 for a bowl of ramen with two peices of meat), but I was really really hoping I would find just one thing that was amazing and I could grab on a dreary day when I was craving soup and felt like treating myself. Nope. Every time they were bland,  seriously the lack of meat was insulting, and I don't think I ever even finished a bowl (and I'm a member of the clean plate club). 
I did dine in once and the service was bad also, our server pointed across the room to where my friend could go grab a highchair herself for her son... thanks, maybe we should have just thought to bring one from home...
The only thing I appreciate is that Tokyo Sweets is attached and they are great, hopefully Boom will get replaced but leave my savory crepes here!
3 - Liz W.: Boyfriend ordered the spicy beef udon -- it was good, and it came hot. I got the Shio ramen -- it was good, but it came tepid, almost cold. It was pretty obvious my ramen had been sitting around for about ten or fifteen minutes while my bf's udon was being finished. Whatever. Next time I'll just have to remember not to get the ramen, even though this is a "ramen joint" ... The fact that the food was edible is the only reason I'm giving this place 3 stars.

They didn't even give us utensils or napkins. Even when the waitress came with our food and set it down, looked at our table for a second -- AS IF SOMETHING WERE MISSING, HM ... -- she turned and started to walk off before I ASKED her for chopsticks and napkins. How do you think we're going to eat this food, I ask you? I suppose, in an attempt to return to my cave man roots, I could've just eaten with my fingers? Perhaps toss the noodles at the walls, going "Oo, oo! Noodles!" I should've. Maybe then, they won't forget to give their customers some utensils to eat their food with.
3 - Laura C.: Way over-seasoned on the yakisoba noodles.  I hated tasting rosemary in my Asian cuisine!

However, I highly recommend their vegetarian potstickers.  Don't let the green color deter you--they are amazing in the plum sauce or whatever it is.
1 - Aaron T.: Boom has a recipe - get you hooked and then half the portions. I used to love the Chopped Chicken Salad but it just kept getting smaller and smaller and smaller. Between Boom Noodle and Blue-C,  I'm sick of the cookie-cutter "hipster" restaurants that keep getting thrown out there. They're less about the passion of food and more about the bottom line.
4 - Megan C.: I've been here several times, and I generally eat the same thing (salmon udon, miso-broiled rice cakes); and I'm generally quite happy. The udon is flavorful (though the vegetarian version much less so) and different. The St. Germain Skydive is a delicious drink. 

There have been ups and there have been downs, though. When Boom was newer, we twice had really terrible, non-existent service (to the point of getting our meal comped). That hasn't happened to me for quite a long time, so hopefully they've worked out the kinks. The salmon in my salmon udon was also cold and low-quality one time out of many. So, I'd say they may still have a way to go on training and standardization, but I'm certainly happy to eat here.
3 - Lisa D.: The food here was pretty good! It is on the salty side, which I like, however others may be put off by this.  We started with the five spice shredded pork dumplings which I did not realize were "stuff your own".  I am not a huge fan of five spice but the flavor was not overpowering.  They give you a generous amount of pork, too much for the four buns you get.  You can order extra buns for an additional charge - we just ate that tasty, tasty pork straight.

The spicy beef udon was JUST what I was craving; big fat noodles in a deep flavored, salty broth.  It was also loaded with meat and mushrooms! I was full all day.  

The service was ok; it was adequate, nothing to rave about.  I'd go back.
4 - David M.: Went the the university village so my sister could take me to a noodle bar. However the hole in the wall place was gone and instead we went to boom. Big loud, and chainy. This is my first noodle bar experience which the next few will be judged by. First off the kids meals were teeny tiny. Good for my niece, but not for my growing nephew. My bowl of noodles were good. The pork bone broth was salty but I didn't notice until everything else was gone and I was just eating the broth. The pork in it was tender, fatty, and delicious. A perfectly cooked egg floated around luxuriously. Overall it was pretty tasty. I'm sure I will have better. But not a bad start!
2 - Ninette C.: I wanted to come here because a few years ago, I had gone to happy hour at the Bellevue location and remembered it being better than I would have expected.

I take that back.  At least for this location.  

My boyfriend and I wandered in after running some errands in U-Village.  He ordered the Tokyo Ramen and I ordered the Seafood Donburi.

The seafood donburi was really bland and flavorless.  I eat bland foods at home sometimes (such as say, soup noodles) and all, but this was boring, especially since I wasn't at home! When I eat out, I don't expect food this bland. Let me just say, there isn't much to edamame sauce!  Between the salmon, shrimp, avocado, cucumbers, daikon etc, it had all the ingredients I love, but it just never came together.  A little more of the other food to go with the rice might have helped.

My boyfriend wasn't a fan of his Tokyo Ramen either.  I tried it too and we both agreed that Samurai Noodles' ramen were more chewy and the broth more rich and fatty.  The bamboo shoots were good, but I can't call a restaurant good based on some garnishes. Sorry!

Service was quite poor as well.  Our waitress didn't bring our food.  The bus boy brought our food without utensils.  We asked for some and received chopsticks.  I wanted a spoon so I had to send the another waitress (not ours) back.  She slammed down a tiny spoon on the way to another table.  I can't be terribly mad at her as we were not her table.  Sucks for her her colleague was standing in the back doing god-knows-what.  Once I saw her standing in the back, I tried to wave to get her attention for a bigger spoon.  I didn't want to ask one of her colleagues again as we are HER table, but finally, my boyfriend just flagged down the bus boy.  He brought me a fork and knife.  The waitress FINALLY came by after we had every utensil in the restaurant at our table.  When we were done eating, she asked us if we wanted the bill and we said yes, plus a box.  (I couldn't finish the rice so I decided to take it home and eat it with something else.)  She left and then the bus boy returned and cheerfully took my rice to put in a box for me.  Can I just tip the bus boy?

I probably won't be back after this experience.
1 - Sienna L.: Agree with some of the reviews, the food is subpar. It's mostly bland, and not very authentic at all. You will get better 'Asian' food for cheaper at any of the Asian spots on the Ave nearby. At the very least, it would taste authentic.

But, what makes this place terrible is the service. The staff comprises (from what I saw during my visit) very heavily made-up and seemingly emotionally detached young people. Probably poorly trained UW students. I think I would have gotten livelier, friendlier service from teenagers working at McDonald's.

Probably not going to eat at any Boom Noodle locations again, especially this one. Don't make my mistake!
3 - Tina Y.: I ordered the fresh spring rolls and tonkotsu ramen. The fresh spring rolls were average and the ramen was pretty salty. Big pieces of cha-shu but they were again salty and had that meat smell I dislike. Haven't tried anything else on the menu, but will come back and try again. Price is kind of on a higher level.
2 - Erika H.: Definitely asian FUSION cuisine, nothing really at all authentic about most of the dishes. Flavor is hit or miss.

I had been to the Cap Hill location once before, and it was decent....I had the miso ramen, which was pretty good. BF had the salmon udon, which he said was on the salty side. Portions were substantial though, I remember leaving full!

The BF and I happened upon the U Village location after our original plans to eat at Zao fell through when we realized it was no longer there. We browsed the menu outside and both thought the seafood donburi sounded good, so we went inside and ordered. It was a quiet day, early evening, so service was prompt.

Started things off with the ahi tacos, which were nice...diced chilled ahi tuna on a bed of shredded daikon and carrots in mini taco shells. There was a yummy sauce to go with them, but it kind of overpowered everything. Not bad though...definitely had us expecting good things for our entree.

However the seafood donburi was disappointing to say the least. First of all, it was served in a giant round plate-bowl, with a pathetic blob of rice in the center and some toppings scattered about. To be specific, some shredded carrots and daikon, 3 slices of cucumber, one slice of naruto maki, 3 grilled shrimp, and 2 thin slices of seared salmon. Oh and 2 slices of avocado. All with a drizzle of tasteless edamame sauce around the perimeter.
It was BLAND, BLAND, BLAND. The one saving grace was the grilled shrimp. They were simply seasoned, but had good flavor.

I don't know if I was just expecting too much or what? If anyone has had donburi type dishes elsewhere, you know you'd expect a deep bowl full of rice with savory toppings. Not the case here...good thing the Tokyo Sweets place was next door (part of boom noodle) to rectify the situation. We walked around a bit to settle our dinner and then had a delicious crepe dessert experience :)

Skip the boom and go straight for the sweets :P
4 - Patricia P.: I loved this place! I was impressed when I looked at the cocktail menu, all the drinks looked to be made with fresh ingrediants, no syrups. Nothing worse than ordering a mojito and its made w/ some kind of sugary 'mix'. I had the mojoito and it was perfect, my friend got something that had fresh grilled pinapple juice, and it was delicious too! Now onto the food... I got the new Spicy Lemon Chicken Ramen. I loved it, the broth was the best part, and you can't really go wrong w/ ramen. I'll be coming back here again for sure
2 - Lemon B.: I was there for  a quick lunch before shopping in the U. Village.  I had yakisoba and my husband had shio ramen. What a disappointment!  Both were very salty with no particular flavor.  The service was very slow. For a poor quality of food, it's in pricy side.  You will get better  quality in other cheaper asian restaurants.  I'll never go back there .  Tried one in Bellevue last year, but wasn't impressed either.   If you want to try an authentic Japanese Ramen,  you have to go to Santoku in Vancouver, BC..
2 - K C.: I've been to BN twice - on my first experience, the food was pretty bad - this was in Bellevue.  It took pulling teeth, and some friends visiting from out of town, to come back the 2nd time around.  The food is not cheap so to pay for less than mediocre food is difficult for me.  

On our first visit, my noodle soup dish was almost so salty I couldn't eat it.  My husband's noodle dish (I think it was yakisoba) tasted like that bottom of the pan burnt.  I hate to completely slam the place because we did have good service, but the food is just so subpar.

On our most recent visit to the U Village location, I ordered the bun (vietnamese noodles). I had been really looking forward to some yummy bun, but again, disappointed.  The pork was tasteless - usually the pork in a bun is always amazingly flavorful, not here.  My husband ordered the yakisoba again, I did have another bite and no burnt taste this time.  Just no taste at all.  What a bummer.  But, like our first visit, I can't completely slam BN b/c they did give us good service.

I probably won't be back unless I've had a chance to thoroughly scour other's reviews for recommended dishes.  Otherwise, with my track record, I'll probably strike out again and order something bad :-(
4 - Elizabeth R.: I've heard about Boom Noodle a while back and never got around to checking it out until a couple of days ago.  Lately, soup has been on the top of my list of "comfort food" so this was only fitting.

My boyfriend and I went right after he picked me up from work, which is only a few blocks away from U-Village.  So we managed to get there a little after 3 during the non-peak hours, which happened to be during Happy Hour.  We decided to get a booth in the bar and immediately served with water along with a carafe of water (looked so trendy) and asked what other beverages we'd like.  We both ended up settling for some hot tea.

We each received pots of hot green tea along with cups and then we got our orders taken.  We ordered calamari off the Happy Hour menu, along with my Tokyo Ramen.  My boyfriend went for the Tonkatsu Ramen.  A little disappointed that our entrees came out before our appetizer, but I was pleased with how fast we were served.  My Tokyo Ramen had lots of meat, ramen, and bamboo shoots and even half an egg.  My boyfriend's Tonkatsu Ramen was similar only with some ginger.  The calamari was served right out of the fryer, so it was temperature hot when we bit down into the little pieces dipped in their somewhat spicy sauce.

Overall, we were both satisfied.  I was very pleased and thought it was way better than Samurai Noodle in Chinatown.  And with Happy Hour prices, you can't beat that.  We'll be coming for another visit to try out their other dishes.
4 - Erin C.: I've eaten here twice, and got a couple of different ramen dishes. However, sampling the ramen that my friends got, I have to say that everything was pretty tasty! You get an awesome amount of food for the price, and all of the ingredients are delicious. Yes, the ramen can be salty, if you get certain types, but... spoiler: Ramen is salty. I found Boom Noodle to be so satisfying that I crave it all the time!
3 - Stacey H.: I really like Boom Noodle. This location is awesome because it is huge, but the last time we were there the service wasn't awesome. We were seated in the back by the bar, where all the servers were sitting at the bar, counting their tips and making jokes. The food is always good. My fave drink is what I believe they call the "sakura fizz". This particular location is just not as customer/service friendly. They are still pretty new, so I'll go back and see if it has improved. Overall, love the food.
3 - Bear K.: Food was fine, better at the location at Pike.  Even better at happy hour...much more reasonable prices.
2 - Laurie D.: Visited Boom at U Village for the first time. The Yaki Udon was very flavorful and there was plenty of it. The others in my party enjoyed their meals, too. That being said, I probably won't return because of the uncomfortable atmosphere. Although the restaurant is nice enough, the wait staff spent much of their time talking, loudly, to each other about their personal lives. When we walked in, a couple of wait persons were in a long grope just a couple of feet from where we entered. It took them about 10 seconds to notice we were there. Overall, the touching and talking of the staff was unprofessional and uncomfortable. I won't be returning.
2 - Todd L.: Boom benefits from an excellent location and nice decor.  The food is nothing more than decent at best.  If Boom were located in the ID it would never make it.  No one would settle for such mediocrity surrounded by excellent Asian food.  In U Village it's the one stop shop for Asian cuisine.  We were seated outside last weekend and had to get our own highchair and waited 15 minutes before we flagged down a server.  He came over and explained how he was going to rescue us from a breakdown in communication among their staff.  The food came out fast and the remainder of the service was passable but not good.  It's food but it's not good.
2 - Benjamin O.: I went wandering around with my girlfriend in the area, got hungry and wound up meandering into this place. Thing is, just before we entered the place, she realized she had been there before & muttered, "oh, I think I said I'd never come here again... second chance I suppose." It was semi-busy & we were asked if sitting at the bar would be fine, I looked at the lady for an answer on her preference & she asked if a booth was available in that area, it was, we were seated. 

As we started to thumb through the menu we were greeted by a young man who spoke in near monotone & didn't appear very happy, however, he was very cordial & did a good job. My meal had just the opposite problem later on, it looked good, but, did a terrible job... I ordered the Mongolian beef & was very disappointed, there seemed to be more onions than meat & those proportions just don't work for me. The food tasted alright, mediocre is probably an adequate description for what I was eating. The rice was a bit mushy & didn't clump too well, yay 4 chopsticks in that situation. My girlfriend wasn't happy with her meal either, she seemed to have some sort of mystery meat that had an identical appearance between each piece, yet, a variety of flavors (beef, pork, poultry)... 

So, what I got was moderate service & mediocre food at best.
3 - B Y.: Decided to give this place another go without the kids in tow.  We sat in the bar, and the service was much better, and the food was better too.  However, I still don't think ramen noodles are worth as much as they are charging for it.  I would recommend this place only if you do not have kids with you, or if you feel like spending $12 on ramen.
4 - Jeff G.: Call me a curmudgeon, a hermit, agorophobic, anti-social or just plain stubborn but I hate community tables in restaurants. Coffee Houses, cafeterias, fine I get that. But I really don't like having someone sitting one seat away babbling about their day or staring at my food. I get that the distance between me and the next person might just the same as if we were at two tables but at least with private tables it's MY table. 

That's one of the main reasons I almost never go to the original Capitol Hill location. I love the food,  the drinks etc. but I hate sharing. I think the owners must have figured out that I'm not alone. This location has nice big booths and plenty of tables for two or 4. The food is always good. I love the Okanimayki and the sizzling beef. The ramen is always tasty. 

And now I can let my inner hermit shine.
2 - Robert D.: They were out of mizuna lettuce so substituted shredded green lettuce instead. The mizuna salad that resulted was edible, but highly blah. Normally that is the only good thing on their menu, so if I go back, and they are still out of mizuna lettuce, I might be tempted to go somewhere else.
2 - Helen M.: SERVICE:
Seriously. One of the worst service experiences I've ever had. The only reason this gets two stars instead of the one it deserves is because I had previously been here before and actually got decent service so I'm hoping last night was a fluke.

To start, when my friends and I walked in the hostess didn't even greet us. She literally stared at us as she grabbed menus without even a hello or a smile. I barely heard her say "this way" when she walked away to seat us.

After our food was ordered, it was a less than optimal wait to get our food. There were booths around us who'd ordered after us and received their food first. I should note that we showed up at around 8pm, and it was not packed. Each server had 7 tables to cover, at most. 

When our food did arrive, it was staggered. One of my friends ordered an appetizer for dinner and the rest of us ordered noodles. She specifically said that she wanted the appetizer as her meal. Her dish arrived way early. Meanwhile, two of our noodles arrived after that leaving one person without her food. We waited at least 15 minutes for her dish. The kitchen was not packed and the servers were all standing in the kitchen area while we were waiting for my friend's dish to arrive. 

Also, not a single word was said by our server about why there was a delay in that dish. As a matter of fact, I don't remember seeing him come back to check up on our table after taking our order until we we got our food and were all nearly empty on water. We were essentially shunned in his section because we were the only ones without condiments on the table, without extra water on the table, he didn't come by to see if everything was alright, only refilled our water once, and didn't explain why our food took so long to get to us. I notice these things because I've been a server before at multiple establishments so I know what it takes to do that job.

I also know for a fact that he was ignoring our table because I watched him be friendly and conversational with all the other tables in his section, but then completely ignore ours. 

When it came time for us to get our bill, it took longer for us to get our bill than the time it took for us to eat our meals. Then it took doubly long for us to request our bills be split. All through this process, our server did not make eye contact with us once until I flagged him down with the bill like a wild monkey.

The treatment we received just plain unacceptable. I can understand if an establishment is busy and the server doesn't have time to do everything, but it wasn't. I can also understand if we walked in 20 minutes before closing, but we didn't. Our server had his own runner to use and we still got service that I would say is down right discriminatory. 

FOOD:
In terms of the food, it was decent. The noodles I had (Tonkotsu ramen) was the rich, fatty soup I was hoping for. The pork was well seasoned and the broth was at least properly prepared. Everyone else enjoyed their food, but it is overpriced for just ramen.

ENVIRONMENT:
The place is cute for dates since it's all booths so you get some privacy. The lighting is dim enough to be romantic but not so dark that you can't see your way to the restroom. They have booths that handle at least 6 people so it would be nice for larger groups to do a hang out.

All in all, I honestly don't want to come back to boom noodle ever again. I expect at least some type of decent service if I'm paying $12 for ramen.
3 - Cory S.: This location doesn't close at 10:00 on Sundays...they close at 9:00.
4 - Silvia H.: Second time I visit and thought it deserved a review...we had the shiitake soba and the mongolian beef - we were happy to the very last bite. Service was pleasant. Looking forward to happy hour and trying a variety of plates.
2 - Camille S.: The service at this location is always spotty at best. Sloooooow and forgetful servers. The food is mediocre but I've found 1 or 2 things on the menu that I like, enough to keep me coming back when I get the craving. The prices seem a bit high for what you get and more times than not my drinks have an odd taste to it, like they use dirty ice or something. It's kind of hard to describe but the last time I had a soft drink here it tasted like dirty dish water.
3 - Lisa T.: The Boom Noodle in UVillage - not the same Boom Noodle in Cap Hill.  Apparently the UVillage types aren't into communal eating.  But it worked great for me for a lunch with a friend that we weren't seated next to a crowd of folks we didn't know.  
The decor in UVillage location is very clean and stylish.  The service was great - very attentive, and not too much as others have indicated (although I was here on a Tuesday for lunch - not that busy).

I had the spicy pork ramen, and it was delish: spicy broth, tender big pieces of pork, and not too soft noodles.  Granted, I think Samurai Noodle in Intl District has the best Japanese style ramen.

I haven't been here for happy hour, but I hear good things. Price is okay - a bit of a premium for a "trendy" place like this.
2 - Santina C.: I should've been leery of this place when my family told me that they weren't crazy about their expereince here a few months ago, but I was in the mood for a noodle dish and wanted to try them out for myself.  Let me start with saying that I really enjoyed my meal. I got the Spicy Pork Ramen. This was my first time having ramen that wasn't Top Ramen from the grocery store. It was delicious. There was the perfect amount of spicyness, lots of veggies, noodles, and pork. I left taking half home. The prices were decent for the generous portion sizes and the decor was nice and the booths were spacious. All good things about this restaruant end here.

Our server seemed a little lost and seemed on auto-pilot, maybe even a little overwhelemd. Which I thought strange since it was a Sunday afternoon and wasn't too busy. There were 5 of us in our party. It was a little loud in there and she seemed to have a hard time hearing and even double checked the menu after my dad ordered his meal. Well there was a mess up with the appetizers. We ordered the veggie spring rolls and were brought a plate of shrimo and pork spring rolls. My mother who is vegan had the terrible task of confirming that they weren't the right order. When this was brought to the attention of our server she said," Is there anything that I can do for you besides bring out new ones?" Strange question to me and if I were in that situation I wouldn't have to ask and would immediately comp them. She was also a little argumentative when the mistake was brought to her attention.
We didn't end up paying for both orders of the spring rolls which was nice. Unfortuantely the service still didn't really improve for the rest of the meal. It was just "meh". Something that we all commented about was how after bringing out our meals one of the girls tossed my sister's spoon to her across the table (RUDE).

Everyone with the exception of my husband and i enjoyed or meals and thought they had lots of flavor. My husband ordere the Chicken Katsu. There was lots of chicken which he was happy about. My mother ordered the Vegetarian Pho with Tofu and said it was boring, flavorless, and quiet bland. My sister ordered the Vegetarian Kimchi Ramen which she said was good after she added lots of soy sauce and sriracha. My dad said the same thing about his Shrimp Fired Rice, good after he added flavor.

Overall the expereince was a just ok. Certainly not one of the worst that any of us have ever had. Our server still received a tip though a very little one. We will never go here again. Its just not worth the headache and the not so great tasting food for the price. I can get great tasting ramen and pho practically anywhere and don't want or need to sacrifice good service for just one great dish.
5 - Brian H.: I am a Japanese food lover, and the first time I tried Boom Noodle I fell in love. Lets be clear, Boom is not your tiny hole-in-the-wall Japanese noodle shop run by one family for the last 80 years. What it does, however, is bring the concept of the ramen shop to the masses of Seattlites. And it does it excellently. Executive Chef and co-owner Jonathan Hunt has put togetether a menu which, while not being dogmatically authentic (non-Japanese dishes such as Phad Thai are offered to expand the palette beyond the typical Japanese noodle dishes) delivers a wide range of noodle dishes for every taste, some spicier, others more subtle and then there are a few surprises. The Okonomiyaki was probably the most exciting Japanese dish I have tried in years. Excelent Gyoza. I loved the Spicy Pork Ramen and the Coconut Curry. Even the beverage selection is interesting, with offerings such as Ramune (try drinking through a marble). Even my daughter, who never tries anything, tried everything. And to top it off the service was fantastic, personable and yet professional. So my only complaint is that we dont have anything even remotely close to Boom Noodle here in Madrid, Spain. My recommendation to Boom, dont hesitate to consider a move Eastward to Europe. I certainly wouldnt complain.
4 - Elizabeth C.: Go to the Bar if you are over 21. There is almost never a wait for a booth or outside seating. No Kids is a huge plus. Food is fantastic and the service is like night and day. Sit with the families, wait and have a poor experience. Sit with the big kids and you will likely have a great cocktail, excellent noodles and start with the edamame puree. MMMmmm. Better the the Capital Hill location.
3 - Sofie B.: The service was really good and it only took about 5 minutes to get our food after we ordered. I got chicken pho, and it was good. Not great, but decent. The prices seemed kind of high and there were flies flying everywhere. I probably wouldn't go to this place again, but it wasn't horrible.
4 - steven B.: Spicy pork ramen !
When the weather is nice we sit outside and our very bouncy 3 year old can climb on the bronze cows.
2 - Silvia C.: I have given this place two chances, and now I give up.  The first time I was seated outside and sat there with no attention for 15 minutes other than a menu and water.  In the meantime I heard the table behind me upset because 4 of the 5 people had finished their meal and the 5th person's meal still wasn't there.  At that point I got up and left.

Second time went with some friends for beer and appetizers.  Service was also extremely slow, and so we only had time for beer, they never got around to taking our food order.  That time I also went into the bathroom, it was filthy and no toilet paper or paper towels. 

I'll stick to their little crepe stand next door.  Don't have to rely on wait staff.
3 - Opal D.: Large bar with an outdoor deck/seating area.
They messed up the order for someone in our party and took care of his meal without having to be asked which was nice, however, the waitress wore a frown the whole time.
Free parking at the University Village lot (but you'll be circling to find a spot - is it just me or is U-Village getting harder and harder to park at?).
1 - Grace S.: had the WORST experience at boom! i've never had a server as bad as the one we had at boom. EVER! i didn't know it would take 25 minutes for a server to come to a table and say 'hi', then bring out some water. our server walked by our table NUMEROUS times, but still didn't acknowledge our presence. it was a buy night, and because i've been in the service industry most of my life.. i tried to understand. but really?! 25 minutes? come on! thats ridiculous! 

finally after 25 minutes my friend went up the hostess and asked her about our server. and of course! right then he comes to our table. as he comes.. there was NO apology. nothing! i dont think i would have been so disappointed with the service if he had acknowledged his mistake and said a little apology. 

the food is alright. nothing special. but since it is so convenient its a too go place for my friends and i. but after experience there yesterday i will never be going back. horrible!
1 - Alex C.: Had some seared salmon there the next day my stomach went Boom all day long
 :(
4 - Kirk B.: Went to lunch with a friend on Saturday at Boom Noodle in University Village. We started off with Spring Rolls , quite yummy. Then for our main course we both had the Chicken Katsu . It was Excellent and quite filling !!  I even had enough to take home for dinner later.
3 - Alice B.: Tasty soup noodles, nice large tables for groups, and decent service. I'm not a huge fan of the pho because I prefer the more authentic kind from the Vietnamese places in the ID (for 1/2 the price). But their take on Spicy Beef Udon was amazing. 

The drinks are tasty, but way over priced for what you get. 

Overall, a nice place to meet with a small group of friends, especially if there are any vegetarians and they have a decent gluten-free selection.
3 - Felisa D.: Well, it is tasty for sure. I've tried a couple of the soups and they are yummy (well, salty. But still!). However, there appears to be ridiculous amounts of MSG in their food. After the third time of coming here and getting a headache for a third time in a row, I made that connection.

I've never had a problem with the service which seems to have put off some customers. Maybe I've just been lucky but the servers have always been very attentive.

This is hardly the best Japanese restaurant in Seattle (wasn't it rated as such by some journalist recently?) but the food is quite alright and I do like that they have gluten-free and vegetarian food (that is clearly listed as such) because it makes it easier for my friends with those dietary restrictions.
3 - Christine Y.: Why are the tables in the bar area made for GIANTS?

In order for things to be proportionate, I would need to grow another foot, and the portions would need to be doubled!

I know, neither will happen.

So moving right along..

1) Yaki udon.  Fantastic at Bell Sq but my friend said it was "just ok" here.
2) Chicken Katsu Curry.  Great pieces of katsu, but where's the curry?  It was waaay too dry and I was too busy catching up with my friend to beg for more curry sauce.
3) Miso green beans appetizer.  Perfectly cooked (cooked but not soggy) and nicely seasoned--just drizzled with miso, instead of smothered in miso.

A solid 3 stars.
4 - Joe T.: Very simple, priced appropriately for what it is and very good for what it is. True Japanese noodles and soups. Service is quick too. It's not a full-service restaurant per se like most restaurants are stateside, but it's meant to emulate a Tokyo noodle house.

Vibe is young, hip, casual and clean.
1 - Jamin H.: Hostess was extremely rude. She had this weird sense of humor. Was exactly a week ago on a Saturday night around 8:30. Case in point:

Me: Hi, table for 3 please?
H:   Sorry, we're all full.
Me: (as I'm looking around)... uhm, really??
H: No, just kidding. You can sit on the floor. 
Me: *fake laugh*. 

Thought that was really unprofessional. Besides that, food was good.
5 - Dennis D.: Great place. LOVE their food.
Yeah, they're a chain, but I believe they're a local chain... so I make the exception to my "I don't review chains!" rule.

Their Pho is good and HOT (temperature).
Their Gyoza.... CAN...NOT...BE...BEAT.
I'm serious. They make GREAT Gyoza, but go another ten miles by crafting an AMAZONG dipping sauce for it.
And that is NOT a mis-type. It's amaZONG, as in *bite* "ZONG!" WOW! That's GREAT!
Their drink selection includes anything to please your palate, from non-alcoholic drinks, to good beer and wines all the way to crafted specialty cocktails unique only to Boom.
Their spring rolls. Great.
Their egg-rolls (new item). Great!

Seriously, I've never had a bad meal here. They're that good.
And the service has been good (for me) too.
The only issue I've ever had was one cracked glass, but that was not for me but was for my date, and the waiter took care of it.

More info (SPECIFIC info on individual food items).
You can see what items I reviewed there (including pics!): http://www.nosh.com/restaurant/8213139
2 - Shannon M.: The place is overall nice and gives you a nice little variety to chose from on the menu. I'm a big fan of Pho, but thought  we'd try something different and got the ramen which was okay (but a little disappointing because I know there are better versions out there).  You get a pretty decent sized bowl for what you pay for at least.  I would try this place again, and maybe next time sample their appetizers - I saw a few come from the kitchen and they looked pretty good.  Note: Lunch time gets really busy, but I guess that's really case with most places in the U-Village.
2 - Gordon N.: Have eaten at this location a few times, it is nicer, more upscale than their Capitol Hill location. Stopped in here tonight for some food while Christmas shopping in U Village. Took forever for one of the bartenders to get to our table of 3. And it wasn't that busy.Took a drink order, then disappeared for a long time again. 

Bartenders broke 2 glasses at different times during our meal. Food was tasty but didn't arrive together. One of our group waited 10 mins past when 2 of us were served for his food. The Okonomiyaki was tasty if not amazing. The Pork Fried Rice was cheap and delicious. The waiter never refilled our waters. 

We will come back but hope this distracted bartender with the mohawk will be replaced by a server who cares about doing a good job. The 2 star rating is more about the server than the quality of the food...
4 - Taylor M.: I like to try my fair share of Asian foods, and this place has a nice selection. It doesn't matter if you want Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, or any of the other assorted kinds of cuisines. 
It isn't the best tasting, but it has a nice fresh feel to the food and restaurant. The prices are good for the quantity you get.  And with a generous happy hour this place would be a destination I would recommend.
2 - Sarah m. G.: Food's meh and often too salty even for me (all 3-4 times that I went there). The only really good thing they have are probably the pre-made gyoza. They have many selections of noodles and rice and some can be vegan on request.

Very crowded and noisy. Family and drinker friendly. Normal price for UV restaurants. It's one of those go there once a year and unless you have guests place for me. 

p.s there are some wicked cool paintings hanging near the kitchen area. You can order crepe from Tokyo Sweet's as dessert, but it becomes a 'dish' instead of a wrap around thing.

From my perception, their menu makes it seem like they have pretty authentic Japanse food. Not even close. Their Okonomiyaki taste pretty bad.
3 - Allison H.: Boom Noodle is a classic example of yuppified Asian food in Seattle. One of the things I like most about this city is the availability of cheap and authentic Asian food - from pho to teriyaki to Indian and beyond. The one thing that Seattle doesn't seem to grasp, however, is the concept of the basic ramen shop. It's not that hard, they've already got it down pat with the pho joints around the city, but ramen seems to be a concept they can't quite get ahold of yet. My expectations for ramen can pretty much be boiled down to this:

1. It should be HOT. Especially in Seattle, what's better on a cold rainy day than a hot bowl of noodles? Boom Noodle seems to have this down, and I love that they have the spoons you can hook on the bowl when you're eating the noodles. (It's the small things in life, right?)
2. It should be FAST. Ramen and pho both take a long time to cook, so restaurants often make large batches and keep them simmering on the stove, ready to be dished up in no time. Boom did not deliver in this aspect.
3. It should be CHEAP. How much can it really cost to make a humongous batch of soup?! Ramen (and pho) are so beloved because they are cheap, delicious and filling. Why would I pay $11 for a bowl of ramen ($9 for pho) when it doesn't knock my socks off? Please.

My hopes were high that Boom Noodle would fulfill my ramen expectations, but it was a bit of a flop for me. They do have other things on the menu and so I guess they've got that going for them, but with such a lack of ramen in the city, I sort of expected Boom to capitalize on that and do it up. I guess they don't market themselves as a ramen place, which is why they still get 3 stars from me because of their variety. That said, the other items on the menu that I've tried turned out to be a bit underwhelming as well.
3 - Patrick C.: The noodles are good.   the tokyo ramen i found tasty and a good deal especially for happy hour.   the appetizers including the grilled rice rolls and the salmon seared were pretty and pretty good.

If you go expecting fusion and bar atmosphere you'll enjoy yourself.
4 - Krysten I.: Gyoza was so delish!! Okonomiyaki (japanese pancake) was alright...not the best I've ever had, it also had jalepenos...
3 - Nari R.: I like this place more for the ambiance than the actual food.  It's a good place to stop for lunch in the middle of shopping in U Village, but as in most fusion places none of the dishes are really on point.  That said, their ramen is pretty decent and I like their vegetarian yakisoba, slightly piquant with sliced jalapenos. Alas the meat in the beef version is very dry.  I don't ever bothering the Vietnamese noodle salad because there's so much better to be had elsewhere.
4 - Stephanie M.: Boom Noodle is a great addition to U-Village, as it is now my go-to place whenever I'm shopping there.  Especially after walking outside in the cold, Boom has many warm-soup options as well as fresh salads and of course, drinks to warm you up and keep you satisfied before, during, or after shopping!  

Once I find an item that I love, it's hard for me to try new things so Boom makes dining somewhat frustrating for me because everything always looks so good, but I always end up getting the Miso Ramen.  The Miso Ramen comes with sweet corn, bean sprouts and your choice of pork or chicken, in a sesame broth.  YUM.  This always satisfies my hunger--the broth is delicious and not too salty; corn and sprouts are 2 of my favorite veggies, and the noodles are always fresh and cooked through.  I have tried some of the sesame ramen noodle salad, which is very fresh and filling.  

Another great thing about Boom is that you can really alter your dishes to your liking.  Almost any dish can be made "vegetarian" or "gluten free".  You can choose rice noodles or egg noodles!  

Lastly, this location is pretty large, so I've never had to wait for a table.  Even with all the open seating, the bar is always open and playing sports.  Also, they have an everyday happy hour from 3-6pm and 10-close and Friday/Saturdays.  The service is always great and I leave happy every time!
5 - Macey W.: WOW everything was absolutely fantastic here!  The ambiance was very nice and the layout of the tables and booths created privacy.  The lighting fixtures were also very interesting!  The waiter waited on us quite often and was super friendly and accommodating.  The food also came out very promptly, and boy were they delicious!  For four people we ordered five appetizers, and by the time our entrees came, we were all very full and barely ate half of our entrees!  The noodle in soup dishes all come in HUGE bowls, so though they may be a bit pricey compared to more authentic Asian noodle places, you definitely get your money's worth in size and taste.  Here's a breakdown of our lunch:

Appetizers:
-miso broiled rice cakes (tasty little cleanser to eat in between more flavorful dishes)
-sizzling toban beef (the sauce is so tasty!  but if you poured it on like I did, it'll get really salty really quickly...)
-ahi tacos (a must!!  absolutely loved it)
-pork gyoza (the sauceis amazing)
-okonomiyaki (a huge Japanese pancake that will definitely fill you up before your main dish)

Entrees:
-kimchi ramen (huge portion, super tender pork that is so delicate, it falls apart with a pinch of the chopsticks, tasty broth)

Desserts: too full to even look at the menu!

Also, there is this new electronic way of paying.  The waiter brings over this machine where you slide the card yourself, choose the amount of tips to give (it offers you 20%, 18%, 15% or custom, and tells you the exact amount!) and shows you the itemized bill.  At the end of the purchase, there's this menu where you can Yelp!, along with twitter, check-in, etc (but this is a feature coming soon).  This way of paying is still a demo and Boom Noodle @ U Village is the first restaurant to test it out.  So if you're interested in a cool new way of paying, you should check out this restaurant :)
4 - Nicholas G.: The food was very good and we got it fairly fast for how busy it was.
2 - Louis A.: Boomnoodle.com states: In Japan today there is a popular term, "my boom" that means, "The thing I am currently obsessed with." 

"My boom" is definitely not Boom Noodle. 

Five minutes after we were seated, I wondered if we had a server. Amazingly, two glasses of water appeared at our table. But... where was our server? Eventually, after fifteen minutes, our order was taken and our food was brought out shortly after. But... where was our server? My food was too dry and I was down to the last drop of water. But... where was our server? Ten minutes after I was done eating, the same person who took our order comes by with our check and I say to myself "I think I found our server." Throughout the who'll meal, she hardly said a word nor did she come by to ask if I needed anything. It wasn't until I got my receipt that I knew what her name was. I had no idea who my waitress was because there was no "hello my name is ___ and I will be your server for today. Is there anything I can start you off with? Perhaps a drink or an appetizer?" After I got my check, I wasn't even asked if I wanted a box. 

On a good note, I did like that they have vegetarian options. I also like the kimchi ramen that my friend ordered. I probably would never dine-in because of the crappy service, but I will probably order take out.
2 - Amy L.: Not sure what is up with chains having disappointing locations for me this week. Boom Noodle was another one. I love Boom Noodle at Bellevue Square, aside from messing up my ginger martini once they have never done me wrong at that location. We were seated quickly and our waitress was great but the food was lacking to say the least. We ordered some edamame and it was, no joke, half almost rotten. I'm the first person to grab a blemished orange or an ugly carrot with no complaint but these were just spoiled! There were black spots on most of the pods and a few were completely black/brown. On top of that they were so oversteamed that most had broken in half. My husband was for some reason brave enough to try a few and ended up spitting one out because it was all mealy and gross. At least they did not charge us for the appetizer once we sent it back.  My katsu had a few flaws but one might just be the way they do it, the other was a problem with cooking. The first problem was that I think they use thigh meat and it was kind of gristley and fatty and not pounded thin enough. The second problem was that it was all slightly burnt. 

The katsu can be forgiven or avoided but I don't know how they let that edamame out of their kitchen, it knocks my confidence in them down enough that I don't know if I'll be back to this location.
5 - Sara F.: I gave this place five stars for the good service we have received there. The food is good and the service is excellent! We ordered a mixed sea food plate and the waiter failed to tell us that they ran out of crab and so we told them that should have warned us before getting the plate ready, and they were so nice that not only did they not charge us for the plate but they also offered us free desert on the house and the manager made sure we had the best service ever! 
The ambience of the place is nice, the kids meal box is super cute and overall its once of nice places to dine in.
5 - Rona L.: I love me some Boom Noodle HH!

The service has gotten much better and whenever I'm hungry and in the area, this is one of the first places I think of. 

Some of my favorites:

- Tokyo Ramen: Boom has one of the best ramen dishes I've tried (Sorry Samurai Noodle...I just don't see the hype)! The noodles are always chewy to my liking, the broth is flavorful, and I always enjoy them.
- Edamame Puree: if you haven't tried it, it's reminiscent of of hummus, but with edamame! Served with eggplant, cucumber, and sweet potato chips, this appetizer is a must order for me whenever I come.  
- ebi katsu: basically deep-fried prawns, but BETTER
- eleven twenty one (cocktail): something about that spiced liqueur makes me think of the holidays, but I don't want to wait to enjoy it! It's delicious and pretty stiff and its effects tend to creep up on me.  

That being said, I've loved everything I've ordered here and though I don't know about paying full price for some of the dishes, their happy hour can't be beat.  Did I mention they have ALL DAY HAPPY HOUR on Thursday??
2 - Angel I.: I haven't had a bad Boom Noodle experience up until tonight. I've been to the UVillage location before several times, as well as the locations in Capitol Hill and Bellevue. However, this UVillage location has really gone downhill as some other previous reviewers have noted.

I just came back from eating here tonight and everything was quite dismal tonight. When we walked in, the hostess tried to seat us at the bar even though there were plenty of tables in the dining room area. I had to state that I wanted to sit in the dining room. Also, if you are going to eat at this location, you want to sit in the dining room section as the seats are more spacious and cushiony. 

It took a little while for the server (her) to come over to our table and I was excited to order Tokyo Ramen. However, they were out of the broth, which was fine so I ordered the Miso Ramen and my boyfriend ordered the beef yakisoba. It took almost an hour for us to get our food, and it wasn't until 5 minutes before our food arrived that our server communicated this fact with us. Also, we were here on a Sunday night and it really wasn't that busy yet the service was poor and the food and service was incredibly slow.

When the food arrived, my miso ramen was served with pho noodles instead of the egg ramen noodles. This discovery was quite disappointing as our server had not communicated this with me. I would have opted for a different dish had I known that this was going to be the noodles. The server didn't say why but I asked if they had ran out and only after getting my noodles had she confirmed this. When it came time for the bill, that part came the fastest. But even still, we were given 2 pens that didn't work. 

I don't think we will be going to Boom Noodle for awhile, and this experience has made me hesitant to visit even the other locations. I think I'll be going to Showa if I get ramen noodle cravings now. I hope the management realizes how this location (possibly the others?) have gone downhill, because Boom Noodle used to be one of my go-to restaurants in the area. I actually had quite enjoyed their Asian Fusion.
3 - Mara W.: Boom noodle is very kid friendly. I also like that I can eat Tokyo sweets or dessert right in the restaurant. However, I have still yet to find a single dish that tastes good. I tried the kimchi ramen (packaged shin ramen or neoguri taste ten times better), garlic beef, pad Thai (too heavy and oily), udon, yakisoba...
Nothing tastes very good.
2 - tyler k.: I order pad thai and my noodle were over done and stuck together.. my child kids bento box I order chicken teriyaki and the fruit were looking grayish not fresh and the beans were warm but the chicken teriyaki was cold in the middle... noodle was okay not the best I tasted but good enough..please take the salty beans out of kids meal!
2 - Shirley B.: Five of us went to dinner on a Sunday night
Minuses:
Sizzling beef appetizer--chewy tough meat
Waiter took forever taking our order (restaurant was not even half full)
Food came out one at a time with long lapse of time in between
Waiter brought us wrong tea

Pluses:
Beef yakisoba was good
Chicken katsu ramen was good
2 - Ariel Z.: I wasn't expecting much, and sadly enough, the experience wasn't great. The atmosphere is trendy and all of that, there are trendy cocktails and everything still feels new and clean. However, service was lackluster - our server forgot one of our items (thankfully it didn't show up on the bill, so we just let it go) and rushed even though it didn't seem like they were all that busy - there were still some empty tables. For example, the SO wasn't ever asked if he wanted more hot water for his green tea. How should that cost anything? He already has the tea bag. 

Likewise, dinner was mediocre; I have definitely had better ramen elsewhere. The Shio ramen was bland and hot, but not piping hot, which is a huge pet peeve with me. Hot noodle soup should be served steaming, right? SO seemed to think his dish was okay, but he wasn't singing praises or anything. The best thing about dinner was my Yuzu lemonade.

It's sad, because I would have liked to have a ramen shop to frequent in the city, even a chain one. But we won't be back. I wouldn't recommend it, either.
4 - H S.: Gluten free options are available and the staff was very friendly about these needs. The  food was good and it was a fun atmosphere for happy hour in the bar.
2 - yep g.: Went here as a family tonight thinking we would try something different.  The food was surprisingly bland (udon noodles and Pho) and weird inconsistent service.  We ordered our appetizers, and got them with only one of our entrees.  So I had to wait another 7 minutes for my soup.  We didn't ever see the server again until after we received our bill and had to ask for a refill of water after our dinner.  We didn't see anyone actually.  we looked around to see everyone else had their own bottle of water at their table.  It was a very strange experience and one we are not going to repeat.
2 - Steve C.: I'm not too picky, but I can barely muster two stars for this restaurant. I ordered chicken katzu curry on rice and it was barely edible. The chicken was tasteless, the curry sauce had almost no flavor and the presentation and service were also lacking, at a time when the restaurant was not terribly busy.  Won't be going back to any of the other locations either.
4 - Leslie W.: We love us some boom.
I love the ramen.
My three year old loves the ramen.
Okonomiyaki is addictive.  
Busy on the weekends, but the U. Village location is nice because our daughter can play in the outdoor area while we wait.
4 - Dan C.: I'm only giving this a 4 star cause they have a lot of menu items to choose from and our waiter was dope. The pho was ok, I've had better. I tried the Yuzu lemonade, it was different, but good I guess. Pretty big servings, can't complain with a full stomach.
1 - JJ F.: I work nearby and ordered the chicken Pho to go.  When I got back to work I discovered the servings were measly.  The chicken portion was beyond slight and they could've at least put more noodles.  I almost boxed it back up and returned it but was on limited time.  I order Pho to go for half the price and get almost triple the chicken and noodles from other places.  Weirds taste and oily broth.

Waste of money.  Disappointing!
3 - Ricky M.: Boom Noodle is good not great.  The service and decor has that national chain vibe to it.  I tried the Spicy Lemon Chicken Ramen, it was solid, but not spectacular.  The spicy broth was the best part about it.  I thought the lemon flavor overpowered the bowl.  

The Beef Yakisoba was decent as well.  The beef was flavorful and the noodles were good.  However for $12 bucks it was not a very large serving.   

It's a good place to eat at in the U Village if you're nearby.  It's not someplace I would go out of my way for though.
2 - Andrew D.: Went here after some hemming and hawing, we were hungry and in the U Village and were in the mood for japanese.  Wow were we unimpressed by the decor (looked like someone google imaged "hip+faux japanese+bland).  Our server was OK, nothing too special, though somewhere along the lines our order of an appetizer got lost and came much after our entrees (they comped it though so no hard feelings). 

the table was really sticky! i dunno what was up with that exactly.  

I ordered the chicken katsu which was fine, nothing great, the sauces were fine.  

My partner ordered the ton gatsu ramen.  the noodles werent great, and were SUPER al dante, and the meat was so dry! the broth though was really good.  

overall, not a winner.
3 - Capt k.: Way too salty.  service is slow as heck
3 - Kristin H.: The food comes out at lightning speed, and this place is super kid-friendly, which is great if you have kids.

Unfortunately, my ramen was OK but nothing special. I probably wouldn't head here on purpose, but if I found myself at U Village with kids in tow I might stop in.
2 - Kevin C.: Kevin's Three Things to Avoid When Choosing an Asian Restaurant:

1: If number of white people is greater than or equal to number of asian people, do not enter.
2: If it looks really clean inside, do not enter
3: If more than 1 geo-political region is represented on the menu, do not enter

For a good example of a restaurant that violates all of these rules quite gloriously, see: Boom Noodle.  I can not ding their decor or their service, both of which were lovely.  But unfortunately I can't eat those things.  And there isn't anything particularly atrocious - it's just that for a 20 dollar lunch, I expect an Asian meal that blows my socks and shoes off.  Sadly, I think my laces just got a little loose after this meal.
2 - freckles a.: Meh, not worth the $$ you pay. And I've experienced better...

1.  If you want ramen go to Aloha ramen. The ramen here is also super salty...salt lick, ack! Oh, and the miso is also a salt lick too (probably simmering too long).
2.  If you want Pho go to International district (Tamarind Tree or other more authentic place). There are many Vietnamese places that are clean.
3.  Even "happy hour" is not worth it.

It's a place full of yuppies who think they are diverse but really they are not...
3 - Rachel H.: A solid three, Boom is the Blue C Sushi of ramen (and in fact, the same corporate entity, Madison Holdings of Seattle owns both businesses.)

Its not fantastic food, but its fine and its a big hit with families and kids.  We find ourselves there more often than we would like to admit.

What Boom does well is kids meals, the coconut shrimp are a big hit in our house, and comes in a bento box with edamame, white rice, fruit slices, and kids chopsticks.  At $4.90, this is a pretty good option for families with kids in tow.

Also nice at Boom is the atmosphere.  There is a real attempt to appeal to the adults in the aesthetics category, meanwhile not feeling intimidated or freaked out when your toddler is running down the hallway or teething on the wall.  

The feel at Boom is more restaurant than fast food, its almost a little swanky, meanwhile most entrees are about $12.  Some of the better adult dishes include curry ramen (the broth is well seasoned), udon with mushroom broth and the vietnamese noodle salad, which is basically a slimmed down pork bun.  

There is a certain amount of corporate sameness to Boom and Blue C.  Boom is probably a good option for franchising down the road, since getting families happy at this price point is hard to do.  I do agree its not "real" asian food, but its a good idea mixing genres (japanese, vietnamese, thai, chinese) and giving families good food and nice atmosphere at a good price point.  

More adventurous families still eat the good stuff anyway, but Boom is a good alternative for a no cook night.
4 - Steve F.: I'm keeping this in context of a restaurant that is in a major commercial complex.  It's a bit of a noodle shop - Izakaya hybrid.  The atmosphere is nice and it's very well managed.  The majority of food I've had here can be rated from good to great and the menu is well rounded enough to accommodate a group with varied tastes.  I don't know that this place is a destination in and of itself, but I felt lucky to have a choice like this after shopping the retail outlets.
4 - Jeff B.: Exceeded expectations, and at a reasonable price.  Given that multiple Asian cuisines are represented on the menu, my expectations were low for the Japanese lunch selections.  All three Japanese dishes we selected were very good.

Not a destination, but was great place to have available when in area of University Village.

Had lunch with my wife and son at the University Village Boom Noodles on a very hot Seattle day.  My wife is from Japan and has high culinary standards - a constant (and welcome) challenge for me.

FOOD:  4.  
- Son had chicken tonkatsu and liked it. But then again, at 18 he likes just about anything.
- Wife had Tonkatsu Ramen, and rated it 4 stars.  "Tasted (almost) genuine".  And she is a tough critic on Japanese cuisine.
- It was a hot day, so I had the cold sesame ramen with chicken.  Excellent--as good as the chirashi ramen I had in Hokkaido.  Upon seeing my meal, my son wished he had selected the same thing.  Fresh veggies and nice cool good-tasting noodles.  Dressing was very very good, with the perfect amount of mustard with sesame.

SERVICE: 4.  Fast, efficient, and friendly.

AMBIANCE:  Definitely fine for lunch. Can't comment on other times as we haven't experienced it.
4 - Cassandra A.: This was my first experience here.  I came with my husband and a guest who have both been eating here at least 1x a week for the past 6 weeks.  

My husband reports that not many of the appetizers are that great, although he did order the ebi katsu (sesame crusted prawns) that night and really enjoyed them.  Our guest ordered calamari which he's had every time since going.  I must admit that I don't like calamari, but I thought that Boom's wasn't too bad and they had a great sauce for dipping.  I started with a cocktail - the eleven one five (?) - per a recommendation on here.  It was okay.  

I ordered the kimchi ramen which I enjoyed although there was tons of soup left over.  It was hard get the taste of the soup in the noodles.  The sizes are hefty as everyone reports.  I was miserable despite the fact that I had so much left over and my husband ate a good portion of mine.

For my husband and our guest, they both ordered pad thai and LOVED it.  D has ordered it the past 4 times and won't deviate.  Our guest had his first experience with it and loved it.  He reports that the red curry noodles are also great.

Atmosphere it trendy/modern/sleek.  It was extremely cold - the AC felt like it was set at 55 degree.  Even my husband who freezes me out at 65 or colder was chilled.  

Otherwise no complaints.  I agree with other reviewers, this probably isn't a restaurant  where I would go out of my way to eat at, but obviously if you're in the area and like asian influenced cuisine, this isn't a bad stop.  And it definitely exceeded my expectations.
2 - Sarah L.: I came here once with a couple of friends and was surprised to find okonomiyaki on the menu!  I was so excited.  The food turned out to be okay but not mouth-wateringly decadent:  warm temperature rather than hot, and the taste was kind of bland.  

We were sitting outside with just one other party nearby, and the staff forgot to check on us often.  We had to get up to look around for silverware/chopsticks and found them on our own.

I might try other Boom Noodles in the area, but it will probably have to be at the suggestion of  a friend.
4 - pitter k.: I think Boom Noodle is a totally sufficient place for a pretty quick dinner at a mall, that isn't fast food.  You can get an appetizer and two main dishes, and the bill won't be too steep.  It may not be authentic Asian food, but it's not the most bastardized or inauthentic I've ever had, either.  And, for what it is, I think the food is totally tasty.

But my main reason for writing this review is for something that happened a couple weeks ago.  It was maybe my 6th time there (out of 7 or 8), and for the *first* and only time there, we had kind of lame service.  Usually I find the hosts to be very pleasant, and the servers and bartenders are super attentive and friendly.  This time, we got a server who seemed kind of clueless, then another server (maybe it was a shift change), etc.  In any case, the appetizer we ordered came out very, very late.  And when it did, our server told us automatically that it was comped.  And then later, someone from the kitchen came out to apologize and was very nice about the whole thing.

I really appreciate great customer service, and because of what happened that day, I will definitely go back.
1 - Junko S.: We still come to Boom Noodle because my daughters like to eat here; however, after our poor service on Sunday, I may sway them to a different restaurant if they ask to go to Boom Noodle next.

Like I said previously, the food here is hit and miss.  We ordered salt & pepper tofu, gyoza and edamame (the portion has gotten smaller compared to when they first opened) - all were served to us luke warm.  My husband always orders the chicken katsu curry and not once has it been served the same way - sometimes there will be potatoes, sometimes you'll have a hard boiled egg on the side - there's always something missing.  The food is never consistent.  We also ordered another main dish which never made it to our table.  By the time the waitress let us know that the dish was being prepared, everyone else at the table were already done with their meals.  In addition, not once did she come by to ask if we wanted refills on our drinks.  The service was just so so bad.

There used to be a line of people waiting to eat at this place, now you can easily find a seat any time of the day.  That is a definite sign that Boom Noodle management needs to take a look at their business and make some needed changes.
5 - Scott And Leah H.: This place never disappoints.  Their food is just great.  Such a good family restaurant -- healthy, affordable food that kids actually enjoy!  My kids & I eat here at least once a week, and we get takeout all the time.  The service is friendly & accommodating, and the food is delicious.  You will quickly develop favorite dishes of your own!  My kids love the teriyaki chicken bento box, and I love the Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad with Pork.  Other favorites include the tuna tacos, the green beans with salt, & the coconut curry ramen noodles.  Writing this review makes me hungry! Boom Noodle at UVillage is a gem.
4 - Jennifer S.: We found Boom to be a pleasant surprise. U Village has become so child friendly that even a hip and chic restaurant like Boom was really conducive to young kids (we have a 4 & 2 year old). We got there pretty early on a Saturday afternoon, there were mostly families at the 5pm dinner hour. 
Yes, the food is Americanized, but what do you expect at a restaurant in U Village? We got the Phad Thai, Yakisoba and the fresh Spring Roll. All 3 were pretty good. The Phad Thai was dry (not wet like at some restaurants that don't make it right) but it was somewhat spicey and I found it odd they didn't ask me how spicey I wanted my dish. It was also somewhat odd that the only protein available with the dish is chicken and tofu (albiet they were generous with the protein). The Yakisoba had your choice of proteins and it was not over greasy and also had a generous amount of protein. The appetizer Fresh Spring Roll was only 1 roll cut into 4's: it was $5.75! For one roll it was way too expensive. 
The service was not good or bad, the waitress was friendly enough and I have no complaints. Yes, you could go up to the Ave or somewhere else around and save $1 a dish and it may be slightly more authentic, but for something right there and decent food, Boom is a good option. We'd come back.
4 - Maria G.: Still a fan!

I have only been back to try its happy hour menu.

They are pretty cheap but I think there is a one drink minimum.

It gets pretty crowded during happy hour at the bar so seating is not always available. Service has been consistently okay.
4 - Anna B.: yum! i love there pork vermicelli salad!
2 - Random L.: boom noodles isn't that great :'( the food was meh. service acceptable. This restaurant tries to fancy but my friends food was over seasoned the time I went. She decided not to make a scene so she took it home & mixed it with ramen to even out the explosion of salt. 
Everything was over priced :'(

The setting was pretty to look at though.
2 - Smyber C.: I would have rated Boom higher but they use MSG in most dishes. This was confirmed by a phone call to the restaurant.

As a "kid friendly" place, I feel betrayed by this additive in our meal. 

The staff is friendly and able. The establishment is very clean. The menu is interesting as well. 

Why the need for MSG anyway?
5 - Jolene R.: This location has it down!  Fast service, always available seating and the SPICY PORK RAMEN is the best!
3 - Adriana K.: High expectations as I had heard great things about the Capital Hill location. We went on a busy Saturday afternoon and opted for the bar when we were told there was a 20 minute wait for the dining room. We were seated and given Happy Hour menus - I was impressed they had a weekend HH and looked for HH days/ times on the menu and couldn't find any - when are waiter came we attempted to order from the menu but were told it wasn't happy hour (then why were we given the HH menus?!). I tried the cold Vietnamese noodle salad, and my Friend, a hot beef noodle dish. We ordered fresh spring rolls, which were tiny, overpriced, and not so fresh. I had a less than impressive cocktail and we were surprised by the lack of flavor when our dishes arrived. Service was adequate, but I had to agree with my friend when he said "This is the Japanese version of P.F. Changs"... too bad, so much potential.
1 - Jenny J.: I've been waiting to go here forever. I finally convinced my husband to go for my birthday and I was extremely disappointed. The one star is for the food. Bottom line is that it's flavorless, overpriced food. Bummer that this place sucks so bad.

Boomerangs - Cambridge, MA (42.3646057, -71.1023791) (Central Square)
4 - M H.: Like the other Boomerangs locations, you'll find tons of quality clothes, mostly used, for cheap cheap prices.  I visited this location earlier for it's opening and I was really pleased with it.  Smaller than the Boomerangs in JP, but still a great vintage selection for ladies, although in the future that may vary by day.  Men's section at the back of the store did seem fairly small though.

Items are sold by a standard list of prices unless otherwise marked.  General price range seemed to be:

Scarves - $2-3
Longsleeves - $4 ish
Sweaters - $6 ish
Dresses $8-12

Definitely still in its opening phases (dressing rooms still need hooks, etc.), but so far so good.
4 - liz c.: Get there while it's fresh!  They just opened this week & the place looks great.  Good, well-curated selection of housewares, books, clothing, etc.  Prices are reasonable, staff are friendly, and the items are quite varied.  Something for everyone!
5 - Sox G.: Love it here! It just opened last week and I scored a relatively new (and dry cleaned, as tags from dry cleaning were still on there) Ann Taylor dress for a wedding for $12! I was pretty psyched. I also bought a rubber ducky for 50 cents  :)
I will be visiting more often now that it's close to my work.
4 - Lynette S.: Great items and serious overall potential.

I only wish it were bigger and/or seriously packed.

Look carefully around bc there's items in nooks in the walls.
4 - Dee P.: Just ventured in for the first time after seeing a few weeks ago that it would be opening in May. Central Square was in DESPERATE need of a store like this; Goodwill and Salvation Army are OK, but overpriced, with a tendency toward unbearably stinky (Sally's is worse than Goodwill-- I can barely go IN), and since Gap and Tello's closed there's really no place to even browse for clothing. 

First impressions: Well-sorted by both size and color (for the most part). They have made a pretty good use of the former "Attic" space, with cute little square niches all over the store and paintings hung up high -- maybe too high-- to maximize the extraordinary height of the ceilings, and a faux staircase showcasing items at the center of the store. Clothing types and gender are well separated; there's even a section just for authentic vintage items. Good furniture selection at mostly low prices (even if the awesome corner cabinet is $225!), tons of books, smaller home goods and some appliances, a bit of jewelry, and even some bolts of fabric (sweet!). Great music (Beatles!) and REALLY friendly, cool-looking staff. 

Boomerangs' profits benefit AIDS Action, a wonderful organization that has worked for many years to raise money for AIDS research and improving the lives of those living with HIV and AIDS. I used to volunteer for them in high school... 

As someone mentioned, the dressing rooms have no hooks for hangers (??) but hopefully they'll get that sorted. 

Pricing, overall, is excellent. $2 for a tank top instead of the $4.50 you'll pay at Goodwill, and it's likely to be in better condition, from a higher-quality brand. (I got a silk Anne Klein shell for $2).

One star lost because of lack of selection (it still looks pretty empty so far and there's not a lot in any one category) and the hook-less dressing rooms, but if that improves I'll update to 5!
5 - Niamh H.: Great shop, great concept! My husband and I just moved to Cambridge and we have been searching for shelving to fit in the corner of our kitchen. We visited a number of furniture stores in the area without luck, but happened to pass by Boomerangs and found exactly what we needed: a gorgeous wooden corner cabinet! We picked up a few more items and cancelled our Ikea trip. I feel really great about our purchases: the profits benefit AIDS Action, we recycled furniture and the price was right. I'm so happy to find this piece which fits perfectly in our new home.
4 - Temporarily J.: I love this place.  They just opened up maybe a couple of weeks ago, and since I live pretty much right across the street, I've been going in every few days to check it out.

It's like a permanent yard sale.  It's constantly changing, all kinds of weird and awesome stuff, and it's ridiculously cheap.  I got a flour sifter in there for 50 cents, and a stuffed tiger almost as big as my 10-year-old son (for whom I bought it), for a quarter.  Seriously.  A quarter.  This thing seemed almost brand-new, and was like 4 feet long.

There was a much smaller lion next to it marked at $2 though, so I don't know what sort of system they have for the "priced-as-marked" stuff, but if you look around, there are some real steals.  

Oh yeah, and they have clothes and stuff.  It doesn't seem like they have a lot of stuff for guys.  I'm weird about clothes shopping though, so my opinion  here likely won't matter to you.  I do a quick scan of everything looking for any of the 5 basic items of black clothing I wear, and if a place doesn't have them, I move on.  In this place, it takes me about 5 minutes to make my clothing scan, and I have yet to find something I like. But at least I know that when that perfect size medium black suit vest with lots of pockets shows up on the rack, it'll only be $3, so i can snatch it up quickly, so I'll keep scanning. 

One word of advice:  they have a pretty much constantly changing selection of CDs, which you should totally check out..  Before buying one though, make sure the disc is actually in there.  I bought two CDs the first time I went in, and when I got home, one of the CDs was missing.  Obviously, I should have checked while I was still at the store.  Oh well.  Lesson learnt. 

Now, some stuff in there is priced more like you might expect in the average used-stuff store.  There's usually a couch in the window (it seems to be a different couch each time I go, but I could be wrong)  the price has fluctuated from between $150 and $300 so far, which sounds out of line with their pricing elsewhere in the store, but these were all really sweet, plush couches with no stains.  The one they had in there yesterday looked all antique and shit.  Velvet I think, with lots of old fashioned lacy stuff going on.

There seems also to be a coffee-table-of-the-day, which if memory serves (which it often doesn't- beware) has ranged in price from $15 up to maybe $25.  Nothing too fancy there so far, but all sturdy, clean and unkitschy. They also had a brand-new, plastic-still-on-the-box Apples to Apples game for $8.  Yoink!

One area where I haven't noticed a lot of turnover so far is their small electronics department.  There were some video cameras (I only really picked up one to look at, and the battery was missing), and I didn't look at the prices on them.  Those sold, but everything else in that section seems to have been the same each time I've gone.  There a coffee maker, and some Foreman-style grills.  I think I saw a panini press and some kind of tea maker?  It looked like a coffee maker but had a porcelain tea pot instead of a carafe.  That stuff's all still there.  I'll likely be exploring that section in more detail later, in which case I'll update this.  

Anyway, bottom line:  I love this store, and I hope they stick around in Central Square a long, long time. I'll keep going in there to see what's new today, and I kind of hope you do too.  What seems to make this place so awesome is how quickly there's always new stuff.  So go buy something and make room for something I want.
5 - Melinda G.: When I discovered Boomerangs was opening in Central Square, I was stoked. Its not entirely easy for me to get out to the JP one, and while I love Boomerangs Special Edition, getting there also requires a bit of planning. 

I scored some great finds on my first visit, including a couple of adorable strapless dresses. While there I inquired as to when they would be taking donations, as the website says they are not taking any at this time. The staff (also super super nice!) said they took donations any time they were open. 

Upon hearing this, I likely let out some sort of whoop and told them they would be seeing a lot more of me. And then I went on my merry way with my new-to-me purchases. I've been in the process of cleaning out my closets and frankly I'm sick of looking at stacks of crap I've piled in the hallway to giveaway. I cleaned out yet another closet, and because Boomerangs takes books and DVDs and housewares, I was able to amass quite a drop and was a little nervous they would tell me I couldn't give drop off that much on a busy Saturday afternoon or something.

Nonsense. They were awesome. I'll be donating everything to Boomerangs for now on not only because its convenient, but it supports the AIDS Action Committee AND because I love shopping there. I always find some of the best stuff, both vintage and otherwise. The staff is great and the way the goods are merchandised is exceptional.
5 - Ruthie N.: I've fallen in love with this place. Their inventory is constantly changing. The first time I went I spotted a couple of things I liked, however short on cash and needing money for my Charlie Card, I left empty handed. Went back 2 days later the stuff I wanted was gone. So if you really like something take it because chances are it won't be there next time. 

Yesterday however, I walked out with a beautiful Armani Exchange sweater for a mere 2 bucks!! Yes folks, 2 bucks!  Also got a Patagonia jacket for 3 bucks!! 

I wish it were bigger, but hey, there's not much they can do about that. Also, more DVD's than VHS would be nice. There are tons of books and some nice furniture for decent prices. The staff is also friendly and the place is clean. 

This place is awesome and I will definitely be making tons of visits!
5 - cc c.: Boomerangs is GREAT!  First they restored my faith in thrift stores.  Then they restored my faith in humanity. *Heart*

This is the review I planned to write after Saturday:
1. Prices are really good.  They're like flea market I-just-need-to-make-space-please-take-my-treasure prices.  
2. Effective displays.  
3. Clear pricing.
4. No broken/stained stuff.  
5. I'd much rather support AIDS Action Committee rather than a certain overpriced thrift chain whose branches often blast preaching radio.  But that's just me. 

This is what I have to add after Tuesday:
My mom and I went for the first time last Saturday and in the course of buying a bunch of awesome kitchen stuff and fitting it into our bags, my mom left sunglasses she had borrowed from me.  They were really expensive (I don't wear leather, so eyewear is one accessory I can indulge in.  What?)  We called another store we had been in, when the girl heard the brand she laughed as if to say 'you won't be getting those back if I find them first.'  That killed my soul a little, though she wasn't telling me anything I didn't already know.  When Boomerang opened after the holiday, we dropped by... and the sunglasses were safely behind the register!  I was mildly ok with never getting them back, but I can't even begin to say how much it meant that the people who work there are honest.  Maybe it's because they're volunteers but whatever.  This place has great karma all around.

I'll also add that there was definitely new stuff on Tuesday compared to Saturday.
5 - Merissa O.: 1 Vintage dress (perfect size to fit a plus size model)
2 pairs of infant sweatpants
1 vintage leather clutch
1 castiron pot (quality people)
1 large heavy mixing bowl (more quality people)
1 silk shirt 
1 lavender polyester skirt (must have)
2 pairs of  funky shoes (love'em)
1 toddler winter sweater
2 matching coffee mugs

ALL FOR $38.50- I'm an effin' winner people!

Enough said. "P.S. I don't buy crap!"
5 - Mo D.: i love Boomerangs and i am *so* happy that they've opened a store in Central Square!  this one is smaller than the JP spot, but has a similarly rockin selection of goods at great prices.  when i visited, they had one color tag at half price and another color tag marked down to just $2!  they have some nice furniture, too... i just wish they had more space here for more good stuff!
3 - Raf v.: Nice store, good stuff, decent prices, but often lousy staff service from people with bad attitudes, or who act like they're scared to death of strangers. Some store clerks are great, as are the managers. Others though won't look at you when you speak to them, or two or three of them will talk among themselves and act like they're having a private party that customers are interfering with. Ask for help and they don't respond, or one will sort of respond, but rarely with a smile. Go up to some of these clerks and stand where they can see you and they won't say, "May I help you?", you have to almost beg for assistance. The other day I expressed an interest in a tablecloth that was on a table, covered with other items for sale, and was told to "just take the stuff off" by a clerk who was yakking with fellow clerks. I like this store and will go back, but the customer service is often non-existent or poor, and as a repeat customer, I expect more, including a "hello".
3 - S. P. D.: OK, thought I'd give it some time before reviewing.  When this store first opened, I got  a fantastic first impression and feared it would put The Goodwill out of business.  Since this location of  Boomerang's has been around for a few months, I've got to say that the love affair is over.  The really  neat first-class and great vintage merchandise seems to be harder to find.  Some items are way over-priced ($2 and $3 for empty French jam jars?  I can buy the jar filled with jam at Market Basket for $2.50)

Mostly,  I now buy just books here.  The merch is fairly ordinary and I no longer fear that the Goodwill will be run out of town.  I must add the staff here tends to be pretty nice, polite, helpful and decent.
4 - Shaina P.: So, being one of those Cambridge locals means it takes a lot of effort to get out of the hood.  When Boomerangs showed up in the old Attic store, (a) I was psyched to get that weird place out of Central Square, but (b) uber confused ... never heard of it ... because I never knew it started in JP and what not... not such a fan of a banner for a sign.  Enter: friends of JP.  Visiting from out of town, these past-JP residents brightened from their hangovers (or was it mine) when they saw the sign.  

I just thought it was a strange junk store... and don't get me wrong, it kind of is... but it's really more than junk.  It's cool junk that seems qualified to be brought to my home to be used as a container for my cat's food or wear around my waist at thrift store amazing pricing.  It's the Home Goods store of thrift shops, doing your home good, but more importantly, your wallet.

The find of the day, which I didn't purchase, was a $65 solid wood set of drawers.  It was one of those nice wide dressers holding two columns of 4 stacked drawers.  Really great condition and enormous enough for two.  And if weren't for the two column design, it would have been wide enough to pull a Kramer (when he hosted the Japanese businessmen in his apt).  It could use a little paint restoration, but looked like they pre-stripped it for you.  They also were selling a couple twin bed frames for $15.  $15!  Such a steal.

Such an appropriate store for our kooky square.
2 - Gabriela G.: Gross! This place has junky items. It's worth a browse because things are priced fairly so you may (though highly unlikely) find something you can work with, or at least cut up and use as kitchen rags?!?

I was surprised at how crowded with people this place was. Like a party in there! Junk Fest! Maybe I didn't get the memo!
4 - Esther Z.: Sigh, how I  miss the thrift stores in NYC. 

Boomerangs though is probably the closest I'll get to one in the Cambridge area. 

Leather skirt for 5 bucks? Solid. Men's blazer for 15? Done. 

Go with an open mind and you'll never know what you'll run into.
3 - A T.: A very decent place to shop for second hand threads and vintage items. I appreciate that the staff actually know how to recognize vintage and sort those items accordingly. My best piece of advice, to any would-be hunters, is to check out the $1 rack, the staff picks, and to keep your eyes open for days that certain color tagged items are reduced by half. I've had better luck here than at the JP Boomerang's.
4 - Fujiko D.: I got a weird vibe from the staff today.  Does it warrant a reduced star?  No, but perhaps an update.  

I bought two items for $1 each which were pretty nice for $1, IMO.  A corduroy GAP jacket (reg. thrift store price $15) and a very pretty wool blend sweater (staff pick- so reg. thrift price more than $6, I am guessing).  The cashier was not very friendly; even after laughing and talking with the customer before me.  It had happen to me before when I shopped there, but maybe I'm reading too much into it?

Will still go here for stuff, but a little bummed.
2 - James H.: Very disappointing. Great for the first month with lots of vintage items. Good for clothes still. Not good for anything else. They don't seem to solicit donations so maybe that is why? Everything has to be shipped over from JP and they keep any interesting objects at that store--or so it seems. Really nice staff!
4 - Rose R.: I will admit, it took me a while to get into the groove of this place.

I looked through all the racks, and felt simply uninspired. The whole store has a certain stuffy smell to it (maybe just because it was a hot day?), and all I seemed to be finding were a bunch of oversized Gap button-downs. 

They had some interesting houndstooth/various patterned--trousers (for women) that I would have tried on and looked into buying if I had felt comfortable putting something right off the rack onto my body. You know how right after you eat a bag of chips, your fingers have a gross residue on them? The same thing here, after browsing for a half hour. Grimy, man. 

However, my vigor was renewed after finding the vintage section. There were some cool pieces (prices slightly higher than in the rest of the store). I looked into buying an 80s blouse, but the worn, bright blue polyester didn't seem worth $12.

After this, I looked more closely at the rest of the store, and found a simple, versatile, (possibly silk) black skirt. All the skirts were $6. Sure, it's not designer vintage or anything, but at $6, why not pick up a somewhat-high-quality basic?

I also walked away with an oversized Brooks Brothers button-down for $4 that I intend to wear as a cover-up at the beach. 

And the piece that won me over for Boomerangs and ensured a future visit? Black leather jacket, pretty-great condition, for $30! Sure, it felt kind of weird buying a heavy leather jacket on the hottest day of the week, but I'm not complaining. The staff very kindly got out a ladder to retrieve it from the top of the shelves, where it was being displayed.

My advice? Don't go expecting great things, but go with an open mind, and be prepared to look. Expect to see a lot of button-downs and blazers. Check out the staff picks, vintage section, and don't forget to scope out the tops of the shelves, cause they put some pretty cool shiz on those mannequins. Remember, all benefits go to the AIDS action committee!
3 - Dorothy W.: No longer open on Sundays. We busy thrifters and shoppers are not so happy about this.
3 - Ginnette P.: recently went in there and there was a salesperson/floorwalker who was all up under folks - I guess in this economy shoplifting is a problem; I kept looking around.. it is a bit of a turn-off for me.. this is why we can't have nice things and my paradise that is/was Boomerangs is lost a little for me...
4 - Emily Rae K.: Im no thrift store expert...I was actually a thrift store virgin until coming into Boomerangs last weekend, but I think I will be seeking out thrift stores much more now! I walked in, and the girls all said hello from behind the counter, good vibes.

I was freezing and it was rainy out, that is why I stopped in, I needed a cheap sweater and fast. Well I found a lot of cheap sweaters and cute ones too! I ended up looking at everything in the store because I was shocked by the fair quality of things for the super cheap prices...(again I was a thrift store virgin)....

I found their jewelry selection to be really cute. i got a pair of earrings and a necklace. My boyfriend also found an Ipod charger he had needed for 4 dollars. We checked out, the cashier was really nice, and we got a entry into some raffle they were holding! woo! I dont hate it.
4 - T N.: One of the best places to thrift in Boston. This place doesn't have a huge selection like other Boomerang's, but you can surely find a thing or two every time you stop by. Also, if you're in the mood for even more thrifting, stop by the Goodwill nearby (it's a difficult to sort through things in there, but it's a great way to kill your time and energy)

Boon Companion - Claremont, CA (34.095495, -117.71674) ()
1 - Terry R.: I totally agree with Janine R. In spite of the fact that they have a little Thomas the Train track in the store, I felt the owner's glare most of the time. My son really wanted to buy some of the toys there but I just couldn't wait to get out. In the end we spent less then $8 on a gadget they had on the way out but refuse to go back. Janine R. is spot-on, very unfriendly people!
5 - Philip S.: Stepping into this store is like stepping into a time machine... this is what you would imagine a toy store looked like in the movies / stories. 

Sure, the price is a bit higher than other places (Walmart, Toys r Us) but the quality of the toys are better. It seems like they have pre-selected the toys so that they're at a higher quality. Along with that, they do offer some advice (if you ask them first) on things. For example, we bought a kite the other day. I chatted with the gentleman working there for a while, found out where he went for kite flying. We ended up going to the same park that he used to go; my son and I had a great time. The kite was high quality, not like those cheapo ones you buy at Walmart. I think it's the non-material things that makes the difference in price worthwhile and meaningful.

I'm glad that this store exists in Claremont and not being swallowed by those mega-stores...
3 - Mike L.: Nice little toy store. Most of the toys are on the higher price then what i can get other places but we did buy something that was the same price. 
They have a good selection of the certain stuff that they carry. My daughter is into the calico critters and they have a good selection. they had somethings we havent seen before, im guessing because hi price and thats why they still have them??
2 - Penny N.: I just wanted to echo some of the other reviews below. This seems like a nice enough little toy store on the surface, but the owners are always just a sour, glaring pair. One expects something at least feigning to be fun and happy in a toy store. If I wanted glaring and sour faces, I could visit relatives instead.
1 - Annmarie M.: So sad.

This store has great items, old-fashioned dolls, games, figurines and such. I don't understand how they could choose such fun stock and have such a horrid attitude towards their CUSTOMERS!?!

When my kids were smaller I would have to brave the owners to get some of this stuff because I did not know anywhere else that carried the Geiff Animal and Medieval figures they had (now I know, Thematic Attic in Covina has them--but that has a grumpy person in there, too--see my review on them)

And now, the reason for the One Star: the owners. This is the grumpiest, most miserable couple I have ever encountered, anywhere. Why on earth these two would own a store that caters to children--those loud, exuberant, happy little people-- I have no idea. With their personality they should be tethered to an ironing board in the back of a dry-cleaner that caters to the very, very, very old...... preferably where they have zero contact with the general public.

The last straw was the time I went in and my daughter dared to touch a doll. The owner was on her like a SWAT team on a perp. My daughter actually jumped she snapped so sharply at her.

Go to Mrs. Nelson's. At least they act like they like kids.
1 - Amy W.: The most joyless toy store!!!!! 
In a time when we are encouraged to shop local and independent stores, which I support, this place makes me long for Walmart! It truly is more unpleasant than a trip to a big box store!!! The owners of this musty smelling place are unfriendly and disdainful. They completely ignore you, and answer in monosyllables if you gather up the courage to ask a question.  The toys are overpriced, and most you could find elsewhere for much less. What amazes me is how long this place has been in business.  I guess Claremonters have been habituated to poor service for high prices by this and many other businesses in the village. I want to shop local, really I do. Just give me some good service for those premium prices!
3 - Fern R.: This Store Has Many Good Toys For Kids To Play With.Some Of The Toys Are Educational But Not On The High End Electronic Side.  The Prices Are A Bit Steep But They Sell Things You Will Not Find At Other Stores.  They Tend To Have Higher Quality Toys For Kids.

I Do Agree With The Other Reviews That The Owners Leave Little To Be Desired.  They Seem To Be In A Perpetual Bad Mood, May Be They Should Pass The Baton And Let Others Run Their Store.

Booster Juice - Waterloo, ON (43.4763812, -80.5251952) ()
4 - Bas G.: The only problem I have with this place is that the sheer number of choices is dazzling.

Health nuts simply can't pass this place up. Pure vitamin bombs.
4 - Lauren A.: The staff at the uptown location make better, richer smoothies than the ones I've had at the King/Uni location. I don't know why that is but the K/U ones we've had have been chalky or "off"-tasting, while the uptown ones are delicious. The staff are pleasant and friendly too, and you never have to wait long in line.

Booster Juice - Princeton, NJ (40.350965, -74.656608) ()
5 - Dave I.: The High Impact Acai smoothie rocks my socks!

This place just opened, and I went for the first time today.  Lots to choose from - I didn't even get past the smoothie menu.  Juices, hot drinks, a few food options, nutritionally packed juice shots and more.  I was happy to see high protein smoothies, 30 grams or so on all in that section, or you can add a "booster" to a regular item.  They also have full nutritional value charts on all their smoothies, which is most of the menu, so you know what you are getting.
4 - Matthew T.: If you're looking for something like Jamba Juice, you'd find Booster Juice to be a pleasant find.  This is pretty much the exact same fare in terms of offering tasty smoothies.  These guys also offer sandwiches and other stuff too but I can't say I've tried them.  Refreshing drinks tho the place isn't so relaxing :)  Blenders and their constant whirring... eh what can be done.  Their Tropical Tornado was pretty good from what I can recall.  You can even get a 'boost' too... such a knock-off but eh, nice find for Princeton :)

Pros: Reasonably priced!  Good place for a smoothie craving
Cons: Nothing that really sets it apart from Jamba Juice
Verdict: Come here for all your Princeton smoothie needs!
3 - C S.: The good news is that this shopfront will reopen soon.

The bad news is that it will be another frozen yogurt shop, as there aren't yet enough places in town as it is (aside from Thomas Sweet 1 & 2, Halo, Bent Spoon, Twist, Ricky's, as well as the now closed Booster Juice which this one will replace).

Bootlegger's On Broadway - Troy, NY (42.731622, -73.691119) ()
4 - Amber F.: Yes!    I have high hopes for this place.
I'm so glad one of the new places on this street worked out.

After debating where to go for dinner, Frannie Panties C.(I beat you to the review, BOO YAH!)  and I decided to walk by this place and check out the menu.



When we saw veggie burger was on the menu, it was decided. 


The service was borderline slow but pretty fast considering there was one bartender and one server for a full bar area and maybe 10 tables.

However, they were both cheerful and helpful. 

They both aided us in the effort to sit outside.  The bartender sat us by the window so we could watch when someone left and the server ran us outside when a table was free.  

We both ordered the veggie burgers.

I opted for the sweet potato fries  and chipotle sauce instead of regular but sadly I didn't receive them.  I decided not to make a fuss about it since the server was already running around like crazy and I like fries in all shapes and sizes.

The veggie burger made up for it.

So many places take the veggie burger eaters for granted.

"Oh, they don't eat beef?   They must not have taste buds!   Serve them some slop between some bread!"

Not this place!   The buns we toasted and the whole thing was just yummy.


The fries were well, fries.  Nothing special but not too bad.  

The beer selection wasn't amazing but it was admirable.  

The bill!  

(2) veggie burgers with fries
(3) Beers
(1) Soda

$32.50     Not bad, not bad at all!

What?  What was that?  Wrap it up b?  Fine.

Yummy veggie burgers, Good beer selection, great price and great service and it just had a nice vibe to it.    I'll be back!  Oh yes, I'll be back.

(I hope this place stays like this,  there's always a chance things can get weird.  I'll cross my fingers)
5 - Jamie M.: For a brand new establishment this place is well on its way to becoming a local hot spot. I enjoyed drinks and nachos, with fast friendly, attentive service.  The outside seating was really great. This place is big enough to have a mid-day work meeting or a birthday celebration.
    The manager came over to check on my meal and I was pleasantly surprised by the huge portions of food. I do hope that they start to include local and organic options on the menu, especially with the farmers market so close by.
   I played darts and used the jukebox which was full of fun songs. I have yet to be here for the late night or weekend scene, but I see the place as comfortable and classy. 
   I am going to come back and see how things are after they have been open a few more weeks. I also want to check out what the bands are like, i saw they have a stage and pool tables.
5 - Mike T.: Happened to stumble upon this
 establishment one sunday afternoon. Really freindly service, really good food. I had the buffalo chicken wrap and french onion soup. Outside seating was great. Both my girlreind I plan on becoming regulars...
5 - Terry T.: I LOVE this place.  I was super excited to see it when they were putting on the final touches. Needless to say I was not disappointed.  They have a reasonably good selection of tap beer (which makes or break a bar for me.)   I had a sampling of their veggie burger and was impressed.  The real reason I love this place so much was the pulled pork torpedo.  To say this sandwich was good is not remotely doing it justice.  To put it ever so delicately, this sandwich massacred all local BBQ. To quote Aristotle "That sandwich teabags Dinosaur then fist fights everyone that disagrees."  Needless to say I will be back here often. Oh, the service is awesome too!
5 - Drew M.: Great bar! Their beers are great, mixed drinks are strong and delicious. Haven't tried their food yet, but have heard only positive things about it. 
They have themed nights, I believe Monday is karaoke, that's a great time for all ages. They have live bands come in, the one I saw was awesome! 
The owner is a great guy, and has turned this bar into a hot spot. When the students at RPI get back, this will be THE place to be!
3 - Beau C.: Food was nothing special (better pub food around), but the atmosphere in the front was pretty cool. They have a pretty good beer selection and several tables outside. They have two TINY pool tables in the back in a cavernous room where live bands play. Lots of wasted space in that area. Some of the cleanest bar bathrooms I've ever encountered(weird thing to mention, but that's how clean they were!)
2 - SUSAN R.: Please note that this rating in ONLY for a slice of pie. We were on our way to Bacchus, when I notcied the pleasant side walk seating and chalk board menu advertising peach pie. So I vowed to pick up a piece after dinner. The bartender was not terribly friendly or knowledgable. The slice of pie to go cost a whopping $6.95 and was smothered in fake whipped cream. I wish it had occured to someone to ask me if i wanted whipped cream.  The pie crust was completely soggy when we got home. The filling was average at best- and it was home made.
We may give this place a chance for lunch or dinner, and I sure hope to have better entree food. It is a very typical bar-type menu. Great beer selection. They do not have a blender so you can't have a frozen drink.
I would not trust the bartender to know how to make a decent margerita, so we will stick with beer.
I overheard her asking the customers how to make their drinks!
We are happy to support local businesses and wish Bootleggers Good Luck!
5 - Kristen E.: Gorgeous interior, located in beautiful downtown Troy, awesome staff, food is excellent and wonderful beer/alcohol selection. Love it!!!
3 - Lai-Yee B.: This is one of those places in Troy that I'll never think to go to on my own but shrug and agree if anyone suggests it. 

Food-wise, it's middle of the road bar fare. Nothing ever really shouts at me, although portions seem ginormous whenever I go (if that's your thing)

Went last night to play some pool. One table was in use, and the other table was shoved in the back and had cleaning products on top of it. But there were a bunch of dart boards open, so that was cool. 

Had some coupon a while back for buy-one-get-one drinks. Bartender said it was good only for the day it was issued, even though it didn't say so on it. Minor annoyance, but I'd rather they own up to it being a card they shouldn't have been given out in the first place instead of basically saying that it was good, but not any more. 

Taps are usually clean - never had an issue with a ganky beer. Cocktails are also decent. They've got a pretty decent selection behind the bar for whatever you'd like. 

I've never been out late enough to see how wild it may get it at night.

On the positive side, this is a great meet up for groups - huge space, lots of tables and seating. If you go on an off time (basically, before 9 pm) you'll have no issue with tables or space.
3 - Dan R.: Popped in for a Sunday lunch- the place was dead empty. We ordered a variety of dishes- a cup  of chili (served on a platter ringed by tortilla chips so it became a communal snack), a Greek salad, a chicken parmigiana grinder, and a turkey wrap. Everything was good/average. Nothing wowed us -but the food was solid. Three soft drinks brought the bill to $41. Not a bad choice for food if you are downtown. By the way, check out the politically incorrect sign I saw in the men's room.....
3 - Eugene L.: Came here on a Friday after work for a few pints.  I rarely go to Troy to hang out but my friend wanted to go here so we went.  I can see parking being a problem at "prime time" at night because is it all street parking.  I didn't have a problem because it was 4:30.   

Upon entering I was quite surprise how clean the outside of the bar was, they have tables outside so you can eat and hang out on a nice day.  It was a nice day but we decided to sit inside at the bar.  This place is ENORMOUS and spotless.  There wasn't alot of people at the bar so we didn't problem getting a spot at the bar.  The bartenders that work here are all sweethearts, very nice and always smiling.  They have a vast variety of your not so common beers on tap, which I am a fan of.  I am always looking for bars that have different beers on tap.  This place has to have at least 20 different beers on tap.  After sampling 2 different brown ales, (smutty dog ale and  I don't remember the second one) I went with a Brooklyn brown ale.  I've had it before and it is a good tasting brown ale.  My buddy settled for one of the "red" ales, he seemed to like it.  Prices for beers are crazy cheap here, 5 bucks for 2 pints!  Where the hell are you going to get that for good quality beer?  

I would definitely come back here, to chill and have a few, maybe try the food next time too.
4 - Regular G.: So, its momma's day and I'm out grabbing a bite before dinner. I'm just a jerk like that. We went in, and it was dead, 2 tables outside and us inside. The bartender/waitress was super sweet and attentive, and the game was on and she made sure I could see it from every angle, I appreciated that.

The beers on tap are extensive and the tap is clean, no headache or skunky taste. The beer was cold and fresh and the food was good pub food. Rivals the old Brown's for burgers, the Brown's that I miss. Fries were seasoned and good and we shared the fried mushrooms. What a taste, brings me back, they were old school delicious.

Overall service and food was good, I'll be back, hopefully to expirience the fun that goes on there too. Refrigerators June 2nd I think, should be a good time!!!
2 - Alison V.: I came here with a group of folks on a Saturday night after my sister-in-laws wedding reception.  We arrived later in the evening and the band was already going.  The place was super loud and impossible to talk in most areas of the bar.  The patio was packed which wasn't surprising since it was a bit hot inside.  I think they were having some sort of event, so it may have been more crowded than normal.

They had a pretty long tap list.  It was June so most beers were lagers or summer beers, which was a bit disappointing for variety, but they had some other options too.  My  husband and I waited nearly 15 minutes in line to get a beer.  When we finally got up to order I was told they were out of my choice and the bartender didn't come back for 5 minutes while she was "waiting for me to choose."  Had she not just walked away when I ordered, she would have known I easily could have ordered something else within a few seconds.  We decided to each order 2 beers since we knew waiting in the line would be pointless again.

Overall, it was a disappointing experience. However, judging from the other reviews it could have just been that there was an event going on that messed up the atmosphere and service.  I'll likely give it another try when I'm in town.
4 - Colleen M.: I'm going to stick with 4 stars.  I wanted to have lunch and sit outside with my pup so I have fewer choices.  

The burger was still really good and came with a spicy mayo on the side.  It was cooked more than med-rare, but it was still really juicy and enjoyable.  (Actually someone walked by, came back asked me what I ordered, and then went inside and ordered the same thing for take out).  

The waitress was good.  Attentive enough and even brought water out for my pup.  

I don't go here often, but the few times that I have been over the last year or so have been consistent (except for the first time).
4 - Roger K.: The promised return was on a Tuesday evening while a DJ was also conducting a trivia contest for customers who were likely regulars since they had group names for the contest and I think were supposed to bring some kind of membership card.  I point this out only to be able to say it was loud music and loud talk by the DJ during the trivia questions.

A pint of Brooklyn Pennant Ale ($4) and another of Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA ($5) helped us weather the contest until our 10 Wings ($7.95) with garlic & parmesan arrived.  They were crispy on the outside, meaty, and moist on the inside.  You could also choose to have them breaded - we didn't.

It's been a long time since I've had Fried Mozzarella Sticks ($6.95) and especially with the option of choosing a raspberry dipping sauce.  There were at least 6 or 8 of them to the serving and because we focused most of our enjoyment on the hot wings first, once the cheese started to cool I wasn't as pleased with them.  They need to be finished while still nice and not.

These two apps and the beer pretty much satisfied our cravings and hunger.  But we had been intrigued at the notice of a Garbage Bread on the menu.  I don't recall the base price, but we had added sausage, mushrooms, peppers and onions for a total of $14.95.  I must warn you that their garbage bread is so large that it can easily serve 4 people.  There had to be almost 20 pieces of which 18 came home and provided 2 more days of meals.

I've already pointed out the large selection of beers on tap, and with two enjoyable meals under (over?) our belt, we look forward to returning and trying more of the menu.

NOTE:  An encounter I've NEVER, EVER experienced before...
Check your bill for "Rounding."  That's right, they will round the total of your bill to an amount that, I believe, is easier to make change from.  Ours was rounded UP 4 cents to $42.  We weren't complaining, but curious enough to inquire of our server how it worked.  What was the rounding point?  Fifty cents?  She said she didn't know the actual process, but thought it could be to the next closer nickel or dime.  She also said there have been some people who complain about any amount that is rounded up, no matter how small the amount is.
4 - Sarah N.: I am a big fan of Bootlegger's. I work in Troy and at least once a month I have to get their wings. The breaded hot wings are my favorite in the entire area. Most breaded wings get really soggy and nasty. These stay the perfect amount of crispy and they have the best wing sauce ever. It is just spicy enough without losing flavor. But they are plenty spicy. Everyone has their wing preferences but these wings are perfect for me. 
The atmosphere is very nice and the bartender's (during the day) are super nice and attentive. 
I will say when I went to dinner one night with my sister, we ordered artichoke dip that was lukewarm at best and the drinks tasted sort of watered down. I really think it depends on who's working at the time you go in there. 
But 9 times out of 10 I've had a pleasant experience. It is a pretty big place so it never seems too crowded.
4 - Mike H.: With friends, I've made several visits to Bootleggers in the time that it's been open here in Troy. I've by and large found it to be a good casual place to go. It can get a little loud, especially if there's a good game on; but what do you expect from a bar? In terms of food, the burgers and sandwiches are pretty tasty. The pizza in particular exceeded my expectations - especially if you get bacon as the topping! The service has been varied depending on the server, but is usually fine. There are one or two "all-star" wait staff who are always on top of their game, and one or two who have taken awhile to get up to speed. The beer selection tends to be very good, although the big board listing drafts is not always up to date. That being said, you can usually find something else to replace any missing items. They book some great bands on the weekends, too. If you're in Troy, this is a place well worth stopping into.
2 - Katy H.: I came here with a bunch of friends during homecoming weekend. It was around 1 am. The bouncer saw a large group and requested a $5 cover.

$5 cover in Troy, NY? lol we're not in NYC.

Luckily one of my friends knew the bouncer and was able to talk the bouncer out of charging us.

Don't get the pineapple margarita, listed on their menu. It's awful. Too tart.

Live band and very spacious.

Bootleggers - Pittsburgh, PA (40.437056, -79.9547336) (Oakland)
4 - Russ H.: It's an interesting joint. You would swear you were in the middle of a residential area, then the place appears.

I found it on a Tuesday night, in the 'Burgh for a couple of days. The beer specials are solid, and it made me smile to hear that any beer not from PA is considered an import.

Cross your fingers that Amy is working the bar... She's a charmer.
1 - Alex K.: Facts:

1.) I ordered a round of Irish Car Bombs. The bartender proceeded to prepare our drinks by pouring the requisite half-pint of Guinness, and then fisted the bottles of knock-off Jameson and Baileys in one hand and squirted the liquors directly into the beer. "I thought you were going to put the liquors in a shot glass for us!", I commented. "We're out of shot glasses," she replied, "what's the difference anyway?" The smart thing for me to have done would have been to slug the curdling mess down as soon as possible instead of arguing with the fake-tittied bimbo behind the bar.

2.) Outside of the gym, I have never seen so many bro-heims in cutoff shirts, basketball shorts, and backwards hats. In fact, there were more of these at the bar than there were females of any type. One of the more interesting patrons was a 60 year old drunk who bought me Yuengling at closing time. He even followed my friends home from the bar! (*yikes*)

3.) I thought, in April of 2010, I would be at a point where I'd never have to hear the god damn Cha Cha Slide by D.J. Casper again. ("Two hops this time! Hands on your knees!"). I was so, so wrong.
3 - Chad P.: Bootleggers is a pretty standard dive bar:  fairly quiet, great prices, a pool table, and a variable crowd.  It's not really one of my go-to bars, I guess internally it just doesn't have the charm of some other close-by places.  The specials are nicely priced :  $2.00 or less for great beers and liquor drinks.  If you're looking for a quiet place to have a few beers or shoot some pool, this could be a good choice.
3 - Meghan C.: Bootleggers is my favorite bar in Oakland, and I don't know why. I guess it's cheap, but so is everywhere. It's usually not too crowded, but I tend to frequent on weekdays. It also is located almost directly across the street from my apartment...this may be the reason. Actually that's a rather large part of it.

But aside from convenience, I like Bootleggers because it's not trying to be something it's not. I mean Pcaf is alright but the "dancefloor" is a sad attempt at creating a club atmosphere and the outside area is simply pathetic. Peter's is WAY too crowded and it's only because they give out viking hats. Garage Door is huge but never that fun. Bootleggers is...dirty. full of creepers. uses only plastic cups and doesn't use a tumbler. will not give you an orange with your blue moon (they don't have any). has horrible karaoke regulars, trashy bartenders with fake boobs, and what looks to be a patched-up gloryhole in the bathroom. The list goes on. And I'm not afraid to admit that I love it and I almost always have fun here.

Note on those trashy bartenders...good luck getting served if you're a girl. They are usually too busy flirting with dudes or occassionally pole dancing on the support beams (no joke). My favorite night is Sunday...Ladies' Night!! Dollar wells and beers for girls, and the bartender is great. The bouncers here are nice guys too.

Basically, while Bootleggers is still full of undergrad bros and hos, if you're looking for a place in Oakland that's fun, cheap, and you don't mind that it's the epitome of a dive, it's your best option.
3 - ReviewHaiku F.: Lose your cellphone here.
Everybody's doing it.
So dark and so drunk.

(b)
3 - T.C. J.: Bootleggers is an alright place, but nothing about it makes it stand out to want me to come back on a consistent basis. For Oakland the bar size is larger than most and there is a room for pool playing in the back if that is your thing.

The drinks are cheap and every night they have some sort of special going. The crowd is a mix of college and older folks, so bootleggers doesn't cater to the college crowd as much as the other Oakland bars closer to campus do. Except on weekend nights when they bring out a ridiculous DJ and have a semi dance floor. Come on Bootleggers, you are not a dance club.

Though I don't come here a whole lot I've never had a negative experience.
3 - Alex W.: A dive if there ever was one. It's smokey, it's dark, it's full of broke college kids and life long Oaklanders. Occasionally I'll come on Thursdays for $2 any drafts. It's a great deal to drink a few Brooklyn Brown Ales or New Castles. The only issue with this is that due to it being being a dive bar most people are usually drinking the standard, cheap light beer and the kegs of the better stuff usually ends up sitting around for a while. Occasionally I have been served a crappy beer but they always replace it at no charge.

Bootstaylor Lisa MD - Atlanta, GA (33.7676956, -84.3856915) (Downtown)
1 - S W.: Dr. Bootstaylor performed liposuction on my thighs and stomach not too long ago. The results were HIDEOUS!!!! Not only are they uneven, but the scarring resulting from the sutures are embarrassing. 

I wouldn't recommend my dog to her or my worst enemy. I have had three procedures to fix the botched job she did. When I wanted to have an evaluation of the awful procedure I was told I would have to pay a 100.00...why am I paying you to fix what you already messed up? 

Stay away...far, far away! She is only interested in the money, not the patient. If you want to see the pictures, I will send them. I want to prevent anyone else from going through what I have gone through.
5 - Debbie S.: I underwent surery recently for a tummy tuck, liposuction, and breast augmentation. I couldn't be more thrilled with my results. Dr. Bootstaylor spent ample time explaining the procedures, my options, and listening to my concerns. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a plastic surgeon. US News and World Report currently has her listed as a Top Doctor, so you know she's good.

Bordeaux Law, P.C. - Pasadena, CA (34.145195, -118.134272) (Pasadena)
5 - Roseanne F.: I am very impressed with Mr. Bordeaux!  He has been endlessly patient with my mother and me regarding my lawsuit.  He answered all of my emails very quickly and was always there to help.  I liked the fact that he was open on Saturdays, because I wouldn't have been able to come during the week.  He was more than reasonable with his fees.  I honestly feel that he did a superb job on my case, and I know that the outcome would not have been as favorable had he not been on our side!  He is very personable and makes you immediately feel at ease.  I would recommend him highly!
5 - Chris B.: Was a great help and I would gladly use his services again...

Although my particular debts were outside of his expertise (private and federal student loans specifically) he was very kind and took the time to meet with me on a Saturday which really helped because I work 9-5 M-F. 

He was informative and up to date on his information and steered me in the right direction with my issues even though that meant sending me away to a different specialty lawyer. He was fair and honest and could have easily led me on but gave me the facts straight up which made the whole process go smoother for me, I highly recommend Cliff for any type of typical bankruptcy filing, he was very patient.

Border Café - Cambridge, MA (42.3743145, -71.1202433) (Harvard Square)
2 - Jeremy S.: One of the few mid-priced dining options in Harvard Square. Has your basic cajun and tex-mex options. Nothing to get excited about.
3 - John C.: Good food, cheap prices (many entrees ~ $10), big margaritas, and friendly service.  Great spot for a casual meal.
3 - Heather S.: good, cheap and fun. highlights are the free chips and (spicy) salsa.  tasty margaritas too!
3 - Susan J.: Similar to Sunset Grill and Cantina, this Tex-Mex restaurant in Harvard Square has the standard margaritas and chips and salsa. Nothing too exciting, but also no unwanted surprises. We took my friend there for her 21st birthday, and she LOVED it!
5 - Rebecca Y.: Enchiladas.  Mmmmmm.  This place is full on south of the border.  Huge drinks and meals.  The bar is great to sit at while you wait for a meal or just pop in for one of those big drinks.  Good for groups or a fun date.
4 - Lizzy M.: I've been going here since like third grade and it's always so good.  Really authentic- food and decor.  GREAT FOR: cheapness, atmosphere, chips and salsa.
1 - Melissa B.: I would only step in here for cheap beers, nothing else.  Good if you're meeting friends nearby, but don't waste calories on the food.  Just not  worth it and the margaritas are just all sugar and mix.  I'd rather go to Forest Cafe if I'm in the Square.  This place is really popular with students.
3 - Rina R.: This very popular spot in Harvard Square is always busy, but fun. Arrive early or else wait a while. Grab a Corona and order yourself some tasty Tex-Mex style food.
3 - Heather Q.: It's just OK.  The food makes me think it should be part of a chain.  Think Chi-Chi's or Olive Garden level of cuisine.  Large portions, heavy on the dairy.

The atmosphere is good if you want some place high-energy, and, if you want to hole up at home, their take-out service is really fast.
3 - Nick M.: If you like cheese and chicken and want your chicken caked in cheese, come to Border to eat.  The food is basically average mexican, but the margeritas are huge.  It is a great place to meet a couple friends and enjoy a long meal.
1 - Ellie L.: Why do people love bad Mexican food?  The dishes here look like ithey come from a recipe off the back of a Kraft Shredded Cheese package, and honestly, are generic brand tortilla chips such a hot commodity that you need to come here to snarf them for free?  Try Casa Mexico on Winthrop for something more authentic, or check out the assembly line burrito joint right by the garage, but please, just say No to Border.
1 - J B.: It's not mind-blowing or amazingly inventive but if a cheap margarita and fajita is what you're after, you could do worse. I have a soft spot in my heart for this always rockin spot in Harvard Sq. It's fun --food is good, it's inexpensive. It is what it is, and if that's what you're looking for, than it's just right.
3 - Juliette V.: Fun and boisterous Mexican in Harvard Square. They have good salsa, fajitas and margeuritas. Nothing fancy but it does the trick. There are usually long lines though so go early.
5 - Esther L.: The best mexican food I've found in MA so far (and this comes from a girl who went to school in texas, where you eat tex-mex at least once a week). Their chips are good, and their fajitas are really tasty. Share a plate if you don't have a huge appetite because the portions are really big. And be aware that they have a yellow line drawn on the floor in the downstairs dining room, which means if you sit on the wrong side of it, you aren't allowed to have alcohol (restaurant rules).
3 - Emilia D.: As much as I enjoy sometimes getting an okay cajun-Mexican meal at a crowded spot, I wouldn't reccommend the Border Cafe for everyone. its quite packed, and a bit overpriced...but the atmosphere is fun. Lots of cute, young, fun folks ready to mingle and send over drinks.
3 - Michael G.: The food is typical Mexican, and you really can't go wrong with any of the dishes. The drinks, though, are awful. The margaritas taste watered down and are definitely not worth it. You're better served by ordering beer instead, which is fairly inexpensive compared to the arm and a leg charged by some restaurants for a single bottle.
3 - erin e.: Lighten up, folks! People don't come here for the authentic Mexican. They go to El Pelon, in the Fenway (or at least I do...). People come here for drinks and salty, cheesy Americanized psuedo-Mexican food that ain't too expensive - and that's just what they get. There is always a wait for a table, the homeade chips and salsa fills most people up before they even get their entrees, and it's right in the middle of Harvard Square. 
Very young crowd, good place to go on a college or even high school date (provides distractions if you want to be distracted from each other, provides distractions if you want everyone else to be distracted from paying attention to you. works both ways - isn't that beautiful?).
If you want to take someone on a cheap date in that area, go to the wine/pizza place across from the Brattle theatre. They have amazing gourmet pizzas and a great wine selection...and the whole operation ends up being pretty damn cheap.
3 - Anna S.: Their food, though not authentic mexican food, is quite good.  Far from, the setting was a tad crowded and the price was not right.  The service was efficient though and it is a great place for a relaxed meal if you are looking for ameri-mex food.
3 - Geoff T.: Not too expensive, it's your run-of-the-mill tex-mex place. This isn't to say it's not good. It's decent food and well worth the price-- a fun place to meet after work for some fajitas and margaritas with co-workers (if you actually want to hang out with your co-workers after 8 hours of starring at them...shudder). It does get very crowded, and it's nice if you can get seated downstairs where it's not nearly as loud-- you might actually be able to hear your dinner companion!
5 - Stephanie W.: Homemade tortilla chips, huge drinks, huge burgers, and fun music make the atmosphere really fun and casual. Everything from the burgers to its Cajun food is GREAT. It gets crowded a lot, especially with the college students around, but if you want to eat some good ol Cajun or Tex-Mex food, this is the place. Oh, and the margaritas are delicious I hear.

UPDATE: 1/1/08
I should have written this much earlier, but for you non-Cambridge fans, go to the one on Route 1 in Saugus, or the one right by the Burlington Mall. The one in Saugus is pretty crowded as well, but you will always find parking.
5 - Joe b.: AHHH! SO GOOD! the most delicious tex-mex food around. Plus it's dirt cheap! free salsa and chips which are delicious come w/ every meal even if u get a 3 dollar cup of gumbo, plus their 1.50 drinks are HUGE and free refils! so you can get a full lunch for like four bucks and it's delicious. Amazing resteraunt, great for dates ;-) noisy tho, so not like romantic or anyhting.
5 - Brandy S.: I am a huge Mexican food fan and have been very, very dissapointed with the selection of Mexican food in Boston. Most of it is crap (the fact that no one has even heard of green chile makes me want to cry), but I rejoiced when I found the Border Cafe. While they still do not know what green chile is, they do offer really tasty tex-mex and cajon items with actual flavor. The fish tacos are superb and the prices are not bad. The margaritas are good. The place is always packed, but worth the wait.
4 - Kevin W.: Fish Tacos Baby!
3 - Andrew K.: I liked the fish tacos and the margaritas, but when you go to the Mission you get spoiled.
5 - Melissa O.: Well, where should I start?!? I looove the Border Cafe...enough that I'm there atleast once a week and the staff all know me well;)! I think they have the best margaritas in the Boston/Cambridge area (try the Texas or 1800 marg!) I've tried every mexican place in the area and for the price - you can't beat Borders! The hot chips and salsa are free and most entrees are only about $8 (the blackened chicken is amazing!) Swing by on a weeknight if you want to miss the crowds and sometimes long wait for a table. Mmmm...
4 - Jennifer M.: Unfortunately this place is no secret in the middle of Harvard Square, so it's often very crowded. You're probably better off going early if you can or on an "off" night like a Monday or Tuesday. The food is really tasty, they stuff you with unlimited free fresh-cooked tortilla chips and salsa until your meal comes, and they have very tasty margaritas. There is actually a good selection of mixed and frozen drinks here.
3 - Melissa B.: I love to go here & sometimes drive in just to eat the cheesy goodness.  I love the eggplant royale and all of the fajitas.  The corn & blackbean empanada is also yummy.  Have I mentioned the margs here?  Yump!!!
3 - J. H.: Pretty affordable Tex-Mex and cajun food served up in a fun, casual, LOUD environment. The tuna steak salad is pretty good.  The bottomless chips & salsa sate your appetite while you wait for the rest of your food to come. 

Border Cafe is not a destination restaurant for me but it is a good place for mixed groups.
5 - A S.: What can I say? I love love their quesadillas - my friend and I go for lunch and SPLIT the chicken quesadilla appetiser.... which is like $6... does it get any cheaper? We split it not because we are psycho dieters but because its HUGE! drinks are huge also (could be dangerous...!) - perfect for a famished shopper that spent way too much at urban outfitters...! did i mention the free chips and salsa?
3 - So S.: Good Tex Mex in a fun enviroment in Harvard Sq.  Great free chips and salsa which comprises 75% of my  meal 'cause I can't get enough of it!  Everything else is pretty standard tex-mex.  Known for its huge margeritas which everyone gets.  The cheap prices is the draw here.  Can get really crowded.
2 - Roshni R.: i actually liked the border cafe before i moved to cali.  after trying real mexican food, i realize that the food at border cafe is crap.  it's a decent place to go with a large group of friends out in harvard sq though, and it's always bustling (but you may have to wait in line forever).
2 - Joe R.: After eating here, I felt as though I had been licked clean through at least 10 square miles of Utah's Great Salt Lake.  I have to say, I like a bit of salt here and there throughout my diet, but border cafe took it to a new level.

I started with a magarita: salt is to be expected here.  No surprises thus far.  Next were the standard Mexican-cantina chips & salsa.  The chips were fantastically skewed in the salty direction, but again - not a huge surprise.  Finally, my fajitas arrived, completely putting me over the edge.  From that point forward, I retained every sip of liquid I had over the next 36 hours.  It was ugly.

The atmosphere was nothing to write home about, either.  I wasn't disappointed by the margarita, though.
3 - Tom R.: It's a fun place to meet friends or bring kids.  You can be noisy here.  The food's serviceable.
1 - bex g.: ICK with a capital EYE-CEE-KAY!

i have given this place more than one chance, and every time i am not surprised.

the first time -- a leaking pipe dripped on my, my table and my meal...and there was no apology or deduction from my bill.

the second time -- overcooked meal and my special request of no onions was not listened to.

i grudgingly went a third time, and while nothing jumped out at me (bugs, rats, etc....) nothing made it shine either.

my vote?  there are PLENTY of other good tex-mex places in beantown much more worthy of your time, money and tastebuds.
4 - Jess K.: The chips are so delicious and warm that it makes it tough to stay hungry for dinner! I recommend ordering a Hornitos because it is the best margarita on the menu. When I go here with friends we will order an appetizer, a few drinks each, and a main course and still only spend about $20 each. That is hard to find in Boston (or Cambridge). I love going here and don't think I will ever get bored with the margarita choices. This place is crowded in general but you will get seated fairly quickly. The portions are a decent size and you will leave full (and hopefully tipsy) at the end of the meal.
2 - annie k.: One of those places that students will look back on later in life and think...YUCK. And yet, it serves its purpose, and the blackened chicken appetizer is actually worth eating. Amazing how salty this food is.
2 - serra s.: Loud.  Boring.  Crowded.  Sanitarily questionable.  Last time I was there, I watched a waiter walk under a pipe with a tray over his head.  The tray brushed the pipe and smeared sour cream off one of the dishes onto the pipe.  Two other waitstaff were watching and just started giggling and pointing at the pipe with sour cream on it.  I'm sure someone ate that meal.  How mature is that?  The chips are the only saving grace, really.  The lines are NOT worth it.
5 - Sam S.: I just ate here for the first time in years. Had the catfish and mango salsa fajitas. SUPERB. The chunks of mango were fresh and sweet, with a hint of chili. LOVE IT, I miss this place.
3 - Charles L.: Border Cafe was a sporatic but satisfying experience this weekend.  Went out with a group of prolly 8 of us...  First stop was up to the bar which was overflowing with drunks... I mean it was 8pm Fri and I was suprised.   I was casually sipping a Negro Modelo while my crew was throwing back oversized margaritas...  The party moved downstairs into their underground dining room, which was hot and loud (that was prolly my table tho) and also full of drunks.   SO the food?  Bottom line, CATFISH...  We got like 5 different versions and all of them were real good.  I got fish taco's which went down smooth baby...

Yeah, not the best but fun time none the less...
2 - Katia M.: I don't see what people sees in this place.  The margaritas didn't have enough tequila, and I've definitely never had worse fajitas.  Plus I've heard horror stories about the sanitary conditions, so I'd definitely skip this place.

UPDATE: Okay, I went back with some prodding.  Cute bartender, free chips and salsa, and the margaritas were head and shoulders better than I remembered.  But that may have been due to the fact that my friend made nice with the bartender earlier in the evening.    I'll up a star, but the crowd was annoying and I still won't eat there again after having had the worst fajitas of my life here.
3 - Peter P.: The food is great, but concidering I don't find it any better than the Forest Cafe, or Rudy's, or Picante, it's not worth standing in line for. I don't know if it's just because it's the cheapest sit down place in Harvard Square, but there is always a line, like I said, the food is great, it really is, but my other favorite Mexican places are just as good or better, and never have a line. Why is the Border Cafe in two sections? I reviewed it twice, does that make my oppinion count twice as much?
3 - Travis G.: Very average neon-lights-in-Texas theme restaurant supplying bland but tasty Mexican food.  Slightly indifferent to somewhat surly waiters, gets very busy late in the week, drinks are alright. I happen to like the fajitas myself. Used to be a good value, but prices have increased within the last couple of years.  Now, it is just an ok place to have lunch, and not worth it if you are going for dinner with friends.
5 - dan w.: BLASPHEMY
these reviews are ridiculous.  crowds?  i didn't realize we were senior citizens.  Border Cafe is hands down my favorite restaurant ever.  I have nothing bad to say about the place.  between this one and the one on rt. 1 I have probably been there about 75 or 80 times.  every time I go out to eat I subconsciously compare it to border.  I have tried a lot of salsa and their salsa is perfect.  the chips are warm and make a great crunch in your mouth.  The entrees are smothered in cheese with meat marinaded until it melts in your mouth.  even the black beans and rice have strong flavor when they are usually bland at other places.  then when the bill comes it is a fraction of what it would come to at other restaurants.  I would still come here if the price was double or even more!  suggested plates : enchiladas, burros, chicken Guadalajara.  to sum it all up, great food, great drinks, fun crowd/atmosphere, good/fast service, cheap!

****EDIT - reading other people's reviews made me want to clarify something here.  I absolutely do not think this is authentic or quality Mexican food.  has anyone on yelp heard of the phrase guilty pleasure?      you don't have to be a snob about food and only eat at places that qualify under your definition of "real Mexican food".  can't a man have some meat smothered in cheese once in awhile?
4 - Sean L.: Fun place with great decor and Mexican setting.  I didn't eat much probably because I was too busy at the bar.  The staff was exceedingly friendly, awesome bartender and really nice waitress.  Tequila ended up defining this night.
4 - K. F.: The food is good, but if it is supposed to be considered "Mexican," it is far different than the Mexican food one can get in Southern California. I consider this to be more Tex-Mex--which is fine. Just doesn't satisy the craving for Mexican when the craving strikes. I do want to comment that Lane is the nicest waiter I've encountered in Massachusetts. Ask for Lane and you'll taken care of. 5 stars for Lane!
1 - Laura A.: i cannot believe that people are giving border cafe multiple stars here. i don't even think i have the words to enunciate just how much this place sucks, but as this is yelp, of course, i'll give it a shot. if i could give border cafe zero stars, i would.

i first became acquainted with border cafe in college, since it's a chain and they have one in new jersey (but it's called jose tejas there). the food always sucked but we'd go there for margaritas and chips, because alcohol + salty = delicious. (the salsa is unimaginative and tastes like it came from a jar.) i went to border cafe here not knowing it was the same chain, but i have been equally as disappointed. the food here is "mexican" just as much as subway qualifies as being called "subway restaurants". you know what i mean? everything here is fried and shitty and gives me heartburn and tastes burnt. the vegetarian options fucking suck and most of the rice/beans is made w/lard. i think the reason why it has such a high rating is because people drink way too many of the massive margaritas they offer and lord knows when you're drunk, everything tastes good. what does it tell you about a restaurant when the alcohol is the main attraction? 

oh, and did i mention the state of the bathrooms? mom always said that you can tell a lot about the cleanliness of the kitchen of a restaurant based on the bathrooms. if that's the case, this place's kitchen is even worse than the dirty boca in lechmere (and that's bad).

if you're in the market for going somewhere for drinks before a movie down the street, this is the place to go. but if you're looking for actually decent mexican food, i'd suggest ole in inman/zocalo in arlington, taqueria la mexicana in union square, casa romero in boston..
4 - Genie B.: I love this place! I went not too long ago with eight friends, and the bill was like $130 bux! That's a steal for the amount of food and drinks we got. The food was super. I had the salmon ceasar salad and it was perfect! The atmosphere is loud and festive, (a great place to go for a birthday or with a large group of people) Its usually pretty crowded, so they give you a pager for your table wait, but that doesnt bother me at all cuz I go right to the bar and start on my first margarita! The service was quick and attentive...Ole! I'll definaltey be back!
4 - Tom W.: Great cheap eats. The Tex-Mex basics--chips and salsa, enchiladas and fajitas--are good, but take a chance on the Cajun and Creole half of the menu for the real treats. The Catfish Mardi Gras is a classic, and I can never get enough of the popcorn shrimp.

The loud, busy atmosphere might not be for everyone, but when you've had a few Conmemorotivo margaritas, you're going to be all set.
3 - rishi h.: I took my parents to dinner here.  Despite the thirty minute wait time, it went alright.  Food's good, atmopshere is busy with that sorta cheesyish mexican decor, prices are very reasonable.  Nothing special but if you're in the area and want some texmex it's worth checking out.  Probably a good place to bring a group if you make reservations.  I still order their black bean empanadas to go once in a while.  Good deal.
1 - Bill K.: People actually rated this place more than 1 star?  Why don't we spend some time discussing the latest horror rolled off the assembly line by Taco Bell?  Or which item on the B&K value menu is REALLY the best value?

This place is proof that if you pour enough salt on pretty much anything, some poor soul will eat it.

The reason that people complain about the wait is that to have to wait in order to receive poor service and bland food is insulting.

The day that I'm standing in the middle of Harvard Square, replete with restaurants of all shapes and sizes and think, "Golly, the Border Cafe is near here!  That sure would be swell!" is the day  I take a long, hard look at what my life has become.
3 - Mats K.: Decent restaurant.  Promises Mexican and Cajun food, which is tasty, but not particularly authentic.

Seems to attract a good deal of the international community in Cambridge.

It can get very crowded, but if you just want food and are not interested in drinking, ask to sit "behind the line" a separate area in the restaurant where they don't serve alcohol, and getting a table is much quicker.

Be prepared to smell like tex-mex/cajun spices when you leave.
3 - Dachary C.: I've been to the Border Cafe on weeknights, weekends, late night... and there is one consistent fact: always crowded, always noisy, bordering on obnoxious.

The food is alright. The style could best be described as Southwestern and Cajun - although I'm not sure who decided that was a good combination. The prices are reasonably what you'd expect in the area and for the type of food. There's nothing particularly noteworthy, except the fact that everything is spicy (although some to lesser degrees.)

Pros: Frozen Sangria. Very yummy. Also open late.

Cons: Noise, average food quality, and no desert.

The service is nothing out of the ordinary, either. I haven't had any problems that stand out (except when dining with a large group, which can be expected), but it's neither particularly quick, nor pleasant. On the whole, my feelings about this place are pretty bland - if you want that type of food, hit it. Otherwise, nothing out of the ordinary to recommend it.

Parking in Harvard Square is a nightmare, though, so say a prayer before you leave home or take the T.
3 - aaron t.: Fun, vibrant, lively place to eat.
Great free chips and salsa as well.
Wide selection of drinks.
Ideal place for large groups to kick it!
Friendly staff.
Food is good, but nothing out of the ordinary. just one of those, great places for college students to eat.
Weekends are crowded, so expect a wait..
If you get there though, and the lines too long, cambridge 1, and veggies planet are right next door as options.
5 - Miles H.: My favorite sit-down spot for Tex-Mex cuisine, EVER. Located in Harvard Square, this is great place for dinner after a long week, dinner before a movie/concert, or just dinner in general. Considering how much food (GOOD food) is brought to your table for a little price, this place is practically a steal. The chips and salsa are better than most, and the drinks are towering, but the best menu item has to be the fajitas, the meat brought to your table still sizzling and cooked in spices which are out of this world. The service is great, and the interior is very cool and rustic. HIGHLY recommended.
4 - Michael W.: I look through these reviews and i am shocked why nothing is above a 4 stars, I LOVE COMING TO THE BORDER CAFE.....

So I am going to have dispute Brittany S. comments, while there can be a wait sometime, I had a table for 7 on Saturday night and I waited 20mins... and I don't know about the restaurant she mentioned across the street, i say go there to eat, makes more room for me.... if your not willing to wait.

The food is great, and the drinks are awesome, when I go for dinner  there I know i am going to get all boozed up and have a great time.

They have great salsa, when you go, also get some guacamole with your chips while you wait... its really good, some of the best in town.

A few visits back I started to venture in the the appetizers they have, the popcorn shrimp are you spicy and tasty, and the catfish bites are not to oily, and they are tender and flaky, each one comes with a very  tangy honey mustard.

Every time I go with different people and they all order different things, so I have here are some of the highlights....

I always enjoy the seafood enchiladas, which is packed with shrimp and craw fish and this great poblano pepper sauce... the jambalaya is awesome, ask for some extra, its great...

Fish tacos are are great, crispy catfish and you cant beat a fish taco...

Blacken Catfish fajitas is super, great spice, flaky, moist and the diced mango compliments it nicely...

Dachary C, was looking for deserts, and I don't even know if they have any. I get so filled up from the chips and the food, all i want at the end of the meal is another grand gold Margarita. 

Food is great and very cheap, 8 people eat under $150.

its worth the wait people...
have a drink at the bar, watch the sox.....
5 - Richard F.: i love this place.
there's a lot to choose from on the menu (tex-mex/whatever)
it's friendly, fun, original, and cheap.
i can't believe people don't rate this place higher
2 - Lala L.: Haven't been here in a while because the last time I dined here, there was a roach on my table! But don't read my stars literally, I do have a friend who eats here everytime he's back in the east coast.
4 - Ariela M.: Amazing margaritas!  And, the tortilla chips are simply addictive, there' s no other way to put it.   I've tried several of the dishes and they are all very good (not as good as the margaritas but definitely not bad).  It gets really loud and there's a huge wait on the weekends, but it's definitely worth it for the drinks.  The food is also really cheap for the amount that you get.  It's not fine mexican cuisine, but it's a really fun place and the food is definitely decent enough to go back!
3 - Jud P.: Border Cafe is a rather large Mexican joint in Harvard Square.  It can get busy and loud, especially on the weekends.  Be prepared to fight a big crowd to order a drink at the bar while you're waiting for your table.  There is a lot of seating downstairs, and it is a good place for groups, although I don't believe they take reservations.  The food is tasty, my favorite is the taco salad, which is HUGE and delicious.  The margaritas are also decent, but I find there can be a lack of consistency, probably because the bartenders are so busy trying to make so many of them.  Border is a really fun place to go, the food is good, the price is right, but there are better places in the area for authentic Mexican.
3 - Stephen J.: The Border Cafe: unathentic and rather bland food but large portions, house margaritas that have way less tequila than they should for $5.50 but that somehow keep you ordering more, and an atmosphere that is all too loud but still crowded and fun. I'm not really sure why I keep going back because really the "Mexican" food hardly resembles anything from south of the border. Yet the inside decor is fun and colorful, and despite the lines to get in "Border" can be a great time with the literally hundreds of other college students who will be there on any given night, furiously drinking margaritas and munching on the free chips, which in all fairness are extremely addicting and well above average (as is the salsa).
4 - A T.: EDIT - upping a star - have I ever mentioned how great the staff here are with food allergies/dietary restrictions? It's amazing - they are so careful and considerate with food.  A few months back I got put on a strict one week fast (awesome = fasting and being vegan) - mom and dad were in town and love border cafe - our server actually asked what I was allowed to have between the fast and lifestyle ("it's not big deal," he said, "you should hear the order that table over there just placed, haha.")...Anyway - for the only time during the fast I got to eat a full meal thanks to these lovely folks.  Muchas Gracias Border Cafe!
----
I haven't gone to Border cafe for nighttime "dining out" yet, but I enjoy coming here for a low key lunch on the weekends.  I love the mixture of Cajun and mexican style dishes on the menu.  The food is really rich, the prices are decent, and the staff are super friendly.  They have great veggie options pointed out on the back of the menu (how considerate), plus lots of great fare for the meat eaters too.  Plus you can't beat the jug sized glasses for water and soda.
3 - Crystal K.: I actually quite like the Border for Tex-Mex (when it isn't too busy) but we never go here anymore because when you leave you feel like you need to rush home and shower because your hair and your clothes reek of tortilla chips... Hate that.
1 - Jessica F.: SO overrated.  Boring, common food.  Lines way too long.  Beware cockroaches that skitter across your table and under your feet.  Shouldn't even get one star.
3 - Angelo S.: One of the disadvantages of having lived in LA is that well... eating anywhere else is kind of depressing. :) But this is the case especially for Mexican (and God knows Persian) food. We have a Chinatown... is it too much to ask to have an L-A-town? ahem, Menino?

But back to our topic at hand. If Taco Bell was somewhat high class, involved sizzling plates, and a liquor license, it'd be Border Cafe. This is "Mexicano" for the Harvard set. Not memorable, but soomewhat satisfactory for a night.
1 - Rob P.: This place as a strange effect on people. They come and line up and crave some of the poorest Mexican food created anywhere. Now I am from the West Coast so I have a bias going on, but the attraction of this place is unreal. You can get way better Mexican food at Trader Joes. 

Go up Mass Ave to the Forest Cave. It is worth the effort.
4 - Kellie S.: I go here once in a while with my roommates. I'm not a huge fan of spicy food but I enjoy the food here. The service is usually pretty good and the food takes no time to come out. Prices are cheap too, which is a plus. The atmosphere is fun- but loud. I wouldn't really recommend this place for a first time date. Unfortunately I can't order drinks yet, but they did look good!
2 - Heather H.: Mexican for people who have never been outside of New England.
4 - Tony U.: I hate Mexican food.  This is really border style Mexican and not true Mexican.  Despite all this, I enjoyed eating here.  The atmosphere is fun and social, a great shadow to go into on a hot Boston summer day.

Service is very good. They clear your plates quickly without being impolite.  The drinks are good.  Margarita's not too strong, but that's OK.  

4 stars is the most I'd give any Mexican place.  I hate border style mexican food because it makes me tired and lazy.  This place actually has one salad that will not fill you up: the Mesquite Grilled Salmon Salad.  It's very good and light.  The citrusy dressing was refreshing and not disgusting like the ranch that you see in most salads around here.  The lettuce was also a surpise: not ice berg lettuce crap, but pretty good.

The only thing I didn' t like were the microwaved stale nachos.  A lot of the nachos were bendable which is a sign of poor cookmanship.

All in all, fun place that I'd go to again.  That says a lot considering I'd only eat Mexican food once or twice a year.
3 - Emma L.: The Border Cafe is definitely an oldie but can be a goodie at times.  It was the first place outside of Taco Bell where I experienced the taco bowl as a middle schooler, which is still a filling meal for me.

Admittedly, there are restaurants such as Sol Azteca in Boston, that do Mexican food better and the drinks can be overpriced at times.  The wait to me, at least, has been something of a tradition.  If there was not a line wrapping around the corner from the Border Cafe in the evenings during the weekends, then it would be the end of the world as I know it.

The waitstaff vary from good to competent to "run don't walk to an anger management class".  I usually get the ones from the "competent" category.

The best time to go in my humble opinion is during the day if you are taking family and friends out.  The evenings can be rough, especially on your ears.
4 - Vijay N.: Being from Texas, I do agree that this is not the most authentic Tex-Mex out there, but its certainly among the best and most consistent you're going to find in Boston.  Margaritas are good, service is solid, and you'll get stuffed (with a buzz!) even on a budget.  On weekend nights, it's definitely a fun place to go and a get a few drinks with friends.
2 - bella c.: anyone know if they are connected to border cafe in saugus? they are i just checked out their website. ahhh shit, i heard nasty things about this one (Cambridge)ROACHES from the exterminator-eeeeeekkkk!!! but i love the one in saugus, ut oh, never seen anything gross there though!!
3 - Flora B.: If you order a soda they will bring you a one-liter glass. At least that's what it feels like. The food is not so hot (not so appealing, not so heated, and not so spicy) and the lines are usually long... but given the fact that the Mexican food options are limited in the Square, it's not a bad choice.
3 - Wendy L.: The food is decent and the margaritas are awesome.  I know people hate on it, but the Border is fine....you will definitely be full at the end of your meal.  The place can get super crowded (including the bar) which makes the ~1 hr wait tough.  I typically have the typical combo plates...or sometimes the fajitas; I would probably go with a combo plate.

There is this weird part of the downstairs where they can't serve alcoholic beverages - apparently, when they got the alcohol permit, that part of the building wasn't part of the buliding yet, so it's not covered.  My friend and I tried to talk the waitress into serving us, but she was having none of that.  So, when they ask you if you are going to have any drinks, be truthful...because you may end up in that part of the restaurant!

Also, another time I was there with my friends, the fire alarm went off...  We weren't allowed to finish our food or drinks but the waiters were chasing us down for the money for our checks.  I thought that was pretty lame since most of us didn't even have a chance to finish our food...
4 - Brendan M.: So. Much. Food. (groan)

The Mexican food here is about as authentic as Cheney's love of the environment, but it tastes good. The chips and salsa they bring you are totally addictive. 

However, I would suggest you move your attention to the cajun part of the menu. There is a total dearth of cajun cooking in Beantown, and though the food here may not impress born-and-bred Louisiana natives, but it's as close as your going to get. The blackened chicken and the eggplant royale were scrumptious - and I already have my eyes set on the catfish for my next visit.

Just make sure you've planned a siesta right after your meal. With portions this size, your body will need time to recover!
2 - Stella Y.: I can't remember what I had here, so basically the food isn't too memorable. Fajitas are the dead giveaway that this is an attempt at Tex-Mex and since I don't live in the South, I'd really rather prefer my Mexican left alone the way it is--good.

The wait wasn't too bad considering it was a weekend. The (loud/lively) atmosphere makes me think it might be better in a group setting. Preferably with enough cocktail drinking to make you forget why you came here instead of some other better restaurant.
5 - Chris D.: The Border is a great place to eat and drink-I have been going there for about 16 years and it never disappoints.  The margaritas are amazing and I love their cajun menu, you HAVE to try the French Quarter chicken with Jumbalaya, words just can't describe how good that is :)  I really like the atmosphere, it makes you feel like you are in a roadside cafe in a dusty Mexican town somewhere.  Not to mention the prices are right, especially for the portions you are getting...
4 - Andrew B.: A definite favorite of mine, Border is a great place to grab some cheap eats or grab a fruity Margarita with some friends.  You can't really go wrong with any of the choices, but I love the beef Churros, Chicken Guadalajara and the El Pueblo.  Take advantage of the endless trays of freshly-made, warm tortilla chips and salsa.  

Curiously, they didn't have any hot sauce besides Tabasco and this weak concoction already on the table.  I would expect them to have a decent selection of hots for those interested patrons, but when I asked the waiter he suggested Tabasco.  I can forgive, though.  It just bumps them down a little bit.

Best cheap eats in Harvard by far.
5 - Michael C.: I really like this place. The music and customers are loud, so I tend to enjoy it more when I'm alone and don't have to try to talk to someone over the din. But it feels very "alive," the kind of "alive" atmosphere I love about Harvard Square when it's busy. Eating there really feels like "a night on the town." And the food's very good. I especially like the (cat)fish tacos (though I wish they didn't use fried catfish) and the tostada grande (though I wish they hadn't made it bigger recently; I used to be able to eat it all, including the bowl). And the never-ending tortilla chips and salsa are really good. A curious thing about this place (neither positive nor negative) is that they don't offer dessert.

Another odd thing: this is the only restaurant I've been where, when you arrive for dinner, they ask if you'll be drinking. Depending on your answer, they'll seat you in the drinking or non-drinking area. Seems an odd bit of segregation to me, especially since those few of us not drinking tend to be put in an emptier, slightly less festive area. But it's still usually a good atmosphere.

Oh, and they give really big glasses of water. I like that.
3 - reese w.: Just a standard place for me. If you want good Mexican, go elsewhere. If you want good Tex-Mex, go elsewhere. If you're stuck in Harvard and have a craving for either, try the Border Cafe. 

Don't get me wrong. The food is tasty, but there are better places to eat.
4 - Amy B.: I am reluctantly giving Border 4 stars. I really think the place deserves more like 3.5, although the food was good the overall experience just didn't warrant 4 stars.  I went this past Saturday night with 6 friends.  We got there at 8pm and we were told it would be about a 20 min wait, which wasn't a problem until it turned in to an hour wait. 3 margaritas a piece later and our vibrating beeper thing finally went off. We were sat quickly, but our waiter was slightly aloof.  It took him a while to get to us. When he finally got around to taking our order he did a decent job and even asked if I was a vegetarian when I ordered the black bean and corn empanada because he could substitute plain white rice for their chicken stock laden Cajun rice.  Our food arrived quickly and correctly and the table agreed that everything was good. I was surprised by my empanada because it looked more like a chimichanga, but it was at least good. We informed the waiter that one of the people in our group was celebrating a birthday and we wanted to order a birthday dessert. We were sadly informed that they don't serve dessert.  The waiter did improvise and brought a frozen drink with a straw and a lit candle sticking out of the straw. We agreed we would take care of  the singing and he seemed relieved about that.  The bill came and it was less than $20 per person which to me is pretty amazing. I am used to $65-$100/per person dinners.  So with that said, I don't think you can beat the value of Border, but I wouldn't take anyone here that prefers real Mexican food, doesn't like noise/a big crowd or is looking for a romantic dinner.  Save the Border for a night out with your co-workers, buddies, or a low key double date.
3 - Seamus O.: Not a bad restaurant to get you into eating Mexican.  I thought this place was excellent until i started eating in other Mexican restaurants on vacation.  This Border cafe has a great atmosphere but it can get uncomfortably crowded especially at weekends.  Somethings the queue will be out the door and that ain't fun when it's freezing out.

It's fairly cheap so hence it's full of college kids.
3 - Eric S.: Reminds  me of Chilis, but with a more local feel. Very friendly and good-looking wait staff, happy to bring us more fresh chips & salsa. Prices reasonable, lots of space inside. A great restaurant for friends, terrible restaurant for dates.
2 - John M.: Cheap. Stiff margaritas. Crowded. Can these three things help you overlook the roaches? Your call.
4 - Meg K.: Cheap, warm chips, good margaritas. The fried catfish is wonderful. The only really terrible thing I've had at Border Cafe is the sangria. It's really just frozen red wine. I think they do cajun a bit better than they do mexican, but they do both well.
2 - Emily M.: I'll say it up front: the server SUCKED.  After waiting an eternity for a table, and looking to pay a lot of money toward drinking and a decent amount toward food, our server was one of those people who lets you finish your alcoholic beverage and your water and your tablemates water before noticing that you need another.
Food was average at best and definitely not memorable.  But back to the server.
Half way thru our dinner, she sat at the table next to us counting her tip bitching about how a table just tipped her a dollar and how she didn't understand why.
Meanwhile, we still hadn't gotten the guac we'd asked for over an hour before and our throats were starting to seize up on us from lack of hydration...hmmmm....
2 - Kate I.: Margaritas here are cheap, refreshingly not crappy, and I think they might use tequila flavored grain alcohol. Or maybe it's that every time I go there I have 3....er... 7 margaritas in a row... hmm.... I don't know one thing about the food here. Other than they have on demand tortilla chips (apropos, I think).
4 - Karolina B.: If you're in the mood for cheap better-quality (well, better than Anna's Taqueria and Qdoba) Mexican food and good BIG margaritas, this is the place for you. This is my favorite place for Mexican in the Boston area - it's T-accessible - right on the Red Line - Harvard stop. It can get very crowded on weekend nights so be prepared to wait especially if you're with a large group. And make sure you remind the host staff you're still waiting as sometimes they um, forget to seat you. But once you're at your table, enjoy the huge margaritas and unlimited salsa and chips (served nice and hot - temperature wise). You won't find much above $12 - I recommend the enchiladas, but my friends love the burritos! And they range from like $6-8 and you're full! The only downfalls are 1) the service CAN get questionable - they may forget to come back to your table and refill your drinks and acted rude when checking IDs, but overall it's ok for the price 2) no desserts but there are plenty of dessert places in Harvard Square so it's ok. But for the price, it's definitely worth a shot going - it just gets very crowded on the weekends so be prepared to wait! Oh, another bonus point for anyone very detail-oriented - the decor is very colorful so if you're taking group pictures - this is the place to go - the pics come out FAB!
3 - Sarah G.: Quality is not outstanding but definitely solid and whoa - this place is cheap for a sit-down tex mex cajun whatever they are.  Decent number of vegetarian options.  The free chips are great - served warm out of the fryer.  Bottled beer selection is too small, but they do have Lone Star for those who dig it.  Every once in a great while I get a craving for blackened catfish.  Border Cafe has the monopoly on this one - haven't been able to find it anywhere else in S'ville/Cambridge.  If you like burritos for brunch, you're in luck - they open at a decently early hour on weekends.
4 - Akilesh A.: Fun food, great prices. Loads of chips and decent salsa. Decent margaritas. Lots of relatively tasty if not gourmet or authentic entrees. If you're vegetarian like me, try the chili relleno or the crunchy and addictively cajun vegetable jambalaya. Monster drinks. Fast service and prompt seating (the place is two floors and quite large) -- though I haven't been there on Fri or Sat nights.
4 - Ames F.: If you like seafood, you GOTTA try their pecan-crusted catfish. I still dream about it to this day. (*sigh* and *drool*)  Mmmmmm, and their chips. Mmmmmm... OK, I gotta go get me some lunch.
4 - Eric W.: Boston is a tough place for a Mexican food-lover.  Say what you will about food in the Midwest, but at least they do that right.  My sig. other and I are on a continuing quest to find the best in the area, and this just jumped to the top of the list.  The Cajun influence pushes what would pass for a ho-hum, chain-like, Disney Land-inspired nothing to something a bit more interesting.  Still, it has enough of the familiar American-Mexican touches to satisfy.  Catfish fajitas are certainly high on the list of things to try; basically, if you find something on the menu that you haven't heard of before, try that.  Plus, the prices are excellent.
5 - Natasha A.: I heart the border cafe. No, it is not "authentic" mexican food, but so what? Some authentic food can be appaling. The food is great and it does not pretend to be only mexican. They serve great cajun dishes with staples like catfish and crawfish. The place is cheap and great for large groups and an after-work margarita. 
Food, fun and a festive atmosphere.
4 - Kristin S.: Mmmm...Border Cafe.  I wish I was eating it right now.
 
I often meet friends here for drinks and dinner and I am never disappointed.  The cheese enchiladas, which are surpisingly hard to find on a menu, are fantastic.  Their chips are made right there next to the bar so they are oily, hot, and fantastic when they get to you.  I'm not a margartia person at all but I cannot resist their strawberry margarita in a sugar lined glass.  The only drawback is that it is usally packed and sometimes there is a wait....and your entire party needs to be there before they seat you.
4 - Angela H.: Border's was a childhood favorite. I remember being at once horrified and enthralled by all the people milling around the raised bar, a couple steps above the area I ever used set foot on. Now I'm proud to say that they have one of the best Margarita's around, although I'm easy to please in that department! They have good tortilla chips and I'm informed that the cheese enchiladas have nothing to complain about. My only problem is that every time I go in, I peruse the menu and the only thing I can envision ingesting is the empanada and then it comes smothered in cheese sauce (which they refuse to replace with anything from a cow)! I suppose I should branch out, but leftover emapanada with REAL cheese is yummy. Rob says to stay away from the Cajun because the shelves display all the zatarans etc. cardboard boxes you can pick up at a supermarket. All in all Border's is a great place if you're in the area and want a cold drink and some everyday mexican.
2 - nicole p.: i usually really like this place.  but has something changed?  we went last night and the portions got much smaller (i usually spilt a meal with a friend and yesterday we did that and were shocked how small our burros was).  and the burros was essentially inedible - you couldn't even cut through the shell and the filling was SO SALTY!  

any one else finding the quality change?  (i know, many of you are going what quality?  but for those who like it, have you gone lately?)
4 - Jake M.: A friend of mine who works down in Foxboro has a certain pithy line he uses repeatedly, and to great effect, especially when assessing performance or perceived quality. It's become a sort of  Zen koan to me, nearly universal in its applicability, profound in its simplicity yet maddening in its utter meaninglessness.

"It is what it is"

And I can think of few other area dining establishments to which this tautological aphorism is so apropos than the much beleaguered Border Cafe. The amount of ill will this place seems to generate is either laughable or just myopic. Loud, obnoxious, dirty; overrun by drunken undergrads, clueless drunken tourists and voracious (and probably drunken) cockroaches; purveyors of  bland but not unpalatable faux faux-Tex-Mex;  an absolute purgatorial nightmare on weekend nights - the Border Cafe is all this, and more. 

Those of you who take umbrage, who may be  expecting even an approximation of a fine authentic dining experience, even a passable dining experience, and then docking it points for not living up to your expectations - you are missing the point. The Border is what it is, and should be celebrated accordingly. Myself, I absolutely adore the place in all its excess and squalor. I like being able to carry on at the top of my lungs and not be the loudest person in the room; I being able to make a tremendous mess of my already messy meal and not have to feel a lick of embarrassment; I like the unintentional comedy of the typical crowd this place attracts; and yes, I even like the food (well, some of it...well, a few things). 

I don't like the Eau de Border, though, the nearly tangible odor which wafts about the place and even down Church St., which is so tenacious that I've often had to burn clothes and take baths in tomato juice afterward just to get the smell out.... But of course, that's what the Border is all about, in the end. It is what it is
1 - Eric S.: Gaudy.  Loud.  Annoying.  Vulgar.

This place is like MTV meets Walmart, or Taco Bell meets Joshua Tree, whichever you prefer.  No shortage of neon beer advertisements inside.
4 - Kevin A.: Overall I had a very satisfying lunch here.   If you're looking for authentic Mexican food, this isn't it.  However, if you're looking for tasty, tex-mex/creole dishes at reasonable prices, great margaritas, and a lively atmosphere, Border Cafe is a good choice.  Try the blackened chicken fajitas.
2 - Rinn S.: If squalor is your thing and you like waiting in line for it, this place kicks ass I guess. If, like me, you appreciate quality Mexican food, do not enjoy the sight of mice running out of the kitchen (happened), do not appreciate pipes dripping brown water on your head (happened, different night) and do not enjoy spending all this quality time with mice and college students and bad food after waiting in line forever... then avoid this place.
3 - Lindsay L.: Cambridge is very low on passable Mexican and Tex/Mex food, and while I'm not willing to say that Border's "passes," this is better than alternatives in the area like Forest Cafe.  It's always packed with a festive atmosphere, and my friends love coming here for the usually-strong margaritas.  I like the shrimp quesadillas or fajitas here, and their tostada-grande salad is decent (if you're not too hungry, I would recommend getting it without the shell because it's intimidatingly large).  Overall, it's not great, but can definitely be fun.
2 - Tracee D.: Que es lo bonito de esto? I came here when I didn't know any better. Nice wood plank floors. The margaritas are allright...but how does one mess up a Margarita? Then we came in for a work party.....why? oh I remember because "the man" really liked it there. hmm. I'm not into chains. Not even sure if its a chain...but it feels like one.  Mexican food is notoriously cheap...(unless its some latin fusion extravaganza but this is not) so yes its inexpensive but big deal. I think I just don't love hanging out in Harvard Square....and I also don't think middle of the road quasi mexican fare is excitment.
2 - Jackie M.: When I have a craving for Mexican food, The Border Cafe is NOT my first choice, or even my second.  It's just so blah, nothing special at all about their food.  I very much prefer On the Border or Margaritas or even Anna's Taqueira over Border Cafe!  There just isn't anything authentic or original about it.  Every time I go I swear it'll be the last time I go, I'm always disappointed...
3 - Fernando A.: I am not a Mexican but I can safely say that this is not Mexican food.  It is a good attempt to fool smart people but trust me there has to be better Mexican food in Boston.  The irony is that probably Mexicans are cooking this food-think about it.   But it does the trick in filling you up and their Margaritas are tasty which will give you a good buzz.
3 - Tiffany C.: If you're from somewhere with actual Mexican food, this place is so-so at best.  If you've never lived in a state bordering Mexico, then you'll probably think it's pretty good.  Portions are big, food is cheap, not sure how "quality" it is, but seems fresh enough.  Perfect for the college crowd that wants a cheap, fun place to go.  Atmosphere is kitchy in that there are bright funny decorations everywhere.
4 - Olivia C.: Borders ain't no book store in Harvard Square. This place is  Cambridge Mexican. The food is not always completely authentic and it is JAM PACKED and LOUD. 

Warning: Don't fill up on the the endless free nachos, go for the gold rush.  I do LURVE Border's  HALF ENCHILADA HALF MEAT TACO PLATE and CORONAS to split with a friend!! I couldn't even finish mine. 

South Western friend says the taco wasn't authentic cause it came with wheat flour tortilla not taco shell and cooked beans instead of re-fried. Also there is might be more of a Louisiana edge than Mexican with the jambalaya choices.  
The SHREDDED MEAT IS SLOW COOKED AND ZESTY!!

Ah, I remember when my friend had her 21st birthday party here and we  got sloshed on my first margaritas with a fancy fake IDs. I have to admit, like other reviewers, I have also said I am not coming back here because of some medicore choices/food.. So, I'm generous on the fourth star because I had such a good time recently with my party of 7!!! 

It was fun to listen to COUNTRY MUSIC, part of Border's Tex-Mex flavor, and something you never hear in Boston pubs, on a Saturday night. And our waitress was off the hook;  we were in a rush to go to the Comedy Connection and she was fast and friendly-

"I like to have ONE margaritta
Two at the very most.
After three I'm under the table,
after four I'm under my host. "
2 - Jen X.: Pluses:
*so-so food
*big portions
*cheap to very cheap, depending on what you order

Minuses:
*so-so food
*too crowded, especially on weekend nights
*the worst margaritas i've had anywhere-- hardly any alcohol, and EVERY time salt IN the glass instead of ON it... (the first visit i thought it was a fluke, but by the third visit i realized it must be the recipe.)  who wants salt dissolved in their drink? gross.
1 - Tom E.: Algebra time kiddies... so listen up because I have a key equation that we all need to learn:

S = R - 4Nb 

where
S = star rating (which strangely must be an integer between 1 and 5)
R = unfactored star rating
Nb = times you were given a buzzing pager and told to wait

I think you'll find this equation holds not just for the Border Cafe and any other 'restaurant' that gives you a 'hilarious' buzzing pager and tells you to go to the bar and wait for you to be summoned like livestock heading for the rotating blades.

Math lesson over. Recess!
5 - Elizabeth E.: The old-west feel of the bar begins when you have to walk through the screened wooden front doors.  Wooden tables, pictures of cactus, signs for Dos Equis beer, and all kinds of other campy decorations definitely add personality to the Border Cafe.

The bar area is really small, right at the front of the restaurant when you walk in, but they have plenty of seating both on the main floor and downstairs.  Some weekend nights, you'll find there's a wait, but hopefully you're waiting with a group of friends so you won't mind.  I'd recommend the Gold Margarita (or any margarita) and lots of them.  Catfish bites are divine and the Fish Tacos are superb.  

Don't bother trying Border if you like American beer of any variety, "real" Mexican food, or upscale joints.
4 - Jennifer H.: Mmmm frozen sangria. Not the best Mexican I've ever had-I'd probably give it three stars for being basically middle of the road tasty, but mmmm...frozen sangria. You have found yourself bumped up to four stars!
3 - Dave K.: I think they mean the border between Canada and Alaska...

To be fair, I didn't have the cajun food.  The Mexican food is like the kind you make when you're 19 and making your girlfriend/boyfriend a meal in your first apartment.  Not bad, but as I ate it I felt like I should have moved beyond this kind of food by now.  The guac. is good and they serve alcohol, but not even the margaritas were good enough to warrent a trip back.  

Cheers,

d

I should point out that my fiance is sitting next to me and telling me that it was good, and that I am being harsh.  She worked in restaurants for a while, has a chef for an ex-, and probably is worth listening to.
3 - Ryan B.: Loud, dingy and cheep food makes The Border Cafe in Harvard Sq. a hot spot for collegiate crowds and pre-gaming 20 somethings on Friday or Saturday nights.  The margaritas are tasty and generous with booze proportions.  While the depth of tequila choices is week it makes up for that in speed of drink delivery and serving sizes.  Over all the place can be crowded and noisy but enjoyable with a large group of friends.  I find the food very average but reasonable priced.
3 - Beth M.: I know there are a million reviews already, but I shall chime in.  Before I tried real, authentic Mexican food, I loved Border.  It was one of my favorite places.  I went on my first date with my husband here like 7 years ago.  i was pretty impressed.

Now Border has kind of become a guilty pleasure for me.  It's salty and oily and cheesy, and doesn't hold back on the sauces and huge portions.  But it's really tasty, in that 'this-is-definitely-bad-for-me" kind of way.  After some chips and salsa, an entree and one of their giant margaritas, I am usually feeling rather whale-like, and slipping into a food coma before I even leave place.

Notorious for having lines out the door and ridiculous wait times.  Always really loud.  Try the fish tacos or the enchiladas.
3 - Nicole M.: So many reviews for this place, but I'm going to add another just for kicks.

The margaritas are good, but the salty chips are way better.  

The food is just eh, and it's never worth the line along the outside of the building with the No-Soup-For-You-Attitude of the "bouncers". 

But, I'll still go to have a good time and enjoy the boisterous atmosphere.  And of course, the 'ritas!
5 - Ben R.: This place rocks!  Only the best Mexican restaurant can overcome problems such as these and still be considered the greatest of its kind in all of Boston, here are the problems:

1) Yuppies
2) Y.I.T. Yuppies in Training aka Harvard Students
3) Hours long waits

Anyway, everything is good here, everything.  The chips are fresh, there is hot sauce that is actually hot, and you can even find a great slice of catfish.  Speaking of which, I'd recommend that or the fajitas if you haven't been here before.  Also great is the Taco Salad Bowl, which like everything else is a nice sized portion.  One other problem that the Yuppies have caused is driving the prices up.  They never used to be this high.  It's the same in many Boston eateries though.  Def make this place a destination.  Also, I don't know why people say it is good for groups, I dare someone to come here with a group of over 4 and see if the wait is less than six hours.  Also, the only reason it's good for kids is because the state passed the ridiculous smoking ban.  As any real American knows smoking is part of what makes eating Mexican great.
4 - Jenn S.: I started eating at the Border Cafe years ago when it first opened and I was still a college student myself. Then I moved away for 12 years and every trip home I tried to get in a visit to the Border Cafe. The best thing they serve is free -- the tortilla chips and salsa. Dear Lord! I am like a crack addict for the salsa and chips! Now that I'm back in Boston, I eat there whenever I'm in Harvard Sq.

I rarely order off the Mexican side of the menu. Let's face it. This is not Mexican food. The one thing I occasionally order from the "Mexican" is the fish tacos made with catfish. Ah yes, catfish, a Mexican specialty! :)

The cajun side of the menu however is quite yummy. My favorites are the catfish dishes. I love the catfish mardi gras with pecans. Also, the cajun popcorn is deliciously and perfectly spicy.

Everyone who says this place is loud and tends to long waits is absolutely right, but if you head here for lunch instead of dinner you should not have to wait at all and it is much less noisy. I would never go here on a weekend evening. Who wants to wait two hours to eat in such a raucous environment. Even standing at the bar is impossible since it is just crammed with people. Hell, you can't even wait inside the restaurant for your table because there just isn't enough room.
2 - Crystal S.: Can I give this place no stars?

The food managed to be bland and too salty at the same time and on top of making me eat a salt lick, it took forever for the waitress to refill my glass of water.  

I did not happen to see cockroaches skitter or any rats or anything like that, but I have no intention of going back if I can manage it.

----------------------edit--------------------

I did return at the request of some friends, oh how lucky they are that I love them so, but anyways, still salty, but I finally tried the margaritas and the margaritas are pretty tasty. one more star for the margarita!
2 - Eve L.: Same thing I said about Forest Cafe: I am very suspicious of Mexican restaurants where the staff are all White.  

They certainly aren't good enough to warrant the long lines.  

However, their booze is pretty good.
4 - L D.: Holy crap, alert the media, The Border Cafe does not serve 'authentic Mexican' food!! I've been fooled all along!!

Listen folks, I've said this about other tex-mex-icana restaurants and I'll reiterate here: never do they claim to be 'authentic' Mexican. And guess what, burritos and tacos covered in sour cream and cheese aren't 'authentic' either (not even in California). It's about as authentic as hot and sour chicken at a Chinese restaurant. Get over it already.

I've been going to the Border for longer than I can remember. The key to a good Border experience is in the arrival time. Do not go there during the dinner rush (or during any kind of major Harvard event). Go in the late afternoon, between 2pm and 5pm, and you'll be seated almost immediately. Get yourself a delicious and affordable margarita with top shelf tequila and order a big ole plate of fake Mexican food. I've rarely been disappointed in anything here, from service to food and drinks. Sure, I've seen a cockroach or two and maybe even a mouse but even the nicest of city restaurants have encountered these issues at some point. When I'm paying less than $20 for a few drinks AND a tasty dinner I don't complain.

Take note, the standard rice is not vegetarian but they now ask everyone if they would like vegetarian rice in substitution. 

Want authentic Mexican food? Go to Mexico.
4 - Will R.: A landmark in Harvard Square.

Expect:
- Long lines weekend and Thursday nites.
- To smell like fajitas when you exit
- Prompt service
- Very good 'tex-mex' (more tex than mex)
- Inexpensive 
- Loud (not a quiet date place)
- good + big margaritas

Overall a great 'roadhouse' tex-mex feel + great food.
4 - Aretha B.: The border is great for the following reason:

they'll give you buzzers so you can get some air on the cobblestone street while waiting for your table (if there is a wait).

the margaritas are good!

the chips and salsa are plentiful, the chips freshly fried, and it's addictive. One needs order little else.

The quesadilla - it's an appetizer but it is RIDICULOUS! I get this and can only finish half. 

The jambalaya is totally delicious - great seasoned rice and quality meat chunks and onion chunks up in it.

The sodas? what are they? 30 ounces??

The prices are good. The ambiance is fun with all the neon signs and all the big wood tables and chairs.

two people can go here, split a quesadilla, soda, and eat a ton of chips and be STUFFED for less than 12 bucks all together. That fucking rules.
4 - Mike H.: Great margaritas, a fun atmosphere on weekends, and delicious mexican food. More of a laid back crowd than some places, but this is harvard sq afterall. A great place to grab a bite or a few drinks anytime of night.
3 - Stephen K.: I wouldn't come here for dinner, but they do have the best margaritas in Harvard Square and the endless chips that you get (even if you just order drinks at the bar) have probably shaved a couple years off my life.

Then again, I wouldn't really recommend anything but the margaritas, chips, or salsa (maybe an appetizer or a beer). It's true that both the "Mexican" and "Cajun" elements fall flat, and there are plenty of better places within walking distance that will leave you more satisfied. This is a place to go later in the night.
5 - Milee S.: Love, love, LOVE Border Cafe! I had the distinct pleasure of dinner here over the weekend with some girlfriends and it never fails to disappoint! 

The margaritas are the best in town (so good you don't even realize you finished one!) as are the chips and salsa. I could eat that as my meal! I actually ended up ordering the chicken taco and enchilada platter. Others had the fajitas, catfish and some sort of giant taco salad.  My meal was pretty good, the beans were perfect and I would order it again. In addition to the Mexican fare, there is also some Creole food, which is unusual but not out of the ordinary.

Prices are fantastically affordable. We skipped dessert for Finale instead, but it was a relatively cheap meal, given how great the food is. So worth going to, even if there is a wait!
4 - Vivz C.: I haven't been to Border Cafe in about 5 years, but I dream about it.  Especially those homemade tortilla chips they drop on your table to fill you up before you even order.  It's a fun atmostphere with a younger crowd.  Meet up with your friends for a drink or a Mexican meal.  I do have to say that because it seems like such a popular place, sometimes the noise level gets a little loud that if you're in a group, it's hard to hear what the person at the other end of the table is saying.  So try to sit around people you want to conversate with or else it'll be a loong night of talking to yourself. =)
3 - Katie H.: I don't have much to say about having to wait since every time I've been I've met up with other people that were already waiting. But really, how bad is a wait at a restaurant where you can just sit at the bar and get margaritas? That's where I've always found my friends. 

Last I went there we got pastellitos for an appetizer which were little pastries filled with chieken and a dip that was oil, oregano, and other tasty goodness. For an entree I got fish tacos, much to the amusement of everyone hearing me order fish tacos and let the jokes fly about them being able to witness me eating fish tacos. But in all seriousness, they weren't so good.  Maybe I've been spoiled by the west coast and Hawaii, but I'd always had fresh pan-seared fish in the tacos, not a huge hunk of fried fish. 

The margaritas were tasty, but severely lacking in the alcohol department.  The first one I had I couldn't taste any alcohol. The second one tasted really strongly of tequila at first sip, but then was just as bland as the first. Good thing they aren't very expensive. 

All in all, a good night out. Full stomach and a fun night out with 5 friends for under $100. But I'd keep my trips there down to once or twice a year.
4 - John F.: I really enjoyed Border Cafe. For one, I liked the country music they played. It was stuff like Alan Jackson, not Toby Keith. So kudos there.

Then the chips were awesome. Delicious and clearly freshly-made. I can get behind that!
As for the rest of the food, it was damn good. I had the fajitas, and they were delicious. My friends had the empanadas (sp?) and were huge fans. And the frozen margaritas were of decent size, and mighty tasty. I will be going back!
4 - William M.: Great spot to eat some Americanized Mexican food. Can't beat the painted walls (vintage beer, old west icons) or the still-sizziling fajitas served on a skillet. The tortilla chips are nothing short of amazing; you'll be glad to know they're served in moutainous quantities.
4 - Nik O.: Always fun and always a good meal, despite the wait and parking issues.  Don't wear your favorite jacket though because it will smell like Mexican food for a long time after.  And go easy on the free chips, they are addictive and filling!
3 - Mina I.: Fun place right in Harvard to drop by - I especially like going for lunch when there is usually no line at all!  It's a good time in the evening too with the crowds making it lively!  Tasty food , chips and salsa, and the mixed drinks aren't bad either from what I hear.
4 - mickey l.: The Key word here is FUN, go to have fun. Be surprised by the cheap entrees'. Be a glutton for the freshly fried chips so light and crispy. Do add a dollar for a margarita with higher quality ingredients and two types of alcohol. Zippy and Happy service. Why did I avoid it for almost two years??My bad. Fajitas came out sizzling. Veggie Empenada was quite tasty. Too bad their rice reminds me of microwaved minute rice by Uncle Benito.
3 - S S.: I first heard of Borders , eight years ago, in regards to some immigration raids! (weird). I have been there a number of times. The decor and ambiance is very Austin, TX. Well, it is a Mexican resturant, so i guess appearing like Texas isn't bad!! This is a fun place. Dont get it confused for fine dinning please. It is really loud on weekend/Friday nights-you get traditional chips and salsa as you wait for your food. Nice!! The margarita's are fun..and a gazillion calories, but who is counting!!! The servings are humongous!! I can never finish my food there. Its cheap, loud, fun..if thats your type!!
4 - Paolo D.: Hora de Fiesta!  Ole!  Great margaritas, great food, lots of Harvard coeds and wannabe Harvard coeds, a busy, fun atmosphere that never fails to disappoint....Great place to get hammered and make wild claims while enjoying your meal, and you can join the revolution going on at the Harvard Sq T-Stop.
4 - Shannon S.: I love Tex-Mex and I love Texas Style Margaritas and I love the Border Cafe. For some reason, I never went to the Border Cafe because the name was really misleading for me. This entire time, I expected a cafe --simple, small and unobtrusive. When I found out that the Border Cafe actually was a tex-mex restaurant and quite a good one from what the Phoenix reader's poll kept insisting, I decided to try it out. First off, it's in a fantastic location. Right in Harvard Square on Church Street--perfect for meeting up with friends. Secondly, I met up with 8 people at 8pm and got a big round table within 10 minutes of being there. The restaurant is spacious, lively, the waitress was nothing but nice and helpful and QUICK and though I've had a lot of Tex Mex in my day, i'd have to say that I heart the Shrimp + Crawfish Quesadilla, the warm chips and spicy salsa and the chicken fajitas were A +.  Also, they kept those margaritas comin' --which I appreciate, though my liver doesn't.

I wouldn't come here and expect anything but comfort Mexican, but I'll admit that Border Cafe is somewhere between your typical chain restaurant and a unique food oasis. It's comfortable, everyone was pleased with their meal, and the food was served up extremely fast. 

If you crave margaritas, cheese, beans, and warm tortilla chips and a super short walk from the T, Border Cafe is the perfect place to go.
3 - Julian M.: Pretty good Tex-Mex. In general I think of Boston as a city lacking much Mexican, but I've been spoiled in the past--and then I remember that it does at least have The Border Cafe.

My complaints with this place come mostly from having to withstand gigantic clouds of smoke to get in during the winter.

It's been a few months since I've gone--I'll be updating this review once I go again to speak in more detail about the food. Just wanted to make sure I don't forget it.
3 - Sarah A.: Eh, this place is okay.

Yes, the food is totally not authentic. However, it's really not bad. Some of the entrees are actually quite good and the portions are very generous. The margaritas are quality, never watered down and definitely a good value. This place is completely tolerable when it's not crowded but it can easily get loud and obnoxious. If you get there and there's a huge line it's not worth going inside. It will be loud and annoying. If you go during the day, preferably in the middle of the afternoon and can get seated at a quiet table (I'd recommend asking for the downstairs seating as it's away from the bar), it's not bad.
3 - Whitney W.: Regardless of how authentic or not authentic the food is, The Border Cafe is simply not a good fit for wanting to eat something, period. Foodstuffs here are either far too bland or overzealously spiced with a bad combination of spices, and frequently, your supposed-to-be-warm food comes out all cold or room temperature. However, if you want a seriously delicious and potent frozen sangria, this is the place to get one. So for the incredible frozen sangria alone, I give The Border Cafe 3 stars.
3 - Amie R.: From the free chips and salsa, to the perfect margaritas, to the heaping portions of food, this place has it all. Fun Mexican decor and relaxed atmosphere make this a great place for a party of 2 or a party of 15. There can be a decent wait on the weekends, so get there before the dinner rush....Even if it's not totally authentic Mexican, I still love it!
2 - Dana B.: I kinda feel like this is The Olive Garden of Mexican restaraunts. Really long wait, crowded, loud and mediocre food (but seriously, why do people love The Olive Garden so much!?). 

Nothing on the menu really jumped out at me. I didn't find it to be creative or tasty. I found it all to be bland. The portions are good sized and they have never ending chips and salsa, but other than that I don't have too many other positive things to say. 

Overall, I wasn't really impressed and don't really understand why people crave it the way that they do.
3 - Rachel S.: eh. so-so. I don't think I'll ever wait on line for this place. I went with my roommate for my birthday since I hadn't been there and I always hear people gushing about the yummy food there. 

Where's the yum? The frozen margarita was good but I felt like I could get that at any "Mexican" (or even, non-Mexican) place.

Not so special. eh.
3 - Bryanne R.: Dear Border Cafe,
I love burritos. Probably too much for my own good, but if you had them you'd earn another star probably two to be honest.  I really like that you have gigantic drinks for cheap, endless chips, large portions and a waiter willing to take photos.  I just had a hard time picking out something to eat without the option of burritos, alas I did enjoy my fajitas. 
I'll come back - hoping to order a burrito.
Bryanne
1 - Roni E.: My b/f had found out that I've never been to Borders in my life and begun to rave about this place and that I HAD to try it. I've also heard so many other people comment on this place having great food, so I figured hey let's give this place a shot one evening. 

However, when we went, not only did we have to wait for a long time, but I wasn't impressed at all. The food was just so-so and not what I had expected it to be after all the raves I heard about this place.
1 - patrick w.: 25 minute wait with buzzer. I ordered fajitas (a dish I have enjoyed many times in Los Angeles). The food was worse than poor in all sorts of ways. I still have the disgusting taste in my mouth and after penning these few words will go and brush my teeth until it is gone. But hey it was cheap. 

If you want to eat decent Mexican food avoid at all costs.

EDIT: Seems I may have offended some loyal customers with my 1-star review. I agree entirely that the drinks are cheap, and the customer service is friendly, and for that matter the decor is cool in a kitsch tex-mex way. What I didn't like was the taste the food left in my poor vegan mouth (perhaps if i could eat other things would have been better, but I have to write about  what I experienced yes?). Anyway having read the other reviews it's now pretty obvious that part of the taste I hate so was the lard (i.e., animal fat) in the beans (and rice??) that despite going on at length to the waiter about the fact my wife and I are strict vegetarians seems not to have sunk in. I would have picked this up sooner but I have been vegetarian for 21 years so my memory of what cheap animal fat tastes like has faded over the years.

BTW: In terms of food quality ANY Mexican restaurant I have eaten in: super-cheap Border towns, expensive San Monica hideouts, strip mall diners in Phoenix, a super-neuvo-place in Tucson, have all be vastly superior to this place, and actually not much more expensive (or much cheaper). But hey if you like it eat it.
2 - Greg S.: meh.
I totally agree with the "Olive Garden of Mexican restaurants" comment.
It's okay. It's usually lively and crowded. I'm pretty indifferent, really.
I don't hate it. Don't love it. I've been here more than once but it's definitely not someplace I would choose.
3 - Sarah R.: I went here last month, and for some reason I haven't reviewed it until today. Curiouser and curiouser...

At any rate, no, Border is not authentic Mexican. It's a crazy tex-Mex-Cajun hybrid. At any rate, the margaritas are decent (and that's saying a lot, because I'm not much of a margarita fan). Shannon and I split the shrimp (?) quesadillas, which were cheesy and wonderful. I got the shrimp and crawfish pasta, which was tasty but I had to abandon halfway through because, well, my lips were on fire. 

Our waitress was very friendly and fast, and I dug the lively atmosphere.

I'm not one for really spicy food, which is why I seldom go out for "Mexican", but I really did enjoy Border Cafe. It's also reasonably priced. I'd definitely come back.
5 - Gazelle T.: I've been going to Border Cafe forever.  And since I started going, I've been to culinary school and I've stopped going to a lot of restaurants I used to love--Friendly's (shudder), Finale, Outback...these days, you're much more likely to find me at East Coast Grill, or Oleana.

But...I still love Border Cafe.  All you people who love Anna's Tacqueria?  You people are bananas.  Anna's is GROSS.  Don't talk to me about Tacos Lupita, they weren't THAT good.  I love the salsa here.  I love the fajitas.  I LOVE the rice.  I love the margaritas.  I love the giant tables full of drunk fratboys and the frazzled young parents who can eat out here because nobody can hear their babies crying over all the noise, and I love the table of ten girls out celebrating--oh, wait, no I hate you girls.  You know why?  Because you don't shop anywhere other than Urban's and Mint Julep and you all look fucking THE SAME.

But I do love that for ten bucks I get a giant plate of food that lasts me for two days.  I love the noise, I love the music, I love the decoration.  And I think the food is excellent--I've never had better mexican than here.  It's all fresh, it's spicy without being overpowering, and it's incredibly consistent.  I've never had a bad meal here, which I don't think I can say about ANY restaurant I've been to more than once.
5 - Jonathan B.: How can you NOT give the Border Cafe 5 Stars?! The place is awesome! Cheap food, redonkulous menu, vibrant crowd, great location. What more can you ask for?! Anyhow, my favorite dish is French Quarter Chicken. Yummy! Sure there's often a wait, parking can be a bitch and sometimes you might have to sit downstairs. But hey Jack, make the most of it! Also, the margaritas are great! Later, Jon
4 - Tinkerbell T.: I love to have food here and "a few cocktails" when I am out and about shopping in Harvard Square or before I go out boozin the night away in Harvard Square. 

This is one of my favorite places to eat in Harvard Square because it is cheap, tasty and the food always comes out super quick. The food is not "amazing" but it is worth the price.


The frozen strawberries margaritas, on the other hand, are DELICIOUS and deserve 5 stars. Ayyyy Papi! 

They are hands down a much better contender for the Improper Bostonian's yearly "best margarita" category. 

Take that, Cactus Club!
3 - Kathleen M.: Really 3.5 stars.

If we looked at Boston's senior yearbook, I'm sure the city would have been voted "least likely to serve up amazing Mexican food". In that realm, the food at Border is actually quite good. It's not real Mexican, but most places people consider to be Mexican aren't either. It's sort of Tex-Mex with some Cajun thrown in for good measure.

I was quite skeptical of this place the first time I stumbled in...then I had the guacamole. This stuff is really good...better than what I had at Casa Romero the other night, and much less expensive. This guac has just the right amount of garlic and not quite squashed-up avocado to make a perfect accompaniment to my tasty beef burro. It's also great scooped up with chips, or a spoon! The salsa is also quite tasty. I like that you can get jambalaya instead of rice and beans (go Cajun!). My pals love the catfish fajitas. Magaritas are passable and they have Negro Modelo, my fave Mexican beer.

One of the best things about this place is that it is CHEAP! The other night we had dinner for 5 (with 4 drinks) for just under $80, and we all left stuffed! I think the only other place in Harvard that rivals this for price is Pho Pasteur (oh, I mean Le's).

The atmosphere here could use some work, as could some of the waitstaff. Crowded and loud, they don't seem to have enough people on staff to take care of everyone. The waitress at our last visit was borderline rude and clearly rushed. Don't want to blame her too much since the place is such a zoo, but would really prefer a more pleasant experience.

I highly recommend coming here after a few cocktails somewhere else so the atmosphere won't distract you too much and you can just sit back and enjoy the GUACAMOLE!
4 - Etta M.: if mexican restaurants served real mexican food where would i get my guac and sour cream fix?

border cafe can be an infuriating experience if you have a table of twelve, spent 30 minutes looking for parking only to pay a million dollars to park in a lot and have to wait out in the freezing cold forrreeevvvvvvver!!!

the food is good. filling to the point of explosion, but good. the margaritas a cheap and tasty and they give you not only chips and salsa but WARM chips and salsa.. come to think of it, maybe that's why i am so full always.
4 - Shaina P.: Expect a long wait on Thursday nights, but to hold you over, go to the bar for some warm nachos, standard salsa, and fabulous margaritas.

Food is cheap.
Good place for big groups. 
Local favorite.  

One of my favorites is the Chicken Guadalajara: moist and flavorful but not too spicey.  A surprising new favorite  is the Fish Tacos:  tasty red pepper salsa.
3 - Kim W.: The food is a pretty good tex-mex variety that everyone I know seems to love, the margaritas are quite good, the atmosphere is pretty nice and clean...

but it can be a bit too much of a busy-boozy place if you go at certain times.  I saw a woman throw up all over the (otherwise) very nice bathroom and promptly pass out.  It makes me wonder if they served her when they shouldn't have.  Also, they have takeout that you can order at the bar, but the bartenders are really good at ignoring you if you're not there to drink.
4 - Meg B.: Not gonna lie, this place really does the trick for a chips and salsa and enchiladas fix. Not many places in this city can really do that. I got the frozen strawberry margarita last time and it was quite delish. My friend got the frozen sangria and she seemed to enjoy it as well. At least give it a chance for trying (I mean c'mon, texas, lousiana, mexico, cali? they're all far from here so give it a rest and move/travel if you can't stand this).


The atmosphere can be kinda loud with music and people talking but at least that way you know they're having a good time.
3 - Dana L.: So I recently returned to the Border Cafe, and decided to brave the crowds on a weekday night. We ended up waiting for about 20 minutes to sit down on a Wednesday - maybe the wait would be faster during the winter.

I ordered the chicken and beef fajitas - they included a lot of food (in fact, I stuffed myself when I ate the leftovers). The fajitas came with 4 tortillas and a good portion of toppings/roasted peppers. I would say that the food here is solid - not the most authentic mexican, but a fairly decent value and pretty tasty.
4 - Nicole P.: I am surprised there are any negative reviews for one of my staple week night dinner places!  Let's not fool ourselves, Border Cafe is the Ground Round of Mexican food, but it is pretty damn tasty!  The chips are rarely stale, the salsa actually has crack in it, the sodas are larger then my head and the ritas are perfect!  On week nights it is pleasantly crowded but you always get seated right away.

What else can you ask for? Try the corn and black bean empanada- one of my favs or the basic fajitas are always good. Get a side of guac and you should be full and happy!
3 - Deepa C.: so my best friend's birthday was last thursday and when she got all excited about border cafe, i couldn't help but roll my eyes and think "again?". after four years of college and countless birthdays held here, i was done. 

the chips and salsa can't be beat, but i feel like all the goodness comes from cheese or oil, not the actual spices and cooking. if i had someone to do all the shopping and chopping, i could probably do just as good a job. i don't like feeling that way when i pay for food. granted, it is good for big groups, the service is solid, the taste is consistent, and the prices are decent. 

i am well aware of how horribly stuck up this sounds, but i think i just grew out of this place. screaming children and groups of college students are not what i am looking for in a night out.
4 - Jasmine C.: I am not a fan of mexican food (sorry folks, a bunch of meat, lettuce and beans thrown together is not quality food to me) but I always have a good experience at Border Cafe. Its fairly crowded at dinner times but i hever had a reall long wait time since this place is big.

Good place for a big party and food is reasonably priced. Also went there for after work drinks and apps and I must say the frozen Sangria was pretty good!
4 - Devon M.: Holy Mother!  I guess everyone has been to the Border Cafe, and I'm part of that, too.  I went here a few weeks ago with Dorian for a hot girl dinner date, because we were both too tired to cook and needed margaritas.  I was pleasantly surprised.  This place is huge, and our bill was really cheap, which is awesome.  We ordered a side of guacamole with our chips and salsa, and the guacamole was good, even though I didn't really dig the onions in it, and the salsa was so so.  I channeled my inner sorority girl and ordered a blended strawberry margarita, which was yummy.  For dinner I got the steak and blue cheese salad, which was killer for like $7.  The service was a little slow, but they still had a packed house.

Jesse and I came here the other day for margaritas for lunch, which is highly recommended, in my book.  Added bonus?  The movie theatre is right next door, which is amazing.  What's better than getting a mid day beverage and seeing a matinee?  Not much in my book!
5 - Marie T.: I have an addiction to the fajita salad at Border Cafe and haven't gotten past it to try anything else on the menu.  There is always a wait, the place is always packed and parking can be hard since it's in Harvard Square, but I manage because it's worth it.  Usually, once I get seated and they place the fresh tortilla chips on the table, I devour them like I haven't been fed in a week.  Once I realize I have to stop eating them, I put them at the corner of the table and patiently wait for my salad.  The prices are really affordable and service is fast and friendly.
4 - Yelp Z.: Went to Border last weekend with a group of 10 (total).  So many things could have gone wrong so many times with 10 people to deal with, and it was a Friday night.  We got there a little after 8pm, and oddly it must have been the intense summer heat and everyone on vacation, but there wasn't a huge line outside AND the bar had room for us to wait.  Everyone grabbed a drink of choice and waited a full 10 minutes before being sat at a round table.  Three baskets of chips were quickly brought over (and devoured) and we were left alone to look at the menu and talk.  It was nice to sit at a round table with that many people because it doesn't feel like Christs last meal, and then your stuck talking to Judas all night but I digress...everyone ordered and all the food came out HOT and at the same time.  I've eaten here many times and I think I'm stuck on the Chicken Fajitas.  I've tried the steak fajitas and the meat gets over cooked and I can't have that.  I tried the shrimp but they tasted more like what is used to clean the grill than ACTUALLY grilled shrimp.  Totally disgusting, but I still love Border.  The b/f almost always gets a steak of some sort and I hear the hamburgers are tasty (for those terrified of fake Mexican and/or spices).  The prices are great.  For a group of 10 we ate for about $20 each including tip.   WITH drinks.
I will add though, our waitress was trying to be "fun" or another Boston know it all broad or whatever...she did not pull it off.  Using words like "fucktard" at a table, making fun of one of the people paying you to make 8 others laugh, chastising me for raising my hand when asked "does anyone want a drink" and you've ignored me for the entirety of the night and it's loud in the restaurant, pointing out other patrons who are "fucktards" or asleep on the table from being drunk (and you served them) is a bit tacky IMO.  We still gave her a good tip, but please shut the fuck up.
4 - Jim C.: How can you not love Border Cafe? Whenever you need some obnoxiously rowdy and loud place that's convenient to the T and has good food and drinks at a good price, Border's is perfect. Addictive nachos and salsa, good margaritas, and darned good blackened catfish and lots of other dishes for less than $10. 

Yes, there's usually a wait and it's a zoo in there, but grab a couple of margaritas while you're waiting and it go that much quicker.

Bottom line: Never a dull moment at Border's with a group of friends. And decent food and drink that won't break the bank.
2 - Stefanie K.: Why (WHY?) is there always a line around the block for this place?! I mean, it's fun and lively and festive and all; the margaritas are huge and pretty good and some of the food is fairly tasty--but really, I don't get the hype.
4 - Michael L.: "Tex-Mex"...ehh

More like Bayou Mex. It was late and we wanted to get some food, and I had never been here and wanted to try it out. I was hoping to find a place for a quick meal where the game wasn't on, (it was the night they lost 7-8 to the Yankees) but no dice. Drunk morons shouting in the restaurant like they were at Fenway: "LET'S GO RED SOX"

clap clap clapclapclap

They only serve from their late night menu after 10:30, which is basically just the appetizers. I got a bowl of chili, she got a chicken quesadilla. Each were $5-6. They also have chips and salsa on the tables for snacking, and both were EXCELLENT. Warm tortilla...salty tortilla. YUM!

The chili was too cheesy, but they gave me so many chips that I sort of ate it as a dip. I felt sick after, it was just too much cheese. Her quesadilla was absolutely scrumptious. It makes me want to go back and try some more of their food. The meat had the consistency of pulled pork, and was marinated in deliciousness or something. Very very good, very big, and still tasty when I popped it in the oven the next day to heat it up for leftovers. It was better than what I paid for it. 

The decor was a little strange. The Louisiana meets Mexico thing didn't have an authentic feel of either place, it was just kind of weird. Plus there is not a single wall in the place without a piece of Corona promotion on it. The music was good though, a mix of bluegrass and big band oldies.
3 - Toni D.: Tex-Mex Creole  mix.  I probably wont go back for dinner. If I do go back it will probably be for drinks and chips & salsa.
3 - Emily H.: Sometimes, life is in such a state that I need cheese, tortillas, chicken, beans and rice. That's it. And Border Cafe gives it to me fast and cheap, and often with a tasty tequila-based beverage.
3 - Beth E.: It's been interesting to read some of the other reviews. They seem to run the gamut. So I'll add to the middle. I've been a few times, and haven't had the waiting issues that others have. I must go at odd times.

Food is cheap and edible. No, it's not authentic, but really, this is Boston. It's good enough for what it is.
3 - Melissa C.: Okay. I went here for margaritas, so this is how I felt about it while I was getting liquored up... and I'm a particularly happy drinker. The atmosphere was relaxed and fun. It was super crowded and we still got seated and served right away. My waitress came off as a little harsh at first, but she was actually quite pleasant even after I dropped a margarita on the ground. What I don't get is the food, though. I needed an app and I was a little thrown off my the cajun/mexican thing, I figured I probably wasn't going to get the best of either in that situation. However, I saw crawdads popping up all over the menu and I love crawdads. So, I order a dish that was chock full of crawdads. My neighboring friend also got like a crawdad quesadilla or something. I got to poke at it all night and no amount of sobriety or drunkeness made those crawdads taste like food. I can't even imagine what was wrong with them. My neighboring friend noticed it too. They almost had a chemical taste to them. I have had prepared/packaged crawdads before, and I assume that's what they use rather than fresh ones, and I can deal with packaged crawdads out of the freezer. This was something more than a lack of freshness. I thought it might be the seasoning on mine, but the same odd aftertaste was in my friends crawdad quesadilla too. I'm starting to think that Boston is too far north for Mexican or Cajun food. Anyway, good drinks, good service, bad crawdads.
5 - Carolynne M.: I am thrilled to see the Border is still around and doing well.  

I started going in 1989 (whoops, showing my age a bit!) when it was still a relatively new joint and the menu was not as varied as it is now. Even then it was a great place and a good time out.  It was really my most favourite restaurant while going to school in Boston as you could get a great meal for not too much $$$. Spent my 21st birthday there and got way too drunk with everyone there finding out and buying me a drink.  Ahhh, memories.

I still compare every warm tortilla chip and salsa that I get to the Borders.  Theirs will always be the best, and man, I have been to some seriously hard core authentic Mexican places since then.

And yay!  They still offer my dish, the Cadillac Fajitas.  That along with a margarita with salt brings a sting to the old eye remembering how good that is.

I havent been back to Boston for a while now but just reading the reviews and scanning the menu makes me want to book the next flight out from Priceline.  Border Cafe you rock.
3 - Kristin G.: Not great, not terrible. i wouldn't wait at all to get in, though. 

They put way too much cheese on everything.
3 - Kiki B.: honestly, i just don't quite understand this mix. bf and i went and had delish margaritas after we waited a long time (like 30-40 min on a friday night, which we knew would be a long wait) for our table. we had the fajitas plate for two with half steak and half chicken. it was good, just odd that it was flavored with cajun seasonings rather than something more typically mexican. the side rice and beans were similarly cajun-oriented. fun atmosphere though, and at $30 for a stuffing dinner and two large drinks, not a bad deal.
2 - Cara P.: Two stars for their drinks. Well, because they have tequila and a ton of calories= yum

 I have ventured here before to be met with a really long wait, crowded and loud atmosphere, bland and mediocre food chain line food, and really biatchy servers.

I heard a few people in line say they couldn't wait to eat real "mexican".......I had to laugh to myself.............or maybe I did because, well I was waiting in a line for this.....

Will not come back unless forced
4 - Vanilla P.: If you walk into this place expecting authentic Mexican food, you will leave sorely disappointed. If you walk into The Border Cafe expecting hipster servers to be bringing you mild Creole-Mex food, you'll leave happy. Who thought up the Creole-Mex mix anywho? That's like creating a Buddhist meatloaf.  

We came here on a chilly Sunday night, after perusing Yelp for a decent place to guzzle margaritas. Food wasn't a consideration, since we wanted to get wasted. ...It was merely a coating for the stomachs we were getting ready to pour booze in. 

Halfway through my margarita, I was drunk. I'm not a light weight, but this margarita? Definitely not made with primo tequila, but whatever moonshine mix they put into it burnt the hairs off my tongue and made me feel loosey goosey. 

I ordered the Black Bean Tostada salad, which was a taco salad vegetarian style. i asked for a side of ranch dressing and extra jalapenos, and wow. The ranch is home made, and the jalapenos were fresh, spicy, and crunchy --which means they weren't from a can. Hubby ordered some kind of burrito, which was fine and mellow, but his Mexican rice side was not Mexican, or even Spanish. I'm thinking the chef went to Italy, became enthralled with risotto, and whipped up a batch for hubby's dinner that night. All in all, it was tasty... just not Mexican. 

Waitress was nice, and dinner plus drinks was under $30. The interior was all painted with old-timey ads and murals, so it had the feel of a big box Mexican restaurant (coincidentally know as "On the Border" that is located mostly in the mid-west and west USA ... HMM).  Bathrooms were clean, but confusing for me, since the stalls have real doors on them, and if the doors are closed, you cannot tell if they are occupado. I stood outside one of the stalls for a few moments until a girl who was washing her hands said, "Oh, this one's open." Duh, Vanilla. Drink more.
3 - Tasha M.: It is what it is, kids. I admit I loved this place a lot more when I was younger. But you will find adequate drinks (get the extra shot in your marg) and indulgent food (i get the shrimp and crawfish quesadilla every time-- it is an explosion of melted cheese). The hot basket of chips and salsa never disappoints. The water and soda arrive in bucket sized proportions. 

It is noisy, and its way better if you get a seat upstairs. The country music is ok or the hour or so you are there--the scene is hectic, fun, and colorful.  

However...

The downstairs is cramped and you will be trapped by the person sitting 2 inches behind you. The lady's room has like 2 stalls and there is always a line.

ALSO- Don't wear anything of value here or one of your nicer coats because it will reek of the signature border smell for days even if you fabreeze it to death. I learned that the hard way.
4 - Vanessa K.: Even after reading some discouraging reviews from other Yelpers, my friends and I decided to give Border Cafe a try one Friday evening. It was one of the few dining places in Cambridge that was open past midnight and since we were in the mood for a chips and salsa snack, we went in. The place was almost empty (perhaps because it was around 1AM when we got there?) so we were seated right away and the waiter was amazingly cheerful and nice despite the late hour. We got our chips and cheese dip and someone ordered a chicken quesadilla, which was pretty tasty. The never-ending chips were a major plus!

The place isn't too great if you're searching for "authentic" Mexican food, but if you're in the mood for a place that has nice drinks and baskets full of warm tortilla chips and salsa, Border Cafe is a great bet.
5 - Chris O.: i've been going here since i was 6 years old and it has never disappointed ... interesting thing  ... i've only had alcoholic beverages here twice ... they ask you when you enter if you'll be drinking alcohol tonight ... once we said no, then after we were seated, decided we'd like a drink, apparently they ask you that question because it's a cambridge ordinance to have a certain area alcohol free, and our table was right at the line!!
5 - rewan a.: I have been going to border cafe a lot lately after moving to the area. Every time I have been there I have had a great experience. I haven't ever had to wait for more than 5 minutes. As crazy as this sounds, they have awesome burgers. Crazy, I know... and why did i order a burger in the first place? Not sure, but I definitely don't regret it. 
I like their drinks, I can't complain. They are on the stronger side but they're good. I really like their big taco salad. I think it's called tostada grande. It's like a massive open face taco salad with either beef or chicken. 
Also, the servers are great. It's the perfect place if you want to be in a fun atmosphere and not spend too much money.
4 - Kinjal S.: They say there's always a first time......

This was mine... I've never had mexican food for dinner, two times in a row..... for multiple reasons....

1. I am not a big fan of mexican food
2. It is soo cheesy and fattening (or at least so I believe)
3. Living in SF-Bay area, there's always a wide variety of different cuisines to choose from, so there's never a time when Ive had the same type of cuisine twice in a row unless I cook @ home :D

Anyhoo,  while visiting Boston, we were at that time at Harvard Square, so since my friend loves Border cafe mexican food and every time she is at Harvard Square she tries to  have dinner there....and this time for both of us, even though we had had mexican food for dinner the night before, we still decided to go here.... and I was game for it, coz the place she took me to the night before last was good....too.

Our server was nice and friendly...and the atmosphere was lively, lots of ppl around talking, laughing and margaritas flowing around.... the mood was set for fun and the appetite for some yummy empanadas and jambalya..... yep!! that's what we ordered... and it was really flavorful, the sauce was so rich and tasty....a hint of smoky along with it....
5 - 'amy E.: The best experience I had at Border was that one time when I finished the last final exam for the semester that was also my last final exam ever as an undergrad that was also the same day as my birthday.   I don't really remember a lot about that night because my friends took me to Border Cafe to celebrate and get me right trashed (mission accomplished!).   

But I guarantee you that I liked the food that night, because in all the years I have been going there, I have always loved the food.
4 - Ruth M.: Actually being cajun, it's hard to find places that serve the things my parents cook, let alone better than my parents cook them.

This place blew the pants off my mom's kitchen.

The bar is a great stop (not a destination), and the waitstaff are friendly generally awesome.  The creole/cajun is hella good, but some of the things that aren't so hard to find are tasty, but unamazing.  The burgers - not special.  Not the best mexican.  The chips are always good, and the guac is great, but overall, the menu is on par with a bigger chain like Longhorns.

But they'll put a lit birthday candle in a straw in your pina colada when it's your birthday.
3 - Huan z.: There is often a long waiting line for this place. Food is not impressive but good. Good choice of drinks, nice place to eat if you have a group of people. By the way this is not  mexican food. This is texas american food, if you want mexican food, go to Cafe Ole or Tu Y Yo .
2 - Bill M.: Not a fan of The Border.  Never have been, I know I am the minority here.   There isn't anything wrong with the Border, it's clean and well run, I have been going for years, I just cannot see what all the excitement is about. I seem to go here at least once a year for someone's birthday or other celebration and it never seems to change.  There will be a huge line, meaning the wait staff will be rushed, the food will be just ok, and it takes forever to get a second drink.  

Meh...there are plenty of outstanding places to go in this area, you can miss The Border in my opinion.
5 - Crystal C.: While I lived in Boston for 4 years, this was hands down my favorite place to go. There was always a wait, but it was always worth it. Good atmosphere, good service, good food, good prices. 

I recommend the fajitas and frozen sangria!
1 - Kristine M.: It surprises me that so many people like this place.  I think it's disgusting.  I've gone here more than once, just because a friend likes to celebrate their birthday there, but everything I've gotten was sub-par.  I'd be so thirsty afterwards that it felt like I downed a container of Morton's Salt.  It's got a fun, festive vibe, but the food is just gross.  I've never enjoyed anything I've eaten there.
3 - Greg S.: The Border Cafe is yet another average Tex/Mex place in the Boston area, I've tried just about everything on the menu that I would at any such establishment and nothing seems to really blow me away and yet it's still a good place to get your Tex/Mex needs fulfilled. They have bottomless fountain drinks (in large cups) and chips and salsa, which is good especially when the chips are still warm. Their Margaritas are in the same size glass so you get a decent size drink for the price. Service is usually fast and they have never messed up an order so no complaints there.
4 - Richard M.: I worked at 50 Church Street for 3 months and I ate here a couple times a week during that time.  I am a big fan of Mexican food and Cajun food, but I'm not sure they ever belonged together.  But I have only eaten the Mexican here, and that is all my review covers.  And it was great food.  The price was cheap, it was a great location.   I would have liked to have the chance to eat there other than for just lunch.
I tend to like my food hotter than most, and like most commercials restaurants, I wish they have an "En Fuego" entre, but it's nothing some hot sauce won't fix.

They did run my card twice for a $50 meal, but when I went back to complain it was sorted out and an apology was offered.

All in all, I love this place, especially for a work lunch.
3 - Stephanie H.: I have been here a couple of times. I go back for sentimental reasons. My now husband and I had our first date there. We went there again last night. I love the margaritas. The food is ok. Nothing great- tex mex and canjun kind of mex. Not the authenitic kind of food but good and filling. I love the chips and salsa. Warm and salty goodness. If you go at the right time you can get seated right away (before about 5:30 or 6 at night) otherwise expect  a wait. 

The waitstaff and mgmt has always been attentive.
4 - Diane I.: when i think mexican i think pancho villa burittos, but border cafe is definitely not the typical burrito place.  
and tonight i was happily surprised.  i had the corn and black bean empanada... and only wish i hadn't devoured the chips and salsa so i could have had more empanada! 
i'll definitely be back.

the downfalls - long wait and small veggie menu (at least for me).
3 - Karlis B.: Alright, for some reason I did not know this place was so...theme park. I was up on the Tex Mex/Cajun bit, but when I walked into this place, I thought I was at South of the Border (road trippers know what I'm talking about). 

Not to mention all the friggin' kids running around, bless their hearts (at age 23 I don't frequent many family dining places, so seeing kids at restaurants is notable. If I saw a kid drinking a Brubaker and playing Big Buck Hunter that'd also be notable). 

Anyway, this place gets 3 stars because:
- Service is very quick (maybe too quick. Don't you always wonder about the quality of food when it comes out not 10 min. after you ordered it?)
- The mural on the wall behind our table featured a chick with her titty hanging out (don't know if that's good or bad)
- Never ending salsa and chips (homemade chips!)
- They don't have butter! Bf wanted some for his cornbread and dude just shook his head and mumbled...but never brought out any.  Paula Deen will tell you if you're not using butter in your cornbread - thus having some to be spread on top of the cornbread - then you're not making cornbread! Bring me my butter!
- Drinks come in a bucket - lessens the number of refills required. Refills are free, just in case.
- Food was just OK. Fish tacos were good, but not as good as Lower Depths.  Jambalya was....not jambalaya. More like rice with sausage and stuff. No one really said much about what they are eating, meaning it was average.

I'm just not thrilled. And not really planning to go back.
3 - Erin R.: A couple of things about Border Cafe:

The location is awesome. The layout of the restaurant is really cool and festive and the employees are really great. And really hot and sexy. Whoops!

The food is meh. The drinks are meh; the margaritas are really salty, even if you ask for no salt. Come to think of it, the food is really heavy on the salt as well. If you don't like raw onions, like myself, stay away from the guacamole. It's wayyy too onion-heavy. They certainly aren't masters of Mexican cuisine by any means. 

The servers are very attentive and friendly and have I mentioned how good looking they are?
4 - Jeffrey H.: A big "Hola" to the free chips & salsa. I do love me some free chip and salsa establishments.

Now, not many people know this, but...I'm not Mexican. Nor have I ever been Mexican nor will I ever be Mexican. I come from a white Irish Catholic family who probably won't even let their gay son marry a nice Mexican boy...okay, that's a lie.

But in any case, I am no expert on what Mexican food should taste like. I've never even been south of the border. But I will tell you, I know food. And I know what tastes good. And the Border Cafe, my friends, TASTES GOOD.

So if I want Mexican food, or what I think Mexican food should taste like, I know that this crazy ass restaurant in Harvard Square exists.

Hola free chips & salsa. Te amo frozen margaritas.
3 - fred n.: Only for happy hour or a quick appetizer and cocktail. Queso is an absolute must, or else you're missing the sunset of the restaurant. Busy and active means its more of an upbeat social place, not for one-on-one dates, but good for casual outings.
4 - Doug W.: I'm a big fan of Border. The prices are reasonable, the food is great (love the blackened catfish fajitas), and the service is quick. I'm not much of a Margarita guy (Sol and a lime for me) but I've been told they do a pretty good job with those too. And they don't skimp on their ice water, which is kind of important when you're eating spicy food. What's not to like?
3 - TJ S.: Eh. Every city has a few of these. "Mexican" restaurants within proximity of major universities. 

They become popular with the gringos because they serve corona and this crazy food called a fajita..Typically this genre of restaraunt will have low grade food, production line  service, and some wacky theme decor...commonly a mechnical bull..... 

For some reason every time I go I get garlic on my breath for days. Apparently the border believes that garlic is a main ingredient of Mexican cuisine.
3 - Shuan L.: Aside from the fact that I think it's weird to fuse Mexican and Cajun food (enchiladas with a side of jambalaya, anyone?), Border Cafe is decent.  The food is cheap, the free chips 'n salsa are key, the frozen strawberry margarita is solid, and the atmosphere is vibrant (probably because everyone is drinking margaritas).  Given the dearth of places in Harvard Square that are open late at night and are fun to hang out at, I'm glad that Border is around.
4 - Sun Y.: The atmosphere here is exceptional-- you'll be greeted with a fun, friendly wait staff, along with some country-pop-folk fusion music, and top-notch margaritas. The food is tex-mex, wouldn't really call it "authentic"; however, a great place to grab fajitas (they'll come out sizzzzlin), shrimp orleans (spicy pasta), or finger food (cajun poppers). 

I've been going to this place weekly since freshmen year and would definitely recommend it for a casual night out with friends.
4 - Quinn E.: Once, a girl broke up with me here. At the friggin Border Cafe. Come on! I may or may not have cried. Minus one star for a classless breakup. 
The rest is pretty excellent though. I always, always get the Chicken Waco, a specialty item that takes 25 minutes to prepare and is ungodly delicious! I don't know why, maybe it's the biscuit, the cheese sauce, the weird rice? I don't care either, it's well worth the wait. In fact, I prefer to wait, drink a margarita, munch on some salt chips and hopefully not get broken up with.
3 - Sarah S.: Free, limitless chips and salsa. That's nice. When I ate meat, I was vaguely obsessed with the French Quarter Chicken, and the Buffalo Wings were appropriately spicy. They were both, admittedly, quite tasty. Everyone I know who's over 21 and has been here really enjoys their magaritas. Cool, cool.

So why three stars? Because every single time I come here, I can barely hear myself think, let alone lead any sort of dinner convos at a normal volume level! Either location- here, or in the one in Saugus, it's the same. LOUD. And you know what? I'm sure that, once I've reached That Magical Age and can partake of the aforementioned margaritas, I will be loud, and obnoxious, and full of general douchebaggery. But for now, it majorly bugs.
5 - Nate R.: I have only been here once, but I had a great experience. I actually came here on a first date and it could not have gone better. Although, I don't think I didn't really fell for the girl, I did fall in love with Border Cafe. 

Holy Lord was that cheesy, I may just change my Yelp name to Cheese Boy after that bad boy.
1 - Jack N.: The customer service at this place is junk.  I don't expect much when going to a place like this, but they're just terrible.  We had a party of 12 meeting for dinner on evening.  11 of us were there ready to be seated, and they WOULD NOT seat us until the 12th person showed.  Funny enough, after the 12th arrived (after they made us wait 45 minutes for her), they squeezed us into a 10 person table.  Simply put - don't go here if you want to have a decent time or better.  Only go if you like to get slapped around.  If you really like the food, go to the new Burlington location.  Much better service, and the same menu.
5 - Lisa O.: Whenever I get a Tex-Mex craving, Border Cafe is the first place I go. No, it's not "authentic" Mexican. No, I don't care. I actually think it's pretty damn funny that all these Bostonians get their panties in a bunch about how "authentic" Mexican food is. As long as it's good, who cares? 
Although Border's margs will never live up to the king of all margs (anyone who's been to the Rio will know what I'm talking about; anyone who doesn't, book a plane ticket to Denver right now) but they're a good substitution in the meantime. And CHEAP, which is one of my favorite qualities in a drink.
Warm chips and good salsa are a perfect way to start a meal, in my opinion, and I usually have to stop myself before I fill up completely on chips. I think the salsa has a good kick to it, but I'm kind of a wimp.
THE FAJITAS. I always get the fajitas with chicken, beef and shrimp. What can I say, I like variety!! I also ALWAYS split them with someone else. Even the fajitas for one are freakin huge; we always have enough left over for 2 extra meals. Burros are good too. 
The service ranges from really good to kind of lacksidasical, but it's never been bad. 
Overall, I leave the Border Cafe a little tipsy, very full and happy, with a meal for the next two days, and all for about $30 (two people, 2 drinks each). And that makes Lisa a very happy girl.
5 - Kevin B.: I really love it here. I have been here countless times with a various friend groups and I have never been dissatisfied. The food is delcious, inexpensive and they always keep my margaritas flowing and that, my friends, earns my eternal gratitude. This is the perfect place to go with your friends for a cheap, tasty and booze-y night out. And let's face it, who doesn't need more of those nights?
4 - Susie C.: My sister and I come here all the time. ALL the time. We love it because you always know what you are going to get-- cheap, huge portions of tex-mex food. The drinks are always cold, the free chips and salsa are addicting (chips are always hot), and the service is always reliable. If you love cheese, try the chicken burro. The fajitas never disappoint- they come on a sizzling platter with lots of sides. I've never ventured oto the cajun side of the menu because mu regular favorites are too good to not order.
Downside- you'll leave smelling like a fried chicken taco no matter what you order, so don't wear your best sweater/shirt/jacket. The smell lingers. That said, this is a great place to come for a bite to eat any night.
4 - Mary M.: We had a party of 14, and waited about 35 mins to be seated on a Friday night, so not so bad.  The atmosphere was fun and the staff was friendly.  Lost a star because several of us thought a lot of the items were really salty but otherwise would have been good.  Even the margaritas we ordered came out salty...I'm used to having salt around the rim of the glass, but not all in my drink.  The waitress was was great though and switched it to a sangria for us.
4 - Shari J.: We got there around 6pm on a Saturday night, and it was just starting to get packed.  Fortunately, we only had to wait about 20 minutes...not so bad.  The food is great, and very reasonable prices.  I had the Gaucho chicken which was seasoned just right (not too spicy) and the shoestring fries were so addictive, I even forgot about the salty chips on the table!  I had two glorious strawberry margaritas (I'm a sucker for a good margarita) which were brought out quickly.  It's a little busy and a little cramped inside, but it's a nice place for a delicious dinner (even if you don't remember most of it after the margaritas start to kick in).
2 - Mike D.: Tired meats and dirty seats.
3 - Marina P.: PROS: Big and strong drinks, fun atmosphere, good tables for big groups, good bar area, enchiladas are delicious and the blackened salmon caesar is great

CONS: No reservations... and the wait can be LONG, the main hostess who used to always be there when I went (I believe her name is Pascal) is SO rude, super super loud, I always leave smelling like grease.
1 - A. P.: Guys, what the hell?  

Wait, I think I get it: all of these positive reviews are part of a cruel & elaborate(ish) scheme to inflate the throngs waiting outside on any given weekend day/evening.  I know that these throngs always give me a little shot of schadenfreude when I see them on my way to some place in Harvard Square that (mercifully) isn't the Border Cafe.  I know that, soon enough, their wait will be rewarded with the blandest, shittiest cuisine ever to come out of Mexico or any other once or future member of the UN.  And they will learn.  And they will post a glowing, 5-star description of the worst restaurant they've ever been to, thus perpetuating the cycle.

Genius.
3 - Christopher M.: A friend of mine really loves coming here.  I'm kinda so-so on the place,  but since I don't hate it and I enjoy hanging out with him, I just come order and have a  good time.

I honestly don't see anything special about Border.  They have big drinks. So do other places.  They have "mexican"  Other places serve it without the quotation marks. . . and their Cajun section?   Not really  Cajun. . or creole. . . or even close.  The etouffee is bland, the blackened catfish is so-so, and the shrimp appetizer, while kind of tasty, is pretty much what I'd expect from an outback or red lobster or any one of a number of chains.

Like I said,  I have fun when I come here, but it's because of the company,  not the food.
2 - Jenny M.: Loud, nearly impossible to get into, and the fajitas?! What the heck happened there!?

I'm a native Texan, and my favorite dish to order to test a Tex-Mex restaurant is the fajitas. What arrived before me broke my heart: the pieces of beef were smothered in completely unrelated and uncalled-for cajun spices. CAJUN FAJITAS!?! What?! It was a complete flavor clash, and I didn't eat more than one bite of that meat.

The sadness and homesickness this caused were enough to keep me from returning.

That said, I know some people that really like the place. I just doubt they're from Texas.
3 - Kevin M.: I always have a good time and enjoy good food/drinks when I come here.  I recommend the French Quarter chicken or the burros... the margaritas are always good... the only down side is that you will smell like Mexico when you leave.... but small price to pay..
And acutally on that note, the prices are pretty good $6-$10 for most entrees and appetizers from $5-$9 ... can't beat that. (And bottomless chips/salsa to start.. come on, what's not to like??)
4 - Jeremy K.: Love this place; discovered it through my cousin and been back quite a few times since. Their food is great and so is the atmosphere; they also have a full bar with some really tasty, delicious frozen sangrias which are highly recommended and quite affordable. The music isn't too loud too which is nice because you can have conversations without having to shout your way across the table. 

Most appetizers are about 5-8 bucks and the entrees 12 to 20ish. The service is quick, the food tasty and they provide chips & salsa while you wait.
4 - Amy C.: The good: cheap, predictable, good eats, well-oiled, machine-like service, warm chips and spicy salsa, mango catfish fajitas (enough for two meals), sauza gold margaritas.

The bad: that ridiculously long line out the door, the regular margaritas -- I'm not sure there's any alcohol in these.
4 - D.J. L.: Cheap food and drink. And they're both delicious. What more could you want from a restaurant?

The only downside is they do not take reservations, and I don't think I've ever been here after 5p where there hasn't been some sort of wait. And I've walked by several times to see a line going down the street. There is a bar for you to wait at, but its pretty small and fills very quickly. 

However, this place is definitely worth the wait. The best fajitas and blue margaritas in the Northeast.
4 - Neha Y.: Perfect for a drink after work with the girls - the margaritas truly take the edge off of a bad day.  Perhaps its because I'm a self-admitted salt addict, but these margaritas are perfection though there were a few in my group who complained that they were a bit tooo salty!  

For the really bad days, I highly recommend the chille relleno for some fried goodness. Ofcourse for those of you who have better resolve than I do - the fajitas are perfection as well.
4 - Jim C.: Awesome food, good drinks. Although it really isn't a place I would go just for drinks. If you are planning on going there. Go there for Dinner it is really good and at a really good price (after a few drinks and an entree only about $25/person).
5 - Alice G.: I love this place!  It's probably less than authentic Mexican, but the drinks are delicious, the chips before the meal are fantastic (really salty, which I love, and they are served to you hot), and the food is really good.  This place is consistent, reasonably priced, and tasty.
4 - Jeremy K.: 4 stars, here's why.

cheap, effective and good chips (you know it) also their french fries are way too good for a Mexican eatery.
1 star off because they haven't figured out how to get teleport me home after ive had a few ritas..dam you 4th dimension restrictions!!!!!
2 - Ashley J.: Edit** So I went here the other night and I wasn't really super pleased. The drinks had no kick. They where really stupid about ID's. Dude, I am 30, give me and my friends a drink. I dont even look 21. One person served us, one wouldnt, ummm ok....The food was pretty blah and I think at a mexican restaurant to charge someone extra for a side of sour cream is really really cheap. I would think alot before I came back here again. 
Initial review***
To review one is to review all of them in this chain. There is pretty much no difference so I picked the one closest to me. This location is pretty big which is good cause it gets really busy. The food is adequate. Much better than most chains. I like their margeritas. It isn't the kind of place you go if you want this really great night out but definitely a fun place to go with a bunch of friends, eat some good, affordable comfort food and kill some cocktails.
4 - John S.: There's a reason why there are nearly 300 reviews on Yelp and the place is consistently full - The Border Cafe is good at its business.

The food is very good and the service is very quick.  So long as the place isn't packed, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better cheap meal in Harvard Square.

The waiter took my drink order the moment I sat down and returned so fast I didn't have time to look at the menu.  For me, I good gauge of service is if the drinks come out before you know what you want to eat.  So that's a plus.  Also, the unending fresh chips and salsa is so magic I am scared to discuss it further lest it vanish into the ether.

I opted for some Tejas Chicken (chicken fingers) and Chicken Guadalajara.  Both were excellent, flavorful and dirt cheap.  I also got to have a taste of another excellent chicken dish.  Everything I've ever had there is good, cheese-filled and served piping hot.

All this and a few Diet Cokes for my date for under thirty bucks.  Not a bad thing at all.
4 - Ashley S.: Love the atmosphere, location, service and food! Always a wait for a table, though.
5 - Mike C.: I had to re-live one of my old haunts.  This place got me addicted to their chips and salsa on day one.  Everyday getting off the bus in Harvard Square I would start to crave the crunch.

Chips aside, the food is pretty darn good.  You can always tell a good Mexican place from the rice and beans which were mighty tasty.  Big chunks of chicken in the enchiladas, lots of shredded beef in the tacos.  They don't skimp on portions here.  And massive sodas which they refill before you hit the bottom.  

Awesome service too.  This place really likes their customers and that will make you a repeat customer.  Appears they have many.  The place is always crowded.
5 - Katie G.: I LOVE Border Cafe. The atmosphere is a little hectic with it being the busiest hot spot in Harvard Square, but if you end up having to wait, I would definitely say it is worth it as long as you don't mind lots of loud and hustle and bustle. The food is delicious, hot and fast. I would highly recommend the cajun catfish fajitas that come sizzling on a mini cast-iron skillet with a basket of warm fresh tortillas. Their margaritas are DELICIOUS. I love their frozen fruity ones, but they have a wide variety for you to choose from. The waitstaff is young and can seem a little snooty, but are always tentative and ready to answer any question. The best part is their prices! in an expensive area like a Harvard Square where you can't buy a stuffed animal for less than $20, their food is amazingly priced and the servings are heaping (so don't fill up too much on the fresh chips and salsa they give you when you first get seated!)  Great to go on a very casual silly date or with a bunch of your friends. Can't wait to go back!
4 - Gening L.: This place was a really interesting combination of tex-mex and creole flavors.  My dish probably didn't fit into either category, but all I have to say is it was damn good!  Beware of the chips in the begininng.. they are addictive and a basket of them disappears immediately.  Right when you think you can finally take a break before your actual meal comes, another basket arrives, hot fresh and crispy.  The salsa's good, and the guacamole is one of the best deals for guacamole anywhere!  For two bucks you get a big bowl of it.  Usually in DC the guac is like $4 for a tiny sample cup.  Anyhow, I ordered the eggplant baked with bubbling cheese on top.. it's not really waht the menu makes it sound like.. it's more like eggplant cutlets with a cheezy sauce.. still good though.  Don't hold your breath on the side of mixed vegetables, but black beans are good and the dish overall was great. :)  And the whole meal for 3 people.. at this restaurant.. was only $30!!!  Usually in DC a sandwich that gets thrown at you whlie you run by costs $10.  This was a nice sit down, and the waitress was really nice.  She hooked us up with all this extra stuff and none of it cost extra.  Thanks Bonnie!
4 - Ashley A.: Oh, the endless torture of the meat coma is still upon me!  After the gastric warmup of a bucket of guacamole (and salsa, of course) it was decided that fajitas for two would be prudent.  It took me two hours of satiated moaning and groaning, two cigarettes, and a half mile walk just to be a functional, coherent human being again.  This speaks highly of the cuisine, trust me.  The serving staff seems a little green, and the decor is tacky as hell (are the bottles of hot sauce lining the walls for consumption or decoration?) but the size of the standard soda glass (1 liter, by the way) had me grinning like a little kid.  And every drop was necessary for extinguishing the happy fire in my belly.
3 - Kristina B.: I like:
-Gulf Coast shrimp enchiladas 
-crawfish etouffee
-melon margaritas
-sangria
-Crystal hot sauce

I don't like:
-how you have to wait forever on weekend nights when school is in session.
4 - Diane D.: My best Tex-Mex friend wanted to go to Border Cafe for her birthday with a few of our friends.  To me that says something about the food right there.  Let's face it - any of us who have spent time in the south are on a constant mission to find even remotely comparable food on the east coast (mission may never really be accomplished).

But on the whole, Border Cafe does a nice job!  While Mexican food generally is just the same 6 ingredients combined in different ways, they have found a way to have an interesting selection of dishes and still include everyone's favorites.  Don't fill up on the starter baskets of tortillas - it's a cheap trick!  But have some if you're gonna drink - I've never had a margarita here that wasn't overfilled with tequila, and I don't care if its good tequila or not, cuz I'm feeling it, it tastes good, and its not breaking my paycheck.  It's best in the summer when some of the college crowd is away and there's slightly more room to move around...but generally the place is busy so get there early if possible!  They won't seat you until your whole party is there so get your cool late-shower friends to get themselves together!
3 - Renee G.: While chefs and foodies may contend that seafood and cheese do not belong in the same dish except under the most carefully culinarily engineered circumstances, I cite the Gulf Coast Seafood Enchiladas as proof otherwise.  Slosh some guacamole on top and I am a happy, happy girl.

Also, traditionally speaking, I prefer my margaritas dry, on the rocks, and with a fine aged tequila...but try reminding me of that when I'm gleefully slurping down my third or fourth slushy, blended, well tequila-filled version.

And they even play country music.  Call me a redneck, but that's a surefire way to my heart.
4 - Brian M.: I had heard a lot of not very good things about this place, so had never checked it out until last night...and I have to say I was reasonably impressed.

The first thing to note is that it gets very busy, esp dinnertime Saturday. It's loud, crowded and a little on the cramped side.  That said, our group of 8 was seated within 20 mins at a round table - always good when it's a group that size.  
They brought plenty (3 servings) of chips'n'salsa to the table to keep hunger pangs subdued until food and drink orders were in.  Both were mild in flavour but pretty good for all that.

I got the beef and chicken fajita.  The Beef was great although it teetered on the dry side.  I did think the chicken was a little over-seasoned.  The salad/cheese/salsa was fresh and crisp and the dirty rice was excellent, although the authenticity police might have had questions about the latter.  I'm not a fan of black beans but they seemed decent.  The gf was very enthusiastic about her salad.  She liked her  Margarita but noted it was not as impressive as it first appeared due to the large amount of ice.

The place is very loud; I could converse with the two people either side, but those across the table were lost to me.
Considering how crowded and loud the place is, I thought the service was excellent - it must be a headf*ck place to work but they were v prompt with drinks etc.

So, is it authentic?  I wouldn't know - Ireland is not a noted enclave of Tex-Mex cooking. I thought it was v tasty and I would definitely go back, although maybe not on a Saturday.
1 - cherie c.: Jose Creole?  Cajun-Creole/Tex-Mex cuisine?

No.  Just, no.

The ambulance removing a patron as I arrived should have been a warning.
2 - Isabella R.: When my friend suggested border cafe for a sunny saturday lunch, I was game. This is the spot where I'd try to order 'ritas as a young lass (and failed miserably, mind you)eat food I thought was Mexican and where I bought my first 'rita legally. And its a 'festive' atmosphere.   The chips and salsa still fill a craving   but I should have known better than to get the fish tacos.  Not much can compare to nicks crispy taco in san Francisco, but the garlic salt lick that was my fish taco plate was something I shall remember with each passing belch. And the whole "lightly fried"thing was kind of a joke as well, these were greasier than a Texas pig Roast. And sadly her mango salsa didn't really help, the mangoes were kinda hard and unyielding to mangoness. The rice and black beans were good in a covered-in-cheese kind of way.and the 'rita? Delicious.
2 - Stephen Y.: One (or two word): Tex- Mex....

Super- crowded and super- crazy 
We were so hungry and were fed baskets of free nachos.... fueled by Coronas... that we were pretty stuffed by the time the entrees arrived...

We were led to the basement where it was hot and steamy and our waiter was pouty

Food was OK but hey... It's Tex- Mex... kinda like a Schnoodle... cute and kinda novel at first but will bite you in the ass at the end....
3 - Hilary J.: Let me tell you a little story about my Border Cafe experience(s)...
So I've been known to enjoy throwing back a margarita or three now and again.  I've also been known to enjoy a sizzling fajita.  Want to know what else I enjoy?  Friendly service.  Want to know what Border Cafe doesn't have?  I'll give you a hint... it's not the margaritas... they have those.  And it's not the fajitas... they have those too.  
You guessed it! The service is lacking.  I have to say the food is pretty good here, the margaritas are OK (though there was something funny floating in my second one and there wasn't any salt on it.  You bet your ass I sent that puppy back, much to the dismay of my unfriendly/zero- personality server).  
I don't need to be entertained by my server.  I'm not asking for a juggling act, or for him to pull a rabbit out of a hat.  I am asking that maybe he smiles, maybe he apologizes for the red floaties in my margarita, maybe he at least PRETENDS to care, and not make it so obvious that he's trying as hard as he can to turn this table as fast as he can, and that's all he cares about.  Guess what?  We would have stayed and had a third, maybe fourth round, which would have hiked up the bill, which would have hiked up his tip.  But he didn't give us that option.  Maybe we wanted dessert?  Nope.  Not an option either.  I've actually had this particular server twice now and had the same experience with him both times.  Too bad.  But... I'll go back because it's convenient and not half bad.  It's nothing to write home about, but it's there and it does the trick.  I enjoyed the mural of the Mexican prostitute, and the "Don't Mess with Texas" bumper sticker, and the overall "cantina" type feel.  For real Mexican however, I suggest you visit Tu Y Yo.  Yummmmmmm
2 - Alena D.: Sigh the Border Cafe.

Ever other Sunday or so, I attempt to go to Mr. Bartley's in Harvard and because it isn't open on Sunday's I make my way to the border cafe.

Why?

Because they have decent margarita's.  Sunday mornings are just a long process of finding the hair from that particular dog.  

The food is crap on a plate.  Shrimp were rubbery overcooked, fish dry, paselito's greasy and kind of disgusting.  The best to hope for is biting into something moderately bland that doesn't overpower the wash of alcohol that you need to get it down.

Update:  I had a mesquite grilled burger from here the other day.  I asked if it could be cooked medium rare.  The waitress came back and said that it couldn't be because the grill was automated and set to medium.  Glorified Taco Bell.
3 - Kiwi H.: I don't really care if this is authentic Mexican or not - I know what the place is like, what the atmosphere is like, and if I felt like it wasn't authentic enough for me then I'd probably head somewhere else. My feelings on this place are generally that it is what it is. 

It's true that it can be really irritating on a busy night, since the no reservations and long waits can leave you irritable, not just from hunger but from the noise and all the rowdy 'kids' (including plenty of frat bros) and the crowdedness. If you go on a weeknight though, it's really not that bad at all and there probably won't even be a wait, or at least not a long one.

Food is very reasonably priced, and you can have a pretty inexpensive meal here. Drinks are priced alright as well, and food tastes freshly prepared. The free chips and salsa are nice, drinks are decent, and as we were informed by our server, I'd recommend not getting the house margarita if you want something a little more alcoholic since it's weaker than the others. Otherwise, marg fans can be do pretty well here. Or at least tequila fans can, if you pick the right drink. ;) Food is nothing wow-spectacular, but pretty tasty and portions are large. It's good for accommodating groups.

What really made an impression on all of us was our staff member. She was so nice and friendly, but unlike so many places where this can feel fake, forced, and makes you feel like covering your ears from the enforced whininess, she was actually really genuine and she just truly seemed to be really cool and nice, and very helpful with her tips not just on things to get at this place, but also places to hit up for dessert afterwards. (They don't have desserts there). I'd been to this place some times in the past, but the excellent and efficient service on my recent visit was really great.

Overall, I wouldn't go out of my way to come here and it's not the sort of place I'd plan on going, especially since there are so many other tempting options around the Harvard area even, but if my friends suggest going there or I'm looking for an inexpensive, casual, decent lunch/dinner, it's a good option and I'm not opposed to it either. Not amazing, but certainly not bad.
5 - Jamie L.: "Cadillac fajitas and Cajun popcorn, we have a date Friday night!!!  Don't make me wait too long, ok?"

I've tried just about everything on this menu and have never been disappointed (except for one time bones came in my catfish, one incident in over 5 years of yumminess hardly counts).  Especially for the prices!

Unlike many restaurants I frequent, this is one of the few places I'll experiment.  Generally I go to the same establishment for the same thing.  Indeed many places all over town could probably recite an order of mine.  

This Friday, it'll be what has come to be my favorites, but truly many things have satisfied me here!
4 - Victoria M.: Came here on a Saturday night with the fiance and some of his work study students for a end of the year party.  This place was super busy!  OMG! I couldn't even move.  It was absolutely nuts.  I wasn't too keen on the whole overcrowded being shoved every two seconds part.  But the margaritas were awesome.  They were mixed just right... strong but with just the right amount of raspberry sweetness.

 We were seated, finally, and the waitress was very accommodating.  She dealt with the unruliness quite well.  I had the chicken fajitas, and the fiance had the burger.  They were nothing to write home about.... but definitely hit the spot to soak up that alcohol.  The group had quesadillas, pasta dishes, tacos, etc.  All the plates were licked clean, so I am assuming their meals were good.

The highlight of the evening was not consuming 7 margaritas and feeling really good, it was seeing Ben Affleck and Jennifer Gardner with their daughter having dinner.  So cool.

So Border's gets 4 stars.  A solid score.  Minus a star for only 2 stalls in the little girls room.  What is up with that?!
2 - Susan N.: Can't decide between Mexican or Cajun?  Well then, Border Cafe is for you.

As soon as you sit down, the waiter brings you free chips and salsa.  Yay free.  But unless you like the salsa on the runny side, it's just ok.  It was spicy too, which I like, but if you don't, you may skip it entirely.  Now on to the food.

The boy and I ordered a chilli appetizer to split.  He ordered the blackened cajun chicken while I ordered the waco chicken (which I was tempted to pronounce as whacko).  The chilli was fine.  Made with black beans instead of kidney beans.  Nothing special about it but it was fine.  I didn't try the blackened cajun but the boy had this look on his face that said he'll eat it but he doesn't exactly love it.  My waco chicken was pretty good, not fabulous good, but it had cheese so it couldn't be bad.  Though I really don't understand what a piece of cornbread was doing on my Mexican dish.  It just didn't make sense.

All in all, the food was very generic tasting.  It wasn't bad.  It just wasn't great either.  The service was excellent, though.  And from having come here prior to this just for drinks, well, those are outstanding too.  Just don't come here expecting top notch Mexican.  Or Cajun.
4 - Shawn W.: The Border cafe is probably the best Mexican-ish food I've had in the area, and it's pretty cheap to boot.

The interior is pretty appropriate, although if the lights were turned on, I bet it'd seem incredibly trashy. The Border cafe is definitely a place that's meant to be experienced at night, and I'm not the only one who thinks so, as there's always a wait to be seated in the later hours. It's also the only place in Cambridge where I can stand to listen to country and Jimmy Buffett, both of which suit this place very nicely.

The food is very tasty - I usually go for the pulled pork enchiladas, always with extra guacamole. The chips they serve while you wait are wonderful also. I was suprised that they didn't serve mojitos. I settled for a gin & tonic instead and wasn't impressed - no lime slice or anything. Next time I go, it'll be either a margarita on the rocks or a beer.

Another important fact pertaining to the Border Cafe is that after you eat there, you WILL smell like Border Cafe. At the one-hour anniversary of your meal, you'll probably start to notice. Just a warning!
3 - Joshua S.: I mean, the food isn't spectacular and I've had better margaritas at John Harvards.  Still, I love the country music and my favorite entree, the blackened chicken fajitas, is pretty solid.  It's a good place to go with a group and you can definitely share entrees to cut down on expenses and calories.  Oh, and I do love me some of the crawfish bites.
3 - Scott F.: People will wait an obnoxiously long time for a table at the Border.  I don't get it.  I mean, the foods good, the chips 'n' salsa are free, and they serve their drinks in Big Gulp size glasses (which I've knocked over embarassingly a few times ...).

The food is good, but the quality is inconsistent.  I loves me the fajitas, but sometimes they're overly spiced, sometimes the meats all stringy, and sometimes they're incredibly good.  Keep it good all the time - 4 stars.  

Word of advice:  when you get your (free!) chips 'n' salsa, order a side of guacamole or the queso dip.  It's usually made fresh and pretty tasty.  

As for the long wait - hey, go to Harvard Square, put your name in and go wander through Urban Outfitters....

They've got a sweet location in Burlington (with patio seating!) and one in Saugus next to the Hilltop.  Same food, same review, same ol' thing ....
5 - Melanie P.: What?  Am I actually seeing people say that they were unimpressed with this place?   That's crazy!  I love this place.  You have to wheel me out on a cart every time I eat there (as a result I limit myself to one visit a month at most). 

The prices are great, cheap enough for a cheap spender like myself.  I still tip well though.    

Anyway, Top 5 Reasons why I gave this 5 Yelping Stars.  

1. Chips and Salsa, as much Chips and Salsa as you want.  You want more chips and salsa?  Ask for it.  Just don't ruin your appetite, because no matter what you order from the menu, it'll come out in a heaping pile on probably more than one plate.  I usually get a combo of chicken and vegetable fajitas.  And the guacamole...oh be still my heart.  

2. In a word: Margarita.  Tequila will Te-Kill-ya?  False.  Tequila will enhance your experience and taste so warm and good on its way down.   

3. Atmosphere.  The smell of Mexican food sizzling in the kitchen.  MMMMMMmmmmmmm.  

I wouldn't recommend this as a good place for a first date because you might scare the person away.  Okay, maybe just I would scare my date away because of my aggressive reaching for the salsa.  But anyway, I'd still go with someone you are comfortable enough with to not be embarrassed by stuffing your face.  You don't want to ruin the trip by ordering a salad!  

4.  Prices and Selection.  Sure, it's not Authentic Mexican Cuisine...but it ain't no Taco Bell!  This shit tastes good and there's plenty to choose from!  

5.  Holy Moly, Guacamole.   Your deliciousness encompasses my cravings.  Thank you.   


Some Admitted Set Backs: 

1.  It gets super crowded on Friday and Saturday nights which can leave you waiting hours for a table...Not because the service is slow, but because there are way too many people in there.  I'd recommend going on a weeknight because your evening won't be spoiled by impatience. 

2. Parking is a bitch.  Take the T if you can stand it, or be ready to ride around for twenty minutes searching for a space.  I usually a. pray for parking or b. let my friend out of the Blonde Bullet (my car) so that she can put our names in while I park.   

3. If you eat here every night of the week the way I eat here one night a month, you'll be one fat bastard.  

I'll give it a Blissfully Bloated Blonde Card ... 

tastes so good, but makes me so full it hurts.
3 - Ken M.: This was an off night for Border.  The waitress was not up to par and they were very inefficient at clearing the table and giving us room.

Inexcusable was the waitress taking the queso when I had a chip half raised to my mouth, how did she know I wasn't going back in for more?
5 - Jill H.: I'm definitely biased in reviewing Border Cafe, because a family tradition of mine is SundaylLunch after church at Jose Tejas in NJ (It's the same restaurant, different name). 

That being said, I'm still giving it five stars. Yeah, you definitely have to wait a long time. And you really should think twice about driving because parking is an absolutely nightmare. BUT if you love Tex-Mex, you'll realize it's worth the wait. Border Cafe is an experience in itself - and the price is definitely right. 

Border Cafe is a theme restaurant, and is definitely casual.  Again, I judge on a bias because I love theme restaurants.  You'll probably hear some mariachi bands, you'll probably hear some Jimmy Buffet.  I don't even like Jimmy Buffet, but I still would sit through Cheeseburgers in Paradise just because Border Cafe is THAT good.  

The complimentary chips and salsa are absolutely delicious. They're warm, they're salty, they're crisp, and they're bottomless. The salsa is simple, but it compliments the chips really well. If you finish your basket before your drinks get to you - which is possible- don't worry!  Ask your waiter/waitress for another basket. It happens to the best of us. Just be careful. It's definitely possible to fill up on them - so try to moderate your chip intake. 

As for the entrees, they're all quite good. My family orders everything from fajitas, to blackened catfish, to tacos, to burgers, to the eggplant royale. It's all good, really.  My personal favorite, however is the Blackened Chicken Caesar Salad. It's huge for one, so it really is more of an entree than an appetizer.  Also, I don't know what makes this Caesar dressing so tasty, but it's a perfect combination of zing and cream - and compliments the spices of the Blackened Chicken to a T! Definitely delicious, definitely something that you want to bring home if you can't finish. 

Two margaritas and you've sufficiently warmed yourself up for an evening at Tommy Doyle's or Hong Kong or wherever your post-dinner destination may be.  Although I'd say make sure you have some Aleve ready for your inevitable hangover the next morning :)
4 - Stephen S.: This is the most cliche tex-mex restaurant ever...and I love it!
I don't know whether it was the murals, bottles of hot sauce, or cheesy Christmas light decor, but the Border Cafe truly captured my heart.  I kinda found it by accident as I wandered Harvard Square with the girl I was dating at the time (I went to BC so the whole area was not so familiar to me).
When they asked if we would be drinking (yeah 2pm!) and escorted us downstairs I was completely enraptured by the decor and oddly good tex-mex which didn't try to hide behind excess cheese and grease.
Definitely check it out if you're in the area.  Since it's way close to the theater in H Square, why not stop by before a show?

UPDATE - I'm not going to knock of a star from my review because of this (yet) but I encountered the most annoying thing EVER when I went there last week.  Apparently you have to have all members of your party or the WILL NOT seat you.  Seriously, one of us was at the bar getting a drink and they wouldn't seat us because of that.  WTH man?  It was a rainy thursday night in the summer (no college kids to be seen and plenty of open tables).  Downgrade on service!
2 - Rune W.: Man alive, there's a lot of love for this pedestrian and expected Harvard Square establishment.  Misplaced?  I do believe so.

While the latest trip was just two night ago (a Friday), it's pretty well in line with about a half-dozen prior experiences.  The most memorable part of the whole evening was a couple of similarly-clad Spanish-speaking youths (employees?  I don't think so) dancing wildly in front of and opening the doors for incoming and outgoing patrons.  They were having a hell of a lot more fun that I would and, yes, I resent them (slightly) for that.

It needs to be said, first and foremost, that this is a generic Tex-Mex joint just like every other one you've ever been to.  There is absolutely nothing to set it apart.  The menu is the same.  The margaritas are the same.

We waited at the bar for about thirty minutes (just shy of the 35 the kindly hostess had estimated) before the buzzer did its little shimmy.  In that time, I put away two Bacardi (that's as good as it gets at Border Cafe, rum-lovers)-and-diets, getting carded twice (the first one's a compliment, the second is just obnoxious) by the same inefficient bartendress.

When ordering the second, I encroached on an empty seat (just straddling beside, mind you, and having never considered resting my ass on) and the plus-size companion of the vacater (that should really be a word) gave me a sneer among sneers and informed me that 'somebody's sitting there'.  Ugh.  She couldn't possibly think I was going to plant myself there and try to seduce all of her 250 pounds, could she?

At any rate, a comely waitress was kind enough to deposit warm tortilla chips and a serving of third-rate salsa for us to nibble on while we imbibed and waited for the table.  When the glorious moment arrived, we were banished to the basement.  Initially insulted, I accepted the move when I came to find other attractive sorts had been handled similarly.  Then it all went to pot when we were assigned (with a 3-in-1 chance of having a reasonably attractive and thereby entertaining waitress) a woman of at least forty-seven years.  She may have grandchildren.  I respect that she needs to earn a living but -- come now -- three young men (and one an handsome as Rune) pulling Grandma?  They need a better system.

The entire experience was tainted by the douchebaggery of the Big Man seated at the adjacent table who made a grand scene of paying for his entire party (it's low-end Tex-Mex, pal) and by the a never-ending chorus of roars and shrieks from a crew of over-served jackasses just around the corner.  Bouncer, please?

The food was as expected.  Not good, not bad.  Extracting the age/attractiveness issues, our service was pretty decent.

What it boils down to, ultimately, is that the Border Cafe is a completely forgettable and generic Tex-Mex experience located among any number of more exciting options.
4 - Jeff B.: I've never had a bad experience at Border Cafe. The closest I've come is abandoning hope of getting a table before midnight and dragging my self and friends to John Harvard's. If you do get in, you're in for a treat. The decor and atmosphere are bright and lively, it's loud and the servers and patrons are usually in high spirits. The menu covers southern cajun and tex-mex, offering appetizers like Chorizo Flambado and Crawfish Popcorn. There's a good selection of entrees and even the vegeterian dishes are flavorful and filling. They could easily charge a lot more for what you're getting, there might be one thing on the menu for over $15 (and I think it serves two!) but most of it's under $10. If you don't love it, at least you didn't break the bank trying it out.
3 - Meredith K.: Saturday night around 9pm we decided to head over to the Border for some dinner. We figured since it was a holiday weekend most people would be gone and there would be no wait. We were wrong. Even on Memorial Day weekend - we still had to wait. BUT the good thing is - the hostess said it would be a 40 min. wait and it only ended up being 15-20 min! Thank god, I was getting hungrier and bitchier as the minutes progressed.... :P

It's always really loud in here, decor is cheezy, and the food is ok, but the margaritas really are tasty. Although they do limit how many you can order in one seating (I think it was 3?). Yes - I've been cut off here before.  What I find kind of interesting is that the food is much better here than their other location in Burlington. How does that happen with a chain? 

Anyway, if you don't mind waiting a ridiculously long time (normally) for so-so food and tasty margaritas - this is the place.
2 - Jennafir E.: Ok, I can understand the love of this place for margaritas, but unless you plan on only getting that one drink (because the daiquiri's suck) I would suggest finding any location other then this one for Mexican. Hell, even Anna's may be better. The real question remains, how can you mess us a drink? A blended, ice ridden, daiquiri was what I was served. The salad, not bad, until the meat came, which was like a sponge with jerk flavoring that was too spicy for human consumption (unless you burned them all off at the ripe age of 5) Second, the rub put on the chicken makes it impossible for a human to recognize food underneath the blackened mess. How it is served I will not know. I do know that the drink came in handy after a taste test.
The reason for those 2 stars, the staff was nice and it was fun to look at the walls, the drink, even lacking in luster wasn't bad, the best par:, the salsa (try it sometime with a drink, but nothing else). However, it was a waste of time and I think taco bell would serve better mexican.
4 - alex l.: I really like border cafe, i have only been there twice but both times i had 2 margaritas and left the place giggling like crazy-which is a good thing.  I really like the chicken enchiladas here and my husband had some fish that was surprisingly good last time we went.
4 - Matt P.: Great place, against all odds.  I have a long history with this place and it all revolves around complete ease, laid-backness and efficiency.  Yes, you'll wait forever if you get there after 6 or so.  Yes, it's full of after-work people getting smarmy with each other at the bar and taking too much time at the tables.  And yes, it's got that tex-mex Chi-Chi's/Chili's kind of thing going on, but something makes this place rule a little more.  Let me think about it a bit:

The chips and salsa are great and fresh-tasting.  Okay, that's the first thing to get out of the way.  The chips are always hot and salty and sometimes, just every now and then, come a little too hot or fused together in rubbery joints here and there.  

Good selections of Mexican beers - Modelo, Sol, XX, etc..,  I can't speak for the tequila drinks.  

The waiters/waitresses are usually on a pretty even keel.  Never understaffed and never stress cases.  The hostesses never seem to go nuts despite always having an overflow of people with vibrating buzzers in their pockets waiting for 45 min-60 min. for tables.  

The best part about Border -- and this is what baffles me about people calling it a "totally generic tex-mex" place -- is that half their menu is really Cajun-influenced.  There are a lot of shrimp dishes, jambalayas, swordfish, crawfish and catfish dealies.  I get it that it's all presented in a kind of suburban way, but so what?  It doesn't matter that much to me.  

The layout of the place is just off enough -- old menus, wide open rooms, unfinished wooden tables -- that I don't feel like I'm eating at a big chain restaurant.  It's loud, it's festive, it's sort of neighborhood-ish.  I mean, you can say it's not neighborhoodish because aren't lots of old folks and families -  which I'm down with - but this place sort of comfortably reflects the actual neighborhood.  It's full of people who seem comfortable and at home there.  

The veggie jambalaya is super good -- huge, big variety, very spicy and really cheap (like, $6).  The tostada salad thing is similar and comes with fat globs of guac, and me fav - the blackened catfish - is sort of a charred, peppery little masterpiece.  

Parking is a super pain just like for anything else in Harvard - there is an always-full lot right across the street, but the garage around the corner usually has a few spots.
2 - Jarrett E.: I have mixed feeling about this place, because on one hand, the margarita's are great, as is the guacamole, and the complimentary chips and salsa.  However, everything else I orders was horrible.

I felt like eating a small snack and getting a drink, which is a pretty good way to spend part of your afternoon.  Unless you came to this place.  I ordered the chicken appetizer, and I was shocked that any executive chef would allow this to exit the kitchen. Now I am all for spicy food, but not *over spiced* food.   In fact, I could barely taste the chicken over whatever salty rub the lathered it in.  It was spicy, which I enjoyed, but I also like to have flavor.  It basically tasted like i was eating spices from a bowl.  

The salad I ordered, which meat on it, tasted like it had been run over but some dish washing soap.  But, the rest of the salad was quite good.  The margarita was great.  I had two.  The guacamole?  Delicious! I ordered a side and it was the best part of the meal.

The food the other patrons had looked good, but I don't think I'll be coming here for a return visit any time soon.
3 - Daniel M.: I'm torn between two and three stars for this place.  It has its pluses for sure but seriously, Cajun/Mexican fusion?  Hmm.  I don't know about no crawfish quesadillas and I think I'll keep it that way.

The salsa was pretty good.  The margaritas very good.  The rest of the food goodish.  The enchiladas were a bit on the oily side but at least they weren't made with flour tortillas.  

I guess I would eat here again so I'll go with three stars but I wouldn't make a special trip for it.
3 - Corry B.: I so want to loathe this place- the ultra cheese ball early 90's tex-mexicana all over the place, the heaping plates of pretty average cheese and grease- but I give it 3 whole stars because the margaritas will knock you the f*ck on the floor.  Beers & margaritas are both $5 a pop- so it makes more sense to go for the licks.  If you are cheap you can sit at the (not terribly exciting) bar and get loaded on the yummy margaritas and the pretty decent homemade free chips and salsa and just skip dinner altogether.  Also, the staff is really friendly, a plus in any establishment.  Friday & Sat. nights this place is packed (why????) so if you want to sit at the bar and booze get there early, but be careful when you finally roll off the bar stool.
5 - Kelly K.: I have been here oh so many times and it continues to be the bf's and my favorite place to go.  Our meals have always been unbelievably delicious....I was a sucker for the chilis and cheese enchilladas - until I had the chili relleno and now I'm completely torn when I have to decide.  I'm not quite sure what kind of cheese they use, but there must be some form of crack in there because I hoover it as soon as it's set in front of me.  They do train their servers on what is/isn't vegetarian on their menu (hint - enchillada sauce isn't - get the ranchero sauce instead), so I appreciate that.  

The chips and salsa are the freaking bomb and the magaritas....well, they go without saying.  There have been more that a few times when "oh hey, lets go grab a rita" after work turned into "holy crap, how is it 11 already...and where'd all my money go?!!".   The food is cheap and usually only about 20% of our final bill.  

As a Louisinna lover, I dig the wall paintings and the southern music...and the bf gets happy whenever Johnny Cash is played.
4 - Mabel C.: This place has good fish tacos.  Their other food is good as well.  However, I wouldn't say that I'm wowed by the food;  just that it's conveniently located in Harvard Square (walking distance to my home) so my friends always want to go here.
4 - Bianca G.: The free chips and salsa is just the tip of the iceberg for the goodness that is Border Cafe. I always leave this place giddily satisfied, with visions of the frozen margaritas and the sangria weighing in on my head, and the smell of creole and mexican food lingering on my clothes (not really a good thing, but hey that's what memories are made of).
 
Last week I had a bite of the boyfriend's deep fried catfish dish and it was so crunchy on the outside, tasty on the inside. I had to say that with the fried coating and the salty gravy, it reminded me of KFC (I have cheap taste, I know) which is really my own euphemism for food that gives me happy, grease-filled thoughts. However please note that not everything here is fried. When I'm pretending to be on a diet, the blackened salmon caesar salad and the steak and blue cheese salad really does it for me (okay, so blue cheese isn't exactly diet-friendly, but the whole plate is overflowing with greens, you can't help but feel healthy). But my favorite so far are the fish tacos and the chicken guadalajara (how can you go wrong with chicken stuffed with chorizo and spinach?)

The servers deserve some praise too.  They are all friendly, although sometimes we'd get one and it will take forever for her to come back to our table to replenish our rapidly diminishing drinks, and other times we'd get one of those super enthusiastic ones where I've only taken two sips of my margaritas and he's already asking if I want another one. But it's all good, because the answer is always yes anyway. 

You could say that the food is not exactly gourmet and wouldn't be found on the judges' table at Top Chef, and most dishes taste pretty much alike, but they are undeniably flavorful. Border Cafe also has a lively, kitchy vibe, so going there is always fun.  My only gripe is the long wait but we're willing to endure it for a taste of some Border-lovin'...
4 - Branson L.: Kind of a hit or miss... Some of the food is pretty good though. Last time I went I was truly happy with the cajan fried catfish... although some of their dishes have been too heavy or processed flavors. The chips and salsa are mediocre and the margaritas are good but overrated. Despite my bickering, this is a pretty good place everyone should try... If you like a little cajan spice, try something off the texican menu... The food prices are very reasonable, and the service is usually pretty good (fast). Anyhow, make a run for the taco bell and try the border.
5 - Jen T.: Waiting stinks, because the bar areas get packed. But after waiting.. it is perfection. The super salty chips, the home made not-too-chunky salsa, the cheessseey cheeeseeeyy quesadillas, the frozen drinks. If I died and went to heaven (yes.. if that is where I ended up...), I would hope there would be a Border Cafe there.
4 - Jennifer C.: Yummy fajitas and strong margaritas, what more could a girl want?
3 - Scott S.: I know that people go crazy for the Border Cafe and drive in from the suburbs just to come here... but I have a really hard time appreciating it for some reason.

The food prices are great -- ever notice that the food here can cost less than a margarita?  But even as someone who can't handle spicy food, the dishes here seem really bland.  

It's a fun place but I can't see why it gets so much rave attention.

(By the way, with 301 reviews already, will my measly review even matter?)
4 - Ashley S.: i sort of love the border cafe. i've been twice. got the fish tacos and a margarita both times. the fish tacos are flavorful and really salty, but in a good way. it gets loud in there when busy so don't go if you're looking for an intimate, quiet date night. the atmosphere is laid back, fun, colorful. 

affordable, too!
4 - Francesca R.: Back in the day I waitressed at Jumbalaya's, a sister restaurant to this one.  In fact, I'm not sure why they had different names because the food was exactly the same.  Jumbalaya's had kooky *cajun* decor instead of kooky *mexican* decor, but the menus were identical.

My point is - even though I came home smelling like fajita seasoning every night, I looooved the food at Jumbalaya's, never got sick of it, and am so happy to work near a restaurant that serves the same grub.

I know this is a chain, but it's a small chain of six.  I feel like at Chili's and similar, the decor is picked out by faceless corporate lackeys, coldly calculating the kookiness factor of a horse saddle or cowpoke.  Whereas the Border Cafe feels like the owners got together, had a bunch of margaritas and make a list: christmas lights?  Yes!  Gaucho attire on the walls?  Yes!  Sombreros galore?  Si! Si! Si!

The service is always stellar--no matter how busy it is, the staff are unflappable.  Overall it makes for a cheerfully rowdy atmosphere, where no one is afraid to go overboard with their margarita intake...and those babies go down easy, going perfectly with the fresh, tasty, and complimentary tortilla chips.  I like to get the fajitas myself, but the cajun food is also worth a look in.
5 - Lucas A.: Gourmet? no

Romantic? sometimes

Crowded & loud? usually, but hey... it's a Mexican place.

Spotty service?! only from the newbies, it would seem... the only time I have had bad service was when being served by "new" waitstaff, much of the established staff are friendly and quick.

BUT the Border is cheap, consistent, and you gotta love a place that doesn't load their Margaritas up with sour mix. 

I don't care for the Rt. 1 location in Saugus, though...
4 - Carolyn B.: 4 stars for the margaritas, 3 stars for the food.  i didnt love the salsa which is a big deal to me, but the tacos i got for my dinner were tasty.  lots of guacamole and good flavor on the chicken.  fun atmosphere and very large glasses of water.  not the most authentic mexican i have ever had, maybe because of the cajun influence (i didnt get that?).
5 - Andrea D.: I absolutely LOVE this place.  By far this is the best mexican food around!  You can't go wrong with a place that gives you unlimited chips and salsa for free and mixes some of the most delicious margaritas!  The portions are huge and fairly inexpensive.  I'm a fan of the chicken quesadillas with their homemade guacamle.  On a good day I can eat maybe half of my dish because it's so big.  It's also nice that they don't mind if you share plates of food and there is no additional charge to split the plate.  Sometimes the wait can be a little long and they don't seat you unless your entire party is there, but I have no problem sipping on margaritas while waiting!  I'll definitely be back sometime soon.
5 - Kim S.: I love this place. It's not 'real' mexican food per se, but for what it is it's great. I was born and raised in California and know my Mexican food. Their chips and salsa will fill you up, bonus points when the chips are piping hot. I love their tostada salad with beef....always yummy. Their enchiladas, quesadillas, tacos, and Creole entrees are all great. Come here hungry or you'll barely make a dent in the dish. Totally packed on the weekend, especially when school is in session.
3 - Erica S.: I love big burritos, tasy fajitas, freshly fried tortilla chips, and strong margaritas! Border Cafe can reliably give me all of those things. Yay!

The ambiance is totally cheesy Tex-Mex all-out ridiculous, complete with Mexican rock, pop, and polka music. I kind of like it-- makes a great party. I've actually done 2 birthday dinners here in the past, because it's fun with a group and everyone gets a ton of food and liquor for cheap. There's two full floors of seating, so you may have to wait a long time, but they can and will (eventually) accomodate your big party.

The issues I have are that the lines are always crazy long, and they have that annoying rule where you can't even be on the list until your whole party is there. I mean, you can lie, but still, it's annoying when there is already a super long wait. The saving grace is that you can shove your way to the front of the bar to begin your margarita drinking! $5 each, and they are tasty and strong.

Also, they're nice about accomodating vegetarians and will give you vegetarian beans and rice, but just note that the veg rice is lame-o plain white rice. Yawn.

Can't get enough of those free warm chips and salsa though! Don't expect gourmet, just come to drink, stuff yourself, and have a gay old time.
5 - Fabian A.: Tex-mex the way it ought to be. 
Whenever i go to a mex-joint the first thing i look for and order are red cheese enchiladas. That's the staple my mom makes for me back home when i visit and if a mexican place can match that taste, i'm pretty much sold. 
So when i ordered them at Border cafe and tried the first bite, i was pretty much sold. Not to mention what i think are the best margaritas in town. 

Well worth the trek to Harvard from the Fenway area.
4 - Shan C.: YEA. Tex mex, yum..We stopped in for a snack and a break from the heat. I am a fan of mexican and Boston seems to fall short of good mexican, so I am eager to return to have a full meal.
4 - Ira H.: The Border cafe is a great place for cheap good eats.  It's tex-mex not Mexican food.  Great Margaritas, fajitas, fish tacos,  fresh made chips.  There are huge waits on the weekend.  Service is usually excellent.  Atmosphere is fun.  This is a good place for a large group as they have some big round tables.  Some tips are:  If you are in a rush and there's a wait, ask for the no alcohol section.  You can usually sit right down.  The mix chicken/steak fajitas are a great deal.  Lot's of food.
4 - Jon H.: besides the really really long lines at night for this place, its pretty good.

be careful snacking on the chips as it can fill you up with warm (almost hot) salty chips and a xx. great way to start it off.

the food is pretty good too, a little salty though. ive had pretty much everything, but the wet burros are great with jamabalya as a side. all the margaritas are pretty good to. 

again, besides the line, this place is pretty good tex-mex food, good for big parties, and a good time.
5 - James K.: One of the few places in the area that is totally worth a wait. And while you're waiting, grab a cerveza or rita at the tiny bar and watch the Sox game. Excellent chips and salsa, and the food is always consistently solid melty cheesey beany beefy.
5 - Chris F.: This place gets 5 stars from me for 2 reasons.

1. I hate mexican, but their food was very good!

2. The food is cheap and they give you a ton of it!

Went here on a friday night, the wait looked long, and the hostess wouldnt give us a ballpark on how long the wait would be.  After 10 min. i thought that was strange so i went up askign for a ballpark. she still wouldnt give us one, and just said we can seat you now. I wasnt complaining i just wanted to know the time.  but w/e she sat 6 of us right away so I wasnt complaining. 

The meal started off with fresh tortilla Chips and salsa. the chips were hot and amazing.

For dinner i had a house salad (4$ and HUGE!) and I had the burrito for dinner. (wasnt super big but good sized and only 8$) everything was very good.

Everyone else enjoyed their meals and I would definitly recommend this place. Even if their is a wait. its worth it.
2 - Amanda A.: "Meh. I've experienced better." Sums it up perfectly.

First of all, let's get something straight: this is NOT mexican food. It is TEXMEX. There's a difference, people. I lived in Southern CA. I know my mexican food.

I just don't see what the big deal is. This place is always packed. Lines out the door. The food's...ok. Nothing to write home about. In fact, the last time I went there, I'm pretty sure what I are made me sick. I got the Shrimp-Crawfish Cajon Caesar Salad and it tasted good, but not so much later.

The service is respectable considering how many people they've got in there at one time. 

I guess I just don't think this place is anything special. Meh.
1 - Kyle L.: I just vomitted in my mouth.
5 - Fred S.: I am so happy to be back in Boston and living so close to Border Cafe. This place can not be beat on value. The food is inexpensive and very good (not just mexican, cajun as well). The drinks and atmosphere are also great. Now if only I could convince my wife to come here every night . . .
3 - Allison H.: border cafe is one of those places where my selfish vs. hippie internal conflict really rears its ugly head.

1. Cups that appear to be roughly the same volume as a half-gallon of milk - are they incredibly useful, for eliminating the need to worry about refills (especially at a place that serves spicy food), or are they incredibly wasteful (is there anyone outside of the competitive eating set who can really fit a super-big-gulp sized drink alongside a full tex-mex meal)?

2. The fresh chips are awesome - hot, salty, delicious!  the salsa, on the other hand, sucks - too watery, no flavor, mushy tomatoes (straight outta the can?).  but right after we plowed through the basket, my bf was mentioning that it was a good portion, and that no matter how good they are, if he ate any more he'd have no room left for dinner.  1 nanosecond later the waitress brought over another full basket of chips and bowl of salsa.  

ahh!  i hate seeing food go to waste :(  i think their workflow is to blame for this one.  this place runs like a well-oiled machine - there are completely separate chip & salsa people who exist solely to run around "refilling" the tables when they run low, but i'd much rather they ask if we want more, then have to wait for them than live with the knowledge that you guys probably throw a metric ton of tortilla chips out every day  (and that i contributed in any way to the waste).

3. on a positive note, i love places that separate out vegetarian options on their menu.  here, they actually double-list them (each item shows in its respective regular category of appetizer, entree, etc AND on the back of the menu in a list of veggie stuff).  in fact, i wasn't sure if i was going to even be able to have a vegetarian meal here, but they have some great options (stuffed poblano pepper, black bean & corn empanada, etc).

i ordered a black bean tostada (which, it turns out, is actually not a tostada at all, but really a taco salad).  it was pretty good, but there were raw mushrooms in it.  what?  since when is tex-mex famous for its use of raw mushrooms?  they were distracting and inappropriate, and i ended up picking them out in distaste.

anyway!  bottom line is that this is an awesome place to go for a lotta stereotypical tex-mex for a little money.  we escaped after chips & salsa, two fat-ass entrees, and 2 coronas for about $12 pp w/ tax.  sweet.
3 - Oprah W.: The great tragedy of my life is moving from Texas to a city where there is nothing resembling real Mexican food or Tex Mex. Everything is bland and when you order "queso" they look at you like you're fucking crazy. Of course, Queso means cheese, but it's also the stuff you put in a bowl and eat with tortilla chips. 

I have to say that Border Cafe is the closest thing to home that I have found in Boston. They still don't really have queso, but their chips are pretty good and the rest of the food is cheap and awesome. I usually get the quesadillas and I'm never disappointed, but they also have really good beans and rice if you don't want to feel like a fat piece of shit. 

For a place that's primarily college students, they sure are assholes about carding. If you have a fake ID, DO NOT use it here, as they will examine it closely and usually call you out, or so I've heard. I've never tried my fake here, but that's mostly because their drinks look kind of shitty and watered down and the drink menu is pricey, despite the cheap food. 

Despite the good food, everyone that works here is totally rude and it takes great self control every time I come here not to be a total bitch to every server that sulks over to my table. 

Bathrooms are clean and it's just a short T ride to Harvard Square, or you can just walk if it's a nice day, which it's usually not, because it's Boston.
4 - Leighann F.: To every rule, there is an exception. Today, we explore the case of Border Cafe as the exception to "You get what you pay for." 

Exhibit A: Tex Mex yumminess in fairly large portions.

It's true. Border Cafe does have food that could very well be the closest thing to tex mex in yankee country. I am not talking pinstripes here. The portions are large and the spices are just right.

Exhibit B: Huge glasses of water/soft drinks (I am talking bucket-sized, people!)

This may sounds like a small thing, but having water at all times at the table is crucial for me to enjoy my food. I drink a ton of water and waiting for the waiter to come over and refill just detracts from the enjoyment of the experience.

Exhibit C: Decent yet inexpensive margaritas. 

I got the least expensive one, for $5.50 and no complaints from me. It's not the greatest margarita, but you can't argue with that price and a ton of salt on the rim.


Exhibit D: A bill totaling only $40 for two people. 

Drinks, two entrees, free ships and salsa. A full belly. No complaints here.

Conclusion: Theory disproved. Sometimes, you get more than what you pay for. And you get it at Border Cafe.
3 - Mike H.: This place is pretty damn good. I don't usually drink mixed drinks at bars (I like to see exactly how much booze I'm getting) but the margaritas here are damn good. I did get another margarita after ordering a tequila shot, though, but not a big deal (they did bring me my tequila, complete with salted rim and sliced limes, after I alerted them).

The food was filling and pretty good. I did like the atmosphere, but the place was pretty crowded for an early evening mid-week. I'll probably go back next time I want a margarita. Which might be a while.
5 - Gretchen B.: Gulf-coast seafood enchiladas... enough said!
3 - ChianWen T.: Cheap drinks, cheap food, and big crowds. Seems like a very typical chain place.  It's an okay place to meet friends if you are already in the area, but I wouldn't go out of my way for this place.
4 - Chris W.: If you can go when its not prime time and avoid the line and wait its great! Like many people have already said the large portions of food for the price are good and the service is too! And the chips & salsa I think really make the place! I haven't anywhere that comes close to theirs! I find it to be the perfect place bring friends from out of town when they come to visit.
5 - Nicholas S.: There's a reason that there's usually a line outside this place: their food is good and cheap. The entrees are so large and the chips served before your meal are so addictive that I don't recommend ordering an appetizer. They serve gigantic servings of soft drinks for less than two bucks.
Their fish tacos with deep-fried catfish breaded in cornmeal is definitely one of the best meals in the square, and it's less than eight dollars.
5 - Tamar A.: Seriously, how do you not love this place?  Okay, so it's a little loud and zooey, and you have to wait a while for a table, but you know something?  It's never as long as I think it will be.  The bottomless chips and salsa are merrily washed down with rather reasonably-priced margaritas, and the fajitas sizzle with the sputter and drip of a Greek god.

It's really quite cheap for its status and popularity, which is a boon in this square.  Never change, Border Cafe.
5 - Lauren S.: The chips are great- they come out hot and fresh, almost too hot to eat. They also bring out more of them before you even finish the first bowl. Anyway, I'm a picky eater so when we go to lunch there aren't that many things I'll get. The first couple times I got the cheese enchilada- it was good but felt like I was just eating cheese so for me it wasn't worth the money. Then I learned they had french fries for 95 cents, so I ordered them and a side of cheese for the nachos. Both were delicious- and I got more fries than at places where they cost 2-4 times as much. I thought the cheese would be melted- it wasn't, but it still tasted good with the chips.

E: since I wrote this, the price of fries has gone up, but only to $1.50
4 - Paul L.: This place is truly yummy and cheap. I love the queso and the guacamole. Don't stray from ordinary dishes like burros and enchiladas. Ordering a New Orleans "specialty' rewards only those who enjoy ten pounds of batter or ten  years on the toilet. 
Otherwise, a safe bet.
5 - David L.: Prepare to sell your soul. That is the only way I can figure that I can eat and drink so well at such a low price. There is nothing I would change about Border Cafe. I always have a good time here, the atmosphere, the staff and the food can't be beat. Plus free chips and salsa which they will keep refilling if you ask.

An example:
-Argentinian Steak dish (which I highly recommend) 
-Salad with a tuna steak 
-3 Ritas (which they make strong)

--- Just over $30

Once I went with a friend who was allergic to flour, they mentioned they had corn tortillas so she could get whatever she wanted. 

I have never left unsatisfied. I have so many good stories that it's hard to pick one out. So go and make some of your own

My only word of advice is to try to get there a little early, this place can get pretty packed for all of its size
4 - Rachel B.: I don't know, yo. I know some of you's all dislike Border, but I's kinda likes it.

The margaritas are big and yums. The chips are hot and the salsa ain't bad. The walls are wooden. The waitstaff is wait-y.

I always get the same dish every time I go, because it's cheap and because I really like it. That dish being the Chicken Fajita Salad, which is huge and chicken-y and served with warm onions and big ol' tomatoes and oh man, it's only $6.79.

Although it seems to have been recently zapped by the Economic Downturn Shrink Ray, and was perhaps 1/3 smaller the last time I was there.
4 - Jessica F.: I love the border cafe. Their Guacamole is deelish, the tortilla chips are always warm and crispy, their fajitas are amazing, the margaritas are huge, amazing and cheap! i seriously adore this place.
I've never had to wait for a table here, no matter how busy it seems, they always have room for more. Service has always been adequate. not fantastic, not neglectful, it's exactly what i would expect from a place that has two floors of full tables. 
I took my brother and his girlfriend here when they came to visit me because they have a decent selection of vegetarian dishes and i wanted to make sure my brother's vegetarian GF wasn't banished to a small selection of salads and that my carnivorous brother and myself could consume copious amounts of meat!

perfect perfect choice. yum yum yum
3 - Cate K.: The food is pretty good, but let's be honest: the real reason for the food is just to have something to eat while you're chugging margaritas.  This is a good place to get rowdy since it's always loud and bustling.  If you feel like picking someone up, you could probably do it here.
2 - Shaun G.: OK ambiance. I gave it an extra star because I can not hate on the service, it was good. The food was horrible. Are we sure this is authentic cuisine? The website said Cajun and Mexican, more like Mexican't.

Maybe the one on route 1 is better, they are always packed, but the Cambridge location left a bad taste in my mouth and a hole in my pocket. I would like to go back to Border Cafe because I liked the hype but uhh, not anytime soon... or maybe Im just a stickler for good food, a lot of the reviewers here like the drinks it seems...

Tip to the wise, if you're looking for an authentic restaurant that serves a particular country's cuisine, at lease one person eating at the restaurant  
should be from country, it just makes sense.
3 - scott b.: i have been going to border since i can remember - the food aint top notch but i will always go there - way cool place for hanging out with your friends and you get what you go there for - some nachos and booze -
4 - Meghan P.: Definitely a spot we went a lot in college. Good food (and a huge variety of choices!), great drinks, and a cool setting. The restaurant makes you feel like you're in the old west. It's really quite cool and they have big tables to accomodate big groups too. 

Make sure you consider your food choices carefully because some items are much better than others. I love their taco salad and more Mexican-ish dishes but not their jambalaya and Cajun-ish dishes quite as much. Be prepared to wait for a bit too but there is a Starbucks across the street if you're craving coffee or a good bar inside the restaurant for cocktails and chips and salsa if that's more your thing...
2 - Stephanie W.: It saddens me to see all the reviews of this place proclaiming it to be "good mexican food." For the location, yes I believe it is the closes one will get to good Mexican food, but it's only slightly more authentic than a taco bell. Their salsa was fine, though too mild. Their guac was bland, and their chips were crisp and delicious. It was strange at first seeing a Tex-Mex/Cajun menu, but I was intrigued. They did not do either type of cuisine justice, but having a fajitas appetizer with a bowl of jambalaya totally hit the spot on some late afternoons while I was in the area.

But really, the fajitas aren't much better than freezer ones. This would not be my first place by a long shot and it would get 1 star if it had been anywhere in California. Yet I still came to this location multiple times with study groups to order hot wings and stress over papers/midterms.

Ah the joys of experiencing college life while one is in high school.
5 - Chelsea M.: Maybe my idea of good Mexican food is "inauthentic" but this North Easterner LOVES the Border Cafe!  Their food is good, the portions are huge, the freshly made chips and salsa are free and bottomless... and the margheritas are large and in charge, if you know what I mean.

I would not recommend the Border Cafe if you are looking for a place where you can carry on a quiet conversation, and perhaps it isn't a great place for a first date (although the insane decor and hysterical country music selection would certainly help smoothe over that first date awkwardness).  It is, however, an excellent place to go with a group of friends if you want to eat, drink, and be merry.

The price is right, the service (tends to be, although nobody hits it out of the park every time) speedy and prompt.

My only complaint is that you have to have your entire party there before they will seat you, which can be an enormous pain when you are meeting a bunch of people there and someone (inevitably) is late.  Don't bother trying to talk your way out of that one, either.
4 - Angela L.: If I want to eat during normal eating hours, the wait is always enormous (an hour), it is very crowded, noisy, and hard to get seating, and they don't take reservations. But for this, I only deduct one star BECAUSE the food and drinks are amazing. Best frozen strawberry margaritas anywhere, the chili con queso is to die for (and I often get this as my meal, consequently), and the fajitas are perfect as well. Honestly, I have not found queso as good anywhere, except maybe Rudy's. It is the perfect consistency, perfect spiciness, no weirdness like adding beer (which chalks up a good queso, IMHO). I live in California now, and I can't seem to find queso *anywhere*, so this is my favorite place to return to when visiting Cambridge, if I have the patience to wait in line.
2 - Cecilia L.: This is fun place to meet sloppy sorority girls and drink lots of ritas and beer so you can chow down the nasty food and think it is good and then tell all your friends how great Border Cafe is. Is there a culinary equivalent to beer goggles?

To be clear, I don't care about authenticity. I love a good Tex-Mex. But the food at Border has no Mex component. It is not tasty. Every bland dish is covered in a half-inch of broiled cheese.

In summary: Loud, cheap and lively. And yucky.
4 - Annette A.: This is basically as fantastic as a Chili's with much more food and less upcharge. Their fajitas are fantastic, and they bring all the ingredients over to you sizzzzzzzling hot in an iron pan. They give you more than enough fajitas to wrap with and they're very generous about the condiments and sides. The price is perfectly fitting.

Their margaritas, holy crap. Very strong. Not bad, but I think I may have liked to enjoy the margarita itself more than the tequila. Hoo boy. Two of these and you're on your arse.

The service is fantastic, the servers are prompt, courteous and attentive. This is a place I'd love to show off to friends.
4 - Maryn H.: This is a really fun place. A good place to bring people from out of town. They make a good margarita, and the food is decent. And of course with any Mexican/Creole (?) restaurant, you get FREE CHIPS AND SALSA!!! Yay! Good for hungry bunches, servings are BIG! Always busy, but usually quick seating.
4 - rob c.: Sometimes you're looking to go somewhere interesting for dinner, sometimes you're just looking to eat good food.  There's a reason places like this are called an old standby.  Yesterday, i'd had a few pints and was likely to drink a few more later, and was hungry after a morning bike ride.  While there are few things i like better than trying new stuff, sometimes you just want a pile of free fresh chips and a gigantic, bottomless glass of ice cold coca-cola.  Best to get there earlier in the evening, as it can get very crowded very quickly.  On the other hand, it's large and processes folks quickly, so it's not too bad in any case.  Everything i've had there is tasty, and the portions are more than ample considering the price (it had been a few years since i'd eaten there and i don't know that the prices have even gone up), not just cheap for harvard square, but cheap period.  I've no sense for authenticity, as far as tex-mex food is concerned, but my tummy says screw it, it tastes good.
3 - Jason S.: I was in town visiting some friends, and we went out to Border Cafe for some margaritas and food.  It was pretty delicious, nothing amazing, but good food at a good price.  I'm not from Boston, so I think I would check out other places when I come back, but that's not to say that this place shouldn't be on your list if you are looking for decent food, cheap, and a fun atmosphere.  The waitress was extremely nice, prompt, and courteous.  I had the 1/2 steak 1/2 chicken fajita, which was flavored really well and cooked just right.  The chips and salsa were great, although I would have preferred a slightly spicier salsa.  Drinks were okay, but not too strong which was a tiny letdown, but nothing drastic--maybe I'm just an alchy at this point and can't taste booze.
5 - Jen H.: Yay for adorable waiters, free birthday virgin strawberry daiquiri, late night menu, and good natured fun at 1:30am after drinking the night away down the street. 5 stars!
4 - Shannon A.: Having lived just up the street from the Border Cafe for a few years, I spent many meals dining on their creole chicken, fish tacos, and other Tex-Mex delights.  The restaurant is always a great place to gather with friends and the food is solid - always filling and tasty.  The service is quick, even when it's packed (which is more often than not), and the price can't be beat.  The place is GREAT for large groups, as the servers always seem to handle the crowds with ease.

The warm tortilla chips they give you before your dinner practically ruin your meal - they're that good and you just find yourself carelessly scarfing them down, forgetting there will be more food on the way.  On a recent trip my husband and I had to tell the server to take them away or else we'd be taking our actual lunch home for a future meal.
5 - Christiana R.: I've only been here twice but the food and service each time were equally awesome. The second time I ate at this restaurant, I ordered the creole chicken and my sister got the catfish. We also got a chorizo dish as an appetizer. The chorizo dish was...HEAVEN! Honestly, I can't even describe how amazingly delicious that dish was!! Oh snap I'm getting hungry just writing about it. ::must not think about chorizo:: Anyways, the restaurant is in a convenient location, right off the red line (I think) and there are a lot of shops in the area. It's right by Harvard University. I would definitely recommend this place to a tourist (like myself) visiting the area.
5 - Suzanne S.: Good margaritas, excellent  spicy chile rellenos, quick friendly service, and lively colorful atmosphere--definitely a repeatable experience. It was on the loud side but luckily we got a table along the window that was quieter. I'm looking forward to going back and trying their enchiladas.

update: the enchiladas are fantastic. I am now definitely a fan of this restaurant.
5 - Kerri C.: I picked this joint to be my 1st review ever... That is because I'm in LOVE with it. I

I am cheap, tis how I am. this place is fricken CHEAP

They give you ENDLESS warm tortilla chips that i seem to down without noticing fullness. It rules.

I always end up getting the Tostada Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing. It comes in a HUUUUGE tostada shell that tastes so good and fried. hah i think most people miss out on that part of the salad and think of it as a bowl. Next time eat the damn tostada shell

I've tried some other things on the menu, and they were all good. I've never had anything bad there. It may not be the best Mexican cuisine you can find, but it is definitely the cheapest and most predictable. it will never be GOOD and then BAD. stability is always good.

I also enjoy the obnoxious atmosphere. Yes, it is loud, but it's fun watching all the people intoxicate themselves with their delectable Margaritas....

I wish i was going tonight.
5 - Bill H.: Border Cafe is my favorite place to eat in Harvard Square.  I said it.  Here's the justification:

-  Great margaritas.  Large, salty, five bucks.  Can't beat them.
-  Quick, no nonsense service.  Yes, you have to wait for your whole party to show up before you get the table pager.  Big deal.  Once you're seated it's a waiter/waitress every 5 minutes until you're out.  Love it.
-  Ever-lasting chips and salsa.  Warm chips and cold salsa can't be beat.  Except maybe by the margaritas.
-  Great, cheap eats.  I'm generally more impressed by the Tex-Mex entrees than the Cajun ones.  The fish tacos are to die for.  Actual, identifiable fish meat (catfish!)
-  The place feels fun.  It's usually packed, but it's not loud.  You can have conversation.  Love it.
2 - Seraphine K.: From the reviews I see, maybe it was just a bad day.

All my coworkers love this place, so I finally checked it out... 

Well, the best part was the XXL water I got. The waiter was.... out of it, to say the least. we waited 10 minutes to place an order after he greeted us [he stood at the server station next to us with his back to us the whole time, its not like he was off dealing with a nightmare int he kitchen or something and it WAS NOT busy - lunch during the week - medium busy]. 

I got a combo, pork taco and chicken enchilada. The pork was tasty, but it was runny and very messy. The chicken was awful, dry and flavorless and waaay too much cheese -- AND I LIKE CHEESE!. My dad got a salmon steak, he said it tasted like something frozen from the store. 

OH AND CAUTION the very enticing parking lot across the street costs $9 for the 1st hour with only one dollar off with validation on the first hour, ouch.
5 - Chiara I.: Yummy! Some friends and I wandered around Harvard Square area not knowing where to go, but letting our noses and stomachs dictate our footsteps. 

This place was perfect. It had some welcoming uplifiting music to draw our attention, some very very reasonable prices (especially for a broke grad student), and a mix of foods that are quite new to my palate (Cajun and Mexican??). 

They start you off with tortilla chips that seem to be made there. Taste fresh and I couldn't stop eating them! But had to, to save room for my meal.

I had the Catfish Mardi Gras and would strongly recommend it. Fried just right, tastes yummy and different, awesome cornbread and rice and beans on the side. My bf had the Catfish New Orleans. Almost similar to my dish save for the sauce which was lighter and creamier. My friend had the Fish Tacos which were a really good size. One thing she said was slightly off was the tortilla wrapper. A little too thick for her taste.

We topped off our meal with some frozen sangrias. First time I've ever had a frozen blended sangria. A little watered down (perhaps due to the nature of it being blended) but a good price. $4.75.
4 - Jason C.: Good enough to make me cross the river just to eat here.  Cajun or Tex-Mex are hard to find for a good price and good quality in Boston, but this place has them both.  Brilliant.  For the average price for some of the entrees, you would expect to pay two dollars more for Americana entrees and/or french fries at other Boston restaurants e.g. Sunset.  The interior decorating is great too.  Reminds me of Razoo's, which we have in Texas, except with more authenticity.  I ordered the seafood enchilada, and it was chocked full of shrimp.  For the same price, you would get maybe 4 shrimp in a Pad Thai at a mid-grade Thai place.  Unfortunately, the enchilada sauce was less than ideally good and in my opinion shrimp should not be in an enchilada.  Because of the sauce I don't give them 5 stars.  Another downside is that they don't have a Poblano pepper stuffed with anything but chicken.
5 - samatha r.: Go during the night, you will get the best. I went here again and again.. I love Mexican.. & enchiladas are great here. I love this place.
2 - Sam M.: Bottom line: if you come from a city that has good authentic Mexican food, you are going to be disappointed with Border Cafe. The food reminds me of what you would get at a chain restaurant, like Chilli's.

With that said, if you come here on a weekend it is always lively. This is an okay place to come if you just want to grab a bite and a few drinks with friends. The food is not bad, it is just very very average. And in my book, that gets two stars.
1 - sara m.: This place sucks, drinks are horrible, crowd blows. I think I would actually rather go to chili's than this place. I mean at least chili's makes sense, its usually next to a mall and other sucky food, not in the city surrounded by food you want to eat.
3 - Kathleen A.: Catfish was very good. The jambalaya looked almost exactly like the rice and beans. Rice and beans were bland. Tortillas for my fish tacos tasted old and were extremely chewy. Margarita was watery. And I can't help but be weary of the quality of my food when it is served super fast.
4 - Joel G.: Birdbath-sized margaritas (~$6).  I recommend the frozen strawberry, manliness be damned (sorry, harvey mansfield).  The food is underpriced relative to the rest of harvard square, perhaps due to the killing this place makes on booze.  The blackened chicken fajitas ($11) and tostada grande salad ($8) are my mainstays, and provide padding for several rounds of drinks.  This place is damn good, and people around here know it...minus one star for the hour-long wait you are sure to encounter on weekends.
4 - Kate P.: My roommates finally got me to leave my Boston bubble and dragged me over the river to Cambridge sq to eat at their favorite restaurant, the Border Cafe on Saturday night. Let me tell you, this place was packed!! Total mob scene with over a 30 minute wait. We carved out some space at the bar and indulged in some margarita racing, I lost, my roommate Chrissy killed me. Anyhow, it was totally worth the wait because Bob the manager is the best and got us a great table and made some great appetizer recommendations such as as the GAUCHO CHICKEN, CHILI RELLENO and BLACKENED CHICKEN FINGERS. I had a STEAK BURRO for dinner which is their take on burritos, my roommates both got the TOSTADA-GRANDE salad which comes in those large crispy tortilla shells!! My roommates made me a believer and I will definitely be venturing back to Border Cafe sooner than later
5 - Nicole S.: These people could be rude to me every day of my life and I would still drive 2 hours in one day in order to eat there. Seriously. I ate there twice last week, which in total is 4 hours of driving, a lot of stress looking for parking, and a long amount of waiting for a table. But it's totally worth it. I love you, Border Cafe.
2 - Joanne B.: I keep thinking if I go back again, I might have a better time.  Everyone I know loves this place.  I have tried it twice.  The drinks were very good, the food was average.  The silverware was not very clean on my last visit.  The waiter was very apologetic and gave us free drinks and clean utensils.  There must be something I am missing, everyone else seemed to be having the time of their life.
4 - Tracy K.: For those of us from California: 
It's like Acapulco or El Torito with a few Cajun options, too.

For everyone else:
I can't think of another place around Boston that serves Mexican plates like Border does (not saying it's the real deal, just saying that it's tasty). I love love love places that serve warm tortilla chips with salsa! Border Cafe does not disappoint. 

Usually.
Unless, of course, you go during Harvard's Parent's Weekend and every damned family wants to eat there with their precious ones, causing you to wait 2 hours for a table even though they told you 45 minutes when they handed you the pager. 
I'm not bitter though, because they felt bad for us and gave us $40 off our bill and gave us 3 Dinner-For-Two certificates so that we'd come back again (there were 6 in our group). 

Go if you're looking for a place with a fun crowd and good food. Also open late.
4 - Michelle C.: Border Cafe is what it is, and it's damn good at what it is.

Tex-Mex usually means kind of bland and watered down attempt at Mexican, but maybe it's the Creole infusion that makes Border Cafe so damn tasty (tasty is my favorite word, by the way).  They also get major bonus points for the fact that nearly everything they serve seems to be heaped with garlic (my favorite condiment).

Meals start with chips and salsa which are so good and I can shovel into my mouth at amazing rates.  There can definitely be a wait, but once you get those chips, any frustration melts away.  Service can feel really rushed and food comes out fast, so I like to keep the drinks coming so I don't so much feel the need to be in and out in 20 minutes.   Everything is garlicky and tasty, and I always leave feeling like I really got my money's worth because the prices are SO cheap.

Aside from the rushed service, this place is a STICKLER for carding (probably owing to the close proximity to Harvard), which can seriously suck if you happen to have forgotten yours.

But seriously, I'm drooling here thinking about some chips and salsa.
5 - Michael G.: Probably one of my absolute favorites in Boston.  I have been here on several occasions and it is always packed so make sure that you plan on that.

All the food is delicious and they have great drinks and the prices of the food and drinks are reasonable.

I wouldn't recommend the queso... its pretty expensive compared to the guac.

Definitely get a drink at the bar while you wait..... they will give you some chips to tie you over.
4 - Deanna D.: Great Tex Mex food!!! The Gulf Cost Enchiladas are my favorite. The salsa is very tasty, the chips are very fresh and the margaritas are yummy! 
Its Tex/Mex not real authentic Mexican/Spanish food--if you want that check out Tacos Lupita, Tacos Locos. But the quality and service at Border Cafe has been consistently good. The cute ambiance, reasonable prices, and friendly staff  makes for a good stop while in Harvard Sq.
1 - Mike L.: I called Border and asked if they could tell me what the wait time was right now for a party of six.  Not what it would be in ten minutes, not in 30 minutes, RIGHT NOW.

"I'm sorry, we can't tell you the wait time unless you are in the restaurant itself because we don't want to set false expectations."

What?  No way, she must not have understood me.  I clarify for her, and explain that I will set no expectations, I just want to know what it would be if I were in the restaurant right now, hypothetically.

Nope.  She understood me.  She just wasn't going to tell me.

Forget this place, anywhere that treats their customers like this doesn't deserve my business.  I'd rather go to Qdoba, Chipotle, or Felipe's anyway.
4 - K L.: I will give this restaurant a 4/5. Simply because I love their Margaritas and I love the chicken quesadilla! The Guacamole and Chips & Salsa will never disappoint! Such an eclectic spot, and a great place to bring friends from out of town.
2 - Nicholas F.: I'm from California. No, that doesn't make me an expert on Mexican food, but I can't help but feel significantly familiar with it, having eaten it every other day for most of my life.

This place doesn't serve Mexican food. This place, in fact, is confused about what it serves. It's a Tex-Mex restaurant, similar to the ones you'd find in places even more unaware of the nature of Mexican food than Massachusetts, like Berlin, Paris, Madrid, or Japan. But the unnecessary conflation of food characteristics doesn't end at the not atypical alliance of Tex and Mex. Cajun is added to the mix. Great! A triple entente of cuisine mediocrity! There's something to be said about spreading oneself thin....

Their saxophone-playing , sombrero-wearing crayfish logo insults me as it doesn't incorporate enough token Texanness to satisfy my superficial needs in restaurant theming. (see my photo)

OK, now I'm off to review my favorite California-Nevada-Arizona-Mexican themed restaurant. Oh no, wait: that's too stupid to even exist.
4 - Scott J.: Delicious fish tacos! Pretty good food otherwise.
5 - Tina P.: College Daze: Visiting my good friend at Harvard...being his first year and all, this was a great choice for dining.  Cajun influences and Mexican mixes to make your stomach churn for more...
4 - Steph C.: I visited Cambridge for the Harvard-Yale game, and while I would give the town 2 stars (for the record, New Haven only gets 3), I definitely enjoyed Border Cafe.  I didn't order food, as this was maybe the third or fourth restaurant/bar we hit up after the tailgate, but I mooched some delicious chips and a few bites of a friend's empanadas, which were maddeningly tasty.

The vibe of the place was really fun.  There were a ton of people, and we had to wait around 20 minutes, which sucked, but they gave us a buzzer thing and we made a pit stop at Starbucks across the street.  What also sucked was that when they finally did seat us, they put our party of five at a square table meant for, hey, squares have four pretty non-negotiable sides, so four.  I got stuck at a corner, but it worked out okay since I didn't have a plate.  Anyway, though, Border Cafe was hopping and seems to be a sort of hub for students, or at least I ran into a ton of people I knew in the couple hours I was there.  We sat downstairs and it was cozy, which was great because Cambridge was about as warm as an igloo on the moon.

It was comfortable enough in there that I felt compelled to swallow three fruity margaritas, two in frozen form.  Our server (who, by the way, beer goggles aside, was whoa cute) recommended the raspberry, so I ordered that first.  It was definitely good, but the strawberry I ordered next was much better.  I would've ordered another, but decided last minute to go with the melon, which cute server said was better on the rocks.  I don't know if I trust cute server, because this last one was the worst of the three, though still totally gulpable.  If I ever visit Harvard again, I would definitely pay Border Cafe another visit.
4 - Megan M.: Fun atmosphere, yummy food, and good service. I come to this place for the Friday/Sat night vibe. It's usually busy so expect to wait, but hosts are efficient and the line moves as quick as possible. It's usually pretty noisy and the bar is small so it's hard to find a place to wait. That said, I think this place is great. Service is good so once you sit down, you know you'll have food in front of you quickly. Will continue to go to Border Cafe for solid food and a fun night out.
5 - Julie C.: i love this place. came here on a busy Saturday but after you grab a rita from the bar, the wait is not so bad. even with the crowds that gather here, i think we must've waited only 20 mins till we got seated. fab!
of course by the 2nd rita i am tipsy since i was very hungry!
they had a soup special which was sausage and shrimp, omgosh it was soooo gooooooood. if they have this, you must order it! the taste will blow you away with just enought spiciness to kiss you!
i order the beef enchilada and taco and bf ordered chicken enchiladas. of course when our dishes arrived, they gave my bf the beef and me the chicken..hah!
our server was awesome, he was attentive and very cool. we gave him a good tip cuz he was soo cool.
i love this place and whenever i eat here, i craved mexican for a few days.
4 - Niki M.: The Mexican food is a solid C+, but the Cajun stuff is a definite A-.

Sure, the chips and salsa are sub-par....but, really, is that an indicator of the quality of a menu?  (Are TexMex restaurants doomed, if they don't have a chip to stand on?)  That's like criticizing table bread.

In any case, the fish tacos are where it's at.  They are really one of the most flavorful, delicious creations on offer anywhere in Cambridge/Boston.  The jambalaya is pretty tasty as well.  

And while the sangria is likelier made with two-buck chuck, who the hell cares?  It's filled with fruit, sugar and water!  It's delicious!  As are the margaritas!  They'll do what they're intended to do at a reasonable price.

I can't comment on any of the other food, because I pretty much exclusively eat the fish tacos.  And the service has been consistently satisfactory.  I'm surprised to hear about some of these horror stories, but hey, nothing's perfect.
2 - Anna L.: More like...Border[ing Crappy] Cafe. The chips and salsa here are less than impressive, the food is way too salty, and my sangria tasted like shit boxed wine. Sunset Bar and Grill is less than a five minute drive from Border[ing Crappy] Cafe so there's absolutly no excuse not to go there instead. Lets just say that this place is so bad that even my Corona tasted more like pee than usual.  Adios...and NO, I will not be back.
4 - Matt S.: There are quite a few yelpers that come down hard on The Border Cafe. To each their own, but I've consistently enjoyed it for quite some time. In fact, I'd consider it one of my favorite places to go with a large group of people.

The food is solid, though the name of the place is somewhat misleading. There's as much Louisiana-tinged food as there is Tex/Mex, but everything I've ever had was tasty. The Corn and Black Bean Empanadas are delicious, as are the Catfish Fajitas. One thing that people always enjoy are the chips and salsa. The tortilla chips are homemade and arrive at your table warm and salty - and the minute they're gone another basket always seems to appear. 

I've brought people from the Southwest here and they've had nary a complaint. Sure, if they dug to find a gripe they could, but I think it's a testament to the Border Cafe when someone from the area(s) of it's culinary origins can actually take it seriously. And it's in Harvard Square, so it's a great place to grab a bite after walking around.
3 - Skyler K.: WTF??  They no longer have Cholula!!  From now on, it's BYOCondiments.
4 - Leah K.: Wow, I love The Border Cafe.

Interesting menu involving cajun food I've never seen on a menu before. Interesting spices and flavors allured me. 

The first time I went, I ordered a cheese and bean enchilada (enchilada's are my favorite). The waitress asked me if I was a vegetarian, and I said yes, and she changed the rice on the side (which apparently used chicken stock or something) to a vegetarian rice. So nice! So thoughtful! Plus, the waitress was a delight.

The prices are VERY cheap, about $6.50 for an enchilada, beans, rice, and some lettuce and tomato salad that is very filling.

I have been about 4 times in the past year, and love it every time. The cheese and bean enchiladas are my favorite, but another tasty dish is the cajun fried cheese (basically triangle shaped spicey mozerella sticks). The catfish taco is also very good, a little spicey for my taste though. 

One of my favorite dishes there is the Steak salad with blue cheese. It's HUGE and the steak is very tasty, as well as their salad dressing.

One of the last times I went was at a strange time, I think around 3 in the afternoon, and while the restaurant wasn't chock full of people, the waiter was very slow. I think it might have been because my boyfriend and I were there, and were obviously poor college students, and not a family with five kids. :( sad.

All in all, I love this place. The decor is fun (neon and string lights, murals on the wall, fun decorations), the plates a perfect size, and the food and staff are great.
4 - Allyson R.: I **heart** the Border Cafe.  It's always worth the wait, the margaritas are delicious (and never weak) and reasonably priced--and the sangria is pretty darn good too.  The food is rediculously wonderful and I would say the chips and salsa are quite good--not sure what other people's complaints are about on other posts.  And if you love guacamole, order some.  They give you a giant bowl of it; I dare you to try and have enough left by the time your entree comes!  The only suggestion I have is to get there before you reach the point of starvation--I've never waited less than 30 minutes.  The bar is right there to welcome you, but the floor plan makes it challenging to get to it when it's jammed.  Still, the small inconveniences are worth the yummyness (I highly recommend the fajitas--my husband and I share the ones for two and still have leftovers)!
5 - Katie L.: Okay, so perhaps Border doesn't have *authentic* mexican. Yes, the decor is cheesy. It is almost always crowded. And you will smell like Border cafe until the next time you wash whatever you were wearing there (including your hair, generally). But the tasty, inexpensive drinks, warm chips, and a bottle of "hot" sauce to add to the basic salsa always make for a good time. The meals are pretty big for the price - I have never left here without leftovers! My bf and I split the blackened chicken fajitas almost every time we come here and have more than enough food for both of us.  The service is almost always great - your food arrives pretty quickly and they bring you more beverage than you can possibly consume. I'm still not sure why they insist on taking away your half-drunk soda/water/lemonade and replacing it with another (giant) one, but they do this without exception, it seems. 

Overall, a good place for some not-too-expensive comfort food. This place gets five stars because it ALWAYS makes my bf a happy man. Can't ask for more than that!
4 - Tracy H.: The decor is kinda cheesy, but the service is good, the food comes out quickly and the prices are pretty good. I haven't had much luck with their margaritas - weak, and tasting vaguely like doctored lemonade crystal light. Asking for some extra liquor didn't help it out. But I've been having frozen margaritas, and most people around me seem to be having them "on the rocks." Maybe that's the key.
Chips are pretty good and the salsa is heavy on the cilantro, which is how I like it. It's not authentic mexican by any means, but it's good for tex-mex.
4 - Jillian Q.: The Border Cafe is honestly one of my favorite places for being exactly what it is - maybe not authentic Mexican or fine dining - but consistent in their food (very important to me), drinks, and service. This is what keeps me going back to the Border over and over and over again. (Especially since they added their limited time special - pastelitos - permanently to their menu.) 

My husband and I usually get the chili con queso and ALWAYS the pastelitos (amazing friend pastry triangles stuffed with chicken and cilantro and served with a flavorful, oil-like dip). The cheese and green chili enchiladas are one of my favorite and they let you substitute veggies for rice & beans. My husband gets the cadillac fajitas and I am definitely guilty of stealing a few off his plate! They make the best melon margarita and I will only order it when I go there. Warm chips and salsa keep coming as well. This might sound a little silly, but I really like the fact that they give you huge glasses of water (or soda). I drink a lot of water and I feel like I have to ask for a refill every 5 seconds at other places, but the glasses are gigantic at Border. 

The prices are really decent (I think my enchiladas are like $7.50 or something?). The food always gets to the table fast and servers have always been quick with meal suggestions. 

The down-sides to the Border include: limited amount of street parking - but it is Harvard Sq we're talking about so I'm not being unrealistic and there is a parking lot if you want to pay for it across the street, huge lines on the weekend, when it gets crowded there is no where to stand inside and you constantly feel like you're in the way - practically impossible to get to the bar. Also, very much NOT a fan of the red sangria, I've had much better elsewhere. 

No matter what I will continue to go here - I already have dinner plans with friends for Sunday night. ;)
3 - Allison R.: Border Cafe generic review #384:

I'm sure the margaritas are big and strong(like I like my men), but as much as I love tequila, I hate the citrusy concoction. I like the latin american-style beer options, i.e. Dos XX and Lone Star. I enjoy the chips and salsa, and also found the veggie empanada to rock my world. The other food is pretty decently okay, and this place is always warm, which makes for a pleasant winter evening.

Sometimes there's a wait, sometimes not. Also, parking in Harvard Square sucks, so I'm more inclined to hit up Ole. Just sayin.'
4 - greg m.: One of my favorite places to go for dinner in Cambridge, especially with a large group of friends.  It's loud and crowded? Perfect.  The service has always been fast and friendly, the food is good, and most importantly - the salsa chips are hot.  The salsa's just ok but whatever.

Scarf down some chips and salsa while you get tanked on a couple margaritas, dive into dinner in a drunken stupor, then stagger over to the Brattle for a movie.  Good night.
5 - Dan C.: If I was in prison on death row and I had to order a last meal--Border Cadillac (filet mignon) fajitas, a chorizo quesadilla, and a gallon of frozen strawberry margarita (New Orleans' style).  This place is amazing, wooden tables on two floors keep the conversation going with free chips, salsa, and a mix of music that is eclectic as it is fun.  The margaritas are great, though the fruit flavored ones lack a lot of alcohol.  Kick them "New Orleans'" style with a Cointreau floater, perfect to get over that first date awkwardness.  I tend to stick with the tortilla affair: burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, etc.  

When ordering Fajtas here are some simple tips that regulars know:
1)You can customize your "cold-set."  Usually this is tomatoes, cheese, and sour cream over lettuce.  I tend to do ", Two cheese and one sour cream."
2)Jambalaya, awesome. Black beans and rice, more food but less awesome.  You decide.
3)Bayou sauce, a sweet tangy sauce, goes great in the fajitas, but you need to ask for it.
5 - Daunielle R.: A personal favorite. The walls boast of surmounting colors and ecclectic collages creating a vibrant atmosphere that is tough to beat. Fun music whispers in your ears beneath the clammoring crowd, who may be seated a bit too close, but its okay because you're already a little bit buzzy on whatever delicious drink you've choosen for the night. My diehard menu choice: French-Quarter Chicken. Scrumptious and deviliously good ... but truly any menu order is satisfyingly delectable and always filling! And the amicable staff aims to please with a smile. I've even discovered a little ordering secret : the empanadas may be listed as bean or vegetable, but just ask for steak filling and your wish will be fulfilled! =)

Priced better with excellent food than your typical family-chain restaurant, and more fun to boot! The choice here is obvious.

Oh and did I mention that the chips and salsa are highly addictive!
4 - Katie K.: Their chips and salsa are almost great enough to me the meal themselves -- so addicting, it's hard not to fill up on them before your food comes out. Getting the guacamole to go with the chips is a great addition. 

I've tried pretty much all the vegetarian options from their menu. I would recommend the fajitas, the salads, or the burritos. The stuffed rellenos were waaaay to greasy and cheesy to even be recognizable as a pepper when they're done, so I'd skip those. 

Service is decent, sometimes slow, but that's probably because this place is always super crowded when I go. Everyone's friendly, and it's generally always a good crowd.
5 - Dave P.: Where to begin...I'm new to Yelp but a veteran to the Border. Now living in Cali it's fair to say that I miss the Border almost as much as the Red Sox and Dunkin Donuts...and that's great company to be in.  

Other than the seemingly ever-present wait and the no reservations thing (even for big parties) it's probably my favorite restaurant on this Earth. The margaritas are cheap, delicious and strong. The fish tacos are orgasmic (add the guac) and the jambalaya always hits the spot. Being in what is supposedly the fish taco capital of the country I've tried quite a few and the Border still retains the gold in this category. 

If you like to hear mariachi music or that kind of "tourist authentic" atmosphere crap you might be disappointed but I guess they got enough shit on the walls to satisfy a shenanigans craving.
4 - Renee H.: LOVED this place! The menu was unique in the sense that it was a mix of Cajun, Creole, and Mexican food. I had the steak and shrimp fajitas, which came in such a large portion that I had leftovers for the next morning's fajita omelet. 

Obviously this place is dearly loved because my friend and I went on a Friday night, around 6:45, and it was packed. The wait was a standard 20 minutes, and ended up being more like 30. The service was awesome though, and totally worth the wait.
4 - Amanda B.: This place is great!  Their menu offerings are aplenty and we have never eaten anything bad (and we've been here at least six times).  Their margaritas are always great as well.  Another thing I love is that we have never had bad service - as a former waitress, this makes me very happy!  The atmosphere is always fun and the place is always hopping (if you go on a weekend night, expect a good wait).
5 - Karen D.: I've been going to this place for about 20 years, so obviously I like it. Yes, it's not the most authentic Mexican restaurant, but I've been to Mexico and let's face it, there aren't many places that really are.

The portions are big and worth taking home if you can remember not to leave them in the back of your taxi. Even small left overs can be added to eggs, pasta, or just to have as a snack.

Best Recommendations: catfish fajitas with mango salsa, camptown shrimp, Tejas chicken, and beef fajitas. I've never had a bad meal there and if I had to criticize anything it would be the black beans. They are a bit boring, so I usually forgo them and double up on the yummy Jose's rice.

Margaritas are fantastic. I'm too picky for a house margarita and I like to get 1800's on the rocks with salt, especially when made by Suzanne at the bar. 

The bar staff are great: Suzanne, Elisandra, Dave, and Rich. The best servers are James G., Jackie Au., and Patricia. And let's not forget the best hostesses Pascale and Hadar (who is currently overseas). One very important person there is Ralph who cooks the chips. 

It's always a fun atmosphere and even though there could be a wait it's worth it.
3 - Victoria A.: I have tortured relationship with Border cafe. I know it's not authentic or particularly inspired, but the greasy, cheesy goodness of the "tex mex" here is hard to resist.
If I've taken an out-of-town friend here, whenever they return, a visit to Border cafe is on their list of things to do
Pros:
-A ton of food (and beverages in cups the size of your head) for a reasonable price
-Decent range of menu options
-Infinite chips for moochers

Cons
-Huge lines on the weekend
-You will occasionally be subjected to Shania Twain.
5 - Amy G.: It is clear that this place is adored-it was packed on a Sunday night in a snowstorm!  So after venturing over the river, I went with friends for a cheap delicious meal after my Urban Spoon app on my iPod Touch recommended it for us!  There are so many options in Harvard Square for excellent food, it could make you a little dizzy, but if you want Mexican or Cajun - Border Cafe is your best bet.  Chips, salsa, really fresh guacamole aplenty.  There was no skimping on the cheese on my chicken enchiladas filled with tasty tender marinated chicken.  The rice and black beans were soooo savory.  The plate of food that I received reminded me so much of the best Mexican dinner I have ever had in a local bar in El Paso, TX.  Also on the table were the Eggplant Royale (fried eggplant meets crabmeat, yum!) and veggie fajitas.  The fajita plate was just a plethora of veggies-not just your average peppers and onions.  
We made it our mission to stay as long as it took to finish our food, cause it was so good, we were not leaving any behind.  
Service was average, margaritas had a little more mix than tequila :(  A few really neat beers in the selection like Wolaver's Organic.  
O yes, and I was in love with the music selection which was a mix of oldies, country and Buffet.  Keep it coming Border Cafe, I'll definitely be back.
4 - Meredith M.: I felt like I was home. 
This is a chips and salsa-bold colored paint on the walls-warm twinkle lights and tequila smiles-kind of a place. 

And I will certainly be back.
It's probably a good thing I don't live near here. Because I really don't want a bodyByborderCafe.

The waiter was friendly, attentive and prompt. Maybe we got special treatment because he knew I was a Southern Girl. But I'll take it!

Beef fajitas and jambalaya were delicious! The steak fajitas were a little over cooked and rough, but still tasty. The little chunks of sausage and chicken were not as cajun-spicy as I'd prefer, but it was still yummy. 

They were busy, but let us linger over drinks for a bit without feeling rushed. (They also get extra points for me for the country music playing in the background.)

(sigh) I found a little slice of home in Boston. At last.
5 - Patrick B.: My favorite restaurant in the Boston area. Great atmosphere, very relaxed, very inexpensive, and VERY cheap. I took my parents here a few years ago, and now it's the only place they'll go to in the city. They love it.

My favorite dish is the seafood enchiladas, with an appetizer of cajun popcorn (the dipping sauce is phenomenal) and/or crawfish bites (they pretty much taste the same, but I figure why not mix it up?), with a Negra Modelo to wash it all down. That said, you honestly can't go wrong with anything there. I've been there enough times that I've sampled just about everything on the menu, and everything is great.

I've never had a bad experience at the Border, either in regards to food or waitstaff. Just a great place.
3 - Sweet T.: Nice atmosphere, good, cheap food. The chips they brought to our table were nice and warm, and they brought a refill as soon as we finished the basket. Nice. I would recommend.
5 - Julie T.: Three things keep me coming back and if I don't make it back, I drool and cry in my sleep until I go. 

First thing: the gumbo
It's really hard to find some good gumbo and in fact, I have yet to find a place that makes gumbo at all. They do it and they do it well. Topped with a nice mound of rice, it's so hearty and awesome for a bad-weather day.

Second thing: the chips and salsa
Yum. The chips are freshly fried from all of the tortillas that they don't use and they are so crisp and yummy. The salsa is so fresh and light and is the perfect contract to the lightly oiled chips. *drool*

Third thing: the fish tacos
Oh my gosh, this is, by far, the number one reason as I why I return. Their tacos are so freakin' good and they have this spicy sauce on them that is incredibly good. It adds such a nice kick to the taco and I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

This place is awesome and I highly recommend it.
3 - Jennifer S.: Hot basket of free, fresh chips when you first sit down? Loves it.
Boozy margaritas for $5.50-$8? Extra loves it.
Super crowded and you have to wait outside on the street corner down an alleyway on busy nights? Poop.

But, whatever.

Border is cheesy (country music and unfinished wood, tacky knick-knacks that make no sense and ugly wall murals galore) and not the worlds best Mexican food, but I love this loud-ass place and it's always a fun fallback when you have no idea where else to go and you're not a millionaire. You don't go to mingle with the clientele and pick up hotties at the bar - you go to get pre-smashed with your girlfriends before you go get regular-smashed at a concert or a house party later on.
4 - all seeing E.: It was the crappiest day of the year and I needed a warm meal that was Picante. I went into the Border Cafe for lunch and the place was dead.  I got a great table by the winows and the nice waitress appeared instantly. There were about 4 other tables so she really din't have anything else to do. She was nice and brought some watery but good salsa and some excellent chips.  I looked over the menu and decided on a enchillada and taco combo.  The chicken toaco was okay not bad but the enchillada waschessey and wonderful. I made a really stupid error and ordered a cup of coffee.  DO NOT ORDER THE COFFEE it sucks but what the fuck was I thinking I was in a tex-mex place.  I guess I was expecting sa New Orleans chicory kind of coffe but I got a Boston brown piss in a cup.  Thi was the only bad part and it was frankly my own damn fault! The service was great, the food good and not overly pricey.  I wish I had re-fried beans but at least they were balck beans the rice was od but i think it was the "cajun" element.  I will go back.
3 - Jess L.: I come here mainly for the margs and the beer - and good times. There's lots of room, fun (albeit borderline tacky) decorations, and good service. The wood decor is a nice touch.

The margaritas are tasty - varying levels of strength, though, depending on when I order them, apparently - and the guac is good. Beers are reasonably priced.

The vegetable fajitas are plentiful, but the eggplant royale was too rich - more cheese than eggplant.
1 - Jen L.: In a word....YUCK! Dirty and possibly the least authentic Tex-Mex food I have ever had. And what is up with the whole Cajun part of the menu? So strange. Definitely wouldn't fly anywhere near the actual "border".
1 - Anna S.: It is with a heavy heart that I have to report that the Border has been a huge disappointment. In the middle of dinner tonight water started dripping from the ceiling - spotted shirt front and back and a big yucky drop behind the ear. Ewwww....We were moved quickly enough and told the food would be comped, but the new waitress brought by a bill significantly larger, and the manager behaved as though she was being scammed.  (The people at the table next door saw the spots on the shirtback...) Insult upon injury, it's Valentine's Day and you have to wait about an hour for a table. The food's alright, so try it for lunch if you must, but make sure that you're seated upstairs.  Sorry to have to post such a negative on Yelp, but there isn't even an email address on their website to take it up directly with upper managemnt. Lame.
3 - Gordon G.: Your average Tex-Mex/Cajun fare.  Pretty fast, pretty friendly, pretty good price, very good location.  It's a nice lunch spot if you're in the neighborhood, but I wouldn't suggest going out of your way to go to border Cafe.
5 - Stacey S.: From the outside you may think it is an abandoned building but once you walk into Border Cafe it comes to life...and it was packed on a Monday night but I didn't wait. The homemade chips and salsa are fabulous. They serve you very large drinks so you don't have to keep asking for refills and the food is awesome. I believe they have festive events throughout the year too, fat Tuesday, cinco de mayo, etc. I can't wait to go back.
4 - Laura C.: Ok, update from tonight:

Another fun time with great Tex-Mex, though not *everyone* in our group was thrilled (but they took his meal off the check in the end, so props for that). Great margaritas, cheap and GOOD food, and friendly service as always. 

This place is definately moving up from a 4 star to a 4.5 in my book!
5 - Josh K.: Surprisingly good Tex-Mex food lives here! I wouldn't expect good food from a large, overly-crowded, inexpensive place with tacky decor, but my taste buds don't lie. I usually get fajitas, and the margaritas are quite good as well when you're in the mood for a drink. And the free chips and salsa are a nice perk.
1 - Sue M.: I cannot for the life of me figure out why people like this place....they must hate mexican food is all I can figure....

Their slogan should be ...."Hey if you love cat food and smoked and drenched in terrible sauces then you must eat here"
3 - Daniel D.: You don't come to Border for the food.  You come for the drinks.  This was a funny thing for me to realize as I came of age.

Their margaritas are POWERful and yummy.  Their food is reasonably price and not bad.
4 - jj D.: The burritos here are AWESOME!!!! not only that but the beans and rice that accompanies it are excellent as well and for around 8 bucks. The fried catfish is also something to try, very good. It is a nice change between the normal Mexican restaurant it has a added Cajun flare that I love. They do get rather busy and I had not the best experience with the hosting staff the most recent time I went. But the waiters are always on top of drinks and fresh salsa and hot chips. 
The margaritas are around 4-5 bucks and you'll feel great after about 4 of them.
4 - Amy K.: Border Cafe is my favorite tex Mex restaurant ever!!! It is continuously busy, but the wait is quick and entertaining, whether you're inside at the bar or outside watching local Cambridge-ites or Harvard students stroll along.  The food comes out very very quickly, the staff is always friendly, and the drinks, alcoholic and non come in generous portions.  I usually walk out of the restaurant way way way too full and smelling like burritos, but I highly recommend this place for a fun, casual and glutonous evening
4 - Jules N.: So much fun to go to! One huge minus - gets very crowded, so you have to wait to get seated for a while. Other than that, have lots of margaritas, beer, and fun eating there! Their skirt steak is very good.
2 - Karen C.: This place doesn't *really* need another review, but who am I to skip an opportunity to put my 2 cents in. 

Redonkulous is the only word I can think of for this place. 

WHY in god's name would you wait 2 hours for a table on a Saturday night? Are they putting free sex in the food? 

No, no they are not. I have eaten here several times and I have never gotten any free sex. Well, I mean, I've never PAID for sex after eating here either. 

Um....okay I am going to stop now.
3 - Jeffrey K.: I typically go here after work when my boss suggests it.  He went to college in the area so I think that's where his fascination with Border came from.  That said, I like the place alright and have no problem with anything in particular about it.

Food:  Good.  Nothing out of this world.  There are a couple of Mexican places I would rather go before Border though.  Jose's comes to mind but that's not conveniently located in Harvard Sq.  The chips and salsa are solid.  The prices appropriate for what you're getting

Drinks:  Generally strong and tasty can be hit or miss.  One round can vary greatly from another.

Atmosphere:  Eh, its a college place so the scenery tends to be decent.  They're certainly a factory pushing through that volume of people though.

Service:  Good.  The staff seems to really hustle.  There has almost always been a wait when I've been there so the staff seems to be able to make a lot of money by getting things done.  The system they have for delivering food works well as the food comes out promptly.

All in all, A-OK
3 - Kim N.: This place seems to be one of the Cambridge hot spots, it's always super crowded, and friends who live in Cambridge usually end up taking us here.  Their motif/menu is part Mexican and part New Orleans style.  The food here is pretty good, though I have had better Mexican elsewhere.  Last time, I was introduced to fried crawfish, MMMM!!  The margaritas are awesome, definitely worthy of a hangover.  

The servers are usually nice, but last time we encountered a particularly snotty hostess.  First she told us she couldn't seat us until our whole party was here--fine, I get that.  Later in the middle of the meal, an unexpected friend decided to come impromptu just to chat.  We asked for another chair and the hostess gave us attitude saying we were supposed to wait for our whole party.  Whatever honey, the food is good, but not THAT good.

Again, the place is always crowded, and I've seen lines out the door at times, so come early or be ready to chill at the bar.
4 - Andrew P.: The Place is Great!  The Service is always really excellent & the Food is always Terrific.  It is such a great value for what you get.  I recommend going when your hung over.....because they give you the hugest fountain drinks to suck on.  Their Cat fish Fajitas are there signature dish.  I'm a huge fan of their petite Steak fillets "Jim Bowie Style."   It's so good.   I don't go to this place enough!  4 Stars easy!
2 - Clare C.: I love my Mexican food, and this place hit the spot.  The yummy, warm chips and salsa and huge, cheap margaritas are definitely a plus here.

The food is good, but pretty average as far as Mexican/Tex-Mex food goes.  Frankly, I would prefer refried beans and rice to the black beans and rice mix which are served on the side of most entrees. Also, they like to charge you for every little thing you want on the side, like sour cream or guac.

I'm taking off a star for the horrible service I encountered here.  When I went here for my birthday, the hostess informed us that we would have to wait for everyone in our party to arrive before we could be seated. OK, fine.  So then when everyone arrived, we told the host staff that only 7 would joining us for dinner, and not 8 like we had previously said.  Then when it came time for us to be seated, they refused to seat us because there were only 7 of us- not like we told them that or anything.  Thanks for paying attention.  They promptly gave us another pager and told us that we'd have to wait all over again... wtf?  I almost flipped out, until my roommate's boyfriend stepped in to regulate.  I used to hostess, and this is a horrible practice, and you just don't treat your customers like that.  Also, it might help if you actually paid attention.  Oh, and the fact that they sat us at a 6-top and put a chair on the end just further proves my point on this.

Final note: decent food, great margs, bad service.
3 - Amanda L.: While this does not warrant any star removals, I still want to get this out, especially if you are considering going with a lot of people.

This is what I don't get....

Originally was suppose to have a party of 8, was told the whole party needed to be there in order to seat us. That, I am ok with, I respect that. So, come to find out that 2 of our party members wouldn't be attending, and I know for sure 1 is going to be late, and 1 may not show up. I ask the host if they could possibly seat us since I know for a fact one is showing up late. Here is my conversation

Him: Well, I can only seat complete parties
Me: I understand that, but 1 is going to be late, and we are going to order food right now
Him: Ok, well I can only sit you at a table for 4 people, not 6
Me:...Ok, well, can those two people still order food when they get here?
Him: Well, if they can squeeze into the table sure they can
Me: Ok, well can you seat us then?
Him: I have to ask my manager first
Me:...you do that

I don't get it. What am I missing here? It's not like we were going to take up the table for HOURS and not order food. What is the problem? I understand if there is only half of the party there, but when I specifically tell you one is joining us later and the rest of us are here, WHY are you making my life more difficult? You know what the funny thing was? He sat us at a booth that fit 6 people...so try to figure that one out.

My pulled beef quesadilla was alright, but it did leave me with a tummy ache afterwards. Those chips are still amazing though and the frozen sangria still tastes like there was no alcohol in it. Por que?
3 - Jason A.: There is definitely better border food, but you have to travel across the continent to get it regularly. 

I was prepared to give the place a four star review, but I had to deduct a star because they ran out of Chimichurri steak. I was looking forward to having that and had to settle for a Cajun burger, which wasn't as spicy as I thought it was going to be. In fact, I thought it dry and bland. 

I had to add a ton of Tabasco sauce to make the burger somewhat reminiscent of what I'm more accustomed to eating. I was surprised that the entire Boston area doesn't do Mexican food that well. Though I know that this place bills itself as Tex-Mex, the "Mex" part is certainly lacking and can use some improvement. 

If anything, the only case I would vouch for protection of illegal immigrants would be if the chefs in the back room were indeed authentic illegal Mexicans straight up from Mexico City. Boston deserves a more authentic sort of Mexican food and the revolution may begin here at Harvard. 

I thought the inside was more like a glorified Rubio's Fish Taco restaurant (which is a chain of Baja California restaurants in California primarily) so it didn't stand out as totally original to me. I was surprised that there was even a 20 minute wait tonight. I did think that the service was pretty good, as the server kept checking with how we were doing. 

Overall, I've yet to find a decent Mexican restaurant in Boston, and I'm starting to lose hope. If you're from Boston and you find yourself in California, be sure to try any single establishment there for a dose of real Mexican food. It's usually so good, you'll be tempted to call "la migra" to double-check the place's legality.
4 - vay v.: this place has amazing margaritas, absolutely AMAZING and they are strong for a good price. The chips are fresh made with yummy salsa. the food isnt too shady either. the service was great.

I tried their shrimp gumbo, it wasnt that good, but i got the Guadalajara chicken and it was tantalizing... if you like tex mex you will love this place!
3 - Joanne R.: The Border is what it is..  A few friends and I came here on Friday night as we were in the mood to "get our drink on" and stopped for some food first.  This place has amazing margaritas, absolutely AMAZING and they are strong for a good price. The chips are fresh made with yummy salsa. the food isnt too shabby either. the service was great although as the drinks flowed the noise level increased.
5 - Joojoo R.: I've never been a fan of chips and salsa.
Until I came here. They serve nice warm, salty chips while you wait and the salsa is incredible! The downside is you  have to eat them standing up because there's no place to sit and wait.... pretty bogus.

Anyways, the prices are so cheap. Last time I went, the husband and I got two appetizers, two main dishes, and 2 sodas for a total of $34 (shut up, we were really hungry).

The PASTELITOS are so bad ass!  
The Blackened Chicken Tenders were meh, but the sauce was awesome! 

Go. Believe me, I got some major belly intelligence. I know what's up.
4 - Arestia R.: $5.50 for margaritas.  If that's not robbery, I don't know what is!  It gets an extra star simply for that.  They are glorious.

And the chips!  Oh the chips!  Hot, crispy, salty....mmmm.  Their food is comforting and the place is perfect for catching up with friends after work.  LOVE IT!
3 - Kat C.: This is the first time I have been to Border Cafe. My friends and roommates have been raving about it since I moved to Cambridge. I was really excited to check this place out. The atmosphere is great, it was everything I was expecting. Loud colors and loud people. In my opinion this make for a great, fun, place to sit, drink and talk with your friends. Not everyone in our party had showed up yet so we hung out at the bar and chatted. Then we decided to try to get a table, even though they have a rule against seating people until everyone is there. They sat us anyway. 

We sat down and the chips and salsa came almost immediately. The chips were warm and incredibly addicting. The salsa was chunky and yummy. Most of us ordered margaritas and they were cheap and huge. I got a frozen melon one and it did not taste anything like melon, but it did however taste like tequila... so I was OK with this. 

We ordered our mains and I had ordered chili relleno which I had been told by a VERY trust worthy source is amazing. I made sure to ask if the rice was Vegetarian and it was. This is very exciting, as a lot Mexican places use pork fat in their rice. About 5 mins after ordering our mains the server came back and to tell me that they had run out of chili relleno. So I quickly looked at the menu (because I hadn't thought of a back up) and I ordered the vegi jambalaya. I was not a big fan. It was a little too spicy for my taste and it REALLY needed cheese, but this was most likely their vegan selection.  The veggies in it were great though. There were zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, and onions. I brought home most of it so I could put the cheese on myself. The corn bread that they serve with it was so good. The corn bread almost made up for the lack of cheese. Everyone at our table loved their food. There was 6 of us and we got everything from Quesadillas to salad. One friend's meal came with fries. They honestly tasted little like the potato sticks I used to eat as a child that came out of a can. Not really what I'm looking for in fries. Another friend got the mesquite salmon salad. This looked amazing. I will return  to try the chili relleno and then again for the salmon salad.
5 - Brian P.: Dirt cheap and absolutely delicious.  'Nuff said.
2 - Kim K.: The line here is now just getting plain annoying. An hour wait? What are you, the Cheesecake Factory? They also have a cop detail now at the door to keep city ordinances of capacity in check. Yikes.

The service is so rushed and impersonal because they just turn tables over as fast as possible. Disappointing, I really liked Border. But the service has tanked fast in a short amount of time.

Also, the Chicken Tostada salad was gross. It was in a stale old re-fried shell which was only 25% full with salad. The salad itself was a mishmash of wilted shredded lettuce, decrepit veggies, and gross dressing. Not even worth the $7 I spent.
5 - Kristen K.: For thee, Border Cafe, I sing the Song of Yum...
Yum yum yummmmmmm!  Yum.  Yum yummmmmmyumyumyummy yum!  OMG yyyyyyyyyyyyum!!!!!
(Bear in mind that I'm writing this review long after the Sangria has worn off.)
Friends of mine introduced me to this eatery several years ago.  It's right near Club Passim, so I love having dinner at Border Cafe before any show I attend at Passim across the way.  (Not to snub Veggie Planet, but their fare simply can't compare to my beloved Border Cafe's!)  Dinner after a show at Border Cafe is okay too, since they're open nice and late, and even when they pare down the menu after 11 or so, it's still extensive.  The thing is, there's hardly any wait if you show up before 6:30PM, or there wasn't when I went last night anyway.
The food is beyond delicious, and is worth the price -- which, by the way, is not bad at all.  I've always gotten good and friendly service, usually they're pretty fast too.  My favorite dish is the Catfish New Orleans, which I enjoy so much that I haven't been able to make myself try much of anything else on the menu.  I tried their Sangria for the first time last night, and it was out of this world.
*Muah!*  I love you, Border Cafe.
2 - Kirs P.: Any five star review of this place is inexplicable.  I'm guessing the five stars are from either morons, idiots, or people trying to be "ironic."  There is a special level of hell for perpetrators of this kind of garbage.  They'll be taking laps in  Satan's Olympic sized pool o' flames, fire and brimstone along with the owners of Cheesecake Factory, Applebee's, and Dick's Last Resort.

Let's begin the hatefest, shall we?

The official laundry list of why Border Cafe might be hell on earth:

1.  It's about 85 degrees in there at all times.  I like 85 degrees, when I'm on the beach or on vacation or when I'm in a sauna, but not when I'm getting ready to try to choke down what passes as food at this joint.

2. It's so fucking crowded with douchebags, people with babies, women trying to pick up douchebags, and Harvard undergrads trying to get a margarita without getting carded you can't breathe, let alone move.

3.  The margaritas are really sub par.  Not well mixed.  Not salted properly.  And I'm pretty sure they use the same margarita mix you can pick up at Stop and Shop.

4.  Hey waiter guy- do you really need to check our IDs again when 1) we are all clearly in our late 20s, early 30s; and 2) we are still carrying around out shittily mixed margaritas?  No, not really but thanks for making us dig those out again for the umpteenth time that night.  Really appreciate your thoroughness and attention to detail.  Too bad you didn't extend such skills to actually getting the drinks we ordered to us.  C'est la vie.

5. The food.  Any place but Boston and this shit on a plate would not be tolerated.  I don't get it.  Bostonians are generally known for a few things: being assholes, liking the Red Sox, throwing tea into the harbor, and being wicked smart 'cause we all go to all these fucking colleges in town.  The last item on the list (and heck, even the first) does not compute with Bostonian love of all bad Mexican food.  It's like we have a complex- we don't think we deserve good Mexican food so we go around eating this shit thinking it's the best we can do.  We have low Mexican food self esteem.  Can't we all just agree to go cut ourselves, take the angst level up a notch, and then demand a fucking good TexMex place in Boston or Cambridge city proper?  

6.  I've cracked the recipe for their queso dip.  Go to the Stop and Shop (so you can also recreate their margaritas), head to the processed cheese aisle, pick up a pound of Velveeta, throw in a bottle of ChiChi's salsa and set it to nuke in your microwave for five minutes.  Voila!  Bon Apetit!

7. And don't get me started on their Creole/Cajun offerings.  It's even more offensive than the Tex/Mex they throw on your plate.

8.  My husband, while trying to push his way to the bar to get us drinks, hears this: "Hey Brah, watch it dude."  Brah.  For realz.  It appears that Brody Jenner and the Bromance crew hang out in the bar area of Border Cafe on Friday nights.

9.  There is an hour long wait to eat in this hell hole.  A full 60 minutes.  Longer if your group is on the large side.  You can count on 90 minutes for your standing pleasure.

10.  There's a Tom of Finlandesque cowboy mural on the wall in the basement.  Oh wait.  That's kinda awesome.  Two stars it is!
2 - Muckenfuss V.: Hourlong waits at this location of the East Coast chain between 6 and 8, though if they checked IDs I assume about half the customers would have to turn around. Decent though unspectacular food (subpar rice and beans), bad margaritas even by Boston standards, nice warm chips, very friendly waitstaff (considering the crap they have to deal with). In California or Texas this place would be called Chevys and would be out of business.
4 - Josh M.: I really don't understand all of the Border Cafe hate.  Sure, it's pretty far from authentic Mexican or Cajun food (the fact that they serve both should be a bit of a hint), but that doesn't mean that it's not good.  While I've never had an amazing meal here, I've also never been disappointed.  The fajitas are particularly good, as are most of the Cajun dishes that I've tried.  They make a solid burger, too.

And, there are other things to like, too - cheap prices, huge cups for drinks (because nothing is worse than running out of water while eating spicy and/or salty food), delicious freshly-made chips and salsa free with every meal, an extensive menu, and friendly, efficient service.

Really, unless if you come here with unrealistic expectations, there's nothing not to like.
4 - Emily S.: It may not be gourmet but I always have a good time at Border Cafe. We go there for a laid-back and fun atmosphere that does not end up costing us a fortune. 

The only downfall - the crowd and the wait. Sometimes it is outrageous. But I would wait to have the delicious corn and black bean empanadas.

 As for the margaritas? They are sub-par but you pay for what you get. If you want a fine-dining experience I don't know why you would end up at Border Cafe in the first place.
5 - Audrey R.: As a California native I am accustomed to great Mexican food.  Since I moved to Boston I have been hard pressed to find a great Mexican restaurant that has all my favorites.  Although the Border cafe is technically Tex-Mex, they still have classic Mexican dishes like enchiladas.  In my opinion, no other Mexican restaurant in Boston gets it quite right.  In addition to having great food, they serve endless chips and salsa, and have great margaritas on the rocks or blended.  To top it all off, this is some of the most affordable food in Boston.  Without alcohol, two can eat for under $20 and with alcohol, about $20-$30.  Great food, drinks, and atmosphere. Good for kids and groups.  I guess the only con I could point out would be that it does get pretty loud upstairs and the servers are always really busy, but still attentive enough.  If you truly love Mexican food, you will not be disappointed with the Border cafe!!
3 - J M.: Although all of my friends in Boston love this place, I didn't see what the hype was about! Maybe I just have high standards for mexican food but I didn't think it was anything special! It definitely was not the hour long wait!
3 - Brendan M.: Even though this place is a chain, I still miss it sorely. 

You have to love the never ending chips and salsa, and the drinks that are bigger than your head. 

You should be prepared for salt, especially if you like their chips and are planning on Margaritas. The fries are quite good (sure surprised me) as are many of their entrees. I am a big fan of their shredded beef quesadillas and of course the French Quarter Chicken entree. If that is what New Orleans really tastes like I am so there. 

As a chain, you'll get what comes with that, average service, loud environment, but you can counter that with consistently tasty food. Not the best I've had - but a unique taste and environment that I crave from time to time.
4 - Nate H.: So yeah its no secret that this isn't the best mexican restaurant in the world or even in Boston but it is what it is... A lively place with decent food and big drinks all served up at very reasonable prices.  
I've always been satisfied with my food and service and I'll continue to eat here from time to time as long as things continue as they have been on my past visits.
4 - Dawn E.: Turns out they make a hell of a Strawberry Margarita (which isn't normally my thing) and even the chips passed out around the crowded bar were hot and fresh.
4 - Meaghan W.: I have been going to this place since high school and I keep coming back. It's pretty consistent. It's not the BEST cajun/tex mex food I've had (that would go to a hole in the wall in Springfield, MA) however it is GOOD. 

You get a lot of food for the price, so you'll always walk out full or with left overs (but who really has that self control?) I'm a big fan of the margarita's. The on the rocks ones are pretty big and delicious.

If you are there on a very busy night the service can be spotty, but they are still very friendly. I was there recently and it was just about closing and despite the fact we were probably the waitress's last table of the night she was so friendly and sweet. She seemed to genuinely enjoy the food too and just made the experience a little nicer with her warmth.

It's an annoying place to meet people who are often late or flaky, because they won't seat a party until they've all arrived. However that's fine, it makes sense. Just make sure if you're going with a large party they all show up on time or you'll end up waiting around until they show up. However there is a bar area so you could just wait there.
1 - Doreen X.: For anyone who had Border Cafe as his or her first Mexican experience, I don't blame you for avoiding Latin food.  In a word, this place is disgusting.  Maybe Border Cafe suffices as Tex-Mex in the strip malls of Middle America, where no one has been outside their home state, but it has no place in a thriving collegetown with students from all over the world.  However, if you must serve plastic cheese and dog-food quality meat, can you at least make it taste okay?  Border Cafe pales in comparison to Taco Bell.

Anyone considering walking in should turn around and head straight to Felipe's, Chipotle, or even CVS for a frozen burrito.
4 - Chris F.: Very nice.  

When I eat here, it reminds me of my days as a boy being raised by wolves in the turquoise-lined caves of New Mexico.  We had to hunt at night by the light of the moon because the merciless sun would scorch our backs.  Our food was scarce, but we appreciated what we could get.
3 - Lily S.: I arrived at Border Cafe around 7.30pm on a Friday and it was already slammin'.  The bar was packed and a few of my fellow diners ordered a round of strawberry frozen margaritas which were delicious (& cheap!  $6.50) along with some complimentary chips and salsa.

I had a somewhat positive review in mind until we received our entrees since we were seated within 40 minutes (for a party of 12) and I had delish drink in hand.  Then my sad enchiladas arrived and my opinion began to change...

The enchiladas were soggy, and while the chicken had a nice flavor it was a bit stringy and dry.  I should've ordered the cajun fries instead of the rice and beans as the rice was most certainly of the Roni (The San Francisco Treat! Toot!) persuasion.  

I had a bite of my neighbors fajitas and they were yummy, so maybe if I swing by this place again I'll order those.  All in all it wasn't a total waste, especially since our tab came to $200 for 12 people with about 10 drinks.  

Not bad Border, not bad.
5 - Emily P.: When I was a tiny kid, the here bartender would always make me a huge virgin strawberry daquiri with a heap of whip cream, and the kitchen would come out with all-cheese quesadillas with nothing in them. I had about six different birthday dinners here with my friends over the years. Hasn't changed a bit in twenty years. Same kitchzy Mexican murals, same too-loud Johnny Cash, same everything-blackened menu, same jolly service. Don't change, Border Cafe!

Hatas need to relax. I don't like crowds either; go on a weeknight.
5 - Daniel H.: Great food, drinks, atmosphere, reasonable prices.  If you don't like this place, I probably don't like you.
4 - John B.: I've been coming here for more than twenty years and was back last night. I've never had a bad meal, never had bad service and never paid too much. The Border Cafe is one of those 'it just works' restaurants where they've got all the details right.
5 - Lulu C.: Border Cafe is always a perfect choice for Mexican food.  There's sometimes a wait for a table, but the bar is always an option.  I've never had a bad meal here.  The salsa is mouthwatering and the chicken burro is the best in town!!!  Can't beat the price!
3 - Hannah L.: decent food and fun atmosphere make this a fun tex-mex restaurant to go to. love the vintagey wall art and lights, and it's always colorful.

was very fun to be here on cinco de mayo (after the line died down) and get some salty margaritas.

it was also festive because they played real mexican folk music!

i went to the restaurant on route 1 a little while ago and thought it was fun, and my opinion hasn't changed.
3 - John L.: Border Cafe is a trip.  A few caveats about this place and me:

1. I've only usually been here during some kind of inebriation, whether that be bar crawl, post event shenanigans, or on a random evening.  Which is probably perfect for a place like Border Cafe that thrives on the party.

2. All the beers are Mexican or Mexican-related.  You want a Dos Equis?  You've got it.  You want a Dos Equis Amber?  Double got it.  You want a Sammie Light?  Not so much.

3. They make a decent margarita.  Is it Masa's "Habanero Watermelon"?  No, but it's still servicable.

4.  Food is okay.  It's not remarkable, and I do remember one meal being just weird (it was taken off the bill though, so that's good).

So, it's basically a nice party place, or a place to grab average grub in Harvard Square when you're out for the evening.  Is it perfect?  No.  But I can't hate on it either.
2 - Sara C.: The only reason to eat here is if you're looking for a "cheap" meal out, or if you're looking for cheap drinks.  

I suggest filling up on the free chips and salsa and getting a couple of their large margaritas.  Go with the original margaritas as the strawberry ones are pretty nasty.  It's really sad that this gets considered "Tex Mex" in New England.  Just because you throw rice, beans and cheese together, that doesn't make the food Tex Mex.  The gumbo is bad too.  

Most of the dishes are bland, but hey, you can fill up here cheaply if you need to.  If you really want to eat for cheap, get one of their $1.50 sides of fries!  And hey, they're open late so they get a bonus point for that too.  Oh yeah, it's always easy to be seated quickly here and they have pretty good service.
3 - Andra Z.: Every now and then I say to myself, "Self. We need some homemade tortilla chips and dip. And maybe some guac. And a corona." When this is the case, Border Cafe comes in handy.

Granted, it only really comes in handy when I feel this way in Harvard Square. The food here is good, a little on the confused side--are we creole, southern, mexican...what? But generally the stuff is nom.

The wait staff seems to both know what they're doing and have absolutely no idea. And, the hostesses do NOT, I repeat do NOT want to be nice about it. I've come in here just asking basic questions like "how long is the wait for a table" just to find a beeper shoved into my hand and no answer. I understand the crowd they must cater to, being in Harvard Square and all...I'd probably have an attitude to, but have an attitude with the right people!

Finally, the prices are pretty amazing. Not going to lie. Entrees starting at $5? In Boston? Yes, please.

All in all a good place to go just to hang out with friends. If you ignore everything else and tuck into that chip basket and your Corona, you'll do just fine.
4 - Jillian Y.: Margaritas and guac = two of my absolute favorite things.  Okay, so the margaritas I could do without but Border Café's guac?  No way!  That stuff is amazing! 

Also, let me just state my appreciation for the service here.  Not only is it timely, but the waitstaff is really friendly and their crisp white uniform shirts just rock.
3 - Larissa B.: Back in the day when I was a middle schooler in Cambridge, I used to go to Border Cafe every friday and I thought it was the best. Up through high school I would always come Border for the chicken quesadilla, chips and salsa and big cheap sodas. Now that I have been living in LA for 6 years, I have to say my love affair with Border Cafe has begun to fade. Although I still think the food is tasty, I also now realize that compared to LA-style Mexican food (the "real" stuff), the food at Border is over-cheesed, over-sauced and really greasy. That said, it's still is pretty cheap and for Boston it's definitely a half decent attempt at a cuisine that all of New England has yet to get a good grasp on as far as I can tell.
4 - Erin L.: After moving to the Boston area last year, I quickly learned that there are few good Tex-Mex restaurants. Fortunately friends brought me to Border Cafe and their amazing chips. The food and drinks are great (sangria is fantastic) and the prices are shockingly low for Cambridge. Beware that it can be VERY busy at night - even week nights. But, with tasty and cheap drinks, just find a piece of floor and get yourself a beverage. 

Border Cafe also has a basement dining area, which can be less loud than the main floor. I would recommend this if you actually want to have a conversation while eating.
3 - Katie w.: HUGE portions & a good value for the wallet.  Food hits the spot, but it's not spectacular. Works as some goooood comfort food, though. It's a busy place, so be prepared to wait. Service is ok--depends on who you get, but you can't expect too much because the place is usually packed & people are shoulder to shoulder.  This restaurant is a good place to people watch, get a good buzz, much on tasty meals, and have a good time chattin' people up.
4 - Q S.: Wow.  The portions here are humongus.  I got the seafood enchiladas with crawfish and crab sauce.  It was pretty decent.  

When you arrive, they shower you with fresh tortilla chips and salsa.  The guacamole here is fresh and yummy.
3 - Sarah S.: The food...it's just not good, and there are no two ways around it.  Sure, put enough cheese on something or fry it enough and it tastes pretty decent, but at least in my case I will not be feeling too decent later on.  Also, nothing comes with sour cream or guac, you have to order it separately, and that annoys me for some reason.  As others have mentioned, it's perpetually packed over the dinner hour on most nights.

That being said, Border has a fun atmosphere.  The margaritas are tasty and the Corona is nice and cold.  My real secret is wine though.  Costs about $6 a cup, and by cup, I mean fairly large juice glass.  They don't have wine glasses, so portions are extremely generous.

All in all, I recommend Border for drinks, chips and salsa, and maybe splitting some quesadillas with friends.  For a meal I'd go elsewhere.
2 - Karen S.: They use the term "border" quite loosely here in terms of food... as other reviewers have said more or less. As someone from the Southwest, I love this place for the Hornitos Margarita and the guac. Go here before or after eating a real dinner elsewhere.
5 - Emily W.: I love this place. Appropriate portions of good food, at very reasonable prices. Free unlimited chips and salsa. Excellent margaritas. A fun atmosphere - I actually prefer sitting in the basement, but the main floor is also cool. 

I love the chicken enchiladas, and I always get the Mexican rice and beans for my sides. The rice is incredible - many restaurants don't pay much attention to their standard sides, but these are just as good as the main course. 

It gets crowded on the weekends, but the wait isn't too bad and we just get margaritas at the bar. It's Harvard Square, so parking would be a challenge if you drive.
5 - Ajitha N.: Yummy!  I used to come here regularly a few years ago for the vegetarian corn and black been empanadas...they look a little different than they used to but they sure are good!
2 - Nick M.: Free chips and watery salsa. The best part of your Border Cafe experience.

This is Boston and knowing this you will not find any real Mexican food.  If you've traveled to Colorado, Texas, Arizona or New Mexico, set your expectations low or be disappointed.  This isn't really Tex Mex, is is food for New Englanders who have never eaten a real Mexican meal.  

I had the enchiladas, which as far as I'm concerned were OK.  Portions were generous and smothered in hot cheese, but  where the hell was the red chili???  The damn green chili??   Nowhere to be found.   

Three main complaints about Borders: 
1. You need to wait until your entire party is present before management will let you order.  You might have trouble being seated.
2.  It gets crowded later in the evening, so go early or don't go at all.  
3.  Just OK margaritas.  

Close to Harvard Square MBTA stop.  Recommended, but with serious reservations for people who know what real Mexican food is.
2 - William H.: Okay, this place is vile.  I'm sorry to everyone up here in the northeast, but you don't load your "tex-mex" with so much garlic that you can't taste anything else.  Even without the whole garlic thing, the food just is soggy and plan disgusting.  I've had better "Mexican" style food out of the freezer section at Shaw's.
2 - Monica C.: This is either just an ok restaurant or a pretty bad Mexican joint.  Try everything once right?  Wouldn't go back. It's a restaurant chain so you get what you get.

Service was good.  Very on the ball.

Almost wish they had a larger booze selection.  All the food looked and tasted alike.  Same 5 ingredients moved around differently on each plate.

Inexpensive.   

Kinda like a police scene where the cop is waving pedestrians by, "Nothing to see here, folks.  Move along, move along!"  Only there really isn't anything to be excited about and there is no cop to warn you.  Good thing for Yelp.
5 - chelsea h.: love it. amazing cheese dip. i recommend the chicken guadalajara----- chicken stuffed with cheese, spinach, and peppers. also, amazing margaritas.

the wait is a bit intense, and they will only allow you to put your name in if the entire party is present- kinda annoying but all worth it in the end.
4 - Katie A.: If you want authentic Mexican food, go somewhere else but for Tex-Mex food in Cambridge, Border Cafe if a great place to go. It has a pretty fun atmosphere and is great for a group, provided you are all there because they won't seat you if people are missing. Since you get a big basket of chips and salsa as soon as you get here, it is especially good to go with a few extra people. The food and alcohol are both cheap, especially given its location in the square. It does get very crowded, especially on the weekends so don't go when you are super hungry. I have also been here at times when the service itself is pretty slow. 

They have a pretty good selection of margaritas and I can say that their frozen strawberry margarita is excellent. The menu has both Tex Mex and Cajun items and they have a special vegetarian section. They give large portions and are willing to do some substitutions. I usually get their vegetable fajitas and they are always very good. Lots of different veggies and they give you plenty of accompaniments. The portions are large and they are very vegetarian friendly.
5 - Sarah L.: I love border cafe.  Mmmmm just thinking about the margaritas makes my saliva get going, and I'm pretty sure they have reasonable amounts of alcohol in them.  

You guys, fish tacos, guacamole, and strawberry margarita.  Happiness every time!

The wait does get kind of ridiculous, and I did have the most awkward birthday dinner of all time there, but for some reason all the standing around out on church street just endears border cafe to me even more.
4 - Rani P.: I've seriously eaten here more than I can count. It's by far one of my favorite restaurants in the Boston area for reasons beyond the incredible food and fun atmosphere. 

I order the chicken fajitas without question. My special requests always are white rice, no cheese and extra tomatoes. I have yet to go and someone look at me like I'm crazy when my lactose-intolerant self makes these crazy requests- they almost seem impressed but not surprised that their customers are basically all regulars.

Their tortilla chips are obviously made in-house. They are fresh, hot and delicious. They keep filling the basket until you beg them to stop in order to be able to eat your actual meal. And the drinks... oh the drinks. Talk about never needing a refill! The cups are huge, but fit with the great portion sizes and endless supply of chips. 

My mouth waters when I think about going to Border Cafe.. best texmex in the Boston area.
3 - May N.: Oops, I did it again: I made the mistake of ordering a margarita in Boston. Dangit! What was I thinking? The margaritas here are boring and overpriced. And don't try to tell me Cactus Club has better margaritas, I've had those, too. The next time I have a margarita here, I'm making it myself.

Anyhoo, people keep telling me this place has great Tex-Mex. I tried in again. I respectfully disagree. Perhaps they have good Mexican food, perhaps they have good Cajun food. It is not Tex-Mex. I had the beef fajitas. They did not taste right. The seasoning was off. Should've stuck with the grilled fish like a previous time. Service was good on a lazy Sunday afternoon, the place wasn't too crowded. The chips and salsa were tasty, but that was the only part of my meal that really was. Prices are decent (most entrees less than $15).

Next time, I think I just need to be careful about what I order. As in, I should stop ordering Tex-Mex in Boston.
3 - molly f.: Meh. What clearly makes this place so crazy packed all the time is that there really aren't any other Mexican restaurants in the Cambridge area...because the food here just isn't all that great. Its uninspired TexMex served up to the masses. I really wasn't wowed with anything here, food wise, except maybe the chips...but I will say that the staff at the bar was PHENOMENAL- so attentive, friendly, great service...and they can make one hell of a margarita on the rocks.  I have no idea why people wait forever to get a seat here to nosh on really average tex mex when they could get a seat at the bar, have a few cocktails, and move on to a better establishment for dinner. Thats going to be my game plan from now on because I really hate going out for dinner and eating food I could have made myself 10x better.
3 - Wendy K.: We tried out this restaurant with our kids and found the food good, the service very efficient and the prices reasonable.  Plus there was a great vegan option (vegetarian jambalaya).
3 - Annmarie L.: Does not take reservations for large groups! A favorite after work destination for my office, but they will not take reservations unless we beg and plead! The food is amazing, the guacamole is to die for, and the margaritas hit the spot.  Granted I have the feeling that the decor and the menu might be slightly less than authentic, but it does the job for the Northeast palate.
5 - julesmary p.: ok...funny that y'all are knocking this place for being "not-authentic..i'm from california and of course bostonians just DONT KNOW good mexican food"

shut-up.

they're certainly doing something right: it's always super busy.

it is what it is...cheap, quick and easy.  

i think the food is good, who cares if it's not true tex-mex.  we are not in texas or mexico.
 
love the border cafe.  blackened chicked fajitas..great guac..queso...etc...
3 - Fareed M.: In the words of Denny Green, "It is what we thought it was." 

No surprises here. This is bad TexMex.  But as far as bad TexMex goes, it's pretty good.  Oh and pretty cheap.  Chips are warm and fresh and salsa is good.  Food is fine. Margs are bad - watered down, poorly salted.  

Will I continue going here? Of course. Will I ever expect much? Nah.
5 - Jess K.: OHHH my god, I can't believe it took me this long to review Border Café!! This is literally my favorite of all favorite eateries. Seriously, no lie, faaaavvvv!! It is pure love!! Let me tell you why:

First, their tortilla chips are soo delicious! They cook them fresh on the spot, so when they get to your table they are piping hot. Careful, you might even burn yourself on the first bite they are sooo freshy fresh! The salsa is a tiny bit thin, but also made with fresh ingredients, so I'd take that any day over nasty bottled stuff (that I have unfortunately experienced at a couple sports bars in town. blech!)

Okay, so to go with the amazing chips is the guacamole dip! Also freshy fresh fresh, and no, it's not made at your table, (but I've had that kind before at Zócalo and it was too limey) but it sooo wonderfully mixed and spiced and melt-in-your-mouth delicious! I recommend getting at least the dip to start, AND maybe adding it onto your entree as well if you're big on guac.

For entrees there is a decent selection of Tex-Mex fare. I recommend doing the chicken quesadilla (over chicken enchiladas) because it is a similar chicken and gooey cheese mix, but the quesadilla is so big, you'll have leftovers for lunch the next day! (Esp after chowing down on the chips...)

I also recommend fajitas. They are a little pricier, but again, the portion is very generous. I am all about bringing a little Border Home. The salads are good too, and the dressings are all homemade. 

Probably the best part about Border is that everything is from scratch. I remember going somewhere for Mexican and ordering enchiladas. I asked if they could be made without cilantro and my waiter informed me that the enchiladas were pre-stuffed. And frozen. Seriously? Never at Border!! They should be called Border Fresh Café, actually!

So last are the margaritas. Which should be drunk profusely throughout the meal. They have some really yummy ones! Sometimes they come out a little foamy if you get them frozen, but I have always had great success with the strawberry margarita. They also do sangria frozen or on the rocks. YUM!

I would highly recommend Border Café!!! Sometimes it is crowded, but the service is super fast and the waitstaff is awesome! And while you wait you can always start with a margarita at the bar. They are pretty cheap, starting at $6. So go now!! And get 2! (One for me...)
3 - Randy S.: So you find yourself back in ye olde college days and are getting together with some of fraternity brothers - where to go? Well, since we used to party at the Border Cafe, why not try it again? It was cheap and average then and nothing has changed (except cheap is a relative term, it's working man cheap now as opposed to college cheap)...

A couple of margaritas and several chips n salsas later, my burger came (burger at a Mexican place, you're thinking) and it wasn't half bad. Lively environment though, perfect for a rowdy group of men, or girls or both. Didn't take that long to seat our table of eight. Good for parties or get togethers.
4 - Kza W.: common place for my mom and I. just great all around.
3 - Emily R.: Honestly, this place is so fun to visit that I end up caring way less about what the food tastes like and way more about catching the waitress for another margarita. But the food is rather yummy.

I have visited New Orleans and can tell you that the food is not really Creole, more Tex-Mex with a few Cajun flavors tossed into the frying pan. I love their chicken & sausage gumbo, but is NOT authentic by any means. The sausage chunks are too small and the volume of cayenne used is too little. That said, it tastes good.

Chicken fajitas are super delicious. They marinate the meat, so it is always moist and tender. I like that it arrives sizzling and smoking.

Guacamole is iffy. Don't bother filling up on it. Do get a margarita, they make 'em well.
4 - Meg M.: This place makes me wanna slap on a sombrero and cha cha through Cambridge. We came in on a Wednesday night at about 8:30 and we were seated right away by a smiling hostess. Yummy margaritas, and delish taco and enchilada combo. Fresh salsa and warm tortilla chips on the table makes me a happy gal. The server was chill and took good care of us. What a great place for a Yelp Triple Date! The only thing I can tell them that would improve this place is to expand their whiskey inventory to include Jameson. I will definitely be back... soon.
3 - Amaker L.: Okay. This place is okay for food. BUT Bostonians REALLY need to stop saying that this is a Mexican restaurant. It's not even close.Eggplant with lobster sauce although good - definately not mexican.
1 - Ron U.: If I hear another person tell me how great Border Cafe is....

Fajitas - not tender, too salty, not flavorful.
Tortilla chips - not fresh, not delicious
Platters - Just so-so

The mix of cajun and tex-mex strikes me as something bizarre. Seriously guys, there is much better tex-mex at Cantina La Mexicana and if you want to go authentic Mexican then Tuy y yo. Reserve Border Cafe if you can't make it away from the Red Line.
4 - Jeremy F.: Border cafe you're $5.50 margaritas make me as happy as a young lad on christmas morn.

went here on friday to pregame and get food in my "about to be full with booze" belly. everyone was reasonably friendly, considering that the place was pretty packed/chaotic. I mean i wouldn't say it was the best texity mexity i've had but it was decent. i went with the soft tacos with chicken and i thought they were good - like i said not AMAZING, but still i'd get em again if I was in here and hankerin for more than a rita and chips.

two things i noticed: (1) they love to card in this place. carded me at the bar, carded me at the table, carded me in the mens room, carded me while i was being carded... just an observation. (2) the waitress dropped an ENTIRE frozen-raspberry margaritta on the table, floor and my friend's lap due to its exploding into a million glassy, raspberry coated pieces. the poor woman looked like she was going to cry and apologized SOOOOO many times. 

I always think it ends up worse for the people who do the spilling in those situations. 

so in closing food good, margaritas cheap n' good, people friendly, atmosphere = cool wall art. 

give it a whirl.
3 - Lucien D.: This place is great if you are in the area and the people you are with want to have cheap drinks of the Mexican variety. The food isn't terrible but there are better TexMex places to go to a short hop on the T. If you are a fan of Border's the one in Burlington is bigger, cleaner,  and tastier (I am talking about the food not the building)
4 - Juliet D.: Western sized portions at a western price. 

I live in Harvard square so I'm a definite regular at the Border Cafe.  I seriously eat here about once a week. This is why I'm a regular: 

Value.  
Portions are HUGE. You can easily share any number of dishes between two people without going hungry.  I often order the fajitas or chicken enchiladas to split with my fiance.  Total price with tip (if we don't get beverages) is $10-12.   Just TRY eating fast food at this price point that is this quality. 

The guacamole is my favorite. Fresh big chucks of avocado.  Could almost be table side made...   All the tex-mex dishes are pretty good.  Chicken enchiladas are yummy! Not so much a fan of the creole options but to be fair I've only tried one creole dish. 

Chips & Salsa
Always on the table immediately when you sit down.  60% of the time chips are really hot, having just come out of the frier.  If I'm really hungry it's a god send to able to have a snack while I"m waiting for my food.  

Quality & Consistency
I eat here about once a week so have a pretty good sampling of the quality. With a few exceptions (like one or two times) the food has always been hot & great. 

HUGE glasses of water
You never go thirsty.  I originally swore this place was actually from Texas (where the water glasses really are this large).  Turns out this is local but they had me fooled for awhile with the water glasses and friendly staff. 

Customer service
I've always had good service from both waitstaff and managers.  People here are actually NICE to you.  This was shocking to me b/c I'm originally from the west coast where you really do get friendly, customer centric service.   I've slowly adjusted to East coast standards where the customer is not king so it's refreshing to have west coast service again.  The few (two) times I've had issues or have given suggestions (I once put a comment in the suggestion box) the management actually noticed and came right over to make sure everything was ok.

One last tip -  If you don't like to wait avoid this place on a Fri or Sat night when it's swarming with crowds.  Weekend lunch though is usually a great bet. You can get right in with no wait.
3 - Katie L.: Border Cafe is an excellent place to meet up for a well priced Margarita, warm chips, and decent salsa. Service was excellent. Atmosphere was fun and entertaining.

Be prepared to talk loud over the noise and wait for a table.

I would absolutely not recommend this place for large parties on a weekend night. 

The fajitas were definitely 3-star. Good, not mind blowing. Although,I really appreciated that they serve black beans, not just refried beans. 

Sadly, I'm certain my first margarita did not have any tequila. (I had a Strawberry one-- I'm guessing they didn't the alcohol to the mix?)

The sangria was great-- better than my margarita and cheaper! Also, they have a good selection of beers.
3 - Sarah G.: This place is pretty boppin' on a tuesday!! Especially on a rainy tuesday! But then again, who wouldn't want tex-mex to add some spice to their rainy tuesday?

Grande Margaritas are only $5.50 and if you make friends with the bar tenders, they'll put some extra tequila in it :-) And I would suggest getting a drink or two at the bar and bringing it to your table, because MY GOD, i know it was our waiter's 2nd day at work ever, BUT I could have gone to my house in Somerville and made drinks and brought them back to Cambridge faster than he brought our drinks.....

Kelley B. is a frequent customer here and she got the seafood enchiladas with no side because she knew those things are pretty big!! And come covered in delicious looking cream sauce. So that is something I will get next time for sure! And she had margaritas too...wouldn't be a fiesta with just one person drinking! ha ha

I got their empanadas which come stuffed with corn and beans and salsa and I was actually presently surprised!! They were VERY good! But, the jambalaya on the side....not so great. I even said make it extra spicy, and the spice level on it when I got it was like a raw potato, if that even makes sense. And their salsa doesn't have a ton of spice either...

So it isn't quite California mexican, but for Boston, I actually think I will be able to almost get my fix here...it is tex-mex though....so not quite the same.....
5 - Fiex T.: As soon as I walked in, customer service was an A+, they kept the chips and dips coming before the meal might I add filled us up before dinner lol. I would return anytime price was great, meal was delicious, place was nice and well busy place with customers. If anything try and park elsewhere then Cambridge then commute on the Red Line, parking is very hard to find.
4 - Peter G.: For someone who lives so close to Harvard Square, I've only been to the Border Cafe less than a handful of times in the past year. It's always busy and packed and I feel like it's a tourist hotspot, so I typically avoid it. On this particular occasion my dad came into the city for lunch so we decided to go into Harvard Square and, since he is a simple man, I chose the Border cafe.

The last time I was at the Border Cafe I had a DELICIOUS shrimp etouffee that was on special. I have been fantasizing about that particular dish (and their margaritas) for months. Well it just so happens that they have a chicken and chorizo etouffee on their regular menu! It was quite enjoyable and filling, but I found that there was an overabundance of chicken and a severe drought of chorizo. Oh well. I think my dad had an enchilada or something dull like that. I wasn't really paying attention.

The guy who waited on us was a little absent-minded and somewhat negligent, as he didn't seem totally engaged. He wanted us to order, eat and leave. I know it was hopping, but come on now. 

Border is a good place to go every once in awhile if you're craving a little spicy Mexican or a margarita and happen to be in the Harvard Square area.
4 - Kelley B.: It's probably unhealthy how often my boyfriend and I eat here!  I either order the Black Bean and Corn Empanadas or the Gulf Coast Seafood Enchiladas, both dishes are wonderful.  

As a native Californian, the salsa is in no way life changing, but their guac is pretty fantastic.  The chips are most often served hot and crispy.  Yumm.

I'm a huge fan of their margaritas and they are usually incredibly prompt with their service...the second I take my last sip, someone is usually right there to ask if I'd like another.  And yes, I would.  However, last week, the service was shockingly slow as our server was new.  I hope he's a quick learner!  :-)

The walls are covered with art, posters and decorations celebrating all things Southern, Cajun, Southwest.  The music is an awesome mix of oldies and classic country.
2 - Emmy S.: There was a bug in my margarita, and the waiter and manager argued with me for 20 minutes and accused me of being drunk when I suggested to him that they comp the faulty product. Being charged for dead bug tequila cocktails? Umm eww.

Also, the food is just okay.... and if you really want CHEAP Mexican, go down south, the Mexican is authentic, and a $5 margarita is king-sized and insect free.

Plain and simple, Border Cafe is overrated. Nothing about this place impressed me. I get my burritos at Anna's.
2 - Jessica B.: Now I know I can't get good mexican or TexMex up here in the northeast.  The food and the margs were just alright, but I was mostly dissatisfied with the service.  The waiter was extremely unfriendly and tried to rush us off.  We wanted to order a round of beer following dinner and some dessert and he instantly brought us the check indicating it was time to leave.  So we left and went down the street for some chocolate cake and then for some brews at John Harvards.   I doubt I'll be going back to Border Cafe again after the poor service we received.
4 - Prithviraj S.: I'm obsessed with this joint! I've gone there for dinner 3 times in the past month. Its right at Harvard Sq. so easily accessible by the T. The wait for a table can be long at times but that's a great excuse to get margaritas at the bar. The gran gold is my favorite and if you chat up the bartender, you can ask him/her to make it extra strong! 2 of those and I'm more than a bit buzzed...

Anyway, the service can be hit or miss. Some waiters are very friendly and chatty while others are down right cold! But the food more than compensates for it. The fresh hot chips, salsa and guacamole are a good start. I almost always alternate between the camptown shrimp and blackened chicken. I've tried the blackened catfish which was good as was the eggplant royale. The corn bread is an excellent end to a delicious meal.

Ignore the average service as the potent margaritas, and cheap but delicious food will win you over!
4 - Sara S.: For an easy, cheap way to satisfy a margarita and Tex-Mex craving, Border Cafe is perfect! It's seriously right off the T, has super-cheap and super-huge margaritas, and they cover all the standard Mexican food bases. No, it's not authentic, but everything I have had is delicious! I suggest their chicken quesidillas, but ask for BLACKENED chicken rather than the standard chicken! 

Bar staff are some of the nicest servers/bartenders I've met in a long, long time! Very talkative and made great recommendations. 

Their on-the-house chips are delicious but need a little more salt. The salsa isn't fabulous and too watery. 

Looking forward to coming back!
4 - Aditi R.: I can't begin to say how happy this place makes me. Everything from the awesome chili rellenos to the ever courteous staff to the ambience infused with margaritas :)  So it's always a great time there!

To start off with the core of the restaurant, the food, there hasn't been anything that I've tried that I haven't liked. I've pretty much tried everything on their vegetarian menu and can really say I love every single dish. They give a generous amount with each dish they serve so there are always left overs and the price to food (quality) ratio is great! Plus they serve hot tortilla chips and salsa to start off with and you really can't ask for anything more....actually, I take that back. Definitely ask for their Margaritas! Their strawberry frozen margarita is my favorite, but all that I've tried (everything from the original to the melon) has been great. The mixing is awesome and I can seriously have 2-3 of those in a row and be good for the rest of the night.

I've been here a fair amount of times now and it always amazes me how big this place is. It must serve at least 200 people in one go on a busy dinner night and that's not counting the people at the bar. With that many people you'd imagine that having been there 10 times or so, at least once would have been a bad or a not so pleasant experience. Except that hasn't been the case at all. I've ALWAYS had smiling waiters who are ever so willing to bring you anything and everything you ask for. And that too with haste. Really am very satisfied with them. 

And lastly, the location is easily accessible. It's in Harvard Sq right next to the T near the theater. Plus it serves mainly to the university crowd so the prices are more than affordable - in fact, you can almost get 2 meals out of their entrees. I really wish this place was in Boston - but then I really wouldn't have that much reason to Cambridge..then again I haven't tried many of the restaurants I want to try on Cambridge side anyways, but this certainly is a big reason I make it to the other side of the river.
4 - Kip J.: First time I came here it was phenomenal - strong margaritas, spicy cajun dishes, great service. So I brought some friends here last night... and was a bit disappointed, though it was still good:

Pros: the cajun food and decorations of the place. I got the shrimp and chorizo etouffee which had good flavor and came in a generous portion, though it was not as spicy as I would like (would recommend the crawdad etouffee instead). The catfish nuggets were unique and had a nice crispy cornmeal breading. Friend got the seafood enchiladas (shrimp and crawfish inside) - good flavor and very cheesy.

Cons: the salsa was very mild and almost looked store-bought. The original margaritas lacked both flavor and alcohol.
4 - Wayne D.: Nothing calms the soul like green tea and honey but I was not in the mood to stay at home last night so I rode over to Border Cafe in Harvard Square for some midnight margaritas and guacamole. Mmmmm...

The bartender, Suzanne was her name I believe, was so accommodating she would have given me the sombrero right off her own head in the rain had I forgotten my umbrella. She made me a few amazing Anejo-style margaritas that are so memorable I am still sipping on them.

I do wish this place had a bigger tequila selection because aficionados would be disappointed. I tried a chicken quesadilla and that was very tasty as well. Also, you gotta love the complimentary warm tortillas with salsa.

Great spot and a must try!
3 - Sham Y.: The margaritas are decent here. I prefer them a little stronger though.  The food is alright but he best part is probably the tortilla chips.  It always seems to be loud and crowded so it's not somewhere to go for conversation.
5 - Ramzi A.: Food is cheap and always well made and fresh. The waiters are very attentive and are constantly bringing over a fresh basket of chips and salsa even before you finish the ones you're eating. Drinks are great and the atmosphere is always fun and lively. Even when the place is packed, the turnover is so fast that you're rarely kept waiting too long.
4 - Sara M.: I forgot about this place once I moved out of Cambridge but we just went back last night.  It was a nice surprise to see that the prices haven't changed and we could have a filling dinner with drinks for under $40!  

The margaritas are huge and delicious.  My favorites are the crawfish ettoufee, the tostada salad that comes in a huge fried tortilla shell, and the catfish new orleans.  They also serve you endless fresh hot chips and salsa.  I was eating the chips by themselves because they were that good.

Parking is a bit of a pain and the lot across the street is expensive if you stay over an hour.  But, I will remember this place when I am looking for something yummy that won't break the bank.
4 - Betty P.: What can I add that hasn't been mentioned 100 times already below?

Two words: FISH TACOS!  I have never had them elsewhere, but they are definitely my favorite thing to get here.  I am drooling just thnking of them.

Two more words: Frozen sangria . . . just try them and thank me later!
3 - Kwan H.: I've only been in Cambridge for a week but I noticed this place almost right away because every single night there are tons of people clustering outside the front door of Border Cafe. Finally, we got to try it last Sunday, when it wasn't so crowded. 

The portions here are humungous!! even their water cups are like 1L... so we knew our dishes would be the size of a cow or two. I recommend ordering to share if you don't want to take your food home. There were 3 of us, and we ordered a salad and 2 entrees. At the end we still had enough leftovers for another meal for the three of us. 

The food was good and I heard almost everything on their menu is good. So you can try anything you fancy... Happy hour seems like the best time to be here too. I sure will come back here again for that.

The service was slow, however, and their staff weren't quite customer-oriented. The waitress gave us stink eyes for not having our full party at the table and kept asking when they would get there... she looked like she didn't want to be there or maybe she didn't want us to be there..oh well.. all in all, it didn't feel very welcoming there.
4 - Jade Y.: Coming from CA, I love my Mexican food and when I read about this place, I was skeptical, but after eating here...I AM IN LOVE! 
This place has the most delicious food, it's inexpensive and has great margaritas. The staff is super friendly. Their fajitas are amazing along with their chicken tacos. mMmm :) Their bottemless chips and salsa is very fresh and tasty. Love their homemade guacamole!
5 - Holly M.: Border Cafe is known for it's tasty and affordable margaritas ($6-7), but that is just the beginning. The steak fajitas ($10) are certainly the most common order and for good reason.  The iron skillet comes out steaming with marinated steak slices and onions.  You can't help but watch the waiter carrying the platters above his head to the empty place setting in front of a grinning guest.  The chimichuri steak ($11) is also a great meal, though it takes 15 minutes to cook, so enjoy the chips and dip while you wait -  they are free and you can get all the refills you want.  The atmosphere is loud and celebratory, the tables are packed, and the walls are lined with Corona ads, chalk drawings, year-round Christmas lights, and lots of bumper stickers, street signs, and promotional material.  It feels like the local tex-mex place that has always been on the corner.  Service is prompt and they work really hard.  They won't linger in conversation at your table because they have so many guests to get to, but the staff - and I've been here 35+ times - is very helpful in explaining orders and accommodating requests.  While the margaritas rock, I think the sangria is lacking.  Also, there is always a 20+ minute line on Thurs, Fri, and Saturday nights.  They will not seat you until your whole party is present, so you cannot grab a table and wait for your buddies to arrive.  It's a hot-spot for undergrads, grads, and local people - a true mix of Cambridge residents.  If you have a 30-45 minute wait in the winter, pop over to Starbucks across the street or to The Market down the street for warmth.  The drawback is that there is usually a short wait to be seated during dinner hours and it can be very loud on the weekend - not the place for whispering sweet nothings.  But, my date and I can get loosening-the-belt full, and pay tax and tip for about $27 total, which is awesome in Harvard Square.  One of my favorite parts of all Boston!  Two thumbs,...nay, I'll grab a stranger's hand and give it three thumbs way up!
3 - Sarah D.: The food here is pretty good. I like the chips a lot, extra greasy/salty, but the salsa isn't great. I feel like no matter what i eat here i always wake up tasting the same weird garlic-y taste in the morning despite a hearty tooth-brushin'. The food is pretty good though, decent fajitas and the "creole" options are nice. The menu is pretty small though; i've been coming here for like 8 years from time to time and it's never changed, so i pretty much have to be craving a specific thing on their menu to be moved to go there, and that rarely happens since none of their food is THAT good.

margaritas are okay, i remember they had a weird foaminess to them that freaked me out a little. i usually get beer, and they're selection is standard bad lagers and any bad mexican beer they can order. it's not a beer bar, so i don't hold that against them.

i just feel like, with such a limited and static menu, they should have perfected the few items they do make. 

ps: if you go after like 6:30pm, expect to wait. it is a huge place but it is always hopping for dinner, and they won't seat you until your entire party is there.
4 - Natalie M.: This is a good place to grab some yummy Tex-Mex.  The black bean and corn empandas are really great, and they have a decent variety on their menu.  Definitely a very casual spot, but good for a night out.
3 - Theresa J.: I have been here a few times and I must say that I really like the food here.  The first time I came I found everything I ordered to be a bit on the salty side but since then I have been happy with my entrees.  I went here with my mom, fiancee, and lil sister for dinner last night.  It was my fiancee's first time meeting the family so I wanted to go somewhere pretty casual and not too adventurous at all.  The salsa was okay with the hot chips...I did think they had a lil too much salt sprinkled on a few of them but whatever....not a big deal.  We had the tejas chicken for an appetizer...which is basically a chicken tender on a stick.  It was alright but the chicken was a lil stringy.  My sis had the shredded beef soft tacos.  She really liked them which is saying a lot because she is 8 and very picky.  My mom had the creole chicken which she raved about.  She also had the house salad which was large enough to feed the entire table...and it was just $3.95.  My fiancee did not enjoy the chicken enchiladas she ordered.  She said the chicken was tasteless and the beans and rice served on the side was lousy.  I ordered the seafood enchiladas which were chock full of shrimp and crawfish and covered in a creamy cheese and crab sauce.  I LOVED it.  I thought I had died and went to heaven.  The atmosphere is pretty loud but not annoyingly so.  We enjoyed ourselves for the most part.  I will be back to get some more of those enchiladas and to try their margaritas.
3 - Zoe P.: It was lunch time and we were deeply, truly thirsty. Unbeknownst to us, this place has the largest sodas in the entire world. It was sort of cosmic. But the meal went down hill from there. 

Chips and salsa were fine. I had the catfish tacos and I was pretty much horrified by a dish of deep fried fish nuggets embedded in cheese and folded in flour tortillas; I think I read the menu too quickly. But the fish was nice and fresh (and upon biting I found it was whole big pieces) and I removed the cheese and placed it in the do-not-eat pile, with my sad jumbalaya and the rather "special" sauce that came with the tacos. 

Next time I'd watch my step, but there's not likely to be a next time.
4 - Laura J.: it is loud in here, but it's a great atmosphere for a fun dinner with friends or a birthday dinner. the chips and salsa are great to start the meal. the queso dip and guacemole are also tasty. my friends and i always split the fajitas. once you're done eating here you will be majorly full. it's a lot of fun to just go and have some margaritas and some laughs. very friendly, speedy, service. my favorite mexican place in the area.
4 - Andrew R.: I have had many a Mexican meal at the Border Cafe.  From when I was a kid up until the other other night, it has been my go-to place for my spicy food fix when I'm in Cambridge.

While I haven't tired every item on the menu, I can highly recommend the enchiladas as well as the burros.  The sides however can sometimes be a little weak, but for the most part they do their job nicely.

If you come here on a weekend, be prepared to wait, but it's will almost definitely be worth it.
2 - Patrick F.: I now officially have little use left for the Border Cafe.
They took the Crawfish Popcorn off the menu.
They have lost their damn fool minds.
They also got rid of the tasty biscuits for crumbly and oversweet cornbread.

I will not be excited to go back anytime again soon.
4 - Hanna B.: i very much enjoy this place.  they have a vegetarian section, which is great.  my absolute favorite thing to order are the corn and black bean empanadas.  i've also had the salad in the taco bowl thingy and the chile rellenos which are both good.  they give you chips and salsa every time which is cool and always will give you more when your basket is getting low!  get the guacamole to go with the chips--it's AMAZING.  another thing i would like to mention is the GINORMOUS cups you get when you order a soda.  freakin' monstrous.

my sister loves the fish tacos.  they have a kid's menu too, with like a cheeseburger and such.

on weekends and some nights, you have to wait a while.  there's a bar but it's sort of small.  they also won't seat you till everyone in your party is present, which is probably not unusual, but can be annoying.
4 - Gisele L.: Okay this place is yummy and they serve if not the best mararita's in Cambridge.  You may have a little bit of a wait if after 6:30 but its totally worth it.  Get the (salty) nachos, some salsa and a margarita after work and trust me you will be very happy!  Can't wait to go back....
3 - Sara M.: I meet my friends here every few months for some yummy margaritas

The service is lacking, but the food is decent.  My friend's guacamole never showed up

I had the Fish Tacos - Fried catfish bites with tortillas, sauce, and lettuce.  The Chile Rellenos looked good, as did the salads

Be prepared to wait on the weekends
4 - Michelle L.: A southern-raised girl, I've been coming here for years to enjoy the warm glow of neon lights, country music, hot chips & salsa and cheap eats. Ah, warm weather...  

Recently the quality of their food seems to be going up. The hot chips are still rad but the guac tastes homemade now, the mango salsa is perfectly diced, the jambalaya has a lot more to it, etc. Even the portions are presented better. Overall, I notice that more care and precision is going into the preparation and presentation. Now, start fresh-squeezing the margaritas and I'm all over it.

Thought at this time I would hardly call this place "legit" Mexican or Creole, it's fun, friendly, loud, and warm-- all great for friends who want to hang out over dinner on a cold winter night. Just be warned, there is usually a wait so arrive before you're starving and grab a Margar at the bar. Four stars because this place is fun, affordable and welcoming.
4 - Jane C.: If you're going here, go on an empty stomach! 

I'm definitely in love with this place.  Their free, bottomless chips and salsa is amazing!  It's perfectly warm and crispy, and the salsa not too spicy nor bland.  We always end up finishing about two baskets before the food even comes out, thus the warning to go on an empty stomach.  Despite the many times I've been here, I've only tried  four things: the Fish Tacos, The Crafish/Shrimp quesadilla, the Fajitas, and the Tostada Salad.   I was satisfied with everything I had, and I especially love the fish tacos(get it with the jambalaya and sour cream/guac on the side!) I also love the atmosphere of this restaurant.  It's always packed and lively.  The margaritas and sangria are also really good!  Everything is big in this restaurant - the restaurant itself, the drinking cups, the margaritas, the entrees.

One star for the good food, one star for the good atmosphere, one star for cheap price, one star for the good drinks.

Only four stars because of how heavy everything is.  You just feel 10 pounds heavier walking out of this restaurant considering everything is fried, smothered in cheese, or very salty.
4 - Orina B.: I've been coming here for years.  The food is cheap (for Harvard Sq.) and good - not great - with large portions and lots of extras.  One of the things I appreciate is that if you go here as a single diner, you're seated as quickly and your meal arrives with the same speed (fast) as the part of ten beside you.  I don't know how they do that but they do and I appreciate it.  It's a loud place but that's fine.  The waitstaff is wonderfully trained and extremely efficient. They work together and if one server is busy elsewhere, another brings your drink., another brings your chips and -- finally -- your meal.  It's possible to be in and out in 45 minutes at lunch time.  It's not a fancy place at all and there are babies crying and people screaming but that's the way it should be for a Mexican restaurant.  My only complaint is the food can be very salty and / or greasy.  If you order an enchilada, take my advice and ask for it to be light on the cheese; it will still have way more cheese than you want but you won't have to scoop it off.  I usually get the gumbo and chicken fajitas.  The fajitas are grilled and served on black iron skillets that are still sizzling from the oven when they get to the table.  .....now I'm thinking about going there again.
2 - Rachel C.: :: Sign ::

That's what I say to myself every time I get an invitation to someone's birthday at Borders. Maybe it's because I have only been here with a big group and experienced their famed "wait for your whole party" routine. I understand it's purpose, but when you are meeting up for drinks and dinner after work with an unknown amount of girls... well, this is not the place for you. 

One particular occation will always sour this restaurant for me. I understand that when we were seated with what we thought was our full group, it was annoying that more people kept showing up and eventually we couldn't keep adding more chairs. I get that it is a pain in the ass to switch tables and thus switching waiters. However it was a Monday evening and the place was empty. It was annoying that you made us wait half an hour to be seated in an empty restaurant.

Seating issues aside, my biggest problem was the food. While tasty enough, I only physically had three bites before it was taken away from me. It took us so long to get our food that I had to excuse myself to use the facilities after a mediocre margarita and several glasses of water (that to their credit, were filled promptly) very early in the meal. By the time I got back from waiting in line and using the facilities. My nearly untouched plate was gone. When I asked about my food the waiter just said, "Oh, we've already thrown it away," and walked away. They cleared the table so quickly that none of my dining companions had a chance to stop them. No apology, it was not taken off the bill I had to pay for the meal I didn't eat.

I wish I could say this was an off night, but I have had for too many similar experiences here. The drinks are just O.K., the food is average and the atmosphere is soured by the often surly wait staff. If I want "Mexican" near Harvard Square I will look elsewhere.
4 - r r.: Nice! After the trainwreck that is NYC Mexican dining, this was a fantastic change of pace. Chile con queso is to die for. Strawberry margaritas are great, though not particularly strong. Chips and salsa are delicious, as are the cheese enchiladas. I had a taste of a friend's empanadas - also delicious. The only drawback was the crowd - we waited about 45 minutes for a table, and since it was pouring down rain, we spent much of it crammed in the small entry area with dozens of other people. We couldn't get to the bar because the crowd around it was about 4 people deep on all sides. It's well worth it, but the uncomfortable wait is the reason it doesn't get 5 stars. :)
4 - Purvi R.: I took my own advice and came here for 'ritas, chips/salsa/guac on a rainy Saturday after seeing a movie next door. Perrrfect. Try to get a seat at the bar which enables easy game-watching, people-watching, and drink-ordering all at the same time.  +1 star because if you only come here for all of the above mentioned things, you will not be disappointed. 

And still CHEEEEAP!!!
3 - Jen K.: Chips and salsa from Border Cafe had me at day one.

Then I fell in love with their guacamole!  MMM delicious!!!

I've been frequenting this place since I was a young teenager and it never disappoints my cravings.  The food is spicier here than say, Cactus Club.  I've had everything from the burrito to the enchilada to the tacos to the fajitas.  All are delicious, with decent portions for their pricing.  The sides can be a bit on the weaker end (jambalaya and beans) but they are still tasty and mix well with the actual entrees.  I've noticed items come and go on their menus but for the most part, everything that I like to eat has been a mainstay.

My drinks have never been weak but frankly, I am not too big a fan of a margarita with a strong tequila bite so to be honest, I cannot really judge on drinks.  I am a huge fan of the strawberry marg, however.

If you drop in on the weekends, definitely be prepared to wait.  Even though I gave it a 3-star rating, it is a very high 3-star rating.  I definitely recommend this place... mostly for their chips and salsa.  To die for.
4 - Tracy B.: I know I know... This isnt "Real" Mexican... but I just love it... I most often went to the "old" one on Rt 1 in Saugus but have been to the Harvard Sq location several times & for years would only try one thing (The Veggie Quesadilla) because it is fabulous... But I was pregnant recently & my cravings for mexican food increased 150%, so I was visting the Burlington location several times a week (I worked around the corner)... I decided to get something new, I had the enchiladas & the Burros.. Oh my good... What was I doing not ordering these all along... The shredded chicken was soo flavorful & the portions are huge & CHEAP... Free Hot & sometimes too salty chips right when you sit down & the Guac is to die for here... I know other people ripped this place but if you dont mind chain mexican & know what to expect its truly worth it, My BF who eats burgers everywhere we go even liked this place, and that doesnt happen often!
4 - Min Y.: Border Cafe is usually very very crowded luckily they have a downstairs for more seating.  However, the bathrooms are only on the first floor.  The overall resturant decorative themes were creative.  

We went as a big group on a Tuesday night, and the wait wasn't too long except my friends were late --; (7mins.. hehe) then we were seated within 5 minutes.  

The guacamole I had was good and chuncky especially I could taste the fresh tomatoes.
4 - Ryan H.: I had been here once before probably 5 years ago and i didn't remember anything about the experience. Going in, I didn't think i would like border cafe. i was pleasantly surprised. 

The margaritas were a bit weak but they were only 5$ which makes sense. The guacamole and the gumbo were both delicious. All three entrees we ordered were above average flavor wise. The service was good and the decor inside is different than most places around Boston. 

I would definitely revisit Border Cafe again!
2 - Laurel E.: The food is edible, but your typical crappy tex-mex. The menu is super limited and nothing on it is too impressive. The fajitas are ok, but pricey.
4 - Susan M.: I LOVE the Border. The one in Harvard Sq is always rockin', and I can see why. The bartenders fill your wine glasses up to the tippety top - and it's only like $4 a glass. The last time I was there, I got a bit tipsy... it was a GREAT night.
4 - D J.: I've been here twice about 6 months apart and enjoyed it both times.  The first time I tried the corn and black bean empanadas and fell in love with them, they are delicious!!  The tortilla chips and salsa were great too...the chips were warm and fresh and the salsa was a perfect mild spiciness and blend of flavors.  The only disappointment was the strawberry margarita which was weak.  Just went again last night and couldn't resist having the empanadas again, I have been craving them since I was there last time.  They did not disappoint...I'm pleased to say they were once again delicious, just like the first time.  Chips and salsa were excellent too.  This time I upgraded to a gold margarita but it was still weak and disappointing.  My dining companion said his gaucho chicken was good (tender) and the fries are good too (but they give you way too many!).  I preferred sitting on the downstairs level which was not as noisy as upstairs.
3 - Fulgencio M.: I hate eating at Mexican places because everyone just assumes since I'm a hispanic in a Mexican restaurant I must be Mexican.  hEllO, there are like, 5 other spanish-speaking countries in the world.

I would've never stepped foot in a Mexican restaurant outside Miami but my cheap friend couldn't afford to eat at Rendezvous, and so I "ended up" at Border Café.  To my surprise, the place was packed!  We were seated after a short wait, which couldn't come soon enough.  I was being gawked at the whole time we waited.  I realize that no one in Boston has a tan, but hEllO, give me some space.  Or was it my white trench and matching leather pants...

We were seated and given a bowl of tortilla chips.  My friend ordered a margarita, and I got one too.  Alas, she was only coming to get bombed.  Border Café has an exciting little menu of margaritas, and you can mix up the tequila.  The last time I drank tequila I ended up on a date with a Nicaraguan cab driver to Barnes & Noble.  He read me Tolstoy while I wept in his arms.  Later I woke up in the self-help section, and he was gone forever.

Guacamole came next, and was followed by my entrée: a blackened salmon, Cajun style.  Both were lovely, but caution: the food was heavy.  Especially when you're stuffing down chips before your dinner comes.  I mean ya, self control is important, but if you put tortilla chips in my face they gonna disappear.  It's that simple.

Service was OK.  Nothing special.  It's certainly not a Jean Georges, but it's also not pretentious (so what the hell was I doing there?).  Interior colors are warm and...colorful... and the food was served quickly.  Regulars rejoice, I'll return, but not too often... I mean hEllO, Mexican food doesn't produce a body like mine.  That only comes from enemas and starvation.

This has been a Review by Fulgencio
3 - Kar M.: Cajun meets Mexican??!?!?!?!

Ok...had to go just to say "Ive been there"

Indeed...everything from blackened catfish to quesadillas on the menu.

Mexican Beer and many many Margaritas....even a Hurricane...

Surprisingly good!! 

One thing...wait time could be long...and this is a kiddo UBER friendly place...so if youre not into having dinner surrounded by kiddos...um...may want to think twice...

Otherwise...worth a try :)
4 - Joan B.: Gluten-free wise, the staff takes dietary requests very seriously.  I've only ever had the chicken enchiladas - you have to request that they be made gf.  They are really good and cheesy, tex-mex style. I'm not sure that anything else on the menu can be gf - every time I've asked, I've been encouraged to stick with chicken enchiladas.  The free chips are not gf - the oil is used for wheaty things, so buyer beware.  If you don't like noise, try to eat early - it's usually pretty crowded.

Update - I've been informed that the chips are gf.  I can also attest that the enchiladas can be made dairy free and gf and they are still delicious.
4 - Jay G.: If I could rate on the Fajitas alone this place would get 5 stars.  I may be crazy but I submit that the beef fajitas here could be some of the best in the world.  They are at least the best I have ever had and at around 12$ with sides, they are an awesome value. What makes the fajitas unique are the mixture of Tex-Mex and cajun spices, and what tastes like home made tortillas, truly a match made in heaven.  Having said that the rest of the menu is pretty descent, however  being that this is a Tex-mex / Cajun menu a lot gets offered but a little is missing.  As an example, the fish tacos are tasty fried but lacking a key ingredient - shredded cabbage.  I asked for it and they don't offer it.  I often see this with restaurants that have expansive menus, they often miss out on small details.  No matter, the margaritas are inexpensive, the chips and salsa is unlimited and the service is super brisk and friendly! This is a "go-to" place for a college budget first date, or to take out visiting family or coworkers! Just stick to the basics, endless chips/salsa, Fajitas, and Margaritas or iced tea.  You will leave full and satisfied every time.
5 - Lisa W.: I love this place! Some may complain that the food isn't authentic, but if you take it for what it is, you'll enjoy yourself. Every time I go I try something different and I don't have any complaints about the food. Yes, the wait can be long - but if you grab a marg at the bar the time quickly passes. I wouldn't recommend going with a big group unless you get there early. I bring many out of town friends here for margs and dinner and we always have a good time.
4 - Eric K.: Hey guys, that place ALWAYS has a huge line... LETS TRY IT!

Mmmm I like this place, oh I really do. Has a very "New Orleans" atmosphere and it sucks you into its vibe. Of course with long lines there is a long wait but I personally think its worth it. The waitering service for the most part is fast and attentative. Right when you sit down BAM homemade chips and salsa, its MAGIC (okay not MAGIC, but its pretty quick.)

The prices are fairly cheap, you definitely get more than your moneys worth. I HIGHLY recommend the catfish. I usually shy away from seafood in general but this catfish is GREAT. Its breaded very nicely so crunchy on the outside but the inside melts in your mouth. WORTH IT. Oh and its HUGE. The only bad thing I could say about the food is that the rice that comes with the beans and rice side is too salty. But that could be just me.

... hey are you still here? GO NOW
2 - Rachael N.: This place has... potential.
The food came extremely fast.
The staff was friendly.
They had good chips and salsa.

Everything else was bleh.  

The food was greasy and all the food just seemed... off, like there is too much of a spice on everything. 

There was hokey country music in the background and that mixed with how hot it was in there just gave me a headache.

I decided to try their iced sangria and as my friend so wonderfully put it, it tasted like iced dimetapp. Just gross.  

We both left with stomach aches and I myself couldn't bare the food and only ate about 3/4 of a taco.  

Not a good experience.
4 - Christy M.: My boyfriend and I went to Border Cafe and I was very impressed! We were looking for a bite to eat in Harvard Square and stumbled in on a Thursday night since it seemed the most packed (I know what you're thinking, why go into a crowded restaurant, but everything was dead!). We were seated right away and our food and drinks came very quickly. The staff was incredibly friendly and the food was fantastic. It's refreshing to find good Mexican food in a city crowded with Anna's Taqueria type places! And the vegetarian menu was an added bonus! I will definitely be back again.
3 - Sogol G.: It's OK. Mexican restaurant. Good service and OK food. Their margaritas, however, was great. I wouldn't go for dinner again. It's great for drinks and appetizers.
4 - Amanda M.: Props to my mom for picking this place out. We had some things to do in Cambridge and as she was telling me about all the things she used to do in the area when she went to Lesley we came in here for lunch. 

Now I'm a big fan of Tex Mex food. A BIG fan. I got the seafood enchiladas, and what arrived was a plate full of the most delicious food in a portion fit for ten of me. Literally. I cannot wait to dig into my leftovers. The enchiladas were not lacking in seafood, the sauce was amazing, there was a kick to it, that's for sure. The rice/pico de gallo/guac were all also fantastic. My mom chose the steak fajitas and they looked amazing! We were both very happy with the meal.  

And this place means business with soft drinks, they brought me the largest soda that I have ever had and when it was about 2/3 empty she brought a new one. Our waitress was overall such a sweetheart, very friendly and patient (I take forever to decide!). When we asked to take the leftovers home she was good about splitting them up since we live in different houses and when I asked if I could take the rest of the complimentary chips (hey, I'm broke and in college and it's a football Sunday!) she was totally cool with it and even got me a whole new container of their yummy salsa! 

All this amazing food and great service for only $30 before tip!! The drink prices looked very reasonable, so I may be back soon - I love me a margarita!!
4 - christina c.: This was the second time I went here. We had the popcorn shrimp app and it was good and burn your mouth hot. It came with a honey mustard like spicy sauce that I'm still not sure if I liked or not. But they were all gone at the end. I had the eggplant royal which was not what I was expecting. It was 2 thick cut  slices of eggplant deep fried and covered with a thick almost Alfredo like sauce and crab meat. I added a bunch of hot sauce to help kick the heavy creaminess of it and that helped a lot. My bf had chicken and chorizo etouffee and loved it and my dad had crawfish etouffee and said it was pretty good. I should mention we are from Baton Rouge so we might have high standards. The service was good, very fast. Oh and the chips and salsa was great.
4 - Taylor H.: I love coming here.

You can get away with a margarita, entree and tip for all under $15 but I can never stop at one margarita.  Try the Patron Margarita ($9).  It's not on the menu but you can ask for it.

Thank goodness we only waited for 20 minuted on Friday for a table of 4.  There's always a long wait on the typical Friday and Saturday evenings.  To the bar it is.

When we were seated, piping hot chips were served.  I love me some free unlimited chips and salsa.  Each bite was so crunchy and hot that you know it's fresh.  I never had authentic Cajun Gumbo before but the Gumbo here are good.  It's somewhat spicy.  They are really generous with their portion. I had fish tacos and only finished one.  The batter was crispy yet the fish was juicy and delicate.    I couldn't get enough of the red pepper sauce.

Our server was a sweetheart but she seems a bit stressed out.

We all left the place completely stuffed.  You definitely get your money worth here!  BTW, this location is better than the Saugus one.
5 - Annette M.: YUMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! Chips and homemade guacamole is a FANTASTIC way to start a meal. The Chicken Bandera is wonderful and the corn and black bean empanadas are awesome!!! Add a few of their margaritas to your meal and you will be a very happy person!
4 - anthony L.: I go to this place all the time. My favorite thing here is actually one of the appetizers -- Churizo Flambado! If I could have that for breakfast lunch and dinner I would. It's greasy, it's meaty, and it's melted-cheesy. What else could you want?!

Also the margaritas here are top notch. This really is a great place to go whether you're looking for a meal with friends or just a few drinks.
4 - Alicia W.: Delicoius! I love this place b/c the drinks are reasonably priced (although not heavy on the alcohol) and the food is plentiful. I love their vegetarian salads and empanadas. 

The caveat, this place is always busy so you have to get there early or show up expecting a wait.
4 - Erin M.: I have personal bias for this review, because it reminds me of hanging out with my friends from high school eating chips and soda, and it's the place I had my first margarita. Nostalgia!
That being said, I went here last week with a friend and it confirmed that Border Cafe is still one of my favorite TexMex places in the Boston area. Border Cafe is ALWAYS busy, but we went on a Tuesday and relatively early so we didn't have to wait in line. I had the black bean empanadas, which were so delicious I ate all FOUR of them! You get a ridiculous amount of food for the price. There is also an unlimited supply of free chips and salsa, although guacamole is extra. I recommend any of their Mexican dishes, their jambalaya rice, and a frozen margarita!
5 - Mel V.: Wonderful atmosphere even for a weeknight, makes you feel like it's a Saturday night! As my sister puts it, the chips are addictive. As I put it, the margaritas are the size of your face and the alcohol content in them is more than plentiful. You must be prepared however, because some of the meals have a spicy kick to them. But then again, why would you be at a TexMex/Cajun restaurant?
They don't make mojitos though, which surprised me a bit.
5 - Jules C.: Total landmark and gem. If you can overlook the no reservations, long waits for a table on busy nights, and THE TOTAL LACK OF CHOLULA, then this is a 5-star place.

Solid food, margs, chips, etc. The staff is great, the value can not be beat. Sure it's not the best mexican or tex mex in the world, but overall it's a 5 star place I've been passionately recommending for a decade.
4 - lyndsey F.: YUM! 

Great Tex/Mex/Cajun food. I think that I have sampled just about everything on the menu here in my years in Boston. Everything is heavily cheesed (in a good way) and full of things to soak up all the tequila you are injesting. 

The decor is ridiculous. You feel like you are in a wyliECyote cartoon. But it's fun. It must be fun, there are at least 100 people waiting to get in at any given minute between 5P and midnight on Saturday...The city of Cambridge even has cops positioned outside...in case someone steals your buzzer. 

Yes, the line is atrocious...but in the months that aren't 5 below, it's a nice place to wait...and who knows? You might meet your new best friend standing outside of the greatest mexican fusion restaurant that Cambridge has to offer. Magic.
xo
3 - Jess M.: I liked Border Cafe a lot. Up on arrival I headed straight to the bar and ordered a Sauza Margarita - probably the most amazing part of the meal.  Delicious, frothy, and strong, these margs will make the perfect tart and salty addition to any mexican meal. The bartender was almost too friendly and pretended to recognize me, which was a little off-putting as I'd never been there before. But the margarita more than made up for it.

We got our table and we greeted with their chips and salsa, something many people have raved about but I found a bit lackluster. The chips were super greasy and the salsa was kind of, bland. But a nice touch all the same. Unfortunately, we were told that the were out of guacamole (!) and when I asked for sour cream it never made it to the table. 

I was still excited to try their taco/enchilada combo so I sucked down my marg and ordered a beef taco with a cheese enchilada. Both were very good, but I wasn't blown away by any means. I do like they they come with beans and rice, which were both delicious.

When I finished my meal I was excited for some flan or fried ice cream, but our sever told us that they don't offer dessert! Disappointing. What's a meal without something sweet afterwards? We went somewhere else but I would have liked to finish our meal there.

Our server was sweet but we waited a long time for our beverages, and the sour cream was not the only item that remained undelivered to the table. They were very busy, as usual, but it took away from our experience at Border.

Overall the food was solid and the drinks were awesome, but I wasn't blown away by this place. Will I go back? For sure. I hope to remedy this 3-stars soon!
4 - Andrew A.: Great location near a red line stop. Fantastic shops surrounding. The only problem with the Border cafe is the long waits on busy nights. So long as you don't have much to do and you expect it those long waits can be turned into good times. Go to the Border with some friends, put your name down and enjoy a stream of some of the best margaritas I have ever had. Once your table is ready you'll be pie in the sky happy.

Hands down the best Mexican restaurant in the Boston area. The food, amazing and cheap. The drinks strong and not too expensive. The service very attentive. I recommend the Gumbo, it is one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted. The Cadillac beef fajita is also pretty awesome.
5 - Linda E.: This place is good for group events and even one on one dates.  I've been here plenty of times, but I still need to try the margaritas.  They just always seem so huge and sweet and I'm not in the mood.  The free chips and salsa are good and I suggest ordering a cup of guacamole for the chips as well.

I have gotten the chicken tacos and enchilada and the fish tacos on separate occasions.  Both great, the later being a bit dry, but you have a good amount of food with the rice and beans and you will have enough to take some home.  The prices are very reasonable.  This is pretty good Tex-Mex food out in Boston coming form a Cali girl used to excellent Mexican food.
5 - Lucy E.: Solid 5 Stars

No not the fine dining five stars, but the nitty gritty 5 stars. You go here for cheap (yet satisfyingly delicious) margaritas, home made chips and dip, and mexican/cajun cuisine! 

I highly recommend anything "blackened", including the chicken fingers and catfish...YUM

I will warn that the chips and salsa are fresh and free flowing. This is a warning b/c everyone I know (including myself) has filled up before the food even hits the table! But not too big of a worry b/c everything is just as good reheated the next day!
5 - Poope R.: This is the Best Tex Mex food that I've had outside of Texas!
My girlfriend and I brought her mom and all of her friends here, when they were visiting the New England from Texas. They were so impressed by the food here! They loved it.
I try to go here anytime that I'm back in the City.
Go Celts!
5 - Maria M.: mmm mi estomago!

I went here years ago and loved it so when I stumbled upon it again on my once in a decade trek to Cambridge I was beyond thrilled. 

Thank god this place runs like a well-oiled machine and we did not have to wait long to sit and get our fix. First up the complimentary chips and salsa. Damn if only I had brought a bigger purse to take home some of those yummy chips. 

Margaritas, fajitas and quesidillas were quickly consumed, partly because they were so good and partly because they serve you so quickly there. 

You all should go! But not all of you because I don't want the lines to get ridiculous
4 - Tiffany Q.: As a new resident to the city of Boston I rely on Yelp reviews as gold!  So far they have done me good.  

My best friend was in from Florida and we were totally in the mood for mexican when we came across the listing/reviews for Border Cafe.  So on a Friday night we headed over to the Harvard hotspot.  As the reviews stated we would have to wait, which we did.  The wait was approximately 20-30 minutes in which time we enjoyed a LARGE margarita which was $6.50 and pretty damn good!  The place was packed and had a great atmosphere and the music in the background playing was great.  By 10:30/11 it slowed down but people were still coming in the door.  

The food was great and reasonably priced.  We both ordered the burros, one without the enchilada sauce and one with.  The sauce was spicy which I enjoy.  The only reason I give it 4 stars and not 5 was that I wish there was more of a selection and when we asked for a side of sour cream it was literally a teaspoon and were charged 75 cents for it.
3 - Courtney B.: Every time  I enter Border, I feel as if I've actually gone south of the border because of their festive decor and music. It feels authentic- like what I would experience in Mexico. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for their food. It's very Tex Mex. Not bad, but not authentic Mexican. 

I've tried their salad, fajitas, and empanadas. The corn and black bean empanada's are pretty good, but what continuously draws me back is their frozen Sangria. I've heard rave reviews about their Margaritas as well. If you plan to check this place out, be sure to go early, as there is always a long wait.
3 - Megan K.: The Mexican / Cajun mix was interesting. Salsa was not the best I've had but the attentive server kept it coming with warm chips till the food arrived (quite quickly, I might add).  I enjoyed the Jambalaya as a side to my enchiladas and both were executed quite well. The house frozen Marg hit the spot, no need to upgrade.  Tasty meal, decent price, great service.
4 - Geno K.: So close to 5 stars... so close.

$10ish for a really great fajita plate with chicken and steak in the middle of overpriced Harvard Square.   Score.

Great waitstaff.
2 - Graham W.: As a life-long Mexican food lover, I have been driven to write my first review after the third time in a row that Border Café gave me serious digestive problems. The second star is only because the people are nice and the drinks decent. But don't eat there.
4 - K C.: Only a 4 star because sometimes you have to wait a long time, and occasionally outside.
I love border cafe! Bartenders are fantastic, a couple have been there for quite a while and will remember you if you know how to have a good time that is.
Favorites: Raspberry margarita on the rocks (no salt please), or Patron margarita on the rocks no salt, pastalitos to start, yummy mesquite salmon salad, or delicious corn and black bean empanada with a side of jambalaya.
4 - Grace S.: Pros: Great, fun, lively environment. Plenty of space for big parties. Cheap cheap for Harvard Square. Great margaritas. 

Cons: You've had better Mexican food. Downstairs can be a bit too noisy.

Balance: PROS

BOTTOM LINE: Probably one of the last vestiges of good-natured, rollicking, inexpensive fun in Harvard Square.
3 - Timan G.: The first few times, you'll be impressed by the prices.  Entrees for under $10.  The food is pretty tasty.  But after many visits you realize that you're just eating tons of salt, cheese and cream and that the food really isn't all that amazing.

It's the kind of Tex-Mex food that you'd expect a college student to love.  The catfish dishes are pretty tasty if you like your fish soaked in oil.

Service here is extremely quick and the menu makes a point of informing you of the 1 or 2 dishes that may take over 10 minutes.  Perfect for when you're starving and impatient.  Weekends get pretty packed though.
5 - Wendy K.: My boyfriend and I probably frequent "The Border" more than any other restaurant in the Cambridge/Somerville area.

Aside from the fact that when I leave Border Cafe, all of my clothes smell of deep fried everything and Cajun spice, I love going there.  It has a fun atmosphere, it's cheap, and the food is great.  I know it's a chain, but that's probably why it's so good.  Consistency, my friend.

The tortilla chips are made fresh in-house, and are still warm/hot when they get to your table.  They aren't too salty, and can be dangerous, because when your basket is empty, the bussers bring you another full one, and another...and another.

The margaritas are fabulous.  One turns into three pretty easily, but the house margarita is so cheap, you should have at least three anyway.

My favorite meals are the Blackened Catfish Fajitas, any of the fried catfish dishes, and surprisingly, the Eggplant Royale.  I love Cajun/Creole food, and that's what I go to the Border for.  There's better food out there, I'm sure, but I'm perfectly satisfied every time I go.

There is a server there, a Latina whose name I forget (she sort of looks like Salma Hayek) who is the best server I've had there.  I hope you are lucky enough to be assigned to her.

Have fun!
1 - Summer S.: My boyfriend ate here on Saturday and spent 12 hours with insane food poisoning. Watch out, food poisoning alert!!!
3 - Corey L.: Typical Tex-Mex place. Margaritas and the food are all fine. Fajitas don't have guacamole included and the meat is on onions, no peppers. Sub-par.
4 - Lauren R.: New England is not known for its high quality Mexican food, but the Border Cafe is definitely one of the more popular Mexican eateries in the area.  Weekend or week night, I've never been here when it wasn't busy.  I've had both the cajun and Mexican food, but can recommend the Mexican a little bit more enthusiastically.  The beef burro with a side of jambalaya is a personal favorite of mine.

Most entrees are under $10, the tortilla chips arrive at your table hot from the oven and perfectly salted, and the bartenders and wait staff are always friendly.  These factors come together in a magical way that draws me back at least once a month.

I would give Border Cafe the full five stars, but for a recent issue my friend and I had with one of the hostesses here.  And now for my rant:  

We rolled in at 6 on a recent Saturday night, put down my name and took that buzzer thing over to the bar.  We were just asking the bartender for the check when the buzzer rang.  The walk from the bar to the front desk did not even taken two minutes, but the buzzer stops buzzing as I get to the desk.  When I said I was "Lauren, party of two", she responded, "You took too long.  We gave your table away."  When I expressed my surprise, I was told that they had been paging us for ten  minutes, and that I must not have been paying attention to the buzzer.  As the buzzer had been siting in front of me at the bar, I knew this was not true.  She was rude, did not admit having made an error, and barely even muttered "Sorry for the inconvenience."  Look, I'm fully aware that they were busy that night and that working front of the house is no piece of cake.  But she works in a service industry, and insulting and being combative with a  customer is not part of her job description.
5 - Tim S.: Being from a part of the country where good Mexican food is abundant, it's hard to find a place that satisfies in this area.  However, the Border Cafe has been more than we could have hoped for.  The food is great, and the prices are pretty low for Harvard Square.  It was about $20 for fajitas and drinks for two.
We go at least once a month.
4 - Tony S.: Man, I confused this at first with the "Borders" bookstore. I got invited by a group of friends last night and the whole time as we walked over I was trying to make sense of the new directional theme of tacos and books. Ok, so FAIL on my part. This is Border without an "s" at the end. Hey. Nobody told me!

LOVE the atmosphere. I felt like I was in one of my Tex-Mex hangouts somewhere in Austin, Texas. It had a total feel-good buzz about the place.

We had a good sized group so I got to sample a lot of different grub. Because it's Lent, however, I couldn't have any beer (give that up every year...... hopefully it gets me into heaven).

The food, unfortunately, by a regular Mexican or Tex-Mex measure is probably a solid 3-star. But, relative to Boson, a city that fabulously known for its Mexican and Korean food... (not)..., it is a decent 4-star. Everything I sampled was a tad bit too salty (in some cases, ugh salty), but I suppose for future visits I can just request less salt.

Value for money is great, especially during these hard times. The salads were HUGE, with everything on them, and only $5. The shrimp and crawfish quesadillas is a MUST (but really, ask for less salt).... loved them.... though it'll probably take a couple more days to digest. The portion was HUGE and around $7.

Love the generous free salsa and chips they keep supplying until your stomach screams "ALKA SELTZER". Salsa is decent, and those chips are great (again, a bit on the salty side).

I don't remember what brand they carried, but the bottled rootbeer they have here is AWESUM. I could not get enough of it. It just tasted spectabulous, and went well with the food (which I'll obviously switch back to beer/margharitas after Lent is over).

Definately coming back here.
5 - Nicole C.: Being from California, I miss having a Mexican restaurant on every street corner.  In Boston, the best place to get my Mexican fix on is Border Cafe.  Great food (mmm fajitas), great strawberry blended margaritas, and great chips and salsa.  Solid, and I never have to wait long for a table!!
4 - Stephanie S.: Reasonably priced Tex-Mex, noisy and packed with patrons, but a good time. 

The chips ARE amazing!! Some places you'd try not to fill up on the bread, chips, etc.... Forget about it. Fill up!!

Ordered a chicken enchilada and it was okay. My socks weren't blown off or anything but for a entree under $7, that's not bad. 

Friends ordered a fajita plate for two and a burger. They were all happy. Maybe I'd opt for some fajitas next time too. 

Of course I feel obligated and deserving of a margarita when the location allows. The $5.50 house frozen margarita was acceptable but again - my socks - not blown off!

I love a place that offers waters without needing to ask for them. Big tall glasses and I also saw their sodas came with free refills - score!! A big plus in my book. So next time I'll have a big diet coke and fajitas. 

Oh and the music?? What's with the 90s Top 40 on rotation??
4 - Jonathan A.: This is a fun place with great young atmosphere and awesome chips and salsa.  Every time I go, I get their chimichuri steak, which is absolutely delicious!  It's an Argentinian skirt steak topped w/ a lemony sauce for $11 (pretty hard to beat that value).  Also, I highly recommend the margaritas there!

Overall great place to go.
4 - Tim T.: They do some great Margaritas here that's for sure. Although, not the best I've had, they do at least put a good amount of tequila in them. The best part is, that you can get a strong Margarita for 6-9 bucks and that is pretty sweet! I've only eaten here 3 times and it's always been fine. The blackened salmon salad is pretty awesome and I've had that the past three times I been here. I still haven't found a better comparable dish anywhere in Boston.
4 - Johanna L.: Lets face it, Tex-Mex is pretty hard to mess up. Border Cafe clears this low bar, and it's campy and impersonal ambiance alone would garner at most 3-stars.

However, there are at least three reasons I can think of to bump Border up to 4-stars:

1) The restaurant is so huge it can be totally packed and a large group can still get a table in a pretty reasonable time frame (~30min)
2) The prices are reasonable
3) The margaritas are strong
2 - Jazzie F.: Scenario: Put a mexican / mexican inspired / tex-mex sort of place in the middle of a busy shopping area, and you'll make money.  Have a bar then it'll get busy.  Money making, total crap shoot of a place w/ rude servers, dumb hosts, and total cramped up uncomfortable spot.  I hate this place.  I never really liked it, it existed and I walked by it cuz I have had better and I am not desperate. 

I used to work across the street from it years ago and I never went in and now I know why.  

Anyone who knows me, should know, I really really really really really HATE places that don't seat you if your party is not there AND the restaurant is NOT BUSY! If its Friday night, crazy happening and people running around and "your party is not complete" okay fine, don't seat me but don't pull that shit on me, when I am there on a freakin Tuesday, not busy, plenty of empty tables and me saying, "party of 2, my friend is 5 minutes away." 

REALLY...

I feel bad for the waiters because the tip is going to SUCK if the hostess is RETARDED; the restaurant has dumb rules such as these.   TWO PEOPLE, ONE PERSON IS THERE WANTS TO GET A TABLE, WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO SEAT ME. GET A freakin Margarita and have chips and salsa. REALLY!!! 

I would much rather put up with Fajitas and Ritas in downtown than this bullshit at least their margaritas contain good amount of alcohol and are cheaper!

The waiter was rude to me and my friend because the table behind us, the girl couldn't sit in her seat because they didn't have enough space.  What the hell? I really did not appreciate these people at all and the tip was exactly 15% because I was being cordial.  Suck it Border Café. 
-------

2 stars ONLY for the generous amount of club soda for 2 dollars.
2 - Mimi W.: The food is pretty not bad actually, but the wait is horrendous. Took me an hour to get seated even though the place is huge. Can't even muscle your way up to the bar. You'll be in a bad mood by the time you get seated. Go somewhere else.
4 - Natalie M.: B.C.

What up dog?  We haven't talked in a while.  Don't think I've forgotten you though...I could never do such a thing.

The things I love about you are as bountiful as the mounds of toasty chips you serve me when I'm waiting for my table and as addictive as the delicious margaritas you provide me once I'm seated.  You are a delight.  

Tacky yet frisky decor?  Check.
Fat-tastic Deliciousness?  Check.
And did I mention the toasty chips and margaritas?  Check, check.

I truly adore your fajitas, refried beans and abundant guacamole & sour cream.  If you offered an Echilada Body Treatment I would totally let you wrap me up in a giant soft taco shell and marinate in the goodness while your salsa verde both gently exfoliated and moisturized me.  I would follow it up with a Chimichangish Massage (90 minutes, obviously) and return home full, happy, relaxed and arguably a little bit sauced.

What I'm trying to say, is you got a good thing going on.  The only thing that discourages me from visiting more often are the crowds but I can't blame a group of people who share my passion for Tex-Mex.  That would be a travesty.  It just sometimes makes it difficult to really ENJOY your company.

Keep it up Gumshoe, you done good.
4 - x s.: Despite the 40-minute wait for a table for 3 on a Sunday night, I'm still pleased with my dining experience at Border Cafe.  The space is very generous and it's colorfully decorated-- like a Trader Joe's meets Pour House.  Our waitress was friendly and our dwindling bowl of free nachos was quickly replaced by a fresh bowl of hot nachos! I tried my boyfriend's gumbo, and they oversalted it.  I had the catfish tacos with jambalaya. and the rice was too salty.  But the catfish was yummy, the strange delicious orange sauce was yummy, and the water glasses are huge!  The prices are reasonable. I would definitely go back again, and swing by Berryline for a healthy dessert.  And the burgers are great.
1 - stephanie c.: Friendly Spot in Harvard square but honestly...everything was just soso. 

The mexican and cajun food was disappointing, not all that authentic-just really salty. I was really excited to try it too. My blackened catfish wasn't even spicy nor was the jambalaya or gumbo! Granted the one good thing was that the catfish was fresh and the chips provided were good...but everything else we had including the Fajitas, Gumbo, Blackened Chicken was subpar. Service was soso.

It seems like a big after work spot, but I personally wouldn't come back. Ive had much better food that doesn't leave me thirsty for the next 4 hours with higher cholesterol for non-authentic flavors.
5 - Jason L.: For more than a decade, the Border Café has been consistently one of my favorite restaurants in the Boston area.  I can easily give it five stars for one reason--VALUE.  The food isn't spectacular--in terms of the larger scheme of Boston's elite foodie establishments--but it's extremely good, particularly based on their insanely cheap prices.

The only downsize to the Border can be the seating wait but the restaurant is so huge that this only happens during peak times.  Within moments of sitting down, you can expect to have some tasty warm chips, salsa, and a gigantic cup of your favorite beverage.  The meals come fast, the staff is always friendly, and the experience is reliably awesome.
2 - Haley S.: I've got a solid shoulder shrug, hands palms up in the air "ehh" for this one. Let's put it all out there folks...Mexican in Boston is bad. Along with crazy cabbies, late commuter rails and seasonal college students....Boston's truth's include bad Mexican food. It's slim pickin's in this east coast ciudad. 

But Border's does have one saving grace....the margarita's. I'd come here for an after work margarita with chips and salsa. But for the main course? Hop a cab and head to Ole's in Inman Square. 

Actually.....if you're headed to Ole's (and if you're shopping for Mexican you should be headed to Ole's) they do have amazing margarita's....and food...and dessert. Never mind folks...just go to Ole's. Tell them I say hola!
4 - Chrystina S.: Awesome fajitas!!  Friendly and fun atmosphere, great place to go with a group of people.  The wait can be long especially on weekends, but is worth it when you sit down and are immediately served fresh, warm chips and salsa.  They also have great margaritas and sangria.  Overall, a great Tex-Mex restaurant.
3 - Scott P.: This place is like the significant other who puts on a few dozen pounds and gets some wrinkles.  You're still in love with them, but the spark might not be there anymore. That's kind of how I feel about Border after living in Boston for a few years and visiting a few dozen times.  I love the chips that they bring out for the table, but the salsa is pretty bland and flavorless.  The mains are average - again, seasoning is lacking in a lot of dishes.  The service is generally pretty good, given how busy this place can get in the evenings.  The margaritas are cold and tasty, and definitely fan favorite.  

Definitely will always have a special place in my heart, but hoping that they shape up and improve the food quality in the near future.
3 - Lauren G.: Border is a good place for a large group and everyone can (probably) find something they would like to eat... but it is a bit loud and the wait for the table can be mind-bogglingly long!

Great choice for a large group- very fun for a friend's birthday.  The chips and salsa flow freely and are frequently refilled.  The menu is pretty standard Tex-Mex fare... nothing spectacular but decent quesadillas and fajitas.  Downstairs is better than the first floor- basically because you can actually hear the people you are at dinner with.  
  The wait for tables is also a strange situation.  So I went with a group of 12, no reservation, and they were able to seat us right away... even though there were at least 20 people waiting for tables... seems a little strange.  It also explains why I have gone a couple times and waited over 30 mins for a table when people who arrived after me have already been seated.
Overall a reasonable choice- nothing spectacular but if you need a fun place for a group of 8 it fits the bill!
2 - Mollie W.: eh. eh....


It was so 'eh' that I don't feel compelled to say much more.  The catfish was eh, the salsa, eh, the margarita eh.

Oh.. oh.. but our waiter was as dumb as a burrito. Actually I would have preferred to be waited on by a burrito, because maybe  the burrito wouldn't have looked like they smoked a fatty before their shift and might have actually been able to figure out that my friend wanted the birthday girl's drinks on her tab, instead of charging the birthday girl's tab for all the drinks, thanks estupido!
5 - Amanda F.: Border Cafe - I heart you.

I had 12 people and a giant cake. Did you complain? No you didn't. You put up with our multiple requests of "what did you say?" because the music and restaurant were so loud. Both waitresses were pleasant and accommodating as if it were only a table of 4. 

Your fajitas, especially the 1/2 beef/1/2 chicken are boss. The jambalaya, which I have never before tried in any prior setting, was also decent.

And, let's not forget, thank goodness for your margaritas. But, if you want to have direct access to your booze, stay away from the slush, and stick them "on the rocks."

Word of caution, having your parking ticket validated only gets you $2 off the cost of parking in the lot across the street.
4 - Mike O.: I love this place.....but I learned something about it a few months ago.

I found myself on a impromptu bar crawl some random Wednesday in the late afternoon ( yes I'm a degenerate, I've come to grips with it ).

A couple of us realized that we should get something to eat before things get out of hand.  We wanted cheap eats.  Instantly I thought of the Boarder Cafe.

We got there and continued drinking while waiting for our food.  Mmmmmm sodium.

After the meal, we simultaneously hit the wall. 

Buzz.....gone.  We all felt a little off so we decided to go home. The night was stopped in its tracks.

I have been to the boarder over 20 times.  A number of times, it was a very similar situation above (bit of a bar crawl, hungry, eat)  But this has never happen to me. What gives

The only think I can think of, is this might have been the first time I ate here while it was freezing outside. 

This is my theory.

This is summer place.  You're outside all day and sweating out all sorts of fluids.  You go to the Border and fill up on the salty goodness.  Your body reaches a balance. All is right with the world.

Not so much in the winter.  The food just kind of messes with you because the salt has no where to go. Balance is off, your body hates you.  

You've been warned.
4 - Julie A.: After 300 some-odd reviews, I'm thinkin' brevity for Border Cafe.

Four stars, four words:

Bustling. Margarita. Value. Delicious.
1 - Katharine N.: The hostess forgot to seat us, and did absolutely nothing (including apologize) to compensate for making 7 people wait two hours for a table (I would have left, but the birthday boy really wanted Mexican). They got my drink order wrong.  They gave us dirty utensils.  C'mon, folks.. .the food is okay but not worth putting up with that much trouble over.
4 - Sarah K.: The best time to come here is during the week when it's raining.  We had no wait tonight, but I've waited here for quite a long time on many occasions.  It was a favorite destination for weekend dinner when I was an undergrad across the river.  I always go for the Mexican food, but I should really try the Cajun stuff.
Tonight's meal left more to be desired.  My taco and enchilada were ok.  The chips were ok, but not great, usually much better.  Our waiter was great, very attentive, and on top of replacing our drinks as they became empty, or even a little too soon before they were empty.  The reason I still give Border 4 stars is that it's just a fun place to go with a group of friends.  It might not be the best food I've ever had, but it's decent, fairly priced, and enjoyable.  One bummer is that when you leave you do smell a little like the greasy smoke of the kitchen.
5 - Martha D.: I love Border Cafe!  It offers pretty cheap Tex-Mex/Cajun style food, a fun atmosphere, and delicious margaritas.  They also do an amazing job handling large groups and are always very friendly and efficient.  The last time I went, they even helped us smuggle in a birthday cake and lit the candles in the kitchen to surprise our friend.  

Make sure to try the house margarita on the rocks (skip the frozen ones to save some cals).  It's like $6 and gets you drunk before you can say "how have I possibly finished 6 baskets of free chips already?"
3 - Lee H.: I've been to the Border a number of times over the years.

I used to think that it was kinda like soul food. Simple, satisfying flavors, fresh salsa and chips, great margaritas. The last time I was there, though, the flavors were suddenly rather thin, everything just a little less satisfying. Maybe I was just having a bad day, or the Border was having a bad day.

I'll give it another chance at some point, but until then, 3 stars is all I can give.

Prices are low. Service is food. There's usually a line unless you go off hours. Parking really sucks - it's Harvard Square.
2 - Brad B.: The bartenders and waitstaff are always smiling and the atmosphere is good, but the food was bad.  
I ate here on a saturday night (4/3/10) and it was disappointing.  The guacamole was like a dull paste, the fish tacos had little balls of fish jammed into a soft taco shell.  The fish tasted and looked like something directly out of the freezer.  The lettuce and tomato which was on the side to be added to the tacos was smushed, warm, and paltry. The girl I was with had chili con queso which tasted like velveeta but she liked it.  Go figure.  
No wait, no line, nice seats at the bar, and a great Wolaver's organic IPA beer.  Just bad food.
4 - Julia M.: I would say that Border Cafe is the best Mexican Food in Cambridge.  And it's a pretty chill place to take a large group.  

Strong drinks are highly appreciated - staff is not stingy with the tequila when it comes to their margaritas.  And the chips and salsas are top tier.  

Let's face it, Mexican food is Mexican food.  The booze at Border is the differentiating factor here and that's enough in my book.
3 - Ellen C.: The Border Cafe is okay- but that's all I'd give it.  I've been there a couple times now, and the food has always been fine.  It's not nearly as good as Taqueria Mexico in Waltham, but it's just fine.  

Mostly- it's loud, there's usually a wait, it reminds me of being at Chichi's or Chili's or some other type of Mexican chain.  I haven't actually ordered the margaritas, so I can't point that out.

Last time we were there our server forgot a drink, and hilariously moved our hot sauce around. There was apparently a shortage of hot sauce and he just moved it between tables when different people wanted it- and since he was slow about it, it never seemed to be there when we wanted it.

This seems to be the place that everyone ends up when no one makes plans, and it is good for that, but I'd definitely think about going somewhere else.
4 - Alexandra T.: Border Cafe es muy muy muy bien.  Everything I've had I've loved, including a gigantic strawberry margarita.  You get unlimited free chips and salsa while you wait.  What's not to love?? Except for the fact that you may overindulge and be too full for your delicious meal (I am a victim).  Even that's ok though, becuase I really love leftovers.  Plus the prices are amazing!  A large, tasty, inexpensive meal.  

Man, I'm getting hungry.

My one word of advice. Harvard Square eateries and bars can get pretty crowded on the weekends, and Border is no exception.  I've been told an hour and a half wait on a Saturday night, and they don't have anywhere for you to sit while you wait.  While the food is amazing, it's definitely more worth your time to try stop in for lunch or on a week night instead.
3 - carmen l.: Fun place

Margarita's are really good and food is definitely good quality. Guacamole and chips are really good. Fajitas are good--- but enchiladas are not my favorite. 

I would not really dare to call it a Mexican restaurant--- 

Place is good for what it offers, and the staff is nice and service is quick.
3 - Kate T.: 4 stars for their sangria. Nothing too special otherwise, typical tex mex food. 

3 stars for only 6 outdoor tables. A half hour wait on a Sunday afternoon- bogus!
4 - Susan R.: This is a chain restaurant, the wait is always pretty long,the place is full of Harvard students and their families, there is never a place to park, and I once got declined a Margarita because my ID was at home... I am 35.

I would go through all of these annoyances and more for this place.

It's nothing fancy, Tex-Mex, great prices, good margarita and a wonderful atmosphere of yelling.  I have never had a meal I didn't like, and never looked at the bill and said 'oh hell no'.

I often have a hard time standing upright after my meal... awesome.

Don't miss this laid-back Tex-Mex haven (please note that this is NOT Mexican food)  if you are visiting Harvard Square.  Order the Cajun Crawfish appetizer... and a Piña Colada (its not on the menu... but they have them) yum.  
Try to save room for your meal, the free chips (made in house) and salsa (more like an awesome pico de gallo) are superb.... but filling.
4 - David L.: A very popular place at Harvard Square and probably the best Mexican food in the area.  The homemade chips and salsa are surprisingly good and the drinks are fairly strong and tasty as well.  I'm actually not sure if it's a chain, but the menu and prices makes it seem like it is.  However, the food is very tasty and hearty if you're not on a diet.  The menu is very extensive and is a great place to go with groups as there's probably something for everyone.

The only negative thing about this place is that there is always a wait during any reasonable hour and the place can get pretty crowded, especially in the bar area.  Because most people come in groups it can get pretty loud, but overall it's definitely a great place for a good, cheap meal.
3 - Mia T.: Best Mexican in Harvard Square. Always crowded. Excellent Margaritas. Favorite part: endless chips & salsa.
5 - Surf D.: My favorite mexican/cajun restaurant.  Great fresh nachos and salsa.  Amazing bottomless iced tea.  Favorites are the $7 enchilada plate with all the goodies, Eggplant Royale, and the Chicken Guadalajara(be ready for a full-belly-ache on that last one but it is AMAZING)
4 - Fereshteh Z.: Had a group dinner at Border cafe two nights ago. I feel like we always end up at Border when Cambridge 1 is too busy. I shouldn't complain, I really enjoy the place. It's full of energy and always packed. How can you go wrong by starting your meal with a margarita?!! They also bring you basket after basket of chips and salsa. For a small person like me, this is disastrous. I'm completely full before my actual meal. Next time I may not even order food! I can't resist the chips-really! I would say that the food is average, but for $20/person you can have 1 Margarita, unlimited chips and salsa, a sizzling fajita dish and a lingering smell of Mexican food in your hair & clothes for hours!
5 - Jon D.: Their chips and salsa are completely addictive!!!! Their blackened chicken fajitas are one of my favorite dishes...! It can be busy, but well worth a 10-15 minute wait!!! Great food, great price, and great service!
5 - Walter G.: i got outta here for like $25 the other night including dinner and like 3 beers. and the dinner was great. and the staff had no problem handling my party of 10 on a busy saturday night. how do you beat that?

so it's pretty inevitable that if you're meeting up with 9 people for dinner on a saturday night there's gonna be a wait. but here, instead of milling around outside or awkwardly jamming into an entry way, you just tell the hostess what's up and then hang out at the bar, watch the celts, and pound cheap tecates. that's what i do anyway. but you're probably classier than me so you can get a margarita or something.

and just a word to the wise - the chips are awesome and if you're not careful it's easy to fill up on them and not have as much room as you'd like for dinner. just go in knowing this and you'll be fine.
5 - Can D.: Ay yi yi!   This place is amazing! 

Since I moved to new england I have been on an all-out hunt for a decent Mexican or Tex-Mex place.  Border Cafe FAR surpassed my expectations.  

I ended up here for some after work drinks and dinner, and got some chairs directly at the bar.  The place was crowded but no so much that the three of us couldn't find somewhere to sit.  Ordered Margaritas that have just the right amount of booze in them (i.e. enough so you can taste it) and I ordered the blackened rio fajitas. 

These fajitas are like nothing I've ever tasted.  If anyone asks me I might have saw God when I tasted them.   They don't put onion in everything (SCORE!) unlike most mexican joints in New England and they know just how to spice everything right.  

My only complaint?  There was a single ring of green pepper on top of the chicken when the fajita plate came out.  Dude.  Peppers are supposed to be 2/3 of the dish!  Thumbs down!   But the chicken was so delicious I got over it quickly.

Overall? 4.5 stars because there wasn't enough veg in my dish.  And I round up, so 5 stars!
5 - Shane K.: Any place that you can get 2 drinks, 2 entrees and endless free chips for $30 is good with me!
Who cares if you have to wait an hour for a table? The margaritas are delicious and well priced and it gives you time to build up your appetite.
I ordered the chicken taco & pulled beef enchilada with jambalaya on the side and the missus ordered a fajita chicken salad.
Mine was cheesy, well seasoned and just enough to fill me but not stuff me. Hers was fresh & well seasoned also.
Great location with a parking lot nearby but also very accessible by train. 
This was my first time here but I will certainly be back soon. 
Hmmmm wonder what the missus is doing tonight?
4 - Erica P.: Any place that you can get two entrees for under $20 is perfectly fine by me.

Border Cafe is more than fine, however. The fresh tortilla chips and homemade salsa that comes with every meal are addictive (I'm pretty sure I saw them sprinkling crack on the chips).

I've tried a couple of the things on the menu, but I always come back to the Chicken Burro. Chicken and cheese, stuffed in a tortilla and smothered in...MORE CHEESE. 

You really can't go wrong. Unless you get the frozen sangria. Minus one star for that yucky drink.

The wait can be brutal, especially on a Friday or Saturday night (plus it always smells so good in there - but I always leave smelling like I rolled around in a tub of smokey ground beef). Totally worth it.
4 - Karen K.: Considering I'm going through a mexican kick these days, I decided, at long last, to try Border Cafe after neglecting it in the last 9 years since I first set foot on Cambridge, MA. I was not disappointed. I was starving when I arrived, and the chips landed in front of me.

As I chomped down greedily, much to the dismay of my date, our waiter (who, despite a very full house, was very attentive) came to take our order. I went for the fish tacos with jambalaya and we ordered a guacamole appetizer to complement the chips.

I was in guac heaven. If I could subsist on chips and guac from Border Cafe for life, I would. It was the perfect consistency: not too lumpy with the perfect blend of spices. Clearly, they had perfected their guacamole recipe despite not having access to California avocados. 

I could never resist fish tacos. I fell in love with them on a trip to Mexico and have never really strayed away from them whenever I go Tex-Mex. The ones here were definitely tasty. The sauce that came with it had a good amount of kick although I wasn't so in love with the taste of it. 

The prices were reasonable. Having to pay under $20 for a meal in Cambridge is pretty awesome in my book.
3 - Hana T.: Dear friend- Sorry I took your phone and started a text argument with the girl who stood you up time and time again.  Yes, I don't know her, but I was on my second sangria.  I was feeling bitchy too.

I really liked the sangria much more than the margarita.  It went down smoothly, and so refreshing on a hot or rainy day.   Except there's just way too much ice in it.  For food, I'd rather go for a slice at Pinocchio's and then come here for drinks, than to eat here.
2 - Anna O.: So-so food, waiters are mostly attentive. It's very loud, and mostly filled with the rich yuppies from Harvard; and because of this it's overpriced. Okay to stop by for drinks, but there are better bars in Harvard Square, including one right across the street at Cambridge 1.
5 - Casey C.: Love it love it love it.

Miss it, miss it, miss it.
5 - soylinduh O.: It's Cinco de Mayo, folks!  After seven hours of retail I decided one way or another I was going to celebrate this fun holiday.  I knew that regardless I would be celebrating on my own but the wonderful weather outdoors was begging me to enjoy the sun.  I thought about going into Boston but ended up in Harvard Square because that is where Border Cafe is!

After a couple of loops I found a spot along Mount Auburn and walked over to the restaurant.  I saw a seat outside and figured that although I had assumed it would be packed and I would just sit by the bar inside that I had nothing to lose by asking if the table was open.  I couldn't believe my luck when I was walked outside right away.

With the sun shining in my face I immediately felt OK with having spend the majority of the day indoors.  I ordered a strawberry margarita, got the complimentary nachos and salsa and a house salad.  The whole bill came to a little over $11!  All in all I had a wonderful time people watching and feeling bad for those who were now forming a huge line by the door.

I can't believe how much I lucked out with my timing!  That's what the extra star is for!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!
4 - Maegan S.: Does Border Cafe need another review? No. Do I think my review is important enough to negate this fact? Clearly, I do.

Perhaps I shouldn't open with this, but I am from Texas. Specifically a small town with, oh, seven Tex-Mex restaurants. Basically, I expect to be handed chips and salsa whenever I sit down to a table. (Even at my grandma's house.) That doesn't happen often here, so I was swept off my feet when one of the always attentive waitstaff presented me with these goodies the first time I sat down at the Border Cafe.

Some may scoff, but Border Cafe is where I go for comfort food. Not only do you get the complementary chips and salsa, you also get a bucket of some of the most delicious fountain Coke you've tasted (well, assuming that's what you've ordered). The queso isn't the best I've ever had, but I still order it every time I go there, if that tells you anything. My go-to meal is the chicken quesadilla, which is definitely big enough to share (and still have enough leftovers to share again), if you've brought an obliging (read: equally cheap) friend along. 

The cherry on top (or maybe, the jalapeno?) is Jose's Rice. THAT is what keeps me coming back. It has much more of a Cajun flair than Mexican (I mean, Texas borders both Louisiana and Mexico, so that makes me the expert, right? *scoffs*). It still complements the menu items on the Tex-Mex side of the menu really well. Just know that with some things, like the quesadillas, you have to order it separately.  

All in all, a great place to satisfy a craving for Mexican food.
4 - Karisa D.: If you are craving Mexican food in the Boston/Cambridge area, you really have to look for it. Fortunately I have found a place that has everything. Good food, fantastic Margaritas and overall fun atmosphere.

The only thing is there always long lines during dinner. If you go before 6, you'll get seated right away. Later than that, order a drink at the bar and get comfortable. It's worth the wait :)
5 - MacKenzie W.: After 4 years of searching for quality Mexican food in Boston, I finally made it to Border Cafe. Amazing margaritas, OUTSTANDING queso dip, heavenly guacamole, and the tejas chicken is delish too! 

The prices are pretty reasonable too, $5.50 for a big margarita, I can handle that. 

On weekends there can be a long wait (25-30 mins for 2 people, probably like an hour for larger groups) but I don't think this is necessarily bad. The place is amazing, of course there's going to be a wait!
5 - Chenna Y.: looooooooooooooooooooooove it!!! Everything I have tried is amazing. I have been going here for years and years
4 - Michael G.: Yes, I've had Mexican food in places like Texas and Arizona.  Yes, I understand this place isn't as authentic as any random mom-and-pop shop in a border state.  I don't live in a border state though, and I'm OK with it not being 100% authentic.  It's fun, has good food at great prices, and I never fail to have a generally good time here.  I've been going to one Border Cafe or another since the late 80's and after 20+ years I still get that happy feeling when I walk in the door.

Warm, salty chips and spicy salsa.  The best damn fajitas in the area in my opinion due to their simplicity: A sizzling hot skillet, a pile of skirt steak strips, an even bigger pile of onions, and paprika sprinkled on top.  Damn near perfection.  They taste like meat and onions, not like a ton of overpowering sauce or guacamole or whatever else comes oozing out of the fajitas you get at some random place in a suburban mall.  And the "jambalaya" (actually dry brown rice with chunks of "andouille" and chicken in it) has me totally hooked.  I don't think I'd even like real jambalaya anymore.

If you're looking for someplace that serves tamales just like your great-grandma used to make by hand this probably isn't the place.  But if you want to have a good, filling, Tex-Mex style meal at cheap prices in a fun and relaxing environment, this one's a winner.

Plus, outdoor seating (if you're lucky enough to score one of the maybe 5 or 6 tables).  Rock on!!
2 - Emily Z.: I don't like to go here because there's nothing on the menu I like. They don't offer nachos with cheese or *any* dessert.
5 - Tom P.: i cannot live without the commemorativo marg or the chili rellenos. the plantains are just icing on a delicious mexican cake.
5 - Greta K.: Still love the crawfish, jambalaya, the strawberry margaritas, and the chips.  I also dig the fact that it wasn't a long wait on a busy Friday night.  If only I didn't live almost forty miles away, I would come much more often.
4 - Mindy L.: I still love you Border Cafe...with all my heart...I ordered my strawberry margarita, chili con queso and shredded beef burro as usual...but...

Broken Foot Fail.

Shame on you for forcing me and my broken foot downstairs to be seated. Shame.
3 - Samantha T.: Not a huge Tex-Mex fan, but was pleasantly surprised to find out they offer a Cajun/Creole section of their menu.  Selection is decent, nothing to write home about but definitely good for satisfying the Cajun craving I had after coming back from New Orleans.

Prices are reasonable, and portions are huge; entrees can easily be split among 2 people.  I ordered the Eggplant Royale, which came with a creamy crab sauce on top that had a lot of flavor.

It's not 100% authentic on the Mexican or Cajun front, but it gets the job done.
4 - Jen R.: I'm definitely a fan.  I went here recently with a large group of people (10ish) and had a great time.  The Margaritas were great, huge, and reasonably priced ranging from $6.50-$8  (I've paid $10+ at other places and gotten much less quality).   They also do strawberry margaritas on the rocks, which won me over.   I'm a fan of fruit, not frozen, but it seems rare that I find strawberry margarita non-frozen.

The food was decent and so cheap with generous portions.  You also get chips and salsa at your table. It isn't amazing good or anything, but I was definitely satisfied.   The shredded chicken in my burro was tender and flavorful and they weren't stingy with the cheese on top.   The jumbalaya rice was meh, but I figured that going in.   I recommend sticking to the Mexican side dishes.
5 - Mike M.: This place is as good as it gets in Harvard Square! 

My favorite eatery in the Greater Boston area! ! ! 

Just beware, that on busy nights... if you request a table for 5 people and only 4 of you have shown up, they'll ask you to continue waiting until the last person shows before they seat you. 

Other than that, this place is perfection (get the Mesquite Fajita Chicken salad... I think that's what it's called, SOOO GOOD!)
4 - A G.: Always great food, great margaritas and very reasonably priced. Love it! make reservations on weekend nights tho... the wait can be a while sometimes..
4 - Annie C.: This place is so good.  You know why?  AMAZING chips and salsa and tasty margaritas. 

Plus - HUGE cups of ice water. I like this attribute so much I blogged about it: http://annamariechen.com/2010/06/11/small-girl-big-water/

!!!! Go here.  Try a weeknight or early-ish though because it's always packed.
3 - Dessa R.: Border has quite a bit to bring to the table. Large portions of yummy Americanized Tex-mex. Complimentary hot chips & salsa. Big, festive space. Reasonable prices. Huge margaritas. Tons of seating. 

I like the steak fajitas. 

Border has been my savior on many a hungry Friday night in H-Rock square. Gracias guys!
5 - Luyi H.: Of the many many times I've been here, I've always enjoyed Border! The food is great, huge portions. Fajitas are NOMMY. I've never been able to finish my share. The chips are always toasty and warm. And the salsa tastes fresh (to yours truly, a New England girl). Quesadillas from the appetizer menu are huge and great to split when you're drinking and munching on food with friends. Jambalaya, though, is spice-less...so don't bother. 

I recommend the fruity margaritas. You can specify whether you want it blended or on the rocks, or with salt on the rim. I don't really recommend the Hurricane? Or Blizzard? It's the drink highlighted underneath the margarita menu... it just tastes like alcoholic fruit punch. Unmemorable. You should go for the margarita instead. The red sangria has sometimes been good, sometimes been not as good. Hit or miss. 

And if you're bringing men to a girly night at Border, they can order Dos Equis or some of the other types of manly beers available. Or, they could just MAN UP and just order a margarita!! Because they're just so delicious, we won't judge! 

And of all the times I've been here, service has been spot on, even when we just want drinks and chiiips. Attentive, not annoying. Friendly. And they keep feeding you chips! That being said, if you're by yourself, and get stuck in a dark corner in the basement, well, say goodbye to your waiter or waitress. You ain't gonna see them again. 

Yeah, the wait is long, but they give you those electric buzzer things. And who knows? The wait might be shorter than you think. They also don't give out tables until everyone in the party has arrived. But, if some members of you party happen to arrive later...well, they're always good about trying to squeeze you guys all in! :D 

Best kept secret. This is an awesome spot to go late at night. If you want drinks and munchies. Because boom, you got the chips and salsa. And all you gotta order is the margarita! They also have a late night menu too.
5 - James B.: The standard for tex-mex cuisine in Cambridge / Boston is the Border Cafe.  Pescetarians and vegetarians are very well accommodated, and the guacamole and margaritas (try the Texas with Cointreau) are top notch.

Instead of listing superlatives and suggesting various dishes, I will instead finish this review by noting that I have been to the Border Cafe at least once a week since moving to Cambridge last year, and have never been anything less than totally satisfied.
4 - Steven F.: I love the Border Cafe for all its greasy, Tex Mex goodness. I don't usually need or specifically seek out large portions at a restaurant, but I don't mind the epic sizes they shell out here. I mean, sure, getting through a glass of water results in about seven trips to the bathroom, but hey, it's good to keep hydrated. What may not keep you hydrated, but certainly happy, are the ridiculously large margaritas. I've tried most of the ones they offer and love each of them. The sangria is a tad disappointing, but whatever, the margs are the star from the bar.

The chips and salsa are sublime, I once saw the vat with all the salsa ready to be portioned out and I wanted to swim in it because I knew how good it would taste. The rest of the food gets a solid A-. I used to always get the corn and black bean empanada, but they've changed that dish twice in the last year, so I've been encouraged to branch out. The eggplant dishes are both amazing. The fajitas are, unsurprisingly, delicious. I won't bother saying much more, because I know raves are kind of annoying. 

A word of advice, if you want to go to the Harvard Square location for dinner, build in a half hour wait on a weekday and an hour on the weekend. You'll just get grumpy if you show up starving and expect to be seated right away. Good luck with that.
3 - Brandon L.: Maybe too salty and too crowded at times but this place always serves interesting variety at good value, especially for younger people. The crowd is mostly students. Years ago when i could not afford better restaurants i used to bring my dates here and they were always impressed. Chips and salsa are their first and best move and it goes downhill after that... Overall they may not serve the best Mexican food around but it's definetely entertaining...just don't go down the basement. For authentic Mexian food try Ole in Cambridge ...but then again you may be more into the American version than the reall stuff.
5 - Suzy L.: Border Cafe is one of my favorite places around Harvard Square. Huge portions, good prices, and a mean margarita... what else do you need?

Oh, yes... chips and salsa. And they're plentiful and tasty here.

I have a couple friends who are vegetarians so we end up at Mexican restaurants a lot since they tend to be pretty veggie friendly. Border Cafe is up there as one of the best with lots of options.

Oh, and did I mention the margaritas? :-)
4 - Ryan S.: Seafood Enchiladas.  Get them.  Devour them.  Thank me.

I don't know that you get much better tex-mex in the Boston area than Border Cafe.  The delicious (and free) chips and salsa is a staple down here in Houston as I'm coming to realize, but was such a rare blessing in a place up north...as was the fact that I can get a pacifico or a lone star!
5 - Caroline S.: Times I Go to the Border Cafe:

1. when I want a yummy dinner for not a lot of money
2. when I am craving chips like nobody's business
3. when my boyfriend suggests we go (which is insanely often)
4. when I want to get tipsy REALLY quickly  - this deserves sub-points!
a. just ONE of their massive margaritas guarantees that i will stumble out the door (discovering this over a casual dinner was interesting to say the least)
b. their margaritas are insanely inexpensive for how strong and yummy they are
c. their sangria is also oddly really, really strong.  
5. when i want a nice healthy meal - their grilled chicken dish with the plantains is really delicious (chicken bandera? bandera chicken? something like that....)
6. when i want to get seated and served really quickly
7. when i want a casual meal outside
8. GUACAMOLE!!!
4 - Arielle B.: I've been here several times now, twice on dates with Mike D. for dinner and a few times with friends.

The first time was after a movie at the nearby theater, I had Eggplant Royal off of the Cajun side of the menu.  The crab-cheese cream sauce topping was phenomenal, the fried eggplant was a little bit salty for my liking though.  I ordered a side of jambalaya with it, and that was delicious, much spicier than I expected though.  Service was pretty good, nothing horrible but nothing stand out amazing either.

I recently came here with my li'l sis for dinner, we sat outside on the sidewalk, which was nice.  We came at the wrong time, the sun was setting and it was in her face the entire time, otherwise it was enjoyable because honestly the A/C was way too cold for me.  The outdoor service was kind of poor as well, my sister had asked for a side of sour cream and spent the entire meal trying to flag down the waitress to get it, which didn't happen until we were both nearly finished.

I had the blackened salmon, also from the Cajun side and it was delicious, had rice and substituted french fries for the beans.  The rice again, was spicier than I expected, but the fries were fantastic!  Nice and skinny, perfectly seasoned and fried to crispy perfection.  The fish was also well seasoned and fresh.  My sister had the chicken burros, which looked good, however my stomach has been a little finicky as of late and I didn't try any (she said it was delicious, would have been better with the sour cream though :P).

Mike D. and I have come here late when we've been around Harvard Square for drinks, and they still serve the chips which are soooo good.  Every basket I've ever gotten has been hot and fresh, nicely salted, and the salsa is good as well.  The margaritas seem to be a good deal, nice and strong, but as an under 21-er, I really love the lemonade.  It's awesome how they serve soft drinks in these GIGANTIC cups, I really don't like running out of beverage and waiting for a new one, especially when the waiter isn't on top of it.

Above all, the prices are fantastic as well, most of the entrees were under $10, with a few of the seafood dishes in the $12-$15 range.  If I'm in Harvard Square, I'll most likely be back, can't beat the deals here.
4 - Courtney N.: The food at Border Cafe was tremendous. The portions were huge, and the other reviewers are so right- they give you a ton of water which is much appreciated. I'm usually wary of Tex Mex and Mexican because I'm a wimp and can't deal with the array of hot spices most people drench their meals in. Border Cafe, however, did not go overboard and I thank them very much for that!

I loved the decor. I loved that you could sit outside if you wanted. I loved the colorful drinks. The menu was awesome. So many items, and many of them seafood. I ended up purchasing an appetizer as my meal, and I still had to left-overs to take home. I especially loved the never-ending basket of tortilla chips (probably why I had left-overs). Our server, Danielle, was super nice and very bubbly. We wanted to have a good time because she was having such a good time.

Prices were extremely reasonable. I was expecting higher prices since it is Cambridge. My boyfriend bought the blackened salmon and he paid less than he would at a seafood restaurant in this area. Nice! I would definitely go back, and am thinking of ways to go again as I write this! Check this place out- it's delicious!
3 - Mabel N.: This is a great place.  It's also very afforable and you can really get some good mexican food there.  I love their Fish Taco and Sangria. Best combination.  They have great margaritas.  One thing i dont' like about is the wait.   I always go there on the weekdays!
4 - Zachary S.: Ok, I'm giving this place 4 stars strictly for the excellent service.  We only had 30 minutes to eat before a movie started next door at Loews.  We told the waiter our time constraint and instead of rolling his eyes and being disapointed...he stepped up and got it done.

Our drinks, salsa & chips and food were all there in a flash.  He even brought the check as be brought out the final dish.  The salsa and chips were filled twice in the 30 minutes we were there as were our drinks.  

The small sample of food we got was good and I'd like to go back again when I have more time.  Kudos to the waiter...he was excellent and you earned a loyal customer.
4 - E. N.: One of my favorite places in Cambridge.  The fresh fried chips are awesome, and the boat-sized drinks are delicious.  I've mostly ordered from the Mexican side of the menu - all pretty solid options.  I tried the corn and black bean empanadas last time I dined here....mmmmm.
Service is usually quite good.

The one thing that bugs me is that I always leave with that fried food smell lingering on my clothes.
4 - Thiago O.: Great prices, great food! So busy it's hard to get a table.

Does not take reservations, if you bring a large party you're bound to be waiting for up to 40 minutes for a table.

Good margaritas, festive decorations. 

Recommended!
4 - Janice T.: This is a nice place to go for margs and chili con queso, especially if you can score seating on the patio on a lovely summer day.  Sure you can get some truly authentic Latin American fare in Eastie however sometimes you just want some Tex Mex style chips, salsa, and atmosphere. This place fits the bill quite well.
4 - Justin T.: My favorite faux-chain restaurant. Nothing spectacular about the food, but I can't say I've ever had anything bad off the menu... especially the fajita salad.

Try the frozen sangria -- cheap and tasty.
4 - Kai L.: I like Border at off hours. Fun atmosphere kid friendly, and when I first moved here from CA the only Mexican place in town that was even remotely  like Mexican in CA. Now their are so many more places to choose from but this is still a great stand by.
5 - Fran T.: Affordable and great food! Our party of 5 (four adults and a one year old) got a booth right away on a Saturday night in July. Complementary chips/salsa were great. We got the Pastelitos as an appetizer which came out perfect. For dinner, I got the Gulf Coast Seafood Enchilada (sautéed shrimp, crawfish and melted Poblano Jack cheese covered with a Cajun spiced three cheese and lump
crabmeat sauce). It was only $10 and it was fantastic! Will definitely be back!
4 - Kaella C.: This place has become a regular hangout place for my group of friends and I whenever we want to get together collectively.  We first came here on a whim and haven't looked back.

I'm not a fan of Mexican food, but they have a great burger for people like me.  It's never NOT been packed when we've gone, but we've never had to wait TOO long to get a table (or we're just really patient).  The portions of food are amazing and the quality is even better.  Their tortilla chips are fabulous as well.  Everyone leaves there happy and satisfied.  The staff is wonderful as well.  The prices can't be beat, either.  I've never had a bad experience.

The only bone that I have to pick with Border Cafe is that it seems... unstable.  Especially downstairs.  You walk on the wood floor and it seems as though you might just fall right through the beams.  The chairs can also be very wobbly and uncomfortable.  Time for an upgrade?  I think so.  It can get very cramped as well because the tables are so close together.
3 - Breahna G.: Let me first start out by saying that I am new to the New England Area and I am originally from southern California. I have also been to Texas and Mexico so I know what REAL Mexican food is. That said, I have been on a mission to find a quality Mexican restaurant in the area and Border Cafe was attempt number three. 

I went with my boyfriend and we got there around 5:30pm on a Friday afternoon. We were seated right away downstairs in the corner. We were the first table in that area and it felt like we got the shaft. However, that's where the A/C was and it was a very hot day so it was nice to be in that area.  We got chips and salsa right away and they were great. I ordered the Tradicional Margarita and it was good and strong. I didn't even need another one. Chips and Margaritas are one of the most important things to me at  a Mexican restaurant so I would go back for just that alone. However, the food was not that great. I ordered an enchilada and a taco, both chicken, with black beans and rice. My boyfriend ordered a chicken burro with rice and beans. The beans were ok, the rice was not. All three of the entrees tasted exactly the same, despite being in completely different types of cooked tortillas. I don't know if it was the chicken or the sauce they used, but it was not very good. The sauce didn't have any flavor and the chicken was just mush. There was also way too much cheese. I was hungry so I ate almost all of it, but left with a bitter taste in my mouth. The prices are good, but I can see why. Our meal was under $30 with tip. 

I give three stars for the chips and Margaritas alone , but the food and the service wasn't up to par for me. I will continue to search for a quality Mexican restaurant and keep you posted.
1 - C R.: I have eaten at the Border Cafe located in Burlington and Saugus and throughly enjoyed my meals.  The Border located in Cambridge is FILTHY.  Luckily I enjoyed meals at the other locations prior to dining here...otherwise I would NEVER go to one again.
5 - rosann s.: The place has the BEST chile con queso ever!!!  They have amazing fajitas as well.  I love, love, love it here!!!!!  The only thing is parking, as there is not really cheap parking around.  If you are not from the city, go to the one in Burlington, as it is free parking.  I like the atmosphere of this one more, but it can be a hassle to go into Cambridge.
3 - Kyle P.: A great place to meet up with friends. They have massive cups for soda, (I know, I'm lame, but I do not like margaritas) and free refills. Our server was very attentive and kept on bringing them to me. The chips and salsa were very good, the guacamole was very spicy, more than I am used to, but still good. Fair prices and good portions.
2 - Tony R.: Trendy restaurant that tries to be casaual/hip.  Not so.  Food was OK.  I had the fish tacos and jambalaya.  Tacos were satisfying; jambalaya was hot without flavor.  Never a god idea to order Cajun cuisine in a Mexican restaurant.
5 - Jessica L.: As someone who frequents quite a few Mexican restaurants, I can say that it is refreshing to go to a Tex-Mex place that's a little more upscale and has a different, more varied menu than the usual mom and pop places where no one speaks English. (Disclaimer: I speak Spanish, so it's not a problem for me, but may alter the dining experience for others).  Yes, Border is very busy, but if you go early for dinner, you shouldn't have a problem...we arrived to wait in line at 6 for a party of 7 and it wasn't a long wait at all...

Daniella (Danielle?) is a great waitress. Also, I don't know of anywhere else in the square that I could get a drink and a huge dinner  (enough for next day's lunch) for $12. (16 with tax and tip). Waitress was even nice enough to separate our checks for us.
3 - tracy F.: This place is good im here with my girls...the chips are great!! Ive had better enchiladas..tortillas are good : ) were all full..over all good but i dont think i will ever go back there.....
5 - Stephen W.: Border Café is not a place for food. Border Café is a place where you get cheap margaritas and talk with the nice bartenders who despite their jacked and shaven appearance, are really truly good people. The free chips and salsa are also delish, but again Border Café is not about the food.

It is a kitschy establishment with big screen TV's that are appropriate for watching the Sox or the Pats. They have mildly offensive Tex-Mex murals on the walls depicting giants sombreros and cacti. You can get crunk and be yourself, and be as queer as you wanna be. It is the campiest thing in Cambridge and I love it.
5 - Thelmisha V.: I Love this place.  One of my favs in Cambridge.  The restaurant is always packed when ever I go but I have never had to wait more than 20 min for a table.  Food is good, generous portions and inexpensive which is always a plus. The freshly made chips and salsa are delish and drinks are cheap. A great place to go with a group of friends everyone will find something they like on the menu and a decent amount of vegetarian options as well.

As for Negatives- If you want a quiet dining experience this is not the place.  Parking is on the street or in one of the lots near by. bathrooms are small for the establishment  but ummmm thats about it.
3 - Lena N.: I love Border Cafe. Not for its food. Its food is salty, overly greasy and mediocre. 

So why do I keep coming back here, you ask? Their margaritas. They are the perfect excuse to make bad decisions for the night. They're good, cheap and usually strong. And free chips and delicious salsa if you are just drinking at the bar. Bonus points. 

Border is good for margaritas. If you want good Mexican/Cajun food, please keep searching.
3 - Aristophelius M.: This place isn't cheap for the quality of food.  It has good sangria.  It's alright.  I'm surprised at how large it is.
3 - Joel L.: I just don't get it.  People love this place.  They rave about it. "Best margariats", "great food".  They need to get out more.  

Border cafe is throughly average.  It's like a mexican TGIF Fridays minus the national franchise.  If you want a good, cheap margarita go to Fajita's and Rita's downtown.  IF you want better mexican food, there are a ton of places (although arguably at a slightly worse price point or not sit down).

Don't get me wrong, Border Cafe is fun, friendly, and serviceable.  The food and drinks are decent, and the prices are fair.  But to give a place like that more than 3 stars is grade inflation.
3 - Alex H.: tasty and cheap tex-mex which is open late. The cajun food is really good too plus i don't know any other place to get cajun around here. The margaritas are big, strong, and cheap, so you can't go wrong there. i really like how many vegetarian and fish options there are. if you don't mind eating at odd hours you can avoid the crowds and get in without a wait. you can eat lots of free chips & salsa and have your meal as leftovers the next day!
3 - Dee P.: So it's not authentic. Isn't that kind of obvious, anyway? But I know of few other restaurants where you can get a PILE of tasty food for like $7. I almost always order the beef burros (get it, a burrito is small and this is not! Ha). I ask them to go easy on the cheese though, because otherwise it's smothered... the shredded beef is just too yummy to order anything else, although I can say good things about the blackened chicken as well. 
Everything is preposterously salty, especially the house black beans and rice. So drink a lot of water. 
But you'll get out of there for about $15 including tip and sans booze, and the chips are freshly-made and usually still warm (and always free and unlimited). Great food for hungry poor folk, maybe not so great for gourmands.
1 - Janiye B.: I loved this place so much we were actually about to place a 50 dollar order , when we were told that the new company policy is no take out AT ALL, I work in a restaurant, and Im sorry, but what kind of company does not allow take out, what if i go there then order all the food and ASK FOR A BOX! are they not going to wrap it, thanks a lot border cafe for making me never want to return to your establishment again.
5 - Jon S.: The absolute gold standard for mid-level tex-mex (is there high-level tex-mex?).  I've been going here since I moved to Boston in '94 and have had only one poor experience (annoying Yalies at the next table) in over 300 visits.  Really well-trained staff are courteous and prompt, food is excellent, prices reasonable and ambiance pleasant.  What's not to like?  Oh, yeah, the interminable wait if you go at peak times.  That sucks, but it's really a testament to the cost/value quality of the meal.  To the people who say this place is average, I say no way.  I eat out 10+ meals/week (I hate to cook), and believe me when I say that the management here is superb.  I frequently (usually?) pay far more to get food that is not as good, served by a less competent staff in a much stuffier atmosphere at other, more "prestigious" restaurants (yeah, I'm lookin' at YOU, Asana).
4 - Karen K.: So this review is of my 20+ years of going to the Border Cafe.  Prices are reasonable, food is good, wait staff is usually very attentive and friendly.  This is my go to birthday place.  I love the Cajun Popcorn Shrimp, the huge Taco Salad (that I like to refer to as the hat salad - get it you will understand) or the burros,

If this review was of my last visit it would only get one star.  My friend and I went for lunch on 8/14, we were very excited had been talking about it for three days beforehand.  OMG the SALT on everything was beyond gross - we immediately left and bought water pills at CVS and two giant waters each.  It was like nothing I have ever tasted before and hopefully nothing I will taste ever again.  Oh and our apps arrived before our margaritas, and it wasn't because our apps came out super fast.
5 - Beiempress W.: My one-stop spot for ladies' night: boisterous environment, hugely generous plates, and large margaritas. I get to dress-up or dress-down however I like, and the neighborhood is accepting of eclectic personalities and fashions. The fact that I love Mexican food and Cajun food is a cherry on top, because it's so flavorful and bold. Occasionally they go overboard with the salt so I find myself drinking a lot of water afterwards. If I lived closer, I'd come here every weekend.
4 - Jessica R.: Straight up if you put this "Tex-Mex" restaurant in a major city in Texas I'd give them maaaaaaybe 6 months before they went out of business.

HOWEVER!  

Considering we are in Boston and Tex-Mex is practically non-existent, this is one of your best options above all others.  So for a BOSTON restaurant serving Tex-Mex I am giving this place four stars.  Especially because they make their own chips and they are pretty tasty.  And they have yummy margaritas. Still what kind of restaurant claims to be Tex-Mex but doesn't serve refried black beans?!
3 - Justin N.: Cheap n' cheesy!

Side note, isn't claiming to be "Authentic Tex-Mex" saying you're authentically fake?  Ahem, anyway.

The food is plentiful, tasty, and cheap, especially considering the other options in Harvard Square.  It has also improved since I ate here several years ago, and the margaritas seem to be bigger and tastier.

One problem is that  this place is always packed at dinner time, often with irritating students and/or their irritating families.  But if you come at times other than the dinner rush, you're good to go.

Bottom Line: Cheap, tasty eats, but not GREAT and the atmosphere can tend toward annoying.  Good margaritas.  3 stars.
5 - Kerry G.: i LOVE border. it's insane, crazy, loud, wild, but worth it. (if you're going for a quiet romantic dinner, think again.)  crazy cheap and crazy good. the vegetarian selections are delicious. i love the corn and black bean empanadas (the sauce they put on them is so addicting). the chips that they serve hot, their salsa, their ridonculously cheap guacamole (and a huge portion at that) are great. the fact that the margaritas are so cheap is obviously a bonus also. i've been coming here since i was young and i don't plan on changing that...
4 - S E.: I went there with a friend this place is much fun if you are a big group pf people .. enjoy urself guys : )
3 - Lisa S.: Border Cafe has a great location in Harvard Square. On weekend nights, this place gets packed. I went on a Thursday night and it was busy but not overly so. It does get a bit loud- the ambiance is more of a loud/crowd atmosphere. The tables are pretty packed in, and there is an upstairs and a downstairs. I always think that their seating method is weird- when you walk in, the hostess will give you a slip of paper, tell you to go downstairs and hand it to the downstairs hostess.

They give you a free basket of chips and some salsa. We ordered fried shrimp for an appetizer (amazing, I actually want more). The sauce was delicious. My friend ordered a fish (which she said she enjoyed) and I ordered fajitas. I told him that I couldn't eat dairy, and he actually went back into the kitchen and asked them in detail about dairy. He was worried because they cooked in butter- but I told him a little wouldn't hurt me, as long as I didn't eat a lot of creamy sauce or a hunk of cheese, I'd be okay. I was really appreciative of the fact that he went out of his way for me. My chicken fajitas were basic and good, and I couldn't finish them. But to be honest, it is pretty hard to mess up fajitas. I also ordered 2 Patron Margaritas- and they were amazingly delicious and made me happy. 

After the meal, we went to the bathroom, and it smelled so strongly of vomit, that we had to leave the bathroom immediately to stop from throwing up ourselves from the smell. I guess somebody drank a bit too many margaritas at 9pm on a Thursday?

Overall, if you are looking for somewhere in Harvard Square to relax, have a few margaritas, and get some good, basic, not super exciting Mexican food in a casual environment... then this is your place. Don't expect more, and you will leave happy and satiated!
1 - Nathan F.: I ate RAW chicken. It was the "Chicken Guadalajara," and I ate half of the cheese covered monstrosity before discovering that it's gooey center was raw chicken. The waitress and manager were horrified, and offered me to order something else off the menu. Meh, I don't think so.  It is about three hours later and my belly is broiling. How disgusting. I would not eat there again.

The place served undercooked, poisonous chicken. How hard is it to cook some chicken???
3 - Derek W.: Restaurants that have a limited "late night" menu are a pet peeve of mine. The food is the same as the other Border Cafes, which is to say good, cheap, and unhealthy. I must say our waitress was fantastic, which was definitely the high point of a visit that was otherwise disappointing.
2 - Alison M.: Decent food (good but not great), great prices.  However they card everyone at all times - I happened to forget my license and, even though I am much older than 21 (and clearly look like it), they would not serve me.  So annoying!
4 - Cornelius V.: this is as good as it gets for cheap tex mex. i'm not even going to bother getting into it considering the other 659 reviews. 

and the opportunity to upgrade your margarita to tradicional for a $1 more? uh, yeahhhhhhhh!

while back home, all i can do is wish they even sold tradicional here.
4 - John H.: I went here for lunch.  The place was busy but not too busy.  They give the table a big bowl of chips and salsa to snack on before the meal comes.  I got a pulled beef burro which came with beans and rice.  The rice was a bit spicy but really good.  The burro was covered in melted cheese and stuffed with pulled beef which could have been pulled better but I do like chunks of beef.  Overall a great meal.

The server was very nice and refilled our drinks as soon as they got low.
4 - Aromy X.: Out of 400 and so reviews, what difference will my review make? Well if it doesn't... then on well. But let me try anyway... 

I've moved to London, and was visiting Boston for a few days. I was suffering from total Mexican food deprivation anxiety. Growing up in Southern California and then moving to a country where Mexican food costs 5 times the amount it should... was driving my taste buds insane. 

My friend brought me here to cheer me up. Though we both knew the further you get from Mexico the worst Mexican food gets if there isn't a Mexican community, but I seriously needed a fix. When coming to border Cafe, I was happy they also did Cajun food! Something else London seriously lacks. When our food came out, all of it was hot, spicy, and delicious. Unlimited chips and salsa was a total plus! Though it wasn't the kind of Mexican food that I'm used to (carne asada fries/ CA burritos), I was still very satisfied!
4 - Jonny K.: My favorite stop for tex-mex in the boston area.   When you finally grab a table at this place you'll be greeted warmly and provided with a large batch of freshly fried chips and salsa.   Nearly all items on the menu are priced below what any reasonable restaurant would charge for the same amount of food.  I'm not sure how they do it, but I suspect they make money selling alcohol.   

The service is normally extremely fast with entrees flying out of the kitchen 5-10 minutes after being ordered.  The sodas are served in gigantic plastic cups and refills are normally provided before you can even make it halfway through your drink. 

I've sampled quite a few dishes here, burgers, salads, enchiladas, fish tacos, steak, quesadillas, and fajitas, but I have to say the best entree at this place is the gulf seafood enchilada.  You get two soft flour tortillas filled with chunks of crawfish and shrimp and cheese which is baked and covered with a cajun spiced cheese sauce with chunks of crabmeat.  It also comes with a decent side of jumbalaya.  I'd stay alway from the fajitas, it's strange, but they don't use any peppers in the fajitas, just fried onions which detracted from the taste quite a bit.
5 - Christine D.: Just updating to say that Border Cafe is still my favorite restaurant in the world! 

I miss the smells! 
I miss the best margaritas i've ever had!
I miss the ambience!
I miss the amazing options- specifically craving chips and chille relleno.

Can someone send me some in New Orleans?
4 - Vivian H.: For a Tex-Mex place, it sure is popular! & understandably so. The complementary chips were addicting. The fajitas seem to be a favorite, and the fish tacos were very flavorful. My cajun burger more than hit the spot (with lots of lovely crispy fries!), though I probably should have gone with the recommended medium instead of med-rare because my stomach didn't feel so well after the meal.

I loveeee jambalaya but not Border's version, which made me very sad. I tried the strawberry margarita too, which was yummy but not amazing.. I miss Philly's Mad4!!

It was super crowded so we had to wait like 15 mins to be seated but service was very fast and friendly!
3 - Anastasia R.: If you are having one of those days where your racing thoughts about paint swatches and when you will possibly find the time to paint your 10 foot ceilings before winter, go to Border Cafe. 

Why? 

Because it's cheap, filling, sloppy, terrible for you, and LOUD! Between your date having to yell to talk to you, the other patrons yelling to talk to each other, the sound of the free tortilla chips crunching in your head, and chewing the ice from your margarita, the sound of your worries will be drown out and washed away in no time. 

The service is always great, especially Meagan (sorry if i got the spelling wrong) and i always know exactly what to expect when i walk in. I would probably eat baby seal if boarder blackened it and served it with jumbalaya. 

Good dirty tex-mex fun.
5 - Tara G.: My bf took me here because he knows I love Mexican food, and this is by far one of the greatest restaurants I've ever been to, if it's not my absolute favorite! Ordered the blackened chicken fajitas.. Incredible, best tasting chicken I've ever had! And our waiter was so great we left him a 50% tip! Also very inexpensive for the quantity and quality! We had leftovers for dinner tonight! We'll be back next week!! :))) 
-Also, the steaming hot homemade chips with salsa are deliciouss!
4 - Adrienne M.: This was one of our go-to places to eat out in college, so I have fond memories, but I think the food is actually pretty decent.  I'm a huge fan of the chips that they start your meal with - I think they are just perfectly greasy and delicious, and I've never found chips I like anywhere else quite as much.  The entrees themselves are mostly standard mexican fare - fajitas, burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas.   It's nothing innovative, but as others have said, the portions are big, the price is low and the food is pretty good.  
Also, love love love the frozen sangria here!  Some friends took me here to have it right after I turned 21 and I didn't even get carded (only time that's happened before or since, by the way)!  So that was disappointing, but the sangria itself is amazing.  It's slushy and smoothie-like, not just like sangria on ice.
Atmosphere is loud but fun, and I recall really liking the music (I think they played a lot of country).  It's not a good place to go for a quiet dinner, but its an awesome place for groups.
5 - Samantha M.: Ma ma ma margaritas! Mmm, delicious. Love their salsa and accompanying chips, enchiladas & the cajun burger. Great atmosphere, it always seems to be busy here.
5 - Madhvi S.: Are you a poor undergrad/grad student looking for a cheap place to eat and drink? Are you a well-paid business person looking for some fun and friends? Border Cafe has it all!

I don't even like margaritas and I could drink 4 of these (but I'd probably have to get carried out after the 2nd one). The food is irresistibly good! I'm vegetarian and if I think the veggie options are the kind of stuff I dream about, then the meat stuff muuust be delectable. As gross as this might sound, I could probably eat the guac with a spoon and no chips. I always get the cheese enchiladas which are yum. They come with a side of rice and beans, which are also great AND vegetarian (sometimes they put pork fat/juice/slobber/whatever in the beans and that really pisses me off). My friend ordered the corn and black bean empanadas, which are my new favorite. Everything tastes so good and is so cheap! We all ate to our full AND had a good amount of leftovers and only paid around 8 dollars each. 

This place gets really busy at night and they don't take reservations. Be prepared to wait 30-40 minutes. It also gets really really loud, so it isn't a bring-a-date kind of place, although how many Tex-Mex restaurants are? 

If you haven't gone to this place...GO!
5 - Derek C.: DISCLAIMER:   If you're looking for a quiet, romantic spot to enjoy a polite dish and uncomfortable getting-to-know-you banter, then just go somewhere else.  Seriously - go away now!   If you're out to have fun, enjoy some great drinks and food, served with love, then RUN, don't walk, RUN to the Border!

This place has become the go-to spot over the last dozen years, for friends' birthdays and hope to keep it that way for the long haul. It's the perfect blend of excitement, loud decor, tasty margaritas and wonderful food that really brings out the festive side in us all.  If Patricia is your server, then you're in doubly good hands!

If it's youre first time then follow these guidelines:

Repeat after me  -   Gold.   Rocks.   Salt.    Ok, good.  Drinks are set.
Appetizer:   Crawfish popcorn (order two!)
Entree:   Fajitas.  The Cadillac fajitas are definitely worth the extra couple bucks and if you're feeling saucy, go with the shrimp.  
  
Careful not to make the fatal mistake of filling up on chips y salsa! Since you're most likely going to, don't feel bad - it's inevitable.

The blackened catfish, chicken waco and cajun ribeye are all must-haves and if you really want to pull out all stops, but I highly recommend fajitas first time around.    There are solid vegetarian options too, so any freaks....er....non-meat eaters, please take heart there offerings available for you.    

God put The Border Cafe on this earth for a reason and that reason is to make our lives a better place. I mean, why else would you want to lick salsa off the menu?
4 - Julie B.: I always go into Mexican places with a little apprehension; it feels like I just always end up being disappointed. Embarrassingly enough, I have never been to a Mexican place that was able to live up to Taco Bell (pathetic, I know). Until now! 

I went to Border Cafe to celebrate a birthday with 6 friends. We were sat at a  big round table - love it, no one sits on the end! - and served with HUGE glasses of water (I'm in heaven) and like 10 baskets of chips and salsa. A couple people ordered margaritas and we all ordered some variety of enchiladas, burros, tacos, and fajitas. I ordered a pulled beef soft taco and cheese enchilada with beans & rice and a diet coke. The diet coke also came in a gigantic glass and came with free refills (I literally think I drank 2 liters worth of soda...)! The taco was REALLY good, and I was so happy that it was able to stand up to T-Bell. The enchilada was pretty good, basically a pile of cheese. The beans and rice were also good - but the spiciness levels across the table seemed to be a little inconsistent. Some of my friends could barely eat their meals because they were so spicy, meanwhile I was dowsing mine in hot sauce.

Overall, the place was fun and the food is cheap and filling. The t ride from Boston to Cambridge is annoying as hell but I may just do it again for Border :)
4 - Kevin C.: Fish.  Fucking.  Tacos.  

There simply aren't enough restaurants that make fish tacos, much less ones that make them well.  This is a restaurant that does.

Border Cafe itself is jam-packed; it's full of aspiring law students, undergrads, and the occasional young professional.  We waited 15 minutes in line to get in, but we were quick to get served and the waitress was very friendly.  

But enough about that bullshit - you want to know about the fish tacos.  Well, let me tell you, they're jam-packed with flavor, mixed with some kind of lime mayo sauce, and there's more than enough of it to go around.  It's probably not the best fish, but it's made so well who gives a shit?  Do yourself a favor and go here now.
4 - Louis B.: Went there today for a class lunch and was absolutely impressed.  Even though we had almost 90 people in attendance, the service was quick, friendly and efficient.  First thing that came out was the Hot chips with salsa and you could stuff yourself silly with those.  Then we had the popcorn shrimp and they were out of this world good.  Well, in Mass. language, "Wicked Good"....  The fajitas that came afterwards were awesome.  There was more food in there than any of us could eat.  

The staff, again, did their very best to make sure we were happy.  And they had very happy customers.  Encore in the making~!
4 - Brook T.: I loooooooooooove me some Border.  For any occasion my first thought would be "It's a good time to eat at Border!".

The food & drinks are delicious, fast and cheap. The are able to sit large parties comfortably and the staff is always on top of everything and friendly.

The taco salad is what I always go for. It is what every taco salad should be. Don't get me started on the chip bowl it comes it. You could just eat that as a meal.

The chips and salsa always come out warm and fresh. They are so yummy that I always fill up on them before my food even arrives. 

The only thing holding me back from 5 stars is that fact they don't do reservations and they don't seat (usually) until you whole party has arrived. I understand why this is but it still kind of sucks. 

Good thing Border is worth the wait because on a Friday or Sat night you WILL be waiting.
3 - Alvin C.: Good affordable Mexican food!  It gets a bit crowded at night from Thursday - Saturday, but that is because the drinks are big and the chips are hot. If it was not so crowded, I would give it a few more stars, but that slows down getting in and eating.
4 - Paula J.: I like Border Cafe. They have great food, and very good service.

I sat at the bar once with a friend, and asked for a non-alcoholic drink, and the bartender made me the best citrus-y drink ever!!! I didn't get the name of it, but it was still good....

Big fan of the bartender, Richard!!!! 

GO BORDER CAFE!!
4 - Daniel L.: The food here can be a little expensive, but is well worth it. Great for a date or special occasion. Keep in mind this restaurant is always busy.
4 - Nina N.: I love this place. The food is great. The prices are super reasonable, and the service is great. It's a great neighborhood go-to for dinner any night. Although Fridays are always a complete and total shit show. The place is PACKED. The margaritas and guac alone are worth going for.

Although-- you might have to burn your clothes when you leave. You'll stink to high heaven.
4 - Samantha E.: Crazy packed almost every weekend but the food and drinks are reasonably priced and the atmosphere is kinda fun. I would definitely recommend the guacamole (got a bit of a kick to it!) and the chicken soft tacos (sounds generic but they're ultra tasty!!!) The jambalaya side dish ain't bad either.
1 - P b.: If I could give zero stars I will. There is something more important than food, service and atmosphere and that is human dignity and respect for society and for that Border Cafe failed.

I just came back from my probably 60th visit to Border cafe (been living in the Boston area for 4 years and been going at least once a month-often more) and my fiance ate at Borders twice a month-for over 15 years. The food is mediocre but it is cheap and convenient located near our home.

All of that changed today. There was a man who was clearly homeless sitting at the table across from us. Dirty clothes, full beard you know you probably seen him panhandling in Harvard but with looks alone you can't deny him service so they served him-food and a drink that looks like it could be vodka/tonic or gin/tonic. We were sitting at the table by the wait staff and manager and the entire time the manager (man with curly hair) was laughing and making fun of him to the point that it made my fiance and I feel uncomfortable. The man ate his food, drank his alcohol beverage and tried to walk out without paying.

I rushed to his side offered to pay his tab-but the manager laughed at me and said "aside from not paying his tab he is intoxicated" and I respond "well so are the college kids that come here" and he said "he is worse off than that" and I said "I have seen many college girls in the bathroom puking and not able to stand up straight. This man is able to walk and to me he does not seem to have any impairments in his cognitive skills but if you think he is intoxicated they WHY DID YOU SERVE HIM!!???" the manager responded by saying that the police was already called and right then the Cambridge police officer came in and took him out quietly without the man causing any problems. He was later arrested and is now sitting in a prison. 

Sometimes you have to choose a restaurant not by your taste buds but by your heart. Time for businesses to be more in tune of the need of society. This man is suffering from a severe mental issue and obviously has an addiction problem and now he has a misdemeanor added to his long list of problems. How about allow a stranger to buy a homeless man a meal or better yet a restaurant that is most certainly not hurting financially can do the right thing and offer a man a free meal? That way a man that got the shorter end of the stick on life can leave with a belly full of food and a good feeling in his heart that people actually do care.

It can do wonders for business to see a company reaching out to the less fortunate it beats having police officers walking around your business.

My fiance and myself won't be returning.
3 - Kim L.: After 1.5 years in the Medford/Cambridge area, I'm surprised I never popped in here. The place is large (upstairs and downstairs) and serves a good amount of food for the price (blackened chicken for $8.92). Sangria was pretty damn good-I left in excellent spirits. This is not an upscale place by any means, but it's fun and good value. even tthe water cups are ginormous!
5 - Brian D.: There's no one thing about the Border that's a 5 star certainty.  The margaritas are good, but I've had better.  The location is good, but parking is so-so.  The service is decent, but a little unpredictable.  The food?  Well, that actually is pretty good, but it could probably be healthier and a little less greasy.

I'm not giving the Border 5 stars because it's the best restaurant I've been to.  I'm giving it 5 stars because it's my favorite restaurant.

The Border is all about the intangibles.  The atmosphere is warm, entertaining, raucous and welcoming.  The chips they serve are usually hot and greasy right out the the fryer and liberally salted.  I usually require a big, icy Coke with my favorite meals and they never disappoint with large glasses that get refilled with no prompting at all.  And the food is tasty!  Especially the Shrimp and Crawfish Quesadilla, the Jim Bowie Filet Mignon and the Fish Tacos.

In fact, for many years my favorite Sunday afternoon involved a "brunch" of a Quesadilla at the Border followed by a Malted Vanilla ice cream cone at Herrell's (R.I.P.).

When I think of the Border I think of a little piece of home.  Of long debates with friends over the queso, of confusing out-of-towners by convincing them this is authentic New England cuisine, of nights in the Square and brisk fall days.  I remember the good meals I've had there and the bad, and I think of all of them fondly.
4 - Robin G.: We're really picky about Mexican food and this was delicious. We always get vegetarian but the beans and cheese were perfection. The only things I was disappointed by were the variety of beer they offered and the chips were not fantastic.
5 - Yishai M.: A Festivus of Tex Mexivus for the Restovus 

All I can say is that they should teach a class to other restaurants in how to do it right!   

Consistent good food, service, and value.  Seriously, how often can you actually say that about a place? 

I first went to Border 15 years ago - the Harvard Sq. one, and I had no idea there were other locations.    I now go to the Saugus location mostly, but it's still the same great combo platter of good.

You'd think i would have had at least one bad experience considering i've eaten there many dozens of times for over a decade - alas, I have nothing to report.   Every time I get the food I'm pumped, because you know it's going to be good.   Service is fast, and seems somehow to be even faster when they are busy - which is most of the time.   I don't usually get alcohol, but the enormous ice teas and sodas are constantly replenished by the servers, which is great if you need to rehydrate.

Perhaps the biggest stand out about 'Border'  is the raw value for the food.   Not to say I would go there if the food sucked and it was a good deal, but the food doesn't suck and it is a good deal. Win/Win!!

Like I said - other restaurants out there - check it out, you might learn something.   (if you can get a table, that is)
4 - Winnie Y.: When I first got here, I thought oh its just another typical restaurant like tgi friday's or applebee's. But no, the food is pretty good. They first serve you chips and salsa which were warm and crunchy. 

The food I ordered was catfish with jambalaya and corn bread. I also had the popcorn shrimp as an appetizer. The catfish was cooked just right- not overcooked or undercooked and was crispy too with the flak of crust. The popcorn shrimp's crust was also good- it definitely did not taste like the ones from KFC or applebee's. It was much better. The jambalaya I thought tasted similar to chinese fried rice. But maybe that is just my interpretation. 

From all the places, I've been to so far- the food was inexpensive and good. Good meaning that it tasted like a home cooked meal and not mediocre. The service was good too, the waiter kept coming around to ask if we needed anything. I guess the bad part is bringing it home and reheating it. The food definitely changed then lol. And we also had to wait in line for a bit, but it wasn't terribly too long. I would definitely recommend it to other people.
3 - Brandon B.: Been here twice and the second time was better than the salty first time. Margaritas are super good, but the food is just ok. Not really mexican but propabaly the best you will get around Cambridge.
5 - Andy L.: I've been going here my whole life, and this is where I'd barricade myself if WWIII broke out. This is the only restaurant where my family can take me and we will have a somewhat upbeat interaction. I'm emotionally distant with my family.

Free chips, here they come. If you're a newbie, you will fill yourself up before your meal, because the waiter will refill them ad infinitum. The pints of soda you can order seemed larger than life when I was a kid. If you finish one, you will be peeing very soon!

Come to think of it, in the decades I've been coming here, I've only really ordered the enchiladas, burritos, or fajitas. I love the cheese-melted enchiladas the best, because whichever meat you put inside there will be well-cooked. Mix up the cheese, meat, beans and lettuce on the side to give yourself a different-textured forkful each time!

Given how popular and crowded the place is, the service keeps it all together pretty well. I have never witnessed a waiter tripping and scalding an elderly couple with a fajita platter, for example.

This is my end-all be-all dining experience. If you dine downstairs, the beaten-up wood booths and tables let you pretend you're in the hold of a ship, if you so desire. I can imagine it being pretty romantic.
4 - Sheila S.: Linda E and I have been here several times for very large group events. They do an great job being very accommodating, with several day's advance notice of course. Also,  the service never suffers regardless of how many tables we occupy.

As far as the food - if you're not expecting Mexican (note that the Yelp categories are "Tex-Mex" and "Cajun/Creole") then the food is consistently very good. If you're expecting authentic Southern California Mexican food, as I once was, you'll be disappointed.

Oh, and the chips always arrive to the table piping HOTT.
4 - Tyson F.: Definitely the go-to spot if you're looking for good quality, inexpensive Mexican.  

I can't say I've ever been blown away by anything on the menu, but the prices and portion sizes simply can't be beat.  

The insanely-addictive, complimentary chips and salsa appetizer is almost worth the trip by itself.  

Being in Harvard Square, It gets pretty packed, so make sure you give yourself enough time, call ahead, or be prepared to wait a bit for a table.
4 - Abdulrahman B.: Been there twice. I love their seafood Enchilada. Its a dish that makes me wantta come again. I want to try their fajita coz it looks so good. I like their decoration and the staff are friendly.
4 - Corwin P.: This place is great for margs and generic "tex-mex" cuisine. Recommended for the generous chips and salsa... good and filling quesadillas and fajitas.. doesn't touch Texas but for Boston it gets a 4/5...beware at busy times this place will have a line of Harvard's finest filled to the brim with their semesterly allotment of Smirnoff ices and Busch Light.
4 - Ella C.: Love the margaritas here, and for years I don't think I even knew there was a restaurant attached to the bar.  

The food is tasty and there's enough diversity to keep a group happy.  They're also REALLY good with handling allergies, so I highly recommend eating here.

Oh, the tortilla chips are GLUTEN FREE!!!!!!!!!!  It's so nice to know that when you're super hungry there's something on the table that's safe to eat.
4 - Anastasia L.: Thank you, Border Cafe, for handling my large group of 40 coworkers with aplomb!  They are picky eaters but they were very happy with the quality of the food and especially the speed of the service.  

The only downside was you messed up my manager's order so I hope she doesn't hold it against me.

In all seriousness, I only make it here maybe once a year, and every time it is perfectly fine as the over-the-top Tex-Mex decor and huge plates of enchiladas.  I've never been hugely thrilled with the Cajun food but the fresh warm salty tortilla chips are pretty awesome.  

Also a great place to bring friends for ridiculously huge margaritas or buckets of beer.  Really really crazy busy on weekend nights.
5 - christine c.: Such good and CHEAP margaritas and food... but you already knew that.

What you don't know is how amazing the burgers are.
How fresh the guacamole is. How many of those goddamn chips I could eat...

I've never been disappointed with this place. Portions are HUGE and drinks are great. Go! NOW!
5 - Michelle P.: The food and drinks at Border Cafe are all so addicting!  I just keep coming back for more.  Where to start?

They start you off with the complimentary fresh chips and salsa.  If you run out, they'll replace it!  The guacamole is especially good for an app.

Main course, I know there are other good items on the menu, but I am simply OBSESSED with the pulled beef enchilada with a side of fries, add in the guacamole and sour cream.  SO GOOD!  (Yes, I replace the rice and beans with the fries.  Worth it?  Definitely.)

Drinks, I love how they serve waters and sodas in giant glasses that will last you the entire meal (unless you're really thirsty...).  When I'm in the mood to "drink", you can't go wrong with their margaritas, frozen sangrias, or the hurricane (deadly and oh so fruitfully good).  

Best part?  It's so CHEAP!  

Tip: I've noticed that every time we show up in a big group (5+), we get seated faster than the smaller groups.
4 - Colette H.: When it's freezing cold and dreary in Harvard Square, the first place I head is Border Cafe!

I am greeted by warmth, light, celebration, and the delicious smell of greasy chips. And there is no place in the Square or on campus that I'd rather be.

CHEAP. FLAVORFUL. FUN.

I adore their fajitas for 2, their chimichurri steak, and their cheesy chorizo appetizer. This is all after I down a gigantic, potent marg and atleast one basket of chips. No, this is not the best texmex to walk the planet, but it's great for what it is! Especially amidst the austerity, pretension, or expense of many places in the Square.

Come here to escape winter and/or the doldrums. So worth it!
2 - Ja H.: I think it's bland, over-salted Tex-Mex. I'd rather seek out the Mex-Mex is neighboring areas.
3 - Tobias S.: Warning: bring a change of clothes. The smell of grease and tacos is so strong that you're going to stink of it for the rest of the night. Also beware arriving on the weekend with a large group - the wait can be brutal.

But, once you get inside, the food is cheap and basic. The atmosphere is fun and lively, and the margaritas will make you forget it all.

Order at the bar with Alessandri, the best bartender in the world, and she'll help you forget that you're about to eat at the lovechild of Taco Bell and Cheesecake Factory.
4 - Anette F.: Let me just say that being born and raised in California, you have HIGH standards for Mexican food. When I moved to Boston, for the life of me, I could not find a restaurant that came close to Border Cafe. Although it is a mixture of Tex-Mex food, it was the closest taste to home. The chips are extremely addictive, the service is great and the prices are good. They have a good selection and it is worth the walk to get here.
4 - Christine C.: This place is pretty great. While admittedly being the food snob I am, I scoffed at their claim of being "authentic," but the food was still good!

Even if it isn't truly authentic, the flavors of the dishes were good enough for me. In addition, the mix of offering Cajun along with Mexican food...??? Weird!!! (Hint: their tex-mex stuff is infinitely better than cajun.)

This is straight up Tex-Mex inspired goodies. Once you sit down you are welcomed with friendly service and super hot n fresh chips and salsa!

The margaritas are at fair prices and delicious! And don't hold back the liquor. Sip on one for sure, it'll do you good.

The soup special was a Portuguese Shrimp, very nom-tasting! And kept me warm on a snowy day.

Beef enchiladas were quite tasty. Meat was flavorful, it wasn't too cheesy, and the whole package was filling and delicious. Unfortunately I picked a side of Jambalaya, which was not good at all. If I come back next time I'd definitely stick to their Mexican foods.

Atmosphere is also pretty great, and while some of the food wasn't that great, the things they did well were quite good. And the service can't be beat!
3 - Amy P.: I WAS a big fan of the Border-having been coming here for years with my (then) boyfriend and (now) husband. The food is consistently good (fajitas,quesadillas, and jambalaya all solid) but honestly the best reason for coming here is the hot chips and salsa AND (of course)  the margaritas! The atmosphere is fun (when your not being pushed around while waiting for a table-which happens quite often) and the staff, 95% of the time is extremely friendly and accommodating. I do have to say their demotion from a solid 4-star status is primarily based on being hugely disappointed today when I tried to arrange a birthday dinner for my husband and about 30-40 of our friends in a couple weeks. They take reservations under no circumstances! What can I say-I'm bitter. But thishas seriously been a  drawback when choosing a location for social gatherings. If you've gone there on a weekend night you know how crowded the extremely small bar/waiting area can be. If you haven't experienced the holding pen-BEWARE. I was told we could stand around and they would seat us as soon as the entire party arrived but frankly the thought of that arrangement completely stresses me out! In any case, I know I'll get over it  and once my arm is twisted- return again!
2 - Julia F.: I used to like Border Cafe a lot more than I do these days. I've been going there with decent regularity for the last... 5(+?) years now, and the past few times that I've gone, it just wasn't fantastic. It's a place that suits me better for large groups of people who are getting all rowdy and drinking a lot - then they put you downstairs and your bill is outrageous, no matter how average the pricing seems upon arrival. 

The last time I was here was in the summer, we sat upstairs, three of us. The AC vent dripped all over our drinks and our food... we didn't get moved to another table, nor did we get our soggy food comp'd... uh. Brilliant. They must scrub those 12" ducts every night, so there's nothing to fear, right? That was a huge turn off.

The portions are large and the food is pretty good, the chips and salsa are good, the wait can be a bit overwhelmingly long --- at which point I usually choose to leave, cause, american tex-mex can be had elsewhere with a shorter wait time, kids! I don't have time for silly pagers.
2 - Jeffrey K.: Harvard Square on the (whichever) Red Line!

I'd file this one under "completely generic, unimpressive, americanized TexMex." This place must get all its business from the tourists milling around Harvard. It's pretty hard to screw up mexican food -- it's meat, with some beans, veggies, and cheese, wrapped in a tortilla -- but this place managed to scrape the bottom of the barrel. 

Lame, yellowy, crowded, atmosphere. They screwed up a two-chicken-soft-tacos order by bringing out one-chicken-one-beef-taco. The salsa was uninspiring, the chips were cold and stale. 

I'd say this place is not worth the trip. Go to Sol Azteca instead.
4 - Andrea P.: Nothing beats a basket (or 10) of warm, salty, freshly made tortilla chips and salsa. I dream of these chips... Probably because the servers at Border bring basket after basket until you're not even hungry for your meal anymore. In a good way. 

I get it- the salsa is a little generic, and the food isn't the most authentic Tex-Mex around. But everything is still really flavorful and reasonably priced. 

The only disappointment I've had there was with the staff, which sometimes seems a bit "green." They are always friendly, but not always the most attentive or seasoned in certain situations. By no means is the service bad though, so don't be alarmed. Just be prepared for some hiccups here and there. 

Border is also a great place for groups, especially larger parties. I've been here numerous times in groups of 5 or more, and they have always been accommodating. On the downside, there are no reservations, so be prepared to wait. 

And PS- skip the sangria here.  There's always a disappointing lack or fruit and flavor.  The margaritas are much better!
4 - Zainab A.: I'm surprised I haven't been to Border Cafe before. It's definitely a restaurant that has a wait, it's huge and usually packed. The food though is really great. I went right after new years, (and with resolutions) it was hard to try find something to eat while being health conscious but that can be a plus or minus depending on your situation.

I love love loved the the hot chips they bring out, definitely get the salsa con queso along with it. I ordered the New Orleans catfish which was a huge piece of fish that was super delicious. I couldn't finish it in one sitting but it made for delicious leftovers. Definitely try the margaritas too!

The atmosphere is fun and great for groups. I would definitely go back and try some more items from the menu.
5 - Amy B.: It seems like you either love or hate Border Cafe. I'm firmly in the former camp, having enjoyed nothing more than a delicious Border Cafe burrito since my high school days nearly 20 years ago. Border has a couple things going for it:

1. Fun, casual atmosphere. This is a place where it's totally ok to be loud and have fun with your friends.

2. Really inexpensive! Most menu items are under $10 including sides, and very generously sized. In the Boston area, this is a great deal.

3. Tasty food. I agree with other reviewers that Border Cafe in no way serves authentic Tex-Mex or Creole food. But that doesn't mean it doesn't taste good! My favorites include the aforementioned burrito, enchilada, and quesadilla, as well as the lemon-pepper chicken. I have several friends who swear by the fish tacos. And if you want a delicious heart attack in a skillet, try the chorizo flambado appetizer. Plus, the hot tortilla chips and salsa served complimentary are usually pretty good too.

4. Tasty drinks. Good margaritas, fairly good selection of Mexican beers. If you're not drinking alcohol, the soft drinks are ENORMOUS with free refills.

5. The crowd. This location of Border (as opposed to the one on Rt. 1) caters more to the college and young professional crowd. While you do see kids at lunchtime, the evening crowd is primarily grown up. The Rt. 1 location caters to families and has helium balloons, coloring books, etc. I appreciate the more grown-up atmosphere here.

6. Even waits are not usually ridiculous. They don't take reservations and so yes, I've had to wait to be seated, sometimes as long as 45 minutes if I'm with a bigger group. But you can always snag a delicious margarita at the bar, pop over to the Starbucks across the street for a pre-dinner coffee, or window shop at some of the stores on Church St. (not too far or your beeper will be out of range). I also find they usually seat you before the estimate provided.

On the negative side, parking is tough (but that's why God invented the T!). 

Is this gourmet food? No. Is it a fun, affordable place to enjoy tasty food and strong drinks with your pals? Absolutely. Do it.
5 - Johnna M.: Loud. Messy. Tacky. Fun. Cheap. This is how I would describe the type of crew with which I generally roll. This is also how I would describe The Border Cafe. You know what? The Border can totally be a part of my crew. We have a long and complicated history involving many a date night, my first interaction with Yelpers and a late night two hour singalong with a bunch a strangers (including a man peeing outside of his car) and Laura K. 

Throughout it all, the Border has been consistantly awesome. Cheap and strong margaritas, great fajitas and tacos, endless chips and salsa and the option to enjoy delicious jamabalya instead of rice and beans. Never changing, always great. 

So when the time came to enjoy a quiet birthday dinner with a few of my closest friends, I totally called my crew, had the Border call their crew, and we could rendezvous at the bar around two. By this I mean, I snagged table for twelveish. Because my friends are never calm and quiet and neither is The Border. Provided it was a not so busy Monday but their ability to handle us astonished me. The tequila shots were flowing, the chips were being devoured, and the group was growing (my crew rolls deeper than planned). The staff remained friendly and sometimes downright sassy in the best of ways. 

Oh and my one tee-totaling friend got to witness the madness over a gigantic non alcoholic beverage. Seriously, their cups are bigger than Pam Anderson's. 

All to a fantastically cheesy country/1950s soundtrack.
5 - Chris E.: This place is AWESOME for groups. On the weekends there is usually a wait, but you can usually squeeze in at the bar... plus it just builds suspense, right?

The food is good, the drinks are priced fairly, the free chips and salsa are excellent, and the atmosphere is fun! Go here with people!!
4 - Juli W.: This place is great for lunch or dinner (same menu). They've got additional seating downstairs, but upstairs is far better. Their homemade chips are always served warm with their spicy salsa - and it's easy to fill up on that before your meal arrives. I love their beef enchiladas, beans and rice - all that with a soda for under $10. Service is usually pretty good too. They do get the crowds, so be ready for a wait at times - especially on the weekends..
4 - Susan K.: With three other girlfriends, we went to this place on a Friday night. It was packed. Loud western music, low lighting, and the place was alive. It did take a while for us to get seated but there had to be a reason why this place was packed besides the start of the weekend. 

Don't be deceived when you first walk in...there is a downstairs too with a bunch of seats. We were seated downstairs in a nice booth. Our waiter was a fast worker. Quickly got our drinks, the chips and dips (YES), and our order. It made the place fast -paced. 

The endless chips were so good. They were so warm when you first get it...right from the kitchen. Fresh chips = delicious. I couldn't stop eating it. Four of us girls killed the first basket of chips. 

I ordered the taco and enchilada combo with the jumbalaya rice...for only $7 and the dish was huge! I couldn't finish it. We also got a side fries and they were thin and crispy...just the way I like it. The food was cheap and delicious. Very flavorful and not too greasy or fatty. 

I would definitely come back with friends. Its a good place to just hang out, chill, and eat. The atmosphere is alive, fun, and loud. I wouldn't recommend this place if you want a quiet, intimate dinner with someone.
5 - Jeremy P.: I love this place.  The drinks are cheap and have plenty of booze; a Cointreau margarita for 6 bucks?  Gimme gimme.  The food is also well priced, with good sized portions and loads of flavor to boot.  The service is always good despite the sheer business volume that this place cranks out.  I always show excitement when one of my friend's suggest this place.  Honestly, getting a good meal and a good buzz for 20 bucks can be a rarity in Cambridge.  Highly recommended.
4 - Jill C.: Awesome place to get together with some girls and margaritas.  Great ambiance- not giving it 5 stars because the wait is sometimes long and the food is good but not great.
4 - Courtney H.: I took a couple of friends here from out of town, and I was really happy with it.  I am always complaining about how Boston doesn't have any good Mexican restaurants like the South.  This place finally had what I was looking for!  I'm sure the Cajun food is great also, but I stuck to the Mexican.

The guac was great and I liked the queso as well.  I got a salad and I loved it!  I'll definitely be back to eat some more of this delicious food!  

The only thing that would be better is if they had draft beer!
5 - Colin B.: Our go-to place for margaritas.  First of all, they're cheap. Second of all, they're delicious.  I opt to add the Jose Cuervo for an extra $1, so that you know you're getting at least a shot's worth of booze, and not a cup full of sour mix.   And I'm pretty sure, it's still only $6 -- which is craziness.

The food is pretty good too.  Chips and salsa are addicting and we've never had a bad meal.  

It can get busy, but sitting at the bar waiting is not at all unpleasant.
3 - Jessie K.: I've been going to Border Cafe for years and it has a special place in my heart. The food is good - not amazing, but solid. It can get pretty packed on a weekend night, but that's to be expected in Harvard Square. I've never waited an obscene amount of time, and you can usually squeeze your way up to the bar to get a delicious margarita that's the size of your face. 

I've also had consistently good service. Once the waitress/kitchen messed up my order twice and when it finally came out correctly she promptly let me know that I wouldn't be charged for it, and to enjoy the food. Also, a manager then came over to make sure I was happy with my order, which was a nice gesture.
4 - Elizabeth B.: I have been coming here for years and it is always a fun place to congregate with friends for cheap food and margaritas!  Dinner is always quickly delivered and the drinks are delicious.  It can be hard to get a spot on a weekend night so expect to wait to get seated, but you can always get a drink at the bar or walk around for a bit in Harvard Square.
3 - Kate S.: Lines are too long and food tastes like it's from a chain restaurant. 

It's not bad--it's just "fine." 

Feels a little touristy too.
3 - Mark O.: I can't say anything for the food, and the service was fine (I sat at the bar). But it was the worst margarita I've had in Cambridge. I sucked it down because I had to, dammit. Don't venture here for that reason, and maybe I'll go back again and try an enchilada just to say I did.
4 - Doris T.: The wait was long, but it was totally worth it!  The place is pretty busy but service is efficient, so you don't have to wait for long to eat.  My friends and I could not stop munching on their chips and salsa...delicious! And I have heard good reviews about their Margaritas.  I cant add to that myself, but I can definitely add my two pennies about how awesome their food and atmosphere are.   I had the blackened salmon caesar salad (huge portion size btw) and my friend had blackened catfish with rice and beans...delicious!  They also have corn bread on the side, which to me, tasted like cake and I totally ate it as a dessert :)  The environment is very cozy and vibrant.  The decor absolutely adds to the "club" like vibe... My most favorite things are the condiments in beer bottles..nifty!  

I am definitely looking forward to my next visit at Border Cafe.
4 - Joseph G.: Very good place to eat. 
They are wonderfully accommodating of Gluten free needs. Even making up french fries in a separate to avoid contamination. They were great.

My girlfriend was really into the cheap but tasty margaritas. 

As a beer drinker, I was sadly disappointed by their beer options.

But great place will definitely be going again.
4 - Lisa R.: I love Border Cafe! I'm a big fan of the margaritas and steak fajitas. I also love that they always keep your table full of warm chips and salsa. It's always really busy though, and often very loud. Probably great for ritas out with the girls, but not a great place for a date or if you need to hear the person throughout dinner.
5 - M. Jeremy P.: Where is the sixth star?!

This is by far the second best Tex-Mex restaurant I have ever frequented. (The first is no longer in existence, thanks to Chevy's.)

The food is excellent, there is a wide selection of entrees, both Tex-Mex and Cajun, and the food is excellent (echo, echo, echo...)

Yes, if you go during dinnertime, particularly on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night, you will have to wait. Usually, however, the wait time is less than the time they quote you.

As always, free refills of chips and drinks make it appealing to those eating on a budget, and if you're really trying to eat on the cheap a couple can do so for less than twenty dollars, including 20% gratuity. 

A parking lot is available across the street, and they do validate, but as parking in Cambridge is thoroughly unpleasant, I recommend taking the T. I live in JP and make the effort to eat here a couple of times a month... that's how much I like it! And my friends agree!
3 - Josephine L.: The giant margaritas are a huge steal. Tasty and cheap--just the way I like all my drinks. Recommended: Strawberry margarita.

The guacamole and salsa are disappointingly bland. 

The Blackened Chicken Fingers are fairly tasty but overall forgettable. 

The Louisiana Gumbo is incredibly flavorful, hearty and delicious. I recommend getting a few dozen cups of these while the interminable winter continues....
5 - amanda b.: love love loveeee this place! i went friday night when i was in town for a production and it was awesome, even thought i don't live in town anymore i WILL be back haha. for a friday night the wait wasn't too bad, only a half hr and we were seated with in 20mins prob. the margaritas are perfection, the chips and salsa are like crack they are so so good. i had a shrimp quesadilla for dinner it was huge and had some kind of special sauce in it? whatever it was it was cheesy, buttery tortilla, goodness! the prices are cheap for being right in town. service is great, foods great, drinks are awesome! go here!
4 - Sunny S.: We always enjoy the Border Cafe.  Such good drinks, food, and a lively, warm reminds-me-of-home place.  The New Orleans vs. Tex-Mex menu is genius, but the FREE CHIPS early and often has a way of setting us up for tummy ache.  

Resist if you can, but we often walk out feeling great and then lousy from over-doing the free chips and salsa.  Clearly not the healthiest eating establishment for the compulsive snacking type like me!

But yes, I love The Border Cafe and will be back again and again...
5 - Nidhi M.: We went on Friday night. It was killing for me as for the first  time I had to wait for long. But believe me its really worth waiting for soo long!

The food is beyond excellent, good drinks,lively atmosphere and of course the free chips and salsa delicious...!

I really like Border Cafe and love to be there again and again.
4 - Corey L.: I can't say that their food is something to write home about, but its has been consistently good. Everything I've tried is great. The vegetarian options are good and fulfilling. It gets crowded as hell on the weekends, be warned. The staff has always been great as well.
1 - nora b.: SO I've been dragged out to Border Cafe quite often during my time in Boston, because my dear friend adores this place.

I however am ever so frustrated by the long waits, insane id policy and mediocre food. 

I'm writing today, because on my last visit my friend ordered a vegetarian meal. The waiter ever so kindly asked if she was a vegetarian...she was not. 

He offered up some shocking info that their rice is cooked in a pork sauce of some sort....

How was I unaware of this information the last 20 times I ate here?!?!  

If you are a vegan, vegetarian, keep Kosher, Halal or just don't like to eat pork...this information would be VERY useful! 

Border Cafe...I'm disappointed yet again...
3 - Jordan A.: I recommend this place for inexpensive tex-mex / creole craving relief. It is an interesting mix of things on the menu, but the food is delicious.  The beers are pretty cheap, too. I had tacos and they tasted fresh. The salsa and chips are pretty delicious, too!

We went on a Friday night and it was very crowded, so I would say either come ready to wait or come early or late to avoid the crowd.
5 - Matthew P.: Sadly I have only been here once. But what an impression it made.

It was a nice Friday evening and there was a big crowd and a long wait. We decided to grab a few margaritas at the bar while we waited for our table. The margaritas were perfect; one of the best I've had at any restaurant. We knocked down a couple of those before we sat at our table. Fortunately, we were able to procure a nice seat next to the window!

This has been hands down one of the best Mexican/Tex Mex food in Boston. I come from an area that has PLENTY of Mexican restaurants that Boston is so sorely missing, and this stands up to them on it's own. I personally got the seafood enchilada. Wow. I had never had one before but I keep getting them now at Mexican restaurants when I can... nothing has compared to the one I got here. This is a solid five stars. Cheap, Fun, Exciting, and Delicious!
3 - Kelsey P.: I think I've been spoiled by too much excellent Mexican from living elsewhere (San Francisco and -- don't laugh -- Atlanta), but I find Border Cafe kind of blah. Don't get me wrong -- I haven't gotten anything there that's been particularly bad, but since I figure Tex-Mex is pretty hard to mess up, merely meeting expectations isn't enough.

Basically, Border Cafe will get you what you'd expect from a chain restaurant -- slightly-too-salty tacos and enchiladas, refried beans and Mexican rice, and margaritas. It's good for satisfying a craving for Mexican, but I wouldn't recommend it for much else.
5 - Hugh R.: Man, what more can the 753rd reviewer say about an establishment that others haven't already said?

The chips and salsa are bottomless, which, if you're like me, means you'll likely have to take home at least 1/2 of your delicious entree, and the service is out of this world.

The attentiveness of the waitstaff never seems to be an issue at Border Cafe. It's as if their ears are trained to distingush the volume of liquid in your glass by the sounds eminating through your straw, even from the far reaches of the kitchen. Never have I succeeded in reaching the bottom of my beverage before being presented with a refill...and trust me, I've tried. Nor will you be forced to endure that long, frustrating post-meal "where the hell is my check?!?" lull. You've eaten, it's there, and you can be on your way and off to the rest of your business.
5 - Pete J.: Love the concept - Cajun/Creole mixed with Tex Mex. Someone was definitely drinking a whole bunch of those $5.50 margaritas when they came up with that idea, but you know what? It actually works. Who wouldn't want a crawfish quesadilla??? Nobody, that's who!

We had to wait at 6:30-ish on a Thursday, but that's no biggie. Grabbed a couple of drinks at the bar and 15-ish minutes later there was a buzzing in my pants - (un)fortunately it was just our table was ready.

The chips and salsa arrived promptly. The chips were hot and fresh and while the salsa wasn't fabulous, it was free, so now it becomes automatically fabulous. We got the shrimp and crawfish quesadilla (told you!) and the crawfish etouffee, both were excellent, and good value for money. 

But the ultimate high spot for this visit was our server Dave. The place was packed, he was slammed, but he was there when we wanted him, fast with the margaritas, knowledgeable of the menu. And maintained a smile on his face throughout - a true professional.
3 - Brian D.: Oddly addictive student hangout in Harvard Square with cheap food/drinks!

The fajitas are pretty good... and cheap!

Enchiladas are tasty... and cheap!

The margaritas are solid... and cheap!

The chips and salsa are so addictive... and free!

Can you tell I'm a poor student???
5 - Jamie B.: I've been in the Cambridge/Somerville area for a little over two years now, and have long ago lost count of the times I've eaten at the Harvard Square Border Cafe (note that there's also a location in Saugus that is also quite good). This is truly just a reliable, fun, hangout with a definite "young" vibe, that is perfect for dinner, when there's the possibility that dinner might turn into "dinner... and drinks."

Margs are cheap and tasty (frozen strawberry is my favorite), and everything I've gotten on the menu has been delish (enchiladas, chicken quesadilla, chili, catfish bites, etc.). I don't know that the dishes are "authentic" Mexican, so those from elsewhere in the country might be a bit disappointed, but for New Englanders without much else to compare to, Border Cafe is tasty and a lot of fun.
4 - Jenn S.: My new favorite meal at Border Cafe? The Route 66 Chop Salad. For only $8, this amazing salad fed me for 2 meals. The spicy dressing - I cannot remember what it was (chili lime I think???) - was awesome, and the combination of flavors was fantastic.

Chips, salsa & margaritas are as free-flowing, salty and delicious as always! This time I went with a house margarita and enjoyed it as much as the Strawberry ones.
2 - James B.: So this place has gone down hill  I remember when I first came here I was impressed at the cost/tastiness ratio.  However, my last couple trips have been disappointing.

My friend and I decided we wanted to get some appetizers around 9pm on a Monday.  We head to Border Cafe, find some miracle parking and walk in.  The hostess was pretty robotic but what really disappointed me was our server.  The dude basically ignored us most of the time and one of the other servers (really nice lady) had to make sure we had enough plates/water etc because she saw we were being completely neglected.  Our actual server was just chilling with his friends and talking the entire time.  Lucky he got any tip at all.

On top of the bad service (aside from that one lady who wasn't even our server) the food was mediocre at best.  The pastelitos have gone way down hill and the quesadilla was so salty you couldn't taste much else.  I can forgive bad service once in a while but never sub par food.  But when they go hand in hand the only result is disaster.

2 Stars: 1 for the free chips, 2 for that other server who tried to make things right.

Go here if: You are a college kid and on a budget... otherwise don't bother.
5 - Ali D.: I love this place. I would eat here every day if I lived nearby. I mean really--FRESH chips and salsa (refillable and free!)? $1.99 sodas the size of your headx2? AND--they have fantastic service.

I always always ALWAYS order the chimichurri steak. They don't ever ask you how you want it cooked, but it comes out perfectly EVERY TIME. I mean really. If they asked me how I'd like my steak cooked, I'd say "Perfectly." 

mmmm....I'm hungry. And salivating more than the average person right now.
5 - Josephine P.: I think this place is AWESOME.
Free salsa and chips right from the get go. 
Their drinks are Super cheap. I recommend the slushy variation for a more girly, less alcoholic experience. The hurricane is good if you really want to taste some rum.
Their Jambalaya sides are delicious, so I heard.
Taco salad is HUGE.
Vegetarian Burro was delectable.
The portions here are amazing.
They accommodated 2 tables of 9 for us within 15 minutes of waiting.
My boyfriend accidentally spilled his drink, but the servers were really nice about cleaning it up and even gave us a free replacement...
which brings me to service. I loved our waitress!
I will definitely be coming back when I get another craving for Mexican food.
Also, to all those people who cry and moan about how there is no authentic Mexican food around here. You probably wouldn't like authentic Mexican food if you tried it anyways. The real 'authentic' stuff is made with lard and greasy corn meal.
4 - Andrew R.: + Great salsa. I just eat it plain, sans chips.

+ Cheap food.

+ Awesome cornbread! Seriously.

- Can get WAY too crowded. Go on a weeknight.
3 - Ellen B.: I was surprised my brother came jere since he doesnt eat mexican, buy he said he eats the "creole" food.  (I put it in quotes bc it was just chicken that he ordered: didn't seem very special.)  Dinner on a Friday. Ridiculously noisy downstairs, esp bc of the screaming toddlers (srsly, what kind of parent allows babies to run around in a crowded restaurant? So dangerous!). Fast, careless service. I had corn & black bean empanadas that were pretty good. They came with rice & beans, & I was able to eat a lot & still have 2 (of 4) leftover for breakfast. (they reheated better than I'd expected.) my brother & his girlfriend ate most of their boring chickens. I couldn't wait to get out of there; I won't return.
4 - Peter W.: Great Tex-Mex place with great margaritas, nachos, & food! This is not authentic Mexican but who gives a crap when it's this good. Be warned: there is a very long wait most nights, but it's worth it.
5 - Christina R.: Fantastic food, but be prepared to wait because this place is very popular (even their Saugus location gets busy Thurs/Fri/Sat evenings).

Specialized in Tex-Mex and Cajun dishes.  The guacamole, chips and salsa are REALLY GOOD and margaritas are decent.

Quesadillas are gigantic and hearty.  Blackened catfish is a must-try for anyone who likes things spicy.  Crawfish etouffee is also perfectly spicy and hearty on the crawfish.

Also has many good options for vegetarians.

Don't expect to find authentic Mexican food here, but what they make is a tasty Americanized version with good flavor.  Their Cajun style dishes are outstanding.

Open late!
5 - Bill D.: Man, I love this place. I still remember my first time eating here 20 years ago. It was fun back then as a recent college graduate, and remains equally enjoyable now that I'm a parent. 

Amazingly, the place seems to have changed very little in the intervening decades, and I mean that in a very good way. The starters and entrees are delicious and fresh. The chips and salsa are the best around, and yes, the margaritas are well concocted.

Over the years, Harvard Square may have lost its rep as one of the coolest spots in town, but The Border Cafe continues to produce great meals at student-friendly prices (which is even better when you're not a student any more!).

And the staff has been friendly and efficient for as long as I've been going there.
3 - Rachel H.: More tasty than delicious. Good enough food for when you need an excuse to drink margaritas. Somehow food is a bit unappealing (ingredients are cheap) but very edible (and at least they don't charge you much for it). The atmosphere is fun--which is great because you have to be prepared to wait awhile.
5 - Matthew D.: This place to me is inviting to a glutton. Everything is about indulging. The over sized glasses, the never ending chips and salsa, and the dinners that are good sized portions. I go here fully expecting to leave regretting eating all that I ate.

So, to me, hands down best meal in here is the enchiladas. I'm partial to them for some reason. They have never let me down, it's my fail safe. I've tried other meals here, but none has made the impression on me the way those enchiladas have. The melted cheese, shredded beef, pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, and a little bit of hot sauce is where it's at. Top that off with a couple of magaritas on the rocks and you're strolling out this place in a wheelbarrow.

The service here is slightly above average for a place that is usually pretty busy. They get your food out quickly. Usually I've had people checking on my meal before I even get my first bite down. But whatever, it's always a good meal. The price here is reasonable too. I can remember the last time dinner for two has cost more than $30.00. Only if we get extra drinks, but even then, it's a good deal.

Compared to other mexican restaurants (Margaritas, Acapulcos, etc.) this place always comes out on top. Unless of course your eating authentic.
4 - sidanshu g.: This place is open till 2 AM! They serves good margaritas and the empanadas and fajitaas are great. The complimentary chips n salsa are OOOK. Were a bit salty though. Street parking only or expensive parking lot just opposite. Harvard square T station is just a block away.
4 - Bryan P.: Great food and friendly staff. Really enjoyed the blackened catfish, was real seafood. Also liked the guacamole and the shrimp Cajun appetizer. The eggplant royale was a little fatty but ok overall. 

Better than Rosa Mexicana and Dos Caminos in NYC and for about a third of the price.
5 - Ronan O.: This place has very good Mexican food! It's always packed and it amazes me how cheap it is! Highly recommend!
5 - Angie G.: Really? I've never reviewed this place? How silly!
I.LOVE.BORDER. Oh, do I love it! Border Cafe, ya'll got something right. Let me tell you how effing good the salsa is here. The chips are fresh and piping hot. Their atmosphere is nice and loud and, from my experience, it's good casual service. Every time I come here, I get the same thing: Chicken Burro. Nothing else. And when I get it, I always try to split it with whoever I'm with. Why? Because that thing is deliciously addictive and way too big for one person. I was literally stuffed to the point of illness on more than one occasion. This place makes me want to wear stretchy pants just for a meal. Good god, it's filling! (I know, I know. That's what she said.) But, forreal. This is the best tex mex place I've been to in Boston Metro. If you haven't gone, I don't know what you're waiting for. Cheese covered burro? GET ON IT!
4 - Jared S.: Border Cafe is a 4 star place if you go in with the proper expectations.  I've been here a bunch of times (doesn't help that I work right around the corner) and never left unhappy.

Creative, masterful, authentic food?  No
Stellar beer and tequila list?  No
Spotty service? Yes
Cheesy southwestern theme? Yes

Accommodating of a large group of people? Yes
Enormous tasty portions at the right price? Yes

(As long as you don't mind drinking mixto tequila in your margaritas...if you're a tequila snob like me, the next best they can do over Cuervo is Sauza Hornitos, and it will cost you twice the price)

Will you leave drunk, full, and happy?  I always seem to.

Would this review be any different if it was a Chili's instead of Border Cafe?  Probably not.
5 - christina b.: An authentic Tex Mex restaurant with great ambiance, great food and LOVE the classic country music being played. I'm very satisfied with the wait staff; I've been to all of the Border Cafes (In Cambridge MA , Saugus MA & Burlington, MA). Every time i get there with my group of friends, I ask "OK. when are we coming back here we need to plan this FAST!" :) I am always satisfied. You have to go there on an empty stomach to please your wonderful TEX-MEX appetite. A nice large menu and everything on there is 5 STAR***** The quesadillas are so delicious, the fajitas are to die for and the Cajun Catfish Bites are addictive. :} The wonderful thing about the food at the Border Cafe is that it is like Tex Mex food should be, well seasoned, SPICY & oh so awesome. Bring on that hot sauce & wash it down with their famous Margaritas! REALLY, i have not had a better Margarita than the Border Cafe! Go there today! You will want to go again! :) ENJOY!
4 - Lars F.: Very good Mexican and Cajun food at really great prices. I can never finish the entire meal. Every time I go there, there is a long wait, but well worth it. The service is pretty good and the bar is great for hanging out while you wait.
4 - Lauren W.: Cheap, yummy mexican food, and margaritas. 

The hour long wait was negated by the margaritas we had in the bar area. And the service was good and quick for such a huge restaurant. I was told to get the fish tacos and they did not disappoint. They were so good. I left super full, for not a lot of money. 

I think they should open one in NYC..soon.
4 - Amanda G.: Used to go here all the time and went again for the first time in awhile this past Saturday night. Got there early (6) to beat the rush -- it gets really crowded on weekend nights, especially in the Summer. 

In short: Great, cheap, tex mex food. I love the blackened salmon salad, fajitas and taco salad here. Their guacamole is bomb and it's served with hot, oily house-made chips. For drinks, you can beat the prices, and the margharitas are HUGE. Sangria's my fav when I'm in the mood.

Good place for a group looking for an inexpensive, relaxed place to grab a solid meal. And it's in Harvard Square! What more can you ask for...
5 - Raja S.: The food is really good, really big, and really cheap. It's a cluster on weekends, expect to wait 45 min. But worth the wait.

edit: contrary to Yelp, they do not offer take out.
3 - Sage K.: The Good:

Mounds of Food for short money
Can accommodate larger groups
Good bathrooms
Fun atmosphere
They have organic beer on the menu.

The Bad:

Incredibly salty food = weight gain the next day
Margaritas seem weak - usually one drink makes me goofy, but very little happens with Border Margaritas leading me to stick with the beer there. I'm a serious lightweight with alcohol (like 1/2 a beer can impair me) but I can drink their margaritas like fruit punch and I'm lucky if I feel any different. YMMV or you might enjoy the sugar rush instead.
Sticky tables
Lots of free greasy, salty chips. Some might consider this a good

Conclusion: go for fun, not for the food and stay away from the free chips and watery margaritas. And whatever you do, do NOT order the Sangria.
3 - Jess R.: If you see "Cajun/Creole" alongside "Tex-Mex," you can safely assume you won't be getting the best of either cuisine. 

I'm a native Texan, raised on the sweet manna which is Tex-Mex, and I can tell you, this ain't it. That said, in Boston I will take what I can get, and when I'm homesick and queso-starved, Border Cafe is better than nothing.

They always seem to be super crowded and to have a long wait, and honestly everything about it reminds me of Dallas-style Tex-Mex, which is to say bland, bland, and bland. 

The margarita was terrible- watery, bland, weak- and the salsa was only marginal after dumping in a substantial amount of hot sauce (of the Louisiana variety, resulting in an interesting but not altogether unpleasant flavor composition...). As people have mentioned, the chips are free, plentiful, and tasty.

The service was fairly uneven, but the space is gigantic and crowded. If you aren't in the mood for eating amongst a din, I would recommend trying to sit downstairs were there are fewer tables and lower ceilings.

If you've never actually had Tex-Mex or Cajun cuisines (and have taste buds that think ketchup is spicy), then you will probably like Border Cafe; if not, you should probably wait until you're really, REALLY desperate.
5 - lizzie b.: I know it's sad that I'm loving a touristy place, but I really think Border Cafe is excellent. They have the best chips, delicious grilled chicken fajita salad that I could eat any day, and amazingly large soda and water glasses. The waitstaff is friendly, and the atmosphere is fun. Despite my food snob tendencies, I just can't help loving it here! :)
4 - Emil T.: The Border cafe has excellent mexican/tex-mex food, and the prices are great for what you get!
5 - Glutenfree G.: I know people complain about Border Cafe because of the long waits or the lack of authenticity but I wouldn't let that perturb you from going in. Its one of my fav places in Boston and I bring people who visit me here always. 

They have great food and the value can not be beat. I'd wait all day long for a table to be honest. And I can't comment on authenticity because I haven't really had "real" mexican food. I do love their food. And who can complain about the unlimited nacho chips and salsa they bring out while you wait for your entrees. The drinks can be a bit on the light side though so I'd recommend getting doubles!

If your celiac, your in luck because they can make your enchilada's gluten free!!! (the soft taco's are naturally that way)
5 - Ryan S.: I finally got Yelp and I just have to review my favorite restaurant of all time, Border Cafe.  I went to school at Harvard, and I cannot count the number of times I have been to this gem of a place.  Having moved back west, I often long for the fajitas and the burros -- and I am from Los Angeles, where I can get the best Mexican food around.  Sure, it's Tex-Mex, but I've never tasted anything as good as what Border Cafe conjures up in their kitchen.

Yes, you will wait a long time on a Saturday night.  Yes, you'll have to put up with a few servers that maybe need a skills test, but you'll make up for it in atmosphere, and most importantly, the food.

I have more nostalgia for this place than any other in Harvard Square (and after a few years there, there are many).  Next time you are there, get the steak and chicken fajitas for me.  You will not regret it.
5 - Janina T.: I generally go to the Burlington branch since I used to work in that area but this one is conveniently in Harvard Square, right in the center of all the MayFair activities (well...maybe not the center...more to the side).

Reasons why I love Border:
- Doesn't take too long to get seated, even if it's packed (I think the longest I've ever waited was 15 minutes)
- Free home-made chips---SO GOOD. Aka you would get full from eating them, they're so good you can't stop
- Great food
- Great drinks
- Fast service

Honestly, I have no cons. This place is phenomenal. I generally order either the Chicken Caesar Salad, pulled beef Quesadilla (it's HUGE), or their fajitas. Always so good. Yay for bottomless sodas too!
3 - Damien S.: Quality, potent margaritas and warm, crunchy chips with thick salsa, the latter pair unlimited and replaced with the quickness. Particularly disconcerting when you consider I, like a dog, will eat myself to death on good chips and salsa. Seriously, we're talking the Gluttony victim from Se7en. Danger Danger.

Service is supremely friendly, and Z was on point for all requests, matters of timing and a brilliant smile. The Cajuxican menu is interesting, while nothing is done to combine the styles and flavors. They're solely made to be neighbors. Jambalaya with your fajita? Why not, both end in A.

What I can't get past is how incredibly, absolutely, and undeniably SALTY every dish is. My fish tacos, black beans and rice, along with Laura K's enchiladas and aforementioned jambalaya, bore so much sodium, a family of deer started eyeballing our table. Scram Bambi. Scrambi.

For a six spot chain, Border is certainly better than average. I'd gladly bust a gut over their comped chips & salsa, and dull the pain with powerful $7 Tradicional margs. The entrees, though, should skip trips to the beach.
4 - Marissa R.: Ate at Border Cafe for the first time with a group tonight. The atmosphere was great, especially since it was Cinco de Mayo! Overall, I would go back.

I will start at the beginning. It was really crowded, but we were quickly hooked up with a pager in order to get a table. While we were never really quoted a time, I would say we waited around 45 minutes. We were seated in the bottom floor, five people to a four top table. We didn't mind too much, we just wanted a drink!

Server was very nice, quickly got us chips and salsa. I have definitely had better, but at that point I was too hungry to care. We all ordered drinks: 3 Margarita Grandes, 2 Strawberry Margaritas. We came here for the margaritas because they are supposed to be great, but I would honestly give them a 2/5. Mine was mediocre at best, and the glass was incredibly small. While cheap at $5.50, I would have paid the extra money for a larger portion.

 I ordered the chicken quesadilla, and was really happy with it. HUGE portion, and the chicken was seasoned really well. Great price! 

I am looking forward to going again. Next time, I would love to try the fajitas or a burro, and a drink other than a magarita. Border Cafe, I will be back!
4 - Brittany M.: What a treat. You might have to wait for a table however it is worth it. The food was delicious, the service great along with the costs extremely cheap. No wonder it truly is full each and every night!! You might have to wait for a table, but do not be tempted to go elsewhere as you'd miss a actual treat. You don't need a starter as the portions are large, many people seem to pack up the rest and take it home to eat later!
4 - Nora S.: I am shocked that I had such a great experience here, but I sure am happy that I did! 

I thought we were crazy trying to come here on Cinco de Mayo actually trying to eat something. Of course, I was daunted by the long line forming outside, and the crowded tent on the side. But I tried to be optimistic and put my name in as soon as I arrived even though the rest of my party was not yet there. They gave me a buzzer and told me to come back when everybody showed up. My girlfriend was stuck in traffic so it ended up being close to 45 minutes by the time we were all gathered. By then we were told that we were next in line, and we watched with amazement as the Border Cafe team went through their routine. We followed, passing our little paper on to the hostess downstairs, receiving our free Dos Equis t-shirts, sitting down in the coziest, quietest nook in the basement. Our server was super friendly, the margaritas were delicious, and the food was tasty... all for a completely reasonable price! 

Was the food excellent? No, definitely not, so that's where I take off a star. But it was good cheap tex-mex fare, and overall we had a great time!
3 - Silvia V.: I've been going to Border Cafe for the past 11 years. The food is okay (not great), the portions are pretty big and everything on the menu is inexpensive. The margaritas are very good. 

It's a unique place in Harvard Square.
4 - Lauren M.: Great food and ambience, but is definitely the go to place to grab a margarita with a two or three friends.
5 - Eugene D.: Some of the best Tex-Mex in the Boston area! One of my favorite restaurants for years.
3 - Barbara A.: It is not the greatest mexican in the world, but it will do when you have a fajita craving.  I like that it is open at 11 am, 'cause sometimes I find myself in the square sans breakfast and want to have an early lunch and viola .. it is open.  They have pretty decent margartias and the chips/salsa ARE addictive!!  I have a friend who visits from SanFran and always wants to go here when in town, so it can't be all bad.
1 - Marcelo B.: The food is good for the price. The drinks and guacamole are ok. The chips are definitively very good (most of the times). The big problem for me are the hostess and the wait. Some days those two are not an issue, other days is just a big problem. 

Today for example we came to Borders to celebrate that my sister just closed on her first house. We weren't that hungry so we told the hostess that we were only going to order one dish, the guacamole and some drinks (4 people)... I looked around and they had several tables open (it was 10:30pm on a Friday but the place is big). There was no waiting list. The hostess didn't sit us because we weren't all having dinner. She was just rude about the entire situation. We left the place angry and disappointed with the service.

Borders is one of those places that you can have a good time one day and bad another. If you want to risk it, this is your place. If you want to make sure you are going to have a good time, don't go there.
4 - Priyanka R.: Cheap tex-mex? Def win. The food is alright, but the portions of food are pretty large, so you leave with a full stomach. It's in good location, quite close to the Red Line Harvard Square T Stop. With the all the space, the two floors are busy, but it never takes that long to get a table. Great for groups and drinks as well! Looking for a cheap fun meal? Look no further!

If you got nothing else from this review, I have three words for you.  

Insanely delicious margaritas? Hells yeah. Git it.
3 - Howe L.: Three stars only because of the value. Large portions and the cheaper end of Harvard sq. Not a huge fan of the margaritas (watered-down), and the fajitas were overly spiced/salty. The place was packed and doesnt give much breathing room - people were hitting my drink left and right. Admittedly, I had good service. Loud and fun with a group of friends, but not an place for the food.
3 - Shea D.: Cheap prices. *Loud* environment. Fairly decent food and good sized portions. And no ability to make a reservation, yet they managed to seat our party of 8-9 fairly quickly. All in all? "A-OK"

One of Margot's law school friends was having his going away dinner here last night, and when we arrived a person who'd gotten there before us had one of those little buzzy lighty-up thingys but was told they wouldn't actually start the search for a table until all of us arrived. I'd estimate we waited about 20ish minutes once we did. During that time we opted for a drink at the bar, which on a Saturday night was sheer madness. Seriously, I don't envy those bartenders having to deal with that crowd. A flavored margarita on the rocks will run you $6.50, and while decently sized, I didn't get much out of it. It was fine, but forgettable.

After we sat down the turn around on the food was very quick, which was appreciated because I was starving (what else is new?). I noticed that the menu seemed to feature an equitable amount of "tex-mex," "cajun," "burgers," "pasta," etc; however, the surroundings are very "look at how southern we are here in the heart of New England complete with blaring 'she thinks my tractor's sexy' song in the restroom." I commented on the lack of options for Tex-Mex/Cajun food (being used to full menus back in NYC) and Margot reminded me of where I was. Oh, right. 

I ended up with the enchiladas with marinated chicken, black beans, and rice, which were decent but nothing to write home about and rang in at a comfortable sub-$10 price tag. Margot went with a closer to $10 Cajun recommendation by the server, and that was probably better than what I had. 

Price-wise we each had 2 margaritas on the rocks and 2 entrees for under $40 after tax and tip. This is why it's fun to eat out in other cities when you're used to NYC!

P.S. There's some funky smell going on in here. I noticed it immediately when I walked in and couldn't place it (still can't). The next morning I could still smell it on the sweater I was wearing last night, and it's really not the good type of residual smell. What is that?
2 - Gretchen M.: Wow!  What happened?  :(

I had been a faithful and steady customer of the Border Cafe for over 10 years.  Unfortunately, things have taken a serious turn for the worse over the past few years - did they change ownership or something??  They have cheapened all I considered to be their greatest assets!  Namely, they took the Cadillac Fajitas off the menu.  WHY?   MAJOR disappointment.  It was a great cut of filet, and never disappointed.  I asked the manager to substitute the Jim Bowie dish filet for the regular beef fajitas and he refused saying they hadn't been happy with the cuts of filet they'd been getting.  So I said...ok, but you still are selling it in the other dish??  Blank stare...I said, forget it. Regular beef fajitas were subpar that night, at best.  I tried it again tonight. It was SO peppery, I couldn't taste anything else.  Also, for the fajitas they ASKED if I wanted peppers?  It used to be automatic that you got one red pepper on top of the onions, etc. for a nice look.  This meal was not good.  I guess it's pretty cheap though, so you really do get what you pay for.  Seemed they changed the chips too (they were thicker and not nearly as good as they used to be).  It's like they poured bagged chips into the warmer and filled up the baskets.  I'm sure they used to make them there?!  Not anymore, unless we were given a couple day old batch.  I added 1 star for the service.  The servers are typically friendly, and the service is fast.  Bottom line - I don't know why they changed anything...why fix it if it ain't broke?  Well, now it's broken and I won't be back until it's repaired!  Bring back the old chips and especially the quality of the cadillac fajitas, please.
3 - Christian H.: I've been to this place twice before. The first time I remember it was a pretty decent experience. I think I might've gotten a burger, but I do remember those shoestring fries. Delicious town: population shoestring fries.  The drinks, ie the margaritas were pretty good as well.

The 2nd time I went I was terribly disappointed. I got I believe some soft tacos during the lunch hour. It was very sub par presentation as everything was kind of just put on the plate. Granted, it was Tex Mex so I wasn't expecting anything extravagant, but still it would've been nice to see some effort. The food wasn't that good either. It wasn't by any measure memorable. I pretty much vowed never to go there again. Since this departure, I couldn't imagine going there again.

Fast forward a year and a half. I decided to give it another chance when my roommate and I wanted to grab lunch.  I was skeptical but I figured Id give it another chance, thinking that one time was just an off day. We were seated rather quickly, even though it was a pretty busy crowd at the time.  The place was of course loud but had a positive energy, with painted walls of various western scenes and characters, creating a nice rustic feel. Combined with the typical Tex Mex/hacienda feel, it was kind of nice and chill.

The chips we got were served all nice and warm-like which I appreciated. The salsa was really tasty as well. It was a nice blend of thick and thin mix.  Our server was very friendly and I soon found myself ordering the Gaucho Chicken, while my roommate ended ordering the Guadalajara Chicken.  

It was a short wait for the food, and I think when I saw what I had ordered I realized that it was in fact and off day the last time I went. The chicken was cooked nice and blackened, with two slices of tomatoes, over a bed of shoestring fries. Granted, the presentation was simple enough, but the food was pretty darn good. The tomatoes were a nice compliment to the chicken. It was really well cooked and I really liked the grilled taste.  The sauce that it came with was nice and tasty. It had basil and maybe cilantro. I wasn't sure. It was really good. The fries were, of course, awesome. They were well done and I was a fan of the crunchiness. However, this experience was nothing worth fawning over, of course, but with this kind of place, you know what to expect. It was good for what it was. The food was solid and it hit the spot. 

I think all in all, it was a good place to eat, but it's by no accounts an amazing place to eat. I didn't have a bad experience and I definitely encourage people to give it a try.  The food is decent enough and it's probably better suited for larger groups and families. I will probably be heading back to sample more of their beverages and meals, but for a good time and nice atmosphere, Border Cafe is a good place to check out.
5 - Jessica R.: Mmmm I'm hungry right now and Border Cafe sounds delish! I used to go here when I lived in Boston. It's a great place for Mexican food. The place has a laid back environment, good service, great food and drinks too. Of course, they serve endless chips and salsa too. And the prices are inexpensive, I'd say around $10 for a meal. Gotta love it!
4 - Shawn H.: Isn't it odd that no one reviews the food here? Everyone's like "yay, chips and margaritas, indulge!" They have an extensive menu, but I get the feeling everyone settles on one burro or other dish they like and just has it over and over. Which is fine, but here's a little dip into the menu, which is half mexican/half cajun:

1) fish tacos: used to be shrimps in a cream sauce, now are catfish bites in a kind of chipotle aoli. Easier to eat, but a little dry, definitely needs some sour cream or guacamole on the side.

2) Catfish new orleans: giant piece of fish, deep-fried (only undercooked once, and I get it often), get it with jambalaya. Used to come with a great biscuit, now comes with an okay cornbread square. Dotted with shrimp in cream, tasty!

3) Chicken enchilidas; this is the smaller portion when you don't feel like a giant big burro, nice sauce, very tender chicken, soft corn tacos. Get the rice and beans rather than the jambalaya (neither are that distinctive, but black beans really hit the spot sometimes).

4) Steak or half-n-half w/chicken fajitas: VERY spicy, meat generally overcooked, sauted onions, no peppers (why not?); only okay tacos, but the cheese, pico de gallo and sour cream are included. Add guac for more flavor, it's more about the quantity than the quality here: NOT subtle. The hot cast iron pan they serve the meat on is a nice touch.

5) Quesadillas, with whatever meat: not for the faint of heart. More like a mexican pizza, TONS of food, but the tortillas end up soggy and there's not the usual cheese overload you expect.

6) Popcorn shrimp: delicious, plentiful, yummy battered bites with a little mustardy dipping sauce. Sometimes I just get this and a bowl of guac (remember, chips and salsa are free) for my meal, the are perfect with your margarita of choice.

7) Speaking of which there are like 9, plus they'll make whatever you want. I always go rocks/salt, but you can have frozen and flavors easily, the price point is really about the quality of tequila or sweet liqueur.

8) Gulf coast seafood enchiladas: creamy with shellfish, a smaller portion than the bloated seafood quesadilla, sides of your choice.

So there you go, those are my go-to meals, I try to go once a week for lunch as a treat, alone or with friends, the drinks and the country music always cheer me right up!
5 - dave b.: Everything on the menu is above average I've been going here since they opened. popcorn shrimp/sweet  horseraddish sauce yes! service is outstanding.
4 - Meg H.: Border Cafe is one of my go-to places when I don't know where to go for dinner.  The food is super yummy, the margaritas are fabulosas, and I've never really had a bad experience here.  

Only kind-of complaint?  It's loud!  And I think I've been sat downstairs every time except once.  I'd like to be upstairs where there are high ceilings and windows!
5 - Emily C.: Great margaritas - cheap food. Perfect combination!!

Love the queso dip and the corn and black bean empanadas!
5 - Chris H.: This place is a godsend in Harvard Square.  It's cheap and the food is delicious.  Even the drinks are affordable--under $10 for some of the margaritas.  The chips are salty and salsa is delicious.  Most of the entrees are oozing with cheese.  The main negative is that the wait can be completely out of control, like, over an hour on prime nights.  It's also so loud that it can be hard to carry on a conversation, although downstairs is much quieter than upstairs.  Don't go here if you're on a diet, it would be a waste of time.
4 - Sean J.: Great food and drinks at a reasonable price. The air conditioning in the down stairs can get a bit frigid and the upstairs can become very loud. Overall not bad though and the food is delicious.

Good for a one on one with your significant other or a raucous romp with a larger party.
2 - Cequesta K.: Maybe I shouldn't be so harsh considering that I went here during after-work rush hour. Buy hey, first impressions are lasting impressions! 

First off, the service was sub-par at best, the waitress only checked in on us like twice, which is a huge NO NO in my book, no matter how busy the place is. 
Now the food-first off, our food came maybe within five minutes after ordering it, which is a sure sign that it wasn't made fresh. I ordered the craw fish and shrimp salad, which was "meh", the shrimp were TINY and the salad itself was boring. 
My friend ordered a steak, which tasted just as dry as it looked, plus she complained that it was COLD. She also ordered one of their famous Margaritas, which also tasted as watered down as it looked. The only thing I could say was really yummy were the store bought tortilla chips and salsa they brought out to us-which speaks VOLUMES for this place. 

Like I said, I shouldn't judge this place so harshly considering it was rush hour, but hey, first impressions are lasting impressions. 

I wont be back.
4 - Remen O.: Summary: This is the place to go for the best sit-down Mexican experience in Harvard Square. Come hungry.

The Good:

In my reviews I tend to gripe about lines and wait times. Border
Café suffers from neither of these problems. The two floors of available seating as well as ample bar space ensure that I've never stood for more than 10 minutes in the search for a seat (including an epic no-reservation, 16 seat table request). The atmosphere on the inside is lively and the decor establishes that this is a decidedly Southwestern affair. 

The food here is tasty. The chips and salsa are good. The fish tacos are good. The burritos are good. The enchiladas are good. I've tried them all, and nothing has left me disappointed. Portion are also sizable, so you'll either leave sated or with a doggy bag. I enjoyed the Tequila Sunrise that they put out in front of me, and I know that my friends dive into their margaritas with gusto.

The Bad: 

Not too much to say here. Sometimes the wait staff is slow on the refills or looks to be drumming up a larger bill by incessantly asking for new drink orders. 

The Ugly: 

Last time I was here (16-seater epic from above), one of the guys at the far end of the table was recounting his epic breakup from hell. This was pure gold, and about 10 minutes into the tale we both realized the entire table had gone silent, enrapt in the story. Perhaps the quietest meal in Border I've had in a while.
4 - Mike N.: great chips ...the best ive had and the food and margaritas great!
4 - Courtney B.: Good service, good drinks, good food and cheap.
4 - David W.: As a native Texan I was leery to take the advice of my Yankee coworker from Long Island. However, I was pleased with my visit to Border Cafe. My wife and I got the beef fajitas ($11) and the cheese enchiladas with jambalaya ($7!) instead of rice and beans which was actually a nice diversion.  

While this place was not up to par with some of the places back home it was definitely well worth a visit and I'm sure I'll be back. I do recommend the beef fajitas if you enjoy mesquite favoring and  my wife, who is a big fan of cheese enchiladas, enjoyed them very much. 

The wait staff was attentive and you could tell that the restaurant was well managed. We went on a Friday night and the place was packed, however, our wait time was only about 15 minutes and the food came in a very reasonable amount of time.
4 - Michelle C.: WTF ...they stopped doing takeout.....what restaurant doesn't do takeout?! 

I'll only take away one star cause I still love it so....but damn, that annoys me.
3 - Ariana Z.: Nothing wrong about this place- just average.
The chips were bland. But in our wait to receive our meals, we kept munching on the chips and were full by the time it came to dinner. The portions were HUGE (in a good way) but there was no way we were even going to get to the half way point. 
It was decent, and had a hint of authenticity. 
Service was great, and everything went smoothly. 
It was ok enough that it is a safe bet to go to, but it's not the best I have ever had.
3 - Kelly M.: Margaritas, bottomless chips and salsa, and a sort of mysteriously inexplicable menu of Tex-Mex and Creole creations. Heavy on the sauces and melted cheese-over-everything; light on breathing room.

If you can manage to get a table outside, take it and linger while those in line or trapped indoors give you the side-eye. You've earned this. Enjoy it.
4 - C R.: Love this place but i wouldn't really call it Mexican. Everything I have had oozes cheese which usually I am not a fan of but it works here. Portions are huge.The only negative is that they stopped serving takeout.
5 - Andrew B.: Excellent margaritas, great service, chicken bordela was fantastic. Loved the guacamole and the blackened swordfish was spiced and cooked perfectly.  Two thumbs up.
2 - Matthew T.: Maybe a Saturday night was not the best time to check this place out. Especially since I live in Jamaica Plain and have tons of authentic Mexican joints to go to, but I read rave reviews of their margaritas and really wanted one, my mistake. I ordered the Texas Margaritas and it was so full of oversized pieces of ice it should not have been considered blended, but on the rocks. The food was blah, I'm all set. Thanks anyway.
3 - Michael D.: I have to admit, being from california, I was a little skeptical about a "TEX MEX" restaurant all the way up in BOSTON. I thought this place was a little bit confused.. they claimed to serve tex mex, but they had cajun shrimp and NOLA-style food on the menu... but i digress..

The portions were all pretty big, and the prices weren't bad considering we were near hawwvawhhddd. My friends thought their food was just mediocre.. I sampled some of their fries (which were BOMB and super crispy even at the end of dinner). The cajun shrimp was just whatever.. too much batter and  were cold by the time it got to my table.. maybe it was my mistake ordering cajun food at a texmex joint..

As for the drinks.. they were slightly better. My margarita grande was a little watered down and full of ice, but my friend's was stronger. (hmm, maybe i just had bad luck that day..) The hurricane on the other hand, was pretty potent considering that it was under 7 bones.

Anyway, this place wasn't bad, but it's not good enough to return to.
4 - Mariana A.: ONE WORD. Pastelitos.  
Crunchy puff pastries filled with perfectly seasoned chicken goodness. Comes with a sauce mixed with unexpected ingredients that make contrasting fireworks in your mouth. Seriously, its so good. 
Atmosphere is great with funky mexican signs everywhere and Corona boxes as decorations.
4 - Vincent C.: Came here with a party of 5 at peak lunch hours and was seated immediately. 

The food was very good and I was pleasantly surprised by how massive each order was. The amount of french fries (which were amazing, by the way) might have been overkill, but I can't complain too much about more food.
5 - Michael M.: I really, really, really like this place. Everything is reasonably priced and they could easily charge more money if they wanted to given the portions and the location.

The fried eggplant dish is phenomenal. So is the blackened catfish. And the margaritas are good and damn cheap.

Chips and salsa are great.

But by far the best thing on the menu is the gumbo.
4 - Mushhoor A.: Seriously one of the best places to go if ur starving and broke. I usually order the fajitas which is absolutely beast. (chill with all the garlic tho) A piping hot skillet with the most tender strips of beef sauteed in onions 4 fajitas, salad, rice, beans and cheese. YUM forget the fact that they give u free homemade nachos. this place is a must. All that I think cost me about $9
5 - Nick P.: Best deal in Harvard Square.

First a warning- the fresh, hot chips and salsa is incredibly addicting so try to avoid filling up before the food comes.

When the food does come the portions are large and the taste is delicious.  Tex-Mex and Cajun sound like (and is) a weird combination but somehow it works.  The drinks are good and reasonably priced as well.
4 - Marcus M.: I have no complaints about this place. I went once and I ordered a chicken dish (having a hard time recalling it). It had a lemon pepper sauce on it that I wasn't too fond of and the dish itself was good, but nothing great. I went with a group and it was very enjoyable; we sat downstairs at a round table and stayed in the place for at least two hours. The chips were good; I must say that. I would go here if you are looking for some decent Tex-Mex at a reasonable price with a group of friends.
4 - Esther G.: I'm a Southern Californian native. Ergo, a love of good Mexican food has practically been bred into me. 

Inclusion of cajun food in the menu? Random, yes. But since I have yet to try any of their cajun selections, who am I to judge?

I've only had one thing on their menu so far- the shrimp and prawn quesadilla with guac on the side. A generous portion of cheesy goodness for a very reasonable price. It was enough that I could save half of it and re-heat it for another meal. That's pretty much like getting your meal for half the price, right? Right.

And how can you argue with hot chips and salsa? It's like the Mexican version of your Italian bread basket, only better (well, that's arguable. Hot bread out of the oven is pretty darn fantastic). 

My only woe is that my dish oozed of oil...well, everywhere. I'm not sure if this is characteristic of all the dishes and It wasn't /too/ huge of a deal, but I do generally like to pretend that the food I'm consuming isn't clogging my arteries.

Nevertheless, this is one place I'll definitely try again. I have more than a few different dishes and drinks I want to try out! The service was fantastic as well. My friend and I were greeted out the door multiple times by multiple employees on our way out. It was like walking through some kind of celebratory procession where they shouted "Thanks, have a great day!". It kind of made my day.
5 - Anthony L.: coming from Texas this place is good. portion size is good, price is good (compared to similar places), quality is good
4 - Andrle W.: Tasty chips and salsa! Giant sodas & water! Flavorful and delicious food!

I didn't really know about Border Cafe until I'd lived in the Boston area for about four years. Impossible! Uber convenient right in Harvard Square, Border Cafe fits my need for tasty and reasonably-quick Tex-Mex.  I've now been there about four times and I've never been disappointed.

Word to the wise: if you can, go on a weeknight - like a Monday-Wednesday. I've mostly only ever gone then, and have never had a problem getting a table, no matter the size of our party. But when I've walked by on weekends, I often see people waiting inside and out.
4 - Anita D.: As you can tell, I'm am now super lazy with my reviews...

-unlimited chips and salsa.  Comes out piping hot and fresh.
-ordered a burger.  portions are huge.  came with the skinny fries.  this was only about $6.50.
-drinks are moderately priced.
-our waitress was friendly, even though she walked by when my friend and I were saying grace.
2 - Rhonda T.: I am giving the Border Cafe one star for having decent food, and another star for good service. The bartenders, however, are a different story. I have never been treated worse in my LIFE. Definitely never coming back here.
1 - Malcolm M.: Gross.  Burnt cheese on everything.  Smarmy (bitchy) management.  Have the short girl manager put to sleep before she can breed.
5 - Michael B.: After living here for 3 years, I've decided that Border Cafe is among my top 3 restaurants in terms of value and food quality. I've been here about 10-15 times, and have had a great experience every single time.

Portions and value: Portion sizes are incredible here, and even I have trouble finishing my order on occasion. With unlimited chips and salsa, there are always leftovers that I take home for another meal. The value is basically unparalleled, especially considering it's located in the heart of Harvard Square. Entrees are on average $9-10. Drinks are probably where they make most of their money.

Food: The chips and salsa are the best I've ever had--both are made fresh, and the chips are often too hot to touch when they first bring it over. Chips are way beyond anything I've had at similar restaurants (The Fat Cactus). They are always very good about refilling your chips and salsa through the meal, and at the end will even pack it to go if you ask.The gulf coast seafood enchilada is my favorite, stuffed generously with crawfish and shrimp, and covered with a rich sauce. Next is the crawfish quesadilla, which is very large for the $8 price tag. The fajitas are pretty good, and the blackened catfish is another favorite. Burger is pretty standard, but very cheap--the stringy fries that come with it are great. I don't know if this is considered authentic Mexican fare, but it suits my palate very well.

Service is the best I've seen in Boston--most waiters are extremely eager and quick with service. All all times, every single staff member is in a rush cleaning, serving food, removing plates, etc--there is no down time, and it shows by the speed of service. Drinks/chips/salsa are often refilled before you're done with it, and waiters are all extremely friendly and helpful. Once I had an overfried catfish dish, and the waiter immediately took in back and offered to put in another order for me. While that was great, a few minutes later the manager came out to apologize and told me that the dish would be on them, no charge for my entree. You don't see that type of customer service very often.
4 - Sumaiya R.: I love, love, love this place. I have been here on numerous occasions. Catching up with a friend for lunch, meeting someone for drinks, and even during a work lunch outing. All of the times have been fabulous. AND can I add they have huge amaaaaazing margaritas that are absolutely delicious! I went here today with co-workers and the portions are huge and the price is right. It's a fun atmosphere, very loud but very fun. I ordered the pulled beef enchilada and it was the perfect portion and very tasty. Definitely recommend this place!
5 - Tracy R.: LOVE all the vegetarian food and the margaritas.  The wait is long long long on some nights though. Still love it!
3 - Janelle N.: I've been here one and a half times. 

The first time, I was there with my cousin, her friend, and her friend's coworkers. Once everyone showed up, it didn't take as long as I thought it would to get a table. Pretty sure it was a weekend night, too.

Good food for CHEAP. Win. The waiter was blatantly giving us flirtatious stares and body language, I'm assuming to get better tips... you know what, I don't blame him, whatever. I'm a pretty person too, and if I was a server, I'd milk that for all it's worth.

The second time, my boyfriend and I went to meet a couple friends there. By the time they got there, they were finishing up anyway and about to go elsewhere. That's okay. It was way too loud for me to handle. So we didn't get anything or even sit down, although we were offered chairs. Their server seemed nice, it seemed like she was a bit overwhelmed and there was something chaotic going on with getting people their checks. But she was really nice about it, and helpful with splitting the bill.

Like I was saying, my only major complaint is that this place is STUPIDLY chaotic and loud. I can't handle it. Good cheap food, yes... but I won't go back for this reason. I'm also a fancy cocktail girl. I don't like beer, and I only like my margaritas with fun flavors, as I'm not a lime person. So their very limited alcohol selection doesn't go over too well with me.
2 - Julia N.: Cheapest place to sit down and eat in harvard square.  You get a lot of food. Theres lots of seating. But the food is really mediocre and its extremely noisy when busy, which is Thursday friday Saturday and Sunday nights.  I wouldn't bother at all then.  If you want good food look elsewhere. If you want cheap and will settle for blah this is your place.
4 - Claire M.: I LOVE Border Cafe. This place is the perfect spot to go with a bunch of friends of you're looking to have a great meal, good time, and not spend a lot of money.  
First off, they have unlimited tortilla chips and salsa- but like really legit housemade warm tortilla chips. But don't fill up on these because portions are huge! An entree per person is more than enough food and sometimes I even share with a girlfriend. Drinks are great too. BIG margaritas are delish and only $5-7. If you want to get real tipsy, real fast, order the Hurricane, its 3 types of rum and a bunch of juices. It tastes like a tropical vacation. 
My favorite dishes are chicken fajitas and the empanadas. You really cant go wrong though. All in all, you can get a meal and a drink for about $20 including tax and tip. You will leave totally full and probably even a bit tipsy. I'll be going back again and again!
5 - Meagan L.: The food here is AWESOME...I left this place stuffed and happy! The idea of Mexican/Creole cuisine is GENIUS!! I highly recommend this place for a good meal. I had the catfish with a grilled shrimp appetizer. The only negative thing I have to say about this place is that my margarita wasn't strong enough...tasted pretty watered down. The delicious food more than made up for my mediocre drink though...DEFINITELY!
3 - Paul M.: Listen, I know a lot of people think chips & salsa + margaritas + fajitas = Mexican. It doesn't. It equals, at best, imitation Mexican- we're talking Tex Mex/Gulf Coast o' the U.S. o' A. (I made America sound Irish there, weird).

There's nothing wrong with that, but I generally don't favor this style over more authentic Mexican. 

With that being said, Border Cafe in Harvard Square (and I assume every other link in this chain) serves the former. The chips are decent, salsa is super chunky but reminds me of something out of a bottle, and the margaritas are reasonable and worthy. 

The last time i was there I ordered the catfish and it was well cooked (even though it was sorta fried the inside was still moist while being, well, cooked). 

The prices are reasonable. The place is loud, but in the way you'd expect a place serving fairly cheap margaritas in the middle of a bustling square named after its host college (I guess it could be named after John Harvard but whatever) to be. The decor is Jimmy Buffett Margaritaville all the way. 

Expect long lines in the evening, particularly on weekends.

I don't really have a whole lot to say. The place is A-OK as the 3-stars implies, meaning nothing glaringly wrong and nothing stands out as particularly awesome. 

I'm putting it in my Mexican list just cause that's what people expect (like Fat Cactus) even though it's sort of a lie.
4 - David W.: Being from Cali, I have exceptional standards for cheap good Mexican food.  It's hard to find that in Boston/East Coast, but Border Cafe is not too shabby...
The free chips and salsa keeps you happy, and the portion size is huge! This place definitely keeps me happy whenever I have a Mexican food craving.
4 - Gianna L.: I really wanted to give this place five stars but decided that's a bit overzealous for a Cowboy Saloon with a side of Mexican siesta serving Tex-Mex food done New Orleans style. Anyway, super pleased by Border Cafe tonight.

Our waiter (Chris D) and the cook staff  were perfectly prompt. Three seconds after sitting down the chips and salsa were upon us, less than five minutes later the 'ritas were out, after 10 more we had our meals. I got the blackened swordfish tacos with grilled avocado, mango salsa, and side greens. I don't know if this is Mexican, Texan, Salvadorian, or Icelandic but I know it was damn good. The complimentary chips and salsa (can you say addictive?) set the palette just right; the 'ritas had a nice flavor and plenty of juice.

My boyfriend and I couldn't get over the price -- a burr(it)o for $7.86, fish tacos for $10.76, and 'ritas at $5.50 a pop -- where else in Hahvad can you get cheap, hot, tasty grub for this little dough?
4 - Monica R.: The chips are as addictive as everyone says, and the margaritas are always delicious! I love the Eggplant Royale so much that I can't bring myself to order anything else.  Friendly service, good food, and reasonable prices!
3 - Maria M.: Had lunch here last week with the BF and his family. It was a-ok, but nothing to call home about. We tried to go there for dinner the Friday night before, and that's just impossible during peak dinner hours. We had some vegetarians in the party, and their options were predictable. I did try the black bean and corn empanadas and the portion was out of control. Could only get through a quarter of it. And the house margarita was bland - - I could not taste the lime or tequila in it, and they could have used more salt around the rim of the glass. It was just, EH.
4 - Dor Z.: Border Cafe seems like a decent place to go for drinks and cheap food. I got some sort of creamy seafood enchilada. The portion was HUGE and I needed a bit of help to finish it. The boyfriend also got an enchilada dish and our bill was less than $20 (awwwesome!) I can't speak to how authentic the food is but it was tasty enough. Our waiter was chill and witty while maintaining a level of professionalism, which made us feel very comfortable and welcome.

Just watch out because it gets really loud in here. Also if you're headed over at some peak hour (after work, weekends) be prepared to wait 20+ minutes in line.
5 - Nick C.: I'm in Los Angeles right now wishing I was in the 02138 eating a Border Cafe burrito (I'll pay anyone willing to ship me one).  Border Cafe is so good, I used to eat there by myself at least once a week.  The chips are ridiculous.  And I mean ridiculous.  It gets to the point where I've eaten two basket of chips, haven't started my entre, and still can't stop grabbing more and stuffing my mouth.  They should be illegal just for their addictiveness.  Every thing else is good.  I'm pretty borring and usually just order a chicken burrito, but damn, that burrito is delicious.  Border Cafe: probably not too authentic, but worth the visit.

Oh yeah, and the prices are great.  My meal (including tax and tip) is usually just $10 dollars.
4 - Matt D.: Enchiladas were solid, and the chips were good. I don't have very high expectations for east coast Mexican food, so temper your expectations.

Four stars because it's CHEAP. Two entrees, three beers and a boatload of chips, and we got out for under $30 (w/ tax and tip).
5 - Ojus P.: The only reason to downgrade this place is to keep other people away because it is too popular, especially on weekend nights. The food is awesome at a really affordable price. The quesadilla is amazing. Prices are really reasonable. Alcohol selection/  price is decent.

Did I mention really big proportions?
5 - Local J.: Love this place! Great atmosphere, great mexican/tex-mex food, great prices, huge servings! Been here twice and the first time was well over 4 years ago. My second visit back and the place still met my expectations. The beef burros are huge and delicious! A full meal with a beef one and a chicken one for my date cost us under $25 and we were stuffed, we had to have it boxed to go. The chips and salsa (excellent salsa) are delicious, the drinks are very good, and the service was great both times. I'll have to make sure I don't wait so long before going back next time.
4 - Bao Anh N.: Fun, casual dining...a nice fusion restaurant where you can order cajun or tacos!

It was really busy and rowdy when we went, but Border Cafe has a livelyy atmosphere if you are with friends.
3 - Alana H.: This place is busy on Friday night! Their fountain drink cups are particularly big and the same goes for the margaritas.  The prices here are really reasonable but I must admit that the food is a bit more greasy than I would like.  The chips were warm and fresh out of the fryer and you get a lot of them for the table.  Once again I got the empanadas and the person I was with for the blackened swordfish, which I admit looked really good.  

Coming in the evenings it gets really loud here and expect a wait on a Friday night.
4 - Cy K.: Packed, noisy, and delicious.  For Mexican food in Boston this is as good as it gets.  My favorite here is the blacked fish tacos - quite a treat.  Just avoid this place during the dinner hours on fri/sat as the wait can be long and noise level is through the roof (couldn't hear more than 1 person away from me at our table).
2 - h. r.: mexican food doesn't equal a shitload of cheese & salt on everything. border cafe seems to think so! i always feel bloated and disgusting after i eat here. the interior is tacky.
also, there's no way the chefs make everything fresh with a menu that big. which means i'm better off getting some tostitos and a frozen amys burrito for the same price. 
i dont get why its so crowded all of the time.....
4 - Chris C.: My girlfriend and I go here on a regular basis. Whenever we have friends visiting from out of town, this place is high on the list of places to go.

To me, The Border exemplifies everything great about a great dive restaurant/bar: the food is good and portions are generous, the drinks are strong and tasty, the prices are pretty cheap and the atmosphere is fun, unassuming, unpretentious and very, very casual.

Don't come here looking for authentic Mexican food: it isn't. The food here is definitely gringo-Mexican: everything is covered in melted cheese.

It is a running joke that the tortilla chips (made fresh right at the bar) must be laced with cocaine, because they're that addictive.

My personal favorite dish is the chicken fajitas; the waitstaff brings it to you with soft flour tortillas warmed and wrapped in napkins, the meat and onions are marinated, seasoned and served sizzling on a ridiculously hot iron plate (DON'T touch it!) and the sides (rice, black beans, jambalaya, lettuce, guac, etc.) are in separate cups.

The only down sides to The Border is that since it's so popular it is usually crowded, there's usually a wait for a table (although it's rarely too bad and usually shorter than they tell you at the door), it's pretty loud and you'll probably leave smelling like fried food.

Oh, and the margaritas are pretty awesome for seven bucks.
2 - Zachary W.: Having lived in California and Texas, and having travelled to Mexico for a long enough amount of time to know better, this restaurant is not authentic (nor particularly good) tex-mex.  Contrary to what some people have posted here, tex-mex actually IS a lot of cheese and salt.  It's just what it is.  However, somehow with all of the cheese and brine, the meat managed to come out lacking in flavor and kind of dry (how do they make cheese covered meat dry?).

If you want good mexican, I'd recommend Taco Loco in Somerville or Olé for something a bit more upscale.  As for good tex-mex...haven't found that yet in Boston.

I will say however, their entire staff is really great.
5 - Lauren M.: delicious margaritas, cheap delicious food. such a fun, lively vibe. great for big groups. sometimes the wait is long, but definitely worth it. and the fresh, homemade chips and delicious salsa make the wait go by faster.
4 - Leor A.: Fun atmosphere, great staff, huge drinks and bigass portions of Mexican food with a Louisiana flare? Yesss please.

Only real downside is a couple of the things I've tried here are too salty (swordfish was really salty and so was the Camptown shrimp). Steer clear of the seafood options and I think it'll be a non-issue.  However, there is one other POTENTIAL downside- it gets really rowdy at night. If you are trying to enjoy a nice, quiet dinner and/or you wear J.Crew sweaters around your neck...you should prob just keep it moving.
3 - David Y.: Ruh-oh, they've gone and changed their margarita mix. Took a sip and was reminded of a melted lime popsicle, way too sweet and syrupy. Asked the waitress and yes, after a couple of decades of turning me into a junkie for their margaritas - they've changed their mix. I fell to the floor weeping "why? WHY?" and dragged myself over to the manager on duty and begged for an explanation. He says the "melted popscicle" flavor is actually an all-natural mix they started using, apparently the old one had all kinds of preservatives and high fructo- w-w-whatever just bring back the old mix! PLEASE?!
4 - Ian Y.: I love restaurants that give you complimentary (albeit basic) appetizers, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that this restaurant provided free chips and salsa.

I ordered the swordfish tacos and felt that the price I paid was definitely fair given the amount and quality of food that I got.

This place can get pretty crowded and loud around dinnertime (I went on a Saturday night).  This was probably the only downside.
1 - Jill H.: Mouse and roach on a Friday night....My boyfriend and I went to eat here last night, the food was good and so was the margarita. But I spotted a little roach on the wall over my bf's shoulder, hmmm no big deal. Then 2 minutes later a mouse ran out from under our table and darted across the floor. My bf stood up and watched it run under people's tables and then into a hole in the wall. The waitress saw this and came over and said "oh yeah...we've had a problem with this one mouse since it started getting colder outside." So obviously the staff knows about this mouse problem and they aren't doing anything about it. Also there's no such thing as one mouse, I bet when the lights get turned off and everyone leaves this place is crawling. I will not be going back.
5 - Dorina M.: I can't believe it has taken me so long to write a review for this place. I love it! I came here the very first time I visited Boston and have been coming back ever since, especially since I now live here. Perk #1: Free chips and salsa. Perk #2: Good, reasonably priced food, Perk #3: Amazing drinks, reasonably price. I highly recommend their strawberry Daiquiris. Pure deliciousness!
3 - Jessica W.: My old college roommate was visiting from out of town and this was on her must-eat list. She lives in LA (you know, where everyone says Mexican food is so much better), but insisted on ol' Border Cafe.

Uh, okay. I guess if you've traveled thousands of miles to see me, you get dibs on where we eat.

This time I had the corn and black bean empanadas, which were flaky and pretty good. I've had the vegetarian fajitas here as well, and that was decent. Portions are large. I'm not a fan of their house chips and salsa--a bit greasy and bland--but I'll admit to eating a fair amount of them anyway because they're free. 

During the day, the inside dining area is pretty calm, but for dinner, if you want to actually have a conversation, and are only with one other person, try sitting outside.
4 - Raj L.: Nice atmosphere
4 - Dan H.: Great prices, fun atmosphere, tasty food, excellent margaritas (top shelf for under $8 and mixed to perfection), and friendly service. They do push to turn tables, however, so you can feel a little rushed out the door, which I suspect is why there are no desserts. Also, you can't get a table just for drinks during dinner hours, which I think extends to 9pm on the weekends. As others have said, it is loud, public and you come out smelling like their freshly fried tortilla chips, but all in all I love this place.
5 - Pri B.: Delicious Tex/Mex food at such a reasonable price.  You would pay double at Margaritas.  The blackened chicken fajitas are amazing, as are the delicious thin cut french fries.  There is so much to love about this place from the unique decor to the courteous, always smiling staff.  A definite regular here.  Love the salsa and chips as well.
5 - FoodGir L.: Margs and Red Sangria thats all I have to say.
5 - Mike L.: I made the initial note after done eating at Border Cafe: "Fantastic steak fajitas and the best service I have ever had."

This place could spoil other mexican restaurants for me. The only con, I could see (and this goes for a few places in Harvard Square) is that it can get cramped. We had a small table in a corner and people were about two arm's length from me. 

If you're looking for a quiet place to enjoy, this may not be your first choice, but of all the places I've eaten around Boston, this has been my favorite.
4 - Sarah H.: This place is alot of fun! It is great if you are looking for a fun dinner with some friends. 
You should get there early on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays as the place is always packed and there is a long wait. 
The margaritas are delicious, the strawberry is my favourite! If you are looking for something strong go for the Hornitos maragarita. 
The chips and salsa are delicious and so are the fajitas. They use to have the most amazing catfish tacos but sadly they were taken off the menu. They were replaced with swordfish tacos which are not nearly as good! 
Prices are very reasonable and portions are generous!
4 - Carolyn L.: My meals at Border Cafe are generally comprised of: complimentary salsa/chips to start (who needs boring ol' bread?), a delightfully tasty strawberry margarita (one of the best I've ever tasted), a chicken bandera main course (described as "a mesquite grilled chicken breast seared with a kicked-up Chipotle lime glaze"... excuse me, I think I just drooled a bit), topped off with shoestring fries at a perfect crisp. All for the low, low price of $15.99 - yes, that includes the booze. No doubt, I will be returning (but most likely not on a weekend as it can get too loud/rowdy for my liking).
4 - Daniel P.: I've always been pretty pleased with this joint.  Their margaritas are the perfect strength and inexpensive, their food isn't phenomenal but it's tasty and never once have I left there feeling like I might explode the next morning.  

My friend and I almost got sat downstairs in the corner, squished next to a family with an already-wailing child...the hostess thankfully understood and re-sat us...whew!
5 - Alexis K.: One of my favorite restaurants in the area. I bring everyone I know here and it is always one of the first places I suggest when people want to go out for dinner.

It's definitely great for college students, though all ages can be found here. Primarily because the food is cheap, good and comes in large portions.

This place is usually packed so expect a wait if you are coming at dinner hours or anytime on a Thursday-Saturday. BUT it's totally worth the wait, especially because they make AMAZING margaritas. A down side is there is not much sitting space at the bar, so you will probably end up standing while you wait.

The free, warm chips and salsa are delicious and the food is really great quality. I would suggest the Burro if you ever go and don't want something spicy. 

One other thing to note, because it gets so packed this place is LOUD and it can be hard to talk and/or hear.
3 - Austin R.: Good tex-mex but nothing amazing
1 - Meg B.: Haven't been here in several years. My go-to meal was chicken fajitas, so that's what I ordered with sides of guacamole, beans and rice. The only edible part of the meal was the beans. The fajita was awful. I think it was made with precooked chicken. There were no peppers, just onions smothered with some awful tasting red seasoning. The plate of trimmings appeared to be only shredded cheese with red mushy pico on one side with the guacamole (maybe a whole teaspoonful) placed on top of the shredded cheese. The side of rice was pathetic. On top of that was a dismal Harvard Square on a Saturday night. I guess it's time to say, adios to Cambridge and the Border Cafe...
5 - Missy M.: Border is my go to for eating out.  The food is amazing, the portions are huge (sharing/leftovers), the prices are super low, and there are plentiful vegetarian options.  I'm totally addicted to the chips and guac here., and the margaritas, too.

I love taking my boyfriend here.  We both get drinks, guacamole, share an entree (deff. big enough for 2 people; I make him share so I don't stuff myself), maybe another drink after.  It feels indulgent and I'm always happy to pay.  And I'm really cheap.  

It gets really loud on weekends, but on weeknights it's more quiet and relaxed.
4 - Jules H.: Noms.  Food is distinctively Tex-Mex, a rarity around here (where we usually get true-blue Mexican), and the atmosphere is very casual-fun.  (Plus, if you are a Revels fan [Boston reference only???] they come and hang out here after shows and do singalongs!)
5 - Abigail H.: As a Texan going to school in Boston, Border Café is a haven for me.  Whenever I'm craving some good Tex-Mex, I make my friends come with me to get my fill of home.

It's pretty cheap which is awesome for students.

Their reservation system is pretty rigid, so make sure you have your whole party there on time or else you won't be able to take your table.  Service is nice, sometimes they are somewhat aloof but it's a loud place and you shouldn't expect intimate service.

Man, I'm craving fajitas after writing this...
4 - Steve S.: A really good tex-mex place place with one of the worst web site info available.
Really confusing menu on-line. Can't you just show a menu instead of 25 different categories ?. One would think a Harvard Sq. rest. would be a little easier to describe menu selections.. Hire a local kid to do ity right !!!
I'll go anyway but it would be nice to see menu options with a blittle more clarity !!!!
4 - Katie V.: This place is very cheap and the portions are huge. Which makes me a bit suspicious as to the quality of the ingredients and/or the kitchen labor. But when you want a buttload of Mexican or Cajun food, this is the place to go.

I have tried the fajitas (the portion for 1 is huge and enough for 2) and the swordfish tacos. Both very good and filling. Also have had the etouffe (sp?) with chicken and chorizo and the popcorn shrimp. It's not the most refined cuisine but it's tasty. The drinks are also cheap; the Hurricane is sneakily potent, though almost too sweet (I had a stomachache after) and the raspberry margarita is made with raspberry-flavored liquor, not a fruit puree, so it's stronger than a reg margarita. 

Expect to wait on weekends, but the tables turn pretty quickly and the restaurant is huge so it's usually not too bad. Loud, collegiate/fratty atmosphere, but hey, what do you expect in a place that has $5.50 margaritas that's within walking distance from a university?
4 - Alex M.: Good cheap food.
3 - Chris S.: Three words.

Chips and salsa.

If I could, I would just sit there and simply eat chips and salsa for dinner. They're better than the entrees.
4 - Thais A.: Chips and Salsa
Fajitas 
Margaritas 
Mexican fiesta in mi pantalones
Yes, yes, yes, maybe... 

I'll start off saying that I've never met nicer people in the service industry than the ones at this place. The servers, the hostesses, even the food runners were all exceptionally polite. 

On to the food--- Delicious! I shared the fajitas for two with my lovely date for the evening, and it was more than enough food for two. The margaritas were super tasty and the complimentary chips and salsa in the beginning were terrific.  Everything was delicious, but when i compared it to the food at Uncle Julio's back in Boca, I felt like the ingredients were just more fresh and crisp there. However, this place is way cheaper than Uncle Julio's and the staff here is friendlier.
5 - Rachel L.: Border is my favorite restaurant in the Boston area.  It is a casual, American-Mexican restaurant hidden in Harvard Square.

I have been going there for well over 10 years, and I don't think I have ever had a bad experience.

They have the best chips and salsa around.  The portions are large and the food is cheap.  They also make a mean margarita.  I highly recommend the vegetable quesadilla.

The only caution that I have is that during the rush hours (7-9pm) on Friday and Saturday, you will have to wait.  Depending on the size of your party, it is usually about an hour.  However, if you get there early, or go during the week, it's not a problem.  They also wont take reservations.

Otherwise, it is always a fun time.
4 - Logan J.: boston is definitely lacking in good mexican food.  this is probably some of the best that ive found after a few years of living here.  its still a far cry from so-cal mexican food, but its good for the area.  

im a pretty big fan of their corn and black bean empanadas.  they come with a dipping sauce thats pretty amazing. their fajitas are pretty good too.  like others have commented, the quantity of food here is a little crazy.  expect to be very full after leaving this place!  i will say that i think its really weird that this place doesnt serve nachos.  they make up for it by having some of the cheapest margaritas in boston and warm, endless chips and salsa though.

for the cheap margaritas, inexpensive food, and sheer quantity of it all, ill give this place four stars.
3 - Julia Z.: Went there on a Saturday night and it got extremely loud and crowded. Servers were fast, warm, and helpful. Tried Steak Fajitas and Blackened Swordfish; both were pretty okay. Great for friends to hang out with good drinks and American Mexican food. But not so much if you are only into real Mexican food or want romantic intimacy, be aware!
3 - Elaine T.: The 3 stars is a reflection of the food. It tasted ok. The steak fajita that my boyfriend got had a weird spice marinade to it. It definitely didn't taste authentic (I'm from CA and know good mexican food). And I can't speak for my food as I got a salad- you can't really go wrong there.

This place is a sure bet for college students as the food is cheap and they give you plenty of food for an entree (enough to split into 2 meals). But I can't overlook the service. I'd give this place 5 stars for the friendly and attentive staff members. However would I come back? Probably not. I think if I was still in college, this would be a place I'd come to for sure.
3 - Stephanie F.: Border Cafe is one those places that I feel "eh" about one aspect, but then other pros about it balance it out to make it an OK place.

The eh factors are as follows:
- eh quality of  food: I've had the blackened catfish, and their fish tacos. Good size portion but something I don't itch for everytime I go back to eat there
- eh guacamole: the price of the guac definitely reflects the quality. Don't get me wrong, it's sufficiently yummy once I add a few more spritzes of lime to it.
- eh to the seating arrangments in that place: Everytime I've gone with a big group of people I've always had to wait longer than 10-15 minutes. And then when I finally get to sit down, I'm full from all the margaritas I've been drinking and all the tortilla chips I've been snacking on while standing up. and then I ask myself: I waited this long.. for this?

Pro-factors:
- pro drink: HUGE margaritas for the price. While they don't seem to have a lot of tequila in it (not that I can taste) it makes you feel good that you're not paying $10 for the size that you're paying for.
- pro good place to go with a group of friends: While I complained about coming here with a big group of people, it still is a good place to go with such a number. No one is going to complain about the quality of the food, decently-priced drinks... so it gets a 4 star for being a good place to go with groups.
- pro tortilla chips: I'm not sure that they make their own tortilla chips, but they are always heated and are so delicious everytime I go there.
4 - Blair H.: Where else, in Harvard Square, can you sit down, have a decent meal (swordfish tacos) for $11, and have a beer for $4?  

I see you have your hand up.  Oh, you just have an itch?

Exactly.  Nowhere.
4 - Tanya S.: Best place to get buzzed at lunch, such great Margaritas and most people are drinking, no matter what time of day. The food can be pretty greasy, but cornbread and soups are great!
4 - Matthew H.: Fajitas are good, albeit a bit of a departure from "authentic". The margaritas are fantastic, and the warm tortilla chips are a great way to start the meal.
4 - Brittany L.: Great food, great atmosphere, and great location (right off the redline T in Harvard Square). Frequented this place many a time. Favorites include bottomless chips and salsa, huge drinks, delicous fish tacos, and seriously  good cheese in their entrees (any of the quesadilla's are my second fav, behind the fish tacos). Also, total bang for your buck - huge servings and cheap prices.
4 - Sinéad M.: I LOVE THE BORDER CAFE! 

And, yes I'm totally biased. This is one of my top five go to places. The food is always great; bottomless chips, homemade guacamole, and so many amazing entrees to choose from (I personally love the vegetable and chicken fajitas). The drinks are amazing (strong and cheap!). And everyone who works here is hilarious and incredibly nice. 

You really can't find a better and more affordable place in Harvard Square. It's always consistent and no matter what time of year or how busy it is you're guaranteed to have a great time.
5 - Sharon D.: I went to school in TX, so I'm a total tex-mex snob.  Everything was superb.  Excellent margaritas, (enough tequila, not too sour), chips were warm, salsa fresh and spicy, but not painful.  But the fajitas were honestly the best I've had outside of Texas.  Dunno what they put in the rice and beans, but perfectly spiced and had me sad that they weren't the main course.
5 - Tom M.: This place is amazing - Really affordable for what you get.  Margaritas are huge and made from scratch.

There's no use ordering anything other than the fajitas.  Again, huge portions and made with really tasty marinades and garnishments.  I recommend the catfish or the steak.  Both are outstanding.

Really lively environment which I think contributes to the experience.

Based on my Mint account, we've been here 41 times since 2010 - we've NEVER had a problem with service, which speaks to the consistency and quality of the staff and management.
2 - Laura S.: Who doesn't love a fun atmosphere designed for large groups to congregate, drink tequila and stuff themselves with delicious Mexican food? 

Up until this fall, I loved the Border Cafe for these very virtues. Fabulous, not overly-sweet margaritas, oh-so-fresh deep fried tortilla chips, amazing corn and black bean empanadas with red pepper sauce that makes me drool even in a fleeting thoughts. Kind staff. Efficiency. Everyone leaves happy and full. 

This fall, a group of friends met around 5:30 PM at the Border Cafe bar, ready to celebrate a birthday. In our quest to arrange a table (which, for the record, took over 2 hours), my dear friend was introduced to the new owner of the restaurant chain. He explained his quest to "healthify" the restaurant. Most noticeably, the chips were of a lower quality (less deep-fried, which is indeed healthier) and the margaritas went from a quality crafted drink to what tastes like a melted frozen margarita bucket. They were so sweet I could hardly finish my first drink. 

The bartenders receive props for this evening, because as we spent over two hours waiting for a table at the bar, we requested less sweet margaritas and they crafted a finely fresh-lime squeezed margaritas. 

Who does NOT receive props is the new owner. Upon making the comment to him that we weren't fond of the new drink mixture, he said, "well, maybe you should drink more then it wouldn't really matter, would it?" Inappropriate? Unquestionably. 

I'm still in mourning of the Border cafe of past. The corn and black bean empanadas with that mouth watering red pepper sauce are still blessedly the same, but the spirit of the restaurant is gone for me, with leadership prepared to take advantage of what he assumes is a clientele with apathetic tastebuds, only patronizing the restaurant to get drunk.
2 - Lauren E.: I've been a faithful fan of Border Cafe for the past couple of years.  Such a fan, that I have given this place 5 stars on two separate occasions.  So it upsets me that I have to write this review, but I felt the service we had tonight was inexcusable.

My bf and I went here for an early evening dinner (before the Super Bowl started), and the place was nearly empty.  Even though no one was there, we felt rushed tonight.

Our server was Samantha H. (according to the name on the receipt).  After she got us our drinks, she asked us if we were ready to order.  I said we needed a couple of more minutes.

When she came back, instead of asking us if we were ready, Samantha seemed rushed and asked us, "So what would you like?"  I didn't think much of it then, because we were ready to order.

Later after I finished my enchiladas, there were tomatoes and lettuce leftover on the plate.  I don't like tomatoes, so I pushed aside my plate to my bf (who was sitting perpendicular to me) because he wanted to finish the veggies.  As he was picking on it, she came by and just grabbed the dish and left quickly without asking if we were done.  What happened to asking if you're all set with your dinner???  Even if it appears someone is done, I thought it was common courtesy to ask.  Guess not.

I'm all for fast service, but something about tonight we felt rushed.  I would've been slightly more forgiving if it was a busy night, but the place was so empty.

I also had another separate incident at Border Cafe where our server forgot about us and no one came to our table for a good 10-15 minutes to take our order.

What happened to Border Cafe's service?  I've had better experiences.  I don't know if I'll be going here as often as I have in the past.
3 - Camille R.: First off, you will not find real Mexican or Tex-Mex food here and their offerings of southern/cajun style food throws their marketing scheme in the garbage.

If I walked in here without expecting Tex-Mex, I would say that the food is decent. I had the enchiladas with white sauce - I don't know what inspired that one - with beans and rice. VEGANS: rice is not friendly. And then I returned with a group of friends and had these little vegan croquette things tha were just okay.

The truth is I find these American owned/inspired restaurants to be offensive. They throw these heavy cream sauces on a plate and call it a dish. But maybe it isn't their fault, but rather the patrons who continue to consume these tasteless creations.
3 - Sara M.: I wavered between three and four stars for this place. Four for the prices, no-frills/comfortable atmosphere, and generally decent service... three for the predictably "A-OK" food that is perfectly fine but nothing to write home about.

I've been here multiple times because it is just such a convenient stop for a quick, cheap, sit-down lunch or dinner when you're wandering in the Harvard area. The restaurant is huge so wait times (if you have to wait at all) are rarely long - even on a busy weekend night. Also, despite being consistently busy, the staff never make you feel rushed or try to turn over tables as quickly as possible. 

The menu is so large and diverse that it's pretty easy to accommodate a group of people with distinct tastes. Moreover, despite serving a range of food (Mexican, Cajun, good ol' American), the kitchen does a decent job with every dish I've tried thus far. Between my various visits I've tried enchiladas, tacos, steak, and recently crawfish etouffee. Everything has been perfectly ok and generous in size, so for $7-$10/entree I leave feeling satisfied. If you're looking for locally sourced food or depth of flavor you're obviously in the wrong place. Dishes are overwhelmingly one-note (cheese, sauce, etc.) and don't have much in the way of distinguishable spices, herbs, or other complex flavors. But I doubt that will come as much of a surprise. I was surprised, however, by the fact that they serve at least some locally brewed beverages; my rootbeer came from a brewing company in Ipswich. 

Overall, you get what you pay for and for the prices this place offers, I think it's a great value in Harvard Square.
4 - Alan C.: My trip to Border Cafe didn't really start off so great. It was a Friday night, and it was PACKED to the point that they had to have someone guarding the door and there was a line to even put your name on the wait list. It took about 40 minutes until we were called up, and boy was it packed.

Even before we ordered, they were doing things right. They brought us water in huge 2 pint glasses (don't have to worry about refills). In additional, the chips they brought us were really hot and fresh, so they were delicious even by themselves.

I ordered a strawberry margarita and a chicken fajita.

Strawberry Margarita - the margarita came in quite a large glass, filed to the brim. The drink itself was refreshing and really good. For $5.50, it's worthwhile to get.

Chicken Fajita - I didn't realize this until they brought it out, but they made everything separately and put them in their own containers. That meant I would have to assemble the fajitas by myself, which was fine. The chicken was grilled perfectly and everything was wonderfully seasoned. However, Since everything was so seasoned, 
the entire fajita was pretty damn salty.

tl;dr - Fajitas are so delicious and flavorful (maybe a bit too salty) and margaritas come in big glasses for a cheap price.
5 - John C.: Really cool spot for great drinks, good food and a lively, upbeat atmosphere. A "must do" when in Cambridge.
1 - Iwantmore P.: Ok... Where do I start?

We were forced to wait 80 minutes for a table, and during, KOLLEEN got hit in the head with a tray of cups by one of the backwaiters. And she has a narrow head that isn't easy to hit, due to her natural delivery--this guy was more negligent than Casey Anthony.

And the food is saltier than the sea. The Dead one. Probably to get you to order more mediocre margaritas. Eggggh.

I honestly have no idea why anyone would ever come here. It's like running a marathon to go see Madonna's halftime show--even if you do it ironically, you just end up with an empty feeling on the inside.
4 - Jeff W.: The main virtue of this place is that it gives you lots of food (the free chips can make a meal themselves) and drinks (with free refills) for a good price.  And all the food I've tried is quite good, as well - the empanadas, enchiladas, catfish, burgers, the eggplant royale (is that it's name?).  The house salad is really cheap but it's big enough to be a meal.

I don't like how loud it is.
5 - Fadi Q.: I haven't been there for a long time but I used to go there frequently when I lived in Boston

First comment about other bad reviews
#1 expect the wait on a busy weekend
#2 why do you even bring a kid to this place on a weekend night? I think that's bad parenting
#3 if you have super long wait, go outside and walk around for a while
#4 oh you're a fan of the place and give 2 out of 5 stars for one not so great experience? you're being unfair
#5 for anybody giving 1 out of 5 stars, the place needs to fall on your head before you give such a low rating

ok done with my rant and now for the good stuff

#1 fresh made chips and salsa for everybody no extra charge, just for that you should definitely check this place out
#2 the crowded college atmosphere is great for the young people
#3 the margaritas are much fun, I'm not pro about them so not sure if they're top notch but everybody i used to go with loved them even with some of my picky friends
#4 food is excellent, maybe not everything on the menu is great but we've tried from the fish, fajitas to burgers and I was never disappointed 
#5 for a busy place like this, the pricing is just right
5 - Celia N.: One of my favorite places to eat in Boston! 

The things I love about it:
1. Free chips and salsa that are totally awesome and addicting
2. Cheap, potent, homemade margaritas
3. Great atmosphere 
4. Open late 
5. The chicken burro is one of the best things I have ever eaten.
6. Guacamole. YUM. 

The not-so-great things:
1. They don't take reservations, and the wait can be really long on weekends. They'll usually overestimate time, though, so grab a drink at the busy bar and hang out
2. Sometimes they don't let me substitute cornbread for rice and beans. Is it really that much more expensive?

Don't expect a relaxing dinner. But it will be fun, cheap, and most importantly, SO GOOD.
3 - Daniel M.: Border cafe is a pretty descent Tex Mex place. The food is good and the staff is friendly. There is nothing particularly amazing however it is definitely worth a trip.

Parking outside is ridiculously expensive.  So try to find a spot on the street, or walk if possible.
4 - Getfree G.: Very good place to eat mexican food. so many options to eat and they do taste good.
3 - Darci N.: Service:  Expecting a wait on a Saturday night, I was content at the quoted 40 minute wait.  Happy to belly up to the bar for a long awaited margarita, the 40-ish minutes passed pretty quickly.  I'm not a big fan of the set up for seating though - we were given a buzzer, it rang, and then we were given a piece of paper with a sticker on it and sent downstairs?  From there we had to wait for our table to get cleared before we were seated and moved out of the staircase.

Our server was noticeably rushed, and table-time was minimal.  No big complaints in terms of service, it just felt as rushed as he looked.  He did manage to slap down some chips & salsa right away for us though, so kudos to him.

Drink:  1 star.  I am admittedly a bit of a snob when it comes to tequila/margaritas, so I was highly disappointed at the minimal and cheap selection of tequilas and in the overall poor quality of margaritas.  I asked for mine "on the rocks" (which she said was an option!) and she proceeded to dump frozen mix out of the blender into a glass with ice... um.  Quality aside, it didn't taste terrible, and I learned my lesson - don't believe what people tell you about the margaritas at Border Cafe.

Food: Chips & Salsa on the table - automatic star.  I'm a huge fan of places that recognize you may have been waiting and get you something fast.  I've had better chips, but you get what you pay for.  I was starving, so I ate with no complaints.  We started with the guacamole, which was mediocre, and I had a vegetable quesadilla.  The food portions are enormous, so definitely go hungry.  In general though, nothing to write home about in terms of flavor.
4 - Matt T.: I found it strange that I was battling between a 3 & 4 star review for the Border Cafe since I love going to the place so damn much. The chips & salsa are the tits, and the food is really good and well priced overall. I've frequented the Harvard Square & Burlington locations quite often and will continue to go back frequently.

I suppose when I think about packaging it altogether though, the service truly is sub-par for the most part.  Both locations are quite large, so it feel like the wait staff may be a bit on the short end in terms of service.  I'm pretty big on the service aspects of a place, but again, I love the food, so I'm going to let it slide.

The biggest drawback has to be the weak margaritas. You get one of those giant, thick glasses and think it's going to be a fountain of joy, but just ends up being 1 splash of tequila mixed in with a high concentration of mix & ice.

That said, I do truly love the enchiladas & fajitas.   They're delicious.  You will have a fun time if you look back and think of two or three things that would have most likely increased the experience overall.
4 - Alicia J.: Surprisingly good!

I know exactly 4 cities very well, and would not want to leave the choice of a restaurant to someone else, but Boston is not (yet?) one of them. After falling in love with Grafton Street, we haven't really tried out much else, so we were happy to get recommendations for the Harvard Square area from friends. Apparently they have been coming to this place over and over, and I can see why.

It was a mildly busy Sunday today, but our party of 5 was seated pretty quickly. While waiting in the entrance area, we thought it felt pretty loud, but after we sat down (further into the restaurant but not in the basement), it was a perfect mix of lively atmosphere and audibility of your conversation. It took a little while for our food to come out, during which we hopelessly overate on their chips and great salsa. But when it finally arrived, it was actually hot and surprisingly well-made. Certainly this place is "not special" as other reviewers said, but I appreciated how these were the type of "simple dishes well made" which I love so much in home-cooking. Personally I think there is nothing greater than that. We had a blackened chicken fajita with rice & beans, a blackened catfish fajita with jambalaya, and something else which I have now forgotten. Both fajitas were delicious - the tortillas are soft and warm, and the meats well-seasoned and juicy. I had guacamole for my fajita but sauces were totally not necessary because everything else tasty enough on its own. Only the jambalaya was a little bland, but that is alright. It also appears that their lemon margaritas are pretty nice.

Service was average, but it's not like you would come here for that. It's a no-frills place whose food is much better than the casual atmosphere suggests. I think this is a great place to come with friends, especially if they don't want to spend a fortune at a restaurant. I look forward to coming here again.
3 - Celia Z.: It's shocking that this place has nearly 900 reviews; after all, besides its descent prices, loose atmosphere and two-story space, there really isn't much special otherwise.

The free nachos were straight out of the fryer, but to me, they lacked taste and seasoning.  The guacamole was good but then again, who isn't a fan of guac?  Have any event with avocados in the dining hall, and it's gone in minutes.  The fajitas (I got the one with blackened chicken) was tasty but then again, I usually am not too picky about my fajitas.  When it's warm and sizzling and placed right in front of you with a beautiful plate of condiments, who can resist, even if the taste is just above average?

We went around lunchtime and were in and out within an hour. On a Friday or Saturday night, better have reservations or expect an half hour wait.  It's a convenient, inexpensive dinner and drinks place, but that doesn't justify the glorified nature of food these days.  Sadly, another Harvard Square restaurant missing the mark.
3 - Dave G.: Rule 1 when going to Border Cafe: STAY NORTH OF THE BORDER - make sure to tell the host you want to stay upstairs - If you don't they will always try and seat you on their basement level, which takes quite a bit away from the experience.  They do a great job with margaritas and serve up quality Tex/Mex fair. Order on the lighter side as the bottomless chips and salsa will prevent you from finishing a big meal. Also to consider if you're driving here is the parking situation - it's in the heart of Harvard Square, which means you will be hunting for a spot or paying to park in a lot across the street from the restaurant.
4 - Glenn N.: I am very picky about my Mexican cuisine. After growing up in the Midwest on Taco Bell and ChiChi's, I lived for several years in the Southwest and got a taste for truly authentic food. I don't go for the bland refried beans with ground beef seasoned with generic chili powder slopped on top of a pile of tortilla chips. By no means is Border Cafe amazing Tex-Mex fare, but it's a step above alot of places I've found in Boston. I have tried pretty much everything on the menu and often go for the swordfish and mango salsa. It's more of an east coast take on Southwestern food and I just flat out love it.

The atmosphere is very frat-boy at times which can take me back. So it can be crowded and noisy. The service has always been quick and friendly.

I give this place four stars because it's convenient, has decent enough food and is a really good spot to meet up with friends.
5 - Emeline M.: I have no idea why I've never yelped this place, but when I saw that there wasn't 5 stars I had to do something! This place is fantastic, my boyfriend and I come here frequently, the food and drinks are affordable, delicious and fast. Every time we've been here which is usually twice a month :) there is a huge crowd. The wait time varies but if your standing somewhere around the bar area normally someone will drop off chips and salsa for you no questions asked, I love that! plus you can always easily grab a drink at the bar while you wait. This is totally our go-to place. We love the blackened chicken with the orange marmalade and the steak fajitas. Plus the water glasses are ginormous. Side note we brought my mother here a couple of months ago and she cant wait to come back to visit and go again. Way to go borders!
4 - Matt H.: This is what Chili's strides to be... Unapologetic classic tex-mex complete with the cheesy decor... It's existence is an anomaly in Boston. I've been here 30+ times and always leave happy and overly full (with leftovers).

Jump on the catfish fajitas or the gauchos chicken... You're welcome.
4 - Cheryl P.: I  avoid chain establishments but tried this place anyway.  I was pleasantly surprised. Very cool atmosphere, a little noisy but fun, active, happy people Fiday after work kind of noise, nice to be surrounded by.  The rustic decor suits the food very well. I had Bandera Chicken, a mesquite barbeque breast with a nice lime (I think) glazing. I adored the broiled avacado with mango side. A plate full of thi=ose would do nicely. They serve this dish with shoe string fries, delicious, a departure from the expected rice and beans.  The waiter was adorable, attentive and worth the big tip. The meal was so reasonable even with a drink, we were surprised.  Half the price of the less substantial meal meal, also with one drink, in the hotel bar the night before. Yes, we will go back.
3 - Jamie G.: I am SHOCKED I have never reviewed this place! I used to come here all the time for drinks with friends when I was at Harvard, and I still visit every once in awhile when I'm in the area. It's not my fave mexican restaurant (I'm partial to Margaritas) and this place has an interesting cajun flare, but this place has decent drinks and food. I almost always get the frozen raspberry margarita with a sugared rim... and it's almost always delicious... but this past time, it was not mixed well--- all the raspberry syrup was on the bottom and the ice was on the top-- it was this weird white-ish purple-ish color, not the usually smooth pink deliciousness I am used to... I was very sad. The chips are a bit too salty, salsa is good, guac is good, queso is delicious, fried crawfish are delicious, and when I eat entrees here, I usually split the fajitas with someone- which are pretty good. Service is usually very friendly, the restaurant is spacious, two floors, and a few outdoor seats, and a nice bar area. Lots of young people here... and they always card here. I'll most definitely be back, usually a top choice for Harvard Square area, but not top compared to what else is out there in the Boston area.
4 - Ethan A.: I was pleasantly surprised with this place. A quick ten minute wait on a busy Saturday night was fine, and out server was great. He took initiative to ask about our allergies when we order menu items slightly customized, and looked into the prepwork behind the food to ensure they met the requirements we had. Glasses were refilled right as they were emptied. Food arrived quickly and freshly prepared.

I was hesitant because the crowd seems a little broski for me, but it was a bit more diverse. Its also hard for me to find a "mexican" vegetarian dish without cheese, but that was also not a problem. While not my standard fare, I'm glad to know I can rely on this place should the mood strike for tex mex in Harvard Square.
4 - Cathy V.: Been loving this place since 1988. So sad to see that the Chile Rellenos is not on the menu anymore.  Five stars if it comes back!!!!
4 - Armando C.: Great place for mexican food,clean,great food,good serivice
5 - Ann C.: It's magical in my tummy! 

I love this place because it's good for both vegetarians and meat eaters! They have a whole page with vegetarian listings, so you don't have to scan the menu and read every description only to find out the beans are made with meat. I like places like this because then I don't have to feel like "the vegetarian" and my omnivore friends can order what they want. Everyone is happy!

The free chips come warm and crunchy. The salsa isn't my favorite, but that's a personal thing and I definitely eat it happily anyways. I also love their huge cups for fountain drinks so I don't have to bug my waitress for refills.

Obviously I can't recommend meat dishes, but my boyfriend loves the Cajun food. So far he's tried the Blackened Catfish, Catfish New Orleans, and Crawfish Etouffee and has said "Oh man," with a huge smile after every first bite. He says they make the fish meat "soft." All the plates came with flavorful rice, beans, and a piece of THE BEST CORNBREAD EVER (see description below).

For vegetarians, I highly recommend the corn and black bean empanadas, they are DELICIOUS. Unfortunately, they have cheese in them so they aren't vegan. They are full of protein and come with a nice red pepper sauce, along with rice and beans. You get four, but they're packed with protein and will probably fill you up after just two. You know what that means? LEFTOVERS! Two meals for $7. Also, a waitress recommended the corn bread and OH MAN it has a dreamy soft consistency like cake! It's also somehow crispy on the outside... I absolutely love it! I've also had the Black bean tostada salad (or something like that, I don't remember the exact name). It doesn't even need dressing and comes with a scoop of guacamole on top. It also comes in a huge, beautiful tostada shell, but is hard to take home/eat as a left over.

I love the eclectic, vibrant feeling, especially downstairs. I definitely would recommend coming for lunch or an early dinner, especially if you have kids and don't like a loud/bar atmosphere, as it sometimes gets upstairs at night. 

Oh, and did I mention the prices are incredible?! 

Love it. I'm devastated that I didn't discover this place sooner because I'm moving soon. Also, I'm looking forward to tomorrow just for eating my leftovers!
2 - jun k.: Wow.
So,
Came here in a group of 5 around 10pm on a Thurs night.  Place was not full, there were at least 4 tables open.  The hostess had so much attitude.

"Are you guys here for food or just drinks?  If it's just drinks you have to go to the bar.  It's our policy."
"What? really?"
"It's our policy.. you can talk to the manager if you have problems with it."
"Okay fine, we'll order food.  Are appetizers okay?"
"No, it has to be food items."
"Okay fine."
"How much food are you going to order?  It has to be one per person.  Sorry, it's our policy."

Are you serious?  Okay, i get that it's policy, but did you need to be so rude?  Also, it's not like you're super packed - there were so many empty tables.  And what are you, the food nazi?  I've come here before with a friend and split 1 quesadilla b/c we weren't hungry.

Border, I'll still go to get my chips fix if i need to, but please, you're not THAT great.  I do not need the attitude.

We ended up going to Uno's and it was PHENOMENALLY better.  http://www.yelp.com/biz/uno-chicago-grill-cambridge-2#hrid:MEn_k26l0et8dDPoLnvBGg
4 - Kadin L.: SPECTACULAR place! Had my first real mexican meal here! Love the fresh chips!! SUPER salsa! I had a beef quesadilla with was phenomenal! And their chicken pastelitos were SO good! Love the cilantro in it! The only thing that's keeping me from giving border cafe 5 stars is how the people in the front are so rude. But the food made up for it.
5 - Ami G.: My husband and I recently visited Cambridge and took a stroll around Harvard Square before landing at my husband's absolute favorite Mexican restaurant ever, Border Cafe.  He too went to undergrad and grad school in Cambridge, so a quick lunch at Border Cafe was high on his list in order to satisfy his long-standing Mexican food craving.

Border Cafe is always busy, no matter what time of day.  We arrived around 12:30 and it was crowded, but we managed to sneak in and grab a table without a wait.  I perused the menu, unsure of exactly what my options were for a good lunch salad.  I was happy to see that the menu had its own vegetarian section!

Our waiter was fantastic!  As soon as we sat down, a large basket of warm tortilla chips and house-made salsa were placed in front of us.  I passed on the chips and salsa this time, since it was a bit early in my day to stuff my face with them, but my husband had no hesitation in diving in!

As he did that, I admired the condiments.  I was tickled by the Crystal hot sauce- I have never seen that brand before!

I also took a glance around to appreciate the festive and eclectic decorations!

I decided to take a vegetarian salad off the menu and tweak it a bit so it would be just right for me.  Another reason I hearted our waiter was when I told him my order was a bit complicated, he told me not to worry a bit.  After I delivered my order, he told me that was easy!  I love when waitstaff are so open to accommodating fussy guests!

I ordered their vegetarian black bean salad without the flour shell it typically comes in, without cheese, without mushrooms, and without dressing.  I asked for an extra side of salsa to use as dressing instead.  With all of those alterations, I ended up with exactly what I wanted:  black beans, salsa, guacamole, tomatoes, lettuce, red onion, and green peppers.  Vegan, gluten-free, and delicious!

Since their salsa is amazing, and their guac is equally stellar, this salad was packed with spicy Mexican flavor.  My husband did not believe me when I said salsa was a bomb salad topper, so I offered him a bite to test it out.  He was, to say the least, blown away!  He finally caved in and expressed to me how it clicked for him with that bite- he now "gets" why I use salsa as salad dressing, especially along with avocado.  As I have always said, he too admitted it tasted like the inside of his beloved Chipotle burrito.

Border Cafe was wonderful about crafting a meal for menu that I was happy with.  Again, it never hurts to ask for what you want, because you just might get it, and it just might be delicious!

This is an excerpt from my blog. . . for photos and more visit www.dashofcurry,com
5 - Messy L.: Spectacular tasting food with unbeatable prices -especially considering the location.
5 - Mike M.: One of my all time favorite spots. Doesn't matter which location,  I love them all. 

I been going to Border Cafe for about 8 years now and have never had a bad experience there. Gets a little crazy and hectic during the dinner hours on a Friday or Saturday but what place doesn't? Couple drinks will keep you busy until your seated. 

From the service, to the drinks to the chips and dishes,  it's all superb. The chips and salsa alone make it worth the trip. When they serve them nice and hot and covered in salt with salsa, it's quiet the treat. I've had countless baskets before even getting to my dish. 

The drinks are all great. They have great flavored Margs and they always seem to be well poured, which I am a huge fan of. Melon Margarita is my favorite.  The Sangria is  good, but not great. Homemade Sangria is the only way to go if you ask me.  They are decently priced to at around $6. 

The food is great. My favorite dishes are the Cajun Burger, and the Blacken Chicken Salad. 

Cajun Burger is great, rubbed in Cajun Spices w Poblano Jack Cheese.  Being Irish I find the least spiciest things spicy.  My date made fun of me last week b/c she took a bite and said it wasn't the least bit spicy.  Whatever.   The Blackened Chicken Salad is also a great dish.  The chicken is perfectly marinated with a nice spice. 

The tacos are also very good. The seasonings they mix with their meats are very good. 

So if your in the Harvard Square, Burlington, Route 1 area, be sure to check out Border Cafe. Good food, and cheap!
4 - Caroline M.: Border is great! Anytime on the weekend there is usually a wait, but it goes by fast and once you are seated, you are given chips and salsa and friendly, quick service. 

The prices are great, especially considering the amount of delicious food you are given, almost always leave with leftovers.

Another plus, I had a friend who worked here and he said the kitchen is AMAZINGLY clean and that all of the staff are very sanitary, which is always nice to hear. 

Fun place, great food.
4 - Whitney S.: Good for: big groups, enjoying a few drinks and getting a bit rowdy, getting your guacamole fix, eating more than is comfortable.

Not good for: nice clothes that need to be dry-cleaned (clothes always seem to have a certain "Border" smell after dinners there), intimate/private dinners or conversations, true, true Mexican food (call me spoiled by my California up-bringing).

Always a ton of fun though! Great service, never had a bad waiter/waitress.
2 - Emily P.: I am from Texas so the food here was on par with a decent Tex-Mex chain restaurant.  The service was good, the atmosphere was fun, and the food was cheap and filling. I guess you couldn't ask for much more than that in a restaurant.
3 - Gina B.: I live in Texas and visit Boston fairly often, so I'm coming in with a bias toward good Tex-Mex. Border Cafe isn't bad -- for Massachusetts, it's probably some of the best you'll find. Their salsa is fresh, the margaritas strong. Sometimes that's all you need. 

The last time I went, I ordered cajun food, it being crawfish season and all. I got the crawfish etouffee, and while it was not the best etoufee I've ever had, I enjoyed it. My boyfriend ordered the Gulf Coast Enchiladas -- enchiladas stuffed with crawfish and shrimp and topped with creme and crab meat sauce. They were delicious but after three bites, they were too rich for him to finish.

Our service at the table was great, but the hostess wouldn't seat us with an incomplete party. While it was pretty busy, I still don't like this rule. It's incredibly frustrating to see other parties get seated before you, only because your friends are 10 minutes behind. Also, they play a lot of crappy, mainstream country music, which doesn't jive with Tex-Mex/Cajun vibe. They should look into a more authentic regional music selection (and thus not offend any true Southerners...)
3 - Rob M.: good burger fun place but never seen a busier place same with their other two locations tried to come at 7 and couldnt get a table had to come back after 10. Tried to bring my fiancee here twice and cant get a table always an hour wait.
4 - Ryan V.: Amazing margaritas! I usually asked them to use Patron instead and pay a little more, on the rocks with salt. The food is just ok, but after a few margaritas it gets better. However, their French fries are addictive, nothing fancy just cooked right and have great texture. Good luck finding a parking space.
2 - Casey H.: Margaritas are 90% ice. Queso appetizer was really just bad. Steak fajitas were burned and poorly seasoned, hardly edible. Only acceptable part of the meal was the pulled beef enchiladas which were tasty and plentiful.
3 - J D.: Its the Olive Garden of Mexican food. Its alright but good if you can't think of anywhere else to go.
5 - p'raka ..: Normally I would have given this place 4 stars for just being cheap and tasty mexican. The five stars is from my recent experience here. I went with a friend who has several dietary restrictions and not only was the waiter extremely patient and friendly, he also sent over the manager who spent time going over the menu options that were available for my friend.  I really was not expecting that level of accommodation and it just blew me away. I've been coming here since my college days and I'm glad they seem to be getting more awesome as time goes on!
2 - Jim L.: I have a theory about Tex Mex places -- never go to a place based on friends that recommend the Margaritas. The food never lives up to the review, because the person making the recommendation was too focused on the drinks to notice that the food sucked.

So it is with Border Cafe. Having spent seven years in Cambridge, this was a de facto go-to place, but the food was consistently sub-par -- not very flavorful and overcooked, two bad tastes that taste worse together. It wasn't terrible, just not nearly as good as you would expect from a place that is always so crowded. I'm sure the Margaritas were good (after all, we kept going back), but man cannot live on sweetened tequila alone.
2 - Lia B.: I used to come here about once a week with friends because Border Café is open so late, but we stopped going because it just wasn't worth it. The food is consistently greasy and strange. The music is loud, and people at the bar get rowdy sometimes. 

The decor is kind of cool, and if you're looking for place to eat past midnight, the late-night menu is actually better than the dinner menu. 

I probably won't be back.
3 - Ian C.: Border Cafe is a lot of fun! I used to come here every Sunday because they were the only late night place with a decent food selection.
Their food tends to be on the greasy side, but if you make it in time for their not-late-night menu, you'll be able to get better (less greasy) food.  Their chips are delicious (albeit a bit salty).  I'm excited to go back and have something from their normal dinner menu.
4 - Kate L.: Amazing chicken quesadilla as always. NEVER FAILS to be unreal and amazing! Great service and cheap. BUT... I brought a hot tea from Starbucks in b/c it was freezing in the AC and they told me I couldn't come in with it. I was pretty annoyed. I mean, obvi it isn't alcohal and I am a well-dressed adult not some poor person who won't get a drink b/c I have my own tea. ANYWAY, I talked to the manager and to no avail, had to leave it at the front desk. ANNOYED! But will never stop eating there b/c the foods amaze!
4 - Chris C.: Good basic Mexican at a super cheap price point, though the gumbo would ge great if it wasn't super over-salted. Friendly and attentive device And fun decor.
5 - Jennifer Y.: I have been here several times for birthdays or just social gatherings and I have to say the food is so good.  The catfish, jambalaya, beef burros, corn bread all so delicious.  The service is excellent and you can be as loud as you wanna be with whistles and all and if it's your birthday that have men who play guitars and sing to you ;) Rasberry Margarita's on rocks is so good for good price!
4 - Mark H.: This place is fantasitc.  It is kind of off the beaten path behind the Harvard Bookstore.  The food is very good and the waitstaff if excellent.  I have the chili every time I go, thank God it never changes.  Fun atmosphere and is always a buzz even mid day for lunch.
4 - Danielle W.: I used to come to Border Cafe all the time when my friends and I visited the city during high school and college. It was one of the only places we all could agree on. I never cared for the food then, but I've been here a couple times since then, and it's actually better than I remember. 

Border Cafe's food is, as the name suggests, what you'd expect to find in a Tex-Mex cafe. It's nothing unique or special, but it's pretty decent. It's better than a fast food restaurant, but not as nice as upscale restaurant. It's somewhere in the middle, along that hard to describe middle of the road type of place. I'd almost compare it to pub food, but in Tex-Mex style.

I usually go for the soft tacos with chicken and they're pretty consistent. I've had the enchiladas and burritos and they're also decent, but again, nothing I'd rave over. The biggest point in their favor is that it's a lot of food for a good price. The drinks are cheap, but they're not very strong. I've definitely had better margaritas and sangria elsewhere. 

The atmosphere is fun, but loud. It's a great place to go with a group of people, but if you're going on a weekend, chances are you'll have to wait for awhile. They also don't seat your party unless everyone is there, so be warned about that.

I've never had a problem with the service. In fact, each time I've been there, the service has been wonderful.
5 - Allison M.: A wonderful Tex-Mex/Creole fusion turns out great food and the quick and friendly service is hard to beat. We had the fish tacos  (really good) and the marinated chicken (amazing). The chips and salsa were also tasty.
3 - Kathleen F.: We took my friends from Ireland here while they were visiting because they were craving some good american style mexican food.  Ordered the guac which was good and had chunks of avocado which I really like.  Catfish fajitas for my meal, catfish was spiced well and really good but the tortillas came out feeling like they had been microwaved one too many times which I was disappointed by.  Overall it was good and very filling though.

For drinks I started w' their classic margarita grande which did not taste like it had much alcohol in it.  So I told the waitress that she needed to kick it up a notch and she made me a "special margarita" using her favorite tequila. That was one amazing margarita!!!

This place is really good for groups though so I would recommend it for bdays and large parties.  The food isn't a 4 or 5 star experience but there is good atmosphere and if you don't like something i'd recommend just asking the waiter or waitress to fix it for you, seemed to work for me!
4 - Nikhil B.: A classic Tex-Mex restaurant with lots of appeal to poor college and post-grad students because the portion sizes are enormous. The food is good- nothing outstanding- but reliably solid. The environment is always lively, but be prepared for a wait.
1 - Van T.: This is one of my favorite place to go to, i recommend all my friends to go there, but I had one of the worst hostess at Border Cafe tonight. She should not be working at the front since that is the first impression as soon as a customer walk into your restaurant. Very rude and unprofessional to customer not just to my guest but to others. I hope this message will work its way to whoever in charge, because as much as i love the food there i probably will not go back. Such a bad reason to dislike a restaurant.
2 - Christopher B.: Maybe 10 years ago when I was in college, I liked coming to Border Cafe. I ended up there again for dinner during a late night power outage last month, and things have changed. They used to do only Tex-Mex, with a good selection. Now they also do Cajun, and as a result they do neither Tex-Mex nor Cajun well. Oddly, they also don't do dessert. I guess there are other establishments in Harvard Square who will gladly take your money in return for yummy goodness. I guess I'm now in search of a new favorite dinner spot in Harvard Square. For good Mexican, I recommend Maragarita's if you're in the suburbs, or Rudy's in Davis/Teele Square if you're on the Red Line.
5 - Cory C.: I am obsessed with this place. I am from Mississippi, so my favorite food is Mexican and Cajun (besides regular Southern/Soul food). This place combines the two perfectly! The chips and salsa are a little different, but still good. Everything on the menu is awesome. The empanadas are delicious and so are the Gulf Coast enchiladas. My dad loves the salad (I forget the name) and the shrimp in brown sauce appetizer is great as well! I really have nothing bad to say about this place. It is our go to restaurant in Boston!
5 - M H.: This is one of my favorite restaurants in Boston.
1. The food is awesome, filling, and pretty cheap. I always get the combo plate and one enchilada, one taco, and extra rice (no beans).
2. The margaritas are the best. I like the flavored ones and they are a good strength and reasonably priced.
3. Although they don't take reservations, they are pretty accommodating for large groups. I went once for my birthday and because we ended up waiting so long (mostly because people were late/searching for parking) they gave us a bunch of free appetizers as soon as we did get a table.
2 - Kathy M.: Is it just me or are the margaritas super weak? I'll give them a point because the marg came with a good amount of salt but I was pretty sure my drinks were watered down. I was at the bar with a few people on a weekday evening and we were able to have a few drinks and share chips/chili which was pretty standard.
3 - Annie I.: i go here for drinks fairly often and the margs are hit or miss. i feel like they used to be really strong and delicious, but in particular the frozen margs could come out really weak. recently i had a marg on the rocks that was like drinking water. so that sucked. the food is about what you'd expect, sort of tex-mex with a creole flavoring thrown in.

also, they are basically always slammed so head to the bar or be prepared to wait 30 mins to an hour for a table.
3 - Nicole P.: I came here with a guy that I really liked, so I'm not too sure if I am rating this place based on that guy or if it was truly legit. Let's just say "it didn't work out," but that won't keep me from Yelping!

Visited here last Sunday for a late lunch. No wait. Yes! Gorgeous day? Yes. Outside Seating. Yes! Nobody else sitting next to us? Yes. Wait. I don't know about that one.

This place was good. It was certainly tasty and beats the mundane flavors of Boston I'd been having lately. It reminding me of a little Tex Mex place called Chevy's, which is from back home, wherever that national chain's home was. 

I ordered the chicken fajitas. Tortillas looked to be made on site. And there's a little cup of jumbalaya that comes with every dish. The chicken was cooked pretty well and was flavorful, but the salsa and guac were clearly from a package, possibly Trader Jose's. The drinks were tall, which was good because then it meant we could bother the server less. And apparently they don't serve Harpoon anymore... so that's a negative for some.

About $20 damage for my share, including tip. It is located in Harvard Square, but far enough to have a little privacy from the hustle and bustle of the metro stop. I don't know if I'll be back -- I can't tell if would have worked out.
4 - Joe V.: Hands down my favorite place for margaritas. There are many types of ritas to choose from but all you need is the house margarita. They are smooth, mildly sweet and refreshing on a hot day. They also don't give you a headache the next morning like you would normally get from sour mix.

The food is cheap and delicious especially if you like anything seasoned or blackened. A taco and enchilada plate is only seven dollars.  That will leave you with extra money for more margaritas!

The one downside is the signature border cafe smell.  You will... leave smelling like food. One might argue that every restaurant smells of food, but does the smell linger with you for days as though you worked a double in the kitchen? Plan your outfit accordingly and give your clothes time to air out.

Cheers!
4 - Adam W.: Great food, reasonable prices.  Always crowded.  Not sure how much alcohol the margaritas had, but they're cheaper than many other places' margaritas.
5 - Dimitri S.: Best Mexican for CHEAP! Also yummy chips with refreshing salsa.
4 - Rosa S.: So good. They serve soda/water in huge cups so I need less refills and their chips and salsa tie you over until food comes. I love their blackened chicken salads and all their appetizers. The margaritas are also bomb. If you havent been, you must!
5 - M S.: Great restaurant that's always worth the wait.  Their margaritas and jambalaya are my favorites!  Also an often neglected item on their menu is the half and half fajitas.  You get half chicken, half steak, and all amazing!
5 - E Y.: Border Cafe is amazing!

Chips and salsa for every table, pretty decent salsa.

Chicken quesadillas OH MY GOD.  Literally to die for.  Probably one of the best I've ever had.

Margaritas are a must here, everyone has one in their hands.  Top shelf liquor used and is pretty strong and not watered down.

The prices here are on the cheaper spectrum, especially for Harvard Square.

Another thing about this place is it is ALWAYS packed.  I've come here on weekends and weekdays and the business is similar.  

I will always come back to this place, it has a great vibe and the service is great.
4 - Sarah H.: Border is my go to for a consistently good, comfort food driven meal. 

I love their Catfish Fajitas with the chopped mango and jalapeno topping. Sublime. The sides are kind of middle of the road but the meal itself is fantastic. Also, given how Border is consistently busy, they crank out their meals pretty quickly. I have never felt like a forgotten customer at Border. 

The margaritas are tasty and big (large for me anyway). 

We've tried a few of their apps with success as well--guac is recommended, and the shrimp thing with bread and gravy is delicious. Kind of heavy to start your meal but very flavorful.
5 - Michael Z.: Amazing place to be. Really makes you feel like you are in Mexico. Food is wonderful, price is even better. It may be packed but its worth the wait. If you want some of the best Mexican cuisine in town without putting even a dent in your wallet, come to Border Cafe. $6-10 enormous margaritas, $5-14 dinner plates, and alot of tortillas to go around! A well deserved 5 stars!
5 - Amy G.: This is one of my favorite hang-out places at Harvard Square. The food is incredibly cheap and they give out amazingly large portions -- perfect for any college student.

My favorite dish here is the pulled beef quesadilla and many of my friends have said that this is the best quesadilla they've ever had in their lives. It's soooo amazingly delicious and I can say this holds true for many other dishes offered on the menu.

The fact that they give out free chips and salsa (and continue to enthusiastically refill) is also amazing. It's a true bang for your buck and you never really have to order appetizers. The salsa is also really good and the crispy hot chips also go amazingly well with the guac they serve.

The drinks are also given in HUGE glasses which is also a perk.

Lastly the service is awesome. If there was one thing I didn't like about the restaurant, I'd say it's the general loudness. That part is pretty annoying but this is otherwise a great place to chill and hang out with friends.
3 - Marie E.: Stopped by before heading down for the July 4th fireworks. It wasn't busy and we got seated right away outside. The server was super friendly and funny. I ordered the tacos ( beef) with black beans and rice, my friend ordered the chicken tacos with jambalaya. Both were ok. Not bad, but nothing to write home about. This is average Mexican food.
3 - Alma C.: Tex-Mex standards, large portion sizes, decent flavor, fair pricing. Good margaritas.
1 - Hasan B.: My friends, a group of 9, waited for me to be seated while I get back from a bike ride (unfortunately, a century. In is case). When I got there, I asked the manager if it would be possible to help me secure my bike, as I did not foresee needing a lock when I left in the morning. 

the manager was fairly rude, and did not help accommodating a request as simple as parking a bike in their back space. 

It seems that despite the restaurant being more than half-empty, they don't seem to value customers. I will defer to other reviews on the quality of the food....
1 - Amy Y.: If I could give this place zero or negative stars this review would be more accurate. My new husband and I came here right before departing on a long drive to our mini-moon and we wanted to order something to take to go. My husband has been here many times (and often cites this place as his favorite restaurant in Harvard Square) and he has ordered takeout from the bar before. However, when I came in to try and pick up some lunch for us, the hostess told me that they do not do takeout. My husband wanted me to double check if they did take out at the bar, so I went back and asked another server at the bar, who went and checked for me.... She seemed to have a conversation with someone out of my line of sight, and I realized that it was the hostess that I had spoken to earlier. I  As I was leaving I also caught her glaring at me. Who cares if the food here is cheap when the service leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth?
4 - K C.: Good food for not that much money. We had the catfish, the crawfish quesadilla. They also have quite a few vegetarian options. I wish they were not in the basement (maybe they have seating upstairs, I am not sure)... the service is rushed. But overall it's ok. WIsh they delivered!
4 - Hunter T.: A consistently great place for Mexican-Cajun food and margaritas in Harvard Square

Pros: Well prepared food, fast friendly service; good specialty margaritas; very reasonable prices
Cons: Due to its popularity, seating times can be extremely long during peak hours. House margaritas are mostly sour mix.

Border Cafe has a large menu of great tex mex standards as well as some more adventurous offerings such as their Chicken Guadalajara and their Filet Mignon Jim Bowie Style. Many of their items have a Cajun twist to them that gives them unique qualities, like their Shrimp and Crawfish Quesadilla. The food quality is great and Border Cafe is an excellent place for a date night or with a group of friends. 

If you are planning on eating as a group, either go there early (before 6pm) or have your whole party there as early as possible to sign in and then have a margarita or two at the bar while waiting. Avoid the house margaritas, they are very weak, especially on big days such as Cinco De Mayo where they are pre-made. Instead, anything made to order should not disappoint.

Once you are actually seated, service is surprisingly fast and efficient, even for large groups. The food should come out quickly and is very well prepared and presented. They are good at keeping their excellent fresh chips and salsa flowing and do a good job of bringing drinks. Just do them a favor if in a big group and have everyone ask for any extra sides, condiments, etc. all at once rather than nickel and diming their time.

Border Cafe is definitely worth trying on the merits of its food alone, but its festive atmosphere and capability of handling large groups makes it a great destination for an entertaining night. It's quality has made it very popular, so plan accordingly if you are going to go there after 6pm from Wednesday through Friday or any time during the weekend.
5 - Emily J.: My FAVE! I will always find an excuse to go to this place. Delicious and affordable. And unlimited chips and salsa while you look through the menu!!! The shrimp and crawfish quesadilla is highly recommended. It's just under $9 but i ALWAYS have leftovers. The only bad thing about this place is that it can get super crowded, but usually only on friday and saturday nights.
4 - Nicole D.: Good prices for authentic tasting Mexican and Cajun foods...very spicy, bug they serve big waters :) Their margaritas are awesome and very fairly priced, or at least they were the last time I was there a couple years ago. Loved this place in college...always a very fun time with great drinks and spicy eats.
5 - Matt K.: Really solid Mexican food.

Living in LA for a couple years I wasn't sure a somewhat authentic Mexican food experience would be possible in Boston, but once you get past the college bar/restaurant label on the Border Cafe the food is really good.

Besides just the food, the margaritas are cheap. A couple people could go get dinner with a couple margaritas each without breaking the bank.

Usually there is a line if you want to go around 7-9 so grab a drink at the bar and don't get uncomfortable with the fact that you literally have no room to breathe.

Burritos, tacos and margaritas await you...
5 - Adrian D.: Excellent service during busy lunch & fantastic blackened swordfish tacos let me eat healthy and ENJOY! Can't wait to go back!
4 - Peke L.: Super good mexican/cajun combination.   I only drop them down to 4 stars because they took my favorite dish in Boston off the menu: Fried plantains and the Chicken Bandera.  But they still have the Chicken Bandera and it is AMAZING!  (a bit spicy, though).  The vibe on Friday / Saturday nice is awesome for having a good time and they have EXCELLENT margaritas!!!  Atmosphere is much quieter in the afternoons.

WARNING: chips can get salty sometimes.
3 - Anna C.: Rice and beans just don't make it very high on my must-eat list, so places like this have a hard time impressing me.  But everything we ordered was actually pretty good considering I'm not a huge fan of the this type of cuisine in general.  We had the catfish fajitas and some margaritas -- it's always good when your food and drink rhymes.  Complimentary chips and salsa were pretty good too -- we probably had at least 2 baskets each (they kept refilling it, and the fatty in me just can't stop!).  My favorite thing about this place though:  it smells like smoky, smoky goodness!
4 - Emily W.: It's yummy, cheap, and the margarita's are fantastic! It is very busy, probs because of location and price. I had the chicken quesadilla, and the portion size was HUGE. I couldn't finish it all (especially after 2 strawberry margaritas). My stomach and my wallet was very happy at the end of the night... not so much my acid reflux.
3 - Mel C.: The food tastes like a Tex Mex version of TGI Fridays or Applebees to me (salty, buttery, greasy, but somehow the food is still bland and the meat is tough), but the margaritas here are worth it.

The free chips and salsa are good. (Hey! Just like at Chevys!)
3 - Elizabeth G.: Come here for Tex-Mex/cajun-creole food that is solidly OK. Like what Chili's would be if Chili's were good.

The chips and salsa won't knock your socks off. Eating the enchiladas won't be a religious experience. But in general, the portions are generous and the service is solid. Your food may not wow you with unusual ingredients or flavor pairings, but the texture, temperature, and taste will be right on. So snag a table, grab a Corona, and enjoy your chips and salsa and fajitas for what they are.

I probably wouldn't come here on a weekend for dinner (not worth the wait). But for a workday lunch or drinks and snacks after work? Heck yes.
4 - Yelena Y.: The food is alright, I got the chicken bandera with the baked avocado and fries.  Service was alright too.  They messed up one of the things in our order, quickly fixed it, apologized for it, and then took it off our check!  The margaritas - pretty damn strong!  I'd leave this at three stars, but we came on a Friday night with a party of fourteen!  We only had to wait a few minutes to get seated.  I was really impressed with that.
3 - R N.: As a Texan, I was VERY suspicious of trying Tex-Mex outside of Texas. This place, for a place outside Texas, is the real deal. I really enjoyed my fish tacos, especially the mangos in them. The chili con queso is also very good. 

I might not have given this place such high ratings if they were in Texas, but for an outside of Texas Tex-Mex spot this place is not too bad. (plus, anywhere you can get margs is a good place...right?!)
4 - Lauretta L.: Sit outside on a nice summer night, sip on a good margarita, try not to feel guilty when you and your man/lady finish the entire basket of fresh tortilla chips and 2 bowls of salsa, enjoy some delicious blackened catfish, and stroll around Harvard Square to work some of the aforementioned off. Good times.
5 - Katie D.: This place should have 1 million stars! I go to Harvard Sq just for this place. I've taken my friends for lunch and my boyfriend for dinner, and the service is always excellent and friendly. It's awesome. Unlimited, warm chips and salsa. Their sangria is flipping delish. I absolutely love it there!
5 - Shivon R.: I went here with my date after finding our original dinner plan, Mr. Bartely's,  to be closed for the evening. What a wonderful turn of events! Border Cafe had an extensive menu, it was hard to choose one meal- everything sounded good, and was super cheap!

I ended up deciding on the shrimp and crayfish quesadilla, whereas my date chose the blackened catfish fajita. We also got an order of cornbread on the side. Both entrees were delicious and flavorful, and the cornbread was perfectly moist. The only problem was that I ate too many of the tasty complimentary chips and salsa to finish my meal. 

In addition, our waiter was fantastic. Super attentive and very friendly. All together it made for a very fun and yummy dining experience for very little money.
4 - Maya S.: So there we were on a Friday night wandering around in Cambridge looking for a place to eat, when my friend literally squealed, "yay, Border Cafe, you have GOT to try this!!" Thus drawing stares from at least 50 people on the street. Not wanting to get publicly embarrassed and feel guilty for not having tried this place, we decided to march in. And boy, was I so glad! Warm chips, tasty salsa and yummy cheese quesadillas..who more could I have asked for. Of course, there was also the freshly squeezed lemonade..which was surprisingly refreshing. Friendly service and great place to hang out with friends.

WIll go there again the next time I've a tex-mex food craving.
2 - Romulo R.: The food here seems like someone got lost while trying to put the menu together. I think that the cajun/mexican blend does not really work. I mean there are a couple of good dishes but seems unfocused.

However when you come here to Harvard Sq for the food right?  The drinks are decent.  However the staff is extremely unaccommodating. My then gf and I came in on a slow night and honestly I just wanted to enjoy some margaritas and chips and guess what?  Some rule that you must order food to get a table even if the place is dead.  So we left and went to Park,  where our money was welcome and we got to sit where we wanted go figure.
4 - Julia S.: Overall a Great Dinner and Night Out! 

Pros: 
cheap and yummy margaritas 
amazing quesadillas - the shrimp and crawfish is so delicious 
guacamole for under $4
big tables for groups 
GIANT water and soda glasses 

Cons: 
Always a wait
NO take out or reservations
they took Hurricanes off the drink menu
2 - Annalise F.: Oh Border Cafe- I don't understand you. Cajun & Mexican? What happened? What New Orleans native was inspired by Mexico? Or what Mexico native was inspired by New Orleans? Bah- I'm thinking too much! My brain hurts!

Border cafe, while cute, leaves a lot to be desired. As a California native, don't you dare call those tacos! And did you really just ask me if I'd like grits with them? 

Although the price is right- you leave a lot to be desired. (You're dirt cheap though- and my pocket book likes that!)
4 - Jose S.: The funny thing about Border Cafe is that it's not a Book store nor a coffee place. It's crossing the border to Mexico and coffee in Mexico is MaRgArItA!!! My review is based on numerous visits since 2005.

Huge, salty, delicious margaritas and large amounts of food for great price. The Fajitas for 2, all burritos, everything really is good. Fast and friendly service, sometimes you'll have to wait if in rush hour, but I haven't waited for more than 30 min. (bar is always a good waiting spot). My favorite place to eat around Harvard. Sq.

Great time here with my ex-roomates. wish I could go back more often.. now stuck in Miami.
5 - Dan O.: Blackened catfish + margaritas= delish.

Border City Art Studio - Upland, CA (34.094287, -117.687845) ()
5 - Chris V.: Rick is the Man!  can't wait for him to finish my sleeve....
5 - Tammy N.: I came here for my first tattoo! I was referred by a friend to Rick, who was very professional and friendly. I just wanted something simple and subtle. I got a littler solid brown heart on my waist. I was really nervous, but Rick made sure that I was comfortable the whole time. The other tattoo artists were very friendly too. The place was very clean, Rick used all sanitized tools. He made sure to show me that they were clean before he used them. When we were finished, he was told me specifically how to take care of it. The place wasn't too hard to find. Great place! Also, they don't take card.

Border India Restaurant - Cambridge, MA (42.3632166, -71.0968711) (Kendall Square/MIT)
3 - Jessica R.: Cheap dinner specials that are served on those metal plates with partitions like they use in prisons.  Not my favorite indian place by far but the price is right.
2 - A T.: I pop in here sometimes from work just because the location is convenient.  The food is pretty mediocre--loaded with oil, but an okay-ish place for a quick buffet lunch.  I've been in here w/people who don't eat Indian food and they seem to enjoy it...
2 - Shane F.: For some people, Border India is more convenient than other Indian food in Central square. When at work, I am one of those people. 

Border India knocks a dollar off the price of the buffet if you get it to go. That makes it the cheapest take-out Indian buffet in Central Square. 

Now let's see how the closest and cheapest Indian buffet stacks up... 

On the pro side, the food is often inoffensive and changes daily. On the con side, the selection is extremely limited and on any given day it may well consist entirely of stuff I don't want to eat.
1 - Johanna W.: Never again. When my friends and I stepped inside, we were overwhelmed by the smell of natural gas. (Foolishly) throwing caution to the wind, we sat down and a surly girl took our order. The food was actually ok, but only because there was so much oil and cheap spices that other tastes were covered up.

I later learned from a friend that, on his visit to Border India, the cook had a major freak-out and came into the dining room yelling for everyone to get out. Interesting business strategy. Take his advice.

Borders - Pasadena, CA (34.13755, -118.132687) (Pasadena)
3 - Kim B.: They have a good selection of books and will special order stuff if you need them to.  I go there when I can't find what I need/want at Vroman's Bookstore.  

The coffee shop staff seem to be sort of indifferent and blase.
4 - Mabel L.: My fondness for this place goes back to my college days when they allowed me to take up space for an unreasonable amount of time and never sent around a menancing staff to check on whether your purchase was fresh (Barnes 'n Noble) or whether you had purchased anything at all!  
No attitudes, great selection, enjoyable music...my only complaint - wish they would have some board games available to play but then that may mean I would once again take up space for an unreasonable amount of time in my post-college days.
4 - sarah r.: One star off for being a nasty big box chain.  Please, buy your books at Skylight Books.  BUT, a word for the lovely cafe in Borders, where you can work intensely for hours.  It's a good crowd in there.  And they actually serve scrumptious sandwiches and pastries, and the baristas have character and a sense of humor.  Your choices along South Lake for a cafe are: Peets, Starbucks, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and Borders.  Of those not-too-hot options, Borders is the place to be.
4 - Kitty T.: Secret revealed, it's a pick up spot! I've run into guys asking for numbers a few times there, which never happens in B&N or Vroman's. Prob cuz there're many seats in and out for hang out there. It's gotten a good collection of books. Periodicals, okay, not so bad. On sale collection's not bad at all; many "normed" art books are always on sale for a few bucks which are good for low-budgeted Birthday gifts or unknown invitations to house-warming parties from people you hardly know or so. It's a little far from Old Town but it's not a bad area. It's gotten Mako Bowl, Macy's and stuff nearby. It's alright. Parking is easy. Indoor and free.
4 - Jessica Y.: I love hanging out here to unwind, get in some free-reading.  ;)  There's something real nice about the smell of a new book and turning its crisp pages.  Usually I find myself upstairs by the windows, or downstairs in the coffee shop, sipping on a cup of chai.  If the book keeps me reading for more than half a chapter, then I'll probably end up buying it.  Usually I save the buying for online.  Parking is relatively easy depending on the time you come.  Weekends tend to be tougher.
5 - George M.: This Borders is an improvement over the Barnes and Nobel in Old Town because it is not crowded with casual shoppers and teenagers, it has an indoor cafe with Italian Soda and pleanty of FREE parking. They also have the best music collection outside of a Target and the dearly departed Tower Records.
4 - Scott S.: I'd give them 3.25 stars, but what the heck, it's nearly Christmas, so 4 stars!

I took my nephews here to buy presents for their mom.  Armed with a list of DVD's, books and CD's, we went hunting for items.  

I know that the CD's are an endangered species, but the section here seems to be suffering from benign neglect.  There isn't a lot to choose from in stock.  If you look up something on the computer, it's hard to tell if it's in the store. 

That is also true for the books.  Looking for a particular book, we hunted high and low.  Finally, we waited, waited some more and were assisted by a staff member who told us that the book in question was a special order only.   This information wasn't displayed when we looked on the self help terminal.

The checkout was orderly and the bookseller gave me a discount which I assume was based on being a member of their frequent shopper program.
4 - Daniel G.: I am a total book nerd!
I heart reading books, and going to book stores..

they have some great sections, the most important section being the STAR WARS section..
now, lemme tell ya, the problem that I usually have with -most- book stores is that the co-mingle the STAR WARS, and the STAR TREK section...
now don't get me wrong, star trek is -ok-....
I enjoy watching the original series, and I think they have a good message a lot of the time.... BUT...
YOU DO NOT PUT STAR WARS AND STAR TREK ON THE SAME GOD DAMN SHELF!!!!

ahem...

that being said, 
The rest of the place is great, they have a wonderful eastern religion section, and a fun coffee shop where you can get some tea, and hang out and check the magazines.

I found a book last night on "female ejaculation" 
funny, I thought I already wrote that one ;)
alllll right.

anywho...

great store..
good times.
D
4 - Corazon R.: If I need to go to a Borders in the area, this is my preferred location. The one at the Santa Anita shopping center seems to be so diluted, and parking will take longer than you'd actually spend in the store. 

Despite the fact this is a HUGE two story location, I find it much easier to navigate than the Santa Anita store, maybe because I know exactly where things are, or I know exactly where the things I'd want to get are. They've got a very large periodicals section that seems to be well organized, the cafe directly to the left upon entering with lots of tables to study/read/drink/converse, and the gift and card section takes up the entire section in front of the registers. Bargain books can be found outside, directly in front upon entering, and as soon as you reach the top of the stairs. I've never seen such a collection of bargain books! 

I have to say, I love the upstairs area. All around the opening to the lower level is a comfy ledge that's deep enough to pop a squat and crack open a book. That's where you'll find the kids reading manga, because that's also the level where you'll find them. They've also got registers up there, but they're hardly utilized unless when very busy (i.e. holidays). Even when the Santa Anita location would be more convenient for me, I usually wind up going here to use my Borders Rewards discount and I want to pick up some art/art criticism book, because they seem to have a better inventory of those things. Their music and DVD selection is surprisingly not great, but if you're looking for something a little more common, they'll have it.

In the grand spirit of the South Lake district of Pasadena, there is ample FREE parking at an adjacent lot. How can you not like this place?

Overall, it's a decent place to just kill some time or peruse if you happen to be in the neighborhood.
4 - Jeannette S.: Let me start by saying that Borders is my home away from home.  If I ever need to kill time, I'll check google mobile and find the nearest Borders.  

Not all Borders are laid out the same, but I can always find what I'm looking for.  I was here on a late Saturday afternoon and was surprised that it was so busy!  I thought everyone would be in Old Town but since the weather was off and on rain, many folks would rather be inside than outside.

Since I was killing time, I was hoping to find a spot in the cafe or upstairs and just read some magazines.  Unfortunately, many seats were taken by students who look like they've been there all day with their laptops and text books.  The cafe was crowded and pretty noisy so I managed to find a spot to chill at in the travel section.  I had to sit on the floor but it was not a high traffic area so I was able to get some browsing done...   They have a huge bargain section upstairs, so I spent a great deal of time perusing that area as well.
1 - Mary C.: It's just TOO crowded.  I actually avoid it for that very reason-Especially since people just sit on the carpet everywhere and I have to walk over them to go to a book or a magazine.  PEOPLE ..IT'S JUST A BOOK STORE.  The same books can be found at a less busy place.  If I'm not very comfortable cause there is no moving room then why would I go?

So..the question is...so why do others go?  I assume it's just that it has a prime location...next to a bunch of shops and there isn't a book store near with the selection it has.  I would rather drive a little bit further and have peace of mind than wrestle with someone over personal space.
4 - Mike N.: I often sit and read here to wait out the traffic before my westerly drive to yuppsville. There is generous free parking in the structure right next to it. A big star for that. No one wants to freak out about parking after a long day at work.   

I skip the downstairs cafe area because its brimming of kids from Cal Tech and  other local learning institutions.  Listening to them brings back unwanted memories of college awkwardness and failed attempts at coitus. 

I also skip the downstairs because there are too many openings for the unwanted random conversational flirting. Geezus, if i wanted to have a meaningful and delightful conversation with a could be future soulmate I would go to a bar or club alright?. ugh. Women. 

That leads me to the 2nd story reading hideaway where you can usually find a little cubby of safe space to enjoy your current read.  It let's you forget for an hour or so that you are a moron and live 30 miles from work and still drive an SUV.
5 - jen k.: THE +'s: HUGE selection. i find better study and paper resources here than at the local school libraries (provided i don't have to drive out to any universities). great children's area. the second floor has lotsa places to curl up and spend an hour or two at. decent dvd selection too, though somewhat overpriced.

THE -'s: occasionally hard-to-find parking even with a big parking structure adjacent.

SUM: i love this location. the selection beats pretty much any other bookstore in the area.
4 - Irma P.: I'd get my coffee first, a stack full of magazines and head upstairs for the seats by the window ... it's a perfect way to spend my Saturday afternoon
4 - Lu W.: This was my favorite Sunday morning hangout place back in my Pasadena days. A bagel with cream cheese, a British motorcycle magazine and a few pages from a random book I pick up from the shelf kills the whole morning and cleanses my soul (oops sorry, I don't have one). 

Convenient parking, pedestrian friendly environment also contribute to the homely feel of this place. Across the street from the conspicuouly located Mognolia bar, this place is also good for a moment of mental clarity before binge drinking. Cleanse the soul and lose it, my idea of a good Saturday night.
3 - Jun W.: I just gotta say one thing: the restroom here always smells really foul
2 - Gerard I.: I've already said that I don't buy books from the big chains, except from Amazon and Vromans. 

Borders, at least this location, is a groovy looking place, but their parking sucks. 

Yes, it can and will get crowded, I'm tired of tripping over a random hipster while I'm trying to leave the store. 

Here's a tip about buying books at chainstores. If within 30 days you're not satisfied with your book, you can return it for a full refund. One of my friends has been doing this for years without a problem. 

Why I threw that into my review, I don't know, but it's funny.
5 - Joey C.: Is there any better place for an unemployed loser like me to go and hang out? Here are a few of my favorite things: books, coffee and atmosphere. It's on Lake Avenue, so there are plenty of places around that area to go to. It's a nice date spot because there's a bunch of coffee places around Borders and inside Borders. I think there's a Chipotle within walking distance, a Noah's Bagels and a bunch of other cute restaurants all within a half mile radius, so there's plenty of traffic, atmosphere and people milling about.

More about Borders: two stories, parking is relatively simple, in the adjacent parking lot for Bed, Bath and Beyond and the former Macy's. Two story parking lot that is extremely busy during the holidays and very empty during slow hours. If you have trouble parking in the main parking lot for Borders, park across the street at the other parking lots on the east side of Lake Ave.

The Borders here is not a superstore, meaning you may find what you want and you may not. During the Holidays, the line can be extremely long and tedious as most holiday lines can be. The customer service is fair: Either the NPR listening dude, cute Caltech freshman girl or middle aged political blogger. All nice, somewhat bored and apathetic but employed, so they should be happy. All in all, a nice place to go and buy a book and a coffee and just read and relax. A high recommendation.
2 - JulieBean M.: Ugh - why is it so difficult to find someone to help you in this store?! I tried helping myself at the computer station, but it was from 1982 and I didn't have an hour to spare while it downloaded my requested info. I finally tracked someone down and she helped me locate what I was looking for. The store was messy and crowded and it seemed like a lot of people were just hanging out and not buying anything (read: homeless peeps). Not the kind of bookstore I would enjoy milling about in.

Stick to Vromans.
4 - Alixandrea M.: I like this Borders, they are HUGE for one thing (2 stories tall), and they have their own parking lot. They're in the nice part of Pasadena, South Lake Ave. They have nice comfy chairs for nerds like me to to sit in and flip through the latest stacks of books we like. This one, like many other Borders, also has a nice little café. I don't drink coffee, but the extra chairs are nice because the comfy ones and the couches tend to fill up pretty quickly.

They have a great selection here, and the staff is very helpful. If they don't have a new book I'm looking for (but they usually do) they will offer to order and have it sent here for pick up (within a few days). How awesome :)

They have some international magazines in their magazine rack, like British tabloids, like "Heat". Don't ask me why, but I LOVE British tabloids. They're so bloody interesting!! 
They lose points thought for always running out of chairs for one thing (even though ok ok it's a STORE not a hangout spot, but hey it's a store that people hang out in, so GET MORE CHAIRS DAMMIT!) and for having a tiny, paltry African American literature section. I almost needed a microscope to find it! Jeeze.

I'm happy with my latest purchase here, "The Healthy Skeptic", after thumbing through a pile of Veganism and health books.

Oh yeah, they have music here too, and cool little gadgets, journals, and a nice bargain book section where you can get some books for as low as $2. That about sums it up. Nerds rejoice! This Borders rocks :)


3.5 stars...
4 - Amy K.: It's a Borders.  I've been in bigger.  This one was clean, lots of workers walking around in case you had questions, and LOTS of gift items near the registers that were difficult to refuse, especially the tote bags in about half a dozen supercute prints.  They've got fancy gift cards and journals and I forget what else, but great place to buy a last-minute gift, even if you DON'T want a book, CD, or DVD.  And yes, you should be supporting independent bookstores, but only Borders emails me coupons for 40% off.  Dear Vroman's: I'm sorry, but I'm broke, ok?  Speaking of the coupons, my computer refused to print it, but I wrote the bar code on a scrap of paper and the cashier accepted it.  Cool.

Restroom was clean.  My friend will like her birthday present.  All is well.
4 - Tony Y. Jr. Y.: Borders is a very good bookstore in terms of variety, prices, and service.  In addition, this place helps to keep me mentally fit, as I can always find good deals on books here.  Not only books, but they have good deals on CDs and DVDs as well.  Today, I was able to get some DVDs at 40% off, so I suggest everyone take advantage of this special because it's only for a few days and it also applies to CDs.  Another good reason to shop at this particular Borders is that they offer free parking, which is a rarity.
4 - Vince The G.: I love that they open til late.
Comfortable and relaxing.
Nice cafe inside (but expensive)
Lots of seating in the cafe as well as upstairs...but i just normally plop my but wherever i want! :)
4 - C P.: My favorite Borders (maybe after the one in Glendale... but that feels a little lonely)

It is closest to where I live; I can always find parking in the structure; it is close to my favorite TJ store; it is never too crowded or noisy, unlike the one in the Santa Anita Mall. Their food and cooking related section is also better stocked.

I like multistory bookstores. There is something mysterious about them. Great workout as well, if you choose to take the stairs-- which IS an option at most multistory Borders, but not B & N.
4 - Faisal L.: I love this place. My wife and I go there for coffee and to study/read. I end up blogging from my laptop and she studies for her bar exam. The only reason it gets 4 stars is for one, the coffee is average. Secondly, unless you go during the day on a weekday, you will be hard pressed to find a seat. But if you are persistent, and wait around, you will always end up finding an empty seat. I should mention they have great seating with square wooden tables, ideal for one or two people, as well as a couple of larger community style tables.
4 - Anno N.: Pros: 
1. They now carry Fortean Times which is good news for me since I've been trying to find someone nearby who carried it for a while ever since Bungalow News went out of business. It's an expensive magazine but well worth it if you enjoy freaky paranormal news covered with just the right mix of skepticism and totally out there pondering. 

2. They let you read practically all of their books in the store which I can only imagine they are able to do because of their in store coffee shop. 

3. Their in store coffee shop is NOT BAD. True- their sausage patties are frozen- but still kinda tasty and when you can eat em while reading a book or magazine without having to buy said book or magazine and take advantage of their wonderful AC on a hot day who cares if it's an instant meal? 

Cons: 
1. I once overheard some of the (male) staff mocking and making fun of one of the other (female) staff in a fairly cruel manner which wasn't cool. I think it sort of puts a downer on a place when customers overhear that sort of thing. Borders should work to create a positive and safe environment for it's staff.
5 - Hotaru T.: I was trying to find back-to-school books for my nieces before schools start to encourage them.  One of my nieces is going to Kindergarten and the other nursery.  I had no clue what to look for and the staff there were so helpful.  Literally two of the staff were checking all the books in the 4 bookcases for any kindergarten/nursery books for me to choose.  I was so impressed for their service.  The lady pulled out about 6 books for me and she apologized for not being able to find the book that she had in mind for kindergarten.  She suggested me even to call Vroman's to check.  Excellent 5 stars service!
3 - Travis H.: PARKING!!!
this maybe one of the few places in Pasadena you can just about find parking anytime you come. 
I like the small book stores for those old papers you dont
find but Borders is good for what you want.
This location has lots of hang out area for long reading
and studying.
I believe they serve Seatles Best cafe.
4 - Roni R.: I love this Borders and really, I can't add much more than already has been written -- with ONE exception.  

Can you believe they changed their closing time to 10 pm on the weekends???  Last night they booted me repeatedly (I apparently was in the bathroom when they announced they were closed) as I walked from the second floor to the first.  They were nice about it -- but it was a little shocking all the doors were closed and I was being routed out.  

Other than this -- love this place.  I could spend hours here ... I live close enough to walk but the free parking is always a plus.  =)
1 - John E.: Went back recently. No change.
3 - Garrett L.: It's a small and nice Borders to go to. i did not end up buying anything so i could not tell you about the customer service. But there was free parking in the parking garage next to it and even though it's not a part of Borders, it is still awesome. 

I could never really find anything if i just went there to see if i needed anything. I only really buy something there if i actually go there to get it. My girlfriend has a gift card and she wanted to use it, but that did not follow through very well.
1 - Travelist H.: Boycott this place!! They changed the hours so that they can kick you out earlier, they have wi-fi and no outlets, they use to have outlets but now block them. Basically if you have an older computer where the battery doesn't hold a charge you cant use your computer there. And one of the guys there that collects the magazines and books and puts them away is a jerk and a racist, seen him treat people poorly for years. Show them that we can make a difference and boycott this place, they want to show the customer that we do not matter to them, then show them we are the ones with the power, we spend the money there. 
The only people I feel bad for is the cafe employees they are actually very nice and have excellent customer service. So if I do actually spend an extended amount of time there I actually purchase something every hour or so and tip them, but not anymore. 
BOYCOTT!! BOYCOTT!! BOYCOTT!!
3 - Vickie C.: I used to love this Borders and it easily could get 4 stars. But when I went back today after being away for a while, I have to downgrade it by 1 star. 

I used to come here to do some studying at the cafe downstairs. They have a huge parking lot that is free. They had free wi-fi and outlets with adapters for extra plugs. Everything one asks for in a perfect place to do some studying/reading. 

However, when I returned today, they changed all the outlet plates and blocked all the outlets. Everyone I see that stays for a few hours always buys a drink/food; people are not just sitting there the whole day and not buying anything. 

Also, they changed their closing hours. The weekends are now closed at 10PM and not midnight anymore. 

Need to start looking for another coffee shop...
4 - Alberto C.: For my first review of Borders Pasadena, I gave it two stars.  Since writing that review, there have been a lot of improvements to this particular Borders location, and today, I can happily give the store 4 stars.  

To start with, the store is a lot more organized than before.  There are not a lot of books and magazines hanging around in random places.  I think this has a lot to do with the store's new policy of not taking magazines away from the magazine area, unless you intend to purchase any.  Shelves containing new releases and bestsellers downstairs are kept well stocked, and it seems like staff are quick to replenish the supply of books on the floor.  

The arrangement of tables and merchandise doesn't seem as cluttered as before, and in fact, it's much easier to flow through the store now.  I also think that they changed their hours to close a little later now (like one hour later), but still they are not open as late as they used to.  But that's ok.  

I also really appreciate the generous amount of coupons that they send through e-mail, and I've been able to get items for as much as 30% off in the past.  When I don't print my coupon, the staff allows me to pull up the coupon on e-mail using iPhone, and they are able to get the information directly from the phone.   

All in all, a much better experience than before.  I also definitely prefer this Borders a lot more than the ones in Glendale and Arcadia.
5 - Nadia F.: I love this Borders! 
First, it's located in an AWESOME area of Pasadena, right on Lake, with tiny little cafes, donut shops, sushi and burger places all around it.
The store is big, 2 stories high, and well lit.
I also love the large windows that come out to Lake Ave. and a side street. The windowsills are the most perfect places to read, as you sip on one of the drinks from The Coffee Bean within the store.
4 - Nancy L.: This is a great Borders and I come here all the time. Parking is free and very plentiful in their adjacent garage. It's located in the heart of Lake and there's lots of restaurants and shops nearby.

The books are well organized. I've never had a problem finding what I need, and that makes it one of my favorite places to do some reading. It's not too loud and there's lots of seating in the cafe, outside patio and random windowsills throughout. 

They advertise their free wi-fi, which you can use without having to get a passcode, except there are precious few outlets. I think I saw just one in the cafe. Apparently there used to be lots until they plugged them all up.
4 - Adriana K.: I really like this Borders.  The sales people are pretty cool.  I love the variety & quality of "bargain" books.  That, plus the fact that you can show them a coupon from your iphone and get whatever advertised discount is going on - pretty convenient.  They may not have everything, but you can special order online & have it sent there, so that works.  I come here all the time and leave with lots and lots of books! :D  Parking is really convenient too.
2 - stacey a.: I have to agree with some of the other reviewers that this place has gone downhill in the last few years. They always seem to be understaffed and it's hard to get help when you need it. 

For some reason at this particular Borders location, when they go to ring up your purchase they always seem to ask if you want to particiapte in a donation program of some kind. One time it was Seattles Best coffee for servicepeople in Afghanistan. Another time it was purchasing a childrens book for Pasadena public school libraries. Basically, they are asking you to buy coffee or a book from the store and they will donate it on your behalf. The cynic in me can't help but notice that this particular Borders store also benefits from my donation - after all, I'm buying a bag of coffee or a book from them, which they, in turn, donate on my behalf. So, is it really ethically right for them to benefit and make money off this donated purchase of mine? Why the hell doesn't the corporation just donate the books to the kids? Why put it on the consumer while Borders makes a profit from it? It just kind of bugs me.
5 - Lillian K.: Parking is free and it's located right by some cool shops and eateries. I used to come here all the time to study at the cafe located downstairs inside. There is ample outdoor seating as well. I did however encounter a homeless inside the stairs that go up to the parking lot right outside their side door. He scared the crap out of me! This place is even better now after their recent remodeling. Well, not that recent, but only a few years ago, like 8 years. Haha. Dang I feel old now. Anyway, the staff is great, however the lines can get pretty long at times. They're also always trying to get you to sign up for their borders card. You never fail to hear them ask you to join over ad over again. Kind of gets old for a while. Someone in marketing needs to come up with something different for a change. O well. It's not their fault. It's corporate. From what I remember, another thing I didn't really like about this place was how frequently the alarm would go off from someone walking beside the alarm. Their magazine section is right by the side door and it would go off when ppl walk by with oils in their hand.
3 - Jasmine C.: YAYS:
-SELECTION: it's a HUGE store, two stories, and very organized! I get a little annoyed that I have to walk upstairs for the fiction section, but it's okay =P I like to browse top-sellers first anyway and that's downstairs. I love that it's spacious and clean. =)
-PARKING: 3 hours!!! I don't think they really check how long you park for either because I've been here for longer than 3 hours at times before. If you're coming from Colorado onto Lake, turn right into the lot at the San Pasqual light. 
-FREE WI-FI: Obvious plus =D 
-CAFE: Seattle's best Coffee...it's a bit on the expensive side (more so than Starbucks, but comparable coffee IMO. I don't get coffee here that much...they don't make you buy a drink or anything, so that's nice =)

BOOS:
-NO OUTLETS!!! =( I swear they used to have outlets and I would have given them 4 stars except that they took away the outlets and now I'm always limited by the amount of battery life on my laptop =( Not ideal. 
-SMALL CAFE: the tables are pretty small and not really conducive to multiple people studying. The arm chairs are okay to read in for maybe half an hour, but I can sit for HOURS and they get a little uncomfortable when your butt is planted there for that long =D
4 - Peter P.: Spacious two story building. Nice leather chairs to sit and read in on the second floor.
Coffee shop - Cafe au Lait was good.
Free WiFi
Free parking!

The only complaint, too loud music (playing annoying top 40 tunes)

Other than that, great place to spend a few hours reading, cruising the net and looking for new books to buy.
3 - Michael J.: A year ago, this place would've gotten five stars. This was the place I went to in order to unwind after work.

Then, starting in January, things began to go downhill.

First, they cut their hours. At first, they cut them from 11pm to 9pm on weekdays (from 12mn to 10pm on weekends). Then they grudgingly brought it back up an hour. That by itself is fine.

Then, they forbid anyone from taking magazines away from the racks, except to go to the counters for purchase. Ok. A little bit of a stretch, but whatever.

THEN, they seal up ALL of the outlets.

SERIOUSLY?

Don't get me wrong, I can survive without outlets. And I can understand the *business* reasoning. But I can't help but feel unwelcome these days. It's not any of the staffers' faults. It's mainly decisions by the new management (I knew that guy was bad news when I started seeing him last year). They even stacked up piles of coffee tables books along the railing around the center stairwell so you can't sit by the stairs anymore! Still, Borders on Lake has changed from my second home where I would stay till closing every night to a brief stop on the road where I wait for the traffic on the 210 to get better. I stay to read for a few chapters while I finish a coffee or a tea, and then I move on. B&N has always felt a bit more "homey," but never by this much. It's almost like they're *trying* to drive you to either buy or leave. Hospitality is non-existent.

Oh, and the free WiFi is slow as HELL. Can't even stream a YouTube video, and it takes an hour to download anything more than 20MB. Only use it for idle surfing and email.

The main good side to this place: the baristas are still awesome! They always have been, for as long as I've been coming here, and I've been coming here since at least 2003. I know most of their names by now, and most of them know mine. They're friendly to regulars (and may even give you a break on the price every once in a while!), and are simply super-chill. They could bulldoze the entire building and keep just the cafe, and I'd still come here every day.
4 - Xian Shane H.: It's pretty nice for a Borders. Free parking is always nice with the Free wifi. 

It's definitely a nice spot to chill at if you don't plan on spending any money. you can just grab a book and sit on the couch and read.

They don't have a lot of art&design books. It's the only downside for graphic designers and such.
4 - Ellen C.: Books...books..books...
I'm a fanatic.....especially with horse books. Borders and Barnes & Noble are pretty much the same for me. 
This location is the best because it's across the street from one of my fave bars, Magnolia's. Forget the coffee and book, I prefer a Chimay with my new horse book or the Sookie Stackhouse novels.

Free parking!!!
5 - Darlene Q.: Always have what you want or they can order it. The people here were nice.
4 - Dobie D.: So sad that this store is closing down because of Borders' filing for bankruptcy.  This was one of my favorite Borders locations and I always found it well stocked with a lot of helpful staff.  *sniffle* It'll be sad to see you go, Borders on Lake.
1 - Carrie D.: Good riddance to your sub-par customer service, ridiculously inaccurate inventory system, and bad business model. 

I dance on your grave!
3 - helen f.: Overpricing led to Borders' downfall. Needed to be competitive with online pricing, especially in this day and age. $20 for a paperback is ridiculous. Don't get me wrong, I love reading real  books and magazines over Kindle but the price needs to be right.
1 - Shazia W.: RANT: FYI to the person who thinks Borders sets their  "high" prices. The prices are set by the publisher. 

Anyway, I am not surprised that this Borders branch will be shutting its doors. Really awful customer service for a retail store. Their staff are downright rude, mean and not very knowledgeable about their products. 

If you are a Border's fan, visit the Arcadia (@ the Santa Anita Mall) store where the staff is much nicer.

For those of you who want to support Independent bookstore.. head over to Vroman's on Colorado. But please don't ask for ridiculous discounts like at borders.  How is an Indie bookstore suppose to stay open and thrive if it "gives the milk away for free?"
3 - Gary L.: I don't know. Should I be reviewing a Borders that will be non-existent in a couple months?  Well, I was here in mid-March.  Lots of stuff was already gone or moved to other stores.  The restroom was closed so I couldn't use it.  Why did they close off the restrooms?  Maybe they didn't want to pay anyone to clean them.  Free parking is great here.  I can imagine this was a prime spot for people to lounge around and treat it as a library.  No wonder it is closing down.  The children's section has some cool stuffed animals that can make you feel nostalgic, like the cat from Richard Scarry's books.  There were a few of them left when I was there.
4 - David Y.: at times it was either the best or second best bookstore in Pasadena and surrounding communities.
1 - Tim S.: Just an Update, I thought I'd ask Barnes and Noble Customer Service if they were taking over the Borders location on Lake (better parking).  I know that sounds mean and insensitive, but this STORE, moreso than the chain deserves everything they got.   

Will let you all know if I get an answer.  The question in itself of course is probably wishful thinking but thought I'd ask anyway.

__word back from Barnes and Noble no plans to move to this location but they have "forwarded it to the planning dept for review" a nice way of saying "probably not"  oh well..
4 - Cheryl N.: Will be missed! :( :( :(

Great location with plentiful free parking in the attached parking garage.  Free wi-fi.  Would come in regularly.  The staff was helpful.  They had a huge selection of books to select from.  There were two floors.  I loved using the (e-mail) coupons that I would get for various amounts to save money when buying textbooks for classes.  If you forgot your coupon and wrote down the code, they would accept it.  The coffee area was always packed so it was hard to get a seat.  There were other areas to sit, so you had to look around sometimes.  The restrooms could have been "refreshed" on a more frequent basis.

Borders - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2793833, -83.7418606) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
4 - Amy W.: I like book stores, I love locally owned businesses, but some are the people who work here are idiots.
4 - Scott H.: Border's #01 is first and foremost a Border's Store, with all the same offerings as its younger siblings, but it somehow feels a little different being that its #01 and just down the street from where the whole chain started. It's fun to walk around when you have some time to kill downtown  and there is always a good number of customers walking around the store. 

The store still feels like a corporate store but it does have tiny patches of personality like the telltale inclines on the floor resulting from merging several older buildings together, or the seemingly out of place hutch behind the checkout counter. Otherwise, the features are run of the mill, one can find sections for books, dvds, music, also a Seattle's Best Coffee, and a big waste of space called Paperchase. The bathrooms are usually not the cleanest in the world (something I notice at many big bookstores)
4 - K M.: +8 for the old days when there was the big old balcony setup, and the employees knew their literature.  Minus a few because it really isn't the same.  I'll still always be a Border's fan - I still run into the Union Square location on Post every once in awhile just for the bathrooms.
4 - Phil D.: The new phone number for Borders is (734) 668-7652.
4 - Jackie R.: This Borders is like any other Borders.  It's a chain which in the middle of downtown Ann Arbor is sort of out of place.  However, the outside of the building does help it blend into the Ann Arbor landscape.  I came here many times when visiting my now fiance when he went here (I of course attended the better school in Michigan....MSU!).  We enjoyed looking at books in here and escaping the often cold air outside.  They have clean restrooms and the store is tidy! (extra star for that :) )
2 - Mae S.: I hadn't been to this Borders for months. Yesterday I was astounded at the way it had changed for the worse. It's full of big, gaping empty spaces where there used to be shelving units full of books. I asked a sales person, who agreed with my observation: yes, they HAVE taken out a lot of books. The cookbook section, for example, offers only maybe 2/3 or even 1/2 of the prior quantity -- and of course that means mostly celebrity chefs, few of the "meatier" cookbooks. 

Sad.
2 - David M.: When I heard that Ann Arbor had the first ever Borders I was pretty excited, having been quite a book fiend in my past life.  This, however, is not the first Borders.

As my step-father will constantly remind me, looking down, shaking his head and painfully reminiscing, Borders moved from its first location, franchised and sold out, both literally and figuratively.  And for all of my eye rolling at these types of stories, it really does show in this case.

First of all, this Borders has a pretty awful selection of books.  I don't know how it compares to other bookstores, but it's much worse than the Barnes & Nobles I go to regularly (oh shoot, I have to review that too!)  All bookstores have suffered the fate of having bright, colorful pop culture crap thrust onto the center stage of their stores, but with Borders limited selection, there isn't anything else.  At least at a better-stocked store you can dig through Oprah's Book Club books and find some treasures.

Other than that, for some reason walking around this place always gives me a cold sweat.  That may be my dysfunctional internal thermometer, but it happens regularly here and could just as easily be explained as a symptom of utter boredom and sadness.  Maybe I just don't like bookstores anymore, which would be depressing.  But maybe Borders let me down.

Oh, on the plus side, and why there are two stars here, I do like that they have a section about Ann Arbor and Michigan history and folklore and such.  Nice local touch.  Not enough to cure my ills, though.
2 - mariah c.: The employee that I so strongly recommended is no longer at this store, which is too bad, but I can understand some burn-out working at this store. 

Often, when I check the inventory, the computer will tell me something "may be" in the store.  And then a hunt ensues.  Sometimes I have to grab an employee, but that doesn't seem to help much with the search. 

In terms of finding things or customer service, the Arborland location seems a lot stronger.  This store still hosts some solid events now and then, but I don't find myself here all that often. 

Sadly Shaman is gone, but most of the time, I'd rather check Nicola's or order online than go through the where-is-it-shuffle in here.
2 - Tara R.: I'll try to keep the whining to a minimum, but I must tell you - when I was a child, the one and only Borders in Ann Arbor was a revered establishment. I would always hear about this amazing place where every staff member was a literary expert (paid a living wage, to boot!), and you could find just about any book you could imagine. I know that in the age of amazon.com this is no big deal, but in the eighties, when all I had was a crappy B Dalton at the strip mall, that meant something.

Fast forward to now. Borders Store #1 is in the business of selling Harry Potter Scented Foot Cream. Books are not so important. Yes, it's a sign of the times; people would rather pamper their feet than read, and perhaps that isn't Borders fault. But let this also be a warning - when cool businesses franchise, they get sucky.

The only thing I ever buy at Borders are the $3 blank journals. What a deal! I write almost every day and one journal lasts me a couple months. These are durable and fit into almost any size purse. The best thing is that these are sold at the front of the store, just to the left as you walk in the front door. Keeps your visit brief.
4 - Mark W.: The Closing Week Borders Adventure

I came to experience the going out of business pandemonium first hand.  Come on people, how many times is Borders going to go out of business.  The sign said 7 days left on my visit during Labor Day weekend, September 4th, 2011 to be exact.  At this point, most items were 60 percent off.  There was a throng of people in the store, but walking among the isles was not encumbered and I didn't have trouble going through the titles on the shelves.  The books were being shelved closer and closer to the entrance as there were less and less to buy.  Entire sections of the store were closed off as there were no books there.  The staff was fast at work moving books, tidying displays, and answering questions.  One of the cashiers would welcome people to the store every ten minutes, and explain the sale prices and offer some jokes.  There was a jovial spirit in the air.

With my daughter's help, I picked up two books with cardboard dolls on the back cover and cut out costumes in the pages - Dress Up Doll Jade Fairy and Dress Up Doll Fantasy Fashion.  Next, my daughter picked up The Chipmunks Squeakquel CD.  That one will go straight onto here iPod and hopefully I never have to hear it.  I sent the family on to the museum because I noticed no one else was shopping, and they noticed how long the line was.  Free at last, I began to explore the shelves in earnest for big boy books.  There were slim pickings left and Glen Beck seemed to be smirking at me from more genres then I would have expected.  I found a bestseller and decided to pick it up so that I didn't walk away empty handed.  In Harms Way is about the rescue of sailors from the USS Indianapolis after a submarine sank it.  At this point, I wasn't sure whether I would find much else.  Feeling bad that I wasn't with my daughter at the museum - but didn't they abandon me - I picked up a Thumbelina book.  It had good illustrations.  Next, I found the photography section and picked up three books.  One on high definition resolution (HDR) imagery, another on photography as art, and a third on photography techniques.  Next, I decided to explore the upstairs.  No books here, just furniture, equipment, and the silent auction.  You could buy shelves, keyboards, cleaning supplies, etc.  The silent auction consisted of signed posters.  Someone was offering 1 cent for one of them.

The line looked long, but moved fast.  As I was waiting in line, I dumped some items that I decided I didn't really need, a blu-ray and another book I had picked up for my daughter that looked like a one-time read.  Next, I picked up a DVD set that included the first season of a TV show that I shall present to my wife as a gift, and, no, I won't tell you what it is.  You can ask her after I give it to her.  There were four or five cashiers and mine was wearing cardboard bunny ears.  After knocking off $1.72 from an almost spent gift card I was given by my father in law before he left the store, my total came to $78.59 with a savings of $113.66.
5 - Jee D.: I spent an enormous amount of time (and money) at this Borders back in the day.  A huge portion of the 2nd floor was dedicated towards CDs, and as a music major I scoured through those shelves constantly.  I also hung out for the first time with the boy I eventually married in this Borders, so this store holds a special little place in my heart.  So sad to see store #1 close.  Rest In Peace, Borders.
4 - Peggah G.: Dearest Borders-
The news of your demise saddens me so. While friends have links with Barnes and Noble, you were always the place for me. I felt comfortable looking through the music section, checking out the language reference area, and what have you. I loved your bargain books and your coupons.
When I wasn't perusing what you had for sale, I enjoyed so much the events that you would have. I skipped class often to see a band I loved, and hear poetry read. You filled my poetry void when Shaman Drum closed and let me meet Billy Collins. I was shaking with excitement when I met him, and it was such a great experience. You also let my mom and I bond over her meeting her favorite author.
When I'd go to California, I'd take pride in saying that Borders was a Michigan establishment. It makes me sad that this downtown staple is no more.
You will not be forgotten. Thank you for all the glorious memories.

Borders Books & Music - Providence, RI (41.8288173, -71.4157013) (Downtown)
2 - Erin C.: The Borders Books & Music at Providence Place Mall is pretty much like any Borders anywhere in the country: large and spacious with a decent selection, good hours, all the bestsellers you could ask for, and tchotchkes aplenty. The Pacific Northwest native in me is happy to see the Seattle's Best Coffee housed within this particular location, and I would most likely stop here if I felt like braving the mall and needed to pick up a specific book as a gift. Still, shopping for books at Borders is not nearly as satisfying as poking around other downtown locations like Cellar Stories or Symposium. If you're not after any particular book, head elsewhere.
4 - Carrie U.: Borders gets the bookworm in me. Usually has everything I could want and can order anything I need that isn't in stock.  
Like every other Borders, I can find a place to sit, sip my iced coffee, and browse novels and magazines for hours with no pressure to actually purchase any of them. Mm, it feels so relaxing. Plus, if I get bored I can go  to the adjacent mall and check out that product or film I just read about.
This one loses a star for closing early and having some disorganized shelving.
4 - Andy H.: I loved the bookstore, but made a run to the counter and ordered myself some iced coffee on this brutally hot day. The server was nice and made my drink pretty quickly. It was so delicious and made my day. Then I killed some time in the bookstore with the freezing a/c and read a few books. I purchased some of them and left a happy camper. The end.
2 - Nicole B.: SO NOT DIGGING THIS BORDERS!

i think this place needs to have a conversation with their employees about the way things work in this company. allow me to explain...

so i came here about a month ago looking for a movie (carindiru if you must know). i wasn't surprised to see they didn't have it but a very nice girl said i could order it and have it shipped to the store (saves on shipping) if i wanted. i would have to pay for it now and it would arrive in oh no! it's back ordered! well it will arrive in 2-4 weeks. i thought that would be most agreeable so i ordered, paid, and left.

now a month has gone by and the movie has not come. so i called the store and spoke with a nice guy named greg who informed me that whenever things are back ordered they come in at the will of the publisher. so the 2-4 weeks is a lie. usually it takes a month or two. i was not amused by this nor at the fact that they couldn't even give me an estimate of when the movie would get there. i said this was unacceptable to me so would it be a problem if i came into the store tomorrow to get my money refunded and the ordered canceled. greg said not a problem! he wouldn't be there but any manager could take care of it. fabulous! 

so i come and speak to the man at the check out who calls his manager over to take care of this for me. she said i need to call customer service myself and they would process it. to which i responded "greg said you guys take care of it. he never mentioned me calling anyone." i was not thrilled at the prospect of spending 5 hours on hold, wasting cell phone minutes. she sighed quite heavily, clearly annoyed and said FINE she'd do it. after it was all said and done she said she i would get an e-mail in 24 to 48 hours confirming the cancelation. when i inquired about having the money put back on my card she said that they don't charge until the item has shipped. i told her she was mistaken as the money was taken out of my account when i came in an ordered the item a month ago. she responded with an i guess they'll do that too then.

it appears that there is a TON of misinformation at this borders. no one knows what's going on or the proper procedures for anything! VERY ANNOYING! don't order anything from here. i assure you it isn't worth the time or energy spent.

Borders Books Music & Cafe - Princeton, NJ (40.3021492, -74.6821698) ()
4 - Jen B.: Borders is a less-expensive alternative to Barnes & Noble for books, music, and movies.  The atmosphere is not as academic-looking, but the prices and wide selection more than make up for it.
3 - AK B.: I found the selection at this Borders to be lacking, especially in the children's section. I came in planning to buy a few very popular, well known board books, and they didn't have a single one of them. 

Customer service was friendly, and helpful. But they did make a mistake on my transaction by not applying my coupon and forgetting to print out a gift receipt, and I had to trek the whole way back down to get it fixed.

There prices are better than Barnes and Noble, and they serve Seattle's Best coffee, of which I am a fan. Not a terrible experience, but I'm not sure if I will go back.
2 - Myrtle T.: Less expensive, but availability and quality of books are lacking. Also lacking miscellaneous products that Barnes and Noble has. Also lacking starbucks.
4 - Karl K.: Borders Haiku
---------------------
Comfy, well-lit space 
Complimentary wifi
Next to a Penang
 
(and for the stuff that didn't fit: it's got decent hours - until 10pm weeknights; decent coffee, even if it comes from a Starbucks subsidiary; and also a free, speedy wifi connection courtesy of Big Red (Verizon))

So long Panera, we hardly knew thee (hint to their managers: FIX THE SLOW WIFI!!)

Borders Group Inc - West Lafayette, IN (40.4210746, -86.9017583) ()
4 - Tom W.: This Borders is huge!! Any new or recent title that you want to find is probably there. Prices aren't bad either.
4 - Dustin B.: "Huge" for Lafayette, that's for sure.  But to me, it isn't that "huge" to me.  Check out the Borders in downtown Indy.  Now that's an impressive sized Borders.
3 - Lindsay H.: I went into this Borders a few times, but never for textbooks.. just casual reading during school. I'm a fan of the Borders Reward's program, a free card where after you spend $150 dollars they give you $5 in Borders Bucks and you get weekly coupons.

A nice store, not nearly as big as other Border's stores I've been to. Parking sucks here if you park out front. There's a garage around back but nobody ever wants to pay the parking fee there... so you might end up driving around in circles for a bit until you find some parking.

Borics Hair Care For Everyone - West Lafayette, IN (40.4533889, -86.920383) ()
1 - Meg L.: I had such a bad experience here today, and left feeling like they don't care about the customer at all.  I went into the salon to get a shampoo (that's all, nothing more).  One of the three female hairstylists said, "It'll be awhile." and proceeded to finish the haircut of her client.  She never told me how along I had to wait, so I sat there for 20 minutes. After finishing with her client, she packed up and left the salon. Another one of the hairstylists finally said (after 30 minutes of my waiting) that there would be another two people to finish up before she could get to my shampoo.  (There was an unexpected person sitting at the side, who knew).  They should let people know upfront how long the wait is, so we can decide whether it's worthwhile or not.

Bottom line:  They'll make you wait and they don't care.  They have poor communication skills at this location.  I don't recommend this place to anyone.
4 - Jeremy S.: I got a good haircut at a reasonable cost after a reasonable wait at a VERY convenient location for me. Stylist was chatty, informative and experienced. First-timers can give their email address and will get a $5-off coupon for their next visit. While I was there, hair products were on sale 30-50% off.

Borics Haircare For Everyone - Urbana, IL (40.1132792, -88.2049898) ()
4 - Rakesh K.: This is the best saloon in the vicinity where I live. I usually ask for kelli for my haircuts but they are all nice otherwise! One more point to note is that, if you sign up for their monthly reminders, you get discount coupons like 2$ for a haircut. Its not much but a discount is a discount!
1 - Marlena L.: The 2 women my family saw are now gone. I called to make an appointment and the lady snapped at me that she didnt work there anymore and hung up. Way to treat potential customers Borics! Luckily I found the one I was looking for at another salon.

Borseno's Barber Shop - Seattle, WA (47.6650167, -122.312971) (University District)
4 - Peter H.: I am a vain guy, and like to find someone and trust my hair to them for years. Since I found Frankie (she also sometimes goes by Stormy), the owner of Borsenos (and The Westside in Seattle) I have been a loyal customer.

The ambiance is very cool, very 50's and tattoos and street, pretty funky for this nearly guy of nearly 40. But Frankie always gives me a good cut. I've had good and great, and NEVER bad.

Price is comparable to Rudy's (which I pan for the randomness of the cuts I used to get there).
5 - Silvia A.: I went to Borseno's on a recommendation by friend who also goes there to have her hair cut by Anna, and I have never been disappointed. Anna has always done a fabulous job and she's a pleasure to sit for and chat with. By coincidence, she also cut a co-worker's hair and it looks great! I complimented him even before he told me who cut it. 

As an added bonus their prices are comparable to Rudy's and they take appointments, which at least one of the Rudy's shops doesn't.
5 - Amy W.: When I decide that I want a haircut, I want it right then - no planning ahead for me.  I have shoulder-length straight hair, so cutting it is not really a hassle.  But, I'm still picky.  I've been able to walk into Borseno's and get a cut within 20 minutes.

The first time, I went to Borseno's, I had this guy who looked like he should be hopping on his Harley playing with my hair and telling me what a pretty color it was.  I loved it.

The past few times I've gone, the Cure's been on and my head starts a'boppin.  Not a good idea when there're sharp things around your head, but I live on the wild side.  I've never had a bad haircut here, and the stylists even refrain from playing with my hair too much.  At other places, I usually end up with stylists who want to play with my hair like I'm a doll, and I end up leaving with these goofy curls and zig zag parts.  No, I'm okay with not having that here.  Really.
5 - Kim C.: Anna rules; she does my hair (see profile pic) -- nuff said.

Skilled, affordable, and friendly staff!
5 - Avitania B.: Like the reviewer before me, I infrequently venture to the U-District, and I am especially loath to do so during rush hour. However, after reading these reviews and seeing some of Anna's work on her website, I decided to brave the traffic and head down there after work yesterday. It was totally worth the trip; Borseno's is fabulous!  Anna gives a spot-on precision haircut, and is the queen of A-lines. I walked out with a gorgous A-line cut and full highlights for a price that can't be beat. The joint is hip without being pretentious, and are experienced with a range of styles. 

It's definitely not a spa kind of joint -- for that, you're gonna have to go to Gene Juarez. But if you're looking for a good, modern cut without spending a fortune, definitely check out Borseno's.
5 - Jayne A.: I LOVE BORSENO'S!  I have been frequenting this wonderful barbershop for years now ever since my best-friend, Anna, started working there.  She is the best hairstylist you'll ever go to!  Trust me!  And I'm not just saying this because I'm biased.  The atmosphere is great, the people are fun to talk to, and the most important part, the stylists are extremely talented.  Even if you hate the trip to the U dist, try to make it to Borseno's.  It'll be worth it!
5 - Cory B.: Need a haircut? Want to hear excellent music while you wait? Go to Borsenos, dammit.

Anna is a goddess, and everyone there is hip, beautiful, talkative, and probably ready to share a drunken escapade story while they make you purdy. Finding stylists/barbers that are talented AND approachable can be tough. Borsenos has both.

The only real downside is that Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell" isn't _always_ playing when I walk in. I can deal with that. ;)
5 - Holly L.: I will start off saying this is the kind of place I would get my haircut at even if I weren't friends with employees, owner, etc. I would come here anyway. The vibe is great, Stormy rocks, Anna rocks my hair and Michelle rocks my world. You will never be bored or disappointed.
5 - Claire M.: I LOVE LOVE LOVE getting my hair cut at Borseno's!  It is the best place in town to get your hair done.  You can't beat the price, time spent and the atmosphere is great!  I love going somewhere that the stylists actually have style!  I will go back again and again because I know i'll have had a fun time getting my hair cut without getting ripped off and waiting for hours.  In fact, I think I need to make myself another appointment!
5 - Loree B.: I'm sold.

Well, I was sold when I read the reviews on how happy people were with this place.

I was sick of going to mediocre or mainstream salons. I knew that if I wanted my hair a certain way without worrying about the end result, I had to try something new. It had to be somewhere where the stylists would know the current styles and know what I want and not try to do something different.

Anna cut my hair and she did it with ease. She was very quick but precise. She even explained to me that with the full sideswiped bangs I desired, she had to cut back further. And the layering is just right. I don't have to do much straightening as I have in the past with the almost identical haircut.

Price is average, and I actually feel like it was worth paying. I usually have only left a small tip in the past at other places, but I had no hesitation giving Anna recognition on a job well done.

She is even the stylist who does someone else's hair that I know (*ahem*..Kim), so I knew she had to be good from the get-go.

The ambience is great, my taste of style and music, and cool staff. I didn't even know they had a tanning salon there too- not that I like to fake n bake, but I need a little boost before summer- so I know where I'm goin for that too!
5 - Zach G.: Probably the single most positive experience I have ever had getting my haircut.  Not really a very high bar, sure, but this place pretty much rocks, and I'm not just saying that because the owner's totally sweet old Triumph motorcycle is sitting in a back hallway.  Which I am going to steal.  The motorcycle.  She can keep the hall.

I walked right on in about three months past the day my hair should have been slashed and burned, and was told they'd be able to slot me in after a bit.  It's pretty cool in there, with lots of nooks and crannies and dirty magazines to pass the time with their amazing articles.

The main thing is the haircut, though, and Stormy did mine.  "Kind of like it is now, only, instead of looking long and bad, make it look less long and less bad."  I've said this before to decidedly mixed results, but this time it actually worked.  She busted out the scissors and the small talk and started working her way around my gigantic head (no extra charge).  A while later, and I was shocked and awed to see that she'd actually gotten something meaningful out of my vague rambling, and delivered exactly the cut I'd been wanting.  Really, it was pretty awesome.

$20 (cheap), friendly (not awkward or creepy) conversation and a careful, great cut (rad).  Go here.
5 - Matthew H.: After Jana left (to open her own biz in Tacoma) I thought I'd never go back to this place. 

Honestly, truly - it devasted me. So I started going to Zero Zero but then everyone and their hipster fucking dog went there, so I had to go someplace else. I decided to try Borseno's again.

I went in to get my hair cut and I got exactly what I WANTED. Can you fucking believe it? First off, barbers and hair stylists are not magicians. They cannot "read your mind" or tell you want you want. So before I went in there I decided that i was going to tell Harmony that I wanted "to keep the shape the same, but thinned out and chopped up." Short and sweet.

Harmony was professional and really down-to-earth. I'm definitely going back. If you know your hair and know what you want, go to Borseno's. They can "deliver."
5 - James L.: Wow is all I have to say.....

My girl told me to come down here and try it out....

ANNA was amazing....I have a very low maintenance cut and style so I didnt really give much thought about going to any specific spot or stylist.

She was quick and efficient, and DAMN she did the finger length on top with what looked like a straight balde....FTW?!?!?

I will deifintely go out of my way and deal with parking in the U-District to visit this shop again....

Thanks again...
2 - Stephanie C.: I'm actually really sad, because everyone but me obviously liked their haircuts out of this place.  Ever since Rami left Vain, I've been without a decent haircut.  Well I figured I'd go here based on the reviews and the price was definately worth the while.  I called up and originally asked for Stormy based on the reviews, and I think the guy that answered the phone didn't quite hear me and just said they had availability so I figured, why not, nobody put any bad reviews up.  Well I showed up and was telling the girl that I was thinking about getting an inverted bob (I know, I'm slow on the trend, but thought it'd look cute on me) and she tells me that the other person there is much better at the trend.  No big deal, at least she's honest, so I wait for her to finish with her client (maybe 5 minutes at the most) and go work with the other girl.  Well I thought it was a bit odd that she just wet my hair down - no shampoo, nothin, just H2o.  But she started chopping away.  She wasn't much for conversation, but I'd rather have her focus on cutting my hair, than chatting me up.  At the end, she asked me what I thought, and it seemed to be fine.  I told her I'd have to see what it looks like dry and styled.  I mean, how am I supposed to know when my hair is all wet, what it's supposed to look like?  Well they don't dry your hair there either so don't go on a cold day.  Anyways, I got the chance to take a shower, play around with it, and I've realized that it's not really a bob at all.  The side bangs I asked for aren't angled at all, they're cut straight across, and I have layers on the side of my head.  I can usually fix my hair enough to make things work, but I'm really struggling tonight, and I'm considering getting it re-cut.  It sucks to think that I'm going to pay to have it done - again....but I might if 2nd opinions from friends think the same.  I can't complain too much for a $25 haircut, but if it's going to cost me $50 more to get it fixed, it's not worth it.
1 - Brian M.: Uh, Are we talking about the same Borseno's at  the U on 15th? let me say the drop out at a Super cuts hair school could of done a better job, A flow-bee could of done a better job. I should of checked if her licenses on her table was for hair or a certificate issued for being blind.My hair was so bad I had to go to get it done again at another barber at least they made it better ,everyone from the other shop said WTF.The other hair shop said that Borsenos usually dose a good job but they asked what did they do and was she on drugs?.After seeing Borseno at the #1 spot on Yelp for months,I wanted to check it out . Borseno cut it uneven,chunks,cut past my hair line.Lloyd from Dumb and Dumber had a better hair cut then I.I am not even into my hair and they made me say good god WTF! I would never go to Borseno's again. plus i thought it was weird to have copies of porn around but I am just judging this place on hair.
5 - Braxton E.: So after having a long string(we're talking years) of bad haircuts from various "stylists" I figured I'd go to the first shop I saw and luckily it happened to be this one. Having not had a satisfactory hair wacking for a long time and a metric crapload of hair with which to experiment, I gave Marcella(my barber, or is it barbress? barbara?) minimal instructions and told her to do whatever she wanted. I am pretty happy with the result. It's a little shorter than my specified medium, but it looks good and fits me well. Overall happy feelings ensued and I'll definitely be back.
1 - Latte A.: Being new to Seattle scene, I looked to Yelp for help finding the good stylist, and went to Borseno. 

The whole experience was bit odd. When i arrived I found three bored outta their minds stylists cutting each others' hair. They greeted me with Wasup attitude, which was ok, but during shampooing she spilled water over my face, poked me in the eye with her new nails and kept apologizing the whole time. I wasn't bothered by that, still hoping I was gonna get a good cut. (My score also doesn't reflect those mishaps, but solely my haircut). I also thought that the owner was totally micromanaging her stylists' every move, but that's none of my bisiness (just an observation!)

So, I showed her my previous cut (brought a picture) and she proceeded to chop, snip, razor my hair off. I'm used to short cuts/bangs, so I didn't panic. All in all, it wasn't a complete dissaster, but I've definately had better. You can tell a good cut based on how it grows out, and I need to go somewhere else now (2 weeks after) to shape and clean it up. And this is because she gave me "flat" cut, no finese or skill to work with your hair type and shape. Definately NOT GOING back! 

If you need a simple cut, lenght, etc... you might be ok, but if you need or expect a modern know-how, go somewhere else. (I'm still looking for a quality stylist)
2 - Anna P.: One day, I decided I needed a haircut RIGHT now, and needless to say, I didn't have time to wait for an appointment with Vain in this kind of hairmergency. I had heard so many positive things about Borseno's, I didn't think twice about where to drop in for a quickie haircut after work.

The shop itself is pretty dingy - but hey, Vain would be, too, if you plopped it into what is possibly the sketchiest area of the U District. I wanted to chop my medium-length hair into a bob, so imagine my relief when I saw that my stylist had the very bob I wanted for myself, just a little shorter. And that's pretty much what I asked for.

The initial cut (which couldn't have taken more than 10 minutes) wasn't quite what I wanted, but she seemed attentive and responded well to what I wanted fixed. Too bad her attitude was better than the haircut I ended up with. At first glance, everything seemed okay, but upon closer examination (which I am kicking myself for putting off until I took the bus home), I discovered more. One side was slightly longer than the other, and the ends all around my head were way too blunt. I don't know if I wanted the back of my head to look pleated.

Anyway, I think I've gotten used to it and after a couple of washes (and rinsing all the products that got gooped onto my head), and it looks okay now...but I think next time I'll just wait for an appointment.
4 - Sophia C.: Hearing about other people's experience and wanting a new look, I decided to go Borseno's Barber Shop for a haircut.  With a new quarter, I wanted a new-ish look.  Being very indecisive, my hair stylist was nice enough to talk about my different options and helped me figure out what I wanted.  I love my haircut!  I have really fine, flat hair, and she was able to give it some volume.  Not only that, but also she able to give me a new, fresh look that differed from my usual just-below-the-shoulders, angled, and layered cut.

I'm definitely coming back again!
4 - Inna B.: Got my hair cut here one time. The cut was nothing special so I can't really comment on much, but the girl did her job well. When I'm going to a hair salon I'm mostly concerned with feeling relaxed and cared for... and I got that here. 

She was also fun to talk to, which was something I was really hoping for when I came in. One of my last haircuts was a trim at a cheaper place and (after a while) I got somewhat frustrated when I was trying to have a conversation with the older asian lady working on me and she kept misunderstanding what I was saying.
1 - laura m.: i haven't been here in years since my one harrowing experience outlined in my first review.  but i feel the need to update my review now that an employee here messaged me on yelp to harass me for sharing my experience.  i received a message from a nick w. (http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=_pQ0yZfcYR6XuJgyl7I2mw) who identified himself as a borseno employee.  if you look at his profile, you can see the only yelp review he has left is for borsenos, posing as a satisfied customer!!! this place is so overwhelmingly unprofessional, they actually FORGE REVIEWS ON YELP. 
he messaged me to antagonize me for this review i wrote that wasn't even directed towards him, as it was written about a female stylist three years ago.  

to quote this harassing email from a borseno employee who has never met me: (emphasis mine on the truly classy parts)
"I have met your kind and its sad.  Not only are you UGLY ON THE OUTSIDE BUT ALSO ON THE INSIDE. Its pathetic that PEOPLE LIKE YOU HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT LIFE.  Here is some advice.  Buy a book called the Persuit of Happieness.  THanks for reading my email about you.  Know you know how it feels, and oh yeahI HOPE YOUR HAIR FALLS OUT LOLOL"

no joke. this is officially the most unprofessional encounter i have had with a business. i wish i could lower my rating
1 - MLE S.: Side note: Stormy is a pain in the ass and turns the whole energy of the place around when she blows through. I have even asked before making an appointment if they know of a time she won't be there. They said that she is always popping in to micromanage everyone. I tip extra because I feel bad for anyone who would have to work for or with Stomy. She won't let them touch a flat iron to your hair without charging you for it. Stormy is the reason I am currently auditioning other shops since I heard Nick left. Just being honest....
5 - Woo C.: I've had some F'd up haircuts and have trust issues!!!  
That is not a healthy combination!

So when I say go see Nick... You know I mean it!!

I HEART NICK! 

Nick is great! He puts up with my BS and cracks me up!  But more importantly, he is one heck of a stylist & colorist! 

He has been cutting my hair for years at a different shop but I followed him when he moved to Borsenos. 

I walk in, sit down and leave it up to him! 
I don't have to worry about how it will turn out because it always turns out great!  But when I do want a little tweak here and there, he is very patient and is great about making adjustments. 

I would highly recommend seeing Nick at Borsenos or Westside Barbershop!

You can walk in or make an appointment but I would call ahead to make sure Nick is available.
5 - Michael B.: I tend to be selective with praise, but I'll definitely give credit where credit is due (and constructive criticism where appropriate).  I personally believe review sites aren't always the most accurate, since, generally, what motivates a person to give a review is a negative experience, rarely do people go out of their way to give a positive one.

Borseno's, as a barber shop, has a great Rockabilly feel to it.  Very laid back (notice the Playboy's in the magazine racks) and the in store staff is very friendly.  When I go in for my every other week appointment, there's always a fun vibe and interaction between the various stylists and clientele alike. 

Like Mark G, and several others, I've followed Nick W. during his career as a stylist in Seattle and I've always been more than satisfied with the service he provides.  He's able to feel out my mood and tends to be right on target with the amount of dialog (a lot to none at all) I'm up for during that particular visit.  

Perhaps more importantly, I'm pretty much able to say, "Short sides, easy to do in the morning" or "I want to try something new" (I realize that's giving up a lot of control to the stylist) and he has been able to set me up with fun and inventive looks to refresh my look and always satisfy me.  Another thing I like is the fact Nick is more than willing to take the extra few minutes to explain to me HOW to do my hair to achieve the same look I leave the shop with.  

I've had colors and all types of cuts, from faux hawk to a more military look and he's come through every time.  If you're looking for a new look or a seasoned talented stylist, check out Nick W.  

That's my .02¢
4 - Alan F.: My main gripe from before: 
I remember this was my staple barber shop for a brief while. I had a different barber each time but wasn't hung up on who was actually manning the scissors. Then after I found someone who gave me a great cut I got the business card and tried to make a repeat appointment:
 "Oh he's been gone for a while now." 

Funny in retrospect, since he had been describing how a barber who just started was fired for being late on her first day. Maybe there's high turnover here...?

Anyway, the next three or four times I came in was a mixed bag; the lineup and overall results were different each time as before.

But I went back recently and was glad I did. Frankie, the owner cut it this time and she's not going anywhere obviously as it's her shop.

The dilemma of barber impermanence is solved, finally!
1 - Sarah R.: Yeeeah. I feel the need to update my review after "Stormy" decided to put her 2 cents in.

I do not "usually returns to receive a "re-do", regardless of  shop or stylist. " as she said. In 10 years of getting my hair professionally done.. At least once every 3 months... so basically 4 times a year.. which puts it at a ballpark figure of 40 TIMES - I don't think 5 times is a lot. First of all, I can't even recall 5 actual times.. I just threw that number out. Also, stuff happens! Mess ups happen! I don't just go back in because it wasn't what I thought it was going to be. I would only go in if something was technically wrong. As in, very uneven cut or botched color job.

I will say though that I have never heard of a salon being so CHEAP that they would refuse to fix a mistake. SHE NEVER EVEN CARED TO LOOK at the blatent mistake that her employee made. I am not saying Nick is a bad hair dresser. I actually think he is probably very good. No offense to him at all. But people do make mistakes, and one was definitely made. 

Once again, I would NEVER return and because of "Stormy's" policies, I wouldn't recommended it.
5 - Mike O.: HAHA, the caddy comments on here by floozies and player haters are a crack-up. Borsenos is a classic real local barbershop, not some white glove health spa. You go there to get a quick awesome affordable haircut, not have your ass kissed & ego stroked. They fix it the next day for free if you are unhappy. Try that at Jean Juarez... 18 months and 50 haircuts later... still 5 stars from me.
1 - Lauren P.: Edit (5/4/10, because I'm not updating my whole review):
Ahahaha, great comment on my review from the owner.
Stormy! That's the white Amy Winehouse I was talking about.
This lady is probably on too much methadone to fully understand how time works, but I pretty clearly say that this review was of an experience I had about two months prior to writing it. And since it was written in March, that would mean I went in in January... And it was most certainly open.

If the shop is closed it should be listed as closed. But it's no wonder, because they bleeeeew at the end there.

-----
I went here throughout high school and up until about a year and a half ago and really liked it.
I almost always went to Anna, and she took care of all of my ridiculous hair whims, as well as fixing when they grew out/I got some sense.

But, mostly, she originally cut, and also maintained, my undercut for a year and a half.
I have very thick hair, and once it grows out I need to take a little off the underside otherwise it's huge.

I went in about two months ago, after finally growing my hair out again, and was helped by a new lady.
I had pictures of my old cut that Anna had done (albeit it was on my phone screen, but they were decent), and told her not to worry about the steps (she looked horrified when she saw that there were steps in it originally).

She was pretty nice. I ended up not having enough cash on me because I missed my bus and had to catch a cab, and she was cool about me having to run to the ATM.

She evened my general cut out pretty well, but when I went to put my hair up it was awful.
I always have a pretty blunt line all the way to the front, and for some reason it is all uneven and veres up a little in the front on one side.
On one side it's rounded all the way back like it should be, and on the other side it's a stick-straight line.
All I had her do besides the undercut was even out the ends a little. She pretty much ONLY had to section-off and shave half of my head, and she had 20 minutes to do it. How can you fuck that up?
It was almost as bad as the time I let the meth head at Rudy's cut my hair.

The owner was there, and would not stop shoving her iPhone into my face uninvited to show me pictures of the hundred-dollar headbands she'd just bought. I tried to be friendly about it, but when white Amy Winehouse is shoving an iPhone in your face and no-indoor-voice-yelling about shit I don't care about (this includes how she changed the hours to keep 'her girls' safe, talking about her super-tiny chihuaha, and her ex-husband, and her jeans... Seriously, this woman has a one-track mind, and it is focused on her so hard that she can't even be professional in front of customers)... I felt like they should have paid me to have to listen to that bullshit.

I called a while ago to ask if Anna was still there, thinking maybe I could go in and have her fix the cut, but she's moved to a different salon. The feel is really different now. Honestly, it feels more like the dressing room of a strip club than a great place for alternative hairstyles (which- well, it no longer is, from what I can tell).

Anna's at a spot in Eastlake now, so I think I'll be trying there.

The price is a little too high for such a shitty cut, for me (by which I mean, if you want a haircut this terrible, you can go to Supercuts for cheaper).
Scream in Cap Hill is much better. The people there can be rude, but at least they're not incompetent or INSANE.

Boshamer Stadium - Chapel Hill, NC (35.909304, -79.0414152) ()
4 - Lee G.: Every year my old college buddies and I go on a college baseball road trip. We follow our beloved Clemson baseball team somewhere cool. It is a neat tradition that has taken us to ballparks across the ACC and SEC. So when the 2009 schedule showed us playing at the new Bosh... yeah we were going!

I'd heard a lot about the renovation. The Tar Heels have been playing some awesome baseball the last few years, so they deserve a great new ballpark. And thankfully they left the park where it was, very close to the heart of campus. But on walking up to it, I was a little disappointed. It is a pretty structure, yet appears small. The common areas for fans don't leave a lot of room. This includes the new family courtyard funded by George Steinbrenner.

The concession and bathroom areas are a bit small. The bathrooms in the main seating area are very small. The concessions don't offer much in the way of variety. Dogs, pizzas and chic-fil-a is about it.

The seating areas are very nice. There are no bleacher seats anywhere in the park. And the foul area is minimal leaving fans pretty close to the game. The sun sets out to right field, so I'd suggest seats on the first base side to avoid sun in your eyes in the afternoons.

They probably spent most of their renovation dollars in the clubhouse and luxury boxes. There were a lot of them, and the website talks about the fancy clubhouse for the players. But of course, your average fan will see none of this.

The quality of the field was a little subpar. Some of the infield grass was spotty and dead, although we were there just days after a snowfall.

All in all, it was a decent ballpark, and we had fun. The UNC fans were great to us, even with our loud and boisterous heckling!
4 - John L.: What I like: 

- The great American pasttime, on the cheap tickets-wise in the middle of spring/early Summer ($7 for first and third base line seats, free if you're UNC student/faculty/staff).  And UNC baseball isn't too shabby either (yes, they're a bit down this year, and Coastal Carolina is the best team in the Carolinas right now, but they'll be back!)

- The seats are accessible, and the views are great: no obstructed seats, no far out of the way seats.  There are boxes at the top of Boshamer, and a few mini-box things on the first base line, but everything else is down near the action.  It's nice to be able to watch baseball so up close and personal. 

However,

-Concession prices:  Yes, I understand that you need to make $ somewhere, but the prices, well, the prices seem Major League level... $4 for 20 oz of a fountain drink?  $5 for 32 oz?   A little excessive all things considered (and considering opened containers can't come in, it creates a captive audience.  To be expected, but still.

So basically, go for the cheap game and the awesome view of America's pasttime, and buyer beware when it comes to concessions.
3 - Scott K.: Take me out to the ball game, take me out with the crowd, buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks..........  come on everyone sing along!!!  This is a great place to watch a baseball game if you are a Tar heel fan or not.  Boshamer has been in use since 2009 I think.  There are good seats everywhere.  I think it holds a little more than 4,000 fans and if you have some money to burn you can donate and then you can use a suite.  There are 2 grills to purchase food from to enjoy as well as a few food carts selling ice cream dots and pretzels.  The grill, the Bosh Pit Grill,  have the usual foods to choose from like Domino's Pizza, chicken tenders, hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, sodas, peanuts, candy bars and yours and my favorite, Cracker Jacks.  The food is nothing to crow about but it is decent. This week I ordered the chicken tenders with french fries ($7.00).  The prices of all foods here are very high.  I recommend to eat ahead of time then go to the baseball game.

Location B
Food C
Staff C
Decor (stadium)
Health Inspection 92.0

Bosse City Club & Spa - Cambridge, MA (42.3636711, -71.0835562) (East Cambridge, Kendall Square/MIT)
2 - Meenee W.: Nice Facilities, Poor Service

We haven't been able to even test the quality of spa, because the place wouldn't honor a discount they advertised. First, they denied it even existed. When we showed proof to the contrary, they reluctantly admitted its was advertised but claimed it was "a mistake". Do I hear "bait and switch"?

The gym and spa both appear new and tastefully done, but were rather deserted. I did notice two employees hanging by. They were dressed in the place's t-shirts, but didn't appear interested in serving customers or gym-goers. They seemed more focused on chatting, working out and listening to music. Just another indication of the attention to customers.
1 - Nancy M.: Got a BuyWithMe deal for a 50 minute massage, mini facial and mani /pedi.  The mini facial was great with Erica, I loved her.  After working a ton, I was really looking forward to a good massage.  When I showed up I needed to complete paperwork for almost ten minutes.  Then my massage therapist, Emily  brought me into the room and wanted to chat about how I was feeling.  After that, she gave me ample time to get undressed and ready for the massage.  Now twenty five minutes have passed.  I told her to just focus on my back.  I never really got a massage, more like a back rub.  This was one of the worst massages I have ever had. Guess what, at ten of the hour the massage was over!  They told me that the massage retails at $90!  I basically got less than a 30 minute massage and should tip my massage therapist $18??  No, she didn't get a great tip from me.  I think this club has a nerve to charge that kind of money and have a therapist who is just ok.  It doesn't matter what kind of deal you can get for a massage at this place, it is not worth it.
5 - D H.: From the moment I was greeted at the front desk, until the time I left, I had an incredible experience. The massage therapist (Emily) was extremely friendly, and made sure to ask me about areas I wanted to work on for the massage - asking about neck, back, hands, etc. and what to focus on. During the massage she made sure I was comfortable with the amount of pressure and I was so relaxed, I actually fell asleep! I asked her to work on my hands, since I'm an artist, and carpal tunnel is always on my mind, and she reversed 30 years of drawing/painting/computer related stress with a combination of massaging and stretching the tendons and muscles. The 50 minutes went by so quickly and at the end I felt brand new, and totally relaxed. She also gave me advice on how to stretch and strengthen certain muscles in my hands to prevent future stress and pain.
 
If you are looking to get a massage, definitely check out Bosse and book an appointment with Emily.
4 - Matthias J.: This is a review of the Gym, not the Spa, which as a 40-year-old bolding male, I have no business going to.  I am now into my first post-New Year's resolution month at Bosse and I must say I really like it.  The fact that it is located across the street from my office may be less relevant to others, but it sure is convenient to me.  The place is very clean, the equipment is brand new and I rarely have had to wait for anything.  It feels more like a private club than an over-crowded gym.  The staff is very friendly and courteous.  The one aspect that keeps me from giving them the full 5 stars, is that the free trainer-guided introduction to the Gym was more of a sales pitch to book more sessions by the trainer himself, than a useful introduction to the equipment and design of an initial exercise plan to get you going.
3 - Julie W.: I had a great mini facial with Zoya.  The 25 minutes doesn't give you a lot of time, but it was very relaxing and Zoya was great!  Again, a bit weird having a spa in the gym (to get there you have to go up what feels like back stairs) but I think the staff does a great job making it feel spa like
5 - Casey H.: Bosse is truly a five star gym. 

Some of the best features are:
1) Upscale and brand new equipment (the seats in the weight room look like the leather seats inside of a luxury car)
2) Never crowded, even at peak hours
3) Working TVs on every machine, and if that's not your thing, iPod hookups for Netflix watching
4) Amazinggg locker rooms. So clean and huge.
5) Friendly welcome attendant, great service.

I have not tried any of the spa services yet or any of the personal training services but based on the overall upscale feel of the club, I can't imagine they would be anything less than perfect.
5 - Bernardo M.: It's great when the best gym I've ever been to is my gym.

Fantastic equipment, never full, never wait for a treadmill, great (free) classes, and superb service. 

Case in point: went to a personal training session today and forgot my shorts. Kurt, the manager, lent me his. How many gyms would do that for you?
5 - Ned S.: Bosse City Club is definitely the nicest fitness club I have ever been too. You walk in and someone greets you like they wake up every morning with their only goal to greet you when you come. Then you go to a locker room where they have all your workout clothes washed and folded in your locker so you never have to worry about bringing anything to the gym. The machines are all beyond state of the art with TV's and an IPod connection so you can watch Netflix on each individual machine. After i do cardio and weights i often take one of the free hourly classes that are really fun and well taught. After working out I can take a hot rub or a steam with my choice of radio or CD In the different rooms. The showers are amazing and come equipped with a shower head that is definitely better then any shower head I have ever seen. Parking is easy and less then a dollar an hr and when I bring a guest they don't even charge you if they are from out of town. I literally have never been at a better gym. Oh and they have bikes with screens where you can ride courses or on streets of Boston which is seriously fun! Owner D.J. Bosse owns another club in Sudbury, and clearly he knows how to run the premier club on the east coast, if not the country.

Oh I almost forgot, I got my haircut there as well, they did a great job!
5 - Anthony L.: I've been a member at Bosse City Club for more than 9 months now and I'd have to agree with other reviewers - it is a Five Star Gym. Great equipment great staff. Kurt D., the manager, is very nice and accommodating and remembers just about all of the member's names. They do a great job making you feel as though you being there, working out, is really important to them. It's never very crowded and I rarely have to wait for equipment. I have yet to take advantage of any of the group exercise with the exception of TRX with Tara (which i highly recommend), but I can't comment on the others. It's a convenient location to my office in Kendall Sq. which is a bonus but i would travel to get to this gym. It's that great - stop in and see Kurt - he'll be happy to give you a tour.
3 - Megan C.: I bought the Buy with me $99 facial-mani-pedi-massage.. All the staff was very friendly. I especially loved the young woman from Simmons that did my mani/pedi. She was wonderful. Its definitely a mediocre spa thats over-priced but the staff made me want to come back.

Boston Area Rape Crisis Center - Cambridge, MA (42.3658229, -71.1022792) (Central Square)
5 - Trish F.: Last night I volunteered/attended the Champions for Change gala after seeing it listed as a last minute event in a YAVA newsletter. Wow.. what a night. 

As a volunteer I helped with set up, registration, the silent auction, and the after auction payment. I definitely stayed for 5 hours instead of the 1 hour I was originally scheduled for, but what's 4 extra hours when all I'd be doing at home is watching TV on the interwebs (and they pretty much checked with me to see if it was okay). Plus I got a free dinner that I didn't expect and of course, I got to work for an amazing organization. On top of the fact that everyone was really nice, the conversation and fast paced work helped the time go by quicker. 

During the dinner, I was able to hear two of the speakers. Janet Yassen, one of the co-founders of BARCC and Dory Cote, the first person to ever call the BARCC hotline. Janet and many of her friends (I think she said there were about 20 co-founders) started the group in 1973. They went to various orgs and police departments at the time and there were NO resources for rape victims. Sounds ridiculous, but thank goodness these women came along. 

Like I said above, the first call was from Dory Cote. Man, what an unbelievable story. A friend of hers had seen the hotline featured in the Boston Globe the day Dory was raped by a stranger in her Boston apartment. Dory called and on the other line was.. Janet. BARCC was there to support her and be with her.. even after her rapist was acquitted. Dory's amazing resilience and strength are incredibly awe inspiring. She now runs a healing center in Maine and she's just living life.. all thanks to BARCC's support when she needed it most.

In addition to my exposure to the organization last night, I dealt with BARCC briefly in college as an orientation leader. People from BARCC visit college campuses in the area and give talks to everyone from resident assistants to just general college populations. 

I can't say enough about BARCC. Since 1973, 50,000+ calls have been answered and the center now serves women, men, and children.  They're just a truly amazing organization.. but to keep their services free.. they need people to volunteer. I encourage you to check out their website and volunteer when you can. They have all kinds of positions.. full time.. yearly.. and one time commitments. A couple hours of your time.. could mean a lifetime of difference in someone else's.

www.barcc.org

PS - The phone number up there is the office.. their 24 hour a day hotline is: 800.841.8371
5 - Laura F.: BARCC is an amazing organization that makes a positive difference in people's lives.  Speaking from personal experience, BARCC has helped me through some of the most difficult moments of my life, and I am forever grateful for their crisis hotline and counselors.

Boston Bead Company - Cambridge, MA (42.37447, -71.1198861) (Harvard Square)
5 - K. F.: I had wanted to buy a pair of earrings at a store in Breckenridge, CO last summer and they were $50.00. I decided to wait on them. Then I went to Beadworks the other day on a whim and made a pair of earrings just like the ones I wanted. The total: $6.00! Length of time to make them: 5 minutes! Walked out with a great pair of earrings! They loan you a packet of all the tools you need to make your jewelry if you want to make them in the store. Friendly staff too.
4 - Richard F.: i completely forgot about this place until i saw it here on yelp.
my friend Julia loves this place and she recommended it to me and we went together.
It's not too big, but it's really fun, cheap, and original.
she made me an awesome hemp necklace and it's lasted me years.
I kind of want to go back there right now.
too bad i'm at work :(
4 - Lindsey M.: I've always loved bead works. They have a ravishing selection of beads (antique, glass, crystals, plastic, etc..) clasps, wires, strings, tools and knowledgeable and helpful staff.The beads are sectored by color and individually priced accordingly. They have trays, so you choose everything buffet style.  Even those new to beading, grab a coffee next door, select your beads and get creative. Sit at one of the back tables and work there, it's nice to have staff near-bye to assist.

* REMEMBER, prices are not dirt cheap and the beads do add up. If your like me and get completely overwhelmed by fabulous art supplies-your bound to get side tracked by all the beautiful beads and lured into a trance- So decide what you want to do first and stick with the plan!
4 - Dana B.: There was an absolute amazing amount of glorious beads spread out all through the store. Beads I never even knew existed and are very unique. Walking through there really helps spark my creativity. I only wish that they had more working space in case people wanted to hang out and work. 

Some of the beads are really expensive and some are pretty cheap. Just be prepared to be a little wowed by the prices if you've never been to a real bead store before.
4 - Lady Fang Y.: I LOVE love love love this place. It was because of this store I started making and selling jewelry. The selection is wonderful, helpful staff. And jewelry making is jsut one of those hobbies no one really has to teach you, its all your own. I started imitating jewelry I wanted to buy, as I made them and wore them, my friends wanted them, and I just started creating original pieces.

I would spend hours, no exaggerating, 3-4 HOURS, finding the perfect items, jump rings, chain, tools, wires, beads, sketching ideas, charms. It was a great creative outlet. A quiet place, no one bothered me and I was free to take my time and ask questions at my leisure.

It is a lil pricey, but for the selection it was well worth it.

YAAAAAAAAAAY!

I am also a frequent beader member, $20 for every $200 spent,\. Believe you me, it goes fast.
4 - Bridget B.: I know everyone says they are pricey, but compared to some of the other bead shops I've hit lately, Beadworks seems practically discount in price (if we ignore Michaels or AC Moore)

Tons of beads, a huge selection, some awesome stuff, some mediocre stuff, but a very helpful staff.

My only complaint is that they do not offer a course in a wireworking technique I want to try, I'm hoping to see if I can have a private lesson instead.
4 - Kiwi H.: For some reason, I prefer this Beadworks store to the Newbury St. location. Maybe it's because this was the first one I visited, so there's loyalty and memory. This store feels smaller in size than the Newbury location, certainly more snug, but I always feel like there's more choice here for some reason. 

It doesn't have a crafting area as large as the Newbury one (at least compared to that giant table), and while I agree that the Newbury location often reveals new finds to me as I make second, even third or fourth turns around the store and delve into the back, this place always just seems to have more choice for me. Or at least, more choice suited to me. I guess I just have a tendency to like more of the beads I've seen at the Harvard location than the Newbury one. I've 'gotten lucky' going home with a big bag of beads at the Harvard stop much more often than the Newbury one anyway.

The staff here are really friendly. The Back Bay store's employees are also nice, but here I feel as though they're really helpful (without being pushy, which the other Beadworks isn't either thankfully) and very warm, it just feels easy to talk to them and ask them questions if need be. 

It can get expensive (depending on which pieces you choose, though), that's true, but the quality of most of their beads (and other related goodies) is excellent, and they've got a lot of great stuff here. They often have some already-made stuff hanging between the bead drawers, and it's very often something pretty enough to want to buy - it's great for inspiration, or motivation to replicate with something similar. Beads can cost a pretty penny if you're paying for good quality ones, I accept that, and as long as I pick and choose wisely (impulse buys in mass quantities here = dangerous for me) I'm fine with the prices. And they have some beautiful pieces - some that make me sigh 'ooh', and others that just look so delicious I almost want to eat them (but I don't). 

Great place to go to let your creative side run wild if you've got an interest in beading, or any sort of artistic venture that could include beads, ribbons, bits of metal and many lovely things. Whether there just to ogle the pretty stuff, get creative with self-made jewellery, learn in their classes, get supplies for other related activities or get beads for something else entirely like sewing them on to spruce up an otherwise simple piece of clothing, I love this place.
2 - Jen J.: It's too expensive.  I'm usually willing to pay more for quality, but only if there's also an option to pay less for lower quality, and here everything's top dollar.  There's no reason to pay that much more for seed beads that you can get online way cheaper.  Plus, while they have nice shiny distracting beads, they lack some essentials, like spools of silk for stringing- they only sell by the yard or on cards, which is much more expensive unless you're only doing a project or two.  They don't seem to cater to people who do a high volume of beading.
3 - Erica S.: Blah.... I seriously only come here when I really need something specific, and fast. And then I suck it up and pay their prices... and that's only when they even have what I'm looking for.

I do NOT intend for this to sound snobby, and apologize if it does-- but I feel like this place probably seems great for the less-seasoned jeweler, but once you know your stones, your metals, and are looking things that are more unique and high quality, you should run for the hills!

I can't seem to find anything particularly unique here, though I stop in for staples from time to time-- crimp beads, clasps, small amounts of gemstones or glass. Beads are expensive everywhere when you buy then one by one, so I guess I can't complain there. However, I'm totally outraged by their chain and wire prices. I also don't find their slection of strands of beads (generally cheaper since you're buying them in bulk) too impressive-- actually I think Spark (in Porter Square) has a more diverse selection of strands.

So I'd say go here if you're crafting and working on just a couple small projects, but buy wholesale, online, at trunk shows, or at gemstone expos if you want the good stuff without being ripped off.
2 - Cate K.: For some reason I find their Harvard Square location greatly inferior to the Newbury Street spot. They don't seem to have as nice a selection of beads, and the way they have the stands organized makes it hard to navigate without bumping into people.  The selection also doesn't seem as intriguing.  All told I never get inspired here, but it's worth going to if you're in the area and ABSOLUTELY MUST BE BEADING RIGHT NOW... as sometimes happens.
4 - Jennafir E.: I went here on a cold january day. It was busy, but the sales people were fabulous. they stopped to teach me how to make a necklace (my skills are about as good as a two year olds) even with the hustle and bustle of all. I learned how to cut and repair the chain to make a kickin necklace. Two in fact. for only 7 dollars. I was quite content. the choices were nice, though i haven't been to Newbury, I did well. After over an hour, i was ready to leave and wanting to go back in to make more, even if my fine motor skills show my lack of skill. If you want a unique necklace and have a couple hours to kill, go here. I plan on returning for my own amusement.
3 - Danielle M.: This review is strictly for materials only, as the customer service here is pretty much non existent. I shop here quite frequently, as my rewards cards will promptly prove. They have, by far, a much higher quality selection of beads and many more semi-precious stones than at their sister store on Newbury (which is pretty much a haven for Swarovski and cheap-o beads). They also do a much better job of labeling and organizing, I think. The only disappointment, as with pretty much any store in an historic area in MA, is that it's too small. I usually take a peak when I walk by, and only go in if the place is empty for fear of getting elbowed constantly. I also wish they carried more sterling silver charms and fitting, as well as ANY solid gold. Gold and silver plated just do not cut it for me, and gold filled is a sad alternative as well. I've been doing most of my shopping at artbeads.com because of an increase in prices at BW, and because this site offers free shipping regardless of amount purchased as well as a broad SS selection. I keep coming back to BW for actual beads, as they can be deceiving online. They also have a good inventory of pliers/cutters, fun chain and a basket of odds & ends that always has something cool mixed in. Pretty much a decent attempt at a bead store, but I really only shop here because there's not much else to choose from.
5 - Stephanie H.: Whenever I go out of town, I have to stop at the local bead shops to check things out. As small as the space is, I spent over an hour of joyful fun checking out Beadworks. The selection was amazing and, as a jewelry designer and business owner, I found some things that I haven't seen at shows or with my wholesalers. My favorite bead shop to date! Too bad I'm a thousand miles away in Dallas.
5 - Theresa M.: I had a wonderful experience with this store.  I was passing through town and stopped in.  I happened to have an image on my iPhone of a bracelet that I wanted to create, and one of the staff members helped me find and select appropriate beads to make my own version.  The piece turned out so well that I wished I bought more, and made a necklace instead!  I called up and Janelle came to my rescue.  She found more of the same beads, and even ran to the post-office to mail them to me.  I know its not something they usually do.  I couldn't be happier with the product, prices and service.
4 - Katie R.: What don't I like about Beadworks? I often get the "friendly" vibe from the employees, but it's a rare day that they can answer my questions (can you special order things? when will the next shipment be coming in?). I wish the store stayed better-stocked, I wish there were  a wider selection of higher-end materials, and that the seed beads were offered in larger quantities at a better price.

That being said, the shop is a goldmine nestled in Harvard Square for anyone who does basic beading and jewelry-making. It may not satisfy someone working on the high-end of things, and their stock of tools and findings is limited to the essentials, but I've found exactly what I needed to finish projects, restring necklaces, and make little gifts on numerous occasions.
3 - Bri T.: I am a beginner jewelery maker ... but I think this is a good store to pick up the basic accessories. I found all the materials I needed and some cool beads (I also found the exact bead to replace an earring I had lost that was purchased in Thailand -- globalization is crazy!) The staff was helpful and allowed me to use their tools to fix an earring and give me pointers on how to do it.
3 - Kiki B.: really helpful staff is very good at helping you weed through drawers to find whatever you need.  hours can be kind of erratic though.
3 - Heather C.: Good for basic beads, or if you just want to browse until you find something that catches your eye.  Call ahead if you are looking for something specific or if you need a large quantity of something because their inventory is small and there are often empty bins where popular beads should be.  The people are really nice.  The organization is mostly by color so it's easy to follow.
4 - J M.: I don't bead often but when I do this place always draws me back. Being a basic beader I like that they have everything I need to complete a project or fix some broken jewelry. Every time I go in, I find something I can't live without.
3 - Sarah A.: So, I am not crazy into beading, but I if I spy a cool looking bead or stone, I might be inclined to put some wire around it and turn it into a pendant. I had found a cool stone in another store and came into Beadworks looking for the appropriate wire for my creation. They had a good selection of sterling silver wire that I didn't feel was that insanely priced. The staff was friendly and helpful. I wish they had more larger stones and beads here, however, that could easily be converted into a pendant with some wire, that's more my speed. I do not have the patience for stringing all those little tiny beads.
4 - JJ H.: This place has a great selection of beads, findings (in a wide range of metals--silver, gold, copper, etc), wire in all different gauges, and types of string/fishing line/etc. They quite the large selection of swarovski crystals, natural stones, big plastic beads, and funky stuff. The staff is usually helpful when you ask for help on something. If you are making something large though, it does add up and can get quite pricey.

One thing I wished they had was titanium findings. I'm pretty allergic to nickel and even their sterling silver and plated gold doesn't cut it. I've resorted to buying my own titanium wire and just bringing it to the store.
3 - Rebecca R.: Half the times I've been in here, the staff have been unfriendly and unhelpful.
The other half they've been very friendly and somewhat helpful.

These last two times they were markedly friendlier and far more motivated than usual - to get me more of the beads I'm already using - although I don't know why I couldn't buy beads from their Salem store through them and have them sent to me... but whatever, I got them the next day and had a T pass for all the trips, so I'm fine with that. 

I still wouldn't buy anything I couldn't find cheaper somewhere else in Boston (*cough* Swarovskis - Windsor Button), but if I need size 6 or 8 seed beads to match my yarn exactly, or just something completely different, I can see returning here.

Especially if they get more Japanese seed beads - these are the ones for knitters according to ravelry, and if it means half the package isn't unusable, I understand why.
3 - Su R.: Definitely a place that will keep you coming back if you love beading. however- expensive, and not the most unique beads on the planet. Don't get me wrong, the selection is terrific and you're bound to find something you really like, i've just been to places with very unique findings. This is def a good place to come for help with repairs or buying standard items, like chain, ribbon, or clasps. Somehow they have changed names from beadworks, yet we don't know exactly why since everything seems the same, hmmm
5 - K. E.: I absolutely love this store! The staff is super friendly, the beads are always new and exciting, and compared to lots of other beads stores in the area, the prices are extremely reasonable. I will definitely be purchasing supplies to make all my holiday gifts here!
5 - Elizabeth S.: I went there today to buy a new clasp for a necklace - they had a very good selection and the staff was very patient and helpful - someone even put the clasp on for me!
1 - Jen X.: They didn't have the color of beads I needed to repair a beaded dress. When I asked what other bead stores I could check around Boston, the employee told me to do a Google search. Give me a break. I'm not going to support a business so greedy and desperate not to mention its competitors' names that it won't help out its customers.

Responding to the owner's comment below: I can't believe that you are going to defend your employees over this. There really aren't many bead stores in Boston, and I would hope your employees are familiar with the few that do exist. It is pretty trivial for me to google to find more bead stores, but when I ask a simple question about what other stores might have seed beads in a color you don't carry, I'd expect more of a response than "you're on your own - try google." This is terrible customer service, and it has nothing to do with whether you have computers on the sales floor.
5 - Erica T.: This was my first stop in, and I will admit it was more of a help out a friend in need of lunch money stop. But me being me, I was quickly distracted by the super awesome beads, particularly the skulls. And before I could help myself, I was envisioning a headhunter necklace in technicolor, with Amy at my side, suggesting everything I needed-- keeping my budget and wants in mind. She was super helpful in showing me the techniques I needed, and offered that I could make my necklace in the shop.

And then I walked out with a kickass necklace and a head full of ideas for more jewelry that I could make--a lot cheaper without sacrificing quality. And to be honest, at least I know the quality in my jewelry I make from there is with quality products. You don't really know when you buy one in a store if it'll break next week.

I can't wait to go back for some classes--they looked really interesting and I know the staff is nice and ridiculously knowledgeable.
1 - shirley v.: If I can sway just one person to try another place, that is fine. I recently went to Boston Bead Company to purchase beads to fix a dress. I found two colors that seemed close to the beads on the dress but I couldn't get a good read on the colors after staring at them for awhile. I asked one of the employees their opinion. She reluctantly stopped pacing the store  and pointed to one of the colors, "that one", she said. I wasn't sure about it, but in that light, the color seemed to work . I brought the beads to the tailor about a week later and the color was completely off. The lighting in Boston Bead Company is horrible! If you need to match anything ask to take it to a better light source and don't trust their options because they are looking at it from the same awful lighting.  What's worse is that I couldn't return the beads because I was a few days past the return policy. Boston Bead Company fix your lighting, fix your return policy, and fix your attitudes.
5 - Ginger B.: I have been shopping at Boston Bead Company for quite some time and I have to say that it is hands down one of the best shops around!!  I like that they have a nice range of findings from 14k and Sterling to a range of Base metals and Plated. They also have lots of beads...of course!! I'm a big fan of their semi- precious stones. In my opinion prices are reasonable too. I've never had an issue with bad customer service, the staff has always been eager to help me with my questions or cut my 20 yrds of 5 colors of silk (which I know is a pain)! Overall in the 8 years I've shopped here I have enjoyed each and every experience.
5 - V J.: I make a point of shopping local and you should, too. 

Why? Staff is always helpful. Selection out of this world. Not everyone is going to have the exact same thing you do. And they stock quality materials.

Sure you could go buy bulk beads at Michael's or AC Moore & if that's your style then go for it. BUT for the discerning jewelry maker you really ought to come here. All the beautiful beads and findings will not only make you want to create something on the spot but will also inspire you to create a million other things. There are areas of the country where your only choice is a big box store, we are so very lucky to have CHOICE!

So go to the Boston Bead Company - you'll find more than you were looking for. And for the haters out there - really? I think you were at a different store.
5 - Lala B.: I don't think I've ever walked into this store and not purchased something. I sometimes wander in just because I want to see something pretty especially these days with all the rain. The stacks of seed bead vials are better than candy. I also really appreciate how organized everything is. You can look around and find everything without asking for help but when you need help it's available. And there really is something for everyone: beautiful semi-precious stones and vintage finds as well as horn and stone. And you can find those plastic earring back stops so you don't look your earrings. They don't even have those at CVS!
4 - John A.: Super friendly staff, very knowledgable. I know nothing about bead but my daughter has really expressed an interest and went here to get some direction on how to get my budding artist started and was treated wonderfully from the moment I walked in. Explanations on different classes she could take, projects we could work on together and a ridiculous selection. Didn't spend a dime(yet) however was treated as a paying customer which in Cambridge doesn't always happen. Looking forward to doing business on the regular with these fine folks.
4 - Rob P.: I was given a Groupon gift to take a class here. Carson, the owner was very kind about getting me into a class before the Groupon expired. As a fairly sophisticated beader who has frequented this store for many years, I admit that finding a class was a challenge due to schedule and interest. 

I have spent a lot of coin in this store since it opened. But I have taken most of my classes around the country. Doing beadwork is really aided by having someone guide you as magazines, books and internet videos can make something seem really simple but it isn't. Wrapped loops, for example, need practice before you start doing them on sterling. Get your foundations down first and decide if this hobby is for you. (Knitting, I have learned, is not my gig.) 

The class is a bit challenging though to fairly evaluate because the instructor had lost her voice and she was co-teaching with a colleague. So we had a lot of one-and-one attention. I took the "MYO Post Class" which had caught my eye for awhile. Content wise, they did deliver, but it was rushed. I think two projects instead of three would have been just fine with me. I found them both friendly and exceptionally helpful. 

They did provide written instructions, which is a big thumbs up for me. I hate it when a class does not do this. 

What I don't like (and I apply this generally to all classes) is that I want the tools lists up front. I don't sign up for classes when the staff are not able to provide this information (and often they don't seem to know.) Related to this is being able to purchase the products needed to continue the project-have them in stock! If we are going to use a jig, make sure that there are jigs to purchase!! I went to a class at Bead & Pearl (in Newton) which "barely" had the resources to even have the class.
1 - Sarah D.: I usually don't write these, and maybe the heat made me less inclined to deal with bullshit, but I will never return to this store.  I actually bead, but today I just needed some little cheap brass rings to fill in as stitch markers for a shawl I am knitting.  The place I usually get them from is out for the next 1-2 months.  The salesperson, who was passably friendly at first, was reluctant to help once I told her what I was looking for.  She also seemed annoyed that I asked for the cheapest rings and bulk pricing, even though I explained why I needed them.  Since there is no bulk pricing, my intended purchase of 200 or so became totally cost prohibitive.  The cheapest ones were priced 5 for $0.50, equaling $20!  I can get 200 for $4 at my usual place.  I'll just wait.  Another thing that soured me on the store was the fact that everything was packaged in little plastic bags.  5 little rings in a plastic baggie?  Wasteful.
5 - Gina I.: I am new to jewelry work, and I do not use beads too frequently, but I always need chains and findings for my pieces. After visiting a different bead shop, I went here just to compare.

Firstly, their selection is great. Most importantly, they have options for every budget. The staff was very helpful and directed me to the proper tools and findings I would need for my project. 

My biggest praise for them is that they have a huge selection of gold-plated findings. I like the look of gold, but gold-filled pieces are too expensive for me at this point.

Also, when I went there and they happened to be out of what I need, they offered to take my number and call me when the item came in. I appreciate that level of involvement with customers.
5 - Rebecca W.: I must admit that I am not an avid "beader"; but given that I am an artistically inclined person, I have journeyed to Boston Bead Co. several times and each time has been a very good experience.
I never have an exact project in mind when I I walk through the door, but the salespeople are always more than willing to let me bounce ideas off of them or lend helpful advice when I'm about to bite off more than I can chew. Yes, they are a little pricey, but every time I shop there I feel confident I am going to leave with an achievable project that I will love to do, and to wear.
Overall, I would say BBC is great for newbies and seasoned "beaders" alike.
5 - d s.: great way to spend time with your kids. We need one on Beacon Hill
4 - Tasha P.: Hi Yelpers,
Today I attended my first beading making class!  It was fun and the group size was good.  The instructor was very friendly, helpful and patient.  I think the cost of the class was reasonable.  I definitely learned what it takes to make a bracelet!! Lots of patience and eye and hand coordination!! It was a great way to spend a nice fall afternoon! Thanks to my friend for inviting me!!!!
5 - Michael O.: Visited during week of Christmas with my girlfriend and got my mom some nice beads for Christmas.  Should check out when in the area. Friendly and helpful workers.

Boston Beanery - Blacksburg, VA (37.2329647, -80.4215769) ()
3 - Jeff W.: Somewhat better, and more unique, than most chain restaurants.  All grilled sandwiches are great, and not too greasy, and the curly fries with odd texture and flavor are great.  Seems to get a little overrun with NASCAR fans though on Sundays...or whenever big NASCAR events are.  I don't claim to know anything about that sort of thing.
4 - Carolyn G.: For the area, this place rates pretty well.  Cute restaurant, friendly service, reasonable prices, extensive menu.  We started with the cheese fries, which were sinfully good.  The pub burger was also pretty good, but my only complaint is the standard of cooking all burgers "well".  I prefer mine a little pink in the middle.
2 - Misono A.: Although Boston Beanery does have its share of decent dishes, I remember the service being very slow and at times unfriendly every time I ate there. It is one of the cleaner restaurants in Blacksburg, and the pricing is reasonable. But it really is just your typical American cuisine and a chain restaurant, and overall, I feel that Boston Beanery is overrated.

Boston Checkcashers - Cambridge, MA (42.3643099, -71.1019066) (Central Square)
4 - Scott B.: We'll just say there's a checking account situation right now -- no more details needed-- and Scotty B can't cash a check...

Boston Checkcashers cashed it... and they kept a relatively small percentage... which was fine with me to avoid any hassle.  And it's worth mentioning the attitude... it was friendly... and in English... which was refreshing.

Best part:  they're open pretty late, so you can definately make it after work on pay day.
4 - Ana B.: I came here because I needed to cash a check and there is no Wachovia in Boston. I was sooo relieved to find this place. I don't think Boston has many check cashing places- I couldn't really find any nearby.

The teller was very nice and friendly to me and they didn't take much percentage out of my check.

This place is definitely worth checking out.
2 - Sean M.: Your average check cashing place, Dirty with rude staff. What else do you expect? Fees are low lines are long. May just want to open a bank account than deal with this joint.

Boston Chicken - Philadelphia, PA (39.9554515, -75.2001507) (University City)
3 - Hank C.: Slightly further out of the scope of most students, this Boston Chicken (Market) is not too bad, actually. The standard packages of chicken, ham, pot pies, meatloaf, and sandwiches have passed through here and here's  nothing spectacularly different or unusual here.

The seating is a bit small for even me (and I'm not a big person), but the place is kept decently clean and while a bit more expensive than the food carts, a nice change of pace for some creamed spinach, new potatoes w/butter, or thick mac & cheese. Also caters to Thanksgiving/holiday dinners with big meal packages.
3 - Marissa R.: I'm pretty sure the title here should be BOSTON MARKET and not Boston Chicken - but this'll work. Same Place, Different Name... 

I've been to this spot many times. It's a chain. It feels like a chain. It serves food that's been shipped from who-knows-where and then reheated many times, finally to be served to you and claimed to be like a "home-cooked, family-style meal". This is American fast-food consumerism at its finest.

I can't say I hate the place though. The chicken, sides and cornbread really are tasty and filling! My favorite sides are the mashed potatoes with gravy and the sweet potatoes with marshmallows and crumble on the top! YUM YUM. 

If you watch the ads, you can frequently find deals for Boston Market. Last year, they ran a special for a while where they gave away entire meals for $1 - chicken, 2 sides, and cornbread. That was a deal!

I will not ever eat here on a regular basis, but once-in-a-while, I consider this place a yummy treat.
1 - Jacquelin K.: The staff here is very pleasant, but the eating experience is not... once you get home, that is. Ate here recently with a group & later on that evening, we all felt sick. It lasted until the morning. I wonder how many other people who ate there that night were sick as well. No one was ill enough to warrant hospitalization, but just because you don't visit hospital doesn't mean you don't have some degree of food poisoning. UGH. Skip this place. The prices aren't even great unless you have a coupon. Need a hot meal on the go -- hit Chipotle.
1 - Nikkia M.: I went here about 3yrs and got some meatloaf...took it back to work and began eating it then notice that it is sooooo red in the middle. So i threw it out and took it as a loss. Later that nite i beleive i had food poisoning.  Vomited for hours as well as diarrhea. Then i called them to let them kno they poisoned me and the manager seemed rude and sumhow had me calling another Boston Market on City Ave. N they didnt help me either. Back then i was kind of quiet n didnt stand up for myself but now when i think back im mad! Worst experience ever. I tell all my coworkers and every1 i know not to go there. Only go there if u want tho throw up ur guts all nite

Boston Chowda Co - Cambridge, MA (42.3726417, -71.1198562) (Harvard Square)
3 - annie k.: Not bad. Quick, reliable, cheap.
2 - Michael C.: Back in 2002 I remember having a macaroni pie from this counter in the Garage food court . It was quite good. Since then, they redesigned their menu (and counter). I just recently tried the new Boston Chowda Co., twice, and was quite disappointed.

First, I tried the haddock pie. I'd had a salmon pie elsewhere, which was great, so I had high hopes for this. Until I tasted it. It consists of little haddock pieces in gravy, with cracker crumbs on top. No crust, as there should be. Neither the haddock nor the gravy nor the crumbs were very flavorful. The only upside is that you get a fair amount of food for your $5. But I wouldn't get it again.

Then, I tried a tuna roll. Their rolls (and wraps) on display under glass--shellacked, presumably--look wonderful, absolutely stuffed with meat. But the one they actually served me had much less tuna, some lettuce, and just a few pieces of tomato. Another disappointment.

So I won't be eating at the Chowda Co. again. Not when Harvard Square has much better lunch options (including Felipe's Taqueria right across the room).
4 - Sarah R.: Say chowda, not "showw-daaaare"! If you're in Cambridge and decide to hit up The Garage, I recommend going to Boston Chowda Co. for a quick light lunch. I ordered 1/2 a chicken caesar wrap and "chowda" combo and I was impressed. The wrap was well-seasoned, and the "chowda" was full of clam chunks and was perfect for the chilly weather. I was tempted to try the famous lobster roll, but I'll save that for another trip. Mmmm, I love me some seafood.
1 - Kiki B.: completely less-than mediocre. i had a tomato-mozzarella wrap, in which there was far too much chopped lettuce and a complete absence of the pesto mayo sauce - the only hope it had for any flavor. bf's kielbasa from the attached hot dog-sausage-oriented Doghouse was was okay, nothing spectacular. and the "fresh" lemonade is from one of those continually-spouting machines and is most certainly not "fresh."
3 - Rob P.: Every once in awhile I get a craving for Lobster Bisque, which I prefer over clam chowder. Lobster Bisque apparently is a bit tricky because the canned versions or even Trader Joes fresh version holds up well to me. Now you can get some amazingly good Lobster Bisque in this city in fine restaurants, but for quick lunch, this is good. 

I have had the clam chowder as well and it too is good. Not great, but good. Of course you can get better chowder at Legal's at the Charles Hotel (and they do take-out there too.) 

I admit that I have not been enticed by their other soups or the sandwiches. If I want a sandwich I go to Darwins or b.good.  

One time I had a unusual craving for a corn dog so I went to Doghouse, the sausage side of BC and they microwaved it. I was quite unimpressed.
2 - Ann L.: We ended up at the location in Cambridge, MA just by chance.  It's in a food court like area, hope this is the right location.  

Husband got a lobster roll and a cup of New England chowder.  It's generic lobster probably from Costco, but fine.  Chowder was decent.

Think he told me it was $11 for the roll & chowder.
3 - Meg C.: Perfectly acceptable clam chowder. Not amazing, but good enough to satisfy a craving for clam-laden cream in a bread bowl. Their soup is consistent and fairly priced for what you get. 

I wouldn't go out of the way for it, but if I was already in the Garage and it was snowing like mad out, I'd definitely eat here.

Boston Common Podiatry - Boston, MA (42.353603, -71.080456) (Back Bay)
5 - Michelle D.: O.K., so talking about feet isn't pleasant but the way I feel after I've had a visit to Dr. Jordana Szpiro's office makes me want to click up my heels.

I'm a competitive ballroom dancer and an avid Salsa dancer so my feet take a beating.  Dr. Szpiro has been a dancer all her life so she understands when you say "but I just can't take 3 weeks off from dancing".  She gives me alternatives to spending my nights with my feet up on the ottoman.  

Located in the Transportation Bldg. in Boston her office is easy to get to.  Hurry, book your appointment before you get monster feet!
5 - Brian D.: i agree 100% with the previous poster and with the help of the good doctor S. have been able to heal my almost always painful foot issues. and her office was very helpful too, i was out of work and uninsured when i really needed help and they were very flexible and NICE!
5 - david b.: Admittedly the idea of people doing stuff to my feet is terrifying to me. Admittedly I entered Dr. Szpiro's office with the idea that foot pain is just part of life.
I had avoided going somewhere for a long time. But I finally decided to go.

And I made the right choice. Not only was it right to go, but it was right to go to Dr. Szpiro. Not only is she clearly skilled at her craft, but her chair-side demeanor makes the whole experience actually pleasant. First time in my life I actually look forward to going to any doctor because not only will my issue be treated, but it will be treated with a smile.
1 - Brian S.: DO NOT GO TO THIS PODIATRIST. I REPEAT. DO. NOT. GO.
IF I COULD GIVE ZERO STARS, I WOULD. SHE IS AN ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE. COMPLETELY UNPROFESSIONAL. 

Let me fill you in on my experience with Dr. Szpiro. I began going to see her about 4 months ago. My feet were not in good shape. They are still not in good shape, 4 months later, and I'm out a bunch of money. I'm only sharing this as a warning: I don't enjoy telling people about my feet and their issues. But, I'd rather that than seeing people get screwed the way I did.

First visit, for toenail fungus on one toe -- the "Doctor" spotted a wart on my toe. She said she'd burn it off, and it'd be gone soon. She put acid all over my toe. For about 5 days I could not put sneakers on due to the enormous blister on my toe, but I was fine with that, because Doctors know best. I was in pain, but I was fine with it. She'd also given me medicine for toenails - that she sells for 30 dollars and you can get for 10 at CVS. Oh, did I mention, you can get acid at CVS too? I didn't know that then.

Next visit...hmmm...not gone yet. She asked me questions that caught me off guard...What medicine did I give you? What are you here for besides the wart? UMM...aren't I your patient? More acid on the wounded toe, another week of not being able to walk, go the gym, play soccer, etc, but I assumed this was normal.

We went through this for two months. Each week, the wart got BIGGER and SPREAD, and I was in more pain, but I figured this was normal. At this point, the wart has gone from a tiny dot, to a huge sprawling mess all over my toe. The Good Doctor tells me that next time, (this is the 5th visit and 3rd 50 dollar copay - for visits that last 5 mins) she'll just cut it out. I'm all for that, since for two months I've had a toe that throbs all day at work, and that kills when I put shoes on (I wore slippers to work for two months).

Next visit. 
Her: What did I give you again for medicine? Oh yeah...How's it working? Then: Today I have to do this acid  quick because I have a phone call to make. 

Me: Um, you said you were going to cut it out?

Her: Oh, I did? No, that's not a good idea. We'll get it this time I bet. 

Same thing. Two more painful weeks. And the one thing I came in for -- one toenail that wasn't looking good? Looks the same, thanks for her great medicine -- the one she can never remember giving me. Aren't you supposed to write this down?

Ah, now it gets good!

Go in. Wart is bigger. I'm in pain, again.

Her: Well, have you been using the acid-band-aids I gave you?
Me: Yes
Her: No, it doesn't look like it.
Me: Well, I have. I mean, they come off when I play soccer, but...
Her: It doesn't look like you use them.

Now, consider she's never given me any instruction on: using the bandaids, covering the blister on my toe, caring for it, or doing anything. I come in, she puts acid on me, and then I leave.

Her: Wow, it looks like it's spreading!
Me: Um, yeah.
Her: Hmm...We're gonna freeze it!
Me: What's that?
Her: It should work. 

I had no idea what this meant, so I agreed.

Her: Woops. I caught some good skin there. Sorry. Not an exact science.

AREN'T YOU A %^&* DOCTOR???

I could not sleep for 3 nights. My toe was 4 times normal size and black and a disaster. Shooting pain all the time. My eyes were tearing. And I have a pretty high tolerance for pain. I mean, this was insane. I couldn't wear shoes, and I walked with a limp for a week. The worst part is that the part that hurt the most was the part where she "missed" and seared my good skin.

Next Visit (and my last, I swear!)

Her: How did it go?
Me: well, it was really painful, actually.
Her: Well, hmm. It's still there.
Me: Yeah. Hey, can I just have a renewal of my presciption?
Her: (looking confused). What did I give you?
Me: Ummmm...You don't know??
Her: I wish I'd written it down.

Are you &*() Kidding me???? I'm paying for this? I'm paying A LOT for this!

Her: Well, time for more acid.
Me: Nope. No way. 
Her: what? (she reaches for my toe)
Me: (I pull away). No! 
Her: Oh...Well, just go to CVS and use the acid there.
Me: OK....
Her: I mean, it's almost gone.
Me: sure it is.
Her: Here's a different prescription (which I found out yesterday was 250 dollars).
Me: wow. thanks.
Her: well, come back whenever you can have the acid.

Guess what? I went to CVS, and the wart is almost gone. I spent about 600 dollars on this FOR NOTHING. She lost my prescriptions, had no idea what my patient status was, was rushed the entire time, never did what most normal doctors do: GIVE YOU CHOICES ON TREATMENT! (i WOULD HAVE SAID CUT IT OUT THE FIRST TIME INSTEAD OF BURN ME FOR 4 MONTHS). 

Not to mention, she canceled an appointment unannounced, and then when I came in, tried to make me copay for the missed appt. When I refused, she said I could have a "freebie."

Give me a break. Do not go to this doctor if you value your toes, your hard-earned money, your dignity, your sanity, and your life.
5 - Alyson G.: I followed yelp recommendations to Dr. Szpiro, and now my feet are dancing with joy because I did. I've been in and out of podiatrists' offices who haven't been able to solve my recurring foot problem, and Dr. Szpiro took an aggressive approach that other doctors had never done before, and I've been cured. She's super-efficient (I never actually have to wait in the waiting room), professional, and the best at what she does. Highly recommended.
1 - N M.: So happy now that I have found a new podiatrist. 
Several months back I went to Dr. Szpiro and wanted to turn around and run out of the office. I also refused to go back. I have been suffering since, but it's fine, I am on my way to recovery now. No amount of pain is worth going back. 

She is so rude, so unprofessional and insulted me about 7 times during my 20 minute appointment. Her recommendations for my issues were pretty much what I found on google. I think she has a very inflated sense of self-worth, and, I don't know why. I felt so uncomfortable there, and I left near tears. It's a huge shame too, because the location is prime, and the support staff in this practice are fantastic. They get 5 stars on their own.
2 - Lauren B.: Let me begin by saying that I have never written a review, for anything. I generally ignore bad reviews and assuming the poster is impossible to please or having a bad day, and having worked in the restaurant business and customer service all my life, I know how hard it is to please some people. 

However, I felt compelled to write this review. 

First of all, Dr. Szpiro has a great bedside manor and she is a pleasure to talk to. She did help me very much with a procedure, greatly reducing my daily pain. I am very appreciative of that. 

On the other hand: After attempting to obtain an appointment to actually do the surgery for over two months, and having to call the office over and over again to ask if anything was available, an appointment was finally booked. I managed to find coverage for two weeks off of my job (I'm a grad student with a low-paying job, I don't get vacation or sick pay), and was ready for the appointment. The DAY BEFORE our appointment, I received a call from Dr. Szpiro's office explaining that something had to come up and my surgery was canceled, but they could probably reschedule "in a month or so." I was desperate, begging the receptionist to figure something out, as it had been so difficult to find coverage for 50 hours of work per week for two weeks ONCE, never mind having to try it again. 

The receptionist called back and said they could do the surgery on the same day, but at a different time. Fine. 

The surgery went well, and afterwards Dr. Szpiro actually gave me a number to call her with any questions "at any time," which was obviously very nice and out of the ordinary. I did call the number, and she did answer immediately and answer my questions. 

Her office was working with my insurance company to supposedly find the best possible deal for my surgery. However, when I was charged more than I was originally quoted, I was told that Dr. Szpiro generally charges more than is necessary, and then when the insurance kicks in, she reimburses the client for the overcharge. I had never heard of this before, but I agreed and waited to hear about the money I would be reimbursed. 

After a month of hearing nothing from the office or my insurance agency, I called the office and was told that while I did not owe anything, I was also charged the correct amount so there would be no reimbursement of fees. Which was fine, because I was just happy that the procedure was done and I did not owe any more money. 

Instead, several months later I received a voicemail from her office telling me that I had two days to pay several hundred dollars of outstanding fees or I would be contacted by a collection agency. Having no knowledge of the fees, and having already been told that I owed nothing, I called the office, and after speaking to a billing person for thirty minutes, was told that a mistake had been made and I actually owed nothing. Great.

One week later, I received a bill in the mail from Dr. Szpiro's office for the same several hundred dollars. I called again. I spoke to a different employee, and when I explained to her that this had already been discussed and taken care of - twice - she told me that there was "no record of such a conversation" and that I did indeed owe the money. After arguing with her for another twenty minutes - surprise! - she decided, again, that there was a mistake and I did not owe any money. 

While Dr. Szpiro seems to be a good and passionate doctor, her office has been so unprofessional that I cannot justify returning there for two more serious surgeries that I need.
1 - David F.: Of course I'd be willing to change my review if BCP contacted me (other than a screaming phone call) and gave me any evidence that this is not true!  Feel free to messge me on yelp. But as of now the facts are straightforward and I've confirmed with Blue Cross that BCP was reimbursed.

Boston Costume - Cambridge, MA (42.3659575, -71.092756) (Kendall Square/MIT)
4 - Georgia Y.: Boston Costume is a great source for anything costume related. I've rented a full costume, and bought small pieces for theater work. While the prices aren't cheap, I've managed to find some bargains in the off season ($8 for long, red gloves meant for a sexy Mrs. Claus costume were easily modified for a children's play - and were cheaper than the $15 run-of-the-mill red gloves on the next rack). The store is always staffed with knowledgeable, friendly staff, though it is understandably a crazy place during Halloween.
4 - Joanna C.: Awesome for Halloween! Prices range from super-cheap eyepatches and cigarette holders to hundreds of dollars for leather masks from Venice. You can rent complete costumes too, if you're into that scene. Also, I shop here year-round for dorky accessories, like opera gloves and false eyelashes. The staff is really friendly, and in every month but October they look awfully lonely. Steer clear of the goth stuff tho - way overpriced, and  poor quality - you'd be better off at Hubba Hubba, or hell, even Hot Topic.
5 - Amy B.: I know Halloween is over and I know that this was Boston Costume's last year, but I just had to give the place props. 
I have ventured to Boston Costume the last 3 years and I have had amazing success there.  I just want to express my gratitude to the owner for providing us city dwellers with a convenient location and decently priced merchandise.  Boston Costume was one stop shopping for everything Halloween.
I also want to thank the owner for the friendly greeting I received every time I entered his store and his assistance in pointing me in the right direction for what I was looking for. 
I will surely miss you Boston Costume!!

The store officially closes on Dec. 31, 2006. (article in Metro)

**UPDATE: store will re-open in Cambridge (Jan. 2007) at same location as the Garment District.
5 - Natalie P.: I worked here last Halloween. It was a great place to work and we all had so much fun. The owners were such awesome, kindhearted people. This place was the best place for costumes in Boston. Sad to see it go:(
4 - Charoline D.: GIRLS COSTUME WAREHOUSE, AHOYYYYYYY!!!!!

Came here for some pre-planned costume shopping, and I mean, fcuk. This may, in fact be the first time EVUR that I have been able to find absolutely EVERYTHING I was looking for...well practically. 

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I'm sort of a sugar junkie, so anything involving gorging myself with sugar babies and mini milky ways while drinking some sort of dyed green alcoholic punch and eating dirt (cupcakes with gummy worms :-o ) is sort of a high priority on my proverbial "must do" list. 

NAUGHTY NURSE! FRISKY FIREFIGHTER! PEEP MARSHMELLOW CANDY???? They've sort of got the whole spectrum of whorey halloween costumes down, and while vast, the S-M-L range that vinyl runs in is not really something suitable to my tomboyish form, nor is it anything of remarkable creativity when you come home with a costume in a bag. Matted wig, velcro clasps, earrings not included. Ugh. No thanks. But they're still in high demand, so .. WHORE ON! 

There was also a couple high quality costumes such as a Victorian one that we were particularly fond of, $115, little too rich for my blood this month. The 28% interest rate on my credit card gets the girl down. 

In addition, if you can't find the perfect costume in a bag or range of accessories, mosey on upwards and onwards to the Garment District and rifle through racks of polyester leotards and bejeweled vests.
3 - A T.: UPDATE:

Guess who just got a sick pair of GRILLZ here on the cheap? That's right, it was me. Let's double up my awesome points now shall we?

------
Everyone else has covered the place so let me just add: you can rent costumes here. Sure the stuff is pricey but at least you won't be stuck with it forever.

PS--there are tights and accessories available in both Boston Costume and Upstairs in Garment District. If you can't find stuff on one floor check the other.
4 - Kiki B.: hit it up - they have everything you need. lots of selections, especially if you're a girl and want something short and sexy. big vintage tux selection and some vintage clothes if you want to go a little more not-straight-out-of-a-plastic-bag.
5 - Tom E.: T-minus 7 days to Halloween. Boston Costume has opened up all huge and sprawled out up and over into Garment District and up the new stairs. People are fuckin everywhere. The shop won't close til midnight. The choices are endless. Piles of discarded try-ons are morphing into giant hobo-heaps. I need to sort out my costume. STAT.

And then there you were. Mr Wig Man. An ocean of calm in a sea of distress.

Every question I had - you had the answer... Do you stock this? Yes, it's over there. Where can I find this? We stock it but it's cheaper in the medical section of CVS. Can I try this on? Let me help you. How does this work? You need this, these and that.

Wig Man - you're my hero.
3 - John W.: ... my review of Garment District kind of covers this place too. though i'd like to add that Boston Costume has a nice selection of moderately priced costume make-up. also, they have a ton of pimp and hoe costumes if that's yr thing.
3 - Jamie S.: Madness: noun. Boston Costume at 8pm on October 30th.

This place gets absolutely zany in the run-up to the biggest costume day of the year.  Wigs, costumes, and accessories are strewn about the floor as Halloween procrastinators scramble to find the perfect cape and/or mustache and/or fake bling.  Fortunately, Boston Costume knows how to manage this chaos and despite the appearance of total anarchy, the staff runs a pretty tight ship.  They stay open longer, have more staff on hand, and more registers open to handle the flood.  All in all, a pretty painless experience for the night before Halloween.
3 - Cait S.: I am not a huge fan of costumes except on Halloween, but I needed a costume for a birthday party.  Since I was not super into the idea of dressing up, I went to buy my costume a few hours before party.  I decided to head here because they were the only costume place open and reasonably close to me.  The prices are always expensive for stuff like this so you have to decide how much your willing to spend on something you most likely not wear again.  Boston Costume is well organized by theme and the more realistic something looked the more expensive it seemed to be. I settled on getting a outrageous wig, instead of a full costume.  The wig was around twenty bucks and it was a glorified mullet with a braided tail.  It was hilarious, I think most of the people at the party ended up wearing it.
1 - Andy M.: My line of work requires me to do quite a bit of shopping for costume components. Boston Costume is, unfortunately, the go-to place, being the only large costume store in the area. If you're a rich white college kid, this is where you can find your racist, misogynist costume that'll be just perfect for the frat party! Want to dress like a sex trafficker and dress your girlfriend up like a "sexy Indian"? Look no further - BC has enough cheap, gawdy, racist trash for all the kids. Seriously, if they don't get how a HUGE display of "pimp" (aka, sex slave owner) accessories, and sell fringed mini skirts (sexy "Indian") and overpriced conical Asian hat with a little false black braid attached (next to the "sexy" "Geisha" costumes), is disgusting, I don't know if they're capable of thinking beyond the fact that racist, exploitative costumes sell well among the rich white college set. Every time I walk into this place I want to smack every single person that works and shops there.
5 - Lizzy B.: This place is so much fun!  It's basically the first floor of the Garment District.  I've gotten extremely cool wigs here.  My sisters and I (and even our Mom!) recently found some really cute costumes for a 70's themed party.  I wish in life we could dress in costumes every day...I'd get them all here.
1 - Jen M.: I asked a sales associate for a specific make up color, and the associate made a very feeble attempt to look for it, and then stopped looking.  This is annoying considering that all of the make up colors were labeled on the back of the display case, and she could easily read the names of the colors from behind the counter whereas I could not.  No customer service whatsoever.
1 - Dan M.: Whatever you do, don't buy your costumes from the place.  They are a rip off.  You can buy the same costumes for half the price in Waltham and on the internet!!!  Plus they have a no return policy.
4 - Damien S.: Sometimes a guy's just gotta dress like a rabbit. Thanks Boston Costume.

After online retailers like Amazon tried to charge me a fortune for specialty items like "plastic Flava Flav novelty clock necklaces," I made a call to the Garment District's masked marauders, and stopped in for my first non-Halloween needs.

Oh what a difference off-season makes! They had every piece to my intricate design (fuzzy ears, nose/mouth mask and that shitty clock necklace) for less than Amazon's list, even EXCLUDING shipping! Rock bottom prices make it okay that there's a "no return" policy. The merch, dude; you can go back whenever you'd like.

Besides, returning that holy trinity would mean no more anonymous furry sex with Alice. Eh, who cares? I'd be late, be late for the very important date anyway.
3 - Paul M.: Boston Costume is a costume shop coupled with a vintage clothes store (the Garment District) next to One Kendall Square (which IS different than Kendall Square). I'm pretty sure Boston Costume used to be in Chinatown and then when business got tight they partnered with The Garment District, but don't take that as fact.

They've got a pretty big selection nestled into the Boston Costume proper area (1/2 the first floor...the other 1/2 is the crazy pay-per-pound mayhem of the Garment District).

The prices aren't always the best, which is what keeps me from giving it an extra star, but between BC and TGD you should be able to find what you're looking for, and often you'll find accessories or pieces in TGD's vintage section you won't be able to get on-line as easily. 

I made a really sick Michael Jackson costume (and it was the year BEFORE he died, thanks) from stuff foraged here + a surgical mask from RiteAid. Sure it cost me like a total of $100 or something to piece it together, but it was worth it. I even got some Smooth Criminal shoes. One size too small and with a few staples inside of it for some reason, but yeah, you're jealous. 

Maybe it's not fair to review BC with TGD, but I'm pretty sure they are the same business at this point. They have one set of cash registers for cryin' out loud.
2 - Amber H.: After reading a bunch of good review about this place I was really disappointed. Although they have a large selection of things to choose from, most of it is over priced for what you're getting. $90 for a pre packaged costume that I could get at a seasonal store for half the price! Overall, I'm not really a fan.
1 - Stewart U.: Don't Waste Your Money!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't get it.  I rented a hat for halloween for my costume.  Normally, if I was able to find that specific hat, it would cost about $25-$30.  Renting it at $25, then charging me $20 for shipping, is outrageous.  Especially when it had some dust on it when it arrived.  

This place is over priced & the shipping is an absolute JOKE!  If you charge $20 for shipping, one would think you could possibly supply a RETURN SHIPPING LABLE.  NOPE, not in this case.  $20 for a hat that weighs less then 2lbs, but says it weighs 5.0lbs.  

Worst of all now I have to return this thing, at a certain time & pay for return shipping out of my own pocket.

Boston Court Performing Arts Center - Pasadena, CA (34.147004, -118.130404) (Pasadena)
5 - Carlos R.: Any given weekend in Pasadena, you're likely to find at least one of the following: a new movie, great restaurant, hip coffee shop or slightly seedy bar.  All those, it goes without saying, are wonderful, but redundancy kills even the most ardent of pass times.  

If you've been to Pasadena, chances are you've never been to The Theatre @ Boston Court.  It's only been around for a little more than three years, but it's a must for any theatre junkie or live arts fan.  The venue itself is amazing; the lobby is perfect for pre-show lounging and the small, intimate theatre begs for high-quality productions.  And, to be honest, the shows always come through.  Far from the ordinary, The Theatre @ Boston Court does some pretty sweet shows that are not for weak hearts or minds.  The shows are witty, smart, and edgy, breaking the mold of what you might expect out of a theatre.  Casts are top-notch, and with deeply discounted events (pay-what-you-can shows and special music nights), there's not really much else you can ask for.  If you're in the area and looking for something to do, definitely check this place out!
3 - Jenn S.: i recently went to see Othello for a "pay what it's worth" day. so it's a free show and at the end of the performance you pay however much you think it's worth. i think it's a great concept!

it's a small intimate venue. 
oh and you can park at the theater and walk down to any of the restaurants nearby. i would recommend el metate if you want mexican.
5 - Eva K.: After coming here I want to see more theater in Los Angeles! Where is it?! WHERE?! I went to see "Courting Vampires" and got $5.00 recession tickets. And let me tell you, I needed them. $5.00 tickets! It was a 2 p.m. sunday matinee. 

For some reason, I think (or thought) theater was boring (soz!). After seeing this play though, it sparked my interest. Telling compelling stories on stage? What is this? 

There's a cute coffee shop down the street from here, as well. And everyone's talking about The Ice House (and by everyone I mean one of the other reviews on this list and the guy behind me when I was waiting in line - or is it on line? - at the theater). Never been though. 

But yes! Boston Court Theater! Go there!
4 - Maria R.: "The Pain & The Itch" 
8/2/09 @  2pm matinee

A truly great addition to Pasadena. Boston Court is about 5yrs old, so the building is modern and top-notch. Never a bad seat in this 99-seat theater.  Comfy lobby area w/ seating and a snack/drink bar (beware: the theater is too tiny and quiet to ignore the rules and eat your snack during the play....um, not that it crossed my mind or anything.)

A good value for cutting-edge theater, especially with the $5 recession-buster or pay-what-you-can specials. BC offers high quality, challenging programs. Support the arts and GO.

BTW...
Parking: they have their own lot; if you go south on Mentor, it's on your left (east) just BEFORE you reach the theater. Street parking can get iffy.  
Post-theater eats: the surrounding area is Pasadena-but-Not-So-Nice, so you'll probably have to move the car if you want some dinner.
5 - Cara K.: I've been to lots of small theaters in Los Angeles -- it's really a way of life here -- but I've never been in one like the Theater at Boston Court.  Here you still have cheap prices and often professional actors, but you also have COMFORT.  Stadium seating, comfortable seats, lovely lobby, clean restrooms -- I love it.  Even better, it's technically an amazing venue.  The sound, lights, stage, sightlines -- you can't find better anywhere.

I have no idea how they're paying for it....but I'm not complaining!

The plays they put on tend to be new and arty, and though I haven't loved them all equally, I can't argue they're not worth the money....and some of them are fabulous.

They also do music, but I don't, so I can't review that part of it!

If you want recommendations of nearby restaurants, then here goes.  If you're:
-- an independent burger type, try Wolfe Burger
-- a fast-food sushi type, go to Midori
-- in the mood for Mexican, try El Metate
-- just wanting sandwiches, go to Subway
-- in the mood for Thai, go to President Two
-- open to non-pho Vietnamese, try Indochine
-- like my mom, there's always Coco's


Cara
5 - David A R.: A beautiful and intimate local performing arts Center. A wonderfully modern design without being cold. And plentiful free parking in their own lot. 

They have two theatres. The mainstage is a 99-seater with fully modernized fly in a stage configuration that's a partial, oval, raised thrust as opposed to a flat proscenium. A fairly unique arrangement. But the physical space is irrelevant in most ways. What one comes for is a great performance.

So special kudos to co-artistic director Jessica Kubzansky and her fascinating programming. As a director, her taste is interesting while accessible and when bringing other artists to the stage she gives them the room to create as they desire, while bringing in some fascinating collaborators.

The choice to commission Theater Movement Bazaar's Tina Kronis and Richard Alger was genius. Their production of Chekhov's The Treatment (an adaptation of his short story Ward Six) was a rare treasure like few theaters have the daring to produce compared to the normally venal and vapid selections on display In our city of Angels.
3 - Drea K.: boston court performing arts center opened up about ten years ago and it was the product of a very large amount of money bequeathed by one man with a singular vision. at the time of it's construction, a lot of people in the theatre community were puzzled that so much capital (and it's quite obvious that boston court cost A LOT of cash) was being poured into creating this center rather than supporting some of the already existent and renowned theatres and/or performing arts presenters in the area.

personally, i have mixed feelings about boston court. i think that over time it has managed to carve out a distinct niche in the local arts community and the space itself is excellent with plentiful parking, a lovely lobby, a beautiful theatre with comfortable seating and the nicest bathroom i've seen in pasadena. they produce  a handful of shows a year and occasionally present nights of music performances and other various literary events. the center strives diligently towards fulfilling it's mission to present works that are creative, bold and daring while challenging the audiences of pasadena/san gabriel valley with diverse programs in an intimate setting but i continue to not be entirely won over by the center's programming. 

i've seen several plays here, including the latest production: a modern day adaptation of nikolai gogol's 'the government inspector.' i bought tickets to the show because i'm a fan of the russian playwright and the advance press looked very promising so my enthusiasm was running high when the lights dimmed and the audience was immediately treated to a soaring song (featuring guest choreography by ken roht). it was funny, smart, very entertaining and when the curtain opened to reveal the lushly lit stage and gorgeous costumes awash with bold colors, i found myself smiling. 

it all started out so well but quickly turned cliche with the satirical introduction of a plot point that involved an equivalent to the modern occupy movement and the idea of the 99%. this killed it for me and from that point on, what had previously seemed funny and insightful became trite and i couldn't wait to finally leave the theatre at the end of the night. although a majority of the critical press embraced 'the government inspector,' including the los angeles times, the pasadena star and the hollywood reporter, i thought it was awful. it was a poor attempt to be clever that left a bitter aftertaste and with that, it'll probably be a while before i return to see another show at boston court.

Boston Derby Dames - Cambridge, MA (42.37, -71.12) (Harvard Square)
5 - Emily O.: Have you not been to a Rollerderby Bout by now? These girls KICK ASS. No, literally. An explosion of hardcore ladies on wheels, checking each other, landing in the crowded bleacher seats, maybe on you if you're lucky enough to be in the front row. It's some sort of weird circus/ultimate fighting, dizzying affair not to be missed.

Sadly though at the time of writing, they are without a venue to hold bouts in. If you know of a generous place that will along women to storm in, skate in circles and has a PA, give them a shout. The fans are going through serious withdrawal without them!
5 - Leigh K.: The Boston Derby Dames are actually in the middle of the inaugral season, with their 4th bout scheduled for this Saturday, February 10th. 

All bouts are held at the Shriner's Auditorium in Wilmington, MA. Directions:Shriners is located just 15 minutes north of Boston at Exit 39 on Route 93. There is FREE parking on site. OR you can take the 4:00 pm Lowell commuter rail from North Station (MBTA Green or Orange Line). Get off at the Wilmington stop to catch the free BDD shuttle bus to Shriners Auditorium. The Shuttle will leave after the bout in time for the 9:14 train from Wilmington back to North Station.

Doors open at 5pm, Bout starts at 6pm. They've had 1,000+ fans at the first 3 bouts and its been AMAZING. Definitely come  check it out. !!

Remainder of Season: 
February 10th: Boston Massacre vs Philly Liberty Belles
March 10th: Playoffs between Wicked Pissahs and the Nutcrackers. The Cosmonaughties will be playing another game that day as well.
April 14th: Boston Massacre vs TBD
May 5th: Championship game: Cosmonaughties vs winner of Playoffs.

www.bostonderbydames.com 
www.myspace.com/bostonderbydames
5 - Sean E.: Thanks Boston Derby Dames, for an ass-kicking Saturday night.  Those Philly chicks are tough, what!?  But I don't think anyone in the packed audience left disappointed.  You put on a great show and I recommend to everyone that you check these dames out at some point.  I can't think of many better ways to spend an evening than by enjoying the soul nourishing food and drink of the Shriners Auditorium and cheering on Boston's finest ladies on eight wheels as they take care of business.

I do hope you can keep up the bus service for those who are taking the T -- it worked out great for us and it'll be a whole lot more difficult to get out there without it.  The bus driver was pretty cool too.
5 - Julie A.: THE BOSTON DERBY DAMES KICK ASS!!!
They are a lot of fun to watch and all have the cutest costumes and personality, but are bad ass at the same time... you can't go wrong!
The bouts are a nice fair price and you can get beer and food for cheap and make it a fun night.
5 - Lady Fang Y.: Nutcracker for LIFE!!

I left due to a knee injury, gotta love physical therapy! They have sooo many awesome parties and Boo-Boo always DJ's. Don't let these dames fool you, they have PhD's & masters degrees! They're mommies and full timers and all have a love of the game!

I recommend these dames over any other source of entertainment!
5 - chungo m.: these bitches know how to show us a good time!
The games are always entertaining, and who doesn't like to see chicks slaughter each other?
5 - Greg S.: I LOVE BOSTON DERBY DAMES!!

I've been following this crew since way back when they had their exhibition bout in Providence on that sweet-ass outdoor track and we were all like freezing our asses off and catching skates in our teeth on the front row. Then they moved up to the gym at MassArt - Sold. It. Out. and STILL had a huuuuuge line around the block. That was freakin awesome. 

I am still sad that "Bone Saw" cut her derby career short. She was kickass. (She just quit. Nothing tragic happened. That I know of.)

The Nutcrackers are my girls (with a special place in my heart for a select few from the Cosmonaughties - Easy Bake Shovin' and Violet Rage). But my main girl has got to be Malicen Thunderland. Girl skates with HEART!

You are guaranteed an awesome time at these bouts. Go! Support this local sports juggernaut while you can still afford their tickets!
Player-owned and operated!
These are no princesses and prima donnas. They get down and dirty. They're not afraid to fall on their asses.

The bands are sometimes fun, too. And they have good raffles.
And the Shriners are amazing. And the beer is pretty cheap.
5 - A T.: After months of looking at Katherine T. and going, "hey, we really should check out Roller Derby," I finally made it this past weekend--and man did I regret not going sooner.

As a kid I used to roller skate all the time--watching the dames makes me want to dig my old knee high hot pink embarassments out of my parents' garage.

Next season I'll be sure to catch as many bouts as possible--the shuttle bus made it so easy to get back and forth to Shriner's--and part of the proceeds go to charity.  Seriously, what's better than an evening of athleticism, ripped fishnets, and raucous cheering--all for a good cause too.
5 - Jane B.: Roller Derby and all the skaters ROCK! I can't believe I haven't reviewed this yet!

My fiance and I have been addicted since last autumn when we atteneded our first bout to support our friend's sistah on the Wicked Pissahs. Sad that the season is now over, but looking forward to the next season. 

It's worth going if not only for the people watching you can do. There are folks from every walk of life. Little girls in ballet skirts, grandparents, college guys, punk girls, and more - all just having a blast and hanging out together.

The Shriner's Auditorium also sells food and beer to keep your tummy satisfied during the bout. The burgers and hotdogs are decent, but unfortunately their soft pretzels leave MUCH to be desired.

During the "halftime" break (not really half time as there are two of them) local bands play for the crowd. The 80s hair cover band was probably the most amusing of the bunch this past season. 

After the bout the loverly ladies sign autographs and then there is a party in the Fez Room at the Shriner's Auditorium. If you're sans automobile, they have a shuttle bus from the train station too.

So, go and you'll have a blast!
4 - B. B.: GO !

Going to see the derby dames is truly a fun experience.  For those who know nothing about roller derby, it's a pretty intricate, interesting game.  And these chicks are fierce.  

Definitely go see them, if you have a chance.
5 - Jenna C.: The Boston Derby Dames are the real deal! They're Boston's first and only all-female, DIY, skater-owned and -operated flat track roller derby league! And I am a proud member: Jennasaurus Wrecks- r04r

Contrary to what you may believe this full contact sport is totally UNSCRIPTED. (Julia A.- they're uniforms not costumes).  We are proud members of WFTDA (Women's Flat Track Derby Association) and play by rules that are created and voted on by roller girls nation wide. Whether you come to check out one of our informal black and white summer scrimmages or an actual bout you are going to have a blast! Clearly from the other reviews posted no one has been disappointed.

Our bouts, which we put on about once a month during the season, are held at the Shriner's Auditorium right of exit 39 on 93 in Wilmington, MA. It's literally only a hop, skip and a jump away from the city. The Shriner's snack stands offer beer, wine, pretzels and an assortment of other snacks during the bout. When the game is over we invite everyone to join us in the Fez room (which is when the FULL BAR opens) for the best after parties EVER. DJ Boo Boo keeps the music pumping until they kick us out at midnight.

COSMO FOR LIFE!
5 - Jeffrey H.: So, here I am sitting at the Holbrook Sports Center on a Saturday afternoon watching roller derby and surfin' the 'information superhighway' (as Jenna C's girlfriend calls it) on my macbook (How the hell does this place have free wifi but no heat?)

Anyway, what a perfect time to write a review of the dames I love, especially since their new season opens with their bout next Saturday at the Shriners Auditorium. 

*Sidenote, Shelby Shattered (hot captain of the Wicked Pissahs) just came up and threatened me. Finger to my face, 'YOU BETTER BE WEARING RED THIS SEASON!' Red is the Wicked Pissah color.

Back to my review...these girls are amazing. I'm not big into sports and never have been nor probably ever will be. But for some reason there is this really awesome connection I have to roller derby. Maybe it's the girls getting their asses kicked, the hot fishnets, or the overall gayness of women on women on roller skates--whatever it is that draws me, I love it.

A few yelpers on here are involved with roller derby themselves so clearly you should show your support by attending their bouts. The bouts are a short drive up 93 North (Shriners in Wilmington) and they even offer a shuttle bus from the commuter rail station if you don't have a car/afraid to drive amongst the New Hampshire folk venturing across the border into our society. 

Tickets are not too expensive (about $15) and the bouts themselves are amazing. About a thousand people screaming 'HIT HER' or 'EAT A DICK RICE ROCKET' (note, I said that to a Texas roller girl when she messed with one of my bitchnizzles from BDD). There is beer & wine (food too, but who cares) available during the bout and there is ALWAYS an afterparty where mixed drinks are then available. The afterparties are sooo much fun--drinking and dancing until midnight with the hottest girls in Boston...nothing better. Just don't spill one of their drinks or they may booty block you into a trash barrel.

*Harlot Fevah, tough girl that she is, just screamed like a little girl when there was a spider making its home on her derby bag*

Anyway...if you're into sports, love watching hot women kick each others ass whilst half naked, or you're just looking for something new & cool to do...THEN YOU MUST CHECK OUT THE BOSTON DERBY DAMES. DO IT.
5 - Ducky D.: I frakkin heart these Derby Dames!  Always worth the trip out to the middle of nowhere.  My only wish is that they would create a Co-Ed League because I'd love to crack some skulls.  I was a huge Derby fanatic as a child and it was one of my dreams to be staking around that track and whipping people.
5 - Maria M.: Girl power....yeahhhhh!

I first heard about the Derby Dames when a promo card was left on my windshield while dining in Burlington.  As with sweater coats and crazy gas prices, I was surprised to see a relic of the 70s emerge in the new millenium.  A few months later, I befriended one of the Dames and got myself to a couple of bouts.  You should do the same!

Folks, this is old-school, keep-it-real entertainment, and proof that a sporting event needn't shoot tee shirts out of a silly gun to keep the masses fired up.  For your $15 ticket, you get a three period bout, bands entertaining you between each period, and of course, the raw power, skill, and speed that's roller derby.  Don't fret if you don't know jack about the rules for the sport - the Dames explain the rules before the bout and your trusty program will guide you along as well.

As much as I enjoy watching the bouts, I equally enjoy making the pilgrimage to the shrine that is Shriner's Auditorium.  You can snack on a belly full of concessions that will leave you plenty of clams to pay your giant Comcast bill.  Plus, they sell beer.  Yay!  And a party in the auditorium's rockin' Fez Room follows each bout.

So, be shippin' up to Wilmington to watch your Derby Dames!
5 - Kerri O.: I love going to bouts!

I love the crowd, I love the teams, I love that it's in a Shriner's Hall, and you get to hang out with old duffers in Fez caps.

I love tough girls duking it out on the track, and still looking sexy.   I love the track names. 

I love the Wicked Pissahs, especially, and their Dorchester Pride, and all their fans who show up early to tailgate.

This is the most fun you can have, legally.  Or with your clothes on.

I only wish we could see our girls bout with more teams from out of State.  I checked out the nationwide site, and there's teams all over the place.  The most hilarious team bios are on the New Orleans site.

Check it out, for a chuckle.
5 - John F.: I had no idea what I was getting into with the Derby Dames. We thought it would be kind of a lark, almost like the Boston League of Women Wrestlers. How foolish we were! What an awesome evening. Great game, great crowd, and a beer line longer than I see at pro sporting events.

The actual bout is really entertaining. If you've never seen roller derby I highly recommend trekking out and catching a game, you won't regret it.
5 - Peench P.: "Yeah I'm coming!! -I'm not sure - it's snowing - I'll think about it- maybe I should go - maybe I shouldn't" ...so what!?!, I'm a Libra, I can't decide shit.

If you're having doubts about whether you should make your way to watch the Boston Derby Dames, I'll give you a tip, have a friend call you or better yet, yell at you "OH FUCK, NADYA COME ON, I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE ON YOUR PJ's, JUST FUCKING PUT ON YOUR PEACOCK AND COME THE FUCK OUT HERE, that was just the short version, WARNING: if you're a girl and you're pms-ing, tell your friend to use a sweet version, you may get a bit teary because of the yelling and the laughs.


Anywhoo, this was my second bout and went there to root for Jennasaurus Wrecks, A.K.A Jenna C. I must say, this last bout was really awesome, tougher, girls slamming other girls with no mercy, I was jealous.

And after the bout, it's the after party, baked goods, booze, chips, pretzels, pretzels on boob pockets, music, it reminded me of the wedding parties from home, where there is always the child that shouldn't exactly be there, the drunk Aunt that says she is fine, but she is just slurring words and doesn't want to give up the car keys.

There's really no excuse to not make it, their home base it's at Shriners Auditorium, is about 20 minutes north from the city, on route 93 exit 39.

Do yourself a favor and go check the Boston Derby Dames, it'll be fun, I promise.
5 - Kate M.: After recently moving to Boston from deep in the heart of Texas, I was so pysched to see that I can continue my roller derby addiction in my new city. 
The Derby Dames are a good crew to see and Shiner Auditorium has a great vibe. Old school at it best. Great way to spend a Saturday night...drinking beer, flirting with old Shiners, and watching chicks get rough.
5 - Tom E.: $12 Ticket + $5 Drink + $2 Food + $1 Tip = $20

One twenty dollar bill for 4 hours of:

(a) hanging with the widest slice of society from old men who wear red Fez hats and like driving tiny cars to heavily tatooed lesbian vegans with bulldogs.

(b) watching thrilling bodacious girls with hilarious names beat the crap out of each other to a great soundtrack, with a Bud light in one hand and a salty pretzel in the other.

WHAT IS THERE NOT TO LOVE ABOUT AMERICA?
5 - Alison C.: I miss the Dames, in particular the Wicked Pissahs and Sully the Gully. This is one of the best ways possible to spend an evening in the Boston area -- I highly recommend it. Get tickets online in advance, and get there early to stake out seats. Bring a group, it's more fun that way!

Figuring out what's going on is confusing at first, but the rules are explained in the program, and they always to a demo explanation at the start. The game is fast-paced and will pull you in right away. These women are strong and awesome, and the game is so fun to watch.
5 - Adam B.: Beer-swilling seagulls and dancing robots. Speedy punk chicks with punny nicknames on rollerskates. Shriners, hipsters, lesbians, and families, all under one roof. Live bands in between periods.

(Sing along now) "America... @&%# yeah!"

Derby Dames rock because you can enjoy it either way. Want to do the whole post-ironic hipster thing? No problem. But my friend who came with last time, almost despite herself, ended up really enjoying it as a legitimate sporting event, and ended up shouting herself hoarse by the end of the night.

Clearly the next step will be a Derby Dames on skates vs Shriners on their Tiny Motorcycles match! Let's make it happen!
5 - Ashley A.: YES YES YES.  I missed the last two matches and i'm still dying a little inside.  Girls in costumes, on skates, whipping each other into shape...it's heaven.
5 - Dana B.: Oh man do I love me some roller derby!

It's so much fun!! Boston is comprised of three different teams: Wicked Pissahs, Cosmonaughties, and Boston Massacres. Each gal has her own physically devastating roller derby name. (My favorite is Maura Buse). 

The derby garb is colorful. The players are incredibly into it. The crowd loves it. And once you understand the scoring, you will too! I also have a blast at the merchandise table every time I go. Each team has a different shirt and some of the teams even have their players on buttons. 

I also love the DIY aspect of this. The dames do pretty much everything themselves. 

While the teams do play themselves from time to time, teams visit from all over (mostly the northeast) offering a can of whoop ass - and, honestly, the dames are the best because they kick ass EVERY SINGLE TIME. 

It's something different to do if you're tired of the same old, same old. The ladies also host an after game dance party that I have yet to stay late for, but would love to.
5 - Ligaya T.: I went to the last bout of the season, my devirginization. 
Slap me now, and call me an addict. 

This here is some mighty fine roller derby. The dames are kick ass, theatrical and amazingly athletic. Plus they've got some seriously clever/bad ass names: Maura Buse, Claire D. Way, Harlot Fever, etc.

The whole experience is unparalleled. The spread of folks brought together is a crazy social experiment -- grandpas in red fezzes to lezzes with punked out tatts to townies to hood rats -- the chorus of cheering, stomping on bleachers building to a unifying palpable energy really transcends all these social boundaries. 

Newbies, don't be shy. The rules are straightforward, and the announcers are great about talking out the plays. Get ready for February '09 when the Dames will bring it hard once again!
5 - Merida F.: I was in town visiting my friend and it was my first time going to a roller derby.  For a first timer like myself, it took me a while to understand the whole game, but once I did I really got into it.  The teams were awesome and so was the crowd.  Plenty of different cool people there from all walks of life.  The concession was very good and cheap in comparison to most sporting events.  Who can beat a $2.00 hot dog in an arena?  

Afterward there was a party in something that looked like a wedding reception with huge tables where people congregated.  Pretty soon though people got on the dance floor and boogied.  

This is something worthwhile seeing and a ton of fun!
5 - Rachael K.: Theres not more to add to what everyone else has said!  Roller Derby has to be one of the most socially interesting things I ever experienced.  By the end I wanted to be one of the girls skating around in circles, even though I still don't quite understand the rules!
5 - Erin M.: Although it may take a few minutes to pick up on the rules (the program explains them, so along with the commentators this is a HUGE help!), the Boston Derby Dames version of the roller derby is phenomenal.  These girls are sassy, athletic, and TOUGH.  I went to the final bout of the season in August with my best friend (Merida F. from DC!!) and she and I spent most of the bout absolutely mesmerized by how great these girls were.  We were definitely jealous of how clever the girls' nicknames were and how they handled themselves on the rink.  It is obvious that although in a competition for 60 minutes, roller derby is family.

What also impressed me was how unique the crowd was.  The staff at Shriners Auditorium is older but eager to please the younger crowd that comes.  There were plenty of "older" people in attendance but everyone seemed to get along regardless of their walk of life.  It was great!

The after party was also fun.  One of the staff members (older) invited us after we asked him to take our photo.  He told us to come because it is where everyone "gets down" (insert "get down" shimmy here) after the bout.  This man kept to his word and it was awesome to watch a man well into his 60s-70s shake it with a group of 20 somethings.  

I can't wait for February to make the trip back to Shriners and watch these girls kick some ass again!
5 - allison w.: These events are as good as it gets. 

As a former roller skater, of the geekiest kind, I have always had an interest in roller skating and roller derby. The revival of roller derby is thrilling and such a great time. 

I went to the first Boston Bout two years ago. The energy, and enthusiasm of the team and fans is contagious. So far I have only been to events in Boston at the Shriner's. The Shriners is an interesting place in Wilmington Ma just off the highway of 93. Growing up not too far from the place, you always heard rumors and weird sketchy things about this establishment. Which makes it even that much more awesome. 

The Wicked Pissah's are my favorite, I mean c'mon the name in itself is genius, and they even took photographs of themselves in front of Kelly's Roast Beef on Revere Beach. And there outfits are also the best. Old school style Adidas track suits/skirts all in red and white. The Wicked Pissah's are the shit. 

All of the girls have fun while beating each other down. I love it. Sometimes though it's hard to watch the skating, because I am so distracted by all the spectacular people watching. All of the most random people brought together by the common love of the derby. 
The flat track is brutal and looks really painful. I cringe when I watch the girls fall down. OUCH. 

The teams all really work together in promotion and selling there merchandise. You can purchase everything from hoodies, to pins, to underwear and stickers.  

Also, nothing beats white trash hot dogs and bad beer while watching the event.

The after party is great too. In the Red Fez room you can party with the skaters and all the freaky people. The music is usually pretty good, ranging from 80's pop to hip hop and classic dance tracks. We have had some sloppy good times in there. 

This Saturday I will be there......I believe they are battling out with Maine. 

GO BOSTON!!
5 - Hisham K.: Every now and then I go a sports bar with some friends and watch a game - baseball, basketball, football, soccer - but never really feel that connection. "Oh look, he's kicked the ball. Now the other guy has it. He'll probably kick it as well. Indeed he has. Apparently that's worthy of applause and hullabaloo."

How and why someone could get so worked up over a bunch of men running after a ball trying to put it somewhere other than where it is seemed so silly to me, and no matter how much I tried to get into it, I just never could. I just accepted that I'm not into sports, unless it's badminton. I guess I'm just not a regular guy. (Thank God.)

Then I went to Shriner's Auditorium for the opening bout of Roller Derby and watched Boston Massacre versus Maine Port Authorities. I felt something within me stir. I was cheering! I was yelling! I was drinking! I wasn't booing, because those dames can kick anyone's ass, but now I understand - this is what it's like to enjoy a sport!

Those derby dames are awesome. Full of sass, power, and maybe grace, any one of these betches can take you down in a bar fight. They also have hilarious nicknames, like Claire D Way, Kitty Twister, Britknee Breaker, Maura Buse, Sugar Hits, and Kitty Twister, to name a few. My favorite skater is Krushpuppy, hands down.

There was upward of 1,560 people there (they announced the exact number but I don't remember it), and a lot of people had to sit on the floor by the rink because there weren't enough seats. Or maybe they sat there because it just adds to the adrenaline and excitement.

The rules are explained at the beginning, and even if you don't understand it at first, it's very easy to follow once you watch the jammers try to get through the pack. Lots of booty blocking is involved, and before you know it you'll be cheering your favorite skater and heckling those in the penalty box.

Hotdogs, burgers, fries, popcorn, soda, beer, and even a halftime show featuring Slim Jim and the Mad Cows (one of whom was with calf). I did not feel like I was in Massachusetts. This was the most fun I'd had all week!

I had heard about roller derby before, but never got around to going because... well, I don't know why I never went, but now I'm pretty much kicking myself and I'm gonna go to as many bouts as I can. It almost makes me want to go back to Chez Vous in Dorchester and start something (on Kids' Night. I'll start small.)

Don't do what I did. Go. Now. You won't regret it.
5 - Meghan A.: So. Much. Fun.

After months of waiting for the time when the Cosmonaughties would take on the Nutcrackers, it was finally time to throw on some glitter, make some signs and go support my Twinsie, Jenna C., in all her bouting glory.

My friends and I came prepared for the bout. We had a four signs, Cosmonaughtie colors and plenty of spirit. We were loud, we were laughing and we were having a great time. 

It's completely impossible just to sit back and be bored at a bout. Even if you don't understand the rules going in, you'll leave having a pretty decent understanding of how to score points. In short, you leave wanting more and counting down the days for the next bout.

Shriner's Auditorium is decent, although the food is a bit... rough. Who cares, though? Fill up before you go to a bout and you'll be totally fine. The music keeps the energy going and the Dames have so much fun that their enthusiasm is completely infectious. There is no poor sportsmanship and all of the Dames have great respect for each other in and out of their skates. And let's face it, these Dames are just bad ass. I wouldn't mess with a Dame, that's for sure.

Poor Jennasauras Wrecks broke her thumb at the latest bout. She's a tough cookie though, and she'll be back out there in no time pushing around some Dames and scoring points for the Cosmonaughties.
5 - Jake M.: Why the Boston Derby Dames are the best derby bang for your derby buck, by way of comparison to other, lesser derbies:

a) Soap Box Derby - Pros: occasionally inventive amateur automotive engineering accompanied by hilarious crashes and pileups. Free.
Cons: snotty squalling 8 year olds, and their equally snotty squalling parents. Plus, quaintly anachronistic and terminally dorky, and not in a good way  

b) Kentucky Derby - Pros: obnoxiously ornate, floppy hats. Bourbon. Comically short men
Cons: Over in 2 minutes. In Kentucky. Collisions usually end in death.

c) Demolition Derby - Pros: chaos, noise, fire, collision, demolition.
Cons: none, really. Except, no dames. Occasionally questionable audience make up.

d) Derbies - Pros: Egalitarian sophistication. Makes you look classy without being a ponce. Also, Cabaret.
Cons: A Clockwork Orange.  Actually called bowlers. 
 
e) Roller Derby - Pros: organized chaos, noise, collisions, pile-ups, all w/dames, and a whole huge heaping helping of awesome on the side. Intriguing socio-economic generational/cultural cross section of audience. Infectious female empowerment in action, whipping around a flat track at a billion miles an hour. The names (oh the names!) - brilliant for their meta-cleverness and general pun driven hilarity (find your favorites here at the registry:  http://www.twoevils.org/rollergirls/  
Cons: my roller derby name, Slammah Montana, has sadly already been spoken for.
5 - Devon M.: I'm not sure how I'd never spent an afternoon watching girls get roughed up by running into each other with their hips while on roller skates, but I finally got to observe a few weekends ago.  First off, the bouts are held at the Shiner's Auditorium in Wakefield.  Where's that?  I didn't know either until I went-it's really only a ten minute drive on the highway from Somerville, so much less of a drive than I'd geared up for.  We ended up there early along with a crowd of people who didn't know how long it'd take to get to Wakefield either.

The derby is really fun, and I got shockingly very into watching.  I was kind of surprised of my interest as I general don't care much about sports, but this is a legit and very fast moving actual sport that holds my attention.  The enthusiasm the derby girls have is great-clearly they are all very devoted.  I was in attendance with a derby boyfriend, and he was the loud guy shouting at the ref and cheering on the Massacre.  The auditorium comes complete with old folks serving $4 beers and cheap snacks ($2 hamburgers!).  Also, if you order a gin and tonic once the lounge is open, they give it to you in a little plastic cup for your collection of cups you have at home that you wish you didn't ever bring home.  I'll definitely be back again-it's a fun adventure to Wakefield, just bring a designated driver to cart ya home after.
5 - Vivien R.: Roller Derby is awesome and the Boston Derby Dames are a fantastic bunch of women who sport hot costumes and skate their ass off. Check them out, you won't be disappointed.
5 - Chrissy G.: Way to rock my face off ladies!  I can't believe that this has been so close to me for so long and I never knew.  This evening was packed fool with everything needed to enjoy a sick throw down on skates.  Cheap beer, snack bar fare, old men in funny hats and even a band playing to boot.  The merch booth is a must see.  They have such creative, funny and cheap stuff for sale that all benefits the teams.  

If you are looking for something fun, funky and exciting to do head straight to the Shriner's Auditorium for a kick ass good time!!
5 - casie m.: There are simply not enough good words in the english language to describe this event. It's just down to the bone fun.

The crowd here is awesome. Everyone from shiner's in their sweet fez's to hipsters to white trash to college kids. Always a great time. 

They have a lot of double header bouts if you want a little more bang for your buck, but the price is always right for this much fun!
5 - Sara G.: Oh mah lawd. Amazing. I went to a double header with friends in August 2009. Joyous Shriner men (wearing the fez) took our tickets and were around taking pictures of the whole event. The crowd was a really diverse group of people - farmers, punk rockers, shriners- which was awesome. Immediately surrounding us were all die hard fans who go every month and follow it closely. Old ladies were explaining the rules of the game to their friends really loudly, which was adorable and super helpful because I'm new to the game.

Then the first bout (local teams) started and HOLY CRAP!! Roller derby is amazing!! The speed and bumping and not puking and not dying was amazing.

The next bout was between the Boston Derby Dames and the Detroit City Roller Girls. If the first local bout was your brain, the regional bout was your brain on drugs. It was faster, more aggressive, terrifying, and awe-inspiring. It truly reminded me of my inadequacy as a human being... in the most charming and fun way possible.

Also: In between bouts was this really awkward Hard Rock band called "Murder Capital of the World" that reminded me of WBCN circa 1998. So five stars duh.
5 - Sarah D.: There is a hole in my heart where derby should be. It will sit empty until February when the dames return to Wilmington Shriners Auditorium. When i grow up i want to be a derby girl, but i am a disaster on skates. 

Derby is a real sport. It is fast, rough, and pretty dang exciting. If you are a strong woman or somebody who loves strong women, you should check out some derby, brought hard to Boston by the Dames. It's pretty grass-roots. The Dames do everything themselves, from merch and sponsorships down to booking venues and advertising. They work hard off the track to give us the privilege of seeing them kick ass on the track. 

The Shriner's serve up $5 Buds and Bud Lites and a snack bar of carnival food (dogs, burgers, pretzels etc). Bands play during halftime, mascots patrol the stands and little kids dance their hearts out on the floor. The crowds are diverse and enthusiastic. 

If you somehow manage to go to a bout and not have the time of your life, if you have a hole in your heart too big for derby to fill, I am afraid that you are beyond repair. 

See you in February!
4 - Drew V.: I went to an event of theirs at a VFW hall on the North Shore a couple of years ago and it was a lot of fun.  A mix of WWF and and a good indie band show.
5 - Jeremy H.: This is definitely an experience. The sport itself is pretty fun and amusing. I had never been to a real derby until early 2009. I went to check it out since I had memories of watching it on TV as a young child. I also went because my mother-in-law (yes she is that awesome) broke her wrist in tryouts for the 2009 season and we wanted to return to the scene of the crime. 

The beer is cheap (for a sporting event), the cheap carni-food is awesome, there are bands at halftime, and the crowd watching is unparalleled!! 

Besides, all of that the Dames had my whole family cheering them on in an honest and vested celebration as they kicked some serious roller-ass. 

Yeah it is a bit of a drive, but damn is it worth it. There is no reason not to go. Break out of the winter doll drums and get the hell to the derby to break up the monotony of being indoors at the same places!
5 - Lisa L.: I went to my first derby bout in Feb 09 and within the first five minutes said, "Where has this been all my life???" I love everything about this sport -- the diverse (and huge!) fan base, the cheesy venue, the crazy positive vibe bursting out of everyone in the building, the clever skater names, the tough and beautiful dames of all shapes & sizes...I could go on and on!

I tried out for the league this fall and decided to drop out before final cuts because it was TOO DAMNED HARD! I pulled muscles I didn't even know I had and cried from the stress after most practices. It gave me a whole new appreciation for the girls who commit to this sport. Not only are they physically tough, and athletically talented, they devote a huge amount of time and energy -- as much if not more than they devote to their careers -- to running the business that is BDD.

And they are NICE!!! Really the most fun, passionate, and supportive group of women I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. I can't wait to see the vets and all my fellow freshmeat skate their hearts out this season!

Got the winter blahs? Get a ticket to the first bout on 2/27 and I guarantee derby will rip your blahs to shreds!
5 - Kim K.: I don't know why I resisted for so long but thank god I finally went, I love me some Derby Dames!

Completely fun, great people, kickass dames, cool atmosphere, no pretension, exciting at every turn, definitely thrilling. You must go.

One tip: Read the rules of derby on the web before you go. The PA system sucks and I could not understand one word and was clueless for the whole thing.
5 - John S.: It took me three years, but I finally went to see the Boston Derby Dames.  And I'll be going back.

The vibe is a perfect mix of efficiently organized local sports and magnificently towny bravado. The crowd loves their roller derby, the Dames love their derby, and even the Shriners love their derby.

Be prepared to park and walk, and be prepared to have a blast when you get inside.
5 - Lauren S.: Super fun!

Cheap beer.  Fried food. Cupcakes.  Hot chicks in short skirts playing dirty.

Doesn't get much better than this.
5 - Mike M.: I went to my first bout back in February 10' & haven't missed one since. It's a fun & cheap night out with a great atmosphere. It's easy to tell that the girls go out there giving it their all & they have a great time doing it. Each month, I see both kids & adults of all ages get together to enjoy the night. At the beginning of each bout the rules of the derby are explained, so you feel very welcomed whether you're a new comer to the sport or you're a regular.

With teams like the Cosmonaughties, Wicked Pissahs, Nutcrackers, & the Boston Massacre, it's easy to become a fan. And at $15 why not give it a try?
5 - Hilary J.: Roller Derby, what's not to love? These frolicking good time girls are always a blast to watch. Maybe someday I'll be brave enough to step in the ring with them!
4 - kurt m.: The first time I went it was a lot of fun. The food is cheap, the tickets aren't too expensive and it was exciting. It helped that Boston won big. 
The second time I went I realized the problem with a lot of roller derby matches: they're blowouts. The first time was okay but the next match was pretty horrendous as Boston got skunked. I know it's not the teams' faults they get blown out - sometimes that's just the way things go. But it doesn't make for very entertaining skating. Within the first ten minutes of the matches I watched it was obvious who was going to win. 
My other complaint is that it's so far out of Boston. I'm sure it's not easy to find a place, but it would rule if this was actually in the city.
It is fun to see girls beat the crap out of each other now and then and it's pretty exciting to experience at least once but I can't say I'd ever go back to see another match.
4 - Maki P.: I had SUCH a good time at the Derby Dames. The venue (Shriner's auditorium) is weird, awesome and hilarious, the drinks are cheap for a sports event, and they had the coolest photo booth ever. It wasn't the drunken blow-out I was expecting (not that I would have had a problem with that)-- it was a laid-back vibe with a mixed crowd, and I appreciated the explanation at the beginning of the show (it was my first time at a Roller Derby). I would definitely go back to see the Derby Dames, with just about anyone.
5 - Brian D.: First in the interest of full disclosure I'm byass as I'm the SO of a dame, but BDM is the most fun one can have on a Saturday night.  Derby rocks!  BDM events are great fun.

A few tips - early in the season they will sell out, so buy tickets online.  During the summer you can get them at the door.
Events are kid friendly - early starts are great and the dames always love signing autographs and encouraging kids in sports.
Anyone can tailgate before the event.  After the event there is a party on site open to all who love derby.
Its not as violent as people expect.  However, it is fast pass with contact, which leads to falls.  But there is no outright violence or people trying to hurt each other.
In general I think fans enjoy the second bout they watch the most, as they now understand the basic rules and can get into the speed of the game.  After that, around the 10th bout you start to understand the subtleties of the game.
At the beginning of the first bout they cover the rules in a little demonstration, which is good for first timers.

BDD is an amazing event and will appeal to a broad audience.  Come see for your self.
2 - Sam C.: I'll probably get flamed for this, but whatever.  I am just not into it.  Yeah, the ladies are nice to look at, but let's face it:  that is what it is all about.  Guys just want to see the short shorts and hoping for the occasional wardrobe malfunction.  They want to see the rollers get physical with each other in some pseudo lesbian pillow fight fantasy.  Otherwise, there is really no attraction outside of a few female spectators who appreciate the 'tough' girls. I'll prove my point with three words:

Male roller derby.

Remove the sexuality and there is not much left.
5 - Brandy B.: I first started watching the BDD bouts last season, and enjoyed it so much that I got season tickets for this season, and I'm glad I did! A lot of people here mention the obvious--funny names, crazy outfits, unusual crowd, halftime shows--but the thing I never would have expected is that this is a REAL sport with some very talented skaters. The other reviewer who said it was all about the sexuality and "pseudo lesbian pillow fight fantasy" obviously went with some preconceived notions and didn't pay much attention to the actual game.
5 - Adam K.: It doesn't get any more fun than this.  BDD is a blast -- cheap booze, lots of action, and enthusiastic crowd.  Truly a gem of an event to go to, especially with friends.  

The only thing about it I don't like is that I can't play -- it looks like so much fun!
5 - Christopher S.: Over the last 4 months my I have been going to see the BDD play bouts at the Shriner's Auditorium with my girlfriend and have been having an absolute blast!  I never knew that roller derby existed in Massachusetts before in other parts of the country.  BDD is a flat-track, all-girl league of skaters on three local teams (Nutcrackers, Cosmonaughties & Wicked Pissahs) and a single travel team (Boston Massacre).  Each team has a theme, great outfits to support their personality and a unique mascot.  Most people from the older generation of derby like to believe that it is more of the old-school style where it was more for show with intentional injuries.  Here it is a competitive sport where fights, trips, elbowing will get you tossed out of a game.  However, injuries can still occur which is why no game begins without EMT present.

The roller-girls may look tough and scary but you'll be surprised how down-to-earth they all are.  On many different occasions I've had the pleasure of meeting some of the team members and found they hold down normal jobs like you and me.  Lawyers, teachers, nurses, retail workers, administrative assistants, I could go on.  What is ever more creative than the costumes and outfits is how creative they can get with their derby-names; Dreadnought, Slam Chowdah, Krushpuppy and Sugar Hits are some of my favorites.

Games are often two bouts in a row so you can spend a good afternoon and evening watching these girls move around the rink.  Usually before and after attendees hang out to party, relax, grab some autographs or chat with other fans.  Everyone has a good time and everything is so well organized.  I'm sad the season is ending after the game this weekend but I'll be ready to watch a whole season next year.
5 - scott m.: HUGE FAN and supporter of THE WICKED PISSAHS. This is great family fun each month. Cheap tickets, cheap beer and snacks, but great excitment and fun when you know the rules. the skaters are serious and go full on, and it is a physical sport. 

The seats fill up quickly, so I suggest you come late so i always get a seat.
5 - James W.: I just went to my first BDD bout and I am hooked! I'll be seeing you all there.

A couple tips: The bouts have been selling out a couple days before, so make sure to get your tickets online. Or, if you know a team member, I believe you can get tickets from them.

If you're unclear on the rules, check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2W2b1WBmm4
5 - laura W.: This is an incredible experience. Like another reviewer said, it is part circus, part sporting event. Read the rules before hand. Let the crowds' energy wisp you away into a roller derby frenzy. Soon you'll be stomping your feet and screaming with all the power inside you! 

Cost for ticket: $15 ... get them in advance because it is about a 15mn drive (FREE PARKING!) and it'd suck to get all the way out there for a sold out sign to slap you in the face.  plus $15 gets you TWO games and an invite to the dance party afterwards!

Cheap snacks/draaanks: $5-6 a beer, $2-5 pizza/hot dawgs/sausages, $3 cupcakes. They also sell cute BDD tees and stickers!

I can't wait to go again!
5 - Eric S.: All you need to know:

-Fast-paced
-Great names (e.g.Maya Mangleyou)
-Big hits
-Great crowd
-Shriners

Be there or be somewhere less exciting
3 - Natalia V.: A friend was coming to visit me in Boston and I was looking for cool and fun things to do around the area. I came onto Yelp for some help and found a roller derby game happening, it was really cool and interesting, it was like, I was in the movie: "Whip-it"! I didn't really know the rules, but I still had fun. If you're looking for something different, I would totally recommend.
5 - Nate Y.: When I think of roller derby two things pop in my head; the pro wrestling like roller derby they used to show on tv back in the 70's and James Caan. Now it will only be derby at the Shriners Auditorium in Wilmington with the Boston Derby Dames. Can I say these girls are hot?! And boy can they skate! Their nicknames, refs included, were very inventive and sometimes downright hilarious (i.e. Jimichanga?)

I was lucky enough to score a complimentary ticket (thanks be to Yelp) and with veteran fans like Sarah d. to explain the basics of scoring, etc. I got the gist of it pretty quickly. The fan support seems pretty strong and quite the variety of individuals. I'd say at least 30% are tattooed.

There's a concession stand and you also have the honor of entering the Fez room for some adult beverages. I only wish they had a Fez you could try on. Mayhaps someday, something to aspire to.
5 - Dan C.: To paraphrase The Big Lebowski, "these chicks can roll man..."

I only had a vague idea what the hell roller derby was before going to see the Boston Derby Dames at the Shriners Auditorium the other day.  Four hours, 2 bouts, and a few beers later, and I'm a hard sold fan!  It took some time and a few explanations to get the rules down, but this sport is really something to watch.  To add icing to the cake, these girls make a cool sport downright addictive.

The action is basically non-stop as these girls put everything on the line and check/race each other around in one hour long matches.  The crazy athleticism they put out there really knocked me on my ass, and once I understood the rules, I was screaming alongside all the other die hards.

Beyond that the culture of roller derby was a refreshing change.  I've never enjoyed sports that take themselves too seriously.  Roller Derby though keeps it light and real.  As a for instance, players all have their own comical monikers from "Whitey Vulgar" to "Ivonna Shankabitch".  Added alongside the carnival-esque environment of the Shriner's concession stands and bleachers, and this is entertainment gold.

As a first time viewer, I didn't have a huge amount of understanding or expectation for going to an event like this.  Having been once and had my expectations blown away?  I am damn well sure I'm going back!
4 - Kevin F.: They have sport, beer, drinks, food, hot ladies in skimpy outfits and an after party.  If you don't like it you're a bum.
5 - K. Brooke Z.: I've seen countless roller derby teams from all over New England, and I can say that the BDD sure can compete and put on a good show..

They often have double headers, so you get your moneys worth for entertainment.

The BDD ladies have show great sportsmanship while still getting tough. If you havent been to a bout before, I recommend trying it out at least once.
4 - Glenn B.: Superfan of Wicked Pissahs!
5 - Glenn N.: Simply the most fun I've had while living in Boston. A great show, great value and a fun crowd.
5 - Marcella G.: what-a-bunch-a-classy-broads-on-wheels
i'm used to derby a-la-austin
texas
this was super on time
super family friendly
and super all about the bouts

next time
i need to bring friends
and wear funny hats
bring noise makers and pom poms
and make up some chants and cheers
5 - Eric S.: A good time for a good price. $15 for 2 bouts. The close bouts are good on the edge of your seat action.

Boston Language Institute - Boston, MA (42.349426, -71.094825) ()
5 - Chere P.: Zai Lai Yi Bai......One more time, one more cup!   OK not the most important thing to learn in Chinese, but hey if I'm at a bar and I'd like another cold refeshing Bacardi and Coke I need to be able to ask right?  My fine drink ordering capabilites are a great party trick.  Heh heh!

If you've had some interest in learning another language, may I recommend Boston Language Institute.  Their programs are very thorough and guarentee (ofcourse with discipline from you) to read, write and speak the language that you choose.  In addition they make sure to teach you about cultural differences so if you do choose to visit you can know what to expect and how to properly respect the culture.   I've been studying Mandarin here and I think the program is great.  Other than drink ordering,  I've managed the ever so important skill of negotiating when I'm shopping.  The curriculum includes over 140 languages.  Prices are reasonable and if your company offers tuition reimburesement you are golden.

What I like about this school is that they offer both group and private classes, cross cultural seminars,  and if your schedule allows immersion programs.  All instructors are from the country of which you choose to learn and all speak fantastic English.  In addition the schedules are very reasonable with day/early eve/late eve and weekend classes.

My only gripe and no fault of the school is that parking can be a bitch if you don't live in the city.  There is one lot that is a 5 minute walk, or anything else around Fenway.  Otherwise I'd suggest taking the Green Line to Kenmore Square.  If time allows hit to Uburger before your class and woof down a yummy greasy burger - it's never fun learning on an empty tummy and their burgers rock!
4 - Tessa C.: i tried to sign up for group lessons in german here, but they didn't have enough interest - so i signed up for weekly private lessons.  my tutor was great - she had obviously tutored many people before and was great in giving me assignments that were doable with a full time job and responded well to any random questions that I might have. 

they have nice small rooms where the lessons are held with whiteboards so you can learn to write and talk. 

i got pretty far with my 8 lessons.  i wish that i made more time to continue the lessons, but it made it so much easier to understand people speaking german.  

the only drawback to this place is parking.  the kenmore square location made it challenging to drive and park for someone who works in the suburbs.  i was usually able to find parking on beacon street around the meters as long as a red sox game wasn't going on.  if there is a red sox game, then be prepared to spend $20 on parking at a local BU lot.  ouch.
4 - Ryan W.: A year ago, I was taking the Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification at Boston Language Institute. Now, I'm living in South Korea, teaching English, and planning to visit one of my fellow friends in the program in Taiwan over the holidays. 

Teaching English abroad is a life dream for many people, but the TEFL program at BLI made me feel like it was really possible, and through its rigorous certificate program, adequately prepped me for the huge challenges that lay ahead. Not only did they teach me how to be a teacher, but they put me in touch with people who helped me make the transition abroad. I wouldn't be here without BLI.

I believe there are some subtle differences between the fulltime program and the part-time program; having sat in on both, I am glad I was in the part-time program, as my peers were all young professionals balancing their weekly obligations with the pursuit of their big future dreams. I made some good friends there, and enjoyed the teachers, who were intelligent and commanded respect, and the classes were small enough to allow for the kinds of anxious questions we all had. ("What if the students refuse to talk? How do I teach English to someone if I don't know their language? How is being a private tutor different from teaching a large class? Should I teach kids or adults?"). 

One thing I will say about the TEFL program is that BLI does not warn you in any way about how hard it will be. This is probably a good thing, as we might have all chickened out had we known how much it would take over our lives for those several weeks. However, every day that I wake up in my Korean bed and go off to eat some Korean food before teaching Korean kids all day, I know it was worth it!
3 - Jenna L.: I have mixed feelings about this place. I took their 30 day TEFL program about a year and a half ago. Overall, I found the teachers helpful, but their multiple step program which they use for everything unnecessary and impractical in a classroom where all of the ESL students speak the same language. (i.e., foreign countries.) It works great in their environment where the students are forced to communicate in English as that's their only common language. (America, England etc.) However, when I moved abroad and spent 16  months teaching in China, their curriculum simply doesn't work well. The activities range from boring to impossible, and there should be MUCH more emphasis on speaking lessons. I found their FP activities/questions the only really useful part of their program.

Overall, for people intending to teach TEFL in America, this program is great. For those intending to teach abroad, much of their curriculum is a waste of time. Oral English teachers are pretty much the only kind of teachers hired abroad, and the BLI program doesn't prepare enough for these kinds of positions.
3 - Erica K.: The Boston Language Institute is a good school and their approach to foreign languages is commendable. Haven studied a foreign language in school prior to enrolling at BLI, I'm familiar with the unnatural methodologies of universities; hence my applaud in BLI's practicality. Instead of drilling structure and grammar before you can even speak, BLI teaches the language and allows you to learn the underpinning as you go...which is exactly how you learn your native language. While is this is enough in and of itself, unfortunately it's devoid of many positives encompassed in an academic language setting. 

For starters, the classes move incredibly fast for a session of 6 weeks with 3 hours of lesson each week. The rate of speed however, does not make it difficult to consume the information, instead it makes the information more of a synopsis of the lesson as opposed to a teaching of the lesson. 

Secondly, because there's so much information to cover in such a short period of time, you get the feeling of  "assembly." Also, there is no homework, quizzes, or test so feedback is limited to whatever you get from the instructor while in class. Oral and written examinations are a major factor in language proficiency so not having them throughout the process of learning speaks serious volumes to the quality of education.

All in all, BLI can be range from 0 to 10 depending upon your end goal. My goal is fluency and because of this, the most I could get from a course here is familiarity because I would likely need to take about four sessions to parallel that of a university semester. If however, the goal were something like introductory to intermediate conversational proficiency, BLI would be a better fit
4 - Julia K.: I just wrapped up a 10 week Chinese (Mandarin) I course here, and I was very pleased with the quality of instruction and my level of Chinese after 20 class hours.  

Big plus: BLI offers 2x/week classes.  The other Chinese classes I looked into around the city were typically only 1x/week.  Having class twice a week, and being 1 out of 3 students in my class really allowed my speaking skills to improve.

We ran through the basics as expected in a level I class.  Grammar, pronunciation, writing characters - all of it!  The teacher was very supportive and quick to correct our pronunciation before it had time to incorrectly seep into our memories.

I can only really speak to the quality of the Chinese course I took, although I'm docking a star for:
 a) the price.  Although cheaper than courses at the local universities, BLI charges nearly twice as much as other options, like at the CCAE or Chinese Language Institute, for only a ~5 more hours of instruction.
b) I started taking a portuguese I class here once, and found it non-beneficial, a bit disorganized, and left unimpressed.

Boston Market - College Park, MD (38.9803597, -76.9380649) ()
4 - Heather R.: Ample seating. Clean and spacious. They give you 20% off if you show them your UM staff ID. Love the Grilled Chicken Ceasar Salad!
1 - Praveen N.: Pretty disgusting and smelly. I don't remember what I had, but I was sweet, and awful, and the chicken was even worse. This is a rather biased review. The chain is probably not any worse than McD or Wendy's but even so, I doubt if anyone with taste will ever want to go here unless they're marooned, or looking for penitence.
2 - Greg O.: I ended up here after unsuccessfully trying to go to Jungle Grille, which appears to have gone out of business, then trying to go to Noodles and Company, but the line was out the door.  So I settled for Boston Market.  
The positives- relatively clean, plenty of seating, and fairly quiet.  The service was friendly and quick.  As for the food, the chicken wasn't bad-  nothing rave about but cooked well and a decent blend of spices.  The negatives-  the sides.  The mashed potatoes were dry and obviously the powder kind, and took a liberal dousing of pepper to have any flavor.  The mac and cheese was the worst.  It was barely edible-  the 99 cent mac and cheese store brand box would have tasted better.  I should have waited in line at Noodles.

Boston Market - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4559496, -79.9417006) (Bloomfield)
5 - Tim W.: I love Boston Market!

This location is right near Shadyside Hospital in the Bloomfield, Shadyside area of Pittsburgh. This location has a large sit down area and a drivethru if your in a hurry to get your food. They are always nice and the food always tastes great! I get the same thing everytime I'm here. No need to look at the menu. I always get the 3 Piece Dark Individual Meal. A rotisserie chicken meal that comes with one thigh and two legs and two sides. I always get mac & cheese, creamed spinach and sweet potato casserole as my sides.

Yummo!
1 - Dan L.: Flies in this place.
4 - RONALD W.: Good homestyle American fare. High quality ingredients, well prepared. Liked the new gourmet sides of loaded potatoes and Mediterranean green beans. I think the quarter dark plate with 2 sides is pretty good especially if you use one of the free soft drink or $1 coupons in the paper or from their website.

Service was good, and restaurant super clean when I went. Oh yeah, pretty cool to get real plates and silverware when dining in.
5 - Teresa T.: I love Boston Market too!! I seldom sit down at this location but usually get take out. Their chicken is always downright tasty and moist (I'd suggest asking for some side bbq sauce - it brings the meal to a whole other dimension!!) and I have a hard time deciding on sides. You can't go wrong with mac n cheese, vegetables, corn, stuffing and sweet potato yams. The cream spinach however seems to be different each time we order it. The cornbread while still good seems to have been reduced in thickness. I've also had the chicken pot pie and so scrumptious. Boston Market always hits the spot and service has always been peppy with no complaints.
4 - Philip L.: I have been there once, and I love it a lot. The staff are very nice to me and every one.Please try it if you get a change...

Boston Market - Riverdale, MD (38.960776, -76.919314) ()
1 - Derek M.: Worst service ever
1 - ALVARO P.: If someone is looking for the Worst Boston Market in the universe, you just found it. You know what you should expect when you hit a Boston Market restaurant. However, I wasn't prepared for this one. First, we were asked to pay first which I have never seen in any BM I've been before; maybe the neighborhood (which is not a very nice one) has forced them to change this, well.. OK. The service was really bad in attitude and quality, I really think that BM should send somebody to see how bad this location does to the brand. A shame.
1 - Shanae J.: Horrible slow service. Don't go here.

Boston Market - Greenbelt, MD (38.999257, -76.905978) ()
4 - Terinee B.: Pulled BBQ was SUPER!!!  It really hit the spot!  I will definitely be going back again to get more of this BBQ chicken!!!  I mean it was REEEEAAAALLLLLY good!  I really enjoyed my meal here!

On the flip side, the ladies restroom really stunk!  It needed a good cleaning!
1 - Evie M.: I went to Boston Market in different a few times, especially in Boston where I am from. I love the smell of roasted chicken as soon as you open their door, their hot food, mashed potato with gravy, green bean, corn bread, turkey in November. But at this particular Boston Market in Greenbelt, I  was very disappointed, the food was cold, the cashiers were not friendly, dining room was dirty, nobody cleaned the tables even though we were there almost an hour, on top of those, the restroom was filthy. No wonder among restaurants in this Plaza, Boston Market has the least customers. I would not be surprised if they will close down soon, if they don't improve.
4 - Kelly G.: I got home, dumped out my luggage, gathered the things for the cleaners finished my errands (cleaners, CVS, post office, grocery store, etc.) and I was hungry. I needed comfort food. I was determined not to eat the whole bag of potato chips that was in the back seat. But I was hungry NOW. Botston Market will do. Didn't it used to be Boston Chicken? Anyway, I stuck with the chicken. The 3 piece was on special. It came with 2 sides and cornbread. I added a third side and up-sized the drink. (See. This is why we're fat.)

When she brought it to my table (when did they start doing THAT?!?!), my first thought was "Is that a chicken drumette? Are you kidding me?" But I was calm, cool about it. I hadn't touched anything. And when she passed my way again, I just calmly said "Is there a way to exchange this for a quarter dark with a better drumstick? I have been looking forward to having the drumstick all to myself." Even her jaw dropped when she actually looked at the drumstick that was on my plate. She said let me take a look and see what I can do.

Boom. A few minutes later, she returned with a nice, full-sized drumstick. Juicy and ready for me to bite. Mmmm. Mmmmm. Mmmm. Add in the mashed potatoes, the macaroni 'n' cheese, and the lemon garlic spinach (when did they start making THAT?!?!) and wash it all down with some high fructose corn syrup sweetened iced tea and I'm good. I'm a fan.

Boston Marriott Cambridge - Cambridge, MA (42.3630270408194, -71.0859203338623) (Kendall Square/MIT)
3 - Jessica R.: Although the building is conveniently located directly above the Kendall T station and the building certainly has a striking design crafted by our very own Moshe Safdie, I say skip it and try the Residence Marriot Inn near by for a cheaper and more kitchen filled experience.  My parents stay there or at least they did before they split up.  Or just hit the local bed and breakfast's.
4 - Pete S.: I am only reviewing the lobby bathrooms. They are very good, and if you're stuck in that stinking food court, skip their bathrooms and head up the escalators to use the hotel's. Head and shoulders above. You'll thank me.
4 - Thao T.: This hotel was pretty nice, but it's a marriott so you would expect it to be. the rooms were big and the beds comfy, the bathroom really clean. It was across the street from the metro station and there were a lot of good places to eat around. It's also near the universities so it was a decent stay. We were only there for a night and it was a little on the pricey side but it was a comfortable stay. They had a restaurant in the hotel that I heard was good, but we didnt eat there. And the conceirges were really helpful, providing us maps and directions to places we wanted to go. The y also had a little giftshop there that was pretty useful
4 - michelle m.: I thought this was one of the nicer Marriott's I've been in lately. Right across the street from MIT and literally steps away from the Kendall/MIT T stop. Nice, clean hotel. Since Marriott has re-done their image, they've embraced the super comfy bed, and I slept so well! The odd shape of the building means floor-to-ceiling windows in the corner that look out over the Charles but not into your next-door neighbor's room, which is nice.

I typically try to avoid hotel restaurants, but I do have a weakness for room service. I got a turkey club and fries ordered to the room, and it was very good. You'd be surprised - you CAN screw up a turkey club. And I had a brownie sundae - also quite yummy, especially for room service. 

The pool leaves a lot to be desired. An all-stainless steel tiny enclosure, you'll make yourself dizzy with all of the flip turns you do!

I've stayed at the Hyatt Cambridge, which is similar in price, and I highly recommend this over the Hyatt - avoid the Hyatt Cambridge like the plague!  The only downside to the Marriott is that Kendall Square isn't really "happening," so be sure to get a T map and take it one stop over to Central Square or down into Boston to find some things to do!
3 - Sharon H.: Nice but exorbitant price during MIT and Harvard graduation/ reunion week. This place was great and the views, fantastic from the 22ND floor but paying close to $500 a night was not that great. and they do not even give you a free bottle of water in the room. There was no breakfast included, the Internet was $10 a day and $5 for a bottle of water.  This was not the Ritz or 4 Seasons by any stretch. It was convenient to reunion events and the T stop. I would stay here again but not at that price. They also only have 2 washers and 2 dryers for 26 floors of hotel rooms. 
The indoor pool was great and it had this super suit dryer thingy. The pool has an attendant and she stocks the towels all the time.
The MC2 restaurant is very nice and who would not love a Starbucks in the lobby and Au Bon Pain in the food court.
This stay was more than our monthly mortgage so I cannot give them 4 stars.
4 - mickey l.: The views of Boston are some of the best you can find. Prices, well they go way up during Graduation. Fantastic Location, just far enough away from Boston to feel slow paced but a quick walk or T ride away from all the action. The staff was nice. Negatives: They Should give internet for free. The rooms are nice, but we would hear noise from the hallway and vice versa, as the crack under the door was about and inch!
3 - Jenna B.: I will only be reviewing the internet cafe and gift shop here as I have never stayed overnight at this place. 

The internet cafe at this place literally served as my office a few times when I first started at my current job and I didn't yet have my laptop. For  $15, I got 90 minutes of internet time, complete with free printing. There's only two computers here but they are in their own room separate from the lobby and it's never busy or full. It was really perfect and available every time I needed it. I had privacy, it was quiet, and was pleasantly surprised that there was no charge for printing, or a time limit for use. 

The gift shop here is ridiculously overpriced ($4 for a liter of water) but the same two ladies who are always working here are very nice and friendly. This place is very convenient for me, as I work in this area and there are no drug stores to be found. I've stopped in here on more than one occasion for emergency items (umbrella, etc) and they always had what I needed.
4 - Andre C.: Nice hotel but the thermostats in the rooms never EVER work right (I have been staying here for 10 years now). Food sucks EXCEPT Characters clam chowder and burgers and the Concierge level breakfast. Can get very expensive. Residence Inn is cheaper but only half the Marriott points if you are counting.
4 - Lisa N.: Got this hotel off of Priceline.com and it was a steal!!!  We paid about $140 for the room and it came with a beautiful view on the 17th floor.  The check-in desk is super speedy and friendly.  The location is literally right in front of the Kendall station which is very convenient!  If it wasn't for the online deal, I doubt my boyfriend and I would have stayed here.  Also, minus 1 star for the area lacking in choices of restaurants/bars - there's just tons of office buildings.
4 - Aaron W.: Hotel is nice enough and extremely convenient to the Boston Cambridge area.
4 - Lisa M.: Not the nicest Marriott I've stayed in, but not bad.  My room was comfortable, with a great view of downtown Boston.  The Starbucks in the lobby was a convenient option for breakfast (much cheaper than the hotel buffet), and the proximity to MIT was nice.  The price for internet access was pretty steep, and I could hear my neighbor whistling to his 6:30 alarm (possibly the most unique rendition of OMD's 'How Bizarre' I've heard).  But, I slept well, and got to work quickly in the morning--can't complain!
2 - Toro O.: I didn't pay for the hotel so I cannot say anything about the price.
I thought the hotel was very clean and the gym was 24 hrs.
The lack of free internet was bothersome though.
5 - Melissa F.: A very nice hotel in a convenient location (close to MIT and T-Stops)! I stayed here in high school for a debate tournament held at Harvard. I'm sure my ridiculously good memories from these tournaments are coloring my review somewhat, but so be it. 
I stayed at this hotel three years in a row and never experienced problems - neither did anyone on my team, either, that I know of.
There's a Starbucks in the lobby! Good times. And a GREAT way for overachieving high schoolers to overcaffeinate themselves before heading into the 10-degree-max air, ready to debate!
Nice hotel...not in Boston, in Cambridge, but if you need to be in Cambridge or don't mind the T (which is pretty well maintained), go for it.
4 - Chi N.: pros
- awesome deals found on priceline for this hotel
- huge spacious facility
- located right off the kendall stop
- sundeck/pool is nice

cons
random people who don't belong might wander in here
where the heck is the closest cvs?!?!
bathrooms a lil hard to find in the lobby area
4 - Tu-van L.: Solid accomodations in the Cambridge in the heart of the MIT area.  Prime location in terms of public transit as it sits almost on top of the Kendall/MIT T stop.  Nice lobby with attentive front desk staff.

The best part about this particular Marriott?  A waterfront view room overlooking the Charles River on an amazingly sunny day.  I could pine over the view all day!
4 - Jennifer S.: I stayed in this hotel from Tues-Thurs and got a room with a king sized bed.  The amenities were nice: bath & body works aromatherapy shampoo/conditioner/lotion/soap.  (I'm always a sucker for those things.)  The tv was new- flat screen.  The bed was soft and heavenly.  My shower also had two shower heads- fancy.  The bedside lamps had extra electric outlets on them so I didn't have to hunt for plugs for my phone charger and laptop.  The Kendall/MIT T-station is right outside the lobby.  On the downside, parking is $23/night, there is no complimentary breakfast (although a Starbucks and food court exists downstairs), the bathroom countertop is tiny, and internet is $13/day.  The room itself was also very pricey.  The price wasn't really my concern because my company chose the hotel and paid for it, so I definitely enjoyed my stay.  However, would I come here on my own?  Probably not, simply because of all the extra pricing.  Grand total for my stay was $880 for 3 nights, not including the price for parking.  This is just hotel room + internet fees.
3 - Jonathan G.: I did not stay here, but I did spend four hours here doing interviews so my review will be more about the lobby and the amenities.  The lobby of this particular Marriott has a Starbucks and a bar.  The Starbucks is very convenient and a nice thing to have inside a Marriott, especially since it is a regular sized Starbucks.

There are plenty of areas here to sit and talk or interview if you must.  There are comfortable chairs and tables near the bar and the rest of lobby is scattered with alternative seating all around.  The location seems prime.  Public transportation was right there in the form of a T Stop and of course, cabs out front of the Marriott.

My only beef with this Marriott was that I could not find the restrooms on the lobby level if they exist.  I even looked at the floor plan and there was no indication on the diagram either.

In terms of having a place to meet or do business, the lobby of this Marriott is a nice and easy option.
5 - Travis S.: I booked this hotel on priceline and for 99 dollars a night which is an amazszsing deal copared to theuir regular rates.  service was great, they even let me check out late which is always a good thing.  Best part was, it was literally on top of a T stop so i could get in and out very easily.
5 - Jeremy K.: Very good hotel with a great location, making it very convenient to get around as it edges Boston by only a bridge (the Longfellow bridge) and is on the red line.

The rooms aren't too spacious but the room will suffice, especially since most people don't spend all day in them and only really use them to clean up and sleep. Most rooms offer spectacular views of Boston and the ones on the Northern side of the hotel will have a gorgeous views of the Charles River and the Boston skyline.

The staff is very attentive, just like in most Marriott's and they have a pretty good prices compared to the competition out there. The hotel is big and features a restaurant, a swimming pool, a Starbucks and being in Kendall Square, has a few shops and restaurants in it's vicinity as well.

If you do decide to stay there try to get a room as high as possible so that you can benefit from incredible views. They also have discounts of you're there on business related to MIT so make sure that you mention that at the front desk if you are and you'll save a few bucks.

Considering that Boston doesn't have too many hotels available, this is a great one to stay at. You'll be in the heart of MIT and only minutes from Harvard Square or downtown Boston. They also have their own taxi stand which is another alternative to the subway.
3 - Carla L.: Stayed here last night for a business conference I was attending at MIT today. Do not program your GPS for 2 Cambridge Ctr as it leads you to the side of the hotel that is on the opposite side of a one-way road and will not give you access to parking, etc. Had to drive around for awhile before I figured out how to get to the parking garage. I think if you GPS 50 Broadway, it will get you there. $23 for 24 hours in the public parking garage next door. 

Arrived around 9pm on a Friday night. The neighborhood, as well as the hotel, was like a ghost town. The Starbucks in the lobby was closed. The lobby bar was empty and/or was closed. There is a restaurant bar and grill just past the lobby, and there were a handful of people at the bar. There is an Au Bon Pain and a Cosi restaurant practically just across the street which were open. No one was on the street at that hour and maybe 3 or 4 people in each restaurant. All other local shops were closed. Not much else really in walking distance. BORING. 

The hotel itself is nice. Had a room on the 22nd floor with very nice views. Super comfortable bed with lots of different pillow types to choose from. Large flat screen TV. Everything was very clean and comfortable. However, internet is $13/day. The water pressure in the shower was very lacking. The sink area which is outside of the bathroom is very small with strange spotlight lighting. And you can hear everything that goes on in the hallway, every door that's being open or shut, every person that walks down the hall, etc.
3 - Dorothy W.: It's a standard Marriott  right in the heart of MIT/Kendall Square so it gets a big crowd of intellectuals and a few of their hangers on like me. Some VIPs with Secret Service agents in tow were all over the place the weekend my family stayed there. We studiously ignored them so we did not arouse suspicion.

I've landed there myself before I moved to Cambridge and never had a problem with it, however this area does not have a lot going for it in terms of night life or fun times. Guess these MIT folks just study all the time. 

The view out the window across to Boston is fabulous so try to get a room that is up at the top. The location does offer instant access to a T stop (the Red Line) and there are always taxis out front. It's a long walk from most areas of Cambridge and from Boston.  The restaurants that are attached to this hotel on the ground floor are just beyond bad. Avoid the food court at all costs. There's a Starbucks in the lobby and the restaurant on the second floor has a great breakfast buffet that we found to be a huge bargain. It's also right across the street from some very decent food offered by the food trucks at MIT. Don't ignore the temptations from these four wheeled treasures. Good food at great prices. Try to beat the crowds- they are crazy just before noon and for the early part of the afternoon. 

There's a decent sized pool that can be dreamy if you have it to yourselves but a nightmare when rowdy families come in who ignore all of the rules about jumping, diving and hot tub usage. Really super annoying but that is not the hotel's fault. When you are watching a little six year old girl get sideswiped and cannon balled by a sixteen year old boy, it's a very anxiety filled experience. There's also a small work out room.  

It's a Marriott. You aren't here for relaxing spa treatments and gourmet food. Just enjoy it for what it is. And stay out of the food court down the hall behind the check in desk. Please.
3 - Danan R.: The location is great: right next to the T and MIT.  Parking is $24 and the internet is $13.  The rooms are pretty small, but they are comfortable.  There is a Starbucks in the lobby and the food trucks are only a block away, if that.  The rates skyrocket during commencement so be forewarned that you will probably pay triple the normal price.  Overall, this is okay - nothing to rave about but still decent.
3 - Yulia G.: As a Marriott member, this is a solid one. 

Starting from the location, Kendall T stop is yards from the entrance. If you are more of a walking type, the Longfellow bridge is close by and will take you over the river to Charles Street, a lovely walk....  As other Marriotts, this one has the usual symbiotic relationship with Starbucks, but while we were there, we did not use it. Very accessible by car, with a public garage attached to the building. We were there during MITs commencement, but did not feel crowded. 

Very accommodating staff! Major bonus points here! Our initial room had a strong scent of bleach, we switched our rooms with no hassle. Another time, the staff brought us a mini fridge when my husband called to ask if there was a way to salvage our expensive wine bottle. Bonus points again! 

With all the focus on its rooms facing the Charles, this building is in desperate need of a good window cleaning service. We were there in May, in perfect Boston weather, not a cloud in the sky with what should have been lovely views of the city. Instead, we had alot of grime distracting from our view. Take care of this and its a solid 3.5 rating for this location.
3 - An O.: Pros:

The views sell this hotel. We had a riverside room on the 24th floor, and that combined with the floor-to-ceiling corner window in each room made for delightful views! The Boston skyline is aglow at night, and in the afternoon you can see boats on the Charles river. Charming!

As for the actual room, it was somewhat small, but definitely not cramped or uncomfortable. The beds were comfy and the room was super clean, which I always appreciate. 

I also really liked that the red line is directly in front of the hotel. Makes for relatively easy access to surrounding places, and its a good way to save on cab fared. 

Cons:

For how much I paid for the room, I was mildly annoyed at being charged $13 per day per computer for internet access. Most other Marriott's I've stayed at in major cities have complimentary internet access. I also didn't like that practically everything was closed at 530 pm on a Saturday afternoon, including all of the hotel and neighboring restaurants except Starbucks. I ended up having to take a cab to get a pre-dinner snack = inconvenient. 

Overall:

Clean hotel with excellent views, but I'll probably stay in Boston next time, just for the convenience.
3 - Deb O.: This is a fine hotel in an excellent location.  Right next to the T; a short walk to Central Square.  Comfortable beds!  Not big on atmosphere, but if you get a good rate it is worth it.
3 - Ryan S.: Good location.  Rooms smell funny and damp,  though accomodations are nice and a decent size,  given the neighborhood.  Pricey rooms.  Business center totally sucks find a Kinkos for serious jobs.
3 - Kathryn R.: For business I have been staying at this hotel for the past 2.5 months on a weekly basis and will continue to stay for another couple more months. 

Pros:Right by the Red Line T stop, concierge/staff very friendly and helpful, has a Starbucks onsite should you need a pick-me-up, comfy beds, good views.

Cons: Expensive for a "standard" Marriott, elevators too slow (but I'm a Manhattanite so this stuff bothers me), showers are hit or miss in terms of water pressure, small rooms but not cramped, no food options except Au Bon Pain or Cosi

Gym is just ok, can be very crowded before 8am because there's a limited number of cardio machines, weights, and overall space. Caveat: check your rooms because I had a colleague who thought he had some bed bugs - but the staff dealt with him very professionally and followed-up appropriately.
4 - Kay D.: I was put up here when I was in town for a job interview, so I didn't have to worry about price.  It was a nice hotel with a sweet view of what I think was downtown Boston (I'm not a local, so I was guessing by the buildings and lights...).  When I was in town (3 days ago), it was quite cold and I was thankful that the hotel was in immediate walking distance of just about everything I needed.

I pre-ordered breakfast room service via their form they leave in your room, which you fill out and hang on your door the night before.  I really enjoyed that convenience, as I didn't have time to go get my own breakfast elsewhere.

They had free wireless internet in the lobby, and what seemed like not-free wireless in the rooms.  However, sometimes when I connected from my room it didn't ask me to pay, and sometimes it did (I was connecting from my iPod).  I suspect it may be free after a certain time since I was mostly using it at night and never had to pay for the wi-fi, but I never actually figured this out.

The beds were very comfortable, I slept like a baby!  The insulation between rooms is alright, though my neighbors were watching Inception so loud I could hear every line as though it was in my room (and was able to identify the movie...).  I tried not to listen since I have yet to see it and am waiting for it to come out on Netflix!

I locked myself out of the room once, and also had a case of malfunctioning room key, but both issues were resolved quickly by the helpful staff.  The concierge was awesome and helped me resolve my taxi crisis (don't ask) as well as my dinner plans.  As a bonus, they have free homemade cookies at the front desk every day after 5 pm.  Yay!

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay!
5 - Charlie M.: Best of the best.  Such a wonderful hotel.  Great location.  Close to everything.  Excellent staff.  We used the pool, hot tub, sauna, gym, and loved the restaurant.  Will not stay anywhere but here when I am in Boston.
4 - eleanor l.: It's located right on the T line so that's convenient if you don't have a car.
The room is a good size with very comfortable beds and soft sheets.
Would definitely stay here again.  If you don't own a laptop, there's a business office with desktop computers - can be used for free.
5 - Gina T.: Great hotel to stay at! It's close enough to Fenway, but not cramped by traffic and noise. 
The beds were some of the most comfortable Marriott beds I have ever stayed in! The only con would be to have mirrors over the desk as most hotels do, along with better lighting near the bathroom. (Being a girl, I must have changed about 6 times because the lighting didn't make anything look flattering)
One of the other bonuses, looking for something to eat, we were pleased to find a whole food court with many different options right out the side door! 
Worth it to stay here!
5 - Yin W.: Great hotel. The bed and pillows were the most comfortable I've ever used. Everything was clean although not fancy. The soaps, shampoos and conditioners were great. It is also quiet.
5 - Ricky C.: This hotel is excellent and only a 10 minute T ride from downtown Boston.  The new Champions sports bar located off the lobby is also an excellent place to get a drink or have a meal.  I would recommend this hotel to anyone!
5 - Natalia L.: Nice price and awesome room. The big guy concierge rocks. He is always so helpfull. Too bad I cant remember his name. This hotel has everything. My husband and I love there.
5 - Maura G.: very nice rooms and lobby. bathrooms were sparkling clean-very important in a hotel. comfy beds, spacious rooms, wonderful staff, great view.

we had an incident during our stay...someone from our party, under the influence of one to many drinks and generally being an idiot (i was not particularly friends with her at the time and certainly not after this incident), decided it would be fun to pull the fire alarm. i won't get into all the details, but you can imagine the horror that ensued. in the end, the staff was able to see that this person acted on their own (she was caught on camera), with no prompting from the rest of us or knowledge about it prior, and they only kicked the guilty person out, and allowed the rest of us to stay. they easily could have asked ALL of us to leave, but they were very understanding and patient with us, considering how upset the rest of us were that this happened. i'm sure they weren't happy with us, but they were never rude or mean to the rest of us. they were very diplomatic about it.

i also had a very funny incident here. outside the lobby, cabs wait to take guests to their destinations. we got into a cab, and for whatever reason, our cab driver started arguing with another cab driver. ihe got out of the cab and started a fist fight with the other cabbie. we were terrified! this guy was just fighting with someone and now he will be driving us around the city...so be careful of the cabbies around the hotel!

i'd definitely stay here again, of course not with the alarm puller! and for the love of god, don't invite stupid people with you!
3 - Sparkely K.: I am a loyal Marriott customer and was happy to have booked one night the first week and then three nights the following during an extended business trip in Boston - I expected the usual good service a Marriott provides.  For the first night I was put in a room next to two teenage boys there for a local school debate weekend.  Loud, young, immature, and without parental supervision, these lads disturbed me from the moment they walked in.  I called to complain and after several back and forth calls, the hotel offered to move me.  I was told that 90% of the hotel was booked with these students.  Why not put other customers in a portion of the hotel without the children??  How hard can that be? Sadly, by the time I was moved (late hour) I was not able to relax and got very little sleep.  Needless to say, I canceled the second portion of my stay there and chose a different hotel as I cannot have disrupted sleep while away for business.

The rooms were outdated and not at all inspiring.  My first room had a lovely view of Boston. 

I will say that the service I received was excellent and the staff were very accommodating at every turn - they deserve 5 stars!  I was called several times to check on the service, food, comfort, etc.  I've not experienced that before.

I'll be in Boston in March and will not book my stay at the Marriott.
5 - Paul L.: GREAT LUNCHEON at CHAMPIONS!

FIRST CLASS Calamari Marinara and Chicken Roll-Up. DELIGHTFUL Cottage Fries.  SUPERB Pickels!  MOST COURTEOUS and EFFICIENT Service!  QUIET DINING amid the Sports.
5 - Jordan S.: Had to give this hotel 5 stars. I travel Quite a bit at stay at hotels all over but for a marriott this hotel really impressed me. I normally stay at boutique hotels because I was becoming increasingly dissapointed with the large chain hotels. 

I stayed here for 3 nights in a suite on the Top floor and was thoroughly impressed not only with the cleanliness of the room and accomodations but with the level of service provided by the staff. 

This hotel is not only footsteps away from a T station but it also has a starbucks and a great sports bar called champions. Its great because the food is REALLY good. Theres also a Legal Seafood less than a block away as well. If you are in the cambridge area I suggest you give this place a look.
3 - Henrik C.: The hotel is located at the edge of the MIT campus on Kendell Square. Very convenient for a visit to the university. The lobby is open and quite attractive. 

The rooms are up-to-date (recently renovated). The bath rooms are still a bit dated. But overall OK. 

The charge for internet is $16 / night which is quite steep. The restaurant is Ok, but not fantastic. Overall a hotel with a convenient location, but they are not trying very hard.
3 - Danny C.: This Mariott is just an average hotel. It can get very pricy though around the beginning of the tourist season though (April). The bathroom we had was small too. They do have free wifi in the lobby area though.  We tried to check in early around noon, but they told us that we have to wait until after 3 or 4 PM, so we had to check our bags in while we strolled around Boston. It is conveniently located next to a red line station.
3 - Byoung Kyu S.: The rates here are high since it's Boston and in Cambridge. The room was nice and cozy. The lounge was nice but was hoping for better selection. 

Rained really hard one night and there a huge leak in the lobby.  A septic tank or pipe must have busted because the lobby smelled like sewage.  Not pleasant at all.  

Location was very convenient to eateries and to work.  Would stay here again if the rates were bit lower.
5 - subu S.: stayed here recently. Very good service, they let me check in early and check out late, very accommodating. Rooms in good condition, starbucks in the lounge is a definite plus. great location with access to a variety of transportation. Lots of restaurants within walking distance, very safe neighborhood.
5 - Lisa S.: I am ridiculously surprised I haven't reviewed this hotel yet. Since 2004, I've stayed at the Boston Marriott more times than I can count. My family and friends have also frequently stayed here. Whenever out-of-towners are coming to Boston for a weekend, I point them here. 

This hotel is similar to most Marriotts. The hotel rooms are nice and clean. The staff is friendly (one guy at the front desk even remembered me even though I visited about 6-8 months apart), and the lobby is nice. Room service is timely. The high floors have a fantastic view of Boston and Cambridge. 

The main reason I suggest this hotel to visitors is because on the weekend, it is very moderately priced compared to other hotels both in Cambridge and Boston. Usually it's the cheapest "nice" hotel I can find on a weekend, probably because Kendall Square historically isn't the most exciting place to stay compared to the rest of Boston. During the week, this hotel is much more expensive, due to the businesses and conferences in Kendall Square. On top of that, this hotel is literally right on top of a T station on the red line. You can walk about 10 feet and be in a subway station, which is fantastic if you're visiting the city. It is also located on the Cambridge side of the Longfellow bridge, which means you have relatively easy walking access to the Esplanade, MGH, Beacon Hill, North End, etc. There are also always tons of cabs waiting outside the hotel- I've never had a problem getting one. Added plus for Starbucks addicts: there is a Starbucks in the lobby. 

As far as the immediate area, Kendall Square is on the back side of MIT's campus. So if that is an area of interest to you, it's a great place to stay. The area used to be relatively devoid of fun cafes, bars and restaurants, but in the past few years, a lot of great options have popped up- Meadhall, Hungry Mother, Bondir, Flour Bakery, EVOO, Area Four, etc.- and a few old favorites are in the area- Cuchi Cuchi, Salts, Emma's Pizza. There's also great lunch options right outside the hotel, such as Cosi's and Au Bon Pain, and there is  a movie theater quite close.

So overall, on the weekends, this place is a great price. There are some fun places to explore in Kendall Square, but it's convenient to just about anywhere in Boston by foot, subway, or cab. If you're coming to Boston or Cambridge for the weekend, definitely consider this hotel!
1 - Di H.: For a high class hotel, the bed is terrible. I have a bad lower back that hurts me when I sleep in a bad posture. The matrices in my room is so soft that I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't stand up (because my back hurt so much) to go to the bathroom. I've been sleeping on the floor for the second night now.

The pillows are also not too good. Typically a hotel offers a soft and hard one. Here, both are pretty soft and high volume, which is not the best for everybody. 

Also the wifi is 12$ a night, and it's pretty slow. If not that my company is paying for it and it's the closest hotel, I'd stay somewhere else.
5 - Stephen C.: Okay, I'll admit it, right off the bat this should be a four-star place.  However I was prepared after an hour after checking in to give it one-star.  But, because of their determination and great customer service I have no choice but to give it five stars.

I'm a Marriott Elite member, most of the time when traveling I'll stay at a Marriott if its for a couple of nights unless there is a Ritz or a Four Seasons.  Saturday night we concluded a two week vacation and I booked a night here at the Marriott several months in advance.  I through the booking process let them know I was arriving late as my flight was landing around 10:00 pm and I needed a roll-away bed as there were five of us traveling.  Our flight oversees was delayed due to mechanical difficulties so I called and informed them I might not get in till well after 11 or possibly midnight, they were fine with that and asked if I still needed the roll-away bed to which I confirmed I indeed need.  

After a six-hour long uncomfortable flight plus a previous six hours of air-travel we arrived at the Marriott.  The girl at the front desk again asked "how imperative is it I need that bed?"  I told her I needed it and I confirmed it several times.  I was then told they had none to spare.  I wasn't happy, but tired so we went up to our room (1608) and went to bed.  Sadly for one of our travel companions she had to sleep on the floor.  No more than 20 minutes the manager called apologizing saying they were going to the hotel across the block and get a bad.  They indeed brought up a roll-away and extra towels, pillows and blankets.  Then a half an our after that I received another phone call from another manager making sure everything was alright and apologizing.

This service alone warranted five-stars.  But the hotel was beautiful, bed was VERY comfortable and everybody in that hotel was polite.  My rates were great, $199 for the night.  I used two discounts, my Marriott Elite rate, and AAA.  Everything was clean, and the lobby had wifi.  I have had family stay here before as I went to college in Cambridge and this is where they usually stayed.  I would continue recommending this hotel and if I were ever to stay in the Boston area I'd probably come here again, though I do enjoy the Marriott at Copley slightly more.

Boston Percussive Dance - Cambridge, MA (42.3637162, -71.1024004) (Central Square)
5 - Suzanne S.: This is a new studio in Central Square close to the Dance Complex. It  was founded by tap dancer Julia Boynton and Irish step dancer Kieran Jordan as a home base for tap, Irish step, and other forms of percussive dance. The studio has a new sprung floor perfect for percussive dance. I am taking the beginner Irish Dance class with Kieran and it is such a treat. We are learning both Sean Nos (old style) Irish dancing and step dancing and ceilih dancing. All involve fast footwork and great music! It is much more of a workout than you would expect. And Kieran is such a wonderful person, teacher and dancer. There is a community feeling to this class--already we have been invited to several fun events and people in the class are friendly. You can drop in but I recommend signing up for a whole series as the lessons build on each other and it can be hard if you miss a class. I am loving the class and thoroughly recommend it!
5 - Elizabeth T.: Having a background in dance, I can firmly say that Julia is one of the best dance teachers I have taken classes with.  I started studying tap with her several years ago in Brookline and was thrilled for her - and her students - when she opened her studio.  Despite my dance background, I felt pretty sure tap wasn't my thing but Julia is very encouraging and knows how to teach to different people.  She also runs the Beantown Tapfest, has a strong performance background, and always knows of a visiting dancer, band or tap jam to get inspired and practice.

Although I haven't taken any of the Irish step classes with Keiran, I've seen some student performances and they take me back to when I lived in Ireland.  They look like so much fun and I hope to try them out when I have the opportunity.

Not to mention, the studio is super close to the T but also near the Green Street parking garage which has to be the absolute cheapest garage in the city.
5 - Amy C.: Julia Boynton is a fantastic teacher.  Her classes are  incredibly fun and she's great about spotting what your technique problems are, so you can improve.  This takes time, energy, attention, and a lot of knowledge, and you don't get this kind of instruction everywhere.  She's also patient and supportive.  Lastly, tap is probably the most fun you can have standing up--I'm an adult beginner, so if you something you've always wanted to try, do it.
5 - Mandy M.: fun, friendly, and challenging classes!

I have been taking tap classes here for more than a year and hope to never stop.  Julia is a great instructor and has a passion for tap that is infectious.
4 - Kristeen A.: Boston Percussive's Irish step classes are great! They've created a fun supportive atmosphere with a lot of in depth instruction on steps, rhythm, timing and the culture. I've taken classes from Kieran and Siobhan and would recommend both!

Boston Pizza - Waterloo, ON (43.5030738, -80.5351869) ()
2 - Kip G.: I can't believe how crowded this place always seems to be. It's a sportsbar/pizza place. A little overpriced in my opinion for what you get. The food is mediocre and while not the worst I've had, definitely not anything worth repeating. Tried it twice, but probably won't go back.
3 - il l.: always a gathering place for teams on friday nights after a great game of soccer. like the atmosphere and the service but not the quality of food. don't get the pizza's as you can have much better ones almost anywhere else (i know, it's funny for a pizza place) unless you make your own in which case you get to spend a lot. careful with the specials as they are mostly at the bar and they don't warn you of that when you order. i had a few odd moments trying to show the help fliers all around the dining room with the day's specials only to have them refuse my claims every time. best food here, undoubtedly the nachos (fully-loaded) and the philly-cheesesteak sandwich.
2 - Helen L.: Boston Pizza feels like an over priced fast food restaurant that you can sit down to place your order rather then stand at a counter.  Which could account for the crowds.  They have a great selection with something for everyone however I am also not convinced that the food is made fresh.  It tastes like the kitchen sources the food from the freezer or a can.

Boston Sports Club - Cambridge, MA (42.3655026, -71.1034343) (Central Square)
2 - Juliette V.: Not so happy with the services offered here. They need more classes and less members. At peak visiting times, there are always lines for the machines.
3 - Sophia C.: Overall, this is an average gym.  However, the yoga instructors are all amazing - it is unfortunate that the studios are not soundproof and we all have to listen to Ashlee Simpson while we salute the sun.  
The entire management staff needs a lesson in customer service - the front desk knows absolutely nothing about the gym and can't answer any questions and doesn't feel its necessary to go the extra mile to ask someone who does.  
More classes are needed - the 5:30/6:00 yoga classes are PACKED in a tiny studio; unless you are an early morning work-out person, you are going to have to wait or deal with crowded rooms.
2 - Michael C.: A very busy gym, but was in a convienent location for me. Of all the Boston Sports Club gyms I have been to, the locker rooms here are the filthiest.
1 - Kathy K.: I go here because of the location as I think most members do.  Compared to the other BSC's or other gyms I have been to this one is rather grubby -- I would never shower there, the machines need a good wiping down more than once a year and a good quarter of the lockers' hinges are broken.  The staff seems to add nothing to the experience often forgetting to great people while they scan them in if they happen to be involved in a phone call or conversation.  Don't try to complain to management via e-mail -- it's a black hole.  Although corporation is always reliable in charging me or sending me notices the fees are going up.  Go off-peak hours to get in, out and on your way.
4 - Elizabeth E.: BSC offers a gym with the all the best in new cardio machines, weight lifting machines, and free weights.  The gym is clean, the machines are clean and I love that each machine has its own tv and cd player--it helps make your workout time fly by.  

Two down-sides: its a bit of a meat market for Cambridge's young & fit and if can get really busy during peak times (which is when the meat-market is most offensive).  So if you can avoid prime work-out times, you'll probably love this place as much as I did.
1 - Roberto C.: I only go to this place b/c of convenience.  It's VERY crowded (machines are 2" apart), the locker room is jammed w/people & the lockers are TINY.  Cleanliness of the gym area and male locker room is also an issue.  It always seems cleanest whenever they're having a big membership drive, otherwise it's (locker room) is usually a sh*t hole w/dirty towels & pooled water along the dirty shower room floor.  Parking is via meter if you can find it.

Perhaps my biggest issue w/this BSC is ventilation - I think they gather the air off the sewer line - I try to work out near the vent as sewer air is better than rancid pot roast from the guy next to me.  Anyway, when supposedly "fresh air" comes in, 10-12x an hour the air smells like fresh poo.

Also, there's no enforcement of rules - there's supposed to be no cell phone use & people gab constantly & everywhere (including the locker room!) on camera phones.  Also, 7-8 out of 10 people do not wipe their machines off after dispensing their people gravy on the machines.

Do yourself a favor & go elsewhere - these guys cost WAY too much for the crowd factor, rule enforcement & the complete disregard of housekeeping & fresh air.

***************************Aug 9th update*******************************

There's a tremendous amount of broken machines (i've put in requests to get them fixed and there are multiple machines w/broken handles) I'm not sure why they're so frugal, but they should pony up & get their machines fixed.

PS  Locker room is still a sh*thole, but the urinals actually flush now - so much for lowered expectations.
3 - sally b.: Very funny that someone else mentioned Ashlee Simpson in their review.  I go about the same time everyday and hear 3 of her 'hits' during my workout.  And at some point Flock of Seagulls (haha) was playing daily.

This gym is like any of your standard corporate gyms: nothing special and nothing worse than you would find anywhere else.   I've only been once during the 5-7:30pm rush and will never go again, because it is so packed you can't get an honest work-out.   

I've recently tried out the personal training.  Though I started in pretty good shape, my trainer, Dan, has worked miracles with my body. 

If you are looking for a classier, cleaner, quieter gym then head to VIM in Harvard for $30 more/month.  Otherwise, come get sweaty 'n gross and be on your way.
2 - Susan M.: BSC seemed like a perfectly adequate gym.  Sure some of their machines are broken, sure they don't have enough classes, sure it's ALWAYS crowded during peak hours.  But whatever, it's a gym right?  It's got the machines, it's got the weights, it's got showers that aren't growing moldy. 

This covers a lot of sins.

So you might be saying "why the low review?"  The main reason I think this gym (and BSC as a corporation) completely blows is their lack of service and respect to the customer.  I paid roughly a bagillion dollars a month to go to this gym but was constantly being weaseled out of more money.  

They treat you like just another number which, let's face it, you are.  I went to cancel my membership and 2 new people signed up while I was waiting for the troglodyte behind the counter to find the cancellation form.

That said, I can pay about the same and go to healthworks where everything is all happiness and light, if only a little creepy.  Or I could go to Bally's and pay less than half the price and not care quite as much that they were treating me like crap.

Bottom line, you pay premium price, you expect premium service.  BSC is not on board with that thought.  You don't like the way they treat you, they're happy to let you go because 10 new people will come along to hand over their $63.99 to $72.99.
1 - meredith f.: While searching for the perfect gym I called with a simple question about rates. It took the sales staff a full 3 days to call me back... not my idea of customer service. Due ot the lack of gyms in the area though, I decided to go for convenience and purchase a 2-week trial membership. sigh. should have just paid the extra $20 a month to join healthworks right off the bat. The equipment is in the basement so there is no natural light. Ventilation is not fabulous, and although some of the classes were good (the 9am cycling on Sat is my fav) they weren't outstanding enough for me to want to drag myself in here everyday. Frankly, the motivation just wasn't there. Long story short - don't waste your money here. The convenience just doesn't make up for the bad service and dark dingy atmosphere.
3 - Michael L.: It's hard to review a gym. 

I know what a gym is, I've regularly attended several over the past 7 years or so, and I have a very good frame of reference. There are always ups and downs to any facility, and it's hard because I realize that what others lack, this gym may have. In my review I'm trying to take into account as many factors as would be reasonable to consider. The three stars reflects my personal needs, but I think the gym could be 1-5 based on your own personal needs and tastes. 

I'll start with what I like:
 - It's clean. True, some people don't wipe their body juice off the equipment, but things look nice, and the equipment is typically put away in the proper place, and in order. 
 - I can usually get the machine or piece of equipment I want. It seems that I never really have to wait or change the order of my routine to accommodate the fact that someone is hogging the cables. 
 - Friendly staff. At least they're smiling, even if I feel like I'd have to pay them for advice. 
 - Decent selection of equipment. There are usually two or three versions of machines that work the major muscle groups, plus benches and free-weights. The free-weights get heavy too, which they don't at Planet Fitness. 
 - The TVs. The gym is the only place I watch TV, and my workout generally coincides with a Red Sox game on NESN. No one minds when I put it on, and if they close (at 10) before it's over, People's Republik is soooo close, and the perfect after-gym ritual is beer. 
 - Towels/Showers. They give you towels when you come in, and you can take a shower... IN YOUR OWN LITTLE CUBE!!! No meat-market general assembly showering here, you pull the curtain, and take a shower BY YOURSELF. They have (extremely shitty but whatever) body wash, shampoo and conditioner in the stall. 

What I do not like:
 - They have those convenient towels waiting about 50% of the time. Usually you have to go back up and get one, or grab one from the lady folding them in the back. 
 - No pool. I know I'm asking too much, but fuck you this is my review and having a pool is nice.  
 - The price. You get extra stuff... but $70 is too much. Stupidly way too much. *grumble*
 - Irrating/Moronic people. Every gym has them, and here they seem mostly harmless. I just don't want to look/talk/think/grope/touch/bother a single other soul when I am at the gym. I want to listen to music, workout and get out. 

So there aren't terrible shortcomings, but even the good things can't justify the cost.
3 - meaghan s.: I joined BSC because it was too close to my house to ignore.  I also belong to a gym at  work which is super nice and super cheap, but I know in the winter I am going to want to bike 3 minutes to the gym instead of 25 or 30.  

I try to attend BSC at off peak hours and for the most part it's been fine.  It's not very crowded and it seems clean enough.  

My biggest gripe is that the exercise rooms are pretty small and because of the space limitations there are not that many classes offered.  

I don't change here - so for a quick in and out it works fine for me.
1 - Arun M.: I chose Boston Sports Club because of its proximity to my house. The facilities were clean and the equipment was nice though nothing to rave about. The gym was crowded, but not overwhelming. The major problem was that the area is dark and windowless. The folks there were nice and things were fine until I hurt my back a few months ago and needed to cancel my membership. After visiting the club and filling out the paperwork to cancel my membership(including a letter from my doctor) I continued to be charged. I called the managers at the club 6 times over 3 months without any response. Either I would get disconnected or someone would tell me the would call me back. Not once did that happen. That sort of customer service is appalling. I've talked with several of my friends since then who agree. They do a great job of sucking you in, but make it incredibly difficult to get out. Regardless, this will be the last time I will ever be a member of BSC.
4 - Devon M.: I went in today to work out, and honestly, I was expecting it to be less clean and more things to be broken with all the reviews listed on here.  I was pretty content with the amount of working machines and the cleanliness levels felt pretty good to me.  I was a little worried about the amount of dudes who would be there stinking, but really there were more girls working out than guys.

I will update more as I keep going, but I was pretty happy about this place.  And I am all about the steam room and sauna.  Super awesome.
4 - marie c.: Some thoughts on BSC Central:

1.  Based on these reviews, I was expecting the place to be filthy.  I really don't think it is at all.  I go most mornings, 7-830 ish and it can be a little crowded, but in 4 months, I've only ever had to wait for a shower once, and the wait was about 30 seconds.  

2.  The price...I'm on the fence about.  On the one hand, it's $70/month for gold membership.  That seems high for not being a super fancy place.  On the other hand, on the weekends I get to use the gym in Allston, and when I visit the rents in DC, I can use the gyms there, on off peak hours.  Having that flexibility is really nice for me, but may not be what everyone needs.

3.  On the whole, the staff has been decent about responding to some of my concerns.  The only time I've ever complained was when there was only ONE blow dryer in the entire women's locker room.  A number of us went up to complain, and they did bring in another dryer from the men's room.  The next day, and every day since, there have been PLENTY of hair dryers.  So I do think they took the comment to heart and understood how frustrating the situation was.

4. I LOVE activtrax.  For an extra $10/month, you can use activtrax, which designs custom weight work outs for you.  I never really know what to do with strength training, so this program is great for me, shows me which machines to use, customizes to the length of time I'm willing to spend, and gives great Abs workouts too.  activtrax can be used at any of the "Sports Clubs", so I can get workouts for the other gym locations I've used.  I've been using it for a few months now and I really feel like I've seen some serious results.

5.  No, there aren't many classes.  I might try going to pilates on mondays from now on, see how it is.  If you *need* classes to get a workout, BSC Central might not be for you.  

Anyway, bottom line is, the location is super convenient, the gym is what you'd expect from a gym.  No, they don't go above and beyond, and for me, I'd still prefer to be at Healthworks, I think.  But Activtrax and the flexibility to go to multiple gyms have made it a positive experience for me so far.
4 - John S.: I've belonged to this gym for nearly three years and, for the past seven months, it has been a regular part of my mornings.  I've been able to compile quite a bit of data (and free 100 calorie Oreo snack pack samples) over that time, so I'll review in bullet points:

The Good:
---The place is as clean as any high traffic gym can be.  You'll always see someone on staff mopping, sweeping or scrubbing in the bathrooms.  If you're there at closing, you'll see someone power washing the showers at least a couple times a week.
---It has all of the machines, free weights, benches and cardio machines to get in a thorough workout.  While the space isn't enormous, it is utilized as efficiently as it can be.  The machines are laid out in a very logical order, so you're generally not going to be wandering around trying to find the pec fly machine.
---The location is fantastic.  It is right in the middle of Central Square, 100 feet from the T station, with a Walgreen's on its left and a Gap clothing store on its right.  The sheer convenience of this BSC location is one of it's greatest assets.
---The "rush hours" aren't too bad.  I've found that gyms are busiest immediately after work during weekdays, yet I've never (in three years) had difficulty getting a workout in during that time of day.  In the morning and on the weekends, the place is downright quiet.
---The clientele is pleasant.  Gyms have a culture.  Some have the muscle-headed regulars that bully folks off machines.  Others are so disorganized or undersized that folks scramble around for weights before someone else can take them.  The mix of good regulars and a generally relaxed, non-cutthroat atmosphere gives it a very good culture.
---You can go to any other BSC on the weekends.  I've been slowly taking a tour of other BSCs in the area: Davis Square, Weymouth, Watertown, etc.  The standard membership comes with the ability to visit other gyms during "off-peak" hours, and I've taken full use of it.

The Bad:
---You can find a cheaper gym.  The BSC's locations are fantastically convenient, but such spaces cost money.  That cost is passed on to you.  For what you pay, you get a lot, but you do have to pay.  My membership is around $70 a month.
---It is underground.  While I have no problem with this, some folks love staring out the window while they work out.  If that's the case, this is not your gym.  It is more like a bunker than an Italian villa.
---There's no pool.  There's a steam room, but there's no pool.  So if you're in it to swim, you'll be disappointed.

Overall, I recommend the BSC in Central and the BSCs as a whole to people interested in joining a gym.  I've had nothing but good experiences and I think I'll be there for years to come.
3 - Erin E.: I am going to write this review and then decide how many stars this BSC deserves based on my commentary  (a new strategy).  I have been coming here for a little bit over a year now.   I have visited other Sports Clubs (in NYC and Boston).  

I lost my wallet at one point last March, and so I canceled my credit cards, promptly giving BSC my new information.  They promptly messed up, and I started receiving hate calls from their fake collection agency.  They then took the liberty of canceling my membership since I was purportedly not paying the monthly fee.  I took this up with the management staff at Central BSC, who informed me that NO ONE employed at that gym is equipped to sort through the mess, and directed me to Watertown BSC.  I worked with Marques at Watertown (oh spelling?), who was AMAZING and actually gave me a few months free for my trouble.  Alas, this is not a review of Watertown BSC, and I digress.  

With maybe one or two exceptions, the employees here are friendly and hard-working.  The trainers seem amazing, although I haven't had a personal training session.  They seem to really structure the sessions based on the capabilities and goals of the clients, and I have heard that they are all quite capable at their jobs.

The housekeeping staff, although friendly and seemingly always at work, is perhaps short-handed.  About once a week when I come in the locker rooms are trashed and I refrain from using the restrooms because they are filthy.  About 30% of the time the vanity stands have Kleenex, there is paper towel and toilet paper (usually one of the three needs replacing at any given time).

I come in the morning before work, and the place is comfortably populated; not too empty, but not stinky and crowded.  On rare occasions, I come here after work.  Although it can smell nauseating at that hour and you will almost certainly be waiting for a machine, there is a positive energy about the gym that actually motivates me to get in a better work out.

On the weekends late morning when I come (or early afternoon), the gym is noisy and busy but not overwhelmingly so.  One thing that distinguishes this gym from other BSCs (in my experience) is the clientele.  People here are so outgoing!  I have met so many people here and if you're a singly gal (unlike myself) who is not opposed to a meat-market-like exercise environment (somewhat unlike myself), get your buns over here.
2 - Peter G.: I hate this place.

It's crowded, dirty, their don't seem to be any classes even though I am paying for them with my membership, and the men who work out here are absolutely disgusting.  I have to keep my iPod on when I am in the locker room so I don't have to hear their over-sexualized and misogynistic comments from the greasy scumbags who seem to pretty much live there.

But my main complaint is that this place is just plain overcrowded. The last six months of belonging to this gym has been a constant attempt to out-smart my fellow members so I can actually use equipment without having to wait forever as no one obeys the 30 min maximum during peak hours. I have made way too many sacrifices to get my fat-ass to the gym when making yourself go to the gym already can be difficult enough.

Their endless membership recruitment drives only make me angrier. This place has TOO many members already! I wish I was a girl so I could belong to a nice club like HealthWorks.
4 - Wayne W.: I think it's great.  Of course, I'm in Cambridge only for the summer (I teach in Maine during the academic year), and they let me take over someone's canceled membership for a very reasonable fee -- so I really can't complain about the price.

It's an easy walk -- I live in Inman Square -- I've never had to wait for machines or showers, and it's air-conditioned.  

I joined Planet Fitness in Maine (the membership that lets you use any location), and, if I felt like taking the T to Government Center three times a week, I could.  But I probably wouldn't.  

Really, no complaints.  I schvitz away on my elliptical machine, and remain blissfully unaware of any conversations, in the gym or in the locker room.
3 - Malena L.: Sure, this is not the best BSC around, but...

Saturday, August 9 @ 9am, BSC Cycling Studio:

Stereo: 
"Video killed the radio star. 
Video killed the radio star."
Instructor: Ok, guys, SPIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!
Me: [Holy guacamole!!!]
Instructor: Ok, guys, we're going up the hill now. Try to keep the pace with this next song!
Stereo: 
"Relax don't do it
When you want to go to it
Relax don't do it
When you want to come"
Me: [Don't you ask me to relax!]
Stereo:
"Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our ..."
Instructor: KEEP THE PACE!!!
Me: [Keep the face? GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR]
Stereo:
"Everybody wants to rule the world"
Instructor: Oh! I've already heard this today.
Stereo:
"Do you really want to hurt me
Do you really want to make me cry"
Malena: [NO. REALLY. Do you want to make me cry]
Stereo: 
"Running just as fast as we can
Holdin on to one anothers hand"
Instructor: *left hand on chest, right hand on stereo, head bobbing while he sings along*
Stereo:
"Hit me with your best shot!
Fire away!"
Instructor: "SSPPPIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNN!!!!"
Malena: [Hijo de put...me lleva la que me....put..]
Instructor: "SPIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!"
Malena: [Fuc...jeez...AHHH...]
Instructor: "Ok, let's stretch it out"

BEST.80S.SPINNING CLASS.EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!
See you there next Saturday.
4 - Emily L.: So, maybe my perspective is a little different because I used to belong to a completely disgusting 24 hour fitness in California, but I think this is a pretty nice gym.  It's kept clean, there are individual TVs on almost all of the cardio machines, and it's open for a good amount of time during the day.  I work out in the evenings (generally 8pm or later) so I've never really had to deal with the gym at its busiest since it's never very crowded at night.  I've also never showered there, so I can't comment on that.  Overall, I think it has a good variety of machines and equipment and is definitely the best gym I've ever used.  Yes, it would be nicer if it were less expensive and if the air conditioning were a little more reliable (seriously, I never know how cold it's going to be in there), but I don't have too many other complaints.  It's less of a meat market than I expected and I can pretty much go about my business without anyone bothering me.  Some people might be annoyed by the fact that it's underground, but I kind of like that random people walking by outside can't see me working out.  I'm not exactly graceful.  Plus, it helps me focus on my work out and forget about the time of day and how much other stuff I need to do.

I've also been working out with a personal trainer, which has been a really good experience.  I'm definitely stronger and more fit, and people around me can even see a difference in my appearance.  Yes, it's super expensive, so I try to look at it as an investment in myself and my health so I don't feel too disconcerted when I get the bill...Sadly my trainer is moving in a month so I'll be starting with someone new, but she's given me a good feel for the other trainers so I'll be able to figure something out.  It was totally the kick in the pants I needed to get back into shape and I'm really glad I decided to do it.
2 - Tristan B.: I've only been in here a few weeks, and I am not impressed at all. Blughghh.

I don't think it's so much the fault of BSC, as it is the idiots who go here.

I do a lot of weights. The Squat Rack is my buddy (that funny open box thing with that bar in it). 45 pound discs are notoriously impossible to find here. It's like they get up and walk away on their own. Squat racks with a whopping 90 pounds of weight is not enough. That, and no one can seem to do simple things like match weights. For the last time guys, 25 pound weights don't go with the 10 pound weighs, nor do the 45 pound weights go with them either. There's a little tree to help you figure that out. I wish the staff would be a little more proactive in reorganizing this. It'd make my day.

I trust the personal trainers as far as I can throw them (which is not very far) for my training applications (track cycling), and I never got my "free personal training session" call, but from what I've heard, it's complete bullshit anyways. Figures as much.

The locker rooms are awful at least on the guys side, as half of the locker doors are broken, and I feel like I'm going to get athlete's foot walking to pee in the bathroom WITH shoes on. Bluhhhh gross. 

Two stars. The only thing this place has going for it is the fact that it's so close to me, and I don't really have much access to anywhere else. Otherwise, I'd go somewhere else stat.

I'll update this if I make it to a spinning class just for giggles...
3 - Leighann F.: After schlepping around Boston for nearly a year with no gym membership, I took the plunge with Boston Sports Clubs. I hemmed and hawed over locations, classes, price...the factors that matter to me when choosing a gym.

BSC nailed it for me. $70 for a passport that I can use at any Boston-area location, which gets me access to a variety of classes. I don't need any fancy-ass gym...I need some weights, a mirror to stretch in front of, and more elipticals than you can shake a stick at. At BSC I have it all, in a gym that's surprisingly clean and not nearly as busy as I'd expected.

My gripes are the dingy basement location and the existence of a singular abdominal machine.
3 - Brandon M.: Well, it could be worse.

I just go here cuz it's the closest gym to my apartment, so that encourages me to go more often.  I'm not a gym snob, so I don't really require much in the way of amenities.  
There's a basic cleanliness as well as free towel service (the towels are unpleasantly coarse, FYI).  
In case you don't get enough tube elsewhere, there are cardio machines with TV, though I just use my mp3 player during my workout.
Mon-Wed after work are the busiest times.  
Oh, and I could have a field day making fun of the people that work here!
1 - Kza W.: whack, smelly, poor air flow, not enough space & locker rooms are a joke. only reason to go here is because of nothing. There is a new one in Davis square...go there or newbury st. Both are close and worth it in comparison
1 - Liana K.: If you can make it to any other BSC location, avoid this one.  I come here on Mondays sometimes for Olyver's boxing class, which is probably the only reason I even contemplate enterting.

I remember my first experience as wanting to take a shower as soon as I stepped in before a work out.  

Its dark, its crowded, its dirty, the carido machines are old and the tvs barely work, not much floor/matt space, the machines are on top of each other.  

This place should just be burned to the ground and restarted.
2 - Alyssa F.: I don't always pick through my hair like a chimpanzee.  
Only after showering at the BSC in Central Square, where the house conditioner leaves odd white semisolid chunks on my head. 
I know for sure it is this conditioner because I squeezed one straight from the bottle into my hand.   It was a relief to see, since the month before, I thought I'd found the world's largest dandruff flake behind my ear. 
I could just bring my own conditioner and shampoo, but I still consider Sports Club products a benefit of membership, and they are indeed special. 
The towels are tiny and abrasive, and a surprising number of lockers are falling apart at the hinges.   The exercise rooms are damp and stinky and good luck finding a machine on a weeknight.   
But it is a gym.
5 - Chris W.: The gym is very solid. I'm not looking to use cardio machines or any of the amenities. Half of my workouts consist of using the power rack  (squats, military presses, dead lifts, etc.). If you are a power lifter, this place is great. A good amount of benches, I rarely have to wait for the power rack (2 minutes tops), and lots of free weight space.

I live close by, so I can't speak to the quality of the locker rooms or bathrooms. But the workout areas appear clean and, although I don't use them, I always notice that there are plenty of open cardio machines.

If you are looking for a full-service gym that will pamper, this is not the place for you. However, if you are serious about lifting and getting in tip-top shape, this place is great and never too crowded.
2 - SD J.: "Meh" is a good word to describe BSC Central Square.  I had a membership here for over a year, and never did get used to the stale sweat smell that clung to everything in here.  

The staff is friendly enough, but the place is crowded, dark, and the machines often don't work for whatever reason.  It's adequate, but certainly not a place you ever want to go.  And I'm not expected a spa, like Barbara C. says - I just want a clean place to go work out.  I don't want chunks of shampoo and conditioner stuck to my hair because it's the cheapest and worst brand possible.  I don't want broken machines.  I don't want blaring music and a gym that just always smells awful.  I especially don't want to pay for all of this.

If you don't mind broken machines, a bad smell or terrible shampoo and conditioner... this place is a decent place to get a workout in.  I just much prefer to burn calories elsewhere now... I didn't renew my membership.
3 - Meredith P.: This BSC is prone to the other problems that plague busy urban gyms: After work crowds, overused equipment, lack of space, and unclean locker rooms. But they did recently re-model the locker rooms, and I've noticed that older equipment is getting gradually replaced.

The employees are nice and the class schedule is well-rounded. Also, they have some excellent yoga instructors at this gym. The yoga classes can get crowded, so I always arrive 10 minutes early to claim a space.

The ladies room sauna and steam room rarely seem to be in use. I don't know why, but that's fine with me -- more heat for me.
4 - Jeff C.: Perspective and previous experience, it seems, has caused me to value Central's BSC location more than most.  My previous experience was with the Central Sq YMCA - an incredibly moist, smelly and unpleasantly lit hole in a basement.

BSC, however, generally has good air-conditioning/dehumidification (note, I've only been in the Fall/Winter months so I have no idea what it's like in the summer) and generally smells pretty good.  The locker rooms and showers are pretty much always cleaner than my bathroom.

One complaint I do have is the long periods of time they seem to wait to fix broken equipment (specifically the over-used elypticals) as well as inoperative televisions in front of said elypticals.

The variety and availability of the equipment is pretty much adequate at all times (though if you absolutely NEED to use that one machine you may be out of luck.)  I tend to treat my workout like a buffet, taking advantage of whatever exercise device is open, I know how to use and will serve my exercise needs at that moment.  I'm the dude you'll see roaming across the club over and over going from machine to machine during downtime, catching his breath.

Additional cons: Provided towels are rarely big enough to wrap around my waist safely for the walk to/from the showers.  This winter come about 6 PM the bottles of moisturizer in the mens locker room is generally empty.

One thing to beware of: a good majority of the patrons here are quite fit.  If you have body image issues this may not be a good place to go.  I consider myself quite svelte and toned but I going here makes me feel 50th percentile if that.  On the upside, it may give you something to shoot for, right?

I have not taken any of the classes, so I'm afraid I can't comment on that.  But for folks who commute at the Central T-stop this is the absolutely perfect location for a before or after work workout.
1 - Warren P. B.: Other Boston Sports Clubs put this gym (Central Square) to shame. 

While I understand the challenges of urban living (grew up in Dorchester), there are no excuses for the poor state of repair, cleanliness, and value engineering (by management) of this gym. 

The Men's Locker Room was truly disgusting. The lockers are in a poor state of repair. The Men's Locker Room was not monitored for the slobs that leave their dirty towels laying all over the place, and both the Men's Locker Room and overall gym are dirty. Management has decided not to leave any spare, clean towels in the locker rooms or on the work out floor; a clear maneuver to reduce use and save money. If you want another towel you have to parade back upstairs to the Towel Rationer for another a towel (or ask for more than one on the way in). 

Most of the audio/video control panels on cardio equipment were broken or in a poor state of repair (not secured to equipment, missing parts, etc.) 

I like to wash my hands with Hand Sanitizer after I wipe down a machine; all of the hand sanitizer dispensers were empty. 

Guys, do you really have to use the communal blow dryer in the Men's Locker Room to dry your pubic hair or the crack in your but? Gross! 

I've been to many much cleaner Y's. 

Never again!

PS I love Rachel A's 12/3/2010 review of BSC Central Square. Let me guess, Rachel A lives in the Republic of Cambridge, and has two bumper stickers on her car: one that says Save the Penguins, and the other that says Coexist.
4 - Derek B.: BSC Central is a great choice for the discerning gym goer....or at least the gym goer in Kendall, Central or Harvard Squares that doesn't belong to one of the University gyms. Cleaner and with more equipment than the YMCA, BSC really has all you need. Sure, it can get crowded and it takes them awhile to fix some machines (there's an elliptical that has been broken for 6 weeks now) and some (def not all) of their trainers look like they could use some personal training themselves, but other than that, it's fine. Great location (next to the Redline T) and with all of the classes and equipment you've come to expect from a BSC. Try it out...just don't go during rush hour or you'll be left with no place to workout and no clean towels. Pretty typical of any gym. 

Btw, if you really think it's that bad, do some comparison shopping at some of the other BSCs and NYSCs and I think you'll find that BSC Central is a great alternative.
2 - Shadiah S.: So dirty. And the whole place kinda smells.

I've had memberships to other clubs (24 Hour, Ballys) and they just put this gym to shame. You'd think that FOR SUCH AN EXPENSIVE MEMBERSHIP they'd at least be able to keep the machines in top shape. But half the time they're broken and they're grimy in every nook, cranny and crevice 100% of the time.  

Yes, I know the Y's and other local gyms may not be stocked as well, but at least they keep everything nice and clean!

I know it's difficult to get some air into the place when it's in the basement, but come on! If the lady's locker room consistently smells bad, then you know you have a problem.

Definitely canceling my membership at year's end.
4 - April B.: This gym is in an awesome location...I think that's the best thing about this place. They have a pretty decent-sized class schedule, too. I've tried the cycling, Yoga and body conditioning classes. The instructors have been friendly, but not overly so. I've noticed that they don't ask if it's anyone's first class...I feel like that's something you should do at the beginning of every class so that if there is a new person, they can help them out a little more, ya know? I haven't noticed a smell like the other Yelpers...it pretty much smells like a gym to me. And the monthly dues aren't that bad for what you get -- showers and towel service. There have been a couple times where towels ran out and I had to sweat through a Spin class without one. I have no complaints about the equipment though -- I've never had any issues with the machines.
3 - M V.: I've belonged to several gyms over the years in Boston and NYC, and I can say that this gym is just fine. I would give it four stars, in fact, except that MySports Club corportate is such a nightmare. 

Everything at the level of the club itself is good: the staff are friendly and competent, the other clients aren't too obnoxious, and the machines are mostly nice. Personal training is expensive but SO addictively good. Yes, it's nasty and crowded at 5:45pm on weekdays, and yes, sometimes it's a bit dirtier than you'd like--but this is standard for busy urban gyms. I am really happy being a member here. 

However: heaven forbid I ever have any problem with billing or anything else that requires dealing with the higher, less-local level of the corporation. Honestly, I'm convinced it's run by monkeys or small children. The level of mediocrity and incompetence is breathtaking. One the most charming things: their website is not a real website; ie, you can enter data there (your address, your credit card number, etc) and it goes NO WHERE. It is not connected to the ACTUAL database that the company uses for billing. Cute, eh? And customer service is not something they've heard of.
4 - Lauren R.: Hey people that bitch about having to ask for towels - you don't have to do that anymore!  That's because the good folks over at BSC Central Sq have installed a big ol' towel rack downstairs by the locker rooms.  Now I can take two towels without feeling greedy...excellent!
1 - Dee P.: Dingy. Bad. Basement facilities. Smells like sweat and mustiness. No pool. Wanted $90 a goddamn month for me to switch to make it my home gym. So not worth that, thank you. One good yoga instructor (although astoundingly peppy- too much so for my companion); otherwise just the worst thing I've ever seen.
1 - Hicham B.: Very dirty  gym specialy over the weekend. Staff are not friendlay at all beside two of them ( black high energy girl& tall slim white guy). The whole place needs to be under a new managment and personal trainers that can provide better classes.
Dont recommend it all.
4 - Rachel S.: People in general are really picky about their gyms. Understandably so, but sometimes this leads to snobbery. 

1. Cambridge is a city. There are many people living in it who use this BSC. Therefore, unless there were someone solely dedicated to constantly cleaning the bathroom every time someone leaves a towel behind... yeh, things are not always going to stay spic and span. Perhaps, you like to shower at the gym and get ready for work there also. Remember, this is not your house- not everything is always going to be up to your standards. And even at $80/month, it's still a good gym--really, it is. 

2. I get it. I get it. Ellipticals are SOOO amazing. I mean, how else can you get a non-impact cardio work out?? Oh, wait, you mean there are OTHER machines that are ALSO non/low impact cardio workouts? Like bicycles, rowing machines and various classes, etc? Is there really nothing else you can do for your workout? 

3. I started watching the reviews for this BSC a few months ago when I thought I might start going there (I usually go to the BSC in Newton). Years ago, I used to go to Bally's in Downtown Crossing. Now, if you've ever been to Bally's (not sure if it's improved, however) you'd feel pretty grateful that Central's BSC is this good. Bally's membership was $39/month and was a seriously dirty, broken down joint with staff that lounged around on the equipment when they were bored. Once you've seen the worst, everything else is a cake walk. .

4. Some of the reviews here mention how rude the staff is. I don't use the trainers so I can't speak for them, however, I do note that EVERY TIME I've walked in AND out someone has said "hello, how are you? have a great workout" and "have a nice night/day. good bye!" 
What are you people expecting-- the staff to run up and give you a hug? And FYI, I come here about four days a week now. 

5. The classes: I've taken the Monday night step class and the Zumba class. Both instructors were very nice. Honestly, I kind of regret mentioning the Step class because even though they don't require reservations, the room isn't that big and I don't want too many people to sign up and take up all the space. So... don't tell anyone, ok? I heart the Monday night step instructor. 
The Zumba class was fun and actually seemed to be fairly low-impact. But there were too many people and I felt like I couldn't spread out and I didn't get the kind of workout I was looking for. This isn't really a complaint because it's my personal preference. It's clear that the reason it was so packed is because it's a good class, the instructor is fun and the music is great. 

I did battle whether I should even write this review because as far as I'm concerned, if you don't like it, go elsewhere, because we won't miss you and we'll enjoy using all of the machines/weights/classes without you.
2 - Amanda G.: BSC Central, you are the embarrassing sister gym to Davis. Why must you hide me in the basement and the darkness? Davis puts me up high looking out on the world. Why must u stuff me in a small studio with poles to run into? Davis gives me some space. It's fine if you live in Central and classes are a-ok, but if you have the option, check on Davis instead. You'll see a difference.
3 - Laura G.: The only reason I come to this location (which let's face it - is a sweat infused basement) is for Erica's Zumba class. I have taken classes at other gyms, and even at other BSC locations with other teachers and her class is by far superior. It is an actual work out, with actual choreography. Where (gasp) we don't waste half the class going over simple dance moves you can figure out yourself if you just try.

I personally could care less about the ellipticals or the treadmills. NEWSFLASH you can run for free outside. Zumba with Erica? Priceless. It satsifies my dancing craving - as a twenty something in the city I will routinely experience dancing pangs to loud, bass thumping music. This + a workout = killing two birds with one stone. minus the nasty frat dudes dry humping you. 

All in all a win. I'll overlook the obvious pitfalls of this gym and just go straight into Erica's class.
3 - Chris M.: Imagine you had a basement with a gym in it, and all these people you don't know were always there working out.    That's kind of what you got at the Central BSC. 

It's in the basement, no windows.  It's a place you go to get your workout in, then you leave.  It's not a gym you linger at, and it's not particularly fun for doing long cardio sessions, because again, you are running in a basement. 

I like this gym a little bit better than davis, the locker room is laid out better, and little bit bigger, the floor is layed out better, and there is way more lifting equipment.  I generally don't have to wait for weights here.  At davis that is almost always an issue, monday, thru wednesday. 

The pro's are it's really good for light cardio, and lifting, the con's it's not really a fun atmosphere to workout.  You don't have natural light like at Davis or Wellington.  

I wouldn't make this my home gym, but it is good place to stop at on the redline to avoid the crowd at Davis.
1 - Dan C.: While I think some of the other Boston Sports Clubs locations are nice, this one is definitely not worth the price.  The staff is friendly, the location is good - right off the central sq T stop, there is ample cardio machines and the showers are consistently clean, but the gym have a stuffy feeling and the layout is less than ideal, having half of the weights on one side of the gym and the other half on the other side, with the cardio equipment in between.  There are a decent amount of cardio machines, but not enough free weights.  There are typically 1-3 ellpitcal machines that are defective (make clicking noises with each rotation) and generally 1 or 2 of them will have a broken tv.  Last year, they went with a cheaper cable TV package, which dropped NESN!!!  Really?  No NESN in Boston?  I wonder how many people get out of work and decide to do some cardio while watching the Red Sox?  I'm not sure if they've fixed this issue yet, but it's definitely a question to ask if you're thinking of signing up.  Don't just take their word for it, try it out on one of the machiens.  The biggest reason for the low rating is that it is not a good value.  $70 a month for this?  Really?  I understand some of the downtown locations are really nice and some have pools and basketball courts, but besides free towel service, I'm not seeing warrants the $70 price tag.  If money is not a factor whatsoever, then yes, this gym is slightly better than the $10 gyms for location, showers and general cleanliness.  Don't expect to be blown away enough to spend $70 a month though.

Also, as a general note for all Boston Sports Club locations, even after you complete your contract at $70+/month, you still need to give them 30 days written notice to cancel your membership.  Why exactly?  Anybody planning on cancelling your membership after your contract is up, keep this in mind.  If not, they'll end up stealing an extra $70 from you too.  To anybody thinking "well it was in your contract," you're correct, and when I signed up years ago I either didn't read this or probably thought it only pertained to early terminations.  Regardless, what they're saying is that anybody that wants to cancel is going to be charged for an additional month, which I think is total BS.
3 - valerie d.: Why are people complaining that the gym smells? This gym DOES smell like ass, because there are a bunch of them sweating in there. What is a gym supposed to smell like?

The location is amazing. It's directly off the redline. Just because I'm working out doesn't mean I like to walk more than a block to get to the gym. I'd use an escalator to go downstairs if  I could.

The people who work there are fine. Frankly, I don't like people being friendly to me while I work out. But they're nice enough.. I'm sure if you give them a shitty attitude they give it right back but you get what you give.

I've been to most of the BSCs in the city and some in the burbs and this is always my favorite. It's always the dingiest looking but it's not fancy and the people are the least annoying.

I like belonging to a gym chain because there is always one near by, and when I'm bored and have some time to kill I can drive to one far away or take the train to a new one.

OH. Two saunas. I guess one is technically a sauna and one is a steam room but I'm not a sauna salesman so I'll call it what I want.
3 - Aine C.: Unfortunately I'm going to have to remove a star because this place has been declining in quality for the past couple months. First of all, I love to watch the music video channel and it has not been working for over two months now. What's the deal? And the tvs in general are going down the drain. Last week I went at a really off time, hoping to get to use an elliptical with a functioning tv and tried four or five machines before I found one that works. And the one I ended up using doesn't count calories correctly, unless I am superwoman because I glanced at it after ten minutes and it said I had burn 720 calories. Waaah? Not super important, but it's nice to know how many calories I've worked off. You guys need to get on top of your machinery.
4 - Juli M.: So 4 stars is a bit excessive and I really mean 3 stars.  I just don't get all the BSC hatred that goes on here.  

It's a gym.  Reasonably Clean. The staff has always been very nice to me. Convenient location.  There are treadmills and other things I mostly ignore.  You can pop in off the T on your way home from work, boom bang work out done. Go home an get some dinner. 

So yes, it can be hard to get a cardio machine between the ours of 5 and 7, just like every gym I've ever been to. The classes are pretty basic, and less then stellar.  Except my one yoga class which I love.
4 - Bree H.: Wow, I guess I have rather barbaric standards for my gyms, since I think this place is just fine and so many other reviews hate on it. I've belonged to Healthworks, Women's Fitness of Boston, Cambridge Racquet and Fitness, and Bally's, and I have to say that BSC comes in 2nd (with CRFC at 1st).

What I look for in a gym:

1. Does it have all the equipment I want?

BSC Central has tons of cardio equipment - treadmills, ellipticals, stairs, rowers, and some wacky machines that I'm not coordinated enough to use. It does get busy between 5-7, but there's no 30 min limit, and I haven't ever had to wait more than 5 minutes for a machine. Most have their own tv's/audio, and many are new. The spinning bikes are brand new.

The free weights are plentiful in both the healthworks range (starbucks venti latte to coach diaper bag) and real weights range. I also love the fact that the free-weights and machines are distributed throughout the gym so you aren't all grunting in exactly the same place. Tons of different machines to choose from so you can mix things up and keep it interesting. Lots of balance boards, foam rollers, medicine balls, etc and ab stuff.

2. Is it convenient?

If I can't fall out of bed and into my gym, I won't go. I am incurably lazy. This is a 5 minute walk from my house, and literally right at the central t-stop, so even if I'm out, I have to pass it at some point.

3. Do I like the people that work there?

I'm really surprised at some of the comments about the people. I don't think they're odd or rude. Well, a few of the trainers are bitchy, but the floor staff and cleaning people are very sweet (and BUSY - the place is NOT dirty, it just needs better ventilation to handle the peak usage times).

4. Do I get a sense of energy from the gym?

People at BSC Central are WORKING OUT. There are the cardio bunnies who sit there reading a novel on the elliptical, but for the most part people are putting in serious effort. I learn a cool new move at least once a week from watching the other members. Their badass-ness inspires me to get creative and work harder.  I've lost 15 pounds at BSC, 15 pounds that had stubbornly refused to budge anywhere else.

So, BSC has been effective in helping me get in better shape and reach my goals. That, to me, is worth so much more than a pleasant odor

Yes, BSC is in a windowless basement, which isn't great, and which is why I took a star off.

Healthworks smells nice, they've got a good selection of classes, and the hottub is nice (although less so when you really think about the fact that you are marinating in a soup with tons of other post-workout gym goers, mmmmm yummy), but their weight selection is PITIFUL, and they don't have nearly enough cardio machines. If I can't get my workout in, I really don't give a flying crap what it smells like.
2 - B Y.: Guys staring at other guys constantly. Locker rooms where patrons try to sneak pictures of you on their smartphones. Overweight personal trainers. 

Not exactly an enjoyable, comfortable or inspirational gym. At least they have bumper plates and a couple squat racks.
1 - a M.: This place really sucks. The only reason i go here is because the location is convenient.  Last time I was working out, one of the staff members interrupted me in the middle of my set to tell me I had to leave because they were closing.  She kept staring at me rudely until I just got up and left.  The people working here are truly unprofessional.  And most of the trainers appear to be out of shape.  Personally, I'd recommend they take some kickboxing classes at Redline Fight Sports across the street to lose the belly bulge.

The gym itself is poorly maintained.  They have squat racks though, which a plus.  But the plates are always lying around all over the place and nobody on the staff cares to put them back in their proper place.  

Perhaps worst of all, it's full of disgusting gay men who don't stop staring at you, especially in the locker room.  I stopped using the showers.  I've also heard that the behavior in the steam room is gross, as some guys apparently take photos of others.  It got so bad at one point that they put up signs in the men's locker room warning  that they will shut down the steam room because of this sickening behavior.
2 - Emily S.: I've been reluctant to review BSC. There is not much to say about a basement gym. It's a basement, it smells like a gym. What did you really expect?

This gym has most of the equipment I want.  They have enough free weights to go around. As long as you don't frequent during the new instated personal training hours, there is a a lot of space to use the weights.

I can only speak on behalf of the woman's locker room, but it is clean and roomy. The towels are right there so, nothing more to complain about. 

I don't usually have any problems with BSC. I've been going there for two years because like many have already noted, it is close and it is pretty nice compared to other gyms. 

The one problem I do have with BSC is the rude staff. I'm so tired of getting dirty looks from the 'personal training' staff. I constantly feel like I am in their way, and they won't hide their disdain if you really are. I've been asked nicely to move once, besides that they will just look at you in disgust until you do. 

The turnover rate of employees at BSC is ridiculous. In two years I've probably seen two dozen staff come and go. I mean, I wouldn't be happy if I worked in a basement either, but it wouldn't kill them to be less rude.
3 - Mahina K.: It's not the worst gym I've ever been to. But I am starting to think of it as my usual gym. It has all the equipment I need and luckily I can go to any of the gyms so if I need a change of pace I can get it. I love the hours for the most part, open early closing later than my other gym. I do think that someone, somewhere needs to open a 24 hour gym in Boston.

I do think some of the personal trainers need to smile because at 7 am, a frowning face does not motivate me to work . 

What I miss from my old gym is the camaraderie. People interact less and it kind of feels like a clique of gym members that do talk to each other. But that's okay I don't go to the gym to talk. If anything, if I'm doing it right I shouldn't be able to talk.

There's a trick to the TVs too. You need to have your headphones plugged into the jack or the tv will turn itself off. It took me a while to realize this and I felt stupid asking.

The hair dryers in the ladies' locker room aren't very good so I always bring my own hair dryer, which isn't too bad because my house is down the street. The locker room is relatively clean. For a while there was a shower that was completely flooded. The shower curtains stop short of the bottom of the shower door so the water always comes out of the shower. 

Overall, I do go back almost everyday, so I'd say that it's a pretty good gym.
1 - Matt S.: I've gotta drop this down to 1-star based on my recent customer service experience while trying to resolve a billing issue. BSC Central allegedly couldn't stop the problem of me getting continued charges after canceling my member ship in person (!) and passed the buck to corporate rather than calling corporate and taking care of the problem. Corporate tried to defend the continuing charges, citing some technicality about not being able to go directly from account freeze status to cancellation. After a tense dialog, the type that would be funny if you're not a participant, they agreed to waive the continuing charges "as a courtesy." Thank you, BSC gods, for bestowing this "courtesy" on me after bilking me for over $5,000 in membership fees over the last 6 years!
2 - Mac H.: I want to be totally upfront about this - we switched to this gym because we moved and before BSC spent the last ~3 years at the Equinox on Franklin Street.  I am definitely having a little trouble adjusting....

First off - you're in a basement and there is zero natural light.  The actual equipment is in good shape and you will definitely get a good workout.  I actually find that people are more serious about working out here, whereas I always felt that Equinox was sometimes more about the show.  

My complaints about BSC are all with the locker room, and it is too bad because they are all very simple fixes.  The showers are a disaster.  Who thought it would be a good idea to have shower curtains that don't go down to the floor?  Better question, who thought gross shower curtains were a good idea?  Glass doors would be so much easier to clean.  Back to the curtains - since they don't go down to the floor, there is water that goes all over the outside which means you cannot leave a single thing outside the shower because it will get soaked.  There is also nowhere to hang anything, except for one hook for a towel.  I just don't understand how anyone thought the current set-up would be an acceptable solution - it is like it was designed to encourage people to shower at home.  

Also, in the bathroom, they need to put a little effort into cleaning - it is very surface-based cleaning and they really don't get in and do an acceptable job.  I won't go into details, but a little extra effort would go a long way.  

Again, maybe I was spoiled by Equinox, but I think a slightly bigger towel would have made sense.  I'm definitely on the more slender side, and I have a really hard time wrapping that towel around my waist.  And they are about as soft as sandpaper.  Come on, charge me an extra $2/month and get some better towels so that I'm not scratching myself when I dry off.

Finally, who thought carpet in the locker room was the way to go?  Seriously, wet carpet?   

Of course, there are hardly any other gyms in Cambridge, so your options are limited.  With some minimal changes and just a little extra effort, this place could be great.  The equipment is comparable to more expensive gyms, they just really miss the mark on a place where people can clean up after their workout.  The more I think about it, I think they're just trying to encourage people to come in, work out, leave and go home to shower.  

Like I said, your options are limited.  Just don't let the shower curtain touch you.....
3 - Hogger K.: This BSC has a common problem: it's in a basement, so it's kind of dark. 

The place has most of the equipment you need. It has weight machines, free weights, cardio machines, etc. 

Here's a summary of the pros & cons:

PROS:
1) location. Seriously, it's hard to beat the location. 

2) the steam room. There are very few BSCs that have one, and after a hard workout, it's nice to just relax for 10 or 15 minutes and meditate. 

3) the towels. I can guess why so many other BSCs have such small towels. This place has normal towels. 

4) most of the cardio machines work


CONS:
1) almost every personal TV screen is not aligned with its machine. This might seem like splitting hairs, but if you're running on a treadmill for 30 minutes, you want to be looking straight ahead.

2) the trainers never seem to smile. I don't use them and I guess that they are not paid to smile. But they'd be surprised how many more clients they might pick up if they were a bit more congenial. 

3) the mens locker room. If you look at previous comments about the mens locker room, you'll notice that there is a common theme: certain men using it as a place to troll for romance. Some gay men reading this post as well as the ones by others complaining about this problem could shout, "Gay-bashing" or "Homophobe". And they would be 100% correct. There are a lot of guys who go to the gym just to work out. We consider the locker room as a place to feel comfortable taking off our clothes and taking a shower. I've had it with certain guys staring at me and other guys. From now on, if I see some guy staring at me and following me around the locker room, I'm going to take his picture with my phone and immediately complain to management. Everyone else who is frustrated by this problem should do the same thing. Everyone has a right to their own sexual preference, but that doesn't give anyone the right to violate other people's privacy in the locker room of a gym. There's a great reason why they don't let heterosexual men like me shower in the women's locker room: it would make the women incredibly uncomfortable. And similarly, I feel incredibly uncomfortable in the mens locker room. My feeling is that you go to a gym to get a workout. You don't go to a gym to pick up people. 


SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT:

1) get a few employees and start aligning all the cardio machines with their screens. 

2) tell the trainers to smile a little. Trust me, it might help their business. 

3) there needs to be a zero tolerance policy for guys who hang out in the mens locker room and are trolling. There needs to be a zero tolerance policy about any sort of sexual activity in the mens locker room. If you want to increase your male membership, then make sure that the mens locker room is a place where guys can relax.
1 - Alexa D.: So I used to have a student membership at the Fenway Boston Sports Club, but the military called and I had to go away for a while. I come back, excited to move back to Boston (excuse me, Cambridge) and I call up this particular Boston Sports Club. Have a conversation with this girl Brittany, and it was pretty horrifying. 

"Hi I used to have a student membership, i'd like to re-activate it" 
"I'm sorry, we only do that one month of the year"- I'm sorry, am I only a student one month of the year? 

"okay, uhm well my friend has a military membership, can I have that?"
"Oh we only did that in September, for ya know, September 11th".

What. 

Yeah, I know what September 11th is. I know that September 11th has affected a lot more months than just September. 

I just want my old student rate. It's not like I CHOSE to leave. But it is what it is, I'll head to another gym, perhaps Healthworks in porter.
4 - Karen K.: I almost didn't check this place out because of the bad reviews, but honestly?  It's FINE.  It's a gym.  The equipment is good and well-maintained.  The trainers are friendly - they don't bother you, but they're definitely helpful and fun to talk to if you have a question.  I'm a little shy, so it took awhile to start meeting other patrons, but that's how Boston is in general, isn't it?  I wish it was a little cheaper, but you can't beat the location, and am glad it's not full of meatheads, college students, or people who like to talk on the phone.
3 - connie l.: Tried this gym out with the 30 days for $30 deal to a) figure out if I would actually go to the gym regularly and b) avoid running outside in the dark and cold/snow.

Overall, this gym did the the job, and the location can't be beat (unless of course, it's right next door to my apartment). While this gym does get packed, after going about 8-10 times in a month, I only had one time where I waited 5 minutes to use the treadmill (and most of the time, I went right after work at 6pm during prime usage hours).

The equipment is adequate, as in I think it has all the basic cardio machines, weight machines, and weights, but I am no expert when it comes to weight machines. While I liked how the weight machines had pictures that highlighted what part of the body would be worked out, I really wished they had instructions on how to use them. I know it's not important for everyone, but I'm learning! and I do recall other gyms having basic instructions on machines.

I understand the space of this basement gym is small, but I wish there was a larger stretching area. Some days after work, part of the gym would be occupied by personal trainers and their clients, so one of the stretching areas and section of weights would be blocked off. 

The locker/changing room was big, which was nice. The changing area was relatively clean, and the bathrooms were okay. I never showered there, so I can't really comment on the showers besides that they looked okay from the outside, and lots of people were using them and didn't seem to complain.

With regard to the staff, the front desk assistant(s) were always friendly and would greet everyone with a "hello, have a good workout" and "goodbye, have a good day (or night)." They all seemed to be in good spirits or at least faked it, which I appreciated.

While I decided not to join for now (this winter has not produced much snow, and days are slowly getting longer! c'mon spring! plus, most of the time, I was just using the treadmill), I do think you'll get a good bang for your buck here compared to other gyms in the city.
4 - Kate H.: I actually really like this place - have beeen going on & off for a few years, and you cannot beat the location if you live around Central Square.  There are tons of treadmills, a lot of machines, plenty of free weights, etc.  I'm usually here either really early in the morning, or at 6:30/7pm...so I probably miss the busiest times, but I never have trouble getting on an treadmill, or finding the equipment that I want.

The locker room is fine.  I will shower here in a pinch, but definitely prefer not to, since the showers just aren't that nice.  If I could change one thing about this gym it would be a complete overhaul of the locker room/bathroom/shower, to make it way nicer, cozier, cleaner & more inviting.

But if you're just looking for a gym to get a good workout at, I think this place is great - I like the energy, & think that most other people are pretty friendly.  I walked into the new Vim right down the street yesterday to check it out, and while it is impeccably clean & very fancy looking, it is also dark, quiet, and pretty much empty - I'm worried that I would fall asleep here.  i like the vibe at BSC, and can put up with a so-so locker room.
4 - J T.: The clock was ticking... only 10 minutes until closing.

Mass Ave was packed with pedestrians, drawn out like spring flies after the first thaw.  I dodged and weaved between the throngs.
As fast as I was running, I couldn't escape the smell!  

I could picture the vapor trails wafting off of me, accosting innocent bystanders as I shot by.

Two days without a shower.  Sleep had overruled hygiene as I hit the snooze button for an extra 30 minutes... it had been a hot, busy day and I forgot to bring a change of clothes.

I burst into the BSC and bounded down the stairs.

Like a fever-stricken syphilitic I hunted for the locker room...
Finally I found it!  I stripped off my clothes and joyfully ran to the showers.  The first waves of water mixed with body wash were like a drink of cold, clear water for a thirsty man.

The exercise equipment is just a bonus... 
It's the SWEET SUDSY RELIEF of a Shower that I need!!
1 - Kim G.: I've been a member at this BSC for about 2 years now, and this month I finally threw in the towel (so to speak). Instead, I switched to the VIM next door which has been MUCH better on a number of dimensions (lower monthly dues, better atmosphere, cleaner, less crowded, more pleasant staff, etc.).

This BSC is entirely underground -- which might be fine, but it feels dank and dirty (like someone's basement) with fluorescent lighting. But I was okay with that to begin with -- they have all the necessary cardio and strength training equipment that you would expect a gym to have, plus pretty good hours. However, they don't have that many classes and most of them are at inconvenient times if you work a typical 9-5 job. (Who's available at 2pm on Wednesdays to take cardio kickboxing, really?)

The gym is often super-crowded, especially the weight area (which is not that big space-wise). During "rush hour," there's a good chance you won't be able to use the cardio machine you want (unless it's a treadmill, or unless you're okay with using an elliptical machine that everyone else has avoided because it makes an ungodly sound every 2 seconds). In the weight area, you'll likely be dancing around to accommodate other people in the middle of your set or you'll find that your weight/equipment has disappeared before you can finish your next set with it.

Beyond all that, over time, the "user experience" I had there just disintegrated. I think BSC's motto could be "Well, Sh*t Happens, and I Don't Know or Care How to Fix It." I'd go in and would spend 10 minutes trying to track down a piece of equipment that my trainer had built into my program, that had gone mysteriously missing. BSC's general manager would tell me, "well, people steal those little resistance bands, and we can't be responsible for replacing them." (Really? A large corporation like that can't replace bands that *retail* for $1.50 online?) Then, I came in a few weekends ago, and the entire binder containing the workouts of everyone who ever sees a personal trainer there was completely missing. The employees there had no idea. (I watched the front desk and scanned other member's cards in while the only available employee went to poke around the fitness manager's office -- just what one wants to do on a Saturday.) I improvised my workout, but the issue wasn't resolved while I was there, and I just ended up wasting more time on something that I think a corporation like that should have a basic process around (e.g., making sure everyone always has access to the workouts--or equipment--they've paid to have access to). Generally, I'd give the staff there a D- for caring (or even for acting like they care).

Finally, I went in to sign my cancellation form a few weekends ago. I had a billing question that the membership consultant couldn't answer; he said he'd ask the GM first thing the next morning, and call me back with the answer by the end of the next day. Three weeks later, he still hadn't. (I went in myself today to ask.) But it felt like the perfect metaphor for a consistently crappy customer experience, and it just re-affirmed my decision to switch to the VIM one block away.
1 - Javier D.: Horrible experience. The smell in the mens locker was disgusting. The machines are horribly arranged and not as many as I needed. Was there in a trial mode and even though it was much further I prefered to go to Boylston.
3 - Lindsay L.: There are things that I love and hate about this gym.  This is how I would rate them.

5 Stars:
+ Zumba Classes:  I've taken zumba classes with different instructors here.  They are all great, but I like Erica's class most.  It does get crowded during her sessions, but that's simply a testament to how good she is.

4 Stars:
+ Steam Room
+ Sauna

3 Stars:
+ Size:  It's smaller than most gyms, but it gives you the basics.
+ Equipment:  It's adequate.  You have to go during off-peak hours to ensure getting on the machines you want.
+ Bathrooms:  Compared to other BSCs, it's not the cleanest, but it's not awful either.

2 Stars:
+ Odor:  I know it's in the basement, but sometimes it really stinks with everyone sweating.

In sum, if you are interested in a particular class, the sauna, or the steam room, go to this BSC.  Otherwise, if you are more interested in just getting on a machine to work out, go elsewhere.
2 - J R.: So, my disclaimer is that I've been a member here at BSC Central Square for over three years now... so, it can't be that bad, but it certainly isn't that good, either.  

The pros: It's a fairly well-stocked gym; it's directly in front of the T stop; it's open early/late; it offers many classes, has a full locker room and steam room.  

The cons: it's a basement, it's smelly, it's not really that well-stocked, it's always a little dirty in the locker rooms, and the Tv's are constantly broken or missing audio.  

So if you NEED a convenient gym a couple of times a week and like classes, go for it.  But know that no matter what cheerful colors they paint the walls, you're still very aware you're in a stinky basement.

Boston Sports Club - Providence, RI (41.82405, -71.411643) (DownCity)
4 - Joseph D.: So previously being a member of Ballys in North Providence, (which caught on fire and has never reopened), and then Gold's in Pawtucket, which I love (smoothy bar is the best after a workout).. I ended up joining BSC Down City for a couple reasons.  1. I work downtown and it is so much more convenient than driving to Pawtucket, and 2. They offer a great deal to state workers.. $29 bucks a month.

So the gym.. it is great.  Clean, new, tons of equipment, friendly staff.  i usually go around 7 am during the week, and workout out for about and hour and half.. and in that time, I think the most people I have ever seen simultaneously working out has been like 6.  It has never been crowded in my experience, I have never waited for a machine, free towel service.. all good in my book.  I like to to that I have never felt uncomfortable... everyone is very laid back, and the staff at the desk are always very welcoming and helpful.  And the locker rooms are super clean.  

Only drawback being, no parking.. except on street, and no sort of post workout drinks whatsoever, most gyms have a cooler with shakes, or some bars or something.  My only complaint.
4 - Joanna r.: Variety of classes, clean work out areas, and helpful staff makes the BSC downtown a great gym. Overall I've loved the classes, plenty of options throughout the day plus awesome instructors that will push you to maximize your work out. The weight machines and cardio equipment are mostly new, plus most (if not all) treadmills and elliptical machines have tvs. Also, BSC gets a gold star for keeping the club clean- that means no typical "gym smell" or sweaty machines. 

Also, using the sauna is a life saver in the colder months in addition to relaxing after an intense workout. The club provides members with towels, but they are so tiny! Other than the towels, BSC is great!
3 - Susan B.: Nice facilities, it's a little to "hey how you doin?" for me.

Boston Tea Stop - Cambridge, MA (42.3718298384495, -71.1206388473511) (Harvard Square)
4 - So S.: Cute name and cute place.   They have good boba tea here (even though its powder)....more Tawainese in style.  Good balls....I mean boba :).  Good place if you are in Harvard---and just want a place to hang.  Perks:  They have FLAT SCREEN TV (usually w/ MTV on) and they have FREE WI-FI and nice 2nd flr big clear windows for ppl watching.  What more can you ask for,right?  well, they even have mochi ice cream--give it a try (ice cream wrapped in some kind of rice).  http://www.bostonteastop.com/
2 - annie k.: Not very good. Cheap powdered flavors.
5 - wendy f.: boston tea stop is a great place. Besides having the best teas around, they have created a pleasant place to sit and hangout. the staff is very friendly. they also have cool deserts. Located above raven ued books and planet records, the tea shop is ideal if you are heading for the charles river to hang out.
3 - Hana T.: This place is ok.  The tapioca pearls are strangely oversweetened.  I got the lychee drink and it's just alright.  There are better places, like if you're in Harvard Sq, you can get a boba drink at Le's (Pho Pasteur.)  

The mochi ice cream is expensive though.  You can get mochi at Trader Joes- the cheapest place I've found.  I recommend the green tea and vanilla flavor over others.
5 - Christina C.: BTS is a great place to get a delicious drink and hang out with friends.  They have free wi-fi, flat-screen tv, and games for you to play with friends.  Try the mango, mango-strawberry, or peach-lychee snow!  They also have great mochi ice cream (in more flavors than I knew existed) and dumplings.
5 - Michelle K.: Mmmm, the first time I went I got the taro milk tea at my friend's suggestion, and I liked it so much I haven't got anything else in all the times I've been there...except a side of mochi ice cream, which was also a nice treat. The Tea Stop has a ton of fruity flavors for the more adventurous and a frequent buyer card that will reward loyal customers. But my favorite thing about the place is the collection of games they stock that you can play with while enjoying drinks. The only hard part is getting a table for your game of Guess Who or Uno when it's crowded.
4 - Marguerite M.: I always come here after my evening classes for a snack.  I really enjoy the milk teas (especially mango) and the dumplings are tasty and $6.50 for the combo is not a bad price at all!  Cons: Some of the powders can taste a little fake though e.g., blueberry wasn't very close, and the boba can freeze and have a weird texture in the snow bevs. The tables are usually taken by the time I get there, but having free wi-fi is a draw.  Good place!
5 - Grace C.: best boba tea in beantown... hands down.  great hang out spot.  perfect for a study break, afternoon, late-night snack, connect 4 match... frequent daily if needed.  the teas are wonderful...  especially jasmine milk tea w 1/2 boba & 1/2 jelly.  :D
5 - Q S.: My favorite bubble tea place!  It's such a cute place in Harvard Square.  They have games and magazines too... they have Mr. Potato Head and old school street fighter!  I would recomment the Mango, Kiwi, Blueberry, Apple, and Coconut boba teas.  Yum...
2 - Kristin M.: i don't get all the good reviews.  they must not be asian.

to me, the teas taste really powdery.  it's not an especially cute cafe to hang out in or anything.  it's convenient though.

go to infusions instead if you can.
4 - Tess F.: I first went here back in 2005, and it was my first bubble tea. We'd make the walk out, semi-late at night. It seems like we spent hours playing Connect Four and Mr. Potato Head - laughing and laughing.

I always liked the bright green walls and the atmosphere a lot. It's one of those rare places that I *really* feel like I can hang out and it's not a problem.

I've heard they use powders, and it's true that it doesn't taste as fresh as Infusions near me, but I don't really mind. They have a much bigger selection of flavors, and, be excited, MOCHI! Good stuff.

Get the raspberry slushie. It's so fresh that there are little seeds.
5 - Tiffany D.: I adore this place! SOOO many things to try, it takes me forever to choose!!!  I have yet to try their mochi ice creams and dumplings HEE HEE... soon soon!!!
4 - Crystal S.: This isn't my favorite bubble tea in Boston, but it's still a consistently good product . I'd sort of consider them a starbucks of bubble tea.

I also like that they have the machine that sticks a sealed top on the cup so that I can throw the cup in my bag and save it for a little later. The fact that they sell mochi ice cream is also a big plus. The other  great things about this bubble tea place are that they have a photo booth, some games to play like connect 4, free wi-fi, a great view of Harvard Sq and a flat screen tv.

If you love bubble tea of all kinds and happen to be Harvard Sq., you should stop by.
5 - Leigh K.: So far, the best Boba/bubble tea I can find in Boston. I love that they serve it frozen if you want and their boba is nice and sweet, which I adore. I am addicted to the Taro snow and will go all the way to Harvard Sq from Copley during my lunch break for it if I can. 

My friends love the blueberry and strawberry flavors. Well worth the price for the taste, in my opinioin. I would love one more downtown.
5 - Molly R.: Phenomenal place, wonderful, friendly staff. I would go probably every day if i could.

try an orange pineapple milk tea with boba. its heaven in a cup :)
4 - B. B.: Sugar and sass.

Thank you, Boston Tea Stop, for being open fairly late at night.  And for having sassy (sassy-interesting, not sassy-rude) service.I recommend the hot Jasmine milk tea.  With boba, of course.
5 - Sisi Z.: Consistently the best boba I've had around Boston.  Coming from California I find all boba in Massachusetts overpriced, but at least they have a nice little shop with games and wifi and TV.  Try their mini-dumplings sometime, they are a nice snack.  I always forget what the difference between a slush and a snow is, but it always seems counter-intuitive when they tell me.  I think snow is more icy, and slush is more... smooth?  I dunno, I go for the regular or hot drinks.
5 - Ligaya T.: My word, this stuff is good! Taro milk tea with pearls just like they used to make it in my mammy's home country of Taiwan. Not too sweet, wonderfully creamy, soft but firm centered boba, and THE MELT ON TOPS. Yes, folks. For the first time in this country, and that includes all over the Yay Area, they have the proper machine. 

So that, in addition to their solid flavor selection, my friends, excuses the bright decor not matching with the faux slate floor and the loud tv piped through the stereo making it almost impossible to fully appreciate the wi-fi unless you've got the focus of the laser beam (intentional? I think so!). Welcome to my office. Plus with a kids corner stocked with Connect 4 and Mr. Potatohead, and Street Fighter II and a photo machine, it's got the perfect waiting room!
4 - Julia F.: Tea there is SO yummy! I must go again and steer myself from the ease of ordering the same thing as the first time - a ridiculously bad habit that I can't seem to stop, no matter where I go...

I must also bring all my friends here, maybe that way we can make it all the way through the menu. Also I am jealous and want a frequent buyer card, or whatever it's called that they scan for points. So cool. I wish loads more places did that. 

I tried Lychee tea, it was no good. Perhaps without milk it would've been better, but... so disappointed that my mouth tasted like lychee perfume might taste. On to the next flavor!
The only thing I didn't like is, I sat in there for about an hour and it was stiflingly hot, and my pants were all sticky-to-the-seat when we got up to leave. Yuck. I wonder if they have AC in the summer? 

Also, whats up with the weird fire escape stairs? They should block them off and add a sign or something to properly direct people to the entrance.
5 - Kathleen M.: One of my favorite boba places (okay, I like almost every one I've ever been to, I've been hooked on boba for a while...) - good consistency to the pearls, decent selection of flavors (I've had mango, passion fruit, and pineapple several times, and in the winter, the hot taro tea totally warms my soul).  The slushes are a bit too sweet, but the tea is the right sweetness.

Their dumplings are decent too, and I've never had their mochi, but a lot of people rave about it - good flavor selection on those too.

Cute atmosphere, and they have board games like Mancala, Guess Who, and Connect Four to play.  Get a card to accrue points for each drink you buy, but remember to get them to scan it before you order, because they can't do it after they punch in what you want.
4 - Lillian W.: I love the concept and the tea.  I always get the sweetened milk tea boba, but they have a great variety of flavors and slush drinks with or without the "pearls."  They also have yummy mochi ice cream but it's a tad bit expensive.
5 - Ally P.: If your looking for consistant and quick and never overdone boba with a variety of flavors this is the place.  Honeydew Boba Snow(frozen blended) is my fav while my husband really enjoys the taro snow with lychee jelly.  a frequent buyer scan card is a must have if you go a lot to earn free drinks!  Mochi is really good too and they always have some interesting flavors!

Oh and I think they have free wi-fi there too if you want to surf while enjoying your boba tea!
4 - Sherrie G.: I frequent this place as often as I can as I am a huge boba fanatic. Moving near Harvard Square has prove a challenge for resisting as the stuff gets very high in calories. The service is relatively quick despite there usually only being like two people on at a time. The boba itself is perfectly cooked, never overdone. The drinks taste a little watered down sometimes compared to other boba places but I don't mind it too much since I used to make my drinks with half sugar when I worked at one of these places. There's always the option of doing just regular iced tea if sweets and boba aren't your thing. They also have these great pork and leek mini dumplings and mochi ice cream.  

I didn't give it a perfect score due to the slightly cold, tight atmosphere than tends to get irritating when there's even just a few other people if they're being loud. Sticking around on a busy night is almost impossible. I'm really into beverage places being more open and having soft chairs and couches. The place is rather small though so something like that would be pretty unrealistic and these issues can't really be helped. It makes for a decent study place since it has free wifi assuming you can get a spot to sit down. I also like that they have board games available to play plus the only Street Fighter 2 cabinet I've seen in the area.
4 - Thuy Tien L.: For some reason, when this place went from Lollicup to Boston Tea Stop, the tea became noticeably better. Its Lollicup products were too sweet for my taste, but Boston Tea Stop's products were juuuuust right. The transformation wasn't very good for my wallet, but it was perfect for my bubble tea addiction. 

The tea is good, and so is the boba, which is chewy and mildly sweet. The range of flavors is somewhat limited if you've been to bubble tea stores in, say, California, but no one really needs to choose from 50 different kinds of drinks anyway. Makes the long lines on weekends move faster, which we're all happy about. The selection is pretty much all your basic bubble tea flavors (taro, passionfruit, mango, blah blah blah), except for one: rose flower. Wow. This drink comes with tiny rose petals at the bottom, and it tastes divine. 

BTS also offers a range of mochi ice cream with really interesting flavors (white chocolate raspberry and things like that), but I've never tried it. It seems to be really good, from what I can gather with my mad people-watching skills, but 3-something for a small ball of ice cream didn't seem worth the trouble. Perhaps this year I will try it and pass judgment, since I now know what really quality homemade mochi tastes like. 

The location makes it a great stop after an afternoon wandering around Harvard Square. You'll have to wait until AFTER wandering for your tea fix because they don't open until after noon, but the wait is well worth it.
4 - Luyi H.: Why or why must I be drawn to these artificial flavorings? 

But honestly. Whenever I'm craving one of those sinful things of milk tea with boba, I always, without fail, go to the Boston Tea Stop. I usually get the Jasmine Milk Tea: refreshing, flowery (like Jasmine tea), and guess what -- it's the cheapest milk tea w/ boba drink on the menu! And something in me just sings with joy when I get it about 15 seconds after I've ordered it regardless of who else is waiting in line because it's so darn easy to make. 

(Note: Do NOT get the Jasmine milk tea hot. Just a bad idea.) 

Other flavors I've enjoyed: taro (deeelish) and almond. 

I've never gotten the snows because I'm not fond of slushees, but I did get a mochi from them. Which is, as you expect, a delicious mochi.
5 - Michael L.: I mentioned the concept of bubble tea to my fellow navigator, and she has been curious about it ever since, so we decided to go to Boston Tea Stop and give it a try. 

(Incidentally, I mentioned it to my mother as well, and the conversation went something like this, after I vaguely told her what it's like:

Mom: Why would you want gummi bears in your iced tea?
Me: They don't taste like much. It's more like gobs of tapioca or snot. 
Mom: You are awful and that sounds like it is too. Here's your father...)

I ordered Taro Milk Tea upon the recommendation of my fellow Yelpers. I don't know if Taro and milk are separate things, or if Taro Milk is a thing, but this was so AWESOME! It had a slight taste of popcorn (not like those ATROCIOUS jelly beans though) but was so delicious. The boba made me laugh when they went up the straw. It's an odd feeling, but so fun to drink/eat, an enjoyable experience of consumption quite unlike any other. 

She ordered Bobatron, which was the special, and pictured as a robot with strawberry and lychee in his belly. His eyes were boba. I don't know what the connection between robots and bubble tea is, but I think it might be that robots love it. It makes sense because... well they just would! Strawberry and lychee tea with boba, and dear lord it was so amazing. She proclaimed that she will never come down to visit again unless I promise her more bubble tea, and at $3.50 I will certainly oblige. 

We also bought one mochi (best described as a chewy-on-the-outside ice cream dumpling) of the chocalate espresso persuasion, and enjoyed it tremendously. Delicious on the outside and inside, it was more frozen than those I've had in the past, and thus easier and less messy to eat. I recommend only getting the one unless you are a big ice cream fan, because it was very sweet. I think it cost about a dollar. 

It felt like a cute, romantic date, even though we've been on many. We sat in the park across the street in from of Grendel's and enjoyed some street music. We will certainly be back, and I will probably even go by myself. I highly recommend this as a date destination. My one qualm was the high temperature interior, but with winter approaching this might not be such a bad thing. 

!viva la boba!

(cash only)
4 - M. Deloris D.: You either love or hate boba.  I like this place.  The best bubble tea in the world is in Milpitas, California.  In a pinch, in Boston, BTS will do.  My favorite is Jasmine Milk Tea.
2 - Jason M.: This establishment might have wonderful Boba and novel tops for their cups, but their customer service could use some reformation.

A couple of friends and I tried to visit Boston Tea Stop at 12:30PM, the prospective opening time of the restaurant. Despite being past the posted time the establishment did not see the need to open on time. Once they did open (despite a line waiting outside) there was no impetus  to hurry and serve the waiting customers.

Regardless of the poor service, the Boba is above average and Boston Tea Stop knows what they are doing. I Just hope that the employees show more of a desire to be doing their jobs.
5 - Sarah S.: Mmm.. Deelishhh. I came here with a friend for the first time on Friday after reading Yelpers' reviews. You guys make me happyyyyy :)

We both ordered the iced Milk Tea with boba, plain and simple. It was sweet, but not overpoweringly sweet. The boba were more than plentiful and perfectly textured. My drink was ready about 10 seconds after ordering, which was quite nice. 

The highlight of my time spent sipping my tea while it was pouring rain outside came when my companion inhaled a boba and did a combined hack-snort to keep from choking. Those damn boba. How I love them..

EDIT: My new lover: large almond snow with boba. HALLELUJAH. I'm addicted, and it's a little bit sad, but I'm still happy about it because it's so damn delicious. New rating: 5 stars.

EDIT x2: Whoa, whoa, WHOA. It's 90 degrees+ out, and your BLENDER is BROKEN? And you therefore can't make any heat-relieving snows or slushes?! For multile days in a ROW?!?!?!? Not cool, guys, not cool.
4 - Cara P.: Cute! Cool...yummy!  Games, music and bubble tea......who could ask for anything more?

I like how they are playing on the "T' and Tea (of course)...they even have all their flavors on a board -kind like the map of all the "T" lines...........So cool that you can come to the Harvard Square "T" stop to get some Tea....ok cute.....I marveled over that for about 1 minute. On to the good stuff

I had the peach-lychee milk tea (yum) and am excited to try the Rose Tea......I also had the basic milk tea with boba but it tasted powdery

All I have to say is their dumplings and mochi are un freekenbelievable.......perfect in fact...this is where the fourth star comes in because their tea is really only three stars. 

I wish they had outdoor seating, yet there is plenty of places to sit at the park or even plop yourself down somewhere and watch a street performer.....with colder day ahead it doesn't matter.......

i have many more flavors to try.

They have wifi, loud music, cute games like connect four...A lot of people have mentioned it doesn't open until after 12, but that is pretty typical of Harvard Square....

The only issue I had is there was three ladies in front of me, I swore were Blanch, Rose and Dorothy from the Golden Girls.....They were having the longest conversation with the kid behind the counter. I think they said out loud every possible combo of flavors. .. and yes, this was the first time they have ever hear of bubble tea, so one of them called her granddaughter to let her know she was getting one.......

Urgh...i have Soap to buy at LUSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wouldn't come out of my way to Hit Boston Tea, like I would for Berryline.....but this place will now be on my list of Harvard Square stops.

Now it is so easy to make a day of Lush, Urbans, Berryline, Raven and Boston Tea........Yup I can do Bubble tea and froyo! I'm a professional.

P.S there are a few other places I visit in Harvard Square but haven't yelped yet.......Im gettin to it!
4 - m s.: the Infusion Teas are delicious!! and the mochi icecream is soooo good with it

Don't really care for boba and whoever works there always messes up my order and adds it in ;_;
3 - Chris W.: Yeah, it's the best boba in Boston and the boba is actually chewy and not hard and they have a lot of different flavors just like real boba places and also a flat screen, wow it reminds ppl of CA, blah blah blah blah blah. 

Here are the cons:

- Cash only??? I can buy bootleg dvds in Chinatown with Visa, but not food and beverage in Harvard Square?
- All they have is regular sized boba. No mini boba. No pudding. No lychee jelly. Back in the bay, I almost never get regular boba anymore. 
- They show random TV shows on their flat screen, with the sound inaudible, pretty much wasting the fact that its there. Flat screens at boba joints are supposed to play music videos or Asian movies or at least something other than silent Law & Order. 
- No food except for the mediocre dumplings. Where's the popcorn chicken? Where's the fried squid? No waffles or any desert food either?Where's any sort of food which is half the reason I usually go to boba places.
- They're selection of magazines and games is subpar. 
- The place doesn't have enough seating, and the seats are like old school wooden classroom seats. I guess it's harvard-esque but there are no big comfy couches or anything like that, which make it not the most comfortable place to chill. Which maybe is because they don't want ppl chilling there because the place is too small to fit that many pl anyways. 
- It seems bland and sterile inside. Pale green and white are the only colors. But maybe I'm just comparing it to the bright orange and blue of Tapioca Express.
- There's nothing fobby and fun about this place at all. It seems incredibly stripped of the fobby background from which boba comes from. I'm all about inclusion, but the place is not Asian enough (accordingly, Wagamama is right across the street). At any given time, a random white person whose never seen a boba place could walk in and not know that boba is an Asian thing. Maybe that sums up a lot of what I've been talking about. Boston Tea Stop is a fake, plastic, stripped of fobby-ness boba place that reinforces my general feeling that there is no strong Asian-American presence in Boston.

Still 3 stars since there drinks are pretty good, and their boba is reliably the right consistency. I recommend the Orange Snow.
4 - Sarah B.: I'd say it's the best boba outfit in Boston...Tapioca at the perfect consistency and size. If you're feeling like shaking up your boba routine, I highly recommend "Bobatron"--strawberry, milk and lychee. It's good news. Also, they've got a frequent buyer card. Although, I've been going there for years and I have yet to reap the benefits...Sometimes it's a bit crowded, but it's what you should expect of a high quality establishment. It's a shame they only take cash.
4 - Dana L.: We came here for mochi and boba (in American, that would be ice cream and bubble tea, but one word is more concise than two).

I didn't actually have the boba - why would I drink a cold drink during a snowstorm? However, I did notice that the tea was sealed - probably to keep out stray hair and bacteria/viruses.

The mochi was pretty interesting. We ordered a 12-pack, which gave us about a 17-cent discount off of just ordering one (You end up with a bakers dozen if you reinvest the savings). Basically its ice cream surrounded by some sort of rice coating so that you can eat it with your hands. Pretty good stuff.

They also had a good selection of board games. The people next to us were playing battleship, and I spent a while attempting the game where you have to jump the pegs.

The only downside is no bathroom, so bring your stadium pal or go before you come here.
5 - Jessie T.: Boston Tea Stop has definitely filled my bubble tea loving addiction since the second floor bubble tea in Chinatown has closed down. Not only have they filled that void in my stomach but they offer so many more flavor choices and those delicious little dumplings, and mochi, oh my! Chocolate coconut, you rock my world.

I've noticed that a lot of people compare Boston Tea's bubble tea to the Bay's..and considering the Bay has been doing this whole franchised bubble tea thing so much longer than the east coast, I have no doubt they probably taste a bit better and know a little more about what they are doing, however we're not in the Bay are we? BTS has good drinks, food, people, and entertainment...I cannot complain at all, so WELCOME TO THE EAST COAST B!%@#$! =)

Why does one automatically assume an Asian establishment must consist of Chinese Pop music playing in the background and calligraphy scrolls hanging every wall? In this gigantic melting pot in the US, we are bound to mix in culture in our own ways. Does fried chicken really equal Chinese culture? It actually makes me think more soul food. I see Asian culture in there, don't you? Just take a look at the SSF2 machine, childhood memories swarm my mind every time I look at that old arcade machine.

 Anyway, the green painted walls are actually therapeutic for the eyes (go google it, it's true) and thank goodness because spending a whole work day staring at a computer screen, my eyes definitely need the soothing. So I sit back in the cozy little shop with a Green Apple Tea (no milk) with Lychee Jelly (which I've been told is an absolutely awesome pick me up drink when you're feeling down) and watch some good old Family Guy. Oh Giggidy!

I highly recommend the pork and leek dumplings, just delicious!

Of course some of my friends insist on the Taro Milk Tea with Lychee Jelly, or Raspberry Mango with a drop of Lychee syrup and with boba. The taro is either you like it or you don't, some people find it too nutty-weird like, other people don't get anything else.
4 - Jasmine E.: I was craving some bubble tea a few days ago and Ligaya told me this place was great so after hanging around Harvard Sq on one of those rare beautiful days in January I decided to try it. 

Nothing puts a smile on ma chubby cheeks than to have some delicious bubble tea...well actually there are a lot of things but for the purpose of this review I'll exaggerate. 

I ordered the mango and almond milk teas which were scrumptous. I can't wait 'til the weather gets warmer to try out the other flavors. Maybe next time i'll get 3......ooooooooh baby
4 - Elaine M.: This place has the best bubble tea in the Boston area, in my opinion. The tapioca pearls are soft and just the perfect consistency, as opposed to a lot of other places that make theirs in quite the opposite fashion. As such, I come here pretty often. There WAS one time where, to my dismay, the tea tasted watered down. Usually, however, it is perfect. My favorites are the jasmine milk tea with boba, thai tea with boba, or the passion fruit tea with lychee jelly. Yum.

They also offer a plethora of mochi flavors (the dark chocolate strawberry one was surpisingly good) to satisfy your mochi craving, should you have one (as I frequently do).

To top it off, they have a few board/card games on hand that you can play with your companions as you all sip away your respective bubble teas.
4 - Sofia H.: ever since starting college I have become an avid fan of 'bubble' tea and find myself craving it weekly. In my four year search for better boba I've found that Boston Tea Stop is by far the best.
not only does it have a hell of a lot of flavors, but it also gives you the option of hot or cold AND milk or non-milk teas. The boba is also always good, never stale or anything
only downside is maybe the actual store which is very 'cold' but hey they've got awesome board games (like guess who?, uno, etc) and they have an arcade version of street fighter...
good place to bring people that are trying bubble tea for the first time!
(advice, def try the honeydew milk tea and the almond is also great!)
4 - Mimi W.: Best place in Boston for bubble tea -- just wish they were at CA prices. Like the flat screen tv's and the board games. Had one of my best dates playing Connect 4 in there. 

Good times, good boba.
4 - John W.: BTS is my most favorite place to come for bubble tea. it's a little slice of southeast Asia in Harvard Square. i always get the Thai tea with boba, though sometimes i'll get the Jasmine milk tea. 

two additional things to recommend: they have non-dairy teas (if that's yr thing) and they have free wifi (if that's yr thing).
5 - Tullia F.: I agree with Dan K. below.  Boston Tea Stop is a great place for Boba, and definitely on par with the best places in the SF Bay Area.  I would say it's just as good as Fantasia and Verde Tea in terms of its actual tea.  It's hard to compare them in term of tea snacks (thick toast, spicy squid...) since all I ever get in addition to tea is the mochi ice-cream, which is tasty and comes in a huge range of flavors.
4 - Jane R.: I spent months convinced that there was NO bubble tea in Boston that could match what I was used to in Seattle, and Boston Tea Stop changed my mind. It's still the best I've found. 
Very good bubble tea, will please snobs like me. Lots of flavors and other options like added jellies. I'm not such a fan of their mochi, but I don't really dislike it other. 
There's always been room to sit when I've been there, and it's a good place to go with other people because you can sit down and play board games, etc. I have very fond memories of bringing out-of-town friends for bubble tea and Mr. Potato Head.
4 - Jeremy K.: The place is pretty cool and I'm amazed at the choices you have? Don't like regular boba? You get replace it with lychee jelly and some other stuff. They don't just add the bubbles to the tea, but also offer it in shakes and smoothies... I got the Thai Milk Iced Tea with boba for my first time there but because I work right next to it at the RadioShack, I'll be there a lot more often now that I discovered it and look forward to trying out a lot more of their alternatives and choices. 

I noticed that they also offer mochi ice-cream which I have yet to try as well. I was in a rush but I'll probably swing by again tomorrow.

The only thing that I found a bit disappointed is the pricing which is a tiny bit high for what it is... But aside from that it was a great place to be at and the service was just right.

*EDIT*
I tried it again yesterday and had some of their dumplings. I had their leek and pork ones and they were pretty good. They are tiny and come in a little foam cup so they stay hot a while. There's plenty of them which is kind of fun. They aren't boba sized or anything, but are still very small. Pretty cool. I'll try to Mochi at some point as well.
4 - Liz A.: The bubble tea is really good here, though it is a bit $$. but worth it. another reviewer talked about the dumplings. they are terrible. The meat and veggies are mashed together in disgusting uniform pellets that often pop out from the dough. Save your money and get the mochi instead. or a second bubble tea.
4 - Roni E.: Minimalists without being sketchy. Cool. 
The girls behind the counter were really nice and helped answer a few questions about having my boba in hot tea (I've never had it in hot tea before!). They also answered Biba's questions about the wonderful machine that seals the cup. Fascinating! 

I'd say they seem to have a really large selection of not only flavors of bubble/boba tea, but different variations of tea. I like the fact that they have an Infusions Tea menu. So.... last night, I broke out of my Taro habit. I actually tried something new. 

I had the Almond Infused Tea, hot, with boba. Delicious! I love almonds! And it's so rare to find places around here that actually make almond anything. Thank goodness for the Asians! 

BTS you are a stop I will be returning to. I must try everything on your menu at least once!
4 - Karman L.: I like the bubbles here (just right degree of chewyness).  
I had the jasmine tea - it was a little watery - it could the ice.
BF had the regular tea - a little sweet - still good. 
Will go back to enjoy the mochi ice-cream!

Parking around here could be challenging.
4 - greg f.: The frosty cool drinks that the Tea Stop offers is beyond what my sweet tooth can handle.  It is like the wonder that is tea rolled up with the beauty that is cotton candy, with the thirst quenching shaved ice and hard candy all rolled up in one. How can one beat such a thing? It is so much tastier than other Tea shops that i now go into other places demanding that they make me a Boston Tea Stop type of drink. I will say "please young man, will you please take some of your tea and add one cup of brown sugar, one cup high fructose corn syrup and one cup of your blessed spirit and mix it up...dude". upon finishing they give me a dirty look and call the manager to be removed. So be it, I have made my point clear.
4 - brian w.: Quality mochi ice cream.  More flavors, please!

Street Fighter II arcade cabinet in the corner.  Thoroughly entertaining throwback, but fifty cents a go?  

Standing fan in the back.  It's going to get hot this summer!  

I will be back.
4 - Let It B.: Ohhh man, I hit this place like, 3 times a week for the jasmine milk tea with boba.  It's turning into quite an all-consuming habit - I generally never carry cash, but I find myself now making sure I have at least $3.35 in my wallet in case a craving strikes (they don't accept credit cards here, only cash and diamonds).  

I love coming here with a fresh issue of Rolling Stone and reading it at the table in the corner, just me and my boba.  Who needs friends when you've got bubble tea?
5 - Frank L.: I'm been drinking Boba for the last 10 years at least, since it first came to Waikiki and I was 12.  In Boston, I've ordered boba at a lot of restaurants, Boston Tea Stop and at Lollicup.  And this is my favorite boba place in Boston.  

I love Boston Tea Stop's simple menu of maybe 25 or so flavors.  I often get freedom paralysis from Lollicup's 100+ item menu.  The flavor is good and the boba texture is consistent.  And they have never committed the cardinal sin of running out of boba (something that Lollicup can't say)!

Also do not fear the food!  The mini dumpling are good!  And few people know this but they import their mochi ice cream from a popular homemade ice cream shop in Hawaii (Yelp Bubbies in Honolulu, 5 star rating with over 90 reviews).  

This store is a nice place to hang out too!  You can watch the Sox on their flat screen, or play a little Connect Four.  They got the street fighter arcade machine, but what some of my friends miss is the mini photo sticker machine.  I personally like to have Mr. Potato Head join me when I have my milk tea.
4 - Lisa O.: I've always been intrigued by all those people carrying around cups with chubby straws and mysterious orbs floating in the bottom. So during Harvard Square's Mayfair, I decided to stop in and see what the big deal was about. 

The store is super cute and enjoyable to be in, and the menu wasn't completely overwhelming for someone as clueless about bubble tea as I am. I ordered the almond milk tea with boba, watched the girl seal my cup with the fun little machine and picked out a fun straw in the color of my choice. Yay! I think bubble tea may be an acquired taste, and I'm not saying I hate it. It was definitely different than anything I've had and I need to go back and try it again.

4 stars for the fun and novel experience, really nice employees and super cute shop! CASH ONLY.
4 - Tali S.: Adorable location.  One of my favorite things to do when it's rainy is grab a friend, get some bubble tea or mochi, and play with the board games they have for patrons.  Definitely the best way to spend a couple of hours.
4 - Shawn W.: Now that summer is approaching and the heat index is rising, it's nice to have a reason to stop by this place and grab their wonderful smoothies. If you happen to know any poor souls out there in this cruel world who have never experienced boba, this is a good place to enlighten them. Ironically, after the last sentence, my regular drink order here is a smoothie with an ever-changing assortment of fruit flavors minus the boba. Boba is something everyone should try, but I personally prefer a smoothie without it.

The board games and Street Fighter 2 cabinet are nice touches.
4 - Dave L.: Cool place to get Bubble Tea and Mochi Ice Cream.  Unpretentious and relaxed, prices not great but good for Harvard Sq. area.

We had a "blast from the past" by breaking out Guess Who and playing a couple rounds (although we didn't follow the house rules, don't tell).
5 - Francesca R.: I lived in Taiwan, where bubble tea originates from, for two years and used to get one every day.  During the summer I would splurge and buy a round for all my students - because in Taiwan they only cost fifty cents.  However, despite the incredible price increase stateside, this is the most authentic  I've had in Boston.  I also like their mini-dumpling cups - get some of those and a milk tea with bobba and you have a delicious, if patently unhealthy, lunch!

The atmosphere is playful and relaxed - you could chill here for hours or just pick up your drink and go.  They have a good reward program as well.
5 - hiep v.: I like drinking bubble tea

The employees there are cool

Mr. Potato Head

Street Fighter 2 coin op machine

Connect Four
4 - Kiwi H.: Refreshing bubble tea on a hot summer's day is a great pick-me-up. A few notes...

Good:
You can replace boba with jelly if you want but the boba is GOOD. Yummy and chewy but perfect texture, not too hard, not too soft. There's also a lot of it in the drink.

Teas are yummy, there are tons of flavour, you can get them in slushie form and they have a BUNCH of mochi ice cream flavours. Anyplace I can get mochi ice cream, bubble tea, and dumplings all in one spot is a GREAT thing to me.

Staff are nice enough. Not super bouncy-happy friendly but whatever, I don't need that fake-friendly crap, they were polite and efficient and nice enough. 

They have games there! Street Fighter! And don't they have free wireless? Yay! :) And I like their nifty little 'lids', they're fun.

Bad:
It was HOT in there when we went the other day. Maybe their AC was broken or something but the fans weren't doing much to cool us off, it was still humid and sticky. Oh well, c'est la vie, at least the teas were refreshing. 

The thing they use to make the milkshakes is REALLY loud. It's like a blender earthquake in there when they use that thing. It was so loud, in fact, that we slurped down the last few sips and bubbles and got out of there because it was just 'RAH RAH RAH' loud like someone banging on your head. Just hope nobody gets a milkshake while you're in there and you'll be fine.   3.75 stars.
5 - Peter G.: Likely the best Bubble Tea in Boston! Taro milk tea is wicked good (Thanks for the rec Ligaya T!).

As an aside: I don't quite understand the rather unsettling color differences between the pearls at different bubble tea places, but here they are brown. Humm.

But the best was hitting my head on the awkwardly hung lights on the way out. I felt sooo tall! 

Even though I'm a paltry 5'7".
4 - Chloe B.: Yumm-o! I love bubble tea, and this is some damn good bubble tea. I have only had better bubble tea in NYC, and that's probably saying something.

The staff is super friendly, and the CASH ONLY sign makes me giggle. I like to stop here on my way home from class. Try the Jasmine Milk tea... or Taro Milk tea if it's your first time venturing into the world of bobba. 

I haven't had time yet to try their special flavor infusions, but rest assured, I'll certainly be getting to them in the future.
4 - Bridget B.: They get 4 stars only because nothing can ever ever ever take the place of the glorious juice bar in the gone but not forgotten Chinatown Eatery. That was the purest, most awesome Bubble Tea ever.

I love Boston Tea Stop. I loved it when they took over from whatever chain was previously occupying the spot and then made fun of the fact people were lamenting a chain that used powdered everything, whereas their teas were more authentic, fresh etc.

Plus, they have lots of little mocchi options, which always make me happy.

Personally, the Taro ad the Rose tea are my personal faves.
4 - A T.: Summer is here. That means cooling down and vegging out. Neither accomplished more fitfully than with an icy bubbley slush from Boston tea stop. Try the mango. Seriously. You can thank (and high five) me later.
4 - Emily C.: definitely my go-to place for bubble tea. i have yet to find something better in boston, even in chinatown. 
my favorites when i'm feeling for something lighter... are fruit teas (no milk) with boba or lychee jelly or sometimes 50/50 mix. also another favorite is jsut sweetened black tea (again, without milk) with boba. they're very refreshing summery bubble teas.... 
in the winter, i like the hot taro milk tea (which comes out purple and is really yummy and soothing..., taro is a type of root.. i have no idea how else to describe it. wikipedia it?) but i promise it's really good!!! 

only cons are they only accept cash, sometimes it smells like rancid bubble tea on the summer days, mochi is way expensive (you can get way cheaper/same quality at trader joes!) and they sometimes put a little too much ice into them... but otherwise i'm all for it!!! those are just little nitpicky things..
5 - Timothy L.: Awesome place for bubble tea and mochi ice cream.  I walk in order my drink and within a minute its ready for me.  The service is really friendly and the prices are reasonable.  Free wifi and board games to keep you entertained only down side is that it doesn't have a bathroom.
3 - ryan v.: This is a great go-to place to wash out your mouth from the bland tasting Wagamama. Perhaps not the best bubble tea in the world but it does the job hitting the spot. This place serves more a hang out than it serves bubble tea. The space can be very tight during certain times of the day. Open tables are hard to come by at night since it's board/card game night. A must go to place to meet people around campus if you're a newbie to the Harvard area.
5 - Trish F.: I don't know why I sprinted to the 66 bus (in Allston) to get to Harvard since I had just finished the many errands I had to do today. Sweating like a prostitute in church, I knew I needed something cool and refreshing (besides prayer). Even though we were dropped off in front of Charlie's, I decided a midday beer would probably not look good in the off-chance someone from work saw me (I took the day off to resolve some drama for those in the know). Walking back towards the square via JFK, Boston Tea Stop's sign shone like a sign from God (probably because I'm not a street walker.. much to the dismay of some men in Chinatown). Wellll.. maybe it was the midday sun glare, but I say sign of God. 

It was bigger than I expected (the tea stop). I guess the general 4 star rating threw me off (things seem grander on the internet). Not that this place doesn't deserve it. Air conditioned, board games available, mochi galore, and cool drinks.. heck yes 4 stars right off the bat. 

The cashier was very nice and gave me her favorite options when I was stuck with open-mouth-too-many-options syndrome. But I did know I wanted to try the green tea mochi for sure. I've had a hankering for it since I had it on Saturday (soooo long agooo). Sadly they were out.. but the cashier suggested red bean instead. Sure sure. And oooh.. I wanted the passionfruit & lychee bubble tea (special?).. I prayed they hadn't run out.. and they didn't. SCORE! Both were just what the Dishie ordered. My mouth was both cool (I already miss the red bean mochi) and refreshed (I slurped down that bubble tea like Barney to an unattended tap of Duff draft.. and the boba was perfection). 

I will be making MANY trips back. How many times can I update a review? I'm in bubble tea and mochi afterglow.. methinks 5 stars today.
4 - Lingy Q.: More of a taiwainese style bubble tea. But delicious nonetheless.
They have all sorts of fun and games lying around, including mister potato head. 
Aside from the extensive list of flavours for bubble teas (my favourite being rose flower) they also have mochi ice cream!
Certainly, the mochi here is not cheap; nor is it the BEST.
But it is good, and the place is cute, and the atmostphere is happy.
What is there to complain about?
Oh yes, they have no restroom. But, really. That is inconsequential.
4 - Kwan H.: I was walking around Harvard Square browsing through cute stores and people watching on one extremely hot Sunday afternoon. I was even wearing my cute sundress and fancy shades.   Then I started seeing purple and blue and realized I'd better get something to drink or I was going to hit the pavement with my perfectly powdered forehead. 

Of course, there's Peet's and Starbucks at almost every corner, but, despite the urgency of the situation, I was still picky and wanted something "less generic". Then, I spotted the Boston Tea Stop with signs that say Boba Tea, Dumplings, and I believe 'Sushi"??? I was loosing my vision at the point, so it probably says something else.

I ordered the Jasmine Tea with honey and boba which was really light and refreshing and I only had to wait 20 seconds for this and there were seatings so I could sit down and recuperate.  It was a perfect quick stop on a hot summer day. They also have wifi inside but it was just too hot and stuffy in there for me to stay around. You're better off walking around the square or sit in the quad right outside. 

Overall, what I expect from a boba shop... always good and refreshing. I definitely would come back here again on another hot day when I'm 100%. I would give them a 3-star but here's an extra fourth for being the only boba shop on Harvard Square so I didn't have to go to the less preferred franchised coffee shops. Oh, and also for saving me from an embarrassing faint.
5 - George L.: I think my friends and I would all agree that this is the best Boba place in Boston.  I like their snows and their hot milk tea, but really anything you get is probably among the best you'll find in the area.  Unlike Lollicup where occasionally I'll have bad experiences, the boba at Boston Tea is always nice and chewy.  

Their tiny dumplings are cute and tasty too, but no popcorn chicken :( I love the fact that they have Connect Four as well.

A word of warning:  If you have a Bonus Card (the kind where after enough buys you get one free), make sure you give to to them to scan BEFORE they ring your order up.  Otherwise they won't scan it.
3 - Melissa M.: Word to the wise.  Boston Tea Stop opens promptly at 12:30pm!  Alert to those peeps out there (like me) who power walked down to get some Bubble Slush (yes, slush...wooo)!  Anyways, they don't open until AFTER most people eat their lunch which I guess makes sense, I wish they opened at 12pm at the latest though.  This is what I got:
Coconut Pineapple Slush with Boba.
It is just as delicious as it sounds.
Tastes like a slushy Pina Colada with with Boba.
I think Boba is my new friend.
I was the first person at Boston Tea Stop today and literally 23 seconds (well, about 23 seconds later, I didn't actually time it) but very soon after I had paid (and got the frequent bubble tea goer card) about 13 (I counted) young'ns with rolling suitcases came in and excitedely crowded the place to get their bubble tea drink on before they went away (maybe to camp)?  I dunno they all looked like young whippersnappers to me.  The slush w/ boba did not disappoint.  It is probably made w/ high fructose corn syrup bc I saw them put that in so I'm not thrilled about that.  Just wanted to throw that out there.  My heart still belongs to Infusions Tea in Allston.  But Boston Tea Stop is my second favorite.
4 - Darren G.: Certainly the best Boba tea i've had in Boston and the mochi is good too!
Prices are reasonable though be aware they only accept cash. I also like their Boston Tea Card thing though i've never gotten any benefits from it, yet!
Be prepared for a line if it is a busy day in Harvard Square, they don't generally have working a/c so also be prepared to sweat.
5 - Mia D.: The review is only for boba and only for the thai ice tea version with boba.  So refreshing and tasty and delicious!

I always get one when I'm in the neighborhood, always.  My kids love it too, even the Boba!  They are going to be international foodies by the age of 5 at this rate (my 3 year old already eats everything - and I mean EVERYTHING!).

go boba go!

Everyone should try a boba once in their life, just try it!  It's good!
3 - Joey T.: the really great reviews here and my sisters' excitement towards this place gave me high hopes. but alas, it was alright. 

now, i should mention i just moved here from the bay area, so there was no shortage of good boba places there, which probably explains why i wasn't quite as blown away by this place. 

it's tiny in there, so the line was out the door. okay, good sign. they only take cash (so be sure to have it handy!). i'm digging the map of the t on the wall, stop names replaced with drink flavors. clever. i like it!

rather unfortunately, the fun stops there. the girl in front of me chats with the guy behind the counter for a couple minutes. which holds up the line. not great. i don't really care about the party you're having tonight, but if you're going to hold up the line, i would REALLY like for you to get out of my way. 

she's done, i put my order in (a honeydew shake), and i take a seat and wait. the other guy working behind the counter (he makes the drinks, the other guy takes orders) calls this couple forward and talks to them for a couple minutes (they didn't have to wait in line). it turns out that she was his sister, but i still don't think that's okay. there's a long line. but whatever. if you get your stuff done, it's fine. 

"honey shake." i get up. "honeydew?" i ask. "oh. did you order honeydew? sorry bout that." he goes back and makes me the right shake (the other guy he was talking to scored a free honey shake hmmm...)

overall, it was kind of an awkward experience, which i could ignore, but the boba itself wasn't that amazing (which was a let down for me, TRUST ME). then again, it's maybe the best i've had in boston... but that's not saying much. i'm definitely willing to give it another shot, so hopefully it'll be better next time.
4 - Hannah M.: Somewhat of a bubble/boba novice, Tea Stop makes me happy.  Not too sweet, boba is perfect in texture and tastes yummy too.
Slushes are delish!
2 - Gery A.: I like the machine that fills the cup with boba and seals it. I want one of those.

If only my Thai Boba had tasted good. the layers of sweet, creamy, starchy and herbal were all out of whack and the tanins were way too strong. I.e., the tea is oversteeped when brewing. Bush league.
4 - Chlo S.: Bubble tea is perfect.... when it's warm out. The Tea Stop has warm tea (with boba), which I was too afraid to try until this winter. Wow- good stuff. Nice mellow flavor, not too hot to drink with a straw. The boba is soft and chewy, hot or cold. Pretty standard flavors, though. Doesn't tickle my fancy for culinary adventure. If you don't feel like a drink, they have tasty mochi ice cream. That one doesn't come in a warm variation, so maybe stock up while it's still hot out...
5 - Caitlyn L.: What better than a new obsession for a 100th review??

Boston Tea Stop is one of my favorite places to get bubble tea.  The mango milk tea is particularly good, as is the taro milk tea and the boba are always just the right texture.  The price is average, the service is quick and friendly, and although I always get my tea to go, the atmosphere in the shop always seems lively and fun (having board games and Street Fighter probably helps).  

I did try to walk in the wrong door my first time here...so beware and don't look like an idiot like me.
5 - Dan C.: This is the best bubble tea shop in the universe. I say this because the owner is a friend of mine and friends must stick together or else humanity will not survive as a species when the aliens come and invade our planet. Just think of Boston Tea Stop as the Asian J P Licks. Take your date there after watching a movie in Harvard Square, buy her a Thai Boba, and you will get some action later that night.
4 - Kim K.: Da-freaking-licious bubble tea! I ordered a Lemon tea with boba, no milk. The dude seemed surprised I didn't want a milk tea, they must be the most popular, but I don't like milk or milky things (except Milky Way bars, another story altogether).

The boba was perfect, gummy, chewy, yummy. The lemon flavoring was good, not too strong or weak. It was exactly what I wanted on a hot night to refresh me. I will be going back soon!

Boston Tea Stop is cash only. My tea was like $3.60 I believe.
3 - chelsea a.: The insides smelt like cotton candy but that's not a bad thing. 

I ordered a milk tea despite my fear for tapioca chew balls.  Really good.  I couldn't believe it.  Must be more than the clever marketing on the name.  

All out of dumplings though.  Kind of bummed about that.  
Noisy fan and the awkward chairs made me opt to leave but I stayed for the outlets for the laptop.  You can leach off off of other internet providers there.  Hank Hill and Malcom in the Middle repeats galore on the television set.  Cash only.
1 - Frances X.: Growing up in Asia and moving from Chicago, I was very disappointed that fresh friut is not used in Bubble tea. If you are ever in Chicago, please please go to Joy Yee's and order a Mango, strawberry, or melon or green bean....or you name it....tapioca freeze. I heard that no-fresh-fruit is even the way in California. I found it very weird and sad. I just have to say you guys are missing out a lot!!!!
4 - Jess L.: had a very sweet milk thai tea with boba. quick service. a little on the smaller side for $3.50 - or at least compared to what i used to get in Chicago. good selection.
3 - Cate K.: This place is one of the reasons I put on 5 pounds this winter.  5 words: mango slush with lychee jelly.  MMMMmmmmm!

I knock some stars for not offering more decaffeinated options, and for their pork dumplings being microwaved and gross. But the bubble tea is very tasty!  Good selection.
3 - Mabel C.: I initially really liked this place when I first tried their mango coconut snow drink (I believe that's what it's called, basically it's slush).  Now I find it a bit too sweet and artificial tasting for me.  The boba themselves are good though.  The ambience is good - what would improve it is if it had a bathroom, that way I don't have to go to Staples when I need to go.  I still take visitors here when Chinatown is too far away.
4 - Sarah P.: I love Boston Tea!  I have tutoring across the street at Kaplan and I battle myself every week about whether to stop in and grab a bubble tea or not.  The thing is, I'm not really sure why I like bubble tea so much.  When I first heard of the concept my reaction was "that's disgusting".  However after I tried it, I was totally hooked.  At one brief period of time I was getting one or two every week.  Now I've come back down to earth and realized that bubble tea is best left a rare indulgence than a regular part of one' diet.  It's not that healthy, in fact it's quite caloric for those of you out there who are neurotic calorie counters like me.  

Another wonderful thing about this place is all the options. There are dozens of different drinks to try, though I've only tried about four of them, including the taro and green tea slushes, and some other wierd ones that were good but I never got them again.  As other reviewers mentioned.. some of the drinks are super-duper sweet.  I definatley like to treat myself to a bubble tea every now and then though, and when I do it doesn't get much better than a jasmine milk tea with boba.  The jasmine milk tea isn't as sweet and it's actually kind of refreshing.  

Prepare to drop a few bucks per person.  They do have a handy little keychain card that you can get free tea after so many purchased, but I always lose mine so I've never actually gotten a free tea (not that it matters because it's worth the money).

The atmosphere at Boston Tea leaves much to be desired.  It's small and rather makeshift.  It kind of feels like a shitty break room for employees at a retail store in there.  I feel like a giant in there and I'm a mere 5'4.  I just rush in, get my tea, and head right back out.  And parking, forget about it.  Unless you got at an off time, like Sunday morning, good luck to you on finding a spot.  I usually park in a lot or a few blocks away and walk there.  Otherwise you'll drive yourself crazy circling around.

I haven't tried the food there, and for obvious reasons.  Why would you get food there when you're in friggen Harvard Square- there is so much good food to be had.  For example right next door is 9 Tastes, a thai place that is just phenom.  I'd suggest dining there and then hitting Boston T for dessert.   Boston Tea is just for the tea. Period.  Wow riting this review just gave me an incredible urge for some bubble tea!  Check this place out though it's quite good fun and it's not as emo as Pete's.
4 - Sylvia A.: I love the bubble tea here! It's hard for me to not stop here when I'm in Harvard. When it's warm out I'll go for the blueberry infusion, no milk; when it's cold I prefer the almond milk tea, both equally delicious. My friends all love it too, they have their own preferences - Thai milk tea, lychee jelly, etc. I also like the point system they've got going - my last drink was free. :)

However, I have never had any of their food. I also wish it didn't feel so cramped and that they accepted credit/debit cards(!!).
4 - Catie C.: The only reason I had a drink here was because my cousin had an urge for bubble tea, and we were near by. 

I had the traditional bubble milk tea. The boba was good - right amount of sweetness and chewiness. The tea itself was OK. It didn't have alot of tea taste; but still good. When drinking bubble tea, I'm more concerned with the texture with the boba than the taste of the tea.
4 - Edmond W.: After frequenting many bubble tea shops and restaurants I can confidently say this place has the best bubble tea in the Boston area, in terms of taste and boba quality. I even have one of those green membership cards and have gotten many a free drink from them. However, they only get 4 stars because even though its only $5 for a cup of tea...its $5 for a cup of tea...which i find to be ridiculously overpriced (I think they make 500% on every cup they sell). So if you go always get the large because it's worth it for the difference in price and if you don't already have a tea stop card then get one cuz if you go there a lot you're missing out on a lot of free drinks.
4 - Austin T.: So I am infatuated with boba, and by extension, Boston Tea Stop.  The tapioca pearls are always fresh and perfectly chewy - never that sat-in-a-food-court-refrigerator-too-long staleness.  I've had almost every flavor on their board and have been diligently working my way through creative flavor combinations - a few are too sweet, but most are delightful and/or comparable to a shot of instant happiness.

They offer mochi ice cream, too; once thawed a little bit, they can be the cherry on top of whipped cream. Green tea, red bean are favorites! :)

Unfortunately, the sitting area isn't the epitome of comfort and the flatscreen shows really random channels..
... and it is a little annoying to run across the street to use the bathroom... -.-;;
5 - Summer N.: Not only is the bubble tea here delicious - I usually get the milk tea with lychee - but bubble tea makes a great excuse to invite a friend out for a nice afternoon chat.  Email someone you haven't seen in awhile and recommend some bubble tea and a wander through Harvard Square, it's a great setup for a lovely time.
4 - Danielle M.: Taro boba tea, oh how I love thee :)
3 - Rosie F.: This place is good.
The boba was fresh and the tea was yummy. 
However the store was very dark and cold and not as clean or tidy as i would have hoped. 

4 stars for the drinks, but minus 1 for the ambiance (or lack there of)
4 - Kat C.: As big of a bitch as I am about my food, stop kidding yourselves. Bubble tea is bubble tea, good god man this isn't a wine tasting.

Lipton quality tea (bulk, most likely generic brand)
+ Some type of milk product (powdered milk, creamer, fresh, etc.)
----------------------
MILK TEA EVERYWHERE 

And yes I can judge because I grew up in Los Angeles and was a first hand witness to the boba takeover in the late 1990s. Lollicup, Tapioca Express, Ten Ren and those mom and pop boba stores that folded after Pinkberry took over as the suburban Asian snack of choice, they're all the same. Sure you have slight variations but there's no continuum of bubble tea quality, or if there is, it's very short. So unless you use the monkey picked tea leaves of the Himalayas and the milk of Kobe cows, I doubt boba can achieve anything beyond or short of the already established threshold of mediocrity.

So yeah, this place tastes like every other milk tea place everywhere else, which isn't difficult to accomplish when you only have three ingredients.
4 - Leah K.: I was introduced to Boston Tea Stop by a Chinese friend of mine, who said he loved it. I tried some of his, and thought it was pretty interesting, but I didn't order any. 

A few weeks later, I was in Harvard Square with a friend. We decided to get some Bubble Tea. 

I was pleasantly surprised. I ordered a Pineapple Slush with Boba and found it very delicious. It was pretty sweet but very flavorful, and the boba was good (I'm not an expert on tapioca beads in any stretch of the imagination, but it was to my liking). My drink cost about $3.75, which is high for a drink, but you won't pay any less for a specialty drink from, lets say, Starbucks. Plus, getting Bubble Tea for me is an experience I'm willing to pay that much for. 

The store is small but clean, the staff was friendly, and the menu has SO many choices. 

Another time I went, their blender was broken and for some reason they also couldn't serve any hot beverages. I got Orange Pineapple Boba Tea without milk, and it was again every good. 

Looking forward to trying different drinks and maybe the mochi!
5 - Katie L.: My bf's mother thinks bubble tea is gross, and calls the boba 'fish eyes'.

I, however, LOVE bubble tea, and try to keep her uh, vivid description out of my head whenever I have it. 

Boston Tea Stop gets 5 stars for the immense selection of flavors. A couple of them are too sweet for me, but most have been great. I love that you can combine whatever flavors strike your fancy.

Bonus points for having Mochi. The boba are perfectly chewy - not too mushy, not too hard. 

I might take off points for the rather spartan looking seating area, but I never stay anyway, so who am I to complain? I would love it if they took credit cards, but that isn't enough for me to take away a whole star.
1 - Ryan K.: I don't know why so many people hype up BTS so much. It's true, the bubble tea in California is far better. 

The ambiance at a typical bubble tea chain store in California goes something like this: spacious, with a TV playing C-pop or K-pop music videos, and plenty of real board games, as well as maybe some functional tabletop video games, such as Photohunt. It's always loud, but most Asian-themed places tend to be -- restaurants, boba shops, whatever. 

BTS is nothing like this. It's eerily quiet and cramped, the board games are all extremely lame, and the TV material is all over the place. 

And the actual tea -- it's just not the same. I can't put my finger on it since bubble tea should just be bubble tea. 

I'll go to BTS and buy a drink if I'm with a group of people in Harvard Square, but I'd never go just for it -- I'd also never recommend this to anyone who has tasted authentic bubble tea -- Taiwan, California, NYC, wherever.

[Edit] I took a friend from California here. She walked in, said it was sort of ghetto, and we left immediately.
4 - Yoojin A.: As a native Californian, I've had pretty good boba (or bubble) tea, and Boston Tea Stop's boba milk tea is just OK~ However, since there aren't that many places to get it, I frequent this place quite often. The atmosphere is playful with lots of cute games (like Uno, Guess Who?, connect four,...) and a TV playing either a movie or cable channel. I find that it's a nice place to just meet up with a friend casually, although it can get quite loud inside especially when they're using the blender to make drinks. The biggest negative about this place is that there is no public restroom, but I suppose this helps prevent people from sitting around all-day & increases turnover.

But overall, I enjoy having some sort of a boba shop nearby~  Also, they used to sell these steamed mini-dumplings, which for some reason have 'gone on vacation' & have never returned...=/
4 - Ryan G.: I've been here several times and always have a good experience. The bubble tea is great. They have a good variety of flavors and the boba is always fresh, soft, and chewy. I've never had any grainy, poorly mixed bubble tea here. It costs around $4 which is on par with any other place. I have a big sweet tooth so my favorite flavor is probably the Thai tea.

I normally buy my drink and leave because the shop is tiny with limited seating not to mention that it is stifling hot during the summer months. It can also be kind of loud listening to the blender and crappy hip hop music. The only other caveat is they solely accept cash. That aside, I highly recommend this place to stop in and get some tasty bubble tea to go.
5 - Alicia H.: mmmmmmmmm........raspberry snow...mm.....  *slobbers grotesquely*
4 - Sameer N.: sparked a juicy water filtration device up and went to this tonight.  i was so dazed. i ordered a 3 pack of moschi with my friend.  they had coconut chip, white raspberry chip, and mint chocolate chip.  We got one of each.  (They had leechee too but i don't like that.)

All I can say is that their moschi is awesome.  When you're totally toasted it's always a good time to eat something that tastes awesome and is kind of fun to eat.  Ice cream will never let you down.  

The Street Fighter II machine ate .50 cents of mine a while back and I still haven't let it go.  Other than that, check this place out.
5 - Celia S.: BOBA, MOCHI, & CONNECT FOUR~Simply Divine!! 

This has to be one of my Favorite tea places ever! I always make it a point to stop here ever time I'm in Boston!! 

They have an extensive menu or hot and cold teas which you can get with or without boba! 

They also have the most amazing choices for mochi ice cream~I am absolutely addicted!! I usually try 5 or 6 every time! Choco-coconut~yummmm 

The best part is hanging out with your boba and mochi, playing some random board game with your buddies! -They have a plastic shelf full of board game goodies--Guess who, connect four, Uno, battleship..etc 

Def a place worth spending some time in!!
4 - Vanilla P.: The sentence heard round the world: "We're out of honeydew."

... :(

So I tried Rose water flavor, Melissa G tried Passion fruit, and Hubby tried Strawberry. We were all satisfied with the flavors and the tiny balls in our mouths!

:)
3 - Merida F.: This is the first time I have ever had boba and I can't decide yet if I am a fan-but it was worth the experience!  I tried the almond milk and I really liked it.  It has an extensive menu and it took me a while to decide.  Great stop on a hot day-you can get your drink hot or cold just make sure to tell them(otherwise they will make it cold).
4 - Yui K.: The bubbletea is aiite (nice, soft, chewy tapioca)........... but the mochi icecream is AMAZING! My friend and I were confused about what to order because they have more-than-typical flavors. Alls we wanted was some greentea icecream mochi, but they didnt have... which turned out to be more than fine. We ended up with mint chocolate and dark chocolate raspberry and OMG they were SO DERICIOUS. Decently large size, awesome flavor combos. All day long afterwards we kept whining at random intervals about wanting more mochi. Actually, I want some RIGHT NOW. waaahhhhhh...........
3 - Miriam L.: Oh lord.  I'm getting tired of Californians griping about how Boston doesn't have good Chinese food...Boston doesn't have good Sushi...Boston doesn't have good boba.  You do realize that there are places serving terrible versions of all three in California, too, right?  Also, just because it's *different* from what you're used to doesn't mean it's bad.  Just that it's different.

That said, Boston Tea Stop isn't the best boba I've ever had.  It's also not even close to the worst.  It's good enough on a hot day, and the certainly do have plenty of options.
5 - Jessica W.: When I lived on the Cambridge/Somerville border, I used to make a pilgrimage to Boston Tea Stop every weekend.  I still make it a point to roll on up to BTS whenever I'm back in the Cambridge area.

The tapioca pearls are perfectly cooked here (no small feat, I'm guessing, considering the sub-par pearls I've had elsewhere).  You can also get lychee jelly instead of boba, or do a half-and-half combo.  I like the lychee jelly, but the boba here is so good that I usually just get all boba.  I especially enjoy the honeydew milk tea, the rose flower tea (complete with petals), raspberry (if you like seeds--which I do) and the taro.  Another cool thing here is that you can mix flavors--my boyfriend's a big fan of blueberry-yogurt.  If it's not too crowded, we like to  play Connect Four or Guess Who here.
5 - Emily P.: Go! Eat Mochi! Staff is always lovely.
4 - Lisa R.: The lady at the counter was extremely understanding and patient with a boba-n00b like me. She helped me work through what flavor I wanted to try and even let me sample two or three kinds. I was intrigued by their unique packaging of the cups and was extremely pleased with my treat. I ended up getting the Jasmine Green Tea with Milk and Honey. The tea was delicious and refreshing, and the boba (tapioca pearls) were a wonderful consistency. Not too mushy or too hard, the boba are a pretty purple-ish brown color so you can watch them slurp up the oversized straw. I'm definitely going back to try a fruit infusion. Be prepared to drop around $4 on your tasty beverage.
3 - Alexander H.: There's really not too much to say about Boston Tea stop. Yes, I do think it's over hyped, but I don't think it deserves some of the backlash it gets from some people.

It's a boba place. It has a large selection of boba and related drinks (slushies, smoothies, etc.). The boba is pretty good, but not amazing, and it's a tad pricey.That's pretty much it. 

So if you're in the Harvard area and you like boba, then this is probably a safe bet, but I wouldn't worry too much about going out of your way to find it in Harvard square.
2 - Tracy K.: Let's play a game of word association.

Flavors: decent
Price: okay
Space: tiny
Facilities: dirtyish
Customers: Harvard
Boba: inconsistent
Rewards card: crappy program
TV: ABDC/SYTYCD/UFC
Service: hit-or-miss. usually miss.
Boston Tea Stop: meh

Overall: I want Lollicup.
4 - Silona B.: not a momokos... (which is in Austin texas)

But certainly better than my recent adventures in Boba in DC and SF.

the tiny boba is quite fun and is perfectly done.  But they use the purees that coco's has instead of the infusions that momoko does (which admittedly takes a long time)

So the picky little tea snob... misses those.
2 - Carol T.: They used to have OK bubble tea, but it's gone downhill since. The size of their boba is much smaller than before, and not as chewy. 

For REALLY GOOD BUBBLE TEA, check out Infusions Tea Spa in Allston. They have amazing bubble tea there, and for the same price.
3 - Karin G.: I usually ordered two type of bubble tea--thai or milk tea.  Yes, it is a very safe call but it worked and perserved the little affection that I had toward this store.  Besides the one-time that I did become adventurous by ordering a non-tea item, I regret that decision.  I could not recalled the flavor but it was green and SWEET AS HELL.  I thought I was drinking syrup, which is why I give it three stars instead of four.  The bubble tea is good, not too sweet and the "bubble" is gummy and does not clump against each other.
4 - harley h.: I love coming here when i am in the neighborhood but i hate going inside to the funky smell that the fan blows at you... but my favorites are honey smooth, Leechi and pine-apple Snow both wit a 50/50 combo of bobas n leechi gummies
2 - Nicholas F.: To quote Dave Chappelle quoting Rick James, "I wish I had more hands, so I could give this place 4 thumbs down!"  Ok, it's not that bad, not it's pretty crappy.

Granted I always go here late at night, so that might color my experience, but I find the staff there at least 50% of the time completely inconsiderate -- like I'm inconveniencing them by buying stuff.  Isn't that what you get paid for?  Guh!

Also, at least 3 times I've gone (and mind you, I haven't gone often), I'll try to order a bubble tea smoothie and THEY RUN OUT OF ICE CREAM AND MOCHI.  So then, what exactly do you sell?  How can you run out of a clear staple for your store?  And not once, but thrice (and, mind you, these are only during times I've happened to crave bubble tea, this could be happening all the time!).  Not to mention the staff yells at me accustitorily, "We're out of Ice Cream order something else!"  I don't want something else, jerk-off, I want my frickin' bubble tea smoothie.  Why don't you get a handle on how to order things and keep your store stocked. =P
3 - Deanna D.: I stop in this little tea shop in Harvard Sq.here when I'm having a bubble tea craving and don't want to schlep down to Chinatown. Its not quite as good as the ones in Chinatown but it enjoyable. 

The fruit smoothies with boba are my fav. They have a great variety of flavors and types of tea to choose from which I love. The staff is friendly and the service is pretty quick. They are a little pricey and the boba can be inconsistant but when its good its really good.

Overall a good but not great place for bubble tea.
5 - Ariel G.: i like this place alot! it used to be loli cup but not anymore. their milk teas are really good and i love their iced snows! coconut is my favoritr flavor but i also like strawberry snows and honey dew melon milk teas. they have a huge variety of flavors. there mochi is really good to. they used to have a tiramisu flavor but no longer have that :( o well. the other ones are good as well. this place is fun because they have games that you can play and magazines as well. i also think they have free wifi. go here it really good!
4 - Mai H.: I just moved to Austin and I miss this place a lot. 

Bubble tea/tea flavors are pretty standard. Their boba is really soft but usually bland (they don't marinate them in sugar syrup). The place is tiny and feels even tinier when the place gets packed! Really convenient if you don't want to head to chinatown or to BU area for good bubble tea.

This is one of the first places I go to when I'm in town.
4 - Rebecca S.: I hated bubble tea until coming to Boston Tea Stop! [several years ago - I'm now somewhat addicted]. It was definitely the coconut smoothie w/ boba that changed my mind. Highly recommended - every time I try something different, I wish I had stuck with the coconut smoothie. 

Fun place to hang out with friends if you can get a table - love the games. 

Also, if you buy a gift card, they will put it in a small cup and seal the top - adorable!
3 - Karen S.: Their stuff is kind of expensive, and not exactly worth it. Their flavors are cool and it's nice (if small), but I can't bring myself to spend $3 on what they serve.

Probably the best bubble tea place around Harvard Sq., but that isn't saying much.
4 - Robert D.: It's bubble tea... Not like you can screw it up.  make some tea add some boba... your in business!  the good part is it's friggin close!  I just wished it wasn't cash only....
4 - Jang David K.: I'm a big fan of BTS.  I love their mochi ice cream (lychee and blueberries are my FAV) and their milk tea is decent--not too sweet or powdery.

After a nice quick meal in Harvard Square, you got many options for desserts but time and time again, I hear BTS's mochis calling my name....i can't resist them...i can't deny them.....ahhhh, so good.

Mochi shell (dough part) is pretty thin....i hate it when it's like 50% dough and 50% ice cream.  It's gotta be thin but enough where you can enjoy its chewiness.  BTS's mochi gets this right.  And their ice cream has real fruit chunks in em...that's some real mochi for sure.  I can swear to my life that they get it straight from Japan.

Bubble Tea=don't have much to say.  it's good, refreshing but not life changing.  I would say it's better than lollicup for sure.

Next time you are in Harvard Square, come to BTS, and  see for youself why all the Asians in Boston/Cambridge area come to BTS to devour their mochis and bubble teas.
5 - Kate D.: Yummmm... best mochi and bubble tea I've had.

The staff can be a little bratty, but the drinks more than make up for it.
1 - caroline h.: i went here once and will not go back. i ordered a blueberry snow with boba and it tasted like grape. ew! it was way too sweet. i asked what the 2 pumps were, the girl squirted shots into the drink, and she said sugar and water. yea right! it was really high fructose corn syrup. and the mochi ice cream is definately something u can buy at the asian markets for a little cheaper
2 - Chris N.: Watery milk tea that is praised only by those who dont know any better. I suppose for being in Boston, it is probably considered as good as it gets. It seems the other option BTS reviewers point to is Lollicup, which is a poor choice to begin with in the first place (In LA, Lollicup may as well be the McDonald's of boba joints)

Definitely not deserved of anything more than a 2 star rating. The boba is also too small for my liking and I got a mouthful of tiny bobas attacking my throat with each sip. The milk tea was not flavorful at all, tasted like watered down tea and sugar without the rich, full consistency that real milk tea should have.

It is also a pretty small shop with generally unfriendly or inattentive servers. Would not want to drink anything from here again, glad to be back in LA where there are some real milk tea joints (Tea Station what!!)

Sorry BTS fans, but there's no Boston Milk Tea Party goin on over here.
4 - Paul L.: Mochi ice cream is to die for.
Their range of flavors and the delightful taste is boom boom wow.
Haven't had anything like it, even in NYC.
Jang David K. claims that they are shipped from Japan.
Wouldn't they melt?
Unless the plane is a flying freezer.
The bubble tea is standard.
This place is so Asian which is funny considering the very Caucasian-ness of the surrounding area.
1 - talia s.: I have been going to this place for years. Love the dumplings and bubble tea. Love their frequent customer card that earns you free bubble tea. Great place to just hang out too. Recently I discovered they discontinued the dumplings. OK. I still love the bubble tea. Today I went back excited to cash in my customer points to get my free bubble tea. I was met with a very rude girl that informed me the point database crashed and everyone lost their points. She was so unapologetic and standoff-ish. Just bad business. After being a loyal customer for years, I lose all my points and get greeted by a jerk. Well, their poor business tactics just lost them a customer. I will be getting my bubble teas from the cute lady in the Porter Exchange building. Just as delicious, won't lose my points (they use a stamp card and won't be switching to an unreliable and foolish online system), and it is always the same nice lady.
5 - Courtney B.: I spent a year in Hawaii, and the thing I miss most about it (aside from the great weather) is the food, especially the Boba Tea and Mochi Ice Cream. 

Luckily, I found this place while walking around Harvard Square last night. I tried Coconut Milk Boba Tea with lychee jelly and bubbles. It was phenomenal. Unlike Tealuxe, whose Boba Tea tastes too fake and American, Boston Tea Co. gets it right. To my surprise, they also carry mochi ice cream, another favorite of mine. They were superb as well. 

Also. they have games from the past, like Mancala and Connect Four, making this a great place to hang out and relax with friends.
4 - Yi F.: Very creative teas and the flavors are just right.  The tartness and sugar of the teas are adjusted to a perfect balance.  They also have some sensual and exotic flavors like Rose, Coconut, etc.  Definitely delicious.  The bobas, though, are not exactly the biggest I've ever had, but they're bouncy and chewy enough for the tea amount.    

Pricing could be a bit more reasonable though.  Then again, this is pretty much standard price for most boba tea joints.
3 - Alex L.: Something happened in the years since I left campus... Something rotten ... Something evil.

Sadly, the tea here is not as flavorful as it once was, nor is the boba soft and chewy. Instead the tea resembles something that may have had taste a day or two ago and the boba is more brittle than anything else.

I can only hope when I return here again in a few months they will get their act together and reinvigorate my oh so cherished memories of yore.
3 - Dominique N.: Best place I've found for boba in the H-square area, but sadly can't quite match up to the boba in the Bay Area.  The "pearls" (tapioca) are a little too hard and the tea lacks flavor and is a touch too sweet.  Still it hits the spot when you're craving a "PMT" (pearl milk tea).  I second all the positive reviews on the mochi ice cream though - they are perfectly chewy and delicious!  Also the shop has a decent little dining area with free wifi where you can enjoy your boba tea / mochi.
3 - Ellen C.: Once again, you have to understand that my food standards are fairly or unfairly calibrated against California's quality.  

This is the only pearl milk tea shop in Harvard square (that I know of at the least...)  They do have a nice tea selection with the usual suspects (black, green, almond, etc.) but I was disappointed by their boba.  It was hard and brittle in the middle when it should've been soft and fluffy.

However, they do have a local monopoly on boba teas and it will satiate your craving for pearl milk tea.  Especially on a lovely wintry but sunny and almost-warm day like today in Boston, there is nothing like pearl milk tea...
5 - Rani P.: So- as a self-proclaimed bubble tea connoisseur, the Boston Tea Stop has surpassed most of my Asia adventures, definitely both the Boston and NYC Chinatowns and of course any mock "bubble tea" places that pretend to be authentic. Something about the boba at Boston Tea Stop won me over years ago, and anytime I am within a 30-minute walking distance from the quaint cafe in Harvard Square, I am in line (with cash) ready for a BLUEBERRY (the best flavor in my book) snow. 

So why update my review if this knowledge has already been shared with other bubble tea fanatics? Well, ladies and gents, it comes down to the mochi ice cream. I didn't know that mochi could go wrong- or could go exceptionally well. I thought mochi was mochi. Little did I know, as I ventured to a competitor- that the mochi at Boston Tea Stop is by far the best mochi (and with the best flavor selection) than I have ever had elsewhere. 

In summary- when you've got exceptional boba, the best mochi ice cream, Guess Who? and an OK! magazine- you've got everything you need in life. Everything else is overrated.
4 - Jeff M.: Have a great thai iced tea bubble tea. Forgot to ask for a smoothie one so I just had a regular tea with boba. It wasn't bad at all. Enjoyed it. Also had mochi ice cream which is ice cream surrounded with dough. I had tiramasu, white chocolate raspberry, n chocolate mint. They were to die for.
5 - Joyce W.: I love this place.  The drinks that they have here rivals those they have in Taiwan.  I am not a fan of even the best of bobas, so I cannot comment on their bubbles, but  the jasmine milk tea and the Thai milk tea are incredible--deliciously refreshing and not too sweet.   

They also have a ton of different flavors of mochi icecream--which if you have never tried it, is definitely something to try.  The icecream itself is quite delicious and the mochi is fresh and doughy as mochi should be.  Though be warned, they sell out of mochi icecream quite quickly on hot summer days.  =(
4 - Emily Z.: Tasty drinks and the bubbles have a good texture that's not too mushy. It's a nice place to hang out, at least when it's not too busy (you can even play Guess Who!). I just wish they had more flavors of mochi in stock more often. Oh. and offering a smaller size tea would be nice also.
3 - Danan R.: My friends are all obsessed with this place, and they do have reason.  Personally, i'm not a big fan of bubble tea since I had a near-death choking experience a few years ago, but their mochi ice cream is good and I can indulge in a new pair of shoes right next door.  I've gotten the drinks w/o the boba and they were pretty good - not so sweet that they were about to send me into a diabetic coma.  It's also right outside of Harvard Yard so the location is quite nice.
5 - Carolina S.: So you're short on cash, 
missing the west coast,
 have a bunch of papers to write,
 and really jonesing for some pearl milk tea . . . where do you go? 
Boston Tea Stop! 
Heck, even George Takei digs this place . . .
I wish the plastic cups, etc. where compostable like elsewhere in Harvard Square, and that the place itself was more of a place I'd want to hangout with a drink, but not bad. I especially like the rose pearl milk tea on a muggy Fall day in Harvard Yard. Mmmmm . . . .
4 - Debbie N.: This bubble tea place is as good as it gets in the Boston area. The bubbles and lychee jelly are perfectly soft and chewy and the flavors are varied and plentiful. There are games, magazines, and a television set out for you and your friends to sit around and hang out. When you're tired of bubble tea, you can try the mochi ice cream, rice flour wrapped over ice cream. They have the widest selection of mochi ice cream I have ever seen (chocolate mint? tiramisu? chocolate coconut?). 

-1/2 star for the lack and discomfort of the seating. Although the establishment has aimed for it to be a hang out spot with the tv, games, and magazines, the small place can only accommodate like 5-7 people at a time. 
-1/2 star for the lack of air conditioning in the summer. At least, this was how it was last summer. Let's see if the air works this summer.
5 - Andrew R.: No place stands out in my memory when I think of Harvard Square like Boston Tea Stop does. As an undergrad in the region, I frequented this little shop on innumerable occasions and honestly enjoyed it everytime. The bubble tea is delicious; most flavors are tasty and refreshing and avoid being unnecessarily sweet. The only exception I might note is the honeydew flavored milk tea; this used to be my favorite but now I can't get it down. Not sure if it changed or I did. In any case, plenty of alternative options exist. Some seem really out there to me, like rose petal flavor, but I nonetheless find it neat that such choices exist.
As much as I enjoy their bubble tea, the selection of mochi ice cream really keeps me coming back. I especially like the seasonal flavors like pumpkin during Thanksgiving season and candy cane during the holidays. I can't recall how many times I've been in or near the store and overheard someone explaining to someone else what mochi ice cream is. Always brings a smile. It certainly makes for a fun and inexpensive little event to try it out.
It is slightly annoying that they accept cash only. Also, lines can get really long. However, this is simply because it's good stuff. Also, they fill orders remarkably quickly. Once you've paid, you've only moments to wait!
1 - Marc S.: Really 4 stars?? Went to this place cause I was craving boba tea. So of course I have to get my go to tea, taro milk tea. One thing I didn't like about this place is that it doesn't take cards, it was cash only. I went to a kiosk to buy a shirt and they were able to take my card! We live in 2010 time to upgrade to take cards. The taro milk tea was premade, cause they got the drink out to me very fast. The milk tea was VERY watered down and the boba was meh. The people who gave this 4 or 5 stars have never had good boba tea before.
4 - Anastasia R.: They have a robot that seals the top of your drink. incase you are saving it for later, or have the dropsies, as I often do. 

Yummy, fab texture, chewy, cold, tasty... what's not to love, you ask? Mostly just the lack of credit card robot. Really, what a pain in the ass.
4 - Dessa R.: Bubble tea! It isn't for everyone, I suppose, but I am a fan. Taro milk tea with delightful and chewy dark little tapioca pearls that look like blueberries. I suck them up though a straw with enormous girth, and watch them race up that straw with intense velocity. The entire process makes me extraordinarily happy. I take my tea plain milky black or almond, but they host a variety of flavors to tickle your taste buds. A heads up-- CASH ONLY, folks! A perfectly suitable and delicious alternative to iced coffee any day, and the best boba tea in Cambridge. Plus they have mochi ice cream. Mmmmm.
5 - Haley T.: Boba slush is amazing, they have about a million flavors, and everyone that works there seems to be exceptionally cheerful and friendly. 

Why they open so late-12:30- is a mystery to me, but whatever. Seeing as this place makes the best bubble tea in the Harvard square area, I'll contain my bubble tea craving until the afternoon...
5 - Rachael F.: The best boba tea ever!  They have a huge number of flavors, I get something different every time I come.  The tapioca is always perfect, not too tough.  It's the cutest little shop and has a lot of character.  I always get a tiny pleasure out of poking the colorful straw into the seal (That's what he said?).  I stop by almost every time I'm in Harvard Square.  Only drawback is that I always have to remember to bring cash with me.

Amazing in the summer, but I come in the winter too.
4 - Stephanie F.: I am addicted to their cold Taro milk bubble tea, so this review is biased. The tapioca balls are indeed fresh, and the taro tea has the perfect amount of sweetness. And the milkiness of the tea is not so overwhelming that you feel "heavy" in the end. Let's just say I used to be on a bubble tea kick about 8 years ago, and the taro bubble tea here brought me back to loving it again.

I did have a taste of the almond and coconut bubble tea flavors and they were okay -- not my favorite. They each have a subtle bitter after taste.

All in all -  great place for Harvard Square. It's great that they're open late for those late night bubble tea cravings when you can't sleep at night.
4 - Elisabeth G.: Just when I had finally suppressed my Berryline addiction (I'm in recovery, it's a struggle, but I take it one day at a time), I discovered a new treat that I can't manage to resist.  

Boston Tea stop has every different combination of bubble tea you could want. With or without boba. With or without jelly. Any combination of the 12 bagillion flavors they have. My favorites are mango and passion fruit but I've never tried one that is actually bad.. Thank god it's a good 10 minute walk form my office or I'd be getting it every day. 

The only drawback to the place itself is that it's a little pricey. I'm not going to get specific, but I thought about it and I realized that I could get a pedicurei every week with what I would spend on getting one large bubble tea every day. That just feels excessive to me. But it's a fantastic treat once or twice a week. It's also a great dessert alternative if you have dinner in Harvard Square and don't want something heavy after the meal (portable too!).

Bottom line: This place calls to me every day. I just have to have the good sense not to answer once in a while.
4 - Allyson G.: I love my cold taro milk tea with boba, and I can always satisfy my craving in this cute little Harvard Square shop.  There isn't much seating, but I'm rarely in during rushes, so I've never had an issue getting a table.  I think it's so fun that they have board games and such here, and I've definitely played a few games of mancala with my bubble tea companions during my visits.  I do wish that it wasn't cash-only, but that's my only real complaint.  I prefer the Boston Tea Stop over Lollicup.
3 - Binh L.: I love this place, but docking a star for it being a bit pricey, cash only, and no restroom? 

I loveeee their mochi icecream, especially the red bean one. Pretty much the only reason why I come to this place. I used to come for the jasmine milk tea, but it's only good hot. These summer days desire cooler things. The bobas and jellies are good, but I don't think it's any different or extraordinary than the ones in Chinatown or other places.

So you're just A-OKay for me, Boston Tea. Good thing you're expensive though.. because I'd eat up your supply of mochi icecream. Nom nom nom. There is also some space to enjoy your treats and boardgames of some sort. :)
5 - Stephen W.: This is my favorite boba tea place. I have a lot of memories here. Whether you go for the snowy, icy variety, or just straight tea...this place serves up quality boba tea. Absolutely delish. Also, there was a vintage Street Fighter II machine in there when I was last making a visit to Cambridge...who knows if it's still there now...I'll have to go back soon! : )
5 - Chris M.: The first element I critique at a boba place is the texture of the boba.  It has to be chewy and a tad sweet.  Boba cannot be soft and bland.  That just won't fly.  Boston Tea Stop has it just right.  Their boba is chewy without being too hard and has a bit o sweetness.

They have a wide selection of tea, slushie, and smoothie flavors.  I tried the mango slushie and it was very refreshing.  The jasmine milk tea was also very good.  

The place is small with just three tables and some chairs, so it's good for grab n go.  It may be hard to find because it's tucked away a bit.

I would recommend this place to anyone.
5 - Sarah S.: THE BEST BUBBLE TEA IN BOSTON!
HANDS DOWN!  

I recommend mixing flavors.  I personally love the way the roseflower brings out flavors and adds a kick to something simple like vanilla.  For a change, switch the boba for lychee, it goes really well with the roseflower as well.
4 - Traci K.: My first foray into the bubble tea world was the Lollicup (now closed?) on Comm Ave.  After I moved across the river, I found that it wasn't worth going all the way to BU East for boba - so a friend reccommended Boston Tea Stop. And boy howdy, I'm glad she did.

There are a ton of delightful flavors.  The price is nice.  The boba is (almost) always perfectly chewy and sweet. (I cannot tell a lie - once in a great while, the boba is overcooked and gummy).

The place is cash only so make sure to bring enough for a tea and some tasty mochi ice cream (if the mood suits you!)
3 - Dave F.: I'm going to come forward right now and say that I do not fully understand the appeal of bubble tea.  When I have a drink, I don't want chewy, gummy, slimy balls shooting into my mouth and trying to lodge themselves in my esophagus.  So I tend to avoid the boba here, but that doesn't mean I don't really like this place.

When I come here, I almost always order the snow drinks.  They are icy drinks with creamer, and are delicious fruit drinks.  My favorite is the pineapple, which is incredibly refreshing, but I will also get the peach, blueberry, strawberry, and occasional honeydew.  They never disappoint. Getting a drink here is a similar price to a frappuccino, and can often be more satisfying.  The huge straws (to fit the boba) mean you never spend your time in a frustrated attempt to suck up a chunk of ice that won't fit.  You just get a nice, constant stream of fruity satisfaction with every sip.  

The only real negative I have with Boston Tea Stop is that sometimes some of their drinks are permeated by a flowery jasmine flavor, even if your drink doesn't have jasmine.  It's like they made a jasmine drink earlier and the flavor never came out of the container it was mixed in.  It can ruin an otherwise good drink, and is just generally disappointing when it happens.  But it's fairly rare, and hasn't happened in a while.  I will definitely keep coming back here. 

Oh, P.S., it's cash only.
4 - Susan K.: Visited today and ordered a taro milk tea with boba and three mochi ice cream. 

I've had a lot of boba tea before and I would say this place has a very good boba milk tea. The boba itself was not too soft nor too hard. It was the right texture, slightly soft on the outside and chewy on the inside. The milk tea wasn't too sweet nor tasted too artificial or powdery. Just the right milky-ness. 

The mochi ice cream was delicious. I would recommend the red bean flavor and letting it melt a little so that when you bite into it, the ice cream is soft on the inside along with the mochi shell. 

Atmosphere is spacious but I would like it if the inside was a bit brighter. More catchy to the eye. Definitely a place I will go back for good boba milk tea and mochi ice cream.
5 - Becca F.: Every time I travel to a new city, one of the first things I do is check out the local bubble tea places on Yelp and try a couple. I've had boba at 5 of the big joints in NYC, a couple stops in Philly, a few in Portland, some in Cali and Florida.

Boston Tea Stop is the best. If you want the best boba, go to Boston Tea Stop. Sometimes it's nice to try places that offer all different kinds of tea with bubbles or maybe some real fruit smoothies, but the tapioca pearls anywhere else do not compare, and you can make all sorts of combos from all the flavors Boston Tea Stop offers.

Don't get exasperated because they're cash-only or pissy about the lack of a restroom. It's an awesome bubble tea place where you can hang out for hours and chill with free wifi and lychee slush while convincing yourself you're actually studying and not just watching Anthony Bourdain.

9 drinks = 1 free and it's easy to rack up a bunch of cards for those days where you are stuck without cash. Or just buy a gift card!

Plus, their mochi rocks and the flavors are constantly changing. Definitely check out the pumpkin, egg nog, and peppermint over the fall & winter!
5 - Mimi A.: I would never go anywhere else for bubble tea. EVER.
5 - Michelle J.: There's a few places that sell Bubble Tea but none of them are good as Boston Tea Stop. They have a good range of flavors and you can get either boba or lychee jelly. Getting extra or half and half is acceptable as well. They also have a decent selection of sell mochi.

The decor is pretty relaxed as you can stay for a bit there are a few tables wi-fi, TV and an old Street Fighter arcade game. It's one of my favorite indulgences in Harvard Square at anytime of the year as they serve the drinks hot or cold.
3 - Matt K.: A good tea shop, more reasonable prices when compared to Tealux. Only real criticism is that it is cash only- which is a bummer.
4 - Daniel P.: In searching for things to do with my sister for her birthday yesterday, I yelped "bubble tea" and this was one of the first results, glistening with beaming reviews.  Having never had bubble tea myself, I figured this was the best bet amongst all of the different locales that offer this exotic beverage.

And I was correct.  My sister, beforehand, had said she wanted the green tea infused with mango and I decided on the same.  When I told the cashier that I'd never ordered bubble tea and she happily explained how it all works.

All in all, the tea was delicious, and they also had mochi, which I will have to get next time I'm there!
4 - Laura B.: Boston Tea Stop has the widest range of mochi ice cream flavors and bubble tea flavors. The staff is really helpful if you don't know whats what. The location has limited seating, arcade games, a flat screen TV, and wifi.
4 - Brook T.: Boston Tea Stop hands down has THE best bubble tea smoothies IN Boston/Cambridge. I advice you go there immediately if not sooner and get a coconut bubble tea smoothie. You will not be disappointed!

I don't know much about any of their other drinks. Let us just assume that everything is excellent.

Cute small shop. Never a huge line and the staff is friendly enough. 

It is a little on the expensive side and cash only would be my only complaints.
3 - Feather H.: If you're from California you probably feel the same outrage at the prices and watery tea like I do. However they do have interesting flavors of mochi ice cream (dark chocolate with strawberry, pumpkin) which is their saving grace.
4 - Daniela S.: They have great bubble milk tea (hot or cold). It's tiny, but they have enough seating for small groups. The line moves really quickly so you can get your bubble tea in under 3 minutes. I feel kind of indebted to the Boston Tea Stop. The last time I was their I accidentally knocked over the shop's plastic water jug. Seeing as it was a really busy afternoon, I expected the manager to freak out, but he was nice about the whole thing.
4 - Mike P.: Just so your not surprised there smoothies don't have any fruit in them, just syrup, still good
3 - Doris T.: More than their tea, I like the mochi ice-cream here.  My friend and I always get the three pack and make them in different flavors.  I think my favorite ones are tiramisu, mocha, raspberry chocolate, mango, and red bean.  I do agree that this place is a little pricey and there isnt much place to hang around.  If you want really good bubble tea, try chinatown instead.
3 - Jason S.: I liked the place when I walked in. Small, cool decor, Spandeu Ballet on the radio, I was all set, til I got to the head of the line and found out the smoothies aren't healthy! No Fruit. Made with ice cream (which I would kill for) but I am trying to be somewhat healthy. SO if you're looking for a fruit smoothie, it's not here :-(
2 - Ethan F.: Having come from the San Gabriel Valley in California, and having tasted quality boba tea I cannot say that this place meets the standard. I got the iced jasmine green tea with boba. The boba was bland and not the slightly warm and sweet good boba is characterized by and the jasmine tea was over brewed. I asked for sugar but I'm unsure whether or not they forgot the sugar or if the tea just overpowered any hint of it. Nevertheless the place is cute and has the street fighter two arcade game. A definite plus. A cool hang out but not much else.
5 - Eunice R.: As an avid boba drinker/eater, I have to say Boston Tea Stop has to be the best one in the area. Okay okay, west coasters, we do not have the delectable and cheap boba that you do, but nonetheless, it doesn't get better than BTS around here- trust me. The boba is soft and chewy and the drinks are absolutely delicious! You must try yogurt milk tea; it's so yummy. Mochi is a bit overpriced, imo, so I guess this review is purely based on the star of the show, the boba.
3 - Justin H.: BTS is my go to for boba in HSquare.

I get jasmine green tea, served hot with no sugar, no milk- it's basically hot tea and oversized tapioca pearls.  It usually hits the spot, although sometimes I would like it hotter, or I want more boba or the boba is not cooked all the way (a bit too al dente).

There's a Street Fighter II arcade game for the nostalgic or Connect 4 if you feel like taking a seat and chilling out for a bit. The crowd is young and undergradish (or am I just old?).

They also sell ice cream mochi, but personally I don't consider this to be mochi since it's really only a thin layer of processed rice cake wrapped around flavored ice cream.  I want the authentic stuff served from the master hands of an old impatient Japanese lady!

But I'm being too demanding, after all this is Harvard Square, MA, not somewhere in Tokyo.
5 - Crystal G.: I like to consider myself a smoothie connoisseur, or at the very least, a strawberry smoothie connoisseur, as I have long searched for the perfect strawberry smoothie. 

Well I found it. The strawberry smoothie with boba is quite possibly the best non-alcoholic drink that has ever passed through my lips. And I love the boba balls. (tee-hee, balls) I go to this place every time I'm in Cambridge.
3 - Alex S.: CASH ONLY. Had to walk to the 7-11 ATM.

Ordered the jasmine green tea sweetened with milk and no sugar. It was really tasty, although I had never experienced this style of tea before. 

Cashier was nice. 

They put their gift cards in the boba cup and shrink wrap it; nice aspect to the gift.
5 - Poppy E.: Words can not describe my addition, adoration, and obsession to their slush bubble tea. 
It's sweet, cold, and tasty with- look at that! - little chewy things at the bottom! So good. I'm not a huge fan of paying 3-4 bucks for a drink, but after I got a job and started having money, I got over that. 
But seriously, this place is great. Whenever I'm in Harvard, the first thing I do is buy some bubble tea. 
Did you know you can mix flavors?! Up to three a cup, I believe. The most recent one I've had has been raspberry, coconut, and mango. Mmmm. 

I defiantly recommended this place, though with that said, I haven't ever had bubble tea from anywhere else (or anywhere more authentic). But oh well, this stuff is good!
5 - Elissa S.: I have yet to find better mochi anywhere in the world!
5 - Ashley B.: I love, love Boston Tea Stop. I've been frequenting for a few years and I have been periodically bringing my friends in (great stop on a cute date). I highly recommend the smoothie bobas--they have tons of flavor and bubbles. I also love that they have a few games available to play (adding to the good date stop quality).
3 - Monica H.: This place is okay. I only come here because it's the only place for mochi ice cream (and I guess boba) in Harvard Square. (I'm a little sick of the froyo craze and not always in the mood for ice cream.) I haven't had the boba yet, but if you're looking for amazing mochi ice cream, I would not recommend it here. Although they have plenty of interesting flavors, the mochi is no different than what you would find in the freezer section at any Asian grocery store. However, if you simply want to satisfy a craving, the mochi here will do. 

By the way, let the ice cream thaw a bit before you take your first bite.
3 - Marian M.: This place is okay..

It takes cash only, so my friend had to cover me. Whenever I go to boba places, I get the same thing: Milk tea with boba. The milk tea was not as sweet as to my liking, and I've definitely had better milk tea elsewhere. The boba was pretty tender. Price-wise, it's ok, definitely cheaper than Lollicup.
3 - Princess T.: I recently had a milk tea with boba here and it was okay. I thought the tea flavor was very strong. The flavor seemed purely tea rather than milk tea. A plus however was that the milk tea contained quite a bit of boba and the price wasn't as bad as other boba places around Boston. It is cash only so that makes a stop over inconvenient when you only carry around cards. All in all, if you're really craving boba around the area and have some cash on you, you should stop by.
3 - Allison V.: Not a bad place if you're in the mood for mochi. The bubble tea is average. As with most bubble tea places it is pricey. 

The mochi is good and there is a variety. It doesn't beat a pack of mochi from Trader Joe's if you're okay with just Green Tea, Strawberry and Chocolate flavors.

The place is tiny and if you go with too many people it is easy to crowd. But most of the time we just wanted bubble tea or mochi to go.

Cash only is annoying.
4 - Nicole H.: I'm SO GLAD I found this place! If you've ever been in the Los Angeles area, it almost tastes just like Cha for Tea -- a popular boba joint back in California! This place is a bit of home for me and it's pretty tasty.

I got the passion fruit green tea with boba which was really refreshing. They give you a decent amount of boba, but the texture of the boba wasn't amazing.

There aren't that many tables, so unlike back at home you can't really study and chill inside, but it's still great to grab a quick drink for your walk around Harvard Square.
3 - Sukanya S.: Small place with a few tables, smells a little funny inside for some reason. 

Decent bobas, it's cash only - sometimes a problem. But, otherwise nice hangout place, location is ideal - just next to Raven Used Books - how neat.
3 - Alexis V.: If you're visiting Harvard Square/Boston from out of town, then go here to try bubble tea!  Bubble tea is fun to drink, a novelty, and their bubble tea is really good... but their service is poor.  If you're not a repeat customer, then their customer service (or lack thereof) won't faze you.  I go to Dado Tea for my bubble tea because it is just as good, they take credit cards (Boston Tea Stop doesn't), and the service is better.  But Boston Tea Stop has a bigger selection of bubble teas.
4 - Amy C.: Oh, Boston Tea Stop. How I love and yearn for you. I haven't found a bubble tea spot in New York that remotely compares to you. Cue Adele's "Someone Like You." Tear.

I remember making late night runs to BTS at 9pm as I furiously needed a sugar fix to propel me into late night paper writing sessions. I haven't found a place that can give me a Mango Snow (a slushy concoction) with lychee jelly. It was so perfect with a burrito from Felipe's. Clearly, college was a very rough time.

Gripes: Went back with college friends over reunion weekend and it was evident to me that the staff is a lot younger. They were stank and they were rude. Also, cash only and no bathroom.
4 - Ariana Z.: This place does not let me down! I love the atmosphere, the bubble tea, the staff, and all the good times we've had there.
The only "bad thing" i have to say about this place is that they only take cash.
It's not a big deal but something you should know before going in.
I must-go if you are in Harvard Square!
1 - Akiko T.: im from sourthern california. this is NOT boba (the tapioca)!!! its waaaay overcooked, and the tea tastes...bland/lack of taste/whatever :/ 

no bueno! :( i dont get why it has such high rating...
4 - Kim H.: Big fan. The flavors are nice and the boba is, too. It's less flavorful and less cooked than some other places' I've had but I still like it a lot! Blueberry almond with extra boba forever.

Last time I went they had hired a new girl. My group did not like her attitude at all. She was unfriendly and apathetic. She often smokes right outside the entrance. Not only you are smoking (some people quite dislike it, after all), but you are right in the dang middle of everything. I thought people were supposed to leave the blocked hallway mentality back in high school.

It's kinda expensive for boba, but that's to be expected considering the location. 

I knocked off a bit of a star each for: that unfriendly girl, cash-only, the price, and no bathrooms (not so much of a big deal as anything else, though).
5 - Vivi L.: This is my FAVORITE place to get bubble tea. For a tea with extra boba, it comes out to $4.01, which is cheaper than the bubble tea at Leisure Station (they are stingy with their boba there). The variety is great (favorites at lychee and raspberry) and the mochi ice cream cakes are delicious.

There isn't a lot of space to sit but it doesn't really matter since the yard is across the street and the river is down the street. Lots of places to sit! The only thing that I don't like is that they only take cash, but it's not a big deal.
4 - Janelle N.: I used to work in Harvard Square, and I wish I'd come here more often. If I hadn't been so damn poor I might have.

It's got a small, adorable atmosphere. The rose tea I had that one time was legit. Not fake or overly sweet like some, and fun little rose buds at the bottom.

Kind of weird that their main thing is... beverages, and they have plenty of games on some shelves as if you'd wanna stay a while, yet they have no bathroom. Errr. Oh well. Head on over to the rapey restrooms at The Garage, I guess! (God, not gonna lie, I mostly hate Harvard Square.)
4 - Julia N.: Two words: rose bubble tea. Amazing!!!! I had to eliminate one star because SOMETIMES the tea isn't great. Depends on who is making it, get the asain girl to do it, so much better!
5 - Tony T.: The best place for bubble tea in Boston. I think they actually brew tea, instead of making it from powder, which is what a lot of places do. 

Or at least, it was two years ago. My most recent experience involved tea that tasted like tap water. Still, I've got history here, so I'll leave it at five stars till I try again.

Taro milk tea (hot OR cold) is excellent. Try it with half lychee and half bubbles.
4 - Suzy H.: So glad there's a boba joint in Boston. I just wish there was more...just like how it's in orange county in cali...but that's just my wishful thinking.

Don't like how they have no bathroom and they have cash only rule but whatever, it's good tea and good boba, for a decent price too so I won't complain too much.
3 - Cassy H.: For someone who absolutely adores milk tea with boba, this place will do the job and satisfy for your boba craving. However, don't compare this place to authentic boba joints that you find in Taiwan. Actually, nothing in America will compare. 

Moving on..... It's a small joint, so don't expect to find lots of seating. In fact, be prepared to take it to go. Also, be prepared to pay via cash. 

As for the boba, I usually go for the traditional, classic milk tea with boba. How was it? The milk tea is pretty good, but doesn't taste like brewed tea, more like powered milk tea. The tapioca is alright, not super hard, but could be chewier.
4 - Allison R.: This isn't a great review, but it's #500 for me. It will go down in history as such, and for that, Boston Tea Stop, you should be grateful. (Why isn't "grateful" spelled "greatful" anyway? That's never made sense to me. But, I digress.)

Boston Tea Stop is located in Harvard Square above Planet Records. I love me some boba with my vinyl (that almost sounds naughty), so I like to combine visits to these two fine establishments when I can.

Also noteworthy is that BTS is cash only. That can bum me out, since I'm a proud proponent of buying everything on credit.

They have a lot of tea flavors, and the option to have them with milk over ice ("milk tea"), blended without milk ("slush"), and blended with milk ("snow). I feel like a freakin' Maine redneck in a Starbucks for the first time (I worked there for 7 years, so I'm allowed to say that) trying to order at this place. I NEVER get it right. But each time, I leave with a cup of bubble tea goodness, served with a smile. 

So, there you have it folks. I love bubble tea a whole lot, and I have a sorta crush on BTS. 

Woot! 500 reviews in the proverbial can. Yelp, I freakin' love you. Cheers to 500 more!
xoxo,
allison r
3 - Due H.: It was alright. I prefer to get bubble tea from chinatown.  i like how they have mochi ice cream, which is nice if you are trying to take a break from bubble tea. Not ravable. But since it is the only option in harvard square, its pretty convenient. It also doesn't seem to be the most social place as I remembered from many years ago. its pretty quiet every time I went. Maybe its my disturbing presence that drives everyone away. Who knows.  Prices are what you expect from an US based bubble tea place.
3 - Mitch W.: After walking around the Harvard area, we saw people walking out of this shop with boba drinks.  We are from Los Angeles and there are a few really good boba drink places there, so we decided to give Boston Tea Stop a try.

The boba balls are soft and chewy (not overcooked which makes them mushy), but not slightly sweet like places in Cali.  I think the sweetness puts the boba balls on a higher level.  The boba milk tea (@ $3.30) that we tried was good, but tasted less like tea and more like milk, so overall it was good, but not great.  If I lived in the area and didn't know any better, then this would be good, but I know and have tasted better.

If I'm in the area again, I would give another drink a try.

Xie Xie!!
2 - Elizabeth S.: Wow, Boston must have really bad boba places if this place got this rating. Either that or this place is one of very few boba places and this is the best they have. 

Maybe because I'm from Cali where boba must be good to stay in business and am used to good boba. The boba was really hard and not fresh tasting at all. And the milktea tasted very watered down. If one isn't as good, the other should make up for it, but no. The boba and the milktea it came it was not tasty at all. 

However, we did try a few of the mochi ice cream here. It was the only thing that salvaged the experience and time spent to come here. Loved the mango mochi.
2 - Cassie C.: Very disappointed in this place! with all the rave reviews I expected it to taste AMAZING. I drink bubble tea almost every other day, (on a bad week, only once), and I was flabbergasted by the lack in taste in my thai tea. My friend also complained that her tea tasted like water (lychee, I think). 

I  agree with Elizabeth...Boston must have some horrible boba places if this was rated so highly. 

NEXT.
2 - Ty P.: I guess I shouldn't have high expectations when it comes to boba in Boston, but wanted to give it a try.

I ordered the Jasmine Green Milk tea and it was a bit disappointing.  The milk tea was not sweet enough and the boba didn't have any flavor.

Also the place had a very strong Pinsol smell.  Yeah, I understand it's important to keep the place clean, but man, the smell was so strong that it have me a headache.

Would I try this place again? prabably not.
4 - sherrie n.: We stopped by for some almond milk tea, which was ok. It's a small hole in the wall and has some games but it's not comfy to sit around.
4 - Natalia H.: First thing I did after arriving Boston was to get my Mochi Ice Cream. WOW! It was reallllllllly delicious! I got the chocolate strawberry mochi ice cream and man, I wished I got more than just 1! I should've got one of each flavor!!! 

I also got the taro milk tea. No good. Just stick to the Mochi Ice Cream. Seriously.
4 - Champion S.: I have been going here for about six years consistently.

The quality of their drinks can sometimes vary upon who is servicing behind their counter. Especially the slush or smoothies. Sometimes there will be too much powder or they will be blended way to much, which makes for a very milky or watery beverage.

But overall, I don't feel bad spending $3.75 on a black tea or slush. Very enjoyable drinks.

Decor is always kept nice as well. Sometimes the chairs and tables will wobble, but it gives a small stop like this character.

The Mochi is always unreal too. Especially, the seasonal ones.
It is a bummer when they only have two or three flavors to choose from.
I don't know if it is a lapse in orders or what, but the demand is always there, so I feel the products should always be there as well.

Four stars for this reason: I have never felt like a regular. It is almost as iff it is my first time there every time I walk-in. I feel like the counter staff won't try to do more than necessary when it comes to their guests. No, "Hey, nice to see you again." Just a "What can I get for you?"

Despite that, BTS is definitely my go-to Bubble Tea destination.
5 - Ernie F.: I've been slowly accumulating my stars here, which means I've been coming back every now and then. The drinks continue to be good-- they maintain a good consistency in terms of flavor and boba texture. A current new fave is their Lychee Milk Tea w/ Boba (they use Jasmine as the base)- yum!

I'll give bump them to 5-stars for being able to beat the local competition easily, having good drinks, and being overall quick and efficient. CASH ONLY.
4 - Teng L.: Finally found a place with boba in Cambridge. I got the standard and my favorite which is the milk tea with boba. The drink was mild without a lot of sugar or heavy milk flavor, but was well balanced and pretty delicious. The boba was nice and firm too, so it tasted pretty fresh. Too bad their kitchen doesn't serve popcorn chicken, that would make this place perfect.
3 - ann n.: Friendly and clean establishment.  I ordered my usual thai ice tea with boba. The tea was a little weak and boba pearls seemed smaller.
2 - Chris S.: Take it from a guy who spent 18 years in Taiwan.

First of all, the tea here is not bad. But at the same time, there's really not that much to rave about. There are a few major essentials to a great bubble tea (=boba, I use the two terms interchangeably though they are technically different):

+ tea flavor - an ideal bubble tea's tea has a bite to it, it's an aftertaste that shows off the aroma of the tea leaves. i would give 3/5 at Boston Tea Stop.

+ boba texture - i've been here numerous times and the boba is always consistently too hard. it's really a minor gripe since i think this aspect is more person-specific, but i would also give this a 3/5.

+ sweetness - this can be controlled by the patron, but i think even when i asked them to hold the sugar, it still comes out too sweet. 3/5.

Basically, every aspect is just very mediocre, and the high price for a drink pushes it a star down to 2/5.

I recommend Infusion Tea across the river on the edge of Brighton. They make really awesome bubble teas.

Props for being a convenient hangout spot and it's proximity to Harvard Square though - I think that's why I kept coming back here with friends even though I've never been here alone.
5 - Shannon D.: I just ordered 120 bubble teas from them for a dorm event. The staff was really helpful, and everything was packaged and ready to go by the time I arrived to pick it up. They take cash only and require a deposit in advance for large orders. Most importantly, the tea was delicious and the boba was just the right texture.
2 - Tiffany L.: I must be spoiled with all the good stuff in the Bay Area.

Flavor and selection is nearly half of the many boba places I've frequented. But no matter, the key is doing the tea and boba right. Ordered the usual original milk tea with pearls to assess all asian tea shops. Tea was watered down. Boba consistency a little harder than it should be. 

The plus is that this place is open late(r) and packed with board games. Good place to hang out with group of friends.

If this place continues to reel in 4 stars, I'm starting my own shop out here.
4 - HL K.: I love boston tea stop ohhh soo gewd! I always get their milk tea boba... I personally like bobas here the best compared to the other ones in boston or manhattan. But the space is really limited, and there's no bathroom, but I guess it's no biggie. It was a while ago but there was this one worker who acted really mean because I forgot to mention the 'smoothie' part when I wanted a milk tea smoothie instead of the original milk tea.. :'( idk if she still works there. anyways that doesn't stop me from going there whenever i'm around harvard sq.
4 - Josephine L.: Boston doesn't have very many bubble tea spots to begin with and it's rarer still to find one that offers a whole lot of variety. Tea Stop is a decent place to get your boba fix. I especially like that they offer lychee jelly as a substitute. I'm not a big fan of the original tapioca pearls, but I LOVE lychee jelly.

The passion fruit flavor is good, and so is the taro milk. There are a few tables inside for you to sit but be warned--no restrooms.
5 - Emmanuel S.: Authentic bubble tea!!
4 - Alan W.: I have only tried their drinks once and it wasn't really my thing. The drink was too bland and I like my drinks fruity and sweet. Even so, they have AWESOME mochi ice cream! That is usually what I come here for.

My favorite? The raspberry white chocolate and Chocolate coconut! Another plus is that they have games (connect 4, cards, etc)! Great place to just hang with a couple of friends.
5 - Melanie T.: I love the bubble tea and the mochi here. The tapioca is the perfect consistency, springy, chewy, not too firm and not too soft. I got the strawberry milk, which was a bit bizarre since it was tea and strawberry flavoring at the same time. But it was good. The strawberry was slightly tangy, the milk made the whole thing creamy, and the flavor of the tea was subtle but there. The green tea mochi is amazing. The green tea is slightly bitter, and the flavor comes through very well. The ice cream is creamy and the outer wrapping is slightly chewy, just as good mochi should be. Love it.
2 - Stacey H.: - They only accept *CASH*
- Their bubble teas taste watered down/bland
- They have great mochi ice cream selections. I recommend either Red Bean or Green Tea flavor.
- Crammed Space. Packed most of time. Seating depends on your luck.
- Fast service
- Board games and magazines to play around with if you are sitting on a table. (But there are only about 4 small tables which are always occupied...)

I have had much better teas for sure. However, this is the only place that I know so far where they serve mochi ice cream a la carte (you can find them in most Asian markets). Also, they are a bit pricey for their quantity/size. I can get a box full of them in markets for 5 dollars.
3 - Camille R.: It's dark inside and smells like pine-sol. Not something I want to smell anytime, let alone somewhere I'm eating/drinking. The place doesn't even look complete, like it's still under construction. It has a very uninviting feel to it.

And I've had a lot of bubble teas in my time and know exactly how I like it. I got my usual. It was made within seconds and came to me as a milk tea with ice. I said I'd like mine as a 'slush' as some places call it and she replied that they were "out of the slush version" of my drink. What does that mean? Throw the damn thing in a blender and give it back to me! I was confused and walked out the door without saying anything.

On a postive note, I actually didn't mind so much that she lied to me because my drink wasn't too sweet, which I liked. But you won't see me here until they get rid of that godawful smell, some lighting, and a slushy machine or whatever the hell she was talking about.

Oh yeah, and get a cc machine.
2 - Kayla R.: At first,  (due to extreme thirst) the bubble tea tastes like any other bubble tea I've had. Afterwards I realized I've better. The Mango tea was way too sweet, and in a weird, artificial way. I got the Thai Milk with tapioca bubble and it had me feeling sick. 

What's worse though, is the service. I kept trying to ask the girl questions and she was no help. When I asked what the Orange Snow tea was, she started to explain to me what an orange was. I know what a fucking orange is, thanks! I just wanted to know if "snow" meant ice, slushy, what?! 

The tea's okay, and if you're experienced with milk and tapioca tea places then you're fine. Just don't expect any help deciding what you want.
4 - Ileana S.: I tried a few spots in Boston for bubble tea and this one is most definitely the best. The mix is not powdery. The balls are made to perfection. And there's nothing like puncturing your large straw into the tight plastic top. 

This spot is limited for seating. I highly recommend walking towards Memorial Drive, taking a seat near the water and watching the water and the various water activities.
5 - Mistral M.: Best bubble tea in Boston, hands down.
3 - Eunice E.: I've never sat inside, as there is limited seating, but it's always bustling with people, so that's good for the business. It's tasty bubble tea (hard to mess up, really), but they only accept cash, which is a little annoying, since sometimes the boba craving strikes... and it's only rarely that I carry actual bills around. I've never been overwhelmed with the service, but it's solid. I'm glad there's a place to grab boba in the Square... convenient. I'm a bit more partial to Lollicup myself, but sometimes schlepping all the way to Super 88 seems like more trouble than it's worth. This is a good alternative.
5 - Jeremy K.: Lots of options and nice taste... One of the best in Boston.
4 - Court S.: Being that I live bi-coastal I'm used to Quicky's and Teaway located out in San Fran.

Boston Tea Shop is good. I ordered a honey milk tea and it had an after taste of perfume...strange at first, but I'm not too sure I like it. I got a small which was a little over $3...kinda pricey for a small. 

The variety list is great, providing a plethora of tasty-sounding flavors. I think next time i'll try the coffee milk tea. 

* Cash only, limited seating available.
3 - Marcy L.: Interesting flavors: check
Wonderfully pleasant employees: check *smile* check
....Boba: check, double check (and even some mango, lychee, and other jellies)

Ever since discovering bubble tea a year ago, I've been absolutely obsessed with finding new tea shops and different flavors.  Boston Tea Stop (hehe - clever) was recommended by a fellow Yelper and seemed like the perfect treat after a trip to the piercing parlor.  The shop is, strangely, quite similar to other boba shops I've visited: a small, unique space, a few tables, and some random corner that looks a bit cluttered (even an ancient pinball machine in the corner? huh?)

It well worth the brief moment of confusion.  The beau selected ******tea with lychee jellies while I ordered a honeydew with boba (iced, please - though, the "hot tea" option was intriguing).  We received our plastic-sealed cups (only one size?), stabbed the lid with the gigantor straw, and siiiiiiiip-gulp-gulp....refreshment!  I noted a slight perfume taste (like walking into a cloud of spritz at the mall) which really turned me off; I didn't even finish the tea because it was such an odd flavor.  I'd say that Boston Tea is WELL worth the stop, though I'd be sure to ask questions prior to finalizing your order.
5 - Monica J.: It'll rock your socks. Thank God for Harvard Square's go-to dealer of the super tasty, chewy, scrumptious Bubbie's mochi ice cream and bubble tea. Also, I love BTS's supply of board games; the shop is such a wonderful, unpretentious oasis in the square. Very little seating, though!
4 - Nicole K.: A stop at Harvard Square that I make quite often.
Small, a little beat up, but a wide range of flavors and drinks to try! Relatively inexpensive drink-wise, and you can indulge by getting some of their mochi!
Never had a bad experience with their customer service and everyone there is amicable, though it can get a bit crowded and there isn't much seating space...
Definitely a "stop" to get a pre- or post-meal drink, or, if there it is a small group of friends (5 or less), a place to drink and chat for a while!
Probably one of the better, if not best, places for boba/bubble tea in Cambridge/Boston!
5 - S C.: Brilliant little stop in the heart of Harvard Square that you won't wanna miss! The number of flavors available combined with the different kinds of drinks they have is MIND BLOWING. 

The servers are young, energetic and very nice. They are also the most patient people in the world and answer any and all questions you might have about drinks, BOBA et al.  It is always good to make up your mind quickly however, because the space is small and seating space is very limited. The store is also cash only, so beware before making your way over.

This is a great place to visit on hot days when a flavored BOBA tea is exactly what you need to feel good :)
3 - Jenn T.: A variety of teas here including boba, slushes, snows and milk tea.  I got the milk tea with boba, and it was ok, not much flavor to their milk tea here, but the boba was pretty good.  They also have bubbies (from hawaii) mochi ice cream for $1.35...NOT BAD!  The service was decent and the place is pretty small, but with a couple tables to hang out and play a few games.
1 - Lyra B.: HORRIBLE SERVICE and drinks are subpar when compared to Dado Tea and Tea Luxe. Disgusting.
5 - Sarah N.: Love the bubble tea slush!
4 - Emily Z.: Whatever its other flaws, the quality of the mochi ice cream here overrides. The staff are friendly, and the atmosphere and shop itself is cozy. The bubble tea is uninspiring and pretty standard, but if you come here, come here for the mochi ice cream.

They have the widest usual selection of Bubbie's Mochi Ice Cream that I have found anywhere, and if you like either ice cream or mochi, you'll be a big fan, so be sure to give this place a try. 

I deducted a star because BTS doesn't really make its own mochi ice cream, so you can get it elsewhere. Some other vendors (such as Whole Foods) have started to carry Bubbie's Mochi Ice Cream in packs of 8 for a comparable price to Boston Tea Stop, so if you're located far away, this trip wouldn't be worth it. If you're in the area, then surely drop by and get a 3-pack for a light snack, (or if you're like me, get a 12-pack!) 

All of the flavors are generally pretty tasty - my all-time favorites however, are probably green tea, red bean, black sesame, strawberry dark chocolate, chocolate mint, and maybe pistachio or pumpkin. Pumpkin tastes a lot better than it sounds, and watermelon was a bit disappointing, tasting rather like the watermelon Sour Patch Kids candy without the sour.

Don't forget to bring cash, or you'll have to leave disappointed! They won't take anything else.

Boston iPhone Repair - Cambridge, MA (42.3719357, -71.1152907) (Harvard Square)
5 - Sean R.: Couldn't have gone smoother. Ned came to my home and replaced my screen within 15 minutes. He definitely knew what he was doing and I would recommend his services to anyone.
5 - Chase A.: I dropped my phone at 10PM on a Sunday. I sent Ned an e-mail, and he came to my apartment the next day at six and replaced the screen on my phone for a third of what Apple wanted. Pretty much amazing.
5 - Christina K.: Ned was very helpful and flexible.
5 - andrej s.: My iPhone screen just went black. No shock, no breaks, just stopped working. Since the phone was out of warranty, I didn't want to bother with the Apple store. Watched several videos online on how to replace the screen, but for the price Ned was offering, it wasn't worth the time or risk of breaking my phone. He was very professional and accommodating to my schedule. The repair went quickly and smoothly! This guy definitely knows what he's doing!
5 - Chris L.: Ned was awesome.  Quick turnaround, good skills, and nice buy overall. I stopped by his office in the evening for batter replacement for my iPhone.  Twenty minutes later, I left as a happy customer.

Highly recommended.  Good price.  Good guy.  Can't go wrong.
5 - Jenny W.: Ned was awesome! He fixed my phone quickly and for half the price of the apple store! Now my phone is like new - would highly recommend!!!!
5 - Christian H.: I broke the screen on my 3G a few days before I was supposed to sell it and Ned became my one stop shop for affordable easy repair.  He is fast, friendly and super accommodating.  He does beautiful work and I couldn't be happier with the results.  Thanks for saving the day Ned!
5 - Trevin L.: True professional!  Quick, friendly service at a great price (best I found in Boston)!   Highly recommend -- the only way to get a better price is if you were to order the parts and do it yourself.
5 - Jon W.: My wife dropped her iPhone in the afternoon of July 3rd and the screen was destroyed.  We thought we'd have to send the phone out to be repaired, but luckily we found Boston iPhone Repair.    I called late in the afternoon of the 3rd and Ned called us back very quickly and agreed to meet us on the morning of July 4th.    I was just amazed that he would do that.  

When we got to his office, he was super fast, and now the phone works great.  If we ever need our phones fixed again, I'd definitely go back to Ned.
5 - Diana L.: These yelpers don't lie. Ned is flexible and his work is solid. In and out the door in 10 minutes with a new screen. Cash or check only.
5 - Brad A.: All these reviews are spot on. I cracked my iphone 4 screen pretty badly. They are apparently way more complicated and expensive to fix than the other iphones, but no matter, Ned made a house call and fixed the screen in about half an hour--looked as good as new.
5 - Ryan M.: I dropped and cracked the glass on my iPhone 3G. Did some research and found Boston iPhone Repair. I contacted Ned through email asking for advice and he was quick to respond. Made an appointment for the next day. He had everything ready to go when I got there. It took 5 minutes. Nice guy. Good work. Treats customer well. Would recommend to anyone with iPhone damage.
5 - Eric E.: Bada bing bada boom, got my iPhone LCD fixed in 10 minutes at Neds office in Cambridge. Great service, quick communication and accommodating schedule-wise....and no problems with the screen since.
5 - Lisa W.: My poor iphone 4 sustained some water damage and was acting weird (camera won't open, home button doesn't work), so I found Boston Iphone Repair through Yelp and emailed Ned based on the positive reviews. He replied very quickly, and was extremely accommodating in making time for me. 

I actually ended up seeing his dad, who is an iphone WIZ! He took my iphone completely apart within minutes, and was pointing out which pieces do what and explaining how things worked - extremely interesting for a science geek like me! He fixed my home button, but couldn't get the camera to work after swapping in/out new cameras, so he only charged me for the home button fix. He also pointed out that the water sensors inside the phone were not triggered, and suggested I go see the apple store for a software solution to the camera. I did that and.. voila! New phone!
5 - Sara M.: My boyfriends iPhone 3gs was cracked because he dropped it.  I stopped by Boston iPhone Repair and was fixed in 15 minutes.  The screens are already prepped with necessary glue and case holding.  While he fixed my phone (literally right in front of me) we discussed some other interesting iPhone facts.

Great service, phone is fixed and working perfectly.
5 - Gianna L.: Not that you need anymore convincing to go to this place to get your iphone fixed, but here's another 5-star review just in case. 

I visited Boston iPhone repair since my 3GS screen was cracked. I just showed up at the place which is literally one guy at a desk fixing iphones like a wizard. I gave him my phone, and ten minutes of pleasant chit chat later, it was as good as new. I mentioned looking up Boston iPhone repair on Yelp and earned a free touch screen protector. It costs $50 to repair your 3GS screen but that's better than getting a bunch of little cuts on your fingertips.

Fast service
Friendly guy
Reasonable price
again, fast service!
5 - Brett N.: I was on a work trip in Boston when I dropped my beloved iPhone 4 and the front screen was DESTROYED. I brought it into the shop and I was in and out in 20 minutes with a great finished product that looks good as new. Extremely happy with the experience and it was much cheaper than taking my phone to the Apple store for a replacement.
5 - Joshua L.: My iPhone 4 fell off the kitchen counter onto a stone tile floor, leaving a splintered spider webbed screen as a result.  Thankfully the touchscreen still worked, but the cracks made it hard to read messages etc.  Serendipitously, the Peapod delivery guy saw my sad looking iPhone and recommended going to Boston iPhone repair, telling me that I'd have it fixed in about 20 min for just about half of what the Apple store would charge to fix it.  I dropped it off with Ned and sure enough 20 min. later for just $100, my iPhone looks good as new!
5 - Ed B.: Roommate cracked his iPhone 4 screen last Friday night. Couldn't even unlock it when he was getting a call.  He did some searching on the internet and found Boston iPhone Repair and based on the Yelp reviews alone we headed there. We arrived around 11AM. The office is Ned at a desk fixing stuff with a little wating area. By the way, Ned is cute! He took my roommate's phone, while me and my roommate went to lunch at Bartley's Burgers. Note: Good time to go to Bartley's is a little after 11AM if you don't mind an early lunch, but no waiting!! By 11:20 there was a line out the door. We returned to Ned around 11:30AM. Sure enough, phone was working just fine and looked brand new.  Cost: $100, which is cheaper then paying the deductible to get a replacement or whatever. Savings!! Thanks Ned.
5 - Tanya C.: Seriously!! $95 for a cracked screen with four square check in and super friendly fast service!! Don't go anywhere else! :)
4 - Cameron H.: This is a tough one for me. I came in with what I believed was a semi-broken power button. I left it was a gentleman sitting at the desk, and was told to come back in about an hour. Returned, and was informed that, while he did manage to replace the button, it didn't solve the problem (he believed it was something else and wanted me to leave it overnight or come back another time). I needed the phone for that day, even with it's troublesome button, and just waited a few weeks until I was due for an upgrade. Never charged me for the work he performed since it didn't fix the problem

I give -1 star for not fixing the problem, another -1 for not having any kind of system to track which phone is which or receipt for dropping off, but +1 for being an upstanding business and not charging for something that didn't work. I'd return if I ever have a broken screen or other similar issue, as the prices seemed reasonable, and the work he did clean and professional.
5 - Eric A.: Ned rocks!!  Whole iPhone 4 front screen replacement in less than 20 minutes!!
5 - Adam B.: Great experience today! My iPhone fell of a shelf in my room the other day, all of the sudden the ear piece stopped working. Decided to have someone look at it instead of trying to do it myself. Walked into the "office" really just a room with some chairs and the work bench. The gentleman behind the workbench listened to my story and then got to work on my phone. In 5 min he had the phone open and the old ear piece out, he put in a new piece and put the phone back together and the ear piece started working again! In and out of the office in about 15min! Money well spent in my book! 

I would definitely go back with if I have any more issues with my phone! 

Quick, easy, cheap and a friendly employee!
5 - Juan C.: I second what most people say.  My phone slipped out of my hand and fell flat on its face.  Screen cracked on top around earpiece.  Although not a major deal, I wasn't about to cut my ear every time I wanted to answer a call.  In came this place.  The guy was very nice and straightforward. He fixed my screen and my lock button for $120, much better than going to the Apple store and dealing with some random geek pretending to be an all knowing tech guru.

My phone is thankfully good as new.  Highly recommend!!!!!
5 - John P.: Couldn't believe how easy and quick the repair (replacing home button) was! Amazing.
5 - Katie M.: They did a great job!  My iPhone fell on the ground and the glass screen shattered - i called and they said I could just come right in and they would fix it - it only took about 20 minutes, they were so friendly and did an amazing job for such a reasonable price!!  Good as new!  And I really like supporting small businesses when if I had gone to the Apple store they would have charged me an arm and a leg and made me wait.  These guys at Boston iPhone repair are fantastic!!!  I would recommend them to anyone!  They are right in Harvard Square so you can take the T over and they fix it on the spot.  Excellent!!!
1 - Doreen C.: Very unhappy with service here!!!!!!  Not so much Ned, but the other a-hole with the accent. What a jerk!!!  I would never recommend this place. After going back twice to remedy a newly defective LCD cover that they installed, they told me they wouldn't replace it. NOT HAPPY!!!
5 - Nikhil K.: My iPhone screen was broken. At first, I tried to fix my iPhone myself. Thanks to the youtube videos I made things worst. Now I had a non-functional iPhone in bits and pieces and didnt know how to fix it. I had almost lost hope until i heard about this place. They surely are the best! They fixed my phone in matter of minutes and now my IPhone looks as good as new! Any problems with any of your i-device, go here. Highly recommend this place.
5 - B.Kiddo K.: I wish these guys could have worked a miracle but they dif tried! I dropped my phone and called to check up on it everyday and the guys were so nice. I finally went in the final day and hung out ( in Somerville) while they tried anything and everything. I want to shout the guys because they were so nice and so unbelievably helpful. It was Dan, Antiono and Rob. 
The manager(Rob?) came in to drop some product off and we spoke for a few and he was so personable and nice too. I have been meaning to write this review ( for a couple weeks) because they were all so nice and understood how upset I was. I can def say I would go back to them and they are a great *deal* financially. What a nice cohesive group. And I say this and I left with a dead Iphone!
*sniff sniff*
5 - ben c.: Very professional service. Brought phone in at 5:45 with busted screen. Tech informed me that it might take more than just a screen to fix. I asked if they had a diagnostic fee and he responded that they don't charge if they can't fix.

Tech dropped what he was doing and zipped me in and out within 40minutes. Very satisfied with the work, price and service. HIghly recommend.

Bosworth's - Cambridge, MA (42.365079, -71.104519) (Central Square)
3 - Nick L.: Tucked inside the corner of Lobby 7, the main entrance to the original MIT buildings, Bosworth's provides a simple coffee shop service to students and staff at this well-known institution.  The decor has a techno flair: an elliptical counter with brushed metal and glass adornments and a giant circular scrolling LED sign above the baristers' heads.  The idea is that you can walk in, get your drinks and pastries, then either grab a seat at a table in Lobby 7 or disappear to your office.

Drinks are the standard coffee shop fare.  They have some Peet's and Fairtrade mixes, and can do simple things like hot cocoa, mochas or a chai.  There's also a small display of Odwalla near the entrance.  Service is friendly enough.  Taste is fairly standard, not huge raves or problems from this simple man.

Bosworth's is something of a mixed bag: the place is tiny, there's not a huge selection, but it sure is convenient (especially when you want a fast espresso drink).  The scolling LED sign drives me nuts, but it occasionally has useful information.  They open earlier than I'm awake, but also close early.

The key here is just knowing that Bosworth's exists if you're in the MIT area and need a fast coffee drink.  Other nearby options include Starbucks in the Stata Center, or Dunkin' across the street in the Student Center.  LaVerde's Market in the Student Center also has a selection of self-serve coffees.  The Steam Cafe (Blg 7, 4th floor) has limited self-serve coffee as does the little place at the corner of Blg 4 & Infinite.
3 - Thomas E.: This is an average coffee shop on MIT's campus run by the SODEXHO food management corporation. Their main selling point is that they serve Fair Trade Coffees, if you appreciate that sort of thing. They also offer a variety of snacks and teas that you will also find in vending machines and other fine snack establishments on campus.
4 - Hyun Y.: I like this place! Whenever I'm stuck on an experiment (aka everyday, at 2 PM), I leave behind my failed experiments and take a stroll to lobby 7 to visit Bosworth's.  :-)   Their coffee is pretty strong, and has that "burnt" taste reminiscent of Starbucks' coffee.  They serve Fair trade blend, so kudos to them!  For $1.60 (student discount), you can get small coffee and their pastries are pretty cheap too.   Plus, the ladies who work there are super friendly and chat with you sometimes.
4 - CeCe O.: My friend and I visited MIT for a couple of hours and were in need of some java jolt. We 'yelped' this place and was glad to find it, it was almost miss-able since it's tucked in a nice neat corner. As always, I ordered my vanilla latte--the espresso tasted as good as it does (much better than Starbucks) and the pastry that we picked up (Cinnamon roll w/ raisin) wasn't spectacular but it did its job of satiating our sweet hunger. My buddy had Peet's Sumatra drip was good as well (you can never go wrong with Peet's IMHO). The MIT Guest Wifi was more than an added bonus for non-students like us, we became fans instantly.
3 - Adam A.: Chances are, if you need Bosworth's, you know about Bosworth's already.  (That is, it's not like the kind of place you'll go out of your way for, and if you're on that part of campus and need a coffee, it's where you'll pretty much inevitably have to go)   The coffee is Peet's, which means it's better coffee than the undrinkable and even more badly-brewed Starbucks stuff in the Stata center, or the Green Mountain coffee in the bldg 4 cafe.  The brewing is inconsistent, to say the least, and as much as I'd like to go for the fair trade, it always tastes either burnt or sour to me, so I go for Major Dickason's or House.   The other options are the same sodexho assortment as the other places around campus, which is to say, pretty sorry.

The people who work here are really nice and tend to be cheerful, and if you're a regular, they remember your usual order.  The downside is that they're slow, though, which is especially frustrating if all you're waiting for is to pay for a cup so you can pour yourself some coffee from the urn...

Boudin Sourdough Bakery & Cafe - Palo Alto, CA (37.4422452, -122.1707225) ()
4 - Tiffany T.: Boudin is a great place to eat if you are forced to eat fast food when shopping at Stanford Shopping Center.  All of their food is made fresh. I love their clam chowder, served in a sourdough bowl of course. Also their turkey and avocado croissant sandwich is one of the best items on the menu. Their staff will ensure that you are happy with your food, I ordered a side ceasar salad but the dressing was too salty and the lettuce too wilted. They immediately switched it to a half sandwich of my choice since none of the lettuce in the bowls looked worthwhile. Boudin sells loaves of bread to go but their best business is the the soups and salads.
4 - Rob C.: i usually get the chowder in the sourdough breadbowl as well, but not as big a fan of the sourdough as other people.  this shopping center is quite nice, and so this location is busy.

Boudreaux's Restaurant - Blacksburg, VA (37.2300939, -80.4147662) ()
1 - Ryan B.: Boudreaux's is an interesting establishment. Their food is good - decent jambalaya and killer seafood gumbo. Upstairs patio seating on plastic chairs in the summer and warmer months. Cool atmosphere most of the time, but now it's time to explain my review. 

I have been bared from returning to this restaurant. Here's the story: my girlfriend and I came in for dinner on a late Monday night. We sat at a small enclosed table and waited a while for the bar tender to come over (where she had customers) and take our drink orders. She explained that the server had just been cut so she would be taking care of us. Drinks took forever to get back and she was not at all friendly. It was very clear that we were a nuisance to her. Food took even longer than the drinks did - we had chicken and salmon. When the food did come, salmon was well undercooked. The bartender took it back and 5 minutes later came back okay. We were the only people dining now with a few at the bar. Only after waiting nearly 15 minutes after we had finished our meals did the bartender come by and collect the plates. Another 10 for the credit cards to be collected. Then she ran the same credit card twice. Needlessly to say I asked for the manager who asked me to get up and go to the bar to meet him. I explained how we were very unhappy we were and how we would like to not pay for such a horrible experience. Instead of being understanding, the manager explained that we could stiff on the service, but we still needed to pay for the food. After arguing some more, he threatened to call the police for us not paying. After realizing we really would not pay, he said "Fine. Don't pay if you promise to never come back here." Trust me, no problem. 

Do not waste your time here. While the food may be decent, such disregard for customers and lack of concern for their dining experience should not be tolerated. There are plenty of other places to eat in Blacksburg that this place.
3 - Clara L.: Goodness!  Never ever have I had such a terrible experience here as described by Ryan B.

Boudreaux's is alright.  Their crab-cheese dip is really good.  The other food is alright, but it was never the first place I chose when I was hungry while downtown.  However, half off on bottles of wine on wednesdays isn't too shabby.  My friends and I took advantage of wine wednesdays!  

And I love the patio deck, even though the overlooking view of main street isn't much to write home about.  It was just nice to sit outside and have a drink
4 - Patrick M.: This is probably the best restaurant in downtown Blacksburg, its only competition is Cabo. It has unique food, good prices, and the service is about the same as anywhere downtown, which means so-so.

They also  have a great brunch menu, half price bottles of wine for certain happy hours, and many unique beers you can't find elsewhere in Blacksburg.
3 - Misono A.: Boudreaux is one of the better restaurants in downtown Blacksburg. Their sandwiches are pretty good, and their jambalaya - while served in very large portions - is just alright.

I could always count on Boudreaux for a satisfying meal. They have some nice booths downstairs that you can have a relatively private dinner in with friends, or you can opt to eat on the upstairs patio, which is really nice when the weather is warm.
3 - Kevin M.: Customer service - 1 star.  Went there for lunch and the service was extremely slow and no apologies or explanation until we started getting aggravated.  It took almost an hour for our meal to come out for a party of 7 and we only order sandwiches.  However, the food was great.
2 - Pete and Mel R.: There are two good things about Boudreaux's:  The drink specials and the rooftop seating/bar.  It's hard to beat a half price bottle of wine special.

The only problem is, the food isn't that good.  It's not bad, just mediocre.  The jambalaya and gumbo are both pretty uninteresting.  The best thing I've had is the blackened catfish po-boy sandwich.
3 - Tina M.: I have not experienced what Ryan described here; however, I also think his review is pretty ridiculous.  If you eat your meal, don't be a cheap skate and expect to get it for free.  The food here is really good sometimes and not so good other times - it's not consistent.  But it is a unique place for Blacksburg and a good downtown location.  The beer list is good as well as their wine selections.
4 - Kim T.: I can't say anything about the food here but their Mojitos are the best I've ever had.  It's a nice bar to go to with friends and their drinks are reasonably priced.
4 - Hassan A.: Great deck awesome squash soup and oysters. Staff was attentive to detail
5 - Danny F.: I love this place. The atmosphere, food, drinks, and beer are all great! The breakfast is also incredible and a great hangover fix
3 - Micah P.: There is quite a selection of foods that will remind you of New Orleans at Boudreaux's, so I recommend going here if you just need a quick fix.  However, nothing I had was amazing, but the service is friendly and the food usually comes out quick.
3 - Sara H.: Boudreaux is not a place you come for the service. That should be pretty clear from most of the reviews here. 

I once waited an 45 minutes for a drink order and then another 30 minutes to order food and THEN an hour for food. (Note: I was 20 minutes late so everyone else had waited even longer.) I didn't come back for a long time after that. But all told, I have probably eaten here 20 or more times while living in Blacksburg, and that experience was quite unusual. Overall, the service is just a little slow and inattentive.

The food is very good though. I love to get the gumbo with some extra corn bread and spicing it up with one the many hot sauces from their collection. The Po' Boys are also very good. As mentioned by others, the drinks are often very good and the beer list is fairly extensive. The dining room downstairs is nicely decorated and the upstairs is great for warm summer nights. 

Wine Wednesdays (1/2 off bottles) is a great time to come out with friends. Just don't come too hungry because you might have to wait a loooong time for food.
2 - Carmen L.: The only reason I go there is for the Wine Wednesdays, when the bottles are half off. Their upstairs patio style outdoors section is nice during the summer.

The food is mediocre to just plain bad - once I had to actually send something back because it was so bad. Their po-boys are allright, nothing crazy. I tried a salmon salad once and it was pretty good. Another time I tried an egg florentine which was yummy (they make that at Gillie's too and it's sooo much better there). Other than that the food's always been boring.

My boyfriend had a particularly nasty experience there once and he's since sworn never to go again. It was so bad the entire table got their food comped (almost 200 bucks). I think it was a mixture of bad service and bad quality of food.
3 - Va B.: Our last visit made us wonder if it has changed owners as I agree with others - not as good as it used to be. My crawfish etoufee was definitely served with minute rice. Who didn't eat that in college. I'm over 30 now and appreciate the real thing. Drinks ar still great and beer selection is awesome, even compared to places outside of the 'Burg.
4 - Shep H.: Well the cooks have returned to cooking and the wait staff has returned to waiting.  Etouffee was much better although had a weird brownish red color.  Drinks stayed empty most of the time and there was about a 5 minute delay between my meal and my wife's.

Maybe I wasn't this picky when I ate here in college, but it definitely doesn't seem as good as it used to be.
4 - Lauren T.: The food is relatively good, but they have a great wine selection and half price bottles of wine on Wednesday. One of my favorites, especially for the summer.
2 - Rachel B.: Boudreaux's is good when it's good and awful when it's not.  The service is pretty much always lacking, sometimes ridiculously so.  The drop biscuits and sausage gravy is good, but kind of expensive especially for a college town.  The brunch is a la carte for the most part, which can get annoying, but the drinks tend to be good.  Had a bad experience with the oyster po'boy, so I wouldn't recommend getting that.  The seafood gumbo is generally good.  Honestly not going to miss it like some of the other places on main street after I move away from Blacksburg.
4 - Alyssa J.: There are two things that make me really happy. Booze and hot sauce. Luckily for me, Boudreaux's has both of these things.
3 - Andrew R.: While the cajun style food retained all necessary flavors to fit the bill; the restaurant itself is lacking. The service was rather slow and the seating is rather crowded, which left me feeling rushed and much too close to the other patrons.

The poboy and alligator that I had were well cooked and tasted great, they even have a decent beer selection; but I did not leave fully satisfied. I'd probably recommend you go during non peak hours and hope that your server is on top of their game.
4 - Joe C.: I went during lunch and had really good service; the place was about half full. I had the seafood gumbo and it was delicious!
4 - Rory R.: Great place for Brunch!  

I and my guests really enjoyed relaxing on their rooftop patio on a sunny day while enjoying some selections from the weekend brunch menu and a cocktail.  

Our waitress was very attentive, helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable.  
I used to love Boudreaux's when I was at VT as a student, and am happy to see the place is just as good coming back as alum.
5 - Eileen K.: Enjoyed a casual Saturday night dinner with my daughter.  We never made it past the appetizers.  The oysters rockefeller was perfect and the gator bites were the best I've had.  Topped of with a mojito and timely wait staff.  Thanks again Boudreaux's.
2 - Derek V.: Formerly one of my favorite spots in Blacksburg (despite its poor service), Boudreaux's came under new management about 2-3 years ago.  Since then, the waitstaff experience has ranged from mediocre to awful.  Worst of all, though, the food quality has suffered.

-The gator bites (and other fried appetizers) used to be crispy and delicious.  Now they're tiny, limp globs of oil.

-The gumbo used to be flavorful, and all soup dishes came with some fine cornbread.  The gumbo is now a salty mess, and the cornbread has disappeared.

-Good cuts of meat were used for steak salads and other dishes.  Now they've switched to cheaper cuts, and the steak is fatty, chewy, and disgusting.

-The weekend brunch used to be great (their biscuits and gravy were the best I'd ever put in my mouth).  However, on my last 2 visits, my order was burned on the bottom.

Boudreaux's gets a bonus star for their drinks.  The mojitos are amazing, the brunch drinks are strong, the beer selection is good, and the Wine Wednesday special (where all bottles are half-price) is definitely worth checking out.

Unfortunately, I can't recommend Boudreaux's for anything more than that.  Before the management change, I could tolerate the poor service because the food was so great.  But since the food quality has taken such a nosedive, I probably won't be back for a while.
4 - Steve S.: This was my first time in Blacksburg, so Yelp is usually a great resource. Sadly, there weren't many five star establishments around. So, I had to rely directly on people. Gasp! I was recommended this place from a VT grad who insisted the alligator was a must purchase. She was right, and the rest of the food was pretty darn good too.

I'd definitely be back for the cold beer, a great place to watch a game and good all around food. This is more of a place were you can count on a great meal every time, just don't expect anything super special.
2 - Jessica L.: I've tried to give this place a shot about 4 times now, and each experience hasn't been that great. It's definitely over-priced for a college town and for less than memorable food. The crawfish "po'boy" is awful: definitely tasted like the crawfish had been pulled out from the freezer after being in there for way too long! Most every dish comes with a side of homemade chips, which are inconsistent. They were good only 1 out of the four times I went. The the other 3 times they were burnt and either under or over-seasoned. The only things I've gotten here that have been decent are the gator bites, fried calamari, and mojitos. I wouldn't stress if you don't get a chance to eat here.
2 - J C.: food is just okay at best.  nice staff but  typical college town food and drinks.

Bovard Auditorium - Los Angeles, CA (34.0216397, -118.2829875) (South Los Angeles)
5 - Thisonegirl h.: Revisited my alma mater and had a nostalgic...sorta...trip down memory lane as I walked around campus here. It's been about a year or two since I last came here but today I went back since there was a concert going on at Bovard. It's my third time in this auditorium and it's quite beautiful inside. The set up has a gothic feel to it...like the outside of Notre Dame cathedral. I feel like I am going back in time in the 1600s (1500s? 1400s?) in Paris when I'm inside. The sound is amazing and USC's done a good job with this auditorium. Good job SC'!
5 - J D.: Attended an event last week, "Making Movies, Making Deals, & Making It Big".....featuring Rob Lowe & Tom Barrack as guest speakers.  The auditorium was packed with over 1,000 students and guests.  We were lucky enough to be in the 3rd row, center stage, lower section.

The acoustics and lighting was perfect.  The temperature was just right too....not too hot or too cold, which can sometimes be a problem with an event like this.  The building is beautiful and well kept.....an excellent place to view an event.

Overall, I was very impressed with this place.

Will I return?  Absolutely!
4 - Hugo C.: Earlier this week, USC's sold-out Bovard Auditorium hosted over 1,200 people for "Ira Glass: Radio Stories and Other Stories."

The event staff made check-in a breeze; signage was plentiful and there was no shortage of staff to lead you in the right direction. In a refreshing move, the doors were even opened a few minutes ahead of the scheduled time.

As you're lead into the venue and you get your first glimpse, it's no surprise that this building was built over 90 years for church services. Renovations over the years have kept the place in tip-top shape and the stage, audio and lighting aspects come together to provide a quality atmosphere. Keeping in mind that this is the second oldest concert hall in LA, this ol' lady is in great shape.
4 - Kali M.: Bovard is really a great venue.  I can't even count how many times I've performed on that stage or sat in that audience... it's a lot.  A lot of schools don't have access to that level of quality.

Not to say it's Radio City Music Hall, but it really is a very nice auditorium, especially for a college campus.

Props, Bovard.
4 - Melanie O.: Review for the Auditorium itself (not the performance I watched):

Parking - you have to pay (which we were not informed of, prior to the event) and walk a little bit.  Our event didn't have signs posted around to direct us (which was rather annoying, seeing as it's summer and there's not a lot of students around to ask for directions).

Staff - the students that were volunteering/working (?) for the event were very nice.  It seems that they're very skilled with the lighting and sound, etc.

Set up/ Layout - well-sized.  You can use just the bottom seating for smaller, and the view from those seats are great.  Don't know how good the view is from the two sections above, but it's not too huge of an auditorium, so I can't assume they'd be too bad

Sound - Really good, and again, because it's smaller, you're not filling a giant ampitheatre, so you should be okay
3 - Cynthia A.: I visit this place once a year to see my niece perform in her dance show and the place is small, the seats are not that comfortable, and it needs to be updated. I would say it's okay for a University auditorium. I really can't judge it on anything else so for an attendee it's nothing spectacular but I can guarantee that I'll be going again next year.
2 - Maria R.: Early March 2012, evening visit for a play
Two stars, mainly for massive parking hassle

Bovard is lovely; a well-preserved building and every seat is a pretty good one.  Easy in/out with quick will-call and helpful ushers.

Having said that......the parking is awful.  It literally could not be any further from the auditorium.  The laws of physics would no longer apply.  

The only thing worse than the parking was the wait to enter the campus...many many green lights came and went before we could make the left into the entry gate.  There was a USC(?) traffic officer who had long since given up trying to handle the situation; he was just trying to stay alive and get home safely.

If you're headed to Bovard for an event, add another hour to your game plan.  I wish I'd known...

PS:  As a UCLA alum, I have no idea why the 2 campuses are rivals. They are exactly equal when it comes to creating utter mayhem around parking and logistics.

Bowbarr - Carrboro, NC (35.9109375, -79.0665386) ()
4 - Susan Z.: The crowd is grad student hipsterish mid to late 20's.  It straddles the fence between "Lounge" and "Dive Bar", the only thing pushing it into "Dive Bar" is the crowd and the staff.  

I like the set up, but I was tempted to 3 star it.  Reasons:  Bar staff not good at noticing the order people have been waiting, one bathroom total (wtf????), and a $5 membership w/ 3 guest limit.

However, the bartender quickly rectified his change mistake (it was a $20, not $10) and someone swooped in regularly to take our glasses.  Plus, they have lots of nice seating and this area near the front where the little tables are actually tree stumps!!  I felt like a Bernstein Bear!!!  

It's definitely the place to go to have some drinks & good convo.  Plus parking in Carrboro is super-awesome compared to the Crazy that is Chapel Hill on weekend nights.
4 - mari h.: Places like this are what make the West Franklin/Carrboro area so appealing to me for a Saturday night out. It's a cute place you'd never know was there, unless someone took you there... or of course, it shows up in your friends' facebook places to be fans of. And it's in easy walking distance of so many other places in case it's full, or the others are. 

It's simple, small, not too loud, interesting in the decor department and has board games in the back of the bar at a full size dining room table for those who like to play games when they drink. Drink specials are simple, but fun (gin and wink yum) and of course, PBR on tap. The place makes you feel like you've been transported to an NYC bar on a cold evening in little Carrboro. I love it.

Do be prepared to have someone in your group have $5 on hand for a membership if it's you're first time.
4 - Meghan B.: For my first night out in Carrboro, I was not disappointed by Bowbarr.   It's a small bar with a good hipster vibe that seems to attract locals along with the college age students.  Drinks were pretty cheap ($4-5 for a single, $8 for a double) and their specials were unique.  I don't understand the need for the $5 membership fee, but that's something I'm getting used to since moving to NC.

One of my favorite things though was the decor in the bathroom.  How could you not love a place that has a candle burning underneath the shell-mosaic sink (ok ok, so maybe not the brightest idea) and a hamburger shaped soap dispenser?  Out in the lounge area, tree stumps turned into end tables and extra seats.  Pretty retro.  Overall, a cool bar that I'll definitely be back to in the future.
4 - Christina G.: I don't think I would have ever known about Bowbarr, had a yelper not pointed it out to me. It's got a hardly noticeable storefront right by a tattoo parlor on the edge of Carrboro. (And it's not on Yelp! Or -er- it wasn't, till we added it that night!). So yeah, yelpies, we're letting you in on the secret ;) -- which as it turns out, is not so secret to the Carrboro kids. $5 membership fee since there's no food here, but it allows for three guests at least.

We hit them up around 11:30 on a Saturday and were lucky to grab space on the couch and chill out with some drinks. But people kept rolling in, and the hallway-style set-up got busy real quick. It's the sort of bar you'd find in a bigger city: they somehow make the alley-way space work, and work well. The ceilings are painted black and white, and kind of look like those ol' spiral illusions. The bar reminded me of a food set-up at the fair. They've got tree-stump tables. And a formal dining room at back (sounds weird, but in reality, it's awesome). And a Carolina blue toilet. Sweet.
4 - Michael M.: Carrboro had something lacking in nightlife scene, I'm pleased to say that Bowbarr fills that niche. Thoughtful, provoking decor with obvious personal touches; Brighter than ocsc, quieter than reservoir. Openish seating that facillitates crowd interaction and meeting new people. I think this will become a great off hour bar. Bonus - Bobby Orr Pinball! There is a kitchen table in the back, but I believe it is temporary. 

Ladies should be comfortable using a mens/womens bathroom. One couple that can't wait to get home or a taco truck depth charge might leave your patiently waiting bladder in a bad place.
4 - Meg T.: Bowbarr is a pretty cool bar.  It's not too loud, and has lots of places to (comfortably) sit.  The decor looks custom made and fits the space well (except for the dining room table in the back, weird).  Love the multi-colored glass light bulbs around the bar which keep the space lit but still lend a lot to the ambiance.  Tasty drink specials like michelada, sangria, a lemony vodka thing, and the ubiquitous (in Carrboro at least) dark & stormy.  I was paying too much attention to the people I was with to fully notice the crowd, but no one seemed lame, mean, or creepy.

Members only, membership is $5, and a plus-- the membership cards are the coolest around.  A minus-- only one bathroom.
5 - amanda b.: Bowbarr is one of the only places in the ChaHill/Carrboro area that makes me feel like I'm back in the city.  It's a nice, casual place with cute and original DIY decor, including painted detailing on the walls, a formal living room in the back, carnival lights around the bar, a grotto in the bathroom and little tables/stools made out of logs.  Somehow, they give the impression that they've been there for years.  The crowd is relaxed and not too scene-aspirational, with seemingly nary an undergrad in sight.

Good mixed drinks (though it would be nice if they used actual ginger beer, rather than fancy ginger ale, for their Dark & Stormy) and a reasonable beer selection.  How can you not love a place that has a nonalcoholic drink called "Pregnant Lady"?

The only real negative- there's only one bathroom for the entire bar, which can be kinda a drag.  Overall, I look forward to hanging out there in the future.
4 - Oliver C.: Bowbarr is a stylish, low-key bar on the Carrboro/Chapel Hill line. It's definitely battling OCSC for the hippest place in town trophy, but Bowbarr feels slightly more upscale/urbane. Maybe that's because they have a selection of fancy cocktails that you would expect to get from Lantern. It looks a bit more like a bar you would find in Brooklyn or Portland.

The vibe is sort of indifferent..you probably won't make any new friends but it's a good place to go have a drink with your own.

There's a little patio out back and a decent amount of seating inside. The bathroom is unisex and has a cheeseburger soap dispenser!
4 - Andrew D.: It's a pretty cool place. 
If you're doing a Carrboro crawl, don't miss it. 

Awesome vintage Bobby Orr pinball machine. In a Blackhawks jersey, and they just won the Stanly Cup, ungh.
5 - amanda h.: A Carrboro treasure, for sure. Everything is thoughtful--the interior, the cocktails, the records, the friendly but not-too-friendly bartenders. 

I wish the beers on tap were more exciting but the Pom Collins makes up for it.
4 - Heather G.: Bowbarr is a lot of fun! When it opened right near my house, I was kind of skeptical, due to the stereotypes of rudeness and arrogance that often is associated with a "hipster" bar. I'm glad to report that Bowbarr clearly ignores those stereotypes.

The bartenders are friendly and cordial. It is often crowded"ish" on a weekend night but never overwhelming. The lighting and music are nice. There is a giant couch in one corner which is great for big groups and meeting new people, while on the other side there are some tables and benches. There is also a pinball machine (bring quarters, it's addictive) and a small but cute and useful outdoor area which is great for nice days.

Best part: their specialty drinks! They are more than fair in price ($4-7 usually) and are often pretty unique with very interesting ingredients. Mezcaltini? Amazing. Pom Collins? Awesome. Italian Lemonade? Great. They experiment with different mixed drinks too.

Worst part: only one unisex bathroom. At some points in the night there was a relatively significant line for the one bathroom. That said, the bathroom is pretty nice.

Definitely recommended if you're looking for a chill kind of hangout on a Friday/Saturday night. I haven't gone during the weekday, so I'm not really going to address that.

Overall: Try Bowbarr out!
5 - Amanda S.: Bowbarr, my favorite place to be in Carrboro. I don't think it's quite right to label it a dive bar - it has a bit of a grungy feel, but everything inside from the artwork to the drinks are pretty classy. I have accepted the mescaltini as my lord and savior, it is without a doubt my favorite drink.

I wish I could give an extra star for the Bobby Orr pinball machine.
3 - John L.: Bowbarr is an interesting place:  a mixture of hipster elements (the bathroom line conversation I had with a drunk gentleman about how Algeria was the new Egypt, something I hadn't thought about, making it "a revolution, but not one you've ever heard of"), a little bit of good beer, and a lot of "Wow, this place is a little too hot".  

Bowbarr is not for the meek, especially if it's stuffed.  If there's one thing I noticed, it was how much I appreciated getting outside after spending a good deal of time in here.  I like the decor and everything else associated with it, but I need a little more ventilation for my own good.
4 - Samantha E.: A fun little Carrboro spot where you can escape the undergrads on Franklin. Although I only stopped in for a bit to catch up with some friends I was not disappointed. I will definitely come back again the next time I am in Chapel Hill.
5 - Miles M.: Love it! Small, warm and chill. Great music most of time.
4 - Ryan B.: Super hip bar away from undergrad scene. Can get crowded, but the service is usually really good. Good prices and good music.
3 - Drea G.: Walking distance from my apartment.  Cheap drinks.  Fun, friendly crowd.  Outdoor patio.  Fast bartenders.  Reminds me of the "hipster" bars in DC so of course I like it.  These reasons are enough to frequent Bowbarr.
4 - Tori T.: I only have one real complaint with this place, and that's the lack of adequate restroom facilities. Seriously, on a busy night, you have to wait in line for an eternity to use the single, unisex stall. Luckily, it was clean in there. 

Otherwise, this place is fantastic! The decor looks a bit like a hipster's dark and stormy acid-trip, but definitely not in a bad way. There is an assortment of novel and reasonably-priced cocktails. Last time, I tried the Prosecco Limoncello, the Pom Collins, and something with vodka, tequila, and chili powder. All were fantastic. 

Likewise, the bar staff is pretty phenomenal. Unlike a lot of hipster bars, everyone seemed to be very warm and helpful (they didn't judge my friend for not knowing what Mezcal was, or for asking if they carried RedBull-- they don't, by the way).

I don't know if Bowbarr will become my go-to "spot", but I will definitely be returning, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a unique drinking experience.
4 - Jay G.: Nice patio area, but super crowded because of the limited size.  Forced to sit at the bar, which was fine cause the place is cool inside too.  Liked my cocktails, but was really annoyed by the volume of the music.  Does that make me old?
5 - Jodi B.: Great drinks very fun eclectic atmosphere

Bowl & Board - Cambridge, MA (42.3701963, -71.1130603) (Harvard Square)
5 - A T.: Need a house warming gift? Want to make your friends jealous because your apartment looks better than theirs? This place has a wide range of prices and a really large selection of homegoods stuff.
4 - Jessica R.: mostly kitchen stuff.  good selection of cutting boards, knives, random gadgets, even pet bowls and pet place mats.

good place to wander for a bit but pricey.

when I was there last I spent about 10 minutes looking at ceramic pigs and sheep.
4 - Ellie L.: Props for their alluring window displays.  Great accessories to make a house feel like home; they've got patterned shower curtains, neat coffee accessories, gadget-y wine corkscrews...some people might see it as a collection of excessive/useless stuff, but if you are the type to walk reverently into a new room and immediately begin to plot its decor--or even if you just dig throwing theme parties--then you will definitely have a good time browsing through.
5 - Sophia C.: LOVE Bowl and Board.  They have every kitchen gadget that you could possibly ever think of.  Sure, they are a little on the pricey side, but have items that you really can't find anywhere else.  
I always go through their kitchen gadget section and never know what I'm picking up until I read the label.  Then realize that I must have the tiny ginger grater Im holding and wonder how Ive ever lived without it.
3 - Julie A.: This place is somewhere that makes me wish I could buy everything. I truly thing they have a great selection of all Kitchen and bath supplies anyone could want and use. It's on the pricey side, but you can always buy something small, or splurge on the one great thing. They have some killer shower curtains. I'm a sucker for kitchen gadgets so i can spend hours in here.
5 - Erica D.: I love going to Bowl & Board and imagining how cute my apartment could be if I was loaded.  Wooden salad bowls, faux rustic dressers, cloth napkins... etc etc.  However, I am in the process of figuring out how to tone down the neon yellowness of the bathroom in my new place and I do plan on splurging on a quirky shower curtain with 50's style bathing ladies in showercaps, because it's awesome.
5 - Wendy L.: When I walked into the store and saw the wall display of color coordinated dish towels, I knew I was in heaven. I LOVE this store. They've got a selection you can't find anywhere else, especially with kitchen textiles, shower curtains, and artisan-made bowls and boards. Some items are pricey, but it's worth it to support such a lovely place.
4 - Nicole P.: A cool, quirky place! I stopped by this place with some friends while doing xmas shopping and I really dig it!  

They have a lot of kitchen stuff- cool things like beautiful wooden cutting boards (board and bowl duh), funky spoons, little containers, neat dish towels and all kinds of gadgets for cooking that I don't know how to use but which are fun to look at.

There is also a lot of non-cookery items like some really neat jewelery, soaps, lotions, lamps, clocks... I got some fab stocking stuffers here.

If you're doing the H Sq. thing def. swing by- and Zoe's next door is a good bfast/lunch spot too!
3 - Mai O.: Love their selection of Kitchen goods, especially retro scales and timer etc.  Colorful spatulas, cute linens, pretty mugs...
I am not too crazy about their new clothes lines, but that's just me. 
Their furniture section is not so much to my taste, but it's still cool, I can see that people with that countryside-looking taste would love the furnitures.

For the store itself I wanted to give 4 stars but minus one star for the "no return policy" and also the products they carry are sometimes not well-manufactured (=quality).  So I think my personal rating for this store is 3.5 (but can't give half a star on Yelp).

Maybe because it's non-profit but this policy of "no refunds" does not give an incentive to the clients to purchase expensive goods.  What if something you bought (big and expensive like a table for example) is not what you have imagined, or damaged, and you want to return it?  If all I am getting is a store credit, it would not make me want to take that risk, since a lot of furnitures are not carefully handled by furniture stores' delivery, unless you are rich enough to select white gloves delivery.  (Pottery Barn delivered my dresser scratched/chipped up, for example.)

However, I like going to the store very much and I will go get some more retro goodies from this store for sure.

*later note: my spatula that I bought here broke.  The plastic part came off of a wooden stick.  Also a cake cooler was not flat so stable, so had to return it.  Scale however is working fine.  So I think quality-wise speaking, it's hit-and-miss with this store.
4 - Jessica D.: I love everything they have in this store. Unfortunately, I can't afford a lot of it. I am such a sucker for cutesy, coordinated home accessories, ESPECIALLY kitchenware. 

I agree with Bowl and Board being Crate and Barrel's cuter sister. Everything feels handcrafted and contemporary that I have to fight the urge to buy out the store every time I walk in. And given that it's right across the street from my office, that is way too much.

A tip to people who like their stuff: it does go on sale. Especially the seasonal stuff and display items. I bought a picture frame collage for $4. It had a few wear and tear marks and was not in a box, but nothing that can be noticed when hanging on my wall. They also frequently have drawer handles and knobs on sale, which can make a huge difference in a room (especially for a toolbelt diva like myself).

So if you are looking for something for your house that is odd, funky or just all around different, I suggest checking this place out, but I warn you, it may be a little pricey.
4 - Trish F.: We won't hold the store accountable for their marketing department's decisions. That being said, I really like looking around the artist formerly known as Bowl & Board. It's You @ Bowl and Board now. Scratch that other statement.. now I'm REALLY loving the store. I feel like they wanna get to know me and what I'm looking for in a perfect kitchen. Oh the difference a name change makes. 

When I start owning kitchen supplies (roomie borrowed) and want matching plates and accessories, I'll definitely head here. Well, if I want things that are both for function and fashion. They really like to charge that extra $$$ to make a spatula blue, don't they? Wandering around here can get dangerous.. because you end up thinking you NEED some of this stuff (that vegetable steamer is AWESOMMMEE). 

Their random cards (heart) and knick knacks ar pretty cool. The clothes section I don't really get. There was one dress I liked, but the rest was.. appropriate? Like.. the clothes seemed like the stuff you would find in a housewares store (aka.. dresses that look like table cloths). The staffers are pretty nice. They didn't rip my friend's head off when she dropped a whole bucket of clinchy thingies (note.. wash your fun kitchen stuff before use). The lamps and furnitures are too expensive for me, but then again Craigslist is where I've trolled in the past.
4 - Naomi U.: A really wonderful selection of kitchen tools & gadgets and bathroom accessories.

It's like buying things which have already been tested for their effectiveness!
5 - Meredith K.: What's not to love here? Seriously. this place is the best! 

Every time I come here I seem to leave with some kind of interesting (and useful) kitchen gadget. Many of my fav gadgets I got here like these great plastic measuring bowls - I use them all the time. 

There's always a great find waiting to be found in here. This store alone is worth the trip to Harvard Sq.
5 - Leighann F.: If you are anyting like me (obsessed with all things gadget-knick-knack-home decor-local-business related) you could spend hours at Bowl and Board. 

One mild-mannered Saturday afternoon, I pop into Bowl and Board, promising myself that I will only browse for a minute or two. Who was I kidding. I have no self-restraint when it comes to cool stuff for my house...no will power what so ever.

(insert robotic-like voiceover here: "Must have gadgets. Must have mixing bowls. Must windowshop for things I cannot afford."

Inevitably, I stumble out of Bowl and Board about three hours later with nested mixing bowls, ceramic ramekins and a hundred new things on my home wishlist.

OH! and a leather bracelet with the word "Faith" etched into a big silver ring at the center. I guess I forgot to mention that Bowl and Board also carries a neat selection of handmade jewelry and locally designed clothing. 

It's like the mothership has called me home!

Bowles Hall - Berkeley, CA (37.8739592, -122.2554687) (UC Campus Area)
5 - Shaun O.: My freshmen year dorm in 1999...it was kickass bad in the day as Bowles had its own cafeteria....which had better food than the other large dining halls. This negated the fact that it was all guys as the chicks came over for the better food.

It was a good experience living there as I met some cool folks, got to enjoy some pre-game football bbqs.  My only regret is that I wasn't more active socially then, as I was more worried about passing during my first year at Cal....

Here's to being a bowlesman!
More on the frat life that it used to enjoy....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowles_Hall
3 - David L.: Quality: 3

I lived here my freshman year in 2006-2007. Out of my four preferences that I put down for housing, Bowles was not one of them.

Pros:
-it looks like Hogwarts' castle
-huge rooms, even larger than most of Clark Kerr's
-separated bedroom from common room
-close to engineering buildings
-small, but functional weight room
-one really nice shower on our floor

Cons:
-no cell phone reception because the buildings are made out of stone
-Foothill DC
-right next to Maxwell Field, so you're woken up at 9 every Saturday morning because of the marching band
-all guys
-frequent smell of pot on our floor
4 - Diana C.: Haha for those of you that don't know, this is the all guys dorm at Cal. They have a secret pathway connecting Bowles and Foothill. The outside looks pretty cool, kind of reminds you of Harry Potter.

Bowlicious - Palo Alto, CA (37.4416215, -122.1717471) ()
4 - Karen H.: This is a very cute store for dogs and cats in the Stanford Shopping Center.  Wanna dress up your dachshund in a t-shirt that says "Bitches Love Me"?  Or your chihuahua with a shirt that says "Security"!  Maybe you want to have your poodle sit on a pillow that says "Sniffany & Co".  They've got it all.
2 - Brenda S.: I like it here. Yes, it is pricey. I've noticed that most pet boutiques are. PetSmart is the way to go on low prices but not for trendy stuff. The customer service is probably the best part of the whole experience.
3 - Liza P.: I will start with the positives - the owners of the the store are really sweet, and they have the most adorable little doggy in a black 'SECURITY' t-shirt running around. Everyone in Bow-licious is insanely into their dogs, and most bring the dogs with them to socialize and try new doggie treats. It's all very sugary-sweet positive. 

Now, the store itself is not quite as impressive as the SF pet boutiques. The selection of everything is very limited, so if you're paticular and picky [which you probably are, if you shop in a dog BOUTIQUE instead of a Pet Club] you will probably NOT find everything you're looking for. 

I have been flying all the time lately, and since I can't have a dog myself, I have been compensating that sad fact by being friends with people with dogs all over the globe... So, when I fly back and forth, I bring doggy treats from the various stores. This time I was getting something for a voraciously hungry, but very picky Husky. 

I found really great doggy cookies baked in a special dog bakery in Boston from the best, all natural ingredients, but that was the ONLY choice of really cool, nicely packaged treats that would make a nice jetsetter doggy gift!
4 - Derek H.: My puppy and I love Bowlicious! They have a lot of cute toys,beds, treats and giant chickens in pink swim suits! I love the giant chicken! Its about three feet tall and is made of rubber! It costs $120 so I buy the little ones still that cost $15! One day I'll get that giant chicken with the pink swim suit! Everything is pretty pricey.
3 - cindy c.: eh...they have really cute merchandise, but nothing worth forking the money over for.  plus side, there's a really cool water fountain for dogs in the front if your pup is thirsty from cruising the mall.  noodle seemed to enjoy it.
2 - clarisse c.: Meh, not one of the best pet stores I've been to and plus I had higher expectations since it was at Stanford mall. The two girls at the counter didn't greet us, nor really help us (even though I like to be left alone when I shop), but none of that 'May I help you with anything?'

They have a lot of expensive beds, some cute clothes, but I prefer the dog store at Valleyfair way more.

Also, I think my pup got an allergic reaction from one of the cookies I bought there.
2 - claudia y.: i came here because my sister bought a really great harness for her frenchie here.  i came here looking for the buddy belt (http://www.buddy-belts.com)  these belts go up in price as they go up in size.  kody was a size 5 but her harness was labeled as a 7.  most of their other harnesses were also mislabeled so we had to compare and measure etc.
2 - daisy d.: I LOVE pet boutiques, and even though I try to go in this one every time I'm at Stanford, I never really have a great experience there...nor have I ever bought anything. The prices are ridiculously high, which is to be expected at this type of store. 

The employees have zero customer service skills. I've seen a few different faces, but no one ever says hello, or asks me if I need help. I don't think I've ever seen any of them pick their head up to see who comes in the store. Probably busy texting on their phones. There are usually a bunch of dogs in the store, which is fun.
5 - myob d.: This Place is so cute! I am a HUGE fan of juicy couture and i bought my precious maltipoo a new juicy couture hoodie for 37.00$ i mean it was 45 before! My dog loves it also! The guy who was there never said anything! Better than Bow-Wow- Meow much much better!
1 - Vivian L.: Bleh.

No service - I went in with my puppy on a Friday night when the store was empty and the woman behind the counter didn't even greet us (coming or going).

Blah selection - they had maybe 15 leashes -- I was totally misled by that beautiful picture of a gazillion leashes shown in their Yelp entry. 

Pricey - not surprising due to their location, but still, if you're going to charge those prices, you better have the selection to match it.

Bottom line - not going back.
1 - Stella W.: One star - mainly because this place has the potential to be great but the selection always is terrible. There's always something I want to buy and they never have the right size. The service was average. "Hi, can I help you" ... yet she seemed afraid of my dogs? WTF are you doing working in a DOG boutique?

o___O
2 - Caro T.: The service and selection are very very poor here. The Humane Society in Milpitas has a better stocked store with more luxury items than here.
Lots of tacky stuff, everything I was looking for they were out of (buddy belt in the right size, small nice leather collars). I was ready to spend and wasn't really able to find anything I wanted to buy. The girl behind the counter was clearly not interested in me, despite the fact that I was the only customer in the store. I'm not going back. It wouldn't be surprising to me if this business doesn't last.
1 - Plato W.: Closed and no one noticed.  Guess it's for the best.

Bowman Gray Memorial Pool - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9090391695338, -79.04465675354) ()
4 - Christina G.: My first introduction to Bowman Gray was during an aerobics class at UNC (my no-fail solution to fulfilling my gym credit without having to throw or catch a ball of any shape or form). I'll never forget that class. We had aerobics in an un-air-conditioned room in the 90+ degree weather of August and September; and then we had water aerobics at Bowman Gray during the chilly fall-to-winter months of November and December. Despite these logistics, I did enjoy getting to play in the pool some -- even if water aerobics seemed a little more for the 60-and-up crowd. The pool is big. we had one area partitioned for our class; but there are plenty of 50-meter lanes and 25-meter lanes, so you can do some serious laps. I attended an old boyfriend's sister's swim-meet here; it was an all-day affair with several competing teams, but the facility has plenty of space to accommodate that. If you're a student, you can also expect to do your swim-test requirement here (if they are indeed still enforcing that graduation stipulation). The pool is accessible to UNC students and faculty (to the latter for a fee).
4 - William J.: Bowman Gray is an excellent pool, enormous and well-appointed.  Whatever type of water exercise you fancy, this place can accommodate you easily.

Unfortunately, it is a university facility.  Beyond the obvious caveat about being available only to students and faculty, that means that it is subject to strange scheduling mishaps that even students must beware of.  Make sure that you stay very, very up to date on all of the various programs and classes that rotate in and out of here, since your independent usage will take a back seat to university events (which will often fill up the whole place).

Bows & Arrows - Berkeley, CA (37.8654405, -122.2586534) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
4 - Jer D.: Yeah... "A [sneaker] appears, at first sight, a very trivial thing, and easily understood." 

But B&A is a store for the fetishists.

The floor is nice.  The plate glass windows are nice.  The displays are nice.  The people who work there are nice.  And recently they were giving out the same magazine you could find at Jack Hanley.  

So it's all about cultivation and taste.

It's not Alife because it's the East Bay, but it's moving in that direction.  Only they've got some art on the walls and less attiitude.  Nice Vans -- although maybe not that limited edition Marc Jacobs pair you have been wanting.  Some nice Adidas. 

My personal problem: All those Nikes.  I couldn't care less if they are limited edition or old fashioned or whatever.  I'm sick to death of Nikes.  Replace them with Le Coq Sportif or Kappa or Spring Court or something.  I know it won't happen, but I'm just saying.
3 - Matthew C.: Not a store with an aggressive assortment of shoes and brands, but you can totally tell the buyer for the store has some style. The shoes here have a lot of under-exposed colors and for great 60% off deals, you will probably walk away with two pairs of shoes that match some of your most eccentric outfits. Set right across 510 Skateboards, location is mildly accessible even for someone who goes to Cal. Check it out. -Matt
5 - Edward M.: This place quickly replaced Huf as my favorite shoe store. They don't get all of the releases that Huf does (no Tier 0) but the fact that the people at B&A aren't as arrogant as Huf more than makes up for it. The only thing missing is Puma, but I can live without that.
4 - lizette c.: Shoes for men & WOMEN sneakerheads! AND right across the street from another good shoe spot!

My Secret Fetish. (By ME, Lizette Cabie) 
I've had a few of them before... short, tall, skinny and fat
Color means nothing... I like them brown, tan, white or black
After one gets old, I'm out for something young, sexy and hot!
I'm on the streets or at the mall for the one that'll hit the spot...
But theres just too many of them
I dont know where to start!!!
Some aren't as attractive but have a connection with my mind
Some are hot as hell and have strong hold of my heart
Each one gives me a different feeling
Some got me up so high, I can reach the ceiling
Some keep me low, as low as the floor
Some make me look or feel like a whore
If I could I would have them all on me
But theres not enough days in the year for them all
Some are willing to do so much as massage my feet
Some make me hurt, I can barely stand and I'm reaching for the walls
They all do me differently, I dont know which to choose
I guess that's what you get when you have a fetish for shoes.
4 - Matthew T.: clean store, nice staff, good selection, huge mirror.
4 - Chelsea P.: Every time I go in here I find something I like. And when they don't have something you like, they'll send you across the street to 510, so you never go home empty handed without some head turning sneakers. Nice girls & boys selection and pretty helpful staff.
4 - Maureen M.: for sure this store is all hipster and hardcore collectors. i esp. love their asics collections. you'll always find something you like here.
5 - Tony P.: man talk about customer service.  very cool guys.  there is this tall white guy who is pretty damn cool.  hes like the green giant of his people.  other than that, very good service, i highly recommend this place to people. exclusive kicks and good service.
5 - Sandrine T.: Love their assortment of kicks. Customer service is really good. I'm so happy that they don't act like they are soo much cooler than you to actually help you out.

I recommend to anyone looking for fresh kicks.
3 - Aileen A.: Yup, they've got shoes. I'm not that much of a sneaker freak, but I know enough that I see shoes here that you can find elsewhere, but finding it there in your size is what matters. My friend found almost the ENTIRE Marc by Marc Jacobs Vans shoe line in here. She almost died. 

Though they don't have a TON of shoes to offer, you're bound to find something to make your friends jealous.

It's spacious and if you're busy waiting for your friends to make their selections, they've got special magazines for you to buy (not read, cause they're wrapped).
5 - Caroline C.: I feel some kind of disgusting approval when the scrutinizing staff here actually bother to greet me, like my fashions are up to date and interesting enough for them to treat me like a freaking human being


Even still, the fact that they're one of the few places you can find many limited edition sneaker styles put them way up there in my book.

And, the staff, despite being kind of cliquey, is generally very attractive....and I want to stare at someone hot when I drop the cash money on coloful schwag.
5 - Rob L.: Friendly staff.

Always stop by when I'm in the area.
5 - Thomas J.: Now, I supposedly stopped my habit of being a "shoehead" back in High School, when I actually had to start paying for stuff. But, I can tell you this much. If you're looking for a Foot Locker type store with those cool looking Jordans for your kid to wear, or the Air Forces you saw that group of girls  wearing to match one another, this probably isn't your cup of tea.

However, with great prices, consistently awesome sales on their clearance stock, and the most chill vibe ever, it might become less of a case of going every time you're in Berkeley, to going to Berkeley all the time for Bows & Arrows.
3 - Brandon H.: Good selections & variety. Prices are okay, sometimes they have good sales. Staff could be better though and they don't charge money back refunds. I always visit when I'm in the area.
4 - Berna T.: I am a VANS fan, big time.  They carry a pretty nice selection of the best of the current and classic VANS styles here.  I immediately gravitate towards them, and ignore whatever else they have going on in there (Nike?  Roc?  I think they had them there...but I can't quite be sure.).

The store is pretty sparse, like those expensive boutiques that only have one of everything laid out.  And expensive is right - the one pair of black Vans with floral embroidery that I am lusting after are $70.00.  But the clearance stuff isn't bad at all...they had some Duke Kahanamoku Vans and Marc Jacobs Vans on sale.  Keep checking back for when they update their inventory...their buyers have a good eye!
5 - Anthony O.: Bought some limited Vans here. Bows + Arrows won me over for 2 reasons:

1) They stock lots of Vans - regular and special edition. I know brand isn't identity or whatever, but in the world of sneaker snobs and trends that last 5 days, it's refreshing to see a store in the Bay Area stock these instead of $190 Nikes and Supras. Those are nice, but I know I'll be dealing with less pretention when a store has Vans. They have pricey stuff too if you feel like upgrading.

2) I had a good customer service experience - the guys there told me which shoes they had in my size, which ones were really lusted after, and which they only had a few left of. This is a big difference from the times I've been to either Huf store in SF, where the employees expect you to know what's good, what they have in your size, and that they're doing you a favor by talking to you. The guys at Bows + Arrows knew their products and were cool about it - which is what any store or place of business should do. I don't shop much, and when I do I tend to shop with ethics. I don't want to give a cut of my money to someone paid to stand there and look cool (so I don't - never bought anything at Huf, never will). 

I bought some sweet Vans here and will definitely be coming back. While other stores have some cool stuff too,  When it comes to good sneakers, either shop online or shop somewhere where people treat you right. This place is up my alley, and it seems most of the other reviewers here agree. Maybe they just have a more Berkeley attitude instead of the city's egotism.
4 - Len L.: My name is Len, and I'm a shoe-whore. I've been to rehab (and I said, "no, no, no!" (c)Wine-O) about 3 times, and I've been able to stay away from buying shoes for almost half a year. During a 20-pairs-over-the-course-of-a-few-months stint, B&A was one of my suppliers.

This the only place I found CLOT Dunkestos in my size. I think I've gotten 3 pairs of Dunkestos, a pair of Blazers, and 3 pairs of Claes from this place. -True story.

When the staff isn't glued to the computer, they are helpful. They don't seem to hesitate to take my money. I'm sure they have a bow and arrow where their heart and soul should be located and it's aimed at my wallet. I don't think they've missed yet, so don't play darts with these guys.

The layout of the store is very clean. If you have good eyes, you don't even have to walk inside to know what they have. Peak into the window and run while you still have your money - it's one of the first things you learn in rehab.
4 - Nathan R.: i pretty much only wear vans and the selection here rulllzzzz. plus the staff loves sneakers. also they are owned by the same people as 510 which is pretty much the best skateshop in the bay and has more rad shoes across the street.
3 - R T.: Eh, this place is nothing special.
I only stop by here when I'm visiting my friend that goes to UCB. 
The selection of sneakers are pretty broad, but the only item that caught my attention were the Chukkas they had last year. Who wants to buy GR Dunks when I can buy it for cheaper elsewhere? Every visit, I leave this store with empty hands.
2 - Ali L.: It's definitely not the Alife that's for sure, but apparently that's not what they're going for. They are all about the classics.

They have some interesting kicks, if you are looking for a lot of the crazier shoes with more out there color ways you won't find that many here because they want to be more about the classics that will endure the changing fads.

I understand that keeping the space itself very minimal with just white walls and shoes (as most high end stores do) was intentional, but since they focus on carrying a select number of styles at a time I wonder how often they update their inventory and how the experience may differ base with each inventory update. Then again, that's part of the appeal, it could potentially be a different store each time.

With that said, they have some cool shoes and if you are looking for the OG classics you should stop by, but if you want to see how inventive people can get with a sneaker as a canvas you may not find many of those kinds of kicks here.
5 - David R.: Nothing but love for this place. Check it out.
5 - JA H.: cool store. simple stylish look lets the sneaks stand out. and they do. as they should. a fine selection of hip/rare/classic styles. good to be proud of my local sneaker store.
5 - Jessica T.: Support this locally owned, well stocked shoe store.  The staff is really helpful and pretty adorable.
4 - Daniel A.: Love this place.. I always find something... Found a Pair of ALifes for             $ 25.00. The Dunk Selection is Ok...Usually they have a few shoes that other places dont have..... They could step up their selection.
5 - Mai C.: I love this store! I always find something that I want here, and they had my Onitsuka Ultimate 81s in stock, so I am good to go... Will most definitely be back to get the other pairs, and some Dunks. Sweet!
5 - Gabby H.: THIS PLACE IS AWESOME!!! A lot of the shoe's that are sold here are really difficult to find anywhere else. Upper Playground is only a few steps away from this store so, me and my girlfriend would always shop for shoes here then go next door and buy a couple of shirts. The people who work here a friendly and don't really rush you in buying anything.
3 - anonymous i.: nice and clean shop
super friendly staff
rows/shelves of unique shoes
price wise varies-depending on the shoe brand
recommended for those who want flashy shoes
2 - Jen D.: This place has been on my list for over a year now. I finally had the chance to stop in and wow... What an anticlimactic experience...

This place has nothing special. I really don't know what all the hype is about.
4 - Brenda T.: When I am in the need for some killer kicks, this is the place to go.  They've got the freshest selection and I absolutely love the look and feel of the place.  The prices are high but you're bound to find a nice pair of shoes that you'll like if you're into Nike Classics.
5 - Nane K.: Attractive window displays. Nice presentation of the shoes on the wall also. Great shoe selection.
Things that caught my eye: Pro Keds plimsols (low, midtops, nice colors) various Converses (including a couple of the newer Varvatos collabs); Vans; some newer/unique Sperry boat shoes; higher end stuff, including: Red Wing boots, BoOxSperry boat shoes, 3SixteenXQuoddy chukkas.

MISC
+   Seems like inventory changes up regularly, which means its probably worthwhile checking back once in a while.
+   Service was friendly. Not totally in your face, but not completely absent either.
+   Sale section at far end of the display room
+   n.b. I'm not into athletic/lesiure type shoes (i.e. Clae, Nike, CR), but they carry these here too.

OVERALL 
Will definitely be back.
1 - Karl-Magnus B.: I don't see what all the hype is about. I went here looking for some creative recreation shoes. I walked inside and did a slow 360 before walking out. This might as well be a Vans store, but without the clothes and accesories. All they had was vans in boring flat colorways. very uninspiring.
3 - Amanda N.: I feel like the selection / style at Bows & Arrows has changed over the past few years.  It's definitely more guys shoes than girls, and the girls selection has been pretty weak lately.  I bought a pair of Nikes here in 06 that I loveeeee, but since then I keep coming back but can't find anything special.

The guys working there are super nice and they usually carry my size or offer to order it if they don't (I wear women's 5.5).  But, the shoes just aren't my style anymore...there's a lot of canvas in there, and one pair of Keds is enough for me.
5 - Tony N.: This place has absolutely nothing but shoes! Its awesome. They carry shoes that you might not be able to find anywhere else. Worth checking out! Great staff also!
4 - Angelo D.: I remember the first time I visited Bows and Arrows, it was back in 2007 during my freshman orientation. Went in, walked out. Nothing really caught my eye. "Too hype beast," I thought. 

Fast forward to two days ago. I was walking down Telegraph and I happened to glance into Bows and Arrows and I saw these Red Wing Chukka boots that I'd been contemplating purchasing for ages. So I went in, and my mind has completely changed about the place. Yeah you have your nikes, your reeboks, any shoe that would satisfy any sneakerhead's addiction, but you also have your Red Wings, your Abington's, etc. They've got the footwear to fit your style, whatever it may be. 

They guys that work here are also super helpful. Really nice dudes and they're really knowledgeable about how each particular brand runs its sizing. Best shoe store in Berkeley..by far.
4 - Geoffrey M.: Cool shoes they need to get some jordans up in that thang.... but its a great spot to get shoes tho. Go to my potnas Ryan and Cam their very helpful with anything you need they'll make sure u come out of there looking right
4 - Sara M.: A friend recommended I check this place out when I was looking for some new kicks.

The staff is friendly and provide excellent customer service.  The Men's selection tends to be better than the Women's in general, but I have found a few great pairs of shoes here. 

On several occasions they haven't had my size in a shoe but didn't seem to be receiving restock in them anytime soon.

However, I do check this place out almost anytime I'm on Telegraph Ave.  Never know what you might find.
2 - Ryan and Suky L.: This place has good shoes and friendly people at the counter, BUT a couple of things result in poor overall reviews for us.  They often have great shoes on the floor, but very few sizes of each shoe.  We tried to buy about 5 pairs of shoes but they didn't have our size in much of anything.  In addition, their return policy sucks.  Only 2 weeks and only store credit.  No cash/charge back.  This would have been fine if they had anything in our size, but the combination of the two, no cash back and nothing in our size, caused immense frustration.  We ended up leaving with store credit and no shoes.  :(
4 - Gina c.: Wow, if my husband had discovered this store earlier, he wouldn't have just one pair of shoes. Really, he is so damn picky that he sticks with one pair and goes with just that pair until it wears down and then is forced to get another pair. Finally, though, B & A  has broken that mold. We walked into this store after buying a pair of shoes at Bills up the street to replace his one pair of shoes (held with glue, mind you). This only happened  because I forced him in the store under the Christmas shopping guise for me. As a woman who loves shoes, I never even looked for shoes for me  because my husband  was actually excited to find a great selection of shoes that didn't scream out super trendy, teenboy style, or metrosexual (well they have some in this category).  The store carries a nice selection of basic sneakers (Vans, Asics, New Balance, Converse) in solid colors, hiking style boots and dressier shoes in very reasonable prices. I am so stoked that I my husband is now going to have more shoes without spending tons of money and time looking around. This store is so getting my money for the holiday and birthday buying gifts. See you soon.
3 - Noel F.: Not the best selection, but they had some cute/bad shoes, not a large staff, but it's a small place, and the prices aren't too steep.
5 - Ali G.: A great specialty sneaker store with a wide selection of New Balance, Nike, Vans, Converse, Asics etc.

I have ordered over the phone and gone in person and service has been excellent.  Ryan has been very helpful on a number of occasions.

They get some really unique collaborations that very few select stores in the US get.  Pricing is fair based on what you purchase.  If you want New Balance and Nike you will pay a bit more. 

An example would be currently they sell the New Balance 1300CL for $130 and I have seen this same shoe sold for $140 and even $165 at other sneaker shops.

In my opinion Bows & Arrows is one of the best sneaker stores in Northern California.

Very close to Downtown Berkeley Bart.
3 - Dean M.: The owner of Bows & Arrows and 510 Skateboards got in touch with me regarding me review and made step to insure that this never happens again.
4 - Dianne B.: They use to have a better selection in shoes . I was really disappointed to see that they took out a lot of their Nikes since I have really small feet and was able to buy some great air max's, blazers etc. before . They still have some cool stuff although it's not for me.
4 - Marco V.: Great friendly service and some sleepers (shoes) can be found in this hipster boutique.

For my four years at Cal, I've been shopping at Bows and Arrows for the go to spot for trendy, modern footgear. Not to mention, I'm a shoe head and I manage to find dope kicks at this venue.

Furthermore, I just found out that this store now has a Jordan account meaning they sell Js. I bought the Olympic 6s, Uptempo air and barkleys here. This compelled me to write an even more positive review! Good stuff fellas! Keep up the good work.

Will be using this store as my destination for Js and my ever growing show collection.
5 - Wen B.: one of the only streat-wear/ boutique shoe stores with friendly staff.. most think they are too cool for school but every time I visit this store the guys working there are very friendly.  

good vans selection
5 - Katie B.: Walked by this shop early morning while on the way to grab some coffee and was stopped dead in my tracks when my eyes hit the unique selection of shoes on display through the window.  I knew for sure I had found love at first sight and I knew for sure I would be going back once they opened!  I am definitely not an expert on boutique shoe shops in the area, but I appreciate nice kicks when I see them, and I was really impressed with Bows & Arrows and their selection!  I was even impressed that the prices were not outrageous, which I expected.  Can't wait to go back and indulge on another pair of awesomeness!

Box & Box Custom Jewelry - Houston, TX (29.7176577, -95.4173624) (West University)
5 - Cory O.: Box and Box is the ideal personal jeweler because, well they're personal.  As in, they want to sit down with you and get your whole life story.  They want to be your friend.  They want to know what you like and why.  They want to take you out to dinner.  They want to go fishing with you.

This is all part of the experience at Box and Box.  The two boys (they're so much fun and have so much energy, it only makes sense to call them boys) work well together--Tony is all gab (and flirtation) while Wes is a bit calmer but with plenty of stories himself.  

They are the only authorized Ball watch dealer in Houston--affordable and attractive.  They also do custom jewelery--if you're talented you can design it or have Wes come up with something nifty on his fancy computer.  They can get in just about any type of stone you can imagine (we're making a custom ring for me soon!).  They have a decent collection of used watches (including a gorgeous Patek and a few Rolexes).  

But what really makes Box and Box stand out?  They don't know how to push a sale.  I mean, they're just having way too much fun with their job.  They'll let you try on anything and will compliment the hell outta you--the best place to go if you're having a low self-esteem day!

Inevitably we say that we're only going to go in for a few minutes and end up staying for hours on end.  Box is like the uncle (albeit a bit flirtation uncle) that you've never had--with all the charm and hilarious stories as you can imagine.  And on the weekends, they'll play college football on their tv and it always gets a bit interesting since one is an Aggie and the other a Longhorn.  It is definitely worth checking out, if only to get a refreshing difference from the monotony in Rice Village.
*************************************
Update:  I just got my ring from Box (almost a whole week early!) and it is gorgeous!  We were looking for a particular stone of a particular size and he brought in a few to look at.  After we chose the stone, we were given the option of designing our own band (which we had planned to do) or to look through their bands that were already made (all custom designs).  I found one that fit perfectly with what we were going for and they had the stone set in less than a week.  I've gotten so many compliments on my unique ring that I feel really captures "us" since we were so involved in the making.  If you're really looking to wow someone with a customized piece of jewelery, Tony is the man to see.
5 - Therese T.: Based on Cory O's reviews, I came to Box & Box to repair my poor watch that I couldn't snap close. I was prepared to pay but Tony said to "come back when there's something we can charge you for." LOL. He is a sweetheart. That said, Box & Box is a tiny, quaint jewelry shop tucked away in a strip near TCBY in the Village. Perfect location, perfect service. I will take Tony up on his offer, or just hang out and say hi. Awesome, awesome.
3 - Kristine H.: $20 to take out 3 links in my watch. $20 to change the battery on my cheapo Timex digital watch I bought at Kroger years ago. 

Shame on me for allowing myself to be ripped off. I did not ask how much it would cost in the beginning (stupid I know) because I assumed it'd be a reasonable price given my first encounter with the battery change here and Therese S's review.

I grudingly handed over my credit card and listened to the jovial fellow's justification of why I paid a crazy amount for 10 minutes worth of work. His reasoning was contraption #1 cost him over $300 and contraption #2 cost him nearly $200. SHRUGS.

On the positive side, these gentlemen remember your name and are engaging fellows. I unfortunately will not be returning. I'd rather go to Chinatown and pay $5 for the same service minus the syrup and honey.
5 - Lauren W.: I've had a Yelp account since 2008 but this is the first time I've had such a great experience, I absolutely HAD to write about it. In the interest of full disclosure, I've never had custom jewelry made before and I don't know how much other people charge or how long they take or anything like that.

I decided on December 16 to have a single pearl earring I had lying around turned into a little drop for my mother's Christmas present. I had no idea how much this would cost me, and as a poor graduate student I was a little nervous. I searched for custom jewelers, found Box & Box, read the few Yelp reviews, and decided to go for it.

I told the owner what I wanted to do for my mom and he gave me a book to browse through for ideas. After turning a few pages I said, "Just to be clear, I'm a graduate student. I need literally the cheapest option there is." I was so glad he wasn't rude or snooty about it! He just laughed and showed me the least expensive drop, quoted me a price, and told me he'd do his best to have it by Christmas.

Today, just a week later, I picked up my pearl and it looks perfect! When I walked in, the owner told me that since I was in school and this was for my mother, he would give me a price break - 50% of his original quote! 

Another perk- I mentioned I had some gold to sell and he gave me a very fair price for it. More than double what the kiosk at the mall had offered me. 

Before I left we chatted about his college days, he fist-bumped me for getting all A's, and told me to check back in with him about how school was going. 

I don't expect to get a 50% price break every time I go in here, but after this experience I feel like I trust Box & Box to do good work for a great price. I will definitely be back anytime I need something repaired or cleaned. Highly recommended!
5 - Texas S.: Service: excellent and then some
Parking: plenty
Selection: beautiful
Sales pressure: none

I really appreciate the two kind men that chatted up this gal with too many watches and too many cell phones.  You have won my fond and loyal business.
5 - amanda s.: Excellent service-  I needed the batteries replaced in my Garmin Heart Rate monitors.  Garmin charges @$85 for you to mail one in for repair... but Tony fixed both of them for only $40, and cleaned my wedding ring while he was at it.  They are so nice - I will definitely be back!

Box City - Pasadena, CA (34.145671, -118.125009) (Pasadena)
4 - Eileen S.: Need a box?  Box City probably has what you need.  They have shipping boxes as well as different sizes of gift boxes.  Also, they carry supplies like bubble wrap and peanuts.  They've moved to another location, still on Colorado, but between Hill and Lake.  Kinda across from Michael's.  There's not much to say about this place.  Buying boxes is a pretty impersonal act.  You just pick out what you want and pay for it.
4 - Anthony L.: This place hands down has the best prices for all of your boxing and packaging needs.  If you do a lot of ebaying, you need to come here to get all of your bubble mailers or packing peanuts, etc.  They've got pretty much every box for every purpose in almost every size possible.  
Of course they just don't sell the Priority mail boxes.  I used to go to Office Depot for all the stuff I needed to package things for ebay and I found out that I was getting ripped off!  Come here instead.
4 - Gerard I.: They're the yellow building! Well, the outside of their building is painted yellow. It's basically a converted warehouse, they sell every kind of box you can think of. 

I needed them, because a few years ago I had guitars that I needed to sell asap, and need to ship asap. 

They actually carry "guitar boxes", like, that's the name, "GUITAR BOXES". Score! 

I probably bought 4-5 of them, and all was gravy. They rent out a moving truck, and have all sorts of peripherals with regards to moving and/or storing. 

If you have guitars to ship, they have the custom boxes you need.
3 - Gabe K.: Well, I came to this store looking for a box for my plasma TV.  Out of 2000 boxes, they had exactly one that would fit a medium/large-sized plasma TV and it was over $15.  To me that's not impressive.
5 - Dan O.: I sold a guitar on eBay and needed a box. I went to Box City, walked in and said, "I need a box to ship a guitar." Guy says, "Here, this is our guitar box." Gave him $10 and that was that. Nice and easy. The guitar fit perfectly too.
5 - jane s.: from teeny tiny boxes to huge boxes, they've got it all.  any time i need an unusual size box for mailing or gift giving, they're the first place i think of.  friendly and knowledgeable staff, pretty decent prices...they've got bubble wrap galore, and lots of other fun packing materials.
5 - Nicole C.: I LOVE Box City. 

They're well-organized, super helpful and always quick to get the proper box size I need.

They've a zillion different box boxes and a great assortment of other box/bag related items as well.

They're definitely my go-to box place and I'm here at least once a month!

Reasonably priced boxes and great service!
5 - Matt C.: They have boxes on boxes on boxes. Every shape and size, plus they have every kind of tape imaginable. They have private lot parking and a rear entrance so it's convenient to get in and out. They even offer shipping if you need it. What more do you need?
5 - Jason B.: wow they have a lot of boxes!!!  if you can't find a box here it probably don't exist..  good prices too!!
4 - Chanel C.: The building is bright yellow so you can't miss it.

It's like a tiny warehouse with every size box you can imagine! There is a lot in the back for very convenient parking, and the staff is very helpful.

NOTE: Make sure you bring in the measurements of whatever you are trying to box so that you can make it easier for yourself when finding the right size because they have A LOT of different dimensions.
3 - Jess R.: Box City is a great store with a great selection of boxes. 

This location recently didn't have enough items in stock that I needed so I had to drive to a different location.

The guy who helped me was nice enough, but the other two women who worked there weren't so much.  :/

Street parking right out front.  Great prices.
5 - Joseph R.: Staff always helpful and polite and they have boxes of every size and shape. Packing materials galore. A mail-order shipper's dream store. Highly recommended.
5 - Karen T.: This is a fantastic place. They have ANY kind of box you would need from moving boxes to a nice wedding gift box. Tape, packing peanuts, bubble wrap and wrapping paper too. Everything in the store is well labeled and easy to find on your own although the staff is helpful too. They have packed computer equipment for shipping across the country and they did an excellent job. Sometimes it's worth it to just have them take care of everything. Leave plenty of time because they are thorough and sometimes it takes a while to get it all together. Look here first and skip Office Depot.
5 - Tim Y.: They had every box we needed at fair prices and took all of the ones we didn't use back. I couldn't really ask for me from a box store. I'll use them again.
4 - Dave C.: Box Box City B*tch...!  Ten ten ten twenties of your boxes....

A room full of boxes makes this mover-to-be extremely happy.  Good prices and selection, beats having to go into a UHaul or like understaffed establishment.  Parking in the back.

Bp Products of North America - Atlanta, GA (33.7711566, -84.3890788) (Downtown)
4 - Chris M.: THE KING of downtown gas stations.

Not the cheapest prices, but you can't beat the location, especially if you're coming from The Masquerade or (formerly) the GSU Village and looking to get back on 75/85.

The weekends turn into party central, I swear I've never seen so many people at a gas station at 2:30 a.m. on a Friday night.
3 - nate s.: You hear about the cops loving donuts and coffee and getting their fair share from gas stations, 7-11s, and the like, but when I got here one late Monday night there were a good 3-4 cops loading up for their drive to the next gas station. Granted, I was glad to have them there considering the crowd that was around, but a baker's dozen for each patrolman seemed a little extreme.
4 - David K.: I really don't know what it says about our nightlife when gas stations are the place to be late at night. This used to be the pop off for local biker gangs... not Hell's Angels or anything... more like riding clubs.

Anyway, like any of the gas stations around The Connector in Midtown, this one is crowded. At night. During the day. It doesn't matter. It's busy and it's easy to get in and out, despite being stuck across from the Varsity on North Avenue.
5 - Lee T.: Pumpin' gas aint real fancy, but sometimes I pack cigarettes to the tune of Puttin' On the Ritz.

Where gas pumps quick, pack-pac-a-pac-pac, puttin' on the clip.

Brad Hinrichs, MD - Palo Alto, CA (37.44018, -122.161143) ()
5 - Leanna W.: If I could give 10, 20, 30 stars I would, I would star all over this page!  

As a 33 year old healthy woman, the luck I package carefully in my pocket every morning must have fallen out somewhere along the way.  Perhaps at Santana Row or Valley Fair, it happens quite often with a certain crystal Nadri bracelet I continuously must rebuy, this time with something much more precious.  Reminds me of one of my favorite Shell Silverstein poems..." Mama said I'd lose my head if it wasn't fastened on. Well, today I guess it wasn't cause while playing with my cousin it fell off and rolled away and now it's gone...."

In November I thought I lost all my luck when I read the words Thyroid Carcinoma.  The "C" word. Shocking, tears, "breathe Leanna, you must breathe", cruel joke, why me?  All the desperate emotions I've journaled and as of this early part of 1/09 I still just can't fathom the complete experience. I would find out shortly that just enough luck was saved to bring an amazing surgeon my way.

Amongst other incredible friends, family , and Drs.that offered unbelievable comfort, thank you from the depths of my soul. Dr. Hinrich at Palo Alto Medical Foundation truly was a blessing.  Taking quality time to explain everything to me in great detail with such a slow, sensitive demeanor, showing such thoughtfullness when we discussed the incision, calling from his cell phone to check in, having his staff follow up and never making me feel like just another patient, and ofcourse, most importantly, on the BIG day taking incredible care and using all his MD talent for a total of 7 operating room hours to remove a diseased thyroid and 24 lymph nodes, so relieved to have gotten rid of those rotten things..phew!,  leaving me a "C" word free girl!  

I woke up with Dr Hinrich telling me everything went great, I would be okay.  My neck was sore, still is, but my head was fastened on and underneath that hospital gown I found my luck.

I wish that no one here on Yelp, or anywhere deal with any type of "C"  but if you ever happen to lose a little luck, know it is waiting for you at his office.
5 - Nhieu w.: Dr. Brad Hindrichs is my husband's and my parent's ENT.  I translate for my parents and I was there with my husband for his tonsils to be removed and every time I've dealt with Dr. Hindrichs, I've been impressed.  He is really patient, knowledgeable, friendly, competent and very skilled.
1 - Annie G.: Oh, heck no.  

I went to Dr. Hinrichs because my mom ranted and raved about how amazing her experience was when she took my brother to see him.  I want to slap her.  My own mother.  Why? Because Dr. Hinrichs and the whole Palo Alto Medical Foundation sucks.  

My appointment was at 9:15 and I didn't get seen until 9:35.  No biggie.  I've waited much longer.  But when my wait time is longer than my visit time on my new patient appointment, then we have some problems.  He literally spent less than fifteen minutes with me.  What he told me was basically what he told my brother - "Your nose is messed up.  Get surgery."  

He then sprayed some shit up my nose to see if that would help.  Nope.  It actually tasted horrible and made my throat numb which led to a panic attack because I couldn't feel myself swallow.  He then gave me some nasal spray sample and his assistant's card so that I could set up my surgery appointment.  

I was pretty irritated with the whole experience.  

THEN, I get a bill for $370 in the mail.  Was he spraying liquid gold up my nose? WTF?  Unacceptable.

If you're charging me $370 for a fifteen minute visit, then you better be doing something other than shooting some crap up my nose that a) doesn't make me feel better and b) tastes bad.
5 - Yana K.: I can start my story from 4 years of miserable life with nasal congestion. It's no fun suffering through the day congested, stuffy and unable to breath through your nose. I couldn't even sometimes sleep at night. I was afraid to do any surgeries so I wanted to have the best specialist. I found Dr Hinrichs here on yelp and desided to make an appointment. The first thing he toled to do me is to make a tomography. It took me 20 min, after that he showed me results on his computer and thoughtfully explained that I had not the worst condition (I can't imagine what can be worse) but still the best solution was to make surgery. I agreed without hesitating  because I saw he was "the right" doctor.
After the surgery for about 2 month I felt sometimes a little bit uncomfortable but still it was a heaven comparing to what I had before. And now after 8 month I can't complain at all.
I repose my confidence in Dr Henrics and highly recommend him to you! ;)
5 - Ben G.: I've met with a a dozen or so doctors in my life. I've never enjoyed an interaction with a doctor more than I did with Dr. Hinrichs. Personable, knowledgeable beyond medicine, and a pleasure to deal with compared with the previous two ENT doctors I've consulted with in the Bay Area.

I was seen on-time and Dr. Hinrichs did not seemed rushed in the slightest; in fact, he took the time to give me a bit of a history lesson.

Note that my review is based on a single visit to discuss my condition; I have not gone under the knife with Dr. Hinrichs yet. But I'm confident when the time comes, he'll do fine in that department as well. I'll update my review as appropriate.
1 - Anonymous X.: Saw him for initial consultation.  He sprayed something in my nose and looked at it with an ENT light.  Mind you, this is the SAME ENT light that is in EVERY doctor's office.  

Months later, I discovered he billed my insurance $822 for a "nasal endoscopy".  REALLY?  Looking up my nose with an ENT light is now an endosocpy??  When I called PAMF to question them about the cost, they insisted the procedure was coded correctly.  Can you say medical billing fraud?
5 - L P.: I have found Doctor Hinrichs both knowledgable and personable. He did not rush me with my questions and (I believe) answered truthfully. If you have questions, he does take the time to answer. I have never felt rushed. I have returned to the doctor for several visits and have had surgery as well. I happily recommend him for anyone with sinus problems. He even caught medical issues that were not ENT related. I am extremely happy with this doctor and the PAMF in general.

And yes, a scope up the nose IS an endoscopy. The two low scores are from people who obviously do not know what that most medical procedures are costly or realize that Medicine that tastes bad? What a surprise! Even aspirin tastes bad. AND For those who complained about the wait-- tell me which doctor doesn't make you wait.
5 - Kathy B.: Dr. Hinrichs helped my son with sinus surgery after he had been told he had allergies for years by other doctors at another facility. He is patient and has a wonderful manner with patients. After the successful surgery my husband had the same surgery and after the surgery it was the first time in his life that he could breathe through his nostrils. With the other negative reviews they all seems to be with the amount of the billing which wouldn't be with the doctor but rather PAMF or insurance so I don't see how they can fault Dr. Hinrichs. He has always been absolutely fair in billing all office visits and proceedures with our family so I would recommend him without reservation.

Brad Naylor DP - Palo Alto, CA (37.4402229, -122.1610427) ()
5 - Angela B.: I recently went to see Dr. Naylor to take care of an ingrown toe nail.  I was VERY nervous to go, as I have had this procedure done before.  I have had 2 children, and the previous ingrown removal hurt worse, I swear!  Anyways, I told Dr. Naylor of my past experience and holy cow, it was a completly different experience.  He did such a good job it didn't hurt that bad at all!!! I am back in business and will refer all my friends to him.  Please go see him if you need any foot work done!
1 - Jovis H.: This is just ridiculous! I scheduled an appointment for April 28 and got a call asking to schedule because the doctor is not going to be in the office that day. Then I reschedule for May 12 and then got a call on May 9 saying the doctor cannot see me on that day because of an "Emergency"! And the next available appointment will be on June 2! 
Being pushed from April 28 to June 2? Don't you think my foot will heal by itself by then????
I wonder what kind of emergency does Dr. Naylor have all the time.....
5 - Steve H.: I had sprained my ankle so many times that it looked like I would have to give up playing soccer.  Last year Dr. Naylor performed surgery to tighten up the ligaments and I was able to play again within six months.  A year later and the ankle is still solid. Now my other ankle is bothering me, so I just called to schedule another appointment with him...

 BTW, it does seem like you have to wait a couple of weeks to get an appointment.  I think this is because he alternates between seeing patients in Fremont and Palo Alto.

Brad's - Manhattan, NY (40.807443, -73.963544) (Morningside Heights)
5 - La Viajera M.: I went to Columbia University this afternoon to have lunch with some individuals who work there and they took me to this hidden cafe style sandwich shop called Brad's. It is next to the School of Journalism on the campus and is a pretty popular (although unknown spot to some) eatery on campus and cheap! I ordered the Chicken Salad Sandwich combo (Toasted sub, chips, and fountain soda) for $7.85!!! Goodbye Subway and you're $5.00 foot-longs! I have found my new favorite sandwich shop!! It's on the campus of Columbia so there is free wifi and plenty of people to spark up a conversation with (reminded me of a sophisticated college hangout spot). If you find yourself on the campus definitely stop by and have a sub... DELISH!!
5 - Dan T.: Great value and eats, nestled within the Journalism school. Uncanny service, great seating area, open-air TVs, marques, and freshly prepared salads. This & Brownie's are easily the best on-campus CU food options; highly recommended.
4 - Ashley D.: Good subs at great prices, and right on campus, too. I'm a fan. I really like the pizzaworks and the veggie.
2 - Sheena J.: Sigh... I love this place. I'm here nearly everyday for the good food, nice ambiance and friendly service. But lately the quality of the food they've been serving has been highly inconsistent. In other words, sometimes good, sometimes bad.

Today I asked for a tuna melt and instead got a turkey melt. Last week, my tuna "melt" was cold and when I asked them to make sure that the sandwich was hot, it was returned to me with the edges of the bread brunt. A couple of days prior, my bagel with cream cheese had so very little cream cheese, it seemed like an afterthought.

And a couple of days before that, I asked for an ice-blended mocha and received an iced coffee. When I returned the drink, they gave me a hot mocha. I reminded them again that I had asked for an ice-blended mocha. Finally they got it right on the 3rd try but the drink was overflowing and chocolate syrup was spilling around the sides of the cup. Thankful that I had finally received the drink I wanted, I didn't complain and walked away with chocolate syrup all over my hands.

This cafe could really be an awesome place to eat if only management properly trained their staff on service and consistency. Despite this, the staff is really nice and the ambiance is great, which is why I give them 2 stars instead of 1.
1 - Purvasha P.: This is a HORRIBLE place to eat at. The food is reasonable, the prices are normal. It's not like they are cooking fillet mignon - it's just sandwiches. The reason I've rated this place SOOO poorly is because of their staff. They literally seem like they have no interest in serving their customers. I've asked for a strawberry smoothie and the staff have given me a stare. I've asked for certain items on my sandwich... none of them are there. There is no consistency... there's always a line out to forever because the staff is just so neglectful!
1 - P M.: The food at Brad's is O.K., but like another reviewer stated the service is atrocious!!  They are really rude.  The last time I was there I ordered a sandwich and some tea.  The register guy didn't ask me what kind of tea I wanted and just put in a black tea bag.  When I asked him to change it to green tea he made me feel like an idiot for not telling him earlier.  How could you just assume that everyone wants black tea when you have an assortment of tea for your customers to choose from?  After this experience I've never been back.  This is unfortunate because it has such a convenient location.  Oh well.
4 - Dimitrios D.: Meatball sub was tasty.

Line was fast.

Cute, frantic little place with lots of college students scrambling around.
2 - Shaman S.: Sad little sandwich made by a sad sandwich staff.  Sorry guys, subway is way better than this.  The toppings choices leave much to desire.  If you like basic tomato, lettuce, onion sandwiches, its.......ok.
3 - Michael P.: If you're looking for an upscale yuppie eatery this isn't it -- however Brad's fills a very badly needed niche in the neighborhood: Years ago on the same block there was a nice hippy sandwich joint called Eddie's which was a low budget no frills beer and burgers spot catering to students who just wanted a place to hang. Sadly Eddie's closed but thank goodness that Brad has come into the hood to fill a badly needed gap. 

Brad's is perfect for a lazy long lunch where you don't wanted to be bother by wait staff trying to get rid of you because you are reading a book or surfing the net. The food is good for the price range, the staff is friendly and low key and there's beer on tap. The menu is subs and pizza. and as a vegetarian I found that there was enough on the menu.
5 - May C.: Pretty good for their prices, great service and a nice space to study or surf the web.
4 - JOSEPH M.: A very welcome addition to the CU campus. Tasty sandwiches. Not as extortionate as the other campus concessions.
4 - Shana B.: Great sandwich shop on the CU campus. Cheap, fast lines, and friendly people. You can get toasted subs, soups, and salads. The prices are reasonable and I was surprised that they allow you to add chips to your sandwich. I really enjoyed my sandwich but I was also really hungry. So we will see how I like it the next time I return.
4 - Michael L.: There are plenty of cafeterias on Columbia's campus that offer mediocre sandwiches for $6 or $7.  For $4.50 plus tax you get a 6" sub stuffed with any combination of meat, cheese, and toppings you want.  $6 plus tax and tip gets you a 9" super sized sub.   They are great and the best option on campus for anyone that didn't pack a lunch. 

The staff could use some happy pills but otherwise this place is great.  

Tip:  One of the many toppings you can pick from is potato chips.  It makes any sandwich amazing.  Add it.
4 - Pri M.: Great sandwich for $4.50! My favorite is the chicken salad sandwich with the potato chip topping (best topping ever), though I ask for just a little, since they can go overboard sometimes. I've heard the chicken dumpling soup is also really good. There is also a nice indoor/outdoor seating area - great on nice days, but it can get crowded/loud. The staff ranges from crazy mean to tolerable, but is never very nice. Overall, I like going to this place for a quick & cheap lunch.
3 - Keith J.: Toasted subs! The hot cherry pepper rellish is delicious. They have a good selection of subs but not as many as subway or anything, though these are some good sandwiches.  They have salads and yogurts, soups, chips and sweets too. This is actually the best deal on Columbia's campus. There's usually a line but it goes by fast. The staff are not the friendliest and like as your ordering the cashiers are yelling at you to pay already and it just gets confusing. Just a nice little sandwich spot, nothing to go out of your way for.
1 - Brendan W.: This place has typical sandwich fare- and admittedly decent food- IN PERSON.  I have been waiting 4.5 hours for delivery, however...I honestly don't think they are coming.  This is quite frankly the worst service I have ever gotten from a restaurant. DO NOT, by any means, use Grubhub to order from here. This is honestly just disrespectful.
2 - Pallavi B.: Went there to meet someone the other day.
I do not know whether cafe's inside a university campus have to be like these or not.
We ordered ice coffees for ourselves. I didn't like mine at all as it was cold so no chance of getting the ice mixed with it.
I won't go back here again.
1 - Rebecca L.: Ordered the Waldorf salad, was not a fan because the apple slices and lettuce were salty!!! Tasted really awful, I had to pick at my meal and basically throw it away.  I definitely do not recommend the salads, but I hear good things about the sub sandwiches.
4 - Manuel B.: Columbia's Cobb salad with raspberry vinaigrette is simply delicious. Good iced coffee: although they don't have soy milk, it's decent enough if you don't have time to go to Oren's or Joe The Art of Coffee. If you are a TV news channel junkie, you'll love the uninterrupted transmissions free of charge if you get a place to sit.

Bradley Patay, MD - La Jolla, CA (32.8986778, -117.2435296) ()
2 - Antonio G.: Bradley Patay is basically an overpaid pharmacist.  Run down any list of symptoms and he will quickly name a drug to counteract precisely those effects.  It was actually pretty impressive, I mean this guy had one for EVERYTHING.  But not once did he ever mention anything to do with an underlying cause.  He doesn't seem to be concerned with what's actually wrong, just with treating the symptoms and making you feel better.  Now if you're into that sort of thing, then he's a great doctor and totally for you, but as for me, I'm not.  Even when I tried asking questions regarding what could be causing my symptoms, his answers were just explaining my symptoms on a cellular level.  So God forbid I have pneumonia or cancer or I'm malnourished or something, I'd never find out.

He's young, confident, cocky and full of energy.  He's just not a very good doctor.
5 - Amir R.: Dr. Patay has been my primary care physician since 2005.  He is an excellent PCP and it is for these reasons:

1. I have heard so many horror stories about people trying to get appointments with their primary care physicians and the next available appointments being months away.  I've never had to wait more than 2 or 3 days after calling Dr. Patay's office for an appointment.  

2. I got very sick at one point and was under the care of Dr. Patay.  Up until that point I felt as though doctors didn't care much about their patients and were mainly interested in making themselves and their respective hospitals money (which is of course true to an extent).  My condition was very bad and the look on Dr. Patay's face during my visits were comparable to those of a family member.  My girlfriend and I were honestly astounded at how much he actually cared.  

3. He's smart and will go on to give you a molecular explanation of what's going on if you're up for it.

I've had a number of PCP's throughout my life (around 6 or 7) and Patay is for sure the best.
5 - David S.: Dr. Patay has been my PCP for the past 5 years, he has also become my wife's PCP as well as my daughters PCP.  He has a calm demeanor that puts you right at ease with him.  I have found him to be very thorough in his care for my family and myself.  My wife who has been through cancer issues as well as severe anemia problems has been very well cared for, thanks in part to the persistence Dr. Patay has for her well being.  Due to the time we have spent in his care and the number of visits we have to his office, which is also well run,  (His nurse and scheduler are beyond helpful, doing all that they can to assure we are taken care) Dr. Patay has become more than a physician to us.  He is honest in his diagnosis, laying out options for us and providing us with the knowledge we need to make well informed decisions.  

As I have trusted the care of myself and my family to him, I would have no problem recommending him to others.

Branching Out - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9265084, -79.0280732) ()
4 - Luke C.: My wife adores this place. It's located at the same crescent off E. Franklin as Cafe Driade. The owner is approachable and the items there are much more reasonably priced compared to the antique store 100 meters down the road at White Hall. A genuinely charming store!
5 - Sarah A.: Great place for well-selected vintage finds in the spirit of Anthropologie. Beautiful re-upholstery work and lots of great small objects. You wouldn't know it from the exterior, but Branching Out packs quite a lot of merchandise into their space. I'm always a little bit in awe of how they make it all work, particularly since they're always adding new merchandise.
4 - Meredith R.: Some less than happy personal circumstances led my mother and I into Hilsborough this afternoon.  Our time at Branching Out was a a very nice diversion.  It is a lovely store with lots of nice things to look at and covet.  Since Christmas is around the corner they have some cozy felt stockings to hang for Santa to fill.  They have a nice mixture of antiques and new items.  For example they had a collection of vintage trophy cups - there's something intriguing about those, and a few really stellar pieces of ironstone (that were not cheap!) I bought some pear shaped candles to take to my future mother in law for her Christmas gift.  They were wrapped up in Waverly toile tissue paper and put in a matching paper tote, they're ready to go!  Do stop in to Branching Out if you find yourself in Hilsborough.  Chances are that you'll find something that will need to come home with you.
5 - Felecia B.: This is a beautiful, inspiring store in the University Mall.  If you enjoy things of yesteryear, vintage, antique and surprises everywhere you turn this is your place.  I felt like I had entered a wonderland upon entering.  I am so impressed with the selection of merchandise and the displays it was easy to spend a lot of time in here.  

Included in the store is a women's clothing boutique called Night Gallery that complements the feel of the store and is a nice selection of dress and lingerie wear.  Everything felt like it was purposefully picked and painstakingly yet lovingly culled to provide a delightful merchandising experience.  

This store is a work of art and there are many items that would make great gifts for the vintage lover.  This is my favorite store in Chapel Hill.  If you stop by I think you'll see why.

The owner often has her Bichon Frise on site who is sweet and adorable too. :)

Brandon W. Goldstein, D.C. - La Jolla, CA (32.870735, -117.236132) ()
5 - Aaron L.: Great location and REAL results!! After I started seeing Dr. G. I must say I haven't felt this good in a long time. Also the staff is very sincere, caring, understanding, and friendly. Most visits I fall asleep on the table while being treated with the tenz unit because I know I'm in good hands and well looked after. If your like me and tired of being limited by your body, you must see what Dr. G. Can do for you, as I have been able to do things I would have never considered before our relationship of therapy began.
5 - Brandie B.: Dr. Goldstein (and his office staff) are wonderful! They are always quick to accommodate last minute appointments or cancellations. Dr. Goldstein is very gentle and informative. He's always willing to answer any health related questions. I love stopping by for a quick adjustment...I always leave feeling refreshed and free of a back ache!
5 - J. P.: I highly recommend Dr. Goldstein to anyone in need of a great chiropractor!  I received chiropractic adjustments from Dr. Goldstein for 5 years, while living in UTC.  He is a great chiropractor & a really nice, empathetic, down-to-earth guy.  Maria is one of the kindest receptionists/office managers I've ever met in any doctor's office, too.  She makes your paperwork/payments/insurance a breeze & she seems to always squeeze you in at the last minute if your neck/back is really hurting.  Yet, I never had to wait very long for my appointments.  I received such a high quality of care & comfort, that I'm sure I will miss this office very much!
5 - Julia F.: We have been to about 4 different chiropractors , this office conveniently located right off the 5, is amazing, they care about you and they take the time to show you what your conditions are and what you can expect from their care, will always recommend them to anyone that has back and neck pain!

Brandy Melville - Los Angeles, CA (34.062334, -118.446275) (Westwood)
5 - Corrina S.: I have died and gone to italian clothing heaven.

They have locations all over Europe and much to my delight, just opened their Westwood store a couple days ago. Every piece in this store is adorable - tops, tanks, dresses, skirts, I wanted to buy everything! The tags are so cute, everything has the price is Euros, but fortunately, we're getting 1 to 1 exchange here. YAY! Jesse is the owner, very sweet and very willing to give you advice on what you're picking out and explaining how it can be worn, etc. 

If you're into simple, chic, cotton clothing, this is your store. The prices are pretty reasonable too, ranging from $10 for a simple tank to $60 for some dresses. They even make their own fabric!! I highly recommend Brandy Melville. You dont find stores like this very often, it's one of those places that once you find it, you kinda hope no one else does but we want this store to succeed so go!!!! :) I don't know the exact address, but it's right across from Tomodachi Sushi on Olympic.
2 - Jena S.: An Italian shop that I did not find leather or shoes at... what the hell is wrong with this picture?

Now I will admit when I walked by I was drawn to its allure.  I mean, much of the stuff is very frilly and screams girly girl.  I really did think going in that it would be dangerous... until I got a real good look and went into the shop itself.

First crime: the music playing was Nickelback.  Gag, you are trying to hard here.  It explained why when looking around at the other patrons I was a bit out of place.  I felt... real and... old.

It is the same repackaged superficiality you see everywhere walking around anywhere in cliche LA.  It's a mix between sweet, flaker & hipster.  I don't remember seeing fedoras though there were vests... *cringes*

Upon further examination less and less of the items popped out at me as unique pieces.  As it's a boutique, this is key for me.  

Pricing with the conversion (done in Euros) at the current time is relatively reasonable.  I did see one jacket that I would have considered buying had it been real leather... and Italian leather?  Sadly not... and not much better quality material than American Apparel.

In fact why spend the money here unless you're looking for accessories because it's essentially the same thing as over there.  There's one down the street if you feel so compelled.

Another thing that bummed me out: they had potential with some of their little silvery jewelry pieces with turquoise style stones and bangles.. until my guy friend and I picked up a gold ring set that was an attempt at 2 fingers in a brass knuckle.

Who wears this crap?

Oh there was a cute pink knit beret there on a mannequin.  One of my friends knits and so do I... vaguely so this wasn't a must have for me.

As it seems that the shop is still in its early infancy possibly I may check it out on a future walk around Westwood but I would not recommend going out of the way for it.  It was worth the maybe 5 minutes or so we did but... meh.  I'm sure there are tons of girls that would likely disagree with me, but as my sense of fashion leans more towards unique, dynamic, quirky, &/or otherwise classical retro style pieces- of which there was nothing here, this shop did nothing for me.

Dear Brandy Melville owners:
If you want some solid attention please add leathers and shoes to your selection and/or make them more prominently displayed if you offer them.

sincerely, 
j.
5 - Jaclyn P.: I LOVE Brandy Melville! Cute stylish knits, awesome prices, helpful and friendly workers... what's not to love!?! Every time I come in here, I can't resist buying at least a few pieces.  The prices are so reasonable that it's hard to refuse. (Especially after finding the same EXACT clothing, same label and all, at Fred Segal marked at 3 times the price!!) 

 I completely disagree with unhappy girl below who posted a mediocre/negative review. This store specializes in knits. It is NOT a leather store. And, it isn't appropriate to compare it with American Apparel, which is mostly cotton tees, cardigans, etc, in basic cuts. 
Umm, and who hasn't heard of two finger rings!?!

Anyway, check this place out! You won't be disappointed.
5 - Nika M.: Brandy Melville is on Weyburn Ave. 90024 Across from Tomodachi Sushi ;)  But I forgive you..  I would also give  Tomodachi A high review but that is another yelp for another day.
 Brandy M. is one of my favorite places in Westwood! 2012 update There is a bigger better one on the promenade I'm sure  you can go read the Yelp for that one on your own!
First great thing : They are open SO late! I often study at the Starbucks across the street and I can wander to Brandy at 10 or 11 pm as a study break. As Corrina's great review says the tops are soft cotton primarily and everything has a very chic euro feel .There is a emphasis on off the shoulder drapery and cool vintage vibed prints such as "I'm too sexy for my shirt ( In italian btw),  " I love brandy melville" wtc. . The favorites here seem to be long necklaces , the affordable slim jeans ,layered thin lush tanks and cotton " poncho" style top but they also have going out wear in satin stretch fabrics , printed scarves ,soft leggings, high waisted skirts and SO MUCH MORE I can't really go into to because my laptop is dying at the moment :(
Suffice it to say this is worth a walk or drive to check out if you live in the area ( or far away). Some of my favorite long layered necklaces are from here, also I LOVE LOVE their bandeau bras and tube tops which you can wear under anything as well the supersoft alternative brand sweatshirts.
This location is owned by a young italian couple who are both sweet and adorable indivudals. They recognize you and encourage a small town local feel.
--
4 - J L.: Brandy Melville is now my favorite place to get basics and something with a little twist.  I do not consider myself fashion forward but I do have my own style that fits my body and personality well.  

80% of their line are casual basics which style is sort of a blend of Muji and Amerian Apparel with an European flair (the store interior design looks like Madewell in an intimate scale).  I hope they carry more unique items though.  They do have some blouse like articles but they are not standing out that well.  Right now, it's all over white, black, deep navy blue, light grey, heather grey, charcoal grey, heather oatmeal color range. They have a lot of skinny stripey things going on too with occasional pop of pink, fusha, plum, aqua...    

Seriously, where can I find tank tops for $10 and tees for $15 that fit wells and good in quality (I wish I can afford buying James Perse T for $100 or a tank for $50 everytime... ).  I am not sure how many washes BM clothing can stand but all clothings seems to have a nice soft texture to them except the new season super long tank top which is a little bit stiff.  Their cotton sweaters are so soft and comfy which I really want to sleep in them.  It is printed 100% cotton on the label but I see something look like angora sticking out.  Is it really 100% cotton?

I can't wait to go back again in a month to check out their new stuffs.
4 - KATRINA C.: Brandy Melville is a terrific boutique.  The prices are reasonable and their products are to die for!  

For basics, the place is fantastic.  If you're too sophisticated for the party-girl antics that American Apparel offers, Brandy Melville is a chic alternative.
5 - Julia W.: Brandy & Melville is the most fantastic store I have ever been in next to Urban Outfitters.

I live about two minutes away from Westwood, and I remember the day Brandy & Melville opened; of course, when I walked in I didn't know it was the first day. The Westwood Brandy & Melville is placed in a little nook of a store on Weyburn Drive, a place that one may not usually find themselves during a shopping spree. On the first day, there were two massive pink balloon clusters on either side of the doorway. I was with a friend of mine, and I'm in Westwood often enough to notice when something hadn't been there the day before. When I walked in, my jaw dropped: THE CLOTHES WERE ALL FABULOUS. 
The family who owns this amazing store is adorable: a mommy, a daddy, and two small italian speaking children - but here's the catch: their daughter looks exactly like the mom, and the son looks exactly like the dad. It's unbelievably adorable, and it gives a really homey, comfy feeling to this amazing boutique. The moment I walked in, they were hospitable and inviting, like it was their own home! 

Overall, I cannot help but buy something when I go in: everything is SOOO cute! The couple who owns it now recognizes me every time I come in, they even recognized me at their new store on the Promenade (which is beyond belief perfect!) The clothing is really reasonably priced, which really stands out to me living in Los Angeles. 

The clothes are cute, the owners are great people, the price is right, so DEFINITELY go check it out!
4 - Natalia K.: I absolutely love this store!! The clothes are for the most part simple, but well made and SUPER COMFY. The people who work there are very friendly. The only con is that there are not enough dressing rooms. So the last time I went to this store I wore a tank and leggings so I could just try on clothes over what I was wearing.  Also the prices are pretty inexpensive in comparison to other boutiques in Westwood.
5 - Jen W.: Modestly nestled between a mainstream CPK restaurant and the village favorite college bar Maloneys, is Brandy Melville - a real gem in Westwood Village. There you will find wearable sweaters, funky jewelry, comfy tees and tanks, cute lounge wear, flirty skirts, and casual dresses. I feel like their clothes are the perfect balance between trendy and classic; I know that the stuff there I buy will look good now...and later!

This cute boutique is owned by a sweet young Italian family, who can usually be found in the store with their beautiful little daughter chatting with customers. Customers seem to drift in and out, to converse and browse. Fun songs play on an iPod dock, filling the store with a welcoming, mellow vibe. Combine that with it's chic affordable clothes...and that makes this place a rare and wonderful find in West LA. Thanks Brandy M! 

A few things to note:
-I am not really sure they have real set hours of operation. I have been walking by after late nights out and it is still open, and other times the doors are shut in the early evening. They seem to just open and close when they want to.
-Even though the store is fairly new, I know they are doing well because they just opened a much larger store on the promenade in Santa Monica. Even with it's upgrade in space and size, for the most part the new store is just as charming as the original. That is, if you can make your way past the clothes-hungry crowds and retail-driven tweens of the bustling promenade :)
4 - Julia C.: I'm disappointed that it took me 3 years living in Westwood before I set foot in this cute boutique!  It has very cute clothes, very much European style (I believe that Brandy Melville is an Italian label).  Surprisingly, the prices are reasonable shirts 15-35, hats from 10-20, dresses 20-60.
2 - Caitlin F.: This location is smaller than the Santa Monica one, but still with a good selection. For some reason I keep going back even though every time I'm really turned off by the employees. They are super rude and unwelcoming. Once I approached them, in a way that I thought was obvious that I had a question, and the two employees glanced my way, and motioned to me to wait until they finished their conversation (which, by the way, was not work-related). 

I work retail so I know it can get tedious, but customers are your paycheck- pretend to be nice!
5 - Catherine Q.: One of my favorite stores to shop at. It's a tiny store that you normally wouldn't look twice at, but my friend and I were on a lazy-wander-around-Westwood trip and I'm so glad we found this place.

I want to describe it as sort of an Abercrombie & Fitch meets Urban Outfitters.. laid back and trendy, cute and classy, and best of all- affordable. They have the whole oversized adorable comfy sweater thing down to a tee. If I had the funds, I would literally buy one of everything from this store, that's how much I absolutely adore it.

Some of the material of the sweaters is pretty delicate, and some of the shirts are super see-through, but it's nothing a bandeau can't fix (and, conveniently enough, they sell a bunch). 

They just opened a store on 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica which is a lot bigger, but somehow more cluttered at the same time. 

tl;dr- clothes are great, prices are right, store is perfect.
4 - Michelle L.: Cute store, adorable clothes, decent price.

I don't know why I haven't shopped before, but I recently stumbled upon Brandy Melville while roaming Westwood. The store is really small, but it's packed with a lot of really cute tops, skirts, and accessories. Really good place to purchase a casual top you can wear everyday.

My only complaint is that they usually only have one person working, so if it's a little busier it will take a long time for that person to help you. Also, the cashier likes to take FOREVER ringing you up. I don't know if it's because they're trained to make small talk with their customers to make the store seem more welcoming or not, but sometimes i'm in a hurry and I just need a quick purchase.

Anyways, will return for another top sometime soon!
4 - Diane N.: I prefer shopping at the Brandy Melville on 3rd St more just because this store, like all of Westwood really, is cramped and everything is just kinda squeezed in.

That being said, most of the clothes (think LA-slouchy, off the shoulder casual meets Abercrombie nautical stripes) are made of this delicate, super thin material that is so so comfortable but soo so easy to rip.  Their accessories are adorable and I saw that they carried a few Alternative Earth items in the fall.  Their Italian Euro price conversion puts them a little higher than F21 but less than Urban.  Good for basics and comfy pieces but you can totally tell when someone only shops here.
4 - Emily T.: Brandy Melville is one of my favorite clothing stores! The Westwood branch is a lot smaller than the Santa Monica one, and it has a different  selection of clothes, but it's still very cute. 

The style is very similar to American Apparel's clothing but more chic. The quality does not come off as superb as many of the clothes are very thinly made, but I've had no problems with any of the clothes falling apart or anything so far. 

People complain about the customer service, but from my experience, the workers at the Santa Monica location are much more rude (one time when I asked them if I could try on clothes, they actually told me that they don't work there when it was obvious they did [they were folding a bunch of clothes] and then laughed and threw, yes, THREW a number card at me). That being said, the customer service at this location is ok.

Minus one star because the store is kind of small and the dressing room stalls are weird.
5 - Samantha M.: I love this store. Love. LOVE!

This location is smaller than the store in Santa Monica but I don't think it necessarily means they stock tremendously less stuff - variety is still there! I think the staff here are a lot more friendly than the other location - there's usually one girl working on weekdays and down time, and maybe two during busy periods.

The clothing here absolutely fits my style and I'm guilty of owning at least half the store - I'm not even kidding. Everything from tanks, tees, sweaters, dresses, bandeau tops, bags ... I own it all. But as much as I love this store, I try not to go too often because (a) I'll dig an even deeper hole into my bank account and voluntarily surrender all my money and (b) they don't update their clothes that often. Sure, I've gone twice in a week, but new things only come in every few months or so.

The only sucky part is parking, because it is virtually non-existent. But then again, welcome to Westwood - the land of zero parking. Lame.

**NOTE**
The store doesn't do returns/exchanges on items that you bought from the Santa Monica store. You USED to be able to bring your returns/exchanges to either BM store regardless of where you bought it but since their inventories are so different now, you'll have to bring your items back to the original store that you bought it from.
1 - Macy D.: i went to the westward location and there was one small asian girl working. She was so rude and did not acknowledge me at all. She acted like she hated me and it made me feel really uncomfortable. I would of left if I wasn't in love with a shirt I found. I asked for a bando size and she had so much attitude with helping me find one that would fit ( i would of liked to buy one with my shirt if she could of helped me ) i continued to be very nice hoping she would change. I asked for her opinions on colors and she said she didn't know , like she didn't even care. I have also been to the fashion island location and the girls walk around like they are so much better than you and all just talk with you instead of the customers.I could go on and on... the service IS AWFUL HERE!
4 - Jessica T.: Being a redhead just naturally means I have more sensitive skin. 

To everything.

Especially the sun.

With an upcoming wave of approaching summer festivals, it's always crucial for me to find clothes that allow my skin and body to breathe, but that also protect me from the sometimes harsh kiss of the sun.

Brandy Melville's clothes do just that. Many of the designs here are made from baby soft material that floats around your body, hugging it ever so slightly in light grazes.

Sporting one of their white loose fitting long sleeved white shirts as I write this - I'm looking forward to braving the upcoming famed Bonnaroo weather in style.

Trust.
2 - Manoa H.: Note: the following review is specific to this location.  I'm rather partial to Brandy Melville the brand--Forever 21 pricing, American Apparel quality (read: lots of cotton jersey and rayon), classic cuts (solids and colorblock pieces, what I gravitate towards), and cute, vintage/retro-inspired styles.  If H&M and Urban Outfitters had a love child, this would be it.  My only gripe with the brand is they have no online store.  Sadface!

That said, the selection, ambiance, and service here at the Westwood location is the pits.  Go to the Santa Monica/3rd Street location for a much wider selection, actual room to walk around, air to breathe, and light to see the items you're trying to buy.

The Westwood branch is tiny, cramped, and ill-lit.  They carry probably half as much as the Santa Monica branch, but the space is obviously too small for even the half of it.  Clothes are bunched together, hung on the walls rather haphazardly, bottoms mixed with tops and dresses with no clear theme or organizational scheme apparent.  There was always only one (apathetic, high-school-aged) attendant in the back of the store every time I stopped by who was usually engrossed with her phone and never bothered to even say hello.  Worst of all, every time I went, the whole store (all 40 square feet of it) stunk of unmitigated body odor.  And it definitely wasn't me.  This particular boutique is the pits...literally!

The 3rd Street Promenade isn't that far, and, yes that includes you, car-deprived Bruins/Westwoodites.  Brandy Melville has cute, classic, budget-friendly finds for everyday stylish ladies--just know that you don't have to suffer to hunt for them and bring them home.
5 - Jessica S.: Great Clothes, great location. I love how small and quaint it is. Everyone that works there is really sweet and helpful. and its right by CPK soooo... you can eat after
5 - Iris C.: Super soft comfy clothes that are still pretty hot? Yes please! 
This is my new favorite shop to stop into when I'm in LA. For the most part the clothes are really reasonably priced and every piece I've gotten not only garners tons of compliments but it holds up without losing it's shape. 
The sales people working are just attentive enough to not be annoying and aren't like the one's at American Apparel who seem to be so hungry that they can't bear to deal with getting that shirt down for you. 
Love this store and I cant't wait to blow my paycheck there on my next trip to LA.
4 - Elisa C.: American Apparel + Urban Outfitters style/quality with Forever21 prices. 

Hell. Yes.

There's also one on 3rd Street Promenade which is soooo much bigger!
4 - Katheryn H.: Smaller store than the SM one, but customer service is much more pleasant!! (:
2 - Shania J.: I've been here once 10 minutes before they closed and the worker was extremely nice and helpful. She didn't even say anything when I accidentally stayed past the closing time, nor did she inform me that they closed at 9! Really nice. Other times, I couldn't differentiate between the workers and customers. Mostly they're sitting on a stool, looking like they're about to recite some poetry. You ask for questions and help, they answer with the least possible words (obviously saving their breath for their poetry readings later on). 

The quality is really not so great. My zip-up hoodie, which felt like silk before I washed it, turned into a pilly mess. 

One extra star for the extremely nice worker!
3 - Danielle D.: Sorry, Brandy! I want to give 5 stars for the clothing, but the 3 stars go to customer service. I've been to this store (and the SaMo location as well) MANY times. I'm a huge fan of the cropped tops, off the shoulders, cotton tees, rayon blouses, lace bandeaus, and so much more. I am definitely not a fan of the lack of service and smiles. 

Santa Monica Store:
Me: (staring at the fitting room girl's outfit) Did you get that top here?
Fitting Room Girl: (completely bored, looks like she can't wait to clock out) "Yeah."
Me: "Um, ok... is it still available? Like, did you get it recently?"
Fitting Room Girl: "Yeah, but I don't know where it is."

THANKS! You have been a GREAT help.

Westwood Store:
Me: (waiting to ask an associate if there are anymore lace bandeaus)
Me: (still waiting)
Cashier Sitting On a Stool: (sitting on a stool)
Employee Standing Eating Out of a Take Out Container: eating. And chewing with her mouth open, mind you.
Me: "Excuse me, do you have anymore lace bandeaus?"
Employee Eating: "No." With her mouth open and full of food. GAWD. 
Me: (expecting an offer like "but we'll have more next week". But then again, that's my fault for even expecting it. "Uh, when will you have more?"
Employee Eating: "2 weeks."

THANKS AGAIN!

I'm sorry I visit as often as I do. The girls fold clothes, organize go backs and walk around you like you're in the way while you're shopping. I've definitely come across some really sweet employees here so I don't want to bash too much. But my 2 aforementioned dialogues shouldn't even happen in the first place =(
5 - Camille L.: I live in Studio City and have made it a tradition to come here at least once a month!  I always happpen to come by the day they get new items for the season, THE BEST! The other day I got the cutest shirt that had "Le Petit Prince" on it, as well as a funky skirt that's long in the back and short in front. 

There were two young girls who were swamped in the crazyness who dropped everything to help me find a gift for my mom. The girls knew everything and all about the merchandise, the stores history, and even gave me 20% off because they were the managers!! They told me that there's a store in Santa Monica they used to work at that's much bigger, but I think I will stay at this quaint, homey store as long as they are open! 

PS. Only weird thing was that their receipt has the street name spelled wrong... Change this so when people mapquest it they can find the store next go around !!!
2 - Mitch M.: First let me tell u that the cloths quality is super great, I got I few things that I'm really happy with, but the reason I gave them two stars is that the costumer service is beyond terrible, I was there today monday aug 22 around 5pm, and im just gonna say that they shouldn't hire teenagers with no manners and with no intentions to help you. Other than that the store is great but im gonna make it a point to tell my friends not to go to the westwood location.
4 - C L.: Love this store! I'm all about stripes and jersey fabric AND I live within walking distance, so this store and I go together like peas and carrots. (Whatever. It's from Forrest Gump.)

Most things are oversized, so you have to buy a small or an extra small, but when it runs small, it runs small. Not that that's a bad thing. But the bandeaus and the mini skirts are "one size fits all", but they definitely aren't made for the girls with the D or even large C cups or too much ass. You should definitely avoid this store if you're having a fat day. 

That aside, the price point is decent, I like the very simple and classic designs (although sometimes it feels redundant) and the clothes definitely last. The last time I was in New York, I noticed that they had opened a Brandy loves Melville in SoHo. And it was SUPER crowded. The classic Cali cool style is definitely making waves outside of SoCal :-)
4 - Stephanie C.: I just want to lay in a bed of their oh-so soft-clothes. I'm such a sucker for soft shirts so naturally, I couldn't help touching every top. (Sorry sales peep) Prices are average and quality is beyond average.  Love that they offer so many basics with occasional fun prints here and there. The "one size fits all" is definitely a distinct and unique factor to this laid-back shop.

Brandy also sells a few fun backpacks! Too bad I no longer have a reason to wear one anymore, but if you do, I'd definitely invest in one of their striped or floral patterned school bags. It'll make going to class a lot more fun!
4 - Vanessa G.: Love their cute clothes and prices! The workers can seem a little snobby, no offense. But regardless, I love their merchandise, so natural and soft. Plan to visit soon.
4 - Jane S.: WOW the most helpful staff I've ever encountered! So sweet, so genuine :) love the clothes at Brandy Melville--they're effortlessly cute & casual, with a hint of trendy edgy-ness. I got myself a pair of super flared bell-bottom knit pants that can be dressed up or down.

only reason I can't give this location another star is because it's so tiny, and compared to the the locations in LA & SD, the selection is scarce. But hey, a small Brandy Melville is better than none, right?
4 - H N.: Best Store! the only thing is.. the clothing fabric is kinda cheep so the clothes tere easly.. other than that.. the best!
1 - Michelle S.: While I like the clothing, I've entered this store on several occasions and have been consistently ignored.  Just 20 minutes ago I walked in and while I was looking at skirts on the rack, the sales associate began hastily fixing the same rack of skirts I was looking at.  Maybe it's me, but generally a sales associate asks the customer if they need assistance and then typically waits until the customer moves AWAY before they begin straightening clothes. In response to this display of improper customer service etiquette I chose to leave the store and, as expected, my departure was unacknowledged. Who the hell does this? And on what planet is it okay to treat customers like unwanted guests?  I was under the impression that the money spent in the store ensures associates' employment.  Perhaps this is representative of what is considered acceptable customer service within the organization, but I am not pleased and will visit them again tomorrow to make it well known. And the store is the size of an efficiency apartment, so there's no excuse for them to not, at the very least, say hello and goodbye.  There are companies that require customers to be acknowledged within seconds of their entrance and upon their departure WITH A SMILE, not that dry, rude BS I received tonight.
2 - Lillian H.: This review is not for the clothes but for the customer service here. I've been to three other BM's and while all of them kind of have their customer service problems I would say this is one of the worst ones I have experienced. 

I went there around 11 on a Saturday and there were two girls working (rather small store so everything that they talked about, any of the customers could overhear). Didn't get a greeting, and when I walked up to them to ask if I could use the fitting room I didn't get a glance. I asked excuse me once, and then finally "Do I just go in?" "Of course!" Okay, maybe they just assumed all the customers knew to just let themselves in but at other stores they have to escort you themselves, count articles of clothing, etc.

In the fitting room I was subjected to their conversation about their manager, other employees of the store, people who they went to school with, etc. All in all just gossipy and shallow and but it felt weird to basically know a pretty solid chunk of Brandy Melville Weyburn gossip. They also talked a bit about some of the clothing in BM that was just "hideous" or "so overdone"... It reflected poorly on them and poorly on the store. There were four or five other customers in the store and I don't think either girl interacted with any of them, either, while I was still in there.

All in all I would just recommend that management have a chat with all of their girls to remind them that it is still a place of employment and not your local dive bar happy hour. I didn't need to know that that employee was totally drunk. I didn't need to know you think the cross theme is tired.
5 - Elle D.: absolutely in love with this store! its smaller than the Santa Monica one but way better and way less busy and it doesn't have the typical annoying tween girls working there. There is this one tall black girl who is literally the sweetest and prettiest person i have ever met. she will help you pick out outfits and find the right clothes that will work for you. she's literally the chillest person i have ever met. i hate bitchy girls who work in stores thats why I'm never going to brandy in santa monica. i wish they had a tip jar for her!
1 - Coco P.: Rude, rude, rude, employees. When you work with the public, try to be nice, it's your job.
4 - Ariana N.: I actually love the clothes here, it is fashionable and cute. Sadly there are some clothes made of this one fabric (i don't know how to describe it) but after one wash it shrinks down to the size of clothes for a 7 year old. ): The customer service is good depending on who you ask and which store you go to. For example after I bought one of their dresses that was somewhat see through I didn't know what to do. It was tight so I couldn't wear short shorts underneath and I was a bit clueless, the back had these bows so a tank top was out of question too. The first sales person I asked didn't even respond and rather gave me a dirty look. The second one on the other hand was very helpful, she said she bought the dress herself a while back and loved it, she gave me tips on what to wear with it and was very kind. I also can't help but notice that there is not a single fat or average sized sales person there and rather than helping most just stand there and sorta get in the way of your shopping. In the one at the promenade, my main complaint is that it is extremely crowed and also the people that shop there are often rude, they bump into you, push you, etc. I've run into some baby prostitutes there too (you know what I mean) and their mum really needs to put them in like a boot camp or something and they're WAYYYY too young to be shopping there let alone acting like they own the place.
1 - Ana A.: Let me sum it up in a couple of words, defective merchandise, bad customer service and unhelpful associates. Bought a purse that ripped the 2nd day of use and told them and the 15 year old girls that work there don't know whats going on and won't help at all. RUDEST sales staff ever they are all awkward when you ask them to give you their name won't call the manager/owner to let them know they just say sorry we cant do anything. I felt as though I lost brain cells talking to these girls. word to the owner your clothes suck and so does the staff you hire just a FYI
1 - Andy L.: "Expect your Christmas gift order by Valentines' Day"  

This is for BM USA online.  HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE.  They are back up and good luck getting your order on time.  Disappointing that they cannot keep up with demand and it is mid-September.  Good luck during holiday season.  If you order anything for Christmas, expect to receive it in February.  They give you no Tracking number for your order and failed to respond to two separate e-mails (excuse was "we were backed-up") and no return phone call after leaving a message.  Had I known that they were "backed-up," then I would have gone some place else.  The irony of it was that warehouse in is LA and delivery address was in So California.  Not very far.  

I purchased online a gift for my niece, but didn't get the shipment until 11 days later.  On their website it states 1-2 business days.  A simple reply would have gone a long way.  If they treat their customers this way, I feel sorry for all the girls and or women that work there.  Bad leadership and management and follow through equals decreased sales, revenue, and eventual thrift store products.
1 - Barry F.: Kind of amazing to me that any retail store would stubbornly refuse to exchange a purchase 1 day after the 14 day return period ended.  That's what happened to my daughter when she went to exchange a gift she was given - in the wrong size.  

The store manager wouldn't overrule the 14 day policy and rudely choose to loose a customer rather than service a customer's needs.
Amazing and and amazingly stupid.  Does the store owner know of this kind of client treatment?

Brandy's Restaurant & Lounge - Los Angeles, CA (34.0196582, -118.281256) (South Los Angeles)
3 - Andrea K.: the food here is nothing to write home about...


i had the french dip and it was just OK....the cole slaw was a little below OK, and the service, welll.....

the waiter had the WORST and most pungent B.O. i had ever smelled. ....

when he would put down a drink, or grab a plate, i wanted to barf....

i am not basing my review of the restaurant on this, but just thought i'd mention it....

in all, i would definitely come here again, if in the area, for drinks  (there are no booze-serving joints in this hood....not even Denny's serves beer.....trust me, i looked everywhere). And, it's a better option than the neighboring Sizzler.

the atmosphere is chill, it's just nothing special.

Branner Dining Hall - Stanford, CA (37.4245907, -122.1621267) ()
4 - Gloria L.: Honestly, after an intimate entire year together, during which menu changes are more predictable than nudity on The Real World, who would give their college dining hall more than 3 mediocre stars?

But for every cynic, there is a time when those sarcastic walls crumble and tough hearts thaw. One week freshman year I was really sick with a fever. Stumbling my way downstairs into the dining hall, a cook took one look at me and told me to wait 20 minutes. That much time later, she came out with a pot of fresh chicken noodle soup that wasn't on the menu. 

It's one of the memories that stand out from a year of lunch and dinner (there's also the description of sex by an electrical engineering cohort that it's "just like plugging in an ethernet cable into the port," but that's a story for another time).

Brass Rail - Champaign, IL (40.11615, -88.242862) ()
5 - Joseph B.: A great local dive bar. The place is interesting and has a comfortable low key feel. I'll never forget going into the place on Halloween a few years back and seeing the bartender dressed as the bee girl from the Blind Melon video, we still refer to her as the bee girl. I've met some strange folks in this place late at night which I find to be a plus. Can't say it's as cheap as Esquire but it has a way different feel that goes in it's favor.
4 - Tim J.: This is the absolute worst place in Downtown Champaign (other than Phoenix), and I mean that in the best way possible. On a Friday night, the place was near deserted after about 10:30pm, with a regular or two, a couple of drunks and a group of quiet students. Seating is in cramped booths unsuitable for people taller than 6', or at the bar. The interior is hideous: bugly, dated paneling, linoleum and illumination by neon promo signs. My kind of place.

They have 2 beers on tap as I recall, PBR and High Life. The special that night was Hamm's cans, which were had for (surprisingly, to me) more than a dollar each. The good news is that either Hamm's is a lot better than I remember, or I was drunker than I thought. I had been drinking 'good' beer at other downtown establishments known for the same, but the Hamm's were somehow better. Thinking about how well those Hamm's hit the spot makes me want one right now.

The Brass Rail has an internet juke box to kill the otherwise oppressive silence, and is a total ripoff if you put less than $5 in, but has an impressive selection. They have a soft-tip dartboard, a couple of tvs and a broken pinball machine. They also have frozen pizza that they can make for you for less than $5, but it is pretty crappy pizza. Huber's' pizza is way better. Ours got burnt black in places and was too salty but  was still promptly devoured. For two days I wondered how I burned my mouth.

Service is great, and friendly. The bartender has an excellent rapport with her patrons, a quick wit and a kindness that comes across right away. I can definitely see this as a place to go back to.
4 - Teej T.: The Brass Rail is what a dive bar should be.  Slightly uncomfortable with bad furnishings, decent beer, and a great place to hang.  Every time I've come I've enjoyed it.  There's even an electronic darts game for when you're tired of squeezing into a tiny booth, watching bad TV or wondering why they sell so many portable bottles of alcohol from the counter.

I love you Brass Rail, you are divetastic, and you make me happy.

Brasserie 33 - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4574778, -79.9289528) (Shadyside)
5 - Carol S.: Brasserie 33, just had a delicious lunch there!  The value is tremendous...  and the atmosphere  /  service lovely.  I am looking forward to go back very soon and try dinner with a nice glass of wine.
5 - Jake C.: Wow!  David wined and dined us to perfection.  We started out with delicious bottle of Pinot that he recommended, then had the vol au vent as an app.  Phenomenal...  My girlfriend had the duck was was brazened in a delicious berry sauce, and I had the Filet which was cooked to perfection and the sauce didn't override the flavor of the beef.  We closed it with, what else, Creme' Brulee'.  Also magnificent...

The atmosphere is great, the service was the best it gets.
3 - Pragna H.: The food is decent, the service is decent, the price is not overwhelming, however, Brasserie 33 is not a Point Brugge. I gave 4 stars and not 5 because of the cold bread. Also, I have never been to France and don't know how the French do it in France, but I am NOT a fan of an "open-ish" kitchen. I coughed a few times because of the smoke from cooking. 

We got a cold prawn with dip and tartare de boeuf for appetizers. Both were pretty good! My moules (i think there is the s in the end) frites (I think they call it moules provencale, the type with the white sauce, herbs, tomatoes and caramelized onions) was actually very good. I am a small portion eater and it was too much food for me. My boyfriend got a NY strip steak and frites. He devoured it. The good thing about Brasserie 33 is that, most of your plate does NOT have white space and what they fill their plate space with is pretty delicious. If you want really awesome steak frites or moules frites, I recommend go to Point Brugge. If you have never had French/Belgian foods, also go to PB. However, if you are near Shadyside, or just want to venture out, B33 is  definitely worth a try. Overall it is a good addition to the all together lacking not beer-n-wings scene in Pittsburgh. 
 
PS #1: The host seemed quite snooty with his "Bon soir" and "Au revoire" and such apparent Frenchie-ness. I would say, please cut it out. You are in America, you are an American, and I don't think you are really adding any value to your restaurant by being high-nosed. You are not French!
PS #2: While making a reservation I asked the person on the line if the parking lot (shared by Tokyo grocery and the Laundromat) is free for patrons. The person had no idea! That is not good service. Please have an idea and inform your patrons. I am fine with street parking, I live in Shadyside. However, I am not fine with not getting and answer.
4 - Mangala M.: A true French Brasserie experience!  I & KU went there last evening for an impromptu dinner date.  We were warmly greeted in French at the door.  The owner himself is quite a character, a true Frenchman of the North.  He's a tad boisterous, but he made our experience overall a good one.  He gave great recommendations, and also entertained the children that were sitting next to us with various magic trips.  The staff that he has hired is knowledgeable not only in French cuisines, but in French as well!  

We were served water, along with slices of baguette and butter.  The baguette was good, not great...I've had better ("La Gourmandine" & Paris of course!). For an appetizer we ordered warm tarts that were filled with brie and caramelized onions, which melted in our mouth!  It was served alongside a mixed green salad, with a tangy dressing that had a nice bite.  For our main entrees I ordered a very traditional Brasserie meal - Poulet rôti et frites, which also came with asparagus.  It was very simple but extremely delicious.  My KU ordered one of the night's specials, leg of lamb that quite literally fell off the bone.  It was served alongside scalloped potatoes and asparagus.  We asked for a wine recommendation that went well with lamb, and was served a delightfully light red.  The owner has put together a small but very delicious wine list.  We topped the night off with what else, but Crème brûlée.  A wonderful truly authentic French Brasserie, a must try!
2 - M B.: Forgive me for reviewing before dining here but I was so appalled at the behavior of the person on the phone today that I had to chime in.  I bought a LivingSocial coupon for Brasserie a few weeks back.  There are no restrictions written on the coupon but when I called to make a reservation for Valentine's Day, they told me I could not use the coupon on that day.  When I pried, the person on the phone rudely said "it was the owner's choice.  I don't know about the rules.  It was the owner's choice.  Speak with the owner".  When I asked for the owner, he said he wasn't there and to call back between 9 and 10 am.  I asked if I could leave a message and have the owner call me and he said no, call back.  I asked again if the owner could call me and he said "I'm going to hang up on you now."  And, he hung up on me!  I could have easily become a repeat customer and now I will NEVER patronize this restaurant.  I even called LivingSocial to get my money back.  There is no reason to be so rude with a customer, especially when they are in the right (there are truly no restrictions on the coupon).
5 - Andy J.: C'est magnifique!  I hate to oscillate between giving 5-star reviews and 1-star reviews, but Brasserie 33 really deserves its accolades. I found out about this place through a LivingSocial deal a few weeks ago and decided to give it a shot last night.  

The restaurant itself veers closer to the up-scale side of things, but it does so without being pretentious.  The owners and staff are very friendly and personable, and the food itself was fantastic.  We ordered the charcuterie appetizer, bouillabaise, and salmon special.  All of the dishes were delicious. My only warning is that the entrees are enormous- if you order an appetizer, just be ready to take some of your entree home with you.  It was a very enjoyable experience, and I expect to be returning again soon!
2 - Seth D.: First of all: They were "out of beer." Now I know the French are known for their wine, but for anyone who's ever been there, they also love their beer... just like me. How hard would it have been to go out and buy a case before opening?

Secondly: The portion of the wine (that I had to get) was a little skimpy and served in the same glass as the white wine. It was also $10. 

That's the extent of my complaints. I'm sure, if I had the money, I might frequent the place, but I do not and the photocopied menu and no wine menu made everything a little less classy.
4 - Jill G.: Brasserie 33 is run by the same people who run La Casa.  If you've ever been to La Casa, you know that they're a little eccentric, but they're fun and make for an interesting evening :)

We had a lovely time punctuated by great food and service.  We brought our own bottle of wine since other reviews had mentioned their wines were pricey.  The owner was impress with our wine taste, so he negotiated a bit on the corkage fee ;)  The tables are placed closely together, and the waiters wear traditional black vests with long white aprons, reminding me of New Orleans.  The kitchen is indeed open, and there's a cool metal sculpture over the oven.  I like being able to watch the kitchen work, and neither of us thought it was smokey in the restaurant. 

I started with the escargot, and my husband had the beef tartare.  Both were excellent, but mine needed a little salt and lemon.  The beef was exceptionally fresh.  We moved on the the cassoulet and canard de cassis (duck).  I must admit that the look of the cassoulet turned me off initially because it kind of looked like pork & beans beans, but my concerns were quickly assuaged when I took a bite. Complex, delicious, and a large portion-- it comes with a sausage link, lamb and duck quarter.  The canard de cassis was fantastic!  The sauce was divine, and the duck was succulent.  Finally, we ended with creme brulee and a hazelnut pastry.  Both were scrumptious.  There was a minor problem during dining, and the waitstaff immediately rectified the situation and comped us on the bill.

The food prices were actually not that bad, especially considering the quality and quantity.  We'll be returning!
4 - Ted W.: Remarkably French for Pittsburgh. The charcuterie plate is wonderful. The salads are also quite nice. I was a bit underwhelmed by the freshness of the mussels but everything else was great. Fantastic, attentive service.
5 - Preeti S.: Amazing place for great food.
Great view - the place has tons of windows. So if u wana enjoy the sun on a great day then this is the place to be.
Their specials are great. Food and wine is a little pricey but the fries are worth it.
4 - Jimmy W.: This is my favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh.  I'm not a French food connoisseur, so I can only judge a French restaurant by things that might make a true connoisseur cringe.  But I consider their French onion soup, their mussels and frites, and their steak and frites.  All of them were solid, and the portions were generous.  The Vol-au-Vent was also amazingly good...the sauce was so good, that we kept asking for bread, just so we could enjoy every last bit of sauce.  Prices are quite good as well.  Now that I think about it, maybe I would give it 4.5 stars.  The service was kinda iffy, and one of the guys made just feel rather uncomfortable, but maybe that's just also authentic French ambiance.
2 - Ebony H.: I have been wanting to go to Brasserie 33 for a while and a deal on Groupon finally got my butt in a seat.  Unfortunately, it was not what I expected.   For starters, the Groupon said to call for reservations. When I called and said that we were using a Groupon they said they had no reservations available until 9:15pm.  However, they did call me back  3 minutes after we got off of the phone the first time and said that they DID have a table available.  I have a feeling the hostess went to the servers to see if any were willing to take a "Groupon table". 

Upon arrival, we the tables are  entirely too close.  I could clearly hear the convos of the tables on both sides.  The service was slow.  I ordered the B33 Tarts  (brie and carmelized onion in a flakey dough shell) and my bf  ordered the French Onion Soup as appetizers.  It took them about 20 minutes to bring them to the table and when they finally did arrive, they were nothing special.  The B33 tarts hardly had any onions on them and the French Onion soup, well given that this was a French restaurant, was underwhelming.  20 minutes after they cleared out apps they brought out our entrees.  I had a mustard glazed pork chop and he had chicken.  the pork chop was large (bone-in chop) but extremely dry.  As soon as I started to cut it I knew it had been over cooked.  His chicken was good, but again, nothing special.  Didn't have desert and didn't take home the leftovers.  

The good news is that our meal was only a little over $50 since we used the Groupon we purchased.  Had we  paid full price  ($100ish) I would have been VERY upset.  

In a nutshell: the food was not worth the prices they were charging.  Service was actually inattentive (except for the girl refilling the water glasses, she was on it).  I wouldn't recommend Brasserie 33 to anyone I liked.
4 - Cindy W.: Came here with our Groupon deal for dinner and am glad we decided to check this place out. Unlike the other reviews, we didn't get any trouble making reservations with our Groupon deal. You definitely couldn't tell this was a nice, well decorated French restaurant from the outside appearance due to its location next to a laundromat and Japanese supermarket. However, once you enter the restaurant, it's amazing inside especially with the open kitchen. Our server was very polite and she nicely answered any questions we had. We started off with the beef tenderloin tartare. It was my first time trying it and it was actually delicious. I ordered the pork chops while my bf ordered one of the specials, the coq au vin (chicken cooked with wine). All I gotta say was the sauce the pork chops came in was delicious!! I would have finished the whole plate if I could, but there was so much! My pork chops were also cooked perfectly. The coq au vin was also good, but I definitely enjoyed the pork chops more. :) The food portions were very generous, which is a plus.
4 - Sarah S.: I'm going to start off by letting you know that I had a Groupon.  When I mentioned it to our waiter Michael, he said "no problem, we'll just deduct it from the check at the end".

I was there this evening with my friend and my 4yr old son.  We had a wonderful experience.  So much so that I'm writing a same day review.  We started off with the goat cheese salad, the rillettes de lupin (rabbit) and a bottle of bordeaux.  The wine was delicious and the salad and rabbit so refreshing, being that it's pretty hot outside and both are cold dishes.  I ordered the boullabaise and my friend a chicken dish.  Both were solid, but I really liked the boillabaise.  Our server, again, Michael asked if my son would like anything else, like mashed potatoes or something.  I thought it was really sweet that he was concerned for his appetite, but he was doing just fine with the seafood in my dish.  Already stuffed,  

I believe the owners stopped by our table, one to do a magic trick for my son and the other, I think her name was Nadia, to chat and to over stuff us full of amazing dessert.  They brought us 3 desserts, all amazing.  We left the restaurant with a feeling of euphoria that I've longed for since I moved home to Pittsburgh, after 8 years in San Francisco, in January.  There was a place in my neighborhood in San Francisco called Bistro Central Parc, which this place reminded me of a lot.  Authentic French bistro style dining.  Casual, yet delicious.  We will definitely be going back there.  My son asked if we could eat there everyday.
2 - Cory V.: This is a restaurant that's trying to provide a 4 star quality and didn't quite make the mark. Open concept kitchen with poor ventilation. My eyes burned from the smoke. Food was average and didn't live up to the descriptions listed on the menu. The brie and caramelized onion tarts are lovely and well worth the $8.00 purchase. However, for what we paid for the rest of dinner, the server should not have been chewing gum.
5 - Greg G.: Romantic; fun and delightful.  Sit at the bar and watch the chef conjure up great dishes at the bar-side kitchen.  Onion soup ane mussels were fantastic.
2 - Dan M.: I'd been interested in trying Brasserie 33 since it opened late last year and received generally positive reviews in the newspapers. Since then, however, I've noticed very mixed reviews on Yelp and Urbanspoon, so I wasn't sure what to expect when I finally gave it a try last night.

Upon entering I was immediately impressed by the modern, tastefully appointed space. It features a semi-open kitchen and a long bank of windows along Ellsworth that makes every table a window table. My companion and I were welcomed and seated promptly. So far, so good. Unfortunately, it was mostly downhill from there.

Our waitress gave us paper menus - odd, especially for a fairly upscale place, but not a big deal. She took our food orders, then, a few minutes later, came back to ask us if we wanted anything to drink. Strange; usually the drink order comes first, but again, not a big deal. I asked her if they had a beer list; she told me they didn't have a list, but named a few mostly lousy beers. OK, so the place is not big on beer. Given the numerous wine bottles adorning the dining room, wine must be their thing. Can I see a wine list, please? I'm told they don't have one of those, either. Why not? Because they get new wines frequently, she explains, so there isn't a fixed list. Well, why not just print up a new list each time it changes like every other restaurant? After all, the food menus had clearly just come out of the printer. She says that the wine guy can come tell us about the wines. So I'm supposed to sit there and listen to this guy describe dozens of wines and somehow try to keep track of all of them and their prices? No thanks, I'll stick with water.

After a moderate wait, we received our meals: a half duck and a scallops dish. The duck was large, but its preparation was lacking: a lot of the meat was dry and it was served with some kind of blandly sweet berry sauce. I couldn't even identify the berry. Your average Chinese joint does a better job with duck. It came with some scalloped potatoes, which were decent, and a baked tomato that tasted like a supermarket tomato in January; I'm not sure how this is possible in late August, the peak of tomato season. The scallops were a bit better, but mainly because of the scallops themselves; their preparation was nothing special. I certainly could have done a better job with them at home.

All told, the meals were not terrible, just thoroughly mediocre. I will give them this: even with just two main dishes and no appetizers or dessert, we left quite full. Still, it's absurd that this place charges $30 a plate for such fare. For the same price you can get a vastly superior meal at Salt, Point Brugge, Legume, any of the Big Burrito restaurants (including Soba, right across the street), and many more places. It's a shame, too; it's a beautiful space and a good concept (Pittsburgh sorely lacks an authentic French restaurant), but Brasserie 33 really needs to step up their game if they want to stick around.
3 - Matthew T.: tl;dr: Wonderful food, bad service.

I was quite impressed when we first entered Brasserie 33, as the restaurant itself has quite a nice interior.  It feels very modern, and has a sleek look and feel to it.  My fiance and I were seated immediately, and handed menus to look over.  The waiter we had was a gentlemen then entire time we were there, but his skill seemed rather lacking.  This is perhaps, due to the fact that we went on a Saturday afternoon - this may not have been the A-team of servers.

He took our drink orders, and then a few minutes later took our food orders.  After taking our orders, he simply walked away from our table, leaving our menus (which were simply printed sheets of paper, not particularly nice looking) there in front of me.  They sat there for a fairly long time, and every time he walked by to serve the other tables, I tried to move them more towards the edge of the table so he would notice them, but he never did.  Finally, right before our food was served, a completely different waiter took them away.  

Our meals were delicious.  I ordered the Croque Monsieur, and my fiance had the Quiche Lorraine.  Both came with a side of fries and a side salad.  The food was delicious, with the quiche in particular being stunning.  The eggs in the quiche were perfectly fluffy and light.  As a desert, we ordered the chocolate mousse, and again, delicious.  

Now, during any other decent meal, this would be the time when the waiter would ask if we were ready for our check.  He did not.  Over and over again, he would walk by to other tables, but not once did he say anything about bringing us our check.  Finally, my fiance caught his eye and let him know that we had a Groupon we wished to use.  Apparently, he considered it a great offense that we hadn't told him of this before the meal was started.  After this, we had to wait at least 10 more minutes before we had to catch his attention AGAIN and ASK to be able to pay.  I have never had to ask to give someone my money before.

All in all, the food was delicious and I would recommend the food but...they very much need to improve their service.
3 - Jessica W.: I can understand why some people might love this place, but it just wasn't for me.

I had a Groupon and decided to try it out for dinner on a Friday night with the boyfriend.  

I made a reservation, but the restaurant wasn't crowded at all.  The menu was simple, with a lot of delicious sounding dishes, none of which were vegetarian.  The "pasta of the day" was a seafood pasta, so that wouldn't work either.  I asked the waiter what he recommended, thinking he might be able to work something out with the pasta, but no such luck.  He suggested soup, a salad, and a vegetable.  We both ordered the special soup, potato leek, a salad with goat cheese, and a side of asparagus and green beans.

I had a $10 glass of Malbec, which was pretty decent.  We started off with some crostinis and butter, followed by the soup, which was delicious.  Our salad and vegetables came out next.  Everything was done very well, especially the goat cheese, which came baked on bread with the salad.  

The service was just okay.   Our waiter was super attentive at first, then we didn't see him at all after he took our order.  Our food was brought out by 2 different people, our water filled by another, and still another brought our check over.  Nobody came by to see how our meal was or ask if we needed anything.

I probably won't return given the limited menu options for myself.  The bar area looked nice so maybe I'll stop in for a glass of wine in the future.
3 - Hannah P.: Brasserie 33, a storefront restaurant in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Shadyside, is as French as French can get in Pennsylvania. The Maitre d' approached me, "Bonsoir Mademoiselle, un table pour deux?" How lucky that I could respond "Oui, merci!" right back. The Pittsburgher-Frenchman was unruffled, as if a twenty-one-year-old couple responding in coherent French was the common experience at his higher-priced, black-jeans-are-still-okay neighborhood restaurant.

     Brasserie 33 is a relatively new addition to the Pittsburgh cultural food scene, which consists mostly of Italian in the Strip District, sandwiches piled with french fries in Oakland, and lots of Thai, everywhere. Hiding out on the Shadyside/East Liberty border, it is a haven of rich cheeses, fresh seafood, and good wine. Among Steelers' black and gold and U. Pitt sweatpants, French cuisine may not seem to have a place in the 'burgh; however, this restaurant retained authenticity like the best of Parisian cafés.

     After our petit conversation en français, the maitre d' brought us to two set places at the bar, as we hadn't made a reservation. A couple next to us was deep in conversation (in English), heads bent together. Laughter drifted down from two women at the end of the bar, wine glasses aloft and a bowl of crème brulée scraped clean. On the walls hung prints of Matisse and Monet, and soft jazz filtered through the room. Around us, the French accents of the wait staff mix with unaccented English of husbands and wives out on date night, older couples smiling over cheese plates, and college students like ourselves taking a break from the real world to slip into something more sophisticated.

     After a long list of speciales en français, the meal began with bleu cheese and walnuts over hearts of romaine. The bleu cheese was as strong as if from the town of Roquefort in southern France. My boyfriend sipped a glass of merlot and the smiling waitress kept our bread basket and water glasses full, always stopping to chat each time she visited. The one divergence from absolute French tradition was serving the salad at the beginning of the meal. I guess some cultural norms just have to be given in to; Americans can only adapt so much.

     When our main course came - after the bread and appetizers we'd decided to split - it actually looked more like a typical American pasta dish than anything I've experienced in la France. The huge bowl of steaming mussels, shrimp, scallops, and pasta, all tossed in a crème sauce and smothered in cheese, could have been served at any quality Stateside restaurant. There was nothing distinctly French - no strange meats, no unexpected seafood. The heavy cream sauce and cheese were fairly authentic; the French love to clog their arteries just as well as any McDonald's-munching American. But the dish as a whole, though the seafood was fresh and the sauce sweet and satisfying, wasn't as distinctly French as I'd have expected, given the atmosphere.

     At this point the waitress's attentiveness started to grate. After the customary "How is everything doing?" a few minutes after serving us, she returned two more times to ask if we needed anything. The French take the opposite opinion on serving; they'd rather leave a customer sitting sans service for a half hour than interrupt the meal too often. Their laissez-faire approach to dining is startling at first, if you're used to a more interactive dining experience, but becomes quite relaxing when you realize it is simply so that diners can enjoy their food and the dining experience without feeling rushed. At Brasserie 33, we felt quite rushed. Despite their authentic accents and friendly conversation, the wait staff turned out to be a little too attentive.

     By the time dessert rolled around, my excitement at the cultured atmosphere and strong bleu cheese had turned to distaste at feeling rushed through my main course. The waitress claimed the crème brulée was to die for, and I don't doubt that it was. But she asked if we'd like dessert a few too many times, and boasted a little too much about what we were missing when we said no thank you. We took the check instead, and waved "Au revoir!" to our short French getaway, closing the door to find ourselves back in a Pittsburgh parking lot.

     Brasserie 33 was a break from the routine, especially for such a land-locked, sports-crazed, working man's city. The food was fresh and made from quality ingredients, the wait staff was extremely polite, and the atmosphere attempted a feat of French aestheticism. Brasserie 33 is a great new addition to the cultural food scene in Pittsburgh, and is quite authentically French. But give them time; they have a few things to tweak before I'd send someone there with a "Bon Appetit!"
2 - Dan M.: Horrible service. 

Went here for a birthday, where we were the only ones in the restaurant. You'd think that they could get this right... but you'd be wrong.

I ordered quiche -- but it was cold (nearly frozen).  Some people at my table just never got parts of their meal -- pom frittes and a salad.  And instead of bringing them,  they just gave an extra glass of wine.  Which they charged for.

However, t the end of the meal, the waiter couldn't keep straight who had paid and how much.  So he fussed with the checks in a very vocal way, and via some very dubious math came up with us owing over $100 ... after we already paid.

Ate here once and already feel that I've paid for three meals. Will never go here again.
5 - Stephanie T.: This place certainly exceeded my expectations.

My boyfriend and I dined here last night and we had read the reviews - both positive and negative - prior to our visit. I, too, had a Groupon (on the brink of expiring) to redeem and mentioned this, along with our vegetarian dining restrictions, upon making our reservation via phone.

We started out with the parmesan asparagus and french onion soups respectively, both of which were vegetarian and very delicious. In fact, I found myself enjoying my beau's parmesan asparagus more than my french onion soup and vice versa - thus trading midway through. To accompany, their bread basket was fresh and filled with a rich, creamy butter which I enjoyed thoroughly. (I always say, you can judge a place by their bread and butter!)

For our main course, we gave full creative and culinary freedom to the chef - so long as our entree was vegetarian. We were served pasta dishes with incredibly fresh vegetables including asparagus, tomatoes, onions, green beans, and whole mushrooms swathed in some type of tomato cream sauce. Considering my apprehension with their carnivore-friendly menu, I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty my dish was. All the more surprising, our accommodating server (fluent in French I might add) graciously understood and noted that he respected our dietary decisions.

The only snafu I might mention was towards the end. While the service for the first half of the meal went above and beyond the call of duty, it seemed the restaurant got a bit too busy for their two-man staff during the second half. Had they another server or host, they would have avoided the stress that took over. Also, I should mention that our leftovers (mind you, pasta in cream sauce) was wrapped in aluminum foil since they had run out of boxes. While I'm sure it was simply due to being understaffed, this snafu also could've been avoided. 

All in all, a delicious meal at a pleasant French restaurant with exceptional service. Will definitely visit again!
3 - Mireille M.: My husband and I had a groupon which was about to expire and decided to hit up Brasserie 33 for a Saturday night meal. French being my favorite cuisine, I was very excited about the evening. The long and short of our experience is that it was a mixed bag on both food an service. The bad was not really so terrible that I would not recommend or never eat here again but enough to keep it from being a favorite.

When we first arrived we were seated at a nice but cramped table. My husband later switched seats because you would have needed to be an anorexic 12 year old to be able to sit in it with a normal sized adult seated at the table which backed up to you. That was not really that big of a deal since we were only 2 at a 4-top but it was a little annoying. The restaurant has a nice casual feel to it, it is narrow but does not feel uncomfortable and business seems to be good, the place was pretty full. 

So we are now seated and without any menus... for maybe 5 minutes. I really did not understand why the guy who seated us just didn't shove a couple menus on the table. This is where I should mention that we were given a small basket of bread and butter. I really would have expected a better quality baguette considering it is a French restaurant - this tasted pedestrian and pretty much what you would pick up at Giant Eagle. 

For an appetizer we split an order of escargot... traditionally prepared in a garlic, butter and parsley sauce.  I've eaten escargot a ton of times on both sides of the atlantic and this was, hands down, the worst iteration of this dish I have ever had. The snails had a very mushy texture and the dish had no flavor at all. This was the first time I have never finished an order of escargot. Really terrible. 

Then we wait... and wait... and wait about 45-60 minutes, 2 refills on the bread, and apologies from the waitress about how the kitchen is small etc... and finally just as it was getting to be absurd, our entrees arrive.  I had the coq au vin and my husband ordered the seafood pasta which as special of the day. Both were lovely and met expectations. I really enjoyed the rich sauce and the meat fell off the bone.  I tried a  mussel and calamari ring from the pasta dish - nice favor, the calamari was a tad rubbery but overall the dish was great and he really enjoyed it. 

So riding high from the entrees and overhearing the dessert menu at another table, we decided ordered dessert... tarte tatin and I ordered an espresso and my husband also ordered a coffee drink. His coffee arrives... and it seemed my espresso was forgotten. I reorder it with the lady who dropped his drink and we wait and wait and finally, it arrived... but where is the dessert? Oh, that will be a few more minutes. Meanwhile, coffees are getting cold. Ugh... I had a feeling dessert would be like this.

Finally the tarte tatin arrives... oh, it is fantastic and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  It was just at that perfect point of decadence without being too rich. We were really pleased.  It paired well with the coffees that were pretty meh on their own. 

All in all it is a place to get a nice meal but be prepared to wait.  The next time I come I think I would go for one of the mussel dishes - the ones being delivered to neighboring tables looked amazing... I would also avoid at all costs another round of escargot... completely a waste.
2 - Wiranya R.: I tried this restaurant out because of Groupon.  The food was pretty good, big portion than I expected and quite delicious.  The service was quite good at the beginning but by the time we got our food, it'd gone downhill.  We went in on Sunday night and it was quite full, only two 2-top tables were available.  We were sat and given the menu right away, our waiter, the French guy I believe, told us the special and a little while after, he came back and standing right behind the table waiting to take our order.   We were not quite ready but he was just standing there waiting, at first I think maybe this is the French style of service.  (not until it annoyed me later in our meal).  The bread was refill by one of the runner/busser, as well as water was consistently refilled.  After we got the food, our waiter never return to the table!!  When we finished and had been waiting for a while, the bartender came over and ask if we want to look at the dessert menu.  I said yes, and she brought us the dessert menu,  a while later our waiter came and we order dessert with him.  We thought that he should at least put our check down a little bit after the dessert came out..Nope.. we finished the dessert and saw him standing at other table waiting to take the order (which as I stated earlier, he should had used that time to do something else!! Almost five minutes I looked at him waiting to take the order while the customers had not make up their decisions).  The bartender girl walked by so I asked her for the check and she said that our waiter would give us the check.  Thought that she would go over to our waiter and inform him that we need a check.  No, she didn't do that.  We waited, and waited, and my husband started to get angry.  I tried to calm him down as I've heard that if you dine in France, it's a 3-hour meal.  So I was kind of joking that we're in the authentic French restaurant without going to France.  Once we got our check, we put down the Groupon and all the rest in cash and just left.  Not going  back for sure.
1 - Christina L.: My friends from law school and I went here Saturday night to celebrate 2 of our party getting engaged. It was by far the absolute worst, most bizarre, and offensive dining experience I've ever had. There were 9 of us and we had a reservation for 8. We arrived about 5-6 minutes late (which I thought was pretty good for such a large party) and waited in the foyer of the tiny place for a hostess. Then, I saw the hostess complaining that we were late and rudely call me at 8:07 to ask if we were coming. I waved and said we'd been there. Did she not notice the large group by the door? When we were seated our waiter again remarked that they were waiting for us. Seriously? 5 minutes? Relax. Terrible way to start a celebration dinner. One of my friends told our waiter it would be easier to split our bills by couple so he could put in the orders that way and he responded, "this isn't McDonalds. This is a French restaurant." He awkwardly and rudely pressured the future-groom to pay for the entire table. He then ignored the wine we chose and brought a different one, telling us it was better. Also, he told us he would bring champagne for a toast for our friends which never happened. He then intrusively and impatiently stood in front of us waiting for us to order, pressuring us to order quickly. After putting in our orders, we did not see our waiter for quite seriously over an hour. Attentive bus boys refilled our water and (mediocre) bread and dropped off salads. We were out of drinks for 45 minutes and would have ordered at least 2 more bottles of wine had he been present. Our food arrived about an hour and 15 minutes after we ordered it, which was ridiculous even for a large party in a small restaurant. My dinner did not arrive and a bus boy actually asked me if I had ordered dinner. Our waiter then came over and started yelling at the chefs (the kitchen was about 2 feet behind us) and the chefs told him he did not put in my order. He then took a different table's order and gave it to me and yelled at the bus boys for not giving it to me. Some of my friends enjoyed their food, some hated it, mine was average at best (for $30 a plate, this isn't exactly ideal). Both tables next to us complained about their food and were comped wine/desserts. We were given no compensation. Probably the worst part was at the end when he handed us one sheet of paper without a tab added up (it was just the items and prices). We again told him we would be splitting the bill and he said, "you can't really be doing this to me" and again told us it was a French restaurant and we were all one table and should have one bill. I then quite plainly told him to understand that one person was not picking up the whole meal, so he gave us paper and a calculator and sat next to my friend as she tallied everyone's bill. He did nothing but hover and frequently remind us not to forget to add tip. He treated us as if we had never been out before and we were low-class or cheap. It was incredibly bizarre and offensive. He actually got in a bit of a heated talk with the future-bride when she asked him why it was such a problem to split the checks initially when it wasn't like he put them into a computer or even did any of the math himself. It was as if were were in a scene in a comedy or on some sort of show. Why would a restaurant treat the young professionals in Shadyside who dine out frequently so poorly? NEVER go here. Comically terrible service (can't even find the words to describe it) and average food. Go to Casbah, Plum, Salt, Spoon, any of the places around there. Unreal. We dine out all the time and have never had anything even close to this ever happen to us. We were  trying to celebrate a happy occasion and instead were dumbfounded and angry and treated horribly.
5 - J C.: DON'T MISS IT, THE FOOD REALLY BLEW US AWAY!  
We've only been once but it far, far exceeded our expectations.  Our food was outstanding, really, the best authentic genuine French we've had in the city.  It was slow the night we ate so no complaints on the service at all, if anything she was overly attentive.  Wine selection was slight and they would do well to avoid listing common cheap wines like the Jadot Beaujolais at an outrageous markup and stick to something at least I won't recognize as a terrible value.  We had a delicious Alsace that paired nicely with the absolutely outstanding Moules.  Our waitress spoke French.

I can see how the place could possibly have some volume issues if it's super crowded, and the atmosphere isn't the quaintest in the city, but we're eager to go back and give it another go given the quality of the food.
4 - Bill V.: This is an updated rating of the one I posted on 1/18.   Friday noght at the Brasserie was fantastic.   The service and the food were outstanding.  I especially loved the onion soup!  You HAVE to try it.....better than any other in PGh!  House salad, cassoulet, and chicken were all great!   Service was friend and attentive.   SServer also balanced her timing....were were not rushed nor lingering too long!

Used 2 groupons here, but will definately go back without them.   The only caution I have is that this is NOT a $20 per person place.   How could it be?   Spend a little and enjoy!
4 - Aimee o.: I thought this place was just wonderful.  I really enjoyed the classic French dishes that I tried and the interior was quite beautiful.  I went for lunch and had the coq au vin which is chicken stewed with root vegetables and wine.  It was completely delicious.  I also got to try their croque monseiur sandwich which was amazing as well.  French food is indulgent and amazing.  The open faced sandwich came with a side of fruit of chopped apples tossed in lemon juice; it was the most delicious combination of tart citrus and crisp sweet apples.  It was so simple but it really put a smile on my face.

The service was great and very attentive
1 - Cory R.: Wow-worst restaurant experience I've ever encountered. Horrible horrible service. Overpriced mediocre food. I'd been planning a visit to La Casa but after learning it's owned by the same people, I will not waste my time.
1 - Deep D.: WORST PLACE IN PITTSBURGH

Had a Groupon so decided to go there. We called ahead of time to confirm what time they close. The lady on the phone said they close at 10:30pm. When my wife and I entered at 10:00pm, NO ONE came to seat us! They were doing their own stuff as if we didn't exist. Strike ONE.

Some waiter probably felt bad for us and painfully slowly seated us at a half cleaned table. Another 'head waitress' walked by and whispered to him "kitchen is closed" and walked off. He tried telling us that the kitchen was closed already. So we told him that we had called etc. He asked us to sit anyways. Strike TWO.

Food was OK. Not as good as I thought. The Brie tarts and puff pastry chicken appetizers were fine but the salmon entree was substandard. Walked to the bathroom to wash my hands...and it saw the DIRTIEST dishwashing room and restroom ever. Strike THREE.

Will never go back again...
3 - Jennie B.: Went here on a Monday night to use a groupon before expiring.  A friend and I sat at the end of the bar since we were going to be sharing dishes.  Poor choice. Seemed like the kitchen was smoking us out for most of the night. 

For starters we had the beef tartare.  It was okay, not the best I've ever had, but not terrible.  What I was most looking forward at a French place is the bread. I was sorely disappointed! Instead of delicious, warmth wrapped in crusty yumminess, we got what tasted like week old bread.  We then shared an artichoke salad and mussels. Salad was, again, just okay. However,  the mussels were outstanding! They are likely the reason I may return in the future.

Bottom line: good wine, great mussels, the rest is forgettable.
2 - Andrew W.: Went here because we had a Groupon deal and boy are we glad we only went for that reason alone. 

We were very excited to come here, as it is a French-style restaurant and my girlfriend and I love all of the others in the city (i.e. Paris 66, etc.).

We were there early, at around 6-6:30pm, with no problem being seated. The ambiance is nice, pretty quiet and you are tightly packed in... which is not a bad thing.

Food was okay... as we had the escargot and Vol - au - Vent  A u  Poulet  from the HH menu. Best thing of these dishes (and the theme of the day) was the sauces... very, very good.

For dinner we had PouletRôti/Frites adn La Morue au vin Blanc... again nothing to brag about, but the sauce was fantastic (white wine) with the cod and the rub/marinate on the chicken was very good. Frites were subpar at best... which is a shame because they have Frites with everything.

The waitress and manager on staff were just not knowledgeable enough to deal with a Groupon deal and try to deduct the bill from the discount at hand... made it difficult and had a wait for another 20 minutes to "figure" out how to get this taken care of... mind you this is at now roughly 7pm on a midweek day.

At the end of the day, it was not really that "Authentic" french service and environment you receive at a Paris 66, etc. I would rather pay a little more and head off to Penn Circle and eat there.
1 - Bob J.: Food undercooked. No ventilation in the space. My coat reminded me of the unpleasant experience for weeks..
1 - Jack L.: My wife and I had a Groupon to this place.  We were pretty excited about an outing here for dinner on a Saturday night.  I checked out the menu and had high hopes because this appeared to be a classic French brasserie.  

We were greeted by our very cheerful waitress.  She warned us up front that it's "team service" so if we couldn't find her, to be sure to flag down one of the others from the wait staff and it would be no problem to get what we might need.  Unfortunately, it went all downhill from here.

We started with the rabbit rillettes ($11).  The rabbit meat was tender but watery and tasteless.  There were capers and some watery sliced black olives on the side.  I just didn't get this dish.

After that, there was an ENORMOUS wait for our entrees.  I nursed my glass of wine waiting for our entrees.  My wife ordered the Bouillabaisse ($27) and I ordered the Steak Frites ($30).  From what we could gather, the table next to us did not like one of their entrees.  The person next to us re-ordered a Bouillabaisse.  We suspect that my wife's order was given to the table next to us by accident as her entree came back pretty fast after the re-order.  Oh well.

During this waiting game for our entrees, nearly every single waiter was missing in action.  If they did come out to the dining room, they didn't make eye contact with us or pretended not to hear us call for some help.  Not a good sign.

Then, I overheard some ruckus between the owner or general manager raising his voice to one of the busboys.  He ordered him to take off his bow tie and just go home.  Our waitress told us it was her favorite busboy that was fired right in the middle of our dinner service as well as someone else.  Therefore, even longer wait...

Finally, both entrees arrived.  My wife was pleased with hers for the most part.  She was needing a spoon to get at the broth in her dish.  After so very many attempts to get a spoon (someone in the back got fired so we can assume it was a dishwasher), it finally arrived as we were wanting to leave.  

As for my entree ... the frites were good.  The steak was horrible.  I ordered it medium.  Well, it came out charred on the outside and raw in some spots.  It was a very cheap piece of meat and it was absolutely prepared by someone who I assume was drafted to serve in the kitchen.  There is no way a professional cook cooked my steak.  

The good news: we had a Groupon.  For some reason, not having to pay full price took a little of the sting out of this dining experience.  I think mangling the classics like rillettes and Steak Frites are totally unforgivable when trying to pass off as a French brasserie.

More good news: besides dinner, we were treated to a show with all the drama in the dining room.  

Even more good news: we won't be wasting anymore money here.  

Stay away.
3 - David B.: Bienvenue vers la France!  Brasserie 33 is a very charming Parisian cafe with lots of adoring repeat customers.  If you don't appreciate the appeal and ambiance of that, you should probably stay away.  But this place is quintessentially French with lots of traditional French dishes.  Yes, our waitress slipped in a couple small ways, however it was her first night on the job, and we ended up having a fabulous evening. I ordered the Vol-au-Vent Au Poulet et Champignons for an appetizer, and it was wonderfully dark, rich and savory.  For the main course I had the Cassoulet, which was also marvelous.  I topped off the evening with the Crème Brûlée, and it was prepared as authentically as I have ever tasted it.
1 - Jocelyn S.: DON'T BOTHER!
 I'm not going to illustrate everything that is wrong with this restaurant. The food was ok. However, I've worked fine dining jobs before and really do not appreciate places that charge "fine dining" prices, yet do not have their shit together (ie. appetizer doesn't come,menus are left on table after order, multiple people coming to take my drink order). If you're going to market yourself as a fancy french restaurant in Shadyside, please do not treat your restaurant and its customers as if they were in a diner on the parkway.
2 - Sean O.: The food was fine. Not worth fine dining prices though. The service was slow, and I'm pretty sure they lied about why my salad took nearly 30 minutes to make. That wouldn't have been a big deal if they displayed slightly less indifference. My dismay was exacerbated by the couples seated near me complaining, too.
3 - Jason F.: I ate here this past week for dinner with a dining companion.  It's location in Shadyside means that its not the easiest place to park at but if you get there early enough like we did, they do have a free parking lot right outside which is nice.  Upon entering the building the first thing that I noticed was a large bar on the left and then how long lengthwise it was but short widthwide.  There were wine bottles around as well of pictures from France and white table cloths which all came together to give it an upscale feel.  After being seated the server took a long time to get to us and what seemed to be slow service to me ensued throughout the duration of our visit.

The menu had a nice mix of dishes and even though some of the appetizers looked good I decided to forgo them and ended up choosing the cassoulet while my dining companion had steak and frites in the brandy peppercorn sauce.  Whenever our meals came out I was impressed by the size of them as they are much larger than your traditional upscale fare.  Having never had a cassoulet before I was not sure what I was getting myself into.  It ended up being an interesting dish that came had duck, lamb and sausage all cooked nicely over a large bed of beans that I enjoyed but probably would not order again.  My dining companions meal was a different story though as the steak was tender and cooked perfectly while the frites were still crispy even after they sat in the sauce for a while. 

The bottom line for me is that I would come back to the Brasserie again in the future.  They had large portion sizes and decent food for the price and hopefully I can get some more timely service in the future.
1 - Karan C.: I went there last week with a friend and had a disappointing experience.  The service leaves much to be desired - the staff is clearly not being provided proper guidance/attention and as a result are extremely slow/flustered/have poor memory.  

We ordered a steak which was cooked perfectly and tasty; however, the fries were basically stale, soggy, and double fried McDonald's fries.  Moreover, the mussels had a funky taste and the escargot was so-so.

I would definitely skip this place until the management improves service and food.
4 - e f.: We received good service, and the food was good and consistent, and the prices were reasonable.  Based on our experience with a few "high end" restaurants while in Pittsburgh, this warrants 4 stars.
2 - Noreen N.: We used a Groupon for dinner on 4/18/2012.  There were four of us for dinner.  We were seated immediately, it was early, 6:30, and we had a reservation.  There were about four other tables filled.  We ordered a red wine to start with.  The waiter came back and showed us a bottle and said "this is the only bottle of red wine we have tonight.  The owner had not picked up the wine for the night."  They had two bottles plus a few open bottles that you could buy a glass of wine.  Needless to say we were flabbergasted!  Salads were very good, chicken coq a vin and beef burgeoning were excellent.  I had the duck in a delicious black cherry sauce but a whole half duck was presented.  It was very hard to manage even with a sharp knife.  I visited the ladies room.  Yuck!  Dirty, no supplies.  It made me wonder what the kitchen looked like.  Although the food was good, the attention to details is missing from my viewpoint.  Not sure I would go back.
3 - Jessica W.: My friend and I had dinner here last night.  Although I wasn't looking forward to it after reviewing some of the reviews, I had a groupon to use and thought I would give it a try.  We went early on a Wednesday at 6pm with no reservation and had no problem getting a table.  We started off with two glasses of overpriced pinot noir.  The bottle must have been opened for some time and it was $13/glass.  Our dinners were surprisingly good.  I had Boeuf Bourguignon and my friend had Poulet Rôti and Frites.  Both were delicious.  The beef in my bourguignon was super tender and there was a good ratio of beef to vegtables.  The chicken was very juicy and the fries were good.  So why three stars?  The service is terrible.  I had to flag down the server at least 3 times.  No one ever came back to check on us.  Additonally, it is pretty expensive for what you get.  I would go back, especially for the happy hour special which looked to be a great value and the starters looked delicious.
1 - Todd M.: Well...let's see...my girlfriend soup was cold....they brought the wrong keiche for my stepmom then ignored her when she told them about it...they didn't bring my dads salad at all....they ignored requests for ice water....oh yeah the chef walked out and didn't return...I'd say I'll neve return but looks like this place is gonna be gone soon
3 - Maria C.: We went there for lunch. We had Bœuf Bourguignon and Poulet Rôti/Frites. The beef was really tasty. Not the best chicken I had but nice. The French fries were amazing! The salad with beats was my favorite and i dont like beats, so hands down for that one! But defnetly overpriced... staff wasn't friendly at all and bad service in general. Not the best atmosphere too.
1 - George S.: If you read through here you'll see a lot of familiar themes for the people who have given this place a poor review, namely poor service and mediocre food.  While the location and style of the restaurant are nice, unfortunately that can only go so far to save a dining experience.

Once seated we waited an interminable amount of time to speak with a server. It was so long in fact that we had to literally shout a passing waiter down.  We ordered wine and attempted to order an appetizer, only to find out that they were out of our first three choices at 7:30. When we weren't prepared to order our main course we were scolded and told that we would have to wait longer for our meals now.  And wait we did.

While we sipped our bottle of wine, which was the wrong bottle and opened before it was presented to us, we waited for our tartar. After a near 30 minute wait for raw beef, it took another 40 minutes for us to receive our entrees (even though we had ordered them only moments after the tartar.)  While we waited, we watched tables around us ask about their meals, only to be told that there was only one chef tonite and that "people need a night off!"  The chicken and lamb were cooked well but very bland, and the sauce was ineffective in enhancing the dishes.

After over two hours and a hefty bill the over whelming urge to leave was just too strong to recommend this place to anyone else.  Obviously some people love it, but enough people have had the same type of experience to raise genuine red flags.
1 - Darlene P.: Never wait until the week before your Groupon is to expire. We arrived on a Thursday evening at 8:30. Didn't get seated until 9, and at 9:45 didn't even get a piece of bread. So don't know if it common  practice or just due to the Groupon rush, but this will be my last trip to Brasserie 33 regardless of the food quality. 

OK, the food was pretty good, but we were starved by 10 pm. The fries were a surprise, and excellent, but they claimed to be out of ketchup. Wine is overpriced. Then they totally screwed up the bill.  Get me outta here! No more Groupons EVER!!! No more Brasserie 33 EVER!!! It is now 10:30 pm!!!
2 - Carley D.: As you have read from all of the other reviews, the service at Brasserie 33 stinks.  That's all you can really say.  Some say if you are looking for gourmet- not service, go here.  Seriously?!  If I'm spending the money on a roasted chicken, I should get served in an appropriate amount of time.  I shouldn't have to wave down a "water boy" for a refill of water.  I shouldn't have to flag down a server just for my check (our dinner plates were taken away 30 minutes prior- no one asked if we wanted dessert).  The food?  Yes, it's good.  The service will keep me from going back.  I can get better service at Denny's...
3 - Ryan P.: This place was "okay." It's basically your standard French fare, but slightly subpar: the food was perfectly palatable, but not delicious. The service was also okay but not great. The vegetables on my salmon dish were kind of sad, and some of the ingredients in the salad were subpar.

I probably never would have tried this place except for the Groupon which made it half price, and I probably won't go out of my way to go back without a Groupon. For the quality of food, I believe it was overpriced. One benefit is that the place is shabby enough that you can get away with wearing nearly anything to dinner. Definitely casual.
2 - Jaren L.: I have been to this place twice. The first time I went was a pretty good experience. We had a very polite server with an endearing French accent. They accommodated my girlfriend and I with our vegetarian diet by making an excellent pasta and the French onion soup (also vegetarian) was delicious. The bread is very good and it is accompanied by an excellent salty butter. 

We used the Groupon on this visit and because of the pretty great food we looked past the high price. This visit was sometime in late 2011.

Now, that first time we liked it enough to get the next Groupon they offered. We went to use this Groupon upon impending expiration just last week. First thing I noticed was the very poor service. Instead of a gregarious French server who went on the 5 minute tangent about all of the specials, we had a curt waitress that seemed better suited for a diner with a line out the door. At least at a place like that, I can understand someone being curt. But when you aspire to be a "fancy" restaurant that charges 20 dollars for a vegetable based pasta dish, maybe try to not have holes in your ceiling, no A/C in when it is 80 degrees, and maybe have a waitress that says more than "know what you want yet?"

To be precise, the pasta dish with vegetables is not on the menu. The menu has no vegetarian options other than salads. We had to ask for this pasta dish just like the time before. The gregarious Frenchman was very friendly about it. This waitress was more like "well...the chef is very busy, I'll have to check" in a very doubtful way. Nevertheless, they made us a similar dish to last time that was very good. Their produce tastes very fresh. We had the appetizer with caramelized onion, brie, and goat cheese tarts. This was very delicious as well. 

But again, the factor that makes it 2 stars is the poor service. The waitress forgot to bring us bread, we had to ask another waiter that was not at our table to bring it. We also heard other patrons complaining about their service from that night. They were also out of the only two desserts we were interested in getting. We skipped dessert.

Again, I am a blue collar raised fella, I did my time in the service industry. I get that it sucks sometimes. However, if you are trying to be a "fancy" restaurant with 20 dollar a plate pasta dishes, don't act like you're working at the Waffle House, because after this experience, I think I could've driven south to the closest Waffle House and had infinitely better service than this. Skip the Groupon and go to one of the many great restaurants in Pittsburgh that will be half this price that probably treats its guests a lot better.
1 - Marta N.: I don't know why I got sucked in again to this place.  Ah yes, it was the grouppn i bought, so we decided to give it another chance.  Where do I start?
Since La Pommier closed in the southside, it has been impossible to find good french food in Pittsburgh.  Paris 66 is over priced, and gave my husband food poisoning last we went.  So, one of the only other places is Brasserie 33.  Looks good from the outside, menu looks decent and even authentic, but the major flaw in this place isnt the menu, or location... it is with the owners.  I am convinced they are trying to break your wallet, by cheating you.  It sounds crazy, I know.  Here are some of my reasons.  
The wine/ beer list.  - over priced!  Try asking for a sample of something, and they look at you funny.  The wine glasses are an optical illusion, thick and heavy.  I doubt you recieve 8oz pours.  Starting at 10 a glass up to 18, they should give you a true pour.
They always are running out of things.  Like foil to wrap your leftovers in!  Come on people, run out to the store and buy some.  There is also always at least 5 dishes they are out of.  You recieve the list when you sit down.  Since the menu is so small, it is by coincidence only that the most expensive dishes are usually in stock.
The staff-  never nice, always pushy, downright mean even.  To the point of reminding you to tip on what the full bill would be (genius).
The food-  for provincal french cuisine (inexpensive coq au van is made to save money over in french villages, it is like italian lasagna) it is ridiculously priced for what you recieve. Frozen veggies, portions that try and hide behind large amounts of sauce.  Who is paying $22 for a plate of mussels??   Not me! Everything was salty as well.  We got the clams, told them they were super salty and they did nothing about it.
The owner- downright shady.  Not gonna go into detail, just trust.


Our bill came to $89 and that was after the $40 groupon! We were still hungry when we left in extreme disappointment.

All in all, I think the next time I am craving french food, I am going to pick up a cookbook, a nice burgandy and do it myself.  Easily under $50 bucks.
2 - Mara K.: Well, caveat emptor with this place.  I had the GroupOn so I made my reservation on  a day that it was about 103 degrees in Pittsburgh.  I called and gave my name and phone number.  This is why I was surprised when I got there to learn that the air condition had broken - they didn't even think to call and tell me.  I decided to perservere and took a seat outside with my friend.  While the initial waiter was friendly, I had to wave down the other waiter that continued to walk by and completely ignore us.  
We ordered the rabbit as an appetizer.  The waiter set it down and left.  They forgot to serve it with the crustini - so what we had was a plate of a rabbit patte with nothing to scoop onto.  Disaster and not good.
For dinner my friend and I both ordered the beet salad.  While it was very tasty, the portion size equaled approximately half a cup.  For $11 it was a rip off.
The grand finale was when the bill arrived and I was given a leaky pen that exploded all over my dress and hands.  While the waiter was kind and got me soda water there was no offer for dry cleaning nor to take any money off our bill.  
I would not return here.  I'd also be amazed if it is there in six months given all the terrible reviews.  Too bad, it's a great location with a lot of potential.
1 - Regina V.: It's hot.  And Brasserie 33 was too - NO AIR CONDITIONING!!  When it's 90+ out?  Really?  Thankfully, we arrived late enough in the evening that we could sit outside and the breeze was plentiful enough to keep it reasonably comfortable.  But the wine had been inside that un-airconditioned place, so it was far too warm (red - should be at around 60 degrees or so - definitely not 90!)

I ordered a club soda with lime.  The lime on my glass was DARK BROWN. I took it off and left it on a bread plate.  And that bread?  Awful.  Tasted like some prison had made it and left it to harden overnight.  I took my chances ordering the shrimp cocktail - I did ask the waitress first how it was - she said it was very good - NOT!  The shrimp were flash cooked, which I guess was a good thing in that it ceased my worry about potential food poisoning, but they were not terribly fresh tasting. The one highlight was the house salad.  It was tasty and fresh-seeming enough.  Can't say others in my party were terribly thrilled with their meals either.  We didn't stay for dessert.

I'm certain there are other restaurants in the area FAR superior to this one!
1 - vicky m.: The worst dining experience in French dining. Poor service, skunky ice water, expensive prices and lack of attention to detail. Chipped plates, stale French bread. Tried it with a groupon and really wish I hadn't .  Great French food less than a mile away at Paris 66.  They make their own bread and pastries, reasonable prices and nice atmosphere.
3 - Barry R.: I really really like good food, and as such, it pains me to give anywhere that serves good food a bad rating.  Unfortunately, Brasserie 33 offers a very authentic experience complete with both good french food and bad french service.  It backs up the high prices ($20-$30 for entrees), with fresh, light, well selected and prepared cuisine.  But of course, there's more to a restaurant than price.  Other then a few french prints hung from the walls there's not much in the way of decor or atmosphere to speak of.  The service is very slow, even by french standards.  Despite having 3 waiters on hand to staff just 2 tables worth of patrons when I was there for lunch, we still only got our waters/bread refilled once over the 2 hours we were there.   I was fortunate to have some great company to keep me occupied, but there were very long delays in between every course, and a full half hour after gave them my credit card before I got the bill back to sign.  Our server was perfectly nice, but didn't seem to have any knowledge, insights to help us with recommendation on the menu, and despite having a relatively limited menu, they were out to be out of many of the listed offerings.  Everything they did  was quite good, between the 5 people I dined with, we tried a wide sampling of the menu, and none of us tasted anything we weren't genuinely impressed with.  I'd give them a 4 for food, a 3 for value, 2 for service, 3 overall.  I'd go back, but only if I'm prepared to part with several hours and a fistful of cash.

Brassil Park - Providence, RI (41.8211264, -71.3989901) (Fox Point)
3 - Ben S.: This park is still a solid play for its location and offering, but with more perspective, it's more convenient than special.  A short drive or long walk from here yields other offerings that typically impress more.
5 - Ailette R.: We went there yesterday, and it is a beautiful small park, very peaceful, and relaxing, with lot of trees and nice breeze. It was a really nice experience for our two year old girl, who spent a lot of time in the sandbox, but she enjoyed also the baby swing and the smaller slide. It's a small community park, but pretty interesting, I would recommend it for children all ages.

Brattle Square Florist - Cambridge, MA (42.3733678, -71.1209785) (Harvard Square)
4 - Jessica R.: The entire front of the Brattle Square Florist shop opens to the street in the summer.  Flowers spill out onto the sidewalk so that the boundary between store and public space becomes blurred.  Within it, the delicate  smells of its wares waft and pervade, making the experience just as odorous as it is colorful.  

it's worth a visit.
3 - Geoff T.: You can't miss it in the summer-- half of the flowers are outside the store in front. I have bought here a number of times. Reasonable prices and usually fresh stuff. Every once in a while I've found a wiltered selection and gone elsewhere, but for the most part, it's a reliable florist.
4 - Peter P.: I have never seen the flower arangements they have sent for me, but the recipiants have always raved about how beautiful they are. Honestly, I don't buy flowers, so I have no comparison for prices. They have been very good about putting together beautiful tropical arrangements for good prices, at very short notice, and have been very reliable with delivery. If there is one thing I have learned it's that women love suprise flowers at their doorstep, and the Brattle Sq. Florists have helped me out big time!
5 - Josh P.: Brattle Square Florist is simply the best shop I've found.  I know very little about flowers, but every arrangement that I have ordered from them has been remarkable.  Their prices are fair, and delivery is very reliable.  If possible, I highly recommend going in for a visit.  They have a wonderful variety of flowers and plants to choose from, or just to look at.
5 - Alexandra L.: My favorite place to get flowers - no it isn't Winston (although gorgeous I often feel like I am getting the same bouquet of flowers) - here you feel like you are really stepping into a green house and choosing what you like and making it work for you, even if it isn't the most beautiful bouquet to ever grace your desk. 

The employees are incredibly helpful - meeting some of my odd requests, helping me choose the perfect orchid, and ordering a special type of ficus tree because it is the kind my mom always had when we were growing up. 

I love them.
5 - Smar T.: I've never received nor sent a poor arrangment from Brattle.  It's a bit pricey, but the selection is extensive and the flowers last forever.  Really fresh and healthy!

They're great about walking through the shop letting you put an arrangement toogether yourself, or if you're a colorblind flower fool (or ordering by phone), they'll throw together something really lovely.
3 - ack c.: ok, i started with 4 stars because the flowers are nice, but then i dropped to 3 because the website address sends you into never, never land, actually it sends you to some hodge podge of ftd and discount flowers which makes me worry that my order will be some carnation infused baby breathed out ickyness in pale pinks and yellow...  i'm so disappointed.  i've ordered flowers through them in the past, but in this day and age, i can't see calling to order something.  

if anyone knows of a good florist in the cambridge area with web ordering capability drop me a line.
4 - Kristin S.: This is my 2nd choice for flowers in Harvard Sq when I'm not on the Petali side of the square which is often.  Their flowers aren't as fresh and the arrangements aren't as creative as Petali but it works when you just want some flowers to freshen up your office or apartment.  (I wouldn't probably use them to do the arrangements for events though)  They have a good selection of plants there as well.
3 - sarah s.: honestly these guys are just alright. i used to be a florist so i know my flowers, and consequently when it's expensive and in my hand i don't need to be reminded 15 times that those are "5 dollars each...not for the whole bunch you know?" if i want something unusual and i don't mind paying the price, why are you guys trying to talk me out of it? 

more than that, after spending $80 i would at least like some sort of attempt to wrap my flowers nicely in paper so they don't freeze in the sub-zero winds that can whip up in harvard sq. leaving the flowers in the plastic they came in with the rubber bands still attached at the bottoms and then just piling the bundles into a piece of too small paper is not acceptable in my book.

this would easily be a much lower score were it not for the fact that in nice weather the shop literally falls out the front windows really livening up a brick filled wasteland...
5 - Aretha B.: I love this place. It's a refreshing retreat from the consumer vibe and daily detritus of harvard squre. Really, stop and smell the roses. Corny? Don't care.

http://images.yelp.com/bphoto/sTRKhx9T59fA0YRnqEDvkQ/l

That is a link to the bouquet my godmother just gave me for my birthday. I get a Brattle Sq bouquet from her anually and the arrangement is ALWAYS the bomb and makes me feel extremely special. She is also able to order fresh gardenias there. She sometimes gives those as gifts, you can wear them on combs in your hair and it's just... ahh!!
5 - Kiwi H.: I love the greenhouse-style feeling of this place. Although I know everyone raves about Winston Flowers (who are great also, btw.), I think this is my favourite florist in Boston. The shop is so cute and charming that I half expect to hear birds and other animals chirping and tweeting, and the sound of running water while I'm walking around. Sometimes I like to go in here even without buying stuff, just because I love to look around! (Although sometimes it's so pretty I can't resist getting something).

The flowers are beautiful, and while they do make some absolutely gorgeous arrangements, I also love the fact that if you know exactly what you want the staff will not be pushy and not accept your ideas.. rather, they are really sweet and helpful, and always have great suggestions. 

Yes, it can get pricey but so can many flower shops esp. in the Boston area, and in this one they are so beautiful it's really worth it. I love the way the storefront looks like a burst of spring on nice, warm days, and the things they place outside the storefront are so pretty I'm sure they draw in many a crowd. The things I've gotten from here have always been pretty fresh and lasted quite a while.
5 - JJ G.: I grew up about ten blocks down the street from it, and I can't walk through the Square without at least pausing in front of Brattle to inhale deeply.  And as long as I'm pausing, might as well take a little wander into the wonderful jungle inside, right?  

I almost never have them arrange  flowers for me, which is silly, because they do a great job (this is not Winston- as everyone has said.  They don't do little twists of wire on the ends of single stems.  This is classic big bunches of gorgeousness, here.  A different thing for a different feel, and definitely at a difference price bracket) but I love that I can just point, or even pick, my own assortment and walk out with lots of stems to play with.

They aren't really all that expensive.  They charge exactly .01 more than Star Market for tulips, and I probably don't need to mention that the quality... well, I don't need to mention it means you can guess.

So, here's my favorite Brattle florist moment:
When my first son was about to be born my mom asked me if there was anything I wanted her to do, and I said to please bring a bunch of flowers to the hospital to take away the hospital smell.  What arrived was the most stunning arrangement of peonies, lilac, lilies and freesia, and you can guess where she went....
They still remember me as the lady who wanted stinky flowers to cover the hospital smell, and every single person who walked into that room stopped and commented on how wonderful it was.

Oh yeah, and they did my wedding flowers too :-)

One last little thing.  If you are in a bind and you can't find a spot in Harvard Sq, just call them, give them a credit card and they will dash your perfect blooms out to the street for you.  Love love love
5 - Margaret F.: Brattle Square Florist did the flowers for my wedding and they were amazing.  I can't say enough good things about them.  They did exactly what I thought I wanted, only better.  I was really surprised and obviously very happy at what a creative and good job they did.
5 - Flora B.: Flower Shop Haiku

Brattle Square Florist:
I bloom when I visit you
Daffodil Mama
2 - Maitland L.: I am really quite angry at Brattle Square Florist right now.

Last night was my wedding.  When we went to the store, the salespeople were very accomodating and helped me figure out how to get all the flowers for my wedding within almost my price range.  Though the saleswoman spent several minutes on the phone in the middle of getting our order.

Fast-forward to the day of the wedding.  When we picked up the flowers, the centerpieces were not at all what I expected.  We'd picked out some plants, and I'd been able to justify the relatively high price ($20 a piece for kalanchoes - I can get them for $5 at Home Depot) because the saleswoman said she'd put them into nice baskets.  The plants we picked up were in terra cotta pots.  Not exactly wedding material.  Furthermore, when I sorted out the corsages and boutonierres, we were missing 2 boutonierres and a corsage!  And one corsage was very lovely but did not match the others!

The only reason they get more than 1 star is because the plants were actually quite nice and the bouquet was lovely.
5 - Deepa C.: i love this place. every time i come to harvard, i make it a point to at least come in and smell the cool, fragant air. on a hot day, it is like stepping into a picture. 

i also come here when i need flowers. talk to the old man or the lady, tell them your price (mine is $15) and they will put together a great arrangment for MUCH less than the prissy places (winston's, i am talking to you) and much more impressive than the $5 supermarket arrangements. 

they are very friendly, accomdating and don't mind if you take pictures.
5 - Diana L.: You know how sometimes when you go to stores like The Home Depot or IKEA or wherever and their flowers just look sad and gross and totally hooked on chemical fertilizers?  Let me give you a play by play of what happens when you take said plants home with you...

1)  You put them on your window sill and smile and wave at them because they look so pretty.
2)  One week later, you come back and your plant is a disgusting wilted mess in the middle of Miracle-Gro detox.
3)  Two weeks later, you have a dead plant on your hands.  Rehabilitation was unsuccessful.

The Brattle Square Florist plants, on the other hand, are happy and thriving and have lots of other happy, thriving plant and flower friends to hang out with in their cozy little space.  Plus, BSF has some really interesting flowers and plants that you won't find at many florists in the area.  They are lush and fragrant.  And I swear I think one of them winked at me on my way out.

I am not a crackhead.
5 - Molly R.: I was really disappointed to hear about the crappy situations that reviewers like Sarah K. went through and the woman who placed the order for the wedding day flowers....

buuuuuut....

To be fair, I've never really had an occasion to buy flowers and every time I've come in here its usually to casually pick up a small boquet of decent quality (not a grocery store arrangement) to brighten up my room. Its easy to go crazy with all the beautiful arrangements that they have, the place is literally like a beautiful garden in the middle of Harvard Square. Every time I've gotten a bunch of flowers everyone has been helpful and the flowers usually last longer than grocery store ones.

Its worth it just to take a peek and be inspired by the beautiful flowers :)
2 - Melissa M.: Cramped, annoying, and rude that is all I get from this establishment.  I think it just looks overrun and their are papers scattered all over this place.. I just don't like it!
5 - M. M.: Absolutely gorgeous!

I have been using them for last 6 years since I moved to Cambridge. The best roses in Boston, they would last well over 7 days, just don't forget to change the water.  I usually go to the store and select flowers myself, the scent inside the store is amazing! Love it.

Great variety of flowers. Fair on pricing. Open every day, no holidays! They also had plenty of hanging plants, variety of orchids, etc.. All plants look healthy and happy. 

They do incredible work and I personally would recommend them highly whether you're looking for flowers for business or personal purposes.

BE AWARE! Central Square Florist placed paid ads on the google page and disguised himself as a Brattle Square Florist (see photo). This ads mislead my friend who placed the order thinking that she called BSF.
4 - Bridget B.: This place is cramped and often smells a little composty, but when you look at all the plant detritus on the floor, it makes sense.

When they have them, they have one of the better orchid collections around...though it's spotty as to when they do and don't have breeds outside of your typical phalaenopsis that you can typically find at star market. But man, when they've got a good selection of orchids in, it makes me wish i had a bigger home with more windows and more of an ability to not kill plants.

Not the friendliest staff in the world, but they know their plants and they will tell you how to care for them, though they might not win your adoration in the process. 

Still, no trip for me to Harvard Square is complete without going in the florist to just be overwhelmed by the scents and the colors and the cool or warm dampness that permeates the place depending on the season.
4 - Jess P.: Brattle Square Florist makes me wish I had reasons to buy flowers more often, so I had an excuse to duck into their verdant, fragrant haven of a shop on more cold winter days. The flowers and plants set at the front of the shop, crowding out onto the walkway, and the warm air from seeping from within beckon you inside, but it's a bit small of a place to simply browse for long without feeling conspicuous. 

On the plus side, when I was actually in search of a plant to make my windowless office a little less stark, the woman on the floor quickly asked if I could use help. I tentatively replied that I was looking for something that would survive in all fluorescent light, and with little care, and did such a thing exist? She directed me to a pretty, leafy specimen, a pothos, which she wrapped up for me and told me care instructions and offered, unbidden, tips for how to carry it to work in the then bitterly cold weather (wrap it newspaper, since the ink apparently insulates). Her manner was brusque, but apparently she told me what I needed know, as the plant has been flourishing on my desk for close to two months now. So well done BSF!
2 - Rekha M.: I have to thank the other reviewers who complained about this place. You convinced me to cancel my order.  Drawn by the beautiful flowers, I went in and worked with a man there to come up with an order for a small (12-person) wedding. He was helpful and patient, if a bit distracted with other things. I came away thinking, well the place isn't creative, but the flowers will be lovely. 

I returned to place my order and the man wasn't there, just the woman. She was rude from the beginning: "Are you the person we should place our order with?" "Well, I'm the only one here, aren't I?" (actually, she wasn't). It went downhill from there. She gave us no guidance, and scribbled notes on the back of a scrap of paper. She got impatient with simple questions.

Ideally, a florist should guide you into something you might not know to come up with yourself, but defer to your own tastes in the end.  If they can't do that, they need not add rudeness to the experience as well.  Efficiency is fine if I know you're good and trust you. But even then, it does not need to cross the line into rudeness.

We placed the order anyway, but on further thought (and confirmation from the Yelp reviews), this morning I called and canceled.

Several reviewers have mentioned another place - Petali -  I have already called them and will be going there today. Many thanks!
4 - Ryan M.: It's a little ridiculous the stupid amount of plants they pack in here.  

I always feel like I'm walking through a busy kitchen or something when I'm here.  Everybody is squeezing by, rushing with some ficus or lily of some kind.  

It's definitely no the type of place to go, relax, and sniff some flowers, although the density of the place lures me in pretty regularly.

I'm reading a lot of bad reviews about the service, which seems to all be connected to one "rude woman."  I've never talked to a woman there; the two guys I've dealt with were great, though.  The first time I came in I was looking for a hard-to-kill plant and guy took me all around, giving me a few different options and what they required.  

The other time I interacted with someone there I was just looking for a pot.  They were out of the next size up in a clay pot and he didn't want to sell me one that was too big so just gave me one of the for-display-use-only plastic ones and told me the best way to re-pot.

Seems to be good for a plant dummy like myself.
5 - barbara g.: Brattle Street Florist is like a trip to the annual Flower Show.  Upon walking in, it smells like a well-tended garden.  They have always been incredibly helpful, especially when I wasn't sure what I wanted.  They designed one-of-a-kind arrangements  I just wish I had more occasions to send flowers.  Visiting the store is way more satisfying than ordering online.  They always have pots of hyacinths that get me through the winter, and their choices are almost unlimited.
4 - Summer N.: I'm the kind of person who buys a potted plant once a month to brighten up my desk, and Brattle Street Florist is the place for me.  The store is packed with plants, which vary a lot depending on what season it is.  Sometimes, to reach just the plant you want, you have to lean over bunches of other plants, which is sort of precarious and fun.

Plus, the one time I actually talked to a staff member, he managed to find me a plant that could handle my "local conditions" (sunlight, but hot, and I tend to forget to water my plants until they are visibly wilting) so well that it lasted for two months!
5 - Nat T.: I generally don't have the highest expectations for flowers ordered around Valentine's Day, but these guys really went above and beyond the call of duty. $50 got me a bouquet that was both impressively large and beautifully arranged.

And as others have noted their non-Hallmark Holiday selection is also quite nice, including both plants and cut flowers. Great place!
4 - Mona M.: Anytime I'm in Harvard Square I visit the Brattle Square Florist, which is often because I live nearby. It's definitely cramped inside but that only adds to the ambiance and feeling like you're in a terrarium - perfect for plants! The selection of plants and flowers is impressive and they're always fresh and in good condition. I can definitely count on the arrangements looking exactly how I envision them, and nothing is cheesy or contrived.
4 - Tommy P.: Next time you're in Harvard Square, you owe it to yourself to walk through this place. The smell is fantastic as you walk by, and when you go inside you're transported to a magical world of petals, pots, plants and pansies... they have truly maximized the space they have. The 2 guys always see there are quite friendly, and once they even gave my wife a free rose, which was a nice gesture, when we were there around Valentine's Day.

Definitely a landmark Cambridge institution.
5 - Leighann F.: So um, a year later and still no flowers from the florist...but I've had more balloons blown up here than you could ever possibly imagine!

One thing I recently discovered, after painstakingly renting cars to transport hundreds of balloons across the city is that...wait for it...

THEY DELIVER BALLOONS!

This is a godsend of a convenience that, coupled with their absolutely sincere and helpful service, in my world, merits a fifth star.
4 - Katie R.: I've had some wonderful florists, so my standards are pretty high, but Brattle Square is great for what they are. Convenient, reasonably priced,  mostly friendly, with a wide selection. On a crummy day, the smells and colors of beautiful flowers and potted plants is worth it alone.

The other night, I remembered at 6pm that I hadn't ordered a boutineer for my date to a fancy dress-up party that night. A stickler for tradition, I was bumming out, but saw online that BSF is open till 7. I called up, and the guy who answered said that he'd have a flower ready for me by 6:45. Awesome! Granted, it doesn't take much to wrap a rose in ribbon and stick two pins in it, but to do that immediately, on demand...that was pretty sweet.

The woman who works here always gives me the creeps a little, but they guys have been more than friendly, and have helped me pick out some luscious bouquets over the years.
5 - Nancy K.: Can I just tell you that this place rules?

I can't think of any business that is more deserving of a 5-star rating.

My first encounter with Brattle Square Florist took place in 2001, when, sadly, my grandmother passed away.  I do not have a car, so my shopping is conducted mainly in areas that are T accessible.  Harvard Square is, of course, one of my main shopping hubs.

At any rate, when my grandmother passed away, I needed a floral arrangement.  My entire family went to this old war-horse florist in Somerville.  I was in Harvard Square so, as a matter of convenience, I stepped into Brattle Square Florist.  I explained that my grandmother had had a long and happy life and that I wanted colorful, happy, celebratory flowers.  The man working there sent me upstairs to see a sample funeral arrangement.  They had apparently just made one up for another family.

It was a knockout.

I asked the guy how much something similar would cost.  He said that it would be 90 dollars, including delivery.  I asked them to avoid gladiolas and other cheap flowers.  They looked at me like I had five heads and shunned the very idea of using anything less than first-rate flowers.

When I arrived at my grandmother's wake, I was absolutely blown away by how fabulous the arrangement was.  It was enormous, vibrant, lush, and it looked far more expensive than what I actually paid for it.

It eventually became the centerpiece of the church at the funeral mass.

I have been a dedicated fan of the place ever since.  I have also come to realize that they do their best work when you give them very little restrictions and just offer a few guidelines for what you want.

When I went for my wedding flowers, I simply told them that I liked purple.  That's all I had to say.  The flowers arrived on my wedding day and were absolutely breathtaking.  I had so much trust in them by that point that I was simply able to give them a color, pay them, and walk out the door, utterly confident that they would provide fabulous flowers.

They did not disappoint.

And it is worth mentioning that one day, when I went for a walk with my then 2.5 year-old niece, the employees all crowded round her stroller, calling her a real beauty and a princess, etc.  They gave her a flower and she rolled around Harvard Square feeling like a princess.  

If you have any need for flowers for any occasion at all, go here!
5 - Bradley L.: Woohoo. Brattle Square Florist made Valentines Day this year :)

I walked in on Friday night and asked to see arrangements. They simply said, you tell us how much, the container, and the colors, and we'll do the rest. Dead simple. I told them. And they delivered on Sunday. No hassle. What more could you want?
5 - Heather B.: Just stepping into this shop is a wonderful experience in itself.  Being surrounded by so many sweet smelling, gorgeous flowers is what keeps me popping my head in here whenever I'm just strolling Harvard Square.  

When I have gone to actually purchase flowers, the staff has been nothing but charming and helpful, and answers any questions I have.  The arrangements I've had from here have lasted quite a while, and that's saying something since I have killed every houseplant that has had the misfortune of coming into my home.
5 - Rachel H.: Best. Florist. Ever.

Every weekend I stop in just to smell the place!  Everything is bountiful, fresh, overflowing and just bursting color and deliciousness. The staff is top notch - so helpful, resourceful and kind.  One of my favorite things to do is just to pick up a 3.50 bunch of daffodils for my apartment.  Makes a big difference.   Won't go anywhere else! I wouldn't want my dollars going to some sham like 1-800 Flowers or any of that junk.
3 - Ariadne M.: In general, my experiences at the Brattle Square Florist have been good. Their strength is in the variety of plants they have - you won't find more colors, textures, or varieties between Memorial and Mass Ave...They can pretty much order any variety of flower you're looking for, if they're in season anywhere in the Western Hemisphere (though, as with any florist, be prepared to pay for the extra effort!)

Two points of hesitation, though:
Sometimes, their service can be nasty. It really depends on the person, and their mood.
Their flowers are not always fresh. I suspect because of the many varieties they carry, some flowers get lost in the shuffle - I have received moldy flowers from their buckets before.
5 - Maui L.: You are still my #1 florist in Boston. Thank you.
3 - Carolina S.: Your experience of this place will be highly determined by who you are helped by that day. A previous reviewer  got it right when she said that the employees of BSF seem to prefer the company of plants over people.

So I had been wanting to try this place out for years but always stayed clear of it due to the fact I was always approached by some nasty and unfriendly older male employee who talked to me like my questions were idiotic and a waste of his time. And for the record, my questions were things like "how much is this plant?" and "what type of orchid is this?" Their lack of price tags is annoying.

It is also a narrow and cramped place that always feels like a hot humid jungle in there, even in winter, and is a bit on the messy side. The hot humid jungle part is lovely in winter, but the cramped shop doesn't really lend itself to leisurely browsing.

I came here with my mother in the Fall and we were helped by a much younger and friendlier person who happily talked to us about the orchid I had picked out, gave advice, and seemed to genuinely care about plants based on how tenderly he wrapped and potted it.

I really want to prefer this older and less yuppie-ish shop over Petali but I can't quite say that I do, especially when their plants are nearly all shipped in from Salinas, CA.
5 - Anna R.: Great service, great prices, great selection! They once told me not to buy an orchid because it would die in my dorm room, and supply me with my weekly flower fix.
5 - Stephen O.: I wish I could give ten stars. I can't believe what they did. My mom was dying and I pre-ordered one of those big arrangements for the top of the casket. The order was open because we didn't know what day we'd need it. I forgot to call and tell them when. The wake was at 4:00. I got a call from the funeral director at 3:00 wondering where the flowers were. I called Brattle Square Florist in a panic. They prepared and delivered the arrangement to Belmont in less than an hour!!!!  And it was beautiful and flawless. They saved the day.
1 - D A.: terrible phone service. lot of attitude. ended up not buying from them.
5 - Andrea C.: 5 stars all the way!!!! I called a couple of days ago to order Sympathy flowers for a coworker on my company's behalf and an additional arrangement from me. I looked at over half a dozen websites local and online such as 1-800-flowers and could not find any site I liked. I quickly learned that a lot of florists don't post all the possible arrangements they can do because their flower selection may change day to day. 
I ended up going with Brattle since I found Winston a bit too pricey and a bit too traditional. 
I was able to fax Brattle what I was looking for and they were able to create a beautiful sympathy piece and deliver it to the funeral home within hours. 
Katie was the person I spoke to, she is a bit brief and blunt but does know what she is talking about. She promised me a beautiful large white flower spray with roses, lilies, orchids, and no cheap fillers. I will admit I was quite hesitant. Then I saw them at the wake, Brattle had created one of the most elegant, tasteful, and beautiful arrangements there in a room filled with flowers. 
I highly recommend Brattle and will use them again.
5 - Cait S.: I came here because they were the only florist I could find near me that had Freesia in the middle of the winter.  Freesia is my friends favorite flower and I didn't want to settle for another gift.  I called the store and I was surprised to hear they had white Freesia for a very reasonable price. My friend loved the flowers and was she very impressed that I was able to find them out of season.   I will be back for sure.
5 - Ben W.: The best florist in the United States. Actually, i haven't found anything better in any other country, either. So this may be the best florist in the world. Such beautiful, beautiful flowers; such loving attention to detail; such impeccable taste; such warmth. Giving someone flowers from Brattle is like giving someone a piece of the sun.
5 - Milo E.: Absolutely beautiful!
5 - Emily M.: We used Brattle Sqaure Florist for our wedding, specifically John.   I had never been in to the shop before, but they came highly recommended. They surpassed any and all expectations I had. They were easy and fun to work with and had great ideas that reflected our conversations. I would ABSOLUTELY recommend them with flying colors!
5 - Julia N.: 5/5 for sure!!!  The couple that works here are lovely people. It always smells devine in here... Selection of flowers is great! 

My dad used to come here a lot to pick up flowers for my mom.  He became good friends with the guy that works here... My dad passed away 5 years ago... And the guy still remembers him fondly. I get a warm happy feeling when i visit this place, remembering my dad.  :)
5 - Jennifer K.: I've been going to Brattle Square Florist for years now and have never been disappointed. Most recently, they provided the flowers for my wedding and it was such a pleasure working with Steven as he made sure that I knew what my options were for colors and helped me with details around corsages and boutineres (sp?). The store has always had a simple, organic layout which is very approachable. Great people, beautiful flowers. I totally love this place!
5 - LeoEtc L.: I went to Brattle Square Florist last Sunday evening to order flowers for my mother one last time. We needed 2 large-ish 'tropical' (and colorful, but tasteful and sophistocated) arrangements for Mom's funeral Mass at our church, and 2 long-stem yellow roses. We needed them delivered yesterday to the funeral home so they could be brought by the funeral director to the church this morning. I wish you could have seen those arrangements today - they took my breath away! And the two long-stem yellow roses were absolutely perfectly what we needed... I only had this one last chance to give my mother flowers, and they were stunning, exactly what I wanted for her! Thank you so much for coming through for us!!
2 - Chris S.: Went in for Valentine's day hoping to get some flowers for my girlfriend.  I saw good reviews and hoped to get something good.  Being flower challenged myself, I asked the person to put something together for me that was mainly red roses but with some color around it (asked them to pick).

Their choices were fine I guess, but later on when I took a closer look I realized that a lot of the flowers looked kind of crappy (despite my having seen good ones when I was in there).  This is more bothersome given that as he picked them he said how great they were...
5 - Kristi J.: I've used Brattle Street florist for small arrangements as gifts and for semi-formal dinner events. They're always kind, prompt, and friendly. Steven always remembers my name, and is happy to fit the arrangements to my price points. I've observed him give extra bunches of flowers ("just for your home") to customers picking up arrangements. It's a true neighborhood business in a Square that seems to be losing more and more of these types of businesses. Recommend without hesitation.
1 - c k.: Worst experience ever. Stay away from this place! Stay away from Katie! I received a quote for flowers for my wedding that was completely ridiculous. When I asked for a breakdown of costs for table arrangements vs other arrangements, Katie rudely responded as if I was asking for two limbs. "Oh, you're going to be a problem", she said. "I'm not going to be able to work with you." I guess that she's used to dealing with people that aren't intelligent enough to question her exorbitant costs. Had I just whipped out my credit card like an a-hole, she probably would have been able to "work with me". No thanks. If my life depended on getting flowers for my wedding and this was the last florist on earth, I'd choose death.
5 - Saira K.: One of my most favorite little flower shops - the other one is in Paris. A lovely retreat from the goings-on in Harvard Square.  Flowers are fresh and oh, so beautiful. A real treat for the eyes, and it adds perfume to an otherwise hectic, stale day-to-day.
5 - Michelle B.: If I am having a bad day, I go here. It sort of feels like you've stepped inside some kind of romantic drama set only, it's real life. There are cuttings all over the floor, hundreds of varieties of flowers lining the walls in every color, and it smells amazing. Instant mood-makeover. Seriously. Try it out. 

I also like that I can peruse what they've got, and create my own bouquet. A little of this, a little of that. Perfect every time. Way better than getting a generic arrangement somewhere else. 

It's beautiful, and the people there are wonderful. I once had an intense convo with a complete stranger about how lovely coral peonies are. All buxom and flirtatious with their frilly petals. Super-model flowers, those peonies...
1 - Tracy S.: I have never written a bad review on Yelp and it pains me to do this.  

I received a bouquet of roses (delivered) this morning and am horrified by the condition of these flowers.  I have taken a few photos of them and wish there was a place that I could upload them so that people who read this will know that I am not exaggerating.  These roses are so past their prime that if they make it until tomorrow, I would be astounded.   Outer petals are curled and brown-edged.  The flowers are open way too wide and these were likely on their way to the trash when they were rescued for this order.  This makes me sad.

All I can think is that they figured that the sender would never see them so they thought it safe to put this sort of product out there.  

Buyer beware.
4 - Simon L.: Excellent value. Professional, beautiful arrangements. Call and place your order, it will be waiting.
5 - juliana f.: I sent flowers to a friend in Boston from Philadelphia and decided on this florist based on the Yelp! reviews, and I am impressed! First of all, the flowers were sent in lieu of a much bigger gift that included the contributions of 15 people. I told the woman who took my order our price range and then had to give her a list of names with our message. She was professional, courteous, and patient. She even suggested a grammar correction to our message which was right on! When the flower delivery was confirmed, she kept us a mystery as I requested and the arrangement was GORGEOUS. It brought our friend to tears. Thanks so much for doing such an incredible job!

Brattle Square Optical - Cambridge, MA (42.3737845, -71.1213629) (Harvard Square)
5 - Michelle K.: Thanks Yelp for leading me to Dr. Phillips!
When I needed an eye doctor recommendation, and none of my friends liked theirs, I searched Talk threads and read about Dr. Lawrence Phillips. At that time he was in practice with others in Central Square, but when I called to make an appointment, he was literally in the process of moving to Harvard Square next to the Brattle Theater to start his own practice. In fact, a phone company guy answered my call and said they were in the process of installing the lines, but Dr. Phillips himself called me back from his cell phone just to make me an appointment. So, last week I was one of the first patients in his new office.

And, I would give him more than 5 stars if I could! Everyone in his office is super duper friendly. Dr. Phillips himself is gentle and he answered all my questions. He has a fun South African accent and dresses well too, but that's a little less important. He specializes in contact lens fittings and knows a lot about them. He uses modern equipment like computer printed prescriptions and a machine to test peripheral vision that I had never used before. I like that he tries to use the least corrective prescription necessary (he felt that my previous lenses were too strong) and he happily recommended lenses that were cheaper than what I had been using. Sweet deal. My appointment wasn't rushed at all and Dr. Phillips booked me a follow up appointment a week later to see how I liked the trial lenses before I committed to a half-year supply. The follow up appointment was useful too because he hypothesized that my vision might even be a little different when my monthly contacts weren't already a month old because my eyes would be getting more oxygen (and he was right).

I think he is a little pricey relative to other optometrists, but the care was outstanding. The contact lens fitting, which is not covered by a lot of insurance co.'s including Harvard Pilgrim, came to $115 I think. A 6 month supply of Acuvue contacts cost me $100. They have a collection of trendy frames for you to browse through, too, if you want to get new glasses as soon as your prescription changes.
5 - Natasha A.: I agree with the other patients. The exam was thorough, Dr. Phillips explained everything he was doing. He told me what I would need to do if I ever wanted Laser surgery and that I can not wear contacts all day long as they deprive the eyes of oxygen. He gave me new contacts that allow my eyes to breath more and the friendly staff helped me pick out frames that best fit my face. 

Like another reviewer said, Dr. Phillips insists on a follow up appointment to make sure the trial lenses work out. And yes I think he is a bit more expensive than others but worth it. My old doctor did not give me the latest contacts and I was wearing ones that were too thick relative to the new available technology.
4 - Liz K.: I actually chose this optometrist over  the dozen others in Harvard Sq because of Yelp :) Yes, Dr. Phillips seems to be a good doctor--straightforward and accomodating to my questions, and not too pushy or the least bit harried. He does seem to have strong perferences for very specific products, though.

I went for my contact lens exam and they did schedule me for a follow up appt. in 3 weeks time. The bill hasn't been settled yet, but I will be back with an update...
5 - sweetand s.: Dr. Phillips is the best.  I have been a patient of his for 18 years!! :-D as have many of my family members.  He is genuine and truly committed to great care.  If you are looking for an eye doctor, you can stop your search.  It doesn't get any better :-D
4 - Shirley Y.: i've had glasses ever since i was that nerdy chinese kid in 1st grade.  astigmatism runs in my family [yes, it's a curse] and i blame my poor eyesight on poor opticians in the past.  i have been going to the same eye doctor for the previous 6 years [i am a loyal creature of habit] but when this same doctor keeps prescribing me the same prescription, i decided to try someone new.  after much research, mostly on yelp and some word of mouth, i located dr. lawrence phillips.  

dr. phillips used to have his own practice in central square where he did pretty well.  he has since relocated to harvard square [i think where he originally started] and was working for eye q for a while.  he now has his own practice here at brattle square optical.  his wife occasionally comes in to help out and he has a receptionist, and that's it for staff!  

when he performed my eye exam, he didn't ask for my previous prescription -- he preferred to start from a baseline.  my instinct was right:  my eyesight has worsened in the last 6 years and not being able to see the chalkboard at school was the defining moment.  he showed care in what products i should be using and provided me with trial sizes of:  new johnson + johnson disposable contacts that breathe better, contact lens solution that clean better and eye drops for my dry eyes.  

the missing star was when it came time to discuss glasses.  i had been hoping to simply replace the lenses in my old black frames but dr. phillips ended up being a little pushy on buying new frames.  in order to get the old lenses out, they would have to heat up the frames which could cause some damage.  they do not have a wide variety when it comes to their frame selection.  thankfully, i was able to find a pair of tortoiseshell kate spade frames which flatter my face shape [i cannot wear anything angular] and i still love!  i will still definitely go back to dr. phillips, even after spending a bundle...i'll just have to make sure i buy vision insurance that year!
4 - Alexandra K.: Cute little optical center located in Harvard Square. 

I had an eye exam this morning with Dr. Lawrence Phillips OD. As someone who has bad eyes and has been doing exams all her life, he was very thorough with the exam and very honest with me about what I needed to do. 

He also took the time to explain to me things about the anatomy of eyes and what was going on with mine that was different than normal using his little model. 

He's a very handsome guy ladies, definitely some eye candy. The South African/British accent doesn't hurt either. 

You'll be in good hands with Dr. Phillips!
5 - Lindsey M.: I think this is the first time I can remember that a eye doctor went to so far as to help me pick out a pair of glasses. I also felt as though he did a really excellent job finding my exact prescription. He spent over 20 minutes doing all the testing and even referred me to someone he spoke very highly of for corrective eye surgery. My eyes are really bad and I always pay out the nose for glasses and contacts, I was glad to have spent the money at this place.
1 - Beverly S.: Seems like anyone that is paying full price gets treated better and anyone who has insurance and being money cautious gets the shaft, hhhhmmmm, call me crazy but that sounds like discrimination. 

Not sure how many eye doctors people have visited, but he's pretty standard, nothing extra was done, every single one I've been to was the same way, detailed and very nice, as to his wife, she's a miserable wench waiting to collect money, she's the rudest person there. The front desk girl and another assistant were cool. They don't offer a cheaper selection of frames, they point you directly to the mark ups. When you try to be more practical and frugal, they're whole demeanor changes. That isn't right.
4 - A T.: After Dr. Phillips left Central Square Eye Care I naturally followed him up one square to Brattle.  I mentioned in a review for his old place that I have baaad eyes. And they're only getting worse with age.

Anyway, I'm on VSP, which doesn't cover much for me - but Dr. Phillips and his staff have always been really great about helping me sort out my payments, contacts, glasses - even helping me find cheaper (and better fitting) contact lenses.  The best thing ever though? When I randomly misplaced my glasses (my $500 Gucci frames - why vanity why?!) and was sightless.  They offered me a whole wall of frames to pick out, cheap as free, and I just had to pay for my lenses. Nice.

Of course I found the other frames a week later... but the cheap as free ones are actually cuter.

There's a very sweet girl there whose also usually working up front. When I placed a funky sounding order for contacts (my left are supposed to last longer but I needed more as my allergies have been destroying them), she called back to double check that I was getting what I wanted.

That's service.
5 - j m.: I've been a patient of Dr. Phillips for a number of years now and he is great. He spends the time with you to make sure your prescription is right and has convenient evening and Saturday hours. The staff is very friendly and will remember you. If you are looking for a good optometrist in the Harvard Sq. area Dr. Phillips is highly recommended!
4 - Brenda C.: I have followed Dr. Phillips from his practice associated with For Eyes to Central Sq and now back to Harvard Sq. Exams have always been thorough. Appointments are easy to schedule. I was quite impressed last summer when I had an issue with an eye inflammation. I was due to be out of the country and could not come back into see him for a follow up. Dr. Phillips gave me his cell to call him if the situation did not clear and a prescription was required.  I thought that this was thoughtful as well as reassuring. Few Doctors would provide this level of service.
4 - Mike H.: Just had an eye exam here this evening -- my first ever visit.  I was very impressed with the thorough nature of the exam, and also had my first glaucoma baseline test as a previous reviewer mentioned.  Dr. Phillips was very personable and took time to make sure I was confident that my prescription was going to be right on.  I really liked the two women working out front as well.  They both commented on my frames (a brand they recently picked up) and did a great job explaining what they could do to improve the quality of the lenses (the first set are VERY poor quality).  I'm also a VSP member and did not feel any less welcome as a result.  Looking forward to getting my new lenses early next week!
2 - Wendy B.: They are way too pushy in trying to get you to order lenses through them instead of Costco or 1800Contacts. The woman at the front desk told me my lenses would be cheaper through them because they had rebates. Well, sure, but the same rebates are available to everyone at www.acuvue.com. She flat out told me they weren't available elsewhere. I don't appreciate being misled.

The $160 contact lens fitting fee also took me  by surprise. I used to have VSP, so maybe VSP covered it?
4 - Sara H.: I have been going to Dr. Phillips for 3-4 years now.  His exams are thorough, but no different from Lenscrafters or any of the other big name brands. I come here for reasons outside of my ocular health: 1) the frame selection is great. On my last visit I got a very trendy pair of "SALT" frames, designed in California but made in Japan. I get compliments on them all the time. 2) Dr. Phillips is a good-looking friendly guy with a nice accent. You can't go wrong with that. 

The only downside is the place seems more than a little bit pricey to me. I love the frames here so much that I haven't shopped around but even with full, very good vision insurance I've spent at least US$300-350 for a contact fitting, eye exam for glasses, and new frames.Ouch.
4 - W D.: I purchased some SALT frames here a few months ago.  I had my exam done elsewhere because I found that it was a lot more expensive here, but this is one of the few shops in the Boston area that carries SALT eyeglasses.  They're sharp.
5 - Hillary T.: I've followed Dr. Phillips from Harvard Square to Central Square and then to Brattle Square (about 10 years), and I was considering looking for someone else, because I was thinking maybe he was overpriced.  

Then I developed acute onset double vision.  I walked in and he and his front desk staff dropped everything (lunch, as it happened) and gave me a very through exam and made a LOT of calls for referrals and options and reassurance etc.  Dr. Phillips then called me at home a day later to see how everything was going, and checked in with me again a week later.   His exam ended up being more through than any I got anywhere except the Mass Eye and Ear ER.  He knew a lot about possible causes, and we did talk about them, but he was great about keeping me aware of the fact that the scarier possibilities (MS, for example) were highly unlikely.  

The cost for this amazingly personal service during a very stressful time in my life?  Nothing.  I will never go to another optometrist as long as I live in the greater Boston area.  No, his front desk staff doesn't always have the greatest manners, but who cares?  When the shit hits the fan, these people are there for their patients.  That's what I want out of a doctor's office.

Brattle Theatre - Cambridge, MA (42.373314, -71.1210565) (Harvard Square)
5 - Susan J.: I second Carey's sentiments. The Brattle is a historic gem in Harvard Square showing all kinds of indie, foreign, and classic flicks. Check out www.brattlefilm.org for a schedule!
5 - Anne B.: I love this theater because they typically show great old or classic movies; for example the begining of July was dedicated to James Dean flicks, or right now they are showing old Hitchcock classics. They also have screening of indy movies. I like it when theater try to do something different than all the other; and, next weekend they are showing Labrinyth which is one of my favorites. Tickets are 7.50 if you're a member, or a student and 9 dollars regular admission.  The theater is small with blacony seating so it does tend to fill up quickly.  Show up early!!
5 - Geoff T.: One of the few "Art House" theaters left. Pick up a schedule each month and you can see what's cooking that month. Usually months are broken up into themed days-- like Noir Monday's or Recent Raves on Thrusdays. Tickets are far cheaper than big chains, and when are you going to get to see The Seven Samurai on the big screen? A few years ago the raised the funds to replace the anciet seats, get a new sound system and replace the old stage curtain. Best of all-- they couldn't care less if you want to bring in some outside food or beverage. I like to grab a cup of Oolong from Tealux, grab some popcorn at the concession stand and take an aisle seat.
3 - Joe R.: While I fully believe that the Brattle Theater is worth saving (they claim to be going out-of-business) and don't want to piss on their efforts, I can't say that my recent experience there was a great one.  First, the movie stopped right in the middle of scene.  Second, the movie sound was garbled for the last 30 minutes of the film.  It wasn't some old reel from the 30's, either - it was Serenity, which was released this fall.  These types of problems are probably hard to prevent, but when you're paying $10 for a ticket, you should be able to expect a consistent viewing experience.

3 stars because I'm hoping they can do better and I think Harvard Square needs an indie film house.
4 - John F.: I love this theater simply because I can go here and see movies I might not see otherwise. A marathon of Twin Peaks? Check. Bernardo Bertolucci's legendary film 'Il Conformista?' Check. Not your run-of-the-mill movies, but that's what's so great about this theater. Definitely worth saving!
5 - Lindsey M.: A Harvard Sq. Charm - There aren't so many sweet little indie theaters left in the Boston area so support them while we can! The Brattle generally offers a nice mix of independent and mainstream films. Check out their midnight flicks, Rocky Horror Picture Show is among my favorites..
5 - Ari R.: best movie theatre in boston...without a doubt...great theatre-with a balcony...good selection of classic, foreign, and independent films....go there!
3 - Tom S.: I have been to the Brattle Theatre once so far but I will be attending many screenings in September for the Arnold retrospective.

I saw Evil Dead II at the Brattle during their Zombie Fest.  Being that this was my first time ever coming to the Brattle I was not really sure what to expect.  I love the Evil Dead films and I knew the Brattle was an independent movie house.

Upon purchasing my ticket and seeing the theatre for the first time I was both happy and a little disappointed.  First of all, it is obvious that there is a great love of cinema at the Brattle Theatre.  The audience I sat with as I watched Evil Dead II was wonderful.

The only downfall I see for this theatre is the fact that its one screen does not have a very good sound system.  The question is; did this actually distract from my enjoyment of the film....not really.  But, I would probably have enjoyed my experience just a little bit more with surround sound.  I could hear everything just fine, dialogue was intelligible, I just found myself wishing there was surround sound.  

Aside from that single (and kinda petty) fault, I loved my experience at the Brattle.
4 - Sean E.: The little art-house that could!  This place might be running out of it's nine lives as most of us were thinking it was going to be closing down at the beginning of the year.  It lives on, though donations are still needed (go to their website).  I have to hand it to them, they continue to entice with great theme nights/weeks (a week of Terry Gilliam films -- yes please!) and a good mix of old and new.  If I had more money and weren't as lazy I'd probably be here, stretching out in the balcony, at least once a week.

But yeah, the sound quality isn't that great, and the seats, especially on the ground floor, aren't very comfortable and could use more of an incline.  Also, on more than one occasion the movie's sound has gone completely out, the wrong reel's been put in, or somehow the projection's gone cuckoo.  Hey, these things happen to the best theaters every once in a while so these small things only get one star taken off.  I know that a place in danger of closing it's doors any day now can't be asked to remodel, and sometimes the print you get is the print you're stuck with -- flaws and all, but I can definitely understand it hindering attendance and causing complaints.

Boston & Cambridge need the Brattle.  It's the only one of its kind.  I hope it doesn't go anywhere any time soon.  A landmark, it's an integral part of Harvard Sq. and I hope it gets the support it needs.
5 - Bart C.: One of the best art house theaters in the US. Make that one of the best *theaters* in the US. The Brattle was founded as one of the country's first arthouse cinemas in the 1950's. While running the Brattle, the owners started a legendary film distribution company called Janus Films which basically brought filmmakers like Ingmar Bergman, Franois Truffaut, Federico Fellini and Jean-Luc Godard to American audiences for the first time.

Everything about the Brattle is cool. As soon as you step through the doors you can feel the new owner's intense love and obsession with film. The programming mix is awesome blending "must see" classics with unappreciated older works alongside new films. Although you could probably get a lot of these films on Netflix, the experience of seeing them in a dark theater on the big screen, in an audience with other living, breathing people gives the films a dimension you don't get at home on your small living room TV.

Anyway God bless the Brattle. I hope it is around forever.
5 - R S.: A marvelous little theatre, the primary reason I wanted to live within walking distance of Harvard Square. The film selection is widely varied, with something for everyone from the film snob to the wide-eyed child. The Brattle has been instrumental in my ongoing film education, introducing me such luminaries as Andrei Tarkovsky and Hiroshi Teshigahara. The theatre also programs more standard, which is to say domestic, classic fare from Hollywood's golden years, films featuring Bogie and Grant and their ilk, but they also do so much more, showing recent indie films, even premiering them occasionally in the Boston area. Cult classics also feature, from the expected The Princess Bride and the Monty Python oeuvre to more whimsical selections, such as the Muppet Movie and festivals featuring the old Bugs Bunny cartoons. The theatre also hosts special events, such as the upcoming reading by Amy Sedaris.

The price is below that of the megaplexes at $9 for adults and $7.50 for students and members. The staff is friendly, and there are the usual concessions plus some more sophisticated offerings, such as Toblerone chocolates. The building itself is conveniently located near the Brattle St exit of the Harvard Square stop on the red line. The theatre is old-fashioned, with a stage in front of the projection screen, and the seating area is not inclined, which can be problematic if you're shortish and trying to read the subtitles---I just always just sit up near the front: problem solved. There is also a small balcony section. The sound system is adequate, not, of course, the sort of surround sound supplied by Loews et al, but perfectly sufficient for the demands of the films shown, which rely on more than loud explosions to draw a crowd.

The Brattle is one a very few independent cinemas in the country, and deserves our support and patronage. They are currently in the midst of a campaign to save the theatre; for more information follow this link. http://www.brattlefilm.org/brattlefilm/filmfoundation/legacy_campaign.html
5 - Shawn D.: I have seen so many great films here that this could be a 20000 word review. This place is the tops. Great staff, popcorn is great, and no commercial plastered up on the screen before the film. Some notable films i have enjoyed here include: Russian Ark, Sick, Fast cheap and out of control,Fallen Angels, Blue Velvet, The wild bunch, and for 8 years in a row Me and My son have attended the Bugs Bunny Film Festival.

Please people, the best way to keep eclectic, quality films around is to frequent places like this theater. do not let the Brattle fade away.

p.s.--the Brattle has a balcony to sit in and watch the film. This is what theaters today are sorely lacking.
4 - Oliver S.: Where  else can you go and see the art films in Boston. This place is an institution that everyone should support. I saw the David Lynch film here and it beatts going to any megalaplex in town.
5 - Orville J.: Some of my best memories from Cambridge are from this place. Check out the Loony Tunes marathon if you get the chance. The membership is well worth it if you are a film buff. Of course, it was $7 a ticket when I was there...
5 - Tom E.: The hidden gem of Harvard Square is this persevering little wonder of a theatre underneath the Algiers cafe. Snug and distinct this is a great choice for a date or a get-together with friends. They show an 'eclectic' mix of movies and are keeping the traditions of American cinema alive. My first trip there was an unforgettable late-night (drunken) showing of Monty Python's Holy Grail where the entire audience recited all the lines in time. Nii Nii Nii!

Not nearly enough people frequent the Brattle and so it's worth putting their name out and helping them with business as it'd be a travesty to see them close. A friend of mine bought his wife a 'named' seat for their anniversary - very romantic as it was the very seat she sat in on one of their first dates.
4 - Olivia C.: The Brattle is a good theatre to check out movies by yourself.
If you are into that.  You can win tickets from 88.1, I've been a winner many times. It's awesome!  

It's never been packed when I go. The architecture is lovely, the bathrooms are filled with movie posters, that are my goal to check out. 

Movie promoters are enthusiatic and want you to be part of the action. 
Gotta love the Q and A sessions with the directors. The actual staff seems a little indier than thou. I don't know if they're mad because they are working for the old minimum wage, or maybe too much delicious transfat popcorn to the head, I don't know, but I want to love them.
 Btw there are GOOD chocolate options.

I love that I live in a place with so many independent theatres that are very T and after-hours accesible. You can spy David Wildman movie reviewer for the Dig here, besides other interesting arts buffs.

I've seen some real gems here.  Mutual Appreciation, and Linda, Linda Linda recently -
5 - Maria V.: I've you've never been here, go. Now.

As myriad posters before me have acclaimed, this theatre shows an astounding variety of film. It's not just "weird" art-house stuff, they have mainstream foreign films and good ol' American classics. 

Going to the Brattle is like having that friend with a really weird but simultaneously fabulous taste in movies.  Sometimes you don't know what they're going to throw out there so you just have to take a chance.  I doubt you'll be disappointed.

Don't be put off by folks claiming it's for film snobs only.  It's really not.  If some folks want to laugh at weird/obscure jokes that might not even be there, let them.  Just go and enjoy yourself, *immerse* yourself, that's what you're supposed to do at a movie!

The Brattle will provide all the soul candy you need, so dig in.
5 - Michaela L.: After nearly six months in Cambridge and really starting to feel like a fish out of water (where is the Super 8 club? who wants to start a garage band?) The Brattle has become something of a lifeline for me.  So far I've seen Linda Linda Linda, Altman's Nashville, and The Case of the Grinning Cat; I haven't quite gotten the hang of the curation but there seems to be something at least every couple of weeks that catches my eye and that is either really worth seeing on the big screen or cannot be found elsewhere.  Though the folks at the box office have always seemed a bit disgruntled (cold weather or the fact that I never remember to bring cash and have to pay with a credit card?), the volunteers taking tickets inside are really friendly.

I recommend skipping the main floor and finding a seat upstairs in the balcony.  And bringing a few bucks for the popcorn with real butter.  Yummers!
4 - Shelby B.: As many others wrote, a great little independent one-screen theater in the heart of Harvard Square. They have great 2 or 3 for the price of 1 movie deals (for example: the 3 original Muppet Movies, Wallace and Gromit + Corpse Bride) and lots of classics (Princess Bride night was great!). I only gave it 4 stars is because the shows can get full really quickly so people like to show up early, therefore the tiny lobby gets really squished! Also, the picture and sound quality are often quite poor. It's still worth it though!
5 - Bryanne R.: Really cool funky place.  Went here on a Saturday afternoon to go back to my childhood days of watching Looney Tunes.  Such an awesome old-school theater.  Go for the experience and for the non-mainstream movies.
4 - Ligaya T.: My ideal leaving-the-house-holding-hands excursion would definitely involve a visit to the BT. This little one screen movie house has charm, history and great taste in films. They show a diverse assortment, encompassing classics, obscure artsy movies and cool indie flicks. They are also one of the only theatres that use rear projection methods.  It's also the only independent cinema in Cambridge, so keep the tradition alive and support.  

The screen is a bit small and low, so sit behind shorter people or check out the balcony for a little more privacy. You won't get away with much as the seats are rigid, but I'm sure some randy Harvard lovebirds managed during a screening of Casablanca. Did I mention during finals they have an entire Bogie week? It's rad.
5 - Larissa A.: I love the Brattle and the only thing I wish would be better is my attendance there.  Great programs, one of my best day off activities is to do a double feature here of those indie flicks I didn't think I would be able to see on a big screen. So many special events that I love! Ticket prices are still reasonable even with all the struggles they have staying afloat.  All around one of the best places to see a movie in MA.
5 - jack p.: Despite contrary belief espoused by a yelper below, the Brattle is not owned at all. Or rather, the theater is owned by the Brattle Film Foundation, which has kept it alive and kicking since the 50's. 

I've been a member of the Brattle for three years, and I go to watch as many movies there as possible. They've got amazing programmers who aren't forced into showing what's popular, which is well worthy of our support.

If you don't know what I mean by "amazing programmers", here are some highlights from recent months off the top of my head:
-the annual Casablanca valentines day screening
-"Hot Fuzztival" including advance screening of Hot Fuzz with Simon Pegg in person (director of Shaun of the Dead) and a whole host of sweet cop movies
-Schlock Around the Clock all-night schlock marathon including Troll 2 and some crazy grindhouse-y stuff you'll never see anywhere else

See? Go to the Brattle, you won't be disappointed.
5 - reese w.: They show all the movies you won't find anywhere else! I love supporting this little art house theatre. You can see all kinds of films, from the more popular classics to the strange little foreign artshows that leave you feeling like you're too stupid to understand anything.
5 - Keith M.: When Godzilla: Zero Wars was released, the Brattle Theater was one of the only theaters on the East coast to screen it. A man from New York came all the way to Cambidge simply to see it. That's dedication.
 
So what am I getting at here? Most people will talk about how the Brattle is a historical landmark (recognized by the Boston Historical Society), how it is one of the few independent theaters left in the greater Boston area (there are 2), and how it still strives for support with it's Battle for the Brattle campaign. These points are all true, but the overlook the most important thing about the Brattle. 

The Brattle has the best film programming in all of Boston. From American independents to European cinema to rising Asian film, even silver screen classics. On any given week there is always something worth seeing at the Brattle. Who was the first screen Princess Mononoke in Boston? Who runs Muppet Marathons and Jim Henson double features including his rarely seen shorts? Who is the only theater to screen Red Doors and Linda Linda Linda to date, and brings back classics like Casablanca annually? The Brattle. This doesn't even include events such as the 1st annual Boston Define-a-thon or Oscars Party. 
 
I will admit I have a slight bias, as a friend of mine works for the Brattle. When you spend time with thse who work for the Brattle you see their passion for film and the theater, as well as the film community as a whole. I grew up seeing films at the Brattle, and having seen so much of Harvard Square's original culture change or be lost to the adaptation of time, I would hate to think of a Harvard Square without the Brattle. It just wouldn't be the same.
5 - Rave M.: I have loved every movie I've ever seen at the Brattle (and the list is diverse -- American Movie, Gone with the Wind, Popcorn Chutney, Casablanca, etc.), and this little independent theatre deserves all the praise and support it can get.
5 - E B.: Support local art and see a movie here.

You never now what you will find playing, I would show up for anything and expect an interesting evening.
5 - Lesley K.: When David Lynch pre-screened and Q and Aed his Inland Empire  in December 2006 he chose to do it in L.A., N.Y.C and the Brattle Theater. 

I think that speaks volumes.

Furthermore where else in the northeast do they run 3 day Greenaway festivals and not only play The Cook the Thief... and Pillow Book but also The Falls?, the Brattle.

If you love film, watch it with other people who do too.
Know that your ticket price truly is going to support local arts...
4 - Jake M.: Great and renowned and all, but could use some owls
4 - Whitney W.: The Brattle has a seriously impressive history of bringing important cinema and important filmmakers to Boston. Most recently, I was thrilled that they were showing a double feature of El Topo and The Holy Mountain. The Brattle is always impressing me with its selection of films, and there is no better place to see a film in Cambridge.
5 - William M.: Closest thing to a cinematic church within US borders. You can always count on the Brattle Theatre to bring the best to light - whether it's David Bowie in "Labyrinth" or that foreign film you thought you'd only ever miss in New York showings. The balcony is where it happens, though.
5 - Sarah S.: The Brattle is one of the places that helped me get through my first year of law school.  I'm not saying you should sneak in a few 6-packs of beer, climb up to the balcony, dangle your feet over the side, and get trashed while watching The Wrath of Khan...but you should.  The perfect little theater as far as I'm concerned.  So perfect that I don't even resent them for being the location where I wasted three hours of my life watching Inland Empire.
4 - Tess F.: Though I hated the film, I really liked the theater. It was one of the first places that I went when I first moved to Boston, and it remains one of the finer gems in Harvard Square. To me, it represents what Harvard Square SHOULD be - a place with personality and something to offer that you wouldn't find elsewhere.
5 - Ross G.: This is a wonderful theater and it's a shame that its nature is what keeps in financial difficulty. I respect their refusal to cave in to showing big budget trash just to make a profit yet wish they could find a happy medium like the Coolidge corner theater. 
Great (borderline reasonably priced) popcorn w/ real butter is also a treat and a movie-house must.
Just saw "the long goodbye" here, its funny but I doubt there is another theater in the country (well, definitely the state) that would play an obscure but fantastic movie like that, but the Brattle did, and did and entire week of chandler films. 
God bless you Brattle, keep on rocking in the free world.
5 - Kristin G.: This is very close to being one of my favorite places in the whole world. I've seen everything from indie movies to foreign flicks to Friday the 13th here. I'd move into this place if I could. Plus, they have Toblerone candy. Come on!
5 - Tyler C.: Boston doesn't quite rate with NYC, LA or SF  in terms of film - whereas, say, New Yorkers are spoiled by Film Forum, Angelika, Lincoln Center, BAM Cinema, etc; Bostonians often have to wait several months for indie gems to open, if at all...

That being said, the Brattle proudly holds the flag for indie film buffs in the Boston area with superb programming; the repertoire for each season, always hits home with a mixture of the latest greatest releases, concessions to the "Casablanca"/golden oldies crowd, obscure film school flicks you wouldn't see anywhere else, and retrospectives to any given towering icon of film history of the moment.     

Physically not the most impressive -plastic seats, not the greatest viewing angles in certain places, but more than adequate projection and sound.     With indie theaters like  this, funding is always an issue, but there was a recent capital campaign that put the place back on a decent financial footing...for now.
5 - John W.: Guilty pleasure #19 - stroll over to the Brattle on a Sunday afternoon, grab a seat in the balcony, and watch a movie by myself. They program a nice balance of Hollywood classics, obscure foreign films, and contemporary independent movies. Some films stay for a week, most just show for a day. If you see a movie with other people, it's proximity to Algiers is perfect for post-screening discussions.

The Brattle is one of the few independent theaters left in the country (and the only one in cambridge) so if you like that sort of thing, support it.
5 - Tsada K.: MOVIES I FELL IN LOVE WITH AT THE BRATTLE:
On the Waterfront
Citizen Cane
Manhattan
Who's That Knocking At My Door
The Lady From Shanghai
Casablanca
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Psycho
Nashville
Annie Hall
Mean Streets
Vertigo
Paris, Texas
Stranger Than Paradise
The Last Picture Show
Come Back To The Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean Jimmy Dean
The Godfather
Touch of Evil

MEN I FELL IN LOVE WITH AT THE BRATTLE:
The Hustler
4 - Kiwi H.: Aside from the Kendall Cinema, this is the place to go to find independent, artsy, or foreign films, or classics and the occasional blockbuster hit. Whatever it is, you know it will probably be good. It's just such a cute space, and is a cozy place to watch a movie either with good friends, a date, or anyone really. 

I've been here in some of the most awkward circumstances: with one ex-boyfriend, just us. With ex-boyfriend and two close friends of both of ours who are a couple. With very upset friend on the verge of bursting into tears any second. Me, very upset, on verge of bursting into tears with friend. With ex-boyfriend that I despised then but he was making efforts to be a better human being and actually learned how to be a friend, and so I felt bad and went. Despite all of these awkward circumstances, I have also been here in some very pleasant times (more so in recent years, those awk ones were mostly during my college days, hah!) and I have still always enjoyed my time here despite not alwyas being in the best of circumstances.

It's just a charming little place to go watch a film, with charm, good screens, usually a respectful audience, and always an interesting selection of movie choices. Definitely recommended, and I suggest remembering to check their listings from time to time since you never know what they'll be showing here, and it could be the oldest, newest, most popular or most obscure thing for the time, but you know it will probably be good.
5 - Bridget B.: I have a love hate relationship with the Brattle. I love the fact that every year you can count on seeing Casablanca come Valentines day, I love that they show movies ranging from Citizen Kane to Bob Flannigan Super Masochist, I love that you can hit up Algiers before of afterwards,  I love that they have  panels with directors and actors, that there are occasionally even concerts held there. They run the gamut in showing classics, quirky classics, modern independent, forgein films,  etc. 

I don't like the fact that the seats are torture if you see something longer than 90 minutes there. Once I went to go see The Kingdom Pt 2 there, which is like, 5 hours long (there was an intermission) and my back felt like I had gone 9 rounds with a mallet afterwards. It also irks me that sometimes a movie will stay for a week, sometimes a day, and that the place can sell out quick. But really, those gripes have more to do with my poor planning skills than the Brattle itself.

The Harvard Film Archive, Coolidge Corner,  Brattle, and Kendall are by far my favorite places to see movies in the city. Cause I'm a damn snob (save for my obsession with the cinematic brilliance that is Showgirls)
5 - Maureen H.: Bugs Bunny Film Festival is the only thing that brings me down there nowadays.

"Welcome to my shop, let me cut your mop, let me shave your crop,
don't look so perplexed, why must you be vexed, can't you see your next,
Yes you're next, you're so next
How about a nice close shave
Teach your whiskers to behave..."

Love that rabbit.
5 - Kerri O.: I'd be embarrassed to tell you how many times I've waited in really long lines to go see Jackie Chan films here.  Their Hong Kong film festivals were the BOMB!  Such a happy rollicking crowd.

I'd give 'em full ratings just for the Looney Toon film Festivals, and you can get your high-brow on with indie and foreign films.

I grew up coming here to see movies.  I miss it, now that I live in the sticks.
5 - arete j.: Ok can I say:

-The Great Dictator, City Lights...Charlie Chaplin.
-The Underground...a great Serbian movie that came out awhile ago
- Metropolis---this movie I never got the chance to see but was showing at the Brattle.
-400 Blows...great!!!!!!!!!!

Need I say more? Ok, they play old great films here. Check it out and become a member, that is how they are able to stay open...they get more money...
4 - Alex M.: I can't give it five stars because, I'm sorry, but the audio quality just isn't on par with other theaters.

But this place does have the best, cheapest portions of popcorn and soda of any theater around. And where else could you see a screening of Psychopathia Sexualis with the producer and directer there for a Q&A?

Tonight I went to see In Bruges as a free screening. The doors opened at 6pm for a 7pm screening. I got there late, maybe 6:30 or a little earlier, and it was already packed. If you're going with a group to what you think may be a popular screening: COME EARLY. I only managed to get a decent seat because I was on my lonesome. Unfortunately the director flaked out of coming to the Q&A but it was still a great screening with a good audience.

Very unusual flicks play here with a really friendly, fun atmosphere in the audience because of the intimate situation of the theater. I only wish they'd install some better speakers!
5 - Kristin M.: i don't come to the brattle often - only when i see a film advertised (usually through the queer agenda) that piques my interest.  they've all been indie / community-oriented films that i can't imagine would be shown anywhere else, so this leads me to believe the brattle must be involved with some pretty cool stuff.  (one was "how to cook your life"- about zen and the art of cooking, and another was "red doors" - about three chinese-american daughters struggling to find their place in the world / their family). 

writing this review right now makes me realize that i should take initiative to check out their listings regularly instead of relying on my albeit trusty, queer agenda.
5 - Anna F.: What can I say?  The world would be a more interesting place if Boston were known for still having an arthouse cinema than for our sports teams.    You all need to go and support the Brattle.  It is part of a dying breed. Let's make sure it sticks around for a good long time.
5 - John S.: The Brattle Theatre is nothing short of a Boston treasure.  It is rare to walk into a place and feel like you've gone back in time 60 years.  The staff there is wonderful and their character and love of cinema shows in every film they run and every special event they hold.  Please go, and make an afternoon out of it.
4 - m s.: When you're tired of the giant theater full of Current Hollywood Fail - come here!
Its really tiny, has only one screen... but the experience is seriously unique (in a good way!) Just be sure to come early because the place gets packed quickly

am totally there for the fun things like Bugs Bunny and Muppets movies ^___^ 

EDIT:  nevermind the "overpriced drinks" rant.  They have hot tea and a little bear full of honey to add to it!  this makes me really happy ^___^
2 - Mihir S.: The whole historical thing and programming gets the stars. I used to go to the Brattle often post-college. On Last Saturday night, brought three friends here who were from out of town. 

I bought tickets online ahead of time and was charged a fee. WTF? The point of automated systems is to reduce labor costs and to encourage people to come to the show by guaranteeing a ticket. Also, the theatre gets the money ahead of time (time is money). The tickets came to $11 each. 

I walked in and ask about the tix and a manager asked an employee to get them. He joked that he was good at telling others what to do.

This place is now a dump  The lobby, the stairs, and the theatre. Popcorn is everywhere - the floors, seats, steps etc. In the rows of the threatre is more popcorn plus trash left behind from the previous show. Trash cans are overflowing and you can see the attempt the patrons made to dispose of their trash. But, if the managers and employees don't care then why should the patrons? F'ed up.

OK, $11 for a dump of a venue,uncomfy seats, OK picture/sound and a manager who can't tell the employees who are doing nothing to clean the shit-hole up.
5 - matthew h.: The first time I was at the Brattle was probably in the Fall of 1998 when I first arrived in Boston to go to grad school.  One of the other students in my program was also a film buff and we both went to see the schlocky goodness of Russ Meyer's "Faster Pussycat Kill Kill".

There is nothing quite like seeing a movie with a live audience that also loves seeing movies.  

Over the years the Brattle has served as my home away from home.  The first few years I would go every couple of months and there was always a good crowd.  Right before the theatre turned into a non-profit, I noticed a declining attendence.  I personally think this is a mainly a reflection of the change in Harvard Square itself.

I became much more active at the Brattle in 2005 during the "Preserve the Legacy" campaign.  I became a member and am at the theater at least once a week, and often more.  

There is no other movie theater in the area that shows the same kinds of films or has a repertory format.  It has struggled, but with the support of its patrons, donors, and members, it can not only survive but thrive.

The Brattle is now a 501(c)3 non-profit.  

One easy way to help the Brattle is just by searching the internet!  

http://www.goodsearch.com/?charityid=812588
5 - Nicholas P.: The Brattle is simply a Boston treasure.  Whether you are going there for a small concert or to see Blue Velvet on the big screen it is a special experience.  The staff and volunteers are warm, friendly, and personally.  You can tell they are committed to their product and the marvelous selection of films they present.

Bravo, Brattle!
4 - Shawn W.: This is such a great little theatre. The movie selections are wonderful. Where else would you see Troll 2 with most of the original cast in attendance one night, and then on another see an advance screening of the Darjeeling Limited with Wes Anderson doing a Q&A session afterwards?

The staff were really nice, and they definitely score extra for playing a Spoon album at the concessions counter. Nice location, too.
5 - Ann L.: Does Yelp need another review of the Brattle? YES, OBVIOUSLY. DUH.

I just turned [rhymes with "dirty"] and had my awesome birthday party today at the Brattle: gobs of friends, booze and cake, a private screening of My Favorite Movie Ever,* and the friendly assistance of  Brattle staff (which makes sense - you don't want me messing with your film projector after a white russian or two). Didn't know you could do that, did you? Yeah, the entire theater, a historic independent non-profit movie PALACE with a BALCONY, EVEN, and the concession stand if you want it, can be yours for a few glorious hours. I lost count of the "Best birthday party venue ever!" comments and my friends are not known for blowing smoke.

And, of course, I wouldn't have had this party if I hadn't been going to movies at the Brattle since before I had my last birthday-that-involved-a-zero-at-the-end-of-my-age. There is no place like it, and no other place in Boston (and sometimes the entire freakin' country) to see many of the films screened here. Movie lovers love the Brattle, and the Brattle loves them back - preview screenings, festival films, Director Q&As (you should've seen the line for Edgar "Shaun of the Dead" Wright), and appropriate care for the classics that will never look right on your enormous HD screen, trust me. And it's not all arty farty pretentious fare - I've seen Peter Greenaway shorts here, sure, but also Lethal Weapon. Show up early and you'll even get classic trailers - "Contempt" never fails to crack me up. Remember in the old Siskel & Ebert shows when they would end by saying "The balcony is closed!"? I like to sit in the balcony and pretend people care about my opinion.** Oh, and real butter on the popcorn. Beat that!

* That rug really tied the room together.
** Oooh, but you're READING my REVIEW! I love the internet.
5 - Annie T.: A GEM!

You feel about 10 times cooler just by stepping into the place. 10 times more sophisticated, cultured, etc. It's so Cambridge-y, too. You can sense the film pretension in the air, but it's forgivable because they show awesome movies. I especially like how they showcase a bunch of a certain director's films for a few days. Almodovar is coming up soon!

Good for: students (you only have to pay $7.25 with your student ID)
4 - Brian A.: I like the Brattle Theatre. I've only been there twice, as I live on the other side of town, but it was totally worth it. They always show some really cool movies. Nice crowd. The snacks are overpriced like any movie theatre, but oh well. Sneak some M&Ms in your purse or jacket!
5 - Gabor Z.: Cute little theater, fantastic classic movies and music events like Juliana Hatfield, what a great concert
3 - cherie c.: The Brattle Theatre, in concept, is wonderful: play classic films, cult films, new films that otherwise won't get much play in the area.  I love the fact that this place exists.

In practice, however, the Brattle needs some work.  In a city with so much cutting-edge technology, the sound and projection here are woefully sub-par.  Seeing a film on the big screen from actual film is a great idea, but not if the print sucks or if the sound is bad.  In those cases, I'd really rather they popped in a DVD.  A major-studio film from the 90s should not look as if they salvaged the print from a flooded vault.

As for concessions, I like the tea selection and fair trade coffee.  It's cool that they use real butter, but if the popcorn is stale (as it sometimes is), what's the point?

Perhaps it's a funding issue; I've never seen the theater full when I've been there.  Maybe they can't afford to upgrade.  But if they want to survive, I think they need to find a patron or underwriter.  Film buffs might continue to go since this is the only place to do what it does.  But it won't attract many casual visitors if it doesn't step up the game a bit.
5 - Julie C.: came here when they were doing the Paul Newman double feature. of course i didnt realize that by double feature it meant come to the first movie and stay for second. i thought regardless of what time you went, you saw both films ( The Hustler and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid). isnt that how duoble features work?  
anyway, ended up just seeing the Hustler b/c Butch had already played at 230. ah well, since a good film. cute little theater. funny thing since this was an old film on 35mm the color kept going from b & w to like bright. it was odd.
some lady fell alseep and didnt even wake up when the lights came on! now that must mean comfty seats! haha..but not really for a movie that a ltitle over 2 hours long.
oh! the popcorn was awesome with real butter..mmm..i love it when it makes my poppy soggy!
5 - all seeing E.: I went to the Marx Brothers' Festival on New Year's Day.  It was my first time at the Brattle Theater but it will not be my last.  I loved the place.  The staf was very nice and friendly and the theater was a flash back to another time.  What a great little theater and there is a balcony!  We went right to the balcony and got great seats and enjoyed the whole experience.  I will be back to see another film there!  Its a great old building with a stage!  How cool is that?
5 - Jeff C.: What would we do without the Brattle Theater, one of the few remaining reasons to go to Harvard Square?

The Brattle is invaluable for three reasons:

1) It often will have limited showings of new films that have not yet gotten or will never get wide release.  Often filmmakers, actors, etc will also do Q and A on site after the feature.  I have seen some amazing and unforgettable films that I may never have seen otherwise at the Brattle.

2) Real butter popcorn.

3) If you become a member, you can go to their annual Oscar-watching extravaganza, drink beer and react to the event in a theater full of fellow film nerds.

Anyone who loves film should support and cherish Cambridge's little treasure.
3 - greg m.: I give the Brattle 5 stars for it's programming!  Their selection of classic and cult films is unmatched in Boston.  I gotta deduct  for the painfully small screen though, if I don't sit front row there's no point.  I once complained about their cookies but I understand that's been remedied.
5 - Daniel K.: The Brattle is staffed by elitist hipsters, has over priced tickets, over priced snacks, sticky urinated upon floors, bathrooms with toilets that work at least 50% of the time and an upstairs balcony for uhh...you know. But that's all part of the charm.

For an indie movie house in the Boston area, this is as good as you are going to get, there's the Harvard Film Archive and the Kendall Square Cinema, but they can't touch the Brattle
4 - Kathy S.: HOLY CRAP!!! Seriously!  You have to go to this place!  It's like the theaters that USE to exist!  Really cool snack bar..and it has a freaking balcony!  Ok..seriously..last time I saw a theater with a balcony was on the muppets..for real!  The only reason I don't give this 5 stars is because we were here this past weekend to see the Boston Underground Film Festival and literally the balcony had to be 90 degrees.  I was tearing off layers of clothes. Next time I go I will wear a thong and a bikini top and bring a squirt bottle..But besides that..this place totally rocks! It always shows the greatest movies for the cheapest money! How can you go wrong?  PLUS..it's only minutes from the "T"!
5 - Kendra S.: I know the economy does not bode well for the indie film house.  But why sit at home all bummy that Obama hasn't saved us from ourselves while you pirate films off the interwebz?  Bring your dad to the Looney Tunes marathon and watch him guffaw at all the ACME bombs while enjoying cookie treats from Crema Cafe (where the inferior au bon pain was replaced).  It's the kind of nostalgia you can only buy for $10/ticket that Pops will be talking about for at least ten years henceforth.  Love the Brattle.
4 - Heather P.: This place is fantastic! I love small local gems with massive amounts of history attached.

My fiancé and I went last night to see a reshowing of Coraline. When I first walked in there I was surprised how small the lobby was but that thought soon fluttered away by the sheer awesomeness of the staff, the atmosphere, the snacks, the beer and the prices!!!

The staff was so nice and very informative about the concessions. Being that my husband to be is a vegan and I am lactose sensitive they pointed out all the yummies we could have and they even had nutritional yeast for on the top of the popcorn!

The theater itself was really clean, there were no bad seats. We sat in the very front row and directly in the middle. Since the screen is a little smaller than one of those larger chain theaters our eyes didn't kill us from being so close. 

Oh and the bathrooms were super clean and well stocked (which is always a pleasant surprise).
5 - liz c.: Best theatre in town.  Balcony! Comfortable seats! Beer and wine (well, wine is on the way)!

The programming is unique and totally worth supporting.

The problems noted by other reviewers below are totally due to funding issues.  Their rent is extremely high and they need a bigger audience.  

With that in mind, every time you go, you're helping make the place better.  Become a member!  Put your name on a seat!  It's part of a dying breed, don't be part of the problem.
4 - Rey P.: Dang, this place is cute.

It's a little theatre, but that makes it okay to sit in the front row and stretch your legs. They tend toward artier, indier, and geekier fare. I popped in to catch an afternoon showing of EVANGELION 1.0, a film remake of the Japanese anime series from the '90's. They also have all sorts of special programs; this month's included a classic films series, several anniversary showings, an even a viewing of a new print of The Ghostbusters. I was also intrigued to see that they have Doctor Who viewings where they show classic and current episodes of the show -- I wish some little theatre would do that here in NYC!

Anyway, the seats are the usual, the lobby was cluttered but clean, and the concessions were affordable and well thought out -- I had a great cup of mint tea. If I'm ever in the area again, I'll definitely drop in to see what they have playing.
4 - Lisa T.: As a film nerd, I love being able to see non-mainstream films as well as classic films on a big-screen. The Brattle definitely delivers. The only reason why I couldn't give it 5 stars was that the schedule is hit-or-miss: sometimes, it's one night after another of awesome flicks but other times...
5 - Garrett Q.: This is the best independent cinema in the entire Greater Boston area. The film selection is fantastic and they have the best cinema popcorn I've ever had.

It's a classic theater with a rear projection system and balcony, both unusual in the 21st century. 

If you're a big guy like me you might find the seats a little skimpy on the leg room but it's all part of the experience of the Brattle Theatre.
5 - Scott S.: Indie films, old flicks,
Top snacks and beer, member perks,
Add another screen?
5 - Dessa R.: This place pretty much rocks. Not only do they screen random classics, indie flicks, and the obscure, but they host awesome events like "80's prom" and shadowcasts of cult faves like "Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog," as well as talks by various figures. Old style architecture on the inside, rear projection, all with a classic theater balcony. Did I mention that they serve beer? Yup, that's right. Something for everyone, at some point or another. There's almost always a mixed crowd, which just adds to the fun. The Brattle Theater is, by far, one of the coolest little underrated gems in this city.
5 - A T.: Rather than update my old Brattle review (which was ancient), I removed it altogether and am now posting this brand, new, shiny, totally, useful review.

I love the Brattle!

They have beer, wine, black coffee, awesome films, and great Q&A sessions! If I felt like it I could get loaded and silly and then ask inappropriate questions of indy movie icons! (I have never done this).

Go here - support local theater!
5 - Heather B.: The only rear projection theater still in operation.  I'm not kidding.  Go for an event and they may even give you an impromptu behind the scenes tour.  

Their film selection is perfect.  Where else could you watch the original Marx brothers movie, a documentary, classic 80s flicks, and a Looney Tunes marathon all in the same month?
5 - m. p.: The Brattle Theatre is a wonderful little theatre, which underwent renovations just afew years ago and now has much more comfortable chairs to sit in, as well as being clean, comfortable, and a wonderful place to view their mixture of older Hollywood classic films, indie films, and many other films not shown in most movie theatres, especially nowadays.  The Brattle Theatre is one two theatres in this area that has a balcony (aside from the Wang, which is now only a live performance theatre), which is wonderful to sit in, especially when showing a great, golden oldie-but-goody classic such as West Side Story, which I recently saw at the Brattle with three friends, and we all had a great time.  Let's hope that the Brattle stays forever!
5 - Andi P.: If you wanted to, you could see "Casablanca" SIX times on Valentine's Day weekend here on the big screen. (For variety, you could also throw in "The Bugs Bunny Festival," and some beer and wine.) What could be better? Get a membership! 12 movie passes, $2 off all other tickets, annual Oscars Party--

I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. . . . .
4 - Fat G.: went to the brattle yesterday to watch Children of Invention (which I personally add, wasn't that good of a movie-the ending leaves a lot to be desired). located at 40 brattle st, it's in the middle of harvard square, near many small shops and about a minute walk from the harvard t station on the red line.

the theatre is small. one purchases their ticket online (which has an additional surcharge) or at the booth. the first photo is pretty accurate of one's initial impression.

coming inside, one is introduced to a small lobby where one can either wait, or purchase snacks. i didn't partake in anything, but prices seemed reasonable and there was an assortment of things ranging from memorabilia, food, and wine.

one takes a flight of stairs up to the showing room itself. it is one room, and looks like the old fashioned movie theatres in the movie, complete with a 2nd floor balcony for additional seating and a small stage. nothing like the large behemoths today.

seating was ok, and facilities were kept, although the bathroom was disappointing. inside however are posters of old movies plastered along the walls.

this theatre screams local production and is kept going by donations and community patrons. it's a throwback, which i guess is why folks lean more towards liking it.

am heading to another movie later on this month in the brattle, and perhaps it'll be a better experience. but for what is at the brattle, nothing extraneous or unnecessary. a simple movie experience, and one can even find old classics from time to time.
5 - Bill T.: Love it, just love it.  They pick a great variety of films, from classics, to second runs, to the bizarre.  And they have beer.  Maybe you didn't hear me?  They serve BEER.  

I've seen some the best films of the year here.  Love their Grindhouse fest.  Look forward to their upcoming kurosawa and jim henson series.  They also have the occasional celeb guest speaker.  Some of my highlights from last year:  The Long Goodbye, Bad Lieutenant, Muppets Take Manhattan.

Pick up a schedule and become a member to get a bunch of passes and free stuff.  Not the most comfortable seats or the biggest screen, but the biggest heart.  And they serve beer.
4 - Angel M.: its in harvard square, what, easy to get to. its a cute little looking house all on its own, what, looks nice. they serve cold beer, what, gonna beer a good time!

i saw "wide open spaces" last night at the "Brat" and I thought that it was such a cute space inside, i didnt like the opposite exit strategy from the entrance, and I wish independent little theatres could somehow make seating a little modern, but then would it lose its charm?
5 - M. M.: Great place! Worth to become a member. Kurosawa's series are amazing. Who cares about the size of the screen? Tonight the theatre was almost sold out. People enjoyed timeless masterpiece by one of the greatest filmmaker of all times. And beer - Yessss! was my favorite part too. Kanpai!
5 - Marissa C.: It was touch and go there for the Brattle and its survival but I'm happy to see it's still kickin' it - Harvard Square would not be the same.

My fondest memory here has to be my very first Rocky Horror screening on Halloween several years ago. This place is pure community at work and one of the last in a dying industry of independent movie houses. Good programming of films to see and convenient access on the redline.
5 - James B.: In 30 years, after squabbling over our remaining post-peak oil resources brings an end to cheap transport (ie- Netflix) and the Great Oil Wars leads to the sabotage of the world's largest internet hubs and routers (ie- an end to Netflix On Demand, torrents, etc.), the people of Cambridge will build a statue of Ned and Ivy for somehow keeping awesome shit like the Brattle open for all us freebie-seeking losers in such dark times.  They'll probably respond to this tribute with a "It wasn't easy getting David Lynch (Twin Peaks, Erasurehead, Mulholland Drive) and Paul Verhoevan (Showgirls, Robocop, Total Recall) to stand on a stage and answer Boston's dumb ass questions about Elizabeth Berkley's tits and dream sequences but we did what we could to keep this beautiful thing alive."

Thanks
2 - Janet D.: I never saw a film at the Brattle Theater in all 10 years I have lived in Cambridge. But about a year ago, my husband and I saw a great film there and also got a kick out of the fact that they sell beer and wine. He thought that was the cat's meow. The film was a documentary on the subprime mortgage scam. Shortly thereafter, Groupon offered a deal on membership so my husband and I snatched up one each. 

Well, it's been almost a year since we got those Groupons and we've yet to go back. Why? Poor choices of films. It reminded me why I never saw a film there before, me, a major movie buff! They show the oddest selections of films, old classics from time to time, which can be OK, but for the most part, they show lots of cartoons and kid's films. That film we saw was clearly a rarity. I have all these passes now and a membership and have not had one reason to use them. This week, they've got one film showing and it's another cartoon, and that's it. What a waste of money, effort, not to mention wine and beer!

Don't bother. I gave this place 2 stars because of the beer and wine. But you're better off checking out the Kendall Theater or Harvard Film Archive if you truly appreciate good film. Neither sell wine and beer but the great films should make up for it.
5 - Mary P.: This place is awesome.  I saw Natalie Merchant here last month, and i could not ask for a better venue.  It is a very intement place.  Acoustics sounded fabulous...but I'm sure it being Natalie Merchant made a difference.  You can definitely hear the power in her voice. I don't know if this happens all the time, but they even sell wine and beer!  I love that you can access it off the redline.  I'm all about returning to see some other events, or even just a movie!
5 - Bob S.: Three thumbs up !
5 - Michele G.: I can't believe that this is the first time I'm reviewing the Brattle. I've been coming here for what seems like half of my life. I've driven an hour and a half in rush hour traffic to see Mario Bava films. I've seen live music here (The Rachels) and have hosted independent film premieres and Q&As onstage here with BUFF. The comfy seats in the balcony feel like home, and the scent of popcorn wafting through the lobby and into the theater puts joy into my heart. Very few movie houses have curated series at this level. I hope this place stays in business forever.
4 - Quinn E.: Normally, I'm not much for the movies. I have Netflix and can watch movies in the comfort of my home, lounging on the couch rather than smooshed into the little seats at the Brattle. Maybe I have a fat ass, but my skinny friends felt squished too. Whatever, cozy seating isn't a big enough problem to overshadow the amazingness of this theater. Not only is it a historic institution, they also have unique events like everyone else already said. I saw a double feature of The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth recently. It was cool to see these on the big screen, even though I fell asleep during The Dark Crystal and David Bowie's codpiece was even more terrifying than it could ever be on a tv. Add some beer, some actual good coffee and freakin ice cream? Yeah, this place is absolutely worth visiting on a regular basis.
5 - Melissa W.: LOVE this place.  It took a little while to actually find it (right underneath the Algiers cafe), but once we did, I fell in love.  I love the old-school movie theaters... especially when they sell beer and wine! And if you just want some water, you don't have to pay $5 for a bottle... there's a little jug for you to have water for free.   
I went to see the 25 year anniversary showing of Back to the Future, and got seats up on the balcony.  How could you not love a movie theater that has a balcony??  Even the bathrooms were pretty cool, covered in old eclectic movie posters.  One gets a real sense of the history of Harvard Square in this place.  I felt like I went back in time, and I didn't even have to get in a Delorian.  
I don't know why it took me so long to see a movie here, but I will definitely be back.
5 - Romulo R.: There hardly ever is true love at first sight. You are most likely struck by lust. True love takes time, yes, it can move fast like a race car, most likely it slowly builds momentum, like a roller coaster, slowly building you up as you get close to the top. 

It has thus happened to me with the Brattle. 

Yes, it is clear across town. I need to get on a bus to get there, no midnight showing etc. But, the movies! What a selection! Their interesting concept is that they are always fresh. Always changing. Yes, I love steak, but I do not want steak every night. Give me something to look forward to, keep it fresh. This my friends, is what you can look forward to in the Brattle theater 

Pluses: Close to Harvard Red line t stop, serve Beer and wine, great movie selection, free Wifi. Great staff.  Double features.
5 - Shannon S.: I'd like to extend a big thanks to the Brattle for introducing me to "Grizzly Man". I am glad that I got to experience it for the first time on the big screen, seated in the balcony with a bag of yummy popcorn in my lap.

And a movie theater that sells beer AND wine. I love you. But don't get crunked because you have to walk by a whole section of movie-goers to get to the potty... and if you stumble, you'll look like a fool.

Can't wait for my next must-see!
5 - Ben K.: "The future of cinema is beer."

The Brattle Theatre has so many charms to its name that it's maybe unfair to lead with this one, but I'd be lying if I didn't say it was a draw. Beer. From the CBC.  And considering the mark-up at big chain theaters, you're probably paying the same for a movie and a beer here as you would for a movie and a soda elsewhere. Clearly one is a better deal.

The only downside of beer is, of course, having to always leave the movie halfway through to deal with your bladder. Oh well. Abstain if you want to. I wouldn't blame you, considering the Brattle's movie line-up is so phenomenal. I think that almost every night there's a new great movie that I'd love to see playing. You could almost take their calendar and throw a dart at it without ever being disappointed. 

It's also usually a great pick for that impress-your-date-that-you're-not-seeing-that-new-Julia-Roberts-George-Clooney-movie movie. You don't even have to go the pretentious hipster route. Sure, I've seen Metropolis (uncut!) and Mulholland Drive there to keep up my film geek cred, but I could have just as easily gone to the Back to Back to Back to the Future triple marathon, or not-quite-as-long-and-confusing film noir festival. Plop down on the balcony with your beers in front of you and enjoy the complete absence of children or annoying high schoolers. Wait for the lights to dim, suavely slip your arm around her shoulders, and enjoy.
5 - Epicurean G.: Great selection of movies--new, edgy, independent and Classic--in a small theatre with friendly people and a great concession stand.

Hard to find a more fun night out!
5 - Michelle S.: I went here for a documentary called "Sex in an Epidemic." No, it's not porn...though that was mentioned in the movie. 1) That's a good movie, so seek it out if you can. 2) Wow, how did I live here for four months and not know about this theatre?! More embarassingly, 3) How did someone back home, 3,000 miles away, know about a particular movie here that I did not?! Story for another time. 

This movie house is such a gem. It's cozy, has only one screen, shows excellent movies, often has events that center around those movies, and serves booze. I don't know what else to say to sell this place.

The part that amused me the most is that the screen is actually at the back of a stage. This made me wonder whether they sometimes have live performances here. (But I was too lazy to research and find out). If I turn out to fail at everything in life and end up writing that one-woman play, I would probably try to premiere it here. It's a small enough venue that if I only filled up the first row, I might feel like less of a loser because the theatre is small. But that's a story for another time. And this is also assuming that I couldn't premiere it at the now-defunct Parkway Speakeasy back home. 

Well, it's not totally perfect. The butter they put on their stale popcorn is kinda rancid. But movie theatre butter is bad for you anyway.
5 - danielle l.: I love The Brattle! Great movies, lots of wonderful events (Edgar Wright presenting Scott Pilgrim, Harvard Bookstore author talks, free movies!) and often have really great deals via Groupon or WFNX deals. Love their lineup of films. Great stuff! My favorite theater in Boston. :)
4 - Erinire A.: Love the idea of the Brattle but rarely go - I'm short, so the level floor presents a problem. That said, this theater is an absolute gem. Screenings of rarely-seen films, classic cinema, rare 80s finds, and local documentaries, plus you can even order a pint with your popcorn! Can't say that for the big chain outfits!
5 - matthew k.: Tom BAKER Dr WHo WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
That automatically makes its the best Theatre  around
4 - Michelle C.: I'm quite fond of the Brattle. I've been here twice for special events and always enjoyed myself supremely.

On one occasion, I watched the screening of a sketch comedy trio's submission to a festival of sorts. Delightful, indeed.

I was also please when I went to the Boston Society of Film Critics' annual awards last weekend, which featured a screening of Marwencol, a bizarre and compelling documentary that I believe they are continuing to show. 

It's not the most comfortable theatre but they feature limited releases and really excellent popcorn, so I say several thumbs up for the Brattle!
5 - John S.: Go here! Get a schedule and look out for something that peaks your interest. Although, I can think of many times were I thought the movie was going to suck, and it turned out to be one of my favorites. That happens a lot with films that are creative, deep, and well thought out. 

On that thought, they don't show a lot of big, Hollywood films, they did run Inception however. It's a great chance to experience something new in a really cool setting. The theater is like an old, school drama-classroom or something. They have a balcony too!
4 - Lisa S.: Amazingly, I've lived in Cambridge for about 5 years and hadn't made it to Brattle Theatre before last night. I received a groupon for here for Christmas- good for 8 tickets, 2 large popcorns and 4 regular sodas. It was a great deal for me, but also for them, cause it means my friends and I will finally make it here!

They only show one movie a night, and since my calendar was busy, I just showed up at the movie they were playing the night I was free. We ended up seeing 'The Strange Case of Angelica', which looked really good but we didn't end up liking that much. But this is one of those theaters where I would just show up (and would feel comfortable going alone) and watch whatever was playing- that's part of the fun of it. They don't usually show mainstream movies, and often do special events.

They have decent popcorn and serve beer/wine/coffee/tea/soda. They only have one screen, upstairs, and it is more like a stage, with balcony seating as well. The seats started out comfortable, but got much less comfortable an hour in. When I had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the movie, it was a bit awkward, because the bathroom is near the front of the theater and the floor creaks, so it felt like everyone in the theater was staring at me. But that's what makes it "quaint".

I'm really glad I finally made it to Brattle Theatre, and I can't wait to go back!
4 - Humberto A.: Good documentaries are shown here! If you don't mind being almost by yourself, that is! 

Saw one on Wlliam S Burroughs, author of Naked Lunch! It was great
5 - Bill B.: It's comforting knowing this place exists.
5 - Inna H.: One of the best movie theaters I have ever been to. This place is my comfort food.
I can't think of anything I don't like about it.
Has a great atmosphere. And the top level seats are the best!
5 - Jonathan B.: At least 3 times I week I ponder "What's playing at the Brattle Tonight?"  I wind up here a lot.  Super convenient access for T riders, and there is soda, popcorn, snacks, and beer/wine.  Oh yeah the films.....everything shown here is so well curated and eclectic it hurts.  Low brow, high brow, foreign, animated, advance screenings, its all here.  From the Repertory Series to the Documentaries, to the bargain double features I have a hard time staying out of this place.  I was teased in with a Groupon and I'll probably buy a membership at some point this year.
5 - Sukanya S.: Brattle is primarily an independent theater that screens a lot of documentaries. I've been there for two of these myself - The Examined Life and the more recent Nostalgia for the Light, both truly fantastic. 

The theater itself is slightly small though, it doesn't have as many seats as a typical chain theater would have, but that's because most of the movies screened here have smaller audiences than mainstream entertainment cinema. 

The ticket prices are very student pocket-friendly too - I can't think of the last time I paid 7.75 for a movie anywhere else. 

Located on the very charming Brattle Street in the very quaint but lively Harvard Square, Brattle Theatre is the very cute, cosy grandpa of all theatres. It beats all the AMCs everywhere in terms of the films it screens. Just a short walk down is LA Burdick for their delicious hot chocolate, a perfect winter accompaniment for a film at Brattle.
4 - Nick P.: No matter how much notoriety and praise this theatre receives, it will still always give you the feeling of having discovered a back-alley gem that only a few others know of amongst the bustling Harvard Square area.

Killer films of present-day and yester-year, amazing popcorn that some people just waltz in to retrieve a bucket of and be on their way, and local craft beer served...If you don't already understand why this little giant kicks the bloated buttocks of the mega-corpo theatres then you probably don't enjoy movies at all anyway.
4 - Anna R.: This theater is really mom & pop, cute, homey. It makes you feel kind of cozy, especially when you get home-sick. They show really neat films and have special opportunities--I saw Mystery Team about a year ago and they brought a couple of the creators in for a discussion after the movie!

Go to Casablanca next door for one of their mint coffees after a show!
5 - Dana-Zoe G.: I love this theatre - yes, it's a small accessible theatre, serving beer, wine, and concessions. Indie atmosphere is great, the personnel very helpful, a loyal sponsoring following,  and they host film festivals, double features, documentaries, indie first runs, with Q & A's and other events through the year. They Bring in the film
Artists and directors and also host other events from time to time. Their website calendar is indispensable. Located  near restaurants and 24 hr market.
4 - Jezzieo O.: Eclectic film showings and old-timey theater feel. I love this place. Plus - you can buy beer :)
4 - Caitlin F.: Though it pales in comparison to my beloved Castro Theatre, the Brattle seems to have a great line-up of classics and independent films. I saw Baby Face with Barbara Stanwyck and a W.C. Fields film there myself, and enjoyed it thoroughly. Anyplace that exhibits films like these has to get at least four stars from me, and if I lived in the area and saw more of what they have to offer, it truthfully might get five. 

(I also got a Twin Peaks shirt there; apparently they had a Twin Peaks event at some point, which would have been......AMAZING. Alas.)
5 - Andy F.: This is the place that launched the revival theater and created the Humphrey Bogart legend by showing his films as well as The Marx Bros and even 1943's BATMAN to college kids in the early 60s and made all new fans out of them.

They continue that tradition today by showing an eclectic mix of indie, classic and documentary films.  It's MUCH smaller than the similar COOLIDGE CORNER Theater in Brookline, with only one screen, but they manage to fit a lot into their schedule.

The Brattle is the stuff dreams are made of.
4 - Erin F.: Amateur and established film buffs, welcome home. This venue embodies what you'd expect of a small, independent and oddly unique theater to the extent that it borders on ridiculous. The theater boasts a calendar of cinema classics (Casablanca), black and white thrillers that gave rise to big time genres (Alfred Hitchcock films), documentaries, movies from your childhood (the dark crystal) and those movies that only my cinema nerd friends are aware of (Naked Lunch, my boyfriend's favorite movie). In short, a quick review of their calendar will make you feel nostalgic, interested, and woefully undereducated in the world of film.

I was first drawn to the Brattle when I found that they were showing one of my favorite movies of all time on the big screen. (Breakfast at Tiffany's). I love Audrey Hepburn like WHOA. And I knew that I HAD to get myself to one of the shows. Their site is easy to navigate and provides ample information re: movie times, descriptions, ticket options, directions, etc. I purchased the tickets online and was ready to go.

The theater itself is no frills and has an amazing old time feel to it. There are two levels just like a live theater, complete with grumpy muppet seats! (the seats where Statler and Waldorf sit. Google them Right Now  if you don't know who they are.) We always go for these seats. The quality of the film was great. They have snacks and beverages (including beer!) at the front by the box office, and they're not ridiculously priced like a regular theater.

Our first time at the theater, my boyfriend bought me a membership because I had immediately fallen in love with the theater. It felt like traveling to a different place and time where you could appreciate film away from the mass produced commercialization of mainstream hollywood. One can only watch so many movies about hangovers. 

Anyways, we have been to the Brattle theater on many occasions after this and cannot say that we've been disappointed. For before and after the show, you have all of Harvard Square to explore. Check it out sometime. There are movies for everyone!
2 - Jodi L.: Um, it is 7:55 and this movie was supposed to start at 7:30. I am all for the ambiance but am more of a fan of punctuality.
5 - K G.: A fantastic place to see some unique offerings right in Harvard Square!   I found the ticketing smooth and getting in and out was excellent as it's a small place to create that old-fashioned intimate viewing.  It seats 225 so if there is a newer movie coming, I would definitely get your tickets well in advance.   I went to a sold out show recently and the only thing I could complain about at all is the concessions are small and crowded here, although they do offer a good amount of snacks and drinks (including alcohol).   All tickets are under $10 adding to the value.
4 - Angela A.: More power to indie cinemas. 

This place is great for indie films, dusted-off classics, hilarious series ("Mind in the machine" was a good one), fun one-off events (the Battlestar Galactica miniseries night - complete with peeps in costume!), and awesome visits (I saw Guillermo del Toro here and I may have peed from excitement). 

Difficulties with the Brattle are:
- Terrible audio. I don't think I'm deaf, but I have tons of trouble hearing some of those older films (especially when I'm sitting in the balcony).
- You gotta really be on top of their schedule, checking it regularly to see what's on.
- Everyone and their mom (okay, probably their girlfriend) goes to see "Casablanca" on Valentine's Day, so just plan accordingly.

Oh yeah: and awesome t-shirts (I have the Dr. Who (Tom Baker!!!) one myself), sticky floors (I love sticky floors) and THEY SELL BEER.
5 - Hubert H.: Can't believe I haven't reviewed this yet. This theater carries a great selection of oldies but goodies, classics, foreign films, thematically-oriented screenings, etc. Being here demonstrates the way that films need to be seen, in a large hall, focused, and determined. For the best view, sit somewhere about 1/4 of the way from the front of the theater.

Consider a membership as well; can be used as a way to get your friend to come with you, at about $6 to $6.50 per screening. Also get discounts at local businesses with the Brattle membership, and discounts at the Coolidge in Brookline with the Brattle membership.
5 - Kelly O.: Disclaimer: I'm more partial to the Coolidge which is not only in my own 'hood but is bigger and allows for multiple choices at any one time... but the Brattle comes in a close second. It's a no-brainer to love this theater, with their great variety of classics (hello, original Muppet Movie sing-along), old school charm (awesome balcony), sale of beer (!), and independent spirit and community pride. I adore places like this.
3 - Jessica M.: Nice cozy theater; however, they need to install a few more restrooms!  During Twilight a week ago I found that I needed to use the restroom and had to literally run down a few flights of stairs into the concession area and was directed to run up two more flights to reach the restroom.  I was sweating by the time I returned to the movie and had missed a big chunk of it!  Prices are reasonable, the seats are comfortable, it just needs another restroom.
4 - Andy M.: An independent theater in the heart of Cambridge, the Brattle is large enough to handle respectable crowds but small enough that you feel like its a private theater.  Keep an eye on its schedule for those films you wanted to see but missed, and out-there flicks you never heard of.  Plus, they sell adult beverages you can take into the theater.
5 - edition o.: Love this place.  I don't typically partake in the concessions so I cannot speak to their quality but I love the intimiate space, the film quality, and the film selection.  A true neighborhood gem!
4 - Camille R.: It's a love hate relationship the Brattle and I have. On one hand, it's an independent theatre that offers a great selection of films... Most of the time. They strive to show films on film and when unable to do so they let you know.

My biggest gripe about this place is that they will show the same unknown, uninteresting film for two wks staight, they play the bugs bunny and Marx Bros. series every yr, and the damn popcorn is ALWAYS stale. I hate it.

But you can still find me at the Brattle almost every week and sometimes more than that - with the exception of those awful weeks mentioned above. I love you again.

Oh yeah, and what's with the addition of those awful cell phone, car, and television show commericals?? What happened to good old flashback trailers? I'd like to see more of that.
5 - Chris C.: Ah the Brattle. Where else can you see movies ranging from Casablanca to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? I mean the movie lineups are what make this place amazing. If you've always wanted to see some classic flick on the big screen here is your chance. Want to catch some art house film that Netflix doesn't carry? Then the Brattle is going to hook you up.

Of course the fact they serve beer and good beer at that doesn't hurt either.
4 - Nandanie R.: Cute artsy theater. Reminds me of the one at Coolidge Corner.

I give it 4 stars because it's pretty dirty. Don't get me wrong, I like it a whole lot, but it could have been a little cleaner. There were wrappers, chip bags, and empty bottles everywhere.

Other than that, love the location and selection of movies!!
4 - Peter B.: The Brattle is a one-of-a-kind place. Do you LOVE movies? This place is a sanctuary for cult cinema. There are very few places in the world like it. To appreciate this place filly one must get the printed calendar of events which is curated 6 times per year by creative director Ned Hinkle. This theater doesn't boast of surround sound, a flashy lobby, or luxurious rest rooms. It's rough around the edges and it's appeal is in it's unique programming.
The Brattle has great membership deals, beer and wine at the concession stand, an awesome location, and epic movies.
I'd give them the 5th star if they upgraded the sound system.
5 - Alan T.: The Brattle Theater is everything that a movie theater ought to be.
In addition, it has a great location, Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts,
so that it is worth the trip, even a long one, because in addition to the movie there is  lots of dining options, walking about the historic old streets, listening to street musicians, shopping, historic architecture, Harvard University, etc., etc.
The theater is accessible by public transportation, so don't worry about parking, just take a bus or the subway.
The theater itself is in a well maintained and very charming old building on Brattle St. It t is accessed beneath street level in an alley.
The tickets are purchased at a window outside. There is a very small concession area inside the entrance and then you ascend a narrow set of stairs to the small theater. There is balcony seating available. 
What makes this charming movie theater great is the schedule of films available. It is hard to describe because the movies are so varied. There are classics, cult, special interest, silent films with live music accompaniment, etc.. It is a movie lovers dream. 
For example, I just recently went to a double feature in honor of author H.P Lovecraft's birthday, "The Call Of Cthulhu" and "The Whisperer In The Dark". Both were excellent movies and the artistic director of both movies was present for the screening and gave a talk with Q & A during the break between movies. This was a one time showing and I'm gald that I was able to go. A great night at the movies.

Check the schedule regularly and there will be something for you on it and much that you would not be able to see anywhere else, even in a major metropolitan area like Cambridge/Boston.
5 - Micheal S.: Great independent theater in the same vein as Coolidge Corner.  Perfect for commoners and connoisseurs alike.  Also, no need to smuggle any contraband in your bag...they serve beer here.  What's not to like?
5 - Trevor S.: An institution for those who love films. As a student I had my mind blown watching Fallen Angels here. As a grown up I've had such fun at the Monty Python festival. (I guess not too grown up!)

This isn't the place with super-deluxe seats and THX certified sound. It's the place where you can order a beer and sit in a perfectly adequate metal folding chair 70s style. It's the place where the French film festival shows films in actual French. It's the place where Indie Game The Movie packs the place with every video game type in New England. 

Many a Friday afternoon, when faced with a weekend in town, I surf over to brattlefilm.org to see what's on offer. Miyazaki repertoire series? Early works of Truffaut? 

Love it. I hope it's around forever.
4 - Jay M.: The Brattle is a great institution that has gone through a lot over the decades I have known it. It's an essential part of life for serious film-lovers in the greater Boston area.  I give it 4 stars just because of what the Brattle stands for.

But what is the deal with some of the prints they get for exhibition? I recently attended a showing of "Vertigo" in the 'restored' version. This was a huge disappointment. The color was dull and interior shots lacked detail. The whole film looked murky. There were numerous scratches and even visible reel-change markers. Sure it's great to see a major film like this on the big screen, but only if the print is in good shape. At least the audience didn't sneer at the film this time, as they often have done, to show their moral superiority.  And several small kids in the audience behaved themselves.
4 - Su R.: I love the Brattle and I love thats it's close to me :) They show a lot of classic old films and films for some film festivals so its a favorite spot for indie lovers. 
  I do wish it was a bit more modern in appearance like the coolidge or kendall as well as more spacious like those. But as is it does have a certain indie appeal to it.
3 - J M.: I bit cheaper then most theaters but offers all the same movies and snacks as any of the others with a bit of that 'time gone by feel'

Bratz - Seattle, WA (47.664758, -122.314504) (University District)
4 - Nath, A.: A brand new bratwurst place, tucked away under Cedars in the U District. The menu is small but wordy; it may take you a moment to figure out what's what. Bratz is basically a hot dog -- excuse me, bratwurst -- stand: the menu consists of four or five items in various combinations. There's no seating; you can get your food packed to go, or in a napkin to eat as you walk.

Over the course of a couple of visits, I tried the red bratwurst, the wiener schnitzel, and the seasoned fries. Both the bratwurst and schnitzel came in small, chewy bread rolls. They were juicy enough to stand on their own without condiments, but I added some mustard to the bratwurst. (Alas, it turned out to be the standard, mild, yellow stuff.) The fries were thin, crispy, and heavily seasoned: tasty enough, but not particularly potatoey. Designed to be drowned in ketchup. A single order of fries was a massive amount of food -- I ate maybe a third of the box before I ran out of schnitzel. (Schnitzel, incidentally, is a fun word to say. Schnitzel schnitzel schnitzel.)

I shall probably be back, but not often. Bratz is a couple of dollars pricier than the other arteriosclerosis shops I frequent. The fare is better than much of the other fast food in the vicinity, but it's still fast food.

UPDATE:
OK, they do have actual mustard after all. It's entirely possible that they had it all along, and I didn't notice.

Both sausages are worth trying, but I think the red has the edge. I'm not a giant fan of the special, with chopped up brats and sauce on potatoes. Nothing wrong with it, but the sauce isn't all that interesting.

Still, I find myself stopping by for a brat or schnitzel often enough that I think I can justify a fourth star.
4 - Izzy H.: Yuuuummmy!!!!! :D 

I love hot dogs, I love bread thats crunchy but not so crunchy that it cuts your mouth into a thousand pieces. You know what I'm talking about, chewy rolls that are soft but you have to RIP into! :D 

Bratz are like hot dogs ... but a much more elevated version that tastes infinitely better. 

Its kind of a tucked away little place, but the people are friendly and the place is super clean [ when you peek in through the window ]. As for me? I just got the Red brat. Yuuuuuuuummilicious!!! Its got a kick to it, a great amount of seasoning, and you know how when you bite into the dogs it has that little po-P! from biting through the skin? ( heart ) thats you how can tell its a great dog - ... or brat in this case! 

Yuuuuuuuummmy!!! This is delicious and though its a little pricier than Costco hot dogs I have to say but its worth it! 

Oh! And I also got their roasted almonds ... and THAT is some kinda happy almond! Its cinnamon, tossed in melted (brown?) sugar and crunchy! Yum yum~ ! :D They also have elephant ears and I really want to try that and the potato salad. I'm sure I'll be kicking myself later on for spending $12 on fast food (seriously, izzy?) but it'll be so yummy I won't mind. 

P.s. on Fridays and Saturdays they are open until 10 p.m. so if you want to grab a small snack ... :D 

Also! They are giving out free souvies right now :D Spiffy ~ !
3 - Geoffrey R.: This place is pretty sweet.... I'm so stoked about being able to get a schnitzel sandwich in the U-District.  The bread they use is baked fresh daily, and the gotta couple of options; including a Pork & Beef Brat, and A Pork Only Brat, both of which come on the aforementioned bun. They also have a buncha combo plates, where they chopp up the brat and served it with fries or something. The brats are good... but the schnitzel sandwich it the thing that makes it for me. You can get it plain, or with this mushroom gravy sauce...which I highly rec omened.   The plain version is a little dry, and these cats, aside from a few mustard bottles, don't make with the condiments all that much.

You can get a Brat or Sandwich for under $5.00 making it slightly cheaper than old standby Shultzy's.  Actually, I'd file this somewhere between Shultzy's and Matt's Famous if you're looking for a hot beef (or Pork) injection, and you're hanging out in the University district.

I'm Out

GRR
5 - Mortimer S.: I thought I was standing beneath the Eberswalderstrasse elevated U-Bahn tracks in East Berlin eating at Konnopkes. 

Spicy curry-ketchup on pommes is beyond. "It's beyond!"
5 - Ron G.: German food prepared by real Gemans!  The Brats are very nice, high quality ingredients, the fries are well seasoned, the bread for the brats is just like in Deutschland too.  Their location, down in the basement a the corner across from Safeway isn't so great, and their signage is terrible but it's worth finding.  Try the potato salad too, oh and the roasted almonds they make (in the classic paper tutte) are also classic imbi food.

btw, they're at the corner of 50th and Brooklyn (not as shown on the map here)
4 - Isha Z.: LOTS of great German food for a relatively small price. 

You get  your food cooked on the spot while munching on delicious roasted almonds. 

Then as the smell wafts up from behind the little window you find yourself drooling as the incredibly nice man at the grill hands you your mountain of food.

Once you get home to eat, you find that you have not only a delicious dinner, but a delicious lunch for the next day as well - that is, if you can keep yourself from shoveling the food into your mouth at high speeds.

If that doesn't convince you, I have two words: Elephant Ears.

You heard right. The have Elephant Ears. Seattle must have built up some great karma to have a place like this roll into town!
4 - Jill L.: Maybe the pretzels are new to the menu because no one's mentioned them yet.  I felt compelled to include them in this discussion because they are the best pretzels I have ever had.  Ever.  They are the large soft type but they have a crispy outer crust that is perfect.  And they actually taste pretzel-ly, not just like spongy white bread.  They are wonderful!  

The brats are also very good, with the authentic rolls.  I'm a fan of the Special (currywurst) but if you're not into the ketchupy yellow curry thing I understand.  

Friendly, fast service!  I personally wouldn't lump Bratz into the fast food category; much better quality and a little more pricey.
5 - E H.: Very friendly. We had a awesome brat, almonds, an a pretzel. All were great! John the owner was very nice and helpfull.
5 - Christopher H.: Reminds me of home.  This is a nice little place to pick up some yummy German fast food.  I work in the U District and stopped by for lunch today.  The food is authentic and fresh.
4 - Robert S.: Awesome food to go 

Just had lunch here standing up as they don't have any sit down tables just a couple stand up high tables outside and a couple benches

I had a Schnitzel Sandwich and the BF had a Red Braut and we both had a Pretzel, all made fresh to order so be willing to wait for this good food

ask for the hot curry sauce to dip your Schnitzel in it rocks this is some home made sauce and it is damn tasty

they are gonna be opening a place in Burien in about 3 weeks were you can sit down and have a beer with your food I can't wait
5 - Greg M.: I got the red braut and pretzel. The braut was so tang tasty that really it didn't need the mustard and katsup I put on it. the little roll that was hugging it was so nice and chewy, not hard at all. And the pretzel? BEST DAMN PRETZEL! Again like the roll nice and chewy but not hard, just the right amount of salt and warm! I so can't wait till I can get another braut and pretzel in my tummy!
4 - Sarah B.: Quick, tasty, German food.  

I passed by the sign a few times and told myself I needed to stop and grab lunch one day.  Well one day finally arrived and I found myself at the ordering window.  

The staff was quick and attentive.  And offered free samples of their spiced almonds.  Yum!  We ordered a red and a white brat, with fries and a pretzel.  The fries were great and seasoned nicely.  I really enjoyed the white brat.  And was very pleased with the quality.

The pretzel really did overshadow everything.  They are phenomenal!  I highly suggest simply coming by for one.  Overall a great lunch stop.
5 - Dirk V.: As a German who has lived in the US for two years now, cravings for German food have become a pretty standard part of my life. When we lived in Chapel Hill, NC, I pretty much had to make all German-style food myself at home. 

But when I moved to Seattle recently, my German friends Ralf and Lars spoke in high praise of the Currywurst sausage (sliced red brat with curry ketchup sauce) at Bratz in the U-District.

I have to say, the Currywurst - or "Brat Special" as the menu calls it - is right up there with the best back home in Germany. 

Lars told me that the (South German) owners have all the sausages made fresh according to their own family recipe. I haven't tried the Schnitzel, but Lars said it's also home-made by the owner's mom. 

I noticed that the menu at Bratz is very tight, mostly focused on brats, schnitzel, fries and pretzels. I think this is done with freshness in mind - lots of German-style restaurants in the US have too many entrees, and there's no way they can all be offered fresh on a daily basis.

Bratz made me feel right at home in my new hometown and I'll sure try the Schnitzel next time.
4 - Lisa D.: Om nom nom nom nom.  That is the sound of me devouring a delicious brat! They have white (pork) and red (pork and beef).  We tried both and I decided I prefer the red; it has more of the traditional bratwurst flavor I adore, and went better with the sauerkraut and spicy mustard.  They are a bit messy to go with the kraut and mustard but the have a couple benches and stand up tables where you can park it and consume your delicious sausage.  I am looking forward to returning and trying the schnitzel!
4 - Yong L.: This hole-in-the-wall serves authentic German fast food.  I've tried nothing but the schnitzel (both the wiener schnitzel and the hunter mushroom schnitzel) -- pounded-thin filets of pork that are lightly breaded, deep-fried, and served in a fresh-made round roll.  Squeeze some lemon juice on top and you have a cheap ($5) delicious sandwich.  The hunter mushroom schnitzel is similar, except that the filets are dipped in a brown gravy with some mushrooms on top.

They have brats, as well, but I haven't tried them yet because I like the schnitzel so much.

(I just wish they served beer.)
5 - John K.: My wife is from Germany and she used to love eating at these little curry wurst stands on her lunch break.  Tonight I took her back 18 years and she loved it.  Bratz is the real authentic deal.  The stand is a true hole in the wall with no place to sit but the food is delicious and cheap.
4 - Krishna V.: Had a Red Brat Special here, good stuff. The "brat sauce" is curry-y and lemon-y.
5 - Christiane Z.: Love the food - very authentic and tasty. Having grown up in Germany and loving Schnitzel and Bratwurst, this little eatery serves German food as good as I remember it from my hometown's best butchers. Can highly recommend it. Yum!
5 - jim s.: Wow. Amazing -- and cheap! This is the kind of place that Guy Fieri would rave about! The schnitzel is just plain amazing.
5 - Blake A.: Most authentic German food this side of the Rhein! 

Bratz serves authentic German wurst, both red and white, in a manner typical of Berlin. The food is complimented by friendly staff, delicious candied almonds, and the iconic soft-pretzel. 

Future expansion, I have been told, will encompass a dining room with beer garden; as if the Berlin-style curry-wurst wasn't enough of a selling point! 

wenn man an Deutsches Essen denkt, soll man an Bratz denken!
4 - Mark R.: So it's 11am and  this strange feeling comes over me ... (no, not that one!) ... I just had to have a bratwurst. A quick check on Yelp pulled up the usual suspects - Uli's and the German deli in Pike Place market, but I didn't want to head into downtown (or cook them for that matter) ... and then I spotted Bratz in the Uni district. Good reviews, so why not?

Bratz is conveniently located on Brooklyn, just north of 45th. It's basically a store front, partially below grade with a bench and high table outside and a high table inside. It's very colorful and the menu is short, sharp and to the point. Brats (red and white), schnitzel, fries, pretzels, almonds and a few other items. I wouldn't call it small - let's say "focused" (smile).

The owner, Robert, is German and a nice guy. I chatted with him while munching on a red brat and the seasoned fries (which were ready in just a few minutes). For condiments, they have ketchup, curry ketchup, spicy brown mustard and (yuck) American yellow mustard. I also got a little side of the curry sauce too!

Verdict? The food is delicious! The fries may have been a hint saltier than I would like, but that's just me - I'm not keen on any salt on my fries! The brat was great - plump, juicy, the skin "broke" easily and the inside had a nice chunky meatiness to it (unlike the weird pink monotony of a hot dog!)

I will definitely be going again and trying all of the items on the menu!
4 - Natalie W.: The German Almonds and my heated homemade German pretzel were delicious. 

The little restaurant shop is a walk up window with no seating, but provides an area to stand in. The menu looked really tempting with all sorts of interesting sounding sandwiches (pork cutlet with mushrooms anyone?), but I went with the pretzel due to a time crunch. 

The pretzel was ready in under 5 minutes. There was mustards and ketchup available for using as toppings. 

I am curious about how the German food tastes at this quaint restaurant, and encouraged by the quality of the pretzel I ordered, so I have a feeling I will be back. 

FYI's~ 
* There are a few benches on the sidewalk that are available to sit and eat your takeout 
* The food is typically all under $5 al carte 
* The German almonds are savory sweet
4 - Michael H.: To avoid ridiculous walks and long lunches I normally have a strict rule about always having lunch south of 45th St closer to work. I've walked by this place at other hours and it always seemed appealing, but not RIGHT then. Today I was out at the U-District Street Fair and all the food was so expensive and the lines were so long and I thought maybe now is the time for Bratz! And it was, oh, yes it was.

The regular brat comes on a big crusty spheroidal roll such that the ends are sticking out on either side. There are a variety of mustards and ketchups for your use. It is juicy and good and cheap ($4). They are building indoor seating and obtaining a liquor license, so come June there might be a nice place to watch soccer inside.

There are so many German stamps in my passport that the last time I entered the immigration official greeted me with a "zo, do you live in Germany?" I feel qualified to say that Bratz is better than many of the bratwurst stands I've visited in the Bundesrepublik. It's also the best sausage-like meal I have had in the north U-District. Much better than regular hot dogs at Taste of Chicago or Po Dog (dear god, $7 for a thin regular hot dog, not even a real sausage, I am never doing that again). The sausage at Shultzy's might be a tiny bet better, but Bratz is a fair bit cheaper. And the last few times I went to Shultzy's, it took so long to get my meal that I now realize it is faster just to walk 10 blocks each way to Bratz. This means Bratz is now a notable exception to my south-of-45th-only rule.

Save some room for ice cream at Full Tilt around the corner!
5 - Brett W.: OK I cant begin to describe this places level of awesomeness. They have wooden Pomme Frites forks. Awesome!! 

The food is authentic and the best damn German food in Seattle. I should know as I lived in Germany. The Brats are so flavorful and I almost always get the curry wurst. It will rock your world. The schnitzel is also as good as it gets and dont forget the Pommes Frites easily the best in Seattle. The reason that this place is so GOOD is that it is run and owned by a German family. Their love of the food shows through.  

I should also state that for those of you who have not been here for awhile you need to come back. They have expanded and now have indoor seating, a TV playing German Soccer and of course Sounders games and will soon have German beer. The menu has been expanded and they have like twice as many items as before.
5 - Rob G.: Wow.  I didn't know what to expect, but it (schnitzel) was really good.  They used to be just a window, but now they have a dining room.
4 - Carol S.: As a first generation American of German parents, I was thrilled to find Bratz and visit its new dining room.  I was hoping the food would be authentic (as we'd recently been to Feierabend, where the food was decidedly NOT authentically German!).  We were very, very happy with Bratz!  The food was delicious, the environment was decidedly German, and the owners were AMAZING!  We will be back -- wieder und wieder und wieder!!
4 - Michael N.: I've been to Germany on a few different occasions and am hooked on schnitzel and spaetzle.  We tried it this afternoon.

I had the hunter (yaeger) schnitzel with spaetzle and potato salad (substituted for red cabbage).  The schnitzel was good, the spaetzle was good, and the potato salad was definitely German.  My only complaint: the hunter sauce was a little thin and there was too much of it, with the whole place swimming in it - great for the spaetzle, but not for the potato salad, and only somewhat so for the schnitzel.

My wife and daughter had the wienerschnitzel, which was very good, with spaetzle and red cabbage.  (I'd definitely recommend this one.)

My son tried the currywurst, sausage with a somewhat-spicy curry sauce (basically a spicy ketchup).  If you've ever had one of these in Berlin, this was dead on.  It was interesting that they sliced up the sausage though (good for my son, but doesn't match the Berlin experience).  This was served with fries, thin, crispy, and seasoned nicely, but there was quite a bit of curry sauce that got on those too - the sauce is fine, but I don't really like it on fries.  It would be nice to separate the two and let me choose to put some on the fries (they have a bottle of the curry sauce on the table).

They also have sandwiches (the wienerschnitzel sandwich would be great), soft pretzels, roasted almonds (given to us as we were leaving as a thank you gift), elephant ears, etc.  They have some daily specials as well; today they had roulladen, but were already sold out at 2:30pm when we got there.

Their indoor seating now has space for probably 20-30 people.  All entrees are less than $10.  Portion sizes are good (not huge).  This is a very casual place, with a large-screen TV (watching the UW game while we were there) and some rather large wooden furniture.

If this were as good as the German gasthaus meals, I'd give it five stars.  It's not quite that good, but still the best I've found in the Seattle area.
5 - Norskie S.: Love the schnitzel. red cabbage, and spaetzle bowls. Love the new little indoor dining room. They'll be seeing more of me this winter!!
5 - Tassa T.: Don't let the name fool you - Bratz isn't just another hook-em-with-a-cute-name U-district dive. This place is the real deal, serving up plump, delicious sausage and succulent spaetzle in a surprisingly classy joint. This close to the ave, most restaurants look like grimy cafeteria rejects...so imagine my surprise to walk out of the rain and into this immaculate, tastefully decorated little cafe. Bratz boasts more seating than its basement location seems to imply, and I was glad to see soccer on the large flat screen tvs.

The food is the real star here though - the schnitzel is crispy and wonderful, and the special recipe sausages are the best I've had in Seattle. I was so glad to see decent red cabbage for once, too...some places I've been to turn it into unpalatable slime. Hooray for Bratz bringing us the good stuff in a cafe so close to home. I'll be glad to come here whenever I'm craving decent German food :)
5 - BJ P.: This was my GO-TO spot when I lived in the U-District.  The best German food you'll find in America. The folks that run it are super nice and the food is great, authentic, and affordable.  Brats are excellent and the schnitzel: superb.  If you're in the district, you're cheating yourself if you don't check out this place.
3 - Liz S.: The brat with beef instead of pork was ok, but as I am unfamiliar with German food I can't really compare it to anything else. The restaurant seems clean and maybe it was a language barrier but the woman behind the counter seemed bewildered that I would ask if there were any bratz or schnitzels with no pork (I try not to eat pork if I can avoid it), until the guy who was in the kitchen came out and explained that the only meat dish with no pork was the German-style hamburger. Kind of a bummer but I guess that's how it goes.

Two negatives about this place: 1) they cook your food to order (a good thing so you know it's fresh) but depending on what you order it takes a while even when they are not busy, much longer than your typical grab-and-go restaurant in the U-district; and 2) while I would assign this restaurant a $ for being less than $10, a schnitzel and fries to go will cost you just under that, pretty expensive for what I consider a glorified hot dog.
3 - Victoria C.: I love that this place is actually run by a German. Way to keep it authentic. I ordered the currywurst plate with fries and at first was a little disappointed because my brat was sliced and covered in a red curry sauce rather than served dry on a bun. Then I re-read the menu and realized it was my mistake for ordering clearly what I received.

PROS:
1. Friendly staff. When I realized my dish didn't come with bread, I simply asked the guy in the back if I could please have a roll. He didn't charge me for it. Just gave me one!

2. Good fries. Well seasoned.

3. Lots to choose from. Brat plates with sliced dogs in sauces. Or dogs on buns. Fries. Spatzle. Schnitzel. Apple turnovers. Elephant ears. Etc.

CONS:
1. A wee bit too much sauce on my brat.

Next time I'll try a brat on a pretzel bun, and an elephant ear. Oh, and the sugar almonds wrapped in tissue paper like you'd get at the fair!
4 - Anne B.: It'd be easy to walk by this place without noticing it's there. Tucked slightly below grade level in the same building as Cedars, it served to fill the craving that I've been having with unnerving frequency lately: German-style soft pretzels. 

Bratz's variety comes out so hot in its a paper sleeve (that is, if you request it "to go") that you can barely hold it for the first few minutes without searing your flesh. When it's cool enough to bite into, you discover an extremely pleasing blend of salty, crusty, soft. The sweet mustardy dipping sauce with a hint of curry spice offers a fitting complement.

I'm on a mission to try all the soft pretzels in Seattle, but I may not need to venture much further after my experience at Bratz. Craving: fulfilled. 

(And next time, I'll have to try some of the other fare as well--the chocolate pudding kuchen and various bratwurst/schnitzels look enticing and harken back to my beloved Deutschland visits.)
3 - Ricky K.: never had authentic german food so I wouldn't know how authentic this place is, but the guy working there had a german accent and would end every sentence with "my friend" so it seems pretty authentic to me. 

The food is pretty good, nothing spectacular, I had a basket of french fries, a bratwurst on top with ketchup all over it...it was a real culinary masterpiece.
4 - April W.: My only real complaint about this place is that after two days of having the picture of a vanilla pudding dessert dish taunt me, they were all out:( However this place is delicious and that alone gave me a reason to come back.
5 - Ralf W.: What an awesome find! Bratz is the real thing. I grew up in Germany and know a good Currywurst when I eat one and the Wiener Schnitzel totally takes me home. Everything, event the Almonds, is high quality and made according to the German recipes. Good chance you will run into me when you go check it out, because I am going to be a regular.

Five stars. Highly recommended!
5 - Patrick S.: Best German food in Seattle and maybe even the state. I've gone to Berlin four times and this is very similar in taste to what you'd find there. The main difference is that you get much bigger portion sizes at Bratz than what you'd get in Berlin. The Currywurst is fantastic. They slice it up just like they do in Germany, keeping it authentic. I've also had the hunters schnitzel. It's very good and once again similar to what you'd find in Germany.

The owner is great. You can really tell that he's passionate about what he's doing. I was in there today and he was speaking German to customers, singing, and just doing a great job of interacting with everyone. This is definitely my go to place now.
5 - Rose S.: Oh, warum habe ich nicht hier früher kommen!!

Immer wenn ich nach dem Ave gefahren in den letzten Monaten habe ich Bratz erwischt haben aus dem Augenwinkel und dachte: "Ich muss wirklich an diesen Ort Besuche"

Jetzt weniger als eine Woche fern von sich bewegenden nach Japan Ich bin froh, dass ich endlich getan!

Also zurück zu den Sternen:

Star verdient für Standort: Nice location. Auch wenn es eine Art Keller ist es sehr hell und komfortabel. Sie haben Fußball auf dem TV und würde ein großer Platz für eine Gruppe von Menschen oder einfach nur sich selbst oder vielleicht auch ein Freund sein.

Star verdient für sein Deutsch. In der Tat der Mann, nahm meine Bestellung ist aus der gleichen Zeit bin ich aus in Deutschland! Plus sie waren super freundlich.

Star verdient für Abwechslung. Das Menü ist einfach aber bietet eine große Auswahl. Es ist wirklich für alle Arten von verschiedenen Gäste ausgelegt. Wer Möglicherweise müssen Sie zum Mitnehmen kann ein Schnitzel Sandwich bekommen, oder eine Wurst. Für diejenigen, die ein bisschen mehr Zeit aber nicht viel nutzen Sie die Currywurst (gegessen mit den kleinen hölzernen Gabel) oder eine der Schalen haben kann. Für diejenigen, die ein bisschen sitzen kann eine volle Mahlzeit. Es gibt auch viele Leckereien wie gebratenen Mandeln Süßigkeiten! Ahh wie zu Hause.

Star verdient nach Preis: Billige! Sehr günstig!! Der Preis ist gut für die Menge des Lebensmittels und Sie sicher gehen voll. Aber sie geben euch nicht so viel Nahrung, dass es unmöglich ist, sie zu essen alle, egal wie sehr man es versucht. Die Portionen sind genau richtig und auch den Preis wert.

Star wohlverdienten für die Lebensmittel selber. Oder zumindest für den jageur schnitze mit spaetzel und Lilakraut. Ein wenig anders als das, was ich zu verwenden. Das Schnitzel war ein bisschen würzig und die Soße war nicht so sauer wie ich bin zu verwenden. Aber eigentlich ist ok Ich habe es geliebt! Es schmeckte so gut. Ehe ich mich versah hatte ich fast meine ganze Platte gegessen, bevor ich es realisiert. Es war nicht schwer. Das Schwein war dünn genug geschnitten und alles Fett entfernt wurde so schön und hell war. Welche war schön, da es mein Frühstück war.

Liebe diesen Ort!









Oh why didn't I come here sooner!!!!

Whenever I have driven down the Ave the past few months I have caught Bratz out of the corner of my eye and thought "I really need to check that place out"

Now less then a week away from moving to Japan I am glad I finally did!

So lets get down to the stars:

Star earned for location: Nice location. Even though it is kind of a basement it is very bright and comfortable. They have football on the tv and would be a great place for a group of people or just yourself or maybe a friend. 

Star earned for being German. In fact the guy who took my order is from the same time I am from in Germany! Plus they were super friendly. 

Star earned for variety. The menu is both simple but offers a wide selection. It is really designed for all kinds of different diners. Those who might need to grab and go can get a schnitzel sandwich, or a wurst. For those who have a bit more time but not a lot can get the curry wurst (eaten with the little wooden fork) or one of the bowls. For those who can sit a bit have a full meal. There is also plenty of treats including roasted candy almonds!!! Ahh just like home. 

Star earned for price: Cheap!!! Very cheap!!!! The price is good for the quantity of food and you certainly leave full. However they don't give you so much food that it is impossible to eat it all no matter how hard you try. The portions are just right and well worth the price. 

Star well earned for the food itself. Or at least for the mushroom schnitzel (jageur schnitze in Germanl) with spaetzel and purple cabbage. A little different than what I am use to. The schnitzel was a bit spicy and the sauce wasn't as sour as I am use to. But actually that is ok I loved it! It tasted so good. Before I knew it I had eaten almost my whole plate before I realized it. It wasn't heavy. The pork was cut thin enough and all the fat was removed so it was nice and light. Which was nice since it was my breakfast. 

Love this place!
4 - Elena M.: I had lunch with a friend today who suggested we go to Bratz.  I had never been, but was keen to give it a go.  I am very glad we went.

I went with just the basic (white) brat and fries.  I have never been to Germany, so cannot speak for its authenticity.  But, I do know it was good.  Very flavorful.  It was served on a standard size (round) sandwich bun instead of a hoagie roll, but that was just fine.  The roll was was very tasty and the extra carbs were not missed.  The fries were fine -- not the greatest I've had, but certainly not the wurst.  (Get it?  The "wurst"?  At a German place?  I'm sorry.)   I did like, though, getting to top them off with the curry-flavored ketchup that graced our table.

It is an order at the counter and then have a seat kind of place.  The service was very friendly and our meals were served up quickly.   Unfortunately, that may have in part due to the fact that place was nearly empty.  It was a bit past prime lunch time, but not too much past (about 1:15 PM).  I hope that is not par for the course.  I want people to go here so it will still be there the next time I want to go.

And, there'll definitely be a next time.  I want to check out the schnitzel with the curry sauce.  Or maybe the schnitzel with the mushroom sauce.  Guess I'll have to go back more than once...
5 - Jim U.: This is a great place.  The pretzel roll - white bratwurst sandwich was perfection. Will definitely go back next time I'm in town.
5 - Colin D.: This place is amazing! They really only do one thing and that's make really, really tasty traditional German brats. Hopefully when you go you will run into the owner who speaks in a thick German accent and will tell you about where he's from and chat with you for a long time. If you speak a little German (which my wife does) he'll treat you even better.

The brats come with a little round traditional German roll which has the brat sticking out either end a considerable amount, but the rolls are amazing and freshly made. The brats are delicious and you get your choice of white or red brat. I slightly prefer the white, but both are much better than the standard "brat" you get elsewhere in Seattle. They have packets of regular mustard, but they also have spicy mustard which is much better in squeeze bottles. If you're taking it out make sure to put some on before you leave, rather than be stuck with crappy yellow mustard.

They also have candied nuts (I think pecans) which the owner gave us for free one time we went that made a really great slightly-salty, but mostly sweet desert.

I haven't been back since they opened the little seating area, but that should fix the one problem this place had which was that it had no place to sit. You could really only carry it out or stand around.

Oh, one more thing, this place is cheap! Like two people can eat for $10 cheap. It's really hard to complain about good, simple traditional German food at that price. Go here, eat the brats, be happy!
5 - Christina B.: The food was amazing, the prices unbeatable, and the staff extremely friendly. I ordered the Hunter's Schnitzel (a giant fried cutlet covered with mushroom sauce) with spaetzle (noodles) and sweet red cabbage. It really was too much food, so a small person could easily just order the significantly cheaper spaetzle, red cabbage, and schnitzel bowl (which is identical to the plate, but just comes with a few strips of the meat on top). Also worth a try: a bratwurst inside a pretzel. The food is fresh and authentic, including their rolls and pretzels which taste like they are freshly baked. It's like a fastfood place where you order at a counter, but wait staff will bring your meal out to you. They were very attentive. Plus the atmosphere is great--If you want to catch a soccer game on TV this is the place to go!
5 - Ian A.: The guys who run this place are great. After discussing my love of curry ketchup, they sold me a bottle. The food is delicious, the prices are reasonable and... 

Look, I'll be honest. I want this place to do well because they serve currywursts. Currywursts are amazing, and if another place that serves it closes, I am just going to lose my sh!t.
5 - Jenny L.: Leckeres deutsches Essen!! I lived in Germany for 2 years and this place was a bit of 'home' for me. I had a Koelsch with my Currywurst and Jaegerschnitzel mit Spaetzle und Rotkraut. The helpings were plentiful and perfect for 2 to share. I can't wait to try the other menu items. The owner was friendly and it was great to be able to put my German to use. I will be back! My only peeve? I wish it were closer to my house so I could go more often.
5 - Sean E.: Let's talk about the "new" Bratz.  There is now seating, German beer, German television, a radio usually set to the 90s station, and a menu with more than four items on it. The menu is still fairly compact, but I appreciate the fact that the goal is more to do what they do well than to do everything. 

Pretzels were added early on, and I'm sad that I haven't been ordering them since they first appeared on the menu.  Newer dishes particularly worth trying include the schnitzel cordon bleu and the schnitzel with peppercorn cream sauce..  There's nothing particularly cutting-edge on the menu, but almost everything is satisfying and the overall quality level far exceeds the average for the neighborhood.  For food that's filling and satisfying without being heavy, Bratz remains a winner.
4 - Avivos S.: awesome schnitzels and pretzels!
5 - Karen D.: Bratz rocks the house, serving up delicious German food like piping hot sausage on a fresh baked roll and proper sauerkraut. Add your own curry ketchup and/or Dijon mustard and mmmmm! When we arrived there was a German-speaking family eating lunch there, which should say something about the food being authentic.

They aren't "McDonald's" fast, but they're worth the wait. They have indoor seating with VERY sturdy rustic wooden tables and chairs, German TV,  radio tuned in to the "retro" station, and a decent number of offerings considering their small size. Prices were quite reasonable, particularly given the fresh, quality food they offer. The owner is friendly and helpful, which is a big plus. Highly recommended to anyone who likes German food (or is willing to try)!
4 - Austen D.: i decided to try Bratz after reading some reviews, and i feel like everyone is raving over their curried ketchup. but don't come to Bratz JUST for the curried ketchup.

no, come to Bratz for their fine, fine sausage. and all of it looked good. i decided that wrapping my lips around a red - or beef - bratwurst would definitely be the best way to go, so i got a brat with sauerkraut, fries and a beer. 

another reason to try Bratz is because the guy behind the counter has a heavy german/austrian accent. this means:
     a) he's gotta know what he's talking about
     b) he's gonna recommend me a great beer
     c) he may be the guy from Die Hard

i've been doing, what i call the beer roulette lately. i tell the bartender to surprise me with a beer they have on draft. i'm sure they're pouring me the most expensive ones on tap, but who doesn't like trying new beers?

anyhow, the guy asks me if i'm in the mood for a light or a dark (weisse or dunkel, if i remember correctly from my college trip to heidelberg). i tell him dark and he hands me a Maximiser. it's 7.5% but no bite, just like i remember those lovely german beers...which leads me to yet another great reason to go to Bratz - you can get really hard-to-find but really good german beer.

the wait for food was probably about 10 minutes - but good sausage needs time to cook, right? the brat finally hits my table and it looks awesome - but the bun, to my delight, is about 1/3 the size of the length of the bratwurst! it's a meat-asterpiece! it's a vision of meat-donna! it's one of the 10 wonder-wursts of the  world! so much sausage, so little bun, so genius!

so i take the advice of everyone on yelp! who has reviewed this place and pour a heaping blob of curry ketchup on the my brat-tip and chomp down. the brat is awesome. they've got natural casings so they snap when you bite into them, which i love. the meat is juicy and perfectly spiced - not spicy like an italian sausage, but with a good, solid, bold flavor.

so yeah the sausage was awesome. what wasn't awesome was the curry ketchup. i guess it's just not my thing - i've always been a mustard guy. ever since i can remember, mustard was the condiment of choice for me. so i put down the curry ketchup picked up the bottle of spicy-brown goodness and bites 2-11 were perfection.
5 - Cait G.: Bratz is the hidden gem of the u district. Nestled under cedars, this restaurant is too often overlooked.

This was my first encounter with German food, and I am far from disappointed! It's what I imagine down home German cookin' to be. Even the staff exude hospitality. I felt as though I had stepped into their home kitchen. The food took a little long to come out of the kitchen, but We could tell it had come fresh out of the oven!

My tip: Bratz pairs perfectly with a rainy Seattle day and a good German beer!
5 - Martin K.: Although the name is off-putting to the German ear, this little daylight basement restaurant is as authentic as your grandma's Sauerbraten. Egged on by my son, who sniffs out these good deals, I finally stopped by to sample. First visit, I tried the Currywurst (a roadside (Imbiß) dish that GIs dote on but is virtually unknown south of Munich). OK, so it's a nice, not spicy Wurst covered in a mix of curry sauce and lots of ketchup  -  not haute cuisine, nor even up to Gasthaus standards. Price was right. Was shocked to the core to see photos of Bratwurst held prisoner by a bland-looking soft round bun. Sacrilege! Faux pas! Clearly an American custom has sneaked in the menu  -  German Wurst always is displayed proudly NEXT to the bread, not encasing it. Remember that, travelers. 

My second visit (with my son) was much more satisfactory. I gamely ordered the Schnitzel platter with Spätzle and Rotkraut, confident that the kitchen could not meet my high standards. What a revelation: the two (2!) breaded pork cutlets that made Vienna famous were perfectly seasoned, with breading intact, and well-pounded, yet juicy tender (mürb we call it in Austria). Accompanied by the required slice of lemon, a flawless execution of the red cabbage  -  not too sweet, not overcooked, with a good red wine taste. Try that anywhere outside of the Alpenland and you will be lucky to hit one of three. This is a home run at less than $9 per plate! 

I talked with the owners and tried their version of another Austrian standard, the Gulaschsuppe. This often very spicy thinner version of the Austrian/Hungarian national dish Gulyás was a bit too minestrone-like and the bits of tomato and onions are not found in an authentic Gulaschsuppe, because the classic recipe uses tomato paste and the onions are caramelized and reduced to the lovely deep red sludge so beloved by Gulasch- and chili-heads alike. Also was a little light on the caraway. A Gulaschsuppe also gets its heat from a proper Debreziner (like a Frankfurter, but packing HEAT). But then again, there are many variants of Gulyás and many ways to reach a higher culinary state.  And I haven't found a Debreziner anywhere in this town. 

The owners are from the Pfalz (Zweibrücken) so for the Palatines the wine selection would be first choice. But this is a beer joint, and the selection is as authentic as the Schnitzel platter I consumed. They also make their own pastries, so I will try these next time. Meanwhile, take my word  -  at last a good, friendly German place with authentic dishes, German TV and an astounding bargain all around! Hut ab!
5 - Christina M.: My husband met the super nice owner of this gem while walking our dog. Funny enough they are both German and they then of course struck up a convo (I have no idea what they said to each other). The end result, we now get to eat German food, not made by me, and it's really good. 

I love the Jaeger Schnitzel mit spaetzle.

My husband loves the currywurst. 

Our 5 year old loves the bratwurst and fries.

It's all great and the service is very friendly!
3 - Lolia S.: Gourmet German food including schnitzel, sausages, spaetzle, fresh baked soft pretzels, German style hamburger, fries smothered in curry sauce,  beer and currywurst...and even various combinations of the above. They have red and white curry sauce, as well as a mushroom hunter sauce.

* Wiener pretzel ($6.95) with curry sauce (50 cents extra):  The pretzel takes forever to bake or heat (20 minutes?). The sandwich is simple (schnitzel, lettuce, tomato, curry sauce) but shines because of the giant, thin, hot, schnitzel (pork cutlet). Why did I think the red curry sauce would be good? It was too salty and not a good combination of spices. 

However, I loved that schnitzel...crisp, non-greasy exterior, light breading, juicy interior, full of flavor. The pretzel wasn't the best choice because the inside became soggy. I suggest trying their roll or ordering schnitzel not served in a roll. 

The tables are massive wooden picnic style. Each table gets a bottle of curry ketchup and a German flag. They had a soccer game on TV. Great value, homemade German comfort food...but the food takes forever...what happened to German efficiency?
3 - Bob G.: German made fast, and it tasted that way. I've never had a bratwurst with gravy before. It was OK. So were the sides. My wife had the hunters mushroom snitzle. She said that it was over done. They only have bottled beer. Nothing on draft. Parking was across the street in the community center parking lot. All of the neighboring merchants threaten to have you towed.
5 - alicia w.: This place is stellar.  The schnitzel cordon bleu is delicious!  I don't think I've ever got anything different.  I always order it with a big pile of that delicious pickled cabbage.  They now have a nice selection of bottled German beers.  My husband likes the Jever and I always get the Radeberger.  They are both good!  The pretzels are amazing baked fresh right there.  I almost always order one when I'm half-done with my dinner and it is piping hot and ready for me to have for desert!  The curry mustard that it comes with is fantastic!  I do NOT like mustard (ask my husband) but this stuff is so good and it goes wonderfully with their pretzel (with extra salt)... and beer... oh now I'm hungry!
5 - Siolo T.: Great food, friendly people, good value for the price. My son loves it and they always remember him and his favorite dish.
5 - Bettina C.: I first tasted the Bratz food at an event that they catered. I was raised in Germany and had longed for the country's authentic food since I had not been there in over 30 years. When I first tasted the bratz and then the veal schnitzel I was taken back to my younger years and have been going back ever since. I take my friends, my family and we just eat as many bratz and pompfrits as we can before we leave gorged. The portions are big, the food tastey and the setting authentic. Every now and then I'll try a German beer. It is the combination of beer and bratz that make my eyes roll back to the back of my head as I recall my living in Germany all those years ago. Thank you for creating such an authentic experience of German food! ~ Bettina
5 - Marcus T.: Ohhhhhh mama this place is good. I don't give 5 stars often but I really like this place. It's almost hard to write about it without salivating all over my keyboard. The wienerschnitzel! The curry ketchup! Bratwurst. Fries. I just can't say enough. OH and they have really authentic beer that my partner (who has been to Germany 3 or 4 times and lived there during college) said he has never seen outside of Germany before, even at bars that specialize in eastern European beer!

There is simply no reason for you not to go here. Unless of course you don't like German food or beer in which case we can no longer be acquainted.

Essen hier!
4 - Georgie M.: One place that definitely has made it to my list of places I would recommend in the U District, in just my first visit.

A sudden craving to eat sausages while we were  roaming around the U District contemplating dinner options is what brought my friend and me to Bratz. Walking in we were skeptical as to what to expect from the restaurant as it is located away from the hustle bustle of University Boulevard around 3 streets west on 50th. It is easy to miss the place even the it is on the corner of the street as the restaurant is kind of located between the basement and the first floor and you have to walk down a ramp to enter the restaurant.

Once inside, we were greeted into the restaurant and it at once gave you the vibe of being at a neighborhood place and without all the flash and glitz the simplicity of the place is refreshing and welcoming. The food is of great quality with the entire menu being in someway or the other uniquely German. It is a carnivores delight especially their curry sausage, schnitzel, spaetzle, fresh baked soft pretzels, German style hamburger and fries smothered in curry sauce. You just have to try all of them one at a time to appreciate the taste. The food also is able to bring out a distinctly different favor profile to your palate. To top it all off the place does not wreck havoc with your wallet, which is always appreciated.

The always gives me the feel of being a family run establishment with the owner of the place being at the restaurant on most days. They are always welcome and the first time I was there they threw in the curry wurst as complementary just for the fact that it was our first time there.
4 - Valerie S.: Easy to find w/ available parking. Quaint, authentic German atmosphere--pine walls and furnishings.  Really clean & comfortable.  Food is excellent.  The curry white brat is delicious and not spendy.  Will definitely go again.
5 - Jacob M.: We had the Currywurst (hot pork sausage, curry ketchup over fries) and the Hunter schnitzel (schnitzel with mushroom gravy, spaetzl and red cabbage).  Both were fantastic and fresh!  The service was great and they have a huge variety of dishes to try.
5 - Diana C.: Love the German sausage! Love it even more when it's super delicious and spicy!!! The currywurst is awesome!

Went with some German friends and they say that this place is legit. The owners/chefs are from Germany and really know their stuff. 

It's located "under" Cedars one block off University Way on 50th. They have communal seating like in German pubs and they have soccer playing on the TVs. They also have good German beers to add to the merriment. :-) Can't wait to go back! I will definitely be back sooner than later! Yum!!!
5 - Russ v.: Northern European soul food at it's simple best.  Just honest volksfood at a good price.  You don't have to be German to love this stuff, but it sure hits the spot for those of us who are.
3 - Jon L.: October and German food, preferably with some beer seems to go hand in hand. As it gets colder out, I seek out more hearty fare and German cuisine is known for that.

Bratz (no relation to the dolls) is what I would call a fast casual restaurant. It is not a fast food joint, but it is informal enough that it is not really a sitdown place. You order at the counter and if you decide to dine in, your food will be brought to you.

The menu is very reasonably priced. I don't think that I saw anything above $10 even for a combo. It is competitive with the restaurant pricing of other places in the U-District. The menu is simplistic as it involves primarily of different varieties of sausages and schnitzels in sandwich and entree form.

I decided to give the #15 combo ($7.95), red currywurst with spaetzle and red cabbage (rotkohl) a try. The red currywurst is sausage made with beef and pork and doused with a curry ketchup sauce. I found the currywurst to be alright, but nothing out of the ordinary. I think I will give the schnitzel a try next time.

As for the spaetzle and red cabbage it compared pretty similarly to the ones that I had at Tizley's in Poulsbo. Except I found the red cabbage to be better here, while the spaetzle was not as flavorable. The sauce that the spaetzle had a mushroom flavor that I thought tasted kind of bland.

For the price and decent ambiance, Bratz is a great place to try German cuisine out. Will be back to try their schnitzel.
3 - Elizabeth W.: It snuck under Cedar's Restaurant, you have to go below with the reclining steep platform and walk down to finally discover this place. On the window, it has a red flashing pretzel sign, so just go for that because the exterior appearance isn't so noticeable. 

Whilst entering this spot, it contains one booth facing the creme walls or individual heavy duty wooden tables like the ones in olden German pubs. Good choice to use this type of furniture. The counter is simple with a guy in their own merchandise (a yellow cap and a yellow shirt). The guy was friendly, with a smile, he asked my order. He also greeted people with a "Have a very nice day!" when they leave his place. His eyes were really cool too, like a super light brown. 

I got the Wiener Schnitzel Pretzel "Special"(with curry sauce). It costs around ~$6. The TV played a friendly soccer match between Frankfurt and Union Berlin. Frankfurt was winning. The small radio on the corner of the room played old school jams, Michael Jackson, real cool, because I'm into that music scene. There were more tables in the adjoining room up the steps beside the counter. The walls hung with pictures of their own food, lots and lots of them. Making me feel incredibly greedy and craving for every single on of them. 

It felt like a family run business. They spoke to each other in German, although I don't completely understand. I only know Arschloch, Saumensch and Saukerl. I know, bad influence learnt from "The Book Thief". 

My order came after about 10 minutes of waiting. The pretzel (as the bun) was the thick kind but not flavored with anything sweet like the fake ones you get at Aunty Anne's. It was the hardy carb filled pretzel you get on New York street carts, if you know what I mean. It didn't taste like anything. The schnitzel was huge, like my face huge. Spreading arond the whole basket, even the pretzel can't contain the whole of it, it was longer than the pretzel.

The schnitzel had very little breading, so you taste more of the meat, they surely don't skimp on meat! The breading had lots of black pepper bits in it, very thin and crunchy. Over it was the curry sauce, looking like plain tomato sauce for spaghetti. "Curry" sauce was good for the schnitzel or else my mouth would be like the Sahara Desert. It had two slices of lettuce and one slice of tomato. Overall, an uncommon spin from your usual sesame bun beef patty american cheese routine. Try it out at least once.
5 - Nathaly S.: Great food, friendly people, good value for the price. I love going here! The owner is very nice and helpful :)
5 - Ronald A.: We had a wonderful lunch here today.  I had a brat with curry sauce.  It was fabulous.  The schnitzel was done perfectly.  Good German beer washed it down.  This place is small and great for the students who live in this area.  That is, the price is right.  For a very good hearty lunch, this place is hard to beat.  I hope to come back.  It was some of the best German food I have had.
4 - Kevin A.: I knew I should've come here long ago. Tried their Wienerschnitzel sandwich and side of spaetzle and red cabbage. Everything tasted so good. If you like German food (or Central European cuisine), this is a place you should definitely check out. I think I'd frequent Bratz more rather than the higher priced German eateries in town.
4 - Mara W.: I had my first Bratz bratwurst today: the red currywurst on a pretzel roll with fries covered with Hunter mushroom sauce. I was surprised how homemade it tasted. The whole meal was delicious and I didn't feel regretful, bloated, and disgusting afterwards, because it tasted homemade and gourmet. The fries weren't extremely salty and the spaetzle tasted great too. The pretzel roll was amazing. And of course, the brat was grilled till the outside was toasty crispy and the inside was juicy. 

 I heard this is a family-run business. I highly recommend this place.
5 - Jessica B.: Best heart attack I ever gave myself. Mmm... If you need a nap but cant sleep, come here. Seriously. I need a nap.

I like this place a ton!! There is a very nice German man working the counter who has lots of suggestions and explanations about menu items.

Cool picnic style seating is surprisingly comfy and homey. The brats!! The schnitzel!!! OH MY!!! So yummy. Even now, in my food-induced coma I still crave more.

The curry fries are very good. Om nom nom nom nom nommm.. ...z.zzzz....z...z

Warning- if you dont eat pork or meat this might not be the ideal venue for you as options are limited. However, if a vegetarian  wants to bring in food from Cedars upstairs I'm sure that's allowed!
5 - Peter L.: Wow, definitely a great find right in the U district!  For the price of teriyaki, you can get a plate of schnitzel, spaetzel and red cabbage.  I upgraded to a version with hunter sauce,and was not disappointed by a mushroom filled gravy.  Authentic, delicious, cheap, and filling, and would definitely come again.  Seating is in two rooms, with German soccer (Bundesliga) on tv.  Bratz is a good alternative to some of the other German places nearby.  No, they do not have a boot stein, but the food is just as good as in other places at a fraction of the price!
5 - Tim T.: SO GOOD!!! I'm sure the entire menu is good, but I can't get past the crave-worthy Mushroom gravy Schnitzel and the accompanying spatzel and red cabbage combo. Ultra cheap with whopping portions and plenty of seating. Great for families, college crowd, even sports fans (seems to specialize in oddball soccer, which has its place) and food fans looking for a great value. I cannot say enough good about the variety on the menu and the awesome service and staff. Not to be missed.
5 - Jen O.: This place is amazing!!! I can't rave enough about it. Wonderful authentic German food at a great price!! Do yourself a favor and stop here to eat. 
Why isn't there 10 stars? That's what I would rate Bratz at.
1 - Franz L.: Beyond thunderdome (horrible)!

Ok, so I'm half Austrian... I know better than to trust a German to make me schnitzel, but I've had it work in the past and based on the reviews... I thought i'd at least swing for the fences.

Walking in the door, I was "not" greeted by a angry looking man. He kind of reminded my of the nihilist Uli from The Big Leboski, this guy just looked pissed to be alive. Anyways, we ordered away....

I freaked out when I saw they offered goulash soup, so I had that along with the schnitzel.

The goulash soup was the most pathetic thing I've ever seen, I think Campbells could do a better job with a can. It was extremely greasy and watery... in fact... it was just bizarre. Ok, but I was there for the schnitzel... so the soup didn't bother me.

When the schnitzel was served, I knew it was bad news bears just looking at the breading. The breading was something I'd expect to see if McDonalds... no.... United Airlines tried to make a schnitzel. Still, being the schnitzel champion that I am... I still had a go. The car (my mouth) was headed down hill at a very high velocity with no brakes after the first bite. I tried to slow things down with the pomme frites (french frys), but no joy.

This thing was more like a German chicken tender at a bad dinner than a schnitzel. I really feel bad for all the people who probably don't know what schnitzel should look and taste like and except this place as great food. 

Luckily, the second best schnitzel I've ever had outside of Austria is just south of Seattle :-)
4 - Jennifer O.: Mmmm...pretzels with German mustard...

Not that I'm an expert after living in Germany for only 6 months, but this place is pretty close to a German imbiss.  The brats are tasty and served in the traditional small roll, the fries are thin and crispy, and the pretzels are the best I've found in Seattle (so far atleast-it is a quest).  The little restaurant is pretty much in a basement, but they've made the place clean and cheery, complete with tvs showing soccer or handball.  The service has always been friendly.  Prices are pretty good for the amount of food you get.  They even have beer now, to make your German meal complete.  Das hat geschmeckt!
5 - Alli D.: The food here is just like the stuff you get at a real live German biergarten--no-frills sausage on a roll that's too small (though, if you're a true German you don't eat it like a sandwich as we do here), curry ketchup, salty fries, all eaten at a picnic table. All that's missing is the liter-sized beer and the cigarette smoke. 

I really really have to go back for a schnitzel. I know it has to be good. I'll let you know.
4 - Siruo Z.: The fires were pretty good through the pork was kind of over heated and hard.

But love the taste of the food overall~
5 - Brian P.: This is a great restaurant. The staff is always very helpful and the curry wurst is amazing (which I found out about thanks to the guy working the counter).
5 - Matthew M.: My roommate and I have been coming here once a week for two years. It is our absolute favorite place in the U District. Don't waste your time at any other restaurant in the area. I have had everything on the menu and I am pleased to say, their schnitzel and currywurst brings me back to the days I visited Berlin. The beer selection and really delicious pomme frites are a definite plus.
4 - Kagan B.: Good food, great curry fries, nice staff.
5 - Jennifer H.: I've never had authentic German food, and was a little skeptical based on the pictures, but I am so glad I gave it a try. The man working recommended the Currywust, which is sausage in a curry/ketchup sauce. It was really good, a really different flavor that what you're used to. I also thought it was cool that they have German sports on the tv and it seems like all the other patrons in the place were speaking German both times I went, not sure if that was a coincidence or not, but it's always a good sign when actual German people are eating here.
4 - Fariest B.: I always say a good meal consist of beer and meat. Well thats what I got here, it was the hunters schnitzel. It was very good, the gravy was a little bland, but nonetheless good meal and amazing German beer.
5 - Mimi L.: Love this place!!!  We live pretty far away, but come to U-District every Saturday for my puppy's training class, so we come here pretty much every week.  They have red and white sausages and we love the red one with the spicy currywurst sauce!  We've also tried the mushroom hunter sauce but didn't like it as much as we were expecting.

Another one that we really love is the peppercorn cream schnitzel... it is AMAZING!  The fries that it comes with are pretty good too and it goes great with their curry ketchup which is soo much better than regular ketchup!

The place always smells like their sugar glazed almonds, which is soo good and addicting!  We've been here every weekend for the past few weeks and love it, we'll definitely be back!
5 - Lauren B.: I was utterly famished but had no idea what to get so I queried the solid-looking German cashier. She unhesitatingly recommended the #2, and despite my trepidation about eating a red brat with mysterious German curry sauce, I decided to trust her and even got the spicy version (how daring, I know). Made it a combo with fries and a $0.95 fountain drink. Boy was I ever not disappointed - totally köstlich! This was really fabulous. And cheap! I think all together it was like 8 bucks or something. And they played (to my ears) ridiculous German pop music, which was delightful. Look forward to returning!
5 - Angela M.: I love this place. They make really good curry bratz with a pretzel as a bun. Also their weinerschnitzel is great. Also the price is reasonable. Last time I was there I wanted to try their elephant ears, but they were out. I guess I will have to go back!
4 - Kristin L.: Yum...yum....yum...
5 - Lee G.: Excellent German food and excellent service. A must eat if you're in the U District.
5 - Andrew S.: I was amazed how good the food here is. If it were $10 for a schnitzel lunch, I'd still give this place a 5, but it's $7! I had the hunter schnitzel and my daughter had the pretzel brat. She ate nearly the entire thing, and she's 3 and very picky.
5 - Vanessa K.: Mmm! Red currywurst is my favorite! I walk by this place everyday when I go to work, and for a long time I never went in, but one night I was with a friend and decided to change that. I'm glad I did because I love the place. The food is good, the prices are good, and I like the interior. It's bright and warm and has big tables. I've always been treated well here, too. I'm not sure what that other reviewer "Franz" was smoking if he thinks the man who is there all the time is angry - quite the opposite. He's very gregarious and even gave me some free dessert almonds once. :D 

The kitchen and staff is small, but even with that consideration I've never had to wait very long for my food. I usually get it to go, and it's just the thing after a long day of running errands.
3 - Art V.: Having good food is only half the battle. This place has pretty terrible service as far as pick up orders go. First of all they ask me when I want to pick it up, which would make sense if the food was already prepared but its not. They should tell me when the food will be ready because ideally i want it immediately, and that is something they just cant provide. So even if you say i want to ppick it up in 20 minutes it most certainly will not be ready, they should know how long it takes to cook their food. This brings me to my second issue with this place. I say i want my food in 20 minutes, and they say it will be ready. In the 2 dozen or so times i have been there not once was my food ready when they said it would be. Because of this I started arriving 5 minutes after they said it would be ready, and still i have to wait 10 to 15 minutes. I DONT WANT TO JUST WAIT AROUND! if they simply told me when the food would be ready this would prevent all this pointless waiting. They realize it is upsetting and have even compensated me for my wait time with roasted almonds, but a man can only eat so many almonds. If this place served anything but the best german food in town they would certainly be out of business by now, but they do serve the best. I just want to scream at them to get their act together, then I woud have no problems at all with this place.
5 - Thomas W.: What I great place to get something a little different to eat.  I had the Currywurst, and a large side order of fries.  They also have "Wolters" beer.....now how can it get better than that!
5 - Jeannette B.: Loved this place, way better then anything you can get in Leavonworth. Good value as well. I ordered the hunter schnitzel that was very close to something found in Germany, only sampled the currywurst and now can't wait to go back and order it for myself. Loved the inside of the place, looked very authentic.
5 - S H.: Awesome bratwurst and schnitzel.  Aside from the poorly-chosen name (anyone remember the Bratz dolls of the early 2000's?), this place rocks.
5 - Lilly A.: Whenever I walk by this place, in the basement of a multi-use complex, I think someone drew the short straw. However, its not that bad of a space, find a spot along one of the wooden tables and benches and watch the latest futbol game (mostly... german games, DUH!)

Not to mention, currywurst is delicious...
and a lot of their other dishes....
everything I've had there so far... 

And if you're unsure, ask the servers/owners, they'll recommend the right things
5 - Tobi B.: O...M...G.  Wow.. Superb wurst just like in the center of Wiesbaden or dusseldorf.  Curry sauce, jalapeños for extra zest, beef and pork, and the best invention ever!, Pretzel buns!  The boy loved the fries and we felt like we were back at a street fair in the bayern.  It is in the University district and the ambience is what you expect from a college joint so you may want to get it to go.  Take som e of the original Munich or Austrian lager or weissbier with you though.  They go hand in hand with the best sausages I have had in the U.S.
4 - Dale H.: To start...very nice people running this place. I'm not sure if we were dealing with the owners or the managers, but I believe the owners. 

I really like the red brats here. And the fries are pretty good also.

The downside is that it's pretty high priced for the items, but to be honest, it's well worth it. You definitely get your value with them. Oh yeah, try the sauerkraut. To die for.

That is all.
5 - Sam C.: I have been going to Bratz when it was just a mobile cart several years go. They have gotten better and better. I love their expansive menu and I have a hard sticking with one thing. The service at Bratz is so great. Every time I come in and I have questions about what I should get, John is always there to recommend one of their great specials.
5 - Lisa B.: I was not sure what to expect walking into Bratz. I am originally from the east coast, and come from a German family. Seattle is not known for their German culture heritage.

So I gave this place a try not expecting much. I am so happy to say I was pleased with the whole experience. The staff members were so friendly and pleasant (always an important thing to me), and the food was wonderful. The prices are pretty reasonable, too.

The previously mentioned staff are very helpful in helping you to decide what to order if you are not familiar with German food. Whatever you order, try the curry sauce on it. Can someone develop an actual addiction to that stuff? If so, I'm in trouble.
4 - Joseph M.: This place was great... When i went to Berlin a while back I loved a fast food dish called Curry Boulette (Basically hotdog and hamburger smothered in curry sauce).  This place had it and it was great.  Next time I go I will probably try the schnitzel since that also looked pretty delicous.

Braude Mermin Spivey Malamis & Perry MD PC - Atlanta, GA (33.7855383, -84.3878138) (Midtown)
5 - Todd P.: I can appreciate a medical office that's run like a well-oiled machine. You'll find that this office is as efficient as it gets. It's located in a great, old renevated building on West Peachtree with a lobby filled with period furniture and lots of not-so-interesting magazines (Diabetes Weekly, WebMD magazine, Geriatrics Revisited, etc. Ok, I made some of those up, but you get the point.)

I've been going to Dr. John Perry as my primary care physician since I moved to Atlanta three years ago. He is a kind man, easy to talk with and never makes you feel like he's rushed or that you're just another number to be dealt with.

One thing I like most about these guys is that they are pretty high-tech. Workstations in each exam room, in-house lab, and a useful, secure web portal where you can log in and view lab results, a history of vital statistics from previous visits, send a message directly to your doctor and receive responses, schedule appointments, etc. 

Now if they'd just make a magic wand to make my spare tire disappear and get a few new, more interesting magazine subcriptions (Entertainment Weekly, Newsweek or Time, anyone?), I'd give them TEN stars.
4 - Will P.: Consistently, without fail, this group of doctors does a great job of taking care of their patients. As people, not as just generic customers.

I took ill over the weekend and got nervous about swine flu, etc., and - instead of putting me through ER hell - he agreed to see me on a Sunday at the office to re-diagnose what was going on.

And it wasn't just any Sunday - it was probably the best day we've had all year, with full sun and perfect temps. After I expressed regret about interrupting his day, all he said was, "No worries, I was in the area and it's no problem." 

Dr. Braude was the consummate gentleman, thorough and effective in finding a new course of treatment for me. I needed something that targeted the flu, which is what we went with.

So... this is a cumulative review over seven years of care, reminded again today how awesome they all are in going the extra mile. highly recommended!
5 - Don H.: Love this practice. The office is very professionally managed, and my doc (John Perry) is awesome. I never feel rushed, and he takes time to listen and understand my medical situation each time. His nurses are awesome as well. I don't ever feel like I'm going to some huge clinic, but instead received very personalized service. It's also great that they have a lab onsite so that I don't have to pay a separate co-pay for my blood work.

Brave New Books - Austin, TX (30.282328, -97.742442) (The Drag, University of Texas, West Campus)
3 - John S.: The decor?   Bomb shelter chique.  The reading material?  The encroaching Illuminati, New World Order, and Zionist overlords.  Look, any place that has a 'Jack Blood Recommended Section' has got to be seen at some point.  Much of the material is self published, because after all, our [ahem] corporate overlords don't want this dangerous material out there.  BNB also has a conference / screening room where I'm told they have film showings.  Hey, it never hurts to have an open mind and you never know, you might finally learn the truth about the other dimensional lizard people who killed Princess DIana, bombed the World Trade Center and took down Pan Am Flight 183.
5 - Sandra A.: This place is IT! I love Brave New Books. From the movie showings, the lectures, the books/dvds/t-shirts/bumper stickers ~ I mean, they have all the coolest and most informative selections you might ever hope to find. The reviewer who said, "...the feint of heart best stay outside and continue drinking the tap water..." was correct!
I love all the staff...sweet guys! I love that I can get my Berkey Water Filters here...or my Cocomojo...:D
Yeah...check this place out...you might never be the same!
5 - Therese R.: Yep, I'm a regular.  The variety of material is awesome.  But half the fun is talking to people and listening to others.  I first started going there when the Ron Paul campaigning was going strong here in Austin.  It was a blast, a place where like minded people could relate.  
The guys working there are very, very nice. 
 
One really cool thing, is the guys gave me free DVD's of Aaron Russo's  "Freedom to Fascism"  I got to pass out a bunch 
   at the Travis Co. GOP Convention, 
   at the GOP state convention in Houston
    Also we  put some into the fireman's  boots at the street lights.  .  (Thanks Harlen!)  

My friends and I go every Friday night for underground bible study.  Dwayne is our teacher, and he is awesome.  He knows how to rightly divide the word of truth of the gospel of Christ.    New people show up every week.  We use the KJV and really encourage others to so as well.  It is the pure, inspired, AND preserved word of God.
Thanks again to the guys that work there.  
They have just recently set up the meeting room to go live on-line.  So when they have guest speakers, like Tex Marrs, Alex Jones, Dr. Griffin, ect, now you will be able to go on line and watch the speakers.

Go by and see for yourself how very interesting of a place it is.
4 - Edward W.: I accidentally stumble to this place while I was just walking down Guadalupe to MLK.  At first I thought it was a mini movie theatre.  This is not an ordinary book store!  This place is about defending your freedom and a lot of FREE info.

Many of the stuff I thought was shocking and yet interesting.  It kept me in there for 2 hours just browsing.  

I found out how to save money legally from the IRS forever from a pamphlet here that was sitting in the front table before the entrance.  It was information that the IRS didn't want you knowing because for the past few decades they have been happy with you surrendering your hard earn money to them so that Uncle Sam has a better thing to do with it.

Friendly staff that was not pushy in imposing certain information.  They even allowed me to listen and browse through their CDs or DVDs.  I just want to commend the owners for being a true patriot of America for even having the guts to open a place like this.  I eventually walked out donating a few coins to their donation jar.

It is a place that every person should at least visit once to be properly informed.  Get to know your Bill of Rights, the Constitution of the United States, and the 27th Amendments!
3 - Michael B.: Brave New Books is an interesting concept in bookstores, providing a lot of interesting titles on political issues of the day, much of which lean freedom of thought and libertarian. I like their name and branding, but am looking forward to the day when they decide to grow and incorporate things like a cafe in order to compete with other bookstores, and expand their sphere of influence. Being in a small basement retail space probably isn't conducive to thinking of them as a growing brand. Hope that changes soon.
5 - M M.: My husband is very interested and involved in just about every subject you can find at Brave New Books and I have gone with him a few times here. Im very proud to support this store and its ideas. I dont believe everything that in the books they sell, but I love the idea there is a store in town that not only provides the information to the public but also has lectures and speakers. 

My favorite thing about BNB is they now carry the entire Cal Ben Soap line of natural cleaners. Our family decided this year to eliminate as many chemicals and pesticides we could from our life and the Cal Ben cleaners have been our saving grace! In just a few months both my husband and I have had major health improvements including the end of chronic pain I have suffered from for over 5 years. Now, Im med free and eating from our local farmers markets and cleaning with chemical free products! The great thing about BNB is you can skip the shipping costs for the soaps and buy directly from them. 

I feel good supporting companies I believe in like Cal Ben and Brave New Books. Our country would be a better place if we had one in every neighborhood! 

Down with corporate evil, lying cheating politicians and distracting celebrities! UP WITH THE PEOPLE!
5 - Nancy D.: This bookstore is one of the hidden treasures in Austin.  Not only can you check out all kinds of unusual titles, health food, awesome coffee and Berkey water filters, there's also a meeting room in back that has events from how to grow more food in your garden, to book signings and art shows!
5 - Christen M.: YES! This place rocks! I found out about this place on the radio and I keep coming back. I've made friends here by just listening to them talk among each other. It not only has informative books, but many educational DVDs and several meetings, lectures, or screenings per week. If you want to learn what is really going on politically and how to be a little more free, then this place can help.

Bravo Fono Restaurant - Palo Alto, CA (37.444046, -122.171327) ()
5 - Cyli B.: I loved the food here. Had some delicious crab cakes (melt-in-your-mouth kind of meat), and a great prawn salad. The food was innovatively presented, and the quality of the seafood & vegetables was way above par.
5 - andy r.: Bravo Fono = Manga Bono!
Mom's Day brunch was a huge hit here. The service was quietly attentive. It's important to mention this because we munched through the 3 servings of breadsticks because they're deliciously soft and buttery, not out of boredom.

The menu is varied Nortern Italian fare with a saucy French influence. As a family, we are always in each other's plates to try everything. I'm batting a solid 0.675 on ordering the best thing at the table and today bumped me to an easy 0.700.

My seafood in puff pastry was divine. Rather than the usual seafood-strudel wrap, they create an oval jewel box of pastry and fill it with sauteed scallops, shrimp, mushrooms and a rich white wine sauce. So often a nice presentation precludes abundance...not so in this case. Cut into the pastry and a huge pile of succulent seafood spills out in that rich sauce. I...was..in...heaven! Any one ordering this is sure to raise their status in the Clean Plate Club.
3 - Herb C.: 3 to 3.5 stars on this restaurant located inside the Stanford Shopping Center.  You definately don't need reservations if you want to eat dinner on a weeknight as there were probably 3 or 4 seated tables at the time that we ate.  

The food deserves most of the credit here at Bravo Fono.  The Caesar Salad was definately worth the price AND it came with a couple anchovey slices.   I had the Linguine Tutto Mare and it came out of the kitchen piping hot.  

The service, however, left more to be desired.  Our server did not seem like he was in the mood to serve.  Not asking if I even wanted anything to drink.  

I guess I should try this place at brunch time since it seems pretty good, but only if I'm in the area.  I'm not going to drive from SF just to eat here.
5 - Perla N.: We just happened to try this restaurant and what a wonderful surprise.  I had the seafood risotto which was probably the best I've had in years (and I order this dish a lot in Italian restaurants).  My husband had the minestrone which he said was also excellent.  

Great service.   They could see that we were hungry and with toddler and got our food out fast.

It's a bit expensive, but everything is at Stanford Shopping center.  Go and try the risotto.  It's devine.
4 - Erick ..: The day after some serious tequila night and I was craving for some soup, unsettled stomach and all.  We were at the Stanford Mall yesterday 2pm and were seriously hungry except KiT with his McNugget Happy Meal.  It was either the Creamery in front of Bloomingdale's or Max's Opera Cafe, so we went with the third option...

...and it was good.  I'm glad they didn't give me a hard time with our son's Happy Meal.  Misis went with the seafood risotto and I with the seafood linguini, tutto mare was it?  Generous fish portions probably salmon and bass, some shrimp, scallops, and maybe three mussels.  The pasta was cut to look like thick ramen noodles and it was lighter than what I'm used to, but I guess that's their style.  It didn't look like linguini but I'm no pasta expert, just an avid fan, but in any case the noodles paired well with the dish especially the tomato-wine sauce, which was surprisingly good, the best I've had so far.  Equally surprising was the wife's sea scallops with her risotto.  That's right, biiiiig scallops, and why not?  Her risotto and my pasta were reflective of the tab we got half an hour later...worth it.  Not bad for a first visit.

Thank you, Fono.

Bravo Spa and Salon - Pasadena, CA (34.1379551, -118.1324595) (Pasadena)
5 - Stephanie C.: I would follow these girls to the ends of the earth.

Full Disclosure: The girls have become my friends but the gushing I'm going to do is honest and sincere. 

Most of the staff here got their start at the Amadeus Spa in the Paseo but needed to spread their wings. Most of their clients are so devoted, they followed the girls over to Bravo. 

Monique is the owner and cuts hair like no ones business. She's trained at Bumble and Vidal to name a few. She's incredibly versatile- from faux-hawks to finger waves. If you have an exact idea of what you want or no clue at all, her expertise will lead you to the best cut of your life. She's the f-ing best! Bravo is her baby and the love she feels for it and what she does is palpable.

Rene does color and she's fantastic!

Sarah is the only person in the WORLD I will let touch my eyebrows. 

Honestly, I never looked as good as I did after these girls came into my life. They are all so funny, kind and sometimes a little kooky.

The place itself is a reflection of Monique's modern, sleek and comfortable style. You can also stock up on some of the best hair and skin products around as well as unique gifts and such.

I could go on for hours about how much I love these girls and Bravo. Honestly, there is nothing more refreshing than going into a hip salon and being met with genuine kindness instead of stuck up attitudes.
4 - Jenny W.: when bravo first opened, i took my daughter to have her first facial on her birthday.  and, of course, while she had her facial, i had to kill time somehow, right?  so i got a massage.  ;)

and when we were done, we met in the lounge area in the rear and were treated to a mini afternoon tea.  it wasn't particularly spectacular, but it was good, and a lovely way to end our afternoon.  the kid loved her facial and was excited to receive a little care package that contained a set of skincare products aimed specifically at younger girls.

we've been here for other treatments probably another two or three times, and each time everyone has been nothing but friendly and professional.  i wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place to anyone.
4 - C T.: The girls are really friendly, and the decor of the salon is hip, fun, and girly.  I had my brows done by Sarah, and she did a fantastic job the first time.  She was really thorough and spent a lot of time on them, even asking if I were on any derm medications . I think the second time she was a little rushed and she missed some hairs, so I would suggest trying her at a non-busy time. They charge $25 for brows.

Then I had my hair-cut by Kaytee, and she's a sweetheart.  I got this promotion for a complimentary conditioning treatment along with my haircut, and now that I found Kaytee, I may be coming back.  She spent a good hour on my hair, cutting it, drying it, straightening, then cutting it again.  She is young so I'm guessing she stays pretty current with the trends.  She is totally hip herself.  Anyway, this place is great for pampering, and I would come here when I'm feeling in need of a pick-me-up or for a special occasion.
5 - cybelle s.: As I walked down Lake Ave on a lazy afternoon, I spotted a sign that said something about a new me waiting for me around the corner.  Since I wasn't particularly fond of the old me's hair, I thought I'd make an appointment.  I chose Monique, since she seems to be the one to see in this salon, but, as luck would have it, Monique is on maternity leave for 3 months. So I was going to have to pick someone else.
I made an appointment with Kaytee, and I'm really glad I did.  I think she might be a magician.  My hair actually looks like healthy hair again- not like the bus driver's hair on South Park- and let me tell you, that is nothing short of a miracle.  The salon itself has a minimal modern decor, minus the uptight, snooty attitude.  I'm so psyched to have found this place- and I can walk there!
One more thing- everyone that works here looks awesome- so well put together!  Walking in there with a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans, I almost wish I had dressed better (but let's face it- 10am on a Saturday- it's not going to happen). It sure made me want to go shopping though.....
3 - PictureGirl F.: I was in Pasadena for a wedding, so I went to Bravo to have my hair styled. My extensions are growing out and my hair is pretty long and unruly.  So, I was looking for some help styling it in a relatively low key up do. I cannot remember the name of the gal who did my hair, but I liked her.  She did a lovely partial up do with low, curly pony tail. She was very personable and chatted with my as she worked.  My only issue is that she did not secure it enough.  Bits of it were coming out within an hour or so of leaving the salon. 
If you book a styling appointment here, be sure to be clear on weather or not you want your hair styled up or down.  There was some confusion when I arrived because the woman that my appointment was booked with only styles hair down.  Luckily the woman that does up dos was available to step in.
4 - Lindsey B.: I go here every three weeks for an eyebrow wax and eyelash extensions.  I highly recommend Amber for both.  She is quick but thorough.... I don't have to worry about wasting my whole night here!  I had gotten my lash extensions at another salon before and it took 2+ hours...  Amber was able to do it (and do it better) in 30 minutes!  I get complimented on them all the time!  They look fantastic and I don't have to bother with mascara... ever! :)  She also does an amazing job on my eyebrows.  I'm the girl who has no natural arch in my eyebrows but Amber was able to make one for me that flatters my face.  I love them!  Plus, I'm not sure what kind of wax they use, but I can walk out of there without being all red and irritated from the experience.  It's great!

P.S.  I also had a full bikini wax done there once with Amber also.  It was virtually pain free and so quick that it was over in record time.  She did a great job but the price of a full wax is a bit too expensive for me so I get it done elsewhere.
4 - Just another Pasadenian ..: I just got my haircut over the weekend by Kaytee.  She is super friendly and sweet.  But more importantly, she listened to what I wanted, clearly told me what she planned to do to my hair to address my needs and lastly did a great job on my hair.  In case you are curious, I had crazy split ends in uneven spots and asked Kaytee to fix the hot mess as well as give me a more contemporary cut that required little maintenance.  She not only was up for the challenge but also offered complimentary maintenance on my layers, if they got too heavy.  Also call me antisocial but I kind of dread the chatting when I'm getting a haircut...but Katyee was rather easy to talk to and there were times when we weren't talking and I didn't really feel uncomfortable.  Pretty awesome, right?

Agree with the reviewer that said the staff is very attractive but they do put you at ease, which is much appreciated.  I hate being uncomfortable in a place that is supposed to beautify me.  

The only reason it's 4 stars is because as much as I appreciate the ambiance, the convenient free parking and the comfort of knowing my hair was in good hands, I still have a hard time justifying spending *that* much on a haircut.  The cuts start at $75 for women.  I didn't ask but I also wasn't told how much a cut would be with Katyee...it ended up being $85.    And to be clear 4 stars is a great rating - it's "Yay! I'm a fan."  If I gave it 5 stars ("Woo hoo! As good as it gets!") then the cuts would be just a tad less....and actually, I bet you'd get more frequency at a little lower rate.  However, since Kaytee offered complimentary maintenance in between, I think she gets 5 stars...ack, I'm so indecisive tonight!!!
5 - Katie M.: I've been going to this salon for about 3 years now for haircuts and a massage or two.

I have never had an even slightly negative experience here.  The owner, Monique, is amazing in every way--she is the most amazing hair stylist (I won't let anyone else touch my hair), and she is the sweetest woman.

The massages I've had here have spoiled me forever.  The space is completely polished and relaxing, and there is an area in the back for post-massage water (with cucumber slices, mind you) and relaxation.

Love, love, love this place.
5 - Adee S.: This salon is awesome very spacious urban/modern look.  Customer Service is excellent everyone is so friendly. Everytime I walk in & leave i feel great & look great...it's uplifting. I always wanna hit the nitelife right after!    
 The location is great it's on south lake free parking near macys & coffee bean. The salons new hours are convient to a working mom like me. How cool is it that salon opens at 7am on a Thursday. 
 Monique does my haircuts. I am always 100%+ satisfied...she knows exactly what I want when we talk. I like the fact that she is so detailed with her work & everytime I'm in her chair we have a blast.  It never fails that I always get compliments everywere I go from family, friends & random strangers.   She can honestly create any kind of look! (posh bob, pixie, beautiful layers, a-semtrical bob) I have done almost every look. 
Sarah restored my eyebrows she's great at waxing finally someone I can trust not to take out a huge chunk of my brow. All I need to do now is try her facials . 
Liz does my color wow she really knows what she's doing. She really cares about your hairs health which I like she does amazing highlights & if ur indecisive about what color leave it up to her she will work her magic.
As I sit in each chair for my services, I notice the other stylist great personalities & that they are very detailed with there work. They actually listen to you and what you want instead of the typical  "this is what im going do to u. They do great updos & blowdrys too .
I also do the pedi & mani there so relaxing  and such a great variety of polishes. 
I also hear there massages are great I haven't had time to squeeze one in just yet.
I give this salon 100 stars !
5 - Jillian S.: I've been going here since I moved to LA and am not remotely tempted to try another salon.  The atmosphere/vibe is great...no pretentious industry people.  The prices are about average, my partial highlights and cut runs about $200, but worth every penny.  Kim is amazing for highlights/color and Andy is a genius at cutting hair!  Every time I go Andy teaches me another way to do my hair...a service cherish!  I look forward to seeing and chatting with them.  No awkward silence or forced small talk here!  Just top notch service and results!!
5 - Karen Y.: I feel very lucky to have run into Kymmie for coloring, and Pam for cut and style.  I cherish being a customer of people who love what they are doing.  Kymmie and Pam always seem happy and confident about trying new things, so I feel like I can always tell them if I like something or not, or more importantly I can trust they won't feel bad if I ask for something new. They are also quintessential instructors with a natural talent for teaching people.  I trust them fully to give me the best color, cut, style, and advice.

Sadly for Bravo, Kymmie and Pam have moved to Mission Ten Eleven in South Pasadena.  Undoubtedly, Bravo will find awesome replacements for them, but I have to admit, I'm pretty stuck on those two hair gurus even though my commute to see them just got longer.
4 - A.  A. A.: Well, I have a two year relationship with Bravo.  I think their work is largely fabulous, their decor great, their prices... tough to swallow.  

I probably have to move on for that reason... it's not exactly that I don't think it's worth it but I do think it's a little unreasonable, and bottom line is I just really can't pay it, and even more so now in these tough economic times.   So, I'm tempted to give 3 rather than 4 stars but if cost/value were not a consideration i would give 4.5 stars. So I'll stick with 4 stars.

They are good at what they do, and I value their work but i would say everything seems 10-20% overpriced EXE: haircuts should start at $60-$65. Because I think there is a general pricing-me-out problem, I am not going to note that in the reviews of the individuals below as it's a given.

Here's some reviews on some of these fabulous women:

Hair (Andy) - she has been instrumental in changing my relationship with my hair. She is really good at what she does, she has a natural knack for the artistry of it. She gives great cuts and is as sweet as can be. My single only complaint: I often felt rushed out for the next client and/or my hair was not finished being styled when i left partly because of the kind of hair. But after spending $75, i want to walk out looking cute, not with partially wet/partially styled hair, albeit with a cut cut.

Make-up (Sarah) - did special event make-up and it was perfect... i've never liked pictures of myself so much!

Make-Up (Sarah) - waxed eyebrows, thought it was alright, had my first Brazilian with her--nearly painless plus her demeanor puts you at ease and makes you less uncomfortable with the concept and your own nudity. I was pleased until my next Brazilian (which was cheaper and also not very painful) which made me realize that there was a little more work that needed to be done on the one I got with Sarah. 

Massage (Pam) - 1x had a massage with her it was excellent.

Hugs to the Bravo gals. I wish i could continue to afford you.
5 - Amelia J.: I have been getting my hair cut by Andy for a few years and finally decided to write a review after a big hairstyle change.  I've had long hair for most of my life but decided it was time for something drastically different.  I didn't know exactly what I wanted, but that I wanted it chopped.  This type of change takes trust and Andy knows me so well that she was able to translate what I thought I wanted into a style that I really love.  I've never received so many complements on my hair - even from complete strangers who don't know the cut was a big change.  I feel like Andy cares about my hair just as much as I do.  Even though hair grows out, she has the highest standard for herself to make sure I look good!
5 - Hugh H.: I've been going to Bravo since December of 2006. So, it's been a while. Pam is great! She always cuts my hair and is always open to new things. She's great at helping me change my hair style without being too dramatic or having the ability to have one hair cut, but different ways of styling it. The staff is very friendly and the ambience/environment is very relaxing. I highly recommend Bravo to anyone willing to try something new. Trust me you won't leave this place!
5 - Heather M.: This place is awesome! Andi is great and is one of the few stylists I have been too that will listen to what I want. I am glad I found this place..
3 - Amy L.: A nice thing about this salon is that they have extended hours on Thursdays (7AM - 7PM), so you don't have to miss work. Otherwise, I would say, it's fine. Not a stellar west-side star place, but much better than the other crap walk in places in the San Gabriel Valley. I didn't think the prices were too bad, actually much cheaper than I was used to at other salons.
5 - Shannon B.: I've been coming to this salon for...a couple of years, maybe? I usually dread going to the salon. I've had my face scratched, blow-dried; I had one lady tell me that my hair wasn't really thick (although I assured her it was) and then when she was drying it she told me she'd have to charge me extra for having thick hair. Needless to say, it's hard to find a great salon/stylist. 

Bravo is cute; it's a small salon located just right of Coffee Bean, so don't get lost.  Everyone is always friendly. Kaytee's been cutting my long hair for a while; she's fantastic. She always takes off just enough and gets rid of the bulk so I look less mangy. It's really important, especially if you have longer hair, that you get a stylist who will listen. My hair always grows out well (I get it cut 4 times a year).  I think we all want about the same experience--to leave looking good, to have a stylist tell us we're at least reasonably pretty and not pull your hair. It's a nice salon and an oasis from work and school.  

And they have cool local artwork on the walls. Give it a shot; you won't hate the service, but if you hate the cut (and someone always will no matter the place), I guarantee your hair will grow back. Seriously.
2 - Altina K.: I went here as well and it is expensive very expensive. I get eyebrow gone somewhere else its call honey nail spa and I get it there it is a good price for what i paid for and the service very good its not like flipping tables like somewhere .
1 - Rhea B.: The appointment person I dealt with needs lessons in business etiquette. I called to change the time of my 5-minute consultation scheduled that afternoon (my actual appointment was still 6 days away). 

She told me that usually I need to give them 24 hours notice or my credit card would be charged, but that she'd change it this time. I replied that that policy only applies to actual appointments, not consultations, which only take a few minutes. 

She conceded that that's true, but then repeated what she said about the 24-hour policy. ???  She acted as if she were doing me a favor.

I refuse to spend money at a business that handles its customers so clumsily and arrogantly. 

I called back ... and canceled BOTH my consultation and appointment.
5 - Aidan B.: I LOVE Amber.  She is a perfectionist which is exactly what you want when you go to a salon.  No matter what she is doing for you you can feel comfortable because you know she will make you look and feel gorgeous and she is absolutely sweet and adorable.  Although I haven't tried any other services at the salon it really is very beautiful and the front staff is always very friendly.  I would recommend Amber and Bravo to everyone.
4 - Katie S.: I love may hair cut lady - Andrea (Andy).  I've gone to her a few times (will definitely keep going back to her) and I've loved my haircut every time.  The price is very reasonable.

The only down side about this place is their customer service.  They're not exactly the most friendly people.  But I love Andy, so I don't mind it.
5 - Teresa C.: There is no doubt in my mind that Bravo is THE salon in Pasadena! I have been going to Bravo for years have sat with almost every girl for every beauty treatment possible: hair cut, hair dye, hair straightening, make up application, waxing, massage, and more! Never a bad day at Bravo. 
Beautiful staff on the inside and out. Great location, great parking. 5 stars to the max. The bravo girls even transformed me on my wedding day. If you haven't been, you are missing out.
2 - Pasadena G.: The reception staff is great - very friendly.  My main complaint was that I booked an appointment with Renee and while she did a great job on my hair, she was 35 minutes late and the entire time I sat in the waiting area, no one came to tell me she was running behind.  When she finally took me, she didn't even apologize for running so late - a little "I'm sorry you have been waiting" would have gone a long way.  As a busy professional, I would have appreciated a phone call to tell me she was running behind so that I could have been in the office a little longer and not reading dated magazines in a plastic chair.
5 - Rebecca S.: Go see Cristin!!!!
I've battled with my color as most women seem to but now I have found the girl!!  Cristin graduated from the Vidal Sasson school (not just took a class and says she's Sasson trained) then went to color school at Bumble and Bumble in New York and ended up teaching there! If that's not experience I don't know what is.  

Anyway, my ends were light, my roots were dark and it was not good. I'm now even with perfectly handpainted highlights for $135. 

Plus, if you refer 3 people you get a major discount on your next service.... Tell her that Rebecca S. sent you!!!!
2 - Brenda L.: The front desk of Bravo is the worst.  I have been the salon three times with my daughter and each time, the front desk has ignored us or forgotten us.  First time, we sat for 30 minutes past the appointment.  When I went to the front desk, I was told --"Oh I forgot to tell her you were here and now she has another appointment."  The next  time, we were seated in the waiting area again to be told 5 minutes later that the eyebrow person called in under the weather.  So no appointment.  You can come back in two days for our first available appointment.  

Silly us, we did!  Again we walked in the girl behind the desk never looked up or acknowledged us.  Then when we said we had an appointment and inquired was the staff in, we got attitude because we were bothering her time on the computer.  

Once you get to the wonderful women working on your hair or eyes brow, you are in good hands.  If you can get past the attitude at the front, you will like the salon
5 - Miko C.: Amber is the bomb!!! I met Amber at Amadeus Spa and followed her to Bravo. She is the absolute best when it comes to eyebrows!!!! 

She is gorgeous, and when she is done working magic on my eyebrows I feel gorgeous too. Everyone at Bravo is super nice and accomodating. I love this little place.

Do yourself a favor. Go see Amber!!!!!
4 - H. J. W.: I used my groupon to get my haircut, color, and massage this week. First thing, I didn't realize that the tint service on the groupon was basically a touch-up for your roots only. If you wanted to get your entire head of hair colored, you have to pay an extra 25 bucks. When the groupon said "tint service", you automatically think it involves your whole head, not just the roots. Oh well, just take some extra money when you go to use your groupon.

I got my 30 min neck and shoulder from Rasheeda--she was AWESOME! She asked me what kind of pressure I preferred (firm) and she did her magic. Rasheeda's massage is in my top 3 all time best massages ever! I will definitely be back for her massages. 

My hair was colored by Kim. She's the blonde with pink hair and I have to say that I really like my color. I mentioned to her that I have chemically straightened hair and was able to get the deep color saturation I wanted without damaging my hair at all. I was satisfied with my color. 

My haircut was by Pam. She gave me "shape" to my long thick mane of hair. Translation: a whole shitload of layers. I told her that I didn't have a lot of time for a high maintenance cut so I needed something that would look good without extensive styling. When I left the salon, I looked GREAT! but since, my hair is all over the place. Layers bending the wrong way and basically, making it so that I can't leave the house without ironing my hair. Sheesh. 

Would I return if I have to pay the full price? Bravo's prices are quite high and I won't be back for cuts, maybe the color, definitely the massages.
5 - tonya b.: I still love Bravo. So much. I have been a regular since the beginning of Bravo. My eyebrows are now simply beautiful-- always thanks to Sarah. I was fortunate enough to have my hair done by owner Monique. She did an incredible cut and style. 

Most recently I visited for the Kerastase free condition/style day. My hair was fabulous! Thank you Alicia!

I just wanted to say, thank you again, ladies, i still love you, and I still honor you with 5 stars, I'd give 6 if I were able!
3 - Kelly S.: Downgrading my review because Amber, my go-to brow shaping girl, left. And when I called to make an appointment with her, they woudn't tell me where she had gone. Thankfully, I did some investigative work and discovered that she moved just across the street to Integrity Skin Care. 

Anyway, I went to another brow shaping person before Amber, and she was pretty good, hence the three stars. The space is nice, and so is the location. But the cuts are too pricy for my pretty simple hair.
2 - Susan M.: I went here a while back because I thought it was neat and trendy. I got a hair dye (my first time--which was a decent experience with the hair stylist) and a facial (pretty decent as well) on another occasion. But, now that I think of it, this place is kinda small.. and the receptionists are really snotty. Every time I went, they do this thing where they ask you how much gratuity you want to leave after charging your card. NOT considering HEY, maybe I don't want to leave ANYTHING cause I had a bad experience, OR even why are you figuring out the tip for me? Give me my signature receipt so I can do it myself. So dumb.. just a way to make sure you leave tip.. Which, I did (I wasn't as assertive back then hhaha). 

The facial I had was short and snappy. For the price, it wasn't worth it. Hope they've improved their services/hired new non-snotty receptionists.
5 - Dana A.: Monique, the owner, has been cutting my hair for 11 years.  She does a fantastic job.  Going to Bravo is always a special treat.  The staff is very friendly and welcoming.  Visiting feels like getting together with the girls.  They always offer me something to drink and I never have to wait long.   Do make an appointment.  They are good at what they do and therefore in demand.  I always get the right amount of sexy layers with bounce and body that I want.  I've also had the Brazilian blowout, highlights and color.  I've been very pleased with every service.
2 - M Z.: I chose Bravo cause it seemed trendy and an upscale salon. There is a lot of hype about the salon and I trusted the reviews.  After setting up an appointment  with Amber I got a call from the salon telling me that there was a mistake and they have to change my stylist and appointment time.

Alicia is the person who cut my hair. I asked her to trim the sides and clean my hair because I want to grow it.  She ended up chopping my hair and made it lo like a mushroom. She said if I did anything else it will look like a mullet.  So is it either mullet or mushroom??? 

After I expressed my complete dissatisfaction the stylist asked the salon owner, Monique to come and fix my hair.  Monique was courteous and skilled as a stylist. She did her best to give my hair a decent look and was completely apologetic for the situation. It was a bad first date.
5 - Sarah A.: I have been going here since it opened... and I have been seeing the colorist (Renee) and stylist (Monique) even longer!  I LOVE Bravo... they are always professional and greet me when I come in.  I have never had to wait for more than 5 minutes for my appointment.  Renee has dyed my hair dark brown, light brown, platinum blonde...highlights, solid color... you name it, she has done it!  And my hair always is left shiny with no damage.  Monique cuts and styles my often unruly, curly hair beautifully.  She can always replicate any style i am looking for.  I see Sarah for waxing and she takes her time and is amazing at shaping my brows! The receptionists are always friendly and offer me water, tea, etc.  I have spent hours and hours at Bravo and never had a bad experience!! I drive almost 40 minutes just to go to this salon...that is how much I love it!
5 - Erica G.: as usual, i was getting bored of my almost-3-month-old perm and the layered cut i got not too long ago. i felt it still looked a lil blah, so i decided to get another haircut. i called bravo hoping they have a spot for me, being that i wanted to get this thing done, like right now! i didn't wanna be my usual self and just walk in. they set me up for an appt. an hour from the time i called (another client ended up canceling).
i got to the salon, and as usual, checked in and was offered drinks while i waited for 5 minutes for monique to finish up on another client. i showed her this hairstyle a la joan jett but more demure, which by the way is a style i've been wanting forever!!! when i got my brazilian blowout, i wanted this style but the one stylist who i knew could do it was telling me that she didn't wanna thin out the bottom of my hair to achieve the style because i'm more likely to get split ends that way. i was swayed away from the style since my hair was pretty fried already and had a lot of split ends. i was looking on line the night before i got the hair cut and saw the same style on a medium length, permed hair and i decided to just go for it. 
i didn't get the assistant's name, but homegirl gave me one of the best head massages when she washed my hair! after the wash, i sat on her chair, and monique does her business. she blow dried my hair straight, which i was kinda 'eh' about because i wanted to see the hairstyle with my perm, but she said she wanted it straight so she can fine tune the style - which she did with brilliance! as she cut my hair, she thanked me for having her create a hairstyle that's more "out there" than the usual bob that seems to be asked of her to do everyday (she called it a certain name, but i don't wanna put her on blast). 

big thanks to monique for creating a hairstyle that i've wanted for soooooo long!! a very relaxed, professional environment in this salon. everyone that works here present themselves very well, and all of the services that i've gotten here has been the best. i definitely recommend bravo.
5 - Betty B.: What can I say about the amazing Kymee! I can have to worst day ever and when I come in she just makes me feel amazing! My hair has never looked or felt better ... And let me tell you I have the curliest, thickest head of hair ever and have it straightened all the time - no hot iron needed and did I mention it lasts for a week. She has the best color sense if you areooking to change your look or to just spice up your old one. Just let her know what you wAnt and poof its there. One of the best parts of my appointments  are her awesome shampoos and head messages. I wish they would put that on the menu! Any how Kymee is Gods gift to the salon world. You are awesome girl!
5 - Kyra S.: These girls rock! Very customer oriented busy salon with a young and energetic staff! Vision for glam and class they will guarantee a knock-out makeover when you are done!
Haven't failed me yet!
5 - Jackie J.: This place keeps getting better and better! I swear it's beyond fabulous. Amazing cut by Monique and color by Renne. I love my new look! I  just had it colored and cut 24 hours ago and... I was complimented at the mall; even at the grocery store. It's so worth the drive. I leave this place feeling BEAUTIFUL!  I recommend any stylist there! If my stylist is booked, I never hesitate to book with someone else. Everyone there seems to be highly knowledgeable and trained! I think I will try their new blowout section they just added next week! Can't wait!
5 - Rachelle M.: I would have posted earlier about Bravo, except that I just signed up for Yelp (and immediately had to rate this salon). Let me just tell you that I have been seeing Kaytee for two years now, and she is absolutely amazing! She is sweet, kind, and so genuine. I was new to the Pasadena area over two years ago and, having no idea where to get my hair done, I opted for a salon (that I will choose not to mention) near my home in Encino that was literally a disaster. And by disaster, I mean some idiot dyed my hair ORANGE two weeks before my wedding!!! A friend of mine recommended Kaytee after I called her in tears, and I have been hooked ever since.

As a natural blonde, Kaytee gives me the absolute best highlights (without making me look like a white-headed freak). I'm never brassy, either, and her cuts/blow drys/styles are amazing as well. I haven't ever had a bad interaction with the receptionists as some have posted (perhaps I was lucky to meet all the new girls) and when Kaytee is doing my hair, a lot of the other stylists come up to me and talk to me (and even somtimes compliment my outfit or something, which is so kind - almost all the girls that work there seem so sweet). 

I understand some people cringe at the prices, however, as blonde, perhaps I'm lucky to only need to go about twice a year (I'm a graduated student on a budget, so trust me, I understand the money issue) but I think Bravo and my service with Kaytee is worth every penny (and tip). Thank you Bravo!!!! (and Kaytee!!!)
5 - Elaine N.: I LOVED my MASSAGE! Rasheeda (I hope I gave the spelling of your name justice)your fingers are magic! I will definitely be coming back. I found my therapist, newly moved to the Pasadena area and I had been missing getting my massages and couldn't find any therapist worth the buck, but boy have I now, thank you so much perfect pressure so strong to be so little, much appreciated bravo, you'll be seeing me often.
5 - Gina M.: I come here to get my eyebrows waxed.  She does a great job and the salon is really nice!
5 - Sarah O.: This place is fabulous! I've spent the last few weeks totally pampering myself in preparation for my wedding and I couldn't be more pleased with all the services I have received. Pamela in particular has been super friendly and patient with all my questions about make-up and hair. Jessica gives lovely facials and is also very friendly and easy to talk to, and today I had my hair color touched up and glossed by Christin and it has truly never looked better. Truly. The prices are a little high--especially on the products you feel you should buy to maintain the fabulous look, but it is all worth it.
5 - Amber G.: I love, love, LOVE Julie for brow waxes! I have finicky brows which I often have problems where the ends are over waxed by estheticians. I am bushy in the middle and thin at the edges. I have had them done at Brau Haus, Burke Williams, and many lower end facilities. There is no one as amazing as Julie! She has been been doing my brows exclusively for the past 3 years. My brows are picture perfect! Perfectly trimmed, even, not overwaxed. She is highly skilled and such a sweetheart, I love my 30 minutes a month of brow time. I keep meaning to schedule more services with her. Highly recommend Julie at Bravo!
5 - Brianna G.: I LOVE LOVE Julie! She is god's gift to eyebrows! I am very picky about the shaping of my eyebrows and she exceeded my expectations! I first started seeing Julie when I worked with her at her old spa about 4 years ago and even after I stopped working there I still continued to see her. Not only is she amazing at waxing, but her facials will have you asleep in a minute! I have never been to Bravo for services, only products, but I will definitely be following Julie on her new journey here at Bravo!
5 - Irina I.: I've been going to Bravo since they first opened (6 or 7 years ago I think). In fact, I followed my colorist here because she's the best in the biz. I've been coloring my hair since the 90s - I know what I'm talking about.

I have my hair cut/colored/styled here as well as various waxing services. I love this place and will not go anywhere else. All the girls are super nice and friendly, totally knowledgeable in their area of expertise and don't push products on you. 

Monique makes sure that Bravo is a relaxed and fun environment yet still professional.

Perfect high end salon, minus the snootiness.
5 - Rose S.: I hardly ever post anything unless I'm super satisfied with the service I've received. For the past 4 years I have been seeing Julie (now at Bravo) for facials and makeup and she's AMAZING!!! I'm one of those girls that won't leave the house without makeup on because I felt my skin was horrible (acne scars) but Julie has done microdermabrasion/fa cials on my face which has helped me to be able to leave the house without my mask of makeup. She's such a doll and helpful in telling you the right products to use with your skin, etc. She's extremely friendly and I'm always left satisfied with my services (facials, waxing, microdermabrasion, make-up). Yes, not only does she do facials but she also is a genious makeup artist who can leave a not so perfect skinned face looking flawless and beautiful. I highly recommend going to see her. If your reading this Julie, thanks for my beautiful skin. Your the best!!!!
5 - Elizabeth V.: Yup, still love Sara! Now just praying she never leaves me or my brows!
3 - Mary K.: Had Robin as a stylist, she is wonderful, sad I couldn't get her again, she was booked, will try a new one, let you know how it goes!!! ;(

Brazilian Wax By Andreia - Atlanta, GA (33.7805996, -84.3874755) (Midtown)
5 - Jill P.: I LOVED this place! It's pretty new (only been open 2 months) and I was able to walk right in. It is clean and welcoming and if I had had to wait, I would have helped myself to a glass of wine!

 My wax was with Anna. She was quick, thorough, and talked just the right amount.  For $35, I will definitely be back.
5 - Katie H.: Have always loved the Buckhead location but this is even better. Gorgeous facility and great staff. Will continue going back. Location is perfect & the girl I see always remembers me.
1 - Geleesa D.: by god never again!!!! the girl waxed a nice piece of meat from inside the lip of my vagina! i swear to f**king god i will never go here again! i cant even have sex wtf i shouldn't have a chunk of skin missing and then she not tell me she jus put neosporin saying its nothing major then i get home to check with a mirror cuz aint no way i should still feel it and see blood in my pants, i find a fucking chuck of my skin missing inside the lip, meaning she put wax where she wasnt fucking supposed to! god im sooo fucking pisssssssed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i should have made the trip to buckhead. stupid bitch ugh i'm so mad they are closed because i would call and definitely get free wax for a fucking year! god im pissed off! like pissed enough to wait for this chick when she get off work! then i gave her dumb ass a $5 tip! im calling tomorrow fuck it cuz this is some forreal straight bullshit.

Brazos Bookstore - Houston, TX (29.72522, -95.416246) (West University)
5 - Liz S.: This small store has a big selection of mass market books, ndependent (but not in THAT way) books, and works by local authors.  They host release parties and readings, and they partner up with many local business and writing groups like Inprint.  Their mission is something along the lines of bringing "world-renowned authors and ideas to Houston audiences."

This isn't Barnes and Noble, and it's definitely not a discount store.  It is, however, a great bookstore, staffed by knowledgeable, friendly, and book-passionate folks who will help you locate what you need (even if by special order).  Even in the age of Amazon and Powell's, there is still a real value to stores like Brazos.
5 - Carrie H.: Great staff, brilliant selections of books and local authors and weekly readings and meet and greets of up and coming writers.
4 - Therese T.: A great all-round independent bookstore in Houston. The only thing I miss from mega bookstores are that I can buy music and video and other stuff besides from them, while an independent bookstore is more or less stuck to books...and maybe some dailies and journals, but that's it. That said, Brazos is a super cozy bookstore (look for their rocking chair by the children's section--my favorite!), and they also offer weekly events. Knowledgeable and friendly staff and a cozy atmosphere make coming here worth it.
4 - Gretchen P.: If you are looking for the best independent bookstore in Houston, look no further.  

Houston is lacking in independent bookstores.  Sterile chains put together using a marketing formula are the norm.  Obligatory coffee shop, Information Desk behind which staff members have to refer to a computer for book recommendations, homogeneous music is piped over the tiny, hidden speakers.  You won't find this at Brazos.  Thank goodness!

I've meant to stop by here for quite a while.  Oddly enough, I forget about it; it's on an awkward part of Bissonnet.  I finally made it here about a week ago; I was on the quest for a book that is sold out almost everywhere in Houston.  This was stop four on the quest of six stores.

There was a author talk the evening I visited, with a nice-sized crowd of about twenty or thirty people.  They ALL turned to look at me as I entered the store.  Lovely.  

The employee was really nice and helpful, but alas, no book.  As he looked up when the books would arrive (they were already on back order) I looked at a few of the display tables.  Almost everything I read the back of looked interesting.  A whole table and surrounding section of employee favorites.  I didn't have the chance to browse around the store much, but almost did anyway out of curiosity and a little spite.  (The twenty to thirty people kept eyeballing me every time I whispered something to the employee.)
5 - Kee M.: Brazos Bookstore is a gem of a place. Its warm and cozy and the staff are always friendly and helpful. It can get crowded at times but I think thats part of its charm.

The inventory in this store strike a great balance across genres. There are the so-called best sellers available but they also carry local authors, the so called indie authors and other books that you wouldnt think to look for, much less read.

They have an awesome kids section that I always stop by at, and author/book events almost every week. The merchandise is a bit more pricier than a chain bookstore but not overly so.
5 - Kim H.: Brazos Bookstore is one of a few independent bookstores in Houston.  With the success of Borders and Barnes & Noble which have their place, small bookstores especially in Houston are appreciated on an even deeper level.  

Brazos will never have the selection of the larger guys, but what they do have is richer and carefully-selected.  They have a great architecture section as well as a diverse selection of magazines from all over the world.  They also bring authors like Dave Eggers and Marjane Satrapi to read, answer questions, and sign autographs.  Take THAT, large corporations!

Pay Brazos a visit and remember what book stores were meant to be.
5 - Lisa O.: I love this place-- it's the only bookstore in Houston I go to find new interesting things to read.

What I find nearly magical is that in any section, any section at all, I find something I would like to read-- usually I stick to fiction or the health/science section but in large part through Brazos Books I've realized a newfound interest in history, biography, even economics.  Whoever the buyer is is amazing, don't let the smallish size of this shop turn you away, it's densely packed with quality reads.

The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and helpful, I've found I even love the patrons.  Sidenote: if you're familiar with BookPeople in Austin, this is just like that only smaller.

It's a neat little place, my favorite in Houston : )
5 - Emily D.: A fantastic independent bookstore. They had Camus in French translation! There were so many books here I wanted. There are comfortable spaces to sit and read, the staff is so friendly and helpful, and the kids' nook in the back is delightful. If I lived in Houston I would spend time here daily. Excellent selection of books, journals, and specialty items. (I got Jane Austen playing cards here!)
5 - Chuck M.: A great old-fashioned independent bookstore with a well thought out selection.  If you're looking for a bookstore like the ones that existed back before Barnes & Noble took over the market, look no further.  Sign up for their mailing list and get notices about author readings and book signings.  This place might not have the latest bestseller at 40% off...but they probably can direct you to a book that you'll like even better here.
1 - Prissy V.: Brazos used to be GREAT until  they FIRED Jane Moser...Now they have a young kid running things and he thinks - THUMBS DOWN. If you are looking for a great store that CARES about the customer and offers GREAT service - try Blue Willow Book Shop in River Oaks.
5 - Jennifer J.: I like this place,,, as indipendant book store this is BEST place near West University. Atmosphere is very peaceful and clam, staffs are very nice. Now days we don't have many indi book store because of Big Company... but I hope we have more of these book stores and give some treat to our brain every once in a while.
4 - Helen D.: So let's take another look at Brazos Books. Quite a few changes have taken place since my last review. People have come and gone, the bookstore rearranged, a new on-line posting. 

I have heard voices raised in dismay. It seems human nature runs true-we don't tolerate change very well. Especially when it comes to something as beloved and familiar as our Brazos Books.

I am trying to be objective in wading through the pros and cons. I admit my own dismay at the total make-over of the store. Gone is the cozy, libraryish feel. The sit down a while, linger, enjoy a cup of tea and browse a book (well not really tea, it just felt that way).  Now the feel is slicker, hipper, edgier. Not quite as warm. But I have to say the children's/juvenile lit room was way overdue for some attention and it is really refreshing and inviting. Before it was a mishmash as if everything had just been tossed into the room. If you were serious about looking for something you had to wade in and start digging. I always got the feeling it was only a nod to children but not a serious attempt to attract that market. For myself it was a serious oversight and slight.

I also liked the original staff. Very, very helpful, friendly. Well-read and could recommend or advise on demand. But alas they fell by the wayside one by one. I was always a bit sad to walk in and discover they hadn't been on vacation or had a day off. They were gone! I have discovered some at other places local and enjoy their continued help and knowledge in books.

I have to say I understand that in the cutthroat world of books and dog-eat-dog business world one must do their level best to bring in what will appeal to the largest market. I travel extensively and have seen many small, local bookstores. Brazos Books is trying to reimagine itself as a modern, younger place to attract the younger people. And they are right to try because obviously that is the future business that will keep it open long after I am a memory. But really what everyone should realize is that you live or die by reputation. Not by whether you had the hippest blog with all the latest catchphrases and obsure books. Not that your store was spare and slick. Instead of tea perhaps a glass of champagne while you browse?(Well, that's not half so bad either come to think of it!) 

Nope what will keep Brazos Books going is good books, a larger selection of magazines and news papers(just thought I would throw that in if anyone is listening) and super friendly, super efficient, super knowledgeable staff. So far (even though I truly miss my familiar faces) I cannot complain about the people I have met. I am willing to give all this change a chance. If the staff is up for the challenge and keep their smiling gameface on they just might win over all the discontented doubters.

I though will have a harder time w/the on-line blog which seems only to cater to a much younger set. It would be nice if they could reset the tone to be more all-inclusive of all age groups.
3 - Dilip J.: Not a big dept bookstore, but  better quality book selection.

Bread & Butter - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9110191, -79.0643545) ()
5 - Susan Z.: Bread & Butter is a new bakery/coffeeshop that literally just opened today (9/15) in downtown Chapel Hill near the CH/Carrboro border, so it's a soft opening.  It's got lots of seating with wifi and offers drip coffee with the basic espresso drinks made from Counter Culture beans.

There is a limited selection of breads and baked goods as the business is just starting off.  Currently, there are only four kinds of bread, one type of cookie, and one type of muffin and from speaking with the owner (George), it looks like these will change up on a somewhat daily basis.  A loaf of bread ranges from $4-5 and a cookie is $0.75.  A regular cup of drip coffee is $1.75.

Today I purchased a chocolate chip-almond cookie, a loaf of walnut bread, and a cup of coffee.  The cookie was delish, very home-made tasting.  The walnut bread was awesome.  I did 3 spreads on the bread:  dill goat cheese from Southern Season, blueberry jam, and Land o' Lakes regular butter.  The bread tasted amazing with the dill goat cheese (which I didn't even enjoy and lamented getting until I put it on the walnut bread) as well as the butter.

This is definitely a local mom & pop shop with only George and a couple of employees running the show until they get their sea legs.  But the quality is superb and its prices very reasonable.  I can't wait to see how they will expand in the coming months!
4 - Laura M.: Bread & Butter is a really promising new coffee shop/ bakery that just opened on Rosemary where the Chinese place used to be. Because they are still getting their sea legs, the decor is still a little sparse and in some places Chinese Restaurant-like, but they are looking to spruce things up with some local art.

The have free wifi and a designated parking lot (YAY!) and weren't crowded at all when I went at about 3 on a Tuesday. Heads up: they are closed on Mondays and Sundays. 

Prices are totally reasonable (1.75 for a large coffee, around 3 bucks for a large espresso drink, homemade muffins, cookies and bread for cheaper than Great Harvest). Oh, and did I mention they also sell wine and beer?

The selection is limited, but they're making an effort to expand and until they do I don't mind stopping every day to make sweet sweet mouth-love to their blueberry muffins.

Best part? Hipster-free.
5 - Cami T.: Just went back today to Bread and Butter (not my first return visit, but still), and saw that they had added decaf coffee and are beginning to add a little to the decor so it's not as bare bones as it was a few weeks ago.  It's really starting to take shape into something quite awesome.
4 - Leela S.: Houston, we have a problem. My house is full of delicious bread and I can't stop eating it!

Bread and Butter has only been open for a month or so, but I think it's set to do really well based on my experience. Friendly people and amazing baked fare - how can you go wrong? Today I succumbed to the olive herb bread and the cinnamon raisin bread. Joel will have to install a lock on the bread box when he comes home so I don't eat the entire olive herb loaf. I'm not a butter fan but am finding it goes particularly well with triple creme Brie (looks at waistline, shakes head sadly).

Bread and Butter does two very customer-friendly things: offers half loaves at $3.50, exactly half the price of a full loaf; and sells day-old loaves at half price. The cinnamon raisin loaf I bought today was baked yesterday and still tastes delicious. Here's hoping it freezes well or I will be even more blimp-shaped by week end.

All Bread and Butter is missing is a little ambience in the interior - it feels a bit "tired" in there - and perhaps they could team up with local producers to stock interesting cheeses/spreads to accompany their breads...then this will surely be a five star joint.
4 - Teresa P.: Very good bread. I got a plain ole baguette today, and it was just about perfect. The crust was very good both in flavor and in texture, and the inside was soft and just the right density. It put Weaver St. Market's bread to shame. 

They could work a little bit on the ambiance (why I gave 4 not 5 stars), but I am still looking forward to going back.
5 - Mandey B.: I LOVE this place.  We've gotten baked goods here several times so far and everything we try is so perfect.  Pumpkin muffins, pear and onion pan bread, olive bread, there's so much great stuff coming out of this place.  Day-old bread is half-price and it's just as delicious as the stuff baked that morning.  The employees are all great and the espresso drinks are awesome, too.  Try this place out ASAP.
5 - Lindsay S.: I bought a "Country Loaf" here the other day.  It was warm when I took it home for lunch.  My husband and I ate about half the loaf.

And then we used it the next morning for toast with butter and jelly.

And then, this morning, I fried up the remaining small pieces as French toast.

And each time, each day, this bread was AWESOME.  So moist and soft and delicious.

I'll be back this week to get more of this delicious bread.
5 - Aaron V.: First and foremost I had the greatest scone ever there. Who knew that scones could even be amazing? The baker seems to really know what he's doing. We also ordered a cappuccino and a americano and both were well made. Everything was affordable and it has a nice local feel. Highly recommended.
3 - Elizabeth M.: Fig and rosemary scone was good, not great.  Latte was good, but it took almost 10 minutes for our drinks (2 lattes).  Parking and wifi are always appreciated.  I would give this spot another chance in a few months.  Biggest complain was coffee speed and it was uncomfortably warm inside.
3 - Helen K.: I went because I got the living social deal. The bread was really good and it was a nice spacious place to meet a friend and talk. I felt the selection was limited. There were only three pastries to pick from and three breads available to pick from. The olive and herb bread sounded really good, but none were left when I went. I also got hot tea instead of a coffee drink. I wish the tea would have been nicer like loose tea or fancier than the kind you could buy at the grocery store for three dollars a box.

I also agree with the other reviewer that the place was too warm inside. Wouldn't be willingly to try again, but was not wowed by my first visit.
5 - John L.: Bread and Butter is a nice little coffee shop housed in what used to be a Chinese place.  The evidence of the former residents is still apparent in the form of the bathroom doors and parts of the decor.  

That being said, Bread & Butter is nice:  their pastries are good, their bread is excellent, and it's a nice place to sit down and get a significant amount of work done away from the hubbub of Franklin Street, or the evil giant yellow ball in the sky that haunts places with large windows like Open Eye.  

Specialty coffee making is a little on the slow side, but once you get it, it is damn good.  So while you have to wait, you will get something really nice (mocha = yummy).  

Also, their sign telling you their Wi-Fi password is awesome, which is good enough for me.
3 - Tim C.: I came with my wife one Saturday morning, and I ordered the caffe mocha while she got the cappuccino.  She enjoyed her drink, and mine wasn't bad either.  The problem was, it took about 20 minutes for us to get our drinks, even though we got our pastries right after we ordered.  So we sat there staring at our pastry while waiting for drinks to enjoy it with.

I ordered the brioche cinnamon roll, which was pretty good, but I've definitely had better.  I would have liked for it to taste more like brioche, with a lighter texture.

I also tried their blueberry scone, which was too bready, dense, and crumbly for my liking.

Their bread, however, is quite good.  Great crust with a light, slightly-chewy interior.  I tried their honey pecan bread and thoroughly enjoyed it with some jam.

They did a nice job of converting the store space into a cozy cafe, and the staff is very friendly and accommodating.  Just don't expect to get a "quick cup of coffee" here.  I'd probably go back for some bread, though.
4 - Meg O.: I really like this place.  Have been there a few times and find there espresso drinks to be quite good and the muffins are delicious.  Staff is nice and they bring your drink to you.  There is always somewhere to sit during the day and never too crowded.  Their bread looks awesome but just have not tried it yet.  The wi fi password works great too.  

However, they really need to have signage up about cell phone usage.  I went in today and there was a guy that took 2 very long, loud phone calls and basically used the place like his own private office.  It totally ruined my experience.  I wanted to say something to him but was too chicken.  Please Bread and Butter, can you do something to make sure this does not happen?  I just love how quiet it usually is...
4 - Kathryn M.: The baked goods at this place are top notch, which is why I gave it 4 stars. The customer service could use some work. Went there on a Saturday morning around 9am and there was only 1 pastry option at that point and no bread had been baked yet. I would think that Saturday morning would be a prime time to come to sample fresh baked goods but they said nothing would be ready until around 11am. The person serving us that day wasn't very friendly and seemed to be kind of annoyed that we were there. I am willing to give it another chance, perhaps it was just an off day and when we went back for the bread it was delicious! If you are planning on stopping in I would recommend calling to see if anything is available first.
5 - M. K.: Just went for the first time today and was very impressed by the laid-back atmosphere.  Their oatmeal-raisin-apricot cookies are delicious.  I had to buy more!  I am looking forward to trying their bread.  Agree with other posters who note that their brioche is a little heavy, but in general love it!
5 - Hassan H.: Amazing quality food. Absolutely delicious! Five stars isn't enough when you factor in the beautifully quiet atmosphere. Really relaxing and nice. Go here amazing amazing coffee and bread and cookies. Used a living social coupon and felt as if I was robbing the place. The coffee is so good I WANTED to pay full price. Really go here.
4 - Elaine C.: Just got back using my Living Social voucher for a loaf of bread + 2 expresso coffees. The front desk was kind enough to swap the two coffees (I am not a coffee drinker) with 4 pastries! I had been there a couple times before, each time around late evening. Very often they ran out of the breads that were baked on the same day by then. So I ended up not being able to try that many of their products until today.

Today , I got the sunflower seed loaf, a brioche (pastry-size), an oatmeal raisin apricot cookie, and an apple cinnamon scone.

Here is what I think: Like the name of the bakery implies, they are good at baking BREADS. If you want good pastries, go somewhere else. Great Harvest a few miles down NC54 bakes cookies and scones MUCH BETTER than Bread and Butter does.

The sunflower seed loaf I got was very rich, moist, and loaded with a lot of seeds. From the texture, I could tell that it was very fresh and substantial. You can definitely taste the ingredients from the nutty crust to wheat-y and chewy interior.  A couple slices were already very filling! 

Their brioche was amazing! It was chewy, eggy, with a hint of butter in the dough. I figured that the perfect way to enjoy it is to first cut it into toast-size slices, microwave the slices for about 7-10 seconds until they are hottish-warm, then serve them with butter and/or maple syrup. I mean, their brioche is like the perfect love-child of bread and pancake! Butter and syrup will definitely enhance your enjoyment of their brioche.

Now onto the pastries: they are all not that impressive. 

The oatmeal raisin apricot was alright, quite buttery and loaded with raisins. But it was too crumbly (it fell apart too easily!). Sorry, I like chewy cookies. And the apricot pieces were overpowered by the raisins, so one cannot actually taste the apricot at all. I guess something stronger than dried apricot, such as dried cranberries, should be used.

The multiburry muffin was alright. I liked the integrity most - it was not crumbly and held onto the berries very well. But it was not sweet enough and quite bland! All that I could taste was the berries, not the muffin.

The apple-cinnamon scone disappointed me! Maybe I got one that was not fresh. It was bland like a plain biscuit you bake out of flour and not enough baking soda. I could SEE the apple pieces and cinnamon swirls, but was not able to taste them! It sounds ridiculous, but it was true. I guess it was not sweet enough for my palate.  If you want good scones, go to Great Harvest on South Elliot Road. Their scones melt in your mouth and are very flavorful. Bread and Butter can definitely work on improving their scones.

All in all, Bread and Butter is a bakery that is good at baking BREADS, but NOT PASTRIES. I would recommend it for breads!
4 - Donna D.: The first time I went to study and just had a cup of coffee, really enjoyed the atmosphere and the muffin I had was pretty good.  I went for the second time to use my living social deal and was very pleasantly surprised.  The lattes were excellent, the loaf of country white bread was great (still warm!), the blueberry muffin was fresh and tasty too, but the cinnamon roll was AWESOME!!  The only complaint was that I only had two types of bread to choose from and four different pastries.  Luckily, I chose well!  I hope they continue to do well and stick around, they just need to have more things out as options.
4 - Inki S.: GREAT cappuccino. Good bread. Scones were ok. 

What time to I have to be there to get more of a selection, though?
4 - Andrea C.: I didn't try the french breads but scone, muffin, cappucino are very good + it's a very nice place with sofas in the back. i went there on sunday early morning so it wasnt crowded at all, the perfect place for a cool breakfast :)
5 - Mary S.: Awesome place with free wifi, lots of BIG tables and comfy seating, and delicious coffee. I've only tried the country loaf, but it's the most amazing bread I've had in the area. 

There are generally  few side convos going on, so it's the perfect place to study. Music isn't loud and obnoxious, either. Essentially, not a bad thing to say about this place!
4 - Elizabeth S.: A great study place! Not crowded at all on a Saturday morning for my 5-person study group, which is a nice change from most of the coffee shops in the area. I had a delicious cinnamon roll, and enjoyed Counter Culture coffee, and plan to be back to try their loaf bread sometime!
5 - Marion H.: The brioche is amazing.  As are the scones.  Quiet music.  Quiet patrons.  A great place for coffee and quiet work.

Bread Heads - Kitchener, ON (43.4507304, -80.4876913) ()
4 - David P.: This place is super-promising! They have their own wood-fired oven, and sell pizzas and sandwiches (and apparently bakery items at other times).

I got the "Duke" pizza, their main specialty. It was too wet, but the toppings and in particular the caramelized onions were great. I hope they solve the liquidity problem and get a crispy crust instead.

The soda selection is cool too - they have a bunch of flavours of the "Dry" brand soda.
5 - Jeff O.: Fantastic pizza. Great to have them in town making authentic thin crust pizza. Tried four kinds all great.
Without a doubt the best pizza in town. Crust was cracker thin! Spectacular.

Bread and Jam Cafe - Cohoes, NY (42.773312, -73.701358) ()
3 - J M.: I spend a lot of time in coffee houses/shops, and ever since Slow Jed's in Averill Park went out of business, I've been searching for a comparable coffee shop.  Now Bread and Jam is no Slow Jed's, because you just can't match the fresh, homebaked desserts of Slow Jed's, but the place does have a pretty good vibe.  The seating is comfortable and the "Famous Dippers" are yummy -- my fave is the mint chocolate chip one.  The sandwiches are decent ahd the slaw that comes on side is delicious.  On Saturday evenings they have a Wii Rock Band "Battle of the Bands," for which mostly folks under the age of 16 show up.  All in all, it's a comfortable atmosphere in which to grab some caffeine and hang with friends or set up with your laptop and take advantage of the free wi-fi.
4 - Erin M.: I really, really hope this place survives.  

The Bread and Jam Cafe is a just about year old and is located in Cohoes, NY, which is a total void of life, culture, and activity.  This medium-sized cafe provides a beautiful, bright, creative, and unpretentious space that inspires the following:

*Conversation amongst friends
*Consumption of delicious coffee, espresso, hot chocolate, smoothies, etc.
*Nibbling of some lite fare or dessert
*Enjoyment of live music from both local and nationally recognized artists several times a week (I was there when John Hampson, of Nine Days fame, played...think: "this is...a story of a girl")
*Purchasing of old school library books ($1 for hardcovers)
*Wii lunch (apparently you can play Wii fit at lunch time six days a week...nice!)

The space at B&J Cafe is large and painted a vibrant yellow.  The couches, tables, and chairs are arranged a bit awkwardly but only to accommodate the stage for performances, which occur several times a week (usually for free).  This minor misstep in feng shui can easily be forgiven as it is easy to still cozy at home just about anywhere inside.  The staff is one of the most unpretentious coffeehouse staff I have encountered anywhere, which says quite a bit. 

But because of its location I just don't know how it can survive.  Since I don't live in the area I can't contribute by coming in all the time and doing my part so I can only hope that others find out about this gem and enjoy the drinks and sounds the Bread and Jam is looking to share with the Capital District.
5 - Sarah C.: Bread and Jam has a liquor license now, so they offer wine and beer, with a 5-7 happy hour every weekday!
4 - Karen G.: i am so sad to see the Bread & Jam close. In my opinion more people need to start eating at local unique places like this to keep them open. :(
4 - Jess P.: Why do good things never want to stay? I loved this place. But it's closed now, which is a shame, because it would actually make me venture to the Spindle City.

Breadmen's - Chapel Hill, NC (35.912407, -79.0609073) ()
3 - Jake S.: While I love walking in the door of this local eatery and seeing Carolina swag of every ilk, Breamen's is your average breakfast diner and not much more. 

Their menu includes all of the classic breakfast offerings with little creativity originality, which isn't a crime at breakfast time. However, it's the fact that the service is perpetually slow and the food is just okay that tends to spoil it for me. 

The breakfast options in Chapel Hill are admittedly sparse (maybe because much of the town's population--UNC Students--would prefer not to wake up until lunch), but I'd go with Ye Olde Waffle Shop every time over Breadmen's.
3 - Caroline Z.: On weekends, this popular place has diners waiting for tables in a single-file line that wraps around the front of the restaurant. Plus, the menu helps solve that age-old Sunday morning dilemma: breakfast food or lunch food? Never fear, you can have both. Those who crave pancakes and bacon can have them (with a side of 'home fries'...for some reason, we accept the idea of French fries for breakfast if we call them something else. wacky), and those who want a lunch-type meal can have salads and sandwiches, or go a little more down-home and order platters - meat loaf, chicken, barbecue, etc, with a side or two and a biscuit. I find the food a little heavy myself, but I must be in the minority, because Breadmen's seems to hit the spot with most of my friends.
4 - Christina G.: I grew up in an area where 24-hour diners were easy to come by. I find their sparsity (nay, non-existence!) in the Triangle to be a huge shortcoming. Certainly there are good brunch offerings to be had (just not at 4am, when undoubtedly there must be many other folks having similar cravings as me!). Breadman's is one such place. Like Elmo's, it serves up the usual brunch items (omelets, pancakes, bacon, and hashbrowns) with some stabs at fancier stuff (like quiche or eggs benedict) and also a sandwich-y lunch kind of menu. There's a bar here, which strikes me as odd; but I do know some folks who come here for an evening drink, so (shrug) to each his own. There's also a smoking section, which is practically unheard of in Chapel Hill, and a handful of patio tables outside. There's a private lot that has plenty of space on the weekdays but does get pretty tight on Sunday.
4 - Henry S.: Breadmen's is a staple in the Chapel Hill dining experience. Serving breakfast (and other diner-like foods) all day long, it is a cheap place to grab a good meal. The service is great even when busy and the food comes out fast. I recommend the biscuits and gravy, but all of the breakfast options are great. All dishes are under $10, so it fares well with the college student budget. Also, it's a good place to go for groups because of the cashier check out setup, making it easy to split bills. Another great thing is that Breadmen's has a huge parking lot, which tends to be a problem in the Chapel Hill area.
3 - William J.: Breadmen's would get four stars from me - it has good food and a fun atmosphere - if there prices were anywhere close to reasonable.

I can't tell you how many people used to say to me, "You've never been to Breadmen's!?  Like, zomg!!!11  For shame!"  Then I started going there and I realized that everyone I know is an insane person.  Breadmen's's (yes, double possessive!) food is very good, much more so than most, similar places I've been.  The atmosphere is great, albeit a little Sieg Heil Tarheels for me, but still fun.  I was warned that the service is terrible, but it's actually a lot better than Elmo's, where the service is supposedly good.

Unfortunately, I simply can't stomach these kinds of prices.  If I want a waffle, I'll make it myself and save $12.  What the hell, tone it down, guys.

Good for a treat once in a while to spice things up, but not an every week thing by any means.
3 - Adrienne E.: I have a steady rotation of breakfast places that I visit, but for some reason I always forget about Breadmen's. Maybe it's because I never went there as a student, even after hearing my friends rave about it. When I did get around to visiting, I was sort of underwhelmed. My french toast was good, but then again it's just as good at other places. The service was pretty bad, even though they weren't exactly busy. They did have some creative dishes on the menu, which I appreciated even though I went with a more basic choice. I think the prices are okay, but there's better food (and service) to be had at other places in the area.
3 - Sam T.: Breadman's is a solid place to go for brunch or lunch, the breakfast is pretty good. They have a lot of vegetable sides, but a lot of them are only available at dinner. The service is okay, usually not terribly fast. The food is sort of overpriced...but okay once in a while.
4 - Johnny L.: Whenever I am in town, I go to Breadman's at least once for breakfast.  the corned beef has is one of the best i have had, and, the meatloaf they have is great in either lunch (sandwich) or dinner fare.

Cute little diner, good service and fair prices.  I also had a warm blackberry cobbler w/vanilla bean ice cream that was so good, I came back before closing and got another (sans ice cream & warm)for the next day.  I can't say I have done that at any other restaurant, ever.

It's the grub, bub.  It's the shiz, my niz.  Check it out.
2 - MustangQT M.: I never really understood the popularity of Breadmen's.  It's mediocre at best in my opinion and I'd stop at a Denny's or iHop for a good breakfast before I set foot near Breadmen's, but unfortunately those chain restaurants aren't close by.  

I've only been for breakfast and the menu is pretty standard with your omlettes, pancakes and waffles.  My boyfriend's parents were visiting and his dad had never had biscuits and gravy.  I guess this wasn't the place to try them because he took two bites and was disappointed.  The biscuits aren't all that fabulous either.

I would recommend Ye Olde Waffle Shoppe before Breadmen's any day.
2 - Matt D.: Serves typical breakfast food that I could make myself for way overpriced amounts of money. For a place called Breadmen's the bread items aren't that good.
3 - Magie L.: We came to Breadmen's in Chapel Hill on a drizzly Saturday afternoon.  Breadmen's has a free attached parking lot which is nice to find in the downtown area.  The restaurant has a small town diner feel, with Christmas lights hanging from the ceiling and posters on the walls.

The menu is typical for North Carolina, with sandwiches, burgers, and BBQ.  The reason we picked this particular restaurant though is because it serves breakfast all day, and my picky son will only eat things like pancakes or french toast when we go out to eat.

I ordered some coffee, my husband got a Coke, and my son got a chocolate milk to drink.  We ordered some mozzarella sticks as an appetizer.  They were pretty good, but the marinara sauce was served a bit cold.  For lunch my son ordered a single pancake, I got a waffle, and my husband got a turkey bacon club.  It's too bad they didn't have any Monte Cristo's here, they sometimes serve them at restaurants that serve breakfast.

My husband said the fries were excellent, and the ingredients of the sandwich were good, but the sandwich fell apart all over.  It was impossibe to eat neatly.

My son didn't use all his butter on his pancake so I got his extra butter.  He liked his pancake and ate the whole thing.

I love whipped butter and was glad to have plenty of it for my waffle.  It's been years since I had a waffle, since I don't have a waffle maker and don't typically order them at restaurants.  It was good, though I think strawberries would have made a better topping than maple syrup.

The prices here are pretty decent.  $2.10 for the pancake, $5 for the waffle, and $8 something for the club sandwich.  The service is a bit slow though, it was difficult to get a refill or get the check at the end.
4 - Jomo K.: I can't count the number of times I ate at Breadmen's when I was in Chapel Hill.  I make it a point to come here every time I'm back in town.  I happened to drop in recently while back in NC.  This place is a landmark and somewhere those in Chapel Hill will miss once they've gone.  

It's not "fine dining" by ANY means.  It's more reminiscent of a family owned "IHOP" with great food.  The service is decent- but no one seems to complain and on Saturday's and Sunday's the place is PACKED for breakfast and brunch.  There is never a too long wait as they turn tables over pretty quickly.  Also, once you've finished your meal and received your check, you actually go to the register to pay.  (I'm not a fan of this, but it does make it easier and faster for those waiting for seating to get seated.

If you're looking for a great breakfast and friendly staff, this is the place.  It's nothing special, but the pancakes and the omelettes are a quite tasty. 

If you are a Carolina fan and happen to be in town, this place is a MUST.  
Also, you can't beat the $2 draft happy hour during the week.
5 - Samantha E.: Brunch at its best. All the breakfast food you could ever want and at a good price. If you want a challenge tackle the Big Breadman and get all of it at once. While brunch really is the main reason I come here here it is worth coming out in the evenings just to get the corn bread. Some of the best corn bread I ever had!
3 - Peter A.: So, nothing's really changed from my original review except that I've realize the biggest problem is going there when it's busy. The last couple of times have actually been pretty pleasant. 

I was made to go by my co-workers because we had a bout of warm weather and they had outdoor seating. The lunch time you're likely to find servers who aren't hating life because they had to deal with the church crowd on Sunday. AVOID SUNDAY BREAKFAST. 

The food is pretty good, and the place is very casual. Easy to split up a check because you pay at the counter and they do it right there. Good place for lunch. I'll investigate someday for dinner.
3 - Katherine K.: Food here is nothing to shout about, though I did enjoy their breakfast fare. Just try to avoid the place for breakfast time on the weekends, way too crowded! 

Though, if I remember correctly, their chili-cheeseburger was pretty outstanding. Lots of meaty drippy chili, to the point that you've got to be sure to lean over the table to save your pants.

Just be sure your timing is right. If you hit them up at the wrong time of day, you'll be waiting forever for your food. Hardest part is figuring out just the right time of day to go...
4 - Jeff B.: This is a chapel hill institution for sure.  Country-style blue plates, NC bar-b-q, and all day breakfast.  I think the price is ok compared to the portions.  The decor is all Tar Heels, in what looks like an old chain steak house building.  They have a limited bar (beer & wine) as well.  In general this place is hangover food, but can be a filling, homestyle, cheap, weeknight dinner or weekend brunch in Chapel Hill.
4 - Kari N.: Breadmen's is a great diner. 
The french toast is awesome! They make it with french loaf style bread. Order a side of Bacon. Perfect breakfast!
2 - N H.: My friends love this place so I keep trying to find something to like about it.   I decided to try lunch food since I can't find anything other than cold, plain, boring breakfast stuff. 

Lunch food wasn't any better...my sandwich was underwhelming and looked like it was made by a 6 year old. The tomato was LITERALLY ROTTEN. It had large black spots on it, was soggy past the point of being ok to eat, and tasted awful.  (I bit into the sandwich before realizing the tomato issue.)

In the future...I think I'll just order a soda when we go here and get my food somewhere else. If you're looking for a diner - try Elmo's instead. Much fresher, tastier food.
4 - Chris K.: I've been coming to Breadman's for years, even when they were across the street.  It's nothin' fancy, but the food is good and consistent.

One of the standards that I enjoy is the Brass Key, which is a triple decker sandwich with roast beef, turkey, cheese, and slaw on toasted bread.  It really hits the spot.  Another thing I like is the choice of veggies.  They always have a veggie of the day and the casserole ones are a sure bet.  And their cornbread is tasty & huge!  

I find it hard to make a choice, so many things are so good.  Should I get the salad with tahini dressing, the ribs, the roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy, or just have one of the many selections for breakfast no matter what time of the day it is???  It can really be a tough choice.

Whatever I get I'm always happy and leave stuffed, even when bringing home leftovers.  It's always nice to pay a visit and even more special when Mr. Bread-man is there!   You know when the boss is in the house he's really keepin' an eye out!
3 - Monica M.: This seems to be a decent and solid place to grab some decent and solid breakfast. Nothing special. Nothing fancy. But sometimes you really don't want anything special or fancy.
I got a belgian waffle and an order of biscuits and gravy (because I am a glutton.)
The waffle was great: crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle. Nothing annoys me more than a mushy waffle, but this one did not disappoint.
The biscuits and gravy were... okay. There was something off about the gravy. It tasted a little bit sweet, which was weird for me, but that might just be my own personal taste.
3 - Eliza C.: I am really unsure as to why I went to Breadmens so much when I was at UNC. It's, in all honesty, just good but not great. They have the usual staples, the service is fast and friendly, and even when there is a line snake-ing itself out the door  you are usually seated quite quickly on the weekends. Meals are cheap unless you add a ginormous amount of extras to your egg white omelette like yours truly.

I've never been to Breadmens for anything other than Brunch on the weekend and their omelletes, pancakes and hashbrowns are nothing to scoff at but nothing that you would ever crave. It definitely is a Carolina establishment, and it's not uncommon to run into UNC basketball stars seated in the corner. In fact, whenever they walk in they're, and appropriately I have to say, given the star treatment and allowed to cut the entire line. However, this never really bothers people, including myself.

The place could use a good scrub down and maybe a few perks or specials, however, like most Tarheels, i just keep comin' back.
4 - Photon O.: This place was recommended by a real carolinian, and he was not wrong. We had breakfast here (brunch, really) and it was good. Generally, diner food is greasy enough that my stomach roils afterwards (although it doesn't stop me). Here, though, even the order of corned beef hash was almost...fluffy instead of being soaked through with oil. 
The french toast was also good-- they used a baguette as the base, and it was really light and soft. 
The coffee wasn't anything to write home about, but it was refilled enough times to keep me happy. I will definitely be coming back for non-greasy diner food.
3 - Jake W.: Classic Chapel Hill hangover spot.  The food's not great, but it's breakfast, so how bad could it be?  It's downtown and there's good parking, so that's a pretty big bonus.  Also, there usually isn't a wait.

My omelet was decent and my dad really enjoyed his hash.  The grits are just okay.
4 - B R.: Breadmen's is a Chapel Hill institution.  You have to go there for breakfast.  Recently, we had the really yummy pecan waffle and the farmer's omelete. Also, we enjoy the corn beef hash..we ask them to make it extra brown.... I lpve Breadman's for breakfast.
4 - Josef K.: One of the best, if not the best, Chapel Hill breakfast "greasy spoons". This place would/should show up on the Chapel Hill icon list. The food here is very good on a consistent basis. The home fries are some of the best you will ever find. I often opt for a sandwich called "The Brass Key". Highly recommended for some good ole unpretentious good food!
2 - Jeff L.: To sum up Breadmen's in one word it would be "aight." Painfully average would probably be a better description. It's one of the countless places in Chapel Hill that makes me wonder why it is so popular. You could get the same breakfast, if not better, ay IHOP or Denny's. Been here more times than I can count, only because it can accommodate large groups without any real wait time. However, they do have surprisingly good grits. Owners are really cool too.
3 - Jacob C.: Look there really isn't much special about Breadmen's, you go there because its proper Chapel Hill. It is a classic landmark. The food is ok, the breakfast is the star of the menu. I generally get the chicken tenders, fried okra, baked sweet potato and corn bread a true southern meal. Speaking of, their corn bread is more like cake its pretty stellar. 

If you are from out of town and come here I can understand why you may look down on it, but for me its a part of home.
3 - Inki S.: It's been here forever, just not always at this spot. I still long for the OLD homefries they used to have. I don't recommend trying to go there Sunday mornings. 

Look, it's basic diner food in a college town. Breakfast is available all day, which you'll want after your bar crawl the previous night. Make sure to ask for a bottle of hot sauce for your eggs and potatoes. I usually get a farmer's omelet with sunflower toast. The omelets are very large, so I hope you have room. 

It's one of those places that if you say you're from Chapel Hill and haven't eaten there, no one will believe you.
4 - Kaitlin D.: Definitely a greasy spoon, but with surprisingly not so greasy food! I built myself an omelet with feta and tomatoes and all kinds of other perfect goodies. It was a pretty dense omelet, but so delicious! It provided the perfect fuel for beginning the long drive back to Cleveland on Monday morning after our weekend in NC. The grits were also good; I'm pretty picky about grits because I love them so much. These were perfectly in between soupy and sludgy. SO GOOD. I obviously can't speak for anything other than that one breakfast, but everyone at the table was satisfied and the service was great.

Breaking Bread Bakery - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2817038, -120.6600636) ()
4 - Dianna M.: Breaking Bread Bakery catered a fairly large staff Meeting that I attended. The staff were  warm and professional The bread was fabulously fresh,  the salads delicious!  I enjoyed one of the best muffins I've ever eaten and had cookies that we're unbelievably good! If I were a local, I would indulge at Breaking Bread regularly!
4 - SLO Life J.: This new cafe fronts on Higuera Street at the corner of Higuera and Santa Rosa--attached to the County building at that address. Parking can be tight during busy times, but eventually you'll find a spot! 

Wonderful fresh breads baked daily; buy 'em off the shelf or pick your fave for your sandwich. The menu includes soups, salads, sandwiches, breakfast items, muffins (both sweet and savory), and great cookies. They are open from 7 am to 3 pm daily; closed on weekends. The outdoor seating is perfectly arranged to people-watch and catch the breeze on a hot day. If you work downtown, this is a great spot for lunch or breakfast.

Everything is made fresh daily; sandwiches are loaded with meats, condiments, and all the trimmings. Ask for a free muffin or cookie sample . . . they are delicious! I had a turkey sandwich that was oozing delicious cranberry sauce (tasted homemade to me) and smothered in lettuces. My friend had the same basic sandwich, but with an Asian flavor (hoisin sauce and different condiments), and we both were delighted. A chocolate chip cookie for dessert, and I was stuffed.

Breakthru Fitness - Pasadena, CA (34.139926, -118.133108) (Pasadena)
5 - Teresa B.: Breakthru Fitness, which has long been a fixture in Old Pasadena, recently decided to expand from a studio environment to a more comprehensive and innovative fitness center by moving into a larger facility located at 345 S. Lake Ave., next to the Trader Joe's.
   
The official "Grand Opening" occurred recently with a formal reception in which donated gifts were raffled off, with proceeds benefiting Five Acres. Located in Altadena, Five Acres is a child and family services agency that strengthens families and prevents child abuse through treatment and education in community-based and residential programs.
   
In business for over ten years, the husband and wife partnership of Phil and Michelle Dozois was born from what they felt was a void in their industry, due to the impersonal atmosphere of the national chain workout experience. 
   
By expanding the business to a more spacious location, Breakthru Fitness has been able to grow into what can be described as a training facility in a health club type of atmosphere. State-of-the-art equipment has been added for an enhanced workout session that includes personalized Pilates training and a "Parisi Speed School Sports Performance" program. 
   
On a national level, the Parisi Speed School has trained over 100,000 athletes ranging from recreational youth athletes to Olympic Gold and Silver medalists, as well as professionals in the NFL, MLB, NBA and WNBA.
5 - Vivian C.: The new gym is beautiful, but what I really come for is the classes/instructors. Shout outs to Pearl's Group Power class and Alex's Let's Groove class. I actually rearranged dinner plans with my dad to make it to these classes. Other classes that rock are Michelle's Group Power and Alex's Verticore Circuit classes. I hate to say this, but just do it.
5 - Amber Z.: We recently moved from the Mid-Wilshire area to SGV and I needed a new gym. Breakthru Fitness was recommended to me by a friend and after checking it out during the pre-opening, I decided to sign up. Fabulous decision! 

The facility is brand new, very clean and modern. The folks at the front desk are nice and the members are a very friendly bunch. But, the main reason I joined was for the group fitness classes and they are AMAZING! I'm extremely picky when it comes to fitness instructors and I've been blown away at the quality of folks here. I've tried several classes and all of the instructors have been top notch. Yalda, Alex, and Petra are all excellent and make going to the gym a real pleasure. I haven't even ventured out to the machines or weight room as of yet, as I've been having way too much fun experimenting with the classes. 

Lastly, I'd like to specifically mention Michelle, one of the owners. She teaches several classes during the week, but her Power weights class is a permanent one on my schedule. She goes around and greets every person in class before it starts. Her enthusiasm is contagious and it's one of the most difficult and most fun classes I take all week. She takes the time to answer questions and always greets everyone with a smile. You can't ask for anything more in an owner or instructor.
5 - s a.: I have belonged to a lot of gyms over the years, but Breakthru hands down has some of the best classes I have ever been to. I went to one class and signed up as soon as it was over. The instructors are awesome and the place is clean and staff and members are friendly. It's not the cheapest gym in Pasadena, but having sampled the others, it's the best for me.
5 - Olga M.: Love this gym!  Clean, friendly staff, wonderful instructors.  Worth every penny.
1 - Margaret C.: The only good thing I can say about this gym is that it is CLEAN. Richie and Fallon are the only two at the front desk that know whats going on and they. Ceaser is a good trainer. They should be running the gym. It is over priced for what you get.
4 - Ann D.: I have belonged to a number of gyms over the years including Equinox.  I love this gym because the people there are friendly, knowledgeable and down to earth.  The classes are outstanding and personalized and the facilities are fantastic.  I wish that the machines would face the mountains, so that we could take advantage of the view and that there was a steam room.  Also it would be great for there to a plug in connection to the TVs right on the machines.  Aside from that, I'm a fan.
2 - cybelle s.: I joined this gym before it opened at it's current location, so it's not as if I should have known better- except to sign a year contract to a place I haven't been, I guess....

I went to this gym a couple of times and I have to say that I am not impressed.  I don't know if it's the facility itself that's small or if the set up makes it feel tight - but, either way,  it feels crowded.    Michelle seems nice, but the staff at the front desk - the few times I was there- acted as if they couldn't be bothered, which is really not a good first impression to set.  I took the Madonna Grimes classes (while she was there), which were great, but they were overly crowded so there wasn't a lot of room to move around (which you need in her class!). Plus, at least to me,  the general vibe of the facility is kind of uptight, which is odd for a gym.

Because of the unpleasant vibe and the crowded feeling of the gym,  I basically just donated my money to them this year, because I didn't want to go. It's literally a block away from my place, and I still prefer to go somewhere else and work out- which is what I did.  What a waste of money, which I could have spent at Trader Joe's.  At least I go there.
5 - Jackie H.: This gym is the best in the area!  All of the staff, instructors and trainers are top-notch.  A friendly, inviting atmosphere is apparent the moment you walk in the door.  The classes are fabulous and cutting edge...and most importantly, the various programs offered reach out to every gym member from those wanting to lose weight, to those who want to take a fun class, to those elite athletes that really want to push themselves to the next level.  Visit Breakthru...you won't be disappointed!
4 - Rena S.: I really like this gym!  My husband and I have been members since before it opened.  We've done the personal training (Suzanne is great!), and really enjoy the Power classes.  The gym is clean & has all the equipment anyone could need for a great workout.  My only issue is that for this price, I feel it should have a pool.  Our last gym cost slightly less and had a full sized pool.  Other than that, it's a great gym with very friendly staff.
2 - Allegra P.: The gym itself is clean and nice. There are plenty of machines and I only felt like it was too crowded at peak hours. The classes are great, especially Augustine's Zumba class and Steve's cycling class.

The staff at the front desk is friendly and nice, but they have a VERY high turnover rate, so you'll practically see a new face every time you walk in.

That brings me to management. For a family-owned gym, I think Breakthru is very poorly run. They have a hard time holding on to employees and they will make your life complicated if you try to cancel. They are neither understanding, nor gracious. They will absolutely try to milk you for every last penny before letting you walk out the door.

My advice? Try the gym free for 7 days. If you like the atmosphere and don't find it too crowded, give it a shot. Just expect a new person to greet you each time you walk in and plan on working out with them for the rest of your life ...

Good luck!
5 - Deborah M.: "A BIG step above the rest" is how I would describe what I consider to be the best gym in Southern California - Breakthru Fitness. I've belonged to about 5 gyms (does that qualify me to be an authentic critic?!) and Breakthru Fitness is the best in all categories. I go to the gym in the morning and I am always welcomed warmly by the receptionist.  The members are a wonderful mix of  individuals and we enjoy the fellowship of each other.  The classes are top notch, fun, and physically challenging. The instructors provide a great work out and continually "change it up" so our bodies are challenged. MIchelle and Phil, the owners, are caring people, who really know how to provide the best workout environment in southern California. Michelle and Phil and the entire staff are friendly and  professional and care deeply about making Breakthru Gym the best it can be for all of its members. You will never find a cleaner gym!!  Breakthru hosts many charity events on the premises, indicating their concern for the community it serves.  Hats off to Breakthru Gym!!     You have a member for life!!
4 - CJ J.: Let me start out by saying this review is for their Pilates area.

One of my girls really wanted to try pilates so I called around her area to see who would be able to give us a session and tour around their gym. Most of the pilates instructors didn't have anything that was good with her schedule but Breakthru Fitness was great. They set up an appointment, set us up with two pilates instructors, and we had a great intro session. They really informed us of everything and we had a nice little trial workout to see what pilates was all about (on the reformer machines). I was even joking around and said that the machines looked like torture devices and the instructors had a good sense of humor which I liked.

After the gym tour my friend really liked everything but frankly it was just over her budget. Everything was pretty darn pricey and when you try to do the gym membership AND the pilates sessions it was just overboard.

Maybe if their pricing was a bit more competitive they would have had another member, but regardless it's a nice facility.
5 - James T.: I tried out there 7 day guest pass and I immediately fell in love w/ this place.  The moment I walked in, the facility has all the state of the art equipment, bunch of great group classes, knowledgeable staff , easy parking access, and most importantly ....very clean!    The gym's atmosphere has that feeling your at the Hyatt hotel's gym :simple , clean , & cozy.
4 - Liz B.: This gym is very clean.  I'm so picky about gyms and haven't signed up for a membership because when I think of gyms I think germs.  This is not the case at Breakthru.  If you're paranoid like I am, they even offer anti-bacterial wipes to wipe down machines and equipment.  

The staff is really nice.  The trainers in my opinion are kinda lame.  Although some of them have it together, there are some where you question "really, they're a trainer."  They don't look the part , and I think looking the part is you marketing your skills, etc.  Overall I've been very happy with this gym.  

I will say though, parking sucks during the holiday season with everyone going to Macy's, but other than that it's a wonderful gym in a great location!
5 - candie s.: I've been a member now for about 5 months and I can't tell you how impressed I am with the place.  The facilities are always spotless and the staff is more than friendly and welcoming.  You just don't get that at corporate chain gyms that are plastered all over the city.

They are pricey, but you're paying for what you get.  At any given point in time you are encouraged to ask for help, advice and/or assistance from any of the trainers on duty (granted that they are not with a client at the time).  

Their group classes are amazing.  I always feel that you work harder when there are people around me trying to achieve the same goal.  Whether it be to lose weight, gain muscle or just overall fitness ... when you sign up for a gym, you're there to sweat.  And sweat you shall at Breakthru.

They offer spin, bootcamp, pilates, yoga, Zumba and a vast array of other classes starting from 5:30a.m. to 7:30p.m., so it fits almost anyone's schedule.  I've lost about 4% body fat in the last 5 months and am amazed at my own success.  I've been able to achieve more in the past few months here than I have anywhere else.

They sold me on their free 7-day unlimited pass, now I'm hooked.  It doesn't cost a thing to try ... so you mine as well!
5 - Karen E.: I've been a member for a few months now and couldn't be happier! I was a member of a corporate gym for years and finally got tired of paying for bad equipment and mediocre classes. I tried out Breakthru Fitness and instantly fell in love with this place =)
Here's why:
 1. It's clean! There's constantly staff cleaning out the machines and they provide you with sanitary wipes if you need it. They also provide clean towels to their members.

 2. Staff is always friendly and willing to answer questions. As a girl, weight machines are pretty intimidating but the staff here is always willing to over a machine and even make suggestions.

 3. There are a TON of classes!! Morning, afternoon, evening, it's perfect. I recommend spinning and Zumba. Plus their Pure Strenght class has really helped me. I'm not a weights person at all and these classes have definitely helped me get into strenght training.

 4. The instructors are amazing. My faves are Steve (super friendly and his classes alwasy feel very didactic) and Noel ( AMAZING Spin class. I walk out drenched in sweat and yet feeling super sexy). 

 5. They have a juice bar and while I've never tried it, I think it's great to have as an option. 

While this gym is more expensive than some other chain gyms, IT IS WORTH IT. This is the first gym I've ever gone to where it feels like they actually care about me getting in shape (I know it sounds corny but it's true).  I would recommend anyone to give it a try.
4 - Johnson S.: Don't come in during the speed class and you pretty much have a facility all to your own. My workouts are very rack heavy so i like the two power racks that they have. The facility itself is very clean and very quiet. The staff is super friendly and up to answer any questions you have. There's plenty of motivation and just over all a nice place to train.
5 - Leslie N.: I LOVE this gym!  I have belonged to a number of facilities in my time and I have never enjoyed a gym as much as Breakthru.  The facility and the staff is top notch.  Unfortunately, I had to change gyms but ONLY because my office moved and the new office gym is awful!  It makes me miss Breakthru just that much more.  I have never taken such a better spin class than Noel's and Gary's Boot Camp class is fantastic as well.  While you are at it sign up for the ATC classes too and Breakthru will have you surpassing your goals in no time!!!
5 - Jeannie A.: This gym is the best - if you live in the Pasadena area, run there and sign up now. Noel's spin classes  are the best I have ever taken and Gary's bootcamp is amazing. The staff is knowledgeable ...and nice!
5 - Augustina L.: Close to home, clean facilities, helpful/friendly/knowledgable staff, great variety of classes, never crowded...I love this gym!  I would highly recommend Breakthru to anyone who's looking to join a first rate, high quality workout facility.
5 - Tony D.: I have been a member for 5 weeks and working with a trainer as well. There are many things I really like about this gym. It is super clean, the equipment is state of the art and always working, The trainers are tough and really stay focused on training you as opposed to checking out what else might be going on in the gym. The staff have all taken the time to know who I am and greet me by name when I am there and I've got to say it makes you feel appreciated. If you are looking for a gym that is full of people who are serious about geting into and staying in good shape. This is it.
2 - Henri T.: I have been a member for almost a year. My quick take-away

Pros: 
1. Very clean. 
2. Very good group classes (spin, group fitness, yoga) 
3. Off peak hours (late weekend afternoon/night, mid-day week), I feel like the gym is my personal gym as there is no one here
4. Has plenty of free weights and kettlebells for use
5. If you have kids, they have kids training programs 

Cons:
1. When busy (which is more frequent than when I first joined), it's extremely difficult to find space to workout. 
2. When they have the kids and adult  training programs (weekday/end mornings and weekdays around 4-7, in other words peak hours), the place gets really crowded and feels like Romper Room. You have kids everywhere and it is frankly not conducive to individual weight training as training space is limited. 
3. The trainers feels like they own the place and block off areas - something I find very annoying
4. For some of the classes, you actually need to get there 20 minutes in advance. This includes some of the early morning spin classes
5. For value, I think this place is overpriced. $90/mo? 


Don't think I would pay this after my renewal
5 - robert s.: Bob S.
Just want to share a personal experience about Breakthru. I left my Oakley sunglasses in the men's locker last night. And someone turned them in to the front desk. I use to belong to another high end gym in Pasadena and I had two Oakleys taken and four ipods stolen. Thanks for creating an atmosphere where members look out for each other.
5 - John E.: I still think that this is a very nice place to workout. The people who run the classes are top notch and the place remains squeaky clean.  My membership had lapsed for a bit (due to both sloth and being crazy busy at work) -- and unlike other gyms that just auto-renew you at the end of your term, and hit your credit card over and over, even though you no longer come, they do not do that here. This seems to suggest that their business model is not based on signing people up at teaser rates and hoping they never come again. In fact, they are constantly offering innovative workout programs to mix things up and keep you interested.
4 - Wendy M.: This is really a great gym. The place is always clean and it seems that each time I have been there, someone is cleaning. They have fresh towels which is important and everyone is nice. I had an opportunity to work with Kanda she was giving me information to help with my weight loss goals. I was pleased to find that my membership also came with access to dotfit website to track weight loss goals.

I have only been able to attend their spin and yoga classes and I enjoyed them both. I wish that they had more classes in the evening around 8pm to accommodate my late work schedule. I signed up for a 6 month membership and unfortunately, I will not be able to continue my membership because I just don't use it enough and I don't want to continue to pay $100 and not use the membership. But, once my schedule permits, I will come back to resume my membership.

I am giving this 4 stars because I wish they had 8pm classes for us night owls. But, if you are looking for a clean facility with nice members and staff, this is the place for you. The training there is great also. Unlike most gyms that I visited in Pasadena, this place seems more high-end and the members do not bother you while you work out. This is not a meat market.

The parking is free and Trader Joe's is next door. Great location!
5 - Debbie C.: Love this gym.  I've been a member since the gym opened almost 3 years ago.  Years before, I was a member of Equinox and before that Bally's.  I've tried various studios that offer high-end classes (e.g. bar, kickboxing, yoga, boot camp, special DJ classes, etc.).  In the end, I feel that Breakthru is the best gym for me for many reasons including:

1) When I go the gym, I need excellent fitness classes.  Breakthru has fantastic classes - everything from zumba to pilates to yoga to circuit training and spinning.  The instructors excel at what they do.  And they get you into shape.  If you are into yoga or pilates, there are classes that will please you or if you like more strength training/boot camp classes, they offer those as well.  And the always fun zumba classes are popular.  I'm not a big spinning person but my friends at the gym just love the spinning classes too.  The classes are first-rate and there is alot of variety offered.  
.
2) Friendly owners that always seem to be present at the gym - The gym is owned by Phil and Michelle Dozois.  They make this place special, it's not a corporate-type, salesy place.  They ask opinions and listen to feedback.  They are always looking at ways to improve the programs being offered.  And Michelle, who is one fantastic instructor, is a force in the fitness world with a slew of popular DVD workout titles to her name to prove it (check out collage video for reviews of her DVDs).

3) Special training programs - They also offer special programs for extra fees - PEAK training classes (for the fit wanting to become even more fit), Lose to Win (focused more on weight loss), Adult Total Conditioning (adult finess classes).  Participating in the PEAK program was a real challenge and one I did enjoy.

4) Family-friendly atmosphere - They offer childcare services and speed school classes for kids 6 and older.  My kids love to come to the gym with me.  After I'm done, we all often get smoothies from their smoothie bar.(Tip - Try the Michelle Special smoothie- a small chocolate (or vanilla flavored) shake with peanut butter for about 200-250 calories.  Tastes so good I'm not sure I believe the calorie count.

5) Super cool staff - I've never met a rude person working at this place, they are all polite and friendly and seem happy to be working here.  

Michelle and her crew have helped me get in decent shape by making it fun to come consistently to the gym for the past few years.    

Try it out, you can sign up for a free 7 day pass and decide for yourself.
5 - Larry G.: Not your ordinary gym.  I've been a member at countless other places over the past many years and wasted my membership because I was never motivated and thus never visited.  Not the case any more! I know that motivation comes partly from within, but Breakthru does a far better job motivating its members than the 'others'!  If you are committed to getting in better shape, then Breakthru has a program or a class or a trainer for you! (Or a combination of the three).  From personal experience, I'd recommend both the Lose2Win and Peak10 programs.  The facilities are great and the staff is amazing!
5 - Anonymous A.: I recently switched from Equinox and I am loving it.  This gym is fabulous.  Somehow they managed to make it feel warm and cozy without also feeling small and crowded.
5 - Jessie P.: Clean.  New Equipment, great instructors and amazing members.  The owners are on premesis and constantly take feedback from the members.  I switched from Bodies in Motion and gladly now pay double for the cleanliness alone.  Noel's spin class is addicting and has really made me a gym person.  I'm here almost every day and know most of the members now who are  really nice and cool people.  I can't wait for their remodel to be completed in the summer to see what they have in store.  The classes get filled but their additonal programs like Training for Warriors and ATC really can kick you into shape and do it quckily for a slight additional cost.   I've always been the person who goes nuts and works out for a couple weeks nonstop then doesn't set foot in a gym for another six months.  Not anymore.
5 - betty l.: Love this gym. The trainers are professional . They don't push you to get more sessions. The classes are awesome.
5 - Logan T.: Been a member of Breakthru since they opened a few years ago and still love this place.  Definitely has more of a neighborhood gym feel versus corporate gym.  Many of the machines were new as of the grand opening, and they just recently (within the past week or so) finished their summer remodel.  The spin room has been moved to the back and the Parisi speed school is in the newly added space.  Hopefully this will alleviate one of the issues that many people mentioned - when the kids are at the gym doing the speed school thing, it can get really crowded.

Off hours, you basically have the gym to yourself and a handful of other people.  Staff are friendly, lots of group classes.  Personal training available, of course, and they have a physical therapist available by appointment as well.  There's a kiddie play area for those of you with kids.  The owners, Phil and Michelle are always around during regular hours and make it a point to connect with the members.

Cost isn't cheap by any means but it's a much better deal than Equinox without the attitude.

Brian J Reagan, MD FACS - La Jolla, CA (32.882894, -117.22631) ()
5 - Joe P.: Dr. Reagan is a fantastic surgeon who genuinely cares about his patients - and the results show.  I am a better person since I met Dr. Reagan.
1 - Sari B.: My name is Sari Boesky.  Earlier this year I gave you my opinion of Dr. Reagan.  He misused the Fraxil Lazer.  it is now several months later.  i still wear long sleeves and cover my chest but I want to tell you something new.  A new manifestation.

I recently went to Israel, where it is over 100 degrees during the day.  As I put my sunscreen on my chest ( i repeated every hour ) and my long sleeve shirt, I thought I would be just tine.

We were out all day and when we got back to our hotel, I took my shirt off and as diligent as I was with the sunscreen, etc...I was shocked to find that my scars were raised and some were bleeding.  I didn't react with shock other than to say to my husband, " Dr. Reagan is going to haunt me for the rest of my life."

The reason I am writing again is to say once more, please be very careful and do your homework when you pick a plastic surgeon to help you with your desired surgery and your desired outcome.  Be careful.

There is a 4 inch square on my face where Dr. Reagan used a cosmetic acid based peel-which is what most people do on their faces-again 3 years later, it is melted and mottled and it cannot be covered.   I say again, be careful.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it is true. Be wise and do your best to find a surgeon that fits your needs.

Sincerely,

Sari Boesky.

Brian O'Neill's - Houston, TX (29.716146, -95.414648) (West University)
5 - Oxen -.: A good Irish themed bar with a relaxed, wood interorior and even one of those digital juke boxes.  The place gets amazingly crowded on weekends-- too crowded for comfort in my opinion.  Reasonably quiet on weekdays.  Nice bartenders!
2 - Rebecca F.: No reason for this place to be as busy as it is, spilling out onto the patio with lines to get in.  Annoying music (especially the karaoke choices I heard) and frankly, annoying people.  There are better pubs even in the Viillage.
4 - Chris K.: I really dig this place.  With a nice front patio, big leather couches, and a friendly bar staff, this O'Neil's feels like a comfortable neighborhood stop.

Don't leave without trying the olives and Hefeweizen.
4 - Andrew M.: Great little Irish pub in the village.  It can get busy on Friday and Saturday nights, but what else do you expect when you go out.  Great mix of being chill and relaxed on the porch, with a little more excitement on the inside.  Worth a stop.
2 - Cory O.: I sometimes feel like an old Scrooge on here bashing things every which way, but people must be warned!  Or at least go places knowing what it is really like.  

On any given weekday (I'm grouping Friday with the weekend for review purposes), it'll actually be decent.  You can get a table, the music isn't so loud that you lose hearing, you can order surprisingly good bar food, and they always have some awesome 80s flick on the tv (last time was Private Benjamin).  Then the weekend comes.

They have a cover charge.  They have a mediocre band/crap generic music blaring so loudly over the speakers that you may never hear again.  They let in probably 100 more people in than any fire inspector would be comfortable with.  They are incredibly understaffed (but probably excused since the waitresses wear slutty outfits).  Since they're understaffed, you have to claw your way to the bar, grab your drinks, spill half of them all over yourself because it is so crowded, take your five sips and then make the trip again.  

Plus, since this is such a young people bar (not necessarily in age all the time, but definitely in maturity), you have the obligatory fight break out.  Seriously, I wasn't hitting on your man.  No, really.  Now get out of my face.

Somehow the place brings out the rage in me.  Everytime I go in on a weekend, I'm reminded of why I'm glad I quit the dating game early and settled down with someone with less hair gel and more manners.  "Accidentally" grabbing a girls ass as she goes to the bar is completely inappropriate, but to be expected here.  

My advice: don't bother unless it is a weekday and you just want a quiet beer.
3 - May N.: This place sounds like it could be a nice, neighborhood hang-out, but it's not.  For one thing, it's in the Village.  This means two things:  the proximity to a university, an academic medical center, and a wealthy neighborhood can draw obnoxious people and parking is going to suck.  Other nearby bars don't draw nearly such a raucous crowd.  And we're in Houston.  We drive.  Often by ourselves.  Give yourself at least 10 minutes to find a parking spot.  This tiny lot north of the bar now charges $2 to park there.  

I have gone on "Big Ass Beer Night" Wednesdays where you can pay for a large, keepsake glass which you can buy beer in week after week.  Weeknights do tend to be quieter.  I've been able to have conversations without having to shout to be heard.  That being said, I've been there on weeknight evenings, sitting inside on the edges inside one of those cubbyholes which you think will be quieter.  It's not going to be quieter.  Because there will a loud, obnoxious group adjacent who will yelling/laughing up a storm.  And that's not even the college kids.   Karaoke is not that great.  Friday happy hour also is very loud.   Some random young blondes were walking around tonight with Mardi Gras-type beads and asking people to take pictures with them.  

I've stopped by on a Saturday night.  I say "stopped by" because I didn't realize they charged cover .  It's cheap, like $1, but the principle of the matter is that they think they can charge a cover.   And I could buy a lot better things for $1 or go to any of the bars nearby and not have to pay.  

Overall, quieter, neighborhood-y feel during weekdays.  I'm down with the cheap happy hour food and booze (e.g. potato wedges for $1, fried calamari $3, Shiner $2.25).  Once the sun sets, it gets louder and feels much more frat boy-ish.
3 - Michelle Y.: This place is good for getting really, really drunk.  No one cares if you act like a total dumbass.  In fact, most people there are total dumbasses and it's really hard to fit in unless you become one yourself.  Dumb music and yelling.  That's all it really is, but sometimes that's really nice.
2 - Rose K.: If I could give two and a half stars, I would.  This place is very mediocre, very yuppie, very popped-collar college boys.  I have a few good associations with this place because for a while, every time I would visit, the Astros would hit a grand slam and win, while I was there!  But that can't be attributed to the bar.

In general, this place is way overrated.  Baker Street is slightly better.  Little Woodrow's is slightly better than that, and Kelvin Arms and Gingerman are obviously even better.  I've gotten in when they weren't charging a cover, and in that case, it might be worth checking out.  It is absolutely not worth checking out if they make you pay a cover.

When this place is crowded with late night yuppies, it is just not my scene.
3 - Lucia R.: Not a horrible place. Big patio with heaters was a plus. Beer is cheap; parking is not. You can park in the garage across the street for $10; or troll the side streets for parking. After 10 they charged a cover for some awful 90s cover band that butchered every song. Maybe I needed more beer to tolerate the noise those clowns were making, and get obnoxiously drunk like the Rice frat boys in the main room. They sure were loving it. 
"Play Ledbetter dude!!!"
4 - Jerry W.: Nice place to hang out on the weekend. Gets pretty busy. Cover charge, but there is live music. Lots of beer on tap which is a bonus. Ok number of seats/booths, most people stand. There is even a small area for dancing.

Didn't eat, just drank.
1 - Lisa C.: I went here on Saturday night to celebrate a friend's birthday. We spent about two and a half hours there. At some point I went to go check on my car. When I got back they were set up to take cover, but let me back in (my purse was inside) and then after I was back in, they asked me to come back out front. I did and they asked me for my ID. (I had been drinking inside for the past two hours and had already been ID'd - again my purse was with my friends, so I had to go back inside to get my ID. The waitress that had already ID'd me showed up and I asked her to let them know I had already been ID'd. I think they were trying to kick me out! so I asked if I had to pay for all the food and beer I had consumed in the past two hours... if you want to be hassled by 18 year olds at the door, this is the place to go.
4 - Chris S.: You know, this is by no means the best bar in the city.

With that said, it is, however, one of my "go-to" favorites.

I've been coming to Brian O'Neils since I graduated college in 2004. This for whatever reason has always been the bar that my buddies tend to gravitate to. Other bars have come and gone, but Brian O'Neils has always been pretty solid. Lets go over why:

The beer:  
Not the best selection in the world, but it has all the right stuff. Prices are decent, and if you hit their happy hours, they're even better (like most pubs and bars). Overall, 3 out of 5 - Average.

The food:
Exceptional for a bar. Though many of the other bars in town have good food, this is the only place in town that gets me craving their food BEFORE i'm drunk and it's 1am. If you hit them up on a Wednesday night, they have 1/2 priced burgers, and some of the best burgers in town. They're big, cooked well, creative and made fast. This has become sort of a Wednesday night ritual for my boys and I. You really can't beat it. With the burger (I always get the one with Alvocado, pico and swiss cheese) you get a tray full of amazing fries and a few delicious pickles all for about $4. Like I said, you can't beat it. Overall, 5 out of 5.

The atmosphere:
The atmosphere is nice. Comfortable if you will. Not the best, but by no means the worst. Nice leather furniture. Nice wood architecture and bar. Irish painting and signs throughout. Huge LCDs on the wall. Small stage for the occasional band. Nice patio (which was recently re-done and looks great). It's always pretty clean. All-in-all, the perfect place to just "show up." No need to change your shoes or throw on a collared shirt. Just go and you'll be fine. Overall, 4 out of 5.

The people:
This is where it can be iffy. Like many bars (especially those in the village), it's hit or miss. Some nights its just right. There are people here and there, but it's not crowded and the crowd is a bit older (think young professionals). But other nights, it's ridiculously packed full of college kids and takes 20 minutes to get a drink at the bar. But, it just depends on what you like. Me, personally, I like it chill. My single buddies, they like the crowded nights--it means more tail. Overall 3 out of 5.

There you have it folks. Your normal bar with phenomenal food. See ya there Wednesday. :-)
4 - Cyrus S.: I have been coming to Brian O'neill's, or the BON as I like to call it, consistently for the past 5 year.  The atmosphere is great for hanging out with friends over a beer or twenty.  Irish car bombs are 3 dollars on Thursdays and Saturday nights, my favorite shot!  

Besides drinks, the real reason I love BON is because they have THE best bar food in town, hands down.  Don't believe me?  Come Wednesday and try their half off burgers.  They are insane for the price!  Also its big arse beer night...to wash that tasty burger down with a refreshing beverage!
3 - Brittaney W.: I love this place during the week, but won't touch it on the weekends.  Weekdays, the happy hour specials are great and the crowd is light.  Weekends, it is over-crowded and most of the people there are rude.

Go on Wednesdays for half price burgers and $6 pitchers of Shiner.  The inside decor is a little tacky for me, but the newly redone patio is nice now.
3 - Micah C.: This is a typical college hotspot. Lots of younger people hanging out on a Thursday night, loud music playing inside and several TVs with sports usually.

The interior is relatively clean, Thursday nights there is plenty of places to sit and chat inside and out.

In the front is a smoking patio.
Bathrooms are clean.
Staff was friendly.

Overall, not bad for a bar. Pretty typical but worth going to if you wanna meet young, college age or young adult type people.
4 - Farrah A.: It all depends when you come here, my friends. Older professionals, weekdays will grant you a four-star rating. Weekends ... a two or three.

Brian O'Neill's happy hour is pretty darn good. There's a favorable selection of apps (and quarter pounder burger and fries) for three bucks. Add that with their drink specials and beer selection, and you'll be sleeping happily by 8pm ready for another day of the same ol' drill at work. 

Best of all, they've got plenty of tvs to catch some football (soccer, that is), seating, a spacious patio and a friendly staff. If you do plan on eating, try the tacos, burgers and of course, the shepherd's pie. 

I think the highlight of the week is the Tuesday Brian O'Neill's Running Club created and organized by fellow Yelper Dave L. Check it out!
2 - Dee Y.: Despite the nice bartenders, the bouncers in front are outright obnoxious and have the typical bouncer complex. My friend was celebrating her 21st and just 10 minutes before midnight we wanted to get in, but because it was 11:55PM or whatever, the bouncer wouldn't let her in. As we waiting impatiently outside, when it was midnight, the bouncer looked at his watch and let us in. Oh, beware: there is a cover. Pretty ridiculous if you ask me when there are plenty of other bars that don't charge cover literally within walking distance and provide the same things as this place.

It was packed inside and took forever for the bartender to get us drinks. Despite that, he was good. The live band that was playing was also pretty good.
4 - Cole R.: Here it was, Saturday night, needing a much break from suburbia. I mean don't get me wrong, Peace and tranquility are cool, but sometimes you need a cool college vibe right? So my brother an i are out on the town and I'm craving Guinness, he is craving Drop kick Murphy's. So Irish pub right? cant go wrong, so we pull up half way blitzed, but happy, this place ain't to packed, but comfy. We order our beverages, Smithwicks, and A pint for me. He hits the juke box, the bartender gives him the thumbs up and the night is a blur. I don't know if its the seating arrangement, but the floor plan makes it difficult not to be social, or at least friendly with the people around you. All in all if you are looking for a nonthreatening, good time Brian O'Neills is a great place to be.
4 - Agustin S.: These guys have been the gracious host and a sponsor for Dave L brilliant idea to get together and drink beer. Brian O'Neill's Social Running Club, I have been back at least 10 times since I first reviewed it and the bartenders and waitresses are great.  Our running club has grown, and they seem very cool to have 50-75 sweaty runners taking over there patio for a few hours.  Great prices for happy hour.  Because of all of this, I am glad to spend my hard earned money at Brian O'Neills
4 - Jay M.: OK...so I must have missed the running club. But I suddenly realized that Tuesdays are great @Brian O'Neils. I went there last night with a bunch of friends and I was surprised to see so many people. On a Tuesday night? OK the ratio of guys to girls sucked; but it was cool. Usually this place gets packed over the weekends and I really don't like going here then. But the weekdays seem very nice...I will have to try Mondays and Wednesdays. Thursdays are mixed. 

If you're looking for a cool place to chill with enough crowd to people watch but not too much that you get squished, then this is a cool place on a Tuesday.

Parking is not difficult as you can park across the street at the village arcade and you can get it validated by any one of the businesses there.
2 - David N.: BON...how you get worst and worst as the more times I come.

I came here recently for Brunch with fellow yelpers.  First off I must say eating outside in the Houston summer is not a good idea by any means...but some places have it somewhat manageable....BON does not.

Their patio has a few fans that basically do nothing, they have a covering but it doesn't provide real shade and it's open but not open enough for breezes to pass through.  

As we melted away in the sun, our waitress was the slowest thing ever.  We literally sat there for about 30 minutes before she came to us.  When she finally got our drink orders it took her forever to come back with them and when she did she spilled a mimosa on one of us.

So once we found it unbearable staying outside we moved inside.  The food came and it was more that we were starving than anything else.  All of the plates were scrapped clean but it wasn't necessarily good food.  My poached eggs were overcooked.

The only reason it stays at 2 stars is the cost.  It was pretty cheap for brunch and 50 cent mimosas, you really can't beat that.

I think I'm going to stick to just grabbing a drink every once in awhile here.  But Baker Street just has this place beat in so many ways.
2 - Gretchen P.: It's been years since I was at Brian O'Neils to "booze it up."  This review is specifically based on their brunch and their tasty-sounding brunch menu; I had no alcohol (not even a $0.50 mimosa).

Oh dear.  This experience calls for a pro/con list.  There's no better way to illustrate it.

The positives:
-Build your own omelettes.  I got ham and fresh spinach.  Plenty of ham and wonderfully fresh baby spinach and very easy on the cheese (omlette filler).  I should have gone with my first instinct and gotten fruit on the side; the potatoes/peppers were FULL OF OIL.  I loved the orange bell peppers, but hated the grease.
-The waitress split the bill between all twelve of us
-$0.50 Mimosas and $3 Bloody Mary's.

The negatives: 
-I was fresh out of "You've been Yelped" cards.  I've never used one, but it seemed apropos and there's always a first time for everything.
-Our waitress left us initially hanging for thirty minutes while we waited for a drink order, then well over ten minutes to deliver the drinks.  Not certain why.  Even if she needed to have a carafe of Mimosas whipped up, I wouldn't think it would take that long.
-Eren was graciously rewarded for waiting about forty minutes for a champagne flute of mimosa, by having it dropped in her lap...with an EXTREMELY delayed apology.
-The outdoor patio is not meant to be sat on in the summertime (between May and October).  It's built like a greenhouse with tables and chairs.  So, good for orchids, not for people.
-There were flys everywhere inside.  I suppose they weren't dumb enough to go outside on the patio.
-Food was greasy.  In this humidity and heat, it feels like a heart attack.
-Singer/Songwriters belting out their tunes while pounding away on their guitars on the hothouse patio is a bad combo.  Gross.
2 - Larae M.: Reviewing strictly the brunch menu...

If you come here, be prepared to grab your own menu, flag your own waitress, and wait about 30 minutes for water to be handed out to you. Oh, and expect the waitress to be so effin' spacey that when she spills an entire mimosa on a customer, she will just shrug and go about her ways as if nothing happened. I wish I could smoke what she was smoking and just be indifferent to the world. But I actually CARE. 

With that said, I would've given this place a 1 star for the extreme suckfest of a service we got, except that what I ordered was actually really delicious. I ordered the "Wonderful Eggs" platter which came with scambled eggs w/ cream cheese, scallion, & bacon plus a side of fresh fruit and toast. I was pleasantly surprised that the eggs were really well made...the cream cheese/egg proportion was just right so that the flavors melded together well. I'd def order this again.

 I also got their .50cent mimosas...and yeah, they're worth about that. I downed three or so, trying to forget the bad service here, but alas they came up short on the champagne. Next time, I'll just bring my own bottle. Lol. 

Two stars for me, really, only because the Wonderful Eggs saved their ass.
3 - Holly S.: I'm a newly anointed Brunch lover and I am planning on making it a Sunday ritual. So the first Sunday was spent at Brian O'Neill's for the Brunch of Champions UYE put together by Shazia, and we had a great turn out! I got to meet some new faces and hang with some of the regulars. 

To start off, the day was sweltering as Texas summer is now in full swing. The first 10 minutes on the patio were bearable, but soon became horrendous with sweat beading up on everyone's foreheads we were all in need of a cold drink. Problem was the waitstaff was hard to be found. We waited a good 30-40 minutes before our drink orders came out and even after the wait one of our lovely patrons got a lap of Mimosa as a prize! 

Needless to say we quickly subtracted the first star (waiting for the pic Larae). Luckily it wasn't too crowded and our waitress attempted to pick up the slack and take our food orders. We sat outside for about as long as we could take it and then were able to get a table put together inside. Not long after sitting inside our food orders came and I was pleasantly surprised. I had low expectations, mostly because it is a pub and how good can brunch really be at a pub? 

Actually not bad at all! I ordered the Migas, which is eggs with pico de gallo, onions, tortilla strips and salsa. I usually do not like Migas at most restaurants because the pico is overpowering, but these were pretty damn good! The tortilla strips they use give it a smoky flavor and there was just enough cheese on top. 

Although mine was tasty, I was eyeing my neighbors plates and thinking "oh, that looks yummy" and it seemed most everyone was satisfied with their plate. So despite the long wait and soiled pants (sorry Eren) the meal was good and the company was better!
4 - Matthew W.: Brian O'Neil's. First of All, there's too much spelling and punctuation going on in this name!! I mean, when I want to text my friends that say 'Where you at dawg? ' I have to hit my menu button on my phone no less than 1000 times!!!

Let's see, first complaint, there is no coat check!! I mean Im a guy of status.. I have a coat on when I arrive, I expect it checked!! No service,
but I did get hit with a 2 dollar cover!! I don't mind 2 bux is nothing to me but I don't like that you get your hand stamped full of ink that you have to rub off on the person next to you just to get rid of embarrassment of having a stamp on your hand.

So I came for my B-day with 30 + ppl it was a pretty nice place. I mean location wise its great! You get to laugh at all the people that got into Bronx bar.. You get to sit down and really enjoy your surroundings.. Like the fight outside that happened when I arrived.. I think that fight started over a CRAVE cupcake if Im not mistaken.. 

My b-day party was going cool until those cops started whipping out batons to beat the cupcake outta that guy.. Then when he fell to the ground incapacitated, they finally stopped and put their tiny batons away..

My main positive about this place 

- For the summer time, it has A/C - this is the coolest ( temperature ) place in rice village next to maybe baker st. pub. and during the summer in Houston, this MATTEERRRSS.. OMG MY SHIFT KEY ON MY KEYBOARD JUST GOT STUCK... ok.. there is goes..

- Good price for drinks, avg. 

- They let me do my fire tricks here, DESPITE the obvious fire code signs posted all around the place. I love chill and laid back people.

- Plenty of seating unless its a super packed night like midnight on saturday. I was trying to find seats for my friends on a Saturday and I kicked a midget outta his seat.. am I a bad person? Isnt that 7 years bad luck or something??

-Overall value of this place is high, good location, 2 dollar cover everyone in your group can afford, they have a good mix of inside, outside, bar-side, and a band. And because there are lots of places your friends will never find you this is a great place to make out.

Cons

- No Valet!! ( If I used valet on a regular basis.. I would be UPSET!! )
- No Valet!!
- No Valet!!

- The fight outside was rediculous, over a CRAVE cupcake seriously?? 

- Needs more seating - Your friends will be standing and CRAVING seats..

- The band is pretty loud.. You can't talk in there, maybe could you turn your amp down a a whole lot?? Like, off ??
3 - Nathan S.: Oneill's rules! Totally fun.
1 - John D.: Brian O'Neil's can't decide if it wants to be a nice gastropub or a rowdy college bar.  After the last couple of visits, I've written this place off.  Sad, because this used to be my first choice to drink & eat with friends.

The service is wildly erratic.  One visit you'll get someone who is sharp and attentive, and the next visit you'll be ignored by a total space cadet who knows nothing about the menu and possibly doesn't know her name.

Outside of the happy hour bar munchies, the food is just plain meh. The kitchen can be as inconsistent as the waitresses.

The college crowd has basically trashed the place over the years and management doesn't seem to be in a hurry to clean it up.  The nice leather couches are now torn.  The booths are torn.  The bathroom looks like someone tried to rip the fixtures off the wall in a drunken rage.

Finally, I'm tired of having to run the gauntlet through all the smokers puffing away on the patio to get inside the place.  If the experience inside were better, I'd ignore this, but it's just not worth the effort to come here.

Oh, how I want to like BON, but I just can't anymore.  Maybe if I were 21 again and didn't know any better...
4 - Rae M.: Portobello Sandwich is amazing! Great value and so delicious! While you are enjoying the portobello sandwich have a bloody mary, you will thank me later!
4 - Adam R.: Great weekday bar with legit specials. I love the BON running night on Tuesdays and steak night on Wednesday!
1 - Meredith M.: Brian o'neill's is like a three layer cake...of POOP!  Seriously...I'm not sure how it could get worse.  

First layer of poop = service.  We arrived at 3:30 pm on Labor Day.  It was E.M.P.T.Y.  We sat outside, because I had my lil' Biscuit.  The Ignorsaurous, A.K.A. waitress, looked at us three times and didn't come over.  Then my friend went inside to get us all beers.  One drink per person, the bartender said.  Then, two people next to us visited the bar and purchased multiple drinks.  I'll chalk this up to my friend having young skin.

Second layer of poop, the food!  Horrible warmed up Sysco appetizers.  I know, I know.  It's a pub in the U.  But, we were a little buzzed from the Astros game.  

Third layer: other patrons staring you down for having a dog.  It's West U people.  Dogs are allowed.  My dog did not jump on you, visit your table, poop or pee.  She slept under our legs and sat on our laps.  Trust me...she doesn't want to be around you.  You don't deserve her.  There are 1000+ bars with bad food in Houston proper that don't allow dogs.  Visit one of them.

Needless to say, my Princess Olivia Biscuit and I will spend our money elsewhere.  Peace out.  This is one cake I'll never eat again.
3 - Thao T.: All you need is love. No - just beer, perfectly thin sliced pizza, calamari, nachos, and good friends. A pitcher or two of the imported or locally brewed. None of that Bud Light Miller Lite mess.
4 - Alex V.: I like this place. Its pretty fun. I went running and then went there later. With no Running club. I still like it. Tuesday nights has some pretty good specials until 10 pm. (dont judge me). The music is pretty wicked if you are white and have a hard time dancing on regular weekends. I saw some white people break it down tonight without being judged by other races that typically dance better (does that even happen?). Mostly to that annoying song "single ladies", which brings the bar down from a 5 to a 4. boom.

Note: I suck at dancing as well.
4 - Irfan S.: I recently went to this place after a gap of couple of months and pleasantly surprised how good the food and beer selection is at this irish pub.  You forget a lot when Houston has so many places to offer sometimes about the really good old standbys sometimes.   It is perfectly located in the walking part of the Rice Village area.   

I would highly recommend the peppercorn tuna salad.  The tuna is fresh and fantastic everytime I have tried it.  The food is reasonably priced too.  At times, you can avoid the overcrowded nearby bars and enjoy a sip of your favorite alcoholic beverage at Brian O'Neill's big patio.
5 - Dave L.: BON's is as cool as ever.  Just had dinner there last night for their 1/2 price burgers.  Swiss Alpine Burger + grilled veggies on the side = delish!  And Tuesdays they now have 1/2 price Shepherd's Pie!  Awesome!

Shout-out to their bartender, Trieu.  He's amongst the best in the city. Irish Car Bombs anyone?  They're the shot of choice on Thursday nights - $3 bucks (I think).

St. Patty's Day is just around the corner.  Can't wait!
4 - Heather M.: 'What was that intro song to Cheers? "A place where everyone knows your name."

Yup - that's it.  Just replace the Cheers bar with BON, and you're good to go.  I have never thought of myself as the type to pick a local-watering hole, much less remain faithful to it.  Yet here I am.  

As a student at Rice, all of us students live at BON.  Added to the fact that I'm a Notre Dame alum and our game-watches are there, you can imagine that I would most likely get sick of that place.  I have been waiting for three years to tire of it and have conceded that it probably will not happen! 
 
Not only are the drinks good & decently priced, but there are a lot of TVs, seats ranging from wooden chairs to comfy sofas.....booth tables, long tables, and coffee tables....even a private room off to the side, good meal food AND bar food....but on top of all of this, BON does a good job of keeping the place lively with random events.  Kudos to the management.  There are karaoke nights, Guinness events, random bands come and play (the bar was turned to a big dance floor one time while I was in there), BON sponsors a running club on Tuesday nights, and there is a ton of room for whatever the day/evening/night may bring.

Why the 4 stars, you ask?  My single complaint is that my phone does not work once I set foot over the threshold inside the bar.  I have T-Mobile.  BON is the one place in Houston where my phone does not work.  Which is kind of annoying if you're meeting people or want to call someone.

Hmm.  I think I will head back there this week for some nachos.
4 - Alan R.: Ahhh, Good ol' BON's.  I usually hit this place up on sunday mornings.  50 cent mimosas and cheap breakfast.  This is bar food, so keep that in mind before hittin' this spot.  The front patio is neat; it works during Houston's "winter" and "spring".  Haven't been here during the night, but I'm sure it's 'aight.
5 - Holly M.: My husband & I are here for lunch on a Tuesday about 2pm. It was great. Food was delicious (I had the Sinead's Pesto Pizza & Caesar Salad, the hubs had the shaved steak sandwich with fruit cup as side). Beer was great. Imperial pints! Staff was attentive. We sat there for two hours using the free wi-fi from a bar next door into happy hour enjoying our pints. Went back that night after an Astros game to have another pint or two with their cheese plate & dessert but they don't serve food on certain nights after a certain time. And it was set up like a dance club inside with really loud music, but no one was inside. Everyone was outside on the patio. Guess they didn't get it. So we had to go across the street to Baker's Street Pub.
3 - Cali H.: I can tell this place is the place to be for sport events. Packed. So go early before the game start and grab a table or you will be standing with the crowd! Nice area. TV outside the patio area with shade. So no sun glares on the TV. But it was worth is standing in the hot, humid weather of Houston.
2 - Arie M.: Cover Charge FAIL.

I have gone to this place a few times before and it was an OK bar...nothing really that special about it other than being yet another bar in the Rice Village and the only reason why I was there this weekend was because it was on our "list" for the themed night out we had planned.  Still, I was pretty shocked that they had a $2 cover charge.


I know what you're thinking: "$2 is nothing you cheap bastard", but this time it's really more the principle than anything.   A cover charge was something I paid when I was 19 and would go to a "real club" because the club knew that I couldn't make money off me for drinks so they had to recoup the money for the DJ, lights, rent etc.  

Brian O'Neill's however is just a freaking bar - one of many.  They're already charging $8 drinks and it just shows a lack of class to try to nickle and dime the customers when they offer nothing more in return.   Baker Streets, Ginger Man's, Little Woodrows, Bronx Bar, or hell - any of the places on Washington or Mid-Town or Downtown (not unless there is a feature show) don't charge a cover so to me that either says that Brian O'Neill's either has no class and not respect for their customers, or their target cliente are a bunch of dead-beats.  

Either way - Sorry guys.  That was the last time I will go to your place by my own will at least.

Our waitress WAS cool but as mentioned I'm not a fan of the establishment.  

pfft. cover charge.
3 - Cara D.: I have never been here for anything other than brunch, and actually, until today, it had been a long, long time. Friends and I met up here every Sunday for awhile. We would get there at 11:00, park on the street and sit wherever we wanted. We would enjoy 25 cent wings (which are now 35 cents); Rosemary Eggs Benedict (which they're happy to make minus the ham for vegetarians); the breakfast pizza (complete with eggs, cheese, and salsa -- pretty good, actually!); and let's not forget the French Toast. De.lic.ious. French. Toast. I'm not sure how they make it, but it's like cinnamon rolls topped with vanilla pudding almost (made with rum and lots of cinnamon), and topped with warm sliced bananas. If you try nothing else, try it.

The reason I hadn't written this review yet is because I stopped going a long time ago due to horrible service. Seriously, even with good food, 50 cent mimosas, and a spicy Bloody Mary, at some point we decided it was not worth it. I had several visits in a row where I was with a group of people and we were all but ignored.

But. Today was different. On a whim, we decided to give it another try. Because we had pastries at La Madeleine yesterday; and because we wanted to try that French Brioche place but it was way too crowded; and because after walking into Black Walnut, we decided today we just weren't feeling it. 

I'm glad we went. Our server, Kathy, was excellent, and attentive. She was the best we ever had there. The manager even walked around and checked on us once, and another server, Nicky, came by and prebussed a few plates I had stacked, just out of the kindness of her heart. 

With the prices, awesome food, and the great service we had today, we will definitely be back for another try. Unfortunately, for now, I can't ignore all the bad experiences I've had there, so I'm giving three stars. But if I find things have improved after repeated visits, I will come back and say so. 

The Verdict: It might just be too early to tell, but when in doubt, go for the cheap mimosas and a French Toast  recipe that no other place offers.
2 - Dru H.: Great waitress but these idiots charge you for a side of bbq sauce.  I despise getting nicked and dimed.  Wtf.
4 - Toby D.: I am rating Brian O's Sunday Brunch.  I've only been to this place on Sundays and I've only ordered brunch items.  But, we've been trying breakfast/brunch places around town for a couple years now and Brian O's rates as one of my top 5 places to go.  

Drinks: Mimosas are .50 cents or $3 for a carafe.  That's pretty cheap.  The champagne is cheap and the OJ isn't real, but it tastes pretty good for the price, and they don't skimp on the alcohol.  Bloody Marys are spicy, they use real peppar vodka and are $3 a glass.

Food: The food is really really good for a bar.  We've been here quite often and we've tried the Omelet, Rosemary Eggs Benedict, Migas, Breakfast Pizza, wings and the Banana Foster French Toast.  Their French Toast is extraordinary!  The sauce is Meyers Rum, Brown sugar and butter with warmed bananas.  Doesn't that sound amazing?  They do it right too.  It's a big serving, usually enough for 2 people.  The breakfast pizza is good too.  They serve scrambled eggs, pepper jack cheese and salsa on a homemade pizza crust.  Yum.  The Rosemary Eggs Benedict is also quite excellent.  Their Rosemary Hollandaise Sauce is unique and very flavorful.  It is served with potatoes and fresh fruit. They're also very willing to accommodate vegetarians by serving the ham on the side.  Their .35 cent wings are excellent.  I mean, best wings in town.  They beat the heck out of wings from Wing Stop or BW3's.  I usually order the honey bbq wings.  Large meaty wings hand coated in delicious batter and spun in the sauce you choose.  They used to be .25 cents last year, but I can't really complain about a .10 cent mark up when they don't skimp on the size.  Also, they sure don't charge extra for ranch, like some places in town.  

Service:  Since we usually come on Sunday morning, the servers are laid back and not very helpful.  They're probably tired or hung over from the night before.  A year ago, they wouldn't let you by mimosas in a carafe, so we had to ask for a refill for our tiny glasses.  This was a painful experience as the servers simply do not move quickly on Sunday morning.  But, now that they offer carafes, its a much better experience.  

This is a great place to go on Sunday morning if you want a quiet, laid back atmosphere and have some time to kill.  My wife and I enjoy going alone or with friends.  The drinks are cheap, the food is good.  What more can you ask for?
3 - Kari M.: Went on a Wednesday night but there was still a decent amount of people here. Most of them seemed to be old men with white hair  whom I am sure were hmmm-haaa-ing and rubbing their mustaches at their glorious intelligence.

I got a pretty good price on a glass of Cab though. It was happy hour so it was only $2 and the Franiskaner was only $4.50. Our waitress took a while to bring us our stuff. Ordered an appetizer of Quesadillas to split. They were mediocre. 

This place to me is just like a grown up version of Sherlock's (or Baker's St depending on what you call it). I'd go again but it's just an evening-starter, boring old man bar to me.
4 - Allie S K.: I'm pretty sure they shipped over an Irish Pub an laid it in the Rice University Area.  This places wreaks of Ireland - in a good way.

Great place for Happy Hour or to meet up with friends to watch a game.  They have a tapas menu with really great deals as well as tons of comfort food.  There is of course Irish style food but the occasional Tex Mex.  The service could be better but we went on a college football Saturday.

They've got small private areas for people with large groups and great public areas too.  Tons of TVs and great outdoor patio.  Parking can be a pain in the butt.
4 - Bo Y.: Fantastic happy hour. $2 Shiners & domestics. Great appetizers from $3-$5, including mozzarella squares, fajita tacos, stuffed olives, etc. Hard to park since it's in a busy area, but it's a great place to chill on the patio to grab a few beers and enjoy some delicious food. I always go on Fridays in order to pass rush hour.
3 - Lindsey J.: I have been to this bar twice now, both times for batchelorette parties as it happens. Saturday night here is very interesting. It is the first Irish pub I have ever experienced with a DJ and dance music playing all night. It seems the regular pub crowd takes over the outdoor patio while people looking for a club atmosphere flock to the DJ booth inside. The bartenders are fun, easygoing (they played along with our batchelorette games) and gave timely service. Prices are about what you would expect from an Irish pub. The crowd this place attracts on Saturday night is very diverse. There was everything from college students to 60 year old men. If you can't decide wether to go to a club or a pub on Saturday night then this is the place for you.
4 - Sherwin S.: Located in Rice Village, this Irish Pub is actually not a terrible place to grab a beer and good bar food. 

I usually find myself here on Wednesdays, there is a different special each day of the week.

The only downside to being in Rice Village is the plethora of college aged students hanging out. True that's not a terrible thing...but when you just want a relaxing place to drink and eat, then Brian O'Neill's may not be your destination of choice. 

Parking is not too great either. Your best bet is to park at Rice Village, walk into a few shops so they will validate your parking, then walk across the street and grab a drink. This trick may not work during the holiday season though...they tend to be very strict with people parking in the Village who are not actually shopping or eating in the Village.
2 - Alan S.: Never actually been here until today.  Generally I walk by on the way to almost any other place in the Village, and tonight I learned why.  There is nothing "wrong" with this place, but it's not my style.  Too loud, too much smoke (on the patio) and too crowded.  I've never been a fan of this style place and I'm still not today.  But there is plenty of eye candy, so if you are going to try to pick up chicks, this might be your place.
3 - Dustan B.: Good food, good selection for beer and a casual atmosphere. They have a nice patio if you prefer.
3 - Van N.: Good place to meet with friends and have a cold glass (or pitcher) of beer.  Food is only decent.
3 - Zach C.: I've only been to Brian O'Neills as a last bar in a night of wild partying. I like it because its loud, theres usually a packed dance floor and pretty girls runnin' around yelling. I could see it being hard to get a drink for some people, I usually don't have that problem( I cry and throw money at  the bartenders). Most likely I will end up at this bar again.
4 - Cullen E.: Alright, this place has the best happy hour in town.  Where else can you go and get a quarter-pound cheeseburger with fries for $3?  They have half-price appetizers during their happy hour and this is the reason I keep going back.  

Oh, and the $1.75 wells!
1 - Jennifer N.: There is a minimum of $25 (that they do not tell you ahead of time) if you pay by credit card. My drinks were only $15, and they ended up charging $25. I didn't find out until I saw it on my bank statement.
3 - Vinh N.: A bar is a bar is a bar is a bar.  Typical bar.  Pretty decent size and selection.  Either its the crowd or the staff but I feel like this place gets more and more ghetto each time i go.  HH is pretty decent with a list of cheap appetizers and $2 domestics among other things.  Place was once one of my places of choice but now it's far from the top.  I don't understand the charging of cover either... ghetto!!!
3 - Michael C.: This Irish Pub, in the Rice Village, is always a good choice.  This is a place were you can grab food and drink, and have a conversation with your buds, without having to shout.  They have a full bar and plenty of great beers to choose from.  Additionally, the food is above average for pub food.  

There is a nice patio area that can be used all year round; they put out heaters in the winter and misting fans in the summer.  

I don't go here to often, but the bartenders always seem to remember me and what I like to drink.

Also, If you are a runner, check out the running club that meets on Tuesdays.
4 - Michael B.: Great drink specials, happy hour, food..what more could you ask for in a bar?  They have a decent patio if you want to sit outside, leather couches inside for lounging while playing some board games. Their Sunday night drink special, 1.25 wells is prettty hard to beat.  Also, until the kitchen closes, .35 cent wings that are delicious!  $7 Shiner pitchers are also a favorite of mine.
4 - Siddharth R.: My all time favorite hang out place with friends. Always had good time here. Good food, drinks, people and music!
4 - Sanket K.: This place brings back many many memories.....or lack of them due to how much we drank here.  We used to come here every Friday, do happy hour, and stay most of the night.  The happy hour is awesome with great food prices and great drink prices.   The large patio is great for great weather days/nights.   On weekdays and daytime on the weekends, this place is quite awesome.  

The place downgrades after around 10pm on Friday and Saturday because it gets quite packed.  It's easy to get in for anyone, which is nice, but I think the charm of this place, for me, is those happy hours and daytime drinking.  

Did I mention I prefer to drink during the daytime over the night time?  Yeah that's me.

Come here for happy hour and daytime drinking.   You don't need to avoid this place at night...just know it gets packed and is not the same great experience.  I still come here at night once in awhile!

Oh yeah, there's also a BON running club.  If you like running, join them!
4 - Krithi B.: This is one of our favorite places and we make it a point to go at least once a week. They have great happy hours and the patio is generally packed every day. The weekends are even more happening and often have live bands. I also have to announce that they have the best veggie burger in H-town!
3 - Jeffrey C.: Brian O'Neill's may be the quintessential three star place in Houston. Depending on the night and crowd, the rating in theory can fluctuate from 1 star all the way up to 5. But in the end, it all averages out to fall right at the Houston mean.

My latest venture to Brian O'Neill's was this past Friday night, in which we caught the surprisingly decent cover band Sex Panthers. Yes, you should insert your "60% of the time, it works every time" joke here, because it's equally applicable to BON. On Fri/Sat nights, cover is $2 if you get there neither early nor late enough is $2. That is either a ridiculously cheap or ridiculously annoying entrance fee, depending on your normal venue of choice.

For some, BON is said normal venue of choice. But I've seen crowds range from super-business (your standard happy hours), super-energized (your Tuesday BON Running Club), super-30's (for some reason, Sex Panthers appealed to this crowd), super-Rice (when they're looking for a Gingerman alternative), et cetera and so forth.

There's a full bar, giving it the advantage over Gingerman/Woodrow's. It's not overly pretentious, giving it the advantage over Bronx/Bambou. And it doesn't totally reek of smoke, giving it the advantage over Baker Street. Yet for all that going for BON, I can't think of a better phrase than "it is what it is." I'm never jonesing to go there, nor am I disappointed when I leave. Thus, the rating. A three star joint that will probably stay open in Houston until the end of time.
4 - Ryan S.: So the sentiment seems that this is a great weekday place for the non-college crowd.  I can't speak to the weekend experience so much, but have to agree that it's a great spot for a weekday happy hour--and I'm actually surprised there aren't more people here on these nights.

  Bar bites are half-price from 3-7, and you can get some quality snacks/small meals for 4 bucks or less including: sliders (beef, blt, and/or corned beef), fried calamari (a little small in size), fried pickles and peppers (my favorite), and three fajita tacos. The best/most authentic tacos? No, but the steak sure did taste good!

They've got a decent number of taps and bottles, and you can definitely drink on the cheap during happy hour-- for $2.25 I was enjoying a Shiner Bock 20 oz draught.  No complaints there.
3 - Michael C.: So far so good.  I don't go to Rice Village too often, but when time allows, I will frequent this place a lot more often.  I used to go to Baker Street but I got so fed up w/their service I went across the street one day and am now a happy camper.  

Brian O'Neill's has great deals, the staff has been legit thus far, and has live music which is always good.  

Recommend:  Rueben and the .35 cent wings
2 - Roxanne W.: I want to love Brian O'Neill's. The food is pretty good, and the drink prices are really great. In fact, I do really enjoy their Sunday brunch menu, and you can't argue with a 50 cent mimosa. However, the service here is so terrible, it's almost not even worth it.

Often times, no matter the time or day, I just end up getting ignored. Sometimes before we've even gotten the chance to order. They also have live music on occassion, which can be a plus for some places. However, not only have I never been overly impressed with their musical selections, they opted to have live music during one of the games of the NFL playoffs. Come on.
4 - Maryann O.: Brian O'Neill's is a great place to go! The drinks are decently priced and it's a fun atmosphere!
4 - Michelle S.: Best Happy Hour in the Village Tuesday - Saturday from 3pm - 9pm and other specials for Sunday. 

Great place to sit and relax on the patio have a few beers/drinks with great company but be wary it can get rowdy. 

The food here is pretty decent but I have only tried the appetizers/bar bites. A group of us girls usually hit happy hour up and have the spinach dip, chicken wings, southwest egg rolls, and queso so basically standard bar food. 

The live music at times is hit or miss check it out before hand if you are really interested. 

Now the service at this place can be great or not it's unfortunate to say it's like a coin toss. The past couple times I have been it's been good the first time I went it was horrible. I came back for the drinks and it's a good place to start if your pub crawling in that area.
1 - Mike R.: Once is enough!  Don't waste your time or your money. Our service was very poor.  The waitress acted like it was a bother to take our order much less wait on us the time we were there. Food was below average. Ordered a shaved steak sandwich that came with about half as much meat as you would expect. The "English Baked Beans" side was nothing more than canned pork and beans.
3 - Andrey R.: Just moved to Houston and heard about this place from friends. Went to Happy Hour recently on Tuesday night and learned about their running gig with a shirt and free beer, which sounds pretty interesting. The prices were cheap for drinks for happy hour and the place was decent for happy hour bites/bar food, but I was unimpressed with my angus burger, it was probably a bit dry. That said, I liked the atmosphere and probably will be back to at least check out the run deal.
4 - Ellen C.: Many many moons ago, I had my birthday here.  I am not too sure how that all came about as I don't particularly have a fondness for this place.  I think someone suggested Brian O'Neill's after an unfortunate attempt at cramming ourselves into Pearl Bar (that place can burn!).  We had a rather large group of party people at the time (I was not presently living in Houston at the time and had towed some of my out-of-town friends with me) and we were desperate for alcohol and oxygen, so we acquiesced.  

I can't really accurately retell the happenings of that night, but photos that have surfaced seem to depict it was a win-win fun-loving sort of night.  The general consensus was that it was the perfect venue for our somewhat diverse group and no one had much to complain about.  

I've been back here a few more times - nothing too memorable, but most recently during everyone's favorite green drinking holiday.  I guess simply stated - St Patrick's Day here is absolutely INSANE.

I mean "insane" in that the massive herds of people that end up here, tightly crammed in the actual bar and congregating in the makeshift patio.  I am assuming that this and Baker Street are the two premiere St. Patrick's Day spots in Rice Village, being somewhat appropriately themed.  I don't think there was actual commotion or altercations as everyone seemed to be comfortably intoxicated and the weather was amazing (by Houston standards).  The only annoyance was the burdensome drink lines, but that was to be expected.  

The $5 cover was a big lame, if I do say so myself, considering Brian O'Neill's probably banked a buttload of revenues from alcohol that day, but I think there was a band or something (not that anyone I was with had any interest whatsoever), so okay fine then.

We were actually with some Irish folkds by the way of the U.K. then through Dubai on St. Patrick's Day and they were rather amused and enjoyed the whole shebang.  So I'm compelled to rate this place four stars based on that alone, really.  Hah, just kidding, I had a decent time all in all!
3 - Cars W.: It's not the way it used to be when it first opened back in 2001, not nearly as Irish pubish as I remembered.
2 - Sue D.: Can you say frat house? I used to be able to tolerate this place when I was in college and was easily lured to meet friends here, but seriously there are way better places in the village. Service is always lousy and the cocktails are just ok, I recommend just sticking to beer.
4 - Erin D.: I came here for one purpose alone - to drink hard liquor. A co-worker and I had stopped at Ginger Man next door, which does not serve hard liquor. In fact, Baker Street and Brian O'Neill's are the only two bars along this small strip in Rice Village to serve hard liquor. 

I ordered a long island iced tea, which was delicious. I didn't pay, so I don't know the price. However, a good drink, attentive service, and a comfortable atmosphere (wasn't overly crowded at 8PM on a Wednesday night) gets four stars in my book!
3 - Kels R.: Sigh.  Three stars.

I do like the happy hour at this place (50 cent mimosas, yes please) and their brunch.  The live music they have is good too, but the service is just always a hit or miss.  It used to be good, but now it's just blah.  Since I work at a bar myself, I understand the whole process of bar tabs and waitress tabs, but I got so impatient waiting for someone that I was "that guy" and sat a table and walked up to get my drink.  

Oddly enough I have never been here at night....Maybe I'll go on a week night.
3 - Teresa M.: While I harbor an EXTREME dislike of Brian O Neill's on a Friday or Saturday night after 9 pm (COVER CHARGE? FOR A PUB?), I think it's an awesome place for appetizers and a pint on a week night. 
Friday or Saturday, they turn this middle area into a dance area and it gets super crowded and impossible to get a drink and loud. DISLIKE. 

On a weeknight, it's awesome! Appetizer specials are good. Their food, while not cheap, is generally good. They recently redid the burger so you can super duper customize it, which is fun. The garlic fries are good as is the spinach artichoke dip. DON'T ever get a margarita here though; much better to stick to beers or rum and cokes.
4 - Nadeem P.: This is one of my favorite spots in rice. Their patio is awesome and nice and cool as a result of the fans even on a typical hot & muggy houston day. What keeps me coming back for more though is the selection of drinks which are well priced and the delicious and large menu. My favorites are the fish and chips (which are 1/2 priced on sundays) and the burgers (also 1/2 priced but on wednesday). This is a must try in my book...
1 - Andrew C.: Bottom-line: I had a horrible experience at this bar yesterday during happy hour. Their service was hostile and unfriendly, and I was accused of lying for no good reason. 
          I would like to begin with a disclaimer: At no point was I upset because they have a NO ID, NO DRINK rule. They have a legitimate concern to reduce risk as a private bar and to refuse service to anyone without an ID. I understand that. The problem is how their bartender treated me when I discovered I had misplaced my wallet (left it in another pair of pants). 
          The situation was frustrating and would take me awhile to rush through traffic and back, so I explained that I had left my wallet at home and asked what I thought was a reasonable question: 
"Is there anything I can give or show you that will prevent me from driving all the way back to my apartment?" 
          I am 25 years old, and I did not know the nuances of the ID law. I have not run into problems in similar situations at other bars in the past (normally because I don't get carded), and so I asked a question. I offered my college ring, and asked if that was satisfactory for him to trust me. I mean, who wears a fake college ring to sneak into bars underage? He very rudely told me that it didn't matter if I showed him some ring, any piece of paper, or some federal document with my name on it, he would not serve me without an ID. Fine, he did not trust the ring, but it was not necessary for him to be a jerk about it. 
          Next, I said that I knew my driver's license number and would have no problem giving it to a police officer. Instead of calmly rejecting me or politely telling me that his hands were tied, and it's simply a rule he cannot break, he raised his voice at me and condescendingly said: 
"You're a grown-ass man! Why don't you have your ID on you? You're a grown-ass man! Why don't you have your wallet with you?" He was essentially calling me a liar. I am sorry, but I don't come to a bar and spend money on drinks to be accused, yelled at condescendingly, and basically treated like a child. The situation was shitty already, and I do not appreciate being treated that way for asking a legitimate question. I think any reasonable 25 year old who had unfortunately left or misplaced their wallet would ask questions trying to avoid driving all the way back to their place. Instead, their bartender made me feel unwelcome, degraded, and embarrassed for making a simple human mistake. 
          When I returned with my ID, he remembered me and quickly thrust his arm and palm out at me and asked for my ID while threateningly glaring at me. It was clear that he was convinced I was underage or something. I just don't understand the assumption that I am lying. Be skeptical, swipe my ID if you have to, but don't be a dick about it. 
I will not be attending this bar again. Ginger Man is nearby and always has cask ale anyway...
5 - Chad C.: Make no mistake, this is a bar review, nothing more.  As a beer dispensing establishment, this place is perfect.  The waitresses and bartenders have always been friendly and service is prompt.  Sitting outside on the patio with a beer in the afternoon is a great way to unwind.  Plus the running club associated with the bar is fun to hang out with and there are a lot of great people associated with it.
2 - Dora T.: Perhaps the cockroach that landed on my neck right as I entered this pub should have been a sign that this place was undeservingly busy and crowded. This is the first time I experienced a pub that had a cover fee. I have to admit, the place had quite a selection of beers and liquor to choose from. It could explain why the bartenders were so hostile; probably stressed from keeping tabs on the positions of over 50 bottles of liquor, which would then explain why most of the crowd sat in the outdoor seating area despite the late night humidity. It was either that or the horrible live band that was playing and the lack of clean tables inside. We could consider many other reasons too, I guess. One thing not to consider though: coming back.
3 - A L.: Cover at a bar? No thanks. It's loud so don't expect to be able to talk to any of your friends. 

Come here on a weekday, decent food, decent beer selection.
3 - Monique H.: Visited Brian O'Neill's for a Sunday brunch with some friends. The brunch menu was decent, not spectacular, not sucky, just decent. But the food was delicious. I ordered an omelet with smoked turkey, mushrooms, cheddar and onions... it was a seriously good omelet. On the side came potatoes and they were pretty good, although I was disappointed in my portion size. I'd say the best part of my meal were the 50¢ mimosas. I'll prolly revisit just for that. The service was alright, I feel like I may have been waiting around for my server's attention a tad too much. And the scene was cool, I mean its a bar.. but the patio area seemed calming. Oh and there was music!.. this guy with his acoustic guitar doing cover songs. That was pretty great. During my convos I caught myself singing along to Maroon 5, Bob Marley and Rihanna. Hopefully he's a regular addition to brunch, if so I'll definitely be back.
2 - Christine L.: As if the large bouncers weren't intimidating enough for a group of 5 girls, they took at least 30 seconds to check each of our IDs. My guy did 3-4 face checks. Asked my friend to show a credit card...

Seriously we came to have a few drinks to celebrate the end of school not be looked over. 

Kudos to the DJ who played Skrillex for us though.
5 - Allison M.: I always love to find great dive bars and pubs to hangout at with my friends. This is one that i have been going to for 4 years now and will never stop...unless the food and alcohol just get nasty. 

I do have to say that if your looking for the best service in Houston don't go here. The waitress are ok but not the greatest. You will have to wait to order and for your check but definitely don't let that stop you from going. 

They do have food and drink specials everyday! and after like 9 the place gets a DJ and you can watch the funniest worse dancers in Houston! 

Other than that i love going on a Sunday morning during their brunch time. They have their Cod fish and chips for $5 every Sunday. This is the only fish and chips i have ever had but it is soooo good too. The fish is always flaky and moist inside and the outside is coated with this delicious golden brown layer. They give you this tarter sauce that i guess they make in house. Its like their own recipe that you will always need 2 for to dip you fish and your chips in. I order the $.50 mimosa and they are like drinking champagne with a hint of orange juice..... and that's how i love them. They do serve $3 bloody marys on Sundays which they put alittle spice in and give you a pickle like most places.
3 - Rob B.: A solid choice among the ubiqutious urban, roomy, wood-paneled pubs you'll find.  They have a spacious interior and patio out front, great specials on drinks and food during the happy hour and late-night hours.  Service is not exactly prompt. The food is fresh and squarely above average for pub fare.
4 - Leila J.: I went for happy hour on a Thursday evening. We sat out on the patio in the setting September sun.  I had sliders and "Chips" (wedge fries) the folks I was with had a the buffalo wing dings, nachos and quesadillas which were all ok. 
There are Happy Hour drink specials until 9pm 
    $1.75 Well Drinks
    $2.00 House Wine (Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Grigio & Chardonnay) 
    $2.00 20 oz. Imperial Domestic Draught
    $2.25 20 oz. Imperial Shiner Draught
    $.50 Off Import Draught
    $6.00 Domestic Pitchers
    $7.00 Shiner Pitchers 

We got 2 pitchers of Shiner, which was a better deal/the same as getting 20oz drinks, I think. 

Yay! Happy Hour!
3 - Mr. I.: I end up in Houston all the time for work and for various other reasons. Though, this is a good bar that reminds of something in Austin. A dive bar with a great beer rustic smell! You cant really go wrong when your sliding outside in the benches enjoying an import beer watching some type of game on the screens. Its in the university area as well, but its easy to get too but still hidden from any tourist that might come in and out of town looking for douche bag-ville. I felt at home and I will return.
3 - Tammy N.: I probably went here on their off night bc there wasn't that many people inside.  I didn't stay long.  Their live band was great though!  More people are interested in hanging around outside.  I like the vibe, so I'll be back (hopefully to a much crowded bar)
5 - Shaun F.: OK, I'm a stranger in Paradise ( that's Houston for you locals) and probably, mine is as objective a view as you could get of the US's 4th largest city(??)

Been looking for somewhere to hang out for just two nights in Houston. 

I know this could be seen as shameful but I've not moved from what you call the Village?? And the best place? Food, bar staff, crowd, prices and ...exceptional live music?? Brian O'Neills. 
I rest my case - just feckin' do it! Peace.
3 - Kylie S.: I like BON. It's nothing special, but that's sort of what I like about it. It's always busy, but never crowded. The drinks are standard and priced accordingly and the food is your basic run-of-the-mill bar food.  

I really enjoy the Rice Village location. At first glance parking is a hassle, but if you really explore the side streets, the garage, and the Village first-come parking, you'll find something.  It's also nice that BON has ample outdoor space with TVs and heat lamps!!! I love the heat lamps because it makes this space usable year-round. 

This isn't a place a go for that super night out or special dinner/drinks, but it is where I go when I want to know what I'm getting.  I've been about 5 times and I keep coming back :)
3 - Ronnie K.: I need to go to this place earlier everytime i go here its late and not a lot of crowd and i don't even know if they have an hour but the beer is cold and the bar tenders are helpful and cool. I havent tried the food but i will go back and give the place another review.
2 - Rohman R.: This place is highly overrated in my opinion. The only thing it has going for it is the location. But there are better pubs and places to go nearby. 

My cons:
Parking is a hassle, service is slow, on the more expensive side, food is ok. Also, this place is pretty pretentious.
4 - success f.: Nice in here, but the weekends is crowded...like to go hangout here as often as I can.
5 - Nupur L.: There are fried jalapeno and pickle baskets and there is Karbach beer on tap during happy hour. Apparently there is also a running club that provides free t-shirts after ten runs. I'm a sucker for free t-shirts of any sort. Hence people thinking I am a "Child with Diabetes" or an experimental virologist. My rating needs no further elaboration, I imagine. Thank you, Brian O'Neill's, for making my job so easy sometimes.
4 - Khoi L.: I've been here several times & think it's such a nice casual place to have drinks. You don't see the d-bags here. People just enjoy themselves & don't try to act too cool like other areas. The drinks are relatively inexpensive too.
4 - Michael E.: With an array of bars in the Rice Village, it can sometimes be hard choosing the right place to go. Thankfully, places like Brian O'Neills exist - located next to Bronx Bar, opposite of Baker St. While many may find this bar similar to Baker St., I think that the younger clientele that Brian O'Neills attracts is more up my alley.

Drinks are priced fairly reasonably and coming hear on a Saturday, we were greeted with a live cover band that placed pretty good music. They finished somewhat early (I think until midnight) and then the radio/playlist took over. Inside, there are plenty of TVs to enjoy a game and outside consists of a nice patio area with plenty of tables to enjoy the breeze. So if you're just looking to chill, that is the place to be. Overall, there is nothing out of the ordinary here but they do provide a nice atmosphere to kick back some drinks.
4 - Jordan M.: Decent casual place to have a bite and a pint. The food is rather good for an american pub, and there's a wide variety of drinks.  It gets crowded on weekends, though.
1 - John B.: Assaulted by a bouncer here for zero cause.  Management could care less was uncooperative with the policie report.  Plenty of other bars around.
1 - Dustin D.: Sorry... but all I have here are middle fingers for you Brian O'Neills. Although I've spent many a drunken evening, overcoming my blattaphobia (the fear of possibly the worst of a god's creation) at your cockroach-ridden outdoor patio, nothing could have prepared me for the most unappetizing 3 lbs of crawfish I've ever been served. The shells were so soft, and the meat so mushy... I had to ask the manager to come feel them. To his credit, his reaction was the same as mine... and he paid for the bunch plus the 2 crawfish I attempted to eat. I'm still not sure why I even tried to eat two? Maybe I was hopefull only ONE could be overcooked?

Thanks for ruining the rest of the crawfish season for me, O'Neill's. 

I might get over it enough to have some Jameson with you in a couple weeks...

but for now....

MIDDLE FINGERS!
4 - Eilene M.: I've had good experiences every time I've been to BON.

I've parked in the lot next door nearly every time I go to the Village - even when I'm not going to BON, and I've never had an issue.

The food isn't bad for bar food, the drinks are cold, and as long as it's not crowded, I'm happy.  

Sorry for those who have had a bad experience.
3 - Larry W.: Not as good as it should be.  The irish pub formula is dummy proof. Unless you're B O'neills.  Plastic cocktail glasses!? Dirty tables?! Fugly waitresses?!
4 - Ashe R.: Awesome food. Awesome staff. Great food and drink specials. Great atmosphere. Try their burgers or the Monte Cristo! Check my blog - http://food-hedonist.tumblr.com
2 - Vic C.: I'm down to "meh" after the last visit.  

Took a long time to get menus.  Server not very attentive once we did.  

Music highly annoying - not only did I not like it, it kept cutting in and out.  I still don't understand why they don't turn off the canned music and pipe the live to the inside when they have live.  

Employees in my eye- and ear-shot more interested in chatting amongst themselves than anything else.  

On the way in, employee smoozing with his friends completely blocked the door for quite a while.  (It took him a while to notice us standing there, and I will *not* say "excuse me" in these circumstances - *I'm* not the one who needs to be excused.  When he did notice us, he moved *just* enough for us to *barely* squeeze by, grudgingly.  Should have turned around and left right then.)

Food and drink were OK and inexpensive, but it was a false economy given the annoyances.
1 - Jeremy G.: First visit and never again. Irish bar my shamrock arse tattoo. 
20 minutes to get a waitress attention, and she was shocked by the order of two Guinness and two shots of Jack 
She then disappeared for another 10 minutes and left promising us a menu.
20 minutes later, we got a menu.
I looked at the food landing on the tables around us, and was not impressed with the theme of straight from the freezer to the fryer and talked my companion into going next door to the Istanbul.
We spent an hour at Oneal's, 30 minutes waiting for a drink, and the rest wondering what the hell was so popular about the place.
4 - Denis C.: All I gotta say is that I had a craving for some fish n chips and I was a very happy boy afterward.  Armed with a cold 20 oz. of Smithwicks, I was very reflective of my past fish n chips experiences.  Gotta say this one was one of the best. My wife got the shepherd's pie which was awesome as well.  The gin and tonic was a stiff one and a good one at that.

We came in during the afternoon, so it was pretty chill and service was on point.
4 - Chandni P.: This is kind of the go to place when my friend and I just want to chill evening. We've been going her for years! The bartenders actually know how to make drinks/shots (I always order from Kevin! He's awesome!) 
It doesn't get crazy busy like it use to, which I am perfectly fine with! I like having my space without people falling all over the place. They don't have cover anymore either.
They have a really inexpensive happy hour with some pretty good food! I use to go stop in for a late lunch all the time during happy hour and its a steal!
2 - Paul D.: The location and vibe is great.  Just a chill place to relax.  There are a handful of TV's, but it is not really a sports bar.  Some couches to sit at, pool tables, and a great patio.  There is a bar attached to the patio as well.  Though unfortunately the service, food, and quality are shite.

The waitresses can be slow as molasses, though they are friendly.  That does not mean much if you can't get in and out in less than two hours.  Every time I sit at the bar. the bartenders always say how hungover they are.  OK fine.  The food is about as generic as it gets for pub grub.  Steaks are tough as hell, burgers over cooked, and greasy pizza.  The beer is old and stale. I want to like this place, but I am consistently put off by their products.
4 - Mauricio G.: This is a great place to go for a great evening of food and drinks. The service is great, and the food is even better. The happy hour is good, and they've got great specials during the week, especially the half-priced burgers on Wednesdays. I've tried a lot of their dishes, and so far no complaints. Calamari, pizza, burgers, even seared ahi tuna. Well, the only downside is that I think they took off the popcorn shrimp and carrot cake off the menu. But every time I go there, Brian O'Niell's still wins me over.
3 - Robyn K.: Been to this place a million times and have never written a review for some reason. I am not sure why they got rid of the couches (they were my favorite place to sit!). My group of girls came here on Friday night and found a table right by the dance floor. The music was good, but SO loud that we could not hear each other talking. We stayed for a couple drinks then headed next door to the dance club. 

Bartender was just ok, not real friendly or helpful, so just a three star review this time.
2 - Pat H.: Someone brought the frat party to the bar. Happy hour is good as is this place off of peak hours.
1 - Jennifer L.: Never ever going to this place again. The employees are rude and not to mention RACIST. I don't think I've ever been so mad in my life. This place has terrible service, crappy employees who admit they are RACIST and the place is filthy. 

I can't believe I ever even went here. After being called out for being racist & notifying the manager of the employee, the manager simply said "he's just kidding" and took no action. Also, the racist employee was cussing at us while we were trying to have an adult conversation with him. My group of friends of about 10-15 people all left because of the rude and racist treatment. 

NEVER EVER AGAIN WILL ME OR MY FRIENDS BE BACK TO THIS PLACE & I will tell everyone I know to never go here.
3 - Anthony B.: Generally I like Brian O'Neill's, but recently I've received pretty terrible service away from the bar. The bartenders are very nice, but the last few times I've been there, I've been totally ignored by all of the waitstaff (when the place isn't busy) while sitting at a table inside. I had to order at the bar and go pick up my own order. It wasn't until I had my order that our table was actually approached by a member of the waitstaff. I recommend sitting outside (where I have received excellent service from waitresses there).
Overall, the atmosphere is solid, the beer selection is really good, the bartenders are friendly, and it's a decent bar. Just don't expect top-tier service if you sit at a table inside.

Brian O'Neill's Running Club - Houston, TX (29.716146, -95.414648) (West University)
5 - Agustin S.: 2 down and 8 to go for the tech shirt.  The things we do for free stuff.  Dave this is the coolest idea.  It may not have been Dave's idea but he did find out about it and reached out to the sponsors and put it all together.  Congrats! Dave.

The Rice track is great with the beautiful backdrop of the University, Rice Stadium, and the Live Oak trees.  The track is a little narrow, but all the shade makes up for it.  Brian O'Neill's has been the gracious host and the bartenders have been awesome.  If you need a pick me up after work, before the run Red Bull has thrown in a few cans of their stuff to help you out.  And finally New Belgium Brewery, free beer.  When the free beer does run out, Brian O'Neills has great drink prices till 9pm.  I typically run 3-4 times a week at Memorial Park and I'll end up drinking beer at home when I'm done.  Here we can run, drink free beer, eat free pasta and ceasar salad, and make some new friends.

I was surprised with the first week there were 20+ runners and even more surprised with this week, there were 40+ with 75 runners signed up.
5 - Cyrus S.: Dave is a bad ass for making this happen.  

Membership Benefits:
* Free to join
* Free post-run food provided by Brian O'Neill's
* Free Running Club Technical T-shirt after 10th Run
* Free Red Bull (limited weekly supplies)
* Free Skinny Dip Beer (limited weekly supplies)
* 10% Discount at Fleet Feet (w/ T-Shirt)

....you had me at free beer!
5 - Farrah A.: Oh my neck! Oh, my back! Oh my neck AND my back!

This was a great run! I normally do my jog at Rice solo, but with a group of 80 or so runners helping set the pace (different paces: sprinters, joggers, walkers), I was highly motivated to move faster, do less stops and refrain from any detours at the Farmer's Market for some yummy goods. 

Dave does a wonderful job making the sign in table a breeze. It's FREE, so all you need to do is show up (first timers sign a onetime waiver; repeats have to check in each time) and you're good to go. Make sure you're there on time, because the run starts at 6pm sharp. (You might catch a few late comers sprinting across the parking lot to catch up.)

Awaiting you at Brian O'Neill's after the run is a FREE energy filled buffet of pasta and salad, along with water. There's also FREE Red Bull Energy bevs before your run, and Skinny Dip beer.

After your 10th run, you get an awesome Brian O'Neill's Social Running Club tee which guarantees you 10% discounts at Fleet Feet!

This is such a creative way to get fit, meet a lot of cool locals, and score free grub, beer and fun schwag. Dave L rocks for organizing this! Spread the word, yelpers!
5 - Peter C.: What kind of sick twisted individual would lure people with free beer and free food only to tell them that they can't have any of it until after they run 3.1 miles ?!?! oh yeah...that person would be Dave L. 

This is the best idea since putting 8 hot dogs per pack and 12 hot dog buns per pack . Dave you are a f'n genius ! 

This run is very well organized and extremely welcoming of everyone of all running levels. Unlike Dave L, I'm not part Nigerian and Kenyan so my run time is measured by how much sand has past through the hour glass. Even at my pedestrian pace I felt extremely comfortable running and even found others who ran at my pace to run with. Afterwards the camaraderie is awesome. Feeling the effects of the endorphins everyone is friendly and welcoming. Ok, even after the endorphins wears off everyone is still very friendly..... 

I encourage everyone to try this run. I have no doubts that once you try it, you'll be completely hooked. If running doesn't keep you coming back..all the great people there will. I promise, or my name isn't Jesus Chang Washington Smith.  ;-)
5 - Nicole P.: If you're looking for a new way to spice up your running routine, definitely make plans to join the gang on Tuesdays at Brian O'Neill's. It looks like the group has been growing each week I've been there. 

Dave organizes a pretty easy weekly run with lots of great incentives: no cost for joining; free Red Bull, salad and pasta, and beer; and a fun way to meet new peeps and get in a good run. Brian O'Neill's has also been a great host to us. Good job Dave and Brian O'Neill's!!

Since the group has gotten bigger and the Rice path is a bit narrow, we've split the group up and made two separate routes. This has made our starts less crowded and hectic. I also think that the prospect of other people "competing" for free beer does make people run faster than they normally do. Since I work nearby, it's been a great way to meet up with co-workers after a long day at the office. Running, beer and friends always makes your day better.
5 - Mike W.: This is the best thing ever! 

You know how your parents always tell you there's no such thing as a free lunch? Well, here's your free dinner, drinks included, and all you do is get your lazy butt off that couch and move your legs one after the other, AND it doesn't really matter how fast you do it.  

Signup is quick and easy and everyone is really welcoming.  The Rice track is beautiful, and the course is about 3 miles or 5k long.  I've been running on this track regularly before this, and hearing about this group just makes me more excited to get out and run each Tuesday.  

One small warning for this run is that recently, it's been quite dark out, so be sure to wear something shiny so that people can see you and also be wary of some uneven spots on the course.  It can be quite easy to trip, even though I'm sure that's just me being clumsy ol me.  

Afterwards, chow down on past and salad buffet, and don't forget your ID so you can take advantage of that free beer.  Yup, free beer. Nuff said.
5 - David N.: Big props to Dave L for setting this thing up.

It's nice to have something FOR FREE!

Not many things in life are actually FREE.  They claim LOVE is FREE but that doesn't account for all the gifts, meals, trips that come along the way.

With the BON Running club, just sign up, run/walk around rice and BAM!!!

FREE FOOD!  FREE BEER! and after your 10th Run FREE SHIRT!!!

You really can't beat that.  Plus there is always free Red Bull, and many other times random sponsors will show up with various other items.

Great way to get people active!
1 - Alex H.: Based on the other reviews you'd think this event was set up by Jesus.

Beer is not free unless you have a shirt.  This is not advertised anywhere, even at the actual event until you try to get said free beer.  Also, its not Skinny Dip from New Belgium, it was MGD 64.  I have standards as far as beer goes, so even if its free, I'm not drinking 64 calories of piss beer anyways.

Free food is pretty crappy salad and pasta, but what did you expect? its free.
5 - Samira K.: I really love the BON running club! I know it isn't anything super special, but I just love running and finding other people who love it as well. The view is gorgeous because it is around Rice! I really like the fact that the entire trail is 5K so you can time yourself and have a legitimate race length to go by. 

The only thing that could make this better was if I lived closer so I didn't have to get there at 6:45 and miss all the pasta every week. Oh well, even without free pasta and beer it's fun!
5 - Anthony N.: Watch the dust as I run past you like the roadrunner blazes past all of the coyote's plans to catch him. Ok I'm not fast at all; my pace is slow and steady like the tortoise or a slug. 

This run is a 5k through around the Rice University which is a dirt path. During your run you will encounter the following:

Nice oak trees (providing much needed shade, you suck HEAT)
Elegant homes
The light rail and train
Business buildings 
Farmers market
Eye candy for both sexes (weeeeeeeeeeeeee for the women =P!)

Remember that if you don't finish the run before 7 ish there won't be any free food left. I've achieved the 10+ time mark. Now I wonder what I'll get when I do it 30 times.
5 - Dave L.: @Alex Hilarious!  I AM JESUS!

Quit your bitchin' biaaatch! It's FREE for crying out loud.  It's simply a nice way to meet some new folks while getting some excercise.  If you want a free lunch go hang out at the homeless shelter.

The awesome sponsors pay for EVERYTHING!  

Also, new beer sponsors.  Once you achieve the 10 run mark and earn your shirt, you can now get a Bud Light or sometimes a Fat Tire (while supplies last).

Carry on...
5 - Jennifer D.: Okay, so you won't find gourmet food...but you will get great service.  For example some friends and I met up there to watch the World Cup...it was shoulder-to-should and for some standing room only...and the waitress literally showed up maybe 6 times during the game.  She was great, not rude or invasive, but there to re-fill drinks or take orders.  Great service.

And if you are a runner, the Tuesday night running club is awesome.  There are over 400 runners on the list and after attending regularly you can get a free t-shirt, discounted beer etc., etc.  But the beauty of it is running and then beer or whatever non-alcoholic drink you like.  If you are a social person who likes to run also, its a fun meeting place during the week...and you can also meet *new* people.
5 - Vicky J.: I never heard of BON running club until I saw an upcoming event on Yelp.  I wouldn't say I am an avid runner, but I do try to run a couple times a week to get my cardio in.  Stephen Y, Kim P, and I started going to the new BON running club that is hosted at Straits in City Centre.  

This is a FREE event where all you do is show up, run 5k, and then come back for some drinks and food!  The best part about it is that it's completely free and you feel great after you run.

I have only been twice and I love it (esp the food afterwards)!!  Kim P and I usually just plop down next to the food and stuff our faces!!!  Next time, I have to learn self control and not eat too much, maybe.

Thanks to all the people that coordinate this free running club, and thanks to all the sponsors that provide all the food, drinks, etc to make it a succesful event every Monday night!
5 - Michael C.: Funnest running club in Houston!  Run 3 miles around the Rice loop and then hang out at BON for some beers.  It is free to join and you get prizes after doing so many number of runs.  They have vendor demos and special events also!
5 - Anh N.: I did the BON Green Dress Run and it was a blast!  I am definitely signing up for all their other fun runs in the future.  So when's the next one guys???
4 - Lindsey J.: I discovered this event through Yelp, which has been super helpful since my recent move to Houston, so I decided to give it a try. I attempt to run daily although I don't go very fast/far (usually just about 4-5 miles). This club is super laid back, everyone goes at their own pace so no pressure to race anyone (unless you feel like it lol) and the route is easy for any newbie to figure out. The people are very friendly too. 

You can't miss the place because there are runners out front and a sign up sheet. Make sure you sign in every time because they have perks depending on how many runs you attend. I can't remember all of them, but I do know that after your first 10 runs you get the t-shirt which is pretty neat. 

The food was nothing to write home about, but it was FREE!! And the happy hour drink specials are pretty good. 

The only downside to this event is the parking, or lack thereof. I had to park a few streets away to avoid paying $10 for a garage or the possibilty of being towed. Parking aside, this was a great time and I am determined to earn my t-shirt!
4 - Bill B.: Great running club with great perks!  They are friendly and are willing to help, and never pressure beginners.
5 - Jackie S.: I love BON! It is really great motivation.  I have my t-shirt and am now going for the discount at lululemon!!! Plus, i can check my dogs in every time they run - not sure what they get, but when something happens I'll let ya know.  Great way to be social and get some exercise in a pretty sedentary city!
5 - Fae Marie A.: Free food! Free clothes! Free networking! Awesome place to run anyways so why not take advantage of the FREE food and FREE shirt you get after your 10th run!? I always look forward to Tuesdays because of them!
5 - Wendy T.: What an awesome running group! Why? Because it can get this couch potato to run.... well, I'm not running much yet (more walking), but still.

How do they incentivize you? They've got some awesome sponsors. For me, it's the 15% off at Lululemon after you run 20 times. For my friend that I dragged with me, it was the free beer after 10 runs. Granted it's only run numero uno today, we'll be back next Tuesday!

The check in/sign up is done quickly through the laptops they have set up at a table. And after the run, you can grab some salad, pasta and water. It's not the most tastiest grub, but it's free food! Lastly, everybody we met tonight was incredibly nice.
4 - Van L.: After reading about this club on Yelp and hearing about it from friends, I've never been to this running club until recently.  The club runs in groups at 6:00pm and another at 6:30pm.  But of course, you don't need to run in the group if you don't want to.  And it is FREE.

I can't comment on running in the group, but the trail is one of the nicest ones I have seen.  Although...I haven't been to many due to the simple fact that I am extremely lazy. 

The energy of the people that are running helps you in the long journey back to the bar.  Afterwards, you could reward yourself to the pasta/salad buffet (it's meh, but you can't complain).

My main reason for not giving it a complete 5-stars is that it can be extremely difficult to meet new people.  It is not at all the running clubs fault or the host.  Think about it, not many people who actually run can talk at the same time due to the concentration they have, or if you can't keep up with the physical endurance you would be left behind (I assume).  

I am sure a few folk have met each other there and started running together, but majority of what I see is friends/couples going out for a nice walk/run.  But you probably would have a better chance of meeting people since I am shy.  So...say hello to me.
5 - Long T.: It's all about motivation.  BON was a key part of my marathon training in 2009-2010 and I hope that for 2011 it will serve as the jumping off point for marathon training this year.  Located in the easily accessible area of the Rice Village, the run is a pleasant tree-lined path around Rice University.  With plenty of runners and walkers every day, BON provides great incentive to keep up the good work by providing a check-in system to keep track of your progress for rewards like the aforementioned tshirt.  

Highly recommend BON if you're looking for a great environment of support for your running routine!
5 - Fujio W.: Run+Run+Run+Run+Run+Run+Run+Run+Run+Run=Free Shirt & Free Beer.

Just the facts (read the other Yelpviews for the emo stuff):

Great ongoing event that will get you motivated.
Excellent place to meet other runners (and those just getting started).
Nicest campus in town to run around (Rice U).
Located at the great Irish Bar - Brian O'Neill's in Rice Village.
Running is the best excuse to have a beer.
Alternatively, best excuse to run is for the beer.
There is such a thing as a free lunch (pasta & salad).
Cool stuff for repeat offenders (50 Runs=Free Running Jacket).
Mutual sweating is a great bonding experience.
What else are you doing on Tuesday evenings?

And the Number 1 Fact:  It's FREE!


My Tip:  Keep track of your BON Social Run Club friends who are reaching a Century (100 Runs =  Bar Tab).
5 - Kelly S.: "Baby, I was born to ruuuuuunnnn....."

Actually, that might not be so true. However, I can walk and at one point I think I could and did actually run on a fairly regular basis. 

Living less than a mile from Brian O'Neills, I've been there for breakfast, happy hour and dinner (no, not all on the same day.... but now that I think about it... not a bad idea...). This is how I came to hear of the Brian O'Neill's Running Club. A do-able 5K, earn free stuff, and pretty nice scenery. I'm not sure why we didn't join earlier. 

So this past Tuesday, we took our first loop. Signed up with the assistance of the friendly volunteers and started on our way. In general, the walk was pretty and the trees provided a bit of shade from the blistering sun. Since you're pretty much walking around a parking lot, the views are limited, though, I guess if I was running I'd do less looking around and more making sure I didn't fall... Hey, I'll get there. I figure by the time I earn a shirt that says "running club" (10 runs), I better ACTUALLY be running. 

We were a little late for the free dinner since we didn't start the walk until close to 6:45, but hopefully next time we'll be able to indulge... and only 99 more runs until I get that $100 bar tab.....
5 - Robert A.: Oh I love running running running!  I have finally found a place where a lot of runners of all different levels and ages come to run.  Brian O' Niels is great to meeting other fellow runners.  You run a 5k around Rice University, and you can show up between 6:00PM and 7:30PM to run.  If  you get there early, and you are one of the first people to finish there is free pasta and salad for the runners after the run.

A big group of people go running at 6:30PM, and this is the time when I like to go running because I can run with some of the fast people. :)  It is easy to make friends, and I made some friends after the first run who offered me a beer for free.  Talk about friendly people!  They have good service for all the runners after the run.  There is an outdoor seating area for all the runners with a water mist to keep the runners cool.

You get a free shirt after I think 10 runs, and I think you get a discount to Lululemon after 20 runs.  You get something else at 30 runs.

Overall:
5 stars for the number of runners who show up, the free pasta and salad after the run, and the nice people and good atmostphere.

Thanks,
Robert Altmiller
5 - Joanne C.: A running club that i can arrive at my own leisure, run at my own pace, no fees it's free!!!, and free buffet. 

There are incentives that you do receive after a certain amount of runs.  which is awesome!!!! 

You arrive, sign in, and run!!!  or you can wait for the group runs. I do recommend running with the group if it's your first time so you know the running route. If you hate running with your keys they are kind enough to hold your keys in this little tin.

After the run go enjoy the free buffet.  Although the food is nothing to run home about.  But still I won't pass up free food =)

now go run your little heart out!
5 - Connie W.: Best idea ever.  I love when local business offer up great incentives for people to get fit.  It's super easy and totally not as intimidating as you would think when you think of the words "running club."  It was my first time going today and there's no one keeping your time or making sure you pace at a certain rate.  You just show up, sign in, run the Rice University loop, and hopefully, there's still some food left for you.  

Free pasta and salad.  I'm going to try to go earlier next time so that I can finish in time to get myself a free dinner. :)  I started a little after 6:30 today, so I'm guessing the first wave of runners that had started as early as 5:30 or 6:00 already gobbled down all the food when they finished their run.  

Brian O'Neill's could have just as charged people to participate in this activity, but I'm really glad they don't.  They just take advantage of their prime location and the resources available to make running into a social thing. 

I heard that after 10 runs, you get a free shirt.  They also have drink specials so you'll always see tons of people who stick around after the run to get in a beer or two.
5 - Colin R.: What would you do for a free t-shirt?  Would you run 31 miles?  Of course!  Americans would do just about anything for a free t-shirt (haven't you watched Man v. Food?)!

The other reviews have pretty much summed up the running club.  10 runs and you get a free t-shirt and beer.  Free pasta is offered when you finish your run.  And if you keep on running, more and more incentives will come your way.

Rice University's track is one of the best outside tracks in Houston (if only they had something like this at Texas Tech).  It allows me to leave the evil treadmill and run outside.

And they also have some interesting vendors at each run.  You can look into improving your running gear.

Be aware that parking in this area is a real pain (especially if you, like me, want to avoid paying $5 or more to park).  I recommend getting there early (5:30 or so).  I generally head over right after work.
4 - Roosevelt C.: Oh, the things I'd do for beer. And boy let me tell you, there aren't too many things I wouldn't do for beer, especially when I'm a few beers in already. Luckily for my liver, my need to continue in life DUI-free, and my self esteem - easily shatterable by an unseemly beer gut, there are other things I like more than beer, and running is one of them! Especially when, as it is in this case, I am virtually running to beer!

Here are some great things about Brian O'Neils Running Club which probably haven't already been adequately flushed out in the prior reviews:

1. Running Rice's 3.1 mile/5K running trail prior to reaching Brian O'Neils insures against over-consumption of alcohol. Here's why:

- you're kinda sweaty and stinky and you probably have about 1, or at most 2, hours before you really really begin to reek. Therefore, a few beverages is probably all you can squeeze in anyway.

- oddly enough, you prefer water! No kidding. You have just perspired 64 to 128 ounces of sweat (which will lead to the reeking mentioned above). The cool moistness of a cold one is eventually lost on you as you realize YOU NEED WATER!

- you cherish the sense of accomplishment you've obtained from each of the 300 calories you've burned in the last 45 minutes of grueling misery, hobbled by darkness and miscreant tree roots, motivated to continue only by said beers mentioned above, as well as the swarm of people breezing by you - including a man no younger than 80 years old - and your feeble attempts to not look utterly pathetic. After enduring all of this, you realize that while you could manage to down 3 Guinness in 1 hour or less, doing so would leave you about 300 calories fatter than you were before you started the run. And, being the progressive, forward-directed runner/drinker that you are, that outcome is unacceptable.

- you're tired. It's 3 miles. You're not a Kenyan runner. You're tired. And the beer isn't helping. So 1...maybe 2, but you want a shower and a horizontal orientation.

2. It's Tuesday. What else are you doing? Seriously, if you have a better idea for a Tuesday, let me know about it. 

3. Think of this as a down payment on the rest of your week of fun. I always feel better letting it all hang out on a Friday or Saturday when I didn't spend the week letting it all hang out Sunday through Thursday.

4. And as far as "it all hanging out", yeah, I'm talking about the gut. This run is going to help with that.

In addition to all these less-mentioned rationales for running with BON, there are all the reasons you can read about in these other wonderful reviews: the free gifts and treats, the discounted beer, the "eye candy" as one guy put it (I enjoyed that review). Best of all you'll probably meet some cool people there. Some weird ones too, but hey, if you're running for alcohol then you're already a member of the Cirque de Weirdo. Welcome, glad to have you.
4 - Destinee W.: Why not, run..food..beer.  Life is good!
5 - Sandra P.: There is no flaw in this business arrangement.  Its free... you sign up at the front... run 3 miles... you get free food, free beer and after a certain number of runs free shwag.  Brian Oneills gets a full house and customers maintain a healthy lifestyle.  A win win situation.  

FYI get here early or run fast because food runs out fast.  Run too slow and you wind up with just pasta noodle and dry lettuce. 

Thanks for the tshirt BON Running Club!  (Its the nice dri fit kind too btw.)
5 - Natasha G.: This is a wonderful club that promotes running by having little free treats for a good job & workout. Free salad and pasta is a nice small snack after a ~3 mile run. I'm only on my 4th check in as I started a few months ago and am busy with school and work. I'm trying to attend as many Tuesdays as possible so I can get to my 10th run and get a FREE Technical T. 

Wonderful way to promote good health and exercise.
5 - Gabe H.: Great atmosphere for young professionals to run and meet other people their same age! Great local feel and Brian O'Neill's is a pretty cool Irish Pub. Very good drink specials.
5 - Annavy N.: I went for the very first time last Tuesday! It was a really great experience for me and my dog! We both went and I really enjoy walking/running the trail. I was expecting to have to run the whole trail but there were plenty of people who walk parts of it, so beginners and advanced runners, pretty much any level of running skills are welcomed. Also, pets! I really like that I could bring my dog to jog along with me with no issues. I was just a little sad that I got there a little later and did not get to indulge in the free food/beer, but I like feeling like I had accomplished something that day. It was really beautiful outside that day and I would totally recommend it to anybody who is trying to be more active and more into their health
5 - Kara D.: Awesome running club that meets every Tuesday, rain or shine.  There's free giveaways occasionally plus a free shirt after 10 runs and discounts at running stores.  The 3 mile loop is a mostly a dirt track around Rice University with lots of trees (and shade).  I definitely recommend going!
4 - Michelle M.: I have to imagine that this is one of the better running clubs (if not the best) in Houston.  Free.  Rewards for checking in so many times and running with others.  5k or 10k Tuesdays (your choice) with free food.  Organized runs if you're training on Thursdays and Saturdays. 

As for Tuesday's running trail, most of it is decomposed granite and shaded.  And the cars know about the runners and are much more polite than your average driver.
5 - Erick G.: Incentives is my middle name. Erick Incentives Ganzo.

With that being said, I HATE running, but if there are goals to be reached, free beer, great atmosphere, running with great people/friends, and meeting my fitness goals, then I'd run a bit here and there :)

I'm happy to announce that I've reached ten runs as of today and I got my free shirt! Whoo hoo! 90 more runs til I reach 100, and I'm going to try my hardest to reach this goal.

PS: Awesome views of the Med Center skyline and Downtown skylines, plus fancy shmancy houses are a definite plus.

PSS: Straight up haters! shoo'!
4 - Heather R.: Two weeks ago I remembered what it was like to run again! A friend invited me to join him for a run and snottily replied: "Why don't we meet after?" implying falsely  I was in good shape, but little did I remember- the track is EASY!!! It is very flat, almost completely shaded and the fear of being flattened is minimized. I went 3.5 miles, I doubled up a bit- then I did a sweaty happy dance while drinking his mistake beer.

I haven't been back, but I have held onto that pride and continued my plus 3 jogs almost daily, don't hate healthy people, it's good for me.... If nothing else it was a nice kick in the butt out of my lazy rut and for that the Running club is lovely.  

I hear the free beer is cool too.
5 - James H.: Best deal EVER!!! Run, get healthier, free salad and pasta, lots of new people to meet, cheap (and eventually free!!!) beer, Where is the negative here???

I started doing this with some friends to train for an event and I couldn't be happier with this club. Everyone is friendly and welcoming! All types show up to run: family members with strollers and dogs, hardcore runners, frat boys with questionable health, women dressed in head to toe Prada that sweat Burberry, it's amazing and fun!

Of course there are some drawbacks: the trail isn't as wide as Memorial (I like to think of it as cozy), parking in most situations is illegal (but thinking about it, driving to a bar to run does seem pretty counter productive, right?!). I also recommend showing up early since the free stuff runs out eventually. 

I highly suggest showing up Tuesday's for this event.
5 - Meghan S.: Best idea, group, experience, workout, people meeting club ever.
3.1 miles around the always beautiful, oak tree laden Rice University. 

Love the people, the group, Brian O'Neills and the place...this is an experience anyone in Houston who enjoys meeting people, getting a little exercise and having a beer or two needs to participate in.
5 - Chris S.: I'm not great with routines, especially exercise routines. I work better with incentives so when I read on Yelp about this and the free beer, I had to check it out.

My wife and I showed up the first time early this Spring and upon arrival, we were a little confused about the check-in and the club motivation. Even though it was a little crowded, Dave Lee, the founder of the club greeted us and explained the laptop check-in. He made us feel very welcome and impressed us with their charitable mission.

Shortly after, a sponsor came up to us and offered us a free sandwich. He also gave us cards for free lunches anytime at Chicken Kitchen.

The 3+ mile run on the Rice Trail was scenic and enjoyable. When we got back, we were treated to more free stuff, a buffet with pasta and salad.

10 runs later, we've enjoyed the free beer and are still motivated by the extra rewards, the fitness benefits for ourselves and the pet bulldog, and even more so, by being a part of great charitable club.
5 - Sandy H.: What's not to love about a free running group?? The fact that this group runs around the Rice U trail makes me love BON even more!  

The perks: free food before the run, and after your 10th check-in you get a FREE BON DRI-FIT RUNNING SHIRT!  Okay, so I admit, that was the main reason why I started running in the afternoons on Tuesdays (yes, for the free shirt).  I'm on my 9th, going on 10th run and let me tell you... I'm excited!!!!

Also, the next goal for me on this run is their BON green jacket.  Boys and girls, that means signing in for 75 run!! There are other perks between your BON shirt and the jacket but I do not remember what they are. 

Really quick, there's plenty of water for you to hydrate.  During the peak times, there are a group of girls who passes out water during the middle of your run and would also offer to throw water on you :) 

Parking can be an issue if you show up later.  If you don't like holding your keys while running, the friendly folks who put the running group together does have a box to keep your keys for you (but don't be dead last because they will pack up... However, the group does hang around for beers at BON and someone will have your keys).  

Overall, I really enjoy this running group (so much I gave it 5 stars!) they also have a training group for those of you who are doing the half or full marathon in Houston.
5 - James S.: Simply awesome! First off its free! And there is free pasta and salad at Brian O'Neil's too. After 10 runs you get a free t-shirt and can get a free beer after your runs! (remember Tuesdays only..) The running circuit is a well shaded gravel trail that goes around Rice University. 

So its not too hard on the feet and the sun doesn't beat down on you the whole time. The trees also provides some protection when it starts raining--- yes.. sun, cold, and rain I will be running.. Rice University peeps are pedestrian-aware and typically yield to oncoming runners (just as long as they can see you).  After 20 runs you get a 50% off a massage, and 30 runs earns you a free cool cup, and there is a perk at 50 runs, but I forgot. The big prize of course is 100 runs.... Which earns you $100 voucher at Brian O'Neil's. 

If you are just starting out and need someone to get your back, BON offers running groups that set out twice in the evenings (time varies seasonally). 

Everyone is really supportive and its just a really relax and a cool venue. Brian O'Neil's is an awesome place and they have affordable beers and an awesome happy hour menu, all of which you can catch on a normal run day fun day..

Oh yea.. Being fit... PRICELESS!
5 - amy r.: So sad that I cannot run here since I moved away. It was a great Tuesday escape. Great people, but I admit it is usually easier if you run with a group you alreay know. In the beginning the group was rather small, but it has expanded so much over the past couple of years that  it can be a bit clique-ish. Still, love the group, such a fantastic idea. I still wear my shirt all the time :)
5 - Meagan K.: Me and my boyfriend go running every now and then at Hermann, and for some odd reason its always on a Tuesday, so we see the BON running club next door to Little Woodrows afterwards, and its packed!

We've wanted to join for so long, but have been too nervous to try. After seeing the reviews I think I want to!


-take 2

Just read about 20 more reviews, and I couldnt be more pumped about this.
I hate running, but am willing to try, I love beer, and I love pasta. 

I can't wait to do this!
5 - Mari L.: Best running club ever!

Free to join, lots of freebies for completing runs, and free food/water after your run inside Brian O Neals.  

Friendly people, very nice trail, and the running club supports a great deal of charity with their events.  If you are looking for running club in Houston, give this one a shot!  Very friendly people!
5 - Vanesa V.: What a great idea! This running club is a great way to motivate people to run since they offer lots of free goodies.

I know there have been many Tuesdays where I start to feel lazy after work and would much rather do something else then run but you definitely won't regret it once you are done!

Briar Shoppe - Houston, TX (29.7167558, -95.4152526) (West University)
5 - AmieSue B.: Any smokers dream!  You do not necessarily have to be a cigar connoisseur to appreciate the Briar Shoppe.  The friendly, knowledgeable staff is ready and willing to help out any curious shopper!  Did I mention you can smoke while you shop?!!  So if you're into cigars, pipes, specialty cigarettes, or just plain bored and want to learn something new, check this joint out!  Ask for Jenny and tell her Amie sent you!
5 - John B.: Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I decided to buy a pipe and after some searching made my way down to the Briar Shoppe. I'm glad I did.

The staff was extremely helpful, instructing me on the finer points of pipe smoking. Their pipe tobacco selection is very large. Ultimately, they threw in a free bag of tobacco for me and gave me a wonderful cigar box in which to store my purchases. I haven't had a chance to examine the cigar selection but it looks quite good. Between the well stocked store, the clear expertise of the employees, and the friendly service, I am definitely coming back.
5 - Elaine O.: We were able to call ahead to ask them to keep two boxes of cigars for a relative in the UK. They were very helpful on the phone and we were well impressed with the shop itself when we went to collect them. It is very well laid out and has a good sized humidor, lots of pipe and cigar supplies and assorted bits and bobs for the smoking connoisseur, plus some wine. Unlike some other cigar shops around town, it is large and airy enough that it did not entail walking into a fug of smoke even though there was a chap there enjoying a post breakfast cigar.
5 - Greg G.: I stopped in here as part based on a google review to pick up a few new cigars.  I am very new to the hobby so I was hoping to get some guidance and guidance did I get.

I was greeted by a younger woman behind the counter who was helping a customer and let me know she would be right with me.  In the meantime, I helped myself to the humidor to begin the adventure, within 5 minutes the OWNER was in there with me picking over a very nice selection and teaching me what probably would have taken me weeks to learn on my own.

4 new cigars and a few accessories and I was on my way.

I will definitely be back to this place as I had a great experience.  Way better than my trial at the downtown specs where I didn't get much help once I said I was new to the hobby.
5 - C W.: 10 stars if possible.

Despite living back in Austin for the past 13+ years I call this my shoppe...

This has been my go-to place since my best friend and I first went to learn more about cigars.  This was in the early 90's and before the boom when they were a lot cheaper.  One of the sisters (owners) took us into the humidor and gave us a quick introduction. She gave us lots of valuable tips and pointers that shortened my learning curve. I always receive great service when I visit the Briar Shoppe.  All of my pipes and tobacco were bought here.  There are a few places here in Austin that I have bought some tobacco but usually I wait until my next trip back to Houston to swing by the Briar.  Those places here in Austin just don't measure up to the Briar Shoppe.

Do yourself a favor and visit Briar Shoppe.  On top of all the great service you will find a great and varied selection of pipes, tobacco, cigars and all kinds of accessories.  You will become an instant fan.
5 - Dustan B.: Awesome shop. Great selection of rare wine and cigars. Helpful staff. Definitely will return.
3 - Daniel L.: Rare selection and ease of being able to find stuff  = five stars
Workers = drop down two stars
Final result = 3 stars

Nat Sherman is quickly and easily located here. That's how I learned about this place when I first moved down here. That is what drew me in and kept me coming back, just like the "pipeweed" of the Hobbits in the Shire that made a hilariously evil foreshadowing appearance in Isengard.

The incense burning is nice. I always enjoy how I smell when I leave this store, so it definitely reminds me of my old favorite Up in Smoke back in Dallas (the Park Cities location.)

Awful workers there. So unhelpful. So unfriendly. Always carding me. Really? Come on.
5 - Farrah A.: So, not only am I an amazing friend, daughter, yelper, et al., but I'm a pretty damn good sister. Due to some scholastic studies, Sister No. 3 didn't have time to do her Father's Day shopping for her hubs; I offered my "personal shopper" services since I was already in The Village. The Briar Shoppe was perfect since - according to my sister - a pipe has been on my bro-in-law's wish list (which I found pretty odd since I've never once seen him smoke anything except for brisket. I digress...).

To The Briare Shoppe I went, and I am so glad I did. I'm not in anyway familiar with tobacco. I mean, I enjoy a good cigar every now and then, but I've never had to buy my own. They're usually handed over to me. (It's great being a girl, ain't it?) So, naturally, I didn't know where to begin. Fortunately for me, as soon as I walked in, Ashley, a female employee, greeted me with a hello and helped me with my shopping. I told her my price range, and I thought that'd be enough; but Ashley did her best to try to find a good selection of pipes for my bro. "What are his interests? How tall is he? What will he be doing as he smokes? What's his ethnicity? How old is he?" ...Well, "he's an ultra-conservative R-wing Catholic marine war vet; 30-years-old; likes poker, UT football and Mexican soccer; and there's no way in hell his wife is gonna let him smoke in the house, so he'll probably be reading outside while he lights up." With that bit of info, she was able to pull aside a great selection of pipes and even gave me a quick sesh about the differences. She also set me up with all the tools needed to get him started, along with a great tobacco to break in the pip, and didn't try to sell me anything unnecessary. I could have spent more time browsing ... Cigar mags, an interesting selection of tobacco flavors, cigars, and even had an ongoing wine tasting.  

Best of all? I saved 20% of my entire purchase because of a sale (going on through part of June). This is such a great little shop, and they can certainly count on my repeated business. Perhaps I can score a hot pink pipe for myself...
5 - Dan V.: I sampled a couple of the rolling tobaccos here. They were very helpful, knowledgeable, and kind. They also offered to refill my zippo, which is a nice gesture. There is a wide selection of products for all kinds of smokers, and I'd suggest visiting them if you're in the mood for something other than what is offered at CVS.

Brick & Mortar - Cambridge, MA (42.3646692, -71.1024871) (Central Square)
4 - Johnna M.: Warning-Opening night review for their limited opening night menu.

  Brick and Mortar deals with the ghost of its tight jean wearing predecessor, The Enormous Room, in all the right ways. Tucked away above Central Kitchen, it seems to keep celebrate everything there is to love about too hip vibes (craft cocktails, interesting beer, cool copper bar) while destroying everything there is too hate-pretension. 4 for 20 shots with quirky names (one of which is a daiquiri?), sports on the television, and super friendly and knowledgeable bar staff make an edgy atmosphere feel downright comfortable. Add to that a rustic brick interior and a subtle soul soundtrack and I think I might have a new hang out in Central!

We tried four cocktails for ten dollars each. Some we loved (the Sister Mary) and some we did not love so much but I think that might have been our tastes and not the quality of the cocktail. Brick and Mortar should be getting a small bar menu soon and once they do, it will certainly become a regular haunt.
5 - Michael C.: Green Street has done its fair share bringing cocktails to Central Square. But, even so,  this is a step up.  

 I came in on their second night open and they definitely impressed with solid drinks both on and off the menu.  Misty Kalkofen (of B-side Lounge, Green Street, and  Drink fame) is, to my understanding, running the bar show and bringing in some solid menu design and bartender talent. 

The only question in my mind is if they can keep up with the inevitable deluge of thirsty customers. And I look forward to finding out...again...and again...and again.
4 - Brian D.: One of several new cocktail joints sprouting up north of the river this winter, Brick and Mortar has stripped the former Enormous Room down and replaced it with a bare-bones cocktail haven.

As of now there is no sign or other indication that this place exists (I expect that will change shortly), so just take the door to the left of Central Kitchen and don't worry that you're about to walk into someone's apartment. At the top of the stairs you'll be greeted with a minimalist room of sparsely-decorated exposed brick and skinny wood tables. While the place wasn't too crowded for a Thursday night, I assure you that as word travels this place will get absolutely packed every weekend. The layout, though, creates a ton of space that will adapt well to big crowds. Gone are the old couches, replaced with a large oval bar and several skinny bar-height tables equally appropriate for standing or sitting. This place is the definition of "good for groups."

I tried two cocktails, both of which were awesome, as is to be expected with the pedigree of those behind this new spot. The lawhill, in particular, was a well-balanced, perfectly mixed drink, an interesting spin on a classic.  They have an abbreviated drink menu, but I wouldn't be afraid to stray from it or ask the bartender to improvise. If, however, you don't feel like picking the brain of the bartender you can quench your thirst with a cocktail, shot or craft brew. Their beer list is a little thin currently, but they seemed to have a few inactive taps so hopefully that will flesh out in time. The service was very attentive, which isn't always the case when a place is brand new, so hopefully the level of service will be maintained as the crowds grow.

I didn't have a chance to sample the food but at a brief glance, the menu seemed to contain some creative pub fare, but nothing too fancy. 

I expect the obvious connections (cocktails, location, bartender, etc.) will lead to a steady stream of comparisons with Green Street but I get a pretty distinct vibe from this place. The dressed-down approach the new management intended to take comes through, and I think that in the weeks and years to come Brick and Mortar will draw a lively, and hopefully unpretentious crowd.
5 - Mike H.: Cool atmosphere. Great beer and cocktail selection- and the bartender makes an excellent old fashioned.
4 - Garrett G.: The bar itself is gorgeous and the food selection was surprisingly well done. Chicken and Waffles were a surprising amount of food for something billed as a small plate, and the fried polenta sticks were a fantastic, crispy alternative to typical bar-food fries or chips.

Went on a Monday night (during the Pats/Broncos game, actually) as part of a party of four. About a half-dozen other people were in the place, and there were no issues with anyone getting served promptly. Food came out quickly, drinks were made on order. Misty was behind the bar spinning vinyl, but the atmosphere was relatively quiet and very conducive to chatting.

Cocktails were well built, but this place that feels geared more toward cocktail fans: the menu is small and adventurous. Not a vodka cocktail place. The Lawhill (rye, maraschino, dry vermouth, absinthe) was like a dryer, deeper version of a Sazerac, so naturally I followed it up with an off-menu Saz--it came out nearly pink with bitters and had a stronger anise scent than I expected, but the flavor was still spot on.

Bartender was nice and happy to talk about the drinks as he was making them. I wouldn't expect that on a Friday night crush, but it was neat to listen to him tell another bar patron about my cocktail.

Beer selection is small and hyperlocal--the most distant beer on draft was Smuttynose.

Considering Misty's role here, it's surprising to not see any mezcal cocktails on the menu, but there's an array of mezcal bottles on the shelves behind the bar. You'll need to know to ask for it, though.
3 - Santiago A.: I'll probably up the stars as I visit again (can't be a fan with only one visit).

On my first trip it was how I expected it. Finally a great low key bar with good cocktails and great food. Three of us we had each a different cocktail to sample and I liked them all. No ice on the cocktails in a very chilled glass, so it won't water down with time. The bartenders are really nice and ready to chat and help.

The food was good, we had Chicken and Waffles (I had no idea such a thing existed)  which were very good, even if small in portion for the price. I had the Bone Marrow Soup which took me by surprise for not being a soup at all (it was cold outside and the thought of having soup was quite comforting). But then it surprised me again by how good it was, much better than the bone marrow at Craigie. I have to say that it is not a place to satisfy your hunger, we were hungry as we went there and still hungry as we came out.

So I really liked the place and it will only get better with time, we went within their first week of being open. They promise a larger cocktail list in the coming weeks. I'm sure I'll go back.
5 - Andrea M.: When you miss the B-side, love Central Kitchen (and their new Firebrand Saints), Brick and Mortar is a no-brainer.  Went there last Saturday before meeting up with friends at Green Street and we were nothing short of impressed.  More importantly, we were truly welcomed to what is sure to become a regular haunt.

We got there early and had a couple of drinks each and some food. Don't let the small menu fool you- they aren't offering anything that won't make you feel like somehow divine intervention killed the Enormous Room and replaced it with the type of bar you wish you could have. The food is changing all the time but I beg of them to keep the cheesy polenta fries- I could have bathed in that deliciousness. We also ordered the steak sandwich and the duck hash - that's when we knew it was no joke that the guys downstairs had a part I have the menu- killed it from the first bite. 

Our service was awesome. So great in fact that when we left to go to Green Street and encountered a santa pub crawl with it's load of rude, drunken, vapid elves...we hightailed it back to B&M and slid in just before it got really busy. Of course, the kickass staff remembered us and made my friend so happy (and promised no drunken santas). The entire time we were there, they were super attentive but just in that way your cool friend is when you're at their place and they're a good host. More food, drinks, and shots, and everyone was raving.

For a place that just opened, it gets busy though and this place isn't going to be a secret for long.
2 - Era F.: Pretty much everything about this place rubbed me the wrong way.  

Service - "eh" - come in, shown to a table, sit there with no menu. Once we had the menus the waitress kept coming by to get our order after giving us 5 seconds to look at it.

The menu itself was..."odd".  The options were really limited and out of the 6 or 7 drinks 2 had absinthe and one had campari.  All well and good if you happen to love these two things.  But if you do not, you're kind of SOL.  Granted they can make you any cocktail you want, if I just wanted any random drink I would just go to another random bar.  Food was ok, not bad.

It's "low key" but maybe so low key that the atmosphere just falls kind of flat.  Random crowd also on the night I went. I really wanted to like it, but couldn't wait to get out of there after one drink.
4 - Jorge H.: I have to say I miss Enormous Room, but once you have one of Brick & Mortar's drinks you'll be happy about the change.

I liked the place a lot.  It is definitely more a cocktail lounge. The bar tenders are just fantastic and they make good job (I think this is the greatest thing about this bar).  The menu is limited but they'll prepare any drink you want.  Price per drink is about $ 10 and they are very good.

The only cons: I have to say the number of seats is limited.  We went on a wednesday and finding seating was challenging.  The place has a few tall tables and then a huge amazing fashionably designed bar that ocupies more than half of the pace, but not practically designed for seating customers.

I think Central sq needed a higher end cocktail place. It feels like having a drink at the Liberty Hotel or Drinks, but in central!  I'll definitely make it a place to go often.
5 - Eric F.: It's sad to see such lackluster reviews for B&M after having such an awesome time here for NYE drinks.  Though the cocktail menu is limited with nearly all tequila and whisky-based drinks, the bartenders are damn good and know their stuff.  I ordered several cocktails off-menu as I'm more of a gin and vodka man and every one of them was superb.  My friends and I went with some Spice Fried Brussel Sprouts and it was great finger food to go along with the libations.

As for service, Alice was wonderful and took great care of us throughout the night.  We even did a round of D.T.O.'s at the end to wrap things up =D

Perhaps the folks have taken some of the initial reviews to heart and made the proper adjustments because I didn't see any such deficits in cocktails, food or service.  With drink execution on par with the likes of Eastern Standard, Drink, Clio, Hungry Mother, etc., Central Square's gotten one excellent new addition in the handcrafted cocktail scene.
2 - Anna P.: Bottom line: Go down the street to Green Street, to Hungry Mother, Deep Ellum or any number of other area cocktail joints for a much better experience.

The Breakdown:

Drinks: Not well-balanced and took way too long to get (~15 minutes).

Food: Extremely overpriced and small portions.  The waffles in the chicken and waffles were soggy - I could've had better out of an Eggo box.  Chicken was one skimpy little drumstick.  Brussel sprouts tasted like I was eating a saltlick.  Fried polenta sticks were the best thing we had but even those were just ok - I've had a much better version at The Cellar.  Flank steak sandwich was fairly tasty but not mind-blowing and very small for the price.

Service: Meh.  The waitress seemed jaded and disinterested...almost annoyed at having to serve us.  I almost felt bad ordering our food.  Timing was all off - we weren't given enough time with the menus, above mentioned drinks took too long to get to us, food timing was sporadic (my party all ate at different times because all of our plates came out at weirdly different times).
5 - M W.: Fortunately someone in our group had already been to Brick and Mortar: I'm not sure I could have found it, as the wood door appeared to be unmarked. I loved the decor and the low-key atmosphere, but I imagine it is usually more crowded, considering that we came at 11pm on a Wednesday night. The waitress was very helpful, even providing us with the recipe for one drink.

I'm sure you could get any drink you wanted at B&M - they seem to have every imaginable ingredient - but if you are adventurous and flexible, you are better off ordering from the menu. Our group of six had several rounds of drinks from the menu, with many hits (A Bullet for Fredo, Streets of Gettysburg) and only one dud (Gail Collins: "tastes like grandpa"). I certainly enjoyed them as much as the cocktails I've had at Drink and Deep Ellum, if not more, and all with no wait or hassle.
5 - Anthony R.: Brick & Mortar is fantastic, a more-than-worthy successor to the Enormous Room that continues the trend of top-notch cocktails making their way to Camberville.

It keeps the exposed brick and dim lighting of the old Enormous Room, but does away with the opuim-den couches in favor of a large copper-topped bar and a few hightop tables. Not the best place for big groups, but an ideal destination for groups of 2-4.

The drinks are more strongly focused than has been the case at other Boston-area cocktailing establishments, with a strong slant toward straight spirits and bitter liqueurs, making B&M a bit harder to be universally adored as some of the Boston cocktail standbys like Drink or Eastern Standard.

Still, if you dig badass, boozy, possibly bitter drinks served up by exceptionally knowledgable bartenders (including alumni from Drink, The Independent, and other Bostonian favorites), you'll be in heaven.
5 - Simon L.: To say this spot may be my new favorite joint would be saying too little. Well worth searching out, this unmarked second floor cocktail and small plates lounge sits adjacent to and upstairs from Central Kitchen. Not even the address let alone a sign reveal the identity of Brick and Mortar. Winding your way up two sets of stairs, adventurers arrive at the hostess who quickly determines that we can have a drink while a table will be opening up shortly, she will come get us. Rows of what cannot exactly be called  tables, more like high counters with tall chairs, jut out from the real bricks and mortar that are the walls. Old four by fours and bolts affixed to steal beams form the low, dark ceiling. 

The brass bar in the rear of the small room arcs it's way to form a protrusion around which huddle hungry and thirsty patrons. The stools are chair like, comfortable and spaced well around the wide, gleaming bar. Affixed to the walls surrounding the bar are arm height shelves at which drinks can be had while waiting for a spot at the bar or a table. The dim lighting of the entire space is cozy. Light shoots up the walls on one side of the room while streaming down the walls on the other. Exciting shadows are formed and interesting tricks to be had while placing fingertips against the bricks. 

Spots open up at the bar, we decide to forgo the table and sit at the bar. That's when it gets fun. 

Just the listing of cocktails is enough to  get the blood flowing: a bullet for Alfredo is mixed with grappa, blanc vermouth and campari, served straight up from an ice cold frosted bottle of the premixed potion. As the bartender notes, very cold and zero dilution. Dry, fruity, not sweet and slippery smooth. The "Sentimental Gentleman," a mixture of scotch, benedictine and Nux alpin, a walnut liquor was thick, syrupy and subtly strong - almost reminds me of alcoholic moxie. The "Low Rider," combines Siembra azul (tequila), Cacao and another ingredient that has slipped my mind. All price in at $10.

The "Double Wide," ($6) is ordered from the shot menu and mixes old #7 (whiskey) and coke, served iced. Order four shots and get 'em for $20.

The menu consists of sandwiches and plates ranging in price from $7-$12 and include oyster po'boys served on brioche buns, shaved steak sandwich, waffles and chicken, duck hash, Calamari and a couple others. 


The bruschetta, "choose two for $9," is well executed. The crisped chicken liver atop apricot moutarde and tobacco shallots turned rich liver into a smooth and sweet, crunchy bite.  The roasted tomato, white anchovy and goat cheese, wood fired in preparation is complex. Subtly salted anchovy offsets the sweet tomato and the creamy goat cheese pulls in the crispy bread. Two decent sized pieces piled high with well chosen ingredients. 

The sides menu includes Spiced fried brussel sprouts, fried polenta sticks, devils on horseback and several other choices. The brussel sprouts were crispy, salted well and tender through the middle. The devils on horseback combine a well done piece of bacon speared into a date. Sweet, crisped and salted. 

A cozy atmosphere staffed with competent servers and drink mixers, a great spot that is focused on items it does well: creative and alcohol rich drinks and unique combinations of small plates, appetizers and other bite sized morsels of "bar food." A complete success.
3 - Adriel I.: I really wanted to fall for Brick & Mortar.  I got excited when I heard that the Enormous Room had been replaced by a cocktail joint.  Further info on it being staffed with Drink alumni made me even more interested.  A place to get great drinks in my neighborhood?  Sign me up.

After stopping by for the first time, all I can say convincingly is "meh". The best thing I had in my first stop were the cheesy polenta fries.  The first drink I ordered (something with sloe gin) just wasn't doing the trick.  Don't get me wrong, it wasn't horrible, but it was more the type of drink to "get you there" than to sip.  The second drink I had featured gin and lemon - and was completely forgettable.  Sigh.

The waitstaff were awesome.  Everyone was friendly and seemed to be enjoying the night.  The duck hash was also pretty good (if not out of this world).  Overall, not a bad experience.  I'll be back if only because it's so close to home.  That's what I get for having high expectations...
5 - Kate N.: I completely fell in love with this place on New Years Eve. I just wish I still lived in the Boston area so I could come back!!

We showed up with a group of 6 or 7 people and stayed for maybe 3 hours sipping on delicious cocktails I had never tried before and nibbling on some very gourmet delicious snacks. 

The atmosphere was super chill and laid back, even on a very hyped up night light NYE. No one was being super crazy or obnoxious, the music was pleasant and interesting. Our waitress was attentive and friendly, but not overbearing and we all just had a lovely evening. 

Favorite Drink: Sister Mary 
Favorite food: Devils on Horseback (dates stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped in bacon!!)
5 - Fred Y.: I've enjoyed my 3 visits at Brick & Mortar.  With the benefit of Misty Kalkofen's recipes and being reunited with Evan Harrison on this side of the river (we loved him at the Independent but rarely synched up at Deep Ellum), I am quite pleased.  The full time third bartender, Kenny, was hand selected by owner Patrick Sullivan from their work at Legal Seafoods; Kenny helped to open 3 of the establishments and his technique looked rather good and his attitude matched.  There are part time bartenders as well of varying caliber though.

I cannot speak to the complaints about table service because I have gone at off nights or times and always got a seat at the bar each time. Although I could see how the 2 bartenders might have trouble keeping up with a packed room (there might be 3 at that point).  So far the drinks have impressed me from the balance to the quirky but delicious ingredients including an aged grappa that had glorious chocolate and tobacco notes that it donated to the Bullet for Fredo.  I think Misty found a great middle ground between her time at Drink and Green Street.

I do like the lack of attitude.  My drinks from the menu were served with the same level of respect as the guy next to me ordering the "vodka and uh, I like grenadine."

Update:  after speaking to 2 different sets of friends who have gone on the weekend, it is not the bartenders' ability to keep up with the orders but the apparently incompetent waitstaff.  I cannot vouch for this personally though.
4 - Danielle F.: I've made just one visit to this place, but I really enjoyed the atmosphere!  I think that some of the service issues will be worked out over time.  Drinks can take a bit of time to arrive and servers will bring drinks as they become available, not together.  They had a small but diverse list of beers and mixed drinks.  There were several delicious food choices as well.  I ended up getting the pickled vegetables, the spicy nut mixed (no peanuts for those with peanut allergies), and two of the crostata.  the chicken liver and the eggplant were the two types that we ordered.  Both were delicious, though I think I preferred the eggplant item ever so slightly.  I was there on Saturday around 7pm, and by 8:30 the seats were taken.  My friend and I both agreed it was a place to revisit, though would suggest showing up earlier rather than later.
4 - Andria L.: Great use of space with seating laid out differently through the entire place. Amazing drinks, atmosphere, with a great socializing spot for groups of 2-4. Service was on the slower side though to be expected of on a Friday night. All and all a great new bar with some different upscale drink twists.
3 - Sarah D.: I REALLY LIKE WHAT THEY'VE DONE WITH THE PLACE. Seriously, I hated Enormous Room, so I was very impressed when I saw the new look in this space. Big, copper bar and a few table spaced comfortably. I wish they had invested in chairs instead of stools though. (/nitpick)

Cocktails are apparently the star of the show here, and they know what they are doing. I had some tequila drink that wasdelicious. A Bullet for Fredo was a pretty intense experience. Glad I tried it but I probably wouldn't do it again. Andrei had a couple whiskey drinks that I liked a lot. BUT. Everything we tried from their drinks menu was very sweet. Maybe that was just luck of the draw. I dunno. And at $10 a pop, they are about 50% more expensive than the drinks at Green Street and not noticeably better in any way. So there's that.

We tried a couple things off the small plates menu and were not super impressed. The steak sandwich ($11) was good, but that is full-sized sandwich price for a small-sized sandwich with nothing on the side. I had the wings, which apparently were sauced with "Apricot Habanero Mustard", but they just tasted like cumin. And they were kind of soggy and the sauce had a gritty texture (probably because they put so much cumin in it).

So, I don't recommend coming here for food. I might come back to try more drinks, but with Green Street right around the corner I'm just not sure I have room for this place in my rotation.

Pretty bar, though.
3 - Curtis M.: Kind of like "Drink in Four point" They did have Pappy Van Winkle 23. 

Good to pre-game or after work drink.
5 - Katherine D.: Love it love it love it!  The ambience is spectacular.  Drinks were exceedingly well made from an interesting cocktail list (all $10).  Bartenders rolled with the punches on off-list ordering.  I sat at the copper bar and had exceptional service.  Was there 7-8:30 on a Saturday and it was busy but not packed.  I did not eat, in part because the food seemed overpriced for what it was, but lack of food did not deter from my wonderful time.
1 - Melissa C.: Decided to have a gathering to celebrate my fiance's birthday at Brick and Mortar.  Had been there once before right after it opened, sat at the bar, and had a great time.  Love the new atmosphere and set up!!  So I thought it would be a great place for a birthday celebration.  This time however, we sat at a table, and the service was terrible!!!  It literally took 30 minutes for our waitress to bring us our drinks at one point, and it was still early enough that the bar wasn't even crowded.  Some people in our party eventually started going up to the bar to get drinks because of the insane wait time.  BUT the worst part about this night, and the event that has prompted me to write this review:  We were ready to pay our tab, the waitress finally brought us our check, my fiance gave her his credit card.  All very normal stuff.  However, after about 30 minutes of waiting for our card to get returned, the owner and our waitress walked over to tell us that they somehow LOST MY FIANCE'S CREDIT CARD?!!!  The owner (who was extremely snippy and rude) told me that "this kind of thing happens all the time." Really?  You lose your customers credit cards all the time?  He also suggested that my fiance cancel his card, but said that if they were to find his card that we could go ahead and settle up our tab then.  WHAT?!?!  He lost our credit card but still expected us to pay our tab?!  I was totally blown away by how rude and calloused he was about the whole thing. First, it's a huge violation of trust for a restaurant to lose a customers credit card (and I'm sorry but I have never heard of that happening!). Second, it's a HUGE inconvenience!!  If he cared at all about us as customers, he would have been apologetic, and definitely should have offered to take care of the tab for our trouble.  I think an establishment like Brick and Mortar, that gets all of it's business through word of mouth, should be especially careful how they treat their customers.  Now that I know what kind of guy the owner is, and how he treats people who bring their friends to his bar, I am pretty certain that I will avoid all of his restaurants like the plague, and would encourage you all to do the same...unless you plan to pay with cash.  Two thumbs DOWN!
4 - Emily M.: I wish I could give 4.5 stars. I really like Brick and Mortar. 

I live in Central and I wasn't happy when Enormous Room ended our relationship. I was really judgmental when I walked into the new E Room and saw a bunch of fancy people and their expensive cocktails sitting at shared tables. 
I have been to Drink and I'd say it's a pretty good replica. I wanted to like it though-- so I played the game and ordered some food+drinks.  

I ordered a steak sandwich and a beer. The sandwich was really great. The steak was medium rare (and I didn't even have to ask) and it was on a baguette with some onion jam. I really loved it. 

The beer menu is fun and well priced. I like that they use small brewers and they offer cheap beer for non-paydays. 

But the best part of B&M is their cocktails. I had some scotch drink, gentleman something? I had to drink it slowly. It was so delicious I didn't want to waste a drop to thirst. 

just because I think it's funny... there were two couples there that were kicked out of the bar. I paid attention to the argument and was able to confirm that the drunk couples had been making out and drinking heavily for a while. They made a huge scene as they were exiting the bar. They didn't have to pay their tab, just leave for the night. I really appreciated how put together the manager was. He wasn't going to allow these intoxicated love birds to ruin the scene. Central luv.
4 - Nicole S.: Brick & Mortar offers good ambiance, great drinks, and a 66% awesome food menu. The stripped-down design is cozy and comfy, and the service is excellent. The cocktails are fab and the beer selection is decent. Good eats include the steak sandwich, duck hash, broccolini, and calamari. Skip the cheesy polenta and the chips with onion dip. That money should go to another drink. Trust me.
1 - Danielle B.: 10:30 pm-ish, the bouncer has to check to see if there is room for me and two of my friends. Now I'm thinking, wow, this place must be the new hotness. So glad my lipgloss is popping. Couldn't wait to get my bod up those stairs. 
Approaching the top of the staircase, I was haulted by the hostest who was now directing us to our designated stading area. Yes. You heard that correctly.
The 'limited' space was due to the small amount of designated standing/sitting/looking pretty areas. FINALLY. A bar that sets rules so I don't have to carelessly wander and socialize. Suddenly I'm having flashbacks to third grade multiplication dances. I stood there waiting for someone in charge to tell me what I needed to do next. 

They replaced the character and energy of the Enormous Room with rules. Absurdly bizarre. 

I'm sure the food is good, so maybe ill go there to eat, but I'm devastated this is another late night hang out I need to kiss goodbye. Hey, you did a great job cleaning it up, but lose the stuffiness and bring back those good dj's and you'd be all the rage. Oh and slap some hard ciders on the menu for us gluten-tards. I'm not a cocktail kinda girl. Till then, I'll be elsewhere. 

Oh and as for the 1 star? That's for those few babesicles I saw around the bar. Too bad I was constrained to my designated drinking area.
3 - Christine S.: This place was fine. I would go back again but I'm not in a hurry. A group of us went for my friend's birthday and were able to find space near the bar. A table never opened up but that was totally fine. Our drinks took a little bit longer than most places, but they seem to put a little more thought into their cocktails so that's understandable. I ordered something with gin and lemon (it looked like a snow cone), which was a bit tart yet weak, but that might be because it contained a ton of ice so it was pretty watered down by the time I got to the end of it. Not very memorable. My friends enjoyed their drinks though, so I'd like to try something else next time. It's definitely an upgrade from the enormous room, which I did not care for.
5 - William C.: Excellent crustinis!  The drinks were good, and the service was speedy.  The ambiance and lighting was pitch perfect too.
2 - Ken V.: I was hoping to like this place, but it was just really bad. I went on a Friday night and the crowd varied in age and attire to the point that they could just as well have been in a Dunkin Donuts. Their huge new bar is poorly designed (you still have to squeeze your way back to the bathroom like you did at ER) and this is NOT a good place to bring a group of people unless you're there for food and can snag a four-seater near the front. There were three of us standing/sitting near the bar and we felt cramped.

The drink menu looked short but promising enough, and after a few minutes a waitress came and took the order.  Five minutes later another waitress came with a tray and handed my boyfriend his drink, only to realize that it was meant for another group (who ordered after we did), and TOOK IT BACK OUT OF HIS HANDS. She smiled and apologetically squealed "I'm sure it'll be out soooon!" We all just blinked at her.

When our drinks finally arrived I was not impressed. The Sentimental Gentleman tasted like a bad manhattan you would get at a chinese restaurant, and the blood and sand was nothing special either.

Enormous Room might have been pretentious, but it was better than this. I will say that the hostess was exceptionally nice, which is what the extra star is for, but we left after one drink and I don't think we'll be back.
4 - Judy W.: Nice to have another pre-club choice in Central.
Pretty copper-topped tables, friendly hostesses, nice dark ambiance.
Food is all small plates, we had crostini, steak sandwich, mixed nuts..maybe one more, I forget: small for the price, but tasty.  
Drinks with cute names - I had a "doublewide": coke syrup and jack.  Maybe my tolerance is high but they seemed a little weak, so I switched to wine.
I'd go back, but only on the way to somewhere else; you'd have to spend a LOT to not leave hungry and thirsty.
4 - Brian Y.: low key. Cocktails legit. Off the Frame. Bar Guy Kenny COOLcat. Repeat Offender. during my Stay in MA
5 - T W.: I am amazed this place does not have all 5 stars.  I have been here three times in the LAST WEEK ALONE and love it. I also tried to go one other time on a Friday night but it had a line OUT THE DOOR.  

So this place has friendly, personable people who work here and they make a great drinking/appetizer experience.  I love Kenny the bartender and Lisa the cocktail waitress on Tuesday nights is the kindest, greatest cocktail waitress ever.  I told everyone I was running the Boston Marathon and not drinking alcohol anymore after my night out there and everyone was so excited for me and supportive... I plan to come back the Tuesday night after the marathon to get my drink on!

1) sit at the bar 
2) get the gin drink on the menu with a ton of ice it's delicious
3) the chicken pate crostini thing is so good
4) GO EARLY and GO ON A WEEK NIGHT (MONDAY OR TUESDAY NIGHT)

I hope you disregard all the other reviews you have read that are negative about this place because honestly, they are so great here.  For those of you who are from San Francisco this is the CANTINA (lower Nob Hill) bar of the East Coast!
1 - Alexandra D.: I absolutely hated this bar. I would not go back. Their drink menu lacked so much. It was tiny. I got the Blood & Sand which wasn't bad, but not for the price, and it was mostly ice. I forget the name of the second drink I got, but it was horrible. I will definitely never be back!
4 - Anand K.: I was there on a Friday night and understandably it was crowded but I found the place suitable for groups of 4-6 people. If you want to make nice conversation, it's not very noisy.

The waitresses were nice and the cocktails were very good too.
5 - Marissa M.: I live in Central, but I love Drink in Fort Point. I've been sorely disappointed by a number of other cocktail bars, but so far, I love Brick & Mortar. It's also a dollar or so cheaper than Drink.

The atmosphere is cozy, warm, and romantic. I've only been here on weeknights, but it's small and looks like it could get crowded quickly. The door is unmarked, making it a bit hard to find if you don't know where you're going.

There is a small selection of beer, but the real reason to come here is the cocktails! They will make unique cocktails upon request, so feel free to adventure off the menu.
4 - Darci N.: Ventured to Brick & Mortar for birthday drinks late on a Saturday evening when I got out of work.  The bar is relatively small, so when we got there (12am), there was just a short wait outside as they were letting people in on a person-out-person-in basis.

Our waitress was super friendly and knowledgable about the cocktails.  Being a tequila lover, I tried the "Sister Mary" (?) I think... but then again after 3 of them I could be wrong.  LOVED the drink, a really nice flavor between the tequila, grapefruit juice, and the st. germain.  She also brought us a round of birthday shots, which were some fruity concoction, totally unexpected, and much appreciated.

Would definitely go back again - particularly if I'm looking for a well constructed cocktail and some good conversation.
2 - Kabir H.: I actually really love the cocktails and ambience here but one of the things they didn't renovate was the door guy. When your girlfriend is inside saving you an empty seat, and they won't let you up because they want the appearance of a line outside, it's time to pick up and walk to Green St where you'll be seated immediately and can avoid the bullshit.
3 - Sarah G.: I miss enormous room. I don't really know why they took such an awesome and cheap dancing venue that had such character and changed it into yet another classy bar...We have lots of these around the area, so I was hoping that if you were really closing Enormous room that you would reopen it still just as awesome. 

Don't get me wrong. This is a nice bar. They have a beautiful copper bar that is ten billion times bigger than the tiny bar that was here before, and they also have quite an interesting cocktail menu too, but the cocktails are cheap, but you can tell that they did upgrade the bartender's skill levels. There are some standing tables and stools and whatnot around this bar, and the food that I saw next me was a selection of little mini sandwiches/bites which looked actually pretty good, but all in all, I was just sad that this place lost the character that was the Enormous Room--the rugs are gone, the awesome dance music is gone, the pillows on the floor...

BUT it is now a nice spot to grab a drink with friends in an ambiance that is definitely classier than some of the other bars in the Central area so they definitely have that going for them.
2 - Celeste W.: I should start by saying I loved the Enormous Room.  I enjoyed that I could go to ER if I was feeling dressy or if I wanted to wear sneakers, and I enjoyed that there were different DJs every night and that the music was one of the main selling points of the bar.  Needless to say, I was very very sad when I heard the ER was closing, but I held onto some hope that this newer, revamped version would be better.  I was hoping for a new and improved ER, but I got something completely different.

With that said, I have no problem with change.  I went to Brick & Mortar with an open mind, and I was excited to see what they'd done to my favorite bar.  

When I arrived, at 10:30 on a Friday night, my two girlfriends had just gotten in from the line outside, and despite their having a spot waiting for me inside, I still had to wait outside in the line for 20 minutes.  When I got into the bar, I could see why there was a line outside; you have to sit/stand at a designated spot at one of the long high-top bench-tables.  It was almost like Wagamama if it were a bar, the way you share space with the people next to you.  

Our waitress was very friendly and smiley -- a far cry from the staff I remember bumping into at ER.  I also had a couple of bites of my friends appetizers, which I may have gotten more of, if I hadn't had to wait in line by myself -- but I digress.  The food was pretty good.  These are both bonuses.

The drinks from the menu were good.  I had the Corn & Oil (or something like that), and it was pretty tasty.  One of my friends had a drink that tasted like cough syrup though, and had to send it back -- I was glad to see that they happily obliged and replaced her drink with a variation of an espresso martini (this was created for her by request, btw), which she did like.

The bar's nice, but too big.  I think they overcompensated for the cloak room that was the bar at ER.  They might have been able to avoid the absurd line outside if they hadn't made such a huge bar. 

The music was random.  I don't remember what was playing exactly, but I do remember saying, "what's with this music?!"  I wanna say I heard 70's rock mixed in with a couple of new songs; it just seemed very random and theme-less to me. Maybe the point was to make sure no one gets the urge to start dancing where they stand, as in the days at ER.  If so, then mission accomplished - there will be no dancing at B&M.   

Earlier that night, while I was in line outside the bar, two girls asked the guy behind me if we were all waiting in line for Enormous Room.  He told them, "Yeah, but it's Brick & Mortar now."  They then asked him "What night is it?"  His reply was, "They don't do specific nights any more.  It's pretty much like any other bar now."  And that is exactly how I would describe it - Just like any other bar...
4 - Eric Z.: After having dinner at a favored spot near Harvard Square, I walked through the inky shadows of Cambridge's back streets to Brick and Mortar.  Along the way I was attacked by a skunk whose spray made me feel as if my head had been packed with cotton and my mouth packed with desert.  Also it made me feel as if I had soul and was super bad.

Anyhow, I arrived at B&M, my hands sticky from the skunk and my clothes smelling like Indonesia, but ready for cocktails.  Now, B&M is an upstairs joint.  On the right of the staircase ascending into the bar is a brick wall; on the left is a wall of another sort, and beyond the left wall is the enormous room.  Along the top of the left wall, facing the brick wall, is a narrow bar with space only for one's elbows and one's cocktail.  As the place was busy, I was stood (standed?) at that narrow bar with nothing but the brick wall to examine.  The brick wall, which has in places the appearance of graph paper, is divided into quadrants by metallic piping.  One can, as I did, easily spend an entire hour staring at the brick wall, plotting lines, calculating, and performing other tricks of an algebraic or geometric nature.  It was HANDS DOWN the best time I've ever had at a bar.  

The cocktail I drank, something with rye and port, I believe, was delicious.  Then I had a double Pappy.  One sour note: The bartender warned me that the bourbon was expensive, which both embarrassed me and irritated my vanity--do I look especially hard up, or like someone who doesn't know his bourbons?--but she was attractive and I am in possession of a certain genotype that forgives anything for attractiveness.  Also, the Pappy is inexpensive there.  So go.
4 - L P.: I will definitely be coming back to Brick & Mortar.

I've heard from a few people that on Friday/Saturday nights, there's a line out the door (but the inside isn't very packed).  That's kind of a douche move, but I can't confirm that because my girlfriends and I went at 6pm on a Thursday.  (Warning: there is no sign or number on the door.  It's the door next to Central Kitchen, or the old Enormous Room for those familiar.)
The new layout is GREAT.  The space feels way more open than when it was the Enormous Room (which I hated).  The new bar looks really classy, and I LOVE the crisp, clean way that they added bartops and stools throughout the space.  There was plenty of seating when we arrived after work, so we scored one of the smaller bartops that only had space for the three of us.

The service was great.  Someone stopped by frequently to fill our waters, the server asked us if we were enjoying our drinks, and even the person who brought our food was pleasant (and funny!).

We started the night with a shot each of the bourbon + coke syrup.  Oh man. So good.  Not worth the $6, but I would recreate that in a heartbeat.  We each had 3 additional drinks.  I ordered an Old Fashioned which was pretty good, and I liked the added touch of large ice blocks which are slower to melt.  The only drink I didn't really like too much was the Gail Collins...just too bitter for me.  (The Gail Collins is a mix of mezcal, sloe gin, maraschino, lemon, bitters, and soda.)

We also shared the flatbread and the french fries.  So good, but also...I was drunk by that point.  Our total came out to about $55 each (with tip included).  Kind of pricey, but basically that covered my 3 drinks, 1 shot, and 1/3 of the two small plates.

By the time we left around 9 pm, the room had filled and everyone seemed to be enjoying their drinks.

So yes!  Go to Brick and Mortar!  I can't believe people even miss the skeevy, gross Enormous Room.
4 - Shendi X.: Dark, reasonable, cool. Go on a date here; love it.
5 - Matthew B.: I was honestly sad to see the beat down couches of Enormous Room hit the curb not long ago, so I went into B&M with a skeptical eye. 

But..

My expectations where surpassed. On three occasions, Kenny (nice dude, half sleeve) made the best cocktails I've had in the area (but I still love you Green Street). I'm sipping on a fascinating Fears & Failures right now after a god damn perfect Sentimental Gentleman. Add those up with a deliciously unconventional small plate menu and you earn yourself some stars.
4 - Ellie W.: Everyone I mention Brick & Mortar to seems to retort, "I preferred it when it was Enormous Room". Sure, it's different, but it's kind of like Enormous Room had a quarter-life crisis, hit rock bottom, then re-emerged as a slightly more grown up version of its former self, while maintaining its subdued flare and laid-back je ne se quois. 

I haven't been on a weekend, but on a weeknight, it's the perfect locale to catch up with friends, share recent/past stories of horrible boyfriends/dates, your new Wednesday evening volleyball/softball/some sport that proves you're not old and dead yet - league, etc. All while talking with your hands, animated Italian-style, and dressed in your best "I sort of dressed up because I just f-ing wanted to" outfit. 

Plop your butt somewhere around the roundish/oval-ish bar in the land of exposed brick and metals, and you have yourself a semi-chic night out. It's like the girl who dons her little black dress out, but pairs it with trendy flats instead of sky-high heels. Sorry, small moment of weakness that turned into a segue in thinking about walk-in closets...

In short, it's unpretentious, yet classy, and they have some killer drinks and food. Get the pork and peach dish. Sounds disgusting, but is a party--no, rave--in your mouth.
5 - Kyla C.: I forgot to write a review earlier about my experience at Brick and Mortar but it's worth giving 5 stars!  This is a cocktail drinkers bar and the drinks are awesome and precisely made.  I tried probably 5 different ones and they were all super yummy.  We also got some little things to nibble on and all of the food was great.  We went on Monday when they have a guest DJ and that was pretty cool as well.  The vibe is laid back and fun so it's my kind of place.  Hope to come again during my next visit to Beantown!
3 - Noshii R.: So...yes it was better when it was E. Room!  But now that its a "Me Too" of Green Street or Park...its up to par...I just wish someone could get creative and be individualistic....but alas it is the era of the hipsters...


So, go here have some cocktails...just like you would at Park St, Central Kitchen, Green St...etc...the same old same old...but hey its something different than the usual rotation. 

Drinks are good and service is excellent...BUT it was better when it was E. Room....
4 - gayle e.: So I'm not a Boston native, but noticed the low star review. and after reading, the low ratings all seem to be based on the love of this bar's former presence.  That being said, I had a virgin experience here and thought it was just lovely.  Pretty bar, good cocktails, delicious snacks.
5 - Trevor G.: This is one of the best cocktail bars in Boston/Cambridge.  It is clearly nothing like the Enormous Room and please do not come here expecting it to be.  This is a bar for brilliant cocktails and great food.   

The bartenders, including Misty and Evan, are some of the best around.  Misty was named best bartender in the country and Evan comes from Deep Ellum and the Independent.  They can make anything and they will make it delicious.  The bartenders also tend to play great music on the turntable behind the bar.
5 - Daniel H.: I haven't had the food, but I have had drinks here a bunch of times, so I will make this review short and sweet.

1.  The drinks are absolutely amazing. All of them.  They have plenty of off-menu drink as well, so make sure to point and ask, "what is that that person over there is drinking" if you see something that looks tasty.

2. The atmosphere is super cool.  This is a great destination spot to bring people.  It's hip, it's funky, it's classy, it's mysterious, it's impressive.  They even spin records. 

3. For what it's worth, I see bartenders from high-end spots all over the city (ES, Drink, Hawthorne, etc.) drinking here on their off nights.  Pretty good endorsement, I suppose.

Try it out!
4 - Kate I.: You know you're found a solid place when you are talking with your friends, trying to analyze the expert layering of flavors in your cocktail...and you may be forced to override the basic human urge to understand what is happening here, but you trust your faith in a greater being and accept that the drink is good. 

I had the Sister Mary. Sweet with smoky and tangy notes, the convent's rebel. Another notable drink was the Sentimental Gentleman and the Corn n' Oil. The cocktails rotate daily. 

Food was equally on spot. French fries with duck confit for the classy glutton. Tomato and mozzarella salad with heirloom tomatoes. Wood grilled crostini (we got the smoked eggplant); the bread was very very thick but high quality, so I didn't quibble.

Atmosphere is sexy and exclusive, a speakeasy feel. Great crowd, great night.
5 - Kristin P.: My friends and I love this place, we come here it seems like almost every week (sometimes twice a week) .  We enjoy the cocktails, and have our favorites that we order even when they're rotated off the menu (blood and sand!).  All the food we've tried has been great. Especially the duck fries. The duck fries are amazing.  We usually end up getting at least two orders.  It can get a little mobbed sometimes, but we haven't had much trouble getting seats.  Slightly expensive, but I feel like I expected it in a place like this.  

The wait staff has been great, I once accidentally dropped my drink's tiny umbrella on the floor and the server brought me another one.  Disaster averted!

I will say, when you have friends visiting from out of town it's a little difficult to give them directions, as there's no sign... but letting them wander around central square for awhile always results in interesting tales.  Oh central square...
4 - Tasha M.: A few of us wandered over to the Enormous Room, not realizing it had closed and been turned to this place.  Feeling adventurous, we shrugged and ventured in. We definitely missed the cushiony corners, but had a great time anyway ( Who knows when the last time those sweaty things were washed anyway. I used to just try not to think about it.)   A beautiful copper bar is the centerpiece of the new-ish, grown-up, space, and the pros behind it serve up some incredibly delicious and potent libations.  We were impressed, and we'll be back.
4 - Samuel F.: This place has a really good atmosphere.  The food menu is small, but it's great stuff, served late, with a gourmet twist (example: instead of wings with buffalo sauce and blue-cheese dressing, it's apricot-habanero glaze and feta-cream dip).  The cocktails are great and the beer selection is small but well-chosen.

The only notable disadvantage is that there can be a long wait, and it can take a long time for the staff to get back around to you.  Not that the staff is unhelpful, they're a friendly bunch.  It's just hard for them (or anyone) to see anything through the crowd.

I do wish I'd visited more in its previous incarnation, though.  I suppose that can't be helped.
4 - Emily F.: I liked this bar because
1) It was nice to look around and see adults; and sort of normal looking ones
2) There was fun beer on tap, and good food to go with it
3) The bar was visually appealing
4) Obnoxiously loud music didn't start until later
5) There were enough bar-staff members to ensure I never went long without a drink

Go for: A date (early in the evening); or meet friends; try some of the food! 

Avoid: arriving too late; people are freaking vicious about getting a seat

Try: the Crostini app (3 different types come; all are pretty nom nom nom)
5 - Jennifer L.: Cocktails are amazing. Evan is amazing. GREAT place
4 - Jennifer S.: This is the kind of bar that I like to drink at as I edge toward 40.  It's minimally decorated with brick walls and a beautiful, horseshoe shaped copper bar that gives the drinker a great view of the bartenders as they exert themselves to mix up tasty, $10 cocktails containing ingredients I'm too poor to keep in my liquor cabinet.  The music is innocuous enough, mostly guitar rock with an indie bent.  I like to get there early before the place fills up with nerdy boys communing with their smart phones.  Before 8:30 pm, the crowd is sparse enough and like the music, inoffensive as long as you're not offended by waxed, handlebar moustaches (I only spotted one) and disheveled young men who reek of high quality weed.  The menu is small, but interesting and well prepared.  The only thing missing is a wine list.  If I drink more than two cocktails, I fall off my stool so when I'm practicing good self-care, I need to switch it up to either beer or wine if I want to hang out for a while.  The beer selection is good, but as beer makes me bloat, white wine is my preference.  To their credit, they began featuring a very limited selection of wine, as in one red and one white, but I wasn't feeling the white the last time I was there.
2 - Will A.: For the drinks and the atmosphere, I would give this 5 stars. I had a great cocktail (Gualeguetza), as recommended in the Phoenix this week.

But I have to knock it down to draw attention to the obnoxious, themed cocktail list. In addition to the regular list, they had an "Ivy League" special list, with special drinks for Harvard/Princeton/Yale, etc., for $10 each. Okay, fine.

At the bottom of the list, they also offer a Bunker Hill Community College "cocktail," which is a $5 shot.

Elitist and rude. I'm sure that there are some entitled local Ivy bros who get a kick out of this. But B&M should consider that they might have customers without the means to attend an Ivy who want to get a drink without being mocked by a cocktail menu in an upscale bar.

A friend of mine chewed out the bartender who, to his credit, did not make the menu and understood its elitism (and mixed some delicious drinks). But management might not want to mock potential customers and appear any snootier than a fancy cocktail bar inherently is.

I like the idea of themed cocktail lists, but do not support the obnoxious joke in this one. I will be returning to this place, because it's got a great vibe and I enjoy a good cocktail. Next time, though, I would rather not support classism.

Brick Alley Pizza - Providence, RI (41.818034, -71.401386) (Fox Point)
4 - k d.: Brick Alley is a great pizza place.  Their specialty pizzas and calzones are great.  The staff is friendly and have made this one of my favorite lunch spots.
4 - Gary S.: This is a small unassuming place that makes very good pizza..  Try the vegetarian friendly Greek Pizza.

Brick Brewery - Waterloo, ON (43.460459, -80.5195072) ()
3 - Robin D.: They hold brewery tours here. But it is a scam, it is actually a beer sample tasting. If you are into that then you may enjoy it.
1 - j h.: well... if you want a meh lager that is completely uninteresting and not really worth drinking, this is your place to buy beer.  They make ales too, same thing... If you want an ale that shines in its lack of creativity, uninterestingness, and generally only preferable to water in that it has alcohol, then, I recommend this.  Granted, there is an ethos of this in most canadian breweries, but to be this risk averse.  Granted, their beers are drinkable, but I imagine them more as beers you would use to wash down food, drink to get drunk, and not really beers that you'd have friends over to sample, enjoy, and love.

Brickway On Wickenden - Providence, RI (41.819657, -71.397445) (Fox Point)
5 - A T.: For brunch Brickway on Wickenden is IT!!  Expect to wait a little bit but the staff at this smallish restaurant are great at hustling to accomadate you (one "reunion" weekend ten of us popped in in our pajamas and were seated within ten minutes).  The potatoes are out of this world, the omelettes are huge, and the oatmeal will keep you full all day.  The coffee is also awesome--feel free to drink it black--it's always fresh.
3 - Chris P.: The food in this place was pretty good, and the environment was pretty chill.  I had some delicious banana and chocolate-chip pancakes, but my boyfriend's omelette came full of avocados that had clearly gone bad.  The first time he's sent something back in a year.  The service was average.
5 - GARY-SOUSA G.: I had an omelette today.....it was super....the waitress was very nice....everytime i go there i enjoy the food..... the owners are fantastic people  (Om from Nepal) ....the waitress said they will be getting Portuguese Bolos soon......take my advice i have been going there for 12 years.......
4 - Krishna K.: I was in Providence for a weekend and stumbled on this place for brunch. The hostess told us, with a straight face, that the wait would be seven minutes. Exactly. And she was dead on. The menu is really good. My boyfriend and I had a lot of trouble deciding. They have a really interesting selection of omelets and other egg dishes. One came with portobellos, brie, and sauteed onions. Sounds tasty, right? The french toast that the girls at the next table ordered smelled really good. I had the s-pet (poached eggs on an english muffin with spinach, tomatoes, and your choice of cheese) and one blueberry pancake. They make the pancakes with fresh fruit cooked inside, not in some gloppy compote on top. Nice. And the coffee was really good. We obviously got the slow waitress, but even she was competent, just a little lackadaisical. The other waitresses picked up the slack and kept my coffee full, so I was a-ok. I would definitely recommend this place if you find yourself in Providence.
4 - Meagan H.: The Brickway in the quintessential brunch place in Providence. Located on the quaint streets of Wickenden, this spot offers the best french toast outside of my mother's house and the service is (pretty much) always stellar. Do be prepared to wait a bit, but have no fear. Your wait will not be vain. 

Side note: great daytime date place.
3 - Michelle S.: Standard diner-type breakfast fare with "exotic" ingredients like avocado thrown in. They give you a ton of food for fairly little money, although Loui's around the corner on Brook serves similar food for half the price.
It's not worth the ridiculous wait on weekends.
5 - Sugar G.: I just love this place.  Everything I've eaten has been delicioso.  Omelets, toast, french toast, english muffins, scrambled eggs, eggs sunny side up, pancakes, sausage, and bacon.  Yummers.  There's usually a wait in the morning, but the food and the prices are well worth it.  The waitstaff is always pleasant.  
I'd recommend Brickway if you're looking for a cozy place that serves simple, delicious food.
4 - Lauren W.: I'm an avid lover of Breakfast food and Brickway does a pretty decent job! Nothing can top IHOP for me but Brickway is a very close second. Food is well portioned (especially the pancakes) and the prices are decent for a college student. As stated in other reviews, the wait can be long on the weekends; but if you're willing to bear it, you'll survive. It's a brightly colored restaurant. The dining set-up is not the most comfortable but it's nice nonetheless. Breakfast served all day!
3 - Jason C.: I am a huge breakfast guy and Brickway is just fair.  I like greasy spoon places, but Brickway is a bit too greasy, if you know what I mean (ie - dirty).  I also think they re-use their coffee grounds because I often get WEAK coffee - essentially black water.  Their home fries, again are just well, fair.

Their omelettes and pancakes do rock however.
3 - danny e.: Was brought here by a friend during a tour of the local schools, grad school seems the way to go, and It was pretty tasty. The servers were very friendly, and even though someone in the back messed up our order, she was really good about getting it fixed. The most magical thing about the place is their blueberry muffins. Something really simple I'm sure. Taste like costco muffins put in to the oven to make them crispy and warm. They make your insides crispy and warm with delight.
4 - Keri M.: The prices are right and the breakfast options diverse.  Most of the breakfast food costs around $7 and pretty much everything is less than $10.  

Highlights are: 1) they offer side options for some of their more enticing options, i.e. blueberry topped lemon french toast, sausages; 2) their relative wealth of vegetarian-friendly options - always hard to find for breakfast food; 3) the variety of cheese offerings, which include blue and goat cheeses; 4) their spicey red potato homefries - quite flavorful; 5) bottomless cup of coffee.  Our waitress kept filling our bottomless cup of coffee - +1 star - but stopped as we neared the end of our meal - -1/2 star; and  6) the scene.  Wickendon St. is the Thayer St. of old and now holds the grungy art scene.  

The only thing I don't like about Brickway is their sliced bread french toast.  French toast is supposed to be huge, very thickly cut pieces of bread, not grocery-store-sliced-bread-thin.  

I hit Brickway every time I come home and meet up with old friends and am never disappointed.
4 - Mike H.: As a College-Hill alum, I have to say that finding a good brunch place is always a must.  Brickway is one of my favorite places on the Hill because it's far away enough on campus to be "private," the food is pretty cheap, and it's really good.

In the fall, my favorite is always the pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes.  The portions are HUGE, and again, the prices are very decent.

If you're looking for lots of food for under 10 bucks, the 4x4 is great -- sausage, eggs, pancakes, bacon, homefries, and coffee.  All for like 8 bucks.  

It DOES tend to get busy on weekends, and the service is pretty shoddy at times, but if you want a quick fix for a great price, Brickway is definitely a must.
1 - Valerie Z.: I just read the reviews on the Brickway and felt like it would be a great new place to try for breakfast.  So my boyfriend went and picked us up an egg, cheese, and sausage bagel sandwich with fries and an order of banana-chocolate chip pancakes.  When he walked in, the first thing he mentioned was that the customer service left something to be desired.  Apparently the waitress barked "19 bucks" at him and then walked away.  He stood there for a few minutes until she was finished with her table.  The breakfast sandwich was more than disappointing...there was no sausage and the bagel was barely toasted.  The potatoes were also pretty undercooked.  The pancakes, however, were delicious!  But unfortunately, I will not be back!
4 - Natalia B.: Brickway is infamous for its long wait, but if you get there early enough, you can usually get seated right away. It's perfect for a lazy Sunday morning. Their menu is the usual brunch fair, but the portions are huge, the prices are reasonable, and the food is good. I normally go for the omelettes or the pancakes, and I've never had a bad experience. The service is usually good, and most importantly, they do not skimp on the coffee refills. Solid Fox Point institution, overall. I would definitely go there over Cafe Zog any day.
4 - Elisabeth A.: Came here for breakfast - waitstaff was a bit rushed and unattentive, but the food was great. I got pancakes with bacon and they were damn good pancakes. My friends' food all looked tasty as well and they ate everything. Had some of the potatoes - yummy. I also enjoyed the atmosphere - fun rainbow gradient painting!
5 - Maddy S.: I lived around the corner from Brickway for my last two years at RISD - and it was great, and it was terrible. Great, because it's absolutely fantastically convenient. Terrible, because we would pretty much have no choice but to go there when the smell of pancakes and eggs floated up dreamily from Wickenden first thing in the morning and inspired our stomachs to not be pleased with anything else but Brickway.

You can pretty much never go wrong with the specials, the French Toast is unrivaled, the pancakes are fluffy and dreamy, and the home fries... well, let's just say it was really hard to find anything since that's come close. I've found good home fries, but few hold the place in my heart like Brickway's do.

The service is friendly though yes, they rush around (not a huge deal though - you never go wanting). The bus boy that was there at the time I was in school was particularly charming, and he would always give my dad a (joking) hard time for wearing his Yankees gear in the restaurant when my parents were in town.

To this day, it's still the only place I (and my parents) recommend to people for breakfast. Be prepared to wait, since a lot of people feel the way I do, but if you're a small party (1-2) or are in early, you'll be fine. It generally goes fast, anyway.
2 - Em G.: This review is based on the only time i have eaten here, but Brickway didnt make the best first impression.....

I was in a group of six, and while all 5 other people in my party seemed to enjoy thier food, the service is what brought the 2 stars...
They wait staff has been described as bitchy, and thats dead on.....And our particular server seemed to not know a whole lot about the menu.
We were in on a sunday for (lunch), and after sitting down and being told what the soup of the day was, we ordered.....and then we were told there was no lunch menu or soups..only breakfast and wrap sandwiches served with homefries.  I thought it was strange that we were told what the soup was, but when we ordered it she said there is no soup on sundays.....
The Room is a little to cramped as it seems there is 50 people in a room that holds 40.  I imagine if i went back with perhaps a smaller group, I would have a better expirience.
4 - Giselle R.: We came here on my son's recommendation. He and his girlfriend go every week and he and I have the same sensibilities. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm going to like it...
WE loved this place.The "town", all ten blocks squared, is adorable, very quaint, very Williamsburg back in the day(early 90's).
Bright yellows and greens and blues(that's the decor) ,lots of  wooden tables, kinda cramped,just added to the charm. And the food was good.
So we had to wait for seating a good half hour, but it was Sunday brunch, and the weather was  warm AND it was parents weekend. 
When we were seated, inside ,because you took whatever became available so FORGET waiting for a table on the sunny sidewalk,our waitress was there asap, big smile and ready to go.
I had the eggs benedict, with a twist, instead of canadian bacon it was smoked salmon. Very yummy. You didn't get toast, that was extra, as were any sides.I thought the buttermilk pancakes were dry and flavorless, a definite miss. But my hubby wasn't actually complaining, there was lots of syrup and butter.
I will definitely go back and try some lunch instead of brunch and try it on  a week day although my feel is that this place is always a go.
It is with me for sure.
I long for old the billy-b days and this place really  takes it back for me.

Did I mention the eggs were good?
3 - Rajah K.: Service is decent but gotta flag them down for coffee refills. Toast was hardly toasted more like warm bread with tasteless margerine but eggs were really good, small portion of homefries but very tasty!!! Typical diner coffee nothing to brag about. VERY VERY small place so if your a larger person don't go cause your chair to chair and if the guy behind you gets up your getting bumped and if you both get up your gonna run right into eachother!!!! Typical providence small venue though. NO KIDS MENU the only real kids choice is 2 eggs, toast, homefries for 4.25 or side items 1 by 1.
4 - Bill H.: Get here early (9am), otherwise you'll be in line with a bunch of Brown kids looking for a weekend treat for brunch.

Food quality is well above-average here.  The menu sports a billion omelets, several breakfast burritos, and a few plates of normal breakfast fare.  I'm always happy with my orders, but I've never had a dish that really rocked my world.

Service is usually a bit slow.  Prices are reasonable.
2 - robbie r.: Hmm... this place stank of mediocrity.

College kids seemed to love it, but I was pretty unimpressed.  I got some french toast.  The syrup was bad.  

My girfl got some french toast or pancakes (i forget, thank god) covered in a somewhat bitter yogurt.blueberry mix and let me try a bite or two.  Bitter is not something i look for in a breakfast (me hate gwapefwoot!)

The best part of the meal was the grilled blueberry muffin i got as a sort of beakfast appetizer.  Gotta love a warm muff.  I mean... what?
2 - Duane B.: Not impressed, sausage was cold, service was bad. Asked for muffin as starter as listed on chalkboard, it came with my meal. Omellete was good. Hard to find, sign on front of building is blocked by tree.
4 - Sarah W.: Servers are always super friendly! Coffee gets refilled. I love it.
3 - Lou P.: Bright, sunny seating
Good luck getting a table
Choices for veggies

It might be difficult to get a seat, but if you get here on the weekend before the post-party pre-hangover crowd, you can get quite a hearty breakfast without too much hassle. Lots of good combinations, everything from the normal egg toast schlock up to the full breakfast stewed tomato and the works deal. Not the flashiest place, but they poured me all the coffee I wanted and I didn't leave disappointed.
4 - Stacy B.: What a great breakfast joint!  Brickway is located right next to Brown University, and caters to the students bringing their families out to brunch while visiting.  

This is a very small place, only about 15 tables.  Expect to wait, but not for long.  There seems to be a good flow to this place: you wait, you eat, you leave.  It's great.  

The food is amazing.  I couldn't decide: sweet vs. savory, so I got both.  I had a Kaliforina Omelet with tomatoes, avocado and goat cheese.  On the side, I had a pancake.  After ordering, I noticed some awesome specials chalked out on some boards on the wall, including: a veggie fritatta with jalepenos, black beans, artichokes, and spinach, and a candy store pancake stack that had a variety of chocolate goodies in it.  Wish I would have seen that before ordering, but was not disappointed with what I got.  It was very, very good. 

The food is ample, and yummers, the price is right, and the coffee tastes good - it's not colored water.  Definitely check this place out while visiting Providence.
4 - Chris J.: Went for breakfast with a friend who always raves about the place. He was right, the breakfast selection was good, the prices were reasonable and the services was excellent. It is pretty small and was packed the Sunday we went, but we got seated quite quickly.
3 - Kim P.: I've eaten at Brickway a couple of times. Its good, but not so good to warrant the long crowd/wait time to get in. Good pumpkin pancakes. Cute atmosphere.
5 - CHARLES S.: Love the casual feel of this place, the decent variety of breakfast items and love the specials.  (Can we please have the Pesto Pet be a permanent special?)

Come here often and staff is almost always friendly and service is usually great. I have only had one or two occasions where service was a bit slow, but usually it was during particularly busy times so I forgive them that and still have to give the full 5 stars.
4 - LV L.: Amazing food & the staff is really pleasant!! The pancakes are my favorite & theres always someone filling up your coffee mug -Close quarters when it comes to seating but the new murals are so cheery!!
2 - Joshua N.: A popular place for breakfast. I don't think that the food is that great, though.
1 - R S.: I'd give it zero stars if I could. I used to like this place for it's basic service but I think the service is tasteless and dishonest. I was with a party of 10 - mostly weeping people - who were there right before we were to attend a memorial service for our friend. Our emotionally distraught party did not pay attention to the bill and just paid. A gratuity was added to the bill. Waitress did not tell us. We ended up double tipping. 

Now that I am looking at receipts and realizing this - I think that place is just tackless and lame. Any good person would have taken note of our  emotional despair and been nice and told us they added a tip to the total bill.

Will never go there again!
4 - Lindsey G.: Breakfast served all day - SOLD! My friend and I went to Brickway around 1:30 hoping to catch the after brunch lull and we were right. We were sat right away. The place was mostly packed with a few open 2-tops here and there. Every dish that went by us looked amazing, especially the specials that they had written in chalk on the walls. My friend ordered poached eggs with bacon, tomatoes, and cheese with home-fries and I got an omelet with onions, peppers, and cheese with home-frieds. Both were amazing! 

The only reason there isn't 5 stars...no champagne. But I will definitely be back!
3 - Andrew G.: Brickway is this place that is very popular with the brown crowd for its classic food and large portions.  This popularity leads to long lines, which adds to the appeal for many, but this is one place that is not worth the wait.

I have been here a number of times with friends that could not be talked into better options, and despite the fact I live within walking distance, I would willingly drive elsewhere than have breakfast here.  It is not that it is horrible, but you just leave feeling the calories and money could have been spent elsewhere in a better way.

The service is always pretty decent despite the mayhem and the coffee is above average.  I have tried omellettes, strawberry pancakes (my last visit), and french toast and found nothing to be a true standout.  To me this place is the epitome of 3 stars.  I wouldnt recommend it but I wouldnt try to dissuade someone from going, and will even go myself if others insists (though I do hate waiting in line for the place).
3 - Angela N.: Went to Brickway a week ago on vacation to Providence. Glad we came during the off-time (i.e. nearby schools not in full session, a weekday post-breakfast and pre-lunch) and therefore, had many seats to choose from (including an few outdoor tables). 

Colorful and homely space, Brickway's menu had a lot to offer. Don't forget to look for the specials written on the chalkboards along the walls. I ended up getting the special omelet of day, The Popeye (spinach, red onions, portebella and goat cheese), and it was scrumptious! My boyfriend, ended up ordering the 2 x 4 pancakes w/ chocolate & bananas (2 pancakes anyway, with 2 sausages & 2 slices of bacon); you can substitute any of their pancakes (i.e. you can have something other than plain pancakes). 

The waitstaff were friendly and attentive - made sure we had everything we needed and refilled our coffees w/o cue. Can definitely see this place being really packed during the general school-year. We sat comfortably for almost 2 hours. Oh, and a huge plus, the bathrooms (though tiny) were clean!
3 - Darren K.: Brickways' food is fairly good. I wouldn't say its great. It's not particularly unique either, but it's solid breakfast food. On the other hand, I'm honestly not sure why it's so popular. It's a go-to among Brown students and the East Side population. Hey, I mean I saw Emma Watson walking toward it as I was leaving Wickenden a few months ago. 

Omelettes and oven-baked fruit pancakes it are stand outs. Omelettes I like how thin they make the egg layers its wonderful. Last time, I remember having the Norwegien (sour cream, chives, smoked salmon). Big Sky is also a favorite. 
Food 3.5/5
Price to Quality 3/5
Price to Quantity 3/5

Ambience is very cute and homey. It's very welcoming for a brunch. Service is helpful and attentive. 
Ambience 3.5/5
Service 3.5/5

Overall 3.5/5 - I'll round it up to a 4, but maybe it should be a 3 considering how long the lines are for weekend brunch.
2 - Salamander J.: I've paid less for more - but not served by Hippie Chicks.  Cute college boys all wearing the same outfit and quite a few ass cracks showing over belts-- so the portions are agreeable to BMI +30.  If your hungry and like energetic college girls -- midriff skin exposed while serving omelets with produce from the local Stop and Shop  - this is the fresh fruit bowl your looking for - and the extra big breakfast burrito.  Second thought, next time I'm hung over - I'm headed there.
4 - Sophie T.: Was here on Saturday, at 10ish no wait at all. Had brickway Benedict, came with 2 poached egg, smoked salmon on English muffin and topped of with a creamy dill  hollandaise sauce and home fries. Highly recommend this place for an inexpensive, and comfy breakfast place.
5 - Z Z.: http://vimeo.com/14018822
Check out a video of the mural in Brickway!
5 - Joan L.: My husband and I usually go to Brickway every Sunday ,today we drifted as a result of Guy Fiera  show, to another place on Brooke st, Well I will never do that again. There is no better place than Brickway,excellent service,clean and delicious food. when you have the best why drift? Thanks Brickway!
4 - Alexandra S.: Great place for brunch!  They have a lot of variety to choose from but not so much that it's hard to decide.  I don't feel like it's a place to hang out for an extended period of time, as you are seated very close to other patrons & they are usually very crowded.  Service was good & efficient.  My omlette was very good & thin (I could never do that it would rip).
4 - Stephanie C.: brickway is a go-to place for brunch. it's always bustling on the weekends, so you definitely want to go early or at least call ahead to find out how long the wait is. the staff is very attentive and friendly and the atmosphere is fun and comfortable. 

i really like their coffee, and i especially like that it's bottomless. they're so good about keeping your cup filled at all times that i didn't even realize i had gone through four cups of coffee before my food had arrived!

their best dishes would have to be their omelettes and their pancakes.the pancakes are pretty large [the size of a large dinner plate] and have a great texture and taste. there's also a large variety of omelettes including the option of making your own [the frankenstein - cute, right?]. the dishes come with toast and home fries. there are also plenty of sides to choose from, including ordering just one pancake if you don't want to have an entire order.
3 - Peter R.: Brickyway is a little dinette with easy and appetizing breakfast options. It's small so there can be a wait on weekend morning.

I chose the standard bacon and eggs which were cooked well, not greasy, and not regretful.
3 - Katie A.: Decent  food, prices, and atmosphere.  I am always satisfied but never blown away by their breakfasts.   The omelets have an awesomely high filling-to-egg ratio, but unfortunately the potatoes are very blah.  Often the wait for food is very long after you have ordered.
4 - Mandy D.: I really enjoyed my breakfast here this morning.

There was a bit of a wait for a table, but that is expected on a Saturday morning in a college area. The service was fast and friendly, and were easy to flag down if you needed something.

I had the banana pancakes, which were fluffy and delicious, with a side of decent hash. I tried some of my boyfriend's homefries as well, which were very good, and a nice break from the usual Italian seasoned ones you get elsewhere. 

I always drink black coffee with breakfast, although most breakfast places' are intolerably terrible and can't go without sugar. I was able to drink theirs no problem, but it was nothing special. 

The prices were decent, the food was good, and the service was great. I will definitely return.
5 - Julie A.: I can't believe I haven't reviewed the Brickway yet. 

In all my years of living Providence, I'd always heard about the Brickway. I finally got my butt over there last year or so, and I visit often. It definitely lives up to the hype of being good and not too expensive.

Right across the street from Sakura on Wickenden St, the Brickway is brightly colored with a small alley walkway leading up to the entrance. In the summer time, they have a few tables set up outside on the sidewalk. It's great to have that option when the temperature is warm with a mild breeze.

On the weekend, don't get here too late or you're bound to find a line, but I've never waited more than 20 minutes for a 2 top.

Once inside, it's a little tight, but I never feel like I'm on TOP of anyone or their conversation. The waitresses are very friendly, attentive, and personable.

There isn't one particular thing I order on the menu. It's usually just what I am feeling at the moment. But if you're stumped by all the delectable options, peel your eyes away from the menu for one second and look at the walls. There are specials usually written on the little chalkboards which blend into the decor/exposed brick.

If you're a brunch fan, the Brickway is a must try!
4 - Judy C.: Charming cafe: one room dining with colorful artwork on the walls.  

Fast service and turnover of diners: we waited 15 minutes at most amidst of many waiting diners.  Server came pretty quickly to take our orders.

No-frills but decent food: Breakfast menu consisted of the staples-eggs, French toast, pancakes (their specialty).  I got their special pumpkin pancakes with cinnamon and powdered sugar, which came out hot and nicely made.  Friend got French toast with strawberries, and he enjoyed his meal as well.
4 - Vince M.: Best breakfast in providence. Love all the variety of omelets. Staff is very nice.
5 - Bailey M.: When you think of a nice lazy weekend morning where you have no stress and no errands to run and you are spending time with friends/family, Brickway on Wickenden should be the first place you think of. 

While this place is a bit small and cozy, it has a nice eclectic charm (real art on the walls too!) and delicious fresh food for very reasonable prices. 

I always get a fresh made fruit smoothie- highly recommended!
4 - Adrienne O.: Nothing cuts me to the core like a solid diner breakfast. Fluffy eggs, chewy bacon, crispy home fries. Brickway does all this in an arty space for cheap. We didn't have a wait Saturday a.m. because Providence does not wake up at 8 a.m. for brunch like D.C. does (whew). My blueberry pancake could have used more blueberry, possibly in the form of some of the blueberry syrup The Cracker Barrel gives you.
3 - andy s.: Nice fruit bowel presentation. Frequent opportunities for coffee refills.  No butter with toast, no knife, and bill was not totaled.  Overall, nice breakfast place with poor attention to details.
4 - Stan Y.: This is a cozy breakfast joint.  It's a bit on the small side so expect to hear your neighbors' conversations.  The food is great as is the service.  All in all, it's a nice place to spend a Sunday morning.
2 - Amanda R.: Oh Brickway, what happened to you? I remember really liking the food here years ago. but either my memory is faulty or things have gone downhill. 

The pancakes were rubbery, and my egg sandwich just tasted off, with the most unappealing looking onions I've ever seen, and the hashbrowns were blah. The restaurant was almost empty at the time, so a hurried kitchen was not the cause. Everything on my and my friend's plates was just flat out not very good .

For the prices they charge, I could have had a much better meal at Julian's, or saved 5$ and gone to Donna's. I left feeling cheated. At least the service was friendly and prompt, and the iced coffee was good, but I don't think I'll be back anytime soon.
3 - Carly B.: Home fries have a nice seasoning to them, but the firm style isn't my preference when I could be eating crispy, soft-center homies elsewhere.

I like the old fashioned diner mugs, but the coffee is weak and generic.

The ingredient combos in the omelettes are tasty, but the super-flat and dry style isn't how I like an omelette.

That's a lot of "buts" in a town with steller breakfast spots. 
What's special to me about Brickway is the decor - the wall-to-wall psychedelic painted mural and the mismatched old metal tables like my great-grandparents had. 

My favorite omelette is the brie, red onion and portabella - the Wonderland. I ordered an omlette with avocado once (the Kalifornia) and have been afraid to reorder since it was inedible, not anywhere near ripe (ugh, that is such a peeve of mine. Take it off your menu if you can't keep it right - under or overripe avos = nastytown. At least tell me you're out and allow me the decency to get something else.) 

Aside from The Avocado Incident, I've had solid breakfasts here. Weekdays are best for a way slower pace.
5 - Karen W.: My go-to breakfast or brunch place in all of Providence. 

The Eggs Benedict will make your day. Even better is the "Porta-Bene" (it's a daily special so, I'm not sure if they offer it everyday), nevertheless, brace yourself for a perfected version of Eggs Benedict without the Canadian bacon. Instead, it's portobello mushroom atop the English muffin, and then poached egg and avocado (bingo!). This dish works magic, there won't be a trace left. 

Pumpkin pancakes are a holiday special come autumn time. Noteworthy and filling as are the pancake offerings on the menu or pancakes in general. 

Colorful and warm ambience. Anticipate a wait on weekends, but that's 'cause it's worth it.
4 - Liz T.: I think this place is awesome.

The gazillion options for tasty omelets, the super affordable breakfast sandwiches, the local names and special dishes--it's all just such a great ensemble for a trendy little brunch bistro.

I definitely see myself stopping in here every chance I get on a lazy weekend afternoon.
3 - Kathleen F.: Let me start out by saying that the waitress here was very friendly and prompt with service.  The place is very small though not designed to handle the noise that people dining in close proximity creates--we had to scream to hear each other.  We were very impressed by the variety of food options and thought the food was decent, not h best we've had but definitely worth revisiting.  I enjoyed my Naragansett omlette with blue cheese, avocado, tomato and chicken.  Really the main downfall is that people like to chat over brunch and it was really difficult to enjoy a Saturday am gossip session in this place.
3 - Kameron S.: I had a horrible experience the first time I ate here. The emo waitress spilled an overflowing hot chocolate all over me and seemed irritated that I was upset. That being said, I was pregnant and probably a bit emo myself. 

 It was at least 2 years before we came here again and it's not bad. Do NOT order the breakfast burrito though. My hubby thought it was disgusting and only ate 1/2 of it. He never does that. It has to be awful for him not to eat it. Everything else was ok. There are several places I like better than here, so we won't go out of our way to come here.
5 - Jenn S.: Great breakfast place with lots of character.  I ordered french toast topped with blueberries and lemon yogurt.  It was delicious! The coffee was also great!
5 - Claudia L.: awesome food, great menu, and the staff were friendly

this will be my new go-to weekend brunch place
4 - Megan N.: I've been here twice, 
inside's pretty nice,
bright colors and art,
staff with a heart.

Had breakfast both times,
Didn't wait in any lines,
Was promptly served coffee,
found it bold, rich and frothy.

First time, wasn't sure what to pick,
landed on the brickway benedict.
Eggs came perfectly poached,
The chef must've been coached.

Second visit, switched it up,
they still kept  coffee in my cup.
went with the Olympus,
it was well worth the fuss.

Heard that sometimes it's packed
in that case, hope you've snacked
but--
Brickway's a great place for a casual meal
good food and a good deal.
4 - Michael B.: I have been here once. We went the other day during lunch-time. I ordered the "Olympus Omelette", which comes with spinach, tomato's, and feta cheese. i usually avoid spinach at restaurants, as it usually is not done to my liking:slimy. This place was no different. I did not like the state of the spinach at all. That being said, the omelette was cooked very well. It was moist, not at all dry, and full of wonderful flavor. This seems to go against what a few other reviews have written, which to me points out that this restaurant may be inconsistent with their techniques. 

However, I am giving them a solid review (I would go with a 3.8) because, with my experience, the omelette itself was done wonderfully. However, in the future, I will not be ordering an omelette with spinach in it, from them. The home fries were absolutely awesome. Large potato chunks, full of flavor, crispy on the outside. They were done quite nicely. My dining partner had a wrap with bacon, lettuce, brie, and (?) turkey, also served with home fries. Her wrap was also full of nice flavor. 

For lunch time, it was quite nice and we will likely be returning. Our food was very quick, with acceptably friendly service. In and out in about 20 minutes. I'm not a freak about speediness of service, unless we are at a place which is catering to the lunch crowd that is limited on time, which we were the day that we ate there.
4 - Joel M.: Our favorite breakfast spot in RI. Love the omelette selection (Kalifornia is my favorite), great hash browns. Can be tight seating, but it's an eclectic atmosphere. Service is usually good, especially if Michele is still there.
2 - Ardith W.: Brickway on Wickenden, I hoped for so much more.  

The bestie and I went here for a super-late breakfast one weekday.  Both of us were really hungry, so we shouldn't have been hard to please.  I ordered basic eggs, homefries, toast, she ordered the pancakes.  The pancakes tasted like boxed-mix-who-must-not-be-named, the sunnyside up eggs had that bad eggy taste, the scrambled eggs were rubbery, the homefries were tasteless, and the coffee was weak.  Neither of us finished.  It may have been a fluke day, or they were getting ready to close, but still -- two hungry people ordering basic food should not have been hard to please.  I hear that the benedicts and pumped-up pancakes rock your socks.  Maybe, but I won't be returning to find out for myself -- there are way too many other places I'd like go to first.
3 - Bill H.: Breakfast for four, sunday at 11am.  plenty of parking around the corner in the lot across from the catholic church.  Popular with Brown students.

Only disappointent was the  twenty minute wait.  

Very solid food (had bbq and providence omeletes (chicken and blue cheese was quite yummy), french toast with strawberries, and special eggs benedict with salmon) and very affordable prices.  

Wait staff was effiecient and friendly.
4 - Joanna r.: Couple things to know about Brickway-
If you go on the weekend for brunch, be prepared to wait for a table. Once seated, you will have minimal room to move your chair. 

If you go during the week it's a completely different story. Slower pace, fewer customers and not as noisy as the weekend crowd. 

My out of town guests always love Brickway whether they order the pumpkin pancakes or one of the special omelets. BTW, the omelets here are more like wraps so that the egg is the "bread". Not super fluffy but able to fit ton of tasty fillings. I particularly enjoy the various eggs benedict concoctions- currently loving the Cajun benedict with turkey, avocado, bacon and cajun hollandaise. It's kind of healthy with the avocado and turkey, right?

You can count on massive portions and speedy service (even on the weekends). Seriously, so much goodness with this place!
3 - Jay D.: This place is super cute but I literally  could smell the hair of the person behind me I was so close to them + I was literally locked in my two person table because of the table flap. 

Holy claustrophobia!! 

The decor is super colorful + intensely fabulous.  But thats how they roll at the brick way. 

Bright + tight. 

Hostess was friendly + coffee came out fast! They can even seat groups of 5 in that narrow space- amazing! I got the breakfast sandwich with avocado with a side of home fries-- was good but portions were kinda dinky. My friend got the omelet and that was pretty good size.  Our total bill was $20. Eh... a little over priced for 2 coffies, an omelet and a sandwich but not awful. 

If you'd like a pleasant but close encounter for breakfast, this is your kinda place.
4 - Michael M.: I have only been here for breakfast but really like it. Go for the specials, they are creative and well thought out. Two eggs over with whole wheat toast gets old after awhile. 

The wait staff is fast and efficient, but can border on rushing, since they can get super busy and want to turn the tables over.

Prices are not cheap, but not outrageous either. Expect to part with ~$20 for breakfast for two.

If you are old like me, you will be up early so go there at like 7:30 on a Sunday morning and you won't have to wait. Old people don't sleep that much, because they have the specter of death looming over their dreams. So, we get to eat before you. See how that works?
1 - Dean S.: I went here twice during the Thanksgiving holiday.  The first time, the coffee tasted like it had gasoline in it.  Truly undrinkable.  I had the oatmeal and it was fine but nothing to write home about.

The guests I was staying with suggested we go back and give it a second chance.  Egg dishes all around.  You certainly could put the food in the 2 to 3 star catagory.  Coffee was better but tasted like it was from a grocery store can.

The place is very tight so be prepared to be friends with the people to side and you have to get up to let the people behind you in or out as the back of the chairs touch sitting down.

Icing on the cake - we had spent around $50 for 4 people, paid our bill and was finishing our coffee (not sure why).  The watress came over and ASKED US TO LEAVE!  We had not stayed excessively long or had computers out.  One of my cardinal sins.

Never again - don't bother!
3 - Sarah E.: Obviously this place is well-liked. It was packed late morning on a Saturday. And from the look of the line as I was leaving, I expect it's like that most of the time. 

Luckily we had a table. There isn't a ton of room here. It's cramped but it adds to the charm. 

I like the food combinations. It's not just the standard breakfast options. They go outside the box for some delicious-sounding dishes.
4 - Irene Y.: I'm always a sucker for a good brunch place. 

This place was recommended to me by a friend. Delicious large omelettes, and you must try their panfried blueberry muffin at least once! 

Service was decent. As was price. Not cheap, but reasonable. 

Only issue is, there will almost always be a wait during brunch time on the weekends, as to be expected with a good brunch place. Better give yourself at least half an hour.
2 - Sarah V. M.: The wall-o-art is really spectacular, but the dirt everywhere makes you wonder what kind of environment breakfast was prepared in...

How can breakfast go wrong?  By being very, very bland.  I got the croque monsieur, which actually inspired me to make homemade ones at home, because I'm certain I can do it 200x better.  It had a nice french toast base, but the meats were cheap and the cheese tasted like rubber salt.  My home fries were cooked in margarine, which is all too 80s for my millennial pallet - sad face.  Michael got the Santa Monica which consisted of three ramekins: granola, yogurt/fruit, and egg whites. They were described as, "healthy, nutritious, boring."  Breakfast for two came to $19, but only because I had my coffee before I arrived. 

Skip the first meal of the day, slide into your skinny jeans and go for a modeling shoot at BoW.
4 - Jill C.: Brickway's Eggs Benedict will stimulate your salivary glands in ways usually reserved for lunch and dinner courses. 

Breakfast-cheese-whores won't mind forking over their cheddar for a yummy omelet.

Would-be morning zombies are animated by fresh coffees and teas.

The submarinesque quarters shave off a star, but this place is The Egg McMuffin of...er, breakfast joints.
5 - Andria T.: Brickway is my brunch go-to.  I know that there will always be a wait, but the owner is ruthlessly efficient at getting people in and fed and on their way, and he never seems in a bad mood.  Last time we were there, he was away from the front and another server took our party name.  I guess it failed to make it into the book because we stood there and waited... and waited.  Finally, when two girls who had come in after us were seated, we asked him why we had been passed over.  He looked in the book, we weren't there, and he immediately made a space for us to sit, all while apologizing profusely.

Every meal I've had there has been excellent.  
Service is always speedy and polite.
They have interesting specials, but the regular menu is robust enough to keep you coming back for more. Plenty of options.
Cute decor--very light and airy.

What else to say about this place?  The only complaint I have is the wait, but they're pretty good at predicting how long it will be, so you can go for a walk around the block instead of cramming into the entryway.
1 - Emilee L.: Horrible service. Our table of three was rudely asked to leave once we had paid our bill. We were not camping out, and had only been there for 40 minutes total! I have never been asked to leave a restaurant in order to seat the waiting crowd. No matter how long the wait is, to me this is just OFFENSIVE! Will not be returning, although the food was decent.
4 - Sara H.: I've been a Brickway fan for years and I can't believe it took me this long to write a review.

I try to avoid peak brunch hours so I can breeze in and get a table without waiting. Waiting makes me grumpy if I don't have a cocktail in my hand to help pass the time. Anyway...

The food rocks. The pancakes...oh the pancakes. Chocolate chip and banana? YES. The omelets are the shizz. LOVE. I love to create my own or go with the Belfast, a savory feast filled with cheese, onions and corned beef hash. If you're feeling decadent, start your meal with a grilled blueberry muffin. Awwww yeahhh.

My only point of contention would be about the sometimes spotty service. We either get a great, attentive server, or a "couldn't care less about us" server. The latter more often. I mean, I get it. You're busy, Brickway is a hot spot and I'm just one of the zillion tables you''ll turn in a day. But come on, at least try to smile and act like you're interested and remember that I asked nicely for more coffee/water/the check.
4 - Kel S.: For a casual, inexpensive lunch spot, this place can't be beat. You wouldn't know it was there if you weren't looking for it. Me and my dining companions each had the kiwi lemonade, which was delightful and refreshing. We also each had a "wrap" sandwich. All were delicious. I will look forward to going in for breakfast sometime.
4 - Margi K.: As a Brown U student who loves breakfast food, I love this place! The food is amazing and cheap. Also, the atmosphere is very much alive. When my friends came to visit me, I made sure to take them here. 

The only downside is that it can get pretty busy during the weekends and the service is not that fast. 

My advice, for the best experience at Brickway, go there on a weekday. If you can't make it on a weekday, go at 9AM or 2PM, Brickway closes at 3PM.
3 - Scott K.: So, the Brickway is okay. I can't imagine anyone really jonesing for this level of mediocrity though. The pancakes are rubbery. Coffee's weak. The omelettes are nothing special. The hashbrowns are... different.  

The space on the weekends is very loud; don't plan on an intimate conversation, or a quiet space to get rid of your hangover headache. It's also very tight quarters. There's a good chance that there will be a toddler 3ft from you, probably putting his syrupy sticky hands on your jacket.

They definitely move tables in-and-out very quickly, so even if the place is packed, you shouldn't have to wait too long for a table. This rubs some Yelpers who prefer to eat the first meal of the day at a more leisurely pace the wrong way.

If you're in the area, and you're hungry for some breakfast, The Brickway will suffice, but it's nothing to write home about.
4 - Rob M.: I used to date a girl on the East Side and I would drag her here for breakfast as often as possible. It's not that she didn't like it here: she just wasn't into breakfast-out. 

Regardless, I've always enjoyed this place, especially on nice mornings when you can sit outside. It definitely has a very "earthy" or "crunchy" feel to it, but they still know how to cook a good old fashioned breakfast. 

It can get a little crowded inside, so be prepared to eat with your elbows tucked in. 

One of the reasons I really prefer Providence to Boston are the local restaurants and, specifically, the fact that there are several places to get breakfast (and I mean a legit breakfast without going to a morning-bar-special) in PVD as opposed to Boston, which is a breakfast wasteland. 

The Brickway was one of the best things I took away from that East Side relationship.
4 - Allison I.: Love it here. Fun atmosphere, reasonable prices and decent service. Love the bottomless coffe ( iced or hot!) great mix of omlettes and fun sweet breakfast dishes. be warned though that the portions arent large if thats what you are looking for.
3 - Katie P.: Brickway is a cute little place, tucked beneath some trees along Wickenden street. Inside there is a lot of look at, despite it being a small space. Overall, it was a good experience, but nothing amazing.

Our server was rather nice, although all of the waitstaff were wearing black tops (most of them tanks) and bras were showing, which is just unprofessional no matter where you go. But anyways, she was nice, and my coffee was always topped off.

The food was pretty good -- a little bit above standard breakfast food. I ordered the veggie sandwich with egg beaters (essentially, an egg sandwich with avocado and onion). They certainly didn't go light on the avocado. My mom had the heuvos rancheros and enjoyed them -- but again, rather standard. The prices were a bit high for breakfast (we spent the same for breakfast that we did for dinner the night before).

Overall, a decent place, but it isn't going to "knock your socks off"
5 - John D.: Great place for a breakfast junkie like myself.I get tattooed up the street from there and I always make it a point to stop in at brickway.Service is always great.Food is amazing.The only thing I don't love is the coffee it's just a preference thing.
5 - Zach H.: Brickway is definitely my favorite breakfast spot in Providence and my third favorite in Rhode Island, after Phil's and Blue Bird in South Kingstown. The wall art is truly spectacular and the vintage seating gives the place a cool vibe. The food is good and the manager  (who also owns Taste of India next door ) is extremely nice.
2 - Cato M.: I've come here multiple times, having been promised each time "the best breakfast in Providence." I'm generally not picky at all when it comes to food, but I think this place is overrated. There's always a really long wait on weekends, and the food just doesn't taste that good. Additionally, if you're lactose intolerant or otherwise unable or unwilling to eat dairy products, there aren't many options here.
2 - Rebecca B.: I remember loving Brickway back in the day.  It had to be eight or ten year ago so I decided to stop in on a recent Saturday morning.  The place wasn't busy and I'm not sure if it was because Brown students aren't back in school/the neighborhood yet or because the food was just mediocre.  

It took a few minutes for the waitresses to decide who was waiting on me and then when I asked for an iced coffee, the waitress delivered me a cup of hot coffee instead.  Meh.  I ordered what was once my old favorite dish- french toast topped with lemon yogurt and blueberries and banana pancake for my breakfast companion.  The french toast came and was a bit overdone.  Too dark for my taste.  The blueberries were tiny and frozen.  With it being August, there's no excuse for frozen berries.  The pancake was fine but nothing special and a bit rubbery.  The waitress was very nice and checked in on my table a few times.  When I paid the bill, she brought back only dollars and didn't give me the coins that I was owed.  I thought that was odd.  

I think I've outgrown Brickway and it's mediocre food.  Sad but true.
2 - Holly B.: Came here for lunch not too busy. They offer breakfast all day which was a plus but I opted for lunch. Chicken bacon brea wrap nothing special, tasty but no more then any other wrap I've had. The waitress was nice enough but didn't ask if we wanted any thing more before dropped off the check. I wanted to take home half of my wrap but the waitftress dissapaired before I could ask. If I'm going to eat on Wickenden there's plenty of other places to chose from.
5 - J G.: awesome fast service. awesome food awesome price

Bridal Bliss Boutiques - Claremont, CA (34.107061, -117.703679) ()
1 - Glen J.: I ordered my dress here 5 months ago and it still has not come in. Each time I have called they say I am not on file and I have to do the whole run down of my name, date of the wedding, how mine and finance's name is spelled and once I even had to fax over my receipt to prove that I bought a dress. I keep being told my dress is on backorder, but does it really take more than 5 months?!!! It is very stressful and the workers seem very incompetent. I bought my dress here because they have good prices on the wedding dresses but you get what you pay for in the service. I absolutely do not recommend any one to buy a dress or anything from here. I have a really bad feeling that my wedding day is gonna come and still no dress =(
4 - Jessica N.: I ordered my dress here. The owner, Vivan, helped me. It took about 6 and a half months for my dress to come, which is standard for special ordered wedding dresses. She even put the corset back in for me and included it in the price. She's quite the perfectionist. Her alterations (hem and bustle) were VERY expensive at $400 but the dress is perfect!

Bridal Boutique & Mr Penguin Tuxedo - Lafayette, IN (40.4191308, -86.8522536) ()
5 - Ron D.: We went there to get a tuxedo fitting. The service was professional and the staff was friendly. We expected to pay for the fitting but it was free!
1 - Kathy M.: BEWARE!!!!  The service is horrible! We ordered bridesmaid's dresses in April for an October wedding with a promised delivery date of August 1st. As of September 4, no dresses, no delivery date and no one cares! Three sales clerks standing there, laughing at my daughter's tears.

Bridal Gallery by Yvonne - Latham, NY (42.7564399, -73.7577187) ()
1 - Nicole M.: FACT: Found a dress I loved and was told it was one designer MULTIPLE times by the owner and the staff only to find out after some research that owner and staff lied to me, my friends and family about the dress so we couldn't comparison shop.  Dishonest.

FACT: Rips tags out of dresses. Why does I shop need to do that if they are a quality business? 

Go anywhere else to get honest help on your special day!
1 - Jessica B.: Bridal Gallery by Yvonne was my 2nd stop on the dress shopping train and I should have skipped right over it. Not only were they rediculously expensive, they had the worst selection imaginable. I had even specifically checked with their representative at the bridal show where I learned of them to see if they could fit me, a size 24 bride, and was assued there was "plenty of selection". Want to know how many dresses I actually got to try on my body? 1. Nope, not a typo.
 I did get to try 2 or 3 others on by having them clipped to my bodice, but not before the consultant pinched my breast in the clip too leaving a nasty mark and a bad taste in my mouth. When I contacted the owner via email to let her know about the situation, all I got was an email saying she was sorry to hear about my appointment. And beyond adding me to their mailing lists both via email and snail mail, nothing has been done about this incident since.
 Don't walk away, RUN! It's not worth the effort to shop with them. I know that I'm glad I found my dress elsewhere, and I won't put my bridesmaids through the torture of trying on dresses there either.

Bridal and Special times - Pasadena, CA (34.1460516, -118.1305584) (Pasadena)
4 - Maureen W.: So this was my 7th time being a bridesmaid.  It's an honor I know...and I was thrilled to be asked and honored, of course.  But shelling out $200 for a dress was not on my agenda in October.  Thankfully the bride did find a place that had reasonable costs on fashionable (as fashionable as they can be) dresses.  

She picked a lovely chocolate chiffon number by Belsoie.  The selection at this store is minimal...only one rack of dresses.  And to me, they all pretty much look the same.  BUt they were a dream to work with.  I put down a deposit and waited to be told to go pick it up.

And then I procrastinated in getting fitted. And procrastinated.  Oh, you know how it goes!  When I finally got in there, they were able to alter the dress in a week and were very efficient and the alteration was very professional.  

I'm also happy to report that they will hem the dress to cocktail length for only $20!  Good to know since I really don't need a floor length chiffon gown...
1 - RICA G.: I'll make this review short, as this place is not even worth the time.  I completely agree with Mando M. below.  This place is straight out of a nightmare.  

I was a bridesmaid for my cousins wedding, and we purchased our dresses from this vendor.  Laurie, the owner, is super rude and so unprofessional.  She was like this from the very start, until the very end of the whole process.  Granted, she gave my cousin a great deal on the bridesmaids dresses, but man did we get what we paid for!  First off, the dresses came MUCH later than what was promised to us.  Then, when the dresses did come, they were a completely different shade of the color that my cousin ordered!  All Laurie could say was too bad but it's too late!  Geesh!  And then get this, when we all picked up our dresses, she straight dropped it in a bag and said here you go!  This chick did not even bother to hang it! Haha **I'm laughing my butt off right now because it is pretty funny** .  I mean WOW, talk about unprofessional.  It's almost unethical to treat your customers like that who just paid a great deal of money for a dress.

It's funny because there was a really beautiful lace bridal gown that we were trying to convince my cousin to buy from this place when we first ordered our dresses.  Oh thank goodness she didn't buy her gown from this place! Imagine!!!!  

Okay, this review is longer than promised hehe.  But yeah, do yourselves and your wedding a favor, STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM THIS PLACE AS POSSIBLE!!!
1 - Chris n' gel S.: Your right Rica G. & Mando M..This place sucks! Horrible customer service. 

I was a bride and came to this store because they offered a reasonable price for my bridesmaid dresses after comparing around. My first impression of Laurie, the owner, on the phone should of been the warning sign for me...she sounded uninterested and lazy.  With my bridesmaids budget in mind, I gave this store a chance.  I don't even know where to begin the bad experience.Laurie would never call me back...or even let me know when there were delays or changes on my orders. I had to find out on the last minute, like when she told me the color for the dresses I wanted wasn't offered anymore AFTER the girls put their order in!! Wouldn't you think being in this business for this long and being the freakin owner, you would first make sure before promising with your customer! and to add, without any apologies or any kind of solution was offered at any time. Instead she tells me  "well, you just have to change your colors." Say what?! I couldn't believe what i heard. 
Furthermore, the dresses came in LATER than promised... giving my girls barely enough time to get last minute changes. 

I can go on and on...but please people...stay away from this bad business. My wedding planning would of been smooth flowing if i never met this place!! She gave me a headache...and the last thing I needed during this time was a BIG Headache.
1 - Caress J.: I checked yelp after I bought my dresses. What a mistake.
The service sucks.

Laurie was meek and accommodating, but she agreed with me that she is just a 'middle man', and will take no responsibility to make sure your order is right. She does nothing but order the dress, take the money, and suggest unnecessary alterations. My mothers $500 dress arrived 3 weeks before my wedding in the wrong color! Laurie said she could order a 'similar' dress at (scoff! it was less than $300!)

My only source of stress in wedding planning has be working with Laurie. I made it a point to make an appointment when I brought my troop of bridesmaides, but she was late all 3 times. Leaving my ladies and I standing on the corner for 20 minutes. My biggest pet peeve was that she never called when items arrived. So my items were sitting there for a week waisting precious alteration time. 

Go anywhere downtown for alterations it's worth the savings than any bridal store.

Next time I'll check the stars
1 - Sher D.: Now that my daughter's beautiful wedding is over and steam no longer escapes my ears, I can talk about my experience at Bridal and Special Times. I have a second generation black belt in shopping. I can sniff out a bargain and great customer service like a blood hound. Wander the path with me as I examine how I stumbled upon into this lame location masquerading as a Bridal shop! 

I dragged my two weeks post op tukus out of bed because I had to order my Jade Couture dress five months before the wedding.  $540.00 and four months later, it arrived in the wrong color and three sizes, too large!!!  I only lost 6 pounds after ordering.

Feeling stonger and up to opening a can of Whip Ass (figuratively, I can't get down with violence), I argued with Laurie about whose fault it was that the dress was the wrong color. Of course hers! She was in charge of the order! She blamed the design house, but I gave Bridal and "Spacial Times" my money. Eventually, Laurie was admitted that it was her fault and that she would, "Make it right." 

After calling the Jade Company, Laurie said I had three dresses to choose from in the color I wanted similar to my dress.  I called other bridal shops to ask about the details of the dress I was forced to choose. 

Back to Laurie, I made my new dress choice. She said it would be a week. I asked about the price and straight faced, Laurie said, "You don't have to pay more."  "Duh!" I say sarcastically  $350 and the wrap was extra! AH-HA!!! She was trapped in her overpirced lie! The price at several other shops including Pebbles in Glendale was $265 out the door! Laurie finally agreed to $265. I asked about the price for alterations and guess what? I would have ended up paying $500. Mysterious, huh?

Needless to say, I no longer trusted Laurie so, I took the dress to Max at Tutto Italy in Downtown Los Angeles, where we bought the groomsmen's suits. $40 later, Isreal made that dress fit like it belonged to Sher D-iva, Mother of the bride!  

Stay away from Bridal and Special times unless you are looking to be treated...special.  

BTW: I ordered my prom dress from this place thirty years ago. My how times have changed.
4 - Erika G.: My experience with Lori was great.  I got married last year and Lori really made my life much easier.  Her prices are affordable and the dresses are beautiful.  She met every deadline and because I lost weight, we had to do quite a few alterations on the dress.  She let me do as many fittings as we needed to.

She was helpful and went out of her way to make my day was special.  I bought my shoes from a different store and I accidentally stained them.  I took them to Lori and she cleaned them for free.  I would absolutely recommend this place!
1 - Jessica B.: Worst Place EVER!!!  For your sake PLEASE do not buy your dress here.  I have never met someone as rude as Lori (owner of the shop) in my life.  I bought my bridesmaid dresses here and they came out terrible.  She ordered the wrong color and then took forever to correct it.  By the time they came in, there was no time to do the appropriate alterations.  My bridesmaids made alteration appointments and she wouldn't show.  One of the girls drove out from San Diego and she could care less that she didn't show up for an appointment that was scheduled.  I have never met a person that could care less about her customers.  You would think that since this is her business, she would put more of an effort into making you happy.  Buyer be aware and stay away!
5 - Eva D.: Lori, the owner, is exactly what you need. You won't get the frills, the impulse sales, or the buttering up that you will get at any other bridal shop.  You WILL, however, get great expertise, a good and caring eye, and people who know this craft.  Not to mention great quality dresses. She had me pick out 3 dresses that I thought I liked. I tried them on, and she said "hm, I know what you are going for," then picked out a dress and it was EXACTLY what I wanted. She knew my shape and style better than I did.  AND I also liked that I knew exactly what I was paying for.  

From my experience here - Lori (and her alterations team) runs a dress store, because she knows dresses.  If you can't get a hold of her, call back later, she's working on dresses.  If she comes off as rude, or unfriendly, it's because she's all business, altering and ordering dresses. If she seems unprofessional, it's because she doesn't spend much time behind the desk, since she's working on dresses!!!!  Hope you see where I'm going with this.  Everyone loved my dress. Thank you!!!!
5 - Rula M.: I have never had better customer service than this.!!!!!!

AMAZING

Lori helped me with everything from my Veil to my shoes and everything in between (Tiara, wedding bag, shoes, alterations, honeymoond dress) . At first I thought I would only get my dress from this store and go somewhere else for alterations. But the great price, and the hospitality, and the PATIENCE.... Man I was a picky picky bride...

I kept saying Do this, do that, and this and that... I can't believe how much amazing service I got. She never screamed back or nothing... she listened and understood how stressful a bride could be. 

My mom and I were in the store for over 2.5 hours!!! and not once did Lori say anything or complain. 

I just had my wedding on Nov. 6th and EVERYONE was complementing my dress that Lori helped me pick and alter and make PERFECT!!! I could not have wanted anything more.

What's even better she helped me alter another bridal dress and my ceremony dress (which was different)... AMAZING.. 

And get this, my mother in law asked me to provide shawls for my 5 bridesmaids a WEEK before my wedding... HAVE NO FEAR.. Bridal and Special Times is here. All I did was provide the fabric and they did it for me.

Fast service, great customer service... the kind when you really know they care.
1 - Master P.: ok let me start off by saying that Lori is really a nice lady but she really lacks business skills.  For someone that is the client service industry she really needs to understand how her clients need to be treated so they can trust her.  I had ordered 4 dresses through her, and let me add that I had placed the order in August of 2011.  She told me that the dresses would be ready in November.  I didn't think much of it since my event was in march of 2012.  So November rolls around and I call her and she tells me that it will be ready in December...ok...no problem, I still have time.  December rolls around and she tells me the first week of January...um...um omg...but ok.  January rolls around and I called her, she said end of January.  Ok, at this point i'm getting annoyed.  First off, I have been doing all the calling.  It would have been professional of her if she at least ONCE picked up the phone and called me to say :"hey, I know i said it would be here but unfortunately its being delayed but it will be here in time".  It got to the point where I had my friend call for me cuz I was starting to panick too much.  End of January rolls around and still no call from her, both me and my friend call and she says first week of February.  I prayed that she would call me this one time and prove she actually cares about my business,  but she didn't... so I decided to call her two days after, instead at this point she tells me how sick she is and all this sad stuff, as much as i care for her as a human being...i'm only interested in my order, so as a customer, I don't want to hear her sob story, anyway, she promises me that the following week they will be there.  She then goes on to say that she will expedite the alternations at no charge turn it around in a week.  As much as I appreciated that, I really couldn't say that I trusted her at that point.  Why would i give further business to someone that has not shown me true customer service since day one?  I left the decision to my girls and they decided that I was right and business is earned where business is deserved.  Again, I can't fault Lori for the delays from China to the US.  She even told me that the ship broke down at one point...but what I do fault her is the fact that she not once picked up the phone to call me, I had to constantly chase her.  I'm in the customer service related business also, and my clients would put me on a chopping block if I was anything like her.  Being nice is one thing, but if you can't convince a person they can trust you...then i'm not sure how you can stay in business.  I got my dresses a month before my actual event, so i'm happy...but as a bride the last thing I needed was my stress levels going up...and with Bridal n special times, thats exactly what happened.  So its up to you if you want to deal with the stress in going here.  I should have listened to the reviews...not worth it.

P.S. the dresses are actually beautiful though...

Lori if you're reading this...be more interested in your clients business!!
4 - Lisa G.: So, I searched all over for the perfect wedding dress and I came to Bridal and Special Times and I thought I found the perfect dress, however they don't let you take pictures of the dress on before you buy it.  So, I purchased the dress, then later looked at the pictures we took after purchase and didn't like it as much.  So, I thought about it for a few days and decided to try to get another dress, from the same company, Allure Bridals.  I immediately called Lori to see if I could possibly change the order to the other dress.  She got right on it and called Allure Bridals to make the change.  She was able to do it and even better, it was cheaper than the original dress I chose.  Lori did not think twice and she switched the order for me with no hesitation.  At this point I was sold on Lori and sooo happy she was able to change the order for me.  

She was really helpful whenever I called her to see what the dress status was, she always called me with updates on when the dress and the bridesmaid dresses would arrive.  Oh, and I also got a free veil up to a $150 value with the dress I bought.  

Once I got the dress and they measured for alterations it was a little difficult.  There were several little things that they didn't fix the first time so I had to come again for another fitting to repair the little things they didn't fix the first time.

My advice, order waaayy in advance so you have plenty of time for alterations and more alterations.  However, you can't beat their alteration prices for a wedding dress.  Such a bargain.  

I would recommend this vendor for purchasing your wedding dresses or bridesmaid dresses.  They did a great job and at a fraction of the price of other bridal stores.
1 - Melissa C.: My bridesmaids and I had a day of dress shopping and it ended earlier than planned, so I Yelped on my phone for any other stores that we could visit and up popped Bridal and Special Times. From the outside it doesn't look like much, but walking in, I was surprised to find the amount of dresses they had in their collection. 

They had a couple racks that were dedicated to bridesmaids dresses (it was mostly bridal and formal gowns). My girls and I found a few promising numbers, so we stepped into a back room that seemed like the connecting room between the front of shop and the sewing room in the back. Since there weren't any formal dressing rooms (unless that was it?), they all got changed in that room at the same time. There was one that stood out to us by the end of it--a long, flowy, sweetheart neckline chiffon dress that was a serious contender. 

The lady who helped us, though--horrendous. This must be the famed Lori that everyone here has been complaining about. We had a number of issues with her, which ultimately led to us deciding never to come back again. Had she acted in a more professional manner, the story may have played out differently and she could have had our business.

The straws that broke our proverbial backs:

(1) We were not allowed to take pictures. Normally, that would be completely fine with us. But for her to continually interrupt our conversations and step in and out of the room as my girls were changing, it was pathetically obvious that she was trying to enforce that rule--even though we were NEVER tempted to take any photos or had any cameras or phones out.

(2) Since we had been dress shopping all day, we were extremely used to helping each other in and out of dresses and using those big clips to tighten over-sized dresses. Though she probably meant it as a joke, it came off the wrong way when she said to a co-worker, "Wow, these girls can handle it all! They could work here! Just kidding. We don't need you." We laughed half-heartedly. Just because we're dong your job for you doesn't mean you can be so familiar with us--you're still a stranger!

(3) She asked if she could see a picture of my wedding dress so she could help us decide which bridesmaids dresses would match. While pulling up the picture, she asked if I had bought my wedding gown there and I said no. After that, she treated us even worse. She saw the picture, shrugged, and said, "That's cute. Nice choice, good for you." What kind of vengeful person would take it personally that I didn't purchase my gown there and then take it out on me and my bridesmaids? Are we not in your store at this moment, potentially becoming customers?!

(4) When we finally honed in on one dress and asked how much the dress cost, she took the dress to the back room and came back a few minutes later, saying, "For you, $160." First of all, WHY ARE THERE NO TAGS OR PRICE TAGS ALREADY ON THE DRESS? The only tag visible on it said, "Made in China." Why did she need to go to the back room to tell us how much it cost? Why is it $160 "for me"? How much would it have been otherwise? I thought that to be extremely SHADY and questionable behavior and business. 

(5) When asking her when we should order the bridesmaid dresses for a December wedding, she said, "Right now." It was the beginning of May. She then continued to give us a number of reasons as to why we had to order them there on the spot. Later on, when telling her that we'd need time to decide and return, she asked me in a surprised tone, "Oh, you're not putting money down today? These dresses are perfect for you." We just wandered in on a whim, so no, we're not about to pay for a priceless, tagless dress.

(6) She offered to take my bridesmaids' dress measurements before we left the store, just in case we decided that we did want to order the dress. However, she continued to take each of their measurements at the front of the store while other customers were shopping around. Once she took the measurements, she said each number aloud! And then to my MOH, she said the number, of course aloud, and then said, "Well, don't worry, the hips shouldn't matter." Excuse me? Did you just take a body measurement and comment on the number? How rude and unprofessional can a person be?

We found ourselves running out of the store at that point, angry and frustrated! I hate to badmouth businesses, but this one has such bad reviews for good reason. Please DO NOT waste your time by visiting this shop. I regret ever bringing my bridesmaids to this cheap place that would treat you like dirt WHILE ripping you off.
5 - Lori D.: I cannot say enough about Laurie and the store Bridal and Special Times! Laurie was extremely helpful and PATIENT with me.  I showed her the exact dress I wanted and she did everything in her power to make me feel like a queen in my wedding dress.  I had three fitting and each time I grew more in love with my dress. If you want a wedding dress that is a decent price and looks like it was made for YOU, than you should go see Laurie at Bridal and Special Times!!

Bridals By Nancy Tailoring & Alterations - Houston, TX (29.716788, -95.417319) (West University)
4 - Jennifer N.: I took my wedding dress to be altered here after a recommendation from my mom. Usually I wouldn't go to Asian tailors, but my mom trusted her (it's not her friend) and the fact that she's in Rice Village and has a large American clientele, I went with it. 

Nancy did an awesome job on my dress. I had a corset wedding dress that was too big, so she reduced the hips and shortened the length... and I have a LOT of beading on my dress! She charged $80, where if I had taken my dress to where I purchased my dress (a major wedding gown vendor), it would've cost be $160. 

Her shop, however, is questionable. It looks like it's been hit with a tornado, but try not to let that hinder your judgment.
5 - Liz N.: Fast and great taloration

Bridals by Ducky's - Champaign, IL (40.1163569, -88.2372903) ()
5 - Amanda W.: I bought my wedding gown from Ducky's, and I just want to thank all of them for helping me have such a wonderful day!  The sales associate who helped me was extremely friendly and professional, and I especially liked how she didn't show me any gowns outside my price range!  She also took my figure and coloring into consideration, and suggested gowns I would not normally have tried.  In fact, she found "My Dress" for me; I wouldn't have tried it on, but she told me that it would look beautiful on me, and lo and behold, she was right!  I also loved the fact that she didn't pressure me or try to rush me into making a decision.

Alterations were great, too; they have a wonderful seamstress there who takes the time to get your measurements right, and does everything to perfection.  My gown fit perfectly on the big day.

Ducky's has code names for all their wedding gowns, so if you're looking for a gown by a specific designer, this isn't the place to go, because they won't tell you until your dress is bought and paid for.  I personally couldn't have cared less about who designed my dress, so this wasn't an issue for me.

As with all bridal shops, avoid them on weekends, as they're packed.  You will get much better service if you go during the day on a weekday.  Make sure to make an appointment if you want to try anything on, and as with any bridal shop, accessories such as veils, tiaras, shoes, guest books, etc. are all hideously overpriced.  eBay is a wonderful source for wedding accessories.

Thank you so much, Ducky's, for all you did to help make my wedding day special!!
1 - AS D.: I strongly recommend that you do NOT shop here.  These people are rude and a fraud.  I have read that one way wedding shops defraud unsuspecting, sometimes vulnerable brides, is by tag-ripping.  That means that they remove a tag from a garment so that the customer will not know the brand of the dress.  This can be beneficial to the dress shop because they can charge more for the garment than it is clearly worth (tricking a customer into thinking they are buying a designer gown, not a discount gown) and they can make if difficult for a costumer to find the gown at other stores.

Personally, I have run into this twice.  I have been shopping with a friend who was getting married and the employees refused to disclose the brand of any of the dresses she asked about.  Additionally, I needed a specific undergarment as suggested to me by a seamstress and in my desperation, I called Ducky's.  I asked if they carried a certain brand of corsets and the person on the phone refused to answer my questions.  I explained that my seamstress had recommended a specific brand and described it to him so he could tell me if they carried anything similar.  His response?  "Maybe you should just buy it from your seamstress."  And he hung up.  I was being polite, it's my personal policy, and this man hung up on me.

For the love all things holy, don't patronize these fools!
2 - Heather T.: Yeah, not so much.  

Pros:
-I got to make a same-day appointment.
-There was no one else in the store, so I had a sense of attention and privacy.

Cons:
-They rip the labels out of the dresses, so you have no idea what brand you're buying.  This could mean you're getting a great deal (which is what they claim on their website) OR you're getting ripped off.  I'd tend to think the latter.
-They have 99% very, very traditional dresses, mostly in the same style (read: very froofy).
-They allow you to take pictures of SOME dresses, but not others.  They make it seem like it's based on designer, but I felt like it was arbitrary.  I was allowed to take pictures of every single dress EXCEPT the one I actually liked.  Coincidence?  Probably not.
-This has nothing to do with wedding dresses, but they really have some shockingly hideous dresses for other occasions.  I mean like, "Peg Bundy Goes to the Prom"-hideous.

Now for the best "Con" on the list:
A lady who I assume was the owner was hovering around me and my saleslady.  She gave opinions here and there, and I didn't really mind her presence in general.  When I tried on my second dress she said, "Are you planning on wearing a veil?"  I told her very definitively that no, I was not going to wear a veil.  "Oh, you HAVE to wear a veil," she said.  Bemused, I said, "Oh?  Why's that?"  She picked up a veil, shoved it down into my hair, fluffed it out, and said, "There.  See how it makes your head not look so small in relation to the rest of your body?"

Oh hell no she didn't.  I wasn't aware that I had a teeny tiny pea head in relation to the rest of my ENORMOUS BODY.  Thanks, lady.  I think I'll be going and not buying anything from you now.

In sum: I liked them better than David's Bridal, but not by much.
1 - Michael K.: Holy shit.  

I mean, I like to keep things classy here on Yelp, but my god.  This place is a disaster.  I had the honor of being a groomsman for my friend's wedding and I went to pick up my tux.  I ended up paying $115 for a cheap, synthetic, POS tuxedo.  It did not fit, it smelled like sweat (did you not fucking CLEAN the tux?!), the shirt was stained.  When I asked for a shirt that wasn't stained, the person looked at me like I was bleeding from my eyesockets and shuffled back to get a shirt.  There's so much polyester and rayon in this place that the EPA will have quarantine the entire block when some disgruntled customer burns the shack to the ground and dances in the light of the flames.  The whole store was filthy, the owner rude as all hell, and the music selection terrifying.  There were several young female employees there who were all smiles and extremely helpful, but I suspect they run for the hills as soon as they realize where they are working.  When I got married, I rented a beautiful woolen tuxedo for the same price, albeit it was from Men's Warehouse.  I thought this would be a small and independent men's clothier and I was SOO wrong.   Be sure to triple-inventory all of your rental goods, because they nickel-and-dime you for everything you lose or stain, and they will make you pay.  A lot.  

Brides and grooms!  Don't punish the people you love and make them go through this!  There are plenty of good formalwear rental operations out there.  Stay away from this one.

Bridges Restaurant - Pittsburgh, PA (40.446155, -79.954695) (Oakland)
4 - Raul N.: While staying at the Holiday Inn for a conference, I didn't have the time or the energy to explore Pittsburgh's culinary scene--especially not in the rain--so I decided to grab dinner at the hotel restaurant, Bridges.

Normally, I avoid hotel restaurants like the plague. With a couple notable exceptions, most serve up pretty boring food on par with what you'd get from a cafeteria lunch lady.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Bridges is one of those exceptions. The food here is better than most hotel restaurants.

I started with the soup-tonight tomato watercress. The soup had rich flavor, but wasn't heavy. And I appreciated the kick of spice and the cooling hint of herby watercress. I was a little disappointed they forgot about the crostini and goat cheese on top. My server apologized and brought them out, and they did really help pull the dish together. There's just something classic about a rich tomato soup and creamy goat cheese.

I tried the eggplant "crepes," which were really more like eggplant cutlets rolled around spinach and cheese. I was impressed how flavorful the spinach was. The accompanying romesco sauce was a bit sweet for my tastes, but not terribly so. 

I was pleasantly surprised by dinner at Bridges, so I decided to drop in again the next night since it was convenient and I had an early start ahead of me the next day.

This time, I tried the stuffed peppers. Man, these were spicy! Don't get me wrong, I love spicy food, but I wasn't expecting these to be *that* spicy. 

I paired the peppers with an appetizer portion of pasta. I chose a fettuccine tossed with cream, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms and other veggies. It was a filling portion of pasta, topped with grilled chicken. Was it the most creative dish? Not exactly, but it was a good way to take some of the heat away from those stuffed peppers.

The price tag was a little steep, I have to say, but I managed to stay on budget by ordering from the appetizers. And the appetizers were actually remarkably filling--a generous portion you could easily substitute for an entrée.
2 - William M.: My dining at Bridges came about as a result of a doctor's appointment across the driveway for the best friend, and since there is absolutely nothing else within a reasonable walking distance for a blind woman.  So we (she) decided we'd have our lunch here.

I have never been a fan of any hotel restaurant, unless a voucher for free continental is involved, usually due to hyper-over-inflated prices for regular ol' food.  And this meal pretty much sealed that deal.

The basics of the meal, honestly, were not 'awful' or even 'bad'. 

Two cups of coffee (a little bitter, but at least it wasn't brown Pittsburgh water), Ilene had a Turkey Club Sandwich with Onion Rings and I decided to brave yet another attempt at someone's offering of a 'Reuben', hoping within hope to find a good one. I ordered mine with fries.

The decor is a bit typical hotel overdone and VERY spacious (I assume they hope within hope for larger crowds) with an equally large bar area.  The music in the background was that kind of Muzak pseudo jazz - lulling but not inspiring - and no recognizable tunes, and through it could be heard the droning of the sports channel on the TV in the bar.

The food - was basic food, presented with the industrial food service tricks.  My Reuben was cut in half, and served so that the open inside of the sandwich could be seen.  Upon inspection, yes indeed, the old trick I'd been taught when working for Gladieux at the old Pittsburgh Airport was there before me. They take the meat, ball it up, place it in the center of the bread, top it, cut it, spread it, and display this thick pile of meat poking out of the sliced sandwich.  The trouble is, when you actually open the sandwich, all of the meat is in that center ball - it doesn't spread out to the edge of the bread. They fill that gap in with the sauerkraut, thousand island dressing and cheese.  The bread was a marble bread, and was basic bread slice size, not the usual larger size that a Reuben would come on.  The fries were real potatoes, but kind of soggy. 

Ilene's Turkey Club was - well - a Turkey Club. Take a BLT, and add Turkey, and voila. A Turkey Club. Then take one half of a medium onion,. separate the rings, batter and deep fry it, and voila, Onion Rings.  No big challenge here.  When Ilene had finished, there was a chunk of bacon on her plate, and I snuck a nibble. The bacon was downright weird. It almost tasted like pork jerky that had been soaked in black pepper. 

My big question for any hotel restaurant is generally, do you really WANT people to eat at your establishment? Then why charge double for something basic, especially in a neighborhood like Oakland, that can be easily gotten half the price and the same quality simply by walking five or six blocks?  They're already charging huge amounts for rooms above - a sandwich is a sandwich - and can be gotten anywhere. Charge a 'normal' rate for the sandwich, and maybe locals will consider YOU at the same time they're considering the pangs in their belly.  It has just never made sense to me, in any city.

Both of our sandwiches were in the $14 range, and add the coffee and the check came to slightly over $30 for lunch.  Two Lat Tokes at Spice Island Tea house, about six blocks away, is not only more flavorful and unique, but BOTH salads would cost the same as ONE sandwich at bridges. It just isn't logical.

The service was fine, pleasant and helpful.  But seriously, for me, it's a F.T.L.T. visit.

First time, last time.

It wasn't a 'bad' experience, or a necessarily 'bad' meal - it's just that in a neighborhood that has SO much different food to choose from, unless you're strapped to a dialysis machine from the kidney clinic across the driveway, why would you spend your money on this?

Bridgewater's Pub - Philadelphia, PA (39.9547514, -75.1825258) (University City)
4 - Bill M.: face it waiting for public transit can be so bad sometimes that it can really make you crave a drink while you do it. Especially when your dealing with institutions like SEPTA and Amtrack. fortunately that why Bridgewater's comes in pretty handy when your inside 30th street and your Amtrack train got delayed indefinitely for 2 hours.

For a corner of a train station, Bridge water's manages to hold on to the traditional pub feel really well. it has the regular beers like Yuengling and Miller Lite, but you'll also find some good micro brews, as well as imports like Fullers and Belhaven. they have a good mix of liquor too.

Tired and sick to death over the usual food options that you find in a train station - McDonalds, Taco Hell, Subway, etc? Bridgewater's changes it's menu on a monthly basis. you'll find usual entrees like Chicken wings and burgers. but you'll also find grouper sandwiches. wild boar, and Ghana stew.

The only flaw to being in a station is that it closes on station hours (12 PM on weekdays + Sat, 9PM on Sun). but even though it's the perfect place to go to kill time while you wait, it stands enough on it's own just for the hell of it. at least you don't have to worry about driving after wards.
4 - Nicole E.: First - and most importantly - this bar does not to happy hour!

That said, we have had some amazing unique drinks and appetizers when meeting with friends at this pub.  It's a great place for those from the suburb to meet those from the city because it's right in the train station.  

It's a bit pricey, but the staff is friendly and as I said the drinks and the food are worth it.
4 - Justin J.: What a relief to find a bar *at a train station* pouring Rogue ale (along with other good looking brews) on tap.

The connection on my commute home is too tight to pick up a pint, but next time SEPTA's schedules go haywire, I know where's I'll be waiting.
3 - Mike B.: No argument that this is the best food you'll find in 30th St station.  That said, I think Taco Bell lost that battle before it even began.

The food here isn't outstanding, and is VERY meat heavy, but some of the items work pretty well and it might be as close as some people get to "adventurous eating."  One word of advice on that though: skip the gator bites.

The beer selection is quite nice, if a little pricey.  The menu is rarely current but the chalkboard is usually not far off, and if you have a preference, the bartender can likely suggest something for you.

The atmosphere suffers some from being in a train station and no doubt a significant portion of the people in there between 5-7pm are suffering some transit delays.  That said, it's still about the nicest environment you're going to find in 30th St.

If you're stuck waiting on the express to *insert random East Coast destination* then you may as well pop in for a drink and a bite.  It's probably going to make your commute better if/when it finally happens.
3 - Jim M.: I ate here while I was waiting for a friend to come in from out of town. My first surprise was that the beer selection was much better than I anticipated. When I have a choice between multiple German beers, and good German beers, its a good day. I ended up getting a special German wheat beer, which wasn't bad. But next time I"ll get the Franziskaner. So so good.

I ordered a double silver dollar burger with herbed cheese and a garden salad. The garden salad I had had fresh greens and tomatoes as well as some cucumber. But there weren't many vegetables. However, the vinaigrette was tangy and tasty.As the name entails they were a little over the size of a silver dollar. The cheese on them was really tasty. The lettuce and tomato were ok, nothing special.  My fries were good, but not overly noteworthy.  

All in all it was a nice place to chill and wait for the train. Its a good thing I took the train back home, other wise I would have gotten pulled over. Next time, make it Franziskaner time!
4 - Jen L.: Jeez,  I am sometimes so sick of the food court offerings at the 30th Street Train Station, that I will totally pay more than four times what my usual lunch costs (plus tip) just for a change from Au Bon Pain, Taco Bell, Subway and McDonald's.

Actually, the last time I ate here, it was business so someone else paid,  which was a bonus.  Plus, I ordered the Wednesday special - pancetta mac & cheese, which at $14, was kind of a smallish serving of very very tasty pasta and cheese in a ramekin with a crispy pancetta topping.  Really, put pancetta on anything and I will eat it.  Accompanying the mac & cheese was a small salad, nothing special.  It turns out that with my new tiny tummy, it was the perfect sized meal.  If I was a normal person, I might be looking for some bread or a bowl of soup to enhance my small meal.
3 - Jing G.: I used to pass through 30th Street station more than twice a week with my 2 hour commute each way going to back to school from days at my boyfriend's apartment.  Coming back to the apartment one night I saw the specials outside of this little restaurant which really kind of intrigued me.  

They have monthly specials that are usually some type of game meat.  During the winter, I remember a few of them being rabbit and boar lasagna, snapping turtle soup, bear(?!), elk, antelope, etc.  Even though I don't eat meat, I was still intrigued.  Luckily they have a full bar and usually a couple of things I can eat, like the scallop sliders with wakame salad or the quail egg salad with fontina...

They also have a large variety of beers and a full bar, and the staff is very nice.  

Overall, an excellent addition to an otherwise boring wait for your trains and connections. 

Come to think of it, I STILL pass through 30th street station every single day now, except I just catch the direct trolley connection underground.. hmmm..
4 - victoria g.: this place provided the buzz i needed to take the sketchy train ride to ac after work on fridays this summer. good, strong, cold beer. never ate a thing here. no time.
4 - Simon E.: Bridgewater's is a great little bar.  It is certainly the first time in my life I've felt compelled to go drinking somewhere in a travel hub when I'm  not travelling.

The staff are friendly and the beer is excellent.  They have a great selection of German beers (somebody told me that the owner is German) and they often have really great deals and promotions.  Always good around Oktoberfest as they usually carry the Oktoberfest offerings from each of the big German breweries.

The food is good but a little expensive for what it is.  They like to offer an interesting selection though, I've seen Kangaroo, Crocodile, Wild Boar on the menu at different times.
4 - Tom D.: I am going to echo what some of the other reviewers here have said. This place is strangely out of place for 30th St station. It is probably my boss's favorite restaurant in the area, so on days like today, we go for no other reason than to eat lunch. But when I visit my sis down in DC and I have time to kill before the train comes, I stop in and drink a beer.

Bridgewater's has a constantly rotating beer list for the taps and a handsome selection of bottles; it's not extensive but well thought out, good beer selections. It also has a seasonal food menu. 

With that said, I am reviewing this place now based on every experience I've had here which have been mostly positive. But if I were reviewing for the experience I had today, I would likely give it a 3 star rating. I ordered the crab cake sandwich. I wouldn't say it was bad, but there was no lump meat. Not that it was mostly filler, but just a lot of stringy crab. It came with sweet potato fries, which was nice. I've certainly had better crab cakes. 

Also, I wanted to have the arepas that was on specials menu but they "just ran out of them", which is something that I have to shake my fist at. They were also out of Spaten's Octoberfest, which meant we had to order the Hofbrau version.
4 - Dave R.: Too late for the early train, too early for the late train, so let's drink. The problem is it it seems that all of 30th St Station is a giant food court. Wait, what is that "water" something in the distance?

After we pass the "Restaurant" (McDonalds), then the Cafe (Cosi), , then the Saladworks, we happily can see the full name Bridgewater followed by the magical word Pub.

And it actually deserves the name, though Kneipe might be better since its heavy on the German. And its heavy in a good way, a pretty  good German beer selection and ham hock with spaetzle on the menu.

We didn't have enough time to get food before our train left, so we just went for beers and the hummus plate. They all came out fast, and the hummus plate wasn't bad at all with olives, vegetables, and sun-dried tomatoes to boot.

All in all a good find, and a good place to wait for your train.
5 - Leah G.: Context context context. Were this located in the heart of center city . . . I would be a little more reluctant with my star assignments.  When its located in the heart of 30th Street Station, home to weary commuters, annoyed travelers, and people taking refuge from the rain, it easily deserves five stars.

I was waiting on an evening train and decided to head in here.  Whereas the most exotic beer in most bars located in transportation depots is usually shock top, or blue moon, this place has a great beer list.  I was so so pleasantly surprised.  I'm proud of 30th street station for having this place!
5 - Zachary F.: Like most other reviewers have said, this place is phenomenal BECAUSE it is in a damned train station. They do so much with the little space they have.  Here's the breakdown:

FOOD: Incredible, incredible, incredible. Head chef Frederick Price is a genius. They have a good set menu, but the ever-changing specials menu is what keeps me coming back to eat at this place. The Shepherd's pie he makes around St. Patrick's day is a revelation. The man can do things to a burger I could only dream of. MUST TRY their Elk Burger. They had a Kangaroo burger once that was also incredible. 

DRINK: Extremely capable bar staff. They make great cocktails, and are all very knowledgeable about the beers they have on tap(which is ever changing), and the bottles they have in the fridge. If you want a Bud Light, go across the street to Slainte, because this place is for serious beer drinkers only. Also, don't expect to pay anything less than 4 dollars for any drink here. Don't let the prices fool you before you order though, because most of the time you get pints, not 12oz glasses. The only downside about their drink menu is that they do not have any happy hour deals for drinks, just for food. 

AMBIENCE: The hustle and bustle of the station makes for a good pub experience. This place is never quiet, and that's refreshing. Because of the small space, expect to leave here smelling like food, even if you aren't eating. The waitstaff is super-friendly, and this is actually a surprisingly nice place to bring a date.

I wish I could give this place 6 stars.
5 - Chris M.: God, why can't I take the train more. 
This by FAR is the biggest hidden gem in the city. 
Take your Mom on a fancy train ride into the sprawling suburbs..just leave 5+ hours for a visit to Bridgewaters.

Overstating it?

i think not. Considering where it is..what you would expect.. this exceeds everything you would imagine. Most bars get by on typical pub food.. (fried this, fried that, bleagh). Or better yet, the striped shirt beer list (Bud, Bud Light, Miller..) you get the picture. NONE OF THIS IS HERE!! Bridgewaters ever-changing beer list is AMBITIOUS, and TOP-NOTCH. This high level of beer variety and quality is only matched by their menu. Delightful, inspiring, this place makes me want to be a better beer drinker. 

Do yourself a favor.. go here.
4 - Mike M.: I'm pretty sure that even if I had no other business at the 30th Street Station, I'd still look for a reason to grab a great beer or two and some really, really good top-notch chow.

I've been an irregular guest at this train station haunt with its very impressive selection of unusual draught and bottled beers.  Tonight I got to enjoy a nice IPA from a small brewery in Vermont (served in a pint glass from my fave Great Lakes Brewery) and another really good seasonal German beer.  The menu offers extremely flavorful salads, sandwiches, entree and soups.  Happy hour has a nice selection of bar snacks, too.

The crowd is a good mix of train-station types looking for something a cut above Cosi or Subway that I haven't seen in one spot in NY Penn Station, and the environment is more "real" than Washington's Union station.  Of course Grand Central has it's spots, but it's not fair to compare.

If you're catching a train in Philly or looking for a cool stop when out in University City, stop in.
4 - ED W.: Very cool place, beer selection is excellent,  i prefer german beer
and the Bridgewater has some tasty selections. 
 They have some exotic foodstuffs, elk burger, gator, etc. a tad 
pricey but you get what you pay for.  Cool atmosphere too and the 
staff is helpful. I really enjoy drinking here!!
5 - Austin F.: It's a popular past-time to evaluate Bridgewater's only in its train station context. This is, of course, fair. But try this on for size... Bridgewater's is the best bar for 10 blocks in either direction on Market, an important street in our fair city. I'd have to really sit down with a map, by they might be the best bar in a 50 square block radius (I know, there's not much in that radius, but still).

I've never had anything but fresh beer (and a good selection), tasty food (it is pub fare, to be fair), and friendly service. The ambiance is good enough--it's kinda like the Epcos center in Disneyworld. There, you know you're in a theme park, but the little country stands are convincing enough that if you want to believe, you can feel like you're on another continent. Bridgewater's is like that... if you want to believe, you don't have to feel like you're in a train station.

They apparently have a rotating menu, so if you fall in love with something there, you better make sure it will still be there next time you come back.  

Even if you don't take the train, this is worth the trip.
4 - Peter D.: My train arrived at 30th Street Station on a Sunday afternoon; I needed a late lunch, and Bridgewater's fit the bill. 

Normally, I would order their burger and never look back. Unfortunately, my girlfriend recently accused me of eating four burgers a week, which is completely absurd. OK, so MAYBE I had already eaten three that week, but I would NEVER eat four. What sort of glutton eats four burgers a week? 

In any case, since I would rather be unhappy than allow her to be right, I went with the crabcake sandwich on the bartender's recommendation. When it finally arrived, the accompanying sweet potato fries were barely cooked, but the sandwich itself tasted pretty good. The crabcake fell apart (as crabcakes are wont to do), but I bet they make a good burger, which I'll have to come back and try when I haven't reached my weekly quota.

Now, Bridgewater's doesn't look like much. The food is a little better than decent, and their flatscreens could use some updating to HD (you want to be able to see the pain on Favre's face). But this is the best train station bar in existence, and I'll tell you why: their beer selection is shockingly awesome. You'd never expect to find so many great beers available in a train station. It's even updated seasonally. Right now, they have all sorts of Christmas ales.

If they would only stay open a bit later, I can guarantee I'd have a pint here before every train back to NYC.
1 - Kevin S.: What a joke. The service is TERRIBLE. I do not recommend going here, even for a drink.
4 - Walter K.: A bar in a train station.  I love the atmosphere here.  People are running around, everyone has a place to be, is about the enter Philadelphia or leave for someplace new.  And while all this is happening around you, you can sit down and enjoy a great beer.

The beer list here is surprising.  I visited with my sister a few days after Christmas and we had a Corsendonk Christmas and N'ice Chouffe.  Both of these beers were great, and aren't very available on draft.  Bridgewaters definitely has some Belgian tendencies.  The main downside is the price; Bridgewaters definitely charges a premium for their selection and location.

I'd like to check out their happy hour, but other wise two Belgain beers will run you somewhere in the vacinity of $17.  I didn't have any food, but it doesn't seem like an amazing place to eat.
5 - Alex U.: One of the only places that can make your 90 min late train seem like a blessing. They have an amazing rotating beer selection and the food is inventive and well executed. I don't think they can have an open flame in the restaurant because 30th St. is a Historic Building, but that doesn't seem to stop them from cranking out some real treats. 

The only downside is that they can't get Comcast Sports Net on their tvs, which means no Phillies, Flyers, or Sixers games, but if that's not a deal killer, this is a great place to stop for a bite/drink, even if you're not taking the train.
4 - C M.: Easily the best pub in a train station. Drown yourself in a few beers while you lament the horrible quality of public transportation in the United States. The food looks damn good, screw Mcdonalds or Cosi, the burgers and wings are great. Nice beer selection, great service.
5 - Al M.: This is not what you expect when dealing with late trains or missed schedules--  a great place to have a beer and some great food!  And this is no ordinary gastropub.  The beer selection is excellent:  lots of local and imported microbrews both bottled and on tap!  You will not find Bud, Coors, or Miller lite unless you ask for that in a bottle... but why would you?

There is an impressive selection of both foreign and stateside ales, heavy on German and Belgian imports as well as local micro IPAs.  Aside from the wonderful beer, they also have a delicious menu consisting of some unusual wild meats, delicious mussels, tasty wings, and weekly specials.  While entrees might be a tad on the pricey side, this food is pretty much gourmet planned and prepared by the Chef, Frederick Price.  Much of which I have tasted, I have enjoyed.  They do have a happy hour special as well for both drinks and appetizers.  The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and the atmosphere is great.  A great place to be if you've missed your train.
5 - C.J. T.: I was expecting greasy, lackluster bar food here and was very pleasantly surprised to enjoy delicious, creative, gourmet food instead! My favorite dish was the smoked trout wontons, but really everything was pretty amazing. Loved the chocolate lava cake. I'll definitely make a point to come back here the next time I take the train to Philly.
3 - Mattie C.: I have been through 30th street station countless times and never noticed the hallway with all the food options.  I just discovered it for the first time the other day and decided to stop in this pub because I saw some nice TVs from outside.

This place is OK, though I don't know if I would eat there again.  They didn't exactly have plentiful food options and the thing I really wanted - the pita bread pizza, they were out of.  I got the fish and chips.  The fish was tasty.  Really hot and well-battered and I generally liked them.  But the fries weren't that great.  

I DID notice the beer list though.  They have an impressive beer list for a train station pub and I would try it again if I were back in the station and in the mood for beer.  Between the interesting beer list and the forgettable food, this is somewhere on the scale between meh and OK which puts it at 2.5.  I'll round up because it was surprising to find such beer choices in a hidden hallway off the side of a train station.
3 - Elizabeth D.: Convenient place to have a drink if you're waiting to catch a train. It's pretty spacious inside. We didn't eat, but had a few drinks. Their beer list is relatively exotic, and inexpensive. Only gripe is that it is incredibly warm in there. I'm not sure why, but it feel like they have no A/C. Fair warning if it's a hot day.
3 - Steven B.: What a way to spend some down time waiting for a train!  A great beer selection.  Competent friendly bartenders.  Decent prices for this type of venue.  

One downside is that it's open to the train station atmosphere.  That means that on hot days it's going to be warm.  As we know Philly has lots of hot days. I was there yesterday and it was hot and humid at the bar.  For that they get three stars instead of four.
5 - Christopher M.: This place is a real find. It is a little pricey for me, but the beer selection, the quality of the food, and the unusually eclectic music makes this a great spot. (There is the other special bonus of meeting people who are are actually "going places." I do not look for random conversations, but I have had some interesting ones in here.)

Of all the places to get food before a train ride, there is no comparison in 30th Street station.

I actually look forward to a 40 minute train delay because it means I have to go Bridgewaters.
4 - Brad P.: Food in a train station that doesn't make you hate yourself(unless you hate yourself regardless of the food you eat in which case this place cannot help you).

Big props for their rotating specials - I think I had elk empanadas or something and they were pretty great.
4 - Ettya F.: Tip for surviving a long train ride or for coping with a late bus: DRINK. 

Bridgewater's Pub appears to be the bridge linking Germany to Philadelphia...at least as far as beer selection goes. There's plenty of local brews to make your mouth happy, including Flying Fish, Yards and Dogfish Head, while the foreign selection guaranteed to get your noodle going includes Haufbrauhaus Munchen, Franziskaner, and Spaten Munchen. Seasonal brews of both varieties are available. 

Bridgewater offers a nice oasis in an otherwise barren land of fast food joints and sloppy buffets. The menu offers such creative endeavors as elk empanadas and wild boar sliders.
4 - Meghan M.: When it comes to train station bars, Bridgewater's is top notch.  In fact, they by far beat out any/all bars in NYC's Penn Station.  And any bars in DC's Union Station or Boston's South Station. Actually, combine all of the bars in all of those Amtrak stations in the northeast and they still don't beat out Bridgewater's (nicely done, guys).  

Beer isn't cheap and the selection isn't huge but it's quality.  Bartenders are attentive and friendly enough.  The food looks good, though I can't say I've tried it.  And the website's URL kicks ass.  

All in all, a great place for an afternoon/evening pittstop on your way to hop the Acela home.
4 - Jeff M.: Great place in a small package. They have a pretty interesting menu and great beer. It's the first place I've ever seen to carry Innstadt beer (which is really good btw). Plus, they have 2003 and 2005 vintages of Schneider Aventinus! If you are in 30th street and have time to sit down and eat, or have a beer, check this place out. It's better than anything else in the station, and it's much better then Slainte across the street.
4 - Heather B.: I've been hesitant to write this review, because this is MY place. There aren't many bars where I, as a woman, feel comfortable sidling up to the bar by my lonesome. One Monday night, though, I decided to accidentally-on-purpose miss my train and grab a beer instead.

And I now go every Monday night.

And the staff has remembered my name ever since noticing it on my credit card during that first visit.

If you like/know beer, this bar is a total win. Excellent drafts that rotate with regularity, and staff that know what they're talking about. Plus, they'll give you tastings. Super bonus points for that. (However, I did have one bartender who had swapped nights with my normal bartender, and this guy treated me like I couldn't possibly know anything about beer. Instead, he kept describing each new beer on the draft list as "strong." Um. Strong ABV? Strong flavors? Give me something here, buddy.)

The food ranges from good to excellent, although I find some of it ridiculously pricey. $7 for edamame? Really? The flatbread pizza, at $12, also isn't worth it - it's more appetizer sized than dinner sized. The salads are really yummy, and I enjoyed the wild boar sliders, both of which I find more reasonably priced.

Mostly, though, this bar is my happy place.
4 - Marshall W.: I come to Philly for work now, and first visit, I pulled up to bridge waters pub for my first visit. here's what you need to know:

Great staff ( save the one bartender who seems depressed) and the food is very good. I had the pear salad and it was top notch tasty. And they have delicious craft beers at reasonable prices. 

But here's the thing, I am a wing fanatic and self proclaimed connoisseur. I cant help myself; I basically try them everywhere I go and more times than not, I'm disappointed ( cue my wife rolling her eyes again) but NOT HERE! Bridgewaters has a very tasty, very respectable wing. I've had hotter and better, but this place clearly went out their way to deviate from the standard Texas Pete/ Franks red hot and melted butter wing sauce. Very zingy and the wings cooked nicely with what I consider to be a better grade of chicken. Or they keep their fryer very clean. oh and the French fries are perfect!

So don't hesitate,  saddle up to Bridgewaters pub!
3 - Jim H.: Very very busy when I was there...stopped in for one and left good bartender once I got his attention .... only one bartender on a Sunday in 30th Street Station ???? REALLY????? I'm not slamming the bartender just who ever scheduled one bartender on a Sunday (or the bartender that called out sick)
5 - Mike S.: This was definitely a winner! Came here to eat as I waited for my train. Great energy, awesome environment and the food was GREAT! I ordered the buffalo chicken sandwich...THE BEST I've had hands down. Very mixed staff which made me a lot more comfortable. Just a good place to be.
4 - Payal P.: ended up having to kill a little time at 30th st station and wandered in here.
nice bar seating.
helpful bartenders.  great beer list.
buffalo chicken sandwich was really good and the sauce was a bit different than anything i ever had before which is a plus.  fries were well done and fresh.
as everyone else says - def worth a shot if you find yourself with time to kill before a train or even if you are in the neighborhood!
5 - Phoebe C.: I stumbled on this lovely little pub after I (just) missed the train to Chestnut Hill. I was so mad and the nice gentleman at the info counter suggested I go cool my heels here until the next train. I think he could sense my desperation. I had a great German hefeweizen. If I had made my train, I would have never gotten to experience this little gem. Definitely worth visiting if you ever find yourself waiting for a train in 30th street station!
1 - Tom W.: Poor Clueless service. Avoid at all cost!!!
5 - Matthew L.: This place is, frankly, great.  I don't mean just great for a bar in a train station- for that, it's fantastic.  But it's great for anywhere.  The beer list, which is always changing, is wonderful.  If you only want bud light or high life, this isn't the place for you.  If you want to try lots of different great beers, with good advice from the staff, this is your place.  The food is also great.  Again, not great for train station food, but great full-stop.  The prices are low, too.  The food is interesting, often changing, and very nice.  I'm a bit of a snob about food, and won't, for example, eat anything at Penn Station in NYC and will barely eat at Union Station in DC, but I'm happy to get dinner at this place all the time.  The service is also good- I've mostly been in the evening, but the servers are always friend, knowledgeable, and honest with their advice on beer and food.  Service is fast, too, as it needs to be at a station.  It's worth a stop, whether your in the station for a train or just on its own.  Great.
4 - Abhishek Y.: Summary: Awesomeness. Food, drinks, whatever you get. It's great.

I've been to Bridgewater's a couple of times in the past few months (after all, I am in the station EVERY day of my life), and I'm thrilled to say that this is one of the few local joints that I feel has been steadily improving over time.

They have a wonderful selection of various European brews, ranging from your usual German choices to the Czech Republic. From what I am told, all are fantastic, especially the Warsteiner Premium Verum, which is one of Germany's best pilsners.

The food is beyond your traditional pub fare, with more of a premium touch. I can personally attest for the following nibblers/snacks as being great: the edamame with smoked sea salt, the roasted potatoes with the smoked paprika ketchup (amazing), and the hummus. As for mains, the Asian Tofu burger with the slaw and the sesame ginger aioli (served with fries) is absolutely phenomenal. The burger is flavorful and goes great with the crunch of the slaw and the zesty aioli, and the fries are done well too. All in all, you get a really premium feel after dining here.

Being a vegetarian, I keep tabs on my favorite veggie burgers around the world. On my all time list, this burger certainly makes the top 10. Yeah - it's that good. For anyone who's wondering, the all time #1 spot goes to the Park Sheraton Hotel's Cappuccino Cafe in Chennai, India, and the #1 spot in the US goes to 3 West Restaurant (http://3westrest.com/), in Basking Ridge NJ.

Prices aren't extravagant, but aren't very cheap either. I'd rate it at being on the higher side of average, and the regular diner can expect a bill of around 20-25$/person. The one thing that I don't understand is 7$ edamame, but that's more of an exception from my experience, rather than the norm. Servers do a great job, but are earning a pittance, and really rely on their tips. While that's not a new concept, most (if not all) have been fantastic from my experiences, so make sure that you tip well if you get good service!

All in all, a great little place tucked away in 30th Street Station, and if you've ever got some time to spare before a train or whatnot, swing by. You won't regret it!
3 - Alie A.: As the city of Philadelphia embarks on stepping their game up, more train station breweries should be part of that list..

Bridgewater "works"..solid draught selection with IPA's and interesting ales. Service is a bit slow but prices are reasonable. Gets pretty crowded during rush hour, but let's face it: I've been to a lot of train stations, and this place doesn't hold a flame to DC, NYC & Boston. Step it up, Philly. For real.
4 - Kevin B.: Came here after taking an exam in the city and this was a great place to relax with a good brew. Their selection of beers on tap was very good and the service was good as well. Definitely a good place to stop in while you're waiting for your train.

Briggo - Austin, TX (30.2857528070196, -97.7446746826172) (University of Texas, West Campus)
4 - Katrina F.: Fresh organic coffee roasted perfectly to extract all the flavor out of the bean itself. I can actually taste the flavors and the milk is steamed together with all natural syrups to complete a frothy cup of excellence.

The products are cheaper than Starbucks and actually tastes better.

Did I mention that this is all served from a coffee robot? Or that you can order a cup via smartphone or web?? 

GENIUS!!!
4 - Su L.: When I first realized what the large machine in the FAC was, I was completely taken aback.  I had never encountered a robotic coffee machine like this before and I didn't really frequent the FAC until as of late so this was a very nice surprise for me.  Although the Briggo machine looked like a futuristic box filled with magical goodies and fairies, I was skeptical of the quality of coffee and just the whole concept of it.  However, the lovely Briggo people greeted me the first time I went up to the machine and talked me through the process as well as their concept.  I tried out the brewed coffee first with 4 packets of sugar (yes, I like my coffee sweet) and a little bit of milk.  I stood in awe in front of the machine as I heard of soft hum of the machine working happily away behind the monitors and large wall separating from this futuristic barista.  1 minute and 30 seconds later, I got my brewed coffee.  I was genuinely surprised by how much I liked the taste of the coffee and boy is it STRONG.  It kept me up for quite some time and I felt like the effects from the coffee were 5X stronger than the usual cup of Joe from elsewhere.  I then proceeded to visit this machine often as I studied for finals and tried out the latte along with getting repeat cups of the brewed coffee.  The latte is not half bad either.  It is also just a strong as the brewed coffee so cheers to over-caffeinated college students.

Briggo doesn't necessarily serve the cheapest coffee nor the most expensive coffee on campus.  I wish their "buy one get a brewed coffee later" promotion would last well after finals since I am a caffeine addict and it made coffee just that more affordable.  However, the quality of the coffee is really good and I am pleased that Briggo's organic coffee can actually keep me awake.  

Briggo also has some random giveaways via Twitter and Facebook for their awesome t-shirts.  I am a lucky recipient of one and oh these are some nice, comfy shirts and what college student doesn't love a free shirt?

Briggo, I shall be frequenting you again next semester.  Until then, adieu.
5 - Kris P.: Love it. This is the most delicious coffee I've had in a very long time. Always made exactly the same as before. This has become my reliable consistant source of perfect coffee every morning.
5 - Ripudaman M.: Awesome concept... Impressive execution
5 - Phillip G.: Quick, efficient, and cheaper than any local coffee shop. It is centrally located on campus and is especially great for people on their way to class from West Campus. I'm definitely coming back!
5 - Ajtz'ib Y.: Excellent coffee. Made by a freaking robot. 

The Briggo people are serious. They purchase good quality coffee to begin with, it's very well roasted (locally), and the robot is top-notch. This isn't some weird and narsty "automatic coffee brewer;" rather, it's a robot whose "technique," if you will, is modeled exactly on that of an excellent human barista. The bot pulls shots to order the same way a good barista does (and far better than many of the bored hipsters you'll find at the local coffee bar). 

Plus you can order from your smartphone.
Who knew the Singularity would come with such good coffee?
5 - Megan M.: Love love love Briggo. The first time I went there was a friendly attendant who would help you out if you had any questions. I decided to try a Mocha and someone with the company was actually there and wanted to know what I thought of the mocha (as they had changed to a different syrup). The location of Briggo is perfect as I can order a coffee on my phone (super handy) and pick it up on the way to my next class.
1 - Shannon C.: I'm sorry. If you like this coffee, then you don't know quality. I gave it a shot, the coffee is just bad.
4 - Solomon W.: The the Terminator movie and all its futuristic components came into fruition in our lifetime, Briggo would be one of those little pass-by scenes where a couple of the individuals working on robot-killing strategy would seek to grab a cup o' joe, so as to have the capability to stay up all night.

Apparently, UT has a hodgepodge of resources that students (me included, formerly) fail to utilize. Briggo is the newest little guy in this category. He is a fully automatic coffee barista... in a machine... in a centralized location where students pass by. Oh, and you order online. Wow.

You can customize your order, though not fully, yet. You adjust creamer/milk according to color. As a side note, you can also do soy or whatever. Unfortunately, they are working on how to keep the creamer and the other additions hot, so as to not chill your coffee too much. Don't you love when you take your first sip, and it just literally burns your mouth?

Worst thing? They can't do art! I feel like engineers would be able to program some algorithm to where the machine could draw. I mean it is just a mechanical arm, no? Give it a shot, even if you are a stickler about requiring a pretty design in your latte or whatever.
1 - Allison Y.: Okay, I don't understand the 4-star rating for this place. Granted, I've only gotten coffee from this machine once, but it never gave me a reason to go back. 

The concept is great, but the coffee was not. Coffee was watery, syrup was overly sweet and artificial tasting, and everything just tasted off.

If you register online for a Briggo account, they'll give you your first cup free. There are usually nice attendants there to help you. I guess that's a plus?
2 - Joshua L.: This visit made me extremely sad...

I decided to order their new lemonade tea online (the online ordering system is still awesome), and it was ready within a minute of me ordering it.

However, the lemonade tea was warm when I received it, despite there being "7 oz" of ice! For the first 3/4 of the drink, all I could taste was warm semi-sweet tea or lemonade concentrate. Only after all the ice melted did it taste any good, and that was just barely.

I'm still in love with the concept of a robot coffee maker, but this last visit did not please me very much. I still have two more free coffee coupons, so that's how many more tries they get.

Bright Horizons - Cambridge, MA (42.3624706, -71.101783) (Central Square)
5 - Tanya A.: Our 9-month-old has been going here since she the age of 3 months, and they do a wonderful job with her. She has a great time playing with all of their toys and games (we sometimes buy duplicates for her to use at home, she enjoys them so much), and we can see clearly that they love her and she loves them!

Also, the daily written reports are useful-- it's really helped us to establish a schedule for her naps and meals, and it's nice to see what activities she did during the day, like walks, art projects, or playing with jello. So far she's still in the infant room, but the toddler rooms look like they'll be a ton of fun once she makes the move in a few months!

Basically, this is a great daycare. I feel completely comfortable leaving my baby there every day, and I would recommend it to anyone.
3 - Sheila B.: My son  attended both the infant and toddler program for 18 months. I agreethatthe infant program is very good teacher to infant ratio is 3:1 and strongly adhered to. 

The toddler program,is notably not as good, my son loved his teachers, but there was a general lack of attention to detail. The sheets were not always completed or followed. The two teachers were constantly strapped for time and at lunch time it was just chaotic. I also think the cost of this daycare is absurd, location was key factor for my selection of daycare but I paid for it. The staff has a high turnover, which creates a lot of inconsistency for both teachers and toddlers. also, it was my impression that the teachers were not always happy and were not treated as wellie even compensated  as they should have been. In general,after giving my 30 day notice, I was reallysurised that the assoc Director did not eve ask why we were leaving. I found this whole situation so unfortunate, and was very disappointed with the responses I got fro the site director and assoc director.
I wil
 Say that my son enjoyedlaying with others and developmentally thrived as a infant and toddler which was expected, so they do have a decent curriculum.


 Overall, I felt for such a global, corporate daycare I was not getting what I paid for, it was why I the chose to have my son enter another center,not corporate and family run and. Not to mention$500 cheaper / a month and much more flexible with times.

I won't write this place off,but I would suggest parents to enquire and compare in their options. More money does not equal high quality,and at BH it's big corporate daycare for big bucks.
1 - Basak A.: When we moved to Boston for 6 months due to my husbands sabbatical leave, we sent our 3 year old to Bright Horizons University Park. IT WAS A BIG MISTAKE!!! Bright Horizons behind its fancy name and advertisement was an okay daycare (not really a preschool they claim to be) but without any joy and loving atmosphere.  There was only one teacher, Kyla, who helped our son to adept to his new school. We still do not know what she is doing there. As our son liked her, we decided to stay with the school despite its shortcomings. After two months, we received a call from the school that another kid  hit our son with a tricycle and his knee is swollen. We wish that it was the only problem. When we went to hospital and x-ray was taken, we were informed that his femur bone was fractured and he was put in a body (spica) cast. He stayed in the cast for 7 weeks, and it has been three weeks that he is out of the cast,  he  has just started walking. It was a big accident in a school garden.  We do not think it is an accident, it was negligence of the school because teachers are supposed to make sure such accidents never happen. I also think they do not teach kids proper behavior, a sense of being a class and just keep them busy all day.  After the accident one manager from the regional headquarters and one person from their risk department talked to my husband -- that's all -- very corporate with no real sense of care.  After the accident we did not get any call from the family of the child who hit my son. I am not sure but my hunch is they did not even inform his family. If this had been a real preschool one would expect the teachers to have the class prepare a get well soon card or something to that effect - to teach the class empathy at least. No such thing was done.  STAY AWAY FROM BRIGHT HORIZONS!!!!!!

Bright Horizons Family Solutions - Atlanta, GA (33.7718335, -84.3874265) (Midtown)
4 - j w.: excellent daycare and preschool. can't go wrong with any Bright Horizons.

can be difficult to get a spot. Intown needs more daycare facilities.
1 - Sarah W.: They are a bunch of crooks.  They take your registration fee, lead you to believe they will have a spot for your child within 3 months and NEVER call you back when you call to inquire about the waiting list.  Considering this is at a church, it's not very Christian of them to treat people that way.

Brighter Dental Care - Princeton, NJ (40.3112270105478, -74.6650815010071) ()
1 - Rebekah S.: I came here a few times b/c they took my insurance-- never, ever again will I blindly go to a dentist based on an insurance list.  In a nutshell, they're pretty much a little shop of horrors-- It's so hard to find a dentist who's trustworthy nowadays!

They recently emailed me to ask me why I didn't like them-- It was a weird email.  

Honestly, because they were not good.  The work on my teeth were mediocre, at best.  I did not feel clean.  I go to a dentist for deep cleaning and they take HOURS and multiple sessions to deep clean my teeth.  The dentists that I had gone to in the past pull up my gums and scrape under there to deep clean.

Brighter dental took 10 minutes and didn't even go under my gums, claiming they had some UV light to deep clean.  My gums didn't feel clean, but my insurance was charged for the same work.  I'm not a dentist, but what do I know?  I do know I do not like the work they did, or didn't do, on me.
1 - Jasmine W.: Do. Not. Go. Here. 

I got their name from my insurer and called up to schedule a cleaning and exam. They scheduled me for within the week, but when I got there, they had scheduled me for an exam only and it would take 2 months to get a cleaning. They said they never schedule a cleaning and an exam together. Why did they not tell me that?

But that was only the beginning. The exam revealed a pretty bad cavity on my wisdom tooth. The tooth had to come out. They said I needed to come back for two more appointments: a consult with the oral surgeon and then an actual tooth pulling with the oral surgeon. This seemed like a lot of appointments on top of already having an exam with the dentist, but I called my insurance and they said both of the oral surgeon appts - the consult and the procedure -- would be covered. Okay, no problem then.

But...when I'm all done and my tooth is out, they tell me I have to pay out of pocket for the consult. They say my insurance rejected the claim. I say my insurance told me the consult would be covered (I am arguing with them while my mouth is filled with gauze and half my face is numb). I call my insurance company from the parking lot and they say the claim was improperly filed as another dentist exam not an oral surgeon consult. They even give me the proper codes needed to refile the claim. I walk back into the dental office with this information and with a surprisingly nice insurance representative waiting on hold on my cell phone. The ladies at the desk refuse to talk to the insurer and this witch (the supervisor, I believe) comes out and says they never use those codes and they are not going to refile it. I say, "But it's covered, the insurer says it's covered!" She says I'm wrong. I say, but talk to the guy, he's right here on the phone. She refuses. Very ugly scene there in the waiting room!

Anyway, needless to say I have not stepped foot in there again. For a while I was waiting for them to send me the bill but so far they haven't, thank God. They will get WWIII if they do!

Aside: The oral surgeon was actually first-rate. He had my tooth out whole in literally 20 seconds, and it was slightly impacted. 

That said, do NOT, under any circumstances, go to this place. The front desk staff is simply so horrible - inept, arrogant, rude. The place seems to be set up like a dental factory and the patients are so many hogs going to slaughter. They schedule all those separate appointments - exam, cleaning, consult, procedure - so they can drive up billing. It inconveniences patients and results in higher costs for you and your insurer.
1 - Micah M.: I went to Brighter Dental care with a terrible toothache. I found out about Brighter from the list of approved, in-network dental providers on my insurance company's website. I came in for a x-ray and they told me I needed a root canal. However, the receptionist couldn't figure out how to bill my insurance, so they kicked me out even though I was in a lot of pain. Best to avoid this dentist.
1 - Robin M.: I called them at 4:50 on a Friday afternoon to schedule a new patient appointment and was immediately hung up on! I called back right away and you guessed it, answering machine on! I was somewhat disappointed and really not looking forward to going to them after they did something like that but now I am SO grateful. I have read these reviews and some other ones on google (that have all mysteriously been deleted) and I am so happy that I never made an appointment with them. They seem like a horrible group and it's a shame that people continue to go to them. Thank you all for your honest reviews and thank you to the office for hanging up on me! I almost made a huge mistake!
2 - Jodi E.: Like the others who have reviewed, I went here because it was on my insurance list - and I've been thoroughly disappointed. 

First, I've been in twice and they have overbilled me twice. In each case, I've had to call back multiple times to have the refund processed - even though they tell me they'll take care of it, they don't unless I call repeatedly.

They wanted to schedule me with an oral surgeon for my wisdom teeth, but their billing office refused to code is as a specialist consultation, and wanted to bill it as an ordinary exam - meaning it wouldn't have been covered by insurance, and would have cost hundreds out-of-pocket. Luckily, I found a FANTASTIC oral surgeon who has done the work and gone out of the way to work with my insurance. (Dr. Levine at http://www.princetonoms.com/)

I came in with x-rays from my last dentist (I'd moved two months earlier from California), and they refused to even look at them, insisting I had to have a full set taken a mere two months after my last set. (The dentist I finally found and LOVED, Dr. Fogarty, was able to read my previous x-rays and was glad that I already had them so we didn't have to do more! http://drtyl.com/)

I DID have a filling done here, and they did a fine job - but I wonder if I even needed it or whether they just took advantage of me.

Brighton Park Apartment - Claremont, CA (34.1099243, -117.7043353) ()
5 - Andrea H.: The apartments and grounds and well maintained.  The staff is friendly and fixes any problem right away.  They allow pets.  They have two pools and two hot tubs.

I'd recommend this place to anyone looking for an apartment in Claremont. 

CGU students, live here instead of the CGU apartments, you get more for your money.
4 - Heather P.: These apartments give you a lot of bang for your buck.  They're one of the few safe areas to live in.  Security patrols all night and they have a good relationship with the Claremont Police.  It's a super quiet complex as it's surrounded by single-family residences.  My particular unit was redone before I moved in, so the carpet is really clean, appliances and fixtures are new, central air/heat, mini dishwasher and garbage disposal.  My automatic garage keeps my car clean and safe--and this saves on car insurance (ask your insurance if you get a discount for a garaged car).  The Jr. one bedroom is extremely spacious- so much so that I can have my family over for dinner (6 people total).  The staff has been really nice in my experience and maintenance is always quick to fix your issues.  

The only critique I have of the complex is that the fire/carbon detectors go off super easily- even when your baking in the oven...so you have to be careful of setting it off!  No biggie though.  Been here for six months so far and I really enjoy my apartment!

British Emporium - Upland, CA (34.1052509, -117.6896841) ()
4 - Mari J.: Cute little British import shop.  I think they serve tea or lunch here too?  I only travel here if I need a Smartie fix (although in recent years I've noticed the quality of smarties has changed and they just aren't as good as they used to be) or a Lion bar.  I subtracted 1 star for the high prices, but I mean that's what they gotta charge for all the imports.  If you need a British product, this is the place to go.
4 - Aaron C.: You can buy a shandy in a can here! It'll taste much better if you make it yourself, though, so maybe you should pass.

That said, British Emporium has lots of curiosities that you won't find elsewhere.
4 - Tim B.: They have a nice selection of British foods.  The only downside would be the high prices.
4 - Victor C.: Great hidden-away little place on Central, and one of the few places to have a quieter cup of tea.  Like the other reviewers said, this place is chock full of english-goodliness.  

One side is a mini-british quick-e-mart with all sorts of cookies, tarts, candy, and beverages that are distinctly British.  If you're a strange fan of ginger ale, you'll find Cock and Bull sold here in a four-pack and individually; difficult to find elsewhere.  Prices here are about $1-2 more than their US bretheren in the local supermarket, but these are all unique imported products.  You can buy something and then take it into the tea room if you'd like.

The other side is a throwback to classic english tea rooms, complete with living room decor, soft lighting, and light music.  Walk in and wait in the front so the hostess sees you, as sometimes if you just sit down they'll never notice.  As you are seated, they'll ask if you wish for a pot of tea (which was similar to english breakfast or equivalent); this is $1.99 per person.  My friend and I were able to pour approximately 10-12 cups each from a single pot, which is not a bad way to spend an hour or two.  Also available is a short menu of sandwiches, crackers, and desserts ($4-6); but you can ask for 'just tea' if you'd like.  The room has about seven tables seating 2-6 people.  

Can be found diagonally across the market from 'the Bra Lady', entrance is on the right side; left side is locked.  A surprising find in the middle of grungy Upland and definitely worth dropping in.  Only downer is that it's slightly pricey as others have noted.
4 - William F.: One word- BANGERS !  Two kinds- both true to Her Majesty's best recipe.  Frozen and ready when you are.  All sorts of other Brit goodies- enjoy. .
5 - Lyndie L.: I have been coming here for years.  My mom and I love to come here for tea.  I always order the Victorian Cream Tea.  It's a little pricey at 21 or 22 dollars, but SO worth it.  The tea comes with a pot of tea (ample tea for the two of us), tea sandwiches (egg, tomato and cheese, and salmon), scones with devon cream, strawberry jam, and lemon curd, cheese and crackers, and a trifle.  I always get the sticky toffee pudding instead of the trifle.  It adds a couple of dollars to the overall price, but again, it's worth it.  I leave feeling full and comforted.

After we eat, we always do a little shopping in their attached market.  You can find all kinds of yummy Brisish goodies here, including everything that you just ate!  I usually leave with a package of scones, some cheese, and a candy bar or two. 

If you want an authentic experience (no silly hats and feather boas here!) go to the British Emporium.  Oh, and the people who work there are wonderful.  Everyone is so sweet!
4 - Jasmine W.: slightly on the more expensive side but where else can you find bangers, violet crunch, the whole selection of twillings teas, random sauces and mixes for a british throw-back... looking forward to trying out afternoon tea!
5 - Brandi C.: Walking into this place is like walking into another world, and that's not just because everything's imported. It's serene. Unlike most restaurants I feel like I can take my time here. If I order one pot of tea and stay for an hour at a cozy table with a book it's cool. 

I always make use of the tea room (which has the best tea ever)--and take home lots of beef pasties and salad cream to tide me over till my next visit. The Ploughman's Lunch is deeeelicious, a pretty typcial salad with lots of small bits of cheese, pickled toppings, and some really earthy bread. I've also never been disappointed in their meat pies (all of which they sell in the store) or their slightly minty peas.

If you're in the mood for some British food definitely check this place out. And don't be afraid of the blood sausage in the English breakfast--it's definitely tasty.
3 - Jules C.: Checked out the place to have a proper english breakfast and was told that the tea room closed down due to the economy. *sadface*

The pleasant lady still keeps the shop open for all kinds of imported delights, but that's all. I picked up a box of PG-Tips on the way out.
3 - Ji O.: its kind of hidden in the corner
but the food and the service is okay 
love the idea that they dont rush you to leave 
unlike the other famous ones.. 
they drop off the check right when you finish
5 - kathy a.: In this troubling economy, the owner of British Emporium has closed the tea room yet her stock of English goods remains consistent.  PLEASE patronize this lovely business for all of your English cravings!  We will not have this place if we do not support it!
4 - Bonnie P.: Oh wow---friends and I have been to this delightful tearoom in the past and recently went for another visit----sad sad sad---tea room is closed due to the poor economy--this just SUCKS!!

British Isles - Houston, TX (29.717824, -95.41431) (West University)
5 - Gilberto V.: Hello, Vicar!  This little shop is a taste of fun and sophistication.  Personally, I love the British / Anglican culture and as such I do enjoy their teas, their snacks, and their way of life.  This store is a slice of heaven. 

I have been unable to find Polo mints anywhere but at British Isles (the Fiesta that once existed at Nasa Road 1 and the Gulf Freeway was the last place I found them) - and the Polo mints make Altoids look like amateur hour.  

Likewise, since I like to shave with an old fashioned straight razor and shaving soap (yes, you know, the old school stuff with the handle and long blade) - British Isles actually has the equipment I need.  From razor sharpening pumice stones to leather strops to soaps and badger brushes for shaving soap application - British Isles has the manly stuff us guys need to look great and smell great.  Their Taylors of Old Bond Street line of men's cologne, after shave, and soaps are worth the trip alone.  

Ladies, they have plenty of elegant perfumes going back to the old days when perfumes were made painstakingly well - be advised, whether you buy male or female grooming or care products, they will cost a pretty penny.  Why?  Because they are made the old fashioned way, and they don' t skimp on quality.  

Also at British Isles are the whimsical brick-a-brack of the Anglican culture - fine tea china, little British pride souvenirs, and the usual assortment of books on British culture.

The food selection is phenomenal - having all the things one can love from the Queen's pantry, and I do a portion of my grocery shopping there.  Enjoy a day shopping here, and enjoy it often.
3 - sri n.: This is where you go when you want britishy stuff. I only go here to buy certain british chocolates. I dont usually need anything else they sell here.
5 - Anthony H.: Just got my Dentist's bill. WTF I could have flown to Kazhakstan and had a head transplant for what they have charged me. Ouwwwwch
Make a note Moneypenny..get some fekkin insurance!!
4 - Patrick B.: Summary:  Excellent selection of men's shaving products.  Staff even comes with the slightly stuffy British attitude.

I have recently taken up the art of shaving with a double-edge razor.  After researching the ins and outs of what to use, it became apparent that the best products for a good shave are made in the UK by companies such as Truefitt & Hill, Geo. F. Trumper, and Taylor.  

British Isles carries all three brands in home and travel sizes.  They offer a full line of skin care products from creams to balms and other face treatments.  Their prices are less than what you'd pay online.  The service is excellent.  The first time I went in there I told them what I was up to and they gave me several samples of other products to try, which was cool.

The staff is polite but not overly friendly.  I sort of expect them to tell me my fly is open or something whenever I'm in there but that's ok.  I'm sure they'd do it in a discreet British manner.
4 - Tina R.: "A day without chocolate is a day wasted". I have no clue who said that but it's one of my favorite quotes. 

There are wine experts, beer connoisseurs, coffee connoisseurs, cheese aficionados, and there are some people who know subtle differences in different types of bread and balsamic vinegar. I'm not any of the above. What I do know is chocolate. Way more affordable than a bottle of wine that costs more money than I'll make in my lifetime. There are plenty of differences other than white, dark, and milk chocolate. Chocolate comes in all kinds of color, texture, percentage of cacao; and most importantly, there's a huge difference in where it's produced. Without going into boring detail, I prefer European chocolate. Cadbury vs. Hershey is completely different. Cadbury is creamier, more rich, more flavor, smooth. Hershey is dry, a bit tangy and leaves a bitter aftertaste. 

When I learned about British Isles and learned that they carried chocolates imported from the UK, you can just imagine how giddy I got. I wasn't disappointed. Chocolate candies, chocolate bars, and chocolate cookies. They've got it. They also have toffee... Thornton's. The best toffee I've ever tasted. Go now if you want it because they won't carry anymore until Autumn because Thornton's toffee does not travel well during the summer. 

This store does carry more than just candy, cookies, and various other food products. Half of the store consists of china and glassware. If you're looking for a teapot set for either for you or for kids... they've got plenty. And of course, there's the gratuitous teeny tiny section of Beatles paraphernalia. I think I spent the most time smelling the hand lotions. 

The food is fresh. Brands authentic. Because of that, it's quite expensive. But what's a mere $5 candy bar compared to a $1000 bottle balsamic vinegar?
4 - Elizabeth M.: Woah, you can get crisps in Houston? I'm there! Okay, Jim and I actually wandered in to check out the men's shaving equipment, but in the process I discovered the raison d'etre (can I use French in the review of a Brit store? Hmmm) for this store's existence- the card selection. As in, greeting cards. Oh man, such gems they had. I knocked out my mom and dad's birthday at the same time, and got a weird one to randomly mail my sister (we have an ongoing contest).

Oh, so they do have an impressive display of toiletries here as well, and tea, of course. The other important thing about this shop is the chocolate bars, which are generally better in the UK than they are in the US (if you don't believe me, try them. Good lord.) This place is filled with goodies I haven't had since I used to get occasional care packages of British goodies from a friend or two from "across the pond". 

Oh Houston, is there any country you don't have at least one dedicated store for? That's why I love thee. 

Bonus round- Irish pride goodies. For my proud Irish butt.
5 - Gretchen P.: I'm on the quest for "the perfect teapot."  I actually go on the quest for a great many things (hence all of the lists), but presently it's teapots...and the perfect smelling perfume...and a vinyl pressing of a Sprawl album (I think I know who stole my cd!).  It's not the journey really, it's the epiphanic end.  The found missing puzzle piece.  The "ta-da!  I've been hiding here!" moment.  Well, that's not entirely true as at the rate I was going, I would have ended up with a teapot made of Yixing clay in the shape of a dragon cradling an egg.  More importantly, I would have been stuck drinking green tea for the rest of my teapot's life.  Healthy and pretty, but monotonous.

I mention all of this because my teapot quest led me to British Isles.  It was in my back pocket all along, but I wanted to search a few places first.  I needed to whet my palate as it were.  

I really love this shop.  Teapots and settings, Crabtree & Evelyn (the Galleria location has gone bye-bye), a great selection of chutneys and curries, all the tea (bagged and loose) you could hope for, Liquorice Allsorts, Bay Rum, Peter Rabbit, and Paddington Bear.

I usually head straight to the "grocery store" in back, but this time I wandered through the teapots first.  All range from Brown Betty to Wedgwood, very simple to blindingly fussy.  I think I have found my teapot, but the journey necessitates a few more stops.
5 - Bill H.: This is the only place in Texas that carries the Floris of London line of gentlemen toiletries.   Nice people, lots of stuff.. will be back again.
1 - G G.: I would not do any online business with the company. 

I purchased some items via online, the package was horribly packed, and ALL of the items were damaged. 

The woman I have spoken to about this has stated that it is all UPSs fault, even though:

1: it was in a recycled box that was so old it did not have any rigidity left in it.
2: There was no packaging around the sides and bottom of the box.
3: There were a few packing peanuts strewn on the top of the package.
4: The mug I ordered was wrapped in a single piece of paper.

I'm so outraged that I have filed a claim with UPS with the hopes of having the package inspected, I have even voluteered to drive it down to their customer center, but to no avail.

If you are online customer, do yourself a favour, and keep moving on.
5 - kris b.: Loved the grocery selection. I stocked up on my favorite brands of tea and chocolate digestives. The highlight was buying Easter Eggs for the kids. Cannot get chocolate like this in Austin. A gem of a store!
4 - Paul A.: Date of Visit: 04/16/11

The British Isles is still a wonderful place to visit and shop if you're looking for that British must have!

This visit was a follow-up to my visit to London in January. I decided that I didn't need too much to come back with me as I had bought quite a few books to read from my trip. But this time going to BI, I picked up a London baseball hat and an actual Doctor Who Mug! LOL

I remember mentioning last time to the owner, "How can you be a store selling actual British merchandise and not have one single thing related to Dr. Who - Britain's longest-running sci-fi show?" He must have taken that to heart, because now there is at least a mug to buy! A few action figures might be nice, too :)

Anyways, with the Wedding happening in two weeks from our visit, the store was a abuzz with their plans - early morning TVs, breakfasts and having local news visiting the store. It was all exciting and fun! 

A store I'd like to visit now when I visit Houston!
4 - Shawn P.: When I don't care about eating healthy food, this is where I go.  Well, that's only partially accurate.  I normally go across the street from British Isles to get a piece of cake, then come over here to buy cookies, scone mixes, and most importantly, candy.

You see, I grew up with some of the candy selection here, and it's really hard to find in Houston.  Sure, you can get a lot of the chocolates at other places, but it's different.  For example, let's discuss Malteasers.  These are the British version (and perhaps original) of what we Americans call "Whoppers".  However, these are distinct from Whoppers in that Malteasers have much better chocolate, unlike that pukey bile tasting Hershey's chocolate.  Also, the malted center of it tastes better, as if it were sweetened with honey instead of HFCS.  That being said, Malteasers are superior to Whoppers in flavor.  I can find Malteasers at several grocery stores, but usually they have the ones that come from the Middle East rather than the U.K.  I'm not sure what the difference is, but it does taste a little off to me.  British Isles, fortunately, carries the original U.K. variety and I've never had any chocolates from there that taste bad.  That being said, I always walk out of here with a good selection of chocolates, especially a tin of Cadbury Roses.

The other really cool thing about this place is if you come around Christmas time.  They have loads of traditional Christmas things, especially foods.  Again, I load up on sweets here around Christmas time, and get a yummy disposable advent calendar here every year.

As to the down side of this store, there are a few minor inconveniences.  Firstly, they close too early for my taste, making it impossible for me to go there on a weekday unless I rush over at lunch.  Secondly, I am a big oaf.  As a result, I am always a bit paranoid here, since I have to walk past all the breakable knickknacks on my way to buy what I'm really looking for.  Additionally, their prices are not cheap.  While I can't really give them a good comparison on the prices of their imports, they do carry some things available in other grocery stores that seem more expensive here.  Granted, they don't have the same haggling power as the big chains do, but you should keep this in mind as you shop here.

Overall, this place is a place that I try to avoid, but love visiting whenever I go.  The owners and staff are very friendly, helpful, and make it easy for you to die of diabetes as you gorge yourself on yummy imported things.  Perhaps one day I'll buy myself a new shillelagh from here, or my first tea set and update this review, but for now I'm just sticking with the candy and cookies.  Yum yum.
5 - Haley S.: I LOVE THIS STORE!  I used to go here all of the time when I lived in Houston &  always go in when I am there for a visit.  I load up on chocolates, crisps, scone mixes, chocolate puddings, biscuits, toffee & tea.  The owners and employees are very helpful.
I see complaints about the prices...can you imagine what it costs to send over the bulk of that food refrigerated from the UK?  And yes, being a small company gives them little buying power.  Plus, you are getting the convenience of getting everything your heart desires in one spot.  You can get help picking the perfect gift & then they will gift wrap it while you wait!
The store has always been a bit cluttered, but it adds to the character & makes you feel like you have "found" something extra special.
Support this local small business & the families who run it.  Everybody wins!
4 - Danielle S.: Immediately after walking into British Isles, it's a miracle I didn't melt into a small puddle on the floor.  This store has everything I have loved, love or will ever love, Anglophile that I am.

My coworkers and I made a special visit to the Rice Village to check out this outpost of all things British.  I am attracted to china with magnetic force (reason #3478372 I am a premature old person) so upon walking in I was immediately captivated by the lovely teapots and cup and saucer sets.  I was also drawn to the gorgeous Irish and Scottish crystal and may be back in the future to pick up a set of glasses and a decanter when I am feeling frivolous.  In the obligatory Irish corner, I immediately was able to read a beautifully painted mug in Irish (language professors, don't despair that I've forgotten all of my training!) and had to dig my fingernails in my palm to keep from coming home with it.

Let's be honest, though.  All of the above is nice, but we were mostly there for the food.  All my favorite sweets are here, including Crunchie and Flake bars (drooool), a selection of every variety of Walker's shortbread ever produced, Jaffa cakes and an array of digestives.  Buried deep within the food corner, I could almost imagine that I was inside the nicest Tesco in the world.  I also had many LOLs over the bottle of Uncle Ben's brand chicken tikka masala sauce.  I don't know why.  It just tickles me.

It's a bit on the pricey side with the advent of The Interwebs, but I think I'd rather spend the $5 extra to keep British Isles in business.  Love it!
4 - Jessie D.: For anyone who loves anything associate with Great Britain, this is the perfect place to buy gifts. They have everything from tea sets to Guiness ties. I make a point of coming here a few times a year to buy random awesome stuff.

After gathering an arm full of books and assorted other bits I rang up. While waiting for my mom to finish browsing I noticed that they forgot to ring up a mug I picked out. The lady asked if I would like her to ring it up. I said, "Naw, I don't really need it." But then she decided to GIVE it to me. She said it had been sitting on the shelf forever, and no one else would ever want it. Apparently I'm the only person in Houston who wants a Monty Python tea mug. Score for me!
3 - Andy R.: Decent selection of overpriced British stuff.  Rude owner.
3 - Victor C.: Cool snacks.

Brittany App : Photographer & Vagabond - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.28, -120.66) ()
5 - Harmony R.: You will not be disappointed!  I have had the opportunity to use the photography services of Brittany App several times and have always gotten MORE than my money's worth.  She is extremely talented and professional, yet down-to-earth and really goes out of her way to make you feel comfortable. When you look at her photographs, you truly are looking at the essence of the moment captured on film. She is truly remarkable.
5 - Charlene W.: The best there is!
Brittany was my wedding photographer in September 2009 and was flawless! I thought for sure there were going to be a few pictures that I didn't like but 500 pictures later, I loved them all! She was able to find the best natural light and captured even the most candid moments beautifully! 
Brittany also photographed my English Bulldog in February 2012 and made him even more adorable than I ever could! She had such a connection with him and you could see that in the pictures!
You can never have enough pictures of life happening! There are those special times when you deserve to have a professional capture those memories for you! When that time comes again in my life, Brittany App will be the only photographer I will call!

Briza Restaurant - Atlanta, GA (33.7782591, -84.3873117) (Midtown)
4 - J. T.: I went to Briza with my husband and two friends. We had been big Pacci fans, and reluctantly decided to try the newer version. The atmosphere is very similar to Pacci's aside from some unfortunate vases in the middle of the dining room. 

We split two appetizers. The guys enjoyed the pork belly, while we ladies had the Burrata. The cheese was tasty and went well with the roasted tomato. 

For dinner I had the braised beef short ribs. They were great. Really. 
Yes, the wine list is abbreviated. But the cab the server recommended for me was a perfect accompaniment to the meal. 

We indulged in the gelato trio for dessert. The flavors change on a frequent basis - but the blue cheese was amazing. The pastry chef clearly has a creative side. Another flavor was Fruit Loops. The third was a refreshing mint.

So after tonight I realized that I miss Pacci a little bit less and look forward to returning to Briza.
5 - Christine Y.: Staying at the Renaissance Midtown for business and I ate here two nights in a row this week. I can honestly say the service was the best I've had at any restaurant, just super prompt, friendly, and considerate. Coming from LA, maybe I appreciate that more than the average local... no such thing as southern california hospitality, that's for sure.

Upon recommendation from the check-in staff, I had the braised beef short ribs with white bean ragout on night 1. I was exhausted and requested it to go and took it to my room. While I waited, I had a crisp complimentary Sweetwater 420 and made great smalltalk with the bartender, a nice guy from Tech. I wish bartenders in LA were sweet, polite college boys instead of washed up wannabe actors/models/musicians... Anyway, he packed up my dinner, which was ready in maybe 10 minutes or less, with real silverware and napkins, and I took the rest of my beer with me. It was honestly one of the most delicious things I can remember eating. Must try the short ribs!

Night 2 - Sat in a big comfy booth in the restaurant working on my laptop for about 2 hours. Ordered a Caesar salad and the salmon, plus another Sweetwater 420 (yes I'm getting my fill before I have to leave!). The server was such a nice guy, brought everything in a perfectly timely fashion, knew about the menu, and was gracious when I requested some alternative billing to accomodate my expense account. He even offered me additional drinks/water/bread while I just sat and worked on my laptop, before and after my meal. I almost forgot, the salmon was moist, the heirloom tomatoes cold and sweet, and the basil risotto was the. best. ever.

It's definitely a little on the pricy side, but the dishes are truly delicious, the service fantastic, and the decor/ambiance is lovely. If you're staying here, definitely try it.
4 - Mike L.: Situated inside the Renaissance Midtown Atlanta, of course we were going to eat here so I could get some extra Marriott points!

We had: Fried green tomatoes w/corn salsa - 4 stars. Panko-breaded green tomatoes fried perfectly. Great crunch to them over the traditional cornmeal breading. The corn salsa was fresh made and refreshing.

She had: Wild salmon with basil risotto - 3 stars. Salmon was OK. The plus was that it was wild over farmed. Basil risotto was cooked well but lacked flavor. 

I had: Berkshire pork chop - 5 stars. The tastiest double cut pork chop I've ever had. It was grilled to a perfect medium and it was very juicy. I don't remember what it was served on top of but it didn't matter... this was about a man and his pork chop. Berkshire pork = amazing.

We had: Flexible ganache & gelato trio - 4 stars. The presentation of the ganache is hilarious because it is literally a strip/log/turd of chocolate ganahce. Enough said. The 3 gelatos were - brown butter, pop rocks, and fruit loops. The fruit loop one went perfectly with my espresso and the other 2 were rich and finished well.

Overall, Briza is a great hotel restaurant that I wouldn't mind going to more than once per stay.
4 - Wendy R.: When the Hotel Palomar was recently purchased by Renaissance Hotels, there was a changing of the guard with the restaurant attached.

The result is another Atlanta fine dining experience at Briza, helmed by Executive Chef Janine Falvo. Falvo comes to Atlanta via Sonoma, where she was chef de cuisine at Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar, a restaurant known for offering patrons the finest organic meats, artisanal cheeses, local produce and baked goods.

She is also in good company here in Atlanta, using locally sourced ingredients for both Briza and Rooftop 866. We indulged in a special tasting menu with wine pairings, the dishes were incredibly flavorful with a decidedly modern flair and even some whimsy thanks to pastry chef Kelly Lovett. Being from Sonoma, it was to be expected that their wine list was incredible, but the pairings were just inspired. Our server was a level one Sommelier, Joseph, who works in conjunction with Chef Falvo and is extremely knowledgeable about all the vintages.

For starters we had the cucumber-melon salad and the mozzarella 'egg' with heirloom tomatoes, black garlic vinaigrette, crispy kale, dusted with bacon power. Amazing flavors! The veal sweetbread 'parmesan' with basil and garlic chips was also a favorite. We then moved on to the entrees, an alaskan halibut with wild mushrooms, sweet corn, tarragon and corn nage, which also featured a popcorn foam. I've actually never eaten anything with a foam on it, only seen such things on Top Chef! We also really enjoyed the lamb with grilled ratatouille, olive pistou and red pepper custard. Both were incredible and so gorgeously plated.

Not being a huge fan of fois gras as a pate, I was loathe to try Chef Falvo's version, but it was delicious seared on top of a duck confit 'cinnamon roll' with a sweet peach marmalade. I'm now officially a fan thanks to this preparation. The surprise of the night came in the form of dessert, presented by pastry chef Lovett - fruit loop flavored 'dipping dots'. A fan of liquid nitrogen like ATL Top Chef alum Richard Blais, I really enjoyed this fun and innovative pop culture palate cleanser before dessert. The main dessert was a handmade old fashioned donut (without the hole), a sculpted chocolate ganache and coffee ice cream. Another fun surprise in the ice cream, it contained chocolate pop rocks! Not a lot, but just enough to have fun with and flash me back to when I was kid in the 80s.

Briza is a treat for people who enjoy really amazing food, presented in a new and innovative way, with prices that match those at a regular steakhouse. It also has complimentary valet parking right off W. Peachtree, so you won't have to hunt for parking.
4 - Jennifer S.: Beautifully decorated dining room serving delicious food!  I attended a meeting here today and ate from the lunch buffet.  Everything was fresh and quite tasty.
2 - Carolyn B.: I came back here for a business breakfast to see if it had improved. I went with the basics: Eggs over easy, home fries, bacon and toast. 

The eggs were DROWNING in butter...they were on par with the eggs at Waffle House, which are always way too buttery and gross. The bread for the toast was really stale tasting. The bacon was good, and the breakfast potatoes were mediocre. 

Looks like nothing much has changed since my last review.
5 - Lisa G.: Absolutely delicious pork chop, brussel sprouts and sweet potato onion dumplings!  I don't think I have ever ordered a pork chop at a restaurant before, but I read the yelp reviews before hitting the hotel restaurant while traveling solo on business, and boy was I pleased!  It was all served on a delicate flavorful sauce and every bite was wonderful. Ordered chop medium which was perfect, but could not finish the whole thing because it was quite a large cut.  May have to come back tomorrow and try the sea bass.
4 - Melissa R.: A small group of us had dinner here one evening. When we entered the restaurant, the bar was full, but there were only 3 occupied tables in the dining area. Naturally, this made us hesitant. I mean it was a Friday night...in midtown. The place should have been at least half full. Well, looks can be deceiving.

They have a small menu, which I generally take as a good sign. They have chosen to focus on cooking a few things with fresh ingredients, and doing it well. I started with the butter poached lobster and had the sea bass as an entree. Both were great choices!

On top of the food being tasty, we had excellent service! The waiter knew the menu really well, and was able to make personal recommendations. He was very friendly and provided the right amount of service.(i.e. He didn't come to the table every 2 minutes and we didn't have to hunt him down).

A quick tip: The restaurant validates for valet parking.
4 - Kurt N.: Was so empty it was scary, but it was a Sunday night. My whole table was not spending out of our own pockets, so we were a bit more adventurous than usual.

We opened with a mix of appetizers, the best of which was the hush puppies but nothing spectacular there. I'd skip an appetizer as they are quite tiny for $8-$10.

Next I had the Arugula Salad, which as non-entree salads go was great. It definitely was fresh lettuce and was dressed well.

Entree was the pork chop. And it was excellent. Tender, juicy, large, and flavorful. The beans that came with it were incredibly unique and paired very well with the other items on the plate. It was a decent sized cut too, so I was happy.

But the best part of the meal was definitely the chocolate chili souffle. Warm, rich, and choclately with excellent peanut butter ice cream on it. It's one of the best desserts I've had at a restaurant not centered around them. I also sampled some of the rum cake, which was rather ordinary, and the gelato was way too much to handle on its own but I think would pair well with coffee.

Overall, it was quite a great meal, but I will probably never return while a college student as it is completely out of my price range and out of palate to most other students. If you're doing business at Tech though, it is conveniently close.
4 - Maggie R.: *Disclaimer: after my first review, which was a 2-star rating, I was contacted by someone from the restaurant offering a return visit so they could show me how great their brunch service was. Our meal was comped on this visit, but it in no way affects my review of the service, the food, the (menu) value, or my overall experience. Throwin' it out there!*

I have to say, I was way more impressed with the quality of the food on this visit. I'm so glad to see the kitchen really working on finessing their dishes. I feel like Briza is finally finding their brunch groove, and I love to see it!

We started with the Bag of Doughnuts... what the actual eff. How yummy could this be? They were not yeast-based doughnut holes... tasted like a cross between cake donuts and funnel cake. Yussss. They were served with a thick caramel, a strawberry reduction, and a honey-based dipping concoction. I will say that while the strawberry option was great to have, considering the thick sweetness of the caramel and the honey, it somehow didn't seem to necessarily mesh with the texture of the doughnut holes. Still, so stinkin' delicious. These are 6 very filling, very fresh doughnut holes. Definitely get these.

I ordered the Wagyu Flank with chimichurri sauce, potatoes, and scrambled eggs (on the side). The potatoes were yum, the steak was pretty good. To my total shock and awe, the scrambled eggs here were the #1 win of my life. NOW. The way people like their scrambled eggs differs between, like, literally EVERY single person I have ever met. I, personally, like them buttery and creamy and slightly soft... and these were it! Oh gosh. They were mouth-melty and a little thick, but still maintained shape and texture... I found myself wishing for my small plate of scrambled eggs to never end. Goodness heavens.

Boything got the Smoked Salmon Sandwich and really enjoyed it. He's not typically a tomato kind of guy, but he even liked the roasted tomatoes that came on the sandwich. It was a surprisingly large amount of salmon on the sandwich, too. He actually finished the whole thing before I even had a chance to try it... that's what I get for only ever dating fast eaters. Harumph.

We had coffee and orange juice, and it was good. Um. Standard amount of delicious, with the coffee being slightly above-average.

Service was very very great, just like last time. As this visit was in response to a less than positive first impression, several different people came over to check on us, including the executive sous chef, who I was glad to see. Everyone was attentive and gracious.

I will maintain that when I arrived at the restaurant, with the intent of trying the Elvis Pancakes again, I was warned that they were still being served with pork belly. They are still listed on the menu as being served with bacon. She explained to me that pork belly and bacon are really the same thing... I would beg to differ, from the perspective of an average diner, but hey, I'm no restaurant professional, just some chick on the internet with a big mouth. :-P l do feel like the waitstaff should be prepared to offer a disclaimer so people know what to expect when they order those particular pancakes, though. As I said in my last review, I'm sure if I knew what I was ordering, I wouldn't have been so taken aback and would have enjoyed my meal a little more.

Overall, I had a markedly better experience this time around. If you are ever offered any sort of eggs as part of your meal, OMG SCRAMBLED FTW. You won't regret it a single bit.

Thanks to the restaurant for being so kind to invite me back. It was definitely very appreciated!
2 - Lea M.: I actually created a yelp account simply to list the ways my experience at Briza could have been improved.  When we arrived, we were seated quickly, but were not offered water for at least 5 minutes (by a server who just happened to be in that area), and our actual server did not come to the table for another 5-10 minutes to take drink/app orders.  We found this slightly unusual since there were less than 15 people in the restaurant at the time. But no biggie.

We had the mussels, which were pretty good but we were then not asked for our entree orders until 30 minutes into the meal. I remember only because we actually started looking at the clock wondering when someone would come seeing as the menu is not very long so it didn't take much time to figure out what we wanted.  Anyway, he finally came. I ordered the halibut with lobster homefries and my friend had the chicken breast.  

It was exactly one hour later after we were seated that the food came, yet no new people had entered the restaurant so we have no idea why it took that long.  I was disappointed when the food did arrive because I had seen pictures of this particular entree online and it was presented in a much more appetizing way. The portions and the food were both okay, but our dishes were nothing to write home about.

By the time we we finished our food, the two hour validation was about to be up because of all the delays experienced earlier.  We opted to share a quick dessert and decided on the lemon cake with lemon sorbet and blueberries.  This was probably the most disappointing.  I imagined a moist lemon cake with delicious sorbet and blueberries spread around the plate. Instead, the cake was very dry. The sorbet was okay, but there were literally six blueberries.  

When the check came, the gratuity had already been added.  I would not have minded paying the standard 18-20% gratuity if I had received anything near standard service. Overall it was a very disappointing experience. I can't imagine I will return.
3 - Michelle B.: This seems to be the review that has left me speechless. I just can't find anything really great to go on about, or gripe about really. After a couple of meals, there's not much I find memerable at all, except chocolate pooh and bacon, um, nose candy. they call it "Flexible chocolate cake w/ bacon powder." Seriously. Tasted like bacon corn starch and looked like, well...
And annoying cratebarrelikeawilliamsonoma dishes that are cute, but as functional as that thirdwhateveritisyou'vewantedtofindoutaboutcauseitscute thingy. 

The food was ok, though $8 for radishes, brown sugar and vinegar should've netted me a bucketful! And $12 for brussel sprouts? I don't care what you do to them; that's just not right. Yeah, farm-to-table? What farm? King Midas'?

Our server was precious, but you can't sell a sow's ear as a silk purse, right? 
The meat was subpar, they were out of most of their staple items, but I heard their Feast of Fishes for New Year's was the bomb. Ehhh! Ok. Mark the calendar for that one!

Psst. they just did a Scoutmob deal...Never seen a Marriott property do that before...
Psst. the ExecChef's big claim to fame is being voted off the first episode of Top Chef, what, last year? The year before?
4 - Marie J.: Had a wonderfully meal at Briza.  Our waiter was enthusiastic and knowledgeable of the menu and wine.  Starters of Pei mussels and Local mixed salad were just the right portions.  The mussel broth was light and delicious.  The second course of halibut and lamb were equally pleasing.  The lamb, which I had, was perfectly cooked at medium rare.  I wasn't crazy about the pecorino farro that came with it.  Not the grain itself, just the pairing.  Farro, a hearty grain which looks like a meaty oat, was too heavy for a hot summer day meal.  It was good though, and had just the right amount of bite to it.  I had the chocolate chili cake was really good.  Each bite was followed by a hint of heat and paired well with the peanut butter ice cream.  Loved this place when it was Pacci and now will definitely come back to enjoy it again.  I wished we had come to dinner at Briza before my friend asked for a recommendation.  Oh well, I will be sure to tell her how good it was!
3 - Brian K.: I don't typically patronize hotel restaurants, largely because the prices are inflated and the staff could care less about customer satisfaction because of the transient nature of the clientele. However, despite my better judgement, I was recently lured to Briza by Scoutmob - in retrospect, I would have been better off dining elsewhere. Although the service and atmosphere at Briza were excellent, the food is brazenly overpriced. Clearly, I'm not the only person who thinks so - the place was a virtual graveyard at 8PM on a Saturday evening. 

Food: The menu at Briza is largely comprised of American Continental cuisine with a Southern flare. During my visit, I started with the fried chicken, waffle bites, and Coca-Cola barbeque sauce. The execution of the dish was on point, but it was exorbitantly overpriced for the portion - it literally consisted of 4 quarter-sized kernels of chicken, 4 indiscernible waffle flakes, and a teaspoon-sized drizzle of barbecue sauce. Considering the ingredients, the $10 price tag was laughable, to the point of being insulting. For an entree, I opted for the tanglewood chicken breast, which was accompanied by "cordon bleu" gnocchi, buttered peas, and peach marmalade. Again, the dish was flavorful, but severely overpriced. I'm certainly willing to pay for well-executed food, but for $25, the three measly pieces of gnocchi in the dish should have been borderline orgasmic - they weren't. For dessert, we opted to share the chocolate chilli souffle cake, which was littered with so much chilli that it was inedible.

Service: Exceptional. Our server was friendly, knowledgeable about the menu, and eager to make recommendations. The service was also incredibly quick, but this wasn't surprising considering that the restaurant was only at 25% capacity.

Atmosphere: The interior of this restaurant is absolutely impeccable - the decor is stylish, modern, and tastefully decorated. They also have an ample assortment of round booths, which have always been my favorite form of restaurant seating. Briza is located on the first floor of the building, while Rooftop 866, an open air lounge, is located on the upper level. 

Cost: The vast majority of the menu items, including both wines and food, are priced approximately 20% higher than they should be. I ended up saving approximately 20% with Scoutmob, so the final cost was commensurate with the quality of the meal - however, if I had paid full price, I likely would have left dissatisfied. Dinner appetizers are $10-$15, salads are $10-$15, entrees are $20-$35, sides are $6-$10, and desserts are $8-$9. 

Other: Briza is located in the Renaissance Atlanta Midtown at the corner of Abercrombie and West Peachtree Streets - the restaurant has its own entrance off West Peachtree. Complimentary valet parking is available - ample metered street parking can also be found on West Peachtree and the surrounding side streets.
1 - Sophia D.: As a former resident of the south, and a frequent traveler there still, I am always interested in checking out the local food scenes.  I am, however, quite confused by Briza and their claims about Janine Falvo's resume.  I have searched high and low and read every nominee ever named for the James Beard Rising Star Chef award, and nowhere is she listed.  I checked out her Top Chef bio and found out that indeed, she was not named James Beard Rising Star Chef, but instead was named Restaurant Hospitality's Rising Star Chef in 2007 (Restaurant Hospitality is a hotel industry publication that promotes things such as the latest and greatest jalapeno popper).  I find it despicable that a company with such high ethical standards as Marriott would promote their chef with such false claims.  If business is that bad that you need to lie about your chef's accolades, then perhaps you should actually hire a chef who was truly a James Beard Rising Star Chef.
2 - Rachel R.: Well you might not get much, but at least it's expensive!  The prices and the portions are horrid.  Ok, the food is good, but come on.  That's the dinner. I get breakfast for free, which is great whenever I have a few spare hours in the morning.
4 - Belinda S.: We had a wonderful experience here last Saturday night. I will admit it was a little disconcerting walking in at 7:30 pm to a nearly empty restaurant... this seems to be an issue for them. We had a very friendly server who made great wine recommendations and lots of light conversation. We ordered heavily from the fall themed menu. The highlights were definitely the pumpkin soup and an arugula and fig salad. All four entrees while delicious were definitely on the salty side. We had three desserts, a pound cake with peaches that was really nothing special although beautifully presented, a sampling of homemade gelatos, and the standout a homemade almond joy with coconut ice cream. Overall we had a really fun and lovely evening and everyone left having enjoyed our culinary journey.

I think most people wont frequent this place because it is in a hotel but it's worth it for a celebration or night out.

Broad Art Center - Los Angeles, CA (34.0712139, -118.449514) (Westwood)
4 - Mary Q.: This building is pretty new and houses the UCLA Art Department.  Fittingly, it is a very artsy-looking building.  There's one large lecture hall, a cafe, and plenty of classrooms and offices.  It feels like it's an art gallery or museum.
5 - Em L.: Here is my ode to good ol' Broad. (Yes; ode and Broad rhyme.)

The façade | Spectacular. White, teak, steel, glass, all the benchmark components of a building dedicated to art. The "T.E.U.C.L.A." Serra sculpture is the first to be on permanent view in a public space in Southern California. Proximity to the Sculpture Garden provides this looming, structured, clinical building balance with good ol' nature. And more art.

The interior | Clean, no-nonsense, spacious. Classrooms are very easy to find. The fourth floor, for Design | Media Arts, has a "lobby" that serves as a game room with a ping pong table about three game controllers.

The balcony (4th floor) | Very cute cacti and succulents on show atop the teak beams, serving as a sort of shelf. It's pretty precarious, but I haven't seen a thing fall yet. 

Untitled, | The second floor houses a small overpriced café called Untitled,. The comma just compounds on the artsiness the inflated prices already convey pretty well.

The Shoot Room | If I could live here, trust me--I would. Lights, check. Softbox, check. Dem Canons, check. Five backgrounds to choose, check. Photographer's orgasm, check check check!

EDA | Stands for Experiemental Digital Arts. Basically small but well-equipped exhibition room with a large projection screen for showcasing.

Broad Institute - Cambridge, MA (42.362808, -71.0889557) (Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - Austin T.: This place is boss.

Dedicated to unlocking the full potential of genomic medicine, the Broad* creates a collaborative atmosphere among MIT, Harvard, Whitehead, and international brains.  
Also, you should check out the interactive displays at the 7CC "DNAtrium" [nerdy, but awesome name, anybody?] which give a brief introduction into the state of the field and the directions of the Institute**.

*Pronounced 'brode.' It's someone's name.
**By Institute, I refer to the Broad and not MIT.
3 - Elmer C.: Architecturally, the Broad Institute building at 7 Cambridge Center looks like just another of the many "cookie cutter" office/laboratory buildings that proliferate in this neighborhood. One of their main disadvantages is the limited 9 to 5, Monday through Friday utilization these buildings receive. The result is a desolate urban landscape at all other times.

The first floor features a creative "DNAtrium" which adds a bit of hands-on interaction for visitors and even passersby directly through display exhibits at the windows.

Another curious feature of the Broad Institute building is that the windows on upper floors are constructed such that every office has a place to display their wastebaskets and recycling bins directly in each window in front of the vertical blinds. With this arrangement, even when the blinds are closed, the wastebaskets and various other items placed there continue to be visible through the glass facade so as to remain prominently featured visual elements on the exterior. (see pictures)

It is a rather odd form of decoration; I can only imagine the designers were trying to make some sort of artistic or perhaps even cultural statement by deliberately displaying everyone's wastebasket and recycling bin in such an overt fashion. (Though, I have no idea what that statement might be.)

Broad Street Cafe - Waterford, NY (42.7901195, -73.6778661) ()
4 - Eugene L.: I've passed this place so many times and always told myself I want to try that place.  Finally got there for a Saturday morning breakfast.  Parking could be a pain seeing though it is only on street parking.  The place looks bigger from the outside than it actaully is.  The wait staff is extremely nice and friendly.  I order a egg white bacon and cheddar cheese omlette. It was really tasty, the home fries were good also just the way I like them crispy.  Coffee was never empty in my cup which I love.  Great place to go get a reasonable priced breakfast
1 - Kathryn N.: Do your self a favor & go across the street to Don & Paul's , they don't burn your toast
I love EVERYTHING about Don & Pauls for cheap awesome grub. So just cross the street and you will be much more satisfied, TRUST ME!!!!
4 - Sharon R.: I love the warm and friendly people there! So like the many folks my husband and 
I met while we were safe and locked in on the Erie Canal last year.  The food was good too!
4 - Ian W.: I stopped back at Broad Street Cafe for lunch during the week. I decided to dine-in and sat myself at an open table. I ordered 2 sandwiches, a Tuna Melt ($5.29) on wheat bread with chips and a Cape Cod Reuben ($6.29) on marble rye with dill pickle chips, which took about 15 minutes to be served.

The bread on both sandwiches was toasted brown, almost on the verge of slightly burnt. However, both sandwiches were good sized with plenty of filling and tasty. The tuna salad in the tuna melt was standard and soft, served with ruffled potato chips. The cape cod reuben was very good, which had two good sized pieces of greasy battered dip pieces of cod (very hot), sweet chopped cole slaw and Swiss cheese. I enjoyed half of each sandwich and packed up the rest for later on. The service was acceptable as the waitress let me enjoy my lunch while keeping an eye on things from across the dining room. I also used an Entertainment coupon ($6 off-dine in only) and received the Tuna Melt for free and the check came out to around $6 before tip, a pretty good deal for two hot sandwiches.

Broadcast Company of the Americas - San Diego, CA (32.86769, -117.227913) (University City)
4 - Merrily C.: Broadcast Company of the Americas owns 1090AM (XX Sports Radio) and 105.7 the walrus. Interestingly, it is 50% owned by Viejas.

This review is for XX Sports Radio. There are some great characters on this station, including morning hosts Scott Kaplan and Billy Ray (BR) Smith. They bring an interesting mix of sports experience, a sense of humor, and a true affection for San Diego to their show. And they have funny Nature Bee commercials.

Other personalities on this station don't do much for me. Like Coach Kintera. But if you're from out of town and want to sound like a San Diego native, just drop the name "Philly Billy." It'll take you far.
2 - Doug S.: I go back to the birth of sports radio in this town, the original Mighty 690. Even before that to Hacksaw on at nights and the Headline News feed straight from cable for the rest of the day. I put up with Steve Garvey and the Butt Brothers in the morning. This station used to be 3 1/2 stars in my book before they shitcanned Philly Billy and Tutino. The Bleacher Bums are the worst I've heard in the 22 years I've been listening to sports radio. The Coach seems like a decent guy, but the only reason they kept his coma inducing show must be financial. The only reason it gets two stars is Jim Rome and Darren Smith. Scott and BR are alright, but they are third on my morning dial behind Dan Patrick and Cowherd. Hopefully this station gets better once the economy picks up.
3 - Alyssa S.: Formerly a dedicated listener to xx1090, I find the time to listen to Scott & BR, but aside from that, I'd fall asleep driving.  Working weekends and driving throughout San Diego and Riverside Counties, I found a new sports talk show on 590AM, Saturdays at 2pm  They aren't bad and they keep me entertained.  One host knows his sports, is obviously a fan of San Diego teams and he's is quit the wiseguy, but keeps it interesting.

Broadway Au Lait - Manhattan, NY (40.8115136, -73.9612017) (Morningside Heights)
4 - Scott L.: The iced coffee here is amazing. I shouldn't even be saying this because it's one of my Upper West Side secrets. So don't tell anyone else!

But get the large. You'll be glad you did.

They also have great baklava and an assortments of breads (I love the banana bread!). Great place for vegetarian fare and breakfast stuff.
5 - Nicole L.: They serve *amazing* iced coffee here. It is undoubtedly the best I have EVER tasted, anywhere. It's creamy, rich, and best of all, consistently delicious, every time.  Their bran muffins are also a treat.
4 - Dan T.: Apparently the coffee is top-notch, but I can't vouch for that. What I can speak to is the quick turnaround for patrons and a decent selection of prepackaged items, even if it does seem a bit hot in there to keep their assorted chocolate-laden products in good shape. It's got a Mediterranean despite its VERY close proximity to Olive Tree, but assuming they maintain more friendly service and comparably fresh ingredients, they can definitely compete. 

Purchased a very Early Avocado Hummus Salad sandwich, a Sprinkle Cookie, a Rice Krispy Bar and a Kind+ Bar. The sandwich was quite good in a tightly packed pita. The cookie was the right texture, albeit a bit harder than I'd like (even @ 8am) and seemingly heavy on the fattier portions of cookie batters. The rest it's pretty hard to mess up, though the krispy bar was better than most packaged ones.
3 - David O.: A Mediterranean theme cafe with many vegetarian dishes, they maintain a friendly service and comparably fresh ingredients. The hot chocolate is amazing being creamy, rich and delicious.

I Purchased a Avocado Salad my favorite which has the right amount of spices and vinegar . For snacks I usually buy Banana Bread Loaf and Coke a Cola and take this to the apartment I am in the process of selling. They also have a Hummus sandwich which was quite good in a toasted pita.
4 - Dimitrios D.: Just ate a falafel/hummus sandwich; it was tasty and pretty cheap and served very quickly!
4 - Sara W.: Service is polite and quick.  Coffee is good and competitively priced for the area.  I love the vibe of the cafe as well.  Haven't ordered food yet, but it all looks pretty delicious.
4 - Max B.: Great place to sit and study or just sit and chat. The coffee is pretty good and reasonably priced. The bagels and selection of breakfast items, fruit, muffins, etc. is good, except it's a vegetarian place which limits the menu some.

There have been times when I've gotten a bagel with cream cheese and it's tasted of fish (probably because the same knife was used on fish), but that doesn't happen every time and it doesn't ruin my day. The cookies are a bit on the stale side (or the one I had was).

The servers are pleasant and they seem to recognize me, which I appreciate. It isn't the closest place to my apartment, but I prefer it over some of the closer ones.
5 - Janny C.: My favorite place of all time. 

I come here several times a week because of the great people who work here and delicious food.

You have to get the avocado salad. It's one of the best salads I've ever had. They also make terrific cappuccinos. 

Norman owns the place. He's so nice and friendly. Marilyn works at the counter and she's fantastic at what she does and knows so much about everything. Jonathan also works at the counter and he's just a funny, laid-back, cool guy.

I love this place. I love Marilyn, Jonathan, Norman and just everythign about this place. I will miss it when I move away from NYC.
4 - allison p.: i'm digging on this place.  affordable and the mediterranean platter i had this morning was a fresh and delicious hangover cure.

minus one star because the girls behind the counter ice grill me on occasion.  they just jealous.
4 - M M.: Friendly service, great Greek salad (the olive oil it is garnished with is perfect), yummy stuffed grape leaves, good hummus and babaganoush, nice selection of teas (Yogi tea and all other kinds of traditional teas too), lots of kosher baked goods, and who can forget they offer cans of Fresca?! I had forgotten all about how wonderful that drink is until I spotted one in a corner of one of the cold cases and enjoyed it with my mushroom barley soup the other day....yum.

Usually 2 serve yourself soups are hot and fresh every day, the lentil is good but the mushroom barley is just so delicious. 

Decent tuna fish sandwiches, falafel is ok, spinach pie is good but greasy as anything.

Quick enough service too for a work day lunch, I walk several blocks and back to my office and am always served with plenty of time in my hour left to enjoy my meal. 

Things I haven't tried but look yummy: avocado salad, egg sandwiches (those are CHEAP too, $2.50 I think), plus I will have to try the coffee now, thanks to all the raves on here!
4 - Pia V.: Usually come here for some coffee and snacks.  The service is great, the coffee is perfect, a good variety of snacks, and a whole separate room for patrons dining in.  I haven't tried any of their lunch items yet, but I soon will and I'm pretty confident that they won't disappoint.

Broadway Auto Care - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2893901, -83.7388277) ()
5 - Vinit R.: Considering it is so damn hard to find a good mechanic/shop these days, I can't have better words for these guys... I had a few problems with my car that had been sitting around for months and I could not jump start it.... I called AAA (since I had replaced batteries 6 months ago from them) and all they had to offer was to say that they wouldn't provide me service, since my car doesnt have valid plates... !! I didnt know that AAA has started lobbying for MVD... anyway... 

so I started looking for a mechanic and found these guys online (hail google maps !)... called them to see what they could offer me (towing, jumper etc) and they sent someone over in literally 5 mins... Abe came over and jump started my car, looked at it and said that it is in good shape... and he was almost about to leave (without charging me ! first good sign of an excellent customer service.. dont lie about (non-existent) problems, and he didn't !) ... I insisted that I still would come over to the shop and get things checked... so I followed him over to his shop... it took them about 10 mins to change oils and that sort of general maintenance... (again, very genuinely told me that the car was absolutely fine and didn't try create artificial work for himself !) ... and then he charged me some minimum amount for road-side assistance and routine maintenance... 

I dont want to say that you dont get good genuine service these days, but good-genuine-cheap-quick service is almost an impossibility in the area of mechanics... (trust me, I am a mechanical engineer and I have seen so many mechanics lying about some non-existent problems to fool customers and earn free money)... not at this place... all in all, genuinely impressed and satisfied with the service and work...
1 - Britney K.: My experience here was a total joke. After keeping my car for a week with little communication they told me they couldn't fix it and to come pick it up. When I tried to pick it up the first time it was offsite and the manager said that they might be fixing it now, they just need more time. This was a horrible inconvenience to arrange rides to the garage just to get turned down when they knew I was coming. Two days later they still couldn't fix it and asked me to pick up the car, again. This time it wouldn't even start because they had run it out of gas. !!!. Their solution was to tow it to a dealership in a couple days, get a diagnostic, then take it back to their shop to do the work at a lower cost. No thanks. I suggested they tow the car at their expense for my multiple inconveniences. Didn't happen. They told me I should be thankful because they put a can of gas in it. Not feeling so thankful. Avoid this shitshow if possible!

Broadway Auto Clinic - Menands, NY (42.6775808, -73.7357863) ()
5 - Tracy M.: This is my favorite auto repair shop.  I feel like I have been looking for a place like this forever.  They just moved from the corner of Clinton and Broadway in downtown Albany to about 1 mile north in Menands.  They are now at the corner of Wolfert Ave and Broadway behind Stewart's.  If you work in dowtown though, the run a shuttle bus between their shop and downtown business district, so you can easily drop you car off during the weekday.  Their new location has a regular repair bays, a quick lube, a car wash, and a comfortable waiting room.  They have a dog wash too.

As a woman I feel like I've been lied to and patronized at many a repair shop.  Not so at the B'way Auto Clinic.  I feel as though they have gone out of their way to make their shop more inviting to those of us, like me, who are anxious about the car repair experience.   For example, last time I got my oil changed the mechanic came into the waiting room with my dirty air filter to ask me if I would also like to replace it.  He explained how often they should be replaced and how much it cost.  He also asked me what kind of oil I wanted (synthetic/non-synthetic) and kindly (in a non-condescending way) explained why I might want one kind over the other.   

The owners (a husband and wife team) are there every time I've been.  All of the emplyees are friendly and respectful.  Their's is the kind of business I love to support.
4 - Brian G.: Great service, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and reasonable prices -- a real good place to get your car serviced
3 - Amanda M.: Well this place does have very friendly and knowledgeable service. However, their prices are pretty high. $89/ hour for labor, almost $40 for an oil change, there is an over night parking fee and even a fee if they have to put your car on a lift. If you don't mind the prices, this place is excellent. Very clean waiting room and garage for a 15 year business.
5 - Shawn W.: I've had numerous things done at this shop... Brakes, wheel bearings, catalytic converters. Their prices are sometimes higher than other shops but their work is top notch and worth the price for the piece of mind. They also specialize in audis and VW which was my first reason to go to them

The owners work in the shop everyday and are seem to genuinely care about what goes on. 

They warranty their work and seem to be an honest shop.... Something hard to come by these days and well deserving of praise.
5 - Shannon j.: I've been a customer of Broadway for at least eight years.  I can't say enough about how wonderful it is to walk in and not be treated like a woman who knows nothing about cars.  I am a gear-head and was raised around cars all my life -- i know my stuff -- and from the first moment Rick and Sandra treated me with respect.  

I own an Audi and have had all my service done on it for most of it's non-warranty life at Broadway.  I now have 150K miles on the car, it's APR stage I chipped, we upgraded the suspension, the smile on my face has never ceased.  When i had issues with factory warranty parts... most recently a faulty airbag sensor ... rick when to bat for me with the local audi dealer/rep and got it taken care of, for free.  They bring me to work, they pick me up, if you think their prices are unreasonable go ahead and go to walmart and have some inexperienced newbie tech torque some fastener beyond spec or forget to plug in something or use cheap parts.  You get what you pay for folks and broadway in all my experience has been beyond reasonable in their pricing.  I check everything against prices online and have never had a problem feeling gouged or even bringing in my own tuner parts for installation (danny is all stars on that front)! 

I've personally witnessed Rick and/or Sandra dozens of times talk customers out of repairs they did not need or figure out a way to make it something they could afford.  I've never seen such integrity in an auto shop, EVER.

I'm about to move on to a new vehicle, and Rick has even helped me figure out what would suit my driving style and wish list ... a car that i didn't even think of and saving me a ton of money!

They service all cars but specialize in audi/vw and tuning.  You dont' have to be an enthusiast to go here at all, but if you are, you will certainly like it.

Broadway is all aces in my book.  If you want to be taken care of, treated like family, and support a locally-owned business, broadway is your ticket.

Broadway Brew Biergarten - Troy, NY (42.7313653, -73.6907445) ()
2 - Amber F.: Blahbaty blah blah!    

I wanted to like this place,  I really did.   I root for any new place that opens in Troy.     After planning to go to Jose Malone's and finding no parking because of the Brown's lot charging for it (the parade?) I decided to boycott the whole area.     After driving back around, I remembered that this had just opened, so here we go.  

It looks like they haven't actually opened yet.    Empty shelves and a barren bar ( no license yet?) 


This place hasn't found it's niche.  

The menu is all over the board.     Mexican, Spanish, American, Irish. Etc    
(Sadly, they fall short , in the ones we tried at least)
They had 50's music playing, flat screen TV's showing sports and horse racing while the place is adorned with wine paintings.  
Say Wha?
They served us tortilla chips after we sat down.   

Why chips? I'm not sure but they were stale  New restaurant and stale chips?  Doesn't make any sense to me either.  

We ordered a few appetizers instead of meals to try stuff across the board.  

Guacamole- (okay, pretty whitepeopletized but the best thing that was on the table. Served with the stale chips didn't help)

Calamari- Mushy, bland and bleck.

Fish Tacos-See above

Irish quesadilla-  Didn't try this but I was told it was okay, the corn beef was apparently too salty.

Salsa-This came with a dish but it was also TOO salty while the chips had NO salt.  Go figure.

I'm not sure what it is about this location that says "Try too hard!"   Judges Inn had the same issue.    Reductions?  Really?  Get over yourself.  You're a bar in Troy.  Do a few simple things and do them right.

It wasn't the worst meal I've ever had and the service was quick and friendly so they get a 2.  


Unless this place straightens up and flies right, I wont be back.   (depending on the beer they serve  ;] )
2 - Danika A.: Yeah, right on with Amber. I gave this place two chances, both for takeout, before writing a review. What strikes me is that this is a brew pub that has decided to open with no alcohol. As a result, half the restaurant looks barren and kind of depressing. Now, if they had phenomenal food I would see the logic in opening before securing a liquor license. That, however, is not the case.

The first time I ordered the avocado salad with chicken. The person who took the order said "ok, should be a few minutes." I work right across the street, so I waited about 15 minutes then headed over. I then had to wait another 15 minutes for my salad to come out. I honestly felt like I could have gone to the store, grabbed the ingredients, chopped them up and tossed them together faster than it took to pick up my salad here. They didn't put a cover on the container of balsamic vinegar, so it ended up getting all over the bag. The lettuce in the salad was dingy and unappetizing. I didn't feel like the it was worth it to pay extra for chicken.

But I am a fairly understanding person. They just opened, so I thought I'd give them a second chance.

The second time the pickup process was just as frustrating. It seems like there is a severe lack of communication happening there already. We asked if we could split the check 4 ways, and the waiter got snippy and said "Well, that's going to be really difficult. I don't know." Then the man who I assume is an owner came over and quickly split up the bill using their computer. The waiter, realizing he made a fool of himself, tried to play it off as a learning experience for him. Whatever dude.

The food was much better the second time (thus the extra star). I got the salmon with two orders of vegetables. Pretty good, but definitely not good enough to make me want to order from Broadway Brew again.
2 - Terry T.: I came here excited for a new local place.  To say I was disappointed is the understatement of the century.  Granted, it was their "soft opening" AKA We don't have our liquor licence yet and need to make money.  I'm not going to get into the specifics of the meal on this one. I don't believe it deserves it.  I will however say that the menu is all over the place.  Normally I applaud bars/pubs that can pull of multi-national cuisine.  This, sadly, is not the case here.   The wait staff  was courteous if not slow (which is the only reason for a 2.)  Please for the sake of Troy establishments stop trying so hard to travel the globe in a menu.  Stick with something that works and make it your own.  It's not likely I'll be back there anytime soon.
3 - r c.: Went there and it was really average, pretty boring menu... I didn't see the shepards pie or bangers and mash that others have mentioned. Looked like the same menu I could go to at least 6 bars in Troy and get.

I ordered the Cheese Steak, got a Chicken Philly instead.. I mumble sometimes so I gave them a pass. The sandwich was really super dry, it was half the size that I expected, and had maybe 2 - 3 ozs of chicken on it tops. Waffle fries were good though, but not a ton of them either.

Food came out super quick, waitress was nice. I love the building but I always have loved it... but that building and space seems to deserve so much more then bar food. Would like to see at least some interesting specials, if it is going to be regular bar food it should be done exceptionally. 

I am going to try it again and update my review. Hopefully they progress, but I would probably give this a 2.5 for now more than a 3.
3 - Jameel A.: Meh.
I'm rounding up to 3 stars because it was Troy Night Out, and they were obviously too busy.  Even so, the service was still mediocre at best and the food was uninspiring.

Good bar selection, especially on draft.  Prices there were a little on the high side for Troy, but not totally unreasonable.

Food menu... eh.  I'll give them credit for being able to cook green beans and carrots and not turn them to mush.  They were actually quite good.  Otherwise nothing I'd call exceptional.  My fish and chips were average (though the tartar sauce was excellent).  Wife's salmon dinner was bland.  Friend's Reuben sandwich had some excellent corned beef... and NONE of the other things a Reuben should have.

Waitress took forever to pick up our check, and either did not understand the simple cash/credit card split, or tacked on a gratuity without telling me.  Either way, not what I asked for.  It was busy and loud, but she could have at least tried to care.

I'll give them a couple months, if they last that long, and maybe try again.
1 - Preston R.: Just thought I'd be review number whatever to tell you the babes here are hot! So hot! You'll leave with burns right to your eyes! That's how hot they are! Did I mention the babes were hot? 

The owner will also suggest beer for you! Got it? The guy who owns the place will actually suggest beer for you! 

And the food? It's the food of the brewery Gods!

BTW the babes are hot!

If I had kids I would rename them Broadway and Brew!
3 - Lai-Yee B.: They serve food here? I had no idea. But what they do serve are $5 well margaritas. Made with rose's lime! 

This bar isn't so bad for night life, and is much more active than the previous places that had set up shop. They know their market. 

Some of the girls here really like dressing up. I love primping up, but it's like everyone decided to go to bebe and get a body-baring cocktail dress (this is just a dress category, so other gals, please don't take offense and wanna rip my eyes out or anything. I too enjoy wearing cute dresses like that). They are cute dresses, but it seems so funny to see people so dressed up just to go out to a bar in Troy. Saratoga? Sure. But Troy? Heh, I guess Troy is moving up. 
Oh, and mostly the girls were dressed up. A lot of the guys in Troy still like to try to beat the dead Ed Hardy fashion horse, le sigh. 

I was there one night when they had a DJ and it was like a middle school dance of 90s songs and some current pop songs. Still, fun night, and good for people watching. Staff were all fairly friendly. And hello! FIVE DOLLAR TASTY MARGARITAS!
2 - Colleen M.: I stopped in for a brew during FloodFest 2011 (aka: the Irene associated floods). They do not brew their own beer so point off for misleading name.  I couldn't see all the taps so I asked the bartender if they had any hefeweizen on tap. She looked at me like I was from another planet and as though she had never heard the word "hefeweizen". 

To break the awkward silence resulting from my inquiry about hefeweizen... 
Me: which Brown's is that. 

Bartender: its the Whiskey Porter. You should have it, it is good. 

Me: great, I'll have that. 

Sputter sputter splash hissssss. 

Bartender: aakk!. sorry, keg is kicked. 

Me: ok I'll have the Switchback unfiltered ale 

Bartender: we don't have that. 

Me: yes you do its right behind you. 

Bartender:....oh. do you also want this glass of foamy whiskey porter too? 

Me: no thank you, just the switchback. 

There was nothing ceremonious about my friend getting her bluemoon, but she was sad that she didn't get an orange slice with it (and the bartender also "forgot" they had it on tap). Maybe it was brain water-log from all the rain, but even my friend commented something to the tune of "dude, this is weird and we're just here for beer". 

For the record, the babes were not abnormally hot (actually they were average) on the night that I was there and the ceiling is just spray painted gold-ish (not gold leaf) so it wasn't all that exciting visually. So orange bobble head reviewers be damned for teasing me like that. 

Sign on register says $20 minimum on credit cards. They also had a 2 for 1 Monday margarita special going.
4 - Amanda D.: Great atmosphere. Loved the setting. Went on a Saturday night, the DJ gave the place a club-type feel (which I personally enjoyed). Definitely not your typical sports bar. Most appropriate for the college student age range. Overall, I'd without a doubt go back again.
1 - Sarah K.: I gave this place 2 shots.  First time I walked in and the place is EMPTYYYYYY except for a couple of patrons sitting at the bar.  We weren't greeted until we were just standing at the hostess stand for a couple minutes.  Finally the hostess seated us at a table outside, dropped some chips off and left without saying a word.  No one came over and offered to take a drink order or anything and we sat at the table for more than 5 minutes.

Friends of mine had gone in the meantime and raved about the place, said that the beer selection was great and the food was fab.

Against my better judgement I returned.  THIS PLACE IS A MESS.  As a new restaurant you are only as good as your servers.  And they suck here.  We were seated after a short wait with the drinks we had purchased while we were waiting.  We chatted, looked over the menu, finished our drinks.  We sat with empty drinks for quite some time.  The owner popped over to see how everything was going and we mentioned that we hadn't seen our waitress yet.  We waited a little while longer and he came back over and we advised that we still hadn't seen our waitress.  Promptly after this visit from the owner our waitress shows up.  She takes (and screws up) our drink order.  We don't say anything (mistake.)  After another round of drinks is gone, we are left sitting with empty glasses again.  Finally our waitress shows back up and takes the meal order.  We wait 30 minutes.  The owner comes over and explains that it's very busy, apologizes.  We are an understanding bunch so we continue to wait.  Another 30 minutes pass and one from our table goes to track down our waitress (still m-i-a at this point) and we are told that our "food is being plated."  To me this means it's being plated and will be brought right out.  Yet we sit and wait another 15 minutes with still nothing.  We seek out the owner this time and we are told again that it's very busy, yada yada yada.  FINALLY we are ready to leave, because again we've got no drinks and no food.  We should have just left.  The food arrived a short while later and WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT.  I tasted everything from the french fries, to the DRY salad that was brought out even though dressing was requested to the spinach salad to the risotto.  The chef here has some serious salting issues.  As in he doesn't know how to use it.  Everything was bland bland bland.  The spinach in the spinach salad was overcooked, bland (no salt) and was sitting in some sort of brown juice.  Not appetizing nor delicious.  I'm all for new businesses especially in Troy because it needs all the help it can get however I will not be visiting this place again and I'd seriously reconsider if you're looking for a tasty meal.
3 - Michele T.: I would give this place 2.5 stars... but that isn't an option, so three it is.  
I have been here probably a dozen times or so, I work downtown so it is in a great location for me.  The food is decent, there are some yummy salads and today for lunch I got the veggie "burger" which isn't a burger at all... just a marinated veggie sandwich.  Their sweet potato fries are always good... crunchy not soggy.  
I make sure to sit at the bar because the bartender (Karen) is a doll.  I have seen the owner in there nearly every time I am there and I have never witnessed him engaging any of the customers... but maybe it is for the best. 
As bar food goes it is pretty decent.  Depending on who is cooking (I am assuming) the food really fluctuates.  The lunch menu is small which I prefer and they are usually willing to tweak the menu items if you don't see something you like.
Beer selection is good... 
Honestly with a few changes this palace could be really good... but as it is, it is ok.  I have never been disappointed or blown away.
2 - Ken C.: We went here by accident and it was a big mistake. My wife and I were out for a quick dinner before a very popular RPI hockey game (the Freakout, for those of you who live around here) and thought we would try someplace besides the very popular and crowded Brown's Brewing Co. We had tried the other new place on Broadway (which was OK) so headed in that direction, but accidentally walked into the wrong place. We thought we might as well try it (not reading the Yelp reviews for a change ... bad move). They had a veggie burger on their menu so I could eat along with my wife (who remains an omnivore). The first problem was that the veggie burger turned out to be veggies with cheese, which I do not eat. I ordered the veggies, but was given veggies with cheese but they quickly replaced it. (The waiter was a friendly competent guy.) My side order was sweet potato fries and that turned out to be the only decent thing we got to eat. My wife's burger was dry. Her fries were soggy. Everything was pretty blah. "Entertainment' on the restaurant side of the place was provided by a big screen TV playing music from local cable TV company. The music was good but the sound quality was not and I don't like loud, badly amplified music. We won't go back.
1 - Carolyn B.: This place is lame. It looks like they are trying to be a biergarten, but since they know nothing about beer, they fail. Actually, it's kind of obvious that they don't give a crap about beer, and they're just trying to cash in on the growing popularity of craft beers and biergartens. They even spelled "Hoegaarden" wrong on the blackboard menu-- "Holgaarden." For real? It says it right on the tap. 

They have Rare Vos on tap, and when my boyfriend ordered an Ommegang, the bartender corrected him, "actually, it's not Ommegang, it's Rare Vos." Yeaaaah. Lame, dumb, lame.

Out of all the different types of businesses one could open, why would the owner of Broadway Brew choose to open a biergarten? I'm baffled. The least they could do is hire someone who has a clue.
2 - Eugene L.: Not really a big fan of this place.  Maybe because it is trying to copy Wolff's Biergarten in Albany?  I mean come on find your own identity.  Same concept with the peanuts.  The thing that really doesn't make sense to me is they offer a wide range of beer.  Not just German beer but all different kinds. I wouldn't expect to see Peroni on their menu, but it is...just weird if you ask me. Not my first place to stop at when I am thirsty in Troy to grab a beer that's for sure.
5 - George H.: 3rd or 4th time.in here... Staff is wonderful and beers are on point - bring back oktoberfest half-memories... This time i followed the brew up with nachos that of course were delicious and adequetly sized.
2 - Nick H.: I have been here a few times since it reopened as Broadway Brew Biergarten. I first tried them out less than a week after they opened. I liked the different beers available, but the food left a bit to be desired. I had a burger and my friends had wursts. The burger was unremarkable and the French fries reminded me of the ones you get at a fast food restaurant. My friends thought it was a bit odd that the wursts were served in a hot dog bun. I have been back a few other times for beer. The last time I went they had no air conditioning. Additionally, it seemed like they ran out of CO2 as the beer was flat.
4 - Regina D.: The real gem is that the tables are big enough for large groups and the beer flows in 3 sizes: 1/2, 3/4 and full pints. Try the pumpkin ale or hard cider!
The music is consistently good - between JayZ and dubstep- which clashes with the look of the venue's pre-setup beer pong, darts, and jenga activities.
GREAT staff and spacious enough to feel like you can breathe but crowded enough so you're in the IN crowd. Prost!
1 - Emma S.: I have to admit I have never been inside this place.  And never will.  Every time I walk past the place at night it is filled with 20 something  riff-raff.  Young guys with with baseball hats on sideways,  gold chains, pants down to their butt with their underwear showing and squeaky clean white sneakers unlaced.  Get the picture?!  And their female counterparts...looking skanky as ever. This has turned into a local thug/ hoochie mama hang out.  So, unless you're into that scene, avoid it!  Too bad it has turned into that type of hang out since the interior is great and I would want to hang out someplace like this, less their current clientele.
3 - Katy H.: This place is good for large groups. The tables are large and there is plenty of seating.

Jenga and yahtzee is available. There are large buckets of peanuts all over.

Sometimes the waitresses dance on the bar and give out free shots (very weak).

The beer selection could be better for a beer garden.

Broadway Bubbles - New York, NY (40.8026271, -73.968134) (Manhattan Valley)
5 - Kimberli M.: Leave your quarters behind! This newly renovated laundry has only one way to take your money. You "rent" a card for $3 (refundable) and fill the card with cash. All of the machines read this cash card, so no more jammed or dropped quarters! The place is very clean now and the staff friendly and helpful. If you're lucky they'll be playing some great music to bop to while you fold.
2 - Jeff K.: The good part about Bubbles is that it looks a lot nicer than some of the surrounding laundry facilities.  Stainless steel seems to give that impression.  However, although do-it-yourself laundry may be fine, the drop-off service still has a few kinks that need to be ironed out.

Most places take your name, address, and phone number when you first drop off your laundry, so they have some sort of record of who you are.  This information proves to be useful in the case of someone taking home someone else's laundry, where a phone call can quickly remedy the situation.  

Bubbles doesn't do that.  You get a ticket when you drop off your laundry, and claim your laundry with that same ticket.  No names, no numbers.  This little oversight in their system nearly bit me in the ass a few weeks ago when I dropped off a 30 pound bag of laundry, and came back to find only 15 pounds present.  Somehow the colored laundry got misplaced, and the employees were scrambling to look for it.  While I eventually found it sitting in a dryer, our conversation of what might happen if someone had mistakenly taken it home -- "we'll just have to wait and see if they call", they said -- definitely made me hesitant to use the drop-off service again.  They were nice enough about the mix-up, giving me a small discount, delivering the load to my doorstep, and apologizing profusely, but I doubt I'll drop off again until they clean up their system.
2 - Michael S.: I rarely do my own laundry - I send it out to the cleaners, but this is the place nearest to my house when I'm in a pinch or have to launder something myself. 

It looks very clean and the staff are rather nice, and I like that you don't need quarters here

But (and here's why I'm only giving it two stars) something funky seems to happen to my laundry every time I use this place. Strange stains have appeared on clothes in the past, and today, after my visit this morning, there are a few wax spots on my sheets - probably from the dryers there.
2 - Felix A.: Owner is almost comically rude and seething with resentment. Will cuss you out in Spanish unless you actually are Hispanic, in which case he will cuss you out in English. The bathroom has been Out of Order for months, but it isn't actually - he'll let you use it if he's having a good day. 

It's a little overpriced; if you're a little bit north and can wait a night, you're better off going to the 0.70 cents a pound place on 112th, btw. Broadway and Riverside - it's about the same.
4 - jen f.: the machines work nicely, it's well-priced, and it's sparkly clean.
i recommend it.



also why are you talking to 'the help' so much anyway?????????
4 - Alex E.: I didn't know this place had a yelp page until googling it to find operating hours - and I was so surprised by the negative reviews! maybe it was under different management then

I've been doing laundry here for a year and the people there have never been anything short of friendly and helpful - i once loaded a machine with my clothes and detergent only to discover someone left softener in the other slot (i hate fabric softener and i especially dont want use someone else's) I told the women working there who kindly cleaned it up with a towel instead of just telling me to switch machines. Their machines work great, the prices aren't bad at all. and just this weekend the guy was in a good mood or something because he started handing out dryer sheets and kinda dancing around... also, sometimes they play really fun/nny music...
5 - Liza v.: It's an amazing place! if you do drop off your laundry like I do sometimes... There is a woman who works after 5:30pm who does a remarkable job. Day shift does not even put my socks together, and clothes do not smell as good. Also, the day shift people are not as pleasant as the woman who works at night.
5 - Alex C.: Let me begin by saying that as a lifelong suburbanite whose only experience with non-private laundry was in my cushy dorm room, I was a little skeptical about the merits of any laundromat.  When we moved into our UWS apartment and spotted Bubbles just a short stroll away I hoped and prayed that I could tolerate going there biweekly.  Turns out it is the perfect neighborhood laundromat!  

From the first time we went to Bubbles the staff have been helpful and the facility has been clean and functional.  I can't speak to their wash and fold, but doing it yourself is simple and I have never had any issue! It costs us (2 adults) about $9 every two weeks to do our laundry. 

Now go make your mama proud and clean that massive pile of laundry you have been avoiding...
3 - Rebecca M.: Dropped my laundry off yesterday for wash and fold service at Bubbles. $18 for 14 lbs! That's a lot. ($1.28/lb when I've paid $.80/lb elsewhere for better results). Note that the $18 includes a $3 surcharge for separating colors - this I have never heard of. So needless to say i was surprised when I brought my laundry home only to find a bunch of whites ruined because they clearly had not been washed separately. I brought it back immediately, the woman agreed to wash the items again free of charge, but wouldn't give me a new ticket (how else was she going to track it?). She eventually gave me back my original receipt just so I'd have some proof. Went back today, and the same woman insisted on a ticket, but luckily they were able to correct their washing mistake.

I appreciated the fast same day service, the location convenience, and the place's cleanliness. But if I'm going to pay $3 for you to wash my colors separately, then please actually do it next time.
4 - Sarah S.: I really like this place because it's CLEAN! C'mon people!! The last place you want to do your laundry is at a dirty laundromat!!!

If you don't want to look like a newb (that was totally me), just follow my directions:
1. Walk all the way in & next to the counter, there's a machine where you can buy a rechargeable card. This will cost you $3 and you need to put in dollars. NO $5's, $10's
2. Once you get your card, you can charge however much you want! This time, you may use $5 or $10 bills.
3. The washer's pretty easy to use--follow the direction. They have small, medium, large & extra large size machines for $2.50, $3.50, $5.50 and & $7.
4. The dryer's a bit more complicated. For every 8 minutes, it's $0.35. So if you want to use it for 32 minutes, then you put your card in, the machine will show how much is left on your card & you press a button that says 8 (8 for 8 min & you gotta either press the cold, warm, or hot). Then you swipe your card again, this will now increase the minutes to 16 & so on. If you're not sure how many minutes you need, then just try 8-16 min & put in more money as you go. You can also open the machine while it's running if you need to take something out or if you want to check. 

There is an area where you can fold your laundry, but it's not that big, so I def wouldn't do that especially if the place was crowded.
1 - Erica D.: After a couple months of going to this place, using only the self-service laundry, I have some advice for new Bubbles patrons:

- Don't ever expect to be reunited with the "refundable" $3 you spend on the stupid laundry card.
- Don't get too attached to the clothes that you bring here because, inevitably, items will disappear.
- You are beholden to them for whatever amount of money you put on the card, so don't ever put more than $10 on it (or whatever amount you're comfortable throwing away because, inevitably, your card will disappear).
- Have fun finding a machine that works. Think of it like a casino, sometimes you put your money in a machine and get nothing. Sometimes you win a clean load of laundry.
- No seriously. Put aside all reasonable and logical expectations to get your money back when their equipment fails because the staff will claim they aren't "allowed" to give you a refund, no matter how small the amount.
4 - Anna C.: Am I the only person in this city who does their own laundry rather than dropping it off? I'm way too cheap and specific about how I wash and dry my clothes to leave it to someone else.

Anyways- as far as laundromats go, this place is pretty solid. The machines take special prepaid cards rather than coins, so no hoarding your quarters. It's super clean, never overly crowded, and the owner will help you out when you can't figure out how to add more time to your dryer (hint: dip your card once to get the first 8 minutes, press whichever temperature level button you desire, then dip your card as many times as you like to add additional 8 minute increments.)
4 - Emily E.: Nice neighborhood laundry place. Angel, and the rest of the staff here are very nice and helpful. Price range from $2.50 - $7 for washing machines and 35 cents per 8 minutes for the dryers. 

Bonus that it is near plenty of coffee shops to hang out at while waiting for your wash to be done.

I will say that I did once bring 4 shirts to get dry cleaned, and was told to come the following Tuesday to pick them up. When I got there, the shirts were not ready -- they were not even in the building (they ship them somewhere else to get cleaned). I was annoyed, but still return for self-service because it is one of the nicer places in the area to do your laundry.
4 - Eve P.: This place is right near me, so I'm glad it's been a good experience. Note: I do my own laundry, so I can't comment on their drop-off service. 

I haven't experienced what some people have complained about. Yes, sometimes machines are broken, but they always put big "out of order" signs on them. Even at the busiest times there is a machine available. I've never had clothing disappear. And I don't see how it's their fault if you lose your card. 

My out-of-town friends have been a little freaked out that there isn't really a waiting area (there are three seats), so you have to leave while your clothes are doing their thing, but I've never had someone try to steal any of my clothes. 

In short, this is a basic, no-frills laundromat. Your clothes will get clean and you won't get ripped off. That's really all I'm looking for.

Broadway Café & Jumbo Steak Hoagie - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2900817, -83.7374658) ()
3 - Bjorn G.: This little hole-in-the-wall has some curious specialties. It's a Korean place that sells cheesesteaks. They only have about six things on the menu, but they do them all well. Cheesesteaks are a little greasy for my taste, but good. I used to live right around the corner from this place, so I'd go there a lot. The number of Korean regulars indicates to me that the quality of that fare is high. Or maybe it's just the very friendly owners that brought them in.
4 - Jeff C.: They make my favorite bibimbop in town.  It's a mom and pop place for sure...but nothing wrong with that.  don't go in looking for a nice decor or lots of flair.  it's a small menu...but pretty much everything is pretty good.  service can be a lil slow if there's a couple tables in there but usually worth the wait.
5 - Noneya L.: I love the Hoagie!! This place rocks!
5 - Matt G.: Do yourself and your stomach a favor and immediately drop what you are doing, get into your car, and drive it like you stole it to Broadway Cafe (bring cash of course because they don't except card). As being a native of Korea, I can appreciate great Korean food, especially yummy Kimchi, which Broadway cafe has both of. I went there one day before work, and got their cheesesteak hoagie not knowing that my taste buds would fall in love with this place. Not your typical cheesesteak hoagie, these come with bulgogi styled beef with onions and hot peppers at your request. Even though it is challenging to rush to gratification, your upper mouth will thank you if you wait until the cheese is cooled down before digging in. The spicy chicken is also a dish that I have grown fond of. White rice, Kimchi (which is some of the best I've had), along with stirfried chicken, onion, and potatoes (I get it without the green pepper). It's like heaven in my mouth. My main man working will get to know you after a few visits as he has me.
4 - Jason C.: The two last times I visited, I had their Su-lung-tang (Beef Bone Soup).  Of all the Sulung Tang I had, this place by far has the best - better then Seoul Garden.  The soup is white colored, almost cloudy, has noodles and slices of beef... it's served with rice and kimchi and comes with small amount of red sauce.  

The soup is not seasoned, so grab some salt on the table and season to taste... don't put too much... put little at a time and taste to your desire.  If you want it hot, put some of the red sauce.
4 - Natasha A.: If you love random hole in the walls or mom & pop shops .... this place is for you.  I've been eating here for years and I highly recommend it for the bi bim bop.  Yes, it's true there are only a few items on the menu but they are all done very well.  The husband takes the orders and is extremely kind and the wife cooks.  In all the years I've been eating here, I think I've only seen her from the backside as she is always in the kitchen cooking something up..
4 - Chiwei L.: In LA, korean fusion taco trucks are all the rage.  Well wouldn't you know it, Broadway Cafe in Ann Arbor has been doing Korean hoagie fusion  since the 80s.   

The kind Korean born owner told me that he bought the original hoagie shop several decades ago.  Around that time, he would get in Korean Students from the University who were home sick for Korean Food, and  kept asking the owner to make some.  The rest is history.

Anyway, I ordered the steaming hot and gooey cheese steak hoagie, and it's a wonderful rendition of the classic Philly.  It's actually pretty similar in style to what you can get in Gabriels in Ypsi, but perhaps a bit cheesier.  

As for the korean food.  Everybody in the place was eating Bul Go Gi, A a rice bowl toped with meat, veg and fried egg, looked pretty good.  We had  Soon do Bo, a spicy seafood tofu soup, which was a bit mellow and tame for me, but my wife still enjoyed it.  I also got an education about the bone soup, and that YOU are supposed to mix the hot sauce, rice and salt in yourself....  

Next time I think somebody should try just ordering the steak sandwich, and add the korean bul go gi sauce on top.  Who knows, maybe you can even get the owner to throw on a fried egg.  Now that's Korean Fusion!
4 - Alan W.: I love there cheese steak..This is pretty much a Korean version of Philly cheese steak made with Bulgogi.  This place is great and the Korean couple that work there are very nice people.  I highly recommend trying the place out.  They have a very small menu, but it's very good.
5 - Rachael N.: The Korean philly cheesesteak hoagie. Hands down. SO GOOD.

I don't think I've had a better Korean bulgogi hoagie before. I mean, the cheesesteaks in Philly are obviously a different class, but man, bulgogi with onions and cheese, coming out piping hot? Oh man, I LOVE IT. I tried the bulgogi cheesesteak at Kosmos...which was so not good. haha. Broadway cafe sets the par. 

I haven't tried the other foods....but I'm sure it's good as well? The owner is super nice as well- he broke out in opera song a couple of times when I frequented here, and he's really good too...makes for a fun "now that's Ann Arbor" type of place to eat. 

My mouth is watering for a cheese steak hoagie as I write this....
5 - Julie H.: Hands down - delicious!

What more could you want?  A hoagie in one hand and any main staple Korean dish you'd want.  They have a very selective menu - which means that what they do make, they make it very well.  It is a Korean style bulgogi hoagie (man that was a mouthful) and feel free to add Kimchi - if you like.  As for their Korean dishes - they have your main soon doobu and bibimbap - both very good.

And if that doesn't convince you - the gentleman that owns this place has no problem keeping you entertained.  Very nice man!
4 - tony a.: Stopped here after seeing something about it somewhere on the Internet.  Was not really sure what to expect, in a rundown looking strip mall between a dusty liquor store and a cottage inn which is far from the original.  

Walk inside to a sparse looking place with a couple of fridges with soda and water, a board with minimal items to choose from and the cheeriest person who took care of us quickly and efficiently.  A couple of hoagies were ordered with a side of fries and we sat to wait while enjoying our cans of soda.

The gentleman brought out our fries with ketchup and some paper towels and then two very large hoagies with mushrooms and peppers added.  Very tasty and very filling, probably should have skipped the fries.  Will go back and try the few Korean items on the menu.  

Great Place.

Best regards, tony
5 - James C.: I've been eating here since I was a child(so it's been at least 15 years), and each time I come back here it is as good as the last.
My personal favorites are the cheesesteak hoagie with mushrooms and hot peppers on the side, and the soon dooboo.  The sulung tang, spicy chicken, and sweet and sour chicken are also really good too.  
The hoagie is absolutely delicious.  I love it when it first comes out and you can see the steam rising from the sandwich(my mouth is watering now)....and then you unwrap it and you see the gooey cheese with that meat, onion, and mushroom hot delicious mess.  I love the sesame bun because it isn't really toasted and it holds the filling pretty well.  And then I add the hot pepper and it adds that little kick that I like sometimes.

The soon dooboo is a different story.  They use some of that broth from the sulung tang which adds a nice flavor, because I love their sulungtang too.  They add some meat, and seafood, and egg, and...it's just straight up delicious.  It tastes like home cooking, and not so restaurant cooking(to me).  Something I really like about the soondooboo is that if I'm feeling a little adventurous, I can ask them to make it spicier than the usual, and they have no problem doing that.  I don't think i'll ever ask them to make it not as spicy as usual, but I guess they can do that for you too.  If you're a first timer, I suggest you just take it as it comes, and then when you decide to come back, if you want it spicier, do it.

I guess a problem is that they only accept cash, but an inside scoop tells me that they're in the process of getting a credit card processor!
Credit, or no credit, I know that I'll be going back.
5 - Carey L.: One of my favorite lunch spots in town.  In the mood for Be Bim Bop - go here.  In the mood for a solid cheesesteak hoagie - go here.  In the mood to feel like you've entered someone's home instead of a chain restaurant go here.  Limited menu but everything is done well.  The owners are essential the only employees there and they treat you right.  Used to be cash only but they take credit cards now.  Had times in the past when I didn't have cash and they let me just pay the next time I came back.
5 - Li C.: Amazing food. I like that the menu is small.. this means everything is fresh.

The cheese steak is ..lemme put it this way, your philly friends will approve! the flavor is right, the bread is tender and fresh, and the ribeye is so tasty.

7 bucks for cheese steak or korean food is really cheap. the portions are big too. i love this place  for lunch or dinner. I usually get the bim bim bop, japchae, or sun dun boon. 

Try their soups. I know the names might be unfamilar, but on a rainy or cold day, it really warms the soul. It reminds me of Mom's home cooking. I'm not Korean, but I can still see the care that went into the preparation of their meals.

The atmosphere is very casual which is much appreciated in an increasingly gentrified ann arbor.  No fancy attire needed. The owner and his wife are wonderful people. They were so welcoming and inviting to their guests. I asked Mr. Sim if he opened on Sunday and he said "No, we rest and watch a Korean drama (show)" . LOL, the owners are such humble and sweet people. They don't hire any help and it's literally the two of them working all day long. If you want to support local businesses, it doesn't get any more local than this!
5 - Dan L.: Hidden gem with friendly owner who seemingly knows everyone by name or at least by their typical order. You can never go wrong w the bibimbop or hoagie though the soondooboo and sulungtang may be a bit adventurous for those not familiar w Korean food. 

Overall it has a small menu but does all of them well. Only downside is no phone orders and used to be that no credit cards were accepted, but he's begun to take MC/Visa so that's helped out a lot.  Beware, Mr. Chang does keep very strict hours and will sometimes close the door right on the dot (or 15 minutes before closing) so be sure to get there during normal hours.
5 - Liz W.: Oh good lord why did I not come here sooner?

Korean cheesesteak with hot sauce, utter deliciousness, also nice with just cheese, onions and peppers. Quality bulgogi. Yay for a place the husband can eat Korean-ish with me as well. Good bibimbop and incredible kimchi too. It reminds me of my friends mom's stuff. I need more kimchi in my life to be frank. Yummy. I also need to man up and try the bone soup apparently, now that I am browsing these reviews I figure I am missing out.

Selection is limited but what they do have you are sure to enjoy. Atmosphere is not much to brag on but the owners are super sweet and just great. Bring cash!
5 - David S.: It's never that busy, but that's primarily because of location.  The Korean couple running the place are absolutely great -- the husband mans the front, while the wife does the cooking.  I love Korean food, so I've always opted to go with the bulgogi (they just call it barbecued beef on the menu) or the bibimbop.  The bibimbop is good, but they don't have dolsots (stone pots) to get the rice crispy.  For that reason, I usually go with the bulgogi, which is some of the best in Ann Arbor.  I love that they grill a little onion and green pepper with the bulgogi -- it adds a nice touch.  Soup and kimchi is fine.  I imagine that the cheesesteaks are great because they use the same bulgogi meat.

A meal will run you around $10 here (no tip necessary -- in fact, the owner usually refuses the tip), and will fill you up.  It's a great place to sit back, relax, and have some peace and quiet while you eat your meal (although a lot of people get theirs to go). NOTE: this is in a very small place, and kind of has the feel of a take-out pizza place; there are only 4 or 6 tables.  It's not fancy at all, so don't try to impress a date or parent by taking them here.
5 - Michelle C.: You've never had a good cheesesteak until you've tried the cheesesteak hoagie here. The thin-sliced ribeye is marinated to perfection. Grilled when you order, the steam from cooking the meat is what steams the hoagie bun! 

Their Korean dishes are simple, but freshly prepared. I have been going to this restaurant for over a decade and have never been disappointed!
5 - Abe L.: So I went back to Ann Arbor for Homecoming weekend... it's been 14 years! And what's one of the MUST GOTO food spots that I'm remembering... yes - Broadway Cafe for the Cheesesteak Hoagies - get extra cheese and hot peppers! This place is awesome - and honestly - hasn't changed much since I used to frequent it from 1993-1997.  I guess when something works well, you don't have to fix anything.  Anyhow - It was as delicious as I remember... only thing different is my waistline used to be able to afford to eat here 4 times a week.  Extra cheese. Damn.
4 - Gary L.: This place is GREAT. I've walked past this place on my way to the Korean supermarket and thought I'll never eat at this plain looking place...until I read these Yelp reviews. This place is a hidden gem. Plain restaurant with plain looking tables and chairs but food is amazing. 

Their cheesesteak hoagie is made with Korean style steak. It always comes STEAMING hot so be careful. Don't forget to add the peppers (free). This Korean style cheesesteak is SUPER SUPER good. The hoagie is of a pretty good size but not quite enough to fill me up, so I sometimes add fries. Diner style big fries, nothing special but goes great with the hoagie. 

As for their Korean dishes: the bibimbop is pretty average, nothing to rave about. Their spicy soft tofu soup on the other hand is DELICIOUS. It's spicy to a good level and very very flavorful. It comes with a bowl of rice and a side of kimchi. They cook the egg in the soup for you so if you want it separate let them know. 

Only drawback is price...but every other food joint is overpriced in Ann Arbor anyway. I still can't believe AA food is more expensive than back home in San Francisco. 

Don't let the appearance fool you, TRY THE PLACE!
4 - emeril l.: MMMM...cheese steaks and bi bim bop at the same stop, you cant' go wrong.  The owners are SOOOO nice!

and, they do take credit cards now.
5 - Bryan K.: Place is small and nothing to write home about for the decor but the food and the owners make up for it... very friendly and tasty.  The menu is small but always have a hard time picking what i want because its all FANTASTIC!!! make sure you keep coming back to try the few things they have. This is a must visit location and they do now take credit cards... in the past I've learned the hard way.
5 - Morgan C.: Best place for mixed tastes. I have been frequenting since my college days. The hardest part about eating here is being able to decide between the cheese steak hoagies or the bi bim bop. It is most certainly worth doubling up on the mushrooms and cheese if getting the hoagie. And don't forget the complimentary hot peppers. A hidden gem, which you know must be good when you are surrounded by Koreans. Do not pass this one up!
4 - Daron D.: A Yelp recommendation.

Heard about this place from yelp along with the fact that my girlfriend like Korean food, i went and took a try at this place. The Hoagie is good ( second best in the Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor to Izzy), the spicy chicken stir fry is solid, the bulgogi is great (best  dish in the restaurant), and the kimchi is ok. The place only has about 10 options and is a must try at least once in your life.
2 - Ashley J.: I stopped in here for the recommended cheese steak. I give it a "meh." The meat was pretty good, but not out of this world. The real letdown was the bun. It was super dry and bordering on the flavor of cardboard, which totally took away from the sandwich. I get that the diveiness of this place seems alluring, but I wasn't impressed.  It's also not especially cheap (around $9.50 for my sub and can of pepsi). Skip the cheese steak here and get yourself a good one from Dibella's or Jersey Mike's.
5 - Alex N.: Cheesesteak was phenomenal. By far the best I've found in the Greater Ann Arbor area. Steak was so flavorful and came on a roll that melted in your mouth. Relatively inexpensive for the amount of food you're given. Definitely going to become a staple of my Ann Arbor restaurant rotation.

Broadway Diner - Atlanta, GA (33.7715222, -84.38515) (Midtown)
1 - Andrea B.: Yay!  I'm the first one to write a review!  And I'm glad b/c now I can warn anyone who's thought of coming here to turn around and run!  Run for your life!  Me and my friends went here one night, around, oh, let's say, 3 in the morn.  Now, I guess you get what you're asking for when you go to a diner that late, but no!  I'm from Cali!  The land of great diners (okay, so Cali isn't know for its diners but whatever)!  No matter what time of the day it is, if you're open 24 hours, I expect, at least, decent food.  Not so the case w/ this lovely dining establishment.  I ordered the most simplest of all foods - the hamburger.  I guess it got pretty complicated b/c I ordered cheese on it - cheddar cheese!  My other friend ordered hash browns w/ cheese melted on it.  Seems simple, right?  No.  First, it took, like, 45 minutes for us to even get our food.  Once we got it, it was, you guessed it, wrong.  My friend's hash browns had no cheese on it and my burger had the wrong kind of cheese on it - Blue Cheese!  OMFG.  No offense to those of you who smother their burger w/ blue cheese, but I'm just not that type of girl.  After telling our waiter that my friend had no cheese on her hash browns and that I had the wrong type of cheese on my burger, he took the plates and disappeared into the back.  I sat there wondering, "If it took 45 minutes for me to get a simple cheeseburger, then how long is it gonna take for me to get another one made?  With the right cheese?!"  Just then another thought came to me: "They're gonna scrape the blue cheese off of my burger and replace it w/ cheddar."  Whaddya think they did?  Bingo!  Not only did they return w/ the same burger, but there was still bits of Blue Cheese on there.  Oh yeah, he also forgot to put cheese again on the hash browns.  At that point, I'm starving and not caring what I get.  I try and eat around the blue cheese and my friends are ready to play the game called Eat n' Run.  We were all pretty pissed and this close to not paying for lousy service and food, but we ended up paying in the end.  We told the manager what happened, he apologized and gave us a 10% off coupon for our next visit there.  But how is a coupon going to work when we've all vowed to never come back?
3 - Deandre L.: One morning after a long long long night I found myself in need of some good food at a great price and that is exactly what i got when I stopped in at Broadway Diner. 

The time was roughly about 5 am. I was the only one in the overly decorated dining room. With no knowledge of what they had to offer and my ipod touch unable to pick up wireless so i could check what the awesome yelpers had to say, I went with my waiters suggestion of the Pancakes 321 meal which is 3 pancake with 3 strips of bacon, 2 sausages, and 1 slice of ham. 

I must say the food was pretty good. Hot fluffy pancakes and juicy meat filled my plate and i washed it all down with some house brewed coffee. Overall on a very late night this New York style diner is very reliable
3 - TJ M.: Ate here after seeing an afternoon show at the Fox.  It was about 4:30-5pm on a Saturday.  It wasn't all that busy and we got seated almost immediately.

Food was fine if nothing special.  I got a chicken gyro (lamb wasn't an option), and my friend got chicken fingers.  She really liked their barbecue sauce as it had some heat to it.  My tzatziki sauce didn't seem as authentic as other Greek diners I've eaten at, but I'm no expert and it was perfectly edible.  Fries were fine.  Portion sizes were normal.

Overall, cheap and convenient eats, walking distance from the Fox.  Not a long wait.  Service was fine, although our waiter was distracted since he was also acting as host and seating new tables as they walked in.

Not a bad place to get a bite depending on what you're looking for.  This isn't the sort of place you'd go out of your way to eat at, however.
3 - DISPLACEDCLEVELANDER C.: After all of the crummy reviews, my spouse and I were expecting something really D+ but I have to say it was around a B-.

It's Memorial Day so not much was open. I was hungry. Wasn't expecting life altering food. 

The service was good. Nice waitress. Our food didn't take long. I ordered a beef gyro and it was alright. Wasn't the worst gyro I've eaten but it wasn't the best. Tzatziki sauce was in need of some more garlic and perhaps some salt. My husband enjoyed his patty melt and got the onion rings instead of the fries. Although I was pleased with the fries, these onion rings were FANTASTIC.

Seeing as how we were down south, we felt obligated to get a side of cheesy grits. For a side order, the portion size was ENORMOUS and could've easily filled one hungry person's tummy or have been enjoyed (as a side dish) for a table of four people.

On the way to our table, I noticed some baklava that looked out of this world. But by the time I got 9/10 of my gyro eaten and put a small dent in the grits-- there was so room (unfortunately) for the baklava.

All in all, this restauatant was fine.
1 - Alexis R.: I love a basic diner as much as the next girl, but this place is really bottom-of-the-barrel. Right near the Fox, they cover the walls with Playbills and posters and assume the decor will overshadow the fact that the food is overpriced and tasteless.

I'll admit it: my friend and I had a few drinks at Engine 11 before we hit Broadway Diner for a late-night dessert and sobering-up session. But usually, pre-drinking makes food taste better, not worse.

They were out of the cake we wanted, but we eventually settled on an Oreo cake. I mean, how badly can you screw that up? It's chocolate, cream, and cake. Apparently, you can screw it up decently badly. The dessert was stale, flavorless, and nearly inedible - with a moderately hefty price tag of ~$5. The service was okay while we were there, but when we left, our waitress was crouching outside the restaurant smoking a cigarette. Classy!

All in all, not a place I'll be going back to. I tried not to judge a book by its cover but in this case, I should have. I'm going to Engine 11 next time!
1 - Eren C.: Steer Clear of this place if you value your time and your tummy! This was by far the WORST dining experience I've ever had in my entire life! My friend and I were taking in a show at the Fox, we got our tickets early and had about an hour and a half to kill before the show started. We were hungry and decided to grab a bite to eat somewhere close by and within walking distance since we had already parked in the $20 lot. I originally chose one of our tried and true favorites, Gladys Knight's Chicken & Waffles, but she was afraid of the lines. That's when we checked Yelp and saw that Broadway diner was closer, cheaper and more convenient for us.... or so we thought. We also saw the bad reviews but we thought, "how bad could it be?, we need something quick and close and we'll just salt and pepper the "bland" food (which was the main complaint we were seeing)." Turns out that bland food would've been awesome... what I really got was NO food and HORRENDOUS service. As SOON as we sat down our waiter, without welcoming us or even attempting a smile, asked us if we were ready to order. The menu is about five pages back and front and we hadn't even had a chance to look at it properly so we told him to come back in 5 mins. He looked at us as if we had grown horns. He said that the kitchen was SUPER busy,(even though we looked around and it wasn't very crowded in there that we could see) and that our food may take a while so we needed to order right away. I thought that was incredibly rude, not so much what he said, but also the way he said it. He was quite unpleasant. So we quickly picked something and started the wait. My friend ordered chicken wings and I ordered the lasagna and a pepsi, two things that we thought should be quick and easy. Even so, we still had over an hour to kill so we didn't mind waiting a little while for our food. We waited and waited and waited.. our waiter CONTINUALLY passed our table and never updated us on the status of our order. I couldn't figure out why it would take so long to cut a piece of lasagna that I was sure was already made and to throw some wings on a plate for my friend. There were several people around us being seated and THEIR food was being served- people who came in up to TWENTY minutes after us!!!! Still our waiter passed us, served them and ignored me when I tried to get his attention. Finally after about 40 minutes with no food or update, we spotted the manager who was walking around asking if everyone was okay so I got her attention. I told her we hadn't been served or updated on our order from over 40 mins ago. She never smiled or apologized, she just asked who our waiter was (we had no idea since he never introduced himself) all we could do was describe him. She left without saying a word and we never saw her again. Finally after that my girlfriend's wings and fries came. Everything was cold as if it had been sitting back there for a long time. All the reviews were right, it was horribly bland and nasty. How can you mess up wings?? The portion size was small and it was just bad. There was still no sign of my lasagna but I told my friend to go ahead and eat. We waited an additional 10-15 minutes and nothing. By now I was so livid that I just decided to tell the waiter to cancel my order. He looked annoyed and gave me this look as if I should've expected this because he did warn us but I'm sorry, pre-made lasagna should not take an hour to be served no matter what. Somehow now that I had cancelled my order, I finally got an update. He said it would be coming out in one minute and would I like to wait? WAIT??? I'd been waiting an hour, we had a show to catch and I was STARVING, I was done waiting. Even after canceling all our waiter could muster was a muffled 'sorry'. We paid for my friend's food and ran out of there as fast as we could. Luckily there was a pita place right next door where I was able to get a quick Pita since I only had about 10 mins left to eat. Thanks for NOTHING broadway diner, you ruined my night with your horrible, unapologetic service. PLEASE SKIP THIS PLACE!

Broadway Farmer's Market - New York, NY (40.8073056, -73.9642983) (Morningside Heights)
5 - Heather H.: This little Farmer's Market is great.  It's on Thursdays and Sundays from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.  Consistently, there are two produce stands (one also sells grass fed beef), two bakeries, one jam/jelly/chutney stand, flowers and plants.  Occasionally Ronnybrook Dairy shows up.

Everyone is very friendly and helpful.  It's never too crowded and there is a good variety of local made/grown food.
4 - Ben C.: You know what they say, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away."  Well, if you've been slacking with your apple consumption and are starting to get worried then the Broadway Farmer's Mkt. is where you need to be!  They should probably just rename it "Broadway Apple Market ('N Things)."  Nah, veggies (whatever's more or less in season), preserves and baked goods are all well represented.  Usually a stand with seafood/shellfish and another with dairy items too.  Nonetheless, I tend to stick with the apples, apple cider (hot!!!), apple doughnuts, apple gumbo, apple ...
5 - Dan T.: Always well-attended by vendors and patrons, with locally grown products and fresh food, as all farmer's markets should be. I come Thursday AND Sunday every week I can, despite the same vendors being there, simply for quality and value. The winters can leave it plagued with fewer vendors and customers, but that's to be expected, and I am grateful they continue year-round.
5 - Haley R.: Meredith's Breads gets 5 stars, hands down. I would rate the rest a 3.5 if I could, a small yet very convenient farmer's market.
4 - Gab R.: This was great, and on the way to Columbia from our hotel! I got hot cider for about $1.

Broadway Marketplace - Cambridge, MA (42.3739785, -71.1130728) (Harvard Square)
4 - A T.: I think I like this place mainly because I have some good memories associated with it--I know that probably sounds wierd. A friend of mine and I would come up here for conferences during college and always get lost--the Market Place was our landmark. We'd always stop in for snacks or breakfast before moving on. Now that I live in the area full time I've noticed there's a definite lack of "real " grocery stores, especially if you don't have a car. I like Broadway Market Place because they squeeze a lot of stuff into a small space.  The attached Starbucks also makes it convenient to stop and chat with a friend between errand running.
4 - Jessica R.: Having almost officially survived my first year as a design grad student I have something to admit.  It was entirely due to Broadway market.  Sure it is ridiculously overpriced (a noodle bowl I buy at whole foods for $2.39 is $5.00 here!) but it is the closest thing resembling a supermarket to the harvard design school.  I guarrantee you at any point of the day 50% of the people in the store are stressed out architecture students looking around for their next gourmet chocolate fix.

For vegans they have a decent selected of faux meats, amy's microwaveable dinners, organic bread, silk soy milk, etc
3 - Laura A.: i wandered in here today to pick up a few things if i could find stuff that was decently priced, and guess what? i left empty-handed. i'm talking $5 for a freaking BOX OF CEREAL.  and i thought, well, it's really more a place to get fresh produce and stuff....and then i saw they were charging $2 for ONE AVOCADO. are you kidding me? like, is this california hass avocado at the market so much better than the one that came from trader joe's and was $2.50 for FOUR? i know i'm cheap but that shit doesn't stand, considering that you would waste SO much money in the long run by shopping here regularly and that gets me *right here* (picture me thumping my chest). i know julia child shopped here and everything but that's probably just because she lived nearby (otherwise i'm sure she would've hit up russo's).

i gave this place extra stars for carrying alternative baking co. cookies and having sandwiches (i'm taking a summer class on kirkland and it's nice to have another option than just darwin's).
1 - Mats K.: Worst supermarket I have ever been to.   it's only redeeming quality is its proximity to my house.

It's small, cramped, has unsatisfactorily small selections in just about every product category, and is grossly over-priced.

This place epitomizes the snobby highbrow organic food supermarkets that are infecting Cambridge.
3 - Mags L.: croissants here used to be the best i'd had in cambridge.  i don't know if they changed their recipe or what, but now not so much.  (now when i'm hankering for a croissant i go to zigo in kendall square.   apparently they're brought in from the four seasons.)

i wouldn't advise getting actual groceries from here.  crazy overpriced.  produce - not great either.

sometimes i'll go to get some food from the hot food bar after work and it's decent.  sig other has gotten tuna melts made and he seems to enjoy them.  overall - not great, not terrible.
4 - Kristin S.: As someone who works in the area Broadway Market is a life saver when you don't want to eat in a Harvard Cafe and you don't want to walk all the way to the Square.  I wouldn't ever do my grocery shopping here but to pick up lunch or snacks to keep in the office its great. 

In the summer I am at the salad bar every day...and I also love their packaged watermelon cups. (I love watermelon but hate cutting it)  They have a real true bona fide deli section as well as hot meals and prepared salads which is really nice.  And they have the liquor section in the back.  Their bakery section has saved me and my coworkers many times on birthdays.  The possibilities for lunch here are endless...
3 - Becki W.: Ok... you have left work in Malden and you have class in Cambridge in 30 minutes. You are hungry. The smart move would have been that snack at your desk at 4:30 while you were finishing up your day's work, but no.... you were 2 cubicles away chatting with your coworker.
There is no way you will be able to take the train to Sullivan, the 86 to Harvard Sq and run to class before your Prof starts chatting it up at 5:35. Forget the Orange to Red line connection, the Red line part alone is 20 minutes.  CALL A CAB!

The cab comes, and you realize you have just enough to make it to the Square. Your class notes are a mess, the text book is at home and your stomach is rumbling. Damn! SOLUTION - "Grab and go" food. Don't even try Au Bon Pain. Their line is long and they are a good 7 minute power walk from clas. Try Broadway Market!

I have grabbed my "grab and go" food there as I have left work and ran to my Monday night class. It's a block and half from the Philosophy building, so very convenient. Decent salads, fresh fruit, not just unhealthy choices. though some good looking pastries.

The food is a little overpriced, but only slightly more than you would pay for at a Trader Joes or Whole Foods.  They also have Tate's Cookies which are a staple in my family, as they are Soooooooo good.

Not the best. Not the worst. Not cheap. But convenient to the Yard.
3 - Michelle K.: Broadway Marketplace is a grocery store that's bigger than a bread box or a convenience store but smaller than a full supermarket. It's down the street from my place and it's never too crowded. It stocks one or two brands of the essentials plus higher-end products in a Whole Foods-way... and according to their website they have catering too. Though the Marketplace has nice perks - they sell wine and booze in the back! and it's atttached to a Starbucks -still I gotta dole out 3 stars because it's prices are gourmet as well. Everything is about 50-75% more expensive than you would pay at Shaw's. But that won't stop me from buying milk here when I'm too lazy to go into Porter.
PS: Just ate a strawberry muffin from their bakery and it was so good I had to come online and review this place right away. Mmmmm mmm mmm.
2 - Vanilla P.: Their cheese selection sucks. What kind of place calls itself a marketplace with a measly selection of oh, 10 cheeses? 

How am I supposed to raise my LDL's to a scary level if I can only get ONE kind of parmigiano and ONE kind of Jarlsberg? For shame!

Plus, this old lady had parked herself in front of the (limited) bread selection, and wasn't moving. 

Stupid people, minimal varieties, and high prices pretty much guarantee a repeat performance -- NOT.
3 - Andres M.: Very expensive supermarket with decent food and Iggy's bread. I like that they always have tomatillos and serrano peppers otherwise I wouldn't go there often.
4 - Julian H.: Yes, the stuffs here are majority on the wee pricey than a typical supermarket like Traders Joe or Wholefoods. What they lack in competitve pricing, they gain in fresh-cooked counter and bakery section, on top of the co-joining with the Starbuck's cafe. There's also quite a limited number of private parking spaces for patrons.

I wouldn't come here for groceries but the fresh-food counter is always convenient whenever I'm really hungry and happens to be near there. You can even have them there as there are a few tables and chairs available for a quick meal. That's the only thing that keeps me returning. I gave it a four star because in this world, service and convenient rule.
4 - Kiki B.: wow, such a find! great produce selection, beer, wine, liquor (unlike practically every grocery store in the city!), nice selection of all the basic foods you need.
3 - Erin E.: I'm rather lukewarm about Broadway Market Place.  The prices are a bit bewildering, but I guess you factor in real estate.  I like the variety, a lot.  They verge into gourmet territory in certain areas, and other areas offer more pedestrian foodstuffs (the hot bar looks a bit gross).  I love how they open at 7 AM and their salad bar has all kinds of fresh fruit.  The produce is on par with lower-end markets.  They do a lot with the space, and everyone in there is cheery.  3.5 etoiles.
4 - John L.: Decent catering, particularly at breakfast.  Also very good about getting things in quickly and on time (which can be a problem elsewhere).  I'm a little miffed that the prices have gone up a bit, but overall they do a good job at getting the food here and having it ready on time.
3 - Shaina P.: Sometimes my office gets catering from here.  Bag lunches with sandwich, chips, big azz cookie and ... that's all.  Similar to S&S's bag lunches.  Not sure of price comparison.  S&S has better food, but I hear that coordinating with it for delivery is a nightmare.

Three stars for the big azz chocolate chocolate marshmallow chocolate chip cookie-mondo super phat mondo cookie!  My sandwich stunk.
5 - Melissa M.: My oasis for:
liquor/booze/beer
cheese
wine
fruit
and everyting in between, mon!
3 - Julia F.: Sometimes you have to search, but you can usually find something for either lunch or dinner. 

I work next door on the weekends, and people get the hotplate breakfast (which looks really tasty!) and come in and I get to smell the eggs, bacon, sausage, and pancakes. Makes my mouth water.

They sell smokes, but not lighters?

They have a whole HUGE (considering the size of the store) liquor section. They keep enough tofu and fake frozen foods around to keep Cantabridgians happy. They have really good homemade pita chips - yum.

I usually buy these things:
-tofu lin
-newports
-wine
-laughing cow cheese
-ham and cheese crossients
-chicken from "salad/cold bar"
-grape leaves also at "salad/cold bar"
-vitamin water

The people are pretty nice too. It is totally overpriced, but after you've gone in here about a dozen times, you just accept it and move on.
4 - Barney B.: This is one of those reviews that really depends on how a place views itself. 

Essentially, if this place thinks itself a large convenience store, it gets major points. It's big, clean, has a good selection of food and booze. 

If this place looks in the mirror and sees a regular food market, this place gets docked, because the selection isn't that good, and the prices are exorbitant for most items. 

So I give it points based on the former, because that's how I use it - a nice convenient place that I will hit from time to time when I want a slightly bigger selection than my closer convenience shops, and am too lazy to head to a WFM or Shaw's for a proper grocery run.
3 - Sarah L.: A box of cereal can run you $8. But they have nearly everything you might need, despite its size, and they have a good liquor selection. When you're in a bind, Broadway Market Place will unleash you.
2 - Stefanie G.: My animosity for Broadway Market is not so strong that I don't occasionally buy a few things here - but I'm not happy when I do. 
Let me start with the good stuff - the coffee is really good and I often stop here in the morning instead of hitting the Starbucks next door. You avoid the wait, pay less, and get better coffee - which is necessary when you have Latin or Greek at 9am. I also occasionally buy bulk candy, soda, or stuff from the salad or hot bar. The fruit is usually OK.
But Broadway GOUGES Harvard students - so many of my friends live around here and don't have the time or means to go to the normal grocery store on a regular basis, so they have to live with the inflated prices. I mean, yogurt and cereal and produce, eggs and milk, cheese and bread at 2-3$ more than anywhere else? Oh my! Everything is exorbitant. I bought cat litter here once out of desperation and paid almost twice as much as I would have at the grocery story. It can be convenient to buy wine or beer here, but Broadway is almost as bad as Wine and Cheese Cask for selling corked bottles. The mark-up for alcohol is not nearly as high as for food. 
Despite the decent selection and OK produce, I think that the prices here are a crime.
2 - Audrey R.: I won a gift certificate here at my company's Christmas party. So I went in feeling pretty good, but this place made me so crabby that I joined Yelp to review it.

Pro: They had a brand of Australian yogurt I enjoy that Shaw's doesn't carry. 

Cons: Said yogurt cost $1.39/container. The same yogurt can occasionally be found at Whole Foods for $.33/container. Things are bad when you're way more expensive than Whole Foods. When I went they did not stock/were out of ricotta. I asked several employees where the ricotta was, but none of them seemed to know what ricotta was. They were also out of tomato soup. I finally did decide to buy a $7.00 block of cheddar cheese, only to open it and find it covered in slime. It had expired more than two months ago.
3 - Jennifer G.: Though I do shop at Broadway quite a bit, I definitely find that it is not economical for someone on a budget.  
Prices are marked up quite a bit on items that at Shaw's or Market Basket you could get for half price...so if you are looking for a deal, this is NOT the place for you.
The location is really convenient though (being next to a Starbucks and near Harvard and CRLS) and if you are in a bind they do really have a great selection of items despite their smaller size.  They do sell beer and wine as well, though I've never purchased any there, it does appear that they have a rather large selection.
The bakery items (muffins, coffee, cookies are all really good) and the coffee is excellent as well.  They always have a decaf, caf, and a flavored coffee brewed, which I consider a bonus.
In addition they have a great selection of lunch fare a la carte and pre-packaged salads that are fresh and really tasty.
My advice is though it can be pricy for your everyday grocery shopping, Broadway does offer some great options for Lunch/Dinner that are not any more than you would pay if you want to a sandwich shop and got the same thing.
4 - Kate M.: I can't much complain about the Broadway Market, because, though expensive, it is ridiculously close to my house. That being said, let's accept the fact that the convenience factor trumps the high prices in my case. I do not HAVE to shop here, but I choose to because I am lazy, and sometimes I'm willing to pay a little more knowing something is good quality, and five seconds from my kitchen.

 More specifically and in the Market's favor, I will step right up and say that the staff are friendly and now recognize myself and my boyfriend, the produce is always fresh and nicely displayed-- and some things, the RIGHT things, aren't too expensive-- and the pre-made salads are in fact a real bargain!!! The other day for lunch I split one with my man- we chose the chicken teriyaki with a honey mustard dressing. The plastic container looks small-ish but the salad inside ($5.99)  filled two large plates and the whole thing tasted super yum!!! You just sometimes have to look around for the bargains, because they're there...albeit few and far between.

So, the salads are a plus, and some of the produce. Bypass: the cheeses and dairy in general unless you're in a pinch-- these things are way cheaper at Trader Joes or Shaws. Same with any canned goods- way too pricey. The booze, especially the beer, is ridiculously overpriced but, again......SO convenient!!! The fresh rolls and breads are fair-ishly priced, and I guess the desserts are okay too. They have a nice selection of greeting/holiday/birthday cards. What is my point to all this? I go to the Broadway Market because it's close and the stuff is good quality. Do I buy everything here? No. Do I buy eggs and bacon on Saturday mornings? Yes. In the end my motto is: in a pinch, stop by the Broadway market. Or if you want a dank salad.
2 - Roz T.: Broadway Market place, whose new catering name is "Broadway Gourmet," is anything but gourmet in my opinion. One star simply for existing. Two stars for having a decent selection of generic "stuff." 

I live around the block from Broadway, and while I don't expect to find an student-friendly (affordable) place in the Cambridge market, Broadway Marketplace is ridiculously overpriced for what you get. Think more expensive than Whole Foods, for generic things/brands. Cereal costs *several dollars* more, for the smallest box. Eggs, milk, cheese, produce (non-organic, totally generic) cost 50-200% more than Shaw's, Foodmaster's, or Star Market. A 15 oz can of black beans is 2.99?! $1.99 for a small container of yogurt?! $6.99 for a loaf of generic (Pepperidge Farm) bread?! Highway robbery. 

Their food is NOT gourmet - food in the ready-made section looks and tastes stale, dry, and loaded with saturated fats. They often have a Mediterranean bar (akin to a self-serve salad bad), which is a huge dissatisfaction to grape leaves (totally flavorless), tabbouli (unbelievably salty!), hummus (bland), and very randomly - fried chicken (which is always cold, always dry). I go to Broadway for the occasional produce and carton of milk. Otherwise, you're better off (for health, taste, and affordability of your groceries) to walk an extra bit to Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, or the new Market in the Square on Church street. The fact that anyone would call this place "gourmet" or "upscale" is laughable. Granted, Broadway has been around longer than I have in this neighborhood - perhaps it was once "gourmet." In no way should the two be used in the same sentence today.
2 - Kaitlyn H.: Way too expensive. I like their coffee though and at $2.00 for a medium the price point is pretty equal with other places. BUT $2 for a bagel? Give me a freakin' break. Pre-made salad is $6 (if you want protein on it, that'll be at least $1 more). Staff is always rushing around/in the way of customers/not friendly. 8 oz greek yogurt? $3. Avocado? $2 Apple? $2 Ridiculous. Buy only your coffee here.
4 - Julie B.: 3 Stars for Market
Why is there such a lack of make your own salad bars in Cambridge? Yes, Broadway is pretty expensive but I haven't found many other options that have salad bars with fresh produce. I've only tried one sandwich from the deli and it was decent, nothing too special.

4 Stars for Catering
My organization has used Broadway for catering many times in the past and has always had a couple of problems. This was the first time I worked with them and I was very impressed. The woman I worked with was really friendly and attentive and got our order exactly correct. The cheese and fruit platter was beautifully set up and had a TON of food on it. We actually had an entire tray left over after the event. Everything was dropped off 5 minutes earlier than the scheduled time and picked up without hassle the next day. We also got a tray of a variety of wraps. The grilled chicken and brie wrap was a big hit and is definitely something I'll get next time I go into Broadway.
2 - Melanie P.: I hate this place.  I have to go here since it's so close and I don't have a car to be able to get the little necessities between food orders, but a little bit of me dies each time.  

Yeah, it's overpriced, but that's not why I give it such a low rating.  The staff is possibly the rudest I've ever met -- and the manager is not much better (if better at all).  I routinely don't even get a "hello", "thank you" or even get verbally told how much the total is.  

Most importantly, you need to make sure to CHECK THE EXPIRATION DATE of items that you are planning to purchase there.  At least 2 or 3 times, I have gone there and found expired items on the shelves.  Not like baking powder, or yeast, or something that people probably don't buy very often.  I'm talking about like, eggs.  I brought it to their attention when I checked out, and they were more irritated than anything.  I would have been incredibly embarrassed, but it was more like "yeah, yeah, yeah..." instead of "gee thanks for letting us avoid a health code violation."  

Whatever.  One of the things I am most looking forward to in leaving Cambridge is never having to shop at Broadway Marketplace again.
3 - Sara v.: I like the Broadway Market just fine and I'm glad it exists.  It's a convienent place to get last minute things for entertaining.  I don't go here as my regular grocer because even if the prices aren't that different than whole foods, I get the feeling everything is more expensive.  Maybe it's their lighting, but I'm never inspired to cook somthing great walking around their isles.  But I did get a really awesome box of wine, and I will probably go back expressly for that!
2 - Tristan B.: $2.29 for a Cliff Bar that costs $1.50ish at Harvest Market (the typical king in overpriced food) and $1.29 at Shaws?

7 dollars for a very small, sad, burrito that Felipe's (or any shop for that matter) absolutely destroys?

16 dollars for a Croissant, a medium coffee, the cliff bar, a Corn Muffin, and the aforementioned pathetic burrito = I am never coming back ever again.
2 - Daniel S.: I frequent this place because I live so close. Aside from some of the produce, the quality of product is decent, but the prices are obscene. Don't go out of your way. Just go to Harvest.
5 - Kara K.: I love going into Broadway Marketplace because the managers are always so friendly and helpful and really care about their customers. As a Harvard student, the market is not only super convenient, but it runs greats promotions for students, like their 10% off deal on the weekends and their frequent wine tastings and other community events. 

Broadway also carry some really unique products for good causes, like this new bottled water they started carrying called Nika Water. All of the profits from the water sales goes toward clean water projects around the world. Pretty nice.

Broadway is also the only place in the Square that sells large containers of Greek yogurt, a personal favorite, and it has great fresh fruit all the time. The market has everything that the cafeteria lacks, plus it's only 2 minutes away from every class in the Yard. Shopping at Broadway is definitely worth the few extra bucks!
2 - Nicole L.: I'd love to love this place, but I can't just can't afford to love it! This is the closest non-convenience-store market to my house yet I avoid going here at all costs. I do this because once I walk in all the products looks so nice, the salad bar looks delicious, and the cheeses smelly and yummy. However, these items, along with pretty much everything in the store, are just way overpriced. I love to support local businesses, but when I walk in to pick up 3 items for the next day and leave with $20 less in my wallet, I'm not feeling okay. The selection is great, I just wish they'd be a little more reasonable.
1 - Dan W.: I live very close to Broadway Market and make a conscience effort to only go there for bare necessities (when I can't make it anywhere else).  The reason.....completely insane prices.  Think Whole Foods is expensive?  Try this place.  I moved here from Manhattan and this place is more expensive than the corner convenience places there.  Everyone now seems to know this and probably avoids it for the same reason.  They'd make a lot more money if they just had competitive prices.
4 - A and S G.: Thank you, thank you, Broadway Marketplace.  Thank you, thank you, to Juan, the assistant manager and his staff.  We needed you at the last minute, and you so graciously came through for us.  You took bouquets of your beautiful fresh flowers and skillfully rewrapped them to be given to three wonderful young musicians at the Pro Arte Concerto Competition at Sanders Theatre.  We're so grateful that you are part of our community!
5 - Trevor B.: I like to think of it as "Broadway Wine Store."

The groceries are, for the most part, wildly overpriced. (Less so for Harvard students/faculty, who get 10% off Friday-Sunday.) I once bought a can of Dole pineapples here--only to find that the exact same item cost less than half as much at Foodmaster. With few exceptions, you'll get more food for your dollar over at Whole Foods.

But the wine/beer/liquor selection in the back is a different story, worthy of 5 stars in itself. The guy who runs it, Steve Kerr, is a bona fide expert with great taste. There's a sign advertising "48 Wines Under $10" (the selection rotates); now, at most places, buying a bottle of wine for less than $10 is a crapshoot. But at Broadway Marketplace, I have yet to find a wine that I didn't like.

Don't take my word for it--stop by on Thursday from 5-7, or Saturday from 3-6, when Steve hosts wine tastings. (Think "free samples," not "black tie mandatory.") He picks a different three wines for each one, and tells the story behind each. (He also does beer tastings from time to time; check the website.)

One word of caution: If your ID is out-of-state, their official policy is to ask for a second ID. Anything else with your name and picture on it will do.
3 - Sage K.: Great Salad bar. Groceries are expensive. I stay away from their pre-packaged salads. Also - check expiration dates carefully!! They sell blood oranges and fancy pears. Discount w/a Harvard ID Fri-Sun. 3 stars

The catering arm of their business is quite excellent. The display is attractive, the food is tasty, and they are on time. The mini-quiche on the breakfast menu gets rave reviews from my guests. The prices for catering are competitive with similar caterers in the area, so don't be afraid because of the exorbitant prices in the store. It doesn't carry over to the delivered catered food. 4 stars.
4 - Diana L.: Wonderful little place right next to Starbucks on Broadway street. Great salad/fruit bar. It even has a beer, wine, AND liquor selection. It is on the pricey end of things though, but other than that it's adorable and a convenient addition to the neighborhood.
5 - Shana A.: A special kudos to the wine section. They carry a fabulous assortment of kosher wines -- a thoughtful assortment of "mevushal" or non-mevushal --many from Israel. At a time when Israel-bashing is so vogue, especially in this zip code, it means a lot to see a store carrying Israeli products. Deepest thanks!
2 - Elizabeth G.: This place is the worst of both worlds. Narrow selection and poor quality, AND high prices. Like, Manhattan, $8-for-a-box-of-cereal prices.

To the reviewer who said this place fits right in to crunchy-granola, organic hippie Cambridge... you're wrong. They don't even have organic produce here, nor a good selection of natural brands. You just assumed they would because the prices are even higher than Whole Foods! I bought trail mix in the bulk section and it had hydrogenated oils (trans fats) listed on the ingredients. Health-conscious buyers beware!

The reasons I don't give Broadway Marketplace one star: interesting selection of wines at low prices. Good (if, again, pricey) options, and lots of variety, at the salad/hot lunch bar and sandwich counter.

I agree with other reviewers that the cashiers are rude, but I think they are probably conditioned to be that way because every day at lunchtime, this place is overrun by teenagers from Rindge & Latin high school around the corner. I'm sure the "hello, how may I help you?" approach falls flat with that crowd and the employees are better off not saying anything because they won't get a response anyway. I don't blame them.

To sum up, pretty much the only reason people shop here is convenience. This place is right around the corner from my office, so I go all the time. I hate myself a little bit every time I do.
1 - Will C.: This is a market that masquerades as an upscale, high-quality foods provider. But, the only upscale thing about it are the prices. They charge boutique, "organic prices" for store brands and regular-a*s stuff. Or, the same yogurt that's 99 cents at Whole Foods is $1.59 here. That's not a unusual mark-up percentage here (40-60 percent more than an already pricey market).  Like the other reviewers, I only go here because it happens to be close by. And, I do so with an awful, sinking feeling that I'm rewarding and perpetuating this treatment every time I walk out of there. 

I'm convinced that this place survives strictly on this "captive market" model, and because it happens to be across the street from a high school. If I could replace it with something else with the snap of my fingers I wouldn't hesitate for one second. If I had a car, I would never go there. The food at the deli is terrible, the produce is unimpressive, and the overall selection is sh*tty. The liquor section is probably the single redeeming factor.
1 - Marisol H.: I used to frequent Broadway Market back in the day of my early undergraduate years (circa 2003) for its convenient location and delicious deli fresh-made sandwiches. My favorites were by far the Monte Cristo and the All-American. The sandwiches were over-priced ($7) but I found them filling and scrumptious so I didn't mind so much.

The year is now 2012, I have returned to my old haunts and found the deli disastrously lacking. The All-American is off the menu, and the Monte Cristo is a cheesy grossness. I paid the $7 and still found myself trashing half of it. The recipe was all wrong, and not a ghost of their previous  excellence. 

I don't go to their salad bar, hot entree bar, wine section, or anywhere else in the market- all I came here for were their sandwiches. So I guess that means I'm never coming here again. Off to find me another sandwich heaven!
4 - Dor Z.: Sometimes I come here to get some milk because I'm too lazy to make it to Market Basket. Other times I'll just hang out in the middle of the floor because they have a nice TV playing CUPCAKE WARS in the produce section.

Yes, this place is redonkulously expensive (except for the packaged spinach, which also retails at $1.99 at Market Basket). No, the products aren't anything special - not organic, not locally farmed, not cage-free or sustainable or grass-fed or anything. Broadway Marketplace is just convenient, and if you're too lazy to cook with your overpriced ingredients, you can buy prepared sushi or sammiches or stuff from the hot bar.

You know what, though? This is one of the few places I have been able to find Ben and Jerry's Willie Nelson's Country Peach Cobbler ice cream. I am still willing to shell out $5.49 for a damn pint.
5 - Flourish K.: Generally speaking, I find Broadway Market to be ridiculously overpriced and kind of silly. It's good to pick up something you forgot at the regular store, or when you're too tired/sick/lazy to make it anywhere else. (Or, I guess, maybe it's good if you're a Harvard student on a big allowance? I don't know, I've never had a big allowance.) So why am I giving it 5 stars?

Quite simply, for the liquor store at the back. It's awesome. It doesn't have the deepest selection of liquor, but it's broad, especially with tipples that people don't drink so much in the US (Becherovka! Eau de vie de poire! A comparatively wide sake selection!) but that I imagine would be pretty welcoming to someone visiting from abroad. It also isn't nearly as overpriced as the rest of the store: price comparisons to other liquor stores in the area are quite favorable. Best of all, the manager is super friendly and will order things based on his customers' wishes. (He's also happy to talk about booze with you for ages, and make recommendations.) I really appreciate the level of attention, and I'll keep coming back to Broadway Market for it!

Broadway Presbyterian Church - New York, NY (40.8067573, -73.9649672) (Morningside Heights)
5 - Bradley C.: Great place.

Broadway Realty Partners, LLP - Cambridge, MA (42.3663, -71.0938) (Kendall Square/MIT)
1 - Grace W.: Yup, this place is a scam. 
I tried to rent an apartment from them last September. I called about the place I was interested in from Craigslist and made an appointment with "Scarlett" to see the place. I left my job early to get to the appointment on time at the real estate office.
After waiting for two hours the only agent in the office asked me why I was there. The apartment I had asked about was already taken and Scarlett had an appointment somewhere else (probably drinking). I sat with the other real estate agent as he texted her asking what was going on. Unfortunately he had his phone low enough that I saw her response: "I don't care what you do with her, just deal with it."
And then I left forever! Seriously if you see this place in a Craigslist listing, run as fast as you can.
1 - Albert K.: Unprofessional, unreliable, and agents are disrespectful over the phone.  They called to schedule to visit my apartment for an interested client of theirs so I agreed.  The day comes and I tidied up my apt and waited starting the time the agent told me he'd show up but he didn't and I waited for an hour. I called the realtor and got the agent's number and called him. His initial response was "you waited?!" then he was all over the place speaking only in two to five word sentences. "we walked in already" "actually we are not coming" "we saw another apt" "I'm busy" and  hung up. What is up with mentioning he was here before and then saying right away that his client doesn't want to come anymore?  He was very unprofessional, disrespectful, and rude. Never deal with agents from this realty office. They will have no respect for you.
4 - Doerte S.: Scarlett Marquette and her boss impressed us with their professionalism. The apartment that was posted by this company on craigslist was indeed available for viewing. We did not take it in the end but nevertheless only have good things to say about our experience with this company. 

Scarlett is a rare find among agents in this line of business. She listened very well, took our needs into consideration and was not as pushy as other agents we delt with in the past. 

Thanks! 
Doerte and Sam
1 - Lilian W.: My landlord informed me that agents will be contacting me with at least 6 hours notice to show my apartment. Unfortunately, Scarlett Marquette of Broadway Realty has not been giving reasonable notice.

On Saturday night, Scarlett calls to inform me that she would like to show my apartment within an hour. I told her that unfortunately I cannot accommodate her. I had plans and current was not home to unset the alarm (we've had break-ins so our landlord was nice enough to get us an alarm system). Scarlett says that she would be willing to show it when I got back. Again, I told her I could not accommodate her since I was not sure what time I would be home. She rather persistent so I told her I would be able to accommodate her on Sunday.

On Sunday afternoon, Scarlett calls to tell me that she will be showing my apartment that evening. I asked her to come before 6:00PM as my boyfriend and I will be having dinner at my apartment. She arrives late but I allow her in even while we're having dinner.  Scarlett and the perspective tenants look around the apartment and leave. A few minutes later she calls to inform me that she would like to show my apartment again in 10 minutes. 

While I understand that an apartment needs to be shown for it to be rented out, existing tenants also have the right to have reasonable notice prior to a showing.
1 - Jane P.: If you see this place in a Craigslist ad, just disregard all together. THIS PLACE IS A SCAM. We emailed about a listing, rearranged our schedule for the day to see the place listed. We arrived at the street crossings listed (not the address, he wouldn't provide this), only to be stood up, with no phone call. I understand that things happen but notice is necessary-this screwed up our whole day! 

When I called, I was told that he had shown up and waited for one minute. Hmm. When I asked for more detail, I was responded to with strange, one word sentences, and then hung up on. 

COMPLETELY UNPROFESSIONAL. THIS PLACE SHOULD BE OUT OF BUSINESS. 

AVOID AT ALL COSTS... landlords, you are better off listing apartments yourselves! Don't keep these people in business!
1 - Jessica M.: Do. Not. Work. With. These. People.

I paid them $1000 for what has turned into the worst living situation of my life. 

The heat is so intensely hot and so loud that I actually ended up in the Emergency Room after getting really sick.  The building also didn't shut off the FULL-BLAST HEAT (it's either fully on or fully off - you have no control over it) until JUNE 14TH.  Hello?  How is this legal?? 

I have mice and the most horrible insect problem you've ever seen.  

And now they're doing such heavy construction upstairs that debris is falling onto my bed from the ceiling.  

Just don't.  They clearly know nothing about the apartments they advertise and do absolutely no research.  I'm honestly just shocked and am in the process of breaking my lease -- a time-consuming task.

I'm not surprised to see the other 6 1-star reviews.  If 0 stars were an option, I'd pick it.
1 - Valeria P.: Don't work with them, scammers and also will leak information about you.

They will take your money and will not deliver.

The lowest quality real estate agency in Big Apple

Valeria

Brock Design Studios - Austin, TX (30.2961708, -97.7389543) (University of Texas)
5 - Emily C.: Chris photographed my boyfriend, dog and I for our annual Christmas card. He was very friendly but also professional. Chris is very creative and came up with some great ideas, which made our card very unique and fun! He had very quick turn-around with getting the photos back to us, and was happy to go back and retouch one of the images at my request. He was very easy to work with and I was pleased with how the pictures turned out -- I would definitely work with Chris again!
5 - Selena B.: Chris has a raw talent for composition and his work flawlessly captures the very essence of his subject(s). He brings great ideas to the table for locations/backdrops and infuses his smooth style into every image. If you're looking for beautiful, one of a kind, canvas print worthy photos, Chris is your guy! He's flexible, friendly, easy-going and uber talented. Give him a call for your next photos; you won't regret it!
5 - Aishah A.: My husband and I hired Chris to cover our wedding day.  I couldn't be more pleased with his work.  He is very kind, accommodating, unobtrusive and talented.  I highly recommend him!
5 - Emily H.: We found Chris Brock on Yelp. We were looking for someone to cover our wedding for at least 4 hours, for under $1,000.00. It seemed realistic at the time, but after much research we found that most of the photographers that cover weddings charge about $1,500.00 on average for 4 hours of work. This means that the artsy wedding photographers that we really liked, the ones taking photos at Hotel St. Cecilia, etc., were charging about $3,000.00 and the ones that took photos that looked as if they'd worked for Olan Mills for decades charged about $1,500 (these were the ones that would show up on time and wouldn't mess anything up but would provide boring photos in the end). Chris was our solution: he was within our budget, he was very creative, and he provided unlimited amounts of communication and an unlimited number of hours of coverage on the big day. This means that we had him for the bridal photos beforehand, the family photos beforehand, the wedding, the reception, and even the after-party--about 10 hours total. He also took our engagement photos and found interesting spots around town, including the Hotel San Jose, the Austin mural, the Hello Cupcake truck, Congress with the skyline in the background. It wasn't the backdrops that were unique so much as the photos. They were very artistic. On the big day, he was there early. He was calm and professional and many guests commented on how charming he was. It took about 7 weeks to get the photos back, which is better than average. And he even sent our THANK YOU photos ahead of time, within a week of the wedding, so that we could include it in our custom photo thank you cards. As we all know, it can be difficult to find a photographer that is artistic and affordable and professional. Usually one of those three has to give. In Brock's case, he was able to be all three. (Please note that some wedding photographers have a policy that they will give you the CD of photos for personal printing purposes, but only after 12 months. This is *not* the case with Brock's. You receive the entire CD as soon as he is done editing them all. In our case, he took about 900 photos and edited about 360 and super-edited about 12 of our favorite and 5 of his favorites.)
5 - Jette  accent on the last e M.: I own Jetté Momant PR & Event Productions (a combined effort of Décor Jetté & Manna Lifestyle Marketing) I've worked with multiple photographers when I was a wedding planner (Décor Jetté) and also now that I am a public relations professional. Having said that, I can honestly say that Chris is one of the most talented photographers I've worked with. He's extremely easy and fun  to communicate with, he clearly and quickly understands my clients' vision and executes seamlessly and with precision. He shows up on time, stays late, and delivers stellar results early. I'm terribly picky about photography, especially food and beverage photography and Chris is able to capture people, food and beverage with ease and precision. I highly recommend Chris for your photography needs.
5 - Rezzy D.: Chris is such a wonderful person to work with as well as a great photographer! I used him for an event that had over 500 people and the shots were amazing. He is also very personable and friendly. He did not hesitate to make the corrections that I requested and even gave me the pictures on a DVD. Whatever reason that you may need a photographer call Chris and he will do a great job. =)
3 - Iam J.: Chris is an energetic, attentive and organized photographer. It appeared like he got good photos and he certainly engaged well with the guests at our wedding celebration on April 30.

Bromberg Chiropractic - Cambridge, MA (42.365984, -71.092419) (Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - L T.: Dr. Bromberg is a good guy and a fine chiropractor.  I would recommend him to anyone.  
I have chronic back issues and he kept me well adjusted and helped with stretches and exercises.  
I know longer see Dr.B because I switched jobs. 

I have seen quite a few chiropractors and there is none of that "Chiropractics can fix all medical issue" BS.  He is a straight talking guy and I appreciated that..  Plus he has those rolling/strap tables that stretch you out like Taffy.  I thought of getting one for my home. LT
5 - Thomas C.: Dr. Bromberg and his team have made majors strides for me in reducing the chronic sciatic pain I had been experiencing for years. I had tried medications for years only to have the problem reappear especially when playing golf. Dr. Bromberg and his team thru adjustments and highly personalized care has reduced the pain I was feeling and improved my flexibility. Which in turn allowed me to get back on the golf course and when I had a recent flair up. The pain and discomfort was reduced in 1 visit! followed by weekly visits to combat my chronic problem. The office staff provides outstanding customer service and the office itself is run with the patient in mind. There is also a good deal of patient education which is extremely helpful. I feel that my back is vastly improved and secure in knowing that I have a team of people who are invested in my continued improved health.
5 - Craig C.: Dr. Bromberg is a Godsend!! I was in a bad car accident in 2007 with awful neck and back pain. Dr. Bromberg treated me for 6 months at once a week and I felt better than before the accident!  He literally changed my life. My wife saw the results and started to use him when she had neck pain and also back pain from pregnancy and he solved that too.  I now see him once a month for an adjustment and I haven't had any pain in years.  Dr. Bromberg is extremely friendly, makes your feel comfortable and educates you on how and why he's doing a certain alignment. One of his suggestions even corrected my overall posture. I can't recommend him enough. If you suffer from any neck or back pain, he is the one to cure it....
1 - Nomad S.: I went there for a massage. 
The massage therapist was professional and did a good job. *****
 The receptionist has serious issues with people of color. I had politely  talked to her and she acted funny and did NOT acknowledge me. She treated me poorly. I had told her thank you many times when she handed me a pen and documents to fill out the paper-works but she never said anything to me and that is a shame if someone takes a job and treats people differently. I asked her a question when I was checking out, she would not look me in the eye and answered very fast  like a robot. I guess, she doesn't think, no cognitive skills. I hope that she reads this review.

Bromley Hall - Champaign, IL (40.1069458, -88.2349348) ()
2 - Forrest I.: I lived here my freshman year, and it definitely wasn't my favorite.  The rooms are big, so at first Bromley felt like a good deal.

However, I quickly learned that the walls are thin (probably just two sheets of drywall), and you can hear *every* sound from the room next door.  Even on weeknights, students often yelled and ran through the halls at 3 or 4 am.  

As an engineer, I had 8:00 calculus most mornings.  So, I found it impossible to get much sleep, and I often found myself sleeping in friends' apartments, instead.

If your goal is to party constantly, this is your dorm.  If you're interested in getting some sleep, Bromley Hall is not your best bet.
5 - Bill E.: I lived at Bromley Hall my freshman and sophomore years. Made some great friends, many of which I still hangout with...

I'm not sure where Chella G. was really staying, but the food at Bromley was (is?) much better than she describes. And, the cafeteria is open at least 3 hours for each meal (I just checked their website).

Funny she also mentions the elevators. LOL! Those are some good stories :-)

It sure was excellent to have weekly (or was it every other week?) maid service. The private bathrooms made the decision easy for me, did't have to share the shower with the entire floor!

Bronx Bar - Houston, TX (29.716146, -95.414648) (West University)
1 - Adam O.: Now this place was a serious change of pace from The Ginger Man.

Allow me to quickly list the differences:

1. I saw two velvet sports coats when I was there.   TWO!  I didn't even know there was enough wrong with the world that I would see one... let alone two

2. Ginger Man served really good beer... whereas the Bronx Bar seemed to add water to their liquor because I got two drinks that could have passed for water that was infused with Gin and Tonic

3. The owner of The Ginger Man doesn't walk around his own bar in a cowboy-style shirt made with fabric that looks like a giant bear ate a 128-pack of Crayola's and some shiny fake jewels and threw up on it

4. The bouncer at Bronx Bar - after letting all of the rest of us in - told my African friend who was just a bit behind us that he could not get in because there was a private party.  Ya, that's right.  That happened.


Rest assured I will not be going back because of racism, watery drinks, and fashion crimes.  

Ya, that just about sums it up.
1 - exa g.: its sad that I would put up with this place just for the great music.  The annoying crowd of sloppy people, the over-expensive drinks (red bull 6 dollars)...and the regular slew of guys who stand around the dance floor and just stare at the girls dancing, a guy wearing a Rice baseball cap backwards?!  Plus many other awful details that make this place not worth it...no wonder most of the people there were sloppy drunk.
4 - Felipe M.: This was the last stop for my birthday party a couple weeks back on a sunday and it was good times. We started the day out at lastrada, so by that point we had been drinking heavily for about 8 hrs.  Needless to say, i noticed little about what the other people there were wearing and cared even less. At the final stop on a good night out, all I care about is the liquor and the music. This place plays a good mix of old tunes and they serve stoli, (which i always drink straight, so i never worry about  weak drinks). It wasn't too crowded (sunday) so it was perfect for us to end a crazy night.
4 - Katherine G.: We went to the Bronx last night. First time there and I was surprised how fun the atmosphere was. We went with some friends, and they were having a vodka company sponsor drinks and food earlier that night. The music was great and drinks were strong (once we started paying for them). The one thing- We parked at the $2 parking right next to it. Unbeknown to us, there is a little machine to pay your fee. Needless to say, we all got towed- 2 cars total. Still, does not take anything away from Bronx, because it was great!
3 - Charles M.: After eating at the crapfest that is Hooters, we decided to hit the line of bars by (in?) Rice village.  It was Thursday night and they were selling Bud light/miller light for $1.  Not bad.  There was no bouncer at the door, and they didn't check my ID.  The atmosphere at first was slow, we did get there around 8pm, but that ensured we got our drinks fast.  It picked up considerably around 10pm.  We weren't here that whole time, we jumped to Ginger man and the irish pub next door in between.  The prices for jager bombs seems outrageous, $8, but maybe that is standard price for Houston?  Stick with the cheap beer and this place is passable.
1 - Cheri. A G.: It's suppose to be the new HOT bar but most of the patrons stand on the sidewalk and smoke.

I ordered a martini and the martini glass was only filled 1/3 of the way and it WAS watered down.
3 - David H.: Started off the 'B' night of the bar alphabet journey at Bronx Bar. I think we walked in at about 8:30 and it was dead. Lots of pretty bartenders at my disposal! I started with a Red Bull and Vodka which was okay. I didn't feel anything 'Bronx' about the bar. The music started playing shortly after and then what seemed like a never ending string of bachelorette parties streamed in, followed by some guys who said they played for a college basketball team (height restricted league?). The place became crowded pretty quickly and everyone was having a good time. This what gets you 3 stars: pretty bartenders, okay drinks, good music and a good time.
2 - Monica S.: Let's see, I can definitely say I won't be visiting the Bronx Bar anytime soon. The drinks were watered down, the music sucked, the bouncer was rude and the place is ridiculously small and dirty. This place sucked, yo.
2 - Debbi R.: Fine for an out-of-season college bar that still gets going at about 11pm but the best was definitely the crowd - not necessarily for the atmosphere but for the entertainment.
A Gary Busey look-alike and a Bill Clinton age-alike, tried very very hard to pick up an ageing j-lo. but he had less game than Micheal Jackson in the NBA!. quite fun to watch him strike out ....3 times with the same girl...maybe he needs extenzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....he he.

Average night out but only with drunk friends.
3 - Thuyvi T.: I don't think this place is as bad as the other Yelpers make it to be.  We stumbled here by accident and still had a good time.  We made it for last rounds of Saturday night specials-- half off all drinks.  $3 for a vodka soda is dirt cheap.  Again coming from California, my cousin and I took full advantage of it and ordered 2 rounds for everyone in our group.  

And you should definitely order the flaming Dr. Pepper.  The bartender definitely put on a great show spitting fire.  Great entertainment.  

But other than that, there is nothing spectacular-- just an avg bar.  I really wish there was a friendlier crowd there and then we would be having a good time.
3 - Farrah A.: If this were 2001, I'd give Bronx five starsâ"hands down. Tuesday nights with DJ Bizz spinning the best dance beats, bartender "hot ass Richard" behind the bar causing every lady in the house to drool, people dancing on benches. It was a madhouse. 

Some of that still stands true. Bronx gets pretty packed Thursday-Saturday. It is in The Village, afterall. I came here on a Friday night for one of my gf's bday. The incredibly rude bouncer was making a ridiculous amount of people wait outside. Standing there with a guy wasn't helping either; so I had to do the unthinkable and call the owner (ehh, I know. Lame, but I needed a drink, pronto.). After a few seconds, we were in, and I even grabbed a few chicks that were all snazzed up in their dresses and said they were in our party of two. Will I get good karma back? NO. It took forever to grab a drink; and things just weren't the same like the ol' days. 

Bronx is a staple in the city, one of the few bars that managed to last at least a decade. Almost everyone I know remembers coming here as a minor and probably has a memorable moment here or two, so that's cool. I suggest coming to Bronx on a low-key night (happy hour) or hit up the new Galleria location for a lot more elbow room. I'm hoping the upcoming Washington location has a bit older crowd, too.
4 - TONYA P.: This place is fun, love the music and the crowd....that is if you can get in!
The bouncer will SURELY have some reason to NOT let you in....so be prepared.
Us and our friends have gotten the following reasons on two separate occassions...no tennis shoes (not even dressy tennis) and you can't get in after 10 unless you are on the list...huh?...what list? why isnt that on the flyer?
3 - Emerson F.: Christmas, Christmas time is here...
Time for hope, and time for beer...
I can hardly stand the wait...
2 dos equis and don't be late.. 

My buddy and I decided to spread our holiday cheer Christmas night by doing the Rice Village Morningside Bar Hop. After my first encounter with Bronx bar, I was a little leary of trying to get in again. This time around, was dressed for the occasion. Granted I was the only guy in a sweater on an unusually warm night, I still was dressed ok. I bring this up because the bouncer/door guy/douche bag will NOT let you in if you're not fitting the part. Honestly. I thought it was a race thing, in my previous review, but I see now after last night, it's just his complete power trip. Look bro, you're working the velvet rope to a hole in the wall rice village bar, not standing guard at the gates of heaven... Sheesh...

Anyway, I made it past the door douche, err, I mean door dude and I was in.. I don't know what I was expecting, but I didn't find it at first..There are seats along the left side of the club, and a bar to the right. The drink prices were moderate, a touch pricey, but the place is extremely bottlette friendly should you be a do it yourself bartender as I am lol. 

Then, as my bud and I were standing there, and I rambled off drunken nonesense as I'm known to do, it happened... 

Hip Hop came on.. I don't know what song or artist, but all of a sudden EVERYONE hit the dance floor, and booties were shakin (and movin all around) and the place was jumpin... It was interesting. Is this what all the rice village kids want? A good safe place to listen to their hip hop lol? Crazy kids and their rap music...

The highlight of my night was my bartender. I don't know her name, but she was cute, friendly, and cute. 3 things I admire most in a bartender. Oh and my drinks were strong and tall for no extra charge. 

Overall, this place is a place that I could get with if I'm drunk.. Sober? Not so much. There are a lot of attractive females in their though and that's always a plus. 

**P.S. Dudes.. STOP FLIPPING YOUR EFFING COLLAR UP.. Yea, there was actually flipped up collars on Polo Shirts at Bronx Bar last night.. You won't let me in with sneakers on, but you'll let in a flipped up collar like it's 1985? C'mon get real... Phew... glad I got that off my chest.***
4 - David N.: I like this place.  I just think it's in an awkward location.  Most of the people who come out to rice village are in the mood for just a beer.  They want to be able to hop from bar to bar without much trouble.  Then they stumble across this club that's filled with beautiful women and they want in, but they aren't dressed for the situation so they think the bouncer is a douchebag.  When I go out regardless of where I am I headed I'm dress to get in anywhere, I'd rather be over dressed then to be denied entry.  The times I've tried to get in I had no problems and the people inside were lots of fun.  It's nice to grab a beer at the other bars but at the end of the night I want to dance! Don't bother trying to get in with a tshirt, sneakers, and a bad attitude,
4 - Trevor G.: How come nobody thinks that they are an actual douchebag and that is why they did not get in.  I always act polite, dress appropriate, and always keep my cool. I seem to always get in somewhere eventually. Bronx has best music and good crowd. The girls always drinking too much always helps me out.  It is funny the way some of you people write your reviews I am glad you do not get in. You are the same trouble in a bar as you are on the internet. Good for Bronx for having a door guy to keep out troublemakers that think they are somebody because they want to come in buy 2 beers and gawk at the girls all night.  Go away losers.
3 - Jerry T.: Its really a cool place if you can get past the A-hole at the door. Don't know if he has something against a certain group of people or what, but it nothing a "let me speak to your manager won't solve". 

Anyways the patio reminds me, so much of certain establishments in (Miami South Beach). You can simply grab a drink. (Which is decently mixed, but gets better if you are really nice to the female bartenders), and stroll out the the patio area which is located by a sidewalk. This makes it easy to watch people as they walk to various clubs, and enjoy the company of the people on the patio with you. Another added bonus is that its free to get in. No cover. The dance floor/walkway is rather small, so if you get dance fever its best to just dance where you are at. Fix this and the fire the prude at the door this would be the perfect spot. 

Don't forget to dress to impress.
2 - Alex N.: So last night I was convinced by a friend to hit up Bronx Bar in the Village. I don't typically put myself into the college bar scene, but another friend of mine promotes for them so I thought I'd at least show some support.

The night I happened to come here reminded me why I don't go to bars like this. Normally, the door guys have always been strict about shoes, shorts, hats, etc. Anyone who's been to Bronx knows this. I like to dress as casual as possible. Sneakers, jeans, t-shirt, etc. After having a couple drinks, I look around and see "kids" who look like they're 18 wearing shorts, flip flops, and t-shirts. If you're gonna have door guys enforcing dress code at least be consistent. To have a reputation for being strict on dress code and having been denied entry for dress code myself in the past here, I was pretty pissed that they freestyle dress code rules depending on how good business is.

As far as the bar itself, the set-up is decent. Small dance floor next to the DJ booth with a small area for 1 or 2 tables/bottles. Small bar inside has a fun feel to it and I really enjoyed the lighting surrounding it. There was supposed to be $2 beers until Midnight when I went and the bartenders told me there were only $2 domestic drafts until 11pm. Whatever. 

I got the feel that the bar was trying to succeed as a business, not so much as  setting themselves apart from the mainstream. I may come back to support my friends, but I wouldn't make this a choice destination for a "great" night.
4 - F K.: I came here the other night and it wasn't bad.  They played good music.  I can't say much for the drinks though b/c by the time I got here I  couldn't taste anything after the mojito sweet taste from Mi Luna.  Fun times, they let us cut in line.  I like the outdoor deck area in the front too.
3 - Hungry A.: No Cover and No Hassle = Nice Start

Place not very big to begin with (Couldn't necessarily call it a "club")

The bartenders were SOLID as the bar was busy with all walks of life. 

"City" Prices in effect ($9 Patron) 

D.J. was all right  - Not outstanding but bearable. 

Would go back with right company.
2 - Jon S.: No Hats!

This is a "club" type atmosphere located in Rice Village. This place isn't my scene. The place isn't that big, it's dark, and just isn't for me.

I don't mean to knock the place and you might enjoy this place but I was just uncomfortable. If you want to dress nicely and dance on a small dance floor that is also blocking the main door then by all means come check this place out. I do think there is an outside section but I didn't check it out. Get there early too. I went around 9-9:30pm and the place was dead. Few hours later this place was pretty packed for a Saturday night.

The Pink Taco shot and Big Buck Hunter where the only redeeming factor here.
4 - Jay M.: If you want a club like atmosphere in the Rice village then you have only two choices. Bambou or Bronx bar. I like the Bronx bar because its a great jump to spot. You're on a date and you're chilling at Brian O'Neills. Your date suddenly wants to dance. You think to your self that this is going to go down hill from now on when suddenly you remember that next door is Bronx bar and here's your chance to act like you know what you're doing. You go over there and sure enough there is someone dancing there and you don't feel like a fool twirling the girl in the sweetheart move. Mission accomplished. 

The drinks are not expensive and the bartenders are friendly and the dance floor is cozy. The interior has 2 bars...one at the far corner and one in the middle. The service is about the same at both areas. There are some couches on the inside right by the DJ and wall seating and some tables on the other side. 

But the best part of Bronx bar is not the inside. Its the patio that sets it apart . Excellent spot to just chill or mingle. The music is not to loud here and you can hear yourself talk. The patio also overlooks the street giving you a view of both Brian O'Neills and Baker st.  There is a bar outside in the patio and the bartender there is good. 

Now for the other issue. So there has been a lot of talk about Bronx bar and about racism. I go to Bronx bar all the time. I always get in. I have gotten to know the bouncers there. In fact I can tell you that they are very conscious of the racism charge. I have never seen it happen though. I know that they discriminate based on gender. That's because to be a happening club you have to have a set ratio of guys to girls. So If four girls and a guy walk up and there is another group with four guys and a girl then the four girls and a guy will get in first. I have met one of the owners and he invited me to have cake with him at his mothers Bday party at the Bronx bar.

So my advice is to go there early, dress well, be social and have fun.  This is a phenomenal place for a second date...room for talk and a dance floor to go rakeish.
3 - eddie T.: it's not NYC/BRONX... It's an ok club...
let leave it at that...
3 - Emmanuel C.: Its a club surrounded by laid back bars. The do enforce a dress code not as bad as Midtown or Washington, but be assured no flip flops or shorts. There's a small patio on the front. Inside its quite small; there's a nice bar and small dance floor. The music is typical top 40. I usually go here if i'm meeting someone, or if I went to the village before going somewhere else and I happen to be dress up. I think its a good thing they're there it diversifies and mixes up the village. Oh yea there's also bamboo in the village down the road but its a different crowd there but still dressy.
3 - Eva K.: Soooo last Thursday after a couple specialty drinks at the Volcano with the chicitas we decided we wanted to turn the heat up a notch and dance! Where do we go?  Bronx, duh... Girls drink wells for free until 11pm on Thursdays, and there's alway a bountiful of tools to be used here, har, har... Bronx tweet: "Guys enjoy the gorgeous 'tipsy' girls, we're gonna make you lose control!"  This is just asking for train wrecks (or date rape?) to happen right?  

We stroll up a little after 10:30pm and it's pretty packed.  The place is tiny and yes it sucks that the dance floor is directly located at the entrance, but they do have a really nice patio that curves around with nice cushioned benches.  My friend kept grabbing me and yanking me onto the dance floor, where we mesmerized a couple of fools with our stripper-esque dance moves ;O  My friend has this knack for soliciting shots/drinks.  I felt dirty but hey at least I don't do this every week and I wasn't even dressed the part. I was wearing some really sad tank top, jeans and grungy moto boots...

Actually ran into Jay M. but at that point things started getting fuzzy, I remember him telling my ex how he thought I was aged about 12 when he first met me and still thought that! :P  Anyway I had a pretty good time, but won't be doing this again anytime soon...

DISCLAIMER: I may or may not have hooked up with my ex that night.
3 - Dat N.: Overall, it's an OK club. They play current top 40s mixed with some 80s metal and hip hop, which is always a good thing. There's a teeny bar right when you enter and then the main bar inside that everyone seems to hangout at even though they're not drinking... be courteous, step aside ya'll!!

Drinks are at an OK price, but the bartenders are very friendly and usually my drinks are strong, so that's a very good thing!

The patio is good and nice size for the smokers and for people to just sit and talk.

Now the cons: Besides the small dancefloor, it's get's hot! I'm saying HOT!!! Some people like this.... I do not. There are certain spots you can stand where you get direct blasts of cool air, but anywhere else is sweltering. Be prepared to sweat a little...

And though I've never personally had this happen to me, but the bouncers can be quite the douche bag. My friend, who was dressed very nice was wearing white chucks and he got rejected, yet another guy wearing a large t-shirt and jeans got in wearing white backetball shoes, not even chucks, but backetball shoes!
And in the same night, my friend was wearing shorts (his fault!), but the bouncer let in a group of guys wearing shorts! WTF!! We talked to him and haggled him and he finally broke down, not fully admitting he was stupid, but he let my friend in.
Race had nothing to do with this since both my friends were white, just the bouncer being a douche bag!

If you go and you go later, be prepared to dress up a bit. We went early around 10:30ish and I got in wearing a v-neck shirt, dark jeans, and black patent leather sneakers.
1 - Grace K.: They're racist. 
I'm Asian. 
= 1 star. 
if negative 5 stars were possible, it'd get a minus 5.
1 - Nish P.: THIS PLACE IS RACIST!

They don't allow Indians and Asians, when did years ago, it is pretty small and sh*tty music, with crappy service anyway.  

GO NEXT DO, TO BRIAN O'NEILS FOR A GREAT TIME!
3 - Bo Y.: Stopped by on a Wednesday night for a NUDE INKED promo party where the ink artist spray painted almost naked girls on a table. I had a great time for a Wednesday but I don't see much potential for weekends because this place is super tiny. The entry is very narrow and the interior is just a room with a bar to the side. The patio is tiny too, fits max. 30 people. There also weren't any drink specials on a Wednesday which is a turn off. As for a party bar, Bronx Village is a miss simply because there are so many better choices around town. Although, if I were going to school at Rice, I would stop by once in awhile.
3 - Miguel R.: Don't really know what to say about this place.   The bar tenders were fabulous.  They were quick to serve, didn't skimp on the liquor, and the prices were right on par.  

BUT..... the crowd was so weird.   This was the middle of The Village, and I clearly have never been here before - but the problem I had was with one guy.  This guy just came out of nowhere and started talking crap, and the manager or bouncer or whoever it was just stood there watching this little shrimp act all tough, then all of his friends started to surround me, and the bouncer just stood there.   I'm no panzy, but come on dude.  I was there for a good time - minding my own business - do your job and take care of this drunk guy......
2 - Gilbert L.: It is a good place if you are with a big group of people you know. I say this because in many cases the people there are with other big groups. For a relatively small place in comparison to other places this is where it starts to have an issue with me. Prices are competitive but to expect them to screw with your bill from time to time. 

If your gonna go clubbing do it right and hit up Washington Ave or Midtown.
3 - Michelle S.: This is the only grind bar in The Village as far as I know. I usually head to this place after a round or two at Brian O' Niells. Be warned this place does get rowdy after midnight and you will find a mixed groups of college kids, 30 something, to the cougaresque but mostly the former two. 

The place is relatively small so it get's packed quick into the night. I do enjoy chillin on the patio and people watching which can be pretty entertaining around 1am. 

Don't try and jump the fence I have seen people try and get kicked out. 

Drinks are pretty good a little expensive side but worth it. 

The DJ usually plays a good mix between old school favorites (RUN DMC, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Beastie Boys) to Benny Bennasi, Rhianna, Stereo Love. 

At 2am they are quick to clear out and usually there is some milling around from the other night owls from the surrounding bars. I suggest trying the hot dog stand that is usually outside the bar mmm mm good.
4 - MsAshley W.: I went there on a Friday night, I've seen the place many times before but just on a whim decided to stop in... it was pretty vacant (but it was not a bad thing). The DJ was banging, soon as we grabbed our drinks he hits "Mickey Avalon" (my favorite rauchy rock rapper). Talk about good timing! The waitresses were friendly, its a nice place to sit and chill, low-key spot in the middle of the strips chaos! =)
2 - Teresa M.: Are you a girl? Would you like to get asked every 2 seconds if someone can buy you a drink? Do you want to spend your night in a super packed in club-like place? I don't like this place, as you can tell, and I just think it's ridiculous to have this kind of establishment in the Rice Village. I mean no one goes there to go clubbing. They still make you wait in line and have the dress code expectations and everything. The drinks are an okay price and reasonably strong. 

I don't enjoy it here and it just feels like a meat market. I'm sure some people enjoy it but it's not me. The good news is I sure won't be standing in line in front of you.
3 - Diana B.: If you like bar hopping, I suggest you check out this place.  I have been there twice. I had sandals and a t-shirt on and got in...So I am not sure why people say there is a dress code. But if there is one, they totally let me violate it lol.

The place is small, gets crowded pretty fast. They do have a dj, and the music was good (pop,rnb,hip hop). They have specials on drinks, depending on what time you get there. There is a mixed crowd. 

I liked it, it is not my favourite hang out spot but I will go again :)
4 - Tammy N.: Our first and last stop for bar hopping.  This place is smaller than the surrounding bars but I like it bc they have a DJ that plays music more suited for dancing.  Not bad, typical Top40,hip-hop, and pop music.  This is the atmosphere I'm more accustomed to.  It was nice to have a break from the live music and just dance.  It was small though so it got crowded quickly.  I'll probably be back
1 - Lee C.: This place is RACIST! I'm not usually one to pull the race card....  
I try to believe I'm living in 2012 and NOT 1965 but sometimes I'm sadly reminded of my beautiful chocolate skin tone. My African American girlfriend & I went here on 3/24/12 because we heard about the $13 all you can eat crawfish.  We planned all week to come here after participating in a fundraiser that morning downtown at First City Tower.  We and our other 3 white girlfriends all met there to chow down on crawfish.  Our white friends made it there before us, and were already seated sipping on drinks.  We got there about 10-15 minutes later but the door man wouldn't let us in.  He claimed we needed a reservation.  In the meantime two young, good looking white girls were let in before AND after us.  True, they could have had a reservation, or maybe already checked in, but the sign on the sidewalk only said "$13 all you can eat crawfish".  The sign said nothing about "reservations required or preferred" (even though their Facebook page says they are preferred).  Anyway, we proceeded to question the doorman about why we could not get in.  We tried not to make a scene even though we did ask for the manager.  BTW, we were appropriately dressed.  While waiting on the manager, we called our friends, who told us they were already inside.  They flagged us down from inside the bar.  The doorman couldn't help but notice we were part of a large party and eventually let us in before the manager could come.  More of our white friends, who came later, did not have a problem getting in.  We have since flamed this place on Facebook and apparently Bronx Bar has a racist reputation.  Needless to say our group is boycotting this place.  We now go to the Mezzanine Lounge for all you can eat crawfish on Sundays.  So said this happened in 2012.  On a positive note, the crawfish there WAS good...the butter dipping sauce is phenomenal...and we put a big dent in their crawfish as payback for their 1960's treatment!
1 - Rusty S.: Many "afflicted" type people here. Prob my least favorite in the Rice village area.

Bronz Body Tan - Los Angeles, CA (34.0312134, -118.274044) (South Los Angeles)
4 - Sunny D.: I had a summer wedding to go to. Dress code was "summery". I on the other hand was anything but summery. I was pale. 

PALE. like see through my skin to my veins pale. I had a nice dress in mind and I wanted a tan fast, like I had spent hours on the beach basking in the sun, as if I didn't have hundreds of things to do. 

Staff is friendly. Beds are always clean and the girls who do the spray tan are so nice. They have week specials just call as they do change. Weekends are the best time to go.
1 - Dave and Krystal S.: Called the place twice and no one would pick up the phone. I finally called a third time and left a message about how I wanted info, prices, and specials. I asked to please call me back and I left my number. No one ever called me back. Because of that I went to another tanning salon, "U-TAN," and bought a 2 month package. Their loss. I also referred 2 other friends to the Tanning place I now go to.
4 - Elaine Y.: I was visiting a gf and while getting dressed/undressed for the beach, I realized my tan was really uneven so I stopped by Bronz Body to even out my tan. Staff was really friendly, everything was clean, and I left with a natural-looking tan.
5 - Julana M.: I love Bronze Body Tan!! All of the girls that work there are so sweet & always so welcoming! I have been to a few tanning salons in my life, & Bronze Body is definitely one of the best for customer service. They beds are always clean & the towels are always fresh. The prices are great as well! I recommend this place to anyone & everyone !
5 - Adriana A.: Bronz Body tanning salon is great! 
All the girls there are very friendly and helpful =) the beds are always clean with towels, tissue, and deodorant! Awesome pricing & good deals!!! (That's a plus)
I've been to a few other tanning salons never was really satisfied till now. I would defiantly recommend Bronz Body tanning to my friends and family. Recommend to ALL :)
4 - Chip M.: This place is great. They've got hours that make it easy to get in quickly and a location that's close to USC and downtown. If you live downtown, it's the best chance you've got to get some color before heading out somewhere on vacation.

The staff is always friendly and cheerful. Tanning beds are clean and reasonably priced. They frequently have package specials that make tanning affordable for pretty much anyone. Head in and check it out.
5 - Gina W.: I really like this place. It is clean, the waiting area is cute, the girls working are super friendly, and the monthly packages are a great deal (I always just do the lowest power beds and it is generally ~ $30/month). Definitely the best tanning option for USC students.
1 - Mario A.: I looked for a good tanning salon in Downtown Los Angeles.  I had thought I found a good tanning salon.  Initially, all was good until my last visit.  I arrived at the salon at 9:30am and I was very surprised by the attention Becky gives customers as I had never dealt with her.  I had an amazing impression from a girl by the name of Rubi.  Very professional and on top of all.  She gave me a great impression and I proceded to purchase a monthly package.  But the lady Becky, changed all my perception during my visit.  She was rude and unprofessional.  After I began to tan, I kept hearing knocking on the door so I imagined it was an emergency but was surprised to find a child (4years old) knocking on my door.  so I closed the door. The kid kept knocking n my door and it made me very upset as I kept wondering if I should get up or ignore the knocks.  The tanning session became a nightmare.

Brookline Lunch - Cambridge, MA (42.3637577, -71.1017264) (Central Square)
4 - Melissa B.: Across from the Middle East, and only open for breakfast and lunch, this is hands-down one of my favorite breakfast spots.  It will remind you of Berkeley, it's a bit crunch.  Great quality food without being greasy.  Skip the home fries (boring) but they serve wonderful grilled vegetables with all the meals.  My favorite is the feta and spinach omelette.  With a side of their special hot sauce (owners are from Jordan IIRC?), I'm good to go.

Coffee sucks, so get one from Toscanini's on Main St. or Dunkin D's on Mass Ave before you stop in.  They've never minded in the years I've been going there.

Oh, and it's inexpensive, too.
4 - Nick M.: This place feels like San Francisco, not Brookline.  The egg dishes are hearty and delicious, the way breakfast should be.  A great place for a morning date.
3 - Juliette V.: Nice casual atmosphere for a weekend breakfast. I like that they put lots of veggies in their omelettes. And, I have never had to wait to get in.
2 - Michelle D.: While I love the omelettes and the veggies that come with it I have to wonder at how clean the kitchen is.  The last time I was there, a dog was tied up behing the counter!  Now, I love animals but c'mon!

Service can sometimes be sketchy but I've never had to wait for a table.  I guess that's saying something.....
3 - Alice K.: Lovely place for an early, on-time or late weekend lunch.  Most things come with a generous helping of home fries (the definition of "home fries" can include squash, carrots, bits of pepper and tomato) and are under $5- you can do the math yourself.  The menu consists mostly of basic comfort food- omlettes, sandwiches, the ubiquitous BLT.  The interior is decorated in someone's Fun and Funky period; examining the decor is a great way to occupy yourself and your friends while waiting for the food.
4 - Clea K.: I was close to giving Brookline Lunch five stars, (decided against it because of the chaotic service), but in general I'd highly recommend it. The food is really good and cheap, and the atmosphere is nice and relaxed too. I've been to a few Cambridge brunch places now, and it was by far the cheapest option around, and I feel one gets really good value in everything. The portions are good, and I really liked the veggie omelette and the pancakes - they serve a spiced up version of strawberry jam too, and that's really good, so definitely try it. I've had to wait both times I went there, but it was on a Saturday so I guess that's to be expected... although last time we had to stand outside in the pouring rain as there wasn't enough space inside to wait - so be prepared :).
2 - Katy T.: What can I say about this place.  It's dirty.  It's REALLY dirty.  You can see cobwebs hanging from the corners of the room.

  The dust on the walls is so thick that you could write in it, but then you'd have to go to the bathroom to wash your hands and that would be another experience that would scare you.  

  The diner is very small.  The tables are very close together, and if you aren't very skinny, you are going to feel squished.  In the winter, please note that they don't have a heat curtain in front of the door, so when someone comes into the restaurant, you get hit with a blast of cold air, and your dinner becomes cold instantly.

  We sat in the window at one of the yellow tables that looks like it was cut out with a chainsaw in a very jagged fashion.  There were lots of electrical extensions and such and the sign in the window had Christmas lights piled up on it, kind of like some surly man just threw them there, while the other window had the lights "lovingly" draped and hanging there.  
 
  The interesting things are the art.  Lots of very interesting art is in this little diner, if they bothered to clean and dust, the place would be REALLY appealing.  There is only one waitress working the whole room, and everyone can watch the cook in the back as he works.

  Frankly, after arriving and sitting down and taking note of this place, I was scared to eat the food that came out of the kitchen, but it was jammed to the gills with people of all ages.  So, we ordered, and waited a good long time.  They want to make sure you are very hungry by the time you get your food there.  I got an egg dish that came with a side of Home Fries.  The home fries here are AMAZING.  It's worth a trip to get the home fries.  They had potatoes and onions, natch, but they also had asparagus tips, and tomatoes and other delicious veggies in them.   

  The prices were low, the food was surprisingly good, but the dirt!  Augh! The dirt!  

  I'm giving this a low rating because of the cleanliness of the place, not because of the food.
4 - Eli G.: I've lived in or near Cambridge my whole life and spent many a nigh tin Central Square and I didn't even know this place existed until I went here for an art opening on Saturday. Clearly my ignorance has been my loss! The catered food was exceptional, especially the falafel (spicy dipping sauce was unlike anything I've had before) and the grape leaves. I'll add to my review after I go here for a full meal ASAP.
4 - Peter P.: Ya know, I have been here once, and I was with my ex-girlfriend and her 1yr old son. I mean, it's not the Ritz, it's not anything particularly special. I got a burger with some home fries, and you know what, the burger was kind of pre-fab, but the home fries were quite good, they mixed in grilled vegies, and the large portion left me full for the rest of the day. Like I said, nothing fancy, but the whole tab for the entire lunch for the two of us, tip included was $20, and that was with an excessive tip. All in all a very cozy experience. The waitress couldn't have been nicer, and she couldn't have been better with kids, she had a whole bunch of tricks up her sleeve to keep a 1yr old amused. If only they had a liquor license for the people like me who need that beer for breakfast to take the edge off.
5 - rishi h.: I haven't found a place with the same cozy family run atmopshere that has such good service.  The food is _very_ reasonably priced and delicious, the staff is friendly, the service is good,  and there's pretty art work all over the place (including the ceiling!!!).
4 - Pete S.: Simply put, the most delicious, overflowing omlettes I've had. The eggs seem almost like a distraction next to the prodigious quantity of vegetables. The home fries are great, too. An exceptional breakfast/brunch.

That said, the service is notoriously unpredictable. I've had some long waits both to sit and to order, and the staff seems different every time (hilariously, I've had some children who happened to be hanging around bring me my silverware). 

But all is forgiven when the food comes. Oh, man, I'm hungry just thinking about it.
4 - Gail L.: For an extremely inexpensive lunch or brunch, Brookline Lunch is the place to go. Mostly Middle Eastern fare, but with an amazing assortment of fresh vegetables on the side of almost everything. Home fries are good, fish is good, Turkish coffee is good, hamburgers (real, not a pre-formed patty) with a side of potatoes and vegetables,  Falafel with hummus and a side of homemade soup $3.75. Salads are really good.
Just don't go on Tuesdays (they're closed)  And say hi to Yasmine.
4 - Jess P.: brookline lunch is the perfect mascot for central sq - dingy yet loveable.

1st place: the omelets- big and chock full of fresh veggies.  you can also ask for sauteed veggies on the side in place of home fries and even carb-lovers should try it out.  you get all kinds of delicious, unexpected randomness - asparagus, squash, spinach, tomatoes, etc.

2nd place:  clientele- bring the sunday times, but you may not even make much progress cause the people watching is pretty good. a mix of "just-rolled-out-of-bed-still-wearing-grey-denim-from-last-night's-middle-east-show" people and mit nerdlings.
4 - Nick B.: An unassuming little breakfast joint.  So unassuming that I've been biking past it every day for two years now, and didn't even realize it was there until last week.

Incredibly cheap (you can get a nice filling breakfast for 5 bucks no problem) and very good as well.  Now a few words about what makes Brookline Lunch unique:  

1) They serve grilled vegetables as a side with most orders, making you proud for at least giving a token nod to good health as you add another dollop of maple syrup to your bacon.

2) The toast comes with some kind of smoked jelly, the likes of which I have never seen anywhere else.

3) The tables and furniture have a nice dinged up charm.  Kind of like the picnic bench by the archery shed at summer camp, only you don't feel sketchy eating off it.  A nice compliment to the crayola doodlings of dogs on the ceiling.
4 - Kabir H.: I didn't realize how much I loved this place until it closed for the summer.. not due to re-open until August 5th, I'm left with four weekends of trucking it elsewhere to replace my favorite greasy spoon. If you're looking for breakfast or lunch in Central Sq on the cheap, you can't do any better.
4 - Sean E.: Quite possibly the best omelet I've had from a breakfast/lunch joint.  I might even give this place a five if it weren't for the lack of a proper wait staff.  I'm all for keeping it in the family as Brookline Lunch does, but making the Mom be the only person to bus and wait tables had us sitting at our table reading the menu for a good 20 minutes before we got our orders out and then another long stretch before we ate.  This was pretty much the story the two times I've been there and it stopped us from going back anytime soon.  BUT.  I gotta say, it's worth the wait.  The eggs and veg are just about as perfect as you could want -- really handcrafted, homey goodness.  And the price is hard, nay impossible, to beat.
4 - Stephanie ..: Ahh, Brookline Lunch.

On a nice day, the line is usually out the door, but it moves quick.  And so does the waitress.  One woman waits on the entire restaurant--power walks to one table, drops off menus, power walks to the next table, takes an order, power walks over another tables coffee, goes back to the first table...takes their orders... Cardio pump.

Cheap and filling.  Strong turkish coffee.  So close to MIT that it was perfect for a weekend brunch back in those days.  Cute, kinda scrubby/shabby place.  They always rotate the art from the Out of the Blue Gallery.

Yum.
5 - Michelle R.: Shhh... I tell you this only because I feel for people who are looking for a good breakfast dive. If what you want is a cheap breakfast (under $5)which is filling and fantastic, check out Brookline lunch. They're closed until August 5, 2006 because they're out travelling. The place is small, so do us all a favor and take the brunch group elsewhere. Enjoy this place with crowds of 1-4 for the best experience.
5 - Stacy B.: Great restaurant, Cheap food, Great Artwork.

My Fave: Feta Omelette.

Just a great little dive!
2 - Emily O.: This place had closed for the owner's family to go on summer vacation and recently re-opened. I had awaited this with anticipation as I walk by this place nearly every day and envisioned it being a mecca for the Middle East/T.T.'s crowd. I guess a little part of that was also an assumption that it would be.... good?!

Nah. I don't think they have any ice and maybe no a refrigeration system either. My partner and I ordered waters and I also ordered a soda. The soda came in a barely chilled CAN (no cup, no ice, no straw) and the waters were room temperature with no ice either. The food was home-cooked, but not worth paying for. Greasy and burned, dried out. I did like their spicy condiment to go with the homefries. In fact, that was a better meal than the meal. 

Service was great (yes, all two of them, but it was 4pm). They only take cash, which I find a big pain. 

Essentially this experience reminded of eating in the basement in "The Goonies" with those villians with the blender making my dinner and about the same resources.

P.S. Another reviewer mentioned a bathroom, but I couldn't see one!
4 - Mags L.: good hearty breakfast.  everytime.  'nuff said.
4 - Eve G.: How cheap is this place for the quality? So cheap! I ordered the Eggs Florentine which is basically the vegetarian Eggs Benedict. So, instead of putting ham on your English muffins, they load your plate with roasted mixed veggies and potatoes, and they normally smash spinach between the muffin and the egg, but the E. Coli scare has temporarily removed the leaf from the dish. The hollandaise sauce was so rich and creamy, and while the eggs weren't as juicy as I would normally like, I still walked away feeling very very satisfied. The place gets very busy, but the two staff members who bus and serve tables are excellent. They work themselves into a sweat to accomodate ones needs. The most impressive thing about Brookline Lunch, which you may not know, is that they make their own jam. Yes, and this morning they had a banana nutmeg sort of jam. It was absolutely delish, and they also give you a side of sour and hot relish to go with your eggs. How original? The coffee is a little on the thin side, but it does the job, and the water is filled to the brim about five times in one sitting. The best part about the experience is that I only paid five dollars for a fresh, satisfying, and authentic breakfast. Way to go B.L! By the way, Brookline Lunch is not in Brookline, but in Cambridge on Brookline St.
5 - Gaelle D.: This place could be twice as expensive and still totally worth it!! I can't believe how cheap it is considering the quality of the food. I've had their Eggs Benedict at least 20 times and I'm not over them! They come with pan-fried potatoes and vegetables that seem to differ every time. They serve breakfast all day, which is really neat. The rest of the menu is classic lunch stuff (sandwiches etc) with a Middle Eastern twist. Everything is good but I keep coming back to the Eggs Benedict (who said addict??).
The staff is always over-busy but still really nice. Considering the low prices I usually over-tip them, hoping that they'll stay in business for years to come:)
Other nice features: Unlimited coffee refill. Great decor. Did I mention the Eggs Benedict?
5 - Annie P.: BEST Eggs Benedict.
Veggie Omelettes. With those vegetable potato things. 
With some sort of jam and spice kick of Oil sauce in mini white flapped over in layers holder. 
The super duper mommy running around seating, wiping, serving, writing,... but never freaking out. It's a magic family. At least she sincerely asks if everything is okay and you honestly answer back OF COURSE and leave the biggest tip every time you go because the bill was only $5 or something.
Wait goes long. Don't take any impatient guests here. Go in two's or at most four's. While you wait, don;t forget to make fun of the Out Of The Blue art up on the walls and look up on the ceilings.. those little drawings are worth oogling at. 
Those luke warm Nantucket Nectars juices. Also the warm water served in a dingy yellowish plastic cup. Empty ketchup bottles. Flat silverware. Busted up china. Church pew benches and sci-fi looking couches with tables sitting on your thigh. 
High five, you still love the place!
4 - David d.: This place is cheaper than the Boston Mission! 


Some lazy friends from Somerville, had me drag my ass across the river for brunch ... and I'm glad. I think the breakfast menu topped out at about $4.95, and not $800.00, like the Centre Street Cafe (boo- hiss!) I had a delightful omelet with toast and home-fries. It was great, but I would have liked a heads up on the menu, saying it would be covered in some GROSS grilled vegetable medley. I fucking HATE Mushrooms!

After picking those off, it was super.

One of my friends ordered her eggs "over easy", and they were near raw. It looked like someone cracked an egg on a hot plate, and folded it over. I told her to take it home, because I was going to make cookies later ... :( **** Plz cook them longer, thankiez.

There wasn't a long wait to to be seated (at 2:00 pm on a Sunday). I think there was one waitress, though. After about 10 minutes, she asked what we wanted for drinks... we wanted to fucking ORDER! We were STARVING at that point. 

The menu also has a variety of salads and sandwiches that are double cheap!

I'd totez go here again! Our total was $16 for 3 people + beverages... oh, shit... I don't think they had ANY kind of liquor (mimosas or bloody marys) ... :( don't forget to flask it!
4 - Liz K.: June 07 update: Since my first review, I've returned twice. They lack consistency... and there's something really messy and off-putting about the environment and the food presentation. Then again, who ever commended a cheap diner on their plating skills? (Downgraded to 4 stars)

Ridiculously tasty food in huge portions at a chip price. People, are we reviewing the same place here?!? It wasn't dirty at all; the service delivery/turnaround time was normal. And the hostess was lovely.

I had the veggie omlette, which had a fantastic mix of vegetables in it--your usual spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, red peppers, but also carrots and tiny baby brussels sprouts! The homemade strawberry jam is reason enough to pop in for toast and coffee. Nothing was greasy... I guess they've turned themselves around in recent years?

 My friends ordered pancakes, falafel wraps and soups, meatier breakfasts as well. We all had a wonderful experience and loved it.
5 - reese w.: So ridiculously cheap, it's like you stepped into a time machine bound for the 50s.

The place is pretty small, but the food is cheap and fast. I got a mushroom omelette, but it was stuffed with all kinds of other grilled vegetables as well, and only for $3.50! They don't have a whole lot of vegan options, but did have a falafel sandwich that my vegan friend was quite tasty. One of the bigger items on the menu is the Ultimate Omelette, which comes with bacon, sausage, ham, chicken, home fries, toast, and grilled veggies. Oh yeah, and there's even an omelette with cheese in there too.

The atmosphere is a bit frenetic and busy, but very casual and easygoing. Be prepared to wait!
4 - Peter R.: Ask anyone about Brookline Lunch, and the first thing they'll mention is the incredibly low cost of the food, the second thing they'll mention is it's high deliciousness. The restaurant is small, and the booths, as a friend of mine pointed out, look a bit like old fashioned pews. The ceiling seems like it should be an album cover for some conceptual band, and the rotating art collection is... eclectic. That said, every meal I've had here has been great, though the cheese that comes on some of the dishes is a little Kraft-y. The breakfast fare is simple and comforting and the jelly that they serve with the toast and pancakes is amazing. Don't go if you're craving waffles though, they're not on the menu. Breakfast is almost always crowded, but the service is pretty good considering that there are never more than 4 people working (including the cook).
2 - chungo m.: kind of dirty. kind of greasy, kind of not so hot.
cheap though, and good soups!
4 - Sarah G.: Good sized portions of great, fresh food for very little money.  Yummy salad, very good falafel, great eggs.  Very veggie friendly, but good for meat eaters too - boyfriend loves any chicken dish on the menu.  Wait can be long, they've got weird hours and they often run out of stuff.  Usually only one waitress working the entire room, so be patient - it's worth it.  I haven't noticed any sanitation issues and I've been to the bathroom - it's tiny but absolutely fine.

Update - we sat for such a long time on our last visit before the waitress was able to get over to us that I almost wrote the place off for good, but when she returned with our food (always great) and some amazing jam with star anise and some other incredibly yummy but unidentifiable stuff in it, I had to say I was hooked for life.  I wobbled my way home one handed on my bike just so I could carry some leftover jam.  MMMM.
3 - Amy D.: Brookline Lunch makes me tired, despite the fact that I'm usually dropping in for breakfast after a good night's sleep.  Sadly, I end up tired -- of waiting for a table to open up, for the waitress to take my order, for the food to finally appear, to get the bill, you get the picture.  I know it's a family run place, and while I can appreciate the fact that they're trying to keep costs down by only having one waitress, spending over an hour to get breakfast isn't cool.  The food is great and I'd really like to make this my regular weekend breakfast spot, but I just can't.  For those who want to give it a try, I suggest going early.
4 - Nick L.: Brookline is a little neighborhood joint tucked around the corner from the Middle East.  Breakfasts are extraordinarily filling, and well worth the affordable price: coffee, huge omelet, toast, and homefries for $6.50 with tax; $1.50 less without coffee, mind you, but who gets a real diner breakfast without coffee?  The homefries were extra homey, where the chef took every vegetable from his home fridge and mixed it in.  Spuds, spinach, green peppers, red peppers, maybe some onions, a few carrots, mushrooms, and a few unidentified chunks made them a full serving of flavors.

The atmosphere at Brookline is itself a mix of everything.  Walls and tables don't match from one side to the other, but you quickly realize that nobody in the place cares--the charm is in having a comfortable meal with friends.  Sunday morning had a quiet energy with every booth conversing about something else.

Bottom line: the quantity of food for the price is impossible to beat in this city, and I would go back again.

Bike parking is available around the corner in front of the Middle East; not much available along the narrow side street in front of the restaurant itself.
5 - R E.: This place has fantastic breakfast and is cheap. As other yelpers said, ask for jam with your toast. Vegetables instead of home fries is pretty awesome too.
5 - Rachel S.: This eatery is one of the reasons why I love Central Square. The food is amazing for the price. Yeh, service is a little slow and there's no air conditioning (at least not when I've been there), but why are you rushing through the most important meal of the day? I'm always pleasantly amazed when I get my spinach and feta omelets and it's a delicious work of art!

Fresh veggies in a multitude of colors. This is a hidden gem. You will almost never run into a tourist in this spot. I'm big on supporting Mom and Pop local industry and this is in my top five. 

Saturdays and Sundays are huge brunch days everywhere. If you can get there early, or have off on a weekday, give this place a go. It can get pretty hot in there in the summer; I have memories of peeling my bare skin from their old school booths. **

Two enthusiastic thumbs up.

**{edit: bare skin from wearing shorts... yeh... }
4 - Tiffany W.: good. cheap. breakfast.

awesome hole-in-the-wall type diner and one of my top go to places for breakfast/brunch... filling portions, very good omelettes and home fries, tasty home-made jams...

service is a bit slow sometimes and lines can get long on weekends, but all in all, a great bang for your buck!
4 - Malena L.: I think I've lost count of the number of times I have harrassed the lady owner for her hot sauce. I have even suggested she bottles that shit and sells it (I expect a cut of the profit). It's seriously a taste sensation!
I love Brookline Lunch: it's dirt cheap, delicious and 3 blocks away from my place. My 2 personal favorites are the feta and tomato omelette and the Benedict eggs, and if you don't like their breakfast potatoes (specially with that hot sauce), you can come throw stones at my car. 
If you are doing brunch, make sure you come in early or you'll stand in line for a while...in the sun...hangover...not kosher.
3 - Yui K.: So easy on the wallet it makes me happy. A line outside a door often indicates a pretty damn decent place. The inside is rustic, laidback, and borderline dirty. Hearty portion of eggs benedict with homefries that are more than just potatoes.. onions, cucumbers, peppers mushed in between. Only one waitress so bring good company to chat with, relax... it's brunchtime.
4 - Shikha B.: In this bizarro city where good brunch places are about as hard to find as a bar open past midnight, nice people, and a warm day, Brookline Lunch was definitely a breath of fresh air.  Delicious BRUNCH food, good service, and cheap.  The only reason I didn't give it a 5 was that I don't think they serve bloody marys, which are essential for the perfect brunch. :)
4 - Cooper M.: I want to give halfs!  So think 3.5

A tasty brunch place (haven't had lunch or anything here) with a funky family feel.  It is small and usually crowded and quite slow.  Go there and be patient and all will work out well.  You can even feel less guilty about the bacon and hollandaise because of the extra greens they add to the potatoes.
4 - mickey l.: Keep this place in your back pocket.
Show it to those who you trust.
Don't expect miracles, like you might find at EGG (see next review)
But be happy you can afford to tip well the meals are that cheap.
(Two people, 10$, no joke)
Yes. Dirty. Greasy. Even sticky table top. But they are so nice. They took care of our large and baby studded brunch with charm.
4 - Dara C.: Sick of curry-scented Central Sq? Me, too. Thank god for Brookline Lunch, the miniature breakfast mecca off Mass Ave.

My roommates and I love this place. Where else can you get a mammoth omelette for $4? You can't even buy eggs that cheap. The hash brown potatoes here are to die for. They're neither hashed nor brown, and they're barely potatoes. The cook makes them chock full of colorful vegetables, and I don't think it's ever the same melange twice. My most recent serving included spinach, carrots, asparagus, onions, broccoli, mushrooms, and what may or may not have been Brussel sprouts. They're pretty much the best thing since sliced ... potatoes.

Also, the pancakes are above-average, the French toast is quite tasty but unremarkable, and I'm told they always do their meat right. As for lunch and dinner foods, well, I've never had them but I'm sure they do a fine job of it, too. But seriously. Just get breakfast.

Service is spotty, natch. The waitress/owner is the hardest working woman in the restaurant business and usually does it alone. So it's not the fastest service in the world, but that's fine. Linger over your eggs and a good cup of coffee, and watch the skinny hipsters gather around Middle East across the street. Revel in your full tummy of delicious food. Curl up in the fetal position. Love life, for your bill will never be above $10.
5 - Adrienne T.: BROOKLINE LUNCH ROCKS BREAKFAST!! (been a few times now)

I finally decided to give this dinky dive a try for breakfast. My wife had mentioned it a few times, but we never took the time to go check it out. I wonder why they don't call it Brookline Breakfast, since they seem to be more known for their breakfast than lunch.

As it turns out, today was a rainy Friday morning at about 9:30am. Walked right in, picked a seat, nice young man came and took my order, and I kid you not in 7 minutes was back with my food.  It was delicious and CHEAP! 2 eggs and bacon, with home fries for $3.75???! Yup!  Home fries were good and greasy, bacon wasn't all crunchy (I like soft bacon), and the eggs were perfect.

The place was clean, and had kinda weird paint on the walls (designs), and the enormous a/c unit hanging above the entrance looked like it was a lawsuit getting ready to happen at any moment.

I don't know if I'd be so impressed if I had to wait outside in a line, or if I had experienced slow service, both of which other Yelpers have mentioned. I guess I'll only go on weekday mornings, and avoid weekends.

Oh, I did meet the owner lady and her baby who was providing us with screeching and yelling child-made background music. Owner was very nice to me.
4 - Gracie B.: It's very heart warming for me to see a place that isn't another new "concept" place. Brookline Lunch has been there a loooooong time. And it is now, what it was then plus some serious wear and tear. It's the middle eastern corner lunch spot that could. 

It's simple and seemingly healthy. It's warm and inviting in the completely honest way it doesn't hide it's years and it's hard working family run goodness.

Don't go if unmatched lumpy booth seats and slightly less than clean tables bother you. 

Do go if you are the kind of person who trys to find alternatives to Starbucks and CVS whenever you can - you will get it!
4 - Laura P.: I absolutely love this place!  Whenever feeling like a nice home cooked breakfast which is incredibly cheap, good and close I always think of this place.  I myself LOVE the eggs florentine with the sauce on the side with the potatoes and veggies for like 6 bucks!  The place itself is kinda tiny but comfortable.... on the weekends you might have to wait for a table but totally worth it.  
As for the service it always seems to be the same woman every single time by herself but she is amazing.  For how many people she definitely provides as much service the make the meal enjoyable!
4 - rewan a.: Both times I've been here the food has been awesome. Getting seated is a little awkward, especially if you with a few people, or if there are other people waiting for a table as well. I felt weird hovering behind someone sitting trying to enjoy their meal, but this place is so tiny that it's hard to not be in the way. Last time I went next door to that funky shop and looked around until our table was ready, but today it was storming outside and so I had to awkwardly stand in the way for about 10 minutes. 

There seems to be only one waitress here, but I must say she does an excellent job serving every table alone. We ordered the Baba Ghanoug for appetizers and were very impressed. It was very similar to what it tastes like in the Middle East (area, not the restaurant across the street..). I had the tuna melt which comes with homefries. The homefries are NOT fried, and are actually boiled with other veggies. Very yummy. 
Although you may smell like restaurant when you leave, this place is DEFINITELY worth checking out. 

The damage? 20 bucks for two people including tip. Good stuff!
4 - Jenny N.: Oh, the eggs florentine are TO DIE FOR!!  I have to agree with Ligaya--they are just perfection. I am so excited that I found a place where you can still have a yummy breakfast at any time of day for under $5 easy. This mom-and-pop spot is not fancy; it looks like a greasy spoon, but the food is actually not very greasy at all. I love the exposed brick and art on the walls. While the booths are spacious, the tables could use a more vigorous wipe-down. 

But this is just a small quibble, because between the boy and I, we demolished a stack of GINORMOUS pancakes (interesting cornmeal type batter) slathered in butter and syrup, eggs florentine, and a platter of 2 eggs, 2 sausages and veggie-ful home fries for like 12 bucks. Can you beat that with a stick!?  I think not!

I love a home-cooked breakfast, and Brookline Lunch certainly delivers. The parking situation can be a bit tricky as there are very limited metered spots on Brookline St., but you'll be well rewarded for the effort.
4 - Elaine M.: A heaping plateful of homemade steak and eggs with home fries for around $6?!?! That's unheard of... unless you're at Brookline Lunch.

It's a charming hole-in-the-wall type joint with photography of the surrounding neighborhood hanging on the walls, and it's known for its extremely cheap breakfast/brunch dishes. Though they look good, I'm not a big fan of how their french toast or pancakes taste. On the other hand, their egg platters are fresh, yummy, and unbeatable.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a comparably filling and hearty breakfast for a measly few dollars at any other place that does not have golden arches.
3 - matt k.: Alas! I went here for lunch today full of high expectations of tastiness after reading all these wonderful reviews and other recommendations. Indeed, the Eggs Florentine were really awesome, and the melange that composes their homefries (mushrooms! broccoli! whoa!!) is awesome except for the one unexpected ingredient! A HAIR :( My dish was whisked away and a replacement was offered and accepted, but now I am wary.
4 - John W.: eating my cambridge breakfast at brookline lunch, it occurred to me that there are few places like this in the city: cheap and yummy comfort food located a mere block away from the central square t stop. the service is slow, but friendly. 

came here with friends that i hadnt seen in months, so we didnt notice that it took at least 15 minutes for our waitress to bring the check after we asked for it. and they get extra credit for displaying paintings from out of the blue gallery.
5 - Jeremy L.: You will not be disappointed by the incredibly cheap and tasty breakfasts here. Omlettes are large and home fries come with grilled fresh veggies. Weekends are busy so be prepared to wait if you come toward noon. The hollandaise on the eggs benedict is surprisingly delicious given that this doesn't seem like the kind of place you order that dish (especially for its price). Service is quick but harried, so grab the server's attention if you are in a hurry.
5 - kevin d.: This is my favorite restaurant in the world. I love everyone that works here and I love waiting in line on the weekends to dine here. Eggs florentine for life.
5 - Stephanie M.: I almost hesitate to review Brookline Lunch, because it's already so crowded so often - but I almost owe them the businees, considering how often I'd go if I still lived in Cambridge.  This place serves a phenomenal omelette with a sweet chili sauce, I must say - but I've not gotten one since I tried their lamb kabob.  Tons of tender lamb, fresh vegetables cooked to perfection (still slightly crunchy!),  and mind-blowing sauce over rice - nothing else like it.  Oh, and did I mention - it's less than six bucks for more than I can eat in one sitting.
4 - Will E.: I walked by this place dozens of time and wasn't really too excited about eating here because it looks a little gross.  However, it does get very crowded and so I tried it out one day.  A great diner experience!  Standard diner fare (eggs, sandwiches, etc), good people watching, and unbelievably cheap prices.  Gets very packed on weekends.
5 - sage f.: I love this place.  I love that the food is ridiculously good, not to mention inexpensive.  I love that it's a family business and the kids are often the ones clearing your plates.  I love the people-watching I can do here.  The booths are clearly the best place to sit.
5 - Joshua S.: This is my favorite place for breakfast in all of Cambridge, maybe even Boston. 

First, the food is awesome! Generous portions, best omelette's I've ever had, but I usually get the Eggs Benedict. Homefries are great and done the right way. And they usually give you some vegetables (think spinach) along with your food to make the whole thing taste really healthy. 

Second, the prices are so uncommonly low. This makes me happy.

Third, it's family run and there is art on the wall from local artists. So you can order away knowing you aren't supporting some soulless conglomerate chain. 

The only thing people might take issue with are the (sometimes) long lines and the (usually) slow service. I say, deal with it. Take the opportunity to actually talk and enjoy the time with the person you came with, we really don't get to do this very much anymore.
2 - Sisi Z.: Um, did I walk into the right place?  I can't believe people say this is their favorite place to eat--dingy space, spotty service, marginally acceptable food, the only reason I'd go back is if I'm really short on cash.  I got the Western omelette, it was basically a pile of veggies stir-fried with egg on the bottom, my friend's Eggs Benedict was just plain bad.  Not even the home fries were good.  I think the highlight of the meal was the buttered toast, and they also ran out of OJ when I went.  All in all, I'd rather go to Sunny's Diner than this place!
4 - Dea A.: Super cheap food with a husband-wife team running this joint. The service is only spotty because it's one person out there running the show, and she is doing a damn good job at it. 

I was just so surprised that with my omelette I got vegetables with my homefries! 

In terms of cheap breakfasts, this place wins over Dunkin Dono.
2 - Keith A.: If you won't cook bacon to your customers' liking, you fail at breakfast. Sorry, restaurants of greater Boston, I'm not budging on this fundamental principle. Your regular customers may be willing to make a virtue of mediocrity; I won't.
3 - Mike D.: Wicked cheap decent breakfast, followed a few weeks later by wicked cheap undecent breakfast.
1 - Molly F.: It's a shame when the highlight of your dining experience is crapping the food back out--finally ridding yourself of it. One of my spuds tasted like genitals and all of my spuds were soggy. My iced coffee was even worse. It was wicked hot and the waitstaff and some dingleberries at the next table kept bumpin into my chair. I felt nauseous the rest of the day and then made what seemed like a furious pee from my butthole.
4 - Dika K.: I find myself going Brookline Lunch almost every weekend. The food is wonderfully cheap and the home fries are served with plenty of sauted vegetables. At fast food prices you can get a finger-licking goood cheeseburger. I'm not saying its the best cheeseburger in the world, but ... you can has cheeseburger for cheap. 

Get a seat facing the back and you get to watch some impressive egg cracking. Or get a seat facing the street and zone out with a hangover, but bring sunglasses -  its really bright on Brookline in the morning.
2 - Kristine M.: When we walked in, it was mostly empty, but half the tables were filthy, with old dishes, leftover food, etc leftover from previous customers.  It was a bit of a turn-off to me.  

I was also disappointed that they didn't have lunch...I went there on a Saturday at 1:30 PM and I was totally in the mood for lunch (and since it was called Brookline LUNCH, I figured my desire would be fulfilled) but they only served breakfast.

I got a breakfast sandwich with sausage and the sausage with chewy and over-cooked.

They forgot to bring my drink, too!!

I guess I'd give it a second chance but I was not impressed.  Frankly, the rave reviews shock me.
1 - Jessica A.: I understand that popular breakfast places mean long waits on the weekend, inattentive service, the kitchen getting half your order wrong, your coffee finally arriving after you've called for the bill, & c.

That's not why the one star.

No, the one star is entirely due to getting boiled carrots in my vegetable omelette.  Even if you're screwing up *which* vegetables I asked for in my omelette, which is expected, who on earth would think that combination palatable?  It's scary to think that even a remotely seasoned cook would make this mistake.  Also, who keeps boiled carrots on hand anyway?
2 - Tom E.: It's not just that I fell through the floor here much to every other breakfastee's amusement... there are big holes in the wooden floorboards that chair legs can easily fall into... it's not my fault... get some new floorboards... buy chairs with really wide legs... whatever.

So why only 2 stars? You'd think the local brunch-outpost a few blocks from home would be manna from heaven for this oft-hungover lunatic. But no, it's always just been a pain in the bum in the many times I've been dragged along.

* The long line pains the feet like bad acupuncture
* The wait once seated is elf-themed-literature-epic-long
* In summer it's hotter than state-illegal sin
* On wet days it's more humid than in Tina Turner's car
* And it's always painfully cramped - just like my style when Nadya wants to hang.

All of this for some omelettes and shit? No thanks, they're not stellar enough to justify getting me all grumpy and cursing all these hipster do-gooders. Nice artwork though, and those aforementioned holes in the floor at least provide amusement to those who aren't made to look silly.
5 - Chris Y.: Goodbye hangover
I'm replete, wallet intact
Thank you Brookline Lunch
2 - Juston P.: This place almost contradicted itself to a 3 star rating.  The food is satisfying, but greasy.  The atmosphere is cute, but the service is awful.  Normally, that'd be 2 stars, but the low prices place it back in the 3 star camp.

... and then the holes in the floor, long wait, sour owner, and sauna-like climate yank it back to ** land.
3 - Julia F.: My dad tells me stories about how he used to come here and get brunch/lunch while at work back in the good old days...

Dad: ... when food didn't cost as much, ya know?

Me: Well, it's still fairly inexpensive to eat there...

Dad: When I was going there it cost two-fifty for all eight of us to stuff ourselves! (or something equally outrageous)

I pity anybody who has to listen to this conversation every time we pass this place. But with him, it's like one of those 'fishing stories' the food gets cheaper and cheaper every time we talk about it. This is, however the same man who tried to only give my sister and I fifty-cent allowances FOREVER. Thrifty doesn't even cut it. 

The food is average. The place is kinda tight quarters. It's also weird if you are from Cambridge cause then you are somehow obligated to interrupt your eating or somebody else's by saying hi and asking how everybody is, ecc. It's a greasy spoon, a cramped, often too warm spoon that is definitely historically significant, yet most of the time when I think of where to eat ... this place doesn't jump out at me.
3 - Diane And Allen S.: Good omelettes and very fresh vegetables.

Unfortunately, the fans are not effective during the summer and there is no AC -- you will be hot. In fact, we left there looking like drowned, but satisfied, rats after a nice hot breakfast.

Very reasonable prices. We recommend the steak and eggs or any of the omelettes.

The service is a little slow, though.
3 - Cecilia L.: I have such mixed feelings about this place, so I'll just give it to you straight.

Good: The amazing house jam, the 1950s prices, the sauteed veggies with every breakfast, the art on the walls.

Bad: The long lines on weekends, the extended droughts of service for 20 minutes or more, the general dirtiness of the restaurant, the greasy spoon odor that permeates your clothes.

But any cute, independent place that will make me a delicious eggs benedict for $5 has a place in my heart.
2 - Ani G.: The food is okay, but nothing stellar (with the exception of the home fries, which are really good), but my biggest issue with the place is how dirty, cramped, and uncomfortable it was. The tables were sticky and the floors were filthy. 

Go to Z Square instead. The food is at least as good as Brookline Lunch, but they take reservations and the place is spotless.
4 - Jackie S.: It's a Sunday morning.  You're hung over and you spent all your money on drinks and cabfare last night.  You're a Central Square dweller and you realize you have two choices: Grab a greasy burger at Wendy's to soothe your headache and woozy-ness, or head over to Brookline Lunch for an equally cheap and greasy meal, but with the option of sitting down and getting waiter service. 

Well, if you pick Brookline Lunch - you've made the right decision.  This place is dirty and cramped, no doubt about that.  But the food is good! And it's cheap as hell!  If you don't mind a little bit of a wait, then definitely head over here for a hearty breakfast that won't cost you more than $5 - and that's usually including tip!  

Note:  I would stick to breakfast foods and only breakfast foods at Brookline Lunch - who trusts six dollar lamb anyway?
3 - Lisa N.: Lots of cheap options and made by a wonderful staff. 

The pancakes are standard but the hummus platter was devine!  I love the cozy atmosphere and the location is cool too. 

p.s. The spot is off an alleyway.
5 - Liza N.: I hate writing reviews in theory about little holes-in-the-wall restaurants I think are supremely good. Mainly for the reason I absolutely hate waiting in lines. The line is generally not tooo bad for Brookline Lunch, but in the cold winter chill of a raw Sunday as you wait outside for brunch, it can get chilly. Other than my hatred of waiting aside, this tiny little 12 or so odd table-d lunch place is THE BEST. 

Things I love about it: you can get a buttload of food for less than $5. all the main breakfast items come WITH toast, homefries, and vegetables. it's local and earthy without being too trendy. it's family run. it has an abundance of delightful plants outside the entrance. DID I MENTION HOW CHEAP IT IS?
4 - Michael B.: this place makes breakfast feel like you are in your friends apt. cool paintings from a local gallery. nice grilled veggies with breakfast. Friendly owners. very affordable. love the hot sauce and jam with the meal. nice environment.
4 - Rana A.: Great hole-in-the-wall breakfast place!! Very affordable the average price for all breakfast items ranged between $4-$8. 

I had the feta, egg and tomato sammie for $4.50. It came with home style potatoes, veggies, an orange slice and a piece of banana. 

The rest of my family got omelets and most of them couldn't finish their meals. 

Service was a little slow as there was only one waitress and when we got there the tables weren't cleaned off or set up with silverware (which is why it's not 5 stars).
5 - thomas k.: hand down the best omelettes i've ever had.  i don't know how this guy does it but the super thin layers of egg and cheese like a millefeuille with the home fries and toast is the best deal in boston.

the place is dirty and run down.  and the underage servers don't always have the quickest feet.  but hey, it's a family run business.  what do you want?  the coffee is quick, the couple works hard and the prices are ridiculous.

one could hope for more and get less in any place.
5 - Nadja O.: Brookline Lunch is my go-to on Sunday mornings.  Their grilled cheese sandwiches are amazing, and the prices are pretty fantastic (cheap!).  They used to have a strangely awesome mystery-fruit jam that they served with eggs and toast, which you should ask for if it isn't served.  The only weird thing about this place is the art, which is utterly horrific and hilarious.  Because it's so uniformly bad, whether it's photography or painting, it's kind of awesome to look at and ponder over eggs...
4 - Raphie B.: Hard to find (or easy to miss) but worth a visit for sure. The food is great, the service is quick, and the prices are very reasonable. Brookline Lunch (located across the street from the downstairs entrance to The Middle East) is a total gem!
4 - Victoria C.: This is a fantastic place for a relaxed and delicious Sunday brunch.  Be sure to ask for jam with your toast, it tastes homemade and is fantastic.  I also recommend the spinach-mushroom-cheese omelette, this is one of the few places that gets the eggs just right - not too runny, but not rock hard either.  

It can be a little hard to find, but it's worth looking for.  Trust me, when you've been wandering about Boston searching for breakfast, bleary eyed and hungry, Brookline Lunch is a dream.
4 - Stefanie G.: The menu here is really nice - good pancakes, decent eggs, my mom liked the middle eastern breakfast with hummus and falafel. I think the eggs are a little dry, but there is something in the homey feel that I really enjoy. They also left the stems on the spinach for the eggs florentine. The coffee and OJ are really good. Avoid the bathroom! 
All in all, the food isn't incredible, but this is a great little hole in the wall to enjoy Sunday morning, the paper, and conversation. Extra points if you were across the street at the Middle East the night before.
2 - Lauryn Z.: When I lived in Boston a few years ago, Brookline Lunch was my go to spot for Saturday brunch- good food, inexpensive prices, cozy atmosphere, friendly service.....so when I planned my visit to Boston after 2 years, Brookline Lunch was at the top of my list to visit- 

My boyfriend (it was his first time here) and I arrived and were seated immediately - I was happy to see that the menu had remained the same and the same family was still running the place.  

However, as much as I loved this place back in the day, I must say that this time I was very disappointed with the food.  Perhaps the quality has gone downhill over the years....or maybe I just didn't realize it so much before.  I ordered the vegetable omelet - it was served with the eggs on the bottom, then the veggies and finally topped with American cheese (of all the cheeses to choose from- why???).  I also found the choice of veggies odd- carrots and eggs....hrmmm....My boyfriend ordered the french toast which was made with white bread- with cinnamon on top - instead of mixed in with the batter.  He found the dish rather tasteless and bland.  

Unfortunately, I spent the rest of our meal convincing my boyfriend - 'no really, it used to be good back in the day, I swear!'.  Service, however, was good, and the decor just how I remembered.
5 - Kim L.: I LOVE Brookline Lunch!  I find myself agreeing with many of the other reviews, but want to add my take.   The place IS rather dirty.  However... I don't mind that.  In fact some of my favorite breakfast places seem to have a thin layer of grease and grime (not sure what this says about me).  I do like the decor and the ever-changing artwork on the walls.

 The vegetable selection in the omelettes IS rather odd.  Yes, indeed there are carrots, and broccoli, and the chicken(!) that comes in the Ultimate Omelette is flavored with dill (of all things).  Again, I don't mind that.  In fact, I think it's great!  

I also agree the lines are long, the place is cramped, and the service is slow, but this place is cheap and well worth the wait.  

When I go there, I always get the aforementioned Ultimate Omelette and it is packed FULL of veggies and meats of all kinds - including carrots and chicken and other things not normally put in omelettes.  They don't skimp on the portions here!  I also want to rave about the home-made jam that they serve.  It's not always the same kind, and if you ask what it's made of, the answer(s) might surprise you (eggplant jam, anyone?), but the flavor is always top notch.

In summary, Brookline Lunch ranks among my VERY FAVORITE breakfast places in all of Metro Boston.  I'm just sad that I no longer live close enough to walk there.
5 - Lynette S.: This is not only a review but a big thank you to the 2 staff who attended to me nicely eventhough i blew through there when it was busy and i just wanted a breakfast sandwich to go! 

i got mushroom, egg and cheese on wheat bread (comes with a side of homefries and veggies!) for 4$ and change. yum. i live closer to inman but there arent too many good breakfast sandwiches in my immediate area...would come back to BL anytime for this tasty goodness.

Thanks! You have one more fan!
4 - molly f.: Happy to get to know this no-frills neighborhood spot. The decor is a miss, but the food (and the roasted veggies on the side) are a hit. The portions are really generous & you walk away feeling happy and your wallet stays fat...whats not to like about that?
3 - Katie V.: I had very mixed feelings about my brunch experience here.  The service was friendly, but very slow.  As in, after we got our coffees, we waited about 15 minutes before the waitress took our order, and then another 40-45 min. for our food.

The brunch menu is no-frills -- omelets and a few non-egg dishes (pancakes, french toast).  When the food finally arrived, I was pretty pleased. The home fries are a misnomer -- the potatoes come mixed in with other veggies, like carrots, squash and brussel sprouts.  It was a delicious side dish and more healthy than just your usual fried potatoes or hash browns. Also a plus: homemade jam for the toast.  Possibly the best part of the meal.  My sausage-and-cheese omelet was so-so; the sausage was overcooked and chewy.  My boyfriend seemed to like his french toast.

The prices are great; 4 of us ate for about $30.  I just wish we had been able to order and get our food faster.
5 - Ligaya T.: It's been over three years since my last review though I've been going here eight years and running. Eight years! There's hardly a thing I've committed to that long besides breathing. And despite the hipster takeover, economic roller coaster, putting three kids through college and aporkalypse, I'm happy to report they're still serving up the same scrumptious eggs florentine piled high with grilled vegetables and doused with fresh hot sauce. In fact, I'm making a list inspired by the proprietor entitled "Awesome Owners."

Yeah, yeah, kvetch about the film on the tables and dust in the cracks, keep the crowds away and leave the tables open for the folks who understand the magic of a hearty five buck breakfast with a smile.
1 - Chris W.: I've walked by this place so many times and seen the wait and the crowd and thought to myself I have to swing through and grab a bite. So last weekend I did just that with my trusty female breakfast companion and we were utterly shocked and disappointed. 
When we arrived there was a brief wait, sure no sweat. Then we were seated, and from here on out things just went down hill. We waited and waited until we finally put in our drink order. We had to wait even longer to place our food order because there was only one waitress for the entire place. When our drinks arrived the rim of my coffee cup looked as though it had been used to polish the floor.
Now after placing our order we thought we were all set. Our food arrived and it was meh,.. My friend had ordered a an omelet, which had some very oily/greasy vegetables in it alongside her salmon. I also got salmon even though I didn't order it. Funny I didn't think that salmon and sausage  sounded so similar. And my scrambled eggs looked like they had barely been cooked. We were so disappointed with our meals we took care of our bill asap and left.
4 - Elizabeth F.: Vegetables instead of home fries, and my zucchini and feta omelet came with extra veggies and a huge slab of seasoned feta across the top. The waitress kept refilling mine and my companion's coffee mugs without being asked. And the toast was wheat, and we hadn't even had to ask for it. I'll definitely be returning here.
2 - Abbey B.: I used to live around the corner from this place.  Went here a couple of times for breakfast/brunch on a weekend.

Service is usually pretty slow, though the waitress is clearly handling a lot.  No biggie.  Just don't be in a rush.

I'd usually go here when I was feeling too hungover to make breakfast/lunch.  When you're hungover, you want greasy food to sop up all the liquor in your system.  This place generally fits the bill, though I always left feeling sicker than when I went in.  Hungover or not.

The food's pretty mediocre.  I'm not a fan of breakfast (though I've been won over by some places in the area), but this place just turns me off completely.  I know people love it, but I just can't buy into it.  Tastes like the kind of breakfast someone would make at home and you'd politely eat, but would try to avoid their cooking in the future.

Oh, never order anything but breakfast.  It's crap.
5 - Sarav C.: I love this place and cant get enough of it.  The place is very down to earth,  earthy crunchy, family run business.  Easy on your wallet,  very friendly service and nice place to have brunch or lunch.  

The veggie omelet with vegetables,  toast,  hot sauce and home made fruit jam is to die for.  I top it off with coffee and they keep filling the cup when its empty.   I support so many local businesses in Cambridge,  this is the only place they make me feel at home.  They even greet me with my name and treat my friends with the same respect.
3 - Esther W.: In general, I just really like these gritty, cheap, hole-in-the-wall type places that deliver decent food for good prices. 

So for what it's supposed to be, Brookline Lunch is good. Breakfast choices are pretty basic, food is made QUICKLY, large portions, and best of all, it's CHEAP. The eggs benedict is okay, the omelettes are decent and hearty, and the potatoes and veggies are consistently greasy but good. I've only had breakfast foods here, not sure about their other stuff.

I took off some points for hair found in my food more than once (but the truth is, I actually find hair in my food anywhere I go--seriously--and I'm convinced it's because I tend to look more than others. Good thing I don't really care that much), it's cash-only, they waiters are so busy they don't waste time trying to be friendly but that's fine, it's a little cramped so if you sit in the middle you get knocked a lot by the wait staff's elbows, and it can take a long time to get seated. This actually really sucks if you come in the winter because there is no indoor space to wait so you have to wait outside. And it gets really cold if you're eating near the door because it's such a tiny place. 

But as long as I live so close, I'll definitely keep coming back here for a quick CHEAP brunch with friends.
1 - Ver D.: Friends insist on going there because it's cheap. 
The wait staff is great, and there is a nice variety of choices..

I have been here for brunch 3 times, and every single time, I have gotten egg shells on the eggs I order. It's gross. Never having that again, not coming back.

Also the pancakes taste a bit like cardboard and the syrup is bad quality, pure corn syrup - zero maple. not good.

also, long wait lines than I cannot comprehend...
4 - Sophie H.: This is my new favorite place to go with friends who are hungry and broke. Big portions, amazing home fries (more roasted vegetable than potato), homemade jam and hot sauce -- and you probably won't break ten bucks, even with a lavish tip.

I'm subtracting a star for cleanliness, but it would probably be impossible to make it cleaner AND keep the prices so low.
2 - S W.: The good- 
it is very very very cheap
homefries that have veggies like carrots and broccoli in them

The bad-
always understaffed  and the staff is really curt and unhelpful
NO AC
Pancakes are flavorless
Syrup does not taste even a little like maple (not even the Aunt Jemima stuff)
Rest of the food is pretty eh

In short, if you are hungry and short on your dough, this place will fit the bill but as the saying goes, "you get what you pay for."
2 - Liz B.: This used to be one of my favorite breakfast places but after this morning's experience I don't think we'll be going back. Service was slow, scattered and both of our orders came out wrong. The waiter actually walked away from the table while I was giving my order. "I'll have the veggie omelet with...." No "hold on one second I'll be right back," just left. I had to flag him down to give the rest of the order. The home-fries, which I used to love, were completely undercooked and way too greasy. At least the jam was still amazing (even though we had to walk up to the counter to get it because we couldn't get a server's attention and they forgot to put it on the plate.) 

I'll be sticking with Sunny's from now on.
4 - liz c.: Great deal for lunch.  best homefries.  Pretty greasy, sometimes the smell of the place remains on your clothes for hours after, but the family that runs it are super nice, it's a pleasant place.  I don't recommend the coffee, but I do recommend becoming a regular.
4 - Deanna D.: I really enjoy Brookline Lunch for breakfast/brunch. The restaurant is a hole in the wall with funky and cool artwork on the walls, a relaxed vibe and cool clientele. The staff is friendly but never fast......Who staffs only 2 servers for a super busy Sat. morning? 

The homefries are awesome! I love the veggies mixed with the potatoes and the hot sauce (homemade?) is lovely. The salmon eggs benedict does not disappoint...tasty hollandaise sauce, cooked salmon (not smoked--thank you!) and toasted english muffin= delicious brunch on the cheap!! 

The prices are amazingly low! Breakfast for 2 for well under $20 with a generous tip! The food is a bit greasy but very tasty, super slow service..you have been warned. It gets really busy during weekend brunch hours so try to get there early. Overall a great value for brunch on the cheap!
4 - carmel t.: Brookline Lunch is the best. I always get the same thing, incidentally the best item on the menu, the tomato and feta egg sandwich. It is /always/ delicious and filling,  /always/ has awesome vegetable "home fries" (broccoli, brussel sprouts sometimes, carrots, tomatoes, squash even, onions, scallions, bell peppers, etc etc) and fantastic hot sauce, and is /always/ only $4.50 (I think). 

Seriously, as a broke college student who rarely allows herself to eat out, I was so glad to discover Brookline Lunch. The walls are brightly painted, there are plants in the windows, and although they often seem understaffed the family who runs the place is very friendly.... it is a warm and colorful respite from the gray bleakness of campus.

Some of the reviews cite boring pancakes, fake syrup and slow service... these are all accurate comments! But for their cheap, reliably delicious egg sandwiches, Brookline Lunch is definitely worth it.
4 - S K.: If ever there was a misnomer "Brookline Lunch" is it - it is neither in Brookline, nor is it specifically a lunch place - It is one of my fave breakfast places - they serve the usual greasy stuff: sandwiches, fries, omelets, toasts etc. all served with some awesome hot sauce. 

I have tasted most of them the items on their menu and couldn't say a bad thing about them. My only gripe - their service is glacial (especially on the overcrowded weekends). The owners are Jordanian and add some superb middle-eastern fare as well. And as other reviewers pointed out, very easy on the wallet.
5 - Sam K.: I had the salmon benedict & it was Egg-cellent!  Turkish coffee and bahklava are delicious too. 

Highly recommended by yours Truly.
5 - Norah D.: Easy  to love - service is slow but food worth the wait- weird little sides of nontraditional breakfast foods from middle eastern cuisine very delicious and charming. We ate breakfast there on the morning  of our wedding. * sigh* nostalgia and food ...
3 - Shannon B.: I live right near this place, I could basically skip here if I wanted. 
But actually, I don't want more than I want. I've hit up this place many a time in search of cheap, fast, and slightly better than mediocre brunch, and have rather dissapointed at times.
The food is CHEAP and greasy but good, and the coffee is verryyy strong. But I don't know what it is about me, but I seem to get stuck with poor waitstaff! I had to actually stand on my chair to get service. and we'd been sitting there for about 15 minutes, and it was the middle of the day on a Monday. 
Maybe I need to start wearing a reflector vest, or stop being so picky about having to wait 90 years to get breakfast. 
If you go here, be prepared for looong waits, slow service but with pleasant waitstaff, and greasy cheap food. that's all I've got!
2 - Julia L.: Oh Brookline Lunch, I want to love you so much. I do! I love your coffee and those cherry preserves, but today you were off your game. Even the owner who is usually kind, hard-working and friendly was not herself.

I was ignored for 15 minutes after a party of 6 and a party of 4 came in, ordered and were served. I had to ask to have my order taken. I still waited for a long time for my coffee to arrive and when my order finally came, it was all wrong. I ordered a mushroom, zucchini and bacon omelette, my usual, and it came out all wrong. The bacon was on the side not in the omelette, there were tomatoes in the omelette (yuck!), and the cheese was hastily slapped on top and not melted. Most heartbreaking was the lack of preserves or hot sauce on my plate. That is why I come. I left without eating but not without paying $14. :(

Brookline Lunch, you are the boyfriend I want to love, but he just treats me so bad, that I have to leave him. I will miss you, your tempting cherry preserves and cup lickingly good coffee!!!
2 - Zainab A.: In 2006, I went on a first date to this place. It was amazing. The food was cheap and mad delicious. The jam they had was mind blowing. Like it seriously changed my life. Because of that jam I married the man that took me there. No jk. but...

Fast forward to now, I've been going to this place for a long time and I've noticed some changes. It's gotten way more crowded (way too many hungover hipsters), if you go there on the weekend, expect to wait, which makes it an unpopular destination in the winter. As a consequence of increased traffic, the service is slower and the staff doesn't put the same care and thought into the food. I used to  get a quaint stack of french toast, with a light dusting of powder sugar, now it's just 3 slices of soggy bread thrown in a pile. With the decline of food and service they've also raised the prices. It's still cheaper than most other diner options around the city, but it's disheartening to see the slide of service and increase of price.
5 - Sam G.: Brookline Lunch is hands-down my favorite brunch place in Cambridge. Sure, you may have to wait a little while to be seated. And it's not the classiest place in the area. But the food is delicious, unique and plentiful; the waitress is a sweetheart; and the bill is always incredibly inexpensive. Their homemade jam and hot sauce are out of this world. Bottom line: Come here on a sunny, leisurely weekend morning, bring a mug of coffee for the wait, relax and enjoy.

P.S. My favorite order is the tomato, spinach and feta omelet. Do it.
4 - Jeremy K.: I still can't figure out why it isn't called Cambridge Lunch since it's Cambridge and not Brookline but I guess that doesn't really matter. Their food does.

And their food is good. Very good actually and well priced. I went there a couple of times for breakfast and was pleasantly surprised by the value you get for what you pay. And it's also healthier than most places I've seen which is another great thing. Not a lot of guilt if you down those veggies.

The food comes out quickly and service is minimal but prompt. Just spot on if you ask me. The only downside to this place is that it's cash only (at least it was when I was there).
4 - Mr. X.: I come from a city with a proud diner tradition, and this place could stand squarely in the middle of the pack in my hometown.  This is praise, not criticism.

The food is fair, but comes in big portions, and has a few nice touches (I'm thinking specifically hot sauce with the home fries, and how magically nothing is greasy).  Far as I can tell, it is literally a Mom and Pop place, with Pop manning the grill and Mom waiting tables.  Mom is just about the nicest waitress I have ever met, and tends to have her little daughter trailing her around, which adds to the cozy, friendly atmosphere.

I went here for breakfast today just off a redeye from California.  I went in drastically sleep deprived and literally weak from hunger.  Half an hour later I had my will to live back.

(Incidentally, for those wondering why it's called Brookline Lunch when it's in Cambridge, look at the street address.)
4 - Tepring P.: Solid place. Three of us went to this cute little place for early (9:30) brunch. I want to tell you the time b/c on a saturday in 30 degree weather (feels like 15) I would be not happy if I had to wait especially if it were outside, but we didn't thus the good rating. So we get there, we get seated instantly, we order after flagging down our waitress - which is why the 4* - and the food comes out properly and good. 

This place, I said, is little and cute - MAYBE 10 seats, like 6 booths and 3 two people tables?

This place has inexpensive food - my spinach florentine was $6.00, tea was $1.50 with free hot water refills. I spent $9.00 total.

The place had a good variety of food - well to me it did I usually have to ask for not Canadian bacon on my benis they had like 6 varieties including real salmon, not lox or anything like that. But the only other item I usually order at a breakfast place is french toast which is why I have to come back here to try it. If the french toast holds up. I have found my brunch spot. 

It is like 3 blocks away from central T stop on drum roll please....BROOKLINE street. but in cambridge =)

And lastly, Cash only. Which is ANNOYING but not unusual in Boston.
5 - Hubert H.: Really neat breakfast place. The menu is simple and straightforward, but they do breakfast really well. If you can spare a weekday, the restaurant is usually really empty but you'll get your food without having to wait.

The Eggs Benedict comes with different choices of addition, e.g. bacon. The egg dishes even come with a side of vegetables. The eggs are well-poached, runny in the middle, solid whites on the outside.

The home potatoes are crunchy and complement the eggs well.

The artwork comes from the local art gallery (Blue Heron?) on the other side of Mass. Ave. on Prospect St.

The location makes it tough to find, but once you find it it's a real treat!
4 - Yeuhi A.: This place has the best omelets.  They come with fresh vegetable medleys and tangy homemade hot sauce.  Coffee is good.  This is my new favorite brunch spot in Central Sq. If you can't stand the crowds, try dropping by on a weekday.  The food is just as good and the service is much quicker.
4 - Omar F.: Amazing chicken curry!

Sometimes all you need is one good thing to enter happy land.  LIfe can be simple like that.
5 - Ziyan C.: Another one of my favorite brunch places in the Boston area. Brookline Lunch has a GREAT value and AWESOME omelettes.

I'm usually a french toast/ pancakes type of brunch gal, but Brookline Lunch has opened up my eyes to another realm of brunch: omelettes. They have such a huge variety - seriously, don't order anything else as you will be disappointed. Omelettes are their specialty, and they are their own unique little creation (see pics).

I love that this is a tiny little tucked away restaurant, in the heart of Central Square but easily missed if you're not looking for it. It has a great casual atmosphere and seems to be a family run business. Every time I've been there, it's been the same woman serving EVERY single table - I'm always amazed at how she serves so many tables yet keeps her cheery demeanor! However as it's a small little business, I have made plans to come here before only to find that they've closed for the day (this is a holiday, it's like on an average Saturday).

POSITIVES:
- Get the omelettes!! I usually don't like omelettes, but I love Brookline Lunch's!
- Relaxed & friendly atmosphere. Cute, tucked away little restaurant.
- Incredibly good value. All omelettes are under $6 or so. I treated like six people to brunch here and it barely made a dent in my wallet.

NEGATIVES:
- As it's a small (family owned I'm guessing?) business, I've come here only to find that they've randomly closed. It's in Central Square - plenty of other places to go.
1 - stephanie t.: Worst french toast I've ever had. Seriously, worse than the terrible food they served at summer camp. 

Stars are only because I like the atmosphere and it's relatively inexpensive. Also, I don't eat eggs and those look much more promising. Home fries/potatoes were not terrible (i.e. inedible, not great either) -- if I ever were to come back, which sadly I might since the cheap food scene in Cambridge is so lame, I'd just get an order of those, drown them in hot sauce and add some salt, drink coffee and call it a day. 

I know it's obnoxious to always complain about how provincial Boston is in comparison to "real" cities, but the fact that this is actually considered a great brunch spot isn't helping!

EDIT: I originally gave this two stars, but considering that almost a YEAR later I still remember vividly just how bad my french toast was (on thin, soggy white bread), I'm lowering it to keep it more in line with the way I've rated other establishments.
3 - Jessica R.: Not really into it.  The menu prices are cheap and the taste is definitely commensurate with the price.  Out of the eggs, sausage, home fries and french toast I ordered, the only thing that tasted above the level of cafeteria food was the french toast.  Service was great and everyone was really friendly, but the food didn't do it for me at all.  Doubt I will ever go back when there are a bunch of better options in the same area.
4 - Kerin P.: I LOVE Brookline Lunch.  They hands down make the best Greek omelet I have ever had. They are also really generous with the ingredients and portions---loads of kalamata olives, tons of veggies, and there is no skimping on the feta.  Though I usually order an omelet, I have had the French toast as well.  If you like your French toast with a side of egg and butter, this is for you.  It was amazing, but I definitely could not finish it.  Each plate comes with home fries and toast, with a side of this amazing jelly/hot sauce I have only had at Brookline.  The coffee is nice and strong, and the service is quick and friendly.  It seems to be a family run establishment, sometimes with only one waitress (who must be part of the fam), who manages to get everyone's meals to them in an orderly and timely fashion.  Brookline is also pretty cheap and a has a funky/unique ambiance.  You might have to wait for a table, but it is totally worth it.
3 - Robert L.: Good place. They made a terrific grilled cheese sandwich for me. The home fries are really good as well.
4 - Ryuji S.: Quality of food is like 1960s. Not that I existed in this world then, but their brunch is actually just like how I would cook myself, hearty and tasty, although you will see some disagreements as to how they make the pancake and french toast. Also, they don't use real maple syrup.

Well, their eggs benedict is pretty good. Actually, I shouldn't talk about anything else served there, because every time I go there, I order different kinds of eggs benedict.

The worst part is their coffee. It's about the same level as the donuts chains and convenience store quality. Well, I might be a coffee snob, btu they should at least get the quality matched to Andala, Mariposa or C3 (when the sloppy staff is not working there). Well, coffee at these  three places is only passable anyway.
5 - dave s.: you can tell a lot about a person by their reaction to this place. 
people with rigid conceptions of what a breakfast spot should be will likely find something negative to harp on. however, these are probably the same people who decorate their windshields with 'no fear' decals and spend several hours a week cooking their skin to a whiter shade of orange in an ultra-violet coffin, so fuckem. 
also, aca-dicka-demia types will probably get rubbed all sorts of wrong by their dining experience but they'll find some esoteric quality to pontificate upon and that will likely salvage their ego-driven appraisal of what it meant to dine at brookline lunch.
what i'm trying to say is shitty people of all stripes will either dislike or simply end up befuddled by the food that gets served to them and the manner in which it got there. 
sometimes service runs slow, it's a family run joint and is staffed that way, but by cup-half-full standards, all that really does is allot you time to sweat off your hangover or rediscover the joys of purposeful conversation with human beings in their analog, actual form so ultimately, it ain't worth passing stones over.
egg dishes of any variety are a no-fail option and are served with a melange of veggies that kills in presentation without even meaning to. the coffee won't make you spasm with glee but it's good enough and gets refilled often so if you take care to relax a little everything turns out copacetic.
their jam and hot-sauce, which are made from scratch on site, are not only all sorts of delicious but completely unique. the hot sauce, which borders on being a relish stands apart from anything i've encountered and is routinely consumed by the trowel full every time i dine there.
the proprietors are the shit and have no qualms interacting on a genuinely personal level and manal, the mother hen who runs the floor holds it down like a champ.  
i'm in the bay area now and miss this place the way david spade's career misses chris farley. 
respek.
1 - Dessa R.: Before this past weekend, I hadn't eaten here in almost 3 years. My first experience was particularly unimpressive, and I just never got the urge to return. But in my yelping, I read that the place has really improved over time. So, I gave it another shot. 

Nope. Still just as bad as 3 years ago, possibly worse. My eggs benedict and veggie home fries were barely edible. My breakfast companion looked rather miserable with his French toast as well. Just not our cup of tea, I guess.

I feel a little ashamed slamming a local business run by a seemingly nice family, but it was the most disappointing breakfast I have had since... the last time I was here. But I do like to support small local business-- and I'm glad they have so much support from other Yelpers, because I don't foresee myself going back. Ever. That's right, I'm a terrible person.
2 - Ed H.: I really don't see why Brookline Lunch has 4 stars. I don't find much about this to enjoy.  I've heard it's because of the prices, but that doesn't equally two (or possibly even three - I almost wanted give them one) extra stars in my book. Maybe it's not the breakfast that this place is getting credit for. I hope not, because if it is, I missed something. Something big.
4 - Andrew R.: Brookline lunch is the definition of a greasy spoon brunch spot.

Their pancakes are delicious, big, and covered in a slab of butter. The french toast, however, was lacking.  The homefries come fried deliciously alongside whatever veggies are left over from the last person's omelet. The omelets themselves are ever changing: this week the veggie omelet had mushrooms, peppers and onions, where previous weeks I've had brussel sprouts in it. Also, GET THE JAM. If you have toast on your plate, make sure to ask for a bit of jam, it's amazing, and a different flavor everytime I've been there.

Service is really slow when it's busy, which is most of the time, but I've never had an issue with my order, and the food is super cheap.  Sometimes cheaper than it claims on the menu, which is kinda neat.

Perfect spot for eating away your hangover on a Sunday morning.
4 - Mark H.: Stumbled across this place while visiting Boston and staying in Cambridge. Saw some hipsters hanging outside the front of the place and remembered that hipsters live for greasy breakfast and coffee in retro-places. 

The special omelet or whatever it was called was a disaster of everything in the kitchen, including chicken, sausage, bacon, processed cheese, broccoli, 4 eggs, potatoes a hipster or two, whatever. It looked like a mess with over-buttered toast. Tasted quite good - a bit heavy on fake cheese tho. 

Anyway, the price was awesome for that much food. In Toronto this would be either $16 (or free because it was found in the dumpster of a breakfast joint). 

Most of the other orders that I saw looked overly generous and tasty. Think I would stick with a simpler omelet next time but value for money was great - super hangover spot. Just don't go with a large crowd or else you'll really have to squeeze yourself into the small booths. 

Coffee was good by American standards (i.e. was stronger than Dunkin Donuts).
3 - Melanie H.: I went to Brookline Brunch on a Sunday morning around 11am. It was quite busy, but we were able to seat ourselves immediately and had service right away. They have a fairly extensive menu and offer everything from pancakes to baba ghanoush. Our food was great (egg and feta breakfast sandwich) and was served to us about 10-15 minutes after ordering. This was the fastest I have ever been served brunch food in the Cambridge/Boston area on a Sunday morning.

Be warned though, they do not have a dishwasher so all of their dishes are washed by hand, which I felt was a bit unsanitary. Also, their juices are made from concentrate and are poured out of a plastic milk jug. Save your $2.75 and order coffee or water. Lastly, do not go here with a big group. This place is tiny and best accomodates a party of no more than four. If it is cold outside, there is no place to wait for a table- they ask all people to wait outside until they can free up space.

Overall, it has its ups and downs, but is worth a try.
4 - Beth L.: This place is in my neighborhood and it's a great "greasy spoon" breakfast spot.  The single room is rustic and funky.  Wall art comes from "Out of the Blue" gallery and changes monthly.
The food is good comfort food at great prices.  If you want french toast go somewhere else because that is the one menu item that is simply awful!  
The business is family run - husband cooks, wife waits tables, sons wash dishes. The service is slow when the place is packed because one person is cooking for or waiting on 15 tables.
The eggs benedict and omelets are always excellent. The home-fries are filled with all sorts of vegetables that make them tasty and much healthier than typical fried potatoes.
Go with friends or the daily news and just enjoy!
4 - K R.: I really like this place. The lady that always waits on me is awesome. She's quick and friendly. If you want a super sterile, gourmet experience then this place isn't for you. 

It is great home cooked food that is always a little bit different, sometimes i get fruit, other times crazy sauces. They are always great. Beware, all of the omelets come with veggies. This is a good thing as far as i'm concerned! Yum!
4 - Rachel C.: This place gets 4 stars for a few reasons. If you go in with a hangover wanting kinda greasy breakfast food, you're at the right place. Also, their home fries are a bunch of vegetables, which are delicious.

I don't quite understand their business hours, so you might want to call them before you go to make sure they're open.

If you're sober and want a nutritious meal, this might not be your place. If you want pancakes, waffles, and omelets, this is the place for you.

It's also pretty cheap, and has plenty of seating.
5 - Julia W.: The falafel sandwich is officially the best falafel I have ever eaten.  EVER.

Not a place for the self-important, impatient or the snobbish eater.  This is more like the Cheers of diners, with an awesome family running it and devoted customers.  The dad cooks, and he makes all the jams and the hot sauce himself!
4 - Tim W.: This place is a gem for late breakfasts. The portions are huge and the prices are cheap. I've gotten breakfast sandwiches there a couple of times and they are $4.50. It includes a large side of home fries which are actually potato chunks with veggies. Not bad. The omelets are also really good. Generous portions of egg and toppings. 

Bottom line: its cheap but good diner food. Prices are good. Coffee is good. Ideal for a night after partying since they don't open up early anyway. I tried to go there once for a real breakfast (7:30AM) and it was closed. Who knows.
5 - M C.: hands down my favorite brunch spot. love it.
4 - Tiffany Z.: Brookline Lunch is a casual breakfast/brunch/lunch spot down the street from my apartment, and I think they do an amazing job with a non-fancy, inexpensive, but tasty version of eggs benedict served with a side of diced fried potatoes mixed with lots of fresh veggies.  That's the only thing I ever get here so I can't comment on the rest of the menu.

If the weather's nice, expect a long wait during the weekends.  Fortunately, if you're in the neighborhood, you can also order to-go for those weekend mornings you just don't feel like cooking your own breakfast :)

As for the interior, it's very casual and eclectic with interesting paintings adorning the walls.  And don't come in expecting polished service :)  Again, it's really inexpensive compared to other brunch places and the quality of the food is high (it's just not presented in a fancy manner in a fancy environment or with nicely dressed servers).  So...depends what you're looking for :)
4 - Matt H.: Were I you, I would stay away from the "ultimate omelet" 

Ordered almost out of curiosity, this monstrosity contained the following (at least): peppers, onions, mushrooms, spinach, zucchini, carrots, celery, tomatoes, broccoli, cheese, a strip of bacon, a sausage link and a chicken breast. 

The vegetables were mushy and gross for the most part. The meat was solid. 

But hey, the coffee was good and it was an experience for sure.
4 - Josephine L.: They don't kiss your ass here.

You sit your hiney down anywhere you can find a spot and wait for the menus to come to you whenever they damn well feel like it. Well, not the menus themselves but the people bringing them.

The eggs benedict sandwiches are scrumptious to this non-bread lover (I am chronically thirsty!). I got the salmon 'n' cheese one and boy was it omega-3 delicious. The boyfriend got the ham 'n' cheese and the two of us were silent for a whole 4 minutes while we wolfed down our food! 4 minutes!

If you're in my 'hood, this is the place to grab a breakfast bite.
5 - Ja H.: Great breakfast, brunch, Middle Eastern and French dishes! Nice art displays on rotation. A sort of dingy environment - but don't go for the interior decor, go for the great food!
3 - Jess C.: I went to this brunch spot after a few people recommended it to me. My friend Nick and I heard the homefries were great, so our expectations were high, and for him, the homefries hit the mark. I like my homefries a little less busy (these came with peppers, zucchini, tomatoes) but they were still nice and crispy. He had the Mediterranean omelette while I settled on 2 eggs over easy which were cooked nicely. The best part of this meal was the jam and hot sauce they gave us. We were so curious as to what was in the jam that we asked what was in it... they told us it was a combination of pineapple and banana. Now let me tell you something, this jam was red and had some interesting flavors, so obviously their chef was not giving away any secrets. We were really just curious! So overall, definitely a good breakfast, curious jam, but filling and scrumptious all around.
4 - Aboud Y.: Went back this morning for breakfast and enjoyed it even more than the first time.  

The Za'ater Bread and jam are amazing...truly exceptional.  They make a decent pancake and eggs too.  

The place is cozy and the coffee is strong.  Service is also excellent and welcoming.  I will def. be back again.
3 - Eszter H.: Visiting from out of town and met up with some friends here for a midweek breakfast. The tables were rather yucky. I couldn't tell if they'd been "cleaned" with something sticky or if they just had a lot of grease on them from who knows where. I could tell that they had been wiped, but I used up quite a few napkins to wipe off the yuck. This was not a good start to the experience.

The space was cold. I was wearing many layers and I was still feeling chilly. 

Now for the more positive aspects. The food was completely reasonable breakfast/bunch food. I had the french toast, eggs, bacon dish and it was all pretty good so no complaints there. They don't have fresh-squeezed orange juice. The final payment was extremely reasonable for everything we had consumed so that was a welcomed ending to the visit.

I enjoyed the art on the walls that they are selling for very reasonable prices.
4 - Robot N.: Totally yummers! Cheap, delicious, unique. Cool vibe, great homemade hot sauce and strawberry jam. Go...right...now!
5 - Sam E.: Ah Brookline.  I head here more weeks on Saturday before the crowds come at 10:30am.  Manal and the family greet me and the other regulars by name, and we catch up with each other while I figure out my order (always ask about the specials).  It's a homely place, with warm exposed brick, lots of booths, and big open kitchen at the back where the husband Jamal cooks up a storm.

The omelets here put to shame any I've had anywhere else.  Seriously.  They see me through until dinner, and are stuffed with all kinds of goodness.  They're served with home fries that have whatever is the veg of the day mixed in with them (usually a combination of bell peppers, onions, asparagus, broccoli...).  They also come with toast and homemade jam.  I've tried to get the recipe for the jam from Manal, but even to a seasoned patron like me it's a secret.  I'm ok with that.  And I make sure to get a side of it every time I'm there.  Their special hot sauce is also definitely worth trying on the omelets and benedicts.  

I've see a few reviews about the slow service here, and at busy times it can be slow due to lack of staff, but I encourage you to see that as a feature not a bug.  Take time to relax and enjoy the ambiance of the place and your friends.  If you need to be in and out in a hurry, definitely don't come here after 10:30am on a weekend.

They've been working out a new pancake recipe in the last few months, and I like what they've settled on.  It's not too fluffy, with I think some wheat flour mixed in.  yum yum.  You can go wrong here, and you can go very very right.
5 - Chris H.: This place is great--I love the food and the family that runs it.  I probably end up going here 2-3 times a month for brunch.  Most of the breakfast items come with a giant pile of mixed vegetables on the side.  The homemade hot sauce is incredible.
5 - Josh G.: Skipped the hour wait at cafe Luna, walked around the corner to find this gem. Home fries have a ton of veggies. So good.
5 - Hiroki M.: Best. Hangover Food. Ever.
4 - Philip K.: This place was awesome for brunch. I came here with a big group of freinds and we all squeezed around a tiny table in this interesting hole in the wall. This place is super informal but that is what made it awesome. The omlettes were huge and piled high with all the good stuff. I got the ultimate omlette which had all the veggies, cheese, sausage, and even a chicken breast!!! 

One thing that happened that made me very pleased was the events that occured after a spilling of hot sauce. Our server spilled hot sauce on my cousin, but, helped her clean up, and to make it all better comped her entire meal. Not bad!

This place is awesome-- super freindly, super cheap, and super delicious!
4 - Alyssa K.: I went in here for a quick to- go brunch. The restaurant itself had a very pleasant, almost homey decor. I ordered the Ultimate Omelet for brunch and the Pancakes with eggs and sausage for the next morning. I thought the Ultimate Omelet would have the varying meats (chicken, ham, sausage) IN the omelet, but they were piled on top of it. The omelet itself was delicious and had a ton of sautéed spinach and other fresh veggies. They gave A LOT of food for a very low price. Even though I was starving when I went in, I couldn't finish my meal at once and had to save it for later.

I was curious about the pancakes and tried them- they weren't that great. Definitely NOT something I would get again or recommend. I felt they just covered them with butter and was a little sickened by the thought. If you're going to coat something in butter, then at least make it taste good enough to not let the patron think about how unhealthy it is. I know they were busy when I went in, but I distinctly said sausage for the meat. I ended up with bacon. I'm not a big fan of bacon, but it wasn't that big of a mix up for me to never go back there again.

The sole waitress that I ordered from was clearly frazzled by all the customers, but did not snap at me or rush me out the door. I give her credit for handling decently well under the pressure with many customers waiting.

I will say that a deterring factor in coming to the Brookline Lunch is that they do NOT accept credit or debit cards. I just so happened to have exactly the right amount of cash on me, otherwise I would have had to rush over to an ATM. I know plenty of people who do not carry cash with them. Keep this in mind beforehand if you decide to go here.

Total time from ordering to paying and walking out the door had to be anywhere from 10- 15 minutes (20 mins max). I was pleased with the speedy service.
5 - Kate T.: If you are looking for a hip, unique brunch experience with HUGE portions on the CHEAP, look no further. My favorite breakfast place in Boston. Try the Mediterranean omelet--NYO med omelet, it boasts spinach, tomato, peppers, onions, mushroom, olives, and more and is topped with a lump of homemade feta cheese that is to die for. The service is always friendly and fast and I've never paid over $18 for two breakfasts and two coffees. Come early because it does fill up in my experience.
5 - Josh F.: I used to go to this place for lunch when I was working from home.  The hummus and baba ghanoush are delicious and the prices can't be beat.  This is a great place.
4 - Jeffrey M.: This is a hidden gem!

Maybe it's hidden because it's not really in Brookline ... it's on Brookline Street.  Misleading much?

It's a Lebanese-run brunch place, and while I haven't had any of the Lebanese food yet, the brunch menu is pretty standard and meets expectations =]  The portion sizes are huge for $6 or 7.  I ordered the French toast with ham last Saturday, and while the ham was great, the French toast and maple syrup combination tasted a little artificial.  Overall, though, not bad!

DO NOT get the baklava.  True, it also comes in a huge portion size.  But it looks as if they just bought it from a wholesaler and cut it up for you, and that's supported by how it tastes -- easily broken into a dense bottom and flaky top, and also too artificially-sweet.  I'd still check it out, though!
4 - Trevor B.: A good place for a casual breakfast between Central Square and MIT. The veggie omelette comes with a generous heap of roasted vegetables, and the coffee is pretty good (for a diner); you can enjoy both for a little over $8 plus tip. Cash only, so come prepared.
2 - Ben F.: Had the eggs florentine. Came on a bagel without warning, which was pretty bad. Veggies that came with it tasted off.  A friend ordered tea and got Lipton even though decent teas were available.  Service was slow and unfriendly.

Certainly not expensive but not cheap enough to justify being a bad brunch place.
5 - Lauren P.: This is, hands down, my favorite breakfast place in the Boston area. If you love veggies in breakfast, it could be yours too. From what I can tell, every dish that comes with hash browns will be covered in delicious vegetables that are a little different in composition each time I go. They have a whole section of the menu dedicated to different kinds of eggs Benedict... which - trust me - are all wonderful. The omelets are great and are my personal staple... as hollandaise sauce is not something that I feel okay consuming on a weekly basis... And the pancakes are pretty excellent if you're into that kinda thing. Going there once with a large party of people, we ordered a plate of them for the table. I really wish I could give that group decision 5 stars because it was a very good idea. Also, make sure to ask for some of their homemade jam which is always a little different but most times has a hint of anise.

Only bad points are that there's no indoor waiting for tables (not a good place to go on a rainy Sunday morning), and I once got a Mushroom Salad there which was really just a tiny basic salad with extra button mushrooms... But it's still my favorite place for breakfast north of NY and South of Portland so 5 stars it gets!
4 - Kay R.: really liked this place! A friend brought me here for brunch, which was really reasonably priced. The atmosphere was cozy and cheerful.  I got an onion and cheese omelette which came with homefries and lots of fresh cooked veggies (not frozen!). The omelette must have been at least 4 eggs large.

Also you should get the jam-I don't know what's in it but it's pink and tastes kind of like soap..in a really good way. Just try it on toast.  overall good prices, good amounts of food. The only thing is cash only which is a little annoying but I didn't mind too much
5 - Morgan T.: Found this place on accident and had to wait about 10 minutes during prime breakfast time on a Sunday morning.  This place seems to be family owned/operated which I already love.

I ordered pancakes that were loaded with fruit and a side of hash browns.  Both were AmAzInG! When my home fries came to the table I was delightfully surprised to see they were cooked with fresh veggies, so yummy.  Also, my pancakes were great as well.  

The place was super cheap and food was great.  I would definitely go here again!
5 - Emeen Z.: Cheap and really delicious food with a super friendly staff, what more could you ask for? I guess I do wish they were open at night but it's all part of the charm mannnn.
5 - Patrick M.: When I lived in Cambridge for a year, I would often head down to Brookline Lunch for a nice hour-long breakfast and coffee. 

The food is great and well priced. I've never had anything that I didn't like. Though, this doesn't speak to the breadth of the menu, as I have only three mainstays; I haven't found a reason to switch. 

The pancakes are always delicious, slightly crispy. 
Their French Toast is equally great, as well. 
My final and favorite is the bacon benedict, which is an eggs benedict with bacon instead of ham on the muffin. Quite possibly one of my favorite breakfast meals of all time.

What's best, though, is their home fries. Potatoes, vegetables, and seemingly whatever is around the kitchen and extra. Crispy and delicious. There's also a hot sauce that goes with it, which is also fantastic. Ordering toast also gets you a side of a really great jam, which I think is made there.

The only two things I can mention about this place are fairly minor. The first is that the wait can become unbearable during rush time. There's nothing they can do about it; the space just doesn't accommodate that many customers. 

The place is a little run down looking on the inside. Fairly minor.

I can't recommend enough giving this place a try; grab a nice big breakfast, order a Turkish coffee and read a book during the quiet hours.
5 - Scot M.: This is one of America's best breakfast joints.  

The food is awesome and always a little different, depending on what is on hand your homefries might come with extra broccoli or you might get a whole banana on the side.  They always use just the right amount of butter and oil to fry up the delights served here.  The coffee hits the spot, and the waitpersons are eager to bring water for those patrons parched from a night of drinking.  I strongly recommend trying the sausage, egg and cheese sandwich, even now, thousands of miles away, I can picture the buttered bread collapsing around the hot cheesy links and the delicious scrambled egg inside.  The eggs benedict is also real good, and sometimes I skip breakfast and go straight for the cheeseburger, which is actually a patty melt!

Service is a cut above most Cambridge restaurants.  They are pretty much run by one family, the children, polite and friendly serve and wash the dishes, the father, as many men now do, is in charge of cooking, and the matriarch runs the show.  She is very friendly, but as the boss she has no time for shenanigans or people keeping the door open when there is a blizzard outside.  They usually remember who you are too, depending on how busy it is, although that means you have to tell them you don't want 'the usual.'  

Location is lovely too, right in Cambridge's grit square and only steps from the red line it is easy to see why this place gets so busy on the weekends.  It is across the street from the Middle East and T.T. the Bears or whatever that place is called, and it is always fun to get one of the window booths and watch the different types of musical groups getting setup for the night ahead.  

The clientele is a more or less inoffensive cross-section of central square's rising star.  You might see more people you know than you'd expect for such a small place, but if any particularly unsavory characters from your past appears in the booth next to you, well take another bite of your sausage, egg and cheese sandwich and forget about them.  There must be quite a few harvard and mit students since the place was significantly less crowded when the students were out on break.  

Timing is the one thing that sucks about his place.  They don't open until 8:30am, so if you work, you can't eat there during the week.  On the weekends you'll never have to wait if you get there before 9:30 and usually after 12pm you are safe too, otherwise I have never waited more than 15 minutes for America's best breakfast.  

The art on the walls comes from Out of the Blue gallery, so if you like their work then you'll like this art.  My artistic friend who goes by the name "Herbert," gets very upset at what he views as the low-kitsch quality of the picture-rendered paintings and their high prices.  However, you will never find high prices on the menu.
3 - Emily M.: "Ehhhh" is the word to use here. My boyfriend got traditional Mediterranean food, while I got a bagel. It was ok. Nothing special. Very loud and a little overwhelming, though.  Prices are low but higher than other diners in the area.
4 - Brittany R.: Was in Boston for a weekend and ate here two days in a row.  The place gets crowded and there was a wait both days, but it may be one of the best places ive ever had breakfast.  Definitely go here, and definitely wait for a table.
5 - Julia Z.: Went there in a group of five people around Sunday noon and it was extremely busy; took a long time for food to come. Other than the long wait food was very delicious. Highly recommend their Eggs Benedict. One of the most tasty breakfast places I've been to.
5 - Jason C.: WOW. $5.50 got me the best omelet I've ever had. I ordered the Western. It came covered in ham (real ham, cubed. not stupid deli meat), onions, red green yellow and orange bell peppers, tomato, zucchini, carrot slices, broccoli, spinach and maybe more. All the vegetables were cooked perfectly - not overdone or mushy, still retained  some crisp freshness. The home fries were also delicious, especially when covered in their homemade chili sauce. 

I hear their breakfast sandwiches are also delicious (duh, basically the omelet on toast), but I'd say get the omelet anyway because then you'll get a side of toast and a cup of their homemade jam. It is sooooo tasty!

This place is great for groups of 4 and under. Service was fast and friendly.
4 - Jeff W.: Lots of food, and lots of variety with ingredients in the dish (the homefries especially).  The breakfast food is good, and I really like the crabmeat sandwich.  Very good value.

Sometimes service is a little bad, but service isn't what you should be coming here for.  The hot sauce is somewhat uninspiring; I prefer tabasco.  The jam is pretty cool (though really sweet).
5 - Glenn F.: It's an upgrade to diner food. Delicious, quick, tasty. Delightful family runs the place. Everything was perfectly cooked.
2 - James S.: Pretty meh.  The prices are very cheap but I guess you get what you pay for.  My fiancee had the french toast and eggs - the eggs were decent but a bit overcooked, while the french toast was super soggy and well undercooked.  I had the falafel sandwich, which was full of vegetables but woefully short on tasty falafel!

Service is what you'd expect out of a diner - mostly forgettable, but nothing bad.

Overall, I'd probably not go back.  Boston is woefully short on good breakfast joints, guess I'll have to keep looking!
5 - Will H.: Love this place. Great quality food, and large quantity servings, made by a wonderful family, in a great location. The hours are a little strange though. If I remember correctly, don't expect service before 10 AM or on mondays. It is really delicious though, my favorite breakfast place/ diner in Cambridge/ Boston area.
5 - Esther Z.: If you are looking for inexpensive, delicious, diner-style brunch items this is your go-to. I come here for the egg benedicts over and over again. Service can be a bit rushed and the wait can be a bit long if you come after 10:30AM. Every time I get grumpy about the wait though, I always find myself happily satisfied at the end of the meal.
4 - Peter W.: Totally great breakfast and lunch spot!
4 - Danielle B.: this place is family owned and has excellent service. the food is good and hearty. great for breakfast and brunch. it is small though so expect a wait.
1 - Cliff S.: I used to like going to brunch. But Central Square is surprisingly short on this. I thought this place would be the answer but it turned me off to brunch altogether for a while. The food is too greasy. The toast is cold. The veggies are soggy. The french toast is hardly distinguishable from regular toast. The homefries are never right. And don't order the eggs benedict.

No idea what everyone else is talking about. This place is not good. Cheap but still not worth it. Plus, lots of hipsters.
5 - Rick R.: I have been coming to this tucked-away diner for years, and have been telling anybody who will listen what a great place it is.  The prices are cheap and the food is excellent, for starters.  Every breakfast dish comes with seasonal vegetables and home fries, toast and homemade jam and hot sauce.  With rich coffee, I have never managed to spend more than $10 with tax and tip.  Try any of the varieties of eggs Benedict, or the large stack of pancakes.  I always leave full and satisfied.

The family who runs the restaurant, particularly the matriarch, is always pleasant and cheerful.  It feels wonderful to be welcomed back as a regular.  If you come before 10 am on a weekend you can probably avoid a wait.  But even if there is a line, it moves quickly. 

Give Brookline Lunch a try, and I'll be surprised if you don't come back.  See you there!
4 - Cyrus W.: I was enjoying my ham benedict and looking at all the other dishes the waitress was taking to other tables thinking "I want to try that! And that!"  Food was excellent. There was one waitress for the 15 or so tables and a line out the door, so service was a little harried. Will definitely be back to this place.
5 - Rayan D.: I've lived about 30 seconds away from Brookline Lunch for the past 18 months and driven by it multiple times but never stopped in.

This morning I was looking for a new brunch option so we headed down to try it out - the place was packed.  We waited for about 5 minutes and within another 5 minutes had coffee and waters.  We ordered french toast, eggs, and the greek omelet - portions were HUGE!  The food was delicious and we were very impressed.

When it came time to pay we found that the massive portions and coffee only set us back about $8 a person - a really good deal compared to what you might pay elsewhere in Boston.

We will definitely be back again soon!
4 - Julio S.: Good service, price and eats. Fast and friendly.
5 - Maxine Y.: This has been our go to spot for weekend brunch for years. Love the hummus plate, with its kalamata olives, peppers and onions, drizzled in hot sauce. The Greek omelet is really good too. For something light try the halava (sweet spread with pistachios) with tea. Recently had to move and on our last visit they gave us a goodbye gift - baklava and halava! Brookline lunch, we will really miss u!!!
4 - Cassy H.: Brookline Lunch is a great small local spot with friendly service and honest home-cooked food. I'd definitely recommend it for Central Sq residents and visitors. 

I ordered the Western omelet, which included ham, tomatoes, and spinach (see photo). Although it's been a while since I've been here, I do remember vividly that I loved what I ate. I was completely satisfied for not just one meal, but two. Yes, the portions are huge, so you can definitely turn your omelet dish into two meals. And you should.. b/c it's probably not a good idea to eat such a big portion. 

Anyway, come with cash and be prepared to get your money's worth.
5 - rachael b.: i love this place. huge portions, lots of veggies in the omelets and homefries, homemade hot sauce and jam, and cheap prices.  it's family-run and they're really kind. i love when their kids are there and they excitedly run to show me to my table.

you don't find places like this in cambridge these days and it's really sad!
4 - Katarina M.: This place is a great value (meals with huge portions running in the $5-7 range) and has some pretty bomb food. Have only eaten here for brunch. They have your standard diner fare: eggs, omelets, sausage, bacon, pancakes, French toast, home fries. But they also have various eggs benedicts, and steak (which comes as an alternative to standard bacon or sausage with their eggs meals), an ethnic breakfast (I'm remembering pita and olives but there was definitely other stuff), and some good specials (they change often...last time, I overheard the owner telling someone they were out of salmon, but that they had some fresh tilapia).

The thing with this place is that they put their own spin on it. Your home fries definitely didn't come out of a bag. There's always a ton of fresh grilled veggies in them and they are pretty flavorful. The whole plate is just always flavorful. And they come up with interesting specials (although I didn't like my TBM omelet...interesting in theory, just doesn't really taste great all together).

Their iced coffee is great. I'm not a coffee snob, but I don't like it when my iced coffee tastes watery, and theirs doesn't.

If you allow me to suggest one thing to you off their menu, it's their CRACK JAM. Homemade raspberry jam that we're pretty sure has chunks of pineapple in it. If your meal doesn't come with toast, order a side of toast (which they butter for you!) and jam because it is that good.

Also, they have homemade hot sauce. I'm not a fan of spice but I am a foodie so I tried a little. It packed a nice little kick and was just so "fresh" is the word we kept throwing around. Definitely some fresh spices in there along with probably some chili paste or something. But it's pretty liquidy. Anyways, it's good.

A few minor annoyances which mean I can't grant that last star: 1, the homefries aren't to die for. They're good but just that. 2, the first omelet I ordered was a Western omelet and was not supposed to have sausage in it, but it did, as did my friend's omelet that wasn't supposed to have it either. They're kind of all over the place throwing things in your plate that aren't supposed to be there, it seems. Which is fine for the homefries, there's no definition of homefries. But she told me what was in the Western, and sausage was not in her description. 3, the fans are not AC and I am always too hot in there (although it is summer). 4, the service can be off if it's too crowded (we literally spent 5 minutes staring at anyone who works there and could not get any of their attention). They're always friendly but they have to change something there.

All in all, it will definitely be my spot this summer for going out to breakfast. Not perfect, but pretty damn near.
4 - James A.: Extremely unassuming but expectation-defyingly good.

I had chicken and waffles, and it was just great. The folks are friendly and the price is so reasonable for the portions that it's almost criminal.
5 - Shannon M.: This place will blow your mind.

The woman who's the main waitress is the most motherly woman I've ever met in a restaurant. She smiles when she brings your water, when she takes your order, when she brings your food, when she sees if you need anything else... it's like being at your grandmother's house or something.

And the food! Unreal breakfast served all day. The omelets are the perfect size-- giant, but you can finish it without feeling over-stuffed and yet be full until dinner. The home fries come with veggies (zucchini, tomato,  broccoli), and are delicious. People rave about the homemade jam-- it might be an acquired taste that I don't have, so try it and don't listen to me. 

Yeah, Cafe Luna and Sonsie's have awesome brunch, but this place is REAL. Given the price and the fact that this is awesome, delicious food served by my favorite waitress ever, this may be one of my favorite places in Boston.
4 - Amir K.: Fresh,  cheap and delicious
1 - Steve A.: I used to come here a lot. Good portions, very good price, average to good tasting food. Then I had one incident with dirt and hair in my food. During the same visit, there were live bugs at my table, and I'm not just talking about the odd gnat or fly. As I looked around the place, I realized that this is not a one-off incident. Places like Sunny's may seem from the outside to be dirtier, but take a lot better care of themselves on the inside. I would have at least given this place 2 stars, but food establishments need to be clean. Sorry, my dollar deserves better treatment.

Brooklyn Burger And Pub - Seattle, WA (47.657144, -122.314045) (University District)
1 - Steve B.: This place is a complete rip off of A Burger Place on the ave.  And A Burger Place is MUCH better.  The burger meat tasted like there was some type of filler in it or something, and it wasn't grilled, but almost like it was microwaved or something, very rubbery consistency and odd color.  I seriously could only stomach half the burger and threw the rest out...it was just SOOO gross.  The fries would have been good with about half as much salt as they had on them.

Needless to say, I won't be returning!
3 - Allie S.: In response to the first comment, A Burger Place and Brooklyn have a similar ordering process, yes, but so do a lot of places, so I don't see that as a bad thing. The prices are average but they are not nearly as crowded as ABP -- actually we're usually one of maybe three tables -- so we don't feel guilty pulling out our books and cramming for a couple hours.

The people who run this place are really friendly, but admittedly, the food is just average and it's pretty expensive for what you get -- I pick this over A Burger Place due to the fact Brooklyn has milkshakes and ABP doesn't.   And milkshakes are delicioussss :)
3 - Jarrod L.: The Philly "burger" (they mean cheesesteak) was shockingly large for the price/atmosphere/region. It was pretty tasty, having good steak and enough onions.
3 - Nath, A.: Not that I'm complaining, but Brooklyn Burger and Pub is not, in fact, a pub. Sure, they serve beer, and the sort of food one might eat with beer (not just burgers), but the net effect of the place is decidedly unpublike. It's always mostly empty, pretty well-lit, and there's pop music playing on the radio.

When I walked in, the staff greeted me from across the room and waved a burger ordering card at me. I went with a single patty, cheddar, jalapeno, some vegetables, and mustard. With fries and a fountain drink, that came to a bit under $9 after tax. After a short wait, they brought the food to where I was sitting, with a bottle of ketchup.

Now, take a moment to look at Jeanny M.'s photo of a burger on the top right corner of this page. Looks like one of those fake food photographs they put in ads, doesn't it? Well, that's exactly what my burger looked like. A nice, large roll instead of the usual sesame bun, without a trace of sogginess. Golden, crispy fries that didn't really taste of all that much. The meat was OK; it was on par with the pricier 'specialty' burgers you'd get at a chain fast food place. In fact, if McDonalds decided to open a premium burger subchain (like they did with coffee), the food would probably look and taste a lot like this.

The meal was filling and unobjectionable. If this was the only non-chain burger option in the area, I'd be glad to have it around. As it happens, there are three or four good burger places within a few blocks, so I'm unlikely to come here often.
3 - Jonas C.: This store was originally Tiger Cafe, one of the better Chinese restaurants in the area when I first arrived at UW, it later closed to become a Filipino restaurant, and so imagine my surprise when I see this place as I pass by on the bus.  However, since I no longer live in the dorms, it's a bit out of the way, but today, I had the opportunity to try it.  It's run by what looks like a small Korean family, and they were really friendly.  However, the whole make-your-own-burger checklist thingy seemed a bit of a knock-off of A Burger Place on the Ave, with less stuff.  That being said, I decided to judge the burger on its own merits.  Overall, I thought everything was pretty good, but it seemed rather much like a burger you could normally assemble at home and stuff, though the House BBQ Sauce was rather tasty.  The burger patty itself was rather small for the large kaiser roll and all the stuff, but overall it was pretty well made.  Everything seemed pre -made, so overall, I can't say it's super great or worth it.  The combo isn't bad, the fries are decent, so it's more for convenience than anything else.  Overall, it's okay, not exactly the greatest, can't say that's it's the best in U-District or most affordable.  Just another run-of-the-mill burger place  that serves alcohol, I suppose that's what makes them different, though I don't drink, so it's not like it makes a difference to me.
5 - Hoku S.: This place is awesome. It seems as if its a family run place and the whole family is really friendly. They always welcome me,smile, and tell me goodbye when I leave. Not just one of them either, even the old man cooking takes time to smile and say thanks to the customers. And the burgers are pretty damn good and not that expensive. They are not like jack in the box burgers, which are cheap and pretty low budget. Their burgers cost a little more than that but is put together very nice. I know some people said its not a pub, and yea its not a pub, but who cares? They serve beer there so they think its a bar and they probabaly dont even know what a proper pub is so they found a fancy way to say "bar" and went with "pub" without even realizing that they arent really a pub. They are from another country they dont know any better, but they are great people and have great burgers.

Brooklyn Frame Shop - Seattle, WA (47.664073, -122.314515) (University District)
1 - Caroline T.: I just called this shop to ask them a question about an estimate and the guy who answered the phone hung up on me because there were customers in the shop. Uh, hello, I'm a customer too, over the phone???.... But not anymore I'm not!
4 - Tabatha J.: Went into this shop looking for a basic frame for one photo from pikes place and a question on a couple others. He was really helpful in picking the matting color and frame that was just perfect for my canvas.

Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. - Los Angeles, CA (34.0271529, -118.2764727) (South Los Angeles)
4 - Maureen G.: Loving this new business! Always thought DT could use a bagel place. TY, Brooklyn Water Bagel place!

Free parking!
Fresh bagels.  Variety too! My asiago cheese bagel had a nice layer of cheese on top. Mmmmmm!
Coffee bar looks awesome too. 
Service is on point! Cashiers are super sweet and attentive. So is the guy making the sandwiches. 

Minus one point :( for forgetting to give us the stud muffin we ordered. Was so excited to get home and try my Asiago cheese bagel sandwich but was disappointed there was no muffin. :(

Not sure about wifi but if they do have it, I will give them a 5th star!
2 - Brian G.: The good: tuna fish was good, rye bagel was good, not crowded.
The bad: place was filthy, all tables were dirty and place was empty-not until I said something did someone come out and clean, plain bagel was not fresh.
1 - Charlie P.: I was expecting to get a quick bagel on a saturday morning. What I got instead was a half hour line, a staff who had no idea what they were doing, or how to provide customer service, and they forgot about my order. I ordered a toasted plain bagel with cream cheese. Normally that would be about a 5 minute process between walking in and walking out, but I instead spent an hour at this place. by the time I even got my food it was cold again. Absolutely terrible experience.

Brooks Brothers - Palo Alto, CA (37.4436034, -122.1722735) ()
5 - Jason M.: By far the best place to get dress shirts.  The non irons are the staple of the finance community for good reason -  you never have to dry clean them.  Just throw in the normal washer/dryer and spritz them the night before wearing.  The Friends and Family sales are the best time to shop (2x a year).
2 - Faith V.: I have to agree with Steve D about the poor customer service.  I recently went to Brooks Brothers with my sweetie, who was specifically shopping to increase his work wardrobe.  We weren't greeted or approached the entire time we were in the store.  Unwelcoming.
2 - K C.: This review is not about Brooks Brothers in general (whose suits and shirts I wear on a regular basis) but the store in particular, especially the men's dept. Their stock is always missing the basic essentials (like the regular sizes) or low on choice. Pits was the greasy salesperson today trying to push a 42S blazer on me and convincing me it looked good. Go the to SF store where choice is infinitely better.
5 - Ralph L.: I don't think I've had a better customer service experience in a clothing store. Perhaps Alden in SF comes close, but I digress. Joyce and her sidekick Nicholas pulled out all the stops. They processed my return with grace and efficiency, and provided extremely helpful advice in picking out new clothes without being intrusive or annoying. They even helped me calculate my way to the discounts available via the BB sales event.

The next day, at my interview, I looked great, felt great, and although the clothes aren't cheap, I'm happy because I know that these are quality pieces that will stand the test of time.

Much better than the shitty customer service I received at the Costa Mesa South Coast location (here's a shirt in a package, buy it now, why would you ever want to try the fit??)

It's the only part of Stanford that doesn't suck ;)
1 - Mike Y.: Terrible, terrible, terrible service.  I shop at Brooks Brothers for the convenience and the service.  When I lived in Chicago, I would go to the store on Michigan Ave and they would be super helpful.  I don't think the salespeople in the Palo Alto store understand anything about customer service.  Are they trying to sell their clothes?  I went in on a weekday to try to get a quick pair of pants.  Only one other customer in the store and 4 salespeople.  For some unknown reason, only one of the salespeople were helping the two of us at the same time.  The other guy was from out of town and had a lot of questions so it took me 45 minutes to complete a 5 minute transaction.  When I went back to pick up the pants on a rainy Sunday, I couldn't get anyone to help me.  After 15 minutes of waiting, I had to interrupt one of the salespeople that was doing paperwork.  He tried to shuffle me back to Barbara Cianos who sold me the pants, but she told him she was busy.  He told her that he was busy too and walked away.  After 5 minutes, he came back and got me my pants.  After trying them on, I wanted a bag or cover for my new pants to keep them dry from the rain, but I wasn't willing to wait another 30 minutes for that.  I am not going back unless I see new salespeople.  Unfortunately, I live less than a quarter mile from the store and it should be an easy place for me to get work clothes.
5 - Jon F.: Emily is great, thanks!
1 - Nick H.: Went here to get a couple suits.  Very poor selection in both suits and sizes.  It also takes at least two weeks to get a suit back from fitting and the follow-up from the salesperson I dealt with was non-existant.  Left two messages and never heard back.

I won't be returning.
4 - omega k.: I've had nothing but positive experiences at this BB store. The salepeople aren't pushy but they are very helpful and friendly. I've only been to the SF store once but I prefer the Stanford store.
The selection is decent, but I don't really care about that because BB stuff can be bought online or ordered anyway.
1 - Steven T.: I'm more of a Black Fleece guy but this store has failed every time. Stock isn't good, service is ok, but SAs do not know anything about the product they are selling and they can't seem to get basic information synced. I wanted to get working buttonholes on a blazer, called ahead to check cost. Got cost and went into store, where I was then told the tailor wasn't in and that I should come in after the weekend. I was just on the phone and you couldn't let me know that? I confirmed the cost again to make sure. Next day I call ahead to check if tailor is in and to confirm the price one more time. I go in, get quoted a price 8x what I was told on the phone (which was low but multiple people confirmed). 

Needless to say I won't be back here unless I really need something.
2 - Tyler O.: My experience with Brooks Brothers was pretty bad; the salespeople I interacted with had a really difficult time communicating basic information (i.e., what they had available) and I had to follow up with them several times just to figure out when my suit would be available. Every time I've gone in there, I've also had to hunt around for salespeople; they don't approach you on their own to ask if you need help.

I initially came in to buy a suit, but was told that they didn't have any off the rack at the moment that would fit me. They told me I should come back in a week for a special tailoring event they were having (which is fine), so I came back the next week to get my measurements taken. After some extended wrangling with the saleswoman (she was not super clear on the options available), I ordered a suit. After about a month, they called me up to let me know that the suit was finished and that I would need to come in to get it tailored. 

The tailoring turned out to be ridiculously short--the tailor spent less than two minutes with me. He didn't even ask about how I wanted the suit tailored; I had to prompt him about some of the options (full break, no cuffs, etc.). They then told me they would call me in under a week to pick up my suit. That was the last I heard from them. Three weeks later, I called them to ask about the suit and they told me it was in the back room (and had been finished for about a week). When I picked it up, it was wrinkled and still had the tailor's chalk marks down the leg of the pants.  

None of these things are deal breakers by themselves, but for the amount they charge, they should really be paying more attention to customer service.

Brookstone Company - Palo Alto, CA (37.4424434, -122.1704879) ()
3 - debbie h.: Shopping can be oh so tiring....might as well pause to enjoy some free massage action.  At Stanford you have 2 choices: Brookstone or Sharper Image.  Brookstone was our pick because I wanted to experience that weird vibrating plate I was too shy to try at Equinox.

Brookstone Stanford will not be supported by me because they kicked my boys (ages 10 and 10) out of the massage chairs.  These kids weren't messing around, plus they have the same chair at home, so there was 0 threat.  Retarded uptight adults...I vow to never become one!

The store could use some organizing and more friendly staff would help their cause.  If you're going to convince me to buy something I don't need, at least smile and be nice to the kiddos.
3 - Meghan P.: I dedicate this review to the Brookstone small chair massager. Actually, I definitely would not be writing a Brookstone review if it were not for that chair massager...

I have recently started to go to fairly intense, time-consuming, expensive physical therapy for annoying back pain. While I hope that the PT will help, I am almost positive that the $35-$40 chair massager will help! I set it up on the floor (nothing scandalous and Sex-in-the-City style though, sorry!) and let it work out some of the major knots in my back. It's amazing! Incredibly powerful and soothing at the same time!

You can buy a lot of stuff you don't need at Brookstone, but, this massager, you definitely kneed (stupid pun intended...)!
2 - Rylan C.: Great customer service associates trying to sell mediocre products at outrageous prices. This Brookstone is no exception. Still. It's a great place to sit down for a massage after a long day of shopping.
2 - kim n.: I really don't get these stores that have the touristy mall electronics. Who buys this stuff?
3 - Archie R.: The pen massager from Brookstone isn't fooling anyone.

Really?  

A pin point 1/4 inch head on a massager that fits discreetly into a purse?

I am sure this thing is worthless for soothing sore muscles but for "stress" relief, it looks like it gets the job done.  

Much like Jergens, this product has multiple uses.

I do like Brookstone though.  

The problem is, I walk in, browse for 25 minutes, and, outside of Valentine's shopping week, I walk out empty handed.  

Adianoeta.
5 - Sarah L.: thank you brookstone man for helping us with our picture scavenger hunt! we needed a picture of a stranger giving our team a message, and you helped us. we needed to find hammocks, brookstone has them. you let us help shine your shoe. you even told us  to go mcdonalds to find a girl with braces. brookstone man, youre awesome!
1 - Marsh-Silog P.: I wish I could have give this place a fat zero.  Went here last weekend with my kids, niece, nephew and husband to look for a docking station for my iTouch and ended up with a bag of crap and two bags of rudeness.   I understand that they don't let kids under 18 try their massage chairs but you don't have to be a snappy crocodile about it.  It took everything in my power not to tell this lady off.  We walk in and no greeting what so ever and one of the sales associates was a total snot.  I love shopping at this mall because of the customer service but this place takes the cake for crappy service.  .

So as we were walking out, I say let's go because nobody has greeted us.  The sales associate that was mean to my niece and nephew sighed loudly and said "ok".  Unbelievable!  I won't ever be buying anything from here...EVER!  

Now I don't want anyone to lose their job (thats why I didn't mention any names here) but seriously, after reading a few reviews, it seems like failing customer service seems to be an issue.  Maybe some training in greeting and putting a smile on your face would work.  You may not have to mean it, but sheesh...fake it for a paycheck.

RUDE RUDE RUDE!!!!!!
2 - sharon p.: I bought 2 products and neither of them worked. The heart rate monitor ring ( I know, duh, I should have known better ) doesn't work at high heart rates, just shuts down...I had to call customer service who told the store to refund me...as the store tried to say it was a non-refundable "personal care item"...read your receipts. Then , I bought a "Rise &Shine "alarm clock. Neither I nor a friend nor a sales clerk could get 2 of theses clocks to alarm..that didn't stop the manager from insulting me by saying he was sorry it was too complicated for me (I'm a critical care RN ). Since he didn't know how it worked, a better reply would have been to try it himself. The stiff plastic buttons would likely break for the zillion times they have to be hit. I told the 800 customer service that there are  a number of customer service issues posted for this store...I gave 2 stars instead of one, because the sales CLERK totally got it...
1 - Jerry Y.: Friend bought a gift here that came defective. Had a gift reciept and tried to return it and the guy wouldnt do it because it was opened. So BUYER BEWARE.
1 - Mary B.: Am trying to get someone - anyone! - at Brookstone Corporate to listen to me about the horrid customer service I rec'd at the Stanford store by the store manager and her minions but to date, after a phone call and an email message, no response.  Agree with most here - Rude, Rude, Rude is Right!
1 - Alice V.: So my husband and I decided to jot down to Stanford Shopping Center after going to the Menlo Park Art Festival. We walked around and decided to visit Brookstone, a young gentleman was playing around with an RC helicopter and my husband was hooked, so we decided to buy the two for $50.  We got home and put the batteries into the helicopters and tried relentlessly to get the helicopter to lift off the ground, but couldn't so my husband decided it was best to return the item.

We end up going tonight to return the product and was told, "the item is not returnable," Our reaction.. "What?" The sales person states, "We can't resell it," we told him, "Well it isn't something that should be sold as the item is broken and can not be used anyways."  He then shows us the policy and we ask, "Where does it state on the receipt that it is not returnable?" He could not show us exactly and I was able to read that "Some Items can not be returned." So we moaned and groan about the policy and the fact that we could not see information that the item is returnable.

The gentleman excuses himself after my husband asked for their corporate office number. He leaves the floor for a good 3 minutes during that time I'm looking over the policy to see where exactly it states it is not returnable.  After a while he comes out and says, "I called my manager, and she doesn't want to give you corporate's number, and I'm just doing my job but I'll just return your money." 

Money back in our pockets.

This evening we decided to call Brookstone's Customer Service line and ask about the return policy and ask if this was an item that is a returnable item and why the store would say it wasn't.  Well the customer service stated, "Yes it is returnable, and one of the reasons why the store could have said it was not returnable is cause they didn't want to take the hit." So my husband replies back, "What their sales are more important than the customer's satisfaction.  The person on the other line went quiet, but in a way stated, 'yep' that is about it. 

Moral of the story, Brookstone at the Stanford Shopping Center is not a place to go to for your electronic gizmos. Think we will hang out with the kiosks at the Great Mall or the Valley Fair for the helicopter! 

We are definitely never visiting Brookstone again!
5 - Maria L.: On Black Friday, I went in and bought several Full/Queen Blankets for Christmas presents.  The transaction was complex as I had a discount code, gift card, gift receipts, shipping for two of the six items, etc. . . . However, the store manager processing this transaction was extremely helpful, patient, and kind.... which was much appreciated.  Definately five stars!!  Thank you.
1 - Terry B.: A friend purchased a comforter for us in Full and we needed King, so I brought back the comforter to this store yesterday.  The store manager asked for receipt and I told him I didn't have one, but all I wanted was to exchange and pay for the upgrade.  He told me Brookstone is sold in other places and without receipt, no exchange.  I didn't understand this since it was a brand new item never out of the bag with Brookstone tags, and all I wanted was to exchange, not a refund.  Obviously the store manager is  either not trained to use his brain and common sense, or the company policy is to make sure they don't think.  What a terrible service and they lost a customer.
1 - Victoria D.: What a nightmare!!!!  I bought my husband a laptop pillow desktop for Christmas.  My husband said he would never use it and to return it.  I went to the store today to return the item with the receipt in hand.  The man behind the counter asked me what was wrong with it.  I told him my husband wouldn't use it.  I also told him that the box had not been opened.  He then broke the box open taken everything out and examined the pillow/desk top.  I thought that was weird...the box seal had not been broken...why would you do that.  It gets better, he proceeds to ask me for my address for the return so he can add my name to a fraud list.  I was horrified!!!  And it all went downhill from there...the crabby lady working next to him jumps in the conversation saying we don't have to return it.  I said what...I bought it from here.  The man handed me back the box that he opened and said to return it elsewhere.  Now, I am so mad that I can't see straight.  I told them I wanted to see a manager...amazingly enough they were both managers...go figure to managers working in an empty store.  After me telling them that they had no customer service skills they threatened to call Security on me...as if, because I wanted to return my item with a recipe.

I will return this item to another store and never step foot again into another Brookstone...the two people behind the counter treated me as if I was a shoplifter...I have been working in law for 25 years...I can't believe that these two ugly people brought me down to a level that I haven't experienced since high school.
1 - Vivian D.: Wow. Deserving of 0 star. It's obvious the management here had been scraped from the bottom of the barrel. Where do they find these people?!? Needless to say, I will NEVER purchase anything from this company ever again. 

Came here to return an item purchased online and was helped by Pete the "manager" (???). Notified him it looked like it is missing an adaptor, but still wanted to return it nonetheless. He took a look at it and proceeded to rudely explain to us that it was an addition to a larger unit and was not supposed to come with any other pieces. Oh OK, sorry didn't know that based off of the website description. Then he lectured us that If we were unsure of what we were purchasing online, we should've called first or stopped by the store to ask questions, as if it was our fault. He justified this by stating that when an online purchase is returned to a retail store, the store takes the hit. Pete clearly wasn't too happy about that and he proceeded to make it very obvious. 

Instead of quickly processing the return so I could be on my way, Pete decided it was absolutely necessary to take a full 5 minutes to take the item back out to re-examine every inch of it, re-wrap it in bubble wrap, and box it back up perfectly in its packaging while I stood there and stared at him in confusion. All this could have obviously been done after he credits back my card (which took about 30 seconds) so I could get out of this craphole of a store. At the end of the long transaction he reminded me once again that next time I should just come into the store to inquire about a product before ordering it online. Why? Because his store takes the hit for my return. Why thank you Pete for that reminder, but I am not an idiot and I heard you loud and clear the first time. 

I could give a rat's behind if your precious store is taking the hit for my online return. This arrogant jerk needs to be fired immediately for making me, the customer, feel like their bottom line and their store's goals should be any of my concern. Save your breath and skip the lecture because there will NOT be a next time. A letter to corporate will definitely follow this review.
1 - Andrew H.: I will never shop at this place ever again. You can thank Pete for that. The name tag says Store Manager, but I think it should say Sales Inhibitor. 

You'd expect above average customer service of stores in Stanford Shopping Center because if its usual clientele, but Brookstone sure did their part to meet the low end of the bell curve. 

Was trying to return someting bought online because it wasn't exactly what we thought it was. Went in on a nice Sunday afternoon, instead of receiving the usual no question asked return procedure most stores have in Stanford, we were treated to a lecture of not knowing what we are doing and we should do more research or call to ask before we buy......... repeatedly. Then Pete made the process as long as possible, to what I preceive as "teaching us a lesson" because they "don't get credit for the sale". 

Ok Pete, the Sales Inhibitor. Since Brookstone products are so "complicated" I better stay away all together! I really wish I kept receipts for all the Brookstone products I bought so you can spend all days processing my returns. As far as your concerned, I'm a Brookstone customer. Either tell me I can't return it or get it done..... with courtesy that I deserve when I buy products with at least 50%+ mark up!!

YELPERS UNITE! Boycott Brookstone!!!...... well just Pete if nothing else

Brotchen - Ithaca, NY (42.4395724, -76.4980127) ()
4 - k w.: Brotchen (pronounced "BRERT-khen") is a European-style coffeehouse that serves Austrian and German lunches, pastries, and baked goods.

Brotchen has great bread loaves and a case filled with chocolates and decent pastries; it's a convenient place to pick up a small gift. There is a small indoor seating area in the narrow shop and another table or two outside in the summer. 

A nice cafe to stop in for a snack or for hot chocolate on a cold day. The tables are in the very back of the store, far from wintry drafts so you can stay cozy and warm.
4 - Stacey S.: Super cute lil cafe on the Commons with a seating area in the back which luckily has yet to be discovered by the masses, so is a great place to hole up and hide out while downtown. Staff is lovely, pastries are pretty good. The full food menu looks pretty promising and authentically German, but unfortunately I always seem to miss it - they follow odd food service hours.
3 - Christoffer H.: A Viennese delicatessen and bakery on the Commons in Ithaca, open for pastries in the morning and lunch at midday (it also looks like it's open for early dinner).

The atmosphere to this place feels distinctly European, with good-sized tables for groups of four (our group of three fit very comfortably) and appropriate atmosphere for lunch. There was some early 20th-century jazz playing from a stereo near the dining area but other than that, there wasn't much to absorb noise so you sort of need to watch what you say or else everyone in the restaurant can hear it. Apparently there's also wifi there so if you want to sit back with a cup of joe and study then that's a possibility.

The food was outstanding, especially when taking into account the price. I had a burger made from bison meat, which was extremely tasty and very tender for bison. There was a perfect amount of deli mustard on it, and it wasn't poor quality either- slightly spicy but still creamy (not fatty). In the sandwich (and it really was more of a sandwich- toasted bread was used as a bun, which was a very nice touch), there was a very thin slice of münster cheese, providing the perfect balance of saltiness and a pleasant aroma to the entire ensemble.

On the side was potato salad and applesauce. I think the applesauce probably was from a supermarket, so nothing really to speak about there. The potato salad, on the other hand, was surprisingly good. I have particular tastes for potato salad, not wanting too much mayonnaise, still craving some semblance of egg, demanding thoroughly-boiled potatoes and all. This potato salad did it all, so I was impressed. The only thing that could have helped was perhaps some bacon mixed in, which I admit could have thrown the balance of palate off with too much saltiness. A strawberry was added as garnish to the plate.

I didn't feel up to getting a dessert here, but one of my friends did buy a pastry. Unfortunately, it looked simply like a croissant lined with some possibly store-bought jam on the inside of it and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Nobody at the table seemed too thrilled about it. Some of the desserts here did look scrumptious though, including a mascarpone almond cake which tempted me before the thought of how many calories it would be shooed me away. The others in my party also ordered salmon wraps which were constructed from Norwegian smoked salmon that was procured whole; I didn't try this wrap myself though (honestly, as much a fan I am of smoked salmon, that didn't countermand my hatred of wraps).

All in all, a solid lunch place based on what we had, with each meal coming in no more than $10. If I again find myself on the Commons looking for a place to eat lunch in company, Brötchen will happily remain an option for the hungry.
3 - Sean H.: A kitschyily decorated store front on the main drag in Ithaca.  The desserts were AMAZING!!  

A great place to stop in for some sugar/ caffeine.  You're instantly transported to another dimension when you step in here. It's definitely unique and the service was great.
5 - matt h.: In my opinion this is the best brunch place in Ithaca. I have been three times. The first time I ordered a bison burger which was juicy and just a little bit gamy, exactly how a bison burger should be. It came with a delectable side of home made apple sauce for less than $9. The second time I went I ordered a smoked salmon omelet. This was beautifully flavored with just the right amount of smokiness and saltiness. It came with roasted asparagus which was really tasty.

They also serve day old bread here and advertise it as such with a substantial discount. Many places in Ithaca sell day old bread but just lie and have mixed in with the fresh bread at the same price.

Brother Jimmy's - Cambridge, MA (42.3720261, -71.113319) (Harvard Square)
5 - Rebecca Y.: Anyplace that I can listen to country music while dining on traditional southern BBQ is A-O-K by me! This restaurant has big shoes to fill in the departure of HOB, but they are doing a good job on food side!
3 - Jeremy S.: Some of my friends swear by this place, but it is not my scene.  It is a place to watch games and drink beer with your buddies. The waitresses are young and skantily clad. Feels like a college frat/sorority bar.
5 - Jeffrey W.: I love it but it's gone.  They closed a few months ago.
4 - Marissa C.: I was so sad when I learned that this place closed - it was so...un-Cambridge, which is why I enjoyed it.  Don't get me wrong, I love all the plethora of book shops, cafes, and artisanal foods found in the area, but there was something really fun, quirky and honest about Brother Jimmy's that I liked.  Plus, the food was awesome.  My roommate in college took me here, she's from North Carolina, and she swears the food was just as good as it was back home.  Too bad it's gone...*tear*

Brother's Bar & Grill - West Lafayette, IN (40.4240953, -86.9083924) ()
1 - Laurel W.: Tonight I decided that I hate this place more than I hate Stacks. And if I hate you more than I hate Stacks, that's REALLY bad as far as I'm concerned. The only people that come here are jocks, frat boys, and the girls that want to fuck them. The drinks are weak. Every weekend the place gets so packed that it take a half hour just to get around. The only night that I might even consider entertaining the thought of coming here is Wednesday when they have fishbowl night. Oh, and I don't recommend keeping a tab here. Pay with cash or immediately close out after paying with your card. One time I had a tab of $15 but they took $50 out of my bank account. They say they do it to "make sure the account is valid" but I think that's total bullshit. And yes, they do eventually correct it, but as far as I'm concerned, they should get it right the first time.
5 - Roy H.: One reason and one reason only this bar gets my props - Wednesday nights. They have 10 cent wings that are amazing, and dollar high life bottles. (they also have a goof fishbowl deal too).... weekdays in general at brothers are great, its easy to get a table and there are TVs all over for watching sports.

On the weekend it is a different story. This is a very narrow (but long) bar.... so it can be very hard to move around the place.... but once you find an open spot usually towards the back or upstairs its a pretty fun time. It can take a bit to get drinks because of this too...

I have never had a credit card issue like stated in the other review... and I go here all the time, but I do know a couple friends that did (this was over a year and a half ago) before they changed their credit card policy.
3 - Trevor F.: The set up of this brother's is way different then the one that is in 
Iowa City, I like the lay out of this one a little more, although there is no room to move around in here, upstairs is the place to be. There is a small town feel to this brothers.
3 - Bodie S.: Brothers is another campus bar with its small perks above the others. They have $2 pint nights on Tuesdays where you can order a pint of good beer and enjoy sipping on it. They have some micro brews as well as domestics. More recently they have implemented a Monday night special where you can buy Rolling Rock for very cheap, most likely trying to compete with Where Else's quarter beer night. Wednesday used to be very exciting for a group of friends and me because it is wing night. The wings used to be ten cents and you could get up to 30 of them, along with $1 Miller Highlifes all night. Those prices have gone up since the last time I went. They are still cheap, but for people who once experience the fruits of Wednesday nights at Brothers tend to be slightly bitter towards the change. Brothers has a nice atmosphere as far as campus bars ago. It has three stories to it, which is rare around the West Lafayette area. I've listed the three best nights of the week. You choose!
3 - Zoie H.: I appreciate the general manager(?) reaching out to me so quickly on Yelp and his apology - unfortunately I've already left Indiana, but because of his quick customer service I'd be willing to give Brothers another shot :). So we shall see
4 - Brittany B.: Normal campus bar.  They have good specials on weeknights.  Crowded, but not any worse than the other bars.
4 - Jason P.: Decent place for conversation, specials that are cheap by any standards, and bartenders that you can converse with. Gets crowded late - so it before 9pm, you can chill, talk, watch sports, be a local....after 11pm, most T-S it becomes loaded with frat house overflow...Ashlee, a bartender I know, always makes for good convo and does an excellent job! ;) Mike, the manager, diehard Cubs fan! Overall, you can do worse on any college campus. Leave aside the credit stuff (hold on your card), and lack of a menu (food only before 9pm - burger fries), and it is amongst the local legends Harry's and XXX (for food) at Purdue.
5 - David S.: This is the best bar on campus! The drink specials are always great and cheap, the atmosphere perfect, and the 15 cent wings can't be beat (wednesdays)!!! The staff is usually friendly, and you don't have to wait too long to order a drink. Best place to drink near campus!
4 - Juan A.: Not a bad place to go... I went on a Wednesday night and wasn't expecting to find a lot of people but I was very wrong since the place was very busy. Bar tender was very quick even though he wasn't very friendly but at least I had no problem getting my drinks quick.... The music is alright and they have huge TV's in the bar so you can watch a game while enjoying 1.50 for rum an coke; of course not captain morgan or Bacardi but it wasn't that bad for the price. In my opinion one of the nicest bars around town and a very good place to come to have some drinks and hang out with friends or make new ones....

Brothers Pizza - Princeton Junction, NJ (40.3125709, -74.6252403) ()
5 - Andy W.: Best pizza in West Windsor, maybe even the area. NY style and homemade. Go there all the time and love it!  Try it and you'll love it!!
Tried the Stromboli and it's great too!!!! Got it for one person and it filled me up all night.
Try the chicken philly!!!
5 - Gennyfer S.: I was recently visiting NJ and stayed at a nearby hotel. When I asked the conceirge to recommend "real" NJ pizza, like the kind I grew up with, she directed me here and did they ever deliver.  Not only was the service polite and fast - this pizza was perfection!!!
4 - Shaun L.: Really like this place. Nice people and a great place for a quick lunch. Their pizza by the slice is pretty good. I always get a slice of margherita and a slice of sausage.
2 - Micah M.: Oh, Brothers....don't bother. Bad, bad pizza.
2 - Lucy C.: Went back for winter break and got a white sauce, chicken and broccoli pizza. It was horrible. The chicken was dry and the broccoli was soft. Worst of all, it was sitting on a huge layer or oil that I could not blot off. Plus the dough and crust were too crunchy. Not getting this combo ever again.
2 - Crystal T.: Sadly I have to give this place 2 stars. I live in West Windsor, right near Market Fair and since moving here in May I have been unable to find another pizza delivery place. Anyway,  Brothers is close and convenient. The pizza quality is Ok. I may have given it 3 stars, because while I have had better, its by no means bad. But, every time we order. Its a 10  minute ordeal. The gentleman who answers the phone can never NEVER understand me or my fiance. Usually it results in someone calling us back. But it takes way to long to order 1 pizza. They must not keep a record of their regular customers, because we order often, out of convenience and sheer laziness since we both work so late, but we have to review painfully our address every time. I guess it wouldn't be so bad if it didn't take forever. Plus, EVERY TIME we order the cheese on the pizza is halfway off the pizza or moved all around that it kinda looks bad, although it taste fine, it make its hard to eat and kinda soggy. So when I order I ask them to try and ask the delivery man not to shake the pizza or do whatever he does to make the cheese freak out. But its pointless. I wish they can be better...I'd upload a picture here if I could to this posting, because last time I was annoyed and sent the picture of the cheese mess to my fiance.  But if you don't mind those things and want a pretty quick delivery, go for it.
4 - Brad N.: The lunch special here is a great value. Half sandwich and fries for about $5.50. There is also a pasta + salad lunch special for about $6.50. The fries were a little soggy. The chicken parmesan was very good. They deliver. They also have free WiFi if you're ever in the mood.

Brothers Restaurant & Deli - La Jolla, CA (32.874484, -117.214722) ()
5 - Chris R.: Brother's, you are my morning savior. Due to my desire to sleep instead of prepare breakfast for myself, I lean on you to fill me up with foodie goodness in the mourning. 

This is one of the friendliest, quickest delivering places I know of. My personal favorites include the sunrise sandwich with bacon and the perfect mid-week hang over curing scrambled eggs & diced ham combo. This thing is ridiculous. You get a couple eggs scrambled with ham, a huge serving of hash browns, selection of toast (I prefer the English muffin) and jam, all for $5.75. 

If you can't make it into the deli/restaurant yourself, order online. It's super convenient and they deliver within an hour. This makes get to work on time doable and getting some good food quick and easy!
1 - Yang C.: Only one story to share,

I got an order of clam chowder, they delivered it, once i started eating the clam chowder I realized there were no clams whatsoever in it. So i called to inquire about it, they said that that's how it is made, I asked them so they make clam chowder with no clams, they kept telling me sorry but thats the way the soup came out. they then asked what I would like them to do, i asked for their chicken noodle soup instead, they said sure no problem will bring it in 15 minutes, mind you, i work about a 5 minute walk from the place. Well needless to say, the soup never came and therefor why they only got 1 star.
5 - becca s.: I love this place! Inexpensive and they deliver!!! 
I actually ordered a surprise breakfast for my boyfriend  from the Mission Valley location and had it delivered to his job, I won a bunch of cool points for that one!
1 - Meredith M.: Brother's is now part of Organic to Go.  I loved Brother's breakfasts, so this is somewhat of a bummer for me.  Have no idea about Organic To Go, but I'm guessing I won't be able to get the same Bagel & Egg sandwiches or breakfast burritos.
4 - Andy D.: I used to go here all the time when I worked in the area. Great prices, and quick service. I used to love their burgers, and I think that's what I ordered most of the time.

Brown & Welin Pharmacy - Pasadena, CA (34.144763, -118.1309828) (Pasadena)
5 - Marguerite D.: This is a great old-fashioned pharmacy, where the pharmacist is knowledgeable, friendly and super helpful.   That is rare these days!  I have been able to purchase items that I was not able to get at Rite-Aid, Walgreens etc...  For one very expensive prescription, they even matched CostCo pricing for me.  I highly recommend this neighborhood pharmacy!
5 - Brent C.: Very rare these days to find a neighborhood pharmacy like Brown and Welin. I used to be a customer at Huntington Pharmacy in San Marino before they closed their doors.  CVS took over their customers.  The problem with the big box pharmacies is you get a different pharmacist almost every visit. In my opinion, it is invaluable to have the same pharmacist caring for you every visit. This way, they know your history and your ailments, not to mention it is nice to build a personsal relationship with someone who is the closest person involved with your medical care besides your doctor.  Joe is the pharmacist here, he may be the owner as well, not sure.  He is one of the nicest and most helpful pharmacist with which I have dealt.  Super knowledgeable and really cares about your well being.  Also, if you are on hard to find medicines, he usually has them in stock, or will order them for you.  Notice I said will instead of "can". A lot of pharmacist can order special medicines for you, but they do not want to take the time to do so; or, it takes weeks (like Costco) for them to arrive.  Joe can usually have them in one or two days.

Places like Brown and Welin are a welcome alternative to the super stores.  We should support these neighborhood businesses that make Pasadena unique.  Not to mention, for me, it is a no brainer to go to a pharmacist that knows your name and will go out on a limb to assist.
5 - Laura D.: As far as pharmacy's go, Brown & Welin is the best in town. Joe actually cares about helping you get your prescriptions at an affordable price, he's happy to order you anything you might need. They even deliver prescriptions to my dad's office across the street! Customer service to the max here.

Brown Bag Deli - Houston, TX (29.716084, -95.417674) (West University)
3 - Steve C.: Reasonably generous sandwiches, quality ingredients, just lacking in pizzazz. The jalapeno-cheese bread had a very doughy texture, reminded me of King's Hawaiian sweet bread. Not a ton of filling choices - the only sliced meats are roast beef, turkey, ham, and salami. The roast beef was lean and rare, not bad. Good with the horseradish white cheddar. Red potato salad had a lot of dill and was nice enough. Everything was good but nothing was great. I have to give the nod to Pot Belly or Which Wich.
4 - David C.: Maybe one of the best sandwiches I've ever had: chicken salad on white bread with the usual trimmings (lettuce, tomato, no cheese) and light honey mustard. Wow. I had an internal debate on whether to go white or wheat and I'm happy I went with white. The bread is a little sweet, which I love, but it is perfect sandwich bread. I was most impressed with the construction of the sandwich. Even though the sandwich was stacked at least a few inches high, it didn't fall apart as I bit into it. It was like magic. 

The only reason why I'm giving this four stars instead of five is because I think they gave me an egg salad sandwich instead of a chicken salad sandwich...unless they put more egg than chicken in their chicken salad. I didn't mind because it was awesome but having not previously been a fan of egg salad, I was turned off a bit at first (some 30 minutes and 15 miles after I purchased the sandwich). 

Prices are very reasonable at $5.50 a sandwich. Service was quick and friendly although I may have been a little awkward as I often am... Will be a regular but still have to check out a bunch of other sandwich places.
3 - Patrick B.: Summary:  Only $5.50 for the sandwich but $10 in wasted time finding a parking spot.  Is it worth your time?

Tried this place after reading all the reviews and once I got in I was fairly impressed.  I had the Roast Beef (nicely medium rare) with horseradish cheddar on a jalapeno-cheddar roll.  The bread was outstanding and the sandwich was filling.  I tried the cole slaw, found it just ok and definitely wondered what the secret ingredient in it was that justified a $2 price.  I like cole slaw with some zing (think Houston's); while the cabbage was crunchy the dressing was pretty weak.  But I'm being picky.   Overall the food was great and the service was efficient and polished (they address you by name when they hand you your food--a nice touch).

Now on to the parking.  Parking in this area is an absolute nightmare on a good day so I was setting myself up for disappointment by coming a couple days before Christmas.  The to-go spot reserved for the store was taken the whole time I drove around (15 minutes--I was determined by that point) and after I left.  As there was only one couple in the store I will assume they weren't the a-holes who took the spot.  If your schedule is tight you may want to consider coming here at off-peak hours.
3 - Thuyvi T.: I've read such great reviews of this place, so while I was shopping at Rice Village, I stopped by.  I think my favorite part of this place was filling out your order on teh brown bag that you use to carry out your food.  Snazzy!  

I ordered the roast beef on the jalapeno cheese breaks with all the fixings.  I agree that the ingredients were fresh but there was no pizazz to the sandwich.  It was something that I could have created at home, easily.  At $8.50 for the Number 2 Combo which included a fountain drink and side, I thought it was a bit pricey for what it was.  

For a sandwich shop to impress me, it definitely needs more options.  I wanted to see a horseradish mayo or wasabi mustard...something of that sort.
5 - eddie T.: GREAT SANDWICHES! their bread is like no other... great selection, healthy! great little secret sandwich shop! Tried the Tuna and delicious.  I'm coming back to try the other selections.
This place is saved on my gps! =)   don't eat that cookie because
it bad for ya... melts in you mouth... you'll end up working out for 3 hours because of that cookie ...
4 - Ellen C.: I like the concept of marking down everything you want on your sandwhich (type of bread, meat, veggies, dressing, etc) on a brown paper bag prior to paying.  Both times I've been here have been during lunch on a workday, so the lines were pretty long but moved quickly.   

The Hawaiian wheat bread here is delicious and is what pretty much makes the sandwhich.  It's thick and soft, with a touch of honey sweetness that blends perfectly with your sandwhich.  I've tried the egg salad sandwhich and tuna sandwhich, both of which were very good.  As far as sandwhich fillings, they have your usual suspects - lettuce, tomatoes.. nothing super fancy.  Overall, this place is a good choice for lunch.
4 - Caroline K.: The creators of this deli are also the brains behind barnabys.... that should say it all. 

A bit pricier but superb sandwiches. I paid 7.35 today for a sandwich and a chocolate chip cookie (made at dessert gallery and very tasty). 

The turkey is my go-to but today I tried the chicken salad. Tasty and interesting. they have chopped hard boiled eggs in it... a sudo chicken/egg salad sandwich. I'll take the additional protein!

As others have said the bread is sweet and thick. If you aren't a sweet bread person you may not like it but I find that it really adds to the sandwiches. The honey mustard is delightful as is the service. 

If going on a lunch break give yourself a few extra minutes because parking can sometimes be a problemo.... but it is the village.
4 - Kathleen E.: Perfect tasty tender medium rare roast beef. We will be back.
2 - Rachael M.: Food - 3.5: BBD  gives you sandwiches heaping with meat and other goodies. One of my favorite parts of the sandwich is that you can distinctly taste the cheese amongst all the other components (nothing's worse than eating  cheese-calories without the cheese-taste). The white and wheat breads are both too sweet for me, so I get the jalapeno cheddar to balance some of the sweet with a little spice.

Service, etc. - 1: I was a fairly loyal BBD fan up until my last two trips. On the former of these trips, my tuna sandwich made me a little sick for the rest of the day. To add insult to injury, they left off the onions, tomato, and pickle that I requested, which kind of turns the sandwich into an unpleasant meaty-carby mass. 

On my last trip, the manager ran my card twice accidentally while I was checking out. She gave me cash back for the second charge. NBD, just a little annoying. This was the only charge I had put on my card in a week, and when I went to use my card later that night I found that it was maxed out - found out from my card company that after my visit to BBD I started getting charges that ended up totaling over $4000 from places all over Houston.

I'm not saying the staff there had anything to do with it, or that I know for sure my info was stolen there, but I am saying this - when I called them the next day to let them know that there could be a security concern, the same manager (Jenny?) consistently told me "we didn't steal your money" whilst laughing at me, and insisted that there was no one higher up that I could talk to to let them know about this concern. Mind you I was fairly calm during the whole conversation, not yelling like a crazy.

Brown Bag, our relationship was sweet, and I'm sorry it has to end this way, but dealing with this "manager" is not worth whatever sandwich satisfaction you could give me.
4 - Chris C.: Jalepeno bread.  Must order.

I had the roast beef, as it was a hearty order and delicious with some horseradish mayo!

One of the better sandwich joints in town!
4 - Joseph L.: You can never go wrong with Brown Bag - great sandwiches at reasonable prices.

I go to the one on Amherst at least twice a week.  There's free parking in front of the store, and all around the buildings (it's in the Rice Village shopping center).

You go in, get a clipboard, fill out your order and then give it to the cashier, who rings you up.  A sandwich, chips and a drink is like $8.50, which is not bad at all.

The sandwiches are packed with meats and cheese, and you have a wide selection of veggies and condiments.  Sides include chips, potato salad, fruit, etc.  Desserts, too!

You have got to order the jalapeno bread - it is delicious.

Plenty of indoor seating; no outdoor seating at the Amherst location.  There's also a computer with Internet access, and free wi-fi if memory serves me right.
4 - MIchelle P.: It's all in the bread-

That's the only explanation I have as to why I am so addicted to Brown Bag Deli. 

I normally order the oven roasted turkey, but their honey glazed ham is sheer deliciousness as well. 

I am not a big fan of their chicken or tuna salad, because it feels too egg-y and fatty, although I am sure they use the best ingredients . . . but that's just personal taste.

I love their lemonade. It's the same lemonade they have at Barnaby's, and I really like the fact that unlike other places that sell fresh lemonade, you get as many refills as you want- not to mention, it's the same price as a fountain drink. Here, fresh doesn't mean pricier.

Their cookies and especially their Rice Krispy Treats are an absolute MUST HAVE. 

Sometimes, when I get down in the dumps, I go for a run, and I stop by BBD for some lemonade and a rice krispy treat.

I kind of wish they were open now, so I could do that.

The only thing I wish was different about BBD is their combo special- They only have a combo with the option of sandwhich, side/chips and drink...
I think they should have a combo with the option of a sweet (rice krispy treat or cookies).

Nevertheless... I heart BBD! It's a great option if you are in the village, and an excellent alternative to La Madeline for Sandwiches.
3 - Cameron B.: Nothing spectacular but the bread is always fresh, the sandwich is tasty and with the "to-go" parking spots it's easy to get in and out with a quick bite.
5 - Samantha Y.: Big sandwiches!! You can ask them to do half and half if you want two kinds of meat. Service is fast too. Try the wheat bread- its delicious
4 - carmen C.: I LOVE Brown Bag Deli!! Talk about the perfect over stuffed sandwich...nothing too fancy, just the basic sandwich ingredients of your choice stuffed between some wonderfully fresh baked buns:-)

So you won't find an olive tempenade spread, roasted vegetables, goat cheese or herbed fococcia but that's ok b/c you won't be disappointed in the least! 

A combo (sandwich/chips/drink) will set you back $8 and some change but it's worth it since I can hardly finish a whole sandwich and if I do I'm full for the remainder of the day. 

I would give 5 stars for serving up consistently good food in a relatively clean place (I frequent the Rice Village location most often), however, I have had less then fresh bread on a few occasions and most recently I grabbed some sauce packets from the containers near the register that probably needed to be replaced...yuk!)
5 - Joanna W.: When it comes to sandwiches, I'm very, VERY simple. Simple like I only like my sandwiches with the bread and meat. This place is perfect for people like me! Of course you can add more if you like, but if you prefer just two ingredients like me, they sure pack enough to make up for the other missing ones. 

Very simple concept. You go in, check off the items you want on a brown paper bag and hand it to the cashier. This place is known for their bread. Never fails to be big, fluffy, and soft all at the same time. Definitely not able to find any other sandwich joint that has Jalapeno Cheddar bread like theirs! 

They pack their sandwiches with lots of meat! So much that I really don't know how to start off the first bite. Half a sandwich is enough to fill me up. I like to get the medium rare roasted beef on wheat bread with extra pickles and lettuce.. then stuff it with jalapeno kettle chips. Makes a perfect lunch :D
5 - amit a.: Super delicious! My favorite place to eat in Houston. I wish they would expand to the west coast.

My only gripe is that they are targeting the lunch crowd, so they close at 4pm.
4 - Benedict B.: i like that they use premium meat for their sandwiches.
5 - Alex V.: Great sandwich shop alternative to the bland doldrums called Subway. Think about the process involved with making a sandwich at Which-wich but the outcome is a large sandwich that leaves you full fat and happy instead of wanting the other half of the sandwich that they didnt give you.

They seem to serve a more premium meat and the fix ins are much more delicious than most sandwich spots I have been too. Even though they serve it quickly, its still great.

My sandwich of choice is the turkey on wheat with deli mustard, lettuce, tomato, onions, and a bag of jalapeno chips. You're welcome for the most awesome sandwich.
3 - Andrey R.: Maybe this place was built up for me too much, but I found nothing impressive here. Good basics of a sandwich - simple choice of meat, cheese, and a few veggies. While there is nothing breakthrough about this sandwich place,  I felt the ingredients were high quality and fresh. However, I found the bread here to be too thick and the sandwich just falls apart when you start eating it. Overall, they make very simple sandwiches.

Brown Bookstore - Providence, RI (41.8282461, -71.4006804) (College Hill)
2 - Erin C.: Even if I set aside the fact that I spent almost a thousand dollars on textbooks here during my first semester of graduate school (a mistake that shall not be repeated, thanks to the wonders of the Internet), this bookstore, which offers popular and academic titles, cards, gifts, novelties, computer equipment and Brown University gear for the public in addition to textbooks for students, is still pretty mediocre. Sure, you can find interesting titles here and there, and it's hard to get a Brown University license plate frame or the Encyclopedia Brunonia anywhere else. Still, this is a place for textbooks and last-minute gifts, not serious book shopping. Erratic hours and a staff of college students who would rather talk to their friends than help you out do not make matters any better.
5 - N T.: Bookstore heaven.  Does not appear to have been taken over yet by the corporate bookstore conglomerates - no bestsellers in your face on every display.  I found a number of fantastic books through browsing.  I usually browse on Amazon - but that requires the book to have been out a while to get user feedback.  I read enough that I can tell very quickly from reading a few pages of a book whether I will like it or not and the general quality of writing and content, which in generally empirically has correlated well with Amazon ratings. 

I found some really interesting books here that had no Amazon ratings yet, due to the obscurity of subject matter and recent publication date.
That to me speaks very highly of any bookstore.  I have absolutely no interest in 99.9% of current bestsellers, so an academic bookstore like this is heaven for me.  I found some great philosophy books and unusual novels and nonfiction.  Prices were not unreasonable, but as I already have more than I can carry back to CA I didn't buy anything - though I easily found five or more books I wanted.  (At Borders I find usually 0 and nothing not already well covered by Amazon).  

The little cafe inside is also fantastic - I got a cup of fresh blueberries for something like $1 or $2.  Fresh blueberries and fresh books.  I could live here forever.
4 - Donna L.: If you are still buying your books at the bookstore and not online, you deserve all of the bookstore-imposed restrictions and regulations. 

With that being said I only stop at the bookstore now for two things: pens and cinnamon rolls. 

Pens here are cheaper than any local place and there is variety. This is tailor made for me because I go through a pen about every two weeks now. One week is Gelly Roll, another week is G2. 

The cinnamon roll at the cafe is available on and off, but it is the most amazing thing I ever did have. Croissant pastry with cinnamon and sugar, rolled up. It results in a soft bottom and a crispy top that shatters with cinnamon and sugar when you first bite into it. $3 feeds a terrible addiction.
5 - Olivia U.: First off, I don't know what the first reviewer is talking about with the hours here being erratic. Dude, go in the day time. It is always open. If you're trying to get your read on at eight at night you're gonna have to go to Borders or Barnes and Noble. Screw that. Nothing but conservative literature and bestsellers- the reason behind best selling part completely escaping me.

I love the selection here. Interesting titles, and if I feel like getting technical on some psychiatry texts I can sit and do that too. Also, the prices are not any worse than a major corporate bookstore. OH AND ALL OF THE COUCHES. It is very cozy in there. I haven't been to the cafe but I know Blue State owns it, so I'll stick with bringing my Tealuxe with me from across the street.
4 - Claudia L.: I like the brown bookstore a lot. you can almost guarantee to find something that you never knew you wanted. it takes a lot of self control to not stack up all my 'want' books and spend half my rent here. (thanks, amazon!)

it also helps that they've got blue state coffee in there. atmosphere is comfortable, and the staff are so friendly!
5 - Meg J.: Of course this store has a great selection, amazing staff who are always willing to assist, and very clean restrooms!  On street parking and close proximity to other shops make this well worth the trip.
5 - Jennifer M.: Quaint bookstore on the corner of Angell and Thayer.  Lots of unique books by Brown authors, general great reads, and a little satellite Blue State Coffee location inside, too!
2 - Melissa F.: Seriously, what is this bookstore's deal? It is so incredibly counterintuitive.

I already realize that the textbook section has its own section for payment. I went to get some tea at the Blue State Coffee section, and I brought a magazine from nearby, asking if I could pay for it there. Nope. I had to purchase it at the main cash register. Now, I don't want to sound lazy, since this was mere feet away. I still have an issue with THREE separate cash register operations for one small-ish bookstore. One for textbooks. One for coffee. One for everything else. Really? Is it that hard to make your bookstore a seamless operation? Seriously, this bookstore is the opposite of seamless, from the technology section that takes FOREVER to ring you up (2nd floor), to the "make sure to show your bag if you get textbooks you hoodlum!!!1", to three separate methods of payment on the first floor alone. It is clear that this bookstore treats its patrons like total crap, especially because it can.
5 - Ann T.: I love Brown University and I love the Book Store too. It's on cool Thayer Street and has lots of Brown stuff to buy. Prices are a bit high for some items but hey...Brown is a cool school and if you want a cool shirt from a cool school you might have to pay a few bucks to get it. I love the merchandise and little coffee place. Nice vibe in there. Busy over Brown Grad week but the staff stayed calm and polite.
3 - Ettya F.: Here's a story of a Brown Alumni:

1. Go to graduate school.
2. Have an awesome time.
3. Learn a lot.
4. Secure a job.
5. Visit the Bookstore a year or two later for some alumni gear.
6. Realize you cant afford any of the nice Brooks Brother's insignia cashmere sweaters...or even the Ralph Lauren polo shirts.
7. Bother your ancient father to buy you an on sale fleece with a "B" on it.
8. Realize your life isn't full of the treasures the graduation speaker promised you with.

Brown Jug - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2749081, -83.7342885) (South University Ann Arbor)
5 - Katia M.: Any time I'm in Ann Arbor, I go back here for the wings.  Spicy, saucy, awesome.  The beer is cold, the game is on, and you really just can't go wrong with their wings.
5 - Benjamin C.: Hands down, the BEST grilled cheese sandwich that I've ever had. make sure that you get it with the thick Canadian bacon.

Tried it because my friend was raving about it. Now here I am raving about it myself. 

Yum!
3 - Arun C.: I stopped by for breaskfast (at 11:30) since my friend and I couldn't find any other place that was open on Sunday. What gives Ann Arbor? Maybe since school wasn't in session there might have been summer hours getting in our way. Anyway, the place was ok for breakfast. The French toast was passable, my friend's omlette was delicious she says, but my orange juice..blah! Worse than airplane oj. I didn't have a chance to check out the rest of the menu, so maybe they are better equipped for the dinner scene.
2 - Cyn C.: if you're drunk and poor, by all means, go to the Brown Jug. If you are coherent at all, you'll want to avoid this place. It's dingy and dirty... making whatever they're serving completely unappetizing.
1 - Bonnie P.: I'm pretty disappointed with this establishment. I lived very close to this place for a year and only wound up there a handful of times. I found the food tolerable until a chicken finger gave me a second-degree burn on my lip. Their deep dish pizza leaves much to be desired- it's basically two-inch thick bread with light tomato sauce and cheese, and it's way too dry. What they do well: cold draft beer, and to a lesser extent, french toast.

The main reason why I gave them one star: twice I went there and they were not open during posted hours. Sure, it's 11:00 in the morning on a weekend, but your website and the sign posted on your door says you're open, so you better be. That kind of thing is pretty unacceptable to me, even if this place is supposed to be first and foremost a bar.
5 - ian m.: By far!!!! Some of the the BEST pizza in town. Especially late at night. The lesser known backroom ran out of the "back room" is $1 a slice for the best five cheese pizza you'll ever find, don't even mess with toppings. As for the BAR it is what it is, a bar. If you expect great food (other than apps+pizza) from a bar with limited staff and kitchen then this isn't the place for you. go to a restaurant.
3 - Theresa F.: Every time I have been to the Brown Jug it's absolutely packed...and usually with undergraduates. It's rowdy and small, and I usually won't last if I'm not in the mood to be tolerable.  But I will say St. Patty's was an absolute blast (green beer!)--depsite the drunken hook-ups going on all around my husband and I and all our friends (wait until you're back at your dorm!). Their cheeseburger and jug fries are surprisingly really good--will definitely order again.
2 - Coco C.: I am so confused by the Brown Jug! It looks like a crappy diner/restaurant my Great Aunt Mabel goes to every Wednesday morning, but my friends tell me it's the shiz-nit for the "undergrads" to drink at. What the hell? At any rate, they have beer and food, though neither is spectacular. I say suck it up and walk over to Main Street to get your drunk on...
3 - kelly w.: when i asked how the nachos were a friend said, "eh.." 

i should have known. but i wanted nachos. 

it's not really my scene (perhaps it was sporty?), but the staff there is incredibly helpful and pleasant.  

i can see myself going back, but an old roommate works there so that would be the pull factor.
3 - kristen g.: I walked in the door and the kid behind me said "My, this is.....sporty...." 

He was right. The tv's, more frequent than a starbucks in a big city....were blaring any and every different sports game that could be found. The food was just ok...The wait staff was awesome, however.  Our waitress was great, our friend that worked there took care of us....it wasnt a total loss.

just kind of...
5 - Noah P.: This place is the best.  Massive plasma TV's indoors and out for sporting events.  The barstaff & waitresses are amaizing and really friendly...  People love to hate on the Jug on this board but that is fine.  It is already packed with too many people as is.
4 - Margaret C.: The Brown Jug is basically an Ann Arbor legend - if you can't understand it, then you probably don't know much about Ann Arbor.  I love this place, especially to meet up with all of my friends from home.  And the beers are cheap.  I have had plenty of great nights here, and getting a drink is never too hard despite how packed it can be.

Oh yeah, and I met my future husband here. Ha! :)
4 - John R.: How I miss the ol' Brown Jug.  Nothing like 2am cheese nachos as brain food while cramming for an exam.  And their bottomless cups of coffee in those age old brown ceramic mugs, you could drop one of those from a second story window and it wouldn't smash - of course, it only held about 6 ounces, but that's another story.
4 - Clarence C.: The Brown Jug is thick with undergrads drinking pitchers of beer.

It's not that there's anything special about the food or the beer, it just happens to be on South University, and students have been drinking pitchers of beer at the Brown Jug since your grandfather's day.

Don't go to the Brown Jug when you're hungry. Go when you're thirsty, and stay until you get hungry.

The name of the restaurant refers to The Little Brown Jug, one of the sweetest trophies in college football, which started out as a water jug for the Michigan Wolverines. It was left behind on the field after a 1903 game against the Minnesota Gophers, and when athletic director Fielding Yost asked for the jug, his counterpart in Minnesota told him he'd have to win it back. 

In retrospect, the boldness of Minnesota's athletic director may not have been well-advised. Michigan now has a record of 65-22-3 against the Gophers.

I've heard that winning the jug is a lot more important to Michigan players than the supposed rivalry with MSU, which I suspect exists only in the minds of East Lansing residents.

To find out more about the jug, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Brown_Jug_%28football%29. 

To get your own brown jug, go to South U with a bunch of your undergrad buddies and remember to take your rent money with you.
4 - Parisa K.: This place is an Ann Arbor tradition, from it's pre-game crowd, to its late night crowds, to its name even.  For those of you who don't know about it, the Little Brown Jug is one of the oldest college football trophies, going to the winner of the Michigan-Minnesota game (I mean it pretty much lives in Ann Arbor because we always win it).  

What this place serves is good cold drinks and warm greasy food.  My favorite item on the menu is this spicy feta dip.  It's so incredibly good that anyone who's ever had it knows exactly what you are talking about when you mention spicy feta dip at the Jug.

If you are of drinking age, the Brown Jug turns into a fun hang out bar, where you can choose to either sit back and relax at a table with friends or wander around as a social butterfly, whichever suits you more.  

Whether you are looking for food or drink, this place you will give you a genuine Ann Arbor experience.
4 - Lisa W.: The Brown Jug was at one point my spot of preference to watch sporting events, mainly the Pistons or soccer.  They have amazing outdoor seating that includes flatscreen TVs.  That is a wonderful, beautiful thing.  I don't know if they have the same bartenders, but they always knew how to pour a great Guinness, and when Guinness was on special, it made me happy.  They have a great happy hour, also.  And smoking (though I no longer smoke).

The food here is mostly miss, but you're safe with a cheese omlette.  One very impressive thing on their menu, however, is the chef salad which is huge and is nicely prepared.  It's perfect with a beer for a long game and won't weigh you down.

I also love the crowds during important games, they're rowdy just like me, and I don't have to feel like the annoying ass-clown who screams at a TV all by myself.

They do have a shot here which involves mayonnaise.  I've asked about it and they said that it usually gets ordered for birthdays, but then people find out that they like it and order it again.  There's something weird to look into.
1 - Jason P.: This place is dirty and full of smoke.  The bathrooms have the wonderful large tub as their urinals.  The seating is first come first serve, meaning that you just have to stand next to a table ready to pounce on it as soon as the people leave.  Then I ordered 'pizza"  It was not good and they ran out of spinach, so I went with mushrooms of the canned variety.  I am definately a pizza snob, and this was far from being up to standards.  Also, they did not have the HD cable package for the sports.  That is pretty ridiculous.
2 - James C.: Long islands there were killer.....the place is tiny and the outside patio was small too. Fun college bar .....if you are in college still.
5 - Nick H.: I've come to realize something.  I think many on Yelp (wrongly) only  determine how to rate a place and their experience based solely on what they wanted it to be.  Many don't consider the culture - or what the owners, employees, other clients, surroundings, history, etc. are trying to create as an experience at a destination.  I just wanted to say that to explain my rating because people too often forget these other considerations.  And I think it's a shame.

So - Brown Jug.  College bar: 5 Stars!  I love it!  Do I love it for a date, to take my family out for a family meal or for a power brunch with coworkers?  No.  But, without a doubt, it is the quintessential college undergrad bar.  If you don't love college undergrad bars - simply don't go!

This is Big Ten college bar central.  Too many people, not enough space, but I swear to God, the servers are fantastic and work their butts off for you and your table.  Prices are more than reasonable, even down right cheap.  And I'm from the Midwest.  You can buy fries and a pitcher of Miller for less than a Big Mac and Diet Coke.  I will say, it's a legit place in the summer to have a big all American lunch outdoors.

The Jug is, for many a great starting point for the night.  For many others, it's a great 'middle ground' until you figure out where everyone wants to really go place.  And for many more, it's a great end of the night place.  For some, it's an "We stopped by the Jug?  Really?!" or "I was there ALL NIGHT?!  I thought I was studying" place.  What I'm getting at is it's transcient.  The scene, while college, is always moving.

Again, it's a college scene but without most of the pretentious or obnoxious people you find at ... oh...Rick's.  It's not Greek central, it's not nerdville - it's college students out with friends to just have a good time.  I could go there, have good bar food, drink for cheap, and have fun.  And, if I got bored with our fun, I'd go flop into another booth or strike up a conversation with random others who were just having their own fun too.
4 - David M.: I think the Brown Jug is a little overrated, personally.  It's near campus and has become one of this town's college bar staples, but there are better places in town to drink.  It's too trashy to be nice, but not trashy enough to be Charley's.

The food, however, is a little underrated in my opinion, and I would definitely come here with friends for dinner before I'd come here with friends for drinks (of course there's nothing wrong with combining the two).  So overall, this place gets a 4, as I've had many good times here with family and friends.

EDIT: The men's bathroom here sucks though.  I hate trough urinals.  No separation wall?  Come on, I don't want to end up in an accidental sword fight here.  But it doesn't come up that often.
1 - Eric M.: Two words... projectile vomiting. :)

Ok - so it might've been the fact that I ate the entire fried sampler on my own (damn friends that wouldn't help)...

Or, maybe my friends knew something I didn't.  Anyway, talk about a bad experience, and despite the fact that my single star rating might be unfair, I have trouble even writing this without the memory of the taste of the Vomit Comet.

So, forgive me.
2 - Akilah W.: This place is okay. The Long Islands being an exception, the drinks here are weak.
4 - Alice C.: I actually came here with my little bro for a late dinner on a Thursday, so consider this review a sober (read: fairly reliable) account of the food.

If you're getting food, try the Feisty Feta & Greek pita bread.  The dip was fantastic, and the pita was actually pretty good, as opposed to being thrown in a basket straight from the bag o' pita that someone bought on sale at the nearest grocery store.

I made the mistake of ordering a salad, and ended up eying my brother's BLT sandwich the whole time.  SO. MUCH. BACON.  And thick bacon too--none of that wimpy Oscar Mayer crap.

So bottom line--if you're getting food from the Brown Jug, get the feta dip and a BLT.  You'll enjoy it, even sober. :)
3 - Jerry K.: Here's the deal with the Jug:

* It is not trying to be a nice, classy bar - so don't get upset when it isn't
* It isn't trying to have the best food - it wants you to be able to afford it
* It is intended to be a dingy, crowded PUB, and pulls it off quite nicely.

...I think that should cancel out about 75% of the negative reviews I've read on this board - you people really should be on Main Street, not South University. Hating the Jug for it's grassroots, egoless, and dingy atmosphere is like getting pissed at your garbage man for not wearing a tuxedo. You were at the wrong bar, and that is your fault, not their's.

With that said, I have had a lot of great times at the Jug throughout college and afterward, especially in the summer when you can get a seat. The WAITstaff is phenomenal, attentive, and friendly -they deserve five stars.

The bartenders and doormen, on the other hand, are total nob jobs, and the reason I am dropping my score to a three.

Here's the deal with being a doorman at a dive/college bar:

* You are not working at a nice club
* Your clients are not out for a spectacular, involved night on the town. Because you are guarding the gate to something mediocre, your role itself is mediocre. You should remember that and not overstep your bounds.
* Piggybacking on that, you aren't allowed to be a prick. Asshole bouncers are expected at four and five star clubs because they are exclusive and unavoidable, just like pompous asshole chefs are expected at four and five star restaurants. How silly would it be to complain about your eggs to the short order cook at Denny's only for him to insult your pallet in return? Same deal.

I say this because on multiple different incidents, the bouncers at the Jug have completely betrayed it's homey, blue jeans-and-a-t-shirt atmosphere and apparently mistook their door for a swanky club on the Jersey Shore. 

*Situation One: 30 something Guido Doorman requests Bribe*
Thist was this weekend (December 2009) when at closing time, the guido bouncer let a group of six girls in ahead of my girlfriend's friend and her two guy friends. When confronted, he gave a cheesedick smile and said "you've got too many guys." When my girlfriend replied "and you are the Brown Jug, no one is getting laid anyway," he got a little frowny, and then LITERALLY SAID "maybe if you give me $15 I'll change my mind." It was fucking incredible, like being offered into the VIP room at a Waffle House, and we all laughed in his face. A bribe to get into the Brown Jug!

*Situation Two: Meat Head Bouncer needs Persuasion by Cop*
Last summer, my friend Casey offered his legitimate Wisconsin ID, only to have the bouncer tell him it was a fake. He calmly explained that it wasn't a fake, and the bouncer told him if he didn't leave he was going to take it and call the police. Casey said "fine." Rather than acknowledge the fact that a minor with a fake ID probably wouldn't call that bluff, the bouncer took the ID THEN REFUSED TO CALL THE POLICE! Casey ultimately did, with the officer arriving, scolding the bouncer, giving Case his ID back, and allowing him in the bar. He never apologized, never sent a free drink. All in all, it took 45 minutes for Casey to get into the bar on an empty summer night.
5 - Jennifer S.: The Brown Jug is my absolute FAVORITE spot on campus.  They have amazing food (veggie pizza mmmmmmm) and the best drinks ever!  They have a menu of about 10 different long island iced teas of which the green dinosaur is the most popular amongst my friends and I.

I can't tell you how many nights we spent there just sitting at a table in the back eating food and ordering drinks.  It's not a dancy kind of place but if you're looking for a neighborhood joint where you can grab a table and plunk down for the night it's the BEST!
3 - Eric G.: SO I don't know how I have never been here living in this town for a few years. I guess there are other places I spend time when I am downtown (ashleys, blue lep, griz peaks etc)

We came on in for a few drinks. They have a decent brew selection and have Bells 2 Hearted Ale on tap which works out for me. I got the Saganek Fried Cheese and it was great. But I mean, how can you go wrong with fried cheese right?  Also tried the pizza and it was very good. A bit surprising for a little dive like this.

All in all, good times and I will come back next time im out that way.
3 - Sarah M.: My opinion of this bar has diminished over the last couple of years, hence its lower rating. I used to love coming to the Jug for a couple of pitchers of beer and quarters with my friends. It had a great "reputation" with students for being more of a chill bar. It was nice to go to in the summer and sit in their (limited) outdoor seating. When Charley's was closed, it was a great place to come for 21st birthdays as they have a wide variety of decent shots. I don't know if it's because they turned Touchdowns into Blue Lep, or because Charley's changed management and stopped sucking, but its reputation is...well, not good now.

The last two times I have been there...oh boy. Interesante.

1. There was a fight in the men's bathroom, which resulted in someone getting his face smashed into the toilet and flooding of part of the bathroom area because the toilet literally came off of the ground. The cops were called, and it was kind of funny to watch 3 cops make their way through the narrow back part and then escort this guy out. The bouncers definitely made their money's worth that night.

2. Michigan-OSU weekend 09. It's busy, I get it. You're dealing with drunks, I get it. We sat down at our table and were waiting for about 10 minutes for our waitress to show up. Eventually, my friend (who wasn't from the area) had to pee and I pointed her back to the bathrooms. They only have two bathrooms, which sucks. Both were in use...for a long time. I'm talking like 5 minutes here. My friend, who was getting a bit impatient, knocked on both of the doors. One opened and the girl said, "Hang on ONE FUCKING second, ok?" and stormed off. Guess what? She ended up being our waitress. That kind of ended up being an awkward night. She gave us pretty bad service, but we had friends at another one of her tables who said she was pretty awful. Maybe she was just having a bad day...

On another note, the bartenders are great and pretty attentive, and don't do the "ignore all guys and only serve the girls no matter how long they've been standing there" thing. The service can be really slow sometimes, but that's only because the servers have to make their way through the crowds with everyone's drinks. The bouncers can be kind of douchey sometimes, but what bouncer for a South U bar isn't power tripping? Their food is decent, I've had a burger there before and thought it was pretty good. Their fries are also good. They have pretty good happy hour specials that run late enough (9-10pm) to where you can get drunk there and then head right to another bar to continue your night.
5 - Rochelle P.: 5 stars is for having an awesome bartender (I forgot her name though) who can mix drinks/shots with the best of them.  My friend was in town from Nebraska and wanted to see the bar scene around town.  I think we hit up just about every place.  We ended up falling in love with the Jug.  It doesn't look like much but we felt like we were back home and when you've been away from home for 3 years, that's a great feeling.  The bartender was very friendly and suggested shots (although the menu was so extensive she didn't even need to).  It was just a great night overall.  My husband did have the wings and said they were very good!  I tried them and they were a bit too hot for me to enjoy actually eating them (strange becuase I can ususally handle the heat).
4 - Joseph D.: Me and my roommates used to eat in the BJ when it was a white formica table place back in 65/66 when we among the first wave of tennants of University Towers in the fall of 65.  Liked it back then enjoyed it last Thursday night in its fancier decor and liquor licence.  Enjoyed the pale ale and the hamburger with grilled onions--a 60s favorite--was good, medium could have been a little less cooked.  The waitress listened politely to my recounting of this past history. South U and S Forrest hasn't changed much in 45 years.
2 - Erik H.: My girlfriend, father and I went to Brown Jug when we were walking around downtown the other weekend. I hadn't been there since I was a kid and my Dad got all sentimental about sharing a pizza like the old days so we stopped in. It was cleaner than I remember it being years ago. We got a booth by the widow for prime people watching during dinner. I was going to try a drink or two but their nightly drink specials didn't start until later so I passed.
We ended up getting a large meat lover's pizza and breadsticks. The breadsticks were decent enough but I'm not sure I'd recommend them. The pizza was pretty decent. One thing of note is that it is made with cheddar cheese instead of mozzarella. I thought it was OK but my Dad was not too fond of it. It was certainly no Cottage Inn on the other side of town.
Our server seemed more concerned with talking to some friends in a booth behind us so our service wasn't that great.
In the end it was an average meal. I think in the end there are many other restaurants in town I would go to instead.
4 - Hana S.: Perfect college pub: laid back atmosphere, good drinks with unexpected variety, and comfort food, all at an economical price. I'm envious of UM students, since I had no such place to frequent where I went to school. Also, my grandparents met there in the 40's, which is pretty cool.
4 - Brad S.: Loved it. Was looking for a college bar to watch monday night football a few years ago, and found this one. I still remember it to this day. The beer was great, the service was good, it wasn't packed but there were people to mingle with. Seems like it has turned into a more rowdy place than before, but I will always remember it and if I'm ever in Ann Arbor for any reason would love to return and see this place again.
4 - Dallas K.: Now about that pizza ...

We had a hand-tossed traditional pie with pepperoni, bacon, scallions and hot pepper rings.  Well cooked, with well-seasoned sauce and good carmelization on the topping and cheese.  Crust was slightly greasy but not overly so (I mean that affectionately--it was the "just right" amount of sheen on the crust).  The pepperoni was thin but tasty, and I'm not sure if it was the bacon or the pepperoni, but something gave the overall package a pleasant smoky aura.  The hand-tossed crust was firm but chewy with a pleasant crackle as we bit into it--and was also quite tasty.

The presence of things like scallions and gyro meat on the toppings list were noticeable and appreciated--the list of toppings overall was comprehensive and accommodating.  We also had the surprise of the night we ate (it was a Tuesday night in late november) being "half off pizza" day.  We had two pints of beer and a 4-topping 14" hand tossed pie for $14 out the door--not bad.

In addition to the pies, they offer a dizzying array of menu options--typical bar fare and then some (this is a hybrid bar/restaurant, and whether the bar or restaurant is the more prominent aspect probably depends on the day and crowd).  The shot list alone took up a full single-spaced 8 1/2x11"-ish laminated drink menu, though sadly the tap beer options were far less ambitious

A couple of things that could have improved the experience would have included the pie reaching the table hot.  It got to us fast--so fast it was confusing how it had been provided enough time to cool from what presumably was originally "piping" to the "merely warm" state it reached us in.  Not really  a huge problem--we were hungry and it was tasty.  The server disappeared after we were done eating, and couldn't answer some simple questions about the food (e.g., Is the gyro meat fresh, cooked on a spit here, or re-heated from a package?).  Considering how empty the place was, non-returning server bit was confusing.  We had already been asked if we needed anything else a few times and our table had been cleared.

All minor trifles; I'd go back for pizza any day (I may insist the pie reach me hot, though--hey, it's pizza, it goes without saying!).
1 - Amanda Z.: My husband and I went in for lunch during the holiday (students were gone) so we found a seat very quickly. I ordered the chicken pesto pasta, and when it came, it was so bland that I couldn't even eat it. It was just oily and had a TON of basil, but it seemed like there was no parmesan or garlic in it at all. Even the "garlic bread" tasted like cardboard and seemed to have no garlic on it either. When the waiter came to check on us and asked how our food was, I very politely told him that it wasn't very good and very bland... he apologized, but didn't offer to fix it. Then he asked me if I wanted him to box it up for me! I declined, and he brought us the bill, and STILL CHARGED US FOR IT. Never again will I go to this hole. YUCK.
5 - Andrew P.: I would have my mail delivered here college if they would have let me.  I have many memorable and "un-rememberable" nights here.  This was basically my Cheers when I was in school.  

Pay attention to the names on the menus being named after great wolverines of yesteryear.  

I just realized my yelp picture is actually a picture of me at the Jug.
5 - MaryEllen F.: I met my first love in this bar.  It was Leinenkugel Red Lager.   Paired with Hawaiian pizza, it is a wonderful combination.  

If I recall correctly, ths is the first time I had a decent beer in my life.  Yes, I led a sheltered life.  Before this, it was all Beast and Natural Life.  This Red Lager opened my eyes to the wonders of beer.  

Thank you Brown Jug!
3 - Julie C.: This is a good place to play quarters or to split a pitcher. The waffle fries are also really good.
4 - Sunil S.: Great bar, come here on Thursday nights for great drink specials before going to Rick's.  Lots of great U-M memorabilia inside the restaurant, limited outdoor patio seating available but also great spot on South U.
3 - Shelly M.: Great place to sit on the patio for a beer and such.  Love the olive pate.
4 - Jessica W.: Brown Jug seems to be one of the only bars (if not the only bar) on S. University that doesn't make me feel ancient for my 24 years.  It seems to attract a more mature crowd.  Still, don't go to expecting to have a conversation with friends -- you can barely hear a word in there over the TVs, music, and other people.

Last time I was in there I scored a free shot of Lime SoCo from the brand reps, but usually I'm all about the beer.  The Red is really good.  Their selection isn't as spectacular as Ashley's, but it's a lot closer, and that matters when it's cold outside.

The food is okay, but nothing to look forward to.  Avoid the chips (tasted stale) and salsa (tasted like it was straight out a jar).  Go for the wings if you like wings, but be prepared for the epic mess that accompanies them.
4 - Byoung Kyu S.: Spent many a nights at the Brown Jug.  Unlike many of the other joints, this place kept it's "old" feel which makes it nostalgic.  Food is average but the Brown Jug is more a place to hang out and chill than for eating.
3 - Justin G.: This place is great for conversation, and the food is pretty good.  I have spent plenty of time at this place hanging out with friends enjoying many pitchers of beer.
3 - Becky H.: I only come here for food, and it's pretty good. The service is usually friendly, and at night, Bacardi promo girls often show up and give you free stuff (mini flashlights, shirts, hats, shots). Yay!
3 - Dominique K.: We stopped by here on a Wednesday for lunch after seeing a line out the door at the sandwich chain across the street...so I can only speak for a weekday lunch experience. The Jug was pretty quiet that day, which suited us fine as we were looking for a quick lunch.
Waiter was attentive and mentioned that is was half-off pizza day, so pizza it was for us. He recommended the thin crust pizza when we asked, and it ended up being a nice choice. We got our pizza quickly, it was hot, and it was pretty tasty.
A small pizza w/ mushrooms, black olives and ham, accompanied by ice water, set us back less than $8 (plus a pretty good tip).
U of M fans will love the UofM sports themed decor at this legendary A2 watering hole...and many of them probably spent many hours here if they spent any time at all in A2 :)
3 - Ryan B.: Booths are great for catching drinks and eats with friends, but not good place to talk. 

A lil loud (surprisingly on a Friday at 7PM), but I like the comfortably atmosphere and the attractive waitstaff. 

Average bar, average atmosphere, A-Ok.
3 - Melissah L.: I went here after my final exams for some greasy, delicious bar food.  And that is exactly what I got.

The Brown Jug is your typical college bar but with better food.  I got the french dip, (which was actually like a cheesesteak with au jus, but still oh-so-good) with Jug fries (don't get these, go for the waffle fries or onion rings instead).  My boyfriend got a quesadilla, and then told me that it was definitely one of the top 5 most satisfying meals of his life.  Yeah.  Eat here when you're in the mood for a burger and a couple beers.  Delish.

Brown Street Park - Providence, RI (41.8334739, -71.4042251) (College Hill)
5 - Ben S.: Enables activity from toddler through adult
Pristine upkeep
Pretty setting

An impeccable park on a pleasant sliver of land in the East Side that plays perfect host to this gem.  Situated between lovely old residential homes and the grounds of Hope High School, this space has much to offer.  The typical jungle gym activities, sandbox, and traverse-the-netting areas are all done very nicely.  Add to that a legitimate climbing and gymnastics ring area, and you have something a cut above.  Add to THAT a lovely community garden area, and you begin to get the picture of Brown Street Park.

This spot transcends "so nice I want to keep it to myself" status into "this Providence jewel is so good, the word needs to be spread."

Please enjoy!
4 - Rachael M.: Cute park. Well taken care of. Clean!! Unfortunately no dogs allowed.

Brown University - Providence, RI (41.8264275, -71.4040947) (College Hill)
4 - Herbert I.: Full of stupid people that concentrate in stupid shit.  However, I am Ever True.
5 - Shirin O.: Brown was fun socially and academically.  It doesn't have a core curriculum like most colleges in the country, allowing you to take the courses that you want in order to grow (and spend your money) however you want.  It's very liberal and accepting and encourages you to be the same, which makes you a better person.  The only thing that sucks about going there is having to interact with the Providence police force.  They're racist and corrupt.  Other benefits include seeing the best speakers in the country (Ira Glass, Bill Clinton, Spike Lee, et al), watching amazing performances (dancing, singing, and otherwise), and partaking in a social scene personalized to your tastes, whether you're straight, gay, experimental with drugs, anti-drug, etc.
4 - May A.: Brunonians!

I am a tourist here in the East Coast and just wanted to see one of the Ivy League campuses and the 7th oldest college in the U.S... and where the Brunonians went to school... small and intimate compared to the others we visited. Beautiful surroundings in historic Providence :)
3 - Elena Y.: This is a review for Leeds theatre. I went to see the play, "A Perfect Wedding" and thought it was funny, strange and bit too long. The theatre inside was a nice space and every seat is a good one. Outside in the lobby needs serious updating. It smells like a college dorm, which is to say it didn't smell very pleasant. 

Also I attended the platy for free as a community member but there was no info about the reception. We with other folks had to go searching around. It just seemed odd to us considering the reputation of the college and all the resources they have.
4 - Lily H.: I have visited Brown University off and on through the years and was an applicant to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.  And I have been intrigued by the attention it has gotten as well over the years, most recently for the selection of Ruth Simmons as president (she is leaving very soon).

Known since the '60s as the hippest of the Ivy League, with the most flexibility and openness in its curriculum, Brown is also one of the most smallest in the group both in terms of numbers of students and actual campus size.

The campus is small, compact, and has many handsome red brick Georgian architecture.  The atmosphere is laid-back but studious.  I enjoyed spending time at the John D. Rockefeller Library while my sister went to classes.

My sister had nothing but praise for the school when she went there.

I am disappointed by a relatively recent event, though.

Ruth Simmons, its president, made a startling remark to Mike Wallace in his interview of the former. She recounted a slight she experienced from a faculty member at Harvard where she was doing her Ph.D. in Romance languages and literature, her field being17th century French literature.

Mike Wallace gave her an incredulous look--raised eyebrows and all--and actually said something like, "17th century French literature? How arcane! Whatever for?"

Ms. Simmons was apparently so caught up in her being able to vent her woeful tale of racial discrimination that she did not offer one whit of a defense of her field of graduate studies. 17th century France was the most powerful nation in the world, and French cultural domination is attested by a roll-call of the most celebrated intellects of that era: Pascal, Descartes, Moliere, Corneille, Racine, La Fontaine...this was the era of Louis XIV--le roi soleil--and Versailles and the birth of modern diplomacy.

The 17th century without France would be like the 20th century without the United States.* And we today are a lot closer to the 17th century in our outlook, customs, and institutions than we are to the time of Jesus Christ or the gladiators.

Granted Americans don't generally know much about world history, but Ms. Simmons's bemused silence vis-a-vis Mr. Wallace was pretty disheartening. In essence, she silently endorsed the prevalent but parochial attitude among our countrymen that world culture and history are primarily American. No need to dig further than Neils Armstrong, Martin Luther King, Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, or George Washington, do we?

Let's hope that Brown's next president (Ms. Simmons is resigning her at the end of the current academic year) will offer a more spirited defense of the humanities, not just Aime Cesare, David Diop, etc.

We are built on the shoulders of those who came before us. An education ought to be inclusive. Unfortunately, Brown may offer too much of a "select-what-you-will" (and by extension, "ignore-what-you-will") approach.

* * The following century ("Le siecle des lumieres")--but equally unheard of by most Americans-- would bring with it both the Enlightenment and the American and French revolutions.

The Enlightenment is the anti-thesis of what George W. Bush (and his co-religionists) stands for, but is impossible to understand without studying the 17th century.
4 - Loli L.: Super cute! 

The grass, the trees, and even the students were super adorable.
5 - Anya R.: My best friend once said to me, "Brown will pretty much let you do whatever you want, but in return you have to let it do whatever it wants sometimes too." This is a great summary of Brown. Although creating your own major is not as easy as they might lead you to believe, it is possible...and it is rare to find at other schools. There is a reason why Brown is always within the top 3 of the happiest schools in the country. It has a beautiful campus, wonderful location, and probably the most caring and passionate faculty that you could ever hope to care for. It's open environment and curriculum is fitting for all kinds of people: both the more free-spirited like me who wanted to take time off, create my own kind of course load and trajectory, and for more conservative people like my boyfriend who used the open curriculum to have two concentrations (what we call majors). But like the quote says, sometimes Brown does what it wants to too. They often do things late or not at all. But if you can handle that and want a place you can make your own, then it may be the place for you. Just be prepared to self-advocate and exist in a world without many rules. And you really can do almost whatever you want, e.g. if you want a class, and technically you're not ready for it, just keep attending it and doing the work and the professors usually let you in.
4 - Cato M.: A beautiful, happy school. I love the campus, especially the fact that each building has a different style and lends something unique to the general atmosphere. I'll remember four years of good times every time I walk to the top of College Hill!

Brown's Paint & Hardware - Chapel Hill, NC (35.911205, -79.0612288) ()
4 - Kianna M.: If you need a few nails, a cast iron skillet, a key made, paint or your typical hardware goods, you'll find it right here, just a few doors down from Chapel Hill Cleaners.  You'll also find that the staff here takes pride in personally assisting you, to get exactly what you need.  The store is layed out in an organized manner and the staff is friendly and professional.
4 - William J.: This store is surprisingly large and well-stocked.  Just about the only thing you can't actually get here is the lumber that you want to nail or paint.  The guys working there are a down-home kind of friendly, even if walking into the place does make you feel like you're stepping into a dungeon of despair.  The whole operation is deceptively slick and well-organized.  Assuming that you came in for paint, tools, or other home-improvement schtick, you'll leave happy.

Browne's Fine Jewelry - Champaign, IL (40.0983639, -88.24696) ()
5 - Todd H.: BEST COMBO OF SERVICE AND SELECTION IN CENTRAL IL.  BROWNE'S FINE JEWELRY WILL MAKE YOUR DIAMOND BUYING EXPERIENCE A POSITIVE ONE!  HERE IS WHY I THINK THAT:

Although I now live in Chicago (I used to live in Champaign), a friend of mine recommended I check out Browne's Fine Jewelry.  I am so grateful for that tip as Browne's was the best customer service experience I had out of the 12+ jewelers I went to looking for an engagement ring.  

Right away upon entering Browne's I was greeted by one Browne's sales staff, Andrea Laird.  Her sales style was HELPFUL AND FRIENDLY VS the cocky and aggressive style of most other jeweler's sales staff. 

Andrea addressed all of my questions (I had ALOT of them) on the 4 Cs of diamonds, post purchase benefits, ring settings, trade in value of diamonds I had from other places, financing options, etc in a very INFORMATIVE and BELIEVABLE way.  At OTHER JEWELERS I had visited, their sales staff would talk down to me when I asked these type of questions or give me answers that did not seem believeable.

Browne's great customer service extended to email inquiries which were ALWAYS answered in less than 24 hours.  While shopping at Browne's, I noticed how many customers  knew the entire sales staff by name and appeared VERY HAPPY with their diamond purchases! 

I was very IMPRESSED with Browne's diamond selection as it rivaled the Chicago jewelry stores I had visited.  The sparkle factor on their diamonds I looked at was high quality!   As a guy, if you are looking to impress your significant other with a diamond that she can proudly show off to her friends, BROWNE'S IS THE PLACE TO GO!  Their competitive prices and financing options make Browne's diamonds VERY AFFORDABLE for the HIGH QUALITY you are receiving.  

As mentioned before, each and every one of Browne's sales staff was very helpful with customers coming in the door.  This type of service was UNIQUE to Browne's vs other jewelers I had visited.  Since I worked with Andrea the most, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ANDREA for anyone looking for a knowledgeable, friendly, and thorough salesperson!  

BIG CITY DIAMOND QUALITY AND SELECTION WITH GREAT LOCAL FAMILY OWNED SERVICE!
5 - Grace C.: Browne's gets 5 stars from me for going above and beyond.. Plus, they'll continue to have our business in the future. 

So.. I got married! Yay! 

.. Last minute! Yay! :)

We planned our wedding for somewhere between six weeks (when we first thought, hey! let's get married in the backyard!) and three weeks (when we actually started calling around for catering, ordering favors, etc.). In that short, frantic time, we kept thinking, "Hmm. We should get rings." We shopped a bit here and there, looking at places like amazon.com, Kohl's, Macy's, etc, trying to find something simple. I love not spending money on jewelry, but both of us like shopping locally. So we ended up going to Browne's the Tuesday before the Sunday wedding. 
Lisa at Browne's helped us choose rings, find the right sizes, etc. She told us she'd have them in by Friday.

Friday comes. My ring is in, but his isn't. So instead of leaving us out to dry, as rightfully they should've done, since we were SO last minute on the whole thing, Lisa stepped up to the plate. She called the company for us, and they overnighted a similar ring in my boyfriend's (husband's!) size for us to use at the ceremony on Sunday. Which we did, and it was beautiful. Monday, she called us as promised as soon as his actual ring was in. We swapped the overnighted ring for his actual ring, and it's perfect.

We're exceptionally pleased with both rings. The prices were good, considering the current market for gold. I am so, so grateful to Browne's, Lisa especially, for their outstanding customer service and problem solving skillz. Like I said, we'll be back!
5 - Heather J.: I cannot say enough good things about Browne's. 

I've been married for 4 years now, engaged for over 5. Every year on our wedding anniversary I take my ring in and they clean it and inspect it. Well today, I went in to have them inspect the settings on my wedding band and engagement ring. They found a loose diamond! 
I left my rings with them. They are going to fix the loose diamond, IN HOUSE of course, and have it back to me in a day or two. Oh, and they are replating it! How much does it cost? Nothing. And I have to wait up to two days? I'll take it! They felt bad that it'd take even that long but they have a lot of jobs lined up. If I had gone to a big chain, I know I would have to wait a lot longer to get my rings back. 

They take care of their jewelry and their customers. They are friendly, SUPER knowledgeable and all jewelry work is done right there at the store. Their selection and quality would be hard to find anywhere else in town. I can promise you that I will not be shopping for jewelry anywhere else.

*Edit* Since I wrote this, I picked up my rings. The setting was fixed and the metal was replated on both rings. It looks amazing. Absolutely perfect! My rings look brand new again. The replating and the fixed setting didn't cost me a dime. They really take care of their jewelry and their customers. Great job, Browne's! Thank you so much!
4 - Rolando M.: I decided to give Browne's a try after reading the positive reviews on Yelp.  I was looking for an engagement ring and had some very good options online, but I am willing to pay a little more for good costumer service and to shop locally. The first time I went to Browne's I received very good costumer care, the attendant took her time to explain the different grades of diamonds and all the different options available.  I felt so comfortable that I felt convinced that I should buy a ring from Browne's.  
The second time I visited Browne's I was attended by a different person, and my experience was the total opposite from the previous one.  The attendant's demeanor was condescending and snobbish, I felt like I was wasting this person's time, so I took my money elsewhere.  I conclusion, Browne's could be a store depending on who is working that day.

Brownie's Cafe - New York, NY (40.8073617, -73.9606979) (Morningside Heights)
5 - AMANDA K.: My favorite restaurant on the Columbia campus!  I heart Brownie's and their staff.  Terrific prices in comparison to other campus cafes.  They even have breakfast specials!  Great coffee, bagels, sandwiches, pastries and jumbo cookies...and they have punch-cards now!
4 - Sienna K.: When my friend asked me what I thought was the most intelligent cafe in New York, I first thought of Cafe Sabarsky. After all, how do you get brainier than a Viennese cafe paired with German and Austrian art? 

But then I thought about it some more, and there was actually a place that could battle for the position. Housed in the basement of one of the three largest architectural libraries in the world (the other two being in Canada and England), situated in a building designed by the famed McKim, Mead, and White (whose other works include Morgan Library, Brooklyn Museum, Boston Public Library, Grand Army Plaza, and the West and East Wings of the White House), and conjoined to a building that was home to influential historians and intellectuals such as Richard Hofstadter, the rather small and humble Brownie's Cafe might be a solid contender for the title. 

Located in the basement of Avery Library (the largest architectural library in the United States) and Fayerweather Hall (history department's cozy shindigs) at Columbia University, Brownie's is a non-Columbia owned eatery that serves delicious foods and baked goods that are not only measurably better than rest of the campus options, but on par with the best of Morningside Heights (which isn't saying much,  I know).  

Their salads are always fresh and crisp and the sandwiches are filling and delicious. As much as I love the food here and as attractive as the prices are compared to restaurants near by, I do wish it'd be a little cheaper since it does cater to the largely starving student population. But if you're ever in the neighborhood, go try their avocado sandwiches-- absolutely amazing. 

But more than anything, I love stopping by Brownie's for their baked goods. When the weather was nice and I actually had enough sleep in me, I used to go there in the morning and get the bread and cheese deal. I got a loaf of whole wheat bread (amazingly soft and slightly nutty) with a gigantic slab of cheese; I'd take it outside and munch on it while pretending to read. They also have fabulous yogurt muffins. It has a slight tart yogurt flavor, oh-so-soft center, and has that slight brown sugar crunch on top. 

They only serve American coffee, but it's the best coffee on campus without going over to Barnard across the street. 

And it's a great place just to visit once. The decorations isn't much-- barren white walls, metallic furniture, but  it's always interesting to visit. The bulk of the regulars who actually live down at the cafe are studying architecture, and their done and half done projects lie around. When I went today, they had decked out the stairway with a quasi-installation inviting you to rethink of urban aesthetics. Come around finals, and the place is like an art gallery (think White Columns). And because it's also connected to the history building, there'll always be a table of two angry graduate students arguing about a Marxist readings of the Constitution or what not. 

It's not worth coming all the way uptown (or downtown) for, but if you're ever in the neighborhood, it's definitely one of the best ways to feel out Morningside Heights. Come by, get some good grub and a dessert, and eat it outside on campus. It's a beautiful place, and contrary to popular belief, Columbia doesn't riot every time someone comes to visit. Only if you're a Minuteman. Or the president of Iran. Or Ashcroft. Or... kidding. We're nice people.


P.S. The map will tell you that it's near Lincoln Center, but it isn't. It's up on 116th-ish.
4 - Ben C.: I think Sienna's review pretty much says it all and then some, but I'll put my own $0.02 in anyway.  The sandwiches/wraps here are some of the best around (campus/M'side).  Roast beef, ham, tuna, chicken salad, 'seafood'/crab salad, mozzarella-tomato-basil.  Probably some veggie thing in there too, but I wouldn't notice.  Bread is usually good quality, which I think makes a huge difference as far as sandwiches are concerned.  Drip coffee is nothing special, but is also probably the best on campus.  Go figure.  One thing I really like about this place is that you can buy a hunk of fresh bread and a slab of cheese for like $2.50.  I'm just a sucker for anyplace that has some form of bread/fruit/cheese plate.  Overall atmosphere is 'comfortable cafeteria', suitable for chit chat or light work / e-mailing, etc...
3 - Anna L.: Very shocked at the high ratings, made it sound like a quaint cafe.  It's in the corner of the basement in the architecture department, a miss unless you see the gaggle of tired students standing in line for caffeine before the 9 am lecture. Have to say though, it is probably the cheapest place for coffee and tea in the entire university, plus you get a punch card for sandwiches and coffee. Cash only, bummer since there is no atm around.
5 - Dan T.: Tucked away below the structure housing literature on such matters, Brownie's boasts a great non-affiliated selection, prices, and ambiance (even if they don't take CCs, let alone Flex) on the CU campus. It's on floor 2 (basement) behind some red doors. It's a big space, yet unassuming; lines are long but the service is phenomenal. Best (and best valued, biggest) roasted/grilled vegetable sandwich I've had in as long as I can remember. The pineapple coconut muffin was not that good, but regardless, if the line wasn't so long I'd be back...a lot.
3 - QianQian Z.: Brownie's can make a LOT of money if they sold coffee 24/7. There is definitely the demand there. 

I like the atmosphere  like everyone else. But, since I practically live upstairs from the cafe, I'm completely dependent on it, and therefore wish they had more choices of foods and maybe open a little later? 

The sandwiches are just ok, basic. Sometimes I  think Brownie's a good deal, and that's when I remind myself to leave Mornignside more often. This around seriously distorts my perspective on how much food should cost.

That said, the people at Brownies' are great, some of the friendliest, even during the crowded lunch hour. They make my long day better.
5 - Jenn L.: This is such a great place hidden in Avery!  They use such fresh and real ingredients, and there is never a problem with getting something something custom made.  Great coffee and iced coffee too!
4 - Theo C.: Secret cafe! Cafe secret!

Sorry, I just was super excited when I learned about this place. Half the fun is just figuring out how to get there. (It's hidden in the basement of Avery!)

I work at Columbia and have no idea how these students can afford all the ridiculously expensive places in the area. But this place is totally affordable and they have tasty snacks! Their sandwiches are yummy, too. I only wish they were open more hours and in the summer.
5 - Angie K.: I never thought I would yelp about a deli on a school campus but this deli is delicious.  Really made my school days easier since I didn't have to pack lunch.  I'm really picky with quick eat-and-go meals.  If it doesn't look right, I just don't eat until I get home.  That means many days of the week, dinner may be my first real meal of the day.  However, I was a very well-fed, happy student during the duration of my school year all thanks to Brownie's Cafe.

Their fried eggplant sandwich is amazing.  I see what they put in there and I know what they put in there. And yet, I still don't understand how it's so much better than the countless sandwiches I've tried.  They are available only on certain days of the week so I watch out for it.  Other days, I get their Mozarella sandwhich which is also as delicious. I'm also in love with Naked Juice which they fortunately carry in-store.  I'm seriously thinking of going up to Columbia just for the sandwhiches!
4 - Leon C.: There are some pretty good stuff at this place. It's cash only.

Their salads are in the fridge, pre-made, but they're pretty good. Although I've only had the Salmon burger one, which was amazing. The dressings are on the side. They also have pre-made pasta that are very tasty, but a little more greasy than I would like them to be.

Their sandwich are great, around the average sandwich price in the neighborhood. Can't say they're the best in the neighborhood, but they're close.

Now, their catered food... it's a totally different animal. Their cater food is pretty damn amazing. You don't really get these at the storefront. If you think their sandwich is great the storefront, their catered sandwich is even better. Oh and their dessert... brownies and lemon bars - SO GOOD. The storefront ones are good too, but it doesn't have that fresh catered taste.

The seating by the Cafe is a little meh, not because it's always packed, but the setup just feels a little awkward like the lunch tables from elementary school (Not saying that they have them, just feels like it).

Awesome food, great staff (they're very nice even if you're a sandwich nazi - so be nice to them!), and the price is decent. I can't speak for the catering pricing though. The decor? Well, it's under Avery - the architecture school so it always look like something is happening to the space, which can prove interesting at times.
4 - Lorenzo V.: It is a great life-saver during endless hours of study in the library. The space is amazing because every month has a different exposition made by students of the architectural school.
Enjoy the huge sandwiches and the good soups!
4 - M S.: This place makes excellent sandwiches. I would say that they are expensive, but compared to other Columbia U area sandwich purveyors, the pricing is standard while the quality of the ingredients is much, much higher. They have some really excellent multigrain rolls, lots of nice cheeses, and many creative daily sandwiches. The only downside really is that the line is long, but it tends to move quite quickly and it's worth the wait.
4 - S W.: I've eaten enough brie here to kill a lesser man.
4 - Sarah M.: Yummy for seven or eight bucks for stick to ur ribs sandwiches soups and wraps. Lines are not too long and the guys in charge of making the sandwiches and like are frindly and seem to put care into wach irder. Awesone. Busy but easy to find a seat at the long table. Only boooo point is no electrical outlets to plug in ur electronics- which really sucked for me and my nearly dead phone. Overall great surprise in the basement of Avery hall.
4 - Sophia S.: 3.5 years here and I never ate here. WOW.

Coming up on my last days (literally) at CU...I think this is a yelp! goodbye to my alma mater mixed in with finals procrastination and a sprinkle of holy moly why the hell did I never eat here before?

I had a smoked salmon/cucumber/dill/cream cheese sandwich on focaccia. Just perfect. Not too much cream cheese, lots of salmon and cucumber cut such that you could eat it properly in a sandwich. The bread was soft and crisped on the edges, warm and seasoned well. 

The selection was great: breads, sandwiches, breakfasts etc... WAY better than the counter at Watson.

Ahh, I'm gonna miss this campus.
5 - Manuel B.: Best wraps and sandwiches in Columbia University. Probably the only place at Columbia that is not trying to deplete your checking account. Try the turkey and brie wrap. For what is worth, the chipotle dressing is a must for exiled Mexicans. Cheapest iced coffee in the surroundings of Columbia. Be warned, they only take cash. Staff is super friendly. Be sure to ask for your sandwiches and coffee loyalty cards.

Browns Brewing Co.: The Taproom - Troy, NY (42.735918, -73.687389) ()
4 - Dave D.: I have never eaten a thing at Browns Brewing Company but I gave it four stars anyway for one reason, the Whiskey Porter.  Oh my god this is one of the most delicious beers I have ever had.  Its dark, rich and strong... REAL strong.

The menu sounds kind of good and they have a few vegan options so one of these days I might go back and eat something.
3 - Meredith S.: Brewpubs can be hit or miss with their food.  Often the beer is good and the food is crap or vice-versa.  Brown's Brewing is somewhere in the middle for me:  their food is slightly above average and their beer is about average.   I like good beer and none of their home-brewed selections is a real favorite of mine - many of them are good enough, but not great.  The ambiance of the restaurant is nice, with a big bar and live music on weekends.  The menu offers a nice variety of American foods, including a few vegetarian and even vegan choices, all made with high-quality ingredients.  I've been going to this place for years and many times I leave having enjoyed my evening, but wishing it was just a little bit better.
3 - gabriel d.: I've been a regular there for years and years.  The beer and food is very good, but nothing is amazing ( except, maybe, the french fries ).

Unfortunately, on several occasions the waitstaff ( or the management ) 
have caused strange situations.  My friends tell me I'm not the only one with strange stories.  On several occasions the wait staff has crossed lines of restaurant decency.  Nastiness, ridiculous requests, and incredible wait-times.  In all seriousness I've told myself that I'm never going back on more than one occasion.  I've never had this reaction to a restaurant before.  But, sadly, they fill a niche, they have a nice deck, and I love beer.


An example:

Late night in troy.  I'm walking out of ryan's wake.  As I'm walking by the parking lot I hear the sound of a car speeding towards me.  Startled, I turn to watch it skid to a stop a few feet from where I was standing.  The driver is red faced and laughing.  The passenger leans out the window:  "NIce sweater, FAG!!!!  WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!"  Then, she tries to get out of the car, but the driver holds her back.

The (way too coked up?) passenger is (was) one of the main wait staff at browns.
4 - Melanie A.: Get the cabbage.

No, really-- get the cabbage.  Most restaurants hold the humble cabbage in such low regard: it's boiled to slush, drowned in fatty dressing, or served so cold it might as well be frozen.  At Browns, though, the side of cabbage is a serving of shredded, crunchy, purple strands, sauteed and slightly oiled (vegans: check whether it's butter), fine with nearly everything on the menu.

The beer, as another reviewer notes, is regular-to-good; maybe we're hypercritical, so many years after the craft brewing trend started to change the American beer palate.  There's a reasonable gamut of light, dark, and in-between beers, and you can even take them to go in a "growler," a convenient, refillable container I wish more pub owners would accommodate.

The food is not only the deep-fried stand-bys, but other beer-friendly options such as bratwurst.  But get the cabbage.
4 - Brent A.: I'm not too fond of the kitschy decor, but the place knows how to make a good beer and on-par food.  I had the Vegetarian burger, which, by the way, was above-and-beyond my expectations for "bar food."  Most of the other food was good, but nothing spectacular.  The service was a little spotty, but it wasn't terrible by any means.  If you bring the right company, you'll have a good time here.  If you have a thirst for beer, then by all means trek yourself down here and have a few rounds before stumbling back up the hill to RPI.
4 - Skye J.: Brown's is solidly good. Nothing can be described as out of this world 'amazing', but they do what they do consistently well.

Their beer-battered fries really are excellent. They're steak-cut, close in style to Aussie 'chips', and pretty much the only time I will look forward to getting fries is at Brown's. Their veggie burger is a homemade black-bean patty, a nice change from Gardenburgers. The salads, other burgers, and pastas (esp. the tortellini) are also quite good. 

We love to come here on a quiet Sunday evening in the summer to sit on the back deck and have some drinks and dinner, or it's one of our favourite places to bring a large group of friends for a casual night out.

I'm not really a beer drinker, but those around me say it's pretty good - not amazing, but decent. They DO make their own root beer (yes, I'm a little kid) and it's delicious.

All in all I do have quite an affection for Brown's. When we're in the mood for  what they offer, it's always a fun and relaxing time out. And the view from the back deck overlooking the Hudson is REALLY lovely.
4 - Jess P.: I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place. I love Brown's. I've been thinking about going here all week in fact! 

I'm not normally a big fan of brew pubs, because I don't drink beer ( I like it, but I'm allergic to barley. ) Still, Brown's has such a nice, relaxed atmosphere that it's weaseled it's way into my heart. I especially like the back deck/patio area where you can sit and look out over the river. The food is your standard pub food, but it's quite tasty and usually well-priced.  And they usually have pretty good salads, if you're feeling healthy or aren't down with too much fried stuff. 

And they even use some of their tasty brews in the food. I've never had their beer-battered fries myself, but everyone I've ever been here with has loved them. 

Service is usually decent, and sometimes there's live music. The bathrooms are very clean for a bar!  

I like to come here for a few drinks and some food before heading to a show next door at Revolution Hall. And if you like the beer here, you can get it at Rev Hall too.
1 - Patty B.: My husband and I were married on a Saturday afternoon and were looking for a "post-wedding" hangout for our friends and family. My husband's family went here on the suggestion of our hotel and were settled in upstairs when we arrived with a few friends.

When we asked if we could sit with our family upstairs, we were told that "service was closed" on the top floor. We explained politely that we knew our family was up there, as we had just spoken with them.

The hostess (middle-aged, curly hair, black dress) got very snippy with us and looked aghast that we would even SUGGEST that there were people being seated up there. "I don't know what you're talking about, it's not my problem". We even tried explaining that we were just married and wanted to see our family. No-go, we weren't allowed up.

Fine, we said we could then sit downstairs on our own, which was EMPTY. There were 8 of us, and they could have easily put two tables together to accommodate us. Apparently, that was too difficult, so we left and went down the street to the Irish-Mexican place that was great and very friendly.

As a girl from upstate New York hosting visitors from Long Island and New York City, I was hoping that I could show them some "Upstate hospitality", and not be treated snootily with such scorn. Sadly, Browns Brewing could not provide this.
4 - Kimberly W.: Definitely a Trojan institution; if you're stuck for a place to bring friends/family/visitors on just about any given night in the Collar City, bring 'em up to Brown's!  The atmosphere is nice and relaxing, the decor is charming, the back porch is a great place to hang out and watch the Hudson in the summer, and the food is consistently good.  The beer is quite nice as well, and the service is quite solid.  Really a great "default" setting for Troy food and booze; it's rare that anyone leaves disappointed.
1 - Melmel G.: I went to brown's once and it was one of the worst restaurant experiences I have ever had.  It was a nice Saturday afternoon toward the tail end of lunch hour.  We were a group of 6 seated on the back deck enjoying the late spring afternoon.  That was the end of the good experience.
The waitress was pissy that she had to serve a group of college kids.  I personally was unimpressed with the beer selection.  Once we ordered it took over an hour for our food to come out.  In the mean time when i went in to the bathroom I overheard the waitress complaining about having to serve our group.  When I informed the management of this they acted like there was nothing they could do.  Once we got our food the waitress disappeared for over an hour.  Then she didn't know how to split the bill half on a credit card and half with the cash we had given her.  (not that hard)  They were damn lucky the tip is included on parties of 6 or more on the deck otherwise that girl wouldn't have gotten a dime.
Other than the god awful service the burger was decent but no better than you can get at the red robin in latham.  Also there are way too many IPAs on the beer list.  I don't understand the hype surrounding the place.

*update* I went back to the beer garden with a friend of mine figuring to give it another try.  The bar tender didn't know jack about beer.  How could then not even prime him as to what is hoppy and what is malty?
4 - Brian J.: I went to brown's Taproom with my girlfriend last night and it was one of the best experiences I have had a restaurant in a while. What really stuck out were the wings. Our waitress helped us decide on what kind we should get and she suggested the BBQ that are kind of a fruit sounding sauce, the wings are dipped in mild sauce first. Wow! is all I can say. They were so good, probably the best wings I've ever had including my own and I consider my own wings to be top notch. They had great beer, not extraordinary but very good. The burgers were great and the staff was excellent. I left a hefty tip in kind but to be honest we wanted to kiss the waitress for the wings they were so good. Excellent meal I will be going back this week before I head back to Iraq. That's a meal I want to remember.
4 - Carrie A.: I went here yesterday during the Superbowl. I had the veggie burger, it's black bean and not a frozen patty. Black bean isn't my favorite burger, but I must admit, it's very refreshing to get one that wasn't tossed in a microwave. It came with a side of coleslaw that was sweet and a pickle that was too salty. 
Maybe I'm being unfair because we had beer pretzels for an appetizer. Those were awesome. Soft with a decent crust, and a thin coat of either olive oil or butter (couldn't tell) served with a mustard sauce. First pub/bar/drinking establishment I've been to that had real pretzels to go with their beer. What the hell for people??? Pretzels and beer, it's very obvious. 
The beer I had was their Pilsner. Light without being tasteless, reminded me of Magic Hat's #9 for some reason. 
I would certainly go again and hoard the pretzels for myself.
5 - David M.: If you like microbrews, you'll love Brown's. Good to great food to go with some terrific beers. They have some great stouts and porters. Comfortable atmosphere, half of the crowd is students with the rest a mix of townies and the occasional family.
4 - Beth F.: So we checked out Browns on Sunday and we were pleasantly surprised.  After getting only lackluster service from the Pump Station in Albany, we figured on trying a new place.  We sampled are way through six beers: Pilsner, Hefeweizen, E.S.B, I.P.A, Stout and Whiskey Porter.  They were all outstanding, even the Pilsner which most breweries cannot really pull off.  We had chicken wings too, they were good.  We got mild to test them and they still had a little spice.  The barback was friendly and entertaining.  The first bartender, a young woman, was not very attentive.  We waited about 20 minutes for our check before the second bartender finally came to work and noticed us sitting there.  I'm definately going back but now I know what time to go.
5 - Neil V.: Disclaimer: this review is mostly about the beer. Lets make this simple: Browns Brewing Co makes the BEST oatmeal stout I have had so far, and I have tried many different oatmeal stouts. The other beers they brew are also excellent. Honestly its just amazing that this place is in the capital region because it could go head to head with any brewery in this country. As for the brew pub, its just what it should be, the menu is appropriate for a brew pub with a wide selection of German and American food. If you cant make it to the restaurant go to Brewcrew and pick up a six pack, I promise you wont regret it.
5 - Patty M.: This is my favorite place to go!  When the hubby and I can get a sitter and he says where do you want to go, I say Brown's Brewing Co.!  I will go there for just a night out, for my birthday dinner or for my anniversary dinner.  The beer rocks!  I LOVE their cherry raspberry ale and their oatmeal stout, oh and their pale ale too.  Luckily my birthday and anniversary are in October because the Pumpkin beer they have in October is the BEST!  It's like liquid pumpkin pie that leaves you feeling good, not guilty!  LOL!  This place has the best beer AND food!  Their burgers kick @$$ and their fries?  OMG!  You will not find a better french fry anywhere, ever - period!  

We have taken the kids there too.  While it's not Friendly's, it's an adult place, you can definitely bring children there for a sit down dinner. Obviously earlier in the evening would be a better atmosphere for young children, before people get too many beers in them.  Also, they do have bands there, so it can get loud late in the evening. The menu is a little bit on the pricier side, but it's certainly justifiable in the quantity and quality.  

Go to Brown's - everythig about it is AWESOME!!!!  Trust me, you will NOT be disappointed!  Ugh, now I want to go there!  :)
4 - Alyssa J P.: I'm not much of a beer drinker but the Troy Pub (which I will reluctantly call Brown's for the sake of this review) was a very frequent hangout during my RPI days. I still go back on occasion when I'm back in Troy.

The food is pretty decent, they have a tasty vegan bean burger and their fries are awesome.
4 - susan k.: The Uncle Sam Burger with Brewer's Fries combination was excellent.  The mushroom and onion topping was cooked such that it was not mushy nor overwhelmingly saucy or sweet.  The serving staff was highly attentive. There are a variety of seating arrangements available depending on what you want -- from outside river front patio to upholstered benches inside.  Parking is easy in the evening due to a lot near by.
3 - Thomas C.: The food is great, but the service is absolutely horrendous.  I've been there twice, the first time the service is decent, but the last time i went there, it was awful.  The server's name was Amy, and if she's your server, I'd recommend requesting to sit in another section.  There were three of us that had to share the same water glass because she kept forgetting to bring us another.
As for the food though, it was great.  I'd recommend the onion rings.  They're unbelievably good.
1 - christian C.: Stopped in for a beer.  Sat on the patio and had an insipid porter and a bland IPA.  The wafting stench from something that must have been dead and rotting on the river bank below didn't help.  Beer reminded me of what you'd get at a "brewpub" run by AB or CoorsMolson.
3 - r c.: My last review (1 star) was incredibly old and I have since tried Brown's once again, and I am actually surprised to say that I am back on good terms with them. The new menu is actually pretty good and the service has been pretty solid lately.. the pot pie was tasty and i really liked the chicken fingers, went back and got the jucy lucy (burger with boursin cheese inside) and definitely liked it. Burger was a tad small but still tasty.
4 - Paul G.: I'm not really a huge beer drinker -- I mean, I like beer, but I'm much happier with a good martini or a glass of wine. So take it with a grain of salt when I say I have never been that impressed with the beer they make there - everything I try seems a little unbalanced and well, hard to drink. Give me a good Yueng Ling, Heineken, or even Tsing Tao any day. If that makes me a beer lightweight, well, I can live with that.

Fortunately, they have an OK wine selection. Last visit I tried a margarita -- let's just say I won't be making that mistake again -- it was bland and blase -- a dim reflection of the greatness an accomplished bartender can achieve with that cocktail.

On the other hand, I think the food is great. We've eaten there maybe a dozen times, sampling everything from burgers to the mussels and clams, to salads and wings -- all great. Service has been uniformly good - always fast, attentive, and courteous. I'm honestly surprised by the many negative comments on service there -- I've never had the slightest problem, whether indoors or on the patio.

If i had to find something to complain about, I would say many dishes tend towards the salty side. A little more attention to subtle alternatives to gobs of salt would be appreciated, at least by me.

All in all, Brown's is my current "go-to" spot in Troy when I need decent food but don't want to spend a fortune.
4 - Tunyaluck P.: This is a very nice place. If you like crowd and noise, downstair by the bar is the place for you. On the other hand, second floor in the Trojan room is surprisingly quiet. Food is the usual, but good portion for the price. Beer is cheap too if you're from NYC. 

If you'll be there during daylight, river view is great too. The place is between the main 2 bridges of Troy.
3 - SUSAN R.: Being a beer connoisseur NOT, I am hardly equipped to comment on the beer - other than I like the Pilsner, and my other loves the Oatmeal Stout. The samplers strike me as a great treat for brew enthusiasts. It is close to home and will do in a pinch, but the food is hardly stellar. 
It gets very loud in the bar area, and the sound travels.They make lousy mixed drinks. 
Contrary to several reviews, we have always had friendly service, and usually fairly quick. The burgers are probably your best bet, and I also like the mini steak sliders. Salads look good, and are plentiful, but I don't think they make their own dressing. Freshness of ingredients seems to depend on what night you hit this place. Fish fry (from frozen fish) is very salty, but not greasy. Why can't restaurants around here flour and fry fresh onion rings instead of relying on frozen beer battered? They are awful! 
My husband likes the pulled pork sandwich (I think it looks gross) and he loves shepherds pie, so there you go.The Porter cake is good when it is fresh, though I wish they served it at room temperature.  Why do we come return time and again? Because I LOVE dining al fresco, and their river view patio is hard to beat. That's why.
2 - Kate H.: I've been going to Brown's since it first opened as Brown and Moran. The beers always been great but the food and service has gone up and down. I've been a few times lately and up until the last time we went for lunch we've been pleased. This time however I ordered the Blue Collar Sandwich, my husband ordered the fish and chips sandwich (we've ordered both before). Both of our meals were a lot smaller than they've been in the past. Really did not get our money's worth. The one bright spot was my daughter's quesadilla, large portion, fresh and tasty.
4 - Peter K.: Went here on a Friday night and had no problem getting a table. The bar area was really packed, so we decided to get a table and order some appetizers along with our beer.

The Portobello Fries were awesome -- nicely breaded and not too greasy. The wings appetizer was larger than expected and the chicken wings were nice and meaty. 

Oh and the beer. We each got the 8 beer sampler. It was a bit confusing at first because we wanted the 8 beer sampler but we didn't know if there were even 8 beers on tap. It took the waiter a little while to get things straight; actually, he never was able to figure out what they had available so we just said screw it and told him to get us 8 random beers.

I'm normally not a fruity beer guy but their Cherry Raspberry Ale was my favorite.
4 - Jon H.: Well as everyone says, the bar area is packed beyond belief, especially if a live band is in the house - so opt for a table if you've got it.

The service can be weird though. We kept pointing to beers on the back of the regular menu only to hear that they were sold out (it was Friday night around 9pm...so that's weird). But eventually we settled on a few beers and (when given the right menu) got most of the beers on the menu. The beers are all flavorful and surprising, packing decent punches and spices, enough to satisfy a wide range of micro-beer lovers.

The food is also fantastic. I especially dig the pretzel and hot wings. The pretzel is served hot and fresh, with a delicious dipping mustard. The hot wings (went with the cherry ale finish) were sweet and salty, meaty, crisp, and served with delicious blue cheese.

Overall, outside of some shotty service, and some above average prices, I'd say this is a great spot to hang out with friends and catch up, drink a few great beers, and snack. Good stuff.
5 - Heather L.: Brown's is amazing. I'm a big beer lover and they have some of the best beer I've tasted. For the dark beer drinkers they offer a rich, thick Whiskey Porter and for the light beer drinkers they have a delicious Cherry Raspberry Ale and a pretty good Hefeweizen. I would suggest any new Brown's go-er to order the sampler so that you can get a taste of everything! They offer a "mug club" membership in which you pay $50 a year and in turn receive a Brown's t-shirt and 24 ounce beers instead of the pints for the same price and also includes a free yearly "mug club" dinner where you are fed all the beer and food you can handle, buffet style. 

This takes me to the food, which is delicious. Pretty run of the mill restaurant choices, but they put a unique twist on almost everything by incorporating their brews into the sauces that go on or into the food you order. There's Hefe in the clams, there's Cherry Rasp. in the bbq sauce, etc. 

The owners are wonderful (if you catch them on a good day you might even get to tour the brewery downstairs!) and they have excellent staff, I have never had a problem with service at this place. They have an outside deck overlooking the river and an extensive parking lot. It's a great place to go anytime, during the day for a quiet lunch, a dinner date, or just a destination for a great drunken time. They have daily specials for pints and trivia on Wednesday nights and even Sunday football specials. If you haven't ever been to Brown's I strongly suggest you try it out, it's a great dining/drinking experience!
2 - Scooby C.: The beers are ok, but its too expensive to eat here.  The quality doesn't justify the price.
4 - Pete C.: First, full disclosure: I was a busboy here for a couple of months during a fall semester a couple years back.

Brown's is probably one of my favorite places to go in Troy.  If I have the cash to afford a run (which shouldn't be a concern for most people, since I'm a broke college student) I love getting a few friends together and making a run down the hill.

The beers are incredible on their own, especially the darker offerings.  The Whiskey Porter (when in season) is nothing short of phenomenal, while the standard Porter and Oatmeal Stout are excellent in their own right.  I'm not really one for fruit beers, but the Cherry-Raspberry Ale is actually a very, very delicious offering, with very authentic fruit flavors and minimal sweetness.  (Heads up on that one, though, the ABV is well over 6%.  I personally suggest making the quick walk to work it off if you're planning a trip, although to be fair I'm not the prime target for Troy street crime either.)  The only beer I'm not really a fan of is the Hefeweizen.  A number of friends and I have all tried it on separate occasions, and while it is nicely balanced, there's a hint of "hot dog water" taste that's hard to forget once somebody mentions it.  Sort of like the arrow in the FedEx logo, actually, which is unfortunate.

While my beer snobbery has been my primary motivation for visits ever since my 21st, the food is excellent as well.  The burgers are very nice, the appetizers are all delicious (I'm a big fan of their take on French onion soup) and some of the sandwiches, namely "The World's Best Reuben" (*cough*) are mind-blowingly good.  Some of the more substantial hand-held dishes do end up skewing a bit to the greasy side, but with a good beer in hand, you forget about that pretty quickly.  (And if you're under 21, the homemade root beer and cream soda will do the same.  I remember seeing people order growlers of those.)

The big gripe that I've encountered as a customer and heard time and time again during my brief employ was service times.  The kitchen at Brown's would be adequate if the only seating areas were the downstairs booths and the bar, but factor in the weekend rush and the extensive upstairs seating areas, a great deal of patience (~30 minutes after ordering at peak times, if I remember correctly) is a valuable asset to bring along.  I'm of the opinion that it's worth the wait, but I'm also of the opinion that avoiding the typical weekend rush would be smarter.

All in all, Brown's is definitely worth a trip, especially if you're into beer.
4 - Josh A.: Went on Sunday 1/31/2010 for Lunch. 

Beer was Brown's beer, I think if you like it or not is a personal taste issue. I had the Pale Ale I thought it was fine, I have also had the Pilsner, it's good as is the Dunkel.

The food was rather good for a brew pub. I got the Reuben, and although it was bastardized (no sauerkraut = NOT A REUBEN), I'll forgive it because it was well put together and the corned beef was actually pretty decent and I am corned beef snob (See Sam Lagrassa's, Boston). The beer batter fries are perfectly fried and have a nice crunch. Nice to see some different fries when everyone seems to be serving straight foodservice fries exclusively these days. Wifey got a Southwestern wrap of some kind that was rather good.

We will be back......
5 - Ed H.: Oktoberfest is terrific. Nachos and pulled pork are excellent. Might give it 4.5 stars but other complaints seem over done. Place is crowded because it is a fun hip place to hang out and have a beer. They also have free wifi. :)
4 - Adam G.: Tasty beer (I got the 8-sample log), although I was a bit disappointed in the cherry-raspberry ale.  The whiskey porter was pretty awesome.  The jambalaya was pretty good also, although I'm not able to vouch for its authenticity.  Chicken wings - they get a grade of A.  I'd go back on a future trip to the area.  Nice view of the river doesn't hurt matters much either.  We were also there the first day of a new menu, so it'll likely get better.  And it's already pretty good.
3 - Matt H.: The beer is good, but to my surprise, the only one that blew me away was the pilsner.  The food is pretty decent.  I had the wings which were lightly breaded and unevenly doused in hot sauce.  They were big and meaty and well-cooked, but I usually like them swimming in buffalo sauce.  It was accompanied by a really delicious bleu cheese dressing with big chunks of bleu cheese in what tasted more like sour cream than a creamy dressing base.  Also had the pulled pork sandwich which was OK, except for that it was covered in cheddar cheese and the BBQ sauce was only added as a condiment, like ketchup on a burger.  Great atmosphere, but the service and clientele leaves something to be desired, but maybe that's just me coming from the midwest...
5 - Pete L.: Definitely the place to go in Troy.  Great burgers, sandwiches, and entrees (the fish and chips are my absolute favorite), but the beer is as good as it gets.

Nothing better than a Brown's burger, a couple of beers, a few friends, and a relaxing dinner out on the deck overlooking the Hudson (not a great view, but who's complaining?).
2 - a l.: Why oh why did you change your menu soooo drastically? No more mozzarella stuffed bread or pasta w/ clams. Also, appears the batter for the o-rings and calamari has changed or it just wasn't cooked right b/c it was certainly sub-par to what I've had before there. Not to mention I don't think that the calamari was even finished cooking as it was just chewy and rubbery.

The roasted mediterranean sandwich was ok...nothing to blow me over. Good thing for the garlic mayo to make up the flavor. For fresh veggies, no one particular flavor particularly popped in my mouth. Only good thing is that now you can get fries w/ your meal w/o that upcharge. 

My sister said her juicy lucy the burger itself ok, but the cheese not so good. The traditional juicy lucy is made w/ american cheese from my understanding and our experience....if you're going to change it, not something that tastes like blue cheese please.

Beer pretzels though w/ a glass of summer ale....muah, perfecto as usual!

Please please review the new menu and please make some changes!
2 - Jessica L.: I downgrade my score of Browns to a  2 - and the 2 is because it used to be so good and i am hoping it will return to its previous greatness. I went for dinner there the other night, and to start with the menu has changed. I am all for a good menu change every so often, but I was quite disappointed to see my favorite item - mozzarella sticks (which really were bread sticks with mozzarella in them and were so delicious). However, I did see quite a few additions that looked decent and decided to try them out. I ordered for an appetizer, loaded nachos, and ordered the smaller portion. When I got it, it was enormous, but I am sure it is meant to be shared, so no big deal. Well I begin to eat it and the cheese has been so melted onto the nachos that it has become crusty, not melty like it should be. This over melting made the taste a bit unbearable and the texture disgusting. I ordered for my meal a juicy lucy - another new item on the menu, and ever since I first heard about juicy lucys on Food Network I have been obsessed. The cheese inside the burger was all wrong for the burger in my opinion, and again it was a matter of texture to me. A regular cheddar would have been great in it, but whatever this kind of cheddar, if it even was cheddar, just made my stomach turn. 
In any event, I was very disappointed this time around, and I hope that things improve because I had such a love before for Browns.
4 - Danielle K.: I'm not really a beer drinker. And when I am, I'm super finicky. Hops? Don't like 'em. Bitter beer is the worst. I can't down IPAs.

I am, however, a fan of small-batch, artisan micros, which are SERIOUSLY lacking in the Hudson Valley. Back home, these little breweries are a dime a dozen, but good luck finding them around here. Which is one reason why I was so dang excited when I heard about Brown's Brewing. But like so many other things in the Capital Region...WOULD IT LIVE UP TO THE HYPE??!

Not gonna lie. It totally did.

The taproom's located in charming downtown Troy, with which I'm totally smitten. Great exposed brick and hardwood architecture makes this place really feel like a brewery. And they have a great patio, which is super fantastic when it's warm outside...I think there's live music nearby, so you can be entertained on the patio, while checking out the view of the Hudson.

They have an extensive collection of their micros, and for my maiden voyage I tried the Raspberry Cherry brew (it was warm, and didn't think I could handle anything heavier, like their much-lauded Oatmeal Stout), which was perfect, and reminded me of McMenamins's Ruby Ale. They didn't serve their draughts ice-cold, which at first was slightly jarring, but then realized that a lot of breweries tend to do this. Not sure if it's one of those things where it's like...hey look at how awesome our beers are cool not cold! Ha! I lived.

Their menu is also pretty standard pub/brewery fare, but usually with a twist. Their black bean burger was quite awesome, but not really what I expected. I think they actually make the burger ON the bun (because they are strangely inseparable), and the yogurt and pepper fixings must have been integrated INTO the burger, because there really was none to be found on top. Which was really strange. It was tasty, nonetheless.

Service was attentive and friendly.

I liked Brown's a lot, and I will definitely be coming back. Patio Tour: Capital Region 2010!
4 - Jan S.: I can't really comment on the food. The beer here is fantastic. The IPA and the Pale ale are really good, if you like those. The pilsner is a little lemony but hoppier than usual pilsners.
3 - Brian P.: This place headlines and really brings a lot of people down to the waterfront in this section of Troy.  And Troy has some good things going for it, which is great to see.  The beer here is worth staying for, but the food is debatable.

I've eaten here twice, and both times, the beer was great.  I usually stick to the brown ale.  I love drinking brews from the brewery.  But the food really lackluster.  One time, there for dinner, I had a burger with fries.  Nothing too great.  The second time, I was there for brunch and ordered a Monte Cristo.  Both meals suffered from the "Sysco effect".  The food was just bland and felt like it could have come from a Sysco truck.

I've talked with other people who have experienced the same issues I have.  A great place for beer, but get your meal somewhere else.
4 - Emily W.: Amazing views of the river and great back deck, for those of you who love to sit outside. 

Huge dining room and rooms for parties. Food is good, not great. What is GREAT though, is their beer. Cherry wheat and golden Hefeweizen are my top picks. Go there to sample a local beer and eat some brew fries, you can't go wrong with those two menu items.
3 - Katie V.: I always get excited by their beer list and then I remember that their beer just isn't very good. To me, it always tastes watered down and lacking in flavor. I just don't dig it.

The food is your usual bar fare - and I recommend sticking to the bar menu. The food used to be good  -- I've gone many times in the past and had a satisfactory meat or vegetarian entree (their roasted red pepper tortellini was one of my favorites) but since they've hired a new head chef I just find that the food is very bland and even watery. It's very disappointing. The bar food is, however, just fine. I still enjoy their reubens and french fries. It's also very affordable. 

The atmosphere is lovely as well, although oddly enough last time we went (a Saturday night at 7:00) it was really empty. Maybe it's more of a college kid hangout than a locals hangout.
5 - Sarah M.: They have the best microbrews in the area.  I'm a big fan of the cherry raspberry!!  The menu is also pretty good, in terms of pub food.  It's also a great view of the river if you're sitting outside.
4 - Rachel C.: My first visit was today. Friend recommended it, says it's his favorite place. Didn't realize there was a river view off the back or even outdoor seating because the hostess didn't tell me (even though I mentioned that I'd never been there before). She just asked if I wanted food to go or to stay (should have checked Yelp before I went, would have found out about it, but I didn't think to because I trust my friend's taste in food implicitly). It was a gorgeous day, and I probably would have ordered more and stayed even longer if I'd been outside (their loss, I suppose). The dining room was nice, and Pat (my waiter) was friendly and relatively attentive. Also did not have their own brand of soft drinks recommended to me when I explained I couldn't drink alcohol because I had a long drive home (was far away from home for the day on business). I ended up having water because I didn't realize the non-alcoholic drinks were in the beer menu (which is really the drinks and dessert menu). I guess I should have noticed, but I think as an employee who should be trying to get me to spend more there, he should have jumped on listing off the non-alcoholic beverages they offer before I had a chance to ask for water. That was unfortunate. I will have to have a glass of root beer and soak up the view next time.

However, I got their medium wings. They were fantastic! I am very fond of wings and was impressed with them. I couldn't eat them all, so I brought half of them home. My boyfriend had some and he flipped over them, even though they'd been sitting in the fridge! I'll have to guard the rest from him, I think. The nice, quiet dining room and the blue sky out the window along with the wonderful wings were a nice way to transition from the business part of my day to my drive home and the fun I had planned when I got back home. My last complaint is that it took an awfully long time for him to notice that I was done. I feel uncomfortable flagging waitstaff down, so I left later than I had meant to because of this. Will visit any time I'm in the area again.

Not a beer drinker, and couldn't drink on this visit anyhow, but I brought home a Hefe-Weizen for him, so I'll see if he wants to tack on a review of the beer to the end of my review after he drinks it.

Update: Ate the rest of the wings the next day, still delicious!
Update again: He enjoyed the beer.
4 - Alison L.: Great beer, great outdoor patio with river views :)
5 - Rich D.: I have always been 110% satisfied after visiting Brown's.  Their Oatmeal Stout was literally the first beer that I've ever had, and even now that I've moved 200 miles away, I make it a point to visit Brown's when I'm back in town.  I usually end up buying a few six packs of the Oatmeal Stout to have at home!

Their Nachos can not be beaten.  I've tried to find better Nachos, literally all over the country, but for the price, quantity, and glorious taste/texture, Brown's is the reigning champion of my nacho seeking stomach.

The chip to salsa/chili ratio really is spot on.  Its literally a MOUNTAIN of nachos.

Oh, and the beer battered fries are something I miss every time I have a burger here in Boston.  Beyond that, the BBQ sauce, which is made using their cherry raspberry ale, if I'm not mistaken, is good enough to eat on it's own.

I wish I could take Brown's with me wherever I live.
4 - Ari R.: Good local brewery in downtown Troy. Lots of good beers and good menu.
4 - Ryan M.: Came here for happy hour a few weeks ago and it was O-K. Very loud lot's of 26-35 y/o's drinking to start the weekend. There's no dart board or games or anything to keep yourself occupied and being that it's soo loud it's hard to hold a conversation. 

We ordered food and it took about 35 minutes to arrive. We were literally going to cancel the food and then "presto!" it appeared. The lettuce wraps were pretty good but the wings were breaded (which I hate) and were also kinda cold. We ate because we were starving but I don't think I would order food here again.

The saving grace was the beer. Delicious beer. The brown ale and oatmeal stout are exploding with flavor. I liked them sooo much I went over to my local beverage place and picked up a few 6ers of it! It's best on tap however, so a trip to Browns is still worth while even if the food and service might be lacking.
5 - Mike H.: Get the large beer sampler paddle. Not every beer is for everybody, this way you will know what you like when you return. Browns is at the heart of one of the most active nightlife's in Troy, with the River Street Cafe, Ryans Wake, Jose Malone's and Revolution Hall on the same block.  Food is quite good, not "usual bar fare".  Service is usually quick and professional, and the deck during the summer is a premier place in Troy.
3 - Willie W.: I have such a love/hate relationship with this place.

The first time I was here, probably about 8-9 years ago, it was under a different name but everything was still pretty much the same. The bar was the last leg of a booze cruise celebrating the last day of the best job I ever had. We had three or four bus loads of co-workers traveling through Albany, Saratoga and Troy to some of the favorite bars. As it was the last stop, and so long ago, I can honestly say my memory of the place is pretty unreliable at best. 

But I do remember being left behind! The bus driver who had shepherded all of the drunks of his bus all night long must have decided he had enough of me and took off while I was in the men's room. With no way to get home and left to my own devices I did the only logical thing...  I continued to drink until someone offered to take me home.

Last evening a few of us from the old days met up again at Browns. This time I was a bit older, brought a designated driver, and a fixed budget.

The place was crazy packed. Standing room only, as loud as Wolff's Beirgarten but without the long cozy seating. They were actually calling out names for seating, apparently there is a dining area now too and people were waiting for tables. I could not imagine trying to have a dining experience in that environment, but, I guess someone enjoys it if they were willing to wait for a table.

The crowd was pretty mixed. I guess the PSINet group helped boost the older numbers, but there were plenty others too. There was some music earlier in the evening, replaced later with a live performer somewhere. I heard them playing, but never saw them. Acoustic guitar versions of your favorites, was not bad.

Let's face it though, the only reason people chose Browns over other places is the beer. And they certainly do that correctly. I have had their beer many times, they are available at lots of local places. I was disappointed they were not serving the Imperial Stout, but I enjoyed the Oatmeal Stout and had a taste of the whisky stout. I was disappointed at the prices, what they asked for my wife's Woodchuck cider was just short of insulting. I am a sucker for a good beer though, and Brown's does a great stout. 

I want to compare Brown's with the Albany Pump Station, which is a place I really enjoy, but it is a lot harder to do so than I first thought. The Pump Station feels more like a restaurant these days. In the end, Brown's is less comfortable and more expensive than the Pump Station. 

Or, perhaps, I am still bitter about being left there so many years ago.
3 - Tianjiao G.: it's a good place for friends get together. the food is just ok
4 - Matt F.: It's been years since I had a meal here - I don't remember ever having a bad experience.  The burgers were huge and delicious and i recall a dish called "The Best of the Wurst" that was always a hit.  The fries were always spectacular though - I'm thinking they must be double battered.

What I do crave more than anything are the beers, specifically the Oatmeal Stout and the Imperial Stout.  Both taste amazing and will get you drunk - quickly.

I remember my cousin taking my mother and I here sometime during my Junior/Senior year of high school after giving us a tour of the RPI campus, and ten years later it's still around and going strong - although maybe under a different name.
5 - Rob M.: Brown's is more than a watering hole in Troy -- It's more of a staple of staple of Capital Region culture. Good food, great brew and a gorgeous exposed brick interior make Brown's the perfect venue no matter the occasion.
2 - Tarah T.: I was meeting a friend and Browns happened to be convenient. I got there and there was ample parking (a huge relief after the snow storm) and went right inside. I had been looking at the menu earlier in the day... because I do indeed research my food options beforehand, and was disappointed with what was listed. Considering Browns is mostly restaurant and only 1/8 of the space is actually bar you'd think their menu would reflect that. I wasn't in the mood for a burger (this is indeed very rare... no pun intended) and everything else just looked eh. 

I ended up just choosing the Southwest wrap because it was the least offensive and I thought that it'd be difficult to screw up a wrap... I was wrong. I asked for no cheese, which they did properly, but the wrap was kind of empty and open on each end (huge pet peeve) so everything was falling out and I had dressing all down my arm. Real attractive when you're eating with another human being. I ended up not even attempting the other half, and crunched on the over-fried fries. 

If I weren't driving home, then perhaps a draft would have made everything ok, but if you're going to serve food, make sure it's good. Browns, I will not be back.
4 - Megan E.: Alright, so to start off this is my favorite nacho place in the entire world (thus far). I love nachos, and I love browns nachos. Whatever else your ordering is wrong. Although if you have to order something else the french onion soup, and beer pretzels are pretty sweet too.

The beer is amazing. The first time I went I tried all of their beers on a flight cause I can never figure out what I like from name alone. I'm in love with the Cherry Raspberry Ale, my only complaint is sometimes I go and they don't have it :-( wahh. anyways, all of the beers are delicious. I'm sure you could drink something else besides a brown's beer there but why would you?

The service has been really hit or miss for me. Mostly the waitresses don't come by often enough, and it takes a hot minute for the food, but I usually forget that and go back again because I love nachos and beer.

Although last time I went and sat at the bar, that was a win, win, win. Great Service, Quick food, Quick beers. It may have been because we walked there in an Ice Storm and they just appreciated our business, or cause we were girls, but the bar tenders gave us great service.
4 - Katherine G.: A trip to Brown's is definitely more about the beer than the food!  Not that the food is bad (the typical "bar food" you'd expect....burgers, sandwiches, nachos, etc), but the beer is AMAZING.  My favorite is the cherry raspberry ale, and although I usually don't like darker beers I love the oatmeal stout too.  As a vegetarian, there isn't too much on the menu to choose from; the black bean burger was OK (kind of dry and not especially tasty), I'd go with the Mediterranean sandwich instead.  The only other vegetarian friendly entree I can remember from the menu was a salad with tofu steak but I haven't tried it.  If your in the area Brown's is worth a stop!
5 - Ashley S.: The beer here was GREAT!  Try the whiskey porter...it is fabulous!  

I enjoyed the house burger and my mother had the grilled chicken sandwich.  The BBQ sauce on the chicken sandwich was great.  It was marinated in the cherry raspberry beer.  

The service was great and the atmosphere was even better.  Try out this beer!
3 - Tanya T.: My parents drag me here every time I come home for a visit.  They call it "their place." (Cute, but kind of lame).

Their beer deserves 5 stars, with the stouts and pale ales being the best.

The menu sometimes makes me laugh and I still have yet to have a satisfying meal here.  The bar food is obviously good, but order anything else from the rest of the menu and it's pretty hit or miss.  And for some dang reason, I'm always in the mood for fish when I come, and I stupidly order fish thinking "oh, maybe this time it will be good." It never is. The worst menu item of all is the bbq pork chops.  Thin slices of pork with a stingy portion of bbq sauce.  Probably one of the worst meals I've ever had, ever.

The one thing the entrees have going for them is the red cabbage side dish.  

Long story short, this is clearly a pub.  If you just stick with ordering from the appetizers menu or anything else that can be labled as "pub food" (i.e, anything that comes fried or in sandwich form) you won't be disappointed.
3 - Bill E.: I'm shocked that I'm rating this place so highly.  I waited for nearly two hours on a Friday night for a friend and enjoyed every bit of it.  I was watching the three flat screen tv's and listening to the music.  Great!  I didn't have anything to eat or drink until my friend arrived.  The Hefe-Weizen was delicious.  The chicken pot pie was really good, with lots of flavor, veggies and chicken.  The noise level is low to medium and I highly recommend this as an enjoyable meeting place to both eat and talk.
1 - William G.: I hate to write anything negative about a restaurant that's a local favourite, as the many recommendations I received made this place out to be. That said, I can't recommend Browns. 

I visited on a Saturday night in December with a group of 7 friends and found a joint that was hopping. It was busy, but the wait that wasn't too long. When we were taken to our table, the seating was okay and the menu looked tasty and perhaps even a touch ambitious. Their beer menu looked very tasty and had been recommended by locals I'd asked. 

Once seated, service was slow and it took 25 minutes just to get our drinks. The beer was eh - very eh. It was lackluster, not a lot of depth of flavour and a watery finish with little aftertaste. 

45 minutes later the entrees finally showed up. I had the scallops. The beer based sauce wasn't bad at all. I actually liked that part of it. However, the scallops were overcooked and dry. The veg were overseasoned to the point of inedibility, and the rice accompanying was undercooked with hard centers. 

There was no waitstaff interest in us once the meals were served, and I'm sure they'd've gotten an earful if they had shown up. My companions were as disappointed with the food as I was. 

When the waitress finally did show up, we asked for the bill and it took her an additional 25 minutes to manage to get it to us. 

This restaurant made a poor impression across the board - lackluster drinks, unpleasant food and poor service. Neither I nor my friends will be returning.
2 - Jen M.: We have been coming here for years and usually enjoy the food.  Tonight, however, we were very disappointed.  My husband ordered a burger medium rare and was served a charred burger.   My reuben wasn't very good either and the ends of the corned beef were burned.   The wings we had for an appetizer were pretty good. Also, I was very sad that there wasn't a brown ale on tap which I always get.  All in all, we were unhappy with the experience which is a shame since we've enjoyed it in the past.
4 - Tee D.: I went here last time I was in new york. This was about a year ago. I hope to return this year and update my review.

I had the beer sampler which had a good variety of diverse beer tastes. a very nice wheat beer, the porter was alright and the IPA, well, im not an ipa fan but it was still ok. 

The fish and chips where definatly good, not too soggy, or too crispy but also no super outstanding flavors. 

all in all 4 stars for service taste and atmosphere.
4 - Laura B.: Went here with the fam after telling them that I was in the mood for bar food. Had the fish and chips which was crispy and flavorful. The highlight however was the cherry raspberry ale which is similar to lambic kriek but without the heaviness. The flavor was fantastic and tasted very natural. I'd highly recommend that and the hefe-weizen.
5 - Collin H.: Love this place - great beer and a good vibe, pretty much the best of its kind in the area. Even the food is well done, and not too pricey...its the rare brewpub that has decent vegetarian options, and this place certainly does!
2 - M C.: We must have gone on a bad night.  I wish I had a better experience  To start, the service was... a mess.  It was a Sunday afternoon and they were busy but it was just ridiculous.  The good news:  most of the food we received was good but half of our party of 4 wasn't at all impressed with their dishes or didn't receive theirs. Also, the manager was quick to apologize and make up for the many mistakes with 2 rounds of free drinks and free appetizers.  

However,  we waited 20 minutes for our drinks and the second round we ordered never even made it to the table until the manager was told, even after reminding the water TWICE and asking another to get them. 
We waited another 40 minutes for any food and then our entrees came out literally 3 minutes after our salads and appetizers. The runner was short one entree and one appetizer.  When she got our waiter we were told that my friend's order, which the waiter seemed to have forgotten he had just taken, was never even placed in the kitchen. so we had to wait another 20 minutes for that.   Our app had been given to another table. Along with our drinks we suspected.   So we were given two for free appetizers along with the one we had received. The manager explained it all as a miscommunication and that our waiter was working with a table of 30 at the same time.  I'm sure they had a great time and their review will be better than ours.

My boyfriend bought a growler though which he uses religiously up here at Savemore so I guess one good thing came out of it.  

I'm from Troy and I've had good experiences at the taproom before but it was a first time for the people I was with and we were not impressed.  We'll go back tho, why not?
4 - Ken W.: Browns has become one of my staples in Troy when I'm looking for decent food at a reasonable price.  I like it because I can come here when I'm not-so-fresh after a softball game or volleyball tournament or come directly from work in my work clothes and it's equally comfortable.  The atmosphere is pretty casual but still pretty nice.  As a result, I come here very often.

My favorite foods from Browns are their Cherry Raspberry BBQ wings, soft pretzels, steak salad, and even their cheese board.  The food in general is pretty good.  They have a good variety of beers (though once in a while they'll run out of something, but it's not a big deal since there's usually a comparable substitute).  Service is usually pretty good as well.  They used to hold trivia here though I'm not sure if they do any longer.

They also have outdoor seating when it's warm out which is always nice.  The one thing I will say is that since it's in a popular area (for Troy), they're prone to long waits on a Friday or Saturday night.  But that's normal for a lot of places so I just factor that in when I make plans.

It's nothing fancy but if you're looking for good food at a resonable price with good service and a casual atmosphere, Browns is a good place if you're in the Troy area.
4 - Melissa B.: I have had a several year love affair with Brown's. I am always drawn to it for the quality of food and the amazing beer. I come back all summer for the beautiful deck overlooking the river. The Taproom will always feel like a second home. Try the Cherry Raspberry BBQ wings, Portabella fries, or soft pretzels.
Why not five stars, you ask? The service from the waitstaff can be pretty appalling. I have definitely waited over an hour for food, been forgotten for long periods of time. Lucky for them, I remain loyal. There's still nowhere else is rather be.
5 - Michael B.: I live for places like this.  I have friends that would give Brown's a 3, simply because its a "brew-pub" as if that is a disqualifier of some sort - but this place gets all 5 from me.

It's about the beer stupid.  And the food dummy.

That being said, this place has both.  I tried coming here last winter when I was in town for a friends art opening and the line was out the door.  Now I know why.  Based out of a historic warehouse building in downtown Troy, and serving great (not good, but Great) homecrafted beers and food, this place blew me away.

I had a Chicken Rustica sandwich and my girlfriend had a Reuben, both exceptional and very, very fairly priced.
3 - Danika A.: I'll keep my review simple and to the point.

Beer selection - Good (something for everyone)
Service - Poor (consistently, reliably poor)
Food - Good (not the healthiest, but better than bar food)
Atmosphere - Okay+ (I like the view from the back patio)

They should consider making room for a second bar upstairs or outside. Based on how much seating is dedicated to the restaurant side, it seems as though they're neglecting the reason people come here in the first place (hello! you're a taproom! be a taproom!) 

It's a good meet-up spot and someplace I visit at least once a month.
3 - Beau C.: Great atmosphere -- especially out on the porch. Solid food and good beer.
4 - Nick H.: Brown's has always provided a reliable dining experience. The food is good & simple; offering traditional pub fare such as sandwiches, burgers and wings along with a selection of entrees. The wait staff and bartenders are pleasant, but sometimes overwhelmed leading some reviewers to complain about service at Brown's. The best features about Brown's are the atmosphere and the beer. Brown's is a great place to meet up with friends or coworkers for a few beers or a social meal. At any time, Brown's offers between 10 and 12 of their beers on tap. My personal favorites (in no particular order) are: Tomhannock Pilsner, Cherry Raspberry Ale, and Pumpkin Ale (seasonal). 

I wouldn't say Brown's is as good as it gets, but I am certainly a fan.
4 - Michelle C.: Good, solid pub food and drinks. Some upscale options and a great socializing atmosphere. Parking sucks, and it's a bit loud. Otherwise, I've always had really good food and service, and wouldn't hesitate to go back.
5 - Josh M.: I think it's silly that so many of the reviews are on the food.... this is a brewpub. They brew their own beer and serve it there. I enjoy some of the food at times but really the main reason anyone should go to Brown's is for the beer. The food is OK but it's really just there to compliment the beer which it does well on most occaisions, but don't go here expecting food to be the primary draw...
2 - Brandon B.: Beer was very very standard and lacked that something special you find in most microbrews. Service was good. Food was good.
4 - Stephanie S.: While I'm not a frequent drinker, I admire that Browns brews their own beer and I think it goes great with their menu.  I really dig pub food and enjoyed "Troy's best wings" during my first visit. Everyone else in my party enjoyed their food and drinks as well. A cool, laid back atmosphere, spacious, great place to kick it with friends for a bit.
2 - Jeffrey C.: If you like sub-par breweries, this could be your place. Fairly bland poorly crafted beer and nothing remarkable about the decor. I would love to say more about this place but it is hard to add to the overall descriptor of 'blah.'

That said, the staff was friendly, and if I can remember correctly through a beer induced fog I believe there was a view of the water.
3 - John L.: My family and I go here maybe once a month. Very good food and the service has never been bad. Usually, a younger college age staff or so it seems to me. Always pleasant and efficient. The food is average to high average...but  the BEER!! They have a great selection of their own brews...which are outstanding  and seasonal. 
And the inside of the building is very cool-retro...and in the summer the deck is top-notch.
4 - Josh K.: "Brewing Brown Ale is to Believe"
by Josh K.

Heaven can best described as sitting out on a deck on the Hudson River with a pint of Brown Ale in hand.

You may be mad that I equate a Troy brewery with our eternal resting spot in the clouds.

At first glance, you would be justified.

Browns Brewing Company does not have great food...it is very average.

When it is crowded, the service is horrible.

When there is a live band, it is too loud...and crowded.

But take a sip of any of their beers brewed on premises, and you are an instant believer.

The Smoked Whiskey Barrel Porter, the Oatmeal Stout, the fresh and fruity Cherry Raspberry Ale, or their signature Brown Ale, all are extremely delicious.

If you need a little relief from the crowd, the deck out back overlooking the Hudson River is a great place to hangout.

The cheap sliders on NFL Sunday are also a nice snack to go along with the homemade beer.

But what it really comes down to is the simple fact that because I love their beer, I can't help but to love this place.

With Jose Malone's, River Street Cafe, Revolution Hall, Ryan's Wake, and Dinosaur Barbeque all on the same little strip on the Hudson, the River Street neighborhood of Troy is easily my favorite section of the Capital Region.

And the Brown Ale is Holier than thou.
4 - Colleen M.: The only reason they are getting 4 stars is because they actually had the beer I wanted on tap, unlike the usual "sorry we just ran out" or "we've been out of that for a few days".  With a whiskey barrel porter raised high, Cheers.  

I know they have been trying to beef up their menu from usual pub fare for the last several years, but anything that I have tried has been ho hum.  The burgers and other pub fare are excellent.  Last evening, with my whiskey barrel porter (which was chocolaty, caramelly, a little smoky whiskey delicious smoothness), I had a burger with guac.  I asked for medium rare and I got medium rare (which is a huge improvement from before when burgers were always served a la hockey puck).  The sweet potato fries were nice and crisp but could have been served hotter. Almost $10 for a burger and $2 for the sweet potato fries is a little pricy for what it is.  Stick to the pub fare and avoid the attempts at entrees which they shouldn't even be trying.  

The waitress was okay.  It was a TNO friday and they were busy but she was not all that attentive and I don't think we would have had here attention at all if it wasn't for us being an assertive 3 top table.  I did not get the extra pickles that I requested and that made me very very very sad.  

I'll keep going back because I like the brew but always set my expectations low for service and know to avoid anything on the menu other than the pub fare.
4 - Paul I.: First of all, I don't drink so this is only on the food, service, atmosphere, etc.  

The food is excellent.  I have never been disappointed.  From awsome burgers to pork osso bucco, all the dishes are good. 

It is a bar, so the crowd is rowdy and the restaurant service could be better.  There is a mixed crowd.  Plenty of RPI students, RPI families, locals, and folks from the greater Capital district.  Its always a good time.  I was always there with family and or friends so we were never too rushed anyway.  I just graduated from RPI and will miss going to Browns.  

If you are new to Troy or are passing through, I would defiantly recommend Browns.  My brother is a beer nerd and he loved the beer, so I would expect that is another positive attribute.
4 - Jason J.: + The oatmeal stout and whiskey cask porter are some of the best beers I've ever had. Others seem to agree as these two beers have won some prestigious awards in the past.
+ The Old Hickory Burger (bacon, cheddar, smoky cherry raspberry ale BBQ sauce) was and still is my favorite burger of all time.
+ Revolution Hall is right next door!
+ The bar seating is very cozy and the upstairs dining area is very laid back.
+ They sell their own six packs at the bar, as well as growlers. A few local packies are even stocking a few of their beers now!
+ Get the nachos. GET THE NACHOS.

- Not many unique beers, however the ones on tap year round and the seasonals are ALL delicious. 
- The service has always been hit or miss. On two separate occasions I have had unpleasant dealings with what seems to be the owner.

I miss Browns. Sigh.
2 - Crystal C.: We've been back to Browns several times since my last review and I still feel meh about the food, but my opinion of the beer has now changed. I would not go back to Browns to drink their beer. The last few times we've gone we've been totally unimpressed by the quality. Sorry Browns.
4 - David B.: I don't drink beer, but Brown's does serve its own root beer, so I was content.  The highlight of the food was the chicken wings appetizer.  Good burger, too.
3 - Olivia F.: Browns is very solid. Came here for my friend's 21st birthday dinner (she went to RPI) in August of 2010.

I can't remember what beer I got -- it was either Oatmeal Stout or Cherry Raspberry (a friend got one and I got the other and I think we split them). Both were excellent and I've heard great things about the other brews as well.

Chicken wings were great -- deep-fried, super crispy. I normally prefer non-breaded wings but these were so good I didn't mind. I split a dozen with a friend and we also tried chicken spiedies, which were good.

Overall, I'd come back. I think I'd have to come here more than once to give it more stars.
2 - Timothy R.: Packed, cheerful environment with lots of young to middle aged folks and cuties to keep your eyes darting around.

The bar food wasn't all that good and I was not inspired to return.  The beer was OK I guess.  The service was OK.  The semi-attractive waitress was trying not to look at me too much since I was with a girl, but she couldn't seem to resist.

Considering the hype from an assortment of clowns who never seem to recommend good restaurants/bars, it was a let down.  I will say the overall experiences is sort'a enjoyable -- good vibe in the place.

Can a pub call itself a pub if the wings aren't any good?  

I only tried 3 dishes and got the beer sampler thing.
4 - Scott A.: My favorite beer can be found at Brown's in Troy.  Large selection of their own microbrewed beers.  Such a large variety, there's something for everyone.  Most are $4-5 for a pint.  The paddle of 6 is great if you don't know what to get.  My favorites are the oatmeal stout, the porter, and the whiskey porter, but it's all a matter of personal preference.  Seasonals are good too.  

The food is great too.  Good burgers, wings, sandwiches, etc.  Never really had a bad meal there, and been there many times.  

Only complaint is it often gets crowded.  Especially after RPI hockey games.  If you have a large group you may wait a bit.  Worth the wait though.
3 - Kelly S.: it's good to know what Brown's is good at. Burgers. Beer. Wings.... I thought I'd try the special of Beef Strauganoff. It was soupy, not enough beef or pasta, or cracked pepper.
4 - Janette C.: I love trying micro brewers out and this one met my expectations for sure.  I had a cherry raspberry ale.  Great flavor, nice body, no hoppy aftertaste.   I also had sweet potatoe fries (dusted with cinnamon suger) and the de luca burger (bacon, Gouda and the same beer used in a BBQ sauce).   The food was great. Very full and very satisfied!

Made me a happy traveler for sure. :)
5 - Rich R.: Visited Brown's on a recommendation from Keegan Ales in Kingston. 

This is a great place occupying a great space! Finding Brown's was super simple and street parking is available everywhere. 

There are some halfhearted reviews for the food, my meal was very good, no complaints. Tried the pasta with shrimp. Everyone looked happy with their meals, so grading on the "I know nothing about Troy so until I find another brewpub with better food" curve; you get the 5 Stars.

The beer in the main attraction here. Friendly servers offer a taste before you commit. They sell by the growler.

Hmmm beer.
5 - Eugene L.: Figure I should give a update because I haven't review this place in a while. I had to bump it up to a 5 stars because of the Brown Ale, that stuff is liquid gold! 

Met a friend for lunch today and he has never been to Brown's, he likes drinking good beer too so I figured he is going to love this place.  We sat at the bar and both ordered burgers.  A coworker that he works with comes to Brown's daily for her growler refill and told him to order a burger and try their Hoodoo Voodoo ale.  They were out of the Hoodoo Voodoo ale so I told him order a Brown ale.  I haven't met anyone that doesn't love that beer yet.  I order their old hickory burger and my friend order their Uncle Sam burger.  Just as I suspected he loved the brown ale, no surprise to me I knew he would.  The burgers were perfect, fresh, tasted great and with  brown ale to wash it down how can it get any better.

We hung around for another pint each before checking out.  We actually bought a few 22 ounces for later that night to drink.  He bought 4 and I bought 1.  Needless to say he really liked the beer.  He actually texted me later in the night and said brown ale is now his favorite beer.  Keep doing what you guys are doing at Brown's...the beer and the food are just perfect!
2 - Casey P.: The beer at Brown's is as good as ever, but since they changed chefs a few months ago the food is terrible and overpriced. I've been to Brown's several times since the new chef, and the food is consistently bad. As an example, last night I went with a few others and we got the nachos to share: a middling-sized plate of tri-color chips with cheap nacho cheese sauce, olive slices, a few jalapeno slices, a few chunks of mushy tomato, salsa and sour cream. Those nachos cost $12.49. Absurd.
I love Brown's beer, and that's the only reason they get two stars. For the food, I award them no points, and may God have mercy on their souls.
4 - Mike A.: Troy original. The main attraction is of course the beer they make. Personal favorite is the oatmeal stout. They have had a number of chefs but I think the current iteration is probably the best yet. And the beer is delicious and cheap as hell $3.50 beer of the day!

I love the Haddock Po' Boy!

 it can get pretty busy on the weekends, but worth going whenever.
4 - Chris W.: Crowded and awesome. Just imagine TGI's food, better prepared with a cold microbrew.
4 - Nick V.: pretty good all around.  Disappointed Rev Hall is closed (at least for music) though, but I get it... wedding parties make more money than hippie jam band shows!
1 - M. L.: I really wish I could give Brown's better review, but I just cannot.  I brought friends from Philly here on a Saturday night after a recommendation from some friends that went to RPI.  

It was packed and we were lucky to get a table by the bar, as the seating upstairs was full up with an hour wait.  I enjoyed the beer, it was good but nothing special.  We had the pretzels and the Asian Calamari to start, which were pretty decent, but not worth the 30 minute wait.  For dinner we had the Haddock Po Boy, Pulled Pork and Veggie Black Bean Burger and they were not good.  It took almost an hour and half to come out AFTER our apps.  The Haddock was bland, the tomatoes were barely red and the fries were completely cold.  I was scared to complain cause god know it would have taken 3 hours to get fresh fries out of the kitchen.  

Overall I was sorely disappointed and I know for sure we will never be returning!
3 - Miércoles F.: Suppose you've got a friend---a real nice guy, and everyone wants to be around him. And then one day he goes and huffs a whole carton of glue. A real big wiff. He can't really count anymore, and he slurs his words a little, but every once in a while he's got a good story to tell. That's Brown's. 

Too bad they forgot how to make nachos, but sometimes you can get a decent hamburger.
3 - Wendy M.: I've been going to Brown's at least twice a year since 2005..I've all ready been there at least three times this year and I'm going again this week. I'd give them four stars because I love the atmosphere,  I've had nothing but excellent food there and their beer is wonderful. However, they lose a star because of what seems like the ever-changing menu. I'm not happy with the fact they've changed the menu so much in the last few years. I used to get the River Street Salmon and it would be good every single time. Then they changed chefs and the menu. It would kinda be touch and go for a while with that menu. I think they just got another chef because the menu has changed again. I found something I liked last month, it's a salmon dish and well, I was there Friday night and it was not on the menu. I got the black bean burger and it was really good.

 I wouldn't hesitate to have a small gathering in the Trojan Room upstairs and I love sitting on the deck The beer is yummy and I've never been disappointed no matter what I've ordered.  I've never really had a problem with service there either. They are very good at what they do at Brown's,

Oh, and their ranch dressing is among the best I've ever had!
4 - Dan R.: What a fabulous lunch experience we had here today. The interior looked kind of dark, so considering the gorgeous weather we jumped at the chance to sit outside on the deck at the back of the restaurant. The deck was beautiful, with a very nice view overlooking the river, Things got off to a great start and never faltered. We were informed that in honor of Mother's Day, a free six-beer sampler was offered as a gift to the Mom in our party. We had fun looking at the list of over a dozen beers to pick the six. It was great that they served the samples with a printout of what they were --other brew pubs haven't done this in our experience. We also ordered 16 oz. glasses of the Whiskey Porter ($5.25) and Pale Ale ($4.75).  The Porter was smooth, creamy and delicious. I don't like IPA's, so I didnt try theirs, but my son enjoyed it.  

Our food was a pulled pork sandwich ($10.29), an Uncle Sam Burger ($9.99), and I ordered the Mussels Bahama ($11.99).  I enjoy mussels, and I was sold by the unusual combination of ingredients in the broth -  "Steamed in Coconut Milk, Ginger, Garlic, Scallions, Mango, Jerk Seasoning and Cherry Raspberry Ale." Believe me, it tastes as good as it reads.

Lunch cost $52 and it was one of the most enjoyable meals we have had in a long time. The cool wall mural of Uncle Sam (after all, Troy N.Y. IS the home of Uncle Sam!) waving a beer mug was pretty nifty..
3 - laura W.: Outdoor patio- awesome. Love getting to see the river.
Food- average and overpriced (entrees up to $22 and sandwiches were $11)
Beer- a little underwhelming- EXCEPT for the Whiskey Porter (delicious)
Service- really fantastic

All and all, fairly forgettable.
4 - Collective C.: We like Brown's. Some of the waitresses suck, but 90% of the time the service is good. The Brown Ale is delicious. Some of the beers are too hoppy. 

The wings, portabello fries (no longer on the menu), and fries are very good. Burgers are ok.
4 - Benjamin W.: Great veggie burgers! Usually pretty crowded though.
4 - Nateoc O.: Pretzels, pretzels, pretzels!!!! They are fantastic here. The mustard sauce that comes with them is especially good. The burgers are also good, as is the Thai shrimp wrap. I'm not a beer connoisseur, so I can't speak to their brewing prowess. But, they have a serviceable wine list.

Also, Monday night trivia is very fun here.
2 - Mike H.: Beer so so except Barky taste of the pilsner was nasty.
Bar smells of dirty mops
Food was mediocre at best.
4 - Alison V.: This review is only for the private area party area.  

My sister-in-law had her rehearsal dinner at Brown's Brewing and I was stoked to give a go.  The venue was pretty awesome and we were only in the private area, so it's a bit hard to comment on the actual restaurant/pub area.  Toward the end of the evening we wandered out back onto the patio and I was surprised - it was packed (given it was a Friday night), but after being so secluded I didn't realize.  The event space was nice and had a stage and plenty of room for seating.

The staff was extremely friendly and get major props for making my step-daughter a grilled cheese sandwich during a buffet style dinner since she didn't like anything at all that was served.  I, however, loved the food.  They had a chicken dish that was great.  The bartender was quick and ready to help people pick out beers they'd like if they weren't sure.  I look forward to coming back sometime and giving their actual restaurant a try.

While there, I tried three of their beers.  The first was the IPA.  It was good, but not nearly as hoppy as beers I'm used to in the PNW.  The brown was pretty good too, but somewhat unremarkable, but then again I'm not a big brown fan.  Lastly, was their whiskey porter.  It was boozy and delicious.  I was floored with how good it was and would definitely come back here for that beer.  

Overall, it was a really positive experience and I look forward to having a more "normal" experience with them.
3 - Catherine d.: Had an early dinner here the other day as Mr. Manager and I were in Troy for a quick alma mater stop. He used to frequent this place so he knew it would be sufficient for a quick dinner before we hit the road again.

The food was the same gastro pub food you'd find at most other similar establishments. The ranch dressing was pretty delicious. The staff was super friendly and the place is enormous.  They had a pretty extensive beer selection, which was awesome.

I'd probably come here again the next time I'm in Troy.
3 - Kristen J.: I've eaten here probably 30 times in the last 3 years. The food is always excellent, but the service has gone downhill lately. I will continue to come here because I really like the beer and the fact that we can fill up our growlers. If you want to eat within a reasonable amount of time, do NOT come here during dinner time on a weekend.
3 - J F.: I recently visited Browns when I flew up to NY for a job interview with Global Foundries. Between the interview ending and my flight leaving, I had six hours to kill, so I spent two of them getting my favorite cherry-raspberry ale at Browns along with an order of fried calamari. I won't comment on the service because I was sitting at the bar and didn't have need for a full-service person. I've noticed that the menu has changed significantly since I graduated RPI three years ago, and most notably the prices have skyrocketed. I'm aware of this concept called inflation, but $12 for calamari that isn't fresh and $5.25 for a pint of beer are beyond the limits of reason. Perusing the menu I saw $11-14 prices for basic sandwiches and burgers, which even in NY is asinine. I may return to Browns after I begin the new job, but they need to slash their prices first.
4 - Steve A.: Beer snobs drool for Brown's. I've never tasted an IPA with smoother hops, or a stout with more chocolately chocolate. They're extremely skilled at beer, which is what a brewery is all about. Pricey, but delicious.
3 - Ed J.: The beer is good.  The food is ok.  Combine the two with a great atmosphere and you'll have a pretty good time.
3 - Emma S.: We loved the vibe of this place.  the Cherry Wheat beer was tasty.  The atmosphere was jovial and the place was packed at 6pm on a weekend.  The food selection was expansive.  But when it came down to it, the food was just ok.  It had a very chain restaurant look and taste even though Brown's is not a chain.  Although the wings were somewhat tasty they were breaded.  we are not fans of breaded wings.  The nachos were huge and tasty but beyond the first layer of goodness we were left with a pile of naked chips.  We didn't have high hopes for the food since this is a brew pub but we at least expected the pub food to be very good.  It was just ok.  The beer and service was great though.
3 - Kaitlyn C.: Browns food is delicious. Their beer is delicious. In fact, I go there more for the beer! The patio is a great spot in the spring and summer, especially after Rockin' on the River concerts.

The service is often slow or confused, and the bar is often crowded. I usually go with a small group like 5-6 people and get a table in a decent amount of time. I recommend trying it on a weeknight! 

Trivia on Monday nights is fun too.
4 - Lars F.: That is too bad quite a few people recent did not have a good experience. I would give Browns five stars, but there was a bit too much sauce on the ravioli. Let me back track first. We drove into Troy late Sunday afternoon/night and drove around looking for some place to eat. We checked Yelp and found Dinosaur BBQ. We drove by Browns which looked very cool and found the parking lot full at Dinosaur BBQ. Yelp gave them both the same number of stars, so we checked the websites. Browns won. It was not too crowded and we were seated right away on the second floor overlooking the bar. Our waiter was friendly, fast, and took a lot of care to make sure everything was going well. I ordered a flight of 8 since there were so many different beer to chose from. The seasonal pumpkin won for a full pint in the end. I ordered the squash and walnut (?) ravioli and it was fantastic. My wife ordered the salad and that too was really good. Too much for her to finish. The shirts, baseball caps, and glasses for sale it must be quite popular. You can get beer to go as well. Wonderful!
4 - Roger K.: When your wife calls and says "I've had a terrible day at work, would you like to go out for a beer," you do like I did... turn off whatever you were cooking on the stove, and tell her you'll leave in five minutes to meet her.

And so we met at Brown's.  The "beer of the day" was an American Wheat Ale ($3.75 /16 oz all day) - 5% abv, crisp, slightly fruity, unfiltered.  The Pumpkin Ale ($5.25 /16 oz every day) - 7% abv, nice mahogany-bronze color, a hint of orange, and in my opinion, NOT sweet and spicy like a pumpkin pie, but slightly sweet, dry and clean tasting.  Those beers kept us satisfied while we ordered and discussed a day at work.

My wife chose one of the day's specials, the Mushroom, Beef and Swiss Quesadilla ($11.99) - chopped steak, caramelized onions, mushrooms and imported Swiss in a flour tortilla, served with Brown's chipotle ketchup, sour cream and salsa.  Other than a couple pieces of grizzle, this was very good, especially the chipotle ketchup.

I ordered a Hickory Chicken Sandwich ($10.49) - southern fried with cheddar, bacon, cherry raspberry ale BBQ sauce, crispy onions, lettuce, and tomato on a ciabatta roll.  Very tasty, but difficult to eat since the roll was very thick and the BBQ sauce made the chicken slide out of the sandwich.  The accompanying fries were reallllly good dipped in my wife's chipotle ketchup.

An Oatmeal Stout ($4.75 /16 oz) - 5.5% abv, was its usual flavorful, award-winning self.  Their Oktoberfest ($4.75 /16 oz) - 5.5% abv, was nice, with a slight sweetness, but not as flavorful as one I had recently at Druther's in Saratoga.

Service was good, but the upstairs dining area was drafty and cold until they closed an adjacent door and more people sat in the area.  Bottom like, Brown's makes some excellent beers.  Without the beer, I'd probably only go 3 stars, however.

Brownstone Pizzeria - Pasadena, CA (34.1459668, -118.1206133) (Pasadena)
5 - Michael S.: Brownstone Pizzeria recently opened up across Colorado Blvd from PCC.  Yes, I can confirm that it is the same Brownstone that can be found on Colorado in Eagle Rock next to Colorado Wine Company.  In fact, it should be exactly the same, since the chef from Eagle Chef location is now head chef at the Pasadena location.   We saw this location appear just last week after TT Seafood went under and have been chopping at t he bit to try.  

So pizza does require a huge drawn out description.  Purists will say that its NOT "New York Style"  but I counter with the fact that you will be hard pressed to find true New York Style Pizza outside of NYC.  This is about as close as I've found in So Cal.  Not too much cheese, a nice balance between the cheese and the sauce.  Sauce, which you could actually taste.  We got mushrooms and sausage on our pie.  The sausage was good quality and the mushrooms were fresh (as opposed to the beloved Casa Bianca in Eagle Rock).  We were the only customers at the time (hey, they just opened), but the staff was friendly and talkative and our pizza came out promptly.  It's a damn good pizza, and just about the best bet for delivery in Pasadena.

Delivery starts Tuesday, Jan 13th
4 - ericka L.: you know what cures a broken heart?

scotch. and sex.

if you can only get one of these, i recommend sex. if you can only get scotch, i recommend michael and wendy to keep you company, alongside a sausage and mushroom pizza from brownstone.

this is real pizza, fold-it-up-cram-it-in-your-tear-soaked-piehole pizza. good stuff.

gunther and richard are awesome. they gave us a discount and added us to the brownstone database for when they start delivery. order a pizza today; your heart may not be broken for a while.
5 - James S.: thin huge slice with crispy crust. 

fold it in half off the plate. 

enjoy!

we walked into this plaza planning to grab something quick at el pollo loco. good choice to pick this instead. Awesome NY style pizza. delicious!

their salads are great too!

this is our new pizza joint from now on when we want the thin style!
5 - Sara P.: Thank God:  I, a displaced New Yorker, have finally found the delicious NY-style, thin crust, sweet-sauce pizza (by-the-slice, if you want it) I've been searching for since I moved West!
This is the sibling of the Brownstone Pizza in Eagle Rock.  Both are great.  
And they DELIVER!  And easy parking!  
They said that they've only been at this location a month, and the word hasn't spread yet, so please people, let's not let this neighborhood treasure go the way of the dodo!  Spread the word that delicious, affordable pizza is available!  Right across from PCC in the strip mall next to the Jack-in-the-Box.  They said they do ok when the students are there in the daytime, but at night they need to drum up some more business.
2 - Laura M.: My two co-workers and I are on the hunt for great pizza in the 91105. This wasn't it. Maybe it was an off day. The crust was TOO thin and burnt, super greasy/oily and not all that outstanding. The atmosphere was nice however, a bit of a retro feel and outgoing and friendly staff though.
5 - Kevin T.: This is definitely the best New York style pizza I've had on the west coast. I'm so sick of California's "gourmet" pizza! Thin crusts, foldable, and big cheesy slices is the way it should be! The crust I had here was actually a little thicker than at the Eagle Rock location, so my slice didn't flop down when i folded it.

They just opened about a month and a half ago, so definitely break the news to your fellow tri-state natives (and NY-style pizza enthusiasts) that there's finally a local place that sells good NY style pizza!
4 - Novy D.: The husby and I were feeling nostalgic about NYC and NYC thin crust, foldable pizza. 

Brownstone saved the evening! Customer service over the phone and when we picked up our pie was excellent. They even opened up the box for me making sure what I ordered was what I ordered and what I ordered was cooked to perfection. It was! 

While you can't get true NYC pizza in the west coast I'm satisfied that Brownstone's is as close as it gets and holds me over till I go back to my beloved NYC.
5 - HedonismBot V.: Now this is the kind of pizza I'm talking about! When I think of NYC-style pizza, this is the one....big, round, thin-crust, and fresh. I walked in and ordered a 20" margherita. They were super-friendly and got the pizza done really fast...10-15 min. Drove it back home in Alhambra and the pizza was still awesome. I plan to stop by again to try their pizza lunch buffet.
4 - Jeffrey L.: I first came here, because my friend PJ and I wanted to try something different.  So we decided to give this pizza place a shot, and after we saw the buffet for under 6 dollars i was pretty much skeptical about the taste.   

The taste itself isn't like WOW its great, but its good for the price, and the fact that it is a College student magnet is always a plus.  

The pizza style is new york, and there is a variety of pizzas from Cheese, Sausage,  and so on.  The garlic bread is tasty and you can choose from either crisp or soft.  The meatballs are really soft and taste  great, and the sausages are very good.  

All of the food is handmade, how do i know? Well I've talked with the manager, and i am pretty sure she wasn't lying too me.  

Also the staff is very friendly and the manager is very nice.  Overall this place saves my wallet, and its a good place to just sit and chat.
4 - Johnny L.: $6, lunch special, all you can eat?  I'm there.

I'll admit the pizza here isn't anything special and neither is the rest of the food but its good enough for most and I'm gonna say that for the price its one of the best meals you can get in town.

Lunche buffet includes:  several varieties of pizza, garlic bread, salad, baked ziti, spaghetti, marinara sauce, meatballs in marinara sauce, sausage.  The great thing about this place is that the price is so low I don't feel like I have to "eat" my worth.

The staff is friendly and the place is pratically a student magnet during lunch.
5 - Valerie M.: Pizza is something that should never be taken lightly. Especially when it comes delivery. That's you're one shot for a perfect pizza dinner.

Luckily we made the right choice when we called Brownstone Pizza. We craved something non-commercial and something extremely flavorful.

I wanted onions and tomatoes and mushrooms. That was all I needed for a perfect dinner to accompany the Dodger game on TV. 

It came and it came at a great price. 16 buckaroos. This HUGE box with this giant New-York style pizza that reminded me of walking through midtown Manhattan and going with parents for pizza after a long day of walking around through the city of vacation was $16.00.

It was so good. Thin and saucy. The onions were sliced perfectly. So thin and full of flavor. The tomatoes were fresh and didn't have that rubbery commercial taste. And the mushrooms melted in my mouth just like they should.

We ordered some garlic bread and that was the perfect accessory to this wicked awesome pizza. They didn't skimp anything and they surprised me with all the taste for the dollar amount I got. I was soooo happy to finally taste a good pizza. Dominos and all the corporate pie places can kiss Brownstone Pizza's ass.

I can't wait to go back and satisfy my carbo-needs.
3 - Mark R.: Good  pizza. Not the best  but  very good.   I would give  3.5  start  but  yelp does not allow   half  stars
4 - Cate T.: I've only JUST ordered my pizza, so it's not here yet, and I'll update about that when it gets here.  But I wanted to compliment the phone ordering service.

The woman that answered it was especially nice and since I have never been there and didn't know the menu, she helped me out. I knew flat out that I wanted a magherita pizza, and she asked how many people, then suggested a pizza inch size. I got my pizza, she recommended sides and didn't flinch at my wanting a fountain drink, too.

She was patient and very nice, and that's quite a surprise! I stopped ordering over the phone from most corporate chains and do it online because I typically am not a fan of phone ordering.

Will let you know what the food's like when I get it!


Update:   Food is pretty ace. Love the crust, because it's crust, but not quite crusty. Just nice and chewy. Garlic bread is pretty good. Not what I'm used to, but I like ;)  I should describe more, but I'm totally tired :(
1 - Paul p.: Well I was in the mood for pizza and wound up at this new spot. I continued my pasadena  cheese pizza tour with a 14" cheese.  I noticed from the get go was the box was super light. I wasn't sure if there was going to be pizza in there.Unfortunately my pizza was BURNT. Not a big floppy slice like everyone else is loving. We got hard cracker crust with burnt edges all the way around and burnt bits on the bottom. My wife hated it. I asked my son if he liked and he said "not really" he's only 3.
I was starving so I wound up eating all the unburnt parts leaving a box full of black charcoal pieces.

Maybe Ill go buy and check out the all you can eat, since then I would see  what I'll get. Hopefully they don't serve burnt.
1 - Queenie N.: I came here for lunch once after my boyfriend discovered this place one afternoon while I was in class. I have to say that this place does not impress me at all. It might have been just a bad day for them but I have to say I'd think twice about coming here again. Their slices of pizza were bigger than the average slice but it was paper thin. The slices we ordered were also lacking in cheese and toppings. On the day we went in to give it a try they were also out of soda so there were no drinks available. (Of course they give us back a portion of the money we paid to compensate for the lack of drinks) The upside to this whole experience was that if you showed your student ID you could get a 10% discount. Whoo. Saving money.
2 - Claudia Le Bebe V.: This place is OUT OF BUSINESS, Thanks yelp!
4 - Preston D.: So sad. Went by for a slice and the place is closed...

---------------

I agree with Michael S. -- it's about as close as I've come to NY style pizza since I moved here. As a former New Yorker, I love my thin crust. And I love traditional Napoli style pizza. And this is the best I've found so far.

If you want to know AMAZING thin crust, you must go to Patsy's in NYC. Napoli style, FRESH mozzerela, sweet green basil leaves resting on top. To die for.

Brownstone does a real nice thin-crust, FOLDABLE(!) slice. I think they could have fired it in the oven for *just* a little longer to get a slight crisp on the outside though. They have two sizes -- 14" and 20". The sauce tasted of fresh, tangy plum tomatoes. Nice amount of cheese -- but if you're a true cheese fanatic, you might want to order extra. My fiancee and I agreed that the pizza really was better with a sprinkle of garlic salt.

Parking lot is small, and since it was full, I blocked a parked car right by the door and ran in. The couple running the place said that was fine -- they were real friendly, which is always a plus. We'll definitely be repeat customers.

Broxton Avenue Public Parking - Los Angeles, CA (34.061878, -118.446185) (Westwood)
4 - Megan T.: Okay, I know it's insane to review a parking structure . . .

Clearly, I am insane:
[exhibit a: my current user pic]
[exhibit b: the fact that this is not even my first review of a parking structure]

Now, as opposed to the goat-blowing monstrosity located beneath Paseo Colorado, the Broxton Avenue lot in Westwood rocks my SOCKS, yo.

The attendants are friendly.
There is no confusing signage.
It is will-lit and easily accessible (by stairs.  I suppose it loses half a star for the fact that the elevators have been out of service for three years now).
It is centrally located in Westwood and is an easy walk up to campus.
It closes late.
I can always find parking (and if that changes because of this review, I am coming after YOU PEOPLE who are taking up all the good parking.  Bitches.)

The lot loses another half star because about two and a half years ago they raised the after-6pm flat rate to $3 from $2.  Believe me, I was devastated.  That used to be the best part about it.

Oh, fine.  The after-6pm $3 flat rate is STILL the best thing about it.  I dare you to find cheaper or more convenient parking (where you WON'T get towed, *ahem* Ralphs) anywhere else within a ten mile radius of UCLA.  I DOUBLE DOG dare you.  So THERE.
5 - Alexa Z.: THE BEST IN THE WEST...WOOD.

Anyone who... 

is a student at ucla, 
works at ucla, 
works in westwood, 
is a parent to a ucla student, 
has ever visited westwood,
has been to a pauley basketball game, OR
has talked to someone who knows someone who's friend's sister's boyfriend had to park in westwood at some point in their life,

... KNOWS that parking in the WeWoo is a crapshoot.  

You've probably fought for spaces, drove around for half an hour in futile, had a friend jump out and save a sport, and stalked someone walking down the street only for them to add money to their meter.

$5 for an hour and $2 for every 20 min after??? A quarter for 8 minutes???  Parking for Whole Foods Customers Only??? Ridiculous!

At least you can always count on the Broxton Lot. Cheap, central-location, several levels.

First 2 Hours Free (before 5 p.m.) & $3 flat rate after 6 p.m.  

You just can't beat it!
3 - Jason T.: When I found out that there exists a parking garage in WESTWOOD that offers FREE parking. I immediately pinched myself in disbelief. But hark, 'tis true! On Broxton Ave (which is the small street that goes down from Diddy Reese and the Fox theater and narrows into a one-way by the Chipotle).

It's free for two hours before 6pm (so I'm happy), but it's also cramped inside and difficult to get in and out during a busy lunch hour (so I'm annoyed). But whenever I come to Westwood for lunch, I'm going to be parking here. I won't be particularly ecstatic about it, nor will I be extremely dissatisfied. Unless I'm really cramped for time, then I'll have to suck it up and grab a metered space.
1 - X X.: The good thing is it is centrally located in the center of Westwood. Other than that, I would recommend parking anywhere else unless you like an always congested garage and dealing with UCLA foreign student drivers.

I've had my car door scraped by careless parkers and the garage accepts no responsibility. There are no cameras in the garage to record vandals.

I work here in the village and, unfortunately, I have to park in this structure. Day after day I see stupidity and carelessness but it is a city run building so nothing is going to change anytime soon.

So be warned! Go somewhere else if you value your car.
4 - Anthony N.: FREE PARKING in WESTWOOD?

*Somewhere Linda Blair's head spins around like the Exorcist scene.*

Why in the world has no one told me about this ridiculousness?  
Two hours free parking til 6PM and then just a solid $3 flat rate after that.  

Do you know how many precious minutes, hours, days, and months I have spent driving around Westwood looking for parking?!  No more will I troll the streets looking for a crack-spot to park my ride.  calm yo shit whitney!

Certain times during the day it might get busy and be full which makes me sad, but the parking attendants are chill and laid back, no qualms with the parking structure itself, and its in the heart of Westwood village.  Any more questions?  

"Where it be?"

*Its across from Ami sushi.*

Now the only real question Kristen got left is "Am I still gonna get my puppy?" (if you know where this reference is from...you are my soul mate)
4 - Vanessa F.: This is your best parking option whenever you need to take a trip to Westwood.  Having accumulated a good amount of parking tickets in Westwood, I know how important it is to find reliable parking.  

** 2 hours free anytime before 6pm
** After 6pm, you pay a flat rate of $3 [still dirty cheap]
** Central to any place in Westwood
** Can always find spots [esp if you go to the bottom levels]

If you ever plan on venturing to Westwood, if you don't find street parking at first [after 6pm], be a man and park at Broxton & pay the $3.
5 - Sarah B.: 2 hours free before 6PM, $3 flat 6:01 til closing.  If you're visiting campus plan on 15 minutes each way just to walk to Ackerman from here, but it beats the out-freaking-rageous parking that UCLA and other Westwood lots charge.

The city planned to lease out this garage and begin jacking up the prices, but thankfully that was voted down.  Free parking probably won't last long, though...
3 - Lucy Z.: FINALLY have the rules and would love to share with you guys!

Between 7AM to 6PM
- the first two hours are free
- each 20 min after is $1.50
- daily max at $9

Entering at 6:01 PM
- flat rate of $3

Lost Tickets $9

I THINK, the garage closes S-Th 12AM and F to Sat at 2:30 PM, hopefully another yelper could confirm this.


and ew, today I got caught in this mess trying to leave at about 6:00 PM, and it took about a 20 minute wait (and I was only on the second floor! Imagine if I were on the fourth floor trying to go down from there!)
4 - Francesca S.: This is my go-to parking structure for The Village because there is NEVER street parking, and all the other lots are rediculously priced. It's also right in the middle so you don't have a far walk to anything in The Village. Just don't forget to have cash on you.
4 - Sophia T.: I love parking here and referring friends to this lot. 2 hrs free before 6pm and $3 flat-rate after? Yes, please! It can be a bit narrow, but it does what I need it to--give me a space to park! Thanks for keeping it free during the day!
5 - Amanda M.: SO great to have cheap parking in Westwood. UCLA charges $11 (as of today) for on-campus parking. Spaces are a bit tight and it can be a bit tight backing out of your spot especially with incoming cars. But I can't complain!
5 - Andrew T.: LOT FULL
... of awesome, that is!

Two hours' free (daytime) parking in central Westwood seems completely insane. But I tried it and it worked. 

Sole downside I can see is that the capacity is only a couple hundred cars, so it could fill up, thwarting your plans for free parking. 

Otherwise, come, shop, and scoff at all those struggling with street spaces and the nearby Whole Foods lot.
4 - Eugi H.: The best free parking location in Westwood. Considering your other option would be to fight for parking in the residential areas with the local students, I say this is a pretty sweet spot. Granted it's only the first two hours free (before 6pm), but that's plenty of time, IMO. It's in the heart of Westwood, and even if you were to enter after 6pm, it's a low flat rate ($3).
4 - Justin Y.: Looking for a place to park while you eagerly wait for that Diddy Reese cookie? Afraid of parking in the Whole food's parking lot cause you might get white chalk on your tires? Trust. Just go here from now on folks... This is by far the most logical and cost effective place for you to park if you're gonna grab a bite to eat in the wood. 

Vanessa F. Summed it up..

** 2 hours free anytime before 6pm
** After 6pm, you pay a flat rate of $3 [still dirty cheap]
** Central to any place in Westwood
** Can always find spots [esp if you go to the bottom levels]

*Great memories of seeing my car dinged upon return, making out in my car, watching the UCLA Jerk King's instruction Jerking you-tube video that was filmed in this parking lot, and using Validation stickers which have been obsolete since 2002. 

Your friend in time, 

Doc Brown.
2 - Matthew P.: Easy Parking - SOMETIMES.  So, I usually don't have any problem getting into the structure and finding a space.   Getting out is another thing.  Today I returned to my car to find another driver waiting for my space like some kind of vulture.  It was amazing.  And....he was so eager to grab my space that he literally boxed me in.   That wasn't bad enough, after that I had to wait 13 minutes to exit.  I had been there four minutes shy of the twp hour limit for free parking.  I handed my card to the cashier at the exit and she barked "dollar fifty"  - I explained that I'd been held captive by another drive and then waited quite some time (about 7 cars - possibly more) in order to exit the ONE AND ONLY exit.  Anyway, she was impolite and basically informed me that they have "NO GRACE PERIOD".  Totally unfair.  Totally wrong.  Next time a parking vulture follows me walking back to my car I will take my time and ignore them. Better off letting them pass your space over than being held captive.
3 - Patrick B.: You run into problems parking in here after 6...If I have any advice, get here before 6 and stay for 2 hours.  After years and years, still the best place to park in westwood.

Bruce B McLucas, MD - Los Angeles, CA (34.062979, -118.436315) (Westwood)
1 - Service I.: I almost died due to Dr. Mc Lucas' negligence. I had extremely large fibroid tumors( the size of a 4-5 mo. pregnancy). I did not know of the risk of having embolization surgery in such a case, but  I'm sure he did. I chose him because he was supposedly one of the pioneers of this surgery. He did all of the pre-screening for the surgery, OK'd me as a candidate and sent  me and his findings  to other doctors whom he'd recommended to perform the surgery. His first doctor associate botched the surgery Dr. McLucas was not there, he called me immediately when I got home to tell me of the mistakes and to speak of arrangements for me to see  another associate doctor. After surgery with the second doctor, I developed a life- threatening sepsis infection. I only recently found out this was due to the original size of the fibroids. I never should have been a candidate for this surgery.  I needed to be hospitalized for a week to try and kill the infection with intravenous antibiotics. It did not work and the infection was at risk of spreading, I had fever and temperatures up to 103, blacking out while driving the day I was hospitalized with complications. I ended up having to have an emergency hysterectomy so that I wouldn't die of sepsis poisoning. I was planning a pregnancy that year, that is why I had decided on UAE.. All hopes were dashed.  I had bills from the first UAE, the second UAE , hospital treatments for sepsis infection(that did not work), and so many CT Scans and Ultra Sounds that I now have side effects from those alone. Finally, things got so dangerous, I had to have a hysterectomy. We are talking tens of thousands of dollars. There is lingering depression and regret. This doctor along with the others who followed his lead have ruined my life and depleted my savings. To top this all off, he billed my insurance for his services, saying he was there at the hospital for the second UAE surgery. He was not! He was out of the country!  I had to argue with his office over it! Just know before you go see him that your health may not be most important. Maybe $$'s are. I am still paying for all of this, financially and even more so,mentally since I  recently found out it could have and should have been avoided, as I was not properly screened  as a candidate.
1 - Tailz X.: Wish I could give NO stars to this f#@kin doctor.

I am mad at myself for not writing a review about this doctor when I received my surgery back in February 2008. If I had, the review before me by "Service I" would not have been posted because I would have saved someone else from going through this unnessary surgery.

I like Service chose him because he supppsedly had been performing this surgery since I believe 94'. He said if I did not have this procedure performed they will only get bigger. I had 3 Fibroid tumors. One the size of a grapefruit & two the size of eggs. I am getting mad all over again just thinking about this s#!t. I still have my f#@kin tumors ! Why you ask ? Because all these doctors want to keep everyone in bad health so they can continue to keep making money. I went through all that pain for nothing because I am  still in pain till this day. He NEVER removed them. He kept coming out from the surgery telling my mom that everything was going good when he wasnt doing s#1t but cutting me open for nothing so he could get paid. After the pain from the surgery went away I did start having pain again a couple of months later but I thought it was all in my head because I'm thinking that they were gone. At this time I had no insurance so I could not go back to see him so one day I was in EXTREME pain and I ended up at MLK Hospital where they did an ultrasound on me and found out that they were NEVER removed. So at this time THOU SHALL NOT KILL was the most stupidest commandment ever written because I was so ready to go catch a murder case. When you are playing with someones livlihood it makes you turn into another person. Also whoever administered the anesthesia didn't give me enough because I woke up during the last ten minutes of my surgery and I could feel them taking tubes out of me and I was trying to speak to let them know I was awake but appearantly that s#1t is so strong that it impairs your speach cause I could not say a word. Also @ MLK (killer king is what it is referred to in the hood but now I see we need to give ucla a name now also) they were telling me that he should not have performed that surgery on me because I was too young and then they also stated that I should now rush to have kids. Mentally draining I don't want to talk about this anymore. Ending this on a much needed note...STAY AWAY FROM THIS SO CALLED DOC
5 - Jill S.: Glad I found Dr. McLucas!!  After years of heavy, painful periods his fibroid embolization procedure changed my life!  

One day I felt a hardness in my lower stomach area  and felt "something" poking out.  I went to my primary physican to check it out.  Days later after having a pelvic ultrasound (which uncovered 3 small and 1 large fibroid) I quickly jump on the internet to discover my options.  There seemed to be only one option for fibroids - complete removal of the fibroids through a surgery which would have me out of work from 4-6 weeks. I can't be out of work for 6 weeks! 

 One day I was driving home and heard a radio commercial advertising the fibroid embolization procedure by Dr.McLucas as a solution to fibroids issues/problems.  Out-patient procedure...little recovery time...no reoccurance of fibroids.... these phrases were music to my ears.

I went to Dr.McLucas' website, listened to one of his webinars, and quickly schedule an appt to see him within 1 week.  I had few questions for him in person as I had gather so much info from his website.  Scheduled my surgery for 2wks later and have never regretted the decision.

I had surgery on Thursday morning and was back at work the next Monday. Experienced bad cramping for only 1.5 days after procedure, but took alot of pain medicine during that time so it wasn't so bad.
After the first two days, I took pain medicine moderately.

 I NO LONGER experience severe leg pain cramping and painful cramping 2wks before each period.   I STILL  have menstrual cramps, but they now occur only during my period week and they are definitely not as painful as before. I NO LONGER experience extra heavy periods and leakage (I would go through 1 pad and 1 super plus tampon within 1 hr).  I now use 1 pad and 1 super plus every 3-5 hours for the first two days of my period. No more scheduling activities around my period.  

One of my fibroids was pressing against my bladder. THIS surgery cured my frequent trips to the bathroom 

The fibroid that was "poking" out has definitely shrunk. It's only been 2.5 months since the procedure and I look forward to my fibroids shrinking even more.

Update: It's been 14 months since my procedure and I actually waited a year after my procedure to have the follow-up pelvic ultrasound; my three small fibroids shrunk ~ %50 (as Dr. McLucas predicted) and the extra large one shrunk by 35% (which the doctor pre-warned me it wouldn't shrink to the 50% level due to its size).  My periods continue to be moderate to light and no new fibroids!!
1 - stephanie k.: Yelp really needs to have a zero stars rating.

Anywho, I'm not going to point out anyone specific (yet) but there are a couple reviewers for Mr. McLucas who are obviously either his employees or Mr McLucas himself.  Stop adding fake reviews to make your rating better. All you have to do is start to be more honest and compassionate with your patients and your ratings will naturally rise.  Your greed, inhumanity and karma will catch up to you soon. You're knowingly doing surgeries on people whose fibroids are too large for this surgery. You don't give a fuck that the surgery will not work for them as long as you get paid. I smell a class action lawsuit.
2 - Lunch Lady S.: I was a former patient of Dr. McLucas a few years back and for women wanting UFE, let me share my experiences with him. I will try to be as fair as possible.

What to Expect:

- McLucas' bedside manner is not personable. It's very business oriented and rushed. Brush up on your homework about UFEs, different types of Fibroids growths, calcification and follow up removal. He will not tell you alternative approaches such as diet, exercise or medical supplementation. Even better, get an ultrasound before your appointment so you come in armed and ready.

- His staff is top notch; to the point of going above and beyond the call of duty to make up for his errors. I've had multiple billing horrors that his staff fixed over several months time due to paperwork ping pong. For that I am grateful; thanks Shannon and Co.

- Always get multiple opinions. Yes, McLucas is one of the pioneers of UFEs, but he's not the only doctor to do alternate procedures: myomectomies and such. There are multiple doctors in Los Angeles that do so, especially in Santa Monica. Make sure you search them out and know all your options.

- For my case, McLucas did his surgical work in private medical facilities. When you're given an address, call them and MAKE SURE they take your insurance before you go under. I had to fight with a medical facility that wanted to charge me 30k . Luckily, check out point 2.

The 2 star rating is because the work done and his medical diagnosis were correct but I found that weight loss and diet [which I asked in our first meeting; thus answered with a resounding 'no'] helped more, his billing was horrendous/shady and if you go into his office unprepared and emotional, patient beware.
5 - LA L.: I read reviews and read the ones prior to mine regarding Dr. McLucas and as a result I am compelled to tell my story, compelled to add my 2 cents.

I was referred to Dr. McLucas by a friend who had endometriosis and later twins which Dr. McLucas birthed and which she conceived naturally.  If you are familiar with endometriosis, it is usually a prognosis for infertility.  My friend told me that Dr. McLucas removed her endometriosis while he was exploring a different problem she had come in to resolve.  She later got pregnant with twins, and Dr. McLucas birthed them.  They were premature but healthy.  My friend got top notch treatment, as some wrote before, under private care for insurance care prices.  She was thrilled.

At the time, I had been looking for an OBGYN in LA and the fact that Dr. McLucas is a leader in fibroid research certainly helped me seal the deal.  I have 2 generations of hysterectomies on my mother's side due to fibroids.  Also, as some of you may know, some doctors do not do it all, some do not do surgery, and birthing on top of their regular office hours.  Dr McLucas is able to do all those things.

Ever since the first time I came in for a checkup, around 2002, and until today Dr. McLucas remains the most committed doctor to his practice and to his patients that I have ever come across.  He runs a tight ship, he is on top of every detail and makes sure that his patients, yes, that I have everything I need.
Once, I called in claiming that I was having a pain in my breast and within an hour I got a call from the office that I have am appointment at some Beverly Hills facility which I could never afford and that I could never imagine to receive care in.  I have several experiences with health scares the Dr. McLucas helped me through.  This, especially since I moved to LA on my own and have no family to speak of on the West Coast.  Any issue I have had I did not hesitate to ask Dr. McLucas about, even if it is a referral that has nothing to do with his practice.  He is there for his patients and you do not need to be a genius to figure this out. 

I had a laparoscopy a few years ago.  I remember Dr. McLucas made it so easy, it was in a private facility, it was so easy, no red tape. He made it affordable for me because even though I have insurance through my teaching job, the insurance would not cover this type of level of care.   

This is my story.  And here is another.

Very recently my very good friend was telling me how she has been experiencing pains and abnormal mood swings; this, over the course of about 3 months.  Her OBGYN was not able to see her repeatedly while she was having those symptoms.  I know that even if you are not under the care of Dr. McLucas, if you call in as a new patient he will still find time to see you immediately.  So, I recommended she go see him while she still had the symptoms.  Like clockwork she was seen within one work day.  Within one week she was diagnosed and treated for a fibroid.  The out patient procedure was done in a private facility.  Later that day I went to visit her at the SLS hotel in Beverly Hills.  Her room was comped for first time patients of Dr. McLucas'.  She had a nurse drive her and a nurse on duty checking in on her for the rest of the night even though it was an outpatient procedure.  After that she had some issues having to do with soreness, Dr. McLucas was there to guide her to a physical therapist. Her issues were resolved in what you can call lightning speed in the medical world, and that is the greatest gift anyone can give - health. 

I am in complete dismay with the few negative reviews.  I have been a patient of Dr. McLucas for almost a decade.  I have never had a better doctor in my whole entire 37 years of living.  If you have any doubts, just go in for yourself and then be sure to write a review.  
There will always be the crazy factor, the angry idiots that ruin things for reasonable people.   It is actually offensive to me to read such outrageous accusations about Dr. McLucas.  

So here it is, let me know if you have any questions.  I am super appreciative of Dr. McLucas's effort, skill and execution.  Thank you.
5 - Kristina R.: First, I would like to preface my review by saying that I am an actual patient, not a friend of the doctor writing a fake review as at least one review on this page has suggested has been happening.


(BTW - I was mentioned in a previous Yelp review as a patient and felt compelled to tell my story!)  :-)

I went to Dr. McLucas last September complaining of a pinch in my lower right side.  My actual gyno couldn't see me for over a week, and my friend had suggested that I try her doctor (Dr. McLucas) because he will usually make time to see patients right away.  Skeptical, I called the office and they were able to see me within one day.  He told me he wanted to do a laparoscopy and a hysteroscopy, and scheduled me for the surgery within the week. Leading up to the surgery, the people he had working in his office were incredibly attentive and organized - answering all of my questions promptly via phone AND email. 

I went to a private facility in Beverly Hills where I was treated by top-notch nurses and anesthesiologists.  Upon completion of my surgery, I was immediately told that I had a fibroid, and that they could schedule me to have it removed that same week, in the same facility. I went in and once again a couple days later and had the fibroid removed.  I was once again completely satisfied by the treatment I got at the surgical center.  Totally top notch. 

Additionally, they had suggested that I do an overnight stay at the Pearl Recovery Retreat to get through the roughest parts of the pain post-surgery.  This happened to be on a floor of the SLS Hotel where I had dedicated nurses coming in every hour or tow to check on me, ask me what I wanted to eat (AMAZING FOOD), and whether I was feeling any pain whatsoever.  If I was, they gave me medication to make sure I didn't feel a thing,   Did I mention this was all FREE???  It was the best way I could imagine to recover from this surgery.

After I got home, and for the following couple of weeks, the office checked-in on me regularly and promptly gave me advice for how to relieve discomfort.  In my follow-up visits, Dr. McLucas would routinely do blood and/or urine tests to ensure that everything was fine (I actually found out I was anemic and that I needed to start taking iron).

As for the cost, Dr. McLucas' office worked with my financial situation and gave me an EXTREMELY reasonable bill for both surgeries and were able to keep it well within what I told them I could afford.  Additionally, there wasn't a separate cost for the private facility.  Sue - the billing manager - is a gem, and was indispensable in facilitating the billing process, as well as making me feel at ease.

I can't recommend Dr. McLucas and all of those who work in his office enough for their extraordinary care.  I wish all doctor's would take their cues from him.  Maybe then people wouldn't be so disillusioned with the health care industry.  But don't get me started on that!
1 - Diana D.: I am only giving a star because I have to in order to write a review about this specific doctor.  I was diagnosed with Fibroids in 2009 and had to undergo with the myomectomy procedure because the fibroids were too large to do another type of procedure, surgery was not by Dr. McLucas.  Today Oct. 2012, I had gone in to see Doctor McLucas in Aug. 2012 because I was refered to the doctor as the guru of fibroid and embolization procedure.  My tummy now looks like the fibroids have grown again which are pretty normal for women that are diagnosed with fibroids.

I want to add I had gone in to get an idea of what embolization was exactly and how it would affect me in the long run in case of bearing children in the future.  My company insurance didnt kick in till Oct.  So, I wanted to wait till then to weigh my options before undergoing embolization or myomectomy.  

Well, needless to say October was around the corner and the doctor himself was calling me everyday, leaving messages, followed by one of his staff members to schedule this embolization procedure.  My insurance is PPO but I have just discovered that they are not within my PPO network.  I was left with them calling me back to schedule an ultrasound, I guess they found out they were NOT within my network.

They NEVER called back again.

I just want to say before you decide to use this doctor please do your research thoroughly before you let this doctor sell you on this embolization procedure or even go near your uterus.  I feel this doctor is not looking for the best interest of the patient but his own interest of his wallet; to use your insurance for a procedure you may not need.  There are four other ways to treat fibroids; embolization is only one of them.

I hope in reading this; it will  save someone from getting scammed into a procedure you may not need or can be given alternatives.

As far as me, I'm not letting this doctor touch me.

Bruce Monroy, MD - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.284829, -120.665139) ()
5 - Janine T.: Dr. Monroy is the best doctor of any kind I have ever had!  I went to him for 2 years while I was at Cal Poly and only had the most exceptional experiences.  It is fairly easy to get an appointment and his staff is really nice and helpful.  He is punctual, kind, professional, and caring.  I never felt weird asking him any questions I had.  When I had some problems, he attended to them without making me worried and was very thorough in his explanations of what was wrong and what we were going to do to fix it.  Now that I have moved away, I am really sad that I won't have him as my doctor anymore.  I know his replacement will not be able to even compare to how good he was.
5 - Brittney C.: I love Dr. Monroy! He is the best ob/gyn EVER! I could go on and on about all the positives but I would have to write a book! I had a horrible delivery with my first son due to a very horrible unprofessional dr and his practice. With my second son I knew I needed to find a great Doctor because of the difficulties with my first. I found Dr Monroy threw friend recommendations and when I first met him I knew we were in good hands! He goes above and beyond what I expected in every way. When I found out I was having a c-section I wasn't afraid or nervous because I knew my baby and I were in the best hands on the Central Coast! I would recommend him to every woman young or old! He makes you feel so comfortable and you feel like you can tell him anything and everything! If you are like me and are trying so hard to find the perfect Doctor look no further. Like I said before the list of how wonderful this man is would be a book in length! Thank You Dr Monroy! You are the Man!
5 - Mercedes B.: Great doc! I heard from many ladies that their OB never checks their neck area. Thank God mine, Dr. Monroy, did! He found that I had a Goiter that no one else noticed, even me! Thank God for his well trained eyes! It probably would've gotten worse if any other OB wouldn't have noticed it or EVEN checked! I've been going to him for 5 years and will never go anywhere ELSE!!!
5 - Irene H.: Dr. Monroy is the best OB I've ever been to. He is knowledgeable, helpful, has great bedside manner and makes you feel very comfortable. He did my D&C last year and it went smoothly with no complications. I feel relaxed and calm knowing that he will be delivering (hopefully, he will be on call) my baby next month!

Bruegger's Bagel Bakery - Amherst, MA (42.3793633, -72.5200158) ()
4 - John R.: There are a few things in life that bring me continuous pleasure. The taste of a warm pumpernickel bagel with salmon cream cheese is one of them. 
It's 6AM and you need coffee, need solids of some sort so where do you go where it's quick easy in and out. This is the place. Great bagels, decent  coffee. More different types of cream cheese than you'll ever need or want.
Besides the above bagel configuration, the sun dried tomato with veggie cream cheese is always a home run.
3 - Giselle E.: I came here for brunch on a Sunday, already knowing what I wanted to get: the Smoked Salmon breakfast sandwich. In my opinion, one of the best sandwiches because it comes with cream cheese, tomatoes, red onions and capers.

I got the sandwich on a jalapeno cheese bagel (extra $0.30), with extra tomatoes and red onions (another extra $0.30). I didn't know the veggies would've been extra, but it was a good amount of extra for just a lil more than a quarter.

BUT, I got my sandwich, and I definitely got the extra veggies, but was missing the capers! The capers are the best part of the sandwich (in my opinion!) and they definitely forgot them :(((( super sad face

I also got a medium hazelnut coffee to go with my brunch. I don't think they have anything on Dunkin Donuts, just saying.

Overall, I'd come back to Bruegger's when I need my smoked salmon fixed (making sure they put the capers!) because it's a nice clean spot with a lot of seats and free wifi.

Bruegger's Bagel Bakery - Troy, NY (42.7287696, -73.69179) ()
3 - Brett J.: I've only been several times (in 5+ years of living in Troy) but my recent trip was not the best.

Bagels - for $1.50 they charge, they're not much bigger than a Lender's frozen bagel (about 20%) and not even that chewy.

The small portion of lox and cream cheese added over $4 to the price (yes, I know a bagel with lox is typically $7, but the portions of lox are more than double of Bruegger's .

My coffee was of average taste, and cost $1.49 for a small 12 oz cup (which for Troy, is definitely on the high side - small cups elsewhere are usually $1).

In all, I don't go to Russel Sage, so I suppose I don't see the value of it being a 'trendy' place. I'll take my $7.50 to other places in town and get better meals - unfortunately without the smoked salmon, as my favorite shop only has it on certain occasions ($4 for bagel, cream cheese, and lox).
4 - Kristy E.: Yay for Brueggers... 

I'm a pretty picky eater, even if I do have a fairly large range of food I'm into.. but still I am picky about what I'll eat. And well, I love this place so that must mean something :)

I've been coming here since I was in junior high and I pretty much get the same thing every time I get the Bruegger's craving. Which is an onion bagel with plain cream cheese. Yeah, I know stinky onions lol.. but it's good and I carry gum on me.. or I take it home and scarf it down in private lol.

Their iced coffee is pretty good, their soup is tasty and I've tried the little square bagels which are also good.  

It's a clean shop, staffed with usually friendly people and the line moves quick if there is one. As for parking, you'll either get lucky and park out front on the street, have to drive and look for a spot or there's an empty lot next door that says it tows but well, I've yet to be towed so I always use that if I'm just going in and out quickly.
5 - a l.: Best bagels ever! Also love the bagel sandwiches and the love even the inside of the place. It's also pretty cool how it's hooked up to the book shop so you can go get a magazine and bring it over and relax at Bruegger's while you munch on some good foodie!
5 - Jessica L.: Brueggers = the best bagels of my life. This is the best Bruegger's location to go to...especially if you have jury duty you can stop over here. It's quick, convenient, and you'll be back in time for the case. Not to mention it's yummy in my tummy.
5 - Tinya C.: I've been hooked on Bruegger's ever since my friends took me for my first visit up near Rochester. I actually had no idea that this location was the first ever - that's pretty cool.

I usually come here for a breakfast bagel the morning after a night out. My usual is bacon, egg and cheese on a plain bagel. Their bacon is delicious here - it's smoked and has pepper all around the edges.

This time around I stopped by for lunch. I got the Turkey Chipotle Club - turkey, peppered bacon, chipotle mayo, lettuce and tomatoes on honey wheat. I opted for no tomatoes. I usually prefer my sandwiches hot, but mmmm, this is one good sandwich. There is just nothing wrong with it.

The only thing with Bruegger's is that it's a little pricier than bagels and sandwiches elsewhere. However, fresh kettle-boiled bagels are a nice treat once in awhile.
2 - Megan E.: So maybe I'm just not a fan of bagel sandwiches...but when I do crave one I usually want them to be you know...moderately sized. How do they make the bagels so little and then sell them as if they are a real size bagel? They aren't.

The service here is usually pretty good....kinda slow but theres never really a line so they have that up on other places. I'm not a huge fan of brueggers coffee though it just doesn't have the bold taste that I love...although I've only tried the french vanilla, so maybe if I go back I'll ask what stronger blend they have.

I do love this brueggers cause I get to use the sefcu ATM so I dont get a fee and I can get cash, a bagel, and a coffee..which is a pretty good start to the day. I think I'll stick with my starbucks and price chopper bagels though. Sorry brueggers...your good..just not good enough.
1 - Allison L.: I had short, dark hair in my tuna sandwich. This is the second time this had happened... I wont be returning.
5 - Jonathan R.: Tuna fish Garlic bagel with lettuce Tomato, Onion, Green Pepper, Cucumbers, and Sprouts with slices of dill pickle...... Delicious!

Bagels and cream cheese are good too.
3 - Colleen M.: I'll admit that bagels are one of the food items that you cannot find outside of NYC/Long Island.  I think it has to do with the water.  But as far as bagels outside of NYC/LI Bruegger's is my favorite.  I like that they are not the size of my head (hell its still 300-400 deliciously empty calories at Bruegger's, it doesn't need to be the size of my head and have 600-800 calories...without butter).  

Service is usually good at this location.

There is only on street parking. 

The coffee at all Bruegger's locations is pathetic.
4 - Katy H.: I had a sun dried tomato with bacon cream cheese.

The bagel was good but the highlight was the cream cheese. It had lots of bacon flavor but contains no bacon bits as I imagined it to have.

If you love the cream cheese you can buy tubs of it to bring home.

Plenty of seating, quick service.

Bruegger's Bagel Bakery - Latham, NY (42.7277497, -73.7604114) ()
4 - Ann M.: The Newton Plaza Bruegger's is like an institution in Loudonville and Latham.  If you're from the area, you can go in at almost any time of day and bump into someone you know, particularly on a Saturday or Sunday.  Depending on your mood, this can be a good or a bad thing.  Since I'm generally only in the area 1-2x/year now, I don't so much mind it.  Plus, the bagels are delicious and well worth whatever small talk you may need to make as a result of your visit.
2 - Bill K.: The food is pretty decent, but I always feel like I'm paying too much.  Also, at this location, there are always bugs on the wall and flying around in one spot of the store.
3 - Lai-Yee B.: Coconut coffee. I repeat. COCONUT COFFEE. Bruegger's is better than Dunkin Donuts' coconut flavored coffee. It's richer flavored and less bitter, but still nicely sweet. 

Bagels are tasty. I think Bruegger's makes a pleasant bagel when they're fresh. Crispy outside, soft insides. I think their prices for drinks are fair. It was about $2.50 for a large coffee. D
2 - Matt S.: Free wifi was nice.  Service was okay.

Bagels weren't that great.  I expected more from an East Coast bagel place that seems to have branches everywhere.  They were soft, not crispy, on the outside even after toasting.

I went a second time during my visit, right after they opened at 6am.  Inexplicably, they had only two varieties of bagels ready to go at opening.  D'oh!  You're supposed to be up early, getting ready.   

Worst part of the 6am visit:  there was a very loud woman in there, either a regular or an employee, or maybe a manager (she was obviously very comfortable there).  She was wearing a NYYankees jersey, blabbering about the game the night before and, this is the worst, at 615am actually started chanting "Let's Go Yankees!" when a couple of guys were asking her about it.   She wasn't being ironic.
I know it's Upstate New York we're talking about here, but anybody who goes around saying "Let's Go Yankees" in public, especially before 630am, should be shunned as socially unacceptable.

Bruegger's Bagels - Pittsburgh, PA (40.441372, -79.957065) (Oakland)
5 - Cindy P.: I'm a graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh, but I was fortunate to find a program offered entirely online except for a once-a-semester visit to the main campus.  When I do make the trip to Pitt, I always stop by Bruegger's Bagels on Forbes Avenue for their bagel sandwiches and coffee, both of which are delicious.  I usually order a sesame seed bagel with lettuce, tomato, and cheddar cheese, and the food is always fresh and tasty.  The house coffee is great, as well.  It's not overpowering like Starbuck's, and it's always piping hot.  Great place to relax between classes.
5 - Chrissie R.: Super friendly staff.  Really good food.  Can't ask for more!
4 - Alex R.: Sandwich business means you sometimes wait forever to get served (since it's order at the counter). Wednesday special, dozen bagels for $5.

Please note that Pittsburgh is neither New York nor Montreal. But Bruegger's bagels are pretty good on their own terms.
3 - Ryan W.: The people at this Bruegger's were much friendlier than the ones I'm used to visiting in the Philadelphia area.

My food was served quickly and tasted fine. You won't be disappointed, but it's nothing spectacular.

The friendly employees and the good food are two reasons why you should definitely give this place a try.
3 - Cathy T.: sun morning staff was GREAT!!(8/21) Mon morning Awful!'!!   Majorly messed up my order! Ordered a sesame with green olive & pimento - got plain blueberry found when I got where I was going -  bad service.  Food is very good. Would go back on a Sunday'
3 - Katy C.: I just hopped in this place while exploring my new area (although it's a little far from my actual 'hood) to get an iced tea and replenish those bagel carbs I missed so desperately in China. I guess timing was a little off since it was around 2 pm because there weren't a whole lot of choices and what I ended up with didn't taste incredibly fresh. I would definitely try this place again at a more normal feeding time to prove myself wrong.  In terms of sandwiches, they had some variety, but those were a little pricey.

Bruegger's Bagels - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4374057, -79.9229435) (Squirrel Hill)
4 - Andy M.: I ordered a plain bagel with cream cheese (the truest test).  Fortunately for me, mine was just out of the oven and tasted very good.  It did appear that the more exotic bagels may not have been as fresh as mine, so your experience may differ.
3 - Susan D.: Still not much to get excited about here.  But I'm taking the day off in order to get some stuff down around the house, and Brueggers is right around the corner, I thought I'd stop in & get a quick breakfast and coffee.  

The egg white & sundried tomato sandwich was definitely different and it didn't have that prefab taste that some breakfast sandwiches have.  Plus one star for the hot bagel they served it on.  It was s-o-o-o good on a cold late March morning (and what the !@#$ is up with this winter weather we've been having around here?  Isn't baseball season supposed to be starting next week?).  Coffee here is much improved, what with the Green Mountain Coffee they're now serving here. I like that it's Fair Trade Certified.  Anyone who knows me knows my motto is "Fair Trade, not Free Trade."
2 - Morgan D.: I really like Bruegger's bagels, but I can't stand this location. There is one older woman who works there pretty much every day and she is pretty much the most unfriendly person I have ever encountered. She makes you feel like you are ordering your bagel at the prison cafeteria. On top of that she rushes you so god forbid you want to order something else for a friend or an extra bag of bagels, she's already moved on to the next person.

We went yesterday and I ordered a strawberry lemonade, one of their great new drinks. We both took a sip and made a face at eachother...why is it FIZZY? Yeah, it's not supposed to be fizzy, so it must be FERMENTED! Yay! My husband took it up to the counter and said rhetorically, "Is this supposed to be fizzy?" The girl at the counter shook it and said "It doesn't LOOK fizzy!" Um, remember that old customer service adage? No? "Well do you want another drink?" We ended up with a regular fountain drink, which I didn't check the menu but I'm willing to bet it cost less than the specialty beverage I had already paid for.

So basically I'm annoyed and I'm probably gonna not go to this location anymore.
3 - Meredith B.: Bagels are tasty.  Even chain bagels.  I personally prefer the Bagel Factory, but this Bruegger's is ridonkulously close to my apartment, and they have coupons all over the newspaper and facebook, so it's easy to get lots of free/cheap foodz.  I have to say though, when you get a bagel and a schmear, they put a gross amount of cream cheese on.  I love cheese as much as the next person, but the cream cheese is a condiment, there is not supposed to be a 1-1 cheese to bagel ratio.  But the lady at the counter was super nice.  She said something awesome the last time I was there - like "have a peaceful day" or "have a beautiful day" or a "joyful day" or some adjective better than a "nice" day.  Gotta love that!
3 - October R.: I'm always up for a tasty bagel in the morning. I pop in this location after night shifts and grab a half dozen. The staff is always so cheerful and polite... kinda makes me want to hurl, how can anybody be happy to be up before the sun fully rises?? My apologies, as you can gather I am not a morning person

Back to the review...my favorite bagels are the jalapeño cheddar, rosemary olive oil, onion, eveything, oh let's just say I've never had a brueggers bagel I didn't like. 

Don't leave without grabbing some fresh OJ!

Bruegger's Bagels - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2787098, -83.7402085) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
3 - Mae S.: Not bad bagels. Too bad it's hard to park nearby.

PS: for history buffs: this was the site of the very famous and much loved Drake's candy, ice cream, and sandwich shop, in business for at least 60 years, never changed its 1930s decor (and for its last few years, never changed the aging candy corn in the shop window).
2 - Nick P.: You know Bruegger's.  Predictably passable bagels.  And sometimes the lines are ridiculous.  Can we get Barry Bagels to open a branch near campus?
3 - Jason C.: The finest asiago bagel I've ever had. I know the north east boasts the best in all things bagels (something in the water?). I've had my share of bagels from that side of the land and they are indeed the best. BUT my statement stands as such. For an asiago, Ann Arbor's Bruegger's is on top.

Ok it is possible that the one bagel that I had was a rare jewel and it was just a one time thing. But it's good enough to convince me that I'll be going back for another chance at asiago perfection.
2 - Chris M.: I've been here twice and both times I've had bagels that weren't by any stretch of the imagination good. Maybe it's just a fluke, but paying almost 3 dollars a bagel for something that doesnt taste good isn't worth another visit.
3 - Adelais T.: The bagels here are quite decent. I love bagels and I'm not too picky about them (as long as they're not dry, cold, or fennel-covered, I'm sold). That said, I'm love holing myself up here with a warm bagel and raspberry cream cheese. Food-aside, this is a good place to study. Quiet and pretty cozy.
3 - Lauren B.: Let me tell you why Bruegger's can up their game:

1. The cream cheese application process on each and every bagel is terrible. They INAPPROPRIATELY spread their cream cheese. You take a bite of your toasted goodness on your way to class, and the cream cheese squeezes out the side and it's just annoying. Also annoying: most of it ends up in the hole in the middle of the bagel. I don't have a solution for this problem, but I don't own a bagel store. It still tastes good, but it adds an irritation to my morning when I have to use my finger to appropriately spread my cream cheese.

2. Oh, you want a breakfast bagel with egg cheese and bacon on an asiago bagel? great! you want it toasted? nope. They won't toast your asiago bagel. They won't do it. Why not, Bruegger's? Einstein's would do it for me. 

We are college students who have 3 dollars in our bank account and when we splurge and buy an asiago breakfast bagel to treat ourselves to something pleasant on the way to a terrible organic chemistry lecture, we'd like it to be toasted. We'd also like our cream cheese to be spread appropriately throughout the bagel so we don't have to use our hands.

Throw out your B- game Bruegger's, and bring your A game to the plate.
2 - Kyle D.: "Hi, welcome to Bruegger's.

We're incredibly understaffed even when there are only four customers here, so you'll have to wait in line for 10 minutes until we can get to you.

Alright.

Oh, you're here for lunch? Well, for $8 you can get a decent, albeit incredibly small sandwich and a drink.

Cool, you want that? You've got it. Alright now, uh, um, hmm; I'm going to go search for lettuce in the back for about 3 minutes. You just sit tight again.

Alright, so is this for here or to-go?

If you choose here, there are a few tables by the counter that haven't been bussed in the last 4 hours;  if you like eating in someone else's crumbs, those will work out great. Oh, the seating upstairs? Yeah, it's just as buck nasty up there too.

Oh, you want this to-go then? Alright, then your total for this tiny bagel sandwich and 16 oz fountain drink will be $7.84. 

Take care, thanks for stopping by."

No.

I have to admit that my sandwich was pretty good, but it wasn't great. Although my sandwich will earn Bruegger's an additional star, the service was abysmally slow, the food was far too expensive, and they didn't seem to like the idea of bussing their tables.
3 - Jesse C.: I was really torn about how to rate Bruegger's, in the kind of way that you are torn when trying to choose between trident and dentine. In most of the ways that matter, there is nothing especially bad or good about the choice, but when you think too much about it, all sorts of normally irrelevant details seem really important. 

In terms of food it ts a bagel place, interchangeable with most other bagel places in the world. In fact, I think that the bagels here are actually quite decent. They are not quite the quintessential bagel you would expect if you have spent any time in Montreal or New York (the kind that is not quite imitated by Zingerman's), but they are closer to this on the bagel continuum than their nearest neighbor (Panera): Bruegger's bagels are boiled and do not have that annoying "bready" texture that fagle (fake bagels) often have. 

What they put on the bagels is generally so-so. Your best bet is probably the freshest, warmest bagels they have and a side of cream cheese or butter... 

Taking a step back and considering the business as a whole, I feel ambivalent because on one hand, they have an excellent space upstairs (lots of bright light) that is perfect for studying (free wifi) and the staff are all really friendly. 

They also have an awesome coffee club card. You pay 120 in late Oct/early Nov and you get bottomless coffee and softdrinks for fourteen months. If you need to walk at all near this place on your way to school/work this is a really good deal that is worth investing in. The coffee is not great but it is passable morning fuel - on par with Espresso Royale and far better than Starbucks and lets be honest, there is a certain beauty to the logic of a bottomless cup coffee card that makes you feel prepared to face nearly any crisis. 

The biggest con here is simply the service. The staff are nice, but the store layout seems to prevent efficient work - people seem to be tripping over each other and there is no obvious system to how sandwiches get made. Thus the line moves in fits and starts and is always backed up in the morning rush. It is hard to predict how much time your order will take. 

Although they have gotten better with this, they also seem to run out of coffee with alarming frequency, which further slows things down. Newsflash: you will sell coffee on Monday morning, so invest in a system where you can actually tell you are running low, and brew more in advance when it seems like you are running out. 

tldr: bagels better than Panera but sandwiches worse. Nice space and people, but service takes longer than it has to.
4 - Dora C.: Alright. I know it's a chain. I know it's boring. I know it's a place my mom would take me. HOWEVER, the one, small, lovely item that keeps me coming here is the: 

Jalapeno Cheddar Bagel w/ Egg White

I warn you, it's addictive and may heavily alter your state of mind about what you've been missing your entire adult breakfast life. Wi-fi is okay. Location is superb.
3 - Sara W.: I love Bruegger's food, but am continuously disappointed by the North University location. They used to have the same people working in there every day, and they knew what they were doing. But in the last year it seems like they have A LOT of staff overturning. They make assumptions that screw up my food. I order an Egg and Cheese on an Asiago bagel and they automatically throw it in the toaster, without asking. I do not want it toasted (not to mention that they used to say that they COULDN'T toast the Asiago). Multiple times I have ordered a Coke, and because I am an in shape female, they assume I meant Diet and give me Diet.

If possible, go to the Brueggers on S. Main. Much more competent staff, and the food is better.
3 - Becky H.: Pretty standard fare. The Western bagel on wheat I got here today tasted pretty good (for less than $5), and my bf really enjoyed his lox bagel--they were more generous with the lox than I thought they'd be, but the bagel was $7.41 or so.

I would go back here for my next bagel craving.

Every now and then, there are coupons in the mail for a free bagel with cream cheese!!! I haven't gotten one in a while, but I can't wait for the next one...
5 - Rocky Y.: They have a good special on Wednesdays for a baker's dozen of bagels for 5.99, not sure if this promotion is still going on. Their bagels are great, and the people working there are nice :).
3 - Haley V.: Asiago cheese bagels are why I keep coming back. MMM.

Their secret weapon is the coffee card (unlimited coffee/pop/tea for ~$10/month). If you work or have class nearby, it's great for stopping in at weird hours when you need a pick-me-up jolt. It also gets you discounts on food. The coffee is pretty decent. 

Take your food upstairs; they have nice couches and tables with a sunny window overlooking campus. A hidden gem for studying and people-watching.

Service is slow but the staff is friendly.
3 - Alex H.: I would not recommend coming here.  It is not a great place for bagels. But it is the A-OK place for bagels in Ann Arbor.  I have not found anything better.

Zingermans bagels are always hard as rocks.  I once dropped a bag of zingermans bagels on my foot and broke two bones in my toes.

Bruegger's Bagels - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4507282, -79.9357367) (Shadyside)
3 - Ryan P.: A decent place to hang out on weekend mornings. Decent coffee, tasty bagels, and so-so bagel sandwiches. I've tried several of their sandwiches and been disappointed, but I'd still recommend this location overall. Try the upstairs seating; it's divine.
5 - Ian E.: I love Bruegger's. I'm a member of their "Bottomless Mug Club" which costs about $150 for the year and entitles me to unlimited free beverages for a year. Many times your receipt includes a survey to get a dollar-off coupon.

Prepared bagels and sandwiches are a bit pricey but there are a lot of coupons and promotions available. The "Last Night's Bagels" are a great deal and if toasted, taste almost fresh.
4 - Teresa T.: I frequented Bruegger's a lot in my childhood and I still do so I have a soft spot for this place. Bruegger's offers a selection of bagels, sandwiches, soups and salads. The Bruegger's on S Aiken does a great job in preparation. If you're not getting a simple bagel with cream cheese, the items are about 6-9 bucks but the quality is worth it. They actually mix all of the components of your salad in a bowl before they put it in a container whereas other locations will just put the fixings on top with dressing on the side. I have enjoyed their breakfast sandwiches, signature bagel sandwiches and salads. I haven't had their paninis and their coffee is just a-ok which I'd go elsewhere for that.

Surprisingly they have wi-fi though I have never seen anybody studying/working with a laptop. This location is nice in that it has a whole upstairs to eat your food but the configuration of entering and ordering doesn't make sense to me. When you enter the store, the cash registers are in front of you and then off to the right is where you order. They have a big ORDER sign in wooden letters above the counter where you order but I just noticed it. Hopefully I am not the only one!
3 - Kerry H.: Let it be known that I am the biggest Bruegger's fan ever.  I've been a pretty steady once-a-weeker since childhood.

After all that...This is the worst Bruegger's ever.  I always think: Oh, I'm close by and it'll be fine this time.  Nope.  The staff is awful.  The bagel are stale.  The staff is so awful they don't know that the bagels are stale.

Protect your brand, Bruegger's, and get a new staff for this location.
3 - I.E. C.: Haven't been to a Brueggers in years.  This one has a great location and is probably one of the only fast service style restaurants in Walnut Street area.  

While I was here I just had a simple everything bagel toasted w/cream cheese.  It hit the spot.  Still as good as I remember them.

Bruegger's Bagels - La Jolla, CA (32.874484, -117.214722) ()
1 - Rachel J.: If you are from the West coast, you may be duped into thinking that these bagels are the real deal. Please let me disenchant you. They are a far cry from New York's H&H bagels... or any East coast bagels, for that matter. The are so chewy that you can't swallow your food for a full 5 minutes. 

The one important thing to know about this location - if you decide to go, that is - is that the parking lot in front of Bruegger's is GATED. The trick? Park across the way in front of Papa John's, where there's no gate, no validation, and no hassle.
1 - Laurence O.: Disgusting, how the hell does this place stay in business. I just had their Spicy Elmo breakfast sandwich, which consisted of disgusting spicy cream sauce crammed into a tortilla with steam egg and canned peppers. Simply disgusting.

Bruin Buzz - Los Angeles, CA (34.0730451, -118.4448434) (Westwood)
4 - Matthew P.: The thing I love most about Bruin Buzz is that it seems to be staffed almost entirely by aliens from outer space, who have found it their unhappy lot in life to have crashed onto this dismal planet, where they are forced, inexplicably, to make coffee for thankless undergraduates, (whose general appearance they have assumed, naturally, in order to make themselves less conspicuous).

Never mind that they are unfamiliar with "coffee."  Never mind that they have no familiarity with earth money, with its foolish denominations and ridiculous appearance.

That's about all I can come up with to explain the friendly, blank stares of un-recognition when I order a regular cup of "coffee."  (Would it help if I pointed to the sign, guys?)  That's the only reason I can imagine for the smiling-but-shell-shocked demeanor on display as they sloooowly make my (occasionally correct!) change.

The point is, imagining these scenarios in line does actually delight me, and Bruin Buzz has got the best coffee on campus -- so, four stars guys.  I hope by the time your spaceship is fixed you will have the coffee thing down well enough to take some home and impress your friends.
3 - Jenn G.: I was waiting for the UCLA Store to open up and was walking around Ackerman Union when I saw a sign that says "Now Serving Cupcakes." Ahh cupcakes! Woohoo! The sign showed that there was special filling inside their cupcakes. I knew I had to stop by once I completed my shopping at the UCLA Store.

When I stopped by, I saw some vanilla cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes and what they called jelly roll cupcakes. The cupcakes are kinda small in size but I deifnitely wanted to try one. The jelly roll cupcakes were the cutest. Pink frosting with a raspberry on top. I decided to get one of those. 
The cost of the cupcake was $2.79 including tax. 

Tastewise the cupcake was ok. The main cupcake itself wasn't too moist. There was filling inside but it wasn't too much. It was raspberry filling. The frosting was ok but mostly sugar base. The raspberry on top was a gummy candy raspberry. Hmm I kinda liked the gummy candy raspberry concept on top of the cupcake. It was a nice touch.

Anyways the cupcakes were ok. They're definitely not the greatest but it is kinda neat to see a cupcake place on campus :). I think they should make special blue and gold UCLA cupcakes That would definitely be cool :). Hmm and then maybe they could put a gummy bear on top (to symbolize a Bruin).... :)...hmm what do you think? :)
3 - Raymond M.: I really don't know what to say other than this is just a convenient coffee house for those of us who don't want to walk all the way up to Kerckhoff for, in my opinion, better coffee. I realize they are owned by the same company and they probably use the exact same coffee, but I just have this mentality that Kerckhoff is 30984309 times better. 

They do, however, always have the bagels that I want and don't skimp on the coffee for those of us who only like to put a tad of milk in our cup 'o joe. I'm pretty sure I can get cheaper coffee from the Carl's Jr. right next door, but this is just an easier one-stop shop for my caffeine pick-me-up in the morning. 

Kudos to the competent UCLA students working here as well!
3 - Vanna C.: The drinks are inconsistent depending on who makes it. I usually come here because it's convenient for me. I love trying out their season specialties and wish that some of them would be on the daily menu instead! It is a bit pricier for the quality and taste of the drinks. Roughly around 3-4 dollars for a tall latte for students! Service is always great here!
3 - Michael C.: Bruin Buzz, you serve up some really disastrous drinks. 

Still, your ASUCLA staff members are super friendly. I'll give your pastries a try next time.
3 - Melissa A.: I don't think the coffee here is really better than at Kerckhoff, I just think they've got one or two employees who know their stuff slightly better. The drip tastes exactly the same to me, and I drink my drip black or with half and half so I'm not drowning it in sugar. Same story, same song: it's all about convenience.

Bruin Cafe - Los Angeles, CA (34.0716266, -118.4515429) (Westwood)
5 - Ron C.: Bruin Cafe! I miss you!

From my time at UCLA, this place definitely cashed in a good majority of my swipes from my Bruin Premiere 19 plan. After class, dance practice, a meeting, or whatever, I know that I couldn't go wrong with a hot turkey sandwich and a caribbean smoothie!

Sometimes there's a long line, but it's worth the wait. My friends living off campus also banked on my extra swipes.

There were also tons of other options from salads, sandwiches, pasteries, coffee and tea to feed all the midnight (i.e. bedtime = 3am) oil burners.
3 - Nikki I.: Bruin Cafe - A staple to every UCLA student living on campus. Most of the food here is actually pretty decent, until you get sick of it, that is. I was always a fan of the tuna melts, pumpkin muffins, and breakfast croissants. Their bakery overall is really fantastic, though it tends to get pretty crowded in the mornings and evenings. I hate the salads; there is so much wrong with them I'm not even going to get started. The soups are pretty decent. The smoothies are okay. The breakfast croissants are heavenly. Haven't been back here in ages. I definitely don't miss waiting in those crazy lines at 1 am. Though it is a great place to recycle your extra meal points at the end of the quarter.
4 - Sheriah A.: They have changed the menu since I've lived on campus but the best sandwich is still the Roasted Turkey on Whole Grain Wheat bread.  The cranberry sauce just makes the sandwich.  I was able to get a free meal there today and it is still as good as I remembered.  

From what I remember from my life in the dorms, it can get pretty busy around finals and around 10pm when the new meal period starts.  The cafe serves coffee bean & tea drinks, but when it gets busy quality goes out the window. I did like getting smoothies and pastries especially if I was in a rush to get to class. 

Overall, its a good place to get a bite to eat when you're on the hill.
4 - Leanna Y.: Vanilla Cafe[one of the hot coffees]: blandddd. but comes with a free pastry!
Croissant: My husband took a bite and said it was dry..and I didn't feel well, so I decided to not eat it.

Clam Chowder in a bread bowl is offered here. The sandwiches are pretty big, and comes with a banana too. I like how there is one section for all the coffees, and one for all the foods. Maybe there are more sections, but I forgot...til next time I come down to UCLA.

Oh yeah, just to mention.. I don't attend UCLA as a student. Just a visitor :)
3 - Bryan B.: The sandwiches are really bland regardless of what you order. This is sad because some of the sandwiches are actually more fattening than the burritos at Rendezvous (check the nutritional facts online). If you're going to make me fat, the least you can do is make me happy with flavorful entrees.

The default bread they make the sandwiches on is this white bread that's HARD AS A ROCK. I highly recommend you opt for whole wheat or honey wheat bread lest you enjoy what feels like biting your laptop.

The clam chowder and chili are bland. The chicken wrap is bland. The salad is bland. But damn it, it's open until 2am and I have visited it many a late night cramming for midterms that I can't even bring myself to rate it less than 3 stars. 

The smoothies are really good and the coffee bean is awesome although you'll never get the pastry you want since they run out quickly.
3 - Josh W.: The majority of patrons at Bruin Cafe (lovingly nicknamed BCaf) are students at UCLA. This was precisely the case for me for the last three years. They serve smoothies (which are actually very good), coffee drinks, salads, soups, sandwiches, and some assorted goodies. The quality of the food isn't poor, but it's not the best thing either. However, if you come over summer (when it is cash only, generally), the food quality improves drastically as they use more fresh ingredients. 

Final hint: If you're paying with cash, don't buy the pastry. They generally give it to you for free without even looking. Hurray!
4 - Patrick H.: Why that one cashier girl hella cute?

That's what makes me coming back.

YAY FOR SANDWICHES AND TEA.
4 - San K.: Bruin Cafe is the place to go for late night food needs. It's decent because I prefer Rendezvous's vegetarian taco salads and quesadillas, but Bruin Cafe is great for those long nights of studying. They have food, like soups, salads, and sanwiches, as well as coffee and tea, and an ice cream and smoothie bar. Just had a mango madness smoothie to quench my desire of mango lassi (indian shake). Pretty good with the premiere plan.
3 - Gabrielle S.: For me, the only saving grace of Bruin Cafe is its shakes. So many flavors and oh-so-YUMMEH.

Everything else? Nothing special. Soups? Clam chowder in a bowl is heavenly. It's got a slightly spicy flavor that you don't expect out of clam chowder. Wraps: Eh. Haven't tried the sandwiches. The only other entree I like here is the Chicken Wonton Salad. The chicken is pretty flavorful, the sesame dressing is accurate, and the mandarin oranges give it a unique flavor.

The only thing I can definitively say is crap is the coffee. I didn't swipe for water with some mild semblance of coffe flavor. I want my hyper caffeine buzz, and I can't get it with this tepid stuff!
2 - paul c.: To make things simple....bruin cafe is pretty whack. 
I am a UCLA student so I go here to get tea or what not because I have no other place to go. But the thing that stands out the most to me is the customer service. I'm not gonna name any names but there's a couple workers that are basically not there for the customer interaction, but ONLY for getting money nam sayin' ? 
I'm not even exaggerating right now... forreal the workers are SO jacked. they get all mad if you don't hurry when they lag sometimes themselves and they even blame you for not being the person on your ID card ... wtf? HAHA theyre trippin.
but anyways back to the food quality....
The food quality's pretty bad...the most famous sandwiches there are probably the turkey and the greek beef but they get pretty old. The greek beef sometimes comes with like straight up raw meat and it's pretty gross. I like my steaks medium rare and I like that bloody ness but seriously..the meat they give is sometimes straight up rare...cmon dawg. 
But the turkey.. it's aite. 

BUT!!! they have this new item called the meatball sub which is pretty dank. No lie. SO! if you go to bcafe, make sure to try the meatball sub and nothing else.
Say hi to the mean workers for me! 

p.s.
just go to rendezvouz. hella bomb. 
check my review for rendezvouz.
3 - Robert P.: Bcafe is aite.

BUT

They really really really should give a complementary pastry or chips with their smoothies/Ice-blended drinks!

$7.50 for a smoothie?  I DONT THINK SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOHOHOHOHOO!

And that one white guy that does the swiping is soooo anal.  Always yelling "NEXT PLEASE"
3 - Fanny H.: After two years of living on the dorm, the one thing I'm going to miss the most are the TEA LATTES.  I survive the day thanks to these babies.  I normally get the Japanese sencha tea latte, but they ran out of that tea...and never restocked so boo for that.  The Jasmine Phoenix Pearl is my next go-to tea, but it's sometimes too sweet, sigh.

Pastries are pretty bomb.  Vegan cookies and Rice Krispies ftw.  And I dig the chocolate croissants and of course the bagels.

What's annoying is one swipe for an ice bended drink or smoothie.  Not worth it at all unless I seriously need to get rid of swipes.  Bcafe also frequently fails with my orders, but I blame it on the rotation of workers and how most are newb students.  Numerous times where my soy tea lattes and coffees turned out MEH or they have to redo my sandwich order 'cause they messed up.  Kind of annoying when you're in a rush.

Wait time SUCKS when it's near midterms and finals when people are trying to get rid of swipes or need late night coffee so AVOID if you can.
4 - Andrew L.: Yeah, Patrick H., cashier girl is pretty cute...

That said.  This place is the only place on the Hill (residence hall area for UCLA) that's open past 12 during the normal school year.

They DO take credit cart in addition to swipes, guys!

Normal menu:
-They always have sandwiches, soups, salads, and a smoothies, and Tea and Coffee Bean (coffee, tea, tea lattes, ice blends, etc.)
-You can ask the servers about different breads you can get for the sandwiches.  I always get the honey wheat!
-You can order the soups separate from the bread bowls so it doesn't get soggy.
-Their coffee isn't as good as a normal Tea and Coffee Bean, but it'll do for college kids. 
Tip: You can order extra of whatever you want for sandwiches!  Except for extra meat..

As of my writing, they have an interesting Summer menu:
In addition to the normal menu, they have special dinner orders!  Since it's not online, I'll list it for you!
Monday: Lasagna (meat or veggie)
Tuesday: BBQ Night (outdoor BBQ; Burgers, Hot Dogs, Turkey Burgers, Vegan BBQ Beef)
Wednesday: Roasted Garlic-Rosemary Chicken
Thursday: Beef Brisket or Grilled Portobello Mushroom
Friday: Teriyaki Salmon or Teriyaki Tofu

I won't rate customer service like the others below, simply because many are students.  The non-student full-timers are always very polite.  The fact of the matter is that this place fills a much needed niche for UCLA, and it's often a place for conference guests to get some food/coffee.
2 - Em L.: *** My experience in the summer probably differs from those during the school year.

I had the "soup with focaccia" deal. Unfortunately focaccia is unavailable during the summer. The available baguette, the server lady said, was "not very good." So what does she give me instead? Two slices of wheat toast. At least she could have given me maybe a slice of cheese or something...? I asked for a slice of Swiss and she considered it for a few seconds before throwing two between the toasted bread. 

OK, thanks for denying me the much larger baguette that one friend later got and claimed was rather good.

On behalf of my other friend, who ordered a turkey wrap, I will review what she got: half a wrap. She apparently paid full but ended up with only a measly portion of something that, in the first place, was not very large.

New England clam chowder surprisingly had clams in it. It wasn't like every spoon yielded five tender pillows of clam, but it was decent.
4 - Winnie B.: I miss BCafe so much now that I'm living in the apartments. Honestly, no, the food is not worth a swipe, BUT THE CONVENIENCE OF IT~

I get so jealous when I'm walking to class and I see people with a fruit cup, smoothie, or tea latte. I'm just like, damn son. You better appreciate it while you still have those swipes.

P.S. Meatball sub, bro. And chai tea latte, mate. Don't forget the piña colada, dude.
4 - Jennifer L.: Swipe once - soup of the day.
Swipe twice - yogurt parfait.
Swipe three times - BAAAAGELLLLL~
Swipe four times - another f***ing bagel (or twenty).

That is ALL you need to know.
5 - Alma M.: its so yummy here!!!! i love comming with my friends when they are on campus. good place to eat a big meal and just chill :)
4 - Christopher H.: One of my favorite places to eat at UCLA. I highly recommend the Roasted Turkey or BBQ chicken wrap. If you get the wraps try to do the half soup/half sandwich especially if they're offering the beef chili or tomato soup. The selection may seem minimal at times and the two drinks for one swipe is such a waste of a swipe. To be honest the main reason I started eating BCAF was because I was tired of smelling like Covel.
3 - Jonathan Y.: Food is alright for dorm food. I come here more often for their smoothies. The food that you can order is good for a quick bite on the go. Though the food isn't the best that the dorm has to offer, I would say it's one of the more "healthier" fast joints you can pay a visit to.
4 - Catherine H.: One of my favorite places for takeout! If you are on the run and need a quick order, I suggest the chicken wonton salad and the meatball sub. These and the wraps are often made beforehand so you don't have to wait! It can get a bit crowded sometimes and the longest I have had to wait for an order is 30 min... So I get these options quite often. 

For their drinks, the smoothies and tea lattes are the best! Coffee is mediocre and the ice blendz mocha is disgusting but the green tea one is good! Although not listed on the menu, you can choose from an array of teas for your brewed/tea latte! I suggest the strawberry cream and Phoenix dragon pearl. 

The baked goods are delectable especially my favorite: their blueberry scones! The chocolate croissant is pretty good as well but the ones at kerkoff are better. The downside is that the calorie/fat content of the drinks and pastries are very high. 
 Also, many items are not worth one swipe - $8 for a blended/scoop of ice cream really??
4 - Davis T.: The most popular place to get food, this place is just about constantly open. I usually eat here once a day on weekdays. They recently upgraded their sandwiches which is a huge plus. They always blast music in here, which led to the famous Club Bcaf. Great place to get a quick meal
3 - Jennifer H.: I occasionally get lunch here, and always use my extra swipes here. 

For lunch - tuna or turkey (no cranberry chutney). I always ask for the regular whole wheat bread instead of the bun or baguette it comes on because those are too bulky! Both sandwiches taste great with a little poupon and pepper! 

The pastry selection is excellent. They have every kind of bagel - the everything, blueberry, raisin, egg, and onion. Other selections available: croissants, chocolate croissants, danishes, blueberry scones (yum!), raspberry scones, chocolate chip cookies, m&m cookies, pumpkin muffins, blueberry strudel muffins, chocolate muffins,  bran muffins, banana nut muffins, and much more! Furthermore they just added a bagel cutter and toaster to the side of the CoffeeBean counter - woo! 

Lines move quickly especially since they added an express line for wraps and salads.

Great - moderately healthy food.
2 - Linda M.: I used to like bcafe. I really did. Their turkey sandwiches, tuna sandwiches, and smoothies are all delightful. Though the smoothies aren't really worth the $9 swipe. The other day, however, my friend was selecting a pastry to go with her tea and the two of us noticed a fly having a little party on the muffins. The barista noticed the fly, but didn't make any move to remove it. Instead, she picked out a chocolate croissant for my friend and pretended that the fly wasn't there. GET THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ON THEM!!!!!
5 - Isaac R.: This place is awesome. Favorite place to eat at UCLA. In fact, I wish I had a Bruin Cafe to go to in DC most nights.

Bruno's - Amherst, MA (42.3758104, -72.5127763) ()
3 - Mats K.: Take out and delivery pizza, calzones etc. serving the greater Umass area.

Their pizza isn't bad but if you are in the mood for a calzone I'd order from Pinocchio's first.  The Brunos calzones seem dry and boring in comparison.
5 - Tiffany W.: My boyfriend goes to UMass-Amherst so we tend to order from Bruno's a lot.  Their chicken cutlet pizza is probably one of the best pizzas I've ever tasted in my life.  Wow.  I've never actually gone into the place so I don't exactly know how it looks like, but the calzones, subs, and pizzas I've ordered from here in the past have always been superb!
4 - brooke m.: For some reason their party-size pizza tastes better to me than the regular ones.  Overall their food is good but it's nothing special.  I agree on the calzones, get Pinocchio's first.

One star for the amount of food they give you.  Ziti with chicken for $5-something will last me two meals.
5 - Rachelle H.: buffalo chicken calzone, will you marry me?!
4 - Diane H.: Brunos, brunos, brunos..I just discovered you. And the breaded chicken broccoli alfredo was amazing. Just make sure you say BREADED or they give you the disgusting grilled chicken ugh. It's a bit pricey, 11$ w/o tip..but you are worth the splurge when it's final week or when you just want good food. Took over 40 mins for you to come..but you are heavenly goodness. The chicken, that is.
3 - Kevin L.: One of the better places to get your calzone or pizza.  Their party size pizza is awesome.  It can easily satisfy 6 people.  

I've ordered from Bruno's since 06 and back then I believed it was the calzone king.  Since then, they have been cutting back on the inner goods of the calzone and giving more bread.  The bread is good but I want more buffalo chicken and cheese!!  The sauce that comes with the calzone gets my thumbs up.  Not too watery... perfect for dipping or just pouring it on top of your zone.  I would give Bruno's another try before I leave UMass.
4 - carly w.: Best delivery pizza in the valley.  Imagine this...you can actually eat the crust, because it's not a giant lump of strangely sweet dough like you'd find at Sibbie's.

Try it before you knock it: jalapeno pineapple is the best combination ever and Bruno's knows how to balance that spicy sweetness juuuuust right.  

Ahh I just realized I'm not going to be able to get Bruno's delivered to me anymore since I'm moving out of the drama filled mods at Hampshire to a place in Northampton.  Well, even if you live over the bridge, hop on the bus or in your car to pick up a pie from Bruno's.  You'll be glad you weren't lazy enough to go with the crap in Noho.
2 - Derek W.: Now I remember why I order from Pioneer Valley Pizza most of the time. Bruno's buffalo chicken sub is, by far, the worst I've ever had. Reheated hard breaded chicken with what tastes like just hot sauce (btw buffalo sauce is not just hot sauce). If you're ordering, it is worth the extra wait to get something better from PVP.
4 - Ashley C.: Great pizza, their party pizza is amazing! Sometimes delivery can take forever though
4 - Ben O.: Pretty quick delivery to umass, and good food.

Great option for a lunch on campus, without having to go to the blue wall or the hatch. (Brunos is better quality than the campus food too...)
3 - Rich K.: This is a great late night option if you want to try something new besides Hangers Wings or DP Doughs. They have some above average pizza and calzones. Large calzones are humungous but seems a little plain, something is missing to that great taste.
1 - Simon F.: Aweful food. Waste of 20 dollars. Never eating from here again and neither are my friends. Steak was disgusting and chicken ceaser wrap was nasty too. 2 of the easiest things to get right. cheap engridients

Bruno's - West Lafayette, IN (40.422269, -86.902843) ()
5 - Tom W.: I really like Bruno's. The pizza is great, the atmosphere is wonderful and the staff is always friendly.
5 - Tommy M.: AWESOME (relatively speaking). Personally, I don't like the very popular pizza joint on every college campus that claims "better pizza, better ingredients..."  At Purdue if you want real pizza, go to Bruno's.  The pizza is awesome.  The only thing is that they cut the pizza in long strips which is kinda hard to eat.  But then again, pizza isn't exactly the cleanest food to eat, so I'll stop complaining about getting sauce all over my fingers.
5 - Megan C.: I have been going to Bruno's for as long as I can remember.  I'm pretty sure they have some of the best pizza ever.  The baked lasagna is also pretty amazing, but a bit greasy from all the cheese.  I appreciate that they have a quality house salad that is more than just lettuce and a cucumber slice.  I prefer sitting in the bar because it is dark, more private, and there aren't annoying little kids.
4 - Melinda T.: Though I miss the old Swiss Inn location, the sports themed reincarnation still serves great food. Pizza and lasagna are my two favorites but I also love the completely-not-healthy bruno dough dipped in both cheese and marinara. If you like strange pizzas, they have an appple butter as well as one with chocolate chips.
4 - Michael D.: Mmm... Just ate here last night, can still taste the Bruno Dough...

This is a pretty great place for being within walking distance to campus- it's got some history in the area, and it has tons of authentic Purdue memorabilia on the walls without feeling like Applebee's/generic-chain-restaurant.  Their alpine lodge dining area, near the bar, is quite classy, and a good place for a drink and a pizza.  

As for the food, a couple of things to second that have already been mentioned: Bruno Dough is a must for the first-timers, and yes, their house salad is worth it.  They really put some effort into that salad.

I honestly think the pizza overshadows some of the better menu items- the lasagna here is fantastic, and I definitely recommend trying it.  That said, sharing a pitcher and some pizza is a great way to waste some time with friends, and Bruno's is a great place to do that.
5 - james b.: Bruno's is a local institution at Purdue.  The best item on the menu is Bruno's Meat, hands down.  You can't go wrong with a visit to Bruno's while visiting Purdue.  Too bad the room that looked like the Regal Beagle shut down!!  Love you guys Brunie and Big O.
3 - Alison C.: One of the first places I ate in Lafayette as a grad school student back in the 70s, and it's still good.  But I wish, wish, WISH they'd bring back the Luzerner Pastetli!!
1 - George H.: I should have run for the hills as soon as I walked in and saw the flashing neon scrolling marquee over the seating area. Instead I stuck around to experience the most pathetic excuse for a cheese plate I have ever had the misfortune to endure. The beer on tap was stale, and the "world famous bruno's bread" is just deep fried bread. If I wanted fried dough, I'd go to a fricken carnival. Switzerland should sue this place for slander.
4 - Christopher D.: After two years in West Lafayette, I 'm ready to declare Bruno's the best pizza in town.   Not best pizza ever, mind you, but definitely best in town. Yes, they have an extensive German-Swiss menu as well, but their schnitzel prices do not tempt me as much as that perfect doughy-bready crust, that savory-just-sweet-enough sauce and the lashings of greasy cheese.  
And naturally, my kids are all over the Bruno's dough and chicken bites (who knew that drunken coeds and toddlers share an amazing similarity of taste when it comes to food?).
4 - priss l.: Pizzas here are great! even just cheese pizzas!! It's a cozy sports bar right by campus, and they open relatively late as well. The staff is always friendly. You can appreciate the jerseys and trophies of the Boilermakers and catch a game or two. Great hang out place.
2 - Clemens K.: Sad it does not make die Heimat proud. Americanized pedestrian at best.
3 - Bodie S.: The pizza is really great and unique here. I say this meaning that instead of slicing them in triangles like your average pizzeria, they cut the slices into rectangles. It's a small difference, not effecting the taste at all, but it's something aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. The inside of the restaurant is extremely nice and has a warm, friendly environment. They serve alcohol, foods other than pizza, and has plenty of space for large groups of people wanting to eat dinner and converse. I've never eaten anything else other than the pizza. It is in a good location on the landing near Nine Irish. They smother the pizza with tons of cheese, so for people who don't like overly cheesy pizza, I would find another business to purchase pizza from.
3 - Jim S.: Bruno's came highly recommended so I tried it along with several business associates. The best part was the service; our waitress (oh...sorry, server) was very attentive and spot-on when it came to service keeping our drink glasses filled.

Two of my dining companions had pizza which is what I wish that I would have had. I had the veal parmigiana. Perhaps it is just because I was expecting "traditional" veal parm. Instead of a breaded piece of flattened meat, this was chunks which were not breaded. The sauce was rather bland, also, although it was covered with lots of cheese which is a plus. It wasn't bad - just not what I was expecting.

The salad was excellent except for the fact that it included raisins which I do not care for. I was able to pick most of them off so no big deal really.

But Bruno's is a bit hard to figure out: It is called "Bruno's Pizza" but they have German food on the menu. 

If I were to go back, I'd try the pizza. Then again, I would probably try something else for Italian food the next time I visit West Lafayette.
3 - Brett P.: In a nutshell, Bruno's is a pretty good pizza place.

-I think Bruno Dough (deep fried pizza dough buttered then sprinkled with cheese) is a bit overrated, but good. 
-Their pizzas are good, but I've had better (Puccini's anyone?) I must say that  do enjoy their deluxe. Also they have some very unique desert pizzas that are worth a try.
-The big salads are very good and go well along with pizza.
-I've had a few of their other dishes from the menu. They were alright.

-Service has always been good at Bruno's, prices are reasonable, and they are very accommodating to large groups. 
-The restaurant is pretty cool inside. There are a lot of TV's around to watch a game on, and tons of really cool sports gear decorates the walls.
-There is a nice bar room and a good selection of local beers. 

Bottom line: Check it out with a group or a club social, and you should try the Bruno dough if you never have.
2 - Alex G.: Not good pizza. Not sure how it has any kind of following for pizza. Dominos is better.
4 - Lindsey D.: My friends and I were in town for a conference and were told that Bruno's had the best pizza in town.  So, a group of us headed over there in multiple cars, hoping to get seated together.  Parking was a little crazy - there are lots of things located in this same area.  We went in and put in our name and estimated group size.  They were really busy, so it took awhile to get seated.  

Everyone eventually made it in and the waitress came over to start taking orders.  She informed us that large groups eating at Bruno's could not receive separate checks.  Say what?  Yes, we had a large group, but we're poor grad students - no one alone could afford to foot the bill for all of us!  After a little bit of coaxing, she said that she would make an exception for us and we said we would go easy on her and tip her well to show our appreciation.  

Apparently, Bruno Dough is their most famous appetizer, so my friend got an order and shared them.  Tasty, indeed.  For the main meal, most people in our group ordered and shared various pizzas.  I, on the other hand, had to order the Texas BBQ sandwich - pizza on a bun!  It was SOOO GOOOOOOODDDD!!!  I would go back again just for that sandwich, lol.

Brunswick Greens Clubhouse & Restaurant - Troy, NY (42.7546857, -73.6170781) ()
4 - M C.: We had my sister's baby shower here at the Brunswick Greens Banquet hall today. I have to commend Kristen and everyone else at  Brunswick Greens for a job well done.  The food was so delicious, the room was beautiful, comfortable and accommodating for all our needs and the staff was so friendly and helpful.  Thank you for helping make my sister's day so special!
5 - Katie J.: We had our wedding at Brunswick Greens. Everything was absolutely beautiful. The staff went above and beyond in making sure every detail was perfect. I highly recommend Brunswick Greens Banquet House!!!
4 - Dom R.: Golf coarse is in great shape always. The coarse is priced right as well. Only problem is the pub is not consistently open. We plan to eat lunch there and when we show up it may be closed that day? Weird. But coarse is awesome. Great place to golf!!!!!

Brunswick Harley Davidson/Buell - Troy, NY (42.7585282, -73.6025052) ()
1 - Roger M.: Very poor service. Unprofessional attitude amongst staff, most of which are related to the  owner. Service work was not completed properly and required a visit to another dealer to  correct . The dealership would not stand behind their work. Avoid this dealer at all costs, they are not honest or honorable.

Brusters's Old Fashioned Ice Cream & Yogurt - Pittsburgh, PA (40.427386, -79.938052) (Greenfield)
4 - Rachelle G.: I was beyond surprised to see Bruster's as we were running errands for the day as I've only seen them in Georgia.  Regardless of the low temps and snow, I asked my cousin to go through drive thru to see if it was really as good as I remembered it to be.  They had roughly 15 flavors available and it was really hard to pick one.  I really wish that their board had a tiny blurb about each flavor if it was a mix or their own combo.  Like I was a bit surprised that my turtle scoop consisted of chocolate instead of vanilla ice cream as its base.  In any case, it was rich and creamy.  The scoop was gigantic.  It's a bit too sweet for my palette now but still, delicious ice cream.
4 - Tatyana K.: Better than Baskin Robins or Coldstone, not quite as awesome as Häagen-Dazs or Maggie Moo's, and is right around the corner from my new place in Pittsburgh. Danger, danger! 

Today I took the ice cream bull by waffle horns and instead of *talking* about how I'm going to get ice cream, actually *got* ice cream. It was a HUGE single scoop (really, it was 2.5, I saw him do it!) of turtle-flavored goodness, overflowing from the tasty waffle cone that fell right into my hands for only $3.50! 

But every fairy tale comes to an end, as is this Bruster's location - they will be closing at the end of August. So you know what that means, right? Better get my share before they do!
4 - Susan D.: Summer's coming to an end girls.  What could be better than a nice walk with your guy to get some ice cream?  Bruster's is just over a mile from our place, so me and the husband took a nice evening stroll over to get some good ol' fashioned chocolate ice cream?  We shared that chocolate ice cream too.  Can't'cha just here them 50s doo-wop tunes playing?

Well, it ain't that I wanted to share.  If I wasn't a type-1 diabetic, I could have packed away that monstorously good ice cream and the waffle cone.  As it was, Rick got the cone!

Bryant's Floors - Silver Spring, MD (38.996359, -76.985513) ()
2 - Jillian M.: His work was OK but I have been trying to get him back for over 6 months to correct problems to no avail. he tells me he is busy and will get to me later. I almost didn't make the final payment until it was corrected. Wish I hadn't He was supposed to do an even bigger job for me which of course, I won;t have him do now. Next stop will be my lawyer. Do not use this guy!!
5 - Nadine S.: Bryant and his team practically worked miracles with our floors.  We got a deal on a house in large part because of its badly worn floors, which were a dirty gray color with obvious trails in high traffic areas.  Brant restored them to an elegance we didn't think possible.  The stains are completely gone, and it is now a lustrous oak that I can't believe we once thought about tearing up and replacing.  He went above and beyond by refinishing an odd-shaped, raised area that we wouldn't have expected him to reach.

I also give Bryant major points for his flexibility- when the closing of our house was continually delayed due to issues with the bank, he graciously rescheduled MULTIPLE times, and then got the job done in exactly the time frame he had promised us.  With a great personality and great workmanship, I would recommend him to anyone.

Brysi - Philadelphia, PA (39.9514904, -75.1902895) (University City)
4 - Tom I.: I've only been here once but I was quite impressed. I shared a bowl of shrimp and corn chowder which was perfectly creamy and just a bit spicy. I also had a ham, brie and spinach panini which was likewise delicious. The ingredients were obviously fresh and of high-quality. The service was super friendly.

The coffee was good but not great and the atmosphere feels a bit cafeteria-ish for the quality of the food.

It's located on the north side of Franklin Field which makes it a bit hard to find but it's definitely worth seeking out.
4 - Holly T.: Work makes me tired, so when lunchtime rolls around, I'm usually more in the mood to sit down for a meal rather than wait at a food truck. Brysi has a great selection of healthy sandwiches with high quality ingredients, as well as salads and smoothies. The people who work there are also very friendly. I haven't really tested this theory, but I get the feeling that you could probably do a fair amount of customization with the sandwiches, especially since some of their special sandwiches are described as "customer creations." One of my favorites is one of those customer creations, the "sticky monkey," which consists of peanut butter, banana, honey, and coconut, a combination of sandwich ingredients that has long been a favorite of mine. I also like the variety of cheeses they use here, as well as the fresh spinach, which is really thick and dense. So far I haven't tried a sandwich that I don't like, though I must say, the one time I tried their breakfast sandwiches, I thought the way they shaped their eggs into patties was a bit strange, texture-wise. I haven't tried their smoothies yet, but I'm sure the time will come. I like that it's a little bit off the beaten path, as it never seems too crowded, and it's sort of relaxing just taking the walk through Penn to get there.
4 - Liz C.: I stopped in once to grab a quick breakfast recently.  The staff seemed fairly knowledgable and let me ask questions as I pondered their large smoothie menu.  After asking the staffer for a recommendation, I got the Peanut Butter Cup (quite the meal beverage for 5.50 ... it was HUGE!)  which consists of:  Skim or Organic Soy Milk blended with natural Peanut Butter, low-fat Vanilla Cream and 40g of Chocolate Whey Protein.  40g of protein is waaaaay too much for a smaller female like me, so the guy agreed to do only half of the normal amount.

i have to say, it was really tasty.  probably horribly high in calories, but that's ok.

the rest of the menu looks good, and I'm looking forward to trying it!  

my only advice to them:  put the approximate calories on the menu.  you're marketing to fitness buffs and we want to know.

Bt Bistro - Princeton, NJ (40.3096592, -74.6655092) ()
4 - Georgianne V.: My husband and I have been meaning to go check out the new Bobby Trigg restaurant on Route 1 as we have heard good things about it. I have to say, we were not disappointed. We really enjoyed the look and feel to the place and the bar menu was both varied and reasonably priced. The huge shrimp were especially well priced and if you are like me, you can make a whole meal from these. They also have a double "happy hour", one early and one late, which is very clever. The staff were very friendly, especially in the bar. I'm not sure I would go here for a regular sit down meal but the bar area was done just the way I like it, comfortable and cozy.
4 - Kathleen S.: We ate here tonight with a restaurant.com coupon.  I got the herb crusted salmon with Mad Hatter # 7 fingerling potatoes and asparagus instead of spinach.  It came with a caper lemon butter sauce but I asked the waitress to put it on the side.  My husband got the NY Strip with fries instead of mashed potatoes and asparagus.  Both were delicious.  

The salmon was cooked to perfection and everything on the plate was delicious.  Thank God I asked for the butter sauce on the side because it would have been over the top rich for me because everything was already bathed in butter.  My husband's steak was also cooked to perfection and delicious.  My only complaint I suppose is creativity-I would have liked something less traditional I suppose-the fingerling potatoes could have used a bit more pizzaz-they just tasted like they were coated in butter (which is delicious nonetheless).  Although in defense of the restaurant, there were some pretty creative sounding dishes-neither one of us ordered them however.  The only other issue was that there was hardly anyone in the restaurant.  Just us and two other people and maybe 5 people at the bar.  Maybe Sunday night is slow for restaurants?  I am not sure.  We opted not to order dessert because we wanted a change of scenery with some more people-the ambiance in the place is beautiful though.

The waitress was also very attentive as was the bus boy.  I would definitely go back again-I would just ask for less butter but I don't think this is a complaint many would have :).

One more note-don't bother with the bread.  Maybe it's different when it is busier but it tasted like it was made much earlier and just reheated-not worth the calories in my opinion.  I had a few bites with a good garlic butter but I would definitely skip it 100% next time.  The meal portions are plenty big enough, leave space.  I am a lighter eater but I will make 3 portions out of my dinner tonight-others might make 2 although my husband ate his whole steak and about 1/3rd of his fries.
2 - Will S.: There are enough other decent restaurants along this stretch of Route 1. Take a pass on this one. I wish we had. Overpriced food, indifferent staff.
3 - Lara D.: The menu wasn't very inspiring, but the specials definitely piqued our interest. I had strawberry bass over a shrimp risotto; delicious! And my husband enjoyed his pork chop and mashed potatoes. Wine list is pricey, but we enjoyed the French cotes du rhone at a very reasonable $28. Our server Ally was super friendly and pleasant. 

I'm giving it 3 stars for the complete lack of ambience. The bar was just off the dining room, and we could totally hear a raucous trivia contest going on. Definitely not a good date place, but could be a good night out with a group.
2 - Kara L.: I am purely rating the bar area. 

My husband and I used to live within two blocks of this place, so when our sparse cable package lacked an NFL game (or NHL for that matter), we'd often try this place out. 

They have some great specials in the bar area and the food has always been decent to great, items landing somewhere inbetween. 

Once or twice we went and had a great bartender/waiter. Three or four times we went and the bartender/waiter/waitress had clearly invited their friends to hang ... and subsequently ignored the paying patrons. 

Other times, the so-called "every game" NFL package would be "impossible to find" or the "TVs were acting up" or the "Waiter didn't know how to operate the remote" or ... so on, so forth. This totally defeats the appeal of an NFL Gameday advertisement. 

I'll give it a 2 (rather than a 1) out of a sadness for what a cool local place this could have been, and - hopefully - the management will wise up before they go under.
4 - elaine s.: I went there for lunch last week and food and service improved so much. We had swordfish with mashed potatoes. Fish was perfectly cooked. Mashed potatoes were good. We also had potato soup that was very good and served hot. Now it feels like Bobby Triggs restaurant. Service was great as well.  Very reasonably priced place in central location with plenty of parking.  I can't say anything about ambience. My main interest in restaurant is great food.  BT asked me to come back after I wrote pretty bad review about this place and he paid for lunch, but this does not buy my loyalty. I live in an area and care about local restaurant that run by very good chef. So I hope to be back soon and will write another review
3 - Dennis U.: We settled on BT Bistro trying to find a place to meet friends from CT. From appearances there is no place in Princeton to eat on a Sunday lunch. Evidently this is an unpopular time to eat in Princeton as all the name places that I could find were open for dinner at 4. 

When we pulled up in front of the place we were very apprehensive. A restaurant in a hotel along Rt 1 .... Give me a break. ... It was a fancy attachment to a Clarion. We walked in at noon on a Sunday and there was no one there. OK ... apprehensions not addressed yet. 

The maitre d was cheerful and personable and our server was enthusiastic but without a lot of experience. Who better to serve us, the very small crowd where we were the only folks there on a Sunday afternoon. 

How much beyond the average is this place.? Tough question. The menu was small,but most choices seemed interesting. We all had a soup. My companions had an excellent portobello bisque and I had a lentil chorizo soup that was quite good. Everybody had a steak salad except for me and I had the special, a london Broil and portabello risotto that was excellent.. The steak salads were good but not beyond the ordinary. 

The wine list is moderately priced and has a few excellent selections. 

In the long run our apprehensions were calmed and it turned out to be a very pleasant experience. Worth a visit if you're in the area.
3 - Digitus M.: .. More awesome noms @ the bar. Tonight, strips of Lox over a spiced butter cracker propped up by a formed tangy cucumber salad ringed with pesto to start. Unique & delish, inventive chicken parm with 3 small stuffed shells, in a sweet & sour pepper sauce. Finished with coffee and a non-huge portion of pecan pie.

The food here is surprisingly awesome for a hotel-attached bar, as is the decor, which is anything but "hotel-neutral". I've yet to regret any of NY choices & had nice things to say about each dish.

Depending on which barkeep you work with, you may or may not get that warm feel that completes a bar & food experience, but there's local nightly entertainment, some quite entertaining since it's "real". Service is generally good, sometimes a bit slow, & the brew menu interesting, varied. Mixed drinks are full, even generous.

Bua Thai Cuisine - Claremont, CA (34.0946201, -117.7199764) ()
4 - Lawrence F.: A great option for thai in this area. The garlic short ribs were pretty tasty, the panang had the right amount of kick, and, according to my bro, the best pad thai he's ever had.
1 - C.J. T.: The worst service I've EVER seen!

I came with a medium-sized group of friends (7 total) for dinner on a weekday night. We got there pretty early and the restaurant was only about 1/3 full when we were seated. I'd hate to know what the place is like when it's full, though, because the service was bad enough with only a few people in the house! An HOUR passed between the time that the waitress took our order and the time that the last entree finally reached our table. And they had plenty of staff around too, so I don't know what their problem was.

The worst part about it was that they brought out each of our plates one at a time over a very long span. Who does that??? Two of us received our food within 10 minutes, while the others had to wait up to 50 minutes longer! Those of us who were served first had to choose between letting our food go cold or being rude to the others by starting without them. One of my friends had ordered the Tofu Pad Thai - something that should only really take a few minutes - and 45 minutes later the waitress came out to inform her that they were out of tofu. First of all, how could they be out of tofu? That is ridiculous. Secondly, why did it take them 45 minutes to figure that out? I couldn't believe that after all that time they still hadn't even BEGUN making her food!

The food itself was nothing more than mediocre. The flavors were either bland or overbearing, and they were certainly far from authentic Thai. I hate to say it but I've had better Thai food at Mix Bowl! And I wouldn't have to wait an hour for it...

Grr.
1 - Robert P.: I'm going to postpone my review.....the "one star" means just that...no review yet. YELP WILL NOT ALLOW A "NO STAR" OPTION OR A "NO COMMENT YET."

Two of us tried it not too long after it opened....and the service was poor...and they knew it...and apologized. The food was mediocre.

MUCH of this may be attributed to not being ready.

I'll give them about 6 months...then try again.
1 - kiki s.: the service was terrible. the people were so SLOW and rude with attitude. the food came out at various times of the night. first the soup, than the pad thai, than half hour later the rice, and than a half hour after that the meat dish cam eout, and it was COLD... the food tasted very very bland, no flavor. the pad thai tasted like peanut butter. don't waste your money.
4 - Michelle V.: I've been here several times, and I have loved it every time. Recently I had their shrimp sour soup (forgot the name). I thought that the small was going to be too small of a portion, but it wasn't. Only thing that bothered me was the container they put their rice in. Their pad thai is excellent and the panang was perfect.
4 - Mack S.: Nice place, food is ok seriously nothing to go out and herald to the world there but their service is outstanding. I never say or write this, but their waiters and waitress are better than most places. My wife who is a vegetarian, but she will come around soon enough,(only 28 years of being one) was very gleeful at the number of vegetarian selections (which as any man with a wife can tell you makes life that much easier)! Good spot for kids, I dont know why just that my daughter was content there, more than she is in most restaurants, so something about the place (maybe). I had something called a beef sate which was pretty tasty, once again dont call mom just yet,  it was ok not too good but not bad either.  My wife had some tofu/vegetable/sauce concoction which she really liked. Daughter liked the Thai toast of which she ate about 1/32 of. So there it is.
Like Forest said " that's all I have to say about that".
Peace.
oh oh I didnt know that was 1st St. I thought the location was Indian Hill and railroad tracks.I knew I should have gone to one of the Claremont Colleges!!!!
4 - Max M.: This place offers good Thai food, nothing positively spectacular but solid.  Its real strengths are in its service, which is highly attentive and, most of all, price.  This is one of the few restaurants in Claremont that offers a sit-down meal on a student's budget.  It's hard to imagine a better place for a good, moderately priced dinner.
4 - Monica B.: This place is really great for students - the prices are cheap, the food is pretty decent with good-sized portions, and the service is quick and attentive. 

This is definitely NOT the place to come with a giant group. I came here with 20 or so people once for a birthday dinner, and I was fine, but I was also one of the people whose orders came out in a timely fashion. Two of my friends' meals never came out! So come here with a normal sized group, 2 to 6 or maybe 8 people max. 

I recommend the pepper and cashew stir fry with lots of white rice. Delicious. Remember to take out the peppers before you eat!
4 - William S.: My friend and I rolled in pretty late; around 9:40 p.m., to be exact.  In the small town -- specifically the quaint West Village area of Claremont --the restaurants and stores close up shop early.

We had asked if it was ok that we were slipping in 20 minutes before we closed, and they made it known that was alright.  The service was pretty decent, to be honest. It did appear that they might want to close up not too long after their real closing time of 10 p.m., but they were awfully polite about it.

We ordered two dishes to share.  Lately, I've been ordering Pad Woo Sen (stir fried glass noodles, with egg, broccoli, onion, and tomato) with shrimp, and I had a craving for it again.  Sometimes I dab a little soy sauce to bring out the flavor. That's usually how I can distinguish a bland dish from a well-made one.  I took one bite, and it hit the spot in what seemed like a long eating drought for me. (I don't like to go more than 3-4 hours without eating.) 

The next dish was the Drunken Fried Rice (rice, Thai spices, fresh chili, onion, bell pepper, and basil) with soft tofu. Again, no soy sauce needed. It was abundantly flavored, with every ingredient playing it's part to create the perfect symphonic tasting experience.

I liked how clean it looked.  The decor was elegant, with a slight old world Thai-meets-new world American dining. If this restaurant were on Ventura Blvd. or in Beverly Hills, it would look like an expensive restaurant. In fact, it couldn't be further from the truth. Both the Pad Woon Sen and the Drunken Fried Rice clocked in at $7.95 each, with an extra $2.00 charge for shrimp. (If I really wanted to be nit-picky, I would say it's usually only a $1.00 more shrimp, but who's counting pennies when you're fine dining, right?)

We had just got to Bua Thai Cuisine from The Back Abbey for a brew (review forthcoming), so we just settled for water. Thus, the entire bill came out to $19.38, sans the tip.  To me, that is pretty standard fare for Thai food. With the portions being generous, the price seems even better!

If we had more time before closing, I would've tried one of, or both of the following for deserts:  Fried Banana (w/vanilla ice cream) and the Sweet Sticky Rice with Mango.  Both of those desserts are items I usually order after the meal.  They do feature an interesting dessert on thier menu, the Siamese Ruby on Ice. According to the menu, it's specially prepared water chesnuts on ice.  Hmm.  Not sure it's all that appealing, afterall.

I haven't read the other reviews, but the average rating suggests that there was something left to be desired. Por que, I ask?  My review of the place is quite favorable.  The portions were big enough that we had enough to take home.

So let's get this straight. Bua Thai Cuisine had:

-Considerate servers and host
-Great-tasting food
-Generous portions
-Elegant dining decor

Now how could I give this anything less than 4 stars? Nothing outstanding, but definitely an above-average restaurant that I'll would love to go to again when I'm around the area.
4 - Cicada C.: Good food, OK-prices. Service isn't stellar, but the food and atmosphere more than makes up for it. I would probably max my group out at 6 people, because it seems they have a bit of trouble with large tickets.
3 - Seth G.: Decent pretty much sums up the different facets of this restaurant as it applies to the food, prices, and service. The decor is the only thing that is very good. I have eaten three times: twice for lunch and once for dinner. 

I have heard from friends who have gone more often that the food has been inconsistent in the past. Sometimes it was great and other times it was not very good. I didn't notice such a phenomenon. Perhaps, such inconsistencies have been since rectified?

If you are in the Claremont area and have a hankering for Thai, I suggest Bangkok Blue instead.
3 - Suzanne L.: Bua Thai ended up being the second stop of my friends Bachelor Day. He just had some relaxing spa time, and now we were huuuungry.

I really love how this restaurant is decorated! I'm used to Thai restaurants being like Banana Bay or The Boat. If you've been to either one, you knows what I'm talkin about. I like how the natural light from outdoors is used. It compliments the dark decor really well. The staff was really nice, and I guess it's run by one family? The waitress walked over with who I'm guessing is her daughter (she was around 3 years old), and the little girl handed us our menus one by one. So cute! I'm all for child labor. 

One of my friends ordered the coconut creme brulee. It looked awesomely good. I don't eat coconut, but it looked tasty. I had the yellow curry, and the other friend got the red curry. The yellow curry didn't have much depth in flavor. Not saying that it wasn't good, it just could have had more of a punch, I guess. What it lacked in depth tho, it more than made up for in size! It was really big, and had lots and lots of chicken. The chicken was good, and I couldn't even finish it myself. The curries were all about $8 each, which is actually about normal price. It would only be cheaper at a take-out style place. I tasted the red curry, and mine was definitely better.

Located in Claremont Village where there are lots of nice stores to shop at. Bua Thai is a good place for a somewhat light lunch, and it's inexpensive. It's the perfect lunch stop when there's still lots of shopping to do.
3 - Leah H.: The boyfriend and I were done with a cake tasting in Upland, when we decide to visit the new shops in Claremont. It had been at least a few years since we last visited and had a meal there. The new buildings were cool. And the food selection was interesting.
We decided on Bua Thai because it had been a length a time since we both had some Thai.
We started with the fried wontons, which weren't anything special, but it was presented nicely and came out within a few minutes after our orders were taken.
I order the yellow curry with potatoes, carrots and chicken.
The boyfriend had the Thai chicken bar-b-que. And we both shared an order of pineapple fried rice.
The fried rice was served in a pineapple half which was pretty cool, but a bit deceiving.  I felt like I was getting slight ripped-off, since the pineapple half took nearly the whole plate and the rice was in a small mound in it.  It proved to be enough to satisfy the both of us, but we've seen bigger portions for $12.99.
The Thai chicken bar-b-que was a half chicken cut up and marinated nicely, but nothing extraordinary. The yellow curry tasted very well-it had a bit more kick than I am normally used to, and it was really good.
Overall, not disappointed, and our appetites were satisfied. We'd probably go back for their lunch combo plates. The prices were very reasonable.
5 - Bong E.: I guess I gotta say that I know the owner of this place.... he's the brother of my friend that owns Swasdee Thai Cuisine and Original Thai BBQ in CH so he's not only the brother of a friend, I've known him so long he's my friend.

So as I was driving from CH to Claremont and I pulled up to this place, all I could think of was WOW .. I didn't expect to see this mini-shopping center in Claremont.  It's kinda like residential and commercial in one if you know what I mean.  Bua Thai Cuisine is located near the corner of Indian Hill and 1st and I must say I was impressed, this was the first time I've been here and can't believe it took me this long to come by.

The inside is very beautiful ... check out the pics.  They got an A rating which is always a plus.  I came for dinner with a friend so I could give some pics that I took for her.  We shared the Sate BBQ, pad thai and pineapple fried rice a glass of wine and a bottle of Amstel Light.  If you don't like pineapple don't order it but if you do ... try it, I liked it a lot.  Service was great, food was great and they had a beer and wine menu also which is always a plus.  The bill came out to approx $40

http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Ubwb1bPFDMCfILgL2e1Mfw?select=AUJiYBu6VnY-59_Rhz8-Pw

http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Ubwb1bPFDMCfILgL2e1Mfw?select=CUplMNZsrGNfPE7-53ugHw

Come by if you're ever in the area, you'll be pleasantly surprised just like I was.
2 - Luke M.: Quick Overview:

One of the best looking Thai restaurants i've ever been. the Layout is great and wonderful and classy. The location is great near the newer district or section of Claremont Village (westside).  

That's it. That's all the good I can say about the retaurant.

The plus:
+ Great layout. 
+ Great location. Free parking
+ Better restaurants nearby.

The minuses:
+ Overpriced food
+ Bland food
+ Not so many great options for vegetarians. And, if you order vegan style, its worse.
+ Horrible horrible service. Bad service. So slow service and forgetful.
+ Seriously.  Crap service.
+ Better restaurants nearby.

I will also not go back there again after going there twice.  Why 2 stars not 1 star? Because the only thing missing to make it a 1 start is the clean layout and great location. Seriously. What a f**king waste. 

Save yourself some time. Go to a better Thai restaurant. Like Thai T. Or if you are vegan / vegetarian, eat at One World in West Covina or Veggie Era in Upland.
4 - Alex K.: My date and I were walking around the Village area of Claremont trying to find a place to grab some appetizers and drinks before a show at the nearby Laemmle. Settled on Bua because of how inviting it looked (it's a beautiful space), its proximity to the theater (just around the corner), and its apparent popularity (on that Sunday night, it was the busiest restaurant we encountered).

We were seated promptly and our order was taken within minutes. We ordered two appetizers (the spring rolls and wontons), a beer, and a glass of wine.

The good:
1. As many have mentioned, the Bua is a beautiful restaurant. One of the best appointed Thai restaurants I've ever visited, in fact.
2. Service was exceptional. Our server stopped by our table frequently to refill our water and to clear our table of empty plates. The food arrived promptly as was piping hot.
3. The wontons were super tasty.

The slightly-less-than-good:
1. The spring rolls were bland and a tad too greasy.

I'll be returning to Bua to sample their entrees. It's decently priced (the meal set us back $24 before tip), close to the movie theater and ample free parking, and the service, again, was outstanding.
4 - Robert M.: We stopped in on a Monday night after being repelled by a mass of folk at Viva Madrid.  A member of our company who met us after we were told about the hour wait stressed that Viva Madrid isn't so great anyhow.  So we went walking to the west side of Indian Hill, thinking perhaps of stopping in at the hotel or Back Abbey.  Instead we noted the presence and availability of Thai food and decided to give it a go.

We were seated quickly--the restaurant was only about half full or less at about 8:30.  The hostess was cordial, smiling.  The prices were reasonable--the same as a hole-in-the-strip-mall joint I reviewed earlier but with much nicer ambiance and way better papaya salad, which was fresh, bright, crisp, and carried a good kick as ordered.  

Cohort J at the middle of meal announced that he wasn't very impressed, but he was rather tipsy and had a hard time saying so.  Another Thai restaurant, passed away these several years, was his one and only.  Now he walks the empty, crowded streets, gazing with longing at brightly lit Thai restaurants, able to think only of his lost love.  The others never come close.  He did concede, on multiple occasions, that he isn't normally one for mussels, "but those were good mussels." 

But Sooz thought it was good enough to swear off going to her old, the aforementioned, place.  I think everyone else thought it pretty tasty.  

The beef with chili and basil was okay.  The meat was tender and tasty, but the dish should have been ordered spicier.  

The seafood soup (tom yum) had squid (a bit rubbery), crab leg pieces (a sweet, delicious little morsel waiting inside!), chunks of fish, mussels, and lots of straw mushrooms, lemon grass, and a good hot and sour broth.  

The papaya salad came with whole, fresh, tantalizing shrimp, as did the seafood combo platter, which also had mussels, crab leg, mushrooms, etc.  All the seafood tasted fresh and delicious. 

There was a beef pad thai ordered that wasn't stellar.  The noodles had gotten too soft.  The sauce, etc. tasted fine.

I ordered a Singha, Sooz a glass of Fetzer red wine (not a big wine/beer/sake list here folks), Mann a thai iced tea, E a hot jasmine tea, and J water with lemon for his sour puss.  

Total bill came to $79.
2 - V C.: Boa Thai is kinda booky. I was at first delighted to see the Angel Wings as an appetizer. It was nice to finally have that again, as it is not a common item on a Thai menu. The decor is cafe bistro simple, bearing some unfinished construction look with cold concrete floors and exposed ceiling, it goes with the Packing District look of the newer side of Claremont Village. I ordered the Panang curry with beef. Needless the say, the beef was like left over unwanted chuck meat drowning in coconut curry that had just enough kick in spice. The Pad Kee Mao (spicy Thai basil fried noodles) was decent and usual. Dishes are a few dollars over priced, but it's situated in Claremont, so some might call it a bargain. The Thai iced tea was a tinged too sweet, but this drink is already an overwhelming power of sweetness to begin with. All dishes were plated well and service was not bad. The food itself could do better. I would only go back to order take out on the Angel Wings.
3 - Ali P.: Two stars for the food, one more for the location.

Bua Thai did not meet my expectations. It's in a great location in the Claremont Village, near other great restaurants, stores, Casa 425 hotel, and theatres. But their food lacked the flavor I'd expect from Thai cuisine, which is traditionally more bold and aromatic than other Asian cuisines. I had the garlic beef, my friend had garlic chicken, and we also ordered fried wontons as appetizers. We both feeling rather unimpressed, but at least the staff were extremely friendly. 

I'll go back if others want to try it, but I know where to get better Thai food in the area.
3 - Johnny N.: Meh is right.

1.5 stars is for location.  The other 1.5 is for providing sustenance in a presentable way.

The pad thai was the best dish on our table, and while the noodles were alright, there wasn't that *pop* that it usually has.  The chicken was pretty dry.

The beef panang was really dry and tough.  The sauce needed more heat.  Likewise, the beef in the beef salad was really dry and tough as well.  it's like they precooked a batch of beef, then just added it to whatever dish was ordered.

The chicken fried wontons were ok, not bad for a snack.

Service was friendly, and I feel bad that their food isn't so great.
5 - david c.: Sorry to break the negativity trend here, but my sister and I LOVE Bua!! We were randomly driving through Claremont a few weeks ago looking for a place to eat and came across Bua. The decor inside reminded me of a boutique style restaurant in WeHo, only brighter (as in the lighting). Our server was GREAT! She was so nice and very prompt. The food was DELICIOUS!!! We shared the Beef Prik King and the Thai BBQ Chicken. The portions and the price were perfect too! If you are a typical American and expect to overindulge yourself in food when you go out to eat, then this might not be the place for you.
3 - diane l.: i went here recently for lunch with a co-worker.  it is super close to my office, so i have no complaints on location.  the space was clean and a minimalist decor.  had no issues with the service, thought everyone was pleasant and nice.

the lunch special is a good deal.  it's $7 for soup/salad and an entree.  i had the chicken in red curry and it was ok.  the seasoning seemed to have been toned down compared to other thai places i had been.  but i thought it was fine.
2 - christine f.: One star for service and one for location.  Other than that, this place is no good.  The restaurant itself looks really nice both on the outside and on the inside, but other than that...it doesn't have much to offer.  I go to the Claremont Village quite often and the place had always intrigued me.  After eating there, I have absolutely no desire to return.  I was very disappointing.  Definitely not worth the money.

We went with a party of four and decided we'd try a bunch of different dishes since we'd never been there before.  We ordered literally nine different plates and only one was somewhat enjoyable.  The quality of the beef was horrible...dry and tough.  The chicken was pretty sub-par, too.

I'm sorry, Bua Thai...you've lost four customers.
2 - Dave H.: Don't stop in unless you're hopelessly addicted to Thai.

When I saw Bua Thai, I "ooh'ed" appropriately. Bua is chic and spacious, with outdoor seating perfect for dog-owners, or those who want to enjoy the sun. I asked my companion about their cooking, and she hesitated before telling me it was okay. Hunger - and my incessant hankering for Thai - won over the warning.

We both had the lunch special. My soup was warm but unremarkable. From their menu, I chose a specialty dish, the Thai BBQ pork spare ribs ($7.25). They were tender enough, but lacking in the flavor department. The accompanying crazy sweet sauce didn't help much. Thankfully, a hot sauce caddy added the zing I wanted.

We shared a boneless chicken wings appetizer ($7.95) - each wing was stuffed with ground chicken, glass noodles, and mushrooms. Sadly, the wings were nowhere near as good as they sounded. Worse yet, we got them at the same time as our entrees.

My fresh coconut drink was served in a coconut. Cool. It tasted funky. Not cool. Decided not to complain, and for the record, I didn't get sick.

Our food was underwhelming, save for my friend's basil chicken - magnitudes better than everything else.
4 - Bobbi G.: My boyfriend is a HUGE Thai food fan.  He has been eating it for years and he always claims there is no better Thai food than what he has eaten the years he lived in the Bay Area.  Now that we live in So Cal, he finds Thai food places he likes, but still remarks how they just don't compare.  Therefore, you can imagine my surprise when he got super excited after his first taste of Bua Thai Cuisine.

I have to admit, the food is pretty darn good.  I mostly stick to pad thai and their pad thai was DEFINITELY one of the better ones I've ever eaten.  We also had chicken satay (very yummy - although nothing distinctly different from other satays I've had - but the peanut sauce is Great!), the Cashew and Basil dish (the dish my boyfriend had one bite of and was instantly hooked) and the Red Curry Chicken dish (not as spicy as hoped but otherwise pretty good).  

The decor is okay.  It's pretty casual and open, space wise.  There aren't many decorations except for maybe a fake floating lotus in a glass on the table and colored lights twinkling on the outside patio's fence.  It's cute :)

While I will go to this restaurant many more times in the future for the yummy food, the one thing I would not go back specifically for (and I do hope it changes in the future) is the service.  Reeeeally bad service.  Not to say the employees aren't nice.  They definitely are.  They greet you and are very pleasant.  They deliver your food very promptly (and I mean fast! The food is usually at your table 5 mins. after you order it) but then that's it.  They leave you alone until you manage to flag someone down for the check.  No refills, no "how is everything", not even a glance in your direction.  This has happened every single time we've eaten there.  

Other than service, which deserves ZERO stars, I would definitely recommend this place! :)
4 - Sam S.: Oh, Bua you thai so hard! (see what I did there?)
Bua has been one of my favorite thai experiences in southern california. The atmosphere, location, and food are fantastic. You definitely get what you pay for. Prik khing with chicken is done soooo right by me.
I do have a little problem with the service. I don't know if they're smoking some major basil in the kitchen or something, but it usually takes a while for my food to arrive. Granted, it's generally worth the wait but still annoying.
2 - Scott T.: The food was decent (red curry). The service was slow. The price was painful.

Save your time, sanity and cash and just go to Mix Bowl for equivalent food at half the price.
4 - Lisa b.: I really really love this restaurant!  The service is excellent and the food is just wonderful.  I love this place because it is elegant yet not too expensive.  It also has lots of stroller room and nursing room for mommies.  My kids really love this place too.  Plus 21 choices is next door for desert!!!
3 - Kristine G.: Despite the cute decor and mellow atmosphere, the food is mediocre, nothing to write home about.  Service is so-so.  This was my second time at Bua: the first time the service was great (but that was right after the grand opening so I think all the servers were on point and eager to please) ... this past weekend the hostess was a space cadet and our waiter was on his own program.  After flagging him down several times for simple things like refills of our iced teas and extra napkins, we decided we probably won't be back to Bua for a long while.
3 - Casey C.: Not bad for the area... I don't expect especially traditional Asian flavors in the middle of Claremont... It's not bad food, but definately not the traditionally strong flavors of Thai. When they say spicey, it's more like mild... 

So... you feel like Thai but can't make it out of Claremont, give it a try. Like i said, it's not bad, but it's not great. 

Atmosphere and service very nice.
2 - Iris B.: I've had better. The service was awesome and wish i could say the same about the food. Perhaps it was the meal that I ordered, which was a yellow curry dish. The curry was very watery and very bland. It's a hit or miss, Im sure some things are good and others...unfortunately are not.

I love the ambiance of the place. Beautifully decorated and very romantic.
2 - Kiki D.: We had the shrimp panang and the veggie fried rice.the panang was really watered down.it wasn't gross it just lacked the richness.I believe they cut it with half&half because I'm lactose intolerant and I didn't have a happy rest of the evening.the fried rice was a bit too oily and lacked flavor.it wasn't too bad to where I couldn't eat it I've just had better...which is the reason I gave them a 2.plus service wasn't that great
1 - Julie H.: So, I have lived in Claremont for two years and have given this place many many chances because it's so close to my house, but tonight was the last straw.  The food has been really good at times and then really bad on other occasions.  The service is always incredibly slow and it freaks me out that the bus boy who also refills your water wears the same pair of latex gloves all night.  I'm pretty sure he's being protected from germs, but in the mean time, he's spreading them all over the place with his dirty gloves.

So, last time I was there, I went to the restroom before my meal and there was a woman from the kitchen in there as well.  She used the restroom WITH her gloves still on her hands and then proceeded to go back into the kitchen without taking them off or washing her hands.  I tried to tell myself that she would surely change them in the kitchen so I could eat my food in peace.

Tonight, everything was going ok, we ordered the coconut milk soup with vegetables and the Bua Noodles with chicken.  The soup was a little bland, but not bad, HOWEVER, half way through eating my first cup, I fished out a freaking maggot from my soup.  I showed the waitress and she apologized and asked me if I wanted more soup and I declined.  Then, when the bill came, the soup was still on it.  I was shocked!  We actually had to ask them to take it off and then the manager asked me to show him the worm and took the plate into the kitchen.  Ten minutes later, he comes back and says "ok, we decided to take the soup off for you" as if he was doing us some kind of favor.

I will not be eating here again and I hope that the clean up their act before they poison someone.
2 - Anna C.: Decor is nice but the food is sub par at best. I much rather go the the whole in the walls than this place.  I've eaten there twice and both times I found the food overly sweetened and the soup watered down.
2 - Mint T.: I've only tried their tom yum soup with chicken, which was poor quality (mostly watery broth with only a few chunks of odd vegetables (as opposed to traditional Asian veggies).  Maybe their other dishes are better, but skip the soup.
5 - k k.: My new favorite Thai restaurant. And I've eaten at restaurants all over LA.

Yummy.
5 - Franklin M.: We ate here with some friends on the 26DEC09.  The food was very good and tasty, we always order very spicy.  We have been to Phuket Thailand and I must say our Thai food in California is better than thiers.  What's up with that?  There was four adults and one child, four beers and food for a total of $59, what a bargain.  I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for good Thai food and a nice atmosphere.
3 - Sara R.: This is a good place!

I like the area - it's in a cute shopping center, plenty of parking in the structure, and felt safe and cozy.

The restaurant itself is nice, simple..  and not trying too hard to coincide with a fad of Thai food in California.  Not sure if that made sense, but it did in my head..   

We walked in on a Saturday night and it were seated right away.  It was probably around 8pm or so?  It did fill up a bit after though.  The one thing that slightly bothered me was that the fabric placemats were stained.  On both sides.  I don't even know why they'd use placemats at a restaurant, and if they do decide to bring a "down home" vibe to your experience..  they should wash them after each use.  Granted, it was probably just some spilled curry from the chaps before, but it still creates a bit of apprehension.  I should mention, I'm a germ-o-phobe, before I continue. :)  Anyway, the place has an A rating, for what it's worth, so the curry spills probably did not contain e.coli or salmonella.  We're good.

The service is ok, nothing too crazy special, but be sure to enunciate your order, or point at it.  When I repeated mine, she said, "ohhh, the green curry". :)  And the soup/appetizer will arrive after the entrees.. which is an interesting phenomena at most of the "Asian" food places I've happily eaten.  Eaten at, I mean.

We also ordered tom ka kai soup (I think that's how it's spelled), which was da bomb.  It's coconutty but slightly sour (like lemony sour..  you know how you may put lemon in your tea sometimes and it has this neato balance?).. and it's filled with thin, but large, slices of chicken.  So comforting!

My dish was the aforementioned green curry with chicken.  It tasted good, but it was unexciting.  There were very tiny and few pieces of green/red bell peppers, albeit a good amount of chicken and lots of "soup/sauce".  I also tried the yellow curry that my friend got, and liked that sauce way better.  It was more coconutty.  The green curry is supposed to be spicy, right?  Well, it was barely there, and my friend's yellow curry which is supposed to be mild, was spiiiiiseeeeee.  In a good way, but make sure you let them know the spice level during the order placement - as Chef Bua can pull a curve ball on ya. ;-)  My friend's husband got the red curry, and it was also good.

The prices are freaking fantastic, considering we're in 2010, in the outer Los Angeles area, and the economy is tanking so nobody eats out much (or so they say).. and how most other places have increased their menu prices, hoping you didn't notice.  Not Bua. My entree and a share of the soup resulted in $15 (which includes tip).  I think the entree was about $8.. nice!  The portions are perfect, and you get a good amount for the price.

I'd come back again, but I have to say.. I like Sirida's way more. :)

Oh, and Bua is a couple of doors down from 21 Choices.  Indulgement to the max.  That's right.
4 - Susan T.: Beef sate = excellent
Drunken fried rice = excellent and good spice level
Pad Thai = excellent
3 - Albert S.: This will be a somewhat cursory review, because I only stopped in there one night to grab quick meal.

Pros: Very nice decor and layout. The staff was very gracious and attentive. 

Cons: There was something sticky on my placemat when I sat down and I spent the entire time trying to wipe it off my hands.

The green curry I ordered was a bit on the small side, but perhaps I've been spoiled by less-fancy Thai places and their gargantuan portions. It wasn't bad, however. Could have used more vegetables, though.

If I go here again, I'll probably try some of the other dishes.
4 - Cheryl L.: This was a plan B -- we couldn't find a table at The Back Abbey -- and a very good plan B! Modern ambiance, delicious food, nice staff... and not too crowded (although there were plenty of guests). My hot and sour soup hit the spot on a cool winter SoCal evening.
4 - Aaron P.: This place is one of the better Thai restaurants in the area. It's got a nice atmosphere - certainly no hole in the wall. The pad thai, satay, and the Bua fried rice are all really good and the portions are very generous. Parking in the structure is free.
4 - Valerie M.: Used to come here a lot because it had a nice atmosphere and service was always friendly. They greeted you like they knew you here. As for food, my "usual" was the sweet and sour chicken with brown rice. It tasted okay to me in the beginning but eventually grew on me. After that, I haven't tried anything else except for the bbq chicken which was also really good. The vegetables were a bit on the hard side but I still ate them. The entrees came with your choice of soup or salad. I would always get the salad with extra dressing because it had this sweet-mustard taste that I loved! Came out to about $6-7 per plate, so it settled as an overall decent meal that left me satisfied and not too full.
4 - Ivon F.: The best!
4 - Joanna W.: The hubby and I went here last night and were pretty happy with our choice. We've been other Thai places in the IE and this was high ranking. 

To start we had the beed salad, always a favorite of mine. It was tasty and reasonably priced.

I had the Drunken Fried Rice with chicken - this was wonderful. I didn't want the same ol, same ol fried rice and this one hit the spot.  The spices used in this dish are sweet and the mix of onions, bell pepper, chicken, etc were a perfect compliment to the sweet spices. 

My husband had the Garlic & Pepper chicken with brown rice. He really liked it, I ried it and thought it was pretty tasty, but not something I'd ever personally get. No dessert or special drinks.  Just iced tea and Thai iced tea, both good.

Decor definitely nice.  They were very busy and only two servers for 12 tables didn't seem to be cutting it.  We were satisfied and pretty low maintenance, but some of the larger parties seemed to constantly be in need of attention and not quite able to get enough.  I think the servers were really trying hard though. They just needed a third it seemed.
4 - Monica S.: For We-Claremont, it's  the best restaurant deal as far as price, portion, and taste go.

Besides, you can never go wrong with fried bananas (w/ vanilla ice cream + honey)!
5 - Chayanin G.: The best restaurant in Claremont area. Reasonable price compare to the food quality and very nice decoration.
5 - Claudia and Andrew H.: This place was great. we got drunken fried rice, pad see ew, yellow curry, and bua noodles. it was all delicious. great service. they refilled our drinks constantly. it was an amazing meal. The best was the drunken fried rice and the bua noodles. It was amazing. Maybe I havent had as much Thai food as other experts that reviewed this place but it was deeelish.
4 - kim n.: Tasty, tasty, very tasty for under ten dollars!

Went with a party of ten, and everyone's food looked delicious. Inside atmosphere was really nice and the service was great too.

Yellow curry with chicken, potatoes, and carrots with a side of brown rice--- fairly sized, and spiced well, though I wish it had come with more veggies.

The pad thai with tofu was similarly tasty.  A nice sized portion, but was a bit heavy on the sauce side.

Overall it was a nice and quiet lunch experience. I definitely approve.
3 - Diane A.: Booooo-a Thai.

I've been here a few times, never really worth it. Once I ordered the Garlic Pepper Tofu... THEY FORGOT THE TOFU! Another time, my food was really spicy and the waitress never came to give me water... when she finally came to give me water, she poured so much it spilled over my table. 

The food's OK.
3 - Tj B.: My parents took me here during a Thai food phase they were going through. Bua is located in a newly developed shopping center in downtown Claremont. Parking is ample and the décor is pretty fancy. Definitely a place I would bring a girl to. The food was alright, nothing too fancy. I feel that their prices are a little high considering the amount of food you do get. And it's not that the food was tasteless, it's just that I've tasted better. A lot better. From ugly hole in the wall places. They were fairly new when I went so maybe they stepped up their game, but for now Bua, you get three stars. And that's only 'cause you're pretty.
4 - Heather P.: Love the food!!!  Curry is pretty good, but service can be lacking.  Pricing is fair as well :)
4 - Kelly M.: Good place with an inexpensive lunch menu. I wish they offered more choices for the lunch menu or switched them every so often. This is a beautiful restaurant as well!
5 - Katie V.: I love Bua Thai. 

I have NEVER had anything there that I didn't like!  

When a friend and I go our usual order is the chicken pad thai, sauteed bean sprouts with tofu, and yellow curry, all shared between the two of us and it leaves the perfect amount of leftovers for a snack for each of us later.  

Additionally, the garden rolls, as an appetizer, are delicious and perfect to hold you over until your food arrives (which is barely any time at all!). 

The chicken in the pad thai isn't quite as flavorful as it could be, but the dish makes up for it as a whole, in my opinion.
3 - Ailee F.: We stumbled upon this restaurant while searching for a place to eat lunch. 

The interior is very contemporary and nicely decorated, clean, but their menus are kind of worn down and sticky. 

Anyway, my boyfriend ordered pad se ew and i had the beef panang curry. Both were good but I think the curry I had lacked coconut flavors and was a bit too watery. The thai iced tea is a bit watered down too, but I guess it's really because I've been spoiled by super delicious hole in the wall thai restaurants in OC. 

Not a bad find and definitely good for group gatherings as the restaurant itself is chic and quiet.
2 - Whitney M.: Finally Thia food in Claremont! I cam here after reading reviews on yelp and my date was a huge Thia fan. We got there and the atmosphere was nice. Lots of bright colors and yet still cozy.  The service was ok... my date ordered the Lemongrass soup & said if its good, it's the best way to tell if it's a good Thai place. He wasn't impressed.  I didn't see anything that stuck out as far as snow pea so I got the Pad Thai. Soo boring. The amount I got was enough for 3 people and I didn't want the leftovers. My date got pad-sew-ee and it was much better than mine, but then again you can get WAY better sad-sew-ee at MIX BOWL just down Indian Hill. Not impressive at all, go to Sryda on Central instead.
2 - Victoria G.: This place fits in with the area in terms of appearance but the quality of food and service was not up to par. The service and food pretty much go with the prices, which are cheap for what I expected.

An entree there can be around $7-10. 

Ordered a larb gai (minced chicken salad) and they said it could be spicy. When the food came it was presented all fancy shamancy but the taste was off. My dish was not close to even being spicy and in fact it was kind of sweet. Even my Mexican boyfriend who has had Thai/Lao food with me many times, said it was a pretty bad batch of larb. 

I've never sent a dish back before because usually I'm too chicken to tell the waiter, but this time I finally managed to get the courage to say that the larb was not what i ordered and asked for it to be taken away. 

Of course they were not happy about that. They did offer to exchange it for something else or make it more spicy but I just didn't want to wait for another dish since it took them forever just to get the waitress' attention in the first place. After that, they dropped off the check pretty quick to get us out of there. 

Our night out was ruined cuz they couldn't get the food right and then they were jerks about it after. Never going back there.
3 - Eddie C.: I like this place because of the price. Went with a group of friends and we all shared our meals which isn't too big so sharing wasn't that great of an idea for us. The food quality is good but nothing breath taking or memorable. At the end of the meal I was content but not full, satisfied with taste but not taken away. It does the job.
3 - Juliette M.: there better thai places out there
2 - Sheri L.: Let me just start by saying my husband is Thai ... I work in the area so I've been here twice and I think I'm giving up on this place.  First time I ordered the rhad na - it was very Americanized and too sweet for my taste.  Another time my coworker was picking up food there and I was too lazy to walk and get my own lunch so he picked something up for me ... he kept raving about the drunken fried rice ... meh - it was ooookay at best.  Again, very Americanized and wasn't all that ... it's hard to mess up fried rice anyways.  

I always call in the order and pick it up because everyone says the service is verrrry slow.  I don't think I'll be back ... but who knows ... there aren't a lot of Asian places around the village so I might give in sooner or later.
3 - Roberto A.: PRIK KING! RAD PRIK! 
What a mouth FULL! With these types of "foods" I was expecting some heat! First time eating Thai, so bring it on.

Unlike most of the other reviews, the service was real good. Maybe they read the reviews here?! It's a really laid back ambiance, good atmosphere and decor.

It seemed a bit Westernized, maybe the food I ordered? 

- Fried Rice (normal) nothing special.
- Phan Thai - Was very sweet for me, but good.
- Rolls - were good.
- Sate (meat on a stick) was the best thing I had.
- Coconut Soup - really tasty, as I washed it down with Cheng beer.

(They seemed very "reserved" with the amounts of Shrimp they put into food - FYI)
3 - Poupee C.: It was good.  I think it is more "Americanized" though.  I've had really good Thai food, both in the US and Thailand so I can taste the difference.

We came here for lunch with my husband's cousin.  Normally, Claremont is not a hangout for us.. Bua Thai is located in a small town Main Street setting.  Very cute area.  

Service here was a-ok.  They were always filling our ice water so that was a good thing.  Since I drink tons of water when eating Thai food.

We ordered family style and had the following:

Eggplant Salad - Grilled eggplants, minced chicken, shrimp,  tossed with spicy lime dressing. And garnished with tomato slices and cucumbers.  I am sure there was fish sauce in the dressing.  It was very strong and flavorful.

Veggie Phad Thai - You really cannot go wrong with Phad Thai.  It was good, but what was missing was dry red chili.

Stir-Fried eggplant with pork - in black bean sauce, chili, basil

Rad Na - Flat rice noodle, stir fried with broccoli and carrots.  Yum.. Carb overload for sure!

So, I was going to get the Thai Iced Tea, but I didn't.  I wanted to get FroYo at 21 Choices after lunch!  I recommend this yogurt shop to everyone!  It is delish!
4 - Joey D.: Food was good and service was prompt. The decor is definitely nice with outdoor seating. We went there for lunch and ordered some basic traditional dishes: the BBQ chicken and the Chicken Noodle. The food was prepared with your health in mind. The chicken noodle was made with white meat and the BBQ chicken was served with white or brown rice and veggies. Tables and bathroom clean. Good for lunch date. Would come back and recommend it...
3 - Corey P.: My dental classmates and I chose Bua Thai Cuisine as a "Last Supper" kind of thing before one of our really big anatomy exams. It's a nice and clean restaurant with modern Asian inspired themes. 

We had 16 people and they were accommodating in the sense that they got a table together for us. It was a Friday night so it was SUPER BUSY. The service went between bad to terrible. It was partly our fault because we had so many people and people did show up at different times. It was hard to get people to serve us, hard to get things, and hard to figure out who was taking care of us. We couldn't get menus at times, couldn't get silverware, water, you name it.

In terms of food, it all looks and smells wonderful. I went with the safe bet and got beef Pad Thai. Their Drunken Chicken Fried Rice is reallllly popular and looks reallly good. Lots of my classmates ordered that and said it was fantastic. The Pad Thai was colorful and had a good portion. In terms of taste, it tasted good. I quietly and methodically ate my plate without giving it much thought. There was a nice heat to it as well. It definitely didn't taste bad, I could eat this for lunch or something and enjoy myself.

When it came time to pay, they didn't want to split the bill up because there was so many of us. I don't even know how we got out of there, they wanted to put it on 2-4 cards max I believe. It was pretty frustrating, but to be fair, our party was huge.

I don't know if I enjoyed this dining experience. I would probably opt to get the food to go and eat it where I can help myself instead of counting on service that is on and off, particularly when it's busy.
2 - Paul S.: I wish that I would have seen these reviews before I went to Bua Thai Cuisine.  Instead, we went on the lukewarm recommendation of a Claremont resident.  After walking around for a couple of minutes, my better half was STARVING.  So the three of us in our group decided on Bua Thai.  OK, let me say that the ambiance is actually quite nice at Bua Thai.  The interior design is actually pretty awesome.  However, you don't go to a restaurant for the ambiance.  You go for the food.  I went right to the specialties.  I saw BBQ Chicken as a specialty.  I was thinking that this was some Thai twist on BBQ Chicken.  Boy was I wrong.  It was nothing more than half of a rotisserie chicken.  How unoriginal.  Then, the other two in our group ordered sweet and sour chicken and Thai spare ribs.  The sweet and sour chicken was so watery.  The spare ribs were so burnt that you could barely see the meat.  If you can't make sweet and sour chicken, then you don't deserve to be a restaurant geared towards Asian cuisine.  We were all highly disappointed.  The sweet and sour chicken and spare ribs were left uneaten.  I ate the BBQ chicken, but was really expecting a Thai experience instead of an American experience.  We could have made the chicken without going to this restaurant.

All in all, I would avoid this restaurant for anything other than drinks and appetizers.  The entrees are horrible and not deserving of the name "Thai".  The 2 stars are just for the interior design work.
2 - Krysten I.: Bua Thai is located in the village and so it is pretty convenient  if you go to the movies and 21 choices :) However, the selection is pretty limited. The service is slow and even though there are so many waiters/waitresses, water glasses don't get filled very often. The drunken fried rice and pad see ewe are alright, but I don't really like their curries. The Thai Orchid Garden on foothill is a lot better if you want authentic Thai food with a much larger selection.
4 - Henry C.: Barbecue chicken is moist and tender, the service is so so, the Thai ice tea is awesome, they sat us pretty fast even though its crowded.  I will return and try a different dish next time.
3 - Karen M.: Likes: pad thai

Dislikes: curry wasn't very good
3 - Michael G.: there's too many thai restaurants in the general vicinity to just be mediocre and this is why i'm surprised this place is as popular as it is. i've been there once and that was enough. the food wasn't gross or anything but i guess i've just been spoiled by really good thai food. i had fried rice and pad sew ew here and they were just ok. i feel like these are two simpler thai staples that should be really good at any thai restaurant. the rice had an odd texture and the pad sew ew was a tad dry. one thing this restaurant does have going for it is the decor. it has a very modern asian feel to it so it is somewhat enjoyable to eat there even if the food isn't that great.
1 - Khiem B.: My family and I decided to go to Claremont, CA, which is 3 miles away from our home, to check out claremont village restaurants.  We ended at  Bua thai restaurant  to accomodate our kids.  
     The restaurant ambience seemed very pleasant overall.  The decor is very contemporary with some thai accent.  The plastic lotus flower in a water bowl was not appealing at all.   A few wall filled with large lotus murals.  The main dining area seems dark with not enough and misplaced lightings.  Large glass windows make the place look roomy looking out to the outdoor seating area.  The restroom walls are very nice with mosaic glass-filled.  The men's restroom was dirty with tissues all over the floor.
     There were enough servers, runners, and bussers, but they were not well-trained to operate smoothly.  The female servers worn very village- liked(cheap sarongs) instead of more formal traditional thai sarong, which was odd with the restaurant decor.  
     The foods we order came out in time.  The plates that were used to serve food were just to large and the amount of food was so minimal.  We ordered a crispy duck leg ($8), which was very dry and tasteless.  The spare ribs ($7.95) came with 8 pieces with was also dry and no taste.  Chicken pad seuw was the only dish that was tasty.  We also had deep-fried soft-shelled crab and they were old.  The papaya salad was not balanced with the amount sour and sweet, awful !   
     I am sad that there is none great thai food in this part of town or within 15 mile radius.
     I would never recommend this restaurant to anyone.
3 - Jeffrey M.: Had dinner here with the girlfriend before we saw John Legend in concert nearby.. The Back Abbey was packed so we walked around and stumbled on this place.. The food was pretty good, albeit on the pricey side but at least the portions were generous enough to satisfy the both of us with some leftovers to boot.. The decor and ambiance of the place is pretty nice too with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating available.. The thing that bumped this place down from a 4 star to a 2.5/3 was the service.. After we were given our food, we barely saw the server maybe once or twice more that evening.. Mind you, the place wasn't busy enough to merit inconsistent service.. I simply think she forgot about us.. Tsk tsk
4 - drea n.: I love Bua. When I attended one of the Claremonts, it was definitely our go-to Thai place - especially since it was so close. They make pretty much everything vegetarian if necessary and the staff is super friendly. I'm a huge fan of the brown fried rice or the veggie pad thai. The taste was always consistent whenever we went, which was nice. You can call your order ahead of time and then pick it up too. I miss it!
4 - Amanda F.: Foods great!!! Yumm! disappointing that they only have beer and wine... the serive is a bit slow... but overal very good place!
5 - Teresa T.: I like this place everything i have ordered, soups salads, appetizers, entrees all delicious and reasonably price.  I favor the green curry with tofu everytime i go in . i like it, cool decor and affordably priced what more do you want.
4 - Richard L.: Originally fearful of Thai food as I'm not a huge fan of sauces but their after trying their basil chicken and cashew chicken lunch plates I've been rather satisfied. Being in downtown Claremont, the area has a very nice decorum similar to the feeling of the bay area in architectural style. The lunch plate consisted of a soup or salad, which was simple meat and leek in plain broth which I enjoyed followed by a plate of steamed veggies, bowl of brown or white rice and a sauce plate of your main course. I particularly enjoyed how I could just placed just as much of the main course on my rice avoiding too much sauce in every bite since it didn't leak over the separate bowls. Service wasn't too slow as I was able to go there and back in an hour's time for my lunch break (4 mile drive).

I would definitely recommend this place to friends.
4 - Kevin A.: Do not order the curries. The curries are watery and lack flavor. Everything else on the menu is ok. I give the restaurant a 7 out of 10.
5 - Val M.: I visited Bua Thai today and was very pleased with my meal. I tried the lunch special which was my first time ordering it. The wonton soup and the side of seasoned veggies were a great addition to my Panang Curry. The broccoli and carrots were seasoned very well and were cooked just right, still a little crunchy. After a year of being a frequent patron I continue to get great service and good food. Yay for Bua Thai!
3 - Anette F.: Bua Thai Cuisine is great if you're just looking for great food. If so, no need to continue reading. Personally, when going to a restaurant with  such good atmosphere as this, I expect great service. Out of all the times I have gone to Bua, I have only had 1 great experience with my waitress. That is my only complaint. The prices and food are delicious but I wish I could say the same for their beer selection, they hardly have anything. 

The cool thing about being around Bua is that shopping centers, ice cream shop and a movie theater are just a skip away.
5 - Natalie S.: Pad Thai is the best I have ever had. Chicken one is best. Beef is okay and shrimp isn't worth the extra cost. Service is slow, but I would say the food makes up for the service.
5 - Sheila P.: This is some of the best Thai I've had in awhile! I can't wait to bring all my friends back here. I went with 3 other people and we all had something different and everything was delicious! 
The atmosphere is also very calm and mellow.
3 - Kimberly M.: One of the better values in the Claremont Village. Located within walking distance to the movies and the Hip Kitty jazz club, Bua Thai is great place to eat something delicious without having to drive out of town and come back to check out the Claremont Village.

I'm not sure if I'd come here if I had business in Pasadena, Pomona or any of Claremont's neighboring cities. Whenever I want a cheap meal at Claremont, it's always a good choice compared to the pricey but delicious Back Abbey and Casablanca.
3 - Norma J.: I have to say the food was pretty good. Had the pad-see-ew, tom yum kai, and vegetables in oyster sauce. All good. I gave it 3 stars for a few reasons: The tea was a regular tea bag instead of a pot of tea, the glasses were plastic and our soup was served in an actual saucepan not in those cool soup servers like at other Thai places. The servers were nice however it was really busy and they seemed to be overwhelmed. It was rather loud in there. Otherwise good place and a good value.
5 - Alex M.: Just had Bua AGAIN last night and as usual the food and service is great. I read a lot of other yelpers reviews about the servers and yes they do sometimes forget things but I promise you this will not take away from your experience. I'd rather have a busy server vs a rude server.
4 - Joe E.: Pretty good food. For a small place and what looked to be a full staff, they weren't the most attentive hosts. However, the food was good and overall a fairly cheap dinner (with drinks). I recommend trying it!
4 - Justin H.: Stopped here for lunch on a little tour of Claremont Village to scratch a Thai food itch.  And as far as Thai goes, I was pleased but not totally blown away.  Which is by no means a bad thing.

I had the Garlic and Black Pepper chicken while my sister got the Chicken Pad Thai.  Both were good, and the service and place itself were all quite good too.  Not trumpets, angels, and revelations good, but certainly satiating.  And with good portions and reasonable prices, I'd certainly go back again.
3 - Courtney Y.: The food is delicious but in the three or four times I have been here my service has been either bad or mediocre. I would suggest getting their lunch specials (reasonably priced) to-go and avoid the restaurant experience.
4 - Julia N.: Food is generally good (I recommend the phad thai with tofu).  Service is a little slow but you can cut them a little slack . . . they are usually slammed on weekend nights.
4 - Amy B.: Really enjoyed our meal here!  We started out with the Tom Kha (I hope I'm spelling that correctly!) soup; it was delicate and flavorful.  We then had a salmon entree, which was perfectly cooked, as well as a Pad Thai (our go-to dish by which we compare Thai restaurants), which was also well-executed. The atmosphere was cool and the beers were cold - so we were happy!
5 - Vicki M.: Keep in mind my context: poor college student, no intimate knowledge of Thai cooking, and limited to restaurants within walking distance of the Claremont Colleges.

Every time I try something new here, I love it. It's inexpensive, lots of big tables so you can come with all your friends, and next door to fro-yo. MUCH BETTER pad thai than Mix Bowl. I have always been seated and served quickly.

I don't recommend takeout, as they use plastic boxes that do not retain heat well. Other than that, one of my favorite places in the Village.
5 - Ji O.: their drunken fried rice is to die for!!! 
unlike the other thai restaurants... 
their food is clean... not oily!!!! 

their curry and basically everything on the menu is delicious!!! 

nice atmosphere for a nice date with your special someone!!! =)
5 - Nydia A.: This place is bomb.com! I love Thai but most thai restaurants around here are not that nice. Giving it five stars because this place has the location, the modern look,  mood- setting vibe, and the food  is quite scrumptious. For the two of us having an entree and alcoholic beverage each, the bill was less than thirty bucks. 
Tip- try the pad sew yoo and Thai spare ribs.
4 - Christian G.: Amazing food. Decent prices (Entre, rice, appetizer, thai tea all for two $20 ea). Atmosphere is perfect for a date or small group. Service is almost non-existent. Not sure who my waiter/waitress actually was. Ended up taking my bill to the bar but I think if I would of just walked out no one would have noticed.
3 - Tiffy C.: Presentation is good. Food not hot , not spicy enough .
3 - Alakai M.: Place is pretty good, seemed like a great place to take a date or hang out with friends. I am kinda weary (justified or not) of all the restaurants in Claremont. I feel that most of them are just above average because they all know they have a captive audience each weekend night. 

Had the drunken fried rice per the recommendation of some fellow yelpers. Overall it was good, flavorful but not overwhelming and not oily or greasy at all. I think the best thing on the table that night. Had the Thai BBQ chicken which was dry and "deflated" so I would not suggest it. Also had the soup which was pretty good, just not great as it lacked any real zip. Prices were good. Service, meh...


It was a good meal overall, just not enough to impress nor beckon me to revisit.
4 - Jina J.: it's not true..you are bad  Attitude with Bua Thai..
1 - Andrew T.: It is absolutely unfortunate that I can not give this restaurant a negative review.  My family and I decided to have a nice Sunday brunch and Bua Thai was local enough.  To our surprise, this is by far the worst experience that I've had (this type of service and blatant discrimination does not belong in Claremont).  Needless to say, the city, BBB and children's advocacy groups will be hearing about this; it would be within my thoughts to levy a legal action against this establishment if I am certain that it will  remain opened within 3 years time.

Here is what transpired:

We walked in with our 2 toddler children and asked for a table for 4.  We were immediately corrected that it is not for 4 but for 2 (I guess my calculus is off and mind you my wife's manners).  My wife did not catch this but I was walking behind her within earshot and heard what this wonderful, vertically-challenged, and a little-shy-in-the-looks department degenerate had mouthed off.  We were then ushered off to the corner near the kitchen and restrooms and servers pick-up area.  Keep in mind that the entire restaurant was empty.  When we asked for a high chair and to be relocated, this wonderful being then mouthed off in Thai, rolled her eyes and let out a big sigh.  That was the proverbial straw for me.  I promptly took my family across to the Village and had a wonderful Sunday brunch at Alruffo's.  I am certain that this glaring review will not thwart many of you but ask yourself this:  would you pay any amount of money for this kind of service even if the food is cooked by the Royal King of Siam himself?  From the looks of the foregoing reviews, it appears that high raters have never had a chance to go to N. Hollywood and truly experience the sensation of palate-inducement of what is true Thai cuisine and the warmth of the Thai people...heck, 1.5 mile south on Indian Hill would land you a few more Thai restaurants and 10 miles west toward Rowland Heights will get you the likes of Banana Boat and Banana Bay with live entertainment and much friendlier service.  I truly hope for entrepreneurial ventures to succeed in our times of economic decline but I will say that I'll shed no tears that this establishment will be nothing but a statistic in the near future.  Never again!
5 - Christina V.: I am surprised by some of the negative comments on here. The food was so good especially our drunken rice!! I loved the food as well as the atmosphere. I will be going back here in the near future. The prices are very reasonable as well ;)
4 - Stephanie P.: #42 Located in the Claremont Village extension, Bua Thai was always perfect for taking the parents and/or relatives visiting me on campus. It was cheap, but it didn't come off that way. It's been a while since I've last been to Bua Thai, but I surely miss it and the fact that Thai food was so readily available and cheap in SoCal. I've always been here with groups hovering around the 3-5 person range and I've always enjoyed myself. There's plenty of seating and I've only ever had to wait once. Even then, however, the wait was only for about 15 minutes. 

Their food is delicious, though I'd venture to say their menu isn't extensive enough. I always order one of their curries with white rice and it never fails to hit the spot. Their lemon grass soup is also pretty decent. I do appreciate the fact that their entrees aren't nearly as greasy as Mix Bowl, but that's why I never choose Bua Thai for my hangover meals. =) All in all, if you're in the area, Bua Thai is definitely a choice.
4 - Sandy C.: The food is awesome but the service is lacking a bit...
3 - Lazelle T.: I stopped by for lunch, I got Chicken Panang Curry with chicken it comes with salad or wonton soup & white or brown rice. I went with soup and brown rice. The service was mediocre they didnt ask if If like anything to drink or if I wanted white or brown rice. I had them change the rice since they assumed it was white I wanted. I know "What a bitch" lol shut up. Back to flavor! I was in love with the won ton soup I was silently estatic to find a spot that serves chicken (instead of pork) wontons! The broth didnt need pepper or soy sauce it was perfectly seasoned and light with large bokchoy. I put emphasis on it being large bokchoy because it was chopped much leafier & looks significantly different from baby bokchoy. As for the curry it could use a little more curry kick! I felt like they took the soup from the coconut milk soup and poured it over chicken and peppers. It was tasty but not amazing. Lunch also comes with broccoli & carrots standard veggies. I recommend Bua for lunch Id love to come back and try there Pineapple Fried Rice & Soft Shell Crab... Until then you get 3 Stars.
4 - Shan S.: We went there about 45 minutes before closing on a Friday night.  I was surprised to see it so empty.  However, it looked pretty, smelled great and the menu looked appealing.  Service was quick and friendly.  Stuffed mushrooms with peanut sauce?  Yum!  Crispy duck with orange sauce?  OMG.  Took me back to a happy childhood memory.
Kind of odd that both items were served with sides of broccoli and carrots.  A little variety would have been nice, but the broccoli and carrots were well cooked.  I felt a little rushed when we were asked if we'd want anything else *right after* the food was served because the kitchen was closing.  Overall, though, it was good food and a pleasant experience.
3 - Martin W.: I just can't put my finger on what this place is doing wrong that would push them just over the "good" to "delicious." They seem to care, I love their soups and appreciate that they serve them over a flame, I like their curries, but there's a missing je-ne-sais-quoi that's preventing me from giving it more than 3 stars. Definitely a solid choice for Claremont college students to take their visiting families, as there is almost always room. 

One notable thing that peeves me about this place is that they won't put duck in the curry, even though they serve duck.
4 - Rachel L.: Pretty good Thai food, especially anywhere near the IE.  Reasonably priced.  Good ambiance. Clean and comfortable.  If you like the outside and to people watch, there is a nice patio where you can eat.
4 - Leslie E.: On a hot day i was surprised how slow this place was, and i was pleased at how dark, cool (air conditioned) and spacious it was inside.  The decor is pretty and clean.  The servers were very attentive but not talkative at all.  I didn't read this as unfriendly, more that they were just trying to remain unobtrusive.

I ordered the Pad Woon Sen.  It was made almost perfectly.  It had a very good balance of flavors without being at all heavy, greasy, overcooked or bitter (the complaints i have had with the dish at some other thai places).  I ordered it with tofu and the amount of tofu as well as the overall dish size were very generous for around $9.  The only complaint i have was that i specifically asked for EXTRA spicy and what i was served was medium spicy at best, however as they are in a fairly trendy downtown location (right next to a raw food organic grocery and a pilates center) i can only assume that they have Americanized their spiciness levels accordingly.  I had to add A LOT of chili paste and powder, which was slightly annoying, but not a deal breaker for a really quite pleasing dish over all.  

My father ordered some garlic BBQ ribs...I can't remember if they were on the main menu or a special.  What he received was a little bit smaller than my dish but it was amazing!  VERY tender small pieces of pork ribs with a delectable, complex, sweet (but not too sweet) BBQ garlic sauce on a bed of shredded cabbage and a side of perfectly cooked white rice.  The portion was a little small, the meat was a little fatty, but they were AMAZING.  Slightly crisped meat on the outside, melt in your mouth under the surface.
3 - Kay D.: Thai food may be my favorite cuisine, and while this place does an alright job, it just isn't that good relative to most other Thai places to which I have been.  In fact, I might even call it mediocre.

I came here for lunch with my sister, and ordered a lunch special with chicken panang curry.  This included wonton soup, which was fairly terrible.  The soup literally tasted like water, and they don't provide any hot sauces for you to add flavor.  Sad.  The curry arrived, and following in the tradition of mediocre Thai restaurants, their panang curry is actually just red curry.  I still like red curry, but it's not what I wanted.  In addition, their curries are super watery, as though they didn't cook them long enough.  The flavor was decent, though it could have used more spice.  Most Thai restaurants ask you how spicy you want your dish; they don't do that here.

The service was friendly, and the ambiance was nice.  Previously I had their pad thai for takeout, and that was actually good...maybe they just have curry problems.
4 - Omie V.: Pad thai, rad nar, bbq ribs and satay! All very deelish! Customer service top notch! U will not be dissapointed.
3 - Cat B.: Went here with the BF the other night. Dinner for $28, great price. 

Got seated next to a screaming baby, which wasn't the restaurants fault, but it definitely didn't add to the atmosphere. 

I ordered Phad Thai with pork+beef, and a side of sticky rice, the BF ordered Drunken Fried Rice with pork+beef+shrimp. 

We were waited on fairly quick, received our drinks, and our orders were taken. 

Our entrees came out lightening fast, minus the sticky rice. The portions here are quite large, plenty to take home for leftovers.

The Phad Thai was good, nothing outrageously mind blowing, just good. Slightly sweet, chewy noodles, absolutely no spice, (kind of disappointing. They give you little bowls of Thai chilies and such, but I wish it would've been cooked with them instead.) and plenty of pieces of meat (all overcooked, but I guess that's standard.) Served in a large dish, I had plenty to take home with me.

The BF loved his Drunken Fried Rice. It wasn't greasy, and had a lot of flavor and slight heat. And again, a large portion. I preferred his dish over mine.

We weren't really checked on at all after our entrees came out... and then the bill. They had still charged us for the sticky rice that we never got. So I kindly told our waitress, she acted surprised and double checked our table (as if I was going to lie about something that f'cking stupid.) Didn't apologize, just took our bill and went to make the changes.

It was a Tuesday night, and they still managed to mess up, and have lack of customer service, and when there WAS service, it wasn't GOOD. 

There are plenty of Thai restaurants around to try, so I probably wont be returning anytime soon.
4 - William P.: After catching a movie at the theater a block away, we were hungry, and our restaurant of first choice had a pretty long line to get in, so we wandered over by the parking lot and found this place.

We liked the decor, and the food was very good.  We ordered beef drunken fried rice, and honey duck, along with an appetizer.  Each dish was very tasty in different ways.  

I look forward to eating here again!
4 - Laura D.: Great value for the food :) Amazing Pad Thai
4 - Candace V.: Pricing, in terms of Claremont generally, is very good. I loved my glass noodle salad. I'm also a fan of places having tea other than earl grey available. I haven't had a disappointing dish yet.
4 - Tori G.: Bua has solidly tasty food at good prices.  I can't count the number of times I went here for college birthday bashes. They're generally conscientious about making dishes vegetarian (most things include fish sauce, but they'll always make it without if you ask).  They'll also make Thai iced tea with coconut milk instead of condensed milk for the vegan and lactose-intolerant members of your party.

Their curries are great and their drunken fried rice is AMAZING.

However, DO NOT come here if you're a big party and tight on time.  Despite having been open for a couple of years now, they still haven't figured out how to coordinate the timing of multiple entrees (with a large group the lag was once as bad as 20 minutes).  If you're a group that's happy to share/eat off of each other's plates all will be well.  But definitely avoid the instinct to wait to eat until others have been served.  If you do try to do the traditionally polite thing you may end up with a very hungry belly and a plate of room-temperature food.
1 - Jonathan C.: Our friends took us to Bua Thai restaurant yesterday (Aug. 24) before seeing "Sarah's Key" the movie.  I was impressed when we walked in. Clean, spacious and felt the restaurant had good vibes. We ordered the lunch special, located at the very back page of the menu. Everything went down, soon as my food arrived. I ordered the beef cury in red sauce- beef was super dry. It came with white rice-  rice was rancid... in fact, it was the first thing I smelled when my food arrived at the table (which is a cardinal sin to serve bad rice, especially, rancid rice, if you are an "Asian restaurant"... no excuses !). I told the waiter the rice is rancid and after 5 mins. she came back with a fluffy, white fresh cooked steam rice (I'm sure, she can smell it herself while she carried my plate back to the kitchen). Besides the beef in red curry sauce, the dish came with side steam vegetables. Awful, the steam broccoli and carrots looked like they came from the Von's refrigerated frozen section. They were all steams to death and the colors of the vegetables were all faded and gone!  We ordered the deep fried shrimp in eggrol wrap and the shrimp were so small and the egg wrapper were wound too many times around the shrimp. It came with a small soup (Wonton soup). The broth was  tasty , but the Wontons were under cooked and you can still taste the raw Wonton wrapper- yikes !  Now I know why the decor of this restaurant was way high and the food quality going the opposite way... it is to compensate what is lacking in their food.  I've heard there's no Thai restaurant in Claremont (only some along Foothill Blvd.).  Bua Thai in my own personal opinion, has lost a golden opportunity here by serving bad food.  Sorry, Bua Thai... I'm not coming back. The food is mediocre!
3 - Monica C.: The food here was good but the price was too expensive compared to other Thai restaurants I had been to. The quality of the food was good but the quantity wasn't that much. Also, the one thing that caught me off guard was their pineapple fried rice! It was fancy in terms of food decor because instead of a bowl, it was a pineapple but it was way too expensive ($15 from what I remember) and there wasn't even that much rice.
3 - michael p.: Food is ok. Id rather go to pomona and eat Thai. The place is clean. White ppl friendly.
2 - Les S.: My friend and I came here last weekend only because the Thai restaurant in Pomona had a long wait and we needed some real food in between all the sugar loaded desserts we were eating that day.

I knew exactly what I was getting into when I walked into this place.  Judging from the clean, modern decor, I knew it wasn't going to be anything like the Thai places in LA.  I don't know what it is about Thai restaurants but the good ones usually tend to look run down and a bit grimy, with a health code of B.  

I ordered the beef salad and my friend ordered some duck dish (I think honey duck).  I'm really weary of Thai places that don't even ask me how spicy I want my food.  Jut as I expected it wasn't spicy at all.  My salad just wasn't balanced in flavor.  All I can really taste was the salt and mint.  They could've used little more sugar and lime juice to balance it out but it just tasted lopsided.  My friend's honey duck was too sweet for my taste.  The food here is more like Panda Express of Thai food in a fancy restaurant setting. It's definitely edible but is not for hardcore Thai food fanatics.  It doesn't have any repeat factor for me.
4 - Lisa E.: I really enjoyed my lunch here. Nice atmosphere, good food and great prices. I will eat here again.
1 - April T.: Service was nonexistant.  They were nice enough when seating us, and accommodated our request for a patio seat so we could tie our dog down on the outside of the gate, but that's where the customer service ended.  We were NEVER checked on.  Never.  Not once.  And that was so disappointing since we haven't had the ability to eat a meal out in about 3 months and we were really looking forward to it.  Our food came out (after a very long wait!!), and it wad admittedly tasty.  We liked the Pad Thai, crispy duck was just okay, Thai tea was yummy.  We were soooooooooooooo thirsty though and since she never came back to check on us, we didn't receive any refills our waters/drinks.  We had some of the hot chilis and I had to resort to sucking on a frikkin ice cube.  We also needed some extra napkins but never received any.  The waitress came back with our check and left - once we put down the cash she immediately came back outside to pick it up.  How rude!  I said next time maybe we should pull out some cash and dangle them in the air to get some attention/refills.  Not coming back.  Hubby felt so inclined to only give $1 tip, and we never do that.
3 - Min A.: Great atmosphere---upscale decor look--but at very affordable prices. They give pretty generous portions as well. Try there chilli and mint, bbq and curries. Pad thai was too sweet and thai ice coffee was not good.the food is consistantly good---nothing different but good presentation.
4 - Madeline W.: I think the food is better at Srida, but obviously the ambiance is better here. You pay much more for the ambiance I guess. Also I really wish Bua had a liquor license. They could do so much if their mocktails were cocktails.
5 - Madge A.: Beef Satay with Peanut Sauce= AMAZING! Chicken Pad Thai is super tasty. The owners there a great and friendly. Their take-out service is quick.
5 - Rach E. P.: YUM!
3 - Ann T.: Food is very good, but service is quote slow. We had a group of 20 (that was expected, with reservations place a month previously). There was only one waitress for the entire restaurant. My friend ordered a beer and it took a full half hour for her to get it... even after she went up to the bar and asked for it.
Food, as I have said, is quite tasty and the price is good, so if you don't mind waiting, this is the place for you.
4 - Sirinya M.: I've gone to Bua Thai Cuisine many times over the past year on food tastings for my wedding rehearsal dinner and some of the dishes there are pretty good. We especially liked the Chicken Satay; the Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao); the ginger stir-fry; the tofu and bean sprouts stir-fry; and the soups. The decor is gorgeous. They were very flexible with us when we made plans to come in with a large party. (We wisely pre-ordered.) This was yet again an example of a business that doesn't do electronic communication (which is my preferred method of dealing with vendors), so luckily my mother-in-law was the contact person.
3 - K L.: The theme of the restaurant was very nice.  This place is great for dining in with friends and has outdoor seating.  As for the food,  I only had the BBQ chicken and the Phad see Ew.  Some of the chicken was a little too dry for my taste but the seasoning that was used kind of made it better and as for their stir fried Phad see ew, the noodles were delicious, but again the beef that was in it was also a tad too dry.  Overall this place a nice place to maybe take a date too or dine out with friends as its a fairly a quite area.
3 - Tara M.: We are still trying new places in town and this was an experiment laden with mixed results. We started out with the Chicken Satay, it was pretty standard, the peanut sauce was good, and the pickled veg was a decent relish. My boyfriend and ordered the Wonton soup, I as a starter and him as his meal. We were not impressed on this dish, the veg was fresh, but it lacked flavor all together. I ordered the Phad Kee Mao, it was great, the flavors were awesome, the noodles were perfect. We will probably try this place again, but I think we will skip the soup.
3 - Sue K.: maybe i was too tired to really taste much...or maybe i was worried about my final papers to really know what was going on...

Tofu Green curry, beef pad seew(the wider flat noodles), pineapple fried rice. 

Green Curry: i like this better than red because it is a bit sweeter and milder. We got tofu and it was just right (for me..i forgot to ask my bf about how he felt about this...haha). It is a little on the creamy and less spicy side but i asked for medium. i will remember to ask for spicy next time we go...(if we go).

pad seew (?): was flavorful but salty. the meat was chewy and stringy...but i like the crunchy-ness of the vegetables...

pineapple fried rice. OK, so the presentation of this dish was impressive - it came in a real pineapple..i took a picture and posted it...it was pretty. flavor? ehhh...it was alright. i think i've had better thai...

ambience is ok...it was pretty slow and quiet - granted it was sunday night. grabbed a quick bite before studying at the library til the cows come home. it would have been a better experience if we had come on a less stressful night...i will give this place another try soon..and update the review.
3 - Matthew T.: Hard 3. The curries here are pretty dec (especially panang and green). A mediocre pad thai. Terrible chicken satay. The staff was nice and accommodating. Overall, I would go again if I were craving Thai food.
3 - Robert K.: I love the atmosphere however the food was not as good as other local Thai restaurants.  We tried several dishes to give it a fair comparison.  I think we have been to about 10+ Thai restaurants from LA to San Diego.
3 - Pooja B.: Came here with a friend that said he knew the owner and the food was pretty good. I enjoy downtown claremont and didn't mind giving this place a try. The service here isn't that great and they are kind of stingy with the food an extra cost for rice I thought rice was usually standard. I guess because it was brown rice it makes a difference so there's another $2 added. I had the panang which wasn't that great I have had better. I probably wouldn't mind giving it another try but I wasn't that impressed. Overall not that bad.
2 - Jimberly W.: Not bad, but not great.  Consider it Thai-lite - pretty dulled down and westernized - far from authentic. Reasonably priced and nice sized portions. The food itself just doesn't stand out. Disclaimer: having spent time in Thailand I might be a bit biased.
5 - Jasper T.: Amazing everything, fantastic staff, delicious food, authentic and pristine decor. Absolutely excellent.
2 - Rosemary M.: Mediocre food, nice atmosphere, but extremely overpriced. I wouldn't be mad if you took me here on a date, but $12 is too much for me to pay for take-out curry. WTF is with charging extra for rice???
4 - Daniel C.: Pineapple fried rice served inside a pineapple which I had never seen before and thought was absolutely brilliant. BUT I have had better pineapple fried rice.

Also ordered Pad Se Ew and it was probably the best I have had in a long time

It was my birthday and the server was so cute, she had an ice cream scoop with a candle hidden behind the check for me. 

I would go back if I was craving Thai and in the area.
3 - Marix B.: Valentine family dinner! For Valentine's day we were seated quickly..:)
 I don't know how couples on a date feel about all the heart stickers on the walls and foil heart balloons all over, but ambiance worked well for my family. I ordered thai BBQ pork spareribs that was tender...meat slips off from rib. Pad-see-ew was just ok...can't beat Sanamluangs. Chicken wonton soup, I thought, lacked flavor. I liked their beef satay and hubby thought garlic pork chop was tough. Mango sticky rice was yummy! Service was good and they gave my daughter a heart balloon when we left...I thought that was sweet!
4 - Ralph D.: forget everything else,  GET THE BEEF SATAY !!  it is amazing, excellent, delicious, incredible, every good adjective.  If you are in the neighborhood, especially up on the top of the parking structure, there is an amazing aroma in the air and it comes from this beef satay.   its the best !!
4 - Anita C.: Came here with a couple friends on a pretty tight budget.  They both went for the Pad See Ew but I got the Pad Thai because I was being really indecisive.  I wish I would've tried the Pad See Ew! Both of them said it was good.

My Pad Thai was pretty good but a little bland, I felt.  Still, it was a really good price.  I also got a very large portion that will probably last me another meal, so this place is a really great value!

Also, I really like the atmosphere.  It's modern but also interesting, and the servers are very nice and attentive.
1 - Phuong T.: Horrible customer service! Never, ever, again!! Waitresses are extremely rude, and food was terribly bland. The only reason we ended up eating here was because there was too long of a wait at the Back Abbey :(
5 - Dave And Elaine N.: I've eaten here several times over the past 5 years, and it never fails, every time I do, I ask myself why I haven't been back sooner!  Food is really fresh and very reasonable.
2 - Mariah W.: WONT BE BACK. - I've never written a review on yelp... but the only reason why I'm writing this review is because of how ridiculous my experience was with Bua Thai tonight. 

1. We waited 20 minutes to be seated.  (No biggie! didn't mind the wait:) )
2.  We were seated in a weird corner/ deserted back hallway of the restaurant next to the bathrooms and employee closet.  so random.
3. We had to ask them to find us two table's that were the same height so our party could have a level eating surface to eat off of.  Didn't think it was a big deal, more common sense... but the waiter acted extremely annoyed.  We (all girls in heels) had to lift the tables ourselves and move them.   (OK at this point, the night was still good! )
4. We wanted to give our waitress a head's-up so we told her we would need a few separate checks, but apparently they don't do that?  (in the end they finally took it but at the moment the waitress was obviously not happy and it showed)
5.  The waitress came to take our order, and was impatient and rude to my friend on  her birthday!  All she wanted to know was about a specific item on the menu.
6. The waitress took our drink and food orders, (Which weren't all right)
7. After we had waited a half an hour they brought out my food, but no one else's food.  I wanted to eat with everyone else, so of course I waited.  Everyone else's food came out in increments of 20 minutes.  By the time we all had our food at the SAME TIME, we were famished:( 
8. During the time that we waited for all the food to arrive, we had to get up from the table multiple times (literally 4 times)  to ask for refills on our water!  It was as if the waitress, and waiters completely forgot we were there? ha ha we were honestly laughing because the service was SO bad!
9.  Upside, the food was good!  I will say I've had better, but it was good:)

Overall, the service was terrible, it took about 2 hours for a meal that could have taken half that time.  The amount of the time wasn't even that big of a deal, I just can't get over how rude the waiters and waitresses were.  The front host even told my friend to "Shush" as she was politely trying to explain to him the different cards we were paying on for the check.  I'm not a picky person, and me and my friends are laid back.... but I've never experienced service like this before. It's really too bad, because the food was good, but I will definitely not be going back.
5 - Pasin T.: My personal opinion is that nothing can compare to the Bua Thai cuisine,best Thai food I've had.Padthai,Drunken fried rice,or curry is full of flavor and alway tastes.The waiter or waitress are really nice.Attractive and accommodating
5 - Grayson S.: Loved the food and service was very quick. Fried rice is my favorite Thai food, and this place did it great! Service was great; my water never got empty.
4 - Katherine C.: #19. I ordered the Chicken Pad Thai lunch special the last time I was here.  Their lunch specials are available if you come in during the weekdays between 11am and 3pm, and includes rice, veggies, and your choice of soup/salad.  It's a lot for me, so I always end up with enough for another meal.  The Pad Thai wasn't super oily and still tasted pretty good.  I also got to try the Green and Yellow Curry, both of which were delicious.  The spiciness wasn't too much for my taste buds, which is often a problem when I eat curry!

You can always expect to be seated immediately if you're party isn't huge.  The service, however, can be slow at times.  But the servers are really attentive when it comes to refilling your glass.  Props to the water people.
2 - Molly F.: I think this is probably the most overrated restaurant in Claremont.  As a student at the colleges, my friends and i tend to come here for any special occasion, and I've been repeatedly disappointed.  I've tried many dishes including: phad thai, green curry, phad see ew, chicken satay, spring rolls, eggplant stir fry, and a salad (can't remember which) and have been disappointed every time.  The servers are consistently flippant and it is slightly overpriced.  You'll get a decent meal but there are better places like sanamluang or family thai that are close enough.
4 - Catherine W.: The food is excellent, my favorite is the eggplant stirfry with pork, but the only reason I put it at 4 stars, is that it's really expensive for dinner--in my opinion! I think you can get equally good or better Thai food elsewhere for cheaper! But the service is great, it's clean, fancy, a great place to take family and visiting people!
4 - Corinne D.: Bua isn't the highest quality thai food, but it's good. It's really conveniently located to the Claremont Colleges, so I go here a lot. I like basically all the noodles. They have good thai iced tea too. Sometimes the service is slow, but they are usually good about filling up water. My friends and I have also ordered large quantities of food for events and they were good for that. The food was great and ready on time. There lunch specials are a good deal too.
5 - Shawn M.: Short and simple..
Great food, cheap prices, great fast service.

Chow Mein, Pad See Ew, and Pad Thai all very good. Drunken Fried Rice is an acquired taste. Will be back for more, and more.
4 - Michael O.: The fried chicken wontons here are the best. Extra stuffed with chicken. I would think one or 2 should be included in the lunch special to replace most of the veggies. The red curry chicken as well was really good, just the right amount of chicken/veggie mix. Overall, I would go there again. Nice atmosphere for a not to crowded downtown area
4 - Abby K.: I've been to a Bua a few times and have never been disappointed. I've tried a few of their curries as well as their pad thai and pad see ew. They're all pretty good, especially compared to the other Thai food places that I've tried in the Claremont area.

I recently wanted to order a large amount of food for a dinner and decided on thai food. They were able to accommodate this. They offer buying each entree in a five person serving or a ten person serving and then serve it to you in a large tray that you can pick up. They charge you the full amount for that many servings, but I found that the amount is good for more people than they suggest it would be.
4 - Elder Z.: I take back my former claim that their fried rice is just ok.  That Drunken Rice is STELLAR.  The place is still too warm for my liking though. I was there last night and   thanks to that spicy rice I broke into a sweat.  AC Bua, AC.
3 - Paula N.: Good news: Great ambiance, perfect for a date and night out..ordered a flat rice noodle dish (shame on me for forgetting the name) which I inhaled. It was that delicious! 

If you like spicy food like me, make sure to get the condiment tray with chiles, peppers, and such, to add to your meal. I do want to note that I was underwhelmed by the less than stellar service. Bad night, perhaps? It took us forever to order . Oh well. At least the Thai tea was good..
5 - Heath C.: Good food, good price, large portions and friendly service.  Ordered Thai BBQ chicken, Beef Phad Thai, Drunken Fried Rice with Chicken, coke and a watermelon punch.  The food came out fast and hot and tasted great.  My wife and I were stuffed and took half of it home.  Cost 33 before tip.  If it's a nice day, sit outside.
3 - Andrea L.: great deco. not so great food :p
5 - Myk R.: This place is awesome!! I'm a big fan of soup an I ordered the chicken vegetable soup and the vege's were fresh and not soggy or soft. And the short ribs were crunchy but amazing. My italian buddy thought they were tough but it might be a cultural thing. Must try this place out. Can't wait to go back.
5 - Amy S.: Great food! I loved their cashew chicken. Their portions are really large, and easy to share. Very nice people as well.
4 - Jaime T.: I know that there are superior Thai restaurants out there... Somewhere. I am still in the process of discovering them. Bua Thai so far has been one the best tasting of all the Thai restaurants I have been to in the 3 years that I've discovered Thai Food. The Drunken Noodles were were very good. The Green curry was amazing! We ordered two Beef Satay with extra Peanut Sauce because it was to die for! My favorite of it all, was the Tom Ka Soup! Wow! Bua didn't get five stars across the board because the service was dismal! I got the feeling the waitress was a bit impatient and frustrated dealing with a large group... maybe have TWO waitresses next time?  Everyone was served and ate in increments. You don't come to a restaurant with your family to do that. The place however was very clean and well decorated.
5 - Sean V.: The pad Thai is by far the best I have ever had.
4 - Nancy T.: Not the best thai I've had but not bad either. For such a cute area I really thought this pace would be a lot pricier. It's average. I got the Bua Noodles. It was okay. I did see other people ordering pineapple fried rice, although I didn't taste it, I thought it was cute that they served it in a pineapple. I will definitely be back because they offer crispy noodles!!!!
2 - Melissa F.: So I went here on a date and my first impression of the place was that it looks really nice and sets up the ambience on a date type of scenario. 

However, what killed the rating for this place was the food. I wasn't blown away by it nor was it flavorful. The portions were small and the prices were on the higher side. I've been to other Thai restaurants that have low letter ratings by the city but the food was WAYYY better than this place.

The only redeeming factor about this place is the service is on point. The server was at our table constantly which could have gotten annoying but it wasn't too bad. 

If you're looking to impress someone on a date, I would go here for the atmosphere but if they're a foodie like me, I would pass on this place all together.
4 - Christopher J.: I've always passed by this place and wondered if it was any good.. Glad I finally got to try it this past weekend for my friends bday dinner.

I ordered the pork chop with a side of rice.  Pork chop took awhile to come out but it was worth the wait.  It was grilled nicely, juicy and tasted good.  The portion is enough for one, just make sure you order a side of rice.

All the food our group ordered looked really good too.  I'll be back again.
5 - Anthony G.: My wife and I were looking for a Thai restaurant around the area to get take-out from. There were plenty of Thai joints around us to choose. We were both extremely pleased with our decision to try this place. 

This place didn't have a website so we had to go by reviews. We ordered the Bua noodles and BBQ ribs. I have never seen noodles like this from any Thai restaurant before. I would describe it as spaghetti-like without the tomato sauce and added Thai spices and basil. It was spicy and very delicious. I would definitely order it again.

And the ribs, they were surprisingly tender and flavorful. Most Thai restaurants I've been to have okay ribs and sort of rely on their sauce to pick up the slack. These ribs here holds its own. The dinner portion came with only 4 pieces, but that was enough. And they have it as a lunch special as well where you get two pieces, rice and salad. I can't wait to get that.

Bub O'Malley's - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9151907, -79.0539526) ()
4 - Brett C.: For that college black-out drunkness move.

Dammit Bubs how much do I love thee?  Immediately when you walk up the two stories of stairs that quickly become periless after an hour at this bar you know that the hike must be worth it.  A mere stone's throw from great franklin street this bar has everything you need to black out and meet young college girls.

The music and crowd basically depend on the night although they both lean a little towards fratty.  The games are unlimited as they have pool, shuffleboard, ping pong and the likes.

So strap on your drinking boots, get here a little early and start hitting the cheap booze.  After an hour the place will look slightly less dirty and far more crowded.  Highly recommended for the college experience.
4 - Henry S.: Bub's has died down over the past 3 or 4 years. It used to be a popular venue on Tuesday nights for 80's night, but now, even then Bub's is leaning more towards dead than alive. 

The old dive bar keeps on kicking though, and Bub's is still in business. I come here every so often to play ping pong, beer pong, or foosball. They have great drink specials every night, and the staff is always efficient and appreciative. Maybe if Bub's got a face lift, more people would start coming, and it would return to it's days of glory.
3 - William J.: Bub's is another welcome addition to the Chapel Hill dive bar scene, though not as lovely as we might hope.  What we're looking at here has half the seediness of Hell and one fourth the fun.

Bub's (until recently) was a solely beer joint, with a full hundred beers available for all your blackout needs.  Now they tell me that they're going to start serving hard liquor also, which some purists decry and I celebrate.  It's about time, you know?

The popularity of this place has lessened of late, so you're almost always assured of a place at the bar without too many strangers jostling you, if that's a concern.  On the other hand, it can feel kind of lonely.  Drink specials are mediocre most of the time, but occasionally you'll find something good.  Thursdays for karaoke are the best time to show up.
3 - Christina G.: Ah man, Bub's. It's great (though almost a little surprising) that this place is still in business. I used to climb these stairs for karaoke. And then I came for pool and shuffleboard. The jukebox has always been a staple ("Sweeeet. Car-o-line. Dunh. Dunh. Dunnh!"). Used to be beer-only, but it's evolving just as much of Chapel Hill is. It's a dirty, sticky, dive kind of place (you'd have to pay me at least a million dollars in small bills or in designer dresses to get me to lick the floor), but it's friendly and never too crowded.
3 - Adrienne E.: When I was a student my Tuesday nights were usually reserved for Coffee Shop (in the winter) or He's Not (in the summer), so I've only visited Bub's a couple of times. However, I did have several friends that I could never seem to drag away from 80's Night Tuesdays and Karaoke Thursdays at Bub's. I never really understood the fuss - sure they've got some entertaining activities (pool, shuffleboard, foosball, etc.) but the layout always made it seem much more crowded than it was. Since it's apparently lost some popularity in recent years, that might no longer be a problem. The place is also filthy and the floors are always sticky - it seems like it should be a basement bar, but instead it's on the third floor. They do have some specials, but it's still nothing compared to the deals that some other similar bars offer.
4 - Brad G.: Many nights have I spent in this run-down, sweaty, beer-only bar, singing along to the most beloved 80s tunes and downing a plethora of beers along the way. The friendly feel, loads of games, and attractions like karaoke and 80s night brought me and my friends to Bub's along with many Chapel Hill revelers. We enjoyed the good drink specials and wide variety of beers available, and found ourselves there at least one night a week.

Now, though, Bub's has become a bit of an afterthought to the Franklin Street scene, possibly befitting its location behind many of Chapel Hill's longstanding and burgeoning hotspots. The good news is that you probably won't have trouble finding a seat, and you'll still get the variety of beers at good prices (and liquor, from what I hear). It's still a great place to hang with a couple of friends and unwind over a beer, and maybe the addition of a full bar will help to bring a little life back to this Chapel Hill old-timer.
4 - Ryan A.: Didn't get to spend much time here, but wish I had. If you like the sticky dive bars, you're SO at home here. They seemed to have every bar game possible and the fact that membership (Idiot NC Legislators) was only $1 was pretty awesome. The staff was super friendly and the beer selection was good. Next time I'm back in Chapel Hill, I'm definitely spending some time here
5 - Kellye M.: Bub O'Malley's is entertaining as hell on Thursday nights.  You walk up some dingy stairs in a building next to a dingy parking lot and you walk into a dingy place.  A dingy place that will be some of the best entertainment you can have.  The bartenders are amazing, super nice and entertaining.  The karaoke DJ is fantastic.  The best is when the DJ and the bartender sing, you're sure to be amused :) (And impressed!!)

You get to embarrass yourself in front of many people and watch them embarrass themselves as well.  The singing is fun because the whole bar gets into it.  You can sign up for the 100 beer club and start working on your card.  Play darts or pool? They have that too! Hah, whatever you like to drink, Bub's has it, beer? liquor? Water? Ok only bottled water... but still, they have a good drink selection for beer drinkers for sure. 

They now also have geektastic trivia on Tuesday nights! You should all come out and try it! It's fantastic and will put your geeky knowledge to the test!

Bub's is a ton of fun on Thursday nights for the karaoke and on other nights for just a nice chill bar.  I recommend that you try it out and see if it's your kind of place.
4 - Samantha E.: Chapel Hill's dive bar which not many students frequent. Don't expect to find a fancy or clean place, this is a dive bar through and through. That being said, it still has a great atmosphere and some fun things you can't find in other area bars (billiards, shuffleboard, etc.)
4 - John L.: Bub O'Malley's is a college bar, in that it has things like shuffleboard, karaoke, apparently trivia, pool, a jukebox, etc.  All that stuff is here for good ol' fashioned fun.  

Bub O'Malley's also has a surprisingly excellent beer selection:  multiple types of Sam Adams and other good beers, as well as a decent tap selection make it a surprisingly interesting place to grab a good beer.  

There are downsides:  it's a $10 minimum to use a card, so have cash or use the fee-loving ATM in the bar.    Otherwise, it's a nice place to grab a drink, especially when it's on the quiet side.
4 - Brent L.: I will preface this by saying I was here on a Wednesday night in the summer with no college kids, so my opinion would probably change if I were to visit while college was in and there were a lot of students.  That said, this is a really cool dive bar with a surprisingly great beer selection.  Several NC beers on draft and a good mix of bottles too.  Prices are good too, got a Lonerider Sweet Josie for $3.75.

If I lived in Chapel Hill/Carrboro this is the kind of place I'd like to hang out at more often.  Also, as far as I could tell there's no restrictions on the use of credit cards.  My tab was under $10 and I was allowed to use a card. There's a whole bunch of signs hanging up about how they take credit cards now too.

Definitely a cool spot, but I'd be a little more hesitant when all the UNC kids are running around.

Bub's BBQ - Sunderland, MA (42.430087, -72.542486) ()
4 - Arik C.: There's little in Western Mass for good  BBQ but I have been a fan of Bub's for a long time.  Their tangy sauce is one of their reasons for success.  Great ribs, brisket and pulled pork.  The best part is you can have all you can eat sides!  Collard greens, mashed sweet potatoes, fries, beans, spicy rice, baked beans, soup and bread.  No one leaves this place hungry or without a smile on their face.  A roll of paper towels at every table lets you know that you are going to get down and dirty to enjoy your meal.  Buy their sauce to take home, its well worth it.
4 - Leanne H.: If you're ever craving BBQ or just looking for a hearty meal while traveling along Route 91 in Mass., this is the place to stop.  It's about 5 miles off the highway.  Low prices and a family friendly atmosphere, serves the greatest BBQ around.  If you actually have some room left or just enough for a bite of dessert, definitely try the deep fried twinkie!
4 - Jordan K.: I don't have to say much more than this:  I think this is the only place in Massachusetts where you can get grilled alligator.
4 - John F.: This place is wonderful. I never had Gator Tails before. And the unlimited hot n' cold bar is brilliant. Not to mention the free jukebox. You really can't go wrong with Bub's!
4 - Q S.: I love this place!!!  It's so yummy and you can get sooo much food with your meal.  It has classic BBQ foods like cole slaw, beans, potato salad...etc.  I love it and it's really affordable.  It's a little out of the way on 116, but it's totally worth it.
4 - amy w.: I love Bub's BBQ - their baby back ribs are wonderful, and the pulled pork isn't bad either.  

Come hungry and with time to spare, with all you can eat sides, free drink refills, free songs on the jukebox, and trivia cards on all the tables, you'll be eating for a while. (www.bubsbbq.com)
4 - Charlie M.: Great barbeque, funky atmosphere, plenty of yummy sides...family friendly and good draughts. Thanks to the folks in Winterpills for telling me about it!
5 - Oh K.: This is the best place in the world.  It's a roadside dive (the clean kind) in Sunderland, a few miles off Route 9 in Hadley.  Order yourself a pulled pork sandwich, load up your plate with free french fries, baked beans, potato salad, bread, grab a free cup of soup, sit down at a picnic table outside, and try not to fill up before they call your name to let you know that your food is ready.  It's all delicious.  You can't go wrong with anything, except maybe the fried chicken sandwich (which I got once, and it was still frozen inside) - but why are you ordering fried chicken here anyway?  
They have great hush puppies, too, but why pay for anything other than your meat when all kinds of all-you-can-eat goodies come for free with everything?  Oh, right, because hush puppies are awesome, and where else will you find them in western mass??
5 - Flying P.: I lived in Sunderland for a year, amidst tobacco farms and Western Mass nothingness, with my only savior being Bub's.  I always left that place with barbeque smeared on my face and hands, nearing food coma, stuffed with one too many free sides (delicious ones too!), pulled pork, and ribs.  And then I slept. 

If you ever find yourself in the Amherst/Hadley/Northhampton area, this little smoky shack on Rt 116 is the barbeque oasis you've been looking for.
5 - brooke m.: Wear elastic-waist pants and enjoy.

Pulled pork for life!
4 - J J.: I've been only once, but I was sold.

The last time I went was in 2004, so it's possible the quality of the food has changed.

Their ribs were delicious, and their sides were equally amazing.  Dirty rice and fries get two thumbs up.

Be careful when you go on a rainy day - it was unpaved and totally muddy when I last visited.
3 - Gavin A.: I've been underwhelmed every time I've eaten at Bub's-- I like really messy, juicy bbq, and Bub's ain't it.
2 - Lai-Yee B.: Bub's is ok for bbq-ish type food. 

They quantities are quite large, but they are just grilled foods, not really bbq. The bar of sides/condiments is really cool though!

It is a nice place to hang out with friends and family, though. Very casual vibe.
5 - Sira D.: I've been down in the deep south for almost four months now, and every time I have barbeque, I think of Bub's with longing. Have I just had bad luck down here? Perhaps. But until I find something to take it's place, Bub's will be my favorite barbeque place in the world.
4 - Peter G.: Bub's is a must-visit if you are in the area. It's not gourmet but it's one of the few authentic BBQ places us yankees have. 

I'm going to start with an anecdote about Bub's: When Bub's only area competition, Holy Smokes, tragically burned down the owners of Bub's ran a fundraiser to help the owners get back on their feet. Now, that's a class act.

Onto the review: The meat itself never blew me away, although it more than holds its own against some of the better BBQ pits in the South. The missing factor seems to be the slow-cooked method that Holy Smokes and so many of the more famous BBQ places have perfected. However, their secret sauce recipe is among one of the best I've tasted and a perfect balance of sweet and spicy.

But what makes this place really shine is the sides bar. Every meal comes with unlimited visits to the sides bar and this is what makes Bub's so great: Because every single one of the sides is AMAZING. In particular, the baked beans and citrus sweet potatoes are PERFECTION.

So grab your choice of meat, load up on some of the best BBQ sides you'll have in your life and enjoy the cozy charm and casual vibe. And with the free sides, free refills, and free jukebox you really ought to stay awhile.
4 - Matt R.: I LOVE Bubs.  The atmosphere is amazing, with the free juke box, paper towels on the table, Trivial Pursuits cards for entertainment, what's not to love?  The BBQ is ok to pretty good, especially for a Yankee place, but the cold bar makes it for me - corn salad, cottage cheese, potato salad, beets, pasta salad, it's all too good.  I could probably just make a meal out of the hot and cold bar, easily.  I'd say pay the extra $ and get some ribs or something similar over the pulled pork, the pulled pork and other sammies just aren't super remarkable but the ribs are very good.    

Get the deep fried Twinkie for desert.  It's worth every calorie.
4 - Mickey M.: Damn good food here..if you're an incoming freshman, bring your fam here on a non-university sponsored weekend..you're more likely to get a seat!
4 - James K.: My buddy and I were out on the bikes today trying to get some riding in while the weather was good. When we got to Conway we both were hungry and he knew of this place, but hadn't tried it. It had come highly recommended.

We arrived just after they opened so we were able to order quickly. The menu is what you would expect for a BBQ joint. We both went with the Baby Back Ribs. With that you got to eat from the hot and cold bars. A bunch of good sides that went right along with the menu. I almost felt like I was at a southern picnic. 

Ribs came up pretty quick. They were not swimming in BBQ which I was pleased with. Just enough on top to be messy, but not need a shower after I was done. There was also a dry rub on the meat. The flavor of the sauce was tangy sweet and good! Overall great meal!

I loved the fact that it had rolls of paper towels right on the tables along with a bottle of hot sauce. Great atmosphere. 

By the time we were done it was noon and the people start rolling in (many of them on motorcycles). It seems to be a destination spot. It will be added as one to my list!
5 - Michelle L.: I miss Bubs. Give me a pitcher of steel rail and some baby back ribs from Bubs and sit me on their outdoor picnic tables as the sun goes down on a warm summer evening and I am a happy camper. Grab some potato salad and bread from the unlimited sides-bar, and maybe an app of alligator tail and you've got it made. It's so good I may just have to engineer a reason to make a stop here the next time I head back to Massachusetts. 

May is apparently National BBQ month, and if I had my way I'd be celebrating here.
4 - Jonathan R.: You always remember your first.

This is the first great BBQ place I went to back in the UMass Amherst day.  I love this place....you have got to try it.  Nothing like the delicious sausages, pulled pork, brisket, pitcher of cold beer and unlimited ridiculous sides.  Only Bubs can cut up a potpourri of assorted vegetables and put them in tub of hot water to create a simple rememberable soup, it's the small details you remember here, whether it be the soup, roll of paper towel on the table or the loaves of french bread resting on the cutting board with a tub of butter.  Did I mention that the tub of butter has a rubber spatula planted inside to spread your butter.  

Seriously , give this place a try when your in the area and hit up the jukebox, you won't be disappointed.
2 - John R.: I've been here a few times and I assure you, it does have quite a following. I don't consider boiling your ribs but of real BBQ. Grilling maybe, but not real BBQ or smoking. Anyway the foods okay, but I've learned to make them myslef and quite frankly, better than others I've tried. But don't get me wrong, it's sort of a cool place, rustic, homey.
1 - Meghan D.: I am giving it a star because of the fact I am amazed it is still in business!  Honestly it is not barbeque.  It is food that sits under a heat lamp and tastes like it belongs in an High School cafeteria.  It is the only "bbq" place in the area, but I highly recommend you look yonder if a BBQ craving hits.
2 - Joanne G.: I love BBQ - and what I love about this place is the Bar-B-Que sign more than the actual BBQ - so sad.

I wanted to love it, seriously.  I mean, it had all these awards all over the walls (along with Red Sox stuff) but I don't know who came and ate there.  It was nothing special.  One of the good things they did have was unlimited sides - both hot and cold but the collard greens tasted like they used clam sauce in it (uhhhh what's THAT all about) and the spicy rice wasn't so spicy.

I contemplated the deep-fried twinkie but after trying to swallow down the dry spare ribs - and the extra salty kilbasa - I wasn't in the mood to stay around.
1 - Michael L.: I have been here 3 times so I feel I have sampled enough of their food to review it.Why I returned here twice I will never know.I've had the keilbasa,chicken.pulled pork and babybacks.They all taste the same because of the disgusting sauce the 2 twenty year old cooks smear on it.The sides are also bad,especially the totally waterlogged potato salad and coleslaw.The bread was very stale.I was here on a Friday night at 530 and the place had only 3 other customers.The cashier puts like 2 icecubes in your soda glass so by the time you fill it they have already melted!Bubs is bogus and I think they got good reviews from some because it's one of the only eateries around.I wish I went to the Subway down the street!
4 - Meghan B.: More than I enjoy the food from Bub's, I enjoy the idea of Bub's.

I love the free sides and always leave full.  I love most of the decorations and general atmosphere inside.  I've always had great service.

The food is reasonably priced, and good (but not amazing).  It is also one of the only restaurants in the immediate area, which helps.
2 - Heather F.: Bub's came highly recommended to me by several friends.  A few others gave me an uninterested shrug when I mentioned I was going.  Afterward I figured out that those who had been elsewhere for BBQ had not been a fan, and those who had only been to Bub's for BBQ had loved it.  

My pulled pork sandwich was OK, my husband's BBQ spare ribs were OK, and the sides were OK.  I felt rather let down when the cottage cheese was my favorite side.  

So if you are a BBQ virgin and your expectations are low, Bub's might be the place to try.  But if you are a BBQ slut like myself, and have gotten some all over the US, you'll be disappointed.  It definitely isn't worth a bikini wax...
2 - Rue B.: The sides here are very good and everything else sucks and is bland, tough, and overpriced, because western Mass is not Georgia, and restaurant owners don't have to try with BBQ.  And people will like them anyway.  Seriously, BBQ joints - stop messing around and actually smoke your meat!  The end.
1 - Steve S.: This place has low quality "BBQ". I ordered a platter of ribs and brisket that was removed from a fridge. The brisket was pre sliced and they heated it up in a wire strainer dipped in sauce on a stove top. My ribs came out of the fridge looking days old and they heated it over a direct flame on a stove top burner. People must like the unlimited yet mediocre sides but what kind of place reheats old food and then serves it to you?! Seriously skip this place, unless for some reason you enjoy paying $20 for low quality, reheated food via boiling in sauce. 

The place does have cheap local beer on tap and the staff was really nice.
4 - Trina T.: This place gets four stars just for feeding me - I came in here, the lone vegan in an enormous group, and left stuffed and packing leftovers. At a BBQ place!

It's true, I've definitely had much better veggie burgers, but I really just appreciated that they had one. And it's not like it was gross or anything. 

However, the sides were delicious. The girl taking orders was nice enough to ask me if I was veg and point out what was cooked with pork or chicken broth or whatever. The seasoning on the fries is addictive, the pasta and cucumber salads are fresh and delicious, etc.

Maybe it's because they're a bunch of inexperienced college kids, but none of the ten or so people I came with had any complaints about their BBQ meat selections. They were all licking their fingers in happy food comas.

The atmosphere is great. We loved sitting outside and taking advantage of the mini-golf (haha) and basketball hoop. Inside the place is really fun, with lots of awards, vintage pics/menus and articles to read on the walls. Bub's is a good time!
4 - J S.: The food is good, the service is fast, and they sell beer by the pitcher.  Love it.  Hint:  do not fill up on the unlimited sides first, or you will never finish your baby back ribs and pulled pork platter.  I've only been here on Saturday nights, and when this place gets crowded, it's a little difficult to maneuver through the line to get to the sides.  But then again, if it's busy, I guess that's a testament to the food.
5 - Doug P.: After watching a "Best Food" Barbecue edition last night I decided to plan the day today to take my girlfriend to Bub's and the nearby Yankee Candle Village. It is a little bit of  drive for us but was well worth it! Bub's BBQ is a great hometown restaurant. 

We walked in and were greeted by a girl at the register and she was very friendly and explained to us how things worked there. I got the baby back ribs and my girlfriend got the beef brisket sandwich. I found myself trying to get every piece of meat of of each rib bone because it was so delicious! The sides of hickory smoked potatoes, collard greens, and coleslaw went perfect with them. The fresh local BBC Steel Rail went great with the food. The brisket was pretty tasty too. Will definitely be going back soon even though it is out of the way!
5 - Mike H.: BBQ places in New England seem to have the most polarizing reviews of any restaurants here.  People either seem to love them or complain that it is the worst food-like product every served.  The latter usually come off as BBQ elitist complaining that the only place you can get BBQ is some shack on a  dirty road in Georgia or some other obscure place.  These people remind me of those people at a concert yelling for the band to play a lousy B-Side to show off they know the bands deepest cuts.

That being said, Bub's is not the best bbq I've had by far, and it could be debatable whether the food is "real" cue or not (my ribs did not have a smoke ring and the membrane seemed to still be on).  However, the meals I've had were very delicious.  Baby backs were meaty, sauce was good and the pulled pork was great.  If you really see yourself as a bbq snob, get the T-Bone steak ($14.95) or the fried gator tail which a friend told me was great.

The sides are what this place really is about though.  All you can eat and included with all meals: Dirty Rice, Smokey Potatoes, very good fries, collards they were all excellent and they haven't changed a bit in 8 years, I'm not sure how people can have a problem with these.  Prices are very good.  They also have a cold bar with pasta salads etc. though I never have room for it.  Babyback ribs with sides was $14.95.  Unheard of for a BBQ joint.  You can get a pulled pork sandwich with sides for like $8-$9.  They had wine for $1.75 (who cares if it is good at that price?!).  Plus, since it is self serve you don't even need to tip and still get the comfort of booths and the delightful kitsch environment.  Staff has always been very friendly and accommodating.

I'd recommend taking these and all bbq reviews with a grain of salt and give it a shot yourself, I'd be surprised if you are disappointed and make sure to save room for that deep fried Twinkie.
3 - Joshua B.: This is my second review of Bub's and this time, it was me and my wife, there on Friday night at about 8:45 pm. It was slow as in not many people there. A beautiful night so we sat outside and had the tent to ourselves. Again, the sides were great. But the smoked potatoes were the only item of our meal that were truly smoked. Baked beans, dirty rice, collard greens--all great!

We shared the spare ribs/pulled pork combo. Both were really sauced up. The ribs were very meaty and the meat was tender. Unfortunately, not even a hint of smoke flavor and no smoke ring. Good sauce though. :-/

Both the unsweetened tea and the sweet tea seemed watered down. We tossed both for other fountain drinks.

The sides are great but Bub's needs to find its pride and slow smoke the meat.
4 - Lone T.: I was feeling real adventurous one day, and I tried the fried alligator tail tips. Not bad, but the thought of me eating an alligator perhaps kept me from really enjoying them. Onto the good stuff - while I can say I've had better sandwiches at other BBQ joints around the country, the sandwiches there are decent. The brisket meat could be a bit more tender. But their sides truly are delicious. The atmosphere is perfect, vintage, dark, and rustic. The service is always great, with friendly staff on hand. Overall, great food, especially considering the price. You get a sandwich, hot and cold buffet for around $7..which is why I keep going back whenever I'm in town!
5 - Laura H.: How can anyone give this place less than 5 stars????  Yes it is a bit gritty, but there is something so comforting about great BBQ (sauce is just the right mix of bit and sweetness), including all kinds of yummy sides.  The collard greens were amazing, without any of the bitterness you would expect.  I am a french fries sceptic, usually passing them up as not worth the calories, but the Bub's fries are warm, crisp, just delicious.  And the prices are very reasonable.  The BF ordered a brisket sandwich, I ordered a 1/4 chicken (more than enough with all the sides) and two beverages, coming to about $20.  You can hardly do that at fast food these days.  

Will no doubt return again and again.
3 - Bryan K.: For the amount of local and national press this place has gotten over the years it was kind of a let down.   I had their bbq chicken pulled pork and ribs, but after watching the cooks grill them I realized the pork and ribs were pre-cooked and reheated on the grill. The chicken was boiled then grill like wise to the ribs & pork.  Not that fresh...the sides were all decent. To my surprise I did like the soup! But I do feel this place is a bit over rated from what everyone has been saying, also I've noticed that every time I leave; I'm full however not satisfied with the meal.
5 - Rob F.: Why is it that things are never as good as you remember them to be from years ago. What happens? Do you build up the memories to be something better than the actual experience... better than anything could ever be? Is it how one hangs on to youthful nostalgia, the sentimentality of which must be preserved by not allowing the present to overshadow the treasured past? Are memories real or are they dreams that are only based on experiences from the past? Are you ever going to talk about the frickin' restaurant?

I first visited Bub's sometime in 1982 while on tour with a traveling rock band who were to play The Rusty Nail in Sunderland. They were a handful, and my job was to keep them on stage at night and out of jail by day. The band leader - no stranger to the road life and apparently no stranger to Bub's - actually got up before it was dark out, pounded on my motel door, and demanded that we all jump in the van and go to Bub's. In those days, if any of those guys got up before dark, they were seriously motivated. Such serious motivation was strictly reserved for acquisition or consumption of drugs, alcohol, and young girls and various combinations or permutations of the three. I was not looking forward to meeting Bub.

As I remember it, we rolled up to a corrugated tin shack in the middle of the woods. It had no windows, no sign, and smoke was billowing out of a vent in the roof. There was a door on each end of this long narrow building. I was afraid.

We walked in, and were met with an intoxicating waft of hickory smoke. There was a long row of serving tables and cauldrons stretching the length of the building. You grabbed a plate and a fork, walked through the room and pointed at what you wanted and it was tossed on to your plate. When you got to the end of the building, you pulled a beer from an icy washtub, you paid cash, and you went out the door and sat at a picnic table.

I don't remember what I had. All that I do remember, beyond the previously related tale of how I came to be there, and my dim recollection of the structure, is that for the last 28 years, whenever someone would talk about this barbecue joint or that one, I'd get this strange feeling. I'd say "Bub's," and then my mind would just drift away. I did know, somehow, that whatever I had there that day had been great.

"Bub's?," they'd say.

"Yeah," I 'd answer, "it was some shack out in the middle of the woods in western Massachusetts.

"Never heard of it."

"I dunno, it's probably not there any more. Man. It was awesome."

Sometimes, I'd think I must have dreamed it up. All I could really remember was how good it was. in a shack. in the woods.

Flash forward, 28 years... driving down Route 9 in Hadley with my newly-relocated-to-out-there GF, and as I cross Route 116 I see a sign pointing north. "Bub's Barbecue - 4 miles." Huh? What? No way! I realize that we are actually near Sunderland... it must be the place. We careen up the road, my mouth watering. I had the pulled pork sandwich that day. Went back this past Sunday and had the brisket sandwich.

I'm here to tell you that sometimes you CAN go home. Sometimes, things ARE as good as you remembered. In fact, some times, they're better.

For less than $10 you can get a pulled pork or brisket sandwich with a bottomless cup of soda, and the "hot and cold buffet." For a few more bucks you can get a slab of ribs. Pulled pork - excellent. Brisket - awesome. Buffet - unbelievably great: french fries, hickory smoked roast potatoes, sweet potatoes, collard greens, barbecued beans, dirty rice, roast chicken and vegetable soup, Cole slaw, potato salad, pasta salad, pickled beets, corn salad, and I forget what else... The french fries, dirty rice, collard greens and smoked potatoes are particularly noteworthy. I don't want to give Bub any ideas, but a sandwich with one side and Cole slaw would be a pretty good deal anywhere.

I don't know if there ever really was a windowless tin shack.

I don't know if Route 116 used to be out in the woods.

Seems the young folks out here never heard of a place called "The Rusty Nail."

And I still don't know what I ate that day some 28 years ago.

But, I do know that whatever it was, wherever it was, however it was all those years ago, what I had at Bub's the day before yesterday did not let me and my memories down at all.

When does that happen in real life? Really.

I guess I'll have to go back again soon to make sure Bub's is really there. I might as well have the ribs while I'm checking.
4 - Derek W.: It's a very cheap, homey, and tasty barbecue place. To all those on this page who have claimed that only those who don't know real bbq will like Bub's, I say this: 5th place in a nationwide bbq sauce contest. The pulled pork is good, not excellent, but good. The brisket, on the other hand, is excellent. Perfectly delicious. And most of the unlimited sides from the hot and cold bar are extremely good, as well. Overall, it's just a nice, homey, no-fuss place to eat with good food and friendly people.
5 - Jeremy N.: The best BBQ food. When u go there u can smell the ribs. One of the best ribs I ever had. I have been here several times and I always get the baby back ribs. And the side are great two. Cause you can eat a lot
5 - Holly S.: I basically drove from Boston to Amherst for Bub's the other day. I mean, sure, if you want to get technical, I may have been riding in the backseat of my mom's car so we could wish my sister a Happy Birthday in person out at UMass. Maybe there were other errands involved other than eating at Bub's. And yeah, maybe I was the only one in the party who knew we would eat at Bub's.

But I knew. And it all started weeks before the trip out to western Mass. when I planted the idea of going to Bub's in my sister's head. I said it was delicious and "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" -worthy. That way, halfway during our drive, it was no surprise to me at all when she called to check on our ETA and requested a lunch visit to Bub's. And before you knew it, I had inceptioned my sister on her birthday and there I was, eating at Bub's, all the way from Boston. 

Great success.
5 - Helen M. T.: We went to Bub's on the 23rd of April, and although it was crowded, you will put up with crowds for Bub's BBQ.
My youngest son and husband always get the the ribs.  Bub's sauce is outstanding!  My oldest, ordered a hamburger; no bun or anything on it, and they gave him 2 burgers to make up for that!  The burgers are handmade and cooked to perfection.  My mom had a pulled pork sandwich; always good.  I had the t-bone steak.  This is the second time I've ordered it, and I think it will be my 'go to" order at Bub's.  The steak is perfectly cooked, tender and juicy.
Bub's also has all you can eat sides.  The orange mashed sweet potatoes are incredible; as is the dilled potato salad, the collard greens and the hickory smoked potatoes.  There are at least 6 other sides that I can't think of that he always has available.  This is good southern cooking in New England.  
Be prepared for crowds if you go during the college school year; Bub's is a favorite for college students since it is good all-you-can-eat food and cheap.
5 - John C.: I go to Bubs frequently, it is good value and worth going for the sides alone. I have been to about 5 bbq places in the region and Bubs is my favorite.
5 - Peter J.: The BBQ isn't the world's best but the overall experience: a ramshackle building, fantastic ( unlimited and often locally sourced) all-you-can-eat sides, solid BBQ and cheap beer make for a top-notch experience.

A must whenever I head back out west.
2 - Jim J.: There are several reasons that I eat at Bub's now and then. Sadly the BBQ isn't one of them. 
Here are a few: 
1. The sides. All you can eat, local sourcing, and solid if not remarkable.
2. The joint: Outside in the summer, cozy in the winter Bub's is a nice place to hang.
3. I live 10 minutes away

That said, the BBQ is really mediocre. People who love it here have never been to KC, and if you didn't know better, I can see how you might think it's decent. But if you've had it done properly, this is a pretty poor substitute. It is the best BBQ I've had in the Pioneer Valley, but it's pretty much the ONLY BBQ in the Pioneer Valley.
4 - Emily C.: I haven't been back for a while and I heard they just sold the place so I hope nothing goes downhill. It's not the best BBQ I've ever had but it's certainly not the worst. I always go for the BBQ chicken which is super yummy. I love the unlimited sides. I've been to a few places where they give you a little tiny cup of side (which is delicious) but if the food is delicious I want to stuff my face. I'll be honest, I've never had true Southern BBQ but as a WMass native and a Northerner this place works for me. It certainly does not disappoint. And heck, maybe someday I'll try the alligator.
5 - Gregory P.: I live in the North Shore of MA but yet I've been to this place probably 15 times in the last 10 years. It's absolutely phenominal. I love it's character and its baby-back ribs are top-notch. I honestly don't think there are better ribs anywhere else in the whole state of Massachusetts (and yes, I've been to Fireflies, Redbones, Blue Ribbon, etc.). 

The "hot and cold bar" is awesome and you'll leave stuffed. Just make sure to visit on a nice day so you can eat outside. 

Cannot recommend this place enough.
3 - Ben O.: OK ribs, not my favorite. What really makes this place strive is the sides. you get unlimited sides which was fantastic to get a little of everything and a lot of the things that I really liked.
4 - Tom W.: Some of the best BBQ I have had in New England yet.  After visiting the south for a football game I was surprised to come back and still enjoy what they make here.  The meat is always cooked perfectly and hard to argue with the unlimited sides they offer.  Perfect place to go if you happen to be up in the area
5 - Brad C.: Great bbq. If you are anywhere near Bub's, you have to stop in for some grub. They can be busy at times and seating inside can be limited. The hot/cold sides buffet is good. Definitely recommend the dirty rice and beans!
1 - Mike D.: Unless I was here on a day they were really really off, I don't get any of the praise for this place. I like to think I know a thing or two about barbecue - I have eaten alot of cue in the south and in Texas, and I smoke my own meat. Whatever Bub's serves is not barbecue in the traditional sense. I was bracing myself for a bad experience once I got out of the car - I did not see or smell any smoke. It turned out that my expectations were correct.

I ordered the baby backs and the pulled pork. The ribs looked like no other ribs I've ever had. The ribs did have the normal dark color that one would expect from a dry rub and being smoked low and slow. The ribs were a greyish tan color, and looked like they were boiled. They also still had the membrane on the bottom. Cutting into the slab, there was absolutely no smoke ring to be found. All the meat was a greyish color. The ribs were tender, but they lacked that smoke flavor that good cue should have. The sauce was good, but it just seemed there to hide the lack of flavor in the meat.

The pulled pork was about the same. No smoke flavor, and it was again covered up by the sauce.

The sides did not impress either. The collards, while tender, still had stems. The baked beans tasted alot like Bush's in a can. The hickory smoked potatoes were pretty good, and did have a smoke flavor, but given the rest of the food, I assume liquid smoke was used.

The bottom line is that if you are looking for real barbecue, you will not find it here. If you want some ribs and pulled pork that pretty much what you could make at home in a crock pot, then this is your place.
4 - M E.: Could this place ever compete in Texas? No.  Is it the best place to grab BBQ in the area? Yes!
Some reviewers panned it for not being Texas or KC quality...well thats fine...but for Massachusetts it is awesome.  The sides are quite good and the BBQ chicken is my favorite.

Try the pie and ice tea!
5 - Cody S.: This bbq joint is a great value and the food is excellent. All of the entrees come with a hot and cold side buffet which has some very delicious and yet healthy choices. This is not one of frozen and can type of buffets , the items are home and fresh even local in season. The veggie soup is quite salty . The staff is prompt and friendly .

The atmosphere could use some updating and cleaning but add to the southern country bbq feel. 
This is one of my favorite dining option in the valley and is a great deal. A must visit and make sure you are hungry.
5 - Dan V.: The Hangar gets 4.5 stars and this  place is lingering at under 4... NO NO NO!

Dont get it twisted folks, if you go to Umass or any of the surrounding schools, you owe it to yourself to get bubs.

Bubs & Wings are the only worthwhile food joints in that area (No subshops or pizza spots are any good). I absolutely love this place and can NOT wait to go back :)

PS. Unlimited Sides =BOMB
3 - Zazu S.: I, too, was excited to see a bbq place around here as Famous Dave's is all Springfield has to offer, and it's not great bbq.

However, I wasn't all that impressed with Bub's. As someone else mentioned, there was no smoking going on when we arrived. I liked the pulled pork, but the ribs were only so-so as certainly not fall-off-the-bone ribs one gets in the South.

The buffet of sides is a nice idea, but what is bbq without mashed potatoes and mac and cheese? The dirty rice is good as are the other sides, particularly the collard greens. They are REALLY strick given the buffet style, and the only thing they will wrap up for take away is the meat portion of the meal, which is understandable given how people would load up on the sides for the road.

It can't compete with real Southern bbq, but it is the best I've found around these parts.
4 - Christian P.: There is a reason fat bikers and violently stoned college kids from Amherst love this place. The food....so good. Frankly, I'm a picnic table enthusiast- so I not only enjoy gorging myself on delicious BBQ, but also relish the chance to sit roadside at a sticky table while doing so. There are no frills, so if you were thinking about taking the Princess of Luxembourg here on a first date, reconsider.
3 - John E.: Not sure who it was that rated this the best BBQ in the area (according to the posting on the walls) but I beg to differ.  It was quite mediocre at best.  

I will give them a pass on the 20 minute wait for 2 sandwiches since we were there at opening.  My brisket sandwich was probably the worst I've ever had.  It had a silvery sheen to the meat like it had been sitting around a while....clearly not just cut off the brisket.  It was drowning in this unremarkable sauce and it was served on smashed white bun from some commercial bakery.  My wifes pulled pork was only a little better.  Less sauce.  The meat looked a little fresher (although its hard to tell with pulled pork).  

One of the attractions is supposed to be the unlimited sides but the ones I tried were also average at best.  The beans tasted like somebody had splashed some of the BBQ sauce into a can of beans.  The cole slaw had crispy veggies but the dressing was not very interesting.  Tasted like I was munching on a mouth full of cabbage/carrots. 

The place filled quickly with UMass shirts so the beer by the pitcher must be the attraction.  Clearly its not the quality of the food.
3 - Jason L.: Great, regionally famous bbq.  I've always enjoyed the entree that I've ordered.  The buffet of side dishes is good too.  The only drawback for me is that it feel a bit factory-like.
5 - A Z.: Very good baby back rips.
Combos are a good deal for sampling.
Try there homemade BBQ sauce.
open side buffet for the hungry person.
4 - Tom P.: Love those ribs. Every year we travel from Savoy Massachusetts over an hours drive. Love the main dishes and sides. Old pictures decorate the walls and there're even some plaques from celebrities on the wall
4 - Lauren C.: This place is a total dump... in a good way.  It's hard to actually get a seat on a weekend.  You might get stuck at a picnic table outside.  If you're uptight, go elsewhere.   It's an order at the counter and then try to find a place to sit kind of place. It's really a fun place to go for good BBQ.  

The sides are great, i mean nothing phenomenal.  The best part is that they are in a buffet style, which is really great because you can try a little of everything.  To be fair, I'm not really a BBQ super snob, but I definitely can distinguish good from bad.  This place is worth the effort for sure.
3 - LetsBeReal K.: Barbecue in New England... it's a tall order.  I'm sure there is some place or another that has gotten it nearly right, whether North Carolina, KC or Texas style, but we haven't found it yet. Bub's BBQ takes a swing at authentic and misses, but it's a near miss. (Or is that near hit?)

Located in Sunderland and a mere few miles north of the UMass campus, you may find yourself during the school season surrounded by beer guzzling future leaders of America in search of all-you-can-eat sides. Summers and vacations offer opportunities to eat pleasantly at Bub's amidst families, bikers,couples of all ages, and the rest, and I would urge you to take advantage of those days (unless, of course, you are a beer-guzzling future leader of America.)

Let's begin with what works.  Bub's scores well with ambiance. It's a cozy, homey place with close, indoor seating at booths and small tables, and large outdoor picnic tables set under a tent for temperate days. The orders line moves quickly and you may want to take advantage of their bottomless hot and cold sides while you wait for your meat orders. 

Two small buffet tables (hot and cold) occupy a cramped corner and can make corralling your food a bit problematic when Bub's is busy.  Collard greens are fresh and flavorful. Smoked potatoes are very nice, as is the dirty rice, however the orange glazed sweet potatoes are a pureed runny tasteless mess. Have never tried baked beans, but french fries are good if you time it correctly to get them right out of the fryer and not after sitting under a heat lamp.  There is always a soup available - vegetable is very fresh and peppery though thin.  The cold sides connect with a mayo/dill potato salad, but everything else is average or simply unimportant (cole slaw, corn salad, sliced beets, and two other forgettable items).

Ah, but is it possible to serve good barbecue ribs that aren't properly smoked?  There is no visible meat smoking apparatus at Bub's and one wonders what the prep is. Is there a hidden smoker somewhere? We don't know, but traditionally we think "No smoke, no que."  Therefore I'd hesitate to call this authentic barbecue, but rather "bbq style".  Baby back and spare ribs are completely lacking in any smoked flavor, but they're good in spite of the thin ketchup-y "barbecue" sauce, and the chicken is moist and does fall off the bone. We haven't tried the pulled pork yet, and the burgers look to be uninspired patties though they are char broiled. (Bub's misses big here. Given an open flame grill they should be fixing their own large juicy burgers!) Fountain drinks with refills, iced tea, and (apparently) good local beer help wash it all down.

Bub's ain't the real deal, but it somehow does succeed as a reasonable facsimile.  I wouldn't drive hours to get here, but if you find yourself in the neighborhood this makes for an easy and good value-for-money eatery for families or friends.
1 - Lamar G.: The place is kind of A buffet style BBQ joint, so that sets the stage.  I've eaten here three times in the past, and finally decided to write a review.  The third time, my boy wanted to check it out, because his friends talk about it.  I finally gave in, in forming him that he would see what daddy means by bad BBQ, when he ate his food.  He has had some of the best.  After our meal, he new it too.  The actual BBQ tastes elementary.  It is hands down, the most inept attempt at BBQ that I have experienced in my years.  I do not know if they actually smoke anything BBQ style, and the sauce tastes like something bought off a cheap store shelf.  In my opinion, you don't to make the sauce the focal point of the food you're putting it on.  You have score on cooking the meat, and the sauce is just an accent........it should not over power the meat....if it does, there's a problem on either the age of the meet, cooking of the meat, or how long it's been frozen.  I honestly believe it gets higher ratings because it's an old valley restaurant with a nice outside setup. If it were possible to give a half star, I would.  If you want to taste some BBQ, head up the street about a mile and try the whole in the wall BBQ joint called RJ's Grub.  I'd say Holy Smoke's in Turners Falls, but the just closed down.
2 - Colleen K.: I've wanted to go back to this local place for years and finally made it out there again yesterday. I love the relaxed grab-a-paper-towel atmosphere and the staff were friendly, and for this I give it 2 stars. The food was disappointing. Our reheated pulled pork was cold in the middle and the flavor reconstituted by piling a bunch of sauce on top. The BBQ chicken was underdone and actually inedible, also painted heavily in sauce. We also tried the ribs, which were probably the best of the 3 meats but still lacking flavor, and most importantly, freshness. The best of the limitless sides (great idea...) were the french fries and dirty rice, but the potato salad had undercooked potatoes and the rest had little flavor. I'm sorry, BUB's, there was nothing satisfying about the experience, even for New England BBQ. For 12-15 dollars a plate, I would hope for food prepared in the same day.
2 - David G.: Used to like this place, but last couple of times it just seemed like all their food was really cheap and not that good. They have a great spot, great building and atmosphere and I suppose if you're hungry and don't mind the sides being kind of bleh, it's a good deal, but it's bbq. It should be great. They seriously need some competition to force them to raise the bar.
4 - Selene C.: They had all you care to eat sides, yay!, and chicken.  The was juicy and flavorful, and the sides were fresh.  The service was nice and overall good prices.  I would return if I was in the area.

Bubble Island - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2750128, -83.7340814) (South University Ann Arbor)
3 - lucie l.: this boba place is definately not the best (as compared to that of california).  i got one of the regular milk teas with boba, hoping that the simplist of all would be good. however to my dismay, bore the taste of coffeemate instead of regular cream or milk.
the decor was good, the atmosphere was good and offered classic game boards for customer use - a great idea!
1 - Mae S.: Remember the old schoolkids' name for tapioca pudding: Fisheyes and Glue? Well, the glue is more watery and the fisheyes are much bigger in bubble tea. Ugh -- they come up through the straw. The experience is enough to make you really understand a 4-year-olds' disgust for new weird stuff.
5 - Vi V.: Having attended University of Michigan for four years, I'd have to say Bubble Island has remained a constant favorite of mine. its perfect for a mid-week chill out, after hours of homework and studying for a quiz, and just wanna relax. its a great alternative to coffee, and if you're not up for partying and just wanna have a slow night, bubble island offers just the ideal way to spend your night. and the best part, it opens till 3 am on weekends! There are board games such as Taboo, Connect Four, Uno cards and Jengga if you ask for them
There are many drink options and for those who do not like the tapioca bubbles (like me), there are other options such as jellies with lychee, mango, rainbow flavors. Also, its available cold or hot.
oh....and its the only place that I've found to offer bubble teas lite.
4 - Ray L.: Their calpicos rock.  I'd give their calpico 4.5 stars.

The staff is awesome.

Lotsa boardgames, great chill spot.  Shit even cracka ass crackaz are willing to come in here and hang out.  It used to be dominated by asians. 

The machine where you spot 5 differences between 2 pictures was also hella fun.

Lots of fond memories of this place.

The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is that it's not actual bubble tea... oh well.  Go to Joy Yee's in Chi-town if you want REAL bubble tea.
3 - Ileana S.: I discovered Bubble Island through a sidewalk chalk advertisement. To my dismay, the bubble teas were not available to be served with soy milk. Nor were they available blended. The tapioca pearls were mediocre but overall, a drink that would settle my craving for a bubble tea from California.
5 - Michelle C.: I loved Bubble Island when I was a student at Michigan. I still try to make a special trip to the place whenever I am back in the Ace Deuce. I enjoy the plain milk tea with black tapioca pearls. Enjoying it warm on a colder night is really great. If I ordered it cold, I'd ask for it without ice to maximize the liquid volume in the cup. Otherwise the drink lasts only two sips. They serve a very limited menu here, and from what I recall it consisted of mostly fried foods. I didn't really eat here, nor would I recommend it for a meal to anyone else.

I remember some intense Connect Four and Jenga games here for a quieter (read: detox) night. Good times.
3 - Sarah W.: Not the greatest bubble tea, but I guess its hard to evaluate when you spend your summers growing up in Taiwan where bubble tea originates. Bubble island can has a good strong hold on business in a city where there really is not much competition. 

Ok, but if you are craving some boba and your a U of M student stuck here then its a great place to go. I recommend taro bubble tea always!

This is a great place to hang out and meet with your friends to talk and people watch. Lots of couches and tables. They also have snacks and other desserts if your hungry. This place is open really late at night so its a good alternative to a night of drinking.
4 - Farah F.: I remember coming into Bubble Island when it first opened. My roommate and I even had our picture taken and tacked on the wall. it was there for a good month, too, before it was taken down to make space for all the sorority chicks pics. Booo. 

It's a great hang-out place late at night if you don't wanna do the drinking thing and just wanna chill with your friends. Now that I'm living in Seatte and have a better comparison, I would say that Bubble Island's selection of flavors has room for improvements (read: we need more choices!), but what they do have they make well. I love the punch card system since I'm always there when tea cost $2 during the day compared to $3.50 at night, so it's easier for me to fill up my card :) I love the board games, my friends and I had so many fun times just playing our version of Taboo. And I love that it opens so late, rivalling nearby alcohol-laden hangouts like Mitch's or Rick's. I wish they have more seats, or move to a bigger area, but I will always remember Bubble Island fondly for the memories :)
4 - Michael C.: This was my first experience with bubble tea.

I was with someone who'd been a fan of bubble tea for years, so I let her order. The whole concept of mixing the tea and what bubbles you wanted was confusing, to say the least.

But as a first experience I couldn't have been happier. Granted, the straw is huge, and for someone new to the whole concept behind bubble tea, having that first bubble hit your tongue makes you want to choke. Luckily, I didn't.

If I had time to try all the different mixtures I may have more to say on how good it is. And actually, if I had bubble tea a little more often I may have something to compare it to. 

For now I'll say that the staff was patient with a newbie bubble tea drinker, and that you should use the buddy system - hopefully with a buddy who knows what they're doing - to ensure a pleasurable bubble tea experience.
3 - Lisa W.: I really abhor the atmosphere here.  I guess it doesn't matter that the interior makes me want to shove their interior designer back into art school because this place is always packed.

The bubble tea isn't that great.  I feel like the calpico stuff is too sweet.  I usually get coconut milk tea with black bubbles, which is slightly bland, but drinkable.  If you are all about texture and don't like to feel like you are eating eyeballs, then you might want to sit this one out.  I like tapioca though, and this stuff is mediocre -- unfortunately, the best that's available around the perimeter.

What they do have that's awesome, is mochi ice cream.  The chocolate ones are the best ever, followed by coffee.  Heads up, you can also buy the brand they use at Hua Xing Asia Market.  You can also buy containers of deep fried things for not that much at Bubble Island.

I do want to point out that you only have to buy 5 bubble teas to get the free drink, which is a good deal.
3 - Chris V.: While definitely not the best place I've ever gotten bubble tea, I think Bubble Island is probably the best place in the Ann Arbor area.  Like Janelle P. said, the quality has gone down a bit in the past year it seems, but the prices are still good so I stop in every once in a while.  No real standouts here, but the milk tea is usually what I get.

The atmosphere in here is pretty good - this place is pretty conducive to having fun with a couple of friends at night, and it's very study-friendly during the day.
4 - Kristen B.: The East Lansing location is a bit cozier, but the Ann Arbor Bubble Island will always have a special place in my heart. I LOVE the light turtle tea with honeydew and/or almond flavor and black bubbles. If you become a regular like me, definitely pick up a punch card and you can receive a free medium-sized drink for every 10 you purchase.
3 - Pae C.: The bubble tea is too watery compared to standard bubble tea on the west coast (Seattle, California) or even in Chicago.

I still believe that good bubble tea has to be made by Taiwanese or Chinese.

But the price and variety is good especially the early birth $2 including tax before 1 pm. With $2, it is acceptable for that so-so taste.
5 - Adelais T.: Mmm bubble tea. Nom nom nom.

I LOVE the oreo milk tea, the taro milk tea, and the red bean milk tea (both w/ black bubbles, of course). The Mochi ice cream is also very delicious, albeit a bit expensive. On cold days, you can ask to get hot bubble tea and it's just as good.

This place is also great to just hang out with a bunch of people. They have board games you can check out. They're open pretty late and it's pretty cozy. I love playing the Photo Hunt game in the corner. So addictive!
2 - Jeff C.: Bubble Island should be named Powder Island after all the artificial flavoring and powder they use in their drinks.  Don't get me wrong...it's the best in ann arbor, because it's the only one in ann arbor.  The space is big and the board games and computer game is a good way to keep customers in...it's the bar for the Christian crowd that don't drink...

regardless, if we're judging on taste of the tea alone...this falls flat against other genuine bubble tea places.
3 - Steven S.: I would've given it more stars but I've had better bubble tea elsewhere but if you're trying to look for some in Ann Arbor, this is the only spot.  I don't really complain about the quality because you can't really mess up an almond taro milk tea but true bubble tea aficionados will say that Bubble Island is mediocre.  

Bubble Island is a good place to just kick back and play board games with friends.  I find it funny when I see Bubble Island packed with a bunch of asians (presumably of the Christian variety) on a Friday night while everyone else is out drinking and getting hammered.
4 - Lizzy d.: 1st off I'd like to say I've never ever tried bubble tea before so I have nothing to compare it too... but I liked bubble island!  I got a honeydew snowbubble with black bubbles and it was a good 1st experience with bubble tea.  At first it was different because of the bubbles but I drank on I enjoyed it even more.  I will come back here.  The service was good.  I waited in a long line but the line seemed to move pretty quickly.  They also have munchies and frozen yogurt (which I will try next time because I love frozen yogurt!).
3 - Jason C.: When I'm on campus for work or visiting, I'll do my best to swing by and get my favorite - green apple and calpico (i think that's the name, it's been a while since my last visit); large with lychee!  I have taken my nephews and they typically will get the smoothie.  

They now serve frozen yogurt - haven't tried it yet.  They have board games to check out and I see lot of folks playing and hanging out with their friends.  Cool hang out spot and even though there are lot of other competitors around, I think Bubble Island will do well.
4 - Raphie B.: Loved that they had a milk tea option with splenda and fat free condensed milk. It was super tasty. I'll go back for sure...
4 - Jenn V.: I have nothing to compare Bubble Island to.  I have never had Bubble tea anywhere else, and certainly not on the West Coast or D.C. or Chicago like other reviewers boast and compare.  With that being said, I love Bubble Island.

I don't go there for the atmosphere.  It's a decent sized space with some tables and I believe couches, making it a good place to study or play games with friends.  I know at night, depending on the crowd, it can be a little noisy, so if you plan to go there and study I'd recommend the day time.  

I LOVE the almond milk tea and the pineapple green tea... so, so delicious!  I know they have some munchies (mostly deep-fried, which is a little random) and hear they now have frozen yogurt. I wish they would have 'cafe staples' such as muffins, yogurt or fruit cups instead of the deep friend options.  It'd be nice to grab a bubble tea and a small snack there during the day while studying.  

The ppl that work there are generally pretty friendly and the teas are usually consistent, although I've had a few drinks that were a little watery.  

Get yourself a punch card and visit them before 1pm during the week (double-check that) for $2 drinks (as opposed to $3.50 or so at night)
2 - Justin S.: Mango stars is about the end of the good here. Chicago spoils me too much to accept this cheap franchised excuse for bubble tea.
5 - Iffat B.: The taro milk tea is so good here! I had it hot (which I had never tried before) and it was amazing! The tapioca was a little more mushy, but still really good. 

The inside is really cute and they have various board games that you can play. I would definitely go back if I lived closer to Ann Arbor!
4 - Dan O.: Still the best bubble tea place in Michigan even compared to Chicago bubble tea joints.  Their drinks are always consistent and their black and colored bubbles are always up to par.  It's one of the places we always stop by when visiting Detroit.
Using the bathroom is PIA though, gotta leave and id or credit card with the cashier and use a key to go to the facilities on the second floor.  Street parking can be difficult to find also, if you can't find any spots, use the parking structure around the corner.  They have very very cheap parking rates.
1 - Albert E.: doesn't taste right, not authentic bubble tea.  some products are pre-made (milk tea) and tastes powdery.  boba consistency varies too, someetimes chewy, too soft or too hard.  never coming here again now that there is another place across the street.  decor is cheap and tasteless too.
3 - Allie Y.: Bubble Island was around before all the newer places (yogobliss, momo tea) popped up, but it doesn't really make it any better. In fact before I moved here and was visiting the area, I tried Bubble Island's milk tea and was pretty disappointed by it. It was too creamy for a milk tea and didn't really resemble the actual thing at all. In fact, their Turtle Tea tastes more like the bubble milk tea I know from home. 

This place is still pretty decent though - A-OK is about as to the point about this place as you can get. I just get the turtle tea and nothing else when I'm around.
2 - Lily P.: Prices about 3-4 bucks: they use powder, random specials occur, they are okay due to all the other places popping up on state street. I do appreciate the renovations, new lights, walls, etc. Its reliable due to its hours unlike momo which randomly closed?
They do have mochi ice cream which i like and also the options of fried snack foods. They have frozen yogurt but I haven't tried that since amers opened up and have gone to yogobliss twice.
4 - Diana K.: Oh, Bubble Island, how I miss thee. 

Their popcorn chicken and curly fries = money
The green tea bubble with mango stars = YUM
3 - Jess L.: I was excited at first when it opened back in the day, even though the tea wasn't as good as in Taiwan (but hell, that's asking way way too much, so...) 

Tea is more expensive than Momo, and the atmosphere isn't as cozy/friendly. Although we did go there once when Momo was closed and I was pleasantly surprised by their daily specials. It's a good go-to, but the prices are still a little high, so I'm sticking to Momo (more variety, lower prices, Taiwanese snacks!) for now.
3 - Robin Z.: I guess when it comes to bubble tea, your tastes are going to be formed by the first time you had it. I've still never found any that I liked as much as Snow Mountain's, though I've heard that they're more authentic, more like what they have in Taiwan, etc.

So Bubble Island is good enough, but still not quite what I want. On the other hand, their menu has a lot of creative and interesting drinks, so maybe I'll change my mind after I stop trying to find the same thing I've had before and try something new. 

I like the decor and the friendly staff. Still a fun place to be!
4 - Anne I.: I love bubble tea! And soft, chewy, sweet things.

I don't really know of other places to get bubble tea around here, but I've been to Bubble Island numerous times, and can't get enough. I like that they are open until pretty late, and it seems to be a hang out/study spot for students on a week night. 

I also really enjoy the popcorn chicken. It's a quick fix to balance the sweet bubble tea and to cure the midnight snack munchies after a long day in the lab.
3 - Julie H.: Like one review stated - good enough.

I can't say anything too bad nor great about this place.  At least it has boba.  My bf was the mgr here back when he was in college - so I'm guessing he has fond memories...though he didn't take me here first.  He took me to Mo Mo tea - when I showed my dislike, he quickly brought me here.  Looks like a nice chill hang out spots for students.  I may have to make due for awhile........
4 - Red G.: $2 bubble tea before 1PM and only five stamps needed for a free drink. That's a big plus in my book.

The milk tea here is very thick and feels powdery, which is why I opt for the lighter turtle tea, a mix of their milk tea and green tea. I also like to add Taro flavor.
5 - tom n.: Great drinks, snacks and desert. They always have specials and a stamp card where your 6th drink is free. There are more places to get "bubble tea" now, but I've been disappointed with most other places.

I can get wifi there and studying is good unless there is a very loud group there. Always a fun time though.
3 - Joseph W.: Bubble Island is always a great place to go to before/after Pinball Pete's or bar hopping. Especially if there is not a big crowd inside. They have monopoly, chess, and other fun board games you can play. However, sometimes the place gets very full, loud, and unpleasant. 

It's also a good place to go on a weekend afternoon. You don't get many of the obnoxious "GO BLUE!!!" type people inside.

The service is very speedy. The smoothies are tasty, and the almond milk tea is to die for. Not bad for the prices. The snacks are alright, but overpriced. My suggestion would be to head over the Backroom Pizza and get a giant slice for a dollar.
5 - Meredith F.: LOVE this place. The tea is so delicious. I don't understand why people don't like the bubbles, because I can't get enough bubble tea.
They're open late, which is great for when you are out studying and want something to sip on other than coffee.
Prices are reasonable, and it's great if you go before 1pm I think it is, because all drinks are $2. I tend to get the same thing every time I go, but I have tried some other drinks and I haven't disliked anything there yet!
4 - Matthew D.: Really enjoyed the Mooberry. The girlfriend liked her Mojito, although the gummies kind of get in her way.
5 - Samira K.: This place is great! I go here whenever I come to Ann Arbor because I miss good boba/bubble tea. I always get the almond milk tea (black tea base) with mango jellies! The jellies are never too hard or too mushy....always perfect. And they have a punch card so if you go there often you can be rewarded! Another thing that is awesome about this place is the fact that they have a happy hour where all the drinks are $2! I forgot the hours for that but this place is a definite must. The decor is also really cute!
5 - Christopher S.: Went twice in the 4 days I was in Ann Arbor...very good stuff. Hope I get into the university to be able to be a regular!
1 - Will B.: Horrible place.  I asked for a simple HONEY, MILK, GREEN TEA with BOBA!  Sorry, sir we don't have that!  How hard is it to make that????  I even gave her the option of using BLACK TEA instead of GREEN TEA!  The popcorn chicken is mostly batter... no chicken!

????
1 - Racemic U.: I've gone here several times now and each time I find myself more disappointed then the last.  Their tea is syrupy sweet and doesn't taste fresh at all.  The last time I went they actually told me they don't have any of the bubbles for the tea.  I don't understand how a place that mainly sells bubble tea could run out of their main component.  The woman at the counter acted like it was our fault for showing up shortly after the restaurant had opened for the day (11:30) and that that is what is to be expected when we do that.  Her attitude was absurd.  The customer service there is extremely rude they act as though they just want to push as many people through as quickly as possible and I understand when they are busy but, now the staff is in the habit of treating their customers like that and it makes for an extremely unpleasant atmosphere.  The people across the street at Mo Mo tea have a much friendly customer service attitude which lends to the place having a mom and pop feel and is just so much more inviting and their tea is great.
2 - mariah c.: Ick. I'm ready to give Momo a shot, and I also spotted one other bubble tea place that I may have to check out. Bubble Island is usually at least OK, but the texture of my bubbles the other day was just plain strange.

I don't say that as someone who has never experienced bubble tea -- as I understand that some people just don't like the bubbles. I've had bubble tea plenty of times, and have never gotten bubbles of such a hmm... I struggle to find the word....soggy? texture as I did earlier this week. Not very satisfying, in fact quite gross-out-inducing. 

I've been motivated to start seeing other bubble teas.
3 - faith c.: I love boba but it's hard to find a great place in the area. So I was excited to try this place when I came to Ann Arbor.

The girl helping me seemed less than enthusiastic, but maybe it was the end of her shift and she was tired?? Then a guy came out to help my friends, but instead of saying 'how can i help you' or anything of the sort, he just looked at them and raised his eyebrows instead of talking... Apparently talking is overrated. 

As for the boba, the actual tapioca balls were delicious! but the drink itself was just ok. (Joy Yee's in Chicago or I love boba in LA are definitely a lot better!) The milk tea was very watery and not that great- but I personally don't really like milk tea in general.

I got the mango (my default flavor) ice smoothie/slush  and at first, it seemed too icy. It wasn't very smooth and you could feel the little ice chips as you drank it. But after a while when the ice melted a little, it was pretty good. I would definitely go there again because the tapioca balls were good and the boba was the best that I've had in the area, but they only get a 3 star because of the service that we got.  

oh and FYI, they only take cash!
4 - Mia G.: I really enjoyed Bubble Island and would return in a heartbeat. I had cold Taro Milk Tea with Mango stars and it was very good! I also had a taste of my friends Taro Milk Tea with Lychee bubbles and I liked it too. I like this place so much that I plan on eventually tasting everything on the menu! lol Yay for Bubble Island and for Bubble Tea!! :)
3 - Jason B.: Generally overly sweet drinks, they also don't have as many flavors as some of the bubble teas nearby.  It's got kind've a *plastic* island theme going on.  The people that work there are generally nice, but the product isn't good enough to make me a return customer.  I'd recommend momo tea over this place.
4 - Becky H.: The bubble tea here doesn't taste as "authentic" as the stuff over at Momo Tea, but I enjoy going to Bubble Island a lot more. The prices are more reasonable ($2 medium bubble tea w/black bubbles before 1 pm!!!!), and the staff is always very friendly. The snacks are also pretty good, and I like to go here to get my occasional mochi fix.
5 - Angela B.: It was my first time here and it was great! The staff was very friendly. I told them it was my first time and they offered me little samples and help me decide what to get. They had board games which made the time spent there even more great. The music was groovy too. I would definitely return.
4 - Bobby D.: So when I first came to Umich, I was super unexposed to bubble tea culture and I came in thinking this place was the shiz. They have that loyalty stamp card where you buy 5 Boba and you'll get a free one. It kept me coming back... I was quite hooked.

But when other hip trendy desert ish places popped up, bubble island couldnt keep up in their offering. Other spots like stucchi's also serves bubble tea at a cheaper price. Yogobliss across the street posed serious threat to their market.

But overall, the Bubble Island still offers a wide array of hangout food and board games for as little as 2 people - to a large party of 15. Seating is kinda tight, but you can always make it work.
 
Froyo. Super fail. bleh. Don't ever get it here. It's 10X better across the street and anywhere else on campus.

BBT. Decent. I always get taro and I've tried a wide assortment of honeydew and other fruit flavors. It's very consistent and good for its price. I've had more specialized and flavorful BBT elsewhere, but we're talking Michigan here, so I'm pretty gracious here.

Mochi Ice Cream. Pretty good IMO. Frozen really well. Don't touch with your teeth or it will hurt. Good assortment of flavors and pretty hard to find mochi elsewhere on campus. Good diamond in the rough.

Popcorn Chicken and Curly fries. Good bang for buck. Popcorn chicken comes out really hot and crispy and so do the fries too. Also have good honey mustard and ranch sauces to complement. Has been an all time favorite of mine.
5 - Patricia P.: Look, I KNOW and am WELL AWARE that there are better bubble tea shops other than this one. However, they are all in.... California and out of this country. All the other ones in this town, closer to authenticity or not, taste matters the most to me, and absolutely Bubble Island satisfies this. I don't think I'll ever get tired of the strawberry milk tea with bubbles. And that says something. Service is quick, helpful, and prompt. The place is clean, music is not too loud. This place hits the spot, but it would be great if they added wifi! That would keep me going, at least. A quiet hour would be great too, maybe after lunch and before dinner hours! Would be a great spot to do work :)

Another great thing about this is the point card. now available through an app, for every 5 drinks, a free regular sized of... anything! Now that's the best!

Keep up the good work, and maybe do something new to keep business going! I know that there are popping competitors, that just means an opportunity for change~!
3 - Helen L.: There's a early bird special where the milk tea/coffee is $1 before 1pm or something like that. I got the almond milk tea. Taste like any other boba place. Not bad.
5 - Lydia W.: Best bubble tea in Michigan. Hands down. Its the freshest and they have the best selection and they are open really late!
4 - Dora C.: I had to edit the first statement I typed after I re-read it. Hint: Milky black balls. Yeah. Alright, let's move on. Tapioca is delicious. 

I'm from CA so I know boba as a Tap-Ex expert. What I truly appreciate is the turtle tea, which is a blend of tea and milk tea to reduce the sweetness. Now, THAT is fabulous. I'd slap a gold star on it and hug it if I could.
4 - Robert C.: I come here whenever I'm in Ann Arbor with friends - usually before or after going to Necto/Pinball Pete's. I would rate the drink quality as pretty good - I've tried their smoothies, milk tea, and flavored tea drinks with boba and they all have been quite good. Their popcorn chicken is perfect when you're feeling between snacky and hungry, and is easily shared. Their mochi is also quite good - albeit not cheap if I remember correctly. They have board games and couches and the atmosphere is nice and relaxing, although not always quiet. I have no desire to go to momo tea down the street, as this place has a happier feel to it.

Best boba I've had in MI :)
2 - Jennifer S.: Coming from the Bay Area, I definitely am a huge boba enthusiast...too bad this place did not meet my expectations in terms of tea.

Everyone likes their boba little different from one another, but for me I like my milk tea to taste like tea. This was too sweet and too watered down for my liking. The tapioca pearls weren't bad though..good consistency!!

In weighing the tapioca balls vs. the tea, I had to give the tea more weight. :(
3 - Lauren I.: Choosing between Momo tea and Bubble Island comes down to the choice of sacrificing convenience or taste. What to do, what to do...

Bubble tea has consistency going for it. Never have I ordered a tea and had it turn out to be, undrinkable, as has been in the case of Momo. Just today I tried a turtle tea, a classic from my freshman year, and it's the *exact* same tea it was three years ago. Slightly boring, yes, but very reliable. Occasionally the boba will be on the chewy or soft side, but that seems to be a natural consequence of pearl tea. 

Bubble island's teas have about as much authenticity as Panda express does for Chinese food, but there are a lot of people who don't seem to care, myself included. Both the black and the green teas serve as more of a base from which you pick your favorite juice or crème flavors. Customer service is mediocre at times, borderline rude.

Sadly, two huge strikes for Bubble island come in the forms of no Wifi, and worse, no bathrooms. Usually the employees will just tell customers to use the Starbucks' next-door, and that really doesn't seem fair to me for a company to rely on another (even if it's Starbucks) to provide a basic customer service.

Neither the green nor black teas really "taste like tea," but the method of preparation (mini-fountain cooler?) makes it nearly impossible for anyone to mess up your order, and impossible for you to order anything "authentic" but there are enough flavor combinations to keep anyone satisfied. 

Bubble Island is just, a thing. Your logic will tell you know, but a craving for creamy milk tea is a hard call to ignore. When it comes, I would head for Bubble Island, but keep your expectations realistic.
4 - Andy L.: I now frequent this place pretty much every other day.  I am a fan, but were this outside of Ann Arbor, Bubble Island would probably only get a 3 star in my book.

The only other competitor within the city is MOMO tea and I've bought a drink once during my first year here, and needless to say I won't be coming back.  But aside from that point, here is why BI is such a good deal.

If you're in before 1 pm, the tea is amazingly cheap.  So feel free to order what you normally wouldn't buy and it'll be under $4.  My staples here are the turtle tea, milk tea, and occasionally the purple haze (taro milk tea).  The seating is nice and generally the music is very good; very witty I should say (I once heard a Nyan Cat remix).

Other things you should know about is the difference between black and colored bubbles (boba/pearls).  Though the price difference is not much, as I quote an employee "there isn't much difference between the taste."  True, the colored bubbles are usually softer and sweet, but there have been days where I felt the quality of the colored bubbles being especially low.  I guess it really depends on who cooks the batch of tapoica that day/hour.  So the bubbles are inconsistent, but the drinks are not.

I'm a pretty boring guy so I can't tell you about any of the other specialty drinks or add-ons, but if a basic milk tea can taste this good, I'm sure the others are actually quite nice.
4 - Lindsey S.: Great place downtown Ann arbor, a unique, and different type of tea, good for all ages. My favorite is the hot oreo milk tea with black bubbles, otherwise known as tapioca bubbles.
4 - Mel B.: i love this place, i only get one thing there always it's Green Tea Passion Fruit Tea without bubbles (tapioca balls). i was in such a happy place too when i found a close by parking spot that Friday night too cuz this place was packed. not a long wait for drinks at all but not sure if i would of found a seat if i wanted to stay. they have fun board games there to play which i a cool thing with a group of friends. friendly helpful staff always:)
4 - Matt D.: Bubble Island is great. It was my first exposure to bubble tea and now I'm hooked. Being a sweet tooth, I personally enjoy the strawberry Calpico Cooler with regular bubbles. A unique experience for sure.
5 - Nico C.: ahh, I moved out of ann arbor and in california now and still craving for their milk tea. i love the strawberry and the taro. Can't find anything like theirs here in the bay area. love this place. thank you
1 - Connie W.: Worst customer service I have ever had in my life. They charged me double for my one drink, didn't even notice until I asked them why my bill was too high. 

Literally took 10 minutes to figure out how to uncharge the extra drink. I said I needed to be somewhere soon and the extremely rude girl who was "helping" me just said, "Well, if you need to leave then you'll just be charged double." Don't come to this place. They don't treat their customers right.
3 - Heather J.: Bubble tea used to be a staple in my diet, and I deeply miss the ubiquitous bubble tea shops in Vancouver. They were as common as coneys and nail parlours. I longed to get to Ann Arbor and try the bubble tea places there for months, and capped off an evening with a book signing with this treat before daring M-14 again.

I refuse to get caught up in the Bubble Island vs MoMo Tea wars without an ample supply of boba to throw at the opposing side. I intend to try both and see how they measure up against other contenders. 

Bubble Island has a 'build it yourself' menu offering a variety of tea bases, flavoured bobas, and fruit or flavour additions. A specials board offers a rotating array of homebrews alongside their standard options, like purple hazes or lonely islands. At least I think that's the name, given I was too focused on what they were jamming together to make a drink. Bubble tea is a delicacy which comes out to around $5, in that 'specialty drink' price range instead of something affordable on a regular basis, though Bubble Island has a frequent drinker card which gives a discount after so many purchases. 

I ended up flittering between both indecisively before taking Janelle W.'s recommendation for taro tea with boba and the addition of mango stars. I have a not so secret weakness for mango, and the flavourful explosions of destroying a constellation satisfy the Jabberwocky side of my personality. $5 and a few minutes later, I had myself a cup of bubble tea with a big, fat straw and all was as it should be.

The drink was gone in the space of ten minutes or a few miles, depending on your view, minus the inevitable hunting around for boba refugees. The coloured boba were rather chewy, but I liked the mango stars for their explosive bursts of fruity goodness. Taro was a decent flavour, if somewhat dull, rather than the heights of orgasmic teatime delight I was hoping for. Can't blame a girl for trying, eh? 

Bubble Island feels like a clean, modern, and not too exciting shop rather than the traditional Sanyo-endorsed MoMo Tea across the street. Several students could have been filming a Mac commercial with their laptops lined up at the tables while I was there. I don't recall if there was paid or free wi-fi, but the seating didn't look comfortable enough to spend any longer there. 

Parking around here is tight at the best of times, though there is free 30 minute parking past the convenience store. Enough to get in and out, but staying a while with a car is something of a liability.

Bubble Island sated my appetite for a time, but I'll turn to Goldfish to slake my needs closer to home.
2 - Yuching L.: The atmosphere is awesome, but the tea they use is flavorless, and the flavored powders in their drinks are tolerable but boring. Love coming here with friends to play a couple of their games and for okay bubble tea, but I go to MOMO for the flavor.
3 - Meggie B.: I've never really understood everyone's love affair with Bubble Island. It's just another place to get overpriced smoothies, juices and teas. I'm not a fan of the bubbles at all, and it's usually pretty crowded so you have to fight for a seat or plan on just walking around town with your drink.

If you can find a seat, however, they have games that you can check out. One of my favorite AA memories includes playing a crazy game of Mad Gab in Bubble Island a few summers ago. They also have food that I've never ordered but definitely makes it stand out among other smoothie/juice/tea places I've been. Last time I was there, however, there didn't seem to be a clear food menu posted anywhere. I might've totally missed it, or perhaps you have to ask them for a menu from behind the counter?

In any case, I feel like Bubble Island is one of those places you have try when you visit Ann Arbor just because it's a little different, but don't expect to be blown away.
4 - Rachel W.: Wish it was cleaner. Great drinks though and nice staff.
5 - Paul B.: Great unique drinks!   So many flavors, and fun hang out place.  Wish they had a larger dinning (drinking) area though.  A lot of students here.
4 - Jen S.: I always come here before 1 to get the $2 medium special, a pretty good deal for a drink. The bubble tea is too sugary for me and doesn't have enough tea flavor, not authentic-tasting like the ones from China and Korea that I've tried. But I commend them for having a variety of flavors, although I always go back to taro. Honestly though, I wouldn't come here as often if it weren't for the price or the rewards card, but it is a good atmosphere to hang out with friends. Plus, I recommend their popcorn chicken and curly fries - greasy and filling goodness!
2 - Alex P.: This place sucks!!! No toppings for fro zo, no bath room, the thai tea is like water... Extremely disappointed because I was there before... Not recommended :(
3 - Emily L.: In terms of bubble tea, they can do better. All of the teas are premade and it literally takes them thirty seconds to make your bubble tea. In terms of ambiance, it's pretty good. They have a bunch of board games that you can play as you enjoy your sugar water. Also, they don't seem to mind you lounging around. Probably because they themselves are lounging around in the kitchen.
4 - Saya K.: Coming from California, my week always had tapioca (so-called bubbles), and I was sad to be parting from such lifestyle when I moved. However, I found this place, and it will have to suffice for now. 
I always order the Turtle Tea (combination between milk and green) with bubbles. It's a nice way to treat myself every now and then. 
There's never been any real problem with getting my tea (no lines, seats are available), but then again, the school year hasn't started quiet yet.
4 - Thao P.: Fun environment and good bubble tea

This was one of the first places I visited during my visit to the University of Michigan's campus. I loved it because it looked fun and vibrant with all the bright colors. I tried the mango and strawberry bubble teas. I also tried mochi ice cream as well. I liked the bubble tea, especially adding jello into the mix. I agree that it isn't the freshest but It's still refreshing! Better than Iowa for sure.  The mochi ice cream was average and nice to get just for a dollar a piece.
2 - Anne S.: Coming from the cali and having had boba (bubble tea) since I was in elementary school... this place is gross.  I remember the first time I went here, I had a bubble tea.. don't remember which one. What I did know is that it wasn't right....

I got diarrhea after a couple hours.  By the end of the day, when I looked over at the boba tea.. it separated into two different layers.  The top was clear water and the bottom was the color of the tea -- powdery looking. not right at all.

Their other smoothies are good which is why i gave it 2 stars.  When I'm in michigan... i just live without boba.
4 - Erin B.: I love it!! Open late, comfortable environment, fruit bubbles and regular bubbles.  My favorite is the milk tea!
4 - Michelle N.: I was told that bubble island was the original boba shop in AA...and it is GOOD! I highly recommend strawberry green tea. It's not too sweet or syrupy at all, and the tapioca pearls are soft without being overly chewy.

Buca di Beppo - Claremont, CA (34.1071045, -117.7226159) ()
3 - Matt A.: Good, but not great. Definately worth a try. The atmosphere is fun. The service was decent and the food is good. It's more fun to go with an group (4+) that doesn't mind family style eating/ordering.
4 - Ken C.: Good but not remarkable Italian food.  The attraction here is the fun and LOUD atmosphere.  HUGE portions, so be careful when ordering, and consider sharing.
4 - Dave M.: Good:
This is probably, what I would call, an older family restaurant. Picture's COVER the walls and the basement setting is pretty neat. I must admit, the atmosphere is GREAT. The food is very greasy, very good. I most definitely wouldn't suggest going here is you're worried about having a heart attack or heart burn. However, for us youngins', it's great. A nice place to take someone out to dinner and sit in the kitchen, or take a large group to celebrate; however, it's most definitely better for the large groups.

Improvements:
Now I'm not a major fan of Italian food, but I know what I like and what I don't. The food, as previously mentioned, is good. But the problem is, it's good, not great. The prices (as I remember them) are a tiny tiny bit high, but portion size balances that out.

A nice place, great atmosphere, decent food.
4 - Daryl I.: If you have a large party of people celebrating a special event, then this is the place to go.  This place has become the unofficial birthday place for me and my friends.  The food is pretty good and even the small portions are designed to be shared by at least 3 or 4 people, unless you are a glutton, then knock yourself out.  You are actually really going for the ambiance, because the gaudy decorations set the tone, somewhat like an Italian version of TGI Fridays.  The atmosphere is loud and boisterous (which I like), so you can feel at ease letting yourself go.  If you are looking for a quiet, peaceful dinner, this probably isn't the best place to go.  Favorite dishes:  Penne Cardinale and the spicy sausauge pizza.
1 - tinker b.: Yuck.  Can't stand the food here.  I'd rather eat  my socks.
3 - Weston T.: So sue me, I like the food here.  It is reliably very good - and I love their pizzas.  Much better fare than at many of the local (LaVerne-SanDimas-Claremont) Italian places.  If you like thin pizza that's along the lines of traditional Neapolitan style, get their margherita.
5 - Charles M.: I have never had a bad time or bad food at Buca.  Everything on the menu is delicious.  The crazy pictures all over the wall make this place so memorable, along with the HUUUGE plates of food.
All of the items on the menu are ordered for groups of people (2 and up).  I don't know a person who doesn't like Buca di Beppo.
If you want great Italian food, go to Buca!
5 - shannon k.: I cant even count how many times ive been here---but all of their locations are reliably good (claremont, universal city, pasadena, valencia, encino, and honolulu) We go with our friends alot cause it has that sort of atmosphere thats conducive to drinking and talking loud. Fiance gets the house wine cause its a "generous 9 oz pour". Sheesh, a few of those definitely knock you on your arse. I usually get the apple bay breeze, which i swear, tastes just like a washington apple. Something about the combo of cranberry juice and pineapple rum is AMAZING. do not get the raspberry lemon drop. I swear to god there isnt any booze in it. My friend, that is more of a lightweight than me sucked down 4 of those and didnt even have a buzz......

PAN FRIED MOZZARELLA. Jesus himself came down from heaven and created this. My fiance keeps wanting to buy 2 full orders and eat it all himself. I keep telling him he wouldnt go for days and he'd regret it. 

Otherwise, the antipasto salad is very good, as is the pepperoni pizza (extra pepperoncini!) For the vegetarians, there is a really good veggie based pasta, but the name escapes me. 

For my birthday last september, my fiance and best friend surprised me with a dinner here---complete with the 15 passenger rented van!! We ate in the pope room and it was so much fun. Complete with the creepy pope head that looks like anthony hopkins. It puts the lotion on its skin.......
3 - David C.: Very mediocre Italian food. However, their group prices are very reasonable.  But I wasn't happy with the way they served our group.  They gave me a menu for our 60+ group, but we ran out of food.  WTH?  Well, we ran out of certain foods, like salad and appetizers.  We had way too much entree food, but it was at the two tables in the front of the room, since they never started at the back of the room.  You gotta work 'em, or they'll slack.  Giddyup, Pony.
3 - Seth G.: Funny, I think the pizza here is some of the best I have had in the area. On the other hand, I have learned that east coast and west coast taste in pizza is quite polarized. 

The pasta dishes are so-so - definitely better than Olive Garden, which should have taken after the Romans by installing a vomitorium but for a different intention altogether. 

Make sure whatever you do, you don't use the word circumvent in your response to the hostess' perfunctory, "Would you like to walk through the kitchen?" (for the umpteenth time). It may illicit a dirty look from her as if she believes you just uttered a derogatory remark. :)
4 - Ron L.: This review from several months back.... 
Wow...they just opened the doors as we walk up and get a great escort to our seats. We looked at the menu and they actually had quite a lot to choose from. Our drinks arrived rather quickly...of course we were the only ones there... 
The appetizer came and was delicious. Our food arrived and it was excellent. As we sat eating...numerous people came in and of course we were also watching the television. 
Then as the waitress approached our table..she began to shake...in fact the whole place began to shake.. Some people ran out of the place.. All the cooks, waiters and waitresses ran into the entrance way....and some of the customers ran. 
This was that Chino earthquake..wow...very impressive... My mom looked at me and I looked at her and told her to stay where she was at. It was a great place to sit...because we had a huge beam on both sides of us. Worse case scenario is we go under the table... Then the TV. blurted out that we had just been hit by an earthquake. 
This was a great shaky meal...with great shaky food...and shaky drinks that spilled all over the place. 
A few small aftershocks while we were still there....and we love the food..
3 - Vanessa H.: It's a chain, yes, and so the kitsch is slightly eerie (since you know it's mass produced  -- see Walter Benjamin, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.")

That said, the restaurant is good for last-minute reservations of large groups.  The fried appie platter is huge, we also had the shrimp penne and the chicken penne, with leftovers..
2 - Steven T.: It's the Olive Garden on steroids!

Atmosphere is fun, someone said romantic, I think not.

Food is standard Olive Garden mediocre Italian food, just lots more of at, but you pay the price for it.

Service - OK

Wine List - large, but not varied enough.

Bar - drinks are good but over-priced.

Italian restaurants like these are a dime a dozen and there is really nothing special to make anyone want to come back. If you are looking for better food that will cost less try Café Allegro's in Upland or La Verne.
1 - Matt G.: By far the worst time I have had in a resturaunt in a very long time. So we made a reservation around early noon for 16 people @ 8pm on the 13th. So we arrive a little early to make sure everything was in order and to make sure that my homemade cupcakes had a secure place to be at when we were enjoying our food. One of the waiters asks if he could put the cupcakes in the fridge while we are waiting and eating our food, I say yes and he puts our parties name on it. After he puts the cupcakes in the fridge, he comes back saying that the room we are set to go in is still occupied but will be leaving soon, I then inform him that we are expecting 2 more people if he could arrange seating for them also, he says yes, not a problem. Mind you, he told me this around 7:45, so we wait patiently, we wait some more, until finally at 8:35, I believe, we are finally taken in. 

When we arrive at the room we only see a table that seats 14 people, I kindly ask the waiter where are the other 4 people suppose to sit? He says oh, over here, he points to a table that is divided by a walk way. I then ask if we could have the table moved closer to where we are sitting, since I don't want anyone to be left out, he says no. I ask if we may speak to the manager he goes and gets him. The manager says yes, of course, so the they push the tables together and we are finally all seated. Our waitress comes and she seems some what nice and but gives off this snobby/snooty vibe, which you never want a waitress or waiter to give off, NEVER, so I kindly inform her that we are a loud crowd that loves to laugh so don't be that intimidated, she then responded with an unfriendly " oh, okay ", she then takes our orders and leaves. 

We recieve our food and while I'm waiting for the food to be passed to me I notice from a distance that some one is taking from what it looks like, my cupcakes so I walk over to the table that is about to recieve them and inquire, oh what lovely cupakes, where did you get those from? One of them Replies with oh, we got them from this bakery. I kindly correct them stating that those are not theres and that I brought those they are like Oh my Goodness, I didn't know and I thought some one got them as a suprise for us. Mean while the waitress has this stupid face on with the expression of oh shit.

The cupcakes are then taken back to the fridge and the manager comes out saying oh, I'm so sorry, I can't believe they made that mistake, and I respond with, I can't believe your employees made such a mistake either. We then finish our food and eat the cupcakes I brought and leave immediately.

For those of you who didn't want to read this mini novel, here are some bullet points:

- Horrendous Service
- Penne Basilica claims to have chicken a brocoli in it, it barely had any if that. Small over cooked florets and tiny mediocore pieces of chicken with a sea of penne pasta
- Shrimp Fra Diavolo- we got the Buca large expecting at least 5-8 shrimp, we got 4 shrimps, complete waste of money, but was good.
- Horrendous Service
- A tad bit better than Olive Garden, but not by much. 
- Horrendous Service

Do NOT come here for a romantice date, it is just a waste of time. Better yet, make your own dinner for your romantice date, this place doesn't deserve your hard earn money.

An
4 - Jon F.: Tonight we ate there with some friends. Our friends are into Spaghetti and Meat Ball Entree. I like the Spaghetti with Meat Sauce ( it has small  chunks of Meat in the sauce) with great seasoning. Remember it is Family Style at Buca Di Beppo. Everybody shares their selections of food with the other people at your table.
Small Order: 2-3people
Large Order: 4-6 people
4 - Rowena D.: Totally caters to large groups. Definitely a great (but expensive) treat for the family. Excellent red wine. EXCELLENT.
5 - Phoenix M.: Wow, I'm pretty disappointed by the reviews. This is a very good Italian place, if not for the food, than for the ambiance! The gaudy wall decorations of Italians (clothed and not clothed), year round Christmas lights, pope and soccer memorablia, etc make this feel like a basement bistro.  To me and my family the food is great.
To all the people who dislike the service, maybe your not people persons. I have gotten into some good convos with the waiters and one even made a rose put of a napkin for my sister. I see the same waiters around every time. 
This is a must go at least once, even if Its to just text the waters. You never know, you might get hooked
4 - Cesar C.: Great commercial Italian food restauran. It's a very eclectic setting (interesting to look at). The food is VERY filling. They have a neat serving method. You can order one meal for two or one for a family of, I believe, 4-6. Great pasta and sauce! Those meatballs on the spaghetti are HUGE!
5 - Gabriel C.: This place is Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, the bruschetta was  brutal the eggplant was tits.THE PORTIONS ARE LARGE.Limoncello  All in all this place is one of my favorite surprises.
4 - Johnny N.: Gotta love curbside service! Especially in the heat... poor things. Just call ahead, drive there, and pull up to the designated parking spaces and a host will come out to greet you in short order. They'll ask for a name and a credit card and run back inside. Then out comes your food and a receipt for you to sign as they load it up in your trunk or wherever you want. Done! You never leave your air conditioned car, just sit like the lazy ass that you are and roll down the window.

Total time elapsed from arrival to departure: 5 minutes.

Oh yeah the food is decent too! Sure it's a chain, but it's still good.  No need to mention the huge portions.
4 - Sean G.: Calamari is always good here. If you're looking for Italian I would suggest this place. Atmosphere is beer family friendly except maybe some of the pictures on the wall and maybe some in the restroom. Great service!
4 - jesse a.: 4 stars not for the food. It is just okay.  Actually the food is very average. BUT!!!! There is such lousy service out there in the world (corkys) That I walked out grinning from ear to ear. Thank you to Elise our server! She treated us like we were the most important people in the whole place. Service like that made it a pleasure to eat at Buca's. The place is cool. The music was fun. It was sweet to enjoy an evening of good treatment even if the food could and should have been better. Elise needs to be cloned.
4 - Will W.: Food: 5 (Try the salmon)
Drinks: 5 (Good selection)
Service: 2 (The servers are slow, rude, and forgetful)
Atmosphere: 5 (A Lazy Susan with the Popes head)

The food is superb. The family sized portions are perfect for sharing between large parties, but because of the portion sizes, it may be difficult for a couple to choose one item to share. Of all the dishes I have tried, I highly recommend the salmon, served with lots of roasted garlic and a creamy pesto that doesn't overpower the taste of the fish. Our server had trouble speaking English, when at one point he was mocked by another table as he attempted to get everyone's attention for a birthday song. Aside from his poor communication skills, he continuously cracked his knuckles while getting our order or checking on us, forgot drinks, forgot to ring in an entree, set another table's food and drinks on our table while he served us, and argued with us about a modification because he felt that the cooks would be too busy to do it.
1 - Eric L.: Sasquatch brings the brushetta to the table. We look at it. There is an awkward silence. We stammer to our orders. But in between words like "salmon" and "marsala," there is always a weird pause in our cadence; "what is on the table!" I googled "brushetta recipe" and the very first link brought me to the following recipe:

* 6 or 7 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
* 6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped.
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
* 1 baguette French bread or similar Italian bread
* 1/4 cup olive oil

Pretty standard, a lot of oil, garlic, tomatoes, basil. Here is Buca di Beppo's brushetta:

* Insipid tomatoes - a lot.
* No garlic - because contrary to the menu, why stick with shtick 
* Olive oil - make each serving resemble the torn hull of an oil tanker
* Two shreds of basil
* Bread - the same type that is given for free
2 - Nicholas B.: Bucca Di Bepo has changed recently. We usually order to go a pizza, pasta, and a salad. The usual pizza we get is a thin crust pizza with gorgonzola cheese, sices of peperoni, and carmalized onions. in my opinion their best pizza by far. They no longer make this pizza. so instead we got a thin crust peperoni pizza. The pizza was not very good they switched their tomato sauce for a sweet tomato sauce, and they also did the same for the spagetti. Their food now tastes like generic italian food you buy from a super market it no longer has the taste that made it stand apart from everything else.
4 - John S.: My wife has been here before and enjoys it for "Girls night out".  She found it suitable for a large group of 8-10 people having food and drinks on a Saturday night.  We went there recently with my 6 and 8 year old daughters who can be rather picky eaters.  The family style meal was perfect for us.  The girls aren't big eaters and with a couple of entrees, bread and an appetizer they were able to have something they liked.  No wasted $8.99 for a kids mac and cheese that they won't touch.  The decor and seating arrangements can be a bit claustrophobic, but adds to the kitschy atmosphere.  5:00pm on a Tuesday evening and the place was just busy enough to be pleasant.  Probably a lot different on a crowded Friday or Saturday night.
The food selections were standard for Italian-American cuisine.  We had some Rigatoni and Veal Saltamboca.  Their house sauce is very very good.  Not over-seasoned or at all acidic and containted nice meaty pieces of tomato.  Very pleasant on bread, pasta or for dipping fried calamari.  (The Calamari appetizer, by the way, was tender and not over cooked as it usually is in stragiht-from-the-freezer restaurants.)
We spoiled ourselves with a decent Chianti, flavor-full espresso and a healthy serving of Cannolis.  All in all, it was pleasant for a family with small children.  The food was by no means out of this world, but was well prepared and flavorful.
4 - ChRiSTiNa C.: The food is delish, I have been here several times and just about tried everything on the menu, the prices are a bit high for what you sometimes get, the service is super slow and not the best, the employee's are not friendly at all and very forgetful, other then that everything is good, the food is served Family style, and this place is loud, the seating can be a pain in the neck b/c they try to cram to many people near each other and it just ain't happening 8 out of 10 times I make them move me to a more comfortable spot even if i do have to wait a while longer I always go w/a party of 11 give or take and they think were all going to fit in a booth WTF! I did notice that they changed some of there menu items and I think they should of left them alone, I love the Raspberry Italian Soda...
5 - Derrick L.: Easily one of the best pizzas around.  I'm not a huge pasta or Italian fan, but I never turn down Buca simply because of the pepperoni pizza!  They have an ice cream desert which is excellent also, good for a few people easily.
1 - George P.: Apparently, I broke a rule and my review  was removed.  YOU Snitches cant' keep me quiet!  This is Yelp for C' Sake!  Time has passed so Im over this bad experience.  Have I changed my opinion....nope.  Will I go back.....Never again! Thanks to the waiter who served us.

So a few weeks back, our family reserves a area for a post grad celebration. Drive out to Claremont, fighting traffic, and having to sit with my in-laws...uggg! The food is great! I have been to pasadena one tons of times and often have a great experience. Butt.....my main problem was the service. To the waiter is served us...... if you don't like your job, go back to school or do something else. I don't want to see your BS faces or hear excuses. I get enough from my wife when I want a little action and she's not in the mood. Now I have to kiss your behind for some bread. When we did ask for bread, said waiter said it would take awhile, but he will do it. No "S" sherlock! We are hungry, so bring something. Our party was a medium sized party, some who we didn't know but we were all friends/relatives of the graduate. So we asked for separate check...So waiter makes a big scene. Now mind you, we are all at different tables so it not like its a banquet tables and that the waiter could not figure out how to split it. Its not that  hard! There was some other sh*t about not sitting our party cause we all we not there at the same time. Unfortunately, we didn't rent a f'n bus to take us to a graduation and drop us off at Buca so we can walk in together like a dozen donuts or a group of SMURF's! Fine. That wan't my beef but charging people more $$ per hour for the room was shady. I haven't got worked this hard since I had in-call service in Vegas! To top it all of, the waiter(after being told about the separate checks) automatically tacks on the 20% tip to each of the bills. You motherf's! "TIPS" stand for TOO INSURE PROPER SERVICE. It doesn't stand for "this is what i need to get to make my night worth coming to work tonight". I used to waiter so I know! I wanted to talk to the manager, but what's the point.  I would have rather sit in a car, with my in-laws, on the 10 freeway, than to go thru this with Buca De Beppo! Never again!
3 - Martina R.: I don't know about you, but I really don't want to see the kitchen at all when I go out.  I don't want to be seated near it, I don't want to hear the noises off it, and I certainly don't want to step into it.  I'm pretty sure that this stems from my guilt over not just cooking my own da*n food.  But, like it or not, this is how your dining experience begins at Buca. 

The staff here was fantastic. Funny, polite, clear, quick.  I felt taken care of, just like being in my nonna's kitchen.  That part was fantastic.  Our waiter was John and (we left him a nice tip) he made eating out a complete experience.  Thanks John!

 My ladies and I came here post a beach trip, and decided that post bikinis we were allowed to veg out, and enter a food coma.  Miss DM said that this was the place.  Now, I'm a BIG fan of family style restaurants when I'm out with friends for a few reasons. First when they eat off your plate, its their plate too.  Second, I can eat off everyone plate. And finally, that it means I get to try multiple things on the menu.  We ordered the cheesy bread sticks, the ravioli, and a margherita pizza.  More than enough food for the the three of us.  The food came out pretty quickly and was hot when it got to the table.  That's where the rave ends.  the food really fell short in my opinion.  I can create more flavorful food in my kitchen.  I don't pay for someone to bore me.  I can buy frozen ravioli and Ragu and get the same result.  (Not a compliment to Ragu).  

Overall, it wasn't a bad experience, but I'm in no rush to return.
4 - Angel O.: I love Buca.  The pizzas are fresh and I LOVE their gargonzola and apple salad.  I think it's kind of neat being able to walk through the kitchen, it means they got nothing to hide.  We've tried the cheesy bread, bruschetta, chicken marsala, tiramisu, spaghetti and it's all fresh and delicious.  There's plenty of food for the price. The decor is a bit much- especially with their obsession for naked people (when you bring observant children here, they have lot's of embarassing questions that you have to give answers to like "No sweetie, that's not his tail").  So, taking away the seemingly authentic decor, this place is a keeper.
4 - Elizabeth V.: I cannot say that this is "authentic" Italian because I know better. Not to mention there's a line of people that would slap me in the head and I would be savagely drug out to many other authentic Italian restaurants to pay my dues to all things Italian. Wait, there was a downside to that right?

But I like Buca. I like their coupons for $10 off of $20. I've always had a good time and great service at this location. Had I not have been to 4 different Buca's, I would not have seen the vast difference in temperament in the locations. Since many of the food offerings are for sharing, it's great for a group (unless you have a non-sharing friend -- don't invite them.)  There are locations that are rock-concert loud but this is not one of them. It does get chatty, they are a happy place, so bring your smile and your appetite.
4 - Mr. E.: Been coming here for a while and always have a good time. This is a place to eat and drink with friends and family...not so much for a romantic dinner. The ambiance is bright and vivid...so intense...like a double rainbow! It can get loud in here, especially when everyone is singing along with the birthday songs. My last server was Dan P. He was friendly and informative and really took care of us, as have most of the servers I've had in the past. The food here is a mixed bag. I love their calamari which is a little spicy. Their apple gorgonzola salad is tasty as well. Most of their pasta dishes are decent...not great, but not bad. I look forward to coming back!
4 - Carlos G.: Buca is the same at any location you go to. The good thing about Claremont's locations is a private parking lot.  You can use those coupons that have 10$ off an order over 20, which every table is using to pay the bill.  I think the coupon thing is what really gets frequent Buca customers coming back.  The food here is family style HUGE portions.

The Food:

Frito Misto appetizer is on a secret menu, if you do not know about it you will never order it. It consist of shrimp, calamari and peperoncini fried and served in a 12" Huge martini Glass (17.95)

Margherita pizza is made with mozzarella cheese,  basil and pizza sauce a simple dish. It is a oven brick style pizza, I suggest order the large and not the small. (12.45 small)

Lasagna has nine layers of noodles with ricotta, mozzarella, provolone and Parmesan cheeses in a meat style sauce. This is a portion for four, which was perfect for our table. (16.95 small)

Chicken Saltimbocca is chicken breast dish that has sage, prosciutto, artichoke, capers, in a lemon sauce. I would order this instead of the chicken limone, you will not regret it! (20.95 small)

Of all the dishes we tried, the Chicken Saltimboca and the Frito Misto I felt were the best.  I do not consider Buca "Authentic Italian" but it is great for family dining!
5 - Gee R.: Ive been patronizing Buca chain for years. I've done Buca all over the US. This is the closest to my house and they usually nail it every time. I do not recommend the minostroni soup as its more of a stew of left over kitchen ingredients and vegetable remnants than a soup. 

The Cesar salad is excepionally good. I also enjoy the pasta San remo and pizzas aswell. To finish I recommend the Tiramisu with an expressly coffee.

Claremont is an ultra right wing nut town full of upper class Hippocrates. No restaurant business does well within city limits except this one. Even the usual vulgar bathroom decor has been toned down at this particular location.
2 - Janine M.: Well, Im really big into 'outside appearance' (judge me i dont care)...and this Buca's looks rundown and in need of a government inspection.....on the outside. Even the painting on the sign is worn. The private parking is nice but not impressive. 
On the inside it is much nicer and clean. AND LOUD. Apparently it is super kid friendly as all I heard was screaming, whining, playing children and loud adults trying to talk over them. It wasn't crowded but every other or every third table was taken. The bartender was a 30-ish white guy with a crappy attitude and even worse sangria making skills. I've tasted better sangria off the shelves at Ralphs. (desperate times call for desperate measures ppl dont act like you were never young and in college).....although our server was pretty peppy and very nice she checked on us like every ten seconds to the point i actually ignored her and kept eating. Overkill.
For anyone wondering-Buca is NOT authentic italian. They are marketing a theme not authenticity.The stuffed chicken breasts were really amazing, with good flavor and a very large portion. The family dining isn't my thing but the portion sizes were very large. The spicy pasta dish we ordered was ok but really spicy to the point we all ate a few spoonfuls and had to wipe our noses. And Im mexican, I like spicy!
Needless to say we took a lot of that home. 
The final thing is the birthday song. We were there an hour and a half and no kidding, heard them sing to someone at least 3 times. OVER the loud kids. 
Overall a poor unimpressive dining experience. If they are going to charge that much they need to bulk up on authenticity and get rid of the McDonald's-like noise levels. Or sit families with children in a different area so the adult only tables aren't screaming to hear each other.
4 - Long J L.: Love the atmosphere at first when i enter Buca, the decor is very Italian and comfortable.  We had a large party and we decided to order 3 large main pasta along with other appetizers. Personally I love their calamari, it is the BOMB! what bothers me is there is no ranch dressing for the calamari, or else it could be better.  I love the service, they are very friendly and warm.  i will love to come back next time.
2 - alli t.: Lunch at Buca on a Sunday. No problem, no crowd.  Service was good and they kept on checking on us throughout the meal and brought us containers and extra bread to take home.

Small Margarita pizza, small chicken saltimbocca and small lasagna for three people and we were stuffed. Leftovers were worth two lunches the next day. 

My favorite was the pizza. It had a super thing crust. If you order a small for your meal you may be hungry later or it might not fill you up at all. 

Lasagna was ok and straightforward - meat sauce, noodles, cheese. Saltimbocca wasn't anything special - chicken breasts topped w/proscuitto (but not necessarily adding any flavor), plain artichoke hearts, capers and lemon sauce. The capers of course had flavors on their own, but the rest of it didn't do anything for me. 

I had a stomach ache from the lasagna or the saltimbocca. I'm not sure which one and my stomach can hold up to most food. Nobody else in my party did. And I ate the leftovers...repeat stomach ache. 

Don't forget to use your $10 coupon from the mail!

Two stars and a half stars b/c I had a stomach ache and the price to value ratio is not optimal.
5 - Krysten I.: Buca is great for large groups because of the layout of the restaurant and the sizes of the entrees. The waiters/waitresses also seem to be able to handle the groups well. 
I am addicted to the chicken marsala and apple gorgonzola salad. But the pastas and pizzas are also pretty good. The pizzas are a little oily for me, but i really like how the pizzas are thin, I'm not a fan of thick pizza crust. The bruschetta is also good.
4 - Shanna C.: Always delicious Italian food with HUGE portions. It's family-style so go hungry and ready to share. Open till 10pm
5 - Jane D.: I went here for my birthday last year and the food was simply amazing. The ambiance was fabulous and very welcoming.

I got a Margarita pizza, Cesar salad and fettuccine Alfredo. The Cesar salad was Delicious lightly dusted with Parmesan cheese. Amazing. the pizza was thin and cooked to perfection, not too much cheese or sauce. The fettuccine was thick and creamy. The portions were out of control big!!!!!!

Everything about this place from the food to the walls covered in old pictures, screams authentic Italian. I love it and would go back anytime!!!!!!
3 - D R.: tasty gorgonzola salad. the spicy chicken rigatoni was nice too! the ginormous portions are out of control though
2 - Charlie C.: Buca Di Beppo in claremont has not so fantastic Italian food at a price that i feel is a bit high, i have been here around three times. An it has never really impressed me in regards to the food, however i will admit that the service is excellent. But unfortunately i believe that the food for me at least would decide if i were to become a regular at any given restaurant. Now the food isn't bad but i believe the olive garden is just as good if not better. The reason i say "If not better" is because the olive garden's prices are much cheaper, an yes i know that Beppo's prices are more expensive because they serve "family sized portions." But i would have to say that my brother in law said it the best: "They serve crap, big portions of crap." if you do find yourself here however i would recommend the calamari, it's in my opinion the only thing worth while here.
3 - Chris R.: Came here with a large group a few days ago-- and it was pretty good.

The environment was very interesting and creative-- there's tons of culture being portrayed throughout the restaurant; yes, even in the restrooms. The setting is low light , with a lot of small booths and tables to accommodate couples to large groups. Having said, this is definitely a place to come for big groups.If your looking for quite and romantic this is probably not the place

The food was pretty good. It wasn't just the large portions, but it was also how delicious it tasted. I don't eat here very often but the product is consistent.

FOOD-Good
Atmosphere-Noisy
Service-good

I will come back.
2 - Charlotte V.: I haven't been to Buca di Beppo's in a while, and I don't remember feeling as though I'm being pressured to buy stuff before.  I don't want to explain to a waitress that I just want water to drink, not a cocktail.  I was a little taken aback by the person who wanted to take our picture to give us a $5 coupon for our next visit, and then wanted to sell us a larger size of the photo for $10 each which they took the liberty to print out.  What do they do with those photos?  And I felt almost guilty for not ordering a dessert when I couldn't quite finish the food we already ordered.

Yes, the pasta we had was pretty good.  The bread was nothing special.  But I don't like the "big sell" when I go out.  I just want to order what I want to order.
5 - Kit W.: I ate here more times than I can count when I used to go to school nearby.  And now you will know why.  

This place specializes in family style dining (the dishes are meant to be shared =)) but they offer individual portions as well.  If you are looking for hearty Italian fare with a warm, homey atmosphere, look no further--Buca's will fit the bill and quite nicely too.

I always ordered the same things.  I felt guilty because I am sure there are many tasty morsels to be had on the Buca menu, but I had a one-track mind when it came to Buca's xD.  

So I usually started the meal with their Apple Gorgonzola Salad, which comes in the happy form of tart Granny Smith apples, spiced walnuts, dried cranberries, Gorgonzola cheese, and fresh lettuce blend tossed with their signature uber delish Italian vinaigrette.  This salad is so wonderful that even my mom, who eats most of her vegetables cooked, makes the exception.  No, that's not quite right.  She is not only partial to this salad...she's really enamored with it.  She jokes that she would fly to Claremont just for this salad.  At least, I think she's joking.  There's a Buca's here in Honolulu but it just doesn't compare.

For the entree, it was all about the Chicken Limone.  This comes with three servings of chicken breasts (if you get the to-share portion) lightly sauteed and topped with a dreamy lemon butter sauce and capers.  Soooooo darn good.  One time, my mom and I were there and only ordered the apple gorgonzola salad and chicken limone because we weren't super hungry that day and guess what?!  Our waitress was so sweet and gave us a Linguine Frutti Di Mare (shrimp, baby clams, mussels and calamari tossed with a spicy red clam sauce) on the house because she said another table canceled the order!  What amazing service!!!

So for the days when my dining partner(s) and I were more hungry, we would also order the Shrimp Fra Diavolo.  If you love your food spicy and your shrimp succulent, this is dish to get!  They are usually pretty generous with the amount of shrimp too.  My mouth waters just thinking about it xD.  

If you are a fan of tiramisu, Buca's tiramisu is pretty bomb.  When I offered to buy my best friend a cake for her birthday, she asked me to get her the tiramisu from here instead xD.  

Oh Buca--how I love you.  Let's meet again soon.
2 - Cheryl L.: I have no idea what people line up at this place for. Maybe because we don't have anything like it around the IE! Maggiano's is SO MUCH better for your money.  Ordered the stuffed mushroom appetizer- 6 came swimming in a creamy pesto sauce on a huge plate, taste was okay.  For the main meal, got Pasta San Remo (Think it was called that)-- tasteless, I even had to add salt, spaghetti w/ meatsauce- so-so.  The chopped antipasto salad was the best thing of the night.  Note you have to ask for bread and water, as it will NOT be brought without asking. They will charge you for garlic bread though, at $9.00/basket. 

When asked about if we were there for a special occasion, we said, yes, for 2 birthdays. All around us through the evening, they were bringing out the dessert and singing Happy Birthday to everyone, but when we were done, we just got the bill. That really had nothing to do w/ the 2 stars, but I just thought i'd mention it to complain! LOL! 

Also, w/ coupons, you can only use one at a time, even if you have one for a birthday coupon and the other one is the $10.00 entertainment book one.
2 - Rosabell M.: I booked my husbands surprise party here thinking they would have great service! Well when I went to tell them the menu I wanted for the party they had it all clear and also told them that when I arrived with my husband not to mention that there were people waiting for us, since it was suppose to be a surprise! Well when I got there with my husband the hostess said "your party is waiting for you" I looked at her with an evil look...I was sooo pissed off cuz she gave it all away!!! So then the waitress brings out menus for the guests, which wasn't suppose to happen since I had pre-ordered the food for the party so I had to remind the waitress that I had chosen the meals already!!!  Geez can it get any worse!! The food was food was good but because of the service I'm givilng 2 stars
4 - Daniela M.: I came here with my fiance and his family for my fiance's birthday and we had a good time.

The staff was genuinely nice and courteous.  We didn't have an appointment but we didn't get any death glares or stink faces from anyone, which was nice.

We were seated in less than 10 min.s and still received with excellent service.  My fiance's sister was concerned that there was no eggplant in her dish and the server reassured her that there was (it was just small) and even brought out an extra dish of eggplant at no charge.

The food was great.  Not to die for, but great.  Now their salad was so delicious, I'm craving it as I type.

The atmosphere was nice as well, they had interesting pictures everywhere which made for funny moments at our table.

I definitely recommend this place to anyone who is curious about the restaurant.
5 - Philip S.: How can you not like Bucca? Especially when they have those $10 off of $20 coupons, that's insane!

The atmosphere of this place is always so lively and festive... I like the fact that it's loud, which totally overwhelms my children's screaming/yelling. 

The food is always tasty. We really like the baked rigatoni, the sausages are so good. The pizza is tasty, but not very filling though. The children spaghetti with meatballs is impressive, they sure don't skimp on the meat. The desserts are good (probably won't help you lose any weight). Coffee is good, though I usually get insomnia because they'll refill it.

We always have a good time here.
4 - Michael A.: Always can count on great food, and a wait for it.
3 - Misty S.: Went here for the hubbies bday with a group Of friends /family the restaurant had great atmosphere, our service was great, the food was average not great but not bad. Overall good experience! Would def go again and the piano bar next door was a blast!
5 - Johnathan A.: We had a bday dinner here. There were about 16 of us. The waitress was very nice and made sure our orders were correct. The food is great!
1 - Barbara A.: Cherie D.
 (http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=ynuVOBY9ezIcplsE8vRKzA) seems to be affiliated with the restaurant. She sent me a nice message complimenting my intelligence and making perfect sense about how people DON'T REALLY DRINK THE WATER LOLZ.

If this is how their restaurant operates, I will be passing on future invitations here.
4 - Eric O.: Good food, loved the apple gorgonzola salad and the cheese pizza.  Service is good, as long as you're not there on the weekend when it gets packed.  The larger parties get better service and the couples seem to get ignored.
2 - BRANDY E.: Well I have lived in La Verne since 1994 and I have drove by this place several times within that time but have never dined there until now.  I have a friend who loves this place and she raves about it.  So with my trusty entertainment book my husband and I ventured out to the lovely Claremont looking for a place to eat one Thursday night and we decided to give it a try at Buca. First I will say the food was acceptable, We ordered the ravioli. We also had the spinach and mozzarella salad which was ok. We had the super cheesy bread which was fantastic.  I did however, find that the small portions are not enough for the money.  I usually have food to take home when I visit most Restaurants but not here. I did not like that.  Also the prices were very high.  I even used a 10$ off coupon and with what I ordered, and drinks the bill was still like 55$ with tip. NOT IMPRESSED. I will be going back to order some other dishes though..I have to try the meatballs!!! .LOL
5 - Alexis M.: My all time favorite restaurant.

They're just awesome. Great food, great atmosphere, and super cool memorabilia to look at!

The bathrooms are pretty neat too :)
4 - MariCruz G.: Love LoVe LOVE this place! Great ambiance soo cozy, the food is ok (nothing you can't whip up at home) pricing is decent given the big porportions! Its an exact replica of the Buca in Oahu, place is great for large gatherings or dates!
2 - Joe Y.: Over priced and food and environment are bland
5 - jare g.: excellent food, large portions, great value. great quality Italian food at great prices. the service is wonderful. one of my favorite pizza places.i was a regular here for years and i was never disappointed.
3 - Ji O.: went there after friends graduation 
they took our reservation and sat us down at the time they had told us
and usually i dont expect great service from here.. 
but the two gals that  served us well 
left satisfied
4 - Rebecca J.: The lasagna was a bit too dry for my taste, but their salads are to die for. Probably one of the best salads I've ever had.
4 - Honey S.: The menu is so overwhelming with so many decious that sound delicious and look even better in the photos. 

I love the ambiance here, always have, its a fun resturant to enjoy some tastey Italian food while enjoying the italian music and hundreds of photographs covering the walls. 

The portions are rediculously large so its perfect for large groups and sharing while sampling more of the dishes, 

i love the calamari, and most of the items on the menu. Honestly you cant really go wrong here, traditional italian, so many options and huge portions. =) you'll feel like a fatty when you leave for sure though. =)
2 - Johnson W.: Was always curious about Buca di Beppo but never enough to try.  Finally, the $10 gift card I found in the mail gave me enough incentive.  Was greeted at the door by a friendly hostess who took me through the kitchen to our table.  It was nice, because for a good 20 seconds I felt a bit VIP.

Ordered lobster ravioli for gf and I had some chicken dish with alfredo fettucine.  The chicken was tender, the fettucine had good texture.  My gf said her ravioli was interesting.  I had a piece and the lobster flavor was mild at best.  Service was off and on.

No fireworks here but decent food.  For the price I'd prefer Aruffo's Italian Cuisine just a bit further down Indian Hill in the Claremont Village.
4 - E K.: I have always liked going here. I'm going to break this review into 2 parts:

Part One - What Sucks!

The parking, the crowds, the corporate like way in which business is conducted. The latter part leads to you not getting your bread or spoons for you coffee because the college kid who's supposed to be waiting on you is singing some friggin' ridiculous birthday song with all the other waiters in the whole damned place. Annoying! There is enough parking for all patrons, but be prepared to walk. You can either do that or you can be like one of those jackasses that waits in the lot with you car in park until someone leaves so you can have their spot. You are a loser if you do this. Try walking, fatass!

So basically, what sucks is mostly beyond their control. They can't pick the lot, and the employees still have a good attitude despite the corporate style management system in which they function. 

Part Two - What's Good

The food is really pretty decent at this place. I'd put it up against some of the decent places that I've eaten at in Long Island over my lifetime. It's not as good as some classy places that keep the traditional dishes as well as the new, but they are consistently cranking out dishes that I enjoy. The eggplant parm is crispy, tasty, and not full of oil. I like the prosciutto stuffed chicken as well. I've had the frutti di mare and the marsala a bunch of times. All good. Honestly, I haven't had anything that sucked in this place. 

I love the family style dishes. It means I can taste more stuff, and I'm all for that. You should try this place. Good for large parties, or small families. I don't know that I'd take a date here, but for 4 or more friends/family/whatever it's a good fit. 

Oh, I also like all the silly photos on the wall. The shrine to Frank Sinatra and the Pope table are also funny. Mangia!
4 - Robbie R.: If you think about it this is Claremonts only sit down chain resteraunt.  Besides maybe like Round Table Pizza.  Bucca has always been great.  Saw that this location has a B rating though didnt really understand that cause it seems pretty nice and all.  I get these coupons they advertise for 10 bucks off for 20 dollar or more purchase and you can use them for to go.  Ended up getting a large specialty pizza for like under 15 bucks.  Can't go wrong there at all!  When I come here and dine in I gotta get the Chicken Marshalla!  Thats my favorite.  Used to get tortilinni too but the prior time I was there I don't know if they were out or if it was not offered on the menu but I know I wasnt able to get it.  This place over Olive Garden or any other Italian Chain for sure!
4 - Maribel M.: I've been coming to Buca di Beppo faithfully since I was in college. I really like their food and ambience; plus we have always had great service from the servers. 

I don't really care if this is "authentic" Italian or not, since the food is, for the most part, really tasty - particularly the calamari, spicy chicken rigatoni, gnocchi, and the mashed potatoes. They also send out a lot of $10-off coupons if you join their email list, which is great.

The portions are really generous, so we always have some to bring home. I did notice, however, that the small calamari has gotten smaller - tough times, I guess.

Our only beef with this place is that for the last couple of years, they have had some really awful hostesses up front. They are not friendly and often act like you are inconveniencing them. 

Also, they have a pretty bad parking situation most weekends and sometimes evenings, so be prepared to park at some distance.
2 - Ricardo T.: i come because i am dragged here, the quality has dropped dramatically since being acquired by Planet Hollywood. The service is always really good and the Pizza is the best thing they serve, other than that, its slowly becoming Olive Garden, without the bread sticks.
2 - V C.: I hate that they charge an arm and a leg for half a loaf slice of cheese bread and Olive Garden's house salad. $20 for that. 
Ehh.
The only thing decent were the pastas: baked rigatoni and fettuccine supremo. 
Even the water tasted tap funny.
No complimentary anything except for a smile and attentive service. 
But dang. Drenched iceberg lettuce and melted cheese on buttered bread. 2 bites per person. Really? Appz are way overpriced and the pastas is also.  I'd been here once before and I came back just to try out my first impression. But to no avail, it's the same results. blah.
And too bad. I almost went to Vince's. And should have gone to The OSF too.
4 - Clete H.: I have eaten at over 10 different Buca di Beppos around the country, but this remains my favorite. While I have found all the food good, the Penne San Remo is outstanding! My only complaint would be the cost of the garlic bread. It is way out of line compared to the other items. The atmosphere is relaxed and the service has always been excellent.
5 - Cherie D.: In response to Barbara "Soupsy" A: 

I'm not affiliated with Claremont Buca other than I'm a guest and fan of this place. For the record, I did, yes send Barbara a message but by no means was I complimenting her intelligence. I pointed out that if she did the math on the 'expensive' menu items and broke it down on 'cost per person' for how many people one dish will feed, then she'd realize that the prices were totally reasonable. 

Also I pointed out in my message since she was complaining about water, that most people order water at a restaurant and never bother to drink it anyway. But will usually complain if they didn't get the water. Because they like to complain. And people who like to complain will always find something to complain about, even if it's really petty. 

So to clear things up, just in case anyone's reading Barbara "Soupsy" A's negative comments, there it is. 

Also, for anyone looking to date, my advice (this one will have you doing jumping jacks to keep her happy. That's a guess, but I'm probably right.)

P.S. Try the Tiramisu, it's fabulous.
5 - Tawny V.: LOVE bucca!
fav dish i always order

chicken satimbocca
fetecucine alfredo
5 - The Food C.: Always good and never a let down!
4 - Joey S.: Penne arrabbiata zesty. Baked rigatoni comfort food. Lasagna mmm... I'm full. Go ahead and get yourself something. Don't forget mozzarella garlic bread.
5 - Michael A.: When you first want in they take you on a tour of the kitchen, which was weird for me i'm not going to lie. But once you sit down and start eating you mind will be blown away with how great the food is. Its a great family restaurant, meaning that the food is meant to feed a certain number of people. the small order can feed 3 people and the large can feed up to 6, so choose wisely.Over all great atmosphere and great people working there.
Favorite dish has to be all the pizza there.
4 - C T.: Great Family nite dinner place. They give you lots of great food and you will have some to take home!
4 - Katie W.: As I sit here and type my fiance and I are arguing about how many stars I should give Buca. He says 5, I say 4...my account, so as you can see above, 4 wins. (I'm very stingy with my 5's).

With that said, I had never been to a Buca before (fiance had it once before) b/c there really aren't any in a convenient location for me, but since we were headed to Pomona for a concert at the Fox Theater (see my review of Fox) we decided Buca was finally meant to be seeing as though it was just a short drive to Claremont. 

It was 4 people, and at first we were trying to figure out, how is this mathematically possible? 4 people, but their portion sizes are meant for either 3 or 6, and we wanted to try different things. What ended up happening was my fiance and I ordered 2 Buca Small dishes to split KNOWING we'd have leftovers, and the other couple with us split 1 Buca Small. Unfortunately, we couldn't really split our dishes since we paid for 2 and they only paid for 1. This is one of the small (emphasis on the word small) issues I had with this place...it's hard to order. I feel like it's GREAT for huge parties, but to go as just a couple, or even a group of 4 there's no easy way to order without OVER ordering and then it starts to get pricey. 

Here are my feelings on the other aspects of the place:
The FOOD was delicious, no arguments there. We split the vodka sauce pasta and the baked pasta 4 dish (a mixture of manacotti, shells, etc.) Both were excellent. The vodka was a bit spicier than I was prepared for, but I really enjoyed it. We also ordered a Bucca Small brushetta and while it was not the best brushetta I've ever had, it was certainly up there. Our friends split the baked ziti...I don't know how it was since we didn't share, but it looked good, and they also got an order of garlic cheesy bread which was fine....regular bread with motz cheese melted on top. For dessert my finace ordered the Italian Cream Cake which was out of this world...universe actually. It was orgasmic. It was certainly large enough for 2-4 people to share. We also ordered the huge brownie sundae...it said right on the menu that it was for 6 people to share, and there were only 4 of us, but we were skeptical that it was really "that" large. We.were.wrong. It was the BIGGEST dessert I've ever seen in my life and enough for probably 10. We MAYBE ate half of it. It was really good, but just a brownie with ice cream on top (although I will say the vanilla bean ice cream they used was some of the best I've had). 
DRINKS: My fiance and I each had a peach bellini (not frozen) and it was delicious, although the peach syrup didn't exactly mix well with the alcohol so the last sip you took was ALL syrup (my advice to him "just shoot it like I did"). I also got a glass of the WHITE sangria which was TERRIBLE...honestly the worst sangria I've ever had, it tasted like ice water, BUT the red sangria pretty much made up for it...it was pretty good. My fiance also got a Manhattan Orange drink which was way too strong for my tastes, but he liked it. Lastly, we tried the Purple Pear Italian Cream Soda and it was delicious..I could have had 5 of those (of course then I would have died). 

No HONEST review is complete without a few SMALL complaints:
-it's hard to order there without 6+ people, but that just means I'll return with a larger group next time....they are honest on the menu about portion sizes, that is appreciated.
-The entrees themselves were not overpriced in my opinion (because if you divide an $18 meal out between the 3 people it's meant to be split with, that's more than reasonable) BUT I did think their appetizers were significantly overpriced. The $10 for the brushetta was steep since there wasn't that much of it...$6 would have been more reasonable. But the fact that they CHARGE for garlic bread at an Italian place is a bit ridiculous to me. The cheese bread was another 10 bucks and there wasn't very much of it. Apparently they DO have "house bread" but they don't offer it, you have to ask...which is weird for me and kind of uncool.
-Lastly, and most irritating, I told the waitress at the beginning of the meal, before we even ordered anything that we would need 2 bills, one for us, and one for the other couple. She said no problem, but that if they have to split the bills they automatically add gratuity to it. I've NEVER heard of adding gratuity to a bill unless it's for a party of 6+ which is understandable. I looked at my fiance with a WTF look, but ultimately we just went with it since it would have been more difficult the other way. The thing that REALLY bothered me though was that they didn't just add on a gratuity, they added a 20% gratuity! I've NEVER seen a 20% one added on to ANY party size...18% is always the HIGHEST and usually it's closer to 15-16%. Fortunately she was a good server, because had she not been I would have thrown a fit to the manager. 

All-in-all I would return because the food really is delicious.
3 - Sue K.: apple, watnut, gorgonzola salad, penne ala vodka, garlic mozz bread, an order of meatball.

three of us went and it was more than enough for us.  The mozzarella bread was just right - enough cheese, not too salty, not too buttery. THe salad is something i'd get again - it was simple and flavorful. I am a fan of gorgonzola, so i was happy with the amount of cheese in the salad but if you are not a fan of it, then you may want to take some off...
Penne Ala Vodka was good...you can't really go wrong with that...right?
4 - Matthew D.: I love this place! the pasta is amazing: the baked ziti, the spicy chicken, spaghetti and meatballs, all worth ordering. Can sometimes be a bit difficult to get a table if you don't go early enough, but I think the wait is worth it.
4 - JP Z.: Great food, great service worth the drive from rowland heights
3 - Jeremy T.: If you don't leave talking about the food; you will definitely be talking about the atmosphere.

I enjoy this place.  The food is good, the staff is friendly and it is perfect for just two or twenty two.  I have eaten with small and large parties, birthdays and holidays.  The wall decor is interesting and full of exciting, tasteful, risque etc.... 

I kind of miss the decor in the restrooms but am quite sure somebody complained.
1 - CJ C.: My first experience here was par.  The pizza was bland, and the tiramisu was over powered with rum. 
So I decided to try this place again, hoping the the first time was just an off day for them. My 3 friends and I decided to share a large veggie pizza and a salad. It was a little better this time, but definitely not worth its price. 

Then the host came to our table  asking if we'd like to take a photo for  a post card. We thought, wow that's nice of them to print photos/postcard for us. They brought the photos in boarders to us. And of course, like the saying goes, if it's too good to be true, it probably is. They wanted us to purchase the photos. She left the photos on our table for us to decide. If i wanted to pay for a photo, she should have said something up front instead of wasting the print paper/ink. In my opinion a very tacky way for them to come up with more funds. 

Then came the bill. Since there was only 4 of us, the automatic gratuity wasn't automatically tacked on to our bill. But we wanted to split the check 4 ways since we all carried debit cards. Our server replied similar to this manner. "In order for me do split the check, I have to manually input the individual prices into our machine, and it 'automatically'  adds gratuity to each individual bill". I always leave a tip, but this left a little sour taste in my mouth. She gave us our bills back and saw that it wasnt the machine the added the gratuity, but rather our server.  I personally believe she was rather lazy and didnt want to go through the hassle of dividing the check.

After this experience, I dont plan on coming to a Buci di Beppo ever again.
5 - Cameron M.: Took the family out for dinner. Made a reservation through Yelp but still had to wait 5 minutes or so but that was cool. It didn't give me a choice of where to sit when I made the reservation so I just figured my name would at least be on the seating list. When I got there confirmed reservation and they said the "The kitchen table right?". Looked at my wife, she shrugged her shoulders...Sure why not! I've heard that they have the table in the kitchen but never sat there. I thought my kids would trip out. They were excited about sitting in the kitchen. It was interesting to be in there, seeing the action. It was a trip to see that there were only 3 guys in there dishing things up. They go pretty fast. Food is always good. I've never had a bad experience with these guys.
4 - Matt w.: I'm not a big fan of eating @ chain restaurants. However, the choices in Claremont leave a lot to be desired. So, often, when I have a big group, I find myself coming here because they have room and the food is serviceable. Like all Buca's, the place feel overly cluttered and dusty with tons of crap all over the walls. However their seating is comfortable and for big groups the prices are decent. The food food is better than some Italian places but not the great stuff you get at a little mom and pop place with fresh pasta. The front desk folks are always friendly and the servers are typically pretty strong here, although some of them try to keep pushing add-ons even after you say no 5 times. I think they must be taught to ask if you want EVERYTHING, yet some of them haven't figured out the social cues to know when someone is just not that interested or that their pushiness will negatively impact their tip. So, Buca is good for what it is, a serviceable chain Italian restaurant (WAYYYYYYY better than "The Italian Denny's"- otherwise known as The Olive Garden. But don't look for excellent Italian cuisine- it's merely serviceable. Oh last thought- their alcohol prices is where they get you at Buca. Their beer prices in particular are insanely high! I hope they come up with a happy hour soon!!!
4 - Jeff I.: I've been here on a number of occasions, and each time, the service and the food is very good.
Its family style dining, so be prepared to pay a little bit more than a traditional place, but you get plenty to share with the people you're with.
The pictures on the walls are interesting, and the atmosphere isn't too bad, not a traditional place by any regard.
4 - Riri S.: Friendly!!! Delicious!!!!! Quick!!! Clean!!!!
1 - Matt E.: Went here last night with a party of 8. The service was terrible. When we sat down, there was dirty silverware we had to ask twice to replace. The server didn't bring enough wine glasses - again we had to remind the server to bring another. The server also kept forgetting to bring another beverage order. 

After we placed our orders, the salad and bread arrived okay. However, when the entrees came out, everyone received their food, except for my wife and I. We were told it would be out shortly. 20 minutes later, we still did not have our food - everyone else was almost done eating.

This is where the service really got bad! We complained to our server about our lack of a meal, and she still insisted the food would be right out and promised to get the manager. 15 minutes later (we still don't have food), the manager came by and made a lame joke about "Who are the hungry ones here?". Then he said the kitchen had to re-make our dish. Well, thank you for that bit of news! Why not say that in the first place, instead of lying to us about our food coming out shortly?

Finally an hour after everyone else at our table had been served, our food arrived. It was mediocre at best. The really sad part of this is that the gratuity was included automatically, so I was forced to reward the atrocious service.

I realize that everyone makes mistakes, but their obvious lack of concern and unwillingness to own up to the situation made things much worse than they had to be. Needless to say, I will not go here again, and will warn everyone I know to stay away!!
3 - Benjamin R.: The quantity of food was OK, some of the dishes were good and some. The fettuccine alfredo was bland also the bruschetta lacked salt, way under seasoned. Service was great.
5 - Cheryl B.: OUTSTANDING!!!! I had a large event this past saturday for my parents 50th wedding anniversary. There were approx 60 guests and it was a stormy wet day. Never the less everyone came to celebrate. The staff was completely accomodating to me and all of my requests. They helped with suggestions and set up. The food was excellent, the service was outstanding!! All in all the day was PERFECTION! I wouldn't have changed a thing (except the weather). Thank you Buca for making my parents day even more SPECIAL!!
4 - Bonnie P.: LOL--the first time we went here the waiter did not clue us in on the SIZES of the servings...they are ALL meant to be shared....all I can say is--we took a lot of food home!!!  Even an order of garlic bread is a loaf and a half!!  LOL

If you tell them you have NEVER been, they will have you enter thru the kitchen..REALLY...there is a large half round booth in there and you can reserve it and actually eat in the kitchen--if you want to sweat your butt off!!

The food is middle of the road, meatballs as big as tennis balls...but there is really nothing bad about the food---a FANTASTIC place to come with a table full of friends and pass the food around.....you will absolutely have a great time and totally enjoy the food!

We also ordered wine--it was just "okay", but when you are stuffing yourself with pasta, it works!!
4 - Alicia C.: Always a great place to get together with a lot of people. Took my daughter and her friends here for her birthday this year. Great time, good food! Always fun. The photo guy bugs every time we come, who wants a 10 dollar picture of yourself stuffing your face? Get rid of him and you get stars all the way across!
4 - TM S.: Fun place to dine family style. Everyone orders their favorite. Unless you are super famished or want take home food for days, order the smaller size. Will still satisfy the heartiest of appetites when you afford to do the simple carb splurge (I usually make sure I've pressed major weights at least an hour or two in advance  of dining here, much as I would've before major holiday feasts in order to maximize enjoyment, minimize weight gain & guilt). Family favorites include garlic bread, apple walnut  gorgonzola salad (largest on both of these), eggplant parmesan,  spaghetti with world's largest meatball, pepperoni pizza, lasagna, bottle of chianti. Gather favorite family & friends to share & you're certain to let the good times roll. Great catering service as well! Everyone goes home happy & satiated & I get to be a star hostess without sweating the prep&cooking!
1 - Michelle D.: AWFUL and DIRTY!!!!! We went and sat at the popes table on Sunday and we will NEVER go back again! Our waitress brought us out a stack of dirty plates not once, but twice! The second time she noticed it was dirty and ran her fingertip over the smudge of food to get it off thinking we didnt notice! EWW! She never even apoligized for it. We only had 2 hours at the table, and if we went over our time limit they would charge us $100.00 so you would think they would be prompt in taking our order, they were not. We had to ask to order about an hour into our reservation giving us little time to eat, much less have dessert or a cup of coffee afterwards. It didnt matter to me though since on my first bite of baked ziti i pulled a huge clump of hair out of the back of my throat making it my one and only bite of food i had. I drove through McDonalds on the way home. Better service and food. SAD!
4 - Terin T.: I go to this location several times and always had great service.  Unfortunately, my pick order was made wrong tonight.  The hostess tried to excuse herself and told me to come back.  Normally this would not be a problem for me, but considering that it was 10:50pm and it takes us about 15 minutes to drive there one way.  So I figured, one hour out of my night just to get dinner for the family, it was not worth it (especially when it was their fault).  So I asked for a manager and got Matt.  He immediately apologized and offer to mail me a gift card for their mistake.  I would say, that was good customer service....the hostess should work on solving problems and not 'give out' anymore excuses.  Anyway, I'll be going back to this location.  Good job Matt!
3 - Jay K.: Food is fine but really paying for ambiance and generous portions.  I can't imagine dining here unless with large group.  Worked really well for our two families with four kids age 5, 7, 8, 10.
2 - rich r.: At bucca  the restaurant is empty and the tell us 30-40 min  really
3 - Danmo H.: Met up with some long lost friends here for dinner.  It was a fun atmosphere--stroll through the kitchen on your way to the table---and the server appeared to enjoy her job.  She explained the family sized plates and made recommendations for our trio.  We ended up selecting a green salad and chicken Marsala.  Then out of no where the paparazzi shows up and offers to take pics.  Oh all right!!  We did the classic "cheers" pose with our drinks, and of course, the standard "cheese" smile.  Right place at the right time for all involved  -- we bought all the pics for whatever they charged, because it was a bit of a reunion for me and mah friends.  Then here comes the food!  The salad was huge which was a good thing as it prevented me from consuming mass quantities of bread.  The chicken was fine and the right sized serving so we had room for dessert -- a slice of cheesecake about half the size of my head!  So much for not eating mass quantities of bread!  Overall, nice experience.  I would recommend for large gatherings.  However, food is just okay.  I have other favorites when I want to get my Italiano on!
3 - Scott G.: Don't try using their online reservation. They don't get them, and will then blame your use of the site.
Don't expect anything if you tell them it's your birthday. you'll be lucky if you get two employees clapping for you. After spending $150+, you'd think they could afford a 60 cent loss leader of a scoop of ice cream. 
Followup: I did send Corporate an email about our experience, and they were very concerned to help make it right. +1 star for their response.
3 - Vanessa F.: My niece loves Buca, she picks it for every celebration we have. And really, she's the only reason I come to the restaurant. Not because it's terrible. The food is okay, but because the portions are so large and really the decorations overwhelm me.

It's easy to feel claustrophobic in the place because every square inch of wall is covered with a photo, which are fun to look at. You'll sit shoulder to shoulder with your large party, and you'll get lost on your way to the bathroom and back.

Sensory overload.

The food is good. Not authentic, but still tasty. Pizza's always a good choice for a large party. They have a couple of spicy pasta dishes that I really like because I like shrimp and spicy.

Service is generally good, and staff is friendly.

It is a loud place so if you really want to have conversations this might not be the best place to go.
5 - Anthony R P.: A little pricey but WELL worth it. I personally love the eggplant parm. Their spaghetti and meatballs and ravioli are basic and average at best. Chicken prosciutto, chicken cabanera and some new spicy chicken pasta dish are delicious as well.  Go with a few people and be hungry. The inside is amazing with all the pictures, lights and decorations. Quite a pleasant experience.
4 - Catherine W.: This is a solid place for large groups, families, and friends. It's kind of loud but it could just be the people I go with. I've been in a really large group of 50, and we get a room in the back, and the staff is really great about being hospitable. The pasta and pizza are really great--but the Tiramisu is kind of too alcohol tasting for my taste. It's a chain-you really can't go wrong.
3 - Jas S.: I feel bad about giving only 3 stars. The food has always been good. San Remo, and Shrimp Florintine is awesum, as well as the caesar salad and bread, and tiramisu. However, a bunch of my friends were treated to a hurry and leave attitude from the servers and photography who always is pesky about taking pictures at your table. This guy needs to get a real job. I asked for some coffee with my tiramisu and got one cup and never saw our waitress Dina again. Some dark haired guy kept coming by getting our dirty plates. I'd look up at him handing him the plates and saying thank you. He'd take the plates without a smile, nod, nor thank you back. Once we were done, we sat and talked but I kept noticing the tall guy looking over at our table as to say really?, still here? Made me totally uncomfortable, but just made me more adamant about staying longer. After they recieved there payment they were done with us. Not even an offer of more water? Nope, Sad. If I didn't love the food so much I might attempt to say I wouldn't be back. But I'm sure I will return. :(
5 - Pedro C.: this place is great, we went here after a rehearsal for a friends wedding. we had about four different style pizzas. and they were all great. everyone couldn't stop trying all the different pizzas. the service was top notch as well, our party had about 22 people in it, and they accommodated us very well. definitely will be going back very soon.
1 - Douglas L.: Went in on 8/8/12 to a nearly empty restaurant at 11:30am for a lunch with my wife. Were told that they 'had to get a table ready for us' - and made to wait a few minutes. When we were seated, we were put in an empty room and NO one came to give us water or bread, or anything else.

And we sat....
And we sat...
And we sat..

After 12 minutes - my wife and I agreed to wait two more minutes to see if we'd get any service. We did NOT, so we got up to leave. I spoke with the manager on duty - explained what occured and he immediately offered to buy my lunch - which I declined. I declined because:

1. It was too little too late
2. See #1

Buca di Beppo is a restaurant that my wife and I have a love/hate relationship with. She wants to love it, but each time we do, she is disappointed. I just hate it. Not just because what occured today, but because of:

1. There doesn't seem to be much bang for my buck.
2. The employee's are trained to constantly be 'upselling' - overpriced drinks, appetizers, extra sauces, desserts, espresso -- pushy, pushy, pushy. (I don't mind being told about an item, but the attitude there is that if you don't order it, there's something wrong with you.)

I wrote to Buca di Beppo corporate office, I'll let you know what their response is once I get it.

I'm pretty sure we are done with this restaurant.
5 - B M.: I love Buca! Food is always great, perfect place to grab a to go order because they are fast and run it out to your car. Anthony the Manager is amazing!  Ryliegh is a sweet girl who works the " To Go " and she is fabulous! I call and have no idea what I should order and she figures it out for me, it's always good. I will be ordering again and again. 

Thank you Buca..:)
5 - Allan K.: You need a a group  of people to eat here, cause there is just way to much food.  I love the Caprese and Eggplant Parmesan, i think its the best ever!!!!  Service is great and food delicious.  If you plan on going on the weekend, plan for a wait to be seated.

Bucci - Amherst, MA (42.3771563, -72.5198841) ()
5 - Arik C.: If I needed a haircut in the Pioneer Valley I would hit Bucci.  Kicking tunes, stylists who know their stuff and its cheaper than Super Cuts.  one fo the best values for a haircut, too bad there's none in Boston!
4 - Elizabeth H.: Bucci offers incredible quality for such quick, cheap haircuts. I walked over to this place one day when my stylist didn't show up at the salon (Glamourama), and I still stop in when I want a trim or a spontaneous new style. You can even walk in and get highlights, although they use bleach, which isn't great for your hair. The music is loud and the stylists work fast, which is great if you don't like to chat while getting your hair done.
4 - Andy H.: It is a great place for a fair price. They will wash your hair unlike supercuts, which simply wet your hair with a water bottle spray. Service is nice, they are willing to talk to you, but leave you alone when you don't. I would recommend this place for all guys, because it is quick.
5 - Doris T.: If you are student in the Pioneer Valley, you should know about Bucci! I love this place.  All my haircuts from there have been quite satisfying.  They shampoo and condition your hair and the people who work there are really friendly.  You may want to schedule an appointment in advance to save time because otherwise the wait seems to be long.  There were times when I took a picture and they cut my hair just like it (which is a challenge because I have thin and fine hair).  Plus, you get all of that in $12, super sweet!  I often add $2 in tip if I really like my hair-dresser.   They also have recommendations for salon quality products that may work for you if you are willing to pay the price.  I miss that place, now that I no longer live in the valley.  

Go check it out!

Buckaroo's Mercantile - Cambridge, MA (42.3638289, -71.1015782) (Central Square)
4 - Jessica R.: Buckaroo's doesn't really sell much used/vintage merchandise.  What they do sell though is tons of vintage-esque kitsch:  retro bowling accessories, weird cocktail themed prints, wind up tins toys, strange things from japan, etc.

Not really my style but fun anyways.

See: http://www.buckmerc.com/

NOTE: it is now in Central Square on Brookline across from the Middle East not  in Inman Square
3 - A T.: Buckaroo's is an awesome little shop with fantastic, unique, different, even awkward or obnoxious (just kidding).  Seriously though, I cannot wait to move into my new apartment.  I will most definitely be stopping in to Buckaroo's for some pink elephant martini glasses, sparrow coasters, and skull beads to touch up my new place.
3 - L D.: I needed to buy a Christmas gift for someone who's into Elvis and pin-up girl kitch. Not being a rockabilly girl or a collector of kitchy doo-dads, I asked around and was sent to Buckaroo's. Having lived in Central for a good many years, I had seen the place but never once stepped inside. Turns out it's ideal for what I needed. 

Once I returned home, I gave my purchases a closer once-over and realized the items were of rather shoddy workmanship. I bought a handbag that doesn't close properly because the zipper is clearly the wrong size. How hard is it to install a smaller zipper? 

In general, the prices are reasonable but these are not things you would spend a huge amount of money on, I would hope. In the back of the store there was a rack with a nasty collection of 'vintage' aprons. They were really just old and dirty. I'd stay away from those. They do sell oil cloth by the yard. Big thumbs up for that. Oil cloth can be difficult to find. They also have an Elvis toilet seat. I'm not sure if that's really awesome or really disturbing.
5 - Meagan H.: Buckaroo's is like a little slice of heaven: pin-up girl, Mexicana, Bettie Page, "domestic bliss"...heaven. This shop is a great place to buy a gift or something special for your home. I was there just last night, and found the most beautiful framed Virgin of Guadalupe icon, perfect for a mantel or bookcase, or perhaps in the kitchen above the sink? At any rate, stop by the shop when you are next in Central Square; you will not be sorry.
4 - Julie A.: I love brooks the owner. He and I have a lot of fun shopping together. It makes me mad when we spot the same cool thing at the flea market and then I realize a few weeks later I can't live without it and go back to the store to pick it up.
He has a great selection on old vintage, new retro, and home made kitsch at pretty cheap prices, so you can find something for yourself or a last minute gift every time!
It's not high end vintage/mid century, but it's still al lot of great stuff to add to your collection and it's all very fairly/cheaply priced!
3 - Steve M.: This store is cute and I've bought a few postcards here. I guess it's in a good location now, set to attract concertgoers from TT's, the Middle East, etc. I just wish he would get some new merchandise - it seems like the selection never really changes.
4 - chungo m.: is it me or is the merch getting better and better every time I come in?
Let me tell you, I love this store. Please do not get the tripod planter or uber 50's plate set. I am saving up for those and would feel so sad if they sold.
vintage stuff mixed with cool new stuff and crafty stuff makes this a great gift buying place!
4 - Lady Fang Y.: I was introduced to the rockabilly flare when I moved in with one. He introduced me to Buckaroo Mercantile. I love EVERYTHING in here. The lil onesies, the the halters, the lil antique TOYS. 

This is a great place to go to buy a gift for someone who is hard to buy for!
4 - meg b.: I was real upset when they moved to Central Sq. But I will always love going there. The staff are really nice, and don't pressure you in a sale. I always go to see whats new, and they never cease to amaze me.
4 - Ligaya T.: Ohhhhh Buckaroooo, how I love yoooooou! With your random caboodles of knick knacks from Mexico and your staff's nimble hands. And everything is so bright with character and charm. Things popped in to visit from other eras and are then whisked away to be appreciated on this decade's walls and mantles. Guaranteed to spifify the home. It's really quite a novel novelty store.
4 - Jocelyn G.: A great place to go for that vintage/retro gift that doesn't suck. Sure, you could probably find similar stuff at Newbury Comics or another store like that, but this stuff is actually vintage.

They also sell necklaces and other things from Bread and Badger, which I love and am definitely going back to get when I have a little extra money.
4 - Crystal F.: I bought my niece a "Pabst Powered" bib here.  I think my brother in law will love it, but my sister will probably stop speaking to me for a day or two.  Tis the price I pay for walking into this store and falling in love with it.  I couldn't resist its charms.

If you love kitch, mid-century stuff, and finding things that make you say "I never thought I wanted (insert thing-a-ma-bob), but now I have to have it!" you'll love this store.  My husband walked in and instantly said, "I'll take it all - can you ship it to Seattle?"  (For Visiting Seattlites: It's kinda like Archie McPhee, but whittled down to only the truly neat things.  Or like Fireworks without the jewelry and artsy stuff but with better prices.)  We begged the owner to move and set up shop in Seattle, but that was a no go.  We'll have to settle for the website until we find ourselves in Cambridge again.
3 - Kris L.: It's a cute little store with a variety of kitsch available.  
I was expecting more vintage for some reason.  I don't know why.  
I bought some vintage decals and was also looking at the oil cloth (didn't get any. I know where to get some cheaper)
I probably would pop in from time to time but it appears that he tends to carry a lot of the same stuff.
4 - shary m.: This is the ultimate gift store if you love the art of  kitschy decor ..  I especially love the hand picked vintage items, no need to flock to ebay, when I can go down the street to the ever changing and satisfyingly inexpensively expansive smile inducing, selection of fun that exists at Buckaroo!
4 - Bridget B.: Fun and kitschy decor ranging from vintage erotica lampshades to toy robots.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a huge retro/vintage/rockabilly style connoisseur, but I adore this store, mostly because again, I can't think of anywhere else where I could get a handbag with Frida Kahlo on it as well as a lampshade decorated with naked women from the 20s.

The owner is exceptionally nice and friendly, and I've never felt awkward browsing, which sometimes can happen in smaller shops where they seem intent to push the hard sale.
2 - Chere P.: Wow....how to describe my experience at Buckaroo's?  Well, I was really surprised but my ratio of hype vs actual experience was way, way off.

For me it's more kitschy DIY than vintage.  I certainly won't say I didn't dig a few things.  I had considered this bag with the 70's dirtbiker on it (know the one?) and a skull belt buckle (sans belt - it was expensive).  For me it was a wicked buzz kill to the drinks and Roni Burger I just downed at Miracle of Science.  

I really expected some cool vintage tees, clothes and accessories mixed with a few kitschy.  You can't get way from DIY, and if done right it's dope.  My preferance is DIY when you take real vintage and make it someting new.   I wasn't digging the kitschy  T's made to look vintage and the attitude that they invented any of the DIY ideas.  They weren't even original ideas.   And if that's your thing, I'm certainly not judging.  Trust me - I can act like a total dork at times...and my choice of apparel can be questioned by my non-expressive through clothes family.....yeah, I guess I don't get it.

I really wouldn't recommend this place and I would have rated it 3 stars, but the little man that works there seems a bit impressed with himself and was lacking that friendliess gene (HHUUUUUGGGGEEE for me).  That atually made a difference for me when I handed the belt buckle back.  I was this  *squinting, holding thumb and forefinger 1.5 inches apart * close to buying it.  Luckily I have a killer real vintage Schlitz beer one on it's way from Ebay - compliments of some dude Gary who had is name embossed on the back of the Belt.
4 - Erica S.: THE spot for pin-ups, old school Wonder Woman clocks, skull embossed accessories, and that vintage laminate kitchen table you didn't know you needed, but can't live without. 

Frolic your way through this totally unique store with wide eyes and your purse open... you'll be needing that! Buy a sexy magnet for the fridge, a quirky kid accessory for your friend's new baby, or a vintage lunch box for, uhhhhh, someone who needs one of those. I mean, hey, it's a party up in here.

Don't miss the robot section in the back of the store! Yes, little robots that walk and dance and groove. Ones that ride bikes and ones that just look at your with their rad little robot faces and ask you to take them home. Robots, you need!

Clothes, too. Catchy t-shirts, '50s aprons, cowboy shirts, pleather. Yeah.. you know you wanna.
3 - Shan C.: Cute store, but yea a bit kitchy.. I would love to see more period and antique pieces here, but a fun browse.
4 - Amanda L.: I came in here and felt bad leaving without buying anything.  There were so many awesome little knick knacks and all fairly reasonably priced.  Also, the guy that works there (the owner?) was really nice and it made me feel even worse for not buying anything! I did almost buy a really cute wallet but like $12 but I held off.  I would probably come back here to buy something awesome for a friend for a birthday or find something awesome for my apartment.  

This place can be really easy to miss, since it's on a side street off the main drag in Central.  But it's definitely a great place to check out when you are in Central!
4 - Andrea C.: This place is delightful and entertaining. The owner's super friendly and helpful, and while there's plenty of kitschy items - posters, postcards, knick-knacks - he also keeps some kickin' furniture around. I snagged some sweet vintage kitchen chairs, and keep thinking about how awesome my visit was.

Sure, it might be kind of hipster-y, but who cares? It's sweet.
4 - kwala t.: I stumbled into this place to escape the rain one day, and found my obsession with all things Day of the Dead fully vindicated.  I'm a huge fan of Mexican kitsch, and this store has a nice selection of wall hangings and decorations with loteria cards, lucha libre fighters, senoritas in distress, etc.  It was fairly reasonably priced, too - picked up a colorful loteria framed mirror for the wall for under $20.   I would definitely recommend it for those of you shopping for funky and affordable gifts.  Thumbs up to being able to customize just about anything (t-shirts, pot holders, napkins, outlet covers, diaries...) with a long list of designs, too, mostly of the 50s era/western/mexican variety.

It is certainly a DIY kinda business, so don't expect the highest quality or the most fawning customer service if that's what you're looking for.  Still, I think it's totally fun and worth it to indulge in kitsch...in moderation, of course.
4 - Jessica A.: I've been back a few times and have evaluated a slow change in stock.

There's still a heavy reliance on retro kitsch screen-printing, but there's a bit more variety in now.  Loving the actual pulp books from the 1920s through 1950s.  Still heavily towards default hipster Día de los Muertos themes and Mexican Tarot cards, still heavy on oilcloth.  The heavily Central American theme is carried out much better at Nomad near Porter Square, but the prices are 20% higher or more.  (And many of the goods are the same.)

It stayed hipster kitsch.  It's gone up a notch, hence the increased star count.  But I don't think it'll ever be "as good as it gets".  I haven't seen the shop's owner in at least a year -- I must pick odd hours to go in or some such -- but he's the Tim Gunn (of Project Runway) of the hipster scene.  In other words, while I see a notch up in creativity, he's fundamentally evaluating the local hipsters and copying their trends.

I don't hold that against him.  It's true that wildly inventive creativity is key to shining success in business.  It's also the key to massive failure.  As a tech review writer commented years ago, "Success in the dot-com world is defined as having a cool logo, a cool name and lots of venture capital.  This is often confused with survival, which is staying in business by making a profit." 
 
I'd rather that a cool locally-owned indie business survive in Central Square rather than demand 110% 24:7.  If observation allows them to formulate  a strategy involving screen-printing, I ain' holdin' that against 'em -- but it isn't encouraging me to go to the fifth star, either.
5 - Hannah L.: super overstimulating and fun! one of my fav stores in cambridge. great slection of kitschy/retro stuff and other random sundries. great place to find random gifts!!!
4 - Lynette S.: Cool vintage stuff, fairly reasonable prices...fun to look at...I liked the vintage drinking glasses, books, and kitchy knick-knacks...(love that stuff!) Jessica A hasa great review of this place I just noticed so I'll defer to her! peace.
5 - Rachel A.: I have walked by this little shop many times, but I finally went in for the first time in January and totally fell in love with it. The woman who was working at the counter is very friendly, and she's definitely "into" the merchandise (as I am too). I ended up purchasing a few pin-up girl postcards and a sexy-lady patch that I have yet to sew onto an item of clothing.

I paid another visit to this lovely shop in March and stumbled upon my mother's birthday gift! A very cool mirror surrounded by little Loteria and Frida Kahlo tiles. Yesterday (4/20, yes) was her birthday and she told me she absolutely LOVES the gift. 

The prices are very reasonable... and they are open late! Very smart on their part as they are right across from the Middle East and people-infested venues.
5 - Erinire A.: I could have spent hundreds of dollars in this store - tiki treasures, vintage teapots, awesome artwork and more. I can't believe I didn't know about it until now!!
4 - Aine C.: Whenever I need to get a friend a gift (especially my mom, she loves this kind of stuff) Buckaroo's is the place to go. The guy who has always been at the register every time I visit is also the one who make all the stuff, which I really liked. When I was asking for a specific design I'd seen in the past he said they were temporarily out, but he offered to make one that would be ready in about a week. Unfortunately I didn't have a week to spare so I picked out a pin-up girl coffee mug and cowboy band-aids. I guess if you're looking for practical stuff it may not be the place for you, but I love this stuff! My only complaint is when I look at certain prices all I can say is, "...Really? Why on earth is this 30 dollars?" Once I got simple plastic place mats here for $24, kind of a rip off. But I'll still give them four stars because the only other place I shop at in Central Square is A Thousand Villages and that place is twice as expensive.
4 - Marko C.: What a FUN store!  I was walking around Cambridge after dinner trying to find some fun stuff to bring back with me to CA as gifts.  I found Buckaroo's Mercantile!   It's a cute little store tucked away on a side street, and can be a bit difficult to find if you blink.

This store has tons of vintage and vintage-inspired items, ranging from clocks, to towels, aprons, lunch boxes, stationary, tshirts, candles, puzzles, linens, and more.  What I liked best about this place is that the owner creates much of the items that he sells - vintage inspired tshirts (which are printed on quality American Apparel shirts), clocks, stationary, and more.  He's super friendly and knows the history about much of the nostalic items!

Prices are reasonable!  Come here to find that one-of-a-kind item for a gift or to treat yourself to something fun!
5 - Romulo R.: Folks, for me, this is what walking around Boston is all about! What an awesome discovery!

So I am the first to admit that I have not explored the Central Square section too much.  But walking around one night I saw this really cool store and decided to check it out.

I don't know if it was the loteria wallplates, or the cool vintage movie posters in Spanish, or the other home made stuff, but I think this place is the bomb!  I really dig the loteria wallplates.  The owner is super cool and quite fun to chat with.  I have been a repeat customer many times.

Bucket's Car Wash - Los Angeles, CA (34.016522, -118.264828) (South East LA)
5 - Ruby C.: My first time here proved satisfactory. They were respectful of my items and my car was left spotless. Depending on what time you go the wait should not be that bad (20~30 mins). A regular wash for $9 bucks and my lazy ass doesn't have to deal with my wreck of a car. 

I came here again and same results. Found my official car washers. Bring cash though and peep the taco trucks.
5 - Andrew T.: You know how it seems impossible that a hamburger at McDonald's can cost just a dollar? I mean, they have to raise the cow and grow the wheat, ship it all to your town, assemble it, and then sell it to you. That couldn't possibly cost just a buck, right?

I feel the same way about Bucket's. For nine dollars, a veritable army of workers vacuumed and hand-washed my car. No less than 10 people dealt with my car in some way or another.

It was a classic Fordsian assembly line (taking out the mats, vacuuming, rinsing, soaping, scrubbing, rinsing, hand-toweling). Simply fantastic.
Note: They didn't vacuum my trunk.

On a Friday at 4:50, they seemed semi-busy. (There was a rush just after 5, naturally.) Like other Yelpers have said, the whole process took about 25-30 minutes.

The only downside (or upside, depending on your preference) was that the waiting area smelled like pot.

Next time, I'll come for the earlybird special wed/thu 8-11:30 - 7/car, 9/truck. Saves you a couple bucks.
5 - Ben V.: I am thoroughly surprised!  This is the best Car Wash in town!

Important notes:
- Cash Only!
- Expect it to take 30 minutes

This is a true assembly line of workers completely hand washing your car.  The owner was very nice, and the cashier very helpful.  I kept thinking of a reason why I could give them a four star review, but I can't!  They literally take their time to make sure your ride looks Stunning.  I couldn't believe how long each person spent making sure their job was spotless.

They even (as other reviews state) carefully move around anything you have in your car as they vacuum and clean the inside.  I had a Starbucks cup that was nicely placed on the passenger seat so that they could clean out the cup holder.  Even the dusty old dash board looks new again!

Come early in the morning on Wednesdays and Thursdays (between 8-11am) for an early bird price!

Buckles Feed Depot & Pet Supply - Lafayette, IN (40.414412, -86.8931341) ()
5 - Judy R.: I buy my dog food at Buckles Feed Depot & Pet Supply.  They carry many brands you won't see at the chain pet stores such as Petco/Petsmart, and certainly not in your local grocery store or Walmart.  Side note: please do not feed your dog the crap they sell at Walmart or grocery stores.  Buckles carries, among other high quality foods, Canidae, which I highly recommend.  

In addition to dog food, Buckles also supplies toys, treats, cat food and toys, and addresses needs of other animals.  Buying food from them is quick and easy as well, if you know exactly what you need.  

I am so glad to have a quality feed store like Buckles in Lafayette and I escpecially love that it is so close to where I live.  Great location, great prices, great selection.
3 - Jess H.: Great selection of specialty stuff, but the staff is always less-than-helpful when I go in. Maybe they just don't understand retail/customer service very well, or maybe I have uber-high expectations after working retail for many years. They definitely always have what I need though! I just wish they were a bit friendlier...
4 - Jon C.: If you have pets and want to take good care of them, a good place to start is with the food.  While you can buy "better" food at grocery stores or chain pet stores, it's still not the best you COULD feed.

Buckles carries the best of the best pet foods.  Dog and cat both, they've got several of the best brands available.

They also carry pet toys, leashes, treats, bedding, and the like.

Also, they do sell small and exotic pets.  Rabbits, ferrets, chinchillas, birds, snakes, tarantulas, frogs and toads, other reptiles, etc.  I'd like to see them expand into more of a real "local pet store," but they've been in business for a very long time doing exactly what they're doing, so they probably don't see a need to change.  Laf/WLaf does NOT have a real pet shop though - not since Plantenga closed years and years ago. :/

The staff's always helpful and knowledgeable and friendly when my wife and I go in.  And we go often - we own 2 dogs and 4 cats; they eat! :D

There is no place better to buy pet food or small pets in Laf/WLaf!
5 - Lizz C.: I love Buckles... And not just because of the elegant story kitty.. =)

Buckles is what pet stores in my formative years used to be like.  Bird seed, small animals, lots of food/feed options, bedding, leashes.  Everything you need to care for your small/medium size animals.

If we've had a question, they always have a clear and true answer - whether it's 'what bone will my boston terrier be able to get her lil jaws around' to 'what is a good low-grain food for the cats?'.

They keep an impressive selection of herps for a store this size, and their cages are presented nicely and kept very clean.  Same with their tarantulas!  =)

This is where we go instead of the 'big box' pet stores.  I like the premium cat and dog foods, and love their selection of toys/supplies. =)

Bucks County Coffee Co - Philadelphia, PA (39.9527438, -75.2029089) (Spruce Hill, University City)
4 - Jacquelin K.: This is the Bucks on 40th Street, which is way bigger than the one on 34th.  Students adore this location because of the reliable free wireless and the late hours that it keeps.  On any given weeknight, most of the seats will be filled with folks poring over books and laptops.  Sure, some of them are really getting work done, which makes you feel guilty as you IM your friends who are absent or chat it up with the friends at your table.  But you can rest assured that lots of the folks here are half-assing it just like you.  It's a cool alternative to the library if you can maintain focus in a space like this.

Speaking of the space, it's a lengthy, spacious property with plenty of seating including a couple of cushy couches in the front.  It has nice lighting in the evening and it gets a fair amount of sunlight during the day since one wall is essentially all windows.  They make a mean milk steamer with caramel and whipped cream--yum.  Check out the bulletin board by the front door; people really use it to post some neat stuff.
2 - Jake P.: It was about a year ago to the date.

I ventured up here with some of my screwball friends looking for laughs, a nice walk, and some coffee to boot. Penn students (who I respectfully recognize hold Yelp down) historically have treated this place like a coffeehouse library... meaning, no talking, no laughing, nothing besides the turning of pages, the discussions of studies, the sound of keyboards, and all that.

Famously apathetic, my posse and I started carrying on in here and were promptly shhh'd. By the third shhh, we went outside to sit on the adjacent wall and let the coffee and cold air react together in our lungs. Shortly thereafter, a drunken man fell into me, and sloppily threatened to rob me. Long story short, 15 minutes later, we bid each other adieu with a handshake as he wiped his teary eyes, a better person. My pockets remained fat and not flat, and I ventured back East.

Because of its snotty ambiance, I don't often return, unless I want to piss off some diligent students... which I've got better things to do. I do love their late hours and charismatic staff.
3 - Nicole R.: Penn students aside, Bucks County ain't a bad place.  They have really good soup, which is one thing I look for in a coffeeshop.  The seating is not that comfortable--but it's austere and utilitarian, which for the type of coffeeshop this is seems appropriate.  And the coffee is good. Not that anybody here knows how to properly froth soymilk (which is admittedly a difficulat feat).

Like Jake, I am also not a huge fan of the coffeeshop-as-library mentality.  I go to coffeeshops BECAUSE there are people there talking.  Sometimes their conversation may be annoying and make me want to throttle them, but often I need the buzzing to get work done.  But I'm not going to med school or whatever these dudes are doing.
5 - Audra K.: As part of my Philly study-spot list of reviews, the purpose of this is to help students or telecommuters who need a no-nonsense dependable location to get work done!

TABLES: Good assortment of small, medium and large tables. Not all of them are in great locations. Very few of them are large enough to spread out on.
CHAIRS: Variety of soft, hard, short chairs and tall stools.
NOISE: Varies with time of day and UPenn's semester
ESPRESSO: Decent
TEA: Decent
FOOD: Pre-made salads and sandwiches that are delivered each day and are not cheap. Choice of soup is nice when you want to keep it light. Ice cream makes a fantastic reward!
Wi-Fi: FREE
ATM: I can't remember
HOURS: Varies. Fairly long hours.
ATMOSPHERE: Large and relatively busy. Plenty of students can be distracting or perfect, depending on the focus you need. Mornings are quiet and a good time for staking out the large table.
LIGHT: Natural light during the day and decent lighting at night. Porched seating provides a good spot for taking cellphone conversations outside, weather permitting.
PERKS: Sit, surf and work for as long as you like, close to campus. Get an ice cream cone if you feel deserving! You won't starve to death and there are nearby options for meals: burritos, sandwiches, Chinese, fast food, grocery story. 
DOWNSIDE: When it is busy, it is nearly impossible to depend on uninterrupted work... or even a good table! No parking lot.
3 - cherie c.: As a coffee shop, it's not terribly warm and cozy.  But there are lots of tables, which is a good thing in a college neighborhood.  I've always been able to find a place to sit.  (I do agree, though, that coffee shops shouldn't be study hall.  Coffeehouse owners are trying to make money, and you don't have a right to sit for hours, use their electricity to run your laptop, and create a trip hazard with your cords because you bought one cup of coffee.)

The coffee is not bad.  I don't go out of my way for it, but it's a nice alternative to Starbucks.  Green Line is a better option just up the road, but if you are in a hurry and need caffeine this will do.  The pastries weren't very good.
2 - Sara C.: Crappy coffee (the espresso...there are no words), ugly design, Wi-Fi that always goes down, and a plethora of Penn undergrads.  Shudder.

The only thing that makes up for these things are the smoothies (which are damn tasty), and the friendly baristas.  

Otherwise - avoid at all costs.
3 - Bill M.: I was seriously craving a caffeine kick on Memorial Day afternoon. Unfortunately this led me to find out that my favorite spots like Green Line and Satellite were closing down early. I was dreading a stop over to Fresh Grocer when I remembered that Bucks County Coffee Co. had a spot nearby. so I caved in and gave it a try.

It wouldn't normally be my first stop (not even my tenth). It has average franchise written all over it. It's also a prime destination for Penn students to study at. So it's usually filled to capacity on most normal nights. But I have to say that Bucks Co. was pretty decent. I didn't get the best Iced Coffee I've ever had, but it hit the spot when I needed it to. and their were three attentive servers who were even kind enough to say "bless you" when I sneezed (thanks). So while I won't go here on any normal occasion, I guess I'll be back come Labor Day.
2 - Natalie M.: My two big complaints about Bucks... 

1. There are no more than 3 outlets for the entire coffeeshop. Considering that the tables are ALWAYS full of people studying and working, it creates a slew of wires strewn all over the cafe determined to trip the unsuspecting customer.  More than once I've had to leave because there was nowhere to plug in my computer.

Now, you might say that maybe the owners are trying to cut down on the length of time people take up space in Bucks by limiting laptop power, but that just leads me to my second complaint...

2. The new renovations removed the comfy couches in the front and replaced them with more uncomfortable, tiny tables.  If the owners were trying to cut down on study time, wouldn't they encourage people to actually use a coffee shop for light reading and chatting?  I really hate coffee shops that have only uncomfortable seating... 

Oh, and their coffee is not very good, the service is hit or miss, and their muffins leave quite a bit to be desired.
3 - Fen Z.: Needing my morning cup o' joe but wanting to support a local business, I ventured inside Bucks County Coffee two mornings in a row. A plus to this place is the fact that it is close enough to my two destinations.

While most of the folks seen there were students (professional students from the look of the hefty textbooks and ones that say High Yield yadda yadda yadda), I can't really say BCC produces an environment all that conducive to learning. Cozy and homey? Absolutely. Quiet study? Not so much.

As comfortable as this place may be, I had to dock a couple of stars for the strength (or lack thereof) of the coffee. Learning that from my first visit, I unhesistantly ordered a red-eye the next morning, which only left me in a state of hyperness for a good part of the morning.

If you're all for supporting local coffeeshops, then by all means, BCC is the place to be. If, however, you don't mind the corporate businesses, then perhaps you should head to a nearby Starbucks.
2 - Hank C.: A small coffee shop at the west side of the Penn campus, with free wifi and seating for students and others to relax and study in all evening long. The seating here isn't comfortable, though.

The tea isn't bad, it's more just the open air atmosphere filled with students typing away on their laptops and people chatting as they study.
3 - Nicole L.: The service is friendly, and I really like the shop because it always smells yummy. The coffee is generally pretty good, but it's nothing special given that its prices are comparable to that of Starbucks (This from someone who does not like the burnt coffee taste associated with Starbucks).

They do a few promotions around the UPenn campus, drive around, set up a table, and offer students free coffee. I actually was on my way to class one time when I stopped by for some coffee. Unfortunately, the cream that I added had gone bad and formed into a lump when I poured it into the coffee. The promoter was super apologetic and nice about the whole incident, offering to get me a fresh cup of coffee, but I was now running late to class so I declined. Good thoughts - just need better execution.
1 - Marissa R.: Ummmm. OUT OF BUSINESS! Replaced by Saxby's!

Bucks County Coffee Co - Philadelphia, PA (39.9536219, -75.1932025) (University City)
4 - Maritza M.: Good coffee.  They make my doppio machiato much better than they do at Starbucks (yep, I'm a coffee snob).  

Better music than Starbucks.  In fact I'd go here all the time if I it were on the way to my classes.  Sometimes I leave for class early just so I can go out of my way to go to Bucks. It so good that it's worth a detour to class.

It looses 1/2 a star because the space feels cramped.  The space doesn't flow very well...once you order a coffee you're trapped and then have to squeeze through people to get back to the door.  And another 1/2 star because there are no comfy chairs.
3 - Jon L.: I'm gonna divide my review into two parts: 1) the Bucks County Coffee on Sansom and 2) the Bucks at 40th and Locust.

Location One, the original, used to be, and perhaps still is, that super hip place where you and your semi-hip Philosophy TA would meet to talk about that dreadfully unhip paper you submitted on the Categorical Imperative. The rugged, bohemian interior made you feel like, uh, I don't know: a philosopher. Or a hip bohemian version of Ross from Friends. And then, of course, there's the great Sansom Street location, amidst many of University City's finest restaurants, on that quaint -- can I say quaint without sounding girly? -- on that extremely classy little street.   

Location Two, the new Bucks up at the west end of campus, near the high-rises -- it's okay, I guess. It just doesn't have personality. It's just another Starbucks concept, except with slightly different coffee. One good thing I can say, however, is that the employees pick their own music at Bucks, and that girl with the piercings and the crazy hair (I think it's her behind the selections) -- that girl has remarkable taste.

Finally: I'm originally from Bucks County, and I have know idea what we have to do with coffee.
4 - astro t.: I always get myself stuck on the doors to this place, the doors are skinny, with pretty tight springs.  I'm not the skinny type.  so when I finally wrestle my way in, it's all good.  It feels very intellectual here, people always studying or having deep discussions and it can almost feel like a litte cafe with the tight quarters.  The iced coffee has a little taste of I think caramel which makes it a little sweeter.  The food is pretty decent though a bit pricey for a pre-made sandwich/wrap, the soups are quality and that's what I usually go for.

ps: they have a back door at the one on Sansom  that lets you out onto moravian alley so if you don't need the sugars and the creams that's the way to go on busy day.
3 - Jake P.: This is hardly a spot, it's a nook. Still, I'd bypass Starbuck's for some Buck's County brew. And truth be told, I'd pass 'em both for some Dunkin'. That's just me.

This is a cool little stop and go coffee shop that adds character to the spots up and down the street. Interestingly enough, there's another location like four blocks away.
4 - Kyle V.: nice warm place to enjoy a good cup of coffee. the free wiFi is a nice addition too. i was in starbucks earlier. i'd go here first hands down, every time. 

i've only had one cup of coffee, as this is just a quick visit through philly.
5 - Maria L.: The banana split latte...quite possibly the most delicious beverage I've ever tasted.  This is my favorite Bucks too.  Fewer people seem to know about it than the other one in University City.
4 - alexis g.: Oh Bucks.. what would I do without you?

Good coffee.
Great tea (whoever's idea it was to stock Mighty Leaf, I commend you).
Oh so yummy lemon poundcake to which I have an unhealthy addiction....
Free wi-fi.
Conveniently located right across the street from school.

Yes.  Wonderful Bucks.
5 - Gwen M.: The only bad thing about Buck's is that it's not open 24 hours.  (Okay, and the retarded saloon-style door that will make you spill your coffee, fall down the steps, and/or whack someone in the face.)  Everything else is awesome -- the coffee, the tea, the soups, the trail mixes, the banana nut muffins, the crazy staff, the free wifi... I could go on and on.

Oh, and the Le Bus sandwiches are kind of soggy and icky, but that's true of any prepared sandwich that sits around a coffeeshop fridge case all day.
1 - Kurt S.: This coffee shop has been shut down as of 6/8/2009. It no longer exists at this location.

Bucks County Dry Goods - Princeton, NJ (40.3501831, -74.6618579) ()
3 - jenna p.: Great Taste! lots of fun finds-  especialy for furnishing: gorgeous bolivian hand-woven rugs, cool ergonomic shelves. Also the jewelry & accessories: very cute.

 Their clothes are not my thing, (sort of overpriced locally grown hemp urban-outfitters shapeless) and I had a bad experience trying to return something here- don't you think that if you're allergic to an item, you should be able to get a full refund, even if the store policy is store credit only? 

but overall, i admit I am a fan of Buck's.
5 - Lauren C.: I have to agree with Miss D.  I adore this store!  I haven't been to any of the other locations yet, but I plan to check them out.  I just got the cutest spring cardigan and scarf that I just love.

They've got just about everything here.  Clothes, accessories, hats, jewelry, housewares, and furniture.  The prices vary from $40 for a sweater to $200 for a dress or pair of pants.  I don't mind that at all since they still have a lot of great stuff in my price range.  Would definitely recommend this store to any girl looking for unique pieces and some vintage flair!

Bud Foster's Restaurant - Blacksburg, VA (37.2329215, -80.4215915) ()
4 - Wendy J.: For the bartenders and service alone, I will return to Foster's.  Everyone was friendly and they worked well together to serve the customer as efficiently as possible.  It was a team effort - just like Coach Foster's D-fense.  The food was okay and the drinks were very good.  Looking forward to more game watching at the bar after the Hokies win.
4 - Tina M.: the first time we went to fosters, it was horrible.  i'm glad we tried it again.  there is a new, imaginative menu, the service was superb and the atmosphere was comfortable.  will definitely go back.  food isn't anything to write home about..but for blacksburg, it's great.
2 - Steve L.: Food? Not very good. There was a group of 15 of us and no one's dish looked exciting at all.

Bud Matthews Inc - Chapel Hill, NC (35.927649, -79.059005) ()
1 - Erin T.: Aweful!  Receptionist hung up on me.  Service man was a disaster and could not fix my A/C.  It was an easy fix, repaied my another company in twenty minutes.

Buddha Restaurant - Atlanta, GA (33.781502, -84.389843) (Midtown)
2 - Kelly D.: I'm really sad to be writing a bad review.  I have been looking forward to the opening of Chinese Buddha for a while now.  I work across this street and was happy to know a restaurant with vegetarian "meats" would be so close.  I ordered the lunch version of Cashew Chicken.  It came with two fist sized scoops of white rice, and an egg roll.  It's really not good.  The peas and carrots in my Cashew Chicken look and taste suspiciously like canned or frozen.  The sauce had too much soy which really didn't help the "chicken" as it soaked it all up. The egg roll deserves a whole other negative review on its own.  It smelled like old dishwater, it was chewy and the vegetables inside were kind of rancid.  I threw it out.  

The staff and decor were nice, but I'm not sure I'm willing to try another dish.  It's literally leaving a bad taste in my mouth.
1 - Stephanie S.: This place is a huge disappointment!

First, the underground parking deck is horribly confusing and unsafe. With its location right off 10th street, one would hope that the underground deck would be monitored by a security guard or something especially when this place is opened till the wee hours of the morning. 

Second, you have to walk around the building onto the street sidewalk itself to get to the front of the restaurant. Once again you feel unsafe because you have to dodge cars pulling out and avoid eye contact with the bums across the street.

Third, the service was horrible. Maybe it was because I tried this place the first week it opened and they were still getting into the swing of things, but they screwed up my order, my friend's order, the table to my right's order, and the table to my left's order. That's not very good odds that they'll get your order right. 

Fourth, the food was okay. Obviously it wasn't what I ordered, but whatever it was, it didn't taste that great.

Fifth, they didn't compensate for the mess up. When I told the waiter that it wasn't what I ordered, he pointed out that it was similar enough because it had broccoli. He also said that if I wanted something else, it would take 45 minutes to prepare and that I would have to pay for that as well.

Sixth, it is nothing like the original store that was closed down by the city of Atlanta to expand the 14th street bridge. We Tech students will miss the old place and all the memories of the post drunken meals we had there. 

The only good thing about Chinese Buddha is the new dcor. The place is brightly painted and well lit with bamboo around the room, a huge outdoor patio, interesting floating shelves, and clean bathrooms (something the old location lacked!)
5 - Blake B.: This is absolutely the only place you should be eating after midnight. I'd been to the old location of Chinese Buddha a couple of times and not been too impressed. It was very seedy looking and chintzy, so I wasn't expecting much here. 

The new location is gorgeous. Low lit with red and bamboo, I could hardly believe it was the same place as before. It's literally gorgeous. The anticipation made me sweat. I pounded the table. 

I was also not expecting greatness from their food. I ordered the Sweet and Sour chicken (which I'd been talking about getting from somewhere for a week) expecting it to come out the way it usually does: soggy and overbreaded, too sweet. What they brought me could not have been more perfect: the chicken was crisp and juicy, done exactly right. My friends who ordered General Tso's chicken, my #1 choice and tester for most places, were gushing over their meals also.

The hours here are insane: open until 6 AM Tues-Sat, open until 4 AM on Sunday, and closed Mondays. I would go here even given other choices. I'd eat lunch or dinner. Their food is way beyond the quality of other Chinese restaurants, and open this late, there's no reason they don't own the city.

Plus, they have a parking deck attached to the backside of the building which is free: a nice perk on 10th street where you usually have to search and/or pay.

I will have to incorporate an extra mile a day into my running schedule if I'm going to keep off the weight I'd gain from eating here as many times as I plan to this summer.
4 - Jennifer M.: Last night I had a ridiculously huge craving for some Chinese takeout.  I ran out of the library and drove over to Chinese Buddha and 15 minutes later I had in my hands some delicious "pork" lo mein.  Wonderful.  Greasy enough to be satisfying, but not greasy enough to make me feel like I just doubled in size.  I planned on eating the whole thing, but I couldn't.  It was that filling.  I made it through about half and then just couldn't put down anymore.  Lunch today?  Indeed!  I took off one star because this place looks classier now.  I liked the rundown look and yes I happen to like wondering if I'm getting a bit of extra protein in my food.  No more.  Also the sign telling you where to park was really small.  Or at least me and my terrible eyesight circled the block a couple of times before seeing it.  Yep, I'm that blind.  Either way, thank you Chinese Buddha for soothing my insatiable hunger for Chinese food during finals week.
4 - Elizabeth S.: Ordering take out from the old location is part of many happy college memories, and a recent visit to the new location is a major improvement!  The food is still great, and the atmosphere is much nicer.  The extended hours make it perfect for college all-nighters and other late-night hunger pangs.
4 - Ryan F.: It's 2 AM and we have just finished up Halloween festivities at Twisted Taco. Where to go for some late night grub??? Buford Highway? WaHo? Nope, the Buddha. Open till 6 AM too!!!

Buddha is a far cry from it's former location across the expressway. The newly opened Buddha is no longer a joint, but rather a restaurant. Nice decor/lighting adorn the dining room and yes, they did ask if we were vegetarians when we walked in for the alternate menu (ALL CARNIVORE HERE!). Food is good too, not the best Chinese, but FAR from the worst. They also offer some Malaysian/Thai items as well.
4 - Deanna J.: I've heard the legendary stories about the old Chinese Buddha - attached to the side of a seedy motel and decidedly un-glam. 

Lucky for the in-towners, she's been reincarnated as the beautiful Buddha Restaurant.  You'd never guess the roots of this place - it's now all gussied up with black lacquered everything, cheery red lanterns and a vibe that you wouldn't mind hanging out in in the daylight hours.  

Service was a bit on the slow side, but waiting a few extra minutes for some Mongolian beef is a heck of a lot faster than driving all the way to Buford Highway for the stuff.  The late night opening hours is the real draw here - don't succumb to the pizza rolls that you've had in the freezer since sophomore year when you can have piping hot Chinese food at 4 a.m. instead. 

They have the 'combo meal,' which includes a soup, egg roll and small entree with rice for $9.95. This is an excellent choice if making a decision in the wee hours of the morning is just a bit too much effort for your taste.  

Foodwise, like Ryan F mentioned, you won't be asking the owner for the recipe, but it definitely makes the 'good Chinese' list in my book.  To further endorse, eating my leftovers the next day was just as tasty.

Another bonus? Free and easy parking! What more can you ask for as a pre-dawn meal?
3 - Pickle Z.: Good service.  Beautiful, modern interior.  Parking is convenient and safe in private garage on-site.  Decent Chinese food for reasonable prices.  Best of all, it's open really late!
4 - Falicia G.: Wow!  There's actually a large golden Buddha statue right when you walk into the place.  You can't help but smile when you see that.  I did rub his belly!

It was nicely decked out in black and red and much nicer looking than what used to be in that location.  The hostess was very friendly and accommodated our large group of 14 with a smile.  Then our waiter, Patrick, was amazing!  He got a big tip because he got all of our orders right and out to us quickly!  Go Patrick!!  I ordered the Sesame Chicken which was good.  A little on the soggy side but still tasty.

We were all in such a good mood that we started a wave around the restaurant, which everyone joined in on.  Even some of the waiters!  So fun!  We had to show them some love.  (Plus, we were recovering from celebrating New Years Eve!)
4 - David E.: All I have to say is thank god they're open after 4am!!! It's a healthy (somewhat) option to those after the club munchies. Me personally, I'm a Beef and Broccoli guy/ shrimp Lo Mein guy. It's new, and clean...  Ahh.. remember the days it was on 14Th street next to the little motel? Good times!  Glad to see that even though the Atlanta nightlife is changing some thing remain the same.  

I've been told though, that we are not supposed to always touch the Buddha!  I'm always told... "You don't me petting a statue of your GOD do you!"  Lol... Go Buddha!
4 - Alicia W.: I can't say i've ever eaten inside the Buddha, but i've driven by it. lol It looks alot classier on the outside than I would have expected it to when I first heard they had opened. 

As I said I haven't eaten in the restaurant, but I have ordered delivery from them...at 3am. lol I ordered 2 Won Ton soups and some sort of chicken entree for 2. It ran about $30 which isn't really bad, but I cant say I was impressed with the quality of the food. I want to point out I ordered from them on 2 different occasions at around the same time. Maybe we got the last bit of food since they were closing shortly after that and that had something to do with the quality. ??? I love the fact that they stay open and deliver when most people try and sleep their hunger pains away and they literally arrived 15 minutes after I placed the order. I didn't even have time to run downstairs to let them in before they were calling to let me know they were outside. 

I was very impressed with the amount of time it took them to deliver my food, and although it wasn't the greatest food it wasn't bad either. I mean, what more could you ask for at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 in the morning when every other place has already closed at 10 or 11pm. I would definitely order from them again!
5 - Linda T.: my favorite late night grub getting place and possibly the best westernized chinese in this area. the ma po tofu rocks! anywhere else i've had it, it's not spicy enough. theirs is a little on the sweet side though, but still full of flavor(glutamate fan here), completely satisfying, and enough to make three meals out of. it's especially good with shrimp fried rice. i like to fry up a crispy over-easy egg to go with it. those seem to make everything right with the world...

the pork lo mein is pretty solid. i've had better braised wings elsewhere, but i really liked the crunchy veggies that came mixed in with all the sauce. crab rangoons were still decent the following day. i'm not sure what to think of their dipping sauce though. 

this joint deserves all five stars from me. they are courteous, fast, and i couldn't think of anything better that's open during my usual supper time of 2am-5am.
5 - Darien R.: I love the Buddha.  When my husband and I moved intown, everyone told me to try Chinese Buddha.  I have not been disappointed with them.  Try their crab rangoon.  It has a sweet twist to it that is addictive.  I always get the Shrimp Fried Rice and the portion is large and lasts for two days.  

I'm not a late night junky, but it stays open until 6AM and delivers until 5 on most nights.

They also have many Vegetarian options that my vegetarian friends love.  

Give them a try, you won't be disappointed.
3 - Marisa F.: The chicken satay is fried, not grilled, which is a complete abomination, but everything else is basically good. My friends and I get crab rangoon cravings on a regular basis and the potstickers are tasty too. It's totally bad for you, but i'm addicted.
Also the window into the kitchen is painted red and it looks like a human aquarium. very cool.
Gets an extra star for being one of the few restaurants in midtown open all night.
3 - Hardy W.: Chinese Buddha is good comfort food.  Their Chinese Vegetarian / mock meat stuff is really what they are known for. 

They have crazy late hours and delivery times for when you tweakers are dying for dumplings @ 4AM.  

I'm partial to the dirty old 14th St motel location, but the more upscale digs are more inviting to the less adventurous.

I order take-out and delivery from here frequently and dine in on occasion.  As much as I order it- it is just a little better (mostly due to veg options) than your average Chin-Chin style place.
4 - Duy N.: I remember about a year ago this place was such a hole in the wall restaurant party and has recently reopened from its old home on 14th street.  And what made the old place famous? It was a 24 hour Chinese restaurant.  The decor impressed me very much which made just want to kick it the whole night.  But the staff here is super friendly and accommodating and this place will soon fill back up with Tech kids, veg-heads, and late night drunken folks looking for some great Chinese food at all hours of the night!   I ordered the cream cheese wonton to start off with which wasnt so great.  Then I had the fried rice which was okay but my main course was the Shaking Beef which was awesome.  Perfectly seasoned and cooked and just wish I had more of it.  Overall cool place to go late at night...just wished I had a place like this in San Diego
4 - Alexa g.: Just to add to the abundance of reviews here... Yes a place open late, I'm not sure when they actually close but we were all there around 12 that night!! ( I miss the late night coney island type places), they were able to take care of our large group of  hungry yelpers, and the food was good, and the interior is a chic combo of black and reds. I loved the Mongolian chicken ( chicken tossed with green onions etc.. and lots of garlic over rice noodles) This will now be my late night place to go!
3 - Charles P.: You gotta love chinese food in the middle of the night.  It is pretty good, but not exceptional.   What you are getting here is very reasonably priced fare, possibly in the middle of the night.   

The service is friendly and prompt, in my experience.   Also, you can get a full meal that comes with egg rolls and soup.   I worry that they are too hidden in their new location on 10th, and it loses some of the dive hotel experience of the original.
4 - Caitlin S.: As a vegetarian I've gotten used to ordering veggie fried rice and the occasional tofu with brown sauce, which is why I love Chinese Buddha! Not only can I order almost everything off of the "normal" menu in veggie form, but it tastes just as good! Variety and yummi-ness will bring me back here time and time again--as well as the fact that they're open until 6 am and deliver!
5 - mind your b.: still as good as the first time we visited
4 - Patricia Q.: Now, i must preface my review by stating that I have only been here once, and I went after a long night of craziness, so perhaps it is not as good as I thought/think it is.

They are kind of in a strange location . . . Parking was annoying. So if you can walk there, i reccomend it *they are on 10th inbetween the interstate and Spring street on the same side as the Chevron station)

They are open very late, until like six in the morning or something, so that's nice.

The food is ok . . .not necessarily the best chinese food I have had, but again I ordered the sesame chicken, and as long as it is sweet, I am susually satisfied.

Finally, the night ended with a guy who jumped over a table and ran out of the restaurant . . . so my mental picture of  this place with the great contrasting black and red decor will always be a little tainted by a man in a green shirt (or was it blue?) clearing a table. 

P.S. The bathrooms were clean :)
5 - David K.: Yesterday I ended up running some errands in Midtown near where my parents live.  It was around dinner time, so I decided to call my father to see if he wanted to take me out to eat.  He agreed, so apparently I'm still his favorite son. :)

I had never eaten here, but he recommended it and since he was paying I agreed to take the quick walk from his condo.

I was very surprised at how elaborate the decorations were, especially considering that it's located in front of an old medical building that has been converted into student housing.  Not tacky. Not over-the-top. Just more than I expected (in a good way).

The menu was pretty large and my favorite thing was the Buddha Spring Roll. SOOOOO GOOD!  Our dinner portions were so big we each ended up taking some home.  The prices seemed fair for everything we got and I'm already craving more.
4 - D. R.: The décor of this place, such a shimmer and a glow in the dark sassy midtown evening.

Go with some pork and shrimp dumplings, to get your meal off to a solid start. Nicely steamed, moist but not damp. They know what they are doing dumpling wise--refreshing considering the current state of things. Then went with ginger sea bass. Rockin' enough ginger to titillate the senses, but not overwhelm the fish.


Buddha, nicely done.
5 - Jane B.: I LOVE this place. I've been there at all hours of the day and night and it's always fantastic! They have a separate vegetarian menu, including FABULOUS meat-free versions of a lot of the dishes I've missed since giving up meat. All my carnivorous friends love it, too - the regular menu is very extensive. The service is great and the decor is simple but classy. I cannot recommend it enough!!
5 - Kiera M.: It might be sad..with all the restaurants in Atalanta...but this is my favorite!

Its located close to my place of employment, which i leave as late as 4am sometimes and thats ok because Buddha is open!  The parking isn't bad...just pull around the hotel.

Just to repeat the other reviewers, they have a a full vegetarian menu and a full regular meat eater menu.

Honestly, I've never had a meat meal here...but I can't imagine that it would be any less perfect than the vegetarian options.

The service here is amazing.  The wait staff is always smiling and never makes a mistake.  The prices are good too.  For two non-alc drinks, one app and two entrees for $30!

My favorite things are; The vegetable dumplings (get them steamed!)
The 'pork' moo shoo 
the general tso's 'chicken'

*do avoid the vegetable pork dumplings...they're just eh.

P.S. My mouth is watering while I write this review.
4 - Hoa G.: Kudos to all the great reviews on this Restaurant. Although I would hate to sound so bias since my friend is a friend of the owner there. I still don't get free food but very supportive regardless!

the food is great for either any time of the day but i find great chinese food for late nighters are hard to come by, this has really proven it's worth thus far. the environment is rather a bit dimmer than i would like because i do like to see my food. 

great service and great food for late nighters!
2 - Felix C.: It has the virtue of being open really late and right in the heart of midtown but I don't find the food as good as the alternatives. I looked at the review history and it peaked at 5. I'd say an accurate rating is really 3 stars. 

If you want late-night Chinese I think you're better off with Hong Kong Harbour or Bamboo Luau. Both of them are on Cheshire Bridge Road.

If you want to stay in Midtown, go to The Vortex for a burger. 

If you're talking about a really, really late night, then the Buddha is for you. It will always be better than Checkers.
3 - Corey J.: Not bad when you're CRAVING chinese food after a black out drunk NYE the night before lol. I ordered off of the ever copious to-go menu. One complaint is that I chose this restaurant because I really wanted the duck with assorted meats.... which is duck, chicken, beef, shrimp, and pork, but to my disappointment they were out of duck! So thinking quick on my feet I ordered the Happy Family which was basically the same dish minus the duck and a Thai Salad with beef for 20 bucks. The Happy Family tasted like any run of the mill Chinese Restaurant's Happy Family would taste like, before even tasting it I added minced garlic and cayenne pepper to suit my taste buds. The Thai Salad was mighty tasty but the beef was cold and mediocre at best. All in all I would recommend it to anyone looking for Chinese food in the area.
4 - Ashley D.: Oh Buddha Restaurant, how good you always taste at 2am.  It seems to be a recurring story with us... we go out drinking intending to eat dinner along the way, but somehow that never happens, so we're way drunker than we should be by 1:30 and heading home knowing what's going to happen if we don't eat something...  Yeah, Buddha is always there for us.  But I digress...
    A resounding 5 stars for the delivery, but more like 2 stars for the in-restaurant experience.  I'll start there:  As some others have mentioned, the parking deck is weird.  Really weird.  Very hard to successfully park in.  And then, you do have to walk all the way around the building on a sketchy sidewalk overlooking the interstate just to get to the front door.  Once inside, the service was not so great.  They were plenty attentive, but perhaps not so.. competent.  The server didn't seem to understand our order.  It seriously took a good 5 minute conversation to get through the language barrier enough to place the order.  And then I'm still not entirely sure we got what we ordered.  Everything did come out super fast though.
    Now as for the delivery, I've always been very satisfied with the service and the food.  I love the lo mein, egg rolls are good, and I'm a big fan of the wonton soup.  I also appreciate that nothing tastes like straight MSG and the veggies always taste fresh.  I've never had an order screwed up and I've never waited longer than half an hour for my food.  It's actually kind of funny.. without fail, they will tell you that it will be 45 minutes to an hour, but it never is.  More like 20-30.
    And, of course, the super late hours are the best part.  I don't actually know how late the Buddha is open, but suffice it to say that I've never called and had them not be open.
    So yeah, stick with the delivery and you'll be good!
5 - Sarah W.: How great is it to walk into a restaurant and be asked if you want the regular or vegetarian menu? I love it - impressed from the beginning. 

Immediately beyond that the place has many pluses - first long hours, actual free parking in the garage behind it, great vegetarian menu, pretty good pricing and for the price the atmosphere is really nice - it's very dark in there and a has long deep benches along the wall. Overall just a great feel to the place. 

Then we get into the food - it's great! My favorites the vegetarian sweet and sour chicken and General Tso's. Both of which I'd endlessly craved since going veg many years ago and Buddha finally cured the craving! The dumplings were very satisfying - like them better steamed then fried even if I can't seem to ever keep one together long enough to get the whole thing in my mouth. The vegetarian egg rolls have a really nice crunch and are served with sweet and sour sauce - YUM! When I'm feeling a bit more starchy I really enjoy the 'chicken' fried rice and lo mein. The only dish I wasn't thrilled with was the Mu Shu Pork - the 'pork' had a very breakfast ham kinda taste, which I would kill for at breakfast but didn't fit what I wanted in the dish. There is a nice looking drink menu but I've been pregnant every time I've been in there so haven't had a chance to try any. 

I'm going to have to keep returning and trying different dishes - it's just so hard to do that when you know the ace you have in the dishes I mention above.
4 - Isaiah D.: Let me break this down and keep it simple.
 
Good Parking ( Parking garage available )
Open Late ( open to 6am ) for all you late night SCAD kids down the street.
Great Vegetarian Menu ( highly recommend the General Tso's )
Reasonable Pricing ( standard NY Chinese food prices )
Good atmosphere inside ( Nice interior with some ambiance, and a huge outside patio for when it warms up )
4 - Elizabeth A.: This place is amazing because it has two of the things I'm always looking for in a restaurant. Open VERY late (6 am) and has a ton vegetarian AND non-veg items. We were seated almost immediately and our service was average. The food came out incredibly quickly. I seriously ordered, went to the bathroom, and my food was on the table when I came back. And I'm a female - but I really didn't take that long.. 

And usually places open all night (or most of it) up the price a little. But this place was inexpensive - our bill for 2 was less then $20. 

I got the vegetarian chicken fried rice and while it was pretty good for veg chicken it was a little to tofuy. Green Sprout's is much better. It was still good though. My boyfriend got pork lo mein and he said it was good but not stand out either. I would definitely go back - especially late at night. But not my first choice for Chinese. The pricing was pretty cheap too which is always nice and the decor is kind of classy. 

And here's just an added little bonus. I HATE peas. But I LOVE fried rice. So I'm used to always spending half of my meal picking out all my peas - which I've gotten used to. When the waitress took my plate at the end she laughed and said I could have ordered it without peas. Anytime I've ever requested that anywhere else they've ALWAYS said no - so I just stopped asking a long time ago. So for all you PEA HATERS - this place is a gem!

Oh! And the most important thing - It's in Midtown - but parkings FREE - they have a parking garage.
4 - Bianca W.: So, here's the thing....

I headed to CB after catching a flick at Atlantic Station, CB was super close to Atlantic Station and there was ample parking in their weirdly engineered parking garage, so we decided to take in a lovely scrumptious Chinese dinner.

The decor is beautiful, minimal but not stark, the dining area was spotless, the booths were cushy and comfortable, low lighting is always appreciated, and as always I enjoy simple elegance and a low key atmosphere.

The staff was friendly enough, not overly attentive, my glass stayed full, there was never a shortage of napkins, sauce, or chopsticks.

The outstanding thing about CB is that they offer a HUGE selection of vegetarian items, in fact, they have a separate vegetarian menu, which just makes my heart swell with an overwhelming amount of love for CB.

My PIC and I decided on veggie dumplings to start, he preferred pan fried over steamed, which is fine, when the dumplings arrived I was a little surprised, I assumed the dumplings were going to be shaped like gyoza, however they ended up being little moon-shaped flat dumplings. They were fluffy crispy on the outside, and tender and juicy n the inside, the portion was the perfect size for two to share.

On my first trip to CB I decided to forgo the faux meat selections(which there are quite a few) and opted for the Hot Schezuan Eggplant with brown rice. The sauce was delish, dark and syrupy, packed with garlic and scallions and tiny bits of tofu. SHUT UP! SO GOOD! The brown rice was the perfect accompaniment so soak up all the wonderful sauce, you know, us fat girls love the sauce. Ha ha. My only complaint was that the heat level wasn't where I expected, there was a sweet heat but not the spicy shocking heat I was expecting. Still stunning and beautiful.

My PIC choose the Mongolian Beef, and with the quickness that he devoured his entree I assume that he enjoyed it.

CB menu also boasts Thai and Maylay offerings, which I will defiantly be trying on my next visit, and I plan on visiting quite a bit.
4 - Jon W.: It is late, late night Chinese food and fills a niche that is missing in Atlanta.  It is close and convenient to a lot of areas downtown and the interior is quite welcoming (nice booths and some great low-lighting).  

The parking is a bit hard to find but there is plenty of it around the back.  I foresee future late night visits to Buddha Restaurant at around 3:30am when I am not visiting The Majestic.
4 - My Le L.: Oh Buddha, how I love you so.  How many late nights you've satisfied my cravings for chicken and vegetables.

I am by far the pickiest Chinese food critic imaginable due to my parents owning chinese restaurants all my life.  I have such high standards when it comes to chinese food because no one has compared.  Until Buddha.  Well, as far as americanized chinese food goes.  

Even when the entire restaurant is packed and there's an hour wait at 3 am.  

Prices are not over exaggerated.  Ingredients are fresh.  Consistent.

Patrick and Tony are the angels of my night.  They're friendly, personable, quick, hard working, and always know exactly what I want!  It's basically have it your way.  Mushrooms?  Yep.  Spicy?  Yep.  Extra chicken wings?  Gotcha.  Tip them well everyone.  The service is phenomenal.  

The decor is a huge improvement from the initial 14th street location, not to mention the food as well.  I'm glad they got their minds right.

Favorite place at 4 am!!!  Because that's the only time I've been.
4 - Leigh S.: I love fake meat, and I love Buddha. The service is stellar, and the atmosphere is lovely. The vegan options are so good here that I usually leave overly full from stuffing my belly with steamed dumplings, "shrimp" lo mein, and sesame "chicken". They're open late too, so it's perfect for grabbing a bite after a show.  My only small complaint is the covered parking deck feels a bit unsafe, so I probably wouldn't go there alone at night. But once you're inside, let the good food and the great service win you over.
4 - Julia S.: YES! This place is great. I wish I would have remembered to pick up a to go menu because I have a feeling that since it's close to my new job, I may be getting carry out a lot in the near future.

I went here with my parents and husband, so everyone except me eats meat. Everyone was really satisfied with their meal. I HAD to get the vegetable BBQ pork buns, because those are one of the things I miss sooooo much from dim sum. They were so-so (would have been 5 stars otherwise), they just needed more filling in them.

I got mock sesame chicken and asked for it spicy, and while it could have been a bit spicier, it was delicious. We also got hot green tea (excellent), and a reasonably priced bottle of pinot noir for the table. Considering we were 4 hungry people who ordered 1 cocktail, a bottle of wine, 2 appetizers, and 4 full meals (2 of them combo meals), the price of $80 was very reasonable, imo. They even asked if we wanted to split our check, which was nice after having taken my parents to Ria's Bluebird and Manuel's, both places which do not allow splitting.

We also ended up with a good 2 big take out boxes, and all of us left stuffed and satisfied. Yum. I can't wait to go back!
4 - Jasen M.: YUMMMM

Chinese Buddha. this is one of my favorite spots to stop and get some simple good Chinese food in town that i have found so far. oh and a plus its open till like 6am i think. GREAT place to go grab some food after going out to the club or bar when ur tired of breakfast food or burgers.

So i have only eaten in house twice but each time the service was pretty good. not a long wait for anything even though they were and usually are quite busy. they also do carry out and delivery.

The food here is always good. have to admit when i have gone i have only gotten two different entrees. im a simple kind of guy when it comes to my Chinese food so i usually go for the General Tso's, or the Sesame Chicken. Both are quite delicious. I have also tried all the soups they have. I suggest the Egg drop, or the Wonton. both are great. The best bargain on  the menu in my opinion is the combo meal. it comes in i think 8 or ten options for entree.. but u get the entree, a bowl of soup, and an egg roll all for 10.75 after tax without a drink. I have however looked over the entire menu and it seems they have a wide variety of options that all sound good. and the amount of business they get says something.

So have to say i love this place. food is good hours are very convenient for anyone and everyone no matter when ur up really. I suggest u try it.
4 - Sam V.: This place makes me totally happy. I haven't been awhile, hopefully nothing has changed. I agree with some of the other reviewers about an occasional annoying crowd...  any 24hour place will have those people and really the "ambiance" of Buddha is so enjoyable that it's hard to notice them. I'm pretty picky and this place is okay by me. Thanks for the good food and good times!
3 - duane m.: Let me start by saying this: the food alone would definitely get a 4 stars easy from me. I absolutely love that they have an entire vegetarian menu, and all of the dishes I have had from it were great.

Now, the establishment itself doesn't fair so well (not the decor per se, because it is really cute inside). I recently went there with some friends for a great meal, and our server was just rude. Seriously, if I ask for something, don't continue questioning my decision. My friend ordered something, and after him battling her over her choice (they went back and forth no less than four times about her choice), he still brought something she specifically didn't want. The way it works is like this: I order, you put in said order, and then bring it to me when it's ready. It isn't a challenge, it's what servers do; I know, I was a server for years in college. I think that's why the exchange was so uncomfortable for me, because I would have never done that myself.

Also, I found it weird that my other friend had to pay for more rice (seriously, that big of a deal over $1?) when she got a to-go box for the rest of her massive portion of food. It really isn't that big of a deal, but he made a big to do about it, so it's definitely worth mentioning, as we all thought it was a bit nit-picky. 

Overall, the food is excellent, but the service was lacking. Maybe my next experience will be different, but regardless, I will definitely be back, as they have some delectable vegetarian dishes that I crave regularly!! Hopefully, we'll get a different server next time!
1 - Jason W.: I don't normally give out 1 star reviews, but this place deserved it. I ordered the sweet and sour chicken and had them substitute fried rice for the white rice. The fried rice that comes when you substitute it? It's nothing more than white rice covered in soy sauce. No vegetables, no egg, no nothing. And then they charge you more for it. Plus the soda comes in cans and the chicken was over cooked. The sweet and sour sauce also had that mango flavor to it. If I wanted mango chicken, I'd have ordered mango chicken. Ugh.
5 - Kip F.: Probably the best or darn close to the best Chinese food in town! Imagine a PF Changs, but about half the size, better food, not nearly as loud, and you can eat a full meal under $10, vs. $15 alone for the Mongolian beef elsewhere. Combo meals are around $9-11 and give you the full compliment of soup, side, and meal in just the right portions to make you happy, or you can order the full size entree for $1-2 more and it skips the extras but you get a good sized plate.

This establishment rates up there because the quality of the meats and almost every dish I've had, has never been a let down. You can customize it too, requesting certain vegetables to be on or off and the waiter will not fight with you one bit, and happily oblige. 

The vegetarian menu is also interesting, while I'll still eat things that had a face, I've given that menu a try and I'll say this, the "chicken" and "beef" that they use, is stellar for not being the real thing. Plus it helps to offer this as some of my friends can't/won't eat meat so the Buddha is the solution for dinner night outs.

Crowds of 4-6 will be fine, any more and it is hit or miss with seating. You have booths and tables of course, layed out on the single level and the kitchen is off to your right as you walk in. The red tinted glass window lets you watch the cooks at work, and the service is all around friendly and on top of things to keep your drinks full and the table clean.

Oh did I mention they are open from 11 AM to 6 AM? 3 AM craving for Hunan beef and some crab ran goon? No problem, they got you covered. :love:
3 - Isaac S.: Open late and delivery is usually around 30 minutes in Midtown.  Consistent quality and reasonable prices. The menu has a variety of dishes ranging from typical Chinese, Thai, and Malaysian.
5 - patrick c.: BEST VEGETARIAN CHINESE FOOD EVERRRRRRRR. 

no jokes. they're vegetarian menu is basically the same as they're normal menu because they make EVERY dish with a meat substitute. they only problem is figuring out what to order. 

solution? eat there with a ton of people. and SHARE. 

I could live on an island and eat the fried tofu from this place forever. 

love it.
2 - Khara A.: I'm saddened to write this review after it seems so many other people enjoyed their food.  I'm vegetarian but my husband still enjoys meat, so I was looking forward to a place we could take the kids to where everyone could have what they wanted.  I had the General Tso's "chicken", my daughter had the Sweet & Sour "chicken". First off, it didn't really look that appetizing, so I was surprised when it tasted better than it looked.  But the veg meat (whatever they used) wasn't very substantial, and it was extremely crispy. And not in a good way. My daughter's sweet & sour dish tasted more like batter. Couldn't really taste the "meat". It wasn't bad (and she liked it ok), just didn't meet my expectations.  

My husband got the regular General Tsos.  All in all, we could've gotten better takeout from down the street without spending the extra dough.  Maybe I ordered the wrong things?? Not sure. 

Anyway, going forward...when in doubt, we're headed to Green Sprout!!
5 - Scott M.: I love this place.  Open late as hell.  Perfect spot when you need something hearty to eat at 2:30am.  Good service for 2:30am and a full house.

Seamless.

I discovered this restaurant after hitting up a reggae party.  Hungry as a hostage, the place that I had passed billions of time downtown, I decided to take a gander and see what they had to offer.

One of my best decisions in regards to Atlanta food options.  The food was magnificent.

I had a beef & brocolli dish and was able to try out a General Tsaos chicken made with Tofu.  

I swear, I almost became a vegetarian!  Everything was fantastic.

The service was pretty prompt, congenial, and believe it or not at 2:30am this place is PACKED.
5 - Evan J.: A 24 hour chinese restaurant that has a regular AND completely vegetarian menu! This place is amazing. The only problem I ever have is trying to figure out what the heck to order - the menu is giant! Basically anything on the regular menu is also on the vegetarian menu. A sure bet every time I'm in Atlanta.
4 - Tom C.: So you get ready for a night out on A-town. You get dressed up in your swag clothes and fresh shoes. You pretty up and style your hair and you are OUT!

You go to bar and get some drinks to pre-party then you go to a club with your friends and you dance the night away.

Then it's 3:00am and they are kicking you out of the club and WHAM!!! 

Hunger strikes!

So where can you go besides Waffle House to get some good eats?

How about that Chinese?

A friend and I went to urban night at Opera and then Sutra afterwards. We had a lot of fun but that hot dog at Sutra still left us hungry. I remembered I ate at Chinese Buddha awhile ago and I knew that they were open late so we decided to go there (They are open till 6am in the morning!)

Even at freaking 3am in the morning they still have a hostess to greet you and seat you. Server was good and greeted us promptly and took our food orders.

The food came out real fast. It seemed like a couple minutes when it came out. It did not seem like it was pre-made nor did it taste like it so I don't know how they do it.....maybe magic?

My friend ordered Sesame Chicken and I ordered Chicken Fried Rice. It was delicious and definitely hit the spot.

I just love this place because you can get good Chinese food at a late late time.
3 - Dru J.: A family celebration has brought me back to this late night mainstay, albeit for lunch and at a new location for me.  I'll refrain from waxing poetic about the old 14th street locale and focus on today's  repast.  A vegan is amongst us, so accordingly the vegetarian General Tso's is ordered. Curious, I sample and discover that like the chicken version of this dish served at so many of this town's Chinese restaurants, it suffers from a texture problem.  However, despite being left too long in the fryer, the dish is otherwise well prepared and tasty.  Our other dishes, Chicken and Beef Fried Rice, Sesame Chicken are equally well prepared.  The service was fast and friendly and the tab reasonable.  A good value.  Still worth stopping in, especially at 2 a.m.
4 - Brandon D.: I went here for lunch and so far this is my favorite Chinese food place I have been to in Midtown. Lots of food for a reasonable price.
3 - Henrik C.: This is a typical Chinese restaurant. They have both a regular and a vegetarian menu card. They cover a range of Asian dishes from 
Thai to Chinese. 

We had sweet and sour and seafood delight. One of us had steamed rice and the other brown rice. We had water and ice tea with our meal. They do carry a full bar. 

The restaurant is quiet early in the evening and a good place for a quiet dinner. They also have to go orders. 

The portions are rich and the food is quite tasty. Overall a typical Chinese   place. One of us did have a stomach irregularity afterwards so you might want to make sure that you get fully cooked food. 

The prices are very reasonable and it is at a good location if you are going out for the night and in the mood for chinese before you head out
4 - Carrie H.: Went here after reading all of the good reviews on Yelp.  Parking is around the back, and getting there was a little confusing for a first time patron.  Plus, it was raining REALLY hard, which made the dash for the door extra wet and slippery.

I ordered off of the vegetarian menu and everyone else in my party ordered off of the regular menu.

I wasn't super excited about the "vegetarian" shrimp, which I had for an appetizer.  They are pretty bland.  The General Tso's "chicken" that I had was a lot better.  I'm pretty sure the chicken was made from seitan or a seitan/soy mixture, but I couldn't be 100% sure.  It was tasty and about what you'd expect for General Tso's.

Everyone else enjoyed the food as well.  The ambiance of the place (based on other Yelpers) is why I selected it for my birthday dinner, and the restaurant didn't disappoint.  It's well decorated with nice ambient music playing in the background.

The only dark mark on the visit was the service.  The waiter that served us was not exactly rude, but he acted as if we were a burden, and I saw him roll his eyes as he walked away from other tables that he was serving.  Not exactly service with a smile.  They also brought out our orders piecemeal, and then forgot my husband's meal altogether.  They fixed the mistake remarkably quickly, but it was still a little irritating.

Chinese food restaurants with a decent meant-substitutes on the menu are always nice, and it's an added bonus when I can go there with meat-eating friends and family who aren't down to try faux meat.  Everyone left happy.
2 - Michelle B.: The best thing about this place is that they deliver really fast until 5am.
Don't expect gourmet...maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. The fried rice had no flavor and the spicy basil chicken didn't have a single bit of basil in it...more green peppers than anything else. The egg rolls were bland...nothing but cabbage in them. The hot and sour soup kinda tasted like dirty socks...not much hot or sour. All these good reviews? Was it an off night? This was the second time ordering from here, and neither impressed. Having huge portions isn't a great thing if the food has no taste!
3 - Kriss S.: Does anyone else remember the location where the parking lot was shared with the most broken down looking hotel ever? Back in 2003/2004, we'd all go to Chinese Buddha to get veganized versions of general tso's chicken and moo goo gai pan and it was great. At some point I moved away, but I always kept the Buddha in my mind as the fabled place to come when I was in town. When last I went, they had moved locations and while the dining room looks much nicer (the old dining room was downright bland) now with a matching color scheme, the food didn't survive the transition. The mock duck tastes like the mess you find in a can in any Chinatown grocer and I walked away underwhelmed. Memories can sometimes be better than the real thing you know?
5 - Elijah B.: After leaving the club at 3am, i was only expecting to find a greasy spoon type of restaurant. This place exceeded my expectations. The food was amazing!
4 - Alison P.: I love this place.  Great food.  Great price.  Great service.  I am a vegetarian and they have soooo much to choose from for both the veg and the carni!
4 - Michelle S.: This is my new favorite Chinese in Atlanta. My sister and I chose it based on Yelp reviews and if I have one thing to say is order the sesame chicken. Amazing. When you do take out, the sauce comes on the side and I was able to turn it into a tasty stir fry later in the week, which was a huge added bonus. 

Delivery was early, which was amazing and everyone was friendly anc nice. I will order again for sure and highly recommend this place to everyone.
4 - Alyssa W.: This is my favorite Chinese restaurant in Atlanta and I am very particular about my Chinese food. My husband and I don't really eat meat so it is absolutely amazing that you can get a separate vegetarian menu that contains all of the traditional dishes but made with soy meat. It's delicious. The vegetarian sesame chicken is awesome! I actually have never had anything here that I disliked. However, I can only vouch for the vegetarian menu. This place is so elegant and pretty on the inside and has a great patio. The only reason I am giving 4 stars instead of 5 is because more often than not we have surly servers who act like they are in a huge hurry when we are one of two tables in the whole place.
1 - Nikki K.: Wow.  Today I probably had the absolute worst food delivery experience of my life.   I was so furious I think I broke blood vessels in my temples, and my new coworkers got to see me angry, and they didn't like me when I'm angry.

I called the Buddha and a girl answered who was trying too hard to be fast at taking orders.  She asked if I wanted pick up or delivery, I needed food to be delivered to my job so that is what I chose.  She then asked me what I wanted to order and I started it off with "I am ordering from the vegetarian menu..."  She barked my order back to me and hung up.

When the food was delivered, it was real meat.  This happens, so I wasn't angry yet.  I called back and the same girl who answered the phone the first time kept telling ME that "the person who called in the order did not say vegetarian, so that is what she is getting."

I argued back and forth with her, telling her she was speaking to the person that ORDERED the food and I ordered 2 vegetarian meals until she finally got fed up enough to tell me not to touch the food or she will charge me for it, then said she would have a new order redelivered by the end of the day.  CLICK.

The END OF THE DAY??

I then got way too busy to call back and turn green on her a**, but when the delivery guy came back over 2 hours later with ONE meal and said I owed him $8.50  I doubled in size immediately.   

The rude phone girl told him to take back my original order.  She also told him I owed more money and she made the executive decision to only send one replacement meal, which happened to be the one that gets soggy at the speed of light.  After arguing with him, then on the phone with her, I got some of my money back and got a cold, soggy meal I didn't dare touch.

The second meal was for my husband's dinner  (since this is his favorite restaurant)  and when I came home completely empty handed with a foul story he was bummed.  I know I will never attempt delivery again and I don't think I will ever be able to go there again without thinking about how that girl single handedly ruined my opinion of a place I've been going to for years.
4 - Ed R.: Went here for a late lunch at 3:00 and it was fantastic. The servings are very large and the Mongolian stir dry beef was delicious.  I would definitely return.  This is what I look for when I want Chinese food... Heavy, highly sauced plates. 

I can only speak of their lunch, but the service was minimal, not so quick... But this was alright considering nobody was there and we weren't in a rush or very needy.
2 - Joy A.: Deliver! 
***A plate of food is like a painting, and the rim of the plate is the frame.*** 
In this case it was the container. When I looked @ the Shrimp and Rice placed in a 3 portions white plate. I lost my appetite! the chicken wings were in a plastic bag that was torn. I never had Shrimp and Rice delivered in a container like the above. A few shrimp placed on the top with precision to make the dish look like a painting(NOT)! I did not call to complain, after seeing( on TV) how people in restaurants act when you complain...Never again! 
Midtown has many Chinese Restaurants
5 - Sandi H.: This places is phenomenal. I can only rate the veggie menu but I'm so in love with this place! We use to be regulars of Harmony's but Golden Buddha makes Harmony's look like the trashy place that it is! 

+1 waitstaff. The older waiter is as patient, and attentive as they come!
+1 ambiance/convenience.The set up is urban chic, earthy, and semi-sexy. I see a lot of couples on dates and groups.
+1 Open uber late and has a cute bar. Great place to celebrate or chill with friends.
+1 extensive menu/portion. Must have veggie pork burns(baos). I can NEVER make baos as soft and fluffy as they do *sigh*. General Tso's Chicken, hot braised portn is excellent along with curry(fake) chicken. Actually, everything is either good or excellent so you can't go wrong.
+1 music. Perfect volume and great selection. Where else do they play Jai Uttal and bhangra? ;-)

My husband and I are loyal Veggie restaurantees(?) and it's on the top of our list.

I love the location, it's open late, and it's great place to take out of towners. Plus, lunch they give you yummy soup. This is the place to go for veggie/non-veg dining option. What more can you want?!
3 - nono p.: I like the food. I think it's decent- and I'm Chinese! So that says something.

What I DIDN'T like was the delivery...

First- the girl on the phone told me it was a "45-1 hour" delivery estimate time. I didn't care because it was really late, and I was leaving a friend's place and wasn't close to being home yet. I stopped at a gas station to get gas on the way home (because I thought I had time to spare)- and right after I get out of my car I get a call from the front gate of my complex. IT WAS THE DELIVERY PERSON!!! They told me 45 minutes... and my food shows up in less than 15??? It's great that the delivery is so fast, but don't tell me it will be an hour if that's not an accurate time estimate at all. Especially because it was a big INCONVENIENCE to have to leave the gas station after I had just gotten there- and before I could even get gas- to rush home for my delivery because I didn't want my food to be cold. Incompetence.

Second- I ordered a dinner entree with rice and then a separate wings appetizer... now tell me why ALL THREE THINGS were packaged in the SAME type of white to-go carton?? Why was my rice and appetizer in same size boxes? Better yet, why was my ENTREE in the same size box as my appetizer and rice? I did not understand. I also did not receive any utensils... which was okay because I was at home. But what if I didn't have silverware in my kitchen? Did they expect me to eat with my hands??
Incompetence.

Luckily the food was good!! So I was still happy.

I feel bad for the owner... their incompetent staff is running this place to the ground... then again, the owner is responsible for hiring them.
2 - Gigi B.: We usually go here for a late dinner. Always receive pretty okay service, until last night, it was just horrible. 

It was fairly busy. We weren't seated by the usual friendly hostess, we were seated by some other woman who didn't even ask if anyone in the party was vegetarian. I asked for one vegetarian menu and she literally throws it in my direction as if i'm supposed to catch it.

We sit there for about 20 minutes while waiters and other staff continually pass us. A waitress stops (one of the many who passed our table dozens of times) and asked if we had been helped. I told her we hadn't, she takes our drink order and disappears for another few minutes. 

She eventually takes our order and never comes back until it's time to deliver the check. In the meantime, all her other tables in our area are getting a lot more attention than us. We never got refills, had to flag her down for plates, napkins, condiments, etc. I barely ate my food, just packed it up and left.

Overall, not a great experience and I probably won't dine in again. May consider take out since the food is decent and cheap.
4 - Jonah K.: Great hot and sour. Ask forr everything extra spicy.  Delivery area is large. Open very late. This is the best that delivers to my hood in ponce highland.  Puts chin chin to shame.
4 - Joseph B.: Probably one of my favorite restaurants in the city of Atlanta. My brother took me here late one Sunday night and I fell in love. When I go I order the spicy garlic chicken.  Delicious!!! The portions are big and the price is exceptional.  I always have food to bring home when I eat there.
4 - Chris M.: Me and my friends have been frequenting this place since it was at its old location.  It is the go-to spot for late-night drunken midtown post meals.  The only thing that deters us from going here is how busy it gets sometimes but it is very rare we let that bother us when we are blasted. 

The food choices for me is simple.  Go with your comfort zone.  I order chicken wings, which if  I had to vote is one of the best in Atlanta due to the makeshift chili soy dipping sauce I make with the chill sauce and soy sauce at the table.  I also go with dinner combos like the Generals chicken which comes with egg drop or wonton soup.  To be honest, the food is glorified Panda Express food done right.  But combine it with the fact it's open at 3AM right in the midtown club/bar area, it's no wonder it's packed all the time.  I couldn't imagine actually coming during it's normal hours though, it would lose it's appeal.  I'd imagine walking in and its an abandened warehouse during the day like that one Seinfeld episode where George tries finding the party with the supermodels.
5 - Amrita J.: So I've only frequented this place after a fun and crazy night out, between the hours of 2 am-4 am.....lol, so take my review with a grain of salt...maybe followed by a shot of tequila!   ;)

I have to give the waiters and waitresses here props, they are on it even at 3 am. I mean the food is good, the service is overall pretty decent, and the servers are always working with a smile on their faces (even if they are laughing at you internally, as you act a fool in your drunken state).

The only negative is that it takes FOREVER to get a table. I mean the wait is ridiculous!
4 - sarah b.: don't get me wrong, i love this place. however you should pass on the pad thai (noodles w/sriracha) and the veggie sweet and sour chicken (rubbery and dry) but NEVER EVER pass on those buddah spring rolls! see my other review below for reccomendations
2 - Molly K.: Not a fan. Let me say first off, I am writing this review as a "late night diner." 

So I was craving Thai and of course, nothing at the wee hours of the night will be serving Thai so I came here. Had the masaman curry with chicken which turned out to just be oddly breaded chicken with a ton of bell peppers. There was no carrots or snowpeas as the menu description described. (sadface) 

Also had the mapo tofu, which is bean curd with meat and vegetables. Which turned out to be mystery pork with mushrooms and peas. 

I left full, but definitely not satisfied. My stomach was confused with what I had just consumed. I am going to avoid late night dinners, especially from this place.
3 - Bekah W.: We came to this place because I was craving chinese while on an out-of-town trip. 

I'm vegetarian, but my dinning patner was not. 

He had the sizzling rice soup (which did sizzle literally, but wasn't terribly flavorful) 
 
I had the vegetarian pork buns (pretty yummy and reminded me of the dumplings that are in chicken and dumplings. Which I haven't had since becoming vegetarian over a decade ago! 

I also had the vegetarian General Tso's chicken.  (BIG thumbs up) the faux chicken was great, a little greasy, but we are talking chinese after all. 
It came in a HUGE portion, and they offered brown rice (which I love) as an alternative to the white. 

The atmosphere was classic college -town.  We might've been the only people above 20 in the room, and there were a lot of large parties of college students around us. 

The decor is classy-- better than most chinese restaurants-- and the pommegrantie martini (Buddha Buster) I had was pretty tasty and strong.  

Overall: Its good for WHAT it is.  A great date place/ dinner place for college kids, and laid-back diners looking for good chinese, and who aren't too picky about the perfect atmosphere or loud fellow diners ;) 

We were happy with the food and the Bill-- but wouldn't go our raving about the place.
5 - Tashmere S.: The absolute best late night eats on the city. Sometimes the wait is ridiculous but with the right group of friends it's worth not  cutting for takeout. Sesame Chicken dinner combo with egg drop soup is the best everytime!!
2 - ILoveGreatFood M.: Giving this place 2 stars, thanks to the consistency of the food. It would have been a 5 stars if the front staff was more attentive and the management was worth calling so. 
I have been ordering food for delivery for quite a while now and there is always something wrong in my order. 
I always request to have no soy and extra duck sauce and sesame oil and when it is late night, it's 2 out of 3 times not right. This is even after I nicely remind them to double check before the order leaves because of the past mishaps. 
It happened tonight again and when I called back, I asked to speak to the manager and the phone lady told me that she was. She did nothing about it, rather pointing fingers at her staff saying that she took the order correctly and passed down the requests. Then, she offered me to come to the restaurant to pick up what I needed after I actually (as always) tipped the delivery driver 30%, which is way more than what the average dinner would tip the server.  
I declined the offer when she started being defensive, blaming her own staff and offering no solution but to ask me to go to the restaurant. 
My recommendation as a service professional: Owners, upgrade your hiring standards, especially for managers.
2 - Joyce Ann M.: Went there last night with two other couples, arrived around 7:00 PM., only two other tables with guests, one left shortly after we were served our drinks.

First off - ordered Sui Ma (pork) as an appetizer...it comes out (eventually) and looks/smells/tastes like shrimp.  There was only one other table there, so it's not like it was so busy they got the order mixed up, plus one of our friends ordered the Sui Ma also and they gave him Har Gau (shrimp) also.  The waiter tried to pass it off like it was a shrimp-pork combo...our friend had to be firm and say "no, I want the all pork one."  Strike one.

Ordered tea...tasted distinctly like fish. I know Atlanta water isn't the most fabulous, but it's never tasted like it's been dipped out of the family fish tank.  Strike two.

Hubby ordered the Ma Po Tofu  (minced pork with tofu stir - fried with diced carrots, green pea, mushrooms, and water chestnut in rich brown sauce) and I had the shrimp with snow pea.  Food comes out fairly promptly.  My shrimp and snow peas were delicious.  The shrimp were plump, cooked perfectly; the snow peas sweet and with a nice crisp snap to them.  Hubby starts eating his dinner and gets a weird look on his face.  He offers up a morsel and says "taste this."  Okay....I eat it and think "is this tofu? no...what is this...HOTDOG???????"  That's what he thought too.  When you order minced pork, one would infer that it would be pork tenderloin, pork roast, something that vaguely resembles the pig it once was.  Not hotdog.  Seriously.  I'd even be okay if they threw a Hawaiian or Philippine slant and had used Spam...but not hotdog.  Strike three and you're out! 

It was not remotely worth the  $40.00 we spent on dinner at all.  The only saving grace was the shrimp and snow peas.
4 - j l.: EGGPLANT SZECHUAN. mmm.
had a late-ish vegetarian craving last night, and dang did this place satisfy it. super delicious, GREAT value--a ton of soft, sweet eggplant with diced bean curd and green onions, and brown rice!! brown rice!!! 
the vegetarian menu sounded great from top to bottom, though it seems the preparation isn't any healthier than the meaty counterparts...but i suppose that's all i can expect in a chinese restaurant.
Great choice for late night munchies in my vicinity...wonder if they deliver to Bolton??
4 - Nateia F.: Good Chinese food! I was here celebrating a birthday, so I would've never come here otherwise. Extra spicy General Tso's chicken and shrimp fried rice were perfectly cooked. I especially liked that it was enough to have leftovers!
5 - Christina C.: This update is only to comment on an entree that i had here that wasn't my favorite and I think is bit misleading, (didn't taste bad enough to affect my rating however). Basil chicken off the Thai menu. Doesn't taste Thai at all, not a lot of basil flavors either for that matter and super sweet. This dish doesn't taste yucky or anything - it just isn't at all reminiscent of the usual Thai basil chicken. Still go here, just skip this if authentic flavors matter
3 - Danny M.: I went to dinner with some friends at the Buddha Restaurant.

The restaurant had a distinct atmosphere; kind of an industrial feel with red windows and dark, wooden furniture. The floor was fairly small. 100 or less customers could be squeezed in, if I had to guess.

Service was friendly and mostly efficient. The server smartly asked if we would be taking separate checks. Chopsticks were brought on request. At the end of the meal, it took a while to get a to-go box for my friend's wife.

A good-sized menu. Entrees range between $10-$25, with the bulk of meals being somewhere around $15 for an individual.

Complimentary fried wantons were brought to our table.

I ordered a 'dinner combination' which came with choice of meat (in my case, beef and broccoli) a sizable mound of white rice, choice of soup (in my case, egg drop) and an egg roll. The food was well-portioned, and after taxes with no drink charge (I had water) my check was $11.02.

My main problem with this restaurant was not that the service, atmosphere or food were bad. My problem is that while the food was decent, it was not good. It's the same quality of food you would get ordering from a local Chinese hole-in-the-wall. I think most of my money paid for atmosphere rather than food. 

The atmosphere was nice, it's in the city, the service was mostly efficient, the food was nothing special, though well-portioned and, all things considered, appropriately priced.
5 - Thomas D.: I went to Screen on the Green and ordered 2 whole ducks, they delivered to Park Tavern and it was awesome!!!
4 - Kelly B.: Came from Boston to visit my brother, and I always scope out some restaurants that'll make me (vegan), my mom (flexitarian) and my brother (likes meat) all happy. I found this place on Yelp, and am SO glad I tried it out. My veggie sweet and sour chick'n was the best I've ever had, and the fried rice was also good. My brother also enjoyed his non-veg meal, saying it was the best chinese he'd had in a long time.
4 - Michael B.: This place is open late.  Fancy lighting & good dinners for under $10.  Our server Patrick was exceptionally kind & courteous.  Good choice for eating late at night.
4 - Trey S.: Great late night spot in midtown. You'd never find it if you weren't looking for it, which is a good thing i guess, or else it would be crowded as hell. I first came here when I was about 19 years old (7 years ago) on the way to Bonnaroo (!) when I was a Vegetarian (!!),which they are quite accommodating to. It was good then, and it's good now.
 The parking situation is a bit strange. To leave you have to drive out on a sidewalk! But, on to the food:
it has your typical chinese restaurant fair, but it's slightly elevated, offering vegan and vegetarian options.. They also have a pretty strange selection of other pan asian dishes ranging from Malaysian specialties and Thai classics. I tried the pork dim sum, which had an astonishing amount of seafood in it (I didn't even taste pork.) For the main dish i tried Crispy Duck with assorted meats, and they aren't kidding on this one. It had BBQ pork, Grilled Shrimp, Chicken, Beef all served on a bed of crispy fried duck. It doesn't hurt they have a full liquor bar, although by the time you end up here, you've probably had too much anyways.
3 - David F.: Meh. It's just another Chinese restaurant to me. They stay open pretty late too. Scenery is probably the best thing about this place.

BE WARNED: Parking is scarce and the wrong parking space in the parking deck could land you a boot.
3 - Josh M.: Great vegetarian buns and overall a wonderful place for vegetarians.  Entrees were way too sweet and saucy, obviously catering to the pu-pu platter crowd from Sandy Springs.
5 - Stephanie L.: Whenever I come to the city for some late night partying, Chinese Budddha is a MUST on my list.  The food is consistently good and service quick.  I have turned so many people on to this place and they fall in love with it as well.
5 - Cheryl T.: This is my favorite Americanized-Chinese food restaurant in the entire US. I get take out here on the weekends. It is sooo freaking good.

- Open 24-Hours!!! 
- Super fun place to eat at 3AM
- Fast Delivery
- Excellent service
- Convenient Parking in the Back
- Vegetarian Options (delicious, and I'm not even vegetarian)
- Moderately Priced 

Sooooo freaking good.
4 - Zlatko U.: Flippin' delicious up in here.

Parking sucks if you have a huge car. 

Walking to the restaurant from the parking lot might require a switchblade--or two.

Getting some mad delicious vegetarian Chinese food is definitely worth it.

Their take out is phenomenal. Enough to eat two leftovers.

We had some veggies, ma po tofu, and gen tso chicken. All were fabulous, and very filling.

Looking forward to chinese-takeout-night ...
3 - Leanne E.: They are open late, which is great. They do give you large portions for a very reasonable price. I was seated immediately and the waiter was very nice, accurate, and the food arrived quickly. The wonton soup was great on a chilly night. Was the food the best in the world? No. Think lower quality PF Changs.
3 - Jane E.: Very hit or miss, with more hits than misses. 

Julien is right as in their delivery it top notch and usually fast. They often over estimate, for example they say maybe, 1hr, but 90% of the time they'll be there in almost have that time. 

I order the sweet and sour chicken mainly, its usually good. But christmas eve I actually went in to order and when i got home the food was pretty horrible, mainly b/c they put like NO sauce on the sweet and sour chicken... I would rather them put the sauce on the side than to not put enough sauce on it... soooo bad. a waste of 10 bucks.

the dinner combo is 9.99-- average price, but I wish it was a little less. I usually order the lunch combo then save half of it for dinner. 

They also should have vegetable fried rice as an option for specials/combos... just charge $1.00 extra. 

Lastly their duck sauce tastes old and stale. 

I have NO idea where parking was, it's not clearly marked, but I came with someone so they just stayed in the car right outside the restaurant while I went in to order.
5 - Captain E.: I'm really excited that they have an extensive vegetarian menu that's delicious, 
along with late-late night hours for insomniacs and night owls. 
I'm easily sold, what can I say?
4 - Jackie H.: This is my new favorite Chinese restaurant ya'll.  I mean I loved every thing about what I ate in this chic, nicely decorated place.  Red, black, and low lighting makes this place cozy and trendy.  

First, I tasted the hot and sour soup.  It was excellent! Tasty with just the right amounts of tofu. Loved it.  I also tasted a vegetable soup, which was flavorful and delightful.  

I also had the Buddha spring rolls.  Delicious with a light and sweet sauce to go with it.  

For entrees we order the General Tso's chicken and the sesame chicken.  Listen, this is the way these chickens should be done.  The General Tso's was sooooo crispy and with the perfect amount of spice.  The sesame chicken was crispy as well with wonderful sauce coating it.  I was in heaven and I ate way more than my stomach wanted because the mouth couldn't get enough.  

As others have noted, they have a large vegetarian menu so that non-meat eaters can do the damn thing.  

Service was excellent.  Parking was good; no problems as long as you park in the spots designated for Buddha.  I did wonder if I would ever get to the door when walking from the parking lot and then...stairs.  Ha!

I definitely plan on returning here to try some other items on the menu.  I'm talking within the week folks!
4 - Sarah R.: Don't write reviews often, but this food was so tasty!  I'm a vegetarian and haven't enjoyed the other veggie Chinese restaurants here in ATL.  This was amazing though.  Got delivery so can't comment on atmosphere, but delivery guy was very friendly and nice- food was delicious and tasty.  I'll be getting their food again!

Thanks!
1 - Adam C.: Yelpers and Atlantans,

WARNING!!!

This is my first review on yelp and believe my experience warrants a review not really on the food which was essentially a notch above Panda Express, but the parking situation.  When I arrived with my friends last Saturday around 3 a.m. the parking lot was filled and was forced to park a level below which said "visitor parking"

After enjoying a few laughs from the night, some hot wings (4 stars) and some general tao's chicken, we returned to my car and was shocked to find that it was booted!! Unfortunately there was a small sign saying no "parking beyond this point" but it was dark and hard to see.  After waiting 20 painful minutes the booting guy/representative (aka scum of the earth) asked me for $75 to remove the boot which I relectantly paid.  Also note he booted over 10 cars that night in this "visitor section"  This parking lot is an absolute scam since they provision and allot only a few spots for visitors in the condo and Chinese restaurant.  Once cars spill over into the next section which is quite easy on a busy Saturday night, they will have a field day booting every car in sight.  I was so enraged I asked a police man what options I had an he replied none, since its private property!!! 

Even though the food was fine I will never ever return to this restuarant because of the parking fiasco down below...not to mention the chinese food on buford highway is much better and authentic!!  If you are driving and plan to park here be warned that there is a high probability your car will be booted.  If you so happen to be walking then it is decent late night option!!!
5 - Brook B.: what you will find here is consistently delicious food. they have an entire vegetarian menu and it's good enough to fool carnivores. even on busy weekend nights, it only takes about 10 minutes to get food ready for pick up. i've only eaten inside a few times, but it has a nice ambience, too. but really, most importantly, the food is divine. i live for the vegetarian general tso's chicken. get some. now.
4 - Obadiah S.: My recent experiences with the restaurant are always delivery. 

Buddha is good because they are open very late and they have a decent menu. Most everything I've had is good. Use your judgment though, don't expect the world's freshest seafood. Their portion sizes are great. You'll usually have enough for a meal, and then a snack later. For me, the food has always arrived hot and promptly. The twice cooked pork is decent. Try the ginger shrimp, if you're into that sort of thing. Their chicken wings aren't bad either.

For Chinese takeout in Atlanta, is a wonderful option.
4 - Loren B.: So...there is this Chinese place in Atlanta that is open 24/7. I couldn't believe it! One of the main skills I learned in college is to figure out how to get food at any hour. Now as I'm older I realize that this place actually closes at 6am, but the food is good and open late. The staff is friendly and very accommodating.
4 - Dina C.: This is the closest thing I have found in the South to Northeastern USA style chinese. 
My guilty pleasure is greasy Americanized Chinese food and I have no shame.  I am not a vegeterian and enjoyed chicken dishes and seafood here.  They are very generous as my cashew chicken dish was topped with a ton of cashews.  While their fried rice is in dire need of some sprouts, scallions, carrots, egg, etc., the rest of the food has been really good so far.  The service was excellent and the delivery was very spot on.  I find it very easy to find their parking spots as they are clearly marked.
1 - Ninnie T.: Do not come here. They've allowed EPS towing services to boot your car even though you are in visitor parking as you've always gone to years before and are now booted bc you don't have a parking pass for the visitors spots at 4am at night. This was never an issue and they don't care. They say you should park in their 10 spots parking lot or else risk getting booted. Nice business etiquette Buddha!!!
4 - Marc M.: Had the Spicy Garlic Chicken and the General Tso's chicken.

Both great meals and served with steamed rice.

Terrible parking situation there though, even in the wee hours of the morning. Received a boot and $75 bill after my dinner. 

They need better signs
5 - Rob A.: VVery nice place to eat.  The service is great and the decor is very nice.  The prices are average (about $12 for an entré) but the portions are very nice.  Would eat there again
2 - Jimmy G.: Delivery took an hour & 15 min. Price was good for the amount of food you get, but my Kung Pao Chicken was really bland. The peanuts seemed raw and there were no chili peppers at all in it. None. It was the worst Kung Pao I can remember having, but still edible. Egg roll was ok and wonton soup was good. I won't be back.
2 - Rani C.: The whole time I just wanted Orient Garden. This would suffice for those drunk at 2 a.m. I don't think you'd have a distinguished palate then anyway. One just tries to be sober. 

Pros: Open after midnight
Cons: I'd have to be drunk to eat here again.
5 - Usher B.: What r u ppl talking bout they got the best food in the ATL n easy free parking cant beat that :D  Guess Yelp is the only place ppl can go n complain about small lil things lol...Oh there's a sign big as a person saying dont park beyond this point or it be booted:P
1 - Lisa C.: Absolutely the worst near dining experience EVER!

My first visit here was for a friends birthday.  The experience was pleasantly...non-dissapointing.  From the look of the exterior, you might get the impression that you are about to walk into a somewhat upscale restaurant.  However, once you settle in you realize that this is just a "well kept" 24 hour spot.  And ultimately, the "open 24 hours" was the most appealing thing about this place.  I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty the vegetarian dishes were.  I was willing to put this on the radar as a new regular late night spot....despite the strong odor of chemical cleaning agent that nearly nauseated me the entire evening.

My second visit however,....HORRENDOUS!!!  We arrived shortly before midnight and were greeted and taken to our seat.  It took 10 minutes of waiting before hubby asked for our server to come and take at least a drink order and maybe bring us some water.  The gentleman who seated us then waived over the waitress who seemed to be finishing up with another table.  When she eventually came over, she didn't stop, but told us she would be right with us.  Now nearly 20 minutes have elapsed since we've been seated and we are finally placing orders.  No apology from the waitress for our wait, even though we were clearly (but politely, at this point) agitated.

Hubby's tea came, flying solo, without a spoon or sugar.  When we were eventually able to get our waitresses attention to ask for these, she responded with, "I didn't know you needed sugar!"  ...........HOLD UP.....NEEDLE STRATCH!!  What the hell was that attitude for?  We took this opportunity to verbally, yet still teeth clenchingly politely, express our displeasure for the lack of customer service we were getting.  Even the 2 young ladies chimed in to express their confusion as to why we were made to wait so long, and then be treated with such disdain.  To our amazement, this was met with greater defiance and ATTITUDE!  We were done, leaving!  But, hubby felt it necessary to address our experience with the "management".  This only served to escalate matters further as the young asian waitress began hurling dismissive comments at us and the "manager" as we discussed our displeasure.

The "manager" whom we later found out had just been hired a few weeks earlier, and had absolutely no power to rectify the situation despite her best intent, appeared to be the only non-asian employee in the establishment. Against our better judgement, she convinced us to sit on the patio in order to satisfy the incredible appetite we came with that night, and to get away from the drama that had just insued.  We sat on the patio for about 5 minutes reflecting on the craziness when the "manager" came out to inform us that the waitress instructed the cooks not to serve us!!  WTF!?!  The manager apologized that there was nothing she could do, as the waitress was able to communicate in their language and apparently the Asiatics were sticking together.  SPEECHLESS!

Needless to say, I will NOT be returning to the Buddha, no matter how hungry I might be!
3 - Lauren D.: I've been to this restaurant about 4 times, and while I enjoy it I would have to say that it does have its downfalls. I've ordered both takeout and dined inside (both ways have a reasonable wait time) and I prefer to order my food for pick up. The staff, while friendly, aren't very sanitary during their break time or down time whenever there aren't a lot of people in the restaurant. I walked in for pick up today and saw one of the waitresses laying flat across a booth sleeping. Ummm...? I've seen the same girl putting her feet up on the chairs and table and lounging around in the dining room on her phone too, which it isn't THAT big of a deal but at least try to look like you care about your job! I have to say that the food is pretty good, but the last time I went, my friend found a bug in her food and had them replace the order. Needless to say, I'm a little skeptical about going back for a 5th round.
4 - Makirio M.: This place is great!  I eat here once a week during lunch and the food is fantastic, comes out fast and is reasonably priced.  Why eat fast food when you can have a sit down meal WITH free soup, chicken wing and egg roll?

I am a huge fan of the basil chicken and the Thai Sesame chicken. 

You can have a reasonably fast lunch in under an hour - and in most cases, 30 minutes!
4 - Christin K.: Solid 3.5 because of the hours and decent food, but I rounded up. 
Buddha forever goes on my list of places to go late at night when nothing else is open. However, thanks to some fellow yelpers, I've been discovering other places. But I'd say for a good 2 years I came here at odd hours. 
On the weekend, anytime from 2-3 am you will hit the club goers. And no its not 24 hours, I've been here at 7am (it was a long night) and it was closed. So I think they close from 7-11 or something. 

I think the parking can borderline annoying. There is a lot in the back, at the bottom of the parking deck, but there's limited space. There used to be a lot across the street, but sadly a huge building has gone up in its place in what feels like no time at all. 

The decor and layout is nice, clean, and modern. I wouldn't say fancy, but not divey either. There is a patio, but I've never seen anyone eat out there. 

The servers/ waittresses/ host have always been decent to us. Sometimes they look tired from being abused by drunk people late at night, because it can get loud and rowdy in there, but I don't think I've ever been treated badly here. 

I think the best gif I've seen is this one, Its title is 3am saturday at chinese buddha, and it has a gif of tom green stuffing his face and chewing with his mouth open in a disgusting manner. yup, pretty much it. 
http://wheninatl.tumblr.com/post/21813097009/3am-saturday-at-chinese-buddha

Their dinner portions are really big. I normally can't finish it and take it to go. I had moo goo gai pan, among many other dishes, mostly Chinese though. There is a dinner combo that includes soup and spring roll, but you get less, almost half of the entree. So if you have a dining partner, get one combo and one regular entree. 

I've never been here outside of 2-5 am FYI. 
Also, I appreciate that they have a vegetarian menu. Not that I'm vegetarian any more, but the thought is nice.
5 - Bella P.: Where to start- I gave Chinese Buddha a 5 because of their Mongolian Beef. I have been going there for almost 2 years, and it is the ONLY thing that I will eat. I don't think it's a sad thing that the owners and servers know me by name, and what I order regularly. It is beyond phenomenal.  Don't forget to ask for extra sauce, and no white onions! I normally get the dinner combination, which is a better deal anyway! It taste better with fried rice, opposed to steam and brown, but brown would be my second choice, and don't forget the Egg Drop Soup with Soy Sauce! Late night craving, lunch, after club spot, dinner, just because or take-out, Chinese Buddha is a winner in my book!

I have tried their lo-mein, and I am not too crazy about it, eh. General Tso is good, so is their Spicy Garlic Chicken,  Sesame Chicken, and the dumplings are pretty good too. Am I afraid to branch out? Absolutely not, I just know what I want!

So- Mongolian Beef is the business and it won't disappoint you!

Budget Blinds - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2827524, -120.6596156) ()
5 - Janet R.: Budget Blinds is definitely the best business to buy blinds and shades in SLO county.  For our new home we needed to dress all the windows.  Laura was very nice on the phone and set up an appointment for a free consultation in our home.  Kevin gave us a great consultation, showing us a variety of choices for our windows.  We also got other estimates from other companies, but Kevin offered the best price and quality for what we wanted.  

Kevin also did a fantastic job on the installation.  He has a friendly personality and is very talented at what he does.  We felt very comfortable having him in our home.   He also made sure he cleaned up the mess from unpacking the boxes full of shades.  Overall, the experience was great and when it comes time to update our home, we'll be giving them a call.
1 - m m.: WOW...and i quote. " oh...were not like 3 days blinds...we take 2-3 weeks to make blinds...and oh...my husband is getting on a plane tomorrow for a week so you wont even be able to get an appointment for a least a week. and oh...no...the colors of the blinds that you want are NOT on the website....

WOW. business must be sooo good that you can run a business like this. 
these people need to retire or possibly re think their "business" strategy and not consider it a hobby? 
just saying.

Budget Blinds - Pasadena, CA (34.1445827, -118.1296977) (Pasadena)
1 - Jason H.: http://maps.google.com/maps/place?client=safari&rls=en&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=budget+blinds+pasadena&fb=1&gl=us&hq=budget+blinds&hnear=0x80c2c2dc38330b51:0x52b41161ad18f4a,Pasadena,+CA&cid=8264071182358953333&ei=WSlUT7aXD6_5sQLWsfzvBQ&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=placepage-link&resnum=1&ved=0CIMBEOIJMAA
4 - Lisa D.: I had a very positive experience with Budget Blinds in Pasadena.  Zach was very professional, knowledgeable and he has a great eye for color and design!  The manufacturing company sent the wrong shade, and Budget Blinds corrected the error and replaced the shade in a timely manner.
1 - Tobey A.: What a horrible company and bad people. Zach was unprofessional and sloppy. When he failed to install our blinds correctly, he simply kept our payment and never returned our calls. The corporate office offered no help. Save yourself a big headache and a lot of money... Order your blinds from someone else.

Budget Car Rental - Cambridge, MA (42.362174, -71.100164) ()
5 - Julian H.: For the past 3 weeks, I came here 3 times. Yes, I've been renting from this Budget branch every weekend and I'm planning to come here again. Why? Because the deal they gave to me due to the MIT's discount and the friendly service.

Its located inside the Hotel at MIT, at the internal passage to Star Market. The wait can be long sometimes especially when there are no vehicles available. Ask for MIT discount if you have a member of MIT with a valid ID. The discount is worth it. You'll have to go to the counter to ask for it. If you called, the normally say no. The compact and full-size vehicles are normally unavailable especially during weekends. Sometimes, you can be upgraded to a minivan or SUV if you're lucky. That's what I've been getting so far...
2 - Devon M.: I have mixed feelings giving Budget higher than a three.  Why, you ask?  It's f-ing expensive.  For five days, including insurance, it was around $365.  That's a lot.  A LOT.  Granted, I don't often rent cars, but I felt a little price gouged at that rate.  I set up the reservation on priceline.com, and thought I was getting a good deal, but alas, that drive didn't include any insurance or the hidden fees, which almost double the cost.  The car was nice, the service was okay (nicer upon return; the guy who gave me the car seemed annoyed that I didn't like the hidden costs), but I don't think I'd use them again.  

At the price I paid at Budget, it actually factors out to be cheaper to use zipcar.com, because the gas is included, and honestly, that's what I will do for future car needs.
2 - Hisham K.: Here in the United States, my name appears to be too much for some people to handle. I called Budget the other day to cancel a reservation that I made online, and the conversation went something like this. (A name has been changed to protect the ignorant / daft.)

-"Thank you for calling, my name is Lisa, how can I help you today?"

~"Hi there Lisa, I'm calling to cancel a car that I reserved for this coming weekend, can you help me out with that?"

-"Certainly sir. May I have the confirmation number?"

~"3434876."

-"Thank you. And may I have your name?"

~"Hisham Kekhia."

(Pause. I knew what was coming.)

-"Sir would you spell that out for me?" (There it was.)

~"Sure - H - I - S - H - A - M."

-"Okay Mr. Hiffan, and your last name?"

~"No no, you got that wrong, the third letter is an S, and the last letter is an M."

-"Yeah, that's what I got."

~"No, my name isn't Hiffan, it's Hisham. There's an S before the H."

-"That's what I got, sir."

~"How can that be what you got if I'm pronouncing my name with a SH sound and you're making an F sound??"

-"Can you spell it for me again please?"

~"H - I - S - H - A - M."

-"Sir, that's exactly the way you spelled it the first time."

~"Lisa, listen to me - my name is pronounced HE - SH - AM. There is no F sound in there. The third letter is an S, as in... Saget." (I don't know why that was the first thing that jumped into my head.)

(Pause.)

-"Sir, I don't appreciate that kind of language, it's derogatory and inappropriate."

~"No no, I said Saget! Like Bob Saget? The actor?"

-"Oh, the guy from Full House?"

~"Yes, him."

-"So... Your name is Saget?"

~"NO! Okay, Lisa, listen. The third letter of my first name - Hisham - is the letter S, like Saget, or Sugar, or Saskatchewan."

-"Oh, I see. So it's H - I - S, as in Sugar - H - A - N."

~"Okay, you're almost there. Change the very last letter to an M, like Monkey."

-"Okay. So it's H - I - S, as in Sugar - H - A - M, as in Monkey."

~"Yes." (Exasperated sigh away from the microphone.)

-"Okay. And may I have your last name?"

~"Are you sure you wanna go there?"

-"Well I need it to cancel your reservation."

~"Okay, then listen carefully. K - E - K - H - I - A."

(Pause. I tightly shut my eyes and hoped against hope that she got it right.)

-"Okay Hisham, I've got your reservation right here. And did you want to reschedule this reservation?"

~"No, I want to cancel it."

-"Until when?"

~"Uhh... I'm sorry?"

-"Until when, sir?"

(Was this a trick question?)

~"Until the cows come home! I want to cancel this reservation, not reschedule."

-"Oh, I see. And when will you be returning the car?"

(This was not normal.)

~"Lisa, is the reservation in front of you?"

-"Yes sir."

~"When does it show that I'm supposed to take the car out?"

-"Friday the 12th."

~"And today is what?"

-"Thursday the 11th."

~"So what are the odds that I have the car with me right now?"

(Pause.)

-"Sir, there's no need to get testy."

(I was ready to lose my shit at this point.)

~"I'll tell you what Lisa, if you stop asking me random questions and listen to what I'm saying, we can be done in a matter of seconds."

-"Sir I don't appreciate your tone of voice, I'm going to transfer you to another representative."

Just as she put me on hold and the infernal company jingle came over the line, I growled, "Have someone transfer you a frickin' brain, woman!"
3 - Allison R.: I rented two cars from this Budget in the past week and a half, and let me tell you, the laborynthine parking garage set up is a super pain in the ass!
You have to drop your car off in a parking garage, and then cross through a tunnel thing, past a star market, to get to the rental desk.

However, this location is within walking distance of my office (and, on a good day, my home). Also, the manager, Greg, isn't too ridiculous. He stuck by the guarantees he made me, and gave me two clean compact cars.
(I returned one on NYE because I didn't want to park a rental on the street in the snow and figured I'd save a few bucks).
Lame that the best rate I could get was $41/day, but it was still the best around.

I hope I never have to rent a car again, but if I do, I'll probably be back.
5 - Sara A.: The car rental office was impossible to find.  I don't want to say how long that boy and I walked up and down Sidney Street looking for a regular car rental office rather than a hotel -- with me in a completely inappropriate pair of heels -- but nowhere else is that made clear, including by them over the phone, except in their address here.

That was the only hassle I had.  It's a popular car rental location and was the cheapest I could find in my research online, so there was a small queue of people when I got there but the staff were extremely efficient.  They explained all their policies clearly (which were also in normal-sized print and language in their paperwork), had no problem with me declining the insurance (which I felt was unnecessary for just a daytrip), and when I misplaced the tickets to get out of the parking garage almost instantly upon receipt they replaced them without complaint.  Bonus points for not saying a word when they saw that it was the boy behind the wheel and not me even though I was the one who rented the vehicle.

The car was fantastic; an ultra-modern 2008 Chevrolet in perfect working order with digital radio, much better than I expected at the lowest economy end.  Safe, reliable, comfortable, and exactly right for our extracurricular activities.  I couldn't have asked for better.

Returning it was so simple -- it couldn't have been more than five minutes to park the car and go downstairs and five minutes at the desk.  Done.  No hidden fees, no hassles, quick and easy.  And for only having rented once -- coupons!  Like a free day if I paid for another weekend day!  Sweet!  

I've had utterly terrible experiences with other car rental companies in the past (which I oh so will write about when I have time), but renting from Budget was a breeze; if I ever need to rent a car again, I will only rent from this company at this location.  Ever.

(PS: The neighbourhood for this is not Dorchester and the closest T is not Savin Hill.  It's in Cambridge and the closest T is Central Square (and maybe also Kendall).)
1 - Jean B.: Do not rely on good customer service with your bill and double check when you can return your rental car.  I specifically asked to return my car on Sunday at 4 and was told it would be no problem (though on my contract it does say 3:30.)  Sunday at 4 the office was closed so I parked in a Budget space and returned the keys first thing Monday morning.  I was charged an extra $50, and the 5 people returning cars ahead of me all had the same types of issues (i.e. weren't notified about the $10 rental extension fee, were charged for parking overnight, were misinformed about return times.)  The response of the staff to all these issues was the same, "this is the corporate policy."  I felt no sense that they were trying to be helpful.  Buyer (renter) beware!
1 - Frank L.: This location CHEATED ME.

I rented a car when my parents were present, and asked if I was going to get charged a fee for being under 25, telling him my parents could rent the car instead.  The clerk said NO.  And I expected it was because I was getting the MIT deal, which I normally get.  Then I initialed 10 different places on the contract and was on my way.  When I returned the car I realized I was charged the fee and requested a refund.  But he couldn't be reached until Monday.

When I called back the manager said it was too late, that it couldn't be changed after 48 hours which was basically the time I had to wait to speak to the manager.  

Don't rent from these people unless you want to be swindled.
1 - Claire M.: Line was about 5 customers long and the supervisor wouldn't help so it was just one employee at the desk.  Had online confirmation that I was getting an economy car (better gas mileage) and was told they only had SUVs left.  

Was yelled at by the attendant in the garage for following the directions on the sign when returning the car and was told that the sign was wrong.  Asked for his name, he gave me a fake one. 

It may seem convenient to rent a car in Cambridge instead of going all the way to Logan, but it was so not worth the hassle.
5 - Karen S.: I have been renting a car every week from this location for the past three months.  Yes, it's a little bit hard to find if you don't know where to look, but there are signs in the parking garage and inside the entrance to Shaw's, and you can always ask at the hotel front desk if you get lost.  It really isn't that difficult.

The employees are friendly and will gladly give you the MIT discount if you have the appropriate ID (and they recognize me now, so they apply it automatically and remind me if I forget).  Yes, they can be a little bit chatty, but I'm sure that working at a car rental counter is kind of boring, and I'm more than happy to chat with them while my contract is printing.

When my online reservation has been lost, the employees have arranged for me to have an alternate car.  There are plenty of signs that direct you to the appropriate place to return the car, and the parking garage is no more confusing than any other parking garage in Boston.

Yes, rental cars are expensive.  Yes, sometimes your online reservation gets lost.  Yes, the attendants can be kind of cranky sometimes.  But I've never had a poor experience with this Budget, provided that I treated everyone that I spoke to like a human being, and I will be renting many cars from them in the time to come.
1 - M R.: Booked at this Budget to avoid trekking to Logan; super sold on "free pickup" since I don't live in Cambridge.  Called to schedule pickup: "no, no, we don't do pickup."
1 - Francesc F.: Very poor service. Rented and prepaid a 12 passenger van 2 months before the date I was going to use it. I called 2 weeks before the day I was planing to get it to schedule a pick up. The person that took the phone was unpolite, would not pay attention to me, was typing in the computer while attending the phone call, would talk to others in the office while I was at the phone...I had to repeat myself over and over to finally hear that they would not do pick ups outside Cambrige...But this is not all. 

1 hour exactly before I would go to pick the van up and go to the airport to pick up my family, I person from Budget Cambridge calls me and tells me that they dont have enough vans !!! That they would do everything they could to get me the van....this while my family was landing at logan. 30 minutes later the same person calls me a tells me that he they dont find any van or similar and recommends that I wait until he finds one !! @#$% I cancelled the contract right there because he did not have any resolution plan and his only advice was for me to wait to see if he would find any in the next hours. Very very poor service. Would not recommend this to anyone. If they would have called me 1 week or days before I might have comprehended the situation...but 1 hour before??? ridiculous. I was lucky I made 25 calls and got a van. Budget could not help.

Furthermore this person tells me that budget would fully reimburse the cost and instead I got $ 10 cancellation fee !!!
1 - Kuang-Ting C.: Very unfriendly and not helping staff. We waited in line for half an hour (just 3 groups of people in front!), in the meanwhile, one group of people were brought to front without obvious reasons (they may have reservations; but there are other groups of people in front of them who have reservations as well.) Finally when we get to the front desk, the staff speaks very impolitely to us, saying they are going to help the reserved group first (what is the purpose of the line...?) and just throw us aside and ask us to wait for another half an hour. Will never use again.
1 - Mike C.: If you want to get berated while you're waiting in line, rent here.
If you want to know what customer service shouldn't be, rent here.
If you are having a great day and want attitude, rent here.

I'd rather walk a mile and pay more money to rent from enterprise in Central than rent here again.

They are very, very rude, unhelpful, slow, understaffed, and extraordinarily unprofessional.  it took me 30 minutes to rent a car and an HOUR to return it....yes, ONE HOUR.  i was also told that if i wanted a receipt, i had to call a toll free # and they would email one to me.  WTF?!  you're kidding me, right?  i then took out my phone to record his response and asked him to repeat it....and got a receipt.

my experience was so bad, i sent an email to budget corporate offices to complain.  the response was that my feedback was "not unique" and that they "thank me for my feedback and are already looking into the service at this location."

stay away....

STAY AWAY....

STAY AWAY!!!
2 - Andrew F.: We were able to secure a rental car in good condition without an issue.  The difficulties arose when we attempted to call with a follow-up question.  We were planning to return the car later on the same day we'd rented it but our plans changed making it much more convenient to keep the car overnight and return it the next morning (but still within 24 hours).  We wanted to know if we could do so without incurring an additional charge.

We called the Cambridge office four times and each time someone answered then immediately put us on hold.  Each time we were disconnected after about 10 minutes.  

We ended up calling the national customer service number and were able to speak with a representative who told us we would be charged an additional $125.00 if we kept the car overnight (or a total of about $245.00 for a 24 hour rental for a subcompact car).  This seemed unreasonable so we called again and spoke with a second customer service agent who told us the same thing.  Based on this information we made the extra effort to return the car the same day, only to be told by the staff at the location where we returned the car that we could have kept it overnight for no extra charge after all.

So to sum up the experience wasn't all bad but there was some terriible customer service that wasted a great deal of our time.
2 - Carla S.: We reserved a rental car from Budget on Expedia. We reserved an economy car to be picked up at Logan Airport. When we arrived at the counter, we were told that the only vehicle available was a 9-passenger van, but that we could turn it in anywhere in Boston/Cambridge for a smaller car in the morning. I called in the morning to the Sidney Street facility; was re-routed to the national reservations, who assured me that yes there were small cars at the Sidney Street address. We went down, and were told that there were NEVER small cars at that facility. After considerable wrangling, we were given a Crown Victoria. I feel that I was lied to by 3 different Budget personnel. The guy at Sidney Street was pretty nice and did what he could though.
1 - Duc P.: I wish I could say I had a great experience with great customer service, but that would not be the truth.  I'll spare you; I won't rewrite the negative points that have already been written by others (which don't surprise me).  I wish Yelp had a 0-star score since that's what I this business earned from me.

I had a great rental experience with Budget a few months ago in Hawai'i, and perhaps that set me up with unreasonably high expectations (and further served as a stark contrast to the horrible experience I had with this location).  FYI, this location is independently owned and operated from other locations.

MY KEY GRIPES:
-When I arrived, there were a bunch of people in line and only two employees serving the line (Astol and Lindsay).
-The wait was over 30 minutes to be served.
-While I was in line, Lindsay expressed her discontent at not having had a lunch break that day and not having eaten anything all day.
-When I finally made it to the counter, Lindsay asked me what my reservation was.  I told her an SUV.  She said there were no SUVs available.
-When Astol came back, he got into a heated argument with Lindsay about the lack of SUVs.  Astol asked her why she had given out all the SUVs.  She said that he hadn't told her to hold one for my reservation.  This whole exchange took place at the counter in plain view of all customers.
-Astol offered us a van or some other non-suitable replacement.  
-We waited for an SUV to finally show up that we could check out.
-When discussing terms of the rental with Astol, I asked him if I could see the terms written out anywhere.  He replied that I did not need to see any documentation and that I could trust his word on everything he said.  He seemed to want to turn it into a personal trust issue when I was not interested in anything of the sort.    I repeatedly asked him, "Do you have this written out anywhere?"  After asking him directly about five times, he finally answered "No."
-We returned the car within 24 hours yet were charged late return fees.
-When I tried to call the agency to discuss the matter, I was put on hold at least three separate times, each time for over 30 minutes.
-*If* they answered their phone, the "Thank you for calling Budget Car Rental, this is Lindsay, may I put you on hold?" was purely a rhetorical question as they never waited or responded to your answer before putting you on hold--you were being put on hold whether you liked it or not.
-Often, the automated system would not patch my call through to the Cambridge office and would just transfer me to the national reservations line.
-I managed to leave the manager Greg a voicemail, and to his credit, he called me back.  We discussed the matter, and he said he would discuss it with his District Manager.  The result was that he would send me a $15 coupon off my next rental.  Unacceptable, especially when the additional charge I was disputing was on the order of $130.

ASPECT THAT WAS NOT SO BAD:
-The SUV they finally gave us was brand new (less than 100 miles) and quite nice.

Sometimes we learn the hard way.  Though I got an initially inexpensive rental rate from this agency through my credit card company's travel reservations site, the final cost in terms of time, money, and grief were not worth it.  In retrospect, I should have checked Yelp before renting from this location, and I would have rather paid a few dollars more to rent from somewhere else with a smoother experience.  I felt the way they handled things just added insult to injury.  I love great customer service experiences.  Unfortunately, I would never expect any from this location under this current management and ownership.

Budget Car Rental - Ithaca, NY (42.487499, -76.463914) ()
2 - Jose Roberto D.: The customer service rep was fairly rude to the customer ahead of me. The car was unclean and over scratched bumpers which were not obvious since the parking lot not illuminated. Also the car had a staunch smell. I tried to call in the customer service reps and got an attitude for not having caught it when I picked up the car. Next time I'll just cab it....
1 - Dao B.: The rate is low for sure. But staff is very rude and unhelpful. When I prepaid and showed up on the site, the white haired guy told me I'm under 25 and can't get the car without a credit card( I have a BOA debit card and he said no). Later I found this was their company policy, that's fine, but at the time I was told about this I was worried and not believing. Instead of trying to explain, the guy just showed me a cold face and raised his voice:" Hey stop talking, you will not get any car here." I turned to Hertz besides their desk and got a car without any problem right away, for three times of the original price though. But at least hertz staff was nice and attentive!

Budget Truck Rental - New York, NY (40.812228, -73.954245) (Harlem)
1 - Jun K.: if i could i would give them no stars... better yet, negative stars...

just don't rent from Budget Truck Rental! 
it's a scam!

don't get suckered in with their 20% discount offers-
if you don't have a truck how do you even get a discount?!

GO WITH UHAUL!

uhaul is soo much better.
better customer service.
guaranteed.

so this is our story with budget...

we had a truck reserved online with a credit card.
the pick-up day, they call and said they don't have a truck.
of course we complain and say but we've reserved it with a credit card.
this stupid customer service rep had the guts to say "reservations means nothing in this rental car business" like as if we were dumb..

lucky him, i wasn't on the phone and it was my fiance... if i got this call i would have given him sh*t for being an A-hole...
when i was told about this story from my fiance... 
all i could thinkg was are you freakin sh*tting me?!

budget doesn't even have the customer service...

so my fiance called around to see if any other budget had a truck..
no luck...
then called uhaul around and finally found a place that had one.
now, uhaul has a better customer service..
they guarantee you a truck no matter what...
(budget = what a liar... in this business reservations means nothing)...

one thing leads to another...
we were suppose to have a 10' truck with budget but uhaul only had a cargo van.. which made our move quite difficult...

difficult enough that we couldn't drop off our last load to our new studio.. the building didn't let us move-in after 5pm...
(management didn't inform us about this special move-in slip... another thing to complain about --- be ware of RY Management, they forget to give you crucial information)

so of course, someone at uhaul gets screwed over because.. now we have to extend our rental time...
but luckily the guy waiting for our cargo van got a different truck (see they guarantee you!) but the original guy that needed that truck the next morning will not have his truck on-time.. its was only an hour late.. since we had the van...

again, you will get a truck with uhaul... maybe a little late but at least you get one...

BUDGET... don't go there... you're asking for trouble...
1 - C M.: DO. NOT. USE. BUDGET. 

I get a call the day before I'm supposed to move and they say they received my reservation too late and won't have a truck for me. Oh, really?Because I made my reservation about five weeks ago and called to confirm it with the location not once, but twice. Then the guy changes his story. They were supposed to have more trucks arriving but that apparently fell through. So not only did they screw up my reservation, they lied to shift responsibility to me. Lovely. 

So, this company sucks. Reservations mean nothing to them and they WILL screw you over no matter how far in advance you try to prepare your move. 

I'm going with U-Haul.

Bueno y Sano - Amherst, MA (42.375999, -72.518606) ()
5 - Arik C.: "Good n' Healthy".  These are just good burritos, they are a MEAL.  Huge burritos with great toppings.  My favorite was the Salvadorian, fried zucchini along with the usual rice and beans.  You really get a lot for your dollar here.    Its not authentic Mexican but for cheap eats its pretty damn good.
4 - Andrew K.: Real good burittos that are healthy and cheap. They use yogurt instead of sour cream and are not afraid to use spice.
4 - Gavin A.: Big, good, cheap.  Not as big and good and cheap as the Mountain View California burrito joints I used to eat at, but pretty good.

Don't expect fancy dining, it's got a very hole-in-the-wall feel.
4 - John F.: Damn huge burritos that won't break the bank, but will delight your taste buds. This place is almost always pretty packed, and there's a good reason for it!
2 - Mats K.: Not a fan.

People in Amherst tend to rave about this place, but I really can't understand why.

In my huble opinion the burritos at La Veracruzana (a 5 minute walk away) are much better, and they aren't even perticularly good or authentic.
2 - Kate S.: This place is OK.  We ordered chips and salsa and the chips were super stale.  The salsa was bland.  But the fish tacos were pretty good, and had a deliciously spicy sauce that accompanied them.  

Don't think I'll be back with the plethora of other dining options in the area.
5 - Kristin A.: Portobella Mushroom burrito, always.  It's delicious, marinated, packed with mushrooms and as satisfying as a steak.  I travel great distances to enjoy this exquisite taste of college.  I'll take a big, juicy, Beans & Rice burrito any day over an authentic one.  Sheesh.
4 - Justin H.: i've overstuffed myself so many times here and have enjoyed every minute of it.  the only reason for the non five star rating is the fact that about one out of fifteen times you eat here, you get food poisoning and puke for a day straight. but that still doesn't deter me at all
3 - Ani P.: I used to think that Bueno y Sano was da bomb diggity bomb in terms of Mexican food.  Can you blame me, I grew up in CT!!  The burritos are big, cheap and healthy.  The guac was tasty.  But Cali has RUINED me.  Now I really know what Mexican food should taste like.  One of the best burritos I had in New England and that's saying a ton (I only had Tex-Mex in the tri-state area).
5 - Deb K.: Only 25 cents more for a grande?!?!  I discovered them growing up, but man, when I was in college I used to live off these things.  My college bf and I would order a grande burrito and the quesadillas and split them both.  I waddle out of there (sometimes a little too full), but otherwise content that I was filled to the brim with fresh, deliciously healthy food.  And yeah, it's not that authentic, but the pump yourself salsa/sauce is the best in town.  Here's a hint: mix the mild and hot to make medium.
5 - Jonathan R.: This place used to be a 6, off the scale.  I went to UMass when it opened, first time there was '96 and I still get cravings for the steak burrito w/ hot and yogurt.  Physical hunger pains.  These burritos are addictive, like anything else that is successful it is less personal and doesn't have the same "feel", thankfully the burritos are still reasonable priced and delicious.
5 - Robin G.: I'm picky about my Mexican food, all I really like is soft bean tacos and they make the best ones here.  I don't know if it's how fresh their food is, or that they make their own tortillas, their sauce or the cheese but it is always a real treat.
4 - Peter G.: What it lacks in authenticity it makes up for in price and quality. If you want Mexican and are in the area this is your best bet.
4 - B L.: Consistent, decent, inexpensive, west-coast style burritos.
5 - S C.: Best Burrios and Tacos i have had anywhere in the state, always fresh, super fast and makes you feel really good after eating. Taco specials are great - you get to pick 2 of whatever kind of taco they have and the rice and beans come on the side so it doesn't drown out the fillings. The stuffed jalapeno is really yummy too..i don't care what anyone says about Anna's Taqueria in the boston area - it's garbage compared to this pace.
5 - Lynette S.: yum!!! huge portions, delicious and fair prices. you will leave full and happy. not a grease pit either.
3 - Andy T.: Not even close to authentically Mexican, or even authentically Californian Mexican,  Bueno y Sano (good and healthy) is pretty good for what it is - healthy-ish white-folks style "burritos" in a New England college town.  

My biggest complaint is that the menu is so a la carte, a basic burrito seems cheap, but when you want to add meat and a veggie, all of a sudden you have a $8 burrito.  That aint right.  

My favorite strategy there is to order a burrito with black beans, sour cream, medium hot sauce, and sauteed spinach and garlic SIN LECHUGA (no lettuce).  Why the hell they add lettuce to the burritos is beyond me, it's terrible, and especially when it mixes with the spinach.  When I forget to ask them to leave it out, I kick myself and hate this place.  

Less authentic than the competition (La Veracruzana, basically) but still pretty much the best burrito I've had in the Pioneer Valley.

Which is a dubious honor, akin perhaps to the best sushi in Wyoming, or something like that.  You know what they (the less PC than me people) say about the Special Olympics -  "Even when you win, you're still retarded."?

That's kinda how I feel about Bueno.  

Still, I'll be back.
5 - George S.: When I look back on my college years, this is one of the places that stands out.  Sure, Burrito places have become the new Mickey D's with Chipotle, Qdoba, and the hundreds of other smaller chains.  But nothing compares to Bueno...

I haven't quite pinpointed exactly why it's different than the rest.  It's been so long since I have been able to have one that I often wonder if I'm just building the place up in my head...

Still, I would do anything to hop a plane and end up in Amherst, walk down that little alley, and order me a nice simple Bueno y Sano Burrito....
5 - TJ D.: It's not authentic mexican, it's not tex-mex, it's not chain-mex jazz, it's not even San Francisco style fare.  It is a burrito place unto itself in this New England college town.  That being said, it has long sat atop my top ten list of burrito joints I have eaten at. Top ten out of around 130-140 spots.  Mmmmmm........I am getting hungry just thinking of this place.  Go ahead, try it, you know you want to.
5 - Rachelle H.: i want one of those rice-and-beans babies in my belly right now. you'll never find a burrito quite like a bueno. these are made expertly and with love. the ingredients are always fresh and it's fun to watch the assembly line. they have great salsa/sauces and pico de gallo. sometimes it's tough to get a seat (and by sometimes i mean always) but if you're a good enough vulture, you'll be fine. i haven't had a great burrito since my last time at bueno. 

i must say, though, the bueno in northampton wasn't as great as the one in amherst. maybe i went on an off day or something... actually, it was during winter break so maybe they weren't as rushed, and therefore not as hardcore. whatever it was, i was slightly disappointed. it was still better than any other pathetic excuse for a burrito place.
4 - Hanna S.: Really great tacos for relatively low prices. Always a great and fast eat.
5 - Mimi H.: The only thing I truly miss about Amherst is Bueno y Sano.
I would drive two hours back to Amherst just to eat their sauteed mushroom. spinach and garlic burrito.    and their black bean tacos...  omg so yummy.

Every Tuesday is fat tuesday. They give you a XL burrito when you only pay for a regular.
5 - Julie-Ann B.: There are so many good places to eat in Amherst, but since I graduated in 1998 I have pretty much only eaten at Bueno every single time I go back... and I will continue to do so. It's that good.
4 - Nicholas L.: After hearing about all the rave about Bueno Y Sano, I knew I had to come to this place after living here for 3 years. I had even attended one of the lectures by Bob Lawry for one of my classes and was impressed by his persona. 

I couldnt wait to try my first burrito at Bueno and now I am quite happy. Since today is Tuesday, I get a large size burrito for the price of a regular. I read all the reviews here and I could not think of ordering anything other than the sauteed spinach and garlic burrito, cost me $6.75. My co-worker told me that the large burrito can be eaten for two meals. I was out to challenge him but I was at the same time hesitant. So I went ahead and told the staff to pack half and the other half to be eaten there. The staff was really nice about it and my order was ready 3 minutes later. 

The half burrito did not look like it could fill me up but in the end it did. The tricky thing is that it is packed so compact that one starts to undermine the filling prowess. But at the end, it did fill me up, and I am to admit I have a good appetite. 

Everything component of the burrito excelled. The freshness of the veggies really came through. The sour cream adds a good dimension of flavor to the rice and beans. The tortilla is slightly grilled and has a nice buttery aroma to it. You cant have the burrito without the salsa, it completes the meal. Without the salsa, the burrito feels a little bland for me. Mixing the mild and hot gives a good balance to the tanginess. 

This place is popular because of its price and value. Its not something that would wow you. You wont miss it if you dont have it for a while. This joint's cheap menu plays a big role in attracting its college customers.
5 - Jaclyn K.: Best burritos ever & if you disagree I don't want to talk to you.
I LOVE Bueno's burritos. My fave is the sauteed spinach & garlic with yogurt & wicked hot sauce.  I don't care that they aren't truly Mexican burritos or even Tex Mex burritos, they are Bueno burritos & that's way better! The burritos are so huge & filling & pretty cheap.
4 - Sher M.: Bueno is delicious! I love their quesadillas! When I lived in Amherst I used to get them with spinach and cheese. Their burritos are also authentic and very yummy!
5 - Jake B.: Along with Anna's Taqueria (which I believe is only in/near Boston), this is my favorite fast Mexican place in Massachusetts. "Bueno y Sano" translates to "Good and Healthy". I don't know if it's actually very healthy, but I used that as justification to go here whenever I didn't feel like cooking while I was at UMass.

Pretty much every time I go here, I get the BBQ chicken burrito. I don't know what type of BBQ sauce they're using (homemade maybe?), but it makes the burrito taste amazing, and very unique (I've never found a place that can duplicate it). Overall, I like Anna's steak burrito more than Bueno's steak burrito, but Anna's has nothing like the BBQ chicken burrito, and until they do, Bueno will always hold that winning card.

Bueno y Sano also has really good salsa. I'm pretty sure they make it from scratch, because the vegetables don't look processed, and it's very different from the salsa you get in supermarkets.

The place itself has a good atmosphere. I wouldn't bring someone on a date here or anything, but it's a nice place to sit after class when you're hungry. For some reason, they have a big disco ball hanging from the middle of the ceiling. Weird, but cool.
1 - Chizlum M.: Horrible.  Yelpers let us down on this one.
4 - Rue B.: Cheapest place for a filling meal in Amherst center.  Burritos as big as your stomach for $5-$8.  I typically go for two tacos, about the same size as a burrito, though sans rice, for under $5.  Add free hot sauce, or get a side of guac for $1.    

Not even a little bit authentic Mexican, but my pasty-white New England palate doesn't have a damn clue what that is.  There's definitely not much corn-based anything, or mole, or really any seafood besides a shrimp burrito.  I probably had something more authentic in Texas, though even that was surely Tex-Mex, albeit delicious.  

For now, I don't really care what cuisine Bueno represents, just that it's pretty damn tasty regardless.   

I really have to get on the overeducated whitey train, and have my altruistic, perspective-changing, multi-year hallucinogen journey to a Central or South American country.  I think that was supposed to happen 8-10 years ago in my earlier twenties - oh well.  Then I can better tear into Bueno with a worldly perspective on its shortcomings vis-a-vis Mexican authenticity from the comfort of my parents' house.   

Or I could just continue eating at Bueno and appreciating it for what it is?
4 - Meghan B.: For a cheap price, you get a filling meal with fresh ingredients that may even edge towards healthy.

They offer a very wide selection, which is great for picky eaters like me.  The food is also quite customizable with many different add-on options.
5 - Mark G.: Thank you, ByS, for introducing me to burritos all those years ago.
5 - Koichi S.: The portion size and price makes Chipotle look like Taco Bell (fan of both but neither can hold a candle to Bueno y Sano).  This was one of my goto lunch/dinner places while I was at UMass, I never came here and didn't enjoy my meal, it was awesome each and every time.
4 - Kate N.: This is the place I went at least 2x a week when I was at Umass... and to this day, I still hold their Roasted Red Pepper burrito in highest regard.  Any trips back out to Amherst result in me ordering 2 of these - one to eat that day and one to freeze for another day.    Loved the atmosphere, chips & salsa, and fast service.
5 - Chris L.: Dirt cheap, excellent burritos, and relatively fast service. Typically I have a regular burrito with lots of veggies like mushrooms, peppers, and roasted garlic (mm!!). You seriously cannot go wrong if you like Mexican food. And honestly I can't understand why someone wouldn't like it! 

One more thing: the other day I had a fish taco at Bueno y Sano and it was revelatory. Sounds too good to be true? I thought so, too. It's pretty simple to put some beans, rice, and extras into a burrito, but the fish fillet was lightly fried, well-seasoned, and cooked just until flaky. Even the soft taco shell had texture and flavor. 

Oh, and don't forget to use the hottest hot sauce they have, if you can handle it, that is. Too much and you ruin the flavors of the other ingredients. But just a touch and you're in heaven.

Try it and you won't be sorry. And if you're a poor college kid like me, your wallet won't be either.
5 - Poope R.: Wow I miss this place! It is common among my group of  friends, that  whoever gets to visit Amherst, and then eat Bueno Y Sano, then they get to rub it in our faces, and we are all super jealous.
How does this place in the middle of nowhere Mass, have better mexican food than most of the places here in NYC?!?!?
5 - Jeremy D.: I would literally drive nearly two hours on weekends just to get my Bueno y Sano fix.
The portions are awesome. A grande burrito is about the size of a small baby. 
I recommend the steak burrito with extra cheese and a side of guac.
Bueno's has - bar none - the best guac I've ever encountered.
A good game to try when you go there - order a burrito with a friend and see who can eat while creating the least mess, it's a challenge but you'll get it, just practice.
They've always got this cool Latin music in there, which is dangerous, because after repeated Bueno sessions, said music may induce a Pavlovian response and result in unseemly salivation.
Even the bathroom is fun. The walls are chalkboard so you can graffiti to your heart's content without actually committing vandalism.
1 - Matt C.: By far the most violently overrated restaurant I have ever been to. Yelpers are cuming all over each other talking about how great this place is, have you guys even been to another burrito joint? I'm sorry if my standards are too high, but I'm from eastern Mass, where you can't walk a block and find a top notch burrito place. BUENO WOULD NOT SURVIVE BACK EAST! The prices? Alright, but not "cheap" by any stretch of the imagination. The burritos? sub par. The rice is bland and far to plentiful, and they are violently dry despite sour cream and sauce. They are like eating slightly moist cardboard. Except I would assume the cardboard would be wrapped correctly. 
The sad thing is, I still go to Bueno because the burrito selection in the pioneer valley is non existent. But don't think for a second that I'm not thinking of how much better dozens of other places are when I'm eating it. Because I am, and thats sad.
5 - Mark O.: The DEFINITIVE burrito destination in Amherst. The classic fillings are unbelievably fresh, and they're always adding more new treats (like pulled pork... Mmmmm.). Fat Tuesday deal is worth a special trip, the burrito size upgrades from "small dog" to "that's like carrying a baby."

And if you don't feel like stuffing your face, there's delicious quesadillas, stuffed peppers, and a wealthy array of veggie options (it is western mass, lots of veggiers around). I will never have a better burrito than the BBQ chicken with guac. Do yourself a favor and pay this place a visit.

P.S. Comparisons to La Veracruzana (because I take my burritos seriously, man) are less than lackluster. Bueno has marginally fresher ingredients, faster service, and more selection than La Veracruzana without the snobby hipster vibe - and nobody likes an arrogant burrito.
5 - Heather G.: Cheap and delicious might be a better name than "Good and Healthy".  I don't know what type of BBQ sauce they put in their burritos but it is pure deliciousness.  Very reasonably priced as well.  I simply can not agree with the poster below who said that this was a run of the mill burrito joint that you could find on any corner in Boston.  The burritos at Bueno are far more creative than someplace like "Chipolte".
5 - A F.: their shrimp Burritos are simply the best shrimp anything around.
Everything they make is delicious!
4 - Anita C.: Great place especially if you have a coupon, being a student I love the great perks especially cheap food. My first experience there I had the thai burrito (I wanted to try something new) and it was ok, different but not the best, but not complaining since I got it for $0.50 (I had a $5 GC, thanks to the Umass res econ dept.). My next venture was the teriyaki which was definitely a step up from that thai burrito, did I mention that I usually do not like eating burritos? Anyways that was good but was just not hitting te spot for me. Finally the third time I got myself the bacon, ranch and chicken burrito and it was heaven! Maybe its because I like bacon and ranch, I dont know. Now thats my go to staple whenever I go there not to mention the fast service you get there.
3 - Giselle E.: Bueno y Sano is a Mexican spot where you can get your typical burrito, quesadilla, tacos and chips with dip. Nothing is really special about the place, but it's good to know that they won't give you any stomach aches or rob your wallet.

A chicken burrito with some added toppings will put you at about $7.00; a basic burrito with rice beans and some veggies starts off at $5.50 and you pay for each additional filling starting at $1.25 and up.

Their guacamole is FRESH, which is one off the reasons why I like this place.

They also put out water for easy access and you can serve yourself.

PLUS: Plastic and metal utensils at your hearts desire!
3 - Cat J.: When I went to UMass-Amherst for a weekend in April, Bueno y Sano was a dinner destination for the student horde. I got a veggie burrito, and loved the guacamole they put (heaven!). Everybody else loved their respective foods, and was a major hit overall. No, it's not like Tex-Mex or SoCal burritos (which can't be beat anyway), but it hit the spot just fine and the staff was pleasant despite having 30 hungry people pop up on their doorstep all of a sudden.
4 - Austin J. A.: Bueno Y Sano (Good and Healthy) is a really good burrito place. Really, really really good. The burritos are huge, tasty, and come in many varieties. I love the seitan burrito the very best. I love their giant quesadillas, which I usually get with chicken. The spinach and cheese quesadillas are a little stringy and hard to chew. Their beef soft tacos are delicious. I was so happy when they opened another location in Northampton, because I made a *lot* of trips to Amherst just for a Bueno Y Sano burrito. 

Delivery Express will, I believe, bring you Bueno Y Sano to your very own home.
4 - Martin O.: Excellent food, reasonable prices, but a bit cramped. This location is a bit small seeing as it serves four out of the five colleges plus local inhabitants. This is really the only detractor. The fish tacos and burritos are bursting with flavor, filled with what can only be fresh ingredients. Also, the stuffed jalepenos are a great combonation of spicy and mild.
5 - Loren B.: Whether you're a college student or local we can all agree this place rivals any quick and cheap burrito shop they've got on the eastern side of the state. Good value, great flavor, a variety of options... need I says more?
4 - Bill B.: I have to admit; I've become a fan. I used to eat ONLY at a local competitor but decided to give ByS a try. My current favorite is the Buffalo Chicken Burrito...very simple: Chicken, extra buffalo sauce, rice and pinto beans...that's it! deelicious!! I also like just a pinto bean, rice burrito..nuttin else!! The people are very nice, no surliness, like at my old haunt, and the food is consistently good. The Northampton location is just as good, and a bit nicer space if you eat in. Enjoy!
5 - Isabel A.: DELICIOUS! My favorite place to eat in Amherst, definitely the best deal around. For me one of their fantastically fantabulous BBQ pulled pork (my personal favorite!) burritos makes two meals (although I have seen them demolished in a sitting). Highly recommended.
4 - D. B.: Bueno y Sano has a good selection of tasty burritos and quesadillas.  

I recently visited with my brother (a local college kid) early on a weeknight.  We were able to order right away and our food took mere minutes to prepare.  After we sat with our food, the place filled up FAST with tons of college-aged kids and a few families looking for good, Mexican food.  

Portions at Bueno y Sano are HUGE and the food is fresh.  I had a burrito with chicken, spinach, and garlic, and my brother had a chicken quesadilla.  We both had bottled teas/lemonades.  Neither of us was still hungry after we finished our food!

This is a great place to grab something to eat.
5 - Kelly M.: Probably the best value for your dollar in downtown Amherst.  Last time I went, I believe I got two tacos and then split some guacamole with my friend.  My total came to $4.

I'm not sure how authentically Mexican this place is, but its delicious.
5 - Beth R.: You can't beat the burritos at bueno. Seriously. As a vegan, the seitan burrito with guacamole and no cow always delivers. So worth a visit...vegan or not. BUT if you are vegan, or simply adventurous, try the seitan. It's amazing!
3 - Cal F.: Maybe the best burritos in the area, but thats partially because New England is not famous for authentic mexican fare.  If you're from the west coast or a mexican-food expert, you might be disappointed. For really authentic food, try Veracruzana. They are locations in Amherst and Northampton, just down the street from both Bueno y Sanos. Touring students from Spain were not impressed by the simple, americanized food of Bueno ... but whatever, it still tastes good to me! 

I recommend the Salvadoran burrito, but you must add the bbq chicken. Otherwise, it won't be as a moist and flavorful. You can add sour cream too - or just get it on the side. The flavors of this burrito are definitely satisfying. 

The homemade guacamole isn't wonderful - it's just okay. The quesadillas are a bit oily and the beans served with them are dry. But cheese + carbs (tortilla) + sour cream is always good.
4 - Chris W.: Great food and dont be afraid to venture outside of the burritos. Taco special is great and even going with a salad is a good option.
Their prices have slowly risen probably by a quarter, but they are still very reasonable especially since the food is very filling. 
Watch out for the lunch time rush!
5 - Elisabeth Y.: Seitan burrito was delicious. I ate the whole thing (of course, how could I not???) but didn't feel disgusting afterwards, like I sometimes do after eating at, say, Chipotle. 

Service was fast too!
5 - Jen R.: I have never been disappointed by Bueno Y Sano.  The regular sized burritos are plenty big enough to satisfy your hunger.  What I love about the food is everything is extremely fresh and you can taste it in every bite.  Whether you're in the mood for tacos, burritos, chips, quesadillas, or guac, this is the place to try.  You won't be sorry.
5 - Zach B.: It's a unique burrito unto itself and 1 of the top 3 Amherst staples if you grew up there.  Huge healthy burritos on the cheap.  I remember sneaking out of high school to nab a big one on game days because this was the best option in town for my purposes and sorry but you can't play good soccer matches on chicken nuggets and tater tots every day.  Thank you Bueno Y Sano especially for always staying reasonably priced for your deliciousness!
4 - Caesar R.: The price is right and the food is fresh.  Service is super friendly and they aim to please.  The food portions here are massive.  They offer smaller and larger sizes.  I can't imagine going for the larger size burrito.  They have limitless options to chose from for the fillings.  But go with your gut instinct.  

The wife and I split the steak burrito with roasted garlic and the fish tacos.  Both were eyes are bigger than your stomach portions.  And then we also threw in some chips and salsa as well.  I didn't think that was enough, so I loosened the belt a notch and got some guacamole too.  The burrito managed to be eaten about 75% of the way.  The fish was gone, but the taco tortillas remained about 65%.  So the food portions were way more than enough.  

As my wife is an alumnus of UMASS Amherst, she survived on 4 years of this delicious grub.  I can understand why it is so popular and becomes part of your college meal plan.  

Next time around, I will bring an empty leg or a 2nd stomach to finish anything.
5 - Joshua D.: I love this place! Best burritos in the area, besides their other store in Noho. I love their sautéed spinach and garlic!
5 - Alexe W.: The have the best, freshest food around. And their sauce is incredible!!! The prices are great and they are so friendly.
2 - Ben O.: Cheap, healthier than getting a sub. But it could be better.
Fat Tuesdays FTW
5 - Eva V.: Ate here all the time while in college.  Miss this burrito place a LOT.  The BBQ chicken burrito is awesome.  Overall, much better than Chipotle if you ask me...
3 - Nicole B.: We stopped here since we saw it was featured on a foodnetwork show. we had the chicken buritto and a chicken taco and beef taco.  all very good.   the place was hard to find since we are not from the area.  even with a gps.   finally found it after 20 minutes. 
would go back.  alot like chipotle gril.
1 - Joseph P.: Some people may say this place is good...but those people are probably vegetarians and I have learned to never take restaurant advice from vegetarians.   This is the perfect example why. 

Bueno y Sano has so many little flaws that it is almost funny how it succeeds.  First, the kitchen is run with apparently no order.  Your order can take anywhere from a few minutes to a half hour to be ready.  

The food is just bland.  While you're eating you might think..."where have I tasted this before?"...and then you realize that you had it when you were completely broke (and probably drunk and/or high) and decided to cook up a can of beans and some rice and throw it on a stale tortilla that has been sitting in your fridge since your last roommate moved out.   
The food is poor people food, sold as cuisine, which barely makes it into the "under $10" category.  You will end up spending just under $10 bucks for a meal that would cost you under 50 cents to make.   

Salt?  Pepper? Any seasoning whatsoever?  NOPE.  Bueno has not heard of such witchcraft.    But their beans are perfectly undercooked and strangely hard every time...consistently!!!

The food has absolutely no connection with mexico or any latin country.  It is just a second hand version which was concocted by some white Eastern Mass business major.   

Go to Veracruzana if you really need some mexican food.  Although it's not the best, at least it has flavor and a semblance of authenticity. 

Also, their doors open inwards which is against Massachusetts state law!!!  
This food should be against the law too.
3 - Dhruv K.: Well I have been spoiled by the Mexican cuisine offerred by the Mission District in San Francisco.

However, this place is still pretty good. Their Burritos are especially recommended. Get one, and sit behind the restaurant in warm sun. Yummy.
5 - Tom M.: I've since upgraded to the chicken burritos- BBQ and teriyaki- with sour cream and sauteed mushrooms. Based on these, I'm upping my review from four stars to five. I just can't stop eating these. Love Bueno.
5 - John C.: I love going bueno y sano the food is good and the price is reasonable, good value for your money.
5 - Barry G.: So I guess since I have been eating burritos here for 12+ years now, i should write a review

But then again, the fact I keep going back after 12+ years is enough of a review.

Just good food!

I normally get the same thing, and they have no issues with substitutions, etc. 

bbq chix, pinto beans instead of black, no tomatoes, guac, medium sauce, yogurt (a great alternative to sour cream)

They make the stuff there. pico and guac made fresh daily. Salsa made there

Yes, since my time at Umass I have seen the price of a burrito go from $5 to $7.50... but so what. they are big and filling. a normal burrito is enough food for a meal for 90% of the people.

If somehow you don't know of this place yet, go now. Although I have no idea how anyone in amherst would not know about it). The one in Springfield is also identical and great.

good food. fresh, healthy, made to order. 

Yes, it may be hard to order, you may not know all th options if it is your first time, and it may seem chaotic in the kitchen. but everyone knows what they are doing, and make your food quick and well!

also good to try
- stuffed jalpenos. grilled peppers stuffed with rice and cream cheese. yummy, but look like alien fingers
- quesadilla - if you like cheese, they load them up. no skimping!
- steak soft tacos. seriously. the soft tacos ar alike mini burritos. rolled up, stuffed tot he gills and just as good!
5 - Steven P.: Perhaps I'm a little biased because I absolutely adore burritos, but I'll tell you what, the burritos here are really some of the best I have every had.

If you're hungry, look no further.  Serving size is massive and will leave you feeling full for hours to come.  Think it's a little too much?  You have the option to go a little smaller for fifty cents less.  Need more?  You can get more for fifty cents more (don't let your eyes get bigger than your stomach)!  These burritos, even without "going grande" are the size of a little baby.  They're big and keep you full for hours!

With fresh materials and a plethora of different options to choose from, you can personally tailor a burrito to your exact tastes.  Not feeling a burrito?  Never fret!  You can also get tacos, quesadillas, and salads!  With said variety, it's possible to visit Bueno y Sano hundreds of times and still get something you've never gotten before that won't break your wallet.  

The service is quick and you'll have your burrito within five minutes, tops.  They also provide free water and free hot and mild sauce!

Accessible for both lunch and dinner, you should definitely give this place a try if you haven't already.
1 - Andrea C.: Actually, that nasty burrito isn't even cheap once you add on all the extras that are kind of essential on any burrito. Nothing about that burrito is good. The food is terrible and I don't know why I keep giving it another shot.
5 - Christian P.: If you're like me, you enjoy eating things that are roughly the size of your own head. It helps when those items are ridiculously delicious. 

These burritos ARE...ridiculously...delicious.

 If it hadn't been for Antonio's Pizza across the parking lot, I would have eaten here every day. 

Disclaimer: If you do decide to eat here every day, your bowels will feel neither bueno nor sano.
5 - John B.: There is NOTHING that compares to Bueno... I get depressed when i bite into a burrito from an Annas or any of the other chains i the Boston Area.

I love and miss bueno, i still occasionally make the trip to my home town and visit. Worth every bit of gas
4 - Julie T.: I've heard stories about people driving from hours away just to get their Bueno y Sano fix.

After missing out freshman year, I got my chance to experience the hype during my fourth semester at UMass.

My conclusion? This place is going to do to me what Wings Over Amherst did to me freshman year: make me fat.

My initial reaction was wow, this place is really good and this burrito is the size of my head! I wasn't blown away at first but this stuff is like crack. You keep coming back for more. Now I find myself in Boston thinking, I really want a burrito from Bueno y Sano right now. And it's like nothing else can satisfy this crazy burrito craving.

Sadly but luckily, I'm too far during the summer to even think about this place. I should start working out now so I can pig out here in the Fall.
4 - Hana T.: BEST BURRITO IN AMHERST. Pay the extra few cents to get guacamole slathered on. You won't regret it. I usually get 2 or 3 little plastic containers of spicy sauce to pour on top of my burrito. So. Satisfying.

Now, I can usually make a lot of food disappear, but at this joint I have yet to be able to finish an entire regular-sized burrito. The pequeno size is $0.50 cheaper and is barely noticeably smaller - perfect! Then again, Tuesdays are free upgrades to the grande size (usually $0.50 extra).
4 - Steph L.: Never had a burrito, and damn i've been missing out. 

This location definitely has character. It's tucked behind Antonois, near the big parking lot. 

Burritos start off at 5.25, and you choose what you want in it...which adds a dollar or two. I got a grilled portabella mushroom burrito and it was good. I forgot to ask for guacamole, so it lacked flavor. must get the guac!
The tacos aren't like your typical white corn tortilla-type of tacos. They are like mini burritos. (wrapped up) I recommend getting two of these instead of one large burrito. You get more variety, and it is less messy. 

My friend got the chickpea curry taco. It was good, but tasted nothing like curry. 
I had half a burrito and was stuffed!! Loved the black beans and yellow rice. My new go-to joint.

Buetow M Kathleen MD PHD - Urbana, IL (40.116792, -88.214384) ()
1 - Angela K.: As a new resident to this area I was UNpleasantly surprised by the utter lack of pediatric spice that most pediatricians have.  Dr. Buetow was cold, unfriendly, and seemed annoyed that she had to see my boys.  They were well behaved and even tried to make cute small talk with her.  She seemed oblivious to them even speaking!  I felt completely unwelcome as new patients to this practice.  

While I generally try to give people the benefit of the doubt (bad day maybe) I don't think I would subject my children to someone who is supposed to make them feel comfortable.  Next time I will wait until an appointment is available with our regular pediatrician (my daughter had a bit better luck with him).  I had high hopes for her too...it's not often you find a woman pediatrician of her age.
1 - Sarah P.: I took my boys to her a few times after my orginal pediatrician retired, I found a new one real quick after the visits.

Buffalo Exchange - Houston, TX (29.7253658, -95.4166429) (West University)
5 - Gina M.: After years of having given up on the Westheimer location of Buffalo Exchange, a new day dawned the day I saw this location in my hood. It started off slow, with it's fair share of not so buyable items, but this location has turned into a treasure trove of really great items with significant turnaround, so every time I hit it, I see new items that are totally my style. An added bonus are the really nice staff that work there and remember their customers and always ask me how I like that last thing I bought there. (how do they remember?) And for those who are on a tight budget - nothing beats the price. Where else could I find a this season Theory shirt for $20 or those pair of Marc Jacobs shoes for $25. Bring in your clothes to trade for an added bonus and give let your old style breathe new life into someone else's.
4 - brooke m.: I concur wholeheartedly with the other 2 reviewers.  Heaps better than the other store!  Smaller but less crowded, and the girl who waited on me was so sweet despite being the only employee in the store.  I don't make it up to this location as much because they aren't open as late (til 6 on most days, I think) and I'm not usually in the neighborhood.  But my last trip there was so successful that I'll be making more of an effort to hit it up when the thrifting mood strikes.

Something I never knew/the staff on Westheimer neglected to tell me: when selling old clothes, you can save your store credit for another day.
5 - Kelly S.: People were amazed by my purchases here. I kept hearing that the westheimer location was lame-ish but this spot was a TOTAL treasure trove. My take aways included: 

Two hair accessories: a huge metallic flower hair thing and a softer oversized silver rose
Gold earrings
Aviators
Sparkly crystal dangles
A purse that looks like a stereo... WITH SPEAKERS. Seriously. Just plug in your ipod.

So all accessories... but amazingly unique. I love each of them and keep getting compliments. This is a go to spot for amazing and sassy purchases on the cheap!
4 - Kristine H.: They have SO. many. shoes here. There's so many shoes that they've run out of space for them. 

There's a nice mix of stuff here including new stuff (look for the blue tag!). There's an abundance of dresses of all sorts, vintage-ish, casual, work, party. You name it. They got it. I also really like their cardigan selection. A very particular like, I know, but I feel like I purchase a cardigan or sweater every time I walk into the store.

I particularly like this place because I have a pretty good success rate when I sell my stuff here. It's also a more pleasant experience just because it's less crowded and easily accessible in comparison to the Westheimer location.
4 - Sonia T.: Buffalo Exchange is seriously awesome...seriously.  I have been going to this place for years,  I have sold clothes that went out of style and bought some great deals here.  I bought a kick butt pair of black Jimmy Choos for $40, a fantastic silk shirt, and some great jewelry.  You can find 7 jeans (are those still in style?) to great sweaters, to funny T shirts.  They have name brands, coats, fun do dads, and men's clothes.  I know my bf scored a cool Ben Sherman shirt.  One of my favorites
2 - Kelly R.: It's a alright Buffalo Exchange but I'm still used to the large Austin location...so it just seems sad by comparison.  People usually are pushy in here for some reason.
3 - Ann E.: I have to admit, I've relied on this place for costume wear again and again. I keep selling/trading my old clothes and saving the credit for the next time I need something vintage. 

I would rate it higher, however, I also have a teen daughter, a fashion degree and some experience in the fashion industry. Explanation: I don't see a rhyme to reason as to how they choose or turn down my items and I also see a lot of overpriced items in their store at times. I mean COME ON, if you shop clearance at regular stores, you can get some of the same stuff brand new at cheaper prices!!

I do appreciate the recycling concept and the friendly customer service.
1 - Jackie M.: the service was terrible and i didn't like anything in the store.  it looked like a bunch of college kids just raided their parents closet and sold their old, ugly clothes to get some cash.  the clerk was real snobby and told me he didn't like any of my stuff.  i wouldn't take your store credit anyways, cuz i didn't find anything i liked.  besides, before you get all snooty with yourself, just remember that you are a purchaser of garbage.  if you want to sell your stuff, go to plato's closet or taxi taxi.
5 - Christine H.: This place is located among many of the cute Heights shops and makes for a nice stop during a sunny day of leisure browsing.  I come here once a month now that I live in the area and always leave with a few things in hand.  This location is not that large but I always find something to my liking.  Prices are reasonable, mostly cheap--I've gotten shirts and dresses for under $10 a pop.  You can bring in stuff to sell to them--if they think they can sell an item for $10, they will pay you either 35% in cash or give you 50% in store credit.  I brought in 2 overflowing shopping bags of stuff this past weekend to sell but only ended up getting $5 worth of credit--they are picky.  The clothes needs to be in mode and obviously in good condition.  I like shopping at secondhand stores because you'll find things that are unique; only thing is this place carries a lot of typical brands you'd find in the mall, e.g. American Eagle, Gap, etc., so you risk wearing someone's last-season shirt and paying retail price for it.
5 - Diana S.: Do not come here. 


It's mine.
4 - Byron Y.: My new favorite place to shop, and let me tell you I rarely shop...I can't remember the last time I spent more than 2 hours to go "shopping".  However, as of lately I'm doing some fall cleaning..."out with the old, in with the new".  Inspiration has also supported this new movement of mine, check out this style blog. www.streetetiquette.com.  
This place doesn't have a huge selection, but the items that they do have are clean, good quality, and very reasonably priced.  I picked up a $180 blazer for $24, and a nice fitted long sleeve shirt for $10.  There were a few other items that had my interested as well.  Brands such as Polo, Burberry, Tommy H., I.N.C, etc etc.  The cloth they have for men are chosen to reflect recent styles, lots of fit, slim fit and some classic looks.   If you don't mind putting in a bit of energy and time to to dig around please feel free to go to the Galleria.
5 - Liz B.: Coming from Austin, I was nervous about attempting to sell clothes here as my 20-something-professional attire was normally passed over in Austin. Not the case at this location (I've heard the Westheimer location is a tougher sell.)

For selling: if you're honest with yourself about what you're trying to sell, you'll be rewarded handsomely. No, they won't take your damaged or stained stuff, but then again, you wouldn't buy it either. If you're doing any major cleaning out, it helps to call ahead and see what they're looking for. I've gotten in the habit of storing stuff for later attempts to sell. 

For buying: I'm never paying full price for jeans again, as the selection here is fantastic, and a steal. Also: great selection on dresses and skirts and cute tops. Last time I was there I saw some nice leather jackets that I passed on, but am still wishing I hadn't. I do recommend trying things on to ensure they haven't been altered in any way.
5 - Jennifer D.: I'm ashamed to admit it but I went to buffalo exchange for the first time 2 weeks ago and fell in love with their clothes. I got a DFV shirt for....10 dollars...yea I was certainly shocked. They had a clearance section in the store ( and I admit it I shop clearance....:)) that I tore through and found a surprising amount of really awesome things. You can be certain to see me at my nearest one as often as I can get gas in my tank...this place is like a hidden gem!!
4 - Ada L.: i like the idea of sustainable business that reuses and recycles clothing. Usually once or twice a year, i would clean out my closets, and then take a couple of bags of old clothes, purses, and accessories (and sometimes shoes as well!) to Buffalo Exchange to see if any of them would sell! One time i had my stuff sold for about $160 and i was just super thrilled when i got the check (they had to write a check for any buy-back over $80). $160 wasnt big money but it was truly amazing how i could cash in on the old clothes and used things that i didnt want anymore! For the rest of the unsold items, i would just put them into the donation box inside the store (the staff would ask whether you wanted to donate the stuff). Note: Dont forget to bring a picture ID with you when selling your clothes and things; they cant give you cash if you dont have your ID!
4 - Susana L.: I am elatedly writing this review in my new frock from BX--a BNWT mini dress from Anthropologie. I consistently find professional clothing from mid-range brands at this BX location--much nicer clothing than its Westheimer counterpart. 

They do have a tendency to overkill with their new inventory, which tends to be more teeny bopper and cheap. Just skim over that and grab that Theory dress. The ladies who work here are also super nice.
3 - May N.: I've been to the Westheimer location and am glad there's another one to peruse.  The space is comparable in size and is located just off 19th street amongst other cute Heights local shops.  Items were organized by type and size-ish and the store was clean.  There is definitely more of a selection for women than men.  Prices were ok to overpriced.  I saw a lot of mall brands and some higher-end things while I was here.  Selection can be variable in this place so probably better to browse regularly for deals.  I'm trying to watch my spending so I prefer to browse for a specific item and not for funsies.  I picked up a brown leather belt from Banana Republic for $8, not sure from what season.  This would definitely be a stop if I were looking for a pair of jeans.  The overall vibe was trendy.  

I didn't try to sell anything (so hard to know what they'll pick, there never seems to be a clear pattern).  I do appreciate their "recycling" mantra.  Also, I love how they support local groups and charities.
3 - Shannon B.: This place is alright; I'm sure it just depends on the day. All of the clothes seemed to be in good condition but there wasn't anything I could get excited about.

Buffalo Exchange - Los Angeles, CA (34.0604418, -118.44605) (Westwood)
4 - Ashley S.: So I live near UCLA and today was the first that I wandered into this teeny tiny store on Kinross.  I was surprised at how well organized it was by style, tank top, blouse etc and by size, SML, but I guess in a store that size you have to be organized.  

Despite the mini size of the store, I found four adorable things I could not live without:

Black eyelet dress (XXI): 15
Floral vintage dress: 8.50
White vintage shirt: 9
J. Crew tank (retail 128): 16.50

All in all they have a lot of Urban Outfitter shirts and new clothing from small brands as well mixed in.  If you are looking for vintage make sure to check the tags as some of the clothing is BRAND NEW and they mix it in indiscriminately.  The best section of vintage there is definitely the dresses that were some authentic vintage pieces.  Pretty good selection of larger sizes as well as I am a Large/10-12 and sometimes cannot find vintage clothes in my size.  

Don't expect fabulous designer finds here, they keep their nicest items behind the counter which included a Marc Jacobs skirt, a Fendi wallet, etc.

Also, if you are looking to sell clothes there you can get a 50% store credit of the selling price or walk away with 35% cash.  They have a white board of the men's and women's things they are specifically looking for.  Good luck though, I heard they are extremely picky!

Happy hunting!
2 - fiona h.: "Err no, nope, no, nope, no, maybe umm actually no because this might be a replica, nope, okay I think this and this are a yes, and your total is $26" said the chick at the cashier.

So I brought a bunch of pretty new, old clothes to this Buffalo Exchange, and dude they are damn picky.  She was only willing to take around 3-4 pieces of clothes out of the huge bag of clothes I brought over.  I was actually expecting more than $26 since I did have some nice clothes in the pile, like juicy sweats and FCUK jacket (with the tag still on).  Also, I had a prada purse in the pile and she wouldn't take it since she apparently couldn't tell if it was real or not.  

So if you want to sell back some of your clothes, you better be sure your clothes are damn well SUPER CHIC and UP-TO-DATE in style because you know, this store isn't like any other thrift stores you find on Fairfax that take whatever the hell you sell them (with a low price though), Buffalo Exchange only takes NEW-OLD clothes if that even makes sense, better yet, sell clothes that you got like a day ago when you feel like getting a rip-off by this ostentatious sales lady.

I mean, I've never purchased clothes from there, so I might have a completely different review as a buyer, since they try so hard to make sure clothes are stylish and ready-to-wear for the mods.  I'm not sure if most of their items are reasonably priced, but I'm sure the price you get from selling them clothes aren't that reasonable, they put a chunk  into their pocket.  

Oh and another thing, for the clothes that they consider 'not-so-stylish-or-new-enough', they ask if you want to donate them and place them in a separate pile in the corner, who knows if they actually retrieve them back for sale once you step out of the store.
2 - Felicia C.: Compared to the Crossroads Trading Co. in Santa Monica (http://www.yelp.com/biz/crossroads-trading-co-santa-monica#hrid:O5-RpD-xXgDhQ7OAm2HmAA), the Buffalo Exchange in Westwood doesn't seem to have a huge variety of stuff. As the other reviewers have said, it's mainly a bunch of Urban Outfitter's stuff with some A&F and AE stuff mixed in. Nothing really special that jumped off the rack when I saw it.

If you're looking for something a bit more vintage/upscale/not so Hollister like, go to 3rd Street and Crossroads. If you're into that kind of thing, go to Buffalo Exchange.
3 - gabi a.: I love hanging out in Westwood, and every once in a while I check out  another one of those lovely buy-sell-trade shops. I have to say they are alittle too overpriced on most things, most shirts being $20+

The people there also aren't too friendly. Whenever I go in their with some friends, they watch us like they're expecting us to steal something. When something doesn't fit and you return it to them, they give you a dirty look.

But I have to give them credit because most of my skinny jeans I have are from there (pink, orange, gray, and black), all of which i got for under $15 a piece. Also, a lot of their half off clothing is really great and a great deal. 

So all in all, if you're planning on Buffalo-Exchanging it up, I recommend the Hollywood location.
1 - Diana T.: The clothes and accessories they sell here are very dull, old, and out of style. AND EXPENSIVE.
3 - Danielle W.: I don't have much experience with other Buffalo Exchanges, but this one is pretty good.  They have a ton of dresses and there are always plenty that I like.  I think the selection isn't bad and this is coming from someone who isn't a student....far from it.
4 - Paula G.: This Buffalo Exchange totally reminds me of the one in Costa Mesa's Lab. What I love about Buffalo Exchange is it's cleanliness compared to a   majority of vintage/consignment/re-sale stores. The area is organized well and there's a wonderful selection of dresses and outerwear, which is the reason why I go to re-sale stores in the first place. I also like the collection of shoes here than at Costa Mesa. Some of the shoes definitely look slightly worn, but still in good condition, but majority of them look brand new or hardly worn. There was a large Harajuku tote going for $18 when I know it retails for $50. As for the clothes, the majority of them are Forever 21 / H&M material. I'm not saying the clothes come from there, but the quality is pretty identical.  Definitely geared toward the college hipster crowd (*ahem* it is a hop and a skip from UCLA), but it's clean and ridiculously affordable. Cheers.
4 - Savanna I.: This Buffalo Exchange is rather small, but they do have a good selection. On a good day you could find an entire outfit, on a bad day you can always walk away with a nice pair of shoes. The staff are nice, and it's never really the crowded. The only downside is the horrible parking in Westwood, you have to circle the block numerous times until you find someone leaving!
4 - Jolene M.: It's a tiny Buffalo, but they somehow manage to neatly cram a lot of stuff into this eensy weensy space.  Yeah, they're picky about choosing what of your stuff to buy, but this also benefits you when YOU'RE the one shopping. 

Parking is an absolute headache in Westwood, so bring your patience and lots of coins for the meters.  It's worth it, though. Between Buffalo, DSW and U.O. (all a block away), I don't really have to worry about finding new threads.  

Also, a big THANK YOU to Buffalo exchange for organizing by size and not by color (like some other places... ahem, Crossroads).  It makes shopping so much more enjoyable :)
3 - Jess W.: A relatively small store, but the quality is so much better than a lot of places. Prices reflect that too...most things can hover around $10-20 instead of the $5-10 range at other places. The clothing is arranged by type and size...which makes it easier to find things. Parking isn't too bad if you go to the Broxton/Weyburn public parking lot (2 hrs free before 6pm!)
3 - Kenneth T.: Very minimal selection of clothes that is really worth your while, but can always find something that will catch your eye. The prices are either very affordable or not, which makes it kind of weird for a vintage store.

Parking is a mess here as it is in the Westwood Village area. Periodically, you will find some street parking, but you don't want to bother with potential traffic accidents, I recommend one of the numerous parking garages in the area.
3 - k y.: Very slow and unorganized here. When I went to sell two small bags of clothing they quoted me 10-15 minutes, which is fine, I milled around but nothing caught my eye.  I proceed to glance over at the buyers who didnt seem to know who came in and in what order and were more busy talking to each other... 30 minutes later I go to add money to my meter, come back to inquire about my bags which I am again quoted 10-15 minutes. 30 more minutes pass before I have to inquire again about my bags which are still sitting there. All in all, a very inefficient system and not worth 1 hour and 15 minutes of my time!
4 - Megan S.: Even though this Buffalo Exchange may look small, I've scored the most thrift store bargains here (perhaps biased by the fact that I live within walking distance and come here all the time).  I love their selection of dresses and blouses--they have THREE racks of dresses, which is great for a dress addict like me.  If you dig through the racks, you can usually find a very reasonably priced designer item (unless you're a size small and I've been there before you that day... hehehe evil grin).  Recent finds that I've seen in the past month include a new with tags Anthropologie dress for $28 (retail $128), Mike and Chris boots for $150 (WHY aren't I a size 7 shoe?!? I curse the gods!), a silk Nanette Lepore blouse from last season for $24, and a gorgeous blue silk Vince top for $20 (currently hanging in mah closet).  There's a section in the back (right next to the dressing rooms) with a small amount of higher end designer clothes (all the best denim and dresses are here... standard Sevens and Citizens, and usually some DVF dresses), as well as a clearance rack.  Designer accessories are behind the cash registers.  The salespeople here are also extremely friendly and helpful (absolutely no snootiness).  They are a little less picky about buying clothes than other second hand stores, such as Crossroads, which means their selection might be a little less cute/on trend than other comparable stores, but I've found that when you do find something cute here, it's a much better deal.  Definitely worth stopping by if you're in Westwood!
5 - Liz C.: WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE HOW MUCH I LOVE THIS STORE!!!  
That's all I have to say!  See you every weekend Buffalo!!
XOXO
2 - Marissa B.: I never get offered the money that I have paid for my fancy things, so I give up as a seller here, but as a buyer, I am like HEY WHAT'S UP!!!! They occasionally have some great pieces, but you do have to keep your eyes peeled.
1 - Ayaka H.: Buffalo Exchange? Never again. I'm staying far away from this place.

-I bought some summer dresses from Bebe (newly released), NEVER WORN, TAG STILL INTACT (I lost the receipt...bummer! couldn't return!)  One dress cost me about $90, but they were only wiling to take it for like $15.  WT...F!  OBVIOUSLY A WISE CHOICE TO SELL IT ON EBAY OR SOMEWHERE ELSE.  

-Their policy is plain weird.  If you decided to sell your item you get more $ if you decide to get store credit.  If you want to walk away with cash you get A LOT LESS.  

-I decided to see what the hype is all about and looked at some of their shoes, accessories and clothing.  No Way.  I couldn't find anything cute and I'm someone who does not like to keep digging.  

-I really don't like the vibe of the store.  

So the take home message is don't bother to sell your stuff here. please.  much more worth it to sell your items online.
4 - Andrea Z.: This place is hit and miss.

As far as parking goes, it sucks... but after a couple of times around the block I'm usually able to spot something.

I have had interesting luck selling stuff. I think it really all depends on the staff person behind the counter. Sometimes they're into it, and other times they're not. (It can also really depend on what they've received earlier in the week.. and yes, the weather. They might carry clothes from all year-round, but they really only buy in season).

Other than that... sometimes I think some items are a bit overpriced, but generally its fair. 

AND you can rest assured you'll find some awesome pieces!
3 - Lucy Y.: My 3-star review is an average of:

4 stars for my experience BUYING from this location 
2 stars for my experience SELLING to this location

The good:
Buying from here is super cool - they have lots of fun stuff, it's organized much better than at the Goodwill, the name brands and selections take way less searching though than the aforementioned Goodwill, and though the prices can be more than Goodwill (I compare all thrift stores to Goodwill!)  I am willing to pay that for the convenience and labels and ease of shopping and in-better-shape quality of stuff here.

The last time I was here, my Dooney & Bourke loving gf almost PASSED OUT when she found 2 of her beloved purses for $20 each, AND a Marc Jacobs purse for $30.  

I've gotten Gap stuff for the bf, rockabilly-approved gifts for my niece, and cute dresses for moi.

The bad:
Bf and I brought a crapload of newer stuff to sell, and out of maybe 50 things they took 3 items and offered us $10 TOTAL - and that was a store credit, the cash equivalent would have been like $7.  Oh, and for this we had to wait for like 30 minutes to get seen at all, because they don't take appointments for selling, it's only walk-ins.

Because of that experience alone, it takes a LOT of cajoling to get bf to set one toe back in here at all.  I'm more forgiving, I just likely won't try and sell anything here again - it'll be eBay all the way for me.

The challenging:
Parking is usually a biatch in Westwood Village.  I always come here with an open mind, ready to go somewhere else at a moment's notice - like if I can't find a parking space in 5 minutes.
3 - Barbie C.: Definitely hit and miss.  Though, in my case, more miss than hit.  It seems like it would be a pretty fun place but I've usually been let down in it's lack of organization and selection. 

I know, I know, it's a consignment buy-and-sell store, what can I expect?  Maybe I'm spoiled by Crossroads in West Hollywood, but Buffalo Exchange just didn't hit all the shopping pleasure spots I wished it would.
4 - Nancy P.: I go here about once a month and I always find something I love! It's actually a good thing too because I put the item on hold (they hold it until the next business day), go to my apartment, bring in some stuff I don't wear anymore and wa laaa..... didn't spend a dime to get something else I like a lot more and will use more often. 

They are very picky about what they take in, but I seem to have okay luck. So if you bring in like 20 items, they might take 3, but whatevers... just bring it in during the right season you will probably have better results. They take in the trendy funkier stuff usually.

Some stuff I've bought or basically exchanged my old stuff for:
Camel leather bag - $18
Dooney and Burke clutch - $20
Dress that I saw at Urban Outfitters for $64 - $20
Blue halter top - $15

I'm saving the best for last. I went to their $1 Earth Day sale and grabbed a ton of stuff. It was crowded and rowdy, but soooo worth it. They put their stuff outside in bins and the women were going absolutely insane. I wasn't deterred... patient I am. I ended up grabbing Bebe heels, Yellow Nine West flats, Creative Recreation sneakers, a long camel coat (yeah I like camel), a brand new jumpsuit, Billabong sweater, cream skirt, flowery tank top, trendy cotton dress, StudioM silk dress, laRok dress, and a shirt for my brother. Did I mention 3 pairs of jeans: Chip and Pepper, J Brand, and LA Denim (?) EACH for $1. It was awesome.
3 - Jenn S.: I LOVE the concept of Buffalo Exchange. You can buy, sell, or trade clothing and accessories. Recycling these items saves our landfills and makes you feel awesome when you find something you like. This location and store are nice. It's Westwood all the way with students, metered parking, and the crazy mix of LA people. The ladies that were working when I went in to sell some clothes were very friendly and helpful. Unfortunately they didn't take any of my items but did give me some coupons since I waited about an hour and a half. Please note that if selling clothes, try to go during the week and earlier in the day. The line just gets longer and longer and you don't want to wait 1.5 hours and have them not take any of your items. Trust me... it's no fun! They have a nice selection of clothing (men's & women's) and accessories (shoes, hats, scarves, jewelry, bags, sunglasses) but it is hit and miss depending upon your style. Prices are okay. If you are selling items you can get 35% cash of their sell price or 50% trade in value. These amounts aren't very good BUT you are getting paid for items that you no longer want.
4 - Sylvia W.: First of all, I don't think the Buffalo Exchange policy regarding how much store credit or cash you get is "weird" at all (as remarked by one yelper). They want you to buy from their store, so naturally, they will give you more (50% of what they price your item at) for store credit and less (35%) for plain cash. Isn't that quite reasonable and intuitive? Second, of course they're not going to give you nearly as much as what you paid for an item - if you expect that, then you are entirely missing the point of Buffalo Exchange. It's not a place where you buy mostly new items for mostly full price; you buy mostly new items for a tiny fraction of what they would cost at a retail store. That being said...

I've had remarkable luck selling my stuff here. Just last week, I took a bag of clothes (not much, about 15 items, mainly tank tops and dresses) to the Sherman Oaks location, and they bought about half. I brought the rest to this (Westwood) location, along with a few other items I found in my closet. The girls working there were really friendly and pleasant, and best of all, they bought everything I brought except one T-shirt and one skirt, I came out over $50 richer. I took cash because I didn't really care for the selection here, even though I would have gotten $75 store credit. This location is not very big, and I didn't really have the patience to go digging. Maybe there were a lot of goodies I missed, but I prefer a bigger layout where everything isn't all squashed together and people aren't stepping on each other's toes.

Parking for me wasn't an issue; I parked right out front. Normally, I park in the parking structure on Broxton half a block down where you get 2 hours free, but this time, there were spots right on Kinross.

Summary: definitely sell your stuff here, and if you're lucky or you don't mind a small location with tons of other people, you might find some goodies. I prefer buying at the much larger Sherman Oaks location.
4 - Sabrina L.: I found a great selection of clothes. I must admit that it is slightly cramped, but if you dig deep enough, you'll find some buried treasure. It is still very well organized and well sized, and super clean, which is difficult to accomplish in a recycled clothing store. I have been to many Buffalo Exchages though, and I can say that I find the same great quality at all of them, which says a lot for recycled clothing stores. They train their employees well. The other stores in Ventura and Studio City may have a wider selection, but I think the Westwood one certainly has higher end clothes.
4 - Brandon P.: Nice clothes, friendly staff.  One observation:  They are a few bucks more expensive than their local competitors.
1 - Lisa S.: I drove about 100 miles and went in to sell clothes here. They lack basic communication skills and they were rude/disrespectful. Plus, the amount given was far below fair market value, even for a used clothing store. The other gal was right...you're better off selling your stuff on Ebay. ;)
1 - Lisa P.: i was here this past weekend. a waste of time. a very small store.  not much good stuff. dont see myself going back
1 - X X.: I'm a 40 year old business guy who brought in 2 bags of Norstrom button downs (still with dry clean tags),  Aldo shoes, and Nord Rack stuff to see if they would buy any of it before I took it to a local charity. After 20 minutes of 3 gaggling hen sales girls  swarming  around the bags and pulled each peace out and looked down their noses at every piece like they had just pulled it out of the dumpster. 

Guys.....DON'T EVER waste your time here! Maybe it's just a chick store... but these cheap hooker looking, part-time college hags looked down their noses and refused everything. At the end I was very happy because I'd rather give it to charity than to sell it at that rat hole filled with prima donnas.
4 - Karen N.: Hands down the best Buffalo I've ever visited.  I should have known that the clothes here would be better than the ones I've been to in the past, though, I mean, it's westwood.  The UCLA kiddies are pretty trendy.  I spent a good deal of time sifting through the racks so make sure to allot enough time to give each area a fair once over and then reap the rewards of some good bargain shopping.
4 - Jeanette L.: Sold some of my old clothes there today. The girls who worked there were really sweet and helpful. Note that I did have to wait about 30-40 minutes for them to get to my clothes to sort through. All good, just took a walk and ran some errands. (Went on a Sunday afternoon -- so just note that if you're planning to go in b/c i didn't expect there to be a wait)
4 - Ashleigh W.: Oh boy oh boy!!! I found amazing clothes here! Even when the buffalo exchange that's close to me seemed to go downhill I went to this one and found some amazing clothes. I went recently and once again found amazing clothes!!! vintage which I might add was not ridiculously marked up and name brand clothing. I like the prices and whatever I buy from here I keep and wear for a long time. The employees were pretty nice too but it's the prices and uniqueness of the clothing that really got me! Man I loved it here!!! Smells nice too.
5 - Erin G.: The Buffalo Exchange is the perfect place to find stylish wardrobe pieces in perfect condition for amazingly low prices! And the staff is always super friendly. Plus when you bring your reusable bags they give you 5 or 10 cent tokens to donate to various charities. What's not to love?! This particular location is conveniently located and has a super friendly, helpful staff, and lots of great pieces.

Buffalo Exchange - Seattle, WA (47.6622307, -122.3131071) (University District)
4 - C. C.: Ok, so the super spunky and cute punk rock girls who work there have their fair share of attitude, but if you catch them on the right day you can get great trade-in value for the outfits you bought, but didn't wear more than a couple times.  I have to say that some of the best timeless, funky pieces in my closet came from this second-hand shop.  You have to stop by every couple of weeks and know that you might leave empty handed more than not.  The best find there is a pair of Earl jeans for $27 that still had the Nordstrom tag!  For those who love to hunt and those who simply love a bargain.
1 - India B.: If you enjoy shopping, don't come to Buffalo Exchange. Don't come if you have clothes to sell either. For some reason this place has gone really downhill, to the dismay of my friends and I who used to be loyal costumers. Although the attitude here isn't nearly as haughty as at Crossroads on Broadway, the clothes just aren't as cool anymore and for some reason that has led the prices to rise. This place used to be where kids could go to get some cheap, unique clothes. Now it's just a safehouse for piercings and attitude.
5 - Zarah M.: I just like swinging by and checking things out.  This is a fun store to browse/ window shop.  There is just soooo much to look at.  There are some high prices on many items but I have managed to find a top or two that was unique and fit my budget.  This place is fun to shop in with friends.  Photos soon.
5 - Colby S.: Their calling this 'Recycled Fashion'...Hmmm...sounds green! So I rank this top amongst the second hand stores I've visited in Seattle.  Finally a second hand store that actually has some second hand prices...they avoided the 'Vintage' tag...you know ...'worn out clothing at department store prices'...if you have time it's worth a dig.  Cheers!
4 - Kathleen W.: I'm tetering on both sides of this 4 stars.. I just don't know how I feel. Okay, so this place is just like Crossroads (where you get %35 cash or %50 credit for clothing you sell) but it is bigger and much more crowded. As far as prices go I still feel like they are too high for most of the clothing they are selling. The reason for this is that they take the honor of weeding out all the really yucky stuff for us...so I guess it is worth it to pay more. But be careful what you buy there... I saw many things that were being sold Used that I could get New for cheaper at Redlight. So it is organized pretty well and I left there with three things, so I guess I can't complain too much. Go here, but don't go when you are hungry... it takes time to find things that you like, but I assure you that they are there waiting for you. (dollar day is coming up on sept 24th)
4 - katie j.: If you know when to shop (not weekend afternoons) and that you may walk out empty handed, buffalo is great great place to shop. Avoid the "new" stuff they sell. . .it's usually not worth the high prices.
3 - Franklin D.: Rack sifting.  On a good day you can find all kinds of stuff you like.  On a bad day you spend all your time sifting through the whole store and end up smelling like dust without anything.  The good thing is that you are helping to stem the flow of resources that we are using to make anything with the new label.  If you have the time you should check it out, if not, well, don't.
2 - Eric H.: No thanks.  I've never found anything great here, although I must admit I'm not exactly a fashion minded guy.  They have a few cool things on the knick knack shelves, but most of those items can be found at Archie McPhee's also, and that store as a whole is way more fun.
3 - Annalisa S.: Buffalo Exchange is a good place to find some unique clothes, but I have to say that I'm disappointed they've gotten more expensive.  A few years ago I bought a couple of sweaters there for $10 each, and now it's hard to find something in the store under $15.  This may be because they've gotten more picky about buying chic labels?  I don't know.  I also sell clothes there sometimes and don't think they really give you what they promise, which is 50% in trade or 35% in cash.  I've sold some nice pieces there and gotten maybe $4-5 in trade, and like I said, I don't see *anything* there like what I sold that's less than $15.  So I don't think they really pay you half of what they're going to sell it for. You could probably do a lot better selling your used clothes on E-Bay.  But they do have really really cute stuff there, and things you're not going to find anywhere else, especially if you like the indie/punk/babydoll look.
4 - megan d.: it's not quite as good as the red light. you wont find as many "unique pieces here. but  not a bad place to get find a little black dress or a pair of heals last minute for under $20 bucks. some days are better than others a great place to browse once a month if you live in the area.
4 - Kristin S.: The prices here are pretty high for a used clothing store.  If you are looking for name brands and barely used, very well searched through clothing this is a pretty good place to find it- but you'll pay top dollar to not sift through the bins.  The University kids sell a lot of their really nice, barely used stuff here so you usually can luck out on some designer brands. Skip the designer jeans such as the "sevens"- they're almost always fakes bought on ebay sold for top dollar. It's pretty easy to tell. 

I feel like they scoff at the barely used designer duds I turn into them. They throw  a few bucks my way and then leave me to throw the rest of my nice clothes into the goodwill bin (or keep them).  I do like that they have that goodwill bin though- it's pretty convenient. 

That all being said, I keep finding myself back here searching for that really great bcbg xs dress for 20 bucks which I've found on more than one occasion.
3 - Mallory P.: Like most used clothing stores, this place is only good when they get sweet stuff in.  I've sold some clothes here before, and the amount of money I got for the clothes was fairly decent.  The problem with this Buffalo Exchange is that it is so close to the university that you have to compete with sorority girls who are selling their designer brands to get money for blow.  I can't compete with that - but I can buy their clothes for half price.
4 - Melanie D.: Before I go further, I feel compelled to explain that I'm a very nitpicky kind of shopper.  I'm not very patient, for one, so often I'd rather just pay a little more than spend excessive amounts of time digging through piles of stuff.  

Usually, this means I'm not a thrift store kind of shopper.  However, Buffalo Exchange was different.  Clean and uncramped, there was a wide variety of clothes neatly arranged by size and clothing type.  Exactly my kind of thrift store.

They're picky about what they accept to sell in the store, which seems to contribute to a higher level of clothing quality than what I've seen at a lot of other places.

One thing that annoyed me and might mark me as somewhat of a brat:  I'm somewhat small and they don't differentiate between smalls and x-smalls.  This made a big difference as I picked up a lot of smalls, none of which really fit.  It's not really their fault, more mine for being so picky about how my clothes fit.
4 - Krissi P.: I'm a big fan of recycling, so naturally I love this place. The only real frustrating thing for me is when I find something I really, really like and I need either a size up or down - oops! Out of luck, it's the only one. But sometimes that's a blessing in disguise since things can get eliminated and you end up not overspending so much. This is generally not a problem for me since I'm really not that into shopping or patient enough to spend all day sifting through everything. I like to get in and get out. 

The one thing I HATE about this store is taking stuff in to sell. There's often quite a line, and there is nothing more frustrating than lugging a couple of bags in to have them sift through and only take one thing. And ironically enough, the things they say they don't usually buy are the kind of things I look for! One really nice thing is that they've got a donation bin for stuff they don't take - if you tried to sell it on the off chance that you might get a couple of bucks out of it but just want it gone, you can donate it (and not have to lug it home!).
5 - Joolie T.: I'm a buy/sell/trade junkie. i soooo wish we had places like this in New York. even if we did, everything is still overpriced and not worth the buck. Buffalo is my favorite place. they practically buy everything i intend to sell, they even have new and unused products/clothes/etc. mind you, it's not a Value Village or Salvation Army. it's more hip and cooler than those places... you can actually find a lot of potential outfits and your usual style staples there. from Converse shoes, Gap jeans, Screen Tees, cardigans, party clothes, cool accessories, etc... kind of a young/funky/unique finds. lots of broke college kids live there... like myself. heheh. most of their items are pretty much in good condition. you won't find much stained, ripped, or neglected/stinky stuff. it's like you pulled it right from your own closet. 

another thing i like about this place is that when you save a plastic bag, they give you this little token that's worth .5 cents or something and put it in any box for a GOOD CAUSE (homeless, cancer study, eco friendly, etc. charity) that your heart desires. how awesome!
3 - Maria C.: When I said "no" to a $50 pair of Gap jeans, my daughter (who knows my weaknesses, alas) said, "then can we go to Buffalo Exchange?" She probably didn't even want the Gap jeans in the first place but wanted to go here all along. Tricky. I'm not one of those parents who think their children always tell them the truth. Anyway, I still spent around $50, but she walked away with 3 items. I lost interest in the treasure hunt - nothing I liked was in my size - and teenage daughters do NOT take fashion advice from mothers. I thought that tank top was cute, but what the hell do I know.
3 - Ali L.: Nothing is more mortifying than taking your clothes to a used clothing store and having them rejected. Oh, the shame! They tend to do this quite a bit at Buffalo Exchange. 

My big problem is not so much the initial rejection, but the clothes you see when perusing the store for good finds. They rejected my _(fill in the blank)_ but are trying to sell this piece of shit!?!? 

This is like any used clothing store - you really have to dig to find some good stuff. FYI: it gets picked through pretty quickly by all the students looking for a bargain.
5 - Sara E.: I love Buffalo Exchange.  All the college girls sell their stuff after every season meaning there's a lot of trendy crap but also a lot of nice pieces for super cheap.  My favorite is all the stuff the cute Japanese girls bring with them and then outgrow.  I swear half the stuff I buy at Buffalo Exchange has a Japanese tag.  Plus, it has better lighting and isn't as cramped as Red Light.
2 - a locket a.: Buffalo has become worse and wore over time. i remember when i could go in with stuff, they would take some, i would find something and that would be that. new for old. Now... well maybe im just out of touch but.. i dont know, im 18 and think that i like cool clothes. But i just cant find anything i like there. Also, dont take clothes there and expect to sell a lot because they have become VERY picky. it iether has to be really new, a band shirt, or you have to get a VERY awesome person whos looking through your stuff in order to sell anything. maybe its just me but, i dont like it anymore. Ive had $25 store credit there for about a year now.. and every time i go in.. i cant find a single thing that i really want..

id rather go to Value Village and find stuff thats a lot less money and that no one else will have.
4 - Prema J.: Buffalo Exchange is somewhat of a chain buy/sell/trade shop and one can find them scattered throughout other states. The neat thing about them is that they represent the personality of the particular city they are in. The Buffalo Exchange in my hometown Albuquerque is different than the one in Portland, is different than the one in Seattle. If you are ever traveling I recommend seeing if there is one where you are to find local trendy ideas. *The one in Seattle is actually pretty small and a little unorganized so it lost a star.
It is one of my favorite places to shop for clothes because somehow sometimes the really cool designer stuff ends up here and even though it may cost $40 dollars, it once cost $200. Or sometimes you find clothes that people have made and that's just super cool. I have gotten some great pieces here. It is not the cheapest of thrift stores but it has style- loooots of style. So don't be surprised if they don't buy your clothing rejects when you try to sell them back. There is a reason you don't want them- so it is very likely that other people won't buy them.
3 - Zack G.: Selling clothes at Buffalo Exchange:

I handed them two garbage bags full of clothes that I just didn't wear --- not that they're out of style, just not *my* style anymore. The girl behind the counter was a little skittish... definitely not what I'd call "attentive". These are my precious garbs she's going through...I was hoping for at least a slight attempt at caring that I dragged those bags two blocks from my parking spot.

I overhead another buyer mention that they really only buy clothes that are brand new or very recent. They have to be in prime condition, too (they don't clean them before selling.) Nevertheless, my flighty girl passed on two brand new cargo shorts that still had the tags on them. In the end, they bought a pair of jeans and a plain black shirt from Express and passed on everything else.

They price the clothes right there on the spot. You have your choice of either 30% in cash, or 50% in store credit. I opted for the $9.53 in cash. They asked if I'd like to "donate" the rest.... I politely passed. I'll sell the rest on eBay.
4 - Rebecca B.: Guess what? I'm not rich. I'm not even well off. I get by with a little help from my friends- the clothes at Buffalo Exchange.

ROCKTASTIC. I am very trained at shopping at places like Ross, where you must spend hours digging through the loads of crap on the racks to find that perfect top, or skirt, or pair of shoes. Enter: Buffalo Exchange. Better clothes, already worn in, fantastic selection, and for 1/4 of the price of department store clothes.

The only reason I give -1 star is because they throw in new clothes with the old clothes, and they're full price. It's a little let down every time you see something you like and realize it DOESN'T belong. "One of these things is not like the others...."

But uh, don't go here because then there will be more selection for me when I go. Okay? It sucks. Don't go here. =D
2 - Ben B.: Love the concept of tis place, but after having been to the Los Angeles store, well...this one sucks, it's so dependent on what the area sells them, and I guess ppl are only selling them dull stuff...having said that, I should also say I'm don't think I've ever eft without buying something, at least one thing...but man, you visit one of their stores in LA and you'll never be the same...
2 - Liza Z.: I've shopped at numerous second hand clothing stores and this one turned out to be not so great. I found nothing and that's unprecedented. The items and the prices just didn't go hand in hand. One shirt that I did manage to find had a hole in it and the staff refused to give me a discount. Oh well then, you don;t get to see my money!
3 - Shirin S.: I never seem to find any great pieces of clothing here. It can get really crowded looking at the racks and especially looking at the jeans in the back. Sometimes they have really cute shoes but never in my size...damn all you that also shop there with 8 1/2 size feet!

So...consider this like a really mediocre version of Nordstrom Rack. Unless you're a twig and fit into almost everything, you probably will have a hard time finding a great item here. 

Three stars because I always have luck finding a great new accessory and recommend my other girlfriends to go here to find unique earrings and necklaces. Plus...I bought my favorite scarf here for only ten bucks!
3 - Eugene M.: For me, going to Buffalo Exchange is kind of like spending 15 minutes in Purgatory: it's not that great, it's not that bad, it's just sort of so-so.  I've never found anything worth adoring there, but...well, I'd be lying if I said I never bought anything from Buffalo Exchange.  There is a wider range of clothing "styles" (at least for the fellas) than most other discount stores on the Ave, so it has that going for it.
4 - Lee A.: I was so excited going in here today, my friend actually looked at me and asked:  "Do you look this happy after sex?"   Well, yeah, I kind of do. But the BE is more like my crack.  I love the Buffalo Exchange with an embarrassing needy don't-leave-me-baby-ever-ever kind of love.  Mind you, I hate shopping malls and Macy's and H&M and every other place offering cookie-cutter clothes made to look like you bought it in 1975 after Woodstock sort of store.  But I love, love, love digging around in the BE for one-of-a-kind stuff you can't find anywhere else.  I have endless patience for it, too.  A trip to the BE is like Wonderland to me - did Alice worry about her parking meter?  I think not. 

Today alone I scored a soft, soft black cashmere sweater, a "Brunettes Have More Fun" t-shirt, and a jacket with zipped pockets for beastie-walkings.  Plus, I love when I have a victim to play my favorite fantasy profession:  A stylist on What Not to Wear.  "Put that down,"  I like to yell at my friends as I pull a pair of pink and green sneakers away from them firmly.   They usually only volunteer for this experience once though. 

The trick to all second-hand stores is to go often.  I've been to BEs across the country, and the SF store on Russian Hill is the best of the best, but hey - the Ave store is only a mile from my house.  We'll go out again soon, My Little Buffalo.  Oh yes.  *Smack*
4 - Jenny W.: Buffalo exchange is great. I've found plenty of quality pieces here - the buyers really do have some skill. There are some really icky bizarre pieces, but hey, take a look at the people who work here. Very eclectic bunch - so you're going to get a lot of variety. A bit for everybody.

Clothes: I found my cute bebe dress here, some silk tops, skinny belts, etc. My friend found a pair of fantastic joe's for only $60! You do see a lot of really furry jackets and things, but just keep going through the racks.

Organization: A big key for me to shop at consignment stores. I get easily frustrated at places were sizes aren't clearly mark (i.e. Crossroads Trading) but at Buffalo racks are labeled clearly, and all clothes are tagged clearly with sizes & prices. The skirt/pants hanger is SUPER annoying though...it's way too tight and way annoying to take on / off. 

Fitting room: Not a huge fan of the velvety sheet drape, the mirror is nice and there are 4 hooks for hangers - great way to organize your clothes.

Service: The staff are all very amicable and quick to help you. Holds are a painless process. Selling is pretty painless, and they even offer to donate clothes you don't want. You do have to be 18, which is kind of annoying (unlike Plato's Closet). However, you get a way higher % of what you sell.

Price: The prices for the clothes are very reasonable. I got an all-silk Forever 21 top for $11, my bebe dress (the few I've found that aren't trashy) for $21, etc. 

This place is great for college students looking to add something to their wardrobe.
4 - Valarie L.: All of the clothing I get the most compliments on are a Buffalo Exchange find. I'm a big fan of second hand, and I love that I can get second hand-brand name-in style clothing here. True, you have to dig to find the treasures. But in the name of living on a budget, I think it's worth it.
4 - abigail l.: Jolie Laide

Dig:
Laide. 
Laide. 
Laide. 
Laide.
Laide.
*Jolie!* Anthropologie? Cadet blue skirt w/ patterned pleated underlay, unworn, $24 
Laide. 
Laide. 
Jolie but wrong size.
Laide. 
L-a-i-d-e. 
Laide. 
Laide. 
*Jolie!* Marc Jacobs-caliber vibrant navy-white striped sheer tank, mint condition, $11
Laide. 
Laide.
Laide.
Jolie but off color.
Laide. 
Laide. 
Laide.
LAIDE! Quel dommage that they are peddling this peach fringed top with Farrah Fawcett beads while my unfussy black staple dress is sitting spurned and in the fetal position at the buying counter.
Laide. 
Laide. 
Laide! 
Laide, laide, laide, laide. 
Jolie but odd fit.
Laide. 
Jolie? Laide? Laide. 
Laide. 
Laide. 
*Jolie!* mod plastic chunk bracelet in navy, $3
*Jolie!* 60s teak/plastic bangle in yellow, $6 
*Jolie!* 60s teak/plastic bangle in orange, $6 

$50
---------------------------------------------------
The selection wavers, as does the laide to jolie ratio. I've been known to leave with a slew of shimmering cornerstone pieces but if I catch them at the wrong time, the place is picked over and "high on junk." I sell here occasionally, also with mixed results. Yesterday was a 4 star day. They offered me $87 in trade or $60 in cash. I walked out with the above goodies, 25 clams, and an airier closet. *Jolie!*
3 - Katherine T.: It's super hit or miss here.  The things that bothers me is that alot of the time when I go here: the product is almost exactly the same as last time, there are too many "filler" items that they just buy to fill the inventory, too much LA new merch.  I like to shop for higher end, designer items, and it seems to me when I see a familiar label, the item is SUPER old, ugly or a bit too worn to resell.  I wish they would be more selective when it comes to those things, but I guess the store is so big they have to buy alot of junk! :[  I also hate the dressing rooms, the curtains do not hide a single thing.  Whenever I am there trying things on, there is always someone waiting in the hallway who can see in my room!

I have gotten a number of really cute stuff in the past years.  I occasionally find Irregular Choice shoes and alot of H&M (soon we will have REAL H&M!!!).  The employees are pretty nice in general.
2 - Sonya L.: I always am super excited about going to Buffalo Exchange, but each time I leave empty-handed and bummed.  

I've never bought a single thing there, although I've tried on plenty of items.  I always seem to need an item in the next size up or down, which of course they don't have because it's a second-hand store.  It also takes a long time to dig through the crap to find the good stuff.  

Prices seem to have slowly gotten higher, which frustrates me.  When I can buy an item on clearance at the retail store for the same price of the used item at BE, you know there's something crappy going on.

I keep going back here for some reason or another...maybe someday I'll finally find something to purchase.
4 - Anthony P.: I am too a BIG FAN of Second Hand clothing stores.  You can find soo many things here for decent prices.  They have a big selection.  But what brings me to review this is not the clothing they sell, but the clothing they buy. Mannn whoever thought of this whole, buying clothing process is genius.  Whenever Im low on cash, or just looking to get rid of a basket of clothing, this is the palce to come to.  The buying process is fast and prompt depending how many people are in front of you.  Buy really do enjoy the service they provide.  GENIUS. Just GENIUS.
1 - Danika M.: Buffalo Exchange is a madhouse. The people in here are the mental cases.  I've heard some pretty f*ed stories from people working or shopping here.  The pee-pants episodes occur fairly frequently, it's the crap-in-the-pants thang that is really nasty.  I guess this happens at most thrift stores some time...
4 - Uriah W.: I love the Buffalo Exchange.  It is amazing, but only if you are a creative type with an eye and a bit of patience.  There, you will find amazing clothes at amazing prices but try to think outside of the box!  Only then will you master the secrets of the exchange.
3 - Ronald V.: There's a lot of stuff. I've purchased a few things, sold some stuff. I like crossroads down the street better. Especially because crossroads bought a pair of true religions that buffalo refused to buy because the buyer thought it was fake! uh uh honey, i got that shit from nordstrom rack!  it can't be fake. w/e. this place smells too.
2 - Geraldine D.: I often say that Buffalo Exchange is for college students too stupid or too frightened to actually go to a real thrift shop. The selection is so-so and overpriced. I've seen the staff pass up legitimate clothing (from myself and others) while taking absolute trash from their friends. The buyers are usually incredibly rude (one girl asked of my leather jacket, "Does it smell?". Less than you do, my dear), and won't give you a good value for your clothes, particularly if they like something (one gave me a low price on a jacket, then asked her co-worker to hold it for her until payday).

This place is ridiculous - I'm sorry, they might be designer jeans, but they are USED. Stop trying to charge me $100 for them. And the girls who've never shopped outside of a mall who are so excited by their "finds" make me want to smack them. $30 for a Michael Stars shirt is not a "find".  Wisen up, kids.
2 - riley k.: I've just never been very happy with Buffalo...  they hardly ever take any of my stuff, and i usually bring them a lot (i've even tried culling it down to stuff i think they'd be stupid not to take, and they still only take 1 really cheap pair of shoes, etc). and the selection is not that exciting.  the staff seem mildly annoyed or unhelpful most of the time.
4 - Camille Z.: Buffalo is definitely my favorite vintage store on the Ave. They have a variety of clothes, and I really like shopping at the 50% or 75% off rack. Sometimes there are some pretty nice clothes there. I got a pair of Forever 21 jeans for $5 once! And during the summer, there is a great selection of dresses. A lot of the clothes are pretty eccentric, and the graphic tees are hilarious, but if you look hard enough you will probably find some clothes worth buying.
4 - Brent F.: My favorite used clothing store in Seattle.   
The buyers here have a good eye for stylish clothes, and price everything well.   The stock turns over regularly so you usually arent subjected to the same assortment of tacky sweaters as you are at many thrift/consignment shops.  If stuff doesnt sell they clearance it or get rid of it.   Good mix of mens and womens, casual and dress.
4 - Sophia C.: This is one of my favorite places to shop and a shop that I check out regularly for great finds.  The prices are wonderful, especially for a poor college student like myself.  Plus, this is where I find a lot of the unique pieces for my wardrobe, such as cute dresses, shirts, belts...  I always leave with something that I absolutely love!
4 - Erin R.: This. Place. Rules.  It's kind of overwhelming when you first walk it.  Do I want to start with the shoes?  No, no - the shirts.  Oh wait, look at all the dresses over there!  Hold it.  Is that a coat for $10?  I'm sorry, ma'am?  Can you price check this for me?

Okay, okay.  You get the picture.   You won't leave without a bag, but you will leave with some money left to your name.  And to a gal like me, that is the perfect shopping scenario.
1 - Docia B.: I'm sorry, but I feel that this place is a bit silly. I could almost get past the fact that almost everything in there is overpriced, but there is a strong air of pretentiousness that just about every employee in the store shares. They act like it's painful for them to assist you...god forbid they waste their cool on you. 
I was a bit stunned to see that a shirt I'd seen at a different chain store months ago was there, only the price was doubled. What the hell? 
Value Village might not be considered as "cool," but I'm more likely to find an awesome rare gem there than anything that's worth what you'd pay at Buffalo Exchange.
3 - Kathleen M.: 5 stars for always being stocked to the brim with great second hand items, 2 stars for being over priced. I found my current favorite pair of jeans at Buffalo Exchange last August and I am so grateful to them for the find. I came across another pair of jeans that were a potential win yesterday, but they were marked at $44 and I didn't even recognize the label. It is hit or miss in here and very crowded with shoppers when the U is in session. However, I will continue to swing in whenever I am in the area in the hopes of finding that great item in which the price is right.
2 - Jessica W.: I always go in, but come out feeling unsatisfied. It's hard to find the sizes on the racks, and if you're anywhere above a size ten, it will be very hard for you to find something besides shapeless sweaters and... well, shapeless sweaters.

The employees are all very "indie and hip" in that they all wear skinny jeans, layered shirts with a belt, messy hair, and ironic nerd glasses. I don't feel like they would be much of a help if I went to ask them for some.

Things are very expensive and I always have the sneaking suspicion that I've seen the clothes cheaper before they come here.
3 - Loree B.: I have mixed feelings about this place. It's like being in a bad relationship. There are things you hate about it, but you can't let go.
Why? Because there are some great finds and a variety to the selection. But then as I look through the racks, I find things that I ask 'who the hell would actually pay money to wear this??' because it's either hideous or has a rip or huge stain or wreaks of cat pee, yet I bring in some trendy, cute clothes that I've gotten many compliments on in the past which are in perfect condition, try to consign or sell it there, and they reject it. It feels as though they look down on you unless they don't meet their personal criteria of coolness. And what is that? I think it varies from employee to employee but that they're trained to be snotty. So I really give it a 2.5
3 - Kimberley D.: The selection's catered to/influenced by the nearby college students... lots of Abercrombie, J. Crew, American Eagle, etc. on the racks. Which is cool if you're into that, but if you prefer weirder stuff or designer stuff or anything less sweatshop-preppy it might be a struggle. 90% of the stuff on the racks was made in China or Hong Kong.

Unlike Crossroads, is that they at least somewhat sort their shirts by size. This location still only sorts by what's on the tag, though, so you'll find a junior size XL which fits like an adult medium/large right next to a plus size 26 dress, or a size 'XS' which resembles a size 10 adjacent to a size small men's hoodie which fits a women's medium, etc.
5 - Jacqueline L.: I WANT to hate this place.  The trendiness, the overabundance, the college-kidness, the 'they-don't-buy-ALL-of-the-shit-clothes-I-try-to-sell"-ness.  I bought that top for seventy dollars, and you're telling me it's out of season?  

But for all of the hate I've wanted to accumulate over the years, Yelp has, yet again, brought me to my senses: 

I, um, kind of love Buffalo Exchange.  

For every fifteen pieces of stinky poop I sift through, I find a single jewel with a sparkling price tag.  Not a bad ratio for second-hand.  They have some really, really nice, well-conditioned tops, dresses and coats/jackets.  The pants, skirts and shoes are so-so, but never particularly "bad."  As far as style goes, I must disagree with the former Yelper who describes it as catering almost exclusively to the preppy college students nearby.  I would describe it more specifically as a versatile balance between hip, trendy, faux-vintage, retro, with a sprinkle of Forever 21-esque clubbing clothes.

In summary, Buffalo Exchange is probably the best second-hand clothing store for young/youngish crowds in Seattle.  (Don't believe the haters.  Do they forget they're reviewing a thrift store?)  BE keeps the clothes cheap, they keep the racks neat, and trust me: you will find SOMETHING.  A whopping five-stars.
5 - Ann J.: OK--I've gone through, and read all the other reviews about Buffalo.  They must be going to a different store, because I was SHOCKED at the negativity.

I love....I LOOOOVEEEE shopping, and better yet, bargain shopping.  Which means Buff is one of my favorite places.  My friend and I go practically every two weeks to see what's new, because there's always something new.  ALWAYS.  

I don't know what the people are saying about the workers there, they're ALWAYS nice and helpful.  If I have gathered an arm full of clothes they ask if they can set it aside for me!  Now even the rack doesn't do that.  

And so what they didn't take all your clothes, you didn't want them either.  Plus, who knows better, you or the person who works there and puts 40 hours in a week?  I would trust them, I think they have some idea of what they're doing.

Just talking about Buff makes me have that shopping itch right now!  

I have scored many cute tops and outfits and dresses for GREAT deals.  They are definitely not overpriced....especially when you think about how much that item was retail.  I mean they sell joe's, sevens, true religions, for MAX 48 or 58 bucks.  HELLO that's less than a third of the actual price.

Enough ranting/defending, I just love this place, you should go

and no, i don't work there
4 - Benny B.: I am a crazy, at least once a week, my closet is filled to the brim, I could wear a different outfit every day of the year Shopper. So I love Buffalo Exchange for my shopping needs. Me and a dear friend frequent this shopping heaven often. Yes you have to spend quite a bit of time there and go through about twenty racks of clothes but that is the fun of it all. There prices are decent and yes they do make some mistakes with what they take but don't we all make mistakes? I always find at least one thing here if not a arm full of goodies. Just make sure you look over your items before you buy them and your good to go. if you like shopping for good deals and cute clothes come here!!
4 - Amy B.: Um. I'm not going to review this place at length because it's a second-hand store! Instead I'm going to tell you that I got a super cute, bouncy, flowing Free People skirt for $12, an almost new pair of William Rast jeans for $30 (love them), and a pair of Nick & Mo retro shorts for $15! I thought they were all wonderful pieces that I would have fallen in love with at any store, but was incredibly delighted that they were so cheap! I love, love, loved that there were so many premium brands and the selection for jeans was very exciting!! Already one of my favorite stores! :)
4 - Kat F.: Some people say this place is expensive - people, it's a freakin' thrift store! You have to work to get the bargains!  This isn't a 3 day sale at Gap where stuff is piled on tables, screaming "buy me - I'm only $11" or whatever.  It's all about searching through racks, trying on like 50 things and coming back frequently.  

Sometimes I choose not to buy something because it's $30.  But I've also found a nice pair of grey woolen trousers, fully lined for $10, nearly brand new banana republic jeans for $20, sweaters for $7 and shoes shoes shoes!!  They often have stuff marked down 50% but not stamped on the tag so it's a surprise at the register.  

One time I bought  a pair of jeans - don't even get me started on how effing fabulous the jeans section is - and got them home and they still had a store alarm tag on them, presumably because they were brand new.  I took them back, with the receipt to get it removed.  In my mind it wasn't at all a big deal but the customer service lady was tripping over herself to apologize and gave me a coupon for $5 off my next purchase!
4 - Alex G.: Buffalo Exchange is pretty big with a large selection for men and women. There is also more selection at different sizes. Some things are a little expensive for second hand but some is dirt cheap. I got a nice pair of shorts for $7. Great place to troll frequently for that occasional amazing find.
1 - Christian G.: I went there earlier this morning to get rid of clothes that no longer fit me. Stuff I worn most only twice. Bought from California. 10 degrees warmer than up here. It's spring season up in Seattle. Seattle seems somewhat sunny and cold or dark and possible rain or rain hard. I wanted to sell my short sleeve shirts with logos on them plus a hoodie I thought was cool. I thought they wanted to buy it because I considered short sleeve shirt spring season. Checked each and every one. Did not want any of them because it's not spring season. They wanted sandals, shorts, blouses and dresses. OK. They wanted common brands. Mine was uncommon because I bought them in stores in California that they do not have in WA. I don't even many people wearing sandals or shorts or dresses on the street. WTF. Will not go back there ever.
1 - Cathy G.: WOW Years ago I loved this place. 
I went in with 3 bags of stuff to sell.. ok .. the racks were half empty.. the store was empty..
I had little to browse through as the 'buyer' chatted and chatted before looking at the clothes I brought in..

They didn't want my summer tops.. hmm.. the racks are empty!

The brusque treatment.. why bother? There is much more I could say..like.. "it is your job to look at clothes and  decide to buy them or not and generally treating people well.. means they will come back to buy, ..." But truthfully (ok I said one of the 5 things) not gonna bother. They have a big store , they can do it their way!
2 - Corey T.: Its A-OK...  

Pro- if you are with trusty friends and have a lot of extra time on your hands this is a great place and pretty under rated.  Lots of name brands... 

Cons- I am kind of confused about their purchasing, they dismissed a bebe top that still had tags on it "cause it was not what they are looking for".  Noted. 
Lines can get long.
They have way too many little people sizes... ie. Size 0,1, 2, 3... 
Parking situation sucks. 

Aside from that - give it a try!
5 - Claire T.: They always have great prices, cool clothes, and are super friendly and laid back. I did apply here once though, and the lady who is in charge is kind of bitchy. But whatever.
4 - james h.: god bless broke college kids that need to sell stuff off.

i have never, ever, ever, anywhere in the world i have been had the luck finding designer jeans, almost new, at such great prices as i have at the buffalo exchange in the u-district in seattle.

this store is almost a pilgrimage for me when i come to seattle and i have never left there empty handed.

i've never tried to sell them anything so i can't comment on that.  probably be pretty silly to haul my stuff from the east coast
4 - Casey W.: I love this store. Every time I go in I always find great clothes. I love any place that I can randomly pick up a pair of jeans and have them fit like a glove, for only $14.50. Seriously, I wear those jeans a few times a week at a minimum, and I'd never heard of the brand before. I haven't tried to sell any clothes to them, so I can't offer a review of their trading. I will say that usually their prices are great, except when they have low quality, thin, too small plain tee shirts that are faarr too overpriced. I live close to the Ave, so parking isn't a consideration for me, but I am well aware that parking on the Ave is terrible. Take the bus, you'll have better luck.
4 - Sara A.: This is one of the largest 2nd hand clothing stores in Seattle, and one of the largest Buffalo Exchanges I've seen in a few cities. That means lots of selection, but sometimes thrifting can be overwhelming, doubly so in a store this size. I usually avoid shopping fatigue by using a handy tip passed down from mother: upon entering the store I ask myself (internal monologue, so as not to scare passers-by), "What am I looking for today?" This way I have a mission and some priorities. If I know I really need jeans, could use a purse, would love a new dress, then I'll go to jeans first and focus my energy on this goal. If after searching jeans I still feel game, I may go to the purses/bags, or sift through racks of dresses. You don't have to see everything!
Also, don't forget to check out accessories. This store has a particularly large selection of scarves. Also, although the buyers can be picky, they are usually always friendly, as is the rest of the staff.
I am also pleased with my own selling experiences here. Just remember to stay in season, and don't feel bad if they can't take your stuff.
3 - Nina H.: I'm not a huge fan of thrift stores but I go here to try and sell off my unwanted clothes and most of the time... they take one thing and pay me like 3 bucks for a shirt I paid $30 for. *cringe*

I also think there's a musty smell in the store but maybe that's just the smell of old clothes. The sales people are generally really friendly although they take forever to sort through my clothes to see if I want them or not.
1 - Leni D.: I went to this store several times in the past, because I lived nearby, and because it's always full of students browsing - so it must be good, right?

Nah. Overpriced crap. 

Seriously, the price tags are way too high for used clothing! It does not compare to similar thrift stores, not in price not in quality. I rarely saw anything that I even considered buying. Once I had a little conversation with my husband, wondering why people buy that ugly stuff at those high prices. His (politically incorrect) answer: "Students are stupid about clothes shopping. They'll pay full price for old junk because they don't know any better!"

To top it off, once I brought a big bag full of clothes, seeing if they wanted to buy any. The girl didn't spend more than one second looking at each, looking as if she were sorting through smelly crap (which my clothes were NOT, some were very nice stuff!) and at the end she said she wasn't interested in anything, it was all outdated. She made me feel like The Year's Worst Dressed, and pretty much ruined my day.

Do yourself a favor, walk a few blocks south and check Crossroads Trading Company instead.
3 - Anora K.: They will buy almost nothing that you bring in. I see people rejected with giant bags of clothes all of the time. 

It is kind of over priced for a thrift store. I am surprised when I see a used, average looking sweater for 30 dollars. 

I have gotten some wonderful deals on shoes here, though! OMG! shiny red flats with a buckle, forrest green retro looking 4 inch heels, each were like 20, and looked new. The best deal I got was the perfect pair if Danskos for 30 dollars. They were brand new, dark green mary jane style my favorite color and style in MY SIZE. I still talk about this find, it was like 2 years ago. haha

If you don't take a bag they donate 5 cents to the charity of your choice, it is kinda cute.
3 - Liv G.: I really like shopping in this place but sometimes their help can be pretty rude, particularly about clothes brought in.  However, it can be a great place to get good deals on quality shoes and clothes.
3 - Tiffany N.: Its a pretty nice thrift store but tends to be a little overpriced, some things you could probably buy new cheaper than they are charging.  But there were some good deals on some things and overall a really nice selection
4 - Jennifer Y.: There are quite a few clothing stores on the Ave, but Buffalo Exchange is one of the best places to find unique pieces of clothing.

Inventory:
Lots and lots of cloth that are usually in season and changes on a regular basis. 

Shop:
Clothing are well organized and so are the shoes. It is easy to get around and find what you need most of the time. Their Halloween selection is usually very awesome. There is a lot of space to move around unless it is packed, which happens quite it a bit.

Employees:
Usually friendly, but when things get hectic they can get annoyed or irritated. But that is true for any business.

Overall:
Great place to shop, especially for poor college students.
2 - Linda J.: I have to say that Buffalo Exchange is hit or miss, but for the most part I've had to keep myself away from the one in SE Portland because I would spend WAY too much $ on a good day. I figured Buffalo Exchange was Buffalo Exchange, and Seattle's would be as good if not better than Portland's. I was wrong. The employees (for the most part) are a lot friendlier, helpful, and engaging in Portland. They knew me. They would see that I had a lot of clothes hanging off my arm and offer to hold them for me while I shopped. No such luck here.   

I didn't find anything I liked. Most of the shoes they had were for huge feet. I also took a few things in to see if I could get credit for them, and they gave me shit about giving me store credit (a.k.a. writing on a piece of paper) so that I could come back later on and shop around. I'd already shown my ID to the first person, why give me attitude about showing it to you again at the register? Not worth the trouble for a $9 credit and an uneasy feeling in my stomach for selling a shirt I paid a lot more for... but I realize that's the way it goes.

I've always been a Buffalo Exchange gal (since moving to the west coast) so I'll probably go back, but I was definitely not impressed with any aspect of this particular store. Even though I had to wait at Crossroads, at least their employees were pretty nice and they kept their store pretty organized (and color coded). Buffalo Exchange may give you a little more credit ($) for your clothing (and by little I mean less than $1), but don't go out of your way to take your stuff there.
2 - V for Vendett A.: Overpriced apparel and bad customer service. In the handful of times ive shopped here, only ONE staff member (she was at the dressing room) was helpful and friendly. 

And they dont take anything for sell/trade. REALLY. They shouldnt advertise it, and not do it. Ive brought in tons of clothes, shoes, purses etc, and once in a while they'll take a few items. I dont bring in junk either. WTF. Then I look around the store, and the stuff they have bought is gnar. Sometimes you can find some good shit. Sometimes the 50% off rack is worth checking out. I guess I'll go back, but only if im killing time...

I like the portland location WAY better.
4 - Chelsea J.: I really like this Buffalo Exchange. The newer one in Ballard is great too, but this one has such a large selection! Great place to pick up some designer jeans that are like new or almost like new for 10-15% of what you would pay for them at Nordstrom! If wearing slightly worn clothes doesn't bother you, shopping at Buffolo Exchange can be a great option to get good quality clothes and not break the bank.

A lot of the clothes they sell there are actually still new with the original tags on them. 

Some of the prices are a little high for used clothing but a lot of their stuff is marked down too so their prices are pretty good overall, I've found some great pairs of jeans and a cashmere sweater, etc. for very cheap. Wide selection of styles.
5 - rhasaan F.: LRG zip up, Obey polo $35? feel like a star priceless!
2 - Ana S.: God I hate the people who work here, pretentious mean hipsters. I'm met ONE nice girl.
Some good deals though, but also some overpriced b.s. once in a while.
4 - Vanessa J.: I wear Banana Republic pants and Ann Taylor shorts to work, looking professional and successful. I wear hot sequined tops and pencils skirts out, feeling cue and sassy. And not one piece cost me over $20 because I bought them at Buffalo Exchange. In fact, they cost me less than that because they were an exchange for clothing I already had! Come here first before you waste money at the mall. They might just have what you are looking for this year, at a fraction of the price.
3 - Victoria C.: Eh, I like this place simply because I have been radomly lucky in finding $40 Citizens, $40 Joe's, Steve Madden pumps, among other lucky finds. It's great place to go thrifting, but there are definitely better places to find better finds.

PROS:
1. Pretty cheap prices for the second-hand goods. 

2. Pretty friendly staff.

3. Organized by size and style. Not hard to find what you're looking for.

CONS:
1. The quality of the stuff isn't always (usually) the greatest. You have to really check the goods for holes, tears, stains, etc.
2 - Mandy C.: It's a meh, meh for me. 2.5 STAR MAX.

Been here twice to turn in clothes, both times I've been turned down even though some of the clothes I turned in still had the tags or were never worn. And both times the person I turned them into said, "they're not what we're looking for." or "The style isn't what's IN right now." .........But........... how come when I go through your racks, I find sweaters with kittens knit into them for $25?..... Is that what you're looking for? Cause........... if that's the case, I'll just go to Value Village and buy the same stuff for $2.

AAAAAANYYYWHOOOOO!!!
I'll come here on my spare time from visiting other stores in the area to look for an interesting shirt or pair of shoes. I've been in this store NUMEROUS times and I've only walked out twice with something purchased. Not too sure if that's a good number or not? 

If you're looking for mediocre clothing that's been worn before and is priced high, then you can buy your stuff here. I tend to stick with their accessories more often than not, since I find them more interesting than majority of the rest of the store.

PS. some of the staff's kinda mean too. Who likes a place full of mean people? I'd probably go here more often for the high prices if they were a bit nicer. This isn't urban outfitters man. If I wanted that attitude, I'd just walk next door.
2 - Diana M.: For a vintage store I feel like this place is overpriced and overrated. I noticed a lot of their clothes were Forever 21 and H&M and they still charged $10-$20 (which is basically full price when it is brand new). At least the store is pretty easy to navigate and it's not jam packed with lots of racks like a lot of vintage stores can be. 

I think the only way Buffalo Exchange is worth going to is if you do find a piece from a more high end designer (BCBG, Michael Kors). You just have to wade through the overpriced cheap quality clothing to find it. 

I noticed there are always long lines of people with huge bags of clothing to sell. So, if you do plan to sell something be prepared to wait in a long line!
2 - randi s.: This place has given me plenty of cash for used clothing in the past so I cannot complain. However, I have failed to ever find anything here I wish to purchase, which is a total bummer! The staff is pretty sweet and I like talking to them while I am selling clothes. One thing that I find to be a huge gripe though, is depending on who is the buyer, depends on if they take your item and for how much. I feel like I am pretty style-savvy (I am sure EEEEvvvEEEeerryyoonee selling clothes thinks they are, haha), but I know they have turned down hardly (If ever) worn clothing and then a manager will come over and say to buy it. So if said person isn't around your item gets the rejection. On top of that, when perusing the racks after you've been rejected, you find hole-y, armpit stained, totally out of style clothing that is way worse than your offerings, I get slightly miffed! Ahh well...
2 - Phish M.: I used to shop here a lot when I was younger,but as I got older,and wiser,I realized how much I don't like this store.First off,the customer service is horrible.The people that are usually at the Donation/Sales desk are rude and some what stuck-up.I seems like the clothes i'm selling there aren't good enough for them.I was offered $4 for a brand new North Face jacket that had been given to me,but was too big for me to wear.I knew they were going to turn around and sell it for $30+.I decided to keep it and sell it on Craigslist.For a used clothing store,their unbelievably picky about what they buy from you.I've seen them reject clothes with tags still on them.
The clothes they sell are also super over priced.The average pair of jeans that I saw there was $15.I can buy a new pair for slightly more.I almost bought a white t-shirt there with horrible pit stains on it.Yuck.
All in all,I wouldn't shop here unless it was someone else wanted to check out there selection.And as far as selling clothes there,I can get more for my taxes if I donate to the Goodwill or Value Village.
1 - Kate R.: Outrageous. Do they know they are a USED clothing store? Why are they trying to sell clothes at retail prices? And why are they buying used clothes for pennies? 

There is some type of greed hidden within the workings of Buffalo Exchange. It just doesn't add up. Plus, the pieces that I wanted to try on smelled like body odor, felt grimy and had rips. They need to make up their mind if they are a boutique or a consignment shop. And staff people, lose the attitudes. You can be stylish and be kind at the same time. Sincerity is never out of style.
4 - Amanda S.: I love this store! I'm broke and it really, really sucks. Luckily, I can go here and find a sweater and pair of jeans for $40 total. I've been here three times, and left here with clothes I love every. single. time. I sold some stuff, too, and chose to take it as store credit for $64 (cash would have been half that I think).

My boyfriend loves this place, too. He's gotten some really nice shirts for cheap. After one trip here, we walked over to Urban Outfitters (which I also love, but just can't justify spending $70 on one sweater) and saw the same things on their racks that we just got at Buffalo Exchange. So, who's the idiot now?

Bottom line, GO HERE FIRST. Then, if you didn't find what you were looking for, go pay full price brand new.

P.S. I've never had any problems with the clothes smelling like body odor, or the staff being rude and snotty, as some of the other reviewers had mentioned.
3 - Mia C.: i'm writing a review because i used to be a (damn good) buyer at a used clothing store much like Buffalo Exchange. i know firsthand how hard it is to push clothes that is other people's castoffs. before i review the store, let me just provide a little behinds the scenes insight for you shoppers:

1.  every buyer has different taste. so if your top gets passed over and its a really nice, top-of-the-line brand in impeccable condition, its because the buyer has shitty taste. That said, bad buyers buy ugly/nasty clothes and are the bane to the store owners/customers.

2. ) before you bring your clothes in, remember this:  the more desirable your clothes, the more likely they will buy it. when i bring in my stuff to sell, i usually take in the stuff i still really like to wear. not my rejects.

3.  if you're a size 2, that will probably work against you, since most women who come into shop are not. so whatever your bring in better be damn nice and wicked expensive- Prada and Gucci are good places to start. if you are of average size, you're in luck! the chances are better they'll buy something moderately mediocre. i used to call this "filler". if there is too much "filler" already in stock though, forget it.

4.  if at first you don't sell your clothes, bring it to another store and try to sell it there. then take that batch that hasn't been sold to *another* store. taste is subjective. that doesn't mean you can't make money.

so i hope that's helpful to some of you guys when you come to buffalo exchange/crossroads/etc. to review this store, i briefly looked through their racks and i saw a few things that were pretty stylish. they were admittedly Urban Outfitters/Anthropologie/vintage-y gear, but the buyers there have decent taste. my qualm is the overall quality- i picked up two dresses with busted zippers. i didn't try them on. i did see some pretty nice shoes though. its a good place if you're on a budget and watch some fast, fairly trendy clothes.
3 - Amanda L.: I'm not a fan of this location. They're big but not very nice, they have a horrible selection filled with crappy clothing at a high price. Though I do occasionally find a nice wool coat or high heels.. But the one in Ballard is a million times better. Ok, so I'm giving them an extra star because I just found an amazing purse for a great price. :)
1 - Danielle D.: This location sucks! The staff here, especially the manager Lenora(?), are rude, picky and not helpful. I've brought in several good current items to sell with little success. They completely low balled me for the few items they offered to buy. The buyers are slow, mean and bad dressers. Go to the Ballard location or Crossroads.
2 - katya l.: When I was in high school (in Portland) Buffalo Exchange was the place to shop if you wanted to be 'edgy', 'hip' or 'different'. I was primarily a jeans-and-tshirt girl back then, but I loved the vintage-y goods I could find at Buffalo. Their prices were super reasonable.

So imagine my disappointment upon discovering the Buffalo on the Ave. Yes, there is the rare brilliant find of an affordable designer piece in your size, but for the most part, their wares are worn out, poorly made or just plain ugly. Very rarely do I find anything I like. The staff has that holier-than-thou hipster attitude, and the buyers apparently fail at their jobs. I can't count the number of times I've come in to sell and walked out having sold only one or two things and yet seeing only hideous rags on the racks. Prices have shot up as well.

I've stopped going to Buffalo almost completely, unless I have a large amount of clothing to sell (their prices are higher than Crossroads, so they pay slightly more) and even then I only take cash, never credit. Crossroads is what Buffalo used to be - cheap and fashionable.
2 - Jen R.: This place blows my mind. They won't take hardly anything! I've brought in a ton of basically new stuff that is completely current such as plain v-neck alternative apparel tee, brand new wedge sandals, and brand new jeans and they never take anything, even nicer brands. Maybe it's because I'm a very small size and don't bring in stuff that the majority of shoppers can wear, or maybe it's because they only like selling ripped up, smelly, blood stained clothes. I don't get it. When I wait I rarely find anything decent. It's almost a waste of time to come here even if they do buy anything because the parking in the UD is sooo bad most of the time. 

Selling Tips: Only bring designer items (expect them to give you like $1 for it though) or old clothes you bought at the goodwill (rips, stains, blood ok). Everything else just donate yourself.
4 - Rachel N.: I loved it here... my first experience at buffalo exchange and got some really awesome stuff, very retro and clothing you can't find just anywhere!  It was fun shopping here and I don't shop  much.. also reasonable prices.  I looked it up on my trip to in seattle that there are 3 in the bay area... score!!!
3 - Ninette C.: I never sell clothing because I know most consignment stores don't give you much for it (and I don't really part with the really nice stuff often).  I usually just donate it.

I don't shop consignment a lot either but I have been here a few times.  I did get a silk and lace The Limited top I was eying when it came out in stores here! After a thorough cleansing, I am very happy with it.

I've come here to look for Halloween accessories and the such too because they sometimes have the same stuff as Red Light but cheaper.  
(With that said, I think Red Light has a better selection, but these two spots are so close, I just hit them both up.)
2 - Laurel A.: So I've attempted to sell clothes here twice. I'm always VERY selective about what I take there knowing (from past experience at other places like Plato's Closet), that buyers can be temperamental. 

Now, I understand that each buyer can't always be objective or take every single item. Obviously they are trying to run a business, but sometimes I just don't understand how the heck some of the other clothes in the store even got on their racks! Besides the fact, I would be more content with my experience at Buffalo Exchange if the employees even seemed like they care about customer service. Ok.. just because you wear an over-sized sweater with ripped tights and penny loafers does NOT mean you know more about "fashion," or "what's in" right now. I've noticed that the prices have shot up dramatically, where a simple t-shirt can run up to $10?! You can get a brand new basic shirt at Forever 21 for that price..

Now that I'm done ranting, I will say that you can find some cool things here. Not always, but sometimes if you're lucky or willing to rummage through things.
1 - Ivy L.: Even though my friend had better luck finding clothes from here, I didnt. The staff were rude, which she agreed on, and the prices for the clothing, sometimes just weren't reasonable. I won't be back, for sure.
4 - Opal D.: I like coming to Buffalo Exchange to sell clothes I no longer wear. They never give you any real money for it (they decide how much they can sell it for then give you a small % of that amount), but whenever I come, its with items I've decided to give to Goodwill if they don't accept it, so it's better to get something than nothing at all. And Goodwill is very conveniently located on the same block! 
The staff are friendly and personable and it's always entertaining to watch them try to discretely discuss how much to give a customer or whether or not to take something. 
The store itself could really use a spray or two of Febreeze.
Metered street parking only.
4 - Rena B.: So, I decided to give it another try, and went back to sell clothes once again (since my closet overfloweth). I was pleasantly surprised at the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff this time. Very much the opposite of experiences that I have had there in the past.

The girl who went through my clothing was very nice, and didn't comment on the clothing she didn't purchase. She was very professional.

I found a few things I liked, and was able to apply my store credit, and get the remainder in cash. One of the shirts had a security device that wouldn't come out. The whole staff tried to remove it, but it was just not going to budge. So they gave me a discount, and I just removed it at home. Thank you for all the effort!!

So, I feel that this location has really changed for the better, and hope it stays this way.
:-)
2 - Andrea M.: I think one thing we can pretty much all agree on is the poor customer service. I'll never understand how such crabby people get jobs, but perhaps it's something Buffalo Exchange looks for in an employee. "Can you look down your nose at customers and make them feel tragically unhip? Shave part of your hair off, and you're hired!"

Whenever I come here I feel overwhelmed by the packed racks full of worn, overpriced clothes. I leave feeling too fat and old to try anything on.

The last time I went in I tried to sell a bag of clothes. The girl was being mock friendly to me while sorting my clothes into two piles. She mentioned that she wasn't taking very much stuff because it wasn't in season [it was the end of summer... I was taking in fall and winter clothes]. She then proceeded to stick everything back in the bag, because apparently nothing was to her liking and the sorting she had done was just a ruse. I've found such tacky clothing on their hangers... I guess perhaps my clothes just aren't awful enough to donate.
3 - Kate S.: The layout drives me nuts...I don't quite get how things are organized here. It's topsy-turvy and weird and reminds me too much of lesser consignment/thrift stores here.
The place is overflowing with undergrads and frat/sorority types... yeah it's the U-district, and yeah im getting older, but something about freshman girls squeeling over pink tank tops makes me a curmudgeonly old lady.
But, when they happen to have something I want I turn into Gollum -- clinging my precious to my chest so no tricksy freshmanses sees what I have, so I can then escape to (the usually nice) girl at  checkout and bring my precious back to my cave to coo and pet and talk to and then wear it.
4 - Brendan M.: I had a good experience today on this busy winter weekend. I went through all the men's small and medium long-sleeved shirts and found five or six to try on. I ended up buying two of them. One was a heavy cotton & polyester plaid shirt from the "Ambiguous" label; the price seemed high at $28.50 until I realized it was a new shirt with the original tags still attached. The retail price would have been twice as high. The other shirt was a "work shirt" in 100% cotton with a clean, simple plaid pattern, for about $16. I spent more than I'd expected, but I still feel as though I found some good bargains. I also looked through the men's shoes and jackets, but nothing really spoke to me, and some of the shoes seemed rather shopworn for the prices on the tag. Meh, whatever. At least I know of a place I can try to sell some of my lightly used shoes.

In contrast to some other reviewers, I rather like the layout of the store and the way items are arranged. And the sales clerks were friendly, at least when I was the one doing the buying (I've never tried selling my things).
2 - James V.: bleh on this place, the girls were not nearly hot enough compared to a few of the other buffalo's i have been to on the west coast and i was disappointed in the clothing selection for men. I figured i would find some "gems" being it was in a college town but no dice. This buffalo exchange proved that grunge definitely is not dead Seattle.
3 - Millicents F.: Parking, ehhh. Not the best buffalo exchange i've been to, but it'll do.
5 - Christopher T.: I really, really like this place. I buy most of my clothes second hand because a.) I try to avoid supporting sweatshops, and b.) it's way cheaper. This place is more expensive than, say, Goodwill or Value Village, but that's because they are (very) selective when it comes to the clothes they will accept. Fortunately, that means you can choose from a lot of really great clothes without sorting through an entire rack of crappy t-shirts that people got for free for signing up for a credit card in college. And the prices are still pretty great for such nice clothes.

I find that I need to space my visits out by a couple of months to allow for turnover. Otherwise, I'll be seeing the same clothes over and over again.

If you want to try to sell your clothes, be prepared for rejection. Like I said, they're very choosy. I was told that couple of items were great but had just been washed too much and didn't look new enough. Still, I got $15 of store credit for a couple pairs of pants that I didn't want anymore. And if you don't want to haul the rejects down the street to Goodwill, they'll keep them and donate them to some other charity for free.
3 - Danielle C.: Hey Buffalo Exchange! I know you -- you have a store in NYC as well.

Hmm, the first  thing I thought when I walked in here was that this store is pretty big.  I guess anything that's not located in Manhattan is pretty big to me these days...

The clothes are very similar to what you find in other Buffalo Exchanges: a lot of random clothes, shoes, and accessories. Most are from places like Banana Republic, H&M, Forever 21, Ann Taylor, etc. I was hoping for cheaper prices for some of these items because the new prices aren't that much more expensive.

I also saw a few Marc Jacobs shirts sprinkled around.

The shoes section here is rather extensive. They label the shoes with circle stickers for sizes. Boots and rainboots galore -- even saw a pair of Hunter rainboots for $52.
5 - Laren B.: Hello Yelpers! I just had to write a review about this lovely store. The ladies that work here are just too sweet! They are so down to help you and are awesome at explaining why they are buying that pair or shoes or why they are passing. I could just come in here for the company. Seriously. Not one mean bone in a single person that works there. I have never had such service at a BE, and I have been to many. Not trying to brag but I enjoy a good bargain and BE can sometimes be the place to be. Also I always find some amazing things here. Average prices.
3 - Derek T.: im not new to thrifting. but this thrift store is a little bit weird. i usualy buy my clothes second hand so that the environment and saving money but this place is really weird because its like im not even thrifting. it feels like a "real store" with customers and shopping. i have a hard time wrapping my head around this pLace. 

then there is the lady. im not trying to be mean but if you see a white girl there go up to her and tell her to leave because she is BAD NEWSf or you and all eager thrifters. just trying to bother me? Yeah i know and stop. ugh just think about it makes me wanna give up thrifting nad be a boring Abercrombie "sheeple" but i cant because its in my blood and no buffalo girl is about to take it away from me (thrifting).

so in the long run you can find cool stuff here if you like baseball hats with embroidery and if you like t-shirts with rappers on them (i dont know about girl clothes im a boy) but there are some bad apple employees who really get yor goat

THATS THE WORD AND THANKS FOR READING
-Derek
3 - Cami G.: Staff peeps are hit and miss. I've encountered the crabbiness of some but from others I receive smiles and am even asked if they can place some of my garments in the dressing room for me. That's a rarity, though.

If you decide to bring your stuff in to tell, be aware that they are VERY selective over what they accept. If you don't have brand-name goods or something that is new and unused and meets their style standards, don't bother.

Their shoes are gross and dirty.
4 - Casey P.: For the most part, I like Buffalo Exchange.

The selection is impressive. They have a wide variety of vintage and name-brand shirts, jackets, pants, and shorts. I have found numerous pieces I love, and they have been in really fabulous condition. The best part is the discounts you get. I'm not sure why other reviewers expect to get like-new clothes for 90% off. I think half off or better is quite acceptable. Ultimately, I'm willing to pay $12 to $18 for a pair of practically-new jeans that look good, when I could easily spend $40 elsewhere. They have a high standard for the clothes they accept, which serves shoppers well. I understand how frustrating that must be for people selling their clothes, though. I haven't gone down that route at all personally.

The service has been friendly and helpful, from my experience. Again, I'm not sure what other Yelpers are talking about when they refer to snobby, poser-hipster salespeople. The people at the dressing counter were prompt and conversational, while the clerks were quite friendly. Now, mind you, I did hear some of the staff complaining about their lives or whatnot, but they were never rude to me.

I took off one star for their greedy and draconian return policy. You have just five days to return something, and you only get store credit. Seriously? That's how you treat customers looking for bargains? If you're going to buy anything here, make up your mind right away. Good luck.
3 - Paloma L.: It's getting harder and harder to get good stuff here but it's still worth checking out. If you're looking to sell clothes they actually give you more per item then some of the other stores but it is very hit or miss with the staff you get.

It's hard to wrap your head around what they do and don't take because some of the stuff on the racks is straight junk. It seems like a couple of years ago there was much more variety but nowadays they are leaning towards super trendy stuff that's already gone out of style. Much of it is overpriced too. Especially in the guys section.

Buffalo Exchange - Austin, TX (30.29583, -97.742887) (University of Texas)
4 - Edwyn E.: Western US consignment store. Lots of great recycled clothes here. Great place to find vintage t-shirts and other kitschy clothes- most under 15$
4 - Laura A.: For used clothing, it's not cheap. But, you can find designer clothes for a fraction of the retail price. It's poorly organized, so treat your excursion like a scavenger hunt: you almost always win.

And, if you have some designer duds that are no longer your style, or that 'the drycleaner shrank' you can try and load them off here. If they take anything, you can get 30% of what they will sell it for as cash, or 50% store credit. It's the best recycling payoff I've found yet.
3 - La G.: This is the place to find the perfect jeans. It isn't incredibly cheap for used clothing, but considering that they are used clothes, they aren't in that bad of shape. DO NOT sell anything here because you have to turn around and spend a percentage there. It is not cash-in-hand.
4 - Susie G.: Pros
You will always find at least one item you are head over heels for.
Every once and a while they do amazing sales ( I got 5 pairs of jeans for 5 bucks, although this is rare.)
They have seriously trendy accessories.
Technically you can sell clothes to them for store credit ( although your clothes have to be seriously high quality to even be considered.)


Cons
Overpriced- like 12 bucks for a shirt, dresses and jeans are even more.
Not well organized. They technically are grouped by sizes, but really seems more like a treasure hunt of sorts to find something that actually fits you.
Sizes seem to run really small ( although I'm not sure why that is)

But no matter how many times I go, I still want to go again. If you have some extra clothes you want to sell to a store, or are looking for some individual pieces that no one else will have, try here first. Or really if you are just looking for a good few hours of shopping entertainment you should seriously check it out. 

Don't let the piercings,funky hair and tattoos of the store clerks scare you off. Most of the time they are really nice people.
2 - Jackson R.: Back in the day, people used to take a bunch of clothes they used to like, but weren't as happy with anymore and put them in the yard on a Saturday afternoon.  They would place out some other items they were no longer fond of and some them for a very low price.  These events were called garage sales.  Perhaps they still go on.

I found comparable clothing at the Buffalo Exchange.  Somehow they have found a way to charge $17.50 for shirts that would fetch a good $2 at a garage sale.

No fear of going out of control with my wallet here.  My paycheck was safe and sound in this store.
2 - Cody R.: Not too impressed with Buffalo Exchange. I went there to sell some of my clothes and I was a little bugged at how exclusive they were. The money you get back for clothing is rediculous compared to what they sell it for. Also, there is no where to park.
4 - Michelle C.: I am a garage sale junkie.  There is nothing like the thrill of finding the perfect designer top for $1.

Most people don't have the time/patience for that process, though, and are more than happy to spend $15-$20 for that same top if they can go to a store during normal-person's hours and actually try the top on before buying it.  For those people, there is Buffalo Exchange.

BE offers a wide selection of very well-edited, gently used merchandise for much less than it cost new.  Their selection of hip, casual clothes is great; dressier or more professional stuff is harder to come by here.  I also wish they had a better selection of jewelry; the stuff they have here is usually very costume-y.

As many below have mentioned, don't expect to make a bunch of money selling your clothes here.  They are VERY picky, and unless you have a ton of ultra-hip stuff, chances are they won't take much of it - and won't give you much for what they do take.  If you do sell clothes here, they will either give you cash or a larger dollar amount if you take a store credit, instead.  I always opt for the latter, because I can always find something to spend my money on here.

Twice a year, they have this insane sale outside where everything is $1.  One of those sales is on Earth Day, and it benefits a non-profit - can't remember which one.  I'm not sure when the other one is.  You can't try anything on, and it's a madhouse, but - everything is $1.  

Also, I like that you can opt not to take a shopping bag in favor of a token.  You then place your token into the box of one of three charities, and they donate something like five cents to that charity.  Cool idea!

There are only a few parking spaces in front of the store, but I'm usually able to find a space on the street by Dhaba Joy on 29th.  If not, there is actually a larger parking lot for BE behind the store.
3 - Skyler T.: Perhaps it's because I'm a guy, or because I'm tall, but I've never found any jeans that I want or could wear at Buffalo Exchange. This has left me browsing the t-shirt racks, which has turned up a few snarky selections over the years, but the time invested on returns is just rubbish.

Also, while I don't often find myself as an outsider in any situation, walking into Buffalo Exchange makes me feel like I need a full sleeve of tattoos, a rockstar haircut, and an art major degree just to grace the staff's presence. Perhaps they bought all the good clothes that would otherwise fit me?
4 - Brook B.: This Buffalo Exchange is far more awesome than the one in Denver, which for some reason is almost always filled with the ugliest crap imaginable.  My friend found an amazing yellow dress here that looked exactly like something Shelley Duvall would have worn in "3 Women", and that was great.  Comments others have made about the high price points and sometimes illogical selection of what clothing to buy off people are pretty much spot-on, but on any given visit, you're likely to find at least one thing that appeals to you.
3 - Jaime M.: When I wanted to find a truly punk-looking skirt, I knew this was the place to go, but when I want to buy everyday clothes, it's far too pricey compared to other thrift shops and doesn't have a great "normal" selection, so I always pass it by.
The Houston location, interestingly, doesn't have this punk/costumey edge to it, which I like a lot better. It carries tons of designer clothes, though, and is still more expensive than other thrift places.
I'd never come here to get rid of my clothes again, as I felt pretty humiliated the last time. I know I'm not a suave dresser, but I thought they'd at least take something and GIVE me something for it.
That said, I'll probably be back here next Halloween.
3 - Kristen F.: I tried selling clothes here, and like some of the other reviews, was shocked by how little they accepted, because they focus so much on juniors sizes.  I did use the money I got as in-store credit for maximum spendability, and got some cute skirts, though.  Also, they have some super cute shoes, sometimes, that appeared to be brand new.
3 - Emily H.: I gave BE 3 stars because, after 3 years of shopping and selling there, I am still on the fence.  

As far as shopping goes, BE is the place I go to buy shoes and jeans.  Always affordable, always cute.  While they overprice alot of their items, you can find really cute basic and vintage things for cheap.  Its just a matter of going through every rack.  I would also recommend them for accessories. I take my boyfriend there to shop because their guys clothes are really reasonable.

Now, the selling....

For years I have dissed BE on the way they buy merchandise.  I have had WAY too many experiences with snobby, rude, pretentious buyers who only underpay for random things.  However,  After buying for a new retail store for 2 years I can understand their system a little better.  

3 things to remember when selling your clothes at BE-
1.  Only bring what you really do not want.  Nothing is worse then them passing over everything except for your favorite pair of jeans.
2.  Realize that they are looking for unique, interesting, nice looking items.  Even though your clothes are super cute and trendy, they might either have too much like that already or mayber there is a small hole or something you didnt see.
3. As others said, expect less than what you think they should give you.  


Recently I had a very pleasant Buffalo Exchange selling experience.  I went through my old clothes and pulled out all the stuff I knew they wouldnt take, and I wound up coming out of there with almost 40 in cash.  The 3 girls buying had all worked there for years and were so funny and sweet.  We talked and laughed about random bullshit as they went through clothes.  

Either I live a life of irony, or BE is shaping up.
4 - Laurie M.: Since I am well over the age of Buffalo's typical demographic I can often find some cool things that might not appeal to the younger set.  I love that!!  In fact I've found some obscure designer stuff on the sale rack that made me almost squeal out loud.  I think there is a consensus that the sales gals are too ironically hip for their own good but I just have to laugh at them because they are all so self conscious.  
 Selling: BE buyers are stingy as hell, they only paid me $20 for a pair of Manolo's but really what do I care?  I bought them at Last Call for $50 about 8 years ago and hadn't worn them in at least 6 years.  They were totally and completely out of style but because they had a label I was able to get something for them.  
BUYING: The picking they do is 100% worth the extra $ they charge for used clothes.  Unfortunately I don't have time to thrift or garage sale anymore so this is the edited version "for busy professionals". I used to be a serious thrift store shopper until I realized that my house was starting to be permeated by the thrift store funk.  If you shop thrift you know the one: BO, deodorant, perfume, dirt and feet all meld together for that unmistakable smell.  Sometimes I smell the funk at BE but the odor has not completely turned me off.
4 - Meagan M.: Buffalo Exchange is a great place to take your clothes after you clean out your closet. A word of warning though: they are choosy about what they accept. Items need to be designer label or have something cute and special about them (vintage is fine too), be in great condition, and for women, can't be over a size 14. After your first visit, you'll know what items they take and what they won't (really, don't bother taking your old tee shirts or holey jeans). The items they don't accept, they will donate for you to a women's shelter, which is awesome. You won't get a lot of cash, but sometimes its just easier than listing your stuff on EBay.

You can find some real gems here when you go for shopping, especially in accessories. I have seen Marc by Marc Jacobs shoes on several occasions, and also Frye and Steve Madden. The jeans selection is extensive. I have spotted BCBG and DvF among the dresses. Parking is horrific during fall and spring semesters because of location.
1 - Jo M.: When I went to the BE in San Diego, my friend had convinced me that I was going to Love It! It was okay. So when I came here I thought I'd give it a second chance. After all, this is a hip place, lots of young, unique,stylish people. I was bound to find something. I was dead wrong. First, the smell in the place was a total turnoff. Maybe it's me, but I need nice smells to shop. After a while, I was revolted but hung in there to look. Some Custo tops, totally faded for way too much. Then, mixed in with the "cool" stuff, were old and outdated, (not vintage) designer pieces which I swear, not even my mom would have worn in the eighties. I think some of this stuff came from Last Call about 25 years ago. I did not have the patience to sift through it all, but was unimpressed. I would check out their online store, but once I get a bad impression, that's it for me.
3 - Donna R.: It's hard to give BE just 3 stars. It really is.

Why? On various occasions, I've found some awesome things there. Once it was this cute flirty knee length black "flapperesque" layered skirt. Another time was two vintage cheongsam dresses that were marked down to $12 each after some girl who was a little too big for her britches tried to squeeze herself into the dresses and broke the seams. All I had to do was bust out the basic sewing skills and they were as good as new. One time it was a pair of adorable sneakers. By far, my absolute favorite score, hands down, was a pair of barely scuffed (on the back and not noticeable) Gucci stilettos for $27, and in my size and fit like a dream. I almost squeeled.

Now, with a review like that, you'd think I'd give it 5 stars, right? How wrong you are.

First - the selling aspect. People have mentioned how rude the staff has been about selling your stuff there. Never happened to me - but you don't get any sort of true worth for your items. I took a Chanel top in there that was worn once, it was some silky halter top type thing, lovely, but I never wore it. I decided i didn't want to mess with Ebay that day, so i thought I'd go down there and sell it. they wanted to give me $13 for it. The price for store credit was only a few dollars more, so no thanks. I thought they give me at least $35 for it. 

Second - the store is cramped. Severely. It reminds me of how Wal-Mart and K-Mart pack in racks and racks of clothing in a small space to sell more. Every time I go in there I start feeling closed in with all the clothes and people in that place, it makes you feel panicky - and who can have a great shopping experience like that? Not to mention, the racks are so stuffed that you can't even spread the clothes out to look at something, you have to wrangle it off the rack.

Third - Hope you are skinny and belong to a sorority, because if you aren't, good luck finding anything you might actually be able and want to wear. Unless you like hot topicy type "alternawear".

Fourth - the people who shop there. See "third" for their type. If i hear one more high pitched overly bleached blond on her Bedazzled cell phone talking to her best friend about how BE is "like the coolest place to get cheap clothes" and all of that crap, while in the store and carrying on a conversation the entire time she shops, I'm going to turn around and knock her silly. I suppose it's better than a gaggle of them all in there at once though.

Anyway, the staff lately has been very cool. They seem laid back and a little less into themselves than at other times in there, so that a good thing. And of course, the ever so rare great score that you find...and is the reason i keep going back, even though it can be really overpriced at times, and kind of a crappy experience. I suppose that each time I go in there, i'm hoping it's gotten better.
4 - Kelley D.: The only reason they don't get all 5 is because it really sucks to sell clothes there, but naked lady parties aka clothing swaps are way fun so I'm only taking away one star.

Whenever I have a new shoe craving I go here and almost always walk out with 2 or 3 pairs of great shoes. I once found a pair of Fornarinas for $7, another time I found a light pink Marc Jacobs jacket for real cheap! Not that I'm a label whore, it's just sorta exciting to wear something you wouldn't normally be able to afford. Ya know?
4 - Shane H.: I have to admit I have always loved this store, I have always had amazing luck finding cool stuff here from used clothes to new clothes to crazy accessories.  Yes I will admit there is that certain "old dirty closet" smell in there but hey they can't help that.  

Anyway, the store is large and always has a decent selection and due to it's location near the University the clothes in there are usually a little more up to date than some locations I have visited.  I always get great deals on jeans here, usually getting $100 jeans for like $30 and in good shape.  

I have bought a lot of shirts here because I can always find some pretty strange stuff.  The also sell new clothes (those with the purple tags on them) and I really enjoy some of the lines they have and have not had any problems with them at all.

Now I can't tell you NOT to sell your clothes here for a couple of reasons.  ONE: If I did that, they wouldn't have any cool clothes to sell.  TWO:  You don't really have any other choice around here so you might as well sell them HERE and get SOME money out of your old rags, and IF you have to spend a percentage here (which you don't have to do, you have a choice), at least you are getting cool clothes out of it!!
3 - Francine H.: If you plan to buy, then go here. If you plan to sell/ trade--don't go here.

I have mixed emotions about BE. First, I thought it was awesome, then I thought it was lame. 

The first time I went there, I thought it was the coolest place ever. A place where you can trade/sell your clothes and then shop for other cute vintage stuff? How AWESOME is that?!?!?  NOT so awesome. After my first visit, I decided to round up all my clothes that I didn't really wear anymore and go trade it in for credit or something. So that's what I thought. Then I come to find out the truth! What they really trade/buy from you are items that are fairly new, or designer--and of course at a fraction of the price they'd sell it. That wasn't my problem, I'm okay with that. My problem was, they sifted through all my clothes, even said how cute they were, and then gave me 11 bucks credit for some shoes, and "politely" looked me in the eye and asked, "Would you like to donate the rest?" 

I'm not against donating. I really wouldn't have mind. The fact is, BE doesn't REALLY trade/buy/sell. They want you to donate all your goodies, so they can hype the price and profit of course. Lame.  They say they donate it all, but while I was there, they seemed to be sifting through the donated stuff to see what they could salvage as possible selling items. I'd rather donate my stuff to Salvation Army or Savers, where people can purchase stuff for way cheaper, since it is donated!

On the bright side, you can get a few good buys if you look really really really hard.
3 - Keaton C.: disclaimer: I worked at Buffalo for about two months five years ago. 

After reading these reviews, I feel like I have to come to the defense of Buffalo Exchange. First of all, if you like buying clothes there, it is because they are so picky about what they are willing to take when they buy from sellers. If you have something that is stretched out or faded, and that's why you don't wear it anymore, it's not likely that someone else will buy it. They are looking for used clothing that is appealing enough for a new person to buy, so it needs to be interesting, designer, or in really good condition (less than 2 years old). Most "mall brand" stores (like Gap, Old Navy, Express) have little lables inside that show the year and season the item was originally on sale (ex: fall 05), so it's easy for the BE buyers to scan those items quickly. They are upfront about their cash (35% of their sale price) and trade (50%) figures. They are also extremely honest about their donation policy and procedure - they are not selling the donated items on the floor and the girls working there are not taking them home. They have a strong corporate policy focused on giving back to the local community and they stick to it. 

So why the three stars? Well, a shopping trip to Buffalo takes time and some digging. Selling can often mean a long wait time, so and sell and buy trip last 90 minutes. Honestly, I scan the items for higher price tags. I've found a vintage Courreges dress (sells for about $300 on ebay) for $25, a prada skirt for $35, and various other name brand items for $20-$30. That's a better discount margin than buying a six month old Forever 21 top for $11.
1 - Austin L.: Major lameness.

For those of you who are wondering if BE has gotten lamer over the years...yes, it has, and that has a lot to do with the increasing focus on "trends."  

BE used to be a place where you could find one of a kind stuff from all eras without much attention to trends.  As such it was one of my favorite Austin places to look for a treasure.  Not any more.

As far as I can tell (being from here) there is no need to be "trendy" in Austin beyond what your own heart dictates.  We have it all here and BE used to reflect that in their choices.  It's too bad!
2 - Shanna P.: Meh. Even when I had things they've wanted to buy, I've still felt really uncomfortable selling my clothes here. Now when I clean out my closet, I don't even think about this place--I'd rather just take them to Goodwill and get the tax credits myself. I've never found a whole lot I've wanted to buy either, but my out-of-town friends love coming here for some reason. Oh, and parking's a pain (when they drag me here).
3 - Alex B.: Honestly, I have mixed feelings about Buffalo Exchange.  And to be frank, I have mixed feelings about having mixed feelings.  I'd go on, but the mind can only endure so much.

On the one hand, it's a dashing and quaint little shop staffed by an armada of elegantly-tattooed punk rocker chicks who are unexpectedly friendly and likeable.  Yes, apparently when the moon is full, everyone from Beauty Bar comes here instead.

Great, great, great.  The problem is that actually finding some fresh threads worth my money is about as likely as a million monkey team randomly typing the opening sentence of Hamlet.  It'll happen eventually, but do I really want to wait for that shit?  And in the rare event that I stumble upon a cool shirt, I can't help but think about the greasy hipster chest it has been lovingly nestled against for oh so many months.

I'm not trying to exempt myself from cultural or sartorial criticism.  After all, I'm just a caveman chode who likes to cruise down to Barton Creek mall in his pimp as fuck 92 Camry while playing Shakira at exceedingly loud volumes.  

But you know where I sell my old shit when the trends change and I have to run to Urban Outfitters for some new pantaloons and an eye patch or two?  Buffalo Exchange, that's where.  And that's the damned truth.
3 - Bek S.: Regardless of what I'm about to say, it's worth coming in here just to say hi to the cool workers and see how badly some people dare to dress in the name of Fashion.

I love this place cuz they bought a mega buttload of my stuff one time. Then the next time. And the next time. And the 2nd two times they told me "Thanks for bringing in your amazing stuff, it flew out the door!"  The workers here are sooooooo hip they should wear fanny packs for helmets. 
?
I hate this place cuz now I have all this credit and I can't find ONE DING DANG THING to buy.  First of all, I don't follow trends, I am old-school and I like being out-of-style. Why must the "current trend" dictate what all groovy thrift-shoppers have to wear?  Especially when the current trend feeds this snow-balling pussification of America. Yknow what ahm sayin? What's with these frilly tent-dress-shirt things?  Yo college broads can get all this stuff at the Mall. And everything at the Mall sucks so completely, I do look to places like Buffalo as the ALTERNATIVE. It is sad to see something that started as an establishment-screwing idea sink into the cesspool of conformity...

Second of all, 12 bucks is way too much for a worn-out Disney T-shirt. I do appreciate getting money for my used shwag, but other people's used shwag just doesn't compare to mine. They'll tell me my stuff shows too much wear, then I'll go shop and find stretched-out under-things disintegrating on the hangers. 
I mean, the stuff they turn down in my Hefty bag is better than 90% of what's on their racks. Don't you all feel the same way?  Ha ha ha....

And ditto on the waiting line. It's really clutzy. They need to give out numbers so you can step away and do something while you're waiting to sell.

Bonus weirdness comment: lots of you are complaining that you have to be size 0-3 to shop here. Well I must be a mutant cuz I'm a size "zero" and I can't ever find anything here that fits me. 
So there you have it, Buffalo.  You can't just not please everyone, you can't please anyone!

Overall value/experience: when you consider parking, waiting in line, and scouring through the over-packed racks, it's just too much WORK to "buy-sell-trade" at Buffalo on the Drag.
4 - Hannah G.: I recently visited BE for the first time, despite the warnings of "snobby employees" and "swarms of hipsters."

Though I did wait a while (it was a Saturday), the girl who sorted through my sellables couldn't have been nicer. I received $35 credit for nearly all of my things (mostly old Old Navy and Target items). I didn't find much that fit me, but both my BF and I have been back several times, both to buy and sell.

Don't expect to find an entire wardrobe here in one trip. It's like any other thrift/resale shop; it requires time, lots of digging, and multiple visits.

I don't understand a lot of these gripes about Buffalo. They don't force you to take a store credit that you don't want. If they don't buy back your stuff, it's not personal. Every single time I've been there, everyone has been nice. If you don't like the way they run things, go back to Goodwill, where you'll get nothing for your old clothes and everything is "conveniently" sorted by color.

Why not 5 stars, then? Two reasons: the racks are PACKED. I have to remember to bring a shoulder bag so that both hands are available to free any potentially awesome dress from the death grip of said racks. Also, I feel like some items are way overpriced. However, if the price isn't right, I just don't buy it. Problem solved.
3 - Erika G.: The last time I was here, the unthinkable happened: I got an actual compliment from one of the hipster salesgirls. 

Yes, yes, it's true. I. received. a. compliment. about. my. AGE. from. yon. whippersnapper. salesgirl. 

After my knees almost buckled and propelled me towards one of the racks of jeans and funky corduroy pants, I regained composure like a normal 30-year-old might. I promptly whipped out my cell phone and called GOD because I assumed that the other signs of the apocalypse were coming and I wanted to be prepared for LOCUSTS IN FEBRUARY.

So how exactly did this come to pass? As follows:

I come in with a bag of old spring/summer season pants. Two minutes later, all but one gets put back in my bag. The girl, who has black hair and is your typical hipster in an everything-I-wear-is-under-$10-but-artfully-thrown-together-because-I-am-only-partially-colorblind kind of way, really does helpfully explain, when I ask why my clothes don't make the cut, how things from major chain stores like Old Navy don't sell well and something about the tags indicating a particular fashion season and thus they don't want to overstock on styles. Yada yada. It actually was a helpful explanation, as opposed to some of the other reviews of Buffalo Exchange which indicate haughty attitudes and can't be bothered demeanors. I take it to be the luck of the draw when reselling, honestly.  

Then, this took place after I said I would take the paltry $5 for my one worthy pant:
Hipster Girl: So I just need to see an ID so I can write you your receipt.
Me: Cool. Here. 
HG: (staring at ID with the inspecting eye of a border guard) Ah, this expires this year.
Me: Yeah, the address is wrong, too. Luckily I have 7 months to worry about it.
HG: It's real easy. You just go online and they issue you the new ID with the same picture. I'm 26 and still have the same one from, like, 19. 
Me: (laughing in embarrassed manner) Yeah, I'M 30 and still have my one from 25. And yes, I'm keeping the damn picture.
HG: It's a good one. (slowly looking from ID to me, then back again, almost incredulously, as if she had found Waldo) You look EXACTLY the same, ya know. 

So when my old and decrepit brain processed this compliment, I immediately knew I was raising the star level on this joint. 

It's not every day that you get such flattery from a young hipster. In fact, I'd bet it would be easier to separate Britney Spears from her fucking venti frappuccinos and dirty Rite-Aid pregnancy tests than to expect compliments from the staff here. 

That's why I'm giving myself a star, too. But only privately. Oh, and still waiting on that apocalypse. 

To summarize: 
-Hipster's genuine compliment about my age = GREAT
-Not buying back my cute pants = FAIL
-Confusing yet helpful explanation as to above statement = WORTHY
-Quality of garments = CRAPSHOOT
-Occasionally finding a diamond in the rough = FANTASTIC
-Hipster's genuine compliment about my age = GREAT

I mention that last one twice but let's not kid ourselves. Sometimes a girl's gotta take what she can get.
4 - Rachelle R.: I'm a big thrift and vintage store shopper.  I've had very very good luck finding fantastic pieces here: shift dresses, blousy things, hot pencil skirts, summer dresses.  I've had a lot better luck finding things here than in some of my favorite places in LA and NYC.  Maybe because this place isn't as picked over? Maybe people generally aren't my size around here so I have the pick of EVERYTHING? Perhaps.  

I've never tried to sell anything here, so I don't have that perspective.  Honestly, if someone is going to be a bitch about something you're trying to sell here, it's kind of lame, but it's their job.  They have to pick what they think is cute.  Yes, yes, they could keep their comments to themselves, I know.  Buffalo Exchange isn't exactly known for stellar customer service.  However, I have had good vibes with the cashier and dressing room peeps.  If I am cleaning out my closet, I will (a) donate stuff to Goodwill and/or (b) put it up on eBay.  Problem solved.  You get more cash and feel better that way.  

"Feel better" refers to the donation bit, not the "more cash" bit, of course.

One star was deducted because my man always walks out of here with his hands empty, but I am carrying an armload of four dresses.  Boo.
5 - M C.: I've sold here more often than I've bought items here, and overall I've had extremely positive experiences.  
A word of advice to sellers:  
**Do not try and request one of the two sellers who seems nicer or more generous in amount/quality that he/she accepts--you'll probably end up with the one that's now fuming from the ears and ready to just crap on your clothes.
**Don't take their decisions on what to take vs. what to discard personally--I've been behind people who have fervently argued that they spent X amount on these one-of-a-kind _________(s), or that _____ is the trend right now, and it got them nowhere except closer to a tantrum.  Not only is this futile, but there are usually long lines of people waiting to sell also.

I've had some really nice buyers who talked with me the whole time and probably took more than I would've anticipated, so being friendly might help.  Even when they don't take much, though, they are still very considerate I think the exchange rate is very fair.
Best experience:  A male employee donning vibrant spandex pants danced wildly around the store, at one point shouting to a fellow employee to check him out as he added in some pelvic thrusts and "fierce" moves to the delight of all the onlookers.
4 - Beth M.: i love the place, but i detest the place at the same time... so many people go there, that all the goods are *usually* gone by the time i decide to go in.  this is partly my fault, bad timing.. as i have found some great stuff once in a while.  my most common finds are shoes.  they have a great selection, and i'm always debating on whether i should or shouldn't get this or that pair.  a lot of them are new (i got a brand new pair of $70 pumas today for $20 with tax), most of them are ever so slightly worn, a few of them you wonder how they made the cut past the buyers. i'll keep going, and hoping for those once in a while finds that brighten up my whole week.

edit: 4/10/08: i have to add another star because i hit the awesomness motherload the other day... 2 dresses, 3 necklaces and a bad for $100.
4 - matt S.: Wow, I can't believe I have lived in Austin for 7+ years and haven't been to Buffalo Exchange.. I don't think I will ever shop for casual clothes again at Buckle, etc. as they seem to have all the latest stuff at a third of the price. I picked up a pair of Volcom skateboarding shoes for $30 and a funky tee for $10, both guaranteed to take 10 years off my age or at least provide someone with a good laugh.. Don't care, I feel great finding, buying and wearing the stuff.  The selection is great and the location couldn't be better.  Only downside at all is the familiar smell of used clothing that you always seem to find at establishments like this.. I think the staff does a good job screening out incoming clothes also as I didn't see any boring stuff at all.
4 - Aimee A.: Buffalo Exchange is an awesome thrift store! I always manage to find something here when I come to Austin. Last trip I bought my boyfriend an awesome Western shirt. It looks like it was from the late 70's or 80's and it was originally from Sears, and it's embroidered with the 'Coors' logo. What a find, huh? My boyfriend loves anything tacky, he loves Western shirts, and he has a special place in his heart for anything with a beer logo. It'll match his 1980's Natural Light beer coat perfectly!

Buffalo Exchange has a constantly rotating collection of used men's and women's shoes, clothes, belts, purses, etc. Come in often because they get new stuff all the time!

Also I'd suggest bringing your own bag because when you don't use one of their plastic bags, they give you a little token that you can use to donate towards an organization of your choice on your way out since you saved them money on the bag! I just love that.
2 - Rebecca L.: I thought this was a really cool concept, but when I went, I could never find anything I wanted. I've had better luck at Salvation Army and garage sales. The sales people are snotty and have a "hipper-than-thou" attitude. If you're going to try to sell them clothes, prepare to be shot down unless you have designer stuff. Really long lines on weekends, parking sucks. Apparently, from time to time they have some sort of rummage sale where they leave boxes of unwanted clothes in front of the store.
1 - Marce B.: The buffalo exchange in houston is better, I think if this one weren't so crowded and filled with snotty fashion challanged douche bags It would be way cooler. Just because you can tie a belt around a jc penny house dress doesn't mean you are stylish. These people act like they pick out models for alexander mcqueen.
I prefer the goodwill on S lamar.
5 - Ashley J.: I have never left this store even close to empty-handed.  I have shopped and sold here.  They sell everything from clothes, shoes, accessories.  They are picky about what they buy, but that IS their job.  Otherwise, we would have to be digging through a bunch of junk to find one cute item (Ross, Marshalls).  Nothing looks very used and all the clothes are unique and stylish.  I recently cleaned out my closet.  They accepted about half the stuff I brought and offered me about $30 in store-credit or $20 cash, my choice.  Desperately broke and being a typical female, I took the store credit.  "Getting rid of old clothes,only to purchase more old clothes" was my boyfriend's reaction.  Whatever.  I plan to find a cute dress for my cousin's wedding this weekend.  Five stars.  I love this store and the staff is helpful and friendly.

UPDATE!  Went back to BE to use my store credit.  I was not able to find a dress... Bad day for dresses...  I left with a denim skirt and GREAT "cowgirl" boots.
2 - Jana T.: Fashion disaster, thy name is Austin, and thy home is Buffalo Exchange* on the drag.

I think I really hate the sense of style here that is somewhere between Raggedy Ann and June Cleaver.  I hate a store that buys nothing but stuff like that and the most hideously cheap and slutty sorority girl** castoffs.  Also, why won't they ever buy anything over a size 14?  I'm sorry, I forgot that women only come in sizes 14 and smaller?!***

Pretty much I buy dresses, as I almost always wear dresses (mixing and matching are just too much hassle), and I will go through the dress collection there and find in a size 8:
- some silver thing with no back that comes from Forever 21
- a green print house dress with no label of any kind made of hideous 1970s polyester
- some pseudo-shirt-waist from Gap circa 1995

That's pretty much every recollection of shopping there I've ever had.  It was great when I was a slip of a girl on financial aid income and didn't mind looking like ass because I thought I looked cool.  I guess if you're in that age bracket, it's the place for you.  If you are over 22 and have any sense of elegance, avoid the place.  It is not for you.

*I'll add a disclaimer that one of my favorite stores for buying clothes in the world is Buffalo Exchange in San Francisco, so it's not a slam on all the stores.
**At twenty, slutty was ok.  Then I started grad school and had to act more professional.  
***No, if you think I am a medium-size to larger woman bitching about skinny chics, I am not.  I am a rather thin person myself.  I take up the cause for my friends who are not.
5 - Leslie L.: I've lived in Austin 12 years and for 12 years I've been gladly giving this place my business. Bring in pieces you're tired of and leave with something cuter? Yay! When I hear people complain that Buffalo didn't buy their clothes, I usually think, ''Good.  It means I won't have to go through racks of your old pilled-up, outdated clothes."  And when I hear people say the staff is standoffish, I usually tell them they must not be acting right - the staff at Buffalo are total sweethearts.  They always remember me, some know my name, they're fair and stylish and funny and always ask how I've been and why didn't they see me last week?  I heart Buffalo.  A lot.
5 - Hoa N.: Love it. I have to dress professionally for work and with BE, I can funk it up with style and polish. I've had luck here finding fun, interesting dress jackets (especially ones that have cloth Asian buttons and collars) in natural fabrics: linen, silk-- even organic cotton. Found a perfect belt here and a pair of cute green sandals that always draw compliments.

I never try to sell here but my guy does with good success (he takes super-good care of his clothes, even the buyers noticed) -- and he gives ME his credit. I have the best guy.

Great no-bag policy (they encourage customers to forgo a bag and donate a nickel to a charity for every bag saved). 

LOVE that they hold a Coats for Cubs day: donate real-fur items (quality unimportant) and they will give them back to the animals as "bedding and comfort to orphaned and injured wildlife." Check their websites for donation periods.
4 - M B.: Seems like about half the reviewers love the place, while the other half think it's overpriced, snotty, and/or lame.   Over all, I'm going to put myself in the former category.  I really like the place, and I like the fact that a goodly percentage of the stuff there is funky, cool, or just plain bizarre.   Need a patchwork lace-up Chinese silk corset?  This is your place.   Kudos to the selection staff.  

I usually only have short periods of time to slip away and get in some me shopping time, so I really appreciate the fact that someone else has done a lot of the weeding out of a lot of the '80s polyester pastel bow-tie shirts for me.  With careful selection, I can find funky-yet-office-acceptable clothes for work, cool stuff for weekends, as well as a few fun things for the enjoyment of the spouse, if you get my drift.  

Prices are on the high side for a confirmed cheapskate like me - things seem to range generally from about $8 to $25.   But if you go early in the month, they do markdowns then, and you can find some great things on the 50% off racks.  Fun place.  Glad I live close by.
5 - Kristin B.: I have hated the mall for years.  I have finally found my alternative to the mall: Buffalo Exchange.  They have TONS of stuff, and most of it is within my price range (which is not very large).  I even found an Anna Sui dress there once for $45 (normally a couple hundred bucks, I assume).  It's organized fairly well for a vintage store, and the service is quick.  Actually, I don't even care about the service.  I only care that they have rad shirts and dresses I cannot find anywhere else.  

Dear Buffalo Exchange, 
Thank you for giving me a place to go where I can find clothes I actually like.
4 - Genevieve T.: This store is funny to me because I will either leave with several pieces or nothing.  I really enjoy their mix of new and used items.  Unlike some of the other reviews, I haven't noticed an attitude from the salespeople.  They are helpful, offer to take my choices to the dressing room if they see me carrying anything, and offer to show me things if they see me staring through the glass display cases.
4 - Lauren M.: Do you need a good ego check?  Well then head on down to Buffalo Exchange and try to sell some of the clothes you thought were so cool!!  Having them look over your clothes and examine them like they are pimples on your face can be pretty painful.  (I thought my 3/4 length linen shirt was so great, why don't you love it too?) However in the end you sell what you can and spend your credit on some of their quality goods.  I'll try to go every few months as they have a pretty good rotation of clothes, excluding my 3/4 length linen blouse of course.

It is also very fun to see the wardrobe of the employees who all are very diverse and friendly.
3 - Allison P.: Apparently, the dress I bought at Buffalo Exchange a few months ago is no longer cool enough for them to buy back when I brought in my latest pile after cleaning out my closet. What? It was literally "so 5 minutes ago."

Maybe it's a sign that I am getting old, but does anyone else understand the way people dress who work here? When did it become cool to have a long, high-waisted skirt (the over the belly unflattering look) with an almost see through white tank and ill fitting bra. If this is cool, then I am OK being un-hip.

I shouldn't knock them too much, because I did get $18 for 3 items that were just sitting in the back of my closet. And if I see any of you wearing a silver sequin tube top, I know where you got it!
2 - Gabby M.: Ugh, I get so embarrassed selling my clothes here! The staff is snobby and make you feel really uncool. I have found one or two items here( my puff sleeved bunny sweater is a coveted item) but for the most part nothing really. Plus a lot of them don't really know anything about clothes. A friend of mine was selling a plain top and they weren't going to take it until she mentioned to me she had got it at Feathers boutique. Lame.
2 - Jenny Q.: Sorry, I've experienced better.  The BE in Albuquerque is wonderful, and this one is disappointing.  The type of clothing seems to be similar for the most part, which is silly, and I have seen items that are same brand/style that they have rejected purchasing from mua on the racks.  I'm not jacked because they haven't purchased from me, I've only tried a couple of times.  I agree with some others, I would prefer to get the tax breaks, more money in the end anyway.  I too, also find cuter clothing in the thrift stores.
3 - Christine A.: I came in several weeks ago with my kid to sell two large bags of clothing after a closet purging.  It was great to be the second person in the door and at the buyer's counter. The "trick" is to pull into the parking lot at 10:45 a.m. and leap out, run to the door and stand for 15 minutes in the sun holding your heavy bags. So, the waiting I wanted to avoid happened at the door. If you are selling, you will wait either way.

After the tall gentleman with the "Buyer" name tag paws through two bags of clothing, I net $41.00. My kid is still trolling through the rounders of t-shirts so I decide to look around. It is difficult for me to focus on items for sale here because I am distracted by the disorganization. I'm sure this is some type of a brain processing affliction but I've never had it diagnosed and don't plan on it.  

Most times I feel like I'm racing with the other shoppers to find the one special item everyone wants.  Anyway, as usual, I do not find the item and do not make a purchase. And as usual, the teenager spends most of my $41.00 on several "cool" t-shirts and we are done.
4 - Laura C.: I didn't mean the below review to be a personal attack on anyone.  There are multiple reviews complaining about BE's clothing purchase policy and it seemed to me that it's kind of like complaining that Starbucks doesn't give you free coffee. Maybe I should've toned it down a notch...
4 - Jefe R.: Here's the deal.  I am kinda too young to shop in here, I think.  Most of the kids I see in here now put me to shame.  I am pretty hip, but I gotta start to recognize that at my age, staying hip means spending a little money, and that at some point, clothes with holes in them are no longer cool.  However, every time I bring clothes here to sell, the sales girls gush and ooh and ahhhh over what GREAT taste I have.  I rarely have stuff they won't buy, and they generously agree to donate all the stuff they don't want to Goodwill or whomever for me, saving me a trip.  That's really my M.O. with Buffalo Exchange, to be honest.  Here are the bags of crap i have cleaned out of my closet and drawers to take to Goodwill, let's see what's worth something and the rest is history.  It's been working out so far, but now I more often have to take the cash instead of the store credit, and I am losing out on that deal.  Oh well, at least the sales girls still oooh and ahhh and gush over me.  At my age, that's worth the trip.

(Jesus-Marimba, I sound like a frickin' geezer, or my Dad.)
5 - Ryan P.: I love this store.  It's like going to a thrift store, but without having to sort through mountains of crap to find the gold. Of course it's a little more expensive than a thrift store, but far cheaper than the boutiques and designer stores that the clothes originally came from.
   This is the first place (and usually the only place) I go when I need jeans as I'm very picky about my jeans and apparently the BE staff is too. They're usually broken in and pre-shrunk,  cost about 1/4 of what they would cost brand new, and dudes my size with similar taste in style have already done the work of hunting down a sweet pair of jeans for me.
   Also, being a dude without a lot of expendable cash, I don't pay attention to sales and I don't enjoy running around to all the stores in town to make sure I look good. I just pop into BE and can find all sorts of awesome clothes from all sorts of designers or whatnot in one store. It's awesome.
1 - Lauren E.: Not for me.  I get the vintage store thing, it makes sense, find things that someone else stopped thinking were cool but that are still cool to you.  Recycling is good.
This place, however, is obnoxiously hip and makes me want to force feed people hamburgers and buy them clothing that fits right.
1 - Chelle T.: If you call target clothes or urban outfitters via 2005 vintage this is the place for you.

Oh, and don't even bother selling your clothes to them... the buyers will throw your $200 pair of jeans down, yell $5! and move on to the next pricy item they can rape you of. It's funny how the buyers are always wearing the most heinous outfits also. Maybe next time I'll bring in something really ugly and I may get $10 for it! YES!
5 - Therese R.: This place is "the best"  A varitey of seasonal outfits.  Something for everybody.  Prices are great.  I have 7 kids, ages, 28-11 abd they love it there, especially the shoes.  

And if you are a Halloween person, the costumes are amazing.

Parking in the front and back of store.  Plus a great coffee shop and toy store right next door.  A one stop shop.  

The people are about as friendly as they could be.  I just can't imagine all the "stories" they hear.  They just listen and listen and listen, and smile.  
You can make a clothing  donation to  one of  the 10 different charity organizations  that Buffalo sponsors, depending on what day you drop off
your stuff. 
 It is all in all an experience.  
Not sure how the selling part works, but it;s like a pawn shop.  You have to show an ID.
4 - Sandra A.: I think your view of Buffalo depends on whether you are a buyer or a seller. As a buyer...you can't beat it. If you don't have a lot of cash and need some nice clothes - this is the spot! I find most of the staff to be quite friendly...others seemed overworked or distracted, but not a biggie.

I tried selling to them 2x...I have to agree with the other reviews on that count!

All in all a very cool place to shop.
3 - Ashley C.: I found 30$ boots here that I wear at least once a week, gotta bump up my rating.
2 - El b.: I have to agree with others that they make you feel like crap!  They have you stand there as they dig through your clothes and whisper amongst themselves, pointing and giggling.  They turn back too you to tell you they will give you 3.00 for the 100.00 sweater you bought last year at banana republic.  Its insane too me, especially when I purused the racks, to find a 1980's acid wash demin jacket from FootLoose on the rack for $30.00.  I accept it, I am just not cool enough for this terrible place!
5 - Lindsay T.: it's true, a lot of the stuff is seriously ugly and i'm sure they do cheat you as a seller.

but bottom line: i bought the most perfect fitting pair of rock and republics for $28.  you can't beat that anywhere.
4 - Christine T.: I don't even both trying to sell my clothes to these guys because the line is always about eight years long and they never want my stuff anyway.

But I can find some badass stuff here for super cheap. I can't even begin to afford Seven for All Mankind jeans in real life, but BE lets me pretend like I'm wealthy enough to buy designer denim.

Of course you have to rifle through some of the weirdest shit I have ever seen in my life. I'm pretty sure my grandma never gave you people permission to steal those monstrosities from her closet... that's just not cool.
3 - Kelty G.: Being in a relationship with Buffalo Exchange is like heaven and hell all in one seductive, crafty, beautiful, and bitchy little package. She is a fickle lover, who wants you to second guess yourself.  

One day, you can do no wrong and you are the light of her life when you present her with a vintage Lily Pulitzer skirt or a cool as ice leather jacket.  Other days, you are a scourge on her countenance who brings nothing but shame as you present her with item after item of unacceptable clothing from last season.  She may scold you for brands with out-of-date labels.  Or even worse, the item that you present to her may have neither a recognizable name brand nor enough vintage street credibility to get it through the her inexplicable vetting process.

My lover Buffalo Exchange keeps me all mixed up inside.  Sometimes she takes my clothes, usually she doesn't.  Sometimes she sends me home with amazing, unique, and delightful gifts with which to impress my friends.  Other times I deeply ponder the origins of her supposedly good taste.  

Whether she realizes it or not, I know that my beloved Buffalo Exchange is not always right, even though she always thinks she is.  She thinks her taste is impeccable and timeless.  But I know that she is rash and of the moment.  Yet, this is one of the reasons I cannot leave her.  She thinks herself a queen when really she's just a princess.  We all play along though because even though her crown is smaller than expected, she's still got more jewels than the rest of us.  

After four years, I've looked beyond the facade of one that I once thought was perfect.  Instead of giving up, I have decided to take her at face value, to look past her flaws, and instead to love her for the reasons that I would otherwise hate her.
4 - Danny V.: Once upon a time I lived with a crazy girl in a condo downtown. One day she needed money and stole a bunch of my favorite shirts and vintage superstars and took them to buffalo exchange. She was able to get over $200 for my fashionable stash. Needless to say I was quite upset and had to get revenge and also sold her clothes there a few weeks later but only got a measly $100 for several pounds of her trashy attire. All in all a great value whether you are buying or selling, and always crazy "keep Austin weird types" working there. So if you need a quick buck some cool threads or just a way to get revenge Buffalo is the place.
4 - Mary S.: I've heard about it for years, and I finally went! It was... intimidating! Good thing I had learned from a friend the implications of selling them your clothes... The few amazing articles of clothing I own, I would never want to be rid of them, so I won't even bark up that skirt.... I -did- find several fantastic shirts, including an original print Pixies tee... but i also ended up spending 84 bucks. I'm the kinda gal that spends 30 at a thrift store & then feels bad about spending so much on clothes. So. You might find a real gem at Buffalo Exchange, but be ready when you spend more on the shirt in used condition than it cost brand new 5-15 years ago.
4 - Amber D.: It's a plethora (like that word) of hot chicks and chic dudes (no, those adjectives need not be reversed) walking around in crazy get-up's that make you want to know how the hell they got dressed so good on the wages they make.

The staff (this review is so biased) = my personal stylists because I always want to rip off what they wear and act like I came up with crazy crochet sweater over the bikini top or whatever they've found and magically made wonderful.  They're like chefs that take really awful ingredients but know just what elements of awful to put together to make one (surprisingly) cohesive wonderful.

If you're a hellbilly girl, a punk rock boy, a sorority sister (they got Abercrombie or whatever you guys are into other than those DAMNED ATHLETIC SHORTS), you're going to find something you like...

It can be mega hit or miss here, and selling here makes it a great bargain (if you find it on a "hit" and not a "miss" the shoe selection and prices are amazing, but remember, it's all feast-or-famine with this place).

Whiners, shut up.  If you sell here, they are performing a service for you - if you want $300 for the jeans you paid $350 for... do the work yourself, put 'em on eBay.
3 - Holly P.: I relocated to Austin six months ago and have learned a very important lesson: people here will sue you. The man driving the vehicle I hit in a low-impact fender bender a few months ago was friendly as we exchanged insurance cards but later turned out to be a douchebag as he tried to make a personal injury claim. So I wasn't surprised last Saturday when the Buffalo Exchange manager couldn't allow an employee to help me carry some shoes to sell from outside to inside the building because her insurance only covered employees working inside. I was frustrated by the news and didn't stay to sell my shoes so I can't really comment on price points. But I will say that as an observation, this upscale Goodwill is certainly doing a lot of business.
4 - Kevin N.: Honestly, I can kind of see both sides of the Buffalo Exchange argument: if you have clothes that represent an attachment to you, and you sell them back expecting these guys to monetarily synchronize that attachment, it stands to reason that you'll likely walk away less than completely satisfied.

My experience here has been pretty positive, however, mostly by virtue of the fact that I only expect from these guys what I can get, namely, some haphazard castoffs bookending the occasional rare nouveau uncovering, some by and large cool threads that tend to cost me generally about a third or less of what they'd run spanking new, etcetera. I  feel like I have a sense of their stocking philosophy (at least with regard to what hits the floor), and it works for me. It helps a little that these guys are pretty good when it comes to contributing to charity too..the whole bag/token thing is nice. On a gag, I tried on some white jeans that I didn't know were skinny. Trust me when I say I wouldn't share that tragedy with anyone anywhere other than in print, and I didn't realize they were 'skinny' until I tried them on, but I just about laughed myself out into the street. So that happened.

And when I have something to sell back? I think long and hard about bringing stuff in...but usually I don't. At least for me, it's just easier that way.
4 - Lin C.: I sold a bag of clothes here and made $25 cash. The buyers weren't too picky from what I had experienced in the past and they were pretty friendly and explained why they didn't take certain items. Anyway, there were a lot of good stuff at the time I went, but didn't end up buying anything. I kept sneezing and couldn't stand the dust, like every vintage/thrift store in the world. Good location, but definitely lack of parking.
5 - Jennifer E.: I love this place. its an awesome vintage clothing store. unlike local thrift shops this place only excepts "trendy" vintage clothing. you know, a old Budweiser cap, or maybe an oddly colored sweat shirt that reads "Al's barn shack chicken".  kinda takes the fun out of searching, but i dont know, your bound to found a gem in here somewhere, whether it be a hat, belt, shirt, etc. great place.
4 - Chin Y.: I've never bought anything here, and today was my first time selling.  Contrary to what some people have experienced, I found that the buyers were nice, friendly, and talkative to all the people that were selling.  I also did not sell any clothes that I liked, or even still wore, so I had no attachment to this stuff.  

Most of what I brought in wasn't accepted(understandable since it was old, out of fashion stuff that I was going to donate anyways), but for the stuff that was, I got $75 cash.  As for there being a long line, I went on a Saturday around 6pm and there was only 1 person before me, and it was my turn within minutes.
3 - Lei G.: I found cool vintage bracelets, but most of the vintage clothes/boots I easily found in the local thrift stores around town. Doesn't hurt to check out what they have in stock.
4 - Sydney T.: I have been on both the buying and selling end of this place. 

Buying: If you don't mind sifting through some of the weird stuff (why is there a gold Members Only jacket in here?) then you can really get some cute, inexpensive finds. I like that I can find pretty much anything I'm looking for in there.

Selling: I don't like that I am "too small" a lot of times for them. I agree with a previous reviewer about jeans length -- I am only 5'2" and they pretty much refuse to take any of my tailored jeans. I don't consider myself that short, but apparently they do. I have sold quite a few things there and I've never experienced any snottiness from the staff. 

In General: I have no idea why, but every time I go there a girl is there with her dog. They let the dog run loose around the store. I love dogs, but this is really annoying. I'm trying to shop, but Fluffy wants to hump my leg. Not to mention all the dog hair that must be getting on the clothes and those who may have severe allergies to dogs.
3 - Holly A.: Eh - hip is good, stylish is good, recycling is good, unique is good, weird is good, cute is good, edgy is good, hot is good.  It's all good here in the material form.

But uh - this place kind of reminds me of Spider House when it comes to the overall ...... not nearly as cool as it thinks it is.  

HINT:  Cool is something that does not require trying so hard your head explodes; more attitude does not automatically equal more cool.  Cool requires a little bit of intelligence and a lot of awareness.  Not that I personally know what cool is, of course.
4 - Ingrid K.: I've been going to buffex for almost 10 yrs and the experience has always been great. b.e has expanded so now it has twice the selection. The staff is great. They aren't pretentious hipsters like the ones you'll find up in the east coast vintage scenes who smugly look at your clothes while they sort through the stuff with the tips of their fingers. I always find something cute here. The only downside is that they've increased their prices over the years...$15 for a pair of used, no-brand shorts? Naws I'll just go to the mall.
5 - vitter r.: great merch, great people, a lot of fun!  chris is awesome and there is this one women who is always in such a good mood!  i wish i knew her name...brown hair, glasses, usually wears bright colored clothing.  every time i sell there it is a good experience.  even if they do not buy all of my merch they are super friendly.
5 - Robyn S.: This review is mainly about my selling experience at Buffalo Exchange, which I put off doing for months after reading loads of scary reviews on Yelp. The staff is largely painted as snobbish and intimidating, but my experience could not have been more positive. 

I brought in about 15 pairs of jeans, of which they bought 13. Once they finish the buying process they tell you the total amount they are purchasing from you, and offer you 35% of that amount in cash, or 50% in store credit. I ended up using some of my money for store credit and then got the rest in cash. I feel like the process was fair (I wouldn't have taken the jeans they didn't take either, yuck), the money was fair, and the service was excellent. They guy buying from me even told me I had excellent denim and asked me to bring in more if I had any. Seriously. Could not have been nicer.

My only advice is to know the value of the clothing you are selling as well as knowing the sort of brands and designers they sell in the store. I brought in Paper Denim, James, SFAM, Salt, and Joe's, which they bought, and Benetton, which they did not. 

Overall, I was very please with the whole experience, and plan to do it again soon.
5 - Jessica A.: I scored like A-Rod on a steroid binge today at the Buffalo so perhaps the 5 stars I'm allotting them are commiserate with my one time personal success (since I've left many a time empty handed and annoyed) and I'm on a thrifting high and feeling very generous. The prices trip me out a bit since some items are way overpriced for their brand and condition while other stuff is a complete steal. But perhaps that just adds to the thrill of the hunt?

We in Austin are blessed with a plethora of vintage and thrift stores so Buffalo Exchange is not the be-all-to-end-all in local used clothing stores but what really makes them stand out in my mind is the awesome staff. Even though the place was jam packed  I was still consistently asked by someone if I'd like to have my clothes held until I was ready to try them on to save me from juggling an armload of stuff. And when I'd decided to keep something they would hold it under my name at the register so I could keep looking. Very helpful and welcomed assistance not realized even in most department stores. Good stuff. I can't wait to show off all my new thread to friends and make them guess how much (little)  I paid!
2 - Crystal S.: Buffalo Exchange is something you get over quickly. Everything is overpriced now and the pretentious attitude that comes along with the store is definitely a turn-off. I used to shop here a lot in high school, a few years ago, but very rarely anymore. I like the shoe selection though, and there is always a good amount of eye candy, but I can't think of any more positive things to say.
3 - Michelle N.: It was very mediocre, in my opinion...the pricing made NO sense to me! A pair of Miu Miu flats for $25 (not my size, unfortunately!), with a pair of Forever 21 shorts being $14. Hello? I can get new Forever 21 for the EXACT same price? I don't know, I just think if I'm going to dig as much as is necessary at B.E. to find cute things, then the deals should be a little better. Also, it gets hot in there and it's always crowded, plus long lines. Probably worth stopping by every once in a while, but it's not going to be at the top of my shopping list or anything.
3 - Michelle G.: Well, we made our maiden voyage to Buffalo Exchange yesterday. Apparently, so did half the UT population. Blame it on the beginning of tax-free weekend and poor planning on my part. But the elusive promise of a pair of designer jeans for next to nothing was just enough to draw us in.

Despite a million try-ons we just couldn't seem to find anything that fit. Of course, having a clear idea of what size you are and knowing ahead which brands you like would probably be of benefit. My guess is that the selection was fairly picked over and so will need a return visit before making a final decision.

Truth be told, the reviews on this site had me really dreading coming here. I am no hipster and I'm probably nearly twice the average customer's age, but again, the jeans....and my daughter's sudden growth spurt and need for all new clothes had me ready to withstand the disapproving eye and mocking attitude i was sure was awaiting me here.

Color me pleasantly surprised. I was asked at least 5 times if I was being helped, if they could take my stuff to a dressing room, etc. All of my interactions were positive and professional and ultimately, we ended up with 3 tops. I actually had to kind of laugh to myself about my fear of this place. I mean, after all, it looked to me as if it were costume day at the buffalo exchange. THESE are the fashion forward gods those before me have spoken of? Really?
4 - Jessica A.: Ah, my favorite place to clothes shop in Austin.  Also, the biggest Buffalo I have been to (having been to Vegas', New Orleans and Houston's stores, also).  Great place for everything:  work clothes, play clothes and rock clothes.  THE BIGGEST GUYS SELECTION!  Prices are reasonable (well, I've seen cheaper stuff at other stores...) but the selection is choice.  High store turnover.  Even going once or twice a month feels like a different store.

Overall, a great place to spend your hard-earned money.  You deserve it, especially if you are shopaholic like me. Be forewarned they don't buy much clothes back though, unless it's uber hipster/trendy stuff.  Kind of annoying.
3 - stephanie c.: PAINFULLY hip staff. great clothes and fantastic prices. worth a visit for the clothes, not the vibe.
4 - Lindsay F.: The staff IS enjoyable/comical!  I like that you can both buy and sell your old clothes here!  I feel like this is a very Austin place, complete with crowds, and people searching for a shirt with an old soap opera cast on it or whatever.   
     
I find that because this city is so laid back, that the fashion is also laid back (VERY casual).  I like their accessories the best! The prices are fine for what you are getting, and it is usually very busy on weekends, so patience is a virtue when coming here!
2 - Nathan I.: The Great Wardrobe Purge of 2009 was in full swing, and while old Ralph Lauren cargo pants and highschool T-shirts were carted off to Goodwill, I saved some choice pieces for the consignment route. This review dovetails the Second Looks review I've done, so this would be the sequel.

I read a magazine article on AOL News (you know, one of those fluff pieces) that said if you're strapped for cash, don't throw out the hideous sweater you get from Grandma, take it to a resale shop and get the cash! Bullshit.

I wasn't strapped for cash, but It just seemed inappropriate and almost a tad cruel to just dump off my old,designer clothes at a Goodwill. I thought if I had to get fat and grow out of my custom tailored Gucci jeans, I may as well sell them and give some hipster at UT the chance to find a deal and enjoy them. 

It works like this, and they give you the rundown when you're there, so newbies listen up. They look at your clothes, and if they think some pretentious downtown college student or a quirky fashion design girl with rainbow leggings would like your stuff, they put a price on it. You get a percentage of that price. So for example, my Gucci jeans, purchased at $400, worn a few times, but otherwise perfect condition, were bought for $32.50 and I got around $18-20 of that. Other "acceptable" items for them were shirts by Roberto Cavalli, Versace, and a pair of John Varvatos pants. 

They say they only buy what they consider is "in" and "relevant" for their customers, or if an item is especially "vintage" in nature. Higher end denim like True Religion, Sevens, and Diesels also find a good home. But you don't get squat for them.   
The lines are always long, usually with people who bring absolute crap in heaping boxes and hope to make a killing out of selling ratty gym shorts and Payless shoes that probably came apart a week after they were bought. These items, and the majority of items, are tossed aside and rejected. 

Not to belabor the point, but I brought in almost $1500 worth of designer clothes (that were not so trendy that they couldn't be worn today), and got a whole $50 out of them. You get more for store credit, but you have to be a heroin addict to fit into the majority of their clothes. But, I did feel better that my clothes did seem to go to the right place. 

I get the sense a lot of people leave disappointed from this place. But if you know what to expect, the optimistic crash doesn't hurt so much.

I have NO idea what the buying side is of it; I've had friends of mine who have made some great finds and some think it's just a bunch of junk. I'll let other reviewers go there. 

The staff was nice, if they weren't treating the decent clothes you've brought in as if they were covered in dog crap and they only deigned to purchase them for some obscure reason.

And parking sucks, btw.
4 - Stephanie R.: This is my new 1st stop for Halloween costume shopping. They have so much...for SO LITTLE! I found a cute (but typical) high-quality costume for 16$. They have a number of racks FULL of costumes. They are mostly women's costumes, though. Sorry guys!

Also, on my shopping visit yesterday, I found an adorable long sweater, a silk dress/blouse and a pair of boots. Each item was about 15$! I love shopping vintage and used, but I seem to forget to stop by Buffalo regularly. I'll have to add them to my thrift shop tour. :-)
5 - Javier D.: I like buying trendy clothes, there I said it.  I want three or four things that will get me into whatever bar of my choosing when I decide it's my night to find my way there.  I want a kick ass print-tee with a whale and a pair of chopsticks in some collage of day-glo 80's inspired splatter.  I want a members only jacket and an argyle sweater that I will wear only one time and cast away to the corner of my closet when the mood strikes.

This is where I go to find those things for not-so-much coin #on the reg.  I am unrepentant in my search of silly out-of-my-age-bracket clothing choices to the point of completely ignoring scoffs from people older and younger than me.  Ask me if I care.  I do not.  

I don't speak with authority on everything, but I do know trends (been around long enough to observe a complete cycle).  I know something about style and am not afraid to wear it and experiment with it.  I can always find something that I will be very willing to wear at this store that some would dub a hipster den of iniquity.  I will up your accusations of my being a douchey hipster type and declare you incapable and not imaginative enough to dress thyself in the latest trend.  I don't need your rules.
4 - Zoe V.: This place is great to find some nice name brand clothes at a fraction of the cost. A lot of the stuff is meant to be indie and hip but comes off as just a little odd, so the selection isn't always at its best. But if you search the store carefully you can usually always find at least one super cute piece of clothing. 

One of the problems with selling back is that they are extremely picky. I can understand this, being a business and all you want to only buy what you think you can sell. But I've seen them pass up some amazing clothes I would be willing to buy just sitting in line and watching what they reject. And as a seller myself I've had stuff rejected for not being white enough when the color is more of an eggshell and not meant to bleached. 

The parking can also be a problem during certain times of day, and when parking is a problem there is also usually a long line of people waiting to sell. The best time to go is in the morning before they've seen all the clothes of the day, they are more likely to buy then. Also this provides for some good one on one time with the racks of clothes without having to worry about bumping into someone. (Even with the expanded store it can get a little cramped.) 

Overall the experience is what you make of it, though you could probably do just as well going to a thrift store even if you might have to look a little harder.
4 - Angelica S.: The staff here is very pleasant. My husband had bags and bags of clothes to sell. (He has lost quite a bit of weight. GO HUBBY!!)  

They purchased more than any other store and we were pleasantly surprised. I really didn't see many clothes that I would wear on the racks.  (Just not my style)  Even so, I did enjoy the atmosphere.
1 - c s.: SELL IT ON EBAY! OR CL! Don't ever sell at BuffEx. I brought in a ca. 93 vintage Yohji Yamamoto navy wool jacket once, and was told that the style was not "in" right now...LOL!! I laughed out loud in the clerk's face, grabbed my stuff and just left. I've been moving recently, and just sold the jacket on eBay for $130. These college children don't know their sh*t from shinola - it's absolutely laughable! Just check out all the "Seven" jeans and Ed Hardy-esque t-shirts they have on the racks - you'll see what I mean.
3 - Don A.: You can go ahead and read the other reviews for an in depth description.  I'll just share my few experiences. 

This is going to sound mean, but often time if feel the staff tries to hipster it up a little too much, to the point of being a caricature of an actual hipster, of which is already a caricature of an actual person.  I guess they encourage "cutting edge", but come on.  Service?  Hit and miss.  When I first moved to Austin I sold a load of old rockabilly clothing for some much needed $$ and almost alway got the same very nice girl.  One instance, a particularly 2 kool for skool worker noticed I had been standing at the checkout for a really long time with nobody there to ring me up.  She asked me if I needed help, and when I said yes that would be great... she just sort of hipster floated away.  So I stood there for a while longer watching her have a conversation with the manager about Tilly and the Wall or whatever, until I finally said "well were you going to um help me".   That's when I got the stink eye from both of them, and a very loud and sarcastic "someone will be with you, thanks for being patient!".  So, that turned me off for at least a year.  I've been back a few times lately to get rid of tshirts and an old motorcycle jacket, and everyone has been relatively nice and helpful.  I haven't seen "patient!" girl any, perhaps she was trampled at Pitchfork Festival.  

One can dream. 

A good tip is, if they reject any of your clothes you're trying to sell, just wait and go the next day and someone else will probably buy them.
4 - Claire M.: Things that you may see/encounter/experience at Buffalo:

- Foppish dandies in oxfords, slacks and bowties at 11 in the morning
- Generic sorority girls in Nike running shorts with major roots under that bottle blonde staring at dudes with pink mohawks
- Local high school kids who have totes heard that Buffalo is totes the place to score Sevens and Nike dunks on the cheaps, OMG!
- People who are stoned or at least maintain a exaggeratedly stoned expression because they can't afford the 'dro right now but don't want anyone to know it.
- Angry scene-girl staff members who become progressively angrier with each sorority girl they are forced to interact with
- Really cool stuff from handmade jewelry to Chanel jackets
- Tweakers sitting in the sell line, all twitchy and nervous, squeezing a pair of used sneakers they hope to sell for the $6
- Cameltoe
- Buddy Holly glasses
- guyliner
- Lamé
- Really ugly shit that much to your horror, you realize someone will pay actual real-live money for
- Staff members that will actually snort in amusement if you bring in your buy items in an Old Navy bag
- Greasy hair
- Disinterest
- Items in poor repair that you should carefully check before buying
- A burly male staff member who enjoys smacking his shoulder into mannequins as he walks past them
- Crackheads
- Goth-ravers
- Platform knee-high boots
- Really out-of-control beards that look like misplaced pubes
- Hair asymmetry
- Torn leggings
- Last night's makeup
- Sneers

But generally a good place to get more unusual or vintage pieces. If a buyer doesn't take an item you bring in, try bringing it in on another day. It works more often than not.
4 - Kate I.: For me, B.E. is a mixed bag. It has some issues to work out. However, it did manage to solve the biggest ongoing problem of my life, which is finding pants that both fit me and look okay. Thus, I am forced to give it four stars.

I visited the shop on a weekday afternoon, and found the first problem to be parking. The front lot was full, the back lot was full, and the street parking behind the back lot was...you guessed it...full. After making a couple go-arounds, though, something opened up, so onward to the store I went.

Now, the whole reason I decided to shop here was because a friend at work told me she often finds good jeans in their guys' section. So I was on a mission to get in guys' pants. 

However, the fitting room attendant did not approve of this goal one bit. After several trips to the fitting room with arms full of men's jeans, she finally gave me an icy stare and said, "You know, we have a women's jeans section." 

But, despite her cynicism, and despite the loud, hot, cramped dressing rooms, and despite the store's strict policy of counting your fitting room items one by one (very slowly), I managed to find a pair of guys' jeans that fit me like a glove. (H&M, they were. If only there were an H&M in the central time zone!)

I also snagged a couple pairs of women's pants, much to the joy of the skeptical fitting room attendant. And, when it comes down to it, $38 for 3 pairs of pants is a steal, plain and simple. 

I'm also a fan of B.E.'s support of the Humane Society's "Coats for Cubs" program, where you donate old furs to be remade into bedding for orphaned animals. And it gave me a nice chuckle when the guy behind me in the checkout line asked an employee, "Is the stuff in your fur box free?"

Keep having good pants, Buffalo Exchange, and I'll keep braving the obstacles to shop at you.
5 - Carmella M.: i was going to TOY JOY but no parking so i thought I would check this place out again, it has change for the better.
 So needless to say i spent every penny I had  there and was very please with my new clothe,s that was in the clearance section very cool moms dress but fashionable only 7 dollars
Also  , boots for my momma she is sick so her feet are cold these are lined with fur she loves the,low ,flat perfect . i will go back just need more money SHOW ME THE MONEY!
4 - Katie H.: My Buffalo Exchange review is going to be very like my Beauty Bar review, which I feel is super appropriate.

Basically, there is a strategy. 

I keep a paper sack in my room at all times. When I do laundry, as I fold things to put away (or when some occasion requires me to unearth some dress pants that haven't seen light in two years), I find items that don't fit or that I am simply done with. I toss them into the bag.

The line for buybacks is shortest right at opening on Sundays, so once every couple of months I paw through my dress collection and drag out a mixed bag of things I bought at Buffalo that I never wear and things I bought 5 years ago that I've done to death. Then I drive up to Guadalupe and saunter in right around 12 PM.

I toss my bag on the counter and cultivate a bored expression while they dig through my clothes. Inevitably they pick something I bought at the outlet mall 4 years ago, but discard a relatively new item from an indie label, but I learned a long time ago that questioning their motives won't make a bit of difference. 

Once I have my total (and I have made very good money here before), I take my bag back out to my car. In a few months, I will bring those same items back again with a few new ones thrown on top, and guess what? At least one of those discards will suddenly be acceptable.

Four stars rather than five because finding something I actually like is very hit-or-miss, none of the employees apparently know how to size items, and I still don't understand their t-shirt buybacks at all. My t-shirts are always "too worn" for them, which makes me wonder if they have SEEN the t-shirts that are on the racks.
4 - Helen N.: I'm a picky shopper, but I'm a college student.  I hate the mall and I love boutiques/higher-end stores but I don't always have the money to buy at boutiques (whenever I do have money to buy at boutiques or higher-end stores, I am only buying designer labels off the sale rack anyway.)

The store is cluttered, but what do you expect?  It doesn't bother me, it just means there's more things for me to discover.  Given the fact it's essentially a big second-hand store pretty much, you're buying green in a way.

The staff is friendly and is usually around to help you take the mound of hangers off your arm and put it on hold by the fitting room.

Personally, this place is a 5 for ME because I love this place because I find awesome things for myself, and I generally have a really good selling experience every time.  But I think for most people, this place is really just a 2 or 3.  Cause, well, you have to get past a bunch of things, before you start liking the place.

Get past the fact that most of the things here are going to have been worn at least once by someone else before you, if not much more than that.

Get past the fact that things or the store itself smells funny, but what can you expect when the entire store consists of things that once were in everyone's homes/life.  To me, there's no avoiding the conglomeration of smells due to this fact.

Get past the fact that if you're shopping here, you have to be prepared to "dig" and spend some time here.  I mean, I guess you could just walk around the store really fast and pick up whatever catches your eye, but chances are you're not going to get anything out of it because it's not going to fit, or it's just not going to work out.  Personally, I seriously thoroughly enjoy the thrill of the hunt, which makes me love this place so much more because I literally find something awesome just about every week or other week.  Yes, I do come here that often.

Get past the fact that you aren't going to get that much for your clothes if you're literally selling crap you just don't want anymore.  And yes it is contradicting sometimes that they will reject your stuff that looks no different or no better condition than what is sitting in the store already.  And if your stuff doesn't sell the first time around, just hold onto it and bring it back, eventually you'll come across a buyer who will think it works and buys it from you.  

Inspect everything before you decide to pay for it.

Get past the fact that yes, they're not going to give you much for your designer clothes most of the time, because if you were the customer buying that designer dress, would you want to pay anything remotely over $45 at Buffalo Exchange for a potentially worn-unknown-amounts-of-times dress/top/shirt/jeans anyway?  Now if the price tag is still on there, and you haven't worn it, you still need to be on the other side of the fence, cause as the customer, you don't walk into Buffalo Exchange expecting to drop that much money on one single thing anyway.  If you have something that nice, you're literally better off eBaying it and you'd still get more money off eBay after the eBay fees and Paypal fees have been deducted, than you would here.

Luckily for me, there are much more people in Austin with nice things in fantastic condition, who are too lazy or do not care to eBay their designer clothes (I'm sure there are other reasons too but whatever).  Most of the buyers here know their labels and price things appropriately, and sometimes I'm happy for the ones that don't know their labels because then I score a great find at an amazing price.  And this is why I love this place and shop here so much for this very reason.

I also love the random vintage looking stuff that I come across from $3 to $9.  But honestly, 90% of the time not to sound snobby, I am looking at the label first to sift through all the Urban Outfitters, American Apparel, Express, Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Target, Forever 21 stuff.  Cause there is a lotttt of that.

But!  There's also a lot of everything else!  I almost always find tons of labels and the prices will range anywhere from about $16 to $60 depending on the materials, condition, and style.  I almost always see a lot of labels, including Diane von Furstenberg, A.B.S., Tory Burch, Milly, Diesel, Theory, Elie Tahari, Nanette Lepore, and really, the list just doesn't end.

My two most favorite things ever scored from here:
- Dries Van Noten Jacquard Leopard Print top for $8, crazy!
- Monique Lhuillier gorgeous Lace Vest, $12 (the buyer must have been a guy to not know that Monique Lhuillier is a couture wedding designer)

Personally, I think they think too much of Betsey Johnson, I love Betsey, but there are just some things that should stay priced under $30 for what they are, not $45+.

I know everyone's going to get a different experience, to each their own.
4 - Lenah K.: Ended up on a little near-campus walking tour yesterday afternoon, and we decided to stop by Buffalo Exchange.  

I've been several times over the last 10 years or so, both to sell and to shop.  My luck selling my stuff there varies, it does really depend on whether the buyer decides that I'm cool or not.  Last time apparently I was cool, so the dude bought most of my stuff and I made quite a bit of money.  The time before that apparently I was lame.  

Anyhow, this time was just a shopping trip.  Since I'm borderline plus-size in terms of clothing, generally I have the best luck with shoes here, where I am a normal-type size.  I found some awesome peep-toe metallic leather heels in a neutral color that will match many things that I have, and they cost around $20.  I also ended up buying some decent Old Navy jeans because they fit me okay and cost $9.  That's probably what they'd be selling for at most thrift stores these days, so I went ahead and bought them.  My husband actually found two nice sweaters there (one zip-up Ben Sherman one, and one v-neck Banana Republic one), and usually he doesn't find anything he wants at this store.  I think he paid about $40 total, but that's okay since those brands are quite expensive.  

I also think that Buffalo Exchange is doing better with accessories these days when they used to concentrate more on clothes and shoes.  I didn't really want to extend our time there yesterday by digging through jewelry and such, but I probably would've found something.
4 - Kristi K.: There really isn't anything wrong with this store - I am surprised by the vitriolic hipster slandering, the sad whiny tune of those expecting something else from a store which it will not and will never be.  Would you walk into a maternity store and complain there's nothing in the men's department in your size??? And they wouldn't buy your size 0 Cheap Monday jeans? Pah-lease.

The fact that they buy clothes and give you CASH is amazing.  If you take one look around in the store, you'll see what they want.  If you don't wear clothes like that, well then they sure as heck aren't going to buy your crap. DUH.  If you're a size 11 shoe, it's tough to sell.  Same with a size 5, or size 22 pants or whatever.  And they won't give you $100 for your crap either... they have to sell it too, you know?  If your piece is ever so precious, go to eBay and put all that effort into making your clothing profitable on your own.

These are all just the realities of second hand stores and consignment shops.

I don't even waste my time when I cull through my closet to sell.  I only bring in things that I can imagine the buyer imagining herself in... it's always a treat when she puts it up against herself and is like "Omgod, this would be so good for _____" as they tag it... and though I don't know the employees by name, I know which one _______ is, standing at the door drowning in a mismatched array of vintage layers.

And that's it.  Why should I lug in three trash bags full of crap that won't sell at Goodwill let alone a store tailored to "trends" and "fashion" hoping to make more than $3? I don't.  You shouldn't either.

So thank you Buffalo Exchange, for being predictable, for actually giving money to those who supply your store, and for hiring some of the worst/best dressed people in Austin.  You sell awesome vintage clothes cheaper than they go for on eBay and a lot of crappy Forever 21 stuff that I still don't get.  You draw in an interesting, mixed bag of shoppers... and I would never judge any of them for buying second hand, no matter where it is or who they are or what they look like.  

BTW.  Parking sucks.  Get over it.
3 - Lanie L.: no, i do NOT like this place.

what do i like?

-the fact that hipster ut scene kids can recycle their 2-week old fashion and get some money back. recycling and reusing is always good. but for god's sake your Seven jeans are only 2 weeks old and you're already throwing them out? don't forget REDUCE consumption kiddies!

-the fact that my whole wardrobe can't be bought at goodwill no matter how hard i try...so it's always good to have a second hand store to buy clothes from. which is the whole point of this store. which is good. mmmk.

what i don't like:

-parking. has someone died trying to park here yet??

-workers thinking they know what's in style or not. 'yes i will accept your forever 21 dress because that's obviously hip. no we will not accept your mossino dress because...well...it's not brand name" (as if f21 isn't?)

-overpriced USED clothes. w.t.f.  

-i'm so vintage and thrifty and cool because i shop here!!! um. no.


ok so not everyone who shops here is like that. but really? the whole concept of the store bugs me. can a get a "crossroads!!" ???
4 - Andrea C.: I LOVE this place! I'm picky when it comes to consignment stores, but this place rocks! I've been there a few times and each time I have found some great clothes for a great price! There is sooo much to look at and it's easy to spend a lot of time here. At times it's a tad chaotic b/c of the crowd, but it's well worth it! You can find anything and everthing here! Want emo? cute? trendy? rocker? cowboy? glitzy? cool? well, they've got it! did i mention awesome necklackes, earrings, belts, bracelets.... 
You can sell your stuff here too. If you do: 1) be prepared to wait in a long line and 2) make sure they are  current, trendy clothes b/c they are super picky about what they take. 
The staff is very cool and friendly also (with my experiences i've had). 
Today I went in with the intention of finding rocker-looking clothes and SCORE!!! I found everything i was looking for!! Buffalo Exchange, thank you for making me look like a rockstar! See you again soon!
5 - Jane D.: This is the only place that I will buy jeans. Why? Every time I go there I find at least 3 pairs of jeans that look new, are brands currently carried at Neiman Marcus, and fit perfect. I always get them for $25-$50 which is awesome considering that brands like Seven For All Mankind, Citizens of Humanity, and Rock Republic go for a minimum of $150 in stores. Some people complain that the store is over priced for used clothing, but I firmly disagree considering the type of clothing that they carry. The clothes are always in great condition so they may as well be new and you can always find styles that are just as cool or better than what you find at The Domain. I only wish I had discovered their denim sooner! The tops and dresses are awesome too but they get 5 stars for jeans alone.
5 - A T.: I kept seeing this BX pop up in reviews and blogs about Austin and I was really jonesing to take a trip.

Our BX in Boston is just ok - it's only getting started so the selection and quality is a little bit lacking. Not the case at all for this location (and I apologize if my enthusiasm makes my review seem inflated).

A colleague and I walked up here from 6th street to talk to some musicians, pass out some literature about our indie music initiative, and sneak off to do some shopping. 

I could have stayed in this BX all day. The selection was amazing! And the staff were just the sweetest. I ended up purchasing a pretty amazing pair of sunnies for $8 and also scored a pleather purple skirt for $6. 

There's lots of great quality secondhand items mixed in with straight up vintage. If I weren't restricted to a single suitcase I would have probably purchased far more than a single bag of clothes. My colleague scored an amazing, vintage, band shirt from an 80s metal group.

As we were checking out we had a really great conversation with one of the guys behind the counter. He gave us a head's up about a few "unofficial" SXSW shows playing, the skinny on some local acts to check out, and even gave us a contact for a local booker who could put us in touch with other musicians.

I could have seriously stayed in here all afternoon.
4 - wenting x.: i am a huge thrift store shopper...kinda have to be since ima college student. I love going to buffalo because it is a compilation of clothes from people with different fashion taste, background and income level. you get that different range of fashion taste and name brean clothing. I LOVE IT! i also like that the clothes are sorted by sizes...so i just have to go to one rank and go through it in one spot for my size instead of going all around the store.

not only do BE have clothes but they also have awesome purses and assessories. although the purses can be a little worn, most of them are in fair condition and if you are lucky you might find a few name brand purses such as coach, LV, DB..etc.

my only complain is that the prices are buffalo has increase a bit throughout the years. come on..it is USED clothes..yet buffalo still sells shirts ranging from 15-30. but over all, it is at a discount, but i feel like i can get some stuff new at forever 21 for the same price.
2 - Ron Y.: I HATE this place but what can I do? Plato's Closet sucks even more. I only sell back my clothes, I don't buy second hand clothing. It's not a superiority complex. I just can't get over the idea that someone else has worn the clothing and who knows where the clothes have been...

The wait to sell back your clothes is always long. I've been here on different times of the day, opening and closing, in between, and on different days of the week but nothing matters because the line is ALWAYS LONG!!! The line can sometimes get to the other side of the store. Also, parking is always a bitch to find. 

I would be happier if the seller would concentrate on his/her job and not gossip with the other people working at the store.
4 - Alexis K.: Being a former resale-store employee, I can understand the cheap prices they give people for their clothes, but I also can see how another person who's never worked for a store like Buffalo Exchange could be disappointed when they only get $20 for bags upon bags of clothing. The system really isn't fair, but businesses have to make money in some way, and resale shops do so by ripping people off. Although, if you aren't going to wear the clothes your selling anyways, it's better then getting nothing for everything at Goodwill. 

Being an avid Buffalo Exchange shopper, I love the store. And the prices. It's combining my three favorite things, one-of-a-kind items, fair prices, and genuine compliments, and equaling out to a very thrilled-to-be-alive Alex.

I don't, however, enjoy the crowds and I've never been one to be content with standing in line for over 15 minutes waiting on dressing rooms. Maybe I just come at the wrong times, I would hate to know for sure that it's always that crowded. 

I brought my mother along once, and it was kind of a pain to talk her out of buying these atrocious flame-engulfed men's motorcycle boots, so I didn't really enjoy that either, even though we both can have a laugh about it now.

Buffalo Exchange is basically the epitome of cool. You can find nearly anything your looking for and it's usually worth the price.
3 - Jessica M.: Their vintage clothes are reasonably priced and, while the modern clothes are expensive unless they're from AA or Target, it's fun to browse everything.  It's like a thrift store where all the good stuff has been pulled for you - yes, the thrill of the hunt mostly is the appeal of thrifting but sometimes you want thirty clean, fashionable skirts in your size lined up on a rack.

I don't sell here anymore - you can't get much money for anything.  And, once I witnessed an employee digging through the rejects/donation pile for clothing to sell.  Discouraging!  The employees can be... stern and might take a training class on How Not to be Charmed or Charming.  I like to limit my interactions.
5 - Debby K.: this is an awesome little gold mine. i've been to quite a few buffalo exchanges & this one was full of amazing threads!! i mean, it definitely depends on when you go with places like this, they don't always have the same things, but i went today & was blown away. it's a huge store. way better than either of the buff exchanges in new york, & that is saying something (i suppose).
3 - Haley-Anne H.: I'm not a big fan of thrift stores, but this place has some pretty cool stuff and its mostly in good condition. The stuff is not insanely cheap but it is much nicer than what you might find at goodwill.

The parking is AWFUL.
4 - Matthew W.: (5) - Day 

First thing I have to say.. is I felt like a piece of meat when I walked into this place.. See I got these sushi pants here the time before and I wore
them into the shop.. People must have been hungry that day because I kept getting eye-humped by people wanting these pants. Anywayyyyy...

This place is a thrift / vintage clothing store. You can find some pretty good things to wear for pretty cheap. You are gonna find shorts, pants, shirts in the 5-20 dollar range. The major bonus with this place is that they only accept interesting clothing when they resale, so chances are you are going to find something unique that no one else has around here.

You can resell your clothes to this place. Usually the line for this is pretty long and they don't give you much for what you trade in so I wouldn't recommend this whole thing unless you have a half day to blow for fun.

Parking for this place is horrible. Period.

Bottom line - I highly recommend adding this store to your rolodex ( if they still make those anymore..  ) Just add this place to your mental list of places to shop at when you need new clothes.. come 'on.... do it.. you know you want to.. ;D
3 - Beatrice L.: I love shopping at Buffalo Exchange because they have such an interesting, unique selection of clothing and accessories.  I love their sunglasses selection.  I probably average at breaking or losing a pair of sunglasses every few months, so I always buy inexpensive, vintage ones at Buffalo Exchange.  While they do have a decent selection of great, vintage clothing, they also have a disproportionate amount of Forever 21 and Mossimo items.

However, the selling aspect puzzles me.  I just don't understand why my worn-once Marc by Marc Jacobs clothes get passed, but they take my old Forever 21 and Target clothes from my old college days.  I can't complain too much, since they gave me about $45 cash for half a bag of Target clothes and a pair of old Paige jeans.
2 - Stu R.: This place smells like butt and doesn't give you much money for what you bring in.
3 - Meredi W.: Any Austinite, visitor or resident, needs to visit Buffalo Exchange at least once.

For tourists, it's worth it just to pass the windows. The employees prove their fashionista skills on the mannequins; I liken that sidewalk to an art gallery.

For denizens, know this: it's probably not worth trying to sell your clothes there. Sure, you'll notice some bland t-shirts as you browse the racks, & think, "If these got bought, MY awesome style will surely be snatched at a great price!" Fair warning: you're wrong. The line of potential sellers stretches into the horizon, & the store already boasts thousands of mannequins worth of trendy attire; they could outfit a snazzy Austin army, easily. So your piece of fabric better come from heaven. Even then, you won't get a halo for it; maybe a horseshoe, at best. It's a business. They buy smart. Great for them; not worthwhile for you.

Their clothes certainly represent the gambit of anything you'd ever want. No matter what your style, or what specific piece your outfit needs, Buffalo Exchange has it. But it's not at the best of prices. And if it's not in your size, you get to leave the store with your head hung, angry & bitter at your upbringing, lifestyle & overall bone structure that they didn't have the decency to expand or detract your body just those few inches.

In a nutshell: Go. Browse. Try on. Buy.

But keep your expectations in purgatory.
3 - Edward G.: Who needs to go to the mall or some trendy little shop when you can come here and buy designer label clothes for dirt cheap just because some college kid needed beer money.  Profit off of their loss, I know I do!  Just don't attempt to sell them any clothes, your stuff if nowhere near as trendy as they require.
4 - Jamie B.: This is a fun place to shop although the prices lean on expensive for used clothes. I think they would get even more business if they accepted all styles of clothes. They didn't accept most or all of the clothes my sister brought in. I give it between 3 and 4 stars.
3 - Russell R.: Buffalo Exchange is a thrift-ish clothing store (think Plato's Closet) with unique clothing ideas that have been peeled from the eccentric imagination of (seemingly bored with a usual job) clothing designers.

The style varies in this place, but if you like Toy Joy (next door) then you'll probably fit right in at this place.

BTW, Parking stinks.  I suggest trying to find a parking area on the block across the street then walking over.
3 - Lori K.: My friend and I went here to sell some clothes/accessories.  They are very picky about what they take, but then only give you 35% of what they are going to sell it for.  I can see why this place stays in business.  

If you have the time, you can find some really good finds here, but be prepared to spend a good long time.  The parking is a bit of a cluster.  Once you are in the front, you back out onto Guadalupe.  Not so safe.  The parking in the back is okay, unless you're carrying stuff in to sell.  Be prepared to wait to sell and take most of it home.  

It's a good option now and then.  If you haven't been, it's worth a look.  It's a chain.  I've been to them in CA.
4 - Emily W.: Used clothes seemed a little gross at first, but this place is amazing. First of all, it seems like they must be pretty picky when they buy people's clothes because they're clean and look pretty close to new. The best part though is that the whole store is this collection of cute clothes, stylish clothes, strange clothes, racks and racks of them, shoes, jewelry, purses, everything; and most of it is pretty cheap, because it is "previously owned." I found this black v-neck with giraffes drawn in pink glitter on the front, tell me where else I would've been able to find something like that. I always end up buying a a lot of clothes here, and I get some good laughs just from looking around at some of the crazy stuff they have.
4 - Rambus P.: I do not understand all of the negative reviews about this place. All my visits here have been pleasant and I am always suprised at the treasures that I discover every time that I go. You can not compare this place to Goodwill. They are very selective in what they choose to sell. There are several rules: The clothing has to be current/trend following, clean, lightly worn, in season, and/or a basic wardrobe staple....ie a polo shirt, a pair of jeans, etc or something truly unique and beautiful.

They things they buy aim towards the younger/trendier growd and those with a designer denim/shoe fetish. 

Dont expect to walk-in with a vintage designer gown or coat from the 40s and expect to have it bought. I have seen them refer someone with a beautiful leather coat to another store that does buy vintage luxury items.

People interested in selling their generic garbage like worn jeans from GAP or Old Navy or trying to get rid of an old soiled tshirt, frumpy shapeless, and overall unattractive articles of clothing should NOT waste their time. 

Yes, they are selective, but if you are coming in to sell/dispose/purge/let to of an article of clothing and they pass you up on the offer, you can at least donate it so someone who actually needs it. 

I can honestly say, and perhaps this is just a testament to my style, but when i have been in the store to sell somethings, I always walk out with some cash and/or a really good find. 

Now, I can see how they employees can irritate some of the people, because they do wear some outlandish things some of the times, but they are told to look for specific things and your opinion of their style should not influence the fact that they didnt buy your cheesy looking BeBe bag or pit-stained t-shirt.

I feel like as my style has transformed through the years, I always check out Buffalo and they always have something specific to what I am looking for/dressing like. From when i was a young kid obsessed with labels and designer denim  now to a young working professional. The last time i visited I found a beautiful Michael Kors belt and a blue ofxord shirt from Brooks Brothers that was practically new( IN MY FRIGGIN SIZE, collar sleeve length!!!!). I considered it fate and contained my excitement till i got to my car.

I did mention it to the changing room attendant, but he looked at me confused and apathetic. Probably because his style was more sleeveless shirts that displayed both of his intense sleeve tatoos. 

Check this place out. Go there with an open mind and good intentions and the gods of Buffalo with reward you.......
4 - Chavah A.: I love this place but here are the simple facts...

Parking isn't great. There are only 5-6 spaces in front. There are more spaces in the back but it's a little confusing and not very convenient.

Staff is hit or miss. They're either really nice and down to earth or rude and annoyed you exist.

Clothing/shoe/accessory selection is awesome. I've never left without at least 4 items. 

Everything is very clean, neat and organized. Normallly thrft stores or resale boutiques are a bit clustered, smell and look like a teenagers room but it's never like that. It even has racks categorized by sizes. 

Good mix of vintage AND new pieces.

All in all a great place to find one of a kind pieces. I love it...though it has a few faults...
4 - Cameron R.: As a few reviews have stated; parking is a bit of an issue. I parked in the back and walked around the building. Ehh not terrible. I can say when I walked in the guy at the counter totally liked the shirt I was wearing. Complements are always cool.

As far as the store goes it's a pretty chill vibe. Shirts from many different designers some you may know; a lot you won't. Prices are a bit weird - I consider Buffalo Exchange to be like a hipster upscale thrift shop so I cannot justify spending $8.00 on a tank shirt or $12.00 on a very average graphic tee. 

However if you're looking for something sort of vintage and unique then Buffalo Exchange is right up your alley. I will definitely go back but with a bit more cash on me.
4 - Kristin B.: I've only been here once, but I needed to find an outfit and I did.  I found a top, pants and shoes - pretty awesome.  I still wear that top all the time and that was a couple years ago.
1 - Anne S.: I have had an issue with Buffalo Exchange since before I moved to Austin. I think I must be certifiably crazy because the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly expecting different results. As far as buying clothes is concerned, I've had both good and bad experiences, but, in general, their prices are out of control when you consider what they buy them for. I've gotten some nice stuff on sale on occasion, but I've also seen absolute RAGS for $20 bucks or more. It seems like they have a braindead monkey in the back doing the pricing. For the hassle of parking and being jostled by a million emo kids, you might as well go to a REAL thrift store. Now, as for SELLING, woo, save your time and energy. I understand that they can't buy everything or give people top-dollar. I know enough about business to understand that. But, I have performed an experiment in which I brought a pile of unique, nice clothes and one raggedy, disgusting dress that was missing buttons, had tears, etc. I knew it. They bought the dress and passed on the rest. I guess it makes sense if you take a gander at how the employees dress....lunacy masquerading as fashion sense (and not very well at that)!
2 - Adam S.: They stopped buying most of my stuff and their prices went up substantially, which kinda goes against the whole idea. This is speaking solely for mens clothes. The staff is always very friendly here though.
3 - Megan M.: I learned many moons ago not to bring my borderline plus size or plus size clothing here.  Out of bags and bags I've ever brought, only one Size 12 completely sequined gown ever made it past the guardians for $12.00.  Of course this was foreverago, so their criteria may have changed since then (probably has).

So I forget about selling and just take a look around occasionally (assuming I can find parking, that is).  They have some nice quirky things.  I've found a shirt or two here or pretty things to look at.  Unfortunately, the pricing scale is a bit inflated for some of the items.  They do have cute accessories and shoes, too- so if I can't find larger-sized items I don't feel like I've completely wasted my time in the store.

So it'll be fine if you're the shopper, but if you're selling something... I say, "Good Luck, My Friend."
2 - Julia L.: I've heard great things about this place from friends, but after coming here a few times under a few different sets of circumstances, I have to say I probably won't be coming back. First of all, parking is a nightmare. This is a huge place on the strip that's pretty busy during open hours, so the 8 parking spots in front are always full. But all around you are "towing enforced" signs for all the other shops with too few parking spaces, so you've usually got to plan for a good long walk ahead of you. That can be a pain if you're coming there to sell clothes, both coming in AND going out (because you WILL be leaving with 95% of the clothes you came with). Which brings me to my next "meh" experience: selling clothes. I went there yesterday with my fiance and the casualties of our closet-cleaning- all the stuff we don't fit into anymore. We had called ahead and had been told that they were accepting mostly fall-winter items, long-sleeved stuff, sweaters, high-end stuff and stuff they have too little of. We brought all our cold-weather stuff- probably about 100 items in all. Out of our assortment of long-sleeved Ben Sherman shirts, Ben Sherman pants (new with tags!), my favorite (but way too small) black suede faux-fur lined jacket and tons of fall-colored slacks and other formal stuff, they took ONE thing. ONE THING. A brown sweater. We took the $2.88 cash instead of store credit. Which brings me to my next complaint- selection. Did I mention my fiance and I had a lot of great stuff to sell because it was too small? We all know what happens when you haven't been single for awhile. No I'm not a size 14 anymore. And that means that the only thing I can shop for at Buffalo Exchange are shoes. They don't buy or sell anything larger than a 16 for women and probably a 38 for men. Sad! Not saying they're fatty haters, and I certainly understand the concept of not offering something you can't make money on- but if that's their argument I find it hard to believe. There were plenty of other women there shopping who looked to be my size- but all leaving with nothing, or with shoes or jewelry. This is Texas, for crying out loud. There are some bigger girls here than what fit into a 16. Again, sad. Their prices are also not that great- they say they prefer to sell items that were in department stores "within the last 6-18 months," but what they don't say on the website is that their prices are pretty close to what you'd see in deparment stores in the last 6-18 months as well. Jewelry and shoes notwithstanding. Now for the good- customer service and location. The staff are always SUPER friendly, more-so than your average college-town hipsters, and they're right next to Toy Joy, so when you leave disappointed with a car full of clothes you don't want (or empty-handed), at least you have somewhere to go to cheer you up. It could be worse. If you're not selling and you're skinny and you drive a scooter or bicycle or walked there, you'll probably love it.
4 - nick p.: People complain so much about this place its ridiculous. They don't take clothes that they can't sell, its a business. If they took everything people brought in, it would be like goodwill. Parking is terrible usually, but it's terrible anywhere in that area. If you want cheaper clothes, go to goodwill or savers!
4 - Emily M.: Sigh... I've gotta admit it. I'm a convert. And here's why:

The Good:
- Everything is arranged by size. I like that.
- Varied selection. From the weird to the wearable to the just plain... weird. As with most second-hand stores, you do have to dig through some crap. 
- Good price. Some items are over priced - but today I walked away with two cute, fitted blouses for about 15 bones. I shop at BE for my "Third-World Clothes." In other words, I'm a poor college student who has spends lots of time in the Middle East and Central Asia, places where clothes get destroyed. I like spending as little money as possible on clothes I take overseas.
- The staff is, for the most part, polite. 

The Bad:
- Selling. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't. I've gotten 50 dollars of store credit, and I've also walked away without selling anything. It's a gamble.
- Hipsters, hipsters, everywhere. P.S. your mullet it not "ironic", it's f*king retarded. 
- Yes, you will feel like crap when they don't take your clothes. Try not to let it ruin your self-esteem. 

The Verdict:
Buffalo Exchange keeps me lookin' halal in the Middle East and Central Asia. On a budget. Mumtez!
2 - joseph b.: This place makes me want to go to the mall and spend money on 'nice clothes', start listening to more hip hop, and flip the script on originality for yet another run.
4 - anne marie j.: I felt out of place seeing how college for me was over a decade ago and not yesterday. Then I found a J Crew peacoat for $20! Screw the age difference...can't beat that deal! If the hubs wasn't with me I would have gotten a couple of dresses and a few purses. Hmmm...maybe a good thing he WAS with me!
I will be going back when I can find a parking spot. :(
4 - Dawn W.: I love that they take the time to arrange things by size. Few places due. They always have unique, and vintage stuff. Worth the time.
3 - whit e.: Frequent turnover, value discerning buyers and variety make this a staple for clothing.  I have low expectations, and I just stop in (when nearby) for quick looks.  Three stars because quality of selection isn't as good as it could be for men (there are a lot of sweat shirts, mediocre sweaters and T shirts).  Women's is much larger with better selection than Men's.  A good time to go is towards the end of month when students drop in to sell to make rent.  
Prices: good considering how much time I save here vs the mall or other second hand stores.  
Selling:  I judge it to be worth about $30/hour to stand in line when you have two bags of good clothes, so I never do it.

Selection:  This is often the only place I go in Austin for second hand clothes because the other stores in Austin are either less discerning or buy a lot more vintage (which I just have in a different category in my mind, I guess).  Also, I'm slim and small, so their organization of clothing by size is a tremendous time saver.  They sometimes have clothing that is simply unusual and could not be procured anywhere else, although less often than I'd like.

Location:  One of the other big reasons to come here is to be able to shop on this little area where I can bike and avoid the entire schlepping over to the mall, which I disdain.  Make a stop next door at Toy Joy and you will be on cloud nine whether you find any clothes or not.  And then there's always Ruby's BBQ and the Art Authority - this whole area rocks.
1 - Regina F.: I don't know why I even bother going here.  I brought in 3 big bags of really cute, current stuff; waaaay nicer than any of the crap they sell there...and they not only didn't buy any of it, the girl barely glanced at my stuff.  Juicy Couture, Seven For All Man Kind, Banana Republic, Forever 21,,,I just don't get it.  Then, I went to Pluto's Closet and they bought $75 worth of the same stuff!  Suck it, Buffalo Exchange!  Oh, and everyone that works there looks like they picked out their outfits from the bottom of their hampers.
4 - Kiko L.: OK where else in Austin can you sell clothes in the same day...OK the price they give you is ridiculous but it's something. Sigh. Anyway, twice I've been in with a huge amount of clothes for them to pick through and came out with 78 in store credit the first time and 69 the next time..not bad reading some of these reviews. The one thing that bothers me is that they don't list things they are buying and how much they give you for it or a receipt for the purchases. They pile up in a wad the stuff they don't want and if you have a lot like I did, it made a mess that unless I worked at putting things back on the hangers or refolding them, I'd have a wrinkled mess. My next stop is at a consignment shop or I'm going to take them to Goodwill to get a receipt for the donation. GRRR Also they don't say anything as to why they opt out on some clothes. Soooo if they need a button or a stain would need to be removed, then they'd buy it I'd never know. Trying to get why they buy some things and not the other is hard to judge. Classic doesn't seem to have a place here but they did buy my grandfather's old shirt with the sleeves cut off and not the pant suit that I bought last year from Banana Republic.....I guess not too many women buying suits that shop at BE. 
I''l try again to sell there but won't be expecting a goodly amount of money for sure. Some of the clothes they have on the displays are unsightly and have they seen some of the ugly unshaped shirts on the racks?
The parking is another tough issue if you're in a car...don't park at the burger place next door. Even though they have a huge lot, nobody is ever there except for the large we will tow if you're not inside the joint signs.
1 - Theresa F.: JESUS CHRIST. This is why people have bad taste. Because indie college kids studying 'fashion' are paid to decide what is 'in' right now. 

'Ooh! I like this shirt! It's so like, deconstructed! See how the shitty orange camo is a statement on the Terror Level system? And that skirt with the twelve layers of clashing flower patterns is like so ugly it's like NOT UGLY! Oh fuck I love this song! It's so 80s....I mean I was born in 1987 but I am totally an 80s kid, lol. I mean I like it IRONICALLY.'

 I sold some clothes there once, and yeah, I understand that you guys don't want crap from department stores.  It don't bother me that I didn't get much for my stuff. But I at least thought I would find something fashionable or somewhat flattering to wear here. Nope! Not unless you're Lady Gaga's grungy autistic little sister. Who wears this shit?! I just took my twelve bucks and left.
3 - Leslie H.: I am a 19 year old UT student and I like this place most of the time. I REALLY enjoy their $1 Earth Day sales... However, today when I went inside the clothes were unimpressive to say the least. They sell so much "weird" hipster clothes but sometimes through the piles of old clothes you can find a gem. It just depends. Their prices are fair, I bought two tops today, one for $15 and another $16.50. I'm glad I chose to go there because the same top could be found at Urbanoutfitters for $40-45. I've been to BE many times but I have never tried to sell. I'm going to bring them a pile of my old clothes next weekend and I hope I can sell some. All of my old clothes definitely looks better than some of the crazy clothes they sell in there.

Oh, and it's definitely packed with hipsters. Everywhere.

I wonder what qualifications you need to be one of the clothes buyers in there...
3 - Jessica R.: If you REALLY like hipsters and/or college students (especially at the same time), and you kind of like shitty parking and don't mind paying a little bit less than retail for used clothing, you will absolutely ADORE Buffalo Exchange.

Oh and if you like being made to feel like you have awful / horrible / outdated taste in clothing, I would highly recommend bringing in clothes to sell.

ONLY really good thing about this store is if you're not an asshole and can stand not putting your clothes in a bag you can donate 5 cents (the cost of the bag) to one of three local charities.
4 - Samantha W.: I have good and bad days at Buffalo Exchange.

Every buyer has different tastes, and from what I hear, they also research different designers and trends. So if you're really trying to sell something, you might just have to bring it in another day and time. I usually have better luck selling accessories.

Since the expansion, I've felt much less claustrophobia when I shop. There's more room to explore the racks, so you don't get that burning feeling that hipsters are scrutinizing you through the backs of their skulls. And now that I'm no longer in college and thrust daily into the fashion circus of the campus streets, I realize that almost everyone in the store is more terrified than me about what people think of their attire.

Yesterday was a good day. I had planned to go to Macy's and spend about $70 on an Easter dress, but I went to Buffalo instead and purchased all of the following for just under $75 total: an adorable easter dress, coordinating necklace, and highly versatile Michael Kors pumps; a super-hot shirt (dress??) that makes my husband drool; and a short, tight, punky thing for my upcoming visit to the Harajuku district in Tokyo. And all in one visit to the dressing rooms. Score.

Some days, though, I take 3 loads to the fitting room, and come away with nothing. Is that because of the seasonal fluctuations in fashion... or in my waistline? Probably both.

Oh yeah, and for those who still doubt that there are any awesome deals, I get my $200 and $300 jeans here for under $50, and yesterday I spied a Betsey Johnson dress that cost just $30.
3 - Julia L.: Buffalo Exchange has changed quite a bit since I was last there. For one, they have expanded the store so there is a lot more room.The employees also seem much less snobby than they used to be, which is a plus. It  seems to be more of a "vintage" store now than a "secondhand" store.  I remember being able to find like-new brand name clothes here, but this time it seemed to be mostly vintage stuff. I overheard one of the cashiers telling a seller that they were looking for things that you would find in the mall, but I didn't see much like that on the racks, except for the prices. The prices for some of the stuff didn't seem any lower than if you had bought them at the mall. And the shoes all looked old and tattered to me... All in all, I got a few good purchases, but not as many as I would have a few years ago.
4 - J L.: Buffalo Exchange obviously caters towards a certain hipster aesthetic. You should expect as much walking in. Likewise, you should not be shocked if the staff comes off as pretentious - it's part of the general atmosphere. When in Rome...

Anyway, here are the main points:

1. Parking - as many have pointed out, it is extremely difficult to find a space. There is parking in the back, but it's still packed tighter than a group of terrorists in a mountain cave.

2. Selling - Yes, their buyers treat their job like a game of Calvinball - they make the rules up as they go. However, most people overestimate the worth of their clothes. If your "designer clothing" is worth so much, why don't you sell it on eBay? Because the effort/time/etc is built-in to the buying cost. Because even people on eBay won't pay your asking price. Moreover, most people overestimate how well they dress. Your Ed Hardy shirt may have cost you $100, but at Buffalo Exchange and most places outside of Jersey Shore, it is worthless. I've sold items here multiple times and usually walk out with about $30. It is not a personal insult to you if they don't buy your clothes.

3. Buying - the men's selection is pretty good. The sorting by size is probably the most helpful. You can find a couple of recent pieces here from Urban Outfitters or American Apparel if that's your cup of tea. Also, their vintage/thrift pieces are in pretty good condition and are fairly well curated. Their clothing for smaller dudes is relatively more diverse than most other similar shops. The shoes are not my style, but if you like skate stuff or street stuff, then you might find something there.

4. Employees - hit or miss. Like Ivy League hopefuls that end up in Plan II at UT, these are the kids that didn't get hired by Urban Outfitters. I've only had good encounters with the staff, but it could just be luck. The girls here are pretty cute, if at times, dressed ridiculously.
4 - Marsha C.: I am almost always able to find an awesome outfit here, unless I'm having a fat day, but that's not their fault :) I'm definitely not a hipster, and I still find great clothes at fair prices at Buffalo - much better than buying clothes that I'll eventually see five other people wearing because they're so mass produced.  The only reason I won't give Buffalo Exchange five stars is that the staff is a tad pretentious.  Most of them are really nice, but I feel looked down upon if I go shopping in anything less than a killer outfit.  Not cool.
4 - Verunica S.: other than being a bit pricey for their used items, this is a great place to shop. They do have a good selection of vintage clothing!

The staff is helpful and will hold things for you at the dressing room.

I had a good experience and will be back.
4 - Samantha F.: If you're into vintage but want to play it straight up the middle (don't really feel like digging through racks at Savers or Goodwill and don't feel like paying through the nose at some elitist vintage boutique), then Buffalo Exchange is the place for you! 

I needed clothing for my summer vacation and landed here after failing at Savers. 

I can always find something unique and in good condition. They have a somewhat discreet taste in the clothes they buy (minus the disappointingly large amount of merchandise from Target...womp womp) so you're not ONLY digging through GAP, Old Navy & Target. 

If you're looking for something specific, I would hesitate to send you here. Be open minded. You never know what you'll find amidst the racks. 

Also, unless you have a unique wardrobe, I would also hesitate sending you here to sell. The only time it was worth it was when I had a HUGE amount of clothes from my days working at Emerald's. Every other time it's just embarrassing...& it's never consistent just by design. You'll never have the same buyer. But that's okay, you can't ding them for that. 

Bottom line: be open minded & enjoy!
4 - Jamie M.: i love this store, but i wouldn't dream of trying to sell my clothes here. there seems to be a randomness to what they will and won't buy, plus a good portion of the staff usually looks downright odd, leaving me to wonder what their standard for buying is. anyway, purely from a shopping point of view, it's an awesome place. parking is a bitch, so don't even try the parking lot, cause even if you get in, you won't be able to back up and exit the parking lot without running over a hipster or getting hit by passing traffic.
4 - Amy W.: Great selection of used and vintage clothing.
5 - Jette C.: Candice is amazing. I am lucky enough to see her every time I go in. There was an adorable vintage apron that she was pricing and was sweet enough to offer to let me buy it even though I'm positive everyone wanted it! She called me today to let me know she put it on hold for me. 5 stars over and over and over.
2 - Megan D.: I came in here with my one-year-old son because it was a boring summer day and I had some clothes that no longer fit (see one-year-old son reference, above), but were too nice to just give away. Most were bought at Anthropologie or Urban Outfitters within the past 2-3 years, so I thought I'd get some decent money for them. Well, I was wrong.

When I first arrived, it was pretty crowded and the line to sell was long, so I thought I'd look around first. I saw some things on the rack to suggest that the clothes I brought, especially the 4 pairs of skinny jeans that no longer fit over my large postpartum ass, would find a nice temporary home in the store. I picked out a few things to try on, then waited in line to sell.

The buyers were smiling and friendly, chatting up those in front of me as they looked through their clothes. When I arrived at the counter, their demeanor changed instantly. I get it; we can't all like kids, but at least pretend for your own sake....that pinchy look on your face when I approached the counter made you look constipated, overly-dressed 19-year-old. Besides, my little dude was being an angel right then. 

The girl barely glanced at my items, and when I asked what kinds of things they were looking for she said, AND I QUOTE, "we don't really cater to mom-types here."

Well, fuck you, Buffalo. Never again
4 - RICHARD K.: Pro: I come here if I am near campus and need something "new". I like most of the styles (they go for that Urban/Hip/Funky look) but sometimes I think they are trying very hard to please that crowd. I don't blame them they know their main demographic. 

I get prints mostly, I never had to sell back anything so I can not help you there. There are people there to help you sell back clothing but but no one there making me buy something. 

Con: One star for parking, the front lot is always full. There is a parking lot in the back one street over but that is also hit-or-miss. Never park next door at the burger place.
5 - Alexandra W.: I love this place. If you like dress shopping (as I do) and you like thrift stores, this is definitely the best place. Sometimes stuff is pretty expensive, but only because its really expensive stuff to start with. I've found that I can always find some great deals.

I bought my favorite pair of jeans there (express jeans) for like 8 bucks on sale. If that doesn't say awesome, I don't know what does.

I see some people complain of parking, but I've never had a problem. Nice little bike rack right out front.
4 - A M.: What I love about this store is that you can enter with a blank slate full of possibilities. Oftentimes, you will find very cute outfits-and lots of them. Or it is a complete miss. Its worth checking out though.
4 - Liz B.: It happened. I walked into the Buffalo Exchange, spent less than 15 minutes there, tried on three dresses and bought them all. I got out of there for less than $40 AND-AND-AND... (drumroll) their music was something cute, vintage, jazzy and of an appropriate decibel. Could it be... love??? We shall see. For now: four star starter marriage.
3 - M.E. F.: Amused to find another Buffalo Exchange here in the South; I'm used to the one in Boston. 

Anyway, this one was way bigger, allowing me to get lost in looking at clothes for about 2 hours. Being raised on thrift stores makes me automatically scoff at "lazy" thrift stores like this. Yeah, it's all used, but it's all "cool," so there's no real thrill of finding something really unique. Plus, everything is more expensive than thrifting. I guess the prices are good if you're used to buying things new, but meh. I limited myself to the 50% off section because those seemed like the only reasonable prices.
4 - Angela K.: Great place to shop if you are on a budget and don't mind recycled clothes. 

It can be a little frustrating if you are trying to sell your clothes though and they don't take anything! (although they do have millions of clothes already)

I love coming here and finding some cute clothes - since they only take clothes that match the current trends.
3 - Roger T.: They wouldn't take any of my things even though they sell very similar items at the store. Hmph. They have a wide range of clothing for women (which my girlfriend loves) but other than that there is not much to rave about.
3 - Lauren A.: I was all about Buffalo Exchange in high school, but I haven't been able to find much I wanted to wear in the last five years or so.  They stock whatever is trendy for the season, and only buy things that fit those trends, along with some items that were sold in stores in the last year.  

So they're not a true "vintage" store, because most of the stuff in there was sold in stores pretty recently.  That can be a good or a bad thing...I've found awesome jeans there, but when the trend switched from skinny jeans to flares, I couldn't find a single pair of black skinny jeans.  

But I have found some good stuff there, and  a number of shirts and dresses, though they were mostly from Forever 21. They have a good selection of shoes, too, if you can get over the ick factor.  As far as the jewelry, you're better off going to Target or Forever 21.
4 - Katharine C.: This store has tons of options for "Austin" style clothes and current trends.  Of course you have to sift through lots of garments to find the winners, but that is to be expected in a used/vintage store.  Prices are reasonable, and the items are unique.  I like that.
1 - Serena B.: Are you kidding me with this place. I thought I would be to find a good deal on some dress shoes for my husband. Hahaa NOT. I found a pair of used Aldo for $40!!!!  The outlet mall in round rock has the same shoes for $60 and they are not used!!!  Please make sure you price things out before buy. This place is over priced
1 - John O.: Felt funny in there - funny weird, not funny ha-ha. Too grabby and acquisitive, maybe. I didn't care for it. Goodwill is cheaper anyway. Might have felt different had a salesperson said even a single word to me - but they didn't.

It's pretty much just an overpriced thrift store anyway.  And my daughter got a ring there that we were assured was sterling silver -- it wasn't.
1 - Jenny L.: oh, i remember way back in the day when i walked to school, uphill in the snow, both ways.  And when Buffalo Exchange was cool.

I used to be able to come here, sell clothes, and walk out with awesome new clothes (new to me, mind you).

I could come to Buffalo, and find crazy, outrageous, one of a kind clothes and shoes, and the girls at the counter were always so helpful. 

And then I grew up.

It's been awhile since I stepped into this hellhole, but last time I went, I took a giant bag of clothes, which included band shirts, cute dresses, awesome heels, cowboy boots, and a pair of old navy jeans.

The goofy guy who was buying the clothes took one look at the jeans, and said 'ssssssssorrrryyyyyyyy... we don't take old navy clothesssssss.'

Picture a snake saying that.  It really sounded like a snake, if a snake could speak english.  or talk at all.


I'll go to other second hand stores.  This one went to ssssssssshit.
4 - Anna G.: Reading these reviews, I feel compelled to write some rebuttals:

1. Don't come into this place expecting thrift store prices. It's not a thrift store. It's a resale/vintage store. Yes, the prices are going to be higher than Goodwill. But you're also more likely to find high-quality/ unique items here. Due to the high volume of hipsters in Austin, all the thrift stores are picked clean.

2. Sorry, but no one wants your Old Navy t-shirt, circa 2005. I don't think it's fair to give this place a bad rating because they won't buy your low-quality or out-of-fashion clothing. They're not going to buy something that they don't think will sell, or price your clothing at a price it won't sell for.

3. Yes, there are some duds in here. Some days, there are lots of duds. But there are also some amazing deals. Just this weekend, I bought a pair of leather boots that retail for $180 for a cool $60...and they looked like they'd only been worn once or twice. That's what I call a great deal :-)
4 - Monica O.: Internal dialogue when visiting 2.5 weeks before Halloween, strictly to check their shoe shelves to compete a look:

- Ohh this is gonna be bad
- [30 min later] Where is my third arm!?
- [10 min later at the jeans rack] Just walk away. WALK AWAY.
- [5 min later in line to checkout] Don't leave your spot for those earrings. They don't look real. I'll stay. I'll stay. I'll sta- [expletives] 

[10 min later, to cashier] 'Do you know who brought in these earrings!? They're IDENTICAL to a pair I worship from Spain. Hm. Yeah. Are you sure?? Insane, Miss. In the membrane'

So, timing really is everything at Buffalo. Some trips I walk out with my dignity, other trips with three pairs of shoes, a pair of earrings and pure unadulterated vanity.
2 - Sarah P.: The clothes here are pretty snazzy, but this store honestly has the worst customer service I've ever experienced.  I felt like every salesperson I tried to talk to went out of their way to be rude to me.  They are kind of like the snooty and arrogant people you'd expect a fancy designer store in Europe if you walked in wearing a burlap sack.  Not at all what you would expect walking into a clothing store in Austin.  I would love to buy more clothes there, but after the horrible experience, I don't think I will.
4 - Kymberley P.: I went in to the store on the advice of my sister who lives in Tucson, where they have a flagship store.   I was a little apprehensive after reading some of the reviews, but I was looking, not selling, so I went for it. I really only went to check it's location and see if they had any of the great deals that my sister had shown me that she had found. 
I was overwhelmed at first because the racks of clothes and shoes are bountiful as I really wasn't in a "digging" kind of mood. They had nice, adequately priced jewelry, but I was hoping for some sterling silver. I glazed over the handbags and a rack in my size and found some good deals, but again, I was really just looking. 
But one last look over the shoe rack and hidden in the corner were a pair of lace up high heeled boots that had never been worn. Once I discovered they would fit over my fat calves, it was a done deal, especially with the great price!! Perfect timing for the impending fall weather!
I saw the line of cars and people waiting to sell there wares and it looked like they were making out pretty good. Man, if it's that busy on a Monday, I wonder what the weekend is like! I can see how it can be hit or miss at the store, but based on that long line of sellers, you just have to check in regularly. 

Every single salesperson was nice to me and one even ran outside to catch me when I was discovering that I'd left my keys in the store. Glad I went in. I'll be back for sure and I would recommend to friends.
2 - Abigail L.: ugh, this place. I've visited buffalo exchange several times, each time with hopes the place or people will redeem itself. Sadly, I walk out with the same "why did I come here, again?".  I usually go with a heap of gently worn anthro, free people, french connection & urban clothes and shoes and run into a snooty, pretentious sales guy/gal turning my currently in-style items away which then sold for good $ at another store. 
Not to mention, the process of getting served is incredibly slow & unreliable. 
Yes, some of the employees (a tall thin brunnette girl & a girl with gauges) are very friendly and make the experience more worth while but not enough to keep me from going back again :(
1 - Carrie S.: I remember when Buffalo was cool.  I would go there every Friday after high school when I first learned to drive, happily dig for hours on end, max out my credit card my mom co-signed for me with awesome, super cute clothes and accessories, and then be super excited to come back the following week.  I don't buy myself much clothing these days due to lack of mom-funded credit cards, but when I do, I rarely go to Buffalo anymore.  I've been back about 5 times in the last 3 years and haven't found ANYTHING.

If you're a hipster or 15-year-old, though, you might pee your pants with glee when you walk in.
2 - Ali P.: Ugh - I've shopped here many times in the past and come away with killer finds for serious deals, but it seems like lately they've been buying and selling a LOT more crap for way too much.  I used to find Marc Jacobs and Miu Miu and now it seems like 2nd hand Old Navy and Target 
Shoes, especially seem to have plummeted in quality - they're now way more grungy and more likely to be faux leather/plastic instead of real leather.
I don't buy clothes and shoes that look this cheap at Goodwill prices, never mind three times that.  They really need to be more selective in their buying if they want to keep their customers, especially in this crappy economy.
When I politely mentioned my dissatisfaction to a couple of they employees they were either rude or beyond vapid and ditsy.  Their customer service has also plummeted.  
Ugh again.
4 - Zem Z.: Cute recycled goods.
2 - Hael F.: I was a little torn on whether I should give this place two or three stars; the point of contention being do I rate this experience based on the store itself (as a retail customer) or do I rate it based on my selling experience. Unfortunately, the retail experienced held more weight then the selling experience.

I've always been a huge fan of  the used clothing and the reseller process. Prior to moving to Austin, I became a regular at the Portland Buffalo Exchange, often up-selling great thrift store finds and closet rejects; turning them into a profit. I was usually seen lugging in bags of clothes on a monthly basis. It often becomes a religious experience as I methodically fold, iron and fix clothes in preparation for this event.

This selling experience was no different than those I've had at other Buffalo Exchanges. The staff was friendly and engaging. I received decent prices on my items and they were more than willing to work with me on specific higher-end items. Overall, I did really well and the buying staff were great to work with. 

Now, for the other side of the coin. This has got to be the worst organized Buffalo Exchange, and clothing reseller, I've ever been to in my life. After having a great selling experience, I was severely disappointed when I switched to shopping mode. The store itself is poorly organized and structured. It's just rounder after rounder with limited signage as to their contents.

After struggling to find the men's area, I had to dig through the racks and rounders to trying understand what merchandise (sweaters, shirts, jackets) was being sold on which rack. After that, you have to dig and lift merchandise off the tops of the racks to try to find the size ring. Further more, the clothes are just haphazardly shoved onto the racks. I came across my newly sold shirts just shoved on the racks, no attention paid to how they hang.

I don't think it's that difficult to provide some simple organization to this store. Such as, clearly labeling the rack's contents (Example, Men's Sweaters, S-M) and keep the product mix consistent, I shouldn't be finding sweaters on the jacket rack. 

The checkout staff appeared equally disorganized. As we approached the counter, three staff members stood behind it chatting with one another. They seem confused as to what to do as we walked up.

I know I will not come back here as a shopper but the next time I need to clean out my closet I'll stop here prior to hitting the Goodwill.

TIP: Even though they have a few parking spaces out front and a small lot in back, parking is horrible. At least it was rather arduous task to find parking near by on Sunday afternoon.
4 - Jen M.: Love this place.  From funky to functional, always find something!  The staff is very friendly.  Plan to spend a little time looking through everything, you can easily be overwhelmed if you are pressed for time.

Yes, there is some crap, but a whole lot less than most resalers.  There is some real finds too!  The store is pretty organized but there are rounders after rounders to sort through.  You certainly can't be in a hurry...
3 - Alyssa P.: As an ex-buffalo exchange employee of four years, I understand what its like to be a buyer for this company.  People always giving you mean looks, judging you while you judge their clothes, and constant criticism from customer who you just denied cash to.  That said...what happened to you buffalo?  

Even though I haven't been with the company for over a year, my friends still call me complaining about the attitude they received on their most recent visit and about how "they didn't take anything from me!"  I have always replied with the same answer...what do you want me to do?  Secretly though, I kind of have just thought my friends were being overly sensitive, that is until I went in to sell myself the other day.  

The girl who bought from me was still in training (no complaint there, I too was a trainee and I know what its like) but I also know that being in training means you have to have someone who ISN'T in training buying alongside you and assisting in the buy.  Instead the girl sifted through my items (alone) barely looking at what I had brought in and created a pile of rejects to be "double checked" by a trainer.  I guess these days double checking has changed in definition, because the trainer merely skimmed the pile with her hand while turned the other way talking to the people behind her--literally she didn't look at a thing--and agreed with my original buyer that there was nothing they could buy.  My favorite part is when they give me the explanation about why they couldn't take anything (I taught the people who taught you how to give that same BS speech, spare me please.)

Now, I understand that fashion changes, and the way companies work change, and more specifically, I understand Buffalo's system and that there is never any 100% way to tell what they are going to buy based on season, condition, what they already have in stock etc.  That said, I still know what to bring in and I would never bring in a bunch of crap.  The result of the hands-off buying technique resulted in them passing on my William Rast shorts, Rachel Comey dress, and a few other nice designer items.

I will put in the disclaimer that this is not always the case when selling to buffalo, each store, buyer, and all around experience will be different and it is always worth looking through if you are near a store.  I even went in again tonight and my selling experience was quite pleasant.  I have found some of my favorite clothing items at Buffalos around the country and at some slammin deals at that.

My word of advice?  Stay at the buy counter when they are buying from you, not only is it interesting to watch the process, but you can keep an eye on their buying (or lack there of.)
3 - Lacy S.: I took some clothes in recently to sell hoping to at least sell half of them to Buffalo. The girl at the counter was friendly and explained to me what they were looking for. Well, I have to say she did do a good job picking out what the store wanted to buy, I probably would have said no to the same things she did, but whats the harm in trying right? I was a little peeved she just tossed some stuff to the side, but who can blame her, the girl ahead of me in line had two huge trash bags of clothes. After receiving the credit for my clothes, I decided to look around the store. I was totally bewildered by the clothing I saw on the racks. WHO on earth selected these items, apparently not the girl who checked out my clothes. Too much crap to sort through, it seems like everything is overwashed, shrunken, or simply hideous. However,  I did find some awesome flats, and a couple of tops (which took me well over an hour to sort through and find), so I still like you Buffalo, but get it together.
1 - Sasha H.: If you in the market to buy dime store hooker fashion from the seventies, shop here.  If I bring in designer pieces to sell, or if I just merely want to shop it is all stained or smells like pee.  No bueno.
5 - Jeff K.: Are these the dumbest fucking petty shit reviews or what---for a used clothes store no less..
4 - Eoin O.: Went in looking for some jeans and left with three pairs. A decent selection in a good range of sizes. Staff were chatty and friendly. I like how they put aside the clothes I'd picked out so far when my arms were getting full and I was looking for more stuff.
4 - Candace M.: everyone that works here is strangely nice and engaging.  i want people to be aloof and indifferent to the clothes i try on and buy.  i don't want to converse with someone who is going through my crusty old clothes for resale cash.  i guess the no bag thing is cool but its hard when you have a lot of clothes and you have to bike home.  i had to ride home no handed and that was so hard because my house is like 25 minutes away and it was rush hour.
3 - Robert B.: Ten years ago I would have easily given Buffalo Exchange five stars. Easily. It seems to me that since the expansion of the place, and the sad...sad loss of the chinese food place next door, the selection has gone more chic than punk. That saddens me. Also, the loss of the unisex dressing rooms is ridiculous. 
   Now, I do want to say that the customer service is awesome. I also want to add that, being a guy, they always buy clothes from me. Also, they always have at least one pair of jeans that I buy. These are good things. Yet, all the cowboy shirts, all the collared polos, and all the fancy jeans make my eyes hurt.
    Where is the Buffalo Exchange that employed a cross dresser with a moustache? Where is the Buffalo Exchange that smelled like weed and vintage? Where is the Buffalo Exchange that always knew where the parties were on the weekends? I miss the re-sale store with ripped shirts. I'm going to Blue Velvet.
4 - Stef S.: This is one of the best resale shops I've ever been to. No, they won't take everything you bring in, but I feel like that ensures there's more awesome stuff on the floor instead of just everyone's cast-offs. I like the fact that they buy things on the spot instead of holding them on consignment. Instant gratification FTW!

There's a lot of interesting stuff in here. It's fun to browse, even if it does take a bit of digging around to find what you want. This place has everything from newer designer clothes to vintage finds. It's a great place to find jeans on the cheap, too. 

The people who work here tend to be friendly without being pushy, which is a plus.
4 - Laurel H.: I visited this BE while I was on vacation in Austin & it's the best BE I've been to (and I've been to quite a few).  I found a purse, a dress, a pair of jeans, three pairs of earrings, two necklaces, and a pair of sunglasses, all for $65.   Plan to spend a LONG time in here as there is tons of stuff to go through.
4 - Krystal K.: I want to LOVE this store so badly - but I hate how picky they are about the clothing that you try to sell them. The finds are always great at a very reasonable price, just wish that items that still have tags wouldn't be frowned upon as "out of style" or not a current trend - doesn't everything come back around eventually? 

DID find some of my fave jeans here so thank you!
5 - Tyson J.: I had a closet full of cool things that I don't wear much.  Thought about donating, but honestly some of this stuff would go unappreciated in a goodwill store. Either that or someone would grab them for 2 bucks at Goodwill then run off to Buffalo Exchange and sell them.
So then I went to yelp to look for used clothing: buy, sell, trade and found Buffalo Exchange and Plato's Closet.  My clothes were all name brands, but not teeny bopper brands like American Eagle, Hollister, A&F....none of that.  Mostly Levi's (capital E Jeans & Jacket, and three pearl snap shirts & some vintage corduroy pants) Nike collector edition Dunks, and some Hugo Boss stuff that was really expensive when I bought it new.

Based only on the reviews I saw here, I determined that the Buffalo Exchange sounded a bit like a pain in the ass where a bunch of hipster snobs would rummage through my clothes and tell me I sucked generally as a person. 

On the other hand, I got the sense from the reviews that Plato's closet would buy more of my stuff and be less snobby.  I wasn't looking to pay rent here, just wanted to get rid of a couple pieces without just giving them away.

I took the same two bags of about 18 pieces to each store.

Plato's closet offered me 20.40 and would only take 5 pieces (obvious ones...like a pair of brand new creative recreation shoes that are 140++ new).  Also, they were totally snobby and super annoyed by having to look through another bag of used clothes.  I dropped my bags off and 30 minutes later they called me and said we only want five pieces and this is what we'll pay.  When I said kindly, and without any sense of snobbery, do you know the difference of the capital E line and regular levis? The girl said "No, but this what we pay for used Levis.  (For the record, Capital E Levis are about 179.00 new and are pretty limitted production.  I prefer them for the fit and the durability over the regular levi's, not solely because they're expensive)

Buffalo Exchange, however...totally nice.  Walked in to a nice greeting, and despite the store being absolutely PACKED, they took my stuff immediately and started the buying process.  They told me very clearly how it works: 
W'e'll look over each piece, tell you what it will sell for in our store, and we'll pay you 50% of that in trade or 35% in cash.  Super, SUPER helpful to know. 

She priced out the pieces, when she had questions about a special line she asked me, and when she got to my Capital E Jeans she priced them a little low.  Without me even saying anything she called over a manager and said "I noticed these are capital E's, does that mean anything?"  He said yes, they're sweet, pay more.  She then raised the price on my Cap E's.

Buffalo Exchange would have paid more than triple the price Plato's closet offered on the five pieces because they are up on what's cool, what's limited edition or rare production, and generally speaking, look for stuff that you can't just go down to Forev 21 and buy.  Further more, they bought almost every item I brought in.  The only three things they so kindly turned away was a North Face jacket, a cool hoodie, and a nice sweater....only turned them away because of the weather right now and encouraged me to bring them back in come fall if I still have them.

And then with regards to the shopping selection, for me, there was not a single item I'd have purchased at PC, and at Buffalo Exchange they had enormous amounts of cool stuff.
5 - Shannon Q.: somebody has got to come to buffalo exchange's defense here.

1st and foremost: THEY ARE NOT JUDGING YOU BY THE CLOTHES YOU BRING IN TO SELL!!! they are soley looking for pieces they think will sell well in the store. and you know what that means? they HAVE to be selective. what would happen if they just started buying in every used, dirty piece of crap people brought in? more whiny people would get on yelp complaining about how the store is dirty and the clothes are overly worn. people who get butt hurt over the buyers not taking their clothes are just being overly sensitive. think about it: if you don't want those clothes, why should they?
and, no, you're not gonna get your full $300 back that you spent on your pair of diesel jeans but what do you expect? they have to price them at a price they think they will sell at and nobody is gonna spend that kind of money on used clothing, even if it is designer. if you want that kind of money- sell your clothes on eBay!!! they're doing you a service by saving you the trouble of having to sell your clothes yourself so quit whining
5 - Nick B.: The other day I came into this place looking for a cheap pair of shoes. I was about to walk out, because everything seemed real hipster (not really my style), but a lady named Jess asked me if I needed help. I told her what I was looking for and she helped me pick out a perfect pair of shoes. She even gave me some notes on what would look good and she was absolutely spot on! Since then I've received numerous compliments on the shoes. Will definitely come back.
3 - Megan C.: Here is how Buffalo Exchanage could get 5 Stars: If all their buyers were awesome and if they would keep your stuff to the side OR be more upfront about what they are paying you BEFORE tagging your stuff and putting it in the bin for sale. 

I barely had a second to tell the buyer that I didn't want to sell an awesome, brand new with tags Trina Turk dress for 30% of $15 (they would charge $15 and you get 30% of that if you choose cash. Trade is 50%). I took this dress back to sell a couple weeks later and they tagged it at almost $40, which makes a lot more sense. It's hit or miss with the buyers. I have two I like. It really seems like they aren't ALL familiar with most brands. So keep your ears open and be ready to do quick math when they are checking in high price items. It's also worth it to bring some things back for a second go-thru if they don't take it or if they low ball you. 

They are also very lacking in larger sizes. I don't mean plus sizes, but there is no way my healthy sized lady curves are fitting in a small. I know it's a college area, but I have boobs, man. They also categorize things by their tag size, not their relative size. The brands they carry fluctuate greatly when it comes to sizing. A forever21 size large is not a BCBG size large.  

If you're coming here to sell, weekends are way less busy (whoda thunk?). They are open late-ish too so try not to show up Monday morning at opening or else you will have a serious wait. 

All that said, they DO have cute clothes. Their accessories are lacking, but that's OK. They give you a fair price for trade in/sale, but you should not be shy and definitely let them know if you aren't willing to sell under a certain price.
1 - Chauntel R.: The only complaint I have about this place is when it comes to them buying clothes from you. And yeah the fact that it used to be a place where alternative people, punkers etc could go to find cool clothing. Whenever I needed money I would take whatever clothes I didn't want to Buffalo Exchange and they wouldn't even take half of the stuff. What they would take they offered some little rat fink price for them. And these clothes were in excellent condition and were very nice.  At the time they would sell semi alternative clothing and other cool things that were right up my alley. So I thought the clothes I brought in fit right in. WRONG! Now they have changed and have seem to go the same route Hot Topic has and are more into what the TV says is "in" fashion wise. They have some cool clothing but they are just another "trendy" store and I personally wouldn't waste my time here.
4 - Monica H.: "Where are the bandeaus?"
"They're with the tank tops."

That conversation epitomized this Austin Buffalo Exchange, and possibly my time in Austin. Overall, well-priced unique finds with the exception of the occasional Old Navy and Forever 21. I held onto the one Lacoste polo I found, until I finally accepted that it was too small for me.
1 - Jennifer W.: This place is great if you are a super hipster college student. 

The buyers are the worst, super picky and have no idea what is name brand and apparently their eyes don't function correctly to tell the difference between brand new clothes and crappy homeless stuff.

I tried to sell stuff here, no way in hell would I even think of going through their racks because it smells and is atrocious. The buyers here clearly shop at the store and are into ugly articles of clothing that don't match. The buying price is better than other consignment stores, but that's only if they buy anything from you.... 

The fact that I'm out of college and have legit work clothes not torn skinny jeans and ugly shirts they didn't buy a single thing that I had to sell. I brought 3 giant trash bags full of clothes, most with tags still attached to them. I had a ton of denim jean shorts as well and I was told that it wasn't the season for shorts. We live in Texas... how is that even possible.

The buyer I had quit looking at the clothes half way through. If you are going to come to work stoned out of your mind at least look like you are trying when there is someone standing directly in front of you. She didn't even unfold the clothes to look at the items. I should have known at that moment this was a trip doomed for failure. At any rate, they buyers here are looking for used crappy clothes. 

My friend also brought in a giant tub of clothes and shoes. Out of the two of us with at least 500 items, they bought nothing. What a giant waste of your time to sell anything to this place. You are better off donating and taking the tax refund on it. I'm sure shopping at Goodwill is a giant step up from this location. 

Good luck and try not to get bit up by bugs. 

This place is lucky there isn't a 0 star option because it's below sub-par.
5 - Evelyn P.: Okay, I'll admit it...I only visit Buffalo Exchange about thrice yearly because shopping at traditional thrift stores has spoiled me a little. The "hunt" is really fun when at the end of your ventures you walk out with 8 pieces of clothing for $20, but sometimes you need somebody to do the work for you. Sometimes you need Buffalo Exchange. 

Yes, you'll pay at least 30% more than at thrift stores, but that's nothing compared to traditional retail.

I got lucky. The buyer I had today seemed a little new, so one of his colleagues was able to chime into his choices and make better quotes on the items I brought in. I've always thought their buying choices are fair. They bought a white satin party dress, 2 Kendra Scott cocktail rings, a Halloween costume from last year, and (of course) a navy Burberry trench coat. Always take the trade price, folks. They gave me $90 store credit for everything.

I don't get my panties in a twist when they don't purchase some of what I have. I don't understand why people take it so personally. They're going to make decisions based on their inventory, current trends, and, most importantly, the condition of the item. You know what I've learned? They tend not to buy anything that I've worn more than 3 times. You can tell they follow this criteria for everything because most items in the store are in near-perfect condition.

This is what I found:

1.) Diane Von Furstenberg khaki shirt-dress. New with tags. Estimated retail: $400. Price at Buffalo Exchange with 50% discount: $23.00.

2.) GAP black slim fit trousers. New with tags. Estimated retail: $60. Price at Buffalo Exchange: $20.00.

3.) Oilily floral corduroy skirt. Perfect condition. Estimated retail: $100. Price at Buffalo Exchange: $15.

Total savings: $502.00. Plus, my trade covered the cost of all these items, and I had a little left over!

I think that speaks for itself!
1 - Chris B.: I feel like a convict trying on clothes. Acting like I'm gonna steal your clothes even though there's no way I could possibly get away with it in my t-shirt and skinny jeans = not a happy customer.

Also, way shittier selection of clothes than normal. It's all that over-hipster, all-the-tags-still-on bullshit they get new from China. Stuff that falls apart in a week of wear.

You used to be awesome, Buffalo.
5 - Annie O.: Thank you Daphne for helping me with my two cute new dresses! One was vintage and the other was an adorable Betsey Johnson. You and the rest of the staff were so accommodating and I will definitely continue to shop and sell with you guys!
1 - Anastasia J.: Reading these reviews I do agree with it depends who you get as your buyer. They seem to buy more on the side of what they like and not what the store needs or what is in. If you are big on one brand and so-and-so kind of dresses and the buyer happens to not like that brand/make you will get turned away. 

They have a wide selection of clothes, but you better be hipster or into things that don't match. Not a fashion expert but the outfit they had on the wall seemed like someone closed their eyes and randomly grabbed clothes and put them together. Sorry if it seems rude but when I go in somewhere to shop I like to know that the people that work there are fashionable and knows what works and what doesn't. I wish I had taken pictures to show you guys. I walked out laughing out loud at the horrible mismatching outfits on display.
2 - Payton S.: They've got good selection but the shopping experience is poor. First of all, when you go to try on some clothes, they check you out like you are a felon ! I was holding four shirts on four hangars and they just kept looking and looking for that something I was hiding in there. Then, when I checked out - I handed over my American Express card and she gives me a sneering look as she tells me they don't take AMEX. Then, finally, got another dirty look when I - GASP - actually did want to use a bag and not have them donate five cents to charity for not using a bag. Those people are so smug in there !

Buffalo Pub & Grill - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.278844, -120.664075) ()
1 - Danielle T.: Buffalo Pub & Grill replaced one of my favorite restaurants in town (Le Fandango), so we gave it a whirl.

My extra dirty martini was $9.50, which is pretty steep for SLO, and it didn't quite taste right.  How do you mess up vodka and olive juice?  And did they accidently give me a well vodka?  Because I had a major headache the next day.

The service was fine, but the food: bad.  Chicken strips were terrible (Firestones are way better) and the pulled pork sandwich was just ok.  I thought for the prices that we would have gotten a little bit better than bar food.  Heck, I can get GOOD bar food at Downtown, Black Sheep or Firestones for much cheaper.

I overheard the bartender raving about the pastrami sandwich, so if you find yourself here on one of those group birthdays that you can't get out of, maybe that is the way to go.

We went on a Friday night at 7, and the place was only about half full.  If I had to guess, this one will go the way of many of those downtown bars that have failed before.
4 - Jon O.: Good staff, good basic food. I really miss Le Fandango, but money makes the world go round and the kids love their cocktails and beers.

We like to call it Black Sheep 2.0. But the original version is better in this case. Not a bad place to watch a game in the afternoon and grab some food. Get's really busy late night, but can be fun.

Cheers.
4 - Miranda R.: Buffalo isn't a super exciting place for a night out, but a nice place to chill with some friends or even by yourself to grab some drinks and/or food -- a.k.a. the perfect pace for SLO town. Even with hookups from my bartender friend Natalie, I still spent about $25 on a meal and 2 beers, which is a little steep. The food is all delicious though, with some more original selections in addition to your standard pub fare. There are some nice booth seating options, plus plenty of stools along the lengthy bar. High def TVs behind the barkeeps show various sporting events, but they'll change it to anything you want if it's not super busy. As long as Natalie is working here, or if I find Black Sheep and Frog & Peach to be too crowded, I will keep coming back when visiting town.
4 - Erin M.: Perfect when you need to cool your jets, enjoy a great sandwich and a cocktail. 

Now, I personally have difficulty shopping. I always manage to convince myself that I don't need whatever it is I have in my hands, or that maybe I can find it cheaper elsewhere. Buffalo Pub and Grill offered an oasis where we spent less than $40 for two great lunches and a total of three drinks. 

The Marinated Chicken sandwich was on a great slab of ciabatta with a perfect pesto ($10.50). The boy ordered the Pub Cheesesteak and devoured all of its cheesiness meaty goodness in record time. And damned if they didn't have my favorite kind of french fries: thin cut, not overdone and with a great season-salt all over. Salty deliciousness! 

My two Malibu and Diet Cokes (seemed like an appropriate day-drinking cocktail) were $5 each ... and even better than that... they allowed me to head out to the stores and buy some hot jeans!
3 - Joe R.: The other reviews on here generally cover the important points, but I must add one additional piece of information:  Buffalo Pub has a *fantastic* pastrami sandwich.  One of the best I've had just about anywhere.
1 - trogdor b.: been here for lunch only. got the pastrami sandwich, which they created a lost of buzz for. the pastrami itself was good, but their rye is toasted and really abrasive. rips up the roof of your mouth with every bite. all that for like $10+

no thanks.
3 - Mike S.: I gave Buffalo Pub & Grill a shot at the behest of a friend who claimed that they had the "Best. Pastrami. Sandwich. Ever."  Who could ignore a claim like that?

The lunchtime atmosphere seems pretty low-key. Maybe we went on an off-day, but the place seemed pretty laid-back and not too busy.  It's definitely a bar so you can get your beer/cocktail on while you wait for the "Best. Pastrami. Sandwich. Ever."

When the sandwich in question arrived, I was very pleased by its presentation (I'll attach a photo after this review).  It was definitely tasty, but I felt the caramelized onions dominated the overall experience.  It didn't rock my world.

All in all, I will definitely want to explore their other menu items at some point when I feel like spending a little more money than usual for lunch.
3 - Ronny C.: Food is good, but the night bar scene there is not my favorite. Althogh it is fun, the bar is very small compared to other bars in the area and gets really crowded because of it. Good for a nice chill night out with friends, but there will be rowdy kids around on weekend nights
3 - Matt R.: i've only been here for drinks but it was fun. it's owned by the same people as black sheep so it kind of feels the same in a way.
3 - Chantal D.: FOOD REVIEW:
Ah, back in the day of Monday Lunches. This was one destination because we wanted to check out a cute girl that worked here, but sadly she was not in that day. On to the food.. I had the cheese steak sandwich and lunch date had the pastrami. Taste was spot on but they were both SO SMALL for $10 and $12. Fries or a salad are included in that price, but still, not worth it. If prices were lower I could definitely see this as a place I would frequent in my downtown lunches, but eh..
Also on the menu are salads, a few burgers and a bunch of appetizers. Still pricey. They really can't afford to knock off a dollar or two here and there? Bah. 

BAR REVIEW:
I heart Buffalo at night! Even when packed it's still more low-key than the other bars in the vicinity. I like the bartenders here, too. Nobody's too flashy or show-off-y or big-mouthed, shut-up-and-make-me-my-damn-drinks-y. Fair prices. Usually a good mix of music playing. Yay!
4 - Tony B.: This is definitely a place where you need to know what to get, so I will tell you: French onion soup or the Pastrami Sandwich.  If you stray from those you will most likely get your standard bar food.  I rarely ever eat pastrami, but this sandwich is seriously incredible.  The meat melts in your mouth and the rustic bread is a perfect match.  It is not the healthiest item on the menu, but pastrami never is.

This is also my favorite bar on the weekends.  It gets a little crowded during peak hours, but its a well balanced crowd and you never have to wait too long for a drink.
4 - Seth M.: Tips for TaTa's?  More like tits n TaTa's!

I came here with a collegue the other night while on a business trip. It just so happened to be a "Tips for TaTa's" fundraiser for breast cancer.  Let's just say it would be an absolute shame if some of those patrons suffered from the disease. Cause they sure had it going on...and they weren't ashamed to flaunt it 

The drinks were decent. I see thata lot of reviews recommend the pastrami sandwich.  We didn't eat.  Just drank. The bartender poured a decent drink, and the prices were close to average. 

We scored and ended up sitting next to two single cuties who were interested in talking.  We'll be seeing them again while we are in town. Let's just leave it at that.
5 - Dean V.: Omfg the best cheese steak sandwich i have ever had!! You need to take a day trip just to try one! 5 hour drive is worth it. Just dont stay in the SLO inn!
5 - Rebecca Z.: I don't know what's up with the not so good reviews. We eat at Buffalo a couple times a month. The service and food are always great.
3 - Candy W.: tasty food and beer. Nice waitress music and three TV's...what else do you want in a pub?
4 - Evil M.: Part Evil's Saturday night exploits in downtown SLO included a visit to the Buffalo Pub.  It was a good time, though perhaps we're being a bit too lenient.

The prices were decent, but not great.  $60 for 2 "bar food" dinners, 6 pints of beer and a couple of shots.  Not too bad.

The food was a bit below decent.  The sycophant with me has a salad and it looked good, but Evil had the steak sandwich.  The fries were very good, but the sandwich...not so much.  The meat was barely cooked.  We are Evil, so the raw meat wasn't a bother, but it is really difficult to bite into an undercooked steak sandwich.  Try it for yourself if you're not sure....

The saving grace...and the reason this place gets 4 stars...is due to the bar-tender.  

Number one...she was very prompt and provided excellent service.

Number two...she was very nice.

Number three...she was super-duper hot.
3 - Britney K.: This was a cool little place. Popped in while in town and waiting for a show to start down the street. The location is great with that in mind. 

Had a tuna melt, and it looked yummy, it was good to start off with but after a few bits had me feeling a little blah. My boyfriend had the pulled pork and that was way way better. 

For an early wednesday night it was pretty busy, def seems to be a popular spot for locals. for the time and price id say it was a-ok.
3 - Saturday night a to Z.: It's taken me a long time to give Buffalo Pub and Grill a try because I'm being petulant.  I loved Le Fandango and I'd heard that the same owners had closed that and open Buffalo so that they could attract the Cal Poly crowd--like we need any more college bars in this town!!

Anyway, let's start with the not-so-good stuff.  The waitress was a ditz.  She actually pulled up a chair and chatted with us after we had given her our drink order, but before she gave it to the bartender.  Is it any wonder C's drink was wrong?  And after that, the drinks weren't very good.  I guess we should have stuck to beers.  We got kind of an array of food, and never once was anything cleared from our table.  We just polished off dinner surrounded by used dishes.

Here's the good stuff:  the food.  The guac was great and the chips were good.  C got a sandwich that he liked and I got enchiladas.  I know, not quite the thing most people would order in a pub, but they were really good--better than the ones I've gotten in many of SLO's mexican restaurants.  And here's the best thing:  the music.  The last thing I expected from a college bar was great oldies, but I almost started dancing--  The James Gang,  Grand Funk Railroad,  Traffic!!  Wow, you just don't hear that stuff enough anymore.

Anyway, it was a warm summer night and we sat by an open window people watching and humming--all in all a pretty good experience.
3 - Elena I.: We just shared a large, crispy basket of fish and chips with our beer. It was enough for 2 not-so-hungry people.  I also had a bowl of French onion soup; it was very small but very flavorful. I just wish it wasn't so salty. There's a singer whose voice sounds like Cat Stevens. His folk rock ballads are pretty good. The people here tonight are a mix of screaming girls who are singing along with the performer. Every man in the bar is a prison guard in basic training. That, combined with the skater documentary on the flat screen, would have created a strong atmosphere of testosterone, if it werent for the folk singer. Even the screaming girls are acting like boys.....and it's a Sunday night! 
I wonder how rowdy it gets on the weekends.
5 - Seth M.: Great small town bar with surprisingly awesome food!  I recomend the BEST PASTRAMI SANDWICH IN TOWN or pesto chicken sandwhich but its all good!  Let's not forget the great service on Thursday nights!
5 - Kerry P.: great pub, our bartender was great. We didn't get his name, but he took our picture.  We are planning on going back to SLO in August....we will be stopping here for sure.  Thanks!!!
4 - Jason H.: I had the pastrami sandwich this last weekend.  It was AWESOME.  Last time I got the chimichurri steak sandwich.  I think it was just ok.

The waitress / bartender is very friendly.  A little overly friendly in a 'fishing for a good tip' sort of way, but she manages to pull it off well.  

Definitely a place I will stop at again when passing through SLO.
3 - Van M.: The food was prit-tee darn good if I have to say so myself - especially for a pub.  The beers on the tap were so-so but the bartender did pour good drinks.  He also apparently drinks on his shift - so much I guess he "accidently" charged my friend for a drink he said he would comp her. 

Fish and Chips, and Steak Frites were yumm.

The atmosphere is very college towny; the girls who frequent the bar look like they belong on the set of "Clueless" with Alicia Sylverstone.  

Eat here, yes.  Drink here, yes.  Party here??? Well, I don't think this is my cup of tea. It's kind of Vanilla.  ...Yeah... pun intended.
4 - Mike D.: just had great veggie tacos and a cold pbr in a chilled pint glass at buff.  although they aren't on the menu, rachel (sp?), who was tending the bar served me the bomb veggie tacos, thanks buff kitchen staff!  the vibe in buff is always chill and the wait staff is friendly and attentive.  if you want to  people watch then post up at the tables near the front windows and enjoy!      the food at buff is never really advertised, although it should be because it's tasty.
5 - JP P.: Good food and beer.

The vegetarian chilly was tasty and the portion was very filling.

Fun atmosphere and friendly service.
5 - John C.: This has been one of my go-to bars for a while now if I want to just meet some friends and have a drink. It's relatively small but has adequate seating from the front to back. The service at the bar has been friendly for me every time and I haven't had a poorly made drink yet. The cost is about average for drinks downtown. What really put this place over-the-top for me was a recent visit my wife and I had there. We went in for some pub food and bloody marys after a very late night of drinking, and we were not disappointed. The food was excellent and the BM hit the spot perfectly! I had the french onion soup - thin, extremely flavorful broth with soft onions inside and a thick top of baked cheese, and the pastrami sandwich - abundant, delicious pieces of pastrami on quality toasted sourdough bread with caramelized onions, dijon, and melted swiss (or maybe provolone) cheese. So good. The bloody mary was strong yet plenty of flavorful and definitely spicy so watch out if you are faint of heart. The accompaniments really set it off with a slim stalk of celery, pickle spear, large olive and strip of bacon! That is correct... bacon. I think it's slightly over-priced at $10 but it's definitely one of the best I've had. Vesna was our tender and server and she was a fabulous hostess. Will be back again soon!
4 - Kevin C.: When you walk in you immediately feel like your in a rock'n family pub. Well you are right on. Don't expect to be met at the door by your hostess because she is busy taking care of a packed house. The bar is loaded with all the favorites and Firestone on tap for us brew specialists. I ordered the pastrami on rye and my wife had the French Onion soup and we give both five stars for taste and presentation. Being small in size don't help the noise level, but you soon find yourself part of the problem. We are already planning our next visit.
5 - Amber M.: Had the calamari, fresh and tasty! Had the cucumber cocktail, twice and had a basket of fries with delicious homemade ranch. My mate got the buffalo burger, it was yum yum yummy and the bartender Rachel was more like a mixologist than your average bartender. Great bar!
4 - Zach A.: This bar is loads of fun. Started out here one night when it wasn't very full and was introduced to the flabongo- one of the most hilarious times in my life was seeing that for the first time. Came back here later in the night and the place was packed shoulder-to-shoulder; course that's common with most bars in a college town on a Saturday night.
4 - Jim L.: I've been coming here awhile. Usually have a pretty damned good experience every time. This is due MAINLY to the excellent bartenders and wonderful cooks. Both really know how to take care of a guy. Until recently the tenders were allowed to play their own tunes allowing each of them to interject a bit of their own personality into each time you came in. Now their forced to play that generic xm radio crap. The shots are small now too. Do you really want to have that reputation in this age of social media? Recent changes have made this a less attractive place to come have a beer and chat up the talented ladies behind the bar. 

Hey French guy in charge? Quit fucking up my/your bar. Go take a management class you so DESPERATELY need. How you manage to retain such quality people is beyond me especially when you berate them in public. More than once I've wanted to smack you silly and dare you to pick on me instead of the ladies working for you.

OK, sorry about that. Dunno what happened there. ANYWAY...anyway everything I've ever had here be it booze or food has been great!

I highly recommend this joint! And if you see the French dude, tweak him a little bit. He LOVES it!
1 - Charles D.: Bad. Guys in Tapout shirts everywhere and $4.50 for a bottled Coors Light.
5 - Danica R.: I've been a fan of Buffalo Pub for a few years now.  The swing shift bartenders always take care of my drink needs, a few favorites being the cucumber strawberry cocktail and Vesna's  creation - The Bad Day.

A few months ago, they shook up their food menu, and since then I've been going multiple times a week to try the daily special and some amazing drinks.  Their chef creates amazing specials that you wouldn't expect out of the pub, my favorites being the osso bucco style ribs over pasta and the ahi tartar with cilantro, tomato and avocado.

Monday nights at 8:30, they have trivia night - 4 rounds of pitting random knowledge up against your fellow man to win t-shirts and pitchers of beer.

Overall, Buffalo Pub is a fun and relaxed environment with a delightful bar staff, excellent drinks, and amazing dinner specials. 

Highly recommended to all!
2 - Jenna W.: I have written many a review about buffalo... but I am  updating yet again. I LOVE Buffalo, it is probably my favorite bar in town. The reason for this, is the people who work there! They have some of the BEST bartenders in SLO town and the bouncers are pretty great too. Even before this place become my favorite, everyone I met remembered me and made me feel so welcome. 

The reason this place is getting 2 stars instead of 5 is because of how the employees are treated. I have seen first hand, one of the male owners get in arguments with employees while they are working (in front of customers). I have also heard numerous similar stories from other customers. 

While the employees make the place what it is and keep me coming back, the owners are the ones who churn a profit and it is becoming more and more hard for me to support a place that doesn't treat their employees well, even though I love it so much! 

One of my favorite bartenders has already moved on from the place and I fear the others may begin to move along as well (good for them, honestly!). The bar won't be the same without them and I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way.
5 - Meg W.: Oh buffalo. Your staff may have changed, you interiors were updated, your food menu got delicous but you shall always in my heart be la fandango... that bar you start the evening/afternoon/morning off at before proceeding to dispurse up and down the street. 

I stoppe din here on my lil self proclaimed pub crawl when I was in slo and it gave me warm happy feelings. That may have been the ridiculously strong blueberry and soda the newish bartender gave me, or the delicous young mann sitting next to me asking me if he smelled like ocean water. But I digress (though seriously when did 21yr old boys start looking so damn good?) 

So there is one thing about the food here. You can't go wrong. The cooks are still the same and I got all excited because I used to eat her eon a regular basis and wanted to get one of my speical dishes again :)

Their burgers are delicious. When you order medium rare you get medium rare, but not to the point where the bottom half of the bun is swimming in juices and falling apart.

Their fish tacos with extra sauce are also really really really good (can you tell I was a fatty this trip?) 

OVerall too they have great prices for slo where you can get some places taht jack up the price for small portions and sub par food.

Overall buffalo, you are still a happy spot for me to park my butt at the bar and enjoy an afternoon.
5 - Gabriel W.: This place is a lot of fun! The staff are friendly and easy to get along with. If you frequent, they will be sure to get to know you. The hot pastrami pictured was my favorite food but they have a very diverse menu that will beat all the bar food in the area, for the low price.

Buffalo Street Books - Ithaca, NY (42.441115, -76.498296) ()
5 - Irene L.: Buffalo Street Books is a small local bookstore conveniently located in the DeWitt Mall in downtown Ithaca, just to the left of GreenStar Oasis. It used to be the Bookery II.

It's my go-to bookstore in Ithaca because it's a small, locally owned company with a strong social justice/analysis sort of focus. Some of my more enlightened teachers have their books ordered there instead of the Cornell Store - less convenient, but they offer a student discount, and the books ordered by professors are tax-free.

They sell children's books, cookbooks, maps, travel guides, local items, CDs, literary journals and periodicals, and awesome social justice and community-building posters (e.g. Ricardo Levins-Morales).

They have pretty frequent readings with local and national authors, which are often really good, and also seem pretty open to hosting other kinds of events or gatherings (e.g. an Ithaca FreeSkool Norse Mythology class), which is great.

Every time I go, I learn something new and find something cool. So glad to have a good local bookstore to support. Loves it.
4 - Jonathan F.: I want to say 3 stars, but I like this place better than some of the bookstores that I have given three....    Bufffalo Street Books does not seem to be strongest in any one book category.  Instead it's just a good overall bookstore.  It's L- shaped , and maybe  small medium rather than small sized.   The are raedings on  fairly regular basis.  They have a small selection of cd's inclduing a set of  Bill Evans/ Eddie Gomez duets that I will eventually get.  ...

Buffalo Wild Wings - Hadley, MA (42.357072, -72.5475266) ()
2 - Rachel O.: I think I figured it out: they don't realize they're a restaurant. I mean, the place is all about the location, right? 50 high-def TVs running every sport imaginable, arcade games, live trivia & video poker at all times... the whole point is that you won't notice that the food sucks. 

We went in and the place was pretty much dead. Even so, nobody noticed us in the doorway until the manager asked if we were being helped. Nope, not so much! The menu sounded great, but none of the food was impressive. The garlic mushrooms were even ice cold on the inside (fried on the outside). 

None of the wing sauces were particularly interesting. The portions were small & overpriced for how much food was being served. Even with meager portions, my boneless wings weren't good enough for me to bother finishing what I ordered. 

On our way out the manager asked how everything was and my husband said it was just OK. When pressed, my husband said that "all the food tasted like it was frozen" and the manager said "well... most of it is." 

I'm sure if we went on a game night, or when there was a special going on, I'd have been OK with the "meh" level quality of the food. But at those prices, I'd really like to get more for my buck, and it'd be nice to actually enjoy what I'm eating.

If you're in the area, save yourself the hassle and drive down the road to The Hanger instead.
1 - John R.: I was dragged to this place today and I must say, if you like good food, this is not the place to get dragged to. I sampled several of their boneless wings, fried mushrooms and regular wings and I have to say I wasn't at all impressed. The sauces were limp and nasty especially the blue cheese dressing which when we told the manager we didn't like it, he agreed and said he didn't like it either.
Another important note, when we placed our order I noticed they came right out within a few minutes. Fast, maybe but not fresh as they tasted warm not piping hot. 
This "eatery" is a good example of corporations run by business people that have no experience, qualifications or background in food, it's preparation, or what tastes good. Yea, sure maybe some people will like it, but only because they are so enamored by the 4000 TV's that are set ablaze in the place, they hardly the notice the disgusting food they're consuming.
5 - Shelly S.: OMG , if you want GREAT wings . You MUST go here . They are so delicious and I live an hour and a half away , it is worth the trip. Especially their deals , *ALL YOU CAN EAT MONDAYS & 40¢ per a wing on Tuesday . This place is the BOMB ! Don't have to eat it everyday , BUT when you don't get to , it is REALLY goood when you get the chance to. DON'T miss out on this . GO (:
4 - Kevin L.: The big LCD TVs and the set up are great for UFC fights and other major sporting events.  There's a drinking section and a family section, so everyone is welcomed here.  

The wings are very small compared to The Hangar.  They do have a lot of new flavors though.  I forget the name of the hottest sauce but it's really hot.  All of my friends and I turned red after a few pieces.  They also got a good selection of beer.  I tried some sun wheat beer and it went perfectly with the wings.  A nice place to go with your friends.  I wouldn't order delivery though because The Hangar wings can't be beat.
2 - Michelle T.: The atmosphere is the best thing about BWW. It makes you feel like you're actually attending a sporting event with all the high ceilings, wide-screen TV's, and, well, beer. That being said, the food is nothing short of disgusting. The chicken was dry, small, and seemed old. The "sauces" were not well-described and were disappointing on all counts. We were not given plates but cardboard trays to eat our food from. The soda I had tasted like dishwater, it was loud, and our waiter was not in any way attentive. However, BWW is open until 2:00 am, later than anything else in the Hampshire Mall and could be a nice place to hang out after a movie or something.
4 - Mitch F.: i've got to say that Buffalo Wild Wings has broken me. 

I'm giving them 4/5 now. 

Why you may ask? Well, because I want to - is that good enough for you?

It's because of one dish that I got the last time I was there, the 6 tender meal. It comes with 6 chicken tenders, your choice of sauce and french fries. 

The fries are a thin shoe-string variety that are seasoned very well, and the hot sauce that I got was fantastic alone. Maybe I'm just liking hot things more and more now-a-days but it was one of the better meals I've had in a while. 

Prices remain good, although I expect they will raise them with the influx of students within the next few months. 

Cactus Approved.

Buffalo Wild Wings - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9122426, -79.0581407) ()
3 - ben y.: Chain with very decent wings.  I'm most partial to their boneless wings.   If you're not familiar with this place, they have a 'range' of about 15 sauces from green bottled pansy-ass don't-stain-your-dress-shirt sauces to red-bottled melt-your-esophagus clear-your-sinuses sheer bliss.  I've been lobbying for them to rename one of their sauces to the aforementioned moniker, but they maintain that it wouldn't fit on a label.  Damn the man.
4 - William J.: This B-Dubs location is sadly closed... The Raleigh location is now the closest by, I believe.  Go into mourning.

Buffalo Wild Wings Bar & Grill - Ithaca, NY (42.421631, -76.522816) ()
3 - Stephanie Q.: Just your typical sports bar. Nothing special. 
Had the flat bread pizza, which was ok. A little too much cheese and grease.
Rather dead during the day with random fans wearing jerseys of teams only they care about.
Meh.
1 - Jane H.: I'd never been to a Buffalo Wild Wings before, but after seeing the near-endless number of commercials that they buy on every single channel, I figured I would give it a shot.

Wow, bad call.  The wings were pretty mediocre (Wings Over Ithaca blows them away in this department.)  And the waitress we had was incompetent.   The place was completely empty except for one other table, and somehow our entire order was mangled.  Wrong flavor on wings, double charged on beverages, beverages that never came, no celery, no refills on water, etc.  She basically took our order, gave us a random assortment of food, then never came back until it was time to pay.

I'm usually not one to complain about service to management (in fact, I usually hate to do so), but this was a rare exception.  The manager dutifully corrected the bill (it took about 20 minutes while we sat there doing nothing).  Nothing was comped on the check, but as a gesture of goodwill, he proudly gave us a small card from his pocket.   Was it his business card, with a request to came back and let them "make it right"?  No.  It was a coupon for free six wings.  With the purchase of 24.  During non-peak dining hours. On weekdays.  On weekdays that don't fall on their weekly recurring wing specials.  Consulting my calendar, we determined that it could probably be redeemed on a Tuesday at 4pm.  Maybe.  It was moot, because we weren't going back.

Buffalo Wild Wings Bar & Grill - College Park, MD (39.0216493, -76.925255) ()
2 - Bethany P.: Food:  3
Service:  1.5
Atmosphere: 3.5

Today was the Grand Opening of BWW in College Park.  We arrived there right at the end of the lunch rush and there was a 20 minute wait, so I'd say this was a great start to this buffalo wings restaurant.   They have a nice variety of things on the menu, buffalo wings being their specialty.  However, do not take a vegetarian to this place because they can only eat the side orders or from the kids menu.

Everything started off nice.  Every manager came to the tables and asked how everything was.  They tried to be very accommodating.  Unfortunately, our appetizers were very late.  They ended up coming with our entrees after a half hour wait.  We  also had asked for chicken nachos and got bbq pork nachos instead.  Oh well...it was still yummy, but we were really all craving the chicken nachos.  The garlic mushrooms were good, but I don't plan on getting them again (only $5).  I wish I had the Crispy Southwest Dippers instead for  the same price.

My wings were delicious.  You can pick from 14 different sauces starting from Sweet BBQ, to Spicy Garlic, to Blazin'.   I got the Parmesan Garlic and Asian Zing (I highly recommend the latter).  Everyone at my table got wings, except one person got a burger.  The Black and Blue Burger was tasty but a little dry, according to my roommate.  We also got a basket of buffalo chips with cheese...but they were not very impressing.  I should have had the potato wedges instead.  The beers on tap were quite pricey as well (we're talking $5+ for a Yuengling).  They do have a great selection on tap, though.  FYI:  Happy Hour is $1 off tap, and that's all they offer.

Our waiter seemed a bit inexperienced because we were there for much longer than we anticipated.  What was expected to be an hour of dining experience turned into a 2 hour experience.  The good thing about the wait was that they had a trivia game you could play with a personal controller and the questions on one of their 50 TV's.  It's definitely a great sports bar, that's for sure.  If you want to check it out, go to www.buzztime.com.

Lately, something that's been happening to me more than I'd like, staff have been taking my plates away before I was finished eating.  I should be thankful for a clean table, but money is tight  and I'd like to finish everything on my plate or take home my leftovers.  This happened twice today, which is partially my fault for not speaking up.

They currently offer 3 $5 desserts, but we didn't want to wait around to try any of them.  

I'd like to try this place again and hopefully will be able to do a re-review...I think they have great potential and they are in a growing area.  The atmosphere is nice, and the juke box had a lot on it that I didn't expect.  Like I mentioned earlier, there were a lot of TV's.  There were even TV's in the bathrooms.  I saw one in the women's bathroom and got a report that there was a TV over each urinal in the men's room.  Now that's a sport's bar.
2 - David S.: Ok went to the grand opening and this place is a sports lovers dream They have TVs everywhere. The staff were real nice and the menu was real big. The problem I had was with the food. The wings were not really good. I told my waiter to get me the 4 most requested and 3 of the 4 sucked. I did enjoy the Asian sauce it was OK. I didn't like the fact you get your wings in a small paper boat that usually contains fries or something. We ordered the appetizer sampler and 24 wings 2 sodas for a whopping $39 bucks...... I'm far from being cheap but in todays economy $20 bucks a person is crazy for wings that cost about 60 cents a pound. I'd rather drive to BWB for wings and just go to Buffalo Wild Wings for the TVs.
3 - James P.: This place is packed and booming~!!  Since two weeks ago I've been hearing tons and tons of hype about Buffalo and I finally got to try their wings =D.  I ordered the Honey BBQ, Asian Zing, Caribbean Jerk & Mango Habanero.  Out of the four, Honey BBQ was definitely my favorite.  Mango Habanero was pretty good but I can't eat more than one because it is pretty spicy.  A lot of my friends like the Asian Zing but I thought it was alright, and the Jerk was my least fav.  Also if you don't like Lemonade, don't let the Mango Lemonade fool you.. it isn't good haha.  But I believe on Tuesdays.. all the beverages are free refills & with 60cents wings, you can't ask for a cheaper meal.

They literally have 30 plasma tv's everywhere with trivia's and also hold'em which you can play with an electronic gadget (but it is extremely slow and very irritating).  But the worst part, our waitress was a NEWB.. we asked for the check and she said she was going to clean the table up first.  Okay, so we thought she was going to come back right afterwards.. she shows up about 10 minutes later.  Guess what, she doesn't come with the check, she asks us if we wanted the check.   So about another 5mins later we finally receive our check and make payments.  She takes it, comes back after a while and says sorry because she mixed up the payments.  At this point I'm -.- and want to slap this B.  We then organize it for HER and then she goes along and makes the charges.  Well this whole process wasted close to 30 minutes of my time and I was pretty upset.  With better service, Buffalo would be a 3.5 but I'll give it a generous 3 for the time being.
2 - Drayton F.: They've been open for several months now, and the kitchen and wait staff still haven't figured out how to get hot food to the table quickly.  I had a party of four that arrived for lunch at 11:40am and we didn't see our lunch until 12:25.  Two people got the wraps and they were good.  I had the boneless wings on special. They weren't exactly 'inspired'  I ordered five with Garlic Parm and five with the Jerk sauce.  Came in two boats, same wings drizzled with the sauces.  Nothing else.  I asked for blue cheese and the waiter started to explain that was extra, then stopped himself when he realized we waited 40 min + for our meal.  I
4 - Jay C.: I've always seen the commercials for this place and friends talking bout it, and finally they have one around the area!

If you go here, get the asian zing, garlic parm, mango habanero, or blazin! don't know what the other reviewers tried, but these are the best flavors they got.  And they're GOOD!  also for apps, Crispy Southwest Dippers and nachos are good here.

They have lots of different beers, and TVs EVERYWHERE! awesome for game days!  If you're with a group of friends, try the trivia or other games they have there for fun.

It gets really packed, and parking can be hard to find.  Especially on Fridays nights.
3 - Arthur K.: Compromise is essential to any relationship. The misses wanted to go to IKEA to check out some wedding-related buys. I asked if I could stuff my face with buffalo wings afterwards. Win-win is what we call that. Actually it's more of a lose-win. But at least it evens out in the end.

The place is your basic sports bar. The wings were pretty good. Not too small, yet not so big you wonder how much these chickens got shot up by steroids and growth hormones. I got the Medium (basic sorta-spicy traditional sauce). And, upon others' recommendations, the Asian Zing. The Zing was also good. Our server, Keyla, was great.
4 - Olivia D.: In the wasteland of Chinese takeouts, Popeye's, liquor stores and Applebee's known as PG county... behold! A sports bar with 14 kinds of wings! Granted, this place sits in northern PG, where the pickins are less slim than central or southern PG, but still... I celebrate and applaud new restaurants in PG when I can. 

Sure, it's a chain... but the wings were decent and I liked that they had a huge selection of sauces to choose from. I also liked that the wings were coated in a thin layer of sauce instead of gobs of gloppity glop and schluppity schlup (hello cluck-u).

So we had wings, nachos and southwestern dippers. Fried everything hurrah... My favorite sauces were mango habanero (spicy + sweet) and asian zing (slightly less sweet + spicy + asiany). Clearly I have a preference for the sweet and spicy. 

Based on the food itself, I would give this place a 3. But the reason for the 4th star is the electronic trivia!... and the massive number of TVs broadcasting all kinds of sports. You can ask your server for a little console thingamajigger and choose to play either trivia or poker while you eat. Lots of fun if you know lots of obscure random facts.

They also had a few arcade games in a corner. And a kids' menu (with mini corn dogs). So all in all, a welcome addition to the hood. 

The only downside is that the parking situation sucks because there just aren't enough spaces in the lot immediately surrounding the restaurant.
4 - chris b.: this place is pretty awesome and has really tastee wings. 

At most wing place you go to these days you don't get a lot of meat on the bone, and while BWW does not have massive wings they were way bigger than normal. 

Also at most wing place, when you order the spiciest wing on the menu it is all heat and no flavor.  I got the "Blazin" wings and they had great flavor, were not watery at all, and had a lot of heat. 

I would say the sides and appetizers were on par. Lot of beers on tap and tons of TVs as well. Definitely recommended if your lookin for a good sit down wing place in town.
2 - J.D. B.: Probably only good for wings. However since I don't care for wings I must rate based on the food I had and my friends. 

I'll been to other BWW before and thought the food was pretty good. This one was below average. I will say that it looks like a great place to watch a game and they have many beers on tap. 

I met two friends there for lunch and none of us had been to this BWW, and they had never been to any. Two of us had side salads, which were pretty good however the sandwiches we had were horrible. My first suspicion was when I couldn't get mine medium rare. I was told that the kitchen will not do that. That's OK... the place still looked like they should have good burgers. I got mine blackened with blue cheese. One of my friends also got a burger and the other a pulled pork sandwich. 

I asked for mustard and they brought me a bunch of individual packets. I expect this at a fast food place and maybe even and diner but not at a sports bar that has ketchup bottles on the table. The burger was very dry. I wondered if they had pulled the patty frozen out of the freezer and through it on the griddle. The bun was big and bready although not toasted so I think it was also sucking the heat out of the burger. Both of us who had burgers agreed there was no reason to come back for a burger. 

The pulled pork sandwich was equally unimpressive. My friend thought it was more like pork jerky, dry and chewy. None of us finished our sandwiches. 

They said this place was really new so I was expecting them to be really trying... and that is not the case. Others seemed to have liked the wings so go there when you are in the mood for that.
2 - Tu-van L.: Small wings.  Parmesan garlic and carribbean jerk sauces were delicious.  Spicy/spicy garlic/spicy BBQ just tasted medium spicy.  Huge restaurant with tons of flat screen tvs with various ESPN channels showing.  Does the job but you can find better.  Be prepared to wait a while for seating and for your food to arrive, especially if you're with a large group.
1 - Chinita A.: I swear the only thing thats keeping this place open are the wings and the beer. because everything else SUCKS! and it's expensive to pay for shitty food as well! The last time I ate there, my friend ordered the appetizer sampler and the food was lukewarm. The next day my stomach felt like shit and my other friends who ate the food had the same problem! Coincide? I think NOT! I've even talked to one of the workers and he even agrees that the food sucks. So I'm not the crazy one here...
2 - Elaine K.: 2.5 stars...

Oh, Bdubs.... I want to give you 5 stars. I really do. Back in my college days in Indiana, Bdubs was one of my favorites. Cheap wings (on the right nights), awesome wing sauce, decent beer selection, free electronic trivia game thing... always a good time.

Bdubs, I hate to tell you, but this location needs some work. The service is consitently slow. On my last boneless wing night, my friend said his wings tasted funny, like somehow his Mango Habenero had mingled with my Carribean Jerk. The waiter got a manager, who insisted on giving him a side of Mango Habenero sauce instead of just replacing his wings. Of course, that was after we actually flagged down our waiter. Also, the waiter really didn't want to bring me the water I asked for numerous times... and beer took forever.

Will I be back? When I'm craving their sauces on a cheap wing night, yes.

Bdubs really needs to take note from their midwestern counterparts and shape up on the service though.
4 - Shannon S.: Despite the bad reviews and the fact that I'm not a big fan of wings, I obliged to try this place out because my boyfriend wanted to watch the O's, I was hungry and we both needed beer. 
    I was pleasantly surprised.  
    We sat at the bar to avoid a wait (20-25 minutes was what we were quoted) We had beer, wings, salads and (I think they're called) Buffalo chips. The beer selection was great- from light domestics to Beamish to cider- there were probably 20-25 taps (we drank Newcastle- it was about $5 for 23oz). Wings were $.40 (it was 'Wing Tuesday") We decided to get a few Garlic Parmesan and a few Asian Zing. Both were pretty good. A good amount of sauce, great flavor, nicely cooked. Salads were okay- what you'd expect from somewhere that salads were not a priority. The chips were thick sliced, fried potatoes- like you'd make at home, more like big flat fries than chips. 
    Service was very good (I find service usually is better if you're at the bar- the bartender can never be too far away, right?) and I'm sure we'll be back- maybe next time I'll try the "naked tenders" those sound good.
    Parking was a pain. It's a small lot shared with several other businesses (including other restaurants) so we ended up parking in the Ikea lot across the 8 lane road and walking over.
4 - Lenard A.: OK here we good there are 2 in the area Laurel and Bowie. Go to the one in Bowie both are set up the same but Bowie is bigger & newer the outside area has speaker so u can here the game. Went this weekend enjoyed the games TV everywhere no problem finding my Eagles.... The only bad thing was the REDSKINS fans CRYING in there Drink
3 - Chang W.: On Thursdays, boneless wings are only 60 cents a pop. Not a bad deal and you won't end up with greasy hands after the meal. There are plenty of decent beers on tap (Beamish, Magic Hat 9) and lots of TV's playing SportsCenter. What this place lacks is waitresses in tight clothing.
4 - Grant M.: I really like BWW. It has a lot of tasty, wing-related choices...and then there's the wings!  They have a plethera of different sauces to try (which are also available to buy by the bottle).  I also really like places that offer boneless wings.  I'll be the first to admit that I am not good at eating wings on the bone.

I also really like the entertainment aspect.  Pretty much every sports bar and grill place you go to has some tv's but BWW has A LOT of tv's.  You also have the option of playing their interactive trivia games if you ask for the controller.  There are all sorts of great options to not talk to the people you went there with.

The only issue with BWW is the wait.  Unfortunately, at any given time, there is some game on that a population of people want to watch, and they want to watch it at BWW.  That means that its hard to get in there most of the time.  However, it is worth the wait.  It is definitely my go-to wing place in the area.
1 - Stephanie M.: I went here for a work event recently, and all I can say is "never again". Granted we had a large party, about 20, but we'd called ahead. We had one server for 20 people, and clearly she was out of her element. Three of the first eight orders brought out were wrong. The food came out staggered, one woman got her salad, and then ten minutes later we got our appetizer, and ten minutes after that we started getting the rest of the food. My fries were ice cold; they'd obviously been sitting for some time. The guy who asked for no cheese because he was allergic got cheese, returned the sandwich and didn't see it again until we were ready to close out our bill over half an hour later. More importantly on a party of 20 I know they were charging gratuity. We could not beg for drink refills, which was stupid on her part because most in my party were drinking beers or mixed drinks. And before you think it was a rowdy bunch, it was my companies quarterly finance meeting, all accountants with an average age of 45 so our rowdy days are over. It was so bad I was embarrassed and I didn't pick the place.
2 - Louis W.: I came here for the MD/NC St  basketball game last year about a week after they opened.  It was packed and slow.  We waited an hour to get our seats and then another 30 min for the food.  My classic burger was ok, not spectacular.  Wings were small and overpriced but I loved the flavor (Asian zing).  My total including tip for the burger and 6 wings was $18.  The atmosphere was great; occasionally the room would chant Lets Go Maryland.
3 - Hansoo J.: I'm not normally a fan of "buffalo" wings served at chain restaurants but I give BWW a somewhat enthusiastic sign of approval for their attempt at these spicy crispy flavor-pops. BWW is a sports bar so it tends to get loud. This location in particular I think since it is located so close to the University of Maryland. Cheap food and beer will attract college students by the hundreds... 

The bar setup is pretty decent. A bunch of small tables are scattered around the floor. Seating is also available around the edges of the bar area. The bar area is surrounded by multiple televisions, which makes it possible to take in multiple games without having to switch seats or contort your body in weird, uncomfortable ways. BWW also has a video-triva game system. I know some people hate these things, but I love them. Automatic 1 star just for that.

The service was good. Despite the fact that it felt like standing room only, our server was very prompt and polite. The food made it out pretty quickly as well. I never experienced that "where the heck is my [server, food, water, etc] moment while spraining my neck as I frantically scanned the area.

The food was just as I had expected. The wings were saucy, a little too saucy in my opinion to be considered true buffalo wings but they were tasty nonetheless. My favorite sauce is the Caribbean Jerk. I think it has just the right amount of heat and tang. The hot barbeque was my least favorite. Not as spicy as its rating would indicate and tasted too much like any generic overly sweet bottled barbeque sauce you could find at Safeway. My girlfriend got a side salad which was ok. Not sure how much you can expect from a side salad. 

All in all, a great place to watch sports and eat wings. Don't expect it to be anything else than what they claim to be and you will be pleased with the experience. On a side not, I noticed signs for boneless buffalo wing night... Isn't a boneless buffalo wing a chicken nugget covered in sauce? Yeah....
5 - Robert U.: Been here too many times to count. Had just about everything on the menu worth having (read: wings, chicken salads, pulled pork sandwich).

Sauce, sauce, sauce. This place is all about the wing sauce. You chose it. You mix and match. You get deliciousness. Never fails.

Best place to watch a game in the area since there are TVs everywhere. Not a bad place to go on a weekend night for drinks. Trivia runs 100% of the time. You just have to ask for the answering machine thingy. They always have a beer on special for the month, and not just the cheapies. The 22oz beer glass is always a winner in my book.

Been here many times and will be there many times more. Check out wing specials on Tues and Thurs. Service has always been good when I've gone and the bartenders are very friendly and quick.
5 - Tigeristic T.: I used to frequent the BW3 in Greenville, NC while I was there and I had to check it out locally when I got back. Let me start off by saying...if you like meat, go to BW3! if you don't like meat, start liking it and go, go, go!!! 
This place would be amazing for any kinda game night, or regular night...but especially game night since they have TVs EVERYWHERE! They always have drink specials and...Wings? I needn't get into that...lets just say, go and find out! The Big Jack Daddy Burger is...heaven!
Did I mention...go to BW3? Go...now!
2 - Sara M.: I tried to visit Buffalo Wild Wings several times.  Each time, I was thwarted.  I'd circle the parking lot multiple times... no spaces available.  And then I'd peer at the front door... and see a giant mob of people waiting for tables.  This might indicate that BWW is a happening, delicious place to be.

This assumption would be incorrect, my friend.  We finally had a chance to hit BWW at off-peak hours (1PM on a dreary Monday afternoon), find a parking space, and get a table.

First things first - this bar/grill/compound is HUGE.  They have a "bar," a "lounge," and a "dining area."  So many choices!  There are televisions everywhere - we counted 35 flat-panel TVs of varying sizes from our seat in the dining area, and we knew there were more outside of the field of vision.  Most of these are showing sports, though some are tuned to other stations or showing the bar's trivia game.  Several televisions were tuned to an ESPN radio show.  Radio on the TV?  THIS BLOWS MY MIND.

We ordered mini corn dogs as an appetizer, but they arrived with the rest of the food.  Appetizer fail!  No matter, they were delicious.  I ordered the buffalitos (fancy name for "chicken tacos"), which were well-stuffed and tasty with the medium sauce.  I opted for buffalo chips instead of tortilla chips, and found them to be completely unseasoned.  I asked for some mayo for dipping and it never arrived.  

The biggest drama occurred with my companion's salad.  The salad arrived on a large plate, carefully segregated by ingredient.  The server said, "I'll be right back with your dressing."  And then he served another table.  And another.  We tried to make eye contact but he never looked our way.  And then he disappeared.  So we split the tacos, and tried to mix the giant salad around on the flat plate (salad overboard!).  We discussed strategies for obtaining dressing or mixing some from ingredients on the table.  

He finally returned after ten minutes and asked how we were doing.  We asked for our dressing.  "Oh, that never showed up?" he asked.  Of course it didn't - unless it was supposedly to magically teleport to the table!  If he didn't bring it, how was it supposed to "show up"?  We scrambled to eat the salad and elected to pay cash, lest the bill never show up, either.

Long story short - this place was slow and disappointing.  They had lots of servers and very few customers, and yet the service was still totally inattentive.  I'd hate to eat here when the line is out the door!
3 - Jonathan H.: So this had actually been my first time to Buffalo Wild Wings, or B-Dubs as I heard my cousin say (B-what??) who took me here. I knew this was a national chain and expected typical bar food and good wings and that's pretty much what I got. Their selection of wing sauces is definitely great. Would recommend only going as hot as mango habanero unless you think you like the lips-on-fire feeling. The wings are fairly crispy. Decent beer specials. A nice casual place but nothing special.
3 - Shandalyn H.: I keep coming back cause, kids eat for .99 cents on Wednesday! But the menu for Adults is not 2 great! I tried different things all the time, but haven't found what I like yet. My kids are in love so that is why, I still go. The waitresses are rude, but I always get a great waiter all the time. The manager's are nice. 

Ummmmmmmmm...... I return to this place cause it's cheap eat's for my children. You also get an punch card for the children. So after so many punches you can get kids meal for free! So I will be returning, because my children are so in love.
1 - Art G.: Seriously, my girlfriend caught a ROACH in her burger tonight. THANK GOD she saw it before she took a bite! GROSS
1 - Soneyet M.: All I have to say was that there was a roach, yes a ROACH, in my burger tonight. Ben, the manager, came over to apologize, and the waiter, Sam, was mortified, but still. It was disgusting and I am still horrified. 

This place is gross! Once there's one cockroach...
3 - Amanda B.: Another restaurant whose food I love, but whose service I am disappointed by.  Eat the wings.  The bar has wings in its name.  That means the wings are good.  Screw the other stuff and ORDER THOSE!  The wings have something like 10 or 12 flavor selections.. we usually end up ordering a ton of wings in different flavors so that we can take some home to munch on later.  I care more about flavor than I do about spiciness in my wings, and so the garlic parmesan and Jamaican jerk are at the top of my list.  BWW also offers some pretty good flavored-lemonade-type drinks that are worth checking out.

The downside to the place is that it is ALWAYS massively crowded, and ALWAYS too loud.  Expect a wait... a very long wait.  When I visited with a very large group, the service was decent, but when there were four of us, we got stuffed in a corner and were largely forgotten about for the majority of the evening.  I resorted to stealing drinks from my friends, because I couldn't get a refill to save my life, and that was pathetic, because the waitress was flirting with my fiance.  (Which was greatly amusing, but would have been moreso if she'd actually come back to our table more than once over the course of the meal.)
2 - E. F.: I loved my Buffalo Wild Wings in Charlotte, NC, but the one in College Park was really disappointing. It took a long time for our order to arrive and my boneless wings looked like they'd just barely been squirted with sauce. Seriously, most of the chicken was naked!  I understand on Thursdays they sell a lot of boneless wings because of the special pricing, but that doesn't excuse them from actually coating them in the sauces.
2 - Kevin W.: I actually love Buffalo Wild Wings, but there are a few things that immediately change your experience here from being awesome to being ridiculous.

1) The parking lot - it is too damn busy all the time. Parking in this lot will make you feel like you're a little Asian lady in an SUV. You will be scared, and probably hit something.

2) The service - it's garbage. 'Nuff said.

3) The wait - if you go on a sports night, a wing night, a beer night, or pretty much any night, you will have to wait to be seated, then wait for service, then wait for food... a lot of waiting.

4) Other reviews - I read that some people found roaches in their food. That makes me never want to go again... although they probably deserved it for ordering burgers at a wing place... idiots.


On the other hand, their blazin' wings and fried pickles are incredible.
2 - Fina A.: yea, a typical american meals, never been a fan of them, and not that many to eat for someone who doesn't eat meat; but i do eat seafood, and yum their seafood meals are awesome.

nice place, great decoration, has a bar too. many tvs here and there hanging on the wall. overall i like it, will come here again when i get bored with asian food.
3 - Jesus J.: I tend to think of this place as an Applebee's that specializes in wings.  The wings they serve here are delicious.  I tried three flavors: medium, Asian Zing, and Honey BBQ.  My favorite was the medium - it had a nice kick to it without being overbearingly spicy.  The Asian Zing and BBQ were tasty, but had a crunchy texture.  The texture was like eating orange chicken from a Chinese take out.  Maybe some people like their wings that way - I tend to go for soft and tender.

The table service was great, but there wasn't a host to seat anyone for about five minutes.  After waiting, I asked someone who worked there "Do you just seat yourself here?" and they responded, "Oh, no, let me go get the guy to seat you..."  Why wasn't he here in the first place?  What would happen if a line started to form? - this was a Saturday night.  The table service for that particular night was great, but it was pretty bad on a prior night.  I think the other Yelpers are right when they say the service is hit or miss.

The prices aren't too bad and you can get four different counts of wings (~10 all the way to 50), and you can have multiple flavors.  For the healthy conscience, they have "naked' wings, which are skinless.  You get the sauces on the side.  These are quite tasty and are a good alternative to regular wings.

In the area, your choices for good wings are scarce, but there is another alternative.  Very close by (in the Shopper's strip mall), there's a Hard Times Cafe, and they serve excellent wings and chili.  Check both of these places out.  I prefer Hard Times, but BWW isn't a bad choice.
1 - Christina M.: Came here on a Saturday night, and could immediately see that they were shortstaffed. Major foreshadowing that we just stupidly ignored. We were ready to leave since it seemed that none of the servers wanted to actually serve, but for some reason we decided to just be patient and squatted a table. About ten minutes later after some people complained to a manager, a server came to clear the tables, including our own. 10 minutes later he actually took our appetizer order and was gone before we could tell him the rest of our order. Almost an hour  later (yeah we were dumb we should've left) we get our cold appetizer, which wasn't even correct. Needless to say at this point we were so tired, hungry, and frustrated that we just put down some cash and left without even finishing. This place was such a fail.
2 - Sarah O.: I really want to like this place, but the employees are TERRIBLE! We stopped here on a Sunday afternoon during football season. I'm all for allowing people to eat and watch a game, but the hostess couldn't even give us an estimate on the wait, because the Redskins were on. Ok, no problem. 

Waiting....waiting....waiting...Whoo Hoo!! Redskins game over (and they won)!!! People start fleeing this place like someone just passed some bad gas. We figured we'd have a seat in no time now. 

There are now 2 people standing at the host stand who have been playing with their cell phones the entire time that we had been waiting! There are also MANY open tables and the game ended about 15 minutes ago. I asked again about an estimate on the wait and was told they have to clear the tables (duh!). I ALMOST said that maybe if you helped the 1 person cleaning the whole restaurant instead of playing on your cell phone, then I will leave you alone, but because I'm too nice...I didn't!!! 

When we FINALLY got to sit down (nearly an hour after arriving), our server was SLOW! We never got flatware and napkins until our wings came out (we ordered an appetizer mind you too!) and then couldn't flag him down for a beverage refill and our bill was wrong too! 

There are plenty of people out there looking for jobs who can give alot better customer service than these imbeciles on their cell phones!
1 - J B.: Do not patronize this restaurant. The restaurant parking lot is completely inadequate and the neighboring businesses will have your car towed.  The restaurant management knows their patrons' cars will be towed and think a small sign to the side of their front door is sufficient warning. The wings are not worth the 175$ towing fee.
3 - Chris Y.: It's a good place to kick back relax, and watch a game. The wings are awesome, they're 45 cents on Tuesdays with boneless wings on Thursdays for 50 cents. Service is okay depending on your server, the wait will usually be much longer on big game days and Tuesday's. 

Honestly the only thing bringing people back is the food and atmosphere, it's definitely not the service. Someday's you'll have great service, but it seems most days service is terrible. There's definitely no emphasis on speed here, food & drinks can take up to 45 minutes at times to reach your table.
3 - Timir D.: Oh Buffalo wild wings, how I love and hate thee at the same time.

This place has great wings (sometimes). It has nothing to do with the day, who is cooking them, or which sauce you choose. It is pretty much random, a Poisson process for those who are mathematically inclined. You can have three orders of the same thing and find one dry, the other over cooked, and the third exquisite. Since I don't like gambling my money away I tend to come here on Tuesdays when the wings are discounted. This way I can throw a smaller amount of my hard earned salary away in hopes of chicken wing bliss while playing BWW roulette. 

Other cons:
This place is stupid loud. That means so loud that you will end up stupid after leaving here. The service sucks, waiters some times forget napkins (really? at a wing place?) , don't refill water (after I order the hottest wings they have), and its impossible to get their attention when you want.

Yet I still come back here regularly. They could easily earn 4 stars by increasing consistency, turning down the volume, and training the staff better.
1 - Wicky T.: We went on Feb 15th at around 8.45 p.m. It was very noisy, crowded, packed but the food was sized appropriately.
We had a salad dish(huge), and chicken burger with fries, 
 which came to around $25 including taxes and tips. 
We will not go there again because there were way too many TV's, we counted about 28 tv's in all, blasting away about every sporting event going on. Its a sports freaks heaven, not for us. We didn't expect to have TV's blaring away during a meal. 
Its either one or the other.  Its even uncomfortable thinking about it now, it was just too unpleasant. The service felt more like an auction since no one was focused on making patrons feel comfortable.
Meal times are to be enjoyed, not surrounded by TV's. Will not go there again even if someone paid us its not worth the money.
2 - Mo F.: Wings are not that great for the price. Service was horrible as most of the waiters and waitresses seemed lazy the night we went on. Glory Days Sports Bar and Grill in N. Virginia blows them off the water.
4 - April P.: It's a sports bar, so I got exactly what I expected.  Good bar food (GET THE O-RINGS, Y'ALL!!), but over-priced brews.  Their TVs are huge and well-placed.  Our server was very nice, albeit M.I.A. most of the night.  Usually I can flag a server down, but not here.  The manager was all over the place though, so I have total respect for that guy.  Very courteous.
5 - Ashley B.: Sooo good!! Tuesdays are 45 cent wings!! Amazing!!
1 - Sheila K.: Ohhhh BWW. What a fail. Unfortunately I've never been to any other BWW and I doubt after going here I will.

I went with a group of 9-10 people. Our server was friendly, though maybe a little too friendly because I'm pretty sure he was hitting on me. So he took all of our orders. The food took so long to come out! It wasn't even that crowded, either. Also, once the food came out, we quickly discovered that three of us had the wrong orders. Rather than apologizing and promptly going to correct the order, he kept blaming the kitchen and even printed out the receipt to show us that he wasn't the one who messed up. We didn't ask, buddy. We just want our food. Also, for those of us who ordered the dippings on the side (which we paid for), it didn't come out until ten minutes after the wings. By the time the dippings came out, the wings were cold.

Now on to the wings. I went during one of those boneless wings special nights. The wings were tiny! They were probably the size of ping pong balls. Also, they were really salty (I got Honey BBQ, Parmesan Garlic, and Hot). I think I drank three glasses of water.

So overall the only good part of this experience was the good company I had. I was disappointed with the food, service, and organization of the establishment. What a shame!
3 - Eva O.: A very fried up happy hour! Fried pickles, fried mini corn dogs, fried wings...you get the gist! Fried pickles and mini corn dogs were a first for me and both perfect little starters to some wild wings. 

We actually got drumsticks because it was a happy hour special. They come in pairs. We got Spicy Garlic, Carribean Jerk, Old Bay rub, and Mango Habanero. If you can handle spice at all, Mango Habanero is the way to go!  Sweet, spicy (ON FIRE!)....but ever so addictive!  I had to alternate between that and the milder Spicy Garlic to finish a pair of drumsticks. But it was sooo on point! 

So really service is what dropped the rating.  Our waitress was too nonchalant, too slow, too unattentive. There were no wet wipes, no napkins. I like booths and they were all filled.  But all that aside, if I were ever down for some spicy fried goodness, this would be still be my go-to wing spot.
2 - Matthew J.: Dear Buffalo Wild Wings,

I am mad at you.  I live right across the street from you, I frequent your establishment, and I even promote you.  Yet, last night, you TOWED MY CAR.  Are you the ones responsible for this ridiculous tow enforcement?  What the heck is wrong with College Park that people can't be responsible and NOT drive drunk without having to pay $175?  I suggest you and the surrounding businesses do something about this ridiculous rule, because it totally sucks and it's $175 less for me to spend money on wings.  How. Rude. 

Sincerely, 

Matthew Johnson
4 - Keith W.: Typical BW3's.  I had quick service and my food was as expected.  Not much else to say if you have been to the chain before.
3 - Judd L.: I forget that I can watch my favorite sports teams at FWWB&G, but there's something that keeps me away.  Is it the food, cute servers, not enough flat screens.... what could it be ?   After I sat into my booth and opened my greasy menu, my memory instantly came back.  The place isn't very clean.  I mentioned booth only to say that I acquired food stains to the bottom of my shorts.  Of course, the bench to the booth is now much cleaner with one swipe of my shorts.

My south of the border style nacho hamburger was simply boring to the taste. Fortunately, the fries and onion were better than my burger. And luckily my Corona Extra soften my senses.

I would probably have rated this experience a 2 Star but I "what the hay" we're talking about a sports bar.  I give BWWB&G a 3 Star for their expensive beer. With three major professional sports negotiating their CBA this year, I may not have to consider coming back to watch a game.  Won't that be great !
3 - LaToya P.: Good (small) wings with a pretty decent selection of assorted sauces and dry rubs. I also like their wraps, salads and cocktails.

Although I wouldn't go out of my way to dine here, I can't really say anything bad about the place. The servers are always friendly, its always clean and they run good daily specials on wings and such.
1 - Jessica K.: I have never had worse service from a bartender than I received tonight at Buffalo Wild Wings. I am really tempted to leave the name, but I will say it starts with an "R" and leave it at that. My boyfriend and I were completely ignored when we first arrived, only to be poured beers and then wait another 5+ minutes to be checked on to order wings. The bar was not busy in the slightest. Every request that followed during our time at Buffalo wild wings was either ignored or put off til R felt like doing it. 

Wings are wings when it comes to this place.. they satisfied my craving, but not enough to return.
3 - Daniel K.: This place is okay to go too. The wings are small and the customer service is crappy. You get what you paid for.
3 - Janice C.: Came here here around 1am on a saturday night. We got take out and the cashier was very nice. We never ate here before and had no idea what to order, but she was very helpful. We waited around 5-10 minutes for our food. We got some wings and chicken quesadilla- which was very good.
2 - Brian S.: They have nice TVs.
3 - Meeka A.: Mondays get a tad better knowing that Tuesday night I will be eating wings with my besties while playing, "catch your eye" with the cutie across the table from us(there's alwayyyyys a cutie lol jk ) . Idk perhaps its a college thing but even when i get bad service ( probably 75% of the time) , i have a good time because all that means is less tip money I have to give the loser who's waiting me!
3 - Monika C.: Wow, no love for the wings! I used to go to  Buffalo Wild Wings in Arizona all the time and this locaiton  in College Park isn't much different. Good food, tons of TVs, decent service, and a huge selection of wing sauces? What's not to like? The draw for me by far is the selection of sauces and the "naked Tenders" (aka unfried). I like to choose my sauce, my boyfriend gets to start at dozens of TVs. We both win!

Food: Good - Not gourmet, but fresh not greasy
Service: Good
Ambiance: Good - The TVs are a bit much for me, but must be great if you're  a sports fan.
Value: Great!
3 - Martin B.: I'm surprised by the average rating for this place. It wasn't amazing but it didn't suck either. BW3 is your usual sports bar-type place. There's beer, there're wings, there's bar food. I ordered a twelve-pack of the boneless wings (why pay for things you can't eat, e.g. bones), half of it smothered in Asian Zing and half of it glazed with Mango Habanero. The mango sauce was pretty damn spicy but it had a good sweet flavor to it. The Zing sauce carried a strong ginger flavor, but it was not overpowering. 

Service, however, was slow. It was a packed Saturday evening but it took ages to even get our drinks let alone our wings. I blame it on the kitchen though, since when our server brought us our food he was trailed by another server with the exact same food... bah. I'll probably be back because College Park's restaurant selection is not that great, but I won't come with any high expectations.
3 - Pat K.: I like coming to Buffalo Wild Wings when I am looking for a small bite to eat and something to drink (they have Flying Dog on tap!!!). That being said, coming here for a complete dinner can leave you a little unsatisfied. 

One thing I have noticed with food at this place is that it's just OK. I have not had anything that I can say was over the top or special. I usually just get wings because of this and even the wings are just OK. I will say the wide variety of wing sauces they have keeps me coming back though!

What I really like about this place is the atmosphere. They have a nice sized bar and you can play trivia, Texas hold 'em, and a few other things with those blue controllers they have (forgot the name of the system that is used). Sitting at a table is also a good time. The service has been great every time I've been, the tables have plenty of room, and there are lots of TVs to keep you entertained. Keep in mind at night, especially on the weekends, it gets quite busy.

If you are going out and want to have a good time spending little money, this is the place to be!
4 - Adil B.: This place seems to have improved from the last time I visited (over two years ago). Because the menu was redesigned to include more items than just wings, everyone was happy to find something that they liked.

BWW has trivia games that you can play along with on the TVs around the restaurant. There are numerous TVs in this place (Has TV: Yes!!) - all showing a different sporting event. I ordered some of their mango habanero wings. I couldn't taste any mango in the sauce but I liked the spice level! I might go for the Blazin' flavor next...if I can handle it! :)

Service was somewhat slow but it was a Friday night.
3 - Michelle B.: I don't have anything bad to say about the place.  It is just another sports bar with a bunch of TVs.  Kinda loud, with ok tasting wings.  I think its a decent bar.
4 - An T.: Just about every single time I've been to BWW, I've experienced pretty crappy and slow service, but my last visit a few nights ago proved to be mildly impressive. 

Our wait time was supposedly 20-30 minutes, but our group got called up within about 10. After being seated, this is where we experienced the only problem for the night: waiting to be served. Our group watched about 4-5 different servers walk back and forth through our area, and not a single one glanced over. After waiting about 5 minutes, we finally flagged down a host and asked what was going on, and the problem was pretty quickly resolved. Our server showed up right after, and apologized, saying there was a bit of a mix-up in the division of tables that night... but from that point, it was smooth sailing! Great service followed, and our waitress was constantly coming back to check on the group. Our wings even came out in record time! I recall usually having to wait FOREVER just for appetizers. 

I also noticed that they added 2 new saucy flavors to the menu, Thai Curry and Jalapeno...something. Definitely try the Jalapeno, but skip the Curry because it was pretty salty and overwhelming. I tried wings with the Salt & Vinegar dry rub for the first time and was impressed!

Great improvement on the place, making me genuinely want to come back, instead of going as just a last-resort for something late and close by!
2 - Lina B.: Service sucks. 
Why is this place always so busy? Ugh...

But you get what you pay for when you go to BWW I guess.
3 - LaToya E.: BW3 is your usually sports bar with better than average wings. Come to this place on any game night (of any sport) and you'll find it pretty hard to get a seat or service if your lucky enough to get a table. 

Pros: Decent wings, moderately priced drinks
Con: even on non game nights the service could be better
2 - Barry B.: I read some of the other reviews first to make sure that it wasn't just me.  I was with my college sophomore son (who goes often).  I was with him so it was overall a great experience.  Hell, an MRE on the banks of a Florida swamp in a rainstorm is good if you are with your boy; but I digress.

I had heard the commercials for years (like the current ones about football and table gating).  By the way why is that guy having an appletini in his bedroom (the only place I know to find a duvet...re-write on the commercial anyone?). My son and his buddies used to go in High School and still do.  I had never been.

I am now offically too old for this kind of thing.  The food was marginal, the prices a little steep $40 for two at lunch with no alcohol.  The service was so-so (although our little waitress was cute as a button- I have to say it that way because I don't want someone to read this and "Sandusky" me.) It was too loud, too many moving parts, too much screaming at every little thing that happened in the Ravens game ( really people do you have to leap out of your chair and scream at the top of your lungs for every 3 yard run?)

I won't be back...unless of course my son asks me to.
4 - Kamilah B.: Good wings and burgers!  You get what you get.  Loud and crowded everytime I go and sports on every channel.
4 - M B.: Me my coworker eat there for lunch.  The Tuesday/Thursday wing special is great.
2 - Jamie L.: Coworkers have raved about the restaurant and wing selection, so we stopped in before a trip to Ikea.  Tried three types of wings (6 of each:  boneless buffalo (mild), bone-in honey bbq, and bone-in thai) with a side of fries, a side of carrots/celery and water.  Wings were mediocre and food was way overpriced (totaling $27).
2 - Andria D.: Oh gosh. It is *so* loud in this place.
1 - Sara R.: We placed a pick-up order around 10pm on a Sunday.  When we got there, the place was not busy at all...almost empty. They messed up our entire order ( two sandwiches).  One was the Honey BBQ chicken sandwich, but when we opened up the box it was just a plain piece of chicken on the bun...no sauce, cheese or bacon. The other was black bean burger...but they also forgot all the toppings.  We had to wait for them to fix it..then they didn't even offer a discount or coupon for next visit.
4 - Stacy G.: Good wings & service, love Boneless Wing Thursday!! The Teriyaki & Honey BBQ are my personal faves along with the Old Bay, but if you like it spicy, they have something for everyone. Love it here :)
1 - Stephanie T.: What a mistake I made coming here on a Sunday... My waitress was horrible. First, she gave me the wrong drink and it took her forever to get me right one. We also ordered an appetizer (Southwestern Bites) at the same time me ordered drinks but it took over 20 minutes for it to get here. Than after than we got our wings..they were so over cooked and had no sauce. Plus they were cold!  They tasted as if try had been sitting under a heat lamp for lever. Also we never got silverware and had to tell our hostess because the waitress was no where to be found! 
Should have gone somewhere else and saved my time and money
2 - Hasaan B.: I barely tolerate BWW -- I go there because my friends like to go.  

There are select bartenders who are good who take care of us.  However, some of the other staff are simply awful. Luckily, the decent bartenders are usually there to give good service.

The food --  Love the mango habanero wings, but that is about it. The rest of the menu is garbage. No real healthy options.  They have some grilled chicken strips, but they taste like crap.

If you like crappy bar food, have at BWW, but if you want some healthy, or decent quality food choices, run like hell. Like, I would crush a quality cheeseburger -- but this place can't make a quality cheeseburger, chicken sammich, or anything else.  

Just eat the wings and drink a beer. LOL. And I can have a decent time catching the game or something.
4 - Toby R.: This used to be my regular haunt, but I'm not arorund much anymore.  However, it's still awesome: plenty of TVs (and the willingness to change them to your game), good food and good drinks.
2 - Mara G.: Well, well. No crowd? I was a bit surprised, for a Saturday afternoon. But then I realized, this is not the same as other BWW's I've tried. The Honey-BBQ wings were small and hard, and I had to take most of my serving home and steam them to make them more palatable. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu items. The Margarita was average. I will stick with the other locations when I want wings in the future.
4 - April S.: This was my first time visiting Buffalo Wild Wings Bar & Grill. It was my BF's suggestion. I did not know what to expect. When I walked in I was very impressed. There were big screen televisions everywhere with music playing in the background. The servers wore jerseys and jeans. I need to get a job here. lol!!!

Our server was great. She was very pleasant and attentive.

We got there just in time for happy hour. Frozen Margaritas were $4 and boneless chicken wings were 5 for $3.  We ordered the Artichoke Dip as an appetizer; Thai Curry, Caribbean Jerk and Honey BBQ, along with onion rings for the main course.  

The dip was ok. I truly enjoyed the pita chips. They were a nice change from the typical tortilla chips.

I was a bit perplexed when the boneless chicken came to the table in a little paper container shaped like meatballs. lol!!!

The Thai Curry was hot for no reason. The BBQ tasted like something I could get from KFC. Caribbean Jerk was on point.

We got two containers of blue cheese for an additional.60 each. The blue cheese cooled off the Thai Curry just a tad. 

The onion rings were the bomb. Crispy, tasty and not too greasy.

The Mango Margarita was ok, however the Strawberry Margarita was on point. I got my first glass lined with sugar and the second line with salt.

I recommend this location. I will definitely go back to try some more flavors.
3 - Leroy R.: Wow! The overall scene at Buffalo Wild Wings Bar & Grill is just inviting. Big screen Tv's every where with sports, sports and more sports. Well it all did'nt start out great because the waiters took there time to get to me and my BF and when one finally arrived she never apologized for the wait. The boneless wing we ordered were like balls of chicken, lol but were very tasty except for the thai curry flavor which was a little spicy. I would definitely go back for the experience though and maybe order real wings instead of boneless.
1 - Amanda M.: Visit #1 - Dry chicken.  Hmm...maybe it was a bad day.
Visit #2 - Dry chicken.  Hmm...maybe it was another bad day?
Visit #3 - Dry chicken.  Ok...it's very bad dry chicken.  But the potato wedges were good lol.
2 - Shane G.: Server was nice. I thought he was going to  be some trash. However, the food is mediocre. I would go back but I doubt it eould be my first choice.
3 - Wendy J.: Wings ribs and fried pickles! Not busy for a Monday night.  Lots of TVs.
4 - Libby F.: I think some folks are being a little harsh on this place.  After all, it's a chain.  It's also a sports bar.  It's in College Park (sorta), so that means drunken frat boys boozing it up during random televised college football games.

And it can get crowded in the bar area, but once a certain game is over it's like toilet paper on a shelf in the grocery store on a predicted snow day.  Trust me on that one.  We went on a Saturday night and were told it would be a 45 minute wait for a table and the bar was packed.

We left.  We came back, and behold, plenty of choice bar tables!  So why come back for a chain restaurant? Tall Bud Light drafts for $3.75 ...and wings.  Actually, I was the only one to order wings because my friends had already been to the Arlington BWW that afternoon. Those crazy kids are on a mission to visit a BWW on every trip they take.  This was stop #64! 

 I had the mild and safe Parmesan Garlic wings. (I think they are number three on the list of 14 ranging from "Don't be such a wimp" to "Wickedly, cry like a baby" hot.  They were tasty.  I like how you can request the type you like (flat kind, or the drumstick looking kind).  They are messy though!  If you like the sauce you can buy it by the bottle for about $4.50.

Perhaps the real reason we came (left - went to Chipotle - came back) was to play Buzztime Trivia.  I won't go into all the details about that, but my gal pal and I are awesome. We turned into Woo Girls. We finished 10th in the nation!  Woo! Woo!  If you didn't think knowing that Jack Tripper lived at the YMCA before moving in with Janet and Chrissy was important, then you're wrong!  Who's knocking on whose door?!
2 - nida k.: i love wings... and i practically begged to go here after a long day at Ikea. It took a long while for the waiter to even arrive, thank goodness me and hubby already knew what we wanted. 40 minutes later the waiter comes and says "oh I know its been a while let me see what my manager can do though he's stingy"

long story short, the manager didn't discount us anything or even come to apologize. the wings came 50 minutes after ordering (the place was NOT packed at all). the waiter took off the cost of the drink, never brought us our other menu orders and we had to keep ASKING him and flagging him down (to the tune of about 5-7 times) to either refill the coke or get the rest of our food or something or the other. 

additionally the chicken wings WERE dry, and undersauced... ive been here before and it WAS good .. like two years ago lol the coleslaw was dripping because the mixture was very watery.

I am not typically a critical person and make every effort to give concession where due... In the end I am hearing so much about not just this location but crystal city and other locations that I have no desire to come back to this chain. bad service, bad food, too  many other places to try!
3 - Sam G.: I went here on a Saturday night for a good time with my friend and his college buddies. It was good to catch up here. We ordered 50 wings with 4 different favors and a basket of fries. Our waiter was good. The place was just packed and a little uncomfortable. However, they had a few football games going on overhead that detracted from that feeling. I've tasted better prepped wings before. Splitting the bill 4 ways made it manageable to afford. I wouldn't come back here because of the area.
4 - Donna H.: I had lunch here today with a group from work. We were a group of about 20 and our waitress handled the group really well. The food was tasty, I had the popcorn shrimp with thai curry sauce and a side salad. All seemed satisfied with their choices, and I left feeling very happy with my lunch.

Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar - Houston, TX (29.7173428, -95.4179848) (West University)
3 - Shana P.: I've never been a big fan of greasy Buffalo Wings.  So much work for so little meat.  And then a basket of celery left sitting on the table.  

I have found this to be a fun place to meet for lunch but you have to get there early.  The parking is terrible and most of the spaces in Rice Village are reserved for other shops.  You almost have to park in someone else's lot, pay for something at their store and then go to BWW to eat - it's like paying for your parking with a small prize.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays are especially tough because they run specials on these days but it can be worth it when you get a seat.  They have many wing options but I prefer them dry with a sauce on the side.  Makes for less messy eating and you get the flavor balance you want.

Buffalo Wild Wings in Rice Village is fun for groups and great for sports enthusiasts.  Even if you don't like sports, you can enjoy the people you meet there.  

Overall, a good place to grab some football food when you're in the mood for something on the light side that isn't a salad.
3 - Cory O.: I'm not sure why you'd eat here while in Rice Village (so many options, so little time!) and yet I'd be a hypocrite if I judged you for it.  I've done that exact thing. . .twice.  And I don't even like wings!  What I do like are cheap beers.  And football (okay, so I'm hoping the Aggies will one day not be an embarrassment).  And a place where the boys will be so busy stuffing their faces, the girls can have uninterrupted conversations.  Yep, you can get all that at BWW.  And the best part of it is the tvs with all those little games going on.  I'm (a little) competitive, so I really like to get into the trivia questions. . .and it gets to be a lot of fun when you're playing to see who pays the tab!

All in all though, a better time could be had just a few blocks away.  I'm a huge proponent of supporting non-chain restaurants.  Plus, the wing sauces, though they have a large variety, does not impress me, nor do their overprices appetizers.
5 - Ro N.: I love love love their sour cream and chive fries here!

Not to mention their BUFFALO WINGS!!!!  Sooooooooooo good-I wish they had one here in NYC.  
(Well they have one in Brooklyn, but that doesn't count!)


But this place is so good that I actually did travel outside the city and the midst of the Ghetto Brooklyn to get these wings and delicious fries!!!
4 - Larina C.: I am not a sports fanatic but I like the high energy in here when the games are on. The wings are scrumptious, the buffalo chips are awesome, the beer flows, and there are lots of other fried goodies to choose on the menu. It's better than what's served at a typical bar. BW-3s is a place for all ages. This location is more likely to be crowded with college students.
3 - Matt H.: Ever since they changed the set up of this place, it hasn't been the same. I remember coming here in college the wings were .30 cents and the had no guy waiters. Who can ask for more?!?!? Now they have to be an equal opportunity employer, and a dude has to serve me .35 cent wings on Tuesday. Now I know why these geezers always talk about "the good ole days".
4 - Bill C.: Very good for what they do.  I tend to stick to the wings or the boneless wings (really chicken nuggets) on the special Tuesday and Thursday nights.  The other food on the menu doesn't seem as good.

They give you an option of about 20 sauces with your wings, but have a minimum of each sauce that you have to get, which I think is 6 for wings.

They also have a ton of TV screens and NTN if you like trivia.  Parking sucks, but welcome to Rice Village!
4 - Katie W.: In and out in 15 minutes on Super Bowl Sunday, who would have guessed?!?!   Very quick take out service, even though there were plenty of people there.

The wings are tasty and there are a ton of sauce options to choose from, I usually opt for medium or hot since I am not a fan of the nontraditional flavorings on my wings. The Buffalo chips are tasty. 

The biggest pain is the parking, the lot is tiny and everywhere nearby has tow signs hung up. I usually park across Kirby in the neighborhood and walk over.

For those of you who remember 30 cent wings, I remember 25 cent wings and 50 cent drumsticks, which they don't even serve any longer.
4 - Kristina B.: Oh B-Dubs, how I missed you so!

I went here with some other conference attendees for wings & beer tonight and could not stop cooing with joy at our discovery of a bw3's in the middle of Rice Village.  It was much less crowded than the 25-cent wing Tuesdays of my youth (granted, we went on a Monday), so our extremely competent and personable server Ryan was able to serve us wings & beer quite efficiently.

We tried the wings with the following sauces, ordered from most favorite to least favorite (commentary in parentheses):
-Spicy garlic (scrumptious)
-Parmesan garlic (yum! I wish this had existed at the C'ville bw3's)
-Mango habanero (good, but I could not handle them without blue cheese dressing)
-Caribbean jerk (too much pepper)

Rice University, you are lucky to have such wings in your presence.
1 - Morgan N.: Last night I arrived with a few friends. Before going, I checked the specials online. *Tuesdays 30 cent wings!* I got pretty excited because I can't remember the last time I've had wings. I ordered 10 honey barbeque wings yummm with celery and ranch. They didn't have carrots which I think is odd... The service was absolutely horrible. We had to flag down any waiter/waitress we saw just to take our order. The didn't even come around to refill our glasses! Finally, I had to get up and ask for the check.. when it arrived, the wings were 50 cents a piece! are they joking? That's misrepresentation! It wasn't just 10 cents more than I though but 20? That's ridiculous. So, the combination of terrible service and misrepresented cheap wings will never bring me back here.
3 - David N.: I don't like this location for BW3. It's just awkward to me and I prefer the one in midtown much better. The parking in this area is bad and when they were doing construction it was down right terrible getting here. The service is horrible at this location too.  The food stays consistent from one location to the next though.
2 - Glen L.: About the only good thing I can say about this place is that they do have plenty of TVs (CRT and projection) scattered around the 2 dining areas. From every seat, you're bound to be able to catch the game you want.

Now on to the not-so-good: The parking lot is idiotically designed. It's an L-shaped dead end, so people who pull in when it's full have to reverse out into Rice Blvd. And be careful where you park around it, as there's towaway signs everywhere.

The selection is sauces is pretty disappointing. Sure, they have about 15 choices, but they're mostly different names of similar tasting flavors. Pluckers, a wings place in Austin, has vastly different flavors such as sweet, tangy, sour, salty, mild, hot and really really hot.

Our server was also being nitpicky about the number of sauces we could order. We wanted 50 wings and 3 sauces, but he wouldn't let us have more than 2. He said the only way to get more sauces would be to order separately, but at higher total prices. Really? How hard is it to put a couple wings into a sauce shaker and spin it? To top it off, the server told us each person had to choose between celery or ranch dressing. Getting both would cost extra. This blew my mind!! Every other wings place gave both for free! To avoid the extra cost, we had some people get celery and some get ranch dressing.

The beer selection for such a big bar is pretty disappointing. Sure, they have about every type of Budweiser out there, but that's about it. They don't have much in terms of microbrewery selection, although they did have 1 St Arnold's brew, which I drank. I guess just like every other aspect of this place, they went conservative and just bought national brands with bland tastes.

The only reason I even picked this place was because I'm new to eating out in Houston, and am not sure of where to go when it comes to watching sports and eating wings. I will definitely keep looking.
4 - Chris S.: Man, everyone's hating on the wings! WTF?!?

Okay, well Buffalo Wild Wings is a favorite of mine. And although I can't eat it anymore (I'll get to that in a bit), there is nothing like eating wings, drinking ice cold brews and watching the game (any game) on the plethora of big screen TVs.

The service could definitely be better sometimes, but for a beer and wings place--what do you expect? Really? 

If you're looking for a place to meet up with the guys (and girls occasionally) and shoot the shit while grabbing some grub--then this is your spot. 

Now for why I am unable to eat there anymore. It's pretty simple really. I can't NOT eat the hot. The hot is fantastic. The night after eating is fine as well. But the next day....   That's another story. Time after time as I sit praying to my porcelain god, "Why? Why I ask? WHY must I still eat the hot after knowing damn well i'll pay for it in the worst way the next day?" 

But then I eat 'em anyways. So now I can't go back. It's just so sad.
2 - arturo p.: First I have to say that Buffalo Wild wings prepare some of my favorite Wings (Mango Habanero and Spicy garlic).  I have come to this restaurant for more than 5 years.  My experience has been wonderful until today.  As we walked in we sat at the table and began to place our order.  We read the menu and began to make our decision.  In menu the Cheeseburger Slammers and Mini Corn dogs where labeled in the kids menu.  So we place the order for the kids and we place our regular order.  Yes the food is delicious.  At the end of the meal My son asked me to please take him to the rest room.  I walked in to this bathroom and it was to my surprise to see that the restroom was extremely filthy.  I rush to the table to ask my wife to take my son to the female restroom.  I mention to the waitress that this is not acceptable to let her manager know that the restroom was filthy.  Her comment was there are only girls working here no guys and we have not been able to clean it.  This looked liked they forgot to clean for more than three days.  Well I requested the tab and my bad luck of the day the tab was wrong to my understanding.  I was charged the regular price for the Slammers instead of the price for the kid's slammers.  Again the response was well you order slammers not kids cheeseburger.  I grab the menu showed the waitress that the menu said slammers in the kids menu.  The manager had to come out and apologize for a filthy restroom and that the staff did not know that in the kids menu cheeseburger slammers existed.  According to the manager the staff was train to call them kids burger.  I have to tell you this that after this I might have to reconsider if I want wings from here.
3 - amit k.: I've been coming to this BW-3 since 2001 and I wish I could give it more stars but I can't. Parking is always an issue here, and this place is ridiculously packed every time I come here, which is obviously great for business. 

I've never really had a bad meal here and the food is pretty consistent at every buffalo wild wings I've been to in Houston so I can't complain about that. Their vegetarian menu options are limited and typically servers don't ever know the drink specials of the day, but there is always a board up front and near the bar that will let you know what tasty beverage is on special that day so no big deal. 

I actually liked this place better before the remodeling but I guess that just makes me old school. I wouldn't recommend getting food to go as it gets soggy pretty quickly. The servers are generally very nice and food comes out quick once ordered from the kitchen. Drink service depends on your wait staff.
3 - AJ E.: This place used to be great about 5 years ago. It used to be a really chill place where you just ordered at the counter and sat down in some wooden barstools to watch a game. 

They completely remolded themselves, both inside, and their attitude. They made it into more of a restaurant now, not to mention jacking up the prices a bunch. It feels a bit too cheesy now. The food is good still and I really like their variety of wing sauces. My personal favorite is habanero mango, and asian zing. There are also plenty of TVs with almost anything you can want being played on at least one of them.
1 - Shellie B.: I am a BW3 fanatic!  I refuse to go to this location due to bad service that I experienced three times.  Bla.
2 - Jenny S.: I think this BW3s is subpar compared to others.  The food is what you'd expect from any BW3, but the service is pretty terrible.  The last time I was there, the waitress kept trying to bring me Miller Lite instead of the Stella that I was ordering and acted like I was completely unreasonable for requesting she bring me what I ordered.
5 - Daryl G.: Great service.
3 - Ray C.: Food  - great. Wait time - not bad. Service - slow yet humorous. Our server, Daniel, was BAKED. He was slow, slightly slurred his words, and seemed to have the giggles. He took awhile to greet us and took some more time to take our orders after the drinks. Nuff said.
3 - Linda N.: You know I used to go to BW3 a lot over at Westheimer by Dairy Ashford, long ago, bbut now I reside in the so expensive and some cool and some grouchy neighbors in the med center, so we just decided to got to the Kirby BW on Friday, nah not the one in midtown. Surprisingly this is my first review on BW out of any of them that I've been to quite some times. IO think the service is always fine, but I do hate how dark it generally tends to be. The food...the mini corn dogs make me laugh....very tiny....the batter on the corn dogs are also crispy, not soft like your typical one if you have a child. Wedges...yummy, so good, french fries..eh, jerk chix wings...no way...no sirree bob...that was spicy and not appealing to my taste buds. Oooooohhhhh lala the Asian zing and the honey bbq are my faves! The hot wings my guy indulges on. The mango habanero...I don;t know, its a hit w/ a lot of poeple, but not with us. Yeah, thats all the flavors we tried and can remember we tried. The boneless wings will get you more full quicker, but I don't feel like they have enough sauce, anyway though, the wings are okay, the prices...print coupons, they can be pricey, lol I'm just being cheap, its okay. Lots of tv, and like smack in your face too. Its an alright place.
3 - Cullen E.: As with many other Rice Village locations, the customer service here can get a bit poor on the weekends.  Anytime there's a sports game on you can bet the bar will be packed!  Also, the parking is absolutely terrible here.  With only 20-30 spots, your best option is to park in the lot a street over behind the CVS.  There are signs saying they tow, but they do not.
3 - Michael E.: This location is like your run-of-the-mill buffalo wing restaurant. Nothing fancy and mostly what you would expect. The upside of this location is that they have a big projection screen playing the games. The downside is that their boneless wings are terribly over priced and extremely unfulfilling.

I came here with some friends to eat some wings and watch the game. The parking situation here is in need of improvement. There is a small parking lot on the side of the restaurant and during peak hours, it's difficult finding a spot. All the complaining about the parking aside, the service here, while our waiter did a good job, just took way too long. Our food took over thirty minutes to come out and my boneless wings were about the size of a chicken nugget at McDonalds. For the price I paid, I expected them to have a little more meat.

Nevertheless, I've had the regular wings here and I think I will just stick with an order of those. They offer many flavors here so you're sure to find one that suits you. I tried being adventurous and going boneless but that won't be happening again. They offer other items, however, I haven't gotten around to trying those.

Overall, if you're looking for a place to enjoy some wings while watching the game, this is one of the many you can come to. My overall experience here wasn't anything that will have me coming back but as with many popular chains, the convenience is what draws me in.
5 - Brandon A.: I chose to let the chains loose on my budget and allow myself to enjoy a quick lunch with co-workers today, I chose this restaurant and was very satisfied with my selection. 

This was the first time I dined here during the lunch hours and I was pleasantly surprised that their lunch menu was so cheap, for someone as frugal as I am this came as a nice shock (I even allowed myself to order a soda, eek!). Not only were the prices reasonable for lunch but the staff was extremely friendly and made my co-workers and I feel as if we should ditch our corporate duties and spend the afternoon at the bar. The food was served quickly and without any errors. What I tend to find usually with bars like this, the waiter, for whatever reason, has an issue when it comes to splitting the check. Maybe they can't read what they wrote down or they are searching for the secret millionaire of the group, whatever the hang-up is it didn't happen today and I must say I was thoroughly pleased. Our checks were brought out pre-separated and we didn't have to go through some awkward form of numbering our selections or using binary code to relay the message to the staff.

If you work in the area I 100% say give BWW a shot during your lunch hour, it's not crowded and the service is speedy.
2 - Christa K.: I've been here several times and forgotten to write a review. Yesterday, we stopped in to check out the drinks and maybe have a few wings. Normally, I sit at a table and have decent service (never great but usually ok). I love the variety of flavors they have. We opted to sit at the bar which turned into a long long fiasco, even though the bar is supposed to be faster. So my girlfriend order her strawberry daquiri but it took forever, the bar tender said that the blender was broken... Hmm that's odd. Ok so the wings took at least 20 minutes to come out and the lady that delivered them was extremely rude, slapping them down on the table without a word and when my friend asked her a question she just walked off ignoring him. The wings looked like they had been sitting out a while, they didn't have that fresh juicey look. There's no prices on the drink menu either.
4 - Cara D.: For someone who doesn't even eat wings, I sure do love BW's! I usually get the shrimp or the veggie burger, but they've also been known to modify and make a vegetarian version of a wrap for me! 

The service is kind of hit-or-miss at this place, and I wouldn't come here if I were in a hurry, but on the whole whenever I've been here there have been good times to be had. 

The Verdict: This is a good all-occasion place. I've been here on a date with the hubby, met up with friends, and had larger get-togethers in the bar, and it always works out to be awesome.
1 - Van L.: As a restaurant chain, you wouldn't expect much out of the norm of their other locations.  This one is no exception.  The drinks are your basic beers - Miller, Budlight, Corona, etc., and they aren't too bad on happy hour as far as price goes.  

The service isn't so great at this particular location either.  The waitress we had was actually quite pleasant (she was nice), but being nice doesn't make up for the long wait time, difficulty of ordering another drink, and even the long wait time to get my credit card after paying the bill.  I am not sure if it's, because she was new or not.  It wasn't particularly busy since our group of 10 people were able to find an entire empty row of seats (bar counter-top style in the main dining area).  

It was a Tuesday, so they had a special for wings (I don't rememeber the price since they change it so frequently).  Majority of our wings were cooked decently and soaked in the sauce we order.  However, my major gripe is how extremely small the wings were.  I wish I took a photo to show how unfulfilling the wings were.  My simile comparison would the wings were the size of a bite-sized Kit-Kat.  Unacceptable.  

I am not one for complaining to management about how they should run their business - although it should start.  Maybe it's my fault for not speaking up, but as a fellow customer, food shouldn't be served like that (unless it was always that way).  As a teen, I worked in the first BW3's opened in Houston, and I must say, things have changed for the worse. 

BW3's - if you care to even read the reviews or ratings on this website, get your act together.
2 - Lori H.: Came here for lunch during the week and it was pretty empty in here. We were greeted by the cashiers when we walked in. The wateriness were having a powwow at the ordering screen. 
It was 60 cent boneless wing Thursday...WooHoo. 
I got traditional Asian zing and and traditional dry rub Buffalo. My niece got the boneless honey barbque.
For an appetizer i got chips and salsa. We only got red sauce. On the menu it said red and and green sauce. i asked the the waitress she informed me after we started eating that it was either or not both. That's funny because the menu said " Green and RED sauce" 
Then she handed my side salad and went to get utensils. She went to assist another customer and forgot. I had to wave her down while she was standing at the counter. 
She then didn't bring back my Soda after I asked for a refill. 
For the place not having very many people she acted like she had a full section and couldn't keep up with anyone. 
My wings were awesome, the salsa tasted like Pace Pacante sauce, the tortilla chips were fresh out of a cold bag and the service sucked.
2 - Christopher D.: This location is pretty cool. Parking is kinda tight since the parking lot isn't that big. Service is kinda slow... Boneless wings were ok not great. The garlic parmesan wings were drenched in garlic and were not what I expected. You can pass the time by playing a game on the TVs that are around the establishment which was cool.
4 - Pam B.: I am giving this place a 4 star rating because apparently it is THE bar to go to if your a Cowboys fan. SCORE. Stupid Uverse never shows any Cowboys games in Houston so, after missing the majority of the season last year (perhaps not missing too much but still) my husband was pretty insistent we find a place that would be showing the game. Texans on one big screen Cowboys on the one right next to it and the whole room was full of Des Bryant & Miles Austin jerseys...what a great Sunday!  The place was packed and I was apprehensive about having to stand for the entirety of the game...turns out we really only waited about 15 minutes to snag a table for four. Our waitress was pretty decent and the food was your average chain restaurant fare. But oh the atmosphere! Really fun place...I will most definitely be going back but I highly doubt it will be for any other reason than hanging with a bunch of Cowboy fans on Sundays.
5 - MsAshley W.: Great place to watch a fight, sporting event or anything else. Lots of big screens, fast food service... and a mixture of things to do! I really enjoyed this place mostly because it was crowded but not too intense... recommend.
4 - Lasairiona M.: The best Buffalo Wild Wings we've tried in the Houston area, fresh, hot, quick and tasty!

MUCH better than the microwaved luke warm crap we've had down in Sugar Land!

I just hope they keep the standards up and don't slip like Missouri City and Sugar Land have!
4 - Jackie p.: Great place for an affordable and filling lunch. With their lunch menu having options mainly under 7 bucks, its one of the few places in the Rice area where you can find parking during lunchtime without a wait. It makes a huge difference when you want a quick lunch, Ruggles is down the street but parking is ridiculously hard to find.
5 - John P.: This will always be a 5 star restaurant and bar as long as they hold on to 5 star bartenders like Max.
4 - Mark N. T.: I was here today. I was watching the 2012 Euro Soccer final, Italy and Spain.Regarding the parking,It was impossible for guests to find a spot during a popular game.I parked my car at some paid parking.This is a common problem of restaurants inside 610 loop. There are huge televisions.I could watch the game well.There were a lot of people.I guessed they are foreigners from Europe and South America.They love soccer. The servers were doing good job such a hectic situation. They took orders and tried to serve food as soon as possible.Sadly,some of the servers were so bad.When Spain got a goal, fans were shouting,"Gooooal".But the servers had foods and couldn't walk.He said rudely to the fans, :Excuse me!". Hi, I know you were so busy , but please understand how happy Spanish fans are!Please care about your customers.Please wait and don't disturb them.I liked their wings.I am not a huge fan of wings.But it was good. Although I ordered 12 wings.They brought only 6 wings. Overall, I liked here.But due to the poor parking situation, I will choose another sports bar outside 610 loop when I want to watch a popular sports game.if you are familiar with the Rice Village area and don't have to worry about the parking.This is a Okay restaurant.
4 - Guy T.: I'm huge fan of this place's Carribean Jerk flavor wings...they're awesome... so awesome, it's almost 80's style. The parking at this joint can be pretty hectic since the parking area is tiny. There's plenty of TV's of good size to catch any sport you're following. Everytime I've had my trustee Shiner Bock draft from here, it's tasted fine, so GET WEIRD. The service was nice, the waitress was quick and talkative, just don't have 80's guys for friends...they may put your number on the tab....this is just plain science.
3 - Margaret M.: So we came here because we went to the Wesleyan location within the last 2 weeks and I filled out the online survey to get the 6 free wings. And we went to this location this time because my boyfriend read that the other had pink slime in the ice machine.  Well considering we just drank beer, we should have just gone to the other location. This one does not have as good of a feel as the other one, the wings were not completely covered in the sauce and the buffalo chips we ordered were wedges. Also the fried pickles were super greasy. If I go back to BWW I will go back to the other location!
4 - Laura S.: Who doesn't already know about this place?  I'll keep it short and sweet.  

Good choice for draft and bottled beer.  Lots of TV that show different sporting events.  Decent prices and good lunch specials!

Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar - Ann Arbor, MI (42.280085, -83.740466) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
4 - Katia M.: I watched the Michigan game here last weekend, and it was a great place to do so.  It was packed with Michigan fans, there were plenty of tall beers and the service, despite the crowd, was pretty attentive.  And also, I got much love for the spicy garlic sauce on the Naked Tenders.

Was a little miffed when the big projector screen kept going out, but other than that, it was a lot of fun!
4 - Theresa F.: For a chain bar, this one is pretty decent.  Their food and beer are average but what makes this place great is that transports like my husband and I, who are huge NY Mets/Jets fans, can come here whenever there's a game on and watch on one of the bigs screens. Score.
Also, a great place to go for groups.
3 - Vi V.: WINGS TUESDAYS at Bdups!!
Extremely popular on Tuesday nights for their 40 cents wings. (Used to be 35 cents!)

My favorite sauces are  Asian Zing and Parmesan Garlic.

Dont mess with Blazing - if you really want to give it a go, my advice is take it slow. It can really burn...

I loved coming here late on Tuesday nights(to avoid the crowd) for wings and a few rounds of Photo Hunt. there are also various arcade game booths, pool tables and dart boards. fun!
2 - Matt M.: This place is not spectacular in terms of food or atmosphere.  The wings are okay, but you'd think with the word "wings" in their name, they'd be better.  But, for the price, I guess they are pretty good.

The beer is mediocre.  Newcastles taste like Killians there.  The other night they had a special on Sam Adams, though, which was actually pretty good - so I would recommend asking what's on special if they aren't already offering.

The place gets pretty packed on the weekend, but this is not a surprise...  it's a bar, with beer, and wings.  At least there is a no-smoking section, it being also part-"family restaurant."  This weird amalgamation of purposes makes it a weird place to be though.  Usually it's full of college kids, very loud ones, or sports fans.  The bar area has large round tables with stools.  I don't know, the place is kind of big, loud, and uncomfortable.  That's pretty much how I'd characterize the atmosphere.

The wait staff is usually pretty attentive but there can be a long wait for food.  Thanks to my friend Bobby, just about every waitress in the place probably has received my phone number on any available scrap of paper on the table, so really there's only one question.  What gives, ladies?  Call me.
3 - Michelle C.: Inflation is a bitch. 40 cents now on wing nights at B-Dubs, huh? I remember when it was 25! Well, I suppose this is still a value for the poor college student. I gotta go hot with the sauces (I stare Blazin' down like no one's business), but l would also get some Honey BBQ ones when I needed a break to cool my mouth down.

On non-wing nights, I have ordered the nachos here. They come with beef chili on top, which for me is no good. So I asked for it without chili, and it came as such. I also asked for the sour cream to come on the side. They were surprisingly good at accommodating my requests. You never know at places like this...

The beer is typical. Apple martini was good, cosmo was so-so. This place used to be absolutely packed, and I have to imagine that it still draws a pretty hefty crowd, especially on sports nights and Tuesday nights.
5 - Farah F.: Oh man, how I miss my college days and Tuesday nights here. I remember taking full advantage of Wing Tuesdays and Leg Wednesday and whatever day they decided to throw on there. The wings are a toss-up: some days they're really good and moist with just enough sauce, and other days they're overcooked and dry and oh-my-god-that's-what-I-ordered. But even on a bad day, the wings were decent. During the weeks when I was waiting for my paycheck, I would order a whole bunch of wings on Tuesday and make it last till *next* Tuesday by eating wings with a side of rice and steamed veggie (asian style, baby). For getting me through my broke periods, I thank you B-dub. The 5-star is well deserved. Oh, and the margaritas and daiquiris are pretty good, too :)
4 - B H.: Mmmmmm wiiings....

It's hard not to love a place that serves delicious wings with a gazillion sauce options, yummy potato wedges, ice cold beer, and TVs in every nook and cranny of the venue!  They definitely know how to pack the place for special sporting events and hold sporadic wing eating contests (after partaking in one myself, I had to down nearly three pitchers of water and rub ice cubes on my tongue for 30 minutes to get rid of the burning sensation that ran from my mouth down my throat).  Oh, but it was well worth it!
5 - Andrea K.: if you want wings, come here.

i am usually very stingy with my 5 stars, but they said they had good wings, and  they did.

i am not saying this place is any sort of culinary genius...i am saying that they deliver  the type of cuisine you expect upon arrival.

they have, i wanna say, 37 varieties of sauces (?)...and are not perturbed if u wanna mix and match ur flavors. 

i went with "hot," "chipotle," "teriyaki," and "parmesan and garlic." those probably would NOT have been my first choices, but i was sharing a 24 piece bone-in combo with a pal who does not share my passion for spice.

despite that my usual flavors were not the ones ordered (i would have gone "fire" most definitely), the wings were reeallllly good!

the parm-garlic was super flavorful, yet a bit of an overload....the table liked those the best (myself excluded).

the other wings were perfect; traditional flavors and styles that made me sad that we dont have places like this here in LA...i know, i know...we have Wing Stop, etc. ....but there is something about the atmosphere and the vibe of a place like this and in this locale that made it even more tasty.

basically, what i am saying is......

if u like wings, variety, and good beer, come here. Buffalo's really and truly delivered.

xo-
andrea
2 - Kate B.: I cannot figure out why people love Buffalo Wild Wings...I used to visit the location in Ypsilanti years ago and it was much better. I've been dragged into  "A2 B-dubs" as it's known to my coworkers, on many occasions and the food is, for lack of a better term, VILE.

None of the wings are crisp or crunchy. They are decidedly limp, flabby, and mushy and somehow bring to mind a cooked baby's arm...*shivers* I've tried many, many flavors and even tho some of the sauces are tasty it can't make up for the scary texture of the wings.

The sandwiches are all lackluster except for the various permutations of fried chicken-finger rollups...which are ok/edible. The fried appetizers are ok as well, nothing special. Service is always friendly, upbeat, and prompt but I feel bad that they have to serve such gross food.
3 - Jeff C.: For some reason, I always get horrible service at this BWW,  much worse than the one in Novi or even the Ypsi one.  If you're going on a game day, be prepared to come early or wait for bit because it gets crowded...unfortunately i like their wings...the caribbean jerk and spicy garlic are tops on my list...the atmosphere's pretty normal for a bar...loud during sporting events and relatively tame on other nights...

If i was basing my review on service, i'd give it a 2/5 but just the wings i'd give it a 4/5 because of the variety and the cheaper prices on certain days.
3 - Steven S.: BWW is a good place to watch the game with a group of friends (if you can manage to get a table) and eat some finger foods.  I feel like some of their entrees and appetizers are overpriced.  The only thing that might be reasonably priced are the wings.  Sometimes the wings are delicious, and sometimes they're all bones.  Usually they're ok.  They also serve beer and I think some mixed drinks so it's not too bad.
2 - Hamzah M.: Wings are hit or miss here, like many people already commented, they can be good if you get them fresh, or "vile" if you're unfortunate and get an older batch.  The service is really the reason for the low ranking, because every single time I go to the A2 B-dubs whether its busy or slow I have a hard time placing my order if I sit down to eat.  The take-out service is good with their buzzers, but for some reason when I eat the food there, the waitress' are few and far between and I have to repeat my order more than once.  If you are a wing addict then I would say go there for that, but if wings aren't your thing I can't think why you should go to B-dubs in A2.
4 - Adelais T.: I used to be one of those people who couldn't understand why people like this place so much... but then I started coming here with some friends to watch the game. And it was fun! (This is coming from a girl who doesn't even like sports to begin with). 

It's great to just hang around with friends (this place is open so late, it's awesome), order drinks and occasionally get decently cheap food when you crave it.

If you're getting wings, I'm not a big spicy-food eater, but I love the Asian Zing or Honey BBQ.
2 - Peggah G.: This is the worst of the BWW I've been to. Service is AWFUL.
5 - David M.: Now this is the B-Dubs to B at!  Unlike East Lansing, they don't charge cover to come in and watch the UFC fights, which is the best function of any BWW.  They also have delicious wings, the spicy garlic and hot flavors are my favorites (since yes, I can't handle the blazin').

Overall, it's a good place for beer, spicy wings and hanging out.  The quiz game is also decent.  Don't expect too much though, people.  It's a chain, after all.
3 - Jason C.: Before the one in Ann Arbor opened up, I used to go to the one in Ypsi when it was still by the AATA bus station; they moved.

Now that its in Ann Arbor, I have been to BW's several times and they redid their sauces some years ago.  It's your typical bar/wing/food joint... this place gets busy, so can't say when it's good time to go to avoid the crowd...

I typically will get the wedges with cheese, onion rings and dozen wings.  My sauce of choice is Asian Zing!  I don't know why, but I love the Asian Zing sauce - it's sweet and not too hot!  They used to have honey mustard - I miss that.... I have tried all their sauces - yes even the Blazin.  

I would not recommend Blazin if you are not used to hot sauces.  In addition, if you are going to try the Blazin, please put the whole wing in your mouth and debone the wing if you can... otherwise you'll get the sauce on your lips and you will suffer!!!

I know in some places they will do the Blazin challenge - not sure if this place does or not... basically it's - eat 6 blazin wings and wait for five minutes or so without drinking any water.  Not sure what the prize is, but if you want to hurt yourself go for it! :)  The sauce itself is worth trying once - but you need to work your way up to the sauce.  Try wild for some time and jump into blazin if you are ready!  

As for the service - it's hit or miss - and it doesn't matter if it's busy or not.  I was there when it was slow and your waitress was hard to find... they came by once every 15 min or so to check on you... I would understand if the place was packed, but when its empty it shouldn't take 15 minutes for someone to check upon you.

If you love wings and beers - give this place a try.  By the way, did you know BW's used to be called BW3's?
3 - mike w.: This place is always busy. It has reasonable drink specials and great T.V. viewing. I don't think the food needs to be explained because if you don't know what the scoop on B-dubs is yet then you probably can't read this anyway.
2 - Molly H.: I have a soft spot for sports bars. I think they can be a lot of fun, especially if you go with a good group to watch a good game. Nothing beats watching an awesome game with a packed bar full of tons of yelling people and a bunch of huge T.V.s. Well, for some people anyway. 

I'm not a huge fan of "B-Dubs". I don't think their food is that great and I don't really like wings so....there it is. My 2 star review, though, is mostly reflective of what happened when I was there for a meeting. I arrived first and was met fairly promptly by the server. I just ordered a water with lemon and it took at least 10 minutes for her to bring it over. The place wasn't even that busy. 

Anyway--it is what it is. If a group of friends invite you to come along, there are worse places you could be. I would never recommend this for dinner, though. Tons of other better places if food is your main concern.
3 - Cory R.: Bad service hinders their very tasty wings.  I love their wings, it's hard to find better wings.  And it's fun to watch games there if you can get there early enough to find a seat.  But I've had numerous bad experiences there.  Once I asked for a refill from the server and twenty minutes later it was not refilled.  When she finally came back, I asked her again and she said "you know our fountains are right over there".  My response was "then what hell is your job?"  She lost about $10 in tips from my group right there, my tip was $0.01.  Other times I've just gotten snide comments from the servers.  So while I enjoy the food, it can be a frustrating experience.  But hey, if the waiter/waitress treats you bad, at least your meal costs less.
2 - Jonas L.: I always feel somewhat silly reviewing chains. You either already know you like it, or already know you don't. In my case, I think Buffalo Wild Wings is a sad place to be, but sometimes I am sad, and would like to watch a sports game while murdering chickens.

You know what you'll get: lots of TVs showing every event imaginable, loud bros cheering or groaning, leftover green beer from St. Patrick's day or similar specials, and wings that taste delicious when going down your throat but make you feel guilty afterwards.

Whether that is something that you want, well, that's your choice.
3 - Scott C.: We ate at Buffalo Wild Wings this past Sunday after the Detroit marathon.  We were looking for a place to eat and watch the football games and this place was a pretty good choice.  The football games were on the multiple TV's throughout the restaurant (at least 25?) and we were able to sit back and eat and enjoy a little football on a Sunday.  The waitress was also great as she didn't push us through our meal and mentioned that it was fine if we wanted to hang out and watch after we finished our food.

The wings here are good.  Not the best that I've ever had, but consistently good.  We had the mild, honey BBQ, Carribean Jerk and Hot BBQ and were happy with all of the sauces.  I also ordered the Buffalo Chicken Ranch Wrap which was well done - good amounts of chicken, lettuce, tomato and sauce to make it enjoyable.  The food was not outstanding, but for your average bar food, it was right on par.

The crowd was definitely there to watch football and that made the atmosphere fun on Sunday afternoon.
5 - Shelby J.: My burger wasn't cooked as I had wanted... the manager noticed my discontent and came over. He immediately took my burger away, brought me some fries while I waited for the replacement and then offered us free desert.

Now THAT's Service!
4 - Amy B.: Excellent wings and boneless wings. I'm especially fond of the spicy garlic and Asian zing sauces, although both medium and hot hold a special place in my heart for their classic flavor. My friends with a higher heat tolerance than I swear by Hot BBQ or Wild. If you're feeling particularly lard-a-licious, the potato wedges (plain) are excellent.

Fairly extensive beer list, albeit with few interesting or unusual choices. They do usually serve at least one Sam Adams seasonal and one Bell's seasonal, and often have dirt cheap Bud/Miller/Coors specials.

I don't recommend the cocktails--they're designed for the novice drinker who enjoys very sugary, fruity concoctions with low quality liquor. I also don't particularly recommend the tenders, which need to be dipped in the sauce--the boneless wings are a better alternative because they arrive sauced. B-Dubs is a poor choice for vegetarians, and an awful choice for vegetarians who don't eat shrimp.

B-Dubs is a decent place to watch sports, but beware: They sometimes hire a live DJ on Friday nights. Aside from this being totally bizarre, they will mute any games so the DJ can play his music, so you may want to avoid this venue for any important Friday night games.

And one final warning: Take out quality tends to be relatively poor. After one too many orders of skimpily sauced take out wings, we've opted to dine in only.
3 - Becky H.: Their blazin' wings are legitimately hottttt. I had trouble taking my contacts out later that night.

3 stars because this place is pretty standard, and I have spent over an hour waiting to be seated--NOT on one of their wing nights! Pretty expensive as far as wings go, but if you do go on Tuesday? Thursday? the price isn't so bad.

The trivia is also fun.
2 - Justin D.: Buffalo Wild Wings is all the rage with the freshman and highschool croud. I don't particularly care for the place. The wings are alright but overpriced and that is really all they have. 

As far as sports bars go, there are better places. They have some big tv's, but many of them can't be seen at angles, which makes them useless.
4 - Kathryn L.: Service at this place is pretty good. I've been here a few times for friends' birthday gatherings and the drinks are always delicious. The food is so-so; not bad and not great, but typical for a b-dubs. The parking near this venue is at a premium so it loses a star for that...but once you find parking we are confident you'll enjoy this venue.
4 - Matt R.: Tried the new(er) Salt & Vinegar seasoning on 8 boneless wings, pretty good! A nice change from the usual sauce.
5 - Kerry A.: If you're from out of town, you may not want to eat at a chain that you can visit when at home.  That was my boyfriend and my case at least.  But after two nights of eating out at small privately owned restaurants and spending well over $200 each time, we were just looking for a place to get some good and cheap eats.  This was just like any other Buffalo Wild Wings, but compared to other places in the area, the value was way higher than expected.  We ordered promptly, were fed promptly, and my camel of a boyfriend couldn't even finish his drinks before he had another on the table!  Samantha was great, prompt, efficient, and friendly.  It was just what we needed!
3 - K H.: Nice place to hang out with a group of friends or a friend  to eat, watch a game or have few drinks. The customer service is hit or miss. The younger generation really need to work on their communication skills. I have tried all the variety of chicken wings. My favorite is Caribbean Jerk others I like are: Asian Zing, Parmesan Garlic and Teriyaki.
3 - Jessica W.: My first experience with buffalo wings this past fall at Brown Jug was something I thought better left forgotten.  After being a vegetarian for over ten years, I found them not worth the mess to get to what meager meat was left on the bone.  But then Buffalo Wild Wings introduced me to boneless wings and my attitude shifted dramatically into the pro-wing camp.

The whole concept of flavors is brilliant.  We sampled the spicy garlic (too hot), Thai curry (too blah), Parmesan garlic (yummy), and Asian Zing (AMAZING).  I kind of wish I could get Asian Zing wings delivered nightly, though that seems like an unwise move for overall bodily health.  It's a little overpriced for the limited amount of product you get, but surprisingly filling.  I just wish their beers were cheaper and that they gave more complementary veggies with the wings.  I need at least a dozen celery wands and carrot sticks to maintain my veggie-loving sanity.
3 - Jared W.: If you'd ever been to Buffalo wild wings this one is no different. A lot of Michigan stuff on the walls is all that has changed. Okay food for okay price.
4 - Joe T.: My kids got me (and my son who is dad to our adorable granddaughter and my son-in-law who will soon be a dad as well) take-out from The Ann Arbor Buffalo Wild Wings for Father's Day.  The six of us (son, daughter-in-law, daughter, son-in-law and the wife and me-our granddaugher is only one so she didn't share the meal) split a soft pretzel starter (queso and mustard sauces) and then shared four orders of 12 piece wings with the Medium, Teriyaki, Thai Curry, and Honey BBQ sauces.  My personal order of tastiness was as I just listed them.  The Teriyaki was a close second but the traditional Medium was the best as far as I was concerned.  Not everyone agreed  with my list - all the sauces are really good and each got a first place from someone in the group.  The pretzel starter was also yummy.  My daughter had the Southwest Chicken Wrap and rated it highly as well.  In summary, great wings and a good place to get take out.  We have also eaten-in at other Buffalo Wild Wings and rate them a good place for a casual tasty meal.
4 - Stella W.: I have always had consistently good service here. The servers are patient with my non English speaking dining companions, friendly, and great with fast drink refills and clearing plates away. 

The food is also consistently good, which is rare for a franchise. Besides the wings, the salads are fresh, not wilted.  The burger sliders are moist and slide down easily. Friends have enjoyed the chicken tenders. However, many have tried the blazing wing sauce and found it to taste dreadful. 

They offer a free dessert along with a song for one's birthday. No proof required, so go ahead and prank your buddies when it's not their birthday.

Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar - Blacksburg, VA (37.234966, -80.420923) ()
4 - Aparna B.: as a vegetarian, i actually remember nothing about the food at BW3s, but i used to come here fairly often to play the NTN/buzztime trivia games with my friends.  you get little blue wireless handheld controllers and respond to questions that show up on TV screens across the restaurant.  some of the games are themed (ie travel, sports, etc) and some are general knowledge jeopardy style games.  the screens show top scorers across the network as well as in the bar, and since this location is so close to campus you get a fairly good number of people playing on any given evening.  definitely a nice change from the usual bar scene.
4 - Patrick M.: This place has NTN Trivia, which is awesome! The drink prices aren't great, but there are specials on Sam on saturdays and Leinekugel's on Tuesday. If you can stomach generic beer, there is usually a special. Wing night is Tuesday, so matching this with Leinekugel night makes for a great Tuesday. Oh, and the wings are good too, I like the spicy garlic.
3 - Ali S.: This is a college usual to get delivered on tuesdays with their wings discount.

Their hot and spicy garlic sauces are the best, the other ones aren't bad but it really depends on if you want your wings to taste like asian potstickers, or like bbq sauce, which I don't. 

It's a large chain restaurant, 3/5 is about the best chains can get. There are much better places to get wings, but Blacksburg doesn't have very many options.
3 - Garret N.: This place is no different than any other wing joint but your service may vary drastically.  Because they employ mostly college students working for beer money the wait staff will vary from extremely nice and helpful to useless and frustrating.  I've gone many times and never gotten the same server, there is clearly a constant overturn.  The food is consistent and is really only a good value on their wing nights.
4 - Kim G.: This Bdubs brought me back to photo hunt and drunk college guys singing acapella at the bar. It's a fun environment on game nights and you might even see some bball players stop in for take out. Initially I was surprised that you have to show ID at the entrance, but what the heck everyone is there to drink, eat and be merry! Or drown in their sorrow after losing to JMU (Go Dukes)! 

I was very happy when we finally sat down to eat at 9pm after waiting a while for a group of 6. We ordered 4 different styles of 6 bone-in wings each:a dry rub which I wasn't crazy about, the Hot Wings which were definitely spicy and making my eyes water, the Mango Habenero wings which were supposedly spicier on the scale but I thought was sweet, and the Spicy Garlic, which was an all around crowd pleaser. Onion rings were tasty but I was just too full by the time they came to the table. Best thing about being in this college town is that they have great beer specials ($2 until 9pm!), the waitress lets you know when the specials are about to end and they automatically give you separate checks because they are used to the kids using their dining cards.
3 - Michael B.: It's a college BW's, so it's going to be noisy and crowded most of the time. Even so, it took a good bit of time for my group to be seated, and we  were a party of three. The wings were okay enough, but in the case of my honey bbq wings, it looked like the sauce had been applied with a spritzer. Chances are, you know what you're going to get if you come here, but just know that this isn't the best BW's out there.
4 - Chris B.: Good food. Fun atmosphere. Fair prices. Petty good service. Go on tuesday for cheap regular wings or thursday for cheap boneless wings! Avoid  going on weekend nights and during any major sporting event unless you don't mind waiting 30 minutes for a table.
1 - Justin S.: I should have gotten to writing this review awhile ago but anyway, here it is. Friday is bar crawl night with my friends Danny and Ashley. We met up here because Danny was eating dinner with his other friends. Ashley and I joined after they ate. They had already had two beers and were ordering their third round. I ordered a Yuengling and Ashley a shot and miller light. We were all having a good time time until we went to order a second round. The waitress stated she wasn't comfortable serving us and our table was cut of. At 9:50pm on a friday night in Blacksburg we were cut off at a bar. We thought she was joking but no we were done. We asked why and she wouldn't tell, we had done nothing to warrant being cut off. We asked for the manager but once a server decides to cut you off no one can serve you. It was a horrible experience and tip reflected it.
5 - Lauryl S.: Best wings ever!

Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar - West Lafayette, IN (40.4220221, -86.8998518) ()
5 - Tom W.: Who doesn't love B-dubs? My favorite is the boneless buffalo wings. The bar has area is really cool. It has a pool table, and darts, and such. Also, there are TVs all over the place. 

Get here early if there is a big game on. Especially when the Bears are playing. Or the Colts, I guess they count as a team. This place fills up rather quickly.
4 - Brooke B.: If you hanker for wings, you've come to the right place.   They have about a dozen flavors of sauce for your chicken from mild to super HOT.  Their ice tea is jasmine, I believe.  So don't expect the usual black tea.  They don't only have wings, they also offer salads, wraps, ribs, sandwiches and lots of appetizers.  The food comes out in paper bowls/cups/plates but the cutlery is metal.  There are lots of games to play and t.v. screens everywhere!  Great spot for large groups.
3 - Joshua M.: Food we had was SO mediocre I debated even reviewing it in the first place.  It's just a huge sports bar, with slightly more personality than the average sports/college bar.  But at least there are lots of places to sit and different things to do.  I could see it as a decent place to bring a group, as long as you aren't aiming to be impressed with the cuisine.
5 - Steve B.: Can't go wrong. Great food (love the onion rings) great people, and all the sports you can handle!
3 - Julie R.: This is a sports bar, so it can be loud at time....I mean really LOUD.  As in the volume on the TVs make it so you cannot carry on a conversation at your table.  Food is good, which is why we keep coming back!
3 - Kristen H.: Meh. We went straight to the bar last night for some drinks and food, and things were pretty mediocre. It took a long time to get a server to come over to our table, and longer than it should have for our food to arrive. Buffalo Wild Wings has never impressed me--it was a matter of convenience that we went there last night. In fact, the other location gave me food poisoning about six months ago. No food poisoning on this go-around, but I won't be back voluntarily.

Buffet Town - Berkeley, CA (37.8679097, -122.2580468) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
4 - jan c.: So, Jimmy's review was a bit exaggerated... or superfluous...or irrelevant... or probably drug-induced. (it's cool-- I know him). Buffet Town, like most buffets, is more about quantity than quality. Still, the food here is pretty good. I actually ate here the first day it opened and things seemed pretty hectic. The food wasn't great, either. However, I begrudgingly returned the very next day because my friend was super high and begged me to go (go figure). The next day was significantly better. The quality of food had improved dramatically and there were a couple really nice servers, as opposed to twenty people running around like headless chickens. Long story short, I'd recommend definitely giving it a try. It's hit or miss for most people, but I'll definitely be back. Try to go for lunch to get the $7.99 deal, because after 5pm, dinner prices rise to $11.99. Also, it's $11.99 all weekend. 

They serve primarily Korean food, but I definitely got my fill of french fries, lasagna, and enchiladas. The place is HUGE, and looks like it would be a great place to hold group events.

Minus one star for only having jello and fruit for dessert.
Plus one star for a f*cking amazing playlist and multiple flat screens.

All in all.... Try it out.
And if you're a stoner, this is your mecca.
2 - Jeremiah G.: This place has so much potential. It just needs to advertise and cut prices for the first month. Even with the second grand opening, it sucks. I could get full with $15 somewhere else and be way more satisfied. And they make you pay extra for drinks... ridiculous for $15. I've never seen such a poorly run restaurant.

More people just need to go so that the food is always fresh, and they don't need that many people working. They just stand there awkwardly.
2 - Charles T.: 2.5 / 5

Okay. Before I write me review, I just want to hella call out the past couple of reviews. 

Emile started yelping February 2010 and the first review is for Buffet Town. Jimmy J. started yelping in January 2010 and the first and only review is for Buffet Town. All four reviews that gave it 4s and 5s (uh, wtf) have either no or fake profile photos. 

Yeah we all know that yelp is a powerful tool, but seriously, can you be at least somewhat subtle? I call BULLSHIT. Flag, flag, flag.

[Update: Either Yelp agreed with my flags or those reviewers deleted their posts because they're no longer there. GOOD. Such blatant bullshittery had to be called out.]

Anyways:

Every time I visit Minami all I can think is that they could utilize the space SO much better AND I can't count the number of times I've told my friends that if they did a good buffet it'd make helllla money. 

So, after a long winter break, I pass by and see that there's now a Buffet Town above Minami. The boring neon sign coupled with the 12 pieces of letter sized paper together spelling "WE ARE OPEN NOW" didn't exactly give the best first impression but nevertheless I finally went (at the asking of my friend) and ate lunch here today. 

The space is really big. The decor seems like the restaurant is 70% complete. Likely the lease started and the owners weren't able to finish it up fast enough and just decided to open it instead as to not lose that lease money. I counted about 160+ chairs so it'd make for a great place for large event gatherings -- I wonder if they'd rent out the space? Hopefully the owners will fix up the space ... it looks pretty unfinished as it is right now. Also, it was just ... strange that there were (again) printed signs stating a $1 charge for leftover food. There's just so many things that signal horrible management / restaurant sense about this place. It's almost funny.

As for the food (and yes, I'm rating it on the context of a buffet where it's usually quantity over quality) ... 

Overall, nothing was hot. Everything, literally everything was cold or at the very most, almost lukewarm.

Korean BBQ -- 3.5/5. 
It was chicken. Probably the best thing there but it was cold and they didn't refill it at all. 

Korean Pancake - 3/5
Cold too but flavorful.

Curry - 2.5/5
It's the Golden Curry brand that you can buy at the grocery store. It's good, but ... when you know that you can make two quarts of it for $1.49, it kinda skews things. 

Seaweed Soup -- SHIT.
It was shit. Cold water with a plethora of seaweed in it with some salt sprinkled in it. 

Chicken Wings - 2/5
It is really that hard to make good chicken wings? The flavoring was really ... strange. 

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy - 2/5
Exactly how it sounds. 

Jap chae - It was actually pretty flavorful but it was completely cold. 

Fruit -- obviously sitting there for a long time. The watermelon was decent. 

Jello -- same ol' jello. red jello. orange jello. 

I had a lot more food (tried almost everything in small portions) but nothing really stood out / was that good. 

SERVICE: the service was probably one of the better aspects of the place. water was refilled promptly and the plates were taken away promptly ... but keep in mind that in the entire buffet there were only 2 tables. If they ever had a rush, I'm not sure that they'd be able to handle it -- COUGH, Minami, COUGH.

Overall, if you're really hungry and you know you can eat a lot, it might be worth it to at least try it out. However, I think that the prices should definitely be lowered. I used card so it was $8.49 for lunch. In my mind, I can get a big to go order from Thai Basil for $7.25 that I know will be hot, fill me up, and will be really, really good.

If lunch were $6.99 and dinner $9.99 then I think it'd change things up a lot:  more people = better environment, hot (or hopefully at least warm) food. Not sure how service would be. But at least if there's a steady stream of people (who'd want to go since it's cheaper), the food would be warm, if not hot and more fresh.

Fix the prices. Finish the restaurant (handwritten "Line starts here" seriously?). Fix the food (at least have it be hot?). And I think this would be a place I might frequent somewhat often on those days I don't want to wait for food and am really hungry and am on a budget, i.e. Most, if not all college students. There's a large demographic out there for a buffet with hot, edible food in a pleasant environment ... hopefully Buffet Town will get there.
2 - Alex C.: 1.5/5

Blah, I really wanted to be the first person to Yelp this place... but it looks like people who work for them already beat me to it! With absurdly high ratings!


I'll start off by saying that I'm glad that after four years of walking by this place, that the old Tower Records store is finally occupied. Yes, it's now the creatively named, "Buffet Town." From the looks of it, they're expanding even further, or are just leasing out the space by the windows. 

When I first walked in, I couldn't help but notice that the entire place was somewhat smoky. You could visibly see it reflecting off the lighting, but the ventilation might have kicked in a bit later and cleared up.

I started off with the onion rings. And they were... stale. Stale onion rings! I have to wonder how long they leave the food out. Needless to say I was not exactly enthralled from there on out. The Korean BBQ is okay, but it's lukewarm... at best. It's more on the cold side, and it's to the point where I have to worry about the food making me sick later. This is true for anything under the heat lamps. These guys need to either turn them up, put little alcohol burners underneath them, or something. Because whatever they're doing now is not enough. I wouldn't be surprised if the Health Department cites the place for that later. The sauce covered shrimp was okay, along with the curry, and were probably the warmest things under the heat lamp.

But the mashed potatoes. I don't think I've ever had worse mashed potatoes than what I had. You'd think it would be hard, if not impossible to mess up mashed potatoes. But the texture of the center was noticeably different than the side...like it forms a layer like a soup does on top when it cools off. It looked and tasted processed somehow.


I saw one of their flyers which advertised that they had Mexican food, but it turned out the only Mexican food they had was tortilla chips. I had a good laugh at that. 

The place also had a lot of signs that seemed to want to nickel and dime you, from $1 penalties for left over food, to charging an extra 50 cents for using card instead of cash. It's not cheap to begin with, at $11.99 for dinner on the weekdays.

The few good points I'll include were the fact that they had good service on hand, the place is clean, great watermelon considering it's not in season, and a good taste in music that they played... maybe they had some left over CDs from when it was still Tower Records on hand. It's basically the only reason why I'm not giving this place 1 star.

I really do want to come back to this place. I really do. I hope they get better, and I can gorge my face full of delicious food. But right now, Crossroads looks like a good alternative (and that's saying something.) 

If they read this, and I hope they do, my main tips are to make it a bit cheaper, and to keep the food hot. Booze would be nice considering it's a college town, but hey, it's just a buffet.
2 - Charles L.: First, take a look at my pictures I posted up. You'll get an idea of what you're gonna get yourself into...

That said the food is just about average/edible. What are you expecting from a buffet, right? WELL, I EXPECTED FOOD TO BE HOT. $13-after-tax-for-dinner is no good when there's no hot fooooood.

The food is edible. You get variety. BUTBUTBUT the food is warm or cold, save for the (boxed) curry which is on a steam table. Blargh! You'll be only getting hot food when it comes out from the kitchen, which I actually saw quite a bit so I'll give some points there for hasty refillings.

I think lunch may be a better value here so maybe I'll give it another chance. The food just needs to be hot!

I was too afraid to try the seafood.

P.S. You can get oversized plates. Check out Eric L's triangle plate: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/4z3bGvWjCc2716z2y9sroQ?select=dSTIjm3sx19iHc8maIWkGw
1 - Eric L.: Maybe I have high standards, maybe I set my expectations too high. Either way, $12.99 (pre-tax) for this dinner is an outrage. I'm not going to lie, I liked my triangular Dorito (R) looking plate, but a restaurant isn't known for its flatware.

While there is a great variety of food, it's either room temperature if not colder. The food is placed in what looks like steam/heat trays, but I didn't see any steam. Maybe they use heat lamps, but it felt like regular lamps...

The best part was the bulgogi (beef and chicken) because it was simple and flavorful. You can't mess it up. Aside from letting it get cold. For me, the worst was the spicy tofu soup. I found clams in the soup, but at first I thought it was a blended frog.

The problem is that this place is relatively new and their prices are set too high for the quality of food they serve. They can't attract customers, and thus can't cycle the food, and thus it just sits there (I think the spaghetti dried enough to where the worker poured a few glasses of hot water in to reconstitute it). The decor isn't very favorable either--it's to bright and sterile inside.

Will this place survive? Only time will tell...

2/27/10 update:
They have lowered their price to $7.99 all day with 50% off on to-go between 9:30pm-10pm, probably in an effort to get rid of the rest of their food.
1 - Caila L.: The first thing you need to know is DON'T GO HERE!
Going out to lunch here today was the WORST investment I've ever made. Everything is GROSS!
Mac n' Cheese is pretty easy to make, right? Well, Buffet Town screwed it up.
On top of that, you get charged $1 if you don't eat all of your food. Buffet Town, you're not my Mom. So, first the food is inedible and then you have to pay $1 more (on top of a $13 cover) for not being able to eat horrible food.
The buffet looks like a hodgepodge of food that a bunch of soccer mom's threw together for a potluck. Only, these soccer moms can't cook.
2 - H M.: I came here for lunch.  It cost me $9.32 including tax. They take cash ($7.99) or credit card ($8.49). 

When you walk into the place, it looks fairly large.

What can I say about the food?  It's mainly Korean with some Mexican and Italian dishes. 

The food was not hot at all and very unappetizing. It looks like it was made in a hurry.  Most of the buffet are different types of Bulgogi.  The food variety is not that great. Plenty of salad and Korean vegetable choices, though.

If you are allergic to some food, you should watch out for cross contamination due to a lack of tongs for each tray.  

The tea they serve is Lipton. 

They do have nice servers though. 

All in all I would not come back here for lunch. Most likely, the dinner  is not worth the extra money.
3 - Y. Y.: 3.5/5
After reading all the negative reviews, I wasnt that excited bout this new place. But curiosity drove me to go try it anyways and it was, surprisingly, ok. Maybe they read the yelp reviews or something or maybe it was my good luck, the food was warm or even hot on the day I went. But then again, I went right when they opened and took the food out so it makes sense that it was warm. I mean, if the food is cold when they take it out of the kitchen....errr...I dont really want to go there. Anywayz the korean food is pretty awesome and authentic and there was alot to choose from. It said on the flyer that it had all sorts of food like chinese, american, mexican...it doesnt. At most, some american food and a tiny bit of chinese but thats all. Mostly korean. But thats a good thing since I did not like the american food they provided at all(the pizza is ok though). you can easily get better chicken or mashed potatoes at any other restaurant. The place just opened so its kinda empty inside but they dont have the paper signs anymore(whew) and the music is good. They had half of my ipod playing and all the latest hits. Service is ok, pretty fast but there was only like 3 tables filled. I really dont know how its gonna be like when the entire place is filled. If they can still provide this service then itd be pretty impressive. I knocked stars off for the cafeteria like decor, failed attempts to cook amercian food and lack of desserts.Only jello. Thats pretty sad for a buffet. But all in all pretty decent food and price(7.99 and therez calbi and bolgogi)and Id probably go again. If the foods still hot in the afternoon.
4 - Anna T.: Seems like this place has been hit or miss.  There's a part of me that really wants this place to succeed so I went here again.  The short ribs were good, but there was nothing else I wanted to try.  So, I guess I went here for the short ribs and chopchae, which was also pretty good.  

I think this place just needs to have more substantial dishes.  I agree with the other reviewers that Buffet Town probably doesn't have enough staff to work even if there was a sudden surge of business.
1 - john c.: i've been there only once, and i don't wanna be there anymore.
other reviews said the korean bbq thing was pretty good, but it came out disaster.....i'm korean and i know how the korean bbq should taste like....chapchae didn't have enough flavor. rice wasn't cooked all the way through....soups didn't have enough flavor.what was even worse was they posted that if i have left over food on my plate, they would charge penalty....i couldn't try different food cause i didn't wanna pay penalty for ugly food.....the only thing i was able to eat was piece of fried chicken......people were nice though....except the stupid post thing.
1 - Vanessa B.: This is by far the worst all you can eat buffet I have been to in my life--OOPS I MEANT ALL YOU CAN EAT LEFTOVERS!

The only reason I came here was because the restaurant across the street, Gypsy, was packed.  The outside of this buffet advertised they had all you can eat sushi here so I decided to give it a try. I was really disappointed to find out that they only had ONE type of sushi, which was the cheap vegetable/cucumber roll. 

I also was only able to try about a fraction of their entrees because most of everything was gone (I came around dinner time at 7 pm). Everything I did try though, was the LAST SCOOPS out of each tray! They were replacing dishes at a rate of about 1 dish every half an hour--that is just ridiculous for a buffet. As I was eating, I also seen newcomers come in to take a look around before they decided to eat there and they were also disgusted at how there was barely any food to be served or it was the last scraps at least so they walked straight in and straight out which is what I regret not doing myself!

I also notice the only people patronizing this place were a bunch of other Koreans--possibly the owners' friends and family who knows?!

The food that I tried was low quality overall, but then again I did not get to try everything. A buffet like this is not going to last and that's for sure. There are plenty of other restaurants on this block so save your money for elsewhere.
2 - Michael L.: Everyone here is being a little mean. It's a buffet, stop whining. Buffet Town did, however, listen to the suggestions, as now it's 7.99$ all day (no more of that horrible 13$ dinner thing), and because of this I'm likely to go back. Sure none of it is great, or even good, but you can never under estimate the sating power of a buffet. Now that it's actually cheaper than eating at crossroads for dinner, it has become a legitimate option. 

There's also like 40% off or something if you get a to-go meal 30 minutes before closing, which makes sense because you're probably only getting the dregs anyway.

EDIT
And it looks like they changed their pricing scheme again, everything is now MORE expensive (way to go guys), dinner is $15 (ridiculous), lunch is $10 (more than lunch was through either of their previous pricing schemes). The only break is dinner from 9pm-12am which is now $6.99, or a dollar cheaper than lunch used to be under the first pricing scheme, and a dollar cheaper than lunch and dinner under the second pricing scheme. The upshot: they appear to be flailing around taking drastic measures to salvage their business which is probably crashing and burning pretty hard. It's too bad this desperation resulted in a more expensive meal than Crossroads.
2 - Maria J.: i went there during calday so they had a special of $14.95 instead of 17.95 for lunch/dinner.. i was not sure if i wanted to go because of the reviews.. i did cuz i was very hungry.. the food selection was not too bad, but the dessert selection was a little sad.. 

sushi was not very fresh, same with seafood.

ice-cream was delicious though

my favorite dish would be the cheese shrimps cut into half.

waiter service was quite good. very nice and friendly waiter! we felt inclined to tip him and we did.
3 - Jennifer W.: The 3 stars are for the quantity and variety of food, not the quality. There are some shining stars among the vast array of items, but I wouldn't come back again.

I've been here twice, once when it first opened, and I said I wouldn't come again, but they changed their offerings and curiosity killed the cat, so I decided to give it another try.

I went during lunch, which is now $9.99 + $1.50 for a drink. They now offer cocktail shrimp, crab legs that taste like imitation crab meat, cook-to-order udon, passable sushi (california rolls, spicy tuna rolls, salmon-cream cheese roll, salmon cucumber roll, and a few others that I didn't try), various ban-chan type dishes (kim chi, bean sprouts, spinach, cucumber), a rather sad salad bar, salmon sashimi salad, tasty jap-chae, tasty egg salad, teriyaki chicken, decent beef short rib, salmon, veggies, ice cream, very ill-tasting dim sum, mussels,....the list goes on. so yes, in terms of quantity, this place is a steal.

Come here if you want to get your fill on beef short rib and other korean dishes, but otherwise I'd skip buffet town.
3 - Andrew Y.: Went today for lunch. $9.95 and you pay first. That's a Vegas move, but I guess we are in student country. Lots of dine 'n' dash potential. Anyway, there's a lot of stuff, but it doesn't feel like a lot of variety. And maybe because it was lunch, it just didn't seem like everything that was available was out. Anyway, typical buffet, japanese food and korean food. Hope this place lasts more than 6 months.
1 - Giovanni P.: One of the worst places in Berkeley, no kidding.  Awkward atmosphere; cold, inedible food.
2 - Will T.: The prices went up, but the quality of the food just doesn't match up. 

I thought that this place would be better after talking to an "owner" last time, but the improvements were not significant enough to warrant the price increase. I think the male "owners" are oppressing the female "owner" because they don't really seem to care about customer service. Those B**TARDS! 

Berkeley needs a good buffet and I really hope that this place steps its game up.

Pro-tip [for the OWNERS]: Don't buy ads in the Daily Cal for two weeks if you're going to be closed the same two weeks for remodeling.
3 - Richie P.: C'mon guys, it's not that bad. That said, its definitely not great.

I've been here once ($9.99 + tax for lunch, drink 1.50 extra) and we weren't sure if we wanted to plop down ten bucks for lunch, so we asked them if we could look at the food first. The guy at the counter wasn't gonna let us but an older lady told us it was okay. Bad sign, but the food looked pretty good so we took the plunge.

This day in particular, they had crab legs, shrimp, ribs, sushi rolls, and various Panda Express - type entrees. I tried all the sushi rolls and most of them were pretty bad -- worse than nude sushi if possible. The crab was very good. The shrimp had their shells on and the digestive tract (the black line that runs along the top of the shrimp) hadn't been removed -- kinda gross. I didn't try the ribs. Dessert was okay, they have ice cream and assorted cookies, etc.

I came out very full and will probably return when I am super hungry. The price isn't great, and the food is hit or miss, but where else can you get all you can eat crab for 10 bucks?

Also -- they seem to be using their TV's and projector to run advertisements non-stop now, probably in desperation. The volume was very low so it wasn't very distracting, but who wants to watch advertisements during lunch?

Oh and 15 bucks for dinner??? Dream on...
3 - Laughing L.: The place was A-OK.  I came for lunch ($9.95 + $1.50 soda).  The service was great - very attentive in filling up my soda and friendly at the cash register.  There is a lot of variety, especially in the asian food category.  For variety and the seafood offering, it was a good deal.

Come at 11am, when they open, when everything is hot and untouched.

The seafood was good.  They had a huge fillet of salmon in butter sauce, which was ok.  Shrimp and crab legs with cocktail sauce.  My favorite dish was the cooked shrimp.  Sushi was really bad.  Dim sum (two varieties) was eh.

There were a lot of salads - seaweed salad, sprouts salad, a lot of asian salads.  I was not a huge fan, but I think this is more of a matter of personal taste.

Fried foods:  veggie tempura, egg rolls, fried fish...the list goes on.

Meat:  short ribs, BBQ ribs, pork chops, meatballs, some types of chicken.  Best bet:  boneless pork chops.

They also had 1-2 soups, which I didn't try.  They have a meager green salad bar, and fresh fruit (watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries) and canned fruit (pears, peaches).  

Dessert:  I didn't see ice cream.  They had little pastry type desserts and - get this - oreo cookies.  Dessert is not their forte. 

I would come back if I was really hungry - I was full for the rest of the day.  Being inside is a bit surreal compared to other Berkeley restaurants:  the clientele is essentially late 20s-early 30s working folks (I saw some guys in dress shirts), and the lack of students is odd.  The inside is much nicer than the outside.

Cons:  the music was wwaaayyy too loud.  I couldn't even talk to my lunch companion over it.
4 - Michelle C.: I have to say that when I first came here I wasn't impressed at all. Yet I had to come again when my parents came into town and I have to say that I was impressed. While their hot foods aren't the greatest and don't make that much of an impression, their sushi and nigiri was great. They give a more generous amount of sashimi over rice. The chef even gave us several pieces of ootoro which, for those of you don't know, is one of the more expensive pieces of fish. I'm a big sushi eater so I was really happy about that. 

I do have to warn though that while their hot foods weren't that great, their sushi was much more impressive. I'm a big raw fish eater hence the four stars.
1 - Pgm J.: Weird place!

I wanted to see what the spread was like before eating there.

The waitperson followed me around like a Korean liquor store owner in South Central LA( ironic ,considering the ownership is Korean).

The only thing that was missing was "You no look,BUY!".

What is it about some Korean shop owners that causes them to have such a nasty disposition to potential customers?

This is frigging America ,not some 3rd world ghetto!

Get over it.
1 - U N.: Went by last Sunday, early afternoon.  Appeared to be out of business with steel gates across the entry stairways.  This is for information only; it's not a review of the food/business.
1 - kk h.: went on a weekday for dinner.  at first the place was totally empty, and only after we paid for three of us and sat down did we find out WHY.  
-all the "hot food" items were either empty or looked like theyve been sitting there since breakfast.  there was a section that said dim sum, and all they had were two dry dumplings.  they were so old they were changing colors.
-all the sushi rolls/ nigiri were dry as hell, and had SO MUCH rice, not acceptable amount of rice and paper thin slices of fish even for a buffet place.
then a big group of 30-50 came in and basically took EVERYTHING there was left.  they ran out and started going for steamed rice and egg drop soup.  thats how much food they DIDNT have there.  go to a buffet and fill urself up with rice n starchy soup.
we decided to wait til they made a fresh batch of ..something, but they never did.  we waited almost half an hour, and the only thing they refilled was zaru soba-cold noodles.  the owner stepped in, put on some plastic gloves, and started making more sushi, and they were terrible.  
being so hungry, i decided to just fill myself up with dessert.  only to find out that their dessert was cheap cookie stuff bought from the korean market.  stuff that was on SALE at the korean market.  they had cut up the "oh-yes" thingies into lil tiny pieces to fool me as tiramisu... n they had piled up "french pie" thingies to look like some sort of.. big cake thing.  pissed off, my friend just went for fruit... but they were so dry it pissed him off even more.
i would NEVER EVER go back!!!
2 - J L.: ehhhh. When I went here hoping to eat lots of sushi, unfortunately the only thing that ended up not disgusting me was the ice cream.

The sushi here is horrible.

Bugbee William, MD - San Diego, CA (32.8732257, -117.2176194) ()
5 - Melissa L.: Dr. Bugbee was the only doctor that could help me.  Every other doctor said my ankle was a lost cause and needed a drastic fusion.  At 45 with 3 small children, I was not going to give up.  I found a website where others with the same post-injury arthristis raved about Dr. Bugbee.  I also found out he treated Robin Ventura from the Cubs after the same situation.  Dr. Bugbee does an allograft surgery where he resurfaces the joint with bone and cartilage from a cadaver.  I underwent the surgery about a month ago, not yet walking.  Love him, his nurse Tara, and the whole staff.  Unfortunately I had to pay out of pocket - Blue Cross screwed me over.  Another gal just got it covered so it's hit or miss.  Highly recommend traveling to him!
1 - Lara D.: The most arrogant doctor I have ever had the misfortune to meet.  Dr. Bugbee has no bedside manner, no time for his patient's questions or concerns, and not a kind bone in his body.  Given that I have a PPO I will find another surgeon for my knee replacement surgery.
1 - David E.: In August of 2011, I underwent a total knee replacement (right knee) performed by Dr. William Bugbee (Scripps).  Received in-house physical therapy and care for +/- one month in a rehab/nursing facility here in San Diego. My progress was deemed excellent (above average in range of motion). 

After which I was assigned to outpatient physical therapy care at home for an additional 3-weeks. Then, followed with outpatient therapy for about 4-weeks. During such period after the surgery I my progress (or the lack of) was monitored by the surgeon. It was not until around the 6th month of rehab did the doctor recommend the use of a splint device to gain more range of motion.

 The rep for the split who fit me for the device told me that it was very late in time for such a device and that normally it was utilized in the 1st to 3rd month after surgery to render any beneficial results. At six months + it would have to be worn for a period of 6 months or so for 4-6 hours per day. I feel the doctor failed to properly monitor my recovery therefore leaving me with basically a 'deformed knee'. 

My extension is now measured at 15 degrees off in the extension and 10 degrees off in bend. I suffer considerable pain/discomfort in my leg and it is a hindrance to any normal bending of my knee i.e., removing and putting on pants, getting in/out of car doors, stairways, etc. Standing up from a sitting position proves painful, sleep is restless due to pain, bicycling (one of my outdoor interests) is very difficult as well due to the pain from pedaling, etc.  I will be undergoing corrective surgery in September with a different surgeon as, I would not put my health care in the hands of Dr. Bugbee again!

Bui's - Philadelphia, PA (39.9512588, -75.1991465) (University City)
5 - Jon L.: Food trucks are an essential part of the West Philadelphia diet. They're everywhere: up and down Spruce Street, with a bunch on 38th and 40th. They're inexpensive, convenient, and many of them serve food that's surprisingly good. 

But Bui's Lunch Truck manages to stand out amidst all the rest. Maybe it's the charming Vietnamese family that runs the joint, or maybe it's those perfect egg & cheese sandwiches that they put together in no time, but people form long, long lines on the weekend to land one of Bui's famous concoctions. Penn kids will tell you it's the perfect hangover cure. 

If you make it there, definitely go with tradition: bacon, egg & cheese; sausage, egg & cheese; or just egg & cheese --- these sandwiches, on fresh Amoroso long rolls, are always your best bet. Ask for it with Sriracha-brand hot sauce, salt and pepper. Also, if you're watching your cholesterol, the Bui family can assemble a lovely egg white and tomato sandwich for you. Any of the above should run you about $1.50.
5 - Jacquelin K.: Yes indeed, the only thing I've ever purchased from Bui's is the egg sandwich.  Fresh roll + perfectly cooked eggs + made to order + *cheap* = bliss.  I keep it simple: egg whites with cheese on a long roll.  They don't look at me funny if I ask for just 1 piece of cheese or black pepper.
5 - Robert L.: Cure for a hangover:

More alcohol 

and Bui's

I save this for Sunday mornings... and by mornings I mean early afternoon... but hell, it's morning to me!
2 - Kimberly P.: I have only had a breakfast sandwich from Bui's and frankly, I am not impressed. 

The sausage, egg and cheese is way better at Hemo's.
4 - Alex C.: I love the grandfather who works here. He's always smiling!

Another of the food trucks on 38th between Walnut and Spruce (closer to Spruce), Bui's serves hungry college kids, specializing in the hung-over category. Home to probably the best steak eggs & cheese sandwich (onions optional) on campus, Bui's has great bread (crusty, yet soft), quick service, and loyal customers. The sandwich is large and filling. I normally get mine with salt-peppa-ketchup & hot sauce. 

**Tangent**
Sriracha hot sauce is hands down one of the best hot sauces out there. I highly recommend you getting a bottle of this Thai hot sauce. It's much better than any-old, boring tabasco. 
**End Tangent**

Another enjoyable sub is the Mrs. Bui's--a grilled chicken sandwich with tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, and cheese. It bears an uncanny resemblance to Hemo's grilled chicken sandwich, however the sauce is spicier, and typically the wait is shorter. I think it's a good substitute and change of pace from Hemo's.

Estimated wait time during lunch hour ~10-15 minutes.
5 - miss f.: in two words:  THE BEST

in a few more words:  this place is an egg-and-cheese mecca.  nothing beats spending pocket change on one of these heavenly sandwiches.
5 - Erin G.: Hands down, the best egg sandwich in West Philly, maybe even in the city. Only Bui makes it just the way I like it 

whole wheat + egg whites (spelled "eggs white" on the sign) + sriracha

so fast, so cheap, so delicious, I can't get enough, and I rarely order anything else. Spinach is a nice addition, though, if you need some more vegis in your day.
5 - kathy t.: One of the keys to Bui's breakfast sandwiches-- they toast the roll. Giant $2 lightly crisped egg and cheese sandwiches (available at lunch time too- they don't run out of eggs and force you to buy cheesesteaks after 11am).

They will also remember you and your order -- one of my friends will show up in the crowd and they will start making his sandwich (egg & cheese with sausage) when they see him.
5 - Tom G.: The best breakfast sandwich in West Philly (and the best I've had in the city but I've not tried many outside of Univ. City).  

The rolls are the key.  Toasted, light, and fluffy. You tell Ms. Bui your order (probably bacon, egg, and cheese with salt, pepper, and ketchup) and it's up in about 2 minutes, even with a line.  Like the others have said, get Sriacha...I love it WITH ketchup as you get sweet and hot.  

I've been to Bui's so many times it's crazy.  It's a Penn staple and it's worth going to if you live in Univ. City.  

Their lunches aren't bad either.  It's about as good of a cheesesteak as you'll ever get off of a truck.
4 - Hank C.: A food truck, it has amazing breakfast rolls. Salt peppa ketcha always asked and a giant size - cheap, too, and always fast.  

If you ask for extra mushrooms, they will always put it on properly.  Bacon, ham, and sausage with cheese.. yum! Or extra mushroom & onion cheesesteak.

Eaten at them since 1998, and always go back when I'm close.
4 - Chi N.: this place brings back fat memories of sausage egg cheese salt pepper ketchup!  

wat a great way to start stinking up the halls of huntsman building mmm

fast juicy tons of food!
5 - Eveline A.: Oh Dr. Bui and your instant hangover cure...I never actually ordered anything other than what's on their breakfast menu, so I can't tell you how good their cheesesteaks are. It doesn't matter though, since nobody goes to Bui's for anything other than their glorious breakfast sandwiches. Forget Steak Queen- Bui's has perfected the art of the fried egg sandwich. Back in the day, I rarely deviated from my staple of ham and egg with saltpeppa, and that's the way I liked it. At $2.25 a sandwich (cheese was an extra twenty-five cents, I believe), Bui's was (and is) by far the best bang for your buck you can get in University City. I'm pretty sure they singlehandedly raised my cholesterol by twenty points between my junior and senior years at Penn.
5 - Derek H.: Bui's is loved.  I like the egg and cheese sandwiches at different carts.  And this one is not significantly better than the rest.  But here is why they get everyone's loyalty: 
1. WEEKENDS - They are open on Saturday and Sunday. 
2. REMEMBER YOUR ORDER - I don't know how they do it, but they remember you.  I stopped going for several months and when I came back, they had it right. 
3. CONSISTENT FOOD - It is always good and they big roll is great when it is fresh. 

NOTE - For whatever reason, (hangovers?), they sell a lot of Gatorade with the egg and cheese.  Once I tried it, and it works.
5 - Gregory L.: This place is amazing.  I am so happy they've been in business so long - I think I had my first Bui's in the 90's when my sister was at Penn, and can't wait until my next one.  

The sausage and bacon are equally good.  If you're in the mood to treat yourself at the expense of your health, get extra bacon.   Mmmmm.

Love it.  The egg sandwich standard.  "Bakea-egga-cheee!"
4 - Juliana S.: Best egg whites and cheese in town!  Speedy, friendly service.  And for those of us that have to work while hungover on the weekends, this truck is a lifesaver.

The only problem I have with them is that they don't make coffee.  (This really only merits deduction of half a point but since that's not an option I have to round down).  But really, it's not difficult to make and it would bring in SOOOOO much more money.  This is a college campus  where all the undergrads and grad students are zombies without coffee...

Come on, Bui's, make coffee so I can give you that extra star.
4 - Asuka N.: Having attended Penn, I can tell you that the reviews are right - their egg and cheese sandwiches are the best cures for a hangover. The breakfast sandwiches are a bit on the salty side, but nothing will make a Saturday morning (or afternoon) seem less miserable after a few too many drinks the night before. Even when there's a long line at the cart, the owners do a good job of moving the line and getting the food prepared quickly.

I dock Bui's one star because their cheesesteaks are mediocre; I don't expect something at the level of Pat's, but there's not enough cheese to merit calling this a cheesesteak. If you're looking for an on-campus steak, walk up half a block to Steak Queen. Aside from that, though, the rest of the food here is solid if unspectacular. And did I mention that the food was cheap? Getting a footlong breakfast sandwich for $2-3 truly felt like a godsend some of those mornings.
5 - Jaymes H.: Steak, egg & cheese. Every weekend for 4yrs to make the hungover happy.
5 - Tiffany D.: When I first started at Penn, an alumi gave me the full day Philadelphia walking tour. We started with a breakfast sandwich from Bui's.

Now, being a CA transplant, I had NO IDEA the amazingness that sausage, egg, and cheese could become when served truckside. Seriously amazing.

In my three years in Philly, I've sampled and tasted my fair share of sausage/bacon/egg/cheese sandwiches, but I always come back to Bui's.

The BAGUETTE! They're Vietnamese after all! They know a thing or 2 about banh mi! So the roll is toasted perfectly, the sausage comes in great portions, and always say yes when they ask "salt, pepper, ketchup?" It really is the only way to go.

Now I've moved further from University City, but I sometimes come up here just for a breakfast sandwich. I love it so much I take all my visitors to try this sandwich AND I haven't tried a single other thing on the menu -- I just can't get over this sandwich.

Definitely the best breakfast option out there, from a girl who doesn't usually like breafast or eggs!
5 - Danan R.: The bacon, egg, and cheese on baguette is amazing.  Truly.  If I lived in the area, I would be here quite often.  It's literally pure happiness in a sandwich.
4 - Hoa T.: Hangover cure: sausage, egg, and cheese on a hoagie roll with ketchup and hot sauce.

The hot sauce is not just any hot sauce but Sriracha, the best hot sauce ever.  It guarantees to make everything taste better, minus ice-cream b/c that's just weird.

Either way, Bui's is awesome.  I also love how their rolls are warm and slightly toasted.  The people working there are super friendly.
5 - Yohann S.: I skipped another session of gym today because of this. Went straight after work in early morning around 07:30.

Parked my car couple feet from the place. Get off from the car. Walked fast toward the food truck. Saw the menu. Did a little happy dance in my mind. :D

Number 5! THE Hangover Special. egg AND cheese AND bacon AND ham AND sausage AND salt AND pepper AND ketchup. Mixed them all up and put it on the soft warm roll. Total cost = $5.00

The service was very quick. About 2 mins. The lady that was working that morning was very friendly. She offered me if I wanted hot sauce on it. At first I said yeah.. and she asked me again to make sure. And I said yeah the second time. Couple second later I decided not to put the hot sauce haha.. I'm such a wimp. Anyway I asked her not to put the hot sauce no more. She smiled and said.. 'its too early in the morning eh?' .. I just smiled back and said yeah.. Well the truth is.. I wanted to get the actual taste.. without the spicy flavor on it. Next time I'm going there, which is pretty soon, I'll order one with the hot sauce on.

Dude.. you need to believe this.. it taste awesome. Like I'd go to this place if I want breakfast sandwich than going to McD, Wawa or alike.

I'm not sure if I want to try something else from the menu.. Don't get me wrong, they all sound good. But I'm already in loved with THE Hangover Special.
4 - Teresa L.: Whoa...the biggest food truck I've ever seen. You can probably fit a bed in there!

That probably reflects Mr. Bui's success. He (and others) serves things on a long French-like roll in large portions. I got something with egg, sausages, and mushrooms plus some Bui sauce. It was a short wait in the rain, and Mr. Bui had a yellow umbrella set up outside. Even at 10 30 AM, there were about 5-10 people at any one time on a Sunday morning at 10:30 AM.

This place is open even on the weekends, an affordable and convenient way to cure a hangover.
5 - Elaine F.: I'm writing this review because I have a huge craving for an egg and cheese right now.  I'm a Penn alum from several years back, and a day of studying/cramming for an exam would always start off right with the perfect blend of the egg, cheese, and hot sauce on a toasted roll.  I wish I could get one now, but I've unfortunately moved to the west coast and can't quite make it over.  Definitely the best place to get breakfast around there.  Can't wait to make it back!

Their cheesesteaks I can still remember as well.  They are on the dry side.  This place is where I went for breakfast only.
3 - Vega X.: The wheat bread wasn't impressive. I think most people avoid paying the extra 50c for the wheat bread, and go for the regular bread. Thats likely why the wheat bread was almost stale. 

I am not sure why the mixed veggie doesn't come with cheese in it. I have to say the spinach is sometimes a bit suspect. Its certainly not the freshest spinach out there, but it sometimes smells a bit stale. Oh and the mushrooms are out of a can. Which given my distrust of the spinach can't be a bad thing at all. They taste fine.

Overall, this is a foodtruck that sells its rolls for $3. Don't expect the world. Overall, I'm very happy with the 'regular' that I have here - double egg, cheese WITH mushrooms, bui sauce and hot sauce. I've had it on innumerable occasions now, and like the lady who makes it in a jiffy.
4 - Rob Y.: Food (8.5/10) = After reading several yelp reviews, I decided to order "the Hangover" (Fried eggs, sausage, bacon, ham, and cheese, on a hoagie).  Added sriracha to it.  This is awesome breakfast food.  It's so simple, yet so phenomenal.  Really filling, and at a great price ($5).  If I lived or worked close to this place, I would make Bui's a weekly thing.  

Ambiance (?.?/10) = it's a food truck

Service (9.0/10) = very friendly, great smile

Overall = If you live or work around this food truck and haven't tried it yet,...what is wrong with you?  Go get yourself a "hangover"
5 - Ida C.: Deliverance from the vilest hangovers...now in truck form!

Seriously, as attested everywhere in recent Philly history by college students, Bui's is your miracle cure for your nightime indiscretions.  No matter what the issue is, bacon, egg and cheese with "salpeppaketcha" on a perfect pillowy white bun will help you regain your footing on the path to tranquility.

Take that first bite, bask in the sunshine and smile: bliss

PARTING THOUGHT: Bui's staff is great about making unusual sandwiches.  For example, I'm a fan of the cheesesteak with egg and siracha!
5 - Anne K.: Dear Mrs. Bui (whoever you are),

Your namesake sandwich is the bomb. I'm pretty sure Bui sauce is just a warm version of the spicy mayo that comes with a standard spicy tuna roll, but there's something about putting it on chicken, bread and spinach that make it's extra awesome.
5 - Yujin K.: Finding Bui's closed at 8:15am, we called the number on the truck and were told that they would be opening in fifteen minutes. After contemplating finding another place to grab breakfast, we decided to cruise around and wait it out. Boy am I glad we did!!

We had the Hangover and the Mrs. Bui sandwich, both solid, Mrs. Bui exceptional. It was one of those experiences where my eyes widened and I found myself uttering a progressively louder "yum...YUM...!" with every bite.

I think it says a lot that the best cheese steak sandwich I've had in Philly was at breakfast, from a food truck, made by a Vietnamese gentleman. And it only cost $5.50 a sandwich.
5 - Peter L.: Your breakfast sausage egg sandwich with Bui's sauce was probably the best breakfast I had this year in Philadelphia.  Great portion for the price paid.  Wish you were in California.
4 - Katarina M.: I'm sad to not give it a 5-star review because I really do love this place, but I'm annoyed that my steak, egg, and cheese is $5.75 (their other sandwiches are significantly cheaper), and that the ends of my sandwich are always empty bites of bread. Also, I switched over from the bacon, egg, and cheese to the steak egg and cheese because they're skimpy on the bacon and it's not great quality bacon. Then again, the steak isn't supreme quality, but it's a lot more filling than the bacon. I also wasn't a fan of everyone's favorite Mrs. Bui. A combination of the fact that the chicken was of way lower quality than I wanted it to be...it was like thin little pieces of chicken like paper thin..It made me slightly uncomfortable. And I also wasn't a fan of the spicy mayo tasting stuff that is Bui's sauce. I know, I know, blasphemy.

Aside from that, I admit, I get a sandwich from this place probably about once a week, and it used to be much more often than that. They're pretty delicious. And so fast/conveniently-located on my walk to campus. Thanks Bui's, see ya soon!
4 - Lynn W.: I love their Vegetarian sandwich (special #4). the bread is toasted to perfection and the combination of spinach and eggs is mouth-watering.  Overall it is very tasty.
5 - Alicia L.: These are legit breakfast sandwiches!!

I always order the sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich, and it's always consistent, delicious, and filling.  I would suggest trying the bui's sauce at least once, it compliments the sandwiches nicely.  Also, this is really cheap and usually pretty fast.  Overall one of the best food trucks on Penn's campus.
5 - Jackie W.: order anything on the specials menu: notably hangover special, mrs bui, veggie special

get all sandwiches with bui sauce. bui sauce is free.

prices have gotten more expensive over the years. sandwiches went from $5-$6.50 and the sandwiches have been the same, maybe slightly less food
5 - Karina L.: I think I ate Bui's many moons ago when visiting a friend at Penn during Spring Fling, but I, of course, don't remember. I paid Bui's another visit when I was in town.

$5.75 for a sandwich seemed kind of steep when I ordered The Hangover. Until I realized that the sandwich is pretty much the length of a samurai sword. You have the option to add salt/ketchup. Which I did. The girl behind me tried to substitute the sausage with turkey sausage (come on, be a man) and egg with egg white. They can do the egg white substitution but don't have turkey sausage.

Delicious ham, sausage, bacon, egg, and sauce. All sandwiched between perfectly toasted bread. I ate 3/4 of it while walking (with all the crumbs flying into my shirt and ketchup smeared all over my face) and ate the rest at 1:00am even though I wasn't remotely hungry.
5 - Adie R.: Favorite breakfast sandwich truck in Philly. You can't go wrong with a sausage egg and cheese (I'm not a fan of bacon) or the veggie special. They can easily do egg whites and wheat rolls for the health conscious, and I always ask for extra ketchup instead of their mayo-based Bui's sauce. 

If you're in a rush, call in and place your order. No matter where you're coming from, it's generally ready by the time you get there. Or if you have a minute to enjoy the sunshine, you can chill in their lawn chairs and make some new friends. I would definitely call this place a University City staple.
4 - Jennifer S.: BEST LUNCH TRUCK EVER. Delicious. So friendly. Learn your order after you come a few times. And the prices are incredible.

One star off for being closed when you say you are open! Makes me so sad! Why do you close at 3 pm ?!??! SO SAD.
5 - Julia S.: Sigh. I miss Bui's. I've graduated from Penn and am now many miles away and I still find myself dreaming about bacon egg and cheese with extra Bui's sauce. For the record, Bui's sauce is the only way to go, don't let the saltpeppaketchup camp tell you otherwise. For $3.50, this deal absolutely cannot be beat. Until we meet again, Bui...
3 - Lenny Z.: I had passed by Bui's a million and one times, but never really thought much of it. I don' know why, but I just was not drawn to trying it.

So, the other day, like I often do, I whipped out my I-phone, pulled up my Yelp app, and decided to see what was near by and rated well.

I was surprised to see after 40 reviews Bui's Lunch Truck had 4 1/2 stars, with a healthy littering of 5 star reviews.

So, I had to try it. A lot of reviews mentioned their breakfast sandwiches, but I am usually not the breakfast food for lunch type.

So, I decided on the Mr. Bui special sandwich. In a nutshell, it's a cheese steak with peppers and teriyaki sauce. The bread was a little on the crisp side. It tasted okay, but I prefer it a little softer. And, to be honest, for the extra buck, the peppers and teriyaki sauce were not worth it. But getting past that, the steak and cheese were good. If I was to go back, I'd get a basic cheese steak. Not one of their variations of a cheese steak. Either that, or I go for breakfast and find out what all of the rave is about.
4 - Jen K.: Excellent breakfast sandwich (get the Hangover Special...DO IT!!) and a decent Philly cheesesteak. Prices are very reasonable and Mrs. Bui (if that's her name...) is so sweet! There is this one creepy dude though who speaks in a really high voice who works there (Mr. Bui?). I actually never really noticed until a friend pointed this out to me. But I digress...this is probably the best breakfast sandwich truck on Penn's campus, so go!
4 - Shereen C.: Breakfast sandwich is
Pretty good and comforting
I'd eat another
3 - Eric B.: Bui's? Oh, you mean salt-pepper-ketchup.

It's completely fine. Not my #1 favorite food truck in University City, but it is for lots of people. I'm happy to eat breakfast there.
5 - J K.: The best food truck on or near Penn's campus!  All their breakfast sandwiches coupled with Bui's sauce (and for some, their salt/pepper/ketchup) is by far the best (and cheapest) way to start off your day.  The Mrs. Bui's, a huge cheesesteak with spinach and tomatoes (which obviously makes it healthy), is also delicious.  If you go to Penn, Drexel, USP, or any of the surrounding schools, and don't try Bui's at least once, you are missing out.

BuildASofa - Houston, TX (29.7166713, -95.4150648) (West University)
2 - Dean A. B.: Build A Sofa
Rice Village
Houston, TX

I went to the Build A Sofa store and spent about one hour picking out a sofa. 
I went home an discussed and made sure it was what we wanted. 
I returned to the store and spent 30 minutes ordering and paying for the sofa. 
A few days later the store called and said the leather was not available. 
I returned to store and found the store had already ran my credit card for a sofa that the store could not deliver. The staff at the store are both nice and professional. They had called before I arrived to see if the leather most similar to what I had ordered was available, but their call had not been returned. So I waited in the store, while they called again. The leather is available, but instead of the 5 week delivery that I had paid for, now delivery will be 12 weeks. 
Build A Sofa will have had money for 3 months before they deliver a sofa. 
I am torn between not wanting to support such poor customer service and having to start all over at another store. 
Please, Build A Sofa build in better service.
4 - M K.: I ordered a couch and an ottoman back in Sept 2010.  The store I visited actually was not in Rice Village back then, but somewhere in Harwin (that was when the Houston store just opened for a few months).  I visited there twice during the labor day weekend, when they were offering 15% off.  I selected one of the styles that I like on their websites and made modifications to it. My couch was super long (110") and some part doesn't have the 'back' (I know it sounds weird but I need that since my fireplace and TV are in opposite walls).  Build a sofa is definitely not  'cheap' - for the custom couch and ottoman I paid $3300 but I guess that's what you paid for to get custom furniture made.  They delivered in less than 3 weeks as promised. The part my husband loves is the fact that their couches and sofas are made in U.S.A. (They manufacture in California and ship from there directly to Texas in a truck.  I stil love my couch.

Buktooph Design - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.282168, -120.669004) ()
5 - Amy A.: Clark is super-talented!  He always knows exactly what you need -- whether it's quirky/artistic or professional.  He is a jack of all trades, and has a lot of artistic intuition and handyman skills!  If you want to hire someone who has passion, vision, and enthusiasm, go to Buktooph Design.  He's a really sweet guy who will treat you right.
5 - Kiyoko W.: Clark at Buktooph Design has a fun and unexpected perspective. He delivers polished work in a timely manner, and is also more than willing to receive feedback and modify any changes the client may have. If you are looking for an independent designer who will make your project a priority, give him a shot!

Bull and Bones Brewhaus and Grill - Blacksburg, VA (37.2144133, -80.4005244) ()
4 - Will L.: Being a C-Burg native in town for a few days I had to go by and see what the hype is all about. A large group of us 6-10 went there for dinner. 

I had the Steak n Ribs combo with Sweet potato and asparagus. The steak was quite tasty and cooked to perfection. The ribs were slightly charred but I like that. Asparagus needed some work, but hey I am not complaining. 

Staff is very friendly, prices are decent and the atmosphere is pretty cool and not the typical college hangout (being on campus and all). 

I did sample a few other items from friends, including the wing and salmon and I would give them 4 stars as well. 

Being a large group the staff was attentive and never had to wait very long for drinks or anything else. 

Kudos to the new Brewhaus in town.
4 - Justin S.: Was in town for the Spring game and met up with some old friends here. The wait sucked but we found room at the bar. The cooling slab part of the bar is a cool touch and the beer was good and a great price. We finally sat down and I got the ribs. Best choice of the night. Not all the guests were happy with their selection plus I guess seeing mine made them even more jealousy. The service wasn't great   but what do you expect in a college town. Great Ribs at a great price.
2 - Jeremy H.: Guess I had the idea that it was going to be something more impressive, but Bull & Bones just doesn't hit me.  The food's been alright, but I think for me it's the atmosphere - the place seems like a converted Old Navy or something, not a brewhaus, as advertised.  

I would, however, recommend their Stout.  The name escapes me now, but it's always been good.
2 - Ali S.: Overall, I was expecting about the same standards as the Rock Bottom chain that I experienced in Bethesda before coming to Blacksburg. Bull and Bones had a lot of potential and fell short in almost all categories both times I have been there.

MOOD: Brewery restaurant feel with the stills, large bar, tall tables and the restaurant half. Both times I have been to the bar areas, as they have a much better wall of TVs that is actually very decent for watching sport events. For this purpose, this may be the best place in Blacksburg to watch games while having a drink and munchies.

SERVICE: Hit or miss. The first time I came was the first week the restaurant opened and my service was terrible enough that I could have gotten a free meal easily (I ordered an appetizer and it took over an hour to get it, to a point that I didn't want it anymore). The second time things were a bit more timely, so I won't hold them being new against them too much. On to what matters:

BEER: They have a regular selection and a seasonal. Many of the regulars taste very similar to each other, I was hoping more experimentation with styles and a stronger selection. Indeed, any of their beers beats the american macros you can get anywhere, but they aren't quite better than something as simple as a guinness or sam adams draft. The stout is quite good, but it isn't very drinkable with food. I suppose the lunch pale ale would be my most balanced choice, but I would prefer Rock Bottom's beer selections. 

The worst part about it is that their happy hour is basically nonexistent. They say they have one, but I haven't seen it yet. The advantage of having a brewery/restaurant is that you can discount your beer, however I haven't paid less than 4.50 for a pint where at Rock Bottom I could get 1.50 pints and cheaper food during the happy hour.  

FOOD: It's pretty standard. I didn't find anything on the menu that stands out at me and makes my mouth water and want to order it, the appetizers were just OK and my burger was overcooked. Also, again I must complain about the lack of a decent happy hour really killing this place for me. 

All in all, if you want to watch sports you can go here or to buffalo wild wings. They have better beer, but it's not worth the extra $$ they charge for it. I won't consider going unless they have 2 dollar pints and cheap nachos, it just doesn't taste good enough to justify spending more at this place.
3 - Kevin O.: So I've since been back, and a friend convinced me to try the wings. They've got a strong smoke flavor to them, which I liked, but it can be a little much after a few wings if that's all your eating.
2 - Tina M.: the beers are good.  the menu is boring and unimaginative.  the service is lackluster.  maybe they should take 3 of the 4 hosts/hostesses and have them wait on the customers rather than stand around talking.  for a brewhaus, the beers shouldn't take so long to be delivered to the table.
4 - Aaron W.: A bull and bones haiku.

Smoked wings or home brew,
Can't decide which is better,
but don't have to choose!
4 - Ryan N.: I stopped here with my dad before a Tech basketball game for the first time. I did not know what to expect, but definitely was not disappointed. We sat at the large bar and ordered some beers (they brew their own, but Bud, Miller, Coors Lite in bottles are available). I tried the Maroon, which was a smooth brown ale and very delicious. They have an ice strip on the bar to keep your beer cold when you set it down, which is great. We shared an order of the smoked BBQ wings, which were meaty, flavorful, and pretty large sized. The menu isn't very expansive, but still has good variety. I opted for grilled chicken and mixed vegetables and it was great. Service was fantastic and there are a decent number of nice pool tables in the back. I plan on going again the next time I am in town.
4 - Jim N.: Best beer on the planet.  Yes, their St. Maeve's Stout is the best black  or brown beer I have ever tasted.  I lived in Germany for 3 years, and have been all over Ireland and England and the U.S., and I think I've tried every dark beer commercially available.  St. Maeves has the perfect combination of roasted, chocolate, and bitter flavors.  By which I mean it is neither sweet nor bitter - just perfect.  The only reason I limited it to 4 stars was the food wasnt all that great.  I had the pulled pork which was okay.  Others had steaks, burgers, and ribs - all good but not great.  Their smoked baked beans are great though!  The root beer was flat and too sweet.  Great service by the bar area staff even though the place was jam packed.
2 - R S.: I want to love Bull and Bones and I'm thrilled to have a brewery in Blacksburg but B&B doesn't quite hit the mark.

The beers and food are both good, but not great.  The BBQ is disappointingly dry and smoked wings sound like a good idea, but aren't; the skin ends up flabby and gross instead of crispy and delicious.
4 - Ry G.: I have never been disappointed here. The ribs are perhaps my favorite but by no means is the only good thing on their menu (smoked wings and brewhaus chicken, to name two). I also recommend  their beer sampler for your first time their (or if you are like me and can't decide).

Even though the place is huge, so can be the lines.  Also, service is hit or miss depending on the day/waitress.  So if you are looking for an in and out meal, you are looking in the wrong place. But if you've got the time of day and  are looking for some good ribs and beer, this is the place to be in Blacksburg.
4 - John S.: Most of their home brews need some work.  Their wings have a really good smoke flavor, but they need some better sauces and the hot sauce isn't hot at all.  Their pulled pork and ribs are the best in town.
4 - Tony B.: Very nice upscale decor inside this microbrewery near the campus of Virginia Tech.  They have a huge granite bar (with an unusual frozen metal strip to set your drinks on, very cool) and seating area as well as plenty of HDTV's for sports and also billiards tables in the back.  

The bartenders were very accommodating and friendly during my only visit here.  The menu manly consists of BBQ offerings from wings to sandwiches and ribs.  We tried an order of the wings (which are smoked, not fried) and they were delicious.  The micro brewed beers were pretty good and you can get a sampler for only $5.99.  None of the brews really jumped out at me as being great but they were all decent examples of the styles they were representing.

I will definitely be back the next time I am in Blacksburg.
5 - The Lover and I I.: Bull & Bones is located in the heart of Hokie Nation in Blacksburg, VA. The Lover and I heard about this place from his parents, whose friends talked about the brewhaus with high praises. The mouth-watering descriptions were just too hard to ignore. We HAD to go.

My first impression of the place was a little mixed. Stepping in, I found myself in two different ambiances. To my left was a typical sports bar complete with billiard tables and 'almost' rowdy college crowd. To my right, it was more of a higher end dining feel. It was confusing. The Lover also thought it was strange that it was setup as a fine dining restaurant with bbq on the menu and microbrews on tap.

The Lover thought the food was OUTSTANDING. The baby back ribs, slow-cooked smoked wings, and the sirloin steak from Bull & Bones were the best he had ever tasted. "They also have a couple of German-influenced dishes that appealed to his appetite and were put together very well," the Lover added. 

Most of the beers at Bull & Bones are well-crafted and very tasty, except for their All-Night Light which was disappointing, to say the least. We both love coming here for their seasonal brews, most importantly. Hints of clove, banana, lemon, rye, chocolate, caramel, biscuit... you name it. In fact, We love it so much that we even got a growler so we can fill up whenever we want for a lower price.

The service was most of the time above average. I would like to expect for my waiter/waitress to know more about the menu and the beers. 

We didn't expect anything big from them but they proved us wrong.
2 - Deborah H.: This was decent barbeque but with some misses-so nothing to take a detour with your car.  The wings I had tasted of refrigerator air and reheated.  The ribs were good but were not sliced (I like them partially cut between the ribs) and since the top was a bit over cooked it made them very hard to eat.  The beans were good, the mac and cheese was terrible. 

I did have a gin and tonic but the tonic tasted flat (probably poor carbonation coming from a tap-why people can't use decent tonic I will never know).  The waiter was excellent.
4 - Gina B.: I've been here a few times for work since I travel to Vtech for college recruiting. Ok, here is the good and bad about this place. The good: very new and clean! And on Monday nights they host, during football season they host the head coach and 2 starting players for a 2 hr live radio broadcast from 7-9. Pretty cool. Big crowd, good drink specials. I think the food is ok/average. Nothing to write home about; above average bar food. It's a good size restaurant and have a diverse crowd. 

I ordered the crab bisque and side salad combo. Let's just say I didn't see hardly any crab in the bisque, but it was a bit spicy; had a little flavor. The salad was iceburg w/some grape tomatos and some cucs. Again, basic. But, I was satiated. 

I'd go back again.
4 - Anson P.: The first time I heard about this place was the Roanoke Wings festival.  Bull and Bones was the hands down favorite.  They definitely got their name out.  I was in town for the VTech/ Duke game and my friend and I decided to hit this place up for some food.  Note:  Duke really sucks at football.

When we walked in, we were quoted a wait time of an hour and 15 minutes.  However, the bar area was first come first serve.  The wait didn't end up being that long, which is a good thing because I was contemplating stealing wings off a guy's plate.  There was also a wing on the floor that I stared at for a good 10 minutes.

My friend and I decided to go with the ribs and ordered up a bunch of wings as well.  You know it is a good day when you end it being surrounded by meat.  The wings are pretty good.  Big size, smokey flavor...I would definitely recommend the house bbq wings.  The ribs were ginormous as well.  However, the ribs might not be what most people expect of ribs.  These ribs are grilled which leave them a little tough.  You have to tear the meat off the bones with your teeth...which doesn't bother me at all being the carnivore that I am.  Sometimes I like my ribs where the meat doesn't fall off the bone.  The cole slaw was ok.  I liked the sweet potato casserole side...tasted like a sweet potato stuffing.  We also had the Sun Lit Wit brews since my friend is a fan of Blue Moon.  Definitely pretty good, especially if you like Belgian wheats.  The next time I'm in town, I'm going to try their sampler which consists of 6 small glasses of their brews.

Decor is not unlike that of a Gordon Biersch or other brew pubs.  Service was excellent.  I think the bar area could be organized better to allow for more standing room.  Also, they should have a few more bartenders especially on game days.  Parking isn't too bad, the shopping center has quite a few lots although you might find yourself walking a little bit.

I like brew pubs like this.  Good atmosphere and good meat.  Yeah, don't go here ordering salad because as we all know...you don't win friends with salad.
4 - Patrick B.: My wife told me about this place when she visited the NRV recently. We decided to head there for dinner on her suggestion.

It should be noted that I'm a full-on beer geek. I will judge a restaurant, and certainly a brewery, by its beer. If the beer is good, I'm good.

Fortunately, the beer was good at the Bull and Bones.

I had the pale ale and IPA, both of which were very tasty though not beyond the basics of each style. I would have preferred more personality.

My pulled-pork plate was delicious. I appreciated the "east Carolina" sauce, which made mine Lexington style.

The beans, slaw and sweat potato dishes were also quite tasty.

I'll be back for sure.
4 - Alida H.: I'm a student at Virginia Tech so this restaurant is available as a choice whenever I'm trying to figure out where to eat. However, I've only been here twice, due to the fact that its relatively expensive. I paid my second visit to this restaurant last night. Unfortunately, the lights went out when our food came out. surprisingly however, not only was their backup generator hooked up to a few of the overhead lamps, but it was also hooked to the many HDTV's around the restaurant. smart on their part because the duke v tech game was on and the crowds of rowdy hokie fans over by the bar would have definitely left.

I've read the reviews on this restaurant and one thing stood out to me. Inconsistency. This is definitely accurate. The first time I had the ribs here they were so so, but when I had them again yesterday, it was absolutely amazing. Definitely the best I've ever sunken my teeth in and tastier than the ribs found at TOTS. Although they weren't the fall-off-the-bone type at bull and bones, they were still full of flavor and tender.

We also had the shrimp and crab dip for the second time which was also delicious, but it was not accompanied with enough bread and also came out lukewarm. Definitely ask for more bread, because we only finished half the dip with the bread that came out with the plate. The dip came out with breadcrumbs on top this time which was odd, but did not really change the flavor.

Service was okay, our waiter kept disappearing on us... This is probably because he had to take over our table since our original waiter was not feeling well. 

I'm not too big on beer, but my opinion on the beer here is that it IS tasty, but I'd rather go with the beers that taste similar that you can get at the grocery store. For example the sun lit wit is similar to blue moon, and the maroon effect ale is similar to yeungling. From what I hear from friends, most only like two of the beers here. They also have happy hour specials every day of the week except Saturday. Their root beer is also quite tasty as well.

All in all, this place is like an "upscale restaurant" for us college kids, but more of a casual place for older adults. The crowd over by the bar were majority married adults rather than college students.

I'd probably go back another time or two before I graduate this semester just so I can taste those dreamy ribs again.
4 - Daniel M.: The food here is amazing!  I've never been unsatisfied.  If you're a beer fan, they brew their own beer including Root Beer (which I had).  The wait can be long (3 hours one time) but it's not always like that.  Lunch is a great time to go to B&B.
2 - Yizhou D.: This review is ONLY about the food!
I don't know why so many people like this place. I've been here many many times and have always WANTED to like it. They have beer and barbeque...how could they screw up barbeque?

The food is ok to sub-par. I had their special tonight. "Slow smoked sirloin" with grilled zucchini and garlic mashed potatoes. Sounds delicious right? Well, not really. The plate came with 6 unevenly cut slices of zucchini that had been steamed and then slapped on the grill for char-marks. The garlic mash was indeed garlic-laden, however had the consistency of lumpy glue. I ordered by steak medium rare but it came out well done and pre-sliced. I hate when they slice my steak for me, but that's not the point. The "smoked" flavor was atrocious. It was like they made a fire with plastic and then threw the steak on for a few hours. The only way I got the thing down was to cover up the "smoke" flavor with their vinegar based spicy barbeque sauce. 

My friend got the pulled pork plate. That's a dish that is always on the menu so you think they would have perfected it. Again, no. The "roasted vegetables" it came with were still swimming in the water they used to boil them. The baked beans on the plate tasted like it came out of a can...actually the canned stuff is better than what was on his plate. The pork was just "meh". He also poured the mustard-spicy sauce on it and that made the whole thing taste considerably better. 

The only great thing I've ever had here were the smoked wings. They come in a ton of flavors and taste great going down with a cold beer. Oh that's what's good there too: the beer.

In short, it's not worth what they charge for, so eat the food at your own risk. The happy hour is ridiculously good, though. So go for that.
5 - Chris B.: Fantastic barbecue, great craft beer selection (some of which are brewed in-house). This place is fantastic for any food that can be smoked. Try the ribs or pulled pork with the lunch pale ale!
4 - Bruce B.: Great place. Good Crowd.
5 - Megan M.: I love Bull and Bones. I have always had great service, great food, and great drinks. For you morons that can't figure out when the happy hour is, it's listed on the menu plain as day. It goes from 11 am to 9 pm so if you miss it, perhaps you should keep different hours.... The spicy garlic wings with home made bleu cheese are the best. Go for wing nite on Thursday's. They are way cheap. The ribs are bomb and if you had a bad rack, its your fault you didn't ask for a replacement when your server undoubtedly asked you how your food was. I recommend you eat at the bar. Those are the best servers, anyway. And the glycol ice rail system to keep your beer cold is pretty awesome. Love my fave bartenders Kristen and Alyssa!! And the pool tables are second to none. Challenge one of the managers to a game and you will have the game of your life.
4 - M A.: Very nice restaurant. Good, quick service. Excellent atmosphere and great food. Nice selection of beer.
4 - Derek V.: I'm at Bull & Bones regularly for happy hours, karaoke night (Thursdays), and other occasions.

Their beer is the star of the show.  They brew several beers to satisfy all tastes from light lagers (All Nite Lite) to the darker stuff (St. Maeve's Stout).  Their rotating seasonal is hit-or-miss, though.  (Please bring back Strick's Dark Lager!!!)  Good happy hour drink specials can be had from open to 9pm.

The food is a mixed bag.  The house-made barbecue sauces are outstanding, especially if you like the Carolina styles.  Most of the entrees and appetizers are great, with the pulled pork being a standout.  However, the salads are usually half-cheese, and the soups are nothing special.

Then there's the wing conundrum.  The wing sauces are worth trying, especially the spicy garlic or sesame ginger.  And usually the wings are wonderfully melt-in-your-mouth tender.  But occasionally (around 1 out of 3 orders), they will have the consistency of rubber.  Quite odd.

Bull & Bones now does weekend brunch, too.  The drinks are tasty, but the food (standard brunch fare of omelets, sausage, etc.) is just "OK."

The service staff appears to struggle with high turnover (more than other area restaurants), but we usually have no problems on our visits.

Bull & Bones filled a huge void in the area when it opened, and I'm glad to see them thriving.  As long as they continue making great beer and food, we'll keep going back.
2 - John F.: Not worth the money - overrated.

For the price the steaks were mediocre at best. Its sad when you pay that much for a dinner and have to resort to talking about how good the loaded baked potato was.  Ordered medium rare and rare - got medium well on both counts. Service was very good - maybe we'll give it a shot and try the BONES side of the menu.
4 - Mary L.: I came here for the first time last night with my fiance. Their happy hour specials blew my mind. They were so incredibly CHEAP. My gin and tonic was only $2 and my fiance's beer was $3. You can't even find deals that good downtown. I will be coming here for happy hour from now on.

As far as the food goes, I can't say much about it because I didn't try any of the entrees. I did have their nachos which were plentiful and delicious and a girl in our group got the pretzels which looked AMAZING. A few others in our group got entrees and seemed to enjoy them. The entrees seem a little pricey by Blacksburg standards, but it seems like they are targeting an older crowd (who can actually afford the meals). 

I had a great time here and I would definitely come back again! The place was packed, but it didn't seem like the wait times were too long at any given point. It seems like this place is the only place keeping that new shopping center alive.
4 - Maureen F.: I probably go to Bull and Bones between 3 and 4 times a month.  A lot of my friends are mug club members so they enjoy the larger beers! We come a lot for the smoked wings on Thursdays.  They are half priced and very good! I've also had some of the other dishes on the menu.  The menu consists of higher quality bar food than most other sports bars in Blacksburg.  I would definitely recommend Bull and Bones for casual group dinners!
3 - Jessica L.: A nice place to eat, but nothing extraordinary. Out of my handful of experiences here, the only things I can remember are the pretzel bread and the shrimp and crab dip, both of which were good. The steaks are good as well, but I think it's a little over-priced. Gourmet price-tag for an average plate of food. I am still curious to go for brunch sometime however. Follow-up review to come soon!
3 - David R.: Blacksburg's version of [enter your DC based brew pub here; Capitol City or the like].  The menu is mostly BBQ, similar to Red, Hot and Blue, and the beers are very good.  The longest bar I've seen in quite some time.  This is also a sports bar, so expect tons of TVs.

The noise level here is extremely loud, partially because of the unfinished, duct-exposed ceiling, but also because so many people (particularly young women) can't seem to hold their liquor.  I miss some of the more gritty spots in Blacksburg; I couldn't find one remnant during my visit last week.  Slick, commercial spots have taken over, including a bona fide "Town Center" off 460 on the way to downtown, where Bull and Bones is located.  Three stars, mainly for attempting to emulate a northern Virginia suburban hell brewhouse.
4 - John L.: Good place to eat, good beer selection (this is a brew pub). While it was crowded when I went (VA Tech graduation weekend) we were able to get a table at the bar.  The service was a little slow but they were crowded; it was tolerable.
3 - Ashley K.: I've been here twice so far. Once was a Friday night before a football game, when it was packed with people - the service was slow, but it was understandable because of how full it was. The other time was during lunch - not as crowded with good service. I got the soup and salad special and both were delicious. The food seems a little expensive for what it is - definitely not an every night restaurant for a college student's budget.

Bull's Tavern - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.2802679, -120.663082) ()
2 - Stacko M.: A friend of mine always drags us here, and I really don't know why.  But it is a bar, it is loud with an all right juke box.
Smells like a bathroom.  I think they heard me last time cuz they immediately lit up some incense, yeah, that helped.
5 - nicole m.: It's a bar.  Nothing more, nothing less, but this is why I like it.  Simply put, the bartenders make stiff drinks and there's plenty of cheap bear.  I graduated from Poly awhile ago, but when I'm back in town this is where I go. To add to the ambience, the bathroom is completely covered in graffiti.  If you look hard enought, you might just find my name.
3 - Victor I.: Bull's is great hangout. The smell of old and puke...AWESOME. After you get stinkin' drunk on your 21st bday, head on over to Bull's for a Bull's Sweat. Yum Yum Yummy!
3 - Albert C.: Yup. I agree with Victor. Only good for the 'Bull Sweat'. And by good i mean good for your friend who just turned 21 (not you :-P)
3 - Oliver S.: Bulls always has atleast one or two old men lurking around .. completely wasted.. 

but when all the other bars are packed so full you cant get a drink or even move.. I come here.. and atleast I have some room to move and grab a drink.
5 - Dodge W.: Reading the negative reviews about Bull's infuriates me to the point of wanting to do the 'ol computer throw, but, I as count to ten (per my therapist's advice) the white anger begins to fade and I realize that not everyone has had the opportunity to truly embrace exactly what it is the Bull's Tavern has to offer. Bull's is a unique place that may not palatable to those who are used to the more freeze-dried, cookie-cutter bar's that are popping up on every corner like Starbuck's. Yes, it's true that Bull's may be a little rough around the edges, but that is what makes it beautiful. "Traditional Not Trendy," Bull's is one of the last few of a dying breed.
3 - Veronica G.: Oh no girlie this place ain't for you! That's right you Poly-dolly, cell phone as an earring, "oh my gawd"-ing , buy all my clothes, shoes and get my hair done at home because "hell-o, these people don't know wtf fashion iz (insert scoff)?" But you WILL wind up here and unless you are a true drinker, you will break your heel/ stain your shirt/ sweat off your makeup ("and I wasn't even, like, dancing!"). And boys (by boys I mean Cal Poly/ Cuesta students who just learned what alcohol is), do yourself a favor. Have some class. That means (a) puke outside AWAY from the bar, (b) don't drop your drink on anyone (especially girlie from before because we will hear her and her minions whine in unison) or if you do, apologize profusely and buy her and her friends a drink  and (c) if you happen to strike up a conversation with somoene say, 5 or so years older than you and she politely refuses your advances of spending the night  with you and your roommates , learn to take rejection well. Whining is not very attractive nor very becoming (and trust me, you won't "be coming" with me). It is a trait that is shared by girlie. Hmmm....maybe that's why so many hook ups start here!
5 - steve s.: This place was my home for 3 years... "Ring of Fire" in the background - Cocaine in the system...Bombay and Tonic on the lips.

great memories.  The basement - the jukebox.

Dan
Virgil
Archie
Hales

it feels like 1992 again.
5 - Colleen C.: Dive bar? check
Sticky floor? check
Cheap beer? check
Wasted Cal Poly students? check check
Great juke box? check
Nasty bathrooms replete with grafitti'd walls? check
Drunk girls dancing on the bar? check

I think you might need to be a student (or alum) to truly enjoy the beauty that is Bull's Tavern.  If you're a die hard, ask for the Bull Sweat... *chuckle.*
1 - Franz v.: Why oh why????

This place is completely disgusting, I don't think a single things aside from the glasses (I hope) has been washed since this place was built. The jukebox offers nothing special, leaving you hearing the same junk you've heard over and over, time and time again. In all, I don't think I've had a positive experience at Bulls, which allways baffles me when friends want to keep coming back.

This is NOT a dive bar. It's in the middle of downtown, it's crowded, and certainly not cheap..... which really just makes it a dirty bar.
1 - Ralff d.: Another five star SLOTown place! I love this town, the standards are so low, piss and puke wafting from the seldom cleaned heads do not discourage those to waller in tackiness of this dive bar.

Drive Bar Rating ***** ***** (see SLO Drive Bar List)
Drive Bar Rating Factors: (1 * for each)
Small *, dark *, seedy characters on bar stools *, windows and floors could use a wipe *, good drinks *, smart ass folks on both sides of the bar, locals hang out *, clandestine meetings * in the far corners of the lounge or the bathrooms, extra points for smell **, tacky design and poor service *.

The only two ** rating for smell, most like urine on the CC!
1 - Amy W.: Been here once and I refuse to go back.

All I can say is YUCK.
2 - J E.: If you enjoy the smell of urine, Bull's Tavern is the place for you.  If you don't, come here on your friend's 21st to watch them take the Bull Sweat then never come back!
4 - Tracy L.: So my friends brought me here for my first "BULLS SWEAT" shot. I did not know what I got myself into, however the shot was disgusting and my mouth was burning of Tabasco sauce. 

This is fun to bring your first time friends to "pop their cherry" into Downtown SLO before hitting up the other bars unless you want to stay and enjoy the music and company of people in cowboy boots and hats (reminds me of NORCO, CA).
1 - Miranda R.: I hate Bull's.

This is the watering hole for the hicks in SLO. It always smells like piss, unless you get lucky and come on a night when the vomit odor overpowers that of the urine. The jukebox is just tired - unless you like only listening to def leppard and country. I would only ever tell anyone to go here to torment a friend with a bullsweat on their 21st, otherwise avoid it like the plague.

And unless they finally automated their registers and magically grew a patio within the last few months, Bull's is cash only and smoking is only allowed out front in the street.
1 - Cameron I.: Smells like an outhouse...enough said.
2 - Winter Lee S.: ....I have to agree it does smell like piss.
4 - Ronny C.: The new Bull's is a much prettier place than it used to be, and offers more space to hang out for more people. However, pretty is not a term that should be used to describe BUll's because its definitely a dirty ass bar, but its an awesome bar and a must if visiting San Luis Obispo. Its a great atmosphere with good prices on drinks. People come to this bar to get trashed, and they always accomplish that goal. The bartenders and bouncers are all awesome people and nice as hell. Just don't piss them.
1 - Matt R.: i definitely don't fit in with the crowd that hangs here so i don't enjoy it. but i do know lots of frat doods do...
3 - Michelle L.: This place isn't a bar that you really want to pick as your hang out spot (unless you just know the crowd there or something) but it has it's own unique twist with the cowboy theme.  Don't worry, you actually won't find many cowboys in there on a busy night or that much memorabilia.

I used to come here with my Bull's mug on Wednesdays (their pint night) after hitting up wing night at Downtown Brew with my friends.  We'd get cheap beers and play flip cup the rest of the evening away.  It used to be really smelly and sticky, but they've done some renovations in the past year so it's nicer now and I have to get used to the new doorway on a different side of the room.  I assume that they still let you play flip cup on their tables.

I've never had a bullsweat, but we take all our 21st birthday kids out here and are nice enough to bring them to Bull's last when they can't taste as much anymore.  We've had a few people throw up in the trash cans right after their bullsweat though and nobody I know has ever actually 'enjoyed' taking it.  It's one of those drinks you do under peer pressure (and free-ness) and all your friends get a kick out of it.
5 - Mary J.: Well this is my favorite bar in SLO. I feel like Cheers every time I go in...everyone knows your name! It's where the locals hang out and people come to actually drink.
2 - Matt F.: Def a college hang out.  Came on a Wednesday night and was introduced to the Bull Sweat. Don't ask, just try it.  Quite the experience.  Bouncer was a cool dude, but nothing too special about the place.  basically a drinking to get wasted establishment.
1 - Joey M.: This is the WORSE bar in downtown San Luis Obispo, and as of this post the WORSE bar I've been to.

As you walk into this place the first thing you'll usually notice is the overwhelming stench of urine due to a plumbing problem. I'm not kidding either - look at the other reviews. You don't get use to that stench and it does not put you in the mood to enjoy the night. Most of the people I know refuse to go here because of it. If somehow you get over the stench, the crowd is generally no better. Immature drunks roam the inside looking as if they are about to puke on you. 

The only reason I'll go back is to show people how bad this place is. The reviews on this place are higher then they should be.
5 - Ashleigh A.: DISCLAIMER: I have not been to the new Bull's. 

But you can bet your arse I've spent many a nights in the old one. Filthy. Smelly. Dark. Graffiti on the wall. And I wouldn't have it any other way. In fact, I actually cut my arm walking out of the bathroom on something poking out of a wall one time and had to contemplate getting a tetanus shot.

Yes, Bull's is THAT bar. My out of town friends don't get it, but that's ok. I agree with the poster who said you almost have to be a Poly student/alum or one of the creepy old dudes to really appreciate the beauty that is Bull's. 

Traditional, not Trendy. And Fabulous.
4 - Special K.: Thank you Bulls for being a steamy hot mess.  Nothing is left to the imagination here: hot, sweaty, stinky, and straight up filthy--all great aspects for the perfect dive!

With all the kitschy-ness of SLO, it's great to take a deep breath and smell the fresh urine seeping from the restrooms.  Forget the ambiance and the class because there is not enough bling in the world to spark a shine in this coal mine--this gem of dive bars.  

$2 PBR and a showcase of freaks, creeps, and pervs--I am definitely coming back.
2 - Raquel R.: I used to stay away from Bull's like it was no ones business. Used to straight up walk on the other side of the street to avoid the Eau De Vomit that wafts from the front door, even if my feet hurt. 
Thanks to the remodel it is cleaner and that Eau De Vomit is a little bit less smelly. Yes you can still smell it. Stop complaining and hold your breath.

Old bulls was nast. Straight up nast. There is a reason bar's keep there lights low, so a patron doesn't have to see the other scary people in there and see how nasty the bar is. 

New bulls: pretty. Girls still get up and dance on the bar. They still play hokey music and you can still see your friends, but it has definitely gone up in cleanliness. I did use the bathroom, I don't really remember it, but I don't remember being totally grossed out by it- that is a good sign. 

They have pretty cheap drinks. But stay away from the bull sweat. Horror stories man. Horror stories.
3 - sean d.: This is/was a dive bar that serves cheap drinks and is heavy on history.  The drinks are always strong and if you are cool to the staff they will be cool to you.  Bull's has always attracted the professional drinkers in town.  For many years Bulls has sold more rumple mintz than any other bar on the West Coast.  This is because this is what the Pros drink.  This is a place for people who want a solid drink at a moderate price.  I still miss the old bulls.  This place used to be 5 stars because you could have a great time on 10 bucks.  Those days are long gone and have turned into ASH now...
5 - J N.: Bulls is where the party is!  Thanks to Bulls for having the DC SHOES team the other week and showing us a damn good time!  Next time we're heading up the coast and are within even the greatest of margins considered "Reasonable Distance", we will be stopping into Bulls for another round!  Keep it dive!
3 - Jennifer F.: Bulls gets only 3 stars because I don't like that they tried to clean the place up!  For those that left crappy reviews, it's because they didn't attend Cal Poly or they didn't enjoy the downtown nightlife.  Bull's WAS the place to go...and we even got to have a tile on the ceiling...which made it even cooler.  Yes, it was gross.  Yes, it was crowded.  Yes, you never peed there for safety reasons.  But...it was part of the college experience.  Down to the Bull Sweat on your 21st.

I don't think I'll go into the "new" Bulls but I AM glad I was able to get my tile back!  It's now hanging in my garage, and I can think of my time spend at Bull's fondly.
4 - Zeke G.: Always a good time at Bulls, great drink prices, things always get entertaining as the night goes on. Love a good dive bar.
1 - Steven P.: The only reason that people come here is for a Bull's Sweat for the 21st birthday or a Bull's Sweat because they're the dumb college students

The music is loud and terrible.  The regulars are trashy and scare girls.

Enough said.
5 - Brian M.: Get busy livin...
4 - Paul G.: Great local bar! R. Reynolds... you are the best!
1 - Colin L.: Went here because it was labeled as a dive bar by many yelp reviewers.  I like dive bars and am used to dives in the LA/LB area.  If you're a dive bar fan this is not the place for you.  If you like poorly decorated (bland, no thought put into it) and poorly lit (too much light!) bars with immature younger crowds (I have no problem with younger crowds, most bars I hang out with are frequented by college kids, it's the attitude that bugs me, the people here acted like frat kids - not my scene, hell, there was almost a fight while we were there), weak drinks served in the wrong glasses and poor service, then by all means come on down.  Otherwise, avoid at all costs.
4 - C K.: Bull's Sweat. Nasty but a rite of passage.
2 - Jackie F.: Pro: Strong drinks.

Con: Angry drunks, low floor space, jersey shore wannabes.

This a rite of passage bar for SLO. This is the bar for college kids to be a dbag or whore for the nite. The staff are pretty chill, the service is pretty good, but seriously, what is with the pyschos that fights ALL THE TIME outside of Bull's??
1 - Stevie M.: This place is a complete joke.                             

Our bartender was a complete asshole and harrassed our whole group. We weren't a bunch of young partying kids going out being loud, we are adults, PAYING customers going out for a friends birthday trying to have a good time in between our busy hectic schedules and this lousy bartender ended up calling everyone in our group names, even using the term slut several times.

 I was, and am still, completely and absolutely astonished that this happened. Completely uncalled for.

This establishment needs to train their employees how to conduct themselves in the service industry or else learn to terminate weak links in the system, such as this poor bartender with a poor attitude.

I am in absolute disbelief still and cannot believe this even happened. I am also extremely disappointed that we tipped that lousy bartender.
3 - Minas K.: Classic small,old school bar.
 Friendly staff and decent drinks. Signature drink: Bull Sweat.
5 - Jason H.: Let me guess, the people who gave 1, 2, or 3 stars probably complained about the smell, the bathrooms and the atmosphere. What did you expect? It's a dive bar! When it was in its old location, it was even worse, and I loved it! It's like complaining you got wet when you jumped in the pool. 

I've been a regular at bulls for 7-8 years now. People who know me, know Weds nights, I'm at bulls. If its my birthday, I'm at bulls. If I'm celebrating, I'm at bulls. If it's a weekend, I'm no where near bulls! The place is out of control on weekends!

On an off night, when there's only a handful of people in there, it's everything I want. The jukebox has thousands of songs, the bartenders are nice (shout out to Vanessa who's been my bartender for 5+ years), the drinks are well priced and most importantly, the drinks are strong! 

What other bar can you go to where they'll let girls get up on the bar, let you play flip cup on a table or even let you puke and rally?! 

The only downside is that it does get packed, but I avoid those nights at all costs. 

Bulls, it's my own version of Cheers.

I'd tell you more reasons about why it's so awesome, but I want people to stay away. :)
2 - Michael K.: Are you serious? Every since they succumbed to the need to "spruce up" the place, it's just shiny with the same dirt bag atmosphere. I remember this being a dirty cowboy bar, to get your drinks at the very end of the night. Now it turned all, well, ugh. Don't get me wrong, I still go there from time to time, but it's not the same. They did this SLO rite of passage wrong. The bartenders are great, but the crowd sucks. I guess I'll just have to remember it off my photos and memories.

Bulldog News - Seattle, WA (47.6585703, -122.3131809) (University District)
5 - Peter H.: OK, miss the old days where there were news/magazine stores? This harkens back to those times. The place is huge, filled with magazines and newspapers of all types, from all over the world. Want to see the Australian magazine that had the Seattle Storm's Lauren Jackson nude in it? They not only had many copies, she SIGNED them there.

They also have an espresson bar and soem candies and smokes. Right on the Ave in the middle of it al. Stop by and browse some time (and buy something, this ain't a library ya know!) :-) - IF THEY DON'T HAVE IT, NOBODY WILL.
5 - Zarah M.: This place is a great place to find newspapers from all over and magazines of all kinds!  They even serve espresso.  The employees are very helpful and full of suggestions for all of your questions.  I really like this place and recommend it.  Come visit the Ave and check this store out.  I'll have photos soon!
5 - Colby S.: Great place to grab current event reading materials.  Name the newspaper, and chances are if you can get it in Seattle...you're going to find it at Bulldog.  OK, so it's not a Husky, get over it...the purpose is information, and they have loads of it...you can grab a read in the seating area and also catch CNN on the flatscreen...great atmosphere.  Don't forget to grab a fresh squeezed lemonade, tart is good.  Cheers!
5 - Kathleen W.: Amazing! If you are feeling behind on your current events go here. You can get each country's true reaction to events in politics, arts, environment, etc. Writing a paper on how the rest of the world see's America? Pick up one of the many papers from around the world. Just getting into photography? Check out the selection of camera mags that is larger than any other store's entire selection! Can't wait to read your new Vogue Italia? Sit at the espresso shop that is inside... or maybe enjoy a fresh squeezed lemonade! I'll be back.
4 - Robyn H.: I can wander for hours looking at all the different magazines I want to read and don't have time to do.  With a dry cappucino in hand, I'll grab a couple that catch my interest and leaf through them trying to decide if I want to spend that $5 or $6.  This is a case of way too many choices. My poor brain can't handle it!  Another shot of espresso should do the trick.
5 - Angie K.: I am a magazine junkie, especially when it comes to art and literary magazines, so when I first found this place I thought I had stepped into a dream world. They have everything, and what's especially cool is that they have the store sort of separated between cool art/music/literary/smart people magazines and the more mass market magazines, so you don't really have to look at a thousand pictures of the celeb of the month when you are looking for this month's copy of whatever it is you can't find anywhere else.
5 - Annalisa S.: I just love the open view espresso bar here; it's like a little slice of the east coast right in the U-District.  That awning is just too cool.  And you really can't *not* find whatever kind of paper publication you're looking for here.  They have magazines about stuff I didn't even know existed.  Plus cards and other misc. cool stuff.  I pray to God this place never goes under.
4 - Lindsay G.: Only the cutest newstand ever. Did you ever watch the movie Newsies? With all the boys and their little knicker-pants with... um... newsboy hats? This is totally what this place reminds me of. I'm always waiting for some 6 year old with a wooden leg to come out and spit some cockney british at me with "paps." But it never happens... At least not yet!
5 - Maria C.: If you can't find it here, it ain't worth reading. Ok, maybe not, but you'll be hard pressed to think of what they don't have. I love the smaller literary magazines and am amazed at the selection of stuff here I've never heard of. We also get newspapers from around the world for school projects. It makes me feel smarter and more worldly just stepping into the place. Hmm, better go often.
5 - Milo D.: Hanging out on the ave. and looking for something to read go to Bulldog News. They have just about every magazine you could think of and many more you've never heard of. This is one of those hip places that makes living in Seattle cool.
5 - Amy G.: Every time I go in here, I suddenly feel so much more connected to the rest of the world -- they carry a ton of newspapers from around the globe, as well as smaller, alternative magazines that are hard to find.
5 - Margaretta L.: A great place for photography mags, counter-culture mags, and newspapers in languages other than English.  Also, the french pastries they serve at the espresso bar are really, really good.  And in case you forgot your certs, they have those, too.
5 - megan d.: i use to come here with my dad alot and read the newspapers so it will always hold a special place in my heart.....but anyhoo the organic coffee is amazing and the selection of magizines and newspapers are even better and here's a secert....if you spend an hour or two looking around and say all you buy is a coffee and a paper they don't care.
4 - Ali L.: This place has so many magazines, it makes me want to pile them all on the floor and do the backstroke in them. It would be  fun...minus the paper cuts. They really do have everything and it reminds me of a bigger Fog City News in SF, just less pretentious.
5 - mira b.: Brings me back to my college days ... This is a great place for hot drinks, too.  My personal favorite is the lemon with honey.  Mmmmm.  :)
5 - Emily C.: I miss this place so much. It was my biggest weakness as a UW undergrad, both for the magazines (and 'zines! and other miscellaneous crap I couldn't live without!) and the delicious fair trade drip coffee that served as a most enticing backup to my usual homebrew. Shopping for magazines at even the coolest indie bookshop can't compare to the joy of stopping by Bulldog every week. (Well, okay, maybe Powell's is good enough for that. But I don't live in Portland anymore, either. O beautiful Pacific Northwest, why did I move away?!)
5 - Holly F.: It was at this little spot on University Ave. that I could get my chai on. I haven't had a chai quite like the chai at Bulldog in a very long time.
5 - Chris B.: Only place I can find some particular trade magazines and newspapers.  ...IF THEY DON'T HAVE IT, YOU WON'T FIND IT IN SEATTLE!!!  Fantastic coffee, treats, magazines, & newspapers!
5 - Bonfire P.: There's a lot of awesome bookstores in Seattle. Those awesome bookstores generally have awesome magazine selections. But Bulldog is the MOST AWESOME place for your glossy ephemeral paper periodicals you will  find.

Plus, the pastries are decent, the coffee is good (and fair trade certified since 1999!) and the staff helpful.
5 - Scott K.: This place once saved my life.

Is there a better review?

IS THERE?

I was out with a bunch of strangers in my 20's drinking all night long and generally doing the types of things guys who dream about being a pick-pocket do. When I was invited back to one of these complete strangers apartments over the Ave. 

It was far too late in the game before I realized that I was the only person in the room who had completely and totally forgotten to meet a nice kisser for the evening.

Couples everywhere and the temperature in the room increased ten fold... time to vacate, or contemplate alternative lifestyles.

I could have either sat there until my brain popped, or gone for a cab.

#2 please.

I step out on to the void that is The Ave on Sunday morning, and there I was. Nothing and nobody, anywhere!

Or not... AHHH! Three feet away from me covered in shadow was the largest man you've ever seen staring at me like I was wearing pasties made of $100 bills. (which incidentally I might have been... as I said... it was a long night).

I jumped, startled, and he mumbled something so perfectly horrible that I will only talk about it after drinking 23 mandarin tonics. And even then I can hardly get through the tears.

That's right, the number is 23. Trust me.

I ran.

I ran fast.

I ran as fast as I could before my muscles would start making audible noises.

He pursued. Fast.

...Now here comes today's FUN FACT! 

At 6am on Sundays, how many places do you think are open?

One.

ONE!

Guess what wonderful news stand was open on that dark and gloomy morning with the most beautiful police officer I've ever seen drinking a coffee? Go ahead.

I love you Bulldog.

I love you.
5 - Christy G.: If you are looking for a hard-to-find magazine, particularly one in Computer Graphics, any form of the Arts (Art, Photography, Digital Painting, Design, Gaming, Poetry, Fabric Design, etc.), Politics, Foreign Language...... this is your place!
Hip Hip Hooray and grab a cup of coffee while you're there. 
:-)
4 - Sheila Y.: Loved me the bulldog for watching World Cup soccer last summer in Seattle.  I also noticed they have an amazing magazine selection, which is perfect for magazine whores such as myself.  Whenever I'm in on the Ave. I always make a point to try and make it in here to pick up some obscure 'zines and grab a quick coffee at the shop.
5 - april d.: I love Bulldog, it's soooo Seattle.  Coffee from a window and loads of good reads.  I like to get my Indian (AKA Native American) newspapers there and they have quite the selection.  The Staff are nerdiness perfected and just so cool and friendly.  I could spend days and paychecks there, they have everything one could hope to find at a newsstand from all over the country and the world.
4 - Kaitlyn M.: If I ever need to kill some time on the Ave between classes, I usually do it here. The magazine selection is unlike any I have come across, and promises at least an hour of quality browsing time. They even feature a number of literary journals which are always fun to flip through. I've never tried the coffee here, but come fall quarter I will make a point of it. 

So, if you ever find yourself in need of some obscure magazine you are sure no store under the sun would carry, check this place out because it most likely has it.
4 - Geoffrey R.: I love going into bulldog news, and picking up a new copy of MOJO magazine for like $9.00... or whatever it costs nowhere days. 

Then I liked to read the articles in back of BUST magazine, and order a bagel with extra butter to go.

Great store.
5 - Breanna S.: Fair-trade organic espresso? Always.

Italian magazines I can barely understand with my 2-and-counting quarters of UW Ital courses? Of course.

Spinach-feta-filled croissants? YES, PLEASE!

Ohman. I am not a croissant person, but these things, I CRAVE.

When I first noticed this place on "the Ave", I assumed it was just another hipster cafe, but that was...well, it was before the croissants. And then, after coming back (like the addict I am), I found that the baristas are actually really friendly/cool/remember who I am. Which makes for a damn good breakfast-/lunch-/any-time indulgence.

Just make sure you ask them to heat it up. The croissant, I mean.
4 - Otto R.: I loved this place!

Any newspaper or magazine that you could have thought to exist is here.  Even obscure local dailies from different cities and states.

If you ever need a certain newspaper, bulldogs is the place to get it!
3 - Jane A.: KILLING TIME, IF YOU GOT IT!

Back in the days when I use to attend the UW and worked at the bookstore I would kill time at Bulldog newstand either between classes or between classes and work. Kind of reminds me of those outside new stands in big cities like NYC but minus the outside part and not on a rolling cart. 

I would always go to Barnes and Noble to read some of the magazines but Bulldog News has international magazines. And they had some Filipino Magazines too. I'm a sucker for anything Filipino, you know I'm one of those striving American-born Pinay trying to reclaim and not forget their roots. haha.
5 - Shon R.: Best spot to get coffee in the U-district.

Nothing better than a good cup of coffee and good reading material and this place has it in spades.  The staff is friendly and the coffee is great.  Just be careful.  I've certainly ended up staying here too long looking at magazines and sipping on coffee.
4 - Paul F.: You should go to Bulldog news because there just aren't many news shops anymore.  Ya gotta keep these bad boys going.  The place is kind of cool, I remember thinking 'wow newstand, character' when I got here to college.  It's this type of unique, walkable neighborhood vibe that we cherish, so support it ya'll.
4 - Kevin L.: Their staff is, for the most part, friendly (I got some lip from one of the girls after complaining about the lack of chocolate in my mocha once).

They have the best selection of pastries.  My favorites are the coffee cake (very moist!) and almond croissant, which are always fresh in the morning.

They could improve upon the consistency and drink standards, however, as I have observed different baristas doing different things with my drinks.  As a former barista, I know that it is very important to properly set customer expectations, and that is something that is lacking here.
5 - Amanda R.: This is my favorite place to get coffee on the Ave, certainly better than all the Starbucks.

They have good coffee, great pastries, and that's just the espresso part. The rest of the shop has a huge selection of magazines and newspapers that you can browse on your coffee break in between classes. There is also a great meeting table where you can finish a community crossword puzzle on the computer they have set up.
5 - Cathy G.: this is an excellent place to get NEWS from around the world.  It is such a varied and packed collection. I may never  need certain newspapers, but I am so glad others can get them and read them. I  can get newspapers from countries I hope to visit and ones I may never visit.

Thank you
4 - Molly G.: Bulldog news carries the who's who of periodicals from not only the US, but around the world. It's also a great place to grab a cup of coffee.  I was originally turned on to Bulldog by a professor who sent us there in search of international news coverage during my freshman year at the U.  What i found was so much more, and included the purchase of my first scratch-off lotto ticket, which consequently won me two dollars.  For that reason alone, Bulldog will always have a special place in my heart.
5 - Melissa C.: Great little place in the middle of The Ave.  You'll find just about any and every relevant periodical there is.  Very friendly and courteous service.  Great place to catch a game in progress on the big screen if you happen to be hanging out in the U-District, soccer games especially draw a crowd.  Very good organic fair trade coffee at more than decent prices.
5 - Emma R.: This is my go to place for magazines. They have a selection that no one else can match. Magazines from all corners of the world are shipped to Bulldog and they have them during the right month (Barnes and Noble gets British magazines the next month a.k.a it is April but you are only able to get the March issue.) This is not the case with Bulldog. Also, I can get my international fashion fix sent to my house, they will happily send your magazines to your house once they land in the store. What could be better?? The staff is also really helpful. I can wander in and describe what I am vaguely looking for and they are able to offer up an array of possibilities. Grab a coffee and wander. You will not leave empty handed.
5 - Mateo d.: In a class I took about the UW community, we had to do a research project on some subject of community value, and I did a fifteen cafe price comparison. Bulldog was cheapest across the board. I tried the coffee to, specifically the drip and a tall latte, and both were good, so I've been coming back. Basically Bulldog is the best coffee for your buck on the Ave, hands down. They're also quick and pleasant, with some good deals too. Pastries are cheap after 4:00 (though most are gone, I suppose that's the point) and the travel mugs are $10 and nice. There's no good seating, so it's really more of a huge coffee stand than a small cafe. It's not a place to hang out, but grab coffee there's nothing better.
3 - Anora K.: I like this place a lot. A really cute news stand and coffee shop. they baristas are very friendly. I wish it were open a bit later, sometimes you have to resort to crossing the street to Starbucks when its a bit later in the evening.
3 - Wing M.: Cute coffee shop, though it's not all that great and the line is usually unreasonable long. The pastries were pretty good but not too impressive. Overall, it's a nice coffee place but just not compared to the others on the Ave.
3 - Marc A.: I feel for these news stands that have to battle the likes of Borders and such for business... I'm torn between supporting the local guy that doesn't offer everything I'm looking for and the big box that has it all and more. What's a magazine lover to do? For me, I try to support both depending on where I'm at and who's around.

After grabbing some Thai food and having the need to walk some of it off, I ventured in to Bulldog News. Here's where they scored with me - a copy of the Canadian version of Snowboard magazine was sitting there with all other the snow sports rags. This is something Borders just wouldn't carry. Friendly checkout service and bonus points for labeling the day old pastries as vintage pastries. Enjoy!
4 - Heather H.: I love to indulge my magazine and international periodicals here! Its got that great urban appeal without the annoyance of 'stroller-moms', 'seat-hogs', and ridiculously long purchasing lines. 
Its got a nice mix of students and general passersby. I notice that Bulldog really makes the efforts to carry local/indie publishing's. 
You can also grab a drink at the small cafe inside. Coffee is meh, but the fresh squeezed lemonade is fantastic! 
Forget Borders/B&N and get some more local taste in the U-District.
5 - Robert S.: Man I miss having a Bulldog News on Broadway 

so I am out running errands as my partner was sleeping he had to work the night shift, so I get this text where are you and I tell him I am up north looking for tires for my motorcycle, he says I should stop by Bulldog and see if they have the Interview Magazine with Madonna on the cover

and being the magazine junky that I am you don't have to twist my arm long or hard, to get me to go to a shop like Bulldog, so off I go on my way back back to Capitol Hill, I swing over to the Ave, and oh yeah they have it and about 6 other magazines I really didn't need by got anyways , like I said a magazine junky I don't look at the receipt I just sign it, and hand it back it hurts less that way
4 - Nath, A.: It took me a while to try this place, because I'd assumed it was more of a newsstand than a coffee shop. Nothing wrong with newsstands, of course, but I'm not much of a magazine person. I'm reluctant to pay $7 for last month's news printed on shiny paper. Besides, I'd been hoping to find some publications from my home country; no luck.

Anyway, coffee. I come here mostly for the drip, to drink while walking to work. The flavor varies a bit from day to day, but it's always reasonably strong without being bitter, and served at the perfect temperature. Sometimes they offer multiple roasts, and I believe they have a weekly rotating special.

I've had the espresso once or twice. Decent, but if you're taking the time to get an espresso drink, you might as well go into a sit-down coffee shop and get it in a real cup.

They also advertise whole beans at pretty good prices. I haven't tried them yet, but I'll probably pick some up in the near future.
3 - Amanda T.: They used to have really good coffee for cheap here. Juggling  a warm drip, the New York Times and a spinach and feta croissant, this was the place to pop in on one of Seattle's dreary afternoons.

Then the Depression hit. Now the prices are jacked up, the coffee tastes like burnt cigarettes and bark, the croissant is just a flat piece of barf pastry. They charge you 25cents for using a debit card (hi, in the 21st century, people don't like having change in their pockets). They still have the New York Times hence the 3 stars.
5 - Joshua L.: As for the magazines: Well, there aren't a lot of magazine shops around these days, so this is definitely the most comprehensive place to go. Picture the magazine section of a Barnes & Noble, now multiply that by 4 or 5 and you'll have a sense of how many titles they carry. As an example, I counted 7 variety of Vogue magazine (one from the UK, one from India, one from France, etc.). Lots of obscure art magazines, writing, crafting, obscure technology zines, sports, lifestyle: this place has just about everything. And as for the cafe: I'd say the coffee here is just moderate, but there are several other reasons to check out Bulldog News. They make amazing fresh squeezed lemonade that is just the right balance of sweet and tart. They also have a hot lemon & honey drink that I love. It's very simple, but tasty. Perfect on a cold day.
2 - C. S.: Rating on service.

First of all, I know people love this place, and I can only say I've been to Bulldog news a couple times briefly to look around, and I do recall them being attentively helpful. Indeed it is a cute place of mass media glory. However my first time planning to stay longer, I am baffled at the annoying newspaper man. 

I will try to be detailed about my experience to justify the 2 stars.

For a paper, I was looking for any topic related to the Information field/Informatics such as about software, social networking, and intellectual property. 

The "business man" seemed offended that I asked- telling me that it's too broad, go to a library, that he's only a business man...he went ON AND ON saying that he couldn't give me something unless I knew what I wanted to write about. This guy made no sense to me, I had suggested that any news on social networking was fine with me. I can understand that there may not be a magazine all about social networking, but there's bound to be some floating articles about it. Perhaps I should have just asked him if he had recently came across anything of the sort. ...or he could have just told me he's just a cashier. If he was a business man, he wouldn't be trying to shoo me away with his defensive excuses in not helping me...  he was still babbling on about it as I was walking away! I don't like to be harsh, but I have to say this was one of those outstanding experiences with strange people... and it reminded me of this guy in L.A. who was on the street advertising a museum who became verbally harrasive grabbing my friend's arm... because we wouldn't answer where we were from. 
Way to go "business men".

As far as the baristas- they're always smiling and quite friendly... I've only bought one pastry there in my entire life though... can't say why.
5 - Domenica C.: Certainly one the finest establishments on "The Avenue".   Bulldog News is one of the few places that is completely not obsessed with blatant consumerism on the Ave.  Well, I suppose I am being a bit hyperbolic, but I find the vintage clothing stores and fashion-forward boutiques to be tedious and dull.  However!  Bulldog News is unpretentious and library-like in its presentation of news and information.  Also, the coffee is some of the best on the Ave, hands-down.  

There are gossip magazines, literary magazines and everything else you can think of.  Do you need the latest issue of Maxim, and perhaps The Wire for your highfalutin needs?  Then come on down!
4 - Tony R.: I don't know where the hell this place gets their pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant) but it is the best one I have ever had in the U.S. and stacks up above many of the ones I had in France.  The crust is flaky and messy, the croissant is airy and buttery, and the chocolate is dark and delicious.  I wish I could savor it but I really can't help but inhale.

I love swinging by Bulldog because all of their coffee is fair trade and the baristas are relatively friendly for a coffee shop in the U. District.  Lastly, a great selection of magazines and newspapers make this a nice place to browse around and pick-up niche magazines you can't get anywhere else.
4 - Jennifer B.: He shoots, he scores!

I swear I heard the world cup games aired here last year. Baristas have to stand in the cold b/c the place is pretty much wide open but it's easy to breeze by and grab that espresso before heading to campus. I like the coffee and they have a great selection of magazines and newspapers. I like the variety of postcards and cards.
5 - Joseph H.: One of the main, if not the most important reason I'm visiting Seattle for 10 days: To find the best damn cup of coffee.

I'm more of an espresso drinker, so I went around looking for the best cup of macchiato/cappuccino in town. Went to a few recommended places, especially up in Capitol Hill... so I'm giving this 5 star review with some sense of awareness.

And sweet beard of Zeus, their double shot macchiato was finely pressed, steamed and poured to perfection. The cup was super strong and bold, yet not horrendously bitter. Their foam perfectly blended with the espresso, and I was able to taste the subtle combination of both.

They have daily trivia questions taken out from current news. Answer it right, and you get 10 cents off on your drink. Plus some karma points for starting off the day feeling like a boss.
4 - Katy H.: Posters, magazines, newspapers, maps and books... you'll find 'em all here. Heck, even Cat Fancy is on the shelf! I know because I looked at it. Don't judge!

Bulldog News is a fantastic store for either grabbing coffee, a snack, or something to read between classes. More than a newsstand, this is a BIG neighborhood store. With a few thousand square feet of retail space, you'll find something to read at Bulldog News. I was impressed with the variety and feel silly that for years I had thought it might be mostly marketed to UW students because of it's name and location. Of course it's a good resource for students but the selection is not limited to the college demographic. Next time I'm in the U Dist I'll pop by and scan the magazine section. Who gets subscriptions anymore?
4 - Rojoleo L.: One of my first newsstands I visited in Seattle was Bulldog in the early 1990's and I have been hooked since. Bulldog and the Pike Place Market newsstand have the widest selection of newspapers, magazines, and college periodicals in the city. Bulldog even has hard to find Native American newspapers and local community college poetry art periodicals. Having a barista and being on a major city bus route is also a big plus.

Located on University Way with the UW behind it, Bulldog might be a little tricky to get to if you're driving, but there are great for those taking the bus and walking to the University. You can also find street or lot parking within a 5 minute walk (well worth it!). The parking is the only thing preventing me giving Bulldog 5 stars.
4 - Kevin C.: Such a fun, eclectic store that harkens back to times gone by.  Print magazines! Actual newspapers!  Who'da thunk it!  But the place also makes a mean espresso, and the open air feel of the place makes for a perfect sipping spot while enjoying the fresh cold air.  I just wish they had more extensive hours.  On more than one occasion I was needing coffee, and would've rather had supported Bulldog News than the S-bucks across the street.  But sadly, Bulldog was closed, and S-bucks wasn't, and daddy needs his caffeine.  So, if you're looking for a fun place to grab a cup of joe, be surrounded by relics of the publishing industry, and it's at a normal business-hour time, I implore you to stop by!
5 - Laura P.: This is my go-to shop for all my cooking magazine needs. They carry a ton of import periodicals that are difficult or impossible to find elsewhere. Whether you're looking for a great read or for some DIY inspiration, you'll find it here!
4 - Lilly A.: Great coffee. Good service.
5 - Melrose F.: I love the Bulldog News, every morning they save my life with their uncompromisingly delicious espresso and delightful staff. Their coffee provides the much needed lift for my floral creations.
Thanks a bunch, and see you tomorrow
5 - Compu B.: My favorite place to grab coffee in the morning. They are fast, friendly, and serve up a decent cup. Haven't tried the baked goods yet. They also serve all your reading needs.

Bulldog Postal - Houston, TX (29.7062912, -95.4116607) (Braeswood Place, West University)
5 - Derek E.: To make this review as quick as possible: Any place that will allow me to skip the absolutely absurd lines at the Post Office is 5 star in my book. 

The people are friendly, packaging is well priced, and there is never a long wait. Skip the post office and come here. 

You are welcome.
2 - Lyla E.: The Bulldogs were cute, but distracted me from realizing this place was way overpriced. The Customer service was fine, but the cost to mail was not worth it.
1 - Ben M.: I was in the area and had a package that needed to be dropped off at a package place, it already had the mailing label (prepaid) for the item and it was packaged and sealed in a box. I've dropped off boxes like this before at other package places and they take it and tell me to have a nice day.

Not this place. I walk in and I say I just need to drop this off and hand it over and before I can say anything the employee starts pounding away at my box. Beating on the corners, and sides, etc. I am completely surprised by this and as he is doing this he asks me, "What's in here?" I am really too shocked so I just answer him and he says, "Yeah, I'm going to need to repackage this before I can send it. I'll charge you 50 cents for it." 

I'm not really new to packaging items, I've been ebaying and sending out my own packages for almost 12 years now so the fact that this employee was telling me (after pounding on the box before asking what was in it) that it needed to be repackaged and that I essentially had to PAY them to send a pre-paid item through their store. Well, I paid it, and now you, Bulldog postal, will pay for your insanely bad service. I'll go out of my WAY not to go there now and now everyone else gets to hear about it as well.

Avoid this place, there are far better packaging places out there who know how to keep a customer.
1 - Lynn W.: Now closed.  Big signs by the parking lot are still up, but store closed at the end of May 2012.

Bulldog's - Atlanta, GA (33.7790078, -84.3841255) (Midtown)
4 - Diane I.: there's a cover to get in but its well worth it.  super cheap drinks once inside and amazing dancing.  they play great music and the dance floor is small so its definitely intimate.  definitely a fun time!
4 - Dionne G.: Where the eclectic gay community get's their dance on. A typical Friday night highlights include a couple hundred black gay/bi men dancing to hip-hop along with a few gay-friendly women. The club has a small dance floor, billiards area, and an outdoor patio. There's a small cover, well worth it for the cheap drinks that await you inside. This is club is one down to earth big party with a casual dress code.
2 - Brian C.: Having been to several gay bars and clubs in Atlanta, Bulldog bar has got to be on the lower tier of bars. 

Drinks are not strong, the bartenders and people running the bar seem to have a strange attitude about them. Basically, very unwelcoming. On top of that patrons (even on a weekend) are not hot.

I would skip this bar and head to the rest. Waste of time and money.

Bullet Barn Guns and Firearms - Upland, CA (34.105194, -117.690219) ()
1 - Tim B.: Tried to have a gun shipped to this FFL for a private party transfer. You would think I was explaining long division to a child based on our conversation. Once they finally figured out what my simple intentions were they didn't follow through with providing the shipping FFL their information. Had to find another gun shop.
1 - Danny L.: They need to improve on the customer service! Failed to ask if we needed assistance! No excuse! Store is small.
1 - James S.: Again the only reason why i gave this store a one star is because if i had given it a five star my review would be suppressed and not show on the main page which i think is just not right.

Well i did a little bit of research and found out why Yelp only shows the one star reviews and suppresses the five star reviews. Turns out that in order for your good reviews to be show in plain site you have pay a fee anywhere from 3000-6000 dollars and maybe even more which to me sounds like extortion yeah that's right EXTORTION!

So to put into perspective its kind of like the MOB saying "hey if you want your store to look good you need to pay us some money if not then well make your store look like crap". 

With that said I give Bullet Barn Guns FIVE STARS all the way
1 - Ryan H.: PLACE SUXS THEY DONT KNOW ANYTHING!! I wanted to get this steel swinging target but it had to b better then mild steel,  armorer plated etc.. he didnt know what kind of steel it was made of, for 125 bucks. He tries to sell me on it by telling me my ak wont pierce through it anyways ." i pierced through half inch steel before! haha easy"
then i ask do u have a magpul moe stock, he says idk then another guy comes out n says y do u want the moe stock? cuz its going on my ak. o those arnt for aks. yes i think i know what works on my gun i have a telescoping ar stock commercial. i just wanted to know if u had the moe stock?  i asked simple questions u guys shud know. made me feel stupid.
3 - Brett B.: Maybe Ryan H. should learn proper spelling and grammar usage. But, it was an entertaining read. I've been in here twice and have been very happy with the service. Their bulk ammo prices were a few dollars under Ammo Bros. and Bass Pro. Good selection of entry-level hunting and long range rifles that won't break the bank.

Bumble Beads - Latham, NY (42.7314354, -73.7620403) ()
4 - Jess P.: I stumbled upon this cool little shop the other day while driving through Latham. Apparently it's been in this location for about a year, but I don't head toward Latham very often so it's new to me. 

Bumble Beads sells, what else, beads. Yep, beads, beads and more beads. They also sell jewelry making fittings and a variety of pretty accessories made by local and national artists, including jewelry, picture frames, handbags and more. 

What's especially cool about Bumble Beads is that it's also a studio where you can go, pick out your beads and work on creating jewelry at the shop itself. The nice staff is more than willing to help you work on specific projects and they also offer various classes. Oh, apparently the store hosts various themed and non-themed children's birthday parties (and other parties, including "moms-to-bead") The day I was there, a group of preteen girls were busily picking out beads as part of a birthday party celebration.

They also make custom bridal jewelry and will host school groups, bridal showers, corporate events and the like. 

For me though, the appeal is more about the beads than the studio. While I really appreciate the studio concept, I kind of wish they had more loose beads for sale. Still, I'm definitely going to head back soon.  I may actually use their studio space too because I have some pendants I need to bring in to find accompanying beads for them.
4 - Lai-Yee B.: 10 cents here and there can add up to $20+ really quickly if you are as mesmerized by shiny objects as I am. 

The layout is great - the beads are all separated and laid out on tables. No scooting cases of beads atop one another to look at a case 3 layers deep at the bottom of a row. 

Prices are fair, and staff are stiffly nice, but warm up quickly if they see you're plonking down cash and snapping up beads like a madwoman. 

They had a children's party there, and do other kinds of partys (adult and kiddo) plus have classes. The kids were all having a good time, and there were other parents seeing how well it went over booking their own parties as well. If I had kids and limited space or just didn't want a mess at my place, this seems well worth it for a party with a definite start and end time.

The beads - OH! They have so many shiny surfaces, sparkles, and cool glass bead designs. I feel like they could have more clasps and closures for neckalces and bracelets to choose from, but overall, the selection was great and I will defintely return.

Bunny's Tavern - Urbana, IL (40.1132, -88.208287) ()
4 - J. B.: Right next door to downtown Urbana is Bunny's: the most unrated bar in Urbana. They've got the cheap drinks and food, the outdoor patio and lack of scenesters. Thank God!

With the smoking ban in place, this small time bar is probably struggling for business. Stop in and have a few drinks... drop a few quarters in the jukebox and tip your bartenders.
4 - Paige D.: Ah Bunny's, the land of cheap booze, comfy bar stools, friendly patrons, and most importantly, clean bathrooms.  It's never overrun with students (because most don't know that it exists), and they have heaters on the patio so you can even enjoy fresh air when it's cold out.

Plus, where else can you knock one back with your local law enforcement?
3 - Thomas B.: Bunny's is a weekly spot for me for lunch.  The lunch fare is very reasonably priced, the place is packed but quick, and the help is very friendly and accomodating.  Their cheesburger might be the best in town, under 5 bucks and you can load it up with lettuce, tomato and the usual condiments, including a pickle slice. Hidden off of Main Street, it has a collection of regulars on the bar stools drinking beer, but I would not hesitate to bring a child or senior citizen in for a sandwich.  One TV is likely to have a Cubs game playing and the other TV might have CNN.  This is a hangout for courthouse employees and City of Urbana staff, as well as the crowd that works in downtown Urbana.
4 - Bruce R.: I eat lunch at Bunny's at least once a week.  Bunny's has the best burgers in Champaign County without a doubt. The one I get is called the Broadway Burger, double meat, and all I have to say is "Swiss", "Cheddar", or "American". It comes with a bag of chips so if you want fries you have to order them but this burger doesn't need fries, Load up the burger at the condiment rack with lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, whatever, and you have the best burger around. 
I know, I've eaten a burger at just about every place in all of Champaign County, and this is the best.
5 - Tim J.: On the west wall between the bar and the bathrooms (before you enter the hall) is a framed handwritten letter from Hugh Hefner thanking Bunny's for all the fun times he had there and acknowledging it is the inspiration for the Playboy Bunny. I dunno about you, but I think that's pretty cool.
5 - Ashley R.: If you look at my reviews, you'll see that I hold a special place in my heart for dive bars. And, actually, Bunny's is really nice and clean for a dive bar. They have specials for food every day. While it's standard bar food, there are the delicious Bosco sticks--warm breadsticks filled with hot melty cheese. The beer is cheap. Most of the fun, for me, is people watching. There are lots of locals, and they are all hilarious. My favorite experience was learning video poker from three kindly gentlemen. Plus, it's close to Black Dog. Perfect place to go after you're stuffed with barbecue.
2 - Chad E.: Dive right in! It's my favorite dive in Urbana but since Gremer is gone it's not quite the same. Had to move westward to the other side of the tracks to see my favorite bartender.
4 - David K.: Best Lunch in Town!  The Walleye on Friday's is awesome.  The historical photos on the walls are cool too.  And of course, Guinness.  What else do you need?
4 - Steve M.: This is a nice townie dive bar in the middle of Urbana, sort of hidden away.  Lunch is cheap, beers are cheap, and the service is friendly.  Great place to have a beer on a normal weeknight or early weekend evening.

That said, don't bring a woman on a weekend night.  Unless you want them to be disrespected, have their ass pinched, etc.  The crowd here moves toward the sleezy side at some point on weekend nights.
5 - Josh W.: Awesome steak sandwich....pork tenderloin is good too.....bosco sticks are a must get.....did I mention the beer is ice cold
5 - Kristina T.: Cheap drinks and great food!  The bosco sticks are a must have!  The bartenders are friendly and they remember your face.
4 - Lisa G.: Cheap drinks, a melting pot of patrons, and the best deep fryer in town -- what's not to like?

Buns - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9132585, -79.0558505) ()
5 - William J.: The campus drag of Franklin Street has great food of many varieties, but has long had a sizable gap in the American fast food area.  No longer.

Buns is not just a burger joint.  It's fast food with a gourmet flare.  Everything that Fuddruckers, In-And-Out Burger, and the like have tried to accomplish is in practice here, and it works beautifully.  Sandwiches are the name of the game here.  Hamburgers are naturally the staple, but selection runs the gamut, all the way up to a sesame-encrusted Ahi tuna sandwich.  Everything is made to order, so you get to build your burger from the bun on up.  The quantity and quality of the fixin selection is impressive, and there are literally dozens of unique burgers that can be created by switching things out.  The portions are excellent, as well; I'm a big guy with a big appetite, and I was stuffed by their medium-sized burger combo (which I believe was a half-pound burger, though they don't measure things on the menu in those terms).  Prices are very reasonable (stuff yourself silly for under $9 or eat light for under $5).

The staff is incredibly friendly and seems to genuinely care about their customers.  The location is convenient to the UNC campus and the Franklin Street bars, which is doubly nice since they are considering becoming a late-night venue (a welcome higher-class option to those of us who don't want a burrito or a bucket of bones).

Go to Buns.  Eat there.  You'll love it.
5 - Rebecca T.: Great burger and delicious hand-cut fries. I got a single patty on a wheat bun with lettuce, tomato, and pesto mayo. I made it a combo (fries and a drink) and it was $7. Not bad for a lunch on Franklin Street these days. 

They use good lettuce, not gross iceberg. The fries were crispy and brown, seasoned with sea salt (or course salt) and pepper. The pesto may was excellent.

The sweet tea was kind of fizzing and sour, but I switched to a soft drink. 

Next time I'm planning to get my old fave: burger w/ american cheese, lettuce, tomato, mustard and ketchup. I can't wait!
5 - Kianna M.: Buns is amazing, the owners really are doing well by the community by bringing such an original restaurant to town.  Ok, get this-- all of the meat i.e. fish, beef, chicken and vegetable is of the highest grade and quality.  They've got fresh Ahi grade tuna and certified Angus beef for your burgers.  I went there and got a single burger (which was very generous) with cheese, lettuce, tomato,chipotle mayo & I added bacon, some fries and a drink; which was a combo for around $8.00+.  The fries were crispy and hot-- just the way I like them!  I was surprised to see they have a double and a TRIPLE burger in this place.  I asked Jesse at the counter, who on earth gets a triple burger, he was like "the football players" and I was like ok that makes sense.
You have an option of wheat or white buns.  They've got a great selection of salads as well as a veggie burger for non-meat eaters.  It's a really good sized eating area-- its clean and well decorated and you can sit by the window and people watch if you like.  Next time I go I'm getting the tuna.
5 - Henry S.: I tried Buns for the first time after hearing such rave reviews from fellow Yelpers, and I have to say that it was well beyond my expectations. I had the special of the day, which included a single patty with smoked sausage and pepperjack cheese on top- I was blown away! The prices are extremely reasonable, as my burger with fries and drink was less than $8 for a large portion. One tip is that they are open until 3AM on Fridays and Saturdays, so if you're looking for a new place to get late night food, Buns should be on your short list.
5 - Jeremy G.: Finally, Franklin Street gets a restaurant that doesn't serve burritos or subs. This place has GREAT burgers and GREAT fries. Their many dipping sauces are top notch too. Try the curry, you'll love it. My GF and I noticved that they serve "Brand X" ketchup, so you'll want to use the dippiong sauces instead. This place is cheap, delicious, open late, and filling. All of the makings of a great Franklin St. spot. Let's hope it lasts.
5 - Tommy L.: Quite possibly the best burger ever!  Better than Five Guys and maybe a toss-up with In-N-Out.  I got the double-stack angus with bacon, wasabi mayo, lettuce, raw onions and wheat bun.  I was skeptical of the dipping sauces for fries but ended up enjoying my fries with the chipotle mayo.
5 - Benjamin B.: While you might feel a little funny telling people where you ate (just imagine telling someone 'buns'), but you should because it is awesome.

Focusing on the burger, Bun does it justice.  They start with a great base that can be either single, double, or triple, and then the fun starts with attempting to put together the perfect hamburger steak.  I went with chipotle mayo, American cheese, and bacon on my first run.  I would suggest looking at the bottom of the menu when you start as that is where the good stuff is.  I'm looking to try the pesto mayo next, and perhaps some gruyere.

In addition, their fries are quite tasty.  They have a few dipping sauces to try, so it might take a few trips to try them all.

Say hi to Geroge when you go.
5 - Wesley S.: After moving to Chapel Hill from San Diego I was lamenting the fact that there are no In n' Out's here, but no more. The hamburger I designed at Buns was one of the best hamburgers I've ever had at any kind of restaurant, and I'm excited to go back and have a completely different one.

I had the curry mustard dipping sauce and it was amazing. I ended up putting it on the burger itself, it was too good to be a mere dipping sauce. Also, while this may be normal for North Carolina, beware that the iced tea is not plain iced tea... its that sickly sweet "sweet tea" that seems to be every where here.
5 - Caroline Z.: I'm not a hamburger fan, so I was avoiding giving Buns a try. Also, there was the somewhat titillating name, which kind of gave me the willies. 
However.
We grabbed lunch here this past weekend, and it was one of those meals where you and your dining companions keep looking at each other and saying "Holycowthisissoogood." 
The concept is simple enough - pick your burger (hamburger, turkeyburger, or veggie), and add your toppings. But the quality of the food is what makes it stand out. I had a turkey burger with swiss, tomato, bacon, and chipotle mayo on a wheat bun. The bacon was $1 extra, as are some of the fancier toppings like Brie and Gruyere (I think it was gruyere...can't recall). and for that dollar, I got three times more bacon than anyone could actually need. My burger was absolutely delicious, and came with a generous helping of tasty fresh-cut fries and my choice of dip. The husband got a conventional cheeseburger with all kinds of lettuce, tomato, pickles, etc on it, and said his was pretty much perfectly cooked. Yummy food, reasonable prices, and a nice space to eat in, right off Franklin Street. I don't quite remember how it looked during the Jersey Mike's days, but Buns makes good use of the big, bright, sunroom-like dining room. A fun and tasty alternative to the endless string of sub shops open in downtown Chapel Hill these days. You need to go. Like, now.
5 - Sarah A.: Great burgers. Great price. Everything is made to order so expect to wait a few extra minutes (it's well worth it). Will definitely be going back.
1 - Chris C.: Food was heavy, dry, did not seem fresh, and made both my wife and me feel sick for the rest of the day. This place is extremely poorly laid out. The line for placing orders, the line for the do-it-yourself soda machines, and the ways in and out the main door and into the seating  area all occupy the same small space. No matter where you try to stand, you are in someone's way, and they're letting you know about it. Just being there is an unpleasant experience, before you even place your order. The people who work there are nice, but that's not enough to make us want to go back. We'll be going to Evo's or Five Guys instead.
4 - Kurt D.: I was really pleased by the selection at Buns.  The food's made on the spot, and the ingredient selection is fantastic!

It's a great option for healthier fast food for a good price.

Yum!
5 - Ian P.: I've been meaning to write this review for a while now but...

The salmon burger blows my mind. I don't understand how you can have that much taste and salmon in a bun for $6. They can't be making any money out of that sandwich. 

All in all a surprisingly well-executed concept at the right time, place, and price. Friendly and knowledgeable staff, great food, great hours, great location, great decor.

Bravo Buns! Just what Chapel Hill needed.
5 - Dennis S.: Buns' mission is burgers and it is simply the best place in CH in the burger business. Their service is excellent, as are the trimmings and fries which are, after fresh beef patties, what makes or breaks a hamburger.  The burgers are fried, not grilled, so for those who like em burnt, they may choose a Chargrill burger over Buns.  

The only down side is dining room space. Every time I've been there, some large group of what appear to be university employees had pulled together half the tables and have held court long after finishing their lunch, and when school's in session, you can expect even more crowds.  Dinner's a better bet to get a seat, in any case, it's worth the wait.  Don't order a 'triple' unless you are prepared to take home food. BTW, the salmon burgers are killer too.
5 - Big B.: Best burger in Chapel Hill, hands down.

I saw another review that said they were better than In & Out, and was like, "yeah right".  Wrong.

Try the double Turkey burger.  It's outrageous.  I don't know how they can make any money with the generous portions and huge range of toppings at no extra charge.  

Also, they are now open until 3 am on the weekends!@!!
5 - Adrienne E.: As I'm writing this, Buns has a perfect overall rating, which I feel is pretty uncommon. After stopping by for take-out last night, I definitely think it deserves a perfect score. 

In fact, the only remotely negative thing I could say is that maybe the burger was too big, as I could only finish about 3/4 of a single. It was delicious, though, and less than $4. The fries reminded me a lot of those at PT's Grille, but they're tasty nonetheless. 

The staff was very friendly, and the food was ready in under 10 minutes. I can't comment much on the dining room since I didn't eat there, but it did look pretty clean. I'm sure it's a litte messier at 2:30 am, but I love that they're open late.
4 - Zach W.: For better or worse I went to get a burger on Saturday after Midnight. It was delicious. 100% Angus Beef -- Yeah, I could have had Turkey Burger, but it was my first time. Single patty was good enough for me, but I added Bacon. The sweet tea was top notch and the Red Velvet cake was fresh -- Yeah, I could have *not* had a slice of Red Velvet cake, but I mean, c'mon. Also the staff was SUPER friendly.
5 - Ben M.: For not much more than a trip to any fast food place (or heck, in some cases you can even land a cheaper meal), you can get what I consider the Triangle's best burger after only a handful of trips.

The staff will go ahead and take it easy on you as a first-timer, smiling and nodding as you put together whatever you think the ultimate burger is (chili, raw onion, mustard, and pickles if you want to do it right -- with bacon if you just want to get ridiculous).

I've been there on unbelievably busy afternoons and still escaped with my lunch eaten (and probably a smear of chili on the side of my mouth) in a short time.

Best of all, though, because they take care of all of their meat in-house (fresh!), you can order that angus burger RARE.  There aren't many spots around here where that's true, making Buns a rarity and a winner.
5 - Norrin R.: Best burger on Franklin. Great veggie burger and turkey burger, fries are great, and the dipping sauces personalize your meal. A new, but true gem.
5 - Stuart A.: An unbelievable burger, which is exactly what I was in the mood for. I got a double burger with pepper jack, slaw, pickles, caramelized onion, ketchup, and mustard on a wheat bun, plus fries and a drink for a little more than $9.00.

Be sure to try all the dipping sauces as well, since they're free. I chose the curry mayo, but the super friendly owner kept suggesting I get the chipotle mayo as well, so I ended up with both. And I'm glad I did: the chipotle mayo was superb on the fries (which were themselves perfectly crispy and golden). To see my meal, check out (http://twitpic.com/16hj3)

I will be going back, and taking friends.
4 - Travis B.: Tasty burgers. Reminds me of a Big Boy, but done much better. I think it's in the way the meat is a bit salty. Not greasy, but not dry either.
Really good whole wheat buns. I splurged fat-wise and got the chipotle mayo. Yum!
The fries reminded me of those served at the Penn Station chain (which is a good thing). Their (Bun's) dipping sauces for the fries were good, but not anything special.
Friendly service and a good college atmosphere. It was only loud because a table of History majors were having a spirited conversation nearby.
I spent about 7 & change for a big burger + fries + iced tea.
The Wife says it's her new favorite burger place in the Triangle.
5 - E Y.: Yummy burgers. Probably the best I've had in the Triangle area... even beating out my former favorite, Five Guys. The fries could have been better, but the burger was truly a stand-out. Way to go, Buns!
5 - Mike B.: I tread lightly with this 5-star review but Buns is a pretty serious burger joint. The double veggie burger is absolutely heroic in both size and flavour. Far and away the best veggie burger I have had in 10+ years of eating them. Not to mention the HUGE portion of hand-cut fries you get as a 'combo'. Most places would sell the same portion as a 3$+ 'basket', not with a drink for another 1.50$! Pretty sure they have heard all your crazy concoctions before so order what you like (I suggest adding caramelized onions & slaw), sit down and wait for them to bring it over. Just do yourself a favour and practice your 'foil-on' technique when trying to stuff a double burger with chili, cheese, fried egg and avocado down your face.
4 - Sam T.: After reading some of the good reviews about this place on Yelp, my dad and I checked out Buns. The inside is a lot nicer than it looks from the street, clean and colorful. I got an absolutely enormous double veggie burger, with toppings spilling out the sides. The combo also comes with a ton of fries, definitely enough for two people to split. The veggie burger was much better than most restaurant veggie burgers. Like most, it looked kind of nasty but the taste was great! Buns also has a lot of free toppings that at many places would be extra...I got grilled mushrooms on mine, for example. Burgers were out in 5 minutes, great place for a quick bite.
4 - Lee G.: My anaconda don't want none unless you've got BUNS, hun!

I couldn't get this song out of my head while here. They name the joint after the bun, yet the bun was probably the worst part of the burger. Everything else was simply amazing.

I'm surprised none of the other reviewers compare this place to Five Guys. Very similar I think. Amazingly big burgers. I had to dislocate my jaw to bite the thing. They use angus beef and quality ingredients. My tomatoes were very tasty just by themselves. The fries are fresh cut and salted just enough with kosher salt.

If I had to find fault, I'd have to say that the meat was a little on the dry side, but I'm nit picking really. It was certainly an above-average burger.
2 - Coleen T.: It was pretty decent... the first time i ate there my burger was waaay undercooked, and the caramelized onions turned out to be gross!  they have pretty quirky ingredients, but I don't think it really works.... i also tried a hot dog which was gross!  I've had better!
5 - emileigh jo v.: Kick Ass place.
Great staff.
Large selection of toppings that it is overwhelming.
Each meal gets an Oatmeal cookie!
I got the Veggie burger and it was great.
F.Y.I : the portions are huge you could probably share.

-Try the sweet potato fries
5 - Karla M.: What a great concept!  Being able to build your own (delicious) burger, complete with dipping sauces, ensures something for everyone.  They have veggie, salmon, angus beef, and turkey burgers.  The atmosphere is causal, the restaurant is nice and clean, and the staff is super friendly.

In the future, we will definitely share an order of fries - portions are very generous!
4 - Scott S.: I'm rating Buns with 4 stars based on their turkey burger, fries, huge variety of toppings, and the fry dipping sauces.  All great!  Where else can you get a huge slab of brie on your burger?  And I love that whenever we come here, we have so many fries that I can take them home to reheat and enjoy again with the dipping sauces!

Ironically, I find that the one thing I don't like about Buns is its buns.  They are boring and bland.  I also think that their beef burgers are a bit dry, which is why I go with the turkey.  My wife thinks that the veggie burger is pretty decent, compared to what you get at some places.

Also, be careful when you go.  During the school year, and especially in the evening, this place is packed with students and it'll take you forever to get fed.  We prefer going for lunch on the weekend as its been easier to get in and out.
4 - Brent R.: We actually stumbled (literally) into Buns based on Yelp on our way out of town on a quiet Sunday morning.  The most daunting thing... the menu. The solution... ask the super friendly girl taking orders.  I had a single patty, white bun, chipotle mayo and fried egg. I admit, it was one of the better burgers I've ever had. The fresh sweet potato fries also stood out.  Beware, two can split an order of those, though.  If you like burgers, Buns is a must try.
5 - Danger Z.: Simply awesome. Good food. Good diner atmosphere, and even good background music.

Come here for the burgers and come BACK for the amazing, perfect fries, and great dipping sauces(try the one with Sriracha if you like spicy stuff)

Oh and the people who work here are great!
4 - Emilie R.: They have my favorite veggie burger in Chapel Hill.  Great variety of topping choices, like red onions, grilled onions, carmelized onions, grilled mushrooms, slaw, cheddar, swiss, american, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles...all those are no extra charge.  You can pay a little extra for fried egg, avocado, brie, goat cheese... Super friendly service, I go about once a week and they all know my favorite order,
5 - John L.: Buns is a hamburger joint.  It is not about the badonkadonk or the butt, if you will.  I think that's clear, but I should probably point that out anyways :)

To this point, I hadn't really found a straight-up burger joint in Chapel Hill (and no, The Golden Arches do not count).  There are some good pizza places, restaurants, etc., but nothing where I could get just a burger and fries and chow down.  Buns fits that description to a T.

I came by here with some of my fellow grad-students, and found the setup to be conducive to ordering relatively quickly.  The entire menu is on the wall, and easily readable.  You can get single, double, or triple stack burger, with a variety of toppings and sauces, with some stuff (fried egg, extra cheese, bacon) for a dollar more.   They have the value deal for $2.99 extra with a decent amount of fries (regular or sweet potato!!!) and soda (together, the entire meal ends up being somewhere between $8-10, based on what you order).  

The food is quite good.  The burgers are beefy goodness, the choice of toppings is incredibly good, and the fries (both french and sweet potato) are delectable.  The burgers are big too.  The double is a big size, and I (and the others who got doubles) couldn't finish, instead going into food coma mode :)

Coupled with outstanding service (they call everyone "Sweetie", and are very good about table clearing :)  )  and I have to give Buns a 5-star rating.

Simply put, OM NOM NOM NOM!!!
4 - Emilie J.: hurray burger!  i got mine with goat cheese at the recommendation of my friend Sara and it was juicy deliciousness.  i'm also a sucker for sweet potato fries and the dipping sauces also did not disappoint.  can't wait to visit Chapel Hill again : ).
3 - Katie P.: Buns is just ok. They have a good selection but their food doesn't really do anything special. I like their turkey burger and the fact that you can add pretty much anything to it.

I actually agree with previous posters. I didn't like their buns. I also thought their fries were just mediocre. All around okay place to eat.
5 - David W.: This is a great burger joint.  The concept is simple, choose a patty, or two, and add as many toppings as you want.  Some toppings cost extra like bacon or avocado, but they probably have 10 different choices for you.  It's pretty similar to a Five Guys, except the portions are bigger here.  A single patty will cost you about $5, or get a combo for $7 or $8.  Be warned though, when you get a fries, you will get a huge portion of fries.  You can probably split those with one or two people.  They also have a few different kinds of dipping sauce, another differentiator from Five Guys. 

I strongly recommend this spot if you want a great burger however you like it, for cheap.
3 - Phil G.: I am a bit surprised by all of the rave reviews of Buns. Maybe for college students this place is the holy grail, but if you have a car then I think you can find better food. The burgers seem to be pan fried and lack any type of grilling flavor. I had a cajun-style burger with andouille sausage. The sausage was a nice touch (first time I've had that). At a little under $5, I suppose the burgers are a good value. We also ordered fries with the ranch dressing dipping sauce. The ranch dressing tasted like the pre-made dressings you'd find in the grocery store (the kind with preservatives and a 10 year shelf life). I guess if you like burgers and fries then this place is a better choice than the local fast food chains.
3 - Katherine M.: My sandwich (the tuna) was pretty good - decently sized, good toppings, and the fries were excellent. Points for the Sriracha hot sauce!

However, my lunch was ridiculously overpriced. $10 for a sandwich and a drink? (The fries weren't on my order.) I could get out of one of the upper-class places around Franklin for less than that.

Overall, not a bad experience, but I don't think I'll be back.
5 - Stephanie B.: Best Sweet Potato Fries Ever. Srsly. Also, the burgers are quite good. I've had the turkey burger and the salmon burger.  I haven't had any dipping sauce, because the sweet potato fries don't need them.  I've always had a homemade whole wheat bun, and they've always been great.
4 - mari h.: The thing you need to know about this place is while they have a zillion toppings for your burger is also that they have truly amazing VEGGIE burgers also. They're larger than any patty you'll be pulling out of the freezer and have a lot going on with the veggies. You won't feel like you've got a scrawny little veggie burger while your friends get a gratifyingly sized "real" burger, which is very nice.

The second thing you most definitely need to know is they give you a metric ton of your choice of (sweet potato or regular, perfectly salted) fries as a "side". By this i mean enough to feed a family of 4 fries for dinner. So unless you REALLY want a lot of delicious fries, or have office mates, roommates willing to help you out, or just have buckets of self control...just know this going into the place.
4 - Nancy H.: I definitely agree with Mari, the Buns' veggie burger was quite yummy.  The portion was huge and if it was a frozen patty, it sure didn't taste like it!  The large selection of toppings and sauces makes this a fun place to come to and try new things.  It's a little more fru-fru than your typical burger joint by offering sauces like wasabi mayo and chipotle mayo, but it's a change for your taste buds.  

I love sweet potato fries, but I felt like Buns' fell short.  They just didn't pack much flavor and were a little limpy.  My friend had regular fries that I thought were a lot better, better flavor and better crispiness.
  
I was also a little bit surprised by how sweet the carmelized onions were so just keep that in mind when making your burger.  I had paired it with chipotle mayo on my burger, which didn't make the best combo...lesson learned.
4 - Sheri T.: I really enjoyed Buns. I took my parents and grandfather there for a quick cheap meal. I appreciate their mission to "use the freshest, least processed ingredients" - fresh is always better than processed any day! The service was great - they not only bring your food out to you, they also clear your table for you, which, by all appearances, looks like you're supposed to do yourself. 

I ordered a turkey burger with onions and sauteed mushrooms, which was fantastic. The burger really tasted fresh (not like it had been frozen for months awaiting it's turn on the grill)! I would suggest, though, that you share an order of fries...none of us could finish our fries after the huge burger. 

The only thing non-positive (negative is such a bad word, don't you think?) I'd say about Buns is that to add a drink and fries for $2.99 in addition to the burger price is a little steep, otherwise, I thought it was a great experience and I'd definitely go back.
4 - Christina G.: I rarely eat red meat anymore, but I still have a weakness for the occasional burger. Enter Buns. For the low, low price of $4.50 you get a one-patty burger and a pretty extensive choice of free toppings (including some less-expected options like pepperjack cheese, wasabi mayo, and jalapenos). They also had two burgers on special, one of which was a tasty-sounding Cajun variety with andouille sausage. I stuck with the basics and was rewarded with a juicy burger...cheddar, dijon, lettuce, tomato, on a wheat bun and hold the ketchup, thanks much.

No qualms with the burger. And my single side of regular cheese fries was a whopping portion (definitely splittable), but it was a sad pile topped with liquidy cheese. Definitely a let-down following my very recent indulgence of Raleigh-Times cheese fries (which are perfection).

But I think Buns is a terrific late-night option and a pretty good spot for lunch too. They've got a few other non-bun-related items on the menu, plus lots of seating.
4 - Stephen A.: Great burgers and fries.
4 - Matt W.: Probably not the best burgers I've ever had, but certainly the best I've had in the Triangle.

The burgers themselves are great, and the fries with the various dipping sauces are just as good. My wife loves the veggie burger, so everyone is happy when we go.
4 - Cori F.: Buns is pretty good. The burgers are decent and they have a ton of choices for toppings.  You can get a burger and fries for around $8, which is pretty reasonable.  I really love their fries (they give you a ton!), they're great with vinegar and they have several dipping sauces, too (I recommend the chipotle mayo).  Definitely a good place for lunch or a quick dinner.
5 - J K.: Last year, on the first night of a four night stay in Chapel Hill, I asked a friend where I could find fresh, well priced food late in the evening.  He recommended Buns.  I told him I didn't want to hit a strip club, and he explained that Buns is not a skeezy Hooters clone, so I gave it a try.

Seared Tuna burger?  Well alright!  Now we're talking.  Never frozen, quality ingredients, lots of choices, and seared tuna, salmon, and turkey options?  Heck yes!

Night one was the Seared Tuna burger.  Scrumtrulescent - light and flavorful.  

Lunch the next day was a regular burger (sometimes you just need the red meat goodness).  It hit the spot.

Dinner the next night was a turkey burger (wonderful!).

And night four...back to the Seared Tuna burger.

Yup, it was good enough that I would try it every night of my stay.  And come April, when deciding on grad school, Buns played a large part in choosing Duke.  Well, not that large, but it did go in the "pro" column.

Needless to say, 2 thumbs up.
5 - Sean D.: Went there for the first time yesterday. I had a single patty with swiss cheese, mushrooms, caramelized onions and mayo. There are tons of free toppings that you can add to your burgers. The buns are made fresh in the store as well as the hand-cut french fries and sweet potato fries. I picked the sweet potato fries. They also offer a variety of dipping sauces for the fries.

The burger was wonderful fresh with a nice sweetness added by the caramelized onions. I was stuffed after eating my burger and there was no way I could eat all the fries.

Not the best burger ever, I am still waiting for In N Out to make it to the east coast but the best in the triangle that I have had.
5 - Carrianne C.: Yum! The ingredients are really fresh, especially the buns. It was a little expensive (~$17 for my boyfriend and I), but the burgers were reallllllly good. I really like the jalapenos on them, and the people working there were super friendly and gave us some good recommendations. I'd definitely go there again!
4 - Ron W.: Out on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill you'll find everything a college student could ever want.  And Buns will definitely fulfill the burger and sandwich needs of all you Carolina kids!  The simplest choice at Buns is for the buns (white or wheat) itself but after that it gets a bit complicated in a good way.  Choose from three different patty types and sizes along with twenty free toppings and seven premium toppings.  You've got two different types of fries, two fry sizes and eight dipping sauces.  Throw in some specialty burgers, hot dogs, drink options and there must be a bazillion lunch combos to eat here...  

Service was quick and friendly at the counter and the dining room cheerfully decorated.  Self-service your drinks and napkins, grab a seat and hang loose for a bit.  The burgers are decently sized, my cajun with andouille sauce was really filling.  What really shined was the plateful of sweet potato fries that I paired up with Thai sesame sauce, dee-licious!  Gosh knows I loves me some ketchup but that would be BORING at Buns.  Probably not the best burger I've ever had but love those sauces and all the choices.  

Buns is a wonderful little spot for a quick and inexpensive meal in Chapel Hill.  Tricking out your burger just the way you want is a great idea.  Just make sure you know what you want before hitting the counter.  Indecisive people  should probably avoid this place cause you'll just be holding up us hungry-folk!  

Go to Buns if you want to bling out your burger and fries with great toppings and dipping sauces...
4 - Peter A.: I work on Franklin St. and with many options for burgers in all directions I find myself drawn to Buns. Plenty of ways to customize, and create a different burger each time you go. Veggie patties available, and turkey if you're trying to watch whatever it is you're trying to watch. I would suggest though that you split fries with someone if you're able, you always end up with way too many.
4 - Felecia B.: Well, for a place called "buns" I was surprised at how marginal the buns actually were.  Our family tried the buns for both the hamburgers and hotdogs and thought it tasted stale and more suitable for bread crumbs.  Several of us just took the bun off because the fun is really between the buns if you will allow me to be so bold.

So even with the lackluster buns I am still a fan of this place because of their veggie burgers.  They are just the right denseness, spiciness, consistency and with veggies and ingredients you can see and identify and homemade.   I love how you can get up to three patties at once and next time I plan just to go bunless and chow down on the patties with various toppings.  I tried one veggie burger topped with lettuce, tomato, ketchup and coleslaw and it was seriously mouthwatering.  The tang and sweetness really added to the whole taste.  In addition I tried a veggie patty with grilled mushrooms and swiss cheese which was good but I didn't enjoy as much as the first. Although it could be that I was filling up because I had already had one burger.  There are so many combinations of toppings you can try and a majority of them are free, making this a really pretty affordable place to have your burger your way.

My kids both had the hot dogs and agreed that the ones we make at home taste better.  But they liked the fries and ate the hot dogs so at least I know they can find something they like or least like enough here.  

My husband had a double beef hamburger with a fried egg, pesto mayo and cheddar.  I can see him building a Dagwood style burger next time piling on topping after topping.  

I get on these kicks I have to admit and I might end up going back tomorrow.  Maybe throw an avocado on top, try some caramelized onions, just please, hold the buns.
5 - Nick P.: Buns is, in my opinion,  hands down the best place in the Triangle to get a burger. They give you tons of options and you can build your own or have one of their specials. If they have the goat cheese and balsamic reduction burger GET IT! It's amazing. Especially with their sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions. NOM!
3 - Jed W.: It's a burger and fries.  They serve beer, and they have interesting flavor combinations.  However, it's certainly not the best burger I've ever had or will have.  Is there a Five Guys around here somewhere?  If I'm going to inhale 1500 calories in a sitting, I think that's how I'd do it.

Besides regular burgers, they allow you to pick unlimited amounts of toppings, they have whole wheat buns, and also have great looking hot dogs and grilled cheese sandwiches.  

Don't get me wrong, it's good food, and if they're open late as I imagine they are, I bet it'll taste incredible, but don't Pokey sticks still do the trick?  I mean back in my day, they still did.
5 - Michael C.: I'm going to go ahead and give this wonderful establishment 5 stars.

Why? Because if you're looking for a burger & fries (nom nom nom), there aren't too many places in the region that can topple this all-star burger joint.  

Service: The people at the counter are some of the friendliest people I've had the chance to goof-off with while ordering. They're sweet and will joke around with you, let you try different sauces, etc....  I ordered the turkey burger one time and wasn't 100% satisfied and they were begging to give me another burger.

Price: I am usually a cheapskate when it comes to food around Chapel Hill or Carrboro, but I don't mind paying for good food. Luckily, you will not be breaking the bank here. And if you do think it's too expensive (I don't know how) you can rationalize it by thinking of it as the price for 2 meals since you probably won't be able to finish the food. 

Decor: I'm a sucker for their bright colored dining room and plentiful TVs. 

Food: This is obviously why you came! There's many different options from your meat, to your prep, to your toppings (tons for free!), to your fry sauce. My favorite is the wasabi! I typically get a single turkey or beef, but their fish is amazing too. The fries are amazing and I don't think I've ever been able to finish both. 


Put it simply, you need to eat here at least once if you dig a really good burger and fries.
4 - Merrick B.: Go here, it has really amazing burgers and the people who work here are incredibly friendly. Also, get the sweet potato fries and chipotle mayo dipping sauce.
3 - Monica M.: Not a bad place to stop in on Franklin st. if you want a tasty burger!  The patties and options there are a-plenty, as you have a choice of single, double, veggie, fish, turkey, etc.  There are tons of toppings available, and you have a choice of wheat or white buns, or regular or sweet potato fries.  

We tried out a spread of a couple of things to get a good spread of the menu, and weren't displeased at all - but it was nothing spectacular to go home.  The buns were a bit too thick for my tastes, and I ended up ditching it.. and the sweet potato fries actually tasted a bit too burnt or something.

The atmosphere of the place is very much the college hangout!  There is juuuust enough seating, and even a bar overlooking the window for the person who just wants to sit with a newspaper and chow down.
5 - Dean M.: Let me just start by saying, WOW!!! OK so now that I have that out of the way, this place is def a great score for food! They hand pat the patty ( not some frozen for a year before it got there patty), use fresh local ingredients, mostly organic as well. They hand cut their fries to order and even have SWEET POTATOE FRIES!!! 
I ate there and the owner was actually in the kitchen with his staff prepping food along side them just as he was one of them. As I was leaving, he came out to ask how it was and introduce himself as I had never been there before but was amazed with the place. I had the Goat Cheese Burger which was a great combination of  Goat cheese, a very large beef patty, red onions, lettuce, tomatoe, and a balsomic reduction on top!! This burger needed NOTHING to make it great! Granted it was like $5.00 but well worth it! Add fries and a drink for only $2.95 more! The fries covered the plate! I even went the one step extra to get them covered with chili and cheese ( I am a sucker for chili cheese fries!).  The staff were super nice when ordering and answering questions about their selections and their personal favorites with out holding back! They even brough tthe food out to you after you order so that you can go sit down and enjoy the large screen TVs on the wall in dining area. A person could make two meals out of the one so it would end up costing you around 3 bucks a meal if you did that!! I don't know of many places you could do that at these days!  Stop in and say hello to George and try the goat cheese burger next time you are hungry and around Chapel Hill on Franklin or Columbia St either one! You will be back for more!
4 - Amy C.: So, I've been to the Franklin Street umpteen times and went to Buns for the first time just last week. Go figure. What a fun little joint! First off, the people taking the food orders are hilarious. The woman was singing and calling everyone "honey" and "sugar." Nothing like some good ol' Southern sweetness. 

I had already eaten lunch at my desk, so my heifer-self ordered a basket of fries and BBQ sauce. I watched in awe as my co-workers ate their burgers in ecstasy. Now, I am not a red meat eater, but those burgers sure smelled delish. They also have chicken sandwiches, which I have every intention of trying next time. 

My only gripe was the seating; I thought they could have squished a few more tables in the dining room area. We sat at the bar - watching the food being prepared - before catching a table as people left.
4 - Kellye M.: Buns is tasty tasty.  I love their burgers, I love their veggie burgers, I love their hot dogs.  I love that I can put anything I want on any of those.  Caramelized onions, chipotle or wasabi mayo, pepper jack cheese or cheddar or swiss, chili.... You can make your burger or hot dog anyway you like.  Delicious veggie burger with bacon? Go for it! (Yes... I'm weird) 

The only thing I'm not a huge fan of is their fries... however I'll munch on them with chili and cheese, can't go wrong there, or with another sauce.  And I know most people love their fries, I'm just weird about them.  I do like their sweet potato fries however.  

The place is a little small, which others have mentioned, but they deliver and it's really worth it to wait a bit for a table.  The people you order from will keep you highly amused while waiting and ordering.  

Buns is great if you want delicious tasty burgers or dogs.  Definitely a great place to get dinner, or a late night dinner thur-sat :D
4 - Stacy T.: This is a great joint in downtown Chapel Hill. The restaurant has a modest décor - it has a counter for singles, some high chair tables, and some booths. For those who are new: order at the front, get a number, and then sit and wait for yummys to arrive. 

The cashier (maybe he was the owner) was extremely friendly and patient as I fumbled through the menu. He offered to give me fries with half sweet potato and half regular, his suggestion. He also waited as I pondered over which dip to get for my fries. 

The fries - This is probably the biggest basket of fries I have ever gotten in my life. Can anyone eat all of these fries by themselves? They were crisp on the outside, tender inside. They were not over fried and not salted heavily. The honey mustard dip was sweet and tangy. The dip went well with the sweet potato fries. I asked for cheese on the side and they gave me 2 cups of cheese! The cheese went well with the regular fries. 

The burger - Goat cheese with balsamic reduction, mushroom, tomatoes, and a turkey patty = DELICIOUS and light. The vinegar and goat cheese added something different to the boring old burger combination. I didn't really taste the goat cheese, but my friend, who doesn't like cheese says that he could. So, I think that the goat cheese is light enough so that it is not distracting. The mushrooms were so soft. The turkey pulled all the ingredients together. 

I would love to come here again, and next time, I am not sharing my burger!
3 - Nene K.: I was hungry and had time in Chapel Hill so I braved the cold and walked along Franklin Street looking for a place to eat. I actually stumbled upon Buns through using the Yelp Android app! 

I didn't have any of the burgers, just the chili. But the chili was dee-licious. And cheap at $2.50 which was probably the best part of the meal. I'm a fan of all the choices that Buns provides to patrons as Ron W. pointed out. 

I must say that the burgers and other offerings seem a bit pricey. I guess it's worth it if the meat is 100% Angus beef. The beef hot dog is $4.75 though. At Snoopy's, the beef hot dog is a little over $3 but Buns offers more toppings. 

Verdict: If you're craving good meat and live close to Franklin St., Buns seems to be the natural choice. If not,  there are other places for a good burger (Andy's Burgers in Morrisville, for instance).
4 - Matt K.: You know how I know I have problems?  I can't say the name of this restaurant without giggling.

Anyway... wow, seriously... OK.

We got our order to-go. Despite the 20 minute drive home, the burgers were in great shape.  I had a double patty with cheddar, mushrooms, carmelized onions and chipotle mayo.  The toppings were a highlight.  They were plentiful, flavorful, and seemed fresh.  I devoured the whole thing.  Don't worry, it was healthy -- I got the wheat bun.

The large fry is quite large.  We got sweet potato fries which were tasty, but not crisp.  I think this is more of a function of them being sweet potatoes and sitting in the styrofoam packaging on the drive home than anything.  Also, they were still tasty.  We got dragon sauce and honey mustard.  The dragon sauce had a sriracha flavor and was a good pairing with the sweetness of the fries.

While ordering, the cashier was jocular and upbeat, which made me smile.  He was helpful with some suggestions, though I wish they had more posted near the menu.  You know, they could pair a few of the toppings and give them clever or descriptive names just to make it easier on you.

I like that most of the toppings are no charge.  I can understand why some of the cheeses have an upcharge and I would be ok to pay that.

I really enjoyed this and will try again next time I'm craving a burger in Chapel Hill.  Maybe next time I'll eat in.
4 - Johnny B.: The burgers and hotdogs here are super-huge. You will definitely feel you got your money's worth here. They have a wide-range of toppings available, even the honey dijon musard that Obama was ragged about for ordering on his burger a few years ago. This is your place to eat, Mr. President!

The owner's and people who work here are very nice as well. This can be quite a busy place, but it is a great place to bring friends. They have TV's so you won't miss any Tar Heel games either.
5 - Samantha E.: Best burger in Chapel Hill. Good in the day or late at night. There are so many types of sauces and my favorite is Thai sesame with a dash of Sriracha. It is the best dip for fries!
4 - M. K.: Relatively cheap, delicious eats! I ordered the veggie burger on a wheat bun which is chock-full of vegetables (zucchini included!) and beans. Delicious! I ordered a salad instead of fries - my mistake - but the side cesar is huuuge! It's also very tasty. Great place to grab a quick lunch. Budget friendly too. Hooray for Buns!
1 - Brendan M.: I don't usually disagree so strongly with other reviewers, but I'm breaking away on this one! Gag! Way overcooked, greasy hamburger bun that runs down your hands and halfway to your elbows, just bad, bad, BAD! Seasoning was good, though and the sweet potato fries were OK. The best thing about the meal was the Brooklyn Lager served with it. My son, who moved there from New York says it's a regional thing, and judging from all the positive reviews, he's probably right. But Five Guys has this place beat pretty soundly IMHO. I thought Burger King proved people liked char-broiled? These burgers are seared on a flat grill and probably covered, which would explain the steamed appearance to the meat, as well as the clear grease on your bun. YECCH! Sorry, BUNS, maybe I caught you on a bad night!
5 - Lee S.: What a nice surprise this was -- neat burger / hot dog / fries concept where you actually get to 'have it your way'. You pick the stuff you want and man, they have a lot of stuff including latin, cajun and Asian toppings. Or just get a regular ole' burger, you philistine. Great fries, too.
5 - Michael M.: I eschewed the typical toppings for my Buns burger, going with sautéed mushrooms, Brie, and pesto mayonnaise. Going without lettuce or tomato was almost exotic. Made for a burger that was earthy in aesthetic and flavor. It was a welcome change of pace from the usual American cheese, lettuce, and tomato. Not for the novice, though.

At first taste, the burger seemed a little dry, like it might have been left on the grill a little long. I thought it might have been because there wasn't quite enough mayo. When I went to ask for more, the owner said he had originally thought the cook used too much and had him scrape it off. The fact that he cared enough to make that adjustment speaks volumes about his burger philosophy.
4 - Luke P.: After only having been here one time, I am not sure what I think of it. I got the Cajun Burger which was very tasty. A hefty beef patty seasoned with Cajun seasoning with andouille sausage and pepperjack cheese. I also added caramelized onions to the mix as well. The onions were a very nice addition, they were definitely caramelized, to the point where they were very sweet (they probably added some sugar too). The hand cut fries were very good with some chipotle dipping sauce on the side. 
Buns is similar to the nearby Sandwich. I actually prefer Sandwich though. The atmosphere at Buns was lacking a little. I prefer Sandwich in that regard. However, Buns is a little cheaper than Sandwich.
The name "Buns" is a little questionable...
4 - Jessica K.: Oh my stars.  I keep having beautiful daydreams about the curry mustard dipping sauce from this place.  It is AMAZING with the sweet potato fries, specifically.

I want to go back.  There is a lot to experience here, food-wise, and I want to go back and experience more of it.  The veggie burger is good and you can put anything you want all up in it.  ANYTHING.  There are so many choices.  The variety, the specials, yeah it's all great.  BUT THE CURRY MUSTARD GUYS.  You need to try it.

If I lived closer, I would be here all of the time.  And really, really, morbidly obese.  If you go here with someone else, share fries because you get so much food it's kind of crazy.

Curry Mustard.
5 - Matthew F.: I don't give out 5-star reviews for anything without good cause, but Buns deserves it.  Everything we ate was fresh and delicious, and the staff were super nice.  Our party of three (including one 5-year old) were greeted immediately upon entering, and the lady at the counter was really helpful, even offering to cut the kid's burger in half.

I had a double-stack burger with some spicy flavors (chipoltle sauce, jalapeno peppers, pepper jack,) and my wife had a veggie burger which she claims is the best she's ever had. 

Since our initial visit, we've been back four more times even though it's a 45 minute drive. It's that good. 

Sweet potato fries with curry mustard sauce. Seriously, get this.
2 - Lindsay H.: Think slightly upscale Five Guys.  They have more options than Five Guys but I think the quality is seriously lacking, I'd take Five Guys over Buns any day.  

We got a basket of sweet potato & regular fries, the sweet potato were good but we should have gotten something to dip them in, they were very plain.  I like that you can overly customize your burger, I'm a fan of putting weird random things on my burgers.  My aunt got a hot dog & it was stone cold when she got it & she only had a bite of it.  I wouldn't go back but if you're a college kid I'm sure it's perfect, I just have higher standards when it comes to burgers.
4 - Sabrina B.: Buns is a perfectly placed burger shop in the heart of UNC. The atmosphere is upbeat inviting students on their lunch breaks as well as nine to fivers on their noon hour. 

Burgers are build your own you pick your bun, meat (or non-meat), cheese, type of fry, and sauce it's totally custom and made to order. Excellent choice for a group of picky eaters as they get exactly what they're looking for.
5 - Arielle W.: I love this place. If you like a good burger that you can dress up any way you want look no further! So many free customizable condiments and toppings (different sauces, onions prepared different ways, several varieties of cheese, different veggies, etc) and some other "gourmet" toppings for a small fee (fancy cheese, fried egg, avocado). I'm of the personal opinion that a burger should be extremely messy so this is perfect for me!

I've had all three varieties of burger, veggie, beef, and turkey and liked them all! I usually try and choose my toppings based on the meat however. The beef patties are spiced with black pepper which I enjoy but could turn others off honestly. The veggie patties have little flecks of veggies that you can see and are made in house. The turkey burgers are also very good but honestly a little bit blander. I again though enjoy them all. 

But my favorite thing about Buns is probably the sweet potato fries! While Buns has regular potato fries it also has sweet potato fries for no additional charge. They're cut and fried in house and are the perfect size to be crispy on the outside and still soft and flavorful on the outside. I literally will get cravings for these fries at times. They also have tons of dipping sauces but I will admit that I'm the faithful type and always get the sweet potato fries with the spicy Dragon sauce which I believe to be a perfect pairing!

Also of note is that the staff is very friendly and helpful. It's usually the same people working when I go in there and I always get a smile and a very genuine feeling of politeness from them, even when I'm taking forever to decide what I want on my burger or order twenty toppings. The place is also very clean and welcoming. I've literally sat in the place after eating with a friend for two hours talking with no issue or feeling like I was being rushed along or unwelcome once my ordering was finished.

Overall I love Buns and am a faithful regular. As a student at UNC I regret only having ventured into the establishment during my junior year, two whole years wasted! 

(One thing to say though is that this site says that Buns has delivery service, which I think is stretching the truth as you have to order $50 worth for delivery. I doubt most people wouldn't be ordering that much! It's a shame I'd order from here fairly regularly. Come on Tar Heel Takeout fill this need if Buns won't! haha)
5 - Daniel S.: My favorite burger joint in any city (although, my 23 years of experience may be a bit short).  Deserves five stars, without question.
4 - Monica M.: I love Buns, and I eat there a whole lot, but two things bother me slightly. 
1. They seem to have a perpetual problem of bringing out plates of food within the same order at different times. Obviously this doesn't affect the overall delicious qualities of their burgers, but it just annoys me when I get my food before/after someone I'm there with.
2. It is a teensy bit pricey. That being said, I suppose you get what you pay for in some ways: they give you an absolute ton of food, and the ingredients are of good quality. However, I just feel that upwards of 10 dollars for a burger and fries that you order at a counter is  ever so slightly  questionable.

Otherwise, it's a great place. Their veggie burgers are really great (They aren't just pre-fab frozen hockey pucks.) and their sweet potato fries are also great.

Absolute favorite: sweet potato fries + dragon sauce. Yum!
5 - Jennifer K.: I work at UNC, so Franklin St. is a typical lunch destination for me.  I am so happy that BUNS came along.  The restaurant, including the restrooms, are immaculate.  The kitchen is exposed and it looks very clean as well.  The service is friendly and helpful.  We usually get asked how everything was at the table too, which is unusual since it's not full-service.   The food is very good, with a huge variety.  I have gotten everything from the burger combo to the salmon caesar.  The ingredients are good quality.  As far as the price, I personally think it's in line with other spots on the main drag...  I rarely eat a decent lunch for much under $10 in/around Franklin St.  It might not be a frequent possibility for students, but Chapel Hill has a lot of professionals too, and we need to eat as well.

I like BUNS so much that I come here in the evening/weekends with my husband and two small girls.  We come to Chapel Hill for movies, planetarium events, etc., and eat here beforehand.  My girls are 2 and 4, so the aforementioned clean restroom is very important for us!  I do wish they had a kids' menu, only because of portion sizes.  We usually get our girls a hot dog combo, which they are nice enough to cut for us and put into two baskets.  But many places have bad kids' menus (cheese quesadilla, overcooked chicken tenders, buttered spaghetti, etc.) so I don't mind making modifications from their regular menu.  Our kids like to sit at the counter, they like the high stools and the view of the kitchen.  One time we were there the cashier came and asked me if they could have cookies.  I said yes, (I appreciated them asking me first), and then they gave each of my girls a free cookie.  That was the icing on the cake, as we had already received excellent service.  It's sometimes hard to find a welcoming place to eat with small children in a college town. Thank you BUNS, for providing high quality, delicious food and excellent service to ALL your customers.
5 - Amber H.: What to say what to say. I am very picky about my burgers and these are hand down some of the best I have ever had. They have speciality burgers, or built your own. I am all about the build your own and they have a ton of different topping you can put on you heavenly burger. Then there is the bun itself. You can choose a wheat or a white bun, which are baked daily! I always go for the wheat bun, best wheat bun I have ever had! If you are really really really hungry get the fresh cut fires, I have to just split and order of fires cause they give you so many with a huge burger! And may sure you try a sauce with your fires, I always get the dragon sauce, its a little sweet then a punch in your mouth with the spicy. Go and try it out. You will never look at a burger the same way again!
4 - DAVIS B.: Used to come here at least once a week.  Don't come here much anymore because of the parking situation which isn't their fault, but also because recently (the past 3 times I've gone or so) my burger has been really overcooked and sort of rubbery and the fries (which, when they are good, are literally my favorite fries ever) have been soggy.  I know they aren't usually like that and were great dozens of times before, so I'm still giving them a 4, but if they were more consistent it'd be a 5 easily.

Also sometimes the burgers are too peppery.  

Service is great though, they are very friendly and at least one owner is on hand at all times.   I will say also that I pointed out my burger was overdone last time I went (more because I like the owners and wanted them to be aware so they didn't damage their food's rep than because I wanted to complain) and they immediately offered me half off next time came back, so they do care what people think, and I hope they get their cooks better able to judge meat doneness!
4 - Richard D.: My favorite Burger place in chapel hill. Open till 3am I love this place for the endpoint of my drunken adventures
5 - Joel A.: Went to Buns based on yelp reviews and was not disappointed. The place is clean, the people are helpful, and the food was really excellent!! The portions were large--2 people could easily share a regular sized order of fries. The regular menu is very nice, but the specials that they offered all sounded so good I had a hard time choosing. I hope to be back to Chapel Hill in the near future and will definitely have Buns on my list of places to visit. The clerk suggested trying the curry mustard dipping sauce with the sweet potato fries--what a great combo! I just wanted to keep eating!!!
5 - Helena K.: I do not have a single complaint about Buns, so let me tell you about all the things I love about this place.

I'm entering my twentieth year as a vegetarian and this place, by far, has got the best goddamned veggie burger in the Triangle*.  I don't know what all's in there because, generally speaking, I cannot wait to wolf the thing down as soon as I get it in my greedy, greasy hands, but it's rice-based, I believe---as opposed to bean-based---and maybe has some oats in it.  And I'm fairly certain there are other vegetables in it, like carrots, etc.  I honestly don't know.  And it honestly doesn't matter, because it's amazeballs.

I usually get mine with lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, ketchup, and chipotle mayo.  Occasionally I'll add gruyere or avocado brie.  OMG, yum.  I usually skip the fries---I adore baked fries, but fried fries are too much; it's too much!---but this last visit I ate about a half portion of sweet potato fries, and they are off-the-wall delicious.  The curry mustard is a must as your dipping side.  I've had the regular fries, too, and those are also quite fabulous.

They've got Pepsi here.  Oh, sorry, I said I didn't have any complaints, so, uh, moving on ...

They have bottles of beer, too!  $2 domestics / $2.50 imports / $3.50 craft brews.  Not too shabby!

Great location just off Franklin Street, and the front window provides you with an excellent view of traffic, the bus stop, and the public parking lot just across N. Columbia St., so lots of people-watching opportunities!  I love to sit at the bar in front of the window to watch the cars narrowly miss rear-ending each other.  Excellent, friendly staff, too!

*Errrrr, sorry, Only Burger.  Yours is also delish!
2 - Fred L.: Had seen the positive reviews, but was pretty disappointed when we finally made it over.

1.  OVERALL.  It is a local Chapel Hill version of Five Guys.  The menu, pricing and serving style are almost identical.  If there was a Five Guys across the street, or any other half-way decent burger joint in CH  this place would not be in business.

2.  BURGERS.  Went here with my wife - the burgers we got had effectively been dumped into a vat of pepper.  To the extent they advertise local produce, any flavor to be associated with said local produce was overwhelmed by the enormous amount of pepper.

3.  FRIES.  I was excited to see cheese fries on the menu.  It was just cheez-whiz dumped on what would have been perfectly good french fries.  It was good to see that they also had sweet potatoe fries as an option.

4.  AMBIANCE.  It was 80s retro on the interior.

Last comment - I've got Celiac  disease and follow a gluten free diet.  They were very knowledgeable about this, knew that their french fryer only did french fries and had a bun-less burger option.  Kudos to them for being so helpful in this area.
5 - Mona J.: So I can only attest to the veggie burger and to repeat another comment, I haven't had another veggie burger that has come close!  I am usually a little skeptical of veggie burgers, since a lot of times it feels like they just dumped a morning star patty on the grill.  Not at Buns!  From my understanding, their veggie burgers are homemade, not sure whats in 'em, but I love it.  And that is just the "burger" part of the burger - they have a nice list of additional toppings to make your burger just the way you like it.   

I am also slightly obsessed with sweet potato fries, which they have and give a nice size serving of.  You can also get all sort of fun dipping sauces with your fries.  I usually go with the dragon sauce which I believe is a combo of sirachi and mayo.  

Can't wait to dine there again!
3 - Laura M.: Ok, I don't want to totally skewer this place at the risk of being run off by the Yelp community, and I don't think it deserves to be totally skewered because it has its strong points, but for a burger place I kind of expect a better burger.

Let me explain - I have been looking for tasty and delicious, non-hockey puck, fat juicy burgers ever since I moved here. There are laws against cooking burgers the way I like (run the cow past and i'll just take a hunk) but that doesn't mean that a burger has to equal a limp and sorry little charred patty. 

Pros: Pretty much everything other than the burger itself. Dipping sauces blew my mind, selections to go on your burger are rockin' and they have lots of veg options. Oh, and sweet potato fries. Mmmm, sweet potato fries. Prices are reasonable and they serve booze.

Cons: It can get pretty crowded at peak times, they don't deliver for less than 50 bucks, and the patties themselves make me sad. 

Overall, if the burgers were better I would probably be in here every day. As is, I wander in when I have a hankering for a veggie burger or some sweet potato fries.
3 - Liwei Y.: I've tried both the veggie burger and their normal beef burger here. The burgers here were good but not anything to rave about. I've definitely had some better burgers before. their fries and sweet potato fries were ok...they give way too much fries and i just end up wasting food
5 - Jack M.: Was in town for a wedding and found Buns on Yelp. Great burger!!! Great fries!!! Great service!!, GREAT QUALITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fries, hamburger and turkey burger were our choices. I'm an older guy with millions of miles under my belt! Eaten burgers around the world! They are my favorite! One of the top five burgers of my life is my opinion!
5 - Anna S.: Just to repeat what so many people here have said: best veggie burger in the triangle! Its amazing homemade goodness! I usually get mine with goat cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce & tomato. The fries are delicious, but come in huge portions. I recommend splitting them with a friend (it won't save you all that much money since they have a combo deal, but it will save substantially on wasted food). Yum. The staff are also really nice, and the dipping sauces are delicious. 

I really miss living near buns - when I crave a veggie burger and fries Buns is what I want.
2 - Elissa H.: My boyfriend and I got lunch here once, and we will not be returning.

We both got one of the burger specials. I got the Carolina style burger. I grew up in eastern NC and I love Carolina style burgers. Maybe I shouldn't have gotten one in Chapel Hill (a place where non-NC natives flock... I'm willing to bet the owners of Buns are from off), but it's really such a simple thing that I was shocked by how badly Buns messed it up. The predominant flavor and texture in the chili was the beans (no, just no--not on a Carolina style burger) and the chili was in turn the predominant element of the burger. The coleslaw might as well have been non-existent. Honestly, the burger was just gross--a dried out beef patty topped with bean chili. My boyfriend was nice enough to split his burger, edible but not outstanding, with me. He did better with toppings. His special burger came with bacon, avocado, jalapenos--all of that was delicious. Unfortunately, the burger itself, like mine, was completely dried out. I understand NC law, but there's just no excuse for the ultra well done burgers we received. That's the main reason we'd never even consider coming back. Also, his burger with fries and a drink ended up being $11. That's an expensive lunch, especially when the food is nothing special. The sweet potato fries were soggy and greasy (as if they weren't being cooked at the correct temperature).

For anyone with a burger craving, I suggest holding off for the $4 'whichburgers on Thursday at Sandwhich. Sandwhich grinds their own meat so you can get a burger medium rare. Even if that's not your thing, they actually know how to cook a burger all the way through (the way my formerly vegetarian roommate likes it) without turning it into a gray, dried out hockey puck. I wish I could say the same about Buns.
4 - Kristin W.: I love the variety available at Buns - as long as you're willing to have a medium-well burger, you can take your pick out of some tasty toppings and sauces.  My favorite sauce is the Pesto Mayo (nice and garlicky, beware if you're on a date!) and I always get the sweet and saucy Caramelized Onions.  The toppings and sauces bump it up to an extra star...so be sure to make the most of the opportunity!
5 - Ha N.: Hands down, best burger I've had in Chapel Hill. I love that the burger changes whenever I come there, even if I don't get a specialty burger. However, I do love the specialty burgers, with my two favorites being the brunch burger and the fire-roasted jalapeno burger. The jalapeno burger's spiciness depends on the jalapenos you happen to get, so it's a gamble. Some of my friends have almost died from it, but I've  gotten some very mild burgers before. I've literally had everything there, even down to the sides and the different types of patties. On that note, I think it's one of the tastiest vegetarian patties here in Chapel Hill.

Some things I recommend:
-Small Caesar Salad with Seared Tuna: If you want, make sure you specify that you want it very rare or else the kitchen might take extra precautions for you and make it pink instead. Get the small because they will give you more than enough for the cheaper price. 
-Fire-Roasted Jalapeno
-Brunch Burger: If you like sunny-side up eggs like me, ask for it to be runny, and served with the top bun on the side. George, the owner, will automatically leave the top bun off for you if he's there, but sometimes you have to ask otherwise. 
-Hot dog: I seriously love this because of the slaw that they make and the caramelized onions. You can ask for fire-roasted jalapenos on top without extra charge, I think. The best thing here is that if you want it, they'll make it.
-Lamb burger: if it ever comes back. i think it's off the menu for now. 
-Chuck Burger on Brioche: I'm not sure what the exact name is, but it was a special for a couple of days and was ground in-house. Therefore, it can be cooked medium rare! It was a blend of several different cuts of meat, chosen by the owner, and served on Brioche buns with Gruyere Cheese. Seriously, it was the best burger I've had here. I'm not sure if or when it'll come back. But if you see it one day, make sure you get it medium-rare. 

Easily my most-frequented place in Chapel Hill.
4 - Zheng Z.: Definitely the place to check out if you are into building your own burger. The selection of toppings is huge and creative. But their patty just doesn't do it for me. IT'S NOT BEEFY!
5 - Jonathan M.: Great burgers and very friendly service...overall a great experience.
4 - Romin B.: Quality spot for a burger and fries on the corner of Franklin and Columbia right off UNC campus.  They've got a generous array of free toppings, many of which you'd be forced to pay extra for elsewhere, including a number of cheeses, caramelized onions, cole slaw, and grilled mushrooms.  The prices for the burgers themselves are fairly reasonable, at $5 for a single or $7 for a double.  Add fries and a drink for another $3.50 to make for a filling lunch around $10.  

I think the real star here are the dipping sauces for the fries.  I've tried the dragon sauce, which is similar to a sriracha mayo, curry mustard that amazingly replicates that Indian flavor in an appropriate fry dip profile, and chipotle mayo, a solid take on the tasty classic.  You get your choice of regular or sweet potato fries that come in a ample portion size and taste freshly made.  But to be honest, I wouldn't mind switching those out for celery, where I can get all the tasty goodness of the sauces and save a few calories.  They would taste good on just about anything.  The burgers are good as well, although I've had better ones elsewhere.  Not really a knock though, cause these things were by no means disappointing.

I also have to give a shout out to the employees.  Pretty friendly and accomodating.  My gf decided after the fact that she wished she had asked for coleslaw on her burger and when she went to the register, they filled up an 8 oz. cup to the top with slaw.  There's plenty of solid choices on Franklin St. for lunch, but don't overlook Buns if you're in the mood for some meaty goodness.
2 - Jake G.: Don't get the hype at all. People will kill me but their burgers just taste weird. They charge for their dipping sauces and they refrigerate them so they're always cold. Not a big deal but cold honey mustard is worse than cool honey mustard. That doesn't detract from the stars rating though.

It's also wildly expensive. A cheeseburger, fries and a drink is over 10 bucks. Especially when I don't enjoy the burger at all. I'd avoid this but others love it. Not sure why. Even my friends love it
4 - B R.: We used a groupon to get 4 burgers for the family.  The vegi burger got 5 stars.  My wife loved it!!!  The regular burgers (2 Carolina burgers and a cheeseburger) got 3.5 stars.  The regular burgers were overcooked and a little dry; although the chili on top was yummy.  The french fries got 4 stars.  The dipping sauces for the fries were very good....we tried the dragon and curry sauces.
4 - Tim X.: Juicy, complete burgers with old school fries. A bit on the pricy side, but there are few places more satisfying when you're craving a quality American burger.
4 - Inki S.: Ohhhhhh, I wish we had one of these in Raleigh, especially if the woman working the counter would come work there, too! She was fantastic, suggesting that we (5 of us) spilt a large fries instead of getting fries for everyone. Then we split the fries between the sweet potato and regular. Perfect! 

Also, the burgers...awesome! (I speak for the veggie.) Everyone else loved theirs; I swear they must have polished them off in about 42 seconds. The list of available toppings is EXTENSIVE. I suggest you check out the menu beforehand and not look at the wall of specials as to place your order faster. If you DO happen to glance at the wall of specials, pick one and go with it! Otherwise you'll be staring at it all day, trying to pick what you want. There's really that much choice (and I'm all about the choice). 

Best of all, I ran into an old friend whom I hadn't seen in probably 6 months. Yay!

Great place. GREAT.
5 - Robert S.: Totally fix up your veggie burger exactly how you want with the weirdest most wonderful sauces and toppings around.
3 - Clement L.: Buns is one of those places where if you want to pig out it's a great place or if you just really need a burger, but honestly it's not that great and I'm going to tell you why.

-They cook the burgers all the way through. This results in dry gray patties. They aren't really seared so there is no textural contrast, its basically a beefy disk. 
-Honestly there are way too many toppings that basically are there to divert your attention from mediocre beef. It's great that they give you options, but none can really enhance a nominal patty. 
-The bun isn't toasted and is pretty thick. The ratio is way off and it just makes it way too hard to enjoy. Nothing is worse than a cold bun. 
-The fries are the only thing that are somewhat redeeming, but sometimes they are cold and stiff. 
-Also, it's pretty expensive for nothing special.

If you're starving, don't have high standards, and got money to blow then Buns is great. Honestly, if you want a better fast food burger I'd go to Char-grill, Five guys, or cookout.
5 - Jared T.: Mandatory items: cole slaw, thai dipping suace and sweet potato fries.  You will not be disappointed by anything on the menu.
2 - Jenn N.: Be very careful ordering take out.  The staff seems to be very incompetent taking orders over the phone correctly as we've had multiple orders made incorrectly often paying for condiments which we do not receive.  Our burgers last night were burned and way to peppery.  Things seem to be going downhill.....
5 - Neil S.: We ate there with a small group on a week night.  The wait staff was very pleasant and, as we'd not been there before, helpful.  Order your sandwich from a smallish menu at the counter, with a large variety of free and inexpensive toppings.  We both got burgers, I got the double.  We shared an order of sweet potato fries and a drink.  That was plenty.

We were quite happy with our burgers; to rate them as plain burgers (as some have) we'd have to eat them plain which we didn't.  With the toppings they were quite good and of appropriate size.  The sweet potato fries were also good (and the regular fries, which I sampled).  As was the dragon dipping sauce.

It's noisy but that's to be expected in a place like this.  It's more expensive than McDonald's but there's more variety and more atmosphere.  For what it is, it's very appropriate.
3 - Palak T.: Good burgers that come with all the right toppings and sauces.  The veggie burger was excellent.  Only complaint is that the fries have been soggy every time we have eaten here.
5 - Denise B.: An absolutely wonderful place to get a burger in Chapel Hill!  Everything I've every had here is GREAT! burgers, salads, fries...  You can't go wrong at Buns!  I go here as often as I can!!
5 - Luke B.: Awesome place. Carolina burger is the real deal
4 - Julie B.: For those who crave caramelized onions and fresh sautéed mushrooms on their burgers--this is the place. Buns will put anything you want on the burger and graciously accommodate picky customers like me. The fries with garlic chipotle sauce are to die for. I have not found many places that will cook to order, like medium rare PLEASE?? This is my only request for improvement.
2 - Dawei L.: I guess I'll catch a lot of flak on Yelp for this, but i just didn't realize why this place was so hyped. A burger with fries and the dip will easily set you back 11-12 bucks and honestly I was not impressed.

The best part of the meal was probably the dips. They were good, not great, but at least they were the one bright part of the meal.

The burger itself wasn't exactly flavorful or special. To be honest, five guys probably makes a better burger. The burger is filling, but it's nothing too special. You won't leave Buns thinking the burger was the best you've ever had. The toppings are good, but nothing unique or impressionable. The caramelized onions were good i suppose. I honestly thought they overcooked the meat and the "buns" do not lend themselves well to holding onto all the excess toppings. 

The fries were way over cooked, and not the best, I don't think they lived up to the hype. 

At the prices Buns are charging, I simply expected more. I guess I went in with too high expectations.
5 - Samathryn C.: Best veggie burger in the Triangle, hands down! My hubs orders veg burgers often and they are often just Boca burgers from the freezer, which is obviously disappointing. BUNS veg burger, however, is a lovely mash up of various veggies, beans and rice, well-seasoned and cooked to perfection. Very, very good!

I like their beef burger with cheddar, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and bacon. I don't know what other reviewers are talking about when they claim BUNS burgers are gray beef pucks. I wholeheartedly disagree. The burger to bun ratio is good, and the meat is usually pretty juicy. 

The sauces are great, decent beverage selection, awesome fries when they are fresh. Also, whoever says this place is pricey must be accustomed to fast food burger spots. We walk out of there at around $15 for 2 fresh burgers, soda and fries. Not a bad deal! 

Also, I like this place better than Only Burger. Don't beat me up, Yelpers, it's true!
5 - Susan Z.: Their homemade veggie burger is amazing.  Incredibly flavorful, juicy, well-formed.  Helena K's review has got tons of good info, so I'll just add some more details:

- veggie burger is BEAN based, I asked the manager or co-owner (he seemed important).

- their milkshakes are delicious, but very heavy.  I recommend a small, a large is a bit much even when sharing.

- they have an amazing selection of no-charge toppings, go crazy.  I held back because I was scared I'd get charged.

- the location is fantastic and the inside has lots of windows to people-watch out.  Clean, lots of condiments available, and clean bathroom.

- $5ish for a burger that will definitely fill you up.

Buns is really delicious, I've had a lot of veggie burgers and no one can compare.  Unlike Bull City Burger and Brewery and their horrible "home-made" veggie burger, Buns actually knows how to cook beans and flavor them with delicious fresh ingredients so you don't end up with a patty of uncooked beans and rancid tasting nuts.  Other places like Mitch's and Only Burger in Durham don't make their veggie patties, they source them from a distributor.
5 - Mark W.: After Susan's first visit to Buns last week, she bought some kind of coupon and wanted to come back again the very next weekend. I've been to Buns a few times and I've always been a fan, so it must be time to sit down and write a review. 

I always get the veggie burger when I come here because it really is one of the best veggie burgers I've had, and I never find myself craving meat when I order it. The veggie patty is bean based and packs a lot of flavor, but you can also add a load of interesting toppings. We tried the pimento cheese burger (with some other toppings like tomato, onion, pickle, etc) and the goat cheese & roasted beet burger. Both of these were excellent, and there are about 8 other custom burgers to choose from if you don't know exactly what you want on your burger. 

I especially love getting fries here because they have great dipping sauces available: ketchup, yellow mustard, dijon mustard, mayo, pesto mayo, wasabi mayo, chipotle mayo, malt vinegar, and maybe a few others. They also have sweet potato fries, and even offer an option to get half normal and half sweet potato. I recommend trying half and half because the portion size is already huge and variety is always nice. 

As far as burger places go, I feel that buns deserves 5 stars for having such an interesting menu and a high quality veggie burger. Roasted beets and goat cheese are a natural combination, but I never would have thought to try topping a burger with it. I haven't really tried their other menu items, but for vegetarians or veggie lovers, this place is a must-try!
5 - Kevin O.: The veggie burger with chedder, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onions, avocado and bacon is simply awesome.

The normal fries are awesome... avoid the sweet potato fries.  The large fry is large but don't let them tell you two people can't eat them all... its well in the realm of possible.

Sauces:
  Chipolte mayo - awesome
  Pesto mayo - awesome
  Wasabi mayo - okay
  Dragon sauce - okay

Best veggie burger I've had outside of my kitchen... but its really close... only other veggie burger I've said that about and I am always trying them.

My dad and bro rave about the beef burgers and they're both foodies so I'd trust it.

And there most expensive beers (all bottles) are $3.50 and the coors level beer are $2.00 which is a mofoing steal.

I'm in all sorts of like with this place.  Every time I'm back in the hill of chapel I will be venturing in.

The lady at the front knows what she is doing.
5 - Nina B.: Dear Buns,

Thank you SO MUCH for having:

1. A TON of options (including fresh--not jarred--jalapenos upon request) with which to customize my burger to my heart's content
2. Really nice employees
3. Veggie burgers
4. Turkey burgers
5. Beer
6. Sweet potato and regular fries (and letting me combine them)
7. The best dipping sauces ever
8. A credit card machine
9. Great seating options
10. Bottles of Sriracha available
11. Hand sanitizer dispensers
12. Clean bathrooms

Love,
Nina B.
5 - Annika H.: I can't find anything to complain about. Buns is always good, always friendly, and they just did some simple renovations that look nice.

Their veggie burger is fantastic, as are their grilled cheeses. Vegetarians and omnivores alike will find a favorite here! This is my father's and my brother's favorite place when they visit me in Chapel Hill. I also recommend Buns often to guests staying at the hotel at which I work and people often thank me for the suggestion. What I tell guests is:

They will give you a TON of fries, so be prepared to be unable to finish them
Get a mix of sweet potato and regular fries
All of their dipping sauces are fantastic
You can fully customize your burger to your own personal perfection
Service is friendly, food is delicious
4 - Cherry M.: A little pricey but the portions are big, and the options are plenty.
2 - Fred B.: This is trendy, colorfully decorated, simply furnished little burger joint sits half a block off Franklin Street. The menu is simple - Burgers (3 sizes to choose from), Hot Dogs (1 size only), FF, a Grilled Salmon Sandwich (it is Chapel Hill after all), a Grilled Chicken Sandwich (and it is in Orange County), and a Caesar Salad (and it is a University town). There are also sauces, toppings, and drinks - including beer.

This is a semi-fast food setup - your order is taken up front by one of several young men wearing matching Buns shirts. You pay, get your drink cup & and a number, fill your drink, and grab a seat. Food is cooked to order, so it'll take 10 minutes or more depending on the crowd - food is brought to you. 
The Hot Dog (you have only one choice here) is a Foot Long, dressed as you choose, for $5, unless you choose to add Chili - that will cost you 75 cents - or Cheese - an additional 75 cents, as well. Wow, $5.75 for a Foot Long Hot Dog with Chili - that's more than a little bit silly. 

The Hot Dog as served is just strange - when they brought it out, my first thought was - that looks like a specialty Sushi Roll (check out the posted photo). The dog is loaded, no really - loaded, with mustard, which is the last item on the dog, in a striped pattern - it dominates the flavor, and gets all over everything, including unsuspecting bystanders, windows, and ceiling fans. The onions are Red Onions - just a bad choice. They bring it to the table accompanied by a plastic knife and fork - you are responsible for getting your own bundle of napkins, and insurance. This is a bad dog, and an even worse idea.

Now the Burger is well cooked on the grill, comes out with a very nice flavor. You have some interesting choices on the toppings - 7 kinds of cheese, including Blue Cheese, Swiss, Gruyere, and the ever popular, Brie. You can choose American or Cheddar, but it may draw stares or even hoots. You can add ketchup, 2 different kinds of mustard, and 4 different blends of Mayo - all at no extra charge.

Other toppings are the usual suspects, with 3 different kinds of onions, slaw, tomato, etc.  Avocado, Fried Egg, Bacon, and Chili (yes, even Chili) at $1 extra - wow again, $1 for Chili. As I said, the Burger has a nice taste, but it is over-priced, and can be dressed for a costume party. This was an interesting Chapel Hill moment, but I'll settle for Sutton's or Merritt's next time.
2 - rAs j.: Buns is really nothing special at all and they made several amateur mistakes.

Ordered a single on white, with cheddar, bacon, lettuce, tomato, raw onion, ketchup, mustard, mayo.  Also got French fries and a chocolate shake.  It was my first time here, so I wanted to experience their standard burger. 

- burger was cooked on a flat-top rather than flame broiled
- burger was wrapped in foil even though I was eating in-house which made the burger poach/steam itself
- burger was completely overcooked, dry, and pretty flavorless
- bun was shitty quality and tasteless (which I found to be most ironic considering it's THE NAME OF THE FUCKING RESTAURANT)
- fries were fresh cut, but only single cooked instead of double-cooked, so they were limp and soggy, not firm and crispy 
- shake was good

Overall, boooooo!  These guys pretty much only make burgers.  You'd think they'd be better at it...   :-/
4 - Chris K.: Big is the best description I can think of for Buns.  The burgers, the buns, the fries - they're all BIG and good!  We came here with some OurLocalDeal certificates to give it a try.  It was so tasty I know we'll be back even to pay full price.  

There's lots of choices for your burger,: cheeses, sauces and toppings so  just about anyone will find a combination they like.  Nice to have a choice of white or whole wheat bun and regular or sweet potato fries.  Also, chicken, salmon or hot dog too.

When school is in session I feel like a chaperone though, since it seems to be mostly college kids!  That's ok - I can handle it!
5 - Addyline L.: I get the turkey burg and it's spectacular.  Crunchy and kind of charred on the outside. Moist and delicate inside. I can even add avocado and grilled onions. My co-worker got a veggie burg and she was pretty into it. I tried a new sauce this time for the salty and orange sweet potato fries. Thai sesame is a sweet compliment to them, but I'll stick with the wasabi mayo. The guy helping me pack it to go took his time and threw in extra napkins. I take people to Buns when I want to show off gormet-dippy--style.
5 - Mika W.: great food.
4 - Adam H.: I have only been here once, but I think I got the gist of this place.  Lots of options, good quality food, nice service. but there is just something about the way the food was prepared that I didn't really enjoy.

Buon Appetito Ristorante Italiano - Houston, TX (29.7060326, -95.4108262) (Braeswood Place, West University)
4 - Brian H.: A bit expensive, but great food, and an even better atmosphere.  The restaurant is actually a house with the seating broken up into different rooms.  Maybe 3 tables per room.
5 - AmieSue B.: Houston's best kept secret!  The most amazing food I have ever tasted!  Wonderful atmosphere and great service.  Perfect for a special occasion with someone you love (or at least like)!  The house is adorable and there is so much inside to keep your eyes busy!  Tastes like grandma is in the kitchen making your favorite food!  That is if your grandma is Italian!
5 - Josh W.: This place is a trip (to New Jersey).  The complete Italian-American family restaurant experience.  Slick back your hair, go white on white and grab the girl who works at the cosmetics counter.  (She can wear as much f!cking eye make-up as she wants! )  Just go.  If you don't appreciate it, remember my grandfather's sage advice about things that just are what they are: "there's nothing wrong with [Buon Appettito], but there's something wrong with you."  

They also have some of the best sports memorabilia around, including an autographed portrait of Diego Armando.  Oh, and they have the best red sauce in town...  

Parking can be a b!tch.
5 - Morgan N.: It truly is a best kept secret. I feel so at home when my family and I go here.  The food is quite authentic but the cute old man that plays the accordion just adds a great feel to the place. We always get a bottle of red wine and chicken picatta. So delicious.
4 - Jon G.: Great little Italian restaurant set in what used to be a house.  All the food is amazing, the wine is great and you might even get a few songs from the guitar player.  The owners will welcome you and you really feel like your at home with the Italian family.
5 - Derek R.: Best Italian food in Houston, and it's the only Sicillian restaraunt in Houston.   The complex flavours constantly entertain your mouth.  The atmosphere is great.  It's in an old house just like all the best Italian places in America.  There's an elderly guy from Spain who plays the guitar and sings while you eat, and he is a wealth of knowledge.  If you start a conversation with him, there are all kinds of interresting things you will learn.
5 - Gilberto V.: Goodness, thy name is Buon Appetito.  To say I was blown away is an understatement.  The tip of the proverbial iceberg.  I was not only blown away, but so far blown away that I ended up in squarely in Sicily after the explosion of my taste buds when they were wholly overwhelmed by the delicious flavors bestowed upon me.

The food - every aspect from bread to salad to entree to dessert, was crafted with painstaking love and an appreciation for Italian cuisine that rivals the best of the best in Houston and sent my memories to Europe.  In fact, had it not been for the skyline of the Med Center when we left or the clearly Texas drawl of the folks seated to my right, I would have sworn  I was in the old country.

The old Spaniard playing the guitar knew the classics - and by classics, I mean old Spanish ballads and Mexican canciones that I had not heard in some time - many with original lyrics that had not been altered or redacted by time.  Granted, Spanish music in the Italian restaurant is odd, but certainly a welcome and beloved gesture and only enhanced the ambiance and created a truly world feeling befitting our multicultural city.

The salad was crisp, their dressing a testament to freshness with every bite exploding veggie goodness and creating a circus of flavor that made you remember why you loved greens.  The pasta was perfect in consistency and the portions at Buon Appetito are themselves in correct proportion - not too much, not too little and do leave you room for dessert.

The wine list is robust enough for what it needs to be - complimenting your meal and not overwhelming to the point where only a wine snob can navigate.  Buon Appetito understands that wine is there for your food, and not the other way around, and thus simplicity in selection meets greatness in flavor you can savor.

Parking is a bit awkward, but such is a small price to pay for one of the city's most pleasant and fun experiences.  This is a place where you can converse with the table next to you, strike up a chorus in song, or just whittle away a pleasant romantic evening. Do yourself a favor and stop in to this gem-da-le-gem of restaurants inside the loop.
1 - Jacob S.: Yelp led me astray. 

First, the good part.  Buon Appetito has a few nice qualities.  The older gentleman playing guitar helped set a nice atmosphere. Plus, the building itself gave it a hole-in-the-wall feel that can sometimes make a restaurant fun.  However, these two things were not sufficient to overcome what I believe was the worst meal I've ever eaten. 

I set out for Boun Appetito after reading the rave reviews other Yelpers wrote.  This is what I found: 

Location: The restaurant is in an old house. It looks a bit run down, but the smell of food cooking and the friendly wait staff made it feel comfortable.  The decor is a dated but fit with the general feel of the place.  When you walk in you'll notice an open kitchen.  There was a single cook working alone.  There were no signs of freshly made pasta or homemade ingredients being created. 

Food: Awful.  As in staggeringly bad.  Unbelievably horrendous.  When someone throws out a claim like "best Italian food in Houston" I expect food on par with a restaurant like Mark's.  Not only was the food not in the same league as Mark's, it wasn't in the same league as a Lean Cuisine microwavable dinner.  Here's what I had: 

Bread:  The bread served was the frozen garlic bread you buy at any grocery store.  A bit disappointing, but not a deal breaker. 

Salad:  The Sicilian salad for two was good.  Iceberg lettuce and all.

Appetizer: Stuffed mushrooms.  The mushrooms I was served had a putrid rotten flavor to them.  It was the first time in my life I spit my food into my napkin.  My girlfriend ate a small piece, but agreed that they were inedible.  When the waiter took the obviously uneaten plate of food, he didn't bother to ask why we hadn't finished the food. It felt as though he was a man used to hearing people complain about the food. 

Entré: I had the Italian sausage with penne pasta and peppers.  The pasta was the standard store-purchased kind.  I'm pretty sure the sausage was too.  Although the waiter said the sausage was made in the kitchen.  

Desert:  We didn't order any.  In fact, we didn't even finish our entrés.  The food was so bad, we just left with half-empty stomachs.  When the waiter took our plates, he again didn't bother asking why we hadn't finished our food. 

For anyone who reads this review, I hope you'll approach Buon Appetito with skepticism.  You may go and have a wonderful meal.  However, the only positive thing I've experienced about this restaurant were the reviews on Yelp.  Maybe I just had a freak experience.  Maybe the people who reviewed this restaurant before me live in a parallel universe.  Either way, don't go here expecting "the best italian food in Houston".  If this is the best there is, this is a sad cruel world and I'm ashamed to be a Houstonian.
2 - JIMMY N.: Houston doesn't have that many great Italian restaurants, and this place unfortunately was no exception.  After reading the 5-star reviews this place received, I had high hopes.  Especially being that it's a hole-in-a-wall, family owned type of establishment...  I figured I was going to have a great dining experience.  Well I guess I'm entitled to be wrong every once in awhile.

It was last Tuesday for a friend's birthday dinner.  Dinner was approximately at 8pm.  I was there 10 minutes early, found out no one was there yet.  That would have been fine, but it turned out there was no cars in the itty bitty parking behind the restaurant.  For a moment I thought I was at the wrong place till I walked inside.  Not a single soul except for the host and his team of waiters greeting me.  Ummmm not a good sign when there's no customers, but oh well.  Like their parking space, inside is a bit cramped.  Being that we have 16 people in our party, I'm kinda glad it's not crowded.  After arranging their tables around, the rest of my group had arrived.  

Once we all got situated, our restaurant was also our waiter?!  Maybe he's the owner?  Who knows but I don't really care... he recommended a Chilean Cabernet for the table.  Being that it was only $22, we got two.  He poured a tasting for the birthday boy to try, since he never drinks wine, he nodded his head in approval.  Bad choice, it was warm (above room temp -type of warm) and really hard to drink (harsh raspy finish).  So the remainder of that night, I drank their finest house water.

For starters we had fried calamari and crabbed stuffed calamari.  Both are fairly good but nothing spectacular.   The stuffed calamari was a bit rubbery, like it was cooked beforehand and reheated.  For my entree, I had the linguine pescatore.  (shrimp, squid, clams)  Also I had a side of spicy sausage (chorizo) as well.  The pescatore was also decent, despite the lack of clam meat (cooked too long, they shrunk and became rubbery)... look dwarfed when nestled inside the shell.  Despite the large amount of pasta on my plate, $17 bucks was high for mediocre food.  I can get the same at a nicer establishment like Grottos.  Sure to some, the ambiance here is quaint and romantic.  I think otherwise, like Michelangelos... it smells like an old house and is dated (that's because Buon Appetito is also an old house converted into a restaurant).

What made this place get two-stars instead of three was because of the cake cutting charge.  My friend had reserved this place the night before and asked if there was a charge for bringing in cake.  Whomever she spoke to said no.  Imagine our surprise when we were charged $16.  Asked if we could have that waived, our server said "no".  His pitiful excuse... we have desserts here and have to charge if cake was brought in.  Cmon, other establishments rarely do this, and after dropping over $500... one would think you'll waive it as a sign of appreciation.  I know if my establishment was slow; and of all places to eat on a Tuesday... what's a mere $16.  Maybe they're petty like that.  Okay, I know it's only $16 bucks... but it's the principle.  A couple of people in my party have eaten here before... but after that kind gesture from our gracious host, they'll never be back.  I know I won't!
5 - T-Money M.: This place is great...love the ambience!! The owner is a crazy Sicilian that makes some beautiful food. Only been to Sicily once and it was some of the best food in my life...thanks for taking me back to enjoy Mr. Finazzo!! AND, do not leave until you've had a piece of the rum cake...out of this world!!
4 - Jose N.: I just went to this place with a friend and we were blown away. I was a little hesitant when we made it to the restaurant because I had not read any good or bad reviews about it (forgot to check here before going) but my friend and I had been talking about trying it for months so we did. We would always end up across the street in a different Italian restaurant but this place was excellent. The food was fantastic! I had their beef cannelloni and my friend had their salmon in lemon sauce. The only thing I was a little disappointed was that they didn't have a Pino Noir wine in their wine list. Their Chianti was good substitute so I have nothing to complain. It was on the pricey side but worth our money.
4 - Larae M.: I think I've found my number two spot for what I consider down-home Italian cooking (number one would be Patrenella's). I have an affinity toward restaurants in cozy houses like Buon Appetito & Patrenella's. The ambiance instantly transforms my mood & attitude toward the food, as if I'm expecting a cozy family sit-down dinner like that of Diane Lane's in Under The Tuscan Sun.

Upon entering the blue and white house on busy Holcombe Street, two gentlemen sitting in the first room immediately greeted us. I'm presuming they were the owners, and soon, we were met with old waiters clad in black vests and bow-ties who seated us in one of the other two back rooms. Picture frames adorned the walls, along with other kitschy home items. 

The menu boasted of authentic Silician cooking. Not really being well informed in the differences between northern or southern Italian delicacies, I can't confirm whether the flavors were in fact  true to its region. However, I can attest to the fact that everything I ordered came out delicious.

I started out with the crab stuffed squid as appetizer, which was a great alternative to the usual fried squid/calamari. A tomato based sauce accompanied it, and was a perfect pairing to the buttery garlic bread. Had I not been on my perpetual summer diet, I would've finished the entire bread basket myself! If you're a fan of oily, super butter infused garlic bread, then this is your heaven (or hell, I suppose).

For my main dish, I opted for the salmon in a lemon butter/wine sauce topped with capers, which also came with a side spaghetti with meat sauce. I absolutely adored my dish! Though a little heavy on the sauce, I thought the salmon was cooked perfectly for me(slightly flakey, but not overcooked). The lemon butter sauce w/ the capers coated the salmon well and was consistent in flavor w/ each bite.

The service here was polite and swift. The waiters worked in tandem, and our water & wine glasses were kept filled; tables/utensils cleared, and refills offered for bread when dwindling dangerously low. Best of all, during the night I dined there, I had the pleasure of having an old gentleman playing acoustic guitar for us guests. And his most played tune? Why the Godfather theme song, of course!  =)
5 - Anne R.: I love Buon Appetito, even though we just call it "The Sicilian Restaurant" because the word "Sicilian" is just as big as the name on the front of their building.  It's in an old blue house on Holcombe right by the med center.  It simply exudes charm and reminds me exactly of family restaurants I visited while stationed with the Navy in Sicily.  Sadly, since the economy took a turn, they are only open for dinner these days.  

Where to start?  The staff is professional.  They tolerate my attempts to use my one term of Italian in attempting to order dinner.  They wait until you are actually finished with one course before bringing the next one.  And, most importantly, they keep my tea and water glasses filled.  I am pretty sure that they do the same with wine glasses, but my friend drinks a lot of wine, so just orders a little carafe and pours for herself.  Oh, yeah, and there's the nice man with the guitar.  This place isn't just charming, it should be the picture of "ambiance" in the dictionary.  

Now, on to the food.  I have never eaten a bad dish at Buon Appetito.  Everything is so delicious.  We almost always get a Sicilian salad to split as an appetizer.  It is divine; it is full of artichokes and olives, both green and black, and mushrooms (OK, I can live without the mushrooms).  I could eat it by myself, but that would leave no room for the next course.  I usually favor the fish dishes, but have had traditional pasta on more than one occasion.  On my last visit, I had snapper with artichokes.  OMG, I can still remember its flavor.  It came with a little side dish of pasta with sauce.  My friend had the chicken piccata (in wine sauce).  I don't know enough about food to describe things properly, but suffice it to say that my friend who is a chef and a very skinny person who eats little downed her entire dinner.  The whole meal was absolutely perfect.  At Buon Appetito, it is just about always perfect.  

Overall, I'd recommend Buon Appetito to anyone who wants a nice, relaxing evening and really good food.  Yes, it is an occasional treat, but one worth having.
5 - Ken G.: I stumbled on this place after doing business at Texas Medical Center and absolutely loved it. It's quaint home turned into a restaurant with charming Italian-type rooms and ambiance. My wife and I just returned from Italy, and this felt like Italy in so many ways. An older gentleman strummed his guitar in the background and occasionally sang old-world songs that made me think if Italy. The food (calamari mostly) was excellent. I left feeling like I had been to Italy!
5 - Maegan d.: I have been here a couple of times with my boyfriend and we consider this our prime date night spot!  The food is superb, they have a great wine selection and the atmosphere is wonderfully homey.  They have great service and a classical guitarist that goes from room to room.  It is the best spot for a date with that special someone!
3 - Van N.: Be aware that the servings are huge... two regular plates could serve five.  The food is okay, though... I come back because the service is amazing.  The waiters are on top of their game.
4 - TJ D.: This place was great.  I would have never stumbled on this unless it were for my out of town boss who heard about it through the grapevine.  The food was excellent, from appetizers to the desert.  This was a full circle restaurant.  Highly reccommended!!
1 - Kresimir J.: I have to agree with Jacob S.  I was expecting a lot after reading all the
glowing reviews.  However, this was probably the worst dining experience
I have had so far in Houston.  The food was simply terrible.  The vegetable
that were used were clearly of the frozen kind, just as an example.  I 
could go on, but if this does not persuade you to skip this place, nothing
I say will.
4 - Lisa O.: VEGETARIAN REVIEW:

This is the adorable blue and white house just to the left of the carwashing place near Montclair on Holcomb.  I have lived 1 block down from it for 3 years and finally in the month or so before moving out, my bf and I decided to walk over there for such a wonderful treat.

We went in the evening, I believe on a Friday and were serenaded by a lovely older gentleman on a classical guitar.  It was PERFECT because he plays so beautifully, but not in an up-in-your-business kind of way, which always gets awkward.  He says he's there all nights but Sunday and has been since they opened 30 some odd years ago.  They get a 10 for ambience-- from the Spanish guitarist to the creaky rugged floors, the cozy warmth, the candlelit tables, the intoxicating smells from the adjacent kitchen, and the attentive service this place is what a romantic Italian spot should be.

Regarding the food from a veggie perspective, not too many veggie options-- which in all fairness, I'm pretty hard to impress in an Italian restaurant.  I had the "healthy" option of pasta and veggies with a pink sauce.  BF had the pasta special with sausage and peppers and he enjoyed it.  Prices were definitely reasonable for such a fancy place - I think my dish was $12.95 and his was $16.95.

All in all, the food was good but I'd return mainly for the atmosphere next time we need a special night out : )
5 - Kyle P.: Very quaint nice place where the owner even sings and plays guitar... it feels like you are staying in his house cooking you authentic Italian food... very good
2 - Drew S.: Overpriced food. Cool atmosphere. Shoddy service. Will not be returning.
3 - Amanda M.: Pasta alla Norma: delicious. 
Lasagna: ok. 
Stuffed mushrooms: good. 
Garlic bread: ok. 
Tiramisu: very small, great coffee soaked lady fingers, cheesy cream.
Guy playing guitar in the corner: a little creepy cuz he kept staring at me. Songs were in Spanish, not Italian, can be slightly annoying if you are sitting closeby as it can be rather loud. He plays for tips.
Overall restaurant: old house that smells like an old house. Open kitchen appeared to be mostly clean. Needs new decor and renovation. Super hot inside, had a small air conditioning unit on top of the window which we asked them to turn on. 
Parking: meager, but the restaurant isn't that busy anyways. Don't bring an oversized SUV - it would be difficult to navigate in their lot. 

Would I eat here again? Sure, why not. But I honestly could find better italian food in a more comfortable place for less money.
5 - Alicia F.: I do love this little mom-and-pop Italian place on Holcombe. It's super cute and perfect for an intimate dinner date or get-together with friends. I think that BA is the original, "When you're here, you're family." When you walk in, it's almost as if you're sitting in your grandmother's dining room: it's cozy, with just the right amount of kitsch. 

The menu (which is large, both in actual size and scope of options) has tons of seafood, meat, and vegetarian options, all well-priced around 10-15 dollars. There are soups and salads, as well as non-pasta options such as saltimbocca. Your meal comes with baskets of hot, fresh, delicious, super-buttery garlic bread. One of my favorites is the conchigli alla granciu, shells with crab meat. I also enjoy the linguine arrabiata, which is a mountain of al dente pasta tossed with tomatoes, capers, onions, and black olives. It was labeled on the menu as "spicy," but I couldn't taste much kick. No matter, though, because it was still delicious. 

The best part of dining at BA is listening to Tino, the kindly older gentleman who plays guitar there. His gentle strumming in the background just MAKES the scene, ya know? It's a perfect complement to the quiet ambience of the restaurant and a delicious meal. 

I will continue to dine here for as long as I live in Houston, and probably even thereafter whenever I get the chance to visit.

Buona Tavola - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.282137, -120.6605603) ()
4 - Caroline C.: One of the better Italian places in SLO county. The Paso Robles location is perhaps a little better but a good bit louder since it has a trattoria style setting. This location has a fantastic heated patio that is quite large, but long and narrow so you aren't ever in the middle of everyone else. The food is pretty good and the owner is there almost every night, or at least half the time. They have a great wine list featuring local wines, and if you're a regular or you ask, sometimes they've saved wine that isn't on the list for the real fans. The quality and attention to detail did drop after manager Mike left several years ago (though he came back for a while and it improved drastically, he has left again, and they've fallen into another slump). Still, I love the Tortelloni Bufalina, handmade and entirely tasty.
4 - Tad F.: A great little Italian spot next to the Fremont Theater downtown SLO.  Food was truly fantastic and service was very friendly.  Very casual atmosphere.
2 - trogdor b.: food was eh, service was blah. she had the rack of lamb, i had some sort of ravioli? it was not worthy. i don't think i'd come back. first and last time here....we waited something like 45 minutes for our food and it wasn't even good!

i think rachel ray's show swung by...which should put them on the map, i guess. maybe i just had a really bad experience. whatever~ NOT MY FAVE~
3 - Ann L.: I went here on a whim based on the AAA book my friend had.  We were coming back from a camping trip and this was a midpoint stop.

We ate early and it wasn't very crowded so we picked it. We order and they give you some bread (which was fine) and focaccia (which I didn't like) the dip they gave is some kind of olive paste w/ heavy Dijon mustard and I don't like mustard much.    We had a raw beef salad which was good.  We said we were sharing and they gave each of us a bowl of soup--that was nice.  We shared (which they also split) a bowl of fettuccine w/ meat  (forget all the meats in it).  It was just ok--I didn't really care for the meats..just weird tasting and cut tiny cube shape.

Service was fine.  Water and bread refilled often.  This isn't Delfina's in SF, but in the area might be an option.
4 - Seri T.: i really don't see the point of spending over $15 on pasta, but this is one of the few places where the money is well spent. 

aside from the pasta, their home made gelato is divine! opt for the one topped with fresh seasonal fruit. it's a bit pricey at ~$8, but if you like gelato, you will not be disappointed. i do spend too much money on sweets, though. they said they make their gelato daily at the store. it's topped with a mildly sweet syrup. the seasonal fruit was blueberries and raspberry at the time and they were very fresh indeed! i went back a second time just for the gelato. 

the service was also great.
4 - Donovan N.: I always liked dining here, then I got seated outside and I loved it. The redwoods hidden in a nook between buildings, strings of lights, and good food. When it comes to San Luis Obispo, it's really a place you need to go when you want an fairly intimate setting with friends or family where hearing dinner conversation is never a problem.

Also enjoy the Butternut Squash Ravioli's when it's in season. You won't be disappointed.
4 - C D.: Very good food. I went with a group of friends and we ate on the back patio. The pumpkin tortollini was SO delicious! So was the pumpkindish I had. because the heaters lining up the enitre patio on both side were not enough for me, the waiter (who I did not ask this of) brought over another heater and placed it right next to my chair. What service! BTW, the front room of this place is TINY!
5 - Evann G.: This is my favorite restaurant... in the world... ever. I am proud to say I have turned at least a few other people into Buona Tavola addicts, as well. In college, this was the perfect place to come for a romantic night or special occasion, or to make your parents buy you dinner when they came into town. It's actually not that expensive, but it seems like it is on a college student's budget!

It was nice to come back with my bf on our weekend trip to SLO. The bread, and more importantly the olive tepenade they serve with it, was still to die for. We had the mushroom bruschetta, my favorite appetizer, and it was fabulous as usual (I recommend ordering it with goat cheese on top). From past experiences I can tell you that the regular bruschetta and the caprese salad are also excellent. For dinner, I had my absolute favorite meal in the whole universe... the tortelloni di zucca. It tastes like Christmas. If you're not into butternut squash/pumpkin, don't bother with it... it is sweet, and has a very different taste from what you'd normally expect from pasta, but it is sooooooo so so so so so so good. It's always perfect. I also like the tortelloni buffalina (buffalo mozzarella instead of regular mozzarella inside the tortelloni... genius!) and the gnocchi, which is also butternut squash/pumpkin based and very sweet. The cream sauce on the tortelloni di zucca and the gnocchi is to DIE for.

We didn't get dessert this time around, but the apple tart is my favorite from past experiences. Basically, everything I've ever tried on the menu has been absolutely wonderful. And the service is top-notch, too. I love Buona Tavola!
3 - Sylvia Y.: This place is not rocket science, as far as Italian restaurants go.  I totally agree with Ann L below - this place is pretty good as far as Italian places go, but you can definitely get better.  We enjoyed the started olive/mushroom tapanade (i think that's what it was, that's what it tasted like) and the sodas and water and bread kept on comin'.  Got the artichoke heart salad with romano and tomatoes and vinegarette - it has canned 'chokes and was chopped up which made the consistency strange (duh, like chopped salad).  Would have been a bit better with fresh 'chokes and sliced instead of chopped.  My sister got the tortelloni bufalina which was light but tasted like you could make it in about 3 minutes.  I had the papaderlle with prosciutto and shrimp which was nicely heavy on the shrimp and tasted pretty good if not a bit on the oily side.  All in all, a bit expensive for what you get but maybe a great option for the area.
4 - Roger G.: Surprisingly good.  The olive tapanade with bread to start, the carpaccio, and the insalata bufala were great.  A fun and comprehensive wine list, with some welcome explanatory text that didn't require oenosnobbistic tendencies to appreciate.

I found my Capellini al filetto di pomodoro e basilico to be a bit too oily.  It would have benefited from a lighter touch.

Dessert was the Tartufo Italiano Al Cioccolato... nothing wrong with it, but nothing special.

Basically, it would be a solid third tier Italian restaurant in the city, but seemed to be about as good as you're going to get in SLO.

Grazie mille to our young surfer dude waiter for working hard at not butchering his Italian.  Its rare to see someone so earnest.
5 - Beverly T.: I found this place my very last year at Cal Poly which sucks! I LOVE this place. The pastas are handmade, the sauces are definitely NOT out of a can. During my last year, my roommate and I ate here AT LEAST 3 times a week. I'm being serious. We're pigs. Ok so here are my suggestions for when you go here:

1) Looking for something light... Tortelloni bufalina. I can never get enough of this. The sauce is fresh tomatoes and basil and PERFECTION. It is seriously, to die for. NO JOKE!

2) Looking for something very filling... Fettuccine al sugo di carni miste. Duck, veal, chicken and beef?! Sounds like meat overload but it's not. Trust me. It is sooooo damn delicious!

3) Looking for something different.... Tortelloni di zucca alla salvia e mascarpone. It's pumpkin and ricotta cheese tortelloni. I know you're thinking.... PUMPKIN? Yes pumpkin. You HAVE to try this!

4) Looking for something a bit heavy... Agnolotti di scampi allo zafferano. It's a little odd because the shrimp is like ground shrimp but still reallllly good when you get over the whole, "where the hell is my shrimp" aspect of it. The "light" saffron sauce is NOT light. It is so creamy and buttery and rich that I have trouble eating the 5 little pieces of ravioli they give you! But I can't stop ordering it for some reason!

Side note: This is CHEAP and damn good Italian food. First off, I'm picky with Italian food, and second off, it's fucking cow town San Luis Obispo so you're lucky you can even find Italian food!
4 - Kat H.: Nice patio, nice people, good food, generous portions. I'm a sucker for any pasta with meat sauce.

I was originally planning to go somewhere else but didn't feel like getting all dressed up, so I came here instead.

To the owner: I want your Fiat cinquecento!
5 - Julianne Marie B.: yum yum yum yum yum
olive tapenade
great wine list
zucca di torteloni
yum yum yum yum yum!
4 - Kevin C.: My gf and I came here during our weekend getaway from L.A. and this place was recommended by a friend of mine so we decided to give this place a try on our first night at San Luis Obispo.

Despite of the fact that I made reservation, we still had to wait for a good 15 - 20 minutes. The good thing was that we were in no rush and not much of a plan for the rest of the night so it was ok.

Momentarily after we got seated, we ordered the following:
- Carpaccio del Monte Bianco
- Linguine fradiavolo
- Agnolotti di scampi allo zafferano

Even though we were provided with olive tapenade and bread, we still felt that the service and the food was "SLO". We waited a good half an hour before the carpaccio came out and another 20 - 25 minutes for our main dishes to come.

The carpaccio was amazing. The beef was raw, smooth, thin and flavorful. It can practically melt in your mouth. Its no Kobe beef or wagyu, but it was a great cut, to the least. The parmesan was absolute quality. I enjoyed this very much. It was nicely prepared adn well done.

The linguine was very flavorful. The seafood that came with it was fresh and very garlicky. The overall dish had a nice kick to it. It was piping hot when it came out, which is a plus. The sauce was eggcellent.

As for the ravioli dish that I got, Agnolotti di scampi allo zafferano. It was rich, very rich. The saffron gave the dish a fragrance as well as color and a gentle flavor. The sauce was thick but compromises every bite of the ravioli. It was absolutely delicious. It was also piping hot when it arrived to our table.

After our main course, we finished off with Crema Di Vaniglia Della Buona Tavola. It's a vanilla cream custard topped with your choice of Rich caramel sauce or creamy chocolate sauce (Antonio recommends half of each). We chose the chocolate sauce with it. It was delicious but not to die for.

Overall, I'd rate this place 3.5 star. I thought the restaurant was under staffed. Some of the staffed were just standing around. The kitchen was too small, but the seating area was pretty big for the kitchen size (which implies a lot of waiting time before the food arrives). The carpaccio was a plus. The main dishes being delicious and arrived piping hot is a plus. The service could be better. I do like this place! I'd go back for the same food minus the wait.
5 - Amy H.: I'm so happy I wandered into Buona Tavola!! Our appetites were especially stimulated and I hope that doesn't distort my taste buds and rating but....everything was delectable. The focaccia and Italian style bread was served with an olive tapenade, the salad we ordered was served on a bed of prosciutto with organic tomatoes and great shredded pieces of parmesan among other deliciousnesses, the soup of the day was tasty, and the main dish was unreal! The texture of the homemade pasta was so different than anything I've experienced and their dishes are the kind that you want to let linger in your mouth so you can really taste all of the perfect flavors....damn it was good. Somehow we managed to make it to dessert, yes the portions were small and our appetites were big but it was still an impressive feat....the homemade dark chocolate gelato was served with cocoa and hazelnuts and then one shot of espresso was poured over the delicious concoction bringing everything together with a kick. Writing and reliving that dinner just now was nearly as amazing as the experience itself wow.
4 - Tetsu N.: Wow, what a great hole in the wall.  At least, that's what it looks like from the store front.  

But go inside and ask to be seated outdoors and you get lead back to the courtyard with a 15-20 ft high roof to keep out the rain, but walls that only go up about 10 feet or so to give a nice open feeling.  High powered heaters line the edges of the roof and heat up the courtyard quickly.

There is absolutely nothing you can order here that isn't great.  The Insalata gustosa is an excellent light salad with tomatoes and mozarella.  For the pasta, I ordered Penne Arrabiatta and had them add some sausages and extra cheese.  Wow, what a dish.  My wife had the Bocconcini al portobello and claimed it was one of the best veal preparations she'd had in a long time.

As an upscale Italian restaurant, it's perfect for a date or a family get together.

All in all, a great experience and highly recommended.
5 - carlo f.: One of the top 3 Italian restaurants I have ever been to. The only one better was in Little Italy in SF (Sadly I forget the name). 

They serve your table with pieces of bread along with some exquisite olive tepanade. My colleagues could hardly get enough of the stuff and our waitress had to bring seconds. I found the veal absolutely amazing, so flavorful and tender. Several of my colleagues also loved veal and wanted to come the following day for lunch (they had sushi instead). Also great was the dual creme brulee, one half of the serving to be the classic creme and the other half being chocolate. OMG... absolutely decadent. 

The place was small and quaint and filled to capacity quickly for a Tuesday evening. You will have to park down the street or about a block away at a lot. Service was excellent. My colleagues ended up at a bar later that night down the street and ran into our server and treated her to a drink for a good night's service. 

I loved it so much I took several business cards for reference and to give to friends/family. Bon Appetitto!!!
5 - Veronica G.: Back in the day (the "SLO" days) whenever I use to have some extra $$$ in my pocket (due to working overtime, my tax return or those rare times mom would kick me down a surprise donation), my friend and I would get all spiffy and come here. The exterior from the street is not exactly breath taking (more like nondescript) and the interior, though crisp and clean, was nothing to write home about. The back patio though--oh ho! now we're talking! Beautiful compact lush gardens with tables scattered around all wonderfully kept warm by the super large heat lamps. It screams cozy. Good thing too because service can be on the slow side. But I guess there is some truth to the phrase "good things come to those who wait".

My best friend (who was my significant other at the time) and I use to indulge in both the atmosphere and the rich food but in order to give you a true experience I will have to tell you the tale of when we went to dinner here with his family. 

First off, it was the two of us plus his father and Jack Black of a brother Sean. Before we even sat down, Sean asked about the olive tepanade. Or better yet, he asked (rather loudly)," What the hell is this? It looks like snail shit!". Yeah you can take the boy out of Oildell but can't take Oildell out of the boy. Once we explained what was in the "snail shit", he reluctantly tried it only to grub the majority of it proclaiming that it was indeed quite tasty.

Next came to ordering our entrees. I can safely tell you (after trying the majority of the menu at one point) that no matter what you order will be a hit, even if you can't pronounce it. If it sounds even remotely appetizing GET IT. Everything is a hit, it just depends on how on the mark it is to what you are craving. I usually get something with seafood (heavenly) but I do have to recommend the duck, as does my friend's dad (he stole a duck breast off my friend's plate after trying a bite and to this day this incident is refered to as "The Great Duck Heist"). But back to Sean, our little scamp...

This is a guy who considers Chef Boyardee Italian food. I know, a real man of the world here. He had a discussion with our waitress if they had anything "normal Italian" (more palms hitting foreheads in embarrassment). She asked him to specify and he came up with chicken alfredo. Well, I can tell you that he GOT his chicken alfredo, but a million times fancy shmancier than ANY other restaurant I've ever seen (even when it's been on the menu---you'd be surprised where it pops up). With all the cream and cheese that had been added he declared it to be better than buttah (the joke of the evening, along with the snail shit). 

To top off an evening of such laughter and merriment, espressos and pastries and gelato were consumed. The espressos are of perfect bitterness and all of the larger coffee drinks (lattes, mochas, etc) scream "pretty people drinking pretty drinks". Plus they'll keep you awake if you choose to see a movie nearby. If they still carry the basil gelato BY ALL FRICKEN MEANS try it!!!!!! Seriously, it's the mambo for your tastebuds followed by a smooth glide. It's not at all what you expect but everything you could hope for.
5 - Michael L.: Great little Italian place.  My favorite in SLO, and mostly everywhere else at this point.  Brought many friends over, and none ever left unhappy.  Although a few has mentioned their Paso Robles location is better, I tend to have better food in SLO.  Great ambiance, love dining in the patio behind the restaurant.  
Love their Polpettine di anatra e tacchino for appetizer.  Can't go wrong with either Tagliata di bue salutare (sliced New York Steak with a balsalmic reduction sauce over arugula) and Linguine fradiavolo.  A few of my lady friends love their Pappardelle alla San Pietro, lots of shrimp!  A lunch favorite of mine that's a bit odd to most people is the Orecchiette con rapine e salciccia.  Gotta give this place a try if you're in the area.
5 - Karly L.: I would give Buona Tavola 7 stars if I could.  The restaurant is beautiful, warm plaster walls and dark wood, and an open kitchen were you can sometimes see Antonio, the owner, chef-ing away.  The interior is especially lovely during the holidays when, somehow, they suspend a fully decorated Christmas tree, lights and all, from the ceiling.  There are also two patios, one in the back, and one to the side for nice days.  The back patio is now tastefully walled off from the walkway that borders it, and covered over the top with lovely shade trees.  There are heaters for the nights when the temperature gets a little chilly.  This area can accommodate small to medium groups groups.  We had our wedding rehearsal dinner here, which was a party of about 18 people, sat at two tables.

But as wonderful as the ambiance is, you find it fades away every time the attentive waitstaff brings you a new plate.  All of the ingredients are incredibly fresh, most of which are grown locally, some even in the Chef's own garden.  There was some news that he was even going to begin pressing his own olive oil, but I am not sure if that is the case yet.  But if you were hoping for sadly Americanized versions of Italian food perpetrated upon our society ... over done, heavy noodles drowning in overly sweet and smooth tomato sauces ... I am sorry to disappoint you.  No.  This is Northern Italian food.  Here you will find fresh crisp salads, perfectly al dente pastas with whisper light tomato sauces that leave little hints of sweetness and acid on your tongue.  Hearty braised meats and vegetables, billowy gnocchi pillows that only an Italian Grandma could make.  I know ... I had one, and you can tell Antonio did too.

Some of my favorites are the Agnolotti di Scampi al Zafferino (like ravioli but lighter, filled with shrimp in a to die for saffron cream sauce), the Gnocchi di Zucca alla Novaresse (potato pumpkin Gnocchi, light and a little sweet, balanced by a savory gorgonzola cream sauce, and topped with fried sage).  My husband attests that they are one of the only places that has been able to pull of properly cooked, juicy chicken, and he is picky.  Their breads and tapenades are top notch too.  

I saw some complaints that the portions were small, but I would say that we, as a whole are just too used to eating too much.  Take your time ... savor your meal ... have a good conversation with your wine.  You'll find that you leave feeling satisfied, yet light.  And you may even have room for dessert.  May I recommend the Tartufo Italiano al Cioccolato?  Yum.

And don't you gluten free-ers fret.  There are plenty of things for you too.  Sure the pastas and bread are great, but you can console your self with almost any of the Antipasti, a bowl of Country Chicken Corn and Potato Soup, and there are plenty of delicious meat and eggplant dishes to keep you satisfied (just don't forget to ask about the sauces).  You can even finish your night off with all but one of their desserts.  But who needs Tiramisu when you can have a country apple tart with a polenta (corn) crust with cinnamon cream sauce?
5 - Meg T.: My absolute favorite place to eat in SLO.  The front of the restaurant looks a bit small, but the large outdoor patio in the back is absolutely to die for.  I've had a good number of romantic dates.  Perfect for parties because it is a very intimate/private setting.  

The food is fresh and worth every penny
4 - Kimi B.: Ate here for a friend's rehearsal dinner; absolutely divine! Very romantic with twinkle lights & beautiful pink flowers. We were given a set up menu with about 5 courses. The bruschetta was great, couldn't keep my hands off of it. We had a turkey/duck appetizer which was so mouthwatering I kept eating! They have a certain tortellini with pumpkin and sage...SO good...! The tiramisu is very sweet and bubbly, not the normal heavy kind that i've eaten before. We also had a chocolate torte with raspberry/vanilla drizzle. The vanilla was so good, it had a hint of lemon zest. However, I passed on the raspberry drizzle it was too sour.  Cute place, I will definately try to hit this spot again if i'm in SLO.
5 - Jamie N.: Just went here on my birthday and it was soo good. The pastas are amazing. Best ever, way better than other italian restaurants I have been to. It is so worth the price, which I don't think is too bad considering Maggiano's is pretty expensive and the pasta is shit.

We had the clam and mussel appetizer, which was served with this buttery, garlicy tomato sauce - sooo good.

And we both ordered pasta, can't recall the name but his was scampi with prosciutto and a white sauce, mine was shrimp with prosciutto and a creamy tomato sauce. Can't speak for his, but mine was SO good. I'm craving more!! So THIS is what real italian pasta is supposed to taste like.

Servers are very nice, and setting is romantic. Indoors is pretty small, but outside on the patio (which is all covered up so it looks like you're indoors to me) is much roomier and heat lamps keep you nice and toasty.
3 - J. F.: This is probably the best Italian food in SLO. Unfortunately that's not saying a lot. They make an great Caesar salad appetizer and their deserts are excellent, but the dishes have never impressed me as much.
4 - Lauren D.: Great classic food full of quality. Small and romantic and overall special place. Sit out on the patio if you can!
4 - David B.: Hadn't been here in three years, but since our favorite Italian place in Paso (Gaetano's) is no more, came back to Buona Tavola and had an enjoyable experience.

Very broad menu, nice, authentic food, extensive wine list, but wish they had a bigger selection of wines by the glass.  After tasting wine all day, there's just no way The Spousal Unit and I can put away a bottle between the two of us, meaning there are only a few choices availablle for us to select.

Nothing overdone, decent sized portions, maybe a little on the pricey side but overall felt our meal was a good value.  

The only nit-picky elements:  server was friendly enough but not terribly knowledgable and a little slow;  the room is pretty small and busy, so therefore noisy.  Also not sure why the front end of the kitchen is open.   Diners can onlty see the line cooks from about mid-chest up, so there's really nothing to see,  More distracting then entertaining/informative.

Still, a very solid choice for a nice variety of dishes:  recommended!
5 - Lilani E.: This past weekend we went camping and drove into town to meet up with 2 friends. We decided we wanted Italian and according to a local Buona Tavola was the place to go. None of us had eaten there while we were students probably because we couldn't afford it and because the parking is kind of a pain for the location. 

Regardless, the Risotto was DELICIOUS. It was a "grab the edge" of the table plate for sure. The mushroom flavors was delightful and they didn't skimp out on the fresh water shrimp. I paired it with a Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc - BOMB. The mussel and clam appetizer was also just delicious! I can't wait to go back and try other dishes.
2 - Ronny C.: I was not impressed with Buona Tavola. I had heard great things about it, but when I went there the service was terrible. Our waiters forgot about us, and never brought us water or bread. We even asked in a very courteous manner for those things and they still kept forgetting. The risotto was overrated and pretty bland, the carpaccio was not that great. The prosciutto scampi whitesauce pasta was not that great either. Maybe I went there on a bad night, or maybe the place just sucks. I'll probably go again in the future and see if I change my mind
4 - Jessica D.: First off, loved the ambiance. Great indoor dinning but an even better outdoor garden patio. Heaters, a canopy of white Christmas lights and the water fountain added to the comfort and charm.

I enjoyed the Tortelloni stuffed with pumpkin and ricotta cheese in a sage and cream sauce. It was rich and delicious. There were plenty of Italian wines on the menu with a diverse price range. I wasn't, however, so impressed by the cold (but fresh) bread and homemade "Olivata" which I found a bit dry. I prefer  good old e.v.o.o and balsamic with warm bread.

This is a wonderful place to take a date, and I also saw tables set for larger parties of 8! A must try in SLO.
5 - Sport B.: Best Italian in SLO in three years.  The meat sauces are very special.
5 - Marc S.: Excellent Tuscany Italian food.  Great for a business lunch, a romantic date or a family gathering.  The back courtyard is very charming, the meats and pasta are top rate, and plus unique specialties.
3 - Dwigt S.: The food is good, but really pricey (and I am comparing to SF standards!), and the first (and last) time I went there, the service really sucked.  Bleh.
3 - Chris O.: Good, authentic Italian food.
It's fresh~ love the homemade ravioli!!
The back patio is lovely to sit out on (with the heaters on!)
5 - Marie U.: For San Luis Obispo this is as good as it gets.  For the past 15 years I have been able to get my same order and know that it will always be perfect. The back patio is nice almost all year since it's enclosed with heat lamps.  I personally thought the patio was more quaint before the remodel, but I would still choose to sit outside over the small usually crowded dining room.
4 - Roger M.: We've had two good experinces here.  Most recently we met a couple from Cambria and sat in the outdoor patio which was a nice setting. We brought two bottles of wine and I thought their corkage charges were reasonable.  Food-wise I was basically impressed, although I wouldn't recommend the salmon my wife had.  Service was quite good. All in all, a pleasant experience although a tad pricey..
4 - Christy M.: This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in SLO.  Sitting on the back patio under the lights next to the fountain, enjoying the tortelloni di zucca with a glass of pinot noir after spending the day winetasting... ahh, heaven.  

I love BT because you can come here for a  special occasion, a date or just a nice meal before catching a movie, and you'll feel comfortable in any situation.  The atmosphere is warm and comfortable, the food is simple and delicious and they have a great wine list with lots of local vino.  

Everything I've ever had from here has been great, but I usually stick to my fave: homemade tortelloni stuffed with pumpkin and ricotta cheese in a sage and mascarpone cheese sauce topped with toasted walnuts.  It's a good place for groups too, as long as you're okay with sitting on the patio-- which really, who wouldn't be? 

I'm no longer a SLO resident, but Buona Tavola is definitely in my rotation of restaurants that I kindly request/make my parents take me to whenever I go home to visit them.
3 - Christina G.: Good food... but nothing outstanding.  Bordering on a four star review but the high prices sort of bring my rating down (I've had better food at places that take a significantly smaller nip out of my pocket book, see Cafe Roma).

Two dishes stood out in my mind- the pasta arrabiatta & the shrimp-stuffed ravioli.  Their specialty salads were also pretty good (you can't go wrong with fresh mozzerella, tomatoes and capers)  Service here was also fantastic (refills on water, bread & wine were consistent).  Our waiter was also quite friendly and jovial.  We had to order an extra dish for our party to go that had to work, and he was super-quick at rounding it up for us. 

But my shrimp & scallops dish with a saffron sauce was significantly fishy (don't think they prepared the mussels right).  My sister's dish- all of us had to agree it tasted like high-class hamburger helper.

Buona Tavola, you're still A-OK in my book... I would still return here with friends and family.  But be wary... because what dish you order here makes all the difference.  Stick to the raviolis!
4 - Melissa Y.: We rolled into SLO around 7:45pm and need to grab some dinner before everything closed.  Figuring that it's hard to go wrong with Italian, we head over to Buona Tavola and sit on their gorgeous heated back patio. 

I got the fresh tomato soup - I asked for a small, they brought me a large and then charged me for a large.  It was really good so I didn't complain. 

I also ordered the multi-meat pasta.  Chicken, veal, duck, and beef all over light egg noodles.  Very tasty but I have to say that after the full serving of tomato soup, I ended up taking most of this home.  I was feeling adventurous but I don't think that's what I'd get next time.  

Our waitress was a bit spacey.  The place was about 30% full and it took a long time to get our check.  Not the end of the world. Just sayin...
5 - Carrie F.: Buona Tavola is a family favorite. We have held several graduation dinners here on the back patio. The service is always fantastic, and the food is delicious. Can't wait to go back.
5 - Stephanie B.: I'm gonna try to keep this short and sweet - this restaurant was some of the best Italian food I have EVER had, and I've eaten at quite a few Italian restaurants! The food is absolutely delicious and it's worth the money, in my opinion. The atmosphere in the back area is great for dates at night or family gatherings in the morning. All around, a GREAT place to eat!
5 - Nicholas D.: I went in for dinner at 5:30 last night with my girlfriend. Everything was great, the featured wines were spectacular, but my main entree... the Pappardelle alla San Pietro... ohhh how I wish words could describe the taste, but they just don't do it justice. It was mouth-watering deliciousness! All the favors in the dish added up to utter perfection.

It's sad really because I remember everything else as just normal in comparison, except for the wine which marched lockstep in line with my pappardelle! Even my girlfriend put her plate aside after awhile and helped herself to the last few bites of mine. :)

The place is beautiful though and the staff was fun and knowledgeable. Be sure to try this out if you want excellent italian!
4 - Matt and Rita C.: I don't often bother to review restaurants that already have many reviews, but we had a such a nice dinner there tonight that it merits a positive review.  We have eaten at Buona Tavola a number of times over the last 13 years we have lived in SLO, and it has been consistently good.  I would say the food and service this evening were as good as we have experienced in SLO.  The location of the restaurant (right next to the Fremont Theater) and the intimate interior space of the restaurant make for a wonderful atmosphere.  In warm weather, we love the back patio, but on this rainy evening we enjoyed the view of Monterey Street from the huge picture windows in the front of the restaurant.  As vegans (most of the time), we were pleased with the number of vegetarian choices offered on the menu.  Rita had the price fixed special with wine pairings, and was able to order a vegetarian dish for each of her three courses (a lentil soup, an eggplant pasta dish, and a mushroom risotto, all excellent).  I had the penne all'arrabbiata, also excellent.  The dishes may look small, but we found them quite filling.  Wonderful desserts  as well -- I had the Tartufo Italiano Al Cioccolato (chocolate gelato with hazelnuts and espresso -- not vegan, I know), and Rita had a special dessert, a lemon torte.  This probably is the best "date" restaurant in SLO.  A little pricey, but a friendly, warm place that did not leave me feeling ripped off.
5 - Rich H.: My wife and I chose this place for our ninth anniversary. We had a superb experience.

We were offered a a seat on the romantic heated patio, even though it meant a farther walk for the two people who gave us excellent service throughout our 2-hour stay.

We enjoyed a bottle of well-priced local wine, and the bread, appetizers, and pastas were consistently top-notch. with fresh ingredients and delicious combinations. Which did we enjoy more, the pumpkin-stuffed tortellini in a creamy sage sauce, or the scampi-stuffed ravioli in a saffron sauce? We're still not sure. All of it had a made-from-scratch goodness, and we left nothing on our plates.
3 - Bryce W.: This place is pretty good, but I wasn't super impressed. I was disappointed we weren't offered outdoor seating when everyone who came after us was. The indoor seating is very poorly laid out to maximize seating at a huge loss of comfort. The food was pretty good and the prices weren't bad. I'd go again if someone I was with wanted to, but I wouldn't pick it.
5 - Jim B.: Always a great dinner. Make a reservation and sit on the patio for an enchanting evening. Don't miss the pumpkin tortelloni! Service is consistently great and they have an excellent wine list.
5 - Mariana V.: Me and my mom went here, and i was so happy! The service was so amazing! and the salads were so yummy. 
I would definitely recommend this place for some amazing italian food. 
And it isn't to pricey either!
3 - A N.: My wife & I had the 3 courses for $30 meal here last night.  The service was excellent.

For appetizer I chose the Polpettine di anatra e tacchino, which had duck and turkey dumplings sautéed with an onion confit marmalade.  This was delicious & the flavor was unique.  My wife had the Insalata bufala which had grilled marinated eggplant, fresh mozzarella, organic roma tomatoes, arugula, basil, and capers in a red wine vinaigrette dressing.

For the main entree, we both chose Filetto Maremma which was a 4 to 6 oz. Angus beef tenderloin (filet mignon) wrapped in imported prosciutto di Parma, pan-seared and finished in the oven with a marsala wine reduction sauce.  The beef was prepared to order.  But I could not taste much of it due to the marsala wine reduction sauce.  Mind you, the sauce was really good but maybe the beef could have been seasoned to bring more flavor from the meat.  The side dishes included steamed julienne carrots which was sweet balanced well w/the sauce.  The sauteed spinach however was over cooked mushy & brown. 

We both chose Tiramisu for our dessert.  It had a lot of cocoa powder.  The mascarpone was creamy & tasty.

Overall, the service was excellent.  The appetizer was quite good & unique.  The entree was lackluster.  The Tiramisu proved a good ending but could not carry the whole show.  We will probably give Buona Tavola another try next time we are in SLO.
3 - Pomp C.: Buona Tavola prepares respectable Northern Italian-styled cuisine, but don't expect it to push the limits of traditional food. 

On offer are fairly reasonably-priced, house-made pastas and a few protein-dominant entrees that aren't as thrifty. Salads, soups and desserts seem somewhat rote, though in fairness, I haven't visited frequently enough to confirm their stagnancy in that regard.

The best experience I've encountered here was at a winemaker dinner where the chef prepared four courses. It showed some passion and original ideas, whereas the general menu -to me- seems safe. The wine list is also without much flair.

So, if you want Italian food in SLO, BT is hard to beat. Just don't expect too much out of the ordinary and you'll likely enjoy your time there.

Also, a note on service: my girlfriend and I are surprised with its lack of consistency at this restaurant. Mostly it seems to be lovely (if ill-prepared) female Cal Poly students, of which there's an abundance in the region.

 I'd like to see more of an emphasis on training and education as the wine list in particular seems alien to the staff.
4 - Knit G.: Surprise find when in mood for pasta. Great place with amazing authentic Italian pasta dishes and attentive service!  Nice variety of entrees mainly ranging from $15-$35.  Has outdoor and indoor seating, pasta noodles from scratch and fresh seafood!  Highly recommended!
5 - Kori T.: Location - Food - Service - check- check - check. Excellent food and wine list. Handled our larger party of 15 well - and even stayed open past normal closing to accomodate us. 
Additional charm is the outside patio dining area- which they have PLENTY of heat warmers if needed.
Can't go wrong here!
4 - Jaymes H.: Bread with olive spread starts the meal off well. Appetizers and entres are tasty tho portions aren't the largest. Desserts are small but, again, quite tasty.
5 - Chris O.: Ate there last night. WOW! Awesome food! Great service! Decent wine list, although they do a lot more bottles than glasses. Heated back patio for when it's chilly. Different cuisine (Northern Italian), but as good as Giuseppe's (Southern Italian). Love them both equally, but the prices are better at Buona Tavola.
4 - adam b.: I've had seafood pasta at possibly over 100 restaurants.  The seafood was much fresher than average (even the mussels which typically restaurants can never get right).  The pasta noodles were very good as well as the sauce.  I would have liked a bit more flavor with the sauce as it was difficult to taste when eating the pasta noodles.  Complimentary bread was basic.
3 - Prettylilredhead H.: 3.5 stars, respectfully.  

My boyfriend brought me here to celebrate my birthday--surprise trip to SLO, where he grew up and he loved this restaurant, so it was the first place that he thought of to take me.  Very cute restaurant, very cute patio, although it was quite cold the evening we were there.  Ordered a glass of pinot and 2 entrees--I had a pasta bolognese with duck, veal and other assorted goodness and he had chicken in mustard sauce.  My pasta was good--respectable.  His chicken was horrible, imho, but he ate all of it any way.  Ordered tiramisu for dessert and it was one of the worst that I have ever had (one of the worst, not the worst).  I would expect a little more from an Italian restaurant in the tiramisu department--it was basically just cream and chocolate on the top.  Not very tasty.  And it was especially disappointing since that was meant to be my birthday dessert (and I love a good one!!).  I had a very nice time though--service was impeccable, the setting is lovely and it isn't very pricey for such an adorable place.  Will happily return any time I'm in San Luis!
5 - a b.: Everytime I go it's perfect. Good service and good food.
2 - melissa c.: I expected much, much more after getting a high recommendation from our hotel. The environment looks promising, even in the back porch area which has nice greenery and heat lamps.

We ordered a 3 course meal: a salad, pasta, and main entree and their special of the day: seafood pasta in a saffron sauce. The restaurant didn't look too busy, but we only saw our waiter a few of times through the night. 

After about 10 minutes, our pasta from our 3 course meal arrived. The meat tortellini was good, but a bit off balance. It was almost too much heavy flavor packed in homemade pasta dish without a sauce to really offset it. Here we sat with one empty dish on the table, when the table next to us got their entree, finished their entree, and got their entree cleared. We seriously waited 25 minutes between the pasta and the two main entrees arriving. The waiter delivered the entree without an apology for the delay.

The rib eye steak was good, but I was disappointed with their seafood pasta. There was a mound of seafood, including scallops, clams, mussels, lobster tail, etc, but the seafood tasted pretty bland. The sauce was heavy, but not as tasty as Novo's.

No dessert for us, after waiting so long for an entree I was ready to go home.

I was frustrated at the end of our meal, and didn't even want to bother telling the waiter that Buona Tavola pretty much spoiled one of the nights we were out celebrating our anniversary with delayed service and food that disappointed.
2 - Mike G.: While we are locals we have not dined here as knew it was pricey relative to other SLO Italian restaurants. We enjoyed the back patio and the service was excellent. We were both disappointed in the lack of flavor in their pasta specials and Linguine Fradiavolo.  Another concern was that while we could have asked, our fault, we did not get the prices for the 1/2 litre of wine.  A glass of house chianti is $6.00 but our waiter suggested the 1/2 litre which we found on our bill was $26.00 and not very good at that.  Our pasta dishes were $21 and $22 and a shared salad was $15.25.  Added together we spent $111.00 with tax & tip for a marginal dinner.  I doubt we will be back.
4 - Anji R.: I love the authentic cuisine and the back patio is a great way to enjoy outdoor seating in comfort.  The food is always delicious and prepared to perfection.  The staff is knowledgeable and I am always impressed with the correct pronunciation of all of the dishes and wines.  

Just a note - while the establishment is a five star restaurant on the weekends when a manager is noticeably present - the service is a bit more relaxed on the earlier nights of the week.  (The entire staff chewing gum - ick!)  

This place is definitely one of the finer italian restaurants in the area and definitely a great choice for an intimate dinner.
5 - Erin K.: Buena Tavola made me want to go to Italy!  The gnochi was to die for!
4 - shannon M.: I went here last night with my mom, husband and 2 year old son to celebrate my birthday. The decor is awesome (we sat in the back), and the food was wonderful...we didn't have anything we didn't enjoy to the max :) The hostess was also wonderful with my son and very friendly with us. She even chased us down the street after we had left our leftovers on the table :) The only complaint I have is the slow service, we were here on a Sunday night and the restaurant wasn't very busy. If you are on a date and don't have somewhere to get to after your meal then I really recommend this place.
4 - Issa A.: YUM!!! My mouth is watering just thinking about this place.

Make sure to ask for outside patio seating--warm or cold weather (there are heaters that keep you toasty).

The dish names are in Italian, which could confuse people but you should expect that when coming to a nice Italian restaurant :-P

I got a pasta dish with italian chicken sausage, sundried tomatoes, broccoli, tomato sauce, and parmesan cheese. I was trying to get something semi-healthy and it was a delicious choice. My girlfriend got a butternut squash ravioli dish that was amazing! I forget the dish name, but it had the word "zucca" in it.

Service was excellent also! And with my restaurant.com gift certificate, the two dishes and a caprese salad came out 27 bucks including tip!

Definitely will be returning here :)
3 - Saturday night a to Z.: We've been to Buona Tavola five times in the past 15 years.  I'm grading them a C average, but, boy, it's a low C.  The low ratings have mostly been for amazingly bad service.  One time our waiter was such a disaster even the people at the tables next to us were rolling their eyes.  Another time our waiter couldn't be bothered with us.  He was too busy schmoozing with the high rollers next to us--and they weren't even his table.  

The food I've ordered at Buona Tavola has been at times, wonderful, overpriced, okay, average and really good.  I think it really makes a difference what you order.  If you go often enough you know what's great and what to avoid.  

When we went last week I got the salad special and it was delicious--arugula with potatoes, roasted peppers and cheese.  It was also large enough to make a meal of.  I also got the pumpkin tortellini, and they were just as good as I remembered.  C ordered a fish dinner and was unimpressed.  That's okay because I gave him most of my tortellini.  (That salad really was big!)  This time our waitress was nice and fairly efficient, but she just seemed on edge.  Maybe it's not a great place to work.
5 - Jenna T.: I am obsessed with the restaurant. 

Buona Tavola is tied for my favorite restaurant in SLO, and one of my favorites of all time. Everything from food to the servie to the ambiance is incredible. I love the outside patio, and it is surprisingly quite -- you can't hear the traffic or screaming college kids downtown. 

One thing I really like about this place is that you can make it as economical or expensive as you want. The dishes are actually very reasonable such high quality food. But of course, when I dine at BT, I like to go all out.

They have a great wine list, especially local wines. The waiters know their vino, and are great at recommending wine to compliment the different food you're eating. I love the pasta with the italian sausage, and recommend ordering it at least once. Appetizers and desserts are also both great, and I always get at least one of each.

This place is a definite must for both locals and tourists alike.
5 - Cassy B.: My fav Italian place in SLO!! My boyfriend and I love eating on the patio - it's our date spot :) I highly recommend!
3 - Stephanie R.: I could give this restaurant 5 stars if their service was decent. We waited 20 minutes until our waitress came to our table. I noticed that our waitress were taking care of more than 5 tables. We understood that she was trying her best, but we also thought that this restaurant service could be improved by simply increasing the number of waitress. 

By the way, we waited 15 minutes until I could sip my coffee because our waitress forgot we ordered coffee. 

Lastly, our waitress didn't bother to ask me a refil for coffee...
4 - James S.: The food was very solid.  I can't quite say outstanding, hence the 4 stars.  But very tasty.  Service was very good.  The ambiance in the courtyard was delightful.
4 - mike T.: Went to this the other day for my b-day. Very good, we had an excellent waitress who it seemed had the entire front end of the restaurant to deal with including us. She did a very good job of juggling the tables and getting service to every one. I had one of the specials of the night, The pork shank. Awesome, cooked perfectly and it came with some tasty green beans and these little potato wedges that tasted like salty fried mashed potato's. My wife had the gnocchi, this was good but not great. It was served with a pesto white sauce which was kind of bland. She also had the butternut squash soup which was excellent.
4 - Jay P.: My wife and I hit this restaurant on an absolutely exquisite evening. It's one of those places that makes you feel good just walking in. The front part of the restaurant is a traditional storefront and it feels like one of those romantic cozy big city restaurants with gorgeous picture window seats. But in the back is a lovely and larger courtyard that feels much more pastoral...more Central California coastal. We opted for this part of the restaurant, which turned out to be a good thing because our server was none other than the perpetually cheerful and competent Lizzie. She saw to it that we enjoyed ourselves all the way through the meal without being intrusive. 

Highlights of the meal included the organic beet salad (huge chunks of earthy, sweet goodness in red and golden varieties) and the saffron half-moon shaped pasta stuffed with shrimp scampi. The former was as good as we've had of its kind anywhere. The latter was the best pasta dish either of us had ever tasted, and we've had them everywhere. Everything is housemade and no corners are cut.

We both thought the famous olive tapenade was overrated and too tangy and we have had better elsewhere. The focaccia bread was also uninspired and smacked to much of Wonder White bread. However, the rustica bread was crusty and chewy--a perfect combination and exceedingly authentic.

The wine list was actually not that overwhelming, but my $9.00 Rombauer Cab turned out to be a fine choice. I felt a bit bad about not ordering a local wine, but I am actually a bigger fan of the full-bodied reds from up north. No matter, the meal was heavenly from start to finish.

We are going to the Paso Robles location this evening--we need a saffron fix!

A highly recommended restaurant. Very capable service and very well managed.
3 - Adam T.: Solid, not fabulous.  Went here on a rainy Saturday.  Ordered a glass of wine (not that reasonably priced, given that I paid $12 for a glass and can get the bottle for $20).  We ordered an antipasti of the day, which was a selection of salamis and cheeses.  It was good, but it doesn't make sense to me that the antipasti was portioned for one, so we had to pay for two portions to share (it was still not that expensive, but what kind of antipasti is just for one? really!).  I ordered a pretty plain olive oil pasta - nothing to write home about, the flavors were solid and the tomatoes fresh, but I could have gotten this anywhere.  The boy ordered pumpkin gnocchi which sounded cool, but the sauce was SO overpowering, you couldn't tell it was pumpkin, so the neatness kind of got defeated.

I normally score high, so this place would usually get a four star, but our waitress wasn't that friendly, seemed to look down on us just because we were young (yes, this does effect what I order, so if you're rude, don't expect me to spend as much and therefore to give you a smaller tip), and it was expensive, so it only gets 3.  There are definitely better places in SLO, even if this is the best Italian.
4 - Paige W.: If you want to take a lovely lady out for a romantic dinner, please take her here. The food is outstanding and this cozy restaurant is so intimate that you will have a night to remember guaranteed. The back patio is the best with its christmas lights that add to the ambiance so delicately. Very romantic.
4 - itl c.: Great place.  the food is generally excellent and WHAT an atmosphere.  The back patio is one of the romantic settings I think I've been in.  Service is very good.  My only complaint?  The price of the appetizers.  We got one that was excellent - salami - but it was $24!  I'm kind of a cheapo.  That's just too much.  But regardless, I will def be back.  I think it embodies the SLO life so I like to take visitors here to get a sense of the area.
4 - Bridget W.: Awesome restaurant! The food was original but tasty :) the names of the food were hard to pronounce but the waiters and waitresses helped :) I had tortolini stuffed with mozzarella with chicken in a light tomato sauce. I loved it! I left stuffed and happy. The servers were very helpful and attentive. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. 

P.S. - Parking can be difficult to find if cannot find a space on the street.
5 - Lana A.: Excellent Italian restaurant with savory sauces that will have you telling everyone!   Hands down to an excellent business !!
5 - John B.: Buona Tavola is my absolute favorite eating place on the Central Coast. The food is always excellent, the service is top notch ... and the deserts (which I can usually avoid when I eat out) are to die for. Whether you are in San Luis Obispo or Paso Robles (they have two locations) you can't go wrong.
4 - ryan s.: 5 stars for the amazing food... minus one star for the long wait for a table 
with reservations outside in the cold. No bar to wait at and a very small restaurant. Great teamwork/service from servers. Prices were cheap considering the quality of the food. I will dine here again...and again. I will just arrive late next time for my reservation.
5 - Chelle S.: They were very accommodating, best pasta I have ever had :)
5 - rahul t.: My wife and I had an absolutely delightful meal here. We normally eschew Italian restaurants because we can make crude imitations of these dishes at home. However, this restaurant is different -- the flavors were excellent. The service was awesome. And, this was one of the best grilled chicken dishes I have ever had [in a mustard sauce]. Again, excellent meal and experience.
4 - Connie C.: Definitely one of the better Italian restaurants that I've been to. It's a really small restaurant with a very nice patio in the back. Like eeryone said, the patio is beautiful and not your typical patio out in the cold- there's enough heaters around the room to keep you warm. However, if you tend to get cold easily, you will want to bring a sweater or wrap.

Anyways, food was delicious. My bf had their orrecchiatte with chicken sausage, and I had their seafood linguine. Both were delicious. This place is not stingy on their seafood and sausages! Our dishes were loaded with them, to the point where it felt like it was never ending. I kept tellin my bf that my pasta was never ending, no matter how much I ate, I still had so much left. 

We shared their vanilla creme with chocolate and caramel sauce. It was good, but very rich.  I was feeling the main course far more than the dessert.

Great place for a nice date. =)
4 - Anna Marie G.: I looked up Gluten-Free in SLO and this is one of the places that came up and it was not far from Quality Suites where I was staying.

I instantly liked the place and if it had been warm out I would have dined in their lovely courtyard, which could be considered a romantic setting.

My server was very attentive and knew the wine list well.  

My first course was the cesear salad which lacked that special zing that the right amount of garlic and other typical flavors bring that this dressing is known for.

I was very happy to find that they carry at least two varieties of pasta shapes and that many of their sauces are gluten-free.  I ordered penne with a sage & saffron sauce and added some fresh house-made chicken sausage.  It was deliscious, well seasoned and creamy.  I was very pleased with this dish.

Of the desserts, they either did not appeal to me or all contained wheat products.

I also had a glass of wine, which put my dinner bill over $30.  Over all I was happy to get a lovely GF dinner at a nice place, but at that price I can't go there often.

I would eat here again and recommend it to others for dinner on a special occasion when you want to splurge.

~AM
5 - Aleah A.: Exceptional team atmosphere at Buona Tavola - from the front of house, bussers, servers working together seamlessly... just a fantastic experience, which is a big part of dining in my opinion.

Nice and reasonably priced wine selection. Enjoyed the Treana white Rhone blend and a couple different ports with a great special chocolate souffle type of dessert. Bruschetta with goat cheese was very good with beautifully ripe and delicious tomato!

Split a caesar with fresh shaved cheese and we both enjoyed our pastas. Something must be said for an arrabiata that doesn't have to overwhelm with heat in order to be tasty - was seasoned perfectly with just enough heat.

Drove from Morro Bay to get some quality Italian before a triathlon we had the next morning - well worth it. Will be back next year. Same time, same place. Thanks BT!!!
5 - Alex C.: Amazing Italian food. Went here with the girlfriend for a romantic dinner and it did not disappoint. The specials may be a bit overpriced but its well worth it as the food here is exceptional. A great spot for a special night out with your loved one.
5 - G M.: Went here a few months ago for a date and we each did a prix fixe type dinner, which were both excellent! We also ordered a barbera wine that the waitress suggested, which we also enjoyed and were able to take home after we weren't able to finish all of it. We were also sat next to the fountain outside, providing a nice, romantic ambiance.

Sadly, it was awhile ago when we ate here, so I don't remember all of the details, but I know I would gladly return. I remember devouring my salad and really enjoying the (second) pasta course. My girlfriend ordered a steak and I had the eggplant for the final course, each were warm upon arrival and cooked as ordered.

Unfortunately, I had a dessert prepared for the second half of the date, so we did not order one here, but when I come back, I'd be interested in trying it!

If you don't mind spending a little more, I definitely recommend this place for a date! It's sure to impress whoever you bring along =)
5 - Noelia L.: I went to San Luis Obispo about two weeks ago with my boyfriend, mother, grandma, and sister. The day was going great and I wanted to end the day with a nice dinner. It took a while convincing my boyfriend and family in eating at this restaurant, they felt that they were under dressed and the prices were a bit high. I started pouting and I said in a dramatic voice, "I just wanted to end this great day with a nice dinner" and they finally agreed to eat here and I would have to say that at the end of the night they did not regret their decision. 

Everyone felt under dressed and uncomfortable but as we all walked in, the employees greeted us and made us feel welcomed. They already had a table ready for us for I had made reservations through Yelp 20 minutes earlier. We sat down and they brought out bread with this olive spread which was very addictive. Our waitress was so attentive and helpful, she even knew Spanish and helped my grandmother choose her meal. The food came out and everything was delicious. We had mushroom bruchetta with goat cheese, very very very good. My mother and sister shared a simple pasta with tomato sauce, even though simple, it was still very good. My boyfriend and I got pasta with seafood in a saffron sauce. I was reluctant to get the special because I was not to sure about the saffron sauce. No regrets, it was great. The sauce was not overwhelming and delicious with all the seafood. My grandma got gnocchi in pesto and I would have to say this was my favorite even though I do not really like gnocchi. The gnocchi was soft and the sauce was delicious. It was so good that I was tempted in stealing my grandma's left overs when we dropped her off at her house! The bill came and the amount on the bill was what was expected. 

Overall the food was great, and the service was also great. It was a perfect ending to our day in San Luis Obispo.
4 - doug h.: This is wedged between a county government building and the Fremont theater.
We went for dinner fare and it was $70 for two with adult drinks. Had lamb steak, potatoes, spinach and carrots all very good. Also the shrimp risotto with garlic bread and was very tasty. I saw them selling at the thursday night farmers market with bbq fare. 

Good service and the outside garden patio is cozy.  Just bring some extra dollars.
4 - James P.: My girlfriend and I got a last minute reservation here on New Year's Day 2011. What a treat! It is a small place and the seating is tight, but there is no loss in intimacy.  The food was fantastic, pasta perfectly cooked, incredibly fresh, light and savory flavors.  Excellent wine menu.  Pefect Italian dinner!
5 - Korinna P.: If I woke up in Buona Tavola's garden patio without knowing where I was and ate the food served, I swear I would think I was tucked away in a cozy Venetian restaurant amidst zigzagged streets.

After coming back from Italy and having had the pleasure of indulging in true Italian cuisine from various regions, Buona Tavola scores so far up my dining ladder in offering true, unpretentious Italian cuisine where every ingredient is fresh and has a specific purpose without overpowering each other.

The ambiance in the garden is fantastic and the food - MAMA MIA!

My husband and I brought with us to Buona Tavola a beautiful Castello Del Trebbio Lastricato Chianti Rufina Riserva 2006 which we had purchased from the winery and held onto for a nice Italian dinner. We were both SO pleased that it was Buona Tavola who did justice to the wine as it would have been a waste elsewhere.

Our waiter, Lorenzo was fabulous and as with true Italian tradition of making dining an experience, rather than a task, he was not only informative but allowed us to truly enjoy every bite of our meal.

When you go to Buona Tavola, don't rush yourself. Feast and take pleasure in what is in my book, one of the Central Coast's most fabulous restaurants.

What we had:

Antipasti: Affettati misti (a fantastic way to start your meal - the prosciutto from Parma melted in my mouth and the combination of cheeses, spread, grilled bell peppers and salami were fantastic)

Primi: Fettuccine al sugo di carni miste (from the first bite, I thought, 'now this must have been cooked for 3 hours' - to die for!)

Primi: Tortiglioni del buon gustaio (hubby's)

Secondi: Veal in some sort of a sauce that was on the special menu for the evening (not my absolute favorite and was cooked a bit on the well-done side even though I had asked for medium, bordering rare, my husband liked it though)

Secondi: Filetto di Manzo (hubby's)

A couple of fabulous espressos followed by a couple of Lungarotti Vin Santos (a bit too harsh with dipped biscotti for my taste) to marry everything down

Overall, if you want to relive your northern Italian trip or decide to have REALLY good food that even the nonnas would be proud of - get yourself some special friends to dine with and set aside a few hours to live happily at Buona Tavola!
4 - Gregg H.: The back patio has an extremely nice ambiance and environment.  Buona Tavola is a great place to take a date or, like my girlfriend and I did, go on a simple anniversary dinner.  The waiter was friendly and knew how to say all the Italian dishes.  The food is pretty good.  It wasn't anything special but it wasn't bad either.  I liked it alot!
4 - Mr. Helper l.: Nice ambiance in beautiful downtown SLO.  No one sits inside, at least when the weather is good.  The rear patio is great.  Extensive menu with creative choices.  I think the Paso Robles location is a tad better.  That said, you can't go wrong here.
2 - Brittany C.: No reservations and got seated pretty quick.
Food was decent. 
Nothing any other italian restaurant doesn't have.
Service however was teribble, at least from our waiter.
The bus boy ended up taking care of us the entire night.
He got the tip. 
For a wonderful italian experience I highly recomend my favorite restaurantin santa barbara, Bucattini's!
4 - Ashley P.: I think the greatest attraction to this restaurant is their back patio.  If you were to walk by the restaurant you would never notice the hidden jem in the back!  It's great for a romantic dinner.  Their food was great, I had the burratta salad and the pesto gnocchi and it was perfect.  The burratta was perfectly gooey and the gnocchi had a great but not an overpowering flavor.  My boyfriend and I stayed there for a few hours with our late night coffee while enjoying the scenery.  It's a must try!
5 - Jaime M.: AMAZING! Went there with a group of 7 after an all-day meeting and was seated right away on the beautiful patio.  I felt like I was in Italy! I think we were there for about 2-3 hours, but only because we were having such a great time.  Wine list is great but I would suggest asking the prices of the bottles.  I had the Tortelloni di zucca alla salvia e marsapone and I highly recommend it! Anybody going to San Luis Obispo should check it out!
5 - Mandy L.: Loved this place! My boyfriend and I were passing through town and tried to find an Italian restaurant. Glad we found this place. Very friendly staff and yummy food. The server was also very knowledgeable on the menu and very helpful in choosing our meals. The food was filling and tasty. Also a nice atmosphere on the outside patio. Enjoy!
5 - Sophia W.: Such good food and great ambience. We had a waiter with such a thick accent, it was difficult to understand the specials for the evening, but it made us laugh. Caprese salad is amazing, I order it every time!
5 - Sabina M.: Buona Tavola is the ultimate date restaurant.  Firstly because it's Italian (and how can that NOT bring to mind "Lady and the Tramp?"), but also because it's damn good Italian, and the patio area is simply gorgeous.  For an upscale restaurant, it's not terribly pricey either... if I'm remembering correctly, it's roughly $12-18 an entree for dinner, which is about what the other places (Giuseppe's, Mamma's Meatball, etc) charge.  The service is very friendly and polite, the atmosphere is charming and romantic, and as you're gazing at your beau across the table over the rim of your wineglass with a plate of steaming hot deliciousness in front of you, you'll feel like dancing slowly on a rooftop to "Misty" as the moonlight bathes everything in a silver gleam.

Ok maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration.
But seriously though, this place is awesome, and you should go there.
5 - Michael T.: This place is that good! I've been to many Italian restaurants esp. in Berkeley and San Francisco- this place is excellent.

I'll start off with their main dish- try the Pumpkin Ravioli. Absolutely excellent dish. I tried this dish at many other places but they can't beat! Moreover, their bread and dip is excellent. 

This is a nice place if you want to watch the movies- just go next door!
1 - Jean F.: Just returned from dinner and had to tell everyone this is one big Miss!!!  Went because of the Yelp reviews, but anything but 5star.  Service was just terrible.  Don't mind waiting a few minutes between courses, but I think 20 minutes is too long.  Outdoor courtyard has potential, but the glaring light bulbs need to be turned down, walls should have some faux painting, windows need shutters, and more plants on walls and in and around fountain.  Planters are void of plants!!!  Cleared entree dishes and never returned to ask about dessert or coffee.  After another 15 minute wait, we decided just to flag down the next employee and request our cheque.  Saw an upcharge for a sauce that we didn't order, but the waitress tried to convince us that was the sause ordered.  It was removed from the cheque but thought the charge for the glass of wine was also incorrect.  Upon leaving I looked at the wine list and indeed the charge was more that listed on the wine menu.  Questioning it, I was told to contact the manager - better to warn potential guests through Yelp.
5 - Daniel G.: To the entire world of Yelpers...
Wow, wow and one more wow!!!
On Sunday night, my fiancee were visiting
SLO for a quick get-a-way from Los Angeles.
We wanted really good Italian food so decided
to 'Yelp' Buono Tavola. 
We read great reviews and thought we'd give it a try.
We arrived a bit late (9:10pm) but were told that we could
still make dinner. 
The young lady working the hostess stand was very nice,
and told us that if we wouldn't mind waiting 15 mins, that
she could seat us in the outdoor patio in back.
Outdoor patio?? We had no idea there was such a thing 
at the restaurant so were very impressed to have the option.
When we sat down, our server was very professional in telling
us the nightly specials and offered us something to drink.
When it came time to order, my fiancee had the pumpkin filled
ravoli's and I opted for the hat shaped pasta with red sauce
and chicken sausage..
Can I please say this again; WOW!!!!
The flavors, portions and more importantly the service
was excellent.
What a gem for SLO.
Please if you're in the neighborhood, stop by for lunch
or dinner.
The staff that night was very helpful (you could tell that
everyone had a long night-but it did not show).
The next time we are in SLO, Buono Tavola is on our list
for dinner.
Grazie,
Daniel
5 - Frank K.: Fantastic Italian Restaurant in SLO! 

I am from the Bay Area where there is an abundance on fantastic Italian restaurants, this one should be there, also! 

My wife and I made reservations, found parking, which wasn't hard, and went to the restaurant (which is located next to the Fremont Theater).

The staff was excellent! I cannot say enough FANTASTIC things about them!

My wife and I were sat in the patio, which is beautiful at night with the small, white lights glistening everywhere.  While we were trying to decide what to have for dinner.... a voice came out from one of the large green plants behind me, (no, it wasn't God), it was a young man who was part of the staff, and he recommended that we try
Tortelloni di zucca alla salvia e mascarpone, which is 
home made tortelloni stuffed with pumpkin and ricotta cheese in a sage and mascarpone cheese sauce topped with toasted walnuts.

It was to die for! I will order this as my last dinner, before I'm executed, for sure.

I go to San Luis Obispo once a week for business, and this will be my 'go to' spot for Italian, hands down!
5 - Taylor M.: Amazing place! Very romantic took my girlfriend there for our 1 year anniversary! The food was pricey but it was worth every penny.
5 - Geri O.: The best Italian restaurant that I've ever been to, outside of Europe!

My parents drive all the way from the Bay to "visit" me...but I know that they are secretly just down here in SLO to eat at Buona Tavola!

The service is very good. Very professional, but without the hint of snooty-ness.

The handmade pastas are what shine on their menu.  My favorite is the Agnolotti...delicious scampi filled delicate pasta pockets (like ravioli) in a saffron infused sauce.   I don't think I've EVER had anything there that I've not been in love with.

Perfect for a romantic date night. I would recommend sitting in the rear "outdoor" patio.
3 - DeDe K.: I would give it 3.5 stars. My gf and I stopped by here while we were on our road trip. The place looked cute and we were both in the mood for Italian food and wine. When we entered, the place did not appear to be that crowded or busy, but the hostesses (there were 2 of them) told us to sit down and wait because the servers had to "catch up." We thought that was a bit unusual. We sat there and the hostesses asked us if we wanted a glass of wine while we waited. There is no bar or really a waiting area. Just 2 chairs by the front door. Quaint I suppose. We ordered mushroom bruschetta as an appetizer. It was very good, but we thought it would also include tomatoes like traditional bruschetta. It just had mushrooms, olive oil and goat cheese on the top. It was delicious. For dinner I had an AMAZING vegetarian lasagna. Squashes, layered w/tomato sauce, cheese and roasted red and yellow peppers. God it was GREAT! My gf and I shared it. When our bill came we got charged extra for the goat cheese on the bruschetta. I thought that was odd and questioned the waiter. He said there was an additional charge for it and it was listed on the menu. We never mentioned we wanted goat cheese. He didn't delete it from our bill until I told another server and then the manager came over and took care of it. So to summarize, the food was amazing. The wine was great. The servers/hostesses need a little more training. :)
4 - Lia A.: this place holds a very special place in my heart. authentic italian, classy and inviting environment (the main dining room is a little tight, but the back patio is wonderful), and always friendly service.
5 - Alison M.: Excellent food, excellent service and beautiful ambiance! Definitely try to sit on the patio.
5 - Julie G.: Just had a wonderful meal...excellent food, knowledgable server, well paced service.  A gem.
4 - Gabrielle M.: Once again Yelp came through to help me find a place to eat in a place that I did not know. 

The restaurant was so cute a cozy, great for a little private time for me and my fiance. We made reservation through Open Table on their Yelp page and it was great! We even arrived 45 min before closing and they still gave us excellent service. The service and food was so good and we had a lovely dinner. Their menu was extensive and choices for anyones taste. 

Not knowing the area I asked the waitress and waiter if they knew of a place to get my nails done and she recommended a whole bunch of places with different price ranges. She even asked the table next to us and we got into a great conversation with the couple. New friends! LOL


If we are ever in SLO we are definitely going to eat there again!
5 - Sarah M.: My experience here was absolutely fantastic.  Or, to copy an earlier review: Buona Tavola is now my favorite Italian restaurant outside of Italy.

The place was so packed that we were seated roughly five minutes after our reservation time at 7 PM.  That five minute delay got us free bruschetta from the hostess.  I loved the bruschetta, and my boyfriend won't stop talking about the olive tapenade that you get with the bread on the house.

My boyfriend likes meat.  However, the meatiest entrees were $20+... sort of outside his budget.  Instead, he got a cheaper dish-- fettuccine with braised chicken, duck, veal, and beef-- mainly because he wanted the meat.  He actually liked the pasta more than he liked the meat!  The homemade pasta here is really, really delicious.  My risotto entree was (in my opinion) even better than my boyfriend's fettuccine.

Finally, we had the "special dessert", which was hazelnut-infused chocolate souffle on raspberry puree and vanilla creme, topped with raspberry puree and mint-topped vanilla ice cream.  That was delicious.

I'm no good at writing food reviews, so I can't really give my meal the credit it deserves.  The best I can say is that every dish my boyfriend and I tried at Buona Tavola was delicious, that the hostess and waitress bent over backwards to make us feel at home, and that I've never had a more romantic dinner.
4 - Lola D.: Fantastic service! Really attentive and knowledgeable.  Menu is laid out in courses and individually priced for each course.   Not your run of the mill Italian entrees.   Everyone at the table was very satisfied.  We will be back!!
5 - Michael S.: Terrific, small interior, great attitude, and wonderful food. The agnolotti are delicate creations, with saffron and shrimp, and are outstanding. The service, from the initial welcome to our table, was friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. Even though on the night we dined there, there was a large group in the outdoor space, we always felt that our server was taking good care of us. For the quality, one would expect to pay much more, but one of the most amazing things about this great restaurant is the extremely reasonable pricing. Recommended for a quiet dinner or for larger groups, it's hard to see how one could go wrong by coming to Buona Tavola.
5 - Doug L.: Great food. Funny waiter. MY daughters fell in love with the water boy. Great atmosphere. A real treat!
5 - Kristen S.: My husband and I were traveling to the SLO area the week after Christmas and on our drive in started looking for some Italian restaurants. My husband and I wanted a nice Italian dinner with more of a southern Italian influence. I looked at a few places and ultimately decided on this place. I was able to make a reservation through open table (awesome) and were looking forward to it.

We get to our motel :-/, I ask the guys up front (who looked like salt of the earth kind of people) if they liked this place and they said that the portions where too small and it was too expensive....I thought, PERFECT! If you hate it, then I will love it!

And we did, the food was so flavorful and the service was very good. We sat in the back patio area and were plenty warm. I would highly recommend this place, if I lived closer it would end up on my regular places to dine.
1 - Kent W.: Disappointing. Bland, boring food.  Good service. Olive tapenade wierd flavor. Caesar fresh & ok but not very much flavor. Pasta heavy and very bland.
2 - William P.: I will preface this review by stating that we went here on New Year's Eve and it was crowded. Now, that being said, the service was absolutely horrid. We made reservations for 7:30PM, arrived on time, waited outside in the cold until 7:50PM (no waiting area inside), then when they called us in and we squeezed through the waiter's station to the back patio area, they informed us that they made a mistake, the table was for another party (that arrived after us). We squeezed back through the narrow waiter's station, back outside for another 15 minutes. When we were escorted back in, the table was barely big enough for our party. They never asked us if we wanted drinks, appetizers, anything...just shoved the holiday shortened menu in front of us and left us to ourselves for another 15 minutes. We asked for the waiter, he came over, we placed our orders (including the pre-dinner champagne cocktail), then waited about 20 minutes before the cocktails showed up. The three courses followed in a very slow fashion. The food was very good, for the most part, but the portions were terribly small. Service continued to be slow, no clean up. Then we had to flag the waiter down again to order dessert, no offer of coffee (not on the menu that night), so I ventured to order a cappucino. Mistake...that took additional time. 

When we are in the area again, I think we will give them another try on a week night not during a holiday. Other reviews seem to indicate the food is good and even suggest you might get decent service when they are not busy.
5 - Jeremiah S.: My favorite restaurant in town. The service, wine, and food are amazing.
5 - Mathew R.: The Italian food here is real and tastes so amazing. Everyone here is so friendly and nice and never had to ask for a refill on my drinks. I will definitely be coming back here again. I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone
4 - Emily Y.: This is my second time coming here in a long time. Came here with a date and were seated in the back patio. Very cozy, warm and romantic.  
We started off with some red wine and the Bruschetta ai funghi trifolati, which were the mushrooms. 
Amazing. I love mushrooms in general, but this appetizer was delicious especially with the sauce. Then we had the mussels...but they were eh. I didn't care for it. To me, it was bland. I love seafood, but the mussels and clams just weren't cutting it.

For the main dish, I ordered the Pappardelle alla San Pietro. Every ingredient in that dish tasted fresh and seasoned well. The wide ribbon pasta was cooked just right. 

Service was nice, a bit slow but it was on a Saturday during President's Weekend. My date even surprised me with a late birthday chocolate gelato with a candle on it while I was in the bathroom. :) 
Funny, he told me he can embarrass himself in public and I said how so? And he goes on to list a few things like knocking a glass of wine off the table. I just laughed. 

Well before I knew it, I somehow knocked my glass of red wine off the table.That has never happened before in my life! He totally jinxed me! 
I'd like to thank the staff again for cleaning up the spill and the broken glass right away. 
Thank God, they didn't have carpet in there :)
2 - Keith M.: When my wife asked the waiter if there was anything he'd like to share with us, as in the daily specials, and he tells her that he "really liked her haircut," I knew that that this would be an odd experience. Busboy service was terrific; our water was refilled faster than Babu Bat could say, "you're a very bad man, Jerry." However, the food seemed to take an extraordinarily long time to arrive, and when it did, it was just okay. My buffalo mozzarella salad was very soggy, and my Mahi-Mahi was reasonably tasty, but the sides were way too garlicky. Our wine service was poor.  The waiter neglected to see if we wanted more after finishing our mediocre half-bottle of Pinot Grigio.  No managerial oversight, either. We were with our daughter and her friends, so it wasn't the time or place to make a scene, but rest assured, this place is not on my list of restaurants to revisit. Too many awesome places like Nomo and Ciopinot in town. 
I'm writing this the following morning after multiple bathroom visits. Chef's last laugh? Nah, I don't believe in that stuff.
3 - Sharon H.: My GF and tried this restaurant on a recommendation from our hotel.  We were seated in the outside patio and were pleasantly surprised how toasty warm it was on a very cold night.  Both the  service and ambiance were fantastic.  

She ordered the sea bass which was grilled with a little white wine and lemon and was delicious.  I ordered the seafood pasta which was also wonderful.  But I have to say the beet salad with grapefruit and goat cheese that we shared, was absolutely the best I have ever had.  the waiter was very nice to advise that there was a $2.95 charge to split, so we just asked for a separate plate and it was more than ample.

I would definitely return, and would give this four stars if the wine selections were better. 
The only down side was a very limited choice of wines by the glass, and the Chardonnay available was not that good.
4 - John L.: Took my girlfriend here for dinner and it definitely did not disappoint! SLO county is known for it's small restaurant gems and I had to look hard for Buona Tavola. Being in downtown SLO, parking will always be a pain... but luckily there is a parking structure nearby Buona. It's right next to the Fremont theatre and Shins!

They took my really last-minute reservation (I called at 5 PM for a reservation at 7PM) and happily reserved a table in their romantic seating in the back.

We were greeted by a waiter with bread and butter. The bread was a bit too hard, but supposedly freshly made by the restaurant. 

We ordered the Risotto and the Antipasta which were extremely flavourful. I wish I knew specifically what we got, but it's been a while.

PRETTY MUCH, the ambiance is what makes this place great. Coupled with good company and good food, Buona Tavola is definitely a great place for a date or a small group hang out.
5 - L A.: Amazing food and ambiance to accompany it, not to mention great customer service. Food is locally sourced and menu changes regularly. Menu is extensive with lots of choices. Highly recommend reservation as the place is intimate aka small.
4 - Berklee L.: My friend and I were in SLO for a girls' weekend, and this restaurant was recommended by a friend of a friend. We're so glad we started our weekend here.

The food was really yummy; I had the pumpkin tortelloni, and my friend had the halibut special. We also split the special salad with this amazing cheese imported from Italy called burrata, which was recommended by our server. It was even better than he described. We finished the meal off with the Tiramisu, which is the best one I've ever had. I usually don't even like Tiramisu, but this one was heavenly.

The wines were yummy. I don't remember which ones we ordered, but we had quite a few and liked almost all of them.

The ambiance was lovely; we sat on the back patio, which was nice and cozy thanks to the heat lamps.

I also need to thank our waiter, who went above and beyond our expectations. He drew us a map with suggested wineries to visit, spent lots of time discussing local wines, and was an all-around delight throughout the evening. We'll be sure to sit in his section next time we're in town :-)
4 - Nat Y.: I am a fan of this restaurant, but I'm also extremely picky about which dishes to choose.  Some of their basic dishes with just tomato sauce is seriously a rip off with a minuscule portion. I do think they are one of the best seafood-Italian restaurants in SLO.  I always enjoyed their daily specials, since they incorporated sauces like butter saffron which complimented their fresh seafood selections.  You will, however, pay a premium for their dishes, so if you are looking for more of a casual ambiance you should head to the other Italian options in SLO.  Its a good option to take your parents who are visiting, or a first date.  

Oh, and their chocolate lava cake with cream anglaise...if you ever, ever, hear them mention it as their  special, don't hesitate to order it even if you're stuffed.  You will thank me later.  I used to frequent this establishment when I was in school, but I only  ate it once.  :( It caused a domino effect in the patio where one table ordered one after the other because the smell was seriously intoxicating!
4 - Dixon S.: We were here for our aniversary and I will say that although the place was extremely crowded, the service was good and the food excellent (probably explains the crowds).
Very nice place with a great patio dining area. I had the Chicken Alfredo pasta dish that came with a really good salad and some great artisan bread. It is a little pricey, but was well worth it for the food and dining experience.
5 - Aj S.: Delicious food.. the tortelloni was so good! Highly recommend... love the outdoor seating
5 - Jeanette S.: We had not been to Buona Tavola in years. We were not disappointed! We sat on the patio under accent lighting and eventually, heaters. It was a romantic experience for a middle age, married many years couple! Our waiter was courteous, the food tasty, service excellent. We are anxious to return.
4 - Justin S.: Solid, two nights in a row. We were on a weekend road trip from San Francisco and Yelp pointed us here. Its really a great little restaurant and next time were down this way we will be sure to stop in for dinner..
5 - Real M.: I was in the area on my way to the airport and I saw this place, checked Yelp and decided to give it a try, I am glad I did. It is an Italian restaurant with a very traditional Italian restaurant feel. They have an outdoor dining area which was very, very nice. The service here was some of the best I have ever received. Every person I passed greeted me in some way and the waiter was fantastic. He found the perfect balance between being attentive but not overwhelming. Had an answer to every question I had (and I had a few since some of the menu is in Italian) without any hesitation. Water was filled as soon as it was empty, plates removed promptly, food good out in the perfect amount of time, the whole staff was on point.

On to the food, the menu has a pretty decent amount of selections and they seem to have really done well in pairing flavors and items throughout. They had a three course option for a pretty reasonable price which was tempting but I went with a bone-in ribeye that was out of this world. I'm not sure the reduction sauce they used but it hit the spot. All parties left full and very satisfied. Something else to note, they provide bread with an olive, mustard seed spread that was excellent. You can buy a jar as well and you can bet I did just that. Overall you are looking at 20-30 bucks a plate for top notch food and service a heck of a bargain if you ask me.
5 - Katie L.: Very cute restaurant!

Our server was awesome!! She is blonde and I believe her name is Amanda. She was so helpful and super attentive!!

Started with the butternut squash soup and Caprese salad. Mozzarella was perfect! Creamy and flavorful. They serve capers with the Caprese which was a little weird.

The olive tampenade to begin with is so freaking good! The mustard seeds in it is what makes it amazing!

Pumpkin and Ricotta Tortellini with mascarpone sauce. Super creamy, rich and delicious! I couldn't finish the plate! Not too sweet, just right!

Mama got the Shrimp and Prosciutti Anglotti with Saffron Sauce. She died right there in ecstasy!!  She couldn't stop raving about it! Highly recommend!
4 - Kristen D.: Wonderful food, great patio out back!! I will be back for their cheese and pumpkin tortellini with sage butter sauce!
5 - Christine S.: I love this play.  The service is great.  Love the food and olive tampenade that comes with the bread.  We usually eat out on the back patio, lovely atmosphere.   My husband is gluten intolerant and they have a full gluten free menu and bread.  I've gone there at least a dozen times and have always had a great experience!
4 - Dana F.: We decided to have dinner at Buona Tavola during our visit last week and it was as good as we had hoped. I had the special, which was chard and ricotta stuffed tortelloni, which was delicious and my gf had the cappellini with tomatoes. I think she was a little disappointed that there wasn't more of a sauce and I thought the pasta was a bit overcooked, but it was still good. The wine, the flourless chocolate cake for dessert and their perfect espresso topped off the night. We will definitely be back.
2 - Kapualani B.: I've given this restaurant a 5 in the past, but I'm giving this information to remind the management to keep an eye on quality control.  The atmosphere is always pleasant though two tables after us had their orders taken and bread served before us.  In our caesar salad, the lettuce was old with pink edges and the shavings of parmesan cheese were too large.  Since we enjoy eggplant, we ordered the pasta that indicated a tomato red sauce with eggplant.  Well it was disappointing with too much oil, was overcooked and only a few pieces.
4 - D B.: We love this restaurant!

From the moment you walk int to the time you leave the knowledgeable staff makes you feel at home.

We always start off with one of the awesome starter dishes followed by a salad, and then an entree.  The salads are large, so if you are not looking for a big meal you can always pass, or split it with someone at your table.

The wine list is full of local wines and the staff is great at suggesting one to go with your meal. It is a great spot to try local wines.  

I sugest trying one of the specials, they always seem to be on par, and I yet to have been disappointed.  If you are not into the specials the mustard chicken is great or the salmon.

This place rocks!
5 - Matt P.: Loved it. Great waiter. Scampi in saffron to die for
5 - Jennifer B.: We had our rehearsal dinner for our wedding here and it was perfect. We sat on the patio, which was beautiful. The food was amazing and the service was fantastic. We could not have been happier with our choice. I would highly recommend them to anyone planning a wedding in this area. We will definitely eat there during our next visit to SLO!
5 - Robyn K.: First off, you MUST eat in the back patio.  In the evening it is very romantic with the lights in the trees.  The service is very good.  They are just waiting to serve you.  The food is amazing.  The best Italian food in SLO.  I've tried most of them, but none compare to this eatery.  Please try it.  I've tried several dishes and all meet my high expectations for Italian food.  They have a very nice wine list.  I love the wines from the Central Coast and they have several on their menu.
4 - J D.: This is a safe bet for a nice quiet Italian dinner. 
Whether you pick inside or patio seating, you're in a casual atmosphere with high-end service. They offer so many delicious sounding pasta combinations and their bread and tapenade starter is a flavorful introduction to their menu. The butternut squash soup is more of a babyfood consistency but with the added croutons, it seems more adult. The cup size portion was a decent sized portion too.
I'm a huuuuuge caprese salad fan. I was surprised by their caprese for three reasons; lack of vinegar of any kind, addition of capers, shredded basil rather than whole leaves. While Buona definitely makes a decent caprese, I would say their version is more about the large mozzarella slices, sliced thick, and the red onion they add. It is less of a caprese and more of a Buona Tavola salad.
The pasta dishes tasted homemade. I tried the basic pasta with a lightly spicy tomato sauce and the sauce was delicate but flavorful. The pasta was slightly al dente which made it seems fresher and more like it was cooked to order.
The patio offers a romantic area of overhead string lights and a fountain- very nice. 
It's a nice date spot or celebration dinner spot, for sure. The service was very welcoming, friendly and attentive. I would say they do a great job all around and I hope to try some other dishes soon!
5 - C L.: Fettuccine al sugo di carni miste: fettuccine pasta with slowly braised chicken, duck, veal, and beef in an herbed meat sauce. The texture of the pasta was perfect. Sauce was delicious!
4 - Anna T.: I absolutely ADORED this place, and will definitely be coming back the next time I am in SLO.

Ambiance: 1/1 Star
The indoor seating does not provide much, but the outdoor seating is really something else. There are lights streaming on top of the ceiling with a nice fountain, and just very refreshing, especially after a long day. Loved it. Great place for your anniversary, a memorable first date, whatever. 

Service 1/2 Stars
I loved our server, who seemed to be the manager as well. She was phenomenal at describing the food, as well as recommending a wine that was not too tart for my taste buds. A whole restaurant does not only consist of one server though, but it sure felt like it when we were there. Granted, I look pretty young, which is why I feel like all the other younger servers seemed to ignore us. We literally sat down for five minutes with no mention of specials, or even someone to ask for our drinks...We didn't even get bread for a while! Never discriminate against your customers folks, you never know who really sat down until you get your amazing/horrible tip at the end of the night. I could be so mean about this right now, but I won't, and will just assume all the younger servers were new and just too nervous to talk to us...

Food: 2/2 Stars
Amazing. Huge piece of salmon for such a reasonable price. Seasoned to perfection. Delicious local wine. Even more amazing dessert. One of the places in SLO where the food actually compares to the cuisine available San Francisco. 

Aside from our sub-par service (which excludes our main server/manager), everything else was wonderful. Bring your date here when she visits your old hometown of broken dreams and five restaurants, and she will definitely be impressed.
3 - Camellia S.: Adorable outdoor seating with heat lamps, a plush garden, and twinkly lights. This restaurant makes you feel like you are on a very special romantic date. The indoor seating is very limited and not very chic. 

The location is very good, right at the beginning of downtown San Luis Obispo, close to the movie theater-- dinner and a movie? 

The food here is good, but not the best I have ever tasted. I feel like Buona Tavola can best be compared to Giuseppe's, another Italian spot in San Luis Obispo, just down the road. The food at Buona Tavola is good, but doesn't take time to develop the flavors of their sauces. The seafood pasta was the best dish I have had here. The other options weren't very memorable. 

The prices are also a bit high for the amount and quality of food but they compare adequately with those of Giuseppe's so it's understandable. 

Great for a date-- order a bottle of wine, munch on the bread and dip and then maybe order a dessert! Just enjoy the beautiful garden.
5 - Kara H.: By far my favorite Italian restaurant! I have tried many of their dishes and they are always exceptional. They have gluten-free options and allow you to add or take out ingredients too! You can see the chefs cooking and it is all so incredibly fresh.
4 - Peta B.: The pack patio (main seating area) is quiet, comfortable and rather intimate of a dining environment. At night they've got light chains across the area and you're sitting under two rather large trees with walls on both sides (no pedestrians looking onto your plate); quite nice, much nicer actually than the front of the small building would make you think.

The food is quite excellent; our meals and appetizer tasted fresh and natural. Flavors are neither too strong nor too subtle and spices/herds balance perfectly. The dishes seem to be from the school of "simple and well done," i.e. the traditional dishes you'd expect done well.

What I would improve: the bread was served cool, not warm, and without the oil/vinegar combination I personally like.
4 - Andrea B.: Me and my hubs went here tonight for dinner and it was great! We sat in the patio area which was really romantic and sweet. We shared a salad, a half order of pasta, and we both had a chicken entree. To drink I had some coffee and my husband had a beer. All together with tip we spent about $90. The food was really great though! The salad was my fav. Arugula with tomatoes, walnuts, prosciutto, some feta cheese, tossed in a vinaigrette. So yummy!   

The service was really great as well! The best you can have really. 

My only complaint is that it took a while for our entrees to come out. There were maybe 5 other tables with guests there so it wasn't super busy. The waitress said that chicken takes a little longer. I would hate to think how long it would have taken if it was a full house. Besides that though everything was amazing! It's totally a great date spot! If we lived around here we would come back again.=)
4 - Mike B.: If I could give 4.5 stars, I would.  This place is amazing and the service is top notch. My wife and I stopped here on a late Monday evening and were immediately seated (despite not having reservations).  All of the items we selected were tasty and the food portions were appropriate.

My only complaint was that the main course took awhile to arrive (we ended up waiting about 30 minutes for it). That being said, we enjoyed ourselves the entire time and the staff was extremely attentive (that could have had something to do with the fact that we were there later in the evening and there weren't as many people there.

Well done. We'll definitely be back.
5 - Bianca G.: Came here earlier this month and had a great experience! We sat in their outdoor patio area which was so cozy and romantic. I recommend everyone sit out there! Our waitress was courteous and attentive, I wish I remembered her name. The hostess and staff was very accommodating as my boyfriend had a wonderful surprise for me. Apparently he called a week in advance and planned the surprise with the hostess. Thanks for the help, Kelly!

We started off with the complimentary olive tapenade, and bread. WOW! They could have served me this all night and I would have been content. We then had the Affettati misti for two, an assortment of salami, cheeses, and a perfectly made nduja spread which was not too spicy and not too thick. Moved on to a wonderfully cooked Minestrone zuppe! Very authentic and thick with tuscan beans and a dash of basil pesto. Soo soo good, I want some now! Cannot remember which pasta I had as a main but I know that it was fantastic and enjoyable. I ended my meal with Tiramisu, as our server and hostess suggested. They were not wrong, the chocolate crumbles and mascarpone lady fingers were scrumptious! Will definitely be returning when in the area
4 - Patricia M.: It was a very nice evening and the service was very friendly though a bit slow. For us, it was a bit heavy, so I personally would give it more like a 3+  but I think that is personal and not fair to the restaurant.

Burberry - Palo Alto, CA (37.443015, -122.171938) ()
4 - Ruth C.: Yay!  New Burberry store located across from the La Baguette in Stanford Mall.

Very quaint store, quite small but very organized.  They carry a variety of goods at this Burberry, quite comparable to the Santana Row location.

They displays of products at this store are much more showy than the ones in Santana Row, and I think it really gives it that extra something that will draw the customer in.  Great marketing, I think.  Everything just looks so shiny, polished, and stylish.

I really like the look of Burberry and feel the designs are more cohesive than most luxury brands, but since I rarely purchase luxury brand products, it's hard for me to judge.  Service here is attentive, but a bit more pretentious in comparison to the Santana Row store.  Even though I'm mostly just browsing, I like to be treated like I might buy something.

This store definitely pales in comparison to Santana Row's store when you look at the clothing selection, but their leather goods and accessories are plentiful.  I'm more inclined to buy those things anyway so it's all good for me!

I don't know why it's called Burberry Limited, but that's what I got when I Googled "Burberry Palo Alto"...
5 - Sara H.: Another great store at Stanford. I love the layout. The store has such an easy flow and given that they just opened a children's store around the corner, they are able to concentrate on a comprehensive representation of adult merchandise. The staff is great as well. One associate spent upwards of 30 minutes trying to locate a shirt I wanted and have it shipped to me. She not only found it Las Vegas but called a few days later to make sure i received it. I always have a great shopping experience in this location.
5 - Donna Y.: The sales ladies were very helpful in my search for Burberry Summer for Men. Since I bought the one for women, my guy wanted the one for men. I got luck since I was Christmas shopping and thought to try out the store. They only had two left. I didn't think it was that popular but the ladies told me it was. While the women's summer they had like 30 bottles of it. I had to purchase it, since only 2 left. I hope he enjoys it.
4 - Mehul S.: I'm in love with Burberry watches!  I did a lot of research around T-giving, and ended up buying here, even though these watches don't go on sale very often.

The staff were friendly and helpful.
5 - Tadaa L.: It was a nice 20 minutes shopping experience.
 
After looking at one particular item from their website, I decided going to the store to get a better look.  The store is definitely smaller than the SF downtown location, but it's still got a pretty good selection of sunglasses and apparel.  Handbags, however, have a much smaller selection.  

But I found what I was looking for!  The nice lady went to the back and grabbed a non-display for me.  After much careful inspection and checking-it-twice in front of the mirror, she wrapped it up for me and I left as a happy girl.  

The sales manager gave me tips on cleaning handbags made from different materials.  Who'd knew that a $4 magic eraser bought from Walgreens does the trick cleaning the Nova Check?
1 - Marcelle T.: I recently "tried" to buy a handbag here only to be given the display when I was promised a new one "from the back." I have purchased many luxury handbags in the past and this has never happened to me before. Maybe I should have looked the bag over before I took it home, but then I thought to myself, why would a fine luxury store treat their customers less than what they deserve? We certainly pay enough for their items. So I bring it back the next day and lo and behold, there are no more of the bags that I had bought just the day before. Coincidence? (right...) So they try to look for the bag at another store and I am promised free shipping and a call to notify me that  it is on it's way. Do I get a call??? of course not! I called back today and the sales associate (who calls herself the manager, who was the one that sold me the display bag. Her name is Hannele.), tells me that she was out and another sales associate was supposed to take care of it. Long story short, when I get this bag, which supposedly will be delivered to my house is going to be RETURNED!!! Terrible customer service!!!

update: now I'm being charged more than what I paid originally! What is is this? Called the customer service hotline and they were no help as well. Burberry sucks!
1 - Oahu H.: Today I went to Burberry looking for a very specific wallet my girlfriend wanted. They didn't have it in stock, but the salesperson judged us to be browsers solely by our appearance and didn't make the effort to offer to order it for us or give Burberry UK a call, because we mentioned it was on their website, but she didn't care. Poor service. We walked out and they lost the sale. If you don't come in wearing a suit, they probably won't go out of their way to help you other than to watch you like a hawk to make sure you're not stealing.
2 - Genny H.: So, my first trip there must have been beginners luck or what-ever when it came to service. Today, I came here with my boyfriend looking for a very specific Burberry wallet. I originally saw it at Nordstrom but decided not to buy it (BAD MOVE). 

Last night, I decided to see if by chance it went on sale so I could inform The Boyfriend for Christmas. I saw that Burberry online only had it in pee green and some sort of odd shade of brown. It wasn't the black color that I wanted. I did, however, see that it was available at Burberry UK online.

With that information in mind, after we picked up cupcakes from Sprinkles for The Boyfriends birthday, I dragged him to Burberry anticipating the same fantastic service we received the first time we were there. 

I asked the first sales associate in my vision if they had the wallet that I want, after picking up the display and telling her 'This is the one I want, but in black.' She looked at me and said they didn't sell that one and proceeded to try to sell me ANTHER wallet, that was gross and had patent leather. WTF. I tried to get her attention back to the wallet I wanted and told her that Nordstrom has it and she said something uber stupid below.

Stupid Associate: Nordstrom sometimes makes their own wallets.
Me: So you're telling me that Nordstrom makes their own Burberry wallets?
Stupid Associate: Yes.

What a big fat, LIE.

I then told her I saw it online at the UK site and wanted her to order it for me and she brings out her tablet to go online for proof that the effing wallet existed. The tablet didn't even work and the whole experience really pissed me off. Her next step SHOULD have been to call HQ and figure out how to make the sale. Her loss, because we walked. 

My father is a very prominent doctor in San Diego and I always grew up knowing what good service is and I'm finding it's especially hard if you are of Mexican descent because people just don't take you very seriously. My father always had that trouble when going to nicer stores until he pulled out his platinum AMEX card. 

Maybe I should get one of those.
1 - Linda G.: Went to Burberry at Stanford Shopping Ctr.  The store was completely empty with 5 sales staff.  No one approached us.  When we finally asked if we could get help, there was a sigh as if we were inconveniencing them.  Go to Santana Row for a much better experience!!!
4 - Nathan V.: My usual Burberry because my boyfriend goes to LSJU. I usually drag him here in between studies. This location has more London than Brit and a tad smaller than santana. It's a good place to go and inquire about he products if you can't make it all the way to the flagship store
1 - Luke B.: You can never return home!!! I rarely, I mean rarely return home to Palo Alto (even though I really don't live that far away),  but sometimes I get a little homesick & miss that warm friendly small town feel. Burberry is not the place to go warm friendly treatment. For a minute I thought that Palo Alto had lost it wholesome innocent feel, maybe it lost its sense of self due to the hussle & bussle of everyday life. No, it's just Burberry one of their associates is a judgemental pompous a--. I'll admit maybe I looked a little rough (being that I was unshaven) & a little hip hop but had she taken a closer look she might had noticed that I was wearing a $150 tee shirt, $300 jeans, & $300 shoes. My girl had on whatever by whoever & the associate had the nerve to ask her if she worked in the mall!?! What!!!  Honestly I could tell by her body language that she thought that I was there to steal something. So to accommodate I decided to wait outside while my girl shopped & leave the jacket I wanted in the store. Even though my girl was irrated she couldn't resist ordering a pair of pants. I wish she had, had another associate ring them up. Customer service here sucks, I'll never return!!!
3 - Nadia C.: Love the store but it is not as exciting as the one in Union Square.  Selection is fine but if I am not dying to buy the bag or shoes right then, I would rather enjoy shopping at Union square, San Francisco. Wish the staff here was more friendly.
4 - Katherine F.: Very nice store....such wonderful coats, shoes and handbags. Great service...I had my item very quickly.

I have been looking for a great all weather coat, and have narrowed it down to a couple....so sis and I popped in to try on my first choice.

It was nice to see the workmanship and fabric first hand....so soft and smooth. I took a size smaller than in other brands. They did not have my size and did offer to get it in for me either...she told me it was available in SF.....perhaps a lost sale??

I have made my decision...the Burberry wins.

I can order it from Nordstrom and get my points.  Sounds like a winner!!
4 - braden k.: after purchasing some GUCCI shades,

I saw some large-frame wayfareresque sunglasses sold by burberry that were too good to turn down.

needless to say, while in the area I scoped them out. Jackie helped me and was extremely friendly and courteous enough to give me her business card for any future questions I had.

excellent service. though I didn't cop the glasses from the palo alto location, I did eventually cave and will be back soon!
4 - Monina C.: Very friendly and attentative customer service upon walking in the store.  Total opposite service I got from the Tory Burch store (they didn't even say hi and totally ignored me when I needed help)! Kim was great in helping me find a mother's day present. She showed me a couple of wallets and I chose one that I thought my mother would love. Unfortunately my mother hated the wallet (how ungrateful!), and I know I'll have to return or exchange it. Needless to say, I'll definitely come back here when I need to make the return or exchange, and when I make future Burberry purchases when I'm willing to splurge, this is the place that I'll be at.
5 - Mia S.: The Burberry store here is great, they carry a large variety of Burberry stuff. Sharon here was a great help and very friendly. They carry the entire perfume line if you're looking for something :)

Burden Busters Errands, Chores & More - College Park, MD (38.995148, -76.915052) ()
5 - Alfonzo L.: I was really impressed with the service provided by Burden Busters.  Not only were my offices professionally maintained, but this is the first company that stands behind their satisfaction guaranteed policy.  unbeknownst  to me, the owner of the company came out to personally survey the services rendered.  Workers were always on time and polite.  Being a former Marine, I was utterly impressed and overwhelmed with their personal appearance. 

Keep up the good work,

Livingston's Auto Glass
5 - Al M.: If you need something done, call them !

My Daughter was on her 8th grade school trip to Washington DC in March of 2009.

She forgot to pack a pair of Kaki pants necessary for a ceremony she needed to attend the next day. I called Burden Busters (found them online). I explained what I needed and they said no problem.  Rita, my Concierge, went to 4 different stores to find her size (1). She delivered them to the Hotel in just a few hours.

Her professionalism went way beyond what was expected and the service charge was very reasonable. Great service is not dead in America, 

I highly recommend Burden Busters. My only regret is that I live in California and won't be able to use their services on a regular basis.

Burger Bar - Claremont, CA (34.107165, -117.7206605) ()
3 - Loraine O.: Burger Bar was one of the last places to be built in the new Old School house area, so I always wondered if the wait would be worth it.. and finally this week it opened it's doors for the first time! =)

Honestly, I really wasn't expecting much with it's tacky name.. I mean the owners could have gotten a bit more original, but whatever. For something so cheesey, the name definitely does NOT match the burgers' price range. For a burger alone it costs about $6-7, however for a meal which includes fries and a drink, it's about another $2. 

For some reason, I thought that since it was so near the high school it would cater to the poor, jobless teenagers like myself. However I was delusional (I realized later it's CLAREMONT and thus nothing is cheap), but yet I was hungry and desperate.

The burger patty was a bit thin (1/4 lb), but otherwise I thought it was tasty and filling! I totally reccommend the House Special sauce for anyone who likes pesto! YUMMMM! They give you a lot of options of what you can get on your burger, but they don't really give you a lot of options when it comes to anything else on the menu.. Their name was true, it really is simply a "Burger Bar."
2 - Milan D.: The concept is cool: Come in and order a burger with anything you want on it. The restaurant is new, its clean, pretty nice inside. Everyone is friendly and helpful.

The fixins are all fresh. Nice tomatoes, lettuce, buns etc. However the meat is a different story. Very reminiscent of those pre-frozen, pre-shaped pucks that you get in a cafeteria or a beach bbq. Flavorless, low quality beef made this experience very "blah". It wasn't cheap either. 1 burger and 1 burger combo was about $18 - a lot more than we wanted to spend for a mediocre burger.

The only saving grace was the sweet-potato fries, which were tasty. I would say wait until they upgrade their meat. I mean how hard is it to grab some fresh, quality, ground beef and form them into nice juicy patties?

If you are not on the quest for the ultimate burger, this will be a fine stop.
1 - idrather n.: Not better quality than In-N-Out. (Beef certainly not better.)

Costs at least twice as much In-N-Out (maybe more)

Wait for food was three times as long as In-N-Out. 

AVOID.
5 - Bill S.: Burger Bar is lick the sauce off the wrapper good. Needless to say, it's the best burger I've had in a long time. If you're in Claremont, this is the place to get a burger.

It's a build-you-own-burger place. The $6, 1/4 lb. burger includes cheese and two extra toppings. I got grilled onions and sauteed mushrooms, and it was delicious. 

There are many ways to customize your burger, 1/4 or 1/2 lb, wheat or white bun, lots of sauces (love the bbq), and toppings.

It's built right next to Trader Joe's (by the exit). I've been going to TJ's for a while, and never noticed it.
This place is the happy medium between fast food (including In-N-Out) and fancy restaurant burgers. It's not meant to cater to poor, high school students (see other reviews), but it perfect for those craving a tasty, quality burger. Best of all, the combo is just $2 more for soda and fries (reg. or sweet potato). Definitely gonna go back... maybe tomorrow!
4 - Marissa C.: Burger Bar has an interesting concept but a varied execution. I've enjoyed most of what I've tasted and eaten from here. The idea behind Burger Bar is that you can build your own custom burger, chicken sandwich, or veggie sandwich. Part of the fun is coming up with different yet tasty combinations. They have a large variety of things to put on your burger, and most of the ingredients seem good quality. They also have pre-arranged burgers as well as salads. The chicken sandwich I had with cheddar, Plum BBQ sauce, mushrooms and greens was very good. I don't like thick chicken breasts so I appreciated the pounded thinner breasts. I've also had the veggie with the same combination, and that was not so good. They don't actually have a veggie patty; their "veggie burger" consists of grilled vegetables on a bun. The vegetables were strange and didn't seem to blend well together. It was the delectable chicken burger, not the veggie that kept this review at 4 stars. I also tried the regular burger and it was one of the better burgers I've had lately. Prices seemed fairly reasonable to me as all three base choices were around $7 and included choice of bread, cheese, sauce, and 3 toppings.

It's next to Trader Joe's, so you have to fight Trader Joe's customers for parking. But there is a fair amount of parking in front of Citibank, and lots of parking in the back behind Candlelight Pavilion if you are willing to walk.

I would most definitely come back here for the chicken and the regular burger.
4 - Leyla M.: When I walked into this place, I was sort of underwhelmed. The colours painted on the walls were obnoxious and the furniture was cheesy. The place was small and the menu looked very basic. It was very sterile looking. However, the staff was incredibly nice and warm compared to the decor. It is a custom build your own burger type of a place which I thought was pretty cool, and it didn't seem pretentious or wanna-be ethnic like some of the rest of the eateries in Claremont.

This is what we ordered:

Turkey burger with a wheat bun, american cheese, pesto mayo dressing, and a hamburger combo, with jack cheese, jalapeños, thousand island, sautéed onions and a white bun (I know my fiancé has some weird taste in food sometimes!). The combo came with a drink and fries (sweet potato fries are an option but we didn't get them this time), and we ordered an extra drink....which came to about $15.00 (very inexpensive)

They brought the food to our table, and it was hot, fresh, and extremely good....the turkey patty was seasoned very well, and the pesto mayo was very good. The hamburger was also very good, it was super juicy and fresh. The fries were seasoned, not too crispy, they were perfect. 

I noticed comments about the prices being too high and the lack of quality in the meat....I am guessing they have lowered their prices and got better quality of meat since? I know they also have a student special, a burger, fries and drink for $5.00, seems like a pretty good deal to me.

I would give them 5 stars if not for the insane colours painted on the walls. It made my head spin.....
1 - Charmaine P.: Aweful. I went to this place thinking that if all they do is burgers, then they probably do them pretty well. Also, it is next to the Trader Joes and I guess I thought there would be some kind of quality control enforced. 

The burger was flat, overcooked and expensive. I got the 1/4lb and my boyfriend got the 1/2lb burger. Both were flattened out, dry and overcooked. Also, we paid $4.95 and $5.95 for them. 

We could have gone to Carl's Jr and gotten a six dollar burger which is twice as big and cheaper. 

Any fast food place would have been better. I agree with the previous reviewr that In n Out is better and cheaper. 

AVOID this place. You will be dissappointed. 

If you are the owner, up your quality and lower your prices or find a new profession. You're ripping people off.
2 - Jasmine W.: dear burger bar,
i really wanted to like you, really i did. you're close to home, you sent us coupons, your spot's clean and booths are comfy (although comes across as slightly fast-food-ish), you're not a chain. i thought that your grilled chicken was flavorful and like the sweet potato fries offering but man, your portions are small, especially for the price.

student specials available, i like 5 guys ideas of personalizing your burger but there are better places out there with more reasonable prices.
1 - BRANDY E.: This place is gross! First of all the cashier was barley able to speak english and looked like she had been smoking marijuana all day. I took her forever to get my order. I used a coupon I got in the Clipper Saver that said buy one get one free combo. Well they dont tell you that it dosent cover the cost of the burgers, and it only gives you the 1.99 off the price. Apparently the combo is the cost of the fries and the drink only. The burger was ok but not worth the 17.99 i paid for two burger combos that came with fries and a SMALL SODA. the sweet potatoe fries sucked, I had much better at the L. A. County Fair this year!  On top of being super over priced and not even that great, there was 1,000 teenagers packed in the place and they were all loud and screaming! there is very little seating and my husband and I had to sit outside! WILL NEVER GO THERE AGAIN.
3 - Vanessa F.: A burger bar in Claremont? When my sister wanted to go I was confused since there's a fancy shmancy place in SF by the same name.

It's a tiny little place with a big menu. The menu reminded me of some place like Burgermeister where you sort of get to pick and choose what you want.

I ordered a burger with bacon and avocado, and sweet potato fries. Alright, burger bar you had me at the sweet potato fries. I'll just have those for dinner. 

The staff was friendly and the burger was decent though I'm not sure worth the price. The sweet potato fries were good. Not too greasy and soggy like some other places.

I'd much rather come here than a place like Jack in the Box. My only real complaint was the soda wasn't very good. Sorta watered down tasting and not enough carbonation, but that could've just been a yucky batch.
5 - Mike P.: Everyone's been saying that this place is expensive, but really, it's... not?  I got the build-your-own-burger (Monday Special, only $5!) and I have to say that it was pretty incredible.

The burger, in terms of quality, was a bit like In-And-Out (pretty good), but you could personalize your burger with whatever you wanted.  Not to mention that both adding avocado (a lot of it) and bacon (a lot of it) were only 25 cents each!  Whereas other places charge up to $2 for these add-ons, Burger Bar's prices are pretty damn good if you ask me.  

There are also complaints about the size of the food, well, I thought it was just fine.  Their sweet potato fries and their normal fries overflowed the little cardboard box they serve them in, plus the fries themselves were pretty thick.  And don't give me that "overfried" heresy -- it was perfect.  You could taste the sweet potato and the regular fries were fluffy on the inside.  The fries, just like the burger, were fresh and delicious.

Overall, a great place to eat.  The interior is a little obnoxious, but really, where can you get a burger for under $7 whose interior is NOT obnoxious?  Give me a break.  Anyway, for the quality of food and the price, Burger Bar is my new favorite burger joint (too bad I live in the bay!)
5 - Nathaniel M.: I don't all these winer reviews. If you have a problem with their portions its called getting the large. As for the price you pay for what you get, amazingly fresh ingredients. Their burgers are awesome, their chicken burgers are just as awesome. But in my opinion their winner is the chili! Their chili fries are an EPIC win! I would say start with the 1 and work up to the 5 on the heat scale. But I just went from 3 to 5 and it was insane! I need to go back and put the chili on a burger. Don't sleep on this place if you want something outside of the In-n-Out realm.
1 - Mark W.: Low value proposition.  $9.00 for the following:  Tried the thin patty  1/4 pounder option with chipolte mayo, red onion relish, jalapeno and bacon.   Maybe bad choice of ingredients for my "build your own", but this was awful.  No way that patty was 1/4 pound, not even close.  Very thin, dry, and   flavorless.  Thought I was eating shoe leather.  The $9 you spend also gets you some greased-up, overcooked regular fries.  The fries had brown specs; I sure hope that was just the skin left on.  Who knows?  Again, these were also awful.  Burger Bar generously throws in a little kid's water cup for your "drink".

The food is delivered to your table; a plus I guess. Of course, the help is too busy(lazy?) to even consider wiping the aged residue off your table from the previous customer(victim).  Next time I go next door to Trader Joe's for some cheese, crackers, and salami.
4 - Val M.: Burger bar is conveniently located right next door to Trader Joes. We stopped in for dinner this past weekend. The decor inside is kinda cheesy...the neon green is a little unsettling. Let's just say I probably would always get take out. 

Now on to the burger.... the patty was very hearty and there was a great selection of fixin's. I had zucchini and my bf had cucumbers. Though uncommon for a burger, the veggies were nice additions to the burgers. The lettuce and tomatoes were nice and crisp and the avocado was a great consistency. The fries were the best part of the meal. Sweet potato and regular. The regular fries were thick cut and seasoned to perfection and the sweet potato were delicious. It's nice to know that Burger Bar is down the street. It's a nice alternative to Inn n Out.
5 - d l.: Love the vegetarian sandwich, which doesn't have a veggie patty, but does have some awesome grilled vegetables on a wheat bun!  And the sweet potato fries are perfectly sweet and crispy.  My hubby bought a turkey burger and loved it.  You can build your own and add some really tasty sauces too!  Service was friendly and the food was very fresh.  I will go back as often as I am in Clairmont.
2 - Amy A.: The burgers were adequate, but not the highest quality, and for the price I think not worth it.

But here's what I'd like to say to the staff: the fried zucchini was just plain bad, and there's a simple way to fix it. After you slice the zucchini, lay it on a rack and salt it, and then leave it for about 30 minutes.  A lot of the liquid will drip out, and now deep-frying will be beautiful-- more flavor, less crispy/gushy/gross end product.

Cheers.
5 - Dan T.: Yeh!!! In celebration of their anniversay, all burgers are $2 OFF, including my favorite "black-pepper sauce" burger.

I have been to Burger Bar a few times now; since it is next to Trader Joe's.The main ingredient are their charbroiled angus beef burgers, however their selection of toppings is edgy but exceptional. Since I try a different combination of spreads and toppings each time I'm there,  I feel as though I am eating a different kind of gourmet burger. I loved their "black pepper sauce" burger; It is something like an Asian fusion burger, since black pepper sauce is a sauce you would normally find in Chinese restaurants. The sauce adds a kick to a normal house salad as well. 

I have been going there mainly becasue their menu allows the customer to be breative and their is always something new in the choice of toppings or ingredients. Edgy menu - and that is what conservative Claremont needs in their city!
2 - Philip S.: I was expecting an actual bar, where you can add whatever you want (like Fuddruckers), but it wasn't. The burger was decent, but overpriced... not returning.
3 - Nye T.: For the price you pay for a "healthy Burger", i much rather go to in n out for a better tasting artery clogging burger. If i wanted to eat heathly, it would start with a salad and some rice and tofu, most likely not a burger. 

Basically you get to customize your burger. woopie doo. if i wanted a specific picky burger, i would make it myself. 

My burger did not have too much taste to it. I might go back and try it again. 

Location: Nice spot off foothill, in a decent center of Claremont

Atmosphere: Nothing to impressive. just a burger joint. 

Service: they make your food and thats about it. nothing much to add to that. 

Food: Meh. Average. 

Sanitation: CAUTION: Pretty high ceilings if i recall correctly, and my first thought was that it must be difficult to clean all the grease and dust up there. I just hope they clean once a week, but highly doubtful 

Overall: Nothing impressive. Ill go back and try it again later and report back.
1 - Richard C.: My wife and I felt bad that we had to interrupt the cashier's personal cell phone conversation to place our order. Since it was our first time there, we had some questions about the different sauces, cheeses, and options. The cashier's answers were technically correct, I suppose, but unhelpful. When asked about the chipotle mayo, she stated "It's one of our sauces." Our follow-up questions received equally insightful answers.
Both of our orders wrong and we were put in the uncomfortable position of interrupting another personal phone call to remind her of what we had ordered. 
Once the order was fixed we realized that their vegetable burgers are not actually a faux-meat patty, but a stack of warm mushy vegetables on a bun. Maybe we deserved what we got because we're vegetarians ordering food at a place called Burger Bar. Whatever the case, we were disappointed and thought their customer service was poor.
3 - Gyu K.: Creative burgers for Ok prices.
2 - M T.: So I tried this place a couple weeks after they opened and then again today. Nothing has gotten better unfortunately. I had the same burger with guacamole both times, not much to note about it. The first time i went in, there was a server that cleaned his ear out right before placing someones food on a plate. The second time, almost 2 years hence, the service was very inept, and there was a problem with the credit card machine. I am still not sure if it is a safe place to use my card?

The only reason it gets 2 stars is because the burger chef was working hard and made sure my order was correct. Hats off to you, sir!
2 - L T.: Been to this place a couple times, burgers are pretty good.  However, that said, we tried going last night for dinner a bit later than usual, we had checked one of their ads in a local circular and it stated that they close at 8 pm.  We show up at 7:45, and their door is locked and they are mopping the floor!!  If they close their doors earlier, then say so!!  We won't be back for a while, if at all, there are places with better burgers......
2 - Michael M.: After much deliberating over what I should lunch on before class I settled on Burger Bar, not the smartest of plays. The atmosphere was bleak and unwelcoming, the prices were above what one should expect for a burger combo and the food was just alright. Mostly though, Burger Bar fails the Inn-n-Out Test. Why go here instead of Inn-N-Out? There is simply no reason to.
2 - Christina L.: Good charbroiled taste, but that's where the good ends.  Okay, wait, I lied,  the fries with some seasoning were tasty.  Anyway, I got the ABC (Avocado Bacon Cheese) burger.  The bacon was limp not crisp, and tiny!  If I didn't look for the bacon, I wouldn't have noticed it at all.  The avocado was not yet ripe.
2 - Alyssa T.: This place has delicious burgers with great toppings to choose from including grilled veggies, pineapple, and even a plum sauce.

The reason I am giving them only two stars is because I went to eat there on a Friday night at 7:45 (they close at 8, which is already pretty early, especially for a Friday night), and they had already closed and locked the door and started mopping (so I'm assuming they probably closed/locked up even earlier than 7:45 since they were in the middle of their clean-up)! It was a disappointment, and, to me, it is just plain unacceptable to close earlier than your posted/advertised time.
2 - Honesty G.: Okay... The burger was cooked decent and it came with all it was supposed to.

Couple issues:

I came in with a coupon to try this place out... the high school staff all had to discuss if I could pay extra to upgrade to sweet potato fries - after a consensus... I'm not allowed to pay extra... don't you want me to spend more money? Find a way to say yes to a customer... Whatever big deal... moving on...

At a burger joint where you get to pick some gourmet add ons... I have basic expectation of flavor for the patty. Very little seasoning, mayo, didn't help. I don't like fast food burgers, but I'd take any chain burger over this place.

Not worth the price. Will not return.
2 - Michael F.: Pretty mediocre. Ordered a half pound burger medium well, but got one cooked rare. I showed the cook and said, "that is not medium well!" His response was, "it's not?"  Stunned, I replied, "not even close!"  The manager was quick to offer to remake it. The burger itself tasted o.k. for an obviously previosly frozen pre-formed patty. My re-made burger, was missing some of the toppings, I had ordered.  The black pepper sauce on the burger was delicious. Wish I could have had some pickles on my burger but they weren't an option. Prices here are good : a half pound burger and drink for about $7. For a really good gourmet burger, which this is not even close, I'd recommend The Counter in Pasadena.

On the way out, the manager asked how everything was. I said the burger was good, but mentioned the missed toppings and she profusely apologized and offered to remake it again.
5 - Eric C.: Working a job in Claremont on 12-17-2011, we tried the burger bar even after reading the mostly bad reviews. Glad we did, the burger was maybe the best in awhile. Way better than in n out, comparable yet better than 5 guys. We ordered 2 number twos(bacon - avocado) they were brought out in a reasonable amount of time, the bacon was thick and tasty, and they were loaded with avocado. As most others wrote the fries were excellent, seasoned style fries, cooked just right. We ordered the 1/4 pound burgers and were quite satisfied, with the amount of food. The fact that some report small portions only attests to Americas need for the lap-band. The girl who took our order greeted us with a beautiful smile. With the help of her two assistants our food was delivered promptly. My meal was $8, not bad for a fresh delicious burger, I even liked the buns they used, I honestly can't wait to go back.....
3 - ben m.: I love these burgers. My only complaint would be the lackluster service at the counter when ordering. I was treated pretty rudely and would have left had I not been starving. The food is great.

Burger Continental - Pasadena, CA (34.136567, -118.13271) (Pasadena)
2 - Jo T.: Interesting place!  They had belly dancers.The food was okay but not worth going back.
3 - Jay M.: Hi Folks!

I'll not write much about this place, as enough has been written by the other reviews you see below:
I give 3 stars to the 'diversity' of the menu. There are combinations here of mediterranean dishes that make my taste buds pop out; however, the uncleanliness of the place just doesn't befit PASADENA CALIFORNIA . . . I'm talking about pigeons (and their guano) in and on your food!
This type of place would be welcomed in Greece, Italy, Turkey, etc. but it just doesn't have the same primitive appeal that europe can offer. Sorry, I'm not havin' it.
And I do agree that there is a bit of a "mob" atmosphere about the place, but I get a real kick out of it. For those of you that travel and are used to hearing, "No Problem!" even when your baggage has just flown off the roof of the taxi you're speeding in, Burger Continental has the same approach . . . sit where you want, eat what you want, fork on the floor, "no problem!"
3 - Daryl I.: When I used to work in the area, BC used to be one of the favorite lunch haunts of me and my friends.  It was casual, quick, and one of the only places that had belly dancers during lunch.  That was a big winner for me!  The food wasn't the best I've had, but it was alright.  I think one of the best perks that I had is that they would always ask me "JPL discount?"  Even though I didn't work for JPL, I would always say "YES!".  Even though I'm not smart enough to work at JPL, I AM smart enough to know the response to that question.  Maybe it was the whole Asian-must-be-an-engineer thing I have going for me that elicited that question from them, but hey, I'll take it.
4 - Aurelius P.: Burger Continental gets a bad rap because it is true that if you go there once, it's just as likely that you'll have a bad experience as a good one.  But once you know the place, know which meals you like, where to sit to avoid (or encounter) the belly dancers, etc., Burger Continental becomes a fun place and a very good value.
4 - Jennifer L.: Where else can you go to get Greek, Mediterranean, Mexican, and American food all at one place with live techno music and belly dancers?  This is the joint to go if you're looking for a fun and eclectic atmosphere to dine.  It's a unique restaurant with a large menu from hammus to french fries to even potstickers on the appetizers list.  The menu was actually quiet overwhelming along with the loud music pumping in the background, but I ordered the Seafood Spectacular, one of the "House Specials."  Although this dish wasn't as "Spectacular" as it stated on the menu, but it was pretty decent meal.  You definitely get your money's worth of food here, because everything comes with an all-you-can eat salad bar which includes fresh fruit, soup, tabbouleh, and a small assortment of some other side dishes!  Dishes range from the $10-$20 per person and you can be sure you will not leave this place with an empty stomach.  

The entertainment and delightful service makes up for the not so spectacular food and I recommend coming here with a group to have more fun!  It's definitely a good place to relax and dance with a belly dancer all while dining on a chicken kabob or just a plain ole' American burger at this one unique dining joint.  This is a guaranteed fun and eclectic place to fulfill your stomach and groove on!
3 - Adam S.: This is a 50/50 place.  I was going to give it 2 1/2 stars but 3 is fine too.

I come here for breakfast from time to time and get the buffet ($14.99) on Sundays.  I don't usually go for buffets as I try not to eat that much food, but it is a good deal and the one time I didn't order the buffet it felt like they served me something from the buffet anyway.

The food is good... but just like every buffet you always have to check out the whole package before you dive in.  Great Hummus, Tabbouleh (not to surprise you as it is a Greek restaurant).  I suggest the made-to-order buffet omelet and the fresh fruit.  Though last time I had the corned beef which was pretty good as well.  Save some room for the Baklava and the chocolate dipped strawberries.

The restaurant can be a bit warm as the building itself is little more then a kitchen and a crowded hallway of servers, busboys and patrons scurrying back and forth to the buffet .  The seating is either outside in front or behind under a open air roof.  Belly dancers rove the crowd as Greek music was played by a live band, good but try not to sit next to the speakers.  Popular with groups on weekends so don't be surprised with tables that are too close together.

I have had hits or misses on food quality and I don't feel that this place is the cleanest in the world.  But all that aside I do keep coming back  and it seems that many other people do to.
1 - Leni A.: alas, another place close to the hearts of many pasadena-zens  that i WANTED TO LIKE but only elicits a big BLEEEH!! from moi.  

i never understood how a place called BURGER continental  was well known for their mediterranean food.  a lot of parties are thrown in the back and this place is also well known for the belly dancing (ugh, no thanks--see my review on oasis).  i've been there 2, maybe 3, times and i found the food unimpressive; and the place is pretty dingy as well.  two big thumbs down for me.
2 - Lilani E.: As promised to, Leni A., here is my review on Burger Continental.  :P

This family owned and ran restaurant was part of my high school community making me VERY familiar with their food.  Their meat, especiall chicken, was always a bit dry...although their rice and enough dipping sauces could mask that fact.

I don't really know why it's called burger continental either (greatest mystery of Pasadena)...i don't even THINK there's a burger on the menu.  anyways, with my impeccable memory i do remember coming here before my senior formal.

we ordered pizza and it was okay but not filling at all, and i remember making my hunk of a date (he has now graduated from harvard and is now a doctor *sigh*) go and buy me a bag of beef jerky next door at the grocery store.

since graduating and leaving pasadena about 7 years ago now, i have not ONCE thought  "gee, i am craving burger continental"....

and that definitely says A TON.
2 stars for sending their daughter to the same high school as me.  :)
3 - Trisha F.: I will say that this place is at least highly entertaining and very friendly.

A friend took me there for the Sunday Champagne Brunch, which for $14.99 and the fact that I did't actually have any Champagne I thought it was a bit pricey.  But, the food was good and the waitresses were very friendly and the champagne was always flowing.

What I really enjoyed about the place was the open air-ish dining area and the live music.  Not being a regular I'm not sure if the violinist and keyboardist were staple entertainment, but the violinist was EXTREMELY talented and made sitting around talking and eating for a few hours well worth it.  

There was also a belly dancer, something I never in a million years would have expected to see as entertainment for a Sunday Brunch.  She was good, and at least knew how to get the crowd involved while leaving the people who clearly were more interested in their food (read: me & my friends) alone.  

If you're looking for a variation from your boring Sunday routine, this is it.  Also, note that this is a Greek/Mediterrainian place so not all the food in the brunch buffet is traditional breakfast type food.  So be prepared for something all around different.
2 - Megan T.: I guess I have to review this because it has been almost a year and I still have not forgiven them:

Whatever you do, do NOT book BC's to cater your wedding!  You will be offended and horrified in every possible way. (Thank the gods, this was not my own wedding but as I was "producing" the event, I felt just as awful as if it had been).

Also, preferably, do NOT offer them participation in any kind of food faire, event vending booth, etc.  If you are not verbally abused by their catering/vending manager, they will at least be a)extremely late and b)unreliable about following any designated rules/regulations/contract obligations previously laid out to them.

Can you tell I've had problems?

And now, because my mother always taught me that if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all: They have an amazing lunch special.  It will seriously fill you up for a week (and leave you with enough leftovers for several snacks).  I have a friend who swears by the Armenian Burger, though I have never tried it.  I love their Aladdin's Magic Carpet plate, or whatever it's called -- mixed kabobs and things-- although the meat is always slightly dry.

I give up.  I can't even try to say something nice without remembering something else to criticize.  Never mind.
5 - Joie P.: Ever since I was little....I have been going here. My dad and his friends use to end up at BC after softball games. Chips and salsa, beer, salad bar, burgers...is what I remember most. A few years ago my best friend came to visit from SF and we sat and caught up over pita and hummus. One of the best times I have ever had there.
4 - Max M.: I'd hesitate to even call this "Persian" because that would actually limit it too much. Burger Continental is pan Mediterranean, Persian, Greek, Armenian, and more. Kebabs, shawarma, dolmas, and an all you can eat salad bar that always features a giant slab of salmon. I've never had a bad dish here, and on the weekends they feature live basouki and belly dancing. The waiters are funny fellows, and the beverages are served in plastic cups usually found in theme parks or strip clubs. (You can probably see the wholesaler's geographic swathe by who has these cups). Average price for two people tends to be $25.
2 - kyle d.: I give this place 2 stars, noit because I'm unhappy with it but because they are appropriate to my expectations about this place. I like it. Really, I do. It's just the unfortunate lay out of the place with the kitchen sandwiched between the front dining room and the rear patio area means that the diner is exposed to the parts of a commercial kitchen that they shouldn't be. Especially before and during a meal. It's unavoidable, but if you can get past that, you can enjoy your meal. Last time I had a pesto chicken on foccaccia that was very tasty.  The service can be a bit surly, but if you choose not to be offended by it, the staff warms to you. They seem  to have a bit of the attitude that they are going to stay in business if you enjoy yourself or not. Apparently, they are right. So if you go, get over it, roll with it and it's not a bad place to catch a meal on occasion.
3 - Mia L.: Before I start I would like to state a fact. I only give reviews to restaurants that I have recently visit. So you may check all the reviews I have made cause they're all pretty recent. July 7th I have visit Burger Continental. It looked like a fast food place. My friend was having a birthday dinner and I was shocked there was room in the patio. As you walk in towards the patio it gets pretty crowded. The walkway is sandwich by the kitchen and the salad bar/restroom. The patio is spacious to my surprise. My waiter was friendly and busy. I ordered the chiliean seabass with seafood. *dumbs down* the food was yucky. Very salty and buttery at the same time. Tasted as if all types of mixed sauces was added. So what is good about this place? The waiter who had two parties with both approx 25 ppl each table did an exceptional job. The desert: The chocolate cake was very good. I also had the tiramisu, it tasted okay, but some of my friends loved it. The live band was awesome. They can really play. And last is the belly dancer. Altho she wasn't the young and exotic looking type she was friendly nice and she can dance. Entertainment was reallly fun. I would like to give the food another chance in the future because even if my food tasted bad at least I know I have entertainment to make that up. This place is really cheap as well. Alot of things to choose on the menu from greek, meditteranean, and regular american food.
1 - Tawny A.: ewe. fruit flies inside and big well fed black flies outside. The lunch buffet is crusty and dry and the service and kitchen staff smell like body odor. I really cant see why anyone eats here. I would rather eat cat food straight from the can. please go to mcdonalds and get yourself a big mac....its a sounder purchase.
3 - Betty L.: The only times I've actually gone to BC, I've always ordered their Monday and Tuesday $2 special - burger, fries and a drink. You really can't beat that for $2, but the quality of the burger and fries has varied each time I've been there. I actually order food from BC a lot though when I am catering for small meetings at work and everyone always loves the food. We usually get the kabobs and they are a huge hit with everyone. When ordering off the catering menu, you can count on the food actually serving 3-5 more people than you order for, so you can save yourself some money by putting in your order for a few less people and be confident that it will feed everyone.
3 - Jan I.: We used to go to Burger Continental for breakfast on Saturday mornings about 10 years back.  We just went back for dinner 2 Sundays ago and the quality of food is just not as good as it used to be.  I ordered the beef and chicken kabab plate, my husband ordered the lamb plate, and our friend ordered the fish (don't remember what kind).  When the plates came, they all looked the same and were very sloppily piled on with some very overcooked vegetables and mashed potatoes (???).  There was plenty of food but they don't look appetizing and don't taste that good either .  Towards the end of the meal, the band started playing and that sort of saved the dinner.
4 - Mabel L.: It's been almost 10 years since I've revisited this joint and well it just doesn't seem as great as I once thought, the food that is.  The salad bar was okay, the chicken kabob was fairly good, but the 4 star I gave is more for the atmosphere, and the laid back attitude of the staff.  A couple of my friends and I have made this our spot to play scrabble.  The last time we were there, all we ordered was a pitcher of beer and we sat at the table for like 2 1/2 hours.  They let us basically play until we were the last customers, then they told us to get out even though it wasn't their official closing time.  That's okay though, we'll be back next week hogging up the same old spot.
4 - YOUNGJU L.: Someone at work introduces me to this place for lunch, and I thought it was pretty cool place for casual atmosphere. The service was OK. They didn't have any label for their buffet food and I couldn't tell what kind of food they were serving for some dishes. Would like to try at nights when belly dancing happens.
1 - Al C.: Shut it down!  Terrible place!

Bad burgers!  Bad Middle Eastern food!  And where's the Continental in this dump?

OK I've been burned.  But I have good reason to be.  Let me explain:  The last time I was there I was GROPED.  Never again!

I feel vindicated as all my friends who have been have commented on the creepy and weird vibe there.  Never again!
4 - Ana R.: 4 only because of the awesome happy hour. $2 drinks! although it might not be at convinient times (mon-fri 11am-7pm, when most are working).what sucks is the weird-o balled man that hit on my cousin and I. he asked us about our lip rings, which we didn't mind too much at first, but then he asked if we wanted to test them out. we we pretended not to hear him and asked him what he said, then he got really flustered and walked away. probably because he realized how inappropriate he was being. aside from him, the other waiters have been nice and helpful. the creepy guy seems to be some sort of superviser.
3 - Eric H.: Burger Continental is not fine dining, but if you're looking for a casual place to hang out for a while and eat you could do worse.  If you order one of their dinner combos, you're going to need a while to eat because they come with a *lot* of food.

I asked for a gyro and kabob combo and ended up with 5 big plates of food in front of me, including a helping from their middle eastern salad bar which I was foolish enough to get before the dinner was served.

Unfortunately, some of the plates were for my do-it-yourself gyro which wasn't what I expected.  I was hoping to get one of the pre-built gyro's that another member of my party received. I'll check more carefully next time I order.

The server was nice enough to make up separate checks for each of 20 people in the party, a very rare level of service.

We also stayed around about a half hour after closing without getting kicked out (though we picked up and moved when it became obvious they wanted to take away our chairs).

Last night the restaurant caught on fire a couple hours later after the we and the staff had left, but I suppose that's a different story.
1 - Melody S.: How do you mess up hummus? Apparently by replacing it with a dip-consistency version of that clay you used to make pinch pots with in 2nd grade art class.

And furthermore, how do you mess up pita bread?  Apparently, by replacing it with cardboard. 

So hey, if you love clay and cardboard, Burger Continental's your place.  As for me, I'll never, ever, ever, ever be back.  

Ever. 

Ptooey.
5 - Ted A.: I was surprised that this place should get such mixed reviews. I have been coming to Burger Continental for the past 10 years now and have had nothing but very pleasant dining experiences there.

The food is delicious, the staff unfailingly polite and helpful. The gentleman who manages this place is simply wonderful; the salt of the earth. The fellow is easily recognisable as he is always rather dapperly dressed in a tuxedo vest and bow tie. He's such a kind gent!

Perhaps my palate is not as refined as some of the previous reviewers' must be? Perhaps they're simply too picky? In any case, I stand by my positive review for this restaurant and I hope it continues to thrive.
3 - A K.: The best grilled eggplant ever. I had my hand kissed there, twice ( entirely unrelated events) and the owner GAVE me a box of baklava
to take to my table, just cuz.  ( Cuz I told him his eggplant made me swoon) I'd give it more stars, but the seating was uncomfortable and the service a little slow. Also the speaker system only played the treble half of the recording so it was a little like sitting in a dentists' chair. But what a fun handle-a-giant -crowd- kind of place. And generous helpings reasonably priced, which is nice because we live in the land of the four-dollar sawdust  cupcake and the 5 dollar tower of air, coffee beverage. Oy.
4 - garbanzo b.: Had lunch catered from this place today...and let's just say... being the bean, makes me a hummus snob... and this hummus, tabouli, tahini was SUPER FABULOUS...

The rice tasty, the grilled veggies to stuff in the face...my stomach is still doing flips of joy!
1 - Michelle C.: The eating area was not the cleanest (With pigeons afoot , flies and all.), the food was mediocre (I had a forgettable burger), and while me and my friend were 2 of 3 customers there at the time they took 45 minutes to make our food.

They screwed up the bill as well.

I may go back there only because my Jew loves it so, and it has been a while since I've dined there. We'll see how the second chance meeting goes.
1 - Darnelle B.: I have been eating here for 20 years...used to rave about the food, wish I could still.  I went there today..(Sunday) ..one of us had the buffet and the other ordered off the menu.  Both were a major disappointment.  I did not see a rating...it was hidden and I would guess they have a C.  When I went to the buffet I saw a cook eating the remnants of a pan of food with his bare hands.  He was actually scraping the pan with his hands and eating it where I was...not behind the line, but out where customers were.  The cleanliness of this place is awful.  Seems as though the health department has not been here in a LONG time...no one followed any regulations..and yes, sometimes the best of dive places have the best food.  The food here just tasted and looked dirty.  No one took any pride in what they served, different from years ago when this was my favorite place to eat....This place holds so many memories, it is a shame to see it fall into such a state of disarray.  I miss the days of old, when they took pride in everything they cooked.  Now it is just feeding the masses...collect the money and be done with it.  Would love to know what grade they have...none was visible.
2 - Chris B.: I don't understand the big attraction to this place.  The buffet sucks.  I've had okay food from the menu, but it's inconsistent.  I've never tried their burgers - only the Mediterranean food - so maybe I'm ordering the wrong thing?

And where are these belly dancers I hear so much about?

The atmosphere should be cool, with the whole indoor/outdoor thing, but for some reason it doesn't quite work.  Too narrow...too many pigeons...too grubby.  I think the building would be better suited to a bar.  A dive bar.  With belly dancers.
4 - Stevie w.: i think everyone missed the point of this place. You guys are going here for the food, which isnt what makes this place awesome. What makes this place awesome is the HAPPY HOUR!!! its from 11am-7pm Monday through Friday! 2 dollar EVERYTHING! I havent been here in a while but am going to drop by soon. If you are a degenerate drunk like myself you should definitely swoop in (like the pigeons, who are your drinking buddies).
4 - Laura F.: Every Easter way on into the depths of my childhood are memorable for their Easter egg hunts, extra long church services, uncomfortable dresses and white patent shoes. What is also memorable about Easter is that if my mom doesn't come up with something to do after mass, plan B belongs to my dad and plan B is inevitably BURGER CONTINENTAL.

So the B version of Easter includes my dad being assaulted by belly dancers, the stench of bar alcoholism, mountains of rice, hummus, and pita and my dad being short on the tip because his singles go to the dancers.
5 - Eugenia B.: For a good time, go to Burger Continental on a Sunday for Champagne Brunch.  Bring singles to tip the dancers and pick a designated driver.  WHOOOOOOOOOOOO
5 - Chelsea V.: My new favorite spot for brunch! They hook it up with the champagne and they have pretty tasty food also.

All the meat was pretty dry, but the champagne made up for it. They have hummus, pizza, misc kabobs, rice, grilled broccoli, potatoes, bacon, fruit, salad, etc.

It's not the biggest buffet in the world, but $14.99 is the perfect price for what you get. We ended up sitting outside on the sidewalk, but that was still awesome. I walked in the back to see the belly dancer and the band doing its thing. Next time I want to sit back there.

FYI they put lime in the water...I think that is kind of odd to me, so next time I am going to be sure to say without lime.
1 - William G.: You know all that goverment cheese they can't seem to get rid of? well I guess this is the place they send it to and serve it I went in here a little while ago and it hasn't changed since i was in middle school everything STILL tastes like they haven't figured out to use salt and the buffet STILL looks like a compost heap The menu prides itself of variety but heres the funny thing to everyone thats new or too naive to figure it out It's the same dish with one element that makes it different ie. it's like taking a box of saltines throwing a cowboy hat on it and calling it tex mex flavored. I guess it works for the rubes but man if you had one burger or kebab here youve had them all so if you really really have a hankering for a hamburger just walk the extra block to pie and burger at least you won't have to stare at a mound of rotting cheese and coldcuts while you eat.
3 - Tania m.: Ive ate here a handful of times. Its really not that bad. The salads are good and of course, I could live off the Cheese Boreg.  I've always had nice servers and the food was good.  I'd go back!
3 - Dennis C.: The name is very deceptive, as a quick survey of what the patrons were eating revealed that nobody was really eating burgers.  As my friends mentioned, this is a local favorite for Greek and Armenian cuisine.  

I wasn't a fan of the back patio ambiance.  It felt like I was eating in a barn, for some reason.  Maybe it was the metal roof and walls.  Anyway, we had both the Greek feast and Armenian feast and both were delicious.  The portions weren't that plentiful, but the variety that you get for those was impressive.  I, too, thought the meat to be on the dry-side and their hummus not so flavorful.  

In summary, I think they go for too much variety in their overall menu when they would do better by focusing in on fewer dishes and improving the quality and taste of those.  Decent place, but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat there again when I'm not in the area.
3 - Rita M.: I used to work for an employer who would always get our Xmas parties etc catered by B.C. I thought the food was divine, especially the chicken and beef kebabs.

Fast forward to today. I work on  South Lake Ave very near B.C. and if we have a 1/2 hour for lunch that's alot. Before Subway opened across the street, there was not much in the way of fast food. Burger Continental has saved the day for me many times. I order the usual Grill Cheese lunch. So for 2.85 I get a double layered grill cheese, fries and a drink. Enough to fill me up till I leave the dreaded job.

Harry is a very nice, nice man. Always in a cheerful mood. They give S. Lake employees 20% off. 

But now that I am near and have to go into the restaurant (as opposed to the catering) and now that I've seen the staff and the kitchen, it is as other people have called it - dingy. One of the afternoon cooks always looks sour and I don't know if I'd trust him to make me anything more complicated than a grill cheese and fries.

I have tasted their burgers as well (yes, they do sell burgers) and they taste very similar to any other burger joint. You can tell the meat has been frozen goodness knows how long and most of these places (Amy's, Lucky Boys, Tops) seem to get their patties from the same vendors so of course the burgers are going to all taste the same.
3 - The E.: My experience has been:

Food is generally decent, especially some of their salads. 

Owner and staff are nice.

Get your food to go because the restaurant is disgusting.  How anyone could drink out of their filthy glasses is beyond me.  I also once sat in the back and there were a ton of flies.  It kind of smelled like garbage back there!
 
The only drink I would order is beer in a bottle.  Otherwise you will have a 20 year old dirty plastic cup to drink out of.
5 - Sonya M.: I'm giving 5 stars for this BBQ Chicken Pizza I just ate.  Damn good.

Never been there, don't know of any other food on the menu, don't know where it's at... all I know is that someone just brought me BBQ Chicken Pizza and I've been smiling ever since.
3 - charles l.: Two stars for the $2 Guiness on tap. The food - hm...I believe it's home cooking gone bigger scale. This will cause some to absolutely love eating here, and others to not care much for it. Unfortunately, I was part of the latter. One cool thing about the place - the restaurant is housed in a converted alley way.
4 - steven l.: Great place for their kebabs. I love their friendly friendly service. And they're super sweet! The owner is very nice making sure you get a table right away. There food is large on scale and the price very reasonable for what you get. You'll surely be full. They give you humus etc.. for free as well as soup and salad bar free.... It's a little ridiculous.
4 - Corey G.: After strolling around Caltech's campus our "tour guide" recommended Burger Continenatal---a Caltech student staple.  Apparently the folks at Burger Continental also used to cater at one of the cafeterias at Caltech back in the day---lucky dogs.  

When we happened upon the place, an old guy was wiping down one of the sidewalk tables.  "You want buffet?  Buffet for you?  You get buffet, very good", he said.  What could we do??  We obliged (after checking the buffet set up---lots of tasty-smelling meat, fruit, and desserts).

"You want beer?  I get you beer," once again I obliged---it was lunch time anyway.

The beef & chicken kabobs were off the chain (sorry for the slang, they's good).  The barbecued lamb was probably my favorite.  The other thing I had a pile of were the strawberries....they were just good.  Ended up having grabbing a pile of desserts, and they were all tasty as well.  

Left B.C. with a full belly...if only they had a couch to take a nap on!
4 - Javier J.: Is there even a burger in the place?  It doesn't matter because come here with a group and you'll be in for some good times for one and all. If you have a party of 5 or more, they can fit you with no problems at all. 

My friends wanted to come for the belly dancing. Not that I can complain about a very thin lady dancing while I eat my Kababs. They sure seemed to enjoy it.  Hey, with all the attention over at the scantily clad women jiggling her belly I was able to sneak food off others plates. So double score for me. 

The price and parking is a factor to consider. Price is very lite on the wallet. You can come here with a couple of bucks and get served with a smile. Parking is a little tricky but just requires a little foot work to get to if you go for the free parking.

The only downside I can say about this place is that it's a bit difficult to move around. Everything is so tight and space is so limited that your table may be pushed up against another or there isn't much room to work with in walking if you're in the big area in the back. Being isn't a terrible thing. It shows you that the popularity keeps folks coming back for me. 

Come here for a loud festive feel and good food. Oh yeah, belly dancers.
1 - Stephen K.: Awful, awful food. Unsanitary.
4 - Mimi P.: I went here on the recommendation of a client. I told her I would be staying in Pasadena with our friends sister and she said "You must try Burger Continental" So on our first day in Pasadena, our friends sister asked us if we were hungry and and I asked her if she heard of Burger Continental. She immediately knew what I was talking about. The food was good. It was alot. I ended up not even getting a burger. I ended up getting some kebabs. I couldn't even finish it. Even had the salad bar. That was pretty good too. The service was good up to a point. Our waiter was friendly, but he accidentally gave by boyfriends food to our friend and vice a versa. (they both ordered some kind of steak) But by the time they realized it they each had already taken several bites. But I would prolly check it out again.
4 - M S.: It's gotta be one of the best champagne brunches in the area, right? There are so many choices for food selections, it's endless. And if you smile just the right way, your champagne glass will be refilled promptly. The music may get a little loud and long from time to time, but those guys are great, and are having as much Patron as you are Korbel (or whatever they pour there). Ooh, and did I mention that there's a belly dancer? My favorite thing there is when and OLD man or women gets up to dance with her, and stuff a dollar bill into her bra, so much fun to watch. Also, if you want to mix it up a bit, I like to order orange juice and McGuyver my own Mimosa. 

NOTE: If you order from the menu, that doesn't constitute a champagne brunch. So if you're there on Sunday, don't even ask for menus, just do the brunch. If you don't, well, you're just going to wish you're one of us is all.

Oh, and another thing, It's called Burger Continental, but I don't think there are any burgers on the menu. So if that's what you're after, sorry charlie!
1 - PAT C.: Three questions:

1. Is this place sanitary???
2. Burger was borderline inedible. This isn't really a burger place is it?
3. What's with the awkward belly dancer on a sunday morning?
1 - Sara R.: I remember going to this place many years ago, as a kid, and it was raved upon by the parents and family.

I decided to check it out again about a month or two ago, and woah.  First thing that concerned me (and I should have just walked back out and left), is how unsanitary the waiter looked, as well as the "salad bar".  

The waiter looked like he had gotten into a brawl, just a few seconds earlier...  or, that he had just woken up from a twelve hour sleep, where he had slept in his work clothes, too.  His nails were also *very* long, and brown - which made me apprehensive to even touch anything there.  Very Count Dracula-ish.

I still don't know why I stayed - but that's a different review.

I got a burger, which was not bad (although not enough to warrant 2 stars), but the salad bar was terrible/unsanitary/unappetizing.  The burger was not memorable at all, obviously, since the only highlighted blur in my brain is the extreme unsanitary conditions.
4 - Mary E.: Was at Burger Continental on August 1, 2008. Great place! Grew up in Pasadena and went there as a young adult. Place has not changed much. The waiters are ALL nice. The food is GREAT! I had to take 1/2 of my salmon kabobs home because the plate was huge. Shako was out waiter and he was a very good server. He helped me find something that does not have WHEAT! Very patient and understanding.

My friends were very very happy with their drinks and food. They especially like the Happy Hour prices. 

BC gets 4 stars instead of 5 because of the womens' bathroom:

The only downfall was the womens' bathroom: Way too hot in there, and they need a smoke alarm to catch the idiots who smoke in the bathroom. Usually stupid, young teenage girls. Oh, and it needs to be picked up more often.
1 - Jenny W.: i don't get the love for this joint.  the food is fucking gross and the service sucks ass.

but hey, tomay-to, tomah-to.
5 - Rob J.: Saturday morning - my buddies and I are leaving for Del Mar....we stop at Burger Continental to take in the breakfast buffet.

On Friday - I paid 5:99 for the 'Slam' at  Denny's....on Saturday - I live like a king eating the breakfast buffet at BC. for the SAME PRICE.

my buddies and I ate enough BACON, EGGS, PASTRIES, CHICKEN, PORK, (MEAT MMMMM) to seriousely pack our colons for several weeks!.

I will be back!...(and I will have to do some serious working out to assure I don not become  - HUGE!.

5 STARS for PURE QUANTITY!
1 - C P.: I hope my friend won't be reading this. As much as I loved the evening spent at this place last Saturday, it's mostly because of my friend, not this place.

OK, they have a salad bar. The soup was spicy, they had walnut in the mix, and I did not get food poisoned after eating all those tomatoes... The Kabob was fine and they had huge servings and hummus (The server told us it's actually NOT included in the set anymore, but he gave us some anyway). 

People-watching at this place was fun. There were families, couples, grannies...etc. everything. They also had live music and a belly dancer who went around the tables a hundred million times. It was fun to watch at first but soon became too loud and annoying for me. It probably was a good thing because when your heart beats faster you tend to feel lighter and want to eat more. If you're looking for a place to have a heart-to-heart conversation with your friend, however, don't come here.

As for the bug crawling on the table and the flies... as well as the not-to-responsive/ friendly servers... Let's say I feel obliged to mention them here. I thought this place would get a C grade but it's Pasadena and they didn't have those ratings available :(

The free parking lot is actually behind the restaurant, NOT on Lake. It's the parking lot right across Peet's Coffee, on California.
1 - Alan L.: OMG, the food there is horrible. I always wonder why this restaurant is still surviving. The service is horrible and just look at the food makes me sick. Its not even for human to eat man.
4 - Claire R.: I'd give the food a lower score but the atmosphere of this restaurant is amazing.  We walk in the door and an older greek gentleman says to us "Two beautiful ladies!  You'll make the restaurant look good."  After a greeting like that how could we not love it?  We were seated in the back, which is pretty open to the outdoors but nice.  The salad bar was semi- boring (there were some strange meat dishes we stayed clear of) but it had walnuts!  

I ordered the garlic chicken pita and was served something slightly different (instead of carrots and zucchini my sandwich had mushrooms and ... mushrooms).  Just be sure you are clear with your waiter (ours may have been new to the restaurant).  The sandwich, despite being not what I expected, was deliciously cheesy and garlicky and came with a huge side of fries.  Portions here are definitely not small.

The best part of the evening was a two piece band playing excellent greek(ish) music.  The belly dancer didn't appeal to us, but she was there as well.  The musicians were enthusiastic and cheerful and we found it hard not to want to dance to the beat.  Overall, I'd say try it, even if just for the atmosphere.
2 - Ryan M.: Thumbs down.

I vouch that it was an awkward family meal, and was kicking myself since Pie N Burger was so close.
5 - Toni L.: I'm going to be frank here. The food is NOT good here, but it is ABUNDANT and CHEAP. Also, they have a full bar and a COMPETENT bar staff. 

Food: Some of it is good, some flat out gross. I ate all of it anyway. This place really indulges in its continentalness. You can find anything on the menu from tacos to potstickers (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/5rTrfWtd1Isl0v8OK_iiCw?select=HQ8aBKIc8-gRriIQCR5ylg), gyros to burgers. The FREE SALAD BAR atests to this fact. Not only do they have actual salad items, but they also have lox and veggie soup (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/5rTrfWtd1Isl0v8OK_iiCw?select=_eQ1dD0g8B0oVxV8mBt0_w, http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/5rTrfWtd1Isl0v8OK_iiCw?select=RnEd4hvNZnUs8Leu_d86HA). They have a happy hour that ends at 6 I think. I was able to get a dirt cheap brandy alexander (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/5rTrfWtd1Isl0v8OK_iiCw?select=GQGOJJjQvPiVBKyj7XCHcw). Not only was I thorougly impressed with the fact that the bartender knew how to make one, but I also found it to be of excellent quality with loads of brandy in it. The zucchini fries (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/5rTrfWtd1Isl0v8OK_iiCw?select=_tlxeaTFfzdebR5KylYWEg) was probably the only item on the menu that I found above average. Everything else was meh... So why the 5 stars? This only applies to Caltech students, but if you ask for the Caltech special you can get a burger and access to the salad bar for $2!!! 

Service: Andre, the waiter is a big unkempt, but he takes care of you. 

Atmosphere: The far interior is crazy, but sitting outside on the sidewalk patio is a most pleasant experience. If it's cold, sit in the front of the interior. It's not quite as scary as the back. 

Synopsis: For anyone who can't get the Caltech special, I wouldn't bother, but if you can, take advantage of the $2 bargain.
2 - John S.: I think it takes a brave soul to eat at this place. Dilapidated, dirty, and it is HOLY F&amp;#@ profanity-inducing hot inside and out. A generally uncomfortable place. But the food is alright.

I came here for the lunch buffet special, which is 8 bucks plus tax and tip. It's not bad really, and despite the small selection they're pretty good. They had beef and chicken kabobs, a surprisingly tasty tray with pizzas that had Mediterranean toppings, some great smoked salmon near the salad bar, and decent hummus. Avoid the pasta though because it's a mushy overcooked mess, as well as the roast beef which is an overcooked tough mess.

While the meats here were all a bit greasy and not as lean as say a normal Mediterranean restaurant would give, the taste is pretty damn similar and it's a good bang for your buck if you like that sorta thing.
1 - Alex D.: Okay okay okay, so where's the punch line?! Where are the hidden cameras?! Was I on "Punkd" when I made the mistake of going to this, perhaps, the worst restaurant I've been to in LA???? 

All humor aside, the best word to describe this tragic little place is HORRENDOUS!. It was so bad overall, that it was funny, from the no talent, karaoke style "singer", the intrusive belly-dancer, the confused menu (ooooh, Gordon Ramsey would have a field day here!!!), the inedible food, the lower-than-low-brow owners and wait staff, the generally grimey and dusty back patio that looked more like an east side waiting room at a car wash, the pockets of "smells", oh, but that singer, wow this guy sang the worst music, we actually had to hold ourselves from laughing, it was as though it was straight out of a satirical comedy. Then he played the theme song to The Little Mermaid....the one when she's dreaming of becoming a human....oh, it was so bad it was good in a tragically kitsch way. 

If you are really pissed off at someone, take them to eat at this place. 
The buffet was so funny, I wish I had a camera to show my friends, it was unbelievable! Wilted, semi washed salad greens; smoked salmon turning different colors; half frozen hummus, bendable silverware, 1/2 gallon sized plastic beverage cups, and Wayne-Newton-meets-William-Hung on the karaoke machine singing "Fever" and the Little Mermaid theme song......

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Oh good heavens, it was too too much to handle all at once! I would love to see Stewey Griffin eat at this place and listen to his review.

So on a positive note, thank you to the folks at Burger Continental (what a misleading name) for providing one of the funniest, most bizzare Sunday lunches I have ever had the pleasure of having! 

Keep up the.....good...work....hahaha!!


:)
1 - Jonathan M.: My experience in this place falls somewhere between 'what the hell' and 'oh my god'.

Food - eh whatever. Kabab, hummus, etc, it tasted alright. Zero memories. 

The Service...look, I have no problem with older people serving me food. Seriously but the guy they've got working out front is just...ancient. Like, older than John McCain. Hair coming out of his ears old...just not the kind of guy who is going to get a big tip, even if he actually remembered what I ordered. Which he didn't.

The salad bar. Yikes.

Overall the place is huge, odd, tired and weird. I consider myself very open BTW, so this is not some white-bread reaction to a decent  place. Nope. If this place was a screenwriter it would be Charlie Kaufman.
2 - Marcy H.: I used to enjoy this place immensely years ago, when I was a meat eater and I loved their varied menu. The salad bar was a nice, extra touch as well. The place has always been chaotic and confusing, with annoying belly dancers and pigeon poop. But when I was in my 20s, it was all part of the experience.

Fast forward 13 years. Since taking a job in the same neighborhood, I've had a chance to eat there about 3 times in as many months. Maybe the place has changed, maybe I've changed. But now when I go there, I just get grossed out, and the food is so-so. 

They've actually improved the back dining area by adding a shade structure, which keeps out the pigeons and provides shelter from the sun. But that's just a band-aid solution -- this dingy restaurant needs an overhaul, starting with a good cleaning with hot soapy water, new furniture, better lighting, and a new menu.

Unfortunately this place will always get a steady flow of business because it's such an institution, and the owners have a long history and large network within the community. Perhaps someday it'll change hands and the new owners will take a good, hard look at how it can make improvements so that they'll get more customers beyond the diehard loyalists and newbies who give it a try and never return.
4 - Lance T.: Don't let the name fool you.   This is NOT a burger joint.    Burger Continental specializes in Mediterranean cuisine.  

Excellent all-you-can eat Mediterranean champagne brunch on Sunday's for only $13.00.    Remarkable  food quality and vast selection of dishes.    My tip:  try to get there early, because sometime they run out of food or the meat dishes might turn out overcooked since they are sitting in chrome serving trays with a constant steady flame underneath to warm them.      Something for everyone here.   From pizza, personal omelet chef, salads, and of course Mediterranean food.  

I'm surprised at how some of the past reviewers would go so low and  cruel to make fun of the physical appearance of the veteran server named Andre outside.    Yes, he looks like he came straight from a Munsters movie set and could probably easily get a job at the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland as your host, but honestly, Andre has a warm heart and tries his best to keep your dining experience pleasant.     He  is very loyal to the restaurant and will not hesitate to joke around with you.   He probably has been working there for over 20 years.   You treat him like any other human being, and he will be respectful right back.    


I like to sit outside and soak up the sun.  Lots of people stroll by the restaurant on Lake Bl. so it's fun to people watch.
  If you decide to dine inside, their is festive music going on along with live band on occasions.    Sometimes it's way too loud for me though, and i won't have any of that ruckus as i yearn to keep my Sundays, nice and quiet. 


If you decide to forgo the brunch buffet, then the other dishes are excellent as well.  Big and hearty.    The humus and tabbouleh is fresh and the chicken/beef kabobs are tender and succulent.
2 - Chelsy W.: On a Sunday, couldn't find the first place we were going, so hungry going to pass out. This was the first available. If you like loud DJ 80's music, open air environment,  partial buffet style, part cheesy wedding/ Sunday brunch rented tables and chairs: this is the place for you! 
Have to credit, inexpensive, big plates. Ya, the food was warm....? ( shoulders shrugging)
Next time I'll get better directions to Schreiner's. 
( found out later, Schreiner's is closed Sunday any way )
1 - Chris W.: This place is disgusting. Horrible atmosphere, smell of nearby dumpsters, a vacuum of service, salad bar wedged between two filthy restrooms. And the food is barely edible. Been dragged there twice and regretted it both times. If I had the choice to shut down one place in LA county, this would be it. And the weathered belly dancer gyrating in my face gave me nightmares for weeks. I gotta stop 'cause the Continental PTSD is starting to hit...
4 - violet b.: This is the kind of place a vegetarian should relapse at.  Let's just say I woke up New Year's Day (after throwing up 3 times in my bathroom and profusely sweating with the shakes) and my pal suggested we grab a 2009 brunch.  We were planning on going to Pie and Burger, which was closed for the holiday.  The Burger Continental was going off!  There was all kinds of buffet action going on including  lots of interesting Mediterranean cuisine.    The patio has that not-so-california feeling, reminiscent of the Red Lion in Silverlake but more on the senior citizens ticket.  I liked it.  It gave me that feeling that I was on vacation from hip dining spots.  I will say the New Year's day crowd was like something out of a casting audition.  There were huge women with feathered hats and men with faces like the Texas Chain Saw movies wearing bow ties.  Still made my day a little more exciting.  The Burger selection is pretty overwhelming.  They have just about everything you can pile onto a burger.  When the food came, the burger spanned the entire plate and was spilling out of the bun by a mile.  Loads of cheese, onions and mushrooms made me feel like I was back in the midwest.  We gorged like it was the last day before we joined the cast of the biggest loser, and somehow my hangover was cured.  This is one of those burger joints you  go to for excess, salad bar etc...
4 - nostalgia J.: I'm not going to sugar coat it: This place can be really disgusting! But I really sort of love it as the antithesis to all the snobby, mediocre, all hype and image, no substance Hollywood restaurants I tried when I first came to LA. 
I remember coming here wanting to see a belly dancer, ordering a pitcher of Newcastle, some appetizers, and feeling at home amongst the boisterous Armenians smoking away, California law be damned. 

I tend to steer clear of buffets and salad bars, and Burger Continental exemplifies my reasoning. But People LOVE their brunch, and I can see why its so tempting. Its just a smorgasborge, and there's lots of great items there. Anything you could possibly want really. I think if you get there early when things are nice and fresh, its probably pretty good. If you're not an early riser, don't worry: It will all be sitting there for you at 3:00pm.  Haha.
TIP: Order off the menu

They have this waiter there who always hits on me shamelessly in front of my date. He lurches after you when you walk in, making sure that he'll be your waiter. He calls me Lolita. I call him Igor. Its Igor in a tuxedo. Honestly, I love my fellow man. But this guy would have made me pee my pants in terror when I was a little girl.

Igor will hobble over to the salad bar and skillfully arrange a lovely appetizer plate of hummus, tabbouleh and pita for you.

 TIP: Don't look at his finger nails when he sets down the plate! 

I usually order a Gyro or some kabobs, and they tend to be quite good to be honest. Other things are hit or miss. I would say stick with middle eastern/mediteranean dishes. 
TIP:Don't go ordering a taco. 

They are very generous with the portions here, including the proportions in the cocktails, and its really cheap. 
TIP: Get some drinks!
I highly recommend trying this place for the sureally bizarre experience. Between the band, the 60 year old belly dancer, the clientele, and Igor, if you have a sense of adventure and any sense of humor at all, you should get a kick out of this place. 
Tip: Check out the bussers -They are magnificently efficient. I think they import them from munchkin land -it takes 2 of them to carry off a busser's tray.

Last Tip:
Save yourself a headache and Park in the garage on Lake.
2 - Jenny Y.: i'd rather not eat my burger and salad bar in a crowded, loud back patio that's pure sensory overload.  not worth it.
5 - nicole c.: If you like Mediterranean food this is The Place for it. I've had a number of really excellent meals, and there's quite a few items on the menu that are vegetarian friendly. 

However, my favourite item is the "greek chicken pizza". I don't really know what possessed us to try it in the first place, but it's amazing. Fresh pizza covered with greek cheeses, seasoned bits of chicken, and fresh cilantro. SO GOOD. My boyfriend and I will easily polish off the pizza between ourselves, and then fight over who got more of it. 

If sitting in a crowded restaurant isn't your thing you can get it to go! Be warned though it may not make it home if you've got more than a 10 minute drive. 

The restaurant itself it refreshing for LA because of it's lack of pretense. The servers are jovial, and you can tell they enjoy working there even when it's crazy busy. They will go out of their way to make sure that you have the best dining experience possible. If you're unsure of what to order just ask your server; they will be full of helpful suggestions.
2 - Sam M.: A very average place. A large menu with all sorts of food.  It is suppose to be, I think, mostly Middle Eastern or Mediterranean.  I'm not sure if they even know what they're suppose to be.

Some nights they have belly dancers.  Other nights a live DJ with different kinds of cheesy music.  But if you don't like the loud music, you can always sit inside on the street side of the restaurant where it is always quiet.
2 - Kimberleigh C.: It's nickname used to be "Barf and Choke" for a reason.
1 - Sunny M.: If you have a choice, choose another place to go.

It has live Greek music, I don't get what's the deal of non-greeks opening Greek restaurants, when they have no clue about the Greek culture. The food, I don't want to remember (eewww). The place was kind of dirty, not clean and the salad bar; Jesus, RUN! 

Nice Greek restaurants are owned by Greeks and they have the authentic Greek THING in it.
1 - Jeffrey C.: I couldn't think of any other way to start this review other than to say that this place is a prime candidate to be featured on "Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares". Awful, awful, awful.

Its primary problem is the disgusting food. I ordered a spinach calzone which wasn't cooked and tasted repulsive. It was surrounded by a portion of stale mashed potato, tasteless and soggy eggplant and finally a plate of plastic rice. Rice! My friend's pizza also wasn't cooked and vinegary. 

The menu is an overwhelming, incoherent mess with the most bizarre and illogical pricing structure I've ever come across.

The sleepy waitress had to be reminded of what our drinks orders were - a water, ice tea and diet Coke is hardly a stretch of a memory test.

Our outside table had bird poo on it, which can happen, I suppose, but should be cleaned up immediately, not just prior to use. The tablecloth had a cigarette hole burnt into it. The interior seating is in an unpleasant environment and can someone tell me what kind of self-respecting restaurant serves salt and pepper in Corona-bottle dispensers? That's dive bar territory, folks.

They did give us a complimentary piece of baklava each, though, thus the single star.

The other reviewers that gave this place more than two stars need a good, hard slap in the face. For the sake of our children, and our children's children, Burger Continental must die.
3 - Brandon T.: This place is just a little weird. The dining room is kind of outside kind of not.  That aside, coming here is entertaining even though the food is pretty mediocre or miss.  The staff here seem nice but there are a few permanent characters at this restaurant that you just have to sit back and watch, especially if the belly dance lady is there. 

The most important point:

They have a salad bar that comes with most all the dishes here, which is again mediocre to terrible. DO NOT .... DO NOT ... get anything at the salad bar which resembles anything that comes out of the ocean. I took some bite of something that resembled fish something rather and I almost yakked!  Everything else in the salad is also questionable.

They do have cheap pitchers of beer and have the sam adams . I had to end on a redeeming quality.
4 - Teresa B.: I can only comment on the breakfast buffet, served Monday-Saturday for only $4.99. Don't set your expectations too high because you are getting what you paid for. There's always an array of fresh fruit, salads and baked goods. 

The hot table generally serves kebabs, rice, beans, two scrambled dishes, sausage, bacon and french toast. Ideally, you're there when the items are freshly replenished. 

The staff always recognizes you and second guess your needs. The regulars engage you in their conversation, whether it be politics, family issues, or vacation destinations. 

There's sidewalk seating, and the inside has an open roof outdoor feel. This is the quintessential local hangout that is perfect for reading the morning newspaper.
5 - richard l.: Easily the best value restaurant in the Lake Street.  You get a lot for the price you paying.  Many of the menu is included salad and soup, which itself can be almost a meal. 

What i like it gave out discount to Cal Tech staff and student, one of reason i goes there, but beside the discount it still a very good deal.  

Isn't a pretty looking interior or external. Problem is the kitchen is right in the middle of passage way near the salad bar, which cause traffic.

The staff is helpful, and there's pretty of seats, i can tell business isn't good as it used to, but the food still good.  Some of the menu are vegetarian so make you is you ask if you don't understand some of them word.
4 - Tida C.: I really enjoyed this place! I came here yesterday night with a couple of friends. It was next to Pavilions in the corner of the lot. The lot was pretty full, but was managed to find parking. When we walked in, it was dark and loud. We realized there was a birthday party going on and the music was blaring , but I liked it! It was a great atmosphere. However, if you wanted to communicate you had to text it out and pass your phone around, but hey! It was fun!

Kay, the food was so so, I got the pita bread and hummus for about 5 dollars and it was pretty good! I usually don't like hummus either so, that says something. My boyfriend ordered the Vegetarian Pizza (he's trying to save the world) an it was about 10 bucks. It was big enough for both of us with a few slices left over. I guess, you COULD finished it yourself if you were uber hungry but not likely. So the pizza itself was really good, the mozarella was MMMMM!!! Nice and stringy too. It wasn't oily and the crust was nice and crispy. The salad bar was open to my friends since they actually ordered meals, but the waiter said, sure, bring some back for you friend (me), so they did. I really liked the shredded salmon, but I love salmon anything so I guess I'm biased. I also loved the potatoes with some cilantro and something else... *brain fart* ... yeah. That was good. 

Service: Excellent. We had a great waiter. He reminded me of Al Bundy, except useful. He recommended good food for my friend (something lamb), and was very attentive. He kept checking on us and was very quick with everything. I feel like the older your waiter or waitress, the better service you get though. 

Pros: 
Decent and wide vareity of food
Large place for large groups
Fun waiters and waitresses
Great atmosphere
Good Breakfast Buffet deal
Excellent service

Cons:
It's indoor but outdoor, so you get a few flies
Can get loud, lots of drunks about
The food is a little on the pricey side
4 - Popeye S.: Hard to beat Breakfast Buffets for $5..  It had MORE variety/selections a couple of years ago but still can't beat $5 for ALL YOU CAN EAT Breakfast..  Scramble eggs, sausages, bacon, chicken, beef, some pastries, and some fruits, etc..  Live Entertainment, check their schedules for Live Bands & Belly Dancers before yall go if that's what yall want to see..  Beware, there's a Big Dude working there that's NOT very friendly..  It was my Female Friend(s)' 1st time there and that he was being very rude to 'em..  It still gets a 4 Star coz there are quite a few Lady Waitresses that are very very nice and attentive to mee..  :D
4 - Nate B.: This place is GREAT. I've been coming here since I was a kid (and not for the burgers of course). Try the feast if you're with a large group, and stay late for the belly dancers if you're outside/out back. Make sure to try the baclava and have a middle eastern coffee if you're inside at the front.
3 - Christine H.: I remember this place being a lot better years ago. The food is average now. The prices are higher and the expansion has tacky 80's decor. This place needs a really good cleaning and revamping inside and out to revive it back to life for me : ]
3 - Kevin P.: Went here for a meeting and sat outside, great service (he was very friendly) and I would come back for the service. The food was pretty good. I had the mushroom regency burger and it was a 1/2 lbs patty with grilled onions and mushrooms, good, but it wasn't like going to 1/4 lbs or going to 8 oz. . .  it was like in the middle of the two. 

I would go back and try some of the other burgers they had and eve some of their other off the burger path items. 

I hope to have a second swing at this place sometime in the near future. 

In the meantime stop by here and get the 1/4 lbs burger (my boss had that and it looked pretty good). 

Enjoy.
5 - Kevin W.: Burger Continental, aka BC, aka Pigeon Continental.

The proprietors are land barons - they own the whole block on South Lake and have a jet.  When I was but a wee lad, me and my pals had the all-you-can-drink champagne weekday breakfast buffet. Worst. Hangover. Ever.  

Stars I have seen at BC: Anthony Kiedis (7 am weekday), Dave Roth (3 pm weekday), Dr. Stephen Hawking (8 PM weekday, having beers). In fact, lots of Cal Tech brain power here.  Anyone with Science problems should bring homework. Or a chess board. But leave your foody sense in the car.

Food: All meals, breakfast too, come with salad bar. Dressings include Barely Blue Cheese and Reasonably Ranch.  Your choice my friend.  In fact, read that line and this next line out loud with a baritone, Armenian accent: "Your choice my friend. Deescount!"  All meals, yes breakfast too, also include *chicken* skewers.  If the chicken is pink, it's pigeon. Eat it fast. If you don't complain they will give you Deescount!

Surely I jest. BC is cool b/c it has a vibe.  What's the difference between funky and gross? I could never tell with my sixth grade science teacher, and remain open for discussion on this point.
4 - Tina C.: The food was SOOo good and the price is fairly cheap for the amount and quality of the food. HOWEVER, i have tried their lunch buffet before and it was really BAD. There was flies for some reason, and that was why i havent been back here after a long time. But the last two times that i went, the food was very good and i bring my friends here whenever i can. 
i ordered their papa george kabob ( or george papa, dont remember).  I think their beef kabob is the best. the lamb was just soso, and chicken was pretty good. It is served over mashed potato with some mushroom gravy and it was SO GOOD! their fish kabob was not very good tho, it was kind of dry and just not vbery good. I would stick with the beef or chicken if i come here. 
oh by the way, everything is served with hummus and pita, and it was pretty good too!
4 - Austin S.: A Pasadena gastronomical institution of sorts, I have been coming here for years, but at the same time it has been years since my last visit.  I have had the food via their catering services a couple times, but it has been awhile since I have actually physically stepped foot in the restaurant.

Until last weekend for a friend's birthday.  We were actually given what they call the "Glass Room", which is a long and narrow banquet room that can seat maybe... 40-50 people depending on the set up.  The table was already set up with pitchers of water waiting for us.  I actually had never been inside this side room before and despite there only be 10 of us, they had set up the table for like 25 people and we were the only ones in there.  It felt like we reserved the room just for us.

Now, if you have never been here, don't let the name of the restaurant fool you.  Don't come to this place expecting burgers or American food.  This place serves up Mediterranean food.  Very good Mediterranean food at that.  I mean, they do have a handful of burgers and sandwiches, but this place FEATURES Mediterranean food.

Because it had been awhile since I had been here, I had to look over the menu to see what they have.  They had the typical Mediterranean offerings like lamb, kebabs, gyros, shwarma (sp?) as well as beef and chicken.  I eventually went for the "Papa George", which was a combination kebab plate with beef, lamb, and chicken.  It included their salad bar (but then again I think everybody was able to partake in the salad bar), a plate of hummus and tabouleh, a plate of rice pilaf, and a plate of pita bread, which I shared with a couple of my friends.  The salad bar had a lot of things as well, even falafel!!  I love falafel.  I honestly couldn't tell you what else they had at this point.  I forget.

The kebabs came on a plate on a bed of mashed potatoes and a roasted tomato.  Honestly, I don't know what's up with the mashed potatoes if I'm getting a big plate of rice pilaf.  Oh well.  But they were big chunks of meat with assorted veggies.

The beef was a little overcooked, the lamb was just right, and the chicken was just right.  My rice pilaf was good and... everything was good.  It was a lot of food, having literally 4 plates in front of you, but I tackled it all with ease.  I know, eating that much is not good for me, so maybe I need an intervention.  Or maybe I'll just get the lap band.

Prices are good too, as my combo plate with the kebabs, rice, hummus, tabouleh, and salad bar was $15 and some change.

I'm glad I had a chance to revisit such a nice place with quality food.
3 - LA Sunshine M.: Contrary to what you might believe based on the name "Burger Contiental", this place is more for Greek food than a Burger and Fries joint, although there ARE burgers on the menu.  

Since I live within walking distance from the place, I have visited it about three, four times.  My first time there was the best.  It was Sat night and there was an older woman belly dancing for dollars, and a live-band playing in the back.  The quality of food was ok, but you get HUGE portions.  Their salad bar is good too, although like some reviwers have indicated, the food may not be the freshest at times.  

During weekdays the back portion of the restaurant is quiet, and cold, since there is no walls on one side.  I would definitely recommend coming here on a weekend night.
1 - Jeanne W.: i have eaten at continental many times over the past two decades.

the sunday brunch plus belly-dancing.

the belly dancers are excellent performers, and you can join in which is fun.

that said, the food is middling, and the last time i ate there i was struck down with hardcore food poisoning.  needless to say, haven't been back even when certain individuals in my family try to compel me to do so.

i think the all-you-can-eat buffet might not have sufficient cleanliness protection.  there is not even a sneeze-guard panel of lucite that was the 1970s-salad-bar attempt to protect the buffet, and the tables are in the kind of forecourt of the restaurant, doors open to the bustling street outside and heavy traffic. ingredients for, ah yes, food poisoning.

as i've said in other reviews, i'm a walking barometer for kitchen health.

its my cross to bear.  until i actually drop dead from it i guess...
3 - Caitlin C.: Hit or miss my friends, hit or miss!

I've been here a couple of times with the family. The place is gigantic, ancient and not like most places you'd find in LA. There's a huge outside covered dining patio, which actually when it's hot quite pleasant to sit in. 

The reason why it's hit or miss, is the food. For instance, the baklava, divine, while the chicken shawarma disgusting. The roasted squash and eggplant, excellent while the fruit kinda old. I recommend just getting buffet, and picking the things that look tasty, or sticking to gyro meat. 

Another problem I had with the place, is that our waitress kept trying to take half finished bottle of beer. We literally had to snatch it out of her hands, because she didn't understand when we asked her that we wanted it back. Oh and by the way, the beers $2.99 a bottle, what a steal man!!!!!
1 - Rachel R.: One word people HORRIBLE!!!   I had a bad feeling about the place the minute I walked in....hot and filthy! passed by the salad bar that is situated in between the bathrooms...smelled like toilet and the food was old and wilted looking and stated the same!  Proceeded to the back patio area...which was the only decent part of the place.  There was a lot going on the menu...too many random options...so I ordered the chicken and beef pita special....the chicken was NOT cooked tasted rancid the beef had a strange taste, veggies were weird too...everything tasted old and stale. Here's the deal....I can eat anything....I travel overseas and can stomach just about anything....but not this meal.....
1 - Jeremy E.: B.A.D.
However, I think the pigeons would rate it a 4 or 5 star.  I was creeped out by the pigeons sitting on top of the table eating previous guests leftovers while the servers didn't do anything about it and then the table wasn't wipe down after the plates were cleared - gross.

I think they're better at the Greek things (beef schwarma) but the pizza and the burger totally sucked.  Service wasn't that great, though I don't mind servers who are blunt and straight to the point, but some would find it offensive.
1 - Richard R.: Many years ago, the burgers here were very good.  They are very different now.  The owners should change the name.
2 - Rafael M.: This place is ok - I wouldn't recommend it.  Actually, I highly recommend the delicious lemonade.  It's fresh-squeezed and just the perfect combination of bitter and sweet.

For starters we had the nachos, and being the connoisseur of nachos that I am, these were whatever.  I ordered a burger that again was whatever.  The rest of the table had the Armenian feast.  At $20 per person I'd say it wasn't bad because every millimeter of our table was literally covered in platters of food - in some places, double stacked.  The waitress kept bringing more and more out.  It was so ridiculous.  My uncle took all of the leftovers, which I believe was 4-5 boxes stuffed with food.  I didn't have any so I can't vouch for the stuff but the table seemed to really enjoy it.

The waitress was very friendly and affable but was highly affronted when my sister jokingly commented to her that Armenian people are pigs after the fourth or fifth time she brought a new round of food.  All I could do was hang my head in shame and try to make for as quick an exit as possible after this.  Rightly so, the waitress was curt with us after that exchange.
3 - Angie G.: I ate take-out from this place thanks to my lovely now-married pals in Pasadena after a long day of helping to put some wedding invitations together several months ago.  When I finally learned the name of the place a few weeks ago I was very surprised as it just didn't jive with what I ate.  Burgers? Continental ones?

They described the food as Greek-seeming but Armenian.  Insisted that they were told the food is Armenian. I thought, cool, whatevs as long as it tastes good.  I had chicken kabobs with the rice pilaf,  tabouli, hummus and a lovely salad.  I may have even had a bite of a falafal from the vegetarian one in the bunch.  I though it was tasty enough to save my left overs for and eat the next day.  It was A LOT of food and pretty reasonably priced I hear, but not 100% sure since again this was food in payment of services rendered :P

The reviews I've read here though make me a tad bit worried to actually go in, but the take out we ate was A-OK.
2 - Kris K.: Greek food gone bad.  The food here is simply sub-par.  If you want good mediterranean, hit up Mediterranean Cafe up the street.
2 - Alice c.: WE go here for convenience for more than anything else. I must say the BC's was much more fun when I was a college kid due to the lax carding rules. What 18 year old doesn't love a place that lets upper class man sneak them beers?   

I have had many a meal here. The salad bar is a huge bar that serves up tons of different things. Usually the best items are leftovers from the day before.

WE stopped by today because of time constraints and the cheapy lunch buffet for $8.99 each. The lunch buffet consists of the salad bar and the front buffet. Aside from the usual salady stuff, they had a platter of falafel and tahini. Also a tray of stuff artichokes. THe falafel were okay, the artichokes not. They also have day old tabouleh and hummus - and yes, I can tell the difference.

The main lunch buffet had seafood pasta (yuck), chicken and pasta (surprisingly okay), beef eggplant kebobs (kinda dry), chicken kebobs (the one thing I like the most), various pizzas, rice, tomato chicken, deli sandwiches, grilled veggies, pastries, and baklava (really decent) 

I guess I shouldn't complain when it only cost so little per person, but the food overall was mediocre. The smartest chap in our party ordered an entree for $6.49 that included the salad portion of the buffet. He basically filled up on the salad bar and got to take home his lunch entree. Pretty smart.

Overall, not a bad place to eat. I just remember it being better....
3 - Melani A.: It's alot of food at a reasonable price. I've been here 3 or 4 times  -- it's great for large groups so I often take guests there. I have always had a really good time, not so much because of the food, but because of the shall we say "ambiance"? The loud music, sometimes Greek, sometimes brass band, the belly dancers, some bizarre looking waiter with sideburns and the interesting mix of Greek/Armenian/American/Burger food -- combined with a few glasses of beer -- make for a fun, memorable evening. Plus - kid friendly! $3.50 kid menu with ice cream!
1 - Anno N.: Okay, I went here a few years ago and it was good. 

Today it's dirty and over priced. DIRTY. The other reviews are right. The salad bar IS between the bathrooms and in the middle of a busy tight hallway that people are constantly pushing through- including the servers. 

It smells rancid. I ordered a Continental Blue Cheese Burger which was nearly $8.00 and there was hardly any "blue cheese" to speak of- just like a watered down blue cheese dressing. I know you think I am kidding but I am not- watered down blue cheese dressing! That's what I get for ordering an $8.00 burger. I've learned my lesson- I'll stick to $1.00 Jack in the Box burgers from now on thankyou very much!

The salad bar was gross. The items on it were old and their 1000 Island dressing was more like 100 Island cottage cheese! Yuck! 

If you don't believe me go look for yourself. I didn't want to spend money at this place but all my friends were eating here and I wanted to hang out with them. But it was so bad that it's NOT WORTH IT- I'll be a loner on this one and stay home next time. 

Here's a lesson: Instead of oversized patties and gross amounts of free low quality food- why not try for quality over quantity and give us a burger that actually tastes good? I'll trade a swollen patty for a tasty patty anytime.
2 - Novy D.: "You get what you pay for."

I would have never guessed that a restaurant named Burger Continental would be best known for their mediterranean fare. 

Being invited for a nice Saturday birthday brunch, I was game for their morning breakfast buffet. We were seated at the back patio which provided lovely lighting and a nice cool breeze. Our buser was super friendly and responsive. The buffet ends at 11am and even though we had arrived shortly after 9am the hot pans and display was sadly bare. What I was able to gather was not very good and I would have preferred to go elsewhere. I did not go back for seconds.

Granted their prices were inexpensive their food was overcooked, unimpressive and just unappetizing. Come to think of it the only thing that was fresh was their tabouleh which I snapped up from their cold counter, which by the way, was not part of the breakfast buffet. Whoops.
1 - JL S.: Anyone who gave this dump a 5 star knows NOTHING ABOUT FOOD or dining. This place is a dump. It has a reputation for being good, but it is terrible. I went in for a burger, and was so grossed out. One of the waiters actually put some food that was on the table back onto the buffet. I mean this, back onto the buffet. I saw him and told him that was horrible and to remove the dish. I got my burger, it was just so, and left.
3 - Roni R.: Hmmm, so as we're walking down Lake, hoping to find a place to eat dinner -- we see "FOOD & BEER" ... sounds perfect.  We walk in, and people are at what appears to be a Middle Eastern salad bar.  Hmmm, okay.  We further proceed in and find belly dancers dancing w/customers and middle eastern musicians on stage.  Alrighty, then. 

So, we get a menu -- really sweet waitress -- and the entire menu is mostly middle eastern.  Am I missing something?  This place is called Burger Continental?  

Food was actually decent -- not amazing -- but it was okay.  We had a good time.  =)
4 - Anthony R.: Burger Continental has been around for as long as I can remember.  I brought my son for the first time today and he liked his burger,  but he still loves his favorite spot.  I had the Aladdin plate and it was excellent,  Mom had the salad bar and she loved the potato salad,  that's big coming from her because she makes the best potato salad in the world.  The waitress was excellent,  she was very accomodating.
2 - Emily M.: I liked dining alfresco out front. I liked the abundant salad bar. I liked the oddball host out front. 

But all of us hated our main lunches.
2 - Chris C.: Happy hour. 

Caltech special: $2 for a burger, fries and a drink. $2 beers. 

It's a pretty strange place. There's this weird host/server in the front who tries to get you to sit in his section. I've always sat in the back. The food is nothing special. 

I don't know if I would come here if I had money, but as a poor grad student, its a good deal for a meal and some beers with friends.
4 - Jess L.: I am reviewing NOT the burgers. It makes me sad to see all these low reviews for this place but i will assume its for their burgers. Really whats great about this place is not what its named for.
I've been here several times an always had their Mediterranean/Greek/middle eastern food and ive loved it. My personal fav is Chicken Breast Erotica
3 - alex v.: This place is just weird.  With the live music (heavy use of synthesizers, mind you) being as cheesy as it was, I felt like this might be a place Napolean Dynamite would take his Grandmother... It's that... odd?  

"Hello, sir, my name is Hugo.  Can I get you some hummus or something?" Thanks, Hugo. I'd love some.  "It's very good sir."  Uh, thanks.  That's it.  You don't need to keep standing there, Hugo.

In spite of the deceptive name, they don't just do burgers. They do a lot of Mediterranean food as well.  It's not super great, but it's fresh and it is good, however I find myself spoiled by Sunnin and Open Sesame in Long Beach.  Mediterranean food is one of my faves, particularly Lebanese.

Come here for the oddity that this place is and get a decently priced pitcher of beer with your Hummus. Mmmm.  Thanks, Hugo!
3 - J. Francisco A.: Since I don't work in the area any more I hadn't been here in years.  I walked in through the front and everything looked the same, then I got to the outdoor area and guess what it's no longer outdoors. They put in a ceiling (a high ceiling) so you still think your outside. I don't know why but this seems to have made the seating look wider. Lots of people for a weekday lunch. Lunch is still relatively cheap for an all you can eat type place $8-$9. They had an assortment of food with the AYCE lunch which includes, salad, sandwiches, pizza, hummus, pita bread, a hot beef and chicken dish although I'm sure that changes day to day. Well worth checking out for lunch if you're in the area.
2 - Simon I.: While the food is definitely Americanized Mediterranean food, it's still good when you want something filling and tasty.  Atmosphere is nice if you choose to eat outside.  Kinda pricey though.

I had their falafels once, and they were alright.  Kinda dry, and they crumbled too much.  Meh....  Hummus was iffy, but satisfactory.

A great place for good food with friends.  But I don't crave it.
1 - Mot Y.: Seriously, dont go here.

I went with some co workers and it was quite scarey.  There was a belly dancer with a lot of make up and live pigeons eating off the un cleaned plates on the table next to us.

We need the rating system in Pasadena.  You know A-F like LA has.....

I would put a 'Z' in the window if possible.:::
4 - Adriana K.: Ahhh Burger Continental....

The gist:

+1 = Food Variety
+0.5  = Food Quality (some things great, some ehhh)
+1 = Portion size and extras (free salad bar)
+1 = Excellent Service (especially for large groups)
+0.5 = Ambiance (cool that they have belly dancers, and they seem to try with updated decor for holidays, but they get a minus 0.05 for cleanliness - mop please! & get some new tables - it's scary under those tablecloths!)

The details:

True that it can be hit or miss with various menu items, but I come here once a month for dinner and have tried a good variety as well as repeats of the same thing.  Most I like.  The hamburgers are good. Steak is great.  Chicken is great. The Luxor BC is an EXCELLENT choice if you don't know what to get - steak, chicken, and shrimp wrapped in bacon & very very yummy. Pricy, but you get drink refills and a free salad bar.  Everyone I've brought there seems to like the food (no complaints) & there's such a variety it will take years to work your way through everything. I don't like mediterranian or middle eastern food per se, but they have good fish and chips, hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, shrimp, grilled cheese- pretty much everything. 

I come here with a large group and they take great care of us- Nacho is our usual server and he knows everyone by name and is really friendly. They even do separate checks for us- sometimes 20 people!  So they are awesome for that.  We get the private room in the back and it's perfect.  The only exception is that sometimes it can get loud if they have the belly dancer or a large party in the main dining area. 

In response to the previous reviews posted, I totally knew right away who the "Igor" is that other people have mentioned - he's great.  I would go just to be served by him because he's so surreal. And sitting outside is nice too.

I heart Burger C!
5 - Regina C.: weird yet amazing!!!

was here for a friends birthday party as well as what seemed  to be like half of Pasadena.  I was very skeptical when i saw the online menue had armenian american and mexicna dishes. 

we ordered the "Sayat Nova" or as i like to call it THE LAMB FIESTA!!!! no joke. giant melty lamb shanks, lamb kebab, and tender sweet lamb chops.  all with a nice pile of pilaf and stuffed mushrooms. i think lamb also may have been involved with those as well. needless to say many lambs were silenced in the making of the dish, but let those lambs SCREAM! because i am screaming for MORE!

we also ordered the Mediterranean salad which came with grape leaves boreg hummus and other armenian delights.


the lounge singer with his casio keys were amazing. they sang old armenian songs as well as some italian and american classics. it was fun delicious. 

come here on a saturday night. get the lamb.
5 - Daisy B.: I have been coming to this place for over 25 yrs and always stop in when in town.  Although it has aged I love that it always smells the same and you kinda have to fend for yourself as they figure everyone is a regular and knows the drill!

Love the baklava.  Always get it to go since I am stuffed like a 10lb sausage in a 5lb skin when I roll  outta this place.  The brunch is good but be choosy cause some is leftovers turned into something new.   This place gets five stars more for it's originality and longevity as a very cool Dena establishment.  

Love my BC and always will
4 - Jamie C.: Love everything about this place: the food, the belly dancing, the singer, the mimosas... everything!
5 - Francis C.: High class dining it is not, but it is comfort food at a great value. 
Burger Continental is one of my favorite spots because it is friendly, no-frills, tasty, varied, and a great value. It is not the best meal in town, but it is consistent in what it has to offer and if you can deal with some of the creature comforts mentioned by other Yelpers (there are a few pigeons roaming about), then you will see why there are so many regulars. 

Their dinner specials menu is reliable in tasty options and I really enjoy anything with the word lamb on it.  The chicken options are usually a good choice too; you get a huge juicy portion and the sides of eggplant and a spanakopita-type pastry is pretty great.  As mentioned by some of the other Yelpers, some of the menu items are pricier but it's also a great value regardless because the portions are huge plus you get their salad/soup bar.  In fact, if you're on a budget, I would HIGHLY recommend the pita sandwiches or their Monday and Tuesday night Burger special (not on the menu anymore, but I think it's $1.99).  The Garlic Chicken Sandwich (my favorite item), Gyros, and Falafels are around $6 - $7 each and come with the salad bar, which is one of the best things about the joint.  Anytime they have salmon served there, I will load up on that and the rest of the salad bar offerings and pack up my order for leftovers.

I've been here 20+ times and only once did I sit inside and I hated it.  Stick with the back patio and on a cold night find a seat right next to the heat lamps because it can get chilly. I will say though, I really hate the karaoke nights, turn down the PA and let me have my conversations in peace.  

Do I think the food is worth 5 stars? Maybe not.  But if I were to judge a place on how much I enjoy the comfort, food options, and affordability, Burger Continental is on the top of my list.  Some nights the waitress will pass along some complimentary baklava, which is super tasty. I've been going here for almost 10 years and I'll be back soon.

Some quick tips: park in their lot by the Pavilions or at Borders/Macy's lot next door.  Also, this is a great spot for large groups because the center tables in the large patio are all long tables.  Plus there are private room spaces for overflow or events.
4 - James R.: Amazing and cheap Saturday morning buffet with awesome staff and all you can drink champagne!

Sure, the food is buffet food, but where else can you get refried bean, lasagna, bacon, eggs, and sausage with champagne for $5!!!!!
3 - Lesley M.: The food here is not great, but its okay. You cant beat the burger special they have on Monday and Tuesday nights: a burger, fries, and a drink.. only 2 bucks. Oh and the karaoke on Monday nights is always entertaining!
3 - Cat H.: Ah, Burger Continental. Nothing about this place really makes sense but it's A- ok either way. 

I used to work in an office a couple of doors down from Burger Continental and we'd order their food for lunch quite frequently.  Their menu literally has a little bit of everything. For a "mediterranean" place, they sure do have a lot of Mexican and American food options. But they do them all pretty ok. 

The portions here are large. If you order something to go, expect to get enough for both lunch and dinner. And they're always happy to throw in extras to make you happy like random breads and condiments, utensils, etc... whatever you require or they feel you might like as a side. 

At night, this place goes off. Loud music, a (doughy) belly dancer, and yet, it's never over half full. On weekends, there's always a few people outside having brunch and usually a table or two as well. The tables inside are also packed really close together. You'll find yourself listening to the conversations a foot away from you while having your own. I must say, my friends and I debriefing each other about our love lives is always the most entertaining conversation in the joint. haha.
4 - Jimmy W.: 2 bucks for a burger, fries, and soda!!  That alone makes this place GREAT!!  

A WIDE variety of items on the menu!!  And everything is great, the portions are big, and the prices are reasonable!  What more could you ask for???  

The breakfast buffet is good, but not great.
1 - Greenfolia C.: Eaters Beware!

Aside from all the mentioned health code violations. The food here is terrible. Let's begin with the poor service and long wait times. Top it off with a bird pooping on my food and having it take 10 mins before I could get a hold of someone to change. And when I let them know..It was like it was my fault. On top of all this madness my girlfriend had to go to the hospital that night because of food poisioning. I mean are you kidding me?Just read Kennedy K's post listing the violations its no surprise really.
4 - arianne k.: huge menu...so much variety.......and the patio area is nice, reasonable price, portions large.... but the salad doesnt seem that fresh to me.....its the feeling i got......other than that its a nice place for lunch or brunch.
3 - Jen V.: Apparently this was a big hot spot for my dad back when he lived in Pasadena in his 20s.  We finally went there for dinner and he was shocked how much it had changed!

It's not just a burger place; it's also heavy on the Mediterranean food.  I do enjoy Mediterranean food, but I was craving a burger.  I don't remember being blown away by it, but I didn't hate it either.  I did remember that it took be awhile to pick one -they have so many interesting choices!  

http://burgercontinentalpasadena.com/menu/burgers.htm

I ended up choosing the San Franciscan (Bacon, avocado, cheddar cheese, grilled onion, onion roll), but next time I want to try the Armenian Pita Burger, Notre Dame Burger, Mushroom Regency Burger, and the classic Continental Burger!

They have an insane extensive menu, and I'd love to try some of their Middle Eastern appetizers next time!  They supposedly have an amazing Sunday brunch buffet every week as well.  It looks like you can go here often and never have the same experience depandingon where you sit and what you order!

This places looks so tiny from the outside, but there is so much room in the back!  There's even a live band!  You can tell this is a hot spot for the college students in the area -I saw at least 3 "study" groups chowing down, trying not to spill on their laptops.
1 - Mariana A.: the old waiter is slow and creepy.....nothing was good at all and I was literally harassed the entire time! no one i know likes this place at all. yuuuuuuck
5 - Jeff R.: This place has great Mediterranean pizzas.  I love the shwarma pizza.  You even get an all you can eat salad bar with your pizza or pita type sandwich order.  There is a great variety of healthy stuff in the salad bar.  By healthy I mean yummy and has meat too.  The prices are great too.  If it is a nice summer night the patio area is perfect.  If it is a cold winter night, then they'll put the heaters and the patio area is perfect still=).  Let me know if you need dish by dish recommendations.

Giotto=P
1 - Rhonda R.: I had not been to B.C. in quite awhile, so I decided to take my kids and check it out again. First off, the elderly man serving me was slow and completely messed up our order. 

My son's chicken skewers were badly undercooked, so we asked them to cook them more and they came back burnt but still pink in the middle. Also we asked for no vegetables on them, and they came back with vegetables. When I tried to point it out to the our elderly waiter, he asked me "Is that vegetable? no.. " and I said "yes it is!" 

I ordered a club sandwich. I mean how can you mess that up? The turkey was gross and very process and it looked almost synthetic. I asked for swiss cheese, I was given grated cheddar cheese. It was packed (and I do mean packed) with wilted lettuce. I asked for raw onions and I got a sandwich full of green onions? 

My younger son survived the grilled cheese sandwich. 

On top of it all, my elderly waiter kept calling me "baby" and that's just downright creepy. 

For that wonderful meal, I paid 25.00. When he asked if we wanted a box to go, I told him honestly, no - we just didn't like it. He looked at me like I was crazy. 

I will NEVER go here again.
4 - James S.: I went here with my uncle and his friend yesterday after he had suggested it to my brother as an option he could have his graduation reception during our Mother's Day dinner. From all is his boasting he wasn't off the mark by that much, as we stepped in for lunch the lady greeted him and his friend by name and asked me what my name was. Throughout the whole meal she was attentive in refilling our drinks and talked to us as we've been friends for years, she alone deserved a couple stars to herself. We ate the lunch buffet,it was pretty tasty. From Mediterranean pizza, chicken and beef kabobs, seasoned eggplants, artichokes and sweets galore. 
I would definitely go back and have another pumpkin chocolate chip cookie to go along my meal.
1 - Caroline M.: I have never been treated so rudely in my life. When I questioned the spanikopitas and tyropitas, which are horrible by the way, I was told, "You think you know what you're talking about, but you don't know what you're talking about at all." I guess women that are blond can't possibly have tons of friends from middle eastern countries and have a lot of experience with actually good Mediterranean food. On top of that, just to let you know, they have had tons of health violations, and my husband has gotten sick every time we've been convinced into going there by friends. Rude ownership...poor food...Tacky place
4 - bianca b.: This restaurant is a lot of fun for a big party , especially.

The last time I went I had great food and the entertainment was  live music and they had a belly dancer.

I went during the weekend so I'm not sure when they have live music and the belly dancing. 

But go and try it out.
5 - Christopher F.: Fantastic food, wonderful service especially from Andre the best waiter in the world.
2 - Nadia F.: It's a pretty gross place... They are somewhere hidden, very dirty, I doubt ANYTHING is ever sanitized there, and now they are trying to make it  a "fine dining" restaurant." I couldn't stop laughing and had to take a picture (see pic).
They are a middle eastern restaurant, not a burger place... the worst menu item you could order there is probably... a burger, however their middle eastern/Mediterranean food is slightly more authentic than the half pounders. One positive thing is they have music on weekend nights... arabic music.
4 - mary b.: This review is about food, friendship and tolerance. 

I met a great girl at the Nazi protest last month in Los Angeles. Her voice was louder than mine and met by my ears like the greatest poetry heard in years. Her words were tear stained when she shared her views with us. Like a great song's sound, I could do nothing but listen. 

I don't know what is like to be a beautiful black woman trying to go to college in a city like this but I do know that patients will be lucky to have her compassion on their side someday. 

I put the top down in my car, and take her to lunch on our first gal pal date. Where is place worthy of this amazing girl? 

We cruise Pasadena's streets perusing the eateries as I introduce her to Nina Simone. I settle on a place with Mediterranean food as it is my favorite to recommend to vegetarians like her. 

The patio room is massive where suit and tie Angelino's are taking mother to lunch. We both order the falafel platter and it is a sizable donation to our tummies. The secret garden room is a lovely spot to discuss changing the world so that is what we do. 

Down to business. 
She gets everything on my plate that I'm allergic to: rice, cheese pastries and desert. I load a plate down with tasty plentiful salad options from the salad bar (free with entrees) that wave a middle finger at the nearby Souplantation on the tasty factor. 

We are full and happy when she tells me how it is and I listen. I tell her about Ecuador. Two girls with heart's on sleeves walk into the sunshiny day with leftovers in hand. I am lucky to have met her, lucky to know this restaurant that has done her right and I hope that lunches like these are the first of many. 

Hearts worn like ours were made for breaking 
Ideas like ours worth contemplating 
words like hers are the ones worth saying 
& times like these worth celebrating
2 - Mari H.: Maybe I went in at the wrong time of day?

I really didn't like this place. My cousin told me that it allegedly has the best burgers in town. I'll never know, I didn't order a burger. But we decided to go inside, despite it looking very shady. The waiter was this really old man, and though he was really nice, I'd rather have someone below 50 serving me. I didn't really feel like the place was sanitary AT ALL, and still don't even want to think about who made my food. 

Anyway, the salad bar was alright, although the carrots looked like miniature hot dogs, which was disgusting. At least they had hummus and pita chips. I ordered the calamari appetizer, and it came with fries. The fries seemed very undercooked, and had no seasoning whatsoever. The calamari itself looked more like onion rings, and was basically soaked in oil. The taste wasn't all that great either. My cousin ordered the Continental Burger (I believe that's what it was called). He said that he liked it, it was loaded with bacon and the bread was delicious. But again, we couldn't help but wonder who made it, and this made the food less enjoyable.

Despite all the negatives, I appreciate this place because the menu had a variety of options, especially Armenian food. The waiter immediately realized that we were Armenian, and brought a tray of kachapuri to "take home to our mothers," which was really sweet. The food came out really fast, and we didn't have to wait too long for the check. I will stick to a 2 rating, with potential. At some point in life, I will return and see if my experience here really was just a bad day/time of day.
5 - Sam B.: although it is difficult to get here and park and not necessarily the ultra hygenic place in town...the burgers are real good and they do what ever you ask them. add whatever you want. and i like the fries always hot
4 - Daniela M.: Used to come here often but haven't been in about 5 years- until a few nights ago!  Went with a friend about an hour before closing.  I had the Veggie Sahara sandwich (pita w/string cheese, roasted red peppers, hummus, kalamta olives, lettuce) w/fries.  It was pretty good but very messy.  Had to bust out a knife and fork to eat it.  My friend had a gyro w/fries and he ate most of it but did say the meat seemed overcooked.  Our meals also included the salad bar.  I'm very wary of their salad bar because everytime I've been there it seems like the food has been sitting there for a while.  I went up anyway and got the sauteed mushrooms and breaded eggplant (both coulda been hot or at least warm), and a cucumber salad.  I'd pass on the eggplant unless fresh next time.  All in all this place is cool but kinda quirky.  The waiters will sit and eat with the regulars and watch the tv.   U might have to wait for your waiter to finish up his conversation with the busboy...this place is very relaxed and makes its own rules.  My only real complaint is that this place always needs a good cleaning.  Dirty tablecloths aren't appetizing, nor is dust on the walls or pigeons on the tables inside.
1 - Bill N.: This used to be one of my favorite places to eat when I moved to Arcadia 10 years ago.   The prices were low, the portions were HUGE! and the food was quite tasty.  

Not anymore!  After the last time I ate there, I swore I will never go back.  I have gone 3 or 4 times over the last 2 years and each time it gets progressively worse.  

The portions have gotten smaller, the prices have increased and the food is inedible.  The last time I was there I ordered one of the daily specialties, honey lime swordfish on a bed of greek fetticine,  I got a tiny slab of swordfish that was less than 1/2 inch thick and was dried to the point of tasting like leather on a small portion of noodles.  For $14. 

Not to mention how unsanitary the place is, with the salad bar between the 2 bathrooms.  The bathrooms are gross enough to make you lose any appetite you had when you first went in.

It is a shame, because it used to be a great place to take a date.
2 - Melly K.: I was so sorely disappointed with this place. It made me so sad because the ambiance and atmosphere of  the restaurant is SO CUTE. It's definitely one of those joints where big family get-togethers are welcomed, and on certain nights, they'll have live music!!

 I LOVED everything about it---all except the food.
To be blunt---it was honestly the worst food I've ever had. And I'm being nice, because I always give restaurants the benefit of the doubt and never have the heart to condemn a place 100%. The food was just plain bad.
It started off well. Looking at the menu, the prices were cheap and what was awesome was that the salad bar was included with the meal--a great deal!

Then we go to the salad bar. The food looks like it has been sitting there for...quite a while. I tried something that was supposed to be a falafel and it tasted burnt. Some of the items--if made fresh, would have been good,.

 I ordered a gyro with fries. Okay--this is a semi-Greek restaurant right? You cannot mess up a gyro in a Greek restaurant. And they did. It was the most disgusting "thing" I've ever had. The lamb taste like weirdly ground bland meat, and it was drenched in a weird  tasteless cream sauce that I'm guessing was their rendition of tzatziki sauce. 
Even the fries---the FRIES, for crying out loud---were tasteless. How can you mess up fries??? The fries were OBVIOUSLY previously frozen, and they were just not good. It was gross. I felt like I was eating paper or trash the entire time.

I rarely leave behind food on my plate. I have this guilt trip thing about starving children in Africa. But unfortunately, this was the first time I had to leave behind about 75% of my food cuz I just couldn't put it in my mouth. 

Burger Continental---I wish I could love you, but I can't. I love your ambiance and your "take-your-loud-family-to-celebrate-here" qualities, but the food is ultimately your biggest fail. This place would be a one star, but I gave it two because I honestly love the feel of the place, and am cheering for them to maybe clean it up a bit, revamp their menu, and hire a new chef.

Gordon Ramsey needs to come in here and kick their ass.
1 - Regina P.: My husband and I went here a little while ago based on a recommendation from one of his work friends. He boasted of the great food and atmosphere. He was wrong.

 I ordered the pepperoni pizza that has no flavor and was super greasy. My husband ordered the cheese burger that was no better than any other drive thru burger place. 

What made this experience really horrible was not the lack luster food but the fact that this place was filthy. Our table needed to be cleaned but there was also a pile of dirty dishes and what looked like a bucket of water on the table across from us. THAT WAS NEVER MOVED. The "salad bar" they offered with my pizza was filled with what looked like rotten produce. 

This was the absolute worst.
2 - Jim K.: Last time I went to Burger Continental, which was about 8-10 years ago, I really liked it. The food was great,  they had a belly dancer, good times and memories.

I recently came here famished, after spending the day at the Huntington LIbrary and since I don't get out to Pasadena very often, I wanted to try it again. Well, I was really disappointed. The food was not very good and the service was lacking. I remember the rice here being really good, but not this time. The gyro was stale and fell apart when I picked it up. At least the beer was cold.

Sad when a landmark food place goes downhill. I doubt if I will come back.
3 - Maya d.: The portions are larger than Life! If you make it on a weekend there is a belly dancer-and if not then you miss out. A family restaurant and an environment for a very casual date. Great for large groups of people. 
My experience with the food has been uneven, sometimes it is great and other times it is wilted and a little stale. The service is slow but I have never gone to B.C. to get quick service it has always been with a large group of people and with the attention to the group and belly dancer...A great place to have a family birthday if you are specific about what you want they are more careful with the food. Usually a painful thing but if you tell them the food was so so the last time the food is better when you speak up-that being said I do not frequent them as much as I did in the past the portions are too big for me.
4 - Beckie F.: Serves breakfast all day. Ordered omelet & came w lg bowl of fruit to start, then a massive plate showed up that had the omelet on it which was about the size of a football, plus 3 pancakes, zucchini bread & home fried potatoes for about $6. Potatoes weren't cooked completely, but I didn't say anything because there was so much food I wouldn't be able to eat. The male server was nice on the first visit but the female on second, asked why we ordered Diet Coke as she was refilling our glasses, because it's "so bad for you." Needless to say, she got a pitiful tip.
1 - Sal M.: I met a friend up in Pasadena for lunch; we walked around looking for a place to eat that didn't look too pricey but wasn't fast food. As we walked we saw a sign that seemed clear enough: Food and Beer.

We looked at the menu and were overwhelmed by the options of Mediterranean, Armenian, American, and Italian; they even threw in the ubiquitous nachos! This restaurant has a serious identity crisis. To top it off, they had a Sunday brunch buffet which looked a little sketch. Initially, the waited suggested the buffet, but we decided to order a la carte. 

After a glance at the menu, I asked the waiter what sides came with the Kabob combos, he looked at me with sort of a puzzled look and answered, "Everything." So, I decided to go safe and order a burger and beer, while my friend ventured for gyro and beer. Unfortunately, both ended up being equally dry and devoid of taste. His gyro looked as though it had been made of cured meats and my burger patty was somehow not straight and just as dry---it looked like someone had folded it over itself while it was on the grill. 

The service was also a bit peculiar to say the least. Our first round of beers came fine, but ever so often the server would come by, glance, and sort of stand around attempting to make conversation while we had ours. At one point he asked how the beers were, we asked for another round, and he told us, "I will bring you Fat Tire instead, that way you can try everything." We were flabbergasted and at the point of full laughter, but most of all speechless. He brought out the second round with my friend's Fat Tire and my Heineken. After setting the bottles down, he was about to pour the Fat Tire into a glass a quarter full with Bass. "That has Bass," my friend quickly said, but the server was about to continue the motion. My friend again had to retort, "Please don't." We got one more round of beer and got the hell out.

The only saving grace to the meal was the comical aloofness of the server and he did ended up giving us a couple of rounds of beer for free.
3 - Kathy V.: We stumbled upon this place looking for a good sandwich... um, upon walking in the door we realized it wasn't a burger place at all? What? 

However, we are intrigued and take a seat in the back past the kitchen.  The back is a covered opened space. Lovely but that day, it was pretty warm in Pasadena, and I don't like to be hot when I am eating.  However, I fought through it because I saw they had a Sunday Brunch! w/champagne. But, I did not feel like overly stuffing myself to get my $$'s worth. So still in my burger mood... I went with the patty melt sandwich... and to my surprise it came with the salad bar!! What? So I got myself two plates of hummus, pita breads, the soup and salads. YUM! I was pretty full by the time I got my actual lunch.  It was a great find but I don't think it is the best food in the world.

The sandwich was alright but I don't really remember it being something to write home about. The salad bar was delicious though! Next time, just the salad bar for me. 

People seem to have a lot of fun there... there even was a belly dancer. Hm, an older lady but she was really fun! She even made my friend get up and shake his hips. So cute. But not something I would partake in. =)
3 - amy c.: I think everyone should go to this place at least once, if only for the stories to tell your friends afterwards.
For me and my boyfriend every time we went there something strange happened. The food is o.k, they give you  a lot so order a bit less than you think as you can always share.
The first time there was a belly dancer there and she was very very pale skinned which we thought was a little strange, the second time we ordered red wine and they bought us wine which can only be described as mulled, it was almost as hot as a cup of coffee. Another time there were this group of old guys singing there really loudly so you couldn't hear yourself think, they also bought us way more food than we ordered which I guess is good.

I am actually curious to go back and taste the sunday buffet one of these days, as when I have walked past it looks like they have a lot of cool stuff like chocolate covered fruit and lots of cooked meats
3 - Carol H.: This is my first yelp review because after experiencing this place I feel compelled to do so.  I have to agree with previous reviewers that this place has an identity crisis (the menu, the decor, everything).  The food was just ok, but the service was very memorable.  I was going to rate this a 2, but I think our experience added another star.  

I went with my husband, our baby, and another friend.  We were looking for a place that still served breakfast at lunch.  Right after we sat down, the waiter brought us 3 plates and said the salad bar was included.  My husband ordered the mushroom burger with fries and a diet coke.  My friend and I both ordered the BC omelette topped with Botenga(?) sauce that came with fries, zucchini bread and two pancakes.  I asked the server about the sauce and he said it was made with artichokes.  I asked if it was a creamy sauce and he said yes.  Unwilling to miss out on a potentially good sauce I asked for it on the side.  Our friend ordered orange juice and a side of strawberries for his pancakes.  The waiter looked at him funny and told him to get himself some strawberries from the salad bar.  After that comment we were surprised that the waiter didn't hand him some oranges to squeeze his own juice.  

We were curious to see what the salad bar had so my husband and our friend scoped it out while I stayed at the table with the baby.  In the meantime the waiter brought our drinks and I asked him for three sets of silverware because there was only a napkin and two knives on the table.  He turned to the table next to us, WITH FOUR PEOPLE SITTING THERE, and grabbed a stack of napkins and a set of unused silverware off the edge of their table.  One of the women and I just exchanged looks of amazement.  The waiter then handed me two more sets of silverware from the surrounding empty tables and said, "Here you go sweetheart."  I guess it was too much trouble to walk 10 feet to the kitchen to get forks.  

The salad bar had fried eggplant (or was it zucchini..), romaine salad and tomato, bean sprouts, couscous, smoked salmon, pita bread, hummus, fresh fruit (strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew) and soup.  We were getting full before our food even arrived.  When the waiter did bring out the food, the plates were on a tray and he just held out the tray to us to get our own plates.  The Botenga sauce was sauteed vegetables, definitely not creamy.  The fries that came with my omelette were oily and the pancakes tasted like they came from a prepackaged mix.  The zucchini bread was pretty good.    

While we were eating we noticed that the orange juice glass said Hard Rock Cafe Honolulu.  It didn't match the other cups at the restaurant.  The waiter came by with another glass of orange juice and asked if our friend would like a refill.  Instead of giving him the new cup, the waiter poured the orange juice into the Hard Rock Cafe glass.  

At the end of the meal our check came and we couldn't believe what we saw on the bill.  Instead of listing the individual food items it just said "Food - $5.49, Food - $7.49, Food - $5.49, Beverage (as advertised) - $2.49."  They couldn't even bother with the specifics.  

I would not return for the food because there are so many better "burger" places in Pasadena, but the experience was definitely something worth telling about.
1 - Tyrone A.: i must say from walking into this place i thought hat this was gonna be one of those hole in the wall burger joints that does it right. but i was mistaken. i forgot what kind of a burger i did order but the burger itself was was bland, flavorless and over cooked. 

they did give us a free salad bar with our lunch order but i hardly think that any of the items offered was made fresh. the salad was soggy and not bright green. they had fried eggplant not fresh. they had pizza, not fresh. 

the one saving grace that this place did have was the wait staff. they were very attentive and friendly. but the food was mediocre at best.
3 - Denise S.: First and foremost, I don't think anyone should come here expecting a burger place. The name is terribly misleading, but if anything, the restaurant is more Middle Eastern/American food influenced. 

The food itself is not bad, however I've noticed that over the years it's been getting increasingly worse. It's hit or miss; I used to order the seafood kabob and it was DELICIOUS, but the last time I ordered it, they overcooked it and it was tough and chewy. Even now, I've noticed the food is either very tasty or disappointing. 

As for the service, I have yet to have a bad experience. Our waitresses, if anything, have been really nice and even give us free things, like desert and hummus and baba ganoush. (though perhaps that has to do with the declining number of people eating there).

If you don't eat that much I suggest sharing, because as other reviewers mentioned, you can get very full on the all you can eat buffet.
4 - R R.: since this was my first time, I wasnt sure if i;ll get vegan options. However, the person attending us made sure I dint go home hungry. He greeted us with a smile and made sure everyone got what they wanted. The wait time on the food is not at all a problem and the salad bar is a hit. 

Make sure to go in with an appetite to eat drink and enjoy ur time there.
2 - Emily N.: Well, basically this place is an adventure.  My fiance and I wanted to find a place that served alcohol and where we could get a solid meat and potatoes kind of meal.  We had stopped at The Sizzler in Pasadena, but saw a sign on the door that said they no longer served booze (?).  So, we headed down the road to Burger Continental, a place I have walked past many times, but never gone in.  

The only redeeming thing about this restaurant was the service.  Our server was strange, yet attentive, almost like a character out of an indie movie.  When I asked for a drink menu, he said "we have whatever you want", so I asked for a Pinot Grigio, and sure enough, he brought me one.  

However, the food was a different story.  The salad bar was included with whatever we ordered and although a generous amount of food, much of it was stale and tasted like it had been sitting out all day.  I ended up ordering a Grilled Cheese since nothing else looked as good and it was only so-so.  I mean, if you are going to serve grilled cheese, spruce it up a bit.  This was just white bread with yellow cheese.  

Although this felt adventurous, you just never knew what you were about to ingest, I will not be back when there are so many other delicious options out there.
4 - Frances R.: What a strange name for a Mediterranean restaurant!  Actually, like several people have mentioned, it is just a weird place overall.  There is a dining room when you enter but then there is also a larger covered eating area out back.  I've only been here a couple of times, and I'm always confused as to where to go - do we proceed to the back area or wait to be seated when we enter?  And the last time I was there, the young waiter seemed like he was going to wait the whole time at our table while we chose what to order.  Eventually he gave us time to look at the menu. 

Burger Continental doesn't give you the most elegant dining experience, but I don't mind that at all as long as the food is good. And the food is good if you get something meaty or get falafels.  The salads are not the freshest.
2 - Tori P.: I was craving falafel;my friend wanted something more meaty and brought us to this place to satisfy us both. So I got my falafel pita sandwich, which said it came with rice pilaf and the salad bar (which I didn't partake in.) 
The appetizer, stuffed grape leaves, were the best part of the meal. Delicious. But I think they set my standards too high, as the main course disappointed me. The sandwich was very dry; I don't think I even hit the tzatziki sauce until the middle of it. The rice pilaf was a huge mound of flavorless rice with mushroom bits in it.
I tried some of my friend's lamb kebab,which was decent,but I suspect only because of the sauce it was in. Her garlic mashed potatoes that came with it,however,were quite tasty.
I packed up most of it for tomorrow's lunch cause,hey,can't afford to waste a restaurant meal in this economy. But overall (except for the grape leaves) felt like I wasted my $$.
3 - Sherman W.: From reading other yelpers' reviews, I already wasn't expecting a pure burger joint.  Still, the joint sounded pretty intriguing, and I decided to take the plunge anyway.

First off, for a place with the name "Burger Continental", I had in my mind a semi-fancy joint.  Or at least something older and dignified.  So I was surprised to be led out to the back patio area where the tables and chairs looked kind of ratty and "temporary".  Didn't help that tables seemed to wobble on the uneven brick / cobblestone ground.

Ambiance, or lack thereof aside, the food itself was pretty tasty.  I ordered the Notre Dame burger (bacon, mushrooms, grilled onions, 1000 island , and mozzarella on a French roll) and it came out loaded with toppings.  The burger itself was a bit overdone, but I still enjoyed it.  The salad bar that was included with all the burgers (and probably most things on the menu) wasn't bad either - all you can eat, and it beat my expectations of having lettuce and dressing.

Overall: 3.5 stars; has potential, but knocked for the environment / atmosphere and the overdone burger.
4 - Lu W.: One night some 6 years ago I took a guest from out-of-town to Burger Continental and ordered my usual rack of lamb. An older Armenian gentleman, which I assume was one of the owners, walked over to ask me how we like our food.

"That was a big rack of goodness." I replied.

"Yesterday I went to a fancy Japanese restaurant... the strip of meat was the size my pinky and it cost me $30. I'm Armenian, I like big chunks of meat."

6 years on, I'm an out-of-towner myself and I go there for the shere nostalgic value of it. I walked in one morning, before the Ross across the street was even open, and ordered the "BC Omelette".  I don't know what "BC" means. British Columbia?

And it was instantaneously obvious that Burger Continental hasn't deviated from its quantity-first philosophy. It was the mother of all omelettes. For a non-taster like me, it's also a quality omelette. It's packed with cheese, mushroom, onion, spinach and God-knows-what. Not very salty, and tremendously satisfying. Oh, I haven't mentioned the free fruits and maybe $8.50 before-tax price tag, including a glass of grapefruit juice and pretty friendly service.

For people who still remember what hunger feels like - i.e., people like me and some older Armenian people, quantity-first is not only not absurd, it's a very sensible approach to business. 

When sky falls, Burger Continental props it up. At least for me.
4 - Jeremy S.: As a Caltech student, the $2 special for a regular burger, fries, and a drink is great!  None of the regular burgers on the menu are over $8 either.  This place may not be as "upscale" as other places in Pasadena, but I think it's just as good.  There is always a huge buffet for lunch and a variety of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food to eat.  The Pasadena snobs can keep their $20 hamburgers if they want, but this is a place for me.
Sometimes, the service could be a little better, especially when it gets busy during lunch.
3 - Susan P.: Seems kind of strange ordering Mediterranean food from a joint called Burger Continental. I should make the disclaimer that my school orders food from here, so I don't know what else they have or what they look like. I just eat the food. 

They have a solid hummus, though the pita bread is the generic bought from store type. 

Their rice is good but for some reason has random strands of noodle in it. 

I dislike lamb, but their lamb kebob is actually not bad. Their chicken kebob is not bad either. 

The veggies are pretty good and well grilled.

Their baklava is great. 

If Burger Continental is a hole in the wall, big portion small price place, this it great! If it's an actual sit down place, then it's meh. 

If you cater from here, they don't always make it on time, so factor that into your plans!
2 - V. S.: I won't be back. When I went here recently, I got the feeling the server wasn't hygienic and that's just disgusting. The wine glass was filthy. The salad bar was less than impressive, with the exception of the fresh pineapple and pita bread. I ordered the Greek Gyro and it was dry and I wished there was more yogurt either in it or served on the side. This place should rename itself from Burger Continental to Gyro Continental or something more accurate since most of the food is middle eastern. The next time I crave middle eastern food, I'll definitely look for another place to go. Can't believe this place is still in business.
1 - Debi T.: Perhaps, if you are preparing for a long journey to a third-world country, you might consider trying Burger Continental as a preparatory exercise. Because that's a lot what it's like. If you've got a strong constitution, you'll probably survive.

I've lived in Pasadena for for over 20 years and BC is just one of those places I avoid, even though I live within easy walking distance. Every five years or so I get dragged there by someone else and my infrequent visits serve to reinforce my (bad) opinion of the place.

Yes, they are cheap. There's a reason for that, and you probably don't want to be thinking too hard about it.
2 - Ellie V.: I went to Burger Continental today and have the lunch buffect. It was BAD. I was there with my client.  The meats were salty, soggy, and cold.  Pita bread was hard and cold too.  Vegetable looked like it was days old with no taste. Soup was cold and greasy.

A heavy old man with beard and a dirty shirt serviced us.  He was nice and being attentive but later came and asked if we were paying cash or credit card.  My client said cash and he said "$24.00." 

The buffet was less than $9.00, but my client gave him $24.00.  Then I saw him walk off and put the $24.00 in his pocket.  OMG, did he like rip us off?  My client never asked for a receipt, but was wondering why it cost so much.  

I am never, never going there again. What a place.
4 - Brad H.: Been here dozens of times (maybe more then 50) and always enjoy the experience, the food, and the service. As you likely know, this is a Mediterranean  restaurant - Greek, Armenian, & Lebanese dishes. Part of hat makes it a great value is the "always included" salad and mezza bar. Sure there are better places in LA to get any of their dishes, but they do a good job. Funny thing is though I have seen Burgers on the menu, I have never had one...maybe next time.
2 - Princess M.: the only thing that is worth it is the 3 dollar burger combo. burger+fries+drink (the soda is extraordinarily good here...). okay, and the owners, who are sweethearts.

what's not worth it is the dinner buffets or dinner entrees. tried to shawerma and the chicken...something (similar to chicken shawerma of Mediterranean Cafe fame) and neither were good. Both were greasy... that's literally all I could taste. Also, they came with the salad bar, which was full of old, wilting food. :( (The two times I went, it also came with a creepy old guy in the corner staring at my friends and me)
2 - Michelle M.: Burger Continental....the only reason to come here is being there is nothing else near by. I been here so many times over the years. The same things always happen. 

Okay, there are three sections when you walk in from the front. The outdoor (facing lake ave), walk in and there is the indoor, and then walk thru the hall/kitchen and there is the patio (huge outdoor seating with a stage where they have some band play sometimes). Okay first thing you notice is the floor in this whole place is totally unleveled and if you dont watch it or wearing heels, you will trip & eat the floor! Second thing you notice is that this place needs major remodeling. Third thing is that some seating is on the unleveled part of the floor, and is super uncomfertable. 

There are two old middle eastern guys as waiters (these are the two I always seem to get for some reason), one is super nice old dude that wears a tux like clothing, and has white hair (get him as a waiter). The other old guy (middle aged) with glasses, on the other hand, ALWAYS hit on my girlfriends who are armenian & pretend im not there because im not middle eastern. Its like whats the point of me being there if your going to pretend im not there the whole time, AND your speaking english in front of me! Like I said this ALWAYS happens! I can tell you exactly what happened on all occassions~ The reason why I remember is because its just tooo funny! 

Food~ The entrees are good. The burgers are good. When you order an entree, you get to go to the salad bar. Its not an amazing salad bar, its OKAY! If you dont go to it, your seriously not missing much. 

All in all ~ Been here tons of times. Cal tech students come here a lot because its only 2 blocks away from the campus, and only come here for the burgers. It is actually pretty good, But you can get better burgers in pasadena with better decor/experiance (AKA lucky boys, Yard house, etc). As a whole (experiance & food), Its not worth coming here. There is soo many other places on Lake to eat. Want middle eastern food? Go somewhere else.
1 - Sierra M.: Oh gosh. From the outside this place looks like a charming old timey sort of pub or something. I ordered the lula kabob, and my husband ordered a pita burger. This is a Mediterranean place (I was fooled by the name, not a burger joint.) You'd think that a mediterranean place would have good pita bread. This was awful, cheap.. thin sandwich pita you'd get a the 99 cent store. Awful. My kabob came on a bed of rice that was insipid. Looked colorful, yellow with bits of raisins or something in it. Tasted like NOTHING. Kabob nothing to write home about either.. tasted metallic. We were both unhappy with our food, but it doesn't end there. You get a free pass to the salad bar with your meal.. so we both tried it. First off.. the kitchen is in the middle of the restaurant. If you come off the street you walk through a small dining room past the kitchen to an open room in the back. The salad bar is RIGHT next to the kitchen. So while you are trying to get things from the salad bar everyone is squeezing past you to get to their tables AND waiters are coming out of the kitchen with HOT dishes, squeezing past you to get to their customers, and people are lining up at the salad bar so it gets extra crowded... and you guessed it, the salad bar was sort of gross. I just remember the potato salad being sour, and not eating much else. So my overall opinion is it wasn't good at all, I'd rather go hungry than eat at burger continental again.
5 - San S.: I've had wonderful experiences the two times I've been here. The first time I came I ordered something, it didn't turn out how I wanted it, and they took it off the bill. I decided to try their Burger and found it to be a good meal for a wonderful price. 

Second time I just got a burger and had another wonderful experience. 

The value, taste and awesome staff combination really push this restaurant up to 5 stars for me.
2 - Brian S.: Honest to goodness, my high school science teacher used to make us go here for extra credit. I can't remember why he made us eat there, but if we were doing science experiments (test the food perhaps?) that probably should have tipped me off.
Met up with some friends, who for whatever reason wanted to watch the King's game there. I personally hadn't been there since high school and remembered not liking it, but couldn't remember why. After all, it has a kind-of old school cool decor and has been a Pasadena Institution for years. That day would be a reminder.
First service. Staff seemed to be annoyed by our presence. Granted, it was a large group, but that's good for business right? When someone asked if an extra check was possible, the waitress basically berated them. I think the whole time we were there, she maybe smiled once, when we could find her.
As for the food, I'm just not impressed. I can tell you - do not order the veggie burger. It is perhaps the worst I've had. If this were 10 years ago, sure, you could get away with a lousy vegburger, but that particular design has come a long, long way. The hummus was meh, as was the tabbouleh and the salad bar was just whatever. 
I'm not sure I'd go back again - even for extra credit.
2 - money m.: went here for the first time for lunch.  here's a breakdown:

1.  salad bar was gross.  the falafel and fried veggies were cold.  the hummus was decent but nothing spectacular
2.  bugs in the bathroom.  i'm not sure what it was.  there was one small beetle looking bug.  there was a dead bug next to it also.  it made me concerned that there were bugs in other places.

food itself was average.  we had a chicken sandwich and a club sandwich.  both weren't great but weren't disgusting either.

overall, would not come back.
1 - Hada K.: Mickey Mouse Continental... Only go there if you like to eat left over food from who knows how many years ago. They brought out a huge "complimentary" platter with what looked like leftover scraps they found in the freezer that they just fried until it got scorched. Watch where you're walking and keep an eye on your kids! Around and underneath my table, there were knives everywhere. The floor is filthy and not leveled. Every single chair would keep rocking left and right the entire time. The falafel looked and tasted like elephant dung. Absolutely unacceptable. I didn't check their restaurant rating, but I hope they have an F for FILTHY
3 - T. Lynn D.: Great, cheap place to get a lot of food and an incredibly entertaining dining experience.

Usually go on Sunday mornings, which happen to be the champagne brunch/belly dancer/male soloist days in the back "courtyard" area. The service is never amazing, and food is never the same (even if you order the same thing). We have witnessed fights among employees, and a general lack of organization in table setting and service.
However, the food is good, the prices are great, and if you're a student at Fuller, you get a 10% discount. 

Don't expect impeccable service or food, but do expect to have a good time and to get large portions for a great price!
1 - Claudia B.: This was a place my now ex-husband and I frequented back in the late 70's, early 80's.  We had ultra fond memories of this restaurant, its food, and its Mediterranean ambience.  It was a huge success back then, and always jam packed, especially on weekends.  Fast forward to now, when my present husband and I were in Pasadena, and I realized B.C. was still around, I was sooooooooo excited, we decided to eat here.  I raved about the food, got all excited to taste it all over again, and then, when I did, whammo........ a big disappointment.  The food fell totally flat for me.  My husband looked at me and just politely smiled, for fear of making the disappointment worse.  I felt terrible that I let him down.  I wondered if the same owners were still running it, or if it took new ownership.  It was a whole different vibe now, and there was nothing about it that even smacked of its glorious past.
2 - Erin H.: Meh pretty much sums it up.  Their menu includes such a variety that it was a little overwhelming.  I finally settled on a plate of kabobs and veggies.  The chicken was surprisingly good, but the lamb was overcooked and dry.  The veggies were hit and miss.  Some were roasted and had pretty good flavor, but others were steamed and mushy.  While I really like the back patio area, it just was missing something to make me want to go back.  Glad I tried it, just won't be going back anytime soon.
2 - Samuel H.: Yes, you can get 2 dollar burgers that comes with fries and a drink, but the service is so SLOW. We waited 30 minutes for the waitress to come back with our change. The burgers were very burnt on the exterior and the fries tasted like they were pre-cooked and frozen. 

I'm not impressed, Pasadena. You can do a lot better.
1 - Kate S.: I cannot believe that the food is that unbelievably bad! What they served really and truly looked like leftovers that were sitting out on a warm counter overnight. The salads are soggy, the main dishes are stale, and the desserts are dry.  Hot foods were cold; cold foods were warm. I am shocked that this place is still in business.

It is incredibly disappointing to have paid for a "meal" that was so poorly done in every way.
1 - Daniel Y.: Zagat rated? Really? Methinks not.

Maybe it's because it was near the end of Sunday Brunch, but that doesn't mean your food quality has to go down the drain! And really, I think it would have been better going there.

I've never had a buffet where the vegetables on the skewers were nearly baby food mushy and the meat dry like jerky. I'm thinking that stuff may have been sitting there for several hours. The orange juice, although complimentary, was warm - yuck.

The salad bar fared a little better, but not much more. Mushy fried eggplant. Dry felafel.

Should've taken up the omelet guy's offer for an omelet...
1 - Yukie Y.: I was craving really good Mediterranean. So why not go to Burger Continental, after all I have been going there since high school .  
First of all the salad bar was not cooled to the proper temperature. Don't know how they got this past inspection. They had some kind of salmon salad, which I was not going to try for fear getting sick. My green salad was warm and the leaves brown from not being properly cooled. 
We ordered the chicken kabob, when it finally arrived it was on mashed potatoes, not rice!!! The kabobs where tasty but everything else was like it was not made fresh.  I had to wave down the server and ask him for our hummus. Which he brought to us, than I had to wave him down again and ask for the pita bread. We got the pita bread alright but it was more like pita chips, very hard. Must have been out on a hot plate all day. Very sad to say I will not be going back anytime soon.
5 - Rick L.: I have never seen any food that gives as much bang as the buck. this, my friends, is the place to eat. I was craving a burger when my friend told me 8 bucks gets you a burger and unlimited salad and soup. i said lets give it a try. we got there, and could not believe that 8 bucks could get you this. then it did. wow. 

well i didn't know it actually offered other foods, so i decided to go Mediterranean and get a garlic chicken sandwich, which is chicken, cheese, spinach, mushrooms, onions and carrots stuffed in a pita. OH MY. nearly jizzed in my pants. i mean this thing was GOOD. it was almost like a quesedilla because they grilled the pita. the meat was tender, juicy, and complemented all the ingredients incredibly well. one of the best sandwiches i've ever had.

the salad bar isn't just lettuce and tomatoes, it has other mediterranean type foods, including fried zuchunni.  the soup tasted like minestrone, but thicker and chunks of chicken and potato. i mean i think that the salad and soup alone is worth 8 bucks, and my friends who all ordered burgers said they'd pay 10 bucks for the burger alone. they tried the alamo, the san francisco.. and some other ones. but they all said 9/10 for the burger.

and oh yeah. belly dancer. not a very hot face, but a hot bod. so, what else can u ask for?
3 - jill g.: This place is totally wacky! That is why its getting three stars! The food is a little scary, but I'm a wimp (and so is my domestic partner). The crazy belly dancing was really "interesting". 
Best of all is the really cute old waiter, he was hilarious! I ended up with like five meals, desserts, pretty much anything he could sneak in front of me. I loved him, sadly just not the food. 
If it meant he would live long and prosper I would eat here every other day.... or maybe once a week.
1 - Lisa T.: so my boyfriend and i got recommended this joint by a close friend. if you're reading this i apologize but perhaps we can't seem to meet each other eye to eye when it comes to good food.

service was great. i love the fact that they hire staff that are on the older side. the one star is definitely for the staff/service.

food on the other hand i might have to strongly say it's really not that great whatsoever. we got recommended the burger here from a friend so we ordered the mushroom burger no onions. onions were burnt. avocado was old and had more brown then green on it. the cheese was like an overload. it came with fries.

The shrimp and beef brochette ...oh my how do I even begin. Please be prepared to get dirty and peel you're own shrimp. The beef and shrimp is bland.lack of flavor. it came with mashed potato and rice pilaf. 

The waiter was the this old man that looks like he should do acting or be working at those mystery dinners. He had this like  dreary look to him. Only ifhe could have said "ba ha ha ha"... All jokes aside... He was nice.he got us free salad and pita bread with humus. Now only of we liked those things it would have made our day. We were both super hungry when we can and was excited to try a good burger /food in general.the front of the restaurant looked dead but according to my boyfriend the back half was busy. They have a small outdoor seating area.which would be great of the weather is working in your favor.. The waiter asked my boyfriend a bunch of questions (i.e.if I was his fiance and he should go to the store to get me  a dozen of roses for ten bucks)...I love that he was so blunt and trying to hook a sister out! LOL 

Parking would be a pain because afterall it is pasadena. I didn't care to much for the decor. it was pretty old school. the boyfriend and i probably won't be coming back unfortunately! everything i ate was a waste of calories and i only ate it to get my money's worth. 

 i'm still craving a good burger.
4 - Kelly S.: A feast for a prince for a pauper's purse.  Course after course, a salad bar with pita, falafel, hummous, tabouleh and baba ganoush, a meat and vegetable soup that tastes like your grandmother's, grilled spiced meats, rice pilaf, dessert and coffee -- it goes on an on and when you can't eat another bite and the bill comes you will be shocked by how reasonable it is.  

Bellydancing and music on Saturday nights make for a fun atmosphere, but this is also a great place for a lazy lunch.  The staff is amazing and makes you feel like a member of the family.

Don't be a b*tch, order the lamb chops.
1 - Sahak D.: This place used to be good a long while back, possibly got bought out, I don't know what happened.  The last time I went there the food was stale almost as if it was days old and I couldn't even bear to touch what was in the salad bar, it too looked like leftovers from the day before.
1 - Christina L.: Honestly, I wouldn't even give this place 1 star if  I had the option. It's smelly, gross, and I always have a stomach ache after eating there. Don't eat here, guys!!
2 - Shane S.: After visiting this place recently for the third time in as many months and being a "regular" some years ago, I must say it has slid down the 'ol hill a notch or two or three. What would have been a 5 Star place for what it is and at least a 4 Star place on an average day, can now muster only 2 Stars.

The food is hit and miss these days. I used to appreciate the large menu with lot's of variety, but no longer if the food isn't prepared right, or old and leftover from the daily buffet offering. Last time I went the Shrimp dinner was ordered. It is $18+ and a half dozen shrimp came layed on a bed of mashed potatoes.  If I wanted my fried shrimp sogged up by a steaming hot bed of mashed potatoes I would ask for it that way. But who would? And to make matters worse the "side dish" was a pile of overcooked rice pilaf? Heavy carb+heavy carb = ugh.  A garnish of old, grilled cauliflower on the plate went untouched, as well. Also ordered was a BLT which used to be "can't miss" here. But alas the sandwich was dry and the bacon was obviously old and fried hours before, most likely leftover from the lunch buffet and perhaps suitable for bacon bits on a salad, but nothing more. I won't go into my visit prior, as it was just as bad considering the food and worse considering the service. But why pile on, I figure?

I think it's the old memories that keep any positive feelings I may have about the place alive. It was once vibrant with customers eating good food and having a good time. Not so much, now. The front dining area needs a serious remodeling, the sidewalk dining needs better service, the soup and salad bar is somewhat suspect,  and whoever is doing the cooking and food prep....um, it's not working out. I look at the place now and think "this place has so much potential." Which would be fine if it hadn't been open forever already, and the place had changed some in the last 20 years. But it has been open a long time, and it hasn't changed much, if at all. It's like an old house that has not and is not being taken care of. And that's a shame as it was once a place for good food, good times, and good service. All I could think my last visit was if it were my first visit, it would indeed be my last.  Not impressed in the slightest.

If you do visit my advice is sit in the back patio area. This is where the feeling is communal, service is better, and you may even get some entertainment in the form of live music, karaoke, or a belly dancer or two. Keep the food choices simple such as hummus, pita, burgers, pizza, simple salads, and anything else hard to mess up and hope for the best. You may be fortunate and have a 50/50 chance of enjoying your meal, at least
3 - L. P. M.: We caught them on a good day based on recent reviews.  First time here on a late Saturday afternoon.

Turkey burger topped with grilled onions and mushrooms, a substitute order of super crunchy onion rings and salad bar.  The patty hung over the bun by 1/4 inch which made for an interesting eat.  The meat was flavorful and had a great char-grilled flavor.

Old Fashioned cheese burger (1/2 lb) made with fresh beef, side of crispy fries and salad bar.  

Each combo of a burger, side and salad bar all for under $9.00?  Perfect.

We sat out on the patio and received fast and attentive service and the food arrived fresh from the grill.

The only off-putting issues are the mens room door is literally right next to the salad bar and the menus really need to be cleaned.
1 - DAVID K.: I went there tonight with my wife to celebrate my birthday. It had been five years since we had been there. The pita was cold and hard.  Not a good sign. The falafel was not very good. The white sour cream based sauce was spoiled.  We will not be returning.  Big disappointment.
1 - Samir S.: First of all I hate to write this REVIEW I have been coming here for more then 35 YEARS......This place use to be the hot spot not any more!... The quality of the food dropped way way down ( Maybe On The Ground). The service here blows. The place starting to look like a major ship wreck..The same old owners i think they are just to tired..This place need fresh blood in it ..It is Family owned and run but I think its for them to hang  there hat and retire..I would love to see this place come back to life...
3 - Adriana K.: When the wait for Pie 'n Burger was too long for our group, we ended up at Burger Continental. No wait, and plenty of room for our expanding group. Fast friendly service. The food was less that desirable - but cheap! We even got an extra fruit plate for the groom- it was the morning of his wedding day after all - which I thought was nice. Lots of room, no wait, huge portions for a cheap price...
3 - Franchesca C.: Their menu is huge! Chicken sandwich with waffle fries was a good choice. Free salad bar was included!
4 - Ann B.: I've been a fan of this place for 30 years. Same family still runs the place, and they are the definition of gracious.

While the burgers are tasty and ample, go for the Armenian/Greek/Mediterranean offerings. You'll get a lot of delicious food for a surprisingly small tab.
3 - candie s.: They raised their Sunday brunch prices from $14.99/pp to $18.99/pp.  Everyone is effected by the economy ... ce la vie.

I'm not a big buffet person because I'm usually done after one plate, so I never feel it's worth my value.  But on some days, you really don't know what you want for breakfast and Burger Continental has it all.  Dolmas, waffles, sausages, bacon, an omelette station, lasagna, mac 'n' cheese, sushi, tacos, a plethora of fruit and enough baklava to make your belly explode.

The Mediterranean dishes are still as delicious as ever.  I LOVE their hummus and tzatziki.  The other items are decent.  Not horrible, but not memorable by any means.  It's not a bad deal if you're able to fit it all in one sitting.  I believe there's free flowing champagne upon request as well.  

I'm a true supporter of local businesses and they've been around longer than I've been alive.  It's worth a visit if you've never been.  The place might be a bit run down, but it gives the place character.  Go for brunch and go hungry.
1 - Ryan H.: I've never been more confused than I have been at Burger Continental. Whenever I come back here, the $3 Poly Special may be worth its low price, but I always seem to encounter an extremely confusing situation that leaves me perpetually uncomfortable to the point where I literally have no idea what I'm doing anymore.

I'm absolutely positive that the owner intentionally hires schizophrenics as his employees. They all seem delirious and seem to have absolutely no idea what they're doing. 

One waiter (the one that resembles a deranged ogre) looked like a very large and confused homeless man that only wanted love and nurturing -- but he's stuck in this confusing hell hole serving burgers to the same, loyal middle-aged male customers that probably go to Burger Continental to enjoy the fantastic and confusing "entertainment" that they provide. This waiter -- I will call him Vlad for simple convenience -- croaks as if his throat is dusty and dry; rather than serving us food, he scared us.

One "entertainment" performer, Jimmy, "performed" for my friends and me: he attempted to lip-sync. Despite the immense laughter that subsequently took place, my friends and I were eternally frightened of this "restaurant" that also has the tendency to have earwigs crawling on the walls and into our beverages.

To top it all off, Jimmy asked how old we were and continued to dry-hump a lamp post, engage in sexual positions with himself, squat into a fecal discharge position, and attempt the splits.

I recommend Burger Continental if you want to have a memorable and truly irrational night.
3 - Y C.: I heard many famous Caltech people, like Richard Feynman, had frequented this place.  Many Caltech-related events are also catered by this place.   In fact, I think Caltech people still get some discount here --- that is, if they mention that they are from Caltech.  

To be honest, the food here is actually quite bad. The only good thing is the all-you-can-eat salad and soup, which comes with most orders --- except the cheapest kind of burger.   Sometimes the soup can be very good --- when it is very oily.  The salad bar can be good if there's smoked salmon.   Food from the rest of the menu is quite bad, in my opinion.  I have tried burgers, the roast chicken, kebobs, etc., and none of them I liked.  The kebobs were very dry and had textures like leather.
2 - Siao W.: I love Greek/Mediterranean food, but this place just doesn't cut it. 
-The falafels were burnt to a crisp! They were seriously black! Any chick pea taste or seasoning was covered by ash! 
-The hummus was also way to acidic. 
-The beef kabobs were so tough that I could barely chew through the meat. The chicken kabobs were a bit more tender but nothing to write home about. 
-The salad was mediocre. The greens seemed fresh enough, but I didn't really think twice about it. 
No real reason to come back here.
4 - Vincent L.: I broke a 5-day fast with this place. Let's keep this in mind.

Famished from 5 days of nothing but water, this turned out to be the best place to break my fast. I had the Beef and Chicken kabobs. Apparently there's also a salad bar before the meal as well. I overloaded on that a bit (I got two plates). 

The beef and the chicken were cooked very well. The asparagus, tomatoes were roasted to perfection, and the mashed potatoes are drool worthy. The hummus and pita bread were fair as well. 

I was very satisfied with the meal and it can fill a 5 day void. If you are looking for voluminous food with a decent atmosphere, come here!
3 - Nikee W.: Hmmm B.C. used to be my favorite place ever. The lamb gyros was perfection, I loved the pilaf and the cute little salad bar. Of course the burgers where always big and juicy. The Tahini hummas was a must have and rivaled anything you could ever buy in a store. We used to go here every Friday night but it's been about 3 years since we where last here, and things seem to have changed a bit. 
The gyros was still good, as was the hummas but they used to use more tahini which is what gave it that great savory flavor. The pita that was served with it was down right hard. Not fresh at all. We did get some tasty fresh falafels and fried eggplant from the salad bar, the fruit and soup where good too, but that didn't make up for the disappointment of the pita. The burgers where huge and delicious, my gyros was a little bland and lackluster, as was the pilaf. This place just seems a bit tired. I don't know if they are cutting spices to save money. but I remember having so much better. I didn't even bother getting a baklava on the way out. I still love the B.C. and the people who run it,  I just hope that they have things spiced back up next time we visit
1 - V E.: I remember back in the '80s & '90s when Burger Continental was THE spot for Mediterranean food. We were actually proud to call it our own. Unfortunately, time has taken its toll on this place and it lacks the charm that other old restaurants have been able to maintain.

It is quite possibly the worst restaurant in Pasadena at the moment in terms of food, service, layout, and ambiance. You can read the details in other reviews. I would like to add that the menu is unnecessarily complicated and it smells of urinal cakes everywhere (and why is the salad bar soooo close to the men's bathroom?). Rest assured it is a prime candidate for Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares.
1 - Nehlee S.: PIECE OF SHIT PLACE.........NASTY FOOD!!!!!! 
WILL GET YOU SICK!!! 
LOOKS LIKE LEFT OVERS!!!

My friend and I stopped by...hoping to get some veggie burgers. Upon walking in for the 1st time we requested menus n decided to sit out back, not knowing that some people were washing and scrapping floors of stage, where a Wednesday night band would began playing. Nearby a table full of old senior citizens and no one else in sight.

Waitress seemed rude, slow, and careless.
THe salad bar is horrible, everything looks old n cheap and not worthy of spending your cash on.  Anything that came close to slightly ok-was the pineapple.

Upon receiving menu we settled for chicken kabob plate, and another chicken dish.   Both dishes we both noticed a cold gravy gelatin looking crap slobbered over chicken. We asked the waitress what it was which she replied bluntly to my friend-  "ITs like a gravy, a sauce, eat it."  We cut into the chicken only to find it RAW/PINK we were very disgusted & lost our appetites.  

The second dish-had burnt mushrooms, and 2 old cauliflower pieces one dark brown, one light brown.  :/.  WTF.


If your looking for a good time and better food-settle in a corner bakery which is down the same strip.
3 - Aromy X.: This place is rough around the corners, but I guess that's what attracted my husband to this place. Everyone who works here seems to be a character. 

Even though this place has its rough edges, what it lacks in charm it makes up for in quantity! Though the quality is okay. Be careful while sifting through the salad bar! Some of it looks old, but at least the hummus and tabouli are delish. And their burgers are larger than life, so come on a very empty stomach!
1 - Chloe's M.: OMG!!!! Where in the world do I start with this place? Okay, for starters we were in the Pasadena area rather early in the day and dying for breakfast, low and behold we saw a beautiful brown awning and at reading the word "burger" we were sold (boy are we suckers).  

We entered through the "back," ewwww bad idea!  Though the restaurant was open it was still being cleaned and prep'd, omen #1.  

As we are making our way through the back courtyard we detected a foul stagnant sewer water stench, omen #2.  

We made it past the "deli" and into the front dining area which was empty, omen #3.  I know by now we should have just walked out but we decided to give them the benefit of the doubt.....bad idea.

Ok, so we order the eggs benedict and the sausage and eggs and this is were it starts to really go down hill.  The hollandaise sauce smelled and tasted like it had been fermenting and scooped from the innards of a decomposing body they had hidden in the back.  It was beyond horrible! Completely inedible.  

The sausage and eggs, I guess you could call it somewhat fit for consumption, though a "eat at your own risk" sign would have been greatly appreciated. 

This was just the worst place ever! Luckily we saved two innocent souls from being submitted to the same tortures we had just endured.  Let me tell you, I have not seen two people run out as fast as they did....boy was I jealous it was not me running out instead of them.

Anyhow, DON'T I repeat DON'T eat here.  Go anywhere but here....it was bad, just wrong!!!
2 - Emily L.: Service was friendly but slow, food was alright, and the belly dancer made everything awkward for my family. 
There's something to be said when the leftovers of the meal taste better than the meal itself. 
I liked the pizza and the chicken tomato vegetable soup thing, but that was it. 
The fact that the owner came out and said hello to us was a nice touch that I appreciated.
4 - Stevi S.: The first time I came to Burger Continental it was mid-summer, and it was a place my boyfriend recommended. He said it was Mediterranean food and there was outdoor seating. At first, I thought he was thinking of another restaurant because of the name, but when we got there, I learned that Burger Continental has very little to do with burgers. 
The outdoor seating is wonderful, first of all. During the summer, it allows for a nice breeze, and the creative decor and atmosphere make for a great dinner. There was live music, which I will say was a bit loud, but we were sitting directly to the right of the stage. 
Our service was SPECTACULAR. I chose a dish,and our server told me about the buffet of felafel, hummus, Tabouli, eggplant, and everything else that always sounds good to me! I ended up ordering one of the pita sandwiches, and it was delicious! Of course, it came with the buffet, so by the time I got my meal, I was already thinking about ordering it to go. 
The food is fresh and delicious, especially the eggplant and hummus. Everything is set out wonderfully in the buffet, which may look small, but the  food is worth a second or third trip! 
I'm giving this place 4 stars because I've been back several times, and even though I love the food and the atmosphere is nice in the outdoor seating, the service is slow. Friendly, yes, but slow. Also, the atmosphere is nice and friendly, but when there is loud music, I would advise sitting away from the stage, possibly inside. It can be very loud and intrusive. If you like Mediterranean food, I would definitely plan to stop by Burger Continental!
1 - Amy W.: If you can't get a french dip right ya got an issue. I just got a plain french dip to play it safe since I was forced to go here with my parents and the previous reviews said they sucked. Well the beef on the sandwich tasted weird and the au jus didn't look right. It came with fries which were the best thing by far. I also ordered a sprite which was so bland. Yuck! My brother and mom split a grilled cheese which was okay looking, just your run of the mill gcs. My brother also ordered onion rings. He was shocked, the onion rings weren't fresh , didn't even pretend to be. They were made with choppped onions (or so we think). Also my brother ordered a coke and they failed to tell him it was pepsi, needless to say he was pissed. I didn't even finish half of my sandwich and I don't plan to. I will not be back by choice. Do your self a favor and skip this place if you  can....
3 - Tammy L.: In addition to a long list of juicy burgers, this restaurant offers Armenian, Greek and Mexican specialties, plus all-American steaks and chops. Orders include a trip to the salad bar and heaps of rice and vegetables. 

Some of the most compelling options include bacon-wrapped chicken breast "erotica" stuffed with jumbo shrimp. Lamb lovers should order the Sayat Nova Grand: lamb shank, lamb chops and gyros. An intriguing kebab option is the Armenian Feast, pairing beef, ground beef and chicken kebabs with an array of Middle Eastern hors d'oeuvres.

Highlighted Menu:
Zucchini Fries 9.29
The Mediterranaen Salad 6.89
The Mediterranean Wrap 9.49
Greek Chicken Pizza 15.99
Jumbo Shrimp Combo 15.99

Features:
Heart-healthy dishes
Kid-friendly
Full bar

Reservations suggested:
Jazz Wed., belly dancing Thurs.-Sun.
Outdoor dining
Parking lot
Casual

COns: slow service and awkward belly dancers
5 - Marissa B.: Been meaning to write a review for BC for a long time now!

This place is a very cool and low key Mediterranean place to dine. I have tried their fish for dinner, which is amazing, but regularly go here for the buffets, which are very much worth it. They always have several entrees (fried chicken, pizza, kabobs, rice, vegetables, salads, fruits, desserts that are yummy baked goods like baklavah).

I just had to write for my breakfast visit yesterday. I ordred the Sanfranciscan, which is this yummy omelette! In place of regular pancakes, I got chococolate chip pancakes, which arrived before my meal.

When I got it, I immediately died and went to heaven it was that good!!!!
Rich chocolate that is decadent and not too sweet made me swoon for
every calorie. I am in fact eating my leftovers as I write.....which is delicious
LOL ;-) The pancake itself is light, unlike most pancakes which are too heavy
for me to eat. This one is delightful.

I love to laugh at the people who say this place is just "ok". They don't really
know what's delicious because they obviously don't try the variety of items
offered (BC menu is extensive!!!!! ) From breakfast to dinner, there's really
something for everyone.

The thing I love the most as well as the good food is the excellent service.
Frederico is my parents waiter and he always serves with a smile and asks
us if we need anything and is very gracious and attentive. I have come to 
look forward eating here when he serves us. The owners also are nice.
My yoga friends come here with me too, which makes this place so chill
and cozy environment.

Sometimes, if you go at night and sit out in the patio area, there is live music playing and from what I hear, karaoke night. I hope to experience karaoke here one time soon!

This place is totally fun. If you love good food, excellent service, and Mediterranean food, this is the place to be. You get a lot of food for your money (see I talk about my leftovers ;-) and BC is very charming and low key. You can relax and enjoy your meal and be able to enjoy family time and conversation.

5 stars for service, food, value, and more!!!!
4 - Heidi N.: I rarely write reviews in Yelp - in this case it seems like my experience doesn't reflect the experiences that others claim to have had. So, I'll change my review if things go for the worse. 

However, today my husband and I had a great lunch here. We were immediately seated, the service was prompt and the waiter (though a character) took good care us. This included getting hummus for our child while we ate (on the house) and consitently checking back for anything else we needed. We had a sidewalk table, but inside around the salad bar everything seemed clean and fresh. I thought there was offered pretty good value - a salad bar with my lunch and large glasses of soda. In total we were both full for $20. The man next to us had a massive omelet and seemed pretty happy with his food too.

So for those of you who don't like it - great! - more food for us.
1 - Stella B.: If ZERO stars were possible then that's what I would rate this place, the stench the dirt  and the quality of food is equivalent to eating DOG food. Eating from the sewer would probably be safer..... It's amazing that this place still exists and does business.... don't waste your money or your time stay away from this hell hole
5 - David G.: OMG, where do I start? I have known the Hindoyan family for many years, and have always loved BC. Gary catered my wedding and my father raves about how good and plentiful their food is at Pasadena's "Good 'ol Boys" events. So it was a natural for me to select BC to host a 90th birthday celebration and buffet lunch for dad. I could not have been more pleased with how the event played out. Thank you Harry, Levon, Gary, Nacho, and ALL the attentive BC staff who made this event memorable. The food was at its best and plentiful beyond my expectations. Being an Armenian family, everyone is highly critical of Middle Eastern food not prepared in their own kitchen. There were NO complaints to be heard anywhere for the succulent chicken and beef lula kebabs, the delicious cheese boureg, the tabbouleh and Greek slaw, the "special" rice pilaf, and the roasted veggies. Even though we had the banquet room (and a portion of the main dining room to accommodate the 100 attendees) for 3 hours, we were encouraged to stay an additional 2 hours to allow the family to fully enjoy their celebration of Dad's special day. I cannot praise this family and their business enough!
Now, for those who have recently complained about BC's aura and fare, DO NOT BE MISLED!!  This restaurant is a Pasadena landmark and institution. The food is great, the staff courteous and attentive. Do not hesitate to dine here for some of the best Middle Eastern food to ever grace your palate!
1 - Karen B.: There was a dead roach in my salad! I got a salad from the salad bar, and as I was about to take a bite I noticed a dead roach just hanging out in my lettuce. Nasty!!!
2 - kat m.: I'm sorry old man but I think its time to retire...

Menu is way way way too large, portions are Claim Jumper sized....and taste is mediocre at best...

Its a little scary inside....laid out like a house with bad additions....prices are way too low for the portion sizes but this place is for fat people that don't care about what things taste like!!!
3 - Tiffany D.: You get a ton of food for pretty cheap. The food was alright. Nothing was bad, but nothing was great. I'm definitely not dying to go back. They had okay food, okay service, and lots of food at a good price.
4 - Ivy M.: gee, did I come on a good day?? 

I thought the food and service was great here, (wellllll the gyros convinced me so)

The restaurant has a nice, cool intimate interior with not too much hustle and bustle going around. 

The only thing I could really complain about was that there were a few flies zooming across the restaurant. Next time I come, I'm either bringing spray or getting my food to go.
1 - Michelle M.: WARNING: DONT GO! 

Burger continental is one the worse restaurants i ever been to. I went to eat around the patio area, and it smelled like cat piss.  The floor was cracked and was filled with puddles. I think the cleaning people are high or just stupid cause they didn't do their job right.  

The food was beyond gross. The beef was raw and old inside, my friend didn't even bother eating it. 75% of my friend's plate was filled with raw and old meat.  The mash potatoes is actually powder not even fresh at all.  The Calamari was okay i guess but that is like saying the shit i took yesterday is better than the shit i took today. But for some strange reason, THERE WAS ALOT OF FLIES. I COULDN'T EVEN EAT MY "FOOD" CAUSE OF THE  FLIES. THERE WAS 5 FLIES TRYING TO LAND OF MY PLATE.  But i should of let the flies eat my food BECAUSE IT WAS SHIT. 


I GIVE THIS PLACE     -100 STARS OUT OF 100 STARS
5 - Martha C.: This place was great. Came here for my friend's birthday. I had the Californian burger and it was delicious..had Ortega  chilis. Very diverse menu and generous portions and they have an interesting salad bar with Greek, American, Italian, & sometimes Mexican food. The owners and staff are very welcoming. We sat in the covered patio in the back--it was a very relaxing atmosphere. Have already gone back since my first visit.
1 - Christopher M.: This place was absolutely disgusting! The food was horrible, steak served cold - charred and the beer was warm. Service sucked... I wouldn't waste time or money at this place...
1 - Damian Y.: My friends and I went last night for a birthday dinner.  We were excited to try something new and different. I can only speak for myself but I was sadly disappointed. I ordered steak and shrimp, not too hard to mess that up.  The steak was mostly fat and tasted like charcoal. I was surprised to find only 1 shrimp on the place, the 1 piece of shrimp was good though. They also had live entertainment which was nice. I would not recommend this place as there are far better restaurants in the Pasadena area.
4 - Peter D.: Four Stars four the Steak I had last night,  the beer was cold and the bathrooms were clean.  The only drawback or the frozen onion rings and fries.
5 - Vanessa N.: The key to this restaurant is to order something off the Mediterranean/ middle eastern menu. This place is only called burger continental because the owners thought that burgers and fries are what people in America wanted to eat. Then they decided to add the authentic cuisine that they know how to make best, being that they are of middle eastern decent. Order a greek pizza or some kebabs or the chicken constantinople. The hummus and tabouleh are to die for.  DON'T order a burger or onion rings!
1 - Christina C.: Listen up..stay away! We decided to ignore reviews and give them a try, big mistake! Boyfriend and I are on day 2 of being a slave to the porcelain goddess..You have been warned.
3 - Dave M.: What the heck happened? This place used to be among the best in town. 

I do NOT recommend the brunch - it's among the worst I've ever experienced. 

All this said, the middle-eastern food can still be pretty good (I concur with another yelper: stick to this part of the menu, and you will probably enjoy the food). The atmosphere can be nice, so it may be worth a visit, if you are already in that part of town.
5 - Bernie Q.: Ask for Nacho, he's a GREAT waiter!
5 - Michele T.: all these other people are nuts!  BC is amazing and the wait staff are wonderful.
1 - Tad K.: Wow.

Went for the first time in years to have dinner last Wednesday.  Luckily for us, it was Ragtime band night.  Very strange type of music for this place.  We were there at 7pm.

Anyhow, was told to sit anywhere and that's what we did.  Sit for at least 10 minutes.  A heavyset waitress then came by to drop off menus, told us she'd be right back and she didn't.

After another waitress noticed us looking annoyed and yelling reminding her we were there did she come to take our order.  Other customers who seemed to be recognized and more familiar did not experience such waits.  They were taken care of immediately....hmmmm

The food?  Meh.  We all ordered kabobs and all of us were disappointed.  From the salad bar (which was messy, sloppy and tired looking) to our hard pita bread, the meal disappointed.

I am so surprised how this place has declined in every aspect.   We won't be back.  If you are looking for GOOD Mediteranian food, look elsewhere - like Glendale.
1 - EL C.: I've wanted to come to this place for over 15 years because so many people had said it was good. I think I should have gone back then because this place has hilariously bad food. 

The salad bar is stocked with old falafels and some salads that I didn't want to test. One person in my party ordered the falafel sandwich, I think they just use the same dry falafel from the salad bar. The rice pilaf was cold. Someone had the fish and chips, it came with cold waffle fries. I had a Sierra Nevada beer because they had it on draft. It was served in a plastic mug which was so old it was hard to see through. And the beer was off as if the lines hadn't been cleaned in years. Crappy tasting beer, that is a new one to me!

Terrible food. Bad beer. Don't even think about it.
4 - A. G.: We absolutely adore this place!  We can feed our family of 4 without breaking the bank account  AND see some interesting entertainment while enjoying our meal (the belly dancer on Friday night is great).  It's a perfect alternative to fast food during week and parking is easy (although we usually walk).  

I usually order a hot sandwich that comes with the salad bar and a generous serving of rice.  I've had their larger portions as well- all very tasty!  I love that it's been around for so long!  Highly recommend!
1 - Keith H.: So this was our first visit. We didn't truly have high expectations because the reviews are all over the place. Salad bar: it is what it is, but I've had better. Food:  came out just fine, but my partners came out cold! Then when he told them about it. His plate was taken into the kitchen and brought out about 2 minutes later worm. Needless to say it was probably microwaved. We left some cash on the table for my food and walked out. Service: not the best. The waiter never asked what was wrong with the cold food or if my partner wanted something else. It seemed like we had bothered the waiter because we asked to move from an outside table to an inside table. Mind you it was about 45 degrees outside an the hearing lamps didn't help to stay comfortable while trying to have a nice dinner out. Will we go back? .... Most likely not!!
2 - Emanuell L.: wow !!! i am giving it a 2 1/2 stars because i have not been there in a decade. back in the day this was a great place to eat drink and hangout. i hope it has not gotton as bad as these reviews claim it to be. hopefully burger continental just didn't pay off "yelp" like so m any newspapers and news shows say they do in order to get good comments posted. next  time i'm in pasadena i will go check them out. i will give another review after i have gone there again and checked out thier food.
1 - BIG D M.: this once use to be a terrific restaurant and i was hoping it would have gotten better. though i have been back several times and it is still the same old broken record. food is no good and restaurant is filthy. can't believe harry let it go down the tubes. soooooo sad. :-(.
4 - Haiku-Project H.: This is magical.
Fresh and flavorful buffet.
John Fante-like crowd.
2 - Sandi B.: Friendly service, bad food.  Not a fan.
2 - Margot B.: Went today for lunch in the beat wave. No air conditioning? Flies. Dirty tablecloth. 
Good value for money for lunch buffet but not good quality.
Attentive waitress.
4 - D P.: Just recently tried their classic grilled cheese sandwich. It was sooo gooood.. Great deal with fries.
3 - Sabrina P.: - $18.99 for the Sunday brunch with unlimited mimosas
-The building is old, I'm thrown off by the name, BURGER? Lies!
-Out of shape belly dancer - sweet lady but I tried really hard to not laugh at the frightened look children were displaying, but work it, more power to you
-Attentive staff, always refilling my drinky-drank
-Bathroom smelled like the Philippines sewer (it was actually nostalgic) but we're in America
-Need to provide more comfortable seating because it was HOT!
-Variety of food was great if you come in right when they open because it's still fresh and the flies haven't infected it yet
-The tongs were really hot so I had to find a napkin to hold the tongs (not fun)

I like the character of the building but it needs a renovation and the way the food is served needs to be more sanitary.  Overall experience was fun but seriously the building scares me.
1 - Raffi d.: I don't usually write reviews about places I go or things I buy online.  But, I had to write this review hoping that will help others.  

This place is filthy, the service is very bad and the food is old, I think they recycle the food from other customers left overs, at least we felt like that.  We celebrated my mother's 80th birthday at this place thinking it is a nice place.  However it was extremely disappointing and it was a disaster.  We wondered why the place on a Saturday night was completely empty.  It was only our table (15 of us) and another one with 4 people.   After the experience with the quality of the food and the service it answered our question.  Thank God for these reviews, looks like people are reading, and If they continue with this kind of business they will soon go out of business.

Don't go to this place save your time and money.
3 - Charles O.: Even though the food is not the best in the world, I've always had a good time here.  You can't beat the ambiance - outdoor, floral patio with live music on weekends and great belly dancers, friendly waiters and a festive crowd.  But as for the food - large selection of Greek food, and some of the dishes are good (the kabobs are pretty good), but many others are just average.   The salad bar is uninspired and plain.  Th falafels were not that good.  Not much else on the menu is memorable.  But for some strange reason- maybe the company or the music - its always been a good night when I've been there.
1 - Roger J.: Grim older waiter who seemed to take no joy whatsoever in his job, and the food was substandard (the burger patty was dried out, prefrozen and flavorless, and the bun was burnt).  The prices are dirt cheap though, but you really get what you pay for.
3 - Crystal S.: My boyfriend and I went with his friends to celebrate the last day of our buddy being here on his trip to California from Hawaii. There were 8 of us. I got the lamb shish kebab and my boyfriend got the seafood spectacular (fish and shrimp kebab). Both entrees were $14.99, and it includes salad bar. 

Both my lamb and his fish and shrimp were overcooked. I tried his shrimp. It was WAY overcooked to the point of being really stiff and chewy. Not good. His fish was ok but a bit dried out. My lamb was also overcooked but the gravy onion sauce gave the lamb some moisture.

The salad bar that was included was decent. Potato salad looked old. They had spinach salad with red bell peppers, a macaroni salad, potato salad, fruit, and some other stuff. Fruit didn't look good--they had a few pieces of cantaloupe and honeydew melon, but no fresh strawberries or other fruit like pineapples and grapes. There was also soup. It is a LOT of food for what you pay for, and it comes with free dessert (little brownies, cookies, etc.).

They also brought salads with dressing and feta cheese as appetizers. Because there were 8 of us we got 3 small plates from the waitress to share with everyone. This salad was good but it was drenched in dressing. I liked the hummus and tabouli a lot more--waitress brought a lot of pita bread.

Service was pretty good. Attentive and nice waitress.

Would I come back often? Probably not. But the free music and belly dancing is fun to watch, and the large portions of OK food keeps you full. Every once in a while is alright. Because of the large food portions and the entertainment I gave it 3 stars. If it's just on food quality, 2 stars.

Burger Joe's - Atlanta, GA (33.7743783, -84.4062657) ()
4 - Shawanda M.: lazy+hungry = delivery.

and that's exactly what I did.

I ordered from Burger Joe's and decided to go with the jerk turkey burger with a lemonade.  As my stomach growled, purred and grumbled, i get a phone call from my little delivery man saying that he accidentally grabbed an iced-tea instead of a lemonade and he was really really sorry and he'll go back and get my lemonade.  Of course, being hungry, this is all nonsense to me.  

just get me my turkey burger...the iced-tea is fine!! after going back & forth, he said "ok".  thanks.

he gets here my order was 16cents cheaper than what i was expecting (yes!) now i can buy....well, nothing, but whatev.  i open the greasy bag and the fries smelled delightful and the burger was SO BIG!!!!!  oh my goodness. 

now for the turkey burger - was it good? yes.   did it taste anything like jerk? no.    was it messy? yes.    do i feel gross? yes.  

blah.
5 - Cianán R.: Best veggie burgers I have ever had.
5 - Chris L.: I always order Burger Joe's after returning from business trips. There is nothing better after battling your way through the airports than sitting down in your own chair with one of the top burgers in Atlanta.
1 - Amanda c.: Placed an order for delivery, NEVER CAME. called them multiple times and they never answered. don't waste your time here.
3 - Erin H.: Burger Joes is pretty decent and very convenient. I had the blue cheese mushroom burger, and really enjoyed the taste. The burger was big, too. I couldn't finish it. What you get for the price at Burger Joes is a really good value. My husband got the honey mustard wings and said they were delicious. 

Burger Joes delivers, which is great for a cold, rainy and lazy night. A big big BIG disappointment was that our order took over an hour to get to us. And when they finally did come, our food was cold. We had to nuke our food, which took away the fresh factor. I think we will order from them again (I might get into some chili cheese hot dog action, who the Hell knows?), but if it takes that long for delivery again, I think we will have to say bye bye.
3 - Ashley C.: I called in an order for Burger Joe's on my lunch break today.  I ordered the Fried Catfish sandwich. Unfortunately, I was disappointed when I discovered that you can't just order the sandwich without the fries. Here I am, trying to get my semi-healthy on by ordering the FRIED Catfish sandwich without the Fries and the cashier is basically telling me that I can't get the Clogged Arteries separate from the Heart Attack. I gotta have both or neither. So what did I do? I marched straight out of that place with my fish sandwich and non-optional fries...and I ate them both.  Aside from not being able to order without a side, the sandwich was huge and delicious. Worth a heart attack? Probably not.
2 - Michael D.: Overpriced burgers, and with so many other burger joints in America this place fails miserably.
3 - Jason B.: Never been to any of the Burger Joe's locations but this one is close to work so I decided to give it a try. It's about what I'd expect from a burger joint except I ordered the Hawaiian Chicken Sandwich instead of a burger. The chicken fillet itself had very little flavor and the only thing that made it "Hawaiian" was the canned crushed pineapple dumped inside...which, when wrapped in foil transformed my bottom bun into mush. The only thing keeping this meal from earning a 2-star rating was the fries. Fresh, crispy and oh-so-delicious. They might be the only reason why I would ever go back. If I do, I'll probably stick to items with "burger" in the name.
4 - Mark E.: Burger was pretty good. I still prefer five guys for a good priced burger but this place is about the same cost. I did carry out and the person who took my order was really nice. Parking there is kind of tricky though. I would go back but I wouldn't order for delivery since I don't like paying the extra delivery fees (poor college kids). 
My main recommendation would be to go to their website (just search Google for it) and order online to be a bit more efficient.
2 - Heath C.: Ordered the chili cheese dog and fries.  Their idea of chili is to dice up a bunch of tomatos and throw some beans in.  I've had better french fries from the frozen food section at Kroger.  Bacon cheeseburger was OK at best, but considering it was all cold when it arrived over an hour later from ordering... I wouldn't order from here again.

Burger Joes - Atlanta, GA (33.7867181, -84.3920447) (Westside / Home Park)
4 - Sara B.: Jeez, the burgers are as big as your head!  Well, not my enourmous cranium, but bigger than a small head.

In Atlanta for business, and I'd never heard of pure burger delivery joint, so I figured I'd give it a try.  Found it on foodler and ordered online.  Had the burger (Caribbean Jerk Burger and I loved the spice), and some great fries in no time.  The salad I shared was decidely less impressive, but I guess it's not called Salad Joe's.
2 - Joy A.: The food is the worst I have tasted...Greasy, tomatoes are as thin as a dime--one slice for a hamburger that cost  7$...The fries are so full of salt.
2 - Becky N.: I had Burger Joe's where the old Fat Louie's was so maybe my heart was looking for a good Chicago Dog and ended up with the Jerk Burger...not impressed.  The service was more disappointing as well.  The food was just alright...no ooohhh.  The jerk burger is not marinated in jerk spice...it tastes more like a burger and they poured a jerk sauce on top.  The fries in a brown bag were either overcooked or recooked.  Not worth the money in my opinion.
3 - Joey R.: As a huge burger fan I have to say this place is probably top notch in the department, best burger in Atlanta dare I say (other than the Vortex but no DELIVERY). They melt the cheese onto the burger for an amazing taste and even have great fries to boot. Large portioned burger and a great taste. 

The delivery service is questionable, we never get a time out of them it seems but they come around the hour mark so plan ahead for ordering. People on here are complaining about greasy hamburgers, come on, how else are you going to make a burger taste good?
2 - Scott M.: Had this a minute ago....if you are a burger spot, you should be REALLY good at burgers no?  I had a caribbean/jerk burger...it was cool...but I just thought it was average.  

I went to this place when it was in the old location..right now I believe they are on Marietta Street.

Its average, if you dont want to make the trek to get a real burger...

Better than wendys, not as good as pretty much every where else.
3 - Sarah M.: So, I really like the burgers here.  What makes this place receive a lower mark is that the delivery is not good.  I mean, they're friendly enough.  But the last three times I have ordered from here, the food has arrived to me late (1 hour +) and cold. Not lukewarm.  Cold fries.  Cold burger.  

I didn't have this problem at the Roswell Road location, although it was more than three years ago when I got delivery from them.  But I do recall that, when the food is warm, it is really good!

The milkshakes are awesome!  And they're cold too. :)
3 - Nicholas R.: Since working in the midtown area, when Im jonzing for a burger I usually call Burger Joes.  The most important thing taste, the burgers are all great.  Ive tried half of them but usually stick to my fav the bacon cheeseburger.  Each time I have to get both the fries and the onion rings because they are so good I just can't decide.  They have salads and other sandwich types that have been good but the burgers are what the place is best at.  The reasons I gave it a 3 are the prices.  I know its delievery but over all everything is on the more expensive side.  The wait can be up to 2 hours for a delievery.  When you really want  a burger this will usually get me to not order and hit up the checkers down the street.  Over all its a great place for a burger dining in or carrying out.
2 - Michael M.: I've ordered from here before but this time was definitely the last.  The order came late, really late.  I waited for over an hour and a half for my food.   When it finally did come, the food was soggy and cold.  I complained to the manager and he was neither nice or apologetic about the situation.  He explained that they had a lot of orders that day and if it was that cold he would send out another order.  Why?  So I can wait another two hours for some more cold and soggy food?  No thanks, and never again!
3 - Adande G.: The burgers are the size of your head...super messy and usually hot and good I always order therefore take out.  I guess what sucks to me is that they keep changing their fries...sometimes there are these really yummy crispy crunchy fries and then the other times its just like plain fried potatoes.  Oh yea I had the chicken tenders, that are homemade, it sucks to say but I felt like I was just eating meat  with no flavor, but their honey mustard was amazing and saved my chicken tenders.  All in All its close to work and if I forget my lunch I'll be calling them.
1 - George B.: Don't waste your money. Delivery took 1 hour and 45 minutes. No surprise that the food was cold when it arrived. The burger tasted funky and I'm not sure how you can screw up chicken tenders, but they managed to do that as well. I just pitched the entire thing in the garbage.

Burger King - College Park, MD (38.995266, -76.932586) ()
3 - Catherine T.: I've been to this outlet a few times. I prefer driving through than eating in. The place needs to be cleaned up. The store offers a self serve drink bar with coffee. The service staff aren't too friendly. 
The good thing with BK is you get a good deal with the receipt. Call in for a really short survey and get a free whopper with purchase of drink & fries.
1 - Mike S.: This BK is terrible because they offer delivery to the UMD campus, but the driver doesn't know how to get anywhere. I waited an hour until I called (I was given an estimate of 30 minutes) about my order, only to be told that it just left, and the driver had trouble finding my address the first time he left. The woman I spoke to said it would be only a little longer. 10 minutes later I get a call from the delivery guy; he has no idea where my address is again. I attempt to give him directions, but I ended up trying to explain to him what a round-about is, and how you can't turn left at one to get to my place. I ask him where he is and he says he's sitting in the BK parking lot still!

Okay, whatever, it's been over an hour, I'm hungry, so I just called the store to cancel my order. No apologies by the manager, just got hung up on. WHAT?! I wasn't even yelling or mad, I was just hungry!

Most delivery drivers CALL THE CUSTOMER if they are having trouble finding some place the FIRST TIME AROUND. Most drivers check mapquest or something before leaving on a delivery. Most managers don't hang up on customers!

Cool idea about BK Delivery, but really shitty execution.
3 - Martin B.: It's a Burger King, you've probably been to one and you either think it's fine or it's bad. I kind of prefer their burgers over McDonald's, but they lose on the fries department. This particular location is always pretty damn quick at getting your food out which is always a treat. They also offer delivery which is kind of awesome, but I have yet to use it because there's a $10 minimum.
1 - Becky S.: I placed an order online and waited over an hour for the food to arrive. Getting fed up, I called and asked to see the status of the delivery. The worker said that it would take an additional 10 minutes. Either it takes over an hour to make burger and fries (because we all know that Burger King makes their food fresh) or the order, I'm assuming, did not go through. Fifteen minutes later I get a call from the delivery guy. He has no idea where the address is. I tell him it is inside of campus and that he has to go through campus. I add that if he was there an hour earlier it would be easy to get inside campus. He gets offended and asks if I'm giving him attitude. In the end, I have to meet him ten minutes from my apartment. He gives me shit. The food was cold and not worth the wait. Treat your customers like shit and make food that taste like shit.. no wonder you are slowly falling from the face of the fastfood world.
2 - K S.: As far as "fast" [whatever that means these days] food burgers, BK is def my go-to, but this location always seems to be soo extra. Dining in always is a decent experience the couple of times I've done it, but man...Drive thru is alwaayss a mess. I've literally waited in line for 20 minutes before. No, I was not pressed for BK, as you are probably wondering BUT there's no way to back out or leave drive thru once a car pulls up behind you. I mean it's BK and "fast" food, take it or leave it I guess...
3 - Smithen L.: i like this place mainly because it has a TV. Otherwise, its a typical Burger King. Nothing special. I am giving it a three star because the service is not as fast the Mcdonalds the street and it keeps much shorter other than the McDonalds as well.
5 - Dave G.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcJFdCmN98s OH. MY. DAYUuuuuuumn!!!

Burger King - Los Angeles, CA (34.0241818, -118.2847809) (South Los Angeles)
3 - Nerses A.: Considering it is located in a pretty shitty location next to USC, I really thought the inside was clean and all the employees were very nice and friendly. I ordered my food and they made it fresh (because I saw it) and tasted like any other BK restaurant. If you need a quick lunch when you are at USC or around that area its a good, inexpensive option located in University Village (UV).

Burger King - Los Angeles, CA (34.0634656, -118.4451985) (Westwood)
1 - Cathleya G.: I wouldnt typically rate a Burger King cause they all are pretty gross but this one has VERY questionable hygene...the drink machines always smell like puke (or mold growing behind the machines) which is really gross.   Other than that....its burger king.
1 - Niko X.: If you're down for low-classin' it up with the King, this is your place.  

How this place survives among the plethora of cheap, and unique restaurants in Westwood could be the next wonder of the world.  

We all know what's served in the BK Lounge, so we won't go there.  Easily this is the dirtiest Burger King I've ever visited.  Shame on your homo-erotic self, shiny plastic faced king man.

Not even the obligatory free paper crown can make up for this disgrace.
2 - Jon Y.: I like Burger King personally. This one is a little scary. While I was there, a bunch of people got into a fight and the police had to come and break it up. Also, pretty dirty, but I've been in dirtier Burger Kings.
1 - Nap Z.: Dirty and no parking.  Make sure to look in the kitchen on how they're making you're food.   No parking/drive thru either.
2 - JJ W.: This BK tacks up the prices on the menu for some odd reason. Aside from the IN N OUT takin away business not many students come here. My old pal Ryan has been here with me. One more of our confrontations happened here. If he wanted to eat here he had to counterbalance his diet with some weird salad he brought along. That act got me so curious as to what was in that tupperware he had with him. 

So one time I decided to take it from and eat it. It tasted so nasty.  Then there was the time Sammy came with us. I fronted on him like it was some gourmet some I was having so in the middle of my meal he stole it from me too. Was he in for a suprise! Funny stuff to Ryan. I really thought eating that salad would be one of the successful steps to become wealthy or a successful person but I guess it had nothing to do with that. However I do enjoy having a flame broiled Whopper once in a while so that brings me to this location. Downside is that this place closes early like 11 I think.
2 - Geoff L.: I have been going to Burger King since I was a kid. As early as I can recall, I remember getting chicken nuggets and a push pop with dinosaurs on it. My dad and I always go to BK before going to Costco, after going to the driving range, and before and/or after other various activites (like shoe shopping at SportMart). I always stop at BK for lunch on the drive from NorCal to SoCal along Highway 5. I've probably eaten 200 Burger King meals in my life. With all this in mind, you'd think I'd be hitting up the BK in my college town all the time. Yesterday, I ate there for only the second time after being at UCLA for three and a half years.

What a waste of a great location. They're open from 5:30am-11pm. It's overpriced. There's no parking and no drive-thru. You would think that the owner is unaware that there are 40,000 college students within walking distance.They don't market to college students, they don't accommodate college students, and the fact that a BK lover like myself has been there twice in almost four years is a testament to how much of a failure this location is.

I went here yesterday because I wanted to try the Angry Whopper. It's a whopper with Angry Onions (they're name for spicy fried onions), jalapenos, bacon, pepper jack and spicy sauce. The sandwich alone cost me almost $5, which is ridiculous for Burger King. But I must say, the sandwich was delicious. It wasn't nearly as spicy as the fire-breathing guy on the commercial thinks it is, but it was spicy enough for me to finish half of my 32-oz water bottle (I only budget $5 for lunch so I couldn't afford a soft drink...). The cheese was melted nicely, but the jalapenos were unevenly placed; some bites had upwards of three jalapenos, some bites had none. I guess I can't expect much attention to detail from a fast food place. But the fact that I could have gotten a 4x4 Animal Style at In-N-Out for the same price I paid for an Angry Whopper makes me cringe. But the commercials were awesome, and I love BK, so I had to try it.

I don't see myself eating at this location again, so I think it's safe to say that my next BK meal will be somewhere along highway 5.
2 - Robert S.: This major burger chain has in the past attempted to set their french fries apart from the competition through a coating or other process that produced a crispier fry that was not over-cooked.

Based on my recent visits, some aspect of this process may still be in place producing a somewhat thicker crispy area on the surface of the otherwise very conventional french fries.  The fries are clearly frozen with no skin, slightly bland but for the most part quite comparable with McDonalds.
4 - Diego E.: Their new pork ribs are 100% LEGITimate!    YUM!   Although small, they are absolutely real pork ribs and absolutely real tasty - a far cry from the simulated "rib meat" in that infamous and dubious McRib sandwich that is sometimes offered by their competitor.
2 - John S.: This BK is right across the street from UCLA. It's on the expensive side and is a little dirty, particularly the soda fountain. 

However, there was plenty of seating. 

Bottom Line: If I knew In-N-Out burger was a few blocks away, I would have gone there in a heartbeat.
1 - Ken G.: Several years ago I went to a Burger King and I said "Never Again".  I did go again and I say "Never, never again".  Ordered the salad with grilled chicken.  Wow, can't remember a lousier salad and it had over 1500 mg of salt with the Ranch dressing. The lady at the counter could barely speak English, I repeated a small drink twice, she did not include in order.  When I finally got it it was the "small" and I guess I wanted the "value" size???  Is this Starbucks or what?  To me small means small, I guess I should have asked tor the "tiny" size??
1 - Adam B.: I do not eat fast food that much, but I doubt microwaving the burger is the proper way of making one. You would never see some thing like that at in & out! Its awful that people are really that lazy.
1 - Justin L.: If I were in BK corporate I'd consider stripping this location of its right to wear the crown. Don't get me wrong: I actually think BK is okay if you stick with the Whopper. About once every two years, usually when traveling with limited options, I can enjoy a BK whopper. And I've been to plenty of locations in a variety of settings: standalone, strip mall, food court, airport, gas station... So when I came here (not traveling, with plenty of other options), it must've been after falling for some advertisement or sudden hunger pang.

Suffice it to say that this squalid location is one of those fast-food strumpets you're occasionally depressed enough to consider revisiting, but then remember that every time (or the last time), you were racked with remorse and shame as soon as it was over.
1 - Mary L.: I would give this place 0 stars if I could.  Not sure how this place got to be so bad.  Just a few years ago, it was a good burger king.  The quality was good.  I went for breakfast and got under cooked hash browns and moldy blueberry scones...$4 totally wasted.   It's too bad that it's horrible since it's one of the few cheaper places to eat in Westwood.  It makes you feel like you will get some sort of disease when you walk in there.  The management must have changed because it's just not the same.
1 - Shayna W.: Most Burger King locations kind of suck, but this one is the WORST.

The food is the same as any Burger King I would say. I what sets this one apart is the filth. There are often homeless people allowed to loiter, the tables are always filthy, and they don't have napkins out so you can wipe one down. You have to PAY to use the restroom and once you DO pay it is DISGUSTING. No toilet paper, looks like it has never been cleaned. Awful.

The people who work there have horrible attitudes though I honestly don't blame them working at this pit.

Avoid at all costs. Eat ANYWHERE else in Westwood.
3 - Steven L.: This location gets way too much bad credit on Yelp.

Sure, the location is poorly laid out and homeless people treat the soda dispensers as feeding tubes, but their televisions are nice and you'll find the place swarmed with well-shaved, suited-up business folk at lunch. Clearly, the allure of a Whopper and fries transcends socioeconomic borders.

To the Yelper whining about Burger King's microwaved burger patties, they do char-broil their beef patties but microwave them for only a couple of seconds to heat them back up or melt cheese onto them. This is due not to laziness, but to make sure your fast food comes out fast. You're always welcome to ask for them to char-broil your burger when you order, depending on how good your Spanglish is.

All in all, this joint is no different from any other Burger King in the country, minus the bearded hobo sleeping outside. At least somebody appreciates it here.
3 - Kareem T.: I've read many of the reviews for this place and most of the negative comments seem to focus on the cleanliness of the establishment. I've been eating at this restaurant for years and I've never had any concerns about the cleanliness of the establishment- even if homeless people come in to order food. I've never gotten sick from eating the food and, to be honest, the sanitation has never struck me as an issue.
Now, that being said, I can honestly say that the burgers at this place are surprisingly good! The flame broiling has an impressive effect on the burgers! Trust me on this, Burger King's burgers are tremendously under-rated.The fries are excellent as well. 
Don't discount Burger King burgers. They're fast food, but they are truly some of the best burgers I've ever had.
The only reason I've given them 3 stars instead of 4 is because the ambience it terrible. This makes a substantial difference when you go there and order food. The stark contrast between the environment and the quality of the food is a significantly detrimental factor to the potential success of that restaurant.
As someone who really enjoys hamburgers, it's upsetting to see a restaurant which can produce such good food effect such an off-putting personal sentiment by virtue of it's emphatically uncouth decor.

Do yourself a favor and get a burger from Burger King- and enjoy that unique smokey flavor of their meat patties:)
1 - Lauren O.: Pretty much the only reason to go to this BK is to drunkenly procure paper crowns. If you find yourself on such an endeavor, do the right thing and donate your meal to the transient outside- your stomach and pride will thank you later. 

On a more serious note, BK is one of the few fast-food-chain hold-outs in Westwood. It's dingy, leaving both you and your food feeling a little bit dirty. It relies on lunchtime traffic, and it's creepily vacant after 4pm. How this franchise holds on, especially in SoCal with a fervent batch of college-aged In and Out evangelists, I don't know.
2 - Jon F.: chances are if you're venturing to yelp to find out if you should eat at burger king, you probably shouldn't. 

if you know what burger king is and still want to eat burger king, then yes, this is the place for you!
1 - Sean B.: I think they filmed Trainspotting here. Oh, wait, no, it just reminds me of it.
1 - Don P.: The GREAT news: The new thicker French fries.  They are a lot like the fries you'd make ar home. Crispy and delicious. Their microwave-the-juiceiness-and-flavor burgers are the same, and it's still a bit expensive. But the food still rates 4 stars.

So why only one star? It's  the service. They seemed very rude this morning and it was clear they did not want me in the establishment, virtually shoving the food bag to me...even after I said it was an EAT-IN order.

The food IS good. But with 222 BK locations is Southern California,  I'll satisfy my Whopper cravings at another location from here on in, thank you. I suggest you do the same.
1 - Kristin Leigh M.: This Burger King is pretty terrible.

On the four occasions I've come here, not once has my order been right. I attribute this to the woman who is always behind the counter taking orders. She does not understand English. At all. 

I'm sure many don't mind, as this Burger King is mostly populated by Westwood's transient population.

I give up.

If I wasn't so picky, I would just eat whatever was given to me, because that's how my experience has been here anyway.

There's often people napping in here.

People are filling up containers of soda from empty milk gallon bottles.

There's enough 'luggage' / personal belongings to take up a small car.

Yeah... the atmosphere is pretty poor here.

To do justice to other Burger King locations, it would really do them good to try to spruce this place up, starting with some staff training.
2 - Christopher D.: I came for Saint Patrick's Day (when they were giving out french fries with green ketchup for FREE).

The fries were not bad, and the wait was surprisingly short when I came with my friends. Overall, I was not disappointed in the fries. It was my first time visiting the location but I must say I was surprised by how nice it looked on the inside. Despite the fries being alright, I don't think I'd come back. They weren't my style of french fries and I'd rather go to in-n-out or fat sals, both of which do have fries I like and delicious hamburgers/sandwiches that I don't think Burger King can beat.
1 - Mark G.: Burger King? They should just call it what it is: Homeless Guy Bathroom.
5 - alex d.: the kung pao sauce is awful.  

other than that i've had some delicious whoppers from this location but quality seems to vary at time.

i haven't noticed anything worse about this burger king that others have been talking about.
1 - Jack D.: "Home of the Microwave Burger." That flame-grilled commercial is a bunch of bullshit. I've actually caught a couple employees at the Westwood Burger King microwaving my whopper, twice. Never came back I'm glad and not surprised this rathole is closing down, according to a Daily Bruin newspaper report. Can't close soon enough.
3 - San K.: It's really hard to believe some of the things that other people had happen to them. I didn't go here often, but when I did, the lady behind the counter was always nice and there were never any problems with the food when I went. But I haven't gone recently (I think the last time I went, we only got coffee), so the decline must have been recent. It's definitely quality control, and it's important that businesses hold to certain standards.
2 - June-Young C.: Out of all the places that have decent coupons around UCLA, this is barely acceptable. I get bored of eating Carl's Jr everyday, so I come here quite often. The environment here is pretty bad because all the homeless dudes in town chill here. You will learn just about every excuse to get some money. The fries here are still pretty solid. I can't say anything about the quality of the burgers though. One time I ordered 2 whoppers here, and one of them wasn't even fully cooked. If you have a coupon book in the mail, you should definitely check this place out, but make sure you come with a bunch of friends in case the homeless dudes gang up on you for money.
1 - David W.: This place is pretty nasty. I'm surprised it has managed to pass health codes for the last few years. The countertops, tables, and floors are always dirty. If you're lucky the trash isn't overflowing. Hey but the ICEEs are still good!

Burger King - Atlanta, GA (33.7853678, -84.4073686) (Westside / Home Park)
1 - Ivan S.: Eating at Burger King, particularly THIS Burger King, a badly run, questionable store that finds employees who are demotivated even by fast food standards, is a lesson in Kubler-Ross' 5 Stages of Grief.

1)  Denial:  I'm kind of hungry, but in a hurry.  I haven't had a Whopper in a while.  It can't be THAT bad.

2)  Anger: A WESTERN Whopper?!  It's just a Whopper with BBQ sauce on it! And chicken "fingers?"  What the fuck is that?

3)  Bargaining:  Oh man, I forgot to go to the bank and only have like $3 on me.  Maybe I'll just get a Whopper Junior and some fries off the Value Menu.  Yeah, I've got enough money for that.

4)  Depression:  I can't believe I just ate that horrible meal.  My stomach hates me.  I hate me.  I'm so pathetic.

5)  Acceptance:  What's done is done.  My gut's going to get bigger no matter what.  Sigh.

Thank you, BK Lounge, for letting me have it my way.....5 times over.
2 - Adam R.: Growing up I was witness to a constant battle between the titans McDonald's and Burger King. I was partial to McDonald's fries but I liked the burgers at Burger King better. Sometimes I would be a bad child and ask my dad to go to both so I could get the best of both worlds. It was not that bad, they were across the street from each other near where I grew up.

This review is based solely on this location, which happens to be the closest one to my house. Just like growing up there is a McDonald's right next to it as well. I used to enjoy this Burger King, though the service was ALWAYS very slow. One particular day though that all changed.

For awhile now McDonald's has had a dollar menu which includes a double cheeseburger. I generally do not want cheese on my burger so I just ask for a double hamburger and they had no problem giving me less food for the same price. Recently Burger King decided to put their double cheeseburger on sale for a dollar as well to compete (capitalism is awesome). They claim it has thirty percent more meat so clearly I had to try it. On my way to class one day I went to the drive-thru and ordered a double hamburger. When I pulled up to the window my total was well above a dollar. I asked why. She said when you take the cheese off a cheeseburger it ceases to be a cheeseburger and thus it did not qualify for the promotion. I tried rational arguments which included the fact their slogan is "have it your way" and that she would be giving me less food for the same price. Clearly not someone with a high education she failed to see how this made sense. I was running late and just left and went to McDonald's anyway but I am still mad about this incident if you could not tell.

I have not had the strength to go back yet but when I do I am going to try and get them to put the cheese in the bag separately and see if that works. Ridiculous.
4 - Ben O.: Greetings, citizens of the future! Back here in early 2011, it was fryin' impossible to find a restaurant with more than about a decacount of soft drinks. So when this Burger King adopted a prototype of the modern soda fountain, which we called "Freestyle", we were dripping from our eyeholes with pleasure at having about a hectocount of flavors.

Please forgive us for being so backwards, but it seemed incredibly amazing that you could specify a two-dimensional flavor like "diet Coke" x "orange", and that you could have the dubious privilege of prodding a screen in order to explain your desire to the fountain.  In retrospect, it probably sounds ridiculous that a soda fountain has to be explicitly told what you're in the mood for, and that you have to actually make physical contact in order to tell it.

But I've gotta say, citizens of the future, back here in early 2011 we sincerely consider this technology one of the finest ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD
3 - Katie K.: Probably one of the more visually attractive Burger Kings in the ATL, lots of things were still done wrong, especially considering that this is a fast food place:

1) Everything seems to be cooked to order. This is fast food. WHY did I need to wait to receive my fish sandwich and fries? 

2) They were out of stock on random items, namely chicken nuggets and honey mustard sauce. Unacceptable.

3) They have that funky coke machine where you can create no less than 2389473 different drink fabrications. I didn't care to mix and match, but we were a little bit irked to discover that their yellow Powerade was... well, not yellow. 

Probably wouldn't come back here in the future... this Burger King is a poor substitute for the McDonald's currently undergoing construction next door.
2 - Noah E.: I'm only giving this BK 2 stars because I really like Whoppers. But this particular store is terrible. It is visually appealing as it is one of the newer remodels, but the employees are incredibly rude. It's worth the drive to a different location.
3 - Angela H.: I've only been here once, but it's very unlikely that I'll return.  Why?  Because there is a freakin' McDonald's right next door!  If you follow my reviews, you will know that *unfortunately, for my body* I love Mickey D's!  So the first time I saw the McDonald's and this Burger King side by side, I was shocked because I had never seen the two fast food giants in such close proximity to each other!

Anyway, my friend and I had enjoyed a DELICIOUS early dinner at Antico Pizza one Saturday afternoon and were in need of some coffee before our drive back home up north.  So we walked across the street to the Burger King.  I usually get my iced coffee from McDonald's, but for whatever reason, we decided to go to BK this time.

When I walked in, I was impressed with the interior design of this BK!  It looks like it must have been renovated fairly recently.  There were comfy-looking, cushiony seats at some of the tables, which actually turned out to be pretty comfy!  And the best thing I noticed about this particular BK is that they have not one but TWO Coke Freestyle machines!  I thought that was pretty awesome.

However, there were only two other customers in this BK while there were way more right next door.  Hmmm...  Not good...

My friend ordered a regular coffee and I decided to try their Iced Seattle's Best Vanilla Coffee.  At only $1.49 for a small iced coffee, it was reasonably priced.  However, it was probably the worst vanilla iced coffee I had ever had in my life.  I told my friend that it was way too sweet (too much syrup!) and literally tasted like melted coffee ice cream.  Gross...  =P  But I needed the caffeine and had already walked out before I had really had a chance to taste it, so I sucked it up (literally!) and just drank it.  Never again...

Overall, based on my one visit (since I probably won't return), this Burger King gets 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars.  It's "OK" because I like the layout and design as well as the Coke Freestyle machines, but I must repeat that the iced coffee was terrible.  The employees seemed friendly enough, and we got our coffees quickly since we were the only other customers besides the two who were already there.  Check out this BK if you happen to be craving Whoppers while passing through the area, but I would go to the McDonald's next door if you can't decided between the two.

[Review 157 of 366]

Burger King - La Jolla, CA (32.877353, -117.229749) ()
1 - Wilmar D.: Dude, okay this is temporary for now.  But when it's 12:30 PM in the high-time of lunch rush, you should not just be opening your store, building up a ginormous line of people, with way too many people behind the counter, some of who are counting how many sliced tomatoes there are and some of who are just twiddling their thumbs, AND having the manager walk around and look at the hungry and confused people crowd around the not-yet-open-for-business Burger King.

I went over to the very crowded Panda Express instead, got my order, and walked by BK again only to notice that after all that time, they STILL weren't taking anyone's order yet.
1 - Jen W.: I don't know about lunch time here, but I stopped here for what I thought would be a quickie before my 7 pm final last Friday. You'd think that half an hour would be plenty of time for one person to order, be served, and consume a tinyass box of chicken nuggets. Not so. Key word is FAST food, people. Nobody goes to Burger King because they serve the yummiest stuff in town. No. It should be like f@cking a virgin. In. Out. The whole ordeal over in a matter of minutes. And you never have to tell anyone you went there.

But no. I skidded into my final 3 minutes late, still eating out of a paper bag I had just grabbed from their stupidass counter. To make matters worse, the chicken nuggets weren't even hot. Warm-ish crown-shaped hunks of ground chicken that took 20 minutes to make.

Is it in yet? Is it done yet? I've had better. Is that it? I want my money back. What else can I say to hurt your feelings, worst Burger King of life?

Never ever again.
2 - Allan M.: I think that it's great that UCSD has a 24 hour joint for students studying all night in the new lounge at Price Center East. Star for that...

But I only come to BK for onion rings...and they were really hard and salty. What a bummer. And all I ordered was onion rings...but some reason it took quite a while to get my order. 

And, I think that the cashier should wrestle in the WWE. The amount of force she used to put the change into my hands...ouch! 

Have not been here at lunch yet...but sounds like you should avoid it unless you have a lot of free time.
3 - Robin L.: Really not much to say.  It's a Burger King.  It tastes like all other Burger Kings. 

I'll give them credit though - they always get my order right and no matter how many people are waiting,they pump out my food in less than 3 minutes.  They may sacrifice a little quality (but again, we're talking about BK, so how much quality do they have to sacrifice?) but they get you in and out in usually less than 5.

Which sorta sounds like a couple guys I've dated.  Except without the side of ranch.
2 - Natalie U.: I only come here when I'm starving after a late night at work. I only eat french fries and cheesy tots. My order always comes out correct and piping hot. But whyyyy does it take so long?? I have a half hour break and they just manage to give me my order of ONLY cheesy tots 5 minutes before my break is done. And there's not even a long line! FAST food people!

Yay for being open late and serving me deliciously greasy fatty food when I have no other options. But seriously, it shouldn't take so long to dunk something in a deep fryer and shove it in a box.
1 - chris c.: i come here when i feel like getting cheap food while studying it up at geisel, so i usually order the jr whopper and stuff
food comes relatively quickly i guess.
BUT one time i ordered at like 11pm and there werent many people around. i watched the lady make my whopper jr. she put the bun and patty on a sheet and then freaking put it in the MICROWAVE for a few seconds, took it out, added the other stuff and wrapped it up. wth thats sick

came again (against my better judgment) and got a steakhouse mushroom and swiss or something (with the onion straws). MICROWAVED IT! WTF im never eating here again

lol and then i came here again for whopper jrs. sigh it sucks to be broke
3 - Sarah M.: I must say that this place really sucked when it first opened. Tons of employees just standing around doing nothing, orders taking forever to get filled... totally not worth it. 

BUT, I've been attending this burger king for a little over a year now, and they have improved a lot. Still a lot of employees, but they work really quickly now. I've never waited over 2 minutes for my food in my past 10 visits, even when it was really busy. 

As for the food, it's the usual BK stuff. Yea, they microwave their burgers, but I don't mind, I still like their cheeseburgers :) I also really like their french fries and crown shaped chicken tenders.

And on a random note, their oreo sundae shake is just their chocolate shake with a bunch of oreos on the bottom. It's pretty good though, but I only say this cuz I really like their chocolate shakes, hehe :)
3 - Samantha J.: This Burger King is like all other Burger Kings: wide burgers and small frypods. Downside: I don't see a breakfast menu. Upside: I still love Burger King fries.

But.

There's an old woman who works at this one, and she is just so adorable. Her name is Mary. With her back hunched over all the time, her thick-lens glasses, and her unsteady hands - I enjoy seeing her.

But I can't help but wonder... is she working at Burger King because she's having financial issues? Working at Burger King for fun seems very unlikely, so while I enjoy seeing her, I also feel a bit sad when I see her. When she greets you at the cash register she's all smiles and she is very friendly, friendlier than everyone else on the staff. But I hope she's doing okay outside of work. I hope there is someone who makes her day as well.

I enjoyed getting a lop-sided soft-serve ice cream cone from her. She's wonderful and every time I see her I can't help but smile.
1 - Dan K.: I used to work in Price Center East overnight and the only food option, much to my horror, was Burger King. Unless I wanted to starve on my 12 hour shift, I had to buy food from this wretched establishment. Now, I wasn't a big Burger King hater. I didn't think it was half bad...when I only had it once every several months. Now, I despise all Burger Kings because of THIS one. The only plus side is that there was an extremely frail, but very friendly old lady who worked the cashier and the fries were sometimes good. 

They don't even pretend to not microwave all their burgers. Every time, I have watched them throw my burger in the microwave in plain sight and just squirt on ketchup and mayo and throw on a wilted piece of lettuce. And sometimes, they feel my burger and realize it's not warm enough, so they throw it in the microwave a 2nd time. Being a college student, I'm all about the microwave. But being at Burger King, I'm expecting the flame-broiled patties they always seem to be advertising, not some microwaved patty that I just paid 5 dollars for. I feel sad.

Not to mention, sometimes I wait 10+ minutes for my meal. But wait, I only see like 2 people waiting around the counter and 1 person in line. It's not like they're so busy that my order is being held up. By this time, I'm always making a silent note to just pack a meal from home. 

But of course, I'm stupid, never end up packing that meal, and come to my next late night shift hungry as hell.
1 - chris l.: I came here today expecting to eat right before a class and it was a HUGE let down. There wasnt really anything different about this burger king, it was just that I had to wait OVER 20 MINUTES to get my food!

does that make sense?!?! Its called fast food for a reason people!
i purposely came to campus 35 min early to eat before class but because waiting in line and ordering and waiting for my order took over 25 min, I had to rush and scarf down all my food in 8 min in order for me to get ready and get to class!

DONT EVER GO HERE IF YOURE HUNGRY UNLESS YOURE WILLING TO WAIT MORE THAN 15 MINUTES FOR YOUR ORDER!

to make things worse, the food did NOT taste any better. Isnt that what someone would expect if the food takes that long to come out?

AND to make things worse! the waitress lady gave me attitude when I asked for ranch sauce. The nerve on that lady! I just waited over 20 min to get my food and she tells me to hold on in a little beezy like attitude. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

OK rant is over. haha just dont dine here if you know whats good for you.
4 - Gary L.: I came here on a Saturday at about 1PM.   There was nobody in line and business was quiet. I got my Whopper with fries and a drink.  Nothing special about this Burger King other than its on campus. I wish I paid more attention to see if they microwaved my food, though.
1 - Victor T.: Why is this burger king so bad? I don't get why the meat smells like someone poured gasoline all over it. I'm really just writing this review to kill some time.

One of the cashiers, however, is one of the sweetest old ladies you'll ever meet.
3 - Karissa B.: It's a typical burger king. Nothing really special about this place. The line can get long around lunch time, but the service is fairly quick. It's a good place to go on campus. Lots of seating available.
3 - Soo H.: I was in the mood for fried food today and I got the new chicken nuggets and the chicken fries.  I went for lunch at 11:30am on a Friday and there was one person in front of me.  Got my food pretty quick.  The nugget was very good.  As advertised they were crispy and tender with just the right amount of seasoning.  The chicken fries on the other hand were a little more spicy than I would prefer.  The nuggets were are good deal at 4 for $1 but the chicken fries at 6 for $2.69 not so much.

I tried the soft serve cone.  The ice cream was ok.  Not as thick as I would like but better than at Hometown Buffet or the chinese buffets I've tried.  The cone itself was nice and crunchy much like the cones I get from the supermarket.  Dairy Queen is a better place for a soft serve cone.
1 - Robert S.: Meh...what else can you expect from BK.

This is the only chain fast food burger restaurant on campus. If you want mediocre food real quick, then this is the place to be. Their prices are lower than other places in the food court, except Subway.
2 - Michael L.: This Burger King isn't fantastic, but it gets by. Usually, the service here is on the poorer side. Despite having a reasonable number of workers, the employees are frequently extraordinarily inefficient. There'll be a line at the cash register, one person working the burgers and fryer, and two people standing around chatting. Honestly, it's quite frustrating when you're there, standing in line, and the employees are just sitting around ignoring the fact that there's more than one register and that there are two sides to the food prep table.

The burgers and fries here are disappointing as well. They take the pre-cooked patties, microwave them if they're not warm, then put it together. It's fairly obvious that they don't change the oil in their deep fryers often, as you can smell the oil in the entirety of PC East Ballroom. However, it's fast food, and it's on the UCSD campus. You can't really expect that much.

What is a plus is that in the student dollar stretchers, there are always coupons for this burger king. Buy one get one frees, and discounts are all included in there. Also, the $1-2 menu always makes for a nice snack.

Link to coupons: http://www.studentdollarstretcher.com/coupons/burger-king

Burger King - Princeton, NJ (40.4015816, -74.6504125) ()
3 - Danan R.: It's BK.  So it's what you would expect from a chain.  We came here for dinner because we had a bunch of coupons to use, and were craving junk food.  The store itself is very clean and the service prompt and friendly.  I thoroughly enjoyed my 2 tendergrill chicken sandwiches (yes, I ate both plus fries in 1 sitting); the meat was well-marinated and the wheat roll soft and fresh.  The guys were fans of their Whoppers (and double Whoppers), and we all enjoyed the fries.  Coffee wasn't bad, either.  Overall, a good choice since they now have both semi-healthy and artery-clogging selections.  Plus, this location, in particular is very clean and well-kept.
2 - don j.: i like burgers

Burger King - Austin, TX (30.292219, -97.741611) (University of Texas, West Campus)
4 - Carolyn V.: The Good:
  :: open til late (midnight in summertime, 2 am during peak semesters)
  :: take cash or credit card
  :: fast service at the drive through
  :: flame-broiled burgers.....deeeeeeeeeeelish
  :: whopper....mmmmm
  :: their shoestring fries are gold and crispy...mm mm mmm
  :: location. it's great for students and hyde park residents
  :: they offer veggie burgers! if you order it, they bring it out to you b/c it takes a little bit longer for some reason to prepare

The Bad:
  :: it's a chain
  :: their chicken strips.  not very tasty, has got far too much breading on it
  :: getting out of the parking lot.  it's awful. it's on this corner of guadalupe that makes for a really bad blind spot if you want to come out and turn left.

The Ugly:
  :: none.

Would I go back? Definitely.  It's terrific when you are coming back from a night out and want something really cheap and really fast.  If you are broke I would strongly recommend the kids meal, because it's the perfect amount of food and it's also super cheap.

This place is IN.
1 - Jon S.: I do not like the Burger King
I think it is the grossest thing

I would not eat them in my car
I would not eat them in a bar
Not for dinner, nor for snack
That whopper sauce makes me yak

Not in a tree! Not in a trunk!
Not even if I was stinking drunk!

I could not, would not, in any town
I'd rather eat burgers from the red-haired Clown
I could not, would not, eat from the King
From fear of death by onion ring

Can't stand their fries, can't stand their pies!
Have it YOUR way? Lies! ALL LIES!
1 - Alex S.: Water should be free. 

I haven't gone back since they made me pay for a cup of water...
1 - Joe C.: bk Have it your way is dead!!!! They charged me for frickin lettuce. Mcd's does not. My wife is a fan of mcd's and After trying the mcd's  value double cheez I think they have a winner. It was good.
 Happen to be by this bk and popped in for a quick meal. No value here. Food was fine but I don't want to be nickled and dimed. I'm converted.  Go to mlk mcd's instead.
1 - Nobody M.: BK has a unique advertising campaign that intends to repulse rather than attract.  So if you've made it past the creepy King ads--and if you've trumpeted your way through the nauseating BK Breakfast campaign--you've probably got a stomach that can tolerate the disgusting 'food' they serve.
4 - Raymond P.: What's not to love about a fast food chain spot?

This place is pretty awesome. Spacious. Had my meal in a "FAST" amount of time. Nothing bad here.
1 - Sean W.: Out of milk shakes, out of iced coffee, always out of everything. Avoid being disappointed and do not go eat here, your probably better off anyways.
2 - Wes O.: Sometimes you just want a Whopper for whatever reason.  Today was one of those days.

Terrible, odd selection of drinks.  Mello Yellow and Blue Powerade but no tea of any sort?

My Whopper experience was slightly sub-par, served mostly warm with a bun that came straight out of the wrapper with neither warming nor toasting.  I will admit to liking their onion rings, which are bite sized and manage to keep the breading/batter on them.

Whopper craving satisfied for the foreseeable future.

Burger King of Ithaca - Ithaca, NY (42.4248315, -76.514429) ()
3 - Bernard T.: Routinely give me the wrong things or forget things in my drive-through orders, what's up with that?...
1 - Miranda J.: RUDEST drive-thru staff ever!
5 - Mark G.: The best food in town -- great drive through service and they accept coupons from everywhere ... very friendly too, I especially like the survey you can do on the back of the receipt to get a free whopper !!!!!

Burger King-Hadley - Hadley, MA (42.3931447, -72.5520322) ()
3 - John R.: What's there to tell that you don't already know. One thing you can do though, is look at the intersection right outside and see if one of the homeless guys are pan handling. If they are, buy him a burger when you go in or drive up.
3 - Giselle E.: It' Burger King.

The Drive Thru is tough to get to because you have to drive into the plaza but then quickly turn into the drive thru, otherwise you just missed Burger King. Watch out for oncoming traffic though!

For a meal under $10 bucks, but it won't give you any stomach aches, no complaints!
1 - Winnie P.: I have nothing against Burger King, the food is what it is.  However, the service I experienced at this particular Burger King was just awful.  The cashier preparing the orders did not know what burgers went with what order because the guys in the back making the burgers had not marked them.  So one of the guys grabbed a marker and repeatedly jabbed at the burgers to mark them to be funny.  All while at least 5 other customers were watching... It also took them 10-15 minutes to get me my junior whopper.  Should've gone to McDonald's.
5 - Ken W.: For fast food it is pretty good ! The menu has been upgraded and it changes often which makes it a bit confusing but the service here at this particular location is outstanding.  What a difference in what it used to be a year ago. The people are friendly ,  accomodating and the personal attention is well worth the littel bit of extar time it may take.  The food quality as well has really been stepped up !

Burger Plaza Grill - Los Angeles, CA (34.017376, -118.278063) (South East LA, South Los Angeles)
5 - Byanko S.: Although I did not eat his food his service was outstanding we will try his place for sure
5 - jose n.: i been here before for breakfast which is great. but i recently tried their turkey cheezburger and it was the best turkey burger i have had. their wide cut fries were great as well ! i'll take this any day over any of the fast food joints
5 - Andrea U.: Wow, lots of "best _______ I've ever had!!" reviews for this place.  I'm about to add one more.  Ready?

They serve the best veggie burger I've ever had!  No joke.  The patty itself is loaded with recognizable vegetable pieces and whole grains.  This isn't something that was processed and frozen, folks.  I usually order it with grilled onions, easy on the mayo.  The burger comes with a side of tortilla chips and a yummy salsa with serious kick.  The burger is cheap, the staff is so friendly, and I can never say enough awesome things about the Mercado La Paloma.
5 - Viet N.: This burger is hands down one of the best "basic" burgers you can get in DTLA.  The patty is juicy, seasoned just right, and frickin' delicious.  I've had quite a few other items from their menu such as the Turkey burger, Grilled Chicken sandwich, and their Pastrami sandwich.  All of which have exceeded my expectations.  There isn't much bad that you can say about this place.  

The service is great.  The young lady who brings out the food is very nice and always has a smile.  The older woman at the register is very nice and wholesome as well.  I love coming here for my lunch and plan on coming back many many more times.  

This place is a gem.
5 - Anna S.: I haven't had a burger this good in a long time.  Reminds of my childhood when my mom would make homemade burgers.  

I had a cheeseburger, steak fries and a orange, pineapple & mango drink.  The man behind the counter brought us chips and salsa, and the salsa was delicious.  The price was very reasonable.

We came here after visit to Natural History Museum.  Parking is good at the Mercado La Paloma (The indoor food court where the place is at)  Bathrooms are clean and free.
5 - Wendy Chris G.: Well I am another believer. This place is by far the best Burger I have ever had and also the best grilled chicken sandwich i have ever had. This place is a diamond and as you can see others agree. Service is great, enviorment is great but man the food is to good! They season there meat and then make each burger to order, the bread is really good and the secret is to slap that salsa on the burger also!!! You definitely wont be disappointed and the price is great also!

Don't forget this is one the the very few places that sells Welches Grape Soda!!!

Enjoy!
5 - Andrew O.: Jesus this place is a gem. 

Burger made on a dirty griddle.. What more could you ask for? 

One of the best basic home-made burgers in LA.

TRY IT.
5 - Greg P.: Whenever I see a place nearby that has burgers that have an average of a 5-star, I have to go there. So I went!

Walking up to it, there is nothing eye catching. Plain menu - nothing special.

I ordered the King Chili Cheese Burger (3/4lb) combo. After I ordered the nice lady gave me a basket of chips and salsa. AWESOME! Something to snack on while I wait.

When the food came, it looked incredible. The patty was obviously handmade, meaning the beef was fresh. The rest of the ingredients looked fresh too.

I took one bite and thought I was in burger Heaven! Seriously, all these 5-star rating were no joke with this burger. INCREDIBLE!!!

SIDE NOTE: I would give this place a 4 1/2 star because the steak fries were obviously frozen and not fresh. It was kind of a let down from how amazingly WOW the burger was. I decided to round up because YOU NEED TO GO TO THIS PLACE!!! NOW!


Al in all: Highly recommended, well priced, great food!
4 - Sane C.: I would've never noticed this place if Mo-Chica didn't move. Stopped by the Mercado La Paloma to grab me some Mo-Chica but bastards moved so I walked around the food court and decided on Burger Plaza Grill. They have an assortment of items on their menu from Burgers, to Fajitas, to Chicken Soup, and the list goes on. I decided on the strip of steaks (pretty much it's Fajita style). I know it's called "BURGER" Plaza Grill but just wasn't feeling a burger at the time. Anyhoo, the fajita was decent and well worth the price. Everything on their menu is within even a panhandlers budget, it's pretty affordable and the portions are plenty. As I was waiting for my food, I noticed a lot of the patrons ordering from this place ordered the soups. Some chicken soup, others some other kinda soup. Is that their specialty??? I must try next time. Another successful mom n pop shop inside the Mercado.
5 - Bradley L.: I didn't really believe the other reviews when they were talking about the Turkey Cheeseburger, but I don't really know what to say. Other than it was the best Turkey Cheeseburger that I've had in my life. For $4.25, it's a complete steal and I honestly think that it's probably one of the best burgers in LA, and it's even a nice place to sit in.
5 - Shawn K.: damn best burgers ive had thus far!! i am a fan for life!
5 - Toby S.: Had a good time!

Burger Tex - Austin, TX (30.2958477, -97.742539) (University of Texas)
4 - Alex T.: I'm surprised this place hasn't been listed yet!

This Burger Tex is special, it's owned and run by Koreans, which makes for....BUGOLGI BURGERS!  The place is generally playing some sports channel on its TV and has a really casual atmosphere.  Prices aren't too high and very justifiable as the burgers are great!  The buns are toasted, patties large and real, and toppings are all up to you on the open salad/topping bar.  

If anything, go here to check out the unique Bugolgi burgers.  They're a less-greasy alternative if you're not feeling up to the fattiness.
4 - Steven N.: Note - there are 3 Burger Tex locations in Austin.  I believe each is independently operated. The menus at each location are a little bit different (like the bulgogi at the Guad location).

I like the Guadalupe location the best. I'm a regular there (usually once a week)

Pico de gallo on the toppings bar makes for a very tasty grilled chicken sandwich (#4 combo).
4 - Michelle C.: I totally dig the burgers here.  Big and flavorful, with huge, better-than-average, toasty-chewy buns.  And the fixings bar is my heaven - I just completely love being able to dress my own burger.

The only reason this place doesn't get five stars from me is the fries.  They're all right, but I prefer mine thinner or crispier or both - these are kind of standard fries.  Not bad if you dip 'em in mayo or something, but their averageness kind of takes away from the overall burger-eating experience for me.

Atmosphere is very casual.  Prices are pretty decent.  Parking gets a bit tricky at peak times.  They don't take Discover card, which I hate, but I'll get over it.
5 - Josh K.: Oh man, I lived in Austin for 2 years before trying this place. I used to drive by on Guadalupe and see the reflective green plate glass windows and think "that place looks terrible."  I was kicking myself for not having tried it for two years when I finally did.  There has been mention of the Bulgogi burgers in previous reviews, but let me say this:  BULGOGI BURGERS ARE AMAZING! Bulgogi is best described as a Korean version of teriyaki, but so much better.  If you like teriyaki burgers, you will LOVE bulgogi burgers.  I wish there was somewhere in California that did this...

You also get to put on the fixings yourself, like at Fuddruckers, but this place doesn't have the zoo mentality of that chain.  They also have better fixings here: pico de gallo, jalapenos, etc. 

Oh man. Why did I waste those 2 years going to Dirty's, Player's, and Top Notch? Well, Player's is open late and has good onion rings.
4 - James L.: oooh wow, bulgogi burgers, WTF?! that "WTF" is a good thing! 
I was thoroughly surprised by this burger! it was goooood. 
The service is rather nice and the burgers came out fast so that rocks even more.

The only reason I didn't give it more stars is because the atmosphere wasn't that greatest but the food is goooooooooooooooooood.
5 - Amy B.: The bulgogi is excellent, but I usually elected for the regular cheeseburger w/ fries.  Their condiment bar always had fresh veggies.  Their onion rings are REALLY, REALLY good too.  Their bread is good & their tea is good too-never over-brewed.  This was probably my #1 hangover fix in Austin.  I could go in there feeling like ass, and a burger, fries & a big ass tea & I'd walk out of there feeling ready to start back up to repeat the next night!
4 - Shane H.: The burgers are good, that can't be denied.  Service can be a little slow, fries are the same quality as the burgers and as previously mentioned it is hot as hell in there.  

The burger bar allows you to pick your own veggies so I guess if you have a bad experience there you can only really blame it on the cooking, not the final product, that would be your fault.  HA HA.

Burgers and large, juicy and overpriced but the quality is there to ALMOST make up for the high prices.
4 - Quani C.: This is another of the places we're frequent visitors of.  Right when I came back from Seattle and was unemployed, the bf and I established Burger Tex Thursdays in honor of previous Burger Tex Thursdays he shared with a friend who moved out of state.  No, there's nothing special about Thursdays, just the fact that The Chronicle comes out.

We arrive, order, grab our respective Chronicles and proceed to read through them while eating/watching CNN.  I've become fond of this arrangement.  I always order a burger combo, either the 6oz or 8oz.  They're chargrilled and oh-so-tasty.  Once, I received one that was severely oversalted, but the preparer was a new guy, so I didn't return it or anything.  Employees are always very friendly.  I love the fact that you can garnish your own burger with whatever veggies you choose and pico de gallo!  The shakes are just okay and the fries are almost to die for (and not just because of the cholesterol and sodium content!).  Mmmmmm... Burger Tex.  I just ate my fill there and this review is making me crave more!

Parking is kind of a bitch, dealing with the college kids is kind of a bitch.  The bathroom is pretty disgusting, fortunately I've only had to use it once.

Now that I'm employed, we celebrate Burger Tex Fridays.
5 - Dennise d.: I used to live by burger tex and I had my lunch/dinner fixed there around 3 times weekly. It's god damn good. 
 If you are like me, who hate greasy and sloppy burger, you need to check out burger tex on Guadalupe.I know it looks awful/tacky/college-student-hang-out but it's got much much better burger than dirty's and player's.

summary of their food quality
condiment bar= A+
burger patty=A
bums=A+ (chewy toasty and NOT greasy)
sides on burger= A+ (try mushroom or bacon, YUM)
price=A

too bad they dont serve beer though
3 - Kevin H.: bulgogi burger,sweet yet salty crispy well done flat grilled beef, almost what I call a loose meat sandwich.Tasty stuff. Combo meal was about 6 bucks. Service was friendly and fast. Add your own fixin's from the condiment bar. Something I do not eat often, the french fries were fresh cut style, crispy and delicious.
4 - Arif M.: First off, the building looks old and worn from the outside but don't let that fool you. There are mighty excellent burgers here. 

Now, what burger to order, you ask? All the other reviews mention the greatness that is the Bulgogi burger. It's basically think slices of sirloin beef that has been marinated with soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic. There's a hint of sugar in there as well. It's a burger unlike anything I've had in Austin, and it tastes excellent too. I would highly recommend it your first time going there. If you're hungry, check out the large cheeseburger (topped with your choice of 4 different cheeses). It ranks up there with the best of them. 

Burger Tex has a condiment bar stocked with the standard items such as lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, jalapenos, and onions so you can personalize the burger however you like. Every time I've been there, the condiments have been fresh.

Not to mention, the bun is NOT greasy and soggy. Unlike many burger places that put too much grease on the bun, Burger Tex's bun is crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. I docked a star because the fries aren't the greatest but they are certainly passable in my book. 

And most importantly, the price is right. For about $7, you can get a delicious burger with cheese, choice of side, and a drink. Not bad, I say.
4 - yung d.: I went to Burger Tex for the first time last week and then I returned two days ago. I had a bacon cheese burger the first time - plentiful, tasty w/ cheddar and a buttery, grilled bun. Fries were average but plentiful for 2 dollars. The people are very friendly and timely. The second trip - I got a CF steak and mash potatoes. The CFSteak was average but plentiful. The mash were not that great. The texas toast was great - grilled buns with butter! I like this place. Close to the house and easy to get in and out of. You leave full.
3 - Susi R.: The condiment bar is truly a thing of beauty.  Nothing tossed haphazardly about, just perfect slices of tomatoes stacked neatly, onions already separated into single rings, and KETCHUP TUBS.  (Aww yeah.)

I really like salty stuff, but the fries and the burger were just a touch too salty for me.  Why do I keep running into this issue whenever I try to get a burger in this town?  It is way cheaper than similar burger places, though, at $6.50 for a burger, fries, and drink.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I have not yet had the Bulgogi burger.
3 - Tee D.: I really liked Burger Tex. Their Bulgogi burgers are sweet, salty, and very delicious - like a sloppy joe, without the slop. 

But, after a few trips to Burger Tex, I noticed a continuing trend: bad tummy aches and indigestion. So, like with all things that cause irritable stomach issues, I quit Burger Tex cold turkey. 

It was hard, but it had to be done. Sorry Burger Tex. 

There are some things in the world I'll eat even though they wreck havoc on my system (e.g., deep fried cheesecake/twinkie/snickers/cookie), but burgers aren't one of them.
4 - Usama S.: They have Bulgogi Burgers! Actual Beef Bulgogi Burgers. And they're every bit as awesome as they sound!

Self-serve condiments and fixings, a straightforward menu and low prices make this place a convenient, pleasurable lunch stop. Do yourself a favor and stop by Burger Tex for lunch. Like, today... Go!
4 - Charles C.: The burgers here are just absolutely amazing. If you enjoy a big burger that is thick, juicy, and full of flavor wrapped in a lightly buttered and toasted bun then this is your place. Another great thing about this place is that you get to put on the fixings yourself so get to put on as much or as little mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, jalapenos, etc. as you like. 

Also the service here is great. There are a few BurgerTexs around Austin but each one is individually owned. The owners of the Guadalupe store are very friendly and always remember my order.
3 - matt S.: Bulgogi Burgers.. yes, that is a first for me.  That is the only Korean thing they have on the menu, but the Bulgogi burger is good!  The fries are just average, nothing special. The condiment bar is also just average.  The best thing about the place is the family that runs it, they are a very nice, friendly Korean family. They even gave my 2-year old free ice cream at the end of the meal.. I would suggest that they add some more Korean dishes as I don't know of any other Korean place near there.. The American style food doesn't really stand out from the rest, so maybe leverage the location and add some spicy Korean squid!
5 - Kevin V.: Ok, so I wrote my review after going to this place for the first time nearly two months ago. Two months later, here are the number of times I have returned to Burger Tex since: ABOUT 8 MORE TIMES. I've also tried a few other burger places since then like Five Guys, Terra Burger, and P. Terry's (though I will admit for the price and value, P. Terry's to me is ranked right below Burger Tex)

The things I've learned to fully appreciate about Burger Tex:
1. The 8 oz burger combo. It comes out to be about $7 for the 8oz burger, fries, and a drink. If I'm with another person, I'll get a burger, no drink, and then we'll share a large order of fries (this saves about a dollar each by passing on the drink). If you eat a lot, this is the best thing to get in my opinoin.

2. The family that runs the place.  To me Burger Tex is the epitome of the American dream. You have first generation immigrants that have successfully opened a BURGER JOINT?! It can't get any better than that.

3. Obviously since I come here so much, even the cook recognizes me! He often comes out asking me if the burger is good, or if their new spicy sauce is good, and when I reply with thumbs up he replies with "GOOD! GOOD!"

$ Comparison Chart:
Five Guys: Burger, fries, and drink: $10-$11 (depending if you get single or double meat...either way, ripoff!)
Terra Burger: Burger, fries, and drink: $9+ (still hungry after, ripoff!)
P. Terry's: Burger, fries, and drink: $6-7 (my favorite choice to go to if Burger Tex is not an option - i.e. Sunday when they're closed.  Though I will admit I'm still a little hungry after downing their double meat burger + fries)
Dirty Martin's: Can't remember because I went there in 2005 and never went back!
4 - Jim C.: Right up there with the best burgers in Austin.  If this place did any advertising it would be scary.  Lots of fresh fixings on the burger bar.
4 - Jack H.: Burger Tex II was a staple for me during my years in Austin, and is still a tradition whenever I go back. Except those pesky Sundays when they're closed. 

The menu is actually rather extensive, with chicken nuggets and what not. That's the only thing I can remember because that's the only thing I ever got aside from their delicious burgers. And even then, they were just on the side. The burgers are grilled up juicy on a pillowy toasted bun, served on a papered tray with plenty of crispy fries. Then head to the condiment bar and pile it high with fresh lettuce, tomato, the works. Sit down with friends, or watch one of the TV's in the corners. (They'll change the channel for you if you get stuck with Teletubbies or something.)

But really, all of the above is just white noise compared to the star of the show, the bulgogi burger. First timers may pause when they see the sign at the counter, but trust me, you want to give these a whirl. A generous heap of succulent loose-meat glistening with mouth-watering Korean spices atop their standard bun. Over to the condiment bar and... don't do anything. At least I never wanted to mess with the bulgogi flavors by adding mustard or ketchup or anything. Just a few scoop fulls of their fresh pico de gallo, maybe a piece of lettuce. That's it. Lift, bite, enjoy.

Man, I think I just talked myself into a trip to Austin.
4 - Lonna W.: A great burger!  I'm constantly on a quest for a good burger in Austin and still haven't found one that can stand up to Burger Tex.  I don't know what they put in the seasoning, but I love their burgers.  They are always juicy and seasoned well on an amazing bun.  The hamburger bun is frequently overlooked and its importance often underestimated.  I believe it can really make or break a burger, or in the case of Burger Tex take it to the next level of amazing.  

The Bulgoki burger is also quite good, but I can't bring myself to neglect my standard order of a burger with cheese.  I do have to subtract one star for their french fries which are from a bag out of the freezer and into the fryer.  If I could take a Burger Tex and add some hand cut fries I would have perfection.

I also love being able to control my toppings, which are simple, but always fresh and I like being able to pick the best looking tomato to put atop my Burger Tex Burger.  

While I haven't gotten to go back to Burger Tex as much as I would like to since getting out of college, I still have fond memories of picking up my to-go Burger Tex burger, walking up the 4 flights of stairs leading up to my super crappy West Campus apartment and enjoying my burger while trying not to listen to my neighbor enjoying some "personal" time with his girlfriend.  Ah memories.
4 - David N.: Recently seeing a "Best Burger" list I remembered my experiences with this joint.  

It definitely earns stars for uniqueness and being close to campus.  I am always looking for something special when it comes to a burger either the special toppings, the way it's grilled, the bun, a special sauce, and the meat it's made out of.

I've had thick burgers, skinny burgers, and even kobe beef burgers but never had I had a Bulgogi burger before.

I came and didn't know what to expect.  I've had korean food before but never a korean burger!  It was delicious!  

Overall a great experience.  I recently found out they have opened locations in Houston for you recent UT grads from H-Town!
4 - Kevin N.: It's a weird world we live in, people: the sun supposedly sets in the same place each day, the eve approaches over the same hills you've always known. It is, quite literally, an exercise in repetitiveness, at least up until such point you find that thing that takes the familiar and tweaks it a little. Imagine my surprise to find that was Burger Tex, and to find it today.

It's a relatively simple setup, from the homemade signs that lead you inside to the DIY fixins bar happening in the dining room. But the ingredients are super fresh and the burger options unique: the dessert lover tried on a pineapple teriyaki burger (which was pretty much just like it sounds), while I attacked an 8 oz. less exotic pile of goodness. It couldn't have come at a better time. And yeah, the bulgogi burger was singled out by Texas Monthly as one of the state's best: but you don't need a pack of mysterious self-referential experts to tell you they make a mean burger here: you're plenty capable of sorting that out yourself. With accoutrements piled high.
3 - Leslie L.: Simmer down, people. Calm yourselves. Put down that "Best Hamburgers in the Lone Star State" issue of Texas Monthly. Now listen to me.

The bulgogi burger gets points for originality and it's pretty good - but it's not like, the best. Kind of like this review. 

I've had a lot of freakin' bulgogi and kimchi over the years. My mom's Korean (who do you think coined Rezrie?) and makes A+ #1 bulgogi among other delicious dishes...and I ate it for almost (ulp) 2 weeks straight last summer in Korea. But I found the Burger Tex bulgogi burger sirloin to be a little tough and dry and not sweet or salty enough. I did like the bun, though. The fries were pretty good but not amazing. 

I split the combo with a friend and the burger, fries and drink came in at around $7. Not exactly highway robbery, but still too expensive considering top sirloin is relatively cheap and the marinade for the sirloin is also very inexpensive. My frugal, Korean War-era mom would have frowned disapprovingly at my receipt. Good thing she doesn't know I Yelp. Shhhhhh....
4 - Allison P.: So like many others (possibly), I stopped in here after receiving my newest Texas Monthly about the best burgers in Texas. They mentioned the bulgogi burger at Burger Tex as one of their faves, but when I arrived for some reason the Hawaiian burger really caught my eye and I had to order it. I wasn't super excited about the $7.75 price tag, but thought I should try something more interesting than the regular burger.

When it came out, I didn't have high expectations, because it really didn't look like very much. Pretty much a plain burger with pineapple and teriyaki sauce. But holy crap. One bite into it, I was in love. One of the better burgers I've had in Austin. I should have waited a few minutes to bite into it though because the internal temperature was about the same as the average temperature in Austin this summer.

I wouldn't call Burger Tex a cheap eat by any means, but that Hawaiian burger will definitely have me coming back for more!
3 - Amy M.: I went to Burger Tex II for lunch to day upon reading the recommendation in the latest issue of Texas Monthly.  How this managed to be #14 of their top 50 burgers in the state is beyond me.  It wasn't terrible, but it certainly wasn't memorable.  Perhaps trying the spicy version would improve things, but I was trying to stick to the list. I doubt I will return anytime soon.
4 - Lindsay F.: Wow....the management wrote back very promptly and I really appreciate their care and consideration and even their time....THANK YOU!  Have a great day! :)
4 - Jina C.: I came here b/c of all the good reviews on yelp and all the yelpers were right! I ordered the spicy bulgogi burger and it was VERY spicy. I wouldn't recommend the spicy burger if you can't eat hot stuff. I think their regular bulgogi burger would do just fine. I also like that they have a burger bar so you can add all the condiments and extra stuff yourself. The only complaint I have is that the restaurant is really stuffy and hot. I guess when the weather cools down, it wouldn't really matter.
3 - Nikki F.: Ok, so the thing about this place is, it has good burgers..but- who cant make a burger?? Ya know? I do like going here though lol..the fries are good, and big and fresh. All the ingredients are always fresh and I actually do like doing my own toppings so I can put on exactly what I want and how much of it. 
This particular location kinda blows though. There is minimal parking..and they are very adement about all the cars in the lot being customers...They WILL walk in and ask whos car it is, if no one fesses up, they tow it. Read the signs, and believe them. The inside looks a lil like a Barney set or some kinky weird porn set lmao..and its kinda small....but yea, the food is tasty. 
The Burger Tex on airport is bigger but more on the country side, which doest bother me..but if you are only into the "hipster" joints, you may not like this one?
5 - Aaron B.: This is my favorite burger in town (regular, not the bulgogi). Sorry, Hill's, Hut's, Casino El Camino,  and Phil's Icehouse. Two burger components that must be done right-- the bun and the beef. The bun here is toasted and substantial, without being too bready. The beef is spiced somehow (Korean?) and the right size for the bun. Extra points for the condiment bar: loading up with jalapenos is a must. And the fries are also spot on.

But, hey guys, can I get a beer with my burger? No? Really?
5 - Richard R.: Wow, I know Koreans are about as smart as any people get, but but DANG! what a tasty work of genius this burger is. I LOVE Korean cuisine, it's so delicious and I think it's the most digestible food out their anywhere. TX Monthly did a great service to Austin to include this place in their 50 Best Burgers in TX list.
4 - James H.: When I heard that there was a place that made bulgogi burgers, this place found its way to the top of my must-try lists.  Upon ordering the spicy variety of this unique "burger", I was asked how spicy on a scale of 1 to 3.  I went with 2 to be safe which turned out to be spicy enough to get the nose running a bit.  The buns and veggies were fresh and complimented the seasoned beef very well.  Like others, I didn't find anything special with the fries, but overall I really liked the meal.  I also got a taste of the regular cheese burger that my wife ordered.  I could tell from the taste that the patty was never frozen and I would have been just as happy had I gone with the more traditional burger order.  But I have a feeling that I'll be back for more bulgogi given my frequent cravings for that wonderful Korean spiced meat.
5 - Hannah P.: The spicy bulgogi burger was very delicious! I also ordered the dumplings and it was good.  You actually get more then 4 dumplings! I forgot how many came in an order, but you get a good amount for a little over $3. The burger was made with a special korean sauce and the bun was also homemade. It was not a regular hamburger bun.  When your burger is ready, they bring it out and you can go up to the mini bar and put  special korean sauce, ketchup, mustard, and/or mayo. There is also lettuce, pickles, onions and tomatoes that you can put on your burger. The burger also comes with fries, which were extremely delicious! I would definitely go back here and eat!
4 - Gayle S.: What the kitchen does not call my name, and I want to walk to my nearest comfort food, I skip right on by El Patio (as would you if you walked past their kitchen door twice a day) and head for Burger Tex.  I supposed one day I'll get around to trying the Bulgogi, but I always end up with the burger and fry combo.  The buns are the best in town & toasted.  The employees are always friendly.  and it's always fun overhearing people discuss yelp reviews.

Tomorrow I'll bust out the pots and pans, but tonight just felt like Burger Tex.
4 - Nick L.: Apparently it's actually called "Burger Tex 2" to distinguish it from the others in the chain.  Love the bulgogi burger (be bold, get it spicy).  Everything seemed very fresh.  Very friendly service, and the restaurant has a nice vibe.  Aside from the novelty in said bulgogi burger, though, I'm not too interested in burger joints in general, so that's about the only reason I'll come here every few months.
4 - Solomon W.: It's hard to find a burger place that does unique things AND small details right.  This is one of those joints; odd that it would happen near a college campus where most food service places don't concentrate on anything but feeding people boring food with bad service.

The bulgogi burger seems to be the favorite here and even of Texas Monthly, so obviously that is what I got.  The burger is a Korean tribute to a sloppy joe, more or less.  The meat strips are flavorful, tender, and have just the right amount of chew, lest it should be like ground beef.  You can customize your beef from 1-3 in spiciness.  The 3 was pretty spicy, but nothing unbearable.  I'm assuming 1 would be nonexistent heat.  The bun was very fresh and soft, and it was thick enough to hold the saucy beef.  If the bread was toasty, the burger would have been a near perfect experience.

Another perk here is you customize your burger with the really fresh condiment bar of K,M, homemade sauce, fresh cut tomatoes, onions, and iceberg.

Burger Tex is awesome.
4 - lex s.: really great burger. i know many people like the bulgogi burger b/c its different but i usually go for the regular cheeseburger. meat is very fresh. the first time i ate it i thought it was super salty so you might want to ask for less salt if that's your style...
4 - Jenny Y.: Only stopped here once while vacationing in Austin, but one stop was all I needed to fall in love with the bulgogi burger. The medium-hot spice level hit the spot and made me suck all the life out of my ice tea, in a good way. The menu does accommodate those who prefer your run-of-the-mill non-spicy burgers, and the self-serve condiment bar saves time ordering what should or should not go on your burger. O, Burger Tex, you should come home with me to Michigan!
5 - Mary V.: DO NOT BE DECEIVED! This place is a gem!

The purple and yellow exterior kept me far away from this place for a long time until a friend of mine came in from out of town. His brother who attends UT recommended him the bulgogi burger at this place, so he tried it and fervently passed this recommendation onto me, and I thought, "Well, if he thinks it's good, then why not?"

How could I have been so deceived by this place? Of course, tacky yellow and purple paint doesn't necessarily mean terrible burgers! I was so blinded by my superficiality, and the delicious flavors and texture of the bulgogi burger showed me the errors of my ways.

I've been here twice so far, and have ordered the spicy bulgogi burger combo, which is a little over $8. You can add the fixings on your burger yourself in the same fashion as Fuddruckers, but I've learned not to pack too much into my burger, unless I want to have everything spill out in the middle of chowing down. 

Their fries are tasty. They're thickly cut, salted well, and sufficiently crunchy in texture.

I've been curious as to whether we're allowed drink refills. The girl at the register gave me my drink when I first ordered it, but I was too shy to come back and ask about there being any refills. (Edit on 4/25/2010: Looks like they do! I never noticed it before, but they have a sign on their drink machine that says that you can reach over and get a refill yourself actually. Sujin, you're such a sweetheart!)

Thank you for the great experience, Burger Tex. I don't think I'll visit you often, because you might fatten me up, but you're definitely a real treat.
5 - June O.: The best Bul-go-gi burger I've ever had! (And I'm from South Korea). Small but very nice and homey - it's one of those mom 'n pop shops. You can even choose the level of spicy-ness -- choose 3 if you dare. Fries were fresh and crispy, their un-sweetened tea was excellent, and the milk shake was not too sweet and pleasant. 

I also enjoyed seeing cute little signs here and there: they wrote what is recommended to put on the bulgogi burger, what is Bulgogi burger, that they let you reach your arm and refill your drink on your own, and etc. 

Oh, yeah, their parking lot is pretty big -- I don't think anyone would have to worry about find a parking spot.
5 - Sergio D.: Get the spicy bulgogi burger with pineapple.  Throw on some jalapeno, but do not add pickle, mustard, or ketchup.

You can now die happy.
4 - Tim T.: "Ahn young ha sae yo!" that's what I almost expected to hear when I walked into Burger Tex due to the Korean writing on the outside, the Korean drawings around the menu, and their famousKorean Bulgogi Burger, but what I heard instead was a friendly man welcoming me into Burger Tex, "Welcome to Burger Tex!", I might have heard an "Ahn young ha sae yo" as well but that might've been wishful thinking. Needless to say, I've heard that the bulgogi burger is delcious, its won awards, its won a lot of my friends' word of mouth, and it had definitely won over my curiousity so me and a friend decided to give it a try. The price was kind of not really cheap actually, it was almost $8 but for the most of it, it was worth it. The staff were all very nice, I ordered my Bulgogi Burger combo and a couple minutes later a lady came and dropped it off for me. I added lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and some of their "home made (probably/tasted like thousand island dressing" onto my burger and dug in. It was weird at first, and it definitely reminded me of almost like a sloppy joe, without the sloppy due to the texture of the meat but it was MUCH better than a sloppy joe, and I'm a fan of sloppy joes. The meat was cooked just right, had a lot of flavor and the buns were warm and fluffy (lol) and was fresh and made everything come together. So bulgogi burger you win, I ate you within 10 minutes and I was sad you were gone. I went to try their bulgogi burger and liked it, but I ended up liking something else, no didn't like, ended up loving something else, their fries. THEIR FRIES ARE AWESOME! If you don't take anything from this review look here. THEIR FRIES WERE DELICIOUS. The breading or whatever the heck they put on it just added to the crunch and each and every fry was a golden crisp starchy piece of heaven. Would just sit there and eat their fries all day, every day. Done deal.
4 - Carrie B.: great!  i never thought that id find a burger joint "cute" but this location can only be described as such.  adorable, awesome customer service and delicious food.  MUST try the "bulgoki burger"  if you like korean bbq.  offered in spicy or mild, both equally delicious in their own beautiful way.  i cant help but order it every time.  WARNING: the level of deliciousness of this burger makes it difficult to share, so i advise you order your own !!
4 - Nghiem D.: Bulgogi burger plastered on the outside of the restaurant is what lures you into the restaurant. The bulgogi burger is really flavorful and tender in between two soft and freshly made buns. You can top off your burger at the condiment bar and be sure to get some of the homemade sauce. The homemade sauce is goodness. I even dip my fries into the sauce instead of ketchup. And the fries? REALLY GREAT. They are crispy and flaky on the outside and one of the better burger joint fries I've had. Their regular burgers are also great if you aren't into bulgogi meat. So pop into this place and be prepared for the greatness of the bulgogi burger (or a regular burger) that is placed infront of you, you won't be disappointed!
3 - Jona D.: A continuation of our Austin Burger Quest.....started by last year's Texas Monthly Texas Monthly's Texas Top 50 Burgers and fueled by the 104.9 Burger Bracket...and our love of burgers....

Burger Category:  Hmmmmm.  I don't know.  Is the Bulgogi Burger a burger?  It's really somewhere between a sloppy joe and a chopped beef sandwich.

Him and Her:  The proprietors are great.  The services is great.  But, the Bulgogi Burger is just not a burger.  Tasty.  Really tasty.  Just not a burger.  The fries are excellent. 

Conclusion:  This place is a great addition to Guadalupe.  And, we'll venture back now and then.  But, not when we want a good ol' hamburger......
2 - Andrea M.: Over-rated.

The burgers are mediocre. Enough said.
3 - Eric M.: Burger Tex is good for what it is, an honest to goodness mom and pop burger joint.  When they hit the mark, there is no juicier patty in town.  Even when they don't hit the mark, there is no finer bun.  Again, there is no finer bun!  That bread is a work of art, and it helps sell a lot of burgers.

The fries... what is it about those fries?  This is the second place I've been to recently that has those odd double-fried frites that seem to have some kind of coating on them.  The onion rings are acceptable, perhaps a bit greasy.  I'm not sold on the idea of having to dress my own burger, so  If it were up to me, I would do away with the serve yourself condiment bar.  I do like the liberal beverage policy, at least at the Guadalupe location.
5 - Jonathan L.: I can safely say that the Burger Tex on Guadalupe ranks as one of my top burger establishments in Austin!  The quality selection of both traditional and Korean influenced burgers and the friendly staff keeps me coming back regularly.  

Pro tips:
1) The bulgogi (Korean BBQ) burger is fantastic and definitely worth a try. For a notch up in awesomeness, go spicy! "Oh, my spicy!"
2) If you get a classic burger, increase the tastiness levels by getting the spicy version!  They add the spicy Korean sauce to the standard burger
3) Premium add-ons, such as grilled onions or grilled jalapeños, are a tad expensive in my opinion.  If you're feeling cheap, just add the jalapeños from the toppings bar.  All toppings in the topping bar are free, so load up!!!
4) Get some fries!  The fries here have a crisp that is to die for!  Gets some of Mrs. Lee's homemade sauce (1000 island like) for dipping perfection!
5 - Devyn V.: After my 554,146 time to  Burger Tex, it is about damn time that I write a review. It was THE first place I went to eat once I got into ATX . It was the only thing on my mind on the 2 1/2 hr drive. Mmmmm Bulgolgi burger (drooling). 
As usual I was greeted by all the cute notes drawn all over the restaurant on brown box pieces. "I will let you refill your own drinks just reach your hand around" (smiley face). Another signing suggesting that you not put any sauce on your Bulgolgi burger, so friendly. Thanks for looking out Burger Tex. 
Sooo onto the burger. I got of course the Bulgolgi, spicy 2. I was being good and didn't get the wonderful fries. But my brother got fries, so you already know. As I bit into my burger all the anticipation was over. I had finally fulfilled my craving.
4 - Shane M.: Darnn tasty burger.  I like big thin burgers, and that's how they serve them. Adding all your own toppings is always preferable to me for burger places, this is one burger spot that let's you do it.  Onion rings were great too.  

No real good shake or malt options, so this can't be a 5 star burger place for me. But it's close.
1 - Steve W.: I'm not going to risk skewing my review by reading previous reviews of this place - I'm just gonna start writing.

After a couple years of wondering about the famous "Bulgogi Burger", I finally pulled the "Emergency Stop" cord on the Capital Metro bus and decided, "It Is Time".

I hesitantly forked over the $6.25 for what claims to be a monumental delicacy of  prime ribeye, yada, yada... OK, so I forgot what all they claimed it was, but they implied that it was supposed to be good. And they should know, right?

So I waited.  And waited.  And waited... and uh-oh - we may have a problem already. It's a little mound of what looks like Sloppy Joe hamburger mix, 3.5 ounces... 4oz tops,  of  "meat" on a toasted hamburger bun.   It doesn't even cover the bottom of the bun.

OK, so I'm still down with this, I think.  I head on over to the scrappy looking condiment bar and pump on some of Mama's Magic Sauce cleverly disguised as a gallon sized jug of "Sysco Heavy Duty Mayonnaise" (I'm not that drunk yet, am I?  Looking again....I see "Reorder #10W40".  Hrm).   It's mayonnaise with some chile sauce thrown in.  No big deal.  Also some round-cut lettuce and onions rings.  I'll pass on the tomato, but I really feel like I'm getting royally ripped off so I grab some pickle slices and jalapenos for the side.

One bite...  UGH!  This thing must be 30% salt!  And if this chewy meat is ribeye, I'll eat the cook's shoe.  And if this is USDA *Prime* ribeye, which is what it claimed, I'll eat his/her other shoe, too.  I can handle the gristle - which is why they've mangled it into unrecognizable hamburger no doubt, but the salt is incredible!  I can't even taste anything it's so salty.

But since I just took a double dose of Fukitol(tm) and the directions say to 'always take with food', I better eat all of this so I don't go postal.  Or whatever supposedly happens if you don't honor the little yellow stickers.

"Eating the cooks shoes", I didn't just throw out there flippantly, either.   The screen door to the kitchen was open as I went to the "bathroom" (I won't go there... anymore)  and I got a long peek inside the "kitchen".  Holy crap!   I've seen a lot of Asian restaurant kitchens, but this is as bad as they come. Apparently the County restaurant inspectors are afraid of this place, too.  I eat pig intestines and ears from Din Ho and First Chinese BBQ and just made (and ate!) chitlins yesterday.  So I'm no stranger to filth and disgust.

The whole place is a dump.  It needs to be boarded up and bulldozed, or just skip the boarding up.  This place can't do any renovation to be made fit for foodservice, so they let it get trashed because that's the law - "if you clean it, then you have to rebuild it". 
And don't give me no BS about, "Ohhh, but it's an Austin institution ... [whine] ...  Keep Austin Weird, Dude".   Screw you in advance.

How does this place manage to stay in business?  I really feel like I need to do something more to save Austin from this atrocity, but this is all I can do.  One star is way too generous for this place.

-sw
4 - Lucie W.: My boyfriend's family and I came here almost immediately after we moved straight from DFW. We had 3 orders of the spicy bulgogi and 2 orders of the non spicy versions. Two of them were meals and the rest not.

The burgers were really tasty! Especially if you put the Mama's Magic sauce or whatever on the top bun... yum! I especially loved the condiment section with the perfectly cut tomatoes, onions, and just the right size lettuce. It was truely awesome.

Now, after reading some of the "bad" reviews, I noticed that a lot of them said that the fries weren't that great... well I don't know what these people were thinking but I thought the fries were FREAKING DELICIOUS! (This comes from a girl who is an avid french fry eater.) I was literally taking the rest of the fries with me to the car when we were leaving. I couldn't let them go! I had to eat them all!

The only downside of this place I'd say is, definitely the cosmetics of the building and the bathroom, which reminds me of some street restaurants in Hong Kong.....ew..

Other than that, the food is definitely worth going for! YUMMY!
5 - Beef B.: The Bulgogi Burger is great!  The frys are somehow crispy in an asian way. The buns are yeasty smelling from being made fresh on site daily, and the burger topping bar was fresh and clean and ingenious.
4 - William H.: Burger Tex 2 is good if you're looking for something different. The Bulgogi Burger is spicy and the meat has a good texture. Try it with the homemade special sauce. The fries are excellent, the buns are soft, they have Mexican coke, the service is speedy and the whole place has a very charming vibe. Great for a date.
4 - Bernard H.: Burger Tex 2 is definitely a venue of interest in Austin. Known for their bulgolgi burger its an experience that is worth at least one try. They have essentric decor and a very warm and welcoming staff. Although kind of pricey compared to P. Terri's and almost on the same level as Five Guys, it doesn't compare with respect to having a bulgolgi burger and a regular burger.

Their fries are not bad and drinks are pretty standard. Overall, a pretty delightful place to have a meal!
5 - Kitty L.: I love this place!  Great burger, great fries, and a cute, friendly girl working the register... what more could you ask for?
1 - EC S.: Unimpressed.  Expensive for what it actually was: a cheap burger.  The hamburger meat was extremely fatty.  Like, big chunks of fat.  I'm fine with fat and grease but I want it to be finely ground into the meat so I don't have to think about it/pick chunks out from in between my teeth.

You can also tell that the patties were form-frozen and just thrown on the grill.  I'm not a snob about the frozen hamburger meat, but pre-formed and frozen just seems gross.  

There are much better burger places nearby.  I wouldn't go here again.
4 - Debbie F.: Burger Tex 2 on Guadalupe & 30th... Kept me far and away initially due to the tackiness of the exterior (purple?  please...) and the threatening (yet quite amusing) "graffiti" at the back warning anyone who tries to park in their parking lot yet not patronizing the restaurant would find themselves in utter regret once they come back to their soon-to-be-empty spot.  The restaurant from the outside was about as appealing (NOT) as Toy Joy next door, with the big painting of a multi-armed worm playing a flute.

But the word on the street was, "ya gotta go and try it yourself."

And I'm glad I did.  Yes, the bulgogi (Korean bbq) burger was quite delish, and the fries, as many have commented, with it's amazing texture, complements the burger amazingly well.  I love being able to load on the lettuce, onions, tomatoes, etc by myself (I like my burgers filled with fresh crispies), but WARNING: DO NOT PUT ON ANY CONDIMENTS LIKE KETCHUP, MUSTARD, RELISH!!  This is NOT a "normal" burger!!!  Follow the directions.  My friend missed the directions and i had to help her scrape off the stuff from her burger, because it utterly ruins the taste.

To be honest, I haven't tried the "normal" burgers, because if I wanted a "normal" burger, I'd probably go to Five Guys down the street.  But I also have to say that I got to BT2 more often than 5G.  Bulgogi keeps me coming back.

So my only suggestion to the place?  Redesign the exterior.  It's nauseating... not good for a food establishment.

(Having said that, the tackiness DID catch my attention, albeit initially negative attention.  And it's easy to give directions to others "Just look for the tacky purple building off of The Drag between 29.5-30th.)
4 - Will H.: Burger Tex 2 is good if you're looking for something different. The Bulgogi Burger is spicy and the meat has a good texture. Try it with the homemade special sauce. The fries are excellent, the buns are soft, they have Mexican coke, the service is speedy and the whole place has a very charming vibe. Great for a date.
1 - Cody D.: I remember this place being a lot better than it was last week.....Did they change ownership at the Guadalupe location?
3 - Tara H.: I stopped in at Burger Tex to have a quick dinner before heading out shopping with a friend. Burger Tex is this quirky little place that looks like it's seen better days, is papered with funny handmade signs and has one of the most organized condiment bars I've ever seen. 

With it's proximity to the college you may need to put up with some slightly to heavily inebriated fellow diners, but worry not, friend! Just order yourself one of their 6 oz. or 8 oz. burgers, add some cheese and hit the condiment bar.

Like most everyone has said, the fries are just okay. The burger is big, juicy and just perfect when you are in the mood to throw caution to the wind and eat double your weight in calories.
5 - Steven B.: Good as hell.
Been eating here for over a year and it's excellent every time I do.
Their spicy scale is 1-3, but I wish it went much higher. I guess I've come to associate pain with deliciousness...
I realized that when I start thinking about coming here, my mouth starts watering uncontrollably.
Wanjeon masisseoyo~~~~~~~~~
4 - Noelle W.: This is my favorite Burger Tex location. I still haven't tried the Bulgogi burger. Today, I make an oath: the next time I go, I WILL order the Bulgogi.
5 - J V.: Enjoyed a great cheap meal at Burger Tex. I ordered with 6 oz burger with cheese and grilled onions. Bf ordered the Bulgogi burger. I loved my burger. Very tasty. I got a chocolate shake and we were fighting over who got to finish it.  So he went back to the counter and ordered his own shake. We also ordered an egg roll and they were very good as well.

The staff are very friendly and thank you for coming in as you leave. Can't wait til we go back!
3 - David W.: This is a very underrated place on the north Drag in Austin.  The quality of food and service is very consistent, and it's the style in which you put the fresh veggies on your burger instead of it coming wrapped that way.   The condiment bar is what makes this place work. Atmosphere is ordinary.  If you find yourself in the area and are hungry for a good burger and above average fries, this is your place.

Other Burger Tex locations never seem to match this one, I don't know if this is the original or not, but it sure seems like it's superior to other ones.
4 - Karen L.: 5 stars because I don't know where else I can find a nice, juicy spicy bulgogi burger!  Minus one because toppings are 99 cents each.  Whaa!  But still, I really like trying unique places.

I got the spicy bulgogi burger meal with grilled onions + mushrooms for a total of just under $11.  A bit steep, but I was still willing.  For the spiciness, I got a rating of 2 (out of 3), and it was perfect.  It wasn't too spicy so I could still enjoy some jalapenos on the side.  The fries were also very crispy!  Not very flavorful, but I still liked it.

Looking forward to trying more different burgers here.
5 - Mike M.: Burger Tex is probably the best overall burger in the vicinity of UT's Campus. The fries are incredible. You dress your burger yourself, and the condiments are always fresh and tasty. In addition, they offer a variety of special burgers and several types of cheese.

The Bulgoki burger is actually some of the best bulgoki that any of the local Korean places offer, and is available in 3 levels of spiciness.

The place is clean, the staff are very friendly and the food is excellent. While there are several Burger Tex locations in Austin, this is by far the very best.
4 - John A.: After having been to Burger Tex, Burger Tex II was definitely not what i was expecting and for the longest I doubted its relation to the original Burger Tex, but not because of the quality. The Creativity. This Burger Tex has a Korean spin to it and with all the places around UT that take one cultures food and puts a Korean spin on it, this place is all its own. 
If you go to Burger Tex II (which you should), I suggest you get yourself the spicy bulgogi burger. Its my fave here. and don't forget the fries, those are also worth the trip. Among the other things I like here is the sauce. take it with your fries or top it on your burger. either way is good to go.
5 - Shawn L.: Whenever I come to this place I always come away with a full belly and a smile on my face. Don't let their purple paint and orange letters scare you away. The dad in the kitchen will greet you with the biggest smile cause he knows you're going to love the food. Even though this place is family owned and operated, it's been way more consistent than the nearby McDonalds. Their fries are probably the best I've ever had and seem to always be made to order (hot and crispy) which is worthy of much praise.

These days I get for the bulgogi burger combo with just a level 1 spiciness. I tried level 3 the first time and died... twice (my fault for being so ambitious :). The bulgogi burger is very flavorful and definitely feels healthier than a ground beef patty. I have no idea if it's actually any healthier, but the taste is the overruling factor here. My girlfriend gets their regular bacon burger combo which isn't bad, but if you're giving this place a try for the first time you should try the bulgogi variants.

Now, somehow this place makes a self service condiment bar work. I could see lots of customers abusing this privilege by piling on more veggies than they can eat, but I never see it happen. What they're doing there must not be cheap especially with how clean, fresh, and well stocked it seems to always be.

All in all, this place is great for a quick $8~ lunch or fast dinner. Portions are sized well--plus you can always top off with a few extra veggies at the bar if you're still hungry ;). The price may detract some college students, but if this place were closer to the north (like, Mopac/Parmar/tech company area), I guarantee you that their lunch hour would be hoppin'.
3 - Jennifer T.: Oh man, the level 2 spice bulgogi burger is wayy too spicy for me. I thought I had a pretty high spice tolerance, so that's a fair warning for all of you with weak taste buds...

I honestly don't understand what the fuss is about. The idea of a bulgogi burger is unique, but it didn't knock me out of my seat or anything.

They do have a fixings bar for you to dress your own burger, which is always awesome, and their fries are really good! Super crispy!

~$7-$8 for the burger. Closed on Sundays!
4 - Luigi C.: Burger Tex by the UT campus on the drag is definitely something to rave about. Thanks to the bulgogi burger, I've become a fan of this place! 

Order the level 2 spiciness and you'll be in for a appetizing meal. The bulgogi has a sweet after-taste but also has the kick from the spice from seasonings in the bulgogi. It is  juicy and moist and matches well with the soft and fluffy buns. You also have the option of adding all the veggies (lettuce, tomatoes, onions) from the salad bar. The only thing I would probably say is that more meat could be added to make the burger more hearty. But other than that, the flavor is there and it is one savory Korean burger!  

Now on to the next thing I like about this place. Understand, I'm no 'fries' expert, but wow, the fries here are so DELICIOUS. They are crispy and golden and tasted so good. Definitely one my favorite fries I've tasted,  especially dipped with the fresh sauces they make - perfection!
5 - Matthew G.: My fav place to eat! SOOOO DELICOUS and amazing service. The family that owns the place is so nice and kind. The burgers are unique and the fries are deep fried and amazing.  Great burger Great price and Free refills! doesnt get much better than the Tex ^ ^
5 - John S.: This place knows how to make burgers and fries for a decent price. I would go eat there more often but my stomach can't handle the spicyness of the bulgogi burger but that is entirely my body's fault. The burger is delicious and so is the home made dressing sauce they have. The fries are also very crispy and flavorful. Great stuff here.
2 - Zach M.: The burgers are ok.  I've only gone here once because when I walked in there was an odd stench I couldn't quite put my finger on that made me want to vomit.  Really though, there are way better burger joints in Austin than this place.
5 - Lorena R.: Ok so I'll be up front. I adore this place. Every chance I get I go here.  I work about 4 blocks away and its not close enough. 

The Bulgogi Burger is WONDERFUL. I came here because of the Texas Monthly review that puts this burger as 3rd best in Austin. Pretty high praise for a burger thats not really a burger. Its does not have a patty, instead it has chopped bulgogi bbq. However it is very good. I would definitely recommend getting spicy at a 1 on the 1 to 3 scale of hotness. The buns perfectly complement the spicy and savory meat by being slightly sweet. The thing that makes the burger is the house made sauce that is provided. Its like a mayo, ketchup, thousand island, garlic masterpiece. They took down their sign that disparaged mustard users but I wish it was still there bc it would be a crime to put mustard on this.

I order the sandwich by itself with a side of fried okra which is delectable. The staff here is very nice and friendly. The decor is campus cute at this counter service favorite.
3 - Lorrie M.: I think this place is a bit over hyped. Perhaps because I'm from California and bulgogi is as normal as it gets here. 

Granted, I didn't have any other type of burger here so it could very well be that they serve up a mean beef patty the normal American cheddar cheese way but I didn't experience that at Burger Tex. 

Generally speaking, most burger places that give you a burger on a thick commercialized looking bun loses my interest fast because I like my burgers to have a soft thinner bun so you can taste more of the meat and have a better meat, veggies, condiments ratio than just straight bread. 

The bulgogi was okay, it's nothing special and I've definitely had better bulgogi anywhere else, but overall I didn't think it really belonged on the burger because the sauce they had was more of a creamy sauce than a vinegar or soy based one which I was surprised. You put on your own condiments which is fine but it just lacks that cohesive touch of a delicious burger when not all the ingredients come cooked on the burger when you get it.

I wouldn't make a special trip to visit Burger Tex if you're craving a Bulgogi anything, just head to your local Korean joint instead!
3 - Sonya M.: Yes, its a bit overhyped, but thats okay. Its not bad but its not out of this world either. Good for a meal if you're around the neighborhood.
5 - Khanh N.: My go to place for burgers. This place makes burgers more interesting than your average 80/20 beef patty. Walk in and order from a colorful and easy to follow menu. Get your burger and dress it up with unlimited access to fresh veggies and goodies. The homemade sauce is delicious. Its tangy, a little spicy and a much better alternative to your boring ketchup. Fuck ketchup. The fries are golden brown and crispy. The starch is not masked by the cooking oil that most other burger joint's fries tend to be. This place is truly what a burger joint should be.
5 - Jawad C.: Hamburgers! The cornerstone of any nutritious breakfast.

This location of Burger Tex is a particular example of a restaurant that does it all right. Fantastic food, attractive prices, and friendly service to boot.

If you've heard of this place at all you've undoubtedly heard of their bulgogi burgers, and boy are they good. If it's a first time at Burger Tex, definitely try them out. Chopped up Korean style beef - I usually get it very spicy to add a nice kick. Even if bulgogi is not your fancy, this place offers tons of other variations on the classic burger. My second favorite, the spicy burger, has its own even unique flavor, and is definitely something I could place among the greatest tasting burgers I've ever had. No trans fat in their burgers, either! You know it's fresh stuff.

This place also has a Fuddruckers-style veggie booth, where you can pick and choose whatever amount of veggies you want. Whatever kind of burger you get, make sure you add some of their homemade sauce to your bun. To be perfectly honest I don't know what's in it, but holy hell it is good.

Their fries are also consistently delicious, always perfectly crispy and delectable. You can't go wrong with them, but even so they have a few other sides, including onion rings.

I can't mention enough good things about the people that run this place. It's owned by a really, really friendly Korean family - they're always present, cooking up their delicious burgers for all of Austin. The male, in particular, is always there to greet us from the kitchen with an enthusiastic smile. My friends and I have been here so many times he practically knows us now. 

Don't let the somewhat dodgy interior of the restaurant set you off, however. To me personally, it gives it a more homey feel, but once you try their food it won't matter anyway.

If you enjoy burgers at all, or want to try a foreign twist on an iconic American dish, try out their bulgogi burgers. I've been addicted ever since, and I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
5 - Wonyoung C.: I really enjoyed it yesterday !!!
Unfortunately, I live in dallas...
If i go to Austin, absolutely I'll be there again!!!!
3 - Jimmy K.: Went here a day ago and I think it is safe to say that the bulgogi burgers are delicious. Though granted it won't be as good as eating Korean BBQ at a restaurant, it was still a nice idea of putting them into a burger. I'm not sure if the buns were homemade or bought elsewhere but it had a nice amount of "fluff" with every bite. The buns are legit. They have extra condiments but in my opinion I think there's no need for any of them except lettuce and onions.

The prices are average I'd say, around $5 for the burger and $8 for a combo.
4 - Shannon V.: went there this weekend for the first time! loved it! the burgers were huge and very filling! i got the california burger which has guacamole, pepper jack cheese and bacon..it also comes with fries which were ok..not that impressed with them though..i liked how they have all the other toppings to where you can get them youself..the lady who took our order was very nice! its a lil pricey for burgers..2 of us went and got combos and it was 20 bux..but it was delicious so i couldnt complain..
4 - Andrew V.: YUM BULGOGI BURGERS w/mild spicy~~ the combination worked well for me and several others.

Don't be a fool and come here for a regular burger as multiples of restaurants nearby will serve you a copy. Try their unique builds! Elsewise, you'll want to trade your plain burger for your friends' bulgogi burgers! ~~
4 - Sonya J.: Tasty spicy bulgogi burger. The hawaiin has a great teriyaki sauce not too sweet or salty.  I would go back here.
4 - Samantha N.: I've been meaning to try this place since I moved to Austin. I went in for the first time today and was not disappointed. I ordered the Spicy Bulgogi Burger. They have a spice range from 1 to 3, 3 being the spiciest; I got 2 which was good, but I think I'll try 3 next time 'cause I like my food extra spicy. I got the combo which was like $8. This place really reminds me of Fuddrucker's: their buns are freshly made daily, they have a condiment bar full of veggies and that special sauce (which is delicious), and their french fries rock! It's a cute small business owned by really nice people. I will be back for more Bulgogi!
4 - Sean F.: 4.5 stars!
SPICY BULGOGI BURGER + house sauce + fries = awesome.
Love the burgers, unique flavors and big. Their homemade sauce is also good, tastes kind of thousand islandy. But the best thing is their fries! They are super crispy and top 3 fries that ive had. SO BOMB. Its not the best looking place but the food is quality.

tl;dr: spicy bulgogi burger + house sauce + fries = bomb. cant go wrong, def a place i miss when im not in austin!
5 - Katie A.: I've been craving Korean food ever since I moved here months ago. Finally found out about this place and decided to try it. Go there!

Spicy bulgogi burger was really spicy, really good, and really big! I am in love. My stomach is burning, but it's ok. Their fries were very tasty too.

One downside - no kimchi! I want my KIMCHI!

Oh well. I will be taking others here as soon as I can. Must get more bulgogi.
5 - Kelly V.: My favorite place on the Drag (if that's still considered it)!
I'm not one to order the same thing every time, but the Bulgogi Burger never lets me down. I tried the California Burger once, although it was still very delicious, it didn't stand up to the Bulgogi Burger.
3 - Joe B.: The bulgogi burger was delicious, the food poisoning was not.

I like the ability to add your own veggies and condiments, but something wasn't right with the food quality. After eating the burger and fries, I had food poisoning that night and for the next 24 hours. I'm only 90% sure it was the burger, so I wouldn't rule out eating here again.
1 - Marvin F.: I ate once there, and the bun on the hamburger smelled and tasted fermented.  If you are going to advertise yourself as the best burger joint in town, serving five day old bread is not the ticket to marketing heaven..
3 - Slevin S.: This place is very simple but it does what it does well enough to be a spot that I go to regularly. My friend, a burger connoisseur, says the burgers are "good, but not amazing." The veggie patty, a (NON-VEGAN) gardenburger, certainly isn't amazing. The toasted buns, however, are pretty awesome, as is the condiment bar and their house special sauce. The sides are all yummy. The fries are better than usual, imho, and they also have fried pickles, fried okra, onion rings, fried mushrooms, and some other stuff that I am probably forgetting. Everything is customizable; you can put whatever you want, including avocado or pineapple, on any burger in any combination.

It seems like the regulars mostly order the spicy burger, so that's what I would recommend.
4 - Taylor M.: Yummy!
4 - Melissa C.: Tried this place after seeing the TX monthly "Best Burger" list.  Had the spicy bulgogi burger and didn't think is was as spicy as some reviewers said.  I enjoyed the burger and fries, but thought it was a little sweet.  Lots of locals in for lunch, which is always a good sign.
4 - Erik P.: Burger Tex makes simple burgers at simple prices. I feel like that doesn't sound great but it's EXACTLY what a burger should be. I like their fries a lot because they're not too heavily salted. Good people, good burgers, good place. It's that simple.
4 - Anh D.: one of my must stops when i visit Austin!

bulgogi burgers are delicious! i get mines in #2 spicy. and oh my, it is quite a kick! if only they have banchan to accompany their delicious bulgogi. 

i believe it's homemade buns and sauces. one of my favorite is their creamy white/pink sauce that resembles thousand island. goes great along side with the burger. 

there's several different other burgers that's good for vegetarians or  if you're not a korean burger fan.
3 - Melody Y.: When I came to Austin, I heard a lot of things about this place so I was very excited to try it. After eating here though, I definitely agree with other reviewers: this place is over-hyped. Decent burgers, but not a "must-have". I think there are better places in Austin.

The burger itself looked very unappetizing when it was first presented on a plate (like a very bad sloppy joe!). However, once you add our own condiments it looks a lot better. The bulgogi meat wasn't the best, but it tasted pretty good on the bun. The spicy bulgogi burger isn't actually that spicy though.

Price: $5-6 for a sandwich, add $2 for fries and a drink.
4 - James L.: The Bulgogi Burger was really great! I got mine #2 spicy and it was really great! If you don't have a tolerance for spice, don't get a 2 or 3 because the 2 was plenty spicy!  This place also has really really really great fries!

Definitely coming back!
4 - Kevin L.: I am going to tell you to get the spicy bulgogi burger. Thats what makes this burger place unique from all the others. With the combo, you also get a drink and a side of these amazingly crispy fries! Don't forget the the house-made secret sauce...so good. The toppings bar is really fresh, allowing you to put whatever toppings on your burger (ranging from your choice of tomatoes, pickles and lettuce, to relish, jalapeños, and fresh pico de gallo!
I gave it 4 stars because it can seem a little pricey.
A must stop place if you're near west campus
4 - Wayne N.: Wow. Today I discovered something new about Burger Tex despite living only 100 ft away from it seemingly. You can apparently substitute fried mushrooms or onion rings for your fries for free! And the rings and mushrooms are both delectably crispy fried goodness. But part of me still thinks you'd be insane to substitute the fries, as I think they're still among the very best in Austin.

I got the bulgogi burger and it still has that clean, well marinated korean taste to it. It's just a little sloppy. I wish it was just a little closer to real bulgogi, where the meat is in thin slices and thus less messy than the chopped bits they give, but that's being picky. Veggies are always fresh and the service is impeccable as always.
5 - Zack M.: The bulgogi burger is awesome.
5 - Nicole T.: This place was fantastic! I'd heard about it for a while and finally got around to trying it--I got the spicy bulgogi burger, which apparently is one of their specialties. It was delicious and their fries were amazing as well! Not only was the food great, but so was the service. The owner came out of the kitchen just to give me a high five while I was ordering! So cool! I am definitely coming back.
3 - Susan L.: Today was my first bad day at Burger Tex 2.
The new guy at the counter was slow and dumb.
He gave us 'Californians' instead of 'Hawaiians.'
They took them back into the kitchen where I watched them scrape the avocado and cheese off the burgers.
Even worse, I saw the lady scrape the avocado back into the container instead of the trash.
I'm sad.
But - even when they are having a bad day, the fries and condiments are AMAZING.
4 - Daniel D.: The only thing you need to get here is a spicy Bulgogi burger and you won't be disappointed!
4 - Mike S.: The focus is on freshness and unique sauces and spins on burgers that are rarely found elsewhere.

The 'burger bar' has nice fresh ingredients, the employees are very friendly, and the atmosphere is clean and quiet, which I found inviting.

The shining star of the burger is the bun.  It is fantastic, fresh, lightly toasted and delicious.  I would eat this bun every day by itself for breakfast.  I got the spicy burger which has a special spicy sauce on it -- level 1/3 because I didn't want to overdo it.  Next time I'll try level 2 because I didn't get any sense of spiciness from the burger, but the flavor was good.  The meat itself was a little thin -- PLANET BURGER could stand to make their burgers a little thicker.

The fries are almost exactly the same as Central Market fries, and therefore some of the best in town.  Whatever the method is, they are extremely crispy with some kind of crust, golden outside and creamy inside.  I enjoyed them with a mixture of the homemade sauce and ketchup, which was a big win.

Recommended.  Overall nice experience.

Burger and Kabob Hut - Seattle, WA (47.6581018, -122.3131925) (University District)
4 - Rohan S.: Burger Hut makes real burgers that you just cannot get at fast food joints. It isn't exactly a sit-down restaurant, but you should expect your burger to take about 10 minutes to cook up. I would put the quality somewhere between Wendy's and Red Robin. A nice hamburger will cost you about $4.

This place makes real, beefy burgers with actual condiments that you can taste and savor from the first bite to the last. Definitely my favorite burger joint other than Red Robin (which is slower and more expensive).
3 - Colby S.: A no frills burger joint that does one thing right...cook as you order, no microwaved cow in the hut.  Prices are reasonable and the cafe styled bar is a great seat if your eating alone.  Don't expect anything special... but if simple is your style, try a no risk straight forward burger at the hut.  Cheers
1 - megan d.: ooooh man..... this place makes me sick....and the fact that their open past 2 am and are in stubling distance from my favorite u-district bar doesnt help any...vomiting up  food from "the hut" hurts.
3 - Zack G.: "No frills" pretty much sums it up. Don't get me wrong --- they serve a delicious burger and fries, but it doesn't leave you thinking "man, I gotta come back to this place."

They'll make the burgers right in front of you, which is nice. You know your food is fresh. $6 will get you a burger, fries and drink. It was served hot and relatively fast. When it's late and everything else on the ave is closing down, this place will satisfy your urgent cravings. Otherwise, go to A Burger Place just a block up.
3 - Ian S.: This is a grungy burger place with seedy people in it.

They do one thing super awesome which, if things were better, would five star this baby.

I am referring to their veggieburger of all things.

I ordered a Hawaiian burger here.  It was the wrong thing to do.  I had a bite of the veggie burger which, as I was then informed, is made in house and spiced in a way I had never tasted before.  It was seriously delicious and not like those frozen bricks of processed plant refuse that you've seen in the grocery store.

My burger, on the other hand, was horrible and twice the price of a Dick's double burger for the price of a single.  Weak.

They should rename this place to be "The Mostly Unclean Home of the Superior Veggieburger and Other Crap You Should Not Order."

It's a bit of a long name, but seemingly accurate.

I've heard a couple of, ahem, physically robust people talk about their bacon cheeseburgers with eyerolling afterglow orgasmic tones, but whatever.  It's a sloppy burger on a wonderbread bun.  Nothing interesting.
3 - Deborah S.: This place scares me. Grungy, dumpy,  just not the place you want to ear. But I was craving a burger today. I was craving a fast food like burger. I'd heard that they did decent shakes and finally decided to bite the bullet . 

A mushroom burger and onion rings set me back 6.37. 
No go on shakes today so I was left disappointed on that front. 
The burger was hot, fresh, juicy with lots of flavor. 
The onion rings were fresh, but were also those chopped onion onion rings, not the real onion piece ones. 

Seating inside is totally uncomfortable, but the place is small so i guess they do with what they have.

I'll go back, it does  fit a niche.
4 - Vivian N.: The only thing I ever took away from my freshman orientation group in college was to eat at this fine burger establishment. Home to seedy customers and drunk frat boys alike, this joint sells a modest, but tasty array of burgers, kabobs, milkshakes, and fries.

Although it can take a good 7-10 minutes for your burger to be made, all of their patties are fresh - they do fry their patties a la fast food though.Their Chicken Burger is my favorite thing to order off of the menu, but I've also had their Mushroom Burger (the abundance of mushrooms surprisingly compliment the burger) and the BurgerHut Special (ground beef patty + a small omelette & spices - nothing to write home about).

Other reviewers have expressed a distaste in Burger Hut's "atmosphere."  I think what one needs to remember is that this restaurant is catering to the college crowd - you really aren't going to find swanky eats on the Ave.
4 - dean c.: Very tasty burgers and shakes, I especially liked the special burger with egg. The kebabs are legit as well, and create a satisfying option for your vegetarian companions, but you should come here for the burgers.
5 - randi s.: I came in here one night drunk and with friends right before they were closing, and the guy making the burgers was in a good mood and happy to accomodate us despite our loudmouthed and rowdy ways.  I remember the vegetarian burger (i think it was eggplant?) being super tasty, the fries and shakes were also good.
5 - Erin E.: While living in the Udistrict, I frequented this place and each time was super satisfied!  Especially on those late nights studying at ode, or just hanging out and felt hungry.  It's tiny but the burgers are YUM YUM and the shakes are TOO!  My favorite is the Burger Hut Special.  It's nice on a sunny day to sit at the window and eat your burger and fries and watch the people walk by you staring at your delicious burger!
3 - Kai W.: The 3 star is a mix review of food and customer service attitude.

The burger was excellent, good enough but not too oily. Each bite made sure you tasted not only the meat but also the veggies and sauces. The fries was a fairly good sidekick as well.

The variable customer service was quite shocking though. So to get a five star service to go along with the food, be sure to dress up as a fairly pretty girl. I know, but it's the truth.
4 - Safa S.: Oh yeah... this is the ultimate college experience.  Small, hole in the wall gourmet burgers for dirt cheap.  I love every greasy, flavorful minute of it. Also, how can I resist the only Halal burger place I've ever heard of?
4 - Vanessa T.: Nothing beats this place when its midnight and you have about 837 pages to read by 8am tomorrow...and then you finally realize that its actually not physically possible for you to read at that pace...screw it! Go grab your friends and head to burger heaven's yellow halo above the lower Ave blocks.
3 - Pendleton F.: The Burger Hut is about four flimsy walls away from being in its natural state - an outdoor, street side stall.  But that's okay, because some people dig the experience of eating real food and rubbing elbows with raw humanity instead of agonizing over increasingly smaller forks in a perfumed room filled with a whole lot of apprehensive, masked faces.  I mean, whatever works for you, right?  But I don't really think the distant gaze of a suited up yes-man makes for engaging table-to-table conversation.  Give me a crowded bench facing the outside world, with a layer of grease between your elbows and the counter.  I want my eyes tearing up as the humidity and air born cooking fats bear down on them, and I want to alternately shivering from the unsealed windows and sweating from the crude heat lamp as I eat my burger.  It's about survival - survival while eating greasy food.  That's what the Burger Hut is all about, Charlie Brown.

The blackberry shake is marvelous.  It tastes like blackberry, but in an acceptably affected form.  No chewing fruit for me, thank you.  The onion rings are about normal, but the fries are heavily salted to give you that extra push into crippling dehydration which, I will warn you, cannot be slaked by a blackberry shake.  The burger, or at least the mushroom burger was good, but can be bested by other nearby burger places.  But if you're looking for a full triad of heart stopping delights, I've not found any place else that has the burger variety nor the slurpable blackberry flavored high fructose corn syrup.
3 - Renee D.: I love that it's open late.  The cheeseburger itself  was just all right, but the fries were darn good.
5 - Brianne D.: The stools are a little high for the counter, which makes for a bit of awkward sitting, the bathroom is nothing to shake a stick at, and it's not a place to bring 20 of your closest friends, but if a burger, fries and a glorious milkshake are what you're craving, Burger Hut will hit the spot every time.

Too bad they don't deliver!
3 - Leonardo H.: Been here 3-4 times... gotten the same thing everytime: Eggplant Burger.
BEST.

I guess I've tried their veggie burger, too. Nothing special.. pretty good, but after taking a bite of my friend's, I was glad that it was Eggplant in my hands. They're open really late too, so it's perfect for my nocturnal (or no-sleep) life-style.
5 - Colin S.: Burger and Kabob Hut...one of the weirdest restaurants on the Ave, but probably one of the better ones in terms of the value of what you get. The service can be really slow sometimes, but the milkshakes, burgers, and fries are delicious and well worth the wait. The Oriental Burger is especially awesome.

I have never seen this place closed either so it's a great late-night snack.
5 - Inna B.: This is not the fancy and/or unique place with comfortable seating, great atmosphere, and wonderful food kind of 5-stars..

This is, however, the juicy hamburger with the works for $3.95, tasty milkshake for $3.25, and close enough to campus/work (aka- convenient!) that I could get it and eat it all in under 30 minutes (when it's not busy) kind.

It's small so there's not much in the way of seating, but you can always get it to-go and eat on campus or at a park (if it's nice out).The guy that I've seen working there every time I've been in is great, and since I had no friends with me this time I got to watch him grill up my patty and put the burger together. I LOVE watching people work with food!

Payment: They take debit (visa and mastercard) as long as your purchase is at least $5. I believe he once told me that they don't take credit.

LOVE this place!
5 - Bonnie C.: Burger Hut is awesome. 

They've got a tasty-sounding menu of specialty burgers: Teriyaki, double bacon and cheese, the house special (involves a fried egg), etc... But I can't speak to them as I don't eat meat. Testimonials from my friends have ranged from sublime to pretty damn decent. 

I give Burger Hut five stars for their veggie burgers. The menu says it's a 'gardenburger' but that's not true. These patties have no resemblance to the dry grain- or soy-based ones you find in the frozen aisle of the grocery store that have the taste and texture of shredded cardboard. No, the Burger Hut veggie burger is a house-made, moist chickpea and spice based secret recipe of deliciousness. It's the best veggie burger I've ever had (and I've eaten a lot of veggie burgers). 

The shakes are thick and the fries are crispy. Everything is made to order in this little hole-in-the-wall on the Ave. It's open until 3 am AND the meat and kabobs are halal. Burger Hut hits the spot every time.
4 - Judy L.: Whenever you eat on "The Ave" you have to keep in mind that the none of the restaurants are going to be really fancy, clean, and spacious. When you're a broke college student, typically you look for cheap food. So the fancier a place, the more expensive it'll be. This is why I don't mind places like Burger Hut and you should never have high expectations when eating on the Ave. I love their Burger Special that has an egg included (sounds weird but it's tasty!!!) and I get a side of onion rings that are really crispy. I hate soggy fries and onion rings. The guys working there have always been friendly but if it's busy I just get my food to go since the place is pretty small. They only have 2 guys cooking so if there's a line it might take awhile. Haven't had their shakes yet but I've heard they're good. They also accept debit/credit cards which I didn't expect since alot of small restaurants don't usually accept them. So that's another plus.
3 - Lisa N.: Yummy, inexpensive, and fresh. It's in a sketchy hole-in-the-wall type of place, but that's probably just a sign that their food is good. It's not the best burger you'll ever have, but it's satisfying and convenient for a quick lunch break! I get the cheeseburger because I'm intimidated by the crazy amount of fried egg on the special. One day, I will try the milkshakes...
5 - Scott B.: 10/26/09
Came here for a burger last year when we watched THE DOGS LOOSE to Noterdame. So we came again to see THE DOGS LOOSE to Oregon and we were way up in da bleachers I'll tell ya
  I had the # 7 which is double patty with a broken fried egg and all the trimmings and a basket of greasy fries! hit the spot as we were on our way to the airport 
Can't go to this U with out getting #7
PS
Have a beer across the street sodas & shakes only
3 - Jon E.: You get a lot of burger and fries for the money here.  But the quality.... ehhhh.  I give them mad props for offering fried eggs on top of their burgers, though.  I absolutely love that.  But all and all, I'd rather have higher quality and smaller portions.
3 - Keoni W.: This is a late night burger joint that hits the spot . Very simple menu and thick shakes.

Your orders are prepared in front of you. You get your order quick so you can enjoy them.  Typical burger with fries and drink.

For the money I would go across to Aladdin.  But if you have the cravings for burgers at 3 am in the morning this is your spot.
5 - Aaron B.: Takes me back to my college days (last year). I love the burgers I get here. Plenty of food, great prices, and awesome service! Definitely will go out of my way to visit from time to time.
3 - Linh H.: This place is good for burger fixes. Of course, it's not top notch or gourmet, but the clientele's expectations are not high when it's 10 pm on a weeknight and there's studying to be avoided.

I've seen a cockroach crawl across the wall here, but this is probably the case for so many restaurants in the U-District.
1 - Kari F.: It's edible. That's the only good thing I can say about this place. For about $10 bucks I got a cheeseburger, fries and a drink. The counter was dirty, the cheeseburger was your standrad Costco patties with basic American cheese and veggies, and no seasonings. The fries looked good, but had zero taste. I mean ZERO taste. Carboard has more flavor. And they got my order wrong the first time around. 

Don't waste your money or your time.
5 - C K M.: First thing to note: I'm a vegetarian. As such, this review is based solely on the veggie burger. 

Burger Hut has a KILLER veggie burger. Even though the menu claims "garden burger," don't be fooled - this thing is some sort of home made concoction that will blow your mind. I've eaten a lot of veggie burgers in my life, and it wouldn't be a stretch to say this is likely my favorite of all time. 

The staff are always friendly, the milkshakes and fries are always good and they're open late. 

If you're a fan of formal dining, Burger hut is NOT for you. This place is tiny and only has 10 or so bar stools for indoor eating. From the outside (or inside) you would never expect Burger Hut to have such high quality food - in fact, if it wasn't the only thing open so late on the Ave I may never have wound up here.

I've been 15 - 20 times and don't plan on stopping anytime soon.
4 - Alan N.: I stumbled upon this place while venturing through the Street Fair crowds this past weekend and it definitely is not a mistake to at least try this place. 

I really like this place for their witty, quick and friendly service. The cook and I exchanged some friendly, sarcastic banter which made the wait feel even shorter than it already was especially considering the small crowd that had assembled for their Burger-fix. The food was was really tasty and like so many U-district joints this place had a decent sized selection of choices to choose from.

I must say though there were a few things I did not like...The serving sizes were far from "healthy". I think I got a total of 15 onion rings and the patty on the burger was maybe a slight degree thicker than it's McD's cousin which is definitely not a good thing if I have to compare anything at a restaurant to McD's. Finally the prices, I feel like I should've gone across the street because this one join (which will not be named) would have gotten me much more full for about the same price. But I guess this is why I had to try this place to find out! 

I would definitely recommend this place if you have the drunken munchies and are craving a decent burger on the way home from Earl's but otherwise I might have to flip a coin between this place and some of the many other places on the Ave.
4 - Chris M.: Some time a few weeks ago I had the night off and felt the siren song of burger lust lick at my chops like a nympho-maniacal butcher's ghost. I paced frantically in my tiny apartment, swerving shifty-eyed and lonesome, in truth slavering fiendishly for that sweet, sweet combination of bread, protein, dairy, starch and heat.

Finally, I checked the time and realized most everything on the Ave suited to my needs would be closed and elected to try, for the first time, Burger Hut.

I'd seen Burger Hut for years, nestled snug between a copy shop and a variety of other restaurants and had even on a lark once popped my head in and asked if their beef was sourced ("it comes from a company," they said.) Better safe than sorry, so that day I declined and bought a pound of grass-fed beef from the farmer's market, and the night I finally enjoyed Burger Hut I would be practicing the same ethos and so ordered their vegetarian option plus fries -- an order to go, as I had a bottle of New Belgium Ranger IPA which was definitely not halal to drink in the restaurant.

They asked if I liked spicy and I answered in the very affirmative, so they gave the cooked patty a loose spiral of sriracha much to my delight. I was pretty excited at that point. I was getting my hopes up, which is often dangerous when dining on the Ave, but what was the worst thing that could happen? A sub-par burger? I was pumped, and nervous. I could smell the fries in the bag and that was enough to spur me on. I boarded my trusty vessel, a recycled mountain bike (fixies are for posers) and dashed home in the pouring rain.

Before I review this burger, I've got to tell you, the Ranger IPA that New Belgium just put out is a quality freaking IPA. It has everything you could desire from an $8 craft brew at half the price point. I must heartily endorse and recommend it for burgers. It's a damn fine bottle of beer. Moving on!

I got home and changed out of rain soaked clothes into fluffy warm pajamas and opened the brown paper bag my food came in. I didn't have any ketchup in the fridge, but luckily they had tossed a few packets into the bag, and isn't that the ideal anyway? Refrigerated ketchup can be a let down if you're going for the total burger experience. Ketchup warmed by fries and a burger seems to have a sharper vinegary bite than that which is squeezed from a chilled plastic bottle. The fries weren't a vision of the archangel Gabriel, but they weren't bad. Starchy and fat without too much grease, but ever so slightly limp and wet. Alas.

The burger, on the other hand, was magnificent. I think it's some kind of lentil or chickpea patty, because it had the uniform consistency of a deep-fried paste or finely ground grain. There were no vegetable artifacts to provide meaning or depth, and I was not looking for a concept burger, so it met me there at crossroads of America and served me a classic composed without the fuss or phony artifice of your usual Seattle veggie burger. It was not Thai-fusion or molecular gastronomy. It was exactly what I had wanted.

The combination of all three items -- the IPA, the burger, the fries -- seemed to coalesce and grow into something greater than the sum of it's parts. It had reached critical mass to break the three-star barrier. It was semi-religious, to be perfectly honest. I sometimes am forced by circumstance to finish a burger quickly, just to get it over with, but I dined on this bitch for an hour at least. It's a taste to savor and relish, and goodness did I. At the final bite, I recall leaning back in my chair and flashing on satori. It was that good.

How could it be better? I think the patty could use finer seasoning, and a sour note in the trimmings (ie. a larger or more flavorful pickle, perhaps even relish) would take this dish up a notch. And it ought to go without saying that the fries could use work. Maybe fresh cut potatoes?

I really can't say. The experience was too subjective. I thoroughly enjoyed my burger at Burger Hut, and will definitely be returning some other night when pho is closed and the weather is forbidding and dark and the burger sylph whispers in my ear again, "come, come."
3 - Jessica L.: late night hunger can always be quenched by Burger Hut.  I've never gotten sick, but do get nervous after reading some reviews.  Anywhoo, fries are fries (nice to have the extra seasoning at the seating counters), burgers aren't bad (try the one with the egg!).  Not a clean place, seating is limited, staff has been replaced (liked the old guys much better bc they gave more fries), drinks are small, but I can't complain when it's one of the few places open til 2 after a long night of studying or partying (your choice).  Just note that it can get crowded, so that overhead heat lamp is great when it's chilly out.  Relax, grab a Stranger, and get your grub on.
4 - Jon D.: I was skeptical at first about the dumpy-looking Burger Hut in the middle of the Ave. I was happily surprised that, like most things on the Ave, the dumpier-looking things tend to have the most soul.

I walked into the crowded little space, and ordered my Burger Special, a cheeseburger crowned with the all-too-fitting layer of rich eggy deliciousness (If a burger place has a burger with an egg on it, I am obligated to try it).

The burger came out big and juicy, no dripping of fat reserved, on a tray. I bit into it, and it immediately hit the spot, you know the one that craves beefy burger goodness at all times. This is not a clean burger. I was dribbling down my chin at a couple points. But tasty it indeed was.

4 stars for a solid burger meal. Not the best value around, not the most unique, the place is super cramped, and that keeps it away from 5 stars... but is it good? It's good.
4 - Robby C.: After a string of hit and misses throughout the week, we thought we would go back to a familiar surefire restaurant from our days in college to rejuvenate our faith in Seattle dining. Located on University Avenue, the relatively small shop is home to one of the best, if not the best, burger on the street. 

Burger Hut Special: your basic burger with all the dressings topped with an egg and cooked to perfection.

That is basically all you need to know. Of course the place is crowded and the restaurant is cramped, but somehow if the shop fixed any of these things it just would not be the same anymore. Plus, the majority of the character comes from the colorful people that arrive at all hours of the day from the typical university student during the day to the drunken nomad hipster university alum that somehow managed to make his way down from Fremont to beg for burger at two in the morning. Seriously, half of our college stories often end in meeting at either the Burger and Kabob Hut or Aladdin Gyro-Cery across the street; not sure if that is a good or a bad thing though.
4 - Theo S.: Heard good things about Burger Hut, so I had to try it out. 

Little hole in the wall, cheap prices and relatively simple menu. I had the Hawaiian burger because pineapple and meat is always an awesome combination. Burger came piled with veggies and was cooked well. Out the door for under $5 - will come back.
4 - Raza M.: Open late night, the burgers taste awesome, costs only $5 to $6 and the guys who work here are friendly. I don't care how the place looks, it's just awesome.
4 - Mary N.: Nothing says U-District like greasy, delicious hamburgers at 2AM. This is the restaurant for you if you are

1) Craving salt
2) Drunk
3) High
4) Hung over
5) Getting over a bad break up
6) Starving
7) Not a vegetarian

Be forewarned, it looks HELLA sketchy inside and out. Just close your eyes and accept your food with a smile. It'll be worth it.
3 - The-Hoa H.: Maybe there was a change of owners or something because I came here way back when it was just burgerhut and they only served burgers? I don't know I was like in 9th grade...and I stopped by for lunch....I ordered a cheeseburger...which took exceptionally long to cook and came out tasting pretty moderate...oh welll now I hear this place serves gyros and such....Hopefully I'll try it out this quarter.
4 - maitreyee A.: Best place for veggie burgers & late night snack!
2 - Sean C.: More or less your standard late night burger joint.  They've got a nice selection of burgers from $4-5, Burger Hut special included.  I can't think of any other place off the top of my head where you can get an egg on your burger at 2 am.  However, I'm pretty sure they don't use fresh eggs; the egg came out of this dispenser which they poured onto the grill as they fry it up for your order.  Might be a dealbreaker for some, but I think most of Burger Hut's patrons are too drunk to care regardless.

I used to remember Burger Hut having awesome milkshakes, but I went again recently and was slightly disappointed; the milkshake simply failed to live up to the usual expectations I had implanted in my mind.  So maybe I'm on the fence on this one.  

In general, a solid place to grab a late night burger.  However, its hard to drag myself over here late at night when just across the street, there's a far more appetizing option...
5 - Ash V.: Coming from India, it's so difficult to find a really spicy burger.  Sure there are burger joints that offer "spicy" burgers, but not the kind of spiciness that makes your eyes water and clears your sinuses.  Whenever I am in the need for a really spicy chicken burger, or if my sinuses feel a little stuffy, I'll head to this place.  For $5, you get a pretty large burger that is spicy enough to light up a rocket.  I've always received the friendliest service and plenty of food.  The burger is usually stacked with chicken, not fluffed up with lettuce.

This is definitely a no-frills, simple burger joint that belongs on the Ave as a benchmark burger place.  I'll definitely be coming back here!
4 - Mary S.: I always go for the vegetarian burger. It's some kind of spicy chickpea mash burger - tastes great! Simple, spicy goodness. Fries are always spot-on as well. Just can't go wrong with this place, consistently yummy!
5 - Lilly A.: I love this place. The owner is really nice, and I always leave here super satisfied. I'm surprised I haven't reviewed this place yet!

Basically to boil it down: its a burger place. I've never seen a kabob made here.... but the great thing about it is that it is a hole in the wall, I always end up leaving here with hilarious conversations with new people I've met, and the burgers! Yum. I don't know what he does to make the burgers so good (oh so setting myself up for some gross comment), but its the perfect balance.

Today I tried the veggie patty instead of my usual, and I must say it is not your typical one, but I definitely ate every last bite!
3 - Jonas C.: The fact that the stools are as high as the bottom of the counter implies probably that they didn't plan much for dine in, which is fine, since it's a small place anyways.  I'd imagine that this place probably tastes a lot better at 3AM, but I wasn't here at 3AM.  Not being a college student or frequenting the area often, I'd imagine I lose out on the charm of the place.  Nice place, not somewhere I'd go out of my way to go to though.
5 - Alvi A.: Best burgers in the world
3 - Nath, A.: Two years and many burgers later, I think this is a three-star burger joint. The meat is densely packed and not terribly beefy; the downside of using pre-packed patties, I guess. Not as good as the loose, freshly ground beef at EJ, or the larger medium-well burgers at Mr Lu's. This is a halal shop, which is good news if you're Muslim, but bad news if you like bacon cheeseburgers. The eggplant and veggie burgers are also surprisingly good; the veggie burger reminded me of Indian-style 'bhej cutlets'.

Still, when everything else is closed, this is a nice change from Aladdin's and Memo's.
3 - Megan A.: I have been going to Burger Hut throughout my college career - it's my go to place when I want a cheeseburger, since the only fast food chain in the U District is Jack in the Box. A couple of years ago, there was what seemed to be a father (who never smiled) and son duo who made the food, but now it is run by a group of guys who seem more friendly. One guy likes to tease me for always ordering a plain cheeseburger (he hands it to me and says extra tomato and extra onions!)

The food is...ehhh. Everything was once frozen...frozen burgers, frozen fries, frozen onion rings. It tastes okay, not amazing, but not disgusting. I admit that I really love the onion rings. The milkshakes are tasty too!

The prices are fairly comparable to other burger joints in the area, but really expensive if you compare them to a large fast food chain. I wish they would use some of the money they make to fix the place up - the few seats and counter space are run down and it seems a little bit dirty. I have never actually eaten there because the atmosphere is not that great. 

Also note, that they will not let you use a card if it's under a certain amount of money. I tried to order a milkshake once and had no cash, so they just lost my money. So frustrating.
5 - Senthil V.: If u r a fitness freak who wants to take a break committing sin by slamming on some burgers make it a point to reach out to this tiny joint (that can accommodate barely 6-7 at a time) .... but will find a permanent spot in ur hart and u'll name a taste-bud of yours "BurgetHut". 

Outta the world experience, coupla beers from the nearby pubs in Univ st and a hearty (and stomachful .... duh!!!) burger is my choice of a laid back weekday nite. 

Every Indian dude yearning for a desi-burger experience must visit this place. Dust a lil bit of the condiment he has table-top for a mini rolla-caster ride. Milkshakes are worth a mention but far from the variety of burgers they have in offer. 

THIS PLACE IS A VEGGIES' DELIGHT.
4 - Mo Y.: Great small burger place if you like to have good burgers without any of the Pork Products.  Good prices too.
4 - Atif M.: This place is great. The burgers are straightforward and filling and the fries are tasty as well. I whether it's at 2PM or 2AM I always really enjoy the food here.
4 - Safder M.: I love this place. This is the place that I always come to after a tiring night of dancing. The kabab pitas are excellent and so are their shakes.  I love the fact this place is open so late.
4 - Kevin C.: Its cheap food, and it's good. Probably one of the better burger places on the ave, and they cook it right in front of you, the kitchen is pretty clean. no bs here.

I recommend the burger hut special, while my buddy always gets the spicy chicken.
1 - Clonal M.: Here is the deal. While the food was OK, maybe 3 stars, what was not cool was a full sized sharp toothpick embedded in the center of the vegetarian paddy wrap I ordered. I could have died if I would have swallowed that. Just shows a lack of attention on there part, who knows what else could happen.
2 - Sione P.: Beef gyro is apparently sliced up burger patty and the meat is not super-tasty for a gyro, though I imagine it's better as a burger. The food was not bad, but I experienced a surprise that apparently isn't as uncommon as I'd thought since another reviewer mentioned it... a toothpick in the food!  Mine was nearly at the bottom of the gyro that was tightly wrapped in paper, so I did half-eat it because I didn't see it and was running back to work while eating the whole thing and it sucked stabbing my cheek.
Dangerous habit to leave toothpicks in the food... I'll be across the street at Aladdin Gyro-Cery.
5 - Buzz J.: Very good for the price.  I had the cheese burger combo.  It had an egg on it.  I must say i never thought i would try an egg on a burger.  Well i loved it.  The owner seems really nice.  I was impressed to see a good burger place open so late.  Its the best place to eat at night on the ave.
3 - Linda L.: The eggplant burger is truly amazing.  

That being said, I've had several not so amazing experiences here.  The majority of times that I've gone in and ordered the eggplant burger, it hasn't been available, so I was forced to order something else.  Their other burgers just aren't very substantial, and I don't like having to order sides separately.  

There is one cook who makes the eggplant burgers really spicy and tasty, but the other cook isn't very good at making them, so it's kind of hit or miss.  

One big plus is that it's open really late.
4 - Akshaya M.: When you have those cravings for the perfect juicy Indian tasting burgers.,This has gotta be the go to place! Love the veggie burgers. And the chicken burgers ( with an indian twist ) are to die for as well. Definitely a favorite on the ave.
2 - Niko B.: I got the "Hawaiian" burger and it was gross. To make the burger "Hawaiian", they simply added a slice of canned pineapple and an absurdly sweet sauce, which tasted like a mix of teriyaki and BBQ. The sauce was so watery that it dripped all over my hands as I ate, making everything a soggy mess. The first bite gave me a huge sugar rush. Half way through, I started to get a headache. When I was done, I felt like I wanted to throw up. They should rename this burger to Diabetes Burger because that's what you'll get if you eat enough of it.
4 - Addie R.: An Ave staple. Good for late night food, and it always hits the spot!
Their burgers are so tasty but also so very messy. Every time I have one, I end up with juices dripping down my hands and a soggy bun...they could improve that by using less sauce. 
Cheap, fast and delicious. Don't go here if you want a 'healthy option' because they don't really have that.
My favorite is the eggplant burger but the chicken shawarma is a close second. 

For you halal-eaters, they have halal burger patties is you just ask!
4 - Daren D.: Open late - Good food - Eggplant burger is a li-i-i-ittle bit too mushy/gooey/soft, but good - The fries have low to no salt - I dig.

Burgers & More - Atlanta, GA (33.764669, -84.3953296) ()
4 - Rob C.: This place is really, really good.  Might be the best burger in the city - definitely one of the top 5.  Good fries (both regular and sweet potato).  Overall is is as good, if not better than, Five Guys.  Tried the green bean fries as well, and while they get points for being different I'd pass on that item and stick with the sweet potato fries instead.

And it's quite clean inside and out.  Not sure what other reviewers saw, but it looked fine to me.  Definitely will return!
5 - Katy T.: Delicious, inexpensive food. Clean restaurant. Right across from the Ivan Allen exit from the Aquarium parking deck. Save your money and eat here after the Aquarium!!  I had a burger with swiss, mushrooms and bacon on it that was so much better than Johnny Rockets.  The fries are fresh cut. They even have a veggie wrap and fruit if beef is not your thing. I went with my mom and three kids and we were stuffed with food left over.
4 - Cynthia B.: I live about a block away from this place so I take the kids there a lot.  Needless to say, we all enjoy it everytime we go.  The staff as well as the owner are all very friendly.  The same crew has worked there since they opened.  I would encourage anyone visiting the Aquarium or World of Coke to save your money and don't eat at those expensive food courts.  The food in those places sit out forever before someone to comes by.  At Burgers n More, everything is made fresh to order and the dining area is always very clean.  My favorite is the Everything Burger.  Gotta Love It!!!
4 - Sarah E.: If you are visiting the Georgia Aquarium, Burgers & More is a REALLY good alternative to the expensive aquarium cafeteria.  My husband and I found this place by accident when we were going to an aquarium event in the evening, showed up too early, and had to wait until the aquarium opened.

The prices at Burgers & More are substantially cheaper than the prices at the aquarium cafe, and the selection is surprisingly good for what looks like a hole-in-the-wall place.  My husband and I only had an order of wings, but the menu looked much more varied than I expected.  Among other things, there are deli sandwiches made with Boar's Head meats and also gyros.  I am assuming there are also burgers, and I think I may have seen a salad on the menu as well.

Our wings came out RIDICULOUSLY fast and were piping hot.  The sauce on them was very flavorful.  The service people were pleasant, polite, and prompt.  Overall, this experience exceeded my expectations and I would definitely choose this place over Cafe Aquaria on future visits to see the fishies.
5 - Cherry L.: EVERYTHING there is superrrrr fantastic!!!!

when im in the office down the street, my coworkers and i try to go there as much as possible.

favorites: turkey burger, the fat bird w/extra, [any of] the burgers, wings, and salad---pretty much everything ive tried is on the favorite list. the sides are also superrrrr fantastic (green bean fries, sweet potato fries, normal fries..yummm) and now they serve breakfast!

everything is REALLY fresh and cooked to order. price is VERY reasonable. you can get a sandwich+side+drink for under $10.

definitely try this place if you work close by or visit centennial park, world of coke, or the aquarium. though, their hours have been weird/changing...new hours are M-Sa 7am-8pm, closed Sun.
1 - Hanna M.: DON'T EAT HERE DON'T EAT HERE

I've always enjoyed the food, even considered it one of the best burger joints in Atl, but the OWNER had the nerve to inform me that the honey mustard was going to make me fatter.  I don't know if he has notice but there isn't anything on that menu that won't make me fatter.  If he wants to run a health store he should, other wise he should shut his mouth.
3 - Matt L.: Better than your average burger place.  As many have mentioned this place is just around the corner from the Aquarium and is a great alternative to cafeteria inside.  This is your standard burgers, sandwiches and wings place. It's ready to handle decent sized groups and lots of people had kids running around.    I've had an overcooked burger on occasion and some slow service but I haven't experienced any major issues.   Prices are very reasonable for the area and the menu is expansive enough that everyone should be happy (veggie burgers and salads are on the menu).

Any one tried the gyro?
2 - Max J.: Burgers and More is just a few steps away from The world of Coke. I herd good reviews about it but was disappointed. Yea it's a decent burger, greasy and hot but nothing more. I was looking for a truly spectacular burger with thick cheese and fresh cut fries, this is not that place.

Its not a bad burger joint, but its just that a burger joint. I give two stars to Burgers and More because it's a off the road spot to get a burger, nothing more nothing less.
4 - Dustin W.: Great food the owner is working quite often and the staff is always courteous. The burgers and wings are on point which keeps me coming back.
3 - Natasha C.: My family and I stumbled upon this place after visiting the Georgia Aquarium.  I did not expect anything particularly special, however I was pleased with my choice of a BLT with a side of cheese fries.  The food was very tasty but VERY greasy.  My New York digestive system was not equipped to deal with that level of greasy saturated goodness and unfortunately I had an adverse reaction....Still the food was very tasty...just wish I would have been able to keep it down...
4 - Carnell H.: Great place to eat! The food and staff are Awsome!
3 - Andie T.: Stopped by for lunch after visiting the Georgia Aquarium.  The cashier seemed very new and it didn't help that the first thing he had to tell me was that they didn't have a roll for the Philly cheesesteak I wanted to order.  So I went with a Basic Burger with cheddar, lettuce, tomato and mayo with an order of fries and a Coke.

The burger was ready for a few minutes before I got it - the grill guy yelled "Order up" at least three times, but the cashier was too busy looking at some customer's iPad.  Finally the grill cook brought my tray to me.

The fries were nothing special - just basic frozen French fries, a little undercooked at that.  But the burger was pretty awesome - big, juicy, greasy and flavorful.  I would go back for that burger.
2 - Marcus M.: Ehh... this place was ok.... A couple things I didn't like was the location and the place's horrible parking lot. It's barely big enough for a handful of cars and yet they have seating for like 40+ ppl easy.   And the place is built into/renamed Fat philly's which migiht be confusing AND the prices were different than online..

Although the people were nice, they were disorganized and rather slow considering there were only 4 ppl in the place including myself.  

The food... plenty of fries but the philly cheesesteak i had was smaller than any other place I'd been to.  even the chinese place lucky china had a better sub. Gotta admit, it was rather good though.
2 - Randy W.: Went in at noon on a Saturday and the place was completely dead. Absolutely no customers.  I ate my meal there for 30 minutes with not one person coming in.  The tater tots were good but how can you mess up deep frying tater tots.  The burger was tasty but I told them grilled onions and they still gave me raw onions.  The diet coke was not fresh at all.

Burma-Tokyo - Pittsburgh, PA (40.4390804, -79.9553126) (Oakland)
5 - Weifei Z.: We got the Tokyo Roll, tom-yum soup, Cambodia (chicken), Shan tribe noodle soup, vegetable tempura, and the lime juice. Sooooo delicious and would definitely go back. 

We ordered 7-8 in spiciness for the chicken and the noodle soup. While 7 was perfect for the chicken, 8 for the soup was seriously spicy.  The lime juice was a delicious balance against the spiciness though.  I was actually surprised at how good the sushi and the tempura were for a fusion restaurant.  The sushi tasted fresh and the tempura was crispy, as it should be. 

The owners are also super nice and apparently they make the noodles themselves. Impressive.
4 - r. h.: This small restaurant is near India Garden. It looks so unassuming that I mistook it for one of  the long-time ne'er-do-well eateries on Atwood. This place apparently has been in business for about 6 months already, but it desperately needs to advertise itself. I only found it because I chanced upon Anna Z's Yelp review. I went during lunch time, but I was the only person in the dining room -- this is too bad, because their food is really good!

As the name of the restaurant suggests, it is a Burmese place that also happens to serve sushi.  As far as I can tell, the sushi is decent enough (I had two pieces of hand rolls -- they were fine), but the stars of the menu are the Burmese dishes. I ordered the soup bowl  (#13 on the menu) with rice vermicelli, leafy greens, meat balls, fish balls and a soft-boiled egg and two quail eggs.  It came piping hot and full of the good stuff (they did not skimp on the meat/fish balls). The broth also has a rich flavor. A big bowl of hot soupy noodles definitely hits the spot on a cold winter day. 

Summary: This is by far the best Southeast Asian offering in Oakland (arguably within a 200 mile radius). It may become my new favorite lunch place.
4 - Michael F.: Surprisingly good food for such an oddly uninviting storefront. Pick up order was ready within 10 minutes of my phone call, which involves silly levels of efficiency. Squid salad wasn't so spicy, but was really good. Sliced ginger was a little strong, but squid was actually tender.

Laos spearmint came with cubed chicken, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, standard veggies. Not a very strongly flavored dish, I didn't think I'd ever use the word subtle for a takeout place, but it's appropriate. 

Avocado shake was like any other avocado shake, except for a few ice chunks that hadn't been blended in all the way. Really good for Pittsburgh, extra points for being 2 blocks away and cheapish.
4 - Chad K.: Service is quickand friendly. I only waited 10 minutes in the store for 2 full dishes. I tried the Tokyo roll and one of their most popular noodle dishes called Myanmar something. Both tasted great and the serving sizes were pretty large large. The only complaint I have is with the prices... A tad high. I spent $20 on the two dishes overall. I recommend the place, and I'm going to try their other dishes soon.
2 - Bill P.: Very disappointed in this restaurant after reading a good review in the City Paper and good reviews here. We ordered vegetable samosas as an appetizer, which we planned to share; a Burmese dish, shan tribe noodle bowl with chicken, pickled vegetables and tomato sauce as one entree; and dan pauk, a chicken-and-rice dish from India as another entree.

Oddly, the shan tribe noodle bowl arrived first, right out of the microwave, and insufficiently heated. The flavors were somewhat interesting, but we were clearly being served leftovers. We finished that, waited awhile, and then the samosas arrived, extremely greasy but tasty. Another long wait, and then the chicken and rice arrived. More reheated leftovers--a big reheated chicken leg on top of rice that seemed like it was scraped from the inside of a pan. Blecch. 

The service, in short, was awful and the food was not much better. Avoid this place.
1 - Rebecca P.: One of the worst dinners out I've had in a long time. And a surprise, because of the great review in Pittsburgh's City Paper and the raves from other Yelp diners.
Start with the appearance of the place, a grim storefront, tables so close together that I could hear customers to our left discussing the diarrhea they had contracted on their trip to Mexico, all with harsh overhead lighting.
We ordered samosas from the appetizer menu, a Burmese noodle dish for my husband, and an Indian chicken and rice dish for myself. My husband's noodles were served at least 30 minutes before anything else, and had clearly been microwaved; they had that uneven hot spots thing you get with microwaving and weren't hot enough, IMO a cardinal sin for hot food-it should be served HOT. Finally the samosas came out, tasty but oozing grease. We waited so long after that that we actually asked for our check when they finally served the rice and chicken. A plate of dry, broken, crunchy rice that had the texture of the rice you scrape from the bottom of the pot was topped with a huge, clearly microwaved, leg-thigh section of chicken. This rice was described on the menu as "basmati" and to my mind basmati rice is beautiful long-grained rice. This rice did not meet that description and was barely edible. The chicken was tough.
When we left we made tracks to a frozen yogurt place for some serious palate-cleansing.
5 - Chris G.: Came here with a cadre of grad school friends (aka experts on cheap asian cuisine) and we all found it an outstanding experience,  Notable dishes were the Shan tribe noodle soup, Kyar san hingar and the "India" chicken which had a degree of tenderness I've never seen replicated outside of my grandmother's slow roasted recipe.  The owner is personable and helpful.  Spicy actually means spicy here, so I recommend the Lime juice as an excellent way to wash it all down.
4 - M D.: Initially when I walked in, I was definitely taken back by the dive decor, and actually had doubts about staying there for dinner. The hostess/waiter was extremely pleasant and the dishes on the menu were incredibly cheap. My bf and I ordered the samosa and vegetarian dumplings which were both deep fried and were quite delicious. 

I ordered the Korean rice dish with chicken. It was the perfect blend of spices and full of flavor. My bf ordered the Myanmar noodles with tofu and the spices were very distinct and original but blended together perfectly. All in all, we would definitely go back there for dinner. It's a nice dive dinner joint with great food.
2 - Ari R.: We chose to check this place out because we had a spend $50 get $25 off coupon from restaurants.com.  Well, the inside of this place is kind of low rent and all of the glasses and plates were plastic.  It felt more like eating at a cafeteria than at a restaurant.

We were looking forward to sashimi, and we each got a Tom Yum soup (pretty good, 3/5), seaweed salad (3/5), and 2 orders of sushi/sashimi (2/5).  We were also told to order more food, because we were $6 short... then told to get more because we needed $1 more to reach $50 for the coupon.

Overall it was disappointing, and the sushi/sashimi tasted like it had been frozen, or maybe it was just on ice for too long.

The service was good, and the owners were very friendly.

The middle of the road meal would have been ok, had our total not come to $41.50 for both of us... after the $25 coupon.  To make things worse, we split the bill on two credit cards and they rounded up our food cost to $21 per card.  Not a big deal, but still another little thing that further discourages us from returning here.

If you want sushi, I suggest going to the excellent Chaya in Squirrel Hill.
4 - Shilo R.: We started ordering food through wheel deliver from Burma Tokyo, and it's great. B loves the sushi and the prices, and my favorites are the Tom yum soup and fried rice. Plus wheel deliver brings it to our door...can't beat it!
5 - Tyler L.: Went their last night with a friend and loved it. I had a Nepalese dish served with roti and two samosas that was really good. My friend had a Cambodian coconut-curry chicken that was out of this world!  I also recommend the Lao mint chicken and the Indian Biryani. 

The waitress was really friendly, chatting with us about her native Myanmar. Has a large selection of authentic Burmese cooking along with SE Asian and Indian food. Also has some very interesting sushi rolls.
4 - Teresa T.: A small hole in the wall place perfect for a cold rainy day in Pittsburgh. You feel comfortable and cozy at Burma-Tokyo with a sushi station to the left as you enter and a register to the right with simple dining tables and pictures hanging up. I didn't try the sushi but ordered the traditional Burmese noodle soup since they have Burma in their restaurant name so why not. Overall I wasn't sure what to expect but ultimately the flavors were good and there was a lot of food. Perfect to warm your belly and the price is just right. I would not have found Burma Tokyo had a friend not recommend it to me as the place is tucked into an Oakland neighborhood. Parking on the street.
5 - Jenn T.: We stumbled upon this place completely by chance, as we were wandering the streets of Oakland, looking for a sit-down restaurant we hadn't tried before.

Burma-Tokyo boasts a menu that spans a lot of different types of cuisine.  They have a full sushi menu (which we didn't try on our visit), and also a series other Asian specialty dishes cooked 'in the Burmese style'.  I had the Nepal platter, which was a stew-like dish of chicken, mushroom, and potatoes, served with roti bread and samosas.  My husband got the Laos peppermint leaf with pork, which was had real peppermint leaves, and not just the flavoring.  Such unique flavors, we both really enjoyed our dishes (and sampling bites from each other's).

I ordered some green tea, which was served in a gigantic Coca-Cola glass, enough for us to share.  And the miso soup was also huge and perfectly salty.

The prices were great - for two entrees, tea, soup, and an appetizer, our total was less than $25.  And the service was great.  Our waiter could answer any questions we had about the menu or spices.  We will definitely be back!

(Parking is on the street, so be aware that during the school year, that could be a little tricky.  But, if you can't find a spot to park, you can order delivery from Burma-Tokyo through campusfood.com, so there's no excuse not to try it!  :)
4 - October R.: I came to BTR on my hour break from work to get some take out, only one table had been seated so I thought this was going to be a quick trip. 

A very sweet older woman came over with a menu and explained some of the dishes to me. I informed her I was a vegetarian and had it narrowed down to 2 choices, the Kaung Pond Kyaw or Akitashi tofu. She told me many of the dishes can be made vegetarian so I wasn't limited to just the veggie section of the menu. Well, this opened up countless possibilities for me. My eyes narrowed in on the Cambodia dish which is made with coconut cream, veggies and tofu instead of chicken for $6.99. 

Next she asked my spice level preference and I told her a 10 "Oh! You like it spicy." she remarked. Yes, I like it spicy and I've ordered too many 8's that tasted like 2's so I have a habit of overstating my preferences now. My order took longer than I had expected but I knew everything would be fresh so it was no big deal. About 20 minutes after ordering, the woman came up to me and very apologetically informed me that my order was made with chicken so it had to be redone from scratch. I was a little upset only because I had a limited amount of time, but I was grateful she came out and explained the situation. 

I had only 10 minutes to enjoy my dinner by the time I got back to work, but enjoy it I did! Lots of fresh, tender veggies and lightly fried tofu were bathed in a spicy (A 10 means a 10 here!) coconut sauce. I'm sure I'll return, but I'll call my order in first.
2 - Sarah M.: I was excited to try Burma-Tokyo because I love finding little hole-in-the-wall places with interesting, authentic-tasting food.  However, I was disappointed by my dinner. We ordered a vegetable tempura appetizer, which was ok. I mean, tempura is tempura, it was hot and greasy (a good thing for tempura!) but some of the vegetables inside the batter were just unidentifiable. I had one piece with sweet potato (yum) and then another with some white thing inside that didn't have much flavor. So it was a little hit-and-miss.
I ordered the dish called "Nepal" with was a piece of roti, veggie samosas,  and tomato-based soup with potatoes and chicken. The roti was tasty, though greasy, and the samosas were not the best I've ever had. They were okay, but could have been more flavorful. The soup was my least favorite part of the dish-- it was very salty. 
To the restaurant's credit, maybe I just ordered the wrong thing... my boyfriend ordered a fried rice dish that he loved, and devoured the whole thing. The service was quick and friendly, but I was not all that impressed by the food. Next time I am having a craving for Asian food, I think I will try somewhere else.
5 - Mona W.: This place is delicious and cheap. The soup is amazing. I eat here once a week and the employees/owners are friendly. The food is incredibly great! I look forward to dinner at Burma Tokyo every week. The food is flavorful and really great. Other reviews state that this is a great hole in the wall and I completely agree!
4 - Janice D.: I love this place! It's a little hole-in-the-wall in Oakland. It's a very homely place. The owners are very friendly and talkative. The food is great. It's not too oily and creamy. The food has simple distinct flavors that are hard to find in other restaurants. It doesn't feel like heavy restaurant food, but more like home made food. The vegetables are fresh. I've even had their sushi and liked it. I've tried almost all of their entrees and have enjoyed all of them. It's a simple little homely place.
4 - Yohini S.: Love this place. We were in Pittsburgh for X-mas and I called this place up to see if they were open for dinner. They were closing but they agreed to keep it open for a few mins for us to dine in. I went with the recommendation of the owner and got burmese vegetarian soup. My BF ordered Tom Yum soup. Mine looked clear and seemed like it did not have any flavor at all, but once spoon proved it all wrong. It was delicious! I really would give them 5 stars if they had the right atmosphere/decor! Food is delicious, home made. 

Seems like they've converted their house into a restaurant but no complains because the food is great! Great service, i would definitely be back if I get a chance to get back to the area. Check it out!
4 - Andrew T.: After living in Oakland for four and a half years I finally decided to try this restaurant and it did not disappoint. I got Miso soup, Thai Basil Leaf with Beef and a Coke. Everything was really delicious (although I would recommend trying the Tom Yum soup instead) and it all came out to less than 10 dollars.

Even thought the place doesn't look that appetizing, it is definitely worth a taste.
4 - Kevin A.: Not sure how I missed this place for so long - stumbled across it trying to find the name of another place in Oakland, and I'm very happy I did.  Stopped in for lunch on a snowy Saturday on a sightseeing jaunt to Oakland.

I've travelled around a good chunk of the rest of SE Asia, so I was curious about Burmese food.  I had the kyawe noodle bowl - sort of a pho-style dish with rice noodles and a nice little assortment of proteins: fish balls, shrimp balls, egg, quail egg, etc.  Very good.  My partner had the tom yum, and it was excellent.  The Burmese iced tea was good, too - pretty similar to Thai iced tea, which they also serve.  (I think the Burmese was made with a green tea, but I'm not certain.)  It was all very good, more so given the prices: $7 per plate (bowl).

Decor was nice (that lots-of-lacquered-wood sushi-place look), especially given the neighborhood and prices, and the waiter was extremely friendly.  Highly recommend this place, especially if you're a fan of the SE Asian cuisines.  Biggest downside: parking.  Oakland's not the easiest place to find a spot.
4 - Anne R.: Not what I was expecting -- so much better. 

We came here because we had wanted to go to India Garden, but it was closed. So we were disappointed, and hungry. We came through the unassuming front door into an empty restaurant and were greeted right away and seated next to the window. 

When we told our server we intended to share 2 entrees (vegetarian), he recomendad we share 1 entre - specifically the teriyaki tofu and 1 order of soup. It was an awesome combo and the food was really good! Additionally, our server was perfectly attentive and friendly during our whole meal.

I was not expecting this level of service or quality of food based on the outside (or inside for that matter) of the restaurant, but it was great and I would definitely go back.
5 - Ted C.: This is one of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh if not the best with regard to flavors, price and service.  I have eaten there dozens of times.  Some of my favorite dishes are Thi Saun Hin veggy soup, fish curry, California roll, Kaung Pond Kyaw veggies, Shan tribe noodles (although it is a bit too spicy for me) and samosa, although it is a bit greasy.  The owners are extremely accommodating and they will serve brown instead of white rice, including in the sushi, at no extra charge.  In fact I am heading there now for lunch and my wife and I will take a friend there for dinner tonight.  I think that it is the only restaurant in which I ever eat twice in one day.
4 - Barry R.: Burma-Tokyo is a hidden gem on Atwood in Oakland, a gourmet ethnic treasure crouched stealthily like a hidden speak easy, between littered college housing and dingy convenience stores.  Despite it's odd location, it's convenient to get to, absolutely delicious, incredibly inexpensive and never crowded.  They are available through "Wheel Deliver" if you want delivery, and while their appetizers are priced fairly normally at $5 for a few small tasty bites, the entrees are mostly $8 for a MASSIVE homemade dish of authentic Burmese heaven.

If you haven't had Burmese food, imagine you combined plates from your favorite Thai and Japanese restaurants.  The service is very friendly and helpful, they definitely take pride in their offerings.  The atmosphere isn't fancy, but I can't fault them for unpretentiously putting their focus on the food!  For those in the know, these are some of the best deals on the best dishes in Oakland!
5 - Shannon A.: A family owned, whole in the wall with some of the best tasting, and inexpensive meals.  The owner makes great recommendations, and let us sample new menu items.  They are pretty fast for lunch and dinner.  I have gone in groups with 4-6 coworkers, and we can be in and out within 45 minutes.  they are very accommodating and allow you to order ahead if you are on a time crunch.   They can alter almost every menu item to be vegetarian or vegan, and the majority of the food is pretty healthy.   .
5 - Sally B.: I'm new to the city and this was a great find. The service for my take out order was fantastic, and I got my food with little wait. I ordered the Rice Noodle dish with chicken and vegetables, and I have to say it's the best version of this dish I've ever had. I will definitely come back to try other dishes and the sushi. Excellent!
3 - Scott G.: I was hoping to love this place, having become a fan of Burmese food while living in NYC. Unfortunately I've got to give it three stars; not because the food  was average overall, but because some of it was great and some of it was... not great.

The samosas and summer rolls were both very nice, with the summer rolls a little thick and gummy for my taste but stuffed nicely (and with avocado -- new to me for summer roll purposes, but welcome).

Here we get to the hit-and-miss section. The "Myanmar Shan Tribe Noodle" was pungent, peppy and delicious, though more of a noodle soup than the menu made it sound. It would be a 5/5 if judged on this dish alone.

We also got the Thai Basil Leaf Chicken, being one of our litmus test Thai dishes, and the Malaysia style fried rice. The latter I was expecting to be somewhat like Nasi Goreng, the Indonesian version, but it was very moist, almost like risotto, and somewhat bland. I could taste the salted fish but none of the spice I was expecting.

The Thai Basil Leaf Chicken was almost entirely tasteless. I'm not sure how you can make a Thai recipe tasteless -- it seems like you'd have to go out of your way to do it -- so we were very confused. The initial spoonful each was all we could muster.

I think Burma-Tokyo is very much a 5/5 if you order the right thing, and sadly rather less than that if you don't.
5 - Jason J.: Cozy little restaurant with an interesting combination of Burmese and Japanese fare. As for Burmese fare, I am a huge fan and am glad that one can find this cuisine in Pittsburgh. The prices are reasonable and it's nice to try something new.
2 - Erin D.: This is within walking distance of Magee Women's Hospital, so I decided to take a chance and try. I was hopeful upon walking in, since the restaurant is dingy and dirty like many good Asian restaurants, but I was pretty disappointed by the end of the meal. The samosas are made with phyllo dough, and they tasted okay. I'm from Malaysia, so I decided to try the Malaysian style fried rice, and I have no idea what style from Malaysia they're claiming. I can't even describe in words how far off-base the fried rice was from what you really get in Malaysia. I realize the exact ingredients and flavors may not be the same as overseas, but whatever I ate wasn't even close. I have been to other Asian restaurants who have been able to produce a dish close enough.

The service is okay, although beware that the aunt who is your waitress doesn't speak English very well. Her nephew, who seemed to run the business (since he handled the money), came over to apologize about her poor English. He then proceeded to have a conversation with me, but I couldn't hear or understand him very well. I'm usually pretty good with Asian-accented English, but I was at a loss. 

American Express is not accepted here (primary credit card company for corporations), so I probably won't return.

Burrito Boyz - Waterloo, ON (43.476903, -80.525) ()
5 - Geoff H.: Burrito Boyz make one hell of a burrito. It takes 10 or 15 minutes for your burrito to be ready but it's ready, it is very full and heavy. Their homemade guacamole and hot sauce is delicious. This place is a must visit.
3 - Angela L.: My sister had just written her last exam of the semester, and so we decided to go for burritos to celebrate. Burritos rank pretty high up there for me on my list of favourite foods, so I was pretty excited to try out this new contender. 

Upon entering, I was immediately struck by the ambiance. I'm not generally picky about things like this, but the lighting was so bizarre and dim, and the ceiling felt unusually low - I felt like I was a mole stopping for some food whilst digging my way through an underground tunnel. There was a row of seating by the window and a couple of high-top tables, which seemed really sparse given the space. There was a huge menu posted on one wall, and after a cursory glance at it, my sister went for the bean and cheese, and I chose the halibut, after reading the rave reviews about it for another location of Burrito Boyz. 

Our burritos were customized to order, and then tossed on the grill. The whole process was a bit lengthier than I had expected, about 10 minutes or so from start to finish. I was apprehensive about the grilling of my burrito, and rightfully so (not to mention that, to my dismay, two people handled my burrito with their bare hands, despite there being a box of gloves sitting in plain sight!). Once I received my hot and hefty bundle and bit into it, it tasted far more like a "wrap" than a burrito. There really was very little that felt "Mexican" about it. The ingredients were fresh enough, and the hot sauce had a nice kick, but apart from that, it didn't hit the spot. Additionally, the halibut tasted a bit greasier than I had expected. It was disappointing on the burrito side of things, but it was a reasonably priced and filling meal.

Additional note: most of the clientele, along with the employees, seemed to be small groups of university students. Take this as you will.
2 - Tamara J.: compared to the locations in missisauga and toronto, the waterloo Burriot Boyz was not up to par, maybe because its so new, it just seemed a lot less tasty then other locations.
2 - Ceci Z.: The burrito is decent, not very authentic, but will make a satisfactory meal. Definitely the heaviest small burrito I've held. One thing I don't get is that the price of a veggie burrito is the same with that of chicken. The hot sauce is really hot! I asked for a little bit of it and I almost couldn't handle it. 

Not the most nice looking restaurant in town, but still quite clean and spacious.
3 - Mac A.: Not a fan of the decor or the ambience as another reviewer mentioned. The music was way too loud and crappy; no way we would ever, ever eat in there. Take-out is a must.

The food is quite good, but does take a long time to get to you; over 10 minutes usually, without a line in front of you. We waited over 25 minutes one time, but it was a lunch rush. Still that was a long time to stand. It is more of a grilled wrap, than a burrito, as another review mentions. Tasty though.

No debit though. Seriously? It's 2011, get with the times Boyz. And the parking sucks; angled parking which you have to drive over a sidewalk to get to. Pro Tip: don't run over any pedestrians when backing out.
2 - Michael L.: It was this or the shawarma joint at university commons. Decided to see what the buzz around boyz was since I haven't been to the Toronto location. 
My first impression was that it is a huge step in comparison to Bandidos or big fat. The restaurant is easily 4x the size of the former and 2x the latter. I feel like this was to capture the weekend partying from Phil's and probably does a good job at handling the volume. 

The pricing was a bit confusing as they do not offer two different tortilla sizes, instead the sizes indicated the amount of filling used. 
I got a small bean burrito without the cheese, and extra spicy w/ the works. 
Pricing was good and comparable to Bandidos! Meaning big fat's is still the most expensive of the three. 

The cook time felt longer than Bandidos and they also do not use a flat press to help with the grilling do maybe that's why it took longer to cook while coming out fairly soft. I enjoyed the softness of the burrito, though personally I do enjoy a slightly crunchier wrap. The longer cook time might be a liability during the post club rush =/ just a thought. 

I felt that the initial bite was underwhelming as the tortilla wasn't proportional to the quantity of filling, they really should get two sizes of tortilla. As I worked my way through the burrito it started getting better, their formula for the beans is very good though I would pass on the burrito sauce, and hot sauce. Both were poor quality with the latter being mild at best. 

Overall food experience was decent, but they haven't won me over as a loyal customer. I'll take their burritos when I'm in loo but if I'm in Toronto it's Bandidos for me!
3 - Aren P.: I feel like their quality is suffering as they try to speed up wait times. I used to be a huge fan of Burrito Boyz, but I guess that phase is waning on me.
1 - Linda L.: This location is horrible. I love the Burritos at the other locations, and I have been to this location a few times expecting the same quality. I've been at this location 4 times since moving to the city. The have managed to mess up my order 2 out of 4 times. The first time they messed up my order, they gave away my order and handed me someone else's (I ordered chicken and ended up with shrimp). Order was corrected and the staff were friendly about it. 

The last time i went (and it will definitely be the last), I ordered over the phone for pick up, had the staff read my correct order back to me and upon pickup, they added the wrong toppings and hot sauce. While halfway eating my burrito at home, there was a piece of raw beef inside.

I am absolutely disgusted and will not be returning to this location. I would rather get somewhere else that can get your order right more than 50% of the time.

Burrito Factory - Austin, TX (30.283295, -97.741791) (The Drag, University of Texas)
4 - Travis B.: Out-of-this-world burritos.  I'd recommend the veggie burrito with the red salsa, but everything I've had there has been great.  I prefer this place to Chipotle and even Freebirds;  you don't have to deal with the cold fast-food vibe of Chipotle, and Burrito Factory has less hippies than  Freebirds.  Plus the burritos are way better.  Did I say that already?
4 - John D.: As suggested, the Burrito Factory comes down kind of in the middle between Chipotle's big chain, more formal feel and Freebird's hippie/Austin feel.  The food ain't half bad neither...
3 - Elben S.: Authenticity makes this small eatery a great place for indulging on Mexican food. Their tacos are flavorful and colorful. Their tortas will make you yearn for more. Most satisfying is their pico de gallo, amazing in aroma and perfect in piquancy.

Unfortunately, I can only give this place a 3 out of 5 stars because some of their ingredients are not fresh and the items can be too greasy. The portions are also a bit small, so you might be spending more than you wanted.

If you want your food fast, easy, and filling, then Chipotle or Freebirds is a better bet for you. But if you enjoy authenticity and do not mind greasy foods, Burrito Factory is a solid option.
4 - Chris L.: I love this place.  I plan time off work so I can get a haircut downstairs and get a burrito.  They don't open on weekends. 

The burritos are the perfect level of spicy and the guy who works the front remembers your order after a few trips.  Its good food and I like helping a local family man out
4 - John R.: I was one of Burrito Factory's first customers.  It was new to Dobie Mall, and at the time, there was just one guy working there.  He was super friendly and served me up a tasty burrito or torta every time.  After being away from Austin for a year, I re-visited Burrito Factory to find that they had increased their staff and their menu; plus, they seem to be much busier now.  Good for them!

The burritos are still excellent.  The service is still friendly, though a bit more hurried with the increase in customers.  Finally, I finish lunch satiated and without having spent a wad of cash.
4 - James L.: Best burrito near campus.  The tortas are amazing, best i've ever had.   Fresh and around $5, this place is a great value.
4 - Enoch L.: Burrito Factory is located on the 2nd floor of the Dobie Mall in the food court.  Very convenient for UT students and staff.  I've been there a couple of times and I've gotten the steak burrito everytime.  They have your choice of tortilla just like chipotle and freebirds but I think the quality of their meat, vegetables and salsa is better.  $5.50 gets you a huge burrito that I can barely finish even when I'm starving.  The staff is always friendly and fast.
5 - Jason D.: This place has what I might consider my favorite manifestation of the burrito, and that is the Burrito Suizo. That just means after they assemble your burrito, they cover it in more cheese, bath it in a somewhat spicy tomato sauce, and pop it in the microwave briefly to melt the additional cheese. I have to eat it with a knife and fork.

The steak meat they use does tend to pool grease in the bottom of your burrito tortilla. But it's really good meat. I went to this place back when I attended UT over 2 years ago. Recently I revisited the place and it is pretty much exactly how I remember it.

They have other things like Tortas, that I ALWAYS see people ordering, but I've never personally tried them.

Like most everything else in Dobie, it's operating hours are rather limited. They work really hard though, so I'm very glad to support a local mom and pop shop (at least it seems to be) when I'm able to make it there.
4 - Stella F.: This place is GREAT!

Great, fresh ingredients, a huge menu, fast and friendly service, and great prices.  I am a bit hung up on the tacos al pastor on corn with sour cream, but I have yet to have anything bad at this place.  Their (giant) burritos are also a great lunch value.

And they have liter Mexican Cokes!

Burrito Factory is a real hidden gem in the otherwise bland Dobie Mall.
4 - Allen C.: Burrito Factory utterly crushes Chipotle in the face. The burritos here are AMAZING. Too bad it's almost never open. It's open 1 in every 5 times I come to Dobie. I don't really know how that's possible, maybe it's just bad luck.
4 - Shannon O.: I work around the corner from here and thought I'd check it out.  I tend to avoid the Dobie Food Court because it always gives me a bit of a creepy vibe.  It was probably last updated in 1982 and I'm always waiting for the B movie zombies to come storming out of one of the vacant storefronts in some direct to video cheesy horror rampage.

I had heard some good things about Burrito Factory so I figured I would wander up and check it out.  I've been on a torta kick for the last few weeks and wanted to try one here.

I got the Pastor torta and a Horchata.  The sandwich was very good... toasty bread with a good balance of meat and veggies.  The sandwich was well composed, the people were friendly and the food was fresh.  I thought the horchata was a bit on the sweet side for my personal tastes, but it had a nice cinammon-y flavor and the drink complemented the sandwich well.  On its own, the drink was too sugary, but in conjunction with the savory sandwich, they balanced each other off in a pretty good bite.

Is it a 4 star restaurant?  For its category, yes.  It is a very solid lunchtime sandwich shop.  You get fresh, well composed food at a good price.  The ambiance is lacking at the mall, but in return, you get a cheap sandwich because you aren't paying a premium for their rent.

I wouldn't circle the drag for 20 minutes to find a place to park for Burrito Factory, but if you are in the campus area, its a solid choice for a quick lunch.  I'll be back and they will certainly be getting some of my lunch business.
5 - melissa H.: This place is more than amazing! It is REAL Mexican food prepared by REAL Mexicans and they are always so happy and very nice. The serve the best tortas. I love the supreme tortas!
4 - Ishmael B.: The burrito factory was started by two migrant brothers who are seen behind the kitchen even til today! You get the whole mexican experience from them. Right off the bat they may encourage your spanish skills but needless to say we all understand the universal language of FOOD! With their authentic style of cooking and shouting out orders one can easily be amused. Tacos are always good but why not try a burrito at the burrito factory? So do it. Although their Horchata is amazing and made from scratch you will rarely find any mexican limeade avaikable! Believe me when I telk you that the green lime just knocks the socks off our common lemonade. Try that as well. If your attendance is repetitive then the brothers will jnow exactly what you want without even asking but always be open to new foods on their menu. Don't be the guy who goes to the burrito factory and asks for a burger. For real don'g do it. And if spicy is not your thing than don't even try the red hot sauce. It's HOT!! Overall... I guve it 4 stars for authenticity, taste, and friendly service.
5 - David G.: Burrito factory is one of three places that I really enjoy eating at on campus. I go there so many times that the owner and workers know my order as soon as I walk up. This is not uncommon as well. Usually when I go during lunch the owner knows other customers orders as well and makes small talk with us if the place is not busy. 
This place is fast, the food is fresh, and the service is great. If you ask for any vegetables on your burrito or torta, they'll usually give it to you.

I always get the torta supreme number 5. This is steak milanesa and  chorizo. It comes with avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, Pico, and your choice of green or red sauce.

It comes out to $5.80 and it is worth every penny. I usually get a water to drink and end up being filled up. 

Other bonuses: horchata is pretty good, they also have Mexican coke.
5 - Erik P.: Huge fan. Lots of food for cheap. The owners are the nicest people and have great pride in their work and it shows. The Burritos are huge and if you like your tacos stuffed with all the fixings, this is the place to go.
5 - Joanna C.: Delicious authentic Mexican food at a great price. Everything is so cheap that I wanted to order 1 of everything - tacos, tostadas, quesadillas, tortas, etc. They have a veggie option for each menu item so that's definitely a plus. 

I had the vegetarian torta and shared a piece of the choco flan with my friend. The veggie torta was scrumptious - beans, melted cheese, rice, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, sour cream & salsa - all on crunchy buttery toasted bread. The choco flan was so moist and creamy. So good that I would seriously consider having it as my birthday cake. Yum. 

I paid $4 something for my torta and the choco flan was $2 something.
5 - Steven L.: This has got to be my favorite burrito place. Their ingredients are always fresh, avocado comes free, and the meat is extremely juicy and flavorful (I normally get the beef). If you want something special, get the burrito suizo - it's a burrito covered with melted cheese and ranchero sauce. If a burrito sounds like too much, their tortas are just as good.
Pros: authentic (nice change from all the chain burrito restaurants), fresh ingredients, great value, fast service
Cons: parking
4 - Clement S.: Here's how I define my rating system:
5 Star - I will cut myself if this place closes
4 Star - Really good, you should go
3 Star - Good but forgettable
2 Star - Only in good company
1 Star - Never again

I am tempted to give this 5 Stars... but Dobie Center is not exactly a popular place to be and cutting hurts. Besides, it's in a food court albeit a clean and quiet food court.

I was watching TV one day, like I do every day, and they were showing tortas for some reason and I suddenly developed an intense urge to stuff my face with one. So I Google "Tortas Austin" and click on the first link which was a Yelp page and Burrito Factory was the closest location.

Following some good advice from other Yelpers, I get the Torta Al Pastor. It was farking good. I will proceed to plagiarize other comments by stating that all the ingredients are fresh, including the avocado that they scrape straight out of the skin, and the meat is juicy and tender and well seasoned. I also ordered it spicy and over the course of inhaling the torta, I developed a thin film of perspiration over my forehead. Thirty minutes after, I could still feel a warm tingle in my stomach. I think I shall place a roll of toilet paper in the freezer tonight. 

I also got the horchata. I was expecting horchata from Spain, the stuff made from earth almonds. But Mexican places use rice instead. It was still good, though a little too sweet.

In general, I am not a big fan of Mexican food. But I will gladly have another, here.
5 - Damaso N.: Best Mexican food I've had in Austin.  The Tortas are unmatched.
4 - James H.: Friendly staff and authentic mexican food on such a level you won't find at a place like Taco Cabana. If you ever find yourself near the dobie mall do yourself a favor and visit these guys.

I keep meaning to try other stuff on the menue but I always get a Torta number 4. Very reasonable prices, If you dont mind sitting in a food court that looks like something out of the 80's then deffinatly give it a try. I work a few blocks away from the dobie mall and frequently stop here for lunch.
5 - Angela D.: I heard from a friend, who is from the Valley, that this place was as genuine as it gets to home. While clearly after a comment like that, I had to try this place. I had the burrito bowl and it was just amazing. When they say spicy, they MEAN spicy. The ingredients were fresh, which included complimentary avocado, MmMmm!!! The steak was also cooked at order. Def. a hidden treasure on the UT campus.
4 - Richard H.: 1. Burrito Factory - Best food and most authentic.
2. Chipotle - Fast and better than Qdoba
3. Qdoba - Open the latest.

The burrito scene was losing my favor near campus, especially with Chipotle's constant downsizing of their burritos. Every place on the drag has either been increasing prices or decreasing portions BUT not Burrito Factory.

Time and time again I am amazed by how much meat and sides I get on my tortas and burritos. The guy always uses half an avocado at no extra cost. The pastor is extremely flavorful. I love to get the torta with ham, beef, and pastor. Absolutely amazing.

All my friends with the latin touch all recommend this place. They say it is not extremely authentic but its the best I have had. If you want to do your taste buds and wallet a favor, come check this place out. 

Cons: Dobie mall is a dying center. Guy behind the counter is always focused on the next person. Your one-on-one interaction isn't the best, but hey its a mom and pop shop.

Burrito King - Champaign, IL (40.110409, -88.233218) ()
5 - Jason L.: I grew up in California loving Taco Bell. Sure I knew it wasn't real Mexican food, but I loved my steak supreme chalupas nonetheless. Fast forward 15 years or so to Champaign. College student me, with no car, had hankerings for Mexican food during the day or late night. Options? La Bamba's "burritos as big as your head and later on Chipotle (yea I know, another bastardization, but still crazy delicious).

Oh, let me just make a point of it to say, I don't care how drunk you are, La Bamba's is one of those terrible life choices you can ACTUALLY regret -- my friend ate an entire burrito, walked outside, and threw up a burrito as big as his head.

On to Burrito King. As the name implies, the ethnic owners clearly were not wearing their creativity caps, and were also misinformed on the lameness of copying the name of some big American fast food chain like so many other restaurants have done, e.g. Pho King, Egg Roll King, Gyro King, etc. etc.

But the food? Absolutely fan-fcking-tastic. 

To start off with, I came in around 4 p.m. on a weekend so nobody was dining. The wait staff promptly set me up with a heaping pile of homemade nachos and salsa

I had the pork tamales covered in a creamy white cheese sauce and chorizo all over. They came with a side of rice and beans, delicious. Please PLEASE try the homemade habanero hot sauce. I only wish they would sell me some, although they did get a to-go sauce cup for me to sip on later ;]

The menu has scores of authentic Mexican dishes, including some run-of-the-mill options, but you'll find it all incredibly fresh and well made.

Prices are cheap enough to make any future stop in La Bamba seem like heresy now.

I wish Burrito King had come sooner when I was actually at UIUC, but learn from my mistakes and go check it out!
4 - Glo K.: My boyfriend has been raving about this place and that it's possibly better than Dos Reales.  Uh. Burrito King? Yes, the name is terrible and it sounds really shady but I wanted to see for myself. I have to agree with the previous review. The menu at Burrito King is very similar to Dos Reales, and they have same drill of greeting you, taking your order, and throwing some chips and salsa at your face... lovely. I thought the place wasn't too bad. It was a little cramp but hey, it's Green Street. I thought the mexican rice was flavorful... I didn't really touch the beans but my chicken chimichangas were pretty tasty. Maybe it's because it's a deep fried burrito. I mean,  anything soaked in fat is tasty. Anyways, I wouldn't mind going to Burrito King again. Plus it's a nice walk from campus.
4 - Amanda M.: I am so happy this place delivers! Their chips and salsa are delicious, my friend ordered the steak fajitas and I ordered the enchiladas. They were very generous with the amount of meat they give with the fajitas, for only $10 it was a very good deal and it was very tasty! My enchiladas were o.k. but I wasn't expecting them to be anything spectacular. A lot of Mexican restaurants here don't use real cheese and thats a big pet peeve of mine. They were like Dos Reales enchiladas. So now that the Dos Reales on University is closed (the new place is still good, but a little more expensive, and they charge you for extra tortillas, and they only give you two, wtf!!!!),
give Burrito King a try, they're good, cheap, close to campus and they deliver!
5 - Eric P.: Really excellent Mexican food, far superior to the other fare on Green St. The name makes it sound like an Americanized fast food place but it's actually more of a restaurant than Taco Bell type place, you can sit down and have a decent dinner. The service is extremely fast and prices pretty reasonable, considering most items are large and come with sides. Even the chips they give you while you're waiting and pretty good. I had the fajita burrito and it came drenched in cheese, with sour cream and guacamole on the side, you can't go wrong with that.
4 - Grant P.: Pretty good food overall. Definitely a lot of food to go through. The steak is really soft and moist and really has some strong flavor. The ground beef is very juicy as well. FYI: free chips and salsa for all you people with the munchies. The wait-staff is very friendly, but there is a bit of a language barrier (our waiter came back three separate times trying to remember our order, and we only had a group of three).
4 - John S.: Ate here on a Saturday night around 7 PM so it was pretty busy.  Started off with their free chips and salsa which was some of the best that I've ever had in my life.  The only problem our group had was when we found some dead mosquitoes in the bottom of the chips basket. But, after we ordered another helping 'easy on the bugs' that seemed to take care of that problem.  Would have probably grossed out some people, but were in college, and were broke, and it's free, so what can ya do? The food was good and cheap with a pretty generous serving and the staff was friendly and attentive. 

Bottom line: Good Mexican food if you don't want to make the trip out to Dos Reales on Prospect, but if you have a car, that trip is worth it every time.
2 - Grimace B.: I have sort of mixed feelings about this place.  I feel like the meal could have been great, but when I went, it was pretty terrible.   I don't like Mexican food to begin with, but I usually can be decently happy with meals elsewhere at the other Mexican joints like El Toro or Dos Reales.

Pros:
- cheap
- open to 3AM
- large menu
- great chips and salsa

Cons:
- workers didn't understand english well at all.  Had really difficult time ordering
- Food came out wrong, for all of our entrees.  I had ordered a chicken entree.  I hate cheese on my dishes and the entree's description did not list cheese, yet it came out smothered in cheese.  To be honest, the cheese was what ruined my meal.  It was extremely salty and i hated the taste of it.  I also asked for no beans, but I got them too.  The other entrees had similar issues.
- Way to salty.  Mostly the cheese sauce they use.  Disgustingly salty. 
- really tiny inside, only 10 or so tables.  Huge line in store of people waiting to sit down.  We originally were going to eat in, but had to order to go.... but a table opened up while we were waiting after about 15 minutes.

All and all, I felt the meal could have been really good, but really this place gets the low rating because of the bad service.  Had our entrees come out right, this could have been a totally different review.  They didn't though, they came out very wrong, and I felt asking the workers to replace the error would have not gotten correctly communicated anyway due to their lack of English. 

I probably just hit it on a really bad day, but I won't be going again.
5 - Perry H.: I'm from California and Burrito King is one of my favorite Mexican-style restaurants! Their large chips appetizers and burritos are the best. The people working there are also very nice people. Overall: the price is affordable, chips are free, and they're open until 3 am!
4 - Stefani M.: What a treat! I ordered the Burrito Prince for $5.99 with spicy pork, and it was so authentic. There were even those little bits of pineapple in the pork like they make it in Mexico. I also tried my friend's Carnitas Burrito Prince and think that was my favorite of the two. Plus, the burrito was HUGE and came "wet." The chips were light and fluffy and obviously homemade, and the salsas were delicious. I have been stuffed since lunch today and don't think I have room for dinner. Honestly, I can't imagine how large the Burrito King is, you would have to be a very large person to eat it I think (and I have a BIG appetite!). I really want to try the other dishes on the menu because they have a lot more than just burritos. They also deliver it turns out, so I will likely be eating a lot of food from this restaurant.
2 - bayrox K.: Quick Service, Friendly people
made to order items like fajitas, enchilada are VERY good
pretty cheap

bad chips - really thick and greasy
stale (think 10 day old) rice & tortila - the worst I have ever seen. 

The bad rice & tortillas ruin everything. I just ignored those two items and ate my very well cooked & delicious chicken
5 - Matt E.: This restaurant is ALWAYS a good call. You hear me? ALWAYS. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. 

The price and quality of the food just can't be beat. The free chips and salsa are phenomenal, and there is always soccer on TV.
2 - Max E.: Greasy food, and even if you tell them to hold the cheese they slather on the disgusting cheese sauce.  Maize is much better.
2 - Ken R.: No thanks.

Normally I try to go to a place a couple times before writing a review, but I don't want to go back.

I was feeling sick today (a wintery day after the students have left for the semester) and went looking for comfort food.  Spicy food seemed like it'd be good for congestion, and I hadn't tried Torticas.  Well, Torticas was closed, so I continued down Green Street to Burrito King.  I remembered how the reviews were kind of mixed here on Yelp - either really high or really low - and decided to check it out.

The good: The server was quick and polite, and I had horchata right away.  And a basket of chips, which were the best part of the meal.  The prices are pretty much in line with a campus place, maybe a bit cheaper than some..

The rest: I tried to order a torta but I guess they didn't have any.  I ordered the fajita burrito instead, because it's in the name and since I didn't see anything about cheese sauce in the description.

Comes out with cheese sauce.  Smells kinda strange - almost like plastic?  The veggies just taste weird and are not crisp at all.  The meat is chewy and also has that weird taste that reminds me of plastic or chemicals.  Cheese sauce is really no good - salty but not much else in terms of flavor.  

I ate about a third of it, trying to make sure I didn't just get a bad bite or something, but it tasted strange and unappealing.  Other than the weird flavor, it was pretty bland - and no hot sauce on the table at all, which is weird for a Mexican restaurant.

I like Taco Bell (sometimes) so the food smelling like chemicals isn't always even a deal-breaker.  However, I also like Mas Amigos and Taco Loco for their cilantro and onion tacos and spicy flavors - and would definitely recommend them, or even Taco Bell, over Burrito King.  If you like food like Mas Amigos and do not want the most midwesternized Mexican I've had, then don't go here.
3 - Carrie P.: This is one of my go-to delivery choices in Champaign. I order from them a lot and my experiences have been a little mixed but for the most part yum-yum-yum satisfaction.

Pros:
- Most of the food I've ordered from them has been super delicious. Can't speak to authenticity but I sure can speak to how much I enjoy putting it in my mouth. Especially like the chile relleno, the tamales, the salsa*, and anything involving the cheese or ranchero sauces.
- Good beverage options. Love the horchata.
- Really reasonable prices. For most menu items, the portion sizes are quite large.
- Service is really friendly, which matters to me, even if they aren't always perfect.
- Open late.

Cons:
- Sometimes the tortillas on my enchiladas are not very good, kind of stiff and dry. Not sure if they are stale as another reviewer suggested, or overcooked, or if it is something to do with sitting around in the to-go container for too long. The shredded beef and chicken are also not quite up to par with the rest of their food.
- Have had occasional issues with service -- communication difficulties, missing complimentary salsa, a weird Campusfood.com-related snafu, trouble finding my easy-to-locate apartment door. All pretty minor and rare though.

A note on delivery: all delivery orders come with complimentary chips and salsa, but you get a ton of chips and only a little bit of salsa. You can order extra salsa as a side, though, as well as the cheese sauce. Those two mixed together = heaven.


* It's very cilantro-heavy, which I LOVE but I know there are some genetic mutants out there who taste cilantro differently. If you are one, this isn't for you.

Burrito Max - Boston, MA (42.3493715, -71.0954439) ()
4 - Ellie P.: Good, cheap, and Mexican enough. Try the pico de gallo with chips or the chicken burrito.
5 - Kelly N Z R.: Burrito Max is FANTASTIC for vegetarians and vegans. They know enough to translate "no cheese, no sour cream" into "vegan" when relaying your order to the cooks, and they even keep a dedicated vegetarian fryer for fries and onion rings (so you know that potato hasn't been swimming with a chicken lately).  

They're definitely more Health-Mex than Tex-Mex, but their burritos are far from merely passable. 

Try the BBQ Tofu or vegan burrito, pass on the curry burrito. The sweet potato fries are great, the guacamole is excellent.
4 - Susan J.: A cheap, no-frills burrito joint in Kenmore Square. The service is quick, and they are very willing to accomodate requests for a substitution or "hold the onions." Good selection, too!
4 - Alyssa C.: Boston doesn't know mexican food, so this passes. The one thing that makes this place worth it, is they treat vegetarians and vegans well. I always like the bbq tofu and a side of rice. Fries (yes french fries at a burrito place) are great.
4 - Lacey P.: Well, this is not Mexican food.  Definately not.  I won't even refer to it in that way or even mention the M word anymore.  In fact, let's not even talk about it.  Their vegan chili is good.  Their burritos are good, esp if you're a vegan or similar.  But it is kind of like eating a rock.  Or a brick. I only eat here once a year when I'm craving it and that pretty much does it for me.  They are always playing punk rock and the staff definately has a buttcrack attitude.  You know... A buttcrack attitude, and things are alright.
3 - Kathleen T.: The people can be a bit sketchy and sometimes it is a bit dirty, but on good days it is a quick stop for some good food.  As far as pricing, you cant go wrong either.
3 - Michael M.: One thing.  Chili Cheese Fries...
1 - Steve S.: I eat a lot of burritos and I can say without hesitation that Burrito Max is the worst mexican I have had anywhere, ever. Not authentic like El Pelon, not  fast and fresh like Qdoba, not simple and tasty like Anna's Taqueria. There are several more satisfying options within walking distanct of Max's Kenmore Square location so I can't imagine any reason you would stop by.
2 - Arik C.: After growing up on Bueno y Sano in Amherst, this place is a step down.  Not as big and well made.  Selection is the usual 3 meat selections but I want more!    Not bad if you are in a pinch for food.
1 - Laura S.: Good to know this place is no longer.  Anyone from a state with a decent Mexican population knows that the Mexican food here sucked.
1 - Lisa L.: I used to go to Burrito Max while in Boston going to art school. It was the only cheap quick meal option in good ol' Kenmore Sq. besides Mcdonald's and Brueger's Bagels, at the time.
I knew the food was crap when I ate there then and certainly think that now. Now I don't know how I ever ate the food. It wasn't even close to Mexican-it should have taken another name or something-maybe it would have stayed in business.:P  I liked the hangout atmosphere and such, but jeez. El Pelon is way better when it comes to authenticity and for the most part-taste!

Burrito Royale - Monmouth Junction, NJ (40.3711357625503, -74.59716796875) ()
3 - Amanda K.: Burrito is very simple and fresh tasting. We were in a rush but it seemed to take longer than it should have to prepare the food.
4 - D F.: This is a great little place that doesn't look like much from the outside. We drove by it for years until finally stopping in about 5 years ago. The food is very good, prices are decent and we didn't experience any slowness that another reviewer mentioned.
4 - Molly L.: Great little place! i like the chicken and tomato nachos (w/ jalapenos of course!) and their traditional burrito. They use corn tortillas instead of flour which adds to the flavor...they make their salsa fresh and also use muenster cheese....my husband and i love this place!
It may take a bit to get your food during peak times because there is just one chef in the kitchen, but it's always worth the wait.
2 - Joe L.: This place sucks. Located in a gravel parking lot right off of Route 1, I didn't even realize it was still open at first. Their "traditional" burrito was bland and had no flavor at all, besides the hot sauce I put on it. The serving size was kind of small, too. Prices aren't too bad, but you can get a lot better at chains like Chipotle, South of the Border, and Qdoba, I'm sad to say. Skip it.
3 - Morton F.: This burrito place is on US-1 in a small lot by itself. I thought Burrito Royale might be a special "local" place but the reality isn't so. The food was nothing spectacular. I ordered super nachos and the portion size was large.
1 - Tim J.: I wish that we (I went with my friend Dave) could have reviewed the food, but sadly, we could not.  We were really psyched about finally stopping at Burrito Royale, the shack we had passed numerous times driving along Route 1.  We entered the restaurant before closing and were not stopped.  Upon entering the restaurant, being decent people, we took a menu, and stepped out of line so we would be ready to order when we reached the counter.  There were already 8 people ahead of us in line, when the gentleman manning the register walked past us, locked the door, and explained that there was only a few minutes left until closing.  Assuming that we were in the clear, of the now locked building, we continued to wait in line . . . we assumed wrong.  Upon approaching the counter, we were informed that the restaurant was closing in two minutes and that "there was no food."  We thought he was joking, seeing as the people in front of us had placed their orders and were waiting for the orders' completion.  We asked if they had any prepared food to give us and he said, "I can give you hot sauce."  Having nothing else say, we promptly left, before anger clouded our judgment.  Interestingly enough, Burrito Royale has designed a new business model, whereupon they trap the customer within the restaurant, hype up the customers expectations, and then deny them food.  For the past twenty years, I've looked forward to unlocking the mysteries of Burrito Royale, and it appears that I shall continue my longing into the future.
1 - Jessica B.: I'm always on the hunt for a good burrito and I had high hopes when I spotted this little restaurant on route 1. I was sorely disappointed!! While my bean and rice burrito was cheap (4.95), it tasted like cardboard. It was rolled incorrectly and mostly consisted of thickly cut iceberg lettuce. There was also some unseasoned yellow rice and a few beans that seemed to have been cooked in water alone. Allegedly, there was cheese, but I couldn't taste or see it. Despite the nice waiter, I will definitely not go back.
4 - spanky d.: I'm not sure why this place was reviewed so poorly.  My food there was delicious, and possibly bordering on exceptional.  The only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars was because the salad that came with my meal was a little bland-- tasty, but not 5 star material.  While I thought that muenster cheese was an odd choice for Mexican cuisine, it all blended together nicely.  This will definitely be a place that I'll start frequenting.
2 - Mara A.: We really wanted to like this place. We were on our way back from the city and saw it and thought  "hey why not?" Figured it would have to be pretty good given that it's still open right? 

Sadly not true. The food was just barely 'eh.' 

Two of us got the "Californian", and two of us split and order of chicken burritos and beef burritos (you get two smaller ones). The ground beef had a very odd consistency and the chicken burritos were very dry. They also just weren't that filling. 

But hey no one got sick, and it was OK .

Two of us are still curious about their nachos though... anyone ever order them?
4 - Jett T.: I've been going to this tiny hot spot for close to 20 years now & still love it! If you're looking for a simple, low cost mexican meal, look no further! Better to take out than eat in unless you're my kid who thinks eating on benches is fun. 
I can eat their tacos all day! Love it
3 - Proteus D.: Had been recommended this spot by colleagues and have been driving past it for years. Had high hopes, but was a little disappointed. Firstly the menu is overly complex. Ordering two burritos to spec. seemed to be an ordeal. When they arrived the order didn't seem right. My wife had a very large veggie burrito and I had two small chicken ones?? She had lots of nice sauce and I had none, even though I had asked for them to be the same just one with meat and one without. The menu was too much like a pizza menu. We prefer the Chipotle or Moe's setup where you just say what fillings you want. 

The burritos themselves were OK, but nothing special. Tasty enough but not as good as you would get in Chipotle. This place probably needs to step up its game if it's going to survive. It's not en route to home for me, so I probably won't drive out of my way again to visit.
3 - Deborah H.: This is  a clean, inexpensive place to stop for a quick bite as you run around central nj.  The service was good, I asked for hot tea and got a nice hot cup of tea and had three of their beef tacos-much better than Taco Bell, etc.    Note it is just south of New Street on the west side of one so be careful or you will breeze past it. 

These were fine and better than some recent food I had in NYC.  As a Texan/Oklahoman I have not found good mexican food in NYC or NJ compared to the Southwest.    So still looking for a 4 star place in this area.
1 - C S.: Quick tip: If you don't like Mexican but need something quick & cheap, eat here! You can even kiss your date afterwards, no onion, garlic or cayenne!

You'd think that a cinderblock shack on the side of the road that has been around since I was 3 (1975) would be great and authentic (yes, I'm using that dreaded word), kind of like the taco trucks or barbeque places, but sadly, that is so very much not the case here. 

Bland bland bland bland bland bland bland bland bland blandidy bland!  Blandidy bland!

Have I mentioned that it's bland?  It's kind of what you expect of what people with no tastebuds want from Mexican food.  This might be a good place to take 2 year olds and those on a cancer friendly diet, as the lack of spices would then be welcomed.   I think that it might even be good for someone getting over food poisoning when they're tired of boiled chicken and rice.

We have lived in the area since October 2008, and had been curious about this place for awhile, but it was never open (closed Sundays and Mondays).  Needless to say, we won't be back.

The first sign of a meh place: tacos in beef, chicken, and bean.  No al pastor, carbon, lengua, just beef, chicken, and bean.  They also serve pizza.  Huh?  Yep.  And the tacos are hard or soft shell.  No real Mexican place serves crunchy shells.  We also couldn't figure out the difference between a burrito and taco here, as they each have meat, cheese, and lettuce.  Um, okay.

The menu boasts of patents for their sauces; well, they needn't worry, as no one will be stealing their sauce recipes.

Imagine a sauce lacking in the basics--cumin, onion, garlic, cayenne.  Even marinara has all but the cumin or possibly cayenne.  Here?  None of the above.  No cilantro either, and you can choose to have munster cheese added to a burrito.  Yep, that staple of Mexican cuisine, munster cheese.

Also, the tacos have lettuce on them, in addition to the munster cheese, no cilantro in sight.  Why am I going off on munster?  If you're going to Americanize it, at least use Monterey Jack, cheddar or American/square/yellow cheese!  Wendy's chili sauce, Taco Bell, and those tiny MSG laden packets from Olde El Paso have more seasoning than this stuff.

Oh, and if you're on a low sodium/sodium restricted diet, go here.  I rarely if ever salt my food, but here I had to salt even the guacamole, which came from a squeezy packet--perfectly smooth and perfectly bland.  We're also convinced that they refilled the El Tapatio sauce with their special patented sauce, as it too was bland.  I asked Jim whether it was just me craving salt on a hot and humid day while pregnant, but sadly, he had to agree that it needed salt.  

Pros: it's clean, and the service is nice.  But the food?  Ugh.  I think it might even have been microwaved on its styrofoam.

$16+tip for an enchilada, 1 beef taco, 1 chicken taco, a large soda, and chips with guacamole.   Cash only.

I hate to say it, but I'd go to Taco Bell before returning here again, and I don't even remember the last time I last ate at one.
1 - Jonathan R.: The food here was some of the worst I have had... "Mexican" or otherwise. I use quotes because the menu items are far from food Mexican. My friend ordered the veggie burrito which was mostly just store-bought guac. They put tomato sauce on the salads. Expensive for what you actually get. They don't take credit cards. The bathrooms are outside. Service is slow. Otherwise it is ok.
1 - Lynette L.: My boyfriend is a man of very few words, so when he does have an option about something and expresses it, it means a lot.

Me:  So what did you think of the place?
BF: It's like Taco Bell meets Chef Boyardee... in a microwave.
Me: So we're not going back there again?
BF: No.

We weren't sure about trying this place to begin with (based on all of the reviews) but decided to try it since we drive past it all the time.

The review by C.S. sums it up quite well.  It had so much potential in terms of location and crappy hole-in-the-wall decor.  We ordered some chips and salsa to start with.  In all our lives as Mexican food connoisseurs having grown up in SoCal, we have NEVER had warm "salsa."  I swear it was probably salsa out of a jar that they microwaved... bland, gross, and warm.

I'm glad we shared a burrito.  We've never had a burrito with ground beef as the meat.  To think of it, no authentic Mexican joint ever uses ground beef in burritos - at least of the ones we've been to.  The only "Mexican" place that does use ground beef on a regular basis is Taco Bell.

'Nuff said.
2 - Brian L.: My old saying "if a place looks like crap, is out in the middle of nowhere, and has been open for a long ass time, it HAS to be good" has failed me here.

The food here is quite...subpar.  I was full on expecting gut busting burritos, quantity sized quesadillas, something to really write home about.  But it was quite a disaster.  The fajita burrito had 2 thin burritos with lettuce/tomatoes thrown on top.  What's that?  The quesadilla was just so average.  Chicken and cheese.  That's it.  

It's just sad that I was expecting something good.  But it wasn't even decent.  So sad.  At least there is a Qdoba coming on July 11!
1 - Jamie M.: STAY AWAY!  SO GROSS!  My dad and I popped in mid afternoon on a Thursday because we needed a quick place to grab some spicy food on the southbound site of Rt. 1.  Upon entering all I could fixate on was the moldy carpet, the insessant noise of the AC and freezer machines, and the fact that everything was cooked in a microwave.  The bathroom was so filthy that i opted NOT to wash my hands before eating because I was more scared of what i could catch from the sink or door knob.  

Now the food.....seriously.....a microwaved burrito with overcooked rice and cold beans?  The cook in the back couldn't care less about the food since he was on a cell phone the entire time.  Chipoltle is one million times better and they actually give you a warm and filling burrito.  

My dad had the enchillada which were swimming in tomato sauce.  So lackluster and sad.  Lean cuisine makes a better enchillada.  In short....don't ever stop here.  Just keep going and hope the health inpector finally makes a visit to this dump.
1 - chris m.: i wish i could vote 0 stars.  being from so. cal. i've had my share of good mexican....this place being open for a while makes me think new jersians need to find out what good mexican food is.  it was boring, kind of like going to taco bell without any flavor.  we waited forever on top of bad food.  i usually think that when i see a hole in the wall like this mean great food.....WRONG.  do not, i repeat, DO NOT go to the royale.
1 - C E.: One word Microwaved Mexican food (and that is probably an insult to Mexicans everywhere) Keep driving there are plenty of places with in a ten minute drive where you can actually enjoy your food and it has some taste to it.
5 - Jade M.: My family has been going to this place for years, and we all still love it! Very laid-back, mellow atmosphere, with delicious and affordable food. Fast and friendly service, as well!
4 - Gautham R.: Cheap, very authentic Mexican. Great place for a quick lunch. Can be hard to find first time as place is surrounded by overgrown brush!
2 - Dan M.: I agree with the bad reviews. My last visit was terrible. The food was bland, cold, and boring....I happen to pass BR this weekend. It is now Burrito King.  I did a little research and found out that the old owners retired and sold the restaurant to an employee.  He is looking to regain the status of BR to what it used to be.  Check out the article.  I will wait a couple weeks before returning and see if there are any changes.

http://southbrunswick.patch.com/articles/burrito-king-continues-tradition-and-recipes-of-burrito-royale
1 - Michael E.: Terribly bland. There's not much else to say. I'm speaking of course of Burrito King (formerly BR). We got chips and salsa and the salsa was tasteless. I ordered the steak burrito and it had steak (unseasoned), lettuce and tomato. that's not what a burrito is you guys, that's just a wrap... My girlfriend got a chicken quesadilla, also unseasoned chicken. All around super bland, would rather Taco Bell over this place.
1 - Janet M.: Worst food ever!...wont even call it mexican food. this place needs to close down. Dont waste your money...its so gross i almost throw up...nothing was good...i think they only reason you see people there are because they are first time goer's...i believe this is the only way they make money there...also the decor is horrible inside, yet they have this cute sign in the outside that makes you think that it will be a hole in the wall that has good food yet not the case.
1 - Trevor V.: Please do not listen to the good reviews and try this place like i did.  It was the most horrible experience in my life.  Honestly I can understand the food being bland but the quality of the food was horrible.  If you are looking for a meaty burrito make the trip to chipotle or any other burrito place.  They call it the Burrito king... It should be NonBurrito.  All it was and I wish i took a picture was two small very small pieces of meat, a little bit of lettuce... (come on MAN ITS LETTUCE!)  and cheese wrapped in a tortilla.  Honestly go make yourself a cheeseroll up it will be more satisfying.  Also people call this place a cheap place to eat but honestly for the food quality youre getting this place is kind of pricey...

Burton Pools - Lafayette, IN (40.4192102, -86.8880949) ()
1 - Amy D.: Most of the people here are tits on a boar useless. There was a rather attractive guy who was also very helpful last time I was here. All in all, if you need pool stuff, go to Wal-Mart or get it online. It will be cheaper and easier someplace else. I only wish I had caught the guys name that helped me last time. He was wonderful. The only reason I'm not giving it zero stars is because of Nate, the oh-so-cute employee.
4 - Candace S.: Burton Pools installed my swimming pool 6 years ago. They open and close every season since. I have never had an issue where it was not responded to or taken care of. Thier pricing is reasonable. Not as cheap as walmart but product is better.

Burton S Markowitz, OD - Ithaca, NY (42.468435, -76.481263) ()
5 - Liz L.: I saw Dr. Markowitz for a few years during graduate school and have yet to find another eye doctor that even comes close.  My eyes changed a lot during that time, and he got me the right prescription AND fitted contact lenses comfortably - I had not been able to tolerate them when I tried them when I was younger.   His staff was great, and Dr. Markowitz took the time to talk to me, instead of rushing off like many doctors.  Oh, and at least as of a couple years ago, he had a great selection of frames.  Funky, but not too funky, and the basics too.  

I miss the quality of service here and I wish more doctors ran their practices like he does.
5 - Ruben O.: Very detailed, and informative visit. I haven't experienced such exceptional service from an eye doctor, until now. I will say that because they give great attention to each customer, it does take more time than a usual visit. Total of 90 minutes for an annual examination. 

As a new patient, I also appreciated the patient application is streamlined via the web. If you fill out the information online before your appointment, then you are all set on the day of arrival! 

Highly recommend. -Cornell Student
5 - H. Pike O.: Dr. Markowitz is his is the most thorough Doctor of Optometry I have encountered in my life.  His staff his helpful and the entire operation runs quite smoothly.  It takes time, but that is simply because they are quite thorough.

Burton Tower - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2826911, -83.7385228) ()
5 - Clarence C.: When you're walking across the diag, or on Main Street, and you hear bells, somebody is playing the carillon in Burton Tower. It doesn't play like a wind-up music box--somebody has to go to the keyboard and play it.

The tower is one of my favorite landmarks, because not every city has one. Not even every university. 

I think the carillon could use a better playlist, with some top 40 attention-getters, and some upbeat oldies, like for instance "Hey Ya!," by Outkast. Having 50 tons of bells doesn't mean you can only play church music.
4 - Adelais T.: I love this place. :)

Between 12-12:30pm on weekdays, you can go up and give it a tour.

Bus 73 - Cambridge, MA (42.3647559, -71.1032591) (Central Square)
3 - Heather S.: I wish I loved the 73 five stars worth!!!  I like much about this bus.  Most of the bus drivers are friendly & considerate.   The bus does run frequently and during peak hours you can generally just go out to your stop and one will come along pretty shortly.  And as noted, you can wait inside when you're heading back to Waverly from Harvard Square.

Drawbacks:  If you take a bus headed to Harvard Square between 7:30am and 8:30 am (many, many folks) and live AFTER the Belmont border of Cambridge, then you will experience the oh so frustrating delight of many MANY buses passing you by, theoretically too full for you.  I have actually watched 3 buses pass me buy.  And the busdrivers passing you buy point back like another bus is even visible.  HAH!  It can still be a 10 minute wait, which just about guarantees that that bus will pass you by as well.

However, one HUGE drawback is that the Sunday schedule doesn't really get you to Harvard Square until 7am.  Which on a Sunday isn't really a big deal for me as I like to be asleep.  However, on "Sunday" holidays, it is a huge issue cuz I work some place I need to be at 7am.
1 - Adrienne T.: Oh, if there were LESS than one star, THIS bus line AND it's kuntry kousin, the 71, would get that rating.

These bus lines SUCK big time.  They run with NO consistency, you will seldom have a seat if you are trying to get into Harvard Square on a weekday between 7:30am-8:50am (unless you get on in Belmont at Waverly Square).  

Often,the bus drivers will PASS you up and not even acknowledge you or motion to you that there is another bus coming. Rudeness!

Many times these buses run in bunches.  Here's a tip, fellow Yelper-if you go out to your stop and notice that 3 (yes,3) buses have just passed your stop: call your boss, you're going to be late. See, the next bus won't come for 20 minutes, it will be full and pass you by, the next one will come in 7 minutes, it will be full and pass you by, then finally one will come in 10 minutes, and you MAY get on, IF the bus driver is KIND enough to LET you SQUEEZE into a space through the back doors.

I won't even begin to tell you what happens to these buses (73/71) when it rains, or heaven forbid-snows. Okay, you want a tidbit of what happens, you say- how about maybe one bus every 45 minutes, it's full, and instead of waiting another 45 minutes (during morning rush hour, mind you), you walk to the next bus stop hoping for a cab, there are 19-20 people doing the same thing, and a nice cab driver lets 8 of you complete strangers PILE into his cab to get to Harvard Square for the Red Line.  No joke, folks.
3 - Keith M.: Living in Belmont there's not terribly much to do. Especially since up until recently it was a dry town. Growing up here this dullness was rather apparent. This is a quiet little town and that's how its resident like it.

Thank God for the 73, giving me mobility beyond my own means. Clean, reliable(-ish) and only 20 minutes from Waverly to Harvard Square (where there actually are things to do.) It's enough for me to forgive it for not always being on time on weekends. Though with the every thirty minute scheduling on Sundays it's sometimes best to rely on something else those days. 

Well, at least it's devoid of the crazies I became so accustomed to on San Francisco buses.
2 - Peter G.: The 71 and the 73 are best buddies.  But they split up exactly when things get interesting.  The 73 gets stuck going to Belmont, while the 71 goes into Watertown which actually has things to do.

The 73 is a breath of fresh air since it actually follows its schedule. Not well, but like, they might actually have dispatchers out here!

They really really need to fix the reliability issues with the electric buses. The fact that the buses practically need to stop when the weather is poor is just plain stupid and makes diesel seem like a good idea (which it isn't).
2 - Bridget B.: I live in this magical area where Belmont, Cambridge, and Watertown converge. At one point I lived closer to the Belmont side of things, and would stand in frustration in the Harvard Sq bus terminal watching all of the glorious 71's go by, taking people to the mystical area of Watertown, where things seemed to happen on schedule.

It got to the point where I would just skip waiting for the 73 and get off where the buses diverge (in front of the totally redone Star Market with the huge booze selection) and walk the rest of the way.

I also really liked it when they plowed all the snow up onto the bus stop on Belmont Street, so that I was literally able to bend down and pet the top of of the bus sign. Adding adventures such as ice mountain climbing to your day is always a good thing.
1 - Chris L.: 12:28am - I arrive at the Harvard T stop slightly inebriated from the private party I just attended at Charley's on Newbury Street. 

"Sweet, I have plenty of time to sober up and write lesson plans for my social skills group tomorrow. Six hours of sleep ain't bad!"

12:34am - Waiting for the 73 bus. 

"Here comes one...it's...the 71."

12:47am - Still waiting. The crowd grows larger.

"Here comes one...it's...the 77. Here's another one...the 71."

1:00am - I look, with frustration, at the man sitting next to me. He returns a similar look. We become friends. His name is Raymond. I don't think he's drunk.

"I'm Raymond. Good to meet you. I'm so damn tired. All I wanna do is go home and take these wet shoes off. I've been out on the water all day."

1:05am - My friend Raymond, who may or may not be drunk, tells me he knows very important people in Belmont and Watertown. I mention that the roads in Belmont are horrible and I live in Watertown right now, but I'm thinking about moving.

"It's too bad I'm so tired. Any other day, I'd make a phone call and have that road fixed for ya. Tomorrow. You know the New York Diner? Go talk to the owner and tell him Raymond sent you. He'll have you living and eating for free. As long as you do good, you'll be treated good. I know some important people."

1:06am - I start typing Raymond's contact information into my phone. He doesn't give me his phone number because he's too tired. I type "Raymond" and "New York Diner." That should be sufficient. Raymond shakes my hand and walks to the other side of the bus stop.  He paces back and forth for the next 10 minutes. Tired. In wet shoes. Probably drunk.

"It was nice meeting you."

1:10am - No signs of bus activity. I say fuck.

"Fuck."

1:12am - Three very drunk, very aggressive youngsters come up the ramp to the buses. One of them sits next to me, asks me what time it is, and asks when the bus is supposed to arrive. They say fuck a lot more than I do.

"I could go for some fuckin Wendy's and some more fuckin booze right now. I'm fuckin starving. Hey, you got a fuckin watch? When's this fuckin bus supposed to get here? Fuck."

1:20 - The 73 arrives. Finally. Raymond comes back and tells me he just found out a secret.

"Come here a second. I gotta tell you this secret. I talked to the guy in charge and he told me the last 73 bus doesn't come til 1:10, but it was late tonight." Thanks Raymond.

1:30am - Sitting on the 73 bus. Not going anywhere. The three drunks scurry onto the bus after realizing they had gotten on the 71, instead of the 73. I'm so glad they made it. Raymond has some words with them.

"When's this bus gonna fuckin leave?" 
"Be good." 
"Quiet old man, I just got out of jail on a 3 to 5. I just wanna go fuck my girlfriend." 
"If you keep using that language, I'm gonna kick you off this bus. Oh look, here comes my friend (nodding at the bus driver)."

[Bus driver walks by, doesn't acknowledge Raymond]

1:40am - We leave the bus station. Raymond and the drunks keep arguing. Apparently, one of the drunks is highly skilled in mixed martial arts. And using the f-word. This should be fun. 

1:42am One of the drunks asks to borrow my cell phone to call his 17 year old girlfriend who is also drunk and lost on Mass Ave. I try to respond rationally, but Raymond beats me to it.

"No, you can't borrow it. Sorry, I thought you were asking me. His answer is no." 

1:45am - The drunks jump off bus without paying. Raymond tries to chase them, but the bus driver won't open the back door in order for him to do so. Raymond is upset, but I'm thankful he wasn't murdered.

1:49am - I arrive at my house, take a shower, and write lesson plans. I go to bed at 2:40am. 

Dear 73 bus, 
I hate your face.
5 - AM S.: Seriously, for a bus line this one rocks.  It is almost always on time, comes frequently during the morning rush hours and the drivers are so friendly.  It does get a bit crowded during the evening rush but they do try to keep it moving.  Like all public transportation, it has its bad days but all in all this is a great bus line.
1 - jay s.: this bus SUCKS. Other day it smelled like a dead animal, so the driver kept the back door open at stops. Then the Chinese guy with bags of Chinese food on the ride home. On the way today there's a "anti-establishment" youth with an Ipod and a SPEAKER BLASTING. Some drivers are good, some are horrible. And lately they have a thing about stopping and "alerting" cars parked in bus zones that they can't park there - talk about anal. Just smile and wave. Yeah this is the ultimate suck of buses. I was late 30 mins today because the every 10 minute schedule became 25 mins and a broken antenna thing RIGHT before Harvard. Pieces of crap. MBTA needs a MAJOR overhaul -  fire EVERYONE and just start over. It's past the point of no return. Screw the T - buy a piece of junk
3 - Silvia V.: I live in Waverley Square, so I get to sit on 73 on the way to work in the mornings. The bus is reliable. If I don't make the 7:24am bus, the next one is at 7:28am. Always on time, most of the time anyway. 

The bus drivers are a different story. Some are very nice, considerate, good hearted, caring. Others are miserable haters who hit every pothole (especially during the Trapelo Road construction this summer), hit the curb and a few traffic lights, and are mean to passengers. 

There's this one idiot driver who a few weeks ago refused to open the back door for a lady with a baby in a stroller and a 3-4 yeard old daughter who couldn't walk down the bus' aisle, because another passenger was completely blocking it by some sort of shopping cart. The woman with the stroller nicely asked the driver to open the back door, she would come and pay up front. The driver started yelling and screaming that he is not supposed to open the back door. A few of us asked him to open the back door as the aisle was blocked. He finally open it. The woman backed out with the stroller and just when her little daughter was about to jump off the bus, the driver closed the door and crushed the little girl's shoulders. I was furious. So was her mother and a few other passengers. I was waiting to catch the driver's operating number so I can report him, but it never showed up. When we got to Waverley Square, I paid the fare and asked for his name. That's when he started yelling profanities at me, spit was coming out of his mouth. I reported him, but without his number, I don't think much will happen to him. 

All in all, I don't mind taking bus 73. It's reliable, my fellow passengers are decent, and it gets me to and from work.
3 - Brian N.: Through a year of commuting from Belmont, I have discovered the secret to avoiding the madness that is the Bus 73 during rush hour. What's that, you ask?

Don't take the bus during rush hour.

My experiment: This week, I left my house earlier than I normally do so that I could catch the 7:20AM bus near Belmont and School Streets. The bus actually came every 10 minutes (I missed the 7:20AM bus once, but the 7:30AM bus came right on time). Most importantly, I got into Harvard Square in less than 15 minutes. It was quite pleasant. I even had a seat!

Compare this to when I tried to take the bus around 7:40AM, where each bus would just pass me by. A whole bunch of us would end up cramming onto a bus around 8:00AM, get stuck in traffic on Mount Auburn Street, and finally get into Harvard Square around 8:30AM-8:40AM. It was absolutely maddening.

Other than that, the bus does its job. What else can you ask for?
3 - Sharon O.: 3.5 stars... Just when I start to get frustrated at something related to the 73 bus...  it redeems itself in some way. So overall, I think this bus is pretty okay.

PLUSES:
-Nice, friendly people on the bus.
-Seems to come more often than the 71 bus.
-It and the 71 have their very own boarding area at Harvard Square, protected from weather conditions (hooray!)
-When a 2nd bus comes in right behind another bus! Hooray!
-Driving in myself & parking in the city would be worse. You know it.
-Knock on wood, but they've always adhered to their schedule when I'm waiting for them...
-People stare at them since they are/most are electric trolley buses! Neat!
-Bus drivers that are really considerate, friendly, and crack jokes.

MINUSES:
-Rush hour.
-Rush hour in the evening when you can't get to the front of the bus to exit/scan and you have a bus driver that won't open the back door.
-Rush hour in the evening when people that wear backpacks and don't take them off and you have to get through them to the front of the bus.
-Rush hour when the bus is packed & people get on with strollers and get off 2 stops later.
-Bus drivers that seem like they are trying to get people standing to fall over with millions of jagged stops.
-Bus drivers that don't know how to navigate the transitions of electric tracks so the bus falls off the track- only takes a couple minutes to put back on. (Not really that bad).

WHAT?
Unlike other buses... in the evening,  woes are mostly due to the uniqueness of the 71/73 buses... from Harvard, you don't scan when you get on... but rather scan when you get off the bus- exiting through the front door. If you can get to the front door. If it's packed and you're lucky, the bus driver will open the back and then you can go outside and back up front to pay. If you're unlucky... well...

But some people rush off the bus, not paying up front... ruining it for others. Booo. Don't be that person. When I miss my stop due to crowding, I'll be thinking of you.

Busboys and Poets - Hyattsville, MD (38.9540854, -76.9403735) ()
5 - Shane P.: Busboys and Poets in the Arts District in Hyattsville opened with a throng of excited customers on Monday night despite the fact that there was no advertising except Facebook and local listservs. The food was superb (I had the blackened salmon and mussels with lemongrass and white wine), the service was excellent (Daniel was our server and was very friendly and attentive), and the ambience, with all of the artwork from local artists hanging on the wall, the eclectic furniture, a video playing on a large screen, gave the vacuous room a very hip feel as well as a welcoming space. I encourage anyone to check this place out!
5 - Stephen W.: Went there with my family for opening night on Monday.  Food was good to very good.  Very good included the catfish - perfectly cooked with great presentation on collards and a corn cake - and the chili.  Despite some slow service and a limited wine selection I had a five start experience.  The owner was there and stopped by to talk to us for at least five minutes.   Busboys is a huge addition to the Hyattsville restaurant and culture scene and is going to help change perceptions of this part of PG county.
5 - Carrie D.: Great atmosphere, wonderful addition to the neighborhood.  We found the food to be good, loved that there were choices for vegetarians and meat-lovers alike!
5 - e L.: It was all that I expected it to be...wonderful!  One of the best veggie-friendly spots, affordable, many organic & locally grown menu items.
5 - Chris W.: Stopped by for drinks Weds night. I had a Magic Hat #9 draft and my wife went for the DC Tap Water. The service was great.

The drink and food menu looked really good, loads of new twists on old standards and plenty of choices for adventurous eaters and restricted diets.

Great atmosphere; lively, but controlled. Nice addition to the growing Arts District Hyattsville neighborhood.  We're glad it's finally open! 

You should check it out.
4 - LaToya E.: If your going for the poetry get there early! A few girlfriends and I went on their grand opening night and thought we would have dinner in the main dining room then go and see some amazing spoken word.. WRONG! Dinner was amazing but the poetry room was full over an hour before it started. The manager was super nice and helpful though offering us standing room in the lower room so that we could at least see the poets.

I would recommend either having dinner in the "showroom" or getting there early I hear that its really worth it.
5 - Bonita B.: This location is awesome - plenty of space - great food and beverages - pleasant wait-staff. This Hyattsville, MD location is family-friendly.
5 - Zak S.: Went to dinner on Sunday night - 3 adults and 2 kids. Everyone loved the food (veggie burger, bacon cheese burger and pizza) - sweet potato fries were excellent. Wine selection was fantastic.  We all had a great time and will be back.  Server was attentive and had a great attitude.
5 - Carol B.: I went on a Thursday  afternoon, between the lunch and dinner rushes so it was not crowded. We ordered between the two of us a Rustic Pizza and the Mahi-Mahi fish sandwich. Both were quite tasty. The chocolate mousse pie and the carrot cake were great. Ice tea was good and seemed freshly brewed. Tab came to $41.13 before tip. A nice place, although I suspect parking might be hard when it is busy. I am glad to have Busboys and Poets as well as Franklin's in Hyattsville.
4 - Adelina Z.: I started with the the foole bean salad which was well seasoned.

For the main I had the pesto lasagna; delicious. It's smothered in a creamy pesto sauce with mushrooms. As an added bonus, buttered toast with pretty little pieces of garlicky goodness.

I sat outside so I didn't get to experience what it was like inside but it seemed pretty cool from what I could see.

My only tiff would be on the timing of the food arrival. They weren't particularly busy being as how it's a Thursday.
5 - Kelly v.: I love the Bus Boys and Poets at 14th and V in NW and was so excited that one was coming so close to my house! I am so impressed how they added the same wonderful atmosphere that I expect from the restaurant in DC. Food is excellent, good selection of drinks.
3 - Medina K.: Its New, great atmosphere, nice staff... However, the cooks (boo) I had the fish sandwich and it was Burnt!!! The drinks were good, the beer was flat ugh! I will give it another few months before I go back... By then the cooks would be trained or replaced! 

and Im out ghost....
4 - Robert K.: This was my first visit to a Busboys and Poets, and we chose their newest location, in Hyattsville, MD. The spacious restaurant is nicely decorated and comfortable. Although it can seat a lot of people, the tables are not close together, so you don't have to hear everyone's conversations or bump elbows with anyone. 

All of the staff, from hostess to those serving the food and busing the tables, were friendly and helpful. Our server was excellent - attentive without being obtrusive. And the food was marvelous. We shared the shrimp and crab fritters - a small portion but very tasty. I had the Hawaiian pizza, while my son had the Mediterranean pizza. Once nice feature was that you can get a choice of four different sauces for the pizza. 

There's a nice selection of foods that can accommodate all tastes, from carnivores to vegetarians and vegans. And a very nice menu of draught beers and specialty drinks. We'll definitely be going back.
5 - Pudgy C.: I have been to the DC locations and this location has by far been my best experience the food was memorable.  I ordered the hummus.  Very simple and tasty.  For an entree I ordered the Blackened salmon.  My salmon was cooked perfectly as was the rice and asparagus that came with it.  My date ordered the mussels with lemongrass white wine sauce.  These were cooked well also.  For an entree he ordered the catfish which included collard greens and a corn cake.  This also was very good.  I ordered the bread pudding for dessert and was disappointed when it came out ice cold and with coconut ice cream...(I asked for vanilla ice cream). Our server asked if I wanted another dessert but I refused.  Our server was very attentive but not over- bearing. He was also very knowledgeable about the menu.  Like I said before this bb&p has redeemed itself.
5 - Jamie L.: So happy to have a Busboys & Poets closer to my house!  Food and atmosphere are just as good as the ones in DC and in Arlington.   There's plenty of parking and outdoor seating!
5 - Colin P.: Just returned from my first visit to the new Busboys & Poets in Hyattsville. I had been waiting for this place to open with trepidation. It sounded like a great thing to get this hip downtown place right in our 'hood, but surely something was going to get lost in translation. I'm happy to report that it far exceeded expectations, and my family will be back for more soon. It's spacious, interesting, relaxed, very friendly, and the food and drinks are really quite good. (They don't have a kids menu, but there's stuff for kids, and the promise of going across the street to Yogi Castle afterwards is ample motivation to play along.)

I had the Mediterranean Burger, which is more of a flatbread sandwich. Delicious. And I ordered the sesame kale as a side dish. Even better. My wife had the blackened salmon, and she loved it. Only my daughter's grilled cheese sandwich disappointed.

I didn't get very far through the drinks list, but it looks plenty good. I'll look forward to trying more of it.

So now we face the choice of Busboys & Poets vs. Franklins just a couple of blocks away from each other in Hyattsville. I think B&P wins on the food. It also has a wider range of drinks. But Franklin's wins on the in-house beer. I like the ambience of both, but in different ways. Things are certainly looking up in Hyattsville.
3 - Jo P.: I've been there twice since it opened, with mixed results. Both times the food was very good, but the second time the service was subpar. We were missing silverware and salad dressing, and it was very hard to get the waitress' attention, even though the place was not busy. when she wasn't ignoring our signals, she was stopping by to ask how things were, which interrupted our conversation was too much. She tried to clear the plates too soon, which made us feel rushed and unwelcome. Finally, a manager came by and interrupted our conversation AGAIN to ask how things were. 

Since they are still new and the food was good and reasonably priced, we'll try again, but if the service doesn't improve, it won't be often.
5 - Margaret Z.: I came here for the first time this past Thursday and I must say, this place is definitely a hidden gem in College Park and among restaurants as a whole in the DC/Metro area. Because it was a Thursday, it was open mic night. Although my friends and I initially purchased the open mic ticket wristbands so that we could be seated faster, we decided to stick around for the performances. 

Let's talk about the food first, though. I ordered a Tandoori Chicken and was impressed with the pineapple sauce it was served with. The chicken was cooked PERFECTLY and I'm definitely someone who is fickle about the way my chicken is cooked--it usually comes out too dry or underseasoned when I order it at other restaurants. One of my friends ordered a pizza and it looked absolutely divine. The hummus as well as sweet potato fries were delectable, and perfect touches to our meal. The crab cake sandwich that another friend ordered was definitely tempting as well. I also appreciate the fact that they offer fresh fruit as a side dish option. 

There are a lot of organic, vegetarian, and vegan options--even for alcohol! The drinks/martinis are, however, on the pricey side. The cheapest one I saw was $9 and beer runs about $6. I ended up ordering a Cafe Medici which was creative in including an orange slice to add some citrus notes to my caffeine, but a little too strong for my tastes. It also comes served in a miniature wine glass, which confused me... I just wanted a latte. 

Now onto the performances. Two of my friends ended up writing a poem on a napkin while they were at the table and I signed them up for open mic. There was a lot of great reception from the audience and a lot of other really fantastic acts as well. There were a few that were a little questionable, but the atmosphere gets you enthused about any act that graces the stage. 

Only gripe was that service is a bit slow--took us over an hour to get our check (good thing we were entertained by the performers) and we had to ask 4 times to actually get a takeout box. Food is served relatively quickly though--about 20 minutes. It definitely fills up quickly closer to open mic time at 9 PM. 

This was such a unique dining experience and definitely something I look forward to again. I'm truly happy that this place is so close to my campus and not the type of establishment that you get to experience too frequently.
2 - Ann T.: Wow.  Unfortunately, my boyfriend and I had probably one of the worst restaurant service incidences while at the Hyattsville restaurant.  (Does this shock anyone inthe DC metro area where good service is devoid.)  After settling up to the bar, the experience started out good when the bartender introduced herself and took our order early, but quickly fell apart when she failed to enter our food order into the register.  Giving the new place (well, new to Hyattsville) the benefit of the doubt, it wasn't until almost an hour later and after two customers arriving after us had been served, that we caught the other bartender and said we'd ordered food.  The customer next to us even asked where our food was.  It kills us because the bartender was serving everyone around us for 45 minutes and completely ignored us to the point of not even checking to see if we needed a refresher on our drinks.  The redemption was that the manager, Robert, came over to apologize, rush our order, and graciously comp our check - which seriously would have been a factor for whether we returned.  We received our food but still did not get our entire order - the bartender wrote it down but we never received our appetizer. As with other stores, a la the terrible Wegman's also in Prince George's County, we'll give Busboys two more opportunities before we cross them entirely off our list.  The food was fine.
4 - Brian S.: Busy and vibrant. Service was a little slow but food was worth the wait. Delicious mussels app and steak salad was great.
5 - Jocelyn I.: Great food and service even though they were about to close on a Saturday night. Shrimp and Grit Cakes were fabulous.

Added December 18 - they don't really take reservations.  You have to call about 1-1/2 hour before you come in order to get on the "Call Ahead" list.  They need to update this information on their Yelp directory.  I'm still going though.
3 - anon h.: I like this place, I really do. I mean, how could you not like a place that has a lounge dedicated to Howard Zinn?

But as they do not allow dogs on the patio, I can't give it more stars. I am not asking for my dog to have a chair and a bib, I'm merely saying it'd be nice to have a beer on the patio here with my pup at my feet. It is a patio after all.
4 - Andrew C.: Great overall theme.  Organic, natural, recycled, alternative energy... everything about this place screams new age, liberal healthy good food (if that makes any sense). 

The food was good, a little pricey.  In my opinion the food is worth it though, especially considering they buy local and most food (and some drink) is organic/vegan/bio-something.

They lost one star from me because they come off as a little too elitest or stuffy, I can't really put my finger on it, but I didn't feel completely comfortable there.
4 - Jasmin H.: Ok, I love this establishment and have been a fan since before this new location. I was very excited when I heard they were opening up in Maryland in a cool area that doesn't take away from its 'coolness'. The food was delish, the only problem was both times I went the service was kind of shaky and actually our hostess put us in a wrong area that led to us waiting for almost 20 mins to get served. Not cool, but since this was two weeks after they opened i'm going to let them slide. Overall love this place and would definitely go back again due to the more than convenient location!
3 - Adrienne J.: Went here for the open mic, first time i ever been to one. im not a serious poetry/spoken word person so i thought most of the performances were funny, but there were a few talented ppl and it kept me interested. although i didn't like how they started playing music to get this older woman off of the stage even though she wasn't bad and there was no time limit. i thought that was really rude since it ended 15 min before it was scheduled to, so she had time to continue without being interrupted. 

its big and easy to find an has a lot of parking in the back. will have to come and again and try food next time
3 - Bridget P.: They're definitely still working out the kinks.  The sweet potato fries are fantastic, everything else is ehh.  Servers are very nice and responsive.  I'm looking forward to updating this review when they've had more time to develop.
4 - Rosario G.: I posted a quick note while I was there this weekend.. if you're there for brunch GET THE FRENCH TOAST! I split it with my BF both times I visited and it was worth every bite.  It's crunchy... sweet comfort food.. yet somehow feels airy and light at the same time.. it's divine.  REALLY!  As in went two days in a row just to get that French Toast again really!

I also had their classic eggs benedict which were great.  I asked for the yolk on my poached eggs to be firm and came out just the way I like it!  They don't bathe their benedicts in hollaindaise sauce either it was just the right amount and not runny at all.  I also love their home fries they're well seasoned and not dry or mushy and the portions were great.  I also had the thin mint latte... don't let the greenish look of your latte fool you.. it actually is VERY delicious. 

The service was great too.... in fact we had everything we needed right at the table (fresh sugar, hot sauce, ketchup) yet our waiter checked on us several times throughout the meal and was very pleasant and courteous.  I do agree with some others that they take your plate off the table very quickly but I didn't take that as "rushing" me on the contrary they wanted to open up my table and clear the dishes so I had more space for my iPad (I was getting directions to some places).  Also the weekend we were there the Hyattsville arts festival was going on right outside so after brunch we shopped around and I ended up getting a gorgeous fine stone necklace from an artist there.  It's definitely a very happening place with large amount of outdoor seating.

My BF and I couldn't stay away from the french toast and ended up going the next day too.... we sat at a busier table and there was even better service than the day before.  They refilled my water lots of times.. checked in on us.. gave us update on our food... cleared our plates quickly etc.  This time I split the Iraqui Corn-Beef-Hash with my BF and the Crab Egg Benedicts.  The Crab EB were sooo great I can't even tell you.  Really nice amount of crab and very well seasoned without overpowering the crab.  The corn-beef-hash was also very yum we still can't pinpoint the seasoning used but it was very filling and flavorful and comes with two big pieces of toast and poached eggs on top.

My only complaint is the decor.. I know everyone loves it but I think it's a little much.  It's like a starbucks threw up in a panera or something.  Whatever as long as the french toast stays the same I will be coming back many times.
5 - Katie R.: LOVE! Amazing Wifi for starters, at both the hyattsville and china town location, makes Starbucks weep in shame. Great drinks, DC tap water so good and so fun- the beer selection is wonderful! Thin Mint latte is a great way to spend a cold day on one of thier many couches! The ambiance is perfect, causual, funky, artsy-fartsy funness! 

The food is amazing, I havent tried anything I havent loved! I am a cheese person, so the Brie Panini ROCKS my world, it has carmelized onions on it that are surprisingly perfect! And the turkey sandwich with gouda, SO GOOD and classic! The vegan quesidilla is my new favorite, dont order it if you arent a mushrooms love tho! 

My only complaint is that thier happy hour specials suck, so this tends to be my day time hot spot- I'd love to change that tho with the right motivation!
1 - tamm r.: I have been there a handful of times and each time the service was worst than the last.  The food has always been good and there is a nice selection of vegetarian options. But to say the service has been subpar would be an under-statement.  Here is a quick overview of my last experience:

I asked my waitress what the hot teas available,  the waitress didn't tell me what hot teas were available, rather she told me "to look at the menu on the last page."  When I went to the last page, there were no teas listed, at which point, she said "try the next to last page."   She was rude and not at all helpful.  The water was not refilled during the entire meal (well when we ordered desserts the water was finally refilled) and even though the hot tea I ordered came with an extra tea bag, I never received extra hot water.  Every time we saw an employee and asked for more water, they would say "ask your waitress"  Hmm, what a great idea, if I knew where she was.  

I asked to hold onto the menu to look at the desserts.  The waitress said she'd bring it back to me at the end of the meal--fair enough.  Except at the end of the meal she brought the bill.  This was even after I asked for the menu for a second time (and some water).   When my friend and I said we wanted to order desserts, she actually rolled her eyes at us and snapped " I already printed the bill and you should have said something"  (I did says something--three times to be exact)

Well she finally brought the menu back and on the dessert page it said "ask you server about the daily specials", so when I asked the waitress about them-she said look in the menu (see tea incident above).  When I explained they were listed not in the menu, but actually say "to ask the server", she looked at me quite annoyed when she said "if you want to know I have to go in the back and ask"  Wow, I have never had service this rude and poor in a long time so I was shocked.  My friend and I actually debated whether or not to inform management about how bad (and rude) the service was, but we decided we didn't want anyone to possibly lose their job because of us.  

I am a pretty patient low key person, and for me to be this upset really says something about the level of poor service.
5 - MARIA A.: We ate here every morning while on Vacation.  Though this particular location does not have quite the extensive selection as the U street location, it was still a pleasant experience.  We also came here for lunch and dinner.  I'd have to say that John was a fan of the coffee and I enjoyed the cafe medici even though I am not a coffee lover. 

I love the decor and the eclectic music.  Come here at night and watch this place come to life!!!  This is one of those artsy spots that we are lacking in SD.  It was great to appreciate and experience this culture while on vacay.
3 - Angelo B.: I agree with Mandy D's assessment--would be great aside from somewhat shoddy service.  Waitstaff took my food before I was finished!  My only other comment is the silly double pluralization "paninis" always bothers me.
5 - ed s.: Thank you Yelp for helping us find this great place!  While visiting UMD, we were on the verge of giving up our hunt for a great breakfast and settling for a close diner, Busboys popped up on my last desperate search.

I really enjoyed the coffee and the eggs Benedict but the HOMEFRIES...OMG...delicious.  I tried their Bloody, delicious, although they couldn't serve alcohol until noon.
5 - William P.: Great location and I like the layout. Not so focused on the bookstore and the propaganda :) just a countertop area in the back. Also the events and acts have their own separate large room with stage. The art work is in serious abundance soem local artists too even in the bathrooms with the cool long stone laden basined sinks.  Nice touch.

The menu great as always. Lots of choices. My daughter and I both had the bacon and cheddar cheeseburgers. I had the sweet potato fries and she just the hand cut chips. She loved hers just the right amount of salt. Mine were crispy and very potatoey. What? 

For $10.95 you get quite a HUGE burger on nice soft kaiser bun with lettuce tomatos onions standard and the order of fries are crisp and plentiful. We asked for MEDIUM and received MEDIUM. Rare in this town. 

Server David S. very friendly and on his game. Kept the refills coming. He told me that Cornel West was in opening week in May. Cool. I'm sure the UMD big wigs and profs. will be perusing in this joint soon. We were there early like 5 so I'm sure it gets crowded the later you are there. Big patio area outside too....larger than DC or VA locations I think.     

I recommend a visit fo sho!
3 - Stephanie C.: Went to Busboys and Poets on October 27th, this is the third time in as many weeks.

 First time, I ordered the Catfish and collard greens- it was very good. The service was prompt and reliable. Cost $50.00 for 2 

 The second time, I ordered Catfish and collard greens, again- it was very good.  Although in this instance I had difficulty with the service, I requested a different waiter because the young man was soooo slow. After 15 minutes, he had not even taken our drink  order.  I asked for the manager, she came over and promptly reassigned the table to a more efficient and effective waiter, and voila! the evening was saved..

The third time (last night), I ordered chicken salad sandwich. It was a bad idea. My boyfriend and I also ordered vegan chocolate-raspberry cheesecake. He was impressed, I less so. The service was fair, I had a good waitress once I could get her attention.
4 - Laila L.: Blown away by the artwork, and I like the hip, lofty ambiance there. Doesn't hurt that this is close enough to my office that if I actually venture out for lunch I can go here. I love the vegan panini and I order it regularly, but I tell them not to cook the arugula (cooking something perfect like arugula is sacrilege). That sandwich opened me up to the wonderful world of fakin' bacon. The nachos and the sweet potato fries are great. The coconut tofu bites are incredible. My husband says the reuben is really good.

I have had one thing on the menu that I was horribly disappointed in, and that was the tofu with kale, about $15.00. First, the kale was cold on the plate while the tofu was warm. Since I love kale, that gives me a case of the sads. Second, the flavor was just flat overall. The tofu looked like it was just cut off the block and thrown in a pan. The tomato-pepper sauce (or whatever that was) on the tofu just was not working with the taste of the kale. If it's cold, I know I can make it 10x better at home, and it was $15.00, then I'm sending it back. I'd say if you avoid that one, you're golden.
5 - Chelsea R.: I have totally fallen in love with this place. Everything about it: from the all-natural, delicious food (with vegetarian/vegan options) to their décor, to the overall vibe of the restaurant. Oh do I wish that I could pack up this place and take it home to Dallas with me! I ordered a big yummy mug of their soy chai spiced latte and it was one big mug of amazingness. That's really the only way to explain it. Then we moved on and I ordered some of their hummus and warm whole wheat pita bread. More partying in my mouth. For dinner me and my friend split the black bean nachos and I had a side of sweet potato fries. Just all around goodness. It was so good we went back for more during my week-long stay in the area. I can't wait for my next visit up there so I can check out their Open-Mic & Poetry nights!
4 - Brian G.: This is a great place!!! The food is actually pretty good! A real good vibe when you walk in. Great layout with a dining and bar area. Also there is a dining area with a stage and a movie screen for different functions.
     Later in the evening there is spoken word, or open mic whichever you prefer. All in all this is a place that when I come into town I'll be in the house. They could use one of these back in the S.F.Bay Area. All in all, great food and great vibe!!!
5 - Patty W.: I am not writing as many reviews these days but this place warranted me writing a review.  The staff were über friendly and loved the mission of the restaurant.  I was a little nervous by the words gluten free, vegan and free range.  To my surprise, I loved that they catered to everyone including meat eaters like myself. The food, service and ambiance were all fantasic!  Thanks to a fellow Yelper for the recommendation.  If you look at their menu and aren't quite sure if this place is for you.....JUST GO! You won't be disappointed.
5 - Sandy K.: Although it's a much more muted version of the B&P on V street in DC, it has a similar vibe. It's not as energetic and warm because it's a much more open space and there aren't as many couches, but that's only a side note to the quality of the food. 

Ordered: Tofu bites, Vegan Quesadillas, House salad, Chicken Chorizo and Shrimp Pasta, Sweet Potato Fries. 

DEFINITELY recommend the Tofu Bites and Vegan Quesadillas. There wasn't a single vegan/vegetarian at the table but I can confidently say that the quesadillas were better than any quesadilla i've had. It's chock full of vegetables and the cheese actually tastes like real cheese. The crust was perfectly crunchy as well, which is an added bonus :)

The pasta was a bit thick and after only a few bites, everyone was over it. I would recommend it as a shared dish because it's a lot to eat for one person. Tasty and flavorful, but extremely filling.
4 - Joe G.: I saw neither busboys nor poets here.  The lack of both and the presence of neither left such a void in my heart.  A void which only food could fill.  And boy, was it filled!

We began with the pita and hummus and sweet potato fries.  The pita and hummus  is good, not the best I've had, but good.  The sweet potato fries taste just like sweet potatoes!  I prefer a less potatoey, less starchy taste, but this is interesting and worth a try.  It's also served with sour cream.

The entrees are prepared with the utmost care and technique.  I tried the herb crusted chicken, catfish, blackened salmon, and shrimp and grits.  I must say all of them are delicious and nutritious.  The herb crusted chicken breast is served over mashed potatoes, spinach and mushroom.  The chicken is juicy and the crust very flavorful, although not as crispy as I would like.  The mashed potatoes are creamy and yummy.  The catfish and blackened salmon are cooked absolutely perfectly and taste extremely fresh.  The grits are formed into cakes and pan fried.  It's so rare to find grits cakes and these were delicious!

And thus the void was filled and the universe was again in balance....
4 - Toya J.: This Thursday me and a girlfriend checked out open mike on Thursday evening. We got there and purchased tickets for $4 each (cash only), open mike is from 9 to 11pm. Get there early, because it gets packed really quick. 

Ahhh, nothing like local talent. NOT! I'm sorry some of these people should have been booed off stage and pummeled with tomatoes their acts were so bad. Oddly enough the people here at Busboys are surprisingly nice, 'everyone's a winner'. So if you have a new poem written from a fresh breakup, play the guitar, rap, juggle fruit to gospel music, or whatever, this audience would be a good start!
3 - Dcgirl T.: I give this spot 4 stars for atmosphere and 2 stars for food and 3 stars for service. A three star rating  is fair overall. Went here for dinner on Christmas Eve. Combination of bar height tables, booths and small tables with chairs and couches/loungers. Open, accessible. Really appealing to the eye; beautiful art and decorations everywhere. My friend and I had the Veggie burger and Turkey burger with house and Caesar salads Croutons a little soggy as if the salad sits premade, bun a little on the stale side. Server was nice but a little forgetful- had to ask for my drink twice. I actually gave up and my friend mentioned it to her again. Still, I do plan on going back for open mic/poetry night. Got the feeling the missteps were due to the lack of attention that occurs in most places between the Christmas and New Years holidays.
4 - Kate S.: I was excited to go to Busboys and Poets because it seems to fill a void in the Hyattsville/College Park/etc. area for cute coffee shops. I was surprised that this place is much more than just coffee and tea, however--it is a full restaurant! 

My boyfriend and I went and sat on some of the cozy armchairs by the front window and ordered cups of tea, and also a falafel pita. The service was very slow at first because no one came to take our order for about 15 minutes, but once we caught their eye, the service was fine. The tea was delicious and the food was fresh and well-prepared. The fresh fruit that came on the side was also really tasty and fresh--some of the best blueberries I've ever had! We stayed for about 2 hours playing Words with Friends on our phones and did not feel that we were being rushed out. It was a very pleasant afternoon and I will surely go back.

Also, the sinks in the bathroom are really cool. Check them out!
4 - Devin R.: The food is always great here but this time, the service was lacking. I went here with my cousin & a friend & our waitress left much to be desired. It took her 20 minutes to bring us water & even longer to come take our order. We had to flag her down or talk really fast when she got to our table because she'd scamper away so quickly. 

After bringing my cousin a latte instead of a chai latte, when it was time for our check, rather than splitting our checks she made us write our initials next to what we ordered on the single receipt she brought to the table. The thing is, she brought us the check without us asking; had she waited, she would have known that we wanted our check split three ways. She's super quick to pick up the money but not to check in & bring the drinks. Not the best experience.
2 - Julie A.: I eat there often and and have been very happy.  However, there are a couple of things that they need to do.  It would be really nice to have carryout menus!  I understand the "green" response  but when you are picking up food for a group - it's not conveninant to not have a menu handy when a computer isn't readily availaible.  I picked up a $122 dollar lunch today - and didn't pick up another order since I was told that a menu wasn't readily available.
2 - Alexis K.: Creative but not inspired brunch food, so-so service, decent but overpriced coffee. Not sure I'd even consider it an "old faithful" when looking for a post party night brunch.
4 - Shanae J.: If you've been to one Busboys and Poets, you've been to them all. I really like this place. I think the food is amazing with lots of healthy, vegan, and gluten free options. The atmosphere is really laid back but sophisticated. The service is always incredible. I've never been to a Busboys and Poets event, so this review is based strictly on the food and the service.
3 - Vicki L.: Update:  Ultimately BB&P was able to accommodate us at a single table (or several tables pushed together) and for that, I'll go ahead and bump them back up to three stars.  That three stars though is largely based on the food.  I'm still not pleased with the level of customer service received from the manager (if it was me, I would've stopped by the table to offer a word; check in on us - something) and it added a layer of stress to a day which was supposed to be fun - by the time we sat down to eat, I had a monstrous headache from worrying whether it was all going to work or not.

The customer service from the waitress was pretty good for a large table.  It did take a really long time to get our check, and then when we were ready to pay, the waitress had disappeared and we had to grab another server to go and find her.  She also wasn't always quick on the draw in refilling water etc; really, they should have had two people assigned to our table for that purpose.  Food came out fairly quickly though after ordering (she had help with that) and I'm pretty certain everyone enjoyed their meal, although nobody was truly wowed with their food (Hyattsville really needs a brunch place that goes above and beyond....never understood why Franklin's doesn't attempt to get a foothold in that market).

The experience still left me with a not-so-great impression; t will take awhile before I'm truly happy to go back.  That being said, the food (dinner) is still pretty darn good so eventually they will win me back.
5 - Kathryn M.: I'm down with any place that is a Certified B Corporation, AND named after the amazing Langston Hughes, so I was excited to try this place out.  I liked the vibe, the staff was great, the food was decent.  I enjoyed a nice hot grilled chicken panini with some delish caramelized onions and did some fantastic people watching.   

Plus, the restaurant's mission of sorts is this : "Busboys and Poets is a community where racial and cultural connections are consciously uplifted...a place to take a deliberate pause and feed your mind, body and soul...a space for art, culture and politics to intentionally collide...we believe that by creating such a space we can inspire social change and begin to transform our community and the world."  

I've visited twice now, and I've left happy both times.  I think it's more of the community than the food, but either way, it's worth a visit.
3 - Brittany Z. M.: 3 stars because my initial experience here (take-out) was much better...

OK.  Let me start out by saying that this is one of my favorite eating establishments (so much so, that I even worked here a bit) so I've pretty familiar with BB&P at it's best, and at times when it's lacking, and unfortunately, this was one ocassion where the food really wasn't living up to Busboys potential.

We started w/something you really can't mess up, sweet potato fries, and like I said, you really have to be TRYING to screw these up, so they were good enough.  However, my entree was an entirely different story.  I have the Pan Seared Tofu, and even today, I'm wishing I hadn't (and this was weeks ago).  This was really, IMHO, one of the best alternative meals on the menu, if you're looking for something anti-meat, and it was just butchered!  The tofu was ok, but the kale MUST'VE been burned because it oddly reminded me of kerosene (YUCK!), and I understand the economic downfall of the country, and the need to save money here & there, but trading risotto for WHITE RICE is OUTRAGEOUS and reminds me of something I would've thrown together in my dorm room.  When I go out and spend money on a meal, I would really prefer it TASTE that way.  What about healthier or tastier substitutes?  Wild rice, or jasmine, or basmati, or perhaps leaving the menu item alone in the 1st place?  

It makes me feel bad because BB&P has a special place in my heart both socially and in a culinary aspect, but I MUST, no matter what, always speak the truth, and THAT dish, on THAT day, completely killed it for me.  

Service wasn't bad.  Everyone was nice.  Just please revamp the menu once more.  
*shuddering* white rice...
4 - Whitney A.: Despite living in DC for 10+ years, today was my first Busboys experience.  Have to say I'm thrilled to have this in our neck of the woods (we live in NE DC, and this is about an 8 minute drive).  What Franklins could never deliver (brunch, better than average food, coffee drinks, cleanliness, free parking) is all here.  (That said, there are certain charms to Franklins that mean we'll keep trying it.)  I went with my toddler and the waiter knew not to dally, all the staff were friendly and accomodating, the food was good, and despite going on a busy Saturday afternoon, I didn't have to wait for a table.  We will be back often.  My only beef is that they don't open til 9am on weekends.  My family rises early, so it's not going to work as our early morning breakfast spot.
4 - Shelby N.: I absolutely love this place. I have only ever been to one of the dc locations and so was ecstatic to find a location that was closer to me in the bowie area.
The only thing about this location that bothers the creative soul in me is the size of the bookstore. The one at this hyattsville location wasn't big and it actually more of an art supply store. So I was somewhat disappointed.
But moving on
The food is great. I have yet to be dissatisfied. The wait staff were cool and I didnt get that overbearing "I am smiling really hard because I want you to leave a tip" feel.
OH AND THEY HAVE FREE WI-FI. How can you not love the free wifi?!!!
(But back to our previously scheduled review)
They have different functions on different nights and I actually went and PERFORMED on a spoken word night and it was amazing, There was just so much diversity and unity and just overall a great feel. I would definitely recommend this place for lunch or dinner or even just for coffee. Busboys and poets is just one of those places where you can go and I don't know how, but when you enter the through the doors, everything on the world seems to become calm and slowed down.
Its definitely one of the few places/things thats still holding my sanity together.
2 - Leona N.: They do not take reservations.  I needed to be assured we would make the theatre and called. Was told NO.
4 - Craig L.: This is an update to an earlier review. They have made several accomodations for my diet, & I can eat quite contentedly there.
4 - Kim S.: Yum!
This place never disappoints-even the salads are good.
I had the Cobb salad. It was a generous portion and simply delicious
3 - Andria D.: The food was fantastic. My server was a complete slacker, and was wearing *pajamas,* which was kind of off-putting.
5 - Chris H.: this is by far the best blackened Salmon Ive ever had!! I have been here more than a dozen times and it has never disappointed us. Great selection of beer and wine. unique simple bruschetta, it is a homemade flat bread with fresh diced tomatoes with the perfect amount of garlic oil. price is reasonable for the quality of food and the service has always been very good regardless of whether we are at the bar or at a table.
3 - erika t.: i actually logged on to check out suggestions for something entirely different; however, since i saw my fav spot on the opening page, i felt compelled to share a few thoughts.  like other reviewers, let me just say that i *ADORE* everything about BBP....the 14th & V location, that is.  and like most, the original locale was my intro to the BBP brand and so i was THRILLED to have one open so close to my home.  hyattsville, however, is just not there.  yet.  it has potential, don't get me wrong.  but, if you are a 14th & V diehard like myself, you'll know what i mean.  

@ hyattsville, the food is fine and the drinks are fine.  IMO, the issue for hyattsville is that it hasn't discovered or is lacking its identity.  yet.  there's a hum, a confidence, a swag that 14th & V has that is decidedly absent from hyattsville.  additionally, there is a seeming lack of passion.  my experience has and continues to be that 14th & V'ers - from that sexy andy :-) to servers to patrons - are a part of a collective, a community; that by being in that space together, we are sort of signifyin' on some kind of shared, fundamental values.  it just feels as though everyone WANTS to be there and share in a good time.  @ hyattsville, the staff are there b/c they need a J-O-B and the patrons are there b/c they need to E-A-T!  it's as simple as that.  i think hyattsville staff would do well to work some shifts at 14th & V and soak in the BBP vibe and service culture.  perhaps then, hyattsville will discover its own swag!
1 - Michelle B.: The service here is horrible.  We wanted to use the restaurant to host a few University events (30-40 people each), they wanted to charge us to use the large room (on a MONDAY night) and couldn't guarantee us seats in the main dining hall.  Also, when our students took prospective students to the restaurant, they received horrible service, which reflects poorly on us.  To cap things off, a server broke a bottle of wine near one of our students, the wine drenched her coat.  She was dismissed with a paltry "We're sorry."  

DO NOT GO TO THIS RESTAURANT, visit the one downtown instead or one of the other Hyattsville eateries.
4 - R P.: WOW! The place is fabulous! It was the 1st time I'd been to this location. It is much larger than the one on 'U' St. 

The sweet potatoes are awesome! 

We went for the #urbaninspiretour w/Charity, Sean Sarvis, Jean Baylor, and Leon Timbo! 

Great Show! Great Food! Great Place! Great Nite!
5 - Donna H.: I had lunch here today. The service was great and the foods was delicious.
I ordered the grilled chicken panini with the sweet potato fries. This was my first time and I really enjoyed myself.
4 - Sarah A.: Finally a nice spot to go without going all the way to DC! 
I had the veggie burger and it was AMAZING! The multigrain bread added a nice touch to the meaty like texture in the veggie burger. Definitely will try to make it out on a weekend for Brunch.
3 - Kelly G.: 1st time here was 11/27/11... I had the crab balls and a glass of wine. Too many shell and cartilage pieces made these very difficult to eat. On my 2nd visit 3/23/12, I stopped in for dessert. The white chocolate bread pudding with coconut ice cream and glass of sparkling moscato were very interesting. Service was very mindful. Enjoyed! Would return.
5 - Vanessa F.: I have been coming to Bus Boys and Poets for a really long time and the experience is always amazing!!! The ambiance, the staff, the people and everything about this place is unique and different. However, my review is about the amazing staff and one in particular...KIYAN at the Hyattsville, MD location. 

Kiyan is amazing and fabulous! He's sweet, attentive, and responsive and he truly makes the experience memorable. My husband and I visited the Hyattsville location one morning to have breakfast and when we arrived we are the type that like to look at the menu forever before deciding on what to actually get...Kiyan was SUPER Patient with us - he made sure that we were comfortable and even suggested some of his FAV's on the menu for us to try out.  He was dead on about the "sweet spice latte"!  He made us feel like we were the only folks in the place, but most of all he looked like he was having fun and really enjoying the atmosphere and his job. 

Since that time I've been back and this time with family and friends and we were blessed again to have him be a part of our great experience... Bus Boys and Poets, Hyattsville, MD location is by far the best experience I've had and I want to thank him for making it just that! Going into the Hyattsville location makes you want to work there LOL. 

Thank you for have such a wonderful spot here in Prince Georges County, now I don't have to go out of my way to chill and relax and have amazing food. You can't ask for more!

Vanessa
5 - Elsa M.: Holy crap, Batman!  A Busboys and Poets that finally measures up the hype of this DMV chain?  Believe it or not, it's not the ones in DC or NoVa, but the one in little whole Hyattsville that finally redeems these cafes.  The menus are the same, but somehow everything just tastes slightly better - even the english muffins are better, which is weird.  The food is not 5-star food, but it is better than any other location and hits the spot for a casual breakfast or lunch.  Nothing fancy or remarkable, but nothing disappointing either.
On top of that, this location is uber spacious with eclectic, inspiring artwork and mismatch vintage furniture that will have you thinking "I would have never thought to put that together."  Unlike other locations, this Busboys and Poets is very spacious with spacious seating so you are not all on top of each other and actually have a workspace that is semi-separate from other patrons so no one can really look over your shoulder.
When I walked in, a hostess greeted me at the door right away... so fast, in fact, that I thought she was a customer walking at out at first.  I found my seat and she immediate brought a menu and a waitress was at my table within a minute of me opening up my laptop.  PERFECT.
After a solid 3-star experience at three different Busboys and Poets, I was about to give up on them altogether.  The Hyattsville location singlehandedly changed my opinion about the chain.  I'll definitely be back... but only to this one.  It's a bit of a drive for me, but worth it.
5 - Geo N.: Hyattsville has made it! This is the best location yet for busboys. Open, friendly and buzzing. Thank you for rebuilding community.
4 - Gaftie M.: Good food and good atmosphere. The first time I've actually eaten here.
5 - London F.: First time ever at a Busboys & Poets! It was amazing! I actuallu went on a very nice day and took advantage of the outdoor seating.. Very Relaxing. My waiter was very friendly and extremely quick on his feet. Definitely try the "DC Tap Water" looks gross but taste WONDERFUL lol... I had the Blackened Salmon it was the best salmon I ever had! The atmosphere was very relaxed and welcoming. I enjoyed this place 5 STARS!!!! I will definitely be coming back soon :)
5 - Elle B.: I've been to all the Busboys, and the one in Hyattsville is the best! It's way more spacious than the others, but somehow still is intimate without being too crowded (like the one on 14th St.)

The food is always delicious - I don't think we've ever been disappointed by anything on the menu, whether it's the oaxaca omelet or buckwheat pancakes at brunch, or the pesto lasagna or lamb burger for lunch or dinner. The specialty coffee drinks are amazing - the cafe medici and thin mint latte could be dessert by themselves.

Service is always good, even during busy times. One of the servers even got me hooked on my new favorite side - sweet potato fries with honey on the side for dipping. 

The decor is great too. No complaints about this place!
3 - Jennifer E.: I'm BB&P number one customer! Only giving the Hyattsville location 3 stars because it lacks the groove of the other BB&P locations in DC that I frequent all the time.  Food is good.  Service is good.  But still leaves much to he desired in the way of the BB&P urban, hip hop, trendy culture - which makes BB&P oh so unique in the first place!
4 - Lynn F.: I happen to absolutely love the BB&P here in Hyattsville. I'm usually here most Saturdays and there's never a long wait. Plenty of seating, great food and very comfy atmosphere. Please try their original Mojito. It is just like South Beach! And the food is great!
5 - TamarA G.: Great place to meet with good friend and it is bigger than the Busboy and Poets on 14th street in DC.  I enjoyed a great brunch with longtime friends and the the food was really good.  No complaints here.  We will definitely come back!
4 - Kathy M.: I've been here many times since it's easy to get to. I'm really enjoying the way Hyattsville is making a name for itself with their art's district and Busboys is a great addition to the neighborhood.  I especially love that fact that this location has free parking (2 thumbs up). Whenever there's an event, it's best to arrive early because it draws crowds.  Also, the average Saturday night is usually crowded.  Outside of that, it's a cool place to meet up with friends and enjoy your evening.
5 - Krista P.: I was a little nervous to come here. How would it stack up to my beloved Shirlington Busboys?!

Not to worry, everything is just as great. The service - great. They seem to have the nicest and coolest servers at Busboys. (Do they have to pass a cool test in order to get the job?) The food - amazing. I have yet to be disappointed by any menu items. Decor and ambiance - awesome. They have this super cool regal-looking chair which is my favorite. It's cool that I can have a favorite chair in a restaurant!
4 - Joel P.: I came here for brunch recently and Nate, our waiter was awesome! The wait was the usual hour wait. Admittedly we got there at a time where service started to pick up and everyone had finally been able to obtain a parking spot. It's very difficult to find parking there depending on the day and time that you come here. 

However, as I mentioned previously, our waiter was awesome. The environment was clean and spacious. The staff was helpful, attentive and responsive! One of the crew members dropped my plate of bacon and in no less that 5 minutes i got a new plate exactly as I ordered it. I haven't experienced any of the events that are offered there but I'm sure given the right day, the right weather and the great food that's offered on the menu it will be a great experience. I'd come again for brunch, I'd just come much earlier. I'll definitely order the french toast again! Yum!
4 - Jaimey H.: Finally got a chance to venture out to this DMV chain cafe, and I was not disappointed.  I arrived before my friends so I got a chance to look around and this Busboys and Poets is huge and spacious but still feels intimate.  They were having open mic night and if you are in to that (I am not) then you will love the vibe.  Fortunately, we ate and left before the poetry fest began (Thank you God!).  But now on to the good stuff:

Drinks:
I can't do a review without talking about the drinks lol.  The bar was nice and big and the bartender was friendly but not overbearing.  The place has the normal happy hour beer and wine specials, but they also offer some distinct speciality drinks.  I tried the Langston Cool (haha get it?) and it hit the spot with three different rums in one drink.  Since I was driving I stuck to the one drink rule, but this drink could easily take you there with 2 alone.  Overall the drinks were good and not terrible priced between $9-14.

Food:
Oh the food!!! My friends and I shared appetizers of hummus and nachos (I know great healthy choices right).  The hummus was your typical fair nothing too special, but the warm wheat pita chips were a nice touch and I liked that all the ingredients were fresh.  Now the nachos were amazing.  I'm normally not a fan of beans but those black beans were so yummy.  

My main course consisted of the shrimp and chicken chorizo pasta and it was so filling and good but not overly heavy.  Since I am trying this whole diet thing, I stop eating when I am full so I had plenty left over.  But I sampled my friends food and everything was perfectly cooked and seasoned.  Overall, this place deserves the love it gets from city and when I come back to MD to visit I hope to make this a necessary stop.
1 - Cathy B.: I had not been to this place since my last review and I don't see myself ever returning.  I went again to Busboys and Poets on Saturday (5/19/12).  Last time I was there I ordered a crab cake which was not impressive.

This time I ordered a well done turkey burger with chips and a cherry(?) lemonade.  Some type of special lemonade.

In any event, the turkey was dry and did not look well done to me.  I tossed it into the garbage can. The chips were okay.  The "special" lemonade came out of a gallon container that appeared to be from a local super market.  Too sweet.

Regarding service, the woman who initially took my order was professional and friendly.  However, most of their waitstaff is unprofessional.  There was a man walking around showing off. Bent over several times to show off his butt (yes, you read that correctly) as his fellow waiters laughed and giggled.  The same man continued with some type of dance. Their waiters cursed a lot and acted like they were in a night club.

Simply a horrific place.  I'm through.
1 - Catz B.: This was my third time to this location and we will not be going back!! This location is their most watered-down location! Overall BusBoys used to be the bomb, ESP the one on U street! So when they moved in closer to our home we were elated, only to find out that the food quality was not the same!! All cooks are not created EQUAL!!!  Last weekend we went to dinner on a Sunday night it was approximately 4-5 pm and we were told by a not so friendly or accommodating waitress that they could not sit us outside due to "transitioning to dinner" time!! I think that's crazy!! Who in the world misses out on clients bc they are getting tables ready for dinner servings?? We left and choose to give our business to the new Thai restaurant across the street!! And the last time we were there one month before  we were given cold coffee, which we had to send back 4 x to get a hot pot! The desert was 1/2 the size as a regular cake slice, especially the Vegan ones! And my burger was darn right cold and dried out! As far as this  Hyattsville location is concerned, I'm done with it!!
5 - Nichole B.: I came here for lunch with my  DMV ladies. I was amazed at how spacious this location was with its quirky mismatch furniture and eclectic artwork. The food was by far very good and this location is perfect for just a casual brunch or lunch. I heard the other locations are not as spacious, so i recommend if you are dining with a large party, the Hyattsville location would be your best bet because they have accommodations for large parties. The dishes was stellar to my tastes. I ordered the tilapia  marinated with Moroccan charmoula and pan-seared; served with mixed vegetables (broccolini, red pepper, carrots and fingerling potatoes) and a roasted tomato vinaigrette. Everything was prepared to perfection, the fish had great flavor, the veggies were crisp. And the portions were generous to my standards. I also ordered the apple pie for dessert. That was just right for me, the pie was served as a mini pie which is perfect for folks that just want a taste and not a whole slice of pie and it is also served on a plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  The apples were baked just right, the crust was flaky and moist. Just very decadent.  I was very pleased with my visit to this location and probally will only make the trip to this location. It is a hump for me considering I reside in Baltimore, but it is most def worth the trip.
4 - Tawny E.: This review will be a rather quick one because I was there with a large group for a birthday party and there were so many entrees ordered. I did not hear one bad comment from anyone else. I ordered the shrimp with Cajun sauce and grits from the waiter's recommendation and all I can say is delicious. I was SATISFIED. I had the sweet potato fries with sour cream for my appetizer. Not a fan of the sour cream but the fries were outstanding. Two Thumbs Way Up. This restaurant is far larger then its DC counterparts and offers wonderful outside seating.
3 - Flaneuse D.: Why only three stars?  Because it's LOUD, and if I'm shelling out for a meal and drinks I prefer to be able to hear my dining companions.  If you're not into the see-and-be-Scene, best to come off-peak hours.
4 - Chinita A.: Dare I say I like this location better than the one on 14th st?! 

YES

I was pleasantly surprised when I met up with friends recently for dinner. The atmosphere here reflected the community leaving me with a warm, friendly first impression. For food, I went outside my box and ordered the crab cake sandwich. My huge sandwich went well with their yummy sweet potato fries. I even liked the old bay tartar sauce it came with and I don't even like tartar sauce!

No the Hyattsville spot isn't surrounded by a busy nightlife like in DC so the "Let's go somewhere else" option is a bit delayed due to travel. Bonus is easy free parking which always gets an extra star in my book. Next time I want to try their brunch.
4 - Shannon A.: Busboys and Poets is a trendy restaurant with a great atmosphere.  They have lots of various seating options, they even have couches with coffee tables as well as outdoor dining.  Its a very laid back place with a hipster type feel (I can't even explain what that means). But It seems to fit in perfectly in the Arts district vibe.

We went there for brunch and I had the Eggs Benedict.  It was quite good, but it was also the first time I had ever eaten that particular dish, so I have no basis for comparison.  The meal came with hash browns which were also good.

So if you are looking for a hip place to take your friends in the Hyattsville area, Busboys and Poets is the place to go.
4 - Nae C.: In the DC area, Busboys and Poets has quickly become a popular spot for food, drinks and cultural events.  Since the first location opened back in 2005 on the historic U Street Corridor, Busboys is known for its artsy, eclectic feel and chill atmosphere. Most recently introduced is the Hyattsville, MD location - just outside of DC. A frequent patron of the two DC spots, I recently ventured to check out the Prince George's County locale.

An anchor in the newly developed Arts District surrounded by several new businesses, parking at the Hyattsville location can be a bit of a headache but considering the parking was free and it was a Friday night, I was cool. The restaurant was extremely busy, yet the atmosphere was delightfully lively. Service was equally delightful as well as quick and informative but the star, of course, was the food.

Admittedly I was a server's headache, creating my own menu combinations. To drink, I had the franchise's signature DC Tap Water (Tanqueray gin, Absolut vodka, dark rum, Hpnotiq liqueur, apple juice & triple sec), that I've had several times and never gets old. For my entrée, I ordered the crab and shrimp fritters appetizer with a side of crab grits and a side of asparagus. The fritters were a delicious light and fluffy mix of risotto, crab and shrimp balls served with a creamy lobster sauce.The asparagus was just the way I like, lightly grilled and seasoned. The crab grits were melt in your mouth yum! Alas I was convinced by my fellow diners to partake in dessert as well. I chose the mini apple pie and it was delish!

I was very impressed by my first visit to Busboys and Poets Hyattsville and am looking forward to attending some upcoming events and becoming a regular patron.
5 - Mike G.: I'm all for going to BusBoys and Poets. This is hands down, my favorite restaurant. Whether you go for food or enjoy the live music, you will leave with a smile. 

The atmosphere-- The ambiance of this location is neo-soul/intimate/casual. BusBoys takes on so many facades and this is one it's a great place to go. I would STRONGLY recommend this place for a first, second, third, etc date. When they do the open-mic night or have  a live band playing, it adds to the enjoyment.

The Food-- You cannot go wrong with any meal. I would encourage you to get the meatloaf, the salmon, or the pan fried chicken. Those are my usuals but there is not a single meal that will disappoint you. And for dessert, try the banana bread coconut pudding. AMAZING!! My mouth is watering right now thinking about it. 

This or any other BusBoys is the place you should spend your friday or saturday night. Trust me. You will thank me later. If you have any questions about this place, send me a message and I will steer you in the right direction....

I almost forgot, THE BREAKFAST IS AMAZING
4 - Joshua B.: Busboy and Poets is great DC institution! I have been U St and Hyattsville location, the latter I frequent. I love their Shrimp and Grits and find it hard to order something else. The first time I came with a friend and ordered a burger which was also good, served with sweet potato fries that were excellent. I like the decor and ambiance. It seems like it belongs to the neighborhood. Sometimes I stop in to grab a beer. Busboys actually has a much better selection than Franklin's down the street. The Mystery beer is almost always worth getting.

The Shrimp and Grits can do no wrong! I often will just grab it to go. The cajun cream sauces is good, and I enjoy the diced diced vegetables that come with it. It's a generous portion, unlike some other places in the city. I have taken several out of town visitors and they all loved their dishes as well. 

Even their children's menu is great. Not your typical chicken tenders or burgers. The kids have quality choices like grilled chicken breast served with green beans, cheese quesadilla, or penne pasta. 

The service there has always been great. The staff has always been friendly, quirky, and attentive. Busboy and Poets has a winning formula that hasn't been cheapened by expansion.
5 - Cherish N.: Seriously, I love this place. This location looks a little...what's the word? Well let's just say its not fancy but I find it quite cozy. But who cares what it looks like because the food is delicious. Please order the vegan nachos. I went with a group of avid meat eaters and they devoured it. That's really a meal in itself; but, the vegan calzone, peanut butter and banana panini (ask for extra agave on the side) and vegan tuna salad sandwich are all delicious.

My only complaint is they changed their vegan brownie and no longer include that chocolatey stuff on the top. I was slightly horrified when my dessert came and it was dry as the Sahara and looking lonely without its chocolatey mate. But hey if you've never been there...you can't miss what you can't measure I suppose. Be sure to ask where the chocolate topping is anyways though and give them a dramatic horrified face when they tell you they no longer put it on there. You may want to cry a little. Anything to get them to get them to use it again.

Be advised that they are salty about splitting checks for large groups and they charge if you bring in birthday cakes or cupcakes smh. If I could only dock half s star I would. I'm not petty enough to remove a whole star for that.
3 - Sowmya S.: I have eaten at this restaurant multiple times and I love it for its atmosphere, reasonable prices and the options available to vegetarians. I am a vegetarian and it sometimes gets very difficult for me to find something delicious to eat besides a salad. 

Recently I ate brunch at BB&P and I fell in love with their eggs Benedict (Florentine i.e their veggie eggs Benedict). The eggs were cooked perfectly. The yolk oozed out when I cut through them. Their French toast is delicious! 

Whenever I have been here for dinner I make sure I get the coconut tofu bites. They are light and fluffy and are scrumptious. Their pita and hummus is delicious too. 

The only problem may be finding a table that it not directly under a vent. It gets too cold !! But the staff is really understanding and usually will seat you at another table but that just increases your chances of waiting for a table longer.

All in all a fun hangout with some good food.
4 - Michelle R.: Whoever decided to build a Busboys here was a freaking genius. This place is always busy, and brand spanking new(ish), and just cool. It's great for those of us who don't want to go into D.C. but still have someone good to go to meet up with people. 

I was introduced to this place by a roommate who liked going to their open mic nights where people read poetry. Since, I've taken everyone here from dates, friends, roommates, my mom, and I even came here with my roommate on her date (for which the bartender gave us major grief). 

The bar is really pretty-- it's this bright ruby-red Wizard of Oz-ish counter and I am like a bee to honey with it. It's sort of weird when you walk in-- the hostess stand is back against the wall to the left. The place is kind of partitioned into two sides-- the left side has the open kitchen line and tables for dining, and the right side has the bar at the very end and more comfy lounge chairs, booths, and community tables. When it's really busy they seat people in a separate room where the stage is for poetry readings, which is dark, dank, and I don't really like being back there but it works in a pinch.

The food-- it's good! Vegan, vegetarian, and healthy all around. Not overpriced. I usually have the steak and asparagus salad-- really good. I don't like their bread though-- it's dry, old, and flavorless.

Drinks-- they make a DC Tapwater drink that is military green, only murky. It looks grody, but people seem to love it.  They have cool martinis and great lattes. The bartenders aren't really that great, though, and they go through them fast. I've seen a lot of the same servers, though. 

They have a great selection of wines (which are over-priced), but during happy hour they are a better deal. In any case, it's a really cool place. I highly recommend checking it out sometime.
4 - Katrina L.: Came back here again last night on 8/6/12. Was trying to help my boyfriend not spend a fortune (such a good girlfriend I am) so I opted for the chicken pizza. The pizza was only $12.00. Items here are a little pricey, and your bill can easily top $60+ with just two entrees and two drinks. It was your standard '10 for the typical "pan pizza", but the taste was far from typical. Light, flaky crust, with warm, gooey cheese (not gooey-greasy nasty BUT gooey-good-yummy) topped with chicken breast meat, red onions and mushrooms. Tasted completely fresh and light. Though I was eating a pizza all by my lonesome, I didn't feel like a greasy piece of lard after I had finished. 

Another point to add is how the BF and I "plate watched" as other customers got their meals. We both agreed that everything coming out of the kitchen looked superb. Probably one of the only restaurants I'll actually attempt to try everything at. Though the menu is somewhat limited in comparison to other spots, the taste quality and presentation make up for it. Oh, and you can't forget the ambiance. Came here after 9 PM with my boo and the super-dim lighting was very sexy. 

Perfect for a random date-night.
5 - Lauren B.: Love it- great food and great atmosphere!
3 - Joe B.: Very happy that they located in Hyattsville. I haven't experienced any events here (and apparently they are quite frequent - open mics, poetry readings, etc....), but I've been a number of times since they opened - breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food is very good at decent prices. The service was a little rough when they first opened, but it's improving. 

One thing to note. THIS PLACE IS VERY LOUD! It's a large open room with concrete floors, glass walls, and 30 foot ceilings, so the sound just bounces around like an echo chamber. Add to that the loud music they constantly pipe in, and it becomes necessary to shout to be heard. And when the place is packed with people yelling to be heard, they turn the music up. There've been a number of times when my wife and I were debating where to eat, and passed on Busboys because of the noise.
4 - Vishaan P.: 1.) Best Vegan food in area. 2.) Some of the best vegetarian in the area 3.) Amazing non-veg food 4.) Great atmosphere; it's a coffee shop, bar, and dining area under one roof. 5). Never had a bad meal 6.) Great outdoor dining 7.) Excellent drinks 8.) Unpretentious 9.) Damn I only need 2 more.... Sofas! 10.) No conservatives...naw I'm sure they're a few...schucks!
4 - Carl J.: I've eaten lunch twice here and enjoyed both times. Outside seating is nice when the weather cooperates. I had the chicken panini. Which was good but pretty heavy. Second time was the mediteranean burger and I loved it. Especially the gyro sauce. Cappacino was good too. Staff was friendly. Lots of space. Good vibe.
3 - Arun K.: I stopped by here with a friend late in the afternoon and ordered the pesto chicken panini, and while it tasted great, the cheese on it was a little too much for my liking.  Our waitress was also quite forgetful in that we had to explicitly ask for forks, water and coke refills etc.  

What I really like about the place is the decor and ambiance.  I really wish this place was opened in 2009 when I went to school at Maryland a short 5 minute drive from here.  All the same, will stop by again if I am in town again.
4 - Joe C.: Went back for a second visit. The hummus was not as good as the first visit (but not bad, either). We ordered the catfish, flounder, and shrip & chicken chorizo pasta.  The flounder was "merely" OK but everyone *loved* the catfish and the pasta.
4 - Asa H.: Delicious food and very cool atmosphere. Staff was slow and a little off.

Busy Hands - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2791606, -83.7487899) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
4 - Sarah R.: Busy Hands is a dream store for anyone into knitting, crochet or related handicrafts. The store carries an abundance of interesting yarns, needles and books.

They also offer a selection of interesting gifts, including Russian nesting dolls, beautifully decorated jewelry boxes and other Russian folk crafts.

The shop isn't large, but they manage to put a lot in the space. It's colorful and comfortable to browse. Drop-in knitting classes are offered on Thursday evenings.
4 - ChianWen T.: This place is the place to go if you suddenly developed an interest in knitting and know not where to begin.   

The salesperson was knowledgeable and friendly.   She recommended the size of the needles as well as the type of yarn for my "Warmth" brand name scarf (of course I am the only person who needs my brand name of "Warmth").  It would have worked out well if I had the tenacity to keep at it but almost 2 years later, I am still scarf-less.  I am sorry I failed you.

They also offer classes for like $5 per class.  You can find out more details in the store.
4 - Emily J.: I've only shopped here a few times, but both times I purchased something, the owner (at least I think she was the owner!) was helpful and friendly. Their return policy is very generous--as long as the yarn is in its original condition (ball/skein), you can bring it back, no time limit. Nice! I haven't done a direct yarn-to-yarn price comparison with the other major LYS in town, but my sense is they're comparable. Busy Hands has a wall of Malabrigo, but also carries some different yarns. I was really happy to see organic yarns there over the summer, and I just got some Artful Yarns there which has been fun to try. It's a great place to shop and has the added bonus of being next to Le Dog--so take a lunch break sometime for soup and yarn!
4 - Elizabeth B.: To my great chagrin, I regularly walked by this fantastic knitting shop for more than a year without even realizing it was there.  If it wasn't for a visiting friend, I might've gone even longer relying on Joann's for my needle and yarn needs.  Oh how glad I am to have an alternative!

Busy Hands has an almost dizzying array of beautiful yarns, bamboo needles, buttons, and other knitting notions.  The staff is knowledgeable and helpful, and will almost always be hard at work on something pretty.  While it's certainly more expensive than Joann's, the prices are comparable to similar stores in other cities - and the yarns much higher quality.

If I didn't have such a giant yarn stash, I'd be here WAY more often than I am currently.  Thank you, Busy Hands, for being a wonderful LYS!
4 - Priya S.: I love this store!!Rebecca is so helpful and knowledgeable,as is her staff!!The only downside is that when I come here my budget goes haywire!!From the parking lot you can walk to the store,and the parking is ample.They also special order stuff like needlepoint kits  and yarn.

Butler Library - Manhattan, NY (40.805919, -73.9629336) (Morningside Heights)
5 - Steven S.: Butler Library, the main library of Columbia University, is a grand, old mausoleum of a building where I do most of my studying. The impressive edifice, featured in Ghostbusters, is etched with the names of famous white, male writers and scientists, the Greeks and Romans most prominent among them. This always makes for a dramatic view when approaching the building. You need a Columbia ID to get in or an ID from an affiliated institution, which grants you access on a renewable basis. You can also buy access, since this is a private, Ivy League institution where prestige is very much for sale.

In the summer, Butler is a quiet respite from the crowds and heat of Manhattan, though I find they crank the a/c up way too much. Likewise for the winter heating. During the school year, the study rooms are often crowded, so arrive early to guarantee yourself a spot (especially if you want power for your laptop, as outlets are limited). I prefer the Moral & Political Theory Reading Room on the fifth floor, but the fourth floor periodicals room, Milstein Library reading rooms, and the cool reference room mezzanine levels (more private) are all part of my rotation. I have to move around, because I would otherwise go insane in here (see also the website Bored at Butler).

The staff at Butler is unwaveringly helpful, and the library offers a number of useful services. A particularly useful service is the Electronic Text Service on the third floor, where you can, for example, scan things to PDF for personal use. On the sixth floor is an excellent rare books department. There is wireless Internet throughout the library, though you may have trouble getting a signal in some places (and not at all in the stacks, which can come in handy when you need to stop updating your Facebook status and actually work). There are public computers on the third floor and scattered elsewhere around the library.

Butler has a social scene that I can't comment on, because I'm not a Columbia student and don't participate in it, but I have observed certain undergraduate gentlemen attempting to practice the arts of seduction on the carbon copy sorority blonds that roam the library in bevies. Around final exam time, the social scene becomes almost impossible to bear, with desperate students staying in the 24-hour rooms all night--taking up valuable real estate--constantly chatting or texting, and leaving contraband foodstuffs all over the place, much to the delight, no doubt, of the invisible rodent population and much to the consternation of the library officials tasked with maintaining in as pristine a condition as possible the wealth of knowledge slowly rotting away in the stacks. Which all means, you can easily sneak food and beverages inside, since Ivy Leaguers do as they like, despite policies forbidding it. Actually, the anti-food policy might have less to do with protecting the books and more with protecting the monopoly enjoyed by the Blue Java Café on the second (ground) floor, which sells quasi-drinkable coffee for slightly more than the Blue Java branch located in the adjacent Alfred Lerner Hall. If you buy their branded flask, you receive a tiny discount. Since the guards could apparently give a s--t about anything, I usually bring Cliff Bars, trail mix, and my own red eyes from home. Nobody searches your bags on your way in or out, unlike those annoying guards at Firestone and Widener.

So, all in all, Butler is the best library in Manhattan, far and away the best place for an academic to check email and write Yelp reviews while avoiding the real work its comprehensive collections could do much to facilitate and certainly way better than the NYPL and Bobst at NYU.
5 - Dimitrios D.: It's the main library of Columbia University.  It's got a gorgeous facade and the inside looks pretty bangin', too!
5 - Alex F.: It's beautiful.  It's huge.  And if you get tired of studying, you can switch to a different floor, find a different reading room and feel like you're in a completely different library.  I don't know about anyone else, but I really need that type of change in scenery.

Butter Day Spa - Providence, RI (41.8323843, -71.4003082) (College Hill)
5 - Kelly F.: The building itself is a bit confusing to find. If I didn't have my gps I would have never figured it out (maybe other people could- I tend to get lost a lot a bit).  It is a big yellow victorian house on Hope Street, no number on the house, no sign, nada. The mailbox said "The Frenier Family" or something like that, and listed other business names above it. As soon as you walk in there is a sign to the left that says Butter and the reception area. The place itself is beautiful, with hard wood floors, and vintage furniture. Reception is friendly. I explained that I was a bit confused because there was no sign etc. She explained that they are working on it, gave me a form to fill out and said that my therapist would be with me shortly. My therapist greeted me and lead me to a large room with two massage tables side by side. The atmosphere is amazing, lots of candles, calming music and the room was the perfect temperature. She did a quick consultation upon reviewing my chart and let me pick whichever bed I chose. The massage was amazing, she used just the right amount of pressure and worked out all my problem areas. Alicia has been a massage therapist for over 10 years. She was very professional and down to earth.  FYI- apparently she is a jack of all trades; she is an asthetician, nail tech and massage therapist. I will definately be back to see her for a massage and maybe a few more services.
4 - Myechia J.: Beautiful spa, very convenient location. My friend and I went for a girls night out massage. We were greeted with a glass champagne. Nice touch.  The massages were great, very relaxing. They have awesome deals if you go often- be sure to inquire. Will be going back for sure.

Butterfly Nail Studio - Princeton, NJ (40.3042192, -74.6769622) ()
5 - Ali C.: I was looking for a good nail salon near Princeton Jct area, so I decided to stop by this place as driving by. They have very good service, and very detailed when it comes to pedicure! I totally enjoy my pedi session! The store is clean and well decorated! I would definitely come again!
5 - Jenn M.: Have been going to Butterfly off and on for about 5 months (off only when I don't have time for nails on the weekend).  Prices are in line with other salons in the area, with no "extra" because it's got a Princeton address.  I've only been on the weekend, when services aren't usually discounted.  Might be cheaper on a weekday.  With 6 - 8 manicure stations and 6 pedicure chairs, usually no more than 15 minute wait for service.

Pedicures are good, with a 10 minute foot/leg massage.  Got a CND Shellac mani last visit and it still looks good 9 days later ... a record for me since I usually have chips and edge wear before a week goes by.  A friend has had tips done here a couple of times, and they always look wonderful and quite natural.
5 - Pat M.: Just made my first visit here, based on the reviews. Extremely pleased! First off, it's extremely clean, well-furnished, a soothing environment. Big baby grand in the front, classical music playing throughout, hardwoods, nice. (I have been to a number of salons in the area, and they are all pretty down at the heels.) I didn't have to wait at all, despite showing up at lunch during the week. $31 got me a relaxing pedicure in a new massage chair, with a great foot/leg message that far exceeded the norm. I will definitely go back, and I will be recommending it to my colleagues at work.
4 - A W.: Liked my pedi, but kind of pricey. They do give a nice long massage though, and the ladies are very nice.
5 - Rebecca P.: Clean, efficient and friendly nail salon. A basic manicure sets you back $12 (not bad at all) and has surprisingly good lasting power compared to those I've gotten at other salons.
4 - Mary R.: This is a very clean salon.  Rather upsacle place in Princeton.  They are very professional.  The only downside is if you get a pedicure and have a cracked toe nail, the girls that do pedicures can't fix it.  I've been to other places where they put a gel or wrap on it to repair it.  However I would still recommend.  They are rather expensive but you would expect that for Princeton.
1 - Maureen D.: I went to this nail salon the other day for a relaxing pedicure and some time to myself.  I am currently 7 1/2 months pregnant so a pedicure sounded heavenly!  The salon only had about 3 customers in it so the atmosphere was perfect.  I wish I could say the same about the service.  The technician asked if I wanted my nails cut down through another technician because she could not communicate with me due to a language barrier which I have no problem with.  She did not seem to know how to trim them so the other technician came over and did it herself.  The first technician then proceeded to file my nails which was when I actually asked if she had a manicuring license because she did not know what she was doing at all.  To make a long story short she finished a mediocre pedicure and when I paid I only tipped 10% which I thought was appropriate for the service I received.  Let me also say that I work in an upscale salon and spa in pa so I know a) what a good pedicure is b) appropriate tipping etiquette and c) i usually tip 20%+ on any service.  After I paid while I was sitting thinking my toes were drying but the technician didn't turn the fan on I was informed by an employee that I did not tip enough!!!  I was shocked at this unprofessionalism and explained that I tipped based on the service I felt I received.  Instead of pleasing the customer the woman insisted I did not tip enough!  So much for a relaxing pedicure..  Needless to say I would not recommend this nail salon to anyone nor will I be returning!
5 - Lauren B.: THE BEST place to get a pedicure in the area.  You'll be there for a while, but it's because the girls give fantastic leg massages.  I've brought my mom (who lives by the shore) and my sister (who lives in DC) there and both said it was the best pedicure they've had!  It's also super clean in there at all times, which I really appreciate.  

I've never had a manicure there, so can't comment.
5 - Emily P.: I completely agree with Lauren B. below!! This is really the best place to get a pedicure in Princeton. 
I walked in without an appointment and was immediately sent to Isabel, who is probably the sweetest pedicurist in the world. She took her time, did an excellent and thorough job, and gave great massages. 
Here's the selling point, though:
I have perhaps the weirdest medical condition ever - I am actually allergic to water. Technically, it's called aquagenic pruritus. Now, don't get me wrong, I shower daily and all that (and wind up dealing with an allergic reaction at least once daily) - but pedicures have always been a problem for me. Soaking my legs in water for 20+ minutes ALWAYS results in a horrible, twitchy, itch-attack that strikes right around the time that the pedicurist would like to paint my toenails. Really convenient, right? Whenever this happens, I always apologize profusely for my uncontrollable twitching, but usually I am just made fun of by all the nail technicians in a language that I can't understand. It's a horrible feeling to be in so much pain and then to be ridiculed by an entire salon's staff. In any case, I had one of my worst allergic reactions here, with Isabel. Instead of laughing at me or looking at me angrily (like all other pedicurists have done), she very sweetly listened to my explanation of my condition, told me that she was very sorry that I have to deal with that, and said - it's ok! Just relax and try to think of something else. She patiently painted my jumpy toes - perfectly. I honestly have no idea how she did it. I was stunned and so thankful for her incredibly patient and kind attitude. 
This place is a little on the expensive side for my budget, but I will be back to Isabel no matter what. She is an angel.
1 - Carole L.: This is one of the filthiest salons I've ever been to. Should have walked out when I saw how disgusting the tools were for my pedicure. Never again!
2 - Christine B.: Great attention to detail with my fill in from another place.  I just moved, however I was upset that they don't do any airbrushing.  So my normally crazy french design are a plain french with a coating on top that looks like it will be chipping tomorrow,

Buttermilk Falls State Park - Ithaca, NY (42.4181341838433, -76.5187454223633) ()
5 - Kelly B.: My favorite of the the Ithaca area waterfalls. Its full of beautifully unusual nooks and crannies as it runs like satin down the water carved rocks.
4 - Ken C.: So far the coolest falls I've seen in Ithaca. Pretty intense hike up the right side, the Gorge trail, so be prepared! 
There were a couple of nice brook trout hanging out in a hole - had my rod with me so I threw everything I had at 'em - nothin. Oh well, it was cool to be just hiking around.
Amazing scenery. Check it out.
5 - Vima G.: Butter Milk Falls was definetly one of the most memorable part about Ithaca! It was really fun going trail hiking with my sister and my little dog (be careful with little dogs) Bella absolutely Loved it. 

I Love how it has the little Hot Tubb like caved in pools all the way up top and it's just really euphoric....Not alot of people are around so you kinda will have the place to yourself, we ran across 2 hikers even on a saturday. This place is absolutely breath taking...I'm considering doing a Photo Shoot here.
5 - Angela YJ B.: Been here three times, and love it every time. 

Having stayed at La Tourelle Resort, and being able to walk from the resort through Bear Trail to the Gorge Trail, down the Buttermilk Falls, it was a great hiking for us. 

Bear trail is actually very quiet compared to the coolness & water falling sound along the Gorge Trail as you walk down the steps fo the fall. 

We used to part the car at the entrance fo the Buttermilk Falls (along Elmira Rd.), but this times we hiked alogn the trail from La Tourelle Resort ... all the way down. 

Great place to visit. .... a swim in the caved-in pool is amazing. (The entrance fee was $7 per car, until 7 pm. after which I think you can just park)

Highly recommend it !!!!!!
4 - Jim H.: Hiking has always been an important part of my life. As a troubled teen, it was church sponsored camping trips, that involved extensive hiking, that turned my troubled ass around. A good chunk of my adult relationships centered around hiking trips partly because I loved nature and partly because it's free to participate and I am cheap.

A great family outing for us, would be to go hiking and let the kids explore the outdoors, collect flora, commune with fauna and just plain tire themselves out. Maybe its the fact that this family has now broken up, that attributes to the fact that I rarely hike anymore.

So on a recent trip to the Southern Tier, when asked if we wanted to go hiking at Ithica's Buttermilk Falls, I felt excited and up to the challenge. Ithaca is a neat little half city/half country metropolis. The unwashed college crowd mingles nicely with the country folk and the surrounding area is majestic in its panoramic landscape.

 The cheap part of me cringed when we had to pay $7 for a carload, to get in, but I cant say it wasnt worth it. I was prepared with the necessary provisions ( gatorade, m&ms and pretzels) and was ready to hit the trail...until I saw it.

It was a straight wall heading up, was I really ready? My mom wasnt. Sadly, she has some hard miles on her and that, with her subborn insistence on wearing her ladybug flip flops forced her to wquit after 50 ft. Maybe it was my cocky chiding of her, which also doomed me, but I didnt make it much further, before my steps became heavy and my breathing labored. 

We neglected to take a map so I didnt know how long I would have to endure the hike. The other remaining adults my cousin and Aunt, seemed to echo my sentiments, but im certain they could have gone on longer than I could. We asked hikers coming down the mountain how far it went and their faces showed genuine concern for my well being when they said, " Im sorry, its a very very long trail"

The children in our group shot up the mountain like they were just walking around the block and were not so subtley upset, when we learned there was a shortcut loop to get back to the bottom (and that we were certainly going to take it).

What was alomst lost in this whole painful reminder of my age and health, is the beauty of Buttermilk Falls waterfalls. It would have been lost completely, if I didnt use the excuse to " stop to enjoy the view" for what it really was..." I cant go on any further!"

So we made our way back down the mountain, with disappointed children in tow ( although its amazing how their attitude can change with nothing more than a soda, purchased from a vending machine) and we reconnected  with my flip flopped mom, who was still making her way , the 50 ft down the slight slope, ready to topple into the water at any moment.

Overall, id say that Buttermilk falls is something you shouldnt miss if you are in the area. Its a beautiful trail and as long as you are up to it, makes for a great rewarding hike. I like to think I was just having a bad day, that the vacation I was on left me a little soft and that with a little workout, I can get back into hiking form. I like to think that with a little more preparation, my day wouldnt have been so difficult. I also like to think, however, that I can still play for the Flyers and that I could I could win an Oscar for being an actor/writer/director, so Ill let you know how that all works out.
4 - Rebecca Y.: Beautiful place to hike, swim, and relax. Gorgeous spot in the summer. Ithaca is Gorges.
4 - Wayne D.: The nice thing here is you can enjoy the falls sitting at the bottom and eating a giant pastrami sandwich and a bag of pork rinds, or you can enjoy a hike up to the top, cross the bridge, and come back down. Either way, there's a nice little picnic area and the soothing sound of running, falling water makes it east to relax.
5 - Sarah Z.: This park is gorgeous and breathtaking. I was relieved to see some maintenance staff fortifying the pathways so they don't erode. Glad someone cares about preserving beautiful areas like this one!

I have taken both paths on either side of the river. The one to the right as you face the falls goes up a very scenic route along the river, so you can see all the amazing geological occurrences. The river has cut into the rock bed for thousands of years, so the bottom of the stream is smooth with pits and crevices cut into it. The water is clear and shallow enough so you can see the rock bed below. On sunny days the forest gets lit up and the water glitters. It sounds cheesy but it's really breathtaking when you experience it! The only drawback about this path is that you have to climb a very long and steep path at the beginning to get passed the top of the falls and onto everything else the park has to offer. Waterfalls everywhere! 

The path to the left as you face the falls is definitely not as scenic. It winds farther away from the river a little ways into the woods, and eventually joins with the other path by way of a foot bridge that crosses the river. If you continue far enough you'll reach a small highway which you can cross to find some other nature area with a lake and interesting rock formation.

In addition to all of the park's natural beauty, and the people who care for it, you can also get married at Buttermilk Falls! How cute is that!
4 - Canny F.: WOW. The hike is very steep. Great work out for your calves! It's gorgeous and relaxing. 

*Don't carry anything heavy besides water!
4 - Sophia D.: Definitely nicer than your average park!  While I was in Ithaca for a friends wedding I decided to check it out and it was a great hike!  It was not as grand as it looked in the pictures, but it was definitely pretty.  The hike was shorter than expected as well.  but enjoyable with some nice views, especially around the rim on the falls.
5 - K M.: My husband and I hiked the Lake trail, Bear Trail (twice), Rim Trail, and Gorge Trail. Though the mileage is short, the trails by the falls (Gorge and Rim) are very steep. As fairly new hikers, we were exhausted but gratified by the end. 

Gorge Trail and Rim Trail are both steep, but Gorge has large steps while Rim is a steady incline. Inexperienced hikers or those with bad knees might find it easier to plod up and down Rim Trail  since there are no steps to negotiate.
5 - Herschel S.: You should definitely check out the gorges when you stop by Ithaca. Buttermilk Falls State Park is really close to Cornell University (about 10 minutes away). 

The hike is steep so make sure to bring comfortable shoes. The view along the hike is very scenic though (Gorge trail). You wouldn't mind stopping every so often because each stop you make offers you a different view of the gorges. It is really beautiful here.

The rim trail is also nice.

Some tips: Wear waterproof shoes, as it helps when you want to walk by the shallow part of the river (?).

Butternut Squash - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9122092, -79.0581211) ()
5 - Judy M.: A one of a kind in the triangle.  Great vegetarian and vegan options.  Comfortable, clean dining.  I need to go back and try out more of their options.  Friendly and accommodating.
1 - cassie a.: A very inconsistent experience. Sometimes very good, sometimes probematical. The last time I was here for brunch, every thing was very very nice --  we were really enjoying the meail -- until they served HOCKEY PUCKS instead of biscuits. WTF?

The chef didn't know the biscuits were hard as rocks? Why did they even serve them? Why not send the waiter out with the message: "i'm sorry, we're out of biscuits". No just serve your customers HOCKEY PUCKS and hope they don't notice!  What is wrong with the owners? Are they TRYING TO FAIL?

I even came back one more time with guests for the brunch, in the hope that the hockey puck biscuits were an anomaly, and the place is locked! Apparently, they "discontinued" brunch.

This is the oddest excuse for a restaurant...
3 - Oliver C.: First off let me say I'm psyched to have another all-vegetarian restaurant in the area since there are so few. So props for that Butternut Squash.

I'm going to go with a more middle of the road review of Butternut Squash compared to some others here. The food was decent and the decor was nice. But there's really nothing special about it. I could've had any of the brunch items at Elmo's.

I do think the point someone else made about their food not being very inventive vegetarian-wise is pretty on point. But at the end of the day the food was good..if the service was a little too slow. The coffee was great though. And many of their menu items can be vegan also.
4 - Katherine M.: On the one hand, the service was excellent and it's a great place inside. 

On the other hand, I ordered the butternut squash salad and while there was nothing wrong with it, it was sort of bland -- I could have put together the same thing after a stop at the grocery store. For the price, I'd rather go a few blocks down into Carrboro to the Spotted Dog.

I'll probably be back, though; the rest of the menu looked amazing. Maybe I just misordered.
3 - Ruby S.: I've been here 2 or 3 times and always come away disappointed. The food is fine, but nothing special, and the portions are small for the price.  I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years, but for a nice meal I'd much rather have the veg options at other restaurants like Margaret's Cantina, Lime & Basil (across the street), or Panzanella.

On the other hand, this place is still relatively new, so hopefully these are just kinks that will get worked out.
2 - Dot G.: Same for me sadly.  Nice place, cool owner, english accent, but food lacking taste.  Soup came room temperature, really , it was supposed to be hot.  Tea not quite right, salad very very small.   We want to go back but feel after ready other reviews it will leave me lacking.  But great place to talk with a glass of wine, Is that enough?
3 - Nicole M.: I was stoked  to hear that a new vegetarian restaurant was opening in the Chapel Hill area, and was even more pleased when I learned  that it is owned by a mother and daughter team.  I've visited four times so far, twice for brunch and once each for  lunch and dinner.  
The restaurant is on Franklin Street in the back of University Square, a few steps away from Franklin Street Yoga Center.  There's usually ample parking available, which is a major benefit to a downtown Chapel Hill business.  The decor is simple, elegant, and clean.  The menu is not well worded, so ask questions (if you can find your server).  
Brunch is their best meal.  The Veggie Brunch Plate is a fantastic variety of brunchy things: cheese grits, biscuits with the best veggie gravy I've had so far, yummy tempeh bacon, sweet and white potato hash browns, and scrambled or fried eggs.  They serve an Americano rather than drip coffee, which is great, but there are no free refills and this was not mentioned to me when I ordered another.  Although simple and rather small, the French toast is good too.  On my first brunch visit, one of the owners waited on us because the server was late for work.  She was friendly and attentive, but once the harried server arrived, he took over and did a barely adequate job.    
On my second visit, we arrived late Saturday afternoon for brunch but found out that it's only served on Sundays.  We decided to stay for lunch.  I had a tasty vegan club sandwich made from pressed tofu sliced thinly, tempeh bacon, and veggies.  The sweet potato fries were delicious, neither too oily or salty.  Unfortunately, we were served again by the same disinterested waiter as on our previous visit.
Last week, I took a date there for dinner.  The flash-fried goat cheese appetizer served with a tangy berry coulis is a winner.  The Jacket Potato entree was excellent, while the butternut squash risotto was good, but not stellar.  Alas, we were served by the same awful waiter.  His inattention to his guests' needs (water refills, please?), laissez-faire attitude,  and lack of knowledge (he was not acquainted with the idea of still water--as in not sparkling).  
Butternut Squash could earn an additional star from me just by hiring competent waitstaff.  Since it's a new restaurant and still finding it's culinary way, I imagine the food, while already good, will improve.  I'm staying away for a while, though, in hopes that those changes happen.
3 - Hoa N.: I was very excited to come to this small "restaurant".  But the expectation was soon led to disappointment.
The place is nicely decorated.  The food was... hum average.  The portion is very small for the price that you have to pay. The menu was interesting but I would not say exceptional.
The restaurant is small, located in the back University Square.  Not easy to find but it's not hard either.
Overall, I wouldn't come back here because of the price, the portion, and the food...
4 - Felecia B.: Coming from a rural area where being vegetarian means you just eat salad finding a restaurant that caters to the vegetarian/vegan alone was like Mecca to me.  So enthralled was I that such a place existed that I ordered two entrees and did pretty well on both of them.

It was a little hard to find being on the other side of the shopping center and it was dark when we walked down Franklin but we finally saw the sign and other diners in the windows.  The setting is pretty utilitarian, not sparse, but a basic restaurant set up.  They did have booths which I adore so I was glad that we got one of those.  

We were seated by a very pleasant lady-perhaps the owner and our waiter was prompt with a tea selection and my water.  He went over the specials and gave us some time to peruse the menus.  My husband looked around and said, I am just about the only male in this joint.  Except for that guy on a date over there who probably just here to score points.  

I had two entrees, neither which I find on the menu online at the moment.  One was a veggie sandwich with a hummus spread.  It was pretty good though could have used a little more flavor so I dipped it in my salad dressing.  The other entree was a meal sized salad with squash that was so hearty and very complex in all the textures and flavors.  Each bite was something new and I ate most of that as well.

We decided to skip dessert there because in general, health food restaurants don't exactly wow me in the sugar and fat area.  If I am going to eat dessert I want to go all out.

The service was prompt, friendly and courteous.  The bathroom was clean, one person user a time.  Price was very reasonable and the length of the dining experience was just right.

In short, I would recommend for veggies who want more than a few odd dishes to choose from. The only suggestion I would have is to add in a sauce or condiment for the sandwich to break up the chickpea flavor but otherwise everything was very enjoyable.
2 - K C.: I was so excited to try Butternut Squash. As another reviewer mentioned, it's really nice to be able to eat out and not have to worry about the waiter not really knowing what vegetarian means, or accidentally finding a piece of hamburger in your pasta. I've tried it twice now and have been disappointed both times. The first time I went, I tried the tempeh hot wings, which were good, but the rest of what I ordered was so-so.

When I went the other day, I had the pasta special. The waitress told me there were no onions in the dish, which I then had to pick out once the dish came out with onions in it. It was also one of the spiciest dishes I've ever had (I was warned that it was a little spicy). I could barely eat it. I asked for a piece of bread, which I found out when I got my check that they charged me 50 cents for. I also got a ho-hum salad to start, but it came with a very small cup of dressing. I asked for extra dressing, only to find out when I got the check that they charged me 50 cents for the extra dressing. Not a very good marketing strategy on their part... I might have considered trying the restaurant again, since I want to support a vegetarian restaurant, but I'm not going to go back to a place that charged me 50 cents for enough dressing to cover my lettuce. Especially since the portions were already reasonably small and the dishes were overpriced. It's too bad.
3 - Jennifer S.: I think I like the idea of Butternut Squash better than anything.   The food is pretty good though nothing exceptional.  Oftentimes I think I can make better at home.  I had the pizza special tonight.  The waiter told me it had marinara sauce but when I got the pizza it was white with just cheese and toppings.  The tables for two are very close together; my friend and I moved tables so it didn't feel like we were having a conversation with the people next to us.  The chai latte was actually coffee, they had pretty much no desserts available and they have no wine menu.   There was only one server there tonight; he worked hard and tried to do a good job but forgot many details.   I concur with the other reviewers that the place is kind of expensive and just not quite top notch but still not too shabby and I'm glad it is around.  However, if I'm going to spend upwards of $50 for dinner for two I'll cook at home and have some wine with the meal.
1 - Teresa P.: As a long time veggie, I really want to love this restaurant, and have even eaten here after once ordering the mushroom pasta special and having it come out with no mushrooms and then just being brought a plate of not-so-well cooked mushrooms to throw on top (and still being charged $13). However, after my last experience I will never eat here again unless I have on good authority that they have changed. 

On my last visit, I ordered a dish that had a vegan option, which I requested. The waiter seemed to not know if it could be made vegan, but I pointed out that the menu said that it could be and we had a conversation about it. 

When my dish came out there was a glob of white stuff on top. I pointed directly to it and asked if it was vegan. His reply was, "I noted that you wanted this vegan." I should have taken this as a hint that the waiter had no clue what was on my plate. However, I decided to trust him. A couple of bites into the dish, and I realize that the strange taste was due the goat CHEESE that was in my supposed VEGAN dish.

I tried to flag down the waiter, and even made eye contact, but he avoided me. I actually wound up grabbing the attention of the chef, who came over, confirmed it had goat cheese on it, and took it away. She did prepare me a new dish, but the damage was done. 

This is not the kind of mistake a restaurant that advertises itself as vegetarian and vegan should be making. Its a shame.
1 - Jenni C.: How disappointing. I'm not the kind of girl who complains about restaurants, usually. I always over-tip, always give the benefit of the doubt. I am vegan, and I'm a pretty good cook thanks to all of the awesome cookbooks and food blogs out there. I tend to go to restaurants where I know there's good vegan food (Remedy in Raleigh, Weaver Street, Med Deli, hole-in-the-wall Thai and Indian places). I don't like going to restaurants where I know I'm not going to have a lot of options, because I don't like complaining or feeling cranky with a place because they aren't vegan friendly. So I was really excited to hear about a local vegan-friendly sit-down restaurant, but... the portions are so tiny, and not flavorful at all. The place itself is pretty cute... could use some new artwork on the wall, and maybe get a light up near the front door. But the food left me wanting to go home, whip something up, and bring it back to the restaurant, asking if I could get a job replacing their menu. Vegan food is not hard to make flavorful and filling.

The boyfriend and I got the hummus and pita bread to share, to start. We were brought what looked like half of a stale piece of whole wheat pita, cut into about 15 pieces about the size of grapes. I'd never had hummus that lacked flavor before... hummus is hard to mess up. It tasted like water, pine nuts, garbanzo beans, and vaguely like garlic. In that order. I would be surprised if there was lemon juice or tahini or ... really anything else in there.

Entrees came out awhile later. I got the vegan club, which made me feel like I was being punk'd. The roll is a little larger than a post-it note pad. I had one slice of baked tofu, which was sliced thin and about the size of two sticks of gum lying next to each other. I had one piece of tempeh bacon, which was smaller than the tofu. Then a huge piece of tomato (which made up the bulk of the sandwich), some lettuce, and onion. The dijon mustard looked like it was French's Yellow. The only redeeming part of the sandwich was the sweet potato French fries, which were not too shabby. The boyfriend got the seitan chilli on a bed of rice, which... was the reason we went to Whole Foods to get dinner after leaving the restaurant. The seitan chilli itself was all right... nothing to write home about, and chopped really tiny. The portion was so super small. I get it. Fancy pants restaurants have tiny portions. I get what you're going for. But fancy pants restaurants with tiny portions are supposed to have good food, packed with flavor. The seitan chilli was smaller than a tiny vegan person's fist and was pretty meh. It was placed on top of watery, flavor-less rice. Imagine someone put on minute rice, didn't wait for it to be all the way cooked, and then heated up a can of chilli... and poured about a third of the can on top of the two cups of minute rice. Then charged $9 for it.

I have never eaten at a restaurant where I wanted to go home and re-write their menu before. Butternut Squash! If you are reading this, give me a shout. I can show you some cookbooks and show you that vegan food doesn't have to taste like water and pine nuts. You can even make healthy, raw or vegan food that tastes good and fills you up. I know you believe this, because... you opened a restaurant. I want you to do well... I want there to be a nice, sit-down vegan-friendly restaurant in Chapel Hill. Please get it together.
5 - Johnny B.: Located on the back of University Square shopping center, Butternut Squash is a great little secret. I recommend it as a spot for a solo lunch or with friends anytime, but after sunset, it is transformed into a wonderful, low-key spot for a romantic date. The music and dimmed lights really set the mood.

My fave dish is the 3 cheese sandwich. Don't let the name fool you - the cheese is probably the least noticeable part of this sandwich. It only serves as a compliment to the flavor medley created by the avocado, onion, and tomato trifecta, which is put over the top by the incredible flavor of the ciabatta bread.  Anyone I've recommended this to has not come away disappointed.  The caesar salad, the grilled hearts of romaine salad, and the pizza are all dishes I love as well. You will not go wrong if you get either the bowl of fruit as your side, or the wonderful sweet potato fries. I personally get them both and they are very generous portions.

For dessert, the torte is a special indulgence. Definitely the best desert I've ever had and it is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.

I really hope these guys stick around for a long time in Chapel Hill. I know my stomach will be happy if they do!
2 - taiyyaba q.: very meh. i had an oily and very, very underseasoned butternut squash pasta.  other people in my party enjoyed their meal, so that's why the two stars.  not worth the price, at any rate.
5 - David F.: This was a very nice vegetarian/vegan restaurant that we visited while we were in Chapel Hill. 

The first thing that we did is to go next door and buy a bottle of champagne which we brought with us. 

The hostess was extremely friendly and courteous to us and let us know about the specials that were available. 

My Dad asked whether she is British and she said that she was. She said that she gets many guesses for her country -- some people think that she is from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, or even France. 

But she could hardly imagine that she had a "sexy French accent."   

I asked her whether she owned the restaurant and she said that she was a part-owner. 

I later learned that her daughter also worked in the restaurant. 

She asked about our stay, and we were all very jolly and merry. 

We let her know that my parents are from Virginia, my brother is from Florida, and I am from the Raleigh area. 

She said that I must be the smart one on account of bringing them all to me instead of me having to go to them. 

She said, "well, I guess I just call you the smiley family." 

She said that once she went for an interview and she ended up getting the job. They later said that part of the reason they decided to hire her is that she was smiling all the time -- but she said that it was really just that she was very nervous. 

I ordered the butternut squash soup, and the vegan club while my Mom and Dad both ordered the spaghetti and my brother ordered a salad.

I enjoyed the soup a great deal, and also the sandwich. 

My brother had the Caesar salad, and although it was basically fine he felt that it didn't have certain ingredients.  

It said that it would come with pine nuts and it actually came with peanuts. 

He comments that the salad did not come with croutons. 

The dressing was not typical, and seemingly it was only mayonnaise with parmesan cheese. 

My Mom enjoyed the spaghetti very much, and the hostess was accommodating in removing the onions from the dish. My Mom does not eat onions. 

My Mom says that my Dad said that enjoyed the spaghetti also. 

Later my Mom, Dad, and brother all shared a vegan chocolate cake, and I had a vegan ice cream.  

My Mom said that the vegan chocolate cake was very good although a little dry. 

And my brother said that it was a little dry. 

I enjoyed the vegan vanilla ice cream, and thought it was excellent. 

My Dad is asleep and so he cannot comment on the chocolate cake that he had. 

We enjoyed going there a lot, and were surprised that there were fewer people in the restaurant. 

The decor is very tasteful and well ordered. 

Soft classical music is played under romantic lighting. 

It could be perfect for a romantic date or also as a place for a group of students to go to for a nice meal and lively intellectual conversation.  

(for this review each person made a rating and we took the average and rounded up)
3 - Liwei Y.: The food here is not bad...i just wish they had more things on their menu. I have also never seen butternut squash on their menu even though they are called butternut squash. I initially wanted to try this place because I love butternut squash. Avoid the chocolate cake...I wanted to see if it was good since it's hard to make a vegetarian cake, but it's not good. It tastes like it's made from powder...and it probably is made from powder.
5 - Heather S.: I'm not sure why so many reviews mention bland food. I had the black bean hemp nut burger with sweet potato fries and it was absolutely delicious. Just a little spicy and very flavorful. I can't remember what my friend got but she enjoyed hers quite a bit too and we shared dessert which was really delicious. I definitely want to go again although it's a bit pricey.
2 - Palak T.: I often find that when restaurants attempt too many different types of cuisines, they dont seem to get any of them just right. BNS has stir fry, risottos, veggie burgers, pasta and pizza.  I tried the black bean burger and my friend's risotto and didn't love either.  That being said, the service was excellent and its a nice space, with convenient parking.
2 - Sophia G.: Oh, Butternut Squash. If you wanted to be a bad-ass vegetarian/vegan restaurant, I know you could do it. But you need to seriously revamp the menu and the vibe. Don't play it so safe, and stop trying to balance between fine-dining and healthy, because you just end up skimping on ingredients in your attempts to be elegant. 

I would say there are a few good dishes on the menu, but only based on my dining partner's meals. The thing is, nothing is very unique; you could find similar items across various other Triangle restaurants. Sweet potato fries, hummus, veggie burger..... yawn. May as well go to Tyler's. 

One time I got the "tapas" plate, which featured olives from a can, some tortilla chips, carrot and celery sticks, the flash-fried goat cheese, and salsa and guacamole. The majority of these things are not tapas, and it was frustrating to pay $9 for something that was so basic. Carrot sticks?? A vegetarian tapas plate could be so innovative and tasty, but this fel

Needs some punk-rock wait staff and more confidence.
5 - Amanda S.: I'm not sure why I was the only person in the restaurant for lunch but am glad I found it.  Hard to find since it is on the back side of the shopping center but worth looking for.  I got the lunch special which was a pasta dish with roasted vegetables.  The portion was much more than I could eat for lunch or dinner.  It was wonderful.  The waitress was really nice and we chatted for awhile since I was the only person eating early.  She was very knowledgeable of vegetarian food having grown up in Europe as a vegetarian.  I will definitely go again next time I am visiting Chapel Hill.
4 - K R.: I think the owners probably read these reviews because they seem to have responded to the criticisms below by making changes. I ate here for the first time yesterday and our portions were huge and the food was flavorful. It's not trying to be Lantern or Elaine's; rather the point seems to be to provide a nice variety of healthy, flavorful options in a simple restaurant setting. I've worked in a lot of local restaurants and sometimes your vegetarian option there is vegetarian in name only. Here you can be positive your food has not been in contact with meat. I thought the food was just as good as Sage, Chapel Hill's other vegetarian restaurant, but a little more mainstream in its offerings. It's a family business, not a corporate chain, so I encourage you to try it--and if you don't like something's size or flavor, let them know right then--from what I saw, they would want to fix it immediately. But everything I had was delish.

Buttitta's - Champaign, IL (40.103451, -88.243835) ()
3 - Thomas B.: Menu includes items from Dom's Patio Villa, such as Chicken a la Dom, a breaded chicken dish and gourmet pizzas, steaks, seafood and pastas.

They have a variety of beers.  This is in the former location of Jillian's.  The building was originally buit as a Coca Cola bottling plant.
3 - Brad P.: We tried Buttitta's for the first time last night. And when I say last night, I mean that we were there for a good chunk of the night. We were not in a hurry, but things were not moving too quickly. Overall, though, the service was good. Before I say anything more, I should point out that we were BIG fans of Dom's and miss that place somethin' awful. Although there are some menu items from Dom's, you should check your expectations at the door. This is definitely not Dom's. For one, the environment is completely different. Dom's was an old place with a unique, dare I say gaudy, ambiance. And I loved this because I always felt like I was eating in the basement at my Italian grandparents' house. Buttitta's is VERY nice, big, and generally classy. Now for the food. We had the pan fried calamari. It's very good, but is different from Dom's, which I consider the best I ever had. No signature garlic bread or salad from Dom's. We learned after ordering those items were a la cart. For our entrees, my wife had the cheese ravioli with meat sauce and I had spaghetti a la Dom. Both were good, but again, different. For desert, the Tiramasu was light, creamy, and good. We'll be back to Buttita's after they work out some kinks (saw a server yell at a cook, slow service, and an issue with my entree that was quickly repaired), but will have tempered our expectations regarding our old faves. Oh, one more note--for a higher end place, Buttitta's is reasonably priced. $55 for two glasses of wine, an appetizer, 2 entrees, and desert to share.
5 - Sarah P.: We arrived at about 6:15 PM on Wednesday without reservations.  Both parking lots were pretty full, and the place was packed - good for them!  We were told it would be 20-30 minute wait for the four of us and we could wait in the bar.  Considering our lack of reservations and the crowd, the wait seemed very reasonable.  

The bar area was very comfortable.  Intimate, but not cramped.  We got a seat at a nice set of sofas and ordered a few drinks at the bar.  The wait was exactly as promised, so definitely no complaints here.  Also, they put a lot of effort into the decor, and have a semi-open kitchen, which I think is always a nice indicator of the confidence I can have in the cleanliness of a place.  

Once seated we got our bread bowl.  The rolls were quite tasty and the butter was at a temperature where it was not too cold to spread, but not warm enough to have been sitting in the "danger zone" for too long.  More drinks were ordered.  Apparently their ice tea is a special mix just for Buttitta's with hints of peach and "wild berry."  It was delicious!  

My husband ordered a house salad with Italian dressing.  It seemed like more of a raspberry vinaigrette, but it was wonderful and had a tantalizing ciabatta-asiago crouton crisp.  And they actually use hand graters for Parmesan cheese, not the goofy hand cranks like OG.  I thought that was a nice touch. 

For our entrees, we happened to order only 2 dishes between the four of us.  Two of us ordered the Chicken a la Dom and two of us ordered the seabass, I can't remember the exact name.  Wow, what a treat!  I had a bite of my husbands chicken and it was super tasty, but admittedly, I wouldn't have traded it for my sea bass.  I wish I had paid more attention to what was supposed to be on my plate.  They were out of gnocchi and I think that my dish was supposed to have gnocchi.   Instead I got bowtie pasta with a pesto sauce under the fish.  It was the best pasta I have ever eaten outside of Italy.  

The pesto and pasta were both very light and the pesto was just fantastic!  The fish was moist and just slightly flaky (in a good way) with just a hint of nice crispness.  The tomato-y topping on the fish was the perfect accent to the dish.  I was full at the end, but not overly so, which I think speaks to the lightness of the pasta considering how much I ate.  I actually finished my dish, which is quite a feat considering I'm 9 months pregnant and don't have much room left in the stomach area.  

I wish I had had room for dessert, but once the baby is out you can bet I'll be ordering the tiramisu after dinner that I've heard just melts in your mouth.

Service was very friendly.  Wait was certainly reasonable, though with as well as I think this place will do, I would recommend reservations.  Food was awesome!  I cannot stress that enough!  Between 2 beers for the husband, the salad, my tea and the 2 full entrees we shilled out around $50 which was completely and utterly worth it.  Decor was awesome and they have obviously done an extreme makeover in the parking department offering a new lot and an update to the old parking lot so that a Prius can drive through it without being swallowed in a pothole now.  I'm smiling right now just thinking about our next trip.  I must say, usually I'm really nervous about eating at newly opened restaurants as they usually aren't up to par yet and then I get an undeserved negative opinion.  Well, Buttita's proved me wrong and just blew my socks off.  Yum and happy eating!
3 - Lisa B.: We had a 6:15 reservation for a group of about 20 on Saturday night.  We were seated immediately.  The drinks were ordered and arrived quickly.  The interior was really nice and had a very classy feel to it. 

Why three stars?  The food.  I am not sure if it is because they are still new but my food was not even warm.  I ordered the Chicken Galena which chicken stuffed with beef and pork with a sauce over it.  It really didn't taste too bad but it would have been better had it been fresh.  I didn't want to say anything because it took a long time just to get the food in the first place.

The bathrooms are really hard to find so make sure you ask for directions.  All around it was a neat experience and I would go again if invited by someone but I would not suggest this place if I were choosing where to eat for dinner.
5 - Heather J.: We went to Buttitta's last night. We had made reservations and were sat quickly. The dining room was really beautiful; big chandeliers, candles on the tables, cloth napkins, big picture windows. It was a large dining room, but didn't feel large. It still felt intimate. It quickly got pretty full in the dining room. I was pretty surprised since we were there early. Still though, I never had a problem with noise and could hear my husband quite easily (should be noted that I only have about 50% hearing in my left ear). Point being, it's a large space, but not noisy. 

We ordered the radicchio with goat cheese and pistachio filling for an appetizer. Unfortunately, they said that it was no longer being served since it hadn't been too popular. Not a problem! We got the calamari. I'm not so much of a seafood fan, but my husband is. He loved it! It wasn't overly breaded. Wasn't over cooked. Very nicely done. Thumbs up!

We had two house salads. I loved the house Italian. Seemed that it was a raspberry vinaigrette. LOVED it! The dressing was light, the greens were fresh and crisp. It came with some kind of Parmesan crisp. Yummy.

We used to be huge Dom's fans, so of course we had to go for the Galena and Chicken a la' Dom, and split each. It was very reminiscent of what we got at Dom's, but dressed up a bit. It was a nice, generous portion. Each plate had a scoop of spaghetti with marinara and sauteed onions and peppers in addition to the entree. The Chicken a la Dom was so delicious. The sauce was creamy and cheesy. The Galena was equally as delicious. 

For dessert we had the creme brulee. It's not your typical creme brulee, but l was pleasantly surprised. It's hard to explain, but it was layered and has kiwi and strawberries sliced in it. It was delicious.  

As for the service...A+! Our waiter was Jesse, a nice young man. As soon as we sat down and got situated he was right there. Very quick! 
Did a nice job suggesting wine for me. Our service was prompt, our waiter was polite. There was a kid coming around who never let my water glass get less than half full. 

Our appetizers, salads and entrees were perfectly timed, never felt rushed. Our appetizer was yummy and crisp, the house dressing was delicious, our entrees came out hot and wonderful. 

I've read previous reviews and I think that maybe it can be attributed to a new restaurant working the kinks out.  My husband and I had a nice evening and great dinner. Thank you!
2 - Kari T.: So not impressed. I went with a group from work and we arrived around noon. We were seated quickly, but right near a speaker blaring, yes blaring, music. We could barely hear ourselves talk. 

Our waiter took our order and then informed us that a large group just placed their orders, so there would be a wait. Really? Are you that understaffed that you can't handle more than 30 people in a restaurant at once??? 

Needless to say, we waited a REALLY, REALLY long time. The waiter never offered us a discount, salad, bread, or anything else as compensation for our wait. The food came and it was far from spectacular. I ordered the Portabella Panini and it wasn't  anything I couldn't have made at home. OK, definitely not great, and not worth waiting over an hour for lunch. :(
4 - Kimberly K.: I have been to Buttita's for dinner twice so far, and I hope to go again.  The ambiance is fantastic--a big open space, similar to the Great Impasta's old location in downtown Champaign, except finely decorated with chandeliers, mirrors, murals, etc.  The bar also looks very cozy and classy.  I may go sometime just for drinks.  They have a nice selection of wines at affordable costs.  My multipulciano was just $6 a glass and quite good.  The menu is also fairly affordable, depending on what you order.

I feel the need to warn newcomers that the menu seems like that of two different restaurants...because it basically is.  The food is an interesting mix of old favorites from Dom's Patio Villa (the former restaurant of the owner's parents) and new, more contemporary northern Italian fare.  If you want something that's classic Italian-American food that seems like something your grandma would've made, go for the Dom's items.  If you're in the mood for something a little more haute-cuisine go for the other menu selections.  There will be no creative spin on old standby's like ravioli, but your Grilled Barramundi Seabass will be very inventive.  Choose carefully based on your tastes!

They are definitely working out menu kinks on the non-Dom menu items.  When I came the first time with my mom, she had the gnocchi, which included plenty of chicken and vegetables, but it was pretty salty.  I ordered it the second time I visited, just to see if it had improved, and it was absolutely perfect.  Both times, the salads and desserts were wonderful--some of the best I've ever had, and I eat out quite a bit.  The creme brulee is nontraditional (no ramekin, plenty of fruit) but sooo delicious.  The wait staff was also very attentive.

I have a feeling that this place is going to get (and probably deserve) mixed reviews for the next year or so because they're definitely still pulling the operation together.  I hope that it stays around though because it has real potential.  The ambiance alone makes it worth a try.
3 - Jeannette B.: Ate at Buttitta's for lunch today.  The decor is impressive especially compared to the former tenant, Jillian's.  I had the house salad with house vinaigrette and gnocchi with roasted chicken.  It was delicious and the right amount for lunch, but I expected bread service with a pasta dish and/or the salad - it's an Italian restuarant after all.  My husband had Italian beef sandwich and fries.  He liked his choice as well.  Served a nice strong cup of coffee.  A little on the expensive side for for lunch; $13/person. Service was great.  We'll definitely give it another try.
3 - Kali M.: The atmosphere is better than the food.  Not remarkable Italian food, but good enough.  Our table had the chicken galena, the gnocchi, spaghetti alla dom, lasagne, and the sea bass.  No one complained and no one exclaimed.  Standard, and the atmosphere makes it good for the price. 

Out waitress, Katrina, was fantastic.  She said it was her first night serving, which usually makes me worry a touch, but she did a wonderful job.  She was careful with our orders and got everything right... made sure to check back with us on anything that was iffy. 

We got very good service at the bar (during our 1 hour + wait).  Asked for wine recs and the bartender said, "to be honest, I'm a whiskey and bourbon guy" - and I really appreciated the honesty.  Most bartenders would've blindly recommended something based on nothing.
3 - Ashley B.: First of all, I really miss Gillian's. That place was awesome.

Aside from that, I ate here once with my boyfriend. Initially, I really liked the interior and we were greeted immediately. However, we did make the mistake of coming here during Graduation weekend, so it was packed and the menu was limited. We didn't wait that long, surprisingly, and the food was pretty good, but I really want to come back when it's not packed full of students and their families so I can try the rest of the menu and hopefully give this place another star... or two!
2 - Ronald H.: I originally wrote this nearly a year ago. I've been back several times since. While I think the food is pretty good, the service leaves much to be desired. On one trip, had to ask the manager to get a coffee refill. Now, my original review.

We arrived at 6pm and were seated in the main dining room. It was quite busy for a Thursday. In remodeling the place, they did not think using any materials to absorb sound was important. Large room full of people, all trying to talk above music that was playing quite loudly -- very annoying.

Service was hard to describe; perhaps "peculiar"? They may be suffering from over-specialization. The person who took our order was very friendly, etc., but she was not our server, only our order-taker. Others served the food. I've seen this done better and worse, but it almost never is done well. Pet peeve: food delivery staff that does not know who gets what, and does not understand the special request communicated to the order-taker. When we were done with a course, the order-taker (not being the plate-clearer) left our dirty plates until the plate-clearer eventually arrived to remove most (but not all) of the dirty plates. Twice with coffee and at least twice with water, we had to point out the need for refills. Our order-taker, not being the one responsible for refills, assured us that someone would be right over to take care of it. Several minutes later (on each occasion), a refill-person arrived and needed prompting to fill more than one type of vessel. Seems to me that there should be someone assigned to be in charge of service for a table, and that should include being aware of the need for more water, coffee, rolls, whatever, before the diners are. And that person, if the designated refill delivery person is slow, busy, or MIA, should take it upon him/her-self to grab a pitcher and refill glasses, all while continuing to be friendly and helpful.

We had a pair of appetizers shared among the four of us, bruschetta and calamari. Here, I should point out that we had the pan-fried calamari, having been informed that they were out of the grilled calamari. The order-taker did not know how they could be out of just one kind of calamari. My wife says they were cooked perfectly. The marinara sauce was very nice, but the aioli was even better and (unfortunately) in shorter supply. We all thought the bruschetta was nice, but I prefer the bread for my bruschetta to be toasted and to have a bit of extra virgin olive oil and garlic before we even think about the tomato mixture. Here, the tomato mixture also included marble sized pieces of mozzarella, which was a nice addition.

The "house" salad was nice, though not extraordinary, coming with a nice (small) cheesy crackery thing. After confirming that the house dressing was oil and vinegar, we were surprised to find that it had a fair amount of (unwanted) sugar. It tasted quite nice, but one of us really did not want the sugar surprise. I had the very nice endive salad, which also included a mixed green portion, which is where the blue cheese and caramelized nuts were.

For a main course, my wife decided on the tomato soup and the appetizer mussels. She absolutely loved the mussels, but mentioned that they were a bit sandy. (I thought there was a technique for this, involving milk or corn starch, which they really should try to employ.) The soup had a good flavor, but was really thick. It would have been better as a spread for bread.

My main course was the Grilled Barramundi (Sea Bass). The type was not specified, so I do not know whether it was a good sustainable choice. I should have asked, but didn't think to until later. On the whole, I really liked the flavors in this dish. There were a couple of issues, though. First, the fish was perfectly cooked and had great texture, but it was coated with a thick layer of extremely thick (tasty) spicy tomato sauce. I'm talking thicker even than the soup. As I said, it is really tasty, but its flavor completely overwhelmed the flavor of the fish, to the point that they could have used pretty much any fish. Second, the pesto broke, leaving the gnocchi swimming in green oil.

Strip steak received rave reviews from one of our companions.

Desert "Creme Brulee Napoleon" was very tasty but nothing like any creme brulee you've ever seen. Combining crisp, caramel, fruit, yum!

Got our checks at about 8:30. Nice we weren't rushed. Remains to be seen whether they can handle diners in a hurry to get to a show.

(I had to edit this review for length, to fit Yelp maximum.)
2 - Sean W.: I would give them zero star for the service. The food is not bad. I had fish fillet with penne pesto. I didn't notice anything wrong with the service at first. But it soon became clear that the waitress had no interest in serving us food. It took them a whole hour to get our dessert. At first I thought because they were busy. I looked around the restaurant while waiting for my dessert. We were the only table there!! It was pretty ridiculous. We ended up getting the dessert boxed to go. Not going back to that place.
2 - Holly S.: I miss Gillian's too!!  Anyway, was here in December, so things may be different/have improved.  

I had somewhat high expectations as my mom's friend had recommended eating here and it is considered one of the more 'upscale' restaurants in CU...plus it has the Dom's team behind it.  But I was disappointed!  My dad and I ordered the baked lasagna and while it was unique, it was SWIMMING in grease from the sausage - needless to say leading to a tummy ache.  Good-sized portion thought.  My mom ordered the Chicken a la Dom - and while it's a huge portion (although she didn't fancy this...it's what is causing America's obesity problem!) and an overall good cream sauce, it too was very greasy....well, oily sauce.

Oh and one thing that always bugs me is when you get the exact number of pieces of bread in the table basket as the people sitting at the table - which for us was 3 - just too obvious on being skimpy.

House salad that came with the meal was good - definitely helped out by the large homemade crouton on top.

As for the space - for one, do not sit by the windows in cold weather....we got seated there and actually had to move.  But then our new table was right across from an iridescently lit kitchen with 'saloon-style' doors so it was loud, busy and bright.  By that point we didn't want to be moved again so lived with it.  Basically, avoid these two seating areas.  My final remark are the bathrooms - the entire restaurant has been beautifully transformed from it's former upscale poolhall space - but the bathrooms were left untouched...toilet seats showed 'this was a bar' wear and tear.

If you're looking for a new upscale, unique Italian joint in the C-U it's worth checking it out at least once, again, my visit was 4 months ago.  I will probably choose another place on my next visit when craving Italian.

Buy the Book - Lafayette, IN (40.417601, -86.878051) ()
1 - Angelica G.: I heard about this place from a friend back in December and have been occasionally stopping by ever since to look for good deals on used books.  Each time there was always a friendly employee there to answer questions or help me find what I was looking for-besides today, when the owner happened to be there.  I found her to be unpleasantly rude when talking about selling or receiving store credit for books.  If she had been a manager or owner of a chain bookstore, it really would not have mattered much, but the fact that she actually owns this business and cannot be personable or friendly to customers is surprising.  If you are looking for a place to browse through for a good deal of time and stumble across great finds, this is not the place. They have many multiples of popular books and their widespread variety of genres lack depth or substantiality; i've only walked out of Buy the Book twice with purchases.  I wouldn't be surprised if on one day years ago the now-owner thought to herself "oh hey, I love Nora Roberts and John Grisham books and I love non-fat lattes, why don't we combine the two into a business!"
4 - Isabel H.: 5 reasons to go to Buy the Book
1. You like to browse for books - and might buy one or two
2. The Wi-Fi is free
3. You like coffee or tea
4. You want a place to meet one or two people
5. You want to support a local business

By George! - Seattle, WA (47.6537802, -122.3013926) (University District)
1 - Zachary K.: crappy cafeteria college food.. dim, ugly space... but where else are students to go with their husky cards?
2 - Vanessa A.: When it's pouring rain and you're on this end of campus and the HUB seems too far, it's not bad. They have $3.25 Husky burgers which are surprisingly tasty though inconsistent in quality. Still cheaper than getting a burger at the HUB or a $5-7 sandwich from any place on campus.
2 - Inna B.: I sometimes eat here when I'm feeling lazy.

The special of the day is sometimes alright, the Mexican food is sometimes okay, coffee is like any other Tully's coffee on campus (super long lines just before class), there are smoothies that I've never had because I never remember it's an option, and so on....

The tomato soup and grilled cheese WOULD be an okay option if you had your own spoon or were super careful. I'm all about compostable "silverware", but not when your soup spoon gets all bendy/melty and starts making it hard to eat your soup. *sigh*

The burgers and a sandwich from the newsstand in here have made me sick, though. Blah.

Oh and it's dark and usually super crowded here during lunch. It's kind of an okay-spot if you're feeling lazy, but... at the same time... it's kind of sad.
1 - Alan F.: Now that I know about next-door Baci cafe, I will never eat here again. Unless it is Monday, and Baci is closed. Sigh.

The only item I used to get here is the Veggie Burrito. It solved the immediate dilemma of my hunger, thin wallet, and lazy self, at the expense of  nearly everything else that is well and good. I am not proud.

This review is already longer than it needs to be. You're better off getting food from nearly anywhere else on campus, especially if it's next door at Baci.
3 - Allie S.: With my first class of the day up in Denny and my bus stop on 15th and campus parkway, By George is the closest place I can stop and sit out of the rain and most importantly, refill my water bottle. I can tolerate their breakfast foods [I lean towards the breakfast burrito, which is surprisingly delicious, and the "deluxe eggs," with a healthy dousing of chipotle tabasco sauce] but I rarely eat any other meal here unless I'm here for the occasional grilled cheese and tomato soup fix.

Oh, and Heidi, the cashier, is sweet and I like talking to her when there's a lull in the line... Everyone loves Heidi!
1 - Michele L.: Ummmm well I guess its a university cafeteria. And that's what you'll get. University cafeteria food. YUM... um, NOT. SO worth walking half a mile to the U District for real food. Because this was overpriced and pretty bleh. Although the servers were friendly and that counts for something... 

Bottom line, if I'm going to be in a rush, I will make sure to pack my lunch.
2 - Kaitlin F.: I'm really looking forward to when the Hub comes back, don't know when the hell that's gonna happen, but still. The lines are sooo nuts, the cafeteria is sooo over crowded and noisy, and the food is overpriced and mediocre at best. I only hit up when i forget my food, and then smack myself in the head, *idiot*.
2 - The-Hoa H.: overpriced and not that great...convenience though since it's right under ode and breakfast is actually really good! but the rest is blehhhh
2 - Kevin W.: I guess with the demolition of the HUB, this place serves as the closest thing to a public lunch cafeteria for all UW students. And it makes me realize how much I miss the HUB, because it was so much better. By George really is not much of a step up from high school cafeterias, because it's always so crowded and everything is so overpriced that there's not much about it that makes it appealing.

Okay, I guess I can start with some positive notes. It's conveniently close to Odegaard Library, but it's not also open for 24 hours, so you'll have to get your food elsewhere if you're pulling an all-nighter there. This is also the place I visit occasionally to deposit money on my Husky Card, and it's also home to one of the few public microwaves that I know of on campus. The weird thing about the microwave--aside from the fact that nobody ever seems to clean it--is that you don't really input how much time you want your food to be heated for. You push a number, like 6 for instance, and it gives you something like 45 seconds for whatever reason. I still haven't been able to figure it out.

There is a Subway here, but I've never found them quite as good as the one on the Ave. Next to that is a bunch of extremely overpriced pastries. There are also burgers for sale here; they carry ridiculous prices as well. I bought and have a picture of a "Husky Burger" here. I can't figure out what's so special about it that it has its name or its price. It was $3.50 back in spring 2011 and is $4.00 now. It's not particularly big, either. Final thing to note here is the smoothies. I got a 32 oz drink here for $6.12 once, and while it was very good, it made me sad how the University can ask for so much money after charging us so much for tuition. I hope inflation has more to do with it than anything else.

Bottom line is that you can and should get your food from somewhere else. I've found By George to be a nice place to eat lunch on some of the colder days, but when it's nice out, there's really no reason to be holed up in such an unpleasant place. The Ave is not much farther away and they generally don't seem to have a problem with keeping prices down. Their quality is another matter entirely, but that's beside the point. If you do happen to be staying overnight at Odegaard, do remember to have a plan about food in advance, because you're not going to like it when you get hungry while burning the midnight oil and even this place isn't open to you.
1 - Maria G.: Every single time I come here, I leave with disappointment.

GENERAL overview at a glance,
Non-friendly student employees who serve tiny portion of food
Always long lines of wait during rush hours
Seating area always crowded and tables are not always clean


SPECIFICS,
Espresso coffee place -  this is not bad. The line is just always so long. Bakeries are overpriced (as well as across campus). The only stand that opens until late night.

Freshëns Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt - I used to come here often for iced drinks but my last visit was pretty awful. The student staff was probably having a bad day (people order drinks and not claiming them) and the service was not pleasant at all.

Subway - Have you heard of $5.5 foot-long sandwich? Yea, me neither until I came here. Please, do yourself a favor and walk to the Ave and get JJ or something else.

Salad bar - Overpriced. One time I picked up some greens and vegetables with a few baby tomatoes. It cost me nearly $10. I was so shocked. I was almost going to return the salad but there is no way to do that. I have never touched the salad bar since then.

Pasta stand (daily special) -  this is actually okay. Again, student employees give you tiny portions and the meal is plain and not very filling. 

Burger stand - definitely overpriced burgers ranging from $3.5 to $5. Although I do stop by here every once awhile, I challenge myself to walk just slightly further off campus to get better deals at a cheaper price.

Cashier line - often very slow during the rush hour (e.g., 11:30am - 1pm)

Bytes At University Park - Cambridge, MA (42.3609129, -71.1013229) ()
3 - Greg F.: I am strangely a picky eater. I tend to be afraid of foreign and exotic flavors. Why is that so strange? I spent a decade growing up in Poland and Dubai. As a kid, I'd go on long-weekend trips all over Europe and the Middle East. You'd think that though all of this, I would have developed this sophisticated, worldly taste for new and exciting flavors. You'd think... but you'd be wrong.

When I started working in a lab in the MIT University Park area, I found myself walking all the way to Central or Kendall to eat lunch- dumb. I didn't even notice this little hole-in-the-wall called "Bytes@University Park." As the story goes, the man who owns this place opened it about 10 years ago, before that he used to sell sausage at Fenway. While he doesn't sell Fenway franks at this place, he does pay homage to his home- Senegal.

Bytes has a disproportionately large menu compared to its size, and they update their daily specials, well, daily.  They've got fare ranging from comfort food like subs and wraps, but they continue to move further and further from my comfort zone- on to Mexican, middle-eastern and eventually Senegalian (is that a word?) 

I usually only go there to grab a Diet Coke and take it back to work to eat my Lunchables, even then the staff was incredibly nice and friendly. They only got more friendly as I got up the courage to try some of their food (remember- picky eater here). I started with the meatball sub. It was a little on the bland side, and MESSSY. But I figured I should try something a little further from home there. So i took another baby step- chicken fajita. The fajita was pretty good once i removed the few things that i disliked. Apparently they put this chopped tomato and cucumber chutney in pretty much everything they serve. I'm sure some like it- but i really dislike both of those items. I gave them a shot, but eventually had to remove them. They were too crunchy, and the flavor of the cucumbers did not go along w/ the Mexican. The chicken was good, and the sauce was a little sweet, a little spicy, and a lot tasty.

I'll definitely go back, maybe next time i'll venture a little further and get a shawarma. My goal is to go all the way and try one of his signature Senegal selections.

I'll keep you posted.
3 - rxrfrx r.: The owner and his family are really nice people but the food just doesn't have much soul to it. Things are generally on the bland side and fairly expensive for what you get (~$7 for a plate of stew, rice, and salad). Some of the curries are decently spiced, but it's hard to tell what you're going to get. The sandwiches aren't very good. Take-out only, but you can sit outside during the summertime. Weekdays lunch only.
5 - Seth T.: Bytes is my favorite tiny take-out in Central Square!  It's a Senegalese food place that also makes standard breakfast and lunch stuff like wraps and subs (I don't say subs, they're all grinders to me but sometimes people look at me funny).  All the food here is tasty and I could live off the cucumber/tomato salad that comes as a side with all the dinners.  I really like the Senegambian dish "Yassa" which is out of this world.  In fact, this place is so cool I simply walk in and tell the owner to "gimme something good" and he always does, I suggest you try this.

Other things about Bytes: The staff is super friendly and polite, the owner likes to talk about soccer and they only accept poppy, cabbage, bread etc.
3 - Jen H.: Not a bad little spot to snag a bite to eat. It's a bit off the beaten path... not uber close to the T, and it's tucked away between various buildings. I think they probably get most of their business from the worker bees around here... at least that's how I found out about this spot!

Cash only, subs, wraps, breakfast foods. I was told they were an "African" place, but they had a bunch of different options that I would say is not just African by any means. Not sure how I would classify them... but definitely an ethnic twist.

It's super tiny, no place to eat inside. So... go on a nice day, grab your food, and then go enjoy the sunny tables in the courtyard immediately next to the building. Just remember your sunblock!
4 - Aamir M.: Bytes never fails to disappoint! I go here for lunch everytime I can't be bothered to make my own.

The food is in large portions and the service is friendly. I've even called in breakfast orders and picked them up when I get there.

Hope they stay in business for ever!
4 - Cport J.: The funny thing about this place is that from the sign and the name, you would expect it to be a generic corporate lunch place, but that really could not be farther from the truth.  Instead, it's a tiny little takeout place with quite varied homemade lunch options, American, Mexican, Middle Eastern, and even African.  

That said, I think the featured attraction here is the Yaasa, a yummy Senegalese chicken stew served over rice and with a side tomato cucumber salad.  It was my first time trying it, and I really enjoyed it.

Very friendly service.  Also, the address is confusing, as it's actually not on Sidney Street but instead on the other side of the big brick building at that address.
4 - Ted C.: I can't really give a lunch counter five stars -- it's just simple wraps and meal plates. You order, wait, and take out. But in this location this place stands out because it's convenient, fresh, tasty, and there's a nice variety. The West African flavor touches work for me, and the proprietor is friendly and quick. Also, he has real talent -- around Thanksgiving he was making a turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing wrap that was really something special. He cooks his beef on one of those vertical rotisseries, like the Mexican markets have for tacos -- some of the beef dishes, that broiled taste really works. For inexpensive, quick tasty lunch, this beats most places around.
4 - Anastasia L.: A total miniature dive lunch counter surrounded by huge MIT-owned, pharma-rented buildings!  Very friendly owner and helpers from Senegal.  No seating, bring it back to your place of business or eat outside if it's nice out.  

Breakfast until some reasonable hour (10am?), standard breakfast wraps and such- I haven't tried it yet.  

For lunch, ignore the big board on the back wall and look at the hand-written daily menu.  They usually always have beef shawarma and falafel wraps, but the Senegalese hot dish of the day changes- sometimes it's the Yassa other posters mentioned, sometimes a different stew or curry.

By the way, the ubiquitous tomato-and-cucumber salad or "chutney" everyone refers to is called "fatouche" or "fattoush"...  It is often served over lettuce and toasted flatbread, with certain herbs and sometimes onions.  A classic Middle Eastern or North African dish.

Drinks selection is limited but they have basics such as Coke, Sprite, and chocolate milk.  Chips and dessert selection also limited.  But who cares, the real reason you come here is the warm & tasty main dish or wrap!

Totally fair prices on the wraps, which are huge, and cheaper than nearby gourmet sandwich joints.  Other dishes come with sides and are quite filling.  I don't understand the poster who said it was expensive- this is Cambridge, baby!
4 - Heather C.: I have no idea how I haven't reviewed this place yet!  Their beef and lamb shawamra wrap is the most amazing thing in the world.  It has nice soft naan-like bread, flavorful, nicely spiced meat, a creamy sauce, and fatouche salad all inside.  I have no clue if I'm spelling any of this correctly but all I know is it's amazing and you need to eat it.  The couple the runs it are very sweet, kind, and friendly.  The only cons are it can get really busy and disorganized in there and it's a little tough to find because It's hidden away in a business park.
5 - Benny D.: Bytes is one of my favorite places to get lunch. The location is very hidden and The owner is very nice. Very Yummy food too!
4 - Reiko K.: I've had their $4 vegetarian wrap twice, it's huge! The cost-to-nutrition-and-weight value is amazing. The only thing I would improve upon is the dryness of the wrap, I understand that it'll drip if it's too saucy, but at least put some sauce over the falafels. I'm a big fan of African peanut soup, and I can't wait to try here that sometime.
4 - Ankita d.: I work in the area and frequent Bytes.  I've only ever had their daily curry special, and every time it has been delicious!  It can be super super spicy, so definitely ask for a taste if you are sensitive to spice.  The owners and help are very sweet and kind.  The only downside is they don't take credit cards.  It is hard to find, but not hard to get to once you know where it is.
5 - John H.: Killer Falafels for $5.
5 - Imran G.: Dude, you know what I'm craving right now for lunch?

Exactly. I live right next to this place and I never it until yesterday. This is straight up comfort food right here. I was having a shitty day, but the flavor in the beef shawarma made me feel so cozy. It was like a big ass teddy bear came up to me and gave me a hug. No homo.

There isn't any room to sit, but the idea is to just eat outside or take your food back home or work. Sure, I made a mess eating it on the bare carpet, but given the color of the carpet I don't think anyone will be able to tell. The succulent beef shawarma just melted in my mouth, and I must be crazy, but I'm thinking they used beef tenderloin for this. I wasn't aware that you could get shawarma spicy or mild, but I went with the spicy and was pleasantly suprised to find out they din't just put some sriracha sauce on it and wrapped it. It was spicy and a bucket of flavor. The veggies and greens were fresh as well, and you got the expected crunch from the crispy green lettuce. 

All around, I was highly impressed with what they could accomplish in such a small space. I'm disappointed that their hours don't extend a bit more into the afternoon/evening and that they are closed on the weekends. But I don't mind taking a 10 minute drive from work to go back home and enjoy some delicious food.

The owners are super friendly, and they genuinely care about your experience. Don't hesitate.

Bytes Cafe - Stanford, CA (37.4292654112971, -122.173590660095) ()
4 - Mister X.: The first time I came here they had just opened. Their credit card machine was not hooked up yet, and I had no cash. I asked the manager where the nearest ATM was and he said "we'll take care of you, go ahead and order, you can pay next time". This kind of service, and good food, is how you make customers for life. They recently hired a new guy behind the counter who makes a good cappuccino and latte, too.

There is plenty of seating inside and outside. On nice days people spill outside and sit on the ledges near the water clock (how do you read that thing anyway?).
1 - Ben D.: I'm sorry, but Bytes Cafe just plain bites it.  The only good thing about their Rosemary Chicken sandwich was the mayonnaise... or was it butter?  I couldn't even be sure - I was *that* disappointed by having to remove the rubbery, flavorless chicken to subsist on the OK butternnaise-coated focaccia bread.  And is potato salad ever supposed to include raw potato?  No matter, I didn't even like the cooked ones...  Quite possibly the worst potato salad I have ever had.  With a name like Bytes Cafe, one might expect to find a selection of computer products, any of which would probably have tasted better than my sandwich.
5 - Ian G.: The best (espresso) coffee at Stanford. Also, excellent, friendly service.
3 - Katie F.: I'm a Psych major at Stanford, so I rarely make it over to the tech side where Bytes is located, but after I had lunch there, I found excuses to eat there every day.  Their salads are wonderful.  They are fast, and their staff is respectful and friendly.
3 - David S.: Bytes Cafe, located in the Packard electrical engineering building, used to be operated by a group of really cool and friendly lesbians (no need to say what we used to call the place...). Then it closed for a while, and reopened with a new management and menu. It's still not a bad place to go (probably one of the better ones on campus as far as the quality of the food goes), but it's not the cheapest either. I like their lemon chicken sandwich: grilled chick en with herb and a lemon sauce that comes on pretty good bread with a side of potato salad... yummy! They also have really good pizza. The outdoor seating area is also definitely enjoyable.
4 - Jin Z.: As far as campus food is concerned, it's the best. Beats Tressider fast food by a mile. Their salads are HUGE and zesty, and I get the breakfast burrito at least once a week since it's filling and the salsa's tasty. Probably not the place to get a junk food fix, but if you're gonna eat out regularly, better that you do it at Bytes than anywhere else on campus.

They're slightly pricey, but that's cuz they mostly make your food to order rather than scoop it out of a tub that's been sitting there for hours.

Also, there's a half hour gap between the breakfast and lunch menus at 11am, which can be annoying if you didn't get up early enough to go to breakfast, rush to a 10am class and are hungry afterward.
3 - Alissa S.: I like Bytes. There is never enough seating at lunch, but this is just about the best place on campus to get a salad, and they have good sandwiches too. They usually have about 10 offerings per day, so its focused, fresh and tasty.
2 - Jack S.: Bytes is a bit (or eight) bland.  There's a unique kind of sadness to taking your first byte of a meal and thinking "man, I'm not going to enjoy this at all, and to think I could have just gone to Thai Cafe for cheaper."  Trust me, it bytes.  Hard.  Like NP-Hard.

Also, Alissa S. is right that there's never enough seating, but it's not just at lunch time -- CS people from Gates, EEs housed at Packard, and many other departments camp out here during all hours of the working day to discuss things or study.
2 - Gloria L.: Bytes Cafe, you are pretty worthless as a college eatery. Yes, your salads and sandwiches are tasty. Yes, you're great for lunch in between 11 am and 1 pm classes. 

But you have the Worst. Hours. Ever. Do you not realize that you live in the Packard EE Building? As in, "where fun goes to die." As in, the place you walk in at sunset and walk out of at sunrise. 

Your friend MIT knows that the way to the EE student's heart is through her open-24-hours stomach. And caffeine-carrying veins. You, on the other hand, are not so bright. You close at 5 pm on the dot. The only thing left to console the poor kid is overly salty Sun Chips from the vending machine. 

Everything else that's open late (Stern, Roble, and Treehouse) is way too far for someone preoccupied with debugging some sad circuit.

The whole situation is just so tragic, it belongs in a Sophocles play.
4 - Kristine D.: Very cool ambiance --- Bytes is a hip little eatery in the Packard Electrical Engineering Building.  Specializing in salads, pizzas, pasta and sandwiches, it attracts quite a crowd from the neighboring Hewlett Teaching Center  (oh come on Hewlett is never that far away whenever Packard is mentioned and vice versa. They're like the Aflek and Damon of the technology world!), and the Gates Bldg. across the way.  With all that computer history in the vicinity of course the clientele lunches with all of its mobile technical wares sprawled on the tables. I'm glad the Latin music piped through the stereo speakers spiced up lunch because my garlic chicken sandwich was a bit bland.  I found myself wishing I'd gotten a salad --- any salad, which is what the tables around me seemed to be eating. They looked FABULOUS!  The pasta looked great as well. I'll definitely be back.

One note: like a lot of other eateries on campus, go around 11:30 or wait until 1PM or you'll stand in quite a line.
1 - Jason D.: In all fairness, I'm basing this review on one double espresso, nothing else.

It was super-hot, really too hot to drink for a long time, and absurdly bitter -- which I know from reading the product info on my aeropress is a natural consequence of using water that's too hot to brew coffee.  Unless they get this corrected, their espresso and espresso-based drinks will be wrong.

So coffee geeks -- beware of this place.
4 - Jen M.: positives: their salads, most fritatas, soups and pizzas are generally pretty good.  Breakfast sweets and cookies are good.  The line is long, but moves very quickly.

negatives: Boca Burger is a culinary disaster.  It actually made me want to vomit.  Coffee is also not so good - it has a chemical sort of taste to it.  Also, the guys taking orders at the register flirt way too much....and they think they are really funny when they aren't.
4 - Kristen W.: Lately grabbing a meal or latte from Bytes has been a weekly indulgence.  It's slightly overcrowded at lunchtime, there's limited seating, and their coffee is delicious only because its toughest competitor within walking distance is Ciao's cafe - but I love it there.  

The warm Cuban sandwich is my favorite: the pork is tender, the sauce perfect, and the white, starchy pasta mess on the side is completely delicious.  The Greek and Latin salads are massive and popular, based on a glance-survey of the diners, as is the pizza.  

The decor and ambience are key: a gleaming glass counter filled with pastries and a simple, uncluttered space give this nook in the corner of Packard a trendy feel.  The wait staff are amusing, often recognizing frequent customers and beloved faculty by cocking their heads back, responding to the question "and, how are you" with a very enthusiastic, "I'm fabooolous!" and then flipping the pistols.  

The influx of g(EECS) at noon makes the service slow but somehow improves the dining experience.
4 - Kalvin K.: Cuban pork sandwich is great, comes with huge couscous on the side. The specials are usually pretty good. Salads are huge. Really nice people. A little expensive.
4 - Sushi S.: Surprisingly good lunch considering scraggly dreary-eyed clientele.
3 - Jeanne S.: The Cafe owner looks and acts like Mr. Big. 

No joke. See for yourself. This is reason enough to go to Bytes. 

Had the Boca Burger the other day, I have no idea what it's made of, but it was pretty tasty.
2 - Huey K.: Beware of Greek salads bearing chicken gifts.
4 - Theresa H.: It's not bad for Stanford campus dining, and the prices are reasonable compared to other eateries nearby (Clark Center, Museum).  I would give it about 3 and a half stars.  Recommend the sandwiches over salads (the Cuban is solid).  The pizzas are also pretty good but the wait is long.
They also have pretty good coffee.  The line gets really really long around lunch time is my biggest complaint.  They also only accept credit cards on purchases over 5 dollars.
3 - Bradley N.: Once you digest the rather silly pun of a name, Bytes is actually worth waiting in line for a quick lunch, an afternoon snack, or a fresh cup of coffee. The seasonal menu items are nice, esp. the soups and salads. I would recommend these over the ubiquitous sandwiches and panini. Italian though the name may be, it's still just a sandwich. The outdoor tables are nice. The staff give you numbers and bring your meals from the kitchen as soon as they are prepared, assuming that you can locate an open table, which is sometimes a challenge. Stanford never tasted so good.
2 - Jeremy T.: This place is okay, but they play such awful music in the early mornings and they play it SO LOUD. I'm here right now, and I wonder why none of the staff have wondered why everyone in the cafe is sitting on the far side of the cafe, where the music is buffered by a wide pillar.
4 - Lan Y.: 3.5 stars rounded up to a 4

I'm a fan of their food. Their Latin salad and pizzas are pretty darn good. I hear their breakfast burrito and soups are great too. The Latin salad is very filling, much more so than I thought a salad could be. They add a lot of fresh veggies, corn and it's tasty too!  Not bad for on-campus dining.

As for their drinks, they leave something to be desired. Their regular coffee is pretty good but the other specials that I've tried are not. Stay away from the mochas and avoid the chai lattes. The mochas have an artificial taste (probably due to syrup). Save the money and calories for a much much better mocha at a cafe that starts with a C about 2 min away. The chai latte did not taste like chai for the most part. It tasted like non-fat milk. I'd stay clear of fancier drinks at Bytes but the food and regular coffee make up for it.
5 - cholada c.: I love Bytes Cafe!  

When I need a place to meet with friends and and co-workers in the morning, I always go to Bytes.  They make very good latter and for me I always get a special treat with a cup of warm milk to go with it.  

Jeff, the owner, is very nice.  His staff are also very friendly and provide excellent services.  I went there many time for lunch and they serve good sandwich and salad there.
4 - Allison A.: I love Bytes Cafe it is my favorite place to eat on campus.  It lost a start purely because they play loud music, if they would turn down the music I would give them 5 stars. So eat outside.

My favorites are the Brie/Apple pizza and the Harvest salad with lots of yummy walnuts.  The salad is big enough that I usually save half for the next day.  I also like the fact that they have free self-serve ice water so that I don't have to waste money on a drink.  Oh, and the owner really does look like Mr. Big.
4 - Sarah G.: Coffee and food are really good--not AMAZING, but for $6 for lunch I don't know where you can do much better. Service is fantastic. If you go there a lot (as many of us do) the staff will learn your name and what you like to order. Sucks they're not open later.
3 - Yisha P.: not bad
4 - Ilsa D.: For campus this place is as good as it gets. The espresso drinks are well-made (and, unlike a nearby cafe, these people actually pay attention to requests for "decaf" or "non-fat"). The snickerdoodles and pastries are worth a ten-minute walk, at least. The harvest salad, shrimp pizza, and most of their soups (black bean, tomato fennel!) are my favorites. It's busy but has friendly, quick, and attentive service.
4 - Diane A.: I've stopped by here a few times to pick up some coffee & brekkies in the late morning on the way to work. Their regular coffee is good, as is their iced coffee. I've had a breakfast burrito (GINORMOUS, full of eggs and potatoes with a yummy pico de gallo - had the rest of it for lunch), strawberry scone (ok) and banana bread (yummers).The staff is very super friendly and service is quick. 

It's conveniently located on campus. There's plenty of seating inside plus quite a few nice sunny tables outside.

One thing I did notice is the majority of the people patronizing this place were male. Maybe a coincidence? I'll have to check it out at lunch to confirm.
5 - Angela W.: I don't know why people say bad things about this place. This is the best food place on campus! And for those that would rather go to Nexus than here, I don't know what you're smoking. I work at Clark Center, and would rather walk over to Bytes than eat the overpriced, disgusting stuff they serve at Nexus nowadays. 

The staff at Bytes is always friendly, and the lines look long but are very quick. The Cuban pork sandwich is my favourite - it's my go to dish when the special doesn't look enticing to me. But at least once a week, there will be a really good special. Also, the ingredients here are fresh, and prepared with time and care. Everything is consistent from day to day to week to week, and I've never been disappointed with the quality of the food. Their salads are also tasty, as well as filling! 

It costs about the same as Nexus, but they give more quantity and the food tastes better.
4 - Angela W.: Never thought I'd see apple and brie pizza on a menu.
Never thought I'd love apple and brie pizza so much.

Food wait time is about 5-8 minutes, so don't come here if you are in a rush. They are quite efficient in their food prep though. I haven't ever been disappointed in their service. There are plenty of tables around the cafe, but during lunch time you'll be hard pressed to find a free one.

Their daily specials are also worth trying. A cute, hip cafe in the engineering quad.
4 - Al L.: Come here every other day. Orders are fast and timely and there is some variation in the menu. Considering the price, the lunch is good. Salads and specials are my favorites.
4 - Cindy K.: Delicious pizzas! The apple, brie, and bacon one sounded weird, but it was oddly good! The sandwiches are awesome as well. The line isn't too bad around lunch time and they promptly bring out your food! I enjoy having lunch here. 

Next time I want to try some of the pastries and coffee.
4 - K G.: Ok, I like this place even more because one day I didn't have enough cash on hand and I just needed a cup of coffee.  They told me I could just come back the next day to pay.  Who does that these days?  Awesome!

But, I can still only give them 4 stars instead of 5 because their food isn't always consistent.  Still my favorite place on campus though.
3 - Roxana D.: I don't think I've ever been disappointed with this place (the same cannot be said for Nexus).  The pizzas are good, but oily.  I really enjoy the latin chopped salad.  That salad has never been a miss, it's very filling, and at 6.25, it's a great deal.  

This place DOES get crowded, but I find that the wait is never too awful.  I suggest trying to get there earlier than 12.  I thought going late would work (1 PM), but it was still busy (though the line moved pretty quickly).  Also, the people who work there are very friendly.
3 - Adrienne M.: Ok place for eating in this area of campus.    Their sandwiches are around $7 and are ok, but don't compare to the nearby Ike's (the wait is much shorter here though).   They also have pizzas and specials for around the same price.  Today I had the chicken marbella - seasoned chicken with apricots, plums, and olives over saffron rice.  The chicken was surprisingly tender and tasty and it was a good portion for $7.35 I felt.   Pastries and beverages are decent and fairly reasonably priced but nothing to write home about.

I give them points for taking credit cards, having friendly staff and having things other than sandwiches, burgers and burritos, which seem to be the default foods on Stanford campus.   However I have to ding them a little bit for not allowing you to get something without an ingredient.  I've been dying to try their apple and brie pizza, but it comes with bacon, which they told me they can't make it without.

Make sure you ask for it to-go to avoid paying tax (you can eat wherever you want).
3 - Sophia B.: Fair prices. Good Mediterranean salad. Okay lattes.
5 - Jenny Z.: Got the speciality golden beet arugula spinach salad. The dressing and salad was absolutely delicious. I DEFINITELY recommend ordering it!
5 - Giuseppe L.: Excellent lunch menu...
3 - Nicole A.: I don't care for this place for lunch, but it is a nice morning option.  Their drip coffee is decent, though their espresso beverages are nowhere near as good as Coupa's.  They do a nice breakfast burrito, and their pastries are good.  It is a great place to grab a lemonade or iced tea during warmer season, and they will happily mix the two together for you into a glass of deliciousness.  I wish their hours were better (later, weekends, summer...)

The line gets very long during lunch time, and I've found I don't care for their lunch options that much.  It tends to be a bit pricey, and often more than I can eat.  

Other pluses:
1) Super friendly staff
2) Big cooler of beverages, so a good place to grab a soda or energy drink without going to Tressider (or having cash)
3) Hot sauce selection.  Good on breakfast burritos, but I bet that the Electrical Engineering students mostly just pour it in their eyes to stay awake until they are done with their degree....
3 - Kaori M.: Very American.
4 - Mark N.: The Bytes Cafe has a nice selection of food with fresh ingredients, a friendly staff, and relatively fast service. As a whole I wouldn't say that their food is something to go far out of your way for, but it's nice to have them on campus. On their own they probably deserve three stars, but I'll give them an extra for not being Coupa.
3 - Frank E.: You can get a good lunch here without too long of a wait (compared to Ike's).  I usually show up around 12:30, when the line is shorter.  

I never tire of the Cuban pulled-pork sandwich here, and highly recommend it.  The soup of the day is usually good too.  For a vegetarian option, the mozzarella, pesto, and tomato sandwich is delicious.

Drinks are a bit pricey, though if you get the iced tea you can keep refilling the cup all day.
4 - Nicole R.: Bytes is my favorite on campus lunch spot for sunny days.  They serve healthy fresh salads that are served in a huge bowl or to go container for $6.25 with the option to add chicken ($1.25) or shrimp ($2) and come with a slice for fresh slice of artisan bread.  My favorites are the Thai cabbage salad and the Latin chopped salad.  

Others from my entourage also love the Cuban Pork Sandwich.  And the brie/ apple pizza looks delicious though probably not that healthy.  The service is good and fast.  The outdoor patio is lovely on sunny days.  Just wish it were a little cheaper.
3 - Michael W.: Specials are good... sometimes
1 - S S.: This is for the rude "barista" lady.

My husband generally takes medium size coffee in a large size cup to prevent spilling (he spills a lot). So he ordered the same thing. The barista lady there gave him, what seemed more like, a small coffee in a large size cup. So my husband asked for more coffee. She said NO. I wanted to ask for an empty medium size cup and show her that she really gave less coffee but I didn't wanna ruin my morning. First, she was wrong. Second, who says no to a little bit more coffee!!! 

I hope the manager reads this and improve their service.
5 - Diane W.: Best staff, good variety, dollar coffee, yummy pastries, huge salads, snazzy tunes. My favorite place on campus!!! Thank you Bytes!

$5 min for credit card, but they're crazy nice about it if you're close or forgot.

Here are the best coffee friends in their pastry cabinet:
Pumpkin bread, magic bar, carmelita bar, double chocolate cookie, maple scone.

C & D Auto Service Center - College Park, MD (38.979197, -76.924198) ()
5 - Gunnar V.: I wanted very much to be mad at these guys when a series of things went wrong with my car. I mean, what do I know about cars? They could be trying to rip me off. On top of that it takes me 40 minutes to get there since I moved. Just give me a reason to find a closer mechanic.

Well, long story short, last time I took my car there for an estimate (check engine light) I decided to download the Service Manuals and make sure they were on the level. I learned a lot about cars and service codes that day. Not only did I come back with no reason to blame them for my car's ills, they were charging me 25% less than the best price I could find on the work (intake manifold gasket) and less than 50% of the worst price (dealership).

Now I'm stuck driving 40 minutes whenever my car needs servicing. When you find a good repair shop with good prices, you've got to stick with it.
4 - Farida B.: These guys are great.  My dad is pretty anal about car maintenance so he gives them a lot of business, but they're awesome and treat our cars well.  We live maybe 5 miles away so they'll pick us up or drop us off when we need to leave our cars at the shop.

Good, reputable business!
5 - John R.: When we first moved to Maryland about 5 years ago we tried several different repair shops before we found C & D on a recommendation from a friend, and BOY are we glad that we did.  Back then we needed extensive front end work and a timing belt on our Honda, and C & D came in 20 percent or more below the next closest estimate.  Sam and Marcus (the owner and the manager) are honest, pleasant and most importantly competent.  They have given us honest assessments about the need -- or lack thereof -- for repairing our vehicles, and we have used them from everything from oil changes to engine work.  I strongly recommend them.
4 - Krissi H.: After getting my tires replaced and having the mechanic basically tell me (well, he told my husband) I was driving a death trap, I called C&D to see if I could drop my car off. They said I could, so I sent the husband over. 

They looked at the car, told him we'd need new rear drums, and sent him on his way. They had to order parts, so the car stayed in the shop for the weekend. It was ready when they told me it would be. But, since they had to order the parts, the estimate was about $20 more than they had originally quoted. They were upfront about it, though, warning me on the phone before I rode to pick up my car. 

The service is always quick and friendly. Also, they are about four blocks from the College Park metro station - which is awesome when you have to leave your car for the weekend and would be otherwise stranded at the shop (we're a one-car family).
4 - Jeremy L.: Great place that delivers exactly what you need.  Auto service at an honest price with nice people. 

I had some breaks/rotors replaced and wasn't given any sort of run around.  The turn around time was about an hour and a half, even though they told me 2 hours.  I appreciate it when people over estimate vs underestimate the work time.

Go here for fair prices and good service.
5 - Gary L.: When I'm looking for a mechanic, I'm looking for guys who are knowledgeable, honest, and charge a fair price. These guys are exactly that. 

I brought my 98 Honda Accord V6 in after it wouldn't start and these guys diagnosed the problem, were honest about all the repairs up front (i.e. what needs to be done and what doesn't need to be done), fixed the problem, and had me in and out within a day (at nearly $800 under what I would have paid at Pep Boys). Quick and painless - just how most things should be.

If you want to check out their competitors (as any smart consumer would), then you should. Just don't frown when you come back and see my car ahead of yours in line.

When you've found auto guys that treat you well (and as an extra perk are located a block from the College Park metro), you stick with them. I will - and you should too.
5 - Reneisha H.: I'm pretty illiterate when it comes to car maintenane so besides getting an oil change every 3k miles, my knowledge is fairly limited. I was headed to class one day and smelled something smoking from under the hood. I looked at the dash and saw that the engine was overheated. I just relocated to DMV area from Texas less than a year ago, so I'm still learning the city and  my contacts are still a work in progress. Long story short, I needed somewhere to get my car diagnosed that was close to my apartment. Since I'm not from the area my first thought is to just go to Ford since I didn't know any mechanics in the area, but they charge a $90 diagnostic fee without fixing crap so I was reluctant to that idea. I have AAA membership so decided to ask them for places where I can receive a discount and was in close proximity of my apartments. I'm a big review before I go person, and C&D Automotive had the most positive reviews. Drop my truck off for the overnight service and by 9am, Marcus called to let me know what was going on. I needed a new radiator and a new thermostat. I shop around and these guys were indeed giving me the best deal. They had me back in action by 3pm that afternoon. 

-Second visit, I came for an oil change and they recommended that I replace a gasket because it was blown and that would eventually lead to transmission failure. I'm a visual person, so one of the mechanics shown me exactly where the gasket was blown and the oil escaping because of it. Me being hard headed waited until I saw over drive light blinking before I decided to follow through with suggestions. When I google searched over drive light blinking, most comments suggested that the transmission would need to be replaced. I'm thinking FML, if that was the case. I took it back to C&D Auto, they replaced the gasket and my over drive light problem was fixed. If I would have waited any longer I would have been SOL and thousands of dollars, instead of the couple hundred to replace gasket.

Overall, I recommend this place to anyone that needs their car serviced. Sam and Marcus are honest, fast and do great quality work. These guys are located right across from the UMD metro station and will even pick you up or drop off, if you live in the area. I think I found a reliable mechanic and will definitely be back!!!
5 - Billy S.: These guys really are the best. They don't talk you into buying a "johnson rod" when you are trying to get your brakes replaced. They are within site of the College Park Metro, making drop off and pick up really easy for me. 

I have had my engine light looked at, a tune up, and breaks replaced. My problems were fixed the same day.

I am happy to call C & D my car guys.
5 - Kurt B.: I was looking at buying a used car from a dealer nearby. My girlfriend thought it would be a good idea to have it checked out by a qualified mechanic.                                                                                                                
A day before I took the car for a test ride, I called C & D and spoke with Andrew.  Andrew said I could just stop in and his guys would take a look at it.

After checking it over he told me what they found and I used that information to make the purchase.  The best part was when I called the day before, he said there would be no charge.

Thank you Andrew for the great customer service.

Kurt B
5 - Jenny R.: My husband and I have been taking our cars to C & D for eight years and we really trust the work they do. They provide accurate estimates before starting work, honest assessments of what needs to be done and fair prices. Their work is outstanding and they stand by it.
5 - Carla L.: Great location for students. Brought my car here for brake pad & shoe repair and their prices were very reasonable
4 - Erin D.: I ended up here out of convenience (close proximity to work) and because of great reviews on Yelp and I've gotta say, I'm a fan!

I had to have my car's rear brake pads and rotors replaced and C&D's price ($320) was much lower than Midas (approx $550) and a reputable auto shop that we've used in Alexandria VA ($425). Work was done fairly quickly and customer service was great.  They are a short walk from the College Park Metro (green line) which is great if you need to drop your car off for a while. 

They offer a 5% discount if you're a AAA member too.
5 - Serge E.: These guys quickly diagnosed the problem with my car, fixed it the same day, and were flexible on the price. Will even install a new head unit into the car free. Overall positive experience.
3 - Danielle P.: My check engine light came on in my car and after hearing from some folks that there were a few places over by the CP Metro station, I went to C&D. They diagnosed the problem, ordered the part and then called me and had me pick up my car after work. They pointed out that I needed belts, and they could order them for me when I returned to put in the other part I needed. I agreed.  Again, the following week, I dropped off the car in the AM, but it wasn't to be ready till the following morning at 8 AM when they opened. Next day, they kept me waiting  while they adjusted and tweaked things on the car. Finally, at 8:45 I was on the road to work, with about $40 knocked off the price they'd initially quoted me because I complained about being held up for work.

I was glad they knocked some $ off and that they were willing to pick me up at the metro station but it's not at all far to walk. I'd go back, but  found $35 for an oil change (and "free fluid top ups" pricey. For having my car as long as they did, 2 days, it would have been nice if they'd washed it too.
5 - Asia P.: I've been going to C&D since I was a kid. My parents would always bring their cars here and Sam was so nice! Now as an adult I still bring my car for body shop or mechanic problems. C&D always has great prices and I know they are honest. My insurance company and rental car company recommends them too. I don't know much about cars but they don't take advantage of me! Sam Jarian always asks about my family as well. It's a great business and I definitely recommend them.
5 - Deidre Y.: Awesome service. I called them at 5:05 wondering about an oil change. They close at 6 but he told me to come on anyway. I got there and was in and out in 20 minutes (maybe even less). They didn't try to up sell me like a lot of the chains typically do. If you're gonna spend $30 on an oil change you might as well get the friendly and super quick service free of charge.
4 - Craig L.: C&D took in the family sedan after she got T-boned in an accident in mid-May. We just got her back today, about a month later, but the dents & scrapes are totally gone. They're friendly guys, & I'm happy my wife & I did business with them.
5 - Brian Y.: This place is AMAZING! Been here a few times now. They were able to fix my A/C where the dealership and other auto services have tried but failed to do AND for less than HALF the price. C&D have fixed all my problems quickly and with no extra charge. They even threw in a free oil change once! This is the place I go to for all my car problems!
5 - Krissy A.: Amazing Service!!  First time coming here and it wont be my last! Fast service and great.. i mean Great Prices!  After dropping off my vehicle they were even nice enough to drop me off at home and pick up me from the metro station, which is not far from there shop. First time i ever had that great service!  Thanks guys!
5 - Kate S.: These guys did a great job. I chose them because of their high reviews here on Yelp, and they didn't disappoint. My car's 'malfunction indicator' light came on yesterday evening, and I emailed them immediately to set up an appointment. I was surprised to get a call from them at 8:30PM saying I could bring it in first thing in the morning! That's a fast response!

So I brought it in and they diagnosed the problem quickly and efficiently. The guy had to go pick up the part I needed himself, and they still had it done in less than two hours. I think the pricing was fair too--I wouldn't really know, but I did some research, and it seems like I got a good deal compared to some people's experiences with similar problems. And they were honest--I had another problem that was just starting, and at first the guy said they would fix it, but then he said he took another look and decided it wasn't really necessary (yet). He said, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

My car is running smoothly and happily now. I used to take it to Jiffy Lube for oil change service, but I think I'm going to start taking it here regularly now. It's more convenient, and I'm impressed with their quick, efficient, and friendly service!

Thanks guys!
5 - Theo P.: I called and spoke to Sam about my car overheating. There was coolant in the reservoir, but when it got hot, the coolant cap was stuck because it was so hot. I figured there was a lack of coolant in the radiator, but worried it was the thermostat. Ugh. It was right as they opened last Saturday, and I wanted to make sure they could look at it before I towed it over. He was straight with me upfront, saying that if there was anything wrong with it, they'd do their best to finish it by the end of the day. Saturdays are short days with the shop only being open until 1 pm. I made sure I said exactly what i thought the problem was, not knowing anything about them other than the reviews I've read here, I wanted to exhibit my knowledge to avoid being taken for a sucker. It's my experience mechanics are like sharks in the water, they smell the blood of ignorance, and they attack. But Sam dissuaded from those thoughts completely. They refilled my coolant (exactly what I thought) and suggested a new thermostat (exactly what I feared) if the problem returned. I had mentioned I found them on Yelp!, and he gave me a discount on the inspection and diagnosis. I will be heading back there when I replace that thermostat and do my out-of-state inspection.
5 - ayo l.: Great customer service. Speedy car care. Would come back!
2 - Mike G.: So this is how my day went..... Took two vehicles to this place for a state inspection. Went ok, there was a small wait time before they got to me, took close to 2 hours to do both. I then proceeded to the wonderful MVA (yeah right!) waited in line for almost 3 hours just to find out that the moron at C & D apparently doesn't know what year we are living in because they dated the inspection year 2010...... I then had to go back and get them to re write the inspection certificate and go back and wait for anther 3 hours or more at the MVA just to get vehicles registered in this dump of a state. I will not be going back to this place because if they can't even get their paper work right, who knows what else they can't get right.

C & J Beauty Supply - Los Angeles, CA (34.0108881, -118.2928528) (South Los Angeles)
5 - Helen G.: Just moved here from NY and Raleigh NC. I am used to large, well-stocked beauty supplies.

C and J is all that and more. Great customer service, nice wig and human hair selection, and everything I need as a stylist is there.

I love shopping at C and J's. I hope nothing ever changes.
3 - Julie I.: I love this store.  Very big range of products.  The only thing is I don't like when my favorite beauty stores start carrying the same hair products as I see in Target.  Target hair products are cheap in price, but when I go to a beauty store I want to see special stuff.  I am starting to see some of the cute little curly hair products in Target and W.mart...no!!! Is everyone doing the mass market thing.  Keep special C and J beauty, please.
4 - Vel J.: I am not from Los Angeles but one would think a large, well stocked, fairly priced beauty supply store geared towards black hair would be easy to find. It was not. Prior to C&J I was stuck with Sally's and a few other smaller beauty supply stores that were near me in West Hollywood but had very little of what I needed. Or the prices were so ridiculously high I could barely afford the special products I was seeking.

I am very grateful for C&J! They have the largest and most organized collection of hair and hair products I have seen to date. I have found everything I could possibly need for both my natural hair and my weaving hair care needs.

The only reason why I did not give this store 5 stars is because of its distance from me. I wish it weren't such a trek from West Hollywood but I am happy to have a place to go to regardless.

I recommend this store for all ethnicities if you are looking for any obscure hair care product. I am confident you would find it there. Also, the prices are very reasonable and it is open on Sunday. Win-win!
4 - Shay T.: This place has all the beauty products you can imagine!!!!! The weave selection is massive but alot of cheap brands. The staff doesnt have urban hair so I don't really consider them knowledgeable most are actually Mexican guys who look like they would rather be somewhere else lol .. The area is in the hood but if u need to grab some cheap hair go here!!!
5 - Rashante L.: I AM ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE WITH THIS PLACE!!!! After a long, annoying, and unsuccessful day of searching for a beauty supply store that sells black/ethnic for a reasonable price in LA I stumbled upon this place on yelp. 

It is HAIR HEAVEN!!!! I'm originally from NY and this place is VERY similar to beauty supply stores there. Not only were the prices VERY reasonable, but they had a huge selection of hair, products, makeup, CUTE $1 accessories, and the friendliest and most patient employees that I've ever encountered. PLUS they sold my all natural shea butter straight from Africa that I can not live without, and black soap! FIVE STARS! This is a new favorite. I don't even mind taking the trip all the way from the valley to here. It's well worth it! You won't be disappointed!
4 - Onebinrob B.: Hair, Hair, Hair everywhere and for all budgets.  The guys that works there always treat me cool.  Don't care for the cashiers.  Vibes suck.
5 - Larue P.: This place is great for someone who owned a beauty parlor. C and J got all the beauty product you wanted. Their products are so affrodable yet very effective for your beauty. This is the place where my wife always ordered her beauty product for our small beauty business. I highly recommend C & J Beauty Supply.

C & T Market - West Lafayette, IN (40.4220221, -86.8998518) ()
5 - Marty B.: This store has a restaurant tucked away at the very back of it. They don't have a large sign above it like the businesses around it so I would have never noticed it had I not gone with a friend who highly recommended it. 

This must be the best Chinese food in town. It is very different than your standard Americanized Chinese food; I assume it is more authentic. I had the Lamb with Pure Cumin (#427) recommended by our waitress which was excellent, but everything my four friends ordered was also delicious, my favorite being the Shredded Pork with Hot Pepper (or something like that, #711). It had a little heat to it which rounded the flavor out nicely, but wouldn't be too hot for anyone that doesn't do well with spiciness. 

I would highly recommend checking it out, it really hit the spot.
5 - Lizz C.: Today we got up, bleary eyed.  Yelp Elites party HARD and we were no exception.  We did our normal morning routine, and I made us some tasty veggies with Asian seasonings.  

UKers probably crave a good curry the morning-after.  Other Americans crave bacon and eggs with all the sides.  Jon C and I  - we're a little weird - we crave Asian food.  Some kind of Asian food, ANY kind of Asian food.

Was found Marty B's review  and stopped. And studied it with great interest.

"Lamb with Pure Cumin" kept blinking at us from the review.  

Lamb, we love lamb.  We've looked into purchasing a whole lamb from organic processors. We have goat and 3/4 of a grass fed cow in our freezers.  Lamb.. Lamby lamb lamb.

We did some work.. but we kept exchanging glances. 'Asian Grocery' and 'Lamb' and 'Food' kept running through our heads.

Yes, today that lamb would be ours.

We went down to C&T Market.  It's not labelled very well as Marty said, it's next to a Mexican restaurant and has a lot of ads for a .. black soy beauty product on the window. But it's there, thankfully the deities of Hangovers and Morning-Afters (Hunter S Thompson of course) was looking after us.

They were open and we sauntered back, trying not to look like we were running.  All the way back, to the right is the restaurant.

Ample seating for probably, at least 15+ parties with overflow seating to the right.  We studied the menu.

Blood sausage, pork belly, intestines, stomach, pork, beef, chicken, melon, lobster, bean, noodles were words that all stood out .

We hunkered down with our menus at a table.  Pork Belly with Garlic and the mmm.. Lamb with Pure Cumin were our choices.  Offal will have to wait until our stomachs were starting out more stable. =)

This was among the top 10 meals that I've had in my lifetime.  The Pork Belly was spicy, in sesame/chili oil with cilantro and scallions and absolutely delicious.

We were well into digging into that appetizer, when the lamb with pure cumin arrived.  It was everything we could ask for.  Rich lamb, in a spicy but not overwhelming sauce with green peppers and onions.  We savored, we smiled, we nodded.  

People don't 'get' Chinese food, or other Asian food. It isn't Panda Express, it's recipes from a family, made for you like they make it for their family.  

We went to pay, and the lady wished us Happy New Year.  We are now entering the year of the Dragon. What an auspicious day to find this lovely restaurant that will be a frequent visit for us.

Please go here if you want to taste Chinese food at its best.   Share it with friends and people you love.  Food this good should be shared!
5 - Jon C.: Writing reviews of places like this is always bittersweet for me.  Sweet because I get to talk about a ZOMGKICKASS place, bitter because I realize so many people will never give a place like this a chance because they don't know the name or are worried they won't be able to order anything.

Anyway.

This is one of the coolest restaurants I've ever seen.  It's hidden (well, not hidden, but you certainly don't expect this!) in the back of an Asian grocery!  

The menu is large, and there's very few Westernized dishes on it, and I suspect even the Westernized stuff isn't made the same as it is in the mega-chains.  Most of the menu is what I can only assume is fairly traditional fare.

There are numerous dishes the are made with various bits of offal (offal = organ meats and other normally discarded parts [such as tongue] for those that don't know), and things such as lamb dishes and whole fish!  While I've seen whole fish, I've never seen lamb included in Chinese cuisine!

The service was great - very prompt, and they speak very good English.  

We ordered pork belly with garlic from the hot appetizer section, and lamb with pure cumin from the entree section.  Both dishes, honestly, were what most would consider an "entree portion size."   We always split dishes when we go out; we don't eat a very large calorie amount.   Splitting these two dishes accounted for most of our food for the day - and happily so!

I have no idea if there's any way the food could have tasted better.  I'm pretty sure it couldn't have.  It's just that good.

On our next visit, it likely won't be after a night of slightly heavy drinking, so my stomach will feel more settled and ready for adventure, and we'll order some of the more exotic fare!  I can't wait!

If you're willing to step out of the Food Court Express and give real, hand-made more traditional style Asian food a try, you're NOT going to find a better place to do it than C&T Market.   

Wow!

C Denise Ching MD - Palo Alto, CA (37.440111, -122.161179) ()
5 - Pixie P.: She did my mastectomy. She has the perfect balance of being super caring and yet super intelligence. She treated me like a human being and seemed to really feel for what I was going through. If I could give her 10 stars I would. She explained my cancer to me in very clear detail, and broke it down so I could understand it. She also explained the costs and benefits of alternative ways of doing things.
SHE IS GREAT!!! One of the BEST!!! I would recommend her HIGHLY!!!

C Town Supermarket - New York, NY (40.8146199, -73.9575879) (Harlem)
3 - Vi V.: Has this C Town always been around? I've just noticed it recently.

It's always good to have more grocery stores around. I need my fresh fruits all the time.
1 - Kristin W.: This store does not carry hormone free milk, so I don't shop there.  Also, the selection and quality of food is not nearly as good as the Met around the corner.
2 - Matt B.: Food selection is just ok.  I shop here a few times a week because its close to my place.  I guess it's a NY thing, but the employees are so rude!
2 - Elbert G.: This  place is just down the street so thats nice. The prices are reasonable but their selection is not the greatest. Especially their veggies. Also like the last person said they arent the friendliest people there.
3 - Dimitrios D.: I'm a little confused by the reviews prior to my own.  If you are looking for some college-like, gourmet supermarket, you've simply come to the wrong place.

C-Town is a chain supermarket that serves a particular demographic by opening up in economically impoverished areas/cities of the Northeast.
Keep in mind that C-Town's very own motto is "Supermarkets for Savings".

Anyway, for what it is, it does its job just fine.  
I had no issue with the other patrons or employees.  In fact, I asked one of the employees where something was, and he quickly and politely responded.
3 - Will T.: A perfectly reasonable and inexpensive place to get canned goods, frozen foods, or paper towels/toilet paper/soap/other dry goods if you don't want to walk all the way to Fairway and want to do better than a bodega.  The staff is reasonably friendly, too.  But I wouldn't bother trying to get produce or meat there unless I had a physical problem of some sort that prevented me from walking the 4 blocks to Fairway (and I say that after having bought meat and produce at this C-Town).

C U Sushi - Berkeley, CA (37.8705095, -122.2664781) (Downtown Berkeley, UC Campus Area)
4 - Emily L.: Grabbed some dinner here tonight.  I'm not sure why they've called themselves a fusion restaurant.  The stuff on the menu is pretty straightforward Japanese food (Sushi, sashimi, speciality rolls, udon, rice plates, etc.).

We ordered an assortment of nigiri, rolls and a cold tofu appetizer.  Big thumbs up on the Unagi (warm, not too sweet and tender) and the Albacore (melt in your mouth).  Everything was delicious.  The rolls could have been packed a little more tightly. They fell apart too easily during the transfer from serving platter to soy/wasabi to mouth.

The space is small and cute.  There are tables inside to seat about ~50.  Tthey have 4 tables set up outside so you can take advantage of the delightful East Bay weather.  It's a nice and clean Japanese joint that rests comfortably in between expensive Kirala and questionably-cheap Party Sushi.  This place just opened in the past few weeks, so I think it'll get even better once it finds its groove.

The biggest surprise was the warm cloth provided to clean your hands with pre-meal.  The server brings a shallow dish with what looks like two medium-sized marshmallows on it.  I thought to myself, "Wow, what a nice little amuse bouche!"  Then, hot water is poured over them and VOILA! They expanded all sproingy-spring-crazy!
4 - Mori Y.: Had a nice, late, outdoor lunch here recently, and I was pleasantly surprised at the creativity and quality of this place.  What we have here is a student friendly eatery, that could stand on its own against much more expensive places.

I tend to be a purist when it comes to sushi, and 'modern' sushi just irks me most of the time; something about spicy and/or creamy sushi just makes me cringe.  However, CU sushi really captured my heart (via my stomach and taste buds of course).  They offer a lot of wonderfully creative rolls, without going too overboard in trying to cater to an Americanized palate; what you get is a delightful selection of Korean and Japanese inspired flavors.  More importantly, they do have all the basics on their menu, and they do them very well.

First of all, I loved the presentation.  Each order is plated meticulously with lots of care and personal attention.  You see this throughout the restaurant in terms of decor and cleanliness too; the owner has that desire for obsessive-compulsive order that is the hallmark of a good Japanese restaurant.  The dish arrives at your table, and the first thing you'll say is either "cute" or "pretty."

Even better is CU's flavor.  Their sushi rice has the perfect seasoning (not too sweet or too vinegary) and texture (firm and holds together, but not sticky).  The fish in their nigiri and sashimi is fresh and very tasty.  The rolls are what are cool about this place though.  The large selection of tempura rolls, baked rolls and other creative delights are a lot of fun.  I was surprised to find my shitake tempura roll came with extra shitake tempura on the side.  The tofu steak is also very good here, crispy and crunchy fried, yet not greasy, it is light and clean tasting.  The unagi is amazing here as well, and the sauce is perfect ... just perfect (they use it on most of the fried items as well).

All in all, a solid 4 stars based on flavor, price, presentation, sidewalk cafe seating near UC, being half a block from BART, and the 'kawai' factor.  CU makes a solid addition to the Center Street line of cheap eats for lunch, and makes a seamless conversion to a dinner spot in downtown Berkeley as well.

UPDATE: 8/1/06  REALLY GOOD UDON!  Well, perhaps just 'good' udon, but that means a lot in the crappy-udon-verse that is the bay area!  Cheap, and a large bowl too (~$5.95).
4 - Noah S.: I can only put my cents in about the nigiri, but every time I go, it's consistently great. They have a 50% off sushi menu, which means you get most fish (tuna, salmon, yellow tail) for about $1.80-$2.25 range. Service is great and you get free edmame and tea. What else do you need? I'm here every week!

Update (11/24): Since this summer, the prices have been slightly raised and the quality has gone slightly down (the tuna is strange sometimes, same with the yellow tail). It's still my choice for affordable sushi in Berkeley.
3 - Em C.: not bad at all for being on the strip from the bart station to cal.  i've seen many a restaurant fold on this stretch.  i came here with a friend at the beginning of summer.  the first thing the waitress said was "are you here for summer school?"  i was so flattered, but my friend was annoyed.  anyway, the edamame was nice and salty and i enjoyed the fried scallop roll.  good price too.
3 - Lauren G.: For the longest time I thought that this place was just called "50% off" because their biggest sign just said that...
I had some great sushi here for lunch.  And it is very reasonably priced.  Both a friend and I ate here for 15 bucks.  And we got a lot of food.  My friend's salad had way too much dressing and my terriyaki bowl could have had more veggies like broccoli and carrots.  But, all in all, it was good.
4 - Haru K.: Stopped in here just before the Yelp sponsored Passing Strange show at the Berkeley Rep.  I was able to order, eat and pay all in 20 minutes flat!  Great service and the sushi was fine (philadephia roll, unagi nigiri).  I also got miso and free edamame.  It was perfect and healthier than eating a hot dog, like my friends did next door.  I'll be stopping here again when I'm heading to the rep!
4 - Evan K.: This is not a great place to go if you are a sushi purist.  But if you like to try new things, CU Sushi has a very good and interesting assortment of rolls to try.  The service there is excellent, and the sushi is delicious.
3 - Kione E.: I've eaten here a couple time already and have been satisfied with it.

Things I  like:
Fresh fish. The Super White Tuna is butter in my mouth. Hamachi, yum. Pretty much all the sushi is pretty good.

Things I don't like:
I don't know if anyone realizes, but the sauce that they use on their appetizers is the same for ALL the appetizers. Seriously! Tofu steak, Monkey balls, all the same sauce. Teriyaki? After a while, they both taste like the same thing.
Beef Curry Udon. Egh. (I make better beef curry.) It was a good size portion though.
Why don't they have REAL (asian style) soup spoons? Kinda hard to eat udon with a western spoon.
Service was good and the food came out in good time with good presentation.
Nice paintings and interior design.
Prices are great for the sushi, but not on the other stuff. A bit too high for that place.
4 - Anh N.: Had lunch here the other day and I was quite impress with the experience. Having occupied the former Q-Cup Boba cafe, CU offered a unique food option to an rising popular 3rd food corridor in Berkeley (Telegraph/Durant and Shattuck/Vine being the other). Being that CU is a 'fusion' place, the decor is modern and the background music is techno (the audio level does not require ppl to shout to carry a conversation, but is enough make you wanna to whip out the glow stick and go wild if you choose).

For those who also eat with their eyes, the menu is well illustrated of the items they serve. And by-gosh the food they bring out looks exactly what is depicted. The 50% off sushi section is an affordable way to sample different items without braking the bank.

I ordered a Nabeyaki Udon and a Crab Roll. The roll was average but my Udon was excellent. The bater they used for the shrimp tempura made me recall fond memories of the noodle dishes I hard in Japan; in other words it was GOOD! I will definitely come here again for any tempura cravings.
4 - YJ H.: Cheap sushi and rolls and surprisingly, delicious.  I tried one of their unagi rolls and thought it was great. I am a fan of unagi rolls, but most places mess it up with too much sauce, but this place did it right.  Tuna and california roll were also good.  I wouldn't try the chicken bowl or beef bowl, too much teriyaki sauce.  Service was little slow, but overall they were very accommodating and friendly.

Recommended.

Bon Appetit
4 - Carla R.: I like this place because you can get a pretty good salad there.  Spicy Tuna Salad (with organic lettuce) and the Seaweed salads are the best, and well under $10.  A lot of the menu items including the Sushi are deep fried, but you can pretty much get around that by ordering raw sushi, salads, soups or a teriyaki item.  I did have the teriyaki chicken before, but the chicken was a bit dry, bland and not "grilled"--it tasted baked instead.   Everything else is pretty good.  The wait staff is very friendly, and remember what I like--they know my voice even when I call in and thats not very often.
4 - Ange M.: For the money, this place is great! The rolls can be a bit wee messy and they fall apart easily, but service is prompt (most of the times) and the bill never makes you frown.

During the nice weather months, it is great 'cause you can sit outside, and if you are a retired raver, or just a techno-lover, you will love this place... I am half expecting the server to bring us miso soup, sashimi and glow sticks to go with the music, he, he...
4 - Anna L.: Good food for decent prices.  There are many varieties of sushi rolls, hot entrees, and salads.  The combination of ingredients in the salads are very creative and unconventional, but the soy sauce-like dressing has always disappointed me -- it's runny and overwhelms the delicate ingredients with saltiness; they should really switch over to some type of thicker sesame or ginger dressing.  The rolls are delicious and filling.  I recently had the tempura scallop roll and loved it.  Great bang for the buck.  Unpretentious service.
4 - Jeffrey R.: The rolls here are pretty good and very cheap.
3 - judy w.: It was getting late tonight and we needed to find a place to eat before heading home after a movie. 
The 50% off sign should've been a sign...

Ok, some of the stuff is ok, but I'd think hard before I go back again.  

1.  The rolls (we got yellow tail, shitake, krab, california, dragon, veggie, and a couple more) were made with waay too much rice.   This was a huge turn off because I didn't come in to get 90% full on rice, I came in for 50% off sushi!  :-p

2.  Their veggie roll had lettuce in it.  LETTUCE!  what the...  maybe this is where the "fusion" part came in.

3.  The picture menu is helpful, but only up to a point.  I could've sworn the vegetarian tempura roll showed that it had krab.

4.  The crab was fake Krab and they mayo'ed it. 

What was good, what did I like?  
Their miso soup was very nice.  
The shitake in the shitake roll was nicely marinated.  
The spicy tuna roll was good.
3 - Stacy F.: the fish is nice and fresh. the spicy tuna isn't alarmingly soft and mushy like the other sushi places around cal. i had a plate of maguro sashimi and it a half hour of proverbial gastronomical heeeyyy-ven!
they also serve edamame to get us started. we spent almost 40 dollars and they gave us $4 in gift certificates - very sweet of them
i highly recommend the spicy tuna and scallop roll. caterpillar roll was pretty standard. the udon is okay - too salty for my taste.
4 - Aromy X.: I've been to CU a lot since it's been open. 

It's meticulously clean and the service is consistently good. 

Their dishes are especially creative by combining Japanese cuisine with more everyday flavors to bring out something that is delightfully good. 

My new fave is the orgasm salad. It has seared tuna and seaweed salad covered in a wonderful dressing. I would also recommend the Japanese pasta salad. It's a great and surprising fusion! It's a mixture of fresh greens, sashimi, and udon noodles!
3 - Shawna R.: Good place when you are craving weird "fusion" rolls that the better sushi restaurants refuse to make. You can get a lot of rolls for $15 dollars. No-frills, not the best fish but it's fresh, and I end up going here every 4-6 weeks. 3 stars for food, 4 stars for value and because when I am craving it, it always delivers.

edit: meh, i've been here a couple times and though it's always what I expect I give it three stars. my rolls fell apart last time i got take-out.
2 - Tony B.: Okay sushi; definitely good for the price, but WTF they gave me tuna instead of salmon I swear...either that or that was the leanest, firmest, and reddest salmon I have ever eaten before.
4 - Mallory L.: I went here for the first time at the suggestion of my date.  Having just moved to the area, I was pleasantly surprised to open the menu to so many amazing options.  

In contrast to Mori Y. I LOVE spicy sushi especially when it has extra hot sauces on top, sometimes of the creamy variety.  They have a lot of really great combos for people who like spicy sushi as well as the spicy tempura combo. My date got the Orgasm salad which looked good.  We also got free edamame, and I ordered a roll of their 50% off menu which was a great way to fill up.  

I will definitely be back here to try more of their great combinations.
4 - Kalvin K.: Had the udon, lots of it and pretty good.
5 - Rachel S.: I can't believe I haven't Yelped about this place yet.  They've been so good to me, and they deserve more respect than that.  I've been to this place since it opened, and I can't say enough good things about it.  First and foremost, it's very reasonably priced, which can't be said about many sushi places irrespective of the quality of their sushi.  While this is not the MOST AMAZING sushi I've ever had, it's a place that I love to come and grab a lunch or dinner.  I burned myself out on it for awhile, but now am glad to be back.  The service is truly great and the atmosphere is relaxed except for the techno or Kelly Clarkson playing over the sound system.  Portions are large, and it's a great value for food and ambiance.
3 - The Sock S.: Eaten here way too many times, but never knew the name. We know it as 50% off sushi. That's right. 50% off. Not on certain days. Not at happy hour. All day, every day. Basic rolls and nigiri only though. It's a pretty good deal. No one's been sick... yet. 

The fish is ok, not the freshest slab that you can find, but it'll do. The preparation isn't great, rolls often have way too much rice. But then again, it's 50% so do you really expect it to look that nice? 

What exactly is the fusion part? The orgasm salad???
3 - Rei M.: Most of the time the service is very good - on a couple occasion it was a bit slow. The appetizers and sushi are very yummy.  Excellent sushi menu selection. 

My reason for the three stars rating - each entree we have ordered wasn't as yummy as the sushi.  Altho' we tried the tempura the other day and it was very good not oily or greasy.
4 - h o.: CU Sushi to me is like Howard Marshall is to Anna Nicole.  May not look like a whole lot on the outside but treats you to a damn fine time. Keeping in mind that it bills itself as a fusion restaurant, their food is good (esp spicy tuna rolls and tempura ice cream), and when you factor in how cheap their 50% rolls are, its practically like they're giving you inheritance/sex money.  

 If you call in your orders (like my house was doing on a bi-weekly basis), you can pick up in under 15 minutes. 

Especially in a college town where students like their things cheap and easy, its basically the ideal restaurant.  And for those of you who enjoy a little class with your classes, the eat-in atmosphere is cute and cozy.
3 - Caroline L.: I'll admit it: I really wanted to go to TGI Sushi's, but to my dismay, it's closed on Sundays. Then we just couldn't figure out where else to go for sushi, and we somehow found ourselves at CU Japanese Fusion Sushi. 

The food was pretty good. Their menus have pictures of virtually everything you can order, give or take a few of the typical things you'd normally order at a Japanese restaurant. I know I have a bad habit of ordering too much when going out for sushi (because I get greedy), so I limited myself to three rolls: 

1) Tuna roll: They were less than medium sized, but still pretty tasty. Tuna was nice and fresh.
2) Shrimp Killer: It had shrimp tempura inside, topped with shrimp. Also, note the cool name, which made me want to have it even more. It tasted good.
3) Tiger Roll: another roll with tempura inside, topped with eel, salmon, and a spicy sauce. Nice flavor. 

I went to this place with the folks, and they ended up ordering some tuna sashimi. They did this thing where they gave you some regular, nicely cut pieces, and then some big thin pieces (but more than enough AND it was still good). Another thing they ordered was the salmon steak entree ... I was picturing something spectacular, but it looked like some pretty small steaks served with miso soup, all on a whole lot of lettuce for the 12 dollar price. 

As for the service, the waitress was really nice and actually came around a couple of times to check on us, take away empty plates, and fill us up on more tea. It was pretty packed, so I guess this place is popular for the people who live around the area. 

Although I did enjoy what I ate, the reason that I gave the place three stars is because I didn't think they had too much variety in their sushi roll choices. A lot of it is some kind of fish on top of a California Roll, or some kind of deep fried California Roll. This is not the place if you're too big on CR's. And it absolutely drove me nuts that any roll that had tuna in it was only spicy tuna. I was looking for more of a fresh fish variety, but they had a lot of things that were baked, deep fried, or included cream cheese (*shudder*) and crab (*double shudder!*). You're better off waiting for TGI Sushi's to to open the next day (or not), but I suppose since it's called "Japanese Fusion" I should have expected all the crazy rolls that I didn't want to try.
2 - J P.: This place is definitely on the low end of sushi places in Berkeley.   I frequent it because it is relatively cheap and the closest to work.  

The food is okay.  Decent but never great.  The 50% off rolls aren't a bad deal, but their gyoza is very disappointing.  Also, the fish:rice ratio in their rolls is pretty low as well.

The service is unattentive and sporadically poor.  I usually order take-out here, and there have been many times where they have forgotten to include part of my order and still charged me for it.  Usually it is just the miso soup, but one time they forgot to give me a whole salmon skin roll!  You have to be attentive dining in as well, because they have also forgotten to bring appetizers (usually the miso soup) and put it on the bill anyway.

The final nail in the coffin for me was finding out that a friend of mine got some rather bad food poisoning from here.  After hearing that, I'll walk the extra few blocks to Sushi Ko on Shattuck.
3 - Nivek M.: I've been here a couple of times and found the sushi to be tasty and the service to be friendly and attentive.

My favorites include the Seaweed Salad, the Energy Roll, and the Yellowtail (Hamachi)/Scallion roll. Their nigiri sushi is also pretty good, served with enough wasabi sandwiched between the fish and rice to give you a nice horseradish headrush.
1 - G B.: The old man and I just ate there for the first time tonight.  It is definitely one of those "you get what you pay for" places.  The 50% off sushi is probably because it's not fresh and not thoughtfully prepared.  The menu was several pages long with lots of impressive looking pictures of specialty sushi rolls.  Way too many options on the menu...  We placed our order for seaweed salad, edamame, spicy tuna hand roll, salmon skin hand roll, Mexican roll, salmon nigiri and hamachi nigiri and they turned it around in less than 10 minutes.  Hmm...sushi might as well have been a microwaveable food at this place.  The spicy tuna was orange in color and very questionable...  The edamame overcooked.  The Mexican roll was avalanched with panko shavings.

They do seem to get quite a crowd (which is why we took a chance and tried it) and our poor waitress looked stressed.  There was a "Help Wanted" sign out front, so they are clearly short staffed. 

We decided it is one step above Party Sushi, only because the restaurant was clean and the sushi rice wasn't warm.  Head over to Joshu-ya on Dwight/Telegraph or spend the extra money and eat at Kirala/Kirala 2.
3 - K L.: The fish always tasted fresh at this place and it is much better than more expensive places around Berkeley.

With 50% off, it is one of the cheapest sushi place too.

Keep on going back because every time we try another one to see if there is anything better, we can't.
3 - Judy L.: the sushi was ok... 
the rolls are as usual, kinda pricey and not all that authentic, but the stuff that are on for 1/2 off right now are pretty good. all in all the fish was fresh. there's nothing more scary than warm fish...

i've been there a few times already. you gotta get a good waitress btw. the first time we went, we all noticed that this one waitress was talking shit about us. hope you don't get the bitchy one!
4 - Eazflo O.: UPDATE: 
Tuna: 5 stars
Service: 0 stars for takeout, 2 for in house eating

I still love the salad. What I don't love is the punk ass people working in this place. First of all, when a customer comes in at 11:28 don't refuse to help her because it isn't 11:30 yet and if you are going to do that, than keep the damn door closed! 

Second, lets try not acting like you don't see people who come in to pick up their take out just because you don't think you are going to get a tip.

 I think they are pissed because student's don't give good tips. WELL here is a tip-- if people ARE considering giving you a gratuity they probably won't if you are an ass! 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As a Berkeley resident, alum and wife of a current Grad student, I spend a lot of time looking for food around center street. One Sunday, when almost nothing else was open, I stopped into this place. Now, I as assuming it would be lackluster like the take out sushi 2 doors down closer to the BART. BOY was I wrong. First of all, it was real plates, a big drink and a sidewalk seat. Then came the 4 stars.... Spicy Tuna Salad!!!!!!!!!!! It was delish and only $8.95. 

Every once in a while you stumble onto a "hole in the wall" which unexpectedly surprises you and becomes something you pine for.... need I say Spicy Tuna?
2 - saudade s.: Not a fan of the fish here.   Everything is super cheap, but the quality is really sub-par.  All of the fish tasted the same, like nothing!   Tasted like old watery fish, thawed and sitting for some time.  The hot dishes are also disappointing.  A friend ordered teriyaki and it was, frankly, gross -- dry and tough, and in little chunks like kung pao chicken, with an off-flavor.  Another friend ordered the Monkey Balls --some sort of deep fried roll concoction -- and those were passable.  Can't go wrong with deep fried, I suppose.
  
This might be a fine place for UC dormrats who don't drive and need a cheap little place for a fillup or a cozy cute spot for a dinner date, but if you're looking for good sushi and remarkable food, no.
  
BUT, the service here is friendly, you get a hot towel before dinner, and the restroom is very clean.
4 - Thomas C.: Tasty sushi at a very affordable price.  This was my first time out to CU Japanese Fusion (aka CU Sushi).  The wait staff was amicable and prompt.  The sushi was very good and was at great prices too.  Their prices are comparable to Tako Sushi up on telegraph, but I think I'd give CU more praise as their facilities seemed cleaner, less cramped and the food is a tad better as well.

The yellowtail with scallions is delicious.  I also had the salmon roll and scallop roll.  The spicy tuna is good.  The california roll is okay, but I recommend something other than that one if you want to step outside the box.  You've come for sushi, not pre-cooked fake crab and cucumber and avacado.  Jeez.

If I ever want cheap sushi I'll be coming here.
3 - Rachel B.: Decent sushi for a reasonable price.  Who can say no to that?  The sign outside advertises, sushi, 50% off!  But the sign is always there.  Which begs the question - if you write the "original price," put a line through it, replace it with a number that is half as big as the original, and always charge the "sale" price . . . is it actually 50% off?
3 - Brad L.: Just as this place led me to give up plastic box sushi, one day, when I have an actual job and can afford omakase regularly, I will abandon CU. Until then, the not-really-50% off menu (it's about 40% cheaper than Kirala) will be my regular sushi choice: I like it much better than the "creative" main menu. I usually pay a bit over ten bucks, including tip, for a light meal of a couple of orders of nigiri (try the scallop) and a maki roll (salmon skin), attractively arranged on the plate. All freshish, if not "I just got this maguro from the Sea of Japan via teleport" fresh. I'll enjoy it while I can, until somebody takes me to Sebo.
4 - Karen J.: aah CU Sushi, a.k.a. 1/2 price sushi to Mr. Gin. (no that's his name, I don't befriend bottles of alcohol). Anyway, when I actually lived in Berkeley, I never came here. And then I moved out of Berkeley and realized what I was missing!

This is a good, affordable sushi place. I'm going to say it doesn't have the, how you say, prestige of Kirala...but it beats going to something like Tako Sushi. Good portions, tasty, and good service.

I even get a new $2 off coupon when I use my old coupon, it's like a revolving door of coupons
4 - Tiffany H.: My peeps and I have a moniker for this place: B12.

Why?

Because B12 corresponds to CU's Baby Lobster Roll aka The Best Thing Ever.

I generally try to avoid Asian fusion places, but I've been coming here since its Grand Opening back when I was an undergraduate and broke.  The fish isn't the freshest and I recommend avoiding the Crazy Monkey Roll or whatever it's called, but you can't beat sushi and sashimi that's 50% off, friendly service, or their fabulous B12.  Both the salmon kama and hamachi kama are incredible (but it's rare that they will have either) and their tempura and nabeyaki udon are all pretty good too.  Not to mention the sleek decor and cool soysauce bottles!

CU there!
3 - Stacy R.: Relatively good sushi. For $10 you can get miso soup, tempura and one of their special roles. The miso soup was extremely salty but the rest was decent.
3 - Karen K.: I had to go to Berkeley for some errands on Sunday and was looking for a cheap place for lunch near campus (and near BART as a plus).  CU is located on Center Street where there are several other restaurants.  There appears to be high turnover along this street since most of the places there had changed about 2-3 times since I went to Cal 7 years years ago.  Anyhow, the restaurant appeared to be fairly busy, which was a good sign.  I liked how they have outdoor tables (in the shade).  I always thought this row was a great location for restaurants since it's walkable from campus, along the way from BART to campus, and located right downtown.  But the restaurant biz is tough, I agree.

We walked in and sat ourselves at a table next to the window.  The inside had a modern look to it and was airy and clean.  The waitresses were Japanese and friendly.  The menu is pretty extensive and full of colorful pictures.  Lots and lots of pictures.  It was hard deciding what to order because there were so many choices.  CU also has a special list of sushi that is 50% off.  Judging by the previous reviews, it looks like the 50% sale happens all the time and isn't really a "sale."  There's a minimum of 2 orders per person if you order off the list so you can't just get 1-2 orders as an add on if you are with someone else.

We decided to get 4 orders of sushi and 2 entrees - yes, I am a big eater.  I picked the unagi and avocado (this might be one of the few places that doesn't call it the rock and roll), California roll, scallop roll, and spicy tuna roll.  Each order came with 6 pieces and it was cheap.  Around $3 or less per order.  Taste-wise, they were ok.  The tuna roll had a generous portion of tuna which was nice.  Scallop roll was probably the worse of the three, but probably because it had a very mild taste to it.  The California roll tasted great - flavorful without being overly mayonnaise-y.  Unagi and avocado roll was my favorite, but then again, it always.  You really can't beat the price for a whole platter of sushi for around $10. 

For the entrees, we got the mushroom stir-fry ($8.95) and yaki udon with beef ($8.95).  Portions were decent, but I hated the sauce.  Unfortunately, both dishes had the same sauce, too!  The mushroom dish came with huge chunks of mushroom and veggies with a side of rice.  The yaki udon dish had lots of beef in it.  This place is not stingy with the ingredients, but I just didn't like the sauce...it was sort of a starchy tomato-y sweet and sour sauce.  

Overall, this is just a cheap place to come have American-ized sushi.  Looking around, a lot of people seemed to be ordering some sort of fried sushi roll.  Maybe I should have tried that.  Anyhow,  the food is fresh enough and service is good, but don't expect to be blown away.
4 - Chris B.: The sushi here was fabulous when I went here for lunch!  HUGE portions.  The 1/2 price was the best part.   I will come here again next time I am in town!
3 - charlotte c.: Had a quick, cheap, and relatively tasty lunch here. The service was very friendly and prompt. Their menu features a gazillion different types of rolls and good lunch specials. Unfortunately,  my shrimp tempura roll was impossible to eat. It was loosely rolled and much wider than a typical roll. It was difficult to pick up with chopsticks and even harder to actually eat. I felt so self-conscious about shoving a hockey puck sized thing into my mouth I attempted to bite it in half, which of course didn't work. It was awkward.
4 - Vinh N.: I've been going here ever since they first opened and I go there so often now that I startled a waiter when I recognized he no longer had braces. There's a reason why I keep coming back.  Whether I'm having dinner with friends or grabbing something to go, I always get prompt service and the waiters are always kind when called upon. 

Though their rolls might upset people who want "authentic" sushi, their fusion rolls are fun to try out and have yet to disappoint me. At dinner time, I love it when they place these little pellets in dishes and pour a little hot water on them - they swell up into instant hand towels, how cute! They give a lot of food for a relatively lower price than many other places which is nice for college students who are tight on cash. However, it's a smaller place, so if you have a large group, it can be a bit of a wait.
4 - Lani P.: It doesn't get better than half price sushi! It's like happy hour for sushi! I love the Soy Bean Paper Roll --deep fried unagi, tobiko, avocado wrapped in soy paper, too bad it's not in their half price menu.
4 - melissa r.: simple. fast. cheap. no, not previous men in my life - CU Sushi. Sometimes, all I want is a cucumber and avocado hand-roll or some inari, then I wanna leave and not feel bloated. I did just that for dinner tonight. Great rice, not too sweet. I loved my cucumber salad. The edamame was way over-cooked and mushy, but I LOVE the water-activated expanding towelette, very cool.
The tables were nice and clean and the bathroom was well-maintained. Great place for a quick meal and great service.
5 - Sophia B.: My favorite sushi joint in Berkeley.  The food is amazing, the prices are reasonable, and the waiters are very friendly. You should definitely try their sashimi salads -- the best I've had. Even better topped with udon noodles. Their teriyaki chicken is awesome too. For dessert, I definitely recommend their yummy green tea tempura ice cream.
4 - Anton M.: This is a small, hole-in-the wall, place which is great if you want to eat alot of sushi.
The decor is japanese fusion, which reminds me of a modern-esque decorating style.
But the sushi can be bought in bulk, which makes me very excited.
Whenever I am in Berkeley, I stop in and wind up taking home 11 pieces or so, after righteously stuffing my face, of course.

The Black Dragon Roll is a personal favorite.
5 - Channon W.: CHEAP AND FRESH SUSHI!!!  $50 to feed 3 of us (we had about 15 different items which included rolls, nigiri, maki).  Everything was soooo fresh, presentation was beautiful and service was quick.  I love pretty looking sushi!
4 - sibani b.: I would not call this place super-cheap. It is reasonably priced, but their appetizers are very costly.
Their food was very fun (hence the "fusion" in their title). Their menu was full of rolls and they had great lunch specials. Their presentation is very good for eat-in orders. I rarely eat in. I prefer take-out. I call ahead and by the time I get there, my order is ready and my bill is error-free. I have tried many rolls and other dishes. There is not one that I did not like. My only problem was there were so many choices, it was hard to concentrate on just one when I was hungry. The tan curry was good. Their "half price" nigiri was fresh. I always get a few of those.
Their service was good.
Their location is very convenient to BART and the UCB campus, so it is a quick walk to satisfaction. I will be going there often while I am too busy to grocery shop.
4 - Gloria F.: This is really my new favorite place to go when I am at school. I usually spend at least an hour here, savoring my food slowly (so I can fit more in my stomach) while reading, people watching and sipping on green tea. The service is really good and fast, the 1/2 off list is really a bargain and you can order nigiri/sashimi/maki individually. I like to pick and choose from that list on some days and on others I get the specials.
OMG, the specials. They are really fabulous. They have everything I would want (except for the seaweed salad which I order anyway but it's a hefty amount at 3.50). Check this: the specials I refer to are 9.95 and they include miso, a small selection of tempura veggies, 3 pieces of nigiri ~or~ spicy tuna/cali roll and your choice from about 6 different fancy rolls. I was there today and left so satisfied.
O, and the bathroom is spacious and clean too with agreeable soap.
The bathroom kinda puts me over the top and makes me wonder why I don't give them a 5...
5 - Chris S.: I go to this place at least once a week even though I live a half hour walk away!
50% sushi (reasonable nigiri), huge selection of rolls, delicious and large portions of udon and curry, large lunch boxes, all kinds of beer, clean and classy, friendly service, great dessert!

It's not cheap, nor is it expensive. It is not the best sushi but I would say it is significantly better than average... and it's open late (until 10PM?)
4 - Terry N.: Like most people these days... "I heart SUSHI". But by no means am I an expert, I am just a HUGE fan and wish I could experience (& afford) more its deliciousness.  

CU Sushi is the place I go to when I want to stuff my face and not worry TOO much about price. Although I warn you, it IS pricey.. but not as pricey as other sushi places. If you want chheeaaappp sushi in Berkeley.. .look up 'Party Sushi' but I warn of the freshness of that place. Anyways, I like CU Sushi because the environment is relatively lax, service is decent, and the sushi is tasty! I am a big fan of unagi-anything and I think the unagi here is great. It's very rich and is very sweet. 

If you are new to sushi this is a good place because of the 1/2 price specials on simple sushi rolls. This way you can try different/new types of fish meats without burning a hole in your wallet. Experiment!! 

all the standard rolls (dragon, catepillar, ,etc etc) are delicious too. By no means are they the best but it definitely satisfies my sushi cravings (which are many and frequent). SOme of their rolls are difficult to eat because they are sliced so thinly that they fall apart for people who haven't used chopsticks all their lives.

I find CU Sushi to be "cute" and a standard for any sushi loving student. good for up to a medium sized bunch of friends (5-6 people) because this place is small, and therefore might be hard to find a table large enough within a reasonable waiting time. 

and please.. don't go for the california roll. i know it's a standard and tasty but there is so much more out there.
4 - Kenneth F.: Great place to drop by and try.  If you don't like the quality of the nigiri there's probably nothing we can do to change your mind...but to me I think that it's perfectly fine!  In fact, for the price I think it's great!  I uploaded a pic of the nigiri menu and everything else can be seen here -- http://cusushi.com/

The price isn't necessarily THAAAT cheap because they probably increase some of the prices before giving that amazing 50% off :)  My favorite nigiri there (in order) is the White Tuna, Seared Albacore, Tuna, and Salmon.  The seared tuna is so-so.  

Some other items to try are the yakitori udon (dry) and the baby-lobster roll (I don't know what meat it really is...but it's a bad dish.  Make sure to share it with some others tho because it's pretty rich.  The normal udon (in soup) isn't good though because it's too sweet.

I wouldn't mind stopping by once in a while :)
4 - Liz F.: Like others have said it is not the best sushi but it is pretty good and a lot cheaper than most places.  They don't mind our kids and they are super friendly.
5 - Traci C.: yummmmmmmmy! always get energy roll. I think that's the best thing on their menu.  other things are pretty good too, and I usually like getting a seaweed salad to start off while i wait for the sushi.  Service is usually friendly, and sometimes they get pretty busy, but most of the time it's pretty ok.  They do have like a 50% off menu, but the other stuff is SO good that I usually would rather pay more for some good good sushi :)
3 - Michelle N.: Decent sushi for decent prices. I haven't tried much except for their nigiri and maki rolls, but so far so good. Their salads are a good size and very tasty with lots of ingredients. My boyfriend and I come here all of the time when we are walking from the Bart station. It's the perfect place to stop for a quick sushi bite.
3 - Grace C.: 3.5 stars for the cute modern decor.  This is a solid sushi place if you're on the west side of campus near shattuck.  Definitely better than the sushi house at the asian ghetto, tako sushi on telegraph, and joshuya's on dwight.

They have this 50% off thing if you order 2 orders of sushi or more per person for lunch and 3 orders per person for dinner...I don't think I've ever really taken advantage of it...because their rolls just look so much tastier and more interesting.

I've had their yummy crispy appetizer, which is tuna and some sauce on wonton skin, and it's pretty good.  The hot night roll (shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, onion), the baby lobster roll (california roll with baby lobster on top (freakin huge), and poke salad, which were all surprisingly good.

Definitely a lot better than anything they have near southside.  Prices are reasonable, and the portions are generous.
4 - Ryan M.: I go here a lot. Good sushi for pretty rootin' tootin' good prices. 
On west side of campus, its the sushi spot for sure. 
Outdoor seating on the sidewalk always makes for a great lunch or dinner too. 
Whenever friends come into town, I take them to CU!
4 - Victor G.: there are 14 duo tables inside the restaurants and a couple outside the restaurant. place cooled by overheading propellar fans. blackish decor cool and modern.  pretty quick service. by single server. rainbow roll came out within a minute. probably was either premade or was sitting around. nigiri came out in 10 minutes

entrees: nigiri: seared tuna (2.48) salmon (2.48) super white tuna (2.48) hamichi (2.75) special 1/2 if ordering more than 2 nigiri  rolls: rainbow (9.95)

rating: 3 1/2 stars  for value for what i ordered.

pros
-fish on nigiri pretty fresh but not the freshest i've tasted. good value.
-small amount of rice with nigiri
-checklist given to order from and server reconfirmed order.

cons
-fish on rainbow roll very thin and not so fresh. fish bland.
-rice in some instance not so soft.
-parking not good.
-rolls don't seem to be of extreme value. just market valued to overvalued.

server reminded me of someone in a korean tv drama but i couldn't remember which one.
4 - Michelle M.: I like the "Heart Attack".  The price is reasonable, the wait is sometimes long, but the sushi is quite good.  

It's definitely better than Tako Sushi on Telegraph and Joshuya's.

The location is nice, too - right by downtown Berkeley and very close to BART.
4 - Luong C.: I've been here twice for dinner and both times, the food was excellent!  I mean, 1/2 off sushi.  Where else can you find that?!  

The food is quick and the service staff is friendly, but the service might be a bit sluggish at times (such as water refills) when they're super busy.  Nevertheless, I still absolutely enjoy dining here. 

The outside patio seating is excellent for a warm summer night (rare in Berkeley).
4 - Pam Z.: You're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but I was bad.  I'd already judged CU by the time we were seated with our menus, menus screaming with obnoxious "trendy!" font in "fun!", "bold!", "exciting!" colors and sprinkled with some even trendier!! weirdo rolls.  The word "Fusion" also set off warning bells in my head.  Yuh-oh, I told myself, here we go again to another mediocre Americanized sushi place.

So I tried to salvage the situation by staying faaaar away from rolls and ordered the vegetable tempura udon.

Hooooooooooooooooooooooooo--OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOO--ly.  No doubt the reaction was in part from my judgy-judge low expectations, but that $7 bowl of udon was frikkin AMAZING.  The broth was light yet flavorful enough to counter the thick noodles, which were slightly translucent on the outermost layer and had a powerful, addictive chew unlike any other udon I've had.  Tempura batter was spot-on (and they accidentally gave me a shrimp, HEE I WIN!)  

Halfway through the deceptively-shaped bowl, I declared myself full.  And then proceeded to inhale udon until there was nothing left.

I do humbly apologize for being so judgy.  I'd go back in a heartbeat!  :)
4 - Shirley S.: CU Sushi is becoming another one of my company's favorite. Not to mention my co-worker that's Japanese even stamps his seal of approval :).

So my co-workers and I recently decided to venture further out for our lunch breaks and we happen to come across CU Sushi. Strange name for a Japanese restaurant (I think - only because I'm Japanese myself), but obviously the name didn't stop us from having lunch.

So, what's my favorite you ask?

I actually became very fond of the 'Spicy Tuna Bowl'. Turns out this is my co-workers favorite too :). It comes in a rather biiiiiig bowl w/ a decent amount of tuna slices. It's pretty filling for lunch. . .yet my co-workers and I still dare to order from the 50% off sushi menu :p. 

They also have other entrees from udon, donburi's (rice bowls), lunch boxes (which I thought was just okay), and a big selection of sushi rolls to choose from, which looked really good. I might have to try some of those the next time I'm there :D.

CU again CU Sushi :).
4 - Nick H.: Very respectable Sushi at great prices. My Berkeley friends were saying that the prices here are perpetually listed as "50% off" which is funny. Would recommend this as a good local go-to sushi spot that knows how to do the sushi roll!
3 - Kristina s.: Being a broke college student paying for my own education i enjoy cheap good eats! C U sushi is a cute and trendy sushi place. I of course ordered off the 50% off menu, i know its all a ploy , but it was cheap. I ordered the salmon roll and the unagi and avocado roll. Both were good and fairly priced, something like  $3 each, 6 pieces.
3 - Wendy B.: Even though I eat here quite a bit, my rating is based on selection for gluten-free eating and consistency of service around understanding my requests that the staff double check that everything I order is free of soy sauce, breading/tempura, egg, and mayonnaise. I do not always feel like the waiter or waitress actually heard or understood my request and I have had to either give up food to my dining partner or send things back several times. That happens less and less as I get used to the menu.

I have always enjoyed the food I can eat here and at a good price, but the selection is limited based on how much teriyaki and soy sauce (both of which have wheat) is poured on top of the rolls as well as how many rolls use tempura. 

I am unclear about if the tempura is wheat-free or not, because I can't have the egg used in it. Because the spicy tuna, salmon, etc is all mixed with mayonnaise, which has egg, another big portion of the menu is off limits too. 

I can get the Philly roll as part of the special and I recently found out that the Alaska roll is actually a chunk of crab, (rather than mixed with mayonnaise,) but other than that and a one or two other rolls, I stick to the nagiri and sashimi, which is always tasty and fresh.
3 - Bill B.: This was stop #1 on the (sushi) bar crawl to say farewell to a friend moving out of the area. The rolls in particular are very good, as were the Monkey Balls and Creamy Shrimp Tempura appetizers. The miso is pretty salty, as are the warm edamame, but both are tasty. Service is fair, and the space is a little cramped, but the quality and price basically make up for it. Being only a block from UCB and Berkeley BART is another big plus.
5 - Corrucho A.: I've been here so many times in the last year. Man do they serve a lot of good food, let alone very good portions. 

 The last time I did go, it seems as if our blundering economic dilemma of high price has reached our sushi spot. In the form of smaller portions. 

I still like it though, good people, servers, food, tea, prompt service. 

Their Great, I would recommend this place to anyone who wants to try something new and isn't afraid to try Japanese food.

So go, try it.
4 - Poochie M.: My baby LOVES this place!!!  I thought the salmon sashimi was really good:  7 pieces for $8.95.  The miso soup and the seaweed salad are pretty good too.  The only downsides are that I'm pretty sure they use imitation crab meat and it's so loud I can't hear my BF tell me all about his day.  Stats Rules!!!

P.S.  You made my baby smell like tempura!
3 - Chris W.: Good sushi, good prices, nothing too amazing...

chickent teryaki rolls and california rolls are really good

the service is a little crappy when they get busy
3 - Amy R.: This place was cute, and pretty good for the price.  I think that if you tried enough different things you'd eventually identify what to order.  Of the things we ordered, the squid and spicy tuna were both good.  The miso soup was also pretty good.

Aside from that, the service was pretty mediocre.  My water never got refilled and we only got our edamame after begging for it at the end of our meal.

I'd go here again if other people wanted to and maybe for the half-price menu.  Still, it's not my first choice for sushi.
2 - Navid N.: Great Prices! 50% off sushi when you order more than 2 x pieces. How cool is that? 

Not cool at all, really. In the end you are paying 1/2 the price for 1/4 of the quality of any random run of the mill sushi spot. Not only was the fish borderline unacceptable, but they were very clumsily made and fell apart. 

Don't sell yr dignity for their 50% off discount. If I'm every led to this place again, I'll definitely avoid the sushi.

I do have to give them props on the visual presentation of their food. Unlike the actual taste of their food, everything was tastefully crafted. It's nice to see a fast-casual place put some effort into catering to the second-most neglected sense in the act of eating.
4 - Elisabeth H.: Yes.
It's true.  All these years I've been going around the block but today was the first time I ever had an orgasm...

...salad. That's what it's called. Seared tuna with avocado with a few lightly marinated veggies on beautiful, crisp mixed greens- thank god I asked for the overly creamy dressing on the side because - forgive me, but that nasty mess would have been a serious downer if it were sliming up my pretty crisp greens.  (Frankly the name "orgasm" is a little bit of an overstatement. I hate to think of 18 yr old college freshmen eating one and wondering "ls that all there is?") But it's a good salad all-in-all.

What I love about CU's menu is the variety of dishes that feature sashimi - so many places give you just one sashimi appetizer option or maybe a chirashi bowl.  CU has lots of different salads and bowls that feature different sashimi with interesting ingredients to accompany. 

Oh - and I LOVE getting there just before noon so I can watch the little fan dancers on the so-hideous-it's-beautiful cuckoo clock do their little thing.
5 - Carmen M.: Delicious, inexpensive, and conveniently located near my office building in downtown Berkeley. What more could I ask for?

Worth the trip.
4 - Roxy R.: this is my favorite sushi place near campus.  i've tried tako and joshuya and the place in asian ghetto, and  CU is better in both price, atmosphere and most importantly, quality!
1 - Joyce C.: Me and my friend have been here once (on separate occasions) and we have both gotten horrible horrible food poisoning resulting in vomiting out of mouth and nose. Oddly, we both got a fried roll and both of us got really sick. 

I usually have a stomach of steel and I can eat anything without any problems but... it must not be a coincidence if two people get food poisoning (after having been there ONCE) ordering a similar roll. So... perhaps maybe not get a fried roll if you want to eat here... 

me? NEVER again.
3 - Irene S.: The fish is good and fresh but I am not very impressed at all with their udon. It was totally not authentic tasting and it was just wrong in terms of the ingredients included and the flavor. I'd come back for the sushi only.
4 - secretagent C.: I very much enjoyed the sushi, and I'm kinda picky about it. The fish was fresh, the rolls were good, and the service was great. The place is pretty small, but there was a guy running around filling water and watching for anyone needing him. The wasabi was just the right amount of spicy, and I like that they don't have dyed ginger (bright pink). I've been looking for a sushi place here for a year, and I've found it.
5 - Annie M.: I love this place! Maybe it's who I always go with :P but really, this place is great!

I'm surprised at the low reviews of this place but I think it's my favorite place to get nigiri (since it's cheap and good!). All their nigiri is about $2.50/2 pieces so it's a pretty good deal! I recommend trying the seared albacore and super white tuna. The salmon, tuna, and hamachi are pretty good too. I tried their scallop roll (raw) and that tasted pretty good too! Everything tastes fresh and it's melt in your mouth good. MmMm. 

As for appetizer, definitely try the "Yummy Crispy". It's a lot bigger than you think and the sauce is grrreatt! 

What really makes this place great also is their service. They are sooo nice and friendly. We always get free edamame and they even gave us free nigiri last time! How awesome right!?
1 - Nicole Y.: 2 words: food poisoning.

I had some kind of salmon roll that had raw and cooked fish, agedashi tofu, and a dragon or caterpillar roll, and it tasted okay... until it came back up. I had never truly experienced food poisoning until I ate here, and it was painful. Oh so painful.

I am usually willing to give places a second try, because the first time could have been a fluke, but the food here isn't worth it. Not when there are so many other options for sushi in the area.
4 - Ramon E.: Cute, small place--very clean and service is good. Now that I'm vegan there's little I can eat here, but I still really like their tempura and tempura rolls, and anything with avocado--very fresh veggies, crispy, light tempura, and the prices aren't bad.
2 - Picky E.: So I was just there earlier, and the food wasn't very good this time. The first time I went there with my sister the food was SUPER Good. This time the food tasted bland and yucky. I order my usual Miso Soup and for some odd reason it was SUPER salty. *Yuck*. I also ordered the fresh half shell oysters and it made me throw up. So as of now I'm a little iffy about returning. Maybe because it was 8pm, but that isn't an excuse to make me nasty food. They don't close until 10:30!! Maybe that is why they had so many rolls for 50% off, because their food sort of sucks, so that's their way to pull in the customers again. Sadly, they don't understand that, it they want to keep the customers, they need to make good food. 

I would say, go at your own risk. I feel like sh*** right now.
3 - Brian L.: The first thing you'll notice is a 1/2 Off deal advertised on a sandwich board outside the door-- sounds good, but it's not quite a 'deal' when its prices are printed permanently on the menu. It's still a fair price to pay for decent fish, though, and mine seemed fresh and clean. The miso soup and edamame were both too salty for my taste, but a good Rainbow Roll makes those complaints minor. The service was fast, which I appreciated, but the atmosphere was bland, similar to the other quick and student-oriented places on the block.
3 - Brian M.: I have actually been to this place many times, since it's really close to BART, the bus stop mecca, and campus. And for being a frequent patron, i say it's okay.

The service is pretty good - they're nice and try to be quick with serving your food. The same people are usually there and i think they don't have the capacity to be rude, so expect good service.

As for the food itself, I'm not a giant fan of fusion. I like tasting authenticity, but with sushi I don't mind trying something new. Their menu has some out of the box rolls and some standards of a sushi restaurant. Most are usually drawn to the cheaper nigiris and such, but I like trying full on rolls. And here is the main compliant i have with this place...

The rolls are too big. 

Not like too long, but too big - too much girth. hehe...girth. anyway, I usually order the spider roll, and taste-wise it's fine, but when i pick up a piece its pretty huge. I believe they expect you to eat each piece in two bites, but the roll isn't rolled up tightly enough which results in just a big fat mess. Or, a deconstructed sushi (top chef anyone?), which I don't think was intended.

If you're very savvy with chopsticks, maybe you can cope. I'd give it 3.5 stars if i could, but yelp laws say i cannot.

3 stars!!!
4 - Javi V.: Tons of sushi for $15-20 ??? Where do I have to sign? Yay! Very nice place.
4 - Paul L.: This is Morla's favorite Sushi in the area, and I tend to agree.

Fast, fresh, and a deep menu - casual but not chintzy, convenient but not gimmicky. Great for lunch or a relaxed dinner.  I actually had the curry udon noodles, and I was really happy with it.

UC Berkeley is busy and bustling, but head up Center after a days work or BART trip and relax at CU fusion. It's yummy enough to remember, and cost effective enough for multiple trips.  

Thumbs up.
1 - Angie M.: I love sushi, but not when its grainy and falls apart in my mouth... gross. I guess there's a reason for them offering rolls half off. I tried this place about a month ago, then today for brunch. I figured they were having a bad day, every business has those ever now and again. This time I did not order a single item from the discount menu and the same result. 

I am use to freshness and quality, the location I usually patron is nothing but sensational. My favorite sushi spot has constant business, but so does this place or at least it seems. Maybe they do not buy fresh, I'm not sure but I do know I will not be returning.
5 - Geyonce Tha Gem G.: MY FAVORITE SUSHI SPOT. The Berkeley Roll is my favorite. The Shrimp Killer is also very delicious. The Orgasm Salad to die for.
5 - Monica G.: Nom nom nom nom nom!!! 
Sushi!!!
Nom nom nom!!! 

So, we're talking about a little hole-in-the-wall sort of place, no great frills, no sushi bar, no high-end fussy bits. Just a really cute place that has really good sushi. AND a really good price. Especially if you stick with the "half-off" basic menu.

I've never had better unagi btw. :)

You know the old adage: "quick, cheap, good -- pick two?" WELL, this place breaks that. The sushi came out in no time flat, I got a huge roll and 4 pieces of nigiri and tea for under $15, and it was mighty tasty.

5 stars!! Will so go here again!!!
4 - Lo C.: My cousin brought this back to her place for dinner.....and it was so good!

We had the cream cheese shrimp tempura, potstickers, edamame ( I didn't get to try that), CA roll, veggie tempura and this spicy tuna roll.  OH SO GREAT!

We only got 2 chopsticks and food for like 8 people so that sucked.

I went back in person this past weekend and had the Chicken Udon....I personally didn't like the seaweed so i plucked that out (funny I love eating sushi but no likey the seaweed in my soup) and added some ginger.  BOMB!

I also had a Killer Shrimp roll (shrimp inside and outside) SOO GOOD. Mmm i wish I could have some right now!

I'm a fan!
5 - Naomi C.: before you read on, you should know there are at least 2 categories of sushi places.  the real fish places where you go for the nigiri and sashimi and try all of the specials of raw fish on offer, and where uni is sweet and sublime, and anything cooked is off limits, unless you can get them to fry the amaebi heads. i'm thinking uzen in rockridge, oyaji in outer richmond, or koo in the inner sunset, or ebisu in the inner sunset but only on a good night.  yum.   then there are the cheaper places you go just for rolls, perhaps someone in your group wants tempura, or unagi, or terriyaki, for shame, but at places in this category you avoid even the thought of ordering the nigiri or sashimi.  these places are cheap, usually run by koreans, and perfectly adequate for your spicy tuna fix, and whatever place-specific crazy ass rolls they offer, actually there is usually  a roll at a place like this actually called "crazy" this or some other.  think manpuku in elmwood for a good example, or domo in the hayes valley, and for a gross one to avoid there is  tako sushi on telegraph.   I guess there is a third kind, which would be any chinese or other run sushi place or anything that says buffet in the name.  those you should avoid at all costs.  

So CU fusion squarely falls into the second category.  And in that category this place gets all 5 stars.  clean, korean owned and operated. and seriously people, don't be turned off from a good thing by the 1/2 off sign.  I don't know if these people are from the east coast, because for some reason, there is 1/2 price sushi perpetually advertised in places all over the upper east and west side of manhattan.  i don't get it. and it doesn't make sense. but really, it doesn't matter.  actually, there was a bookstore on shattuck near the bart station called 50% off books or something like that, which may or may not still be in business, so maybe they got it from them.  but in any case whoever's complaining about the 50% off thing just really needs to focus here.   you get fresh-frozen-fish here (most likely none of it is fresh fresh but the more you know the more you realize this is perfectly reasonable for a place like this.)  

Also if like me you're instantly turned off by anything "fusion", don't be.  this place avoids the gimicky wasabi balsamic reduction nonsense and offers perfectly acceptable dishes with good flavor.   I have even actually tried a few pieces of nigiri here and was pleasantly surprised.  I would try it again, if i can ever stop ordering the spicy tuna bowl, which I can't.  (think nuvo- hwe dup bap for $8.95!!)   I had walked by this place many many times (it's on the trail to bart from campus) but was always turned off by the 'fusion' thing.  But really, you should fear not, and sneer not, give this place a shot.  

My adviser first told me about this place and we've been going here for lunch ever since.  went here again today and food is consistent. You never have to wait too long for a table even at the lunch rush.  The items, and especially the lunch specials "red" "orange" etc.  are set slightly pricier than some of the other sushi options around campus, but damn worth the extra couple of bucks.

no AMEX, which sucks.
4 - Catherine N.: Definitely one of my favorite sushi joints in Berkeley! Beats Tako by a mile. Reasonably priced, fast service, and free edamame! The Orgasm Salad--a spring mix with seaweed, topped with seared tuna lathered in their special house dressing is the perfect melody of flavors and textures in your mouth. And yes, it really is orgasmic!!! The Baked Salmon Roll is also a nice treat for your taste buds! 

CU Sushi, C U soon!
5 - Hubert H.: Excellent little sushi place in Downtown Berkeley - cheap for students, without too much of a dropoff in quality. Most of the rolls are 50% off these days - specials, and the bowls of Udon are really high quality, much better than what you find in the Asian food court off Durant. Definitely worth the trek to that side of campus.
1 - Girl S.: OMGGGGGGG, me and my husband took a lot of medicine to prevent food poisoning or some other possible digestion issues. He ordered Rainbow and I ordered Philadelphia roll. The rolls weren't fresh and tasty at all. We were very disappointed by this place and the quality of the food. 
I'm not that picky in food, but common- there were little brown spots on avocado in my rolls - it means it was spoiled. All the raw fish was stiff. 
I can't believe they use this type of quality products.
3 - Cori W.: Cheap and decent. Can't beat the 50% sushi special. We stopped in for a snack and ordered some edamame, inari, avocado & cucumber roll, and a shiitake mushroom roll. Our bill was only $14 including drinks! The sushi was good, the cucumber was thinly chopped and delicious. I prefer when the rolls are inside-out so I was glad these rolls had the rice on the outside. 
I've had better sushi but not for that price.
4 - matt k.: Excellent Sesame salad dressing. The rolls had kind of a laid back attitude about them -- the nori was kind of all over the place and they were loosely put together. That's okay though; it made me feel like it was okay that i'd been wearing the same shirt for two days.
2 - d n.: Great sushi.. They have good baked rolls.. but The service is horrible.. Use to go here all the time until they treated us like we didnt pay or something. Waitress and waiters are a$$e$. other then that just dont dine in. order togo
3 - Kris G.: i like how cori put it - "cheap and decent." that's CU in a nutshell. beware that portions are large here. whenever i've ordered an appetizer and entree, i have to take some home. but i love the green monster roll and the spicy tuna and scallop roll. the yummy crispy is pretty good - their version of tuna tartare - but for some culinary reason i don't understand, they've added chopped tomatoes. don't ask me how tomatoes and fresh tuna with japanese spices go together. my friend liz v. loves their spicy tuna bowl, which i suspect is similar to the yummy crispy, but in bowl format. i go to CU for lunch when i'm in the mood for sushi and don't want to pay a lot. they have nice outdoor tables where you can people-watch. the sushi is respectable and won't break your bank.
4 - Liz V.: 3 words: spicy tuna salad.....omg, with or without rice you will love it. It is chunks of perfectly spicy tuna mixed with crisp, delish tomatoes over a bed of salad or salad and rice. Gotta love the no-carb option...is that even cool anymore?? 

4 stars b/c: 
super, duper affordable (1/2 off special everyone else mentioned). 
super duper fast 
they don't bother you if you linger around chatting after your done with your food even though they are a fast, cheap restaurant.
1 - Kim-van T.: *NOTE: This review is only for the udon

I was craving udon the other day and decided to check CU out since the prices seemed really reasonable and they offer take out.  I ordered tempura udon to go ($7 after tax) and it was ready in less than ten minutes and they give you legit containers for the soup!  I rushed back to the office only to be very very disappointed.  I got two pieces of tempura - one shrimp and one squash - uh, I've never been to a place that skimped so much.  The udon itself was a good texture but I'm not a fan of the broth at all - and they put WAY too much white onion in it.  It was like 5 pieces of onion per noodle. YUCK.

I definately won't be coming back for the udon but I'll give their sushi a shot.  Will update...
3 - Shae W.: Cant beat the 1/2 off menu
Although as a broke college student I was mad when I had to order TWO just to get the 1/2 price! :O
But the sushi was good, fresh and made quickly
This is also where I go to get my green tea Ice cream fix even though it is pricey its all about location location.
Of course I'll be back
3 - Rebecca H.: a-ok standard for sushi that is: well-priced, convenient to campus, made of good-quality ingredients.  the staff are friendly.  it's reasonable sushi, not special, not great, definitely fine for a near-campus solution to a sushi need.
4 - Jeanine D.: This place is GREAT!!  I work close by and I love the 50% lunch prices they have.  The sushi is great and the variety is vast.  I give this place a great score and will keep coming back.
4 - Mike S.: Not bad at all. The half price sushi is great. The service was good as well.
3 - Daniel L.: This tiny place goes through a nice stampeding by college students everyday during lunch hours. I sneaked in for an early dinner to get the gist of the phenomenon and the experience did not disappoint.  My spicy tuna tataki roll (8.95) had decent spicy tuna in the middle and a generous portion of tuna tataki with a mix of scallions and onions on top. To my surprise, all of their nigiris are half price all day long, so my order of green salmon (2.63), spicy albacore (2.25), and ikura (3.95) came in large pairs with the salmon layered with a thick piece of avocado being the most tasteful. 

There were no traces of fusion cuisine but instead the menu was dominated by sushi rolls with remnants bento and appetizer items. The smallish dining area did not deter this place from having a nice ambiance of using red, pale wasabi green, and dark brown as thematic colors to correlate with the food. Although the cuts of the fish were generous, it was nonetheless grade B quality and not the freshest. Service was slow but attentive. I will give it 3 stars for having an exciting menu, nice large quantity, and for making sushi affordable and accessible to the masses.
4 - terra d.: delicious sushi and its 50% off (but im not sure for how long). try the vegetable tempura. 

the chopsticks say, "CU soon" which i think is absolutely endearing.
1 - Alice P.: After a terrible first experience I gave this place a second change, since it was right by my apartment. Boy did I regret it...The sushi is so sloppily put together it just falls apart and on top of it they got my order wrong. I guess when you order to go they really don't care what your meal tastes like since they include gianormous pieces of sushi that couldn't possibly fit into one person's mouth. I was severely disgusted and haven't eaten sushi since because of this place. If you like special rolls, don't eat here, no matter how tempting the pricing is. I honestly don't know why people eat here.
5 - debbie t.: I love eating here!! My favorite thing to order is the orgasm salad!  The salad comes with a FRESH spring mix and many delicious pieces of sashimi!  I have no idea what the dressing is, but it's very light and fresh.  At times, however, it does tread on the oily side.  And, I also LOVE their playlist...the music is soothing and not too loud.  

The only sad part about this place is that they do not make lion king roll, which is probably my favorite roll.  Other than that, 5 stars!
4 - Jennie C.: I've had a few rolls here. My favorite is anything with unagi and unagi sauce slathered all over :-P.   The tempura ice cream here is also really yummy!  

The entrees on the other hand are alright (like the Chicken bowl).  The udon is a sort of small, but it's not bad either.  If you're coming here, I recommend sticking wit the rolls!
4 - Anna G.: I can't use chopsticks. I've tried. Really. But, you know, I didn't start eating sushi until I was in college, and it was hard enough just getting over the idea of ingesting raw fish. 

Now, of course, I don't know what my life would be without sushi. I crave it. I "heart" it, if you will. But I eat it with my hands like a silly clueless white person. Many people have tried to teach me to use these handy chopsticks - to no avail. 

Most of the time, I get takeout from CU Sushi, which means I can bring the tasty sushi back to my office and eat freely with my hands without fear of judgment from all the normal, chopstick-using people. When I dine in, I simply grin and bear it - i.e, stuff my face without care. Because really, the sushi is worth it, and they have a bunch of creative dishes, pretty decent lunch specials and daily 50% off specials on select rolls. 

Try the "ultimate salmon roll," if you dare.
5 - Colleen P.: MMMM I ate here for my lunch break with a friend & was pleasantly surprised by the price. The rolls were ginormous & the 1/2 price menu was perfect  for my budget. I can't really afford to go out to eat too often but I can here. The quality was great & again the sushi was exceptional. The service was great too, fast & friendly : ) I highly recommend them for sushi if you are in the neighborhood
4 - Cynthia T.: The sushi was so cheap! My coworkers and I went over for lunch and ordered 6 rolls and the bill came out to be 7 bucks each! The sushi wasn't the best I've ever had, but definitely filled me up to satisfaction for lunch. They also have outside seating, which is a big plus in the nice Berkeley weather.
4 - Sophia D.: Went here a few weeks ago and ended up hitting the sauce a little too hard that night that I forgot to write a review. Good thing the restaurant gave us coupons for $2 off our next visit bc when I found them in my wallet I remembered that not only did I like this place it was cheap!!!

So three of us ladies ate here and my ladies like to eat so we ordered:

Red Special with a Hot Night Roll and it comes with 3 pieces of sushi (Tuna, Salmon, Albacore) and miso soup.

Tuna Maki
Albacore Nigiri
Salmon Nigiri
2 more miso soups
one more speciality roll that I can not remember the name, but it had eel sauce and crunchies
2 large Sapporo
1 large Sake

Split three ways we paid about $15 a piece, super duper cheap! The sushi was yummy and I left full and tispy. I will def. return.
3 - Natalie T.: 3.5 stars.  I again recently and the rolls weren't as great.  The caterpillar roll was filled with 98% crab with just a sliver of unagi.  Trying to be cheap, I don't know, but it's pretty hard to mess up a caterpillar roll.  I will continue to come here, mostly because other sushi restaurants I have been to in the area aren't as good.
4 - June E.: I go here alot. It's a convenient, cheap place to either sit and chill or grab and go. 

Their rolls/nigiri always fall apart (always, lol) but are still yummy. Their nabeyaki udon is amazing on a chilly day. 

They give you $1 coupons if you ask!
3 - Maximillian M.: The shitake mushroom special is pretty good, just a little too salty. It made me thirsty all night. We also got a vegetable tempura roll and a vegetable roll, both decent. The miso soup was also way salty, and the edamame way overcooked. Still, we had a decent meal for a very decent price, about $26 for all that.

All these veggies must've been my detoxing for the dry and overcooked teriyaki burger I had this weekend...
5 - D Q.: If you want great sushi rolls this is the place to go. Always consistent and always so good. The owner and the servers are incredibly nice. I'm always happy with the service here. 

I get the Crab Salad and Baby Lobster Roll ... if you want to try something different and incredibly yummy go for The Baby Lobster. Every time we order that, more than half of the people we sit next to always asks us what it is. Its California Roll on the bottom bottom with Baby Lobster, Mushroom, Onion, masago and then this creamy cheesy yummy goodness on top. Its the only way I can describe it. Its sooooo good mmMmmm!
3 - Jessica O.: This place was pretty good. 

Food-wise, very good. 

I came here for a farewell dinner (friend is leaving country) and was looking forward to having some sushi again! It's definitely casual, but not really a hole-in-the-wall place I don't think. They're busy, that's for sure. 

On that note, the service isn't terribly good, it's just alright. 

Okay now let's go on to the food (what actually matters right?). Here is what we ordered:
- Yummy Crispy (appetizer): crispy fried wonton skin with spicy tuna and tomatoes medley thing. VERY GOOD! My friend sure knows what's good
- Sashimi salad: it was spicy! But so good. I actually don't normally like to eat sashimi but this was SO tender and SO flavorful ... it was great!
- Mexican roll: I love spicy and crunchy!
- Shrimp tempura roll: Great balancing roll for the meal. and the tempura was delicious (and I'm usually not fond of tempura either!)!!!! 

All in all, price was okay/reasonable. Cheaper than Sushi House in Alameda, but rolls aren't as decadent/stuffed as the ones in Sushi House. Still, very good and very fresh. I would come back happily for this food!
4 - Catherine C.: I would give this place about 3.7 stars, because of the following:

1 - Best sushi within walking distance of campus
2 - Good variety in the menu
3 - Good service for the most part
4 - And most of all, cheap prices!!

I've been here about five times now, and my experience varies. I have way more good experiences here than bad, but when it's bad.. oh, it's bad. On bad days, every piece of sushi falls apart in my little soy sauce dish. And sometimes the service is downright unmentionable. Sometimes, the servers linger in the kitchen, talking to other employees, and they don't pay any attention to the customers. There was also one time that we ordered the Baby Lobster Roll (SOO GOOD), but it came like 10 minutes after we had finished everything else! If you already know you want a baked roll, I would suggest asking them to put the order in for it first, before you even decide what else you want. 

Overall though, the fish is usually fresh, and the decor inside the restaurant is very nice. It always feel clean, and I love that sometimes they give complementary things, like moist towelettes (the ones that look like little marshmallows and expand when they pour water on top) and edamame. They refill water quickly, which is important for my camel of a boyfriend... and it's not usually very crowded. At least not when I go, which is usually later at around 8:30pm or 9pm. Prices are reasonable, not too expensive but definitely not cheap. If you are looking to save some money, the "to-go" menu is 50% off always. And you can order off of it even if you're eating in the restaurant. Pretty sweeeet.
4 - Justin B.: I have eaten a lot of sushi...just not from a lot of different places.
From the handful of sushi places I've eaten this place is the best by far. To me it tastes extremely fresh and well put together. It's also really cheap!
I've had to pay three times more for sushi that wasn't half as good. 

I'm not proclaiming this place to be the best sushi in the world or anything, but to me it's really good.  
It's close by. It's tasty. The service is always spot on. 
Good stuff.
5 - Laurie c.: Although they have cheap sushi here (50% off), I got one of the special rolls. YUMMY! The free edamame dish they give is a plus, too. This place has nice outdoor seating and is very student friendly..for a group or for one.
4 - Amiee H.: Sometimes this place has the 1/2 off special on sushi rolls and that's the BEST time to go! Otherwise, it's just too expensive and not all that awesome! I know..I know...I'm totally blinded by how cheap the sushi is when it's on sale, but I can't help confounding the two factors. Cheaper food = Tastes better b/c expectation of the food decreases. It's a simple equation I'm sure everyone can relate to!
4 - Sean T.: The plainer sushi here, both the nigiri ( raw fish on top of rice) and maki (what you usually think of when someone says sushi), always seems to be half off. This putts the maki (I got a California roll, a Salmon roll, and a Scallop roll) at $3.25 a roll. It's not the best sushi ever, but for the price, it's pretty good. I found the Salmon and Scallop rolls a bit bland compared to the California roll, even with a decent amount of wasabi and soy sauce added to them.

The entree dishes, which have either rice or noodles as their base, are about $10, I think, and are pretty good. I remember getting the salmon dish and finding it flavorful enough, and it also came with a generous amount of salad so I found it to be enough food.

The miso soup, which costs $1.50 if you get it on its own (it comes with the entrees automatically), is decent.

Service here is attentive and professional, too.
4 - jessica k.: I love more traditional rolls, and considering all the more traditional sushi is 1/2 off here, I'm in heaven!!!  The more inventive rolls are super as well, and the lunch combos give you the right amount of sushi for the right price!! I make it here at least three times a month.  The only down-side is the restaurant itself is surrounded by like 5 other restaurants (if not more) and I think it gets lost in the commotion.  I didn't know this place existed until my husband took me there, and it never seems too crowded.  Anyway, great food, great price, and something for everyone!
5 - john T.: 4 stars for food quality. I have never experienced bad sushi here, or even mediocre. It has always been very fresh with great texture. the nigiri is great, and the specialty rolls are delicious, and not too too much sauce, mayo, etc. the portions aren't skimpy either.

5 stars for service. The ladies are always on spot, friendly, kind, and quick!

5 stars for price. Collegiate wallet friendly for sushi.
4 - Jay Z.: This is the cheapest place around to get nigiri sushi. 
Highlights:
- Green Salmon nigiri
- White Tuna nigiri 
- Seared Tuna nigir 

I only really get the sushi from the half price menu (as I am a destitute student like everyone else) so I can't testify as to the other stuff on the menu. Admittedly, this is not Tsukiji, Tokyo or Kirrala but I am forgiving if the sushi is forgiving on the wallet.
4 - Molly W.: I like this place. I find that I am not the best person to review sushi restaurants considering I am allergic to fish. However, I do enjoy a good veggie sushi roll. 

Nonetheless: 
CU is one of those places that you go back to because of a combination of reasons. The food is good, the service is great and to the point, and their combos make ordering easy. Most importantly, as many times as we have been there, we have not had a bad experience. So...track record, check!

I enjoy the veggie tempura roll (on the orange special). A nice change from the avocucumber roll at most places.

My inly complaint is that they do not have containers for soup take out. But i am just trying to be nit picky.
4 - Joyce B.: I think this place is between a 3 and 4. The sushi is pretty decent  to good. It's a little deceiving with their 1/2 off sushi because it doesn't include the special rolls. But i think their service is fairly good and sushi quality is pretty good too. The only thing is the place is very crammed. 

What I recommend: 
- Heart Attack (spicy)
- Rainbow
- Unagi

What I will try: 
- Orgasm salad (always wanted to try it to see how good it is).
4 - Hannah H.: I usually get the sushi combo specials here, particularly the yellow and red specials. The calamari tempura roll is a must-try; although it might be loosely rolled to some people, I didn't mind since it's all going into my mouth anyways. I still need to try the hot dishes like the udon and the bowls, but a friend who went along said his tempura udon was decent, not extraordinary.

As many other reviewers can attest, the 50%-off menu is a steal. Granted, you need to order at least 2 dishes from that menu, per person, to get the deal, but since I usually order 2 at a time anyways, it's no big deal. The different varieties they have on the menu will keep you coming back to try them all (or get them all at once, your choice). And better do so. The sushi here may not be super-awesome-blow-your-mind, but for the price, they are simply delicious.

Service is smooth. Never had a hitch in service. The waiters are polite and friendly.

Better come early for lunch or dinner, though, if you want a space. The restaurant has maybe less than ten small indoor tables, with a couple outside.
4 - Lana N.: 3.85 stars?

CU Sushi is by far one of my favorite sushi spots around campus. Good, quick service. Decent price, especially with their 50% off rolls. And always filling. It not your traditional sushi, they do warn you its fusion, but the fish/quality is not bad.

I usually get their sushi combo specials,with the Calamari Tempura Roll specifically. Its the most filling and never a disappointment. Its huge and tends to fall apart, but it always gets the job done!
 
A few of my favorites though,
Orgasm Salad - a for sure pleaser.
Heart Attack Roll - good amount of spice and gotta love all the crunch.
Palm Spring Roll - similar to getting Chirashi, but just a bit nicer: less rice, more bite?
1 - Jennifer W.: The sushi here is of mediocre quality. The fusion is nothing eyeopening or mindblowing, but the food is pretty good still. I am consoled by the fact that the rolls here are cheap!

I have no food allergies, yet I managed to break out in small hives after eating dinner here once! It was especially terrible since I was going to a concert right after! Ever since then, I've been afraid to come back. Perhaps I'll come up with the courage to one of these days.
4 - Dennis W.: We came here for a late Sunday lunch. I ordered the spicy tuna dish with two mounds of rice. The spicy tuna cubes were mixed with tomato cubes to form an interesting mix. I would probably order this dish again but it is not spectacular in my humble opinion. We also ordered the steak tofu appetizer. The tofu seemed to be boiled then fried and seared to give it a fairly "meaty" taste. It was drizzled with a not too sweet soy based coating. I would definitely order this again. 
The other dish we ordered was the avocado tempura roll combo which was above average. We had to remind the waitress to bring the included miso soup. She was dingy but bless her heart I could tell she was trying.
I would like to come back and try some of their other rolls
4 - Bonnie W.: Cheap, fast, fresh, and delicious! My only complaint is that the place is really small, which makes it hard if you want to go with a group of friends. Your rolls are ready within 10 minutes of ordering. I strongly recommend the Mexican Roll. Just to give you warning, it's spicy!
3 - David G.: Its been up and down for me at CU. The price isnt bad. But some days ive had great sushi, others days it has been terrible. I love the orgasm salad, but at least once or twice the fish used has just been awful. Like it was left over. But i always go back because its close to where i live and i love sushi. Overall a good experience. Friendly service, clean.
2 - J S.: 5.20.2009

I wouldn't order sushi from here because it's a rip off (some, not all to be fair). They have a 50% off select sushi menu on the weekends, but what they really do is have the price be double the market price then cross it out and put a 50% discount on it, which is to say that it's the market price after the discount.

Additionally, while I was paying, I saw a tray of what looks like CA rolls sitting in the kitchen. Why was it pre-prepared? The rice would dry out.

I was disappointed with the grilled chicken with watered down curry alongside dried rice. The chicken was grilled in a massive batch then used for whatever was ordered. Teriyaki Chicken please. Sure no problem; let me spoon some teriyaki sauce on. I was surprised to see mushrooms in the curry along with the usual onions and pickled daikon. In my take out container, the curry was separated from the rice by foil which I found different since most places let the curry run into the rice.

I thought I overpaid for what I got.
4 - Jaimie M.: I stop by here every so often, and it's always solid.  If it's nice outside you can sit outdoors at one of the little tables and enjoy being outside.  On a colder day, you can perch in the window and watch the flow of people down Center Street.  Very basic, yet cute inside, and always clean.

We usually get a few different rolls, the spicy tuna, crab, and cucumber rolls are all good and no mayo like some spots around town.  (I don't really get why places do that.)   Sashimi is also nice (try the hamachi and super-white tuna) and generously sized.  The menu has a funny conceit of listing all the prices as "half price," but either way it's a great bargain.  Hot sake is yum and super cheap, perfect with a nice frosty Asahi.  

Service is efficient and nice and location is right near BART - definitely my go-to sushi spot on the way home from campus!
4 - Anna Z.: Perfect for my sushi craving, affordable, good, and quick. We pick up sushi there all the time. The teriyaki bowls are good with large portions, the miso soup is excellent (for my taste, people have different preferences on how they like their miso). I usually always get a caterpillar roll or dragon roll and it's always delicious. The waitresses are nice, the atmosphere is nice, though they do play an odd variety of music, pop and then randomly country? 

The restaurant is a little small though because it's usually pretty crowded, and they definitely need to get gift certificates. Overall, good sushi for a good price, definitely cheaper then Joshuya's.
4 - Carol V.: Always loved coming here as an undergrad because it's cheap sushi and a gajillion times better than Tako Sushi in Southside Berkeley.  Their half off sushi rolls are such a steal!! I like this place because they wrap their sushi very nicely and their rice is the right consistency (not soggy not too undercooked).  I also love their udon and salads.  Their udon is better than Alameda Sushi House's instant udon.  They are always really friendly.  It's a bit small but I'd like to think of it as cozy.  There's always a fight for that prime spot for parking, but it's Downtown Berkeley and pedestrians rule the streets.
4 - Danny Q.: I took my close friend Oz for her birthday, here because she only raves about it. We came for a monday lunch, and wow it was crowded. There was a slight wait for most, but we got right in. We ordered the california special with the spicy tuna. I also asked for the chicken with curry (damn no chicken katsu, my fave). Both were really good! We did order that half off deal they have at lunch but they never came. But since the other 2 plates were so good, they did me a favor, I could barely finish the curry rice because I was so full. If ur a single guy, its a great please find that book reading, quiet single girl out there, the place was jammed with them. Price was median range for sushi if not a lil lower. The service and food came out fast. Give it a try, might meet a girl or boy and get a great meal also. Thanks Oz!
1 - Nance H.: Mediocre sushi. 

They have this marketing tactic, a menu with 50% off their rolls. The menu never changes. It reminds me of when you walk through Chinatown and every single stall has a SALE sign, every day, forever. It doesn't sell to me. 

The sushi rolls aren't bad, but I prefer Manpuku anyday.

Once I ordered the eel over rice and it didn't came until everyone (6 of us) was done with their dishes. To top it off, the eel was rubbery and disgusting. Nevertheless, I never came back.
3 - victoria c.: I visited CU more frequently during the summer, when their business was slow and I've been getting a good quality food.

However, a few times I came back with my friends the quality of fish we got seemed worse than before. 

Too bad, I used to like their spicy albacore...
2 - Heejin K.: I'm gonna give 2/5, my husband gives 3.  

Aww what happened, CU Sushi?  I used to love this place.  Tasty rolls, good service, affordable.

I went there for lunch today, even waited in front of their door for 10 minutes before they opened at 1130.  We weren't the only ones.  Two other parties were waiting too.

We got two Red specials which came with miso soup, 3 pieces or nigiri, and a choice of one of their special rolls.  For the special rolls we got the rainbowand spicy tuna tataki rolls.  We also got the hamachi roll and unagi roll from the 50% off menu.  Total price was $29 b4 tax/tip

The miso soup was a little on the salty side but fine.  I  can get over that.
The rainbow and spicy tuna tataki were pretty good
The salmon nigiri looked a little ... slicker than what I'm used too?  Had a funny feeling about that one.  My hungry stomach told my brain to be quiet and I tossed that puppy in my mouth anyway. 

My main issue is that after the meal I had strong icky yucky fishy aftertaste.  I'm guessing the fish was just not fresh?  I mean c'mon that's just gross.  First time in my sushi roll eating life I felt this way afterwards.

=*(  sadness.  Probably won't be back again.

Oh yeah  My husband had no major issues.
2 - Jeremy S.: I still like coming here for lunch, but the last two times, my order has been messed up.  I like to order the lunch bento box, which includes shrimp and vegi tempura.  I specifically told the servers the last two times I was there that I do not eat shrimp, and that I wanted only vegi tempura.  Both times, I watched the servers write down my order, and both times I got shrimp tempura. After I pointed out the mistake, they refused to give me more vegi pieces, but were happy to take away my shrimp.  If they mess up my order, they should at least replace the food they mess up.
4 - Zachary G.: GREAT place if you're looking to satisfy a sudden onset sushi craving and happen to be in downtown Berkeley.  To be honest, I am rather orthodox with my orders and have largely stuck to the rolls (unagi, yellow tail, salmon) when visiting CU, but they have always been fresh, tasty, and exactly simple sushi rolls should be.  That said, the strength of CU is the service and the price.  If you're in a hurry, you can expect to get in and out within 15 minutes provided you don't visit between 12pm and 1pm when the UC Berkeley crowd hits.  As importantly, you can do so for under $8 if you're eating all by your lonely.  If you're in the market for an upscale sushi experience, this is probably not the place for you.  But if you want a quick bite to eat and have a penchant for fresh fish, CU is beckoning.
3 - Tiffany L.: I only come here for the Japanese seafood salad. The sushi rolls are okay, taste the same as Sushi House (Asian Ghetto).
4 - sarah c.: Without CU Susi Berkeley just wouldn't be Berkeley.  Whenever I crave some good inexpensive sushi or just can't figure out what to eat I turn to CU and they never disappoint.  Their baby lobster roll is decadent and oh so rich and tasty, and all the half price 'normal' rolls are a great yummy deal.  I keep on coming back!
5 - Rachel L.: Best Tasting and most affordable sushi house in the Bay! Recommend the baked salmon roll, baked green mussels, yellow-tail collar (when in stock) and both dragon and catterpillar rolls!!! Good service, even better prices, all cooked/made to order!!!!
3 - Andrew V.: a lot of creative sushi choices

gf and i got the Box A special, it consists of miso soup, salad, rice, gyoza, tempura, and your choice of beef, chicken teriyaki all for just $7.99...the preparation of the beef and chicken teriyaki isn't that great, it seems like a lot because of the way they cut up the food meh...

besides that great price for a lot of food, service was actually better than other sushi spots i've been too, very polite staff...
3 - Bobby S.: This place is actually worth about three and a half stars, but today I am rounding down (unfortunately). 

Like most of the reviews stated on this page, if you're ever craving for sushi, this is probably the quickest and cheapest way for you to have your sushi. Another good thing about this place is, it is never crowded, you can go in at any hour of the day(when they are opened of course) and you will almost be guaranteed to find a place to sit.

Rating...?
This place did not receive five stars not due to the fact  that the sushi here is terrible,but it just isn't comparable to others that I've had. Sushi is sushi is sushi, it is hard to make bad sushi, just as it is hard to make really awesome sushi! If you are living on a college budget, as I suspect you do, as this place is right next to a (expensive) learning institution.
3 - Jeanette S.: I always come here because of their 50% off all rolls deal! I've actually never ordered anything else besides their rolls. 

If you share with friends, it can fill you up! Each person has to order at least 2 rolls. And you guys can share everything.
4 - Young L.: Is it really 50% off if it's ALWAYS 50% off? My answer? I dont care. It gets me every single time. "sweet, the sushi is 50% off. I'm getting a lot" 

They play random techno music in here at times but the food is not bad. The rolls have a good amount of fish and for the most part, it seems rather fresh to me. It's fast and hits the spot when I want sushi for less.

Their other non-sushi dishes are not so great. I had their yakisoba the other day to switch things up and what was given to me was a plate of noodles and meat in what seemed like a mix of sweet and sour sauce and soy sauce....Not a fan at all. I ended up ordering the usual sushi dishes and taking the noodles home to mix in more udon noodles. 

I say, stick to the sushi and rolls. I've heard about this orgasm salad but i just feel silly ordering it....it's like going to a bar and ordering a Cosmopolitan or a Prickly Pear. Nothing wrong with it, but it just feels weird.
4 - Nick C.: I suppose I could begin and end my review by simply stating that CU has good sushi, prices and service. Then again, that would be boring. 

I went here the other day with a group of friends. We had just spent the day in the city and were hungry for sushi. Luckily, the lone Golden Bear in our group suggested that we head on over to CU. 

CU is exactly what you might expect of a college town sushi restaurant. It is relatively small and the layout can only be described as efficient. However all that is unimportant when compared to the quality and prices of the food. I know other people have mentioned it but the 50% off menu is pretty awesome. Seriously, where I come from, discounted sushi normally yields a trip to the emergency room with food poisoning. 

I ordered the spicy tuna tempura roll and some vegetable tempura (mmmm... fried things) and was very pleased with both. The tempura was made to order (a fact I learned the hard way when I bit into a piece of broccoli and almost gave myself third degree burns) and the tuna roll was very good as well (the fish was fresh and not overpowered by the sauce). My friends all enjoyed their food as well and the bill for four of us only came to $60 (before tip). 

In conclusion: CU Japanese Fusion is a great place for good, relatively inexpensive sushi. Also, the service was very friendly and efficient too.
4 - H K.: I don't get to come here too often since I'm seldom in downtown Berkeley. Each time I've been is because a friend to go along for a Cal men's basketball game (it's my chance to show some Golden Bear alumni spirit), and we would eat here before or after. The sushi is quite good especially considering the price.  I definitely go more often given the chance.
4 - Sonya K.: CU sounds shady--half priced sushi...really?...really? But no, really, it is actually great!  The food comes out unbelievably fast, the service is on point and the food is quite good.  This place is a great spot to get sushi AND get full without breaking the bank.  Again, the orgasm salad SOUNDS shady...but it is actually one of my favorite dishes there.  Delicious, fast, friendly.  Who could want more?
3 - Bella G.: There are a lot of roll choices here and all for reasonable prices.  My natural inclination is to order spicy rolls and both the 911 and the spicy tuna rolls were good, but not particularly spicy.  The nigiri sushi (hamachi, surf clam, tuna, salmon, tai, salmon) were adequate, and the fish wasn't bad nor was it outstanding.  This is a good place to satiate a sushi craving.
3 - Annie L.: 50% off select rolls and nigiri. What's not to love about that? It's not really the best quality sashimi, but for 50% off, it'll do. I ordered spicy tuna roll, yellow tail, and salmon. The yellow tail was a little bit fishy, but it might be because we were there right before they were closing. (but still, that's no excuse). Their wasabi was not very spicy at all, I had to use a lot of it to get a slight taste of spice. I'm still giving a 3 star because their 50% off deal can't be beat, and their menu selection is huge. I'll have to come back and try their different rolls.
2 - Jennifer W.: this place has gone wayyyy downhill since i first came 4 years ago with my dad during the big game. since everybody and their mom was either at the game or at a sports bar somewhere cheering on cal, the food was great! tasty, fresh, and under $30 for 2 ppl for lunch set, sashimi salad, and piping hot udon noodles. can't go wrong there. 

fast forward to 2010, and either my taste buds have become more sophisticated or this place has just deteriorated. i think it's the latter. it must be the economy or something, because even the salad lettuce they use is just crap green leaves, not the fancy schmancy organic salad mix that they used to have. i used to love getting their sashimi salad! bits of sashimi, salad mix, imitation crab meat, and avocado slices. YUM. now there's barely anything and the quality's definitely gone down the drain. their sushi is below par and looks like it's overstayed its welcome. 

btw i think the 50% off is just a marketing gimmick, the "discounted" prices seem to be the market rate to comparable japanese restaurants. 

cu sushi, what happened???
2 - Amanda N.: The guy working was really sweet & the service very good here.  Just the quality of food is really lacking.  The sushi was suuuuuuper cheap, but it was kind of like Costco sushi... okay, better, but it verged between Costco and Tako sushi.  I probably won't be back.
2 - Iman Taliah H.: my rolls fell apart...which was kinda disheartening.  the beer was cool though (begins with a 'K').  staff is fairly nice.

the crunch scallop rolls are kinda bland...
3 - Betty W.: Not necessarily not fresh but not necessarily fresh either. There isn't too much fish taste, but I like chewing on the texture of fish, so I come here because it is cheap.

Music:
Not that I do not enjoy hip hop, but it can get really annoying when they play it sort of louder than comfortable on a sunny afternoon. Some soft rock seems more suitable. 

Service:
Not bad, not excellent. Regular. They do serve your food pretty quickly.

So-so/Not-so-good Eats
- Bento box: It is a 2-star but its not overpriced. So whatever. The beef bento is not your typical beef teriyaki and not in a good way. Don't recommend getting it.

Don't Eats:
- Do not get the House Salad. Seriously, you will make a better salad at home. The dressing is nothing spectacular, very regular thick, sweet sauce with two slices of tomatoes. This salad is neither Japanese, American, or anything of any culture.

Other than that, feel free to try anything. All the simple fish rolls and fish in general are pretty bland but that wasabi and soy sauce helps a lot!
4 - Jocelyn L.: I typically don't pick favorites. I can't even settle on a favorite color, so don't take me lightly when I say that CU is my favorite go-to restaurant for sushi. It's not only affordable (with a 50% off menu), but the food is scrumptious and the fish is fresh and delicious every time I go, early or late in the day. (I always order the yellow tail scallion roll, it's amazing!) 

The portions are also appropriate for what you pay for. Some of their rolls are huge and easily fall apart, but with practice the skill to eat neatly can be acquired (if my whiteboy bf can do it, then so can you)! And if you like to get your bang for your buck, I'd suggest one of their specials, definitely worthwhile. The restaurant itself is small and can get crowded during peak hours, but it's cozy and they have great service. They also have some outdoor seating, but since it's on Center St., right above the BART station, there's always a lot of foot traffic passing by. Don't get me wrong though, it's a great place to go if you're meeting a friend, parents, co-worker, or even a date since the setting is small and intimate.

My favorite dishes include: yellow tail scallion roll, salmon roll, spicy tuna roll (all three are on the 50% off menu and less than $4), spider roll, sashimi salad, tempura green tea ice cream 

PS if you go for dinner you get a free side of Edame, yum!
3 - troy m.: I dropped a Hamilton for a spicy tuna salad bowl thing.

I CU and your game, Japanese Fusion restaurant.  You try to use your "half-off" wordplay to suggest that your sushi is a really good deal when, as a point of fact, it really just costs what it should.  Well, you've never crossed vowels with me before, and I'm quite PUNishing when it comes to linguistic challenges, so please lay down your "half-off" declarations.

Anyway, my lunch was fine, if a little bit over-priced.  I like to come here when I come to campus from Center St. by foot on a weekend, or occasionally just to change up my "meh" sushi routine.  However, other than that, it's just as forgettable as any other sushi place in Berkeley whose name I can't currently recall.

You can walk-in and order things to go.  It takes about ten minutes.  That's a little bit cool for a minute.
4 - Philip K.: Best place to get sushi in downtown Bezerkeley w/o breaking your wallet.

I can get completely full on sushi for about $20.

Not sure why it says "Fusion" in the name, everything on the menu is what you'd find in a standard Japanese place.
3 - Audrey B.: I think I've lowered my standards for sushi a lot after moving from SF to Berkeley. Berkeley knows Thai and Indian, SF knows sushi and Mexican. End of story. 

As for this place, pluses are that it's fast for take out and prices are cheap. Minus is that it's not very good sushi. It's not bad per se. But not very good. California roll, salmon roll, and some others are ok. The only one I'd steer clear of is spicy tuna.
4 - Nathan M.: Had the Unagi Bowl.  It was pretty good, probably some of the better Japanese food within walking distance of the UC Berkeley campus.  The place was nicely appointed with CA Fusion restaurant type decor.  The only drawback is that it might be 20% too expensive, as the Unagi Bowl cost $10.
3 - Brady H.: Good enough.

Pre-cut sushi, but the prices are very reasonable, service was fantastic, and I've never seen a place put out food so fast. Good location near the campus.

We tried a platter of nigiri - including crazy generous ikura nigiri and very well priced uni.
4 - Kathleen M.: I have been in a long search for the best sushi place and so far this is the place I've found to be just that. Also mainly because of the PRICE. For their discount sushi rolls, they're still really good. One time me and the bf got TWENTY FOUR sushi pieces for only 14$. you seriously cannot beat that anywhere else. And also their speciality sushi rolls are super yummy. i love the calamari roll! omgosh and you have to try their orgasm salad, yes dont let the name scare you haha. its DELISH. has seaweed, house sauce, mixed greens, & seared tuna! sooo good, & fills you up! Hm, would've given 5 stars only if they had MORE seating, but i dont mind waiting for a table.

def come here also if you want really good, welcoming, & fast service. CU is thee best.
5 - Helen X.: for the price, the sushi is deeelish.  my sister and i always get the half price sushi so good :)  the tempura udon was pretty good as well... and the edamame!
4 - Pratik T.: Well, well, well... this place does the work. They have so many varieties, I had a difficult time focusing my eyes on a certain entree. Weird names too,, Heart Attack, Tiger Roll, lol what? But yes, definitely a recommendation if you enjoy eating Sushi. Don't get the New York Beef Steak or whatever it's called though, that thing is mean.
5 - Tenny W.: My boyfriend and I love this place. It is a small sushi joint with no more than 15 tables inside and  a few tables  outside. Service is always fast and friendly and the sushi is cheap and good quality. We have been here numerous times and definitely not even a quarter done with trying different items on their menu. 

There are two menus at CU. There is a list of 50% off sushi which includes a variety of nigiris and also simple maki rolls such as california rolls, salmon, avocado, shrimp and etc. It's great marketing because everyone comes in thinking OMG 50% So cheap! However, it's not really 50% because it is priced at what its worth, a little on the cheaper side but i definitely wouldn't order it if it was full price. 50% menu prices ranges from 3-5 dollars depending what you get. 

The other menu they have is extensive. It was like 6 pages of special rolls, combination boxes, noodles, some korean entree and etc. All of the items are pictured so this place is great for people trying sushi for the first time. Some of the things that i esepcially liked were the special california, the volcano, the spicy salmon, yaki udon and etc. Complimentary edamame too!! Yummmmm.

Always a great experience here! Definitely give it a try if you are in the area. :)
4 - Jenna L.: I love their teriyaki bowls and wakame salad :) I've tried some of their half-off deals (they have 50% some really basic maki/california rolls), but they didn't strike me as amazing. The service is typically very fast and friendly, and your food order is usually done in about 10-15 minutes. I'm not a regular dining-in customer here, but their takeout service is always reliable!

I've also seen my friends order their regular-priced rolls, which they said were decent but a little undersized. Just something to keep in mind! :)
2 - Geralyn Y.: For a place I've passed for the past two years on my way home from work with genuine curiosity because of the amount of people eating here, the sushi was just ok. Maybe I'm just spoiled by all the really good sushi places in the bay.. The rice was too crumbly and the Unagi roll that I ordered had cold unagi on top. Wouldn't return if I had the choice to. Feel kinda bad for giving them such a low rating because they've got friendly staff but I'm not gonna fake the funk.
3 - Tory L.: You know you need to judge a restaurant by only its food when you see their cash register screen flash "SMILE!" signals when it's on idle. The waiter/waitress here are rude. If I had to give them stars based on service, it would be less than one star! But I have to say the 50% off rolls are worth the agonizing wait. This is a typical college spot, so don't come here on a first date or try to impress someone with the Berkeley vibe. It ain't all that cool. 

Try the yellowtail roll (6 pcs) for $3.25 and the shiitake roll (6 pcs of mushroom). The spicy tuna roll (6 pcs) for $3.25 is also satisfying. I really can't complain when I can buy 4 rolls for $15, but it's simply just a quick mediocre sushi fix.
3 - Rosaline C.: Came here after returning something at the Buffalo Exchange heard this place had 1/2 off sushi so decided to give it a try since my sister LOVES sushi.

Place is very small and is located on a really cute street with a bunch of neighboring small shops and restaurants. They have a pretty extensive menu with a bunch of different rolls that are price from $6-$9. But of course my sis and I opted for 50% sushi. 

The 50% sushi consisted mainly nigiri and your basic maki rolls (6 pieces). We ordered tons of nigiri:- (4)Salmon, Tuna, White Tuna, Scallop. One Hamchi Roll and (2) Scallop Roll. Total bill was $30. The quality of the fish was really good I was very impressed considering the price for the nigiris. I really enjoyed their Salmon and Scallop Nigiri. Make sure to ask for a side of spicy mayo if you order the scallop nirgiri or roll you won't regret it. Reason why I didn't give it four stars is because I didn't like how their sushi rice tasted. I like it with a little more rice vinegar and stickier.

Overall good place to come if you have cravings for Nigiri and basic rolls. Also another thing is they don't put a lot of rice with the Nigiri so its great for those who likes more fish and less rice!
3 - Caitlin B.: My boyfriend and I came here for the half off sushi deals, but it was pretty basic, so we ended up going with their $11 plate specials--miso, a gourmet-ish roll, and sashimi. 

The sushi was really good, but the service was pretty terrible. We had to get up to ask for more water and the bill. Our water didn't come until the food did, and it didn't seem especially busy. We didn't come with huge expectations, so it really wasn't a big deal, but this place is VERY casual, so don't bring huge expectations, and you'll love it!
4 - carla f.: My husband and I love this place. We go at least once a week. We love sushi and we still haven't found another place that has a decent sushi for the same price.
We order always the same things, but we have tried a good part of the menu. Our favorites are  the eel special roll and the green monster roll. The also have some simpler rolls that are always half price. The teriyaki bowls are also good.
Service is always really friendly and the food comes really fast.
3 - Jolie O.: If you're in the neighborhood and in the mood for sushi, and you don't want to drop more than $10 or so, you can do pretty well at this spot.

The sushi is decent, and the half-price sushi is a good bargain.

Service was ok -- not amazing, but definitely not bad. Depending on where you sit and how busy the place is, you may be waiting a while for your tea/bill/whatever.

The ambiance is a bit institutional, but for the price, this place is good for a quick bite. Definitely recommended for takeout; definitely NOT recommended for a relaxing dinner or date. Too small for a group.
3 - Allie M.: I have been here a couple times, both for take out and dine in.  I think their sushi is good... mine has always been fresh.  

I was pleased to see Monkey Balls (fried mushrooms with crab meat)  on the menu!  They are sooo good!  Not  many places I have been to have them.  I liked theirs because they were smaller and easier to eat.

The prices are great, especially for the poor college students.  They have some specials.  I think it was the Yellow special, were you get a roll, 3 pieces of fish, vegetable tempura and miso soup for 10.95!  I think that was the best 'meal deal'.

THeir service is ok... Like others have said, they are slow.  I had to ask for tea refills after my cup was dry for awhile. 

Also, the environment is not the best for a date, or even a quiet dinner.  It is in the middle of a bunch of other restaurants, so people are always walking by.

I would definitely recommend this place for someone who want good sushi at a fair price!
4 - Lucy N.: Ultimate Salmon Roll is all you need.
tempura salmon on the inside, raw salmon on the outside. HEAVENLY.
chicken curry tasted watered down.
4 - Jennifer C.: Whenever I'm in the area, I always drop by C U Sushi. This place is hard to find parking and is small, but they serve their food so fast that the turnovers are very quick. Their quality of food is pretty good so I'm not sure how they make their food so fast! They always have a list of sushi that is 50% (but they are very plain rolls) that is worth it if you like simple rolls. This place isn't THAT cheap except for that 50% list. The prices are pretty normal.

They start you off with some edamame and main dishes come with miso soup. Both are good quality.

Things I've tried:
1) Looking at yelp, I tried the Orgasm salad. Not really as good as people say. I mean, the seared tuna is decent (4 pieces) which is served on a bed of lettuce. The house sauce is good too but they put a little too much that day. The seaweed salad they put on top is my favorite! One piece of avocado too. It just didn't strike me as something special aka ORGASMIC...especially just using regular romaine lettuce.

2) Dynamite!: THIS IS MY FAVORITE DISH!! It's a baked dish of baby scallops, masago, onions, and mushrooms. The sauce they use is DELICIOUS!! It's savory and sweet! It's great to pour over rice. I don't know why it's just so delicious....

3) Unagi bowl: NEVER GET THIS! So not worth it! You get only 4 pieces of sliced unagi over a bed of rice seasoned with seaweed, 5 little pieces of broccoli and some pickled radish and ginger. UHHH..for $9?! Heck no...

4) Udon with chicken: Ehh, I don't think their hot plates are their specialty. It's just normal..nothing too good.

5) Baked salmon (kind of like Lion King): Pretty good! Very tasty

6) Their rolls in general are pretty good and they have some special ones like the Berkeley Roll that people like.

Overall, a good place to enjoy. The service is good in that they do things quickly.

I will C U LATER C U Sushi!!
5 - Brendan K.: Don't be deterred by their 1/2 Price Sushi advertisements -- this place makes GREAT sushi and is definitely the best bang for your buck in off-campus dining.   I love stopping by here on my way home after a day at work on campus and am always greeted with a smile, prompt service, and (if coming in for dinner) a free bowl of edamame with every meal.

Typically I order their nigiri and have always been really happy with their salmon and yellowtail.  The meat is always fresh, their wasabe is well blended, and the rice is perfectly done.  Even better was the time I found a tough spot in my yellowtail and they gave me an extra two pieces for free!  What service!

Six pieces of nigiri and one of their excellent "Green Monster Rolls" (shrimp tempura roll with avocado on top) runs me just about $18.00.  With tip I'm spending a little over $20.  So if you've got Andrew Jackson in your pocket and you're looking for a great way to spend it on a healthy, delicious sushi meal, stop by CU Sushi and enjoy yourself.

And as they say, C U Soon at C U Sushi!
4 - Tory L.: CU Sushi is a great place to eat if you want quick service and fresh sushi! The employees there are so friendly and I love the outside area they have! I highly suggest this place.
3 - Krystal C.: If you have a taste for some good, cheap sushi - this is the place to go. They have a half price sushi menu which is pretty extensive. I usually go for the Sashimi salad, Gyoza and a couple picks off the 1/2 priced menu. 

The restaurant itself is cute and on the smaller side. Since it's in such close proximity to the university, parking is always horrific. The background music is also kind of interesting - it's a mix of hip hop/pop...pretty random for a sushi restaurant. Overall I like CU. It's not the best sushi I've ever had but definitely good and worth the price.
3 - Maryam R.: Meh. That is my response to this place. It gets the job done and is ok. Their half of thing is kinda stupid cause 6 pieces of sushi, ex: california roll is generally about 3ish dollars. They say it is supposed to be $6 and they give u half off...stupid. Service is good...just kinda like whatever with this place
3 - Elaine L.: Just to note: in the berkeley campus area, there arent that many options for good sushi. So yeah, it's not as good as lets say, GetA or Ichiro in Oakland but for the Berkeley student, this place isn't too bad. I actually like it better than Joshuya and definitely better than Tako.

The half priced rolls are really generous. Our table got the california roll, salmon roll, and salmon skin roll. The salmon roll was really generous with the salmon and the salmon skin roll was really big for what you pay (less than $4)

We also got:
- the spicy tuna bowl which was HUGE. Someone could have ordered that alone and would have been full and still take some leftovers home. 
-yaki udon plate with chicken which was pretty good but a little bit too saucy for my taste. I would have liked it a little more pan fried since the sauce was just really overpowering. i still liked it but maybe if I shared it like an appetizer instead of eating as a main course.  

Overall I was happy with the portions and the way the waiter showed a meal plan that ended up saving us a few dollars. 

I'll come back again. I mean, I'll CU there... heh heh ...
3 - Dee N.: The sushi here isn't bad, but it's not fantastic either, hence the 3 stars. The half priced sushi is great! Well, for the price it was pretty good. The half prices apply to the more "simpler" rolls, like California roll, and spicy tuna. The prices for the more elaborate rolls were about the same prices you'd find at other sushi places. If you like spiciness, definitely try the Heart Attack! I also liked the Spicy Tuna Tempura Roll. 

This place is an okay place for groups, but I wouldn't suggest going with more than 5-6 people. I believe we had a group of 10-11 and we had to sit outside, good thing it wasn't a chilly night! Definitely stop by here if you're in Berkeley and craving sushi. I must try other places in the area, but I would choose to go here again if I didn't have time to locate another place to try. 

The service was friendly and nice. They were willing to rearrange their chairs and tables to accommodate our large group. And they even split the bill, so we didn't have to go through the hassle of figuring out how much each person owed. Which is nice, because it can be a pain to figure out, especially for such a big group. Saved us a lot of time!
4 - Ernie F.: The Short:
My typical stop during my hectic days at UC Berkeley. Conveniently located near the Center St. Starbucks and the Bioscience-end of campus, C U Sushi offers quick eats that can be affordable (50% nigiri/maki menu). My only gripe would be the loud pop/electronic music they play; it makes eating for long periods of time a little bit unpleasant.
 
Recommendations:
- Vegetable Tempura Udon (ask for tempura on the side)
- Unagi-avocado Roll (6 pieces, $3.75)
- Yellowtail-scallion Roll (6 pieces, $3.75)

Pros:
+ 50% Nigiri/Maki menu
+ Friendly service that checks how you are doing frequently.
+ Entrees have a well-done fusion flavor.

Cons:
- Unpleasant soundtracks at an obnoxious level. (The worst was the trance-mix of Christmas classics during my most recent visit)
3 - Kevin W.: - I will never order anything outside of the 50% menu because it's not really worth it.
- They don't skimp on ingredients 

Although the quality isn't that good... the price makes it the ideal place to go to when you want a cheap but decent sushi-fit.
4 - Alan T.: This is without a doubt my favorite sushi restaurant around the Berkeley campus. Having said that, there isn't a lot of great Japanese restaurants within walkable distance. Don't go out of your way to come here. But if you're around Downtown Berkeley and would like to have some sushi, this is the place to go. What you can get here is fresh sashimi and Japanese entrées that will at least temporarily satisfy your cravings for sushi, hence the 4/5 stars. 

Whats keep me coming back here, though, is their awesome 50% off deal for selected hand rolls and nigiris. We're talking about $2-$4 full sized six piece rolls. They've figured out what students want: cheap and decent sized entrée that still taste good and fresh. Just a note though, special rolls do not fall under this 50% off menu (e.g. Lion King, Rainbow Roll, Ninja Roll...etc). And you have to order at least 2 orders from this menu for the deal to apply. But even doing that, you're only talking about $8 max for two full sized rolls.  

For two people, I usually order the following from the 50% off menu:

Salmon Skin Roll
Spicy Tuna Roll
Unagi-Avocado Roll

These are simple rolls, but they're prepared well in the sense that I can taste the freshness of the rice and materials put into making it. Try it and you'll know what I'm talking about. But if you're looking for something more than just hand rolls, they got that as well. There are two entrées I would recommend:

Orgasmic Salad and Seafood Pasta

Both dishes are priced around the $8-$10 dollar range. While they are expensive, they give you A LOT of seafood. Orgasmic salad (I know it sounds weird) is basically a combination of a insane amount of tuna sashimi, seaweed salad, onions, pieces of octopus, and lettuce. Once again, I emphasize that they give you A LOT of sashimi. So if you're into eating raw fish, then make sure to get this. The seafood pasta is just the pasta version of the salad. They add udon into the mixture. The sauce they put on it is tangy, sweet, and light, which doesn't overpower the raw fish in there. 

I always leave having to pay around $15 dollars per person though. At least I leave extremely full with some food to take home. Let this place quench your thirst for sushi!
5 - Karen M.: Best place for legit sushi on a budget. Love their specials and green tea tempura fried ice cream
5 - barsha d.: I really like this place alot! The prices are good and I don't think that similar priced sushi restaurants offer the same quality. I live in Oakland but always make the drive to come have dinner or lunch. It's become a go to comfort place for my and my bff when we haven't seen each other in a while. 

Things that I always tend to get are: the baked green mussels, raw oysters, spicy tuna bowl, 911 roll,.. basically anything with spicy tuna. Love the tofu steak as well.
4 - Kasey N.: C U Sushi is good. The half price nigiri and roll all day long make the price really reasonable. It would be really hard to find the same quality sushi with lower price than CU. 

The worst part of the restaurant is that parking is really hard to find since it is right next to UC Berkeley.
4 - Carolyn Y.: Love, love, love this place! I've been here tons of times (at least 20?) and each time the sushi is great. I usually go for the basic rolls (California, spicy tuna, etc.) and my bill is around 6-8 bucks. So cheap! I love its proximity to campus.

As for prices/quality, I find it comparable to Manpuku on College (I do like C U Sushi more because it has a cleanlier vibe). Tako Sushi just feels (and tastes) dirty, and Joshuya is way too overpriced. C U is the way to go. 

Some dishes I like are the yummy crispy appetizer (crunchy wonton skin topped with tuna/tomato), all of their salads, the seafood pasta, and of course, the rolls.
4 - Dawn B.: I've gone to this place twice now, initially at the recommendation of a friend.

The first time was with a medium sized party (6 people), and we ordered a fair amount of rolls, sushi, beer and sake.  The service was good, and they accommodated our party outside. We had a number of unique and specialty rolls. I enjoyed the spicer ones.  I don't recall the price, but I didn't feel robbed.

The second time was just my boyfriend & I.  The service was quick, but not overly friendly.  We got sashmi (HUGE portion), sushi and two rolls.  The price was ~$30.  The only disappointment was asking for cucumber Maki rolls.  We wanted cucumber wrapped in rice wrapped in seaweed.  Small rolls, usually come 6 at a time. Palate cleanser.  What we got was flipped such that it was a LOT of rice around seaweed around cucumber and a huge amount of cucumber.  It was far too filling and not really on the menu.
5 - Meg T.: Dropping into Berkeley to have lunch with a friend (see zipper guy) we happened upon C U on our way to Tako. There was a line out the door, but it was windy and adding that to our laziness meant that within about ten minutes we had a table.

I must say they served us the best sushi I've had in a long time. Tokyo Lobby good *Crosses self* My Spider Roll was amazing, the avocado roll was yummy and I always love it when the miso has huge chunks of seaweed in it. This plus the palm size cups of tea equals a happy Megan.

The service itself was steller, they kept our teas filled and our food coming and the shop was warm and cozy.

5 Stars the whole way.
4 - Kevin Y.: This place is great and affordable.  I went with a party of 8, and while they don't take reservations, they were ready to accommodate our large group and were very friendly.  After taking our order, the food came out promptly.  We ordered a number of sushi rolls and udon.  While the portions were fairly small for the rolls, they were filling.  I would recommend the salmon rolls.  Per person was ~$10, a great price for a nice, sitdown meal.
1 - Ilsup Y.: Customer service pretty bad here. Foods are over-priced.
4 - Annaliese D.: 50% of maki and nigiri! Yum. 

I wasn't expecting that much when we came here for dinner. We ordered a bunch of nigiri and a couple of the maki rolls (salmon skin roll and unagi and avocado roll) off the 50% menu. 

The sushi came out relatively fast and neatly presented. The rolls were simple, but tasted good. The pieces of fish on the nigiri were generous and tasted fresh. 

Sushi dinner for two cost about $35 dollars.
4 - Loraine L.: I wasn't expecting such a nice experience here.  But they did a fairly good job. The price was reasonable compared to other restaurants along Center street.  They have some nice Americanized sushi ideas.  The large windows and cute Japanese decoration add some class to the ambience.  The waiter there was friendly.
  
This was our first time here.  We had Salmon sashimi and mini lobster dish with California roll.  I loved how they fried the lobster with mushroom.  The sauce was divine.  Their sashimi was cut into thick piece, which would be nicer if they were thinner.  But they were fresh and creamy. 

Their dishes were filling.  We were all really full in the end.  Lunch for two only cost $30 including tax and grat.

I will definitely come back.
4 - Danny K.: This place is really something. I went in expecting the usual fare...mediocre sushi in college territory. But boy was I wrong. I had the sake nigiri, super white tuna nigiri, california roll, special spicy salmon roll, and a few others. Everything was delicious. The fish was fresh and literally melted in my mouth. To top it all off, this place is super affordable! This will be my default go to spot for nigiri.
5 - Jay J.: Such a great place for sushi lover. Especially for its low price on those sushi rolls. I can't believe I finished consuming 30 pieces of sushi in a meal. LoL~

Great for those UCB students study aroundby, its low price just doesn't match its great sushi quality.

I didn't expect much but the returning experience is exceptional. Definitely I will go there again soon.

The only bad thing around this area: parking.
4 - Devy E.: This is my go to sushi place for lunch while I'm on campus. If you come in before 11:30 and after 1:00 you won't have to wait for any open tables as the place does get really busy during lunch. What I like is that the sushi is cheap compared to other sushi places and the food itself is good. The service is also wonderful - they are really attentive and very polite. 

My favorite part of this place is their cuckoo clock - it doesn't match the rest of the decor but it's a really nice clock. Look above the register if you haven't noticed it yet.
4 - Linda T.: Their Orgasm Salad is friggin' bomb!  The salmon doesn't smell fishy and that's how I know it's fresh.  Lay those pieces all over the veggies, seaweed, and sauce to make the best seafood salad I've ever had in Berkeley.  If healthy, filling, and delicious are qualities that you look for in a salad, then try this.  

The portion is likable to Intermezzo's Chef's Salad.  (Okay... maybe not, but it comes close!)


Everything else here is decent.  But the only thing that wows me is the salad.
5 - Michelle D.: So I had to make an update. I love calling in my order and picking it up. They are very attentive in answering the phone during the busy lunch hour, and they have never made me wait!
4 - Karen Z.: Price, price, price...  The quality is alright, given the low price.  It's the cheapest place for Sushi that I can think of.  The soy bean is so good!
4 - Jennifer L.: I have been here multiple times with friends, and must say that I am always shocked by the bill, it is so very affordable.  The half-priced menu is great.  The food is average, but even when crowded, the staff is attentive.
3 - Jaime S.: The portions were just right after I finished a McDonald's Premium Burger (mushroom&Swiss) an hr earlier. I ordered a salmon collar, which was real tasty - fatty the way I like it, and topped with the sweet teriyaki sauce. good stuff. 

Waitress was really friendly and gave me my hot water like I requested. +1 for accommodating my old-woman tendencies
1 - Alex W.: I'm not gonna try and not go overboard but here it goes. In all honesty, poor service ruins my meal, and I think everyone can relate.

The place looked pleasant and clean and I was expecting quality service from a staf that only had 2 other customers at the time I was there (3:20-ish). 

I was handed the menu and the waitress returned to the register and talked amongst her co workers 2 or 3 others who had nothing to do. Now I understand its somewhat of a college town and a lot of business are run by kids/young adults, and lord knows I was one of them to talk with co workers during a slow point in the day but the lack of acknowedgment from the staff was really upsetting. 

*I had to walk up to the 3 wait staff members, interrupt their conversation (which they gave me a an off-put look) and give them my sushi order and told them I was in a rush. Whatever. I can deal with that.

*The waitress then came to my table and gave me a cup of ice. Okay? I guess water is introduced to the ice when my meal comes? Whatever I can wait for water. I AM kinda thirsty but I'm willing to wait.

*I receive my food but still no water. Okay I'm a little annoyed cause YES I am thirsty and it is my firm belief that water should be served WITH the menu. I look back and all the wait staff are in the kitchen talking and laughing. I'm really upset.

*Started eating/waiting for the waitstaff to come out but NO, they are STILL in the kitchen laughing and talking. I'm really thirsty from the soy sauce, and aggravated that I'm getting terrible service.

*I had to walk up to the register and wait for someone in the kitchen to notice me. "Oh more water?" No, you didn't give me water at all.

*I'm over half way through my meal before she comes out with the water. Sorry lady, but your customer service skills are absolutely terrible, and if I had no time constraints, I would have definitly wanted to speak to a manager. Service like that would/SHOULD get you fired. 

Thanks, but thats the last dime that restaurant is gonna get out of me and/or any of my friends unless I get a full refund and/or an apology from the owner (which in all honesty, I would prefer the latter).

My experience today at this restaurant INSPIRED me to really get back into YELPing.
3 - Brian S.: In my opinion, there are not many places in Berkeley to get quality sushi.  Even after numerous meals at C-U Sushi, I still cannot say I'm a fan.

Every time I grab sushi and/or japanese food, it's usually because I'm craving it, instead of thai, american, italian, etc...

My typical order at C-U Sushi is the Red Special with the Rainbow Roll.  I'm a big fan of sashimi, and C-U Sushi's fish is only okay.  Once again, I only come here when I'm craving sashimi, and C-U Sushi can satisfy my craving, only satisfactorily.  

The last two times I've been here, I got mild cases of food poisoning?  Maybe it wasn't "poisoning", but I didn't feel great afterwards.  I hope that their hygiene regimen hasn't gone downhill.
3 - Connie C.: This sushi restaurant is very close to campus. Prices are decent for college students. They have a 50% off menu on nigiri, basic maki, and sashimi. Three different sushi specials with miso soup, a fancy roll of your choice, and nigiri for about $11. 

The quality is pretty consistent. Raw fishes are pretty fresh, I don't have a bad stomach ache after like I would at Tako. Sizes are ok. I usually order sake, tai, hamachi, and shiro maguro. Sometimes I'll order uni and amaebi. Sake nigiri are at good value. Don't ever get green salmon nigiri though. It's just a slice of avocado slapped onto the salmon and you pay like 50 cents extra for that. Uni and amaebi are kind of small in my opinion. Amaebi orders do come with fried lobster heads, so it's not a bad deal I guess. I'm just not a fan of chewing that. Their sushi rice is ok at times, when the whole piece stays together and not fall apart when I dip it into my soy sauce. Sometimes the rice is too vinegary and took the spotlight of the fish topping. Star off for that

I've tried their nabeyaki udon and their tempura udon. I don't really get why I'm paying an extra dollar for a hot stone bowl. I swear I get like the same ingredients in my udon soup! Curry udon with chicken is pretty good too, if you like non soupy noodles. 

Service is ok. Sometimes they get so busy that I feel like I'm being ignored. Or I'm being rushed. Like many other restaurants in Berkeley, they do have a minimum on credit cards, $8 minimum.

3 stars for average. If I can do half stars, C U is more like 3.5, better than average. Good deals. Close to campus. I come often mainly for convenience and cravings. College budget, can't pay for fancy stuff.
3 - Patricia Q.: I have such mixed feelings about C U Sushi. 

On one hand, I love their spicy tuna bowl. It's all sorts of yummy goodness for around $8. What a steal. The banana tempura ice cream dish also makes for a very satisfying dish.

On the other hand, I hate the service in this place. The waiters take forever to take your order and to collect the bill. The tea cups also sometimes taste of bleach. Not good. Oh, and how about that table for two, strategically placed right in front of the bathroom in the corner? Yeah.

So, three stars for the food...and minus two I guess for the mediocre service.
3 - Hasan S.: My niece's 14th birthday (YIKES!) so we decided to hit up Berkeley for an adventure. As per her request we were on the hunt for a nice Italian joint for a fine birthday dinner. Seeing all the restaurants on this block we decide to take a gander. As soon as we walk past the place there was no where else we were going. I think she was attracted to all the people and noise coming out of the place. Turned out to be a pretty solid choice. 

The prices are ridiculous, in a good way. Their 50% menu is just that, tons of options for $2-3 sashimi and a nice selection of hand rolls for $4-6, had 3 hand rolls an order of Unagi, Maguro and Hamachi. We also got a Rainbow Roll and a Spider Roll with 3 sodas for around $55. The prices match the quality but it was absolutely perfect for a teenager and her kid brother. 

They were kind enough to bring out some delicious green tea ice-cream on the house for the young lady's birthday.

Great if you're on a budget and need a sushi fix.
3 - Annie S.: Good for the prices that starving UCB students can afford (50% menu yay!), but not the best place to come for quality sushi. Service also needs improvement...
I usually come here and get the Sashimi Salad ($8.95) if I don't want food that is heavy.
3 - Christina C.: I almost didn't recognize it because of the new green awning.  How.  Thoughtful.  

One lunchday, during bar prep.  Christina found herself in need of something.  Was it company?  Was it a sympathetic shoulder?  Was it escape from the confines of her Barbri prison?  Certainly, the siren call of greasy, comforting, fry-a-lator foods beckoned from the recesses of the dark matter floating in the universe, sending out transmission of tightly hugged arteries.  But who was there to receive the transmission?  

It was nearly raining when Christina crossed the threshold of this establishment.  Water was offered.  A bento box was selected.  It had choices.  Similar at face value to the multiple choice, Christina blundered this choice too.  It was the first time she picked the spicy chicken bento with rice, salad, 1 gyoza, tempura and fruit.  The magic of the multiverse continues, there is a way to screw up "chicken" by making it "spicy."  

The tempura was decent enough.  Not as good as Anzu.  Oh Anzu.  You are like a belly button ring that has suddenly fallen off after a rough hike up the mountains and a terrible mudslide down the ravine.  Missed, remembered, regretted, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat.  

Here, Christina has given up on the sushi for the time being.  With the notable exception of Uni and Amaebi (and then, only when there is money to burn), the sushi here is pretty indecent.  The prospect of return rests in the hands of Uni.  But for all other sushi needs, the belly button ring prevails.

**I don't have a belly button piercing.  I merely enjoy writing about them.
2 - Chen C.: I was so hungry when I went there and I didn't even find the sushi there appealing. There was only me in the restaurant but they were still soooooo slow!! I felt that the sushi weren't fresh any more. Even if the sushi was 50% off, I didn't feel so good.
5 - Sung Bok K.: I just  stop by this Japaness Restuarant to get dinner, because my wife and children are so hungry. 

First look - very moden and simple design, nice Chandelier, very clean,  and around 25 ~ 30 tables ,  they wore all yellow T shirts  looks nice.

Second Menu -  we ordered palm spring roll, shrimp killer, sushi,  and udon.   Their price are very reasonable but awsome deco dish, and taste was like A++ .  and very Nice service, no rush , we really enjoyed that dinner .

Third  check out -  We were surpised, this is opening event season now  , and they gave us 50% off  from their price,  My wife and I we looked at each other and laughed,  how could we expect this .  .. 

Yes, I definately enjoyed this, good to review them here.
Please visit them they are now  opening season..

Oh by the way I found they are Walnut Creek , new opening , not Berkley.
2 - John T.: First of all, I don't consider myself to be very food critical; if it tastes half decent, I usually won't complain. Ok, onto my story...

I was in Berkeley to pick something up and my girlfriend was hungry so we yelped the local sushi joints. C U Sushi was just around the corner so to save a drive, we walked right over and were seated immediately. Water took forever to get, isn't that the first thing that should be given to the customer? Ok, the water wasn't a huge deal, but after we finished looking at our menus, we had to wait a while before the waiter came back, even though the place was half empty. 

The food:
The tuna tasted funny, had sort of a metallic taste to it. The yellowtail was acceptable, but not the freshest tasting. The caviar was nasty, it was very sweet which tasted odd because i've never experienced that before at any sushi restaurant. The sushi rice on the nigiri didn't even stick together well, it fell apart when I touched it. Spider roll was okay, definitely tasted utterly average. the only noteworthy thing about this roll was that they gave huge pieces of soft-shell crab.

Overall, the prices were very reasonable, but you are basically getting what you pay for, cheap prices, cheap food. I have had better sushi at Safeway. Not a place that I would find myself eating at again any time soon.
2 - Jaimee H.: We were starving after getting off to a late start and having a long commute to get to Berkeley. I appreciated the diversity of food selections on this particular strip. 

The restaurant was small and cozy. There was one employee seating customers, taking their orders, and delivering their food and drinks. And because it was lunchtime, the place was quickly filling up. Service was quite slow. It took awhile for the guy to take our order and deliver our drinks, but i almost couldn't blame him because he was the only one. He looked stressed.

They offered 50% off their nigiri. I ended up settling for a combo set which included a calamari roll and your choice of a Cali roll or spicy tuna roll. The calamari roll was good and the Cali roll was just okay.

Overall, okay lunch experience.
4 - Lucy Y.: my favorite sushi restaurant in berkeley! it's a little out of the way on west side and definitely not as convenient as good ol' tako, but the quality is miles better. my usual order here is the red special with the spicy tuna tataki roll. fresh and cool with just the right kick of spicy. i've also tried the baby lobster roll, which was good, but too rich after a few bites and i was forced to take the rest home. i also really like the spicy tuna salad. basically, i'm a fan of anything spicy tuna haha 

the restaurant itself is pretty small so if you have a large group you may have to wait a while.
3 - Hung P.: More like 3.5 stars.  This is a great place to go if you're looking for a place near campus to get some sushi with a group of friends.  Prices are very affordable and the food is pretty good.

They have a good selection of "cooked" sushi rolls here if you have friends who just can't do the real thing.  And for those of you who like real sushi, the quality here is better than any of the other sushi choices near downtown.

It's also got a prime location if you like to people watch as there is a lot of foot traffic on Center Street.  Service can be lacking though as it can get crowded.  They really should just hire more servers during busy times.
3 - Janey L.: Good selection of inexpensive, decent sushi. They have 50% off nigiri and another menu selection of small-ish, simple rolls (6 pieces) for $3-$4 which is good if you wanna get full quickly for cheap. The last time I was there, we got the crab, salmon, spicy tuna, scallop and yellowtail rolls. We also got 2 maki rolls - the philadelphia and ultimate salmon and together everything was $46.. not bad at all! The ultimate salmon is probably my new favorite roll - baked salmon on the inside, fresh salmon on the outside. It was huge and delicious!

Service is spotty, but I think it's because they don't have enough servers during rush hour. I had one bad experience in which we had a party of 4, which is difficult because most of their tables are for 2. Instead of seating the party of 2 that came after us at a table against the wall, they were seated adjacent to another table for 2 that was about to leave. We asked the server if they could be seated at a corner table for 2 so that we could push the other tables together to seat 4, but he refused, which was annoying. Luckily, the party of 2 voluntarily relocated themselves to the corner table so we could push the other tables together and be seated FINALLY (after +30 min wait). It was sad that their guests had more sense than their servers though.
3 - H C.: Walked by on a visit to Berkeley.  Sat outdoors and had a very enjoyable meal.  It is an informal and cheerful place.  The food was pretty good and the price very reasonable.  A pleasant all-around experience between BART and campus.
1 - Ava H.: I used to go to this place because Nigiri was always on sale and sushi is not that expansive, but I wouldn't go to this place ever!! We were two, and many table was empty. The waitress guided us to the table next to the restroom, so I asked her to change the table since there are many empty tables but she said"NO". We left the place not eating anything there!! Service is HORRIBLE!!
4 - Anne L.: I love CU!

I usually don't go for quantity over quality, but I've made an exception for CU since the quality is still pretty good. I've been here at least a dozen times.

When I first tried sushi, I would only go for the special rolls. After converting to raw fish, it's hard for me to go back. That said, it's nice to have a sushi restaurant with a bunch of cheap and fresh regular rolls (they're usually half off). My usual order is the Orgasm Salad (becomes less awkward every subsequent time you order it) with a salmon roll on the side. I've tried some of their cooked rolls and I think I like the Lion King best out of them all. They seem to have pretty good deals on their specials, but I've never tried them.

Some of my friends are pretty cheap, so it's always been hard for me to find a good place for us to go to for a low price. I brought a group of them here a few days ago and they all seemed to enjoy their food without complaining about the price.

Why not the five stars? The sushi is good, but not amazing. I also don't like how we have to specifically ask for tea with our water. The tables are pretty small, so sometimes they have to play Tetris with my plates, combine my dishes in front of me, or even ask if they can move me after I've been situated. Lastly, they tend to bring out one dish early on and wait a while to bring out your next plate (ex. the appetizers may come out halfway through your entree).
3 - Karen S.: It was a movie date night & we had only an hour to eat.  Therefore, we turned again to out go-to place.

The Nigiri pieces were somewhat backwards.  The fish was not as fresh as usual but the rice was sticking together much better.  On top of nigiri, we also had 2 appetizers.  The Ika calamari tempura was light, crispy, & not too oily.  Be aware though, the actual pieces of calamari were a lot smaller than they look on presentation.  The Baked green mussels were disappointing.  Neither of us could really taste anything other than the sauce which was SO oily & sweet.  It was so bad that I had to pour the sauce onto the plate before I could eat it.

The mussels?  Never again.  But C U Sushi? We'll be back. Oh & we got some $1 coupons too...that always makes things better.
4 - Paola M.: Good, relatively inexpensive sushi. The quality might not be the best in town, but the flaw is more than compensated by prices (also quality is still pretty good).

 I would go back, especially if I can make it a little earlier than closing time. My main issue with this place in fact was that they were starting cleaning the place before closing and everything smelled like bleach, which made a bit more difficult enjoying the fish.....
3 - Ada C.: I've always loved CU Sushi when I was a student at Cal, so when my fellow alumni and I came back for a Berkeley food tour, we absolutely needed to come back.

Now why the 3 stars? It's definitely not due to price or quality, because both are excellent (I can't get enough of their sashimi salad!); but due to their $7 minimum per person to dine there. I never had a problem with this when I was a student, and I'm relatively sure I've eaten there without hitting that minimum. This time, when my friends and I came here just to get a little snack of a few rolls and a sashimi salad, we were told about this rule. I wouldn't have a problem with this rule if the restaurant was busy, but there were only a few other tables seated with people. It could also be considered a good thing that we didn't hit the minimum because it speaks to how cheap the food costs. We decided to still get the food to-go because we do like their food, but it was still a bit of a downer for the day. The take home: the food is pretty good quality and definitely worth the price, but make sure you're going to be eating at least $7 worth of food each, which could be a whole lot of food since some rolls are less than $4.
4 - Audrey C.: Great prices for all you broke college students that are craving sushi that isn't completely as bad as that place in Asian Ghetto.

Sushi is not the best (not the freshest I've tried) but they have great deals that come with rolls, sushi, miso soup, and tempura fro around 8-11 bucks. Rolls are a dollar or two cheaper than Joshu-ya on Dwight too. I tried the tempura green tea ice cream. 5 bucks but they give you two HUGE scoops of ice cream and the serving is pretty. My sushi craving was satisfied for the time being  :)
4 - Chia L.: c u at CU!

Ok, that was lame. But this place surely isn't. This place is priced like any other sushi place we're used to, but in my opinion they put more thought and preparation into their dishes than others. I had the baked salmon roll with cream cheese wrapped in the sushi. I used to hate having cream cheese in rolls because they are just too overpowering in taste. At C U, the grilled roll softens the smaller than usual chunk of cream cheese a bit, so when you bite into it (or stuff your face like I do), the cream cheese spreads around and blends with the rest of the ingredients surprisingly well. The rich cream cheese is like the cherry on top; it completes the baked salmon roll in a way by adding an extra layer of flavor. 

I also tried the Curry udon with chicken. Man did it smell DELICIOUS. Udon was nicely done: cooked all the way through but chewy and not soggy. Curry smell made me drool like crazy. Their chicken was interesting: most teriyaki-type chicken meat tend to be really soft and "tender", almost to the point of making you wonder, "So... did this chicken get no exercise?" CU's chicken was tender, soft but not too soft. When you bit into it, you still feel the strips of muscle we're suppose to be eating. It tasted much more natural and organic. Not to mention there were a lot of it.

The environment is very lively, filled with tons of college students. Their servers are nice and work very quickly to get you what you need, without appearing like they're rushing you out of the place.
4 - Joel G.: I would go back.  I thought it was affordable and decent, although the service was a bit slow at lunch.
5 - Jenny M.: This is one of my favorite sushi restaurants in Berkeley!

Compared to Manpuku and Tako Sushi, the prices may be a bit more expensive, but I think the quality of the sushi and even size of the sushi is much better. They also have really good specials where you can essentially get 2 rolls for around $10! Service is great and I am a sucker for presentation - they plate the sushi so beautifully. I got one of the Orange Specials, which was a spicy tuna roll and a salmon tempura roll. The salmon tempura roll was pretty huge (in diameter) and even came with a size of some veggie tempura. Super cute. Each meal comes with a miso soup. 

My friends got the dinner bento boxes, which looked delicious as well! They were huge.
3 - Erwin F.: Visitng from L.A., my friends took me to this place. Their dragon roll was delicious. Cucumber and CA rolls average, tempura above average. Not a bad place. What shocked me was their "orgasm salad". What people will do for shock value these days. BTW, I asked one of their servers, if this place is Korean-owned, answer is yes. Does this mean anything? Not really, as long as you enjoy their food. There's actually a lot of such restaurants around.
4 - Joey L.: Great bang for the buck if you want Japanese food in Berkeley. 

I personally had the spicy tuna salad bowl and it was bomb! I could barely finish it, which I was really surprised with because Japanese restaurants usually give really small portions. 

Our friends had the rolls and they looked pretty good too, but I guess I have to come back for those. 

Solid place for Japanese. Relatively Cheap. Would come again.
2 - Jeanne L.: See you, CU.

Maki rolls and nigiri are 50% off but it's not worth it to get the rolls unless your the type that like your sushi plain like California roll. We ordered the orgasmic salad which looked good in pictures but didn't taste so good. It was basically 4 large pieces of seared tuna with leafy greens and a shit load of dressing.  It was over dressed and I didn't like it. 

What saved the day were the monkey balls. I don't think anything deep fried can go wrong. Crispy golden balls stuffed with mushroom and tempura glazed with teriyaki sauce on top.

Everything we ordered came out within minutes. There are some ninja sushi rollers and chefs in the kitchen. Too bad the food is bleh.
3 - Annie S.: it's cheap for japanese. it's filling. it's near campus. 

i was pretty disappointed by the quality of the food after hearing so many good things about it. the rolls leave you desiring something more. and the fried calamari leaves your mouth with an old oil taste. 

i think their best dishes here are the salads, like the sashimi salad...good flavor and portion size. but it's a salad. i don't just go out to a restaurant because i'm craving a salad. that's just ridiculous.
2 - John D.: I eat her a lot (and am a generous tipper), but the other day I just wanted a snack (tofu steak and rice) and I got a stern lecture from the waitress that "she would let it go this time" but I needed to spend more money to eat there in the future.  The place was almost empty as it was about 4 pm so I don't know what the big deal was.  It also seems like there is a big turn around in serving staff, so no one knows you when you walk in.  I'll think again before going alone or bringing guests.  I felt very uncomfortable with the whole experience.
5 - Lia P.: I love CU Sushi! The staff is warm and inviting. The food is always fresh and yummy. Another great place for work lunch.

My personal favorites: Orgasm Salad, need I say more? The dressing is incredible on the salad and they should box this stuff and sell it as retail.
I also love the gyoza- which I have no idea how to pronounce.
The lunch box is also good and the prices are reasonable. They are always busy with a line at lunch time so I suggest going around 2pm for faster service and wait time.
Ohh and for some reason, we get gift certificates for this place once a year which is very much appreciated and comes in handy since we frequent the joint so often.
4 - Beatrice E.: Today was my last day in the Bay Area before going to college, so I went with my boyfriend to get some good Bay Area sushi. (Socal sushi has nothing on ours. Just saying.)

We walked in and were greeted by a pretty young-looking waitress. She directed us to our table and left a pencil and a sheet of paper with the 50%-off sushi. Being cheap college kids we checked it out, but it turns out only the "plain" rolls (California, Philly, etc.) were the ones eligible for the discount. Boo. We didn't know that we were supposed to write our orders on it, but the girl was nice about it, haha.

I ended up ordering the Berkeley Roll: cream cheese, avocado, crab and fresh fish, all deep fried. He ordered the spicy salmon roll (fresh salmon, avocado and spicy salmon on top) and the salmon sashimi. He really likes his salmon, apparently.

His salmon sashimi came in and I tried it. It tasted pretty fresh, I liked it. This is coming from someone who doesn't really like sashimi. His spicy salmon roll came in after. Didn't try it but he seemed to like it.

My Berkeley Roll was amazing. There were only about five pieces but they were humongous--it was difficult to pick them up, and while eating it sometimes fell apart. It was pretty good though.

I'm not sure why there are reviews complaining about the service, I had a pretty good experience here. Our waitress was really nice and the rest of the staff were good with keeping our drinks filled/taking our plates. They asked before they took them away, and when we were paying for our meal the chick asked if we wanted coupons. :)

$30 for sashimi and two special rolls. Not bad. Coming back!
2 - Jennifer K.: Not that it's gross or anything, but with the dirt cheap Tako Sushi even closer to where I live, offering the same quality of freshness and service, I don't think I'll ever come here again. 
 
 Again, it's not bad food. Or bad sashimi/sushi. SS got the chirashi bowl, and he said it was pretty fresh. I got the Lion King roll, which was a tiny 8 pieces, given that it was 9 bucks. 

  Service was a little slow. I mean, we did come at 4, when there was only 3 other parties in the restaurant, with 3 idly waiting waitresses, so it should have been like BAM BAM BAM. But alas, not all restaurant people think like I do. 

  Conclusion: If I were about to faint from starvation and I was in front of C U Sushi, I would get it again. Otherwise, there's waaaay better sushi places to spend your $30 bucks. 

But if you have no choice, go ahead and order the tofu steak appetizer. It's like agedashi tofu, but bigger pieces. Only four, however. Actually, that's probably a terrible deal. Over a buck a piece! Oh well. It was the only thing I actually liked and would maybe maybe maybe eat again.
2 - Simei Y.: They used to have 50% off the paper sushi menu that they give you to mark up. I stopped by the other day and was disappointed to find that they don't offer that deal anymore; only Nigiri.

Other than that, the sushi is of OK quality.
4 - Symone D.: I am no Chef Ramsay, but If I were, I would totally be in love with this place.  I have been to a number of sushi places, but C U Sushi seems to have the freshest and tastiest dishes.  Every time I attend C U Sushi, I can not leave without having the Monkey Ball... A must have when you visit.
4 - Morgan W.: The pace is brisk. It was a busy tuesday night and our order came out in 2 minutes. Not a place to relax, but a very good place to eat.
3 - Vero P.: Ive eaten her three times. Once a friend brought me here also its down the street from where I work. I gotta say its never disappointment when I come here. I think that there 50% off is a little misleading as it seems like every roll that is 50% off has a slightly higher price tag then I would expect. I ate here with my 8 year old and her with her mini appetite and affliction for California rolls and me with my average appetite spent over $30. That is a typical bill at any sushi restaurant that doesnt boast 50%. That being said the rolls have been consistently good. The menu has a variety or basic and fancy american rolls as well as noodles. I always feel a bit rushed when I come her but I think the staff is trying to accommodate the flow of traffic.
Would come back again. No matter how hard I try the lore of 50% still fools me.
4 - Allie L.: After moving back home from being away for four years I was missing my Eugene sushi spot. To my pleasant surprise I found a Berkeley equivalent. CU has a delicious Orgasm Salad that never fails to impress me. The variety of rolls make each visit new and exciting and with out a doubt and I always leave satisfied. The few times I've eaten there have consistently been delicious. The ambiance and snug seating isn't ideal but the sushi makes it worth it. I highly recommend the Lion King and Heart Attack rolls.
3 - jessica m.: Note: I don't eat seafood so this will be just for their udon.

I came here a while ago with a friend and got their chicken udon. I had THE best udon in LA Little Tokyo last summer, and have been on a quest to find one that comes even close to that deliciousness. C U Sushi has come the closest so far.

The udon I'm pretty sure is prepackaged, but it was cooked perfectly. Not too soggy and just chewy enough. The broth was really good though. Although not on par with Little Tokyo (obviously), it was still really hearty and delicious. All the veggies and such they add are pretty standard. But I'd go back again just to taste that broth. Yum.

I also came here last night and got the curry chicken udon. I was debating between that and curry chicken rice, but decided I wanted udon. I probably should've just gone with regular udon instead. The curry didn't really taste like anything. I expected it to taste at least somewhat curry-ey. But it tasted really bland, even though it was dark brown. So I was confused. Definitely won't be getting curry udon here ever again.

The place is really small, and crammed with a lot of tables, so it can get kind of noisy and bothersome at times. But the servers are rather attentive so it's okay.

If I ever come back, I'll be having the chicken udon.
5 - Tony W.: The prices are fairly moderate. The menu literally has endless selections. Having too many things to choose from should never be a bad thing but it certainly gave me a hard time picking what to eat.

The 5-piece nigiri special I ordered came with a California roll and miso soup. The fish on the nigiri is exceptionally fresh. I definitely recommend their sushi.
4 - John A.: I had a birthday dinner here with some of my close friends and All i have to say is that I was blown away on how good their food was for being such a hole in the wall. All we ordered was rolls and rolls of sushi but over all the price wasn't too bad. unlike some other sushi house. Quality was to be expected on the price range per roll. But what got me going was the 50% off sushi they had. That was ridiculously awesome! 
Fresh Fish was really fresh haha Didn't smell old haha just saying.
The waitress was very helpful she kept on coming by occasionally asking if everything is alright and if we needed anything else. Its surprising how packed the area can become during dinner time. 
The only negative thing I'd have to say is that Finding parking is a pain especially in Berkeley, Other than that I was really full and enjoyed every bit of sushi.

I would definitely recommend this place for a quick bite to eat. but avoid going during peak hours lunch or dinner.
4 - Dongwan K.: Probably one of the best Japanese restaurants near the campus

I only get sushi here so i can't really comment on other menus but their rolls are great and reasonably priced

Each role ranges from $6 to $10 and I usually get two rolls which is enough to fill me up.

The restaurant is pretty small (can hold about 25 customers) so occasionally you might have to wait outside but the waiting is worth it.

They claim some of nigiri are 50% off but I think they are always 50% off so I wouldn't jump to get those nigiris
3 - Eric F.: A very conveniently located spot (not that it really mattered to me as I discovered this place after finishing undergrad lol) with good sushi at decent prices.  The rolls are nicely presented and tasty, but I gotta default to Ernie F. for recs on specific ones as it's been a while since I've eaten here.  Thankfully, my memory isn't good enough to recall any obnoxious music to go along with the food XD
4 - Robert W.: This is the first Sushi place I've tried in Berkeley. I really liked it. I took advantage of their specials and got a roll and with three nigiri on the side. It's a great idea for a special, if you like nigiri. The fish was fresh, and my total bill was $16, which isn't bad for sushi. It is pretty small and crowded, but if you can find a seat, I highly recommend it. Bonus points for location, a great people watching area right next to the college.
3 - Soo Jung R.: Like many of the Japanese restaurants around here, this place is owned by Korean people. That's not to say the food is bad - it's good, and it's affordable, especially with the budget of a college student. Their crunchy rolls are nice, and the portions are pretty good too. But if you're looking for 'authentic' (and i mean AUTHENTIC) Japanese food, this isn't the place. Let's say it's a good Korean/American interpretation of Japanese cuisine. Though that said, they've recently opened another place in Walnut Creek - so that must mean people like it! :)
4 - Johanna P.: I love coming here... They have a big variety of rolls. Spicy Tuna Tempura Roll  super Yummy =).
4 - Andie C.: I have been trying to find a good sushi restaurant in Berkeley for awhile and this one had good prices and a lot of options.  I went with my boyfriend and we each got one of the meals that come with a roll and miso soup. The miso soup was pretty good and i really enjoyed my roll.  We were still a little hungry so we ordered another roll and walked away paying around $30 which isnt too bad for a sushi dinner. I would go back again.
4 - Melanie C.: I mean, it's 50% off all the time, so it's actually pretty good considering....  You get what you pay for, and actually a bit more.
4 - Albert W.: My math buddy and I always came here before buckling down and doing our problem sets. 

We've only been here for the rolls, and why wouldn't we? It's cheap and delicious, and better than Tako or Joshuya's. We would usually had 3 rolls each (each roll about $3-4 each) that filled us up quite nicely. The salmon skin rolls are really good!

My only problem is that this place is tiny. To the point where it seems like I always elbow the person next to me who's at a different table. We've also had to wait for almost 30 minutes once, and there is absolutely no AT&T cell phone reception at all here.
3 - Jamie S.: Pretty good lunch deals and service. I got the rainbow roll that comes with soup and something else.  I ordered without the miso because I don't like it. It's not the most fantastic sushi ever, but it's pretty good and it's priced well so I went for it and I was not disappointed.
1 - Jack M.: I was so looking forward to having sushi and they totally botched my order.  They need someone there who can speak and understand English taking the orders.  My dinner was ruined by their incompetence.
4 - Johnny R.: If they only had Tofu Steak I'd eat here just for that! Nice, super clean environment, excellent customer service, fast, and all around great food! Only minus (and this is super picky, maybe), they don't use real crab. Otherwise, I love it!
4 - Eileen Z.: Pretty good and not too pricy. Close walk from campus and BART so it's very convient to get to. 

I ordered the lion king roll and although it looked like a small portion, it is pretty filling given that I wasn't as hungry. It was pretty delicious. 

The place itself is pretty small so I can't imagine a large group of people coming here.

Would love to come back and try their other rolls :)
5 - kay k.: The sushi rolls are fresh. Uncomplicated and delicious. What more can a girl ask for!
4 - Heather C.: Cheap sushi located near the UC Berkeley campus. Can be busy during the lunch hour, it is a smaller place. My standard is the California Roll, which is just ok here.
3 - Garett N.: Not bad. Came here a few times with friends and each time came away satisfied. Not the best sushi in the world, but it does get the job done.
4 - Wendy P.: This is my favorite sushi restaurant in Berkeley. My boyfriend and I come here almost every weekend. The sushi is not as cheap as Tako Sushi on Telegraph Ave, but it is definitely not expensive. The restaurant is always crowded every time I went there. 

One thing we order every time is the sashimi salad. The quality of the fish is really good. The salad tastes very refreshing. My favorite roll is the Tiger roll. We never tried the bento or noodles here, so I don't know if they are good as well.

Definitely recommend this place!
4 - Steph N.: Yum, C U Sushi! I always come here multiple times with my friend over the course of summer. They have outdoor seating, which is great for warm, sunny days. The service is not too bad and the waitresses and waiters are very friendly. Sometimes it gets pretty packed in here, especially during lunch hours.  Two things I always order is the lion king roll and the eel roll, which is a special combination--- it comes with a warm bowl of miso soup and three different pieces of nigiri for a great price. I also love the fact that they have a 50% off menu! I always get the california rolls to come with it as well. My only cons is that the food takes a bit too long to come and the rolls fall apart quite easily. Other than that, I totally recommend this place!
3 - Sandra L.: Nothing memorable, sushi is sushi.
4 - Ada C.: I love this place, I've been here like 4 times.

Before living in Berkeley, my friends and I use to drive to Berkeley just for C U Sushi.

The baby lobster roll is a MUST!!!
2 - Sherry Z.: I don't really know why I'm even giving them two stars. 
The food was eh -- my roll was drenched in sauce (as are most of the rolls, it seems) and it just tasted fake.  The nigiri I got (yellow tail / hamachi) was very rubbery and fishy tasting, I couldn't even eat both pieces.  And the service was awful.
4 - Xavi M.: 4 stars on convenience, price, consistency, and quality.

This place is sooo close to campus (on the West side), and it always satisfies my sushi needs while I'm on the run. While I won't say it's the BEST sushi I've ever had (I have yet to try what the yelp consensus considers to be the best), the sushi here is nonetheless always fresh and not expensive.  

This place never disappointed my expectations for a delicious, healthy, quick meal in Berkeley (whereas other local Berkeley restaurants tend to be quick, but gross.... ahem.. a la Top Dog & La Burrita)
5 - carla b.: Tried the Baby Lobster Roll, filled with flavor and freshness for $13. This has to be a top sushi restaurant in Berkeley.Good Eats!
3 - Jennifer M.: Came here for take out with my boyfriend.

Pros: 
-got our food to go and it was ready very quickly, which was good because we were in a rush
-got a lot of bang for our buck - rolls were a decent size, and no roll we bought was more than $3.95. 
-pretty tasty - I really liked the avocado and cucumber roll. 

Cons:
-although we got take out, I was there long enough to decide that I did not like the service at this place. Lady who helped us was not friendly or informative - for example, it's one of those 'check the box next to the roll you want on a slip' kind of ordering schemes, but the waitress handed us the slip with no pen and didn't explain what to do - I guess it should've seemed obvious but we thought it was just a menu. Perhaps just a miscommunication, but then when we handed her our slip she just had a bad attitude - not like, oh yeah sure i'll ring you up, but more like, "ugh, I do not want to be here." 

Conclusion: If you're working or at class in a nearby building and need decent, cheap sushi fast, then try this place. If you have a bit more time, I suggest going to Sushi Ko - prices are comparable and the service is *much* better.
4 - susan c.: We went to C U Sushi for lunch and it was really great.  

The edamame was served piping hot and really yummy.

My favorite was the Stacy Roll which had some spicy tuna on top with some Korean gochujang (spicy pepper paste).  The Green Monster was really good too with a shrimp tempura and avocados.  Someone in our group ordered the California Tempura Roll and it was my least favorite.  It was a deep fried California roll and it was just okay.  Plain California rolls were perfectly good...  no need to deep fry it!

The tempura udon only had 2 pieces of tempura in it - shrimp and kabocha squash.   It was on top of the udon so if you don't want these to get soggy, ask for the tempura on the side.

Service was good.  They were busy but handled the customers well.

Definitely will come back here when I'm in the area!
4 - Simone L.: Great sushi, the atmosphere is lacking. 

I love the dragon roll, ultimate salmon roll, heart attack, etc. etc. I've never had a bad experience with their rolls. Yum! :D

It's pretty cold, the place isn't very cute, and in general I don't like hanging out there. But the food is good and the prices are good, too. 

I've been here multiple times and I always come back.
2 - Kevin B.: My first bad review.

I pop into this place for lunch, mostly.  And, I went in recently for a takeout order of udon noodles just before the lunch rush. 

It was incredibly cold out (by Berkeley standards), so instead of waiting for my order outside, which I gather is their preference,  I took a seat in the corner and waited for my udon. I mean, I paid for my food AND tipped. I don't see why they couldn't just let me rest for a moment while I waited for my noodles. But, alas, they made me move. 

I was flabbergasted. "These seats are for people dining in" Wow! I just tipped you. 

I complained to the poor kid, who obviously didn't have the discretion to exercise  judgement, but it was such a classless move. I acquiesced without much protest, and they moved me near the bathroom to wait for my food. 

In the kid's defense, he did apologize and the place DID fill up as I was leaving, but it was just a bad call. I feel the service there is too boorish in general. 

They are not a 2-star establishment, but they deserve to have their aggregate rating impacted. After all, there were other seats in the place and my udon noodles do not take that long to prepare, so there was no real opportunity cost. 

Bottom line: No one likes getting the bum's rush. 

I tipped you on a to-go order, don't rouse me from my seat. I don't need that.
4 - Christina H.: Probably a 3.5 now since they don't offer as many roll discounts as they did before, but every time I come here, I leave satisfied. So my 4 stars still stand. Would still recommend this place to others, just not as enthusiastically as I might once have. 

I just came here a few hours ago. Ordered the salmon tempura roll (I recommend!) and the tempura udon, with the tempura on the side. They failed with the tempura on the side today, but the waiter remembered just as he put the udon down. He looked terribly apologetic and offered to fix it immediately, but it really wasn't that big of deal and he was super nice about it. 

CU Sushi has my favorite texture of udon noodles--super chewy yumminess of just the right thickness. My mom says the broth is pretty bland, but if its just about their noodles, this place has gotten it down. 

Love the tea, as always. 
Dinner comes with edamame!
1 - Heather L.: The owner tried to tell me I didn't see what I saw, what a jerk, proof this is not a place I want to ever go again. I watched the ENTIRE EVENT. BE A MAN AND APOLOGIZE FOR THE INAPPROPRIATE ACTIONS OF YOUR EMPLOYEES.
 


HI. This is the owner of the C U SUSHI. Between kenny L. and Heather L.

Thanks for the review but there is some incorrect information such as jail etc. Both side decided to not make a sue. please help our business from wrong info. if possible please put down your review. we will appreciate.

This review is not incorrect I WAS THERE and watched with my own eyes. Your employee was cuffed and taken to jail for assault, I watched the police take him away, and the young man was taken from the scene in an ambulance. Your employees assaulted that young man and chased him DOWN THE STREET AFTER THEY TRIED TO TRAP HIM FROM LEAVING YOUR RESTAURANT! I WAS THERE AND SAW IT ALL I WILL NOT CHANGE THIS REVIEW.
2 - Andrei T.: Good food. A little pricey. Otherwise good atmosphere
3 - A F.: I would say that this place is more like a 3.5, but I'll round down because We were seated right next to the door, and every time someone opened the door, I got a huge blast of cold air on one side :(
Anyway, on to the review.  For a party of 4, we ordered a bunch of salmon and tuna Nigiri, a super california roll, 49 roll, nabeyaki udon, chicken bento and salmon bento.
The Nigiri was realllly good, the fish was fresh and the texture was delightful.  It was also 50% off, which made it a good deal.
The rolls were ok, the super california roll was a California roll with some sashimi stuffed inside it as well.  It could be a bit big to pop the whole thing inside your mouth...  The 49 roll was interesting, because it was a California roll topped with salmon sashimi and very thin lemon slices.  I didn't care for the lemon slice, but overall it was ok.
The nabeyaki udon was pretty standard, tenpura shrimp and squash, mushrooms, onion, poached egg, seaweed... It was good. Not amazing.
The chicken teriyaki box came with salad, tenpura medley, and gyoza.  The chicken was pretty salty, and the tenpura wasn't especially crunchy, but overall decent.
The salmon box came with the same extras as the chicken box.  The salmon steak came just rolled, with no sauce.  The salmon was well cooked, but wished there was a sauce to go with it!
Overall, the food was average, but  I think the prices make this place worth another visit.  We paid under $100 for all that food, Which is a victory for us, since we usually spend over $100 at Japanese restaurants for dinner.
4 - Cathleen T.: Came here for dinner on a Friday around 5:30.  All of the tables outside were full, but plenty of seating inside.  Ordered some udon curry, and a ton of nigiri and rolls.  Everything came out super quick, it reminded me of going to a Vietnamese place, ordering your pho, and getting it handed to you within seconds of placing your order.  

The waiters were quick to refill my water, and since we got our food so fast it was nice to be able to pick and choose on what to eat, instead of some places that give you one or two things at a time and by the time you get the last dish you kind of wished you still had a piece of the first roll to compare it to.

I wish I lived in this area, I'd eat here more often if I did.
5 - Vince M.: really good sushi with a very fair price
1 - Jeffrey G.: Damn, where do I start. I have been a semi-regular at this establishment for quite some time but today's service was horrid and their overall quality was completely unacceptable. During lunch, I ordered a spicy sashimi salad while my friends had a typical set of varied rolls. I am not the type or complain out loud when it comes down to waiting around for my meal but 30 minutes after all my friends got their orders, I still had an empty plate in front of me.

I asked the waiter several times about my salad and they repeatedly replied with," its coming right out." I even noticed other patrons that ordered similar dishes in which they received on time. I got so hungry to the point where I had to leech off my friends' plates and the overall quality of the sashimi was just par and not worthwhile to give another try.

Too bad C U. You were good once.
2 - Annie L.: I probably would've rated higher if yesterday's service wasn't so bad. And it really is too bad because their sushi was good for the price. Although I will be kind of a bitch and call them out on their "50% off" menu. Two pieces of salmon nigiri does not cost 5.95. You just don't see that anywhere else. So I guess taking 50% off 5.95 would make the two pieces of nigiri  3 bucks. Meh. Sounds like regular pricing to me. 

But anyway, my friends and I went to this place for sushi. The four of us all took our orders, in which the three of us received our rolls promptly. My other friend ordered a salad. She got excited for a sec when she saw the waiter walking out of the kitchen with a salad that looked very similar to her's, but was saddened when the salad went to the people sitting outside, who actually arrived later than we had. So we're like okay, maybe it'll just take a few more minutes. Ten minutes pass, she asks if her order is coming out, she's told that it's on its way. She asks a second time some time later, and again, she's told that it'll be out in a minute. 
I had a salmon roll, which was okay, and a few other nigiri rolls. 40 minutes go by, I'm actually kinda full at this point, and some of us are actually asking for a box to go. I looked at my friend's plate and realize she still has not gotten her food yet! Now I am usually very understanding when it comes to small discrepancies in service because I also used to be a server, but this is totally unacceptable. Food takes a little long to come out, sure...but COME ON, we're all done with our food here and her food still hasn't come out! I didn't think she wanted to let our server know that she wanted to cancel her order so I got up and told him. He tells me the salad is literally almost done, but come on, everyone's ready to go, she's not going to sit there and eat her salad by herself. 

Poor girl, she had to sit through an entire 40 minutes watching us eat, and then having to run to 7-11 for a hot dog afterward because she was starving so much! That's fucked up, man!

I don't know what happened, it's a salad. How do you screw that up?
We were given three $2 vouchers, but it's not likely we'll be returning...*sigh
5 - Emily W.: This is my FAVORITE sushi place near the Berkeley campus ever since I discovered it during my first year here. 

Prices used to be much cheaper with their 50% off rolls but during the past year, the prices have gone up. 

My all time favorite roll is the [Baked Salmon].  It's similar to Lion King but I just somehow don't like the LK roll as much.  The Baked Salmon melts in your mouth (drooling now -_-) 

I've been there too many times to recall individual visits.  A few things I recommend: 

[Tofu Steak] - as boring as it might sound to some people, it's SOOOO good. 
[Dynamite] - baked cheesy seafood combo goodness.
[Spicy Tuna] - loved the level of the spiciness. 
[Unagi avocado roll] 1/2 off !! 

Can't recall the different rolls that I liked, but DO TRY ALL OF THEM!

The service has generally been very good.  

Definitely recommend this :)
4 - Kay B.: I frequent CU Sushi a lot. I have regularly had good service and the food has always been good. 

I enjoy getting the Orange Specials (a tempura roll, choice of CA roll or Salmon roll, miso soup, and a little bit of tempura), it is very filling. 

I also like their Nabeyaki Udon on cold days, truly hits the spot. 

This restaurant can get busy, which is when I think service lacks. When it doesn't have a waitlist, the service is very good. 

My only complaint is that it is slightly expensive. I know of cheaper sushi places that are just as good, if not better.
4 - Sammie Y.: 50% off is a very good deal, specially like the white tuna sushi, but they don't have toro and uni is not available all the time. And green tea ice cream is out when I visited at a Sunday night.
1 - Yuchen M.: It's been a while since I've written an review. Usually when I do, it's because there's something extraordinary about a place that piques my interest enough to write about.

Anyways, let's get down to business. I went here tonight with two friends. The highlight of my meal was the edamame. 

First, let's talk service. We waited for a good five minutes while there was an empty table inside. When we were finally seated, it took the waiter another 10 minutes to acknowledge us and take our order. Granted the place was a bit packed, but any good waiter knows how to scan the tables and look for eye contact for a customer. I ordered the "Shitake mushroom special". Our plates came out at 3 different times! Amazing. There's nothing I love more at a restaurant than to wait and watch my food get cold until everyone gets served. When the last plate was finally brought out (10 minutes after we received the first plate), we ate.

Second, let's talk food. Ever seeing that South Park episode "City Sushi"? Yea, that's a pun on "Shitty Sushi". If I had to pick one word to describe my meal, it would be "shitty". My $9.95 Shitty-take mushroom special was marinated in a familiar sauce. I almost didn't believe my taste buds when I realized the main two ingredients in the sauce was ketchup and Sriracha. Really? Did your kitchen run out of oyster sauce and teriyaki sauce? 

TL;DR: Shitty sushi. Shitty service.
4 - Emily S.: I come here all the time for sushi- its my go to place! Take out is the way to go as it is usually crowded and the service can be a little slow. But nonetheless, the food always tastes fresh! Their big special rolls are only $9.99 for soup, tempura, CA/spicy tuna roll, and a fancy roll (may I suggest Orange Special #3).

Bottom line- I like this place! Its easy going, affordable, and delicious.
3 - Ash J.: This place is A-Ok for sure.

Another great cheap sushi option, plus it's on a really cute street and you can sit outside on a nice day. If you are in a hurry, they seem to turn over tables really fast. 

My favorite role is the spicy salmon special role, it's like 8 bucks and filled with salmon and avocado on the inside and out, and has about eight pieces. Another good deal and you only need one to fill you up. Their hot sake isn't as cheap as Itchiban though...so if I feel like having a drink, I head over there ($3for a large sake vs. $6 for a large at CU).
3 - Mona F.: Got the "Orgasm Salad (or whatever it's called)" and it definitely did not live up to its name.  The lettuce leaves were soggy and the seared tuna was not fresh and tasted as if it was microwaved (I ended up picking at one piece and leaving the rest).  The only good parts of the salad was the marinated seaweed on top and the dressing.  I did try one of my friend's spicy tuna rolls and it tasted much better than my tuna so maybe their rolls are better.

The service was also inattentive and not friendly.  I had to ask the waiter to come and bring us water.  Bottom line, I'm pretty disinclined to come back and give it another try especially with so many other sushi options in the area that I know are solid.
4 - Diana C.: They have very creative sushi here. I had their 911 sushi and it was pretty good and spicy too. I mostly just ordered because it had avocado in it. The sushi didn't take that much to be made either.
3 - Ashley N.: Pretty small sushi restaurant near campus. Clean looking, so that's a plus. It does get pretty crowded, so avoid dinner rush times if you want a seat :P 

I personally don't eat sushi, so my rating is based more on their non-sushi options. (However, my bf really likes their sushi, so I guess sushi lovers would enjoy this place more than I do) I've tried their Yaki Udon and Rice Bowls, both of which are kind of mediocre. There's nothing spectacular. 
However, I have to say i LOVE their sesame dressing on the salads. It's sooo good I even bought some home. I even came back the second time to buy more, but they skimped out on filling my container all the way, so I was a little irked :P 

The service overall is nice. Sometimes when it's too busy , you have a hard time getting their attention. They expect you to make a minimum purchase or so of like $7? I think that's unfair! 

Anyways, I only go here for the salad dressing now. Or if the bf wants to go.
5 - Kaleb B.: Seriously the best sushi place in the East Bay. Great sushi at affordable prices. It's like that place where you can go to lunch alone and feel great because you didn't spend too much money.

I took my college's Gay-Straight Alliance there and everyone had a great time.
4 - Donna M.: The high rating is only because this is one of the better sushi restaurants in the immediate campus area. The fish is fresh, the portions are fair and the prices are reasonable. Trust me, as a sashimi lover this place is a million times better than Tako Sushi on Telegraph and has better prices and portions than Joshu-ya. 

I'm not particularly fond of actual sushi rolls (y'know the ones with sauces and fancy names) so I can only vouch for the sashimi. I would also recommend their tempura udon and their chicken teriyaki - both are great!

Seriously, come here for the sashimi. It's better quality than Tako or Manpuku.
4 - Lily Z.: This is definitely one of my favorite sushi places in Berkeley. Their fish is fresh(Mmmmmm sake sashimi) and prices are fair. They sometimes give you coupons off your next meal. I've never trouble with their service.
We ordered the Hawaiian something with seared Albacore. yums!
The scallop roll was okay, but it one of those cheap ones, so that's probably why.  Will definitely keep coming back.
4 - Alpha T.: First and foremost there is truly an amazing selection of sushi from sashimi to tempura to baked sushi BUT the best part is that the PRICE completely affordable!!!! :) The staff was helpful and attentive on refilling our drinks. I will definitely come back if I'm ever around the area.
4 - Kelley L.: Ambiance: 4 stars
Food: 4 stars
Service: 4 stars

Well, I will not lie, this is a pretty good place to get sushi in the Berkeley area. It is not the freshest ever, but it is pretty good, especially for the price! Happy Hour (half-off) prices are valid all-day on nigiri -- the only thing I have eaten here. The service here is also very fast, they do not ignore customers and it is definitely easy to just have a quick meal here. I really have no complaints about my experiences here. It is conveniently located next to the Cal campus and not too far from the BART station. Not sure what else will beat this in the area.
4 - April J.: So, I wish I could go to Berkeley. Not because I want to be  smart and blablabla, but because there are  soooooooo many good places to eat. C U Sushi is affordable and tasty. The only good sushi in Davis is owned by a mean Asian lady who shouts insults at me when I try to eat. Read my review on Zen Toro if you want to learn more.

Why, yes. I am shamelessly trying to gain more site views. What of it? Okay, i'll move on.

The Rolls:
Lion King Roll : Very yummy baked roll. Perfect temperature, and just enough cream cheese.
Spicy Tuna and scallop roll: The fish was fresh, the spicy tuna was spot on and the scallops added a nice touch.

Honestly, all the rolls on their menu sound and look great! A couple next to me ordered the Power roll and it looked amazing. I think I'll order that next.

Good food and service? Yes pleasee. C U soon! ( Sorry for the corniness, I am writing this very late at night)
4 - Dave S.: A few days ago we were in Berkeley and decided we were hungry, but what to eat?  I mean, come on, it's not there aren't many choices!

We finally decided we would narrow it down to one block of Center Street, but even then it was a tough choice.  

We opted for C U Sushi, and ended up being quite happy with our choice.  One of our group was REALLY hungry and got an order of tempura as an appetizer; it was good, but tempura is tempura, it's either really greasy or it's good, never spectacular.
BTW, did you know that tempura isn't traditionally Japanese?  The Portugese introduced it to them in the sixteenth century.

I digress...

We ordered the Spicy Tuna Tataki Roll and Hot Night Roll specials, plus a Tiger Roll and a Teriyaki Chicken plate.  The fish was all very fresh and just about melted on your tongue.  The Tiger and Hot Night rolls were actually very similar, one with tuna and one with salmon.  All three were good and we couldn't decide on a favorite.

I usually prefer simple sushi and sushimi to fancy fru-fru sushi with sauces squirted on top, but I have to say this might have changed my mnd.

We were full but decided to split a Banana Tempura Ice Cream to end the meal.  It's a good thing we didn't order three of them because we were just expecting a scoop of ice cream.  It was a huge scoop of ice cream with four tempura banana pieces and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.  Mmmmm

Our only complaint was that our food didn't come at the same time.  Between the first and last dish, is was probably 5 minutes, which seemed really long considering there were only three other goups there at the time (about 4pm).  What would the wait have been like if it was full at lunch or dinner?

The staff was very helpful and friendly, and kept a watch on us without being pushy.

All in all, I think we'll be back the next time we're in the area.
3 - Jason T.: I'm just not feeling the sushi that comes out of this place. I've been here multiple times, but this review is strictly for my latest visit.

This place is good for groups if you arrive early and snatch a table. We all got different dishes, and all of them seemed small for the amount that we were paying.

The Tiger Roll was good, but I could not taste the salmon or eel unless I ate them by the slice. Even then, I could barely taste the salmon. I recall that I've had a better experience here before, so I won't hold it against them too heavily.
3 - Jeannie W.: Meh. Eh. You can definitely find better sushi restaurants in Berkeley. I came here with a group of about 5 on a Sunday afternoon at about 2 pm. 

First off, apparently you're supposed to be given free Edamame before you order? My group didn't. 

The waiters were extremely unprofessional. They were probably college students (which is fine), but they didn't make much of an effort to see if we were satisfied with our food. Our orders came out in long increments. A group of 3 got their sushi rolls at least 10 minutes before the other group got their rolls - and this is after we already waited about 30 minutes for our rolls.

I ordered the Power Roll, which is pretty similar to the Dragon Roll. For about $10.50, I got about 5 small pieces of sushi that definitely did not fill me up. The sushi was poorly rolled, so it was falling apart immediately after I picked it up with my chopsticks. 

Totally overpriced and not worth it. I'd rather go to Joshu-ya and pay a dollar or two more. 

I went to McDonald's afterwards to satisfy my appetite.
3 - Debbie L.: Originally I would've given this place 4 stars but after a return trip, they've been demoted!

First time I came I thought this place was pretty decent -- good food, okay price for Japanese food. I typically order their orange special which is $10.50 for some specialty roll + california roll or spicy tuna roll (I would get the shrimp tempura roll and it came with a significant portion of tempura vegetables and shrimp on the side). Their baked salmon roll was also really good. The first 3 times I came it was always huge portions for the price and good quality. 

However, when I came back here yesterday their price went up and they now charge more for spicy tuna instead of the california roll with the Orange Special. Not to mention, they now give less tempura with your rolls. I was quite disappointed. I also ordered the spicy tuna tempura roll thinking that it would be spicy tuna with tempura bits on top (that's what it looks like in the picture) but my roll was completely deep fried, the tuna was 100% cooked and not even spicy. Can I just say I was thoroughly disappointed. 

3 stars for price (I'd say just mosey over to Sushi Ko if you want rolls), 3 stars for quality. I ordered to-go so I can't comment on the service, but their seemed to be 2 waiters for the entire restaurant, and they seemed flustered / unable to keep up.
3 - Jessica K.: This place was okay. It wasn't out of the park or behind the dumpster throwing bad. It was literally average. I met up with one of my fellow sushi fanatic to try C U Sushi on Center. We both got the I think red special combo that came with 3 pieces of sashimi, miso, and a choice of sushi roll. I got the eel special roll and she got the rainbow roll and we shared half/half. It was just decent I really have nothing much to review :/ There was free edamame though! I can't comment on the freshness of the ingredients because it really did not tip one end to the other. I would say if you craved sushi, was close by, and have never tried this place to give it a go. Or else..skip.
3 - Debbie C.: The servers are complete space cadets but the food is pretty good. The Chicken Udon was filling and the broth was good although I was hoping for more vegetables.  The unagi nigiri was fresh and the monkey balls were apparently delicious. Not a bad place to grab a quick and casual lunch or dinner by campus.
4 - Dawson H.: Good good sushi.:) love the fact that they are opened late on Sunday's:)
5 - Maria F.: I love this place. Whenever I'm looking for a place to eat in Berkeley we always try to think of other places but somehow always end up here. I'm on Weight Watchers and I love coming here to treat myself...especially since sushi fits is very plan friendly. Half off nigiri all day every day...who can deny that? The Berkeley Roll, the H.O.T. Roll and the Tofu Steak are my three favorite menu items. Trust me, try this place and you won't be disappointed. Psst, the Walnut Creek location is also amazing.
4 - Christopher C.: Like the sushi rolls, but the other items on the menu aren't that great.
That said, whenever we feel like sushi rolls, this is the place we go to first.
4 - Tessa S.: Very affordable and very fast sushi. I will definitely be back
4 - Amy G.: Three friends and I popped in for a Saturday night dinner. There was only one table open inside, which was lucky because I was not about sit outdoors when I seriously need to thaw from a cold and drizzly Bay Area afternoon. A packed restaurant is always promising, so I opened the menu eagerly and became unsurprisingly overwhelmed and indecisive about the many choices of sushi rolls and other entrees.
With help from one of the servers who recommended a number of popular picks from each of their three categories of fresh fish, tempura, and baked rolls--only slightly narrowing it down--we settled on a spider roll, a spicy salmon roll, and the Lion King roll.

The spider roll came out first. It's relatively large in width and sadly crumbled before I could complete the dip-in-soy-sauce-and-deliver-to-mouth move. We weren't even sure what the tempura-d meat was, as it tasted just like fried breading. All in all, tasty but not amazing. Next, we got the spicy salmon roll, my favorite by far! I really liked popping an entire piece in my mouth at a time and tasting seasoned fish, avocado, rice, and seaweed all at once. The flavors melded together so well and the salmon tasted super rich and buttery, in the good way. The Lion King roll came out last. It included baked salmon, the warmness of which was a good way to end the meal. It, like the entire meal, was quite tasty, but still could not surpass the spicy salmon roll in my eyes.

The servers were very attentive and handled the busyness with skill. Now I know of a good go-to sushi place near me, and will probably be back to chow in the future.
3 - ML N.: It's a sushi joint near a college campus with so-so prices. You can pretty much imagine that the taste will be so-so as well. Ordered the scallop nigiri and the udon bowl that starts with an "n". (comes with a tempura'ed squash slice and one shrimp.) nothing exceptional and the broth was kind of bland. all in all, not bad, but not great. would still come back here cuz it's relatively fast and cheap.
5 - Kevin F.: This is without a doubt the BEST sushi place in the East Bay. The ingredients are always FRESH. 

I highly recommend the baby lobster roll. YUMMY!!!!!!
5 - Dan K.: I ordered a tiger roll and I loved it, felt orgasm in my mouth.
the waiters/waitress were very kind and friendly.
I also ordered a yaki udon/chkn damn it was hella good.
cheap and good quality sushi. 
I'm coming back to this place again!!!!!
5 - John S.: Great food, very tasty, cheap!
4 - Alice M.: There is a dearth of good sushi places in Berkeley.  Although CU Sushi is by no means the best sushi place, I come back again and again, because it is the best sushi place within walking distance that is also a good value!  After multiple visits here, I've settled into a routine of getting one of their combos -- Hot Night roll, which is spicy and delicious, along with their miso soup/salad and a few pieces of nigiri -- all for $11.95.

Should you travel to try it?  No.  But if you're nearby and you want sushi, this is a decent option.
4 - Sophie Y.: Baby lobster roll!!! California roll covered with baby lobster, mushrooms, onions, and a bunch of other stuff and baked... definitely my favorite thing from CU Sushi, but I guess I haven't tried too many things because I just order the baby lobster roll every time :) 

I think the prices have gone up slightly (I think the paper menu used to be 50% off but now only nigiri is discounted) but either way, it's still the best sushi place near campus.
5 - Michelle S.: best sushi in berkeley for the price i paid!
i mean it when i say it's the perfect place to eat a casual lunch with a friend; the atmosphere is cheery and bright while the service is great.
4 - Rei Lin K.: With many many sushi spots in Berkeley around campus, this is one I continue to frequent. My future brother-in-law turned me on to this joint and I can never repay him adequately. In such a busy area, I still get parking easily, I get seated quickly, and I'm always overly-satisfied in sushi heaven. The fish is fresh and it's super affordable. LOVE LOVE LOVE!
2 - Lucas H.: I usually rate restaurants based off of their food, service generally doesn't play a major role in my ratings.  However, my last visit at CU Sushi ended up in pure frustration.  My biggest complaint is this new $10 minimum for credit and debit cards (which is posted towards the back of the store near the kitchen so if you eat outside you don't even see it).  I understand what they are trying to do and why, but a $10 minimum at lunch time with half off rolls and lunch rates forces you to buy more food or drink then you need or want.  My bill came to $9.73, I was 27 cents away from hitting the $10 mark and the server actually had the nerve to tell me that next time I have to spend at least $10!  If you restaurant can't afford the fees for credit and debit use, then become cash only or just raise all you prices, don't single out those who use credit or debit.  I personally think this is greed and has nothing to do with the owner being able to afford the fees, with Cal, Shattuck ave and Berkeley Community College next door the restaurant it is always busy.  Finally, tell you servers that they should wash their hands after they clean tables and pick up dirty plates, before they deliver the food to new patrons or hire a busser!
4 - Joakim J.: Really nice sushi place ! Polite people and food is excellent, however, you easily order more than you can eat :)
Stick to the classic sushi - their American-deep-fry-things are... not for me :)
3 - Kevin N.: I ordered the Spicy Salmon Bowl. Warning! - The tomatoes in the salmon bowl can be quite deceptive! Initially I thought I got a huge portion of salmon sashimi, but a lot of it turned out to be just diced tomatoes camouflaged in...disappointing. With that being said, the portion of sashimi was decent, but not great. The spicy mayo sauce had good flavor and the sashimi was of acceptable quality. Prices are fairly affordable. Overall, a good meal but I'm not really too excited to come back.

C'est Bon - Cambridge, MA (42.3726849, -71.1148819) (Harvard Square)
5 - annie k.: This place has remarkably good food at great prices. And the staff are extremely friendly and gracious. I'm tempted to give 5 stars. OK I will. For what it is, it's great.

Darn, sorry to see them go. The people were so nice, I wish them well. Maybe the reason they went out of business is they kept giving me free stuff!
5 - Lori E.: I loved this place but they sadly went out of business for drop in orders.  They still cater, so if you love them, get a group of friends together and put in an order ahead of time.  Mourners may gather near the storefront.
5 - Kiwi H.: Is this place really closed now??? I'm going to have to go and double-check on that! The only downside being the take-out part (I would have loved if they tore down the connected convenience store part next to their bakery section, painted the walls some cute, cheerful colour and turned it into an adorable "snuggle up, read and eat/drink here for hours" cafe).

I think I was slightly partial to this place since the owners were Lebanese, and they have always been uber-sweet to me upon discovering I'm half-Lebanese, but ignoring that fact completely, I would give this place 5 stars based on their pain-au-chocolat alone. It was out of this world.

WHY, it can't be closed! I'm going to have to triple-check on this. :(

Update: Yes, sadly, it is closed. Bye-bye, delicious pain au chocolat and friendly owners. Hello, Finagle-a-Bagel (also good enough but NOT THE SAME).

C'est Bon - Cambridge, MA (42.3741547, -71.1188312) (Harvard Square)
1 - Kiki B.: ew.  there is absolutely no reason to go here, especially with doma down the street.  it is poorly stocked and crazily high-priced.
2 - Laura T.: This place is convenient and has a great selection of wines and beers for such a small store. The servers are friendly in a not-too-invasive way, and it's open late. I only gave it two stars because it's sometimes a little grimy in there, and it's a bit overpriced. I only ever use this store to buy last minute booze on my way home from a late night at work. I never buy anything else here because it is low quality and too expensive. For that you have CVS next door.

C'est Bon Convenience - Cambridge, MA (42.3741926, -71.1190552) (Harvard Square)
4 - A T.: This small convenience store, an accessory to C'est Si Bon, next door, is a late night life saver--especially if you've been stuck on a mallfunctioning redline train all evening.  It stays open pretty late and in addition to the usual convenience store fare sells a wide assortment of cold beers, wine, and little girly drinks (like Smirnoff Ice).  If you're catching up w/a friend and want something low key, my suggestion is grab a snack from here, chill in the park nearby and also grab a bottle of wine for later at home.
4 - Tullia F.: They don't have a sandwich place anymore, but the staff is so much friendlier than the 7-11 down the block and they have a large drink selection - from alcohol to Odwalla.
5 - Kristin S.: While C'est Bon the deli side is now a Finagle the convenience store side is still open...and thank goodness.  I am pretty sure you can find anything in this grab and go from wine and beer to cookies to frozen dinners.  

I have to give them 5 stars because they not only carry Snapple but they carry a large selection of it.
4 - Leighann F.: On the way to a party, I pick up some brews.

On the way to a dinner, I grab some wine (a bottle of red, a bottle of white).

On the way to the gym, I snag a water and a protein bar.

C'est Bon Convenience saves my Little Miss Last Minute butt all the time. Located right in front of the Harvard T stop, I can stop in on my way to anywhere, grab what I need and be about my business. For someone who has no time to plan in advance, this little store is a life saver!
5 - Meghan P.: There are not very many liquor stores in Harvard Square... There are even fewer that also have yummy groceries and some fresh foods... Therefore, C'est Bon became the place to go! 

The salespeople are super friendly... really friendly beyond belief sometimes! My guy friend had just bought a bottle of alcohol when he walked out of the store, dropped the bottle, and the bottle broke and spilt onto the sidewalk. He walked back into C'est Bon and explained what happened and they gave him a new bottle free of charge. So nice!
5 - Jillian Y.: I'm not going to lie, I'm giving this place 5 stars based on the fact that the Lebanese owners carry Al Maza.

Beyond the tasty Lebanese beer, however, they also have a great selection of snack foods, beer, wine, and even liquor.  They occasionally have sales reps doing tastings, too!  Lastly, they carry not just one but all three members of the triumvirate of Japanese brews - Kirin, Asahi, AND Sapporo.  Love.
1 - Leslie Q.: This store has the worst customer service..the guys behind the counter have no idea about wines....i wanted to get some nice special wines but no luck...poor organization n just random wines....cud have been better...i will not visit there again if i m buying wine

C-Town Supermarket - New York, NY (40.8038236, -73.9543535) (Harlem)
3 - PJ G.: Oh my! C Town is now carrying gourmet staples like sun dried tomatoes, bonybel cheese and other assorted things that I either have to drag myself up to the shops on Broadway, Whole Foods or Fine Fair.
They're starting to run decent specials, but their lamb chops suck and I wish they had smaller sweet potatoes.
They seem to be getting better, which is why I gave it three stars, but you still have to make sure the sell by date hasn't passed. It no longer smells,  but I wish they had better fruit selection.
Still if I have to grab something quick, I am usually pleasantly surprised by what they have. And they have lots of dog treats- this is a very good thing-if I'm out of dog treats, my dog won't let me in the house.
3 - CHERYL L.: agreed all that is written including the fact that chicken, and fruit go very bad after one day....dairy is okay.., specials on grocery items are not bad...can't beat those 3 dozen egg specials when you're only eating the whites..need to check bags when entering, at first it was insulting, now I enjoy shopping without the xtra bags..--deli people fastest in city, , and non-Muzak (sp?) can't be beat....for the present neighborhood you would think the prices would be better, but as competitive as anywhere else (except for eggs)...
3 - Michael T.: While I like to think I have the stamina to go all the way to West Side Market for grocery shopping, during the winter I simply can't be bothered and I either opt for Fresh Direct or, when I need just a few things, the nearby C-Town. When I lived down in Brooklyn, C-Town was a major part of my life and was always a little surprised at some of the things they carried. The truth is, I've been able to find items that were totally absent from places like Morton Williams up on Broadway.

C-Town is where I like to go for essentials -- pasta, rice, tuna, etc. Even some produce and meat, but only if I'm going to be cooking it that day. I'm always a little wary but I've never had my party ruined because I got rotten food from C-Town. They do indeed have fast and courteous deli counter. Also, always make sure you walk out of there with a sweet potato pie.

The prices are competitive. I figure that any money I think I'm saving from going elsewhere is eaten by the time it takes to get there. It's nice to have a place close to home.
1 - John H.: Only go here if you need something that you don't have to put into your body. The beef gave me food poisoning, and sometimes looks like it hasn't been stored properly. The cramped isles kill me, because there is always that big ol' mama who takes up the entire isle and has a problem sharing it with you. On a good note, Ive never had to wait in the line, they are quick getting you out. For such a shitty place they do have a good beer selection thou, if you're willing to pay for it. Rite Aid on 117th and 8th has good beer for cheap too... BUUTTT, now that Best Yet opened on 8th and 118th why do you even need C-town?? Best Yet is Chimay, and C-Town is Naddy Light, it will still do the job, but it will be tough to swallow. Final verdict: go to Best Yet! They rule!
2 - Simone B.: "C"-Town subconsciously self-proclaimed its rating... a C, average, mediocre, and just plain basic. When I first moved to SoHa I was uber stoked to have a grocery store right on my block, but my excitement soon faded upon entering this store. 

C-Town is is a super small, super packed grocery store that leaves its veggies in the boxes (until sold I assume), its fruit ( or the little they have I should say) unkept, and its meat all over the place.  I literally found a pack of meat next to a box of Honey Bunches of Oats. 

The aisle in this store are very close together - typical NY I guess. Besides the above things C-Town is a good place to go if you need to pickup  medicine, juice, candy, or any other prepackaged item.

I will say that C-Town has great management/staff. Ever time I go here someone opens the door for me, hands me a basket, takes my basket when I'm done, and bids me good day.  

If  only I could judge this place on the staff alone it would receive 5 stars, but sadly the main components of a grocery store is in fact its grocery's. And C-Town leaves much to be desired.
4 - Pop D.: its close to home they usually have a sale , and they always have somebody to pack your grocery bag , friendly staff semi-cheap prices

C-U Taxi - Champaign, IL (40.1063691, -88.2412504) ()
3 - Jenna M.: On-time, knew the way to an uncommon, kind of tricky location. No conversation - which is a good thing to me at 8am. Appears it's a $2.75 pick-up charge plus $0.25 for every tenth of a mile. Van was run-down without air conditioning, but it worked.

I handed over $15 for an $11.25 ride, and did not expect change... but  more importantly the driver did not prepare to make change. Not cool when the chick assumes that everyone will tip her 33% for a 5-minute ride. Also not cool that a "playa" takes their reservations...
4 - Forrest I.: I went to the Savoy 16 theater last night with a bunch of friends, and our movie was scheduled to end after the buses stop running.  So, I gave C-U Taxi a call while we were walking into the theater.  We had 8 people, so I thought we'd need two cabs.

Surprise!  They have a 13-passenger bus, which is cheaper than taking 2 cabs!  Score!  We booked the bus for 12:45 am.  When the movie (Harry Potter 6) ended, we went outside, but couldn't find the taxi.  I called the company, and it turned out they dispatched the bus to the Beverly Theater by mistake.

The bus showed up 10 minutes after we had scheduled it, but it was no big deal.  The bus was freaking cool, though.  It was one of those "karaoke party buses" that I often see Greek people riding around in.  

It didn't take long to get back to campus, and the driver charged $3/person for the ride from Savoy 16 to Green&Wright.
1 - Richard U.: If you need something to vomit in on the way home from the bar, C-U taxi might fit the bill.   But never use them for an early morning pickup to the airport.  I've tried a few times in the four years that I've lived in CU with usually miserable results.

1. don't call the night before.  they'll only lose your request.
2.  don't believe them when they say "we'll be there in 5 minutes"   This morning I waited for 20 minutes after I called to remind them that I needed a cab.  Eventually had to wake someone to drive me to the airport.  For all I know they never showed (I never got a call back saying they were waiting on me either.)

Friends say that Yellow Cab is better at this.  (I saw two Yellow Cabs at Willard when I arrived). 

C-U Cab (aka Illini Taxi) isn't getting any more of my business.
1 - Sophia H.: C-U Taxi is not professional at all! The service is horrible! They did not pick our large group on time on the way to our destination & on our way back... We saw them in passing & they said they would be right back to pick us up... we called, they said they were on campus after seeing them just around the corner from where we were at... we waited an hour than decided to take a taxi b/c it was too cold to wait outside. horrible service when we called... the first thing they tell you when you call is "we still have your alcohol" they say this  several times when you call too. it's not about the alcohol, it's about picking us up. the guy that picked up hung up on me too for inquiring about when he was going to pick us up. DO NOT RENT FROM C-U TAXI!!! Horrible service!!! :(

C. Jane - Austin, TX (30.287333, -97.741931) (The Drag, University of Texas, West Campus)
4 - Michelle J.: So when I came to UT as a wide-eyed freshman, I looked at this boutique and scoffed. Seriously!? A designer boutique trying to cater to an undergraduate college clientele when so many more affordable options are just a block or two away? It surely will follow the same fate as the Diesel on 22nd...

A few years later I wandered past c. jane again and noticed some large SALE signs in front, needed a new dress, and decided to venture in.  I was impressed by what I found! c. jane has a wide selection of designer brands, and frequently gets new items in.  My favorites are Free People, Phoebe couture, and French Connection.  They've also got a great selection of super cute dresses that are usually discounted.  The employees here are also very helpful and friendly assisting you with finding what you're looking for....but without being pushy!

If you're used to shopping the SoCo boutiques, this place has a very similar Austin-y feel.  Though in an unlikely location amidst a sea of burnt orange and sandwich shops, drop in & you're likely to come across some unique finds and friendly service!
4 - Rebecca D.: Such a great boutique! It's very convenient for West-Campus dwellers (which I was during my undergraduate days) and has absolutely adorable clothes. I think the family who owns this place does such a great job buying for the store and really know the stuff their target market, the future/current/past sorority girls of Austin, will go for. The selection is surprisingly big and they have a lot of small, unique brands as well as common but great brands like Rachel Pally, Black Halo, Primp, French Connection, Free People, Alice + Olivia etc. They also carry Hollywood fashion tape and Hanky Panky panties, both of which I am a fan of. One especially great thing about C. Jane is their jewelry. They carry some unique and/or local brands and most of it is absolutely adorable! 

This place is super expensive, especially for students! It's not often I make a purchase there unless my mum is in town and decides to treat me. However, it's worth checking out from time to time because they have good sales (I got an adorable Alice+Olivia top for about $90, which I thought was a decent deal for such a cute item. Another sale item was a Rachel Pally ruffly shirt for about $70. So still expensive but you can treat yourself to something cute without completely breaking the bank.) and if nothing else, just to look and be inspired by the beautiful clothes. 

For sure my favorite place on the drag and one of the more fashion-forward places in the area.
1 - Ellen C.: One word:  FAIL!  

Imagine this scenario.  You are from out of town.  You have a wedding to attend in Austin.  You bring a dinky ratty dress, just in case, because you know you will find something gorgeously apropos in one of Austin's many boutiques.  You stop at C. Jane and voila - you find THE DRESS.  It's one the most uniquely beautiful dresses you've seen in awhile and it's on sale to boot!  You are overcome with glee and your accompanying friend even genuinely ooo's and ahhh's the moment you step out of the dressing room.  You purchase the dress.  Your friend and you gush about the dress for hours and hours, while stopping at nearly a dozen other boutiques and forgoing other dresses you try on, because although they're cute, you've already found THE ONE, so no need to overspend.  

Now imagine.  You're getting ready for your other friend's wedding.  You slip on the dress, humming a merry tune and BAM, WHAT THE FAWK IS THIS?!  The atrocious eyesore of a security sensor sullying the bottom of your dress.  Ahhhhhh!

The aforementioned scenario is a true story/based on actual events.  Except I was the accompanying friend who witnessed my other friend's grievous tragedy.  By the time we noticed the security sensor had been left on her dress (you know, while she was putting it on before the wedding - because naturally you'd assume boutique salespeople to adhere to protocol about removing those dang things after purchase), we were miles and miles away from C. Jane and only with an hour left to spare before the wedding.  Needless to say my friend was EXTREMELY furious and then that gradually dissipated into tears (look, it happens!  Clothes make me emotional too sometimes, in a bad way . . . usually when I'm trying them on).  Ladies, you know how it is.  You have your heart absolutely set on a beautiful outfit and then someone spills wine on it immediately or your dog chews off part of a sleeve.  This is kind of like that . . . you get what I'm saying?

We returned to C. Jane the next day and my friend asked if she could return the dress as she no longer had foreseeable use for the dress.  She explained the whole scenario while the poor salesgirl stared as us blankly.  Then salesgirl mechanically regurgitated the stores "no return, only exchanges" policy.  My friend firmly, but politely informed the girl that because of another salesgirl's oversight the day before, she wasn't able to wear the dress as intended (instead she wore her fall back dress and was depressed about it the whole time, believe me) so there was no longer a use for the dress.  Poor salesgirl tried to call the manager, who didn't respond so we volunteered to leave for lunch and return to resolve this situation later.  

We returned later and salesgirl informed us that because the item was on sale, her manager had informed her that not even an exchange was possible (not that an exchange would've been all that great as we were from out of town).  But what she could do for us was remove the sensor?  Oh sweet baby Jesus, you think???  As my friend had paid for the fawkin' thing 24 hours ago.  My friend sighed, weary with exasperation, and acquiesced at this point (as she had no other choice!) and did tell the salesgirl she wasn't mad at her directly and personally, but highly dissatisfied at the store's unwillingness to try to rectify their error (I mean come on, someone else would've bought the dress and you know, the sensor might actually be removed the next time???).  

What displeased me about this whole episode was that the employees just seemed so timid and confused.  I mean, they didn't bother much to even apologize to my distressed friend, just kind of hollowly repeated the store policy every time my friend tried to convey her frustration and disappointment.  Um, hello?  Not saying the customer is always right, but a "I'm sorry" wouldn't have killed ya (to the salesgirl's credit, she did finally utter a meek "I'm sorry" when she was on-so-kindly removing the sensor for us).  I am totally understanding of human error (I've been there, screwing other people's stuff up!) , but i was kind of shocked that the employees weren't even feigning empathy or sympathy to my friend and kind of just adopting a, "Well blah blah blah policy says x and y, we are powerless creatures . . . "  Bad form!

I was only going to give this place two stars due to our incident, but I settled on one star because a dress we saw here ON SALE for $90 (my friend tried it on and ALMOST bought it), was $60, regular price at Maya's on South Congress.  Um, what?!  So yeah, I would highly suggest you check out Maya as they have a waaay larger selection, some of the same things for less, and I loved their salespeople . . . (will gush more about them in a proper review). 

Never ever coming back here, ever.
1 - Abigail A.: I second Ellen C's Emotion with Devotion: FAIL!!!

Great...  until there's a problem!! Customer service is important to me, being that I shop a lot and often make large purchases.  Once I am a customer, I am a customer for life.  I will definitely NOT be a lifetime customer at this sad attempt at an higher end boutique.  So, they missed out on sales for a lifetime when i visit Austin, which is at least once a month.  They could have had a customer for life.  And all this because they refused to remedy a simple mistake on their part.  

When I walked in, I was impressed by their selection.   I was a little discouraged by their 30% markups, comparative to stores with similar merchandise.  This is surprising considering that you can find the lines they carry at similar stores, and therefore it isn't that difficult to find the same items elsewhere at lower prices (just an FYI.)  Nonetheless, I like to shop on the drag in Austin and people seemed nice enough to warrant purchases when good items were found. 

I was elated to find a beautiful Voom dress on sale... (although, you can find the same items for full price cheaper than sale prices at C. Jane, as I discovered later that day.)  I had a very important event to go to that evening and was looking for a unique dress for that night.  So, I purchased the dress.

I continued to shop into the day, but preferred the Voom dress to others, despite the lovely options elsewhere.  Needless to say, I arrived home excited because my dress was going to be a showstopper.  I showered, did my hair and makeup, and then slipped the dress on.  FAIL!!!  THE PLASTIC SENSOR HAD NOT BEEN REMOVED.  THAT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN AT A BOUTIQUE THAT TRIES TO CATER TO HIGHER END CLIENTELE ETC....  It was too late to go back to the store to have it removed, and other stores around me were closed.  I couldn't wear the dress!  I am from out of town and had planned on getting a dress in Austin, so I really didn't have any other options.  I had to wear a simple old dress I had along to wear after swimming.  It was a little embarrassing.

I returned to the store the next day in order to return the dress as I had no need for it now.  The sensor had ruined my evening already.  I actually CRIED because I had nothing to wear.  I was very upset being that any competent store would have NEVER left the sensor on.  Besides the fact that it obviously didn't even work as I didn't beep when exiting!  Perhaps their employees should pay attention to what's going on instead of poking large holes through their merchandise to prevent theft...   It's also nice to know they trust their customer base.  Maybe they aren't used to repeat customers?  Or maybe they don't have many!!

The salesgirls had no idea what to do.  Apparently they couldn't approve a return without manager approval, yet they couldn't reach the manager.  I was leaving town right after I returned the dress.  I told them I would go to lunch and come back in order for them to process the return.  It's a little ridiculous that I should have to do that.

When I returned, I was informed that not only would they not return the dress, they wouldn't even let me exchange it for some more practical merchandise that I might be able to wear.  I no longer had a need for the dress.  They said they'd be "happy to remove the sensor for me though."  Duh.  I should hope so.  

Any store that is reputable respects their clients and would have immediately remedied that problem.  It's not the type of dress that wouldn't sell, perhaps that day even! They would have issued a prompt return.  It was shocking to me.  I didn't expect to have any problems considering I had bought the dress 22 hours prior and obviously wasn't a wear and return type considering it had a darn SENSOR on it!!!  That would have been classy! 

They wouldn't even give store credit???  Outrageous.  the staff was so incompetent that they couldn't even do a return without contacting someone that couldn't be promptly contacted forcing me to leave and return later???  

DOUBLE FAIL!!!
2 - Ariza S.: So I like to shop and I am open to spending quite a bit of money on something that I like BUT with that I expect a level of customer service. C. Jane's staff did not greet me, did not acknowledge me and did not assist me so I walked out empty handed. 

Word of advice, if your trying to charge college students anywhere from $150-$400 for cocktail dresses you should really consider learning how to smile and at least say hello when they walk through the door.
5 - Caroline O.: I just moved from New York City, prefer the finer things in life, and love love love shopping.  When I arrived in Austin, I certainly fell in love with the vintage "Austin-y" style and stores but I hated not being able to find the "LA/NYC" brands that I love. You know the Amanda Uprichards, Parkers, Rory Beccas of the fashion industry.  When my parents were in town I was showing them around the campus I spend basically all of my grad school time at and we fell upon C. Jane. My step mom and I being shopping fanatics obviously could not resist and I was so excited to see what I had found.  I finally now have a store I can trust to have the fashion I love.  AWESOME STORE!
1 - Natasha M.: Worst customer service ever. Do yourself a favor and don't waste your money there.
5 - Hoa N.: I look in my closet and cry.

Yeah, I moved from Austin, Texas, my beloved city of 14 years--and made my home in a sophisticated cosmopolitan city up north. I moved to a fantastic world-class city of international fame. With great fashion sensibilities. 

And have yet to find a place like the boutique's boutique that is C Jane. 

*cry*

sigh


PS:

If you have a problem with customer service here, I feel it is my duty to gently break it to you that you probably don't know how to act. 

Like, seriously. 

Like, um, you might be a clueless, bratty turd. 




(o, crap: did I just say that aloud?)

C.A.C. Basketball - Cambridge, MA (42.3643, -71.0793) (East Cambridge, Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - Bryan L.: Really, do you know of any other league that maintains stats and produces write-ups of EVERY game?  Do you know of a league that maintains a forum where everyone just trash talks each other (out of jest of course)? Is there a league in this city that puts up lines/previews of the games the night before?  Chances are you don't.   These reasons are more than enough for 5 stars.   Every game is reffed (quality is debatable, but still!), and competitive.  It's well-maintained, organized, and generally just a lot of fun.

I've been playing for the past year in multiple leagues and I still get joy in seeing my name in a write-up or when I see my James Posey-esque stat line of 7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals (ok, I could be exaggerating.......).
5 - Nate R.: This is truly a great basketball league. There are several different competitive levels that can fit any skill level. What makes this league unique from BSSC and the others is the website. The infamous Bfab and Tibbs do a great job posting every players stats, game lines, previews, game summaries, and orchestrate All-Star games at the end of the season. It's those little things that make crappy basketball players like me feel like they still have something and keep coming back.

C.O. Daniel's - Champaign, IL (40.108173, -88.229887) ()
3 - Matthew R.: Name should be C.O. Daniel's.

Not that I would ever be comfortable in a bar like this again...but damn did I have fun here in college!

Competitor of KAM'S, which is right next door.  Oh, and btw, both of them are a stone's throw from the main quad.

I love UIUC.
4 - Jody C.: A few years ago i would have given this bar 3 stars, but they have cleaned up a little and the crowd has changed since i graduated. When i went there, the bathrooms would flood about half way into the night and spill out into the actual bar. It's a little better now, but the bathrooms are still really gross, even for a campus bar. Take a friend in case there's no door.
2 - Stacey A.: For one, the name of this bar is "C.O. Daniel" - which stands for Cochrane On Daniel. It's a Cochrane bar - imagine that.

It is affectionately known as "C.O.'s" or "See Ho's".
It is a dirty dirty bar, full of underaged fratties and fratties to be, and their corresponding sorostitutes. 

You will not sit on any of the toilets (unless getting the clap sounds like a fun idea to you). You will not make out with any of the basketball players that show up and drink for free all night.

You will receive free shots from your frat brothers who work there. You will stick to the floor, which is covered in a sludge of booze, puke, broken glass, and old napkins which have been ground into a slime. You will be approached by a number of unsavory types. And you will see an exorbitant amount of striped shirts, popped collars, and nearly naked 19 year old girls who are way too excited about their vodka-crans.
1 - Tim J.: When I went in it smelled overpoweringly like barf. Remembrance of the stomach bile stink still haunts me whenever I think of or pass by this eyesore. It was so strong I couldn't talk, listen or even think. I could hardly choke down the swill and nod to whatever crap music was playing or in rough acknowledgment of what I thought someone else was saying. WHAT DID SHE SAY? THIS PLAY DUCKLING BUCKS? Its pretty loud. 

Needless to say it was also too crowded, dark and dirty. I realize that I am not exactly in their target market, being over 21 and all, but this place is just horrifically bad. Those that characterize this bar as anything but an unmitigated crap-dungeon are either lying to themselves or have never been to a decent bar.

C.V. Starr East Asian Library - Berkeley, CA (37.8735491797761, -122.260301113129) (UC Campus Area)
4 - Jeremy K.: Ooh, what a quiet library, and so new.  The lounge area upstairs has leather seats that face into a hillside, so no grand views, but plenty of natural light up there.  However, if you go toward the inside, the natural light becomes less and less.

Since I don't actually do anything related to East Asian studies, I just use this place if I have time to kill ahead of a class on the Berkeley campus.

Anyone can make use of the library, but of course you must be a Berkeley faculty/staff or have some other arrangement with the University to actually check out materials.

Footsie opportunities: The lounge is leather chairs, no desks to hide feet.  However, the study tables seem to be a pretty good bet, if East Asians are your cup of tea.
4 - Dominic T.: The best place for me to stay focused to my homework, reading, etc. The only thing keeping me away from a 5 star review is that it closes at 9 p.m. on most days. Aside from that, this relatively new facility embraces modern architecture that I've come to respect, unlike the other libraries. There are 4 floors of books and desks/cubicles. The lowest floor has no natural light. The top floor has plenty of sunlight. The staff seem really friendly here. During the hour before closing, there are constant reminders that the circulation desk is closing and last minute calls for service. They do close promptly so don't fall asleep. 

The restrooms are located on floors 1, 3, and 4. The times that I had to use the restroom, I had to travel to at least 2 restrooms before I could find a stall that wasn't occupied. However, there are only two stalls in the mens rooms and a tiny sink. These are pretty darn clean so I won't complain too much.
5 - M.C. H.: This is truly one of the most gorgeous libraries on campus. Its modern architecture announces that the future of the world is in East Asia -- but no need to fear the imminent conquest by the Yellow Hordes. If architecture projects ideology, we can look forward to a tranquil, sun-bathed, streamlined, comfortable, and highly functional future. Heh.

My field of study often takes me to this library, so I've made ample use of it since its opening in 2008. You enter on the third floor, and unlike the Doe or Moffitt Main Libraries, you don't need an ID to enter (keep this in mind for the sake of personal security, as well). Upon entrance, the checkout desk is to your left, browseable media room at the end of the hall, non-circulating reference books to your front and right, as well as several long study tables and individual carrels in a hall streaming with natural light through full-length panoramic windows.

The fourth floor (upstairs), housing current periodicals, is just as sunny, with a row of sofa chairs against the window. This is prime territory during naptimes. [Expert tip: there's a hidden study nook built into a window on this floor -- can you find it?] The amount of natural light decreases as you go further down, with the first floor at the bottom being the most cave-like. By the way, be careful what you whisper down there at the cluster of carrels against the east wall. There's an acoustic tunnel that basically carries everything you say up to anyone who might be eavesdropping, all the way up to the second floor.

My favorite and most frequented floor is the second floor. One thing that most people don't know is that the row of carrels on the second floor, against the north window, are all reserved for East Asian graduate students, professors, and researchers. For aesthetic and logistical reasons, there are no signs posted. However, be aware that if you choose to sit in one of those carrels, 1) DO NOT remove the books checked out to and placed in those carrels, and 2) you may be asked to give up the carrel if the "owner" comes along. Carrel holders have a reservation card that they can show you as proof of their right to kick you out; I've had to evacuate many a disgruntled student who was parked at my spot during some of the most heavily-trafficked library hours. No, it's not your fault that there are no signs... but it's also not my fault that there are no other open carrels. My work takes priority, so scram. 

Cons: Group study rooms are very limited. I would hate to get caught here in the event of an emergency, as there is only one narrow lobster trap of a stairwell to get up or down each floor (also, two elevators which would be disabled in such a situation). Also, the shared iTunes libraries accessible on the [powerful and well-distributed] Airbears network tend to be less diverse and interesting than libraries at Moffitt, Doe, or Hargrove. 

Nevertheless, I love this library. The librarians are all very proud to work here and will go off with little provocation in their attempts to assist you. It's definitely one of many reasons that UC Berkeley is a center for East Asian Studies of all stripes. Want to make full use of the resources within? Consider enrolling in one of the many East Asian language courses offered on campus, invest a few years of work into gaining fluency -- then grab one of the books off the shelf, marvel at your expanded horizons, and then pursue them as far as you can.
5 - Ariel W.: My favorite place on campus to read. The library makes it feel like I'm in a Mandarin Oriental hotel! A+ on whoever designed the floor to ceiling windows that sets the tranquil ambiance and lets in natural lighting!

C3 - Philadelphia, PA (39.9524864, -75.1993713) (University City)
1 - Jon L.: C Cubed (or C3, or C to the third power) is the Penn run convenience store next to 1920 Commons. Word of warning: This place is a disaster, service-wise. The staff at the Chick Fil-A and Subway have managed to ruin the food at these two chains for me. Everything is done in shoddiest fashion you can imagine. Rolls are smooshed when they get to you because the people on the assembly line seem to throw them around. Limp, dried up veggies are slapped onto your sandwich with undue aggression. And the line can get really long with students, prompting pissy moods and even aggressive speech by the workers. "I said! What! Kind! of! Bread! Do! You! Want!"
1 - Kimberly P.: Ugh this place is horrible. The staff is rude and ghetto and can often be found sitting and chatting at the tables instead of doing their jobs. Also there is this one scary lady that looks like a man who always eye's me like she wants to eat me. :-\

C3 - Cambridge, MA (42.3628407458666, -71.0835921764374) (East Cambridge, Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - Jeff F.: If you are starting a business or working on your own, C3 (Cambridge Coworking Center) is a great shared workspace to consider.  I was one of the first few people to join when it opened a couple of months ago, and so far I really like the other people who've joined after.   Most are working on new companies.  C3 is managed by the same guys who run the Cambridge Innovation Center, so everything works, and the price is definitely right.
5 - Erica V.: Great price and an awesome space! Not only is co-working a great way to get out of the house or coffee shop, it's also really nice to be around other entrepreneurs.  C3 is a nice big, open co-working space, which is open 24 hours. As a resident, you have access to beautiful conference rooms, free coffee, tea, and snacks, printing, and work space. I moved in soon after they opened the space, and really enjoyed working here.  There are always good events happening throughout the week. McCarter & English has a free series on topics of interest to entrepreneurs and the Venture Cafe meets on Thursdays.  There are also ping pong tables and an N64!  I've heard a rumor that they are supposed to be getting a pool table, but it hasn't materialized yet ...

C4A Community Center - Urbana, IL (40.111421, -88.206894) ()
5 - Robin K.: Offers a wide variety of music instruction--classical and popular styles--for groups and individuals--all taught by professional performers and experienced, dedicated teachers.
5 - Steven N.: I have taken guitar lessons here for 2 years and just recently my children have taken music classes here as well. Also one of the instructors recently had an informal ukulele jam that I attended as well. The faculty here are great! Everyone is friendly and they absolutely LOVE music and the arts. It's cool watching the wide variety of instruments that students are carrying to and from their lessons- violins, violas, cellos, guitars (acoustic and electric), banjos, mandolins, ukuleles, and so on. They have summer camps for kids with some variety including a "rock band" camp that a co-worker's daughter attended. She was only going to go for the first week but enjoyed it so much she signed up for the second week too. I think it gave her the confidence to join a real band which she has since done and has performed with in public a few times now. My kids love their instructors and not only had a good time in class but my wife and I are impressed by how much music theory they picked up in class! Also they have a kid's string band The Bow-dacious String Band and I've caught them twice at public performances and for a children's band they're very impressive, if you get a chance to see them perform I recommend it and I recommend C4A if you're looking for music instruction!  I wish their location was a little more convenient but really that's the only complaint I have and really that's a minor thing.

CARisma Wash - Houston, TX (29.726096, -95.418076) (West University)
3 - Shazia C.: One word : CHEAP !  4 bucks for a car wash? Now thats a bargin. 

I usually hit this car wash on weekends. Beware this place gets packed on Saturdays!! There are two lanes to get in and they get packed all the way to the intersection. 

If you are looking for cheap and quick car wash then Carisma is great. Another thing I like about this car wash is you are given a token (coin) when you pay $ 4 with which you can later park your car and vacum (4 mins only which is more than enough unless you are real filthy).There is also a place where you can also clean up your tires and rims. 

The only bad thing is most of the time you can not find an empty spot to park your car and vacum. Also , the carwash does not dry your car well so once you are out you have droplits on your car which you have to wipe with a cloth later on other wise they'll leave marks.
2 - Melissa M.: Ugh! I'd rather have a dirty car.  That about sums up my experience at this car wash. 

I was on my way home and decided to get my 'natural camouflage' removed from my car. I drove in and felt like I was trapped! There are 3 lines that go into this place.  You drive up and pay at a self service touch screen.  I have NO idea how you actually get the wash you paid for, because all three lines then become one line in no orderly way.  Maybe I got the $10 wash that I didn't pay for, or maybe all the washes are the same and it's a scam?  I don't know. At Bubbles they write a number in soap on your windshield, but here you have no idea how they identify your car.

When you finally enter the car wash, they get the cars so incredibly close together, I thought there might be an accident inside the car wash.  I have never ever felt anxiety going through a car wash until this place. At one point the mechanism that drags your car forward made this horrible noise below my tire and I thought we would crash into the car that was only feet from ours.  When we got out of the wash I still had soap on my mirrors and water all over my car even though it had already been 'blow dried'.  I couldn't find an open vacuum station so we just left.  

With so many options for a car wash including directly across the street from this place, why go here?  It's the same price at Bubbles express wash for a more pleasant experience and I've always been able to find a vacuum to use.

Keep on moving and pass this place by in search of better cheap car wash options.
4 - Speaks O.: For $4 you get a free vacuum token and canrun your car through a car wash machine.  I was a little disappointed that it's not touchless, but my car had been "creamed" by a flock of birds so I was a little thankful for the major washing power.  It didn't get everything off my car, but like 95% or more.

It did a fine job for $4, and the vacuum token gave me enough time to vacuum 4 floor mats and the carpeting beneath them.

The machine and other cars didn't scare me.
4 - Evelyn L.: Why pay more for car wash when $4 is just as good? I just moved to Houston and the first time I paid $20 for a hand wash, which was very nice, until it rained for the entire week. I decided to give CARisma a try and for $4, it's awesome! My white car is just as sparkly and clean! You get a free token for self-vacuum, the vacuum hose is a bit heavy and bulky, difficult for a petite girl like me to use but does the job. I've never had a problem with long lines, and there were always plenty of vacuum stations to choose from but that's because I go on weekday afternoons. Super convenient.
3 - Andrew H.: Great for a quick wash in between more extensive cleanings.  Automated wash does a decent job and the line moves quickly so even on busy days you can get through without much wait.  If traffic is heavy, you may have to wait for a vacuum station to open up.  Overall, a good deal.  I do wish the dryer dried a bit more thoroughly and the design of the spoiler on the lift gate of my ride blocks the rinse spray of the upper portion of my rear window so I have to clean that by hand.
4 - Caroline K.: I love this place! 

Parking at my office is outdoors so paying alot only to have my car dirty again in a few days is just silly to me.

For $4 you get a pretty thorough drive through wash and a token to high power vacuum afterwards. In and out in less than 10 minutes!

On top of that, the service is great. Don't say I told ya, but if not everything comes off the first time, let them know and you can go through again!!

FYI, it gets crazy busy on the weekends so act accordingly!
3 - Linda N.: Its cool that its only like $4 bucks and a free vacuum, I mean I guess that does it if you have a fairly dusty vehicle, but any more money you put in will be a waste, my opinion. I paid $10 for the works and that sucker ripped me, I saw no freakin works, but a slight layer of dust may have come off and a glimpse of shine. You know its like your usual ags station car drive washes...you never know which is good, but my opinion stick with the cheapest one and just keep your car in maintenance. The vacuuming is also another rip, we did have some dog hair, I must admit...black and gold fur....yes gold...and it wasn;t leather, so I know it will take a little bit more time, but we have vacuumed plenty times before and didn't have to spend near $5 for it. Anyway, they also had two options, which I pressed both of them different slot giving times and did not see a difference, even one time, did we put in a quarter and nothing started, another quarter just in case..darn I'm a fool...still didn't start or show I entered $0.50, another quarter...okay wait not so much a fool...finally started...WTH? 

Anyway, you go here, opt for the $4...I think thats a fair enough deal.
5 - Humaira H.: the next bird to poop or the next bug to stick on my car won't even matter, cuz I just paid $4 for an awesome car wash!

MAKE SURE you use the bug spray/tire pre-soak to your advantage, cuz it's free!! I just went straight through the car wash, after having driven through Dallas in the snow a couple weeks prior, and now all the way to Houston, so my car was disgusting.  

the manager gentleman was sooooooooooo nice. he saw lil ole me vacuuming through & was like "!!!!!@!!!$@!!! you forgot to pre-soak, come over here & I'll do it for you & let you go through again for free! unless you're in a rush..." what a nice gesture :)
5 - Lauren T.: This is the best car wash I've found for the price ($4!!). I am often forced to park my car under a tree in which about 500 birds live, and this leads to a regular coating of--um--excrement on every surface of my vehicle. Most cheap washes do absolutely nothing about this. However, the free "bug wash" available at CARisma lets me scrub the lovely coating before driving through the actual wash, leading to an actually clean car. It's not as good as a hand wash, but it's 80 or 90 percent as good for 20 percent of the price.
2 - Mike F.: The $10 dollar option is a ripoff because they have no way of knowing if you got the $4 dollar wash or the $10 dollar wash. I believe they give you a token to give to someone so that you get the $10 dollar wash but this process is too confusing and there was no attendent to give the token to. 

Granted this is a $4 dollar carwash but I was very annoyed at the fact that I paid for the $10 dollar wash to end up getting a $4 dollar wash and a half wet car. The blowers do not get all the water off and when you drive off you have watermarks all over. 

I would suggest they do a better job of distinguishing the $4 dollar washes from the $10 dollar washes and to fix their blowers!
3 - Reena M.: If you are looking for a quick car wash, just select your preferences and drive on through, this is your place to go to. It works when you do not have time and are on the go. The downside, they give you a coin for using the vacuums to clean the interior of your car. The only thing is, I am short and it takes me a lot longer to reach and clean and the time runs out before I am done. Also, if you go during a peak time, you have to wait a few minutes and fight for a vacuum spot which I do not think it cool. Because of situations like that, I have about 5 coins for a vacuum which I need to use up. Now I have plenty of time for the vacuum lol
5 - Mike H.: I am a huge fan of car washes and I always seek out the best washes wherever I travel. Both of their locations are top notch and have the most current state of the art equipment. They seem to be really hands on with the technology behind leaning a car. The manager was kind enough to give me a tour and educate me on all they do that makes them better than their competition. I look to come back for my next job here and see all the improvements they have up their sleeves.
4 - Teresa M.: Good car wash but I agree with the other person, the groupon for The Works is not good because I totally didn't get any undercarriage anything or tire wash. 
I would come back here for the $4 one.
5 - Mallory G.: I love this car wash! This is the best thing for people that like to wash their own car but don't have time to do the whole thing. Before you pull in and get your car washed there is an area for you to scrub your tires and wheels. There is also a bug sprayer with a soapy solution to get the bugs off your car. Then you get back in your car and pull through the car wash. 

I don't do any of the special features, I just get the basic $4 wash. You get a coin to vacuum your car for free! Then you pull through the wash. After the wash I dry my car off with a towel I keep in my trunk. Then you get the chance to use your vacuum coin. I don't use them each time. I stash them in my cup holder then have a big vacuum fest every couple months since my car needs washed a lot more often that it needs vacuumed. 

This place is the best for someone who likes to do car work themselves. You don't have to tip someone since you do most of the work! Also no one else drives your car. I would just rather be in charge of my car. So this is great for me!
1 - Adi I.: Think twice before going to this place. I brought my recently bought Toyota Highlander there, and discovered a number of scratches after that
on both sides of the car. I went back, they said that it couldn't have been them, since if it were their fault, there would be a continuous scratch across the car. When I paid by cash, the clerk didn't give me a receipt in the first place, I had to request a copy proving that. They are not members of BBB so there is not way to resolve this issue with anyone else. The 10$ wash is a ripoff  - I don't see the way for them to differentiate the washes between different cars when three lanes get merged into one. E.g. they claim that their 6$ wash has a double wash compared to 4$ - but everyone is getting the same procedure. When I asked about double wash  - they said you can go back and get it washed twice.
4 - Kelly S.: I have to agree with other reviewers - I am not so sure how the car wash knows if you paid $10 or  $4 but alas I am a fan of this place now that I know to just stick with the cheapest option. My car came out looking pretty clean and I got a free five minute vacuum. I like my car but I'm not OCD about keeping it sparkling, so this place does the trick for me - and at an affordable price. If you're looking to see your reflection in your car when leaving, this might not be for you. 

The workers here are friendly and attentive. They keep the lines moving and guide you into the carwash so you're aligned with the conveyor belt. 

It gets pretty busy in there and the traffic signs can be a bit confusing so watch where you're driving....
5 - Jeena L.: I'm so glad that I got a living social deal for 10 basic car washes for $10! This place is really great for quick and a thorough cleaning. I was impressed with the whole process! My car really came out clean and I loved that they give you a free vacuum token! 

A great price, deal for a basic car wash. :)
4 - Diane Y.: I must admit that once I found out about this place, I hand wash my car much less frequently than before.  For $4 for the cheapest wash, why the heck not?  Not saying that it does a great job, since I am particularly meticulous in washing my car and takes me about an hour, but it gets to job done for cheap when you need an in between wash or when your car is covered with pollen and you know it will come back within a week.  I would recommend bringing a drying towel though because the blow dryers don't do a particularly good job drying your car all the way through.  A wash purchase will also get you a coin for a free vacuum good for four minutes.  I would recommend setting up your car for the most efficient vacuuming before you start.  I would also just recommend sticking to the $4 wash since there isn't much of a (visible) difference between the $4 wash and the $10 wash.
5 - Cherie H.: $4 Carwash!!  Keeping it cheap!  

I am here every week and I tell you it does not matter if you're rich or poor - one and all come here.  

Customer service is very good.  Over and over again you have attendants at the check in stations helping to process your order and keep things moving swiftly.  This is so nice to see.  Service is with a smile.
4 - Lauren K.: For $4, the car wash is pretty good. The car would definitely have been cleaner if I had hand-washed it, but it's hard to beat a cheap car wash in under 5 minutes. The attendants keep the line moving quickly and are there to answer any questions (though the signs make the whole process fairly straightforward). Even with the cheapest option, you also get a coin for the self-vacuum machine.
4 - Tony A.: Great cheap fast wash. When the staff is there they are friendly and will make sure your antenna and back windshield wiper are secure for the wash. I really do frequent this place a lot more than anywhere else.
5 - GianPaolo M.: $4 is plenty to spend to have a machine wash your car.  I am delighted to get the free vacuum token and do that part myself.  I have a van, and I can still get it vacuumed in the free-token time.  This comes from long experience in the days when a quarter for the vacuum was all I could afford.  If you need to, you can apply some strategy, vacuum like lightning and get 'R' done.  The car comes out acceptably clean, and sometimes I towel off the chrome and mirrors.  It will do.  I have spent $50 across the street at Bubbles (expecting a special guest and had the car detailed - supposedly) and gotten results that were no better.  Really, what are you going to do - stand there and wait while you pay someone 10x what the job is worth to do a half-assed job of vacuuming your car, or do it yourself in the same time you would stand there looking around?  I learned my lesson.  I even emailed Bubbles about the lame job they did on my car.  The email submission form required a phone number (groan) and I was called multiple times by a staffer wanting to "discuss it".  I don't want to discuss it, I just want a clean car when I pay 50 freaking dollars and have to watch your space cadets dodder around for 2 1/2 hours to do 20 minutes worth of work!  Did they offer to clean the car?  No, they wanted to "discuss it".  So, now we go to Carissima, pay $4 and it's done in 10 minutes.  The way a car wash should be.  This is not the space shuttle, it's an old van, and I don't need dual carbs calibrated, I just need the dirt more or less off.  Carissima is great.

CB3 Sports Performance & Soccer Academy - Upland, CA (34.104186, -117.684548) ()
5 - Misty A.: We were really excited to find out about CB3 and what it had to offer - and so close to home.  What CB3 offers is the competitive advantage through its coaching and performance package in the small group environment honed directly to developing the soccer player at any level.  My son's been going to CB3 for a little over 6 months and he has drastically improved his soccer skills from school yard level into a finesse soccer player.  Jimmy and Ben are top tier soccer coaches with experience on club teams, HS and college level while Jay brings his MLS fitness and performance experience to create a program that create results.  

CB3 also run camps which my son and his friends really enjoy.    My son was super excited to be in camp with his idol, Carlos Bocanegra, along with local stars like Nick Ramando and Alex Morgan.  As all kids dream of becoming a pro someday, the chance to meet these pros who were so friendly, down to earth and approachable showed the kids that if they work hard,  their dreams can be realized too.  

CB3 is a gem within the Inland Empire and their value is priceless.  A place where stars will be made and the difference between making the first team and warming the bench.

***Update 4/7/12:  My daughter is now a regular there working with Jay on the performance training twice a week - three times a week if I can find the time to take her.  She saw what the soccer training has done for my son and is now working with Jay to get the advantage on the softball diamond as well.  CB3 provides the full package for all athletes and sports since she's working out and training with athletes in football, track, baseball and soccer her age and having fun too.  We've seen the results of the strength and conditioning as well as the speed training program.  But what we've been most impressed with is the kids' exposure to the Nike SPARQ program which is used at the professional level.
4 - Michelle C.: Inland Sports Center merged with CB3..

I didnt know the change because I use this place for batting cages only.

Place is great! I'm here with my son using the batting cages 2x a week during the season! place uses tokens or you can reserve a cage for an hr.

Place does get busy  during evening hrs mon-fri! 

I seen weight training and some sort of athletic training for football and soccer.Place is great for all ages! Hand sanitizer that are always filled is a plus in my book!

Also, they sell snacks and juice;-) not overpriced gatorade or candy:-)
4 - Joel P.: hands down the best batting cages in the 909er.  
-hit home runs and grand slams! show off in front of your friends.
- clean facility 
-professional staff
- fun times!

-only thing missing is a snack bar.. nachos cheezee & fountain drinks!
2 - Anthony L.: CB3 moved, along with the inland sports center. Overpriced, you can find better options.

CBS Atlanta - Atlanta, GA (33.786593, -84.400441) (Westside / Home Park)
5 - Layla G.: This review is more about the reporter than it is the station.  Sorry, I don't have time to watch TV.  You know him - he does the "Restaurant Report Card" consumer reporting on CBS 46 - Adam Murphy.  As  a restuarant owner, the thought of this reporter could make you cringe.  Reporting bad health inspection scores that local Atlanta restaurants receive.  But, hey, its factual information and public record.  But, you have to give this reporter some kudos for also making the effort to praise restaurants that are dedicated to following local guidelines and ensuring high health inspection scores.  Aaahhhh, but meet him in person and you are sure to become an instant fan (or stalker, like me - ha!).  He's sooooo down-to-earth, funny and ... oh, did I mention?... (~*bLuShInG*~)... REALLY cute!  I will scrub my kitchen floors with a toothbrush everyday if it would guarantee a visit from this Restaurant Reporter... mommy likey ;-)
1 - Sid P.: WGCL is the worst major-market news organization in the entire U.S.

By all accounts, Adam Murphy is a nice guy, but the "restaurant report card" is basically him being a giant bully, showing up, waving a microphone around, and then embarrassing whatever $8 an hour schlub is unfortunate enough to meet him at the door.

A+ REPORTING THERE, GUYS!!!!  Don't you have a fire to cover?
5 - Jose L F.: My son is a graduate of FIU School of Hospitality Business and owns  Mojitos Cuban-American Bistro, he is always keeping his people aware of  methods, rules and regulations of how to store, handle, cook and serve food in a healthy manner and up to codes.  It was very rewarding for him to have a visit from Adam Murphy on a weekend when he was away.  Mr Murphy was well taken care by Mojitos Stars that night, not knowing who he was. He enjoyed the food, service and ambience, but more than anything he liked the 97A score from the Health Department inspectors.  He came back with his camera crew and made a very rewarding report for Mojitos Cuban-American Bistro in Historic Norcross.  THANKS ADAM MURPHY!
1 - Nina R.: I wonder who at Channel 46 thought it would be a good idea to replace "Ellen" at 5:00 p.m. with "People's Court"? All of the people I know who love "Ellen" are at work at 10:30 a.m., her new time slot.

"Ellen" was the only show I ever watched on 46.  "People's Court"? Good luck 46!
5 - Phillip N.: When I was stuck inside during the ice storm earlier this year I tuned in to CBS weather that day and DAMN!?!?!?!  Who is this Markina Brown????
PHYNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNE!  Oh the news?  I don't recall.

CC's - Ithaca, NY (42.441837, -76.484625) ()
2 - Aaron T.: The star rating says it all... "Meh. I've experienced better."

Tonight, I ordered a smoothie and "Mexican Hot Wrap" and a smoothie to be delivered while I was working the late shift.  Now, on Campusfood.com, the delivery zone map showed me within range.  I called, placed my order, then 20 minutes later received a call back from CC's saying I was actually OUTSIDE the delivery zone and that there would be a $3 upcharge instead of a $1 delivery charge.  WHAT?!

When the food got here (it WAS a timely delivery), there was more rice than anything in my wrap.  It was lightly peppered with corn and black beans.  Too bad the rice was WAY undercooked.  Smoothie was pretty good, but could have been thicker.

Overall, good effort as trying to be a fresh latenight alternative, but CCs needs to step up their game if they want to stick around.
1 - Rebecca F.: Awful. Their menu claims smoothies are made with fresh fruit, but everything is sitting in sugar syrup, even the bananas! Over $5 is too much for 16 oz's of canned fruit and ice. Sandwiches and salads look really bad too. I'm never going back.
4 - Lindsay T.: One of the only places to get a good salad in collegetown.  A ton of topping options to customize a great salad
5 - Jor D.: the only place in collegetown to get fresh salads the way YOU want it. their smoothies are made with all real fruit, none of that fake stuff.i actually like when you can see them prepping... cuz you know it's fresh.

CC's - Ithaca, NY (42.4416071, -76.4856068) ()
2 - Stephanie A.: Bright-eyed and full of hope, I entered C.C.'s expecting to find a really delicious place in Collegetown that people were just not adventurous enough to try at its new location. 

I was wrong.

The panini menu looked pretty bland in general -- they even went so far as to list "black pepper" as an ingredient on most of their sandwiches; this was the first warning that their stuff was seriously lacking pizzazz. The paninis seemed to lack anything besides meat and cheese, so I thought I should opt for one of the wraps.

Looking over the wrap menu, I knew I wanted hot food. I asked for the Tex wrap (black beans, green peppers, BBQ chicken, rice, cheese in a spinach wrap). I waited patiently in a seat. Honestly, the wait wasn't bad at all, but then again there was only one person ahead of me. 

Besides the loud hum of the smoothie machine, the place was pretty quiet, and luckily, looks much cleaner than any other place in CTown. The bright sunlight coming through the front window was nice, and sooner than I could have imagined, my wrap was ready. The woman handing it to me was very friendly, which is always appreciated.

I took the wrap to go as I had a meeting. Mouth watering, I opened it as soon as I sat down. The first bites I took were rice-filled and cheesy. The first bite isn't always representative of the wrap because of how the food is distributed, so I waited... 2nd bite, 3rd bite, and so on... were almost entirely rice-filled. If I wanted this much rice, i could have gone to Little Thai House. 

I eventually broke down and ripped the wrap apart and ate the non-rice ingredients (the rice was 80% of the wrap's contents).  I'd rather have a wrap with more meat, vegetables and flavor -- like That Burrito Place. 

$6.00 wasted? Not really-- wisdom definitely earned. I might go back just to try the smoothies or paninis before giving up on C.C.'s entirely, but it definitely did not make a good first impression.

CCSR Cafe - Lutticken's Deli - Stanford, CA (37.4322030807737, -122.176796115098) ()
5 - Da J.: Mmmm, yum! This cafe/deli/BBQ is the perfect place for lunch - if you can beat the 12 o'clock mob. (And even then, they make the sandwiches fast, so the line is moving along nicely.)

I love the bagel and lox for less than $3, on an Asiago cheese bagel. But their sandwiches are great, and you can ask for all sorts of extras, since they are a gourmet deli. Plus, pick up chips, soup, ready-made salad, all sorts of beverages including chai tea lattes, or even single-use packs of Tylenol. 

Over the summer, they have a grill running on some days, so you can grab a burger or a hot dog, too. And then sit out in the "bird cage" of CCSR and people-watch. Too bad lunch break is so short!

TIP:
To beat the lunch crowd, sign up on mytango.com and place your order. In the time it takes for me to walk through the hospital, my sandwich is freshly made, waiting for me. I get to grab and go - yum!
5 - Josh T.: 5 stars for the Real Meatball Sub. I think the first time I went here I got the Italian and it was fine, but I really don't remember. Once you say, "Real Meatball, on Dutch Crunch, with Everything" then you'll never get anything else.
4 - David S.: Best sandwich shop on Stanford campus in my opinion. The bread is always fresh, as are the ingredients, and the portions are generous. I used to always get the egg salad sandwich on Dutch crunch bread, with heaps of veggies (get the fresh and roasted bell peppers), and that was quite yummy. There's usually a very long line around noon, so it's usually better to go either really early or after 1:30 or so. A serious plus: they take credit cards! The prices however are a little stiff: they used to be quite bit lower but have recently increased to almost unbearable levels (also: how can an egg salad sandwich cost the same as a chicken breast or a roast beef sandwich?). So minus one star for the prices.
4 - Alana F.: 7/21/07

Update:  

They've changed their french roll!  It's not nearly as crispy on the outside, melt in your mouth on the inside.  Now, it's just pretty decent.  Sigh!  Also, it seems they are starting to skimp on the sandwhich fillings that are measured on the spot. I ordered the chicken salad sandwhich a little while ago and had a little smear of chicken salad.  It seems though if you stick to the choices that were made up earlier in the day (any of the straight meats), they are still giving out great portions.  The veggies are still really nummy and fresh...

Well, I guess perfection can't last forever... sigh.


4/28/07

I have a hard time going to any kind of sandwich shop because of this place.  I always find myself saying, "Nope, it won't be as good as the Big Sandwich Place, I can't stand the disappointment".  Seriously.  The bread is made at a local bakery (I adore the french roll - a little tough for some people - so you might want to try the Dutch Crunch if you're worried), the veggies and meats are plentiful and fresh... sigh...  I usually can't resist an Italian with everything since it's gigantoid and everything melts so wonderfully in the mouth.  The Pastrami is a favorite, and when they have the turkey club special (with fresh avocado that they cut right in front of you) it's the default.  And most sandwiches are only $5.50 (specials are usually a little higher, like $6.95).  You just can NOT beat it.
4 - Michael J.: This place is the best public place on Stanford campus for lunch. Reasonable prices, too.
5 - Mani F.: Best sandwich place ever. Seriously - ridiculously high quality ingredients, massive quantities of meat and veggies - no skimping! - very friendly and fun staff (especially if you speak a little spanish), very reasonable prices (especially if you opt for the Lox and bagel option for breakfast - cheapest good lox anywhere in the bay that I've been to) and surprisingly good coffee (try the vannilla hazelnut with a little bit of fresh nutmeg - the grinder is on the counter next to the register). They also take credit cards, which is nice as well. Just make sure to avoid the ridiculous lunch rush around noon...

Other big plusses - Tuesday and Thursdays, awesome barbeque outside - really really good... try the steak sandwich... awesome... My friend tells me the (quite huge) hot dogs on barbeque days are great too... This was one of the major bright spots for me when i was sudying for my medical Boards exam... kept me sane...
3 - denise c.: when you're in the mood (for me, not too often) for sandwiches...it's pretty good. i like the meatball sandwich on the sweet soft roll. lots of veggies to choose from. and plus points for being so close to lab i can dart out and dart back in with my sandwich, unscathed by the sun rays on my pale skin.

the soups aren't all that fab, and in the corner, you can peer into the freezer where they store bags of prebaked cookies. once, someone in our lab bought a carton of curdled milk that hadn't even expired yet. GASP!

but anyway, there's tons of commercial drinks (beware the mango carrot banana smoothie drink) and microwaveable items on stock. various snack and small items for sale too. 50 cents for tea, 10 cents or something for a york peppermint patti. sometimes there's a hotdog guy there too, but in my opinion, 4/5 bucks for a hotdog is a rip when you can get a humongous hebrew national hotdog at costco with free refills on drinks for 1.50.

finally, if you're lucky, when they use the printed "luttickens" sticker to seal your sandwich, you'll get something hilarious like "s lut" or "s lutti". haha makes my day. the souvenir "s lutti" sticker my friend got one day with her sandwich is stuck up on the lab wall.
4 - Thighmaster M.: Many a veggie meatball sandwich have I consumed under the bamboo while hacking my way through Stanford's PA program... nice spot on a sunny day.
4 - Christina L.: definitely a better alternative to andronico's.  the sandwiches are pretty big, especially if you get everything on it.  Andronico's charges you for every additional veggie after the normal, lettuce, tomato, onion deal.  I think Lutticken's raised their prices a bit, but it's still cheaper than Andronico's and that a plus in my opinion.  And no i'm not against Andronico's, just their prices for sandwiches...and another bonus...they don't take as long to make your sandwich...Andronico's should learn a thing or two from these guys...
2 - Kevin W.: Pros:
1.  close to work (CCSR labs)
2. 50 cents any-sized coffee (bring your own mug/thermos/industrial-size container)
3. muffins (monday-wednesday, when it's still fresh)

Cons:
1. Barb (the manager)
2. you might run into Barb
3. ridiculous high price for a sandwich (~$7!!!)
4. nasty microwave-able items
5.  muffins (thursday and Friday - stale and nasty)

join me in boycotting lutticken's!
4 - Alice M.: Quite a walk from the main quad, but they have great big yummy sandwiches, which makes it worth the walk every once in awhile to mix up my workday lunches :)
3 - Ofir and Lital G.: I get a sandwich there three or four times a week, which means it's ok.
You need to find your favorite and then stick with it I guess. I go for the roast beef or the chicken breast. Portions are generous, produce is very fresh and bread as well. I can't say the staff are friendly nor very fast, but they are ok and would put what you want on your sandwich - and what else do you need?! I do agree that the outside seating area is far from posh or even very clean, but it's fine for a quick lunch sandwich as far as I am concerned.
Beware of the rush hour line (12:00-12:30). Fast service is not the key word here so prepare to get there a bit early or a bit late. If you do come in late forget about the meatball sandwich on french roll - they will be out of it (I assume since it's the most food you can get for your buck, it gets ordered a lot).

I do love their espresso and cappuccino!!!

The prices are murder, but that's what you get around campus.
All in all a decent place for a quick sandwich.
4 - Ryan T.: I must say, the best veggie meatball subs ever! Back in the day when I worked at this side of campus, I used to get them every so often and haven't forgotten them. I also enjoyed and miss the coffee in the mornings with the large muffins, priced just right. Earlier today I ran in for a spinach and cheese calzone with a soda as I was about to be late to a training at Polya Hall, and was so surprised that Barb (I think it was Barb) still recognized me after all these years! So that's another plus in my book for Lutticken's. I'm going to have to make it a point to have me veggie meatball sub again sometime, even if it means taking a longer lunch since I've been working and continue to work on another side of campus.
3 - Sushi S.: Solid sandwiches worth waiting in solid line?
2 - Anya F.: I got a roast beef sandwich and a bottled drink. I had to reorganize the sandwich because all of the contents were carelessly clumped on one end. The sourdough french bread was not very good. The roast beef came out of a package but tasted alright. The vegetables were decent. The price is reasonable and the location good. The sandwich making lady gave my sandwich to the wrong person. The wrong person walked out and had to be hailed by the person making her sandwich. The line gets extremely long shortly after noon so plan on waiting for ten minutes.
2 - asmita j.: i used to come here at times when i was on campus....and well, never really found a liking to it. the sandwiches are decent, but nothing extraordinary. they can't even toast any of the sandwiches (unless you get it on sliced bread) and THEY DON'T EVEN PROVIDE FREE WATER. well, i should say COLD water.....they only have a steaming hot water faucet for coffee, and that's about it. i hate being forced to either buy a water bottle or a overly-sweet drink. as for the sandwiches, ive tried the veggie and turkey. the toppings always fall out, and i have to end up eating it layer by layer.....have they not discovered toothpicks yet? 

i guess this review turned out more bitter than i anticipated. but when you have the option of nexus right next door (where you can make your own, cheaper sandwich), i don't understand why you'd choose this option.
3 - Soul B.: I like Luttickens. The sandwiches are very good but can run on the pricey side once you get a drink and bag of chips. If you get the sandwich alone it'll be under $10. It's good food for a quick lunch. The sandwiches are made well and to order. The lines can be long here but with 3 people making sandwiches at a time it moves pretty fast. You can see your sandwich being made and what toppings are available (even though they are on the menu, I like to look anyways). 

It's a small place that has no indoor seating, so expect to get your sandwich and leave. The good thing is that Stanford campus is very picturesque and you can eat anywhere on campus. 

Check the soup of the day because usually it's good. I say usually because there are just some soups I'm not partial too. If you like the soup of the day it's a perfect pairing with the sandwich. just be prepared to shell out over $10.
3 - Angeline P.: This place is a better place to get breakfast than Tazza D'amore at SF Caltrain, so I usually come here when I've run out of my morning yogurt. I always get the cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese, toasted. It's pretty decent, except for a few times when the bagel wasn't toasted enough. It usually is just fine though. I can't really give four stars for a toasted bagel with cream cheese though! I just can't. Their breakfast sandwiches are way expensive ($4.50 for just a bagel, egg, and cheese?) and not really worth it. I can make a better breakfast sandwich in my sleep.

Their sandwiches are okay, but nothing really to write home about. This place is a solid three stars.
3 - Annie c.: great for lunch if you get tired of hospital cafeteria food and don't want to walk too far. it's in kind of a random location. 

good (large) sandwiches - usually i eat half and save the other half or else i will be in food coma the rest of the day.
3 - Adrienne B.: I just got back from picking up a sandwich at Lutticken's Stanford location and have to honestly say that the sandwich was not great - bland at best would be a more appropriate description.  I was third in line and the staff was tediously slow.  With three people making sandwiches behind the counter, I expected the line to move quickly.  My big peeve is the four very thin slices of ham that were put on my $6.50 sandwich.  I can go over to the Safeway in Menlo Park on El Camino and pay a $1.00 more for extra meat and come out of there with a huge sandwich - a sandwich excruciatingly filling even when eating only half.  

The sandwiches at Lutticken's aren't bad, they're just okay and okay doesn't warrant a return visit.
4 - Sahar R.: Things I miss about Stanford:

1-Luttickens

Ok, that's about all I miss. Is that kind of sad? 

I always walked over here and got a roast beef with avocado on the dutch crunch roll. A bit pricey but I was eating this sandwhich for like three days.
5 - Eun Soo C.: My favorite is Chicken breast plain with Dutch crunch and vegi-meatball.
I go to this place at least 3 times for lunch!
3 - Cindy K.: Every once in a while they will have an awesome sandwich. A good place to get some coffee or if I'm in the mood for pastries. The guy who works here is very nice. Although I think in general the selection is limited.
4 - Joyce H.: Since I eat here at least once a week I figured I should write a review. I'm going to give Lutticken's 4 stars (slightly generous...feeling nice today) because they are always there for me when I'm starving and they make big ass sandwiches that I can eat for lunch and dinner (granted the bread doesn't get soggy). My favorite is the Italian sub on the usual menu but lately I've realized that the specials on the window are the best sandwiches. I had an awesome bruschetta sandwich the other day with chicken, tomatoes marinated in whatever sauce you use to make bruschetta, balsamic, lettuce, etc. The BLT is real good too when you don't mind eating fatty bacon. I'd recommend always getting one of the rolls as your bread of choice because $7 for a regular sized square sandwich is SUCH a ripoff.

Anyways, since I'll be here for a few more years, I will be trying more specials and building up that special bond with all the workers there. :)
5 - Caroline A.: LOVE Lutticken's! I crave either the BLT, or my own salami provolone creation. People are sweet and authentic; I'll support that at $6.50 a sandwich. :) I shouldn't even be talking about this, but their mushroom soup on Wednesdays are yummmmmmy! I'll just have to get there early after this posting; they usually sell out during the lunch hour.
3 - Patrick L.: Lutticken's is a good place for a quick bite to eat and coffee in the morning.  With the other med school crowd, I usually eat here pretty often when I'm too lazy to venture to the massive crowds at Clark Center's Nexus.

The main thing to get here is the sandwiches.  They're build-your-own sandwiches for a good price.  Also, they usually have some special sandwich of the day.  This place also sells soup, chips, prepackaged salads (which they make every morning fresh), and occasionally, they'll have a BBQ outside of the deli.  

Lutticken's is also a good place to get coffee in the morning, as it's probably the only place that has decent Hazelnut coffee.  Be careful though, the coffee served here is freakin' hot.  I usually have to wait like 5 minutes after getting it to ATTEMPT to drink it.....maybe 15 to actually enjoy it.  Double sleeve it too...i've burned my hand many a time.

-Pchris
4 - Tiffany T.: I'm in loooove with their mushroom soup (and apparently so is everyone else since I stopped by around 3pm and it was all gone)!! It contains a variety of mushrooms in their delicious chicken bouillon, it's very filling and about $3 for the small sized container.

I also occasionally get their breakfast egg sandwich ($5 and available all day!) with pepper jack cheese and ham/bacon on an asiago bagel. They will automatically toast the bagel for you and it comes with 2 egg patties and 2 layers of ham/bacon. Pass on the mayo and butter, it's already artery clogging enough.

They also have a bbq every Tuesday and Thursday during the summer, it's cash only and be prepared to wait at least 10 minutes. Your purchase includes a bag of chips; soda can be bought for an extra dollar. After purchasing your food at the tent, go inside CCSR Lutticken's cafe to find your burger condiments and toppings! I recommend the turkey burger.
4 - Holly C.: One thing I have missed since becoming a vegetarian is a good meatball sub. I am so happy I found Lutticken's and their AMAZING vegetarian meatball sub. Thank you!!!!
4 - Nicole R.: I am so happy Lutticken's is in my building.  

First off, they have great coffee for 50 cents!  Can't beat that!  

Second, I can always get a healthy breakfast on the go, in the form of nonfat cottage cheese and fruit salad.  My favorite on my way to an early meeting.

Lastly, they may make the best sandwich around.  I love the sliced sourdough, roast chicken breast, and numerous toppings including sliced olives, Peperoncini peppers, cucumbers, avocado, in addition to the standard mustard, mayo, lettuce, onion and tomato.  The only downside is that I am usually hungry again after a few hours.  They need to work on their holding power.  

I also wish they did not run out of soup so quickly.  I think they may need a bigger crock pot for cold rainy days.
1 - jondysse l.: I just want to say I love(d) Lutticken's.  It started out great for me as a faster/cheaper option to Ike's when I wanted a dutch crunch.  Nevertheless, what happened today changed everything for me and I will not be going back there ever again.  I had asked for certain items to not be on my sandwich (sprouts in particular) so just before I was about to bite into my sandwich, I decided to double check that everything was okay and I didn't need to pull anything off my sandwich.  

WELL! I opened it up and what did I see on the salami but fur! Actual moldy fur completely circumnavigating the rings of salami on my italian sandwich.  The other meats in the pile looked a little off in color - maybe even a little bit of green here and there but the fur was unmistakable while the rest could've been my imagination.  

What I don't get is I witnessed (this was lunch rush) several other people also ordering the same thing. They have high throughput so under what food storage conditions could my meal actually acquire fur?  

Again... I think their sandwiches are great but I don't even want to know what would've happened if I'd actually eaten my sandwich. And I hope whoever goes there is careful about checking on what it is they're putting in their mouth first!
3 - Lillian Z.: Coffee refills (aka. when you bring your own cup) are $1.00 now instead of 50 cents. SAD PANDAS. Vanilla hazelnut coffee, I will miss you dearly, but I know I'll still probably end up coming to get you anyway.

On the plus side, the grill is back! "Cash only" makes it kind of annoying, but eh, it's cheaper than at Nexus and comes with chips, so I guess I shouldn't complain. They say they don't grill buns, but I saw them do it for someone last week...

tl;dr: Stop increasing the prices, Lutticken's.
2 - Jenny Z.: I'm knocking one star down, due to the following changes:

Refrain yourself from getting the refrigerated pastas and salads--they are incredibly greasy and artery clogging. On the other hand, they have also raised the price of coffee refills from 50 cents to $1. A bit lame, considering that their coffee tastes burnt with residual coffee grinds. Save yourself the $1 and go to Peet's or Starbucks, which are close by. 

Sandwiches, bagels and most grill items are still good, granted you carry enough cash with you.
3 - Nicole A.: Breakfast: decent selection (bagels, egg sandwiches), ok prices.  I am underwhelmed by their coffee.
Lunch: decent sandwich selection, ok prices.  During the summer there is sometimes a BBQ.  I was disappointed by the tri-tip sandwich, and tri-tip is my favorite piece of cow.  I don't know if I'll be giving the BBQ a second chance for a burger or anything.

It is the closest food to me, but unfortunately the meat smell coming out their back door into my hallway becomes overwhelming.  If I was suffocated by them regularly, I would eat here more.

CD Alley - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9110995, -79.0609711) ()
5 - Nick P.: If you're looking for a hard-to-find CD, your best bet is CD Alley. The store may be small, but inside you'll find an excellent selection of new music and the most extensive used selection in the triangle. Be sure to check out the CDs on the counter since those are the new arrivals of used cds and it's where you'll typically find the best stuff.
5 - Jessica Z.: Excellent stop for vinyl lovers.  You have to do some digging (literally) and I always wish the place was bigger every time I stop in, but I rarely leave the place without some great find in hand.
5 - Danelle W.: This store may be small but it is jam packed with CDs and records just waiting to be dug through.  

Great selection of new and used things and if you have a little bit of time to dig you'll be sure to find some gems!
5 - Katherine M.: Support music stores!

Best record store in Chapel Hill (and, since Schoolkids closed, the only record store in Chapel Hill that isn't used-only.)

The selection is decent - it leans toward the well-known indie stuff, but then, so do a lot of places. Plus you don't get the feeling there like you did at Schoolkids that you weren't cool enough to set foot in the place.

You can also buy Cat's Cradle tickets there - they have the schedule posted on the door.
5 - Adrienne E.: I must confess that I wasn't entirely familiar with CD Alley until Schoolkids closed several months ago. I've visited many times since then, and I'm usually able to find what I'm looking for and then some. On the rare occasion that I can't find the album I want by digging through the selection, the staff is happy to help. They are knowledgeable and entirely courteous. Prices are reasonable for anyone still willing to pay for music. The place is a little small and congested at times, but it can't be easy for an independent record store to pay rent on Franklin St. when everyone is buying music from ITunes instead.
5 - Rebecca F.: I'm not entirely partial since my friends worked at CD Alley... but I'm still looking for another local record shop that can compare.

You can get lost in the alphabatized used section, the compilations and genre sectrions, and the newly acquired stacks on the checkout desk.  You have to come often just to keep up.  All at a reasonable price.  Plus there's the listening couch if you're still unsure, and very opinionated employees.

Every time I'm back in NC I stop by hoping for some new gold.
5 - Sam T.: Now that Schoolkids has closed, buyers of music are forced to branch out to maybe Back Door CD's (so so...) or the far superior CD Alley. What is there not to love about this store? It is cramped, somewhat disorganized, and cheap. New CD's are usually under $14, and used ones under $7. They also sell a lot of vinyl. This is a great place to browse with nothing in particular in mind. I feel so much better buying from here than Border's or something. What a great record store.
5 - Hyunoo P.: I was in Chapel Hill for a brief stint, but luckily I spotted this tiny looking record store while driving.  I was expecting to walk around for an hour or two before I found a decent record store (or any vinyl at all) since my brother has 0 knowledge of the local scene.  

This small store, and I use the term "small" objectively, is jam packed with music.  Not only are the walls and beneath-table-bins bursting at the seams with CDs and LPs, but they are meticulously organized by name.  Band names.  There was a tab for M.Ward, the Fiery Furnaces, Otis, you get the idea.  I loved it.  It made browsing pretty damn efficient.  Record stores in DC will have a tab that says "Beatles" and that's about in-depth as it gets.  It's probably good this place is where it is, because I would be billy goat broke otherwise. The other thing I loved about Cd Alley was all the current releases they carried.  I bought the new Grizzly Bear and Peter, Bjorn, and John albums.  They don't just pander to hip new sounds, the older contemporaries were there; I picked up "Post-War", "Blueberry Boat", and "Reconstruction Site" as well.  Unfortunately, I only budgeted $100.  :-/

Places like this are typically breeding grounds for pretentious hipster store clerks who think they are too good to ring up the albums you selected... because your taste sucks.  The clerk I ran into looked like he could have been like that.  Instead I was pleasantly surprised by a chatty and knowledgeable man.  We talked briefly and all was 5 stars in the world.

Definitely coming back here in July.

p.s.- prices here aren't a bargain, but they aren't a rip off either. When you find what you actually want in a format that most consider "out-dated", that's the real deal.
3 - Rob B.: Please buy an air conditioner
2 - yeah r.: Christ guys, get an air conditioner.
5 - Hoang T.: This is without a doubt the best record store in the area (I prefer it to Schoolkids Records in Raleigh). The staff is always very helpful and willing to give recommendations. The vinyl selection is great, but is definitely more geared to newer indie rock releases. However, there are some really great soul, jazz, and eclectic world music reissues on labels such as Sublime Frequencies, Soul Jazz, and the Numero Group. For those who are interested in CD's, the used selection is always great (be sure to check out the shelf of used new arrivals).
4 - Ben R.: Best cd store in town, with lots of selection. They have new and used CDs, as well as vinyl. Great taste in rock (at least matches me well). The used CDs are priced a little high.
5 - Lisa B.: CD Alley is one of the finest CD and record stores I have been to. Their selection of a wide variety of genres of music-old soul and R and B, current indie rock, avant garde and experimental, alt country, jazz, blues, Tropicalia, Ye-Ye, etc is incredible. Furthermore, the prices were great, and the staff was very knowledgeable AND extremely friendly! My only complaint was the heat, since this is a store in the south with no AC! Nevertheless, I had a great time talking to the staff, and left with about eight CDs-some new and some used.
3 - Leonard J.: Used to be great but has slowly eroded away...No air conditioning for 2 years now. HOT as hell in the summer! Makes you wonder about all that vinyl. Could be great again but needs a revamp to compete with now better other local shops like Offbeat Music and All Day Records.
5 - Sergio S.: Awwww yeah. Total record store score here! Awesome selection, both new and used. Bad ass music playing and even some tasty bargain bins. Audiophile ecstasy!

The place is tight quarters, but a thirst for vinyl will give a claustrophobic the strength of millions when going through CD Alley's bins. Be prepared to spend some time here. Extra points for having a hip hop section.
5 - Joyce C.: First visit yesterday and I was pleasantly surprised. My first thought was "WOW!" when I saw the selection and organization of CDs and vinyl. The only problem was lack of time to browse but I'll definitely visit again, the next time with a wish list. The selection was awesome and the young clerk, Brian, was so courteous and helpful. I think the prices are very good and the used items that I purchased were in excellent condition, as were the new items. If you are a collector or just a casual music listener, there's something for you in the inventory at this shop.
4 - Daija P.: I decided to come here on a whim after class one day and i was itching for some new tunes. To begin, this place is LOADED with goodies! There was quite a selection and I was a little overwhelmed - once you walk in, every wall is covered with vinyl, dvd's, or cd's. Also, there are quite a few bins with 98 cent - $2.89 priced records and other deals. Knowledgeable and friendly staff. I literally walked up with a record and said "what the hell is this?" and the guy working went to the computer and looked it up with me. Annnnd, since I was already chatting about music with the clerk, I asked for some recommendations!  Needless to say i left CD Alley with quite a few new records.
5 - Andrew R.: Hands down my favorite record shop for the last 10 years.  It's a small shop, but it's always packed floor to ceiling with records, CDs, and DVDs.  If they don't have it, and it's still in print, they can find it for you.  In my experience, the staff has always been friendly, and the selection is always staggering.  Even if I go in just to kill some time, I end up leaving with a new record.

Highly recommended
5 - Rod O.: Very Cool Store!  Charming Hole-in-the-Wall in a truly complementary sense!  

Some Vinyl records, mostly CD's and Categories I have never heard of!  Bands and Artists I have never heard of, which is a GREAT sign that I'm in the right place for discovering my next favorite band or at least something new!

The guy working here was very friendly and helpful!  Mostly Used merchandise which means you get a great price!

CDepot - College Park, MD (39.0008993, -76.9308913) ()
4 - Brandima A.: They have some crazy stuff! Ask before you try to find it yourself unless you are browsing.  Don't bother trying to sell unless you need the space and not the money.
5 - Devin E.: If you're looking for a CD that you can't find anywhere, regardless of the genre of music or the original release date, chances are CDepot has it.  I discovered this place many years ago.  As long as it's been there, there are probably still many people that don't know about it.  That's because it's easy to miss if you drive up or down Route 1 in College Park.  And this is not a big chain by any means, so there is only one other location (which I've never been to)--in Towson.  But as I said, this place has everything.  It's a music lover's dream.  If they ever don't have a CD that I'm looking for, it's not because they don't carry it (like many popular stores like Target, Best Buy, etc)--it's just that they happen to be sold out at the time.  If you're one of the few people like me who still buy CDs in this MP3 day and age, go to CDepot!
5 - Patrick C.: This is the only place I buy CD's from,  they have everything and I mean everything, and unless it's a box set or an extremely rare import, I have never paid more than $12 for a CD, which in this age of corporate music feeling that $20 is a reasonable price for a CD, is enough to make one think purchasing legally isn't all that bad.  Growing up in the area, this was my go to place for good music and to offload CD's I no longer wanted.  The staff is friendly and knows their stuff.
4 - Daniel K.: I can not believe the selection at this place.  Absolutely everything under the sun can be found here.  The only draw back is all of the clutter in the isles.  The staff was courteous to me and I was able to sell a few CDs.  It took about 30 minutes and I had to wait in the store but I spent the time checking out all the cool stuff that included hundreds of framed albums of every kind on the walls.  Used DVDs and CDs abound with every conceivable genre represented.
4 - Stuart L.: You know how there are books and blogs and magazines dedicated to organizing your life? I don't think the people at CDepot know about those. At all. 

When I first walked in the door, I had to check my bag which, which wasn't a problem. I then had to walk around for a few minutes to figure out what I was looking at. The interior is a lot bigger than I expected, with three racks of records and CDs going down the middle of the room and the walls covered floor to ceiling in old LPs. Some of the sections are ill-labeled and it took me a while to figure out that the rock section goes all the way around the walls of the store. 

The selection is nice, including used and new CDs. I found some old original Dismemberment Plan CDs (except for Emergency & I, which I was looking for) and some other used indie CDs scattered around. There was a strictly new releases section for rap and hip hop, but not one for any other genres. Then again, it could have been hidden away somewhere.

I don't have a turntable at the moment so I wasn't really in the market for LPs but as far as I can tell they have a pretty expansive selection of used records. The records seem especially unorganized, despite two employees cataloging boxes and boxes of them. I did thumb through the 7"s and found some pretty good titles. 

They have a few cases of DVDs, which is nice because on the whole this is one of the cheaper records stores I've been to. 

Compared to other record stores in other cities this place isn't the greatest, but it is very good for College Park and I'm confident they would have what you're looking for (after some digging), so I give it four stars. 

Also, the few boxes full of $1.00 VHS sadly did not contain any Jerry Maguire tapes, and that is the real reason I gave this place four stars.
5 - Chad K.: Having been an assistant manager for the now-defunct Kemp Mill Music (a DC area record store chain) in College Park MD during the early 90's, I am a mark for a good 'record' store.  CDepot popped up during the early 90's on Route 1 in a much smaller location - near the Bike Shop and College Park MD post office.  They were direct competiion for our store and we had reason to worry.  I was happy to see that CDepot moved locations up the road into a much larger space during the late 90's while I was living in Wilmington NC.  During that time, Kemp Mill filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.

My thoughts:  Excellent CD selection, reasonable prices for new and used CD's and LP's.  Wall to wall music ....They also carry a large array of DVDs and games.  CDepot still is one of the only places in Prince George's County  MD that will actually give you cash for used DVDs and CD's.  Granted, if you pop in on a Saturday to have your collection looked at, you may be in for a long wait.  I would recommend visiting the store in the AM on a Saturday or during the week while the kids are in school.

A couple of other random notes:  I overheard a conversation between a clerk and a customer attempting to sell coins/currency.  The owner of the store (not in much) is the only person that will buy currency that you are attempting to sell.  Make sure you call in before making a trip.  This applies to selling vinyl as well.  The shop has one particular employee that evaluates vinyl from the public.  Call before making the trip if that is your sole reason for visiting.

Keep up the great work, CDepot!  You are still living in my favorite dream!
4 - Aaron M.: The name CDepot seems a little inauspicious for vinyl hunting, but don't be fooled. This store has a lot to offer vinyl lovers. As others have noted, the organization scheme is... well it isn't a scheme, as such. They have a lot of bargin boxes, a row of unsorted new arrivals, and then the typical divisions (jazz, rock, blues, etc.) that you'd expect. I spent three hours looking through just about everything, and I bought a lot of stuff. In fact, I left behind a number of things I'm regretting (a Stooges record... an X record...). They also have a "good stuff" bin behind the counter. This is ostensibly the more collectable stuff. Priced accordingly.
5 - Leonardo P.: During a recent business trip to Maryland I happened to run into this excellent record store being just about half mile away from the hotel I was staying at. By far it is the most assorted record store I've ever visited with a vast collection of classic rock vinyls which is the genre I'm interested in. You can keep yourself within the $4.99 to $9.99 price range and you'll walk out of there with well kept records, including the sleeves, that you're going to re-fall in love with because of the way they sound. 

For the record, when I got back home I realized I'd traveled thru 3 airports and flown in two different airplanes with a carry-on bag loaded with 52 vinyls I bought at CDepot in two consecutive days.

CEC Logistics - Pasadena, CA (34.1367264, -118.1321938) (Pasadena)
5 - Sam A.: CEC Logistics is your ideal source when your freight requires:

*        Full Truckload Service (FTL)

*        Less Than Truckload Service(LTL)

*        Full Container Load Service(FCL) 

*        Flatbed, Step Deck and Lowboy Trailers

*        Oversized Cargo and Overweight Cargo

*        Auto Transport 

*        Refrigerated Services
5 - Jack T.: Great service, great prices! Highly recommended.

CHAM Korean Bistro - Pasadena, CA (34.1426743, -118.1327466) (Pasadena)
5 - Jeff N.: Attended their Grand Tasting event today. Food was excellent. Very fresh, perfectly juicy, tasty, and flavory. Spicy dish was not too spicy. Salad dish was crispy and good. No prices yet because it doesn't open until next week, but from what flashed by on the register before being voided as complimentary, looks like a decent lunch will be about $12.

Highly recommended, but a bit pricy for daily lunch visit.
5 - Mister P.: I attended a tasting at Cham on 7/30.  Holding tastings was very smart on their part, because they really need to differentiate themselves from Seol Bros, a semi-fast-food Korean place which occupied the space before them.  Their location also gives a little bit of a fast food vibe (and doesn't look terribly different from Seol Bros), which they really need to dispel.

Because Cham is not fast food.  The food is very high quality -- plain good Korean food -- and even though the prices seem to be higher than Seol Bros at first glance, the price/quality ratio at Cham is about as good as it gets.

My wife and I ordered the Bulgogi Bibimbap, the Galbi Ssam Platter, Spicy Rice Cake appetizer, a spicy tuna Tofu Pocket, and a crab Tofu Pocket.  Each item was very high quality and the presentation was great.  It wouldn't be a stretch to compare this place to Daisy Mint in quality and presentation, though the menu is much more limited.

The Bibimbap with Bulgogi (Korean BBQ beef)  was excellent and would have cost $10 had we paid.  The ingredients were fresh and it was not at all oily.  The owner mentioned that they used more veggies than was typical, and I found that to be accurate.  

The Galbi (Korean beef short ribs) Ssam Platter ($11) was even better than the Bibimpap and I'm guessing this will be the biggest hit for them, as it isn't something you typically see at a Korean BBQ place.  It's basically lettuce wraps with noodles, herbs, pickled veggies, and meat.  The Galbi was succulent, medium-rare, and generous for the price.  It's also presented beautifully, on a long platter with each of the ingredients separately plated.  

The spicy Rice Cakes were tasty, but it was far too much starch for us and we didn't have more than a couple each (and there were probably 20 in the bowl)  They are basically hunks of rice dough in a tasty sauce with some gourmet mushrooms.  Great value, but I'm not sure I'd order it again.   Well, ok, I'll order it again, but only as an app with a group of four or more people.

The Tofu Pockets were something I'd never had before and I'll order them again and again and again.   And again. And then, most likely, again.  The were $1.50 each, and simply put, they seemed mispriced.  The spicy tuna with pea shoots was chunky and delicious, and the crab was almost as good.  It's a very good size, maybe 60% the size of a spicy tuna cut roll.

The owners (I believe we met husband, wife, and mom) were engaged and seemed genuinely passionate about providing good food.  Since we went to a pre-opening tasting you might think that the quality might not carry on after they open, but with this group I don't believe that's going to happen.

Though we didn't pay, they gave us a receipt that said that we got $34 worth of food (including a drink), which might seem high to you but
 a) we got more food than we'd normally order and
 b) this food is comparable to that of a much more expensive restaurant, assuming the quality holds after they open

Overall, assuming the quality stays the same after they open, I'll eat here frequently (read weekly) and I can recommend this restaurant without reservations.
5 - Jamie J.: i just have dinner here, and food was more than i expected. i loved their spicy tuna tofu pocket. in fact, i tried all four of tofu pockets, and i liked all of them. 
their "Ssam" with vege and meat was great. fresh vege and tender beef galbee is such a good combination. i also ordered the rice cake and beef with mushroom, and it was pretty nice. 
however, if you want to have a big big American size portion, you should order extra, i guess. 
anyway, it is a healthy and tasty Korean place, and i will go back to the restaurant. oh, also the manager, Ricardo is very kind and courteous, and he will tell you what to order if you are not familiar with Korean food.
4 - Patrick C.: I live close by and today was the opening day of Cham, so I wanted to give it a try.  I just finished eating my dinner, BBQ spicy chicken with steamed rice.  

I used to like the spicy chicken platter at Seoul Bros (previously at this location), so I figured I'd get what looked most similar in order to compare.  The portions were almost 1/2 the size, for both the rice & chicken as Seoul Bros.  I took the food to-go, but only live 2 blocks away, the food was lukewarm when I got home.  Nonetheless, the chicken was really good, similar to Seoul Bros spicy chicken, but more tender, and seemed fresher...more like made to order.

The workers were very friendly, the menu had me confused.  I'll go back for sure.
5 - Rob Y.: I used to miss my favorite Korean BBQ Seoul Brothers fast food establishment (they closed recently) and now thanks to Cham I am not going to miss them!!!! 

I visited this establishment on their first day. I ordered the short ribs, with the watermelon appetizer. I had this dish where you make "tacos" with sesame seed leaves. The food was fresh and tasty and seemed to be healthy. The portions are a good size so that you do not leave overstuffed. I had the mint lemonade which kind of reminded me of a mojito without the rum. 

I can't possibly tell you how impressed I am with the food and service. The employees/owner(s) were extremely helpful, and the service was unmatched by any other "fast food". Next time I am going to check out the steamed buns and you all will know what is up with that.
5 - Suzie K.: CHAM has a great moderate variety of korean food. just the right amount. I've always hated to have to choose from an essay long menu.  the workers are very nice and will answer all your questions in regards to the menu.  my fave is the tuna bowl - loved how it was allll veggies and BROWN rice!!! with the tuna of course. 

the SSAM Dish - most are confused on how to eat this...it works like a wrap. take the lettuce (wrap) and put the meat in along with a little bit of everything thats on the plate (cilantro leaves, fermented bean paste, pickled onion and radish,) roll up, and stuff into your mouth with all that juicy fresh goodness!
4 - Joel Y.: A Solid 4 stars here. Almost 4.5 if you ask me. Out is Seoul Bros, next to take a stab in the Pasadena market is Cham Korean Bistro. 

Cham is a minimalist type of a place, serving fresh delicious food for a reasonable price in my opinion. In general, Korean food and dishes have always been a bit higher than Chinese, however the quality and the freshness of the ingredients at Cham is really noteworthy. 

The vibe is busy and exciting, workers in bright blue tshirts very welcoming and friendly. The menu has traditional Korean elements with twists catered towards the new fusion palate. 

I tried the Apple Kimchi Salad which was really fresh and crisp. The apples were sweet and juicy while the lettuce was also very fresh. The vinaigrette was a bit too sour for me, however it was still a light option. I also had 2 tofu pockets. One with spicy tuna/pea shoots and one with crab. Both were excellent. Paired with brown rice in a tofu wrapping (think Japanese Inari with a twist). At $1.50 a piece, I could eat these all day. 

My friend enjoyed the Saam platter, which in Korean means "wrap". A huge assortment of picked radishes, lettuce, sesame leaves, cilantro, noddles and Korean miso came out with a sizzling platter of protein. It was really great. The produce we very fresh and they even offered us extra veggies if we wanted it. 

The best part was they serve you table side, with this dehydrated wet nap that they add water to, and magically you have a wet nap after your "saam platter" 

I have high hopes for this place. The food was great, extremely fresh and the owners and staff are very hospitable and friendly. 

Support local eats and try Cham!
5 - Jason S.: try the Kim Chi Salad... you will not be disappointed!
3 - George M.: Place is called Cham, but pronounced "chum." Apologies to the staff.
5 - Tony S.: YUM!  (can I just end it like that?)

YUM!!  (no really, can I just say that alone?...)

YUM!!!

Ok. Seriously folks.... NOT what I was expecting from a new Korean Bistro. At first I was worried about yet another (a) typical boring/ mundane affair, or (b) novel-but-terrible-tasting-menu that plagues a lot of "new concept" restaurants.

Happy to say this is neither. From the minute I walked in I knew it was different...... a GOOD different. Cham is casual, yet has a very chic, avant garde, and...... 'crisp' ambience. The menu is perfect for LA.... healthy, tasty, and simple-but-oh-so-good.

Went with my family and ordered a whole slew of things..... 

1) 'Ssam Garden' , which was almost too pretty to eat
(their put-it-together vegetables galore+meat+sauce+noodle dish) was awesome, and a modernized take of the traditional fair you can find in old-skool Korean restaurants. 

2) Rice cakes and bulgogi beef (my kid LOVED it), was an interesting twist to the traditional ddokbokgi in most restaurants. Not spicy at all, so junior swallowed the whole thing.

3) spicy tuna bibimbap, also a nice twist to the traditional style, but very LA..... focusing a lot more on the healthier side with more fresh vegetables and brown rice. 

4) The Kalbi was surprisingly good. I wasn't expecting much from a "healthy" place, but this place, like a young thoroughbred at the races, proved a winner.

There were some of these interesting soybean-skin fingerfood pockets filled with rice, and topped with either fresh crabmeat, seaweed, spicy tuna, or radish. The base is inari sushi (for those that know what it is), which was a very interesting, yet simple twist on the old style. LOVED it, and will come back for more.

The apple kim-chi salad was something I'd expect to find at the Four Seasons... tasty, not overwhelmingly spicy, and just...... crispy fresh.

The great thing about this place, which normally deters me from eating Korean food during the day, is that they're socially conducive... meaning they don't leave you stained in essence of garlic that will plague you on your date tonight or at a club on Sunset.

We left full, but not overwhelmingly stuffed or heavy. 

All this plus value for money. Didn't break the bank here, and I can easily dine here alone, with family, or with a date. Definately coming back for more!
5 - Steve H.: This is mighty fine, rather unique, healthy Korean BBQ! The staff was extremely enthusiastic and were genuinely proud of what they were serving. There is a passion emanating from this place that is seldom found anymore in other eateries. Atmosphere is minimal, modern but sturdy and comfortable. 

After a full discussion with Ricardo and his explanation of the food's concepts and the menu item's meanings, I selected the beef bulgogi Ssam Garden Platter. 

My sizzling order arrived quickly with the beef short ribs on a cast iron grill along with a selection of butter lettuce, sesame leaves, cilantro, and cool bibim noodles on a separate plate. I was instructed to layer each of the ingredients into a wrap and eat. I did just that and was thoroughly pleased.

There are also nice touches as well. For example, I was given a wash napkin that at first, looks like an antacid tab. Simply drop some water onto it and it balloons into a wonderfully moist napkin that you can use to clean your fingers after eating.

All in all I would highly recommend this place and I am looking forward to visiting this eatery again.
5 - Carina O.: Okay, so this place just opened and let me start by saying I went in with zero expectations. I live right down the street and I remember that two years ago, when I first moved to my place, I was so excited for the opening of Seoul Bros. and it was below average. I had a lot to do yesterday like pad my stomach before 6 hours on a booze and graffiti laden party bus. I was tired, done running errands, and decided to check out the new place that had taken over Seoul Bros.. Plus, I was bummed I wasn't at KBBQ Fest so I figured I should atleast eat some mediocre KBBQ in honor of the event I was passing up. When I walked in, it was a totally different vibe. Amazing looking wood chairs and a chalkboard menu on the wall. The guys at the counter were cute and helpful and there was tofu pockets on display....was this healthy Korean food? Yes, yes it was.

I ordered the Bibimbap with Bulgogi and a side of potatoes to go. I am big on packaging and as soon as I opened my bag at home I was blown away by how much food I had and how delicious and fresh it looked and smelled. There were a ton of veggies: radishes, daikon, cucumber, and everything was crisp and good quality. The meat was very flavorful and cooked perfectly. I ate the entire thing, aside from the potatoes, and justified that it would be a buffer for all the alcohol I would consume later in the night.

I picked up my other Uncouth Gourmand *see website* and we headed to the bus. I believe that all I talked about on the 110 was this food and how much I liked it. In fact, my partner (business not life) said, "Okay, and for the fifth time...you liked your dinner. Message received." I also discussed how I have no problem with Americanized versions of food as long as they are healthy and fresh. Let me put it this way, this is the Gingergrass and Daisy Mint of Korean food.

I have two complaints: I hate standing up to order. It was fine because I got it to go but if I was dining in I'd want to be serviced. Second, the onions with the KBBQ weren't cooked enough so they were burning the back of my throat a little.

Anyway, that is all minor. The food was really good and I know they just opened but I hope and pray that they remain at that level. After all, they are my neighbor. Also after driving home last night, after a night of shaking my chonies and downing drinks like the wheels on the bus go round and round, it was so nice to find those potatoes in my fridge. I melted a piece of string cheese on them and slept with a fully padded unqueasy stomach. Thanks Cham, that could have been bad!
4 - j c.: I like restaurants that go beyond providing tasty food in providing vegeterians healthy options--and this place does.  The entrees provide a lot of fresh veggies, I don't think the sauces have MSG (think my hubby asked for me), the food tastes pretty good (not totally authentic korean but don't think that is what they are going for either) and the prices are reasonable.  The decor is also nice.   The chef is a korean woman who speaks korean!! 

The only thing my husband wishes Cham had was some kimchee...I haven't tried their apple kim chee, but will see
5 - curtis k.: Occasionally a new restaurant pops up that renders all existing restaurants obsolete and pointless.  Cham Bistro is this restaraunt, at least as far as Pasadena is concerned. I see no reason whatsoever preventing this humble new entrant from conquering all other restaurants in its path, at least of its price point.  I walked in on a lark this Monday, and walked out lamenting that my travel schedule would prevent me from eating all 4 remaining lunches there this week.
The food was delicious Korean fusion, dishes both brilliantly conceived as well as executed.  The service was efficient and genuinely friendly, two attributes often missing in LA. The manager Ricardo introduced himself to me and solicited feedback on the experience to which I calmly prepared him for the fact that Cham would soon be taking over Pasadena. Ricardo explained this place was a single store operation, conceived by a jeans maker as a first step to addressing world hunger. I will need to peruse their website to figure out this curious linkage between Korean food, blue jeans and hunger relief, but all in due time.  I also had the opportunity to meet their charismatic chef "EJ" - she came from AOC, is a real chef, not the type of person you'd encounter behind the grill at Wahoos or Wolf Burgers.  I ordered their garden salad which had high-end greens, delicious dressing, and sesame brittle sprinkled on top.  Then two tofu wrappers: one with radish and  arugula; the other with crab.  Mindful that publicly sharing this isn't in my own best interests, but charging $1.50 for a tofu wrapper abundantly filled with real blue crab is a fast way for this proprietor to blow her blue jeans fortune.  However, I don't think Cham's mission is a purely capitalistic one, but again has something to do with this world hunger thing.  The beef rice cakes dish was fantastic and a variant of something I remember well from Momofuku in nyc. I asked Ricardo about this and indeed, Momo and its sister restaurants were all part of his week-long NYC itinerary of restaurant research.  I predict great things for Cham Bistro and absolutely wish them the best.
4 - J S.: The design: modern.
The food: Korean fusion.
The verdict: Good times!

I went here with a bunch of people from the KoreanLA.org meetup group to try some Korean dishes with a twist. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and freshness of the dishes.

One dish in particular (which I can't remember the EXACT name, but it was like a Chinese bao) impressed the socks off me.

On first glance the prices felt kind of high, but considering the quality and amount of food you get I'm going to let that slide. Granted, it's not taco truck pricing, but the food is way better quality than a roach coach could ever offer you (yes, even Rambo's taco truck in Eagle Rock).

Considering it's Pasadena, this is a great place to come and eat when you've been hankering for something different from the regular hum-drum of Koo Koo Roo's, Rubio's and Chipotle.
4 - Christina L.: After several days of eyeing this place after they opened across the street from my gym, LA Fitness, on Lake; I finally tried it.  I was rather excited, for a number of reasons: proximity to my home, proximity to my gym, "healthy" Americanized version of Korean food (totally my M.O.), Yelp reviews, and no Korean food in a 4 mile radius.  

It is ordered fast food style, where you order at the counter and they give you a number; it is extremely clean looking, if that means anything.  Simplistic yet very modern.  All the employees are extremely enthusiastic, also.  The manager, Ricardo is extremely helpful when it comes to explaining their menu, since it is spin off of traditional Korean food, but with a twist.  He explained to me their mission statement, goals, new menu items, and had me sample their hibiscus lemonade.  

I ordered:

Crab meat Tofu Pocket: super good, only $1.50 so it's not too big, but definitely worth trying.

apple kim chee salad: I hate figs, so I threw those out, and their dressing is amazing.  I don't really know why they call it kim chee..nothing is pickled...I know this because I was paranoid about it being pickled, and was reassured it was in fact not.  

Bulgogi bimibop: SO good.  FYI, all their dishes that come with rice, come with brown rice; which I LOVE and can only eat bc of South Beach, so it worked out well; unless otherwise specified then they give you white rice.  The meat had slight marbling, and Ricardo had made sure to let me know that their head chef goes to the meat provider herself to choose the best cut; a little bit of fat, but that adds a world of flavor. It was well marinated and extremely tender.

Sidenote: I was extremely impressed with their to go packaging, everything was neatly and properly put into separate containers so nothing would be soggy by the time I got home.  Definitely a nice touch, maybe because I'm a girl, but stuff like this matters to me.  

I had a pretty intense Q & A with Ricardo, I think I was a little excited I was Yelp Elite, and decided to verbally spar with him about the restaurant.  
Here's what I found out:

They are getting a wine/beer bar, going to feature extensive little know beers from around the world, not just your typical Hite. Oh, and soju, also.
They are changing the menu according to seasons. Not sure what that exactly means, but I'll be back to find out.
They use NO additives, artificial flavors, or MSG.  Everything is cooked to order.

I'm super excited they are around the corner from me, one less asian restaurant I have to drive to the sgv for.....now if only they would open a Golden Deli and Sinbala next door......
3 - Angel B.: Trendy fast eatery. I have a soft spot for Korean food spicy tasty and generously portioned. The food here is tasty but more of a healthy fusion. Typical LA eatery on a trendy part of town. The menu is bit overly complected. It is a cozy place, dare I say like a bistro. I ordered Bibimbap. The dish was plated with "flair". It was tasty with the Korean play of sweet and spicy. Definitely quenched my palate. Now there is something that bugged me about the dish, The stingy portion of rice (c'mon this is being noted by a Latin guy ahem) This created the weird sensation of not being full never before associated with the cuisine, buy yours truly. A cool place to hang out friends and munching away on appetizers- sort a like Tapas and have fun.
3 - Grace C.: I finally went here after it opened.  I have to say, I went in with no expectations, since "korean bistro" isn't exactly screaming korean food.  I'm thinking - maybe fusion?  I don't know if I can really say it's fusion though.  I'm starting to think, maybe - more americanized? kinda like PF Changs not exactly being chinese food. But it's also a "bistro" Coincidence?

the place is really clean.  You go right up to the counter and order.  They don't have a lot on their menu, just different combinations.  The people are FANTASTIC! they are super nice and willing to help you if you have any questions.

If you are looking to do low carb, this might work out for you.  the Ssam platter is a bunch of vegetables, with your choice of meat, but I really wanted rice. And well, the bibimbop is also the same, even though - by the name - it should have more rice....

I ended up ordering the Bibimbop with Bulgogi. I really wanted rice.  I have to say - Taste wise - it tasted good.  Very clean, no MSG from what I could tell.  But, I felt like I was eating a salad, with a sprinkling of meat and rice.

The only reason I'm giving it 3 stars is because - for what they give you, it isn't worth the money.  10 bucks for what I ordered, and I only got a little bit of meat and rice, and the rest was all lettuce mixed with a little bit of some other vegetables.  10 bucks? really?  I know I'm in Pasadena, but come on.  And it's 11 bucks if I got the Ssam platter with the meat. And if you see the pictures of the platters - you can tell, you aren't really get that much stuff with it either.  It's mostly lettuce.  5 stars, I don't think so.  I guess maybe everyone else is used to paying this much for this little food?

I want to go back and try the steambuns and other items on the menu.  That might be worth the venture back. But I know I won't be going there to get what I got unless I want a salad.
4 - Jerry W.: After hearing all the positive reviews about this place, finally convinced the wife that Korean food outside of K-Town may actually be good.  

Calling Cham Korean food is like calling Momofuku Japanese food.  The flavors and basics are all there, but the presentation and style is very very different.  I fact, I have the sneaking suspicion that the owners or chef of Cham visited Momofuku in NY and said to themselves, "Self!  We can do this with Korean food!  If a Korean guy can have 3 successful restaurants in NY with updated Japanese food, we can do it with Korean food in LA!!"  

However they came up with this concept, I'm glad they did.  And relatively speaking, it was inexpensive to boot.  We had:

Bibimbap with bulgogi - FRESH!  Not drenched in gochijian.  Lots of vegetables and a decent amount of meat.  More meat than most bibimbaps you get in K-town I would say.

Rice Cake with Bulgogi - FLAVORFUL!  I like this style a lot better than the fish cake spicy kind.  The Chinaman in me enjoys anything with soy sauce.

Steamed bun with arugula and bulgogi - here's why I mentioned Momofuku earlier.  David Chang makes this kind of steamed bun with pork belly Chinese style.  Cham makes it with the same kind of pistachio buns.  Not as inventive as the Momofuku kind, but not bad.

Crab stuffed tofu skin - is really the sweet tofu skin used for sushi with about 7/8 filled with rice, and topped with a few pieces of crab.  I'm not really complaining as it only cost $1.50.  But then I remember that a whole sandwich used to cost that much in Westwood and I can probably make one of these for less than $0.25 worth of raw materials....yeah, I am complaining.  

There are more to try here, though not much more.  We will return for sure to try the other offerings and then return again to get our favorites.
5 - Joanne P.: This is a wonderful basic Korean bistro. Limited in dishes but they do it well with excellent service. We got the lettuce plate with spicy pork. Essentially lettuce wraps and when we ran out they came to us and asked us if we needed more lettuce and they gave us more at no extra charge! 5 stars for great food and greater service. Hope it stays in the neighborhood (unlike Seoul Brothers which was replaced by Cham).
4 - Chickything C.: My family and I checked this place out when it was 4 days old. There were a lot of things on the menu that they did not have which was the downside of it. 

We ordered a lot of food which I think somehow they weren't prepared for. Everyone was like panicking. Well, we have a very big family.

The food was great! you can taste the freshness of it and the staff were really nice. I loved everything we ordered. I love the minimalist design of the place. I loved the glass water bottles and I now use the same ones at home. So chic!

The chef even brought out some free watermelon salad for us and some lime sherbet which were all amazing and so nice of her.

We are definitely going back, I just hope that this time, they have everything on the menu.
5 - Tom W.: If all restaurants cared about each customer experience like the management of Cham, all reviews would be five stars!  After my dining experience this evening at Cham, I really am beginning to think that Cham is short for Champion!  It is very refreshing and flattering to see that all reviews are taken seriously by the manager.

We were extended an invitation for a tasting a few weeks ago after my initial review.  Ricardo, the manager greeted us at the register with a warm smile and after a brief introduction, the concept of the menu board was explained to us.  Just like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle falling into place, we understood the ingenious concept behind the menu and its versatility alongside the tasty combination of traditional Korean food infused with modern ingredients not to mention flare.

We had a great sampling of the menu which included Ssam Garden Platters, California Bibimbap, the Crispy Spicy Rice Cakes, Salads, and a few of the Tofu Pockets.  What I loved about the flavor of the food is that each item retains its unique flavor profile and how each component of this dinner complimented each other.

Just when I thought this meal couldn't get any better, I learned that the restaurant is operating as a non-profit organization with proceeds going to various charities in developing countries.  Good food, friendly people and service, could this place get any better?

In this modern day of economic downturn and despair, this seemingly unlikely oasis opened amidst the urban concrete jungle where businesses seem to close as soon as it opens.   Cham is a reminder that food is not all there is when it comes time to eating out; but good healthy food, served with finesse alongside a healthy dose of positive message of hope is sometimes what we all need.

My conclusion:  I almost never give a five star-review and yet this place is one of the few that seem to fit the bill.  Why you may ask?  The food is definitely presented well with the taste to match.  The staff is friendly and helpful and the service is wonderful.  What pushed Cham above the 4-star review is the social message of "yes we CAN afford to eat out; yes, we ARE fortunate to be in a good place, why not share what we have with those that may not be so fortunate while enjoying something different?"  I think Wolfgang Puck's slogan of Live, Love, Eat can be applied here!
5 - David M.: Just got done having a tasting at Cham and it was fantastic. Ricardo, the manager, and the rest of his staff was incredible helpful in explaining the menu and extremely friendly. Some of the food highlights for me were the rice cake with vegetables, the ssam garden platter with short ribs, and spicy apple kimchi salad. The steamed bun was very similar to the one i had at Momofuku in New York and almost as good.

I intend to bring many friends here to try the great food and enjoy the ambiance. If  you want to try out some good food in a nice atmosphere, come check out Cham Korean Bistro.
3 - Sam T.: 4.5 stars with 25 surveys?!?! Really??? This place have not been open that long and was pretty empty when I dropped by at 12pm....

It has a pretty comfortable entrance especially for a lunch venue...but once I got it I was very uncomfortable especially with the menu. Instead of set meals on the menu the Rep there was explaining the menu and went on and on about the different options and combos I can make which was just not clicking. My friend ended up cutting his explanation and ordering the beef bugulgi and spicy pork with rice. 

Food: 
Food was decent. It wasn't the best korean food I've had but definitely not bad. Especially in this part of Pasadena. Watching the chefs prep their food in the back made me feel like I was in a beverly hills restaurant. 

Service: 
Service was great! Though I was asked if everything was okay 3 times (a bit excessive) which makes me think they have too much time on their hands. Point down for the confusing menu....

Environment: 
Love the decor and the seats. Pretty comfortable environment...though the empty restaurant made me feel like I was being watched the entire time. 

Price: 
Normal for Pasadena...

Food: 3
Service: 4
Environment: 4
Price: 3

I'd be surprised if this place last another year. Their concept is a good one and I'm sure people in certain neighborhood would not mind the confusing menu but this is not one of them. Most of their business is from the local offices around and people are in a rush to order, eat and go. Who has time to stand around listening to how the menu can be set?
4 - Tina L.: This place is like a new-age korean restaurant.  You can tell by the interior and how they set up their menu.. it's fresh.

i tried their bibimbap with marinated meat and their trio with chicken. All the meats were well seasoned.. not to sweet/salty.  

The salads were good too.. just a bit lacking in the type of greens used.

The service was good tooo.. i would come here again!
4 - Angela A M.: wow!  what a sweet surprise.  i came by tonight craving some bibimbap and expecting to find Seoul Bros...  instead i find "Cham" - i was first skeptical but then curious when the manager indicated that the chef who developed the menu is from AOC.  yeah, i became reeeeally curious!  the menu is a bit confusing to follow, however i really enjoyed my bibimbap.  they let me have mine with half bulgogi/tofu.  if i could create a bibimbap with my own food philosophy, this would come very close.  for those who know really me, i have very high standards when it comes to quality and freshness, along with staying healthy without compromising taste.  the bibimbap is almost like a salad.  filing, tasty, *crisp* and satisfying, without the heaviness.  they also have the brown rice option which i love.  

the staff goes out of their way to explain the menu and uniqueness of its food.  very knowledgeable and informative.  i have alot of respect for food establishments that hire and train their staff to know and understand the details involved with their food.  it's how all restaurants should be.

a refreshening discovery.  can't wait to try the other menu items... the tofu pockets - one of which uses real blue crab!  i just wish they had some korean desserts too.

one more note i'd like to add is that i noticed some comments that the food is pricey.  i think, yes, it is a bit pricey, but for the intuit and quality involved here, it's definitely worth it.  at most places i've been, the bibimbap costs the same ($10), but it doesn't involve the extra thought and care this one was made with.  this same bibimbap could be served at a higher-end, full service restaurant where they could conservatively price it at $15.
4 - John W.: This is such a fun place.  Not only is the food great and unique but the staff just makes it a great experience.  Some of the entrees were a bit confusing to me but the hostess was eager to explain things and offer recommendations. Even the chef came out and further explained our meals after we had been served. Everything is very tasty and relatively healthy.

The only drawback is that the price can top $15 a person pretty fast for a counter service place, especially if you get any sides or add-ons.  

Can't wait to go back and try something new!
2 - Tim D.: Before reading other reviews for this establishment, I would have described the restaurant as "overpriced".   After reading some of the reviews, I think one could also adequately describe Cham Korean Bistro as "overrated".

My wife order the Ssam Garden (sp?).  This dish cost five dollars and amounted to (literally) five pieces of lettuce, one sprig of cilantro, two sesame leaves and a small sample of their spicy noodles (which were mediocre at best).  On top of this the meat was an extra $6!  I ordered the Bibimbap (sp?) and the best thing I could say about this is that the meat was included in the price. 

In my opinion, a Korean place can be judged by the quality of their meat.  The short rib I ordered was OK, but the spicy pork was quite fatty.  Furthermore, the serving size of the pork was exceedingly small.

I agree this is probably a more healthy option than many other Korean establishments, but I would suggest the following:  if you want something healthy, go somewhere else and save your money.  

For just a few dollars more than we spent at this place, we could have gone to KTown and had some amazing All You Can Eat Korean BBQ.  The meat would have been higher quality, the sides would have been amazing (and unlimited) and we would not be left wondering what exactly we were paying for...was it the sprig of cilantro or the five leaves of lettuce?  I miss Seoul Bros (the Korean restaurant Cham replaced in this location)...The next time we want Korean food, we will not be coming to this place.

I would be shocked if this restaurant lasted a year without completely changing at least their approach to food or significantly lowering their prices...
5 - Austin S.: 4.5 stars

So I've actually been here twice and both times has been a similar experience, so this review reflects both visits.

For those of you who don't know, this place used to be Seoul Bros. Korean BBQ.  I never went there back then but I've heard good things about Cham.  I came here for my weekly meeting with to buddies from church.  Walking in, the decor is simple and casual yet sleek.  They have a series of tables on one side, 2 community like tables (for 8) and bar seating on the other side.  All of it was unlaquered and unstained wood.  It was all in straight lines and straight edges, but it didn't have that cold feeling to it.

This is the kind of place where you go up to order off of the menu, sit down, and they'll bring it to you.  The first time we went, we asked the young korean guy what was good and how to order, and he totally hooked us up.  They have this "combo" called the trio, and that comes with a cast iron skillet of 1 choice of meat, a small salad, and the potato of the day for $10.95.  He then added for us the Saam Garden platter, which came with a small pile of Boston bib lettuce, some shiso leaves, a short stack of sliced pickled radishes, and soy bean paste.  With a choice of meat ($6), the Saam Garden comes out to a total of $11.  He then recommended we add a third meat as well as the crispy rice cakes with bulgogi.  For the meats, we got spicy pork, bulgogi, and kalbi.  For the salad, we got the watermelon salad, which also had arugula, cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese.  The days' potato was home style fries.  Our total for the 3 of us came to $40 and some change.  Not bad but not too cheap either.

Another thing.  At this place, you don't have to worry about leaving smelling like korean bbq.  Well, maybe a little bit, but not as much as the traditional places where you cook the meat yourself.  Everything comes out within a few minutes and it all looked really good.

The meat had good flavor, the salad was really good, the potatoes were cooked well and very crispy on the outside.  The Saam platter was fresh and it was really good and refreshing using the Boston bib and shiso leaves.  The rice cakes with bulgogi was a little heavy on the sauce, but it was really good.  It also had bell peppers and broccoli.

The 2nd time we went, we pretty much got the same thing, except we tried the apple and kimchi salad and we also tried the buns with bulgogi.  The salad was not as good as the watermelon salad.  The potatoes of the day were mashed potatoes, which were buttery but a little bit dry.  

Service was really good.  Like I said, the korean guy helping us was really nice.  Everybody else was cool too and they brought us more lettuce and shiso leaves.

I'd definitely come back.
4 - Crystal B.: I came here yesterday with my friend.  It's definitely not what I thought it was going to be.  It's a very clean, fresh and modern take on Korean.  The atmosphere is very casual, relaxed and calming.  Because it's such a different dining experience, I was pleasantly surprised.  Just warning you it's a BISTRO not a BBQ, so don't expect to cook anything yourself.

I believe Jason? (who was extremely nice) helped us and filled me in that the Apple Kimchi salad was probably not the best thing on the menu and I got the small Cham salad instead...which was alright.  It has jicama and pomegranate seeds in it.  I had the spicy pork steamed bun as well it was really tasty.  I liked that everything felt light but I ended up getting full.

The seaweed tofu pockets are BOMB!  I could have eaten like 4 of those.  And we were told that you can order for events and parties and pick-up, but there really isn't catering options/promotions on the menu or advertised yet.

Also they have Peach Izze which is scrumptious and super hard to find.  My friend got a trio with chicken and I loved that they bring you a few sauces to throw on it.  

I'd recommend going just for a different experience!
4 - Hannah J.: Skeptical at first, hubby and I decided to pay a visit on the recommendation of a good friend. We were pleasantly surprised at the quality of our meal! We had the Ssam garden platter, spicy tuna tofu pocket, and bbq ribs. The ribs were excellent...Koreatown-restaurant quality...MUCH better than expected. The tofu pocket scores big points for holding brown rice instead of white, and for the generous amount of spicy tuna. Finally, the garden platter is what we will go back for time and again. Fresh fresh fresh! And just the right amount of everything to fill you up. Oh, and they also serve very good iced teas...the traditional Korean barley tea was especially good with our meal.
4 - Sang H.: We drove by this place many times and we finally decided to try it.  Being Korean, we wanted to see how it would taste compared to traditional Korean food.  I've never been to Seoul Bros, so I can't compare to their style, but in a trendy part of Pasadena, I think it works well.  At first, the menu seemed a bit complicated, but the staff explained how the concept worked and it was pretty simple.  We ordered the Ssam Garden Platter with Spicy Pork and Beef Short Ribs, Spicy Tuna & Pee Shoot Tofu Pocket, and one of each of the steamed buns.  The meats were cooked well and it stays heated on a metal plate,  the steamed buns was a fusion of vietnamese style bun and korean meat which was good.  The only thing that we didn't really care for was the tofu pocket.  It was really cold and kind of hard.  The staff was really friendly and asked if everything was alright.  The assistant Manager was very friendly.  I asked how this Bistro got started and their charity work and she explained it clearly and even provided a laminated summary of the organization that they support.  Good food, friendly staff, and money spent going to a good cause.  Everyone should try this place.
4 - Elsie N.: We really liked this place and will be back for the BBQ spicy chicken and very helpful, friendly staff!
4 - David C.: We ordered a plethora of dishes for our family of four:

-Ssam garden plate with BBQ beef short ribs:  Everything on the plate worked well in the lettuce wrap but the noodles were bland.  These noodles should probably be replaced with bibim naeng myun.

-Spicy pork bulgogi:  Yes, delicious!

-Beef bulgogi & arugula steamed bun:  It looked good, but it was gone before I could try it.  :(

-Spicy yuju bulgogi & cilantro - Good flavors, but I would've loved some more fat in this (though I suspect this opposes the philosophy here).

-Rice cakes + beef bulgogi:  Rice cakes were perfectly chewy and sauce was yum.  Recommended.

-California bibimbop with beef bulgogi:  Intended to be a lighter take on the traditional dish with less rice and more vegetation.  Good if that's what you want but sometimes I just want some nice hefty comfort food...

-Spicy tuna and pea shoot tofu pocket:  Pretty good.  Heavy on the rice.

-Marinated fresh crab meat tofu pocket:  Pretty good.  Heavy on the rice.

The manager, Ricardo, was very helpful when ordering and becomes visibly excited when discussing food.  The prices are reasonable for the area, but your tab will grow very fast if you lose control and order all the sides.  Oh well, it's all for a good cause, right?

Note:  Validated underground parking available.
3 - Concha X.: Lunch for two, $24 and some change. We ordered the California Bibimbap's with chicken and another with beef kalbi (korean short ribs). Both plates were $10 a piece with VERY little protein( 4 midget ribs). Also had a Izzy drink $2.50. Bibimbap's included carrots, red cabbage, jicama, cucumber, lettuce and your choice of white/brown rice or noodles. Staff was friendly and the interior was nice. Food was "A-OK" but a little overpriced for what you get. Still hungry, FAIL.
3 - jenbug l.: I'd give it 5 stars for cleanliness and decor but for everything else 3.  I think it's a little overrated....and overpriced for sure. $10 for the california bibimbap with spicy bbq chicken (there were like 5-6 small pieces of chix in my plate)  The BF and I gave this place a shot because it got 4 stars but I don't think we'll be returning anytime soon.  It's a little too modernized for me....I enjoy the real authentic stuff.  It actually made me miss Seoul Brothers :(
5 - Jolene M.: This is one of my favorite restaurants right now--too bad it's so far away. It reminds me of M Cafe de Chaya, but cheaper and even tastier. I got the $10 California Bibimbop, which consisted of a bunch of crunchy veggies and your choice of protein (I chose the seared ahi tuna) and grain (I chose brown rice). I am positively in love with this place and its modern decor.
4 - Peter C.: There is a drink in a short blue can in the beverage cooler.  It has Korean on 1 side, and in English, "Crunch Crunch Pear."  GET THIS DRINK!!!!!!  YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY!!!!!!  :)

Mrs. C was a tad jealous that I had Korean food without her, so came here for dinner.  Bypassed the bibimbap (see prior review) and went straight for the combination.  Mrs. C says "me too" so ordering was easy - 2 of the combination plates.  

Now I'm upping my review for a few reasons.  a)  The combination plate is much, much more satisfying to me.  You get meat served on a hot skillet, fajita style, so it stays warm.  Also comes with a pretty good-sized portion of salad (3 choices), a scoop of rice, and butter lettuce with a dab of red miso.  And I gotta say, the amount of red miso they give you is the perfect amount.  Mrs. C decides she wants to be a tough guy and orders the kimchee cucumber salad.  Takes 1 bite, "OMG hot!!" and we have to trade salads.  Grrrrrr.  So the *1 bite* that I had of the Cham salad?  Superb.  The next 20 bites of the kimchee cucumber salad left me wishing Mrs. C hadn't tried so hard to be a Korean wannabe showoff.  It's a good salad, but it does pack some heat so you have been warned.  b)  The runners, once again, crazy friendly.  After ordering, we sat down and the food took, at the most, 6 or 7 minutes.  But the manager came over, apologized for the wait, and told us that all food is cooked fresh so it would be just a little longer.  Mid-meal, someone stopped by again, just to make sure everything was ok.  Awesome.  Love it.  Wish more places would do this.

There's only one reason why I'm not rating 5 stars (and I'm sure I will catch some heat from other Yelpers for this) and that's the price.  It ended up at $30 for two people.  Now, the quality of the food is excellent.  It really is.  But I consider this place similar to Himeko, or Zankou in terms of order at a counter, pay, sit down and eat.  Mrs. C and I are happy at Zankou for way less than $20, and Himeko is even cheaper than that.  I could almost eat at Central Park for the same price as Cham.

Final notes - Mrs. C was somewhat disappointed that the customary side dishes were not available at Cham, but I understand why they don't do it.  All those side dishes require a lot of kitchen manpower and space, and you have to stock 5 million teeny tiny dishes in case someone says, "Hey can I have more of _____?"  So I'm not holding it against these guys.  Get a combination plate and be happy with it.  Lastly, did I mention the Crunch Crunch pear drink? Ok, just checking.
5 - Sandy S.: Great food with an unpretentious feel...mmmm....

I know some people complained about the complicated combination meals and as a result, the placed changed it up. It changes its menu frequently anyway, but I went a few months ago when the combo meals and it was good then, and it's still good now!

I highly recommend whatever they have for their daily special. You can't go wrong. I had their steamed mussels which came with fresh friend chips. The broth was tasty! I took spoonfuls of rice and dipped it in so I could drink it as a soup too. Their egg drop soup was great with a type of korean rice cake (topokki), I also had the spicy version of topokki (they had two!) and their bibimbap. I loved everything.

The service was also great. The manager was there explaining EVERYTHING, which some may find to be overkill but I enjoyed hearing his explanations of everything. The food had a fusion touch to it; authentic enough in taste to korean food but creative enough to integrate different flavors without straying too far and integrating interesting textures.

The only thing I didn't care for is the fast-food feeling of ordering at the counter. I guess it keeps the prices reasonable.
3 - Harrison W.: I did not like how the restaurant was set up. We had to order and pay first, and the food would be brought out later, like a fast food restaurant. I suppose that this is a bistro afterall, and I am not to expect a nice restaurant atmosphere.

At such high prices (about $10/dish), I felt there should have been more food, especially protein. Food was good through; I just thought it was overpriced and the atmosphere was too similar to that of a fast food place.
5 - Toni L.: The fact that this place has only been open for a couple months and has inspired a whopping 45 reviews (not to mention a zillion pictures) on Yelp says something. 

Food: It is absolutely amazing that this place transformed from the vomit-inducing Seoul Bros. into Cham, my new favorite spot for a delicious and nutritious lunch, dinner, and catering job. I'd say their food is Korean with a Californian twist. Everything is super fresh and healthy. Not sure why, but I had a craving for something bready and the pork steamed bun soundly satisfied that longing (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/v2oxMmRA3SEr9l4aQvmEMw?select=wDwhY9aVMyzZrDchPP5omg). The bun meat was extremely tender and the sauce delightfully flavorful with a hint of oily goodness. I'm not too familiar with Korean baked goods, but the steamed bun portion was pretty identical to those bread clamps you get with peking duck (think char siu bao exterior).  Their signature dish is the California Bibimbap which you can order in a variety of meats like spicy pork bulgogi (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/v2oxMmRA3SEr9l4aQvmEMw?select=4_s_9S4uUajLVrqS1ojH1Q) or beef galbi (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/v2oxMmRA3SEr9l4aQvmEMw?select=Y2CVVKZJcclrX0oAWzt2-Q). They also make bibimbap with spicy bbq chicken, beef bulgogi, spicy tuna, seared ahi tuna, and tofu. This savory dish of rice and numerous veggies is served with some sesame oil and that spicy red paste that I so love. I don't know where else you can get such huge portions for $10 at this quality. I was able to save my leftovers for the next day and got a pretty good meal from the remainder. Since there weren't many customers the day we dined, we were able to get complimentary mint lemonade (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/v2oxMmRA3SEr9l4aQvmEMw?select=NdquXfXOeBiOVPNiS2gRRg). I could barely taste the mint since the lemon was so strong, but it left a tingly cool feeling on my tongue. 

Atmosphere: The seating area is super spacious and looks modern. At first the rigid chairs look threatening to the butt, but there is also bench seating on the side if your cheeks need a rest. I love the soda can relief paintings on the wall. Not sure why, but there was no one in the restaurant the entire time we were there save some people picking up their phoned-in orders. Maybe all the customers are anti-social.
 
Service: Awesome. I'm a bit biased by the free mint lemonade, but you could tell these guys want more customers because they were extremely attentive to our needs. 

Synopsis: I am SO glad there is decent Korean food within walking distance of my residence and workplace. Thank god Seoul Bros. tanked. There are like, what, six Mexican places on Lake alone or something? It's about time!
4 - Kimi O.: Cham embodies what you would imagine Korean food to be in Pasadena. It stays in business because it is new, clean, and healthy. Cham promotes themselves as a healthy Korean bistro that uses organic veggies and no MSG. However, if Cham were located in ktown and had to compete with more authentic places, well, I'm not sure customers would understand why Cham existed. Cham is to Korean food as Blue Hen is to Vietnamese food. 

Putting authenticity aside, Cham gets 5 stars for creativity. Kalbi lettuce wraps, bibimbap with bulgogi, and spicy tuna tofu rolls. The menu has a variety of items, from kalbi jjhim (beef stew) to dukkbokki (which they spell Topokki). For you veg heads, they offer a tofu option instead of meat. Not a red meat eater? Cham offers seared ahi or spicy tuna options. They truly have an option for all. 

I ordered the bibimbap with pork bulgogi. It didn't seem like a lot, but I couldn't finish it all and I'm a big eater (TRUST). I also ordered a can of soda. My total was a little over $12, which is more than I normally spend on lunch during the work week. The pork had great flavor, but I missed that bbqd char on my meat. The bibimbap had a lot of veggies, but a bit too much lettuce (filler!). The amount of rice was 10% of the whole dish, so it was more like a spicy salad with rice. Their sesame oil and pepper paste were a bit vinegary. The bibimbap did not have the usual bean sprouts or baked tofu, so I am not sure what veggies were in the bowl. 

I liked the dish, but knowing that I got soon doo boo AND bibimbap in ktown for $12 a few days ago makes me hesitant to come back soon. I'm sure I'll be back...maybe after a long-standing Korean food withdrawal.

The very next week...

I find myself walking to Cham again. I ordered the toppoki, bulgogi bun, and sparkling water. My total was over $13. The toppoki ($6) has a crispy-ness to the rice cakes. The sauce is nice and spicy. They throw bell peppers and mushrooms in to their toppoki. The bulgogi bun ($3) was simply a white bun (like bao served with duck at Chinese restaurants), bulgogi, and arugula. I wouldn't order this again. I ordered sparkling water which was a mistake at $3.50 a bottle. Sheesh!
4 - albert o.: Cham represents the two things I love most about food in LA, legit ethnic foods and abundant, fresh ingredients. Cham takes authentic Korean flavors and dishes and prepares them with the presentation and attention to quality ingredients that is the cornerstone of California cuisine. Though terms like "modern korean" food sort of creep me out, that's probably the most appropriate term for the food here. 

After consulting with the extraordinarily helpful and friendly staff, I had the beef and leek soup, which tasted for all the world like a fresh version of (the korean super spicy shredded beef soup) yukejang that was a lot less spicy (but still very good), and the ssam garden platter with beef bulgogi. The ssam platter comes with your choice of meat, and a gorgeous plate (in both color and presentation) of bibb lettuce, shiso leaves, picked radish, buckwheat noodles, spicy red pepper paste, and cilantro--the idea being that you make lettuce wraps with the ingredients to your liking. The bulgogi came on a sizzling iron platter, and away I went, stuffing my gaping maw with helping after heaping helping of bbq goodness, for a very reasonable $11.
3 - Aryf H.: I enjoyed this place.

The decor is nice, the staff is very friendly.

The food was quite good, though I found some of the sauces a bit too sweet for my palate. Nice presentation.

We ordered the bul-gogi (marinated rib-eye) that came with various wraps and noodles, as most people probably ordered. And also the steamed short rib (aka 'kalbi jjim') stew on rice. Both were very tasty, although a tad sweet sometimes, as mentioned above.

In a way I thought it was a little pricey for what you get - then again, maybe most places charge a bit more than the average consumer thinks they should.

I guess it's a 'fusion/California-Asian' type place, but for any place that offers Korean dishes, it is lacking in 'panchan' (side dishes) that are so essential and expected when it comes to Korean meals.
3 - Trey H.: Not alot of food for what you are being asked to pay....Could be better!
5 - Pauline L.: Can I just say?  The people who work at Cham are the nicest people! =)  They normally don't take reservations, but when I called and said I had a party of eight, they made an exception!  They actually took my reservation and called to confirm.  The first time I ate here, we met Ricardo, and this time I met Jerry - two of the nicest people!  Not to mention, the food was pretty yummy as well!!  I feel like anything you order here will be good, but I also think it helps that they are super nice! =P  I really hope this place stays open because it wasn't very busy tonight...I don't understand why...people, go eat here!!!
4 - Vanessa H.: I'm usually suspicious of Asian restaurants that add "bistro" to their name -- it usually means smaller portions and more expensive --and Caucasian waiters! Cham hits that on all counts, but it has classy decor and elegantly prepared food -- the kind of hip, modern place you'd find in Seoul and not a k-town AYCE.

We had the "garden platter" of kalbi, which included an artful pile of pickled pink daikon with a mini daikon on top.  We also had two "tofu pockets" (tofu 'skin') stuffed with ahi tuna.
5 - Melani A.: I've been here enough times to say that the food is consistently good! I usually get the bibimbap with kalbi but have also tried the ssam platters and the beef stew, rice cakes and tofu pockets. All of it was delicious (though the veggie rice cakes and the beef stew were, as someone else said in another review, a bit sweet for my taste). Still, I tend to go back to the bibimbap because it feels more like I'm eating "healthy." Even though it comes with rice,- I normally never eat it and just stick to the meat mixed in with all those freshly chopped veggies. If I could eat here several times I week, I'd probably be better off because it is the only time I eat so many greens!

I still love eating Korean BBQ where you leave the restaurant with the smell of beef in your clothes -- but this is a nice take on Korean food. You can tell alot of thought goes into everything they do - from how they cut the veggies down to the take-out packaging.

Service also gets a 10. They're just really nice and helpful.
3 - jose P.: After kicking out Seoul Bros. and moving in I tried this joint, first impression, nothing special. I was given this Apple Kimchi salad = disaster  
apples were bitter as $hit and when I think of good kimchi I think of the aged, stuff w/ oysters. Bad pairing.
Not in my salad holmes!
I asked for brown rice for my Bulgogi. I got 1/4 Cup worth,wth.
Don't be offended yelpers or readers! 
Hope to give it another chance.
2 - Esther W.: Go to K-town or San Gabriel instead...the food was nothing special and overpriced. I got the Ssam garden bbq platter with ahi tuna for $11--it included 3 pieces of lettuce, 3 slices of radish, about 8 tiny slices of ahi tuna steak, and maybe a handful of soba noodles. The flavors were very simple--I felt like anyone could've cooked it at home with 1/5 the price. The staff was friendly but unprofessional--the girl charged my bf for the wrong item, when he pointed it out she said not to worry about it because the mistaken item was the same price, which it was not and she later corrected it. They also forgot about one of the orders and we had to go up and ask for it. The decor was pretty modern and clean.
5 - Rory M.: This is one of my all-time favorite restaurants -- 

The chefs, people who run the restaurant, as well as the staff are all *very* nice -- as soon as you come in, they really make you feel welcome and relaxed.

In addition, the food is extremely fresh, and healthy.  They really care about how folks enjoy the food, and actively seek feedback from their customers (positive or constructive) to keep everyone happily fed.

I believe they're open from 11am till 9pm at night, Mon thru Sat:
  http://www.chamkoreanbistro.com/cham2010/contact.htm

The SSAM garden platter w/ chicken is my all-time favorite.  runners up are:  steamed bun w/ spicy yuzu pork bulgogi + cilantro, candied sweet potatos (temporary special dish).

They also offer specials from time to time, and every one I've tasted has been delicious.

++nom
4 - Caroline C.: Came here a couple of nights ago and ordered the following for 5 adults and 1 kid:

-1 ssam platter w/ seared ahi tuna
-1 bibimbap w/ kalbi
-1 soy sauce rice cakes w/ beef bulgogi
-3 tofu pockets (2 crab, 1 seaweed)
-1 beef stew w/ glass noodles (not on their website's menu)
-1 mint lemonade sweetened w/ agave
-1 iced barley tea

Overall, the food was pretty good. The one that stood out to me was the rice cakes because I love rice cakes.  My family thought they were a bit salty, but if you eat some rice cakes after the bulgogi, it wasn't too bad.  Total came out to about $51, so the prices were pretty reasonable.  Very healthy food, but there wasn't too much meat. There were 6 pcs. each of the kalbi and seared ahi tuna, but at least they were flavorful.  Parking is in the structure to the right of the restaurant.  Free all day on Saturday and Sunday.  First 1-2 hours free on the weekdays.  Service was pretty awesome.  And you do get some cool towelettes that are supposed to expand in water. There are quite a bit of spicy dishes, but there are enough non-spicy dishes to satisfy those who can't handle the spice.

Seating's a bit limited, but they weren't too full on a Saturday night.  There are 2 tables for 8 people, and a few other tables for groups of 4.
3 - Jonathan C.: I give it a 3 minus.

There are somethings that are left better un-fusion-ized and Korean food is one of them.  

Ok ok yes the whole kogi taco led to this LA fresh korean fusion type of craze, but although I am not korean, I have been privy to the wonderful tastes that los angeles k-town has to offer through my gf and her parents.  Being an outsider to ktown, having people in the know taking me around to all the secret eateries throughout ktown have spoiled me rotten.  I am now a purist of traditional korean fare, not just bbqs and soon tofus, but just all authentic korean fare.  Again I rant...

Cham's take on cali-fresh korean fare doesn't really do justice on my love for korean food.  While it's not bad for what it is, it's more overpriced wannabe korean food catered to the yuppies of pasadena.  Yes i guess it is the price i pay for living in this area, but cmon we live in a city where there is genuinely outstandingly good korean food, don't let it go to waste.  Find your nearest korean friend and have them play tour guide and drive past and wave goodbye to Cham as you go to ktown.
5 - Kari H.: Let me first preface this review with this: I do not know anything about authentic Korean food.  My only other experience is with Kogi and I doubt Korean-Mexican fusion would be called authentic either.  I am reviewing Cham as a foodie who eats and works in the Pasadena Lake area.  That being said, here we go.

This place is fresh, fast and the staff is super friendly.  I walked in around 1:10ish and the place had a couple other diners.  I ordered the California Bibimbap with the Spicy Barbecue Chicken.      

I sat down on the bench and opened my book.  Probably within five minutes I received my food: a huge bowl of fresh julienned vegetables topped with some sweet but spicy barbecue chicken and brown rice accompanied by a small side of sweet potato salad.  They also brought extra sauce and sesame oil, both of which I added to my bibimbap.  

So to start off, Presentation was beautiful.  You can just tell you're doing something good for your body and unlike so many things that are healthful this was absolutely delicious.  The vegetables were fresh and delightfully crisp.  I chose brown rice which was nutty and hearty (you can choose brown or white rice or noodles).  

Being raised vegetarian I do not equate a plate of veggies with sad "where's the meat?" thoughts but in getting this there wasn't even a sad "where are the carbs?" thought.  The scoop of rice was more than enough.  The 'Sweet Potato" salad was a bit new for me, having never had potato salad made with actual sweet potatoes, but it was a nice exploration of flavors.  Mildly sweet with small pieces of apple it was a good counter to the heat of the salad.  

Talking portions, I could not eat it all and I packed it up to take back to work.  I ate the remainder probably within 30-40 minutes and it wasn't as good as it had been in the restaurant which is to be expected.  The vegetables weep a bit and lost some of their crunch but it was still pretty good.  If you are not a big eater, I would recommend possibly splitting a portion with a friend or asking for a to-go container so you can pack up some before you mix it up.  

All being said, I had a really enjoyable experience at Cham.  Yeah 10 bucks feels like a lot to pay for a plate of vegetables with some chicken but what you're paying for here is quality.  If you eat with your eyes you will enjoy just looking at the food. The ambiance is like the food, fresh clean and crisp.   I will happily escape there again.
4 - PAT C.: THE 3 SENTENCE LOWDOWN
=============================

Kalbi plate for $6...can't beat it. Friendliest service ever for a quick serve restaurant. Pretty authentic with a dash of experimental.
3 - Owen G.: Environment was nice, but the food didn't live up to the presentation. The hot pot was on the sweet side.
4 - Sam N.: Came here for lunch on a weekday with my significant other and had the bibimbap with kalbi and brown rice with a side of dumplings. The bibimbap was delicious, highly recommended, the crunchiness of the rice suited well with everything else. A nice spin. The dumplings were a slight disappointment. Decent prices, total with tip and tax for 2 with a drink was about $25.

Nice setting, a bit different (modern) than your typical Korean restaurant. You order first at the register, sit down at one of the benches and they bring the food over to you. Overall a good experience.

Don't worry about looking for parking. There is underground parking (entrance located next door on Cordova) It is free if you get it validated.
5 - Alex G.: i love cham.

if you like fusion, you need to come here. if you don't like fusion, there's still stuff that you'll love.

the service is absolutely unparalleled - i've been to cham roughly twice a month for the past six months, and rarely does the food take more than a few minutes to get to you (even when they're packed). there were one or two occasions on which things took a little bit long, and for both, the manager came directly to my table, apologized for the wait, and gave me a free additional dish for my not-trouble.

presentation is gorgeous.

food is delish.

[and no, i'm not one of those white boy yelpers who only eats kbbq and thinks everything is great - the food here's actually quite good]
4 - Obei M.: I love this place.  I love the simplicity of the menu and I especially love the marinated crab meat wrapped in tofu.   Bibimbap, and SSAM platter are my usual order.  You can't beat the price on this place too!  

Love! Love! Love! Cham!
4 - Cody C.: Awesome place to eat, though not open Sundays.
2 - John S.: I was really not impressed with this place. I thought the whole thing was a little to trendy for me. I'm more about the quality and taste of the food the presentation. I'd much rather have Seoul Brothers back there again.
4 - Christine H.: Healthy goodness! Just the right sized portion and price. Lettuce service instead of bread service? Nice! Never ever have I had sesame leaves and barley iced tea but they were tasty. I had the saam Kalbi (short rib) and also tried the other beef saam and both were great! I highly recommend this place for a quick and healthy meal.
5 - Suzy W.: The CA bibimbap with Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna and brown rice was superb! All the ingredients are very fresh and nicely presented - especially for an order-at-the-counter and pick a table place like this. They provide bottles of their tangy korean hot sauce and sesame oil so you can add however much you prefer. The Spicy BBQ Chicken was also really good....no icky fatty pieces. The only disappointment was the Spicy Bibim Noodles because the noodles were overcooked and too soft.

Service was excellent and parking was free.
3 - Clayton W.: Meh.

I'm a little biased, because I really liked this place back when it was called Seoul Brothers, which had a completely different (and better) focus than Cham.  I saw Seoul Brothers almost like a Korean Chipotle.  The menu was simple, the sides were delicious, and it was easy to build a combination.

The menu at Cham is far more complex than it needs to be, and it's written out in chalk to be whimsical and off-the-cuff.  In practice, that makes it hard to read and confusing to navigate.  The menu described something as seasoned beef; the cashier informed me that it was actually soup.  Some dishes have sides; others don't.

The food itself was okay, but I probably won't be returning.  I made a point of going to Seoul Brothers monthly even though it was out of my way, but now this just feels like another also-ran lunch cafe with a Korean theme.
3 - Adam F.: Didn't know what to expect from this restaurant - except that I had heard good things.  Didn't know what to get, so the guy at the counter suggested the Bipimbap with beef bulgogi.  I thought the meat was pretty fatty (meaning lack of meat) and a lot of the rice was burned onto the bottom of the serving pan.  All in all, it could have been better tasting and it seemed the ingredients were fresh and it was presented well...but we left hungry and dissatisfied.  Not what you want from dinner, no?

2.5 stars.
4 - Kevin C.: Clean higher end looking Korean place in the Dena that seemed to be a good healthy choice for the night. Not the best parking in the area that I know about. Our Bulgogi bibinbop, spicy pork and crab tofu soup were all very flavorful and light enough to feel like I wasn't eating like a pregnant man. When I went there were not many people in the place but it was a week day and just about 5 P.M. Solid change of flavor in Pasadena and I would have it again. Price wasn't too high either for this area of rent.
4 - Eric K.: So, due to our continually waiting for the delivery of a stove to our new place, we've been trying a bunch of places recommended here on Yelp and Cham Korean Bistro was one.

Walking in was a pleasure and the parking situation below the building was also no problem with plenty of available spaces.  The parking fee is kinda steep, but they validated at Cham so it was no problem.  Light, airy, contemporary modern are all good words to describe the decor.   It had both family-style benches, bench seating against one wall and then some tables along one side of a padded wall/bench.  The GF described it well as an Anthropologie w/out all the clothes and such.

There was a quick and easy menu up on the board that had great descriptions (though I cheated beforehand and went to their website which is also great).  We chose the fried veggie dumplings w/ a squash mash, the beef bulgogi and glass noodle dish (came in a sizzling pot with a side of salad and rice) and a steamed bun with spicy yuzu pork and cilantro.  The dumplings were surprisingly light (for being fried) with very fresh veggie fillings and came with an excellent dipping gyoza sauce.  The bowl was very well done with the beef being slightly sweet but balanced out well with LOTS of enoki and white mushrooms.  The steamed bun was delicious and there's a very good possibility I'll be more than ordering more than one the next time we're there as I had to wrestle it out of J's hand...

We were lucky enough to get there before this huge rush came in, but the food was brought to us VERY fast and with a smile.  It appeared that the food for the adjacent tables came out almost as quickly and despite the rush, with the same courteous manner.

All in, I think the bill was 30 bucks, not including the tip which I feel was a little on the pricey side, but not outrageous.  Plus the service was quick, the ingredients incredibly fresh and that more than compensates.

Definitely worth checking out!
4 - Ai K.: Best service ever!  The people who work here are so nice and accommodating.  The food is really good too.  I had the garden platter with tofu.  Basically its a plate with lettuce and a bunch of goodies you can make little wraps out of (okay, I didn't make that sound super appetizing).  You can create your own wraps by choosing your meat (Spicy chicken, beef bulgogi, beef kalbi,spicy pork bulgogi, seared ahi tuna, spicy tuna, and my choice tofu) and adding pickles, soybean paste, & spicy noodles.  Its fun and its tasty and quite healthy.  My boyfriend had the steamed bun with the meat and loved it.  They look pretty tasty.  I love traditional korean food but i have to say Cham Korean Bistro's modern fusion approach is not only acceptable, it is really awesome!
5 - Desiree A.: Absolutely a great find. A friend of mine got ten of us from West LA to drive all the way to Pasadena just to try this place. The Sweet Potato Dumplings were divine--literally we all were in awe of how great it tasted. Also good were the appetizers and the sweet potato noodles. 

Plus: barley tea! *perfect* service and low-key atmosphere.
4 - helen k.: ** This review is for take out only **

I was a bit hesitant to check this place out because I wasn't sure how I would feel about fusion korean food. But I was having a crazy craving for Korean food and this was the only place nearby my work, so decided to give it a shot. 

Pros:
-GREAT service. Just placing the order over the phone was a pleasant surprise because they were so nice and helpful (not used to this after dining in Ktown for years). After I picked up my order and was walking out, the manager remembered my name from when I placed the order and greeted me by name. Very impressed
-Nice decor and presentation. You definitely know you're not in K-town when you walk into the restaurant and you see nice interior decpr. I looked around and saw that the presentation of the food was very nice so I will have to go back and dine in. 
- Fair prices. I ordered the sizzling hot bibimbap (yes, i know it's not sizzling when I order togo but I wanted the egg on my bibimbap) and it cost $10. Expensive if you are in Ktown but for Pasadena, I think it's very reasonably priced. 
- My dish was also very tasty. They included a side of sesame oil for my bibimbap, which was a nice touch. The gojuchang (spicy red pepper paste) was a bit more diluted than what I'm used to (probably to make it not as spicy) but it tasted just fine. 

Cons:
- NO banchan/ side dishes!! Something felt like it was missing as I was eating my bibimbap. How could a Korean restaurant not give kimchi as a side dish? I know kimchi can get smelly.. but at least pickles.. something.. anything? I was told they would include a side of the potato salad instead but they must have forgotten and didn't include it. :( I want to try the meat dishes here but I'm hesitant because Korean food w/o kimchi is just WRONG. 

Bottom line: The food was tasty and I would definitely eat here again for lunch. I think it's a great introduction for Korean food to non-Korean folks because the food isn't as spicy and presented in a way that is appealing to people who aren't familiar with Korean cuisine. But I certainly wouldn't recommend anyone making the trip to Pasadena to check this place out over Ktown in LA.
5 - Cindy A.: The "Tofu Pockets" are seriously ADDICTING!  I was craving for them the next day.  There are 3 choices.
1.  "Real Blue Crab" which was simply delicious!!
2.  Tuna" (almost like tuna tartare).  Very tasty too.
3.  The Picked seaweed which was good but very normal. 

The "Kalbi Jhim Korean Stew" was very tasty ans sweet.  Tender beef with glass noodles.  

I tried the "Combination Ssam Garden Platter." Very pretty adn appetizing.  I was worried it wouldnt' fill me up but it did.  You have to wrap everything yourself on this one but it was fun.  Very good too.

I would have to say that everything I tried was very delicious.  Very clean and spacious.  Great korean food that allows you to come out of the restaurant without smelling like it.  Great service.  Definitely will be back!
5 - Paul L.: I am giving this place 5 stars because both the food and service was nearly impeccable.

Went there today and cashier and server were both very friendly without being annoying at all. 

I really like the decor, the chalkboard menu is clever and the artwork lining the walls ties in with the whole feel and theme of this Korean bistro.

Got the California Bibimbap with the bulgolgi and brown rice.  The rice got nice and crunchy on the bottom and the meat was still tender and not overcooked.  

My favorite of the day was the Spicy Vegetarian Topokki (Rice Cakes)! It was the perfect spicyness and nice crunchy textrue on outside of rice cake but still chewy on the inside.  It was actually the first time I ever had this dish and I'm definitely headed back for more.
5 - Mary Lou D.: Cham restaurant on Cordoba has delicious Korean food.  The resraurant is attractive and resonably priced.  Our family all like it.  :The waiters are very pleasant.
5 - David A.: My wife and I visit Cham at least once a week.  The food is updated and presented nicely, while maintaining the bold flavors we look for from Korean food.  The service is incredibly friendly and professional, and is really something that elevates this restaurant from other order at the counter fare.

Our favorites:
     -Tofu pockets: blue crab, spicy tuna, seaweed are all wonderful and fresh (very much like Japanese inari).

     -Steamed buns: These are like a taco made with steamed rice flour  usually found in Chinese char-siu bao.  I prefer the Yuzu spicy pork version.  Wonderful!
     
     -California Bibimbap:  A very fresh take on a classic dish.  A wonderful mound of fresh vegetables served with rice, your choice of meat/tofu, sesame oil, and what my wife calls AWESOME SAUCE more commonly known as kochujang.

     -Toppoki (Korean rice dumplings)  Both the crispy/spicy and the soy sauce versions are fantastic!  We usually get the spicy version because it comes with a chewy crispy outer texture.  The soy sauce flavor is also good and comes with bulgogi.

Honorable mention to the spicy bibim noodles and the Hot sizzling Bimbimbap.  Go Now and bring your friends!!!!!!
4 - David F.: This is a real jewel on the Lake Ave. row of 'straunts. Surrounded by mostly chains(albiet decent ones), Cham really has a unique quality about it. 

The seating and overall atmosphere is a chill non-formal bench/table combination. The menu is very vegetarian friendly and the portions are large. You will order too much. 

The guy running the place was super helpful and friendly. It's obvious he cares about the food here.

The food itself is really delicious and full of fresh ingredients. The salads tasted very light and the uozu dressing was amazing. You'll be tempted to drench everything in the sweet Korean chile sauce, but I reccomend against it. You'll miss out on the subtle fresh flavor of the dishes.

Make sure you order at least a couple tofu pockets. They are awesome and cheap.

Overall this place rocks, but I'm holding my last star for when they get a beer/wine license.
5 - Nina K.: Deeeelicious!  A GOOD Korean restaurant in Pasadena, what?!

Don't compare this place to what you find in K-town because it would be an unfair comparison.  I think another reviewer categorized this place as modern Korean, and that's exactly what it is.  The space is open and stylish.  The food is served on beautiful plates, and the flavors are traditional with a twist.  Everything is very fresh and I don't feel weighed down by grease at the end of my meal here.

This place offers great healthier alternatives in addition to traditional Korean BBQ meats.  They have brown rice.  The sesame brittle and soy-vinaigrette in the CHAM salad are amazing!  The bulgogi and glass noodles in a pot are a favorite....as are the crispy spicy topokki, the buns, the tofu pockets, and the sizzling hot bibimbap!
2 - jenny k.: The flavors are good but we weren't satisfied during/after our meal. 

I ordered the sizzling bibimbap, and the boyfriend ordered the bulgogi (marinated beef). My bibimbap was decent, it had a generous portion of vegetables and bulgogi on top of brown rice, and you get to drizzle however much gochujang (spicy red pepper sauce), and sesame oil as you prefer, and enjoy. Again, decent. The boyfriends order was literally just meat and rice, which, they charged extra for. He's not even Korean and he was itching for some kimchi! They don't serve any side dishes here, which makes for quite a lonely meal. Oh, they DID serve a tablespoon of potato salad as a side dish... I guess that counts?

Anyways, I definitely think that they can step it up and do well if they were a bit more generous with their food. Everything TASTES good, but I don't think I'd come back here unless I heard of improvements, simply because I know I wouldn't be satisfied with my meal. 

Decor: simple, clean, welcoming. The tables are all wood and aren't the most comfortable to sit on, but you won't do a lot of sitting because it doesn't take too long to eat the small portions they serve. The menu is quite nice to look at, because a) I love hand-written ANYTHINGS and b) the prices are, again, decent.
4 - Jasmine T.: This is a great place to eat. 

My friend and I were craving some rice cakes, so we came here to get our fix. We ordered a seared ahi tuna garden platter, japchae, bulgogi rice cakes, and some tofu pockets.

The garden platter comes with some veggies and the seared tuna tasted good when you wrap it all up with lettuce, perilla, and noodles. Really fresh tasting. The tofu pockets are SPECTACULAR. I wish they were a little cheaper so I can buy more than one, they are really tasty. The spicy tuna tofu pocket is delicious, and the blue crab is good too. The rice cakes are chewy and satisfying, but not the same as the spicy red kind. It's more a sweet teriyaki thing with the beef and all. I didn't try the beef. (I'm a pescetarian. ) The japchae is a good deal. You get a large portion of noodles and rice, and it comes with the Cham salad. 

I think it was 33 dollars for 3 people. A little expensive for lunch, but I thought everything was worth it, and we couldn't finish everything. I am definitely coming back.
4 - Helen C.: Searched for Korean food in Pasadena and Cham Korean Bistro review popped up.  We gave this fusion Korean spot a try and surprisingly I liked it.  (Can't really expect authentic Korean food in Pasadena!) 

We had "bi bim bahp", assorted veggies w/ rice, for $10 and "dduk ppo ki", marinated rice cake, for $6.   My dduk ppo ki was a bit spicy for me (I'm weak!) but still tasty so I would like to try to the beef flavored one next time.
4 - Eliz L.: The menu needs to be more specific in terms of its descriptions. My friend ordered the jap chae thinking that it's a vegan dish and out came beef slices on it. This type of mislabeling really irks me, especially when all the other veggies in the dish made it on the menu but there is no mention of beef anywhere for jap chae. Still a terrific eatery and remains as one of my favorites in Pasadena... just have to double check the ingredients when ordering.
4 - nat m.: Great Service. Great Food. Perfect portion. Fresh ingredients. Good Prices.  Try the tofu pockets!
5 - Nuri C.: Happy I've found this place! Healthy, clean, and delicious. The staff was friendly and helpful. This place seems to be the only Korean restaurant in Pasadena and I'm glad to find one. I tried the sizzling bi bim bap and it was awesome! Plenty of vegetabes and meat along with rice which you get to choose between white/brown. Definitely will come back to try other stuff on the menu. :)
4 - Jason P.: I have to say that I really enjoy this place. The food is fresh and tasty. I especially like their tokpokki and their wraps. It's a healthy alternative and its still very very tasty. The workers are very welcoming. One thing that EVERY SINGLE person must try is the sweet potato cheese cake. I don't care if you're allergic to sweet potato...you must try it. My date and I were going to get another slice, but the line was too long. 

A point taken away for no kim-chi. I don't care if you're modern...modern pizza still needs cheese. Kim-chi-less Korean food sounds crazy. But obviously, I still enjoy this place and will be coming back often.
4 - Susan P.: I-N-T-E-R-E-S-T-I-N-G. . . . . 

As with all Fusion places, Cham is a baffling mix of awesome hits, and appalling misses. 

Awesome Hit:
Cham salad- wow this was actually really good! Just a heads up, unless you really like salad, go ahead and get the small. I split the small with someone else, and it was still a good appetizer portion. (+one star, they gave us extra plates without asking when they realized we were sharing everything) 

Sizzling bibimbap- The cast iron pan does an amazing job of making the rice nice and crunchy, and the ingredients in the bibimbap make it a must to try. The hot sauces, while being spicy, aren't exactly flavorful, but is more than sufficient to add that necessary kick to the bibimbap

Communal table!

They don't try to kick you out even if you are stupidly sitting there not realizing they closed 30 minutes ago!

Misses- 
The steam buns were terrible. The buns were not fresh, they were dense and stale. The meat in them was not seasoned to stand out from the bun. If you want a steam bun taco, go to flying pig truck and get yourself one there. 

Tofu pockets- I was warned against these, but they looked so cute I had to try them. . . big mistake. Regular tofu with rice pockets are much better. I could hardly taste the crab, but the tiny dot of hot sauce that came on top of the crab nearly blew my head off (twhs) The spicy tuna was just bleh, and the added rice and tofu pocket detracted from an already meh spicy tuna. 

You have to go back and get your own water, but then again, that might have been because I was there so late and they were busy closing up for the night. . .

Good place to get bibimbap that's in a hot well. .  cast iron instead of stone pot. Everything else, I can pass on. . .
4 - Kari M.: Cham, you are tofu pocket love! Spicy tuna & blue crab were delicious. We enjoyed spicy sizzling kimchi fried rice au graten that made my mouth tingle. 

I will definitely be back!
5 - Hank D.: This place is the best. Healthy and delicioius food at reasonable prices. The service is great, always refilling your water, which is free I might add. The tuna pockets are so good you will drool, and now its serving beer everyone has an excuse to try this place. I'm hooked.
2 - april w.: Food is quite tasty. A bit expensive though for Korean food - but then again, the prices would have to be high to pay the rent in Pasadena, right?

Eat in or else you will get horribly cheated on portions! Ordered the seared ahi tuna bibimbap - it came with 4 paper thin slices of seared tuna. Order the tofu chambination and got 2 small 2"x3"x0.5" pieces of fried tofu.

Service is okay, but  won't be going back again..
4 - justin d.: Okay, I enjoy Korean food, but I am not a fanatic.  However, Cham Korean Bistro is across the street from my house and I decided to give it a try.  Oh my... it's bomb.  The quality of the meats and vegetables are impeccable and the arrangements of said are done with a zest for true foodies.  Sometimes, when I am driving home from work, I smile when I think about the California Bibimbap and steamed buns that are awaiting me at home... ;-)
And I only gave it four stars because they often run out of brown rice at the end of the day.  But, the buckwheat noodles are a good sub.
4 - Chomsiri K.: 4 stars & I'm a fan!

Pros:
-clean and spacious setting
-decent price
-variety options for drinks
-good take on modern korean food

Cons:
-Parking spaces

Experice:
My boyfriend took me here for one of our dates and it turns out that we both like it very much! This place is pretty much a modern fushion Korean food. It's not those typical grill-your-own-meat in K-town. We went around 3pm and we were the only customers there at the time. They greeted us nicely so I feel welcomed. The menu is hand written and located above the counter. I like the idea but my head hurts from looking up for a while. I don't really mind though. After we finished ordering, we just seat ourselves. A little bit later, a waiter gave us utensils and drinks. So far so gooooood. They were really polite and kept smiling at us. We were the only one there at the time and it was kind of quiet. Maybe they should turn on the music louder? But it was kind of awkward because it was too quiet. I do enjoy the deco though! The tables and chairs are wood. It's not the softest thing I've ever sat on but it's clean! The set up reminds me of a cafeteria. The portion of the food is a one person portion (good for those who are not looking for a big meal). The way they present their food is great! I'm hooked on the Tofu Pocket (blue crab) and I'll definitely go back! 

In a few words:
This is a good go to place to dine in whether it's for lunch or dinner if you are looking for a one person portion fushion korean food!
4 - Jasmine W.: friendly service, stylish decor, fun music, tasty food. we ordered the spicy cold bimbimbap and spicy taco. bimbimbap was refreshing with a hint of spice and i enjoyed the crispy rice within the mix of textures. the spicy taco is a fun idea - fresh well-marinated bbq in the inside, a soft, fluffy, slightly sweet rice flour bun as the taco shell. interesting variety of tapas, hubby liked the beer selection (50% off during happy hour), and i thought that the open kitchen set up and i thought that the korean ?owner was super cute and ensured that all of the customers were well-taken care of. :)
4 - jim h.: Oh yum. I can't believe this place was hiding right beneath my nose in downtown Pasadena. The location and decor seems to suggest that Cham caters to the few smug business folks who find themselves in Pasadena, but the prices are eminently affordable, and the food is far better than the more noticeable restaurants I've tried on Lake in this area.

We ordered a variety of things (largely because we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into)--two Tofu Pockets, two Steamed Buns (unique and delicious), Spicy California BBQ Chicken Bibimbap (highly recommended), and Sauteed Sweet Potato Noodles (a little too greasy)--all of that came to $30!!!

Can't wait to try it again. I could eat here every day.
4 - Food L.: I really like this place. Menu is great and food is yummy. Seasonal salads are delicious too. Love the service and the food. A definite must try.
2 - Leni A.: Korean Fusion just isn't a good idea in theory OR practice.

I pass by this place everyday I go home and I, too, think the name is like "sham."  But when a friend wanted to meet up with us last week for diner, she suggested going here. I wanted to have their Tofu Pockets but they had already ran out.  =(   I ended up going with the bibimbap as did my hubby.  Our friend had the bulgogi ssam.  The bibimbaps were okay and strangely didn't have eggs in them.  Not sure what our friend thought of her meal but I think she enjoyed it.

But if we're feeling like eating Korean, don't think we'll be dining here again.  We'll just drive the short distance to Arcadia and hit up our favorite (and authentic) Yong Dong Tofu.
4 - Heather T.: VERY SATISFIED after eating here!!

Service/food a little slow, but thats okay.

Tofu pockets - we had spicy tuna and blue crab and for the price, I should have ordered more! Very good

Toppoki with veggies - LOVED THIS, crispy on the outside and fluffy warm goodness on the inside, countered with a spicy sauce it was absolute heaven .. still thinking about it this morning, and I even loved the veggies in it too!

CHAM salad - OH hells.. LOVED this salad, i wanted to eat another one and buy the dressing!! 

FOR SURE coming back .. price is reasonable, so i hope the prices stay the same, bc if it went up, I can't really say I would give it 4 stars.

Wish I was eating there right now!  What i loved the most was that it was healthier than any other korean food i've ate.. It was clean and since im now dieting (sorry yelpers) I'm looking for more "lighter" places to eat.
4 - c m.: Yum!
3 - Andrew T.: They are now a sit down restaurant. I've been there twice since this change and am not a fan of it. It just takes to long from sit down to getting the check to grab a quick bite of Korean food. This used to be almost a weekly staple, but i'll probably come here substantially less or just get take out. Oh yea, prices from the menu and the menu on the chalkboard are out of whack, but it seems like prices are going up...

The food is still good though, but i tried the Bulgogi Toppoki and it wasn't all to great, a little cloying afterward. I think i'm only getting Sizzling Bibimbap from now on here, maybe a Chambination.
5 - G L.: Wow! My taste buds had a party! We ordered the lettuce wraps with spicy pork and with beef. The presentation is beautiful and the service was great. They give you enough lettuce pieces to make about 4-5 lettuce wraps with radishes, noodles, carrots, cilantro, and sesame leafs. The meat is brought out on a skillet, still sizzling with caramelized onions and the food stays warm as you assemble each taco! The Brown rice is yummy, not bland. My friend ordered the watermelon salad, it was delicious! The combination of arugula leafs with watermelon pieces, feta and figs and secret dressing is divine! Please open one up near Cal Poly, I would eat there all the time for lunch! I'm sure the students there would love it too! A bit pricey for lunch, but sooooo worth it!
4 - Deedee M.: This is not your typical Korean restaurant. You won't find the table grill and exhaust fans in the restaurant. You don't have to try hard to get the Korean ladies attention to get some service. You won't smell like Korean food after dining there (you know what I'm talking about). Cham has a clean and modern decor with friendly and attentive service.
This may not be a place for die-hard Korean food lovers but it sure is a great and convenient option for a tasty and enjoyable modern Korean food experience.

Steamed bun with Bulgogi and Agugula is a must have!
Tofu pocket with spicy tuna is another item we have everytime.
Watermelon salad with Arugula, Feta Cheese, Fig and mint vinaigrette is very refreshing. Cham does a great job in balancing flavors and texture.
We also like the sizzling Bibimbap. Instead of the traditional stone pot, they use a iron skillet. Very nice presentation.
Korean rice cake is another delicious dish with vegetable and beef.
BBQ + Garden Platter (Lettuce cups) is a fun and yummy dish to experience if you're in the mood.

Cham hosted about a dozen food critics last time we dined there. We got a chance to see many dishes served on their communal table. Very exciting! They're doing all the right things to build a good reputation and customer base.

We started incorporating Cham into our weekly rotation of dinner choices.
Thumbs up!
3 - Alice C.: this place is like a mall food court vendor, but with decent food and slightly higher prices.  i recomment it if you're looking for a casual meal or take out.

i got the soupy japchae dish with bulgogi, which was good but really salty.
2 - jennifer t.: It seems like a fast food joint but it's not. Ita more like a mall food court joint just in a store.
Me and my friend had ordered the mint lemonade and to be honest it was just ok, it was very refreshing but tasted like ordinary lemonade. We also shared 2 "Korean tapas " together, we ordered toppoki which was dukkbokki and that was really scrumptious it had red and yellow bell peppers, mushrooms and broccoli in it which is a Lil different from the usual but they pulled it and it was surprisingly a really good tapas. The other tapas dish we ordered was the calamari kimchee tacos which the server had told us was amazing and had to refrain himself from eating it too much so we ordered it! It was pretty nasty... The kimchee they used on it seemed a Lil too fermented and my friend said it tasted a little like bonito( bonito is fish flakes) 
For the main dishes I ordered the spicy tuna bibimbap which was pretty good. The rice that was inside was a Lil soggy bimut the veggies inside were crisp clean and refreshing. My friend had ordered the hot beef bibimbap with brown rice and hers was good as well It came out on a hot stone Dish so was sizzling when it got to our table. 
This place does not have thel side dishes as Korean reataraunts do so that actually caught my eye... Because I love Korean food because they have side dishes. But there are free refills and the servers are incredibly friendly and nice.
Oh yeah I forgot to mention the foods way overpriced for what it is
4 - Eric S.: Once again when I needed to find a place to meet my sister and her family for dinner I turned to Yelp. I was looking for something new to me in Pasadena. Cham seemed like an interesting choice. I arrived at 5PM on a Saturday and we had the entire place to ourselves. Korean Fusion is what I read on Yelp. I would say the same way Baja Fresh claims to be Mexican food Cham is similar in its relation to Korean food. Maybe Korean light is the way to describe it. Don't get me wrong, it was very tasty and the right meal for evening. There is plenty of parking in a structure and Cham validates. I could see this model becoming a franchise. I wish there was one in Burbank because I could go for some Bibimbap right now.
3 - Chris Y.: Cham is the first fusion Korean restaurant I've yet to find in LA. It's tucked away in a little corner of a business building. With that said, expect to pay for parking underneath the structure. It's 60 min free with validation, and $1.50 for each additional 15min. I missed the deadline by 30secs, and I had to pay because the timer does not pro-rate. -1 star for that. If you don't mind walking a block or two, park in the nearby Macy's, which is free the whole day. Now to talk about the food:

My favorite dish is the vegetable topokki! Unlike traditional topokki, they fry the cylinder-like rice cakes before they slather the dish with red sauce. It's a kind of crunchy and chewy deliciousness with a spicy kick. Unfortunately, they are less attentive to their foods now, and they tend to overfry the ricecakes and makes it too hard to chew properly. Also the portions are getting smaller and smaller. For that price, it isn't worth it anymore.

Last time, I went with a few friends. They ordered chicken and beef bugolgi, and some cold noodles. It was barely enough for them, because the meat platters were so darn small. Other Korean places try to pack as much meat on the plate, but Cham tries too hard to make their food look nice, that the portions are ridiculously small. For example, a Korean meat bun is $3.50, and its basically a white bun the size of a girl's fist, with a small piece of BBQ meat inside. That's ridiculous..

The first few times I visited Cham, the decor, the service, and the quality of food amazed me. It's a food court-like ordering system but the servers were very attentive to their customers. However, the quality of service and food has been going downhill since the shop has been gaining some popularity in the area. Hopefully, they can pick themselves up before they start losing customers.
4 - Andre P.: Love it! Came in, got the sizzling bi bin bop and couldn't have been happier. Super-friendly, casual, looking forward to going back.
5 - Ashley B.: To all of you people that think this place is "ok" or "not real Korean food" you have to understand that that is not what they are going for.
Its called Contemporary cuisine for a reason! Its not traditional. 
If you want traditional Korean food go to K TOWN.
5 - Roshan K.: Delicious Kaibe! And affordable too. I love their rolls, the spicy tuna was great. Nice change to add brown rice. They are huge and cheap too! I love how they put the onions in it. I've always ordered pick up, haven't eaten there. Family style seating.
3 - Lovey O.: Validated parking, EXCELLENT service, decent fusion food.

We had the bulgogi rice cake and kimchi gratin.  From the tapas menu we had: fries with soy sauce aioli, pork belly, and calamari and kimchi tacos.  To drink I had the lemonade, it came with a surprise mint twist. It was very refreshing, and dare I say it? It was better than Lemonade!

The manager came over to survey us during our meal.   He actually listened when he asked how we liked everything! BONUS POINTS!  The friend cited lack of texture for the rice cake and I said it was a bit too sweet.  He said they were still tinkering with their cooking, as they haven't been open for very long. He gave us a tapas sample of the rice cake but prepared slightly differently, just veggies. 

The best thing of the night was the kimchi and cheese wonton. The chipotle ketchup was perfect in complimenting the flavors of the wonton. 
I especially like the tapas menu, perfect for sharing with another person.  I definitely recommend and will return for happy hour (3:30pm-6:30pm) when I'm in the area.
5 - Orange M.: Great food and service.  The best part is it is so close to my house.  Now I don't have to drive 30 mins to get spicy korean rice cake.  I love their rice cake and tofu pockets.  Delicious!
4 - Tuan T.: We saw this place while driving through Pasadena one day, and told ourselves that we should come back and try it. Good thing we did. The getup doesn't come at it, its a real chill, laid back atmosphere. A large area, a good amount of tables and a huge menu.

Between two of us, we ordered tofu pockets, steamed buns and a garden platter to share. Let me tell you, if you come here, make sure you get the tofu pockets; they are ridiculously awesome. I prefer the spicy tuna one myself, but they're all fantastic. The steamed buns were also pretty good. If you're unfamiliar with a steamed bun, think of it as a variation of a taco. The Garden Platter was perfect to share, wasn't too heavy and the flavors weren't overpowering like some korean dishes can be.

To make it short; if you're into the whole Asian fusion food, this place is a must try.

Recommendation: Tofu Pockets and Steamed Buns
5 - Forrest D.: One would not necessarily expect to find a good Korean restaurant in staid old Pasadena. The last decent one, Airarang, was fairly short-lived. To be honest, Cham isn't exactly a traditional Korean restaurant, it's more along the lines of fusion a la Kogi, though there's no hint of Mexican influence here. Also to be honest, five stars is probably overly generous but I just find myself a fan.

What there is though it is a good dose of invention, which isn't surprising considering the designer of the menu is previously of AOC. On the traditional side, the beef Kalbi bbq and garden platter is exactly what you'd expect. The beef is nicely seasoned, fairly ample and good quality. Certainly there are better versions around, especially in KTown but this is way above average and the included salad is nicely refreshing. My wife had the Beef short rib stew and wasn't a fan. If that was all there was I'd still really like this place, but the staples are just the beginning.

It's the oddities that are the good stuff. There are some wonderful bites called Tofu pockets, a bargain at $1.50 ea. My favorite is the blue crab, which is packed with the stuff. Also very good is the spicy tuna version. There are a few other options to try also. There are good Chinese influenced steamed buns, and tasty rice cakes also. Best of all are the every changing tapas including very cool calamari tacos, crispy pork belly, and roasted eel gochulang among others. Certainly the best way to eat here is to wander off the beaten path. 

Another plus is that it's a very inviting and interesting space, modern and functional and a nice collage of both a sit down restaurant and fast food joint. The service here has been excellent each visit, and just in case it's not there's beer and wine to help the cause. 

Again, I'm probably being overly generous with stars here, but that crab pocket is skewing my judgement.

Best Plates: Blue Crab Tofu Pocket, Spicy Tuna Tofu Pocket, Beef Kalbi BBQ and garden platter, various tapas

Food - A-
Ambience - A-
Service - A-
Value - A
3 - Kevin L.: Our ongoing road of experience with Cham has had some peaks and valleys.

Overall, their food has been somewhat inconsistent in quality and flavor, especially on recent visits.

The Sizzling Hot Bibimbap with spicy chicken is still my favorite dish.  However, on different occasions it's been somewhat watery or the accompanying hot-bean paste sauce has been a bit off (in flavor and freshness).

The Sizzling Hot Bibimbap with seared tofu is extremely bland.  The tofu would benefit from a bit of seasoning.  The meat versions are fine as the meats are seasoned/marinated.  One should not have to rely on the kochujang sauce to give it all of the flavor.  As this is the main vegetarian option here, they should strive to make this dish a knockout.

Several new items are on the menu.  One, the Calamari bibimbap is bland and lacking in flavor.  My wife complained that it was "just wet and kind of gross".

On the other end of the flavor spectrum, the hot rice cakes were over-seasoned and literally drowning in sauce.

Whether they are bland or over-seasoned, the dishes need to be balanced a bit better.

You now have to wait to be seated at Cham.  However, the layout of the restaurant is a horrible waste of space.  The picnic tables really are not flexible, as a couple of people can take up the whole table.  On a couple occasions, we arrived with a sizable group and had to wait near the door for quite a while before we were seated.  Meanwhile, the couples who were taking up the few large tables, I'm certain felt rushed to eat and vacate their seats.

I hope Cham can continue to improve so that they can thrive in Pasadena.
3 - Dannie L.: pros:
good food
clean restaurant
good service

cons:
pricey
small portions

Good Korean food in Pasadena is hard to find so the fusion at Cham is a good compromise. It is no where close to being traditional, but it is yummy. I'm not a regular here, but I occasionally stopped by for lunch when I used to work by Lake Avenue in Pasadena.
4 - Ross W.: Cham is definitely more hip than your typical Korean restaurant in terms of ambience, comfort and food presentation.  You place your order and get a number, and the food is delivered to your table.  The menu has a good selection.  My Sizzling Hot Bimbimbap with beef bulgogi was served in a skillet.  There were carrots, bean sprouts, cucumber, spinach-type vegetable and an egg.  You can choose white or brown rice.  Hubby had a Combination which came with salad and rice.  The Fried Tofu Salad was delicious.  The black sesame vinaigrette was a nice touch.

What made an impression was they have a bunch of pre-filled plastic cups (of water) with a lid and an already inserted straw which is still partially covered.  You just grab one from the open fridge, very convenient.  We really enjoyed the food and are going back to try other dishes.
3 - Mel L.: Food is tasty, place is clean.
But pricey and the portions are a bit small.
4 - Winsey L.: From their tapas menu to their standard entrees Cham serves as a bridge between Korean and Californian cuisine. I liked their version of spicy rice cake it was pan fried well where the rice cakes had a crunchy exterior and a chewy center. Their bibimbap is served with a choice of  brown rice. The portions are just right. I will definitely visit again.
5 - Lisa K.: The entire menu looks fabulous. I will have to come back to try everything on the menu!!! This Korean bistro is a great eatery!!!
3 - Amelia J.: Your review helps others learn about great local businesses.

Please don't review this business if you received a freebie for writing this review, or if you're connected in any way to the owner or employees.
4 - Carly S.: I was craving something spicy the other day when I found Cham Korean Bistro on Yelp.  The name alone told me this wouldn't be a K-Town style Korean BBQ place, (which reminds me- I really need to go there this week), but it did sound like a promise of delicious, spicy meat.

Some of the menu items were clear to me, but I hadn't heard the term bibimbap before.  The California Bibimbap was meat and vegetables.  How could I not enjoy this?  I read a review that lauded the crab tofu pocket, which I ordered.  The young man behind the counter immediately suggested the spicy tuna instead.  While I was fired up about the crab, I added the spicy tuna.  (At that price?  Why not?)  The crab wasn't impressive in any way, but I loved the spicy tuna.  

The bibimbap was alright... it was basically a GIANT salad, with each ingredient separated (it looked quite pretty, actually), topped with beef bulgogi.  The beef was delicious and perfectly marinated.  I wished there was more.  (I also wish I'd gotten the 'sizzling hot' bibimbap.)

The small salads there are only $3, as are the hot buns.  (I'm eager to try the spicy pork bun.)  

I'll definitely be returning to explore the menu a little more, and I'm glad that I have a new place to go for lunch.
3 - Abe S.: 3 stars for now only because I haven't tried the place enough to form a stronger opinion (I like to save 4-5 stars for truly excellent places)

The short story:  my dish was tasty, service was decent, it's a little noisy.  I'll try it again.

Ate there for first time this evening, with a group.  We had table service and no wait to be seated (at 6pm!).  Attention from servers was reasonable.  Food might have been a little slow to come, but I didn't really notice because we were busy talking.  We did get in and out in
about 1-1.25 hours, including talking and taking our sweet time ordering.

From my experience, it's certainly not authentic Korean (but what does a dude like me know about Korean food), but what I had was tasty.  And I don't get the people who mark down a place just because it's not authentic, unless maybe it's *claiming* to be authentic.  Is the food good
or isn't it?

I had the Beef Bulgogi and Glass Noodles in a Hot Pot.  Soup was listed as "soy broth" but to me it tasted like nice rich beef broth, which was just what the tummy was looking for. I wouldn't  really call it a hot pot (I wasn't really expecting it to be either), it was bulgogi and noodle soup in a bowl.

I would have liked to have the Watermelon salad (watermelon ranks right up there with bacon on the list of Foods you Can't Go Wrong With), but after ordering it I was informed it was no longer available.  Instead they have a persimmon salad, which sounded interesting in principle, but just didn't float my boat tonight.

It was a bit noisy, I had to have our soft spoken server come close to take my order.

More after I go back.
5 - LeLinda B.: If you are looking for traditional Korean fare, then I say go to K-town.  Cham Korean Bistro in Pasadena is more of an Asian fusion restaurant which serves the FRESHEST and FINEST ingredients.  This is a cute, clean place on the corner of Lake and Cordoba in Pasadena.  Seating is more like family style so if you are looking for privacy, Cham isn't the place for you.  Staff is very friendly, HELPFUL, and they really know their menu.  Our male server (sorry I did not catch his name) made some very  awesome suggestions to us that were really out of this world.  

Here is what hubby and I ordered this past Saturday (12/4) night:

1)  Crispy pork belly w/fingerling potatoes ($5.00)  -- this is listed under the Korean Tapas.  These pork belly(s) were perfectly cooked as were the accompanying fingerling potatoes.  Great contrast of flavors and textures with this dish.  

There are about 13 - 15 tapas on the menu (they are listed on the menu's back page) and they range in price from $2.00 to $5.00.  These tapas are a real bargain and they even have other tapas on their blackboard.

2)  One each of the Spicy Tuna Tofu Pocket ($1.50) and the Blue Crab Tofu Pocket ($1.50).  These were the best bargains and next time we'll order more than 2.  Our server recommended the Spicy Tuna Tofu Pocket and he couldn't have been more correct with this recommendation.

3)  Also we ordered the Spicy Yuzu Pork Bulgogi with Cilantro Steamed Bun ($3.00).  This was by far my most favorite dish.  The fresh cilantro combined with the spciy pork bulgogi  made for gastronomic delight.  This will be ordered again and was another suggestion of our server.    

4)  Hubby had the CHAMBINATION with the Beef Kalbi ($11.00).  The CHAMBINATION consists of mini ssam, white or brown rice, and choice of small Cham salad, watermelon salad, or tofu crouton salad.  You can taste the freshness of the produce with every bite.  This dish can be shared by 2.  

5)  We also enjoyed the Beef Bulgogi and Glass Noodles in a Hot Pot ($12.00).  If there were a weak link  --- this may have been it.  Not that this dish was bad (on the contrary  -- this dish had great flavor), but I would have preferred more broth in the dish for a soupier consistency.  Glass noodles generally tend to absorb and soak up any liquid, so it is important to add more liquid just before serving.  

6)  This was the clincher as to why Cham deserves 5 stars:  THE PURPLE SWEET POTATO PIE, with a little whipped cream ($3.00).  Again our wonderful server suggested this great dessert.  It's just the right size, right sweetness, not too heavy, and great flaky crust.  Hubby and I shared this pie and both of us agreed that it was the perfect ending to a very awesome meal.

So to sum it up:

A)  Clean, no frills restaurant (family-style seating)
B   Super-nice staff who knows and understands their menu
C)  Fresh ingredients and delicious food
D)  Great prices 
E)  Don't have to drive into K-Town
F)  Validated 90 minute parking

Cham is a welcome addition to the Pasadena dining establishment on Lake.  Hubby works 1/2 a mile away and says this place is super busy and rockin' during lunch time.  We'll just wait for dinner time to avoid the lunch crowds.
3 - Alan K.: I still think it is only three stars because of the poor service. The guy at the register (who looked like the manager) got our order wrong. However, we didn't want to make a big deal of it. Instead of giving us the Kalbi, he gave us Beef Bulgogi. Also, when they brought out our dishes, they didn't bother to give us utensils. It still reminded me of my experience a few months ago. This time, the food was just okay. It was quite unfortunate because I brought my friend here for the first time and they manage to botch his order.
5 - charlie f.: My goodness how I love Cham. 

1. Sub $12 entrees
2. $1.50 crab tofu pockets
3. it's located a block from my house
4. their minimal use of oil in their cooking. 

The food always tastes fresh unlike most asian restaurants, the portions are generous and most of all, I don't get charged corkage!

What more do you want!?
4 - A. S.: Yum.  Tofu, beef bulgolgi, rice cakes were  delicious, presentation was appealing.  Cool decor, child-friendly.  Great service.  Will definitely be back.
1 - Suki L.: It is my first time visit the restaurant. the atmosphere is great, but the food is worst than average. :(
3 - Enrique G.: This little spot has some very unique dishes. It doesn't really come close to par with K-town restaurants but you have to settle for what it is in Pasadena. They have a wide variety of items that will make your mouth water. Once you get your dish you learn that the portions are quite small. 

The ambiance of this place seems rather cold with its odd wooden chairs. I like leaning back on my chair after a warm meal, unfortunately instead I sat ackwardly on these seats. If you can't make the trip to K-town, this place would be a good spot. Decent food, average pricing, and attentive service, not bad just okay.
5 - jonathan y.: In a recent snack-expedition, I came across Cham.  They offer good, creative, and fresh food at really reasonable prices.  Cham isn't trying to be your typical  K-town Korean restaurant, but offering their own take and interpretation.  

I had the calamari mini tacos, ahi tuna with chimichuri  sauce, and the blue crab tofu pocket.  

They were all really enjoyable.  The mini tacos were messy and flavorful, and the sauce along with the sauteed kimchi provided a nice spicy kick.  The blue crab tofu pocket was good too.  The sweetness of the rice went well with the slightly sweet and salty blue crab.

What really stood out was the ahi tuna.  It was a really thoughtful tapas dish.  6 small pieces of lightly seared ahi, crusted with sesame seed, with chimichuri sauce neatly spread out on top.  The texture of the sesame seed went really well with the ahi.  And who would ever think of putting chimichuri sauce on top of seared ahi? Delicious!  

Parking is also pretty convenient.  From what I remember, there's an underground lot that offers 90 minutes of free parking with validation before 5pm from M-F, and 2 hours after 5 pm.

I'll be back to try more!
4 - Greg M.: I'm not sure why I'm not giving them 5 stars actually.  Good spot all around.
4 - Bonnie Z.: the food here is really good! i love the bibimbaps :) the portions are huge too! i can never finish my food and always bring it back with me :)

the atmosphere is neat, simple, clean..i love eating in here..food is served fast..they also have an interesting selection of korean drinks.
4 - Susan L.: Just passed by this little place one night with the bf and so we decided to try it out. 

LOVE THIS PLACE!!~ I am korean and I think the flavors here are right on the moneyyy.... very close to authentic korean flavors but a little bit more americanized but still very delicious! 

love the whole contemporary korean cuisine.... got the bbq shorts ribs and garden platter and man the short ribs were perfectly flavored because other korean places would either make the marinate too sweet or too bland but here it was absolutely bomb dot com!

We then decided to get a la carte of spicy pork bulgogi and this too was delicious! the spicy perfect and my bf isn't a fan of pork but he gobbled it all up! we also had a side brown rice and its was a pretty big portion i thought it would be a bowl of rice but it was like a almost 2 bowls of rice. The was brown rice is only $1 and it was very hearty and i love brown rice.

we also got their purple sweet potato pie and OMGOSHHHH!~ so divine!!! it was soooo good... love the natural sweetness of the sweet potato and it is sooo rich and creamy... this is definitely my new fav dessert! it is a must tryyyy!

I definitely recommend this place... friendly staff, great ambiance, reasonable prices, delicious flavors and it is healthy! (no msg, no corn syrup and no something else... i think it was sugars or something) 

i am definitely coming back! great place to eat k-bbq.. great to come for a small bite or if your really hungryyy its enough of portion for one person and does not take a chunk out of our wallet!
4 - R E.: I love the buns here. Service is always good too.
4 - Amanda H.: Cham was just what the Lake Shopping/Business District needed! The service is quick, friendly, and of course great food! 

Fresh, no msg, good size dishes - It's worth trying out!
3 - Angel K.: My sister loves taking me out to eat, and this is one of the places that she took me.

I absolutely loved their crispy rice cake. It was very tasty. It'd have been perfect if it was more spicy, but that's just my preference.

I heard that they are popular with the tofu pocket but I wasn't impressed with it.

I also ordered some bulgolgi and it was extremely salty. I can't even recall how many cups of water I drank after that...

The service was okay. There were two waitresses who seemed very busy even though there were only 2-3 tables. I guess they had a lot of tasks. 

Anyway, I would only come back for the rice cakes.
4 - Smitcha B.: What's up with Cham's website? I get the fact that they are trying to promote to everyone across the board (expanding the horizons beyond the aZn community) but all I see are the American Apparel/Abercrombie & Fitch caucasian knock off models on their site. Haven't you learned, you gotta diversify the people in your ads like what they do in the US military commercials. 

When we first walked in for dinner, we weren't sure what to do: do we sit down and they will approach us or do we order at the counter and await our food then sit or do we order at the counter, sit,  then they will bring it to our table? Anyway, the workers must've finally figured out that we were n00bs so they kindly asked us to have a seat wherever we preferred. We were then treated like it was a normal sit down restaurant. This may work differently during other times like lunch though. Just follow the crowd.

We didn't know what to expect so we ordered a bunch of random items and shared. Of course we got some of the Tofu Pockets ($1.5/ea) because everyone seems to rave about them. Nice little starters, compressed with tasty flavors. If you can't handle the heat, don't go with the spicy tuna tofu pocket. It wasn't bad to me but I can see it being a bowel issue for people who are sensitive to spice.

The short ribs from the Korean Stew ($12) just melts away when you chew it. From what I can recall, I believe it also comes with a side order of salad. Delish! The other dish we ordered was the Beef Bulgogi Rice Cakes ($8) which I don't remember much about except that it was decent but I probably won't order again next time only because I want to sample other things. Honestly, I've had better Korean rice cake dishes in a more traditional Korean restaurant.

Overall, the meal & experience was satisfying and warrants another visit. It's not your typical Korean restaurant; a little more contemporary and fusion mix. You won't really find these flavors in K-Town or Garden Grove for sure. Dinner here came out to be about $40ish.
4 - Grace S.: How could their tofu pockets be $1.50?? That's so stinking cheap. I really enjoyed their spicy tuna tofu pocket. Their blue crab tofu pocket, not so much since mine had pieces of crab shell in them. 

Their steamed buns were pretty good, but not worth $3 when you compare it to the $1.50 tofu pockets. 

My favorite was their Cham salad...and I absolutely HATE vegetables. What the heck?? How in the world could a salad be so good? It's all in the dressing. The jicama is also an awesome touch - a refreshingly crispy addition. I could have done without the sesame brittle in the salad - it was too sweet and didn't balance the salad as well.
5 - Justin L.: My friend had been raving about this place for months and every time I was free(Sundays), it was closed... =[  But finally I was able to make it on a Saturday evening and luckily I beat the dinner rush just in time.  The place gave off a very clean and friendly vibe the minute I walked in and the waitresses were so friendly right off the bat.  I like the idea of the long tables in the center that kind of make you eat with strangers, but not in a creepy way. I think it's to make a more inviting and newer way of eating so that everyone has a good time.  

I came to this place with my mom who was also interested for a long time and we ordered a little bit of everything just to see if this place could live up to the hype of all the reviews.

BLUE CRAB TOFU POCKET + SPICY TUNA TOFU POCKET
at $1.50 each, how can you lose? Packed with brown rice and topped generously with whatever topping you order, there was huge flavor in each bit.

SEARED AHI TUNA + GARDEN PLATTER (SSAM)
Served with fresh butter lettuce wrappers, generous serving of buckwheat noodles, and various korean condiments, each bite after assembling the "taco" was  very flavorful yet very clean.

SPICY CHICKEN BBQ + ARUGULA STEAMED BUN
Perhaps my least favorite of the meal but it was still very tasty.  I only find it decent because it's really not hard to make and did not give me that fulfilling feeling after finishing it.

BEEF BULGOGI + GLASS NOODLES IN HOT POT
This entree redeemed whatever tame feelings I had from the steamed bun.  The shallow broth that just covered the noodles and bulgogi was rich in flavor and rounded out the meal perfectly.  The hot pot also came with a small order of their cham salad and a side of brown rice, a very hearty meal.

All of that came out to only $34 with enough leftovers for even one, maybe even two meals.  The service was spot on, refills at a moments notice and very honest suggestions about what food to order if you can't decide.  I'm really glad the staff takes the time to really understand their food before serving it to the public. Some people may say its a bit pricey, but for the quality and freshness of each component to each dish without any MSG, it's totally worth it.   Plus, as full as I was, I didn't feel weighed down or food coma-ish since the flavors were so clean.  I'll definitely be coming back.
4 - robin w.: Nearly the closest restaurant to my house as the crow flies, and I am so happy it is! Have tried lots of things on the menu and everything so far has been good. Tofu pockets are a good deal at $1.50 each, could eat 3 of those for lunch and be satisfied. 

Try the Ube (purple sweet potato) pie for dessert.

Too bad it's no longer byob, though.
4 - Elizabeth Y.: This was a nice find through Yelp!  I lived in Pasadena for two years and never even heard of this restaurant until recently.

It was surprisingly very good!  The food is unique - we ordered the BBQ + Garden platter, the spicy tuna + blue crab tofu pockets, and the Beef Bulgogi and Glass Noodles in a Hot Pot.

Everything was delicious and I will definitely be back soon to try their Bibimbap!
3 - Teresa P.: Sis wanted to come here. So we piled into 2 cars and headed over - me, Mr. P, Sis and Mom in one car. GMIT, Bro, and Bro's girlfriend, Sparrow, in the other.

Sis made us park across the street from the restaurant, in this treacherous underground parking garage. Plus side - parking is free on weekends. Not so wonderful - trying to avoid getting run over by other cars while trying to escape said garage.

The place was very clean, with picnic-type tables and benches, and a wraparound bar with stools along the edges.

We got 3 blue crab tofu pockets, Korean stew, California Bibimbap, and 2 steamed buns with bulgogi.

Mom ordered her food first, and received her food last. Weird.

I enjoyed my tofu pocket, but it was a really cold item, so GMIT refused to eat hers. She polished off her steamed buns quickly, though, then ordered 2 more of the spicy chicken and pork ones.

Mr. P wasn't thrilled with his Bibimbap, since it was more of a salad. He kept eyeing Bro's Sizzling Hot Bibimbap. 

I found my Korean stew to be too sweet. I'd ordered it with brown rice, which was quite tasty and had a good texture. The purple potatoes tasted just like potatoes, but were deep purple inside and out. I ate as much of the stew as I could, but I tired of its sweetness. It came with a salad with the same wild salad greens that I eat for lunch almost every day, but with some crunchy sweet nuggety bits - sesame brittle.

I think my favorite part of the meal was when Sparrow and I kept bumping phones, unsuccessfully trying to exchange information.

Not sure if I'd come back here of my own volition, especially since Sis made us traipse scarily back down into the underground parking garage.

Oh, and they don't serve onion rings until after 4 pm.
5 - Jeanette M.: Love love love the tofu pocket!!! :)

especially the blue crab, spicy tuna and seaweed ones... Yum...

the buns are good too, pork and beef!

And the mint lemonade is like a non-alchole mojito! XD pretty refreshing!
4 - Jenny H.: Cham is like a Korean place that has been customized to fit the American palate. They offer traditional dishes and fusion items, and the food is a lot less oily than the typical Korean stuff you're probably familiar with. 

I came here with my boyfriend and we ordered tofu pockets, steamed buns, and a garden platter. The tofu pockets were surprisingly good, I really liked the spicy tuna one. I thought it was interesting how they stuff the tofu because I've never had it like that before. The steamed buns were good also. The buns were soft and kind of sweet, and the meat was really flavorful. The garden platter was the perfect amount of food to share between two people. Everything on the plate was really fresh and delicious. 

The restaurant is really clean and casual, and the staff is really friendly/helpful. Definitely a place to try if you're in the area!
5 - Lishya H.: The most healthy, cleanest, and best service of all Korean restaurants that I've been to. 

Their beef is very lean and tasty, plus they don't use any MSG. After we had lunch there, don't feel like we had garlic breath at all like at the typical korean places. Price is decent and very cozy ambiance.
4 - Sabrina L.: I saw an article in the Westways magazine and decided to try it out to see if it might be a good place to cater for a dinner party we hosted at our house. I dragged my good friend Joy and we sampled various things: the tofu pockets (yum....) and the "toppoki" (I realized I always thought it was spelled dup poh key and had no clue it was the chewy rice things until we got there) and different types of grilled meat.

I did not care for the soju raspberry something or rather cocktail and should have gone with a Korean beer instead.

They kindly let us sample the pork bulgogi, bulgogi, kalbi and chicken so we would know what to order for our party. My faves: the crazy spicy chicken (brush off some of that super spicy sauce and you'll be fine) and the bulgogi. The pork bulgogi was too strong in yuzu for my taste and the kalbi was a tad chewy. But all in all, a fabulous meal.

I accidentally gave the restaurant the wrong date and didn't realize it until the day before. Groan! So we didn't actually end up catering with them. But I did enjoy the food and would highly recommend the spicy toppoki and the tofu pockets. I will definitely come back again!
4 - Paul L.: Very good food. Korean with a twist. Nicely served at a great price. Easy lunch location for downtown Pasadena. Not traditional Korean, more contemporary takes on Korean food.

Very tasty.
5 - Josh S.: This has become our favorite restaurant south of the 210. Healthy, tasty, creative Korean dishes. The bi-bim-bab is great, and the toppoki are always part of our dinner. A little pricey, especially the beers, but it's all well worth it.  I also like the long table which forces you to step ever so slightly out of your comfort zone when the place is full. Highly recommend!!
5 - Joline P.: I don't have a ton of experience with Korean food, having only eaten it a handful of times, but this place is the best.  Their food is full of flavor, reasonably priced and high quality.  I LOVE the spicy tuna tofu pocket for $1.50.  Three or four of these guys are perfect for lunch.  I am definitely going back for the happy hour drinks and Koren tapas.  I am so glad my co-worker took me here!
3 - Andrew C.: Went there earlier for lunch. Didn't like how the bibimbap came. No kimchi, seaweed, or any side dishes like other korean resaurants. No menus, had to order at the counter. Felt like a fast food joint.. prices were pretty expensive for less. Not that happy with their service either. Nobody really pays attention to the front (open kitchen) while they are in the kitchen area. Paid $11 for a small skillet of rice and sides.. would not recommend to friends. only thing good was the Mint Lemonade =/
5 - Theresa H.: Every dish tastes very authentic with modern presentation.  My favorite Asian restaurant in Pasadena!
2 - Blake K.: OK so I feel I need to explain my two rating here but it is not because of the food. 

The food was delicious it is a great take on  healthyKorean food withouth the bbq atmoshphere. It is more of a modern twist with that cali feel. 

I tend to be one for the most authenitic expereince possible but for what was supposed to be a quick work lunch bit the food was quite tasty. 

The presenation was great my dish came on a sizzling skillet placed on a mat. I had the bibimbap, with beef. I loved how the brown rice crunched up at the bottom from the heat of the cast iron. The egg was a little over cooked for my liking but went really well with the beef. The seasoning on the beef was great, however had I not had hot suace I would have crave a little salt on the veggies. 

What I really enjoyed was how fresh and healthy evrything looked and tasted. I did not leave feeling guilty over what I had eaten for lunch. 

The biggest downfall and why they get a 2 star in my book is the lack of service. They seem to be a relatively new joint and have not figured out the balacne between serving the patrons in the restaruant versus the people who have ordered to go. 

We were a party of 6 and waited over 20 minutes for our meal. 3 of us were served first and the the other 2 a good 5-10 minutes later. I found that enought reason for the rating. When I am hungry I want to eat. 

If they get their act together I think they have a great meal, decent price, and welcoming flavors. 

I would return as the food was good and hope that the second time around they will service the group a bit quicker.
5 - Soha H.: This time we wanted to avoid the long wait so we ordered for take out.  We got the same amazing food in nicely arranged boxes. In addition to the wonderful steamed buns and tofu pockets which I reviewed before, we tried the spicy chicken with garden platter, it was delicious but really spicy. We will definitely order again, it's now officially one of our favorite restaurants in Pasadena.
5 - Ciavash L.: The Sizzling Hot Bibimbap is delicious.
3 - Christy B.: I'm gonna give this place one more try before I either slam them or rave about them.   Everything started out great.  We were seated quickly and got one of our first items within about 5 minutes.  The blue crab tofu pocket was excellent.  Next we got the pork belly and fingerling potatoes which was a delicious as well.  (If you like crispy pork belly.)   

I forget what the next item was, because they got extremely slammed and appearred to only have one waiter.  We tried to flag him down for at least 5 minutes just to order more food.  I mean, I felt sorry for him.  I think they just didn't expect the rush on such a nasty rainy night.  

Regardless, we after another 5 minutes, we still hadn't gotten our last item  and we decided just to get the check and head out.  

So in summary, the food was extremely tasty and very well priced plus they validate parking in the lot off Cordova.  But since the portions are "tapas" sized and you may get forgotten by your waiter... you may want to order A LOT at the beginning and request your check early.  Especially if you have somewhere to be.
5 - Kara P.: food: really great take on korean fusion.  love their spicy cold bibim noodles, ssam platters with the spicy pork or bulgogi, and all of their tofu pockets.  their short rib stew and  toppoki are yummy.

service: friendly

final thoughts: great spot in pasadena.  consistently delicious and always hits the spot
5 - Megan M.: A few things:

1) I love CHAM. I work at Caltech and fancy the place at least once a week. So far I have tried the California Bibimbap, (Spicy BBQ Chicken and Seared Ahi Tuna) the Sizzling Bibimbap, Garden Platter, Steamed Buns and Tofu Pockets. All of which have been delightful, but my go-to is definitely the Spicy BBQ Chicken California Bibimbap. It is served in a large bowl with amazing brown rice and a delightful assortment of asian vegetables. It's like a salad with a kick! (The kick being korean spices) Everything is always hot. The place is clean and the staff is very helpful. I would also say that it fairs on the healthy side as well. No MSG. No high-fructose corn syrup.

2) As I read the reviewers below talk about poor "service" I think, "What planet are you from". This IS NOT a restaurant; this is a modern self-service eclectic cafe. You order at the counter and they bring your food to you. If you have any special requests, GET UP and ask yourself.
2 - Cindy L.: Meh. 2.5 stars rounded down because how can a Korean place run out of beef kalbi before 6pm?? :( 

The decor is really minimalist & nice, sort of this hybrid cafe where you are not sure whether you go up to order or sit down & someone served you (someone did serve us). The service was really great & attentive. 

I guess the "meh-ness" stems mostly from the food. The order:
- Topokki Tapas: We got the Bulgogi rice cakes, portion size was good. The rice cake reminded me of Chinese rice noodles. My friend commented that the bulgogi tasted like beef jerky. Quite salty. 
- Crispy Pork tapas: Crunchy, nice presentation. The fingerling potatoes that came with was really good. Again, nothing to sing home about. 
- Spicy Tuna Tofu Pocket: Upside down inari with spicy tuna. Average. 
- Chambination with Bulgogi: The bulgogi was good, good portion. Best part of the meal might be the small argula + melon salad with the delicious dressing. Also came with lettuce to make a wrap (with the meat) & your choice of white/brown rice.

The main reason why we tried this place were for the tapas and they were the most mediocre portion of the meal (and the most pricey). No Korean fusion for me next time. 

Easy free parking with validation in the underground lot on Cordova.
3 - candie s.: I wouldn't really classify this as a Korean restaurant.  More like an American-style bistro that serves Korean fare (they have this weird fried rice au gratin that I'm totally not a fan of).  The "service" is very attentive and welcoming for an order at the counter, grab a number and sit down kinda place.  This is one of the main reasons we go back.

The food is quite tasty, and you know the ingredients are fresh.  The price can set you back a little for being that quick-casual kinda of spot, and the meat portions are on the smaller side.  My to die for dish here is their "Crispy Spicy Rice Cakes" .. yumm!

Pasadena needs more eclectic food joints ... this can satisfy your taste buds for the time being, but if you want real Korean food make the trek out to the Wilshire area.

Oh, just so you know, they're closed Sundays ... why do I always want spicy food on Sundays anyhow?
3 - Mo m.: stopped by here for dinner with GF for the evening before meeting up with another friend for some tea.  right off the bat, the food is pretty well presented and colorful.  Ordered a spicy (and it is spicy) Spicy Chicken BBQ + Arugula (disappointed that the order only came with one), some Ahi Tuna, Chimichuri Sauce.  Service was friendly and available.  The only thing was that they forgot my lemonade, but they did comp that and still brought it with the bill.   Parking can be found underground and the view you have out the window is of the LA Fitness across the street.  Not sure if that is a plus or minus.  It would depend on the time of day I would think.  Eat here for a clean, crisp meal.   A bit pricey, but it's Pasadena.  I would have have a group larger than 4 at this place.
5 - Carlene C.: Wonderfully fast healthy Korean food!

Love pretty much the entire menu. I think the fact that this place is clean, fast, friendly and modern drawns in a very eclectic crowd of people. Its our go to place when we are cravin' Korean food but don't feel like going to an AYCE BBQ place.
5 - Michelle D.: Service, happy staff, incredible selection of freshly made delish dishes...Cham more than satisfied my comfort food need. Try the tofu pouches with blue crab or pickled seaweed. The bibimbap was served sizzling hot as it should be with an assortment of veggies and the required egg in the center. Nice mixture of brown rices made it a healthy meal indeed! Don't miss this little powerhouse of a cafe. Cham will not disappoint! Happy hour discounts too. Yum!
4 - Joey C.: Ah, Cham. It's partially the reason why I wanted to start writing reviews. I'm not going to lie, it was difficult to give this place only four stars. 

First and foremost, I really liked the ambiance of the restaurant. Our server was incredibly pleasant and genuine. Working in customer service, I really appreciate when someone goes out of their way to make me feel comfortable.

The food was tasty for me. We ordered the friend rice cakes off their appetizers menu. The sauce was definitely on-point. Flavorful and perfect for my vegetarian girlfriend.

My entree, the beef rice bowl, was very good. Though I wasn't particularly fond of how hard the crust was on the bottom. I really liked the presentation of my dish (they served it on a skillet with a fried egg in the middle). My girlfriend is a bit picky with her vegetarian food though. She was hoping for more veg-friendly options.

Aside from that, I really enjoyed my time at Cham. Even when I asked for a box for leftovers, they gave us these little towelettes that expand in water. It was definitely a nice touch. I would definitely recommend everyone to give this place a try if they are ever in the area.
5 - Nelson D.: This place had delicious Korean BBQ for so cheap. Great staff and service, and...

LAMBIC FLOAT- a must have!!!!
4 - Karen S.: Tasty food, quick service and validated parking.

Will definitely come back for more.
4 - Reba J.: this is NOT the usual greasy korean restaurants food. the variety here is kinda limited unlike others, but i love how healthy it is, it doesnt feel very oily and heavy. you can have brown rice instead of white rice and i dont get any food coma afterwards. it is a little bit slow sometimes but if you are looking to eat some healthy korean food, here is a good place to try!
3 - Christine T.: TOFO POCKETS! (spicy tuna, and crab)... had the beef short rib stew which was pretty good, the meat is soooo tender and soft and tasteful. They don't give enough rice though. Also had the spicy chicken bibimbap, not bad either. I'll go back just for the tofu pockets! :D
5 - Wormie M.: Great fusion Korean/American food. They serve Korean food with a western twist, i.e. California Bimbimbap salad (really refreshing, I usually swap the brown rice to spicy noodles, really good!), Bulgogi Steam Buns and selection of Korean tapas (similar to food truck menu). I tried their Bulgogi & Glass Noodles Hot Pot and Korean Rice Cake dishes, they were pretty good but the sauce was too salty and sweet for me. My husband tried the Korean Stew one time and it was quite good. Their non-caffeine barley tea is really refreshing too.
1 - Margaux L.: Don't expect real Korean food here. That is my warning.
4 - Golden Pomegranate I.: This is my new favorite lunchtime hang out... its definitely a once-a-week MUST.  Although I will confess my first time there wasn't the greatest experience... the waiters don't assign tables so it can get a little chaotic when there is a crowd BUT the food absolutely made up for it. One bite of the steamed bun with spicy pork bulgogi and cilantro and my taste buds melted, literally--they don't hold back on the spice! Luv it... :)

The California  Bibimbap has become my regular dish. The food is healthy and they have a nice little selection of tasty imported beers to compliment the spicy dishes.You gotta give this place a try.

ohhh and as an added bonus, they validate parking.
4 - Cody S.: What a fantastic Chambination!!!!!  (I literally canNOT stop laughing about that)

Cham Korean Bistro is a cute little place with a great staff.  Our waitress Bethany was a real sweetheart.  I had the beef kalbi (ribs) which comes standard with a slightly mind-blowing Korean BBQ flavor. We also enjoyed some scrumptious (ok I will take it easy with the food buzz words.  Even I am getting annoyed while writing this review) steamed buns packed with beef bulgogi & arugula.  The fat kid in me also partook in blue crab and the spicy tuna tofu pockets. As expected, they were phenomenal.  The tofu has a great sweet flavor with delicious seafood insides.

The clincher: If you are bored then you can always get a laugh by looking across the street at the people working out.  Why is that funny?  Play the song "Whip It" by Devo in your head and try NOT to laugh.  That is my challenge to YOU.
4 - Wen Yung W.: An interesting, Americanized Korean food place.  The samkyupsal pork belly comes covered in hot sauce and buttermilk.  Calamari tacos... not really Korean or American, but there's a lot in each tortilla.  Can't really fold it, but it tastes good.  I had the bibimbap with the fish roe, and I don't think the fish roe adds that much to the taste.  But it's still edible.  

This is kind of a casual place to sit down, get a Hite beer, and eat with friends.  

I hope they add jajang myun to the menu, I might come more often.
4 - Whitney R.: Fresh, healthy, and different-I'm so pleased to have found this eatery off of Lake! I frequent the Trader Joe's on that street, and it is also on my way to school, so I'm often looking for places to eat there. Naturally there's always The Counter, which I reserve as a treat of sorts, but other than that you are stuck choosing between rather expensive restaurants or uninteresting chains (Panda Express, Rubio's, and the like). 

Cham Korean Bistro is a tempered and slightly white-washed version of true Korean fare, which makes it a bit easier on my discerning and sensitive tummy. I brought my brother here for a casual dinner one night and didn't know exactly what to expect.

Walking into the place, we were greeted by friendly staff and lovely, inviting aromas wafting out of the kitchen. After being seated and perusing the menu, our waitress approached us and asked if we had ever been to Cham. We confirmed that we had not, and she graciously went over the basics of their menu offerings in detail. Based on her descriptions, I ended up ordering the California Bibim bop with spicy tuna while my brother opted for the "Chambination" with fish and a pilsner off their beer menu.

My plate was delicious! The dish consisted of raw veggies such as zucchini, radish, and carrot cut into thin strips with lettuce, grainy brown rice and a ball of spicy ahi tuna. The dish was drizzled with a spicy sauce and some kind of sesame dressing, plus more brought to the table to be added to taste. The veggies were fresh and crunchy, and the meal was entirely satisyfing without producing a gut-busting sensation. I devoured it with glee. My brother's dish had a do-it-yourself element, with the meat on one plate and the accoutrement of lettuce, sauce, rice and other toppings on another. He seemed to enjoy it with his pilsner.

All in all, the food was great, the price was decent, and the service was outstanding. I am glad to have this place nearby and plan to return often to try, among other items, their tofu pockets and their intriguing sounding dessert menu!
4 - Karen M.: Likes: Spicy tuna tofu pockets (definitely need to get), california bibimbap spicy pork (kinda too spicy for my palate), hot sizzling bibimbap beef (I thought this was better than the cali one), the cold water they have out for you, the overall layout of the place

Dislikes: the person I came with thought the water tasted a bit plastic-y.
5 - Blake C.: A solid menu of healthy and fresh choices. 

The bibimbap is delicious! I get this dish at most Korean restaurants, but at Cham you have the option of brown rice, and it's the healthy type that looks more purple and nutty. The steam buns are also pretty good too.
2 - Jeanie L.: Ok, so the menu online looked delicious and I always wanted to try it. We finally did today and I'm sorry to say I am so disappointed. I ordered the bibimbap and the vegetables are supposed to be pickled with lots of good flavor and these vegetables were absolutely flavorless. They do give you hot sauce, but that just makes it spicy, not yummy. My husband ordered the chicken and it was so spicy. It was basically chicken dumped in hot sauce, which I could have made. I'm sure the food is "healthy" for you, but "healthy" doesn't mean it has to have no flavor. Plus it is pricey for Asian food that isn't even good. The 2 stars is for restaurant presentation. Very clean, nice, and modern looking. Sorry to say but I will never eat here again. :(
3 - Jun Y.: I think I ordered the wrong things. My hot pot with beef and glass noodles was like a misinterpreted sukiyaki. I guess I didn't read the description of the dish carefully - I was expecting something more "Korean." We also ordered an appetizer of pork belly fingerling potatoes and that was pretty bland. My husband's sizzling bibimbap looked pretty good tho. I'd like to try the topokki the next time.
5 - Annie J.: I have been meaning to write this review for sooo long.  CHAM is one of my favorite spots in Pasadena and is pretty much the only place you can go on Lake Ave. for a quick, healthy, delicious meal.  

The restaurant itself is very cool and modern, and features a mixture of communal tables and tables for two or four.  You place your order at the cash register and then they'll bring it to you.  It's also a good place if you want to do take-out...they have really great packaging (but ask for extra gochujang if you like your food spicy).  

The California bibimbap with bulgogi is pretty much my standard order.  Lots of fresh veggies and not too much rice.  Unlike traditional bibimbap, there is no egg.  BUT, they've recently started serving a sizzling bibimbap as well, which is also excellent.   

Staff is always super friendly.  Go here!
3 - Eddie G.: Can't go wrong with this healthy choice.  I have never had the pleasure of eating in since the space is so small, takeout is a must here.  The owner though is so hospitable and the food so good you overlook those inconveniences.  Gave it three stars for lack of seating and the prices are a bit much, but the food quality is good.
4 - Vanessa M.: I've only tried the Sizzling Hot Bibimbap (excellent!) and the Beef Bulgogi and Glass Noodles in a Hot Pot (tasty, decent).

It's so good, I've developed a craving that must be periodically satisfied. I'm now down to one visit per week instead of twice a week. Progress!

Am interested in their happy hour and Korean "tapas," too.
4 - Janie n.: I've been here way too many times not to yelp about it. So here I go....

Every time I dine here I swear that I will one day order from their catering menu. And I will.... some day. Soon. Really. The particular item I'm raving about is the Tofu Pockets. I wanted to take a picture of  it, but silly me, I ate it before I could whip out the camera. Seriously, it's that good.

My usual order is 2 Spicy Tuna Tofu Pockets and 2 Blue Crab Tofu Pockets (at $1.50 each or should I say, 1.5) and a small Tofu Crouton Salad. All that for about $10.

The Sizzling Hot Bibimbap is good, too. I like to use the tried and true red gochujang in the plastic bottle and not the fancy sauce in the glass jar. Add a bit of sesame oil for taste (the other bottle), and you got a great meal. I also prefer the brown rice over white rice, and not just for the health benefits, but for the nice chewy texture. I love that they use kale and not the traditional spinach, too.

The wait-staff are friendly and incredibly helpful. They validate for parking, so no worries about finding a place to park when you need a Korean food fix and don't want to go all the way to Koreatown.
3 - Yvette Y.: Came here for dinner on a thursday night and it wasn't too crowded or busy. 

Ambiance is nice. decor was simple and the place was brightly lit. Good for a casual dinner date.

Service was just ok. All the waiters and waitresses were really nice when they actually saw you but alota the time they weren't looking and it was hard to get their attention. I had wanted two lil plates so my friend and I could share and ended up just getting up and getting it myself.

Food was a unique idea, definitely frresh ans healthy!... but nothing out of this world. The spicy tuna tofu pocket was ok. the flavor wasn't quite right for my palette I guess. The blue crab tofu pocket was really good and you could taste the sweet crab flavors. But there were hard bits of shell throughout! Also hopefully just an anomaly for my nighr, so you should still try it!

The topokki spicy rice cake dish was very good and savory. Soft chewy chunks kind if like an asian gnocci. There wasn't much else in it except white mushrooms.

The bbq tofu+ garden platter. Tofu was simple and came out on a sizzling platter on a bed of onions. Nothing special but I like my tofu simple like that. The garden platter consisted of small mounds if butter lettuce pickled radish, spicy buckwheat cold noodles, carrots and cilantro. You take a lil bit of everything and load it on the lettuce like a lil lettuce taco. Pretty tasty.

Parking in a structure attached to the building. They validate!!

overall not terrible but not especially good or unique enough for the price and mediocre service. Still, a good place to try! Not a place i'd come to all the time tho.
4 - Sally Q.: I like the minimalist decor, fast service, good food, and validated parking.  We came here for lunch on a Saturday around noon and did not wait for seating.  In terms of the portion size, I would say it's average.  I almost finished my chambination and my friend practically finished her BBQ and garden platter combo.  We also had the spicy tuna and blue crab tofu pocket, both were delicious.  Another plus is that I didn't smell like Korean BBQ afterwards!
5 - Danny H.: I really like this place. The food tastes really fresh and high quality. 

I really like the spicy tuna tofu pockets. I thought the crab tofu pockets were adequate and definitely nowhere near the spicy tuna.

I really want to come back here.
5 - Jamie F.: We've ordered several times from Cham. Every time we try something different, we are so excited and pleasantly surprised that everything is equally as delicious. If you want to know what to order, just pick up the menu and pick something. Everything is amazing. We are kinda picky eaters so to be this happy with everything on the menu is very rare for us. Not your typical Korean but so well worth the experience.

There is one girl who answered for order taking though and she was very.... questionably "slow." She had some difficulty adding one item to a pick-up order. Not the sharpest knife in this Korean kitchen.
2 - KC K.: Heard a lot of good things about CHAM, but it definitely did not live up to the hype.  I like these little cafeteria-type bistros that have been popping up, but that's about all that I liked about this place.

Tried a bunch of things.. none of it tasted like Korean food.. just because there's a little kim-chi (didn't taste like it either) and some brown, asian-looking sauce on it, doesn't make it korean food.  The tag-line is "contemporary korean food," but that's hardly true.  They also advertise that it's supposed to be healthy.. maybe it is, basically because you don't want to eat more than a bite!

Crispy Spicy Tuna Ball    $4 - 2 tiny, marble sized rice balls with a little tuna on it

Mini tacos - I'd recommend hitting up the Kogi truck instead.

Sizzling Hot Bibimbop - sounds delicious, looks delicious, but tastes so bland.  80% rice and sprouts, with some meat that didn't taste anything like real korean food.  Actually, the $4 beef bowl they make at my work tastes 10x better.

Beef Bulgogi and Glass Noodles in a Hot Pot    $12 - The noodles were really rubbery, it was hard to even eat them.  Could barely bite through the noodles, and there was way too much pepper in it, to mask the attempt they made to flavor it.

Dessert - decent.
4 - Rich L.: Cham's strong points come from simplifying core dishes. You can taste exactly what you see on the menu and that is becoming increasingly hard at most restaurants because of their unneeded complexity.
The portion sizes are decent, but the sizzling rice (bibimbap) come in sharable portions. I wish the rice sticks (dukbokki) came in bigger portions and had options to add in meat.
The dishes I always recommend are:
Sizzling Bibimbap - add sesame oil and red pepper paste for a good kick
The tofu pockets are stuffed with choice spicy tuna (in my opinion is the best one).
The steamed buns are a definite must have! The three variations of beef, chicken and pork are all good, but the spicy pork steals the show. The cilantro with the spicy pork compliment each other so well and aren't over powering due to the steamed bun. If they added a wedge of lime to the steamed buns it would add a huge zest of flavor and vary each bite.
Sadly, they don't make the buns at the bistro and are kept for up to three days, but will sell out before three days...hopefully (big minus in this area).
The tappas (served after 3p) are pretty good and rather inexpensive. I ordered the calamari and kimchi taco. I was a good try, but too bland - they should add in a lemon wedge to enhance the flavor or add in more kimchi (don't worry, the kimchi here is really mild).
I would try to avoid getting the kalbi or the short ribs. They taste like your ordinary short ribs, but the price is pretty steep for only 6 pieces. What really drives up the price is adding the saam (the lettuce, radish, etc. wraps). They don't give you much, the flavors are a bit lacking and this is where simple gets a little too simple. Please change the cabbage you use it's a little dry or you could have a side dipping dish of sesame oil, salt and pepper to give the dish a little moistness.
Overall I make it a point to go to Cham when I'm passing by. The people and service are good and most importantly, the food is good too. I wish that parking was easier to come by.
5 - michelle r.: LOVE LOVE LOVE cham!
Used to live around the corner from it and I am SO SAD that I don't anymore. 
I LOVE the sizzling bimibap ... and the Pickled Seaweed and Spicy tuna tofu pockets must be made with MAGIC b/c they are friggin fabulous!!!!!! Acutally I love everything here. Now I'm craving it.. GREAT.
PS the people that work here are always really nice too, not all snobby like a lot of the little cute restaurants in Pas.
4 - Samuel H.: So this place is like a Korean-American fusion type of restaurant. I loved their beef ribs which comes with a salad and rice. What really sticks out is the use of purple potatoes which complements the beef stew. My friends all got the bibimbap, which was done pretty well. Our waitress was super friendly and she always came to our table to see how we were doing. One of the great places to eat in Pasadena.
3 - Kim C.: 3.5

A fast fix for korean bibimbap. Their tofu pockets are delicious. Not very Korean though, I must say. My boyfriend's hot pot noodles were meh at best. I personally really liked my bulgolgi bibimbap and I usually don't care of BBB at all, so that was surprising.
5 - Lynne D.: YUM.  Beef bilgogi is amazing.  Food here is very fresh and the service is great.
5 - Tammy Hannie B.: I LOVE CHAM. i'm korean, and i think this place represents the healthy, clean taste that is usually found in pure korean food. The interior is very modern and clean, and the handwritten menu is endearing. 

Taste is the major factor in food, but the quality and the cleanliness found in it plays a impacting role. Cham has got all three factors down. The food is fresh, organic, and the aftertaste is clean and sharp. 

I love their mini buns. They are a bit overpriced (selling at $3 per bun,) but it is SO worth the buy, and two buns should fill you up decently. I've tried the chicken and the bulgogi buns, and while both were good, i opt for the bulgogi bun every time. 

Also, their menu has constant additions depending on which season it is. In the summer, my favorite is their watermelon arugula salad. In the winter, it's their dessert.

Their tapas are generous, and creative. The tapas menu is the more "contemporary fusion" that cham offers. I've had so many of their tapas dishes, I don't know which ones to write down. Its a delicious adventure picking the tapas you want there.

THEIR DESSERTS ARE AMAZING. They have this purple potato pie in the fall/winter, and it always leaves you wanting more. Its not too sweet nor is it too creamy, and has a clean fresh aftertaste. The crust has a sharp taste, balancing the sweetness in the filling.
4 - Tra Mi N.: Came here on Friday night and had good experience with this place. I ordered Bibimbap, which tasted good although I would like to be a lil bit more salty. My friends ordered Kalbi & Bulgogi BBQ, and seems like they like them. Price is ok, however the dish is pretty small for a guy (I think). The restaurant gives me a cozy & relax feeling and I like that.
4 - Ruth K.: Going here was a great tip from the Westways magazine, and the AAA 10% discount covered the parking cost.  Overall, a total delight and we can't wait to go back.  It's a hip little joint that serves much better food than you'd think when walking in.

I had the Beef Kalbi (short rib BBQ) Garden Platter and really loved it, basically a lettuce wrap plate (first experience with sesame leaves and they're delicious), while the spouse had the Beef Short Rib Stew.  He said he preferred mine, but I thought his was great, and particularly liked the brown rice in the stew liquid (those black blobs in the bowl are fingerling potato, LOL).  We then decided we liked the food a lot and would really check out the place's cuisine by ordering some appetizers.  Yes, I know, wrong order to eat appetizers (tapas) after the entree, but who cares when the food's good :)  Anyway, so then we tried the calamari mini tacos (not bad), Crispy Pork Belly (totally brilliant) and Sweet Potato Fries w/ Honey Mustard Sauce (great).  What was weird about the fries was that they were sort of soft, but with a totally delicious, almost carmelized outer.  Mr. Picky loved the things.  He guessed the bill would come in around $50 and that's what it was to the penny prior to discount.

Now to discuss a spectacularly yummy moment !!! ... we don't normally "do" desserts, but we were curious about what was written on the blackboard, the house specialty "Peach Cobler Beer Float" ... OMW !!!  We ordered one to share and received a large glass of fizzy Peach Beer (yum, somewhat like sparkling apple cider but with a peach flavor), scoops of vanilla ice-cream and cinnamon sprinkled on top.  The waitress then brought the bill and we said, "No, go away, bring us another one of those Peach Cobbler thing-ys before you total up our bill."  It's worth a visit just for that.
5 - David K.: Really like the freshness of the food.  It's fastfood but fresh ingredients and freshly made.  Pretty authentic.  Will be going back.
3 - Michaela O.: I'd give it 3. 5 stars actually! The food is fresh, and the bibimap is great! This is actually one of the places I think of when a guy friend tells me he's looking for  "super casual" place to take a girl on a date. 

There is a parking garage, which is nice because the parking lot is itty bitty.
4 - Melinda N.: Totally wonderful food!!  Very clean restaurant..  The bibimbap (w/tofu) was delicious!  Presentation of the food, very eye appealing...  Will be going back...
5 - Michelle Y.: so my last review was when i was purely vegetarian...now i'm a full blown carnivore and lover of finely prepared meats.

the spicy chicken here rivals my dads...that's saying a lot since my dad's grilled chicken is the jam. the flavor at cham is unbelievable. it's spicy delicious, but not too much heat where you don't enjoy the flavor. i love when its a little too grilled...mmm burnt pieces of meat.

i also dig those steamed buns. get one of each if you don't want the plated dishes...or just get them to share. the beef bulgogi is good but the spicy chicken one or pork are the better of the 3.

also, the kalbi jjim or just bbq kalbi is heavenly. they leave the bone on and i love the cartilage around the bone....who knew i'd love the greasiness of just pure fat. 

everything is fresh so you don't feel heavy at all!

oh and they threw in some marble cheesecake. it's good but definitely kind of decadent.
4 - Okie dokie A.: Sizzling beef bibimbap was AMAZING! it will hit the spot on a cold rainy day. The egg makes the meal perfect! Get there before 12pm  because the place gets packed during lunch.  Oh also everyone must try at least one type of tofu pocket....my personal fave is the spicy tuna pocket.
4 - Fadl S.: Went there yesterday. Good food, nice atmosphere and helpful waiters. Need I say more? I ordered the Sizzling Hot Bibimbap with beef bulgogi and it was really good. Everything was fresh, the meat was clean and well cooked and I just generally really liked the place. I would definitely recommend it.
5 - Ryan N.: This place WOWd me. Interior looks very urban and it gives u that feeling that u want to come back. 

They're food are awesome. sizzling bibimbab is a must try, the salads are fresh and perfectly dressed, tofu pockets are yumyum, the steam buns are flavorful - In general the food is great. 

I visited cham 3 days in a row. They are closed on sunday which is not too bad, coz it makes u crave for a day.

I haven't tried the dessert yet.

the best part is that the service is great!
2 - Philippe M.: Good food but the service is horrible and we had to wait forever for our orders. After waiting for a while, a friend decided the bus the table. We got no apology or even a smile from the staff.
4 - Rachel C.: FOOD: 

Sizzling Bi Bim Bap - tried both bulgogi beef and spicy chicken. Both meat options were very good in flavor, but the spicy chicken was very spicy.  Make sure you add that yummy red sauce which contains more spice flavor than spicy heat.  I chose brown rice, which also had a wild rice variety.  The rice stuck to the bottom of the iron cast bowl/skillet, so it was fun to scrape off the crispy bits, which added a good texture.  

All veggies in the dish were temperature hot, which I'm not used to.  I thought that authentic Bi Bim Bap included cold pan chan type ingredients in order to balance the temperature heat and cold.  Also, the yolk was not runny and was cooked through.  $10 (no extra charge for brown rice)

Tofu wraps - tried both the Spicy Tuna one and the Blue Crab one.  Very good and will have to try all of the options next time! $1.50 each Tofu Wrap

Steamed Bun - tried with Spicy Chicken which comes with Arugula.  I wish there was more crunch such as more Arugula or added Cilantro or Cucumber.  I think I'll ask for that next time. $3.00 each

I know its simple, but I also liked how the water came in the Cham logo-ed cups. Free! :P

The chalkboard menu stated that the restaurant does not use any MSG,or high fructose corn syrup.

SERVICE - friendly and quick.  The server who took away our dishes also asked if we had a AAA card which gave you 10% off.  What great customer service!

ATMOSPHERE - The dining area was clean and modern chic.  There was an open air kitchen which seems to be much more trust-worthy.  :)

PARKING - Before 5 pm Mon - Fri is 1 hour free validation with underground building parking.  After 5 pm Mon - Fri & all day Sat & Sun is 2 hour free validation.

Next time:

If not in the mood for a full meal, I think I'll stop by for drinks (they have an awesome beer selection) and just order from the Tapas menu.  Also, today they were out of the yelp recommended Squash Chips, which was quite a disappointment.

I think I'll also try the Peach Float which sounds yummy.  I love all of the Lambic flavors.  The sweet peached flavored beer paired with ice cream sounds dreamy.
5 - Kyle T.: so i went to the dentist and i decided i was hungry after. i yelped on my phone, filtered the settings to highest rating, looked down the list, more options, then i found this place called CHAM korean bistro. looked at the pictures and prices and was like ok, ill give it a try.

came in w my gf, ordered two california Bibimbap (seared tuna and spicy bbq chicken), steamed bun (pork) and a tofu pocket (spicy tuna)

the order came up to about 24.90 i ordered all that and its only that much? i was pleased.

appetizers came out first and the employee gave me a free tofu pocket (blue crab) along w the spicy tuna and steamed bun. i was beginning to like this place because of the low price and great service thus far.

the tofu pockets were ridiculously good. wow. steamed buns, wow.

main orders came out which were the Bibimpab, i was not only pleased, or "liked" this place any more, i was in awe. wow really good food, great quality. ill definitely be back. 

the ambiance and setting of the restaurant is also legit, very modern.
5 - Kim K.: their steam bun is sooooo good....worth the price...we also got California bibimbab and garden platter...they are sooo healthy and delicious.   The service is excellent there.  We got the mocha cheesecake last time and will come back to try the peach beer float!!!
4 - O G.: I came here to celebrate a friend's birthday. This place is small but it's certainly a fun place to eat at. Thank goodness we made reservations even though we thought we wouldn't need it on a Wednesday night! 

By the way, happy hour ends at 6:30 and it's 15% off tapas and beer/wine! 

Now on to the good part: 

Ice Barley Tea: Nothing special but it had a really nice barley flavor. It's refillable even though it's served in a plastic to go cup. I thought I would have to pay $1.50 per cup!! 

Crispy Spicy Rice Cake: I don't think the spicy sauce is all there compared to the other places I've had this at, but it's not bad. The rice cake is a little crispy on the outside and nice and gooey on the inside. It's also in bite size pieces which makes it a lot easier to eat. There is a slight kick to it. 

Beef Bulgogi Rice Cake: It's ok but a bit bland after eating the spicy one. I prefer the spicy one more. This one is sweet and is not what I'm used to. 

Ahi Tuna, Chimichuri Sauce: I thought this was just ok. It tasted a bit dry to me even with all that sauce. Also, I'm just not digging the chimichuri sauce with fish. 

Crispy Spicy Tuna Ball: I thought this was going to be a solid ball but it wasn't. I found out when it fell apart completely the moment I lifted it up and dipped it into the sauce! It's basically balled up spicy tuna rolled in some tempura. Nevertheless, it was delicious! 

Crispy Pork Belly, Fingerling Potatoes: This looks really spicy but it's not. I didn't really enjoy this dish. I found the texture a bit odd. It wasn't quite crispy and it was dry even with all that sauce and fat. It didn't have that richness that I expected. 

Kimchi & Cheese Pouch: Yum, it basically a kimchi and cream cheese wonton. You can't go wrong with anything that has cream cheese in it. 

Sweet Potato Fries (w/ Honey Mustard Sauce): The presentation of this item was horrible. The fries looked so charred that I almost didn't eat it. I know I had to at least try it since we already ordered it. It actually didn't taste charred and the honey mustard sauce is actually really good if you are a honey mustard fan. I'm not but I know good sauce when I taste it. =) The fries were not sweet though. 

Calamari Mini Tacos w/ Sauteed Kimchi Topping: IMO, this was the best of all the tapas. I would have eaten another if only I had the stomach room. There are two tacos with each order. The tacos are stuffed with fried calamari rings and sauteed kimchi and comes on two corn tortillas (technically you could split each taco into two since there's a lot of goodies!). The sauce on there is quite spicy but welcoming! It was so delicious. I would come back just for these. 

Steamed Buns: I tried all 3 and although there were good, I felt that the buns take up too much stomach space - too bready. I wouldn't eat this unless you really just want to fill up. The arugula was the most welcoming with the beef. I didn't enjoy the chicken even though it was tender. The pork was decent. 

Bibim Noodles: I thought this was ok but I didn't feel the spicy sauce had enough kick to it. I thought the noodles were a bit overcooked. They tasted a bit starchy. The veggies were welcoming though. 

Sizzling Spicy Calamari Bibimbap: The calamari totally makes this dish. The calamari was soft and tender! It was so good! Again, the spicy sauce was just not there for me but it was pleasant to eat. I only wished the rice got crispy on the stone pot. I want to try the kimchi one next time. 

Watermelon Arugula Salad: This salad was absolutely refreshing, a total palate cleanser. The watermelon was sweet and goes really well the bitterness of the arugula. The mint in the vinaigrette was subtle and the dressing itself was light and not overpowering. They all went really well together. I love feta cheese but I felt that it was just in the way. Maybe it was because the feta cheese was not creamy enough and tasted more chalky. The tomatoes were in the way as well LOL! On their website, this salad was shown was figs. It would have tasted better with figs instead of tomatoes. 

Tofu Pockets: We did not bother at all with the arugula radish one. The spicy tuna one was my favorite. The crab and seaweed, although very tasty, is a one time deal for me. I rather put more of the spicy tuna in my stomach as this can be really filling since it has rice. 

Espresso Cheesecake: I didn't not like it at first bite. I even took a few more bites just to confirm that I indeed did not like it. The texture of the cheesecake just did not agree with me. It was just too solid for my taste and I didn't really taste the espresso and cream cheese. 

I want to come here again but with my boyfriend. I think he would enjoy the calamari tacos.

Omg! I ate a lot last night, wonder why I feel like crap today. =/
3 - Kel C.: Yum! I enjoyed dining at this affordable Korean-inspired eatery in Pasadena. I'm all about finding cheap, good eats, and when a place can feed me with good food until I'm stuffed for a mere $10, I'm sold. What can I say, I'm an easy diner.

CHAM is Korean BISTRO food, so those looking for authentic Korean, head elsewhere or be disappointed. That said, you can get a rather large and tasty brown rice bib bim bap with beef for only $10. What a steal! At least compared to the $14 I pay in SF. Also tasty is the blue crab tofu pocket. At $1.50 each, it's hard to stop at just one.

Recommended if you're in the Pasadena area, and hankering for a cheap, Korean meal. :)
4 - Sachmo N.: Great Korean Fusion Fast Food!

I have walked by Cham several times when I had to go to the Vitamin Shoppe on Lake.  I never felt compelled to go in even though I eat out often.  

Today it was close to closing time and I was hungry and needed to eat dinner.  The staff at Cham was very friendly and while I was waiting offered me a cup of water which is the best tasting water in town!  

Since it was close to closing I had to take my order to go.  I ordered a Sizzling Hot Bibimbap with beef bulgogi.  I wanted something less fusion and a little more traditionally Korean so the cashier recommended this one to me.  

When I got it home it smelled really good.  The portion was enough for me to eat some tonight and to have some leftovers tomorrow for lunch.  I don't want to eat a lot of food after 9pm.  Instead of spinach there is some sort of prepared Kale which was a little surprising.  I do prefer the spinach or even watercress (My Mom is Korean).  The traditional sauce served with the bibimbap is usually more savory but Cham's was pretty hot and not as flavorful.  I mixed all the ingredients together and added the sesame oil.  I love bibimbap in the summer.  It is so yummy and good for you  

I can't wait to try more things on the menu since this was my first visit.  I will be returning soon to try more.  So glad there is a good Korean restaurant in town 
: )

p.s. I wish they would post a large printed version of their menu outside.  If I had read the menu earlier I would have eaten there when it opened.  Tonight I felt awkward standing outside of the restaurant and glaring through the glass to stare at the chalk board menu on the far back wall of the restaurant.  I am sure that the patrons who were eating their food thought I was a starving homeless person or some sort of a stalker.
5 - Joseph S.: in the past year, CHAM has been my go-to pasadena lunch place, my go-to pasadena happy hour place, and my go-to "let's get something warm and comforty cause it's raining" place. seriously, this place has great food, great service, inexpensive prices, and most importantly, great food.

in the past year, i've probably tried almost every single thing on their menu, but i keep coming back for the sizzling hot bibimbap (when eating, push the rice against the hot stone bowl to get that crunchy rice effect), the spicy toppoki (which is a spicy korean rice cake served with vegetables), and the watermelon/arugula salad with mint vinaigrette, tomatoes, and feta. 

my only gripe about this place is that it's not open on sunday, which is understandable because they make most of their money during the downtown pasadena lunch rush.. all good. 

oh yeah.. free parking! just get your ticket validated.
3 - Andrew D.: I don't know how to speak Korean, but I'm pretty sure "Cham" must mean "Mouth Gasm." 

Let's start with their lemonade.  Light and refreshing with a hint of mint that doesn't bash you over the head.

For appetizers, crispy pork belly.  A solid, spicy choice.  Followed by Kimchi and cheese pouch.  Did I just write cheese pouch?  You bet your pork buns I did.  But beware, they are molten hot when first served.  So make sure you and your loved ones to count to twenty before you bite in, unless you want to kill off your loved one.

Next we had the calamari and kimchee tacos.  My only complaint, the corn tortillas weren't freshly made- which is really a must if you are going to fuse two types of food together.

The beef with rice cakes are textured and savory and will prompt a wild-eyed exchange with whoever you're dining with.

But the coupe de tongue is most definitely the Garden Platter.  Refreshingly chilled buckwheat noodles and pickled radish and your choice of meat.  We chose beef bulgogi.  And you wrap it all up with a delicious leaf of butter lettuce. 

 I'm full.
4 - land c.: Excellent food and good service.  Great place to either have a quick meal out or for take out.  Perfect for evenings you don't have a whole lot of time but still want something tasty.
5 - Tiffany C.: A modern twist on Korean favorites!

A friend took me here and it was a great find.
I especially recommend the buns. Tasty, slightly sweet, with good proportions of meat, bun, and green onions/cilantro.

The bulgogi was also pretty good, but I've had lots of good bulgogi so it wasn't a mind blower, but it was still good!

I just love the atmosphere, style, and presentation of this place so much. You go up and order your food at the cashier, then you sit down and your food is brought to you. It's a small little chic place in Pasadena, and my god, the dishes just look AMAZING!

They incorporate a lot of different colors and you can tell they had presentation in mind when plating the food.

I'm very familiar with eating at typical Korean restaurants in K-town and some in San Gabriel Valley, so eating my favorite Korean dishes at a place like this with chic style and westernized modernization was a great experience.

Enjoy!
4 - Karl F.: This is a great casual Korean eatery. I like the ambiance and cool casual setting. It sorta looks like fast food set up, however it's not. If dining in, a host will seat you and provide menu with table service. 

This is down the street from a seminar I attend weekly at the Pasadena Sheraton so it's convenient. I met friend here last week. Had calamari bibimbap, spicy tuna, and pork bulgogi. All were great! Fresh and tasty. 

The service is satisfactory, we got basically what we ordered in a timely fashion from friendly server. I recommend Cham and will surely be going back again.
4 - Lisa R.: On our one night in LA, we planned on dinner in Koreatown.  However, we were stuck in post-Rose Bowl traffic and inching towards hungry, and yelp steered us here.  I am glad we came, because we sampled a lot of things and the price was very good.

I started with the iced barley tea.  My husband went off to the bathroom and gave me his blessing to order (one of my favorite uses of food power - I wield our taste buds in the right direction!)

We had a blue crab tofu pocket to start (essentially inari with a topping) - split it just fine.  Then, beef bulgogi ssam - it was so tasty and had green onions and white onions, with sides of lettuce, radish pickles, spicy buckwheat noodles, and leaves like shiso.  Then, the California bimibap with brown rice and spicy tuna - this was soooo delicious it must have had a hundred veggies - carrots, jicama, cucumber, daikon, red radish, etc. all shredded.

After all of that, we decided on the spicy chicken steamed buns which were tasty as well!  They validated the parking and gave 10% off with AAA card (and even asked us about it!)  This was a much-needed healthy and tasty meal after all of the crap we had between Vegas and LA and the tailgate food at the Rose Bowl.  Yum!
2 - Alice R.: 9/21/2011

Full disclosure: I am Korean. This was NOT a good dining experience at all. The dining area is nice. The food is mediocre. The service and restaurant itself is confused and disorganized. We came for an early (birthday) dinner for my mother. I was excited to try the food, especially after viewing the photos and reviews here. We ordered a couple of tapas first. They arrived but we did not have any silverware to eat them with. There was nothing on the table when we were seated. I asked for tableware, something to eat our tapas with, like chopsticks. The server said they ran out of chopsticks. OKAY... She offered to bring forks. So she came over with 4 forks and some napkins.

Then we ordered - my husband ordered a ssam combination so that our daughter could eat the 'buckwheat noodles.' When the noodles came out, they were dressed with a spicy sauce which my 4 year old could not eat. There was no indication on the menu that they were spicy noodles. When I asked the server if there were any plain noodles, he said that was the only way they came, spicy. OKAY... We also ordered the California Bibimbap with spicy tuna and the Sizzling Bibimbap with bulgogi. What came out was California Bibimbap with bulgogi. OKAY...They took that away, out came the California bibimbap with spicy tuna. Ten minutes later comes the 'sizzling' bibimbap, in a pan with a silicone pad to protect the table. Quite an elaborate presentation considering the dish should have been called "lukewarm bibimbap!" The pan was barely warm, the vegetables were cold. I only had that fork to eat with, so I asked the server for a spoon. She looked confused about that request so I asked if they had spoons. She said they did and brought one out. OKAY...When we were almost done eating, the first server who told me they ran out of chopsticks said they got some in if we wanted some.

The food itself was mediocre. Not bad but not particularly interesting or innovative enough to warrant being so inauthentic.
3 - Jessica C.: During break at work I saw one of my co-worker pull out a peking duck looking bun out of a contemporary take out box. Intrigued I asked him what it was and he said it was korean bulgogi bun. Interesting right? SInce i'm chinese I would associate that kind of buns with peking duck and would never have imagine that it was korean food.

With that being said I wanted to give this place a try since my co-worker highly recommends it. I came for a late lunch one day and we got...

Buns $3
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/v2oxMmRA3SEr9l4aQvmEMw?select=B4M-NTUuRP30sSXtG8OLRg
Their buns with different kind of meat in them were kind of pricy in my opinion. $3 for one! It was pretty good though but I can't imagine myself coming back on a regular basis dishing out $7+ on these delicious little things.

Beef Duboki $8
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/v2oxMmRA3SEr9l4aQvmEMw?select=64l1ESwHDpd5Lq0M5gvFHw
The usual Duboki that I have are the spicy ones but since my friend doesn't eat spicy I thought that we would try the beef non spicy version that Cham has. It tastes kind of like shanghai style rice cake in a way. 

Beef Bulgolgi+ Garden Platter $12
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/v2oxMmRA3SEr9l4aQvmEMw?select=lhIZQoFvZcJKiMlAGmJ9mA
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/v2oxMmRA3SEr9l4aQvmEMw?select=H39ee2wbUDyyj5xcD6_14g
So we wanted some meat and debating between the combination and the garden platter, the cashier suggested the garden platter. The amount of vegetable that was on that platter was more than enough for the meat. If you're a big  vegetable eater than you will enjoy this. 

The interior is quite contemporary so it definitely does not feel like a korean restaurant. The food is not bad tasting but definitely not your authentic korean cuisine.

This is a pretty cute little place to stop by for a bite. If you're looking for authentic korean food though, then you will have better luck going elsewhere.I guess you would come more for the vibe of the place. Reading other reviews, I would try the bibimbap next time since it is highly recommended. The only thing that would keep me from returning would be the buns.
5 - Mark N.: WOW!  CHAM is fantastic. It's a modern take on traditional Korean flavors. Don't pass up a chance to try it.
4 - Melissa W.: Twas a good dining experience with some good company.

Came here during the last ten minutes of happy hour and pretty much ordered all that I could.

The pork belly was pretty good. They weren't all cooked to the same level. half of them were deliciously crispy but the other half were limp and droopy, not the most ideal situation, if you know what i mean. The rice cakes were my favorite. Plenty of sauce and perfectly gummy. The veggie one is the spicy one while the beef is not. I would have liked a beefy spicy but she said that they couldn't do that. We also ordered one of every bun. and they were pretty yum! The spicy chicken was my favorite, pork a close second, beef I could skip. We finished off our meal with a sizzling bimbimbap and it wasn't much different from all the others. Good though. 

The place was pretty affordable and there's 2 hours free parking after 6pm with validation. They say they're "healthy" Korean food but I don't really know how. This place was good and I enjoyed myself but I definitely like the real stuff in all it's unhealthy glory from ktown...
4 - Sarah B.: YUMMY!
What a nice little place. The food was so great!
We ordered to go and unfortunately had to wait quite some time for our order to be ready (Hence the minus 1 star). 
Great place to order for two, if u are into sharing your food.
3 - Mika C.: It too bad there aren't many Korean restaurants in Pasadena.  The food here isn't really that authentic.  It's not bad, but just not like the Korean food I'm used to like the ones in K-town.  Also, they don't give you the little dishes like all Korean restaurants do.  The menu they have are kinda Americanized.  I guess that's what you call fusion Korean food.  
I think the reason I had such a mediocre experience might be because I ordered the wrong thing.  I ordered the spicy octopus, which wasn't that good.  Next time I come, I will try the buns and grilled meats as suggested by the other reviewers.
4 - Veggie H.: It was my first time in Pasadena and my friend wanted to try this place so I was all up for it. When I got there, I was so bummed because most of the parking cost $ and requires parallel park. Being the world's most horrible para parker, I was afraid to get honked or be embarassed in the busy streets of busy downtown Pasadena, I parked kinda far from the restaurant. lol

I'm a noodle soup lover so I was gonna try their Bulgogi glass noodle soup but then my friend suggested that I should try what she had. She suggested the blue crab tofu pockets and bulgogi buns. 

so I ordered 2 blue crab tofu pockets and 1 Bulgogi bun. They were very small, more like snack size but it was delish. I highly recommend the blue crab Tofu pocket!!! Man I'm cravin for somma that now....

When our waitress bought our check, she told us that if we were AAA members, we automatically get 10% off the whole bill. Luckily we were (no lies) Oh, and she didn't even asked us to show our membership...(just saying). =D
3 - Donna S.: I was very annoyed with my first experience here. So I let myself cool off for a few months before reviewing since it was really my own fault.  It was a last minute decision and unplanned since the original Korean place we were going to was closed. So going by the name with the word "bistro" in it, I pictured a cozy little café with some sort of fusion element. I was disappointed to see a start place with a walk up and order counter like a fast food joint. Okay, go with the flow, short on time here.  In a hurry and with a sudden crowd behind me, I had wanted bibimpab, so I quickly ordered this with the California ahi tuna.  

I picked a super hard flat uncomfortable chair to sit in and was sooooo sad when the server brought my meal and it was just really a salad http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/v2oxMmRA3SEr9l4aQvmEMw?select=ff0hvsWh952Co8CE2DF5SA.  Yeah, yeah, I then noticed they have a "sizzling" style bibimpab and the California style is a salad. But this was NOT explained on the chalkboard menu. I just figured the ahi tuna made it "California" since there was really no explanation. Live and learn.  The lack of all the Korean condiments and appetizers didn't help my mood at all.  My friend said her bulgogi was not too flavorful http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/v2oxMmRA3SEr9l4aQvmEMw?select=jkbLJ3C-q_ECbrYszO6BDw. I did notice it wasn't the usual color we get at the traditional Korean places. It was kinda pale.  The barley tea didn't have barley chunks in it that I like. 

I usually am really good about knowing what type of place I am about to dine it and like to carefully peruse the menu in detail. So it wasn't Cham's fault I was rushed and thrown for a loop. After thinking back on it, the Bibimbap salad WAS good.  IF I had been craving a light fresh meal, then I would really have enjoyed it.  I think I wouldn't object to going back now that I know what to expect and what NOT to expect because I really do love fresh, light meals with lots of veggies.
4 - Jane L.: Loved the tofu pockets, especially the spicy tuna! Pork belly was a little too crispy for me...thought it would be more braised with a crispy skin. The calamari tacos were quite tasty and the service was very good. I would definitely go back for the bibimbop.
3 - Sanora A.: Calamari tacos 
    -taste 1 star of 5 
    -moderate on price 

Bugolbi buns 
    -taste 4 stars of 5 
     -expensive on price 

Blue crab pockets 
     -taste 5 starts of 5 
      -moderate on price 


I have had way better korean food and this place is not, just doesnt hit the spot fo me like it should. They are expensive and only the blue crab pockets were worth it. If you go before 630 i believe theres happy hour.
3 - doona c.: First of all, let me just tell you that if you're Korean, it won't satisfy your taste buds? Or at least for my friend and I it didn't. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad at all. But it's just...simply, plain. Which I give them credit for, because, i'm assuming they're targeting towards Americans. Both of us ordered the 'Bibim Noodles,' (aka Bibim Naeng Myun), with kimchi on the side. It was very healthy until I drenched mine with more of the spicy sauce, (and vinegar). Most of their dishes seemed healthy and fresh which I give them credit for. Very fusion. The restaurant was packed with non Koreans, but personally, I would never come here again. Next time, i'm sticking to REAL authentic korean restaurants.
5 - Waffle D.: This place is Uh-Mazing!  My better half and I have been going here for months and absolutely love it.  The Bulgogi Buns are killer.   Also try the Blue Crab pockets.
3 - Deborah W.: I have mixed reviews about this place.  First, the food is really good and they seem to have a healthy approach on things (i. e. you can get brown rice if you wanted to and they have salad options). However, the portion is just SO small, it's more like a snack.  I do have quite an appetite but I also don't want to wobble my way out of the place either! Haha.

I got the CHAMbination that consisted of bulgogi, salad and rice (I got white rice).  The serving size of the bulgogi was fine but that's subjective.  The salad was really good; too bad I only had a small portion of it. The rice is where it gets really funny because I swear I can just finish that in maybe three or four bites and it's gone. It's probably a fraction of a typical rice bowl size. Once I was done, I was just thinking, "thats it?" Hahah!  This was supposed to be my lunch, too, and it felt like a mid-afternoon snack. Almost felt like I was eating air.
4 - Brie A.: I found out about this nifty little Korean spot from my trusty Westway Mag.  The prices were fare.  The menu was traditional korean staples like bibimbap and korean bbq WITH fun and interesting twists on those staples like the California bibimbap or calamari tacos.  I was personally disappointed by the the indian spiced chicken (in all forms).  But this minor bump didn't distract from a lot of other tasty dishes all with healthier protein alternatives like seared ahi and calamari.  The staff were very friendly and knowledgable of the menu.  To my delight and surprise there was a very interesting and international beer list.  I will definitely be back!!!
4 - Peien L.: Very tasty Korean dishes in a modern, Apple Store-esque ambience. The bibmibap is done very well, with tender bulgogi. Their beef stew is also very good for a cool day in Pasadena. Their "tapas" are tasty, but somewhat overpriced.

Service is generally speedy and they even give AAA discounts! Only downside is that prices are somewhat higher than you would get at a Korean place in K-Town, but the ambience makes up for it!
4 - Gemma M.: Went on a Saturday night, and the place was pretty full with only two waiters, so service was a bit slow.  The food was delicious, though!  I particularly liked the spicy fried rice cakes, and the tofu pockets were adorable.  I'm definitely going back sometime.
4 - Ryan C.: I would describe this place as being a contemporary Korean American restaurant. I've previously ordered their combo for dinner with bulgogi and felt hungry still afterwards. The portions are medium-sized, potentially bordering on smallish. Most recently, however, I came for lunch and ordered the sizzling hot bibimbap + a pickled seaweed tofu pocket (it doesn't sound so appetizing, but it tastes wonderful). I was sufficiently full afterwards. The food tastes good, and I think perhaps recently this place has turned from an order up front and sit down with your number type place and converted to a regular sit-down restaurant. The most recent time I went, they told us just to sit down and they brought menus. They are very nice about asking if you're a student or AAA member, and I am always pleasantly surprised at bill time when I get the discount applied.
3 - Samantha G.: Only OK.  Had the spicy yuzu pork bulgogi and beef bulgogi steamed buns and the beef bulgogi rice cakes.  The beef bulgogi steamed buns were too salty, but the pork was really good.  The rice cakes had waaaay too much pepper in it.  It was like someone opened up a pepper shaker and just poured it all over my rice cakes.  Husband had the sizzling hot bibimbap.  He said it was ok.  

The total bill for the two of us came to $35, which seemed expensive.  I could have gotten more food at a real Korean restaurant for the same price.  Probably would have tasted better too.

Bottom Line: Will do if you're in a Korean mood, but aren't willing to drive to K-Town for real Korean food.
3 - Davryn C.: This place is pretty tasty if you are not expecting real Korean food. It is a fusion restaurant which is what my fiance and I had engraved in our minds when we walked in.

The place is small but modern and they can accommodate up to 8 people per table. The service was not bad but they did screw up our order, but in the end we had all our food.

We ordered the tofu pockets (ahi and crab), all three of their steamed buns, and a sizzling hot bibimbap. 

The ahi tofu pockets were flavorful but the crab had shells in it in which my fiance told me not to even try it. 

Steam buns were good as I am in love with carbs but the portions were quite small for the price. I recommend ordering something else if you're hungry. Even if I had 5 of them I still wouldn't be full. It says that the beef bulgogi comes with arugula but it does not. It just came with pickled celery. I hate celery so I picked them out and gave them to my man. The chicken was good as it was a ball of fried chicken wrapped in carbs. My two favorite things in a easy to hold food apparatus.

Sizzling hot bibimbap was ok. It wasn't amazing but it wasn't horrible. Definitely not authentic Korean but it did not taste bad.

Overall the place was pretty good. I would come here again if I was in the area but don't see myself craving for their food.
5 - Eunice K.: Korean food with a modern twist! 5 Stars from this Korean! :) Never knew there was such a thing as Korean "tapas" or modern Korean cuisine... But Cham's Korean Bistro's got it down! Came here with my brother and we ordered a variety of dishes to share. 

To start we ordered a Spicy Tuna Tofu Pocket ($1.50) - very flavorful and moist. Traditionally these tofu pockets are stuffed with just seasoned rice - but Cham's added spicy tuna on top to give it a nice modern twist!

We also ordered the Beef Bulgogi + Arugula Bun ($3) - mostly because I can't resist arugula!! But meh.. this one wasn't very special. Just bulgogi + arugula on top of those Chinese steamed buns. Meat to bread ratio was too small.. and surprisingly arugula + bulgogi actually don't go very well together! 

One of my all time favorite Korean dishes is dolsot (stone pot) bibimbap! So as one of our entrees we ordered Cham's Sizzling Hot Bibimbap ($10). Most Korean restaurants will serve this dish with white rice + beef. But Cham offers white or brown rice.. as well as a choice between beef bulgogi, spicy pork, spicy BBQ chicken, or seared tofu as the protein option. The bibimbap was served on top of a hot stone platter (instead of a bowl) - which made it easier to share. Not much of a modern twist.. but delicious nonetheless!

We noticed a lot of other tables were ordering a platter.. we followed and ordered the Spicy Tuna + Garden Platter ($11). This dish is also perfect for sharing because it is made to be eaten like a "ssam" - wrapping various components in a vegetable wrap. They give you a nice array of components in addition to your protein choice including spicy buckwheat noodles, cilantro, radish, pickles, carrots, bean paste, to be wrapped in either lettuce or sesame leaves. Everything tasted very fresh and it was a definite twist to the typical Korean ssam.

Service was excellent.. the food was delicious. I would definitely come back anytime to enjoy some "modern" Korean cuisine! Cheers to local businesses! :)
4 - Michael M.: We decided to try this place after a quick Yelp search for "vegetarian friendly".  I was in the mood for some meat.  This place looked and sounded interesting.  It was easy to find with it's cool blue neon sign standing out on a dark corner just east of Lake ave.  Parking is in an underground garage, free for the first hour with validation, and $1.50 per 15 min. thereafter.  As it turns out, one hour was plenty of time.

It has a small clean bright interior.  There is a menu board as for an order-at-the-counter sort of place, but we were greeted by a cheerful server and offered seats at a large table, or stools at the counter bar to the right. We chose stools.  The furniture is hard and not very comfortable.  We we were handed paper menus and asked about drinks. 

 It took a few minutes to check out the menu, but we started with nice little tofu pockets.  For our entrees, we both opted for one of the bibimbaps.  Her Majesty went with the Californian with seared tofu, while I went for the sizzling hot with beef bulgogi.  The former had raw julienned veg with brown rice on the side, while the latter had sauteed veg on a bed of brown rice  that got crispy on the bottom from the heat of the cast iron skillet in which it was served. We both really enjoyed out dishes. Service was quick and friendly

Wine and beer are available, but the pricing is not good. They want $8.50 for a glass or $32 for a bottle of chardonnay.  $6 for a 12 oz. bottle of beer.  Have a glass of wine if you want one, but don't order a second.  

This clearly isn't a place to linger over a leisurely meal.  The hard seats, bright lighting, high drink prices; everything about this place says don't hang around, eat and move on. It is the perfect place to grab a quick bite before a movie or after work.

The food, however, was great, and for that, we will be back.
5 - Poachedeggs g.: Yays
   The BEST spicy tuna tofu pockets!
   Korean tapas: Calamari Mini Tacos w/ Sautéed Kimchi Topping
   Sizzling Hot Bibimbap with brown rice (beef bulgogi, spicy pork bulgogi)
   A la carte: beef bulgogi, spicy pork bulgogi, beef kalbi bbq


Nay
   portions vs. price
5 - Karrie S.: i could eat their sizzling tofu bimbimbap everyday!  the staff is friendly and accomodating!  daniel always takes good care of me and makes sure i get my bowl of kimchee!  on my last visit, the owner introduced herself to me and offered me a complimentary barley tea!  wow...talk about hospitality and customer service.  i recently moved out of pasadena, yet i still make my way out to pasadena to get my weekly dose of "cham"!  i love this place!!!
4 - kaelee m.: portobello fries. delicious.
5 - Carol L.: Great place for quick lunch or casual dinners. Food is both delicious and healthy. The spicy tuna tofu pocket and the short rib beef stews are really good. In the dishes that needs sugar, they use brown sugar instead of cane sugar which is healthier ^o^
4 - Sarah K.: Overall, I am a fan and look forward to going again.

I personally found the seared ahi tuna very bland but my friend liked it.
The sweet potato noodles is also very bland/meh - pass on that if you are thinking it looks good.

The Rice and Tuna Inari is very yummy, as is the Beef Bulgogi steamed bun. Whatever they have as their salad dressing is beyond delicious.

Note that they provide a discount if you have AAA membership!!
4 - Don N.: Great place for a tasty lunch. The place is kind of hip/trendy. 

My friend and went halves on a spicy tuna and a blue crab pocket. Spicy tuna was by far better. 

I ordered a sizzlng hot beef bulgogi and was very pleased with my meal. It was plenty and delicious. I really liked that it came out in a hot plate - my friends who go here often say that getting it to-go really isn't nearly the same experience although they still give you big portions. 

If i still worked in Pasadena, I could see myself going here at least once a month... alas I don't. Though, I'd probably stop here for a quick delicious meal if I'm ever back in the area.
5 - Elaine H.: Surprisingly Cham was pretty LEGIT but it's quite pricey and not enough to fill you up. I would recommend the spicy yuzu pork buns and the spicy crispy toppok. I had such a hard time figuring out the menu because I'm so used to understanding the food in Korean but if you're down for a snack, try those two. The spicy sizzling bibimbap was pretty good and worth the 10 bucks. Very filling :) I definitely would come back for the buns and toppoki. Enjoy!
4 - Julie S.: Having recently moved to Old Town Pasadena, Cham piqued my interest, as it calls itself a "Korean Bistro." Other reviewers claimed this place was fusion-esque, and had Korean-style tapas. Kimchi AND Manchego Cheese? Yes please! 

I got a chance to take a visiting friend to lunch, so I was super excited to have the opportunity to try it out. The restaurant is cute, it is modern, clean, and has family-style benching and tables. The menu is a little complicated-- and I was a little overwhelmed by the sheer plethora of options. They also have a "happy hour" menu on a separate menu, and we did not realize you couldn't order those items outside of a specific time frame. (Bummer, because some of those options looked more interesting than the regular item menu). 

My friend and I ended up ordering the spicy BBQ Pork sizzling bibimbap, the Beef Bulgogi and Glass Noodles in a Hot Pot, and two blue crab tofu pockets. Don't judge- we like to eat big! And big we went-- the portions of the bibimbap and noodle dish were huge- we could have easily fed another small family with all of the food we had. 

The blue crab stuffed tofu pockets were yummy- they sweetness of the tofu and crab went well together. My only complaint was that there was too much rice in the pocket-- but that's mostly because I'm trying to avoid eating so much rice. The bibimbap was very flavorful, the veggies were fresh, and the sizzling rice part was absolutely perfectly chewy, not crunchy. The noodle dish was just okay-- it resembled somewhat of a yaki-soba dish with some broth in it. Of all the things we ordered, that was my least favorite. 

When I go back, I will definitely try the happy hour menu, and order less food!

The service was great, and the food came out very quickly.
4 - Stephanie H.: We were pleasantly surprised at how much we enjoyed the food at this Korean fusion restaurant.  There is a lot of great variety and so many things that I still want to try.  I did see everyone getting their Bibimbap which I think looks really good. 

We had their Jap Chae and Crispy Spicy Rice Cakes!  Their Crispy Spicy Rice Cakes were absolutely delicious!  Chewy and yet a little crunchy from being stir-fried.  And their Jap Chae was similar to any Jap Chae at other Korean restaurants though I wished they would offer it with meat mixed in.  That makes it all the much better. 

Their Korean Kalbi Ribs were really good too and come served on a hot sizzling plate!    

We also had their Spicy Tuna Tofu Pocket which wasn't too bad.  It's a tofu pocket stuffed with sweet rice and topped with spicy tuna.  It seems like a typical Japanese type of dish.   

Definitely want to go back and try their tapas.  Good food for a great price!
3 - Michelle N.: Their food is contemporary Korean.  It is nothing like traditional Korean food but it is still good in it's own unique ways.  When I first arrived, I was very impressed by the atmosphere and decor.  

The food was really good the first couple of bites but I was a little sick of it after a while.  One of my favorites was the bulgogi bun.  It was verrrry good.

All in all, I think this is a nice place to eat once in a while.  I would come back.
4 - Yen H.: I am now a great fan! I was very impressed by the presentation of Korean food with a slight modern touch. Most of the food were tapas style, but with enough portion for you to get a good taste of the food. 

I really enjoyed the fried tofu salad. This had enough variety that make this boring sounding salad delicious and interesting to eat. I also liked the tofu wrapped blue crab. The ultimate must-try would be the fried spicy rice rolls. This was the best duk bok ki I have ever tasted. The texture of the rice rolls were perfect! Very innovative to the typical Korean dishes.
4 - Aromy X.: After spending a month backpacking through Korea, I will make this review short and sweet... Korean food with a modern touch! Lots of genuine Korean spices and combinations, with creative touches! I will definitely be back to get my fill.
4 - Andy T.: Not your traditional korean food, but still delicious.  The hot bibimbap with pork bulgogi is really good.  I recommend anything with the pork bulgogi.
5 - Audrey L.: I am a fan!!

I went on yelp and found this place. And i am so happy i did. This isnt your typical Korean restaurant. Its a korean restaurant with a VERY modern twist. They dont serve you the typical side dishes that traditional korean restaurants do which I was disapponted with but the food made up for it and was all worth it. The customer service was also great!! My hubby and i took awhile to order, since it was our first time there, and yet they were so helpful and polite when answering our questions while we ordering.

My hubby and i came around there during their happy hour. We were really happy with our selections.

We Ordered:
1. Beef Bulgogi & Glass Noodles in a Hot Pot
2. Blue Crab Tofu Pockets
3. Ahi Tuna with chimichuri sauce
5. Crispy Pork Belly with Fingerling Potatoes

ALL were DELSIH!!! We are most def coming back to Cham!!

Enjoy! =)
5 - Loc R.: This place is great.  Modern Korean is the easiest way to describe the cuisine here.

One of Pasadena's great little secrets, though Pasadena could still use a traditional Korean spot.

The food is great, as are the prices.  Ambiance isn't bad.
4 - Erica C.: I looove the way Cham modernized traditional Korean food, in reference to switching up the usual ingredients as well as plating style. Everything about this place is fresh, clean, and very contemporary. The decor is very simple and modernistic. Its the type of place where during the daytime, its very casual and quiet but at night it can turn into a nice-casual/dressy place to have dinner. 

The Ssam Garden Platter w/ Seared Ahi Tuna ($11) was amazing. It tasted extremely healthy and was enough to make me feel satisfied. I really enjoyed putting together my lettuce wraps with the preferred amount of different ingredients that were offered to match my taste (:

I also really enjoyed the Beef Bulgogi Bibimbap with BROWN rice of course (: . It is served extremely hot on a sizzling cast iron pan. I like waiting for the brown rice to burn and crisp a little to bring out the flavor before mixing all the vegetables, meat, and chili sauce together. 

The only thing that was ordinary was the Steamed Pork Bun (1 for $3). The taste did not make up for the fact that tiny little bun cost $3. 

Cham also serves alcohol (wine & beers)
5 - griselda s.: Healthy traditional Korean food with a modern twist.  Love their sizzling bimbimbop and noodle glass beef bulgogi.
2 - Ron O.: Note: I'm Korean...

I ordered galbi-jjim which i think is braised short-ribs in english?.. don't remember.. anyway if u goto a REAL korean place galbi-jjim will be huge chunks of short-ribs .. this place gives u 2 damn slices next to some rice and you want a Korean to call that sh*t a meal ?? please... you can fool these white-folks, but you ain't foolin my kimchi-stankin-ass
2 - David A.: I've been coming here for a year and I've always loved the food. The past few times though, the service has been deplorable. 

For example, the last time we were here, we ordered a few different things, including something for our toddler to eat.  Halfway through our meal, when our kid's food never showed up, we asked the waitress for it and she mumbled something.  I don't think there was any apologetic tone to whatever she said.  She left and never came back.  At the END of our meal, we told another waiter to just cancel the order and he actually seemed surprised. Look, when we've finished eating our meal, and our kid has been sitting here waiting for her food, we're really not going to sit here much longer waiting.  We got a half-assed apology and the check. 

That other waitress never came back. 

Oh, and since when did appetizers arrive AFTER the main courses?

The place just feels like its being run by a bunch of unprofessionals who don't know what they're doing, and it makes for a miserable dining experience. 

Sorry, Cham, but we won't be returning again.
5 - Nicholas C.: As others have mentioned "a gem" in the fast-food chains of lake ave. 
My girlfriend (who is Korean) and i have frequented Cham several occasions. 
Of course they have a few hit and misses but as long as you know what to order, you wont be disappointed.

its not an "ayce" type of place or very traditional( hence the "contemporary" in the window)  but its good enough to make a  American Korean to want to come back.

must haves-
hot bibimbap!
both of the "toppoki" are very tasty. 
tofu pockets are a must. the spicy tuna being our favorite.
the short rib stew is also very good if you have quite the appetite.

not to big on the "panko tandoori chicken" items however. 
nor the kimchi bibimbap with cheese.

we love the ambiance of the place too with all the natural-looking wood pieces. 

service has always been great. greeted with a smile. questions happily  answered. and a genuine "how is everything?"   makes dinner that much more enjoyable.
4 - Vrej M.: Tried this place after being recommended by my brother.  I had the (i believe its called) bibimbap with the spicy bbq chicken.  It was pretty good but nothing to rave about for me.  I have to agree it was a very healthy meal though, full of vegetables, brown rice, egg, and the chicken which was cooked perfectly.  I also had the spicy pork bolgagi bun.  This was amazing!  It was fresh, seasoned and cooked perfectly!  Next time I'm just going to hit up 3-4 of these.  I came at about 12:30 and it took me about 25 minutes to get my food and 40 minutes to get the bolgagi!  I understand its lunch time but jeeez.  Thats the reason I didnt give this place 5 stars.  Overall though, its a good change for me to find a place like this and I would recommend to anyone.
5 - Glenn M.: Cham is a great little find in Pasadena. It's not like any other Korean restaurant I have ever been to. It definitely is more of a fusion, but that makes it stand out to me. I usually go for lunch and get myself a few Spicy Tuna Tofu Pockets and some barley iced tea. Definitely very tasty. 
I would also recommend their Beef Bulgogi Platter and the Watermelon Arugala Salad and the Spicy Pork Steamed Bun. All have been very satisfying and full of flavor.
The service there is another thing that keeps me coming back. I've always had super friendly service from everybody on their staff and they are always making good recommendations. These guys are great. Cham is great.
5 - Nick P.: Have you ever had one of those days? You were late to work because it took you 45 minutes to crawl a mile down the 110. Your boss and 20 other people have sent emails notifying you that the printer is still, in fact.......broken. And that creepy guy you work with keeps creepin' you out.

When you've reached the lowest of your lows, fear not. A sudden and unexpected aura of sweet deliciousness will envelop your thoughts and carry all your worries out to sea....marinated short ribs, pork belly, bulgogi, fresh pickled daikon and kimchi, and ice cold Hite to wash it all down.

Now you could go to Road to Seoul, Hae Jang, or Genwa....but when you don't feel like hotboxing kbbq for 2 hours in a sea of Kpop sparkling choco pie chaos, or navigating the crowded bustle of Ktown in general, Cham is the place to go. It's clean and relaxing, but most importantly, delicious.

Their ssam platters are great deals that include your choice of meat, or tofu, brought still sizzling to your table along with garnishes of lettuce, daikon, soba noodles, carrots, and cilantro.

We tried their bibimbap, which every table seemed to have at least 1 of, as well as their inari which were superb, especially the spicy tuna and blue crab.

Portions are very solid, especially for the price and quality, and besides Hite, they also serve craft beers like Bear Republic's living legend, Racer 5. Sure, it's not 100% authentic Korean food, but, as Roy Choi would say, who the f*ck cares??? At the end of the day, good food is good food.
4 - E. Y.: Great food. Nice location. Great staff.
5 - Mike W.: The tofu pockets and California bibimbap here are amazing.  Light and delicious. 

It's Korean food just like Chipotle is Mexican food, good but definitely not very authentic.  But then again, you are in Pasadena and not KTown so don't be so surprised.
4 - A C.: We sat down and ordered (not counter service, though that seems to be available-- for take-out, perhaps?). Bimbimbaps (spicy pork and BBQ chicken) were awesome.  Loved the crab tofu pockets.  Kalbi ssam pretty good. Kalbi stew not what we expected (the meat is stewed, but they don't ACTUALLY bring a stew to your table) but meat was very tender.  Tapas were fun and tasty. We got portabello fries, calamari tacos, spicy rice cakes, spicy crispy tuna (fried spicy tuna balls). Kids enjoyed the non-spicy rice cakes. Actually I did too.  Parking underneath restaurant validated.
4 - Christine C.: Legit Korean food in an American setting!  

Casual order at the cashier environment means there are no side dishes that usually accompany a Korean meal.  In addition, there's happy hour tapas and drinks.  The place itself is very modern and clean (hence the fourth star).  Portions weren't that big, but food was clean and healthy (no MSG/excessive salt).

Sizzling hot bibimbap: rice was perfectly crispy
Seared ahi tuna + garden platter: they give you high quality lettuce for your wraps
Beef bulgogi rice cake: I liked the bite sized rice cake pieces

Perfect blend between Ktown, Panera, and Yardhouse.  
1 hr parking validation.
3 - Macy H.: This place is Korean-Mexican fusion (I'm assuming, since they have tapas here). I read a lot on Yelp about the Tofu Pockets, but saw this amazing picture of the Steamed Bun so I got that instead. YUM.

They're $3 each. I got the Beef Bulgogi as well as the Spicy Chicken BBQ; both super delicious. And the steamed bun is actually very soft and fresh. Eat it right away before it gets soggy!

I think I got the Bulgogi Chambination. It's a small thing, with some rice, and a lot of salad. In total I believe I spent about $16, but didn't end up very full :( Though the steamed buns did help.

This is a faaawncy place where the food comes in real small portions, arranged nicely on a plate with decorations and all. If you are on a date or in the faaawncy mood, then I suggest you come here.

Otherwise, take your tummy and those $16 to an All You Can Eat!
4 - Paula C.: Super good. very impressed, never had this type of food before. Good portions, and great flavors!
3 - Chubby T.: Small portions for an expensive price. I only come here when I'm in the mood for Korean food that isn't AYCE.

Bulgolgi Bibimbap - A light dish that seems to be on the healthier side due to all of the veggies. The bulgolgi was tender and delicious.

Spicy Pork Bulgolgi - Very tender and juicy, but isn't spicy at all.
5 - Dee M.: yum! my new favorite. the food is great. huge portions. i ordered the bibimbap, which was enough for lunch and leftovers for dinner! i also shared the spicy pork bulgolgi, which wasn't spicy, but so delicious! defineatly going back! 

also, the staff were super nice and really friendly. only downside was the crappy music :(
4 - Charlene C.: After getting a pedicure with my mom & sister, we decided to come here for lunch. 
This was my first visit, but not theirs. I always see this place on the way to Souplantation. You can watch people working out across the street at LA Fitness. 

My sister recommended the Sizzling Hot Bibimba. On the bottom it has rice (which gets crunchy) with vegetables and your choice of meat or tofu. We got the Beef Bulgogi. $10.00.

We also got the Beef Kalbi BBQ + Garden Platter $13.00. The garden platter includes buckwheat noodles, butter lettuce, sesame leaves, cilantro, radish pickles, and carrots. You can wrap all of the ingredients into either the butter lettuce or sesame leaves and eat it as a wrap. They even have instructions on their website.
PHOTO: (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/v2oxMmRA3SEr9l4aQvmEMw?select=vJQkJ1WmcoOSMk5Bb19w0Q)
PHOTO: (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/v2oxMmRA3SEr9l4aQvmEMw?select=YII1bWjS3dplEteEkSgcVw)

We also got an la carte order of Spicy Chicken BBQ $6.00. Nice char on the chicken and spiciness is not too overwhelming. Nice flavor. 
 
They serve Iced Barley Tea here for $1.50. If you've never had this kind of tea, it almost has a "coffee" flavor to it. 


Parking is on the side and there's also underground parking. They do validate here. Seating is not the greatest. Their wooden chairs are an odd shape and not very comfortable. I know my husband would have a hard time here since he has a tailbone injury. But overall, the service was good and food had good flavor.
5 - Lawrence L.: We were around the neighborhood for an association meeting that was scheduled to begin at 630pm;  so after picking up wifey from work, we knew that we'd better put something in our bellies before we found ourselves sitting through a 2-3 hour meeting with our stomachs complaining audibly...

CHAM Bistro's happy hour to the rescue...

These days where every Tom, Dick, and Harry place has a HH, it refreshing to know that these guys offer something a little different in a brick and mortar:  tapas with a Korean flair.  Their HH is from 300 - 630pm and offers 15% off tapas and half off drinks...

They ran out of the spicy tuna pockets that day so I settled for a couple of Blue Crab Tofu pockets http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/v2oxMmRA3SEr9l4aQvmEMw?select=H1x_qg1hQWyXJypq_xRmNQ.  I been so used to calling these "footballs" as they're very similar to sweet tofu inari sushi that are left behind on many a preordered potluck sushi platter.  Here, they make terrific bite-sized morsels especially when filled with lump crabmeat, rice, and mayo...

I can't resist the Steamed Bun filled with Beef Bulgogi, it reminds me so much of Peking duck buns that I grew up having http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/v2oxMmRA3SEr9l4aQvmEMw?select=gegEMK_fqm8EdG4EOFj6jQ.  The menu calls for arugula but it came topped with pickled celery and carrots instead http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/v2oxMmRA3SEr9l4aQvmEMw?select=JU0v5MRTkh_3LJmmkZGtYw.  The bugolgi was savory tasting, but to me it was all about the cute clamshell steamed bun...

Calamari Mini Tacos w/Kimchi topping had that crunchy fried deliciousness with a little spicy kick from the kimchi http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/v2oxMmRA3SEr9l4aQvmEMw?select=4oISYHY9a77pvfXp1T2TkQ.  The shredded lettuce was fresh, but I didn't care alot for the creamy white sauce that came out of a squirt bottle that laced the top...

The arugula wound up on the the crispy fried Pork Belly w/Fingerling Potato halves http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/v2oxMmRA3SEr9l4aQvmEMw?select=iEAjebNL4wiPH9jrHfK9cQ.  The dark mauve color of the potato skin had me thinking they were a date or a prune at first, but here it's all about the bacony tasting pieces of  fried pork belly and fat whose allure few can honestly resist.  It had a bit of a kick from the sriracha chili sauce drizzled over it...

I read on gastronomyblog site, how EJ Jeong, formerly of BOA and AOC, heading up the kitchen,  CHAM is cooking up fresh and healthful Korean food that is "globally inspired, yet true to its heritage."  Thus far, we've been delighted with the offerings,  along with nearby Abricott, these places are a nice change of pace along South Lake...
4 - Macelle A.: I crave this place! Love the food, the atmosphere, and the parking validation. I want to go back as soon as possible!
4 - Lyn F.: I love their bibimbap! :D
3 - Mikey I.: Time for lunch at Cham, first time customer for me and left a bit unhappy. 

The restaurant was busy, a good thing and we had to wait a while before placing our order. A decision to share the Korean Stew and hot Bibimbap was made. 

The Korean Stew was a big disappointment. For $13 a few more pieces of Kalbi would have been nice though the flavor of the stew was decent. The hot Bibimbap was quite tasty and it was worth the visit to enjoy this entree.
3 - Jasmine C.: Honestly, a little hyped up, and I think maybe it was from all the Yelp reviews. Boo :( Sometimes Yelp is a bit of a curse as much as I love it. But don't get me wrong, CHAM was pretty good, but I somehow expected amazing. I came yesterday with a friend to catch up over dinner. The menu is simple and easy to select from, and the restaurant is clean and hip. I liked the openness and brightness of the place.

We ordered two tofu pockets with blue crab ($2.50 for EACH), because the reviews raved about them. Yes, the tofu pockets were good, but for $2.50 each? Mm...maybe. AND, the kicker was really that dot of sriracha sauce on top. I wish there were more and my friend and I immediately came to the same conclusion. 

We also ordered the "Spicy sizzling bibimbap" with pork bulgogi. This was quiteeee delish after being mixed up with a few big globs of red pepper paste and cooked in the stone pot  as it was coming out. I love me a good bibimbap and this was probably one of the better ones I've had, actually. Not sure why, but all the ingredients really came together and the spicy kick to it was awesome. At $10 a pot, I thought this was super worth it.

Lastly we got the seared ahi tuna garden platter. ($12) Which is a little strange...i guess this is where "bistro" and "fusion" come in. They basically give you a platter of butter lettuce, radish slices, carrots, huge mint/basil leaves, soba (buckwheat noodles) that have been marinated/mixed with a nice spicy sauce, tofu paste? (I didn't like this...way too salty, and my friend says it goes better on meat). The seared ahi tuna came on the side with 8 pieces and sesame oil/soy sauce. So we were supposed to make our own wraps, I guess, but everything tasted MUCH better deconstructed, I have to say. I'd get the seared ahi tuna on its own if I could. THAT was seared perfectly, flecked with white and black sesame seeds on the rims, and it tasted delicious paired with the sesame oil sauce. But the whole concept of the garden platter didn't blend very well for me. Perhaps it was because it was seared ahi tuna and not any other kind of korean meat. I think ahi tuna tastes good on its own and with all the ingredients in the wrap, it just makes it really confusing what I'm tasting. So yea, that's my critical point for this place. :P

With all that said, I'd probably still come back for the bibimbap :)
4 - Jeanne L.: This is a very contemporary-looking restaurant, with simple decor and bright lighting.  I walked in here, and it felt like I was walking into a Chipotle.  I instantly gravitated towards the register to make my menu selections, and missed the sign that said "please wait to be seated".  The vibe of the restaurant was that of a quick-lunch place.  They served water in disposable plastic cups with lids and straws.   Ahh why?!?  I'm sitting right here..... I'm not going anywhere!  Use something that is a bit more environmentally friendly!  The food though was served on regular ceramic plates with nice plating/presentation.

Food ordered:
-- Beef Bulgogi and Glass Noodles in a Hot Pot - tasty and huge, comes with a salad and a side or rice
-- Sizzling Hot Bibimbap - perfectly crispy rice and runny egg yolk, yay!
Korean tapas:
-- Ahi Tuna, Chimichuri Sauce - 3 pieces of perfectly seared tuna with a delightfully tangy and somewhat citrusy sauce
-- Calamari Mini Tacos w/ Sautéed Kimchi Topping - 2 tacos wrapped in 2 corn tortillas each.  We were able to split each taco into two because of the abundance of stuff on each.  I wasn't that impressed with this dish.  Too much of that creamy sauce, and not enough kimchi or spice

This was too much food for 2 people.  Oh well, the leftovers were tasty the next day.
4 - Kenneth L.: It was date night with the wife.  When life is good and the food is good, then everything else seems to fall into place.  

The bibimbap was a little salty but ok.
Pork ssam was good.
Hot rice cakes were nicely done.

2 people = $34.80  not bad
4 - Jill and Ying J.: GREAT find just a block away from our apartment!! 

We got the Chambination with beef kalbi and it was divine--a perfect combo of flavors and textures in a fun do-it-yourself-style lettuce wrap. We also got a couple korean tapas--portabello fries and crispy pork belly, and def no complaints about either! The only not so perfect part of the meal was the sizzling spicy calamari bibimbop, which was a little TOO sizzling & spicy...kind of burned the esophagus a little too much going down, AND disappointing in that it didn't have a cracked egg on top...sadness. And also we went later in the evening (around 8pm) and they were out of some things we wanted among the tapas and desserts, but that's okay--just another reason to go again. All in all, an A+ little korean bistro in pasadena!
5 - Justin J.: My, my, where can I start!

I was introduced to this place through a friend that lives in the area. I have business near Pasadena once in a while, so I decided to go one day...and trust me...I DO NOT regret it AT ALL.

As I walk in, the decor is pretty dang cute. (What kind of man am I...using the word "decor" and on top of that, calling it "cute"...) but anyways...the right side of the wall is lined up with a bar-highseat kind of seating. on the other side are tables with couchseats. They have this wooden-theme going on for the seats and tables. The menu covers the top portion of the front wall; its a HUGE and wide chalkboard. 

Now onto the food! 
I got...
portobello mushroom fries: speechless. I saw the pantry chef hand the chef an entire portobello mushroom, and in the next five minutes, i have a plate of finger-sized fried mushrooms. The "mysterious" green cream sauce that comes as a condiment made things ten times better too. Quite amazing. 
porkbelly with fingerling potatoes: It was cooked to perfection: I don't know about you guys, but I like my pork belly cooked to a slight crisp. That's how it came out! Also, they don't use the same pork belly as the restaurants with $9.99 AYCE porkbelly deals. Cham uses a distinctive thicker cut known as "Oh-gyub-ssal". Delicious.
bibimbap: This is their speciality dish. While I was eating it, I noticed that all four tables that were surrounding me had pots of bibimbap. Many people say that the bibimbap was not "Traditional" enough, but who ever said that Cham is a traditional restaurant? 
seared ahi: Wow... three words: THICK. FRESH. PERFECT. The cut wasn't a wimpy paper-sized slice. It was thick enough to notice the perfect searing on the outside of each slice. Searing is an art, because if one sears it too much, it'll taste like straight up butane on your fish. On the other hand, if seared too little, one won't notice it at all. However, each slice was seared to perfection. I knew it was fresh, because I heard they use blue-labeled fish. In other words, their fish are packaged into packages that are labeled with a blue sticker. Blue sticker, when it comes to fish quality, represents the freshest quality. You can taste it yourself!

Like I said, some people argue that Cham is not traditional enough. All I can say is that they came into the restaurant with the wrong expectations. Don't step into Cham expecting traditional korean food. Cham is a modernized restaurant with innovative food that have hints of Korean-fused ingredients. GO to Cham, and expect a restaurant that thinks outside the box, because that's what it is!
3 - Peter C.: We were craving Korean food so we made a long delayed return visit to Cham. Nice to see they are doing well as we barely got the last table available at 6:30.  I had the BBQ & Garden platter and my wife had the Bibimbap. I thought the Garden platter was pretty refreshing and tasty. My wife's bibimbap was good but, she likes the egg a little runny so it can coat the rice. She preferred the one she had at Gaon a couple of months ago. It was hard flagging down the wait staff as they seem to be running around a little disorganize. The price of success I guess. 

Overall, CHAM satisfied our craving for Korean food but, since we didn't feel like driving down to Korean Town.
3 - Les S.: Judging from the pictures and the name, I expected this place to be some upscale, fancy, fusion Korean restaurant.  It's definitely fusion but not necessarily upscale.  I was somewhat confused when I walked in because the decor and setting looked really casual.  I couldn't even tell if we were suppose to wait to be seated or order at a counter.  One employee eventually noticed us and asked if we are dining in or ordering to go.  We said we're dining in, then he asked us to sit wherever we like.

The menu was just a piece of paper that looked more like a "to go menu."  Menu is quite simple and is broken down to few categories like bibimbap, salads, tofu pockets, steamed buns, tapas (only served after 3 p.m.), bbq & garden platter, and few others.

We wanted to try as many things as possible so ordered one item from four of the categories.

Sizzling hot bibimbap.  You can get this with either white or brown rice and few different meat options like beef bulgogi, spicy pork, spicy chicken, or tofu (if you want to go vegetarian).  They give you a small container of kochujang (Korean chili paste) to mix with the rice.  The kochujang tasted little different than the traditional ones I'm used to.  It was a bit on the sweet side.  The overall dish was good but it still doesn't compare to the ones at traditional Korean restaurants. 

Steamed bun with spicy pork bulgogi & cilantro.  This tastes like Korean taco but with Chinese steamed bun.  This was pretty good but the spicy sauce on the pork was too sweet.

Tofu pocket with arugula and radish.  It's an interesting concept to add toppings to the traditional tofu pocket but it's nothing extraordinary.  

Sweet chili romaine salad.  It comes with apples, cucumber, and romaine lettuce tossed in some kochujang based sauce.  This is pretty simple stuff you can easily make at home.  

My feeling about this place is similar to my feeling for Abricott.  The overall concept is interesting and food is good overall, but I still prefer a more traditional flavor.  One thing I do like is the fact that you can order small portions here, which is nearly impossible with traditional Korean restaurants.  With most Korean restaurants, I get full just from eating banchan (side dishes).  They don't give you any side dishes here. I don't even recall seeing Kimchi on the menu.
4 - Mrs. M.: The whole family, including our 5 year old LOVES Cham! The food is fresh, healthy and super tasty. I like that is is not greasy or over salted. Favorites are the sizzling bibimbap, mini-ssam, and the Korean Rice cakes. The tofu pockets are tasty and cheap. Oh and their "brown rice" is awesome-I think it's actually a combination of red and black (?) rice. Nice restaurant with reasonable prices.
4 - Peter C.: Second visit is a much better experience than the first! I think I ordered the "right" items this time around.

My wife and I shared a sizzling hot bibimbop with bulgogi. We loved it! They used a cast iron skillet instead of a traditional stone bowl and I can smell the sizzled rice and veggies from far away. Wow, what a difference! Will have to bring other people here to try it in the future!
1 - Christina C.: Ate there on Memorial Day and not sure if it was temporary or new staffs but they definitely are the most inexperienced waiters I've ever seen! Walked in and stood there for about 2 minutes while the waiters either pretended not to notice us or choose not to look at the door (with the restaurant not been busy at all). Finally, another staff from the kitchen walked out to seat us. 

Now to start us out with drinks, we both just wanted water but I guess I wasn't speaking English because he brought me lemonade and I told him I wanted water so then he gave the lemonade for free to the NEXT table... I don't really want that lemonade but at least offer it to the table you mess it up on first before giving it away? but that's just whatever, didn't care that much for a small miscommunication anyways. 

So when it comes to ordering, here's the conversation
Me: "What do you recommend for salad?"
Waiter: "The traditional cham is good, the (forgot the names) is popular as well and (insert salad name here) is good and melon (something) salad as well" (note that's about all of the salad choices they have, so he basically re-read me the menu)
Me: "I don't see the melon sald, what is that?"
Waiter: "oh,.. i don't remember what that is"
Thanks for the recommendation for a salad that you don't even know what it is. 
As he takes my other orders, he had to borrow my menu so he can copy down the name of the things I wanted to order. 

So other than the horrible service, the food is not even real korean food, its more of a fusion which is totally fine... only if they didn't taste like they came from the frozen isle of the supermarket. The rice cake is only covered in sweet spicy sauce but the actual rice cake have absolutely no taste at all. The 'fried' tofu in the salad is not even crispy, did you guys fried it yesterday and decided to put it in microwave to serve customers when they order? The food feels like a korean version of panda express and for the price you pay for it, you can get double the portion and way better food in koreantown. 

What I end up doing is taking my barely eaten salads and rice cake to go and ate at a different korean restaurant with half the price and double the satisfaction.
4 - Katherine L.: My Dad and I first came here when he was helping me move into college, and I really enjoy popping in here for lunch during midterms/finals.  Really nice decor/food without making a college student feel out of place.  The waiters are always very nice and attentive, making sure I have water and anything else I need without being nosy or intrusive.  The food is a very interesting fusion of traditional korean food and western dishes, my favorite by far is the calamari tandoori bibimap.  Good quality food and relaxing atmosphere (I've never had a bad meal there), but nothing too exceptional considering the price.
4 - Shelley L.: My parents where helping me move and we wanted a quick bite to eat. We walked down the street and ended up at CHAM Korean Bistro. My dad and I both had hot bibimbop with bulogi. A tip for all you people who have never had this before, the second they bring it out to you MIX EVERYTHING UP!! If you eat it in pieces your rice will get burnt at the bottom. But doest that make it taste any less amazing... absoutely not. The only reason not a five star is they could step up their service a little bit.
4 - Pamela B.: This place is really good. Definitely get the hot sizzling bibimap. I got the beef bulgolgi. Its healthy too. You can choose from brown or white rice. Comes with yummy veggies. They give you a generous amount. It also comes with this kinda mild really yummy red sauce. Its not siracha where it can burn your mouth after a couple dips but this red sauce they give is delicious. Not too spicy just right amount of heat. Oh and can't forget the kalbi. Can't beat Hawaiians kalbi, but its a good competitor. Btw you park in this structure and yes they do validate :)
4 - Aram K.: Good deal for the money, it's tasty and easily affordable korean food. Very gormet, yet at the same time, someplace you can go even when you want to spend less than $15 to eat a full meal. 

Highly recommended!
4 - Kristyn W.: Some friends who live in the area suggested we try CHAM for dinner, and we were all pleasantly surprised to find such great quality food in what closely resembled a Korean Noodles and Company! 

I started with a glass of Chardonnay which was very good for such a casual restaurant.  We also ordered appetizers which were probably the best part of the meal.  I had two tofu pockets (the two vegetarian options), and I would definitely order both again.  The one topped with radish and arugula was delicious, but the pickled seaweed topping was my favorite.  

My friends ordered the pork bun and the ahi tuna, and they said both were great.  The appetizer and tapas options are the perfect size, and you can try lots of different things without feeling too full to eat the rest of the meal.

After our appetizers we all got CHAM salads which they were happy to do in a half size.  House salads can be very blah, but I liked the dressing on this one so much I could have easily eaten the full size salad as my main course!

For my main course I ordered the Japchae which is a combination of sauteed sweet potato glass noodles, vegetables and rice.  This was probably my least favorite part of the meal because I wasn't the biggest fan of the noodles.  The vegetables were decent, but nothing spectacular, and the whole thing would have been much better if it just came with the brown rice I got on the side.  Also, I think you should be able to order tofu or meat in the dish, but they would only let me order my tofu separately.  The tofu wasn't awful, but I expected better from a Korean restaurant.  My friends ordered the Sizzling Bibimbap (I had food envy over this one and will probably get it next time) and the Beef Bulogi and Glass Noodle Hot Pot, both of which they seemed to enjoy. 

Overall, we had a great experience at CHAM and I will definitely be back in the near future!  The service isn't great and we had at least four different waiters, but the food is an interesting take on traditional Korean fare and what you get is amazing for the price!
5 - James N.: I love this place! The buns are awesome and the spicy tuna tofu pockets are fantastic!
4 - Nicole T.: This place is in a strip mall next to a really lame "Mexican" place. It's not the kind of place I think of as a destination, so I haven't ever eaten there. The other thing is that I don't like the idea of stuffing my face while staring at people working out at my gym, which is across the street. They seem to have overcome their tragic destination, since I see people coming and going often enough. So I tried a to-go order, and it was pretty great.

I'm a sucker for anything with a fried egg on it. Veggies are fresh and everything is so tasty. I love the bibimbap. I am trying to make my s.o. go here, but he is harboring a deep crush for abricott right now...which is a different review for another day.
4 - Celeste C.: The Korean beef stew was flavorful and filling and came with a small, tasty salad. We also ordered two sizzling bibimbaps with bulgogi. I love the they heat up the pot so that you get the texture of crispy rice, but one of them was heated up too much and the rice burnt :( My brother also complained that the portion was on the small side. The place gets pretty crowded around lunch time so come early or it's kind of difficult to find a table.
4 - lucy c.: A decent Americanized Korean place w great service. Tofu pockets r delicious. Bulgogi r good. short ribs r good.portion is small
4 - Diana V.: A friend of mine suggest this place, knowing me and my love for Korean cuisine.

We shared:
Spicy Yuzu Pork Bulgogi + Cilantro
Yum, I wish we could have ordered more instead of ordering one and taking only one bite before passing it on... The meat was delicious and the bun and cilantro complimented it well.
Spicy Tuna & Arugula + Radish Tofu Pockets
Being a Spicy Tuna lover, I obviously enjoyed the first pocket. I was expecting it to be actual piece of stuffed tofu, but the fillings were tucked into inarizushi skins ontop a layer of rice.
Crispy Spicy Rice Cakes 
eh... i did not really like this dish. This crispy version of dukbokki required to much chewing, but the sauce it was sitting in was tasty
Sizziling Spicy Calamari Bibimbap
This was alright, I had higher expectations for this dish that came out of the kitchen in a skillet bowl thing... it was a tad on the sweeter side and probably more gochujang than I am use to. The squid was kind of under cooked. ( I enjoy the one at Young Dong's in Arcadia more)

Overall, I enjoyed the far more laid back, urban, and casual setting of this place, totally different from the usually Korean reasurants with the ahjummas running around~ which i also enjoy~ 

Ps. This place is located right across the street from an LA fitness... so maybe after stuffing yourself and seeing all the people work out on treadmills your entire meal (If you, like I, get a seat right by the window) you start feeling guilty about stuffing yourself, maybe head on over there (:
4 - I N.: 3.5 stars... 

PORTOBELLO FRIES!!! These are the best we've ever had! The dishes are interesting in presentation. Modern take with Korean flavor. Went here on a double date and really enjoyed it! Happy hour specials after 3pm! We would definitely come back just for that!
3 - Michelle L.: TOFU POCKETS & STEAMED BUNS.

Please order the following: spicy tuna & blue crab tofu pockets ($2.50 each) + beef bulgogi & spicy yuzu pork steamed buns ($3.00 each) because they are delicious. I'd say these 4 specific items are a must try if you come here.

I tried the beef bulgogi chambination ($12.00). It comes with white or brown rice & your choice of small salad. I picked white rice & tofu crouton salad. Personally, I feel like there's too little rice & too much salad. But the dressing on that salad, yum! The beef bulgogi didn't stand out, I can't even remember how it tasted like. I wouldn't order this again.

I love rice cakes so I had to try the crispy spicy rice cakes ($8.00)! The sweet & spicy sauce was pretty tasty & it had some of my favorite vegetables in it! I'd order this again!

FREE VALIDATED PARKING underground, entrance is on the side of the restaurant!
3 - Florence L.: Cham was A-OK for me. The staff there seems very nice, but a little slow. Strange that I go to a restaurant and have to ask for utensils and napkins. But the food came out quickly. Nice set up, clean restaurant and a very interesting menu. All pretty new for me.

We tried the Crispy spicy tuna ball (good), ahi tuna w/chinichuri sauce (ok), spicy yuzu pork bun (bomb, the steamed bun is pretty kick ass), spciy tuna and blue crab tofu pockets (ok, more rice then anything), and the sizzling kimchi gratin (delicious).

I don't think Cham is somewhere I have to come RUNNING back to, but might check out again if in the area, but since Im hardly EVER in Pasadena, who knows if Ill be back. Its definitely worth checking out though. Not very pricey and they serve beer and wine. Good times!
3 - Brian C.: Good food but they just upped the price on their tofu pocket from 1.50 to 2.50 huge jump not too happy with that part. I dont know if we would be back anytime soon.. those tofu pockets were what made them stand out for us..
5 - Sam P.: I don't mean to offend those people that are complaining about "oh my god there's no side dishes and kimchi." Go to a traditional Korean place. Where the food is good, you probably will encounter spotty service. Here, you'll  get good food and good service. For the people complaining about how the menu doesn't look good:

This place is a BISTRO. A small informal restaurant serving simple dishes. And usually bistros just print out a simple menu. Well, your opinion is your own.  

As for the food. I got an assortment of dishes. First we're the tofu packets. One with crab and the other with spicy tuna. I wish I took a picture of the dish but I didn't because I just ate without thinking. Lol. Next were the steamed buns with the spicy pork and cilantro. I'm a sucker for those ingredients. Especially cilantro. Looooovvved it!! 

Next was the crunchy tofu salad with sautéed kale with samjang, rice and meat. To me, a salad is a salad. The unusually good thing was that I usually dislike kale, but after tasting it in this dish, I was sold!! Soooo good! Loved the dressing also!

What really sold me was the fried portobello mushrooms with a cilantro aioli. Gotta be honest, looked interesting when it first came onto the table, but it was soo good! I love mushrooms. I absolutely love aiolis, annnd it was with cilantro!! Delicious. 

Next was ddukbokee. Crispy on the outside and warm and chewy on the inside . Ohh my god. Delicious. 

Customer service was great! When I walked in, I was greeted by a waiter and he led me to a table. Good service! The attitudes of the waiters and waitresses were good. Can't complain with that right? 

I never went to a Korean fusion bistro before so this was a great experience :)
5 - Justin C.: Korean with a modern twist! It's super delicious and refreshing. Don't expect this place to be your traditional Korean shoppe, but what it offers brings something new to the table and I am super satisfied. Everything we ordered was delicious and will definitely go back to try the rest of the menu! And I love me some tofu pockets!!
4 - Linda C.: I tried this place out because my brother had mentioned that it was pretty good and he was so right!

CHAM serves contemporary korean dishes--it's definitely different than any other korean restaurant that I have been to.  

Upon entering, I felt like CHAM had a fast food type of vibe.  Large wood benches and small tables to the left and more seating along the wall to the right.  This place was good for all types of people, those on dates, small group of friends, family, just an all around cute place to have a quick lunch or dinner.  

What we devoured between two people: 

1. Spicy Tuna Tofu Pocket:  (4/5)  I was craving for spicy tuna that day and this tofu pocket just hit the spot.  It was light and was a great refreshing appetizer, especially on a hot day.  

2. Spicy Yuzu Pork Bun: (4/5)  I'm not really a fan of buns, but I do have to admit that they did a fantastic job with their buns.  The spicy yuzu pork and cilantro made for a harmonious blend.  

3. Hot Pot Bibimbap with Bulgolgi: (5/5)  Out of everything that was ordered, the bimbimbap was my favorite.  Throw in some chili sauce into the bibimbap and get a good arm work out from stirring all the ingredients together.  YUM.  They serve their bibimbap with two scoops of rice (your choice of white or brown rice).  I loved how there wasn't too much rice but just enough.  The bulgolgi was pretty good too--not too fatty.  I loved all the ingredients that they put into this.  I'll definitely order this one again!

4. Side of Kimchi:  (3.5/5) The kimchi was not bad, it was pretty good also.  It wasn't too spicy and just the right amount of crunchy.  It was just a light and refreshing touch to the rest of our meal--very complementary.   

5. Korean tapas: Calamari tacos: (4/5)  I really liked these.  I loved the texture that it had with every bite.  The calamari was crispy and the taco skin was just the right amount of thickness.  
 
Overall, I was really delightfully satisfied with CHAM.  I'm a fan of places that offer a variety of small dishes, just because if i could, I always wished that I could take a bite out of everything that a restaurant offered.  Selfish I know.  

But I'm really glad that they have a pretty interesting menu.  I love trying new things and I'm really happy that I found another place that I can come to regularly in Pasadena.
3 - Eli S.: Cute organized menu (a little too much), FAST service, courteous staff, friendly atmosphere but the place is like that 24 hour KTown place on Wilshire with bibimbap that just misses. Also, the lack of banchan to potentially stir in to alter the texture of your food or in your mouth is a real loss (I do that ok, it may not be correct, but sometimes I like kimchi in my bibimbap :-)).

Good price. I got enough food for two and it was under 20. I'm stuffed now, food for tomorrow too.

Kimchi =3*... Because of lack of spice when it seems like it should be a spicy kimchi. No chili or oil on table. No banchan...Again... :-/... Oh well. 

Bibimbap w/ calamari - 3* because of a lack of textural elements usually found in vegetables that are available on the table or with rice that you can add yourself to preserve some without sauce, etc. Again, no oil or chili, I had to ask for it.

Tofu pockets make me think sushi. The spicy tuna is good, so is the crab, an the seaweed 4* for those. 

So altogether it is about a 3.5* weighing in the atmosphere. I'd come back.
4 - John H.: Quick, tasty, and good for an evening sitting in modern furniture eating Korean food.
5 - Kelly M.: Great Korean fusion place and delicious food- we loooove their sizzling hot bimimbap and their spicy tuna pockets are really good!  Also a great place to cater from- we have use their catering services for a number of work events.
5 - Alex D.: I'm glad I stumbled upon this place because I plan to return.
3 - M Y.: The Sizzling Hot Bibimbap is usually quite good; their California Bibimbap is healthy but bland. The service is very slow, and the music is very loud and obnoxious.
2 - Susan L.: The people I went with loved it, but I was definitely not a fan.  Really weird food, overpriced for what it is too.  Too spicy also.  They are super wasteful here with their cups too (you get a plastic to-go cup even if you are dining in)... they must hate the environment.
4 - miranddan k.: Portobello fries are a must! The dipping sauce that accompanied it was delicious, too. We also tried the calamari bibimbap which came out on a cast-iron skillet. It was hot, spicy, and delicious. I was craving Korean rice cakes. It's alright. Slightly crispy on the outside, but chewy on the inside. Some like it that way, others (like me), prefer the soft and chewy Korean rice cakes.

I like Cham. It's hard to find a Korean restaurant in Pasadena so if I don't feel like trekking to K-town, you'll find me at Cham.
5 - marian z.: OMG TOFU POCKETS!!! so goood : ) it's like sushi but instead of seaweed, you get it wrapped in a Inarizushi( sweet tofu wrap).  Get the blue crab and tuna sashimi one ! 

i've come here many many times to get the tofu pockets and still not sick of it yet =)

this is a little different than the typical korean restaurants I go to because they don't give out side dishes but the service here is a lot better than most.
2 - James S.: It's okay

I was not throughly impressed with the food 

All tapas items are 15% off during Happy Hour from 3-6pm

The calamaris were forgettable and they don't really have the Korean spiciness I was looking forward too. 

Would I be back?
Doubtful

If I need my Korean fix, I am going to ask Richard K.
4 - Taylor C.: Bulgogi Buns and Rice Cakes are the best. I think the food is soo good and i wish i could give this place 5 stars but i have some issues...

Service: When they get busy it tends to get chaotic. They seem to be under staffed during those times and you notice quite few unsatisfied customers.
(Solution: get a bus boy. He'll clear tables quickly and result in higher turnover of tables.)

Cups: Don't serve your water and soft drinks in plastic to-go cups to customers who are sitting down to eat. It's lazy, it's cheap, and it's bad for the environment.

...but food though ugh. Damn i love your food.
2 - Lynnzy S.: Ate here friday with my friends & family. We were walking around shopping in pasadena and stumbled upon this little joint.

Korean fusion restaurant for sure! Not your typical Kim chi Korean restaurant. If your looking for traditional this is clearly the wrong restaurant! 

Hot crispy bibimpap rice was okay . It came out sizzling hot with a mixture of vegetable and bolgogi beef. It wasn't as flavorful like I'd expect but the hot crispy rice was a nice change.


Sslam lettuce plate w spicy pork Is like spring rolls just alot more pricey with a little color reddish that's pickled. Yuck!

Tofu Pockets, marinated spicy tuna is the only thing I truly enjoyed out of all the things I've tried & that really doesn't say much because the quality of the Tuna wasn't that great.

Girl cashier was very very nice she recommended what was best on the menu. Couldn't say much for the bus boy or waiter serving that day. Asked for napkins and completely ignored us. He was very rude. 

Wouldn't come back
2 - Akiko T.: expensive for what it is. or maybe ive been too spoiled by mom'npop shops owned by real korean fams that are 50% cheaper than whats here. 

i got the sizzling spicy calamari bibimbap. thing was SMOTHERED IN SPICY SAUCE. im telling you, i LOVE spicy food, i REALLY go. but this was like drenched in spicy sauce, it was so...ugh. it was like they were trying to hide the real flavors of the rice/squid pieces that were in there with it, lol. 

boyfriend had the normal sizzling bibimbap, he said it was good but (hes korean) but like i said, hes had it better cheaper+more portion else where. 

overall, eh. like someone before me said, i would never come running back here. maybe to snack on something small, their tapas looked interesting. 

which reminds me. why is it "korean fusion"? lol. its straight up kroean food haha
5 - Casey M.: Cham is hands down my favorite place to eat in Pasadena. It's so fresh, original and delicious! The staff is super friendly, the atmosphere is cool and inviting and I seriously dream about this food! 

A few of my favorite things: 
Barley Tea
Steamed Buns (with a taco flare - yum!)
California Bibimbap (w/ oil/hot sauce on top) tofu and spicy tuna are my favorites!
Chambination w/ tofu or beef - all the elements are delish! There's some sort of paste that makes my mouth water just thinking of it. That, with the lettuce, mint, onions and sticky brown rice - yes please! 

The tapas menu is also wonderful. I think I've had everything on there and can't complain about one thing. 

I often order to go and they are very efficient and accommodating. 

Validated parking in the garage below.

AAA Discount, 10% off your bill (more or less) - nice!

GO HERE! You won't be able to stay away.
4 - Joanna W.: Everything tastes too salty. but good
1 - Eunice C.: This place is very disorganized. When I walked in, it was apparent that they were short handed. We were seated at a large table even though it was just my boyfriend and I. A larger party had walked in after us so we decided to help them out. We offered to take a smaller table that was being cleared so the larger party wouldn't have to wait so long. My mistake for trying to do a good deed. The larger party ended up getting served first and we ended up waiting for a much longer time. We had four different people asking if we were ready to order. I couldn't tell who our server was and who wasn't. 
The food was very over priced. I'm down to pay a lot of money for food that is fabulous, but this place was not worth it. Every Korean place I've been to gives you barely tea for free, not this place. They charged $2.00 a cup.
I had the kimchi fried rice. I can handle spicy stuff but this thing was smothered in really spicy sauce. It was so spicy that I couldn't enjoy any of it.
Will I come back? Never.
5 - Brittney W.: Honestly, I don't even know how this place gets bad reviews, its great! I came here with my boyfriend on a thursday night at about 9:15 (they are open till 10 on thursday-saturday) which is super convenient because my boyfriend and I both work late and were not in the mood for fast food and unlike some restaurants where the staff has been almost snotty so close to closing time, they were more than happy to serve us. We had the california bibimbap, steamed buns, ahi tuna and 2 (very fresh I might add!) spicy tuna tofu pockets. The food was made fast, tasted amazing, and super fresh. It also really made me feel good that I can actually see my food being made right in front of me. 
      As far as service goes the staff welcomes you as soon as you walk in the door and we got seated right away.  We had a male waiter who explained the menu to us in alot of detail and helped us decide what we would order. Our drinks were given to us almost as soon as we ordered them and the food came out very fast (with a smile I might add). I tried the kimchi (not my thing!) but apparently its pretty good according to my boyfriend. 
     I will definitely be back very soon and I really do recommend this place to anyone looking for cheap priced, high quality, fresh food. 
      Also this place is vegan friendly (aka lots of tofu substitutes!) which is super convenient if you have picky friends like me!
3 - Alan C.: The food is decent but they don't really give you a lot of portions and they skimp out of the sides that you would get at a real Korean restaurant. Kinda pricey too for the amount of food you get. I guess I should've known because this place is a Bistro which is just a way to say "fancy"
3 - Jenna C.: The bf and I were really excited to try this place, because the concept of Korean tapas was cool, and this place is very close to our apartment.  We both went with the hot bibambop.  Even though they offer seared tuna in the cold bimambop, they refused to do the hot bibambop with the seared tuna (even if I asked for the seared tuna on the side), so whatever, I got the tofu.  The dish definitely looked a lot better than it tasted.  It was pretty good, but underseasoned and my rice was not crispy.  Sad.

The layout of the restaurant is unique... Some picnic-type family style tables, and some smaller tables for couples.  The service was a little slow, even though they weren't that busy on a Tuesday night.

We might come back to try some other choices... But other reviewers are right, the prices are a bit high for the tapas.

CHIAO & WU, LLP - Attorneys at Law - Pasadena, CA (34.135577, -118.132245) (Pasadena)
5 - Lillian K.: I was referred by a friend to come here asd see sandy to get estate planning help. I never realized how much was involved with dealing with this touchy touchy subject growing up in an Asian american household. She was the nicest lawyer I've ever met and in sure anyone would agree after meeting her. I opted for a consultation for my specific case. This stuff us sooooo confusing, but that's why u came to them to make everything right.
5 - Nathan S.: I contacted Ching Chiao to help me with some issues i am having with my business lease, and he was a great help. He reviewed my lease and found several issues that needed to be addressed and saved me a ton of potential headache
5 - Gina L.: I've worked with Ching in the past when I was purchasing a property.  He is very knowledgeable about real-estate laws and is very honest on his recommendations.  If you need any legal help, Ching Chiao is the lawyer to go to.
5 - Sydney C.: I have worked with others, but Ching Chaio is THE lawyer for all the legal advice that I needed to get me out of a real estate fraud in which I was victimized.  He not only offered the most cost-effective solutions for the problems but also his sincere and honest personal advice which were very comforting and much needed to all of us during the most difficult time. As easygoing as Ching can be, his professionalism and defiant disposition surely delivers positive results.  We believe that we had the BEST lawyer for the case; and that's why I highly recommend Ching's sophisticated service and style to anyone who is in need of a genuine and brilliant lawyer.
5 - slice d.: We've had some really bad experiences with attorney's in the past. Either they were dishonest or they didn't even do what they were paid to do. Some didn't even really care about our needs. We were looking for an attorney in the Pasadena or in the general San Gabriel Valley area. Good thing we saw these guys on Google and Yelp reviews (we have yet to be let down by the Yelp and Google reviews community!) It's really hard to find reliable, trustworthy and honest attorneys but we did just that with the Law Offices of Chiao & Wu. We got in contact with them for help with tax, real estate, and business law issues and Ching Chiao was very professional and thorough. Ching contacted us in a timely manner and was able to communicate effectively to us (which is really crucial). We really felt like we were taken care of and in really good hands. We would continue to do business with them again and again for all our lawyer needs and would recommend them to anyone.
5 - Lindsay C.: Contacted Mr. Chiao about a real estate matter in the down economy. He was a blessing to work with. He was very knowledgeable and laid out all of our options, pros and cons, but also truly understood the background of which my husband and I were coming from. His reviews precede himself! We felt very comfortable the entire time. You could tell he was looking out for our best interests from the get-go. We would use his services again in the future!
5 - Trin T.: I was in over my head with a commercial lease and I had no way of continuing; I was already way in the red and didn't know how I would survive another year. I tried a reach out to the management and come to some sort of compromise, but was ignored at every turned. I was at the end of my rope and then they sent a lawyer to represent them. I tried to work it out with the lawyer, but after being ignored for over a month, I got scared and started looking for a lawyer of my own. 

After lots of research and debate over whether I can even afford to see a lawyer for this, I found Ching through Yelp. He had a lot of amazing reviews and considering my pending situation, I had to just bite the bullet and pay the consultation fee. 

The consultation was definitely a nerve wrecking experience. I had no way of knowing if I was throwing more money away and no idea what to expect from the meeting. However, after all was said and done, I left the consultation feeling more at ease than I had in months. Ching was professional, understanding and he did more than his part to be utterly empathetic of my situation. Professional you expect, understanding you hope to get, but empathy is something very few people manage to provide. 

Ching was on top of my case despite the fact that it wasn't a winning case. He made sure I was taken care of and even if we weren't going to get the best settlement, at least we could make the other side compromise and actually come to the table. He was considerate of my financial situation and did more than he should have to get me a favorable outcome. Now that everything is over, I couldn't have hoped for a better lawyer to help me through that tough patch I didn't know if I could get through. 

If you need a lawyer, you need THIS lawyer. He is more than qualified and integrity you'll be hard press to find elsewhere. If I ever need legal advice, I would not hesitate to go back to Ching.
5 - Jim L.: I will keep this simple. Chiao & Wu are the best in business. Their experience and knowledge is unparallel by any other attorney. Mr. Chiao reviewed several agreements for our company and he was thorough. His attention to detail was extraordinary and pointed out several clauses that needed attention and/or modification (and recommended language to protect our interest). I felt Mr. Chiao was direct, eloquent, skillful and extremely concerned about my financial and legal well-being. In addition, he is a skillful negotiator and communicator.
5 - Kenny L.: I don't usually have the time to write reviews for services.  I consider myself an true hustler without time to get boggled down with the goofy stuff in life. I generally have no respect for attorneys, real estate brokers. So, I was selling my business because my business partners and I ran into some tough times during the recesson.

We were about to lose it all, and my partner and I were fighting everyday because of the stress of losing our shirts. I needed help and googled for business law help. I was still doubtful, but as I was in the corner, I had to give it a shot.  I called these guys and I got to speak to the attorney right away.  He was generous with his time and spoke to me like a friend.  At first impression, he was upfront and didn't beat around the bush.

In the end, my partner and I went in for a consultation, and we made out BIG!  We ended up keeping our business and have been profitable using the suggestions attorney Ching Chiao gave us.

Will be using them call them and decide for yourself, you wont go wrong.  Good luck...
5 - Chen S.: Quite honestly, I hear horror stories all the time about attorneys.  When I was going through my divorce, I had a small support group of other divorcees share stories about their own experiences with other attorneys.  Most of them went something like,  "they were horrible.  They dragged things out and only cared about making money."  

I found Chiao & Wu, LLP through a very close personal reference, and Sandy Wu represented me in the matter.  She was very professional and knowledgeable about the process, and answered every question I had.  She was very prompt in answering my emails regarding any matters I had.  Even as tough as a divorce can be, Sandy made the process bearable and stress-free in regards to the legal side of things.  

I was so impressed with Sandy Wu that I decided to recommend the firm to my parents in regards to some business matters.  Ching Chiao represented them in two matters in regards to possible civil lawsuits.  It was clear from the comments my parents made that he had their best interest in mind.  Especially given that my parents speak primarily Chinese, it was refreshing to see a professional handle things the way he did and not take advantage of them.   In the end, my parents were very happy with the conclusions of their matters.

Thank you Chiao & Wu, LLP for all the services you provided for our family.  I highly recommend them and will use them again in the future.

CK Cafe - Claremont, CA (34.0948372, -117.7179003) ()
3 - Joe J.: They stay open relatively late, and the space is cool. Coffee's okay. Service is okay.
3 - Rhea B.: I haven't been here in a while, but back in the day, this used to be called Nick's Cafe Trevi, because it was once squeezed into this tiny space next to Harvard Square Cafe. Years ago, it had damn good baristas who made a mean cup of joe. As a teenager, my Mod boyfriend and his scooter buddies would meet here for a cuppa and a smoke, then zoom off on their shiny Vespas. But I digress.

I'll be back later this summer and give you an update of CK Cafe. RIP, Nick's Cafe Trevi.
4 - Kevin D.: Went there yesterday with some friends.  It's pretty hard to find because it's in an Alley. I've visited the claremont village for as long as i can remember but I didn't know that it was a totally different place at night.  They have boba.  My friends told me a cool asian guy owns the place and he's really friendly.  That place is a good place to hang out because it has books and board games you can use or you can just sit and talk with friends.
5 - SorPor c.: It's pretty chill in there, I like to hang out with fds there, and usually, i'll study over there b/c they open late and have FREE wireless there, their "rule" is everyone comes here have to buy something... i think it's understandable coz they are doing business. Drinks are not expensive at all, have the best boba I ever had! Great place*
4 - Seth G.: I have been going to CK for the last six years. It has good tea, coffee (better than Starbucks) and smoothies. It is as sincerely unpretentious as it gets. They are also open later than any of the area coffee shops, which tend to close around 10:00PM.
5 - Ryan D.: CK is the best coffee shop I've been able to find in the area. I'm heart broken that my first years at the claremont colleges were spent not knowing this place existed. It's hidden in the parking lot behind heroes. Mr. and Mrs. Pong are incredibly friendly and always remember what you want to drink(I guess if you go there a lot like I do at least). Mr. Pong will always come have a cigarette with you and is very nice but will kick your ass at chess. They recently started taking credit and debit cards. Like everyone else has said they do a fun open mic night on thursdays.
They just recently established actual business hours and put in a new sign to prove it. They even have pretty cheap hookah.
Overall its a great place to go have a cigarette and coffee and do some work or bullshit with the other patrons and remember if you are really daring challenge Mr. Pong to chess.
3 - Nathan B.: Used to be Nick's Cafe Trevi like others said, back when starbucks was only a "good idea." Its changed now, and just like all the other cafes. No refills on regular coffee... no french press... no style... no artists grouped in the shady corner... but the location holds a place in my heart. RIP Nick's.
4 - suthee t.: Good tea, good place to sit and relax.  thanks for free internet it's very helpful when I needed it.   I will be back soon!!
4 - Lorraine L.: Cool cafe.  We made a pit stop here on our way to Mt. Baldy.  It has a chill vibe, and looks like a cafe I could find in the Mission in SF.  It has a mash-up of random furniture, free wireless, and even a bookshelf with some random books and board games.  Their menu had quite the variety of drinks including Boba drinks and some munchies too.  I had a soy latte which was well-made, and surprisingly not too bitter.  Nice place, if I lived in Claremont this would definitely be my spot to do a little work and get a little caffeine fix.
4 - Ade M.: I always hit up this cafe whenever I'm in Claremont for boba or coffee. Hidden behind a sports bar with it's own private lot, CK Cafe is the perfect place for late(r than Starbucks or other generic coffeehouses) night studies or just hanging out. Their location, as other reviews have stated, may be hard to find for newcomers, but there's an easy entrance to CK's private lot on 1st Street. Personally, I find this cafe's location to be awesome; since the patio faces out to the parking lot, there are really no outside distractions.

CK Cafe's boba is amazing to my life. There are very few boba places in the surrounding areas that are even semi-decent, but CK's bubble makes me jolly. The tapioca balls are perfect, firm yet soft and chewy. The coffee is pretty good, too. A notch above Starbucks quality for you coffee connoisseurs. The variety of teas that they have are also superb, but I've only ordered tea from this place once or twice.

What sets this cafe apart from other coffeehouses in my mind is the service and hospitality that Mr. Pong and his wife exude. They genuinely care about their customers and do remember orders if you're a regular. The ambiance of this place is pretty cool, too. Random night and Alice in Wonderland murals with comfortable chairs all around. The outside patio includes a canopy and plastic chairs with tables and ashtrays. You'll often find Mr. Pong smoking a cigarette here.

The age range varies, but there are usually more college kids around just hanging out and chatting. This presence is probably because Claremont Colleges are down the street. There are also professors sitting inside, usually talking to each other and enjoying a cup of coffee. 

Free wireless, board games, books, and lots of random munchies such as chips and cookies but no real 'hot' food items, as they don't have a kitchen. I always like being greeted by Mr. Pong, too. Great cafe overall.
4 - Monica S.: CK's has always been that alternative cafe to Starbucks Coffee in the Claremont village, a haven of the more "interesting" and semi-sketchy crowd.  But don't let that thwart you away.

What I like about this cafe is that it's not as noisy as the corporate cafes (no loud blenders, door fans, and hyperactive air-conditioning), there is  a lot of space, couches, large tables for work space, there's free Wi-Fi, it's open until 12 midnight, and aesthetically it's interesting (more at-home).  There is also an outdoor patio.  They also have really good tea.  The Coffee Bean and Last Drop Cafe are the only other places with Free Wi-Fi in the Claremont Village(s), but CK's is more spacey.

What I don't like about CK's is that the owners can be hostile depending on the weather, most of the blended drinks are made from a base of  what tastes like high fructose corn syrup, food coloring, and preservatives (but you can NEVER go wrong with the tea =]), the hookah is subpar, and they will seriously harass you for bringing your own water bottle--even if you bought several drinks from them.  So make sure not to visibly bring any drink or food products from outside.

I go for the free Wi-Fi, comfortable seating, and open-late factor (and the tea is good) at the expense of hostility.  Pick your poison, or shuffle your cards.

Also, there's Open-Mic nights on Thursdays, which is pretty cool.

Yes, it is true that you have to buy a drink if you want to chill there, or you will be verbally attacked.  Queenie will come after you.  She will. But it's their business, so people should understand that at least.
4 - Phu N.: Are you a resident of Claremont, CA? Do you live in a neighboring city? Have you heard of a couple of Taiwanese entrepreneurs named Calvin & Kathy [Hmm... CK?]? Do you love hot tea served in a translucent kettle?

If yes, yes, yes! is your answer, you might have come across this place hidden behind an alley somewhere in the Village East. Don't worry. This is place not-so-sketchy. Even, I go here. Rather, It's a place destined for regulars. Warning: you must afford, as Mrs. Kathy advertises, "[The] one dollar minimum for everyone! (or else get out you worthless dirty, loitering, artsy, punk bum." If you have enough nickels and dimes, you can become a regular too!

On the inside there are some comfortable couches, along with some old nifty board games you can access for free. Outside in the patio, there are plenty of chairs and tables. A cool place to hang out with your friends and/or converse with friendly strangers.
4 - Christian R.: Bad hookah. Ok tea. Comfy couches. Crappy tea pots that break.
2 - Johnny N.: Seriously, did everyone drink the CK koolaid? The main reason why CK does as well as it does is that it's open later than the other coffee places in Claremont. The coffee's really mediocre, as are their other drinks (boba milk teas, etc.).  The shop is pretty crummy too, truth be told... I hate to say it, but it seems like most who hang around CK are there "to be seen... but are 'too cool' to care" (you know who you all are!). Inside you can see the potential but for some reason it's always muggy and hot in there.

But I go because it's the only place after 10pm to go for coffee.  And sometimes when I do go, I wish that I had just stayed at home.  I'd definitely take Last Drop over CK if given the choice... heck, Coffee Bean would get the nod from me if they were open late.

(Oh right, which reminds me... the last time I went in there, they didn't serve us because their clock said it was midnight. I pointed out that their clock was 15 mins fast and it was really 11:45pm according to, well, everyone else.  Result = no service.  Weird, right?)
2 - Yunicia S.: So me and my boyfriend wanted to try a new coffee shop or just a place to study. We found this place called CK cafe that got pretty good comments on yelp and so we decided to give it a shot! 

The place is kinda hard to find but once we found it, it looked pretty cozy. When we order the drink, I can tell the Asian lady has poor English that i can hardly understand. She also has a very bad attitude with a stinky face!!! Anyways, i got my house coffee in a tiny cup that cost around $1.50 which was alright. My boyfriend got a ice coffee latte which was okay too. After a while, i ask for a water and she just gives me a short answer like "bottle, one dollar" and i was like okay..... so there is no tap water?? Then my boyfriend wanted some hot water and when he asked the lady for some hot water, she looked at him with a really bad attitude and say "one dolla!" I don't get how the ratings for this place got 4 stars. I feel like everything here except wifi is charged!!!!

my conclusion is:
the place is kinda dirty
drink is alright
wifi is free 
attitude is SUUCKKKS!!
1 - ben m.: this place would be okay but the owners are so rude. they have signs everywhere telling you that nothing is free. they have a warning that IF they catch you charging anything but your computer, they'll charge you 20 dollars.  They just have a bad attitude. I bought a cookie, to make the angry owner happy. he threw my change at me with a grumble.
 rude signs, rude attitude.
I'll never go back.
3 - Juliette M.: I only come for the tea and they are good. Any of them with jasmine or peach have been the best I have tried
1 - B M.: This place needs to cleaned up....sorry it is dirty! Nicks was very special, this place does not compare.
5 - Maddie M.: I love this place, I go almost every Thursday for thier open mic.They have great Thai Tea bolba and awesome sweet Hot tea. The atmospher is great very relaxed and chill. Definatley a place you should check out!
4 - Tyler R.: A hole in the wall if I've ever seen one.

I usually go for coffee, but people come here for the teas.  Arrive in the evening and you'll find a grumpy old asian man working, and he looks like he's just fit to be tied!  There's also a strange array of artwork painted across the indoor walls, and apparently you can rent out hookah pipes that are smoked in the cafe's quaint outdoor patio (no doubt people are smoking more cigarettes and weed here than anything else). This place is open past many of its neighboring competitors, so you'll often find night prowlers here, many of whom are waiting until the cafe's 12 a.m. closing time to plan their next move.

Don't get me wrong, there is a relaxed and charming atmosphere here that many cafes attempt to acquire. Although a slight bit bizarre, the curious environment draws in the creative and deviant crowds who encapsulate the aura of the CK cafe.
4 - Nicholas B.: I love this place. This place is located in a back alley in the Calremont Village. Its kinda a shabby place but the drink are great here. I always get the cookie mocha frape wich is always good. Ordering can be kinda  a pain since the people who run it dont speak english all that well so you have to take the menu and point to what you want. The drinks usually come in two sizes Big and Bigger. Great place to run in grab a drink and go and also to sit back relax.
2 - Anastasia S.: One of the strangest coffee shops I've ever been to, and hard to find at that. I had an iced coffee that was okay (should have been better for the $2.75 I paid for it) and some pretty laughable "service." But as someone said earlier, this is the only coffee place in Claremont open really late. If you need to get away and hole up in a shack, this is a good place to do it.
1 - malalai f.: If i could give this place a 0 i would. The owner is rude, the papers posted everywhere with ridiculous rules are annoying and the conditions placed on simply just stepping inside the store are a turn off. I'd rather be ordering tea from the 7-11.
3 - Kristen C.: This place changed to CK Cafe?  Really?   

I is sad, I used to know this spot as Nick's Cafe and this was where all the "hipsters" and "locals" went to. (It's somewhat tucked away).

Are they kidding about the $20 charge if say you're charging your cellphone?  Tell me it's just part of the grumpy vibe.  Whatever.
3 - Van D.: This place is definitely a hole-in-the-wall!! They have this special tea. It's shaped as a ball and when you put hot water in it, it blooms ;) faaannccy!! right?? My favorite is the peach lily, and I ask for honey!! It tastes AMAZING and refreshing!! No complaints on the product....

HOWEVER!! The place looks dusty and dirty, and sometimes there are hobos here. The chairs are so far from the table, I feel like sitting there would give me bad posture. The service is beyond horrible. Sometimes they're sitting there and you're waiting and it's like they're freaken blind. One time I was sitting there waiting for my drink and she basically FORGOT ABOUT ME. I was trying to kill time, but by the time I got my drink, I had to togo it... WORST OF ALL is that their hours say that they close at MIDNIGHT... and on multiple occasions I get there at like 11 or something, and they're like we're closed.. or you have to get this to-go cause I'm leaving... ughh wtf is that??? 

And... They do a hookah thing outside. So the air is pretty polluted too... but if you're into that, I guess you'd like it??
1 - Michael E.: My first and last time being here. The lady behind the counter was stuck on the phone while trying to take my order and I could already tell the service would be terrible, not professional by any standards...I got a Thai tea w/ boba and this is the first time I've seen Thai tea come pre-packaged out of the fridge and it didn't taste great. This is also the first time I've seen someone have to sign a waiver and give their ID in exchange for hookah. I thought that was pretty outrageous...
The outside seating area isn't appealing whatsoever. The chairs were uncomfortable, the tables were off balance, and both were pretty dirty. There were signs on the surrounding walls with very strict rules for their customers. I can't remember all of them but the ones I can remember said something like: "you can't charge anything besides laptops" or "no outside food or drinks or we'll kick you out" and my favorite, "if you don't have a drink, we'll kick you out." Definitely didn't make me feel welcome.

The hookah was terrible and cost more than it should have. The weak, smoke shop bought coals were barely heated on a portable stove and placed on a poorly maintained hookah that was on the table in between my friend and I instead of safely on the floor where it should have been.

I'm a big fan of killing time and relaxing at coffee shops and I love smoking hookah but this place, which was supposed to have both, made me want to leave as soon as I got there. Never coming back.
1 - Kathreen A.: First off..I've been here a few times..usually the service is just mediocre and I have no idea why I keep coming back..maybe I was just hoping it would get better but this last time was the absolute worst! 

Walking in the lady helping was too busy to get off her personal phone call to help. Instead she took my order inbetween her convo. I ordered a tea with boba and of course she forgot the boba and my friend ordered a Thai tea with boba which she just pulled out from the fridge. (drinks..get one star..definitely not the best)

We then decided to try out the hookah..I go to hookah bars often and love it. This was the first time I had to sign a waiver and give my id to be held while smoking. as we were sitting with out terribly tasting drinks..she walks out with a portable stove and the same charcoal I use when I smoke at home (no idea why the hookah here cost so much) she then puts ONLY 1 stick on the portable stove and barely let it get hot. Puts the hookah ON the table between my friend and I then puts the charcoal on top then looks and warns "you break anything u buy it" -_- my friend and I look at eachother and we're just shocked. The hookah lasted 30 minutes and was definitely horrible. No body should even waste time with hookah here and instead head to casablanca. 

Overall..a ridiculous experience. Lesson learned. Not going back ever again.
4 - Ji O.: hidden gem
best place to go with friends and sit and talk 
love their selection of teas and you can also get hookah here too
one downside is that they charge for coals
3 - Nino M.: The only reason I keep coming back is because of the tea and amazing chai latte. The owners are so rude. Don't ask for water cups, extra hookah coals, or anything for that matter. They are assholes. The hookah is harsh and pretty much is cheap for a reason. It's a hole in the wall place which adds to it's appeal but the owners ridiculous rules and lack of manners will sure turn some people away.

Ck survival tips. Order flowering teas or hot chai. Buy your own hookah and avoid the dirt bag owners at all costs and you are sure to have a good time.
2 - Amanda C.: I can't believe I'm actually writing this review. But here goes...
I have frequented CK Cafe for a few years now and EVERY bad thing you read in the posts below or above this one is ABSOLUTELY TRUE. The owners are AWFUL NASTY PEOPLE. Especially Mrs. Pong, the woman who usually works there during the day. She is ALWAYS on the phone having nasty personal conversations in Vietnamese. She treats EVERY customer like shit. No matter if you have been a regular at the Cafe for years, or your just an unfortunate passerby. The sign used to say Nick's Cafe, years ago, but the N, I, and 'S faded away and they left it as is and it has come to be known as CK Cafe.
The Pong's do NOT give a flying CRAP who you are or what you want, they would prefer they never see the face of a customer for as long as they live. I DO NOT understand them. They are a mysterious bunch. 
There's a group of regulars that float around the cafe at all times. Some of them are cool people, some of them are creepy old men, and some of them are mentally unstable and possibly homeless. 
There are signs posted all around the cafe, inside and outside, that have a very long list of rules. You are NOT ALLOWED to charge anything accept a laptop. If you charge your phone in an outlet they WILL NOT hesitate to kick you out. Also, it is REQUIRED that you purchase something upon arrival. If you do not, they will approach you in a very rude and nasty way demanding that you "Buy or leave".
The coffee is ATROCIOUS. DO NOT ORDER ANYTHING COFFEE RELATED.
Feel free to order the teas though, they happen to be quite delicious and they do offer a wide selection of medicinal, herbal, and flowering teas.
Also, if you use the bathroom that they share with Espiau's Mexican food restaurant, Mr. or Mrs. Pong will give you a very nasty look if you haven't purchased something. 
The outside seating is actually enclosed, and smoking IS ALLOWED. So if you're looking for a public place to smoke in the shade or out of the rain, this is your spot, just make sure you buy a water bottle at least.
The wi-fi is free if you purchase something, because if you just go there to use wi-fi Mrs. Pong will kick you out. She has a very watchful eye.
Good luck :)
2 - Amy K.: CK Cafe used to be Nick's Cafe, where there was merriment, live music, poetry readings, etc.  CK Cafe is your strict aunt's house (with hookahs and crummy murals).  The first thing I noticed when I entered the patio was the posted list of rules, which included that anyone who comes in must order something immediately, aka no waiting for your friend to arrive to make sure your drink doesn't get cold; that if you hang around for a while, you'll have to order something else; and that if you're using electrical outlets for anything except your computer, you'll be charged.  This is what brings in customers?  There was also no music playing over the speakers, which made CK even more sterile.  Jessica H. and I got soy hot chocolates, which were ok, I guess, and chocolate chip cookies out of a container that looks like it was purchased at the local grocery store.  The biggest draw for CK appears to be its tea selection, which is probably 40-50 kinds (thus meriting my second star), including a bunch where the dried tea flower opens up in your mug of hot water, like some alien beast.  Maybe I'd want to go back if I liked tea, but in the meantime, I hate to say that in the Village, I'm going to choose a corporate chain over an indie store in the future; at least at Starbucks, I don't feel like I'm going to be scolded/booted any second.
4 - Jerryleen W.: Located near the alley in Claremont Village, CK Cafe is a hidden gem where you can hang out and and chill. Just spending an hour in here either studying, relaxing, talking with someone over a cup of coffee, boba, tea, or even a chai latte is terrific and a time well spent. Moreover, the art in the walls were quite interesting to see and marvel at while striking up that conversation with a friend or two.
4 - David H.: Good place for tea and boba.  It's nothing extravagant and there are some interesting "rules." When you need a small break from the day, I recommend this location.
5 - David S.: Great little tea shop. They have a variety of different tea flavor for a cheap price! I haven't tried their boba yet but Im sure its just as good as their teas. They have wifi, power outlets outdoors to charge your computer, and hookah. There is a set amount of rules when you arrive such as you must make a purchase, and the power outlets are strictly only for laptops and nothing else or there will be a 20 dollar charge for using it. The atmosphere is nice and the service is great and quick. If you're looing for a place to relax with friends or even to do some work, this is a nice place to me.
3 - Vicky T.: Honestly, yes the service is horrible and the place looks like a mess but the tea is just soooo refreshing and delicious. My friend is a regular and since she's sweet, the owner likes her sooo we get special attention :) kidding...she's just a bit nicer to us. I tried the peach and lily flower tea on a warm day and OMG it was the most refreshing drink I've ever had. Be sure to get it with honey! There are a bunch of other flavors. They're all just sitting in dozens of jars and you pick the one you want and bring it to the register and let them know how many you want. It's a nice place to just sit and relax. Just be sure to buy SOMETHING because it's one of the rules -___-
4 - Vanessa R.: I'm not going to lie and say that this place is a Disneylandesque place with smile plastered on your face service, but you know what? Who cares. This place rules simply by the fact that it is one of the few coffee shops that has some character without making me feel out of place.

Yeap it's a bit dingy, and yea it's not sparkly clean, but the flower teas more than make up for it, plus they are served in these awesome beer jugs. It's prob the best tea around, you don't want to miss out - trust. 

he Wi-FI can be spotty at times, but I always come to this place to get away from people and relax. 

I love coming here to write, and to read. I love how there's various characters that frequent CK Cafe. They always seem to linger there on quiet evenings, and you can smell the cigarette smoke occupying the air around you, particularly if you are on the patio. CK definitely is one of the only tea/coffee places I wished were close to home.

Currently the owners are renovating , so I will have to update on any changes, since the piano seems to be gone now and I didn't see the board games in their usual place. There might be exciting changes, so stay tuned.
2 - Andrew Y.: The Skinny: Average drinks, confusing cashier/tea lady, and tea nazi rules.

The Fat: The lady working there will shout and yell at you. The reason why is because her English isn't good so she will yell out one word responses or try to get you to say it again. It's not personal...or it might be. You will be left confused by what she's saying. The drink sizes are big and bigger. If you say large, or largest or medium....she will be confused.

ALSO, have you seen the rules? They have it posted up all over the place. If you charge anything but your laptop, you will be charged $20.00 or probably kicked out. Everyone there must promptly buy something. I usually take off one star for that requirement, but because the rules are even more ridiculous, I've taken away two.

Pretty much a big 'MEH' experience.

TIP: You can get refills for your hot tea for $1.00 with honey.
2 - Kendra A.: This place stinks. Literally. The patio is always full of smokers and the smoke wafts in, making the entire cafe a smoking section. Hardly any outlets available outside and ungodly hot in the summer. The woman behind the counter is extremely unfriendly and acts like taking your money and making your drink is the most unpleasant task ever. The boba is good. But the drinks are expensive and the ambience is cramped and yucky. But better off going to Some Crust or 42nd ST. bagel, or the Motley at Scripps College campus.
1 - And L.: I was going to try this place until I read Yelp.

Usually I take Yelp reviews less seriously than my own personal opinion but so may people have said how rude the owners are.
I can deal with rude owners and I, myself admittedly, frequent a few establishments that I 'swear I'll never go back to' based on attitude but that photo of the 'rules' did me in.

Ridiculous...
1 - Mane B.: The first couple times i tried the hookah and had thai tea w/ boba and milk tea. they were awesome so i started to like this place. but everytime i went after that, i got disgusting drinks. milk tea looked like lil pieces of dirt were floating in it and the boba was off too.. last and final time that i went, my thai tea w/ boba tasted like fishy water and my cousin didnt believe my taste buds so i let her try it and she was like yuckkkkkk! I keep wanting to give this place another chance, but I've already given it one too many chances lol plus I can't ever understand the Asian woman at the counter.
4 - April E.: freakin' delicious.
5 - LaChelle S.: What a unique shabby-chic shack nestled behind and in-between other places, so you have to know where you are going if you want to go there. 

This place has legit loose leaf teas and makes boba teas, boba lattes, smoothies, whatever you want. I love it because most boba places only have smoothies and I don't like them thick. 

The wooden-boards place has a door like a fence gate and there is almost as much outdoor-but-enclosed space with lots of cool bench seating as there is inside. People just hang - it can be a good place to study, but I never really found my jive there maybe because it just wasn't as warm/cozy as I wanted. BUT addicted to their teas? YES. Honestly, this is a place unlike what you can find anywhere. It has a very bohemian, all-inclusive sort of vibe. 

For people who have problems with the owners, I would just say it's best to stop being demanding and just think of them like family. At least they aren't fake nice. I think they are real people, actually sweet, and they give good service. Like an older curmudgeon auntie and uncle. I really really love them. This is such a cool place, and it's the darker/edgier but still sweet hipster side of Claremont.
4 - Lisa G.: So, I will admit, CKs is not for everyone. It's a slightly run-down, back-alley café that the more alternative Claremontians frequent, sipping tea while chain smoking Camels. 

First off, rules are rules: you have to buy something if you intend to be a part of the scene--I personally recommend the peach blossom tea with honey, which is both delicious and beautiful. Most of their teas are quite delightful, and the boba is decent.

If you get past the apparent brusqueness of the service (Mr. and Mrs. Pong are not champions of traditional etiquette), and instead simply appreciate the atmosphere for what it is (ridiculous Alice in Wonderland wall murals, overheard conversations about contemporary socialist systems), then you'll realize that CKs is a pretty cool place. It's open later on weekdays than most other places in the Claremont Village, and it offers a refreshing departure from the typical Starbucks/Coffee Bean contingent.

It's not the type of place your parents would like, but I find its sketchiness rather endearing amidst the increasing corporatization of the Village.

CK Mini Market - Berkeley, CA (37.8680197, -122.2569545) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
4 - Ada T.: Really convenient location, open late, and stocked with the kind of food you want when you have the munchies. The guy who works there at night, which is when I usually go, totally knows my midterm schedule, which is indicated by the vast quantities of junk food I buy. They carry chips, drinks, Costco chicken bakes (hah..I bet that's not really legal), individual ice cream bars, candy, chocolate, etc, as well as some (but not many) grocery items. But it really differentiates itself by carrying assorted Asian snack products, from Hi-Chew candy to all kinds of Pocky/Pretz to Vitasoy to ramen. Love it.

Downsides: really variable hours (generally open quite late, but occasionally closed for brief periods of time during the day) and a high minimum transaction for credit/debit card.
4 - terra d.: convenient location, and has random stuff that you might need in the middle of the night. 

they also have this amazing japanese jelly candy things (new choices squeeze n bites) which i have been on the look-out for since i was 14. they are heart-shaped delicious jellies with bits of coconut (although you cant taste it; its more like fruit bits). also has sour belts and straws and other bulk candy. pokie, candies, milk, beverages, a sorry selection of cards (in an emergency, they work!). the guy working the counter is very sweet. 

i stayed away from this market for a bit because i was so freaked out after that berkeley shooting last year but im over it.
3 - meg w.: Jack needed an ice cream bar at like 11:00p.  Done.
Prices jacked a bit for convenience factor.
4 - Kathleen W.: THEY HAVE A WHOLE FREEZER OF MOCHI ICE CREAM !!
craving = satisfied.
4 - Lana N.: Everything is pretty over-priced.. but that's what you get when you want convenience. They're open late, normally til 2am. They do have random moments in the day where they'll "be back in 15 mins", inconvenient. Otherwise its a great location and they have on stock anything you could possibly require.

Plus: Great selection of Asian snacks&sweets.

CLASS Culinary Lessons at A Southern Season - Chapel Hill, NC (35.9265084, -79.0280732) ()
4 - Christina G.: In a vain attempt to expand my cooking repertoire,  I took a class here; and I dragged my boyfriend along. It had its pros and cons. The kitchen space is on the second floor of Southern Season and is actually pretty impressive. Everything I wish my kitchen was -- granite countertops, giant oven, stainless steel appliances, flat-screen TV (alright, so that would go better in my living room, but at CLASS they use it to show the birds-eye view of what's happening in the kitchen). The chairs are lined up in rows facing the kitchen set. I'd recommend getting there a little early, especially if you're doing it with friends, just to ensure that you get seating together. Also, aim to sit on the right-hand or left-hand side, rather than in the middle. My beau and I learned with disappointment that food is served from the outside in and from the front to back, so we managed to be the last people to get any of the courses -- and a few times that meant getting the 'bottom of the barrel'. Boo. When we weren't distracted by how quickly the food would get to us and how much of it we'd be served, we payed close attention to the guest chef, Sheri Castle (who is actually local and does a number of appearances there). We had a print-out of the menu along with recipes for making each of the dishes. What we didn't have was our own kitchen, so know that this cooking class is very non-hands-on. You can take notes, you can ask questions, you might even walk away with a full tummy (sit on the outside edges!), remembering a few tid-bits (how to caramelize a green pepper! [even though I have yet to attempt this]), but you're not necessarily :learning: to cook.

Events. Check the schedule online to see what's offered in the coming months. They pretty much have something going on every day of the week. And it's not always a full dinner -- you can do a pastry session, a focus-class on chocolate, a kids' class for making pizzas, a Valentine-themed meal, etc. You can register and pay online (prices range, but generally are around $15 to 40 a class depending on what you'll be served). Definitely check out Friday's wine tasting. Great way to socialize, try some new wines, and kick off the weekend.
5 - Caroline S.: What a great date night or ladies night out! A Southern Season offers fun and informative classes in a state of the art facility. Love the stadium seating in the cooking "theatre", where you sit back and watch the show.  I've been to a number of classes and enjoyed every one of them.  While some are a bit pricey, and you don't actually do any cooking - you get gourmet food served to you, printed menus (with instructions) and in some cases wine/beer pairings. With engaging chefs, live feed TV showing you the techniques and comfortable seating it's like dinner and a show! The best part is that you walk away feeling rejuvenated about cooking. A fun experience for the gourmet or the gourmet at heart.

CLICS - La Jolla, CA (32.8768892, -117.239913) ()
3 - Amiee H.: There's alot of computers for you to use here but that also means alot of typing, which means very loud and noisy. For some reason, the layout at Clics gives me anxiety when I try to study there. The whole openness of it with all the keyboard clicking and typing and all the people flipping pages and it echoing everywhere....it's kinda stressful for me. Not my favorite place to study. I only go in here to use the computer and check my email and maybe chat it up with a few buddies online. But not to study...
3 - Jacqueline V.: You're kidding yourself if you actually think you're going to study if you come here during finals week.

This place is a mecca for the (younger) affiliated world during Finals Week. You see all these youngbucks running around in their letters, socializing, and going out for cigarette breaks every 5 minutes. How distracting! Not to mention how hot it is inside with all of the bodies. And don't even get me started on the annoying loudmouth fobs.

Only come here if you absolutely cannot study at your own place, and if you have a room reserved for yourself. Other than that, you can go to Price Center because it's open 24 hours during Finals Week, too. But, if you're going to disregard my review and come during Finals Week, remember to bring a power strip (because you KNOW that ALL of the outlets will be taken), your longest laptop adapter, and headphones.

This place is 4 stars normally, but is 2 stars during Finals Week.
4 - Brinda J.: The one library that would close late. Liked it here than at Giesel. But I didn't like this school that much anyways so really what am I saying?
3 - Samantha N.: CLUB CLICS!!!!

Ahh, how I miss the days where I would come into CLICS to actually socialize, rather than study.

But I do not miss the ridiculousness that is the bathrooms during Finals Week. Nor the smell of fear and sweat.
3 - Polina T.: While I never use this library except for Finals week, I will miss it deeply. Although during finals week CLICS is a party house, it was always nice to know a study place was available after midnight. Hopefully your friends saved a table! Though once I moved on campus, I stopped using CLICS as it was too far from my bus stop and never felt the need to study that late into the night. CLICS, as my friends on Hollywood Babble-On say, you wiiiiiiiiiiill be missed!
3 - Jeff S.: WTF? Theirs a review for CLICS? I thought this place closed. I get a phone call every three days from UCSD asking for money to keep this place opened.

Studying here was super fail, but in hindsight if you can get work done at CLICS during finals week, you can pretty much get work done anywhere.

I guess I will miss you CLICS.

CM School Supply #1 - Upland, CA (34.1056665, -117.6896854) ()
4 - Daryl I.: Saturday, I was in a pinch to find my niece a present for her 1st birthday.  I had originally bought her a "stuffed" animal at Target, but after further consideration, I decided not to give it to her based on the fact that it had the same softness and texture as an old burlap sack.  Okay, that was a slight exaggeration, but it wasn't something that a kid would want to snuggle with.  I didn't want to have to deal with any issues with her down the road, especially if she remembered that I got her that damn bear that rubbed her skin off every time she touched it.

So, one of my friends recommended this place in Upland, which just so happened to be on my way to the party, which was just perfect.  Actually, this place is more of a school supply store, however, it also had a ton of various educational toys and a number of real stuffed animals, which is ultimately what I ended up getting for my niece.  Mission accomplished.  However, if you are a local teacher and you don't already know about this place, I strongly recommend it.

It's located on Central Avenue, just south of Foothill, on the east side.
5 - Forrest Y.: The Bestine Rubber Cement Remover website suggested this place as a vendor who sold Bestine, which I needed quickly and in large quantities (what can't it do??) .  Since all the art supply stores seem to be on the westside or in Pasadena, this place was heaven sent... or so I thought.  When I arrived, I was shocked at how much STUFF was in this place, the floor is almost the size of a football field!  They had everything I could ever imagine from my school days, from those Pee Chee folders w/ the ghetto sports drawings, to fake awards for "meritorious conduct," to construction paper in every color you could imagine.  I was tempted to buy some of the magnet experiments in the science section to play with at home, as well as a number of other things like "honorable mention" and "great participant!" ribbons for joke gifts for my coworkers in the American spirit of celebration of mediocrity.  But first, I needed my Bestine.... which they sadly did not carry.  I was disappointed, but they can't control what a website they don't run says about what they carry.

As my wife and I were leaving, we remarked that when we had kids, all their presents would be coming from this store.  Stuff is awesome here!
4 - R I.: This place has a lot for the small store that it is.  There's not really any other teacher supply store in the area, except for Lakeshore, so I guess there's not much to compare them to, but I like them.
1 - Krystal K.: DON'T SHOP AT THIS LOCATION!!!!!

Well let me start off on the good points of this store. It is very clean and well-organized. I found it easy to find items on the subject areas I was looking for. There was also a good variety of resources I could use as a teacher. 

However, all of the good was overshadowed by the staff at the store. They were unfriendly and rude. First of all, I was waiting in line for a long time and there were 3 women behind the counter. Only one was actually completing transactions. One was looking through some papers and the other was looking busy. Never, in the 5 minutes I was waiting in line, did they bother to acknowledge my existence with a "thank you for waiting, we'll be with you in a moment" or even a "hello." 

Once I finally got to the register I was shocked with the service I received from the cashier. I said "hello" and there was no response from her. Then I had to ask about the rewards program. It seemed as though I was bothering her by asking about it. Once my transaction was completed and I filled out my information for the program she briefly told me about it with a condescending tone in her voice. I thought it was just me being sensitive but when I got into the car I asked my sister if she thought the staff was rude and she completely agreed with me. 

When searching for this store on Yelp I was shocked to see the high ratings they received from other Yelpers. After talking to other people, who shopped at this location before, I realized that I wasn't oversensitive. They had the same experience with the staff at the Upland location. One person said they even heard another customer ask the cashier if they were always unfriendly to their customers when they were in the store. I was even more shocked because I usually shop at the Anaheim store and the staff there is really nice and friendly. I don't know what  the deal is with this location but I will be telling all of my teacher friends to not even bother going to this location unless they want to be ignored and have to deal with unfriendly workers.
1 - JD J.: I went there just today and was very surprised to be met with such colorful and exciting materials which contrasted so much with their customer service. The ladies there had a disdain about them. I was actually looking for a specific type of class poster and walked up to the lady stocking them. She ignored me. Soon another gal showed up and asked if she needed help stocking. Hello, I did... I proceeded to tell her I could use some help. After asking her for what I was looking for, she simply said they didn't carry that and continued to talk to the other employee. 

As I drove home, I asked my daughter if it was me overreacting, or if she thought these ladies were rude. My ten year old agreed, adding that the gal at the register had looked at her with eyes of disgust because she had smelled a SCENTED pencil.

I know that I won't be coming back. The customer service at Thematic Attic in Covina is wonderful.
3 - Kevin L.: As a new teacher, my classroom was a blank canvas. While I don't plan on blanketing my room with those typical posters of classrooms past, I did need a few things to get started. The store was laid out pretty conveniently and easy to maneuver. The day I came in wasn't too busy, maybe ten other people in the store. I found what I decided I was looking for and checked out. The line itself took longer than I wanted to wait to get through, but I had nothing else to do so it wasn't a huge issue.

After going to the store in Anaheim, I'll probably return to Anaheim in the future. Not only were they incredibly friendly and helpful, they were quick. They also helped me sign up for their rewards card, something the other store didn't even mention. I get it, I look like I'm 19 and don't exactly look like your conventional teacher, but let's treat everyone equally.
2 - Arlene M.: I just had to create an account to write a review about this place. I will begin with the store is neat, organized and usually has what I am looking for but after the horrible customer service I had yesterday I will no longer be returning to this location. 
I had politely asked an older lady  if they had a particular craft book for the month of October and she said " if you don't see it there then we don't have it." it took me a minute to believe someone could be so nasty to a potential customer. I then said, I wasn't sure if you had backstock. She shook her head no and as she walked away I heard he tell another employee that the book I was looking for is actually discontinued. It would have been nice if she would have shared that information with me. This is the last time I will shop there.

CMB Property Management - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2758908, -83.7268172) ()
5 - Lanice A.: I have consistently experienced the best residential support services of my life with CMB Property Management. The staff are friendly and helpful, and when my stove stopped working properly, they replaced it with a brand new one (rather than makin nickel and dime repairs). Anytime I have submitted a maintenance request I have received a prompt response. Whether it was changing light bulbs, replacing/removing furniture, or servicing the plumbing and electricity, maintence quickly and thoroughly ensured that I have an optimal living environment. I intend to continue renting from CMB for the remainder of my years in Ann Arbor, and I strongly recommend their properties to all of the incoming graduate students looking for housing. In some ways, your property management company can make or break your living experience and with CMB, it's all in the service. I couldn't be happier!
4 - Leah W.: I've lived at the Corner House apartments for 2 years now and I'd live here for another year if I wasn't moving cities!

The management has been great.  Every time I've emailed with a repair request, it's been fixed within 1-2 days.  CMB is very responsive.  Another plus is that FedEx and UPS have keys to the outer apartment door, so even though there's no one around to sign for packages, they will leave them in the lobby or outside your door - very convenient!

The building is fairly new and still feels nice.  The carpet and furniture is "college friendly" - pretty nondescript, but in Ann Arbor it's hard to expect otherwise.

One potential downside is that the rent seems to have been raised quite a bit.  I renewed my lease at my initial rental price, but I think they're charging $200-300 more a unit now, which seems a bit overpriced for what they're providing.  The tenants are mostly young college kids, so it can get a little rowdy, but I've rarely had trouble with noise.  Sometimes on Saturday and Sunday mornings there's evidence of undergrads in the form of trash in the common areas, but it's always cleaned up quickly.

Overall, I've really enjoyed my time here.  The management is nice and responsive, and you do feel like they care about the building and tenants.  And the location is great!
5 - Annie K.: We have yet to move in but throughout our entire experience of finding a place CMB has been wonderful. We met Sarah one morning and she took us around the town to all of the locations we were interested in. She was very easy going and courteous. When we mentioned a few extra places we were interested in seeing she had already organized those viewings for us! She sent us over to another Realtor (her grandmother) who was showing the place. Both were warm and courteous, really great to interact with. 

After deciding on our place we went to sign the leasing papers and in comes the accountant, Sarah's aunt! Turns out it's a big company run by a family. Everyone we came in contact with was just great and completely professional. In between sips of sweet tea, Sarah's aunt was telling me about how Sarah is going to college (they're so proud, and they insist that she does!) and I was filling in paper work with her grandmother. It was a family affair. Though being very 'mom and pop' it was completely professional Sarah offered the originals or to have our paperwork scanned for us. She was very carefully went through the lease with us and made sure all of the paperwork was there, so we didn't have to worry. The leasing went so fast that I forgot to mention the yelp discount we had seen and they were quick to say "no problem."

Any questions we have had during the process have been answered by Lira who has gotten back to us without a hitch. Even when we requested pictures of the interior she sent them within days. Every person we've interacted with has been quick and professional. Now that it is a month away from moving in we received a 'what to do' before moving in checklist! Perhaps a product of the entire town being apart of the university! Though we are a married couple living in off-campus housing we appreciate the help because we don't know the city! We couldn't be happier. What a great company!
5 - R S.: I had an apartment with CMB several years ago, and worked with them again this year apartment hunting (it didn't work out). I'll say this: every time I move in to or out of another apartment, I recall with honest fondness the ease and clarity of communicating with CMB. They're simply delightful people, and very good at what they do. While I perhaps wouldn't have rated my apartment itself so highly, the management and office staff is by far the most pleasant and competent I've worked with in 5 years-worth of Ann Arbor living.

CO Daniel's - Champaign, IL (40.108173, -88.229887) ()
3 - Kathryn M.: CO's is slightly classier than Kam's and has a slightly older crowd. Good specials, Mondays are $1 you call it's and Wednesdays are $5 ice bombs, which I believe are a CO's invention, because I've never heard of them anywhere else. They definitely get the job done. There are old school video games in the back, the bathrooms sometimes over flow all the way into the bar area, and it can be crowded. There's usually cover on weekend nights after 10 and a line, I think about $5. Honestly, it's a typical college bar.
1 - N A.: When I was 18, I thought this place was the greatest thing ever.

I was pretty stupid when I was 18.

CORE Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2804377, -83.7471144) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
5 - Fabiola G.: From the moment you walk into CORE, it's like stepping into another world. The music is calming and yet different than your usual "spa" music. There is a natural scent from massage oils, warm soft bed, and a great sensory experience. I have been getting monthly massages with Erin, and she has changed my life. I no longer get migraines from neck tension, and the more and more I go, the less pain I feel over time. I have recommended friends who have seen the other therapist Josie, and have had just as an amazing experience. If you are interested in getting rid chronic pain this is definitely the place for you.
4 - Kristin M.: Josephine is amazingl!!  CORE has a great location in downtown Ann Arbor and you can schedule online which is also great.  The setting is in an office building (the only reason I didn't give them 5 stars) but it's really no problem if you are not looking for the spa experience.  Great massage, reasonable pricing (esp with the Yelp deals and their other promos), and a really wonderful and warm therapist.

CRAVE Cupcakes - Houston, TX (29.7217432, -95.4185383) (West University)
3 - Kim H.: Another branch of CRAVE Cupcakes has opened in the Rice Village.  It is far more convenient for me compared to the Uptown Park shop located on 610 which is traffic hell after 3 PM.

The new location is much roomier inside with places to sit and eat your cupcake.  Part of the baking area is close to the dining stools so patrons are able to interact with bakers if they so desire.  (=

After my abysmal last visit to the original CRAVE, I vowed never to go again.  But this is a new location so I figured why not give it a try.  

Surprisingly, my red velvet was the best cupcake I've had from the CRAVE franchise.  It didn't even taste like the same cupcake.  The cake portion tasted sweeter and was more moist.  It was like (dare I say it?) a Sprinkles cupcake but almost better seeing as how it's a local Houston business.

CRAVE has been a roller coaster of emotions from me.  It has now been one of the best cupcakes as well as one of the worst.  I will try it again in 1-2 months.  If it still tastes this good, they may have a convert at the West U location.  If not, never again.  They are too inconsistent.
4 - Allie N.: And the cupcake craze continues!

After finishing up steak night at Cova, I was really craving some dessert. Since I was in the Village, I was thinking it could be my opportunity to try Celebrity Cupcakes. The bf piped in that Crave was just a couple doors down. WHAT!? I had heard that Crave was coming to the Village but had no idea it was right next to me and already open!

We walked over and even though it was after their closing time, they still let us come in and purchase cupcakes. I went with my classic fav vanilla (as usual). They were even kind enough to let us eat in there while they closed up shop. My cupcake tasted a *tad* bit dryer than the original location's, but it was still delish. The bf said his strawberry cupcake was dryer. I guess that's what happens when you buy cupcakes at the end of the day though and they've been sitting out all day.

What I like about this location is that it's much more spacious. They have an island where you can stand and eat your cupcakes, and then there's a counter with stools that faces the kitchen where you can eat as well. The counter with stools kind of reminds me of eating at a sushi bar.

This is a great location. The possibility of eating Chipotle + cupcakes sounds really awesome to me. Or maybe Azuma + cupcakes. Yum!
4 - K D.: I'm sitting here trying to figure out if I have tasted a better cupcake in my short illustrious life. I was a frequent guest at the Uptown Park location for about a year now. Main reason for the visit was more for the Foursquare"Bravo Just Dessert" badge. Which I did achieve. Yes I'm addicted to 4SQ. Friend request now being accepted @poboyzeke on 4SQ.

Today I decided to try the new location on Kirby. High traffic area and terrible roads. I hate going down Kirby for anything. That's another story, another day. 

So I walk in a little after 1pm. Only one guest in front and the workers were busy at work. I order the old reliable candy bar and red velvet. As usual they knocked it out the park. Both were moist and sweet just like I like them. 

What I like about this location is it is much roomier. A few people walked in after I did. Lets just say if we were at the Uptown location. Two of us would have to wait outside until the other one was done. Don't judge us please. 

My only question is...whats up with the $10 difference on a dozen cupcakes with a decorative box? Is the box edible?

Will defintely go back since Rice Village is quickly becoming one of my wife's favorite Houston destinations. Keep up the good work Crave.
4 - Vicky J.: This cupcake trend is still in a frenzy...there are more cupcake shops around Houston now, but so far I still like Crave the best! This is their second location (their other one is in Uptown by the Galleria), and it does not disappoint. 

My absolute favorite, must-have cupcake is the strawberry one. They use real strawberries in their cupcake mix, which makes it even better. We typically also order red velvet, vanilla, and key lime. All of them are made fresh everyday, and they are worth every penny.  Each cupcake costs $3.25, or you can get a dozen for $36. The price is comparable to all the other gourmet cupcake places. 

The first time we visited this Crave shop in Rice Village, and it was already past their closing time, but they still welcomed us in. We also sat in their shop to eat our cupcakes, so it was nice of them to be so accommodating. I would come to this location over the other one if I wanted to sit down and enjoy my cupcake, instead of taking it to-go. This location has some limited seating for you to do so. 

The surrouding Rice Village area has tons of restaurants, so if you don't see anything you like on the dessert menu, stop by Crave Cupcakes!
5 - Dee H.: I'm glad they opened this one... easier  access, more room to actually sit and more cozy than the one by the galleria.... 

they did cupcakes for the housewarming... I had those and Sugarbaby's ... all i can say is that the Crave box was empty by the end tha Sugarbaby's was still full... The people hath spoken.... Crave still rocks!
3 - Anna W.: The cupcakes are similar to the other location. The cake is moist and awesome; the frosting is a two-by-four of sugar beating you into submission (and not in a, oooh, I *like* that, kind of way). I was uber-excited about the dulce de leche. Those three words and caramel are like catnip to me. If you're a huge dulce de leche fan, don't get your hopes up. It's a vanilla bean cake with a caramel filling (not very much caramel) and dulce de leche frosting (sugar is a huge component of dulce de leche, but all I can taste is sugar). The italian cream cake was good, especially with the mascarpone frosting (okay, mascarpone is also catnip to me).

The people at the counter are friendlier than the Uptown location, and, hey, at this location, there's no having to beat off the douches in the squat little cars driving backwards and honking at you so they can get their expense account-lunch on at Smith & Wollensky.

There's a table outside, some side stools, and one table to eat at, so this isn't a place to bring a group of gal pals for a lengthy gossip session.
5 - Kari M.: Wow. I am amazed with everything about this place. As soon as I pulled up and saw how well put together it was from the clean white lights and tables, to the neatly arranged cupcakes - I knew I was in love.

Whoever did the design for Crave understands how to create a vibe. This place feels like something out of a tv show. The cupcakes are dense and moist. I couldn't have them all the time because they are pretty sweet. But even the cupcakes are displayed like you just got something super snazzy. Put into a box and sealed and handed to you with a smile. 

The mint chocolate chip latte is super minty and really hits the spot along side your cupcake. I had tried the Peanut Butter Chocolate cupcake and it had chocolate chips inside of it and was covered in brown sprinkles. I seriously didn't even get close to finishing it. My husband got the strawberry cupcake and it was made fresh. My goodness it was delicious. Real strawberries inside and perfect whipped icing. 

As we were leaving my husband said, "I think we should get divorced so we can get remarried inside of Crave." Seriously, it was that good.
2 - Sherry C.: I just don't get it. EVERYONE loves Crave- except me. The cupcakes are dry and crumble easily. The flavor is just OFF and the icing is too sweet. My boys are like garbage disposals, they eat everything and anything. Well....they didn't like the cupcakes either and that says alot because they have no standards.
4 - Ryan L.: It's a great location for easy in and out, and the service is very helpful, patient, polite , and friendly, unlike certain other cupcake places (*cough* SUGARBABYS *cough*).

The cupcakes themselves are top notch. The cake portion is not too cloying, and can sit on the salty side, allowing a great balance with the sugar avalanche of frosting on top. Specialty flavors, such as pumpkin, are as outstanding as strawberry. Even after 24 hours sitting on my counter, the cupcakes remain moist and flavorful.
4 - Polly R.: I've always liked cupcakes, and with this new "cupcake" boom we are experiencing, I am in a little bit of heaven.

I almost thought this place looked a bit sterile, but immediately shook that thought away to go drool on the other side of the cupcake exhibit glass. 
There's not much room to "chill" and unless you snatch the one middle table, you are stuck awkwardly watching the cupcake chef work at the mini bar. 

The cupcake I tried was very good but also very rich. Make sure your sweet-tooth is starved and begging before you tackle any of these bad boys.
4 - Holly S.: The service is great, the location is better for me, and the cake donut cupcake is money! 

I'm not big into the cupcake fad, but I'll definitely be hitting up this location every time I'm in the area. There is some seating, which is an added bonus or you can just take your cupcakes and gorge on them in the car like I do! No one will know....except the next time I take my dogs to the dog park and they feast on my crumb trail. 

:-/
5 - Jonathan M.: WOW.  I get fatter every time I think of this place.  And I'm already pretty fat.
1 - Joseph W.: Maybe it was the one we had...chocolate on vanilla but not impressed. Memories of nutella come to mind.  Dry Dry Dry!
4 - Daniel L.: Thank you baby jesus (can I refer to Brad as baby jesus without offending him?) for opening a location closer to me now that I left Uptown for good and am back spending more time in the totally sweet 77005 - or instead of being totally sweet, we can now say that the 77005 is genuinely and actually sweet with the availability of these delicious frosted cupcake amigos. When I need my red velvet fix I make my appearance, get fast and friendly service from the girls at the counter (or as a pseudo-update in September 2011, from the new face behind the counter, James), and rush onward to wherever I am headed (usually back to the office, never anywhere fun sadface) with my cupcake passengers until it is time for a sugary feast. 

As I had noted in my November 2010 Office Hours review back in the day, I like this location so much more than Uptown for many reasons, but days like this make the proximity a total and spectacular win as well as avoiding Uptown at all costs - something that could be considered a completely epic win, if not better.

Factor in the immensely available Dublin Dr. Pepper, glass walls to let you take a look around the entire shop and all the goings-on in the shop that has prepared your treat, and friendly employees behind the counter and what do you get? An amazing meal (or dessert option) that is better than any treat that Honeydukes in Hogsmeade could ever create and present for your satisfaction - and no curses or spells were involved in the process. Just good old fashioned hard work and a desire to make the customer always right.

In addition to my "regular" Red Velvet, I finally had a chance (read: the willingness) to try something new: Lemon Blueberry breakfast cupcake. Traffic had been awful, I was running very late and had not eaten breakfast yet, so I had a Sophie's Choice of what to do for eating - it was still sorta' morning-ish but it was getting late. Breakfast tacos are always good when you are feeling rushed and starving and angry at all the wasted time in traffic. But the good breakfast tacos are all in Midtown and that is far from here and more time spent in the car. So I get the bright idea - try a breakfast cupcake! The experience was great. The blueberry perched on top is big, juicy, and a great complement to the soft and moist cupcake. I am now convinced that cupcakes are an essential food group between the hours of 5am and 10am - so perhaps you should not neglect this breakfast cupcake food group as I had done for so long. It would be perfect to grab a breakfast cupcake as a reward after the gym, if you wake up that insanely early like I don't; or it would be a nice little "I love you" to yourself (and/or your secretary hehe) to pick up a breakfast cupcake on the way in to the office and enjoy it as you sort through a bunch of bright red exclamation point marked e-mails.  

This has been a great dessert place to drop in after sushi next door at Azuma with an old, old wooden ship (oops, writing a review while watching Anchorman) I mean friend. You sit at the table when its not too busy and it feels like this was a modern art designer room dining hall made just for you two, as the workers go about their business behind the glass and the stray customer wanders in wanting to know what it tastes like.

It has also been my breakfast many mornings when on the way to the office I stop in a gingerbread cupcake - there is no parking issue in the morning and I have timed it, when James is behind the counter, you can be in, rung up, and walking back to your car in less than one minute. Where else in the world, off of 59, can you get anything that delicious this quick for $2.50? Nowhere. I promise.

One cupcake, two cupcake, three cupcake .... floor!
3 - Claudia W.: I had the chocolate mint and the strawberry, I liked the chocolate, but the strawberry was really dense! The icing was good on it, but I could only eat half of the strawberry one, due to the density.
2 - May P.: Overrated.  I wish I could give it a higher star, but they are over priced and too heavy. Cupcakes should be light and fluffy!
4 - Priya P.: Having eaten at the infamous Sprinkles cupcake store in LA (word on the street is that Sprinkles is now open in HTown), I have to admit I was a little skeptical at first....but Crave has met my tastebud's expectations!

Their cupcakes are all pretty heavy and taste almost cake-like. Icing is not extra sweet, although I'm not a huge fan of the edible decorative tokens they put on their cupcakes. I recommend the nutella and strawberry flavors...lemon is also mild and not too overpowering. Dark chocolate tastes just like a dark chocolate cake.
4 - Karen R.: These are some of the best cupcakes I have had in Houston. They are a bit on the expensive side (cupcakes really should not be over $2.50 in my opinion), but they are phenomenal. My friend and I split the red velvet and the key lime pie cupcakes and both were so yummy. My friend even sent me a text message two days later that she was fantasizing about the key lime one. Neither were too sweet and the cake and frosting were a good balance. I would definitely stop at Crave next time I want a cupcake.
4 - Michelle S.: Pretty darn good. I am not a big "sweets" person so this place might not be for everyone. I like Crave because it's the perfect balance between sweet and succulent cake so when you take a bite it's the perfect bite each time. 

I personally love anything with coconut and the hummingbird cupcakes. 

Service is always excellent but I have only been to the Kirby location. I really appreciate the store set up as well everything is always clean and you can see the whole process.
5 - katie g.: I have everyone addicted to crave! This particular location is fab because it is so close to my home, the people are really too cute and super nice, and the cupcakes are seriously the best... Sprinkles who? The cake is perfectly moist, the frosting is just the right amount and totally delicious and the variety is perfect. I love their little schedule where most days they have the typical chocolate, vanilla, red velvet, etc. but rotate a few different ones through out the week! My personal faves are the lemon and the coconut cupcakes... with a glass of choclate milk on the side! Besides milk, the offer many different kind of coffee drinks, sodas, and waters. I love how the have the water bowl outside for pets, and although I don't bring my pooch with me when I visit crave, its nice to know that I could :] Lots of love!
2 - Schuyler W.: Crave is a decent and needed addition to Houston's embarrassing shortage of bakeries.  

After my NYC internship, I was hip on the cupcake craze and came back to find the original Crave opened on Uptown Park.  I was OBSESSED.  I took random trips after class to jam Red Velvet and Strawberry cupcakes down my throat.  I couldn't get enough.  I was on the list serv.  I had the cupcake menu posted on my fridge.  It was serious business.  

And then... One day I tired of this place.  The sugary and thick icing began to overwhelm yet dull my taste buds and cake ran dry.  When I was first infatuated, I ignored these tell tale signs of fraud.  But I stayed loyal.  I'm over it.

Overpriced and wannabe NYC cupcake.  I've had better.  Houston, please answer my prayers and get on the baked goods!
5 - Leigh C.: This rating is awarded within the category of 'cupcake shops'.  Its hard to really compare Crave to an amazing full restaurant experience, but with that caveat I can say that this is, for me, the very best place to get cupcakes in Houston.

With two elementary school kids, and my own passion about great food, I've made the quest for amazing kid food a family affair.  Cupcakes have become a bit of a hobby for all of us, both because we like to make them ourselves and sample the various brands all around town now.  Crave is head and shoulders above the other five or so shops.  The cupcakes are astonishing - somehow the cake itself is moist, large crumb and even a bit heavy.  Kind of like the cake in a tres leches - I find this special quality to come out the most in their vanilla cupcakes.  Usually I get cupcakes for the frosting, but at Crave I find myself happy with the whole bite.  

As far as flavors - they are a bit traditional.  Their strawberry frosting and cupcakes really taste like strawberry - not too sweet and very berry.  In fact, I tend to like Crave's fruit cupcakes the best.  The serious chocolate coconut, and the other chocolate death experiences are pretty heavy and intense.  

On top of the cupcakes, the place really has some great ideas going for it.  We ate their one Sunday morning for a late birthday breakfast (yes, they do breakfast cupcakes that are smaller and less rich).  We ordered milk to eat in at the marble table which came in heavy glass bottles, square, and it was so cold.   Not sure what they do to that milk but whatever it is -- perfect match for one of the sugar bomb cupcakes.  They are also extra special attentive to their coffee which is made one cup at a time from beans ground just for you.

Crave is like a simple, elegant black dress.  They don't do alot of different things, and they stay traditional, but they execute the idea absolutely perfectly.  No wonder we keep going back.
3 - Thanh Thuy N.: After noticing the sign while driving on Kirby, I made the executive decision to inform my driver to stop to get some cupcakes. I have to say, I have not jumped on the cupcake crazed bandwagon after a subpar experience with the infamous "Sprinkles Cupcakes". I have to say the cupcake was moist, and the frosting did not cause me to have a sugar high. Would I come back? Maybe if I was close by and had a cupcake craving. With Houston traffic, it would not be a place I would fight bumper to bumper traffic to indulge in.
5 - Mallory G.: I am now addicted. I thought no cupcake could beat sprinkles, but I have found it! I have gotten the dark chocolate twice and the chocolate espresso. I also got the hot chocolate with the espresso cupcake, and it was amazing! My fiance got the spice cupcake which was also amazing. I think they are super moist with the correct amount of icing (LOTS!) 

I also love that the room that you purchase the cupcakes in is big! Room for lots of cupcake eaters. Not a cramped little room *cough sprinkles cough*. Crave is also closer for me so know I can run over and cure my sweet craving whenever I need! While that parking lot is not the best there are several assigned spots for Crave so you don't have to fight.
3 - Shaun A.: I wasn't at all happy with their delivery service. The cupcakes were upside down and a mess. It was for Vday too so it really wasnt cool! This location also isnt as good as other location on taste.
1 - Farha K.: This is hands down the worst "gourmet" cupcakes I have ever had! And I have a sweet jaw.. so know my stuff when it comes to talking about cupcakes. Having moved to Houston from Chicago, where cupcake boutiques pop up on a weekly basis, I had high hopes for the one cupcake shoppe that everyone around raved about. 
Here's what it's got going on for itself in the world of gourmet cupcakes.. 
Ideal location- In the heart of uptown plaza it's easily accessible with plenty of parking lot space. Open relatively late to be able to swing by and pick up dessert after dessert or even during the middle of the day for a quick sugar rush. Nice cute decor gives it that bohemian feel that cupcake lovers appreciate. 
What it does not have going on? The cupcakes suck! I have tried various flavors on more than one occassion..and each time the cake has been undesirably dry and coarse (???) and at times even tastes like the strawberries in the cupcake had gone bad. The cream cheese frosting had an odd aftertaste that I couldnt really figure out, and certainly wasnt an extract of any type that I've tasted before. 
How does one screw up a normal chocolate cupcake is beyond me.. but Crave has failed in my eyes more than once and will definitely not be going back any time soon.
4 - vivian w.: NOM NOM NOM i love crave!!! especially Strawberry, and now that they've rolled out coffee too, I couldn't resist ordering one, and boy am I GLAD I decided to try their lattes.  SO. FREAKING. GOOD.  I almost want to just stop by here and get the lattes and not the cupcakes on some days.  Mmmm Definitely a fan.  you **MUST** try the strawberry cupcake at least once if you are newbie.
2 - Michelle T.: Dry cake, dry employees.
5 - Suzanne E.: After having a very poor customer service experience at another bakery, we checked out CRAVE for our wedding cupcakes.

Candy was fabulous to work with at our tasting.   She was super friendly and took the time to answer any of our questions.   We ended up choosing 4 flavors for our event as well as a cutting cake.  Everything was delivered on time and just as we ordered.

Our guests were thrilled and so were we!   The only complaint we got is that it was difficult to choose a flavor and it was impossible to eat more than one!    We went with the white chocolate macadamia nut, strawberry, chocolate with white icing and coconut and chocolate on chocolate.  YUMMY!   

Crave gets a definite 2 thumbs up from us in taste, presentation and customer service!!
3 - Van L.: I am not a huge cupcake fan, and honestly, I don't see how it came back into "style".  But whatever my take on the whole cupcake fad is, it doesn't deny the fact that these are pretty good.  I've only been to this location and franchise once.  I bought 4 different kinds, but I don't remember them (bought them as a gift).  The cupcake I did have was a carrot cake, and it wasn't too sweet for my taste (which is a good thing).  The frosting wasn't overpowering-ly sweet and the cake was moist.  What more could I ask for?  

The store itself was spotless, which brought more appeal to me.  The front door and all the glass was wiped down, no smudges or finger prints.  Kudos to you Crave staff.  I bet when you see children come in, you already know the damage they are going to cause by touching everything.

The staff was very friendly.  I am not sure what to compare it to, but...they were helpful, and willing to help/serve me the cupcake.  

But why the three stars if the product was good, the store was clean, and the staff was nice?  I can't bring myself to whore out an extra star.  It was okay, and if I were in the market for cupcakes, I will definitely return in a heartbeat.  So...I suppose it will remain at three stars until my return.
5 - Lori H.: i was in the neighborhood and couldn't resist stopping by. 
This location is larger then the original store. 
I got two breakfast cupcakes. One was a donut cupcake with Cinnamon and sugar and the other was a zucchini walnut. 
They're actually alot cheaper then the original Cupcakes. $2.50...not too bad.
5 - Tommie S.: I'M HOOKED--The candy bar, red velvet, and hummingbird (for my boyfriend) absolutely save the day.

To make things even better, this location has wonderful customer service.  Some associates even remember my name, and that is definitely appreciated since I drive all the way from Baytown to get your cupcakes!

I've recommended this place to several co-workers and even made a gift certificate my secretary's gift for Administrative Professionals Day.
3 - Leila J.: I stumbled in here after eating at Chipotle.  The place is clean as a whistle and the cupcakes are very pretty! I have had the red-velvet once and it was pretty good.  this time I had the Vanilla on chocolate.  It was a little stale, maybe it had been out all day? It was still OK, though. I like the fact that they don't overload the frosting (icing?).  I will have to go to Sprinkles and compare... oh the life!
5 - Michael L.: I have a serous addiction to cupcakes and I've found that Crave Cupcakes has some of the best cupcakes in Houston.  I'm slowly working my way through the menu.  On today's trip, I got:

Cranberry Orange - A light and tasty cupcake. The cake has a good orange zest flavor with maybe a hint of lemon, too?  Pieces of cranberry are in mixed in with the cupcake.  The cranberries must be sweetened, because they weren't tart like you might expect.  The orange zest icing was also tasty and was topped with a small piece of candied orange.

Crave Mint Chocolate - The mint flavor on this cupcake comes entirely from the icing, which is slathered on a dark chocolate cupcake.  I found the icing to be slightly thicker than some of their other icings, but I'm not calling that out as a bad thing, just say'n.  Overall, this cupcake tasted like I was eating a thin mint with icing.  Yummy.

Dulce de Leche - This is quickly becoming one of my favorite Crave flavors.  The cake is vanilla bean and the icing is dulce de leche flavored, but what really makes this cupcake dance (yeah, cupcakes dance) is that there's an injection of caramel in the middle of the cupcake (see my posted pic for the deets).  Tasty!

In general, the Kirby location starts running out of flavors around 3pm. On this particular visit at 2:30pm, they were already out of Peanut Butter Chocolate, which was disappointing.  I guess if you want to get what you want, you've got get it early.
4 - Paula G.: Overall, I like CRAVE...I like them even more now that there's a location outside the Galleria (I hate traffic!) 

They're cupcakes are rich, flavorful, and wonderful...some are too rich for my tummy, that's why 4 and not 5 stars....

I'm yet to try their breakfast ones, will have to stop by one day this summer!

keep up the good work CRAVE!
5 - Mel H.: Crave Cupcakes helped make my wedding reception a huge success.  In fact, I think our guests may have secretly thought the cupcakes were the best part!  We stuck with chocolate and vanilla, but they were absolutely amazing.  The icing is just right, not too sweet, not too bland, and since it's not applied tall and pointy like soft serve ice cream, it makes the cupcakes a lot much easier to eat.  The sprinkles and decorations are even tasty!  But my favorite part is the cake itself.  OMG, SOOOO moist and flavorful.  

Thank you, Crave, for giving our wedding guests (and us) something so special.  I highly recommend this option over the traditional wedding cake for anyone considering it.  I also highly recommend you get them from Crave.  I'm definitely going to be back, and I'm going to recommend them to everyone.
5 - Ginger C.: Wowowowowow  they were wonderful, in fact, I am a chocoholic, got some non-chocolate options just in case there were some haters at the party, ended up eating a Hummingbird one to be a good hostess and leave the chocolate ones to the guests.... It was absolutely delicious (moist, like spice cake with crushed pineapple and nuts, and then the cream cheese icing), and plans to eat 1/2 so I could try 1/2 a chocolate turned to dust in the wind.  I ended up eating one of each.  ;) 

Two pieces of advice: 1) don't get them too much in advance because the fresher the better with this terrible Houston humidity that makes everything stale and 2) don't get caught alone in the house with a bunch of them or you'll end up eating them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and second dinner!
4 - Alix W.: Mmm, Crave. I am not usually super crazy about cupcakes, because, well, I'm a glutton and I want a big ass wedge of cake. But these cupcakes are dense, moist, weighty little sugarbombs and that makes me happy. My all time favorite here is Peanut Butter Chocolate- spoiler alert, there are chocolate chips in the PB cake. 

I also have to give props for the store itself- clean and modern. I love the open kitchen and the glass-fronted case of cupcakes. Bonus points also for serving Dublin Dr. Pepper. Yes, I am sometimes taken aback at the price--we usually get 4 at a time, so around $12--but for delicious cakey goodness I can't complain too much.
4 - Teresa M.: While I was lukewarm before, I have discovered a reason to brave the traffic to come here: nutella cupcakes. It's still expensive but sometimes a girl needs a little teeny indulgence. You can generally get your order filled quite quickly. I'm pretty perplexed that they always ask if you want a drink (listen, if I'm going to pound this much sugar the only thing I need is water).
3 - Nayo F.: A bit overrated. The frosting has an odd after- taste. The cake part is very moist, and I love the variety. Even my children scrape off the frosting and just go for the cake..and  they are sugar addicts.
4 - Alexis R.: I'm definitely a fan of Crave. 

Both locations are great, but parking at both locations suuuucks.  

I've only had a couple of flavors, but let me tell you.  The strawberry icing tastes like ice cream.  I like my cake to be a lot less sweet than my icing to balance it out, and Crave does just that.

Maybe they'll find a better parking situation, that's the only thing holding me back from a 5!
2 - Nadine R.: We showed up about ten minutes prior to closing.  The selection was limited but we chose an assortment of four flavors: Chocolate with Vanilla Icing, Cinnamon, Strawberry, and Dark Chocolate.  The overall consensus was that they were "ok".  They weren't extremely fresh but they weren't dry either. The cake itself was rather compact and dense and the icing wasn't fluffy.  We decided we will stick the competitor's cupcakes.
4 - Mark T.: I'm sure other reviewers mentioned the horrible parking! Yup it sucks big time! 

The cupcakes are good though. I've only tried the Red Velvet and my favorite the Italian Creme...This would be 5 stars in my book but the parking and price of an individual cupcake sucks! LoL I'm not a cheap skate by any means but 6.50 for 2 cupcakes is expensive! Hell It's more than the $5 dollar footlong lol
3 - Prince V.: Had the German Chocolate. Looks humongous on display but its small when you get it. It tasted ok. $4 for a cupcake.... COME ON!
2 - Tiffany P.: 2.4 stars.

I love desserts, especially cupcakes. This place just didn't completely satisfy my "crave" for cupcakes. I found their selection boring and the designs bland. The cupcakes themselves are good, a little sweet, but their cream cheese frosting is delicious. I didn't care too much for the cake itself it was good but wasn't anything too special. I kind of felt like there was too many employees which was a bit confusing on who was taking care of my orders. This place didn't live up to the hype but I would come back if I was really craving sweets and this was the only place nearby.
5 - Elizabeth H.: Let me start off with the fact that I LOVE cupcakes. Crave is one of the best places I've been to. My favorite is the Dulce de Leche. But remember: They only have 'em on Sunday. Also, if you have to LOVE carmel to be able to eat this cupcake. If you don't LOVE carmel, it will probably taste to carmel-y for you. But for me, it's perfect! :)
4 - Michi C.: First time I had one of their cupcakes, one of my dear friends ran out and snagged some for our group that was hanging out.
He got a few flavors so we could have a nice taste test.
Best idea ever!
I'm completely addicted.
The cake is so moist and flavorful.
Some of the icing's can be a bit sweet but overall these are some of the best cupcakes I've ever had.
My favorite flavors so far are strawberry, red velvet and vanilla. (I know I'm real adventurous huh?)
I did find I wasn't keen on the chocolate ones.  They seemed a bit dryer than the fruit and vanilla based ones.  I know that sounds a bit silly since red velvet is chocolate...the red food color and other flavorings might help it be more moist than the others.

All in all they are darn good cupcakes :)
2 - Judy S.: I love desserts! And I've heard so much about this place when I tried it out with some friends... I got Pumpkin. The icing was decent -- it holds shape and has a great texture, but it was too sweet and tasted like straight sugar. Also, the cake was good at best. It wasn't as moist or flavorful as pumpkin should taste. My favorite is still House of Cupcakes in NJ.
4 - Jeena L.: Keeping it short  but here's my recommendations that I've absolutely drooled over and keep drooling when I think about them!

-red velvet
-almond cranberry
-strawberry
-lemon blueberry
-pumpkin
-dark chocolate

yum yum yum!
4 - Mrs G L.: My daughter is a dessert connoisseur. A meal is not complete if there is not a sweet ending. I cannot take the total blame for this, yes I absolutely love having a sit down family evening meal, complete with some sort of sweet treat...but I've never extended the affection to breakfast or lunch...

We had a wonderful meal at one of my favorite Italian places and I agreed to find the cupcake establishment of CRAVE. Its in a very nice little business center off of Kirby. When you walk in, you are greeted warmly with happy voices and heavenly scents. You eyes fall upon glass encased shelves of cupcakes. Each little cake seems to whisper, "try me, I'm delicious". The customer service is also wonderful. They ask what you'd like to order, and disappear behind the glass cases to retrieve your selection. I chose a red velvet. It was very moist and rich with just the right amount of icing.

My only suggestion would be to arrive early so that your choices of tasty treats are more plentiful than our Sunday afternoon jaunt.  I'm going back tomorrow!
5 - Deanna J.: I love Crave Cupcakes.  It's the best thing and now that I'm typing this, I realize I haven't been in a while...and need to change that!  At times the line can get long but the staff seems to do what they can to keep the line moving while still being patient with a customer who may have questions or just holding up the line because they have NO CLUE what they want.  

I highly recommend the following:  lemon (of course), strawberry, german chocolate, white chocolate macadamia nut, italian cream, and the lemon blueberry for breakfast.
5 - Mark J.: This is only my second time eating a gourmet cupcake. So I am by no means an expert. 
The cupcake was delicious it was moist and chocolaty (if that is a word).

The staff was very efficient and the service great - if I keep on the CupCake trend I will come back often.
4 - Teri D.: I just made my first purchase this weekend for my son's first birthday. Everyone loved the cupcakes; they were a complete hit! Each flavor we had was delicious. The experience would have been perfect if they could have given me some custom design since it was for a child's birthday. I will definitely order from CRAVE again though!
3 - Ateya R.: I was going to a seminar and I had to stop to Crave cause I heard allot about it. I loved the STRAWBERRY..OMG! But Chocolate, Red Velvet dissappointment. Maybe I went on the wrong day but those two taste like I made them from a box but that STRAWBERRY was RIGHT ON POINT! Will be back for Strawberry only! Sprinkles Red Velvet and Chocolate was way way better.
5 - Oanh L.: I really can't believe I drove all the way to Kirby just for some Crave Cupcakes! Did it disappoint me? Of course not!

I ordered some red velvet, vanilla, chocolate (something), and of course lots of strawberry cupcakes. Sure the price is a little steep for cupcakes, but if you give this place a try, you would be too busy devouring the cupcakes to even care. 

The staffs are super friendly and the place is clean. Plus delicious cupcakes, what more can you ask for?
3 - Lauren K.: The cupcakes at Crave look beautiful, and taste matches. The icing is creamy, and cupcakes are rich without being overly sweet.
5 - Arnel S.: I love this place! It's really close to where I live, and their cupcakes are great. My girlfriend and I can stop in during the middle of our day to share a cupcake (or three!), or I can pick up a dozen to bring to someone's house. 

So, let's get the bad part out of the way: the cupcakes are expensive. About $3 each. But, if you are able to afford quality baked goods, then buy these. The cake is moist, and the icing compliments the cake well. Unlike grocery-store cupcakes, there's a good balance between cake and icing. Some of the different flavored cupcakes are super rich, but they're still delicious. Some of my favorite flavors are the breakfast blueberry-lemon cupcakes and strawberry.

Some of the other things that are nice about Crave: super friendly and attentive staff, clean store appearance, milk served in neat, old-style bottles, and seasonal cupcakes (which you can keep track of online).
4 - Tammy N.: Wow! 

A client of ours brought us crave cupcake for the holidays! yay!!!! I tried not to be a fatty so I didn't eat one right away.  I guess everyone was polite as well bc it's a couple days after and there's still a couple left.   So I caved and tried the carrot cake.  It is so good!  Really impressive since it's a couple days after as well.  Last time I went there I wasn't really impressed with the red velvet but the carrot cake is really good! There's  real carrot bits within the batter and compliments so well with the sweet cream cheese frosting.  Not too sweet.  Just perfect!
3 - Jon M.: Pretty good cup cakes. A bit much as far as price but they are kind of the starbucks of cup cakes. worth a try at least once.
4 - Tammie T.: Came back to buy some cupcakes for a friend, decided to get some for myself as well. 
The cupcake selection was great and timely as before, offering a football cupcake that Houston Texan colors. The cupcakes are 3.25 each but are at a discounted rate when you buy a dozen, only 36.00!
My boyfriend got the strawberry, which was very good with actual strawberry chunks baked in. The icing was rather rich and sweet though. I got red velvet this time. I'm sad to say that although red velvet is my favorite cake flavor, I didn't really enjoy this cupcake. The icing was very sweet and the cake did not taste like red velvet to me, rather more like over-baked chocolate.
But rest assured, I will be returning again. Cupcake stores have yet to lose their charm.
3 - Stephanie S.: Yummy cupcakes but WAY overpriced. Even if they are high quality baked goods, $36 for a dozen is quite steep.

I also only gave it 3 stars bc of the issues with parking at this location and some of their flavors are just not good...I recommend our favorites: nutella and carrot.
4 - Tasteful L.: CRAVE cupcakes is the best. I've had lots of cupcakes in my life and crave is the best. Better than Sprinkles.... 
At CRAVE their cupcakes are moist and delicious!! The prices are reasonable, if I'm not mistaken its about 3.50 a cupcake. Inside is very small, very few places to sit inside, but there are a few benches outside. All their cupcakes are made fresh everyday! You can watch them make them if you don't believe me. Sometimes when you go, they don't have all the cupcakes that are supposed to be on the menu. Sometimes they run out. They are often, very busy.
4 - Tiffany J.: I ordered some cupcakes for Valentine's Day last year. I had heard a lot about this place, so I thought I would give it a try. Their online order form was pretty simple to use. I ended up getting a V-day package that included 6 cupcakes (chocolate, vanilla, and red velvet). It was in a nice box as well. The cupcakes are very delicious!! Very moist and not overly sweet. They're a lot bigger too than I was expecting!! I would definitely recommend this place if you're looking for an edible gift to give to someone. The prices are a little expensive, but it is gourmet and it's not a place that I would visit frequently. I always keep this place in mind for special occasions.
1 - Hyacinth T.: Their cupcakes are very good; however, their system for ordering could be adjusted to fit their demand....they are very popular, yet all orders, especially next day orders,  stop at 5pm?? If I order at 6pm, 24 hours later would be 6pm, right? Their website says to order 24 hours in advance then it states online orders stop @ 5pm, so you drive up there and then they tell you all next day orders stop at 5pm....FAIL!!!! Their system needs to be more logical. Won't get my business anymore (and I have ordered SO MUCH from them, tsk, tsk!)
2 - Kathryn W.: Kind of sucks when you make a special trip over there and they don't have any gluten-free cupcakes. If you eat GF, it's not like you can just choose something else.  They really need to manage their inventory a lot better.
4 - brittney g.: Awesome cupcakes! The staff is hit or miss though. Some of them are snobby little twits and some are very nice.
2 - Alexander W.: I had to see what all the hype was surrounding these cupcakes.  My tongue was ready to be as excited about these culinary delights just as everyone else had so much excitement when telling me about this place.  I had such a let down.  Maybe my friends and colleagues over hyped the placed, but they were quite dry and seemingly had one ingredient being sawdust.  

I have said it before, and I will say it again, I have not tasted anyone that has come close to Something Sweet By Lori for desserts.
3 - Benedict B.: stay away from the italian cream cupcakes...to sweet!
3 - Vivienne N.: Visited here during my summer internship at Baylor. Close to Rice Village, this seems to be the go-to place for cupcakes by college students. And for a quick cupcake indulgence, I would say it's alright, but I wasn't blown away by their cupcakes (Personal bias: not a big fan of expensive/luxury cupcake craze to begin with). Their cake to frosting ratio was pretty weird, though--way too much frosting at times, so it can be a bit saccharine. But as a frosting person most of the time, I enjoyed it. 

Flavor I would wholly recommend: strawberry. Had the chocolate and dulce de leche on other occasions, but they were just way too sweet.
5 - Nupur L.: So I'm not usually a fan of cupcake bakeries. I thought I could maintain a figure like Sarah Jessica Parker's in Sex and the City if I restricted my sweet intake to cupcakes. Nope, didn't happen. I also bake a lot and 2011 was my "year of the cupcake." Having scaled the heights of cupcake glory with a string of good recipes, I just didn't feel the need to spend so much at a cupcake bakery. Also, the act of baking burns calories. Or so I tell myself.

I tried  a Crave cupcake after my boss brought them to work. I was floored. My hubris was shattered, if only for a second. These cupcakes were better than any that I had had from another cupcake bakery. I thought perhaps it was a fluke and that was their best cupcake. So I went back to investigate.

That cupcake wasn't a fluke. This place is the real deal. The cupcakes are artful, modern and remarkably elegant in decoration. I'd come here for a bridal or baby shower. The frosting/cupcake ratio is perfect, the cakes are moist and not too sweet and the frosting is bomb. The red velvet cupcake actually tasted of cocoa and the cream cheese frosting had just the right amount of tang. Crave would delight both cupcake connoisseurs and those who don't have a sweet tooth, which I think is the mark of an excellent bakery.

Finally, I've been trying to curb my sugar addiction and got a vanilla cupcake latte instead of a cupcake when I was here buying a cupcake for a friend. Go and get one NOW. This is exactly what I'd imagine a vanilla cupcake would taste like in latte form. I even did a taste test with a Starbucks vanilla latte to see if it was comparable-and it wasn't! God, I'd get one every day if I could.

I end this review with a haiku:

An age old question
To have cupcake or latte
At Crave, please get both
4 - Daphne I.: This place is great, I had a bday party for my son I went in picked up a few cupcakes, brought them to the small quint party and they were a hit!  Thanks for saving the day.
2 - Jennifer P.: I've had a serious craving for a cupcake now for a few months.  Decided on crave over sprinkles because it wasnt in oh-so-busy highland village.  

Atmosphere was cool with the vintage mixers and modern design.  Service was immediate and fast.  Both 5 star.  Why 2 stars?  Simple. The cupcakes were sub-par.

I ordered 2. The first, was strawberry everyone else loves.  Frosting was delicious.  Seriously, make me a plain vanilla with that frosting.  The cake was under cooked.  Badly.  It had chunks of strawberries I liked but I didn't eat it because it was so passed just doughy.  The second was the red velvet.  I must admit my absolute love of red velvet in general.  My wedding cake was red velvet.  I expect perfection from red velvet.  Craves?  Dry.  Bland.  Tasted like Betty Crocker batter that had set out for a day.  

Let's own something.  If I'm paying over $3 per cupcake, I expect perfection.  Will not be trying it again which is a shame because i really wanted to try the pistachio cupcake.  Oh well.
3 - Lorna G.: I have to say:  this place is 'spensive!  WOAH!
I ordered the breakfast cake doughnut cupcake while they put together 4 dozen to go and it was ok.  I definitely saw some room for improvement with the cupcake.
As for their regular cupcakes with icing and bunnies on top, I just LOVED how they made everyone so happy.  Their boxes and packaging is so clean and modern and definitely makes an impression.  Everyone who saw the Crave box made some comment on how they love the place.
I didn't eat a regular cupcake so cannot comment on how I feel about those yet.
I do have to say that I don't like that they do not have their prices listed on the board and they apparently do not have special prices as you buy more... I think that is ridiculous.  I bought 4 dozen cupcakes and paid the same price as someone who walked in and bought one... all I know is I spent $150 on cupcakes!
They get a 3 for my breakfast cupcake, a 3 because they are so expensive, and a 5 because everyone loves them around town.
3 - Ann Q.: if you want your pick of flavors, get here early! they sell of out a lot of flavors toward the end of the day. 

the nutella cupcake + mockingbird cupcake = amazing! 

be forewarned that their cupcakes are exceptionally sweet, so get a glass of milk to go with them.
5 - Casey R.: My husband and I really like this place!  It is a fun little treat to pick out five cupcakes  and two coffees.  We take four home to share with our kids and split one there.  The staff are very friendly and the place looks clean and modern.  It's a simple, yummy place that puts a smile on our face.
4 - Grace Z.: I am a Sprinkles enthusiast. I have actually not paid Crave a visit since Sprinkles opened, but I stopped by the other day, unplanned. I was actually going to Chipotle, and the only parking spot open was in front of Crave. I didn't want to be a jerk, so I went in to buy a cupcake before heading in to Chipotle. 

It was late in the evening and there weren't many flavors left. I opted for strawberry. I was going to eat half and save the other half for my husband.

Well, it never made it home. The cupcake was absolutely delicious! The strawberry-flavored cake was so dense, with little pieces of strawberries baked right in. The strawberry frosting was smooth, and not excessively rich. Like Sprinkles, Crave cupcakes are crafted with care and attention to detail. They almost look too pretty to eat. 

I also remember really liking the lemon cupcake, though it's been a long time since I've had one.

Crave has really stepped it up this year, if their cupcakes prove to be consistently good, I think I'd definitely swing by a lot more.

Too bad they don't make doggy cupcakes like Sprinkles.
5 - stacey s.: These cupcakes are sent from above!  Like many others, strawberry is my absolute favorite.  The little chunks of strawberry in the cake and the frosting that is buttery and sweet and not too overwhelming (I'm the chick that usually wipes off all the icing and frosting and is only interested in the cake) are paired perfectly with the texture and flavor of the cake itself.  Delicious!  I have tried other flavors thinking there was no way that they would compare to the strawberry, but they were all just as amazing.  I definitely need a glass of milk in hand to wash it all down which just makes the whole experience perfect.  Dang it, now I'm craving one!  There goes at least another $3.25 (b/c I can't buy just one)...
5 - Carlos S.: Amazing tasting cupcakes. Great customer service and a nice clean simply trendy look. Did I mention they have amazing tasting cupcakes also.
3 - Marie B.: Super Friendly Staff
Super Pretty Cup Cakes
Super Big Selection

Mediocre taste
5 - Jon H.: Wow...this place is amazing. I've had Molly's Cupcakes in Chicago many times (they won Cupcake Wars on the Food Network) and I thought these were better. We tried strawberry, red velvet, pumpkin, and chocolate on vanilla. All were perfect. The strawberry has tiny chunks of strawberry in the cake and the pumpkin doesn't overwhelm you with pumpkin flavor but provides just enough to win you over. I will definitely be back for more and would highly recommend you do the same!
3 - Aki M.: I'm not really fond of icings cuz they are usually very sweet, their cupcake sponge is actually good as it was moist and not too sweet. The red velvet didn't have wow taste as it could be, while I enjoyed the strawberry more and I like how it has that bits of strawberry.
4 - Miranda M.: Great cupcakes at a fair price ($3.25 a piece)

Loads of flavors, but they only sell certain ones on certain days.  My favorites are pumpkin and German chocolate.

The layout of the store is really clean and neat--they also had a bowl of water outside for doggies!

Overall I would definitely come back if I'm ever CRAVE-ing a cupcake, or if I want to impress someone with some beautiful and delicious sweets!
5 - LeKendra W.: Two words...RED VELVET!!!
5 - Tricia L.: WOW!  

Sorry Sprinkles, I have now found a new favorite!  What gives Crave the edge is that the frosting isn't (borderline) overly sweet, and the candy decoration on top is actually edible and will not chip your tooth!  Hooray! 

On my latest visit, I tried nutella and dulce de leche.  Both were excellent.  What a cute shop, and check out all the multi-colored mixers in the front window!
4 - Hugh N.: A friend took me here for dessert. We got red velvet and German chocolate. They were moist and just sweet enough. The price is reasonable. I would come back to try the other flavors.
1 - P W.: Well it has finally happened. The change that has turned me off to Crave Cupcakes.   They are charging you for boxes if you want more than two individual ccs. I don't know if this was always in place, but it was just brought to my attention today.  I also think the price recently went up 25 cents. 3.50 for a cc should cover the cost of the box.  I go and get ccs for the office and my coworkers want eat their cc at their leisure or take them to their kids and that requires them to have their own box. So now the price is 4 bucks per cc, if you buy more than two at a time that is.

I go several times a month and I tell everyone I know about the tasty treats but, I don't like to be nickeled and dimed. I'm out.
1 - David G.: I am gluten free. I haven't had a cupcake in close to a year. I was so excited to find out crave has gluten free cupcakes! I called to make sure they were really in stock. Assured that they had them I jumped into my car and headed straight there. I live around the corner so the ride was only 3 minutes, if that. Once I reached the counter they told me they were sold out and had been for over 30 minutes. I was in shock, I had just called! The girl at the counter said I was the second person to come in asking and the girl that answered the phone wasn't actually checking before she said they had them. I am four months pregnant so I went to my car and cried... All I wanted was a cupcake!! I was so mad that I am now writing a review on yelp. Don't know if I will go back, I will just try marys bakery off i10 for my next craving.
1 - R V.: dry cake and i'm sure their single cupcake box costs them more money to manufacture than a single cupcake!  not impressed and will never go back.  invest in your ingredients/cupcake not your packaging thats going straight to the trash.
4 - Melissa M.: Good cupcakes... almost great. This location is busy! I drove up and was disappointed that the CRAVE reserved parking spots said 10 minutes only. Why? 

We ordered our cupcakes and they were very good. The seating is limited and a little weird. I was glad they had some seating and we were able to enjoy the cupcakes. It felt a little sterile and unwelcoming, but it definitely felt clean! 

It's all about the cupcakes and they are pretty good. I'd give them 3.5 stars, but compared to most other cupcake places in town, they are better than most. Only Sprinkles really beats them.  I'd happily head back to this CRAVE.
5 - Shawn S.: I've been trying to get to Crave for a while now but they always seem to be closed when I'm craving them(no pun intended). So since it was my wife's birthday and she loves cupcakes I figured I would journey into the loop and pick some up. After reading all the reviews and seeing a fellow yelper's review who has similar taste as mine, I knew it would be a hit! Parking lot was full and tight, but no biggie bc I know how to drive,Ha!! As soon as I walked in I was greeted with the best service ever! I ordered 3 cupcakes($3.50 each) peanut butter,red velvet, and dark chocolate. Now I'm gonna tell you about the red velvet bc I always get that flavor where ever I go and this was the best if not perfect red velvet cupcake ever! Perfect blend of sweetness but not too sweet and perfectly moist, and the cream cheese frosting was awesome and not overpowering. Now I must find a way to move to West Unviersity so I can walk on over here when ever I like and gain about 50lbs! Lol will definitely be my after dinner spot when I'm in Rice village or The Galleria area :-)

CREAM - Berkeley, CA (37.8670217, -122.2587134) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
5 - Christopher T.: I happened to be in Berkeley today and I walked pass this place and had to stop and check it out. Spoke with the owners today. They are very nice people, even got to taste a cookie and man was it soft on the inside and just the perfect texture the way a cookie should taste. Can't wait until they open. Their prices are great. $1.50 for a icecream sandwich. Cant beat that price anywhere. Ill definetly be here when they open. Good luck to them.
5 - sammy n.: What can you say about a place that offers FRESH WARM cookies and CREAMy ice cream in the PERFECT Sandwich??  You say "Thank You" and "Its about time" that we had a GOOD and AFFORDABLE (did I mention they are ONLY $1.50) dessert option on Telegraph...

I will definitely be coming back ...
5 - Tera C.: It was amazing. I think my mouth was in heaven.  :))
It's only $1.50 too! I will for sure go back often.
They better not raise the prices though....

btw cash only!!
5 - Suheil N.: I DARE you to go into this place and not leave satisfied.  If you cant then it is for 1 of 2 reasons: you don't like ice cream or you dont like cookies.  If that's the case you have bigger issue to work on :)

CREAM is you world.  Its up to you to make this as tasty of a treat as you like.  

I went for a Rocky Road and Chocolate Chip Cookie and stuffed those suckers with a scoop of Mint Chip.  The Cookies were perfect, fresh and had just the right amount of crisp to hold the sandwich together.  And the Ice Cream wasn't any cheapo, water based  gelatinous nonsense, its legit Double Rainbow goodness.

Everyone should check this spot out. Two gigantic, Thumbs up!!
5 - celia and jeff c.: Oooooooh my!

This place is AMAZING. We'd just gotten off the shuttle at Unit 3 and Jeff spotted it (even though he was blind). 

He kept clutching my arm and going "What is that? What is that? Use your super vision! USE YOUR SUPER VISION" (even though I have glasses). He says he was attracted by the "lights and the people" (like a lil fly).

Anyway-- we were on the way to Milanese Caffe, but this was the BEST part of our meal. 

Apparently they'd just opened yesterday (they're located where Beard Papa's used to be).

It's $1.50 for an ice-cream sandwich. You choose your own cookies, and an ice-cream flavour for the filling. 

We got white chocolate macadamia cookie & butter cookie, with cinnamon and dark espresso filling. The espresso ice-cream was really good with the cookies we chose, but the cinnamon made it a little bit too sweet.

Since we got two ice-cream flavours, it was 50 cents extra, but overall still an AMAZING deal. 

GO! We texted our friend at Duke right after and he said he was jealous of our food here ;) Hee hee.
5 - Robert X.: Oh my god, this place is amazing!!! Finally a place that sells actual ice cream and not froyo. I pretty much agree with what everyone else has already written. You can't beat fresh cookies and real ice cream for only $1.50!
5 - Ali A.: Holy shit. This is god's gift to everyone in Berkeley. 

$2.75 for 6 cookies? Need I say more? 

Alright, I will. Not only are they ridiculously cheap. They also have a pretty good variety of cookies. More? Yes. A great selection of ice cream as well which you can fit perfectly in between two of those warm gooey cookies. 

Needless to say, I will be a regular there.
5 - Elaine L.: I really liked this place. They had a variety of cookies and a pretty good list of ice cream flavors from Double Rainbow. Soy mint chip and coffee blast stood out for me. There was a line out the door waiting for original chocolate chip cookie so I ended up cutting everyone to get two white macadamia nut cookies with coffee blast ice cream for only $1.50! 

The cookie was still warm and soft when I bit into it and it was the perfect portion. I am very satisfied and will come again.
5 - Freddy J.: Best Ice Cream Sandwiches, in the world,  no doubt about it! Yummy it dosent get better than this
5 - Olga M.: Just had an ice cream sandwich  from them today. 

Pros:
- Cookies are sill warm (I had the chocolate chip and macademia nut and they were sooo good)
-The ice cream was nice and creamy
- Only a $1.50 (that's including tax)! 
-Perfect location to campus (parking might be a bit tough but as a Berkeley student it's at the ideal corner!)
- Just right to fill you up without leaving you feeling like you overindulged
-The guys working there are very nice and talkative

Cons:
-Cash only, but I'm pretty sure that's what drives the price down.
5 - Joyce B.: How come someone hasn't thought of this idea earlier??

I heard passed by this place recently and wanted to try this place out just because all of the yelp reviews have been so positive. Indeed, yelpers never fail. This place is pretty amazing, especially for students. 
What could be better than 2 cookies + ice cream of your choice for only $1.50?? Their cookies alone are $0.50 each and less than $3 for half a dozen... Perfect for finals time munchies! 
I got the sugar + white chocolate macadamia nut cookies + chocolate cookie dough ice cream. i recommend getting the sugar cookies bc they're much softer and go perfectly w/ the ice cream. over all they give a generous portion of ice cream and you will not be disappointed. :D 

highly recommend!

Note: it's cash only so make sure you bring cash w/ u so you dont have to make an ATM run
5 - Lynn L.: CREAM is my new favorite place to go for my nightly or midday sweet fix.  

The store follows a very simple concept that plays up the inner child in everyone that strategically coincides with the wallet (it's only 1.50 for a whole freakin sandwich...that's cold...and scrumptious).

 It's a scoop of ice cream of your choice squeezed between two cookies of your choice also.

I'd have to say it is very similar to the Diddy Reise's (sp?) at UCLA, however this is very homey and clean. Service is very fast and friendly. It's on the corner of Channing and Telegraph which is an excellent location for students and visitors to the city. The hours of the store are also very craver friendly :P

I've been running here back and forth 3 times in the span of 5 days, wholly. Their ice cream is rather smooth and melts relatively fast in between the warm freshly baked cookies. You can tell they're fresh from the cooling racks behind the counter that are filled with lines of scrumptious cookies. 

Ice cream flavors tried: Coffee Blast (15/10 is my rating.)
Cookies: (Triple Chocolate, White Chocolate Macadamia, Rocky Road?) 

Overall: nice location, lovely concept, friendly fast service, excellent pricing. 

What are you waiting for? Heaven's just around the corner
5 - David W.: Here's the deal: $1.50 for an ice cream sandwich made from two cookies and the ice cream of your choice.  Now THAT is a sweet deal!  ... So sweet that I went for the first time today... and second and third...

There's quite a few flavors of ice cream to choose from, and maybe 7 or so types of cookies, too.  The cookies are very soft, warm, and delicious, and the ice cream is great.   One of my favorite cookies is the Turtle cookie, which is a chocolate cookies with caramel and macadamia nuts, if I remember correctly.

Anyway, enough said, GO EAT!

Note:  Hours are shorter during winter while the students are away, and since I came right before closing time on a dead Berkeley winter day, the cookies were not as fresh and not all the varieties were there.

This doesn't change that this place is 5 stars, darn it!  Just plan to come at a busier time and you'll be happier, and maybe phone ahead if school's not in session to make sure you're scheduling your Cream run optimally.
5 - T A.: Good selection of fresh baked cookies? Check.

Premium Ice Cream with classic and specialty flavors? Check.

$1.50 for a sandwich? Check and Check.

In short, this is the best thing to happen to southside food in years. RIP Beard Papa's and long live Cream.
5 - Amy L.: Heard about this place just in time for finals! Nothing ease the stressed mind than a cookie ice cream treat. 

Cream:Berkeley
Diddy Riese: UCLA 

The concept is the same, cookie, ice cream, $1.50. No offense but Cream is a lot better than Diddy Riese when it comes to quality of cookie. It's a lot chewier which has its pros and cons. Pros: taste better! Cons: you might have a collapsing dessert if you eat your dessert at a leisurely pace. 

 Went with my favorite flavors: cookie and cream ice cream with chocolate chip and a double chocolate chip cookie. I mean, the combinations are nearly endless and luckily it doesn't put a dent in your pocket. 

Opens decently late. great for those late night cravings/munchies
4 - Jay P.: Tip: the butter cookie is the softest and melts perfectly with any ice cream. One thing to remember is that some of the sweeter ice creams can become sickly sweet really quickly. If its your first time, try a mint chocolate chip or the coffee almond blast.

This might become the next boba. By which I mean, when you want a late night snack or something yummy to grab that is under $2, you are going to say "Lets get Cream" in the same tone you say "Anybody want Boba?" and everybody's eyes widen and a unanimous response of 'Yes please!" is heard throughout the dorms.

This place will soon become a staple of Berkeley campus just as Diddy Riese became a staple of the UCLA campus.
5 - Susan L.: $1.50 for two cookies and ice cream. Two just baked soft on the inside slightly crunchy on the outside cookies of your choosing and cold ice cream in the middle. $1.50, i almost didn't feel guilty having a friend pay for me!

It's so sweet, but so fulfilling. They also sell milk to go with it. For less than $5 you can get sandwiches for 3 people! Definitely going to come here a lot next semester. Way more lively than beard papa's, and the workers are actually personable and not just staring at you like zombies from behind the counter.

Just isn't much else to say but $1.50 for warm cookies and ice cream is cheaper than just buying one alone at most places, haha.
4 - Katarina M.: Getting the second scoop for 50c is worth it, but then you might want to split it with someone.

The sandwich is actually TOO sweet, like cloyingly, sickeningly sweet, but I'm still giving 4 stars because ... COOKIES!  and fresh!  and CHEWY! and ice cream!  my favorite things!  and cheap!  I can only hope that this starts a wave of cookie-obsession that washes over Berkeley and cleans out that overflow of cupcakeries we have.

If I eat a whole sandwich I get a massive hangover-like sugar headache.
5 - Rick C.: Berkeley finally got a Diddy's. Hey, sorry, I know everyone is doing the comparison but I just had to too!

The cookies and ice cream are amazing and so are the prices. You can tell that they just opened because they are still struggling a bit to deal with the large amount of hungry hungry hippos trying to procrastinate from finals. (Hey, I'm speaking for myself here!) I went in today (it was my third time of the week don't judge) and it was pretty awesome. However, they didn't have my favorite cookie, white chocolate macademia nut. Apparently, they hadn't cooled yet but I convinced him to give it to me anyway so I had a pretty bomb pizookie that just crumbled in warm melty goodness with the liquid ice cream. 

Don't get too frustrated with the lines because they are still getting used to it and hey, you know it's worth the wait! My favorite though is when they chat you up or the one guy dances or sings along to his jams.
5 - Nawal S.: I created a yelp account just to say how much i am in LOVE with this place. At first when one of my friends told me about it i said no dude it can't be that awesome and i really need to study, what with it being dead week and all... IT  WAS THAT AWESOME!!! it made my day SOOO much better with the awesome warm cookie filled with awesome delicious ice cream. Also.. 1.50 come on how cool is that! too bad they don't take cards.......
3 - Ada T.: Holy line...on Saturday night, it was well around the corner and I couldn't bother waiting in it. Even tonight, a Monday, was through the door. Because there are so many cookie flavors and ice cream flavors available, people take their sweet time (haha) deciding, which only makes the line move slower. 

I know that a sugary, comforting $1.50 treat is obviously of enormous appeal to students so I'm not totally surprised by the five star average on Yelp. It's a fun concept, but I couldn't imagine myself making a habit out of this. The cookies are fresh, which is a plus, but they are pretty standard otherwise. Plus when they're super warm out of the oven, the cookies melt the ice cream far too quickly and it's just quite a mess. The ice cream is also typical stuff. I couldn't get over how sweet the sandwich was.

Maybe if I were still in college, I would be more enamored of Cream, but it's hard to justify the calorie/fat/sugar bomb when I've had truly outstanding cookies and ice cream in the East Bay (to be fair, at a much higher price point...)
5 - Naji E.: I noticed a new spot on Telegraph ave in Berkeley called cream.  I walked in out of curiosity.  They have the coolest concept ever!  The bake cookies of all types and then you choose an ice cream flavor and they construct your own personalized ice cream cookie sandwich!!!!  I had a white chocolate chip macadamian nut cookie sandwich with mocha almond fudge ice cream. It was amazing!!!!!!!!  The people there were so nice!  I'm definitely going to hit this spot often and I live 30 miles away!!!!!  A MUST EAT!!!!!  6 stars!
5 - Pahneez H.: okay so i am sitting in my studio in san francisco and i'm still thinking of the delicious icecream cookie sandwich i had at cream one week ago. 

the cookies and icecream are amazing.
the prices are even better.
the employees are genuinely nice. 

they even have soy icecream for people who are lactose! 

i tried the chocolate chip cookies with ultra chocolate icecream. so delicious.
my friend tried white chocolate macedamia nut cookies with coffee blast icecream that she still talks about till this day.


if only they had delivery.......
5 - Reuben D.: If you give this place any less than 5 stars you have lost whatever remains of your childhood and are nothing but a shallow human being. Awesome ice cream with great prices. Great place for a date.
3 - Nina Y.: So it's more like 3.5 stars, but really, I dont find it as amazing as everyone is making it out to be. I'm sorry I like the nice ice cream sandwiches I can find in the grocery store. 

There was a long line, but not too surprisingly it moved pretty quickly. We just people watched - especially the people right in front of us...it's quite interesting. 

I was expecting something amazing with all the 5 star yelp reviews, but my ice cream sandwich was really hard to eat. The cookies were too hard; it's like I had to snap them to break. The ice cream - well it's just regular Dryer's ice cream - nothing super amazing. We looked totally weird eating it for it not to drip on us. The combination was actually sickingly sweet. I have a major sweet tooth and I love all types of desserts, but this was just too much. 

Also, the two girls working behind the counter yesterday gave different amounts of ice cream in the sandwiches. I had a lot less ice cream in mine than my companion and all squished to one side. 

I think I'll give it another try some other time...maybe it'll be better. I really do hope so. I don't want to have to make my own ice cream sandwiches.

CASH ONLY.
5 - Stephanie W.: Oh man. We were going to start dieting last weekend, we really were. Right up until we stumbed upon Cream on a Sunday afternoon stroll down Telegraph. 

This place is actually ridiculous. I almost don't even care if the cookie recipes are original or just baked fresh in the store front, it's too good for words. First, you pick from 6-8 different kinds of freshly baked cookies. Then you choose one of 12+ flavors of yummy ice cream. And then the magic happens. 

Two warm, freshly baked cookies + one scoop of rich, just soft enough ice cream = one mind-blowing ice cream sandwich. We barely made it out of the tiny shop before ours had disappeared entirely. 

Now what, you ask, might a shop charge for this delight? Only $1.50. That's right - a buck fifty for 15 seconds in dessert heaven. I know it's Berkeley and everything's cheaper in Berkeley, but this is insane. I hope if it comes down to it they'll raise their prices so they can pay their rent. The product is definitely worth it. 

But really, I just wish they would open up locations in SF and Palo Alto as well. I might gain 500 lbs, but hey, a girl's gotta have her desserts.
5 - Allie C.: I'm in love. With this place.

It's as if Diddy Riese sensed that I couldn't live without it and CAME TO ME!!!

Shit... I'm going to be 300 pounds soon. 

Yada yada same as every other review: DOLLAR FIFTY ICE CREAM SANDWICHES WITH FRESHLY BAKED COOKIES ON THE OUTSIDEEE

Today was my second visit. I ordered a double chocolate chip cookie/chocolate chip cookie/ULTRA CHOCOLATE ice cream sandwich.

The girl behind the counter said to me: "Oh, the chocolate chip cookies just came out of the oven so they might be a little gooey. Is that okay?"

[That would be like, if like a girl wearing a white shirt came up to a guy and was like, "I'm going to pour this gallon of water all over my chest now. Is that okay?"]

And I was like: "THAT'S MORE THAN OKAY!!!"

Dude.

CREAM ALL DAY E'ERY DAY! Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.

Soon they will make so much money that they will be able to serve these cookie sandwiches not in paper sleeves but in GOLD CHALICES. 

So my question is, WHY AREN'T YOU THERE??? RIGHT NOW???
5 - Diana C.: Super cheap and really good!
4 - Matt C.: Closer to 4.5 stars, but I rounded down.....Otis Spunkmeyer is NOT a gourmet cookie.   They are too sugary and tend to get very hard after they cool down.  Double Rainbow is good ice cream.  Overall, a very cheap treat for starving college students, but I would rather have an "organic" cookie option.  Maybe they could have a premium $3 sandwich option, using freshly baked cookies from one of the organic bakeries in Berkeley.  (I myself would pay 2x the price for a better quality of cookie)

Don't get me wrong, this is a great addition to Berkeley's dessert options along with "John's Dollar Scoop" but not as great as the reviews would have you believe.
5 - Maryam R.: OMG...I LOVE THIS PLACE! I want to marry it...wow. I went with my boyfriend, and we shared the chocolate chip with traditional cherry vanilla..and it was to die for. We are going again later tonight..twice in one day! This place is a win...!!! Fresh baked cookies and delicious icecream for $1.50..i'm sold...
5 - Kevin L.: DELICIOUS! Best after dinner dessert. Two tasty warm cookies between two huge scoops of ice cream. For $1.50 each, these were well worth it. The cookies are just like the expensive Anthony's Cookies (cookie place in Mission District of SF). The ice cream is really sweet and tastes great. The cookies might seem too sweet for some people, but my sweet tooth loves it!

The lines can be horrid though (~up to 45 mins at peak hours) and it's cash only. So if you can stand the wait, it's highly recommended.
5 - Angelo D.: Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. So I went later on in the day and sadly they had run out of the white chocolate macadamia cookies. No worries, I opted for the sugar cookies. I don't have much of a sweet tooth, so I'm not too big on very sweet treats. Needless to say, cookie vanilla ice cream sandwiched between sugar cookies was right up my alley. Probably one of the best treats I've ever had in Berkeley, for a measly $1.50 no less. Next time I come here I'm absolutely going to try the white chocolate macadamia cookies, but I don't think I'll be venturing too far from my cookie vanilla ice cream. Also, I've heard this is comparable to Diddy Reese at UCLA. I've never been to Diddy Reese but I'm sure Cream is 10x better. 

If it wasn't raining I'd be eating some Cream just about now...
5 - Gelene V.: Berkeley's Diddy Riese, but BETTER.

Diddy Riese: Hard Cookies, Dreyer's Ice Cream, and a line that seems like it'll take forever 
Cream: Warm, out of the oven cookies... much better ice cream quality, and a shorter line! YAY

Only con: Cash ONLY :)

5 stars because I have a MAJOR sweet tooth.
3 - Wen Y.: This place is a great value, but it's definitely not 5 stars.

My first time coming here, I didn't even get my ice cream sandwich because although the sign says they open at 11, they don't. After waiting 45 mins, we just gave up and left. For me, if you say you open at 11, you better be there at 10 to prep, especially if it is a new business.

As for service, they are kind of slow. I think part of the reason why there is a long line these days is because the service is a bit slow. My cashier told me my order came up to $3 and when I was about to hand him the money, he just started moving cookie trays, holding up the line for a good unnecessary minute or so.

All and all, this place is a great place to grab something to satisfy your sweet tooth. Their cookies are fresh and chewy (though the edges of my cookie was a bit crunchy). Ice cream is pretty good.

They just need to improve their operations a bit.
5 - Aviya M.: Shut the front door. I'm still speechless.

So, has anyone ever been to Diddy Riese in Westwood (SoCal)? I never thought I would say this, but BETTER! EXPONENTIALLY BETTER!

Think: the best, warmest, freshest, most amazing cookie you've ever had (Otis Spunkmeyer cookies - beats your grandma every time) paired with the best ice cream you've ever had (Double Rainbow - if you haven't had it, it's better than Haagen Dazs)..... as a cookie sandwich!!!!

The cheapest sandwich I've ever heard of at $1.50 - if you don't have the cash for this, find some, it's sinfully worth it. On top of that, a dozen of the cookies plain? Just $2.75! Unheard of and so much better than any dessert I've had in Berkeley (sorry Yogurt Park, I still love you).

You have to go - it's only a few weeks old and it's already one of my favorite dessert places in the Bay Area.

sidenote and wonderful plus: They're family-owned and absolutely adorable - so enthusiastic about you enjoying your dessert and so happy that you love cookies and ice cream as much as they do!

EVERYONE HAS TO GO!
2 - Austin W.: I like this place, but I don't think it's 5 star good...Far from it actually. When this place first opened, that is, when construction workers were still putting up the sign for the store, I wanted to hate the place for having such a lame name: Cream - cookies rule everything around me. Once I was able to try the ice cream sandwich however, I could see why there were so many people lined up outside. For $1.50 for an ice cream sandwich, two fresh cookies and a single scoop of ice cream between, Cream can't be beat for value. I can't say the same about quality or customer service unfortunately...

Criticisms follow, which explains my two-star rating...
- Cream doesn't open on time. After finishing my finals, I wanted to celebrate by grabbing Cream for the first time with friends and when we got there, it was closed. We thought they were running a few minutes late but we waited about an hour outside and nobody showed up.
- The people working behind the counter don't "match" the general almosphere of the store. The store name Cream and the ice cream sandwiches they offer give a sense that smiling, cheerful, young, fun people would be behind the counter. This could not be farther off than reality. The two men working behind the counter when I went were middle age men in their late twenties to early forties and they were rude, never smiled, and took orders with a grunt. 
- The employees don't follow health guidelines for working food services: some of the workers have disgusting long and hairy beards that would likely fall into the ice cream, some of them don't wear a hat or a hairnet, they don't change gloves between handling money and your food, and we all know how dirty money is...
- If you get a scoop of ice cream in a cone, you get a sad small, unbalanced-about-to-topple-over scoop that doesn't even extend below the cone.
- They do not take credit card.
- You get ONE, read O-N-E scoop of ice cream between your cookies, not two like everyone else is saying.
4 - Kathleen W.: UCLA kids, you have nothing on us now!  That's right.  Berkeley has an ice cream cookie place too!!

I know this totally defeats the idea of an icecream sandwich, but I like to get mine in a bowl.   Why in a bowl, you ask?  You are given a bowl if your cookies are too soft, warm, and melty that their current state will rapidly melt the ice cream.  My favorite combo is the macademic nut cookie + mocha ice cream.

Ask for the cookie right out of the oven.  You won't regret it.
4 - Dmitriy S.: FINALLY a new place opening up on South Side that ISN'T a yogurt place. After Yogurtland moved in, every new establishment in Berkeley has been a remake of it, with Pinkberry to open its doors soon. However, CREAM (Cookies Rule Everything Around Me...awesome acronym) is a concept out of the ordinary that I've only seen at UCLA. 

I love the fact that they have such a huge variety in cookies, and even more variety in ice cream. Although I do wish they had more flavors that appeal to my taste (such as blueberry or rocky road), they're here to cater to the greater UC Berkeley student community, and not just me. 

I ordered a sandwich with a huge scoop of cherry vanilla ice cream in between two fresh out of the oven, moist, soft, and delicious rocky road cookies. Some people have complained that their cookies were too hard, but I guess it really depends on how long they've had them out for. Being a new place, I'm sure it's tough for them to predict how many cookies to make so that they don't dry up too fast, but they'll get the hang of it soon. 

Two things that I would complain about. First of all, everything was just too sweet for my taste. Don't get me wrong; it was an amazing experience, but just such a huge sugar rush at one time. The other thing is the cashier was a bit clueless at times. I handed him $2, and he asked me for $.50. I thought it was because they were out of change, but he just happened to drop one of my dollars and insisted that it was my fault. Only after about a minute of assuring him that I paid $2, he looked on the ground and saw the other dollar. It happens from time to time, but his attitude was a bit defensive. 

I feel like if I keep coming back here, my food baby might start to develop. However, it's hard to resist when you end up with fingers covered in ice cream at the end of such an experience. 

Btw, my friend was the 4th person to attempt a 3 layer sandwich this past weekend. Owned it like a true boss.
4 - Lucy N.: Berkeley's rendition of UCLA's famous Diddy Riese. Since I've never tried the latter, imma just roll with my Cal-pride bias and just assume that this place is better. There's really nothing to complain about an ice cream sandwich because it's a combination of two things that are synonymous with happiness: cookies and ice cream. The line is still manageable only bc more people haven't heard about this place. Once summertime rolls along, however, all hell might just break loose. 
The only downside about my experience was that they were out of white chocolate macadamia cookies. aw poop.
4 - Mariana A.: Very good! Great value and excellent cookies. I'd go back but I probably wouldn't make a special trip.
5 - Charlie N.: I am giving this place 5 stars for making me fat on the cheap, and also making it impossible to resist.

$1.50. That's all it costs for a big scoop of ice cream sandwiched between your choice of warm, gooey, chewy cookies that you can walk out with and proceed to drool and slobber all over Telegraph. Makes me feel like one happy greedy little kid.

I've been to Diddy Reese in UCLA and yes, believe it or not, this place has better cookies and ice cream for the same price! Unbelievable.

My long Berkeley froyo winter is over and even though that hasn't helped my waistline at all, a new challenger has appeared, as indulgence incarnate. Thy name is Cookies Rule Everything Around Me, CREAM.
5 - Em J.: Oh em gee. No really, OH MY GOD. Literally heaven on earth/in a cookie. I am typically a biased individual when it comes to ice cream/ice cream cookie sandwiches because I had a very brief stint working in a small, mom&pop-style neighborhood ice cream parlor 2 summers ago. The owner was a pastry chef so our baked goods were divine, and the ice cream was local (and reminiscent of the Strauss Family ice cream available at CREAM). CREAM has it down pat, though. More down pat than my boss did. Her cookies were yummy goodness, but always just a little too crunchy as an ice cream sandwich for my taste. Come to think of it, I've never been able to enjoy an ice cream sandwich. The combination of gooeyness of the ice cream mixed with the crunch/lack of crunch of the cookie was never justright.
Ladies and gentlemen, CREAM has solved that dilemma for me. Everything is perfect. They have a great selection of flavors and you can mix and match cookies! HALLELUJAH.
Now my only problems will be: 1. Convincing my boyfriend to come with me (he prefers sour delectables)/trekking to Bizerk by myself 2. Choosing which flavor of ice cream and kind of cookie to get.

OR, even better, CREAM - Come to the South Bay?! (PLEASE?!?!) I would say that a location on Santana Row or in Stanford Shopping Center would be PERFECT!!!!


PS - Hello? Anyone home in a few of these reviews? If anyone is dumb enough not to know what the original CREAM is from/means/whatevs, educate yourself: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C.R.E.A.M. Dolla' dolla' bill, y'all. The name is what caught my attention first. I thought it was going to be a new sneaker store. (Doh.) Whoever started this place MUST be a hiphop head, all the more reason for myself to buy cookies and support. Not to mention, the guy that was working on Sunday when we went is was super helpful and very friendly. All around just an awesome new shop on Telegraph.
4 - Diana E.: dropped by for a quick snack before dinner.. who says you can't have dessert before dinner?!

i think this place used to house mrs. field's cookies.. kinda funny considering another cookie shop is in its place but with a way better concept!  $1.50 for ice cream between two soft chocolate chip cookies.. deeeeelicious! 

family run business.. mom is in the back working on cookies while son is cashier and daughter scoops decent size scoops of ice cream.  i can't imagine how packed this place is going to be once all the students get back from winter break!

pretty good variety of cookies and ice cream... but i do hope that the owners read this and bring in some cookies and cream ice cream!!!   i was deeply disappointed when i didn't see that available.  i'll come back once i find out cookies and cream is available!
5 - Jonathan L.: I have been waiting for a place like this!!! I know UCLA has their own but we needed one in the bay area. I was walking with my GF and I literally said "I have a huge craving for brownies and ice cream." As we walked around we noticed that the corner store was no longer a Beard Papas and decided to look in and check it out. Little did i know they sold home made ice cream sandwiches! Not only is it only 1.50 (cheaper than a scoop of ice cream at dryers) but you can mix and match from a variety of cookies and flavors of ice cream. The ice cream flavors aren't cheap versions  vanilla and strawberry either. They had very high quality vanilla bean, rocky road, etc. This place completely satisfied my craving with a brownie chocolate cooking and macadamia nut with vanilla bean in the middle. This place can easily be addictive with the delicious taste and cheap prices so be careful not to gain too much weight!
4 - Stephanie L.: I was extremely excited when I heard Cream was opening up. Having been to the Diddy Riese near UCLA, I was looking forward to buying a delicious ice-cream sandwich cookie-thing for only $1.50.

The workers here are extremely friendly but slow at their jobs. It took me a while before I could pay for my cookie sandwich. 

I tried a double chocolate and sugar/butter cookie with coffee almond fudge ice cream. My only complain is that the cookies at Diddy Riese are a lot better. Granted, they do come out warm but I feel like Diddy Riese did a better job of keeping the ice cream from melting while still delivering soft cookies. I'd also want to see a greater selection of ice cream and cookie flavors, but I think they just need to get their business running first. 

Overall, I'm sure Berkeley students will be giving this place a try.
5 - Christy L.: Looking for a quick inexpensive sugar fix? This is the perfect to go! After stumbling on this place on yelp, I dragged my friends in the pouring rain to this place. Parking was a little hard to find but it's Berkeley, when isn't it? 

The owner was really friendly and (when I was there) they played good music. For 1.50 you really can't complain about anything except maybe the fact that the warm cookie and oozing ice cream is wayyyy tooo delicious!! 

Lots of people compare this place to the one near ucla but who cares. It's food, delicious sugary food and as long as my wallet and tummy is happy that's all that matters! 

I got white chocolate macadamia with cherry vanilla ice cream. Yum, I think I'm going back again today. :)
5 - Dave L.: Cash rules everything around me....CREAM! Get the money...dolla dolla bill y'all,

No no no...at this place. It's all about the Cookies at this joint.  After a mighty meal in Oakland with a few friends, we purposely drove to Berkeley to try out this place.  

Ice cream....sammiched by two cookies!  Wow. Talk about a pleasant dessert experience for anyone's belly.  8 different kinds of cookies to choose and mix with and then you picked the ice cream flavor to make it to a sandwich. 

For $1.50...you get fresh, warm cookies and super cold ice cream of your choice....the oozing effect as you take bite after bite....ahhh...just getting goosebumps thinking about it.  

And what did the three of us do to top it off after we finished our ice-cream/cookie sandwich??  We all bought some hershey's chocolate milk (in store) to make it a jolly New Year's Eve.
5 - Kat C.: UHM!!!?!??!?!?!!!??

Such a simple idea ... wonder why there aren't more places like this?  This place has gotta be profitable - no restrooms, small "to-go style" shop, minimal seating, one table, no utensils other than tiny little spoons, and 2 workers to bake cookies and freeze ice cream all day.  

(UPDATE: Ok, I got carried away...this isn't the same as "Diddy Riese" in Socal...but same idea...and what a great idea it is!  It's family owned and operated... which I also love!)

For pennies, you get a single, double, or triple scoop of delectable ice cream sandwiched between 2 warm, chewy, and oh-so-sweet cookies.  They have a nice selection of ice cream and cookie flavors.  Next time, I'm getting 2 oatmeal raisins with strawberry ice cream.  The white chocolate macademia nut cookie, as delicious as it was, was too sweet for me... (coming from the girl who puts 3 packets of sugar in her coffee)

A few recommendations: Eat Quickly!  Ask for a mini spoon to help pummel the melting ice cream into yo mouth!  Bring you own cups!  :P

Can't wait to come back and bring my sister...she is a cookie monster.
3 - Tiffany L.: This is Berkeley's new "diddy riese." $1.50 for an ice cream sandwich so how can you complain? It is family owned and the staff is really energetic (maybe because it just opened). 

I am a sugar addict so I had my fair share of ice cream and cookies. I think it tastes great if their cookies just came out of the oven but other than that, I feel like I can make my own but if you are craving a good ice cream sandwich, come here.
5 - Eugene M.: Cookies, ice cream, CHOCOLATE MILK.....what the F more do you want in life.   

Cookies Rules Everything Around Me!!!  it's worth dealing with the low life fools in "berk kaul ly" as the fobby reletives refer to it
4 - Nance H.: The first thing that comes into mind is Diddy Riese (UCLA) of Berkeley. Afterall, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

$1.50 for an ice cream sandwich- not a bad business model.
5 - Justin F.: Ok. Let me start this off by saying that I am not a big dessert guy. Sure cookies and ice cream are nice and all, but I'm more of a "save my money and appetite for REAL food like steaks and hamburger" type of guy. I mean, desserts cost more, are more unhealthy for you (usually), and don't even fill you up! So when all my friends were basically wetting themselves over how great this new Cream place was, I was wary.

Then I tried it, and consequences were never the same. This place is OUT OF CONTROL. I mean, a buck fifty (CASH ONLY!)? It was fast (1. scoop ice cream onto cookie  2. ready to eat) and delicious! They had warm cookies, and tons of flavors of both cookies and ice cream! Also, I'm pretty sure I picked the ultimate cookie/ice cream flavor combination on my first try. You HAVE to try peanut butter cookie with the cinnamon+caramel ice cream. My friend Ammar thinks it's better with Macedonia nuts, but he doesn't know anything and shouldn't be trusted.

In short: bring cash, eat Cream, leave happy.
5 - Ava S.: Cookies Rule Everything Around Me. Haha I think it's pretty clever. The logo could use some work though... Having a cute logo would draw in even more customers! I guarantee it. There always seems to be a wait every time I go. Rest assured, the line out the door is deceiving and moves quickly. 

Anyways, this place is SO GOOD. It reminds me of Diddy Riese Cookies in LA. The cookies are warm and freshly baked. They have a good selection of different cookies and ice cream to choose from. The prices are incredibly reasonable. I suggest getting an ice cream sandwich (a scoop of ice cream sandwiched in between two cookies that can be the same or different). It's only $1.50!

Overall: The white chocolate macadamia nut cookies and the coffee blast are my absolute favorite. Trust me, the yummy deliciousness is worth the few minutes you may have to wait. I will definitely be a frequent customer.
3 - Ryan M.: If the Wu-Tang clan or Akon were to be serving me these bite sized treats I would have probably been more impressed.

Replacing the old Beard Papa, C.R.E.A.M. (Cookies Rule Everything Around Me) a play on the classic Wu-Tang song offers your choice of cold crispy cookies or hot and moist ones with your choice of ice cream flavors.
For this particular visit, considering they ran out of white chocolate chip macademia I opted for the following order:

-1 pair of Peanut Butter Cookies sandwiching some Vanilla Bean ice cream.

Just like Chunk n Chip Truck (Fullerton, CA) and Diddy Riese (Los Angeles, CA). They used one of the local Ice Creameries (Double Rainbow) as their provided source for the filling of these sandwiches. The peanut butter, was a bit stale. Whereas the vanilla bean was smooth but didn't get enough accent in the vanilla. Customer service was friendly but a bit slow (waited for 20 minutes until I got to order). For $3.00 this is probably a good dessert alternative to the pricey Kingpin Donuts, but it wasn't enough for me to want to come back for more, before I left the Bay Area. 3 stars, no more or less.
5 - Chris M.: as others have mentioned, this is the same concept as diddy riese in LA (westwood village) and that has worked well for as long as i can remember 20+ years so it's about time they brought something similar to berkeley.
cream is great tasting and a great value too. other dessert places need to watch out.
5 - Jose G.: Only because the sign caught my eye did i decide to take a closer look.  Once I got closer i see the "fine print" that says "Cookies Rule Everything Around Me".  I got such a kick out of their sign i figured i would walk in and take a look.
     I wasnt even in the mood for desert, but the sudden rush of chocolate, sugar and PB cookies when i walked through the door just took over!  =)  People were very friendly and gave me the whole rundown.  They make the cookies fresh onsite, your choice of about 8 different cookies.  You can choose either the same cookie or two different types.
     If the cookies werent good enough, then you choose which type of ice cream you want and they have nothing but good options!  I took a chocolate chip top cookie, white chocolate chip bottom and vanilla with reeses pieces ice cream in the middle =)  With all the options, you cant go wrong.

FAIR WARNING!  The cookies are so fresh, they WILL melt the ice cream fast!!!  =)

Oh did i mention they are only $1.50?  =)
4 - David N.: After my third burrito of the week (Gordo's 2 vs. Chipolte 1), my colleage and crossed the street, only to be met by CREAM.

Me: "No way, I am too stuffed..."

Me seeing, smelling, and thinking: "A fresh baked Sugar cookie with chocolate chip ice cream..."

Me: "Well, alright. I'll try half. Gimme the smaller one..."

Me eating and enjoying: (tears of joy) "This is so f'n good... Next time. I'm going for dessert first!"
5 - Aileen A.: Cookies Rule Everything Around Me! Cream! Get the $$$! Dollah Dollah Bill ya'll!

Impressive! This place has only been open for 2 months and ALREADY it has over 60 reviews. Wowsa! This joint is smack dab in the middle of the Telegraph area, in a very easy and convenient place. 

Unfortunately, I could not try their ice cream sandwiches here due to my expected trip to another nearby ice cream shoppe, so I opted for the cookies.

We bought a dozen for $2.75. If you order individually, it is 50 cents each. 

We had the rocky road, macadamia nut, sugar butter, and double chocolate. Unfortunately, we did not want to wait for the peanut butter, so we did not get to taste it. 

Yum yum yum! I am especially loving the sugar butter. All of the cookies were sampled immediately fresh from the oven (and it seems like this will often be the case, as they don't get the chance to stay too long in the oven after baking!) and were still yum-o 4 hours later. Still soft and yummy.

Prices are so cheap! Two cookies and your choice of ice cream wedged between the two for only a buck 50. $1.50?!! Why NOT?

Customer service is great too, because you can tell that they try their best to be as efficient as possible to get you to your treat right away!

CASH ONLY!
5 - Richard B. F.: Went to Berkely last night and Had a Fat Slice Pizza. On my way back to the car I saw this spot on the corner serving Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches for $1.50 and it was AMAZING! The cookies (of your choice) were warm and fresh baked that went well with the ice cream of your choice aswell.
5 - Brighton E.: I love their cookie sandwiches! Gooey, delicious, and affordable. Easily marketable towards the masses of Berkeley students. I bet they will last longer than Beard Papa's because of their reasonable prices. 

My only complaint is that they do nothing to separate the cookies with nuts and the cookies without nuts. I'm very allergic to nuts so this sometimes presents a problem. It can be dangerous for small children who have extreme nut allergies. They really should think about making changes in this area.
5 - Kameron K.: OMG WOW

This place is awesome!  Where was this place when I was still at Cal?

It used to be a beard papa that didn't do so well.

It's basically a make your own ice cream sandwich place.  The man and woman who are working there are very cute and the guy making the sandwiches was very charismatic/funny.

You basically pick your cookie, there's about 8 or so choices (I went with double chocolate) and then pick your ice cream which there was about 20 choices or so (I went with the strawberry cheesecake).

The best part, only $1.50 for a sandwich wow!  The sandwich was great, the cookies are fresh baked in the store and still warm which slowly melts the ice cream when sandwiched in between the cookies.

The concept, the price, the TASTE, awesome.  There is nothing bad to say about this place.

Although with the college student price of $1.50 also means that it's prime spot for homeless.  As the line went outside the door, a couple of homeless guys kept asking for change.  You couldn't say no I don't have any because the place only takes cash.

It's also a prime spot for them to get sandwiches as the homeless guy stood behind me in line and a little TOO close in my bubble.

Other than that, no complaints, I highly recommend!
5 - Christine U.: DE. LISH. SHUS.

VERY affordable: $1.50 for a fresh ice cream sandwich?!

AND! many choices of cookies and ice cream to make said sandwich.

BUT WAIT! you can choose from traditional room-temp cookies OR... melt in your mouth ooey gooey cookies.  Be prepared if you choose the latter to stuff said chewy melting to-die-for sandwich in your face quickly or it will fall apart.  Probably better on a plate. But not as exciting.  Was definitely fun to share one cuz there wasn't too much time to pass it back and forth...basically had to be feed a lot of it. :)

If I lived near here i would be FAT. STAT.
4 - Evan D.: It seriously took me 10 minutes to decide what to have...I love the options! (even if I just got double chocolate chip cookies with vanilla bean ice cream)

The service was great, everyone there was really nice! I can't wait to go back and have another tasty treat..mmm mmm!
5 - Renee V.: A great family owned ice cream sandwich shop in Berkeley.  The cookies were fresh out of the oven and delicious.  Who cares if it was 50 degrees outside..that's the perfect time for ice cream!

I got the butter sugar cookies with chocolate chip peanut butter ice cream..yummy!  Can't wait to go back and try another ice cream sandwich combo!
4 - Kenneth H.: COOKIES RULE EVERYTHING AROUND ME (CREAM!)
and that is exactly what i did--i creamed my pants because this was so good.
i ordered a turtle/peanut butter cookie combo with butter pecan ice cream. the first bite was so heavenly and savory, i nearly went weak in the knees. warm and gooey with the nutty pecans in the turtle cookie and the peanut buttery goodness in the other cookie, combined with the sweet, savory butter pecan ice cream.... i just creamed myself again.

and i think it was just $1.50? i can't remember... but it's very affordable.
5 - Angeli L.: The delicious smell of baking cookies wafting down Telegraph will pull you into the door - and the ice cream...oh, heaven!
5 - May D.: I must say that this is some genius and unique idea of a business and after passing it up so many times, I finally got to try my first bite of this praised ice cream sandwich. Now before ordering, the staff maintained a fun atmosphere by singing and dancing along to the good selection of music, which made me want to join them and it sure looked like they enjoyed their job. 

When I got my strawberry shortcake ice cream sandwiched between two chocolate  turtle cookies, I was speechless. The guy at the cash register asked me how was it and all I could give him was a thumbs up. Turns out I had chocolate all over my face and my sister didn't bother to tell me until after that confrontation with the cashier, but the cookies were warm and gooey and delicious. It's like a pizookie, only better. Yes, this did defeat my workout that I did this morning, but it was so good and so worth it!
5 - Helen T.: I don't think anyone can hate a cookie ice cream sandwich for $1.50! Sometimes the lines are long, but no worries, it's not too bad.
5 - Cathryn L.: Eating a treat from Cream was easily one of the best decisions I have made all year (so far).  $1.50 gets you the most perfectly crafted ice cream sandwich I've ever had the pleasure of eating.  The cookies were still warm - fresh from the oven, and still gooey in the center.  I had to set aside all self-awareness and pride and devour that sucker as fast as I could before the ice cream melted.  I had a stupid little smile on my face for about an hour after I finished my toddler-like eating rampage.  

They only take cash, but who wants to put $1.50 on their card anyway?
4 - Jennie C.: Really sweet so if you can't handle it, it'd be great to ask for it to be cut in half so u can share with a friend. Very innovative and awesome idea. Super easy to make but it's just that great!! 

I love how simple yet delicious it is. For 1.50 you just can't beat it. Two freshly baked cookies of any choice, and ice cream of your choice slammed together. Definite good chioce if you just had a horrible day and need something nice, sweet, and cheap! :)
4 - Hilary L.: I actually went back to this place when I was craving some ice cream and sweets and it did taste a whole lot better, especially because of the fact that the tub of cheesecake ice cream was almost empty so it had to be frozen and not melted. the other reason being that I ordered chocolate turtle and chocolate chip cookie which I saw him take straight out of the oven and not from the counter, making it fresh and warm. the cookies were soft and melts in your mouth, so my suggestion is to make sure you get one right out the oven or else it would be terrible.
4 - Rob C.: hmm, finally a diddy riese done better.
again positioned perfectly for the college crowd
the difference here is that the cookies here are otis spunkmeyer, thus softer (more butter?).  more of the cookies come straight from the oven vs diddy riese still sitting out under the glass.
the ice cream is also double rainbow, a step up over dreyers
$1.50 final price is impressive
my creation?  white chocolate macadamia with cinnamon caramel and turtle.
extended hours some days (midnight)
5 - Neha T.: I went to Cream last night after a Sushi dinner up the street. I didn't want to wait in the long line, but boy am I glad I did! 

The ambiance of the place is great--sure it's tiny, but the friendly staff and blazing hip-hop beats were very inviting. I ordered chocolate chip cookies (warm) with one scoop of caramel ice cream. It was incredibly delicious and the perfect size. Plus, for $1.50 you really can't go wrong!

Also, it wasn't too sweet or heavy and the service was great. I would highly recommend checking out cream if you have a sweet tooth or enjoy cookies/ice cream.
5 - Alexa M.: Awesome! Although the lines are usually long, it's totally worth it (and the line moves pretty quickly)! There's a large selection of ice cream and cookies, so there's something for everyone. The cookies are freshly baked in-house, making these ice cream cookie sandwiches to die for. $1.50 for 2 cookies and ice cream in between = heaven!
4 - Stephanie D.: We totally discovered this place to accident. Haven't been right off the campus in years and decided I needed a fresh slice out of the oven at Fat Slice for some reason. Trying to waste time & enjoy the crisp cool clear evening when all of the sudden loud thumping music caught my attention in the distance. I see a bright little corner shot with a sign that reads CREAM. Hrmm? The hubs & I look at each other and know we're headed over that way to be nosey. Nice sized after dinner crowd with smiles filled the quaint little shop. The smell of sweet perfection permeated the air around us. There was but 4 ppl in line so what did we do? Hopped on the bandwagon of course. We get in line still not knowing what we're here for. Just then I noticed the ppl around us and leaving had a pretty generous looking ice cream sandwich with a spoon sticking out. Wow! Ok, sold. We're in and not as we gaze at the menu baffled by what to try I look over the hubs shoulder and see a line spilling around the corner. Very popular joint. Especially for the big hefty price of $1.50 for an ice cream sandwich! YES, believe it or not $1.50. I wanted to get a dozen myself but had to settle for a dozen cookies since we weren't heading straight home. 1/2 dozen rocky road & 1/2 dozen white choc mac nut right out of the oven. And get this the cookies are $.50. A dozen for $5.95. The cookies were hot & each bite melted in our mouths. I definitely have this place marked on my TO GO BACK list to have one of those delightful looking desserts. This time mommas getting ice cream with her cookies!
5 - Roxanne E.: Whoever came up with the idea to sell ice cream sandwiches with freshly baked cookies in the heart of the Berkeley campus until 2am for a mere $1.50 was a GENIUS!

Good thing I dont go live around the area anymore because my freshman 15..errr 20...wouldve been more.  There is no surprise that line for this place is so long. 

So here's the DL:
It's on the corner of Channing and Telegraph (it's close to campus, and the dorms..location-Check!).  There is a long line but it goes quickly. so while waiting, you get to decide what kind of cookie and ice cream you want.  there's a list of flavors, adn you can mix and match.  The also sell floats and milkshakes, if you're int he mood for that.  In any case, I decided on Chocolate chip cookie and Chocolate chip cookie dough (my fave!).  While the server scooped my ice cream in between the cookies, we were just dancing to the music.  The beats were popping! I jokingly suggested to the server (who was very friendly and very good-looking) that they should have black lights and a disco ball.  They would easily beat blakes! 

Taste: Heavenly! you know the cookie was just came out of the oven because the chocolate chip were still melty, and cookies were warm.  I was concerned that it would be too much chocolate chip (i know...you can never have too much...but sometimes it just happens), but it was just the right balance.  

Its perfect for those days/nights to cool off, the chocolate/sugar cravings, and late night munchies! And you cant beat the price!
5 - Michelle S.: Fresh cookies, soft or crispy.....you decide, but either way they are delicious!

This time I ordered the turtle and double chocolate chip with It's a goody.  I enjoyed it except for little bits of hardened toffee from the turtle cookie.  But the cookie by itself is awesome!  Just not meant to be with ice cream unless you have strong teeth or like it really crunchy.  It's a good was so good!  

I also got the chocolate milk to go with my ice cream sandwich which was already filled with TONS of chocolate.  I think I OD'ed on chocolate that day.....I couldn't finish my chocolate milk :( it was so good, but my body can only handle so much at once!  But it was all worth it.  I'm salivating right now just writing this review!

P.S. *Cash only*
5 - Kamyar J.: Yea yea yea yea this place is good, has been good consistently. Ice cream cookie sandwiches, good price, etc.

Pro-tip: try to get both of your cookies the same flavor, lest you risk overloading your taste buds.

Aside from that, great staff, great food. Save up some quarters and go.

#swag #reallyhitsthespot
5 - The H.: I liked Cream BEFORE it was cool. (you know, like a few weeks ago)

Ok, I am totally not surprised that the lines got insanely long so quickly...
4 - Madeleine H.: Cookies Rule Everything Around Me!  Come get cookies and ice cream! Yummy yum yum y'all! 

The new "hotspot" (or should I say cold?) C.R.E.A.M. that's opened up on Telegraph lives up to it's expectations.  Open till 2am Thursday-Saturday this anytime dessert of two warm cookies with a dollop of ice cream in the middle is to die for.  And who can beat the price of $1.50?

C.R.E.A.M. gets 4 starts from this critic who appreciates ice cream sandwiches and clever names of establishments.
4 - Dominic T.: Definitely more wallet-friendly than Beard Papa was. CREAM brings a great local business to an otherwise suffering intersection of Channing and Telegraph. I would have never thought that there would be a line for ice cream sandwiches. 

I came here on the Sunday night of the Golden Globe Awards. I met up with a couple of friends who got ice cream sandwiches here for their first time. I just opted for ice cream since I had an ice cream sandwich from here before and wasn't craving any cookies. If I remember correctly, there are 16 ice cream flavors and over 5 choices of cookies. The menu rotates daily so you'll have to try every combo imaginable!

They also sell refreshments but it's off to the side. Cookie sandwiches are only $1.50. My double scoop ice cream was $2. The employees are very welcoming and nice. There are only 2 small tables with very few seats (maybe 4 chairs). People stand outside and block the sidewalk on Telegraph which is not so great.
5 - Audrey C.: Come on, an ice cream sandwich for $1.50?! How can you go wrong. 

It's comparable to Diddy Riese but personally I like these Otis Spunkimeier cookies better. The line has always been around the corner every time I stop by, but the wait isn't unbearable and the staff is always singing and dancing.
4 - Krystie M.: I've been dying to try this place months before I actually stepped foot into CREAM. 

The locals know the deal: $1.50 for a big, delicious ice cream cookie sandwich. For college students, this is an amazing deal, so it's no surprise that there's always a ridiculous line out the door.

It took me 3 tries to get an ice cream sandwich here:

The 1st time I showed up, they ran out of cookies! What an abomination! How can a COOKIE place run out of cookies?!

The 2nd time, they were closed.. at 8:00 PM. Odd.

As they say, the 3rd time's the charm and luckily I was able to get my ice cream sandwich fix.

ATMOSPHERE

Just like Diddy Riese back in LA, CREAM is not a "hang out cafe." You grab and go, so don't expect to sit inside and chat away while you devour your sandwich.

The staff are friendly and my friend got a free ice cream sandwich because it was her graduation day! They seem to really enjoy their jobs; they are constantly singing their hearts out to the radio and always serve the sandwiches with a smile.

FOOD

The QUALITY of the ice cream sandwiches is very good, but the only reason I'm giving this place 4 stars is that they run out of cookie options very quickly and at prime times during the day/night.

My boyfriend wanted oatmeal raisin cookies, but they ran out so he had to settle for white chocolate macadamia nut, but even then they ran out! Luckily there was one final batch in the oven, so he waited for those. Unfortunately, the hoard of people and the insane rush pressured the workers to serve the cookies half-baked and too gooey to eat.

The PORTIONS are big-- don't come here right after a meal. These ice cream sandwiches are a meal in and of themselves.

The presentation is no bueno. It gets EXTREMELY MESSY, especially since it's served in a paper sheet. Please, CREAM, be nice and serve the sandwiches in a cup! It's hard to eat this when it keeps sliding out of my hand.

Overall, my favorite dessert joint in Berkeley, but I hate that I have to risk making a trip to CREAM only to discover that they ran out of cookies for the day.
5 - Ulysses G.: Got two gooey white chocolate cookies w/ green tea ice cream in between. Not overly sweet but still awesome. 

$1.50? HELL YEAH! 

Watch out for the line that wraps around in the evening. :]
4 - Michael F.: Warm gooey cookies with good Rainbow ice cream. I had the butter sugar cookie with French vanilla, and the fact that such a simple flavor was still good attests to the quality of their offerings. The sandwiches are huge, so next time I think I'll only come for the ice cream.
5 - Lydia W.: Shoot....2 warm cookies with ice cream in between for 1.50? On a college student budget? Thank goodness Cream wasn't around earlier or else I would be obese. 

The line was about 10 people long and for the first few minutes it didn't move AT ALL which made me wonder how hard making ice cream sandwiches were. Once we were in the door though, the line was super speedy and efficient. 

We got double chocolate chip + white chocolate macadamia nut with white pistachio ice cream (it was actually green). 

Some flavors I recall seeing for cookies: chocolate chip, double chocolate chip, white chocolate macadamia nut, oatmeal raisin, turtle, rocky road 

Some ice cream flavors I remember: french vanilla, matcha green tea, white pistachio, strawberry, coffee  

One sandwich is enough for two people unless you're feeling really skinny. 

Getting messy is a necessity, and the stickiness is well worth it.
3 - Ann L.: CASH ONLY.  After dinner at Gather we walked to Cream.  It's only 0.8 mile away & it's fun to get dessert at a different place - more to review.

There always seems to be a line out the door at this place because it's small with about 5 seats & tons of young people wanting the $1.50 ice cream sandwich.

The line moves, but it does take a while.  

You can pick the two cookies - doesn't have to be the same.  They are a bit warm.  I picked Turtle & Double Chocolate Chip.  Then you pick the ice cream you want - I picked Strawberry.  Ice cream is Double Rainbow.

They put it in a wrapped paper envelope.  Hard to eat & messy.  Forgot to ask for a spoon.  Eat it quickly before the ice cream melts.

If u just want ice cream in a cup or cone:
S $1.25
D $2
T $2.75

Ice cream sandwich $1.5

Cookies are from Otis Spunkmeyer - way too sweet, nothing special about them, just cheap.  Ice cream: not enough & average taste.

1 = .50
2 = .95
3 = $1.40
1/2 doz $2.75
Doz. $5.25

They sell Milkshakes & Malts - don't remember those prices.  Milk in cartons, drinks available for sale too.

Hrs:
Sun 12-11p
M-W 12-12A
Th-Sat 12-2AM

FB:
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/pages/Cream-Cookies-Rule-Everything-Around-Me/113642022035477
2 - Tanakorn T.: Honestly now, I know that for the price, you cant beat it, but the service is wayyyyy under par.  

Ice cream sandwiches for 1.50 is a good deal, Im not going to deny that.  The only problem is, the person that made my sandwich was TERRIBLE.  

I will never go there again unless I was given the opportunity to do so because someone else wanted to.  And even then, I would be hesitant to go.  

I ordered two ice cream sandwiches and they both came out mediocre and here is the reason why:

1. The person that made my sandwich gave me less than half a scoop of ice cream on each sandwich.  KEEP IT CONSISTENT AT LEAST.  
2.  SHE BROKE MY COOKIE WHILE MAKING MY SANDWICH.  No apology no words spoken.  

Price for service?  maybe, but for me, service is what is important.  Very disappointing to what could have been a great experience.
4 - Helen Y.: For the longest time I have been jealous of UCLA's Diddy Riese, and finally, Berkeley has its very own... Cream. That said, I am still a huge fan of Diddy Riese, I have many fond memories of visiting the place and waiting in line.

It's been at the back of my mind to try this place out, however, every time I've passed the place, there has always been a crazy long line until today...I was driving past and I spotted a line of five outside, OF FIVE! I immediately parked and joined the line. I ordered two combinations: French Vanilla with Oatmeal Raisin and Praline Cream with Chocolate chip cookie. They were $1.50 each.

Hopefully, they will have more choices -ahem white chocolate macadamia- and reach the success of Diddy Riese. But for now, I have a close substitute within my proximity. That's just awesome.
4 - David C.: The first time I came here, I thought it would be a knock-off of Diddy Riese.  Since I'm from LA, its pretty hard to beat the original, but Cream has sure done it.  Their cookies are much softer and more flavorful.  They even recently have added the option to have both soft and hard cookies.  The taste of the cookies is impeccable.  With such a variety of flavors and cookies, you really get a run for your money.  Price is just awesome, but expect a long line.  John's a-dollar-a-scoop ice cream on Shattuck better watch out for this new competitor.

Minus one star because they charge 1/3 the price of the sandwich if you ask for a cup.
5 - Andrea C.: HOLY  TOLEDO.

Where have you been all my life?? You are the prince charming of cookies, the sultan of sweets, the...

Too cheesy? OK OK OK I'm done.

So first off, this spot is damn near haunted. Once a shitty Ms. Fields, then a Beard Papa, the chain sweeteries are just not cutting it on this corner. So what did Berkeley need? A brand new, open late, incredibly cheap, good quality snack spot.  

And CREAM delivers.

Standing for "Cookies Rule Everything Around Me" (excuse me while I nerd out really hard), CREAM just opened recently and BOY is it booming.  I have yet to go in where the line ISN'T around the block.

Small, hip, and bright. It bumps top 40 shit (eh) but the fun corny shit so it doesn't feel too Miley Cyrus but more what you hear bumping out of cars.  The concept is that the store is strictly ice cream and homemade cookies (in addition to a small cooler of sodas and soy milks).  One cookie is fifty cents (HOLY TOLEDO!), and ice cream is not all that much more. You can do a cup or cone, single cookies to a dozen, OR what you can do (if you're wild) is get an ice cream sandwich. They are big. They are messy. They are effing delicious.

I got a half dozen cookies for UNDER $3 and my fat ass can ASSURE you that it was worth WAY more than $3, and I am more than pleased.

I would absolutely love to see CREAM succeed. Keep it up.
1 - Eric L.: Horrible service. The guy who dances like there's no tomorrow and the girl servicer BOTH gave me small, broken cookies with half a scoop of ice cream for both times that I've gone. The cookies taste mediocre and the ice cream usually melted before I got half way through my cookie. For the price, I still do not think it's worth it.
1 - Alex C.: If you like cookies made from a package then you'll love this place.  A weak attempt at the brilliance that is Diddy Riese.  The ice cream is tasty but the cookies don't taste much better than packaged cookies from the grocery store thrown in the microwave.  

Dont waste your time, there are plenty of other desserts to be had in berkeley.
4 - Connie C.: A little overrated, in my opinion. Yes, they open till 2am, the workers all dance to the top 10 hits playing overhead, and it is only $1.50, but in the end it's just two cookies and a scoop of ice cream. 

A great snack, but not worth waiting in a long line for. The line varies, it can take up to 20 mins waiting outside. It's also cash only. If you want water they have tiny paper cups for "shots" of water.

It can be a bit too sweet for some people, but for $1.50 I'd down to go back and try all the different flavors. When the line is short, of course.
5 - Grace G.: damn, that was good
4 - Melody L.: 2 cookies + ice cream scoop = yummy ice cream sandwich for $1.50.

Pros:
No tax!
The ice cream is delicious
You can pick two different flavors of cookies
The turtle cookie comes with GREAT PIECES OF CHEWY CARAMEL! This pretty much made the entire experience for me
The ice-cream-cookie-makers are pretty cordial for people who are nonstop scooping all day/dealing with millions of orders
It is yummy!

Cons:
Cash only
Depending on the cookie, sometimes they crumble apart too quickly and you are left with a really sad ice cream cookie
It is served with a wax paper wrapping, which makes it hard to eat the bottom half of the ice cream cookie
There is almost no inside seating, so you have to walk around with a rapidly melting cookie until you find a safe place to eat it
Long lines
High glass walls between you and the ice-cream-cookie-maker means that you have to shout really loudly so that they know what you want
5 - Melissa L.: It's cruel that they opened this place. 

Just really cruel. 

I'm not going to be able to button my pants anymore.
5 - Ryan M.: Hands down this has topped UCLA's Diddy Riese for me...

I wasn't even expecting much from here when I first stepped in, but when I took the first bite into my cookie ice cream sandwich I nearly broke down in tears from how great it was! 

The butter sugar cookie was amazingly soft on the inside and crunchy on the parts where they need to be. I might just take more trips here just to grab one of these babies! The ice cream itself was just okay, but whatever the cookies makes up for it!

6 Stars.
4 - Michael T.: *cue Wu-Tang*

If you don't get it by now, the store is referencing the legendary Wu-Tang Clan song title, C.R.E.A.M (the C in this case standing for ''cash").

And if you haven't been here by now, you are missing out!

I live about 20 minutes from Westwood. I've made my fair share of trips to Diddy Riese. So I'll just get it out there:

I believe that Cream is better than Diddy Riese.

Why? The cookies. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Chocolate White Chocolate cookies from DR more than anybody. But sometimes DR cookies are too hard for my liking. I like me some soft cookies. With a little bit of crunch. Enter Cream cookies.

It's just that a quick trip to the oven to warm up Cream's cookies make them taste that much better. More flavor. Gooey, but crispy texture. Love in every bite.

Cream also wins in the ice cream department. It isn't just typical Dreyer's ice cream flavors. Cinnamon caramel. THEY HAVE CINNAMON CARAMEL. It is beyond delicious.

I've yet to try the shakes and I probably never will, but I'm sure they're delicious. 

I'd give Cream 5 stars but...

-it is a little TOO sweet for me (I know, that sounds dumb. It's an ice cream/shake/cookie shop. But it's just too sweet for me sometimes. I still love it though. And I will still keep going there.)
-they need to manage their line better. I know they are just starting out and probably underestimated their popularity, but the way to pay just seems too inefficient for the massive crowds that come.
-cash only :( (minor gripe. I know it's Berkeley. It comes with the territory.)

All in all though, 4 stars. Cheap. Delicious. Satisfying.

A decisive win for Cream over the incumbent cookie monster, Diddy Riese.
4 - Natasha H.: A make your own ice cream cookie sandwich place?! I'm there! 

I came across Cream when I was reading random reviews on yelp and I immediately bookmarked it as a place I had to try. Tonight, I finally did! Even on a Monday night at 10pm in freezing weather, this place was packed. The line went out the door, around the corner, and then down the street. 

You can get plain cookies and plain ice cream here too. But, why would you settle for that when you can get ice cream sandwiched between two warm, freshly baked cookies for only $1.50? I tried the white chocolate macadamia nut cookie with vanilla cookie ice cream, and while it was good, the cookie got a little too sweet after a while. Next time, I think I'll opt for the chocolate chip cookie instead. Surprisingly, the warmth of the cookies didn't melt the ice cream. A definite plus! 

The cookies they serve are Otis Spunkmeyer, and while I'm a fan of the Otis, it's not very original. Even my college dining commons used to serve Otis Spunkmeyer cookies! Also, it would be nice if they offered a wider variety of ice cream flavors too. 

Regardless, Cream is still a worthwhile place to check out. Service was friendly and pretty speedy. Just be prepared to wait in a long line with a bunch of college kids! 4 stars!
4 - Sarju S.: When we went, the line was probably 50 feet long and halfway down the block. Without a doubt, the folks that work here are snorting something. They were waaaay to quick about getting everyone through. We probably waited 10 minutes to get our goodies. 

All kinds of win, especially for a meager $1.50. Heck, I felt like I was ripping them off, so I bought  an extra half dozen cookies. 

It's not going to compare to any of the fancier ice cream places in Berkeley, but for the price it definitely beats expectations. 

And shit, it's an ice cream sandwich with two cookies! Two! The only way it could be made better is by sliding a piece of crunchy bacon in there.
5 - Philip K.: I've eaten here several times already, and people compare it to Diddy Reese often. Fair enough. The product/quality are similar, but I'm convinced that CREAM has won me over in a way that Diddy Reese will not. 

Last night, I was craving a midnight snack while I did my laundry in Unit 3, and I arrived around 12:15 with two of my friends. We looked sadly at the locked door and started to walk away. That is, until the owner opened up the place, welcomed us in with open arms, and gave us the brightest smile and the best sugar cookie sandwiches I could've asked for. 

All kidding aside, I was very thankful - to the point that this ungrateful yelper was convinced enough to leave a nice and sincere comment for the owner of this business. 5 stars!
5 - My C.: Slap me for I must be dreaming. No longer will I have to make annual trips to LA just to get my hit of Diddy Riese. This place is FAR BETTER!!! Your choice of 2 cookies plus your choice of ice cream. Granted it's not their own cookie recipes, but hey, it works. The cookies are soft, but I've been told you can request for crispier cookies. 

Don't let the line intimidate you. It goes pretty quickly and even if the line is around the block, it is totally worth it for these morsels... Mm... time for another one!!
5 - Julia K.: The staff there was amazing. Great service, the people are very open and warm. Of course, the food is also amazing. Thank you guys :]
2 - Ellis A.: For a 30 minute wait it better be damn good.

Well, not really. It's simple and satisfying. But I didn't feel it was worth the wait. I'm sure part of the draw is that it's $1.50. All this is is Otis Spunkmeyer cookies (warm) and Double Rainbow Ice Cream. I could have went to the grocery store and gone to town for similar ingredients in less time.

Anyways, so, you wait in the line that's likely around the corner...arrive in the store, pick your cookie(s), your ice cream, and viola! Ice cream sandwich. The store itself is small, so there isn't much space to sit.

Experience: 2 (I've had better)
Thirty minutes for nothing special. The staff was friendly, but the overall wait isn't justified. 

Value: 3 (You get what you pay for)
$1.50 for mediocre ingredients....that's about right.

Food: 2 (I've had better)
Eh...it would be 3 stars, but with everything else encompassing it, I wouldn't get myself coming back here. I'd rather go to a specialty ice cream shop with unique flavors and housemade cookies (even if they're not warm) than for a something that I can put together with a microwave at home for less time.

Overall 2.33 (rounded down to 2)
Simple concept to satisfy simple cravings. But, it's nothing special worth waiting for. Sorry guys.
4 - Hannah W.: The line actually moves quickly. Wait time is not much longer than the line at Yogurt park. 

I had the turtle and double chocolate chip cookie with strawberry ice cream.  Good combination.

The price is right and it's a no-nonsense dessert that hits the spot. I don't have much else to say because the cookies are otis spunkenmeyer and the ice cream is double rainbow. They're just baking the cookies and assembling the sandwich.  

Homemade cookies or ice cream would make this place even better.
4 - Kim-van T.: SMART.  Cream is no doubt making bank and fulfilling every college student's dessert fantasy with their delicious and inexpensive ice cream sandwiches.  

Your choice of cookie + your choice of ice cream = warm gooeyness.  Simple.

Unlike its predecessors I predict Cream is here to stay for awhile.  I fear for the future of Yogurt Park.
5 - Tim C.: Aptly named cream for the response people get after eating here.
5 - Carol T.: YUUUUUM. I used to live in Berkeley, and now I'm an hour away... But I crave Cream from all the way over here! That's how good it is.

The first time I had it, it was so-so. Too sweet for me. I couldn't even finish the ice cream cookie sandwich.

The second time I found the right combo. WARM, freshly baked sugar cookie with strawberry ice cream. DEE-licious. It must be the warm cookie that gets me. And only for $1.50?? If I could eat 5, I would buy 5.

One hour away is too far to go for a ice cream cookie sandwich. So, I bought a bag of sugar cookie mix and strawberry ice cream in hopes I can temporarily fulfill my Cream craving until I get the real thing.
4 - Esther Y.: Probably not really worth the line, but this is supposed to be similar to UCLA's super famous Diddy Riese, ice cream sandwiches. 

They're not very efficient so it's a bit slow, and I think that's why there's always a line here...it's probably intentional, so that people passing by will be like, "Oh, I wonder what this line is for? Hmm, that looks good! It must be really good if there's a line! I think I'll get in line now!"

Reasonably priced at $1.50 each for 2 cookies and a scoop of ice cream between them. The cookies are kept warm in the oven. It's pretty difficult to eat this without getting messy and sticky, so not something I'd feel like eating while walking very often.

Apparently no photography is allowed inside the shop. I got yelled at. =P
5 - Vera W.: Cheap and definitely worth the price. I like how you get your own choices for cookies and ice cream. The cookies are slightly warm and each one is 50 cents. Way cheaper than many other places. The cookie sandwich is only $1.50.
5 - MyTien P.: This place is not overhyped at all! Went here with the boyfriend last night and was surprised to see how long the line was. We decided to wait through the 45 minute line to see what the big commotion was about. And to our surprise, the wait was so worth it. 

- 2 warm moist cookies with a big scoop of ice cream only for $1.50??! YES PLEASE. Turtle &Chocolate Chip Cookie + Chocolate Chip Ice Cream = HEAVEN ON EARTH. The cookies were warm and moist and the ice cream just made everything so much better. Nothing can beat cookies that have just come out of the oven. I'd be willing to drive here from Davis again. Everyone must try whenever you're the in area. It's the perfect place to go especially when you're on an inexpensive date with your boyfriend.
2 - Jean T.: My sis keeps talking about this hot spot in Berkeley. Well....I thought the long line indicates the cheap price and the high quality too. I guess I am wrong!!

The cookies are fresh, but it's from the frozen cookie package. You can tell the taste. The ice cream is okay and not impressive. 

The cookies don't have the integrity to hold the ice cream and the paper bag also does hold up the ice cream when it' melting. 

I agree they have good staff and good service here.

Maybe people are here for the quantity and it's price. However, I am willing to pay little more to get the good quality of frozen yogurt like Pink Berry or Fraiche Yogurt.
2 - James T.: This place is really over rated. Do you remember Otis Spunkmeyer cookies from school or somewhere else? Do you remember Double Rainbow ice cream? this place literally puts the two together and sells em. It IS a good idea, but it'd be even better if it was a better cookie or a homemade cookie. The ice cream is decent at best. The sandwiches, with are cheaply priced (the only plus about this place for me) at $1.50 are way too sweet for me and easily fall apart since the cookies are fully cooked sometimes because the volume of customers is just too overwhelming.
4 - Gail N.: For the price, this place is definitely awesome. $1.50 is like the good ol' days of how much a large at Yogurt Park used to be in middle school..

Definitely hits the sweet spot with Double Rainbow Ice Cream + warm gooey cookies. 

Why the minus 1 star? Structure: the cookies are really big and the ice cream is just plopped in the center so that 50% of the way through your cookie starts to collapse around the edges..in which the sandwich becomes more of a huge ice cream "dumpling" which makes it really hard and messy to eat. My suggestion: Smaller diameter, BUT thicker cookies. 

Nonetheless, tasty tasty :) and hooray for not having to drive all the way to UCLA/DDR to get me an ice cream cookie sandwich!
4 - Vivian T.: you really can't mess up cookies plus ice cream... but being a socal native, i prefer diddy riese in la and this other place close to my house. they use otis spunkmeyer cookies and double rainbow ice cream, so pretty much all that goes on is scooping and mega toaster-ovening- the cookies are really sweet, so watch out. the ice cream's quite creamy and good (i recommend banana or pistachio). the downside is that it's the cheapest dessert by far to be had after 9pm (1.50 a sandwich, 55c a cookie) so the line often wraps around the corner- so i'd go when the sun's still out. 

i'd only stand in that line if i had another campuscred.com deal (which was $4 for $2 recently)- otherwise come back another time.

oh yeah it's CASH ONLY, and not much seating inside.. and remember to ask for a spoon with your sandwich unless you want some of your sandwich ending up on your face
5 - Jeff W.: Had some time to kill last night in Berkeley and stumbled on Cream.  No line which was good but the smell of fresh cookies drew me in.  For what you get, it's an insane value.  2 fresh cookies and a huge scoop of icecream for $1.50.  Insane.  So tasty that I wound up buying 6 cookies to take home. Definitely will be back again.
5 - Mia S.: HHHHHHHOOOOOOOLLLLLLLYYYYYYYY SSSSSSSHHHHHH****************TTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
only thing that sucks is the line.  go when it's short.
5 - Lara W.: Cream is an instant winner with a great concept to kick the overabundance of trendy yogurt shops to the curb.  

For $1.50, you get a cookie ice cream sandwich: the cookies are warm, the ice cream is quality (Double Rainbow) and the combinations are infinite! 

Cheaper than a bagel and cream cheese at nearby Noahs...you can see where this is going...

MAJOR PROPS to the ladies who were working there last night!  They were so ebullient that I felt like at any given moment they would bust out from behind the counter and break into the electric slide.
5 - Taylor C.: I enjoyed Cream very much! I live close by and walked past the dam place a hundred times before I decided to try it. I thought it was some Fusion-Yogurt-Organic-Dairy-CreamPuff-dessert oasis like you would find at every block on every city....BUT i was W-R-O-N-G!!!!!!! Holy shit this place is AMAZING! First off...the price. At $1.50 you really can't go wrong. Its cheaper to enjoy a savory dessert than to do my laundry.  Gooey cookie dough of any kind that delights your taste buds and F*#$ing ICE CREAM!   

All the people talking down on Cream have got to be the most stuck up kind of folk. Come on, really?!?  if you see a huge fucking line outside a store; do your walk over and stand in it for half and hour...then bitch about waiting in line???? I don't think so. There is this thing, (some genius must have come up with it) its called "COMMON SENSE"  people need to use it more often.  

For those complaining about quality and comparing it to this-and-that, you really have to be a snob to let $1.50!!!!!!!! ruin your PERFECT LIFE!!!!!  Get over yourself...

CREAM is RAD!
4 - Nelson Q.: Wu-Tang Clan's Song was Taken for this place, and instead of CASH, it was replaced by COOKIES...

Good location and concept...$1.50 gets you a couple of warm Otis Spunkmeyer cookies sandwiched with two scoops of Double Rainbow Ice Cream of your choice. An instant hit with the college crowd...Who doesn't love this winning combination?...ALOHA!!!!
5 - Anna S.: $1.50 for an ice cream sandwich with two freshly baked and perfectly textured cookies and plenty of ice cream... :) 

The long lines around 8 pm are kind of annoying, but understandable considering the low cost of such a delicious treat.

My only gripe is the cash only policy, but I usually have at least that much in my wallet, so I shouldn't complain.  Plus, debit or credit card transactions may be too high for a business if the ice cream sandwiches they sell are only $1.50.
5 - Zainab K.: Two warm freshly baked cookies sandwiched together with a heap of decadent ce cream. So simple but so delicious! 

The lines are long in the evening but for $1.50 it's well worth the wait. 

My favorite combination: Butter Sugar cookies with cinnamon caramel ice cream. HEAVEN!
5 - Annie C.: I visited this place on my last day of my trip to UC Berkeley, after my brother's roommate kept insisting I try their ice cream sandwiches. It was definitely a great way to remember Berkeley by. 

The lines weren't unbearably long and the price is more than reasonable, for what you get. I felt like I was increasing my chances of a heart attack with every bite, but it was so worth it. I'm just sad that my ice cream melted a lot faster than I would like, even on a cold day. 

And the service was amazing! I told the cashier/server that I was new to this concept and asked for her suggestion. She smiled, gave me a few suggestions and samples, and was patient with me through the whole process (I'm pretty indecisive). 

I'm definitely going here again when I get the chance.
4 - Stacey L.: CREAM! Acronym for something but i forgot. It's basically the Diddy Riese of Berkeley and the same price too ($1.50). Cookies are delicious and the ice cream is Double Rainbow ice cream which has brought back childhood memories for me since I used to go to Double Rainbow all the time in Menlo Park. The cookies can be served room temperature or you can request them to heat it up. Beware that if you ask for the cookies to be heated up, it will get messier. Just ask for a spoon!
4 - Carolyn Y.: Come with a friend and ask to cut the sandwich in half! 

This place is fantastic but as my friends and I put it, it's rave-worthy on the first bite then you get sick of eating it, and then it starts to melt all over your hand and you just throw it away. 

Granted the whole thing's only $1.50, but 75 cents for a perfect helping of half an ice cream sandwich is even better. 

As everyone else has mentioned, the cookies aren't thick like Diddy Riese, nor do they give you a cup to put the sandwich in. Gotta eat it fast.
5 - Pam S.: Honestly...can't go wrong with cookies and ice cream for $1.50, especially when the cookies are kept warm in the oven until ready to serve.  Call me easy to please, but this was an easy 5-star review to give :)
5 - David W.: So simple and it's genius!

Found this place on yelp and the pictures immediately caught my eye. Fresh baked cookies sandwiching a big scoop of ice cream..... Incredible! 

I came here on a triple date after an early valentines dinner. I got the turtle cookies with coffee almond fudge ice cream. *foodgasm* (sorry.... private moment) what is even better is that it only costs 1.50 for one of these awesome treats!

Don't be discouraged when you see the line for is place. It moves very fast and is run by a super friendly staff.
5 - Anastasia D.: This place is DELICIOUS!!!  Went up to Berkeley with the bf and his sister and stopped by Blondie's for lunch. They are from down south and never been to Berkeley so we decided to walk around cause, I mean c'mon, Berkeley is an interesting place. We kept on seeing people with ice cream sandwiches and had to find them!

YUM! Walking into CREAM you get the smell of baked cookies in the oven. Somewhat overwhelmed by all the choices I had! There were about 5 different cookies and at least 10 different ice creams to mix and match. I decided on the White Chocolate Macadamian Nut with the Old Fashion Cherry Vanilla, the bf got the Turtle Cookie with Golden State Caramel, and his sister got the Chocolate Chip and Double Chocolate Chip (yup, you can choose two different cookies if you like) with Vanilla Ice Cream. All of them were SOO GOOD. Soft warm cookie outside with the cold creamy center. What makes it even better... only $1.50. Seriously! Highly recommended :)
4 - James G.: Two bites in and napkins will be your best friend, and try the chocolate chip cookies with mint chocolate chip ice cream, they're diddy-riffic!
5 - J L.: Wow! ^.^~ 
I had a 1 AM ice cream craving last week, and decided to try this place out as it is open until 2. O, the ice cream sandwiches here are SCRUMPTIOUS!!
I got a basic sugar cookie sandwich with cookies and cream. It was the best ice cream sandwich I've ever had! The cookies (They are thick and BIG) are warm and chewy from the oven, and the ice cream is given in generous portion. Oh, and 1.50 is the cheapest I've ever spent on a late night snack! ^.^~^.^~^.^~

^.^~!!!
5 - Antonia M.: The five stars is coming from a UCLA graduate and frequent Diddy Riese client. Yes, okay, my cohorts may call this place a "rip-off," but hey! Berkeley deserves there fun, too, and there's just something about making it through the line to be greeted by one of the workers singing a kesha song. 

I Like.
5 - Jeanie F.: My friend asked for Chocolate Chip Cookies with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and the guy made Sugar Cookies with Strawberry Ice Cream. Hahaha. 5 stars for that!
5 - ted p.: There's been a line out the door and around the corner every time I've been.  Including tonight, in the pouring rain.

There's a reason for this.
5 - Alyssa T.: Cookies really do Rule Everything Around Me, ESPECIALLY cookies from C.R.E.A.M. paired with their wonderful ice cream flavors.
YUM. and only $1.50!
I live on North side so I don't normally like making the trip all the way to South side, but CREAM makes it worth it. And the line goes by pretty fast so you have no excuses not to!
5 - Maximillian M.: $1.50 for a fresh cookie ice cream sandwich? Seriously??? If I had the capacity to consume ten, I would. I kid you not.
5 - Garry S.: I came to Berkeley depressed and thinking that there would be no Diddy Reese, the UCLA-counterpart. A few days ago, I drove by and saw a really long line snaking out of this store. It was then that I found out that Berkeley had its own $1.50 cookies and ice cream sandwich combination. Ever since, I've been coming to CREAM to satisfy my sweet cravings.

Recommendations: Turtle or Double Chocolate Chip cookie with Mint 'n Chip Ice Cream.
5 - Hanh H.: Diddy Riese, you are too far, thank you CREAM for opening up I LOVEEEE IT, but it sucks that they closed down Beard Papas. 

We went on a super rainy day, but it was so good, and the frozen fingers were definitely worth it.  I got the chocolate chip and rocky road cookies wtih regular vanilla inside, I wanted to make sure that the cookies were good and the ice cream they used was double rainbow, not like Diddy Riese's Dreyers, but the cookies were definitely good enough to balance out the taste.  I am a huge ice cream fan, and ice cream makes a big difference to me, if it was Breyers, I might have thought otherwise about this ice cream sandwich.

My boyfriend got chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies with vanilla ice cream, he really enjoyed his. I tried his peanut butter cookie and it was definitely superb. My boyfriend is not a sweets person, but he would definitely come back for this place. $1.50 for dessert, definitely worth it and the cookies are $0.50 each, so if you want to go home and make your own sandwich that would be a great idea.  They had a lot of different flavors of ice cream here some original and some different ones.  

Soy ice cream, coffee fudge almond, coconut, mint chocolate chip, french vanilla, vanilla bean and a few others. 

I wish the shop was bigger so we can sit, but I guess it's more of a togo dessert.  There was this lady that was standing in the corner of where people ordered and was just enjoying the smell of the baked cookies, and she was just telling everyone to go around her.  Must try, even on a cold day.

I'm not sure if they take credit card, I'm going to say no, since they have an atm machine inside.
5 - Vicki L.: Ohmygosh, this place is DELICIOUS! They have so many choices for ice creams and different cookies. The most awesome part is that you can have one ice cream sandwich with TWO different cookies to sandwich your ice cream. The best part is that it's super affordable! $1.50 for a huge ice cream cookie sandwich. Impossible to resist this place. Cookies are also warm and soft and sandwiches are made when you order it. Love this place!
2 - Stephanie L.: This is one of the most overhyped places I have ever been to. Thank god an ice cream sandwich was only $1.50 so I didn't feel too bad throwing away the last third of my sandwich. There was a line at 11:30pm. My boyfriend and I were craving dessert after a hearty meal so we decided to finally try this new establishment. Line moved fairly quickly. We both got rocky road and chocolate chip cookies with french vanilla ice cream. The first two bites were good but after that, we both felt like we were eating spoonfuls of sugar in every bite. The cookies were fresh but so fresh they just melted and got very messy with the ice cream in the tiny bag it's in. It was seriously toooooo sweet and even for a sweet tooth, I couldn't handle it. We've both never craved water so much. Eventually we gave up on eating the cookies and decided to eat just the ice cream with spoons but even that was really sweet so we gave up everything altogether. I'm sure the ice cream itself is good and the level of sweetness is normal, but combined with the cookies, I felt like I needed to give myself an insulin shot right away.  I checked the menu of cookies and I don't see any other cookie that could be less sweet except for oatmeal raisin, so there's nothing else I could've really ordered to satisfy my taste. I've been to Diddy Riese before as well as a lot of other patrons and it's definitely a lot better quality and taste. In the end, you definitely get what you pay for. The only good thing is that it's open late so I guess it'll satisfy late night ice cream/dessert cravings, but then I'd rather just drive to safeway and buy some haagen dazs.
5 - Stephen S.: OMFG amazing. I was not drunk or high so I know this review is completely unbiased by inebriation. 

I went there at 12AM and it was cold as shit and there was a line out the door. I went there with my friend because it was the only place open and I was stuffed with MoGos BBQ. I didn't think I could eat anything but as I walked in and I saw the prices (amazing!) and saw/smelled the fresh baked cookies I found my extra stomach and made it happen. I ordered strawberry cheesecake ice cream between two sugar cookies. The cookies were perfectly warm and soft. The ice cream was cold and didn't melt (maybe because I inhaled that sucker). 

It was delicious and I will go again if it doesn't close as most establishments on telegraph usually do.
5 - Gabby T.: I've been back for more CREAM fixings since my last review and I still stand true to everything that I said in my previous review. I'm just here to say that I took my bff who was in town from Irvine to CREAM last night and she declared that CREAM is better than the ever so popular Diddy Riese. Also, I loved the vibe of this place last night. My group of friends and I were luckily able to snatch up one of the two tables inside; we sat and enjoyed our ice cream sandwiches while listening to dope music (joints that I loved in high school) that was on blast. The service was quick and super friendly like always. Already looking forward to my next visit. Probably this week? Haaaaa!
5 - Amiee H.: First thought: HOLY CRAP! Look at the line! What is everyone lining up for?? 
First impression: WOW, it's CHEAP and it tastes pretty good! 

I ordered a ice cream sandwich ($1.50) with a white chocolate macadamia and a turtle cookie sandwiching almond coffee ice cream. I'm normally not a fan of white chocolate macadamia cookies nor almond COFFEE ice cream but the friend I went with wanted to try these flavors and I've got to say it was pretty good! For $1.50, this is probably a steal! They give pretty LARGE proportions too! (that's always a plus!)

You can also order 1 cookie for $.50 or 2 cookies for $.95 without the ice cream or just scoops of ice cream without the cookies. But why go to a ice cream sandwich place and split up the deliciousness?? 

I honestly think there is only a line because there is 1) only one person making the ice cream sandwiches and 2) they are so inefficient!! There were like three people working there. One lady making the ice cream sandwiches, one guy standing around and occasionally working the register but mainly just walking around and one girl just standing around doing absolutely nothing! Actually, let me take that back, she was doing something...she was scooping ice cream onto some wax paper and weighing it and then tossing it back into the bucket. She basically did that for most of the flavors....what a waste of time, energy, and space!! 


I think I will definitely come back when my sweet tooth is acting up on me...which is like always! haha!
5 - Tyler R.: CREAM is incredible.

-The line moves very fast, trust me.

-The Ice Cream sandwiches will melt in your mouth and will JUST fill you up.

-The Staff is wonderful and nice and plays sweet music

-You can get it on the way too and back from your class.

-It is only A DOLLAR FIFTY.



I go to CREAM twice a day.
It's that good.
4 - Tina C.: I've never had a problem with CREAM. Great, friendly service with several ice cream and cookie options. My favorite would have to be between Cinnamon Caramel Swirl or Coffee Almond Fudge with chocolate chip cookies (or a mix of white macadamia/Rocky Road - depending if I feel ballsy). 

HOWEVER, I came in last night and they ran out of cookies BEFORE closing time. How is this even possible? For a business named "Cookies Rule Everything Around Me,"  there were definitely none surrounding me that night. I left...heartbroken. 

But I love this place too damn much, so I'm giving it second chance. Don't disappoint.
3 - Sunny J.: A good value for cash strapped students, but with the amount of fat/calories/sugar involved, I'd rather pay more for something really good.  Don't get me wrong, a slightly warm cookie sandwich with ice cream is always good.  But this is average bulk sold ice cream and nestle tollhouse quality cookies.  Certainly not worthy of 5 stars.  For ten bucks at safeway you can buy enough cookie dough and ice cream to make 20 of these sandwiches, for 20 bucks at Andronicos you can get really nice gelato and bouchon cookie dough...now that combo is worthy of 5 stars.
3 - Ed W.: Beard Papa's closed down and CREAM opened up instead. It's essentially a Diddy Riese w/o the SoCal name recognition. So why's everyone dickriding the idea of an ice cream cookie sandwich like it's a revolutionary gamechanging idea in the dessert world? $1.50 for a sandwich--standard.

They have about 10 ice cream flavors, with around 6 cookie choices (the usually chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, macadamia, etc.). It's a solid store, the items taste good. The cookies are often hot and fresh out of the oven.

Here's my gripe:

 I don't want my cookies to be fresh out of the oven. It's too hot and it melts my ice cream before I get halfway through it. If I wanted melted ice cream I'd just go home and let my ice cream sit outside the freezer. I rather go to Costco and buy a pack of those frozen ice cream cookie sandwiches. (You know those $8 ice cream cookie sandwiches they sell at baseball games? I like those ones. Except cheaper from Costco). 

Why would I drop $1.50 for a little sandwich when I can get a gallon of ice cream for about the same price. And then I can get a box of cookies for another few dollars. And then I could make 50 sandwiches while sitting at home watching How I Met Your Mother instead of lining up on the corner like I'm about to trade in some food stamps...

Is it really necessary for CREAM to have an acronym? Cream Rules Everything Around Me. REALLY? Berkeley ingenuity...SMH...
5 - Sam K.: Rather new to the area but a great addition! Ice cream and cookies aren't  anything special but it's the greatest value since... well, it's one of the greatest value I've every seen. No wonder it's always got a line around the block. - that's one strike, but line does move quite quickly. Friday/Sat night usually takes 5-10min wait. Not bad. Most importantly, the ice cream doesn't have bits of ice in it, which is surprising common in cheap ice cream. The cream is thick and two cookies are soft enough to hold the ice cream but not rock hard. It's only $1.50 but I would pay double. Portions are good too. It is what it is, cheap ice cream that gets boring after the first three bits but it's a great indulgence for $1.50!
4 - Ellin C.: I love how we can customize the ice cream sandwiches. We got cherry vanilla ice cream with double chocolate chip cookies as well as the matcha green tea flavor ice cream with oatmeal raisin. The result: Two unbelievably delicious combinations. The only thing I would wish for is more ice cream between the two cookies.
5 - carrie c.: $1.50 ice cream sandwiches.  Need I say more?  It's such a simple idea, why didn't I think of it! Plus it's cheap and hits the spot.  Some may argue that paying $1.50 is not worth it when you can buy a whole box at costco, but why would anyone ever buy an ice cream cone or gelato when they can purchase that at safeway too?  

There's plenty of cookies and ice cream flavors to choose from.  mix and match to your heart's delight.  $1.50!!

Caution: lots of college students and long lines. It makes you feel old.
4 - Liberty V.: So I decided to try this place out one night, I believe it was late Sat night, and I was happy with the result. First off, it is open late. Huge bonus because it is in a favorable spot for the late night peeps. Second: the cookie sandwich was delicious. The portion is large enough to share if you want just a little snack, and it is a solid cookie sandwich. It is not the best I have ever had, but for $1.50 per sandwich, it can't be beat. And third: the people that work there seem to be friendly and helpful. I would go there again if I was in the neighborhood.
5 - Karen D.: So we've all had ice cream sandwiches, but the thing that sets Cream's apart from everyone else's (I'm a socal girl, and I don't even prefer Diddy Riese over Cream) is that these cookies come STRAIGHT out of the oven. While it makes for a pretty messy eating experience, the warm, gooey cookie contrasts with the cold, creamy ice cream for a match made in heaven. I would personally advise you to eat some of the ice cream first with the cute little spoons that they have there before attempting to take a bite... they're pretty generous with the ice cream serving size which makes for an overly stuffed sandwich. Not that that's a bad thing! Oh, and the comment that I love to make-- it's super cheap! So poor college students, this one's for you.
4 - Diana L.: I came here when it first opened, and they were passing out sample . cookies while people waited in line. At least the lines move very quickly. It's super cheap, and DEFINITELY satisfies whatever sugar cravings you have. I definitely love sweets, but this was TOOOOO SWEET FOR ME. I felt like I was having a heart attack and it was brutal to finish it. I wish I could have shared it with someone/somehow. 

I got the regular chocolate chip cookies (both sides, but you can mix and match) and vanilla ice cream - simple is always good :) 

I heard they have green tea ice cream here now, and I'll be back to try it. But next time, I am NOT finishing this sugary goodness by myself.
5 - D V.: A scoop of ice cream between two *warm* cookies for $1.50. Open until 2am on weekends. This place must be run by either God or Satan, and I don't think I care which one it is.
5 - Joseph N.: like dank shit lil dawg? if you answered yes then this is the place for you. drop that dollar fitty on a sloppy ass, ice cream filled cookie sandwich. you wont regret it.
4 - Jang David K.: you can't beat $1.50 for an ice cream sandwich.  Two large warm cookies (any flavor) and one scoop of ice cream (any flavor)....it's good, but not crazy good.

i can't believe i'm still alive after eating that.  
Cream stands for Cookies Rule Everything Around Me.
But now I know what it really stands for:

Can't Run Ever After (this) Meal
3 - Em L.: Beautiful. Sunshine for 1.50. 

I recommend the Turtle cookie w/ peanut butter ice cream. I can't wait to try the Oatmeal cookies w/ Cherry Vanilla. I know that sounds so granola & vaguely good for you, but so's Berkeley! haha

I could only eat 1/4 of mine, sharing is caring. Cash only.
4 - Vicky L.: We came up to visit my cousin and after a fattening lunch at Gregoire's, we hiked across campus to get us into a calorie deficit only to be gorge ourselves on ice cream sandwiches. Ice cream? *heart* Freshly baked straight out of the oven warm cookies? *heart* Ice cream sandwiches? *heart heart*

Okay... Cream is onto something... the froyo phase was so 2006. Pinkberry move over. It's ice cream sandwich time. The cookies are constantly being baked throughout the day and the ice cream is generously scooped and lovingly sandwiched. If I could do better math, the various cookies flavors + ice cream flavors = a gazillion different combos. 

I got the chocolate chip cookie/turtle cooke w/ coconut ice cream. Delicious. Coconut ice cream was a little on the soft side when they were scooping it so when I was biting into my sandwich, it was mostly melted like soft serve. Minus points. :(

Hubsters got the classic chocolate chip cookie w/ vanilla ice cream.

My cousin ordered the same cookie as me but with toffee ice cream. YUMMMMm...

The fat kid in me rolled up and grinned. We gorged ourselves and $4.50 lighter, we walked/I mean waddled out. For those complaining about the price, I don't know what there is to complain about. I usually can blow $4 bucks on a single gelato/froyo/Bi Rite Ice cream cup. 3 of us ate for $4.50. Not too shabby!

PS. Turtle cookie is to die for. It has lovely bits of gooey ooey caramel... The kind that will make your teeth ache and your inner fat kid ache for more. Time to go do laps around Stanford Shopping center so I can burn those calories off.
5 - Alaina G.: Omg the cookies and ice cream were fantastic! Like omg. I had the chocolate chip cookies and the coffee almond fudge and I couldn't have picked a better combo.
4 - Leah C.: WOW! this place is awesome. its always crowded and a line but it goes by pretty fast. they have ice cream sandwich with cookie for $1.50. WORTH IT! :) i had white choco macad-nut cookie with rocky road ice cream .. mmm mmm good . they open till 12am and fri-sat 2am so its a great place to grab some swts after dinner!
5 - John S.: I love Cream!  The cookies are always warm and fresh, and serve as a great combo to the ice cream (ice cream sandwiches = 1.50).  I've eaten the dark chocolate chip with mint ice cream, as well as the turtle cookies with cherry vanilla.  The flavors change up, so stop by to check!  

A few things to note:
- They have gift cards!
- The line can get crazy long.  You'll especially want to avoid going a little bit after dinner-time.
5 - Omar Y.: How do they do it? I'm in love. I didn't think It was going to be that good?! BUT IT WAS!  I see people leaving comments about the product being too sweet? It's ice cream and cookies, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand, when you put cookies and ice cream in your mouth,  it's going to be very sweet. Duh. I will be back, every week! The cookie monster would have been proud!
4 - Anton W.: The line can still be a little long, but they have hired more staff so it is moving faster and the sandwiches are amazing as usual!
5 - Alyssa L.: $1.50 for a huge cookie ice cream sandwich?! how could anyone possibly resist?

i've seen a few reviews complaining that their cookies are from frozen cookie dough. in my opinion those cookies taste damn good whether they're frozen or not! 

the downside: the line for this place gets crazy long. i'm definitely NOT willing to wait 30 min for an ice cream sandwich. if you pass by at the right time, you won't have to!
5 - Cynthia L.: This place makes me feel like I'm cheating on Diddy Riese.  Diddy will always have a place in my heart but I love the texture of the cookies at Cream.  Soft, moist...mmmm droool. They also split the cookie in half for you which is AWESOME since I can't finish a whole one!  Super fast & cheerful workers too!
5 - Robert A.: This place is cheap, way cheap... For $1.50, I ordered the rocky-road cookie with banana-walnut ice cream, and it was really good. Cookie was freshly baked, and still had a warm glow to it, and also the scoop of ice cream was generous. All for just a buck-fifty. Can you say Best Dessert Deal EVERRR?  

+ friendly staff
+cookies baked fresh
+ good cookie variety and ice cream
++++ PRICE!

- line can be long sometimes.
4 - Julia P.: Finally writing a review for this. 
I must say, much better than UCLA's Diddy Riese.
The cookies are especially delicious. At times it gets too sweet but if i order right, its fine.
Chocolate chip cookies + cookie vanilla (oreo ice cream) = my fav.

Now only if they gave 2 cookies when ordering in a cup...
5 - Stu C.: I've walked past this place several times and there's always been a line (even at 2pm on a weekday).  I was always thinking how could a place always seem to have a line.  Today, I found out why--this place is incredible for a cheap, tasty dessert!  It's not a complex idea by any means, but it works out great.

The biggest selling item of the store, and for good reason, is their cookie ice cream sandwich.  Between two fresh, hot cookies of your choice, they'll put a big scoop of ice cream to make an ice cream sandwich for $1.50!  The ice cream sandwiches we tried today were rocky road cookies with banana caramel walnut ice cream and classic chocolate chip with double strawberry ice cream.  The hot cookie with the cool ice cream made for a great hand-held dessert.  And did I mention it's only $1.50!  I don't know how they can sell these things for so cheap.  

If you just want the cookies or scoops of ice cream by themselves, you can also do that for very cheap.  There's approximately 12 different types of fresh cookies at any one time and about 20 different types of ice cream. 

I highly recommend Cream as a place for a sweet treat.

UPDATE: Since I made my first review the menu has expanded to include milkshakes and floats.  I will definitely be giving them a try next time in in the area of Berkeley.  Additionally, the price of the ice cream sandwiches have increased to $2 a piece.  It is more than before, but it's still one heck of a deal!
5 - Amber B.: JESUS H!
This place was really just an accidental detour on the way to La Burrita. But it was as happy an accident as they come.
I got a scoop of cinnamon caramel ice cream between a sugar and a rocky road cookie and I knew it was going to be amazing the second the sandwich was handed to me and the cookies felt warm through the paper (well really, I knew as soon as I realized you could customize the eff our of your cookie sandwich and only pay a buck fifty, but feeling it is when I beyond-a-doubt-knew). 
It was amazing. I can't forget it. I'm going to become one of those homeless people hanging around it and every time I scrounge up a dollar and a half, I will get another cookie sandwich.
4 - Katy O.: It took me a while to try this place because the lines are so long and I refuse to wait in line for ice cream while it's so cold outside!  I can't imagine how crowded this place will get when spring starts to settle in...

Finally, I happened to pass by with a friend when there wasn't a line.  We decided to hop in and see what the fuss was all about.

I'm a huge fan of Diddy Riese in LA and I have to say that Cream comes just barely short of it.  The cookies aren't as good but still awesome.  I got the snickerdoodle with rocky road ice cream and the cookie part was warm and had that perfect crunchy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside texture.  I can see why people can still eat this when it's freezing outside (that's right, I'm a so cal weather wimp).

I think the ice cream is actually a little better quality than Diddy Riese and they have a bit more variety.  It's your standard store-bought ice cream but there's nothing wrong with that, especially when it's squished between two delicious cookies.  And you can't beat the price.  The hours are fantastic too.  I can't wait to use my campus cred coupon to get a double ice cream scoop sandwich!
5 - David D.: Does what it says on the tin. Hang around the corner of Telegraph & Channing long enough and you too will say, "Cookies really DO rule everything around me!"

CREAM specializes in ice cream cookie sandwiches. For $1.50. And they are quality products! The cookies are freshly baked. The ice cream is Double Rainbow brand, which is good quality. There are about a half dozen cookie varieties and a dozen ice cream flavors total. Mix and match as you see fit, even with two different kinds of cookies.

I thought maybe the novelty would wear off on subsequent visits, but I must say, after several trips to CREAM I'm still satisfied every time! I tried a shake on one of those trips, and at $4.95 it wasn't a very good value. There is an interesting variety of bottled drinks and whatnot available as well, but the essence of this establishment is the ice cream cookie sandwich.

Be prepared for a quick moving line and friendly service, even late at night or on cold/rainy days. Recommended!
5 - Fatty A.: You aren't going to find anything better for a $1.50.  Fresh baked rocky road cookies with strawberry ice cream.  Reserved for fatties only.
5 - Sung S.: One disappointment, they don't have chocolate chip cookies.

I guess that's like Michael Jordan complaining, I only won 6 NBA Championship

1 word...

LEGEN (WAIT FOR IT) DARY!
4 - Lani B.: COOKIES RULE EVERYTHING AROUND ME! C.R.E.A.M. GET THE MONEY, DOLLA DOLLA BILL Y'ALL!
this place is so so awesome. best name ever!
also I went the other day for the first time and I had a double chocolate chip cookie and matcha green tea ice cream sandwich. it was delicious! 
this is exactly what the bay needs, ice cream sandwiches!! 
only problem is you have to go to telegraph to get it, which kind of sucks.
but did I mention that an ice cream sandwich is $1.50?! 
I need to come here more often!
5 - angela l.: Thanks to Cream, I am probably going to have to invest in a bunch of sweatpants... 

the premise is so simple, but it's so genius and delicious. customized, made to order ice cream sandwiches! there's about 10 or so flavors of ice cream and 7 different types of cookies.. and according to my math that's about 2305328059283529082 different ice cream sandwich combinations. and they use double rainbow ice cream! the best part is they're only $1.50. I created a sandwich with chocolate chip and butter sugar cookies and coffee almond fudge ice cream. paul opted for a sandwich made with rocky road and turtle cookies and mint chocolate chip ice cream. super quick to make and delicious. lines are long but they move pretty fast, and they're open until 2 AM on weekends!
4 - Dorothy T.: I'm a vegan so I was happy to see that Cream sold vegan ice cream sandwiches! They have multiple cookies available but I'm sad to say that they only have one flavor of vegan ice cream: chocolate mint chip.

If they could even get in a vegan chocolate ice cream option, I'd give Cream a 5!
5 - lisa t.: Their ice cream sandwiches are good and cheap! For $1.50, you get to pick out what cookie you want and what ice cream flavor you want. You can mix and match your cookies or get the same one. When they were making it, I thought that I would just finish the cookie easily, but I was totally wrong because half way through the ice cream sandwich, I started feeling stuffed. I got the double chocolate chip cookie with matcha green tea ice cream & my boyfriend got the rocky road cookie with chocolate chop cookie dough ice cream. They were both good, but I think I should have mixed up the cookies because they ended up too chocolate-y at the end, but no complaints on the ice cream because their green tea ice cream wasn't bitter and nasty like other ones I have tried. Maybe next time, I'll just share one with my boyfriend since they cut the ice cream sandwiches in half if you ask.
Two ice cream sandwiches came out to be $3.00 total, no tax! :)
5 - Michelle Y.: We went here a few weeks ago when in San Fransisco on vacation.

This place is a work of genius. Fresh cookies, hot out of the oven with a scoop of ice cream. The idea is so simple yet so incredibily delicious and unbelievably good. I love everything about this idea! I wish someone would open one of these up in Seattle...
4 - Lam N.: My gf gave up sweets and ice cream for Lent.  So to be a supportive, I've had to double down and consume twice as much.

It's not just that forbidden ice cream is extra Sacralicious, Cream does a really good job with their cookies (warm and soft), and their ice cream flavors (good selection). 

My favorite combo:  Mint Chip, sandwiched between a warm chocolate chip, and a macadamia nut cookie. 

I've been to Diddy Riese in L.A.  Stale! compared to Cream.

If all you have is $1.50, and the thought of standing in a 15-deep line on a cold frigid bay area night doesn't make you feel like a yuppie, then Cream is the place for you!
4 - Brooke T.: What's not to like?  $1.50 for an ice cream sandwich with freshly baked cookies and yummy ice cream?  I opted for peanut butter cookies with french vanilla ice cream.  OMG yum!

I wish the cookies were a tad bit better- they seemed like anotis spunkmeyer type thing.  If that was fixed- this would be a 5 star place no doubt! 

I'm thinking about making my own at home now- it's not rocket science!
5 - Michael T.: Well-executed Diddy Riese -style ice cream sandwich eatery for the Berkeley crowd. There's little to complain about and a lot to like. As to comparisons between the two, I would say they are essentially indistinguishable. Consulting my oracle, I would say that UCLA students will vote with their feet and visit Diddy Riese, while the Berkeley students will favor Cream. In either case, I expect that both campuses will be gaining some weight.  =D
2 - Josh Y.: Edit: Raised their prices. Not to seem fickle or anything, but at 2 dollars "Meh. I've experienced better." Taking off a star.

What is there to say.

1.50 for dessert? 2 cookies and ice-cream. AWESOME!

However, there are a couple downsides. First, they are extremely inefficient and therefore they always have an extremely long line. Second, they guy who works there love singing along with the music. 
Ok i guess that could be a plus, but it gets annoying after a while haha.

Anyways, for a Diddy reese ripoff it does an admirable job. I just wish they sped up their service.
5 - Jordan S.: This place has everything. Cookie and Ice cream choices galore. It's cheap, open really late, the cookies are warm and the ice cream is cold.
Nuff said.
5 - L D.: At first I thought this would be overrated... turns out its delicious! I had a cookie that was just out of the oven so that the chocolate was melting into the ice cream. Twas messy and fantastic :)
2 - midas r.: I was stunned to see the average 4.5 star rating for cream!
Are you people totally broke, chain smokers... as in no taste buds left to speak of?!

I stumbled across C.R.E.A.M. with a friend on a recent late cold, drizzly night. My friend she has never been, but heard from a friend that they make homemade ice cream cookie sandwiches. 

Despite the cold and the line i was game. While on line I noticed the price...$1.50 ???!!! "How can they possible only charge....?" .Then I couldn't believe my disappointment....they use OTIS SPUNKMYER cookies and DOUBLE RAINBOW icecream.

So I played it safe and got chocolate chip cookies with mint chip ice cream. The cookies were obscenely sweet and oily (trust me ,no cow was harmed in making that cookie ie: no butter...oil) and the ice cream was well...Double Rainbow. Not bad, but certainly not special in anyway shape or form.

That place would last a week anywhere in SF city limits, except Pier 39. 

Come on Berkeley students expand your culinary pallet. Come to San Francisco and try Bi-Rite Creamery or Anthony's  cookies and see where what the extra couple bucks taste like.

2 stars for being open late, price, nice kids working there and for obviously knowing their demographic. Otherwise a zero.
3 - Jennifer W.: NEW PRICE $2 (no longer $1.50)

Before, it was 50 cents per cookie if you bought them individually and if you valued a scoop of ice cream at $1, then an ice cream sandwich for $1.50 (old price) would get you a 50 cent bonus if you were to buy the two cookies and one scoop of ice cream individually. But at the new price, you are not getting a discount or bonus because you are paying for each component of the ice cream sandwich at the price it would go for if you'd just get them separately. And when you can get your ice cream at $1 elsewhere and 50 cent cookies elsewhere, then suddenly there is a whole lot of other options you can look at. And might I add that they do not make their own ice cream or cookies. You can get Otis Spunkmeyer cookies from Walgreens and Double Rainbow ice cream from several other places close by, without the line.
2 - Rodel R.: So much hype, with a line going out the door.  I guess I was one of the lucky ones to get in with the $1.50 price tag, or was I?  The line moved pretty fast, and my friends seemed to have really enjoyed their desserts, but unfortunately, I didn't.

I'm lactose intolerant, and I was attracted to this place in particular because they offered Soy Ice Cream.  After waiting in line for about 20 minutes (less than I expected), the person making the sandwiches informs me that they are completely out of soy ice cream.

Secondly, cash only places are annoying.  Put a minimum to swipe a credit card at least.
3 - Jenny K.: After dinner at The Cheeseboard Pizza, Aya and I ventured to Cream for dessert. A friend who has been there before says that their desserts are disgusting. Aya and I decided to try it anyways.  

The dessert is simple and there's nothing disgusting about it. It's a cookie ice cream sandwich. Two toasted cookies sandwiching a flavored ice cream of your choice. For only $2.00 a sandwich, you can't really expect them to serve the best branded cookies or ice cream. By the way, they use Otis Spunkmeyer cookies and Double Rainbow ice cream. Not shabby at all. 

Aya and I both had the Oatmeal raisin cookies with mint chocolate chip. We were trying to make a generic version of It's-It ice cream sandiwch. Of course the original It's-It tastes better.

Yes, you can make this yourself at home but why go through all the labor when I can just fork out $2.00 and leave the rest of the work to my mouth. I'm pretty sure the colllege students appreciate this place, for the line gets pretty long during the evenings.

Cash only.
2 - Garland W.: It's ok. IT'S-IT rip off... 
See local gas station for alternative ice cream options.
3 - MelvinJohann P.: It's just hype y'all. 

But I guess a hefty serving of your choice ice cream between 2 of your choice cookies for $2 is a good deal for dessert. The average person will definitely get full.

But like we said, it's just hype. There's nothing too special about it. We're not hating, we're just not amazed. Plus, for our tasted, a bit too sweet anyway.

Props to the name of the joint though; I wonder if Wu-Tang has heard of this place yet.
2 - Jeanette S.: GRRRRRRR IT IS NOW $2 INSTEAD OF $1.50!!! 

I think this was implemented maybe 3 days ago?
5 - KRYSTEL A.: YUM! Ice cream of your choice sandwiched by your choice of freshly made, gooey cookies for only $1.50!!!!! Not even an Its It can beat that!! I came here for the 1st time last Sunday and I ordered coffee almond fudge ice cream sandwiched between a white chocolate macadamia cookie and a chocolate chip cookie! These are truly bites of heaven!
4 - Dana G.: SO YUMMY. The cookies are baked perfectly. I've never gotten them with ice cream, but I don't like biting into ice cream, so I'm good!

I am a bit disappointed they raised their prices. With how busy they are, it just seems like they're using the oil prices as a way to get more money. :(
3 - Dennis M.: +1 for the better experience I got after I went another time.
-1 for price increase

The cookie was hot the next 3-4 times I went. The first time was a fluke. I'm sorry. Otis Spunkmeyer cookies are good I know, but I like that Diddy makes their own. 

I'd say they are close in quality overall.

The price increase? WTF is this? 2 possibilities
1) Cream is intentionally milking us for money. This is like drugs. They create something too good that you can't resist, and then they yank it away from us by raising prices. Of course the masses will still pay $2. But if this launched at $2.50 or $3 like Boba, would there be long lines? $1.50 is an amazing price.

This is really shady to raise prices by 33% just after recently opening and generating so much hype.

2) Poor business planning. Could you not see that $1.50 was not enough? Or did it take til NOW to figure out that $1.50 is unsustainable? If anything the increased business is similar to the concept in economics of decreasing marginal costs. Clearly something isn't wrong here. I understand when after years of having $6.50 Pad Thai, that Thai Basil goes and increases their prices. But not by 33%. It took YEARS for them to do it and after a recession too. How is this excusable for a brand new business to adjust prices so soon. This is clearly TERRIBLE business planning.

Either 1) or 2) is unacceptable. This is just pathetic. I see no other reason for price adjustment.
4 - Erin T.: All I have to say for cream is YUMMM!!! 

It was a Monday night and freezing cold outside, yet a bunch of people were in this little ice cream sandwich store! However, you must note that there is a trick... YOU MUST ASK THE PEOPLE AT THE COUNTER WHAT COOKIES ARE F-R-E-S-H!!! like... FRESH out of the oven FRESH!!! :) 

So because of the FRESH rule, I got the double chocolate chip cookie with mocha almond fudge ice cream! IT WAS AMAZING!!! Even though it was freezing cold, my friend and I devoured that ice cream sandwich! The cookie was still warm and gooey (so the FRESH rule paid off), and the ice cream was LEGIT!!! I could see myself craving one of these because compared to diddy reise... there is no comparison!!!  

OH YEA, BRING CASH!!!
4 - Ben Z.: I had to adjust my previous rating to a 4 stars. Since the hype of the place is over, the insanely long lines are over (warning: this statement does not apply weekends, where this place is swarmed with party-goers preforming their courtship rituals.) 
--------------------------------
It would be more of a 3.5 stars.

A lot of it is the hype. 

At 1.50$ (the old price), I would go back. But at 2$, there are better alternatives. 

The cookie is really good though! But the ice cream is just generic store bought ice cream. But all in all, I do love the idea of having a hot cookie melting with ice cream. But at that price, I think buying ice cream + cookie is a wiser choice.

But then again, you don't get the bonding experience of standing out in the cold with your friends freezing in the wind. Hmm...
4 - Cristelle J.: It's good but not necessarily 5 star worthy, remember it's just cookies and ice cream...

Mi novio took me here while I was on spring break and yeah it was delicious but to be honest as weird as this sounds the cookie was way too warm so it melted the cookie entirely way too fast haha.
4 - Jana S.: Given that Cream recently raised their prices by 50c, and the fact that I only now learned Berkeley lost its Beard Papa to pave the store spot for "N Ca's Diddy Riese", I still thought the world of my ice cream sandwich.

$2 for late night dessert sating. Cookies were smallish, just like in Westwood, and imho, too sweet. That sugar heightening at the end of the bite in the last sec. can really cause a rush. 

They use Dbl Rainbow ice cream and lots of flavors. Cookie choices: both regular and vegan. Other sweets also sold there. Open late for the students!

PS CASH ONLY---as GI Joe says, "Knowing is half the battle"
5 - Peter P.: Choose from a variety of ice cream flavors stuffed between two fresh baked cookies for ONLY $1.50. Open late! Doesn't get better than this folks!
4 - Christina C.: This past Friday, my grandmother passed away.  I'm allergic to nuts.  My mother is fraying around the edges from the stress of family members.  My family members are neurotic and all the little ooze is starting to show and stain the carpet.  This thing called displaced expressions of grief can be a hypnotic and gripping mind altering brain control.  It can force the body to do things that defy common sense, emotions run wild, everything is in the wrong place, and what is the cost of peace of mind?  

For some people, the cost is the price of therapy.  For others, like my aunt, shopping is both centering and distancing.  Shopping is the panacea.  For a former and present fatty like myself, I like to eat, or buy edible things, to stuff the sorry, anxiety, uncertainty, and fear.  I was so afraid.  I was so scared.  

Filling the void in my soul can be expensive.  Other times, it can be unsatisfying.  Here, I found everything my greedy little soul wanted.  For the indulgent sweet tooth, I can get the chocolate chip cookie with Golden Gate Caramel.  It's so sweet that the enamel will melt off your teeth.  The caulk will shrivel up and expose your windows.  

For the wholesome, I-need-a-hug feeling, I got the oatmeal raisin cookie with green mint chocolate chip.  It was not as sweet.  It was still creamy.  I've always liked Double Rainbow ice cream.  I thought it was the cat's meow.  I still think it's the cat's meow.  The cat meows a lot.  

The hurt inside quickly melted with the cold wind briskly ripping the cardigan off my nubile, fair, body.  As the considerate ice cream sandwich maker changed his gloves and used a fresh pair of scoopers for my I-need-love nibbler, I could anticipate how good the ice cream would feel melting down my chin.  The cookie yielded itself, piece by oatmeal-loaded, raisin-studded piece.  Not too warm so the ice cream melts.  

I justified the calories by walking from my house to telegraph and back.  It was warm in the sun, but barren and frosty in my heart.
4 - Ha N.: The prices went up 50 cents, but I'm not complaining. 2 bucks for a ice cream sandwich is still a deal.

I had the double chocolate cookie with mint chocolate chip ice cream. And YES the mint chocolate chip is green. Mint ice cream just isn't mint ice cream if it's not green. The cookie was warm, soft and chewy and the ice cream was creamy and rich. 

Eat quickly before it melts or before someone ask you for a bite.
4 - Mary H.: Homemade warm cookies with double rainbow ice cream stuffed between? Who could argue with that. Simply awesome, hence a simple review. Minus one star for the blaringly loud Lady Gaga playing while I tried to shout my order.
3 - Numrin T.: After being turned away by the line that was always very very long, I finally got to try out their treats without waiting for a single person...yay Spring Break time!

For ~$2, you got very warm and crunchy cookies sandwiching tasty ice-cream.  I love their stuff here, but I probably won't come here often due to I.) the ridiculously long line and ii.) the risk of artery-clogging hazard.  Also, I was a bit disappointed that they didn't have the snikkerdoodle cookies ready!
4 - Jenna L.: Cream's ice cream sandwiches are AWESOME. I can't wait to go back. You can choose what type of cookie and what type of ice cream you want. If you have ever tried Diddy Riese ice cream sandwiches in LA, these are A LOT better!
4 - Lucia C.: It went from $1.50 to $2 without any warning. I don't know how I feel about the prices being so volatile (darn economy!)- I was lucky to carry enough loose change to find another fify-cents, but a of couple people behind me were not. 

But besides the price, a few things didn't change: The cookies on the outside that are ingeniously keep warm to slowly melt the ice-cream on the inside, the choice vegan cookies that always seem better than the traditional ones on the menu, the variety of ice-creams that may make/break the chemistry of the ice-cream cookie relationship,& the long line at night, but the not so long wait.

p.s. you can ask them to cut your sandwich in half if you want to share it with friend.
5 - Thuy S.: I'm generally NOT a fan of ice cream sandwiches. So when my friend told me that we were going to grab dessert here today, a part of me cried inside. But because I am generally a pretty open minded person, I gave this place the benefit of the doubt and tried it anyway. TO MY SURPRISE, this place is awesomesauce. By that I mean, it's awesomesace! 

For $2 you will get a freshly baked, soft, and moist cookie (of your choice). Filled with a deliciously creamy ice cream (of your choice). 

Warning! The ice cream does tend to melt rather quickly. And the cookie does tend to get in between your teeth. So if one were to come here with a date (or someone they like), I highly suggest a handy dandy mirror of some sort to make sure you don't have any funnies stuck in your teeth. You won't get to second base with cookies jammed in between your teeth. ;-)
5 - RedHot C.: Delicious! The two best things (besides the icecream sandwiches) about it are that they have delicious vegan desserts and that they'll cut your icecream sandwich in two so that it's easy to share.
4 - Harmeet S.: 4.5 stars. Living a block away, I was one of their first customers. It was $1.50 and they gave you your ice cream sandwich in a bowl as opposed to a thin, piece of paper. 

Now it is $2 and the servings are noticeably less but this place place still rocks. A variety of cookies and ice creams make this place a dessert favorite of mine. One can never go wrong with moist, chewy cookies sandwiching cold, cream ice cream. Come here and you won't regret it!

Why it isn't five stars: Cash only, no inside eating area and the price will be increasing soon (inside source).
4 - Mina K.: Sigh, Berkeley really does have it all. If I attended Cal, surely I'd be poor and fat with so many tempting treats around...

I first noticed Cream (Cookies Rule Everything Around Me? What's up with the slogan?) walking through Telegraph for some eats. My first thought - they replaced Beard Papa with a cookie place? After noticing it was ice cream sandwiches, I was eager to try some on the walk back. After all, I am an avid fan of Diddy Riese near UCLA (where I had my first ice cream sandwich) and I am just an all-around sucker for sweets. Cream offers, chewy yet nicely toasted cookies encasing half a scoop of creamy ice-cream. :)

Good experience, will definitely be back to satiate my late-night dessert cravings!

-1 star because they don't give you that much ice cream! :(

P.S. The cashier told me I couldn't take pictures (why? It's not like ice cream sandwiches are such a novel concept...) yet I see that SOMEONE ELSE HAS TAKEN PICTURES and uploaded them on Yelp. :(
4 - Jason S.: I am SO close to giving this sucker a 5-star rating.  My star-doling system primarily relies upon the quantity/dollar ratio and the taste.  

Quantity/Dollar Ratio:
So you can order a cookie sandwich for $2.00 (TAXES EFFING INCLUDED... WHO DOES THAT?!)  The cookie sandwich is comprised of two cookies of your choice (they provide a large selection of cookie flavors), sandwiching an ice-cream flavor of your choice (I believe they have something like 16 flavors).  All in all, I believe the cookie sandwich itself weighs 1lb.  In other words, you get 1 pound of food for 2 bucks.  Do you get 4 lbs of Pad Thai at Thai Basil?  4 lbs of Lion King Roll at Taco Sushi?!  No, I didn't think so.  From the perspective of Quantity/Dollar Ratio... 8 stars out of 5.

Taste:
The taste is where CREAM truly is lacking.  The cookies are freshly baked and warm (which is a significant but short-lived plus).  I have no complaints with the ice-cream.  Here's what ultimately prevented my 5-star rating:  The cookies don't taste all that great. The warmth of the cookie sandwich is quickly sapped away by the melting ice-cream in between (inevitable, i agree), but  consequently, the outer circumference of each cookie becomes a bit hard and very brittle.  I like my cookies soft and chewy... perhaps an issue of divergent tastes?

All n All:
Wow... how can you not love CREAM?  Ideal for dessert / sugar lovers, CREAM provides customers with an in-yo-face burst of yum, and only puts you back two dollars- or... 12 minutes of begging around on the streets of Berkeley. (Whip out a guitar and pretend to play something deep while sitting Indian style in the middle of the sidewalk to half your begging time).
4 - Tiffany O.: Don't hate me Berkeley, but I like Diddy Riese better.

Don't get me wrong - ice cream sandwiches for $1.50 (CASH ONLY)? Doesn't get any better, or any cheaper (if it does though please let me know). It's a simple concept and a great idea that a lot of people appreciate and enjoy.

I think I'm docking a point off due to lack of consistency. It really depends on when you go. If it's crowded, be prepared to get cookies that are rushed out of the oven because they want to serve you as soon as possible (which is nice, but I wouldn't mind waiting if they wanted to cool them). My friend bought a cookie sandwich and it just looked like a mess of food after only two minutes. I just bought cookies, and they were all stuck together and the cookies were way too mushy in the middle. Major sadness.

The second time I went however, it wasn't crowded at all, and the cookies were just chillin' on the side. I got a cookie sandwich and the cookies were still warm, but not gooey, so it didn't melt the ice cream and the contrast between the warm cookie and the cold ice cream was pretty satisfying. 

Turtle Cookie (caramel, chocolate, other stuff I can't remember but it's good) is my favorite, and i really like "It's a Goody" ice cream (caramel, chocolate, and other stuff I don't remember but it's good). I guess by this you can tell that I like caramel, chocolate, and other stuff I can't remember.

I just wish there was more consistency with the sandwiches, which is why I prefer the other cookie sandwich places.

Service: I love the people that work here. They are friendly and funny.

Overall: It's good, and I am going to be there again whenever my sweet tooth permits me to.
4 - Jennifer W.: wayyy better than diddy reese. ice cream is better (double rainbow vs. dreyer's at diddy reese) and so are the cookies that are hot/soft/baked.
5 - Monica S.: There is just no sucking in your stomach after you dive into one of these treats. More than just an ice cream shop, more than just a cookie shop, Cream is a contemporary solution to the age-old problem, all these cookies and no milk. 

This petite creamery is ripe for an afternoon Cal student line. Gimmicky as it may be, the creation is pretty foolproof. Warm, gooey chocolate chip cookies enveloping a creamy mint chocolate chip ice cream middle. I know, just look at the photo above this review... decadent, right?

Were I still in college and maybe in my first year, this would explain the  freshman 15. 

It's It: More like It's Not compared to this!
4 - Louisa L.: Berkeley's version of Diddy Reese. 4stars because Diddy Reese is better. It's 50cents more expensive, and they don't let you choose to have two different types of cookies for your sandwich. Well you can, but they charge another 50cents extra. The cookie is also more moist and soft at diddy reese, but otherwise...this is a brilliant idea. It's so simple, smacking ice cream in the middle of cookies...but it's so good. The portion is pretty big, and the line is always super long. i waited a good 20min probably. It's kind of a shady area to wait that long in.....cuz there were some freaky dudes trying to cause a racket to get the cops to come. But for $2, it was definitely a delicious midnight dessert snack place to go to!
1 - Jonathan G.: I'm not too happy about this price increase. The difference between $1.50 an $2.00 is the difference between using my change that I should be using for laundry to pay and using two $1 bills that go to Jack in the Box curly fries to pay. Unacceptable. I'll go back when it's $1.50
3 - Aurora P.: I love love love visiting my friend in Berkeley, and whenever I get the chance I try to eat out as much as possible because I know there's good stuff here. It was a really really rainy day and most of the restaurants were closed by the time we got outside, and Cream was one of the places that was open.

I was really excited to try this place at first, but darn... CASH ONLY? Really? Don't you know that students usually don't have cash on them and that they live off of credit and debit cards? ugh.... well we made a trip to the ATM so we could get some cash, and the whole time I was thinking this better be worth it.

Verdict: It's just like Diddy Riese in West Hollywood near UCLA. Sorry Berkeley, but I think UCLA beat you on this one. $2.00 for an ice cream sandwich. It was pretty good, just like any other ice cream sandwich you could eat (can't really mess that one up, two cookies with ice cream in the middle). The cookie was warm and delish, but like I said, I'm a huge fan of Diddy Riese, so Cream fell a little short for me.

I got: Two white chocolate chip cookies with caramel ice cream in the middle, it was really okay, satisfied my sweet tooth, but nothing to rave about.
5 - Sati K.: Best fresh baked cookies ever.
4 - Samantha S.: What isn't there to love about an ice cream sandwich?!?  Especially when they are made right in front of you!

The cookies for the sandwiches all came out of an oven and were warm and gooey.  I highly recommend the turtle cookie, crispy edges with a melty, gooey center.  It complimented the cookie perfectly.  Kind of like a pazookie from BJ's.

Positives to this place:
-If you want a double, you can get a double!  You don't need to stick to one flavor or layer!  
-Reasonably priced for designing your perfect dessert.
-Fresh, warm cookies

I would recommend trying Cream at least once.  And if there is a long line out the door, don't be discouraged, it moves very quickly.
1 - Allister D.: OH man, I went here today again to give it a shot but now the price stocked up even higher...$2 my oh my

I'm not gonna lie, this time my cream cookie was pretty good and was actually going to earn another star making that 2 but I had to keep it on one just because the price went up 50 cents. BOOOO!
4 - Anita W.: first time here today in this small little shop. i went during early afternoon on a weekday. no one was in line, though a couple people were sitting inside enjoying their desserts.
i ordered the double chocolate chip cookie with mint chocolate chip ice cream. it was a tasty $2 ice cream sandwhich. the cookies were served a bit warm so my ice cream melted kinda quick. my cookies were pretty thin and they had cracks here and there so the ice cream eventually leaked through that too. its actually a pretty messy snack. next time, i want my cookies served cold. maybe it'll be less messy?
otherwise, it was a nice treat and will definitely recommend this shop to whomevers craving for ice cream..and if im in the area of course (parking and foot traffics heavy in this part of town)!
5 - Cecilia G.: The ice cream sandwiches are off the hook!!! Can't wait to go back.!!
4 - Mike B.: Just so-so ice cream on some pretty good cookies, but what a difference the freshness makes. Eating an ice cream sandwich on hot, newly born cookies just makes a mockery of those chip-wich things you'll find in a supermarket freezer. And the price is right.
4 - Leah K.: NOTE: THESE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES ARE NO LONGER $1.50, BUT $2! 50 cents... in these economic times, it makes a difference. 

BUT.... that is the only reason why I give this place 4/5 stars instead of 5. Otherwise, Cream is just the most delightful dessert I've ever had. It's really hard to walk by this place without going inside, but I like to think of it as a treat to myself everytime I do something that I'm proud of. Which is rarely. Thus I am safe from the sophomore 15. For now. 

Anyway, AMAZINGLY WARM, SOFT, GOOEY COOKIES + DELICIOUS, FIRM YET SOFT ICE CREAM... How can I resist. I recommend the turtle cookie, btw. very very good
5 - Tiffany H.: I LOVE THIS PLACE. $1.50 ice cream sandwichesssss WUTTTTTTT????

the people who work here are also super friendly! :)
4 - JB J.: Very tasty cookies and very good ice cream ;) 

Ok, more 50 cents, I didn't like. Especially they tried to justify this capitalist act by a raise of the gas price (+33% because of that??? hahahaha)

Double chocolate with banana or strawberry ice cream is my favourite.
4 - Greg G.: Everyone has their dirty little vices- sex, drugs, alcohol, Fox news... My vice is sugar. I'm addicted to cookies like a unicorn is addicted to rainbows. I have a sweet tooth, and I'm not afraid to admit it. 

That's why when i learned there was a "place kinda like Diddy Riese" in Berkeley, I made a B line right for it. CREAM, so cleverly named to represent 'cookies rule everything around me', are dead right. Cookies literally being lifted right from the oven, immediately forced to hug a giant ball of ice cream goodness, and quickly finding it's home in my slobbering mouth.  Pick any two cookies you like, and any flavor ice cream you wish- put em' together and you've got a sugary jackpot. 

CREAM quickly upped their prices from $1.50 a sandwich to $2, but I ain't mad at em'. Come on man, it's CREAM, they know bout' them 'dolla dolla bills ya'll!' I'm glad this place is around- to fulfill my slobbish cookie behavior. Cash only, (again, "CREAM- get the money!") and enjoy.

(Yes, Wu-Tang references were harmed during the making of this Yelp review- sorry about that.)
4 - Jay R.: I wish I could put ice cream on everything. The cookies here are a bit soft and chewy but they're so much better for making ice cream sandwiches than crunchy cookies.

I think I like the name more than the cookies, but that's because I'm a cookie snob. Not that I'm picky about the cookies I eat - I eat them all - but I've got my preferences.

$2 for a gourmet ice cream sandwich? That has to be the absolute cheapest thing you can buy in Berkeley (or anywhere in CA). I had to cram more than that into the meter down the street. The regulars outside sell their mix-CDs for more than that!

I see a lot of crappy reviews from people I assume are students - hilarious little brats. "Waaaaah!!! The cookie sandwiches are $2 and I can't use a credit card! Waaaaah!!!! I'll give it one star and continue to eat here anyway!" Go to google and search for "rent" and "credit card transaction fees." Also - how long have you been in Berkeley? Because Berkeley has the highest proportion of "cash only" places I've almost ever been to in the US.
5 - Renalen C.: 1 large scoop (may as well be 2) of gourmet double rainbow ice cream is smushed between 2 freshly baked, warm, almost-done-gooey cookies for TWO DOLLARS! How the heck can u beat that?!@

My combo was a peanut butter cookie and a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie sandwiching cinnamon swirl ice cream. It was an out of body experience eating that messy bit of perfection snuggled in a paper wrapper. I'm sure the combos are endless. Cash only if u don't wanna pay $1.50 atm fee like I did. 

I'm sure I think about it more than I should...mustve really had an affect on me which is why I can't wait to return. Everyone deseves to feel like that, so go!

I think next time ill try mint choco chip between a classic chocolate chip and a chocolate chocolate chip cookie...mmm.
5 - Teresa G.: I'll remember my trip to Cream as the day I realized what happiness was.

A shovel full of creamy ice cream wedged between two fresh baked cookies for only $2. It's simply sublime!

Last night I ordered chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream sandwiched between two chocolate chip cookies. It was so good that it was gone before I remembered to take a picture of it.
3 - Simei Y.: Third time here, visiting Berkeley now since I stay in Davis.

The line was pretty long and looped around the corner, but took only about 15 minutes to get through.

During that time, we figured out the number of combinations you could make, assuming you could have 1 of 16 ice cream flavors sandwiched by 1 of 8 different cookies on each side. Total: 1024

Ice cream sandwich was A-OK and they had my choice of flavors. Solid ice cream sandwich shop and would definitely stop by for the post-dinner snack.
5 - Samantha D.: $2 ice cream sandwiches? fresh baked cookies wrapped around any flavor ice cream you want?

I had white chocolate macadamia and chocolate chip around mint chocolate chip.

If they up the price any more I'll be disappointed. $2 is worth it, not $3.

I miss it already.
4 - Keith W.: Sooooo good.

Apparently, they copied Diddy Riese in LA, but I couldn't care less. I've waited in the rain to get my fix.

The only thing that I am kinda mad about (hence the 4 stars) is that they raised their prices to $2. I noticed the lines have died down since they did that. But I guess that means more for me.
4 - stefanie h.: great for those on a college budget.  and with a college metabolism.

get one with just a dollar dollar bill y'all. (and 50 cents).
5 - Andrew M.: So much talk of coming here, so many opportunities to do so and then April 5th comes along looking all sunny outside and I find myself next to CREAM! 

Never be afraid of something new, especially when it comes to sweets. I got a turtle cookie (literally baked to perfection, soft and chewy) and golden gate caramel swirl ice cream in the middle, all for two dollars. 

It was amazing. I don't know how else to put it. It was like a dessert from my dreams. 
I think what I appreciate the most is the freshness of the ingredients, they are making cookies all day and the ice cream was so good! And I'm not even a huge fan of caramel ice cream.


To all those who haven't experienced it yet, you are definitely missing out.
2 - Grace K.: very buttery, thin and warm cookies...which makes the ice cream on the icecream sandwich melt very quickly. diddy riese is better because they give it in a cup. Cream just puts the sandwich in a small paper bag, which makes it messy to eat. also, they raised their prices from $1.50 to $2.
5 - Jeffrey H.: Went to Berkeley to go check out the campus and stuff. A friend of my friend took us to Cream because I guess they thought it was good. Well I sure agree with them. They have a good variety of ice cream and warm cookies. You can pick whatever cookie you want and make an ice cream sandwich out of it. 
I had the regular Chocolate Chip Cookie with the delicious Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream. The ice cream was smooth and creamy while the cookie was warm and soft. It was like a lovely mixture in my mouth. Every bite I take is like every time I see a pretty girl. I go speechless. 

Price was $2 and they only accept cash.

Overall this place is great and next time I go back to Berkeley, I will visit Cream again.
5 - Debra M.: This place is fricking awesome. You get two fresh baked cookies with a generous portion of ice cream in the middle. Simple and sweet for under $2!! The line out the door builds your anticipation and is worth the wait!
3 - jun k.: overrated.
it's $2 (WHy'd they bump up the price before i tried it?!) for an icecream sandwich, which i guess is still a fair price.
but honestly, the cookie has grooves in it.  is it that hard to cut it in half?  and then the ice cream, how do you miss the center and just messily smush it around, and put it into a paper bag and call it a labor of love?

also, i wish they had premade suggestions; this old post-college brain can't process a decision requiring the pairing of 2 kinds of amazing sweets.
5 - Jen T.: I was drawn initially to the fact that they knew my inner credo, "cookies rule everything around me." What a delight to find that not only do they feel cookies all around, but ice cream too! I ordered a simple ice cream sandwich. $1.50. Genius. Pick your own freshly made cookies (two different ones, if ya like) and your choice of ice cream flavor, and boom! It's like a sexplosion in your mouth. To top it off, they had the entirety of Stairway to Heaven playing while I had my five minute mouthgasm.

They also do vegan ice cream sammies! $3! Vegans rejoice!
4 - Jack C.: Ice cream sandwiches are BOMB! I've been eating the classic cheapo ones you get at the supermarket my whole life. 

Headed over to Cream on a friday at around 8 pm and the place was poppin with a line out the door. Not surprising considering the weather is really starting to get warm and it's right next to UCB, oh college... so long ago *sigh*, I digress. Where was this place when I was going to school? Majorly shafted... Line moves fast so no worries. 

There is a variety of cookies and ice cream to choose from so I'll be back! It was hard to decide but I went with the White chocolate macadamia nut cookie with oreo ice cream. The cookie in itself was great, nice and chewy, and coupled that with the ice cream and i was in fatty heaven. Slap a nice friendly price tag of 2 dollars and it's a done deal. 

Supposedly they copied some place called Diddy Riese which is based in LA. Who cares...
2 - Rachel L.: Anyone who has been to Diddy Riese in LA knows that this place is pretty sucky.

1) Diddy Riese is $1.50 for an ice cream sandwich of the same size.
2) Diddy Riese is cleaner and better functioning as a whole.
3) Cream uses otis spunkmeyer cookies & double rainbow ice cream. OTIS SPUNKMEYER COOKIES ARE THOSE ONES PEOPLE TRY TO SELL YOU FOR FUNDRAISERS. aka they're cheap and meh quality.  At best, they're great for eating when they're uncooked. as cookie DOUGH. Diddy Riese makes their own cookies & ice cream fresh.

Now, I'm not saying that it's a bad business model at all, and the ice cream sandwiches are good when you have a craving for something sweet, but if Diddy Riese can afford to sell sandwiches for $1.50 a pop, homemade and delicious, why can't cream sell them for the same price or cheaper?


over rated for sure.
4 - Gordon F.: cookies rule everything around me. C.R.E.A.M...get cookies!

your 2 favorites cookies with your favorite ice cream sandwiched in between all for 2 dollars! the sandwiches are pretty big and it gets a bit too sweet towards the end.
4 - karen p.: Finally, a "Diddy Riese" in norcal!

$1.50 - 2 cookies of your choice, nice scoop of any ice cream in between. Forget everything else on the menu. 

4 stars: staff was awesome despite the crazy business. Getting a sandwich with cookies that came STRAIGHT out of the oven making it all so gooey and warm. Awesome after dinner dessert!

- Don't worry about the long line, it goes quick.
- Nowhere to chill inside, but no worries! It's Berkeley, roam around the streets eating your sandwich.

Couldn't give it 5 stars because, seriously, in the end it's just 2 cookies with a scoop of ice cream. For $1.50, you can make a dozen of these ice cream sandwiches at home.
5 - Samantha M.: Cookies + ice cream = the easiest, cheapest and fastest way to feel like you're 5 years old again. So what's not to love about Cream? Just order a freshly baked cookie sandwich with a scoop of your favorite ice cream and you've got your childhood wrapped neatly in a paper wrapper, tucked safely in between your hands. No bully is going to knock your ice cream onto the floor this time.

The ice cream had a bizarrely awesome chewy texture - this sounds weird but trust me, it was amazing. And I'm someone who has all sorts of food-texture problems (uh oatmeal - gross!). You can definitely get your sugar-high here without feeling like you did so because it's not overpoweringly sweet.

The only thing that annoyed me was that huge glass barrier which made it hard to hear what the girl behind the counter was asking me. The blaring loud music didn't help either.

For all the SoCal kids who love Diddy Riese, this place is less sweet and less oily. I used to think that DR had decent cookies, but now I wish Cream was in SoCal instead.
3 - Momma L.: You can't really go wrong scooping ice cream in between two fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. Having said that, Cream isn't really anything special beyond that. The ice cream is mediocre, which is problematic for me.

In addition, the warm cookies made my ice cream really melty in the little bag and I only got about three bites into it before the whole sandwich collapsed into the bag. I used a spoon to scoop out the goodness for a bit and then just gave up...
5 - Sandra W.: If you crave sweets late at night like I do, this place hits the spot Awesome selection of cookies and ice cream and the process is simple: Pick and pay.  You might need milk and alot of napkins, but the combinations never turn out bad. 

Came in on a really busy night and got out within 10 min tops!  I just had to try their "turtle" cookie, which is like the dark side of white choc macs.  Delicious.  By the end, I really was like "got milk?"
4 - Vandana M.: Price is now two whole dollars.
5 - Alice M.: What's not to love?!  I knew I probably would like this place based on the concept -- one the name is great (CREAM stands for Cookies Rule Everything Around Me) and ice cream sandwiches are great!!  I was SHOCKED to find out that each sandwich is just $2!!  That's awesome!  Sometimes just a scoop of ice cream is $2 and sometimes just one cookie is $2, so I was completely ok with shelling out $2 to try out cream.

You get to choose from a variety of cookies and ice creams to create your own version of the perfect ice cream sandwich.  Being my first time, I was incredibly indecisive, choosing two different cookies (Chocolate Chip and White Chocolate Macadamia Nut) then changing the chocolate chip to a Turtle cookie, sampling an ice cream (Golden Gate Swirl) before choosing another ice cream (Ultra Chocolate).

I did notice that one of my cookies was sorta hard, but I tried my two friends' ice cream sandwiches and they were soft and chewy and amazing.  All the cookies and ice creams I've tried so far are good, and really, I don't know how you can go wrong with cookies and ice cream.. especially for $2!!  Great addition to the campus :)
3 - Jennifer Y.: Review Update time ! From my last review, CREAM has improved to almost a full 4 stars but still falls a bit short. 

The cookies were much much better. Fresh & warm. and my ice cream didn't melt into a bag of slush!! Two huge improvements from my last visit.

So why not a 5? CREAM recently raised their prices from $1.50 to $2.
The reason? Because the prices of gas have gone up and the suppliers needed to raise their prices to compensate. Their cookies are Otis Spunkmeyer and the ice cream we think is Double Rainbow.

I'm still not impressed by the fact that quality can fluctuate so much between two visits and that it's also not site produced. However, $2 is still decent because no one else in the area offers anything like CREAM.

- Jenn
5 - Andrew K.: To quote Poe - "I said, hello, hello" - this is more delicious than its UCLA counterpart - perfect cookies and delicious ice cream - worth the coronary and won't break the bank at $2 bucks a sandwich... YIPPEE!
5 - Tiffany M.: SOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD. I had a scoop of mint ice cream in between chocolate chip cookies. The cookies were melt in your mouth warm with the creamy goodness of your favorite ice cream flavor. The line was out of the door but it moves fast! And we were being entertained by the guy working the cash register - he was singing along to Usher's "U Got It Bad" that was playing on the radio, lol. Definitely will be back here to try other combinations the next time I'm in the area!
3 - Bonnie Z.: A little bit heartbroken over the increase in prices...that was the big appeal of CREAM. I came back one more time to use my Campuscred voucher before I graduated. I kinda wish I made use of it before the prices went up.

But if I ever do have an ultimate ice cream sandwich craving, I will take a stroll down and get myself a scoop of matcha green tea ice cream sandwiched between 2 butter sugar cookies. This is a good option if you don't want to be overloaded by sugar.
5 - Pacifico O.: i'm so glad that eating at C.R.E.A.M. doesn't count as cheating on my girlfriend because the ice cream sandwiches are SEX IN COOKIE FORM.  its such a simple concept, and it works.  they could get away with charging $5+ per sandwich...but they don't.  for every gallon of gas i don't buy, i can use it to buy 2 ice cream sandwiches.  by that logic, C.R.E.A.M. is saving the world...2 cookies at a time.
4 - Julie F.: $2 scores you a warm cookie ice cream sandwich. Need I say more?
5 - Tommy T.: I had just gotten a Falafel next door when poof I saw a Wu tang reference on a cookie sign! I was skeptical thinking that there wouldn't be any vegan food and that I would have to pay a bunch/ wait in line for awhile. Alas there were many vegan cookie options and ....... a vegan ice cream option! The cookies were warm and chewy and the ice cream was cold and yummy. I usually come down to the Bay area once a year or so, Cream will definitely be on future lists for eating in Berkeley!
5 - sara p.: I broke my diet & it was well worth it! At $2 bucks, that's chump change...

I had the 2ble choc cookies with mint ice cream- better than a mint "It's it" and even better than frozen girl scout "grasshopper"cookies.... They bare resemblance but this time I do have to say that SIZE MATTERS! Both freshly baked cookies are just the perfect size, and not to mention, the generous scoop of ice cream.... 

Satisfaction guaranteed!!!
4 - Victoria L.: mmm ice cream. genuinely good ice cream that tastes homemade!
I had the chocolate and matcha double scoop. The chocolate was seriously nutty and intensely, well, chocolate-y; probably the most  intense chocolate ice cream I've ever had. And maybe because the chocolate was so intense that it overpowered the matcha because it was much more subtle. Nevertheless, the matcha flavor was fresh and clean. Their ice cream wasn't too sweet or heavy, which was a definite plus! If only I live near Berkeley I bet I would be coming here a lot.
3 - Moiz Q.: the best idea ever ice cream in freshly baked out the oven cookies mmmm mmmmm mmmmmm gooooddd... its only like two bucks a sandwich and u get the craving again n again. cheap and satisfies your sweet tooth!!! =)
3 - Sun K.: So people kept telling me about this place, that I would love it. That they had this stoner concept come to life. You get a delicious ice cream sandwiched between two warm ohhweegooee cookies. That's how my friends advertised this place to me.

What I got; The ice cream was fine but the cookies were rock hard. I will try it once more. I like the concept. If this place could hit the mark, I would gain some serious weight here.
5 - Ashley N.: I don't think anything can top a $2 ice cream sandwich! 
I got to try CREAM for the first time today, and it did NOT disappoint. The line was long and intimidating at first, but it moved pretty quickly.

02 freshly baked cookies with ice cream in the middle. There were a lot of types of cookies & ice cream flavors. I got coconut because coconut is RARELY found in ice cream shops, and it's my favorite ! 
There were even vegan cookies !

Definitely messy to eat, but well worth it. 
Can't wait to go back!
4 - Nikki B.: Soooo good. Cookies are good, ice cream is good. Nuff said.
3 - Jennifer L.: How can you beat a $2  ice cream sandwich?!  It's the perfect afternoon treat as you are strolling the streets of downtown Berkeley.  

You might expect it to be a small dessert, but it made me full!  A generous scoop of ice cream smashed with two giant delicious cookies should cover my lunch!  

I love the idea of this shop, but I must admit the ice cream was not as tasty as I wanted it to be.  I chose Green Tea with Sugar Cookies.  The combination of the two was pretty good, but was not the best.  I think the ice cream ruined it for me.  It became nothing to really rave about, other then the concept of an ice cream sandwich shop.  The cookies deserved a grade of A- though.  

Of course for the price, I can't expect much.  Worth a try and will probably come again for a different combination.
5 - Jenn C.: Delicious soft chewy cookies with creamy ice cream in the middle for only $2. Score!!
3 - Tien P.: It's not as good as diddy riese, but it's a good alternative to making a trip all the way to LA for some ice cream sandwiches. The lines were really long when they first opened, so it wasn't really worth it to go, but they recently raised the price to $2 (which isn't a bad deal anyhow) and lines are muchhhh shorter now. Worth it on a hottt day or as an after dinner treat. It's just cookies and ice cream, but how can you go wrong with cookies and ice cream?!
4 - Alex T.: This place is good! I had an ice cream sandwich. It was $2 and i wouldn't pay anymore for it. They weren't homemade cookies or ice cream after all. But still good.
5 - Henry S.: WOW.  So delicious!  We got the turtle cookie (really good with gooey caramel and it was baked to perfection...soft in the middle and crispy on the edges) with vanilla bean ice cream.  

Highly recommend checking CREAM out if you're in the Berkeley area!
4 - Mike H.: This place is awesome. The line moves pretty fast and the staff are great. Not a fan of the recent hike in sandwich price ($1.50 to $2)! (I was devastated when Top Dog skyrocketed to $3).
5 - Justin K.: The ice cream, cookies, atmosphere, and everything else was great here, but the 5th star goes to customer service. The owner even messaged me and asked what they could do better to receive that 5th star! Now THAT'S customer service for you.
4 - stacie M.: WHO INVENTED THIS???????????  
I am in LOVE and I want one in my town!  At first, I only got bites and didn't get one of my own, but YUM!  I tried the double chocolate cookie with mint ice cream... the cookies were STILL WARM!!!!!  
Went back later because I HAD to try it myself.  I got 2 warm, white chocolate macadamia nut cookies (you can mix & match, but I am a purist :) with vanilla cinnamon ice cream in the middle.  
HEAVEN!
2 cookies of your choice (same or different) with ice cream of your choice in the center for just TWO BUCKS?!?  ($2)
What???
I hope our son picks Cal just so when we come visit we can eat Cream :)
2 - Karen S.: Ice cream & cookies is a combo that I thought nobody could ruin; that is, until I came to CREAM.

It was the first warm & sunny day here in Berkeley so my friend decided to join me for my first CREAM creation.  I got a sandwich with Butter Sugar cookies & Ultra Chocolate ice cream (simple+basic...my philosophy for testing out a new place).  First off, how can cookies out of the oven be stone cold?  Secondly, who puts melty ice cream into a paper bag?  It was so messy in the end that I left about 2 bits of ice cream in a bag & had to throw it away.

$2 is a really good price for an ice cream sandwich & I do appreciate the availability of soy-creams.  However, what I experienced was not worth the trouble afterwards (lactose intolerance).  I would rather spend $1 more to pay for frozen yogurt with all kinds of flavors & toppings.
4 - Carrie P.: Warm out of the oven cookies with delicious ice cream for $2! What more could you want? Be sure to grab a napkin if you get a chocolate cookie because it can get messy
5 - Steven J.: DELICIOUS and cheap! For $2 get a huge cookie ice cream sandwich. One of the best deals in Berkeley and the quality of service and food is fantastic!
4 - Jeremiah B.: Wow!  This place is awesome!  Take two of any fresh baked cookies and pick your own ice cream and there you have it!  CUSTOM ICE CREAM SANDWICH!!!
5 - Chaz'a B.: Now I loooooove sweets, like I could eat CANDY, sugar and cookie dough until I bust!!! But CREAM is toooooo sweet, so sweet that I could only eat half of that stuff..  But for the price of $2, its so worth it, a cheap fix for a sweet tooth!
4 - Peachie Y.: Seriously, $2 for an ice cream sandwich with fresh baked cookies and ice cream? I had to get two. The white chocolate macadamian nut cookie with green tea ice cream sandwich was so good it was with restraint I didn't get 3 ice cream sandwiches in a day. Turtle cookie with wasn't bad but it was a bit too sweet. Overall, the price and quality is a steal and you also get a choice of vegan cookies.
4 - Jennifer D.: Turtle and chocolate chip cookie with cinnamon caramel! yummy! Good amount but Diddy Riese (LA) gives u more. The cookies were crunchy on the outside but soft in the inside, you could tell it was fresh. 

 I would come here again!
4 - Derrick H.: I scream for CREAM!

How can you go wrong with 2 warm cookies sandwiching MINT CHIP ICE CREAM?

They definitely have an awesome business tactic of starting the cost at $1.50 and raising it to $2.00. Still worth it, but I'm definitely not eating it as much as when it was $1.50. I guess that's a plus on my wallet (and stomach).
4 - Angela S.: Good shit right here! Delicious, warm, rich cookies, and ice cream, together as one. From what I hear, you can choose whether you want your cookie to be warm from the oven, or cold, so it doesn't melt your ice cream. They do not tell you this, so I think it's something that you have to ask for, like a secret menu or something. 

I got double chocolate chip cookies with cookie dough in between, and it was hella rich. It was rich like a Tiburon trust fund baby. But it was good. And, it was two bucks, which wasn't so bad.

The overly - chipper girls working there at 11:30pm brought me back to my days in food service. You've gotta make your own job interesting, so singing to the awful songs they play, and being playful with the customers is what you've got to do sometimes. They were nice, though, and anyone who's worked food service knows that it's really hard to review overall customer service in a place like this, as it really isn't the establishment's fault, it just really depends on who's working that day. But, our girls were nice, and our sandwiches were delicious, so, thanks, guys!
5 - Lynn V.: I stumbled across this cute little shop on the corner of Telegraph and Channing today. My sweet tooth couldn't resist , so I tried it out. I can't find anything negative to say about this place! I love the concept of getting what you want and getting straight to the point. Ice cream and cookies! The loves of my life. Service was quick and friendly. I got the banana walnut vegan cookie and an ice cream sandwich to share with my man friend. Double chocolate chip with mint chocolate chip in between! It was a delight. 

I got a crispy cookie edge with a chewy center accompanied with a refreshing and creamy mint ice cream. Price= $2 a piece. I couldn't have asked for anything more. Vegan cookie was awesome. Couldn't tell the difference.
4 - nay t.: 2 bucks for a cookies & ice cream ? OH YEAH! :) love it.
2 - Muneera M.: I am a foodie. This place is in a great location. But seriously if this is going to be the "diddy reese of the bay area" it  needs to step up its game.

The cookies - are good, but you have to ask them to be warm. Why ask? They should automatically be warm. Why would someone not want a warm cookie- duh.

The ice cream - tastes good. 

The sandwich- too big! God if I ate that big ol' thing i would have to not eat sweets for like 2 weeks and diet heavily. It's a little too large. It would better if if was proportioned well. 

Cool thing- they have vegan cookies :)
5 - Liezl S.: $2.00 for make it yourself ice cream sandwich!! 

They have an assortment of ice cream flavors and cookies!! So many to choose from! You can add more than one flavor ice cream or cookie, i'm sure w additional charge. 

Once I got mines, which was a strawberry cheesecake ice cream w sugar cookies, and i took the 1st bite, it was instant satisfaction! Warm cookies and the cold ice cream was a great combo!!

There was a line at 10pm and I've heard theres always a line.

The place is pretty small also.
4 - Jacqueline R.: Only $2 for a customized ice cream sandwich! That automatically made me a fan :) 

I randomly walked by this place the other day in Berkeley and decided to try it. They have vegan cookies, but they definitely taste as good as any ol' type of cookie. You choose the cookie flavor you want, and the ice cream! I got sugar cookies with cinnamon caramel ice cream. Absolutely delicious. Well worth the $2 I spent! It was a little difficult to eat, but I had expected that. I've never gone to Diddy Riese in LA even though I've heard about it. I think this is probably the next best thing.
5 - Joy L.: I've been wanting to try Diddy Riese in LA for the longest time and when I heard about Cream right across the bridge from me, I almost died.

They have a huge selection of ice cream and cookie flavors. After about 15 minutes of deciding, I ordered a sandwich with 2 different cookies and 2 different ice creams. Cinnamon caramel and coffee mocha fudge ice creams sandwiched between a double chocolate cookie and chocolate chip cookie, to be exact. The cookies were fresh out of the oven. Lightly crisp on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside. Just the way I like it! I was stuffed halfway through my sandwich, but only a crazy person would've stopped there. The post-tummy ache was worth it.

$2.75 of deliciousness!
5 - Audrey T.: Cream is amaaaaazing! It's so cheap and SOOO delicious. Sometimes the line is out the door and around the corner, so it's best to go at random hours. The service is great and the energy lively. The workers are often singing and dancing a little behind the counter.
1 - Peter Z.: What's the big deal? 

The cookies aren't fresh and they don't even make their own ice cream, not to mention the name of this shop is a rip-off play on the Wu-Tang rap.  Is there anything that's original or, unique here?

Thankfully, these aren't any more than the $2 (cash only, no cc-cards helps maintain that slim margin) and change for a mediocre treat.

Get an It's-It, it's an original and doesn't fall apart like these disasters.
5 - Jenny Y.: Came here the past weekend with a friend, it was such a nice day. We had lunch at... I believe it's called Panoramic Hills (I swear it was called Berkeley Hills but I guess not...) Killer view of the bay and around Berkeley.. Drove down to campus and found this place with a line going out the door, cookies and icecream? Who can resist! I got the vegan snickerdoodle which is $0.50 extra with coffee almond fudge icecream and he got white chocolate macadamia nut with cinnamin caramel icecream. They make their own cookies! My cookie was a little hard which made it hard to eat while his was soft. Very sweet, a sweet tooth would love it and very filling, not to mention they're only $2.00 per ice cream cookie!
They also have other goodies, malts, milkshakes, toppings. You can also get 2 different cookies with up to 3 different ice cream flavors in your ice cream sandwich!
Parking is a bitch to find unless you're lucky, and there was a lot of student's walking around but the line moves fairly fast. I love Berkeley!
4 - Kristen V.: YUM!  The cookies are soft and gooey and warm and the ice cream is delicious.  So cheap!  Have to eat it fast because it gets a little messy!
5 - Myles B.: For $2.00. Yes... a FLAT TWO BUCKS, you get the BEST ice cream sandwich.... ever.

I personally went with the double turtle, with caramel ice cream. It's all fresh, made right there.

It's-Its... you're LAME.
5 - Tracey K.: My boyfriend and I came up to berkeley for a visit. We were craving ice cream and saw a long line at Cream and thought we'd give it a try to see what the fuss was about. I noticed this place is just like Diddy Riese (from west hollywood) except this is in Norcal.  The workers are quite slow, I don't know if it's their strategy to make the line stay long and attract more customers. 
They have a list of ice cream their version of cookies and cream is called vanilla cookie ice cream. I got the chocolate chip and white chocolate macadamia with the vanillla bean. The cookie sandiwches cost around 2 bucks. The cookies are extremely fresh and soft, they melt in your mouth, and are a perfect combination with the ice cream. The cookies literally come straight out of the oven. 
I would say cream is better than diddy riese because the cookies are more fresh and taste better. 
The only thing I would say about this place is that the workers take their sweet ass time and makes the wait in line longer than it should be.
2 - Christopher W.: What is this 4.5 stars all about?  People are easily fooled.  I admit, I'm a tough critic, but come on...if it IS true that they use Otis Spunkmeyer cookies and Double Rainbow ice cream, then what's so great about it?  Most places these days have everything made in their stores, and that's the great part.  Well, even if Cream doesn't use the above brands, the ice cream sandwich was nothing to rave about.  I was disappointed by the brittle and crumbly texture of the cookies and the fact that the ice cream was not pushed all the way down.  That sure made for an awkward first bite.  Diddy Riese really has it down compared to Cream.  That might be the one saving grace for SoCal haha.
4 - Veronica D.: All right! I know Cream doesn't really need any more positive reviews, but I want to add this little cookie place to my list of places that stay open late in Berkeley, so I'm reviewing it!

Let me be honest: I'm not really a big fan of very sweet desert type things and/or chocolate things. I'm much more into tart candy than cookies or ice cream. That said, I can still recognize that Cream is pretty delicious and pretty cheap. I can definitely see why any cookie fan would give Cream five stars! Cookies come straight out of the oven, you can sample all the ice cream flavors, employees are super friendly, they have vegan cookies (which I haven't tried)... everything's pretty good over at Cream.

Cream also seems like a great place to take the visitors-- especially those visitors who might be prone to thinking Berkeley is a terribly unsafe horrible place. (Family? Prospective Cal students?) It feels very college-y, and it's always crowded and makes Berkeley seem fun and easy-going. Just make sure your out-of-town visitors don't actually /look/ at the rest of Telegraph if it's too late at night :P

And, like I alluded to in my first paragraph, Cream is open late on the weekends, which automatically makes it a rare gem in Berkeley.

I know a lot of reviewers say, "Cream is good, but it's no Diddy Riese." I've been to Diddy Riese once, and honestly I can't remember how awesome or not-awesome it was, so I can't speak on this matter. Let's all just try to evaluate Cream for what it is and not compare it to a similar place that is SEVEN HOURS FROM HERE. It's not like I could say to myself, "Oh, I want a cookie ice cream sandwich, but Cream isn't as good as Diddy Riese so I think I'll go to Diddy Riese." If you want an ice cream sandwich and you don't want to spend a full day and a couple tanks of gas driving to Westwood, you go to Cream.
4 - Ken L.: Line was long but moved pretty fast.  People who worked there were nice enough.  Got a regular ice cream sandwich (can't remember which flavors but it was good).  The good thing is that they also have vegan options.  Got one with soy mint ice cream with a snickerdoodle and a banana walnut chocolate chip one which was good as well.  Great to have that option.
3 - Annaliese D.: I've been wanting to try Cream for awhile now. I was sad to hear that they already raised their prices from $1.50 to $2! That's a big increase even if it's just 2 bucks.

Came here on a Sunday evening after a late dinner and there was still a pretty good sized line outside. It's on Telegraph so there were a couple of bums loitering about.

When we got inside, it was grossly warm inside the shop. I know they are baking cookies, but even with the door open it was suffocating. Good thing we could order our ice cream sandwich and get out of there.

We ordered one sandwich to share with white chocolate macademia nut cookies and golden gate swirl ice cream. The cookies were soft and freshly baked and the ice cream was slightly soft, which made it easier to eat...but also meant it melted pretty quickly.

One odd thing is that after the girl handed us our cookies and ice cream we went towards the register to pay, but she walked away and no one else came to help. We could have walked right out without paying (but of course we would never do that), but eventually a girl from the back came out to the register.

I'd come back, but I don't think it's something I'll crave and I wish they didn't raise the price!
3 - Rafael R.: This place is really hit or miss these days. 

I feel like this place gets so many positive reviews because it cannot be compared to anywhere else since its the only ice cream cookie sandwich place in the area. 

BUT...compare this place to itself from the first few weeks of its opening to today, and I am sure there wouldnt be too many people that would agree its still the same.

The most obvious, price went up 50 cents. Now to a lot of people, 2 bucks for 2 cookies and a scoop of ice cream is nothing to complain about....BUT the cookies are now smaller and not as fresh and the scoop of ice cream has decreased in size as well. So those of us, or maybe just me, who came to this place during its first month of business and got an overall larger ice cream sandwich for just a $1.50 now become a little disappointed.

I'm not saying I don't enjoy this place any less, the sandwiches still hit the spot when I get that craving for something really sweet late-night, but to me, it's clear that CREAM is slowly adapting to quantity over quality.
3 - Fancypants X.: I'd be more inclined to give a higher rating if CREAM made their own products instead of using Otis Spunkmeyer cookies & Double Rainbow ice cream (ick.) 

The concept of customizing an ice cream cookie sandwich for $2 is one that I fully support; I'm all about creative freedom, especially where desserts are concerned, but the finished product has to taste good. CREAM falls short in the taste category. 

My creation: vanilla cherry ice cream & cookie dough ice cream sandwiched between a turtle cookie (chocolate w/ caramel & peanuts) & a rocky road one. The warm cookies quickly melted the ice cream, which became very messy in the tiny paper bag. They've got to figure out better packaging. 

It was a beautiful, warm day out so my partner & I thoroughly enjoyed sitting on the steps of Sproul with our cooling sandwiches. 

A cheap, sweet treat that makes me conjure up other evil combinations (mrs field's with Humphrey slocombe perhaps? Or anthony's cookies with mitchell's ice cream? I gotta try those!)
4 - Michael H.: 80 degree weather and ice cream? Pretty much everyone was walking around with a frozen treat whether it be ice cream, popsicle, or yogurt. Mine just happened to be in between two cookies.

Cream is a little blue colored store that is constantly heated by its cookie ovens. Yeah it's hot in there but once you're out it feels much better. They have a good selection of ice creams and cookies except they don't state where their cookies or ice cream is from. But I'm not really looking for sustainable ice cream cookie sandwiches here, just good tasting ones.

I had a rocky road cookie sandwich with peanut butter cup sundae ice cream. The cookies come hot out of the oven so they contrast nicely with the frozen ice cream. Yes the warm cookies and ice cream are melty but it's not that messy even though there's just a paper wrapper between you and the dessert. I have been laying off desserts and sweets for awhile so having this was a huge sweet tooth vacation.

_____

I was really considering coming back for seconds as soon as I finished my first cookie sandwich. Fortunately my feet carried me away from Cream before my brain could "rationalize" a second helping.
5 - April K.: CREAM is correct. In my pants. And this is exactly what happened when I bit into the best $2 worth of cold ice-cream, sandwiched between warm buttery cookies, that any hippie, hipster, or homeless person in Berkeley could possibly hope to sample.

You pick your own cookies. AAAAAND you can even mix and match. That's right. You could choose one chocolate chip cookie, and one... say... vegan  brownie cookie. Mmmmhmmm, VEGAN COOKIES MY FRIENDS. Oh you Berkeley hippies! You've done it again. 

And obviously you can choose your own ice-cream as well. And every single flavor makes ones nipples tingle with anticipation. Me? I chose one Butter cookie and one Oatmeal raisin cookie. And of course I then chose the Cinnamon Vanilla swirl ice cream. Duh. 

And here's the thing, the cookies are warm. WARM. So when the ice cream hits the cookies it does two things. Number one, it begins to soften into a creamy concoction of wonder, and number two, it makes the cookie form a cold-meets-warm crispy edge where the cream and cookie meet. And this my friends is perfection. This my friends is CREAM.

TWO-DOLLARS? Are you kidding me? I would gladly pay twenty bucks for this kind of pleasure.
5 - Florence D.: Two words: f*cking genius.
5 - Traci J.: Deeeeelish! So happy I stopped here with my husband on a whim. The gooey turtle cookies sandwiching the very creamy caramel ice-cream is a very satisfying dessert for that-time-of-the-month!

Will be back in 4 weeks fer sure!
Guys, take a hint! Your girl needs some extra lovin? BRING HER HERE!!!
5 - Eugene B.: THIS PLACE IS SO GOOD. AND I DONT EVEN LIKE ICE CREAM!!

Okay so I admit I'm a total asian for only eating froyo these past few years and totally forgot about ice cream. then came CREAM

So here are my tips. Eating cream will get messy! So dont forget the napkins! The first time I got Cream, my ice cream was dripping everywhere and on everyone! I spilled some on my friend, her backpack, my table, her table, my pants, my other friend, my own bag. Like my Cream went everywhere. Lesson learned though- try not to get really hot cookies! I know you want that fresh out of the oven feel (right jlo ft pitbull?) but you dont want the mess!

Sometimes the cookies can be a bit too sweet so usually i get a sweet cookie like chocolate chip and a less sweet one like oatmeal raisin. ALSO they totally are catering to froyo lovers like me cause they have GREEN TEA ICE CREAM (but they could also be catering to like 55% of all the asians at cal).

The sandwich I usually get is- oatmeal raisin cookie, chocolate chip cookie, green tea ice cream, chocolate mint ice cream.

I go all out for cream. I freaking live in on north side and have ran to Cream in 80 degree weather! Let me just tell you how athletic I am- i got 15 min on mile time, I don't mess around when I want cream!!!
3 - Constance C.: Cookies and Cream Ice Cream in Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich. This was alright, I liked how warm the chocolate chip cookies were but they were definitely too sweet for my liking. I couldn't even taste the ice cream, if it were not for the cookie specks in my ice cream I would have thought I was eating vanilla instead. I felt like drinking a huge bottle of water after I ate this. I liked the idea of it and the prices were great though. It's probably just not my thing. 

See photos of food, http://potbellypanda.tumblr.com
5 - Christine C.: Such a clever name! I was walking by and had no idea what this place was, but the line out the door was what caused me to stop and take a look. COOKIE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES!! I got in line (it moved really fast) and got one with chocolate chip cookies and cherry vanilla. The cookies were so delicious even on their own, and the ice cream was yummy too. It's the perfect size. I'm sure if it were bigger I probably would've felt sick after eating it. AND it's only $2?! What a steal. Cash only!
4 - Kirra W.: Yum!
5 - Dee V.: 2 dollars wow...lemme get 5 of those...fatboy for sure...the best ever
4 - Vittoria L.: CREAM or "Cookies Rule Everything Around Me" is pretty darn good. I ordered a turtle cookie with vanilla ice cream while my friends ordered green tea / chocolate chip and cookies & cream / rocky road. The cookies came fresh out of the oven, so it tasted so gooood!

It was really hard to eat at first. I didn't know if I should bite into it like a sandwich or take little scoops with my fork. Either way, it was still pretty messy. And I think if I were to go again, I would ask for an extra scoop of icecream. Whenever I run out, I don't really want to eat it anymore because the cookie gets hard ;)

This place is almost identical to Diddy Riese in LA, but this place has vegan cookies! Although I didn't get it, I will make sure to bring my vegan friends if I'm nearby!
4 - Phuoc K.: Cookie - Ice Cream - Cookie...simple Goodness. Not much to add other than that they have an efficient operation running. Even with the line out the door when we got there, we were in and out within 10 minutes for our party of 6. The Cookies are warm and soft, the ice cream is decent and together they make my mouth happy.  For my very first Ice Cream Sandwich there, I had Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream on Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, and I am still patting myself on the back for the decision...
2 - Eazflo O.: I was disappointed. how could cookies and icecream be bad?! but it was old-school cheap Double Rainbow and sort of iffy quality cookies. I feel like they could have better quality ingredients. I would rather go have something else for the calories.
3 - Patricia Q.: I went to Cream last night for the first time. Everyone I know is crazy about this place so I thought it would be good after a night of drinking. 

All I can say about this place is, why didn't I think of it? To just make fresh it's its for everyone at $2 a pop is genius. I mean, it's nothing special, but people seem to love it.

As for myself, it was just too sweet. I couldn't finish the ice cream sandwich. I don't think I'll come back. It's too much sugar.
5 - Gerard Y.: I don't think I can think of any other place I would want to go to for an ice cream cookie sandwich. Forget those ones you can get at walgreens or a corner liquor store. This is the real deal here. I got the double chocolate chip cookie with mint chip ice cream in between. What warm, baked taste of the cookie mixed with the ice cream tasted like heaven and I probably could've eaten a couple more without thinking about it.
5 - Josephine G.: I've only been here once and it was super yummy and super cheap! i got two chocolate cookies with mint chocolate chip mint icecream. super heavenly! I would go back again. I love the street it's on. If i went to UC Berkeley, i would probably go there a lot. haha.
4 - Venerie R.: Cream is Berkeley's version of Diddy Riese in Los Angeles. Maybe I just had a bad experience at Diddy Riese, but I like Cream a lot more simply because in the two times that I have been here, I have always received warm cookies. Having warm cookies is a big deal to me! I figure if the cookies aren't warm, I might as well just go to my local grocery store and buy an ice cream sandwich from the freezer aisle. The employees were nice and I didn't feel rushed when trying to decide on my cookie and ice cream combination. I think $2 is a reasonable price for an ice cream sandwich. As long as they keep giving me warm cookies, I will keep coming back.
3 - Cassy H.: I like cookies and I like ice-cream, so naturally the concept of a ice-cream sandwiched by cookies seemed like a good idea. However, I wasn't too impressed with this joint. Sorry, CREAM... cookies don't rule everything around me. 

I ordered turtle cookies with mint chocolate chip ice cream. My cookies weren't fresh, but I know other people in line got fresh cookies from the oven. And my mint chocolate chip tasted average, nothing amazing. It was cheap though, only $2.00... and cash only. Anyway, the ice-cream melts quickly in between the cookies and so you have to eat quickly to avoid a mess. This made it hard for me to enjoy it, because I don't like being rushed when eating desserts and I don't like being messy. 

So, maybe if I were still a Cal student, I'd crave this more often and appreciate this joint given its cheap pricing and its late night hours. However, those days are gone and I prefer to eat my cookies and ice-cream separately... separate but equally enjoyable.
4 - Veronica S.: Absolutely delicious =) I love cream! Ice cream sandwiches are amazing, and the great part about Cream is that you can use two different flavors of cookies!

The ice cream is nothing out of the ordinary, but combined with the delicious fresh baked cookies, it is a true treat.

There's only 1-2 tables of seating, so this is place to get to-go since Cream is a small hole in the wall. 

Lines are long but go by pretty quick. Also to note, cash only!
4 - Alisha T.: Alright, Cream is pretty good, but frankly, it could be better. 

The cookies are cold, dry, and crunchy. They are frequently out of basic ice cream flavors too -- how can you be out of vanilla bean and offer me cherry vanilla as a substitute?!

Cream gets bonus points for late night employees who are singing/dancing while making ice cream sandwiches.

Price is excellent -- $2 for an ice cream sandwich.

Expect to wait if you go in the post-dinner hours.
2 - Joan K.: I love COOKIES! I don't really like Ice Cream though. 

So... C.R.E.A.M! Well, the smell of cookies whenever I pass by is SO tempting BUT whenever I buy it... I am never satisfied.

Dude, the cookie is good for like 3 bites? but after that... it gets kinda old && the ice cream starts melting. GG. I freaking HATE IT WHEN ICE CREAM STARTS MELTING & IT GETS EVERYWHERE... sticky stick sticky YUCK!  People love this place but I don't. I mean... it's aite.

BUT I liked the turtle shell cookie (I think that was the name), the Macadamia nut cookie, and the m&m cookie. I liked the green tea ice cream & the banana nut ice cream!

Price: cheap! It was $1.50 now it's $2. They don't take card... SO INCONVENIENT -.-!
4 - Henry P.: $2 for an ice cream cookie sandwich! Can't beat that...
4 - Aileen P.: $2 ice cream sandwiches? Sold! Brings me back to my UCLA Diddy Riese days...those were the days!!!
5 - karma s.: Well-worth the workout.

I haven't even stepped into this place, and I love it. I had heard about them first, and being a Wu-Tang fan, I am a fan of the word play. 

C.R.E.A.M.: Cookies Rule Everything Around Me

A friend offered me a cookie to pair with my Rogue dessert beer, and what a pleasant combo!  I've only tried some dark chewy chocolate cookie concoction with white chocolate and macadamia nuts.  Wow!  It's way better than it sounds.

Once this weather warms up, and that inevitable craving for a custom made ice cream cookie sandwich kicks in, I'll definitely be hitting this place up.  I have a feeling that the time is coming real soon.

Fabulous, simple, and hip concept.  Plus extended late summer hours!  Winning!
4 - Gypsy J.: Okay, so this place is good for obvious reasons.  If you have a little cash on your hands and want a cold snack, CREAM is a nice pit stop.  There might be a line.  It's just generic ice cream and pretty good, pretty fresh cookies, and you can't mind eating fast, otherwise this puppy is going to melt all over you.  But I'm a bit of a messy eater already and I could handle it, so it can't be that difficult.
4 - Richa A.: Awesome place if you're craving an ice cream sandwich.

It's SO cheap. $2 for two cookies (that are actually warm and fresh!) of your choice and a scoop of your choice of ice cream in between. Awesome. 

The quality of the ice cream doesn't compare to the best ice cream shops (I'm thinking Ici and Bi-Rite), but given that, they still have some interesting yummy flavors!  i had the cinnamon caramel.

A little hard to eat the way they serve it.  Apparently a bowl is an extra 50 cents too, which I don't really get since they'll give out as many paper bags/ napkins as you want.
4 - Cesie A.: Plain and simple, this is a great dessert place. Fresh cookies, yummy ice cream flavors= great little ice-cream sando. 

I'm not a sweets person but I do get a craving for this place evrey now and then. Don't be alarmed by the long line outside of it, the service is fast!
AND it's only $2 (used to be 1.50 but 2 is still good)
5 - Michael C.: O-M-G.  Anyone for an ice cream sandwich??!! Stand in line please!!

My cousin had suggested this place for dessert after lunching at Cheeseboard pizza.  I said sure, I'll look it up on Yelp.  Just looking at the pictures made my mouth water.....

Although you can purchase ice cream and cookies by itself, come on now.......WHY NOT just get a ice cream sandwich for the affordable price of just $2.  They have a variety of cookies to choose from which include chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and butter sugar.  During my visit there were 16 flavors of ice cream including strawberry cheesecake, green tea, and mint chocolate chip.  I'm a huge fan of cheesecake, so I ordered the strawberry cheesecake with 2 chocolate chip cookies.  Just simply delicious!

TIPS:
1)  They do offer sampling of the ice cream fyi.
2)  You can mix and match the cookies for your sandwich, you don't have to order two of the same cookies.  Thanks to my cousin for inquiring about this!
3)  CA$H Only!!
4)  Vegan cookies available
5)  Cookies can be purchased by themselves....no ice cream added.
6)  They can cut your sandwich in half......just kindly ask.

Bottom Line:  Save room for dessert and treat yourself to an ice cream sandwich!
3 - Mykia F.: I give it three stars for the price. I expected cookie to be soft but it was not which made it difficult to eat. Over all it is a good deal if you have a sweet tooth, but would rather just make my own .
3 - Alva L.: Not the most amazing dessert ever, but for $2 a pop, you are definitely going to have your sugar fill. Nice little spot with many choices of cookies and ice cream/soy ice cream. I had rocky road cookies with mint chocolate chip ice cream. The cookies were warm which was nice. They give you generous amount of ice cream as well. A plus is the people who work there are nice and cheerful.
5 - Jess M.: My first time here and I felt like I was in Sweets Heaven!

Ensure you bring cash with you... CASH ONLY!

CREAM needs to be opened in the San Jose area!
5 - John S.: I'm going to pull the five-star trigger* even though I know I shouldn't.  But this is Telegraph, after all, and who doesn't appreciate the equivalent of a freshly made It's-It?  Yes, they're better than It's-Its, and they're not that much more expensive.  In fact, they may be cheaper.

Mint-chip ice cream dripping down your hands and forearms on the way back to work can be perfect, especially when you have enough napkins and remember to cut over on Fulton.

I really like how so many Bay Area cities have identically named streets, whether or not the honorees have anything to do with the Bay Area.  Fulton is a good example, as are Alcatraz, Embarcadero, Harrison, and Bay.  There are many more, but I'm too lazy to look at a map right now.

Two dollars for an ice-cream sandwich?  Are you kidding me?  No, I'm not.

I also like how when you write a five-star review you can include basically anything you want because who really is going to complain.  I guess the flag idiots could complain if they believe I'm breaking some obscure TOS rule, but I'm not, really.  So here goes:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is required by law to make your records available to you, with some exceptions. Your request must be made in writing on paper and be signed by you. Ask to see the "information relating to me in the Automated Targeting System." Say that your request is "made pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552)." Add that you wish to have a copy of your records made and mailed to you without first inspecting them. Your letter should, obviously, give reasonably sufficient detail to enable an official to find your record. So supply your passport number and mailing address. Put a date on your letter and make a copy for your own records. On your envelope, you should conspicuously print the words "FOIA Request." It should be addressed to "Freedom of Information Act Request," U.S. Customs Service, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20229. Be patient. I had wait for up to a year to receive a copy of my records. Then if you believe there's an error in your record, ask for a correction by writing a letter to the Customer Satisfaction Unit, Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Room 5.5C, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20229

* I realize that "pull the trigger" has or used to have a very violent connotation, but I'll assuage my own conscience by mentioning two little words:  T-shirt gun.
4 - Annie S.: TIPS: Very sweet... So I try to mix up the combination of the cookies (the two don't have to be the same) and the ice cream so that it's not too sweet. To get an even distribution of cookie and ice cream in my mouth, I take turns eating from the top cookie and the bottom cookie--rather than taking a bite of everything at once. It helps me eat it cleaner, too, because the ice cream won't get pushed to one side and end up dripping everywhere when it melts over time.

I've also ordered dozens of cookies from this place, and they were still soft and delicious after daysssss ($31.50 for six dozen cookies).

Pros: Smells good! Close to campus. Only $2.
Cons: Cash only. Long line sometimes.
5 - Breanna M.: Best late night muchies place ever!

Awesome warm cookies with ice cream, how can anyone resist?! The first time I came here I ordered the Sugar cookie sandwich with strawberry cheesecake ice cream. It was really sweet I couldnt even finish the whole thing, the cookies could have been warmer.

My second visit was amazing. I got the sugar cookie sandwich with its goody ice cream. It was heaven. The cookie was sooooo warm and the ice cream was amazing. I also tried the turtle cookie and a couple others that were just to die for. Definitely will be coming back :)
5 - Anne T.: How can you go wrong with ice cream sandwiches? You can't! With eight types of cookies & 16 different ice creams, you make your custom ice cream sandwich for two bucks!

Not feeling the ice cream sandwich, get scoops of ice cream or fruit bars. There's Vegan cookies available and costs a bit more.

This is the first time $2 dolla' made me holla..
5 - Edward M.: Cookies are freshly baked, ice crem is good . combine the 2 and you have one great treat. This place is so good and for such a great price you can't go wrong.
4 - Jenna L.: This place is similar to the Diddy Riese at UCLA, and it is pretty darn good. I prefer the cookies at Diddy Riese, only because there are more flavors... but this place sure doesn't fall short. 

You can mix and match cookies & ice cream for $2, so it's a VERY affordable idea of dessert. The line is ALWAYS out the door, and it amazes me how much business they get out of such a simple idea.

Definitely try it out because it is WELL worth your money.
5 - WiN S.: I scream for ice CREAM! Best place to go for an ice cream sandwich. Your choice of freshly baked out of the oven cookies and your choice of ice cream. Speaking of it makes me drool! On top of all that it's cheap and worth your money.
5 - Ireri L.: Best Place for yummy and Super Affordable Dessert!!! 
Hubby and I come  here very often because their ice cream sandwiches are only $2 AND they have Green Tea Ice cream which is my absolute favorite ice cream ever!  it's walking distance from BART and it is open til midnight!  

They have a good selection of ice cream flavors and cookies to choose from AND they have vegan cookies and soy ice cream, which makes this place even better. Our vegan friends loved it. 

You really have to have a sweet tooth to truly enjoy and finish the sandwich though because it is very sweet and it does get messy so you have to eat kinda fast. The cookies are hot so the ice cream melts kinda quickly, it is delicious though. For me, it's difficult to finish one but they also have other options like ice cream by the scoop and milkshakes and floats. =) 

The line is always out  the door whether it rains or shines, seriously. But it moves quickly. 

We always have fun because they're usually playing loud music and the employees like to sing loudly. It's always entertaining.
4 - Amy L.: Even though I love sweets, this place was too sweet for me. I got my ice cream sandwich with white chocolate macadamia nut cookies and green tea ice cream. They were both very good separately, but together is just too much for me. It can get messy when eating, so try to keep it in the white sleeve.

More pros: good hours, the long lines move quickly, and it's CHEAP, CHEAP, cheap at $2 per ice cream sandwich!
5 - Shawn B.: We went to CREAM after getting fries from smart Alec's. There was no line, and the cookies were fresh from the oven. I got the peanut butter cookie sandwich with coffee almond ice cream, and it was spectacular. 

The cookies were warm and gooey, and the ice cream cold enough as to where it didn't melt before the sandwich was finished. The staff was friendly and welcoming, and even though the music was a touch loud, we could still easily make our orders with no hassle. 

One of the best parts about the place that blew mind mind was the prices. At $2.00 you get a delicious ice cream sandwich that can't be beat. To be honest - for the price point and amount you get, I would easily choose this over Ici for an ice cream fix.
4 - Kevin F.: Great for what it is. It's not foody quality cookie/ice cream (for that, the gelato places or the College Ave ice cream places are better), but for $2 for an ice cream sandwich, Cream provides a whole lot of deliciousness for the money.
3 - Winnie C.: I am between a 2 and 3 star, but technically speaking I have not had a better ice cream sandwich, just better ice cream and cookies.

I had scarfed down my Fat Slice pizza to finally run over to Cream for dessert because I had heard such great things! I finally get there, we ordered a Snickerdoodle with caramel spice ice cream and a Macadamia White Chocolate with Coffee Almond Fudge. Ok. So we were there at 11:30PM. No lie, but the girl who was working there would not warm up the cookies. The music was also extremely loud for a food establishment, yet she found it rude that I could not hear her. You're behind a large sheet of glass, no I really can't tell what you're saying. She was so ridiculously rude. You serve ice cream, try to be sweeter about life huh?

As for the food itself. I have definitely had better ice cream (Ici's!!!!!!!!), but Cream is open extraordinarily late. The Snickerdoodles were soft and nicely cinnamoned to perfection. I did not have a thing at all for the Macadamia White Chocolate Chip. I would come back if I was in the area and thinking about dessert ($2-$3), not too bad, but no special trip out for this place again!
5 - ABBY A.: Cookies Rule Everything Around Me, this is true. A few of us decided to drive out to Berkeley and indulge in their ice cream cookie sandwiches. To my surprise, there wasn't a line out the door (yes!). Oh, don't forget its CASH ONLY (don't you just hate that?!). Anyway, here's the deal: you walk up to the counter, choose your cookies, and then choose your ice cream. I chose the double chocolate chip cookies with strawberry ice cream (yummy). My boyfriend chose the chocolate chip cookies with mint chip ice cream (also yummy), and he even ordered two more chocolate chip cookies to go. Their chocolate chip cookies are really good! The possibilities are endless at CREAM, and for about $2 a pop, I do expect to try more ice cream cookie sandwich combos!
3 - Liz W.: Freshly, warm baked cookies AND Ice cream together?  This could be good!!!  You can chose 2 different cookies, for top and bottom, and your scoop of ice cream...all for $2!  So glad they replaced Beard Papas (which was always empty) with this!  It was indeed yummy, but not that great or anything, and I could actually only finish 1/2 of my cookie-ice-cream-wich because it was waaaayyy too sweet.  Otherwise, if you're craving some sweets, definitely come here! $2 will go a long way here :)
4 - Richard C.: YUMMY. The idea of cookies between ice cream is GENIUS. Perfect for the hot day, but prepared to make a little mess. ;)

I had the white chocolate macadamia nut cookies with strawberry ice cream and it was OMGSOGOODILOVESTRAWBERRY amazing! The two just compliments each other! The double chocolate chip with mint chocolate ice cream was pretty good, but I have to say my favorite is the white chocolate macadamia nut with strawberry ice cream.

If you get lucky, you can get the cookies that come fresh out of the oven, which makes it even BETTER!
5 - Kit K.: The concept behind this place is so good, it makes you stop and think, "Why didn't I think of it?" But beyond the good idea, the execution is impeccable.

Soft, warm, chewy cookies that give way in your mouth so you can get safely to the decadent ice cream in the middle without much squeezing out. It's poetry in waxed paper, and they could get away with charging a lot more than they do, even in a college town.
4 - Joycelyn L.: Super sweet cookies and yummy ice cream.

Came here on a Tuesday night around 9:30pm.  No line to get in on this goodness.  I got an ice cream sandwich with a white chocolate macadamia cookie and a chocolate chip cookie with strawberry ice cream, while my bf had mint chip ice cream with a chocolate chip cookie and a rocky road cookie.  Cookies were fresh and the chocolate chips easily melt in your hands.  Of the three cookies - the white chocolate macadamia was the sweetest, even for a sweets lover such as myself.  They use double rainbow ice cream which is a plus and for 2 bucks a sandwich it's a good deal!

They only have 4-5 chairs in the shop and a couple benches outside.  These sandwiches can be easily eaten on the go.  Besides, cookies and ice cream, they also sell milkshakes.  If I'm in the area or craving ice cream sandwiches I'll be sure to come back.
5 - Michelle J.: Two words: simple goodness.  Although this place looks like a boutique type of ice cream shop and its cute decor doesn't fit in with the eccentricity of Telegraph Road in Berkeley, the ice cream sandwiches are just delicious!  The cookies are freshly baked and warm when you order.  It's a novel concept that is simple and the prices are just right.  At $2 for an ice cream sandwich (with a generous scoop of ice cream), you can't beat it!  

As a Cal alumni, it was strange walking through Berkeley after 5 years and finding new stores but this store is definitely a great addition.  Similar to Westwood's Diddy Riese near UCLA, CREAM is just as good - if not, better.  The cookies aren't too sweet and with just the right combination of cookie and ice cream flavor, you won't get sick of it!  

My recommendation: Butter sugar cookies with mocha almond fudge ice cream
5 - Jonathan C.: I've never actually come across an ice cream sandwich shop until I came to Berkeley for the first time. A friend informed me that at its inception the shop would attract lines that wrapped around the corner of the street. On my particular visit, there were a handful of people waiting outside- must be a good sign.

I was told an ice cream sandwich (ice cream between two pieces of cookies) used to cost $1.50, but at the current price of $2.00 it's still a steal compared to similar shops. I ordered a rocky road cookie sandwich with coffee almond fudge ice cream. The first bite triggered an orgasmic explosion of sugar in my mouth, and subsequent bites made my taste buds ejaculate so hard I almost came. 

Best ice cream sandwich I've ever had in my life. For two bucks.
4 - Zandra T.: If you ever get the chance to go to Berkeley, definitely check out this place! It takes ice cream to a whole different level! It's an ice cream sandwich place, but you get to pick the type of cookie and ice cream. There's a whole bunch to choose from too! Rocky road cookies!? Pretty awesome stuff. Plus, it's a bang for your buck! $2!? Wow!
5 - Alicia A.: TWO WORDS:

Effing Amazing.
4 - Alison H.: Picking your own ice cream and cookies?! Yes, please! I've been here twice now and absolutely love the idea!
5 - ed c.: Too good to be true.  Fiance and I tried it out and it was worth every penny.  They dont accept plastic yet, but that isnt an issue as the price is right.  I like how you can select different cookies and they have cookies for those that at allergic to nuts as well as vegan cookies.  Too good to be true!
3 - Aaron M.: Two fresh oatmeal raisin cookies hot out of the oven, hugging their gooey arms around a big scoop of cinnamon caramel ice cream...for $2!   Simple and delicious. 

That said, what a gut-bomb of epic proportions.  I shudder to think of the calorie counts..then again that shudder might be the seizure inducing sugar-high from consuming my treat.  A trip to CREAM is a exercise in ridiculous desert debauchery.  

Anyone know if this place is owned by or pays royalties to Wu Tang Clan?
5 - Rose A.: I am so glad I watched the We Eating episode where they featured CREAM because this place is freakin' amazing!  The ice cream is so creamy and not overly sweet.  You can taste that the ice cream is all natural.

The cookies are served warm and are perfectly chewy with just a nice amount of crunchiness around the edges.

Combine the two and omigod!  This is like no other ice cream sandwich you've had before.  The warmth of the cookie and the coldness of the ice cream are a nice mix - and the cookies are not too warm so you're not left with melted ice cream mess.  Plus the ice cream sammie is so good, you'd probably eat it way too fast to even let it melt anyway.

What I really like is that you're able to choose 2 different cookie flavors if you wanted to.  And the ice cream sandwich is just $2!  My husband and I only paid $4 for 2 ice cream sandwiches.  Which is super cheap considering most ice cream places charge about $2 - $4 for just a single scoop.

If I didn't live over the bridge, I'd be back everyday trying different flavor combinations!
4 - Alex S.: CALORIE BOMB!

They make the cookies right in the shop and serve quality icecream. I ordered a sandwich of almond icecream and peanut butter cookies and it was bomb! Seriously, the cookies themselves would be a treat. 

Servers could have been more responsive, but they were still nice.
4 - Christine K.: So simple: $2 gets you:

Two warm cookies fresh from the oven
One GIANT scoop of ice cream
NOm NOM nom  NOM nom

Tasty goodness that makes me super happy.
5 - danny m.: the ice cream sandwiches here are really good! the cookies are nice and warm. and it was only 2 bucks! the lady working there was even nice enough to validate my parking even though my friend and i didnt reach their 5 dollar minimum. will diffidently be back again.
5 - Caitlin B.: So, so, so good!

Ice cream sandies for all (vegan options too--and more than one at that)! I had a white chocolate macadamia nut/double chocolate cookie sandwich with salted caramel ice cream. Cookies were freshly baked; ice cream was delish; and my sandwich-maker even danced and sang along to the bumping music playing in the shop!

Best part: my sandwich was only $2!

Also, my date had an oatmeal cookie/green tea ice cream sandwich--so if you're not into chocolate, there are plenty of options for you too! I cannot believe it took so long for a shop like this to exist in Berkeley.

I will definitely go back!
5 - Don M.: Someone should get an award for coming up with this: freshly baked cookies sandwiching a generous scoop of luscious ice cream.  And for $1.99??  No wonder this place always has such a long line out front.
4 - Judy W.: what... cookies.. and ice cream... wait. back track. FRESH cookies? and ice cream. oh dear... so so i walked past this place a couple times. and was like hmm... what the heck is CREAM? lol. well now i know. I got the oatmeal raisin and Chocolate chip cookie smushing some cookie dough or something. i forgot this was a while back. goodness. it was good the cookies were fresh. and ice cream was creamy. and only for 2 bucks. YES. SCORE! its a cheap quick fix (of course quick doesnt account for the riduclous parking in berkeley) but yes. i mean a scoop of ice craem is almost 2 dollars.. so u might as well come here and get 2 cookies with it. hehe. plus i loveee cookies. so im a bit biased about this. hahaha. 

all in all, quick service. good cookies. good ice cream. good price. i just hope it doesnt go downhill, as most places do. 

=]
3 - Jerico P.: cookies rule everything around me

berkeley finally gets it's very own cookies and ice cream place. many college students know about the other uc down south with its cookies and ice cream place- i'm glad that the idea has wandered up north to satisfy sweet tooth cravings 

for $2 you can a fix from choice freshly baked cookies and a variety of ice creams.

SOMETHING NEW: they added milk shakes and malts to the menu- i haven't tried them yet. will update as soon as i do.

until next time,

cheers!
4 - Alex L.: So here you go in and make a cookie sandwich. Choose one (or two) kinds of cookies (including about 8 gluten-free ones), and one of fifteen ice cream flavours. Definitely something you could do again and again; worth sampling a whole bunch of flavors. 

Downside: Because the cookies are fresh (not frozen), the sandwich melts relatively quickly and becomes a big mess unless you eat it quickly.

ALSO: Only $2 for the sandwich. Beat that.
3 - Jonathan N.: For those from SoCal, Cream is Berkeley's Diddy Riese. Cream offers a wide selection of ice cream for you to mash between two warm cookies all for the cheap price of two bucks. TWO BUCKS! How can you possibly beat that?

I had a scoop of the coffee almond fudge squished between two chocolate chip cookies. I'm not entirely sure what people are saying about a getting a "huge" scoop of ice cream because it's somewhat average... I guess it's big for 2 dollars.... Anyways, the coffee fudge ice cream is quite the delight. I wish I chose different cookies though since the chocolate chips aren't really aching to rave about.

If you get a scoop of ice cream here, you're stupid and should be smacked. Price wise, it's obvious to get the ice cream sandwich. Asian senses ftw! heheh

Overall, nice customer service and tasty summer treat. Too bad I'm not much of an ice cream sandwich person or I'd declare my next home.
5 - Noor M.: Chocolate malt shake - pure heaven

mint chocolate chip ice cream with the double chocolate chip cookie -  sunshine for $2

Come prepared with cash as they do not accept credit cards :(
4 - Chuck K.: $2 for a choose-your-own ice cream and cookie ice cream sandwich. Sold.
5 - Catherine W.: ZOMG. Don't even talk to me right now. I'm daydreaming about my next Cream sandwich. 

This place is heaven. Warm cookies and a good variety of cool flavors. So many different combinations of ice cream cookie sandwiches!! AHhH! Someone please call a lifeguard because I'm going to drown in my own drool.
4 - Beatrice E.: I've heard a lot of good things about this place, so I Yelped it and decided to try it with my friend today.

The line was really long, but this doesn't surprise me because it was at least 80 degrees in Berkeley today. Luckily, the line moves a lot faster than you'd expect.

I ordered French vanilla ice cream between a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie and a chocolate chip cookie. They have a cooler with a bunch of beverages in case you want something to drink with your sandwich.

I'm not sure why everyone says that the scoops of ice cream are huge--they're average size. But it's only $2, so I'm not complaining.

The man who rung me up (who seems to be the owner) was really nice. He said to my friend that he was going to give him a good deal with the sandwich, but that he'd have to give me a better one. We paid the same price, but it was funny nonetheless.

The cookies are fresh and amazing, but you really have to eat your sandwich fast because the freshness of the cookies can cause your ice cream to melt really fast. But it was scrumptious and calorie-laden, and I'd definitely come back for more.
5 - Chris A.: $2 for 2 fresh cookies and a sizable amount of ice cream between them.  I like it.

Customer service is good.  Pretty fast.  A line often builds outside, but it moves quick enough.  Cookies are good.  Ice cream is good.  Can't complain!
4 - Wayland L.: Cookies.  Ice cream.  In the same shop!  What more can I ask for?  

I walked by, saw the store, and saw that a scoop was $1.50 - why not?  Cookies are about 60 cents each .. decisions are tough when it comes to ice cream vs. cookies, but I chose ice cream.  I got a scoop of banana walnut.  The scoop was normal sized (not large, like other people are saying).  It was still really good and well worth my $1.50 :)

The inside is oddly warm (probably from the refrigerator + freezer units keeping things cool), but otherwise, great place.
5 - Alice L.: OMG, this is, by far, the best ice cream sandwich I've ever had. I shared one with my boyfriend and we both couldn't stop marveling about it. I picked the white chocolate and macadamia nut cookie and the boy the chocolate chip cookie. We decided on the banana ice cream. 

The ice cream is good, not not extraordinary, but the cookies, oh man, the cookies were AMAZING!!! The cookies were warm, gooey/chewy in the middle and a bit crispy/crusty on the edges. I wish I brought a dozen of the cookies home. And it's only $2!!! Thank the lord they don't have something like this in the city or else I'll get so fat. AMAZING and must try!!
5 - Janelle W.: The boo and I came here on a monday right before they closed around 10:40pm and the line shot out the store. We were in line for a good 10 minutes tho so it wasn't a bad wait at all considering how fast their service is--they get people in and out in a minute. Originally, I wanted to get the white chocolate macadamia cookie on both sides with green tea and vanilla ice cream, but the rude female worker walked away before i could even say vanilla and gave me white chocolate macadamia with green tea only. She looked at me like i was some dumbass. Excuse me! but this is my first time here so it took me a bit longer to speak out my order. Nevertheless, I'm not gonna complain to much because it was only 2 BUCKS, super delicious and it's basically a pazookie from BJ's except waaaay cheaper! I'll definitely come here again and hopefully not get stared down at.
4 - Nick P.: Alrighty. Today my friend and I stopped by CREAM for a little sum'in-sum'in. 

DELICIOUSNESS: In terms of deliciousness, I give this place a 9/10. Soooo good, even with it rapidly melting in the 95 degree summer weather!

LINE: None when we arrived but by the time we had ordered and paid, it was out of the door.

SIMILAR TO: Diddy Riese.

WARNING: THEY ONLY TAKE CASH. Why? No idea. Maybe to keep prices low?

OVERALL: I would go back.
5 - Rachid G.: Great price.
Great ice cream.
Warm, delicious, fresh cookies.

Put it all together and what do you get?
Five stars.

Also a cheap ice cream sandwich.
3 - Jasmine S.: last time i was in berkeley i believe that this location was a bearded papas.  

this place is really tasty, but i can't help but think that this isn't something that we couldn't make at home.  I'd maybe go here again, but I definately wouldn't go out of my way again...
5 - Betsy W.: I kept it simple and just got a chocolate chip cookie, and man oh man, I was blown away! It was just out of the oven, nice and warm and gooey....amazing! Good thing I work nearby because I will definitely be coming back here.
4 - Cindy S.: Came here after dinner at Jayakarta in Berkeley. This place has been bookmarked by me for a while. Lucky for us, we found a great parking spot right in front of Cream and no line!  The Eggs decided to go boring and got the Chocolate Vanilla swirl in a regular cone, while I went for the Chocolate Chip Mint Ice cream sandwiched in a hot, fresh out of the oven Cholocate Chip Cookies. We paid less than $5 for both of these. No wonder this is a neighborhood favorite. The chocolate chips cookies were good, the ice cream however, I thought was just ok. They do give you a good amount of ice cream. Cheap and good. I'm a fan!
5 - Victor K.: A friend of mine referred me to this place for great sandwiches. Don't go here if you want sandwiches. All I could find here was cookies and ice cream, it definitely did not look like a sandwich place. My friend is an idiot.

Even though all I wanted a nice Turkey Bacon Club, or a Poor Boy, I decided to at least try this place. When up to the counter I even made sure to ask if they did sell sandwiches. To my delight they said yes we do. So I said I'll have their most popular one. What did I think? Bahhh! These sandwiches were way too sweet! Horrible. Who the hell wants 600 empty calories for lunch? Some meat and veggies and condiments are what I like on my sandwiches.

Would not recommend this place for sandwiches. Too little meat and too much sugar. God no wonder Americans are so obese...
5 - Connie T.: Cream is like the Diddy Riese (in LA) of Berkeley! (: except it's $2 for an ice cream sandwich instead of $1.50.

If you love cookies and ice cream you should definitely come here! The line's usually out the door, but it moves fast. Quick service, a variety of ice cream flavors and various types of cookies! Just mix & match your favorites! What more can you ask for? (:
4 - Veronica B.: I had the ice cream sandwich with peanut butter cookie and strawberry cheesecake ice cream. It was super sweet but I enjoyed it. The cookie was warm when I got it. I see they have some vegan choices in the menu which is awesome. The line went pretty quick and you just tell them what you want and they put it together. Coming back here next time. Even though Beard Papa's gone, Cream is worth getting something satisfying for a $2 dollars.
5 - Anna M.: Crazy good.  And for only $2, it's a steal.
2 - Lisa K.: as many times as i try to like this place, i always end up feeling nauseous after i eat my ice cream sandwich. otis spunkmeyer cookies are too sweet to be mixed with ice cream, even for my over-active sweet tooth. i guess alone they would be edible, but then again you could easily buy otis spunkmeyer cookie dough and ice cream by yourself.

cream is like diddy riese's evil stepsister. i wish diddy riese would move up to berkeley so i can finally enjoy a cookie sandwich.
5 - Charles C.: Ice cream sandwich, 2 chocolate cookies with really chocolatey ice cream.  Wow.  Amazing.  I thought I was going to go into a food coma
4 - Marck N.: All I can say is cheap YUM. My co-worker and I stopped here after lunch. After reviewing the menu, I asked her what she was going to order. She said a single cup. I then said "No, we came here for an ice cream sandwich. You'd better get one." That said, I got the vanilla cream with snickerdoodle and oatmeal raisin cookie. Overall the cookies tasted better than the ice cream. Oatmeal raisin cookie over the snickerdoole.  My co-worker liked the ice cream sandwich that she got.  Next time I stop here, it will be a sandwich of two oatmeal raisin cookies and a different flavor ice cream..  Diet, forgive me.
4 - J R.: why haven't we seen this business earlier?  for those that say they couldn't handle how sweet it was, wussies!  i had the butter sugar cookies with banana fudge walnut ice cream and it was a cream dream!  please acquire a space in alameda so i can easily get to you on the weekends:) compared to a nestle toll house ice cream cookie sandwich this place is cheaper, fresher, and beautiful variety without the overwhelming decision of what you should get.  theres about 10 different ice creams as well as cookies.
5 - Julienne N.: CREAM gets 5stars!! Me and my cousins love this place... its soooo delicious!! ice cream sandwich for 2bucks??? who wouldn't want it?!
4 - Lilian x.: $2 ice cream cookie sandwiches with a sweet (harhar) selection of fresh cookies and ice cream flavors. I got the caramel/chocolate/vanilla ice cream in turtle cookies, which was admittedly a little ambitious and too rich/heavy. The boy got coffee almond toffee ice cream in chocolate chip cookies. 

As for feeling nauseous or not being able to stomach it...just eat half of one (:
5 - Wendy T.: You know what's REALLY good? 

MATCHA GREEN TEA ICE CREAM enveloped by two, melty DARK CHOCOLATE CHIP COOOKIES.

Try it. Best possible sandwich at Cream. Thank me later ;)
2 - Raghav C.: Excellent place for a quick late night snack! The cookies' simply melt in your mouth.
4 - Deborah C.: A cute little ice CREAM shop on the corner makes you want to take a peek inside on what kind of surprises they are hiding behind the counter. 

C'mon, who can resist by passing up those delicious, soft and chewy lookin' cookies?  I know I sure can't! 

Not only you can pick your own choice of ice cream, you can pick 2 different kinds of cookies for your cookie-wich!!! AMAAZZIINNNGGG!!! :D

To top it off, the workers were efficient and friendly at the same time, which is an added bonus star! *twinkle* 

You can't beat the price too!!! Less than $3 for both ice cream and cookies. This is a great treat to end a busy or a cool day! :D 

Happy Yelping!
5 - Virginia D.: shhhhh, don't tell my family I went to Cream without them.  

this place is AWESOME- many vegan cookie options (4-6 daily!) & 2 Double rainbow soy ice creams (one is always mint chip).  nothing like a scoop of ice cream smooshed between two warm cookies.  and all for $3. 

everything is very very very sweet-- nothing subtle about it.  

I no longer have to complain about the lack of vegan dessert options near campus. YAY!
5 - Laurie H.: I do not understand this place, no I do not...no I do not understand at all.

Two warm cookies of your choice, including vegan options, plus a generous scoop of ice cream in the middle....for $2? What? $2? I surely heard you wrong....and and read the board wrong....$2 per cookie and scoop of ice cream, right? So $6, right? What? No? $2? 

Can you see that I can't quite wrap my head around this? Is this promo pricing? Will it end soon once we've all become hooked?

Plus they're really really nice. And the choices of flavors of cookies and ice cream is terrific.  This is a five-star-winner, no question.
5 - Michael F.: Oh man... if you got the sweet tooth at telegraph..  C R E A M will hit the spot .
An Ice cream sandwich... freshly made for you
Freshly baked cookies with a .scoop of ice cream... for 2 bucks...
I had a scoop of the salted caramel squeezed in by 2 double chocolate chip cookies .. it was great..it's all nothing but goodness... 
there will be a line.. but it goes by quick...
I'm definitely coming back for some more C R E A M  when I'm in the area...
5 - Steven W.: I have to say the I already loooove cookies, especially warm chewy ones, and I love ice cream. But ice cream sandwiches is 10x better! Cream serves freshly baked cookies (thus warm and chewy) with delicious ice cream, which is the epitome of delicious, down-to-earth desserts!

Now for some details: My favorite flavors are the coffee almond fudge and the cookies and cream (I know, you can't have too much cookies in a ice cream sandwich!), and my favorite cookie flavors are the Turtle, and Double Chocolate (both are chocolate cookies). With those I usually get not as chocolately flavors. Otherwise a regular chocolate chip cookie would go great with most of the flavors. I love this place!

PS: remember to enjoy fast since the warm cookie and cold ice cream do not mix well over long periods of time.
3 - Katty K.: When I first came across Cream in Berkeley, I immediately thought of Diddy Reese in Westwood LA. SoCal invading NorCal?

If you're a fan of cookies and ice cream, then I totally recommend the ice cream sandwiches. You can mix and match the cookies with your favorite ice cream flavor.

They were $1.50 per sandwich, but they're now $2. Personally, I think it's on the pricey-side, but it's still worth a try if you haven't had it before!
4 - Austin M.: My review haiku:

Drawn in by the smell
Of fresh baked cookies and cones.
Life should smell this way.
5 - Chloe D.: sweet baby jesus..i saw this place on yelp and it looked delicious, so i had to find out for myself. oh yes, it IS delicious. and i my opinion anything that is cheap ( 2 freaking dollars!) is extra delicious. the cookies are warm. WARM COOKIES. which creates this melty cold and creamy amazing treat. they also have vegan options which is cool. and theyll cut it in half so you can share it. how cute. be sure to ask for an ice cream you see on the list even if the sign isnt posted in front of the ice cream itself.
4 - Victor G.: $2 for 2 freshly made cookies (peanut butter and chocolate chip) with a scoop of ice cream (matcha green tea)  in between.

choices are from 8 cookies, and about 20 ice creams. cookies had distinct flavors and texture, ice cream didn't have matcha taste. maybe it was overpowdered by the cookies....

4 stars. ( 5 for cookies, 3 for ice cream)
3 - Suzie R.: Ok, so I see what the hype is about.  I'm sure plenty of the people in that long line every night have no idea, this whole ice cream sandwich with 2 cookies thing has been around a long time, but I do.  I was a little upset though, being in Berkeley, they didn't have better vegan options.  I think the day I was there it was mint chip and cherry something or another, but the employees barely knew, so it didn't seem that enticing to me.  I got the turtle cookie with salted caramel ice cream instead.  It was messy and the cookie was in a ton of pieces.  I don't think they wanted to give me a messed up couple of cookies, but they did.  Maybe I should have said something, but I just ate it anyway-and it was good, i can't lie.  I should've known when the guy making my sandwich scraped on the pan to get my cookies off for what seemed 5 minutes.
5 - Ami H.: I'm not really one that is fond of ice cream, but I really do like the ice cream sandwiches from here.  I've been to an ice cream sandwich place in L.A. called Diddy Riese that's like this, and let me just say... the ones sold here are WAY BETTER than in L.A.!  I love the ice cream between the soft cookies ... there are no words to describe its taste but let me tell u, I honestly don't know how ice cream can taste so deliciously yummy at $2!
4 - Vinay S.: As far as having a good tasting dessert, this place is alright. I did enjoy my trip here, but in the end all you have is a cookie with ice cream in it right? One thing I hated was that snicker-doodle was offered only under vegan so I had to pay extra....I don't want to sound cheap, but a place that makes cookies and ice cream I would think that snicker-doodle would be a bit more mainstream here. This place is cheap I hope they don't up their prices, because their prices make this place. Definitely worth a stop if you want something nice and cold. If you are looking for a bit more of a complicated dessert just walk by this place. This place definitely beats your average grocery store ice cream sandwich. Lines can be out the door, but don't let that be intimidating, the employees are quick.
5 - Akvile H.: OoOooh my! Where has you [Cream] been all my life?!

What a brilliant idea, how have I never heard of this place or been smart enough to concoct a business idea such as this before, lol. Thank you for opening up and providing such wonderful treats and experience!

This has definitely been the best find I've had in a while...and for only $2, these custom made ice cream cookie sandwiches are phenomenal and decadent! I ordered one with peanut butter cookies (soft and tasty!) with a scoop for salted caramel ice cream in between. AMAZING. 

The staff was incredibly friendly, welcoming, super smiley (bonus points!), and they even had a sign by their register for you to Yelp about your experience. Done and done! ....and I'l be back in again, that's for sure. When I have my next case of the sweet tooth, I will be in to remedy it with your treats!
4 - Amy H.: TIP: Music inside is LOUD. Maybe I'm becoming a cranky old woman, but when my boyfriend is right beside me and I have to yell in his ear about what cookie and ice cream combo I'm going to get, the music is way too loud. 

TIP #2: Don't worry about taking your time to think about what you want. It's YOUR ice cream sandwich! Of course, you also want to make the perfect combo of flavors to maximize happiness. Yes, I just over-analyzed what flavor combo you chose and judged how perfect it is. I'm THAT person. 

I wanted a chocolate-chip-cookie-overload sandwich, so I got the Chocolate Chip Cookie dough ice cream sandwiched between two Double Chocolate Chip cookies. (How many times did I say chocolate chip cookie in the last sentence?!) The cookie was crumbly in a good way, full of melty chocolate chips. The ice cream had decadent chunks of cookie dough in it. As I bit into my sandwich, I couldn't help but think that this was like a pizookie in a different form, except my cookie wasn't as hot. Will request a warmer cookie next time. 

My boyfriend--he made the perfect combo. I was jealous. Actually, it's the morning after, and I'm STILL jealous. A giant scoop of didn't-taste-artificial Banana Walnut ice cream was sandwiched between two Peanut Butter cookies. It tasted like a peanut butter & banana sandwich, but ten times better! I stole a few bites of his sandwich and vowed to get that combo next time. 

It's simple, delicious, and makes you feel like a kid. Sure, you can buy the ingredients separately and make it yourself, but i think Cream is worth it because you can make whatever combo you want, on demand.
4 - Kimiko Q.: HOLY CRAP!   A big scoop of ice cream (of your choice!) sandwiched between two massively warm, oozing cookies!!  For $2.00 you say??  Coming from San Francisco it's a near MIRACLE to find anything so delicious at such an affordable price.

The cookies were fresh and the chips in them were melting onto our ice cream.  Watch the two poor city kids (us) sitting on the bench outside trying to grasp this melty delicious disaster running between the paper and down our fingers.  Never again SF!  Driving across the bridge is almost worth it for this creamy cold treat!
3 - Stacey R.: cream used to be mouth drooling but then they raised their price to $2.00 and now their cookies aren't as fresh. while i'm still a fan, i'm just sad at the fast decrease in product & increase in price, which is why i'm giving cream 3 stars
4 - Jeanette Y.: FRESH white chocolate macadamia cookies sandwiching matcha green tea ice cream is AMAZING. 

PS. it's pretty MASSIVE. I'd recommend sharing it with someone. They can cut it in half for you!

Warning: SEVERE sugar rush may occur.
5 - David F.: After an amazing first experience at C.R.E.A.M., I came here to write a review and noticed that a bunch of people had given this awesome ice cream shop poor ratings.  I know I'm supposed to be reviewing the store and not the reviewers, but I think that through my responses to the negative ratings, I'll give my own evaluation.

First, there are a ridiculous number of people whose negative rating was based either on not liking ice cream sandwiches, not liking ice cream, or complaining that ice cream sandwiches have a lot of calories.  If you don't like ice cream sandwiches, don't go to a store whose primary function is selling ice cream sandwiches.  I don't like avocados so I would not go to a store that only sells avocados and then complain that avocados are not tasty.

Second, to the crazy number of people who cried because the price of this delicious treat went up from $1.50 to $2, how can you possibly complain about paying the tiny fee of $2 for a delicious treat made of 2 tasty cookies and a scoop of ice cream.  I don't care if you can make it yourself for cheaper.  $2 is not a lot of money for a delicious treat.  I don't know where you normally buy your desserts, but generally, they cost a lot more than that (and don't even taste as good).  

Third, to the people whose major complaint is that this place isn't as good as some place in LA, go back to SoCal.  For those of us up here, an ice cream shop hundreds of miles away is a stupid comparison.  It's mostly just you trying to get some hipster cred by referencing some store you know.  We're not impressed.  

The fact is that C.R.E.A.M. is awesome.  They had plenty of ice cream flavors, and the one I had (the It's A Goody) was spectacular.  Was the ice cream better than the gourmet deliciousness I had at Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous?  No, but that's not what this place is about.  They're not selling gourmet ice cream.  They're selling a cheap alternative that's super tasty.  The Double Chocolate Chip cookies were awesome too.  I've read some of these reviews that complain that the cookies were less than great, and I just have to disagree.  They were warm and gooey and delicious.  The people working there were awesome and friendly and fun, and I don't care if they weren't super-professional (for the record, they were perfectly professional with me, and this is merely a response to the people who've complained about the professionalism.  If you really want professionalism, don't go to a $2 ice cream sandwich shop on Telegraph).

Finally, I think the name is awesome.  It's clever and memorable.  

So, to al the haters, get over yourselves and enjoy the awesomeness that is Cookies Rule Everything Around Me.
4 - Shirley W.: Very good concept. It reminds me of a place in socal near ucla where they also serve cheap ice cream sandwiches. For 2 bucks I got white chocolate and macadamia nut cookies with cinnamon caramel ice cream. The cookies were warm and the ice cream was soft so it was messy but it satisfied my sweet tooth craving. Parking is hard to find since it is about a block away from campus.
4 - Camille D.: Alright, so this place is pretty great. For two dollars, I can get a delicious ice cream sandwich with my choice of cookies and ice cream. Yum.

One thing that was unfortunate is that on warm days (I won't even venture to say hot because it's only Berkeley) the ice cream sandwiches melt extremely quickly. Me and my friend literally watched half our sandwiches melt to the floor within five minutes after we purchased them. Oops.

Also, the cash only policy...it is what it is.

Still four stars because the quality/taste of ingredients is solid. Also, nice employees.
5 - BullsEye S.: Love this place.

For $1.50 you can't get any better.

Cookies are always so warm and soft.
4 - Jason T.: The only reason why I'm just giving this a four-star is because they raised the price of an ice cream cookie sandwich from $1.50 to $2. However, how can one say no to ice cream heaven smashed between two sinfully decadent cookies? All for only 200 cents. Good deal.

CREAM replaced Beard Papas, which was decent, but definitely nothing compared to CREAM. The line used to wrap around the store and you'd probably have to wait about 30 minutes to an hour to get your order, but man, was it worth it. If you're trying to satisfy a big sweet-tooth, this is the place to go. When I say big sweet-tooth, I honestly mean BIG. The sandwich can get pretty overwhelmingly sweet, so if you're just looking for a nice dessert, you can just get a cookie. :)

Anyways, good place to go in Berkeley. If you want a nice study snack, definitely get the dozen, so when you go hijack a room in dwinelle or barrows at 4am during finals week, you'll have CREAM help push you through the night. :)
2 - Cecile S.: This place has great ice cream sandwiches for $2. Cheap and good too. You pick the ice cream you want and the cookies to make the ice cream sandwich. There wasn't many selections though. I didn't see a particular cookie or ice cream flavor that I really liked, so I just picked what I thought would be the best. Maybe it was the day I went and they didn't have many choices. But the ice cream I did have was very good and creamy. I would come here again just to try other flavors, but I wouldn't make a point to come here.
5 - Dung N.: Rocky road cookie with banana fudge walnut ice cream. 2 buckaroos! 

So simple yet so delicious! Several flavors of ice cream for different types of cookies for you to pick and choose. Love love it!
4 - Kwame L.: It may not be premium ice cream, but the cookies are very good and the ice cream is certainly tasty enough. Plenty of choices for both ice cream and cookie for your ice cream sandwich, and it is stupid cheap at $2. You'll get your sugar fix, and it will leave you with a smile. A wonderful informal dessert  on the hoof.  Beware there are sometimes lines.
4 - crystal s.: This place is exactly like Diddy Riese by UCLA'S campus.. but better! Plus, I just love how witty their name is & asking my bf if we can go to Cash Rules Everything Around Me! haha
4 - Tina A.: ice cream sandwich for $2 [with no tax so you dont have to carry loose change around] ??  in any combination of flavors that you like?? i'm there!

awesome quick dessert that is so sweet you might need to share with two people.  Just wish the cookies were a bit warmer... would definetly come here again if i had the munchies or if i'm with a sweet-toothed friend
4 - Stephanie Y.: Coffee ice cream with chocolate chip cookies was delicious and perfect for that hot, sunny day. It smelled great inside too. The coffee ice cream was just decadent, but the cookies were a bit too hard. I'm guessing they need to  be otherwise the cookies might go too soft. In any case ... I was pretty sure I would get diabetes by the end of the meal. Yea, it's that filling.

Definitely get the ice cream sandwich, because scoops of ice cream is way too small there for about the same price.
3 - Tiffany Y.: There are good CREAM days and there are bad CREAM days. 

On a good CREAM day you wait 5 minutes in line for two soft chewy fresh baked cookies sandwiching a large scoop of not-too-melted ice cream. 

On a bad CREAM day you wait 20 minutes in the cold next to Thai House for cooled, hardened cookies that buldge out awkwardly from an uneven ice cream sandwich. You can't bite it without getting ice cream all over your face and you drip stickiness everywhere.

Cream is known for their ice cream sandwiches (don't get anything else, like shakes, which will take FOREVER). Even though some customers are outraged that they raised the price from $1.50 to $2.00, it's still a good deal for such a large caloric dessert/snack. I personally find CREAM overly sweet, and staying in the place for too long and smelling all the sugar makes me a little sick. But it is good in small and infrequent amounts.

Service here is nice. Employees are encouraged to dance and sing while working, and the store plays lots of oldies and pop music. 
NOTE: there are only two tables to sit at, so this is more of a grab n go place

WILL I come back: hmmm...yes. I've introduced friends to CREAM and they love it
WHEN will I come back: When I'm showing people the highlights of Berkeley, or when I go through a breakup and need to engorge myself with disgustingly good ice cream
WHAT will I do differently: order less-sweet cookies (maybe the oatmeal cookie?)
5 - Laura S.: This place puts Diddy Riese to shame. Awesome quality cookies, ice cream and prices. The staff is very fun.
4 - Rudy A.: So I have been to this place 3 times and every single time there is a line of at least 20 people infront of me. If you have a line that long u must be doing something right. Damn right they do, 2 warm cookies of your choice and yummy ice cream in the midle for $2  how can u beat that.
5 - Patrick B.: Tasty place in the bay area...they make freshly baked warm cookies and put the ice cream in-between. Great ice cream sandwich and pretty fair price.
5 - Bre Bre T.: Where do I start? $1 ICE CREAM SANDWICH!! You customize your sandwich by choosing ice cream and the cookie that you want! My favorite is the strawberry with a sugar cookie. Oh, might I add that the cookies are extremely fresh, service is friendly, and they're open til' midnight or later! People say the best things in life are free, even though it's not free $1 is pretty close! They also sell brownies!
4 - Sean D.: Really good. And for a buck fifty, its perfect.  Only down side is that there is no seating. And when you have a giant glob of ice cream stuffed between two giant cookies, you kind of want to sit down and enjoy it. Great, none the less.
4 - Heather C.: Cookies 
Rule 
Everything 
Around 
Me 

Came here with a couple of friends and we got there at just the RIGHT time because there was NO line (the line got real long when we got outside)!! *gasp* 

I got the WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT cookie w/ SALTED CARAMEL ice cream and it was heavenly, the cookie was chewy and delectable! But when the ice cream melts the cookie becomes almost too sweet to eat. =X The ice cream wasn't anything special though, the salted caramel ice cream didn't have much flavor to it BUT cookies and ice cream is always a match made in heaven! =)

Great place feed your sweet tooth, the line can get really long BUT it moves fast! Also, there's only a couple of chairs/tables inside so more than likely you'll be standing outside to eat BUT it's okay because you won't be the only one/ones! =)
5 - Brieana P.: The cookies are fresh, the ice cream is lovely, and I travel miles just for their ice cream sandwiches. I love this place :3
3 - Dean W.: This place isn't anything special.  They pretty much ripped the Coldstone concept and offers glorified ice cream sandwiches.  The shop is pretty small  and only offers 3 small tables.  The ice cream selection is limited.  Although the cookies are pretty good since they make them fresh, it quickly melts the ice cream.  Unless you eat it quickly, you'll be holding a sticky mess.
5 - David L.: If anyone's ever been to UCLA or Westwood in general, Cream is a complete copy of Diddy Reise.  That said, it's great to finally have something similar up in Berkeley.

Chocolate Chip with mint chocolate chip ice cream is absolutely delicious and is probably the best combo I've ever had.  Tried chocolate chip with green tea too.... just didn't work for me. 

At $2, it's still 50 cents more than Diddy Reise but it's still a great value for a delicious dessert after dining out on Telegraph!
5 - Jazmine C.: Cookies Rules Everything Around Me..."dolla dolla bills yall"...
What more can I say best fresh cookies ever. Especially if you make an ice cream sandwich. Extremely reasonable as far as pricing. 

BEWARE: The line might be overflowing outside of the door. But TRUST ME it is worth the wait!!!! And they're pretty fast....
5 - Jill F.: A perfect way to satisfy any sweet tooth. This place used to be a Mrs. Fields when I attended Cal. Walking down Telegraph and reminiscing our college days, my friend and I were pleasantly surprised to find this ice cream shop. It's only $2 for a mouth watering ice cream sandwich and they use warm baked cookies straight out of the oven.  It doesn't get any better than that. 

 They have a good variety of ice creams and cookies.  You most likely won't be able to find a place to sit inside, so enjoy it outside while you get entertained by the shenanigans of characters lining the Berkeley streets.
5 - Payal C.: I LOVE this place! The cookies (Otis Spunkmeyer) are warm and gooey and they make sandwiches with whatever ice cream flavor you want in between. They're an inexpensive dessert and located right on Telegraph, its a great spot to grab a dessert you can eat while sauntering around window shopping or hanging out. 

The downside is the parking in the area....you kind of have to look for a bit and find street parking. Then, usually there's a bit of a line out the door. However, don't let that stop you! Its definitely worth the short wait and the walk from wherever you park.

By the way, after having lived in Los Angeles for the past 10 or so years, I got rather accustomed to the spot Diddy Reese which is the same ice cream sandwich idea, but I gotta say, after trying CREAM, this place takes the cake as my favorite.
4 - Shannon B.: Fresh ice cream sandwich $1.50. Also comes in vegan sandwiches. I could have skipped the ice cream and just got hot cookies. It was all good, just intense. Maybe if I was still in college?
4 - Desiree R.: This is THE BEST place to go for a late night sweets craving. In the summer they close a bit earlier, but during the rest of the year they're open until 2am some nights. I usually go then because parking is reasonable (there are always at least a few spots open and it's free) and the line isn't too bad. 

The entire place is just a counter with ice cream selections and then several huge ovens baking fresh cookies constantly. There are only two or so tables inside, and no seating outside, so you're most of the time left to wander Telegraph (which can be really nice when it's not too cold outside). You can ask for gooey or crunchy cookies, warm or room temperature. But who wants a room temperature cookie? 

They offer sandwiches as well as individual cookies or ice cream scoops. The ice cream itself isn't the best quality, but together they are heaven in your mouth. You can order two different types of cookies for the top and bottom of the sandwich, which I always do and am never disappointed. I could go on and on, but it's a freshly made ice cream sandwich...not much more needs to be said.

The price has gone up from $1.50 a sandwich to $2.00 (which of course is still cheap), but we all know they were still making tons of money when it was only $1.50, they could have kept it that way and still been fine. But I'd still spend the 2 bucks any day.
5 - Debby P.: Went today... pure heaven. Being able to choose your own combination of cookie(s) and ice cream flavors and they were unbelievably delicious. Plus, the staff was having fun, singing along to the music and interacting with the customers. Put gluttony at it's finest. Go. Now. Hurry.
3 - Wendy L.: 2 stars for service, 5 stars for food. 

I came here on a Thursday night (7/21/11) at around 9pm, and was sorely disappointed with the service. I'm all for employees having fun and enjoying themselves, but the girls that were working seemed to be more interested in dancing to the music than helping customers. The music was WAY too loud (maybe I just really dislike loud Mexican music?), and I felt like I had to scream my order just to be heard. It seemed to me that the line outside kept growing not because more people were coming in, but because the two girls would dance, scoop, dance, scoop, change music, dance, scoop. Seriously, I just wanted to buy and eat my ice cream sandwich, not watch a Broadway show about scooping ice cream. 

That being said, I was helped by the only guy there that seemed to actually be working, and I loved my ice cream sandwich.
4 - Kevin M.: This is great place. There are lots of reviews, so I won't bother writing something long, or funny, because, it's like, why?

That said, the sandwiches were original $1.50, those were the days. Last time I went in, about a week or two ago, they had gone up to 2 bucks. Still a pretty good deal, because you get a good amount of greatness for not a ton of money. 

Anyway, I'd give it 5 stars because it really is an amazing place, but it doesn't have: great places to sit. I'd give it 4.5 stars if possible.
5 - Kevin T.: All the best things in life leave you a hot, sticky mess. 

Think about the last forbidden tryst, steamy encounter, or otherwise MIND-BLOWING sex you've had in your life. Although it may have been earth-shattering, you did NOT come out of that experience so fresh or so clean.

Cream is definitely Cassanova at not only finding, but titillating your gastronomical G-Spot. As a general rule, I'm usually not a big fan of desserts but my last experience here left me moaning like a Hundred-Dolla-Hooker. 

One scoop of velvety smooth Coconut Ice Cream lovingly fondled between two pieces of soft, gooey chocolate cookies. Sounds simple right? But my friend...you have to experience it to believe it.

Somehow these culinary creations managed to blindside me, but with the LIMITLESS combinations of cookie and ice cream to devour (okay, it's more like dozens) I will definitely be back. 

For around 2 bucks a pop, nirvana has never been more attainable.
5 - Mike A.: First time ive had to line up for a place like this. Kinda like that movie "Made of Honor" when Hannah and Tom lined up for that bakery. This is kinda like that except with Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches. This place is a good place for dessert after a dinner with the friends, as well as a spot to just go to for that ice cream fix you need.

You choose two fresh baked cookies, (doesnt have to be the same kind either) and choose an ice cream. easy enough? i doubt it, they have endless combinations and with the "roaring mob" behind you when you're ordering you just feel pressured to go with what feels right. But on a slow day you can just stand in the (really small) lobby and look at the menu and let a couple people go ahead of you before deciding your flavor.

Parking is a bit tight (especially if you dont have a dorm within walking distance). but you can find some parking down the street/around the block. and enjoy the walk to and from the place. and not to mention its only $2, so if youre really feelin' it, you can go back for round two if the line isnt too long.
2 - Anna W.: Just about everyone's review of CREAM says that it's the most awesome invention since sliced bread. But I just don't get the hype.

Maybe it's because my stomach is very sensitive to dairy products and therefore I am bitter because I can't technically consume copious amounts of ice cream sandwiches for only $2 the way all the other Cal students appear to be doing. Whatever the reason though, I just wasn't impressed.

CREAM is cash only, which has pretty much been one of the bigger reasons (the biggest being my dairy sensitivity) that has kept me away; really, how often does a college kid carry cash on them? But one day, after Boyfriend came to visit me on campus and we were walking back to my car after my last class, we wandered by CREAM and I, for once, happened to have enough cash on me to buy, not just one, but TWO ice cream sandwiches for us to consume.

There is a fairly large selection, but I was plain and chose vanilla ice cream with the white chocolate cookies and I believe Boyfriend got something with ridiculous amounts of chocolate. Excited that I would finally be able to experience the sugary sweet wonders that all of my classmates had been gushing about, I bit into my ice cream sandwich without much further ado.

Or, rather, I TRIED to bite into my ice cream sandwich. The cookies were hard, almost on the point of seeming stale. I pretty much had to wait for the ice cream to soften the cookies first, by which point the ice cream itself was melting everywhere. And it is not easy to try to eat a melting ice cream sandwich and drive a car through the streets of Berkeley.

Maybe I had my sandwich made with a bad batch of cookies, but I was severely disappointed. I might try this place again if I'm ever in the Berkeley area with cash in my wallet, but I otherwise wouldn't go out of my way to go back.
5 - Nasir M.: NorCal's answer to the place that shall not be named in Westwood. Whats not too like. Two bucks (cash only) for a freshly baked cookie with a healthy dollop of ice cream. The ice cream flavors seem to fluctuate, im not sure how often, but the cookie flavors remain stagnant. I have been here twice, the first time I had macadamia nut cookies with cheesecake ice cream and the second time I used the same cookies with banana nut ice cream. Both times I was thoroughly impressed. No trip to Berkeley is now complete without stopping here at least once.
4 - Anh Thu P.: CREAM is definitely better the second time around. After giving this place another try from all the overly-hyped reviews about the place, I decided to try different types of ice creams to match the cookies I had chosen. To be honest, my first time here was horrible. My favorite cookie, white chocolate macadamia proven to be overly sweet and in addition to the cookies and cream ice cream pick, was simply a sugar bomb. However, I understand why this is super popular in Berkeley. My friends always crave something sweet at night and for the relatively cheap price of $2, it cannot be beat. Surprisingly, the good ice cream places around the bay tasted mediocre at best and at around $4 for the smallest size, I would definitely choose CREAM over them. Especially since you get ice cream and cookies for the price of one! 

Also, no matter what time I come the cookies are always super soft and warm. It is the perfect consistency to add to the richness of the ice cream. But don't be discouraged if you aren't into ice cream sandwiches, you can order ice cream, cookies or brownies on its own.
5 - Javan D.: Cookies and ice cream friends forever
5 - Eric R.: Cheap delicious cookie ice cream sandwiches. I went with a chocolate chocolate chip cookie/chocolate chocolate chip cookie edges with coffee ice cream in the middle and it did not disappoint!

I also tried the regular chocolate chip cookie at this place, and that was too sweet, but the 2x chocolate cookie is winning!
4 - Marilen B.: the cookie ice cream sandwiches are a good size but not nearly as daunting as they look in the pictures. but it's totally a satisfying size... not even "finishable" at times. i got snickerdoodle and white choc macadamia cookies w/ cinnamon caramel inside. good but much too sweet for me. 

my friend jenn had snickerdoodle cookies w/ banana ice cream.. SO GOOD!!! that's what i'm getting next time i'm in the neighborhood. 

at $2, this is a good deal. and despite the daunting line in the pictures, the friendly and welcoming staff inside tend to get you in and out quickly w/ a smile and some friendly banter. still, i can't help but question whether or not it'd be worth the trip to this busy section of berkeley (esp if you drive and need to look for parking). couldn't we make this at home and save time/money??... hmmm, well the banana ice cream would justify it all though.
5 - Kathleen L.: For $2, it's worth the "creamy crime scene" aftermath. You'll find your 5 year old self unleashed and that all of the napkins in the world can't come close to the gooey, shameless mess you'll end up with. 

Rundown: Scoop of ice cream (your flavor of choice) in between two hawt, gooey cookies (of your choice as well). Voila, you have yourself a CREAM masterpiece. I had the Turtle cookie and the mint chocolate chip ice cream in between. Delish. Truly worth the wait, didn't have too much of a line when I went with a pal but the line ended at the curb. Must try when in Berk-town. Tip? Eat it quickly. Apparently, I ate at turtle's speed hence the creamy face aftermath. 

What really stuck out to me is the softness of the cookies, the price (really can't find anything this delish in SF w/o having to pay more than $2 as simple as it may seem), and the"cream-y" mess left on your face afterwards. 

=Do bring a friend who doesn't know what's coming (don't grab any napkins for him/her...it'll be worth it). You only live once, be that person who makes an ass out of their BFFLZ but retorts with a, "BUT WASN'T THAT WORTH ALL THIS EMBARRASSMENT YOU'RE NOW DONNING THROUGHOUT TOWN?"  

=Don't bring your hot date unless you want to see how far their "hawtness" stretches even with all of that cookie residue on their cheeks.  This can either be a turn on or a complete yank from the cord. Either way, if they don't look sexy with all of that CREAM residue on their face then they probably don't deserve a call back. You're welcome.
4 - Nick S.: First off, the name is awesome. Wu-Tang forever! The cookies are great. They come out warm and soft. I tried the Rocky Road and Peanut Butter. I was especially impressed by the Rocky Road. For ice cream we had the Strawberry Cheesecake and Banana Fudge Walnut and both were the tits. Mouth orgasm to the max. There was even little chunks of cheesecake in the Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream. Cookies Rule Everything Around Me. Yall need this in your lives.
5 - Ramona G.: CREAM is the best dessert shop in the bay area! For only $2 you get your choice of two warm cookies sandwiched by your choice of ice cream! CREAM has awesome customer service and they are fast and efficient. There is always a long line but it moves very quickly. They also offer other items on their menu which I have not tried but they were all inexpensive most under $5. CREAM is a way better bang for your buck rather than Cold Stone Creamery or Baskin Robins.
4 - Mike P.: The owner actually messaged me noting that the cookies are warmed because customers tend to prefer it.  Room temperature cookies are available upon request.  This review is now bumped up to 4 stars now, one for sandwiches that don't fall apart in your hand and another star for a family run business that cares about their customers and the quality of ice cream they put out.

Thanks again Jimmy for your concern.
4 - J D.: Watch out, Diddy Riese! CREAM is out to get you!

We heard about this place from my sister and her boyfriend who said this place is pretty good (and possibly better than Diddy Riese), and so one day my husband and I went off to try it. And...wow, it is good, maybe even better.

The comparison. Diddy Riese - Who can beat ice cream cookie sandwiches for $2.00?! No one! Cookies are big, along with the scoop of ice cream in between those cookies. This type of place is a rarity in my opinion. Sometimes we wish the cookie were a little bit more fresh, but dang...$2? Worth it. 

Well, until CREAM. The cookies are WARM when you get your ice cream sandwich! Which can make for a messy dessert/meal, but I think that's the best part. Honestly, I don't mind if my hands and face get a little bit messy. I felt like I was a little kid again discovering the excitement behind ice cream. Just bring some baby wipes with you (which is, oh so convenient for us nowadays) to get the sticky stuff off.

I've gone there twice now and order the turtle cookies with cinnamon ice cream. It's freakin' delicious. I'd go there again. 

The reason for not 5 stars: 
1. It's on the other side of the bay, so we need to pay $4 for toll for this delicacy. 
2. The line can get pretty bad (so we've heard), but we've lucked out on each time we've gone there.
 3. There's only two SMALL tables in there, so don't expect to roll 20 deep to this place and think you'll get a seat. 
4. They don't accept credit cards. Understandably since everyone has $2 in cash in their wallet, right? RIGHT? Hmm, not if you're broke and rely on credit LOL

Anyways, worth the visit to the ATM and the toll across the bridge :)
4 - Celine P.: They specialize in ice cream sandwiches. LOVE it. I got the matcha ice cream in between tuxedo cookies.. de-licious! If I lived around the area, i'd go here everyday and make all the different cookie ice cream combos I could possibly make. They only take cash, but hey, it's only 2bucks:)
3 - Chris M.: Disappointing!

I love ice cream and I love cookies, but they had ran out of most cookies (they did not even have chocolate chip), the portion of ice cream was really small and the queue was 15minutes long...

Positive: It's pretty cheap I guess, but I see from other reviews it used to be $1.50

The music so load the guy behind the counter could not hear our order, who is staying to after party here? maybe I missed the sign and its BYOB

Are ice cream sandwich shops the new cupcake shops? Is this soon to be the snack at a Yelp Elite event near you? Is this where you will find the cool kidz writing blogs on their mac book pro's?

WAIT....

A BYOB, Ice cream cookie cupcakery with WiFi would make millions, I'm off to the bank to pitch for a loan!
5 - Julie N.: I like CREAM more than Diddy Riese near UCLA in Westwood because the cookies here are crunchy! I'm not a fan of doughy cookies like the ones you get at Diddy Riese. 
I chose green tea ice cream and chocolate cookies for my sandwich and it was such a good combo. The green tea ice cream was creamy and the cookies were crispy and super sweet... exactly what I needed after a minor car accident right before getting here. hah!
4 - Marlaina G.: So, we are on vacay looking for a dessert Yelp to the rescue! Way better than we expected.
2 fresh, warm cookies of our choice paired with a scoop of ice cream, again our choice for $2? Yesssss!!!
Son had Rocky Road cookie, double choc cookie and Caramel swirl ice cream, I chose Rocky road cookie, turtle cookie and a chocolate swirl ice cream, Gram had Macadamia cookie, snickerdoodle and Cinnamon Caramel ice cream. Although Son & I love choc and  we both loved our sandwiches, I would have to say Gram's tasted the best!
Line, not bad just a few minutes to wait and well worth it
5 - Michelle M.: oh my sweet cookie!!!! this is the best ice cream shop in the entire bay area. hands down!!! $$$$ cash (oops, i mean cookies) rules everything around me.....
5 - Angie S.: This place is soo good. there are so many cookies and ice cream flavors to choose from. Also they have vegan items and brownies, bars, etc if the ice cream sandwich is not your jazz.

I got a white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookie with matcha green tea ice cream. the pair was so delectable :) my boyfriend got a snickerdoodle cookie with rocky road ice cream and it was soo good. they also have a rocky road cookie. I can't wait to try it.

Their cookies are so fresh, you see them baking them while you wait in line, and their so soft and chewy. Also the price is sooo cheap. I could probably eat 10 of them. not that I would... :)
4 - Angela W.: To my surprise... it costs $2 for their ice cream sandwiches!!  Great deal considering 1 scoop of ice cream already costs over $3 in many places.

So, this place is pretty good especially if you have a HUGE sweet tooth.  For people like me, with a mild sweet tooth, the ice cream sandwich was a bit too much.

I ordered Green Tea Ice Cream (which is soooo phenomenal, one of the best I've had of this flavor) with the double chocolate cookie and white chocolate macadamia nut cookie.  Yeah, I ordered 2 of the sweetest cookies which is why it was way too sweet.  BUT, I ended up eating the cookies later and just eating my ice cream, which works. haha

The cookies are heated before they put the ice cream in between... and my oh my, my saliva glands were kicked up a notch especially at the first bite!

If you have a mild sweet tooth like me, I recommend getting a simple ice cream flavor with 2 chocolate chip cookies.  Otherwise, if you got a sweet tooth, order any type of combo and it'd taste delicious!
5 - Vivian L.: CHEAP. $2 a cookie sandwich + chewy cookies!! Plenty of different of cookies to chose from along with many ice cream flavors. Great service too. Friendly and clean indeed! x3
5 - Sarah A.: AMAZING ice cream sandwiches in berkeley- and maybe possibly the best ice cream sandwiches i've ever had. i would recommend getting the white chocolate macadamia nut cookie with chocolate ice cream or their pictured double chocolate chip cookie with mint chip ice cream. never fail. soooooo good for two dollars.
5 - Krystal G.: I went to this place for the first time with some CREAM-veterans.  Sure, the ordering system "sounds" easy.  But when you're olfactory receptors (sense of smell) of overwhelmed with the scent of freshly baked cookies, things can get a bit confusing.

I loved my friend's suggestion.  I ended up ordering 2 double chocolate chip cookies with green tea ice cream.  It might sound like it wouldn't go together at first.. but I'm convinced that you really can't go wrong with a little creativity when ordering from this place.

UPDATE:  I had to add a star for Jimmy's (the owner) willingness to go the extra mile for customer service!
4 - Ian P.: "What a deal!"*

It took me a long time to try this place, as during the school year in the evening there was always a line out the door.  Well, now I know why.  This place is an excellent value.  For $2 you have a choice of homemade (and sometimes warm) cookie to sandwhich, envelop, surround, and augment a tasty scoop of ice cream.  All was good...staff was friendly, the cookies were good, the ice cream was good.  It wasn't outstanding, but that's ok, for outstanding, I'll pay more than $2.  I'm afraid for my waist line that I'll almost certainly be back here...or maybe I can just hope that the lines are always long enough to deter me.

*As an aside, there was a falafel food truck back in Boston where if you said "What a deal!" after ordering, you got a discount.
4 - Lena L.: Needless to say, CREAM is awesome. You basically just get what you're ordering; no surprises. Two cookies squishing a scoop of ice cream together for $2.

Yum.
4 - Vincent L.: This place has fresh cookies and amazing ice cream at a decent price. You can even get to choose one cookie on one side and another on the same sandwich. Just amazing. Tis all.

EDIT: I suggest chocolate chip cookies. The oatmeal was ok.
4 - Julie C.: This place is my norcal version of "Diddy Reese." Definitely worth the $2 dollar for an ice cream sandwich.  When I came here I definitely tried everything from the ice cream sandwich, brownies, and vegan cookies. I must say, I truly enjoyed it. Definitely will go back again.
4 - bonnie y.: norcal needed a diddy reese, and this is it, except better. -- SOFT COOKIES!!
honestly, an icecream sandwich does NOT work if you have hard cookies. CREAM's got it down. a little messy because my double chocolate cookie was warm & the ice cream was softer rather than hard...but whatever. :] corner location, easy to find...but CASH ONLY!
4 - Samir K.: Very simple business. Cookies. Ice Cream. put them together and make ice cream sandwiches. The cookies they had when I went were straight out of the oven- I saw them take the cookies from the tray and put my muhfuttin ice cream on them. TWO DOLLARS, what a steal. they don't take credit card, but with prices so low my guess is that the credit card fees wouldn't be profitable. Parking is a crapshoot in this part of Berkeley, I got lucky and was able to park right next to it. My inner George Constanza was happy.
5 - Susan M.: Ohhh how I love this place. Went for the first time tonight, but my husband had been three times earlier and raved about the place. Only $2 for an old fashioned home made ice cream and cookie sandwich. I had the chocolate chip cookies with ultimate chocolate ice cream - HEAVEN! The manager, Jimmy, is cool and very welcoming. You will LOVE this place! 

I'm getting the snickerdoodles next time. Breakfast tomorrow perhaps? 

Not a lot of seating, and line out the door. But you should perservere - you'll be glad you did...

(In the old location of Mrs. Fields Cookies on Telegraph)
5 - Sara P.: After finding parking right outside (i love motorcycles!) we stood in the short line. The line moves very fast so there wasn't much time to decide. I had: 1 scoop soy cherry chocolate chip ($1.50) and
1 cookie sandwich with chocolate chip cookies and banana chip ice cream. ($2.00)
Wait, it was only $3.50 for that?! what a steal...
I'm definitely coming back to try other cookies & flavors!
5 - Tanner J.: really cool idea, cheap and and good flavors like matcha ice cream
2 - Dj H.: What a disappointment!

Management: Minus 3 stars. No photos in the store.... Really?? Felt like I just had a rug pulled out from underneath me.  Ok, maybe not as dramatic.  But they just lost at least a dozen potential customers. I was in the process of taking a picture of the menu to send to friends and family to let them know I found a "Diddy Riese" close to home but I was reprimanded mid-air.  NOT a very smart move on the owners. C'mon! I'm a foodie and love to take pictures of my food, especially dessert.

Ice cream sandwiches- 2 stars.  It's good, but I think their management is clouding my judgement.. I'd rather drive the 6 or so hours to Diddy Riese
5 - James P.: ! Love this place. Best dessert place in the east bay hands down. Stephen makes the best sandwiches!
5 - phillip d.: Outstanding an cheaply priced ice cream sandwich... Mint ice cream recommend
4 - Learnee L.: I'm a fan!
their cookies... buttery.... not the ones that are made with shortening.
ice cream was good.

parking is hard but this place rocks!
can't wait to come back
5 - Allie E.: The ice cream is so CREAMY, just like the name. 

Get the GREEN TEA ice cream. Every bite is heaven. 

I don't like ice cream cookie sandwiches (even though they have them!) so i just get a chocolate chip cookies on the side, which are also delicious. 

I would vote this ice cream best in the bay, hands down.
5 - Marie Lynn M.: This place is too amazing, even on a windy cold day, it's worth stopping by for warm gooey cookies and ice cream oozing out of every single bite! and for only $2! The staff is also funny and welcoming and patient (as it took me a lifetime to decide which ice cream flavor to get!) Shoot my taste buds now because this is unreal!
4 - Mari M.: Parking is kind of difficult...I can imagine during the day. It was easier at night during the summer. The line moves super quickly. I was pretty lame and had chocolate chip cookies and vanilla ice cream. Like the other yelpers have stated, it's only $2.00 for the sandwich. 

I wish they had suggestions or some sort of customer favorites posted somewhere. It was very daunting for my friend and I, who were both first-timers, to choose from the many different options. I was worried it was going to be too sweet or the flavors didn't match. But I guess you can't go wrong with chocolate chip cookies and vanilla ice cream. =)

The ice cream in the middle with the warm cookies made me so happy. I had a momentary glimpse of what being a child was like. It was so yummy and delicious. Toward the end of my cookie sandwich orgasm, I was thwarted back into reality when a homeless guy asked me for change. Then his buddies behind him asked if I wanted to take one of them home and have my dirty way with him.

I am definitely coming back. This time I'll be more adventurous...with my cookie and ice cream choice....not the other thing.
5 - Kathy Y.: Move over Diddy Riese... I've found CREAM!

Got a truffle and white chocolate chip macadamia cookies with IT'S A GOODY ice cream definitely was a goody yummy sweet treat. And for $2, ohhh mann what a steal!

Yeah, I'm staying a fan of Diddy... but the cookies at Cream... are much richer and have the right softness/crunch to it.
2 - Beverly B.: I was really HYPED up to try out CREAM when I went to visit my friend this weekend in Berkeley. But I was sadly, disappointed. I like the atmosphere and the array of choices. I liked that the cookie was warm. I just wish that the ice cream scoop was a bit bigger because I believe I should be able to make an open face sandwich w/ a good ratio of ice cream for both sides. 

I have one hell of a sweet tooth, but CREAM was a tad too much. I got a sandwich with snickerdoodle and chocolate chip with vanilla ice cream. I believe that the ice cream shouldnt be too overbearing just so it balances well with the cookies. I really don't know about other people's taste buds, but CREAM is a bit too sweet for me. I do like the cookies. Maybe I'll buy the cookies and make my own sandwiches at home. Or just make my own cookies... 

I think I'd probably like Diddy Riese better. 2 stars because "Meh. I've experienced better" Ya. like...better sandwiches in my kitchen. Woman pun none!
4 - Venus L.: I was super excited when I first heard that CREAM opened here. Now I no longer have to think longingly of Diddy Riese all the way down in Socal.

I got the Banana Ice Cream with white chocolate macadamia and Snickerdoodle cookies. At first I was a bit confused when they smushed it flatter on one side and thought "aw hell naw! are they skimping out on the ice cream?!" but after I started eating it I noticed that it was so that the ice cream doesn't come out the other end as you eat (that sounded a bit weird but you get my point). BRILLIANT! 

Cheap, excellent dessert place for those who love ice cream and cookies. However, when compared to Diddy Riese (whose ice cream portions are much larger and the cookies much softer), CREAM just isn't quite as good in hindsight.
3 - Mailani w.: As a product of the 80s, I'm all over the Wu-Tang C.R.E.A.M reference to punned acronym of "cookies rule everything around me".  In terms of my passion and fervor for warm cookies, count me juuuuust a smurf's ass hair below Cookie Monster.  It's that serious.

I was smitten by this place, the idea of it, their branding logo, the ice cream flavors, fresh baked cookies, and the avalanche of options pairing cookie+ice cream.  

Here is my problem, I like desserts that have some contrast.  A good scoop of ice cream does wonders with a simple waffle cone.  Should my waffle cone be dipped in caramel and rolled with Twix pieces?  I think not.  The cookies C.R.E.A.M. serve are rich and delightful on their own and would be badass with espresso or cold glass of milk.  We're talking white chocolate chip macadamia, double chocolate chip, rocky road, and snickerdoodles.  But wait!  Lemme put a hearty scoop of butter pecan ice cream and top it with another double choc. chip cookie.  Now go on, eat it fast before it melts!  Huuurrrry!!  

It was an interesting, consensual, yet regretful experience of having 2 rich, warm cookies sandwiched between a baseball sized scoop of mint chip ice cream that was melting like a MUTHA.  Perhaps a crisp shortbread variety?  One that isn't overkill with sugar would be better suited.  Hell, I'll take a graham cracker any day with their ice cream.  I just can't do both at the same time.
5 - Adrienne G.: Sh-Boogie Doo Wop.......it's warm & cold, melty, creamy, sugary, heaven! CREAM - you have won a huge fan!!!

I got the Golden Gate ice cream choc / vanilla / caramel swirl on a Snickerdoodle & White Choc Mac Nut

The cookies were hot out of the oven & all mooshy, then they're holding all that creamy, dreamy ice cream & it's oozing out all over the place.....Mmmmmm

I also opted for their impulse buy cookies in front of the register - you won't want to pass up on these bad boys - I introduce you to the Turtle cookie....Choc-Choc Chip / Toffee & even the following day they were fudgy & soft w/ the caramel pieces all making my teeth stick together (& this is a high compliment from me!)

Totally consoled myself that the walk from Cheese Board Collective to here completely burned off the pizza & ice cream calories I had just consumed....plus *everyone* knows that when you combine pizza & ice cream, there is a chemical reaction that causes the 2 fats to neutralize each other & makes it all fat free* 

* It is a scientific fact

- so live a little & let Cookies Rule Everything About (you) Me

Prince (The Great Purple One) probably says it best:

U're so good
Baby there ain't nobody better (Ain't nobody better)
So u should
Never, ever go by the letter (Never ever)
U're so cool (Cool)
Everything u do with success
Make the rules (Rules)
Then break them all cuz u are the best

Yes u are

Cream
Sh-boogie doo wop
4 - Cheryl V.: Decided to visit Telegraph per fiance's request and we see this walking up telegraph and notice a HUGE  line out the door! Unsure of what this place was about, another fro-yo chain??? I peek from the windows and notice it was an ICE CREAM SANDWHICH SHOP! You would be surprised since you dont see much ice cream shops anymore as the fro-yo craze has taken over. Well they re-invented the spin on traditional ice cream on an old school favorite. 

THEY BROUGHT ICE CREAM BACK!

You choose a variety of cookies they make fresh in their kitchen including some vegan options then you choose your ice cream flavor or choice. This place kind of reminded me a mix of chipotle/coldstone service and style.

The cookies are definetly DELICIOUS! The ice cream itself was average and nothing special

I forgot to mention its only $2.00 for an ice cream sandwhich!!

This is where you come when you feel like being a fatty and need to satisfy your fatty sweet cravings.

Love the concept!

oH I LOVE THE NAME TOO CREAM WHICH STANDS FOR 
"COOKIES RULE EVERYTHING AROUND ME !"

CREAMIN! HAHA
3 - Mara G.: Their ice cream flavors are ok, cookies are ok too. For the price its good, and if i live close by i wouldnt have a problem but of course its on the telegraph strip so you may wanna consider takin some quarters with u or walk about 9 blocks for a free parking. If im not mistaken i think cream is the old beard papa's place...
5 - Joey L.: Freshly baked warm out of the oven cookies + bomb ice cream = orgasmic ice cream cookie sandwiches

for only 2 bucks!

Easily 5 stars
3 - Yen Yen C.: Gotta give them props for their creative name, CREAM: Cookies Rule Everything Around Me.

So I love cookies and I LOVE ICE CREAM and you'll think if you combine those together it'll be heaven or something. NOPE...It was HELLA SWEET! I got the chocolate chip cookie with soy mint ice cream. The soy mint was delicious but the cookie was a bit hard. 

I'll come back only if I'm in the area and craving ice cream.

But If you want to try fresh ice cream sandwiches and if you are in the UCLA area, give Diddy Riese Cookies a try!
1 - Chantel D.: The quality of CREAM's ice cream cookie sandwiches have definitely fallen. Not only are the cookies mediocre, they aren't even given warm anymore. On multiple occasions I received almost cold cookies and when you mix that with ice cream, the two just don't fit or taste good. They have also limited their portion of ice cream given in one sandwich. I literally witnessed one of the workers scoop out ice cream from the sandwich because they have to give an exact amount! Like really, really? I don't need my cookie sandwich overflowing with ice cream but when the cookie to ice cream ratio is totally off, that just kills my joy of eating it. Diddy Riese is CREAM's inspiration but unfortunately CREAM has become to greedy and sloppy with their ice cream cookie sandwiches that I will vouch for Diddy's and no longer CREAM's. The other day was definitely was my last time ever going to CREAM because I realized no matter how many times I go back, the quality just isn't going to return to how it was when CREAM first opened nor does it compare to Diddy Riese.
3 - jessica m.: Just came back from here with a free ice cream sandwich thanks to Munch On Me. Had the matcha green tea ice cream between snickerdoodle and double chocolate chip cookies. I'm out of my Diddy Riese phase so I wasn't too crazy when CREAM opened up. I did try it once before and thought the ice cream wasn't up to par. But today's green tea was great. The cookies were not as warm and soft as I had expected, but still pretty good. The only bad thing I have to say is that it is way sugar overload for me. I used to be able to finish the whole thing from Diddy Riese, but even now I can't. Oh and the price increased from $1.50 to $2. Doesn't really affect me though since I probably won't be coming back. So overall a decent place to get a sugar high for still a pretty cheap price.
4 - Meghana S.: I LOVE CREAM! Two warm cookies sandwiching a generous scoop of icecream= best comfort food ever. I'm sad they hiked their prices up a bit last semester, but it's certainly not affecting the popularity of this place! I love going here and getting a late night dessert with friends, and it helps that they have some Starbucks fraps on hand in case you need help staying up late. The wait can get pretty long though.
4 - C K.: Turtle cookie with coconut ice cream. It was delicious! Wish they gave you more ice cream. And more cookies. And maybe if the ice cream didn't melt so fast.
4 - Rina K.: came here for the first time with the bf and we received two cookie sandwiches for free through munchonme.com. although the ice cream sandwiches are nicely priced at $2 a sandwich, free is much much better.

i ordered the chocolate chip cookie with coffee ice cream. to my complete surprise, it wasn't deathly sweet and i actually finished the sandwich without having to drink water/milk. 

sometimes chocolate can be too sweet because of the addition of too much sugar but it seemed like CREAM used good chocolate chips ? anyway, if i am in the area i am planning to come again.

4 stars because of the wait, lack of enthusiasm of staff and my cookies being a little on the hard/crunchy side-and not that warm, baked ooey gooey mess of goodness that we all want to NOMz :P
5 - Ashley L.: Wow- I am totally jumping on the CREAM NATION band wagon!!!
Came here today during my visit to Berkeley and was so happy I did. Line wasn't too long and the wait went by very fast.
I had a ice cream sandwich with carnival and white chocolate mac. nut cookie and vanilla cookie ice cream.
First off-the cookies were amazing....warm, fresh out of the oven and chewy. The ice cream was also not bad but I think the cookies make the sandwich complete!
Sandwiches are $2 each- a steal! I was thinking of buying another!
Only 2 small tables to eat inside so would suggest taking to go and eating outside or elsewhere...would definitely return again very soon....Yes Id make the drive to go here again :)
3 - Judy J.: I went to Diddy Riese and CREAM is a replica of that in NorCal: cheap, fresh, and delicious bakery filled frozen treats for the poor college students. 

In comparison, I give Diddy Riese one more star for giving me more ice cream that makes a thick, legit ice cream sandwich and for being cheaper, but I give CREAM another star for having better tasting cookies and having less people. 

They really didn't give me the bang for my bucks by putting a small scoop of ice cream in between two big cookies. It irritated me because after eating half of it, I was just eating cookies...where did my ice cream sandwich go?
4 - Brian G.: Even with a line outside the door they got us in quick.  The kid working was friendly with me when I asked about the vegan ish.  Although they only had one flavor of vegan ice cream, it was delicious (cherry choc chip).  The snickerdoodle cookies were amazing.  

Once finding out I was vegan my sandwich maker asked me if I wanted him to change gloves!  So respectful!  I said this wasn't necessary but it was a very thoughtful gesture.  

Delicious ice cream sandwich.  Bummer vegans have to pay 1.00 more for theirs but I'd still come back.
3 - Thary D.: I still don't particularly like this place, but they aren't bad. I went again today only because of the MunchOnMe deal. Free is for me. I have to say that the girls working today were very fast in their service. Personally, I don't like the cookies or ice-cream at this place. Though the cookies are chewy in the center, the outside is too crunchy. I also think they are sweeter than usual...so sweet that I was using the ice-cream to balance it out. And the ice-cream isn't even special. Also, I still can't get over the $2 price for the ice-cream sandwiches since other places are charging $0.50 less.
4 - Rai A.: So glad I stumbled upon this place during my first time in Berkeley. Saw a line out the door and just knew the place had to be good. And it was. Gooey, fresh out of the oven cookies made into an ice cream sandwich all for $2. What a steal!!!

I choose to stay classic - choc chip cookies, vanilla ice cream. Call me boring, but from reading some reviews claiming their sandwiches were too sweet, I'd say this is a pretty smart move. (Plus I was overwhelmed with all the different combinations I *could have* made.) Delicious, a little messy, but worth the wait in line!
5 - Johnny C.: After finding out I had a friend working here, I knew I had to come try this place. Especially since there used to be a beard papa's here, I thought this place had better live up to the beard papa name... And I was unbelievably impressed!

I came here after selling my clothes at Buffalo Exchange (another wonderful establishment) and little did my grandmother and I know, we were in for an absolutely delectable treat! My grandma got the coffee blast ice cream on a cone. The cone was yummy and crispy and the ice cream was creamy and the coffee was strong! Awesome!
And I got an ice cream sandwich with two snickerdoodles and the "It's a Goody" ice cream! I am a huge slut for peanut butter and two peanut-buttery flavors at once was wonderful! The cookies were very soft and the ice cream was tasty. It was a perfect combination of warm cookie and cold ice cream. 
Service was very very charming and smiley and the price at which they sell their products is cheap! Definitely coming here again! 
Also, if you see Rona, give her a big tip :]
5 - Cathy U.: $2 for a make-your-own creation ice cream sandwich?  Oh yah!

Maybe I'm used to the outrageous SF prices, but a cookie itself is $1, so I get two AND ice cream?  and it's not just vanilla ice cream, but a good choice of yummy flavors that also taste good?  Yah!

That being said, they aren't the best cookies, nor is is the best blend of flavors, but it's still pretty darn good, and only $2 on a busy street in Berkeley.

(If I were at home and could have an It's-It mint chocolate or a Cream Mint Chocolate though... I'd probably have an It's It... but on a hot day, walking around Berkeley, Cream somehow makes the day sunnier for me)
4 - MJ L.: Sooo delicious. Heart attack between diabetes.


Also, Rona Chen is the best team member. Ask for Rona.
5 - Claire S.: Wow. I can't believe I've never been here before. It is amazing!

Delicious variety of cookies offered (snickerdoodle & warm chocolate chip were my choice) and a bunch of different kinds of ice cream (Golden Gate Caramel Swirl!), put together to make one delicious ice cream sandwich, all for only $2.00

A great place for a quick treat. I'm envious of all the UCB students who can drop by here whenever!
4 - Janet Z.: They offer vegan cookies! 

I ordered the vegan snicker doodle with green tea ice cream. but I was to full to finish it though.

I think I shall stick to either non vegan cookie or a non Asian flavor ice cream with a American cookie.
4 - Amanda T.: I've had Diddy Reese at Westwood and loved it, so I'd say I came to CREAM as a harsh critic. My opinion- this place is good. It would definitely give DR a run for its money. The cookies were perfection and the ice cream really stays in there! Just another thing to envy cal kids for!
4 - Nazhat S.: I wasn't too excited to try this place because though I am a huge fan of ice cream, I am not as fond of cookies.

Definitely changed my mind after the first sandwich. Warm and yummy [though definitely on the sweet side]. I got sugar cookies with the golden gate caramel swirl ice cream but after having gone back a few more times, I have settled for cappuccino with salted caramel ice cream.

Whatever you end up getting, it will be yummy and totally inexpensive. The line does get crazy but if you are in the mood for a treat, it is worth the wait.

I have bought a half dozen of their cookies and I think those are great alone now, too.

Also, the staff are usually super upbeat and nice, which is always a plus.

I would give them five stars but I am kind of bummed out that the ice cream never stays between the cookies.
5 - oscar a.: choose your own cookie, choose your own ice cream? only $2? heaven, thy name is CREAM
4 - Ben T.: fresh baked cookies. ice cream. 

what's not to love?

bring your insulin shots
5 - Christina D.: When we're talking about ice cream sandwiches, it doesn't get better than this. 

Who can resist  sa deliciously huge scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream two warm, freshly baked double chocolate chip baked cookies?? if you say no to that, you're crazy. 

Also props to the customer service.My friend and I went on a day the line was snaking out the door, but the employees were still friendly enough to let us each sample three flavors.

For two dollars each, these are a great deal. I ate one at around 2 pm and didn't start to feel hungry until around 8pm.
4 - Pat S.: 2 bucks for vanilla ice cream between two warm and delicious chocolate chip cookies...  Need I say more?

Maybe the one downside is the fact that you have to wait in line with nothing but college students for your order.  Also, parking can be a challenge.
2 - Holla F.: Overly sweet for ice cream to be between two cookies. I will stick to my It's It's Ice cream sandwiches instead.
5 - Brittney D.: Sex in your mouth
Nuff said.
4 - Kathy D.: $2 for ice cream cookie sandwiches?!?!  Where was this when I was at Berkeley?!?!

The line was nuts at around 10pm Saturday Night but do not fear, it goes by pretty quickly.  The cookies were warm and crunchy, which complemented my mint chocolate chip ice cream really well.  It wasn't too overwhelming and big but just right to eat it as a snack! 

Never had Diddy Riese like everyone had mentioned so I have nothing to compare to!

CREAM, must try for a sweets nightly stop :)
5 - Maggie L.: After hearing the boy speak so highly of Diddy Riese in LA, I was definitely excited when this place opened up. FINALLY, I get to enjoy my own ice cream sandwiches without jealousy for his.

CREAM's special is their ice cream sandwich, however they do sell cookies by themselves or scoops of ice cream too.  They change their flavors daily and bake their cookies fresh.

The ice cream sandwiches used to be $1.50, but it went up to $2.00 before summer started. :( On the bright side, lines go by really quickly, atmosphere is always great, and there's always a crowd of people outside...
1 - Linda L.: The ice cream sandwich is ok. The whole experience was ruined because of one of the employees being incredibly rude. I can make my own ice cream sandwiches...I'll pass!
4 - Jack K.: Snickerdoodle.
5 - pawl e.: As I like to say sometimes, simplicity is key.

Honestly, it's pretty hard to mess up a good cookie sandwich, and CREAM exemplifies just that. All they do is slap together some creamy ice cream between two fresh cookies, and voilà! magic.

Granted, the cookies taste super fresh and warm and the ice cream isn't super hard like a lot of places, but whatever.

I came because I got a free code at munchonme, but I might as well have not even had it. It only costs $2 for a PRIME cookie sandwich.

I currently live in socal and we have Diddy Riese's in LA. I honestly can't tell a big difference between the two except that I guess DR is cheaper. ($1.50 cookie sandwich).

Would come again. Definitely.

- pawl e.
5 - Simone L.: I like the chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven so they're still warm. Best ice cream flavors are espresso or peanut butter cup.
4 - Brandon Y.: I'd like to consider myself a sweet person...I mean, a sweets person - I do love dessert, and cookies + ice cream to make a CREAM sammich sounds like an amazing idea. Yet, even for me, the ice cream cookie sandwich is almost too sweet! 

Don't get me wrong though, it's delicious especially on a warm day or a cold Berkeley night due to the warm cookies, but it's pretty much sugar OVERLOAD :P My combo is coffee ice cream and choco chip cookies. Mmmm.

I also like how CREAM has had some publicity events in the past, like have local radio stations come by, as well as plenty of munchonme deals :)
5 - Nate E.: Delish, more than fair price

$2.00 for a world-class Ice cream sandwich? I'm a college student, I'll take it!

Cookies Rule Everything Around Me!
4 - Alex L.: $2 Ice Cream Sandwiches (two fresh and warm cookies). Enough said.
4 - Carolen M.: I would have given this place a 3, but the price can't be beat. After a long day of talking to students at the career fair, my colleague/friend suggested to get ice cream sandwiches at a popular spot in Berkeley. I'm like "what place?" as I don't even recall one when I went to school there. Apparently it was new. So we headed down Telegraph. It was where the old Mrs. Field's place then most recently a Beard Papa (I think?). So for $2 you get to choose two cookies and 1 ice cream flavor. First thing I think about is that this was exactly like Diddy Riese. I decided on the Cappuccino cookies and matcha ice cream. The cookie felt super undercooked and was so buttery and crumbled, but I did appreciate it was warm though this really made the ice cream melt faster. The ice cream was spot on. I would imagine I'd come here all the time if I were going to school here at this time. Good thing I'm not!  

I will try a different cookie next time. It might be cooked more *crosses fingers*
5 - Chai S.: Big ass scoop of ice cream stuffed between two fresh baked cookies.   Ain't nothin' better than that.  Oh wait, yes there is.  It's only 2 dollars!
4 - Amy G.: Can't go wrong with cookies and ice cream. This is also something that could easily be made at home, for much less than $2, but manages to attract a huge line of college students craving sugar every night. I haven't bought a sandwich since they raised their prices from $1.50, but jumped at a free coupon deal online. I'm limited flavor-wise since I don't eat dairy because it seems they only have one soy flavor at a time: the first time, I had soy mint chip with turtle cookies, and recently I had soy cherry chocolate chip with chocolate chip cookies. The cookies are nice and gooey in the center, but somewhat hard on the edges. The cherry chocolate chip ice cream was surprisingly tasty--I liked that it had real chunks of fruit in it. I gobbled my treat down in record time because it was yummy but also because the sandwiches get messy fast! The workers are always cheerful, and oddly there's really loud music in the store. Line wraps around but it's only a ~10-min wait.
4 - ssf s.: Reminiscent of diddy riese in la. Warm, soft cookie with yummy ice cream. A perfect snack.
4 - Michelle C.: Yummy cookies + good ice cream = awesome ice cream sandwiches!

And at $2 each, you can't beat that. You can choose two different cookies or two of the same kind and decide what ice cream to put in the middle. Or you can always have the cookie or ice cream on it's own. Either way it's yummy! The ice cream sandwiches are served in a little bag which makes it easier to eat. Yes, sometimes the ice cream gets squished out of the sandwich, but i think the key might be not to squeeze the cookies together too hard, or not at the top at least. 

The line usually goes out the door, but you gotta remember that it's a small place inside and the line goes quick. 

This is definitely a must try for cookie or ice cream lovers!
5 - Benjamin C.: I always done this at home, and i would have never thought they had a store like this. This makes my job 10 times easier. The cookies are fresh and chewy. The ice cream is nice and delicious. This is a perfect combo. Ice cream and cookies. What else could I ask for? There might be a long line, but the line moves very fast. Some of the cookies maybe too sweet for some but it's my cup of tea. I like it here and i find that many of my friends like it too. Droools. It satisfies the food cravings. Its a great mid night snack for only $2. Its a must have.
5 - Dee H.: Cheap and yummy in my tummy!!  Yes there is a line, but it moves really quickly.  I love their warm chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies.  SO GOOD.  Only $2 for a delectable ice cream sandwich.  Mmmmm.  I like ultra chocolate ice cream.  They also have vegan and soy options.  Yay for Cookies Rule Everything Around Me  :)  It was so rich, a little too much...I couldn't finish the whole thing!
5 - Cindy T.: If you're like me and always need some type of dessert at the end of a meal, CREAM is the way to go if you're craving for some ice cream AND cookies! They have classic with several unique flavors: matcha green tea and salted caramel. Both were great but beware, this dessert is extremely sweet!

AND it's $2?!?! Bring cash!
4 - Bo W.: The line could be long for this place but it is definitely worth it. The cookies are still warm and the ice cream is delicious, making the experience wonderful and diabetes-inducing. I love it.
4 - Hallie M.: I'm a grad student now and no one pays me, so I'm really into customizable ice cream sandwiches that cost $2 and are big enough for a light lunch.

i recommend: double chocolate chip with french vanilla, chocolate chip with chocolate chip cookie dough, and chocolate chip with coconut.

yes!
5 - Grace C.: A freshly made ice cream cookie sandwich for only $2? Awesome!  And you get to tell them what 2 cookies (you can even pick 2 different cookies) and what ice cream you want in it!  I don't care what people say about the ice cream not being high quality or whatnot - the point is, it's a custom ice cream sandwich... what's not to like? I loved mine.

The line seems to frequently be out the door, but thankfully it moves pretty fast.  There are only 4-5 seats inside, so most people get theirs & eat it elsewhere.

One note about the Turtle cookie: it may sound delicious, but actually its texture was overly hard & stiff because of the caramel.  I vote for picking a different cookie that doesn't have caramel in it.
5 - Sharam F.: gimme. another. now.
5 - Samantha B.: This place is genius! Two warm cookies of your choice w/ cold creamy ice cream in between! So yummy! I had chocolate chip cookies w/ the "goodie" in between. I think that's what it's called. soooo good! And cheap too! Only $2 per ice cream sandwich!
2 - Julia K.: Meh, it honestly wasn't that great. Ice cream lacked flavoring. I sampled their salted caramel which didn't taste like anything at all except cream. I was thoroughly disappointed and had to opt for their golden gate caramel swirl ice cream. It was a chocolate/vanilla ice cream with caramel swirls. For the price of $2.50 for a small scoop, I felt jipped.

This place just seems to try to be like UCLA's Diddy Riese, but they fail miserably. Having gone to UCLA for my undergrad, I've seen the price increases at Diddy but I would still pay for a Diddy Riese cookie sandwich instead of one from CREAM. I'd get more ice cream for much cheaper prices.
5 - Angie M.: After taking my honey and I out to eat in the city, we ventured to this ice cream sandwich spot I have been hearing SO much about of late. I knew it stayed open late on the weekend with music playing, so here we came for a midnight snack...literally. 

The line was out the door, but I heard it can be around the corner at times too. The menu board was large enough to see what we wanted before reaching the counter, so we wouldn't hold up the line trying to decide. 

I settled on the butter sugar cookie and salted caramel ice cream. One of the more subtle but delicious combinations I have had in a long time. My boyfriend got the chocolate chip cookies with the cinnamon caramel ice cream, he devoured that baby. 

You can not baby sit these beauties because they will melt faster than you have a chance to eat it. Lucky for us the weather wasn't extremely hot otherwise we wouldn't have had the chance to enjoy them our first time around. 

Each sandwich is $2.00 and its cash only, so come prepared. I will definitely become a repeat offender (gym membership not included)!
4 - Michael N.: Bombay. Translation: Damn that's goood!
4 - Angelica W.: I do love cream, but sometimes I just don't know what I'm going to get. Like for instance, one day I'll go in and get a nice soft warm baked chocolate chip cookie that goes great with my ice cream of choice and other days I'll get a not so fresh over baked, harder, crunchier cookie that just falls apart with every bite of ice cream. Nonethelees the good does outweigh the bad so I'll be back :)
5 - Vicky P.: $2 ice cream sandwiches? Hell yeah! Mmm...I want the soy mint chocolate chip ice cream in between 2 warm chocolate chip cookies right now :)
4 - Karen P.: For 2.00 it is worth it, love at first bite. There's not much of these in the Bay Area, so it's pretty good. Of course the ones in LA would be better. :)
5 - Krystal C.: I don't even know why I'm reviewing this place? Who really needs a review  on a place that bakes fresh cookies and smashes ice cream in between and trades you with it for $2? I don't!

You'll just have to try it and feel for yourself what it is like to take a bite, die and go to heaven.  The only thing I'll add is they have lots of cookie and ice cream flavor choices so you'll have to decide quickly while you are in line (be prepared, there is ALWAYS a line) on what you want. Why, you ask?  Because I'm waiting in line behind you so hurry up so I can have my sammich!!
4 - Maneet G.: MMmm ice cream sandwiches for two dollars?  CREAM has them and boy are they good!  

My ice cream sandwich contained a scoop of fudge banana walnut ice cream nestled between two delicious warm snickerdoodles!  The sandwich was super delicious and had the best snickerdoodles cookies I've eaten! I love my snickerdoodles and these ones were fresh and immersed in flavors of cinnamon and sugar goodness.  The ice cream was good, nothing mind blowing, but was yummy between the two cookies.

Overall, I would recommend this place for a cheap quick dessert while walking down Telegraph Avenue. Kids will absolutely love it! :)
4 - Lily W.: Cream has been bookmarked on my "to try" list for months! Finally got a chance to hit Berkeley so it was definitely on my check list of places to go! 

Ordered a chocolate chip ice cream sandwich with mint chip ice cream in between. I really like how the cookies are right out of the oven, toasty warm, melting the cold ice cream in between. For $2 it is quite delightful. 

There was no line when we went b/c it was raining and cold. Guy that works at the counter is cute.
4 - Krista B.: Definately a cool place to get some ice cream late. Its only $2 and they are open til 2am on fri and sat. Just be prepared to wait in line...the line is almost always out the door!
4 - LaTasha M.: YUM! Just discovered this place and boy is it yummalicious. I had a snickerdoodle cookie, and an oatmeal raisin cookie with cinnamon ice cream. It was simply delish...and for 2 bucks! WHAT????
5 - Cindy A.: soft baked cookies and ice cream...enough said. So simple yet SO GOOOD
5 - Tutti C.: Heaven on earth. 

I just tried this place out, such a great concept.
I got the chocolate chip cookie sandwich with pumpkin ice cream, thy first bake the cookie for a couple of seconds and then scoop the ice cream in between the 2. Simple as that. Oh yeah its also just $2. 2 dollars!!! Funk yeah! 

They also sell cookies and the ice cream separately. But why would you not want an ice cream sandwich? Something is clearly wrong with you.
5 - Gabe M.: Warm Cookies? Check.
Great ice cream? Check.
Cheap? Check.

This plas is an amazing bite to get when you have that sugar craving. It's cheap and the ice cream sandwiches are awesome. The line can get kind of long towards the weekend, so expect to have some wait time here and there. I recommend the salted caramel ice cream.
4 - Chival N.: There is obviously no need to quote its prices or vouch for its taste as all of you have already done a great job of doing that. So I will just speak for the overall concept and my personal experience. Seeing as how this place is always packed, I always skip over CREAM in search of a sorbet shop or some other dessert place in Berkeley instead. 

However, the other night, I finally decided to try the "Norcal version of Diddy Riese" and I have to say...Diddy Riese is better. And cheaper. 

However, as far as ice cream cookie sandwiches go, this is as good as Norcal has to offer. And at $2 (tax included) a cookie, why would you look anywhere else within the Bay Area. Its location is also convenient (right next to campus on Telegraph) and close to all the hip eateries in town. Anyway, I'll keep it short and sweet. 

CREAM is good...DR is better...but at least in Norcal, no one makes ice cream cookie sandwiches better!
5 - Paul S.: Sigh.  As much as it hurts me as a UCLA Bruin, I have to say that CREAM is EVER SO SLIGHTLY BETTER than Diddy Riese.  

The cookies here were hot out of the oven, and legit cookies, with a nice crunch on the outside of the cookie while remaining tender and chewy throughout the middle.  Diddy's, by comparison, is more of a cake-y type cookie.  

Definitely worth $2, even if it's more expensive than Diddy.

Fave combo: 2x Turtle cookies, cookies&cream
4 - John N.: Can't go wrong with $2 ice cream sandwiches.  They have PISTACHIO flavored ice cream!!  I also saw banana fudge walnut ice cream, which reminded me of getting those chocolate banana astro pops in high school.  There is a great variety of ice cream flavors and cookies.  It's odd how asking for a scoop of ice cream and one cookie costs more than getting the ice cream sandwich.  I'll be back for more.
5 - Dongwan K.: omg love this place
my go-to combo: butter sugar, chocolate mint
5 - Omar J.: 5 stars all the way... Who doesn't like a ice cream sandwich... Im not from the bay, the way i found out about this amazing place was thru a client. He was getting married and CREAM was/did the catering for their wedding. I asked if he would bring me or save me one and he said why not just go get one yourself. It jus so happened i was headed to the bay that weekend. Fate was calling so after a quick slice of pizza from Blondie's across the street we made a pit some in for some dessert. This place sure didn't disappoint. The ice was good and the cookies were baked to perfection. If you ever find yourself in Berkeley this is a must do....
5 - Christine H.: BEST ICE CREAM COOKIE-SANDWHICH EVER! It's not overly sweet and sugary like the frozen ones!

Imagine teething into warm velvety cookies and cold creamy ice-cream! HEAVEN!!
For $2, it was totally worth it. I got Butter Sugar and Chocolate Chip Cookie, with a scoop of strawberry ice-cream! I must say, it's probably the best combination, ever. =) ( I love strawberry ice-cream, btw.)

Note:
Also serves ice-cream by itself, cookies, milk, milkshakes, malts, and floats! When getting the ice-cream sandwich, you can ask them to cut it in half so you can share. This place opens later on Thurs-Sat (till 2AM).
4 - Janet L.: $2 for an ice cream sandwich - scoop of ice cream squished by two heavenly cookies, all of your choice!  

What's not to love....other than the calories....

Happy Fatty!

*wobble wobble*
2 - Sean H.: Seriously, it's just ice cream in between two cookies. Everyone's acting like it's the best thing in the world when you can get a whole bag of cookies and a tub of ice cream for just a few bucks more at the local supermarket. It's a cheap, plain version of a pizookie that doesn't stay warm.

All that said though, it doesn't taste bad at all. I just don't see the big deal of going to a place like this, especially if there's always a line. I guess it's nice for you college students looking for a quick snack on a budget. Not really something for me though.
4 - Susie C.: I love my sweets ! Cream is Berkeley's version of LA's Didirease(spelling???). Anyways, good ice cream, affordable pricing, and cookies are good too. The ice cream here is pretty good too, granted that I've only tried the mint chocolate chip (my favorite go to flavor) and matcha green tea. 

The only thing I don't like is that parking is difficult at times and lines may be long on hot days or if you go at the wrong time.
4 - Soo Jung R.: My mistake. CREAM DOES have less sweet options! I went here again last Saturday because my friend recently fell in love with the place, but I went with my doubts.  But once I found their Matcha Green Tea ice cream, I was just as happy as her to be there. We got the matcha green tea with white macademia nut cookies and something else (I asked the person there for suggestions, but I couldn't hear the last part over all that noise). Result? DELICIOUS. When you go, make sure to ask the people what goes well with the ice cream you choose. They really know what they're talking about, and they're more than happy to give you their suggested combinations!
4 - Vicky L.: Pretty darn good ice cream sandwich. Got the White chocolate macadamia cookies with matcha green tea ice cream, yum and only $2 too, not bad. The shop is kinda small with 2 small round tables and a couple of chairs. They sell drinks too, but I only wanted to come for the ice cream sandwiches. Fast Service. Just hard to decide on what flavors to get...
4 - Tracie B.: Is it the best cookie ever? No. Is it the best ice cream in the world? No. Is it 2 dollars for a scoop of ice cream and two pretty big cookies? Yep. 

At 2 dollars for a pretty darn good ice cream sandwich, this place gets 4 stars from me. I like the wide variety of cookies and ice cream you can choose from, too.
4 - Sheeva G.: Yummmmy :) I love ice cream and cookies, and this is definitely the place to get both! The cookies are extremely fresh and warm, and the ice cream is delicious. You can pretty much make any type of sandwich you like, and I think you can make double layer sandwiches too :) I had the chocolate chip cookie and mint chip combo. It was huge! I couldn't finish it but I'm definitely coming back to try new combos of ice cream and cookies!
4 - Rachel C.: Berkeley's "Diddy Riese". A little more pricey than Diddy. Can't go wrong with a dessert sandwich with fresh baked cookies and yummy ice cream in between! =)
5 - Syna N.: Create your own sandwich ice cream!  2 warm & freshly baked cookies of your choice, squishing a delightful ice cream of your choice! And voila! Perfect ice cream sandwich! =)

So far, I've had Chocolate Macadamia cookies with coconut ice cream, my favorite as of now. Can't wait to try other combos, especially for only $2, best value ever!
4 - Olivia C.: Ok.. yes it  is just two cookies with ice cream in the middle but that's the  whole point duh!!!

Sometimes it's just awesome to pig out on something and not care about the calories...
5 - Diana P.: I finally had the opportunity to visit C.R.E.A.M! 

It definitely lived up to the hype. 2 delicious, freshly baked, warm cookies of your choice with your ice cream of choice in the middle. It was delicious! I had the Chocolate Chip & Turtle cookie with Vanilla and cookies ice cream. & for only $2. Such a steal! 

If you are in the area, I would definitely make a stop over and try the ice cream sandwiches here! I believe they even have vegan choices too!
5 - Cindy B.: YUMSTER!!!!   Dear Cream,  Thank you for offering a delectable dessert at a reasonable price.  I am in love with you and wished you had a location closer to San Jose.  You deserve to get all the attention that the "ice cream catering truck" gets down here.  People in the South Bay have no idea what they are missing.
4 - Renee S.: I had my doubts about this place having tried Cool Haus in LA. Also, my first experience here wasn't the best. I am not crazy about a warm cookie melting the ice cream all over my hands. I mean, isn't the point for it to be portable? Once I learned I could ask for the cookie cold, all my problems were solved. I am not a huge fan of this place. Delicious cookies, smooth ice cream, cheap, AND open late. I've had a few combinations and have yet to be truly disappointed. This place is definitely worth a try. I'll be back countless times for midnight munchies and in-between class treats.
5 - Jenna Z.: The workers here are super nice :)
Love the loud music and the background singer sitting on the counter during my visit haha

My first time here, the gal was super nice to explain everything. I love the warm cookies! You can see your order sitting in the ovens behind the counter, you know they're fresh. Surprisingly during my entire sandwich, my cookies did not get hard as I expected with the cold ice cream. This was a delightful stuff for a snack/dessert. I only wish they gave you more ice cream because my last 3 bites were ice cream less, and there was no milk to be found :(

P.S. $2 for a cookie ice cream sandwich, win!
4 - Cindy B.: $2 for an ice cream sandwich? Can't beat the price! That's probably why despite it being Nov and a bit chilly but there was a line out the door. 

Had the double chocolate chip cookies with strawberry ice cream. The cookies aren't the best, slightly drier than the right softness (can't be too soft for an ice cream sandwich), did crumble a bit more than I'd liked. The strawberry ice cream tasted of fresh strawberry, not those too pink, artificial kind. 

Only thing to watch out for is that the place was cash only. Good thing that my friend got cash at the bank before we came here.
5 - Stephanie A.: White chocolate macadamia nut with coffee ice cream!!

You're gonna need some milk or water after you consume one of these babies. My first time there, I thought the combo was a little too sweet for me, but its def worth stopping by if you're in the area and wanna satisfy your sweet tooth!
5 - Nyla J.: The best $2 I have spent in  my life. Two cookies  with choice of icescream !! ITs better than a ITs IT !!
My favorite is the mint chip icecream with the macadamia cookie and peanut butter cookie !! YUM!! 
Dont expect to eat and dine as there are 3 tiny tables for two in the store and everythime I go , there is  line  out the door.
I think the best part, is that they are open til MIDNIGHT and they play loud music..LOVE IT !! 
SHot out to Resa for introducing me to  one of the new loves of my life.. CREAM!
5 - Supreet B.: I.LOVE.CREAM
soft, yummy warm cookies with delicious ice cream sandwiched in the middle for only $2?
If that's not perfection, I don't know what is!
BEWARE: long lines can form but they're pretty fast.

If you're in Berkley, you cannot leave without trying CREAM!
5 - Jennifer T.: Two Warm snicker doodle cookies that were soft and fresh out of the oven sandwiched with vanilla fudge ice cream in the middle = WIN 

At two bucks per ice cream cookie sammich, its soooooo cheap :) It almost tempted me into buying another sammich but my inner fat self told me not to :x

SO GOOOOOOOODDDD ! 
Can't wait to try their other cookie flavors and ice cream.
4 - Anthony C.: Honestly you can't go wrong with cookies and ice cream in one and $2 is a fair price for this scrumptious treat.
5 - Himani A.: Warm cookies + Ice cream = OHHH MY GODDD! I want to eat this 24/7. It's like a pizookie on crack because it's mobile. I shall name this Pizookie 2.0. It has all the goodness and greatness of a Pizookie but it's just a whole lot better. I like Cream so much that I want to take it behind the middle school and get it pregnant. 

Oh and it's only TWO DOLLARS! I feel like there must be bad business people running this store because they could definitely charge more and still get away with it. Business people, if you're reading this, charge more! I want you guys to be around for a long time so make sure your finances are in check. CHARGE ME MOAAAR! And thank you for creating this amazing dessert for me to devour.
3 - Queena T.: Had this place bookmarked forever and finally got to try it. Had the white chocolate macadamia w mint chocolate chip and it only cost me $2....?? Felt like I was traveling back in time with those kind of prices. You can never go wrong with ice cream sandwiched between two warm oven baked cookies. I love the idea of a made to order ice cream sandwich, though I felt like the ice cream selection is pretty much your run of the mill grocery type ice cream.
3 - Christina C.: I was reeeallly excited when I heard that there was a knock off Diddy Riese in my neighborhood.

Problem is, it's no Diddy Riese. 

Ice cream was okay, cookies were okay. I would of been satisfied if I actually got a whole scoop of ice cream in between my cookies. I've seen pictures of other people's experience here. They received a large amount of ice cream. So I was certainly jipped. Either way, I just wasn't all that impressed.
5 - Salonje R.: 2011-11-16: Yumminess! Loving Walnut Banana Chocolate Chip with French Vanilla Ice Cream sandwich! Mamma Chia is here!  Staff are super yummy-looking..mmmm
4 - Ernest Y.: It deserves a 4 star as my favorite ice cream sandwich place. 
There was a small line due to the fact that it was raining but that's not gonna stop me from getting my ice creams. The small line went rather quick and before i know it I was ready to order my cookie + ice cream. 
There were quite a lot of different type of cookies but I got the chocolate chip and cookie's n cream ice cream. What i really loved about it was that they baked the cookie again so that the cookie would be warm and there a sort of crisp to it when I take a bite with the ice cream. Just clearly wonderful. A must try place when you're in berkeley!
$2? awwww yeaa that's what I'm talking about! :) 
That's $2 of happiness right there buddy!
5 - Christine Y.: Not even kidding, when I found out this place specializes in ice cream cookie sandwiches....I melted. NOT ONLY THAT: but the place inspires a deep love of everything around you while you're there! I was chatting in line with everyone (there's always a line -_-), and ended up making a new friend to eat my ice cream sandwich with. I'm sure everyone else has already mentioned that you can get regular ice cream between vegan cookies, or vegan ice cream between regular cookies, or a scoop of reg and a scoop of veg between one reg cookie and one veg cookie.....which is. exactly. what. I did. 

Have fun~
4 - Karen K.: Who wouldn't love warm cookies and ice cream all nestled together to make a great ice cream sandwich. Did I mention you get to pick any combination of cookies and ice cream? So I picked one macadamia, one turtle cookie and strawberry ice cream. I was one happy camper. Its a great place to come get dessert and super affordable.
5 - Charles F.: This place is awesome. I've seen it from Rasputin's Music and admired it's business model. There was a fire in the area and for once there was no line so I jumped on it.

Oatmeal cookies with vanilla was what I ordered. Wanted to keep it simple for my first time. So good!!! Amazing!!! I had to call people and tell them how awesome it was. I almost ate the wrapper. 

@ Christina C. I can't believe you 3 starred this place!

...and "Jipped" is a derogatory term and I believe they prefer to be called "Roma"


...also I can't believe you wanted more ice cream especially at $2 per ice cream sandwich.
Hit me up and I will surely give you a "whole scoop ...between your cookies".
5 - Nariman S.: AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME, i'm lactose intolerant yet i come here, enough said.
5 - Ohhhh O.: Pretty simple. Cookies and ice cream put together. Nothing to special about it honestly. You just gotta pick the right flavors to combine together to create a delicious masterpiece. 

The cookies were warm and soft and the ice cream was nice and creamy..

Will come back again when I'm in the area :)
5 - Rob C.: Fresh baked ice cream cookies!!!
5 - Michelle W.: My experience with ice cream sandwiches had only been limited to Diddy Riese in socal and Itz-Its from the snack bar in middle school. It's a wonderful concept that was missing from the Bay Area for a long time. Sure, there's frozen Klondike sandwiches from the local market, but nothing desirable enough to willingly stand shivering in line for. Then came CREAM. Oh you geniuses, I blame you for my inability to get fit for a beach-ready body. 

For a mere $2, you can creatively construct an ice cream sandwich to your stomach's content. Choose amongst a variety of flavors of ooey gooey ice cream and soft baked cookies. Better get those creative juices flowing! My favorite cookies for a sandwich: sugar butter & white chocolate macadamia. However, my favorite stand alone cookie: turtle. Yes, turtle cookie. If you're not familiar with turtle, I feel sorry for you. Feel free to sample the ice cream before ordering. My #1s so far: matcha green tea & raspberry cheesecake. I hear they have a white pistachio, but no luck in trying that yet. 

Cash only. Don't forget to buy a bag of cookies. And most importantly, ignore the calorie count and eat your heart out.
4 - Jeff C.: Definitely one of the better food bargains in Berkeley... and that's saying something.  $2 gets you a choice of two cookies (and you can mix and match!) with a scoop of ice cream between them.  You can eat yourself silly trying all the different combinations and still not break the bank!  The cookies are pretty good (mmm, turtle...) and they are really cheap if you want to indulge in more cookie goodness to take home after you eat your ice cream sandwich!  I'll definitely be back when I'm in the area!
3 - Bobbie W.: Surprisingly, this place has three vegan cookie options and two vegan ice cream options.  Not bad!
3 - Yushan K.: Ok you're going to think I'm totally weird and lame, but I don't love ice cream.  This review is for their cookies only, as I got a google offer for a dozen cookies for next to nothing.

There are 2 problems with the noise level in this place.  1. Their music is WAY loud, which wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for 2. the plexiglass vertical cover to keep you from drooling over their ice cream comes right up to eye level on me.  Thus, I literally had to shout at the top of my lungs for the gal behind the counter to struggle to hear me, while most of the sound was bouncing back to my ears.

Ok all acoustics ranting aside, their cookies are pretty darn good.  I've eaten most of them by now (haha), and the double chocolate is the absolute best.  I don't like intensely sweet cookies, which these are, so I personally would prefer if they cut their sugar by about 30% in their recipes, but I recognize most people aren't weird like me.

If I'm ever with a group and peer pressure calls me to get an ice cream sandwich here, I'll get a double chocolate cookie + their most chocolatiest ice cream and will probably enjoy it :)
5 - L O.: I've only had their chocolate chip cookie, but I love it! Warm and gooey!!
4 - Derrick W.: This place is just like Diddy Riese in Westwood Los Angeles. A scoop of ice cream wedged between two cookies. Unfortunately, this place also comes with the long lines. Worth the wait if you're an ice cream and cookie junkie.
4 - Daniel S.: I love this place, because who doesn't love fresh, hot cookies?  

Now, the owners of CREAM want you to get those cookies in the form of an ice cream sandwich, i.e., wrapped around a scoop of ice cream.  And for $2.00, it's worth trying: they have numerous ice cream flavors and can make some interesting combinations.  But 2 hot cookies + 1 scoop of ice cream + 3 minutes = 1 hot mess of molten soggy goo, so you better gulp that baby down ASAP.

Alternately, you can go the civilized route: Just get the cookies. They're fresh, they're crispy on the edges, they're gooey on the inside, and they are crazy cheap! I love going here and getting one or two (OK, sometimes 3 or 4) fresh, hot chocolate chip cookies.  

If you're looking for some reason to visit Telegraph -- or need a new excuse since Cafe Intermezzo burned down -- this, along with Sun Hong Kong, is one of the best reasons to stop by!
2 - Alice M.: Really good price....I probably would have loved it 6 years ago as an undergrad. Unfortunately, I can only give 2 stars because I have graduated to Specialty's cookies and Loard's ice cream....so it was just like something missing for my taste. 
I only could eat half because it was just not that good. My friend also had to give up after half and declared she needed a different dessert. 

The chocolate chip cookie was ok. The snicker doodle I got tasted raw and was overly soft. The mint chip ice cream was just not creamy and milky enough for me. I just didn't like what I was eating and had to stop. 

One star for being cheap. And another star for having friendly service. 

Maybe we went on a off day? It looked good but I was scared of eating that half cooked cookie. Maybe I only like the super fatty ice cream like Loard's and Mitchells?

However, I do like that they have gluten free products! I will be back to try those out someday.
5 - Donelle S.: Awesome and delicious!  The salted caramel malt was probably one of the best things my taste buds have ever encountered in my life and I am no spring chicken.  My husband had the ice cream sandwich and was also impressed.  I loved the turtle cookie also, wiht the caramel all glazy and caramelized around the edges.  YUM
4 - Annie S.: This place is orgasmic.

I'm a huge fan of ice cream and this satiates my sweet tooth to the max. I had their strawberry ice cream in between a sugar cookie and snickerdoodle. I loved everything about it aside from the fact that the sugar cookie wasn't freshly baked, due to its hardened texture, whereas the snickerdoodle was soft and warm to the touch. It may not sound like anything special because this treat is something anyone can simply make at home, but it's a perfect ending to a meal if you're ever in the area.
4 - jessica d.: Yummy!! I'm more of a salty person than a sweets person but even this place made my mouth water a little. The ice cream sandwich is incredibly cheap and compared to Diddy Reeese by UCLA, it's so much better. The sweetness is not overwhelming but perfect. I'd definitely recommend it if you're a sweets person!
4 - Nadeem A.: OK, ice cream cookie sandwiches? Yeah, been-there, done-that, when I used to go to Diddy Riese in SoCal every week.  Or was that every day?  The point being that Diddy Riese was at the top of my ice cream cookie sandwich list.

Now, CREAM is at the top of my list.  The just-baked cookies go perfectly with the cold ice cream.  My only complaint is that it'd be easier to eat out of a bowl, since the warm cookies and cold ice cream turn into a big gooey mess if not eaten fast enough.

I'm a purist, so I always get the chocolate chip cookies with vanilla ice-cream. But you really can't go wrong if you like cookies and ice cream. Enjoy!
5 - Naficeh T.: I discovered Cream with a friend of mine on a weekend trip down to the SF area. I am SO glad we waited in the huge line up! 

Warm cookies, creamy ice cream, delicious all around goodness. And for only $2!
2 - Lily K.: I saw this place and totally looked forward to coming here. It's been in my bookmarks for awhile. Neat concept: cookies and ice cream in  between. 

The problem: the cookies were too hard so all the ice cream squeezed out so you had to eat the cookie and ice cream separate, which was not exactly the point of the ice cream cookie sandwich. But, by the time you got through the cookies the ice cream melted all over the little bag thing you get. 

Ice cream flavor wasn't mind blowing either.
4 - Priscilla S.: Came here only twice. Once with my Berkeley expert Cal student friend and once tonight. 

The wait wasn't extreme during the afternoon, thank goodness, and service was fast. I ordered the Snickerdoodle sandwich with Matcha green tea ice cream. Absolutely amazing. They're definitely generous in the ice cream portion. Tonight, there was a long line, but because they're so efficient, the wait wasn't long. i ordered the Turtle cookie with Matcha green tea and even joked it up with the cashier while he waited for my other friend to get her 2 sandwiches so we can pay together. He was so thoughtful, he even placed my sandwich in the freezer while i waited as a joke. Cute.

Simple, quick service and delicious every time. CREAM has came through strong for me every time thus far! 

RECOMMEND! 
It's a novelty experience.
5 - Lynn V.: FRESH BAKED COOKIES WITH ICE CREAM = THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. I had the turtle and white chocolate macadamia with mint chocolate chip ice cream. The sweetness of the cookies and chillness of the ice cream blended together making my taste buds cry of genuine joy. The cookies were not oily like some other cookie places I've been to so that made eating such a sugarfilled dessert more acceptable. Of course this place will be compared to socal's Diddy Riese, but c'mon both are pretty much the same and how can you go wrong with fresh cookies and ice cream. Both are exceptionally cute tasty places. 

Pros: CHEAP, 2$ for 2 cookies and ice cream. Quick, fresh, lovely. 
Cons: charge 50cents more if you use credit so have some cash. The bag for cookie causes a mess, should replace with cups for those who can't really eat it as a sandwich and prefer to use a spoon.

Absolutely will come back if in the area! & will definitely tell all my friends about it. The perfect cookie and ice cream place even if norcal weather does not accommodate.
5 - Johnny A.: I do not understand how anyone could give this place less then a five star rating, $2 for fresh baked cookies sandwiched around amazing ice cream...

I don't really know what else to write about, the cookies themselves taste amazing, and i have never been there at a time when my cookie was not still warm, the ice cream melts and sometimes squeezes out of the cookie, but that is just user error.  It is all about technique when you are eating one of these bad boys.  Don't try it once, spill a little ice cream on yourself and rate it a low star rating.  Give it a real try figure out how to eat the sandwich and just enjoy it!!

my brothers favorite is double sugar cookie and coffee of the gods. Mine, chocolate chip cookie, various ice cream (fav so far mint chip) and chocolate cookie.

Enjoy!

P.S. make a night of it and go to Ib's around the corner, GREAT cheesesteak place!
5 - Julia F.: This place is freaking AWESOME!  Not only is it cheap but their ice cream sandwiches are AMAZING!!!!!!!!
5 - Rosalyn M.: fresh baked cookies + ice cream + $2 = pure aweomeness!!
5 - Jacob A.: I've been looking for a place like this ever since I tried "Diddy Riese's" Ice Cream Sandwiches in SoCal.

ICE CREAMM SAMMMMICHESS FOR CHEAPP! WTF??!?!! TWO EFFFIN' DOLLARS for TWO HEAVENLY GOOD COOKIES and a SCOOP OF HEAVENLY GOOD ICE CREAM!!! STEALLL!

I got a SNICKERDOODLE (my fave cookie ever, anywhere!!), and CAPPUCCINO with CINNAMON CARAMEL ICE CREAMMM!

HEAVENNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!! Cinnamon and Caramel are like one of my top flavors for desserts! (I.E. White Chocolate Cinnamon Caramel POPCORN) Lol.

I tried each cookie alone, snickerdoodle just makes me droooool. The texture of it was just tooo perfect!! Cappuccino is really good to! especially the chips of cappuccino, or whatever those light brown things are.

*If it was CASH ONLY before, they accepts CC/DebitCards now! Its just .50 cents more to your $2.00 ice cream sammich!
5 - Veeda S.: where should i start, MmMmmm Hot Cookies/ Cold Ice Cream for $2 dollars doesn't get any better then this.  I love ice cream, and this def. hits the spot =)
4 - Amanda B.: i always get the green tea ice cream with the turtle cookie. 

2 bucks, and used to be right across the street from where i lived. perfect for late-night ice cream cravings. cream is the bomb, and definitely worth checking out for anyone in berkeley. i like it more than ici, and it's certainly cheaper. the only downside is how messy it is. the ice cream melts quickly, and after eating it, you usually feel sick to your stomach from consuming so much sugar so quickly. and yet, i keep coming back. i love you, cream.
4 - Debora L.: Sometimes, cookies to rule everything.

There is something just so satisfying as a good ice cream sandwich. This brings me back to the It's It era, when I would spend my lunch money on that plastic-wrapped goodness rather than $2 nachos. Cream is even better!

The cookies are like Mrs. Fields (which, ironically, used to house this space a few stores ago). Ice cream was straightforward. Put the cold ice cream between the warm cookies, slap on a cheap price tag ($2), have late hours... and it's a sure fire success.

IMO the unique part of this is the variety of combinations of cookie to ice cream. Plus, having more than one vegan option (even if the individual cookie price increases to $1.75 ea) is a great bonus. 

Don't expect gourmet ghetto quality; this is a simple, straight forward, honest to goodness cookie and ice cream sandwich joint. It's cheap, and you get what you pay for-- like the $1 John's ice cream scoops on Shattuck-- but it does the job.
4 - Cindy M.: Today, I ordered the cappuccino cookie soy mint n chip ice cream sandwich for the awesome price of TWOOO DOLLLLAR~! yummmmm~ (But, not as good as my first time when I got the double choco chip cookie & mint choco chip combo.) 

My cookie was not warm and chewy this time. Guess I didn't get lucky and get the fresh batch this time. :( It didn't really have cappuccino flavor to it though. Tasted like snickerdoodle cookie + butterscotch chips. ;\ Darn. 

Ice cream part was the best part because I lurveeeee ice creamm! Any ice cream is yummmmy! Although, soy mint n chip is not as minty as mint choco chip.

It's SUPER SWEET once you start munching away. Great when you need a sugar rush. When I come back, I better be sugar deprived or I'm just going to get the ice cream scoop. @_@;;

But, ANYWAYS, CREAM is THE BEST ICE CREAM SANDWICH STORE EVERRRRR~
4 - Dominique Y.: I love sweets. I was excited about the name of this place and happily waited on line. I got the cookie sandwich, and the cookies were amazing, the ice cream was pretty good too.  Very cheap and very sweet!
4 - Felicia P.: One word: Yum!
5 - Niah N.: The price went up :-( but this place never fails to bring out my inner obesity.
5 - Walter J.: My family loves this place.  It is fun.  The line is always long so you feel like you are part of some fun event.  The people are funny and nice.  And the cookies and ice cream are great.  If you haven't tried this place yet, ya gotta try it.  It is a totally unique ice cream experience.
5 - Goodfood G.: First of i like Good Food, and let me tell you this that this was the best ice cream sandwich i have had in a long time. Me and a group of friends went there around 8pm, the service was great & very friendly.

I ordered the Turtle cookie with vanilla cookies and cream ice cream. It was amazingly good, the cookie was soft and chewy, and the ice cream was full of flavor. Each bite i took, gave me visions of my childhood when sitting outside on a hot day eating ice cream. 

Also how can you beat the price $2, something this good and only for $2.......................it is definitely worth it................so i advise you that if you want a awesome ice cream sandwich go to CREAM and enjoy the day.
4 - Sandra L.: sometimes you just crave crazy sweets.  and you would run across campus (~1 mile) to come here.

i prefer this over diddy reese.  the cookies are always warm and soft.  the ice cream doesn't taste chemically at all.

SO CHEAP!
4 - Vivienne P.: The basic concept of Cream is genius--a menu of cookies and a menu of ice cream, so that you mix and match and get a custom ice cream sammich all your own. They're a very respectable size, and only $2! Goddamn.

What really sold me is that they had vegan options! And not just one sad pathetic one. There were about five vegan cookie choices, and two ice creams. I wasn't super excited about either of the ice cream options, and the ice cream didn't blow me away with how good it was. However, it wasn't bad at all! I'm just an ice cream snob. Anyways, I got the mint chocolate chip sammiched between two snickerdoodle cookies. The cookies totally stole the show and won my heart--they were SO GOOD, and even warmed up before being put around the ice cream.

On the downside, the vegan option was significantly more expensive--$3,50. Almost twice as much! Ouch.

Nonetheless, it was delicious, the staff was really great, and on a scale of vegan desserts, $3.50 is still respectable. I'll definitely be back.

Weirdly, they didn't offer something basic like a chocolate chip cookie option in vegan, so I'd like to see the ability to get a basic vegan ice cream sammich. I'd love to have some more in the way of vegan ice cream choices, even if it was just vanilla or chocolate. It was difficult to find a complementary pairing between the ice cream and cookie options available. Hopefully that will improve in the future!
4 - Van L.: For $2 a sandwich, this cannot be beat - especially since you're getting cookies AND ice cream in one. The perfect amount of sweet to satisfy your sugar craving!

Lines can be long but it goes pretty fast. Even if you're not a big sweets fan, at least go just so you can say you've been...the name is just too cute!
2 - Stewart L.: Let me begin by saying that I am no stranger to ice cream sandwiches. Having spent the better part of three years in southern California for college, I have had access to places such as Diddy Riese and The Milk Shop which set the bar for me in terms of ice cream sandwiches. The concept is tried and true so when I heard all the hype surrounding CREAM, I figured I would try it out.

Frankly, it was a mistake.

Like Diddy Riese, the lines for CREAM can get quite long. Unlike Diddy Riese, however, CREAM is located in a location that is less than desirable. As some others have rightfully pointed out, you can get harassed by random homeless people extorting you for your money.

Which brings me to another issue: the lack of available seating and indoor space. Given that you can be subject to the blatant harassment of random unscrupulous homeless individuals, it would be nice if you were somewhat sheltered from them while you are waiting in line or while you are enjoying your dessert, but frankly, that just isn't possible. There is probably enough room in the store for 20 people at any given time while the rest of us are either waiting in line or banished to leave the store as soon as we are served.

Now, for the ice cream sandwiches. To be perfectly honest, the ice cream sandwiches are acceptable. Not great, or even particularly good. Just acceptable. For two dollars - if you are paying by cash, at least - you get two cookies and a scoop of ice cream. The cookies themselves are inconsistent. I have been to this establishment twice. The first time, the cookies were rock hard. The second time, they were so chewy that the cookie actually conformed to the shape of the ice cream after a minute or so. The ice cream is nothing special and did not stand out to me at all. Needless to say, given all the hype surrounding CREAM, I was extremely disappointed after two visits.

As for the price, I don't know why people keep hyping the fact that the ice cream sandwiches are two dollars. I could get Diddy Riese for $1.50. Big deal. Also, I am vehemently against price discrimination as the credit card surcharges clearly are. A $0.50 surcharge on a a $2.00 ice cream sandwich is nothing short of extortion. That is a 25% markup just for the luxury of using my credit card. Are you kidding me?
3 - Roy C.: Got the Ice Cream Sandwich w/ Snickerdoodle & Cookies/Cream ice cream. Since I went to UCLA, I have to compare it to Diddy Reese down in Westwood. Diddy Reese is still better. Cream's cookies aren't warm and they're a little too soft. The ice cream was just okay.
4 - David O.: I'm rather impressed at their selection and amazing prices -- which is what made this a four star review instead of a more deserved three stars, as the quality is really just A-OK. Seriously, If you can bake up some pre-mixed cookies and buy some Ben and Jerry's (maybe even regular store brand ice cream), you could easily replicate this -- the elements aren't terribly unique or inspired.

The staff are always friendly and never impart judgement for being the dazzled, indecisive stoner that you are.
4 - Christine E.: I'm glad they opened this place up! This place reminds me of  Diddy Riese near by UCLA. I ordered the Turtle cookie with coffee ice cream, which was pretty good. I love how the cookies were soft and fresh, along with ice cream in the middle. Besides, you can't beat the ice cream sandwich for only $2! ($2.50 if you use debit/credit). Lines were long and non-stop but it was totally worth trying. Other than that, I still think Diddy Riese is hard to beat! :)
4 - Daniel D.: My GF has been telling me about this place for a while, we just got there this past weekend. We grabbed a slice from Fat Slice then headed over here. There's always a little bit of a line but it takes only a few minutes and the girls at CREAM are very efficient as well as personable.

We ended up with 2 ice cream sandwiches: 1) 2 snickerdoodle cookies with cinnamon caramel ice cream and 2) 2 turtle cookies with coffee blast.

The snickerdoodle ice cream sandwich was pretty bomb. I like that they keep the cookies kind of warm so they're soft when chomp on them. I would still say that Bi-Rite's Ricanelas ice cream is better but I like that CREAM is only 2 bucks!

The turtle cookies were super chocolately! I wasn't expecting that at first. The coffee blast was no joke either. I think it gave me a caffeine rush for the rest of the night.

The cashier was super friendly and efficient. I was really impressed. After we paid, we were able to sit down at one of the two tables available.

It's very important to bring a drink or buy one, otherwise you'll be like that dog eating peanut butter! I probably won't go out of my way to come here again, but I can see a hankering for one possibly during the summer.
3 - Amy J.: Okay, this was a serious case of HYPE (I blame my Bay Area friends). I planned my weekend around this place: three days of the Bay Area = 3 opportunities to try CREAM. That didn't happen. Being from SoCal, I imagined a Diddy Riese in Berkeley. Well, this was definitely NOT Diddy Riese.

I tried two cookies (white chocolate and turtle) and two ice cream flavors (green tea and white pistachio). I had the cookies warmed up for me. The heat did nothing since the cookies were clearly old. To top it off, the ice cream wasn't rich and rather ordinary.

To be honest, if I had never tried Diddy Riese, this place might have blown my socks off. Unfortunately for CREAM, I've had the better (and cheaper) stuff down in LA.

PS: I got charged extra for wanting two flavors of ice cream (half/half, not an extra scoop). What gives?

PPS: Sorry (okay, not really) for mentioning Diddy Riese a million times, but you have to admit the similarity is uncanny.
2 - Pam W.: Just glanced at a couple of the reviews before writing my own and I feel like I did not get the same thing as the other yelpers. I got the chocolate chip cookie and french vanilla sandwich. The ice cream was good. The cookie was good. They just weren't great together. The cookies were crispy hard which makes it quite difficult to eat as an ice cream sandwich. Maybe I just choose the wrong cookie. Who knows.

Not too impressed. May go back just for a scoop of ice cream. Probably not for an ice cream sandwich.
5 - Kenji M.: By far the best FOOD in the general vicinity.  I don't mean just dessert.  Just remember this place sells ice cream sandwiches.  You can get better cookies, and you can get better ice cream, but both individually are still good, and having them together for cheap... yum.
5 - eileen m.: Fantastic desserts at a very affordable price!  Amazing customer service!
5 - Katie S.: Delicious ice cream sandwiches plus friendly, efficient service.  To the girl with the two star review saying that the cookies she received were crispy, I would suggest going when there appears to be a line.  I've been twice when the line was out the door, and I've found that this means they're cranking out fresh cookies.  They move quickly enough that you're in and out with 2 warm cookies squeezing a lump of melty ice cream.  Simply put, you walk out happy.
5 - Stephanie L.: The best ice cream cookie sandwich ever. 

We got here on a Friday night and the line was out the door and around the corner a little. The wait wasn't very long at all since the workers here get your order done really quick. There are a ton of cookie, brownie and gluten free cookie options and ice cream flavors. So the boyfriend and I decided to go with ice cream sandwiches since that's what everyone was ordering. I picked the double chocolate chip and carnival(m&m) cookies with banana walnut fudge ice cream. The boyfriend went with snickerdoodles and vanilla ice cream. You can also choose to get just cookies or just ice cream. They also have shakes here too. 

Our ice cream sandwiches were the best we've ever had. I definitely want to try out the other cookie flavors. 

If you pay cash, it's $2 for an ice cream sandwich or $2.50 if you're using a card.
3 - Jackie D.: It didn't live up to the hype for me. I got a double chocolate and sugar butter cookie with French vanilla ice cream. I expected it to be soft and chewy and the cold ice cream would give a good balance, however every time I but into it, it was crunchy and fell apart. I'm glad to say I've finally tried it, but I prob won't be back again.  Luckily it's only $2 per cookie ice cream sandwich.
5 - Jon R.: Simple and delicious with little cash to spend. Like less than $5.
5 - Jaime P.: $2.00 for an ice cream sandwich with toasty warm cookies? What's not to like about this?
4 - Katie M.: I don't really like cookies, so I've only been here two or three times (each with a different friend who loooooves CREAM). However, I do appreciate that the cookies are always soft and warm, and they give a generous amount of ice cream. It's an absolute steal for $2 (even though it used to be $1.75, and $1.50 before that...)

I try to stick to my regulars, Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream and Butter Sugar cookie, but I've also had their Coffee Blast ice cream and White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookie and they don't disappoint, either. 

If it were up to my personal preferences, I'd give this place 3 stars because like I said, cookies are whatever to me, but I really respect the establishment and how well it's performed in the college market. The employees are always friendly, even when it's late at night and they have to put up with TOO MANY drunk/high customers. There are 2-3 tables to sit at, but most people don't stick around after making their purchase.
3 - Jasmin C.: I've been quite a frequent customer to CREAM since their grand opening, and quite honestly I would have to say that the quality of their cookies is extremely inconsistent. I would expect the cookies to taste relatively good since...well.. the only thing that they actually make are the cookies. The first time I had CREAM, it was the most amazing thing ever. Then, after coming here at least 10 times (I usually bring my visiting friends here after a meal or something) I noticed their cookies, depending on the day, are either rock hard, super doughy (to the point that I sometimes wonder whether they even baked it), or perfect (of which the last has become a rarity). Sorry CREAM, but I am disappointed!
5 - Chum L.: This Valentines was particularly trying. The ex was in full aggro mood and bent on destroying any happiness I would ever have. He used to make such a big deal of Valentines day and I hated it. Personally, I feel it's a commercial holiday designed to sucker folks into spending inflated amounts of money and I refuse to partake. Ever, even when I was a part of a couple. 

The morning started out with Keane negating the whole day for me: 

                                                        2 - 14 - 12 = 0 

Poof, it no longer exist. See, that's why he's my favorite rock star. Unfortunately someone forgot to send this memo to the ex because he decided to ruin the day for me. Again. And Again. And then Again. Ugh. 

Luckily, I have great friends. All through the day, even though they had no clue of what was going, my friends reached out to me. The drunk blond, the other blond, my bestie, Whorenzo, the Argentinian, the Brother, my Italian boyfriend, BV, my many Frenchies, the list goes on. None spent money on flowers; none sent me candies; none fed me a romantic meal. They texted, pinged, or called... just to tell me that they were thinking of me. That's what Vday should be about, not how much money you can spend to prove your love. 

Thank you to those that had to listen to me bemoan my circumstances. And many thanks to my siblings, who also had to endure the constant harassment from the ex. 

To end the night, I got a simple little text from friends. A virtual hug from Theron, Debbie, and Keane. Just out of the blue. See how lucky I am? 

To that end, I would love to take all my little valentines out to CREAM. Choose your cookies, choose your ice cream, they put it all together to create a little love. A simple token of my affection, merci mon amis. 

Cookies Rule Everything Around Me.
5 - Scott M.: Hands down the best ice cream sandwich I have ever had. Got the chocolate cookie with white chocolate chips with mint chocolate chip ice cream. Amazing! My wife got the chocolate chip with nuts cookie and the salted caramel ice cream. Bomb! Wish I was still at Cal so I could eat this more often. Highly recommended!
5 - Duy T.: I wish there was one of these in San Jose! My friend LaLo told me about this place, so I started following them on Facebook and one day they posted they were offering a gluten free menu and I was so thrilled. I dragged my Boyfriend up to Berkeley for lunch and afterward we headed over there. I was so excited to they had a whole set up. They had chocolate chip, chocolate chip with walnuts and brownies that were all gluten free. You know that most gluten free cookies taste like sand or stale but these cookies melted in your mouth like butter (which I am sure it had heaps of). The cookies are warm and you can pick any ice cream you want (make sure you ask them which one are gluten free) to accompany it. I chose the vegan option: mint chip. It was amazing and that was my first cookie in months since I haven't been able to find a decent one to make or buy. Of course being gluten free it cost a little more. I think it was $3.75 but it was totally worth it. Give it a try if you get a chance.
5 - Sarah Y.: Super delish!

Tried CREAM this past weekend when my boyfriend took me up to Telegraph for my birthday. Small little cute shop with a line out the door! We both had ice-cream sandwiches and for only $2!? It's a must if you're on Telegraph! The owner(?) was nice enough to change our bill into coins for our parking meter. He even told us to come back if we needed anymore change, and we did. Lol.

Only downside is that I wish there was a location in San Jose! Lucky UCB students!!!
5 - Jessica R.: This place is awesome!! I've had the chocolate chip cookies with vanilla ice cream which was absolutely fantastic!! I've also tried white chocolate chip cookie with banana walnut ice cream and that one was great as well. One of the greatest places to check out if you want something sweet and not expensive!
4 - Goldilocks J.: Yummy! Went here last night for dessert and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was a little disappointed that they didn't have the same flavors of ice cream as listed on their website (no peanut butter cup sundae, which is what I wanted to try!) and they were out of regular chocolate chip cookies, but I still enjoyed myself. I got an ice cream sandwich with double chocolate chip cookies and a scoop of salted caramel ice cream. The ice cream didn't have a whole lot of flavor. I tried my friend's white pistachio, and that was a lot better. My husband had coconut and strawberry cheesecake ice cream in his sandwich. I didn't care for the coconut (personal taste) but the strawberry cheesecake was good and I wish I had gotten that instead. We were so happy that there was no line, we've tried to go before but kept on driving when we saw the line around the block. Would definitely go back if in the area.
3 - Nhung T.: I would actually give this place 3.5 stars. I was totally excited because there was a line and it was like midnight!!! I ordered two cookies and a scoop of ice cream. Cookies are White Chocolate Macadamia Nut and Double chocolate chip with Pistachio ice cream. The cookies were soft, but next time I wouldn't mix white with a dark cookie. I didn't realized double chocolate chip was a dark cookie, but decided to try it anyhow. The Pistachio was good, but prefer the gelato texture. However, nothing beats cookies and ice cream!!! 

Oh, bring cash because there's a $.50 difference if you pay by credit card. Basically two cookies and a scoop of ice cream was $2.00 cash and $2.50 credit.
5 - Jennifer T.: I'd totally just come here for their fresh baked chocolate chip cookies....MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! ^^
5 - Liyun C.: I only tried one, but thats all I needed. The ice cream sandwiches (if you pay by cash, 50 cents cheaper than paying with credit) are amazing. 
I tried the turtle cookies (caramel and almonds) with green tea matcha ice cream. Cold ice cream on a hot day hits the spot. The whole sandwich was complete. 
My brother enjoyed his snickerdoodle and strawberry cheesecake ice cream. 
I wish I took home more cookies, they were that good! crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside.
5 - trixy b.: Thanks to my brother's craving for CREAM, I was lucky enough to try it. And I couldn't be happier.  I ordered 2 different cookies: snickerdoodle and butter sugar with cookie dough ice cream in between. My daughter ordered, soy mint chip ice cream with chocolate chip cookies (I just love my baby girl!) 
Ahhhh... warm, crisp, ooey gooey goodness. A must visit when you're in Berkeley but make sure you have cash on hand, no credit cards taken.  Still, well worth the wait (and it was out the door).
3 - Daniella G.: ice cream sandwich is the go to order! Don't leave there without one! YuMm!

The best part is that they are open late! I think they need a little bit more selection in ice cream flavors, but for such a small place, its good! 

Best dessert ive paid only $3.25 for!
5 - Anand G.: Best ice cream sandwiches in the east bay. A very good late night dessert. Beware it gets really crowded during the weekends though.
5 - Grace L.: This is no ordinary review 
Because Cream deserves much more
So I figure a few lines that rhyme
to describe my immense galore

A shiny bright ice cream shop
Abundant with college kids at night
They come to get their fill of sugar
So they can party till daylight

Or perhaps to fulfill a midnight munchie
What can cause it? Who knows
Maybe hard at work studying
Or maybe a few puffs and blows

The line may seem dauntingly long
Just stand patiently in line
Make sure you have your $2 cash in hand
with cookie & ice cream flavor in mind

With that first bite, you'll be sent to heaven
And think, "Sugar gods you've set me free!"
Surely, only at a place called 
Cookies Rule Everything Around Me
3 - Jennifer J.: This place is ok. In the olden days (hahahaha I always sound like this when I write reviews about new places since the freshmen/sophomores have never seen what it was before), cream sandwiches cost $1.50 EACH! I remember the lines would be out the door it was so crazy! Since they raised the price to $2.00 each, I think the line has died down slightly. Sandwiches are really inconsistent. Sometimes I'll get an amazing sandwich (crispy/soft cookie with cold yummy ice cream). Other times, if they are busy, they won't let the cookies cool property and put a super hot cookie with ice cream, which makes the cookie really soggy and disgusting. Eat at your own risk! But also know that this price hike means you can have a super yummy froyo at Yogurtland for less :)
2 - Farrah N.: I really wanted to love this place, and I totally did when it first opened over a year ago. Since then, they have increased the prices of sandwiches up to two dollars which is still not ridiculously pricey, but makes it less of a deal and it seems the general student population thinks so as well as the extremely long lines seem to have died down. 

My favorite combo is the white macademia with the matcha green tea ice cream. It's the only combo I could figure out that wasn't disgustingly sweet. The green tea ice cream, mind you, is really delicious. I sometimes go in there to just buy a cone of the ice cream. 

I also find that the whole ice cream cookie sandwhich experience varies greatly time to time. Sometimes the cookies are ridiculously hard and not fresh at all creating a mess when the two hard blocks squish out the ice cream at your first bite. Sometimes the cookies are just way too hot and melt all the ice cream creating a soggy mess for you to deal with. However, it's a great treat when they are patient and take the effort to make it just right :)
5 - June C.: I've seen a line out the door of this place at all times of the day. I've been curious for a very long time, but never came in.

Just recently I went in with a friend. I was going to get a single scoop of plain ice cream when my friend said that he always sees people coming out with an ice cream sandwich. The extremely nice staff behind the counter agreed with him, and informed me that is why they are so popular. 

And then my friend chimes in, "It's only $2!"

Seriously?! Two cookies of your choice, and a huge scoop of ice cream. That is ridiculous. For warm cookies and a very unhealthy serving of ice cream you really have to try this place, you have nothing to lose except $2 and a normal insulin level.

Oh, and for all you plain vanilla lovers, this place is a must-try.
4 - Candice B.: When I saw "Cookies rule everything around me," I hear "dollar dollar bill y'all" in my head and realized with much fright how old I have become relative to the young dwellers on Telegraph.  Not that they wouldn't know Wu Tang, but music from the nineties must be like, so ancient, like me discovering the Beatles. Okay, maybe that's a stretch. 

What's more frightening or, I should say, heart warming is that once you get in, you hear nothing but hip pop from the nineties.  The middle-aged cashier was smiling and humming along.  It's as if I had never left school. 

And the price?  Are you serious? $2 for an ice cream sandwich in the days of coping with food price inflation by cutting down the portions or raising the prices?  I was seriously expecting half a cookie with a dob of ice cream on top.

But nope, the portion is as generous as the legendary Diddy Reese's sandwiches.  And just as cheap. Just as tasty.

No wonder the line was out the door.  How can this place not be popular?
5 - Brandy M.: Genius Idea. Yet So Simple. Cinnamon Swirl Ice Cream Is The Best. Try 2 Different Cookies...
5 - Brandi L.: DELICIOUS!!!!! Chocolate chip cookie with caramel swirl ice cream is off thee HOOK. Awesome price too! Open late
5 - Emily E.: worth waiting in line for!
4 - Kristina L.: Its like a Diddy Reese in Berkeley!

I love the ice cream sandwich idea. Warm gooey cookies with ice cream! You can't go wrong and for a cheap price!! ~$2 for an ice cream sandwich, you can't go wrong! They pack that cookie goodness too well that its too much to finish. You can mix and match which cookies you like and fill it with any flavor ice cream. Although I think the ice cream is Oh-K, having the combo of cookies and ice creams makes it 10 times better.

If you don't feel like getting such a big dessert, at least try the cookies. They are warm, soft and yummy!
5 - Karissa B.: You can't go wrong eating this ice cream sandwich on a hot day.  We came here and it was so packed the line was out the door....and for two dollars..oh my..it's totally worth the wait and the bite of the ice cream.  The selection of ice cream and cookies were awesome..also they are gluten free even better :)
4 - M C.: The reviews and prices made it so tempting, just had to check it out.
I must have gone at at good time cuz was in & out within 5 minutes. 
The service was quick and friendly. 
Had peanut butter cookies with banana walnut fudge ice cream. The cookie was slightly warm so it melted the ice cream a little, which was so good!
The only minor complaint was the cashier said the small bottled water was $1 but it rang up as $1.25. No biggie.
Think I will try 2 different cookies next time...so many options!
5 - Francesca L.: I have been to a couple of similar establishments in LA and Dallas and CREAM is better by far! Cookies were warm and chewy and yes the ice cream started to melt a little, but who doesn't like to lick their fingers and get dirty with dessert? 
Strawberry ice cream between two butter sugar cookies? Yes, Cookies Rule Everything Around Me!
4 - Mary Ann B.: Mmmm this place is effen awesome. Hearty scoop of ice cream sandwiched in between 2 cookies of your choice hits the spot for this cookie monster. Caramel cinnamon ice cream in snicker doodle sando was soooooo mouth watering good. I am drooling as I type this. The Golden Gate ice cream was Meh, I felt like I did the cookies injustice. But oh well the cookies were so fresh that it didnt matter. YUMMY I WANT MORE!
4 - Gina C.: I think there must be an unwritten rule for all colleges to have a icecream sandwich shop near by. 

I mean.. it only makes sense.

hungry? icecream sandwich!
study break? icecream sandwich!
sleepy?  icecream sandwich!
finished an exam? icecream sandwich!
hungover? ... you get the idea. 

Cream is to Cal as Diddy Reese is to UCLA. 

Their Green Tea icecream is THE BOMB (something Diddy Reese does not have). 
Try it with White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookie. 

This is where $2 can bring explosion to your taste buds.

Satisfaction guaranteed.
4 - Hei Ming C.: Great place for ice cream. The cookie was warm and the ice cream was really good. 

The downfall of it was part of the cookie was hard. I prefer a softer cookie but that's just a personal preference. It was a good place for dessert but didn't wow me.
5 - Stephanie S.: OH MY GOD! Where has this place been all my life! The first thing that hit me was the aroma. It was more intoxicating than any perfume and promised change no president could ever bring. What made it even better was that these heavenly amalgamations of ice  cream and cookie were priced at the earthly sum of TWO DOLLARS!
     I crafted my creation from chocolate chip and double chocolate chip cookies,  betwixt which, a scoop of salted caramel ice cream. The flavor of said ice cream sandwich was divine.
 I will go back to C.R.E.A.M in person and in my dreams....
5 - Jacob v.: AMEN!

CREAM is the best place in Berkley if you got the late night munchies, for some cookies and ice cream. $2 for an ice cream sandwich with freshly oven baked cookies?!?!?!?! Are you kidding me?? I would pay $5 for such glory.

Fast service, the best sweeties for the best price, how can does CREAM not have 5 stars? Eat your heart out haters, and I will eat your ice cream sandwich.
2 - Grubnoisseur Y.: Update:  Keeping my review of the product the same but knocking off stars for the insanity of the catering.  In the store the ice cream sandwiches are $2, but to have them delivered and served they are marked up over 150%!!   Normal business practice a reasonable charge fee for service and delivery is standard but to arrogantly mark up with that insane of an amount for simple ice cream sandwiches come one now.  

Product Review:

Braved the rain and went to CREAM on Friday night after dinner.  Packed with Cal students, definitely a great sign of cheap eats.  Sampled the Cinnamon Caramel and the White Pistachio ice cream (Double Rainbow brand).  Both were delicious but was feeling white chocolate mac nut and snickerdoodle cookie so went with the Cinnamon Caramel pairing.  Paid $2 which is a killer deal!!  

My first bite, the ice cream softened just right between the fresh out of the oven cookies for a warm and soft mouthful of goodness.  The crunchy bit of mac nut gave it just the right textural balance.  This place body slams Diddy Reese in Los Angeles, this is my new favorite ice cream haunt in the East Bay.
5 - Jeremy G.: I reached nirvana tonight.  Two fresh out the oven snickerdoodles with a snuggle buddy of cookie dough ice cream was all it took.  I don't think I will ever eat anything better.
3 - Angelica D.: Great idea but torn between enjoying my ice cream and enjoying my cookies. 

This place used to have crazy long lines when it first opened and since I never wanted to wait in line for my quick ice cream fix it took me awhile to try it. But once i did, I quickly realized what the hype was all about, getting to choose what cookies and what ice cream you want in your ice cream sandwich, AMAZING! But, the cookies are usually too hot and melt the ice cream right away causing it to either melt all over the place making a huge mess OR causing you to stuff your face and therefore not enjoying the CREAM experience to the fullest. I come back once in awhile when my friends want to go. But otherwise wouldn't go on own even if there is no line. 

But quick melting fix is too have them cut it in half, that way youre not smushing the cookies and ice cream together as much and less melting occurs
4 - Reena P.: $2 for an ice cream cookie sandwich of your liking??? How can you NOT be a fan?!  CREAM is the best of dessert lover's worlds with fresh baked cookies and a wide selection of ice cream flavors.  You can get as creative as you want, mixing up the two cookies to whichever you'd like and topping it off with one of the many ice cream flavors.  The caveat is that when you put some cold ice cream on warm cookies, your cookies will get hard (biggest complaint).  But even that, it's inevitable and not enough of a deterrent to say no to CREAM.  Beware, the line is long and the inside of the eatery is small so you'll be grabbing and going more likely.  Don't let the line discourage you, it moves quickly.
5 - Allan Y.: Diddy Reese knockoff, but us Cal students have no problem with that!  Late night fresh ice cream sandwiches for $2 are a win in any situation.  

My personal poison: mint chocolate + turtle + chocolate chip
5 - Sandra S.: Have you ever seen a picture that someone had taken of their food and instantly thought come hell or high water you must try it?!  Well that's how I was after my homie Brandy M posted a pics of CREAM. I don't even eat ice cream but I knew I had to get there to try it.

The line was out the door and normally I don't do lines when it comes to food but from Brandy's picture I wasn't going to budge!

When I got to the register I think I almost peed myself from excitement :)

I ordered a white macadamia nut and oatmeal raisin cookie and for my ice cream of choice I ordered the soy cherry. SOY CHERRY???? Who even knew something like that existed :o)

This was to die for!!!!!!!!!!!!  The best ice cream sandwich of my life. It was decadent, smooth and the best thing ever. The cookie was so warm and I was making a complete mess with it and I couldn't care less.  It was so good that I just sat in my car and ate every bit of it.  I'm salivating just thinking about it.

If you haven't tried this place you're CRAZY!!!!
4 - Caroline T.: Late night Ice Cream sandwich for $2!! I was gonna share at first since I knew I wouldnt be able to finish one but it was only $2 so we got 2 variations to try.  The line goes out the door but once you enter the shop, you get hit with the fresh baked cookie smell, makes the wait all worth it :p

Mint chocolate chip ice cream/ double chocolate cookies : I like the ice cream but the cookie was too chocolate-y for me. Good combination for chocolate lovers.
Salted caramel ice cream/ snickerdoodles: I really like this one! The ice cream wasn't overwhelmingly sweet. Complemented the cinnamon very well! I don't have a big sweet tooth so I couldn't finish it.

I loved how the cookie was still slightly warm too!
4 - Ray H.: Went here last night to satisfy my sweet cravings after dinner. When i saw the price for the ice cream sandwich i was amazed! only $2 for any kind of cookie and ice cream!! Double chocolate chip cookie + cookies n cream ice cream = awesomeness in your mouth! You can also buy the cookies separately =]
5 - Michelle W.: My latest discovery.

$2 for a customized ice cream sandwich!? They even warm the cookies up for you?! Hell yeah!

They have about 10 cookie flavors and 10-15 ice cream flavors to pick from.  You can mix and match the cookies too.  The customer service here is also wonderful.
5 - Tiffany K.: Great spot for my 800th review! Five stars alone for the concept. Speedy yet yummy custom ice cream sandwich shop on the corner. The cookies are delicious and fresh - like hot out of the oven fresh. Which can be problematic when paired with ice cream. So you need to eat it on the spot. 

Okay, so this is a franchise, but I can see why! I wish one would open up in my 'hood. You can choose any flavor ice cream and pair it up with any flavor cookie. Only $2 for a sandwich. 

Ice cream flavors are: 
 * Strawberry
* It's a Goody
* Banana Walnut
* Butter Pecan
* Coffee Almond Fudge
* Cherry Vanilla
* Peanut Butter Cup
* Cinnamon Caramel
* Mint Chocolate
* White Pistachio
* Ultra Chocolate
* Coffee Blast
* Soy Mint Chip
* Vanilla Bean

Cookie flavors are:
* Chocolate Chip
* Double Chocolate Chip
* White Chocolate Macadamia Nut
* Oatmeal Raisin
* Peanut Butter
* Butter Sugar
* Turtle
* Snickerdoodle
* Carnival (M&M)
* Capuccino

So in high school math we learned the formula to determine possible combinations. For instance, how many unique combinations can one create with different factors? It goes something like x! with x = the number of factors. Therefore 14 different ice cream flavors and 10 different cookie flavors gives you....

...more reasons to come back here and try them all!
4 - Elena B.: MMM mmm mmm....cookies were soo warm it made the ice cream melt...I got the choc. chip cookies with the golden gate ice cream super yummy....

And we went on a Monday around 530 and not a soul in line.

Perfect time to go
4 - Angie M.: My best friends took me here after having a bad day. I couldn't decide what to get so I asked for a surprise from the boy behind the counter. He made me his favourite.
There was a butter cookie, something with cinnamon, and some other thing (like i remember).
It was an amazing surprise and a nice way to end my night on a good note.
4 - Ben M.: Inexpensive, delicious & fun?! A must try in the area for a yummy desert. I am a vanilla-flavor lover yet fun myself getting a chocolate based combo, consider the Turtle cookies w/ the SF Gate ice cream. (not the exact ice cream flavor name, but there is only one like it & you will know when you see the menu)
4 - Katrina T.: $2 for dessert? Gotta love the cheapness! 

All you really need to get is the ice cream sandwich. 2 cookies and ice cream. I chose the Chocolate Chip Cookies with Soy Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream. REALLY delish. Topped off my sweet tooth. There are so many combinations of cookie-wiches you can get! Lots of cookie choices anddd ice cream flavors to choose from. 

Even though I enjoyed this dessert I didn't finish the entire thing because it got way too sweet for me and my ice cream started melting and I was left with just the cookie part. It's all good though. Great place for college kids because this dessert is affordable and tasty.
5 - Davey R.: Cream-gasm.
4 - Courtney J.: Cheap. Delicious. Customized. Who doesn't love that?!

My best friend took me here after raving about it for weeks. We ended up parking 3 blocks away, but that's parking in Berkeley for you. CREAM is a small corner shop on Telegraph with a line that's almost always out the door, but it is SO worth it. The line moves pretty quick, and the girls that work there are really friendly and helpful despite trying to keep things moving. This is the only place I know of that sells ice cream sandwiches with gourmet ice cream, on homemade cookies, ALL FOR $2. Seriously, you show the guy your sandwich, hand him 2 bucks and you're out the door. When I went for the first time I got a peanut butter cookie with banana walnut fudge ice cream in the middle. YUUUUM. There are tons of combinations you can make with all the cookie/ice cream choices they offer, and I guarantee every single option is to die for. The best part is after you have your delicious ice cream, you have the campus or downtown Berkeley to walk around in. It was the best Saturday afternoon adventure, can't wait to go again!
5 - Lola S.: Heaven in an ice cream cookie sandwich for only $2!! The line is often around the corner, but it is well worth it. The cookies are warm and the ice cream is Double Rainbow...YUM! Just grab plenty of napkins or get a backup cup as the ice cream melts quickly in between the cookies!
The people that work there are so nice! Makes waiting not seem so bad.
4 - Cathleen T.: Had no idea what to expect from this place.  I was wandering around the area after dinner with a friend killing time (and walking off dinner) and we were looking for ice cream.  So I opened up Yelp and found Cream.

Ice cream sandwich made to order for $2?  Yes, please!

After waiting for the teenage hooligans in front of us to order, I got the cinnamon caramel ice cream with snickerdoodles.  The cookies were thin and chewy (like they should be), but I think it compromised the overall structure of the sandwich, because as I ate it the ice cream got smooshed out the sides.  

Totally said smooshed.

My friend had coffee ice cream with double chocolate chip cookies.Her sandwich held up better than mine and she ate it at more of a leisurely pace, versus me trying not to lose any ice cream melting.

I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in the area.
4 - Wendy C.: It's like an orgasm in your mouth. Your choice of ice cream smacked in between your choice of cookies (get the ones that are just out the oven!). Mmmm heaven!
4 - henry w.: $2 for a large scoop of ice cream nestled between two soft, warm, and gooey cookies any way you like it? This place is a diabetic vegan's nightmare come true..   (oh wait, they have vegan cookies too..  )

The snickerdoodle cookies melt in your mouth while the matcha green tea ice cream is just silky smooth sublime.
5 - Andrea C.: yes, there are nearly 800 reviews on this place, but i do feel the need to add another. 

do you like ice cream? 
do you like cookies? 
do you like treats that are only $2? 
if you don't, i don't want to be friends with you. 

these ice cream sandwiches are way better than the chocolate chip cookies w/ice cream in the middle you used to get from the ice cream man (no offense to the ice cream man). the ice cream is perfectly creamy and the cookies are warm and soft. ice cream is one of those things that i cannot live without, so adding cookies is just an added bonus. diabolically delicious.
4 - Stephanie F.: 4 stars because Technically I can make this at home, sometimes the cookies are NOT warm like they should be, and without telling me they charged my card and told me AFTER it was an extra .50 cents,  but it cures ANY sugar cravings!
5 - Kiyon N.: Reminds me a lot of Diddy Riese at UCLA but not as cheap. Still though they have REALLY good prices for cookies and ice cream sandwiches at like less than $2 a piece? SIGN ME UP! Service is great and the girl behind the counter was really friendly and explained to me what their cookies like snickerdoodle and turtle (or something similar) were. Snickerdoodle by the way is AWESOME I even bought extra cookies cuz they were so bomb! Definitely will be going back whenever I'm in Berkeley and have a sweet tooth or after a workout haha.
5 - Saliha B.: I went back again to CREAM and this time got a ice cream cookie sandwich together instead of in separate entities and it was amazinggggggggg. I thought it would be hard to eat while walking but it wasn't because the cookies were super soft so it was easy to bite through and eat the ice cream while walking without making a mess. Some napkins did help though near the end when the ice cream started melting a bit ;). I heart CREAM :)
2 - samantha p.: I'm probably the only person on Yelp who doesn't really care that much about Cream. ): 

Honestly, it's really just OK. It's two cookies with ice cream in between it...Cant you make it at home? It was good, but really not good enough and I just felt sick after because it was SO SWEET. Maybe I didn't get the right flavors or combo, but not much of the choices appealed to me. I wish there was oatmeal cookies (with no raisins) or some really innovative cookie that would make this place more special, probably just something less sweet because it was sweetness overkillll.

Also maybe I didn't like it so much was because it's overly hyped up and I just expected too much, or I was too full already to fully enjoy it. 

I'll definitely give it another chance when I'm in the area though, maybe next time will be better :)
4 - Dave M.: My family each ordered snickerdoodle cookies with their ice cream. Im not sure if its always the case but our cookies were still warm when they made our ice cream sandwiches. Parking here is horrible!!!, but we enjoyed the ice cream sandwiches!
5 - Ashley B.: I adore this place, it's cheap and delicious and open late into the night to service your need for warm cookie and ice cream deliciousness.
4 - Tiffany N.: Simple. Warm. Cold. Delicious. 

It's a cookie ice cream sandwich. What don't you get??

I'm very simple and I always go for the classic chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream. And when you don't feel like being a complete fatty by buying a tub of ice cream and a pack of cookie dough, you can just buy this this little bundle of joy.
5 - Abigail D.: If I had the means to up and move to Berkeley so I could be within walking distance of this divine establishment, I would in a heartbeat. 

Tonight was my first encounter with CREAM and lemme tell you, it won't be my last. I don't think I've ever eaten something so quickly and ferociously in my life. I had no shame devouring that $2 ice cream sandwich. Everytime I took a bite of the amazingness that is that dessert, I wished it would magically regenerate and I'd have a never ending ice cream sandwich. But sadly it did not come true. A girl can dream though. (sigh)

Street parking can be an issue, but there are parking garages everywhere. The shop is pretty small. Probably seats 8 people. The employees are well oiled machines. Pumping out each order like it's second nature. Very on point. Make their lives easier and know your order by the time you get to the front of the line! I got an ice cream sandwich with goody ice cream sandwiched between a turtle and snickerdoodle cookie. FUCKIN DELICIOUS! Cookies were warm and fresh. Ice cream was delectable. My only qualm is that my ice cream melted a bit too fast so I just wished I asked for a spoon so I could gobble up every bit of goodness left in my wrapper.

If you don't try this place and like it, you're seriously an idiot. Point. Blank. Period. We're not friends. Don't call me. Don't talk to me. I'm done, Ron. I'm done. *Shoutout: Jersey Shore reference*
5 - D H.: You can never have enough of cream. And that is why after leaving my Yelp account all dusty for 2 years, I AM BACK to polish my review for CREAM.
I love the vibe, love the waiting-in-line, love the people, love the cookies/ice-cream sandwich. Just everything. I've never failed to stop by Cream every time I'm in Berkeley for the past year. Cold, hot or rainy, day or night, I'm there. 
Enough said. =)
5 - Mejan R.: Holy ba-jesus.
This place is to die for. Every year, I go with my class to UC Berkeley for a tournament,  and I always make time to grab a CREAM. Cookies are usually warm, ice cream flavors are exciting and unusual, and employees are super-duper enthusiastic and fun. If you're ever in the Bay Area, make sure to stop by and have a piece of heaven.

+ they have vegan options!
3 - Minako A.: Eating this made me realize that I don't really like cookies all that much.

Got the white chocolate macadamia nuts.  Way tooo sweet.  Kinda hard.  Would be better a lot softer.

Had the green tea ice cream.  Nothing special.

Although not as convenient, I'd rather get my sweet fix at Fentons.
4 - Huy P.: Nothing crazy here, but how can you go wrong with freshly baked cookie ice cream?!
5 - Sylvester N.: Some friends and I came here after a few drinks down the street. It was my first time here so I was surprised they close midnight on a Monday night! I felt like the happiest kid on earth when I found out they were still open. I had the matcha green tea with two different cookies. Can't really remember what the cookie flavors were, but I can tell you that my first bite was like an explosion in my mouth (that's supposed to sound wrong). Needless to say, you've gotta hit this spot up. I heard the prices have gone up $.50 cents but it' s steal cheap for what you get.
4 - Nathan L.: This place really isn't that special. There is only enough seating for 4 people. Not only is there always a line out the door but there isn't enough room outside for the line! You risk lining up into the streets! But... there is something about a warm cookie and slightly melted ice cream (not frozen yogurt) and hits the spot after a meal, every, single, time. You pick you cookie (2, and you can mix and match), they warm it up, and slap on a hefty helping of your choice of ice cream between the two. As you press on the cookies, the ice cream slowly melts - something you just don't get from your Safeway It's-It.
3 - Emmalouise B.: 2.5 / 5

Hhmm.. Sorry fellow Yelpers, I'm just not feeling this one. CREAM is another of those massively over hyped places. I guess the price has something to do with that because cheap food ($2) = happy people, resulting higher ratings.
.
It is just Cookies and Ice Cream for heavens sake! You could easily make them (much better) at home. 
I would kind of understand the abundance of 5 star reviews if the Cookies were AMAZING but.. eh, I can bake better myself and have better elsewhere too. Ice Cream? Nothing special, little too sweet as well and I love my sweet stuff!
Nice concept though where you choose your two cookies (which can be different flavors if you like) then your Ice Cream filling and they make it right there in front of you.

One of those places to try once just so you can say that you've been there.
4 - Dee W.: In the real world, Cash Rules Everything Around Me.

...here at CREAM, COOKiES Rule Everything Around Me!

I can see why everyone complains about the line, but as I have AWESOMEE timing there was NO LiNE when the DBF, fellow yelper and friend Heather C., and I went in.  The line actually formed after us.  What can I say?  I`m a leader, not a follower.  LoLx

I couldn`t decide what to order, and since I have another mouth to feed [the DBF, of course!], i ended up ordering not one, but TWO sandwiches!  I ordered the white chocolate macadamia with matcha green tea ice cream, and the double chocolate chip with mint chocolate ice cream.  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I doublefisted!

Both my sammiches were delicious, but I do have a few pet peeves about them.  I loved that the cookies came warm out of the oven, but because they were warm, they made the ice cream melt faster.  I ended up getting ice cream all over my hands near the end because it soaked through the wrapper.  Also, the cookies were a bit too hard, which caused the ice cream to gush out the sides as I bit into it. 

CREAM`s ice cream treats are deliciously priced at $2 a sandwich, although I hear that there`s been a price increase in the past few months.  While the ice cream sandwiches were scrumptious, I wouldn't drive out to Berkeley just to get one.  However, I`ll definitely stop by if I`m in the area.
5 - Robert R.: I now know what Rachel Ray is talking about when she says, "If there is a long line,  that's where the locals eat". I had tried coming here about 2 1/2 months ago but it was a very busy weekend and there was absolutely no parking. This last weekend, same story but a different ending. We actually parked close by and the line went by quick. There was a lot of people but I was ordering my dessert before I knew it. I had the Chocolate Chip/ Snickerdoodle cookie with the Cinnamon vanilla/ Mocha Almond fudge ice cream double. I paid for my friend Ice cream and they both came out to $5.00. How is that possible for such a sinful dessert? I know that I will be back again for more flavor combinations. And Yes, the picture reflects on how good it tastes!!
5 - Amy C.: Yummmmm :)

The first time I had ice cream cookie sandwiches was at Diddy Riese back in LA which was soo freakin amazingly yummy. So happy that I found CREAM. Now everytime I'm in Berkeley, I have to stop by! :)

I had the Turtle cookie, PB cookie, & World Famous Brownie which was heavenly!
5 - beverly r.: Yummy baked-out-of-the-oven cookies sandwiching ice cream is devine and only $2...if you pay cash.  It's a lil' bit more if you pay by debit/credit.  Great selection of cookies to choose from and creamy selection ice cream as well. Only two tables inside.  If those are occupied, stand outside and enjoy. Don't let the panhandlers bother you!
4 - Brian G.: First time to check out Cream. No need to be complicated here. Pick two cookies of your choice, then the ice cream and it all works together. Cookies are soft and chewy, while the ice cream is pretty good also. Sometime simple is the best.
5 - Krystle I.: I love CREAM! If you have a sweet tooth, you'll love it too. Trust! 

CREAM is not life-changing, but $2 for deliciously creamy ice cream smushed between two warm, soft cookies....it's kind of incredible.

Cool points:
- Hella ice cream flavors
- Soy ice cream option
- Lots of cookies to choose from
- Cookies are served warm 
- Employees are helpful and quick
- A sweet ice cream sandwich is only $2 :) 

Lastly, they get SUPER points because the ice cream sandwiches are perfectly constructed. Usually within my first two bites of an ordinary ice cream sammy, the ice cream is oozing out the opposite end. Not CREAM! Somehow the warm cookies mold around the perfect consistency of the ice cream and the ice cream stays in line. amaaazinng.
5 - Angeline H.: $2 for a scoop of ice cream between two cookies of your desire? WHY THE HECK NOT?! 

On a cold Sunday night, I just had to try CREAM before leaving Berkeley. You pick an ice cream flavor and cookie(s). Simple as that.

I had the coffee fudge ice cream with a double chocolate chip & oatmeal raisin cookie. I thought the DCC came with chocolate chips not white chocolate...I'm not a fan of white chocolate. But the ice cream sandwich was still really good. The cookie consistency is exactly how I like my cookies (soft yet crunchy). I had a good scoop with the fudge and ate every bite of it. 

This place is really worth trying for some of you who haven't had CREAM.
4 - Claire W.: cookies are too sweet
and hard, not fluffy. servers
are sweet as well though.
5 - Jen S.: I can't see any reason to give them less than 5 stars... my ice cream sandwich was super delicious, cheap, and the line moved quickly. I would definitely come here again, and again, and again.........
5 - Elaine N.: CREAM, you are my definition of cloud nine!

open late until 2 am = AWESOME!

delicious cookies and ice cream = AWESOMENESS!!!

You cannot go wrong with $2 worth of ice cream sandwiches!
4 - Elaine L.: So I finally got around to trying CREAM again, after much prodding from the boyfriend. Snickerdoodle + chocolate chip cookies + salted caramel ice cream = perfect. They've toned down the sweetness a lot since I last came here and made it palatable (but still delicious!!) for old fogies with savory tooths like me. Count me converted!
5 - Michael T.: This place is AWESOME. The best part about the ice cream sandwiches is that the cookies you get are fresh out of the oven, which ooze chocolate everywhere when you take the first bite. YUMMMM. Although they raised the price to $2 (used to be $1.50 per sandwich), it's understandable since they kept running out of quarters to give to everyone.

Personally I can't finish a whole sandwich since it gets too sweet, but the sandwiches are perfect if you split them in half.
4 - Jaye C.: I was going to start off this review with a throwback to Wu-Tang Clan's familiar song about cash ruling everything, but I think it's been done and another coin toss at that would just make it trite. However, in this case, we're talking about cookies - and this aptly fitting scrumptious dessert combined with the sweet treat of a vegan rendition of ice cream just makes life that much sweeter.. and worthy of saying:

COOKIES RULE EVERTHING AROUND ME. CREAM!! GET THE COOKIES!!

Being right around the corner from the Berkeley campus will guarantee a constant inundation of people that ebbs and flows from having 5 to 15 people (or more) in line at any given moment. 

I'm completely in love with their homemade cookies, and I love the fact that they have vegan snickerdoodles that can be paired with their soy mint chocolate chip and make a lovely vegan ice cream sandwich treat for the price of $2. I'm not much of a sweets or ice cream type of person but for this place I'll be sure to pay homage to when I'm in the area - which is quite often. 

Plus sides and bonuses:
- Open late, even on weekdays!
- offers vegan
- fast & courteous service, even if you are indecisive
3 - Gina S.: So I drove to CREAM from SF just to try their Cookie Sandwiches!! I Love Love desserts and I wanted to see what all the hype was about but I left there thinking, "I wouldnt drive all the way from SF to come here again."

 I would stop by if I was in the area because its so cheap but I think the cookies were TOO SWEET! I got the Chocolate Chip Cookie and the Turtle Cookie and threw Coconut ice cream in the middle but it was hard for me to finish because it was so sweet. And the cookies were a little stiff. I imagined fluffy warm cookies but I guess not. 

The service was fast but the girls were just talking amongst themselves giggling and walking off to the back and coming back when they wanted. I felt like they would rather be doing something else than working there. I even saw a guy walk out and literally say "Screw this..."  because he was waiting for one of them to stop gossiping and acknowledge him for so long. 

Overall I WOULD go back if I was in the area and other people wanted to go. I would rather go to Anthonys bakery in SF grab some warm cookies and throw a scoop of Mitchells ice cream in the middle than drive back to Berkeley.
4 - Christine W.: My new favorite thing!! Super cheap & SO gooooooods. 

Macadamia nut white chocolate chip + vanilla cookie = best ice cream sandwich (:
5 - Kate V.: Great service and excellent ice cream sandwiches!
2 - Greg M.: The Honest Truth:
It's too sweet for me. 

The Details:
It's too sweet for me.
So if you like sweet, you'll probably like it, but if you don't, you probably won't
5 - Leo C.: College kids oh college kids. This place is right in downtown UCLA, so you will run into all the college students there. Even when the line is long, it moves fairly quickly. The variety they offer is amazing. It is a sweet tooth kids dream. 
I ordered the cookie ice cream samitch. You can mix it up and formulate your own samitch. I made one slice which chocolate and macadamia nuts and the other regular chocolate chip. These two awesome slices or sweetie goodness are then combined with coffee ice cream. 
The total was only $1.50!!! what a steal!  The portion was so large that I, a sweet tooth junkie could not even finish it.  There are very little available seats so it is a grab and go ice cream shop.
5 - Nyko H.: Just....LOVE this place. :) Fresh hot cookies with unique types of ice cream.  Really doesn't get any better than this!  Try Green tea ice cream with snickerdoodle cookies or Salted Caramel ice cream with the butter sugar cookies. 

They stay open late too, great place to get that semi late night sugar fix! 

H.E.A.V.E.N. :)
5 - Rachel G.: Warm, Tasty, Sweet, Dripping of goodness, the cream makes your body shiver with happiness and one taste of this you'll want to come back for more...what am I talking about?

The ice cream sandwich from Cream.  YES!!! Every bite is like a guilty pleasure.  You can have a different one every day of the week (it's only $2).  You want Brown, Vanilla, Dark.....cookie smashed between a variety of ice cream, they have it.  Mmm Mmm good.  Hold on your saying I can't have cookies or ice cream because you have a dietary restriction.  Maybe your vegan or gluten free...HOLD UP!!! Don't turn around cause honey, they've thought of everything.  This place sells cookies which are vegan, gluten free and your good old fashioned cookie.  Don't like ice cream, they even have soy ice cream.  So what's your excuse now?  Don't say you have a headache and need to go to bed early, because that's a lame excuse.  This place is open til midnight on the weekday and 2am on Fri/Sat.  

So take your significant other/date (*wink) and head to Cream and just watching them bite down on the ice cream sandwich (seeing their oh so good facial reaction) and licking the ice cream between two sandwiches...you will thank me later for posting this review.

ENJOY!!
4 - Mike K.: After an event at Berkeley, we were driving back towards the freeway and took a wrong turn and stumbled right into Cream. A couple of friends had told me how delicious Cream was and how it might be even better than our favorite Diddy Riese near UCLA.

It was a cold and very rainy night, but we shared an ice cream sandwich and it was delicious! Double chocolate with mint chip ice cream. The cookies were nice and warm and the sandwich didn't last more than a few minutes after we made our purchase! 

Definitely worth the visit if you are in the area
5 - Brenda D.: I went last night for the first time to celebrate the end of the semester. Yummy! I had an ice cream sandwich made with warm oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. The best!
5 - Michael F.: BEST DESSERT EVER!!!!!!  Everytime I'm in the bay area, its a must that I stop by here.  When California legalizes gay marriage, I will be contacting the owner to cater my wedding!
5 - Jenny Y.: Coming back from good ol San Francisco, the gang and I decided to stop and walk around Berks. Our friends had come here before so we decided to jump on the bandwagon. My mouth is watering as I reminisce; White chocolate macadamia nut on green tea ice cream is what I got. Boyfriend got Snickerdoodles with cinnamon swirl ice cream. Brother oped for Triple chocolate chip with Mint chip ice cream. All tasted wonderful. Fresh hot cookies and cold, creamy ice cream = heaven. The line moves pretty fast so don't be intimidated by the longness.
5 - Peter S.: Saw the line going down the sidewalk so wanted to check it out, and so glad I did. For $2 I had Pistachio Ice Cream between a Snickerdoodle and Chocolate Chip cookies. The cookies are soft, fresh and warm from the oven. This place is awesome.
3 - Kelly H.: It wasn't warm and gooey and delicious like everyone said it would be. :( The cookie wasn't that fresh and everything was just so so so so sweet. I love ice cream. But there was nobody else there, why couldn't we get warm, soft cookies like everybody else on Yelp? Instead, each bite just quickly squeezed the ice cream into the paper bag until I was just eating two moist, cold cookies.
5 - Krystal C.: I happened to stumble across CREAM on a random trip to Berkeley and I'm officially hooked. $2 gets you two warm fresh baked cookies sandwiched with an ice cream scoop of your choosing. SERIOUSLY!?! It's like a fancy It's -It joint. CREAM  is my newest addiction. I actually make excuses to eat dinner to in Berkeley so that I can come here for dessert...total Phat Kid move!! (Don't judge me). Anywho, my favorite combo is 1 Chocolate Chip cookie/1 Chocolate Cookie and Mint Chip Ice Cream...Yum Yum Yum. There's soo many options to choose from, narrowing down a selection can be difficult, but the staff is super pleasant and never rushes me. If in the area and need a sugar fix you MUST come here!
4 - alina a.: Vegans love ice cream too!! This place rules, is kind of expensive, should have vegan milkshakes, and change their flavors once in a while.
5 - Robert M.: $2 for a custom Ice Cream Sandwich!! Genius! If I'm on Telegraph I am getting something from C.R.E.A.M. 

Warm cookie+Ice cream+different kind of warm cookie= :-p.... while yelping...
                                                                                                 (drooling)
They even accept Credit card for  $ .50
3 - David D.: If you happen to find yourself running an errand in the god-forsaken hippie commune known as Berkeley, then by all means stop here for a fairly priced, decent tasting ice cream sandwich.

But really, all you girls, and yes you're all girls, who claim that this is the best ice cream sandwich you've ever had, I truly feel sorry for you.  

Are the cookies good? Yes.

Is the ice cream good? Yes.

Can I make a better ice cream sandwich at home? Yes.

Can a hypochondriac with Parkinson's make a better ice cream sandwich? Yes.

The texture of the cookies are my main gripe, as the edges are too crisp and the centers too soft.  But the available combinations are sure to make anyone happy, as long as they didn't drive any further than 5 mins out of their way to get here.

Raise your standards, America.  You disappoint me.
5 - Kelly B.: omgdelicious! Please stop here if you're in Berkeley. $2 for a CUSTOMIZED ice cream sandwich that is pretty damn big? Yes, please and thank you. The people that work here are really sweet, too. GO NOW!
4 - Alex S.: I met a fellow grad student from Cal playing hooky/
standing in line on Telegraph craving some cookies/
all you do is tell the staff which 2 flavors you desire/
plus I was hella glad the ice cream wasn't from Dryer's/
I ordered mine "warm" so it's fresh out the oven/
but it backfired cuz the wait had me ordering another dozen/ 

Cookies Rule Everything Around Me, CREAM!
get a cookie, it's only a dollar bill yall~
5 - Anthony N.: Their ice cream is AMAZING!!!

Go there. Get some. You won't be disappointed.
5 - Bill H.: Uh, how'd I go almost two years in Berkeley without finding this place? Two-dollar ice cream sandwiches? Yes, please!

This place is awesome. I was in and out of the shop in five minutes, which was great given the line of customers (mostly Cal students).

The selection of ice cream and cookie types is impressive. I ordered a peanut butter ice cream / chocolate chip combo, and was pleasantly surprised that the cookies were freshly-baked, and that the ice cream portion was generous.

All for two bucks! I'll definitely be back.
3 - Audrey G.: This place was a steal at $1.50 per sandwich when they first opened, and I went all the time. They've raised prices to $2 for quite a while now, and I realized I haven't gone in over half a year... I think the novelty just wore off. After a while, they're just all sweet.

There are a lot of cookies flavors and ice cream flavors to choose from, so it's a lot of fun making your own sandwich combo. My advice:Choose a not-so-sweet ice cream flavor otherwise it's just too much sugar overload. Usually I go for banana walnut, but since I love cinnamon ice cream so much, I'll sometimes go for cinnamon caramel, with chocolate chip cookies. 

On the plus side, you can ask them to split the sandwich in half, so you can share with a friend. (Great for me, since I usually can't finish a whole sandwich) They definitely get pretty messy, so eat fast!
5 - Karsyn M.: Fresh baked cookies with ice cream in the middle?!?!?!?! HECK YES!!!!!!  This place is amazing!  They're quick even when the line is out the door, everyone is super nice, and they even have vegan and gluten free options.  $2.00 for a little piece of heaven? I think so!
5 - miss b.: Like this place needs another awesome review? Well, they're getting one. Had chocolate chip cookies with mint chip ice cream. Anytime I want some big fatty time I will definitely come here. Be prepared for this fat bottomed girl Cream!
3 - Uncle Fishbits Aeneas X.: Update: As a family owned biz, they care.  I had a 2 star review here because I didn't care for it... they wrote me, thanked me for my thoughts, told me they cut sugar down 15%, and wanted any other thoughts.  I am highly respectful of some place that takes user comments seriously... even if sassy and a bit jokey.  So even though I really didn't enjoy the spot, much respect to a business run by people who care.

Do this at home. For real. Unless you stumble upon this place late at night, I can't imagine the necessity of reading these reviews, then going out to visit it.

This is like being hit in the face with sugar.  I am not sure why the bay area is slobbering over bad ice cream with zero nuance, but this reminds me of the craze for humphrey slocombe.... it's nothing but an insulin spike that you forget about in 20 minutes.

Find your fave ice cream, toast up an eggo or some of your fave store bought cookies, and do it at home.  

Unless you're drunk and wearing sunglasses at night, this is likely not the place for you.  Every other review proves me wrong, except every other review might have been a drunk person with obliterated taste buds and absolutely no penchant for subtlety.
4 - Natalie C.: This place is super good. I loved the chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich. And they are really fast! And a decent sized ice cream sandwich is $2!!

However, I think that my only gripe is that they have to charge you an extra 50 cents for every item you buy with a card. Then when I was walking I spilled my salted caramel ice cream on my leg. But it was not too bad because it ended up matching my skin color. Mmmm mmmm.
4 - Matthew B.: This was an unexpected treat while dining in the area.  Dont be fooled by the line down telegraph, it moves quickly.  Great ice cream sadwiches and amazing prices!  You gotta try this if you are in the area, you won't be dissapointed.
4 - Jennifer L.: Who can resist a warm cookie with ice cream? All of which you get to choose (including a different top and bottom cookie if you want). Only downfall is we had to eat it really fast as the warm cookie melts the ice cream.
5 - David F.: Fresh hot cookies + mint chocolate chip ice cream?  CREAM!
5 - Jessica R.: The good news is this is the best ice cream treat you'll ever eat. Bad news, I found it on my way back to the hotel from working out. It was well worth it. I had chocolate chip and double chocolate cookie with salted caramel ice cream. Amaze.
4 - Alina M.: The line here moves ridiculously fast, so you better know what you're getting once it's your turn.  The chocolate chip with salted caramel is yummy, but I'm probably going for another one next time.

Price is right, too.  Great little place to know about when you're showing people off around Berkeley.
2 - Evie H.: I came when it first opened (back when it was only $1.50) and almost died from the sweetness of the ice cream sandwich. I got the absolute most original thing - chocolate chip cookies with vanilla ice cream. I ate about half and finally decided I had to throw the rest away because it was too sickeningly sweet.....and I NEVER throw dessert away. 

How, how can this place have so many good reviews? So I tried it again this time with a different flavor combination. Again, sweetened to death. Took five bites, threw the rest away. Since then, I've never returned to Cream. Do yourself a favor and pay a little bit more for better dessert.
2 - Christy B.: Happened to have lunch with a friend in Berkeley that was just down the street from this place.  We saw a line out the door so were pretty optimistic that it would satisfy our full tummies.  With the help of yelp, we discovered they were known for their ice cream sandwiches which i was even more excited for since i LOVE ice cream sandwiches.  Don't let the line discourage you because it's a small shop and they don't have the capacity to hold too many people.  Also, the line moved rather quickly we waited for less than 10 minutes.  I ordered a turtle cookie with the golden gate caramel swirl.  I was so excited to get my hands on it but upon receiving it was warm to the touch.  By the time I was done paying for it literally half of my ice cream melted and was drowning my sandwich in the wax envelope.  Normally, I wouldn't complain about a warm cookie but it doesn't make sense to serve it with cold ice cream.  It's a recipe for disaster!  Sadly, I could only finish half of my sandwich even that was a challenge on a hot summer day as I had ice cream dripping off all my fingers.  With that said, the flavors were on point so I probably would have enjoyed it more if it was served properly.
4 - Vero H.: Cream is a Dream....

Warm fresh baked cookies you can turn into any ice cream sandwich. The ice cream flavors are very good, a lot of choices. All yummy and fresh, love this place. 

Let's not forget to mention its cheap. They could double the prices and no one would care. 

Only reason I don't give it a 5 it's because there is no where really to sit and enjoy. Definitely worth making a stop if you're in the mood for good dessert.
4 - Uyen L.: My new favorite, white chocolate macadamia and chocolate chip cookie with banana fudge walnut. Its to die for.
2 - Catherine W.: It was a lot better when it first opened, but it's decent if you're craving ice cream.
5 - John M.: Yummy ice cream sandwiches for $2!!!

Seriously, you need more than that?!?

Fine, build your own completely customizable cookie ice cream sandwich from a selection of 10 different varieties of fresh-baked cookies & 17 ice cream flavors. That's 1 scoop of ice cream sandwiched between 2 cookies for just $2!

Now go & know some of the greatest decadence that $2 can buy!

You're welcome.
4 - Cindy H.: First time here...it is as good as my sister said it was.  I got the turtle cookies with a scoop of green tea ice cream.  The first bite was heaven...the cookie plus the green tea=mmm... But after that, the ice cream started melting and my sandwich was disoriented.  It became a melted mess...  I couldn't finish my cookies.  Nonetheless, I would come again!
4 - Kevin Jiseup K.: Yo. 2 dollar ice cream sandwich? This place like totally hit the spot late at night. Oh gawd. My only complaint about this place is there were too many types of cookies and then combo that with like too many types of ice creams. I was constantly in a battle with myself over what type of ice cream/cookie combo I wanted... #firstworldproblems

Also, intense sugar rush/food coma after. I die.
3 - T L.: Love the late hours! Ordered the double chocolate chip with mint chocolate chip ice cream sammi that hit the spot. The wifey got the butter cookie with salted caramel but she said her cookie was to hard and the ice cream didn't really have the salted caramel flavor that we're used to at bi rite.

This place can be a hit or miss, just stick to the basics and I think you'll be fine.
5 - Arnel B.: So good. Like crazy good. $2 for a fresh cookie ice cream sandwich. How can you go wrong? This place also gets REALLY busy on warm nights, yet the staff is still nice, and willing to small talk with each customer. I am definitely coming back. A lot.
2 - Glenn M.: I went to cream knowing I did not enjoy my last ice cream sandwich experience in LA. 
(basically same story here)

I ordered the White Macadamia with french vanilla ice cream. I really liked the ice cream. nice flavor and had a cool custard texture to it.

my cookies were hard and just broke instead of melting into the ice cream to make a nice bite. I talked to some other people and they said sometimes that happens when they go. But when your product is so simple to make, I'd expect more attention to detail every time and not a cross your fingers you'll get lucky approach.

The line is pretty long too which was not justified by my experience, though I did get there before the line  started.

im a huge ice cream fan, meh towards sandwiches, so you can take my review with a grain of salt(ed caramel) but I thought it was too much hype with no delivery
4 - Tiffany T.: What can I say, best place to get a cheap dessert in town. I had the chocolate chip w/ chocolate chip ice cream which was so delicious. My favorite cookie, which I recommend is the carnival cookie! If you're looking for vegan ice cream/cookie don't try it here. It's not so good.
5 - Janos L.: warm cookie cold soft ice cream enough said
5 - Candice Y.: WARNING: THIS PLACE IS STRAIGHTLY FOR PEOPLE WITH SWEET TOOTH.  IF YOU DON'T HAVE SWEET TOOTH, STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE AND DON'T COMPLAINT ABOUT HOW SWEET IT IS.  BECAUSE NO SHIT, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT ICE CREAM, COOKIES, BROWNIES, MILKSHAKES, AND ALL THAT GOODIES!!!!

I LOVE this place and been here 2x so far.  I got the ice cream sandwich both times.  LOVE IT!!!!

my first time here because i don't want to be all messy so i ordered the sandwich and put it in the bowl  it costs extra 50cents, i thought it was a bit too much but i know i am not a good at eating finger food, so i didn't mind. the thing that bothered me a little bit was, they gave me a tiny little spoon like the one you use for taster. if they have a bigger spoon would have been much better. 
the combo i got on my first one was: snicker doodle and peanut butter cookie with matcha green tea ice cream.  pretty good

on my 2nd time i just eat it in a bag, made a little mess, but it was fine. 
combo i got was turtle, m&m cookie with mocha almond fudge. OMG BEST combo ever! hahaah 

service: really good and very fast.  even though there's a long line, but it does go by very quickly.
5 - William K.: How can you give this place less than 5 STARS??? What is wrong with you 2 and 3 star reviewers? How can you not love warm chocolate-chocolate chip cookies with chocolate ice cream mashed between them? For $2? Hell, ya.

Okay, don't come back and the line will be shorter for me.
5 - Eric H.: Extremely tasty cookie sandwich for just the right price!
5 - Kate Marie G.: Gluten-free people: not only do they have delicious soft gluten-free cookies that don't crumble, but you can get them as ice cream sandwiches.  They also understand the cross-contamination factor and I watched one of them train the other on how to use gloves, prepare the surface the cookies would be on, etc.  The staff was friendly and it was a cheap, tasty treat.  

The place is very small, so you'll probably be walking on Telegraph with your cookie rather than sitting inside.
5 - John B.: A certain sexy review prepared me for a decadent vegan experience my first time here. What it didn't prepare me for was the line that extends out the door, slithers around the corner and snakes down the block 

So after a roughly 30 min wait in line and the fact they were out of Vegan Snickerdoodle, I thought "no ice cream sandwich is worth... *takes first bite* Hot damn! That's pure gluttony in your mouth." I can handle a couple of their delicious Vegan cookies, maybe with a coffee or something. But slather some soy ice cream betwixt the two and things start to get a little indulgent. 

It's pretty simple once you outlast the crowds and find your way inside. Pick two cookies, (they don't have to be the same) pick your ice cream of choice and voila... The chipper ladies behind the counter will have your treat ready for you in no time. That is unless you're getting Vegan or gluten-free. Then they wipe the counter down and change gloves to minimize cross contamination. I'm not that hardcore but it's a much appreciated gesture. 

Vegan Tuxedo with Soy Mint Chip: This combo goes great together. The white chips with a chocolate cookie were a hit with this Vegan since you rarely see Vegan "White Chocolate". The cookie by itself goes great with a latte or espresso.

Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip with Cherry Vanilla: There was a question of whether this cookie was two separate cookies or not. It turns out they somehow managed to stuff all that goodness into one cookie to perfection. The Cherry Vanilla managed to tame the sweetness of the choco-chips. Still it's a very rich dessert.

Wu Tang would most def approve of this place. Maybe CREAM is really in fact the mystical 36th Chamber that they seek.
4 - Robert Q.: Such a simple idea, yet very fun.  My niece took me here for dessert on my birthday.  The line was down the block.  For only 2 bucks we chose 2 cookies and a flavor of ice-cream which they scope between the cookies and make a sandwich.  The cookie is slightly warm.  A great combo!
4 - Mel Z.: What great customer service: My suggestion about getting waffle cones was heard and put to the test on a Facebook survey! Thanks CREAM!
5 - C B.: Five stars at least. This place is freaking awesome.  My kids thought this was the best place ever.  I think that they are right.

Sure there is a line.  If they tripled the price the line would be shorter, but it would still be a great place.  The line is because the value to quality ratio is off the charts.  Great deal for a fantastic product.  Plus, the line moves quick.

It has to be 5 stars.  You can not find a better place than this that specializes in Ice Cream Sandwiches and sells them for $2 on fresh baked cookies.  

Its ice cream try not to be too serious.  Ice Cream is to enjoy and to escape being serious.

Berkeley you have something special here.  Enjoy.
2 - Mal C.: The warm, soft butter sugar cookies were delicious, but the ice cream just tasted artificial. It wasn't rich, velvety, and creamy. It had more of a thin, icy texture, and I'm certain they gave me the wrong flavor. The woman scooping the ice cream confirmed that it was chocolate chip cookie dough, but there were neither chocolate chips nor cookie dough chunks. For $2 it's a pretty good deal for local college kids if the employees get your order right.
4 - Stan A.: I was in Berkeley when my girlfriend declared that we must have ice cream. So I jumped on the Yelp mobile app (Shameless plug, you're welcome) and found CREAM (CookiesRuleEverythingAroundMe). I wasn't in the mood for ice cream myself, but then I thought WTF? YOLO. Thus ends the acronym frenzy.

Expect a line, but not to worry, it goes by really quickly. I ordered an ice cream sandwich with snickerdoodle cookies and salted caramel. Tessa got chocolate chip cookie dough and a vegan cookie on the side. YES, they have vegan cookies.

The sandwich was amazing. The cookies are warm and soft, but I regret getting the salted caramel, not because I don't like the flavor (I do), but because of its softer consistency, it just kept slipping out of the cookie with every bite until I was eating cookie on cookie. I just felt greedy at that point.

So come to CREAM, pick your cookie and your ice cream, and have at it!
4 - Nneka G.: Due to my company I couldn't relish over menu and make an truly educated purchase, I did enjoy my ice cream sandwich...and they are super quick and reasonable.
4 - Burnadette S.: Diddy Riese rip off???  The concept is the same (made to order ice cream sandwiches), but that's where it ends!  I was excited to try Diddy Riese on a visit to LA but I was very disappointed.  You think, Wow!  Long lines and tons of reviews on yelp!  Must be mindblowing!!!  Not!  They use Dreyer's ice cream and their cookies are MEH!  Not at Cream though.  They make their ice creams in house and they have different flavors, not the conventional dreyer's ice cream flavors.  The cookies at Cream taste a whole long better too!
5 - Nicolas H.: This place is totally awesome! I'm a huge fan of ice cream sandwiches, but most prepackaged ones are pretty substandard because they are frozen. This place however breaks the mold. You get a choice from a variety of freshly baked cookies, which a scoop of ice cream. The best thing is that it only costs $2.00, so it really is an incredibly deal. The warm cookie with ice cream is a great combination. The last time I went there this place had a line out the door and I can definitely see why!
5 - Esther G.: I used to be secretly thankful that I didn't go to UCLA because I was spared the 20# I would've gained from Diddy Riese.

I can't be thankful for that anymore, because now I live in Berkeley and each day the smell of freshly baked cookies and ice cream sandwiches from CREAM beckons me closer and closer to obesity. CREAM is also a /wee/ bit cheaper than Diddy Riese (~$0.25 cheaper per half dozen) but the quality is still superb.

There's usually a line, but you don't have to wait long. The staff is always quick, and the line gives you time to decide what you want.

So warm.

So soft.

So crunchy.

Sigh. If only I had a sin that didn't affect my waistline.
5 - Veronica B.: When we are around the bay we make sure we stop here. Cookies Rule Everything Around Me, dollar dollar bill... not because this mimics Wu Tang track C.R.E.A.M. because their cookies are so good with their Ice Cream. Warm cookies with nice cold ice cream which also happens to taste so good. They also make Lemon Bars, yummy. Gluten free , you can find yummy snacks gluten free!!!!!!!
5 - Christine T.: I mean come on, ice cream sandwiched between two soft warm pieces of cookies.. 

No guilt when handing over $2 for these bad boys, I instantly jizzed when I first took a bite of this delicious ice cream sandwich.

So simple, yet so perfect...

A delicious satisfaction that is just as amazing as everyone says it is.
5 - Stephanie C.: YUMMY IN MY TUMMY type of dessert ;) Cookie Rules Everything Around Me.

My first time coming here was on June 11th after eating dinner with my siblings and our significant others. Since where we was eating at was just a few blocks away, we all just walked over to CREAM. I had gotten the white macadamia cookie with mint chocolate chip and it was just delicious! I love how warm the cookie was and how it melts inside your mouth. & it was only $2! JOOOOOG!!

Parking is hard, but there is a parking garage right across the street. Seems like during the day is BUSY! always a line. Hopefully you all have early sweet tooth ;)
4 - Eder R.: I dig this place. Again.. I only give this place a 4 and not a 5 soley because they only have two non dairy options. Soy cherry and mint chip.  Both are very tasty but I like variety.

The vegan cookies are HELLA bawm. My favorite is the snickerdoodle!! For non vegans, this place rules and its only about 2 dollars for a cookie sandwich. DO IT.
4 - Karla Marie D.: Yummy cookie ice cream & cheap!!

I had the Cookies & Cream w/ White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookie. Very delicious & sweet!! The only thing that I would change is the cookie. I like my cookies a little softer than hard. 

There's always a long line and it's a very small place w/ limited amount of seating area. But the line goes by fast and the service was great.

To try next time: Salted caramel mm.. =)
5 - Sharon K.: http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2012/07/wu-tang_clan-inspired_cream_ha.php

they now have a secret menu!!
5 - John Z.: OMG - are you kidding me? The cookies are warm, delicious, soft yet slightly crunchy on the outside. The ice cream selection is broad. The flavors are amazing. The two of these together - unfathomably scrumdidiliumptious. All this for $2??? Oh yes we will be back.
5 - Preeti R.: What is not to love? Fresh backed cookies and yummy ice creams with quite the selection. Any combo. ALWAYS hits the spot! i love you cream!
4 - Amir A.: There always seems to be a line at this place.

I came by and called up some friends from Berkeley I haven't seen in a while. Its really close to campus / Unit 3. I got a salted caramel w/ white chocolate macadamia nuts cookie. It was really good and I normally don't like any form of sweets. The only drawback was I felt like I was going to have a heart attack eating it and it melted in my hand so quickly. So much sugar & fatness going on at one time. Thumbs up to this Diddy riese of Berkeley counterpart.
5 - Michael R.: Cream has added tacos, and toppings in a secret menu. The showpiece of this menu is an ice cream taco, which is available in a dainty three half scoops plus one topping ($3.50) or a heartier three full scoops and one topping ($6.50). 

Maybe it's like the Choco-Taco!?!?!?!?
4 - Lucy C.: Haven't been to CREAM for a while, but when Clog came out with an article about CREAM's secret menu, I knew I had to come!

My friends & I waited in line for 10-15 minutes. Just in time, too, because I managed to snag the last ice cream taco! They make the taco shells on-site, so it can take a little longer than usual to prepare, but I promise you, it's worth it!

The ice cream taco consists of two scoops of ice cream in a waffle cone "taco" shell, with the option of toppings (for an additional 50 cents). Although, I felt like the actual product wasn't mindblowingly amazing, I loved it just for the novelty.

I'm definitely coming back just to try the rest of the secret menu items!
2 - Whitney P.: Sorry but Cream is not my place to go. Maybe because I chose a bad combo or because I was sick, I was hoping cream would make me feel better but it didn't. I got the macadamia nut and choc ice cream...what a bad idea!  The cookie was also too warm so it melted my ice cream so it was bad. Maybe my next visit will be better but I rather stick with Fenton's or good old Haagen Dazs.
5 - Davina N.: I LOVE CREAM! It's cheap and yummy! the cookie icecream are my favs!
5 - Eric A.: UPDATE 2: Oh man, the secret menu makes this dope place even DOPER! For the folks that walk an ice cream sandwich, but smaller styles, they can now order mini ice cream sandwiches! Also, MUST HAVE is the new ICE CREAM TACO. Three scoops of your choice, one topping (YES, cream has toppings now!), all wrapped up in a warm cinnamony spiced waffle! This thing is huge and you better believe it's top tier. 

Also, mad cute asian girl who made my ice cream taco. I know that didn't come out right, BUT I think that made it taste even BETTER.

What are you waiting for? Go. GO NOW!!!
5 - Andrew M.: Value detectors are triggered when you realize a songwriter's live performance is more memorable than the recorded CD; when you notice the attached free sample on a bottle of shampoo at Costco that you were determined to buy anyway; and when there is an extra scene after the movie credits.  This same type of value is found in a CREAM ice cream sandwich, which is not merely fresh and satisfying in every way, but at $2 a pop, priced the same as any Safeway-stocked sandwich.

The Snickerdoodle cookies, in all their crispy yet chewy glory and subtly impactful sweetness,  aptly shelters the scoop of peanut butter-infused, eye-poppingly flavorful It's A Goody.  Each bite of warm, fresh cookie and cool, creamy interior infuses the entire body with irreplaceable joy.  When the end of the sandwich is near, tinges of sadness are quickly replaced by a sense of hope in knowing there are endless combinations to try in future visits.
5 - Shirene N.: Dear Cream,

The perpetual line snaking around the corner of your facade tells me that you have something that the people want.  And more often than not...I want what the people want.

Two delectably chewy cookies, warmed to perfection, sandwiching a cool, creamy scoop of ice cream... Like many things in life, the simpler the idea the sweeter the satisfaction.

My first time at Cream is hallmarked in my mind as a sunny afternoon, meandering the streets of Berkeley after some yummy indian food at Vik's chaat.  The juxtaposition of the warm macadamia nut cookies and refreshing coconut ice cream was just what I needed after spicy Indian cuisine. 

Immediately following our purchase, we parked it on a park bench and proceeded to people watch for the next 20 minutes while we reveled in the joy that is the Cream cookie sandwich.

Albeit, the confections found at Cream are easily achieved right at home in one's very own kitchen...but somehow they're just better after a day of roaming the city.  Not to mention, at $2 a pop, you still have enough money to get yourself a henna tattoo right down the street if your heart so desires.

In conclusion, I love you Cream because not only are you #cheap, you are also #scrumptious and undeniably #ingenious. I'm not even mad at the unfailing line wrapped around your storefront because it gives me time snap a couple pics, find an obscure filter and post those bad boys to twitter so that everyone can see what a good time I'm having.

I'm pulling a Don Cornelius next time I'm in your neck of the woods and starting a Soul Train line outside of your pearly gates.

xx, Shirene
3 - Oliver K.: This place is delicious and a great value BUT they use hydrogenated oils in some of their cookies despite their sign saying "all natural". Either go all-butter or change the sign...
5 - Katerina S.: The cookies are amazing. The ice cream is amazing. When you put them together it's also quite amazing. You can't skip out on this place. The line may be outside the door but it's sooo worth some of that creamy, soft, crunchy goodness.
5 - Janaia R.: This place is AH-MAZING! I repeat, AH-MAZING! And here is why:

PROS:
-Price! Only $2.00 for an giant ice cream sandwich! $2.00! What a steal!
-Size! The ice cream sandwhiches are about the size of your fist. A large scoop of ice cream sandwiched between two large cookies.
-The cookies are nice and SOFT (we thought they might be hard, but no, they were pefectly soft)!
-Selection! A wide selection of cookie flavors and ice cream flavors!
-Gluten & Vegan friendly! 3 kinds of Gluten-free cookies and a variety of vegan cookies/baked goods and gluten-free and soy ice cream options! My friend has Celiac's disease (ie. cannot have gluten) and loves this place, so the gluten-free options must be good!

CONS:
-Extra .50 charge for using your credit card! Ice cream sandwiches are $2.50 paid by credit, or $2.00 paid by cash! Save yourself the 25% mark-up on an ice cream sandwich and BRING CASH!
-Line-up. There is usually always a line-up out the door and around the corner....but now I know why, because this place is awesome! And while it might look a long wait, the line moves really fast and it actually gives you enough time to decide what you want (the choices can be overwhelming!)

I will definitely be coming back here A LOT!
5 - Katherine R.: So worth the wait! The cookies are warm, and ice cream is delicious. Bring $2.00 in cash.
5 - Frank K.: Line out the door, best of Berkeley , best of East Bay, says it all!
3 - Erika C.: It was a better deal when it was $1.50.  However, given the going prices for a scoop at most ice cream places these days, $2 for ice cream and two cookies is actually a steal.  I got coffee ice cream with a snickerdoodle cookie and a cappuccino cookie.  

I regretted eating it afterwards and wish I had just the cookies with a cup of coffee instead.  Definitely super sweet and gooey rich.
4 - Terry B.: It was amazing. AMAZING. amazing. I didn't know cookies and ice cream could go that well together. WTF.
4 - Jeff D.: We stopped by this place after enjoying some time at Adventure Playground down by the marina.  Great value, delicious ice cream and mouthwatering cookies.  The only reason I would give it 4 stars is because it is not easy to get to if you are not a student at Cal.  The parking is difficult and a somewhat inconvenient walk with kids.  

That being said, the ice cream sandwiches we had were delicious, the staff was friendly, and my kids enjoyed the adventure.
5 - Daniel D.: Delicous. There was a little line but they got through it really quick. Pay with cash and I believe its a little cheaper(.50 cheaper). They have quite a few selections but the sancwiches are really good. They were playing dub-step music as well which was quite interesting. Not sure if it went well with the atmosphere but whatever, the ice cream sandwich was delicous. Wu-Tang would be proud.
3 - Jessica K.: Honestly I don't see why there is such huge hype about this place. The prices literally rose from $1 to $2 within time of establishment yet Diddy Riese back at UCLA started out as $1 and now only rose to 1.75. What's that about? The ice cream is okay here the cookies are okay too only when they heat it up for you. I think its pretty lame too that you can't get the ice cream and cookies separate but still pay the same amount as an ice cream sandwich. The fact that vegans have to pay more was also not cool but that's I was pretty much used to. Honestly, for the price? Eh. For the line? Uh, no.
5 - Danny C.: The line was so long at 9pm on Saturday, but it moved very quickly because the servers knew the drill. What beats a warm cookie from an oven tray? Only one thing. A warm cookie from an oven tray squishing ice cream between another warm cookie. Their vegan ice cream is ridiculous, by the way. Try the chocolate chip cherry. You'll thank me later.
3 - Matti L.: Perfect proportions of ice cream and cookie.

They always have fresh cookies and the ice cream is savory. The store is very small and there are two tables inside. They have a wide variety of drinks in the help yourself refrigerator (yes, the have milk). The line is normally outside the door but the line moves quickly. 

Bring cash because they charge you an extra $.50 if you use your credit card.
3 - Aarash Z.: OK... I do like this place... yummy ice cream sandwiches... 

BUT... $0.50 extra for using your credit card? Seriously? If you're gonna be a cheap rip off of Diddy Riese, (anyone from LA will know this) at least charge like they do...
5 - Jen W.: YUM!  ice cream sandwiches...how can anyone go wrong with these???

yes, the lines are insane...but the workers are super quick.  watch them as they slap some of that yummy ice cream in between those 2 soft, chewy, yummy cookies.  you can pick 2 different cookies if you'd like.  

i'm pretty simple now...after trying multiple combinations...i go for the butter sugar cookies with good ole vanilla.  the cookies are perfect...and the ice cream is fresh and homemade.  

$2.50 for an ice cream sandwich?!?!  yes please!!!
5 - Alex P.: I love this place I go there almost every day! The ice cream is sooooo gooooooood and the cookies are fresh baked.. I just love this place and it's only 2bucks!
5 - Tram N.: Definitely worth the drive if it's only $2 for a HUGE ice cream sandwich -- your choice of cookies AND ice cream! I can't believe there wasn't a line when I came. 

The place is small and I think I've only seen two tables inside so it's best to take it elsewhere to eat. 

The cookies are sooo soft and warm when you first get it. I could bare finish my sandwich because I'm not a big fan of things that are too sweet, but I sucked it up and savored every bite. I mean, how many times can I come to Berkeley?!

They also have gluten-free desserts :)
3 - Sambo C.: So some of my friends and I decided to come here after hearing all this buzz about it and it I guess it just wasn't as great as I expected it to be. The line was long and it extended to the outside but don't let that intimidate, the lines go by very quickly. The things I just didn't like about this place was the service. There was this worker who just kept yelling very loudly and rudely "NEXT! NEXT!". The girl was very impatient. I mean I know they do that to get the line moving but that's not the proper way to do it. They can't just yell at their customers "NEXT". Some of the customers such as myself are first timers so we don't know what we want. It would be much better if the workers are more attentive to their customers because not everyone is a regular there.

The other thing about the place was that they served me and almost all my friends HARD cookies. I remember reading that they guarantee soft and warm ice cream but ours was not soft at all! In fact, it was very hard to chew and after a while, I just gave up and threw my ice cream sandwich away.

On the bright side, the ice cream is very cheap. I came in expecting it to be around $3-5 but it was only $2 flat! I might try this place again hoping that the cookies will be softer.
4 - Tisha M.: Yes, you will wait in line and Yes, it is worth it. Gawking in the window at the lucky people who have made their way inside just makes the anticipation that much more satisfying when you are called forward to place your order for a delicious creamy scoop of ice cream in between two soft succulent cookies. My favorite is the salted caramel ice cream with snicker doodle cookies. Yum! 
Between placing your order and paying can take a bit of time because there are teenagers running the place and it is not always efficient. But for $2 you can't go wrong. On warm days be quick to devour your ice cream sandwich or it will melt into a puddle at the bottom of your bag and you will be left with only two soggy cookies.
4 - David O.: It's a pretty damn good deal. A personally prepared ice cream sandwich for 2 bucks. Fresh cookies and ice cream of choice.  Lines are incredibly long and is comparable to the wait of Ici, but its one of those things that are just worth waiting for (and you can ask anyone, I hate waits and I hate lines, with a passion!) 

Get some extra napkins, its messy!  Its also cheaper with cash!
4 - Anthony P.: Got a couple bucks in your pocket? Why not visit Cream for a little treat. For $2 you'll get an ice cream sandwich. That's two cookies and a scoop of ice cream, with any flavors you want! Lines are out the door and around the corner, so it must be good, right? Eh, I thought it was alright. Snickerdoodle cookie was soft and gooey, just how I like it. Chocolate chip was a no go. How can you mess up such a simple cookie?? Double chocolate chip was too chocolatey for my liking (I know...you can never have too much chocolate). Ice cream didn't have that WOW factor that special ice creameries have, but it was just ok. 

Overall, long lines will just add onto the hype. But in the end, the quality for the price is excellent. It's worth a shot to see what all the hype is about though!
5 - Rachel C.: If there is proof that God exists it's because of Cream. Where can you go wrong with $2 customizable ice cream sandwiches? All of their cookies are freshly baked and cooked to perfect (soft and warm). 

Mix up your cookie choice, slap some ice cream in between them and enjoy. They have gluten and vegan choices if you're into that but I was really happy to find out they have a soy mint chip ice cream since I'm incredibly lactose intolerant. 

I have yet to to try their off the menu options but I'm sure that day will come sooner rather than later.
5 - Skippy C.: Places like CREAM make my jaw drop with amazement. I mean how do they profit by selling $2 goodies? Those babies are the size of a fist and perhaps I'd be healthier by staying away...but no they're too delicious. The warm gooey snickerdoodles wrapped around a mound of cherry chocolate chip icecream....Mmmm... But seriously, it must cost a fortune for rent, ingredients, and electricity to run all those ovens and whatnot. Anyways I'm just glad they're here to entertain the fat kid in me.
5 - Francis D.: Everything about this place is brilliant! Their workers, their flavors, and they make it so convenient for all types of people. It's inexpensive, it's tasty, and they can make any combination you want. Your imagination is endless when it comes to their ice cream and cookie flavors. I love going here and every time I am at Berkeley I make sure there's time for C.R.E.A.M. because it's SUCH A SIMPLE IDEA that they're smart enough to make a creamery for it. Brilliant.
4 - Sofia R.: My friend and I wanted to get ice cream (who wouldn't?) so we sought CREAM out. 

Even with the long line keeping me occupied, it still took me a while to decide what I wanted. They have SO many options! I was determined to get something other than my apparent usual (white chocolate chip macademia cookie/matcha ice cream).

I got the turtle cookies (chocolate cookies with caramel and pecan bits or something) with cinnamon and caramel swirl ice cream. My friend got snickerdoodle cookies with salted caramel ice cream. Both were $2 so total was $4. I'm always surprised by how cheap it is.

I quite liked the new cookie/ice cream combo I had but my only criticism is that the caramel bits inside of my cookie got tough to chew at some point. 

Still love it.
4 - James N.: Past Sunday was national ice cream day, and I had no idea. I came here to catch up with Amy J's July Ice Cream crawl. The ice here was surprising long and they only had two or three people manning the queue. Service here is friendly enough to move along the line. Seating is almost non existent with two small tables and a few chairs. I did wanted to taste few flavors before making my decision, but in the interest of keeping the line going I immediately ordered.

Ice cream selection isn't especially large but i was starting to feel the a small onset of drowsiness so I decide upon the coffee blast ice cream on a snicker doodle cookies for my ice cream sandwich. For only two bucks, I could understand why this place so popular, located so closely to the UC Berkeley campus, if I was a student I would come here every week during the summer.

-----
+ Pro: Inexpensive ice cream and fresh baked cookies.
- Con: Queue. Street parking around this area is almost impossible.
( ^_^) Overall: A great place to grab a quick bite if ice cream while strolling around town.
4 - Melisa C.: There's not much to add to what's already been said.  I've always been a fan of ice cream sandwiches and I like that you can customize it any way you like.  Pick any two freshly baked cookies and any flavor ice cream for the low, low price of $2!  There's so many choices that you gotta keep coming back to try them all. :-)  My favorite creation so far is green tea ice cream with double chocolate and white chocolate macadamia cookies! Sooooo good!
5 - Alex H.: Once you get in that line at the corner of Telegraph & Channing, cookies do rule everything around me. 

Can't beat good, quick service, and a yummy ice cream sandwich with HOT FRESH cookies for the hella legit price of $2!!! It goes really well after eating a fat slice of pizza at Fat Slice next door.

Must stop by when in the area!

P.S. Don't forget to munch on the samples on the side of the counter, just save me some! :)
4 - Eme L.: Warm double chocolate chip cookies wrapped around mint chocolate chip ice cream? Nothing wrong with that! Especially for $3. Those familiar with Diddy Riese's near UCLA will understand this concept (and the long line...) immediately. A welcome addition to the neighborhood.
5 - Audrey T.: I like ice cream. I love cookies. Put them together and you get the most perfect dessert. Better than Diddy Riese in LA. Why? Cause CREAM is less than an hour away from my house, muhahaha. I love that it's mom and pop run. Ma scoops the ice cream and makes the sandwiches while pop rings you up. So cute.
5 - Vivian l.: omg, so freaking YUMMMY.  Who knew that an ice cream sandwich could taste SOO GOOD.  I honestly thought it was going to be overly sweet, but omg! I SWEAR I FELT LOVE AT FIRST BITE.  And for 2.50?!  FREAKIN STEAL!  My boyfriend and I shared a sandwhich, but totally wanted wanted another one after splitting the first!  We ordered two chocolate chip cookies and salted caramel.  Next time i come here (and it WILL be in the NEAR NEAR NEAR future), i will definitely try it with TWO different cookies! GAHH.  Words do not do this place justice guys.  Get off your computers and try it for yourself!  DELICIOUS.
4 - Trevor R.: 890 Four star reviews can't be wrong & they're not. I was referred to Cream and was told it was well worth the drive from San Francisco. Honestly I was a little skeptical at first...it's just ice cream & cookies after all. I drove out to Berkeley around lunch time during my visit and this place was slammed! It's a very small corner shop but was worth the wait in line. Several different kinds of ice cream and cookies to choose from, you really can't go wrong. Would highly recommend to anyone in the area.
5 - Stef V.: I can't get enough of this place! I'm always craving their warm, freshly baked cookies squeezed onto their delectable ice cream. Prepare yourself; the lines do get fairly long as they wrap around the corner. 30 people deep, the line swiftly subsides and the workers are fast at taking and making your order. Before you step out the door, you're ice cream is out of your hands and into your tummy so I suggest you double fist it!
5 - Christopher W.: I've been here twice and can't remember what I had on either visit.  It doesn't matter.   Hot fresh cookies and cold delicious ice-cream.  There are no bad choices.  Only the choice not to come-- Bad choice.
5 - Nicky E.: There is a reason why the line is always around the corner for this place. I've been here many times and will keep coming back for my custom $2 ice cream sammy! You get to choose which kind of fresh baked cookies and the flavor of ice cream. I wish there was a way they could flash freeze these so they could be carried home, but who am I kidding, them thangs would be eaten on the way home! I believe they charge an extra $.50 to use your card, so bring cash if you want to save a lil pocket change. Again, don't be intimidated by the line. Get in it, wait, and you will be pleasantly surprised!
4 - Paul T.: A little too rich for me, and i love sweats. I usually just get the snickerdoodles. They are the best. Its fresh cookies and ice cream. What else can i say. There a line outside most of the time and a 25 min wait on the weekends.
5 - Bob F.: Great place.  Super long line tonight, but worth the wait.  Two big chocolate cookies with mint ice cream for $2.  Killer deal.  I like the fact that they charge more for credit cards.
5 - Julie S.: OHHH MY GAWWWD 

Cookies and Ice Cream my two favorite things in the whole wide world so when I heard about this place, I jizzed a little. Cookies were warm and gooey and ice cream was sooo creamy. And having worked in a ice cream shop for 2 years, some of the best ice cream I've ever had. I think you will be happy with any cookie or ice cream combination. Just stay away from the Turtle. My cookie tasted burnt. But my other ice cream sandwich, the chocolate chip with cookie dough ice cream... HEAVEN! Yes, I'm that fat I went back for seconds. It's only $2! And the line, even though it's long moves super fast! I could have went back for a third one but I was craving real food.

This place is a must try when you're in the area. I can't wait to go back. My mouth is drooling just thinking about it.
4 - Kim T.: Cheap and sweet. What can go wrong?

If you've been in/to/from LA, there's a place called Diddy Riese with the same concept.. However CREAM is MUCH better than Diddy Riese. Not saying that because I'm biased to where I'm from.. But fareal lol.

The cookies are freshly baked and the diff. types of ice-cream that was offered in comparison to Diddy Riese was enough for me to change my mind. The cookies were soft and chewy and for some reason, the whole sandwich was tooooo sweet.. Just to my liking.

CREAM is also vegan friendly! (Although, I am no where near a vegan, I do appreciate that in places!)
5 - Kyle T.: I have been here a couple of times and holy dog sh$t they are good. Non-stop fresh baked cookies and ice cream. I always get the chocolate chip cookies with cinnamon and caramel swirl ice cream sando. They make floats as well but the sandos are LEGIT!!!
5 - Kevin M.: I thought what is so special about an ice cream sandwich. I got in line and took one step in the door and knew I was in for something special. 

It was yummy! For $2 ($2.50 if using credit/ debit) you got the perfect ice cream sandwich. You start by picking two of their fresh baked cookies. The had about 8 choices then they put a scoop of your favorite flavor of ice cream in the middle.

Overall it was great. I'll be sure to go back next time I'm in Berkeley.
4 - Angela D.: Came here for a cool treat on a hot day today. Apparently so did all of the others in the line that was out the door. But sounds like that's the norm here. Luckily they were able to get us in and out quick! 

My daughter and I got the Salted Caramel ice cream with chocolate chip cookies. The ice cream was "ok" to me but the cookies were perfect! Warm, moist with the perfect crunch.
5 - Lasty K.: This place is boooomb! Went with my gf on a random given night around 10PM and the line was long. That was due to one of their ovens being dead. In short, we got our chocolate chip cookies with french vanilla and cookie vanilla ice cream.

And it twas bombdotcom nawmeans.

Went a 2nd time earlier in the day and there was really a wait of about 3-4 minutes. I got my special menu 'ice cream taco' with 3 scoops of ice cream. And my gf got her white chocolate macadamia nut cookie with french vaniller ice qweam.

That TOOO, was bomb. All in all, flavors are tasty. Price is cheap (bring cash), and I recommend buying two for one person since they're a bit small in size IMO.

Parking is a bit scarce, but not too hard to find. That's all. :)

Eye scream for ice cuhream....doe.
5 - NATASHA F.: seriously 2 bucks for delicious ice cream smuched between two yummy cookies! ANNNNDDD this place is open till midnight?!? SOLD!
3 - Stephanie T.: This place deserves a solid 3. It was good and nothing was wrong, but it's not worth the trip.

I heard SOOO much hype about this place, so on the way to SF my boyfriend and I decided to drop by and try it out. We both love ice cream, and a fresh made ice cream sandwich for only $2 sounded so great. Who would pass that up?

Not only was it nearly impossible to find parking, but there was a long line. The line did move pretty fast though. It was my first time visiting, so I really didn't know what I wanted quite yet. But then there's the not-so-polite ice cream scoopers yelling "NEEEEXXT!!!" Everyone was so impatient. My hands were so full with the ice cream sandwiches, and as I was trying to get my money out to pay the lady at the cash register just seemed more and more annoyed with me. 

As for the ice cream - it was delicious. I got the mint chip ice cream with chocolate chip cookies. The cookies were disgusting. They were overbaked to the point where they were hard, but not burnt. It would have tasted better if it was a chewy cookie, but I guess they do this so that they can squeeze the ice cream sandwiches together. 

My boyfriend got the cappucino cookie with vanilla. He HATED it. I felt bad cus they rushed him so he just ordered the first thing he saw. 

Service: terrible.
Food: mediocre. I could make WAY better cookies in my kitchen.
Visit again: nope!
5 - Regina C.: i am all about it. you can't get a crappy ice cream sandwich at 7-Eleven for $2 nowadays. so i'll gladly drive over the bridge and hand over 2 bucks for fresh baked turtle cookies sandwiching mint chocolate ice cream! and even better that i can go at midnight!
5 - Sourma K.: Seriously how do you come up with such an amazing concoction without ever wondering if these ladies created this amazing wonder while it was that time of month, too much? I know but I had to ask. Its two organic homemade chocolate cookies with a ice cream homemade filling. Really, it doesnt get any better.
4 - Brie P.: the line was not too long to consider it was a warm saturday evening.. 
It was about a 15min wait to heaven ;)

..I got the banana walnut ice cream, with the chocolate deluxe turtle cookie with caramel.. ummmm

im such a fat girl, I returned and tried the salted caramel ice cream which nearly gave me an orgasm :0

..OH! I almost forgot the MOST importnat part..

$2 a sandwhich
$2.50 w/ credit/debit

AND THEIR VEGAN!!!!
4 - Amrit B.: For two bucks why would't you want an ice cream sandwich with warm cookies? yummm. they have amaaazing coffee ice cream. It can get pretty packed at night and especially on weekends the lines usually out the door around the corner but totally worth it if you're in the area.
4 - Angeliza L.: LOVE! You can choose any two cookies and sandwich them together between your choice of ice cream! There's also brownie choices as well. Cheap and a good snack.
4 - Aneesa M.: turtle cookie and mint ice cream sandwich!
4 - Kevin P.: Cream had a brilliantly simple and delicious idea, and it seems to be working out for them. Their sandwiches make for a perfect snack every so often! They really are delicious and affordable. 

I think they should do the same thing with a food truck and tour around the Bay Area.
5 - David L.: Love love love ice cream sandwiches! White chocolate macadamia nuts cookie with blueberry ice was good plus $1 for a 24oz fountain drink. If you come on a Friday or Saturday night expect the lines to be around the block with all the college crowd and the late night drinkers getting some food.
5 - Diana T.: Custom ice cream sandwiches for only $2! So delicious and cheap!
The two cookies I had were Snickerdoodle and White Chocolate Macadamia with White Pistachio Ice Cream!

The cookies were super soft and with the ice cream, it was perfect!
Definitely would come back and eat again!

Only negative thing it has is long lines, but the workers work really fast.
5 - daynuh m.: Omg YES!

I got in a line because people just kept coming and coming and it was moving fast. I had no idea what was at the end of the line, but figured I had to see.

Two dollar choose-your-own-cookies (that come warm from the oven), pick-your-own-ice-cream (and it's good quality stuff with great flavor selection) and then they make you a sammy?

Quick. That line moved fast. And they still didn't rush me at the counter!!

I have died and gone to heaven.
5 - Angel G.: omg the cookie sandwich was so good! i can't wait to come back!
5 - Leonard L.: Cream
Berkeley, California
9pm Sunday 12th August 2012
Five Stars

A-Mazing! Even with a line out the door and up the street, this build-your-ice-cream-sandwich parlor was tits.   I had two warm peanut butter cookies with coffee ice cream for $2 (fifty cent discount for paying with cash).  The other people in my party also bought a dozen cookies b/c they were "that good".
3 - Danny H.: Wow at the line. good though!
4 - Erin G.: So when we got here somewhere between 9:30 and 10 on a Friday night, the line was about half a block long. We were slightly intimidated, but the man figured it would go fast, since they're just ice cream sandwiches, and he was right. I think we waited about 15 minutes. In general, I'm a fan and I definitely want to go back. The price is sure right! I only have two requests for Cream: softer cookies, and serve in a cup instead of that paper envelope. How am I supposed to get all the ice cream that immediately bulges out of the sandwich at my first bite out of an envelope? I mean, I obviously don't want to waste any ice cream, so I ended up ripping it down the side after snarfing the thing down and licking the rest of the ice cream off the paper. Yes, it's a messy situation. I just would have preferred a cup, you know, like you get at other ice cream stores. I don't know if that would make the sandwiches more expensive though, because I'll deal with a paper envelope if it keeps the price at $2.
Also, exciting that they have soy ice cream! The man is lactose intolerant, so he wants to come back and get a milkshake because we never see soy milkshakes anywhere.
5 - amin b.: I don't want to say much, because you have to go here and see it yourself.
Icecream between cookies. Check their schedule for flavors.

I love it so much, open late, great price. FUN
2 - Sarah D.: The cookies are delicious and the combination are endless but I have one serious problem with this place and it is simply this. You cannot serve ice cream on a hot cookie! (whilst blasting Call Me Maybe.) I'll go get an it's It next time.
5 - Ed W.: Hot fresh baked cookies that come into contact ice cream, making this wonderful goo.  How can I ever go back to 'It's It' again.
2 - Fanny Z.: Eh, I am not really a CREAM fan. It is too sweet for my taste and leaves me feeling jiggly all over. It epitomizes American foodism--big portions, high in calories, and super cheap.

There's nothing too particular about the ice cream nor the cookies. I don't understand how to really eat their ice cream sandwiches without getting everything too messy. But the staff is super friendly.
5 - Anita A.: Their ice cream, well, it's just regular ice cream. Their cookies are warm, but hey, I can make those at home. 
BUT WHEN YOU PUT THE TWO TOGETHER, THERE IS NO STOPPING THEM! The cheapest, best dessert in Berkeley! The coffee ice cream is super coffee-y and tastes great wit the Snickerdoodle cookies.
3 - darrin l.: cream is ok, nothing to write home about.  as some other reviewers have noted the ice cream is nothing special, i would actually say substandard.  the day i went there was the usual line and this may play a part in the quality of the cookies.  when it is so busy they have to pump out the cookies and the butter sugar cookies were not cooked thoroughly.  the double chocolate chip cookies was too thin and so soft that it fell apart too easily.  i will agree that it is a good treat at a easy price to like.  those of you who have been to a diddy-riese will agree that cream is a notch below.  however with its location near the uc berkeley campus it should see a steady business until the weather turns cold.
4 - Amanda B.: Can you ever really go wrong with a generous scoop of ice cream smashed between two slightly warm cookies? No. Unless you are lactose intolerant or diabetic. Then yes. 

The good: amazing ice cream sandwiches. The ice cream and cookies' strength lies in their togetherness, so don't even think about getting one or the other. 'Twould be foolish.
The bad: the fallen and discarded Cream wrappers strewn about Telegraph, undoubtedly cast away in fits of sheer euphoria while one enjoys said treat.
5 - Christine L.: HELL. YEAH. I love me some C.R.E.A.M. Honestly, this is the only reason I really go to Berkeley (here's to hoping my Cal friends don't see this). The long lines are well worth it when you've got your two dollar ice cream smashed in the middle of two delicious cookies. You know you're really winning when the cookies are freshly baked and you can taste the warmth in your mouth... Mint Chocolate Chip w/ Double Chocolate Chip Cookies= heaven.
2 - April N.: I had CREAM cater my wedding for dessert. My husband and I loved the idea of having ice cream sandwiches for our wedding dessert. We heard about CREAM through one of our friends who had CREAM at their wedding. They said it was a hit as well. 
My family and I decided to try them out first before we booked them for our wedding. This is the only reason why I am giving this place 2 stars - bc the product is good, but their service was horrible. We had in contract for them to be there for the specific allotted time frame. At the end of that time frame was when our final payment was due. However, the owner decided to interrupt my mom's dinner for her to go out to the car to get her check book to make the payment. Then the owner decided to yell at my planner that all 6 of his staff where not fed at the specific time that he wanted. There was no where in the contract that stated they had to eat at a specific time, but just that they needed to eat. We payed our caterer for his staff to eat, so I do not know what the big deal was. I was upset that he made my mom miss parts of the reception because he wanted his money right away so he could leave. 
Also, we had to make a minimum order of 200 sandwiches, not a problem since we figured some people would take more than one sandwich. We had 139 guests at our wedding and not everyone took an ice cream sandwich. At the end of the event, if there were extra cookie sandwiches, we were able to take them home with us. However, since CREAM left before the event even ended, we didn't get any of the extra sandwiches we paid for. 
We decided to contact CREAM after our wedding and the owner gave us a coupon for 5 free sandwiches. This doesn't even cover the cost of the extra sandwiches that were not consumed. 

Side note: The staff serving the cookie sandwiches were very friendly
5 - Sarah B.: Excellent.  Cheap.
2 - Christine S.: Overpriced, overrated, and way too sweet. Good every once in a while.
3 - Rami H.: This place has had lines out the door for the past week so when I saw only a few people in line the other day I jumped at the chance to finally try Cream. I'd been hearing a lot of hype about their cheap and delicious ice cream sandwiches. They are certainly cheap at only $2 for a decent sized sandwich. Cream offers about six to eight options for cookies and ice cream. I went with the double chocolate chip cookies and green tea ice cream. The cookies were warm and chewy and the green tea ice cream was flavorful, but there was nothing spectacular about this place other than maybe the price.
5 - Rose G.: Can be habit forming!! I got the Oatmeal cookie it was warm and with the cold ice cream..... YUM!
3 - Jessica C.: I remember back when the ice cream sandwiches were $1.50 and Cream first opened. The first time I went to check it out, I was super excited since I had heard of Diddy Riese in LA. The shop was pretty empty, but nowadays they're $2 and the line can get pretty crazy (like half a block), especially at night when everyone gets the munchies since they're open pretty late. I don't think I would ever wait that long just for Cream though.

You can choose two different types of cookies for your sandwich and they have a good selection of ice cream flavors. I like to get green tea ice cream since it's not as sweet as the other flavors, which in my opinion balances out the richness of the cookies somewhat. After eating the whole sandwich the first time I went, I realized that it's way too heavy and half a sandwich is definitely friendlier to my stomach. It's great that they can split the sandwich for you, so you each get your half in your own bag. I don't really come here that often since I'm kind of over the hype, but it's a nice indulgent reward every once in awhile.

TIP: Split an ice cream sandwich with a friend!
5 - Cristal C.: Words can't even begin to describe this mouth-watering experience. Though there is ALWAYS a huge line, it moves quite quickly. As you turn the corner the immediate aroma of freshly baked cookies instantly hits your nostrils. I love that you can completely customize your cookie sandwich anyway you want it. After going back and forth amongst all of the possibilities I can create, I settled for the warm white chocolate macadamia nut and double chocolate cookies with coconut and mint chocolate chip ice cream. OOOOMMMMGGGG, this tasty treat definitely aroused my taste buds and gave me a mouth watering orgasm of delicious awesomeness! Overall, great spot to satisfy that sweet tooth and really does make you CREAM yourself.
5 - Miyaka C.: CREAM haiku.

Cookies and ice cream
You pick from many choices
For only two bucks

Some places need little description. It's great and worth the wait.
5 - Jennifer C.: You know it's bad (or incredibly good?) when the only food recommendation that comes to mind after riding from SF to Berkeley (via Marin, Vallejo, etc.) is CREAM.   CREAM breathes new life into the freezer afterthought, also known as, "novelties."  Gone are the days of the soggy ice cream sandwich where half the cookie adheres itself to your teeth and the roof of your mouth.  Gone also are the days of the melty vanilla substance they called "ice cream" in the sandwiches of yore (leave the melting to The Melt across the street).  Uptown quality, atmosphere, and service at Chinatown prices.
3 - Yeffell C.: Cream is for fatasses, and i'm sick of people always mentioning it so casually - "...then you can go to CREAM for dessert after pizza and hoagies!..."
Yeah. Quick metabolism-tightwads-stoners aside, this is a completely indulgent affair... Now go line up til the cows come home.
5 - Sara F.: Freaking delicious. There is always a line, but it goes quick and so worth it. EAT HERE.
5 - elease t.: Snicker doodle and coffee ice cream! Yummy

Macadamia nut cookie and strawberry ice cream.....to die for! 

Nothn like a cold sandwich on a  cold day in B Town
3 - Trish F.: My combo - snickerdoodle with salted caramel. Yum.

Last time I came here though, they didn't have any salted caramel ice cream. I opted for the Golden Gate ice cream with the snickerdoodle cookie but when I got my sammie, they gave me chocolate chip cookies instead. And they were hard. :(

LOL I ate it anyway because I didn't want to make a fuss over some $2 novelty and the place was also super packed. It was OK, just really sweet (like make you diabetic sweet).

Hopefully next time they'll have the salted caramel and also get my order right.
3 - Trinette H.: COOKIES: The cookies (double chocolate chip, and chocolate chip) were really good. Chewy, moist, crispy edges. 

ICE CREAM: But my ice cream, plain old chocolate was frost bitten and icy. 

VERDICT: I'd go back for the cookies, but they can keep the ice cream.
5 - Alison L.: This place is the besttttt.  I went with the snickerdoodle salted caramel, but I think next time I will try a different ice cream, because the sweetness of the snickerdoodle was a bit overpowering and I couldn't really taste the ice cream that much.

To repeat what others have said already, it is only 2 dollars for an ice cream sandwich (but only if you pay in cash.  2.50 for credit card purchases)

The only downside to CREAM was that the ice cream melted between my warm cookies too fast (I know, I know... #firstworldproblems...)

I think next time I will ask for my ice cream sandwich in a cup so that I don't end up trying to drink the ice cream out of the flimsy paper wrapper.
4 - Alyssa Z.: Minus one star for long lines.
Awesome. Quick. Fresh. On the spot made ICE CREAM COOKIE SANDWICH!!
+1 Get to choose two types of cookies for your sandwich
+1 $2!
+1 Choice of icecream
+1 Quick service, once inside.
5 - Mickey W.: Maybe I am too easy a grader but I think the reason I give out so many 5 stars is that I use yelp to screen where I go (trying to hit up 4+ stars) - not always going to agree but more often than not - anyway Cream is an amazingly simple concept and for $2 it is the perfect size dessert / snack especially if you are trying to stay in shape somewhat - 

Line can be long but it moves quickly - simplicity is a la In-N-out they know they need to move people so they don't have 3 dozen different cookies and ice-cream.  You go in - they have I think 3-5 different cookies - you choose one (or two) for the sandwich part of the ice cream sandwich - the cookies are warm - you choose the type of ice cream I think maybe 10 flavors or so) and wala you have an ice cream sandwich that you better eat fairly quickly because the warm cookies are melting that ice cream.  

Perfect size - although you know you could eat probably 3 or 4 more - you know that would require you to run a half marathon to burn off those cals - and so one is perfect - get your fix - and it only cost you $2 (cash is $2 so bring it or else pay $2.50 to use credit card)

Pretty sure I will go there every time I visit my son at Cal over next four years.....
5 - Abigail B.: SOOOO WORTH THE WAIT!

I don't care how long the line will be, it'll be so worth your wait! Who would've thought something so simple as taking cookies &some ice cream right in the middle would be so damn delicious?!

MY FAVORITE ICE CREAM PLACE!
No thanks to my girlfriend! =)
4 - Paul U.: Great cookies, great icecream, great prices! Awesome place that I wish was there when I was actually still going to Cal.

Only weird complaint that I have was that I was trying to take a picture for my Instagram and one of the workers flagged me down to tell me that they don't allow pictures in there (I was trying to get a shot of the Menu).
1 - Steph C.: Honestly? Not impressed. The cookies were very good and warm, but a little too clunky - like the kind your local supermarket makes with a heavy hand on the sugar to make up for lack of detail/texture. Same with the ice cream, which is basically your McDonald's soft serve with some extra heavy cream. 

I tried pistachio on white chocolate chip macadamia nut, which you'd assume would be a lighter choice, and couldn't finish. Especially with Ici so close... I don't know, Berkeley. I'd rather have that Doritos taco or our old standby, Flamin' Hot Cheetos, for a late night binge.
3 - JJAMZ C.: Cookies and ice cream - the best of both worlds!  They have a wonderful variety of cookies and ice cream to choose from.  If you want 2 different cookies, they can give you that and your choice of ice cream so you get all the flavors you want!  Lines can get absurdly long...especially on a hot day, so either get there early of have someone wait in line with your order as you find parking.  It's an extra treat when you get the cookies that just get out of the oven...but anyway - they are always fresh!
5 - Whorechata J.: If I could eat here every day on the condition that I would never be able to have sex again,  I would choose the former.

Going here was literally the best day of my life. Which may be a sad reflection of my life.
3 - Isa L.: line was super long... wrapped around the building. thanks to the sunny day & cal fans after football game. waaaaah  -sad camper
5 - Suki B.: CREAM is amazing! Soft warm cookies with your choice of ice cream for 2 bucks! Heck yes!!  I always get the chocolate chocolate chip cookies with mint chip ice cream.  Seriously heaven! GO here if you haven't already!
5 - Norman L.: YUM! Really hits the spot! Freshly made cookies and ice cream at your whim! Small place with a line that builds fast, but worth the wait!
4 - Emma F.: The cookies here are amazing, but the raspberry fruit bar... it's okay...

it'd be great if they did mini cookie-wiches
5 - Bianca U.: This place is amazing. For two measly dollars I can get myself a fat and funky fresh cookie right out of the oven with ice cream in the middle. 

You pick the cookie and ice cream flavor.

Anyone ragging on this place for being stereotypically American (uhhh, yeah, we are in the states) is a bona fide HATER. Split the damn thing in two and share with a friend. 

The cookies are always fresh and they bake them throughout the day, so getting a warm one shouldn't be a problem. It's almost mathematically impossible to get an old cookie here, so I don't get those reviews either. Of course it's going to be sweet--it's a cookie and ice cream! 

The employees are all really nice even if they are white college frat guys blasting Kanye West. Whatevs. 

I've seen lines long enough to wrap around the side of the store. They are open late, however and once you get inside it's a short wait.
4 - Allys T.: Fresh, warm cookies and ice cream for like $2? Um, can you say heaven?! Except for the long lines at night.. but I still love it! They even have vegan products (:
5 - Jana L.: Cookies DO rule here!  I had to give this a try since it's such a big hype on instagram and facebook!  Everyone goes to CREAM when they're in Berkeley.  I got the Macadamia nut cookies with vanilla ice cream in between - pretty standard!  For the price of only $2.00, this is a STEAL!  You have to eat it really fast or else the ice cream gets to you. :P  I loved how they baked the cookie right then and there!  The warm taste of it clashed with some cold ice cream makes it too enjoyable.  There are often lines here but you should wait!  It goes by very fast. :)  A must go in Berkeley!  Enjoy your CREAM!

If you don't like cookie sandwiches though, you should check out Ici's Ice Cream!  It's also in Berkeley and JUST as good.
4 - Maryanne L.: really cheap and good
5 - Marvin G.: Pretty good. Cheap and worth the 15 mins wait in the line! Pay cash so you dont have to pay the extra service fee.
5 - Christine C.: Whenever I'm in Berkeley, I try to stop by here. The cookies are always fresh and warm. It's cheap. I've never had an issue with the people that work there. They are always cheerful and nice. This place has great vibes.
4 - Maria H.: I spotted CREAM when rolling through Berkeley on my way to a swing dance class. I first spotted a long line snaking out of MELT across the street when I noticed there was a duplicated snake of people at CREAM. I'm from Texas so I thought maybe there's some kind of Californian obsession with restaurants of one word statements? 

After eating at Thai House right down the block, wait let me rephrase that statement...after receiving subpar food at Thai House and an ocean's worth of water then my party and I strolled down to see what all the hype was about at CREAM. 

The fast moving line was sprinkled with some sweet tunes. We grooved to a few classic throwbacks like Ludacris' first smash hit "Fantasy," some old Nelly and even some Baby Boy da Prince with "The Way I live." The staff was a fast and friendly trio, scooping up ice cream and pulling out warm fresh baked cookies. 

I was a little overwhelmed but I quickly decided upon a big heaping scoop of Cinnamon Caramel ice cream nestled between a warm chocolate chip cookie and delicious peanut butter cookie. The choco chip wasn't extraordinary but I thoroughly enjoyed the peanut butter cookie. 

CREAM or Cookies Rule Everything Around Me is a great simple concept of good cookies and rich ice cream to create customized ice cream sandwiches. They even offer vegan alternatives to their cookies, ice cream and shakes.

There isn't much seating so if you're trying to roll up 10 deep, then you and your posse need to grab these sandwiches to go.
5 - Ed G.: First the bad:

Always long lines.

Now the good:

There are long line for a reason. Great ice cream dessert treats for a very reasonable price. This place really understands its customers. The fresh-baked cookies go perfect with the quality ice cream made to order.
'
and the line? Not to worry, it moves fast. Great place!
4 - Michelle N.: I liked the fact that they charged $2 for a ice cream sandwich because
Man, ice cream/desserts are so expensive now! Cold stone for $5 for a small like it. Come on. The ice cream was well worth $2 which makes it taste even better but damn! 11:00pm and the line was crazy long! I would definitely not wait again in a long line for it but I will definitely eat it. 

By the way, don't do by yourself at night ;) gets kindof scary!
5 - Mya M.: NEW FAVORITE: Chocolate chip cookie w/ mint chocolate.
Service was amazing as usual, I love staff i can joke around with! Dont let the line intimidate you, it goes by fast. The snickerdoodle cookies are so good, i for half a dozen for $3, can't go wrong with that!


MUST. GO. BACK.
5 - Linus W.: Possibly the best $2 icecream-based dessert ever in the bay area! The cookies are great, and the ice cream is good, too. Enjoyed both chocochip+mint, and a cappuccino+it's a goody. They've always been sold out of peanut butter cookies when I've gone! Oddly enough, the cappuccino cookie didn't really taste of cappuccino but seemed more like peanut butter chips. Anyway, this place is awesome, and the lines move fast. (For reference on how ridiculous cookie prices can get in SF, Roostertail in pac heights charged $3 for a choco chip cookie no bigger than one of Cream's. Hooray for Cream!)
5 - Kara O.: yum! cookies and ice cream! C.R.E.A.M
5 - Ralph G.: Coming from UCLA, I was very impressed by Cream. With their many homemade ice cream and cookie creations and also vegan options, I think they've really understood who their customers are. If they were to establish a southern branch, I believe they would be a mighty contender in Westwood.
4 - Mia B.: I love cream! 

I always get vanilla with snickerdoodles. They're cookies are bomb. They're also really great with nut allergies! 

The only complaint I have is how small the ice cream portion is, especially in comparison to Diddy Riese. Oh, and Diddy Riese is cheaper. But, CREAM's cookies are better. So, it evens out.
5 - Jon I.: Quite delicious, I tried the salted caramel ice cream in two snickerdoodle cookies delicious, deliciousness.
5 - Maria R.: There's not enough stars to rate how magical CREAM is!!! Two freshly baked cookies with a giant scoop of any flavor you choose ice cream. Sandwiched together equals holiday party in your mouth! And for only $2(cash) each I can just stand there( limited four chairs inside) for hours and try every flavor if I had to but I won't since it gives me a reason to visit Berkeley every week! So worth the gas and standing in line for these magically delicious sandwiches!!!
2 - Thavy D.: Too sweet! I generally really like ice cream. But the already really sweet cookies with really sweet ice cream are just too much for me. If you don't have such a sweet tooth, have some water or milk afterward to wash it down. But, if you have a really big sweet tooth, then try to get whatever cookie looks freshest out of the oven, and enjoy!
4 - J. Ass. M B.: It's ice cream. It's cookies. It's ice cream smashed between two cookies. What's not to love?

Even moreso because I, being intolerant of lactose and its kind, can get Soy Cherry Chip ice cream and not have to worry about it making me sick. 

::shakes angry old-man-fist at that damn lactose::
4 - Jennifer U.: A MUST TRY: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie with Pistachio Ice Cream!

I first heard about this place from people I know that went to Cal and knew I had to try it! When we got there, the line went out the door, but it went by really fast. So, if you see a line that goes around the corner, don't get discouraged! It goes by quick.

Right when you walk in, you can smell the freshly baked cookies. There are a number of cookies to choose from, and also delicious ice cream flavors. They also have soy ice cream for those who can't have dairy! 

I'm usually a fan of snickerdoodles, but the white chocolate mac nut cookies were my favorite there!
3 - Reg E.: This place is ok.  Saw a bunch of people double fistin ice cream sandwiches and it tempted me into having one.  We plopped ourselves in line to wait our turn.  As others have said, the line wrapped around the building but it did move rather quickly. 

There were four of us who ordered and only one in my party actually enjoyed theirs.  The other three, myself included, ended up tossing our $2 sandwiches in the garbage.  It left me unimpressed, but after tasting my BFs (turtle cookie sammich) I knew there was potential. Haha.

Don't get the chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies.  They were hard, not fresh and didn't exhibit the chewy soft goodness a cookie needs when sandwiching fast melting ice cream.  It was hard to eat, got too messy, so i threw it away.  

Here's what we got:
Turtle cookie x2 w/ forgot what ice cream
Peanut butter and Choco chip cookie w/ salted caramel
Choco chip cookie x2 w/ cookie dough
Choco chip and butter cookie w/ blueberry 

The ice cream is good!! I enjoyed the flavors each one of us got.  Based on our choices I would reccomend the turtle and butter cookies.  They were soft, chewey, warm, and easy to eat with the ice cream!  

I'll stop by when I'm in the area again.  At least now I know which cookies work best.  Kinda wished they had this place when I was still going to CAL.
5 - Anna T.: O M G.....amazing!  It was my first time, and I will be back for sure.  The cookies were warm, and the ice cream was so flavorful.  My husband, and brother and sister in law were also very pleased with the snack.  The service was good, and they were fast.  Don't let the line steer you away.  It moves fast!
4 - Traviz C.: This place seem like a big deal since everyone started posting pictures all over Instagram & facebook so since i was around the area I decided to drop by & see what this place was all about. There was a long line but went by pretty quick, small shop. All it is, is just two cookies and a scoop of ice cream. It was good, dont get me wrong. They had different varieties which makes it a plus & also customer service was great!
4 - Jenn Y.: Great and delicious place if you want to get a small dessert! The line is usually always super long, but it's alright as long as you're in line with someone to talk to. If you like cookies and ice cream, there's really not much to dislike. Service is great, the people are really friendly.

I've gotten just cookies and a couple milkshakes from their menu before and they're okay. The Capuccino cookies are delicious, but the rest can be found somewhere else, and there are a lot of alternatives for drinks in Berkeley. Go for the ice cream sandwiches!
2 - D S.: Not worth to get into the long line
4 - Augusto T.: A simple, delicious concept.

Ice cream in between warm, freshly-baked cookies. For just $1.50 (at the time! seems they have increased their prices a tad) it is difficult to go wrong.

They offer a good assortment of both ice cream and cookies. If you are feeling adventures, you can even make a sandwich with a mismatched pair of cookies.

Sound too good to be true? Yes. And so did everyone else in Berkeley. So make sure you have some patience, because the lines can get quite long. Is it worth the wait? Seeing as how you will probably be making this decision at midnight, the answer is yes.
5 - Justin G.: Man I wish we had one of these by UNLV.

C.R.E.A.M (yes its an accroynmn) which stands for cookies rule everything around me is one those dollar ice cream sandwich places I see at alot of the UC schools in cali. 
On any regular day, you will see a bunch of college kids coming out double fisting some ice cream sandwiches on their way to class.

Don't let the line scare you away, it moves quick and for the price its worth it. The staff is quick and service is great. I wanted to try something weird, so I got the banana walnt between 2 snickerdoodles and it was great. The sandwiches do melt quick, but they are delicious. The sell cookies by the dozen which are awesome on their own. To make things better, they have vegan cookies for the people who want it.

Cal kids have it good. Located in walking distance of the dorms, the place makes a perfect snack. Stop by, get some ice cream and cookies and enjoy.

Unless your lactose intolerant, you have to stop by. And even if you are, get the cookies.
4 - Lucas D.: We had the mint chocolate chip ice cream with the double chocolate chip cookie.  One of the entertaining staff members recommended it as a first try.  The cookie wasn't too hard and it was kept warm, though it wasn't kept in an oven or soft.  The line can get very long, especially on the weekends at night.  As a food connoisseur I would not go back, but the college student part of me would go back because it is cheap.  It will definitely make you feel full and regretful.
4 - Hailey L.: Love C.R.E.A.M.
Slightly overrated but who doesn't love ice cream sandwiches!
And only $2!! Would come here whenever I'm in Berkeley for my sweet tooth fix :)
4 - Michelle V.: Oh CREAM... I suggest if you're diabetic, you should overlook this place (seriously).. 

And if you're from the L.A. area, the concept of the ice cream sandwich from Diddy Riese will ring a bell... BUT this place is even better than Diddy Riese!

Anyway, we waited a long time (about 20 to 30 minutes) to get our ice cream sandwiches on a Sunday afternoon.  I've had worse waits and it wasn't too bad... 

Once we got to the front of the line we were greeted warmly by the Cream staff. They were all smiles, despite being busy all-day long. They didn't have the ice cream we wanted (Golden Gate Caramel Swirl), but it worked out just fine.

For those of you who are interested to get an ice cream sandwich, you get to choose the types of cookies you want and the ice cream of your choice for only $2! I got a cappuccino cookie, a snickerdoodle cookie, and salted caramel ice cream in the middle.

What made the ice cream sandwich so bomb was the fact that the cookies were FRESH. They were warm, gooey, and soft - I was in cookie heaven. The ice cream went well with the cookies too, since it wasn't too sweet... At first.

Let me warn you: after eating half-way through my sandwich I realized it was just too much for me alone. I wish I knew this before hand and just split with my sister. Eating the last few bites was a challenge for me since I can't handle too much sweets. I just didn't want to ruin my CREAM experience! 

I will come back, once my blood sugar level goes down :D
5 - Vincent Y.: Okay. People tell me "it's over-rated because it's just cookies and ice cream." Yes, but it's freshly baked cookies and ice cream! Clearly not going to win any Beard prizes or innovation factors, but it's a nice little shop and it tastes delicious. And yes for $2 (which would basically grab you a small scoop at some of the other ice cream shops anyway, although without the freshly baked cookies). Hey, what's not to love?
5 - Nina L.: It's good to be back in school. Nothing better than a warm cookie sandwich when the studying gets tough! Love love love the classic chocolate chip!! soo dangerous though, i could eat about 10 in one sitting :)
3 - Trinity M.: This place is ok if you're in the area and are craving an ice-cream sandwich. I used to go to this place a lot but they raised the prices and the line is always out the door. It's not a super amazing place so I dont think the wait is worth it unless you're with some friends and it's more of a social thing to go get CREAM. I love that the cookies are fresh and the icecream is pretty good quality. My favorite is the golden gate swirl. Its irritating how they barely put enough icecream on the sandwich though and i could see a difference in portion size over the months that i've gone. I hardly go here anymore. I'd rather swing by yogurt park.
2 - Michelle H.: OVERRATED!  The texture of the cookie was crunchy/hard rather than the soft/chewy gooey goodness I was anticipating from a freshly baked cookie. The cookies were extremely sweet and overpowered the taste of the ice cream. I got the mint chocolate chip ice cream but I could barely taste the ice cream because the cookies were just too sweet. In the end, I threw away most of the cookie and only ate the ice cream. There are plenty of other ice cream parlors in Berkeley, spend your money elsewhere! 

Service was awful (at least for me). The girl who took my order was disrespectful and rude. I asked for 2 different cookies to sandwich my ice cream and she rolled her eyes / gave attitude when I corrected her. 

If i am ever in Berkeley again, this is probably the last place I'd come to get ice cream.
3 - Natalie W.: Personally, I think that CREAM is just ok. I don't really feel like waiting in a 50-person line just to get me an ice cream sandwich that I can make at home. I got the Green Tea & Snickerdoodle combination, which was good, but really sweet. Makes me want to drink a LOT of water. I think that the traditional chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream tastes better since it doesn't make me as thirsty. Yeah, $2 is a good price but the ice cream melts really fast, which makes you have to eat it right away. 

I'll go here if I have a craving :)
4 - Don P.: Home made cookies AMAZING. 
Ice cream is great.
The lines are a bit long but move fast.
5 - Olivia B.: This place is incredible, and absolutely worth the wait if there's a line. $2 for an amazing ice cream cookie sandwich? There is literally nothing more I can say.
4 - Johnny W.: Finally! I rarely make it out to Berkeley, and CREAM has been on my list of places to check out for many, many months. Never having passed by during their rush hours, I was a little surprised at the line, but, they're small potatoes compared to the lines at Bi-Rite and Humphry Slocombe in the city (though this one moves far more slowly).

Fortunately, I was with a friend who also happened to be an ex-employee at CREAM, which meant both skipping the line, as well as an employee discount, bringing the usual $2.50 sandwiches down to just a little over a buck. And considering I had trouble finishing mine (more due to decadence than size), this was a great deal.

With too many choices to decide amongst (about eight types of cookies and over ten flavors of ice cream), I eventually settled with a combination of a Turtle and chocolate chip cookie, filled with their banana walnut fudge ice cream. While there are certainly better cookie or ice cream shops elsewhere, between the warm, fresh cookies, and the better-than-store-bought ice cream, you're dealing with a pretty tasty ice cream sandwich (certainly better than, say, an It's-It).

***Accessibility Info***

Venue - This shop is small, and little more than the area behind the ice cream counter, two small tables against the windows, and about two or three people's worth of space between the two, so expect to have to do some squeezing when going past people near the entrance.

Bathroom - I'm pretty sure there wasn't one available for customer use.
4 - Amy J.: Cookies Rule Everything Around Me. Had I realized their specialty was more about cookies than ice cream, I would've gotten an ice cream sandwich. There's always a next time.

There's a long line for a reason. The reasonably priced cookies and ice cream are reasonable. There are perks to being near a university.

This was definitely a good place to end the ice cream crawl because if you were tired of ice cream, you could've gotten a cookie instead.
4 - Shayna T.: I'm definitely a fan of CREAM! Although it is always a little too sweet for me (and I LOVE sweets), I still crave C.R.E.A.M! The workers are usually really kind except when it gets really busy then there's not really much customer service. 

Overall, if you love ice cream and you love cookies, this is the place for you! 

However, I would give this place a 5-star if they gave more ice-cream! Because I usually run out of ice-cream before my cookies and the cookies are too sweet without the cookie.
3 - Bill B.: Apparently I need to try the cookies next time. The line was over half a block long in the middle of a Sunday afternoon, which usually indicates an amazingly delicious place. I tried the Ultra Chocolate cone from the selection of about 20 fairly standard flavors - it was initially a bit over-frozen but got creamier as it defrosted, becoming a fairly tasty and smooth treat.
4 - E L.: I had salted caramel and coffee blast in a cone.

The cone was too generic, salted caramel tasted weird, but the coffee blast was amazing. 

Maybe this place is only good for ice cream sandwich, and I just ordered a wrong thing at a wrong place =(

But, I had great experience here.  I will definitely try other flavors.
5 - Martina S.: very satisfying and creamy. Long line due to popularity. Cheap. Better than ici in my opinion. Cookies are amazing.
5 - Regina N.: LOVE this place, where else can you get ice cream in between two warm and fresh cookies!  Such a perfect combination and will satisfy your sweet tooth!  Lines are long, but it goes pretty quick and the cost is $2 - so worth the wait!
5 - William C.: Not the prettiest looking place, but they make up for it by doing everything else perfectly.

Awesome logo, fun staff who isnt afraid to be a bunch of goofs, delicious cookies with many ice cream flavors, AND vegan options for those inclined to eat that way.

Cookies Rule Everything Around Me: Brilliant (and inexpensive)
5 - Nick B.: Most amazing ice cream sandwich place ever. It's handmade, high quality and there's always a line because they make a great product. I love this spot.
4 - Connie Y.: Warm cookies with ice cream in the middle. LOVED IT! 

These are the combos we got:
+ snicker doodles with salted caramel ice cream
+ chocolate chip cookies with banana walnut ice cream

$2.00 for an ice cream sandwich (cash)
$2.50 for an ice cream sandwich (card)

We went on a Friday night at around 10pm and we waited about 20 - 30 minutes to be served so be prepared for a wait!
5 - Lauren M.: I'm a cookie lover so I figured I'd give this place a try since it seemed to be the new hype among my friends. I was not disappointed! So far, I think I've been back about 6-7 times in the past few months.

CREAM is best known for their cookie ice cream sandwiches. You create your own "ice cream sandwich" by choosing one or two types of cookies and a flavor of ice cream that will go in between the two cookies. The cookies are freshly baked and warm and the ice cream is always good, of course. They have a lot of favors to choose from but I usually go with a basic chocolate chip cookie for the outside and mint chocolate chip ice cream for the middle. 

The best part about CREAM is that is is ridiculously cheap. It's $2 per ice cream sandwich, and the sandwiches are a pretty decent size. 

I recommend stopping by CREAM to fulfill your dessert cravings if you are in the Berkeley area. Or if you're like me and don't mind traveling a bit for some good food, then go for it! Highly recommended. I keep finding myself coming back for more. 

Oh and one more thing I forgot to mention.. Ice cream sandwiches are not the ONLY thing they serve, they also make milkshakes, sell the cookies by themselves as well as the ice cream. And on their "secret menu" you can order an ice cream taco (which I have yet to try). 

Side note: the best time to go is earlier in the day as opposed to night time (it is open late) because the lines can get super long at night.
4 - Will A.: Like the concept, like the price. Pretty simple concept-- choose your cookies and your ice cream flavor, $2 cash for personalized ice cream sandwich. I first went here when they first opened, but now that they've been discovered you can expect to wait in a line around the block on any given night. It moves quickly enough though, so don't let it be a deterrent.
2 - Jackie M.: I am so disappointed about Cream! I was expecting some amazing ice cream with hot and delicious cookies but Cream really just sells normal ice cream between cookies. The cookies were soft and warm, but not mind blowing. The ice cream was good, but just as good as any Haagen Daz pint from Safeway.
5 - Zena B.: Goddess help me. This place is a block.5 from my home. I pray, please don't let me be enticed daily to come here for their gluten-free, vegan icecream sandwiches. It may be my downfall. But oh how glorious and decadent and pleasurable of an experience every time, as I munch this deliciousness. YUM, Hallelujah!
4 - rocio s.: First of all, C.R.E.A.M.- yea you like (Cash Rules Everything Around Me) wu-tang! well replace cash with cookies. there you go! CREAM! dolla dolla bill y'all

My friend brought me here. I was having a rough weekend...yea the yumminess seeker was dumped y'all. So my homie was like you need some ice cream! 

We get into this ridiculous line, around the corner, for ICE CREAM?
it actually went by pretty quickly (I mean like 15 min), yea you gotta be patient. It is worth it, I'm telling you.
They serve GLUTEN FREE COOKIES!!!!!! woooooo hooooooo! So you choose your cookie, and what ice cream you want. 
"Do you want me to warm it up?" Hell yea!!! Ice cream sandwhich heaven. 
I ate the whole thing in homie's car, the place is tiny, you get ice cream and you move out of the way. You are gonna eat it quickly anyway, cuz its gooooooood. 
I felt better after the cookie, like love really does exist.

It's true cookies rule everything around me.
5 - Ardie Y.: Love it. This made our day when we dropped in here. What's better than an ice cream sandwich? Nothing, really. Ok, maybe some things, but for a few dollars it's a few minutes in childhood heaven. Even better - they have vegan options for us poor lactose intolerants. Life is rough for us, but this makes us happy again.

Soon.
3 - Alice H.: Tips:

$2 for ice cream sandwich (CASH)
$2.50 for ice cream sandwich (CARD)
$4 for soda float

--------------------------------------------

I really love my sweets and I'm very happy that CREAM is around to satisfy that for me. I'm a bit saddened by their sudden price hike and the fact that you have to pay 50 cents more just to use card. (I guess that's what happens when you use Square and they take 3% of your earnings from you.)

The cookies used to be soft all the time, but there have definitely been times that my cookie was hard and crunchy. (I don't like a crunchy cookie) Also I'm not sure if they make their "Turtle" cookie different every time, but one time I got the Turtle cookie and it was basically just a chocolate cookie with peanuts. (Barely any caramel!) I was very disappointed because I usually like it in my cookie sandwich when there's a chunk of caramel in the cookie.

I'd definitely keep coming back because no one can resist the sweets from here, but I hope that I'll be lucky enough to avoid the long lines.
2 - Kevin K.: First time visit with a bunch of people last Sunday. First impression? What is that crazy long line?!

After waiting in line for days...I expected some good ice cream sandwich, but I had some hard cookies along with some okay ice cream (oatmeal cookie with some coffee ice cream). I love cookies, and I have to say, Safeway makes better cookies than they do. As far as ice cream goes, I rather just go to SF for some decent, real homemade ice cream. I guess for $2 per ice cream sandwich at a store, I can't complain all that much.

I may go in, in the future, if there is no line and I am in the area with no better choices left.

TIP: bring cash because they charge extra $0.50 per ice cream sandwich using credit card (borderlining legal issue here, but we are getting a discount...so who cares!)
2 - P W.: Saw the long line..... thought it had to be good..... it was not worth the 10 minute wait.  I
It's an interesting concept, 'fresh' cookies and ice cream.

The cookies are made there.... at least the balls of dough are put into the little ovens there.  The dough is probably made in some big factory somewhere.  They're just mass produced cookies, like Safeway maybe... Mrs Fields is much better.

The ice cream is just cheap, average quality ice cream,  It's like well, Safeway ice cream,  With so much gourmet ice cream available, it's a disappointment.  Hagen Das is MUCH better, 

Neither Mrs Fields or Hagen Das are great products, but they're a lot better than this.  

For sure not worth the wait.
5 - S B.: $2 for a tasty scoop of icecream smashed between two fresh baked cookies... can't go wrong here
3 - Kevin W.: Wu-Tang is for the children!  And cookies and ice cream are for the children and children-at-heart.

My $2 Cookie Sandwich was the salted caramel ice cream between two cappuccino cookies.  The cookies were straight from the oven, but they lacked that "hot and soft, fresh from the oven" goodness - harder than expected.   The ice cream was quality stuff with good salted caramel flavor but became a melted mess.  I was a little disappointed given the long OMG line, but maybe it's because these aren't worth the wait, compared to those at a certain original cookies and cream place down south.

Or maybe I'm just a bitter, old fart that didn't have all these fancy cookies and ice cream while walking ten miles to campus in the snow without shoes during my college days.  Yes, it snowed in Berkeley during the Ice Age.  Now get off my lawn, you goshdarn kids!
3 - Stefanie D.: After seeing numerous Instagram posts about this place, my husband and I headed here after a concert at the Greek with our friends to finally try what everyone's been photo-bragging about. 

At 11:30 pm, there was quite a line outside the shop, but service is fast as long as you know what you're ordering. I got a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie with white pistachio ice cream, which was pretty good but a bit too rich for me. I think if I'd gotten it with the green tea ice cream it would've been better.

Card payers pay fifty cents more than those with cash on hand. 

Overall, pretty good. Not something to write home about, but a fairly good midnight snack.

And no I did not instagram a picture of the place. Silly rabbit. 

My husband did. :)
5 - Jessica R.: I didn't know my dreams could become reality for $2.50. 

And there was even pumpkin ice cream involved between two peanut butter cookies.

It's deliciously scary when you deja vous hits you in an ice cream parlor.
5 - Valeria Y.: So delicious!
A must try.
I had the Turtle and Macadamia nut cookie with mint ice cream. Very cheap.

Lines are absurdly long.
5 - Holden N.: What about an Idea funded by a group of people riddled with the munchies...
brought to a place that is the corner stone of all other quick food joints in the area.....
with prices that range anywhere from $2 to $2.50.....
and even vegan alternatives....
surrounded by hoards of drunk people in long lines that move faster than you can count the chocolate chips on the top shelf of the cookie rack?....I believe the answer is YES. Yes to this shop. Yes to berkeley. and Yes to the United States of Ice Cream In between Two Cookies. YES WE CAN EAT HERE!! AND YES WE WILL.
(I approve of this message)
3 - Cynthia B.: I was expecting so much more! After hearing everyone talk about this place and seeing all the pictures on instagram, I was too excited to finally get to try this place out. I went with a couple of friends for one of their birthdays and we were all expecting it to be amazing. The line was long, adding into the hype and people seemed to look really happy walking out. The price is amazing though being $2 for an ice cream sandwich. However, the sandwich itself was just not out of the world amazing. From what I recalled, they only had regular flavors that you could easily buy at the grocery's. 

I got the mint chocolate ice cream with white macadamia nut cookies. Both were mediocre because they tasted like any other that I've eaten before. Half way through the sandwich I was already getting pretty tired of eating it. I didn't even finish my ice cream sandwich because I felt that it was too rich. 

The only reason I'm giving this place a three star is probably because it was so cheap, but for flavor, I would probably give it a two star. I came in expecting too much from them and came out disappointed.
5 - Nic C.: what's all the HYPE about,,,ok i see now.  man o man was this perfect.  hit the spot.  Kids have been craving this place for a long time.  Finally stopped n visited..what took me so long.  Warm Cookies with a scoop of Ice Cream in between....so so good..Only time my kids were quiet the whole day was when they ate Cream.  Believe the HYPE, well worth the wait.  Prices were very reasonable. $2 cash $2.50 credit.  Bring your cash.  eachtime im in Berkeley, you know im going here........
4 - Sandra N.: I've been on an ice cream sandwich spree lately.. which can't be good for my tummy. :( But since I was in Berkeley, I just had to try CREAM since I've seen so many pictures of the desserts here. The line was out the door and around the corner but it moved pretty quickly. They have 10-15ish flavors of ice cream and less than 10 types of cookies. They also have vegan and gluten free options for cookies. I got the matcha green tea ice cream w/ white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. The cookies were soooo good! It was obvious that they were freshly baked because they were still warm and soft! The ice cream was also delicious and didn't melt while I was eating it.  My bf was unlucky though and his pumpkin ice cream melted pretty quickly which made eating the ice cream sandwich a bit messy. I would definitely come back, especially since it was only $2 for an ice cream sandwich.
4 - Justin W.: Serves great ice cream sandwiches and is open super late! Sandwiches are $2 which is a bit pricey and there is usually a 10 minute wait in line but worth it!
4 - Brenda C.: Despite the long line that coils around the block, the service and price makes up for it. It's like a sweet addicts dream come true. The endless possibilities that you can have of making your own ice cream sandwich is mind blowing.

Don't come alone, and don't come with people you can't hold a conversation with for less than 45 minutes.
5 - Emel S.: THIS PLACE IS AWESOME!!  An ice cream sandwich made of TWO cookies and the ice cream of your choice?!! What more could you want?  How about fresh baked cookies?  DONE.  This place was so good it almost made me move to California.  

There was a line when we arrived but it went quickly.  The menu is small enough that it's not overwhelming but large enough so that there is something for everyone. 

I will definitely be going back on my next trip out to Cali!

CROW: Computer Repair On Wheels - Philadelphia, PA (39.9583587, -75.1953934) (Powelton Village, University City)
5 - Frank C.: A fantastic service. Super convienient, fast and way cheaper than Geek Squad. They come right to your home or office and solve your problems. They came to my office and fixed my computer and set up a network. Then they came to my house and fixed my laptop. Awesome
4 - T.J. W.: CROW has it figured out. Fast, reliable, and most importantly, knowledgeable. The prices are more than fair (cheaper than the Geek Squad), especially when you take into consideration that you don't have to go anywhere. They come in their "mobile office", pick up whatever needs to be fixed, and then come back to personally give it back with the problem(s) solved. I was very pleased with the turnaround time too. Keep CROW in mind the next time you have a computer problem. You wont be disappointed.
5 - Courtney R.: A brilliant service. CROW is better than Geek Squad, hands down. They are mobile, they come to you.  Not only is the service awesome and innovative, but I also follow these guys on Twitter and they share great tech information.  They are not only an excellent resource for help with your hardware/software issues, they're a resource for information too!  Don't call anyone else... Call CROW!
5 - andrea f.: These guys absolutely rock! I had a new 7" computer that I couldn't get connected to the network at home. In addition, I've got an ancient dell that would take several minutes or longer to load a page. 
These guys came to the house, picked up both machines, had them back here the next day and reconfigured my dsl connections...
Now, the 7" is online, and the dell is absolutely jetting through pages--faster, I think, than it's ever gone.

Plus, the prices were really reasonable.  

I'm always wary of computer guys, but this team is fantastic! I would recommend them to anyone (and will). If it's about computers, honestly you can't go wrong with Crow.

CT Bento Cafe - Ithaca, NY (42.4263468, -76.5112798) ()
4 - matt h.: value: 5 stars
food: 3 stars
service: 4 stars

This is definitely the cheapest japenese food in Ithaca, even cheaper than what you would find at any of the local grocery stores. Is the quality any better than the other Japanese places in Ithaca? definitely not, its similar in quality to other Ithaca Sushi joints. However, if you add in the price and the quantity of food you get, the place is quite a good value.

Simple rolls are $3 - $5.50, specialty rolls are $6.50 - $8, and their entree sized rice bowls and bento boxes are $5 - $11. Alcohol is also cheap including  glasses of wine for $3.75, and they have bubble tea for $3 including the boba. They even have popping boba, which I haven't seen anywhere else in Ithaca. It is literally boba that pops in your mouth.

Now for the taste of the food. The raw fish was just as fresh here as the other places I have been to in Ithaca (so not great, but not bad either). The gyoza were pretty standard, but tasty, and the sauce that came with the gyoza was better than average. Their spicy fish rolls (tuna and salmon) are not minced like most places, the fish is sliced and the spicy sauce is placed lightly over the top, with additional sauce on the side. I prefer the minced version, but thats personal preference. The cooked meats and fish in my dining companions' bento boxes appeared to be dry, since the sauce is on the side. This may be good for the health conscious eater but not great for flavor purposes

They have a confusing parking lot with a sign that says "entrance", but then, when you actually enter, you notice that all the arrows are facing out. Seems like a recipe for disaster.

Summary: Great price point! but I would recommend getting sushi and eel items as opposed to cooked Teriyaki meat dishes (to avoid the dryness factor).
3 - Cortland Native C.: Not bad, but not a 4 1/2 rating. Clean, good service and moderately priced.  The bubble tea was yummy and it was a big serving.  Had the soft-shelled crabs and perhaps I'm spoiled.  Okay!  I am spoiled.  My standard on soft shelled crabs is what Baltimore serves up -- those are truly outstanding.  The sushi was fresh and good, but no different from anywhere else.  I would go back again for the bubble tea!  Sorry to ruin the rating curve but not that great.
5 - Joel A.: I like this place. It is what it is -- without pretensions. Good food, good value, good service. Not a place to impress a date, but a good place to impress the parents that you are money-wise.
4 - Julia C.: Since I found this place about 2 week ago, I have been here three times.  Food is simple and basic Japanese-"style" food, like the food served in other Japanese restaurants in Ithaca area. Yet the price is much cheaper. Love the authentic Taiwanese bubble tea!

An update: fried ice cream (ice cream tempura?)  is quite a treat!
4 - Siddharth P.: The other ratings are pretty fair. Bubble tea is very good. The food is decent; sushi is on par with other Ithaca offerings (Kyushu, etc.), but not up to the standards of good places in Boston or NYC. Hot foods are actually quite good. Service has always been pleasant and efficient. The space is beautiful and clean, but unfortunately, the place is never really crowded, so it's a bit empty-feeling inside.

For more pictures and to see what we had, check out our blog entry:

http://world-tasting.blogspot.com/2011/04/ct-bento-cafe-boxes-and-boba-galore.html
5 - Yining H.: Good service, clean and simple environs, cheap but fresh sushi. What more could you want? Sure it lacks a bit in terms of selection, and it is really far out from campus. But $5.50 for spicy salmon roll totally makes up for it. If I had a car I'd probably be eating here daily. Also, popping boba tea is, as has been mentioned, blow-your-mind good.
3 - J K.: Overrated, like the rest of Asian restaurants in Ithaca. 

The space is nice and spacious (a bit chilly, too much AC), for bringing a laptop and spending time --- except that, despite its name, "cafe,"  the place is not really meant for you to go in and chill out for any inordinate amount of time. 

When I ordered a cup of green tea, I got a tea bag and a hot tap water in a cup (well I think it was tap water, it tasted like it). For calling itself a Japanese restaurant, serving tea with a tea bag is kind of unacceptable.  

I tried a bento box, and it really wasn't worth the price. I paid I think about $12 or more for a very mediocre bento box when I could have gotten something far superior in a Japanese supermarket in California for $5.
2 - Frank R.: The food was cold, slow, poorly made and ultimately disappointing.

I went here for dinner because of the other reviews and checking out the menu. I just wanted a somewhat quick dinner but I ended up staying for more than an hour and a half, mostly waiting for our food to come out of the kitchen. The time to get our food was way too long for only having 5 tables in the restaurant. We ordered shrimp tempura, chicken spring rolls, dark chicken bento box and salmon bowl. The shrimp part of the tempura was actually really nice. The batter was delicately crunchy and the shrimp was very tender. However, much like the tempura veggies served with the dish, it was only lukewarm at best. The cool temperature kills the flavors of tempura. The chicken spring rolls were OK but the chicken was a bit on the tough side and dry.

The bento box came with an assortment of components. The white rice was cold and had that hard, dry crust that come from sitting out for too long. The California Roll tasted very fishy and stale. Seaweed salad was bland. The salad came inundated in ginger dressing. The chicken, while cooked nicely and very tender, was cold. The salmon bowl with steamed veggies was rather bland and cold. Overall, the food was very disappointing.

The only redeeming quality of this place is the price. It is a fairly cheap meal but you do get what you pay for.
3 - Scott C.: A nice addition to the Ithaca sushi scene and about the same as the rest. I went here with a restaurant.com certificate and got no hassle from the waitress, which was nice. The sushi itself was passable and decent by ithaca standards. The fish is clearly frozen which hurts items like sashimi, but they pack enough fresh veggies (cucumbers and avacados) into the rolls that you don't really notice that much. It is a great value for the money (especially with a coupon) and you leave feeling full and refreshed. The chef cares about presentation and you get a nice big plate for even a simple roll (and 8 pieces instead of 6!). The spicy rolls are just the simple ones with spicy mayo on the side, but still taste good, if not a little rice heavy. It comes out in the middle of the pack for Ithaca sushi for me. If you want good sushi go to a big city, but if you are stuck in Ithaca this place may sate your craving without breaking the bank.
4 - Alicia L.: The sushi was as good as other places in Ithaca and we got a huge amount for a reasonable price (we ordered a large platter that included vegetarian rolls, fish, eel, and other rolls, as well as nigiri -- the 52 piece "sushi party" for 46.99).  We also tried a few noodle, "signature bowl" dinners.  Those were pretty good as well.   

I would rate the space 3 stars because it is set up like a cafe with a visible kitchen but there is table service, so it's kind of odd.

All in all, the value is good (probably less $ than other places around town).  I think the food was as good as the other Japanese restaurants around town, too.   If we are in the mood for sushi, we will probably drop back in.
4 - George H.: Not fine dining, but a fine place to have a bite: seaweed salad and spring rolls tasted fresh, vegetarian katsu was decent, spicy tuna was reasonably spicy, waitress was attentive, only the pickled ginger tasted tired.
5 - Erica S.: CT Bento is really great Japanese fare at affordable prices

The bubble teas here are tasty and innovative (popping boba, what?!). The sushi is good with many of the usual suspects - rainbow roll, spider roll, etc. Bento boxes are a nice portion size!

My favorite dish here is the build your own bowl. Reasonably priced between $5-$7 you get a good helping of rice, chicken/steak/tofu and steamed veggies.

The restaurant is clean, modern and spacious with friendly staff. A good place to catch a quick lunch, meet with friends or enjoy a relaxed dinner. I'm happy to have CT Bento as a part of the Ithaca restaurant scene!
4 - Joe D.: I got to say I really liked my dinner at CT Bento Cafe. I've been a huge fan of all restaurants in Ithaca. I first came here before it was a Japanese cafe, it was in fact, The Smart Monkey Cafe. I enjoyed the rain forest theme, the great Ithaca Coffee and the healthy offerings.

Here at CT Bento you can still have an enjoyable meal and get it healthy. I enjoyed a vegan California roll and vegetable soba noodles that were stir fried in very little oil. The dish was not overpowered by a lot of unnecessary sauces and spices,the natural taste of the soba noodles and vegetables were allowed to be the star of the show. The meal was hot, served by a very friendly waitress (whom by the way was very happy to proclaim it was her first day) and for two people the bill was only 24 bucks! My Godson had the bento box and it was a lot of food. Go ahead Ithaca, give CT Bento Cafe a try.
5 - Elizabeth F.: By far this is the best Japanese food I have had in Ithaca. The freshness of fish and food quality was comparable if not better than most places I have eaten at  in New York City.  I had spicy tuna rolls, california roll and a chicken curry bento box. It was absolutely delicious. In addition, the servers were all extremely courteous. I highly recommend this restaurant.
4 - Yvonne M.: Owners are very nice. The most tasty age tofu in Ithaca. Their popping bubbles for bible teas are interesting, can try mixing the regular tapioca and popping bubbles.
5 - Lola B.: oh CT Bento, I love you.  for reals.

There are some basics here that make it hard not to love CT Bento.  It's cheap, it's fast, there's parking, the bubble tea is bangin.  So even without the actual food, I'm already a fan.  I've only ever gone for lunch so I'm not sure if they have a larger dinner menu, so for now I will say that the menu is somewhat limited but there are plenty of choices for lunch.

I pretty much can't help myself and get their sweet potato roll that is wrapped in avocado every time I go here.  With that I'll either have one of their super cheap and yummy create-your-own-bowl meals or a soft shell crab.  Hubby loves their chicken teriyaki and pretty much gets that every time.  If I'm hungry a shrimp tempura bento box is definitely on the agenda.

hehe and popping boba is so silly!  It makes me giggle.  I am a huge sucker for their bubble tea in general, lucky for me they do a 10-drink card so at least I can get a freebie once in a while.  It's on my way home from work so it's waaaaay to easy to stop in quick for one of these instant cups o yummy!

And no, like others have mentioned, this place ain't no fine dinin'.  They use melamine plates and they're currently potting some plants in their entryway.  But hey, the family that owns this place is super nice & awesome, and I like what they're doing - providing simple, cheap, no fuss delicious Japanese food to Ithaca.  We've been eating here once a week lately because it's just that good and lucky for us it's that affordable.  A+ CT Bento, you're my current best friend.
1 - Lilee N.: HORRIBLE! DON'T BELIEVE THE 5 STARS! ugh!!!

who makes sushi with smoked salmon and tries to pass that off as fresh fish?!

ordered two of the party platters each for 42.99 and 45.99 and they were a terrible waste of money. the quality is bad and half of the platter is just rolls filled with carrots and cucumbers. the description listed specialty rolls but we got nothing. horrible. 

if you want sushi in ithaca, go to wegmans. at least their fish is actually fresh.

CVS - Atlanta, GA (33.7776506, -84.3845271) (Midtown)
4 - Katie W.: This is my main drugstore since it is very near where I live.  I like this store.  It's always neat and orderly, they have lots of fun things for when I am in the mood to browse for something I don't really need, they have a good-sized grocery section for quick things you might need in a pinch, and the pharmacy is very good.  The people in the pharmacy, and generally in the entire store, are friendly and helpful, and are very patient with me when I use all my coupons that I got on my previous store receipt (I am a sucker for the ExtraBucks).  For those driving to the CVS, they have a lower-level parking garage just behind the store (enter on 6th Street) with stairs and an elevator leading up to the store.  You don't even have to go outside!  Occasionally the front of the store attracts people asking for money so, if you want to just avoid this, you can sneak into the parking deck and take the stairs up (even when I walk I sometimes do this).  Sometimes the lines get long to check out here but they generally move pretty quickly and, if not, they usually will open up another register very soon.
4 - Bobbin W.: I don't see an entry for this CVS location's pharmacy, so I will place my opinions of it here. I have used this pharmacy for 3 years and am consistently impressed with the friendliness and competence of the pharmacy staff, especially Omar Dudar. Once, I left a piece of paper at the counter, and Omar took the time to call me and ask if it was all right for him to throw it away. Plus, I recently appreciated when the pharmacist who filled my order and rang me up expressed true sympathy for the copay price--what I assumed was the total without insurance. :/

What compelled me to write a review of this CVS/pharmacy, however, was a recent humiliating debacle involving two lackadaisical employees I had never seen before (causing my otherwise raving review to bump down a notch). I rushed from the parking garage up the elevator, bladder about to burst, scuttling toward the restroom in the back of the store. Much to my dismay, a punch-in code was required to enter. Because the pharmacy counter is located so near the locked restroom hallway, I leaned back and asked one of the males, "Could you please tell me the code for the restroom?" My urgency and pain were obvious...

"In a second," he huffed. The other lad ignored my request. Since they were going to make me wait to relieve myself, I decided to hold it even longer and go ahead and get my prescription. As I made my way toward the counter, I felt my maxi pad start to work its way off my underwear. I pinched my legs together, hoping that it would hold on for its dear life.

But no. 

As I was paying for my prescription, the sanitary napkin fell to the floor (I had on a skirt). I screamed an obscenity and shoved the pad into my purse, drawing the attention of a male shopper behind me. However, the cashier had no idea what was going on. THEN, when I asked him to unlock the restroom for me AGAIN, he still made me wait about 5 more minutes, mindlessly typing on his computer.

I considered shoving the pad in his face, proving to him that when women say they need to use the restroom, they mean it. However--humiliated, I sprinted to the bathroom instead, shocked by this boy's lack of initiative and respect.
5 - j w.: mostly excellent CVS. much cleaner than the average drugstore.

terrific pharmacy.
4 - Tanya C.: This CVS is great. I am staying at the Loews are was unwilling to spend $6 for a bottle of water so I just walked straight on Peachtree and found this CVS. The place was nice and clean. The prices were great. They have products and a ton of coupons lying to make things even cheaper. Awesome place!
1 - Steven B.: what a rude ass!

it sucks to get an employee that doesn't want to be there. July  8, 2010 at 8:15 pm. He was working the register with no name tag. 

Nobody needs to be treated like crap. I won't be back.
4 - Maria S.: When you live in a city, you need the basics within walking distance. The CVS at the corner of Peachtree and 6th does a very good job of filling my drugstore needs, and they've got a great full-service pharmacy in the back. My favorite pharmacy employee is Vada. She's helpful and friendly, remembers repeat customers, and manages to stay calm even when the lines grow long and patience is short.

If you're driving, CVS has ample covered parking in a lot under the store. (The entrance is on 6th Street.) They often have in-store specials, and they're open until midnight seven days a week.
4 - Stephanie W.: I feel like I'm at this CVS all the time in that it's very near my house.  We visit for the pharmacy and little things we've run out of and don't want to go to the grocery store for.  The store is always clean and the staff is very courteous.  I think the prices are good and the "cvs card" coupons we earn are even better.

The pharmacy team has always been spectacular, and exceptionally helpful when problems arise.
4 - Alex D.: A great alternative to the student center at Georgia Tech! Initially I walked here to get a refill on some medication, but now I visit this CVS every once and while to stock up on snacks. There are usually lots of great sales here on food (Lots of 10/$10 promotions) and the staff is also very nice. If you're a Tech student and you want to save a few dollars, then I would recommend this place.
4 - Katie K.: Great location! I've been here about 23433984 times to get passport photos done... (applying for a program to go abroad sure takes a lot of pictures!). Photo service is always quick, and they crop and print out your picture immediately after taking it. I found out today that I have a problem: I can't seem to be able to position my head straight, looking directly at the camera. But the person there was really nice about it, and at one point even grabbed my head to manually reposition it... well, the result was a passport photo that wasn't all THAT mug shot looking. Success! 

Also, check the CVS website for a $2 coupon off passport pictures. 

I also come here to fill my prescriptions. There is nothing special about the pharmacists, but I would advise to avoid coming here around 5 or 6pm... they are always packed with people, and it has taken me upwards of 45 minutes to get my prescription filled.
4 - David K.: This is one of the least icky CVS stores in Atlanta. My only complaint is the parking deck and the stairwell going to and from it. It's bright enough to feel safe, but it needs to be repainted. It's kind of dingy.

I'm usually on foot for most of my visits (as I'm sure is the case with most of their customers). They're open until Midnight, so it's convenient without being the source of unnecessary traffic to the neighborhood. Even though I'm more of a Hallmark fan, their selection of cards from American Greetings is larger than most.

Oh, it's always quick to check out. Again, compared to other CVS stores that's a huge improvement.
1 - S H.: This is a clean CVS but the customer service sucks. I have been here countless times and I have never had an acceptable experience. Eye contact, a smile, an ounce of sincerity. Nope not here. If you want someone to acknowledge your existence as a customer - go anywhere else.
2 - Dante B.: Great location, but REALLY high prices - even for a midtown location.  This CVS must make a lot of the profit for the entire pharmacy chain.

I've experienced reasonable customer service here and relatively good selection, such as personal hygiene products, decent selection of vitamins, etc.  Cold beverages are all the way in the far back right corner, so you have to hike all the way through the candy, cookies, snacks to get there.
1 - David K.: I had to make an emergency trip at 5AM to get some drugs to combat an allergic reaction. I asked two separate employees where the Benadryl was and got only a grunt and disgusted look as a reply. After some searching on my own, it turned out they didn't have any in stock anyway. Avoid if you like any customer service at all.
1 - Dani C.: Watch your step or u will step on the crack heads on the way in... Lol this was the worst cvs I ever been to super busy no customer service & there was what I think was a homeless women pan handling inside the store!  I don't know why we even went in the crack heads outside should have been a warning of what was to come inside.
5 - Michael E.: This store was a short walk from my hotel and I came here often for incidentals.  I came across a few panhandlers, but nothing unusual for a big city.  This is your run of the mill CVS, which was well stocked each time I came in.  

The clerks were friendly.  One, in particular, was pregnant and looked miserable at 7 am the day after New Year's.  As I approached the counter, I said, "Thank you so much for being here," and her face lit up like she just won the lottery.  She became quite chatty and giggly so 4 stars plus 1 = 5.

Question: Why is cash back not an option here?
4 - J. T.: Ingrid the pharmacist is the reason I'm writing this review. I had some questions about an antibiotic and she took care in responding to my questions. I didn't feel like she was trying to rush to get me off of the phone - in fact she made me feel like she had plenty of time for me. If you're thinking about transferring to CVS for your pharmacy needs, this is the place I'd recommend.
4 - Stuart S.: Good size pharmacy, open 24 hours...not much else to be expected :)

CVS - Cambridge, MA (42.3652169, -71.1034182) (Central Square)
3 - May N.: Good: Open 24 hrs, has a pharmacy, right next to the Central Square T stop
Bad: There's always someone panhandling at the entrance. Feels really cramped inside here and gets super busy/crowded during rush hour. I get stuck at an aisle intersection behind someone slow or standing still oblivious to the back up they're creating. Does not do passport photos, but the Walgreens across the street does.

Best to go during non-busy hours.
1 - Mona M.: This place blows. They kicked me out semi-forcefully for trying to sneak in my dogs. As if I'm going to tether them outside so someone can steal them!? No thanks! Cross the street and go to Walgreens.
1 - Julia K.: I've frequented this CVS too many times. I'll only come here when I need to since its close to home, but the ridiculously long line drives me crazy. Its gotten to the point where I don't want to bother with wait of the line so badly that I I'll shop at the much nicer, cleaner, and faster CVS' in downtown during my lunch break.

I feel bad for the 1 (2 if lucky) cashier trying to get through the increasingly anxious queue of customers tapping their feet, but they seriously need to hire more help.
1 - liz c.: Finally, they're replacing the staff with machines.  After all, it's machines that keep our economy going.  

Having a 24 hour pharmacy here is helpful, but the robots are not helpful.
4 - EricaLynn J.: I think the folks over at CVS must have finally realized that they were, in fact, competing with another major drugstore right across the street, because they have stepped it up.  Big time.  Now the 24-hour drugstore has another reason to claim they are supreme:  totally re-done interior.  An actual grocery section, not just one aisle.  Self-checkout kiosks (finally!)  A security guard.  A housewares section.  And the place is sparkly clean!
1 - Elizabeth S.: I recently went to this CVS and found that there were  NO humans manning the registers. Not only that, there was a huge line for the automated cashiers. I saw people discarding their items and leaving, and I spoke to an elderly neighbor of mine who will never be back. I am sure that they are imagining huge profits now that they laid off all the workers. I hope that they lose enough business to convince them otherwise.
2 - Lisa S.: I seriously go to this CVS about 3x/week. I use their pharmacy for everything- they have never messed up my prescriptions and I love the fact that I can reorder them online, or through an automated phone system (I don't like talking to people). The pharmacy staff is nice, although lately they've been misplacing my meds like whoa. Whenever I go in, it takes them 5-10 minutes to locate my prescriptions, and they're always in a different place. The lack of organization makes me nervous.

CVS threw me off a few weeks ago with what seemed like an overnight redesign. All the aisles were different and I'm still semi-confused when I try to find things. They increased their grocery options, including prepared food to go, but everything else seems pretty much the same.

The one thing I HATE with a passion is their stupid self check-out lines. Every time I go there, there is a swarm of people waiting to use them, unsure if they should form one line or multiple. Then about 90% of the time, the machine stops working and "calls for help", and it takes an associate about 10 minutes to come help me. Which means everybody in line gives me nasty looks and hates my existence. Some examples: when I carry my purse, if I set it down on any surface of the machine it starts giving me warnings and then turns off. If I buy so much stuff that it has to go in more than 1 bag, and I take 1 bag off the machine to load a 2nd bag... it starts giving me warnings and then shuts off. Twice I've tried to use coupons- once it told me the coupon box was full and shut off. Another time, the coupon didn't have a bar scan, only a code, and I had to track down someone to help me. Using the machines eventually ends with me either wanting to either cry or wanting to buy a baseball bat and beat the machine to pieces. 

If they got rid of the machines and replaced them with a normal check out, this time staffed appropriately (aka not having 1-2 cashiers at 5pm when there are 30 people in line), it would make my life much happier, and I'd stop considering going across the street to Walgreens.
1 - Johnna M.: This is as bad as it gets. Boo, I am NOT a fan. This is NOT A-ok. I've experienced way better. 

Forced automatic check-out system? What a moronic idea. If you wanted to gradually ease your way into this brave new world, it might have been OK. I still wouldn't be happy because I suck at bagging things but maybe you could have offered customers a bagging tutorial or something. 

Instead you overnight switched to robots. Malfunctioning robots. The poor employees are unable to be helpful because they need to spend all their time fixing the machines or teaching people how to use the machines. They could be ringing people up, telling me where the deodorant is, or expertly putting my toilet paper in bags but instead they have to morph into Central Square's IT department. 

The last straw today was when my cadbury cream egg, my seasonal joy, was not heavy enough to go through the machine properly. Call for help? Wait 20 minutes? I don't wait that long for anyone, not even cadbury cream egg. Too bad because I think I could properly fit a cream egg into a bag. 

No, I will not be back. Unless, you know, I need my favorite shade of lip gloss and Walgreen's is all out. Even in that scenario though I'm better off ordering it from Amazon. I'm sure the lip gloss wouldn't be heavy enough to scan correctly. Three day delivery from Amazon would just be quicker and easier. 

But, a CVS is a CVS and I'm sure I'll be there tomorrow. 

Sidenote-Does anyone want to teach me proper bagging styles? Looks like I'll need it for Central Square survival.
3 - Shaina P.: Great, a place where the bums of Central Square can hang out for 24-hours a day.  And no humans at the front to shoo them out of the store.  I have to be honest, I dig the spacious front part of the store, but despise the awkward corner where you can either peruse the house cleaning supplies, As-Seen-On-TV shite, or shop from a shoddy selection of sympathy cards.

Dear CVS, could you have found a more random location for your cards?  They may as well share an aisle with the Depends.

And to speak to the lack of humans at the front, I think this CVS has increased their humans in the Pharmacy.  This is key so they can assign one pharmacist to deal with the angry welfare/medicare patients who are picking drugs up for a friend, another to take on refills, someone to do the filling of the Rx, and the other to check people out (like me who likes to stock up on grocery goods before paying for Rx, hence avoiding use of the always-broken auto-checkout).

This is one of the most spacious CVS's around and I like that.  Plus, the pharms are phriendly enough and their staff seems slightly more competent than those at Walgreens across the street.  And with all the extra bucks I get for all my purchases, at least it feels like I'm getting a deal (even though I've observed cheaper prices on occasion at the place across the street).

Note: Pharm only open til 10 PM on weeknights.
3 - Steph P.: They remodled this CVS! It is so much prettier and has much better merchandise. Not remodeled? The crappy staff. Training please! 
I personally love the self check out for two reasons- I don't have to interact with the staff and people can steal things. Win-Win for everyone!
1 - michael c.: The pharmacy is a mess.... they are out of basic meds and have no clue as to when they will come in... wouldn't be so bad if they didn't have the same issue three other times I went in over the past few months... 


And the staff clearly is not being recruited from the best and the brightest..... same problem in Porter Square as to stocking meds and staff..

This is clearly a corporate problem.... whoever does purchasing for the pharmacy and store sections in this area is simply not up to the job.
1 - Shay-lo L.: It just dawned on me that I stopped going to this CVS because it was the most creep-tastic place on earth.  

I think it is more of a 'drug store' than you may bargain for because every time you're walking in, there are all sorts of sketchy individuals milling about in the vicinity by the door.  I always tried not to make eye contact, so as not to cause confusion...yo, girl in faded orange leggings and Winnie the Pooh sweatshirt with a crazy spiral perm sniffing like you have bad 'allergies'...I don't know you, and I am not here to 'pick up' anything for Anthony.

The inside of the store is like a confusing maze for lab mice.  Where the heck do I find shampoo?  Oh, next to the paper towels.  That makes perfect sense.  Anyways.  That place always felt like a scary crack den, or what I perceive one to be like...since I've not entered such an establishment.  Also, there is a Walgreens way closer to me.   The end.
2 - Mahina K.: Pro: 24 hours

Cons: 
Service
Understocked

It's a CVS. I need CVS, but seriously if I had a closer CVS I'd go. I was here the other morning before I was going to the T to go to class. I just needed to pick up one thing, but it took me about 20 minutes. Only two of the SELF SERVE checkout stations were open. But the lady that was working was checking her friend out and talking. The lady at the other machine was having some trouble so she couldn't finish checking out. But the lady wouldn't stop talking to her friend. Hello, they're self serve for a reason. Basically I was almost late. It was not a great time. CVSes are supposed to have the same thing, but what really makes them stand apart is the service. It really affect whether or not I'll be going to CVS or Walgreens across the street.
1 - Legal E.: Pretty much the worst CVS ever. Mandatory self-checkout with perpetually broken machines, surly and unhelpful staff, and poor store layout. Clearly the convenient location is the only thing that keeps this place in business.
2 - Bethany C.: I try to curb my shopping addiction as much as possible by couponing every week. And let me tell you. CVS is the motherload for crazies like me. 
Or not like me. Just crazies in general. 
Maybe this is just me being a raging elitist, but what drives me up the wall about this location Big Brother-esque security officer. I assume he's there to control the (crazy) masses that enjoy milling about in front of the store, but I can't help but feel like he's always on me when I go there. 
Have to grab a card from the back? He's "casually" checking out cards, too! Want to check out the Brita filters? Hey, guy! Brita twinsssss!!! 
One of these days I'm going to just abruptly turn to him and ask if I can have his number, since he's obviously way into me. 

Also, this CVS is almost always out of the really good ECB deals. Bummer.
5 - Anthony L.: Oh my! There are so many negative comments here. Guys, come on, it's CVS in Central Square. Super convenient and open 24 hours.

Let me explain why I love this location:
- HUGE: This store is huge, man! It has a variety of lunch items (sandwiches galore) mixed with your regular CVS crap. 

- SELF PAY: Let's face it, sometimes you don't want to talk to a cashier because you are embarrassed about what you're about to buy. Maybe you're getting tampons for your girlfriend. What about the time you had super bad gas and needed pills for it. Who can forget the time you had major hemorrhoids! And you, over there, I know you like to cross dress and love getting your make up. No fear, friends, you can keep your headphones on and check yourself out at the kiosks. 

- 24/7: Shamelessly headed back home after a bad hookup and really need that sugary snack to raise your spirits (we've all been there). Hey, come to CVS, they're open 24/7 and have a plethora of options. My go to item are the Hostess cupcakes. 

- PEOPLE WATCHING: We all do it (and if you follow my reviews you know how much I love people watching) but this location provides top notch entertainment for the Central Square crazies.  

-PHARMACY: Here are my expectations for a great pharmacy: I'm not here to make any friends, engage in small talk, or receive the "best service ever." In fact, I just want my stuff to be ready on time, tell you my name, pay then leave. This is exactly what I get from this CVS, it's great, really!
4 - Michelle J.: Why all the hate for CVS? I don't have any horror stories and I shop here more than the Walgreens across the street, where there always seems to be only 1 cashier working if there isn't a line of 10 going on. This one is open 24 hours, sports at least one homeless person asking for change like the CVS in Harvard Square. And when you're puking your guts out after drinking a little too much or have some weird late night craving for pretzels it's convenient having a place that will sell you just about anything at all hours of the evening.

Also if you're too lazy to go to the regular supermarket it's always a good alternative for getting a cold sandwich or something from the recently added frozen food section. I've never had the pleasure because I'm never that desperate but the service is fairly decent as well. They do have 4 self service stations but there's always at least 1 cashier in case things get a little too crowded. They aren't afraid to handle a customer or 2.

In all I like our small central square CVS. I'd have to go to the slightly more expensive Harvard Square one without it.
3 - Jonathan C.: A busy store with a bunch of items not available, and be ready to use the self checkout machines.
2 - Stephen L.: I love that places like this in Boston think they can get away with being dirty by saying "it's an old building." 

This is not true....It's a hole, and SUPER hard to find parking around.
1 - Marie H.: Kinda dirty, which I could forgive in Central Square, but the staff are also rude as heck. I asked a manager to let my little girl use their restroom (she had a kid emergency at Starbucks, and theirs were out of order) and she was a total hosebeast to me about it.  She told us that she "couldn't leave what she was doing" (which was putting stickers on items) to escort us, and when I told her it was an emergency she said that I was being so rude that I didn't deserve help.

There's reason to put up with that kind of thing; there's plenty of other stores in this area.
1 - Jack M.: So much potential wasted. This could be a FANTASTIC store with its huge selection, hours and location if it wasn't for the fact that the area outside is filthy and occupied by a mix of homeless / crazy people, too much of the ever-rotating staff is rude and most of the regular patrons are extremely irritable, slow-moving idiots. It's been this way forever and CVS doesn't care.

It's a horrible store and I get stressed out just getting near that hellhole.
1 - A T.: You know what I don't expect when I ask a simple question of the pharmacist? A fucking lecture with missives about life choices. Seriously douche-bro standing behind the counter, if I ask, hypothetically, whether a medication will interact with either advil or another medication I'm taking, or with a sip of beer at dinner, I just want a yes or no answer. I don't need a lengthy diatribe about how "if you're sick you really shouldn't be drinking." FUCK YOU VERY MUCH DUDE. I asked a polite, simple, question and you made a hell of a lot of assumptions about me. I already went to the doctor and got a treatment plan going for my col - I asked you a hypothetical question about whether or not I could toast at my friend's wedding or sip a beer at dinner. I did not need a straight edge life lesson from you smug ass. GO FUCK YOURSELF.

CVS - Cambridge, MA (42.3740384, -71.1188672) (Harvard Square)
3 - Michael C.: First of all, I'm fully aware that my review of CVS will not affect a single person's decision about whether to go to this store. Everyone goes, and everyone knows what it's like. But I wouldn't want Yelp to be incomplete, so I'll do my public service for the day and write a review of the big Harvard Square CVS.

Consumer Value Store. Yup, it does stand for something. And it sometimes lives up to the name. Prices vary a lot. Some things are just a tad exorbitant, while others are lower than you'll find elsewhere. Each week they have a sale circular, often with good deals.

But the real reason to shop here isn't the prices. It's the selection and the convenience. Like Brooks and Walgreens, in the past decade or so, CVS has gone from a pharmacy with a small store to a big mini-mall type thing. They've got cereal, shampoo, cough medicine, lawn chairs (not this time of year), and lots of other seemingly unrelated items. The location--just about everywhere--means that on your way from one place to another, during your normal daily routine, you can pick up that pint of Ben & Jerry's or replacement shoelace that you need. No having to worry about finding the right store for each thing you need. Just head over to (singing) "America's Neighborhood Drugstore, C...V...S...."

I love that old jingle. Almost as catchy as "We're here for you, New England, New England Te...le...phone...."

The service is nothing special, but generally decent. Employees may be nice, or they may be gruff. They generally know where things are (important in this rare two-story store).

Anyway. We all shop here. It's a necessity of life. Or, at least, they've successfully convinced us it is. At least it's a lot nicer than Walgreens.
5 - Kiki B.: CVS! yay! where else can you go at 11 PM for tin foil to wrap cupcakes, at 9 am for an urgent birthday card, at 5 pm for milk and windex - you get the idea. the guys behind the counter - especially late at night - are actually surprisingly helpful and entertaining.
1 - Lauren B.: This CVS is small, cluttered and cramped.  There's another, better CVS five minutes away but, for some reason, everyone seems to congregate at this one.
3 - Kiwi H.: For some reason, when I think of this CVS the words 'dusty' and 'musty' always come to mind. I know it's not really that bad once I'm in there, but it just always feels crowded no matter what and I can never seem to find what I need while navigating through the clutteriness. Yes, I know it's CVS and there's a million of them and there are two in Harvard Square within a 3 minute walk of each other (including waiting at the traffic lights and crossing the road at the tweety-bird sound). Whatever, I wanted to throw in my two cents anyway. 

I know they have what I need in there somewhere, but for some reason I always find it harder to find. Plus, what's with the guy outside constantly harassing everyone? Dude, I know you want my spare change and I do feel bad for you especially when the weather is awful, but seriously give it a break sometimes. The amount of times I've had sketchball incidents happen at this CVS just make me think 'agh' and want to avoid it, usually walking the extra few minutes to the other one instead just for those reasons.

What circumstances you ask? Well, nothing harmful really and kind of amusing sometimes, but my friend was once called "hot sexy glasses" (yes, she wore glasses) and stalked around Harvard Square by this cup guy for a while. It freaked her out a little. My other friend and I walked in only to be followed by another rando creep who wouldnt go away, pestering us even though we ignored him, practically breathing down our necks, and us eventually reaching the point where we'd just pretend we don't speak English. Since we didn't speak a common non-English language between us, she spoke to me in Urdu while I spoke to her in French, without a clue of the other, but eventually the guy buggered off. Ridiculous, I know.

I guess my point here is that I'd be more likely to go to this location if it weren't for the skeezebags. Yes, it can be funny at times and in retrospect, but honestly when I just want to buy a tube of toothpaste or some shampoo and tissue without unneccessary hassle, I'm heading to the other CVS around the corner.
5 - Mabel C.: The CVS in Harvard Square saves me a trip to Shaws (not in Harvard Square) when I need something like toothpaste but don't want to go out of my way for it after work.
5 - happy eater b.: Exceptional customer service!

I visited this CVS on Thanksgiving Day.  I was in a jam -- didn't have the ingredients I needed for the pies I was bringing to a Thanksgiving dinner!

One of the employees there, Nancy, treated me like family in helping me find a solution.  She searched the store with me and when it became apparent CVS didn't have all the ingredients that I needed, she recommended other places in the area.  Best of all, she wrote down a recipe for handmade pie crusts -- and explained exactly how to make it -- that turned out very well.  Later on I ended up circling back to CVS to get some pecans and other ingredients that only they were carrying.

A superb experience on Thanksgiving Day!
3 - Melissa M.: Are two CVS stores better than one?  This is a serious question, that I've pondered for years.  I work in Harvard Square and have the luxury of being able to get whatever item I fancy whenever I want.  Will this CVS have it though?  If they are out of what I need, the other one down the street usually is too (and the other one down the street hardly carries everything this one does).  

Are 2 floors of product better than one?  This is another serious question, as I'm always kinda annoyed to have to run around this store -- okay, walk and push my way past the crowd of shoppers that always seem to be at this particular CVS.

The second floor contains the photo developing place and pharmacy along with household cleaning items, oral care, items for your lady bidness, and a multitude of other necesseties, trinkets, and what have you.  I don't like that you have to walk up the stairs with your grimy, smelly, dirty, old CVS basket that probably has been touched 67544533 times by people.  The staircase is by the registers (that always have a line of 13 deep) -- I kid you not.  It's happened, many times.  So, you know NO ONE will move outta your way, even if you say, "Excuse me" in the nicest way. 

The saving grace of this store is they usually have everything I need.  Except in the summer they would run out of SmartWater all the time and it would be warm, so I am knocking off a star.

I'm also knocking off a star because the CVS seems to be the hangout for all the crazies in Harvard Square -- I don't get uncomfortable, but I'd rather not be asked if I have spare change every single time I go here.

There is one lady that works at the register who is the most pleasant person I think CVS has ever employed, I think her name is Jackie.  She will quickly and efficiently ring in your order and smile and maybe chat with you about your purchase (if you are lucky)!  There is just a pleasantness about her.  I enjoy her.

Plus one star, factor in all the crap this one makes you deal with and you get an A-Ok from this fearless Yelper.  I was going to say Yay I'm a Fan, but I'm not feeling it.

THREE STAAHS!
2 - Sarah S.: I got a really dirty look when buying condoms here once. Please do not try to save my soul via your vague, withering looks.

On the plus side, these condoms did not have holes in them, hence the extra star.
2 - Rob P.: They are upgrading the place, which includes self-checkout and a whole new refrigerator section. Rather like a 7-11 on steroids. I don't completely understand some of this. Surrounded by local eateries why would you pick up a prepared meal here? They have finished the upgrade yet. Maybe they are going to upgrade the staff too. That would nice.
4 - Leighann F.: Good ol' reliable CVS in Harvard Square is getting fancy. They've recently started a renovation that has already resulted in serious store reorganization, a cleaner look and better flow of foot traffic. Most notable, the replacement of half of their registers with three self checkout counters. Welcome to 2010, CVS. Technology looks good on you!
2 - Hubert H.: This has got to be one of the sketchiest CVSs around. Every time I go in, I see a special offer that never gets ringed up in the register. I don't know if it's this CVS or all CVSs in general. Once I tried to get cash back from the self-service checkout machine, and no money came out. One of the employees had to open the machine to give me the money that I had requested. The service is rather slow, or understaffed, and generally unhelpful. Perhaps they know that they'll be around because of the continually ubiquitous presence of students in the area?
4 - Trina T.: My only well-remembered visits to this CVS are after the renovation, so it gets four stars. Two floors, self-checkouts, really nice staff. I was in desperate need of some hair elastics and was delighted to find them buy one, get one free. Turns out the deal was from the last week :( but the lady rang it up for me anyway! YAY!

Also the photo services man was nice and smiley.
2 - Monta L.: If you don't mind mailing passport photos of yourself looking like an Oompa Loompa, I'd recommend the passport photo service here. It's cheaper than anywhere else and it does the trick, although you'll look like you have jaundice.
1 - Eli Z.: This is my local CVS and I often pop in to grab a little something, but each time seems like a headache. They have self-checkout and standard checkout, but if you get in line to do the standard, they try to make you go to the self...even if you don't want to or can't (they take some student cards which can only be processed from the standard checkout section). I am one of those people and have been told by employees that they can't do that - even after I tell them I have done it before, there was one time when I had to get the lady to call a manager because she refused. When she realized it was possible, she didn't apologize or anything..rediculous!

Recently, I went in to get a money order and had the worst time ever. I tried to get it done downstairs at the standard checkout but it was giving an error. Then, I tried to go upstairs (where they said to go) and not only was the guy incompetent (he told me to call moneygram and another guy said it wasn't even the same company), they still couldn't fix the problem. They said I had bought $1000 worth of money orders that day when I haven't bought ANY for YEARS...and none ever at CVS. They said it was the law and I needed to go to the post office. When I did, the post office was unaware of any laws...didn't ask me for my ID or anything.

Thankfully, there is another CVS just a block away...I will have to check that one out.
2 - Terrell G.: Good: Conveniently located in Harvard Square next to the subway station.

Bad: Seems like it wants to be a convenience store first and a pharmacy second. The pharmacy counter and most of the medications are upstairs, and there's no elevator.  So if you need a refill for those pills that you take for the arthritis that makes it hard for you to climb stairs, well--tough luck. There's another CVS in the Square where you can pick up your ibuprofen without having to climb, but it doesn't have a pharmacy at all, so you're out of luck if you need a prescription.

They have those self-service checkout stations that make the customer do the work of scanning and bagging, and often don't work right anyway, so you have to wait for the one harried employee to get around to you.
3 - Anna W.: In the battle of Harvard Square CVSs, this one comes out on top, but only by default, as the other one is only about 1/5 the size of this one.

This place is always mobbed, regardless of what time you go. The pharmacy, personal care, paper goods, etc. are located upstairs, and downstairs, they have all the food and the beauty items. There *is* an elevator here, but it is neatly tucked away in the back of the store, so it's hard to notice at first. Walk down the make-up aisle, and you'll see it all the way at the end.

There are three somewhat-new self-checkout machines on one side of the store, and three cashiers on the other side. Very rarely does the self check-out move as fast as the other line. But, I am guessing that a lot of that has to do with the slowness of the machines themselves, as well as the customers sometimes operating them. 

The staff here needs to do a better job of keeping the shelves well-stocked. Oftentimes, I see bare and empty shelves, especially when an item goes on sale. Totally unacceptable :-(
4 - Lisa G.: I went in for a passport photo recently.  They had an online coupon for $2 off online (http://www.cvsphoto.com/passport-photos) and a promotion for another $2 off when you use for CVS loyalty card, so that knocked down the original $10 fee for the two small photos. 

There was no line at the photo department (after work time on a weekday) though the rest of the store was busy.  The friendly lady who took my photo was kind enough to take three shots for me to choose the best option.  No matter what these photos are never your best, but she made the process as painless as possible. One star less because their machine was backed up and needed to be re-started which meant waiting 30-40 minutes, but the lady took my phone number and called when they were ready.  Nice customer service is always a plus!
4 - Elise K.: A very run-of-the-mill CVS that happens to be convenient downtown Cambridge.  It has all the basics that you should need and friendly staff.  My colleague picked up a few items and was in and out pretty easily.  The hard part was finding the razor blades and then figuring out how to use their anti-theft dispensing devices to actually dispense items.
3 - Eunice E.: Favourite CVS in Harvard Square (yes, there are two--go figure). But not my favourite CVS. Tricky, tricky.

It's two levels, so you've got your food/drinks/snacks on the bottom level, alongside the makeup (I didn't design the layout, so can't tell you why or how that makes sense... maybe they're more impulse-y?)... and you must go upstairs for all your medicinal/greeting cards/cleaning product needs. 

It's big. It's busy. It's bursting at the seams with stuff. Probably why they always have CVS employees manning/guarding the self-checkout at the bottom of the stairs (to your right as you enter the doors). At any rate, opt for those kiosks rather than the employee-run check-out... it's quicker, easier, etc. Standard CVS, but definitely the superior one in the Square!

CVS - Champaign, IL (40.109711, -88.24428) ()
4 - Bailey B.: Very clean and bright store.  Had milk options- gallon, half-gallon, etc., but just the liter of half and half (it was late and I needed it for my coffee in the morning).  :)

They have a nice size liquor area, Illini gear, holiday stuff, etc.

It's 24 hours with a 24 hour pharmacy.

~~~~~~

Okay, I have decided that CVS is more expensive than Walgreens.
2 - Shoshanna B.: I got some pretty horrible customer service from a manager here. Told me to go to office depot instead of helping me look to see if they had anything I could use here first.  After checking their products just in case I actually found what I was looking for.  When I showed it to the manager he just shrugged and nodded and went back to what he was doing.
2 - Ana R.: Wish I could say this CVS was as good as the rest, but it's noooo fun when you go back to pick up a scrip that should've been ready an hour prior to your return, only to find out the computers are down and they can't fill it. However, the pharmacist did attempt to call and notify me, but my phone was off. Sooo pharmacy gets a C, but pharmacist gets an A.
1 - Courtney G.: Out of all the terrible customer service experiences I've had throughout an extremely busy and hectic couple of years, this was the one that actually caused me to create a Yelp account and write a review.

To make a long story short, CVS changed the brand of my medication and didn't tell me about it, thus giving me reason to complain. However, it was the pharmacy manager at this store and her extremely unprofessional, rude, defensive, arrogant behavior that has made me vow to never step foot in a CVS again. She glared, she flung her hands, she might as well have been blowing flames out her nose, and she wasn't even the one with a reason to be upset. I'm appalled that a business would hire someone who treats their customers with this kind of disrespect. This woman has no business being in a position that requires customer interaction of any kind, much less managing a pharmacy that caters to thousands of college students' individual health needs. I would strongly suggest not working with this pharmacy; if something goes wrong, they not only won't be there to help you out, they'll literally add insult to injury.

I had a wonderful experience at the Target pharmacy later on. They might not have a drive thru, but they give a damn. Go there.
1 - Hank N.: This CVS has the nastiest people working in the pharmacy department. I'm a senior citizen and i went there once to get a prescription filled. They have college kids waiting on the customers and they talk down to you like you're a nothing. When i asked the pharmacist a question they completely ignored me. I told them to forget the prescription and i switched over to Walgreens.

CVS Pharmacy - Houston, TX (29.706855, -95.4119156) (West University)
4 - Dee Y.: Just the run of the mill CVS store. Pretty much has most things any other pharmacy chain store will have.
4 - David N.: This is the closest CVS to me and it's open 24 hours.  There's always a lot of parking for this location.

But the reason I am reviewing this is for their online photo print option.

I recently needed some hard print photos and do not have a photo printer.

A friend told me you can sign up onto CVS' website and upload your pictures directly there and then choose your location to have them printed.

I followed the easy directions and sure enough the photos were ready the next morning.  The pictures turned out great!  Clear just like normal developed photos.

With the use of digital photography and online uploads it seems that hard print photos are a thing of the past.  However, I am glad If I do need some quick this is the place to go.  Also the prices are cheap, 19 cents a photo.  I think you do have to reach at least 5 dollars though.
2 - Peter C.: Expect to wait FOREVER in line if you come here to shop. During the day, they seem to only have one person working the register and this is during the high traffic time. At nigt it's okay but come ON! They're located in the Medical Center, everyones gets off of work around 4pm and yet they have one person working the register at that time. And this is all the time, not just one time.
3 - Munch M.: Ok place. Everything is ok. There was a fat lady that was a bit slow to act, but I don't blame her.
2 - Ryan S.: Extra star for being close.  Otherwise it's a one.  It's a basic CVS, but at this one the employees run on two speeds: slow and sloooowwwwwwwweeerrrr. 

And we've also had the following experiences, highlighting :

Experience # 1 - "Yo lock up the door.  I told you to lock it.  Well now I need you to get me some change.  That's why I wanted you to lock it.  I'm out of change."  Explanation: This CVS is no longer 24 hours.  Guy behind the counter was trying to get the shift manager to lock the doors early because he had run out of change in his drawer.  It was twenty minutes before closing time.  We wandered around the store for fun just to make him wait to check us out.  Yes we can be mean like that.  They promptly locked the doors after we left, still a good five minutes before they were supposed to close.

Experience # 2 - Same cashier.  "Hey guys.  Our system's down.  Even the registers in the pharmacy.  We're probably going to have to just close. So..."

Experience # 3 - We'd like to develop these pictures for one hour photo. Takes forever to put into the system (she was running on the latter speed).  "So, our machines are down, is it fine to get you these in a day or two?"

It's a special CVS that is for sure.
3 - Stanford M.: I have noticed that CVS have been popping up everywhere.  

This is your typical cookie cutter CVS.  Not much else to say about it.

The prices are like walgreens, which means they are higher than places like walmart and HEB.  But it is located near my house and they are open 24 hours.... So that is a plus.
1 - Cory S.: This place is a run-down dump.. That about sums it up, but I'll go into a little more detail for those that want it.. 

It's just plain dirty and I'd be afraid to buy anything not packaged well.. I just swung in to get something to drink before a meeting.  As I checked out I asked if they had a restroom to use, they were polite enough to allow me to use the customer restroom... WOW - It was nasty... The top half of the toilet tank was cracked off and filled with coffee looking water, the rest of the bathroom was in similar, dis-repair.  Just changing the carpet and giving this store a deep cleaning would make a world of difference.... 

Won't be back unless I'm in dire need for something and everything thing else is closed

CVS Pharmacy - La Jolla, CA (32.8691803, -117.2310204) ()
4 - Renee W.: Yelpers, I have a not-so-secret secret to tell you about CVS.
Yes it is 24 hours and had most things you'd need for daily life (beauty, food, office, etcetc) and the staff is pretty good.
I want to tell you about the perfume counter.
First of all, sign up for the free CVS value card. This will save you $7 off your perfume purchase. (It seems like a "sale" but I see it every time I go in there).
It's really strange to think about, but CVS carries lots of high end perfume (hello, CHANEL and D&G?!) for cheaper than Nordies, Sephora, Ulta... any of that. They might  not have your favorite but I bet you can find something. I bought the D&G dupe I Love Love by Moschino for about $33. The same size retails at Sephora for more than $40 I believe.
I bought Juicy Couture for $23. This also retails for much higher in other stores. 
On your way to Wamu, Blockbuster, or whatever you're doing in the area, go check out CVS. It's the perfume collector's dream.
I almost didn't want to post this because of fears that my favorites will sell out!
4 - mindy d.: What I hate about a lot of pharmacies is the omnipresent line at the pick up counter.

Luckily, that is missing here.  

There isn't much else special about this CVS compared to every other CVS in the world.
4 - Jacqueline K.: Nothing special to say except that CVS sells their own oil absorbing sheets for $3.99! Before I could only find Clean and Clear's oil sheets for $4.49 at the cheapest at Target, and even almost six dollars at Wal-Mart. You know how some people feel naked without their phone? Well, I feel strangely uncomfortable after a long day of running around at school and having no oil absorbing sheets. :P
5 - Jen W.: It is 4:30 in the morning, but I felt compelled to review this place.

3. Cheapest cigarettes in town. (With a CVS card)

2. Diet cherry coke in bulk. I can never find diet cherry coke, let alone in bulk. This place rocks my socks for selling the stuff that pretty much runs through my blood vessels.

1. 24 hour pharmacy. I never really had to take advantage of it before, but I am eternally grateful that it is there. It is well stocked. The graveyard shift pharmacist is friendly and doesn't ask questions. That's cool.

Nothing else stands out to me about this store, but I think those three are reason enough to merit this wonderful, potentially life-saving establishment 5 stars. The end. I am tired. Goodnight, Yelp.
4 - Philly B.: I love CVS and have loved CVS ever since I moved to San Diego. I'm not all hardcore with the coupons and points, but I have friends who are who save a ton of money by doing their shopping at CVS. This particular CVS is my local haunt. Why so much appreciation, you ask?

+ Open 24 hours.
+ The pharmacy is also open 24 hours (MAJOR BONUS POINTS).
+ CVS-brand products are kind to my wallet.

Really, the pharmacy is the selling point. The mere presence in the middle of the night of someone who knows what they're talking, someone who can advise you while you wait for your doctor's office to open... That's a great resource to have.
5 - Kristine C.: My first CVS i've been too!! They have better selections than walgreens!! More products and they have those little customer savings cards?! much like a club card or w/e. Anyway, I bought a gang of make up brushes which were really really cheap! Can't wait to go back!
3 - Bony K.: Decent place opened 24 hrs, to have you prescriptions filled, except don't come here during rush hours, since parking lot is a pain.  
However, I noticed that something that is used routinely such as razor cartridges are locked up. They can only be unlocked by the cashier which is annoying. 
It's interesting to know that there was almost $5 priced higher of their razor cartridges for the Mach 3 Turbo at regular price compared to Target!  So next time, I'll make sure I have a coupon from CVS before I consider buying their razors refills especially since they're locked up.
Otherwise their set up seems easy to walk through.
3 - Erin C.: I really like how I can walk here from UCSD, but uhh, why aren't the q-tips in one of the 5 aisles of personal care or bath & body ?

Why would you put it in the baby section next to the diapers? Adults use q-tips, too.

Of course, problems like these can be easily solved, once you ask one of their employees, and they do seem to HAVE the things you expect them to have at a pharmacy.

Still, I don't think there's anything oh so special about this pharmacy. I'm not in love with it.
3 - Jookie K.: It's standard, maybe a little bit cleaner and brighter than other drugstores.  I agree with all the others:  24 hours, decent prices, and so on.  My only gripe is that I looked for my Sonicare toothbrush replacement, saw that they were out of them on the floor, and asked a very nice employee at the photo booth (no regular employees were on the floor) if they had any in stock in the back.  She asked another employee, who basically lied and said they didn't carry replacements for Sonicare.  Why lie???  I just saw the tag for them, as well as the replacements for other Sonicare toothbrushes.

To end on a ligher note, if you go now, you can get some nice post-holiday chocolates (Dove, Harry & David) for super cheap--about a dollar per package.
1 - Brant W.: Ok, so first off... There was some lady yelling at her kids at the front of the entrance.  Not a big deal, but she was this white trash woman, and her kid was completely disobeying her causing a giant scene.  Not a big deal, we move on.  Someone in this woman's party panhandles us for money ENTERING the store. Sorry, no... get away from us.  While in the store, there is a crackhead woman (ethnicity withheld) eating a bag of chips just hanging out trying to chat with people.  Disgusting... please don't come over and try to talk to us.  Then, some foreigner woman is trying to figure out the difference between chap stick, and medication for some cold sore on your lips.  Gross... we don't need to hear this whole conversation about how she has some type of herpes on her lips.  Seriously.  Then as we leave the store, the security alarm goes off.  What the hell?  All we bought is water, and some hand lotion.  No, there was no tag anywhere.  I swear to you.  Then it really starts to get good.  Some girl starts taking pictures of us as we are leaving.  Yes, some average looking woman follows us to our car while snapping pictures of us paparazzi style with her digital camera.  I swear to you, this happened.  She wouldn't stop.  I then confronted her and she wouldn't even respond.  She just kept taking pictures.  Did she think I was famous?  I have no freaking idea.  What a weird trip to CVS.
3 - Denise Q.: Even though the lights in here are overly bright, I still come in here all the time to buy things I don't need or want. 

And then I leave the store, only to come back 30 minutes later needing something else that I didn't even need until that day when I saw the CVS sign. 

As a pharmacy/drug store it's standard. Carries similar product mixes to what most pharmacy/drug stores carry in terms of product selections and variety. I find though in comparison to Walgreens it's spread out alot more and not as tightly compacted as Walgreen stores tend to be. I think CVS stores tend to carry more cosmetic and beauty products though than other drug store chains maybe. 

Anyway, I never walk out of this location empty handed.
3 - Mae S.: Merchandise is fine. I don't know why they lost their liquor license. But I can't stand the way they manage the lines. You can't see where you are supposed to line up. Someone (sometimes me, sometimes another person) always seems to try to wait in a more logical place which puts them in the position of line jumping whether they mean it or not. It's frustrating. Sometimes the next cashier speaks to you, sometimes you are supposed to figure it out for yourself. I wish they would have clear visible signs, and help people more.
4 - Dave K.: There's a Coinstar here that prints credit receipts for Amazon.com! And no fee is deducted from your total if you get the receipt! 

Standard CVS otherwise, okay selection of every artificially colored / flavored comestible imaginable. It's a 24-hour store.
5 - Elena C.: Question: How awkward is it when you're a confused woman looking for brand-name feminine products and Mr. Awkward CVS Employee saunters down the isle and starts shelving Maxi Pads?

Answer: Very awkward

What makes it funny, though, is when he asks you if you need help finding anything.

Keep it up CVS, laughs are always a good thing, even if there's some lip-biting beforehand.
3 - Garrett P.: It's a CVS.  That should pretty much cover it.  They have the batteries that Ralph's doesn't have, but Ralph's has the food that CVS doesn't.  Not sure which one has cheaper booze - I've seen college kids pouring out of both with carts full.  Between the two stops, you're pretty much covered, and if not...well, you're just too picky then.
3 - Chrissy N.: This CVS is okay, nothing spectacular, but nothing terrible. They have a machine by the door where you scan your "Extra Care" CVS care and get cool coupons that save you money, that's kind of cool. Some of the cashiers don't speak English and it makes it a little hard when I have a question, but no biggie.

Most of the people who work here are pretty nice and friendly. They have pretty good sales on make up and other cosmetics. Look for their ads!

Suckiest part? Their parking lot BLOWS. I swear people forget how to park/stop/drive in that parking lot. It's kind of scary driving there. Be careful!
5 - Julia L.: Always has what I want - a coupon machine that actually prints out useful coupons for me to use when I walk in.  Never runs out of paper!  

Friendly employees who have a ready smile & are willing to help you out.

Pretty wide range of products.  Shares the parking lot with Whole Foods & Chase & foodie locations.
4 - Brandy C.: My friend and I looked for the electronic food scale from World Market, Marshall, Ross....etc, and we couldn't find the food scale!  When we were so disappointed, we went to CVS!  WE FOUND FOOD SCALE!!!!!!  The most exciting thing of the day!

They put the food scale at a really random place, but we still found it!  

The reason I didn't give CVS 5 stars because there was no one helping us.  We couldn't find anyone for help.  Otherwise, 5 stars for sure!!!!
5 - Karissa B.: CVS is my lifesaver! I live walking distance to this CVS and I go there for everything and anything. I normally go to CVS in the middle of the night to buy something random, and there are always attendants ready to help me out. The lines can get long sometimes, however the manager always calls on more cashiers if the line starts to get too long.
1 - Sally M.: I loathe this CVS Pharmacy and recommend that you do not get your prescriptions filled here! Choose another CVS (the one in Bird Rock is much better). 

After getting my prescriptions filled here for years, I thought that they would be able to easily obtain authorization from my doctor to have my Rx refilled. I was wrong. A couple weeks before I needed my Rx filled, I went in and asked them to get the authorization from my doctor. I was assured that they would take care of this for me. When I showed up to pick up my Rx, it wasn't filled because they needed authorization. WTF, I gave them ample notice. So they called my doctor to get the authorization. While they did that, I also called my doctor to let them know that I was waiting at the pharmacy for authorization. (My doctor called me the next morning and said they gave authorization as soon as CVS called...so why did I wait so long CVS??) I waited for over an hour before I got up to ask for an update. The person helping me had no idea what I was talking about...I mean did the other girl I talked to even call? So I waited another 20 minutes and they finally told me that they received authorization. When I tried to pay, they told me that my insurance didn't cover the Rx because I already had it filled this month. Obviously I didn't if I've been sitting there for 1.5 hours waiting for it! I had some nice words with them and they finally were able to fill my Rx. 

I also tried updating my last name to my married name at the pharmacy and they said they could only hyphenate it. That's BS because I have since transferred my Rx over to the CVS in Bird Rock and haven't had any problems...they were able to update my last name! 

Customer service is horrible at this CVS, so stay away if you don't want to deal with the potential of not having your Rx ready, the long lines/wait, and the horrible parking lot.
4 - Allan G.: This CVS location is located in a busy shopping center in the UTC area.  Some of the businesses nearby are Peet's Coffee, Whole Foods, Friday's, Elijah's, BJ's, a movie theater, and a Verizon Wireless store.  Needless to say, if you have a need to go to this CVS during the day or early afternoon, you may have a difficult time finding parking.  Good luck finding parking during the holiday season (this isn't CVS's fault).  Aside from that, this CVS has everything that you could possibly want.  They have a pharmacy which I have gotten a few "one time" prescriptions from and they fill your prescription in a pretty quick amount of time (took 20 minutes).  I like shopping there because they have most of what I need and I don't have to fight the crowds at the Ralph's across the street for small items (even though they are a little more expensive for some things).  It's a small price to pay for convenience.  The lines tend to get long at night but the cashiers get you in and out pretty quick.  As long as I live in the UTC area, I will continue to shop at this CVS store!
3 - Peijean T.: It's a CVS, so what you expect from a national chain pharmacy is probably what you are going to get, but here are some helpful tips from a local:

* The line to pick up your order at the pharmacy gets SUPER long around 5 p.m. on weekdays. But there is usually no line down the road at the CVS on Town Centre Drive (which is much smaller, but who wants to wait in a long line after work?)

* Since the Villa La Jolla CVS is located within a neighborhood flooded with college students, you get extra scrutiny at the checkout line when buying alcohol. That means if you and your girlfriend go to the register with a six-pack, the cashier will ask for BOTH your IDs. Probably not an issue if you're over 21, but if you look young and forgot your driver's license, it will be a problem. Just something to keep in mind.

* Make sure to check the expiration dates on sale food items (this applies to all drug stores, not just CVS). I recently opted not to purchase a discounted bottle of cooking oil because the expiration was months away (and ended up buying one at a nearby supermarket with an expiration date two years away)

* POSITIVES: it's walking distance from my home, and located next to Whole Foods and Chase bank so I can multi-task. Biggest advantage is that it's open 24 hours, so this is truly convenient. Plus even though the pharmacy pick-up line is long, the staff is efficient and professional.
4 - Michael J.: Got a 30% off coupon, so i was able to replace my Sonicare at a fraction of the cost.   The cashier was also cute, but this IS La Jolla. :)
1 - Jen R.: This is the only 24 hour Pharmacy with two hospitals nearby. There is an Urgent Care at Scripps Torrey Pines and also the Emergency Hospital at Scripps Memorial within the area. One would think that this CVS would hire more staff especially given the amount of heavy volume business that they experience at all hours. 

My mother after being discharged had to get a few medicines. I bumped into some of the same patients I had seen in the Scripps waiting area. One hour wait at 1:30 AM for my Mother's medicines? No thatnks, I'll go some place else. Preferably not a CVS that will have better customer service.
1 - Kathryn C.: this pharmacy has THE WORST service ever. they tell you that your prescription will be ready at certain time then once you wait in the ridiculously long pick up line they tell you that its not going to be ready for another 25 mins and try to tell you that you were wrong and they never told you it would be ready at the time the originally told you. they get very defensive when they are wrong and refuse to be nice to anyone or take an extra five minutes to help you out. I suggest you go to the RALPHS 24-hr pharmacy that is right across the street they are FABULOUS
1 - Sarah S.: So I've used CVS's in multiple cities.  While I live in ABQ, I'm in San Diego for a business trip and have had the "experience" of this CVS twice.  Once when I took a colleague here because she needed some cold meds.  She is international so wasn't sure what to get for her symptoms so wanted to talk to a pharmacist.  They were so unhelpful to her and trying to get a pharmacy consult on nonprescription medicines was impossible at this location.   Also to do anything at this location was extremely slow. 

I decided to brave this location a second time because they were having a really good sale on some vitamins I take so I thought I'd go pick up a couple bottles (buy one get one free).  I picked up a few and took them to the checkout, I thought one should have been on the buy one get one free sale but the computer said otherwise.  The woman said she would go back and look.  10 minutes later (in a store that isn't that big) she comes back and says she cant find them.  There vitamins are alphabetical by brand, its not that difficult and there was several more on the shelf when I left. She stated that they weren't on the diet aisle (they were vitamins and told her where I found them) and the self scan price check said they weren't on sale therefore they weren't.  While I understand I could have made a mistake that they were on sale, it was frustrating that she stated that they weren't back there when she didn't even look at where I told her I got them and then did the roll eye's bit when I told her I didn't want them if they weren't on sale and to remove them from the order.  I didn't think it needed to be so dramatic.   While it was nice of her to go do a price check on the shelf, it doesn't make up for the slowness of this store and the other issues I experienced the previous trip.
3 - anh l.: I always use coupons here. sometimes its cheaper than Costco. 

For alcohol, they usually have 14.99 racks of keystone and natural light. open 24/7 conventient.
1 - Shannon D.: Ashley,
Its time to get a new F***ing job!!! Yes, you work at CVS, but show some customer service and smile every once in awhile. It's not the end of the world and it might pay off to be a little more nicer. I honestly cringe when I have to come to your register as I come into this store A LOT!!!

CVS,
There are a lot of other friendly, more professional people you could hire that would appreciate their job in this tough economy!!!

That's all.
1 - Sonia S.: I called the CVS pharmacy today with a very simple request - to transfer over a prescription from another pharmacy. I hadn't done this before and wasn't exactly sure how it worked. The woman who answered the phone was basically rude and cranky with me the minute she answered the phone. First she asked my name and when I stated and spelled it, she said, "MA'AM I can't write that fast." First of all, I'm pretty sure I have given people my name over the phone before and it has never been a problem, so maybe you should learn to type a little faster given your line of work. Secondly, the word "ma'am" is generally used to show respect, but when you use it with a certain tone it is completely condescending. So then I apologized and repeated it for her. Then she sees that I'm not already in the system and does a disgruntled sigh and says, "Ugh, now I need all your information." oh yeah, God forbid you actually have to do your job! How horrible for you! So then she asks me for the name of the pharmacy I usually use which is UCSD student health. Considerinf UCSD is right across the street I can't imagine my request being unusual. She wasn't able to find the pharmacy so she asked me for their phone number, which I told her I didn't have in front of me. And she immediately launched back into her condescending tone: "MA'AM, I cannot do it without that." and mInd you, I did not have an agitated tone this whole time. I realized I didn't know how the whole thing worked and I didn't have all the info in front of me, but I would have been happy to look up whatever was necessary and call back. However at that point I couldn't stand to talk to this woman for a second longer, so I said never mind and figured I'd call back tomorrow. I decided to write a review about this little incident because I don't think people should be allowed to get away with completely unprovoked rudeness, especially not in customer service. There is really no excuse for being a cranky bitch to a complete stranger for absolutely no reason. When I pick up my rx, I plan to let the manager know that I didn't appreciate the way I was spoken to by this woman. if it wasn't the only 24hr pharmacy by my house, I would literally never do business with these people again.
4 - Jane S.: i feel as though every person who goes to UCSD has been to this CVS. it's open 24 hours, has a pharmacy, basically has everything you need to live.

GET A CVS REWARDS CARD!! the coupons are actually useful, not like those coupons for something you never use or buy. swipe ur CVS card every time you go, because it will take note of what you are buying and give u coupons based on that! its pretttty smart ;) 

downside--some of the employees are whack (not gonna name names, because i DO know their names being such a frequent customer at this location) and need to pay attention!! i understand it's late though, i just always hope that i don't get these select people ringing me up.
1 - Jenny K.: CVS is the same everywhere, so this review will focus on the aspects that make this CVS, well, unique.

Summary: Poor service, expired over-the-counter drugs, incompetent pharmacists.

1) Poor service:
- I got Nyquil once and got carded. That was fine because I am an adult. Despite the fact that by law, I was old enough to purchase the Nyquil, I was interrogated for a long time as to why I needed amphetamines. I mean, is coughing between sentences and blowing gallons of snot no enough reason to get Nyquil???
- I got carded once for buying coolers to a BYOB party. Understandable. But my underage sister was at CVS with me at the time because she needed eyeliner. As I was getting carded, my sister comes up to me at the cashier and asks me add hairties to the purchase. Because my sister had walked up to me, she got carded and we were not permitted to buy the alcohol anymore. That's fine, except she needlessly lectured me... the 21+ person who was buying alcohol not to drink but to bring for other people.
- I forgot my CVS whatever-the-crap-they-call-their-member-card-thing so I asked the cashier if I could give her my phone number and her look it up. She glares at me and barks "NO! I have to... you can't *a bunch of incoherent mumbling*" I ask, "pardon me?" in a very kind and patient voice and I get yet another death glare. Moments later, she barks, "PHONE NUMBER!" and I gave it to her. Why did she yell at me?

2) Expired OTC drugs (just a few things I came across on the selves):
- Acetaminophen was 2 months expired.
- Nyquil was 1 month expired.
- Neutrogena sunblock was expired.
- Neosporin was expired.
I eventually gave up looking for stuff there and went straight to Walmart for my OTC goods.

3) Incompetent pharmacists:
Me: "Where can I get some Loratadine/ Claratin for my allergies?"
Girl in white coat: "Oh you don't want that. You might want to try Ranitidine/ Zantac. It's also a histamine blocker and I personally think it has fewer side effects"
Me: "But that's an H2 receptor blocker for GERD. I need H1 histamine blockers for my allergies."
Girl in white coat: *looks at me sternly* "This is the right stuff, but if you don't believe me I'll get my supervisor to tell you the same thing." *leaves to get supervisor*
Older guy in white coat: "Oh yeah you were right. You want the Claritin for your allergies."
It pays off to know a little something about medications...
5 - Carlo R.: This CVS is a life saver.. open late when you need anything from Milk, alcohol, or medicine.. Great location in La Jolla and very easy to get in and out of. I lived across from here and went here all the time and have been going here for 13+ years. CVS rewards card is recommend to get you will save money!!!
3 - Jack W.: This CVS stocks pretty much everything you need, although might not be the exact brand or type that you are looking for. But as a 24/7 store what more can you ask for? Since I live practically right next to this CVS, I have the luxury of using it as an enlarged convenience store. However, the service here is a hit-or-miss. Since they have limited staff on the floor, it is hard to get a hold of someone and ask for directions for items. But they do have everything, things that you would not expect in a regular drugstore. 

Some cashiers are also not very nice here. Once I asked for some quarters as change when I was checking out my items. As I reached out both of my hands so the cashier could hand them to me, instead of handing them to me nicely, she just tossed them all at me. Many of the quarters dropped and I had to pick them up one by one. I felt like I was handed the quarters out of her pity. You don't treat any human being like that, and not to mention that I am your customer. 

But aside from the occasion poor service, this CVS has everything you can ask for in a 24/7 store.
4 - Katherine S.: This CVS is like others I've visited before. Its awesome that they have groceries, alcohol, make-up, first aid, cards, and pretty much anything else you can think of all in one store.  Make sure to get a CVS card, otherwise you'll decide you need to buy random stuff (like I do) and end up spending way too much money. 

The line for the pharmacy is always horribly long, so I try to avoid that whenever possible. All medication takes forever to be filled, and it always seems as though there are 10 pharmacists doing nothing, and only 1 filling orders via phone and 1 more ringing people up.  

Customer service overall isn't good here, but I don't really find it necessary because all the aisles are labeled, and most 24/7 places like this aren't known for being overly friendly.
2 - Winnie C.: My first time using CVS Pharmacy. Inefficient so-so customer service. I used the pharmacy while on vacation. My doctor called in the prescription in advance. I went to the pick-up line to pick-up and was sent to the drop off window to verify insurance/billing. After verification I was told to wait till my name was called. I waited and when my name was called I had to wait in the pick-up line all over again to get the prescription that was ready. I can't believe this is their busiest pharmacy and only 24 hr pharmacy in the area...CVS this does not mean you get to bully customers!

No other pharmacy I have been to is quite so inefficient. Shuttling customers to different windows and making them wait double time creates a negative customer experience. When talking to the Assistant Manager he agreed with me but this is how Corporate wants it. Phooey on Corporate Executives who don't care about customer experience.  I won't be going to CVS again if I can help it and I suggest you switch to a different pharmacy as well if you want good service.
1 - John S.: Rude and errant pharmacy staff.  When they make a mistake, that could possibly effect your health/life, they fail to apologize and actually act with disdain.
3 - David P.: MAGIC BOX MACHINE

That's why I go here. I scan my CVS card and the machine pops out coupons for me. Sometimes they're useful (Extra Bucks, coupons, freebies) and other times, I trash them ($5 for two eyeliner???). They have two machines so sometimes I'm feeling lucky that both will spit out coupons. I only like this location because it's 24/7, but usually the prices are more expensive than say...Ralphs. The cashiers are decent, you get your grumpy ones and your nicey nice. Just go here for the extra bucks. They're exactly like gift cards, except nontransferable.

CVS Pharmacy - Los Angeles, CA (34.0625117, -118.4455156) (Westwood)
3 - Amber B.: CVS, you always confuse the crap out of me...I inevitably end up wandering around aimlessly on the upper level looking for tampons or other "girlie" type products that I intuitively think must be located SOMEWHERE near the other girlie products such as makeup, nail polish and hair care...but no, tampons are downstairs! If I was still weird about such things as monthly female "issues" I might hate that I have to trudge up the stairs carrying such embarrassing booty. At least your gummy bears and gummy worms are usually on sale for 88 cents a bag. Oh and don't think I didn't notice that you charge more for cigarettes than other locations...such as ohhh the one on Sepulveda (which is much nicer and all on one level FYI)...that's Westwood for you though, eh? It's well known that the Ralph's in the area charges more for things but I never thought you'd betray me in the same way CVS! And you didn't even have my Marlboro Menthol Light 100s...so I had to go with just plain ol' Marlboro Menthol 100s and burn up my trachea and lungs. Just one last rant: who sells cigarettes but doesn't have any matches??? Actually, I don't blame you CVS, I blame the new cashier guy who made some comment to me that my lame attempt at a joke "would never convince me to try a cigarette, nope, never gonna happen"...I'm 99% sure he just didn't want to give me the means to enjoy my sticks of death....hater.
1 - sue k.: Wow, this place has the weirdest employees.  One tells you to get a raincheck for an out of stock sale item, another tells you he won't give you a raincheck because he doesn't know where the raincheck papers are.  Amazing service.  And by "Amazing" I mean "Crappy, ridiculous and rude."  One particular employee appears to be slow and I always feel like he's staring at me when I walk around the store.  The lines are usually long and I can never find items in the 2 randomly arranged floors.  The Wellworth one is much better and just a couple blocks away.
4 - Tony Y. Jr. Y.: Extra, extra, read all about it, I've got the news and I'm gonna shout it!  It's been raining lately in Los Angeles, so it's cool and wet outside.  Though it's wet outside, my lips have been quite dry lately.  Usually, I carry some lip balm with me, but with the rainstorm early last Saturday morning, we experienced a short power outage and I forgot to get my lip balm before leaving home.  Well, in a rush to meet a friend for lunch in Westwood, I decided to make a quick trip to the local drug store to purchase some lip balm.

This CVS in Westwood was on the way to where we were going for lunch so I made a mad dash in here for a quick purchase.  Being my first time in this particular CVS, I didn't know where anything was but I must say the staff here is rather helpful and friendly, sending me in the right direction.  As I quickly made my way to the lower level and found some lip balm for only $1.29, I was good to go.  The pharmacist even allowed me to pay downstairs!  This CVS is quite efficient with their service, as I was in and out of there in less than 5 minutes.  Go CVS in Westwood!
2 - Linda L.: it was nice because its opened 24/7, what else is a girl going to do when she needs a toothbrush and has been at the hospital for hours til the wee mornings? 

the prices for LORATADINE (generic claritin) is ridiculous!!! #10 tablets of cvs brand is $7.00. seriously? i just needed one pill, why does it need to be marked up?! it probably only cost them $0.30 for those #10 tablets, yet they mark it up to $7.00

i didn't appreciate having the cashier going "you DON't have a CVS card?!?!?!" No, I don't because i don't need to go to cvs where i am at! i don't care about the extra savings, i just want my darn generic toothbrush so i can go home and sleep. After answering I did not need it, he tried to make me sign up AGAIN.
2 - Rene T.: ME: in red plaid PJs, flip flops and a zip up hoodie.
HER: in short denim skirt with ugg boots and faux fur jacket with frantic look in eyes.
HIM: a seemingly novice cashier who's clearly never worked a graveyard shift

ME: waiting in line
HER: right behind me still antsy about getting out of the store
HIM: s...s..l....l...o...o....w...w...w...l...y scanning the customer's items and taking his sweet time bagging the items. finishes about five minutes later.

HIM: "next"
ME: hands over basket full of crap.
HER: equally irked that this cashier is taking hella long.

HIM: "whoops, i scanned this twice. let me fix that for you."
ME: /sigh\ "fine, just put everything in one bag please"
HIM: "we need an override in cashier"

HER: "do you guys have another cashier available?"
HIM: "sorry, ma'am, it's 11pm and we only have one available"
HER: "i just really need to buy this and get out of here"
HIM: clearly ignoring her.
SUPERVISOR: approaches counter and punches in some numbers, scans item, and cancels previous transaction.
HIM: "okay, let me start over..."

ME/HER: /sigh of displeasure\
HIM: "okay, that'll be $20.xx"
ME: "umm, you forgot to enter my CVS card"
HIM: "oh, i'm sorry"
HER: "here, do you need a CVS card?"
ME: now annoyed at woman, "no, we got it, thanks"
HER: "fine, can you just please hurry up?"
ME: ignoring lady, and tempted to purposely be a douche and take my sweet time.

HIM: enters in phone number, and adjusts price.
ME: hands over bill.
HIM: hands over change.
ME: approaches exit. turns around to see what woman was buying.
HER: hands cashier an emergency pregnancy test.

conclusion:
HER: probably a first or second year.
HIM: probably in his first or second month.
ME: probably my last time at this CVS.

*avoid this CVS past 9pm
2 - alex d.: the people the shop here are weird.  theres a downstairs though which is pretty cool.
1 - Sonya C.: The pharmacy is great BUT the pharmacist Deanna Edjian needs to follow what the CVS TV ads say. WE are there to help you! I was at the pharmacy today and wanted to ask a simple question. She approached me with an irritated look on her face and I had not even started speaking to her. She needs to be rotated out of this pharmacy since the other girls are very helpful. So if yo want better pharmacy service do not ask to talk to her.
4 - Jessica L.: Omg they have nailtiques!!!!!! But the long lines are a bummer :(
1 - Jaimie T.: This is the worst CVS I've ever been to. The products and everything is great. Except the deodorants because they seem to always be used. However, the customer service is HORRIBLE! There is always a 6+ people long line with only one cashier working. This store is always understaffed or someone is doing nothing while there is only one cashier working and working very slowly.. I go to this cvs all the time because it is conveniently on westwood, but I'd much rather go to rite aid a block away because of the long lines and no cashiers.
1 - Monica M.: One star ONLY because the staff after midnight is amazingly friendly.

The pharmacists here are some of the rudest people I have EVER met. People, all-together. Not just pharmacists. I know you guys are busy, but ef-you.
1 - Amanda N.: THE WORST CVS PHARMACY I'VE EVER BEEN TO!!!!!  ZERO STARS BLAHHHH!

Seriously, they have THE rudest people working at the pharmacy.  If you hate your job so much, please quit and stop acting like the customers funding your salary are inconveniencing you...while you're at your JOB.  I put up with the horrible customer service for a while because of this store's convenient location.  But not ONCE have I ever had a pleasant exchange with the pharmacy staff...and I get prescriptions filled at least monthly.

With my last visit, I just had it.  I called three days in advance to fulfill a prescription that I knew had to get transferred from another CVS.  I called both locations to bug them and they said "We'll take care of this for you."  Three days later and they STILL didn't have the prescription ready yet.  On top of that, the lady helping me was completely unapologetic and RUDE about it.

I walked right out of the CVS and straight to Rite Aid where I transferred my prescription and got it in less than an hour.  So there, CVS - because of the Westwood pharmacy's crappy attitudes, you lost a customer.

EFF YOUUU CVS.  I seriously hate you.  Honestly, my advice - just walk the extra block to go to Rite Aid.  Or drive to a different CVS location.  Whatever you do, AVOID THIS PLACE BLAHHH.
2 - Chris K.: I am fairly certain this CVS is only still in business because they are open 24/7 and the much nicer Rite Aid a block down is not. 

CVS: no parking lot. Long lines. Bad product selection.
Rite Aid: free parking at the trader joes lot. Fast service. Nicer layout. 

They're screwed if Rite Aid ever goes 24/7.
4 - Kai L.: Nestled right smack dab in the middle of cozy little Westwood Village, near UCLA and surrounded by the lush greenery and wide lawns that tell you, "Yes, this is academia," sits CVS Pharmacy.

-- which actually means, traffic, bad drivers, students AND their professors ignoring the crosswalks, and im@#$%ingpossible parking.

But hey, this CVS is open 24 hours, and its pharmacy is open until 10pm (7pm Saturday, 6pm Sunday), so yes, lover -- pick up that sixer of Pabst at six, stagger back to the dorm at seven, act like a sex-starved fratboy a-hole with a sorority girl whose name you don't know until eight, fall out of your bunk at nine because she's shaking you and needs a ride back to the other side of campus to meet her Bible studies group, and hit the CVS again for some Plan B at ten minutes till ten, and for the prophylactics you should have bought earlier, in case you ever want to be a dumbass again.

-- Which you will, bad boy.

The employees are nice -- they've seen it all before.

Though even THEY know her name by now, you a-hole.
2 - Laura D.: Went to the dentist down the street and he said to get a Sonicare electric toothbrush.  Well, guess what -- CVS in the heat of the lunch hour is NOT the place to be.  First off, the pharmacy/health dept is down some steep stairs.  And of course then you have to go up again.  Funky, old store.

Then the line was 10 people long.  Someone in line told me that it is always like this at lunchtime.  Got my item, waited on line, got out.

Will she be coming back to this store?  Not likely, Mate.
1 - Derek R.: Very poor customer service. We were going in for something as simple as fingernail clippers and the staff was doing inventory or re-doing the price tags on the racks. There were three of them all huddled around the fingernail clippers and they wouldn't move out of the way, just continued to gossip about co-workers and things and completely ignore us. We reached between them and at one point my wife even had to completely reach around one of the women and they were completely oblivious, just kind of gave my wife a look that she was in their way for their super important re-stickering work.
5 - Davis T.: Some old CVS. This is my pharmacy for UCLA so I go here whenever I need drugs. Two floors is nice. Selection is average but whatever.
1 - jaslyn b.: I HATE THIS CVS. First of all, the employees do not seem friendly at all. I passed one by and she gave me this attitude like I was in her way. There is always a long line because there's always one register open at a time. One instance when another employee opened another register, she did so slowly with a mad look on her face. And if I recall correctly, she checked her cell phone first before actually opening the register. And since it's in Westwood, parking sucks. No me gusta.
1 - Amy H.: The Pharmacy at this CVS SUCKS! I used the automated system to refill a prescription. When I called 24 hours later, they said they were waiting to hear from my doctor. CVS never called my doctor. 2 days later I am still waiting for them to fill my Rx. Go somewhere else if you can! AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!
1 - Kristina T.: I can't even remember how many times my photo orders have gone wrong. 
Let's see... one time my order was misprinted and I was shorted of like 50 photos. I came back for a reprint but the photo technician simply disappeared so I had to come back again a second time. 
Another time, they lost my order. I had called to make sure it was there, but when I showed up at the store, it was gone. The photo technician told me he couldn't do anything and I had to come talk to the manager the next day. So I called, and the manager wasn't there, and this happened a few times before I was told I had to call the actually CVS headquarter number and get a reprint. When I came to pick up my order, wow, both were there so I got double prints for the price of one with added major inconvenience. 
A third time, I ordered a photo collage and that took forever to ship to the store. 2 weeks when it was supposed to be 1 week? Thanks.
The most recent, I printed my photos express because they were for something urgent. I show up at the store only to be told that the system was down and I would have to wait 48 hours. Wow. You know, it's called 1 hour express for a reason. I ended up having to go back home to get my flash drive and go print at a different location.
I don't think I'm ever printing photos at this CVS again. The photo employees are nice though, but they're disorganized and barely there. Orders go wrong way too many times.
2 - Mario G.: SO SLOW.... But convenient and occasionally easy.  Very nice and young staff but maybe a little two young.
1 - Rene W.: Had my doctor call in my prescription before they opened, an hour and 15 minute after they opened, they have not checked the voicemails. I patiently waited on hold and they found it, they got my information down including my phone number. 4 hours later when I called to find out how I would find out when it's ready I was told that I am not eligible for it for 4 more days, when I asked why I was not notified the pharmacy tech argued with me, that she did indeed call but I left my home number - I don't have a home number - I told her there was no voicemail, she claimed it was full, there are no voicemails in my voicemail box. I would not recommend to use this store the rite aid a block down is cheaper and the pharmacy personal is much friendlier.
1 - Mark G.: Confusing as hell and the people who work here are never any help.
1 - Jackie S.: CVS West wood---the WORST!!!  It has the worst line during lunch hour everyday, worst staff especially the girl with long dark hair, she's the one in-charge of the photo booth who's hardly there & doesn't even know what customer relations mean, worst customer service including the manager who never showed up after being paged for 5 minutes (she's probably hiding behind the shelves so I can't complain to her), the worst photo service (a nightmare especially if you're trying to make a CD copy).  I finally gave up when all I got was a message from the machine that CD write failed-Error after 4 attempts... The male employee even had the nerve to tell me to just use my home computer for copying CD, he even said, it's what it is for! Hello, I thought I could do it faster with your store...had I known that I would waste my whole lunch break trying to make a CD copy with your ugly antiquated photo machines, I would have just patiently waited until my computer got fixed.  You guys could have at least have the courtesy to check your machines if they're still working properly. OMG, my blood pressure went up the roof when I left CVS! I'm surprise (really!) that this store is still open...it will probably be out of business soon especially with the Rite Aid & the new Target store just being around the corner. This CVS is totally mismanaged!

CVS Pharmacy - Palo Alto, CA (37.4381766, -122.1584255) ()
4 - Deb N.: http://www.longs.com/

A new, clean and medium sized Longs Drugs. In the Town and Country Villiage.  Lots of shops and eateries in the shopping center.
1 - Candace L.: Avoid during lunch on weekdays. Overrun by high schoolers. Beyond ridiculous.
2 - Piggy S.: The pharmacy here is 1/2 the time okay and 1/2 the time ridiculously slow (and not just cause there are a lot of people, but cause they forget to fill orders you called in, are just chatting and taking their time while there is a line full of frustrated customers - including myself).  I only come here because it is the closest.  They really need to improve their customer service at the pharmacy.  If I weren't so lazy, I would have switched to a new pharmacy long ago.
1 - Julia C.: since this location is right near my work, i'll stop in frequently on my lunch hour to pick up supplies. other than it being conveniently located, i'd rather much rather do my shopping else where.

since before it was cvs, the service had always been lagging. even under new management the associates here are easily distracted and uninformed. on several occasions when inquiring about a product, they'd have to ask around several times before they could even point me in the right direction. they are also slow to open up check stands when the lines are long. learn a thing or two from lucky's- three's a crowd remember? 

my latest visit left me even more irritated. as i was in line to check out the clerk was too engaged in his conversation regarding football with his previous customer. i had to nudge my merchandise towards his direction a few times before he started to ring me up. mid way through that transaction he began another conversation with his coworker on how to navigate to some long distant destination. he was even turned facing her the entire time! even when the receipt printed out, he just plopped it on the counter without even turning his head. i had to reach over the atm swiper and bag my own femine hygiene necessities which was laying out there in the open for the world to see! 

if this place didn't carry products of need, i wouldn't continue to shop here. the one star if for merchandise within a 5 minute drive.
1 - Jane T.: alot of creepy people hang out here and they never have what I need.
1 - Helen W.: I agree with one reviewer that the pharmacy staff is all and all friendly and accommodating, but I absolutely cannot overlook the latest incidence that I had there.  I refilled a prescription, but was only given half of the required number of pills.  When I contacted the pharmacist, she adamantly denied that there was any way that she could have made a mistake.  All she needed to do was take an inventory of the pills to resolve the problem, but she refused.  After heroic efforts on my part, including contacting the district and corporate offices, the local news station, and an attorney, the inventory was completed, problems were uncovered, and I got the remainder of the pills I was owed.  This was after I had been without medication for 5 days.  When I went to pick up the prescription, the offending pharmacist was there and made a big scene about how I shouldn't be getting the medication and how I was probably abusing it.  I will switch pharmacies and will NEVER get a prescription filled there again.  I don't trust them after all of this.
1 - Stephanie W.: Reviewing a pharmacy feels a little ridiculous, but honestly, you should be warned....

- They never have my prescription, set to monthly refill, ready when I come to pick it up
- The service is deplorable
- The wait is always really, really, excruciatingly long
- They always seem to have 5 people behind the counter, but only one actually helping the long line of customers
- The staff is condescending and rude, and most of them do not speak adequate English.

I've had several awful experiences here, and I only keep coming back because the one time I tried to transfer my prescription to another pharmacy it was a total disaster. 

I went in yesterday to pick up my monthly prescription before leaving town this morning. They hadn't refilled it, and their computers were down so they weren't even able to refill it. Rather than trying to find the records, call another branch and ask them to look up the records, or recommend another CVS pharmacy that I should visit, they told me adamantly and repeatedly that there was nothing they could do. Thanks a lot.
1 - Susan J.: Update: They didn't even cancel my prescription when I left, which I told them to do, so it is now blocking Walgreen's from filling the prescription!
1 - Megan S.: I am new to the area and CVS is not a chain I was previously familiar with. I have shopped at this location in particular several times because it is convenient for me, but I have learned to prepare myself for very poor service. I have shopped at other CVS locations in the area and was surprised to find that poor customer service seems to be universal among CVS stores. I witnessed a cashier once (not at this PA location but closeby) practically yelling at a customer who seemed to be asking perfectly reasonable questions, in my opinion. I'm surprised that a chain can maintain a business and customer base with this kind of service. And after yet another experience today with staff who ranged from apathetic to borderline rude, I think it's time I take my business elsewhere.
2 - Ann O.: I'm going to miss this store, but I keep getting re-enrolled in their ReadyFill automatic prescription refill service without my knowledge, after asking (3 or 4 times, I've lost count) to be un-enrolled. I've heard that it's a corporate goal to have at least a certain percentage of the Rx customers at each store enrolled and that may be why this keeps happening. I'm transferring my prescriptions to Walgreens.

Here's a blurb from the corporate site (info.cvs.caremark.com):
There are lots of reasons consumers say they do not take their medications, but being busy or simply forgetting top the list. The 2009 CVS Caremark Health IQ Study examined consumer attitudes and behaviors around health care and prescription usage. The study found that nearly three in ten consumers (28 percent) sometimes forget to refill their prescriptions on time, and this is despite the fact that most (86 percent) believe they can stick to a daily medication schedule. In addition, more than half (52 percent) say it would be useful if their pharmacy would remind them when it's time to refill. To help address this need, CVS/pharmacy implemented CVS Ready Fill®, a free program which allows customers to sign up to have their maintenance prescriptions filled automatically and receive a phone call from CVS/pharmacy to remind them that their medication is ready to be picked up. First Fill Counseling® also helps to improve medication adherence for retail customers starting new therapies. In the past year, this face-to-face engagement program has resulted in a 15 percent improvement in adherence.

I have no beef with Ready Fill in principle. For those who want it, it's a fine service. But in practice, it's not voluntary.
3 - Lisa R.: For a store in Palo Alto, it gives off a junky vibe.  That being said, the staff has always been very nice to me and I have usually found what I needed/wanted. 

The last visit, a few days ago resulted in me buying a three and a half foot nutcracker for cheap to put next to my fireplace mantle for the mas de X.

Kinda cool.
1 - Colleen G.: Avoid this place at all costs!  When I arrived after calling in my meds, they told me come back after an hour.  I did.  They told me another 20 minutes, still wasn't ready--this, despite both times I was the only one at the counter.   I should have listened to my daughter who'd warned me away after they fought with her about never having received her order.  (Turns out they'd reversed her first and last name--something like messing up Mary Smith.)
4 - Nick H.: This place is a hot mess and I love it.

Everytime I go, there is some sort of craziness.  Paly is next door, so there are always backpacks stacked outside due to their rule against backpacks.  Managers and employees act like it's a soap opera audition.  People are always yelling at each other.  PharmTechs are hitting on customers.  You get the sense that it's a workplace like The Office - crazy and messed up but since the managers are wacky, everybody can get away with everything.

Of course, if you actually need professionals to help you with prescriptions, this may be problematic.  But if you are able to check to make sure you didn't get someone else's Rx, this place always provides an entertaining wait.
4 - crypt g.: This place is fine and it should get higher rating because of it's convenient location, you can lump the trip in with other shopping needs. You can reward yourself with a Kara's cupcake, for crying out loud! There is also a Trader Joe's here so why would you go to any other drugstore?

During my visits from LA, I come here to by emergency toiletries. Last week I came here during Friday lunch hours and they have a lot of check out registers open, so there was barely any wait. Unlike LA, where they keep only about 2 registers open and the lines back up to the middle of the store. This place is a-okay!
1 - Whitney M.: THIS IS THE MOST GOD-AWFUL PHARMACY ON PLANET EARTH. The staff is COMPLETELY incompetent at not only filling prescriptions (on almost every occasion I have had to hold their hand while they figure out to do the job they've been "trained" to do), but also in satisfying customers' needs. I have been going there for 9 months, and every. single. time. I have left ENRAGED at their inability to do their jobs.
4 - Adrienne M.: This is my go-to CVS.  It's conveniently located in Town & Country shopping center, so you can combine trips here with other errands.  The pharmacy can be a  bit slow, as they all can, but in general I've had a fine experience with this place, whether I'm just picking up something from the store or getting a prescription filled at the pharmacy.   They call you when your prescription is ready, which I appreciate.
1 - Jennifer K.: You'll note that most people who have rated this CVS higher than 1 star have done so because the poorly stocked shelves and mentally spaced out staff offer some sort of amusement  or because of its convenient location near places that sell cupcakes, etc. 

But if you're going to a pharmacy because you are desperately in need of prescriptions and can find your entertainment elsewhere, you should NOT go here. 

The staff is completely incompetent and does not fulfill prescriptions in a timely manner.

-------
If you want the full story, keep reading:

My doctor sent my prescription for antibiotics for strep throat here at 8AM. I have them the standard 4 hour wait to complete the prescription order plus some, knowing it can get hectic, and I went in at a reasonable 1PM. Not only was there a line, but when I actually go to the register, they sort of looked perplexed at the order, and then chose not to go ahead and complete it at the moment, saying that the pharmacist was going on a lunch break. This was a 1:23PM. So maybe the pharmacist had a lunch break at 1:30, sure. But if you already have the meds, you can at least put it in a bottle and give it to me before taking off early! They told me to come back in an hour.

So I came back after an hour and a half. Then I was told to wait another 15 min. Then, because it was my first time at that CVS, and they don't think I can read the directions myself, they had a pharmacist take a look at the label and then tell me the directions on it. 

Ridiculous.
1 - Carla L.: This place is absolutely awful - 

The pharmacist just lied through her teeth telling me that my insurance does not cover anything but generics. When I insisted, she backed off and offered to change them out for the brand name drugs. Seriously? What the hell is going on here? Pressure tactics? I never expected my pharmacist to try to deceive me like that. Too bad my insurance is forcing me to use CVS. I've never had a good experience here, but today was by far the worst.
1 - Nick E.: This is one of the worst pharmacies I've ever been to.  You're not going to get raped or shot going here, but the bad news is that if you did it might be a more enjoyable experience.

Prescriptions take forever to fill, I cannot understand half the pharmacists on the phone, and they are generally disorganized behind the counter.

Sadly, I've gone many times as this has been my pharmacy for two years, so this is not from one bad experience.
4 - April T.: I haven't used the pharmacy so I can't comment on that, but for your quick needs (heat patch for my back) it was quick and easy. The check out lines can be long when your neighborhood drunk is trying to write a check for her jug of wine, but I love all of the stuff! It's loaded with usable items, and also fun stuff from when I was a kid. Anyone remember Flicks? They are like flattened hershey's kisses that used to be sold at my hometown movie theater...totally brought me back and they still taste delicious. Overall, it was a fun, decent visit. I will be back.
1 - A C.: Never use this CVS pharmacy branch Pharmacy technician and clerk is SUPER RUDE!!! I had to call the manager to complain about them and the next time I came to pick up my medications again they did not improve one bit. They are so unhappy and direct the frustrations to the customers! Dismal customer service!!!!

CVS Pharmacy - Los Angeles, CA (34.0221911, -118.2798269) (South Los Angeles)
4 - Nick L.: JUST OPENED! Finally a CVS Pharmacy for the USC and Downtown LA population! No more driving to Western or Angelino Heights. This CVS is in the University Gateway building across the street from the USC campus. There is 45 minute free garage parking. Expect your average CVS, even better with self-check out and alcohol (hard liquor too, yay!). There is even a meal-to-go station with fresh sandwiches, pastas, cut-up fruit and more.
1 - Grace P.: If there are two things I cannot stand, it would have to be incompetence and inefficiency. Notice I didn't use stupidity- it's excusable at times.

I live in University Gateway, so when CVS FINALLY opened oh goodness excitement! No more driving out to the location in Koreatown for my prescription and if I want a snack (or a chaser for my alcohol) I can just run downstairs. So uber convenient!

But the first time I actually went in, I was buying some Emergen-C and OJ for my sister Joanna P.'s fiance. Uh hello since when is everything so expensive?? But whatever obviously inflated prices targeting college students. (Lame btw, I'm a poor college student! I can't afford it :( )

I'm actually applying to study abroad next semester meaning I have to have 8 passport photos for my application due tomorrow (eeek!). And I was in a crazy rush because I'm super busy (but yes I still make time to Yelp). A process that should take 10 minutes from photo taking to checkout took about 30 minutes...and I still haven't gotten my photos.

The person taking my photo (I will refrain from using names) DID NOT KNOW HOW TO USE THE USER-FRIENDLY PRINTING MACHINE. Um the technologically-retarded girl (me) could figure it out! Then when I asked for 8 photos, he increases the quantity to 8...when it specifically says it prints out 2 per 1 order. So I changed it to 4 and guess how much it costs for 8 photos....

Forty freaking dollars.

Obviously I have the store manager come and verify this, and she also insists this is a normal price. Yeah right! But me being the one in a hurry I understand that sometimes you pay for the convenience.

But of course the printer freezes and they have to reboot it, which will take only another 15 minutes. Sorry not spending an HOUR for 8 photos. I have homework to do and tests to study for...I mean I am a college student.
2 - Angela H.: I'd give this 1 star, but the 2/3 times I've been here wasn't too bad. There seems to always be a line there! It was really busy when I went the 3rd time and none of their self-checkouts were available. AND to make matters worse, one of their employees dropped their parking validation machine and was laughing about it when I asked her to validate my parking ticket. She spent like 3-5 mins trying to fix it only to smile and tell me it's broken. Well duh, I could see that. I suppose it's nice to have a pharmacy other than the one on campus and in the UV close by, but this one is has got to be one of the most inefficient ones I've ever been to!
1 - Melissa K.: This store is RIDICULOUS. The employees are completely unqualified, lazy and rude. Why don't they just hire students? 
I tried to get photos and a photobook printed here that I ordered & designed online. Even though I got email confirmations, when I went in to get them twice, they said the printer was broken and they would be for SURE ready the next morning. Nope. 

I went for the third time tonight after getting another confirmation email saying the photo book was absolutely printed and "ready for pick up" at this location. When I told them they said they had never gotten a photo book in, and explained to me the process: printing, mailing etc. (duh?) in a really condescending way. She had the worst attitude, and even said "you can sit here and print out the pictures yourself if you want." Um, no. I designed a photobook, it's not just photos to be printed. Then when I asked her what I should do, she said "I'm sure there's a number in your confirmation email to call." 

AMAZING. 

I currently have been on hold with the general CVS number for 20 MINUTES.
1 - Maria O.: I absolutley hate this place. I really wanted to love it I mean here a miniscule drive  from my place was a Yogurtland, a CVS, and sushi coming up brand new, to make my purchasing life easier. Daily essentials a hassle free drive on my way from work late at night. But oh no my butterfly of a dream, was caught in the jagged net of corporate deception, and crushed upon a cruel capatalist wheel.  

Essentially the parking sucks. You get 45 minutes to park at CVS, when only 1 register possibly 2 are open at a time and a giant line forms for self checkout. Also the validation is set up so you have to wade through the sea of waiting humanity and cut in front to get your stamp. What if you accidently go over by a minute or decide to leave the moment you enter the lot? - $3 penalty. 

Some places do NOT validate like - Yogurtland, so our $8 of yogurt turned into a $13 parking fee because the machines refused my card and I had to scramble to Chase for a withdrawl (on the same card!).  I've been dying to try Freebirds Burritos, but it's not f'n likely you'll catch me here again. My total costs for a 20 minute yogurt run:

$8 - yogurt
$13 parking 
$3 bank fee

Total:
$24 yogurt  and no that doesn't come with a side of head.
4 - Nick P.: It gets stars based on the facts that 1) it's a lot cheaper than the pharmacy on campus, and 2) it's not as sketchy as the other pharmacies in the area

However, there never seem to be enough ppl manning the registers, or walking around for assistance, and I'm not even sure what the people there do when they're not ringing up purchases...

Back on the positive side: you can find almost anything you need here, and the prices are great.
4 - Ben V.: It seems a few reviewers don't recognize a good thing when they see it.

I was getting sick and in need of some cold meds in a hurry.  I happened to be in the University Village and decided to see if Superior had anything cheap.  It turns out their cold meds are horribly over-priced so I drove on over to CVS -- as I've always had wonderful luck with their brand.

Superior: 16 Nyquil tablets for $8.99
CVS: 44 Combo generic pack (22 Dayquil/22Nyquil equivalent) for $9.99 -- PLUS it was buy one get one half off.

I got 88 tablets of cold meds for $15.  Nobody will beat that.

Also, I actually encountered Good service at the check out, and was easily taken care of for my parking validation.

No complaints --- great location --- great prices --- great service.
5 - Ashlyn A.: I like this CVS.  It's close to campus, sells some USC souvenirs, has a self check out when lines get long and even has a small grocery section.  It's a convenient place to go for toiletries or other miscellaneous items you may need.

Parking has never been a problem for me since I can just walk or bike.  However, there's meter parking right on the curb and also garage parking under Gateway.
3 - Craig M.: Not a great place, not a horrible place.  They have a lot of stuff you probably wouldn't find at a normal CVS like all of the USC gear(being right next to USC helps of course) and they have much more pre-made sandwhiches and soups, etc that I dont recall seeing at other ones.  Prices are good on somethings, over-priced on others.  They do have 4 or 5 self-checkout lanes which is awesome because it's normally two, but the counter help is so slow that everyone heads for the self-checkout and so now you have two overly long lines just to shop at a freaking CVS.  I wish they'd realize they are on the doorstep of a major university and pretty much the only place like it within walking distance of USC aside from the shitastic Superi-OR grocery store, and get some more help, all day long.  It's always busy in there and it needs staff.  

It is always clean when i've gone in there, so I give it props for that.
2 - Janee M.: The only reason they got the 2 stars from me is because I am a huge fan of CVS. However, this Pharmacy is unprofessional and incompetent. I had a prescription called in by my doctor on a Monday and I called in on Thursday to go pick it up. They said it wasn't even ordered yet and that it would be available to be picked up Friday by 2. The woman over the phone also told me that my insurance changed (which it didn't) and that I needed to give her the new information. After explaining to her that all my information was correct, she wanted me to tell her my insurance ID# and group#. She then proceeded to tell me that I gave her incorrect information, and practically hung up the phone on me. So after calling my insurance, the woman from the company said that the lady from CVS entered the information incorrectly. So then I called back Friday at 5, after it should have already been in the store for 3 hours, they said it still wasn't in, but I could pick it up around 9. So I go to the pharmacy around 9 PM and they only had 4 days worth of pills!!!!! And their excuse is because someone ordered the wrong amount!!! I'm sorry.... but NO ONE had a prescription for only 4 days! And besides that.. this has been 5 days since my doctor called it in!  SO now I have to go back in 4 days and pick up the rest...... DISAPPOINTING to say the least.
2 - Brenda P.: If it was not for a few nice services, I'd won't not patronize this store. Walgreen's is definitely more my cup of tea than CVS on any day. However, my nasty medical insurance fills prescripts only through CVS.

OK, this CVS is slow, not the cleanest or easiest to find items, & customer support leaves a bad taste in the mouth. The pharmacy is OK, but I don't expect much thinking about the remainder of the store. The cosmetics section is usually way whack, compared to Walgreen's. Prices are not cheap here either.

I am glad they have some services such as money gram (although the money exchange down the road is usually much faster). The parking zone & Redbox outside are the only redeeming factors for this store. This locations needs to neat up its act...or does it?

CVS Pharmacy - Austin, TX (30.29617, -97.741922) (University of Texas)
1 - jade a.: My boss was nice enough to stock the fridge with my favorite afternoon beverage, Topo Chico.

I walk over to CVS for a cheap, no-frills bottle opener.  I check out the housewares aisle, don't see it, make a feeble attempt at getting assistance, it doesn't work, and I decide to check out the Co-op instead.  

No luck at the Co-op either (but at least they were helpful).

Back to CVS, I scan all the aisles for potential help.  Nothing.  I get in the check out line to ask.  Another guy is trying to buy something and it's not clear which register we need.  They close the one we were trying for, indicating he'll help us at the photo counter.  But wait, he actually just meant we should go to the photo counter for the help he was not going to give us.  Another guy comes in, asks if I'm in line, I say I am and just have to ask a question, he cuts in front of me and buys cigarettes which entails the cashier leaving the photo counter and going over to where the normal registers are.  Someone walks by with some food and our cashier engages her in a convo about sauce.  The manager walks by and tells another employee to take lunch, my cashier whines he hasn't had his lunch yet, they carry on a brief conversation about the break schedule, and, finally, it's my turn to be helped. I ask about the bottle opener.  He waves dismissively toward housewares and says if they have it, that's where it would be.  I tell him that's not helpful, but thank you anyway, and leave.

No Topo Chico for me.
1 - Ryan F.: I dread going to this CVS. This as got to be the most poorly stocked, poorly run, disorganized and messy CVS in Austin. The employees are always getting slammed because I'm pretty sure the manager hangs out in the back, avoiding doing any work. I mean where is that asshole, I always see him smoking out on the loading dock in the parking lot but I have NEVER seen him working in the store. He should be managing his store rather than leaving his poor employees stranded at the front with only one register open.

 It takes at least 10 minutes (no exaggeration) of waiting in line to buy one fucking thing. Every time I stop just to buy a bottle of water or juice they either are just getting around to stocking them, rendering them hot and undrinkable, or they are simply not there. How can you not keep the cold stuff stocked. I feel bad for the cashiers because it always seems like there is just one person stuck at the counter having to fend for themselves. It's not that they don't want to help you, they can't if they wanted to. Seriously fire the manager and get someone who can competently run a store.
3 - Joshua W.: Stopped by here to pickup a few things when I was in town last week, and I've got to say it's a pretty standard CVS.  Seemed well stocked, and parking was easy.  They had everything I needed and I was in and out in no time.
3 - Ryan P.: They've gotten better about keeping the Camel Lights stocked. I'd like to think I had a hand in that.
2 - Mark L.: It's close to my house and it's open 24/7 so I'll give it two stars for that. It also seems dirty, understaffed or just staff that is poorly trained. Every time I go there, things ring up wrong - so check the receipt before you pay. In general the reason to shop here is convenience and not good prices or service.
2 - Gayle S.: Point the first: most people who come in at 7:30 in the morning clutching their keys are on their way to work.  Stay at the damned register and ring it up fast.

Point the second: and I'm talking to you, funny man in the early evening: I didn't think Henny Youngman was a funny comedian and your second rate version stinks on ice. When you've got 20 people in line to check out it is NOT the time to yak to customers.  We want to pay and go away.  Please help make that possible.

Oh, and the phrase you're looking for is "cashier backup to the front".
4 - Michele D.: Oh my! I am honestly very surprised to see that this particular CVS, which I've been going to on and off for the past year and a half, has been getting such low ratings on Yelp.

I actually used to avoid this place mostly just because it's CVS, it's a drugstore and it carries all the most unhealthy junk foods. It's at a very convenient location for me, and that used to be the only reason I would go in there. Then my niece came to stay with me for a month and turned me on to just how cool this store could be. Up front there are often sales on things with deep discounts, but maybe all the CVS's are like that.

Some people complained about waiting in line at this store. Although I rarely have had to wait all that long, I know I CAN go to the back of the store and make my purchase at the Pharmacy register (which in fact is what I did today while the front clerks were slowed down by their new fancy photo developer machine -- or whatever it is). I was served as soon as I got to the back of the store by a very friendly clerk.

I love the frequent sales they have here and I find it is fun to get unexpected odds and ends here. For instance it was the day they had 50% off on all their kids water-coloring sets that the Muse jumped in my body and DEMANDED that I buy one of each. Since then I have been getting back into watercolors in a big way for the first time in decades. I also picked up a couple journal books there that I love (one for me, one for my niece).

I love that they are open 24 hours. 

And yes, some of the people who work there are a bit scatter-brained at times. I LIKE be served by real people who don't act like total robots. To me, this is the un-drugstore drugstore. It's weird in a lot of the right ways. If they do something really super ecological or healthy there someday I'll want to bump up their rating to 5 stars, but in my book only drugstores like People's Pharmacy, who specialize in a lot of super natural and healthy alternative health foods and supplements get the 5 stars.
4 - Felecia I.: This is the tiniest, most compact CVS I've ever been in.

We mainly just use the pharmacy here. For many years, it has been the closest place to pick up our prescriptions, convenient because it's within walking distance from home.  The pharmacy always has what we need, and our orders are usually filled within a few hours.

The store itself is handy for picking up a few needed items (i.e. dish soap, tissues) if I'm already coming in for prescriptions.
2 - Andrew D.: The only reason I go here is for the location and the hours, but maybe that is all you can realistically expect from a drugstore chain. I won't go into the products they carry or the sales they have because its a drug store, it's supposed to have those things by definition. Customer service and organization are also things that most businesses are supposed to have and yet at this CVS...none. God bless the sales associates, they seem like nice people but lack what one might call 'common sense'. 

One person will be stocking while the other is running the register and yet when a line develops they both continue at their meandering pace. No one is called to the front to speed things along. They just keep processing the items in front of them as the line grows longer, winding around display materials and into isles. Additionally, the store always seems to be in disarray. Shelves aren't fully stocked, different products are mixed together, and all the display materials clutter an already small location. 

For some reason, whenever I enter this CVS I get a feeling similar to being at a retirement home. This place seems to be barely getting by, just holding on. And when I talk to those inside, I'm not always sure they have sense of what's going on. Sure they smile and dole out a pleasantry or two, but I'm never certain if i were to walk out the door and immediately come back in that they wouldn't repeat the same Alzheimer routine. Despite those things, I always come back. I never want to, not really. But I do, and will continue to do so.
4 - Robert U.: It may be dingy and small, but this CVS is my CVS of choice here in Austin. The hours cannot be any more convenient and the pharmacy always seems to have what I need in stock. Moreover, the pharmacy techs are kind and helpful which is, from what I've experienced  at other locations, too much to ask. 

When the pharmacy didn't have what I'd had prescribed to me in stock, the tech apologized profusely and guaranteed that it'd been ordered and would be there by noon the next day. 

Sure the aisles at times look disheveled and at night this location is probably the most depressing place on the planet but I will keep coming back here because of the respectable pharmacy and the convenience of a store that's open 24 hours so close to where I live.
3 - Lisa S.: Compared to the teeny Rite Aid with wacky hours that I frequented when I lived in Philly, this place is palatial.  It's 24 hours and has anything I'd need from a pharmacy (and things I don't need like Longhorns bottle openers).  

But the parking lot is a nightmare.  It's far too small and narrow for the size of the store.  Tonight I had to wedge my wee little Mini Cooper between 2 SUVs that were horribly parked and then slooooowly maneuver my way out because two big bad pickup trucks were angling for my spot.  For this reason, I purposely try to schedule any CVS trips involving a car around non-peak hours.  Again, I'm so thankful this place is open 24 hours.
4 - Carolyn V.: The Good:
  :: THEY RENOVATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOLY SHIZZNIZZ.
  :: OMG THEY RENOVATED I CANNOT SAY THAT ENOUGH TIMES.
  :: they have a REAL MOTION-TRIGGERED ENTRANCE & EXIT. no more of the ratty doors that were there before! it is now wider and easier to go in and out. AMEN.
  :: clean aisles. 
  :: better lighting
  :: better organized aisles and products
  :: self-checkout at the front monitored by an employee. WAY more efficient in my opinion. makes checking out FASTER than before. before it was 1 person moving about 1 mph for 50 people. now i can get my pop rocks and condoms more efficiently! you can STILL get cashback from the self-checkouts, too!
  :: they now offer a premade food and beverage section when you come in and it's to the left. this is great for late night emergency food and drinks when you want to take a study or work break.

The Bad:
  :: you still need that damn annoying CVS card to get "deals". why can't they be like Walgreens and not pester you with that crap??? 

The Ugly:
  :: none

Would I go back? YES. It's no longer a cesspool of random crap. Now that its been taken into the 21st century, I'll be going here way more than before.

This place is IN.
1 - Sarah C.: The store is fine, sometimes it's not well kept up but no real problems. Checkout service is always slow. 

I do *not* recommend the pharmacy. I had nothing but trouble. Don't try to call (they'll leave you on hold for hours). There is no customer service to speak of. If you try to get a prescription too close to when they close they'll just tell you tough luck (even in emergencies). I was given bad information by a Pharmacist there about one medication. They were not helpful with my insurance. I kick myself for staying at this pharmacy for so long (almost 2 years)... but the location was so convenient. 
Go north a bit to the 24 hour Walgreens (my experience there has been wonderful).

CVS Pharmacy - Cambridge, MA (42.3638657, -71.1036847) (Central Square)
1 - Michelle D.: CVS in Central Square gets zero stars because they almost killed me two days ago.  A screw up in their pharmacy ended up with me getting a malaria drug instead of the antibiotic for the dental work I had done.  I've been sick with stomach pain and nausea and a headache that feels like my brain is going to implode.  The triage nurse at Beth Israel Hospital said I could have gone into anaphylactic shock.

I'm also very worried about the man who received my amoxicillin instead of the malaria drug he is supposed to be taking.  He's already left the country, I hope he survives, literally.  

What a bunch of incompetent fools.

I've been hearing a lot of stories about CVS pharmacies in general but I never thought it would happen to me.  

DO NOT BRING YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS TO CVS IN CENTRAL SQUARE IF YOU WANT TO LIVE.
2 - Roshni R.: the central square cvs is dirty, disorganized, and employs sketchy security guards who hit on customers.  that said, i miss cvs--the name cvs, that is--in this land of walgreens, longs, and rite-aid, we could use a little 'care value service' if it came down to that...
2 - Eric S.: I don't go here for drugs so I can't speak to the guy who almost died, but I will say that their inventory management system is pretty bad. They stopped carrying one of the few facial cleasers I buy and they're often out of basic stuff (milk, 24-packs of water). Walgreens across the way is cleaner and better stocked.

That said, CVS is 24-hours which is very convenient for me. I often go shopping after a late party night.
4 - Julia F.: Ah~ I place to get chips, makeup, shampoo or smokes late night. Just what I need. I have to say I like this location much more than when they were on the corner of Pearl... But, whatever. 

I don't get disappointed by CVS as many a person does (it seems) for the organization, the employees, ecc. I figure, I wouldn't want to work at a CVS, and if I did and that was my full-time job, would I really put that much into it?

I always take my pictures there to be developed. The guy who works there, after years of seeing me in CVS and around Central, and has now acknowledged the recognition. Now I feel like a dip cause I can't remember his name. Shit! Oh well, I'll be seeing him soon.

The other thing about CVS is that for us people getting to work before 8am need a place to get cigarettes and water, or odwalla bars before work, Walgreens across the street isn't open until 7a. Not convenient, though I walk by it on my way to Starbucks everyday.
4 - Malena L.: MAN, I love the Central Square CVS! Never before have these many crazies congregated at a location that's supposed to carry serious business. It's mad sketchy, y'all. Everyone who comes here/works here IS a crazy (this includes myself - I did once entered drunk off my ass yelling "cookie dough!"). From the lady at the counter that used to creep me out, to the dude that hands out the photographs, to the crack lady hanging right outside: I love it! Seriously, just walk in there, buy a soda, a bag of chips and waste your time there long enough and you'll see something fascinating.
ACTUALLY, we should have an entry dedicated to that whole block in Central Square. So many stories! My favorite might be this one time I sat on the bus stop bench to chat with 2 homeless dudes and one of them told me: "Careful young lady. They defecated on there. Go home. Wash your clothes, shoes and hair." Priceless!
2 - Kristin G.: Horrible service, tons of crazies. 2 stars for the entertainment in there though.
2 - Ali E.: The layout of this place is baffling to me, and it changes every two days. The number of times I've gotten lost....

Limited soda and junkfood selection, dismal makeup isle, and the self checkouts are ALWAYS telling you to wait for assistance. 

They do have one awesome clerk, and by awesome I mean out of her mind, who strikes up such intensely personal conversation you kind of feel bad cutting it off and getting the hell out. But not really.

Unfortunately, it being CVS and next to the T, I can't not patronize.
1 - Dika K.: Ugh, the aisles are so narrow and tall, I can never find what I need, most customers are senile and retarded, they don't even sell HIV home tests, and they still want to call themselves a pharmacy.
1 - Muckenfuss V.: Walgreens isn't stellar but it's vastly better. This CVS has only the location going for it. Otherwise, it is the most unpleasant shopping experience imaginable: shelves so high that you can't find anything or take it down if you do, aisles so narrow that you can't walk by another customer, an automated checkout machine which you feel bad using but usually don't work anyway ...  But, hey, at least I didn't almost die like that other reviewer.
3 - Edward F.: It's not the best CVS, obviously, but it's in a very convenient location for those who live in the area.  The selection is good and I can normally find everything that I need. I don't mind the crazies or the senile.  The clerks are nice and helpful for the most part, I don't understand why everyone is giving them bad remarks.  It's a CVS pharmacy, not a Lord & Taylor, come on.  

I can't say anything about the pharmacy services, because I've never used it. 

Finally, in response to John R.'s comment, I don't mean any offense, but the CVS coupons that one receives is SPECIFIC to the CVS CARDHOLDER, that is, you need to have the CVS card in order to use it.  You need to be the actual card holder otherwise it defeats the purpose of the coupon, rewarding the frequent shopper.   Furthermore, it's an issue with CVS, not the CVS central square specifically.
2 - Matt B.: I hate to say the words "always" and "never", or any similarly extreme ones when talking about service, but I can honestly say that the 4 or 5 times I have had new scripts faxed in from my doctor, I have called to check and been told they hadn't received them yet. Today, an hour and a half had passed, and the girl was going to hang up after saying it wasn't in, before I asked her to check their faxes. 5 minutes on hold later, she comes back and says they are in and will be ready in an hour.

I've never had trouble with the friendliness of clerks or pharmacists, and understand things can get crazy (I have family who were pharmacy techs for CVS years ago) but this is just bad customer service. When someone is sick, and needs medicine, the last thing they want to do is wait around for someone to "eventually" check the incoming prescriptions to see if perhaps any have come in. I believe strongly in being fair to people who work in customer service, but there is a requirement of being thoughtful of a customer's needs as well.
1 - Michelle T.: Never take film here to be developed!!  They ruined about half of the film I brought to be developed and now there is no hope of recovering these photos.
1 - Alexandria O.: I live right around the corner on Magazine Street, and tend to avoid this CVS/side of the street in general due to its bum-tastic nature, but I decided to pop into the store today to pick up shampoo and give it another shot.  My experience there led me to the following conclusions:

1. I don't know how they stay in business
2. They should just close down this branch because of how poorly it represents the CVS brand, since their stores in other parts of the country are fine

More elaboration.... There are three "self check out" booths in the store, and there were three store employee working when I was there.  Not a single one was behind the actual counter to ring up customers, so I went to their self check out booth.  The first two I tried weren't working properly, so I asked one of the employees for help.  I noticed that another guy was having issues with his check out booth too, which made me wonder WHY don't they just have a person behind the regular counter if these machines don't work as they should??  Anyway, I got to the point where I had to pay, and the magnetic pen had been ripped off of the credit card reading device, so I asked how I was supposed to finish the payment.  A second employee huffed over, CLEARLY annoyed that she had to propel her ass over to do her job, and treated me like I was an idiot for not being able to figure out their machine that was broken.  I would highly recommend to anyone in Central Square that you just skip CVS, walk directly across the street to Walgreens where the employees are much nicer and 1000x more efficient.  That's where I will continue to vote with my feet for the rest of the year.
1 - Johnny K.: The people who work here are rude, rude, RUDE!!!!  I needed razor blades (which are locked up) and the person on the floor couldn't be bothered to help me get them, and then complained when I needed more time to figure out which ones were the right ones.  I will seriously never go in there again, if I can help it.  There 's a Walgreen's right across the street.  Go there instead, is my recommendation.  They take FOREVER, but at least they aren't rude.
3 - Arzo W.: Just a heads up, if you have a script from out of state, make sure you go to fill it at least a week before you need it. They said they needed 24 hours to verify mine, which I know usually can take up to 2-3 days. I really needed mine filled asap and after pleading with the manager, she decided to make an exception. What bothers me the most about this is that I usually don't have this happen to me, yet they claim it's standard policy. It's frustrating how inconsistent they are when enforcing these so called "standard policies". Since when did pharmacists only enforce these on a case-by-case basis? They claim it's a federal law, but never have I had this happen to me at the Walgreens or Inman Pharmacy, both in Inman Sq. CVS, get your act together.

CVS/pharmacy - Philadelphia, PA (39.952998, -75.193026) (University City)
1 - Mallory P.: My New Year's Resolution is to boycott CVS.  

I have repeatedly received God-awful customer service at this and other CVS stores.  Rolling eyes, no "Hello," throwing my money and my change at me.  I even got yelled at for wanting cash back at 8:30 in the morning, when, apparently, there's no cash to give back (I only wanted $5!).  I was very loudly yelled at.  

On top of that, the store is a mess.  I have more than once had to move crates of merchandise out of the way in order to get to way I needed.  The line is always, always long, and the staff is just plain unfriendly.  Recently, whatever I was buying did not ring up on sale, and I didn't catch it until my credit card had already gone through.  The cashier rolled her eyes at me and called the manager.  I was ready to tattle tale my ass off to the manager until he arrived and I realized that he was just as awful as the cashier.  I wrote the company a letter, but who knows where that went.  

I have heard lately that they participate in biased hiring or something and that there have been protests.  Someone needs to humble this company real bad.
1 - M W.: This CVS is the worst in the city. they often mess up my prescription, they tell my it's gonna be 15 minutes and it takes an hour, lost my film and the don't even sell cat food. I've had the worst service here! the guy pharmacist is ignorant as all hell. normally they seem very understaffed.
2 - Hank C.: Moved from 39th over to this new location down on Walnut, there's a bit less space and the prices are much the same. Not that many staff at times. Convenient for some of the students, but for most of us with access to cars, etc., a Target or Walmart is a better bet.
3 - Tom B.: I certainly didn't come here intending to defend CVS, but I almost feel compelled to in light of all these negative reviews... Which is weird, since I wanted to post mostly to complain about how this place is always busy. Always. Always always always. I live just around the corner so I've been here at the weirdest times, and there is always a line. Though I am starting to realize that this is probably less a function of foot traffic and more a chronic case of always being two cashiers short. Still, though, it's kind of strange... How do they always manage to be two cashiers short? Where do those cashiers go? Is this a calculated business decision? Have the CVS higher-ups decided that they need to project an image of 'exclusivity' and 'worth waiting in line'? These are questions to which there are probably no answers.

Here are a few questions that do have answers, though...

Where do I go when I need Red Bull and Orbit gum? CVS.

Where do I go when I need prescription drugs? CVS.

Have I ever had a truly miserable experience at this location? No.

Have I ever had an outstanding experience at this location? No.

Do I always have to wait in line? Yes.

Are there often boxes stacked up in the aisles? Yes.

Do I continue to patronize in spite of these negative things? Yes.
1 - Becky K.: I really don't like to give poor reviews, but this place goes out of their way to make your shopping experience crummy.  So to assist you, I've created a protocol that will steer you clear of trouble

1. Please don't ask employees to help you; they have better things to do, like:
*walking around the aisles looking busy
*texting on cell phones covertly hidden under sleeves or sleethly inside pockets (Facebook status' will not update themselves, you know!)
*maintaining an aire of superiority over customers

2. If you dare to ask for help, you will likely be met with:
*blank stares
*a finger pointing you towards some vague area of the store
*referral towards a elusive figure in management who is currently out 
*a tone of voice that compares only with your cat's claws against a chalkboard
*irritation, because as stated before, CVS employees have better things to do

I have a CVS closer to where I live, and I can attest to the fact that CVS employees are capable of caring for the customer's needs (at least they pretend!) This CVS, located on 34th and Walnut, and not to be compared with the CVS on 39th and Walnut, is pretty terrible.

If you believe you've been treated poorly here, please call CVS' customer service at:

1-888-607-4CVS (1-888-607-4287)
 
I did, and they said that my specific complaint would be addressed immediately.
1 - Stephanie Y.: DO NOT USE the self check out machines here. They're always broken AND even though the machines accept cash, they don't give you change back. You have to wait FOREVER for a person to slowly wobble over and fumble with the key.
1 - Megan M.: I've defended this CVS in the past, but today was awful.

I waited online for 15 minutes to pay.  

Normally, not a problem. I  try to find the Zen in it, and approach as "read People magazine" found- time.  

But, I was the ONLY person in line. 

I couldn't do self checkout (which I'm not  a fan of anyway) because the people doing self checkout were having issues with the machine (as they break all the time).    

And there was no staff. The cashier was texting, and then disappeared into the back room. 

If I wasn't in dire need of my purchase, I would have left.
3 - Erica C.: Phamacists and techs are very nice. The line is often a bit long, but I guess that's what you get when there aren't many drugstores in the heart of 2 college campuses.
3 - Karen F.: I was lucky - I came here right at 8 AM when the pharmacy opened and the place was empty - thus no waiting (lines here can be ridiculous.).  Plus I got a bottle of "SmartWater" for $1.  Score!

Wish they had more cashiers.  (They also have 4 self check outs that sometimes don;t always work.)

A necessary evil.
4 - Eric C.: A quick walk from the Drexel dorms, this CVS is located "technically" on Upenn's campus. They are sandwiched in between a small food court that has a quizno's. They have everything you need pretty much from food to bathroom supplies! Pharmacy in the back is like any other you find at other CVS's. They are smaller in size but they don't lose any of their stock!
2 - Shereen C.: This CVS is passable if you're in the area and need something.

The store doesn't seem very well organized.  Sometimes the price tags on the shelf are wrong and make no sense.  Once, I waited forever to fill a prescription, and then it turned out they'd forgotten to call my name.

I appreciate that it's there and often has what I need, but shopping there can be annoying & eat up a lot more time than necessary.

CVS/pharmacy - College Park, MD (38.97961, -76.938146) ()
4 - Martin B.: Great CVS location. It's only a 25 minute (at a decent pace) walk from North Campus of UMD. This CVS is open 24/7, although the pharmacy has limited operating hours. It's a big store, and things are pretty well laid out although they didn't have the shaving cream I wanted. Ah well. There are also self-checkout machines which are pretty cool if you don't have a lot of stuff and the other lines are packed.
4 - Jen F.: This CVS is actually quite nice considering it is in College Park and open 24 hours. Everything is always well organized and easy to find (which can't be said of every CVS).  They don't have as good a selection as other CVS's... their holiday decoration selection can be lacking. Big =(.   But less impulse buy chances, so it keeps me in check. 

The pharmacy can either take 30 seconds or 30 minutes... even when dropping one off which you think wouldn't take long at all. I guess this is the case at most pharmacies though. If you have recurring prescription, get auto refill- it will be your best friend!  They call you when your prescription is ready and you have a week to pick it up.

Also, make sure you get an ExtraCare card if you don't have one.  You get coupons at almost every purchase.. some good, some bad, but they gear them based on what you have bought previously.  You also get to take advantage of CVS promotions, and my favorite part- ExtraCare Bucks- is essentially a coupon giving you money back every month or so. (the amount depends of how much you spent since the last coupon.)  I got $8 this month.  Sweet!

Shoutout to Manas, the night manager- he's the nicest guy ever!
4 - Heather R.: Awesome location. Friendly staff. Typical well stocked pharmacy. A good one stop shop for most necessities. They also have a self checkout. And a photo processing center. You can also add money to you metro card there, get milk, frozen food, non-parishable groceries....Great greeting card section!
4 - Swatee G.: one of the better CVS Stores I have seen thus far. and since this one is so close to where I worked on campus for 2 years, it has been a constant hang out! I've run to this place when I've desperately needed stuff, when I've felt hungry or even just to kill time! :p

They carry all my FAV brands for cosmetics, haircare and skin care too! 

the best part about the place is the extra care rewards you earn! I LOVE them! I have made use of their awesome coupons so many times!

Must go time saver! :)
4 - Praveen N.: Unremarkable, and good. Fair location too. I've been to a few other CVS'es  where the automatic billing counters don't work well with the AMEX touch card reader, but here you can do it in a pinch.
4 - Laura P.: There is something about all CVS's that smells so good. I don't know what it is. 

This CVS is the go-to place for all us UMD kids trying to get pretty much anything we need for survival. Single problem: the self-checkout machines konk-out quite often.

CVS forever.
5 - Mel S.: Oh, how I love this CVS. Thanks for being open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Even on holidays? Yep. Also, The pharmacy is fast--but tell the people to count your pills in front of you because once I was missing ten pills! It does not matter how long it takes them or how upset they become, they should count your pills in front of you.
2 - Natalie S.: This CVS is pretty good unless you need a pharmacy.  

TWICE they called me saying my prescription was ready, and when I got there it wasn't, btw same day.  They lost the refill information, royally irritating my doctor who had to send it multiple time the first time to talk to a pharmacist.  Lastly, they give an attitude to get the prescription into the system and to leave the cvs as well.  They demand that you call everyone else even if you have to call them for information and get a snide attitude bc my last name is hard to spell - which I gladly do each time.

Aside from that, they have all the Essie nail polish which is nice

CVS/pharmacy - Hyattsville, MD (38.9665496, -76.954021) ()
4 - Kelly G.: Knowing I was going to the movies, I stopped into trusty CVS for some reasonably priced snacks to sneak into the theater.

What did I find? A neatly-organized, well-stocked, well-staffed store (in spite of recent snowstorm events). 

Not only was I able to pick-up a few movie related vittles, but also I stocked up on some batteries, lotion, and nail polish.

I'm a fan of this spot. Yes I am!
3 - Timir D.: It's a cvs, they have all the normal stuff. Only complaint is that there is often a long line of customers and too few employees to serve them all in a timely manner.
2 - Melissa F.: If you need to buy gum or a greeting card, I'm sure they can handle it. If you need a pharmacist, run away now.  I had one prescription there.  To be fair, the pharmacist actually had her head screwed on straight, but she was surrounded by a large staff whose abilities varied from surly to completely incompetent.  They screwed it up the first time by not giving me the same amount of medication the prescription called for.  The explanation and remedy for this varied depending on when you called and who you talked to.  Once I got the problem fixed (and the documentation to prove it) they ket calling me back, offering various solutions.  Then the screwed it up again, exactly the same way as the first time.  The third time I went it, only to find the prescription incorrectly filled, I had to wait for almost an hour as the pharmacist had "just stepped out for a minute" and no one there understood what my problem with the refill was, since it had been filled that way twice before.  Sigh... I transferred the prescription to a competent pharmacy, and spent the rest of the year ignoring robo-calls by CVS telling me my refill was ready.

CVS/pharmacy - Austin, TX (30.2854761, -97.7418657) (The Drag, University of Texas, West Campus)
3 - Eric S.: It's a CVS on the Drag, you know what to expect, even if no one knows what CVS stands for.  

Before this was a CVS, it was an Eckerd, and back before that it was a porn movie house in the 70s and 80s. We're talking the kind of flicks Burt Reynolds directed in Boogie Nights. UT students could leave class and walk directly across the street to catch Lusty Princess & Babycakes. The city cleaned up the area, and students today now walk across the street to CVS for condoms and pregnancy tests instead. You know it's all true, I take my CVS reviews seriously. Check out the photos above for proof.

If you go there, don't order the popcorn.
2 - Claire M.: Every time I use this store, I find myself thinking the same thing: would someone please open a competing store in walking distance from campus so this place would actually start trying? They have pretty standard drug store selection, but they recently eliminated their pharmacy; I don't know if that was a safety issue or an economic decision, but I'm just glad that students can still get medicine at UHS. The big problem here is the staff. OhmiGOD they could not give less of a damn. About anything. The manager, Bill I believe his name is, has routinely shoved past me in a huff as I've browsed the aisles of this place, the photo lab is never staffed, (once when I needed help getting a digital photo printed I had to go chase down a peon, who ultimately stared at me like I had two heads when I asked my question) and the checkers are lazy. Simple as that. They let serious lines build up at checkout without calling for another checker, the checkers are slow and rude, and one guy that helped me recently was actually on the phone (CVS' phone, nonetheless) to his buddy the entire time he was with me. And I believe prices are marked up here. You know, because they can. That's the attitude that pervades the entire store: we suck, because we can. No one else will compete with us. UT students, don't waste your money here. Please.
4 - Mary V.: The CVS card does wonders if you use it often enough. Access to special sales, printed coupons, and ExtraCare Bucks? I know, CVS is still a ripoff, but the sales can be worth it once in a while.

Proof? My receipt:

2 Oak Farm Large Dozen Eggs $1.49 (2)  - SAVED $1.40
1 Oak Farm 2% Fat Milk $2.99 - SAVED $0.50
1 CVS Value 80-Pack Tampons $6.99 - SAVED $2.00
2 Gold Emblem Peach Rings $0.99 (2)

I know I shouldn't brag about my tampons, but come on! All of this MINUS $5.00 because I had a printed coupon from my last visit to CVS that read "$5.00 of a purchase of $15.00!" Not only was everything I needed on sale, but the $5.00 discount felt so good at the register. Everything totaled up to only $10.43, including tax. My receipt said, "Today you saved $8.90." Sweet deal!

My printed coupon at the register this time? "$2 ExtraCare Bucks - 3 DAYS ONLY!" They were practically giving me money, but I couldn't think of what I would need in the next three days. I sighed out loud to Carlisa (the genial employee from my previous review), "There's always a reason to come back."

"Yeah," She replied. "Looks like there always is!"
3 - Jeanette H.: I have mixed feelings and experiences at this CVS. 
Positives:
-I love the close proximity to my office on UT campus so if I need something quickly I can run over and grab it. 
That's about the only positive thing I have to say.
Negatives: 
-It is too small and there are always bins and boxes of products taking up the too small space between aisles making it even more difficult to get around.
-There is always a long line and staff people who do not care about providing a quick checkout. 
-The employees do not seem to care about providing good customer service or even being helpful. I have wandered by employees looking for something and not once did anyone ask me if I need help. 

While I don't like the service here the fact that it is close to my office in case I need something right away this CVS is convenient.
It would be nice if there was a Walgreens or some other drugstore close by who actually cared about the customer.
2 - Katie A.: It's close to the office, which is great. Nice for emergencies. The staff members are friendly enough and I can usually find what I need, but I find it is really overpriced. Even more overpriced than a typical CVS.

CVS/pharmacy - Cambridge, MA (42.3728114, -71.1200999) (Harvard Square)
3 - Melissa M.: This CVS is tiny.  It doesn't carry everything you'd find at a bigger CVS.  For example, hair dye.  Nope, none here, you need to go down the street to the other CVS which is ENORMOUS.  That one is 2 floors and kinda like the Taj Mahal of CVSes, CVSi?  Anyway, this one ain't too special.  The people that work here always seem like they are stoned or tired or both.  There is one sweet little chica who is always nice, so I like her.  This place is definitely three star worthy.
2 - Kiki B.: i call this one the "mini cvs," and for that reason never come here.  the big one further into the square is a much,  much better choice.  quite frankly, i'm not sure why this one is here at all...
3 - Louis B.: This is a very small, yet extremely convenient CVS in the heart of Harvard Square, where everything is small, so it fits nicely in the area.  Despite its cozy size, it has most of what anyone would need as first-instance items from the dorms or the busy Kennedy School program.  I would even award it even four, were it not for the fact that the store employees are missing in action at the register and I had to go all around the place looking for someone to manage the check out when I only had 15 minutes between classes.  I wonder with the employees engaged in the back, just how much stuff walks out the door.
4 - Justin H.: You once printed my photos in 10 minutes flat. That is what I call customer delight. I was happy to wait and glad I did- my photos later made my girlfriend very happy. Customer Value Service indeed.

You once saved my respiratory system by providing me with dewy moist air- yes a humidifier does wonders and you pulled through for me yet again.

Your sister, the other CVS who lives down the street didn't have Q Tips, just the CVS brand which I once bought and dearly regretted. Q Tips are the type of product where you spend the big bucks to get the resistance of the straw and the plumpness of the cotton bulb that you are looking for, otherwise skimp and have 1000 reasons to regret it!  Point is you had what I was looking form somehow you always do.

You make me check out and pay myself, as if I need to be taught how to take care of myself and grow up because maybe one day you'll be gone. I like the self service option, you make me feel like a kid in that moment, experimenting with a new machine, matching up the UPC code to the laser and smiling when I get it right and hear the confirmed beep and item graphic pop up on the screen.

Stay cool Customer Value Service.

CVS/pharmacy - Philadelphia, PA (39.954332, -75.201935) (University City)
4 - Amanda F.: Normally I wouldn't bother reviewing this, but since I have been on the hunt for a pharmacy without pharmacists who are rude, unprofessional jerks and I have finally found one, I thought I would post. The young woman pharmacist with brown hair and glasses is especially nice, and they seem a lot faster at filling prescriptions than any other CVS I have been to in this city (or in the suburbs), and are also really good at straightening out various SNAFUs I have had with canceled prescriptions/refills needed without seeming too annoyed with it.

Also, this place was recently remodeled, as I discovered when I walked in and was confronted, bewildered, with ready made sandwiches and salads (in a CVS???) They seemed a bit overpriced, but it was still interesting. Also, now that they have self checkout lines, things at the front of the store go MUCH faster.

This is the only CVS in the area I will bother with.
2 - Sylvia M.: I have never met such miserable people in my life... I hate going to this place because of the staff! theyre rude, they just installed the self-check out and if u want someone to ring up your stuff they ask you about a million times if you want to do it yourself. its obnoxious. i actually did pay by myself once and the computer froze as it was making my transaction and the guy didnt know what to do... we stood there for about 15 min trying to figure it out, he was beyond incompetent.

the selection on merchandise is quite nice. theres a lot and a wide selection of everything! its MUCH larger than the one on 34th.
2 - Jessica S.: Why review CVS? Well, because there are 3 of them within walking distance of one another and if you're like me, livin' in West Philly, and thinking that they're all the same you're in for a rude awakening (except now you don't have to be cuz I'm writing this review)

The short, brown-haired pharmacist here is, by far, the least helpful professional I've ever had the unfortunate circumstance of needing assistance from. She had a sassy yet confusingly useless response to each of my questions about the meds I was receiving. At one point I thought she was joking. That is, until she walked away and began doing something other than help me for upwards of 7 minutes while I stood at the counter waiting for something. Not sure what I was waiting for. She never made it clear if she was processing my prescription, looking for something, if I should wait or go. 

I'll make sure to get refills at the cvs on Locust.
3 - Marissa R.: The store is convenient and usually has everything I need. They have great coupons frequently too!! 
I do hate the fact that they have gone to all computer check-out lanes instead of having you actually interact with humans. I get it - the company is saving $8 an hour per customer service rep, however, it's quite annoying. The machines frequently don't work, and will not always take your bills in the money feeder. Overall, I'm pissed that CVS chose to slash jobs and human interaction, in order to save cash on the automated tellers.
3 - Dan W.: This place is pretty decent.  It's very large and has a lot of different items.  It's usually not very crowded, so I know I can get in and get out quickly.  I obviously wouldn't do my grocery shopping here since it's expensive, but if I just need a couple of sodas or something similarly quick, I'll go here instead of Fresh Grocer since it's fast.  I've been a shopper here for a year, and I don't think I've had to wait in line more than ten times.

I don't use the pharmacy or interact with the staff (thanks, self-checkout!), so I can't speak to those aspects of the store.  All things considered, this CVS is acceptable.
1 - Ben F.: Although it may be ridiculous to write a yelp review about CVS, I believe that even the most mundane places can impact a community and therefore deserve to be accounted for by the general and neighborhood community of yelpers. I like this CVS less than other CVSs for various reasons. One reason is this one's location is out of my way. I can more easily access the CVS on 43rd Locust. The characters at this CVS seem to be focused on buying superfluous snack goods and the atmosphere is obtuse and louder than most other CVSs. There is one unctuous employee who continuously offers an extra care card to me; despite every time I say "no, thank you" he decides to give me the extra care offer anyway. Regardless of his intentions, I find it to be over kill that he tries to ameliorate the area of the self-check out machines as if it's a competition between them and him. The machines are so ridiculous in their own nature that I find the whole experience disenchanting. This place may be less of a circus at night.
4 - Dana B.: Apologies to those of y'all who have had bad experiences at this CVS, but I beg to differ.  I rushed in with my camera and firewire in hopes that I could get some last minute photos developed, or better yet, have a photo book made, and I was willing to fork over a few extra bucks for that.  The staff there that morning was friendly, attentive, and patient, and I had my photo book ready in minutes!  They sure saved my life that morning.
3 - Jay D.: this isn't a lot different from other cvs's, except that other cvs's seem to place importance on restocking items. i've never seen such activity in this store. so, if this is the only cvs you go to i would suggest you buy all of whatever item it is you need. need aspirin? buy all of them. greeting card? buy the whole aisle. toothpaste? all. etc. then, when you get home and realize how ridiculous that was, return the items so they're there for me when i go to shop. and now you can feel like you made a difference in this world by restocking the west philly cvs.

CW Taekwondo - Cambridge, MA (42.3648846, -71.1043849) (Central Square)
5 - Mags L.: CW is an awesome not-for-profit TKD club.  

2 principle factors that make it A#1:  great people, great instructors (active competitively at the local, national, international level) who enthusiastically share and spread their love for taekwondo.
4 - Michelle F.: I am taking kickboxing there and really like it.  There are three instructors and two of them are way better than the other one (I won't name names).    All in all, it is a good class that provides a good workout for really really cheap.
5 - Flora B.: Great location, good space, excellent cardio kick-boxing classes. Sort of small locker room, but whatever. In and out in a flash. Overall a great find! I can feel my arms changing shape already. SCULPT, baby. 

P.S. Cardio kick-boxing is a great way to channel aggression and anger.
3 - Trish F.: I've been here for their cardio kickboxing. I've heard that each teacher has their own style (as expected) but the one I had was just alright. She was super friendly, but there were times when she lost count. I don't know if she did that on purpose like my high school swim coach that always conveniently lost count during our crunches (grrr).. but it was a little frustrating. And I do wish we spent more focus on a certain parts instead of quickly jumping from one thing to the next (it's like a really fast circuit). Don't get me wrong, you do get a pretty intense workout. I just think that it's  a workout you could probably do on your own after a few classes.. if you had the right amount of discipline. 

The passes (buying a block of classes or a month pass) are on the cheaper side when considering other group exercise rates in Boston. If you know you're going to go a couple times a week, the monthly passes are a super deal. Like I mentioned up top, I think it's a good way to force yourself to go (when you know you sunk a chunk of change into the place by buying a multi-class pass) if you don't have enough discipline to exercise on your own. 

If you call in advance you get to try a class out for free. Oh and the workout has a jump roping segment. For the first class you can borrow one, otherwise bring your own or they'll charge you for the use of theirs. 

3.5ish stars.
5 - Tanya A.: This club isn't just a place to work out, it's a community. I joined the taekwondo program as a way to get more exercise, and convinced my husband to participate with me-- we've been members for almost a year now and are now trying to convince all of our friends to try it too! There are classes for all different skill levels; the instructors from every class are super-approachable, and there's always someone willing to help you or show you a new technique, whether it's a black belt or a fellow student. I can't say enough about how great the people are here, honestly. It can be difficult starting something new, especially when you have a bunch of other things on your plate, but it really helps when you've got a group of people who are actually interested in making sure you're doing well and having a good time.

So there's the adult program, the kids' program, and cardio kickboxing, which I haven't tried yet but which looks like quite a workout. You can also attend specialized classes for things like sparring and martial arts forms. Basically, you can attend whatever classes you're interested in-- there's no set program you have to go through, though you're encouraged to test for promotion if that's what you want.

Whether you're interested in learning to fight competitively, increasing your general fitness level, or becoming familiar with the "art" in martial arts, CW Taekwondo is an ideal place to do it.

Plus, sometimes it's just fun to kick things. ;)
5 - D. H.: CW Taekwondo is an excellent non-profit martial arts school. Having attended several TKD schools across the U.S., I was so pleased to find this one a year ago after moving to Boston. The facilities aren't fancy, but they provide what you need and everyone chips in to take care of the place and keep it clean and well-maintained. The instructors are competent, patient, dedicated, and personable. I've attended the adult classes (both intermediate and advanced) for over a year now and have watched the adult beginner classes and children's classes as well--and they're all terrific. 

I've recently started attending the cardio kickboxing classes too (which are free for those who pay for the Taekwondo classes). The cardio classes are a great workout; I always leave exhausted but exhilarated.

The fees are very reasonable for the number of classes and open workout hours they offer each week. (Once you've paid you can attend as many as you'd like, which encourages me to get my money's worth and attend a lot of classes!)

As another poster said, it's not just a place to exercise, it's a community. They've been very welcoming and I relish the wonderful friends I've made at CW Taekwondo and the time I spend there each week.
5 - Alicia H.: These people are amazing.  I currently attend Cardio-Kickboxing here 3 times/week (MWF) after work.  It's an amazing lcoation and everyone here is just fantastically friendly and helpful.  It's an amazing workout too - there are literally all sorts of levels of fitness in the class, mostly about 80% women and seems to be anywhere from 15-25 people in class depeneding on the night of the week.  Hell of a workout - makes me feel very virtuous!!  I've been doing it over 3 weeks now and it's still very challenging; it's definitely not something that will bore you in a couple of weeks.  I'm a huge fan and I see kickboxing (especially here) playing a big part in my future!

Bonus, they're non-profit, so you even feel good about paying for their (very reasonably priced) classes!  ;D  Perhaps you can even include your payments in your itemized deductions next year....hmm....
5 - Nathan H.: I train with the competition workout team at CW.  I've trained with several taekwondo teams over the years and I can say that the quality of instruction here is second to none.  The instructors consist of  Collegiate National team coaches, US National champions/medalists, National team members from various countries, and other elite caliber athletes.  At the same time classes are open to all levels of athleticism and proficiency.  On top of that the studio is a non-profit organization so you know that the people there are doing it out of love and not just to make a buck.  

As far as the competition workouts go in general they are up paced and geared towards people who don't need a lot of explaining.  If you're looking for high level competition training you'd be hard pressed to find anything better in the Boston area.  The competition workout is run as a semi collaboration between several of the schools in the area, which allows it to get a wide variety of perspectives and ideas.

As far as the school in general is concerned it's almost like a second family.  The people are great and welcoming and there are great social activities outside of practice as well.  If you are looking for high level Taekwondo or just looking to try it out for the first I'd highly recommend CW Taekwondo.
5 - Richard S.: This is THE place to train in taekwondo in the Greater Boston area.  I've lived in the Boston area for six years, and no other place can compare.

The instructors and staff here are the epitome of what a good role model should be.  

Also, the program at CW does an excellent job of achieving the elusive task of balancing between the sport competition aspect of taekwondo with the traditional side of taekwondo.  

You'll find National team members, Olympic athletes, and World Champion athletes here, and they're all very down-to-earth and easily approachable.

But you'll also find a strong emphasis on the traditions and spirit of taekwondo.  There is a strong sense of community, and taekwondo is truly a way of life for the people at CW.

The workout facility is top-notch.  It is well-lit, matted, and there are big mirrors around.

This dojang (taekwondo school) is also a non-profit and regularly participates in local events around Cambridge.  It is dedicated to making the neighborhood a better place.
5 - Yellow L.: After trying out another TKD place in Boston, I joined  CW TKD and have been pleasantly surprised. 

Flat out the nicest group of instructors I've encountered. Unlike a lot of other trainers of any sort, they actually respect your body limits and try to avoid injuries. They provide a lot of encouragement, but it's not empty. You will get better if you pay attention, especially since many of the instructors are former (or current) world-class fighters.

Yes, the location is a bit odd and the accommodations are cramped. Still, there are enough classes and open mat times that you can get your work-out in without colliding with someone.  All of the black belts (and honestly, a lot of non-black belts too) are willing to take some time to go over whatever you need. 

Plus, it's non-profit, which means the rates are a lot cheaper. The average is about $84/mo for unlimited weekly classes (6 days a week, 2-3 classes a day if you can make it), compared with over $200 at another place in the city. You don't feel like they're after your money and there's no pressure to go for the "black belt club" or to pay for extra-special treatment. 

Re: competition club: The competition club is an elite group of students, most of whom aren't technically affiliated with the school; a lot of them are from local colleges. They are there primarily to learn with Dan and to train for international competitions. That's why they're a bit stand-offish. If you want to compete, there are tons of other classes that will get you into good enough shape and competence to fight along with them.
5 - Theresa M.: My children, now 8 and 12, have attended CW for over two years.  I'm really happy with the attitude of the instructors.  They work with the children in a fair, consistent manner.  My kids look forward to going and work hard while they're there.  In recent months, they've made the belt tests on specific dates, which have made my children more motivated to test.  CW also does things like apple picking trips and movie nights, so there's a strong sense of community.
5 - Amanda M.: Need motivation to workout? Are you easily bored and like variety? Do you think the gyms in Boston charge outrageous amounts of money for classes?

Well if that describes you, then you should join CW Taekwondo for its cardio kickboxing. I have been coming here now for almost three months and it's been a great (if exhausting!) experience. 

For $50/month you get unlimited classes which are held MWF after work, one hour each. You can also buy packs of classes if you don't know how regularly you'll attend. There are three instructors all of whom are black belts and each of whom has their own style of instructing (not to mention unique high energy playlist). Even within their styles though, no two classes are exactly the same, they keep things varied so there's no getting bored.

The classes are over 90% female, and most of the men who come are from the Taekwondo classes (Taekwondo students can take kickboxing for free). The classes are not leveled and you get people from all ability ranges from crazy-in-shape black belts to people who haven't worked out in ages. Each student goes at their own pace, doing as much as they can and building as they go. After three months I can say I've improved a great deal and can definitely feel a difference in my ability to keep up with the instructors and feel a difference in my physical stamina in my day to day life.

The kickboxing here is based on Taekwondo forms (obviously) and they do try to teach you something about proper form even though there is no sparring although occasionally we punch or kick pads rather than just the air as we do the majority of the time. I think it's great that even as I'm getting an amazing workout (and trust me, you will sweat like never before) that I'm also learning something, however limited, of a martial art. The classes also always include a jump roping segment and ab work as well as plenty of push-ups and jumping jacks. 

The last great thing about CW is that, as some other reviewers have mentioned, it really is just a friendly community and not just a faceless gym. They have group outings and parties and really want to make you feel welcome and will help you out with any aspect of the workout you're struggling with. 

Overall this is just a great place to work out and a great community to be a part of!
4 - Gianna L.: Kickboxing at CW is pretty great.

The good:
- the price ($50/mo unlimited) is great
- two of the three instructors lead very fun and very hard workouts
- you get an excellent workout, seriously!
- they play fun music to keep you going 

The not-so-good:
- I think that instructors sometimes do moves too quickly which I find allows me to cheat and get a less strenuous workout, and potentially do moves incorrectly
- I find that the mats get pretty dirty, which is unappealing when you're up and down on the floor throughout the workout, but expected.
- it's crowded, lately there's been like 30+ people in class, it's just enough to feel cramped; it would be great if they increased the number of classes to help this out.

Conclusion:
- I would definitely recommend this place to friends. Classes are an excellent workout and fun too!
5 - Dan S.: If there is a place I like to be this is it..

Albeit this is my first foray into Martial Arts, I will say I feel I made that jump with the best possible place.  Although C.W. teaches Taekwondo is feels more like a Taekwondo community.

Often struggled to go to the gym for more than 2 hours a week because it is was rote lonely experience.  I now spend close to 6 hours per week at CW because it is a great workout with a very social experience.  I feel like I am hanging out with friends and just happen to be soaked in sweat from the various classes.

All the instructors bring a different feel to their class which also provides for different levels of focus around technique, especially good because not everyone learns the same way.  

The community is warm and friendly and love doing and teaching Taekwondo and it shows.  I am very glad to be going here and would highly recommend!
5 - Wes A.: Awesome place for martial arts instruction.  The instructors are knowledgeable, friendly, and encouraging.  There is a an atmosphere more than just a class-students socialize with each other and the instructors.  Its also a non-profit so the prices are much lower than other places.
5 - Pelu R.: I definitly recommend this place to learn TKD. It's a very relax and nice environment, especially to learn TKD for adults. Most people are graduate students or young professionals of ages from 24 to 50. And they also have a cardio class, and a TKD class for kids that seemed to bre pretty nice. So if what you are looking for is a more relax, less competitive place to learn TKD in a friendly environment, this is probably the best place around Cambridge
5 - Scarlet S.: I've been taking Taekwondo classes at CW for 9 months and I'm having a blast.  I have been trying to get myself to exercise regularly for years and this is the first time it's finally happened.  There is a great sense of community and so much energy and enthusiasm at this place - it makes working out fun and rewarding.  I highly recommend that people give it a try!
4 - Jay T.: It's a great place!  It's a very supportive atmosphere even if you only go every once in a while.
4 - James K.: I trained here briefly before moving on to other martial arts. The facility, the school, and the staff are great and it's a non-profit so you'll be paying much less than other for-profit schools. I'd say if you are brand new to martial arts or if you want to get back into TKD, you should check this place out.
5 - Jessica F.: I bought a deal on Yelp and have been going to their Cardio Kickboxing class for the past 2 months. The workout is awesome and I could fit into my old jeans again after the 1st month! 
They usually break the class out into 2 sections. The 1st part is mostly cardio to get you warmed up (sometimes it can be really intense); the 2nd part they would teach you skills on kicking/punching/guarding. 
I think even without the Yelp deal, it is a GREAT deal to come here regularly for $50/month with unlimited classes.
5 - Fabricio D.: Love it!!
5 - Sasha F.: I love this place. The classes really challenging but the instructors are awesome. They really push you to do your best without the intimidation factor. Before taking this class I was REALLLLLLLLY out of shape, but two month in i'm feeling strong and confidant. Kind of like I could really kick some butt :D I highly recommend this place and hope to see you in class.
5 - Ariel M.: On a whim I got the Yelp deal for cardio kickboxing, and man, is this place worth it. I'd never done cardio kickboxing (or any kind of boxing) before, and the three instructors are awesome at integrating new people and not making you feel like an uncoordinated failure when you're flopping around like a fish trying to do high kicks. It's a small studio, but the energy is always high, the music is fun, the instructors are great, and I really liked my classmates. Not to mention it's a killer workout. Expect to be tired. Totally worth it. Buying another month of classes next week!

Cabbie's Cab - Cambridge, MA (42.3773146139445, -71.1165618896484) (Harvard Square)
5 - Colleen K.: Cabbie's Cab is a great cab service.  We live in Cambridge, and cabs are notoriously unreliable (ahem, Ambassador, ahem).  Actually getting one to show up can be a challenge, and even though Boston cabs now have to accept credit cards, Cambridge cabs have yet to adopt the customer-centric model.   Cabbie's is totally different.  He's just started up his business and is incredibly accommodating.  To start, he will accept credit cards even though he technically doesn't have to, AND he's offering great airport rates for any repeat customers or people that refer new customers to him.  Basically, the more you use him or direct business to him, he'll drop your airport rates.
This guy just "gets it."  He's working to get new customers and his business practices reflect that.  You'll never get into an argument with him if you only have a $20 and he all of a sudden doesn't have change.  The service is incredibly reliable, payment methods couldn't be easier, and he's a great guy, to boot (he sent us his lamb vindaloo recipe after learning we like to cook Indian food at home).  If you're planning on taking a cab, call this guy and help him grow a good business!
5 - Mike S.: We used Cabbie's cab today from the Hyatt in Cambridge to the airport. Compared to the other cabs that we used all week, he is the best...hands down!!!! He is just getting started and has a brand new car with his rates a good 20% cheaper than those others around town. Also, he is a real nice guy who makes good conversation... compared to the others we had all week who never said a word. I recommend him highly and will call on him again when we come back to Boston later this summer. Give him a try and you will see.
5 - Alyssa G.: My boyfriend and I rode with Cabbie's Cab from Mass Ave in Cambridge to South Station this afternoon.  Couldn't have been better.

When I was ordering the car the day before my ride, the dispatcher asked if I had any luggage.  I told him I had one large piece of luggage.  But what I didn't specify until pickup was that it was actually a huge box with a bicycle inside.  (I'd already gotten burned by Flat Rate Cab who tried to send an overpriced S.U.V. instead of a regularly priced car for transporting such a large object.)  The driver was hesitant to take on this luggage at first because it was a huge box and his white Honda Accord was brand-new, but I talked him into it and the fit ended up being just right.  My boyfriend sat in the front seat and I sat crossed-legged in the back seat.

We had a lovely smooth ride with pleasant yet meaningful conversation among the three of us.  I'm going to rave about Cabbie's Cab to all of my friends in the Cambridge area!

Plus, the driver arrived for pickup over 20 minutes early and notified me through text message.  Very convenient.
5 - Jeremy L.: 20 minutes early. Totally would have overslept if they hadnt called @ 4:40 am. Very nice
5 - Grace K.: Was visiting a friend at HBS and had Cabbie's Cab pick me up at 4:30 AM. They were great to work with and were there early waiting for me. Would definitely recommend to students as he is also willing to pick you up closer to the dorms instead of the taxi stand area.
5 - Yuri I.: Great service and the taxi was on time. And the cab driver was a cool guy!

Came to Boston for a med school interview from California, and the night before the interview I tried to reserve a cab. It was late at night... right before 11pm... and could not find a cab!!! Called Cabbie's cab first, and he said that he wouldn't do a small job. Called other place, this guy rudely said "call in an hour" and hang up. Tried the other places and nobody picked up the phone. As I was starting to panic, I called Cabbie's Cab again. I said, "Hi, I just spoke with you 5 minutes ago, and I couldn't find anybody to take me..." The guy with a sigh " Ok Ok, I'll take you! But I'll charge you a little extra!" Me "of course, that's fine!"

He showed up on time, actually about 10 minutes early with his white Honda. It was ugly outside---raining in 40 degree weather. When we got to the school, he was so nice that he got off the taxi to find out which building was the building I need to go to, so that I wouldn't get wet. He even carried my luggage to the entrance. I asked him to pick me up after the interview to the airport, and he said yes. Of course he was early, and waited for me outside. He asked me how the interview went--I was so happy to talk to someone nice after such a long stressful day! He's someone I would invite into my house. 

If I am ever in the area, I will use Cabbie's cab in a heart beat.
5 - Caroline S.: I found Cabbie's Cab on yelp, and I am so glad that I did!  

I made a reservation to be driven to the airport at 7:45am.  At 7:30, I got a text message from my cab driver.  He let me know that he was waiting outside my apartment, in case I wanted to leave early.  He also called around 7:40, as I did not respond to the text (I was running around getting ready).

I finally leave my apartment at 7:45 on the dot, and he is sitting right front of the main entrance.  This is pretty darn impressive for my busy Cambridge street.  He asks if I have a preference for routes, and I tell him that I do not.  We end up taking this awesome route that gets us to Logan in much less time than I had budgeted.  He manages to avoid rush hour traffic completely.  

I also want to comment on how nice and clean his car was.   It was a Honda Accord, not a normal cab car, and it was impeccably clean inside.  Between the pleasant conversation and the comfortable car, the ride was really quite enjoyable.

Overall, I can't think of any ways in which I would want to improve this service.  I highly recommend it!
5 - Sarah S.: I'd never called a cab before, and I was impressed when he texted me to let me know he was there 10 minutes early! Unfortunately my professor kept me late in spite of my distressed reminders that my ride was there, and the driver was nice enough to wait for 10 minutes after my appointed time when I told him my situation even though he may have been concerned about timeliness for the next customer. Rajan made pleasant small talk and the car was surprisingly clean and comfortable.

It was a great first cab experience!
5 - Gabrielle T.: Cabbie's Cab was the most professional cab service I have ever experienced....I can't believe I forgot to yelp the 1st time!  I just called again to book him for another trip to the airport which at $35 you can't beat! 

I was impressed that immediately after I booked, I received a confirmation text on my phone. My driver, Rajan was punctual, arriving 10 minutes early. The car was super clean and comfortable and although it was like 5 am- I didn't mind having a conversation with him. He is just a genuinely nice guy...and hi tech I might add. When it came time to pay, he whipped out his IPad and charged my card and sent a confirmation email right then and there. He wished me safe travels and rode away into the sunrise to serve what I am sure will be another satisfied customer.
5 - Jason L.: Super professional cab service.  The driver texted me the night before and the morning of pick up -- he was also early and waited for me until I was ready.  I would highly recommend Cabbie's Cab to anyone in the Harvard or Cambridge area.
5 - Dorothy W.: Very reliable car service in Cambridge. After a major snowstorm, Rajan picked up me and my friend at separate times during the day and took us to the train station. He was reliable and professional both times. He called to let us know the exact times he would arrive. He drove safely and was personable. Will definitely use him again.
5 - Jane A.: Fast service and great.  Picked me up in the blizzard this morning and took me to work.  Cannot recommend highly enough.  This was my second time using them, and it was equally good the first time.  

Good service, flat and affordable rates, and very professional  On my speed dial.  Thank you!
5 - Tom P.: Fantastic service!!!

I started using Cabbie's Cab based on the reviews here and am very happy I did!  I travel frequently to New York from Cambridge and use Cabbie's Cab for my airport rides (often very early morning).  The company is very accommodating and easy to book.  They are always early and waiting in a nice warm car.  

I also wanted to mention that I recently was able to jump on an earlier flight home...I had already booked Cabbie's Cab for later that evening.  As I was running to my flight, I texted Cabbie's Cab about the change in hopes they would be able to adjust.  No problem...I arrived to a text message letting me know they were there, no change in price, happy driver and a warm car waiting for me. 

Cabbie's Cab is about the customer....making sure the customer is happy.

I would give this company six stars if I could!!!
5 - Sarita S.: I am really impressed with Rajan's service. He takes great pride in his business, and it's extremely important to him to provide outstanding service. Friends of mine booked a 5:30 am trip with him, and he was very responsive, and early! Because of this, my husband and I used his cab service to the airport the following day, and he again was right on time, and very professional. We booked again for my trip back from the airport, and my experience was the same. Credit card payments are a breeze with his ipad, and his car is comfortable, clean, and warm. He has 5 or 6 people that work with him, so availability is likely to be good.

I wouldn't take heed of the one bad review - Rajan told me about it, and was very down and confused about it -  said he had scoured his email/texts for the reservation and had no idea who the person was!

I would strongly recommend his services to anyone in the area.
5 - Matthew D.: Cambridge to the airport ride.

Text confirmation night before.

Wake-up call was nice, he showed up early, car was very clean, he was very friendly/profesional, and it was cheaper than the yellow cab I took from the airport.

All around fantastic and highly recommended.
5 - michele k.: Booked car svc with Cabbie's Cab after perusing a few reviews here...Needed to get from Logan to Peabody for an AM meeting with impending snow. Rajan/Owner and Driver was fabulous - professional, reliable, and technically savvy (booked/confirmed via text and emailed me cc receipt)...Rajan, thanks for going the extra mile!!
5 - Rachel R.: This past Thursday, I decided to take a cab to the airport rather than schlep through mountains of snow and ice to the Central Square T.  Browsing around Yelp, I noticed one taxi company in Cambridge with a 5 star rating, but honestly, I thought the reviews were too good to be for real.  Turns out I was wrong...I had a wonderful experience with Cabbie's Cab!

The driver showed up right on time, was courteous, efficient, and even sent me a confirmation text message beforehand.  When I asked if I could pay with credit card, he said it was no problem and even emailed me a receipt with his iPad.  If only all taxi companies could be like this one--suffice to say I stored the number for Cabbie's Cab in my phone book and will be calling them next time I'm heading to Logan.

Also--flat rate to the airport from Cambridge was $35, which is a very competitive price.
2 - Emily Z.: I had one experience where the cab showed up on time but then recently I called at 6am and they said they would "try" to send a cab. Like, dude... find out whether you can send one or not and let me know. Unfortunately I don't know of any better cab company around here and some of them are worse.
5 - Britney A.: Excellent. To make up for the mishap last time, he offered a ride when I needed one last minute to downtown. He went out of his way as I didn't realize his change in services to now strictly being rides to and from the airport. He was on time (5 min early, actually) and wouldn't accept a charge for the ride, nor a tip. The car was impeccably clean and a very pleasant drive (unlike the typical cab experiences). The only thing you need to be aware of is that he needs advance notice (I think he said 15 days?) of the needed ride. I'll definitely call again. So long as I know in advance when I'll need a cabbie, he's the guy for the job.
1 - David L.: Very disappointed.  Called to get a pickup from Oak Square in Brighton right off Soldier's Field Road and the cost quoted to me was $60.  Sorry but I can call an actual limo service and get there for that price, and a true cab with hackney license will only run me $40 or so from my house.  Seems like they only want to service Cambridge, if you live elsewhere you'll want to use someone else.
5 - Chloe S.: Every time I need a cab, I'm calling these guys. Can't recommend it enough. Not only are these extremely nice (and new!) cars you get to ride in, but the service is incredibly helpful, on time (actually a half hour early!) and technologically up to date. I mean, text messages to confirm my pick up time and location, calling them when I'm heading out to the pick up area so they're ready, and a receipt from my credit card payment that gets sent to me via his iPad? Beautiful. A college student's dream company. 
He even pointed out that at the bottom of his text message there's a link to the website so you can book your taxi online!
Excellent service, and a flat rate of $35 to get the airport. Wonderful. Now instead of getting stressed with carrying my luggage on the T, I'll happily take Cabbie's Cab to the airport.
4 - Sue S.: Tried Cabbie's Cab after some discouraging rides with Cambridge Cab. Their service was excellent - the driver was on time, drove well and was very pleasant. I would have given it a full 5 stars except that it was the only cab ride to the airport from Porter Square that cost $48 WITHOUT TIP! What?!! Normally I can get to the airport for $30-$35, but this was ridiculous. The driver took me all the way to Fresh Pond Parkway and around, despite my protest that we were going the wrong way.

In any event, when we arrived at the airport, I calmly told him that I thought we took a "detour" because I've never paid this much. He told me that rates have recently gone up and that all rides from Harvard are a flat $43. Is this really true?  He then knocked off about $6 from the fare, leading me to think that he knew it was a "detour." I still have never taken this long, round-about way to Logan.

So, thought I really want to give it a full 5, and on the other end 3 stars for driving me all over town, I'll end up with a 4. I appreciate that he was reasonable, but I wish that I never had to launch such a dispute.
5 - Elaine D.: VERY RELIABLE car service!!!   I am a frequent business traveler and I use this service all the time.   He is always there on time and in most cases early.   He also takes my corporate card which is a huge plus!
3 - Michael R.: His business system is great (reserve by text, pay by CC), and he shows up on time.  He's reliable which is saying something compared to some other companies.  We found his driving style to be erratic, however, and both times we came in to Logan were peppered with texts and calls while waiting for our bags.
5 - Brian C.: I've used the Cabbie's Cab service twice for a ride to Logan airport.  Both times, Rajan has appeared 20-30 minutes early, so I got to the airport with time to spare.  The car is well-kept, the drive smooth, and the service cordial--can't ask for much more.  It's also helpful that the entire process can be conducted and documented electronically (though email and text), from the initial booking to the confirmation to the receipt of payment; Rajan is easily the most high-tech cabbie I've hired.  I'm sure I'll use his service again soon.
5 - Amanda W.: Excellent service over the phone!  Very polite and competent woman on the phone.  I'm so used to the rude Boston cabbies, and it was nice to find a company interested in getting the information right.  Good job!  You are my goto from now on.
5 - Neale M.: I go to the airport often, and from experience I can say that Cabbies Cab is the best way to get there. The are kind, professional, and make great use of technology (text confirmations, email receipts). If you're going to Logan or South Station, I wouldn't go with anyone else.
1 - AA A.: wow... called this company...guy answers on his iPhone.  Between his terrible cell reception and thick accent it was a failed conversation. I hang up. He calls me back twice, leaves a voicemail, sends me a spam text, and calls back two more times... as if that wasn't absurd enough he goes on to text me four times to berate me for hanging up on him... totally unprofessional and needless to say, very creepy. Not to mention he threatens to use my personal information illegally. enough said.
5 - Alexander K.: Fast and reliable car service. Flat rates to and from Logan. They never late and often come early. Used them several times already and never got disappointed.
5 - Pamela S.: Absolutely fantastic cab service.  I've used Cabbie's Cab for about a year now, and every time I schedule a ride with them, they show up 15 minutes early and wait for me.  Incredibly reliable.  Even better, you can schedule just by texting them.
5 - Tim S.: Booked an early morning trip to Logan. Got a text confirmation right away. Showed up on time. Great service.
5 - Sereia C.: Very impressive car service!  I was convinced there was a cab strike last night after leaving one text and two voicemails for 3 different cabs, and no responses.  Then I called Cabbie.  He answered right away, agreed to pick me up at the ungodly hour of 3:30 AM, and then even confirmed my address and time via text message.  He shortly after called back and asked if he could come 15 minutes earlier.  I agreed.  He took $5 of my fare and sent me a new confirmation text.

Today, 2:55 AM: My alarm goes off.

2:56 AM: I lay in bed and ponder my batshit-craziness of booking such an early flight.

3:00 AM: I get a text from Cabbie that he is outside waiting whenever I'm ready.

3:01 AM: I text him back to tell him I'm still getting ready and will be right out.

3:05 AM: I finally get my ass out if bed.

3:15 AM: He texts me that it's 3:15.

3:16 AM: He calls me to be sure I'm on my way.  Impressive.  He doesn't want me to miss my flight even more than me!

The owner is very nice.  Very personable.  Pretty high tech too...scans your card into his phone, has you sign on his touch screen on the phone, then you enter your email to get the receipt sent to you.  Good idea for marketing, now Cabbie has all his past customer's emails.

He checked my back seat when I got out, and brought my bags up onto the curb rather than just lift them up and out of the trunk like most.  The car was a nice, clean white Honda Accord.  

Cabbie costs a bit more, as he is a car service, and not a cab...but he's worth it!

...FYI he does airport trips only.
5 - April B.: Very impressed! Driver was so friendly! Was there 15 minutes early and got me to the airport super quick. Will definitely book again. Thanks!
5 - Alex B.: Fantastic car service.

I took Cabbie's Cab to the airport on short notice, after reading good reviews on yelp. 

They were able to accomodate me, confirmed via text message, showed up exactly as promised, were able to take payment by credit card (taxis in Cambridge do not!), had a flat rate (same as I pay for a taxi), and sent me a receipt via email. The driver was very friendly. 

Cabbie's cab is the best way to get to the airport from Cambridge, hands down.
5 - Laura F.: The best possible recommendation I can give for this company - I have another early morning flight at the end of this month, and I'm using them again.  No question.

They provided me an instant quote for last minute car service to Logan.  I forgot to order a taxi in advance - no problem!  $50 flat rate (Ok, I'm not that worried about traffic at 4:00 am, but that included all the tolls, which is good for me.)  They confirmed via text, showed up 15 minutes early, and got me to the airport quickly.  The car was clean, and the driver was polite.  That's really all I'm looking for from this type of company.  A taxi from Logan to my house, in no traffic, is around $40, but it's worth paying a little extra for guaranteed good service - especially after I read the reviews for other places that may or may not decide to show up.  I like to know that I'll make my flight.

Also, you can book via text message or online, which makes me pretty happy.

Cable Airport - Upland, CA (34.112393, -117.685668) ()
4 - Frederick H.: This review is only for the NE parking area.  I sat up there today and watched planes take off and land - it was a beautiful sunny day, and the planes come in on final almost over your head.
5 - Ron L.: Sounds of planes flying by and ol'military war planes sitting on the tarmac.  Gotta Love this place. 
     The airport actually made a parking area for several vehicles and placed a bench for people to sit down and watch landings and take offs just 50 feet from where you are at.. 
           This is so cooool and they had to actually put signs on the roadway...that says low flying aircraft... 
            I could sit here for hours just enjoying the different aircrafts doing their flying lessons on touch and go...
           Bring your burger and fries and sit on your tailgate and watch all the fun.  Awesome takeoffs at sunset into the colorful sky!!!
5 - Brian H.: For Aviation Lovers and The Curious:

You will find no better spot in Southern California to experience aviation up close and personal. Cable has the best observation deck anywhere - offering views from the Foothills to San Bernardino Mountains most days. You can see aircraft approaching and sequencing themselves for landing over Rancho. You can hear the air traffic controllers in the tower issuing instructions to the aircraft while you sit and watch.

If you want you can also buy a few hours of fight time from the flight schools.  An instructor will take  you and two others out for a wonderful hour to an hour and a half flight around Ontario, Rancho....down to Fontan and or out over to Anaheim hills and back.  They will let you fly the plane and even give you a flight book with a few hours under your belt. 

It's great to sit and enjoy your brown bag lunch and watch the action, it's also a great place to bring the kids, they have a great time especially on Saturday or Sunday mornings when it's a bit busier! This is also the time when you are most likely to see a larger variety of aircraft including some vintage models.

Can't go wrong!
5 - Gail D.: went to the 37th air show last weekend. ideal weather, free parking,lots of vintage planes, vintage car show/parade that began with the upland high school regiment bag pipe band. many food booths to choose from, balloon man for the kids, amazing to see planes flying in formation! and what about the planes that fly straight up, stall and then come swirling down!! i recommend taking the family to spend a day outside enjoying breathtaking stunts and ariel performances.
4 - Donald S.: Great Airport with a nice Cafe with patio dining and view of the Runway. Owners and staff are always friendly.
5 - Jonathan L.: I took my girlfriend for her first flight ever yesterday! We decided that a short flight with no destination, that could be stopped at any time would be the best option for her to finally concur her fear of flight. I was very happy with our experience, the staff was very understanding that it was her first time and reassured her that it would be fun once we were in the air. She ended up loving it and we couldn't have chosen a better time for our flight. We had nice views all around and a great view of the sun set from the plane. The pilot was very friendly (cant remember his name) and made the experience very enjoyable.

Only let down was that my girlfriends headset didn't work, so we switched so she could speak with the pilot during the flight.

Over all a very fun experience, would recommend and something I could see us doing again.

Cable Car Cinema - Providence, RI (41.8231069, -71.4055966) (College Hill)
4 - Ren H.: Its like watching a movie in your apartment, the theater actually has couches in it!  You have to get there super early to actually get a loveseat to yourselves but the movies are cheap.  The only drawback is they play mostly independent films and sometimes you get a real dud.
4 - A T.: Great indy cinema with "love seats" instead of traditional chairs.  The attached cafe is also great--serving vegetarian and, on occasion, vegan options.  Usually the shows are a gem; however watch out for some of the film festivals--the theatre sometimes goes overboard on the "edge" factor--make sure you google reviews of the movies you want to see instead of relying on the blurbs the Cable Car puts out.  (This is coming from one traumatized theatre goer who witnessed people throwing up and crying over one flick I attended).
4 - danielle l.: Probably the most interesting concept in a theater (that I have been to, at least) - couches instead of theater seats. The screen/sound is mediocre, but how often do you have a violinist (or is it a fiddle? too lazy to check the website) before your movie starts?

I think I only had a tuna melt there once, and it was pretty damn tasty. Food's a little expensive, but not many people go there for the cafe. The usually seem to end up with movies Avon had the week or so before, but it's worth it to go see if you're visiting Providence or can't find obscure foreign film x in your local theater.
5 - shane o.: Leave the preciousness at the door if you want to enjoy the couches coated with the sweat of many, many asses.  Good indy movies often preceeded by vaudeville entertainment - the best I remember was an old folk singer who did the scariest "Teddy Bear's Picnic" i've heard.
4 - ken z.: A neighborhood institution. Good movies, comfy couches, and free music before the show (sometimes).
4 - Alexis J.: Adorable concept! They've replaced normal theater seats with couches... although they are just about as luxurious as the couches you might find at your local frat house or salvation army.  Interesting movies, great coffee, cool atmosphere. Great date place!
4 - ronald s.: i've only been here for coffee and it was very good coffee. a movie house/cafe .. great idea, wish it was closer to home ..
5 - James H.: Like everyone else, I love the love seats at CableCar, but I won't object to the recent upgrade.

It is one of the best places I know to sit and surf, and of course the coffee is delicious and fair-trade (last I checked -- that is a prereq for my 5-star rating!)
5 - Sushi X.: They usually have awesome movies playing here not found elsewhere and the couches are very nice. I hate typical movie theater seats and its awesome that this place doesn't have those. The food and drink are more expensive than other theaters but its super easy to sneak in stuff from 711 right down the corner from Kennedy Plaza.
4 - Nick M.: Nice independent movie theatre.  I first stopped by here for the espresso, noticed they did movies and came in for a few flicks.  The atmosphere is nice, with some big comfy seats and couches as well as the traditional movie seats found in lecture halls. 

Big screen, decent sound.  Comfy seating.  Nice snack selection that gets away from just popcorn, soda and candy.
4 - areia s.: The Cable Car is great for flicks, of course, but it's also a kick-ass cafe. I don't know why, but I dig their coffee more than anyone else's in this town. Of course, it's even better when you can bring that excellent coffee into the theater while you're watching the latest film festival darling.

Oh, and how bitchin' is it that the movie's sound plays over the bathroom speakers? If you get up to take a leak, you don't miss a word of dialogue. Supersweet.
5 - Bailey M.: I came here to see an independent film that was sponsored by Brown U. I found the tiny theater size and the little black couches to be very charming (and excellent for date night!) 

The only problem with the theater is that their food/drink is overpriced-- I ended up buying a $1.50 water bottle at the cafe. But that shouldn't take away a star, since all theaters are set up this way. 


And I agree with areia s. that the speakers in the bathroom make you feel a lot better about having to get up in the middle of the movie to go pee. Brilliant!
4 - Ray V.: This is another place I am happy that it even exists in the first place. I think they changed owners in the last year or so and I think the place is better for it. How can you beat couches in a movie theater!
3 - David B.: Once you visit the Cable Car Cinema you wonder why there are not more places like this around. Sit back on a nice couch with a drink and a snack with a good independent film. 

Take time to check out this place. Visit their website for film times.
5 - Maggie H.: I love this theater. It is really one of a kind. Comfy couches, an interesting and varied selection of features, programs, and festivals. The cafe is good too: strong coffee and yummy paninis and cookies. And now you can bring beer and wine from the cafe into film screenings. What more could a 21st c. film buff ever ask for?!
5 - Jennifer E.: Cable Car shows indie movies in a comfy theater (only one screen) with couches (so you can cozy up with your date) and chairs.  I haven't eaten anything but they have a decent selection of cafe food (sandwiches, smoothies, etc) and drinks (beer, coffee, soda, etc).  It is a great location on the bottom of the hill near Brown or a short walk from Providence Place (where we usually park).  The staff is friendly and had a great experience the two times I've been.  It is worth the drive to Providence from Mendon, MA to see a movie (they get the movies that won't play in any mainstream theater.
5 - Kyle C.: If you grew up in RI, you've probably at least heard of the Cable Car cinema on S. Main St. When I was a teenager, it was a premiere destination on hooky days. Now, as an adult, I find the cinema still provides the same comforts of years past, now with a couple extra incentives (cold beer, wine, baked goods). 
 These days they are mostly showing documentaries. So make sure whoever you're going with doesn't mind nerding out a little with you. I recently saw the film about A Tribe Called Quest here, and about half the patrons busted out in sing-along style rap lyrics during the film. Needless to say the film subjects can be very limited in audience, so don't just show up thinking you'll see what's playing.
 If you've never been to the theater before, here are a few other things to keep in mind:
 - It is a small operation. If you think the show you're attending will be busy, get there early.
- Get there early ANYWAY to grab a drink and score one of the love seats with built in cup holders. Pretend to yawn and stretch as you slowly put your arm around your dates shoulders.
- If you get there TOO early, cut through one of the alleys across the street and pop into the Wild Colonial for a drink.
- The Cable Car gives about a $1 off admission with a valid student ID.
- Monday nights is discount night! Yes, you just paid admission for two and bought two cocktails all for under $20!!!

Honestly, what's better then this?
5 - Sery B.: Ever since going to college in Providence over a decade ago, I'm always going to have a soft spot for the Cable Car.  They've updated a few things.  Gotten rid of the ratty couches and the warped funny mirror near the entrance, but honestly, I miss those things.  All things change, I guess. Even though I live out of state now, I still try to make it down there to catch a film a couple of times a year.
5 - Sarah V. M.: I want to spend every single Monday night here for precisely three reasons: $5 movies, love seats, and the ability to drink a brew while watching the widescreen.  Date night = check.
2 - Michael M.: So, movie projectors have bulbs (obviously) and they are very expensive. Two things that theater owners do to save from having to buy a new bulb is a) turning the brightness on the projector down to preserve the life of the bulb or b) wait longer than they should to replace an aging bulb. In either case, the effect is that the movie is dull looking, without detail. If you have an LCD at home, turn the brightness control down to about 40 out of 100 and you will see what I saw last night.

Directors and critics (most notably Roger Ebert) have railed against this issue for years. Cable Car - spend the money. We did.

Also, they don't have popcorn. Seriously?
4 - Amanda M.: Really fun place for a cheap date night.  Cute cafe with baked goods & beverages, including beer and wine and the very small theater has love seats.  I think they mostly show documentary type movies but it's a fun change from going to the regular theater.  It's not super close to me, but I'll keep my eye out for movies that interest me just so I can go back.
4 - Jeff W.: This might be my favorite cinema in Providence. It's a small one room cinema/cafe that typically shows late run indie films and documentaries. The place is set up with rows of small couches instead of typical theater chairs, so it's real easy to get comfortable.  It's also the only theater I know of out side of Boston the serves beer, which is awesome.  My only complaint (if you can call it that) is that I tend to see movies alone, and this place is definitely set up/ideal for folks on dates.
3 - Cabernet S.: Even in the age of internet streaming and VOD, there is a certain charm to watching a movie in a theater. A collective cinematic experience redolent of a bygone era where a large screen sucks you into the action.

Innocuously tucked into South Main Street, Cable Car Cinema is a gem of a venue that is brave enough to specialize in documentaries, indie and foreign cinema that the local cineplex refuses to touch. The patent leather couches, improvised snack bar and intimate setting of the miniature screening room are added perks to being able to access rare and exotic cinema.

However, once you get over the Cinema Paradiso vibe, you realize that this place is Just Another Theater. The problems that have driven people out of regular theaters also persist here. Think marimba ringtones and the cheeky glare of a texting phone.
The small size of the venue compounds these problems, magnifying the agony they inflict. Even worse, I have had shows interrupted by loud conversations heard from the lobby.

I wish I could rate this place higher. But once you are over the uniqueness of the venue, its all the same. But being a true cinephile, i'll always be back as their shows make it all worth it.
5 - Katie A.: I love love love being able to watch a movie on a comfy couch with a glass of wine - all out of my living room!   Cable car shows interesting movies not available at other Providence venues, and the clientele are locals who are genuinely interested in viewing the movie - no problems with texting here!  Endless popcorn is also a big plus.   Fabulous place for a date night or to go with a group.
4 - Mister Chub S.: Highlights of why Cable Car Cinema is rad:

-plush leatherette love seats with cup holders
-coffee, wine and beer
-friendly staff who actually seem like they enjoy their jobs
-wide array of concessions including healthier options, fresh locally-made pastries and movie theatre classics
-indie movies you may not have been able to see on the big screen anywhere else
-it's not crazy expensive

...did I mention love seats with cup holders?
4 - Elena Y.: This is truly fun place to see a film. You get to sit in big comfy chairs and bring in yummy food from the cafe. The screen is sort of small but it was fine considering the lower ticket price. The film was okay but the vibe was better. The only issue is parking and those darn meters only take cash! Really??!!
4 - Derek L.: So I schlep down to Providence for this Asian women's film festival, the movie theater seemed pretty cool, the cafe is very cozy like the actual theater...but the two movies I watched were amateur to the point that I'm wondering if I should break into this business.  The first movie was about the things involved in the making of high end shoes, starting with a designer, progressing to the factory floor where a Taiwanese tyrant does'nt even try to pretend to be a decent sweat shop tyrant!
Then there is the grisly scene of the actual slaughter and skinning of the animals including calf's which I actually missed when I had to take a bathroom break thank goodness!  Plus following the lives of a few of the poor workers who are interviewed about their aspirations and dreams while they sit in their dorms surrounded by their friends.  The second film was supposed to be some movie about a transgender person, but there was only a five minute short and the rest of the movie was a combination travelogue mixed in with three second shots of two random women making out in random places!!!  Oh well at least I got to take a nice walk on Thayer Street after.  The theater was kind of cool though!!!
1 - Melissa M.: Don't really go here, but have twice as I was walking by and both times the service was so unfriendly. Not what I would expect from a neighborhood cafe. It's almost like you have to look and dress like them for them to be nice to you. Agh. Went for a coffee basically to use their cup for water for my dog, and the coffee was horrible. I'm all about supporting local cafes, but I would much rather go to Starbucks for a better coffee, music and much friendlier service.
4 - Cato M.: I wish I came here more frequently than I did. The Cable Car has the most wonderful concession stand I've ever seen - incredible popcorn and rich milkshakes! Monday is discount day. Even outside of movie times, the cafe is a great place to just sit and read the newspaper over a sandwich.
5 - Kimberly G.: Wow, I love the vibe of this place. Plush love seats, great cafe food, and unique independent films. I have to admit, it was definitely a place best suited for couples so I felt a little awkward sitting in a large love seat by myself. Oh well, more room to stretch? The tickets are a pretty good value as well.
4 - Kel S.: I can't believe I haven't been here before! After two years, I finally ventured to the CCC after my boyfriend ordered some tickets online. We saw a quirky comedy here "Sleepwalk with me" and enjoyed a date night with a turkey and brie panini, beer, wine, and sweets while watching a movie on a love seat with get this - PLENTY of LEG ROOM - my only gripe at most theaters. There was so much room for stretching out and cuddling I will look forward to returning soon. I'd suggest getting here a little earlier than other theaters as it is small and the line for tickets/food can get long right before the flick begins. Also, there are a limited number of couches, so if you'd prefer a love seat to regular seats, you may want to give yourself a few extra minutes to score one. The only slight problem I had was the seating from front to back is roughly at the same height, so I had to shift seats as the guy in front of me was tall and I couldn't see over him.
5 - Amanda P.: I absolutely hate movie theaters. I hate the uncomfortable seats, the long lines and the horrific prices. Cable car on the other hand is the complete opposite.

They often have free/very cheap independent films. Comfy seating and they serve beer and food at a fair price. Just don't get the grilled sandwiches in the middle of the movie as they are quite crunchy and distracting to other patrons.
5 - Miranda M.: This place is so cute! There's a little cafe as soon as you walk in, with seating for that in the back (separate from the theater). I didn't order any food, but they had tons of options and there were plenty of other people who seemed to be enjoying their meals. 

They offer freshly-popped popcorn with free refills which, in my opinion, is way tastier than any chain movie theater popcorn I've ever had. The theater is intimate and comfy. There's a mixture of chair, couches, and regular movie theater seats. My mother and I sat together on a couch and were very comfy. Wouldn't sit on a couch with somebody you don't know very well, though, because it's definitely cozy! 

The movie was hilarious and we had a great time. I could go on and on about how awesome this place is!
5 - Sis Y.: Surprised I've not reviewed this place.
We came here Friday night to watch "Sleepwalk With Me". It was an okay movie. I didn't choose it. 
I love this place though. Where else in Rhode Island can you have a beer in a theater when you are watching a movie (and not have to smuggle it in)? Where else (besides Avon Theater,) can you go and watch an Independent Film or Foreign Film in RI? What other theater has couches? I'm old enough to remember the dilapidated sofas that used to be in the Cable Car Cinema. They've been replaced with black boxy couches that have drink recesses in the arms. That's okay with me though. They're huge even though they're made with some kind of semi-glossy material. 
The food is real. My ex and I used to duck into Cable Car to buy their excellent Blondies when we walked home at night.
This is one of those places I go to when I want to make pretend that American life isn't branded, jaded and uninspired. It lifts my spirits and I can believe that our future holds some promise. 
I am mad that I missed the excellent film the Rhode Island ACLU presented: "The Loving Story" FOR FREE last week. 
That is one of the charms of this cinema. It has free showings, off beat movies, great food, beer and more. It's a real part of Providence's community. 
I saw Dead Snow here, a Nazi Zombie movie. 04/26/09
I saw Capote here, too. 
They took the old movie posters out of the theater I noticed on Friday. They had a puzzling mural painted on the walls. There were buildings (painted realistically,) with a shark swimming next to one and an oversized female diver painted over another. I do not know if it's finished or not but it was different. There used to be a sign over the screen but that too has been removed. It looked like their editing equipment was at the front of the theater. 
Whatever. It doesn't bother me. None of the changes ruined the ambiance (considering it was dark,) they really didn't use the track lighting that was aimed at the underwater city montage to light up the room. 
The whole room is not filled with sofas so if you want one go early. The theater had a good crowd that night and I sat in one couch myself. I really didn't care it was for my birthday so V@ff@nculo. 
Usually I'm not so selfish.

Cabo Fish Taco - Blacksburg, VA (37.2288, -80.4131) ()
5 - Mary L.: This baja seagrill is perfection! There are only two locations in the United States, but if you're ever lucky enough to stumble across one, I encourage you to try it. Their ingredients are so fresh and their taste is very unique. I suggest any of their tacos, their dips, and ESPECIALLY their rasta pasta.
4 - Jenna C.: Cabo has an extensive list of margaritas that are all super yummy! It's worth going here just for that fact.  

Besides the yummy (and strong) drinks they make, Cabo also makes some super delicious food.  Their fish tacos are great (imagine that).  But I strongly recommend the Sweet Blackened Tuna salad.  The tuna was seared to perfection and topped with an apple raisin chutney and the greens were both fresh and refreshing. 

Cabo's website says it was created with the  "idea of combining coastal Mexican cuisine with a healthy California feel".  I think they accomplish this.  The food is stellar.  The atmosphere is fun and relaxed.  You can sit inside,  in a sort of veranda, or outside.  I suggest outside.  regardless of where you sit, it's always a good time at Cabo.

Just be prepared that if you like frozen margaritas, that'll cost you an extra clam or two.
1 - Callie B.: My family hails from California, and I lived in Colorado most of my life. I have also been to Mexico.

The food at Cabo Fish Taco is miserable Mexican, miserable tex-mex, and miserable California fusion. Bland, watery, the salsa isn't even good. Canned corn is the base of it with not enough red onion, cilantro, and absolutely no kick. 

I only went there twice because the second time someone else was deciding and paying. I've tried their fish tacos, the burrito grande, the chicken tacos, and an appetizer southwestern roll thing... i kept trying other people's stuff in hopes that something was palatable. Even my Azularita was weak.

Horrid. Do not go there.
4 - Daniel B.: Although you would not think it from the external decor, Cabo Fish Taco is one of the best restaurants in downtown Blacksburg.  The menu is a great combination for seafood and non-seafood lovers.  The inside decor is amazing with high ceilings and big screen televisions for sports.  Wait staff is helpful and knows the menu well.  Get the Rasta Pasta!!!  Great restaurant, A+
5 - Jahi J.: This is my favorite place in Blacksburg.

I go in about twice a week. It's pretty quick, prices usually range about 8 or 9 for a burrito or tacos with a side. 

It has a baja southwest theme, and they have an assortment of tuna, shimp, mahi mahi for their taco and burritos, also chicken and steak as well.

The shrimp an crab dip as an appetizer runs about 7 and is probably the best thing on the menu. Decent priced drinks, Margarita Monday you can get a basic margarita for 2.50. 

They're usually playing some type of reggae music, yeah I'm not sure how that fits the baja theme either. The wait staff is pretty cool on the hippie side.

On nice days you can eat outside, I sit at the bar most of the time because I am a regular, but you also have an almost separate non smoking section too.
4 - Ryan B.: This is a great place to grab something light to eat. The tacos and burritos are great. The bar staff is always friendly. Good selection of beer and spirits. Tons of different tequilas to make your night interesting. It's great to eat on the patio when it's nice out. Inexpensive and fresh food - GREAT place!

Only negative is lack of on-site parking. Only 6 or 7 spots in the gravel lot. You can find some parking north in the neighborhoods but would be easier to walk there. But this is true for anywhere in downtown Blacksburg. 

Be sure to try the Epic Tuna with  cabbage!
4 - Clara L.: I miss this place.  It was one of my favorites in the burg when I lived there.  I was excited to find out the abandoned looking building across the street from the off campus Tech Bookstore was going to be a fish taco place.  The tacos are really good, the chips and corn salsa was delish, the salads were a little salty and the fake sushi-esque rolls were so-so.  I have tried the wraps and burritos as well, but can't remember if I was wooed by them or not.  Oh and I enjoyed the cheap margs.

On a different note: There is a tequila club here, where you get a card with your name on it.  And everytime you take a shot of a specific tequila, you can check it off the list of 50+ tequilas.  I definitely did not join the club, however my friend did.  He vowed to complete the card in one summer.  It was a very drunken summer for him and me who tagged along for support.  I asked if he won a tshirt or anything... he said no.. just the satisfaction of checking off every tequila on the card! hahahaha  Aww I miss the drunken days/nights of blacksburg!
5 - Chrissy L.: I would hop a plane to Bburg just for Cabo... well almost! Love this place! Plenty of menu options for all your friends and the buffalo shrimp tacos are to die for! Inside and outside seating and you can grab a couple drinks and play pool upstairs if you have to wait for a table. 

And for Steppin' Out 2007- they filled the entire parking lot with sand.. how can you not love it!?
4 - Patrick M.: This is delicious for dinner, a little expensive for lunch. They have a bunch of tequila's, not as many as Red Rocks in Centreville for all those NoVa natives in Blacksburg, but a good amount. The music is usually really good and they serve their food pretty late too.
2 - B M.: I don't understand how others rated this place so highly. First impressions, I thought the place had a great location, full bar, and outdoor seating that is just lovely on a day like the day I ate there. 

Unfortunately, this place is just crap when it comes to service and although ingredients appear to be fresh, there is a total lack of imagination and spice. I really feel for the young college students who serve as wait staff and have to put up with a completely inept kitchen. We waited nearly an hour to receive two dishes. I really wish the food was worth the wait, calamari was sub-par and the mahi mahi burrito was drenched in a mayonnaise based sauce that smacked of laziness on the part of the cooking staff that prides itself on "fresh ingredients". 

To make matters worse, the dinner did not sit well... so I think I am being generous giving Cabo Fish Taco two stars. In a bigger city CBT would struggle to survive.
2 - Jaime D.: This place is so hit or miss.  I've had some great wraps here when they first opened.  But lately it's been just plain disgusting.  Do not look very closely at the restaurant (walls, floor, decor) because it is dingy and dirty and you may lose your appetite.  The mashed potatoes have been served cold every time I've had them.  The mexi-slaw is usually good though.  And the wraps just depend on who is cooking that day as to what you will get.  The outdoor area is nice when the weather cooperates in the Burg.  The service is horrible just like almost every restaurant in the area.  Yes, they do have a decent selection of tequilas if that is what you are looking for.  But as far as food, I would go somewhere else.
2 - Linsey M.: NB: My ratings are scaled for Blacksburg. Five stars here is equivalent to about three stars in the San Francisco Bay Area. Cabo is passable for Southwestern Virginia, but don't go here hoping to find California-style fish tacos. The corn-based salsa is fairly tasteless and features frozen or canned corn. The fish tacos are be soggy and flavorless, or rather, the flavor is mainly that of mayonnaise. Some of the fish burritos, such as the wasabi or the epic tuna have a hint of  flavor, but again, they suffer from bland doughy tortillas and other low-grade ingredients that you'll find at a high school cafeteria.
3 - Derek A.: I wish I could give it 3.5 stars since this place is a little out of the ordinary. The food is a little above average but lacks good flavor. It's mostly fresh but not much imagination put into it. It's too much of a college bar to be a good quality restaurant but the tequila list is decent. The margaritas are also slightly above average but better than most in the area. They do use mix in the drinks but it's better than most other places that use mix. If you're drink comes out bright green it's as fake as a UVA football fan. Go ahead and squeeze a lime into a glass, it's not very green. Nobody needs that artificial crap in your body, just demand more out of a restaurant. The corn salsa is decent but takes quite a bit of Tapatio to get it anywhere near spicy enough. The service is usually pretty decent despite the drunk dudes occasionally trying to make their night miserable. 

The restaurant is what it is though, a decent college bar with slightly better food than the rest. It has a lot of potential to have great food and drinks but is a great change of pace in Blacksburg.
2 - Jeff R.: This place used to be great when it first opened. I was a huge fan.  Over time though the service and food quality have really fallen.  The fried fish tacos are always pretty good with their avacado spread, but I would stay away from anything that has shrimp in it.  The last 2 times I had them they tasted really "off"  with the last being inedible. The corn salsa is different and okay when you don't get the old whither tomatoes in it.

The other thing that really holds this place back are the sides. Most of them are bland and tasteless or poorly prepared.
5 - Justin S.: WOW I love me a fish a taco. The best of Blacksburg for food. Service is great, esp Kirsten. Get her to drink with you sometime she's wild. I moved away from the Burg a few months ago and I miss this place. The queso dip with the spice, GREAT, the corn salsa, GREAT, and the fish tacos are great, BUT get the shrimp tacos. THE BEST
2 - Misono A.: I personally was not a huge fan of Cabo Fish Taco, because they seem to use a lot of mayonnaise in their dishes and of mayo I am not a fan. But this was a favorite among my roommates, and I do admit that they have a good selection of baja cuisine. The island food style provides a fresh alternative to all the American burgers-and-fries joints that are all over college towns like Blacksburg.
4 - Kevin M.: Great soy-ginger shrimp tacos. Very accomodating with kids as far as menu options!  We always head to this place.  It's one of our regular B'burg restaurants.
3 - Kevin O.: I like this place, and for the Blacksburg area it's unique. Their fish tacos are okay and possibly the best I've had in Virginia. They don't really compare to something from So Cal though. I usually either play it safe with the fish tacos or gamble with the special.  Depending on the night, I've had some really good food off the specials menu, then I've had some I'd of rather sent back.  Overall it's hit or miss. Everything else off the regular menu is usually a disappointment.
2 - Ali S.: MOOD: Nice area in downtown Blacksburg, the patio seating was full on this beautiful evening but the atrium was also a nice place. Lot was small and full, had to find parking on a nearby street. Very casual, with a somewhat bar-like atmosphere. The menus were very worn out.

SERVICE: Waitress had too much presence, but things were delivered timely and correctly. 

FOOD: The free chips and "salsa" was not good. The chips tasted bland and stale, while the salsa was just corn and chopped roma tomatoes that were cold like they were just taken out of the fridge, I would have been happier with a jar of store salsa and a bag of tortilla chips. Entree was the blackened mahi-mahi fish taco with the original caborita. The margarita was sub-par, they had a lot of other choices but I went with a medium one. I can mix a better one myself at home with store margarita mix. The fish taco was decent, a nice amount of zing to it from the spices, but overall had a colder mouthfeel to it. It was about as much as I could expect from seafood in landlocked Blacksburg, VA. 

There aren't too many decent places to eat in Blacksburg, but it has about the same quality as a chain store where it should excel. College students give it more praise than it deserves.
3 - Dongbo W.: The food is not bad but in general not very taste filled. For a place that has fish taco in the name, I expect the fish taco to be really good. Unfortunately it's just OK. I'm not sure if it's the quality of ingredients, but the taco just tastes bland! But, the mashers are delicious.

Overall I enjoy nice summer evenings on the patio at Cabo, enjoying a workman's margarita. It's a pleasant place, but the food isn't anything special.
3 - Pete and Mel R.: The food is decent, but there's nothing exceptional or interesting about it.  It's a shame that the menu isn't a little more interesting.  When I go, I get the bbq mahi tacos or the epic tuna burrito, which are two of the better items on the menu.  

They do have good margaritas, and a huge tequila list.  They also have a pretty nice patio outside, so it's a great place to go in the summer with friends for margaritas.
4 - Steven G.: Really enjoyed the Silver Surfer Margarita, a combo plate of BBQ Fish Taco and the Cabo Fish Taco, but the Cabo got my attention.  Crisp fish and crunchy cabbage with a great sauce.  They also have a Jalapeno Mashed Potato as an excellent side.
4 - Christie B.: The food is really good.  I love their corn salsa which they bring you with tortilla chips. 

They also have this amazing crap and shrimp dip.  This dip is very flavorful.  The best part of this dip though is the pita chips.  I'm pretty sure they fry them.  They then dust cheese on them.  This appetizer is super good and is sure to be a table hit.
Their crab and shrimp cakes are also good.  They have very little filler.  These are grilled and not fried which is the way I love them.  They're topped with a spicy aioli which is a sort of a creamy southwestern sauce.  I always get them with the mexi slaw.
Their best dish though is the rasta pasta.  It's sort of a spin on alfredo pasta.  It has a pineapple cream sauce with bowtie pasta.  The sauce is awesome.  It also has shrimp and chicken, which are both sort of spicy but so good.

They have these ridiculous cheap and oh so good margaritas.  The workman's and el cheapo.  Yummy.

Now here's why I took away a star.  It seem like about 1/4 of the time I go in there with just my husband, we get horrible service because they have these big tables.  I guess these waiters just assume because there's only 2 of us, the tip isn't worth caring about.

Summary: This is great mexi-cali food, cheap alcohol, typically good service.  Great for celebrating anything with parents if they're in town visiting, especially if your parents love margaritas.
3 - Kim T.: I went here with some friends before moving out of Blacksburg and I have to admit, I wasn't impressed.  Maybe I just don't like fish tacos but theirs was pretty gross.  The fish was breaded and deep fried and smothered in a nasty mayo-like sauce.  I've had fish tacos elsewhere that I've liked but theirs is so rich it makes your stomach queasy.  The atmosphere was nice and the wait staff was friendly but their food wasn't really anything to write home about.
3 - Brittney G.: PRO's: strong (and reasonably priced!) drinks; great atmosphere

CON's: This is NOT Mexican food. If you go with this in mind, you won't be disappointed in the food. It's pretty standard American fare with a slight hint of Mexican flavors.
4 - Ry G.: Is it as good as you would find on the West Coast? No. Are you kidding yourself if you think you would find something like that in Blacksburg? Yup.

This place is great in comparison to anything else you might find around here. I love the corn salsa they bring out to snack on. The cheese or artichoke dips make great apps.  I've never had a bad taco whether from the standard cabo fish taco they derive their name from to the BBQ Mahi (and if you aren't a fan of seafood the steak tacos are good as well). And the potato salad is like none other I've had before.
4 - Chris G.: I used to work in the kitchen here, so I'm a bit biased in my opinion.  I think the menu is great - it's SoCal-influenced fare (NOT Mexican) and is unlike anything you can find in Blacksburg or anywhere nearby.  The fish tacos are delicious, especially the BBQ Mahi tacos, as are the tuna stacks and most of the burritos (Wasabi Tuna was my favorite while I was there).  

There's only one caveat to the food, I think: it depends on who prepares your food.  This is probably true with any restaurant in a college town, but I've had some very good food here, and some food that really let me down, and I can always tell when it's someone who likes to cook and does it well, versus some schmuck just trying to make a dollar and doesn't care about the end product.  The usual giveaway: the temperature and consistency of the taco shell.  It should be warm and crispy, yet pliable.

As far as the bar is concerned, you'll probably end up drinking with a number of regulars/locals/employees.  Cabo has the best margaritas in the area, quality-wise (El Rodeo will give you the best bang for your buck with the Texas Jumbo Margarita), and if tequila is your thing, you'll be right at home.  Cabo offers every tequila available through the ABC in Virginia; last time I checked, that was 72 different tequilas.  If you finish them all (over time), you'll get your name on a plaque, and maybe even a t-shirt or something.

Parking can be a pain in the ass, but there is a parking garage over in Kent Square if you need a spot.  You run the risk of being towed if you park at the Bookstore across the street.  

All in all, Cabo's definitely a nice change of pace from the normal Blacksburg restaurant and bar.  I'd definitely recommend giving it a try.
4 - Jake A.: Good, but there is always a wait since they don't take reservations
3 - Christine H.: After living in Charlotte, NC for two years, I was psyched that the "other" location of Cabo Fish Taco would be in my new home, Blacksburg.  I really enjoy their corn salsa, chips and margaritas.  The tacos are good... but not quite as good as the same menu items in Charlotte. It just seems like their other location makes the tacos with a bit more love.... more fish, better tortillas and more flavorful mexi-slaw.  I would give this place 4 stars, if I hadn't been to the Charlotte version. 

Still, a good standby.
4 - Bonnie B.: My second review because I am now obsessed with getting Cabo for carry out. It usually only takes them 15 minutes or less to get the food ready and I can pick it up on the way home from work for a relaxing evening with my boyfriend, which is now my new favorite thing to do in Blacsburg. Haha.

My side note is this: I agree with everyone who says it depends on who cooks your food. Last time I ordered there I couldn't finish my second taco because the fish did not taste fresh and a twice my mashers were completely flavorless. Other times its absolutely perfect...my favorite comfort food in this town!! :) Though it would please me if they'd figure out who the dumba$$ cook is who is messing up their food.
4 - The Lover and I I.: ----UPDATE: Jan. 15, 2011
As promised, we gave Cabo its second chance. Drum roll......

This time, we were joined by some of our awesome friends. And from last time's experience, we weren't expecting a lot. Well, we were definitely proven wrong. Cabo fired back... with authority.

For starters, our friend Kat had gotten the Veggie Roll and was kind enough to let me taste it.  One word: Glorious. It is portabella and wild mushrooms, yellow squash, zucchini, and the usual works. It was presented in sushi style (bigger portions) topped with tequila lime aioli. This was also served with salad on the side. 

I had requested to have a sample of their Soy Ginger Shrimp Taco and the Tavarua Tuna Taco. The soy ginger taco came with beer battered shrimps that were tossed in a soy ginger glaze, stuffed with cabbage, tomato, avocado, monterey jack and cheddar cheese topped altogether with sesame seeds to taste. The shrimp were juicy and plump; tasty and savory good. The Tavarua Tuna Taco was delightfully fresh; definitely not dry this time around. You can taste all the ingredients well and how they complemented each other on your palate. To pair, I had a glass of their sparkling, potable Cabo water. 

The Lover is not as adventurous and as random as I am. He ordered the Carne Asada Steak Burrito again. This time it was not disappointing for he devoured that thing in 2 minutes --- the whole thing! Good? I'd say it was a lot better than the first one. (Beer pairing to be posted soon.. The Lover isn't here and I can't remember for the life of me what it was he drank that night). 

The tortillas were fresh. And like last time, the masher was AMAZING.

So overall, Cabo has proven to be a respected taco joint in our book. We can't wait to try more from their menu... and maybe even try the bar atmosphere next time.
4 - Micah P.: Cabo Fish Taco is delicious!  To be honest, I didn't like the sound of fish tacos because I was always thinking of just plain fish inside of a taco shell.. Cabo Fish Taco dresses everything up nicely.

I had the BBQ Mahi Tacos and it was so flavorful!  To be honest, I could barely tell I was eating fish.  The mahi was flavored so well that the taste is pretty memorable.  I had a bite of one of their specials, the red pepper steak taco, which is pretty good too (which means they serve not just fish).  For sides, I recommend the napolito salad (flavored black beans).  I'm not a big fan of beans, but this napolito salad makes me a fan.

Service is pretty quick and friendly as well.
4 - Michael C.: I really enjoyed my dinner at Cabo Fish Taco.  I wish this place was around back when I was a Hokie!  Cabo's reviews on Yelp were a mixed back, lots of 3/4 stars with the occasional 2 star thrown in there.  I have to say that we had a great dinning experience there. 

I knocked off one star for two minor issues.  The frozen margarita that we got could have been a little tastier (but was loaded with booze) and the corn salsa was kind of weak.  Oh, and we found that everything needed a few shakes from the salt shaker - which might be good for some of you low sodium people.

The food was awesome though.  I got two tacos and mixed it up a little bit by getting one bbq mahi and one garlic buffalo shrimp.  The fish/shrimp tasted fresh fresh and the sauces were flavorful.  The jalepeno mashers live up to their reputation.  My fiance got the tuna burrito - kind of weird sounding but very tasty.

Blacksburg has needed a place like this for a long time.  Go!
5 - Daniel M.: The food here is perfect beyond belief.  The BBQ Mahi tacos are incredible, rasta pasta and chicken fajitas are really amazing also.  If you need a drink, they have a full bar and a good bar staff.  They also frequently have bands and DJs, which makes for a fun time.

Two bad things I can say about this place:
1. The parking is awful.  Too small but there are places to park within walking distance.
2. It's busy and noisy.  It's a college town and this is a popular place so that's expected.

Even with the 2 negative aspects, I still give this place 5 stars.  If I could give 6 I would.  There are only two Cabo locations, but check out the episode of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives that features the Charlotte, NC location.  It's pretty cool.
4 - Fran M.: A fun vibe to this place -- it was packed on a Friday night.  The fish tacos are great.  I wasn't too crazy about the corn salsa.  Friendly and competent staff.  Parking is a hassle during busy times.
1 - Sean T.: Terrible food, terrible restaurant!

Even when I adjust my score for Blacksburg, I hate this place. Folks who like it here have probably never had a real fish taco before. The food reminds me of my undergrad dining hall version of fish tacos, and that was actually much better (it might've helped I'm from California).

This place is too pricey for what it is, and it's not a lot. You get a few small pieces of fish covered in an awful white sauce that, despite being bland managed to hide the taste of the fish, and not in a good way. 

Not recommended.
4 - Tuan N.: Great fish tacos nomnomnom
4 - Jacob C.: Having gone to the Charlotte location of Cabo and fallen head over heels for their delicious seafood taco creations, I had to give the Blacksburg version a try on my trip up there recently to visit my long-time friend.

The exact same menu as the one in Charlotte, I couldn't stray away from ordering one of their specialty seafood tacos, mostly because of how delicious I had remembered it being in the Queen City. 

My friend advised me to get his favorite option, the soy ginger shrimp tacos, assuring me that they are a life changing experience. Quite a tall claim.

I don't know if my life was changed, but I do know that the tacos were darn tasty. The slightly crispy shrimp were complemented by the soy ginger glaze and slaw, and topped with avocado, tomato and cheese all resting inside of two flour tortillas.

There is an extensive choice of sides to pick from, and I wanted to get something different from what I ordered in Charlotte for comparisons sake, but couldn't bring myself not to order the jalapeno-cheddar mashed potatoes. Cheese. Mashed potatoes. Spicy. How can you say no? Trust me, it's awesome. 

My sister got the fajita burrito and my cousin ordered a seafood pasta, both of which looked really good, but if I went back I would keep checking a new specialty taco off my list before I ventured on to the rest of the menu.
4 - Chris B.: Great mexican food with american flair at fair prices. I have been here several times and have never been disappointed.
5 - Vivian C.: This place is LIGHTER, FRESHER, and BETTER taco joint than the Chipotle down the street. 

I ordered the Blackened Mahi Mahi Taco b/c I have never tried a fish taco before. My dish came out in less than 10 minutes and the presentation of it was beautiful and full of vibrant colors. I was really excited to eat it!  

The cabbage, tomato, avocado, cheese, and sauce with the mahi mahi inside the soft flour tortilla made the meal feel not heavy. The mahi mahi has a nice light taste and soft texture to it. It is definitely not too fishy!I'm no nutritionist, but if the food makes me feel healthy and makes me feel good about eating it, it is DEFINITELY a winner! 

For two medium sized soft tacos and a small side, however, my meal was on the pricier side (hey $10 is pretty expensive for a college student!). The quality of the ingredients, however, makes it definitely worth the price. Plus, I didn't feel like a total glutton after eating my two tacos, side, and complimentary basket of baked chips with corn. 

The atmosphere of Cabo Fish Tabo is very relaxing. There are also high stools and tables for those who prefer that type of arrangement. This place is usually packed with college students who want to have good, simple food, in a comfortable and chill environment. I would definitely come back to this place again to try their whole menu!
4 - Holly L.: Fantastic laid back atmosphere...great when it's warm out!
3 - Deni D.: This is a great place to go if you sit outside and order one of the fish tacos. The inside atmosphere is loud and crowded with students. I have always enjoyed the fish tacos and a workman margarita. When I have ventured out to try other entrees, I have invariably been disappointed.
The side dishes are also lacking in flavor. Luckily, the tacos are sufficient and worth going for. We go about once a month during good weather.
5 - Mallory B.: I love everything on their menu. I usually go for the tacos (calamari, shrimp, or fish) but the burritos are awesome too. Really you can't go wrong with anything on the entire menu. This is hands down my favorite restaurant in the area.
4 - Claire W.: got white fish taco
and queso dip with nachos
this place tastes so good
3 - Travis B.: Decent place to grab lunch with some friends. Honestly I ordered one of the typical fish taco dishes (cant recall) but I was hungry ~1-2 hours later. I rather spend the same money at Chipotle and be full for half the day!
2 - Zach R.: Give me a chance!  The food here is great.  Probably the best Baja-style Mexican food in the county.  Even the drinks are adequate.  The problem is the service.  Cabo Fish Taco, over and over again, has the slowest service in town.  It doesn't matter how many people are being served, do not expect more than two drinks per three-hour meal.  I have been here over seven times in the past 18 months, due to the food, but we always leave frustrated due to the poor service.

If you want to have a one drink, one menu item, lunch meal, this is a great way to spend your lunch hour.  If you want to even add a water to your bill, however, be sure you have an additional 45 minutes to spare.

The staff are friendly, just not forward-thinking.  The building facilities are not that clean or accessible.  Cabo Fish Taco knows that they have caught their corner of the market, and are doing nothing to exceed the expectation.

Prices are on the upper end for Blacksburg (so well below other towns), but are appropriate, considering the high-quality of the food.

5 stars if I were only rating the quality of food/drink.  1 star if I rate any other category beside food/drink.  I now only visit when I have people from out of town, who may of heard of this establishment.  No other place in town can beat their taco, but if you want anything else, visit one of the many other Mexican choices in the local area.
4 - Maksudul A.: A bit pricy but great restaurant.
4 - Fobby N.: Just went there wth my daughter as we were visiting VA TECH, and I prepared myself and her for slow service...based on the reviews I had read here.  WRONG!!!!  Great service! Great food!  The only reason for the 4 stars is because I was not a fan of the BBQ sauce on the fish tacos.  But the Ginger Soy Shrimp taco....5 stars alll the way...throw some hot sauce and lime on it and man look out.  

I had no problem with this place what so ever.
4 - John L.: Not a fancy place but a great selection on the menu, mostly fish based taco/burrito items. they also had a good beer selection. Good service; i liked the "college town" atmosphere  I definitely recommend.
4 - Zach H.: It was my first visit to Blacksburg and my younger sister (recent grad and reason for my visit) said we will be coming here for lunch. Even with it being graduation weekend. we managed to get here early enough and my 9-person family was seated immediately. The service was excellent-- informative and attentive.

The corn salsa and the shrimp & crab dip were awesome and immediately brought me back to my visit to the Charlotte location last year. Both items were superb. For my entree, I ordered the BBQ Mahi Tacos with the Jalapeno Cheddar Mashers. Like my Charlotte visit, I loved the tacos I ordered. Also like my Charlotte visit, I was underwhelmed with my side. The mashers had a great spice but were dense, lukewarm and lacking seasoning. One of my sisters ordered the Tavarua Tuna Tacos also with the Jalapeno Cheddar Mashers as the side and she agreed with my underwhelming sentiment but thought the tacos were excellent. The Baja Chicken Bowl my other sister ordered was large and had a unique presentation. It had good flavor, but the chicken was a little dry. My mom ordered the seasonal veggies with her Blackened Mahi Tacos and seemed to enjoy both. So in my personal opinion, a couple of the side items need some improvement. (I ordered the Baja Rice at the Charlotte location and also wasn't impressed.) 

With that said, it was an overall enjoyable meal and great visit. I would come here any day of the week for the delicious taco options. I highly recommend trying the Shrimp & Crab dip if you come here.
5 - Jessica L.: I love this place. It is hands down one of the best restaurants in Blacksburg. I have probably gone here the most throughout my whole undergrad career, and when I come back to visit my friends and boyfriend I always have stop by! Everything is always fresh, so don't get mad if their menu changes or they run out of something - that's when you know they're the real deal! 

If you want to get drinks, I'd suggest their mojitos (again, my favorite) or their silver surfer margarita (classic margarita taste, but they never get it wrong)! They also have a full bar with a large selection of beers, but I don't drink beer usually so I can't really give any advice on that! 

To start, their complementary fresh chips and corn/tomato salsa are delicious. Every time I go my waiter/waitress has had to refill at LEAST once :P If you're looking for another appetizer, the spinach-artichoke dip is incredible! They serve it with fried pita wedges, which are amazing. 

Now to get to the main stars, the tacos! Definitely do not miss out on trying the soy ginger shrimp tacos. Like I've said in other reviews, shrimp's not my favorite, but these are lightly fried in a delicious batter and then glazed with the soy ginger sauce. This combination with the fresh cabbage is just happiness in your mouth. The BBQ Mahi tacos are also something you should not miss out on trying! Since I've eaten here so much, I've tried all the tacos and these two are the best. My most recent favorite were the soft shell crab tacos, but it was a special just for that day and the next time I came back they weren't serving them! Sad day. 

If you're looking for advice on their sides, the jalapeno cheddar mashers, black beans and rice, and the baja rice are the best ones. However, they have most recently changed the recipe for the jalapeno cheddar mashers and I do not love them as much as I did before. They now dice up pickled jalapeno and add them to what are now just called "herb mashers" if you want jalapeno. Definitely changes the flavor and isn't as good as it used to be. Other than this recent change, I am still in love with Cabo Fish Taco! Go!
4 - Karen P.: Good service.  Good food.  Reasonable prices.  We were there early on a Sunday evening in May and were seated outside.  Very pleasant.
4 - Sabrina S.: The food is delicious and filling! There's free chips and salsa as well. SO GOOD. The best side to get are the mashers (mashed potatoes with cheese and jalapenos). The food is definitely 5 stars, but dropped down to 4 because it's so freaking dark inside that you can't read the menu and it's fairly pricey for college students.
4 - Catherine L.: There's something so addicting about this place. I make a point to go every time I'm away from school for even a weekend, and over summer breaks I sit around and dream about it.  It's probably the best food I've had in Blacksburg, although I doubt it would be half as successful if it was stationed in NOVA. The usual wait is around 45 mins on a weekend for dinner, and up to 2 hours on football weekends. 

I usually get the calamari tacos, but last time I tried the soy ginger shrimp and they were FANTASTICCCC.  Perfectly crunchy and full of flavor! I've also had the blackened mahi mahi, which was pretty good but never as good as fried food. I think they changed their mashed potato recipe, cause the last few times I've had them they've been cold, chunky and not tasty. The salsa and corn is refreshing and really really addicting, we always end up asking for another helping.

A great place to meet up with friends for drinks and a huge filling meal, I'll definitely miss it when I graduate!
4 - Diane W.: I've been on a serious fish taco kick for more than a year and ordered them recently  in coastal California, Minnesota, coastal North Carolina, and Virginia.  The best, by far, were at the Cabo Fish Taco in Blacksburg.  The fish was perfectly prepared and the cabbage was extra fresh and crunchy.  I've been twice and can't wait to go back soon...worth the drive from Roanoke.
5 - Lisa Y.: Cabo Fish Taco is one of my absolute favorite places to eat down in Blacksburg.  I went there often with my friends during my undergrad. years and I always try to eat there at least once when I go down to visit.  

Appetizers: 

The complimentary chips and salsa they give you are very good.  The salsa has chunks of corn, tomatoes, and cilantro.  It's very fresh and flavorful and we usually finish the whole thing before our food comes out! 

Their Baja Shrimp and Crab Dip is THE bomb.  At first, you can't really see the shrimp and crab, but once you bite into it, you can definitely tastes the chunks.  The pita slices that come with it is so warm, chewy, and just a perfect compliment to the dip.  

The Spinach and Artichoke Dip is also very delicious.  This was my favorite appetizer at Cabo, until I tried the Shrimp and Crab Dip.  

Their Crispy Calamari is also quite good and doesn't have that, I guess, "fishy" taste calamari from other places have, but I think I would choose one of the dips over this. 

Salads: 

The Diablo Shrimp Salad is very fresh and the portion size is HUGE.  The shrimp are jumbo sized and super plump.  My mom and sister took one bite of mine and then kept coming back for more. 

During my most recent visit, I ordered the Sweet Blackened Tuna Salad, but they had run out of sashimi style tuna, so my tuna was cooked well done.  Although I was a bit disappointed I couldn't get the sashimi tuna, the salad was still very delicious.  Their mango-pineapple chutney is also very fresh and flavorful.  My mom loves it over her rice. 

Tacos: 

I usually get the BBQ Mahi Tacos, which are so delicious.  This was what I got when I went to Cabo for the first time and it was the reason why I fell in love with the place.  Cabo definitely does not skimp on the huge chunks of fish they put in the taco and all the ingredients are so fresh and flavorful.  My mom is usually very picky about food, and she didn't really want to go to Cabo when I first brought it up.  After one bite of this taco, she also fell in love with the place and we've been back about 3 times together since. I also usually get the baja rice as my side, which is rice with their mango-pineapple chutney over it.  The mango-pineapple is very fresh and adds a very refreshing splash to the rice.  

The Bar:

They have a nice selection of beer, but I usually get their Original Caborita Margarita.  You can definitely taste the tequila and it isn't too too sweet, which I love.  

Overall, the service is great, the food is awesome, and the drinks are super yummy.  They also have outdoor patio seating.  I definitely recommend giving this place a try!
3 - A B.: Take out service was courteous.  The smell of late-night partying about knocked me over when I went in so I wouldn't choose to eat in this dark, windowless restaurant.  The queso was very good and the chips were fantastic.  The black beans and rice that came with my tacos were yucky.  The blackened tacos weren't really blackened but they were good.   I'd order again.
4 - Jennifer M.: Cabo Fish Taco was not around during my years in Blacksburg as an undergrad, so I was pleasantly surprised when I visited town over the summer and ate here, and vowed to add it to my regular places to eat for future visits to town.  It's a huge step above other places in town if you're in the mood for tacos and 'ritas.  

The food here is amazing.  It tastes fresh and natural, and isn't weighed down with grease and cheese.  My husband and I each ordered an order of tacos (the beer battered white fish and the lemon grilled shrimp), and split them.  I had previously had the garlic buffalo shrimp, and loved them, but wanted to branch out and try something new since I don't get to visit that often.  All of the food I've had here has been delicious.  I enjoy that you can choose a side and they are different than the typical rice and beans.  The 'ritas here are also highly recommended.  There are many to choose from, but the restaurant doesn't use pre-made bottled margarita mix, it is their own recipe made in house, so they are much more flavorful than what you might typically get at a restaurant.  

The reason this restaurant loses one star is due to the service.  We went at dinner time on a Football weekend Saturday, so I expected there to be a wait.  The restaurant does not allow you to call ahead to have your name placed on the list, but if you show up in person to be put on the list they will call your phone when your table is ready, so during the hour+ wait we were able to go to a nearby bar and have a few drinks while we waited for the call.  When we hadn't heard back in an hour, one of the members of our party walked back, and they told her it would be another 20 minutes.  Within 5 minutes of that, they called her and said she had 2 minutes to get back to the restaurant.  When we arrived, we were told our table wasn't ready, and were asked to wait upstairs.  I'm not sure if perhaps two different hosts had been dealing with her, but it was annoying to be told we had 20 minutes, then told we had only 2 or we would lose our table, only to show up and have to wait even longer.  They also had quite a number of tables in the upstairs area that were empty where the supposedly serve appetizers only.  I didn't quite understand why a restaurant would have an hour wait and not be utilizing all of it's available space, which was frustrating.  Once we were finally seated the service was fine, and we had an enjoyable meal.  In the future I will go put my name on the list an hour before I'd like to eat, or I will wait and enjoy Cabo on Sunday before I leave town when perhaps the wait isn't as bad.

Cabo San Luis - San Luis Obispo, CA (35.294067, -120.668935) ()
3 - Caroline C.: Bland, but fresh, and consistent.

I like the kid's meals. They've been cracking down on adults buying them but they're the perfect size and the perfect price.
4 - Katy D.: can we say surf and turf!!!
i never liked fish tacos until i had them here. it comes with a good white sauce and fresh cabbage. love the fish tacos.

my roomie used to always order the tortilla soup. not a traditional style soup but good with avo, cheese, and or course the tortilla on top. 

its not a taqueria, more americanized.
i liked sitting in front of the big fish tank, but have found over the years that there aren't as many critters swimming around.
4 - Red W.: Reallly good Baja Fresh-esque restaurant.  Their menu used to be almost identical to Baja Fresh, but they changed it up a year or two ago so that they weren't such a blatant rip-off.

Great Cal-Mex food with fresh ingredients.  The location is clean and inviting.
4 - Aleli C.: Laid back atmosphere, ginormous burritos, great tortilla soup, affordable prices.  I love this place.
4 - Nikki M.: Gosh, please do not even compare this place to Baja Fresh. I like Cabo because this is the only place on the Central Coast to have the closest fish tacos to Rubios or Fins...which are the real fish tacos from so cal. The tortilla soup is pretty good too.
3 - Chantal D.: Had an EH tasting fish taco here (no reference to anything else!) and haven't gone back. Dining buddy had a huge burrito at a decent price. That fish tank was cool though, and everything else, vegetable-wise, seemed pretty fresh. Actually, I don't think any place in San Luis Obispo has any excuse to not serve fresh food... they're in the middle of agriculture and the ocean! Anyway. I'd go back, I just haven't had a chance to. Also I lived on the other side of town by Madonna area so I stuck around there, or ventured to Morro Bay for Taco Temple or something else.
3 - Robin R.: This is one of those places that you have to try if you're in SLO. It's far from downtown, you'll have to try to find it.  If you go at lunch the line will be out the door.

It's a bright and colorful taqueria with a giant fish tank. 

My favorite: Chili Relleno Burrito. I give extra credit to restaurants that make vegetarian food that isn't simple beans and rice. :)
3 - Adolfo L.: This is where I had my first fish taco and taught me what a fish taco should be. It's a piece of battered cod deep fried and then place on a corn tortilla topped with some guac and lime juice. They also have the option to add some sour cream and cheese. It sounds simple, but is delicious. Since then I've had fish tacos in the Mission District of SF, Rosarito, and of course Cabo San Lucas. Although not the best that I've had, their fish taco is a good representation of a Cabo style fish taco. Everything else on the menu is fair, so put this in your back pocket as your fish taco spot.
3 - Claire L.: More like American-fusion style Mexican food--far from authentic, but tasty to say the least. Very clean establishment and fresh ingredients, just lacking in kick and original flavor from the menu selection.

I feel like some of the items are overpriced, and their chips portions are at a minimal. Overall the food 'aint all that bad, though.

If you your looking something more authentic I suggest looking elsewhere, or heading closer to the boarder because you won't get it here.
4 - Paul L.: I went to Cabo a few years before this place opened and had a tasty, authentic fish taco from a street vendor (along with some delicious papaya with lime juice and chili powder!). Then I returned to the Central Coast with an endless craving for these tacos. I tried fish tacos any chance I could get at local restaurants, desperately hoping to find something that resembled their Cabo counterpart. Nothing came even close. That is until I heard about this place opening right off Foothill. I heard the fish tacos would be authentic...

One day when I was heading to Kona's for a sub, I decided to just go in and give this new place a try. I have to tell you, it was one of the most gratifying dining experiences I've ever had. That batter, the tortillas, sauce, cabbage... it brought me right back to Cabo!

When I lived in SLO I ate there every few weeks for lunch. And now that I've moved away I still stop in at least once every time I come home. The tacos are as good as ever!

I also recommend their Cabo taco (same fish taco but with guac), their Caborito, and their bowls with grilled chicken or steak. I'm sure anytihng you get there would be relatively fresh and tasty.

The decor and atmosphere is casual and fun, and, as everyone else has noted, the fish tank is pretty cool.

I definitely recommend everyone in the area try it at least once!
4 - Michelle C.: As everyone says here, the fish tacos are kick-arse. eat them. (too, since Splash upped all their prices, they are now the cheaper fish taco to get in SLO, so they've got that going for them too)
That being said,  when I come here, I always always get the Crunchy Cabo Chicken Salad (you might not have noticed it way on the other side of the menu from everything else=) Holy crap, that is so tasty.  It's a filling, meaty (but not too meaty) crunchy, fresh-tasting, bowl of awesome with a dressing unlike anything I've had on a salad from anywhere else. It just works. 
Food's a little on the spendy side (like ten bucks a person or so including drinks), but if you come here, you're gonna get a tex-mex kind of selection ( think Chevy's, but by the ocean, and way better.). 
A definite once-every-couple-of-weeks trip for me; I crave that salad on a warm day. mmm.
4 - Meg T.: The fish tacos are my favorite
2 - Dung N.: I was in town and my friend who used to live in the area said this was the spot. I ordered the 'CSL Combo with the chicken burrito (choice was either tri-trip or chicken) and a fish taco'. My friend told me they racked up the prices at this place. I thought it was pretty pricey too. I mean, a CSL Combo, a chicken quesadilla and two drinks for $23? I don't know. I'm probably just used to my local burrito joints. My friend said a lot of college students used to come here, but with the economy now and this restaurant's prices, it explains why they were so empty!

When I got my food, the fish taco was good but when I took a huge bite into my burrito, it wasn't chicken! Oh the betrayal...I would've went to the front and complained, but we were on a time schedule to head back home so I didn't feel like being a pain in the ass this time. Maybe next time. If there's a next time har har.
4 - alex C.: I was brought in by their dollar taco signs hanging outside.  From 3-8 you can get yourself some fish tacos (up to three) for a dollar each.  Also great was their drink specials on coronas.  Love me some cheap meals anytime when traveling around.
3 - Matt R.: i like their fish taco deal on mondays. the fish is breaded nicely and is always crispy. a bit too much cabbage for my taste but it's ok, i can always ask for less or take it off myself. the rest of the food is good, but nothing too special.
3 - Leslie P.: i had a chicken taco and a steak taco. the chicken was a bit on the dry side, and the beans was too watery that it just dripped everywhere! chips are okay, but the salsa is good
3 - Mike S.: My faith in Cabo is renewed. The tri-tip they use is nicely marinated and juicy. My favorite dish so far is the quesadilla with tri-tip. It's listed as an appetizer but it is hearty enough for a full meal.
3 - Diana G.: MMMMMM Chile Relleno Burrito!! MMMMM
Sooooo good. I also enjoy their shrimp one. I love my burritos with lots of guac and sour cram and beans, etc. .. These people put everything I want in it and they do it right - what a concept for making people come back again and again.
3 - Annabel H.: Hmm, Mexican food. When I came here, I had the tri tip burrito. The burrito is huge and fell apart pretty quickly, but it still tasted pretty good.

Love the giant fish tank. Well lit, ample seating, friendly staff, close to campus! :P Not too expensive, either. I heard prices for certain items are cheaper on Mondays?
4 - Emily L.: R.I.P. best tri-tip nachos ever + oddly-but-surprisingly-good lime salted tortilla chips + Fish Taco mondays.
4 - Harmony C.: I still get teary-eyed just thinking about the little puffer fish in the awesome fish tank... I imagine his last moments and hope that he and all his fishy friends went quickly and painlessly :(   RIP, puffer, you were my favorite and I love you.

I also tear up thinking about how there is no place in SLO to get a Rubio's-style fish taco.  When Cabo went up in flames, I had to resort to Baja Fresh for a similar-yet-not-the-same fish taco, but then Chipotle forced Baja under, and now there is nothing.
5 - Kevin D.: RIP!
4 - Kathie W.: I couldn't believe it when Cabo San Luis burned down! We were traumatized thinking about the fate of the poor little dog fish who always hung out in the lower corner of the huge salt-water tank. And the puffer, the shrimp, the moray eel. (sigh)

We still crave our weekly trips to Cabo to enjoy their chef's special. The kids loved the fish tacos.

We miss you Cabo San Luis!

Cache - Palo Alto, CA (37.439239, -122.174086) ()
4 - b b.: i have taken a new lover.  a lesbian lover.  she looks like this:
http://www.cache.com/support/images/products/08026S29020017-z.jpg

thank you palo alto store for being the only cache in the *entire* bay area that carried this dress in XS.

i will now go make love to my lesbian lover.  please leave us be.
3 - Katie F.: Pretty comical stuff.  My grandma shops here, and she has a really good sense of style, but most of cache's stuff is kind of  "out there."  Sometimes you can find amazing pieces, but most of the time you have to dig to find them.  It's a hit or miss.
3 - Meghan P.: I once found a really amazing shirt at Cache on sale... now, I always have to stop in for fear that I might miss something great if I just walk past the store. However, I am usually disappointed by the clothing selection and rarely buy anything. I need to learn to just pass this store by! Anyone else have the same issue?!
5 - Jennifer P.: I've been a Cache shopper for several years.  I just love their clothes and I always get compliments when I wear Cache.  I'm not a full time resident of Palo Alto (yet) so this was my first visit here.  I needed to find an outfit for a special dinner.  Found a great top with the perfect jeans!  Got home, wanted to try on the outfit before I got in the shower to get ready for my big night and my heart sank.  BIG SECURITY TAG hanging on the back of my beautiful sleeveless shirt.  The shirt was winter white and so was the tag so I can see how the girl failed to see it.  

I called Cache in a PANIC!  I only had so much time to get showered and dressed and there was no way I could make it there and back and get ready for dinner.  It would be one thing to call and push back a dinner reservation but I was being picked up by a driver and taken into the city for a special event.  The woman on the phone could not have been nicer!  She heard the panic in my voice, asked where I lived and GOT IN HER CAR, DROVE TO MY HOUSE AND REMOVED THE TAG!  Now that is service!  I have always loved Cache, but this store takes the cake!  Their clothes are fabulous and chic and their staff is the BEST in town - obviously!  Don't know how many people would have done the same.  By the way, I didn't ask her to come to my house, she offered and was there within 15 minutes.  AMAZING!
1 - Margaret W.: Don't shop here unless you want to look like a trampy cougar.

Staff is incredibly rude.
1 - Tanguy C.: Worse customer service ever by sales rep Maria H. My girlfirend spends over 500 at cache yearly, she was returning a dress bought on sale. Maria first refused to accept the return and accused my girlfriend of having worn it, which was not the case. We showed Maria that the dress had two sales tags attached, one on the outside on the backside, one inside. Maria then insinuated that we had reattached the tags and that this was common practice amongst fraudulent returns. She then called the store manager in front of the whole store proceeded to recount her interpretation that my girlfriend had worn the dress. The store manager told Maria to accept the return as is stated by store policy and the whole thing ended. Cache Palo Alto has one of the worse customer service. This is unacceptable.

Cactus Cafe - Austin, TX (30.2861233893208, -97.7410697937012) (University of Texas)
4 - Sarah M.: Cactus Cafe and Bar is a great music venue and watering hole based out of UT. Open since 1979, this acoustic music house brings in folks from all over the world, while still catering to local interests. Cactus is partially to thank for jump-starting many a music career. Lyle Lovett, Lucinda Williams, and Ani DiFranco are listed as performing here early on. Alison Krauss and the Dixie Chicks have also visited.
 
The Cactus is located in the Texas Union on the UT campus (23rd or 24th and Guadalupe). Not the most ideal location, especially when students are in town (ha), but this space makes for a nice evening out if you're looking to avoid the nuisances of downtown. I've seen a couple of shows at this spot, and the Cactus provides an intimate experience with open table seating and a small stage. Not really room for dancing, but the mood isn't right for shaking your groove anyway. Really chill and enjoyable all-around. 
 
Buy tickets at the door 45 minutes before show time (unless otherwise noted). Good luck parking.

Cactus Cafe is good-natured...not prickly.
4 - John D.: Cactus Cafe and Bar is a great place to catch some music, and very rarely do you get what you might expect.  People show up to do acoustic sets with friends you'd never expect (like Steve Earle and Chris Knight sharing the stage).  Most of the artists are geared towards folks in the singer/songwriter/sort-of-country vein, or at least folks who have material that translates well to acoustic, stripped down performance.

The tickets are usually very affordable, even for "road shows" and although it's not a really large spot, only the top draws like Ani DiFranco ever seem to sell out.

Parking is tough since it's down on campus, but other than that, there isn't much ill to speak of regarding the Cactus Cafe and Bar.
4 - Jackson R.: This room has excellent acoustics and therefore is a place I enjoy hearing music in.  It is a very intimate spot as well.  The joint is small, so you're close up to the artists and shows here can be quite engaging.

I have to give this at least four stars after being able to see Townes Van Zandt perform here shortly after I moved to Austin.
4 - Kevin N.: Part of the endearing charm of the Cactus Cafe is it's size, or relative lack thereof:  it is the very definition of intimate, from the small stage tucked into the back corner of the room, to the bartender who seems that he'd love to serve you were it not for the fact that he doesn't want to interrupt the show.   

The lighting is ambient and personable, and the acts are regularly top shelf:  I've seen a variety of shows here:  the venue tends to cater to the singer-songwriter crowd (though not exclusively), and given the aforementioned size of the room and act stature, tickets can get snapped up fast.   I'd recommend joining the mailing list to ensure a chance at all those shows you'll want to snare.
4 - Tom S.: The Cactus Cafe is one of the best places in Austin to listen to live music from singer/songwriter/acoustic types as there is not a bad seat in the place.   The place only seats about 100+ people.       In the last year, I have enjoyed Guy Clark, Slaid Cleaves, Todd Synder,  Nancy Griffith, Graham Weber there.

It is well worth looking at the cactus cafe web site to see what performers are coming to town.
5 - Mary Kay S.: I just want to let Chewy know that we were discussing Marx and Engels on Cactus Cafe's ratty couches as late as 1986. And I didn't have testicles then either.

And must also express surprise that the Cactus charges covers now!  Though I guess I'm an idiot for being surprised.  Everyone charges for everything these days.

Sightings in the 80's: Lucinda Williams, Marcia Ball, Angela Strehli.

Smoked in the 80's: Clove cigarettes, cigars, cigarettes, and a few other items.

Drunk in the 80's:  Shiner BOCK BOCK BOCK (chicken call beer).
5 - rob m.: I think Townes Van Zandt said it was his favorite venue...enough said.

Oh yeah, don't go here if you want to talk to your friends because you are just going to piss off everyone there who came to listen to the music.
4 - Neal E.: I ventured onto the University of Texas campus to find the Cactus Cafe to watch a musical performance by the recently reformed celtic group - Clandestine.

One should park in one of the parking garages just across the street from the University.

The place is small - a lot of people turned out for the performance. The acoustics were quite good - I had a seat in the far right - second to last row (facing the stage).

There is a small bar in here and they do a brisk business. I had a couple of hard ciders, and then bottled water. There was a a lot of beer, wine, and coffee flowing during the performance!
4 - James L.: I absolutely love this place. I've managed to meet cool people here.
The open mic nites are fantastic, though there's so many people in line for it. They do random drawing for the lineup so it doesn't matter if you show up too early or anything.

It's the only real bar that's IN the campus, so if you're an UT student and need a quick drink with your meal, then you know where to go.

I like how when you step into this place, it doesn't feel like the university anymore, and makes you feel kinda comfy, it's weird. 
so weird I like it.
4 - Shaun J.: Really nice place to listen to acoustic music.  One of the few downsides to this place could also be considered an upside and that is the size of the place.  It is very small.  For a sold out show everyone is packed in.  They have tables for people to sit and listen to the music (chairs along the walls for crowded shows).  The tend to bring in good artists and along the way have had some legendary ones.  

The biggest downside is that it is not the easiest place to find unless you are from Austin and know the set up.  Not being from here it was kind of weird to have to venture into the student union or activities building to find this little hidden club.  But they still serve alcohol so if it wants to be on campus let it be on campus.  

Overall review.  Definitely go check this place out.  Even if you haven't heard of the artist it is likely you will have a good time.
5 - Hoa N.: During the day, you can get a beer or coffee and get to work on your laptop with wireless internet connection (for students/staff/faculty -- you can also apply for a guest EID if you visit the FAC next door). And get this, you are even encouraged to eat your lunch here (bagged or from nearby take-out). Study groups and friends meet here for happy hour; it's a great place to unwind after a long day at school.

In the evening for shows, there's not a bad seat in the house. Jazz club seating and intimate. It's been smokeless since the 80s so there's no stale smoke smell to mar the experience.

There's a garage for paid parking behind the University Co-op on San Antonio between 23rd and 24th. There is also a surface lot at Guadelupe and 25th. Both will run you $8. It's worth it.
5 - Jay B S.: The Cactus holds a dear place in my heart. After being told that I had to start school at UT a week after graduating high school (instead of the fall like I had planned) I was rushed up here without getting to meet anyone. My first night here I decided to walk around campus and see what I saw. Luckily I saw the Cactus.

I walked in, ordered a coke, and was one of two other people there waiting to listen to the guy who was playing that Monday night. That person was Shane Bartell, and like the Cactus, he also plays a big part in my early memories of starting school at UT.

What I enjoyed about that concert as well as all that followed along the years, was the close proximity of the stage that I hadn't seen anywhere else. Shane talked to me and the two other people there watching him and played a really nice set that made us all feel at home.

Over the years that I have been here in Austin since I have seen numerous people grace that stage; Robert Earl Keen, Bruce Robison, Citizen Cope, and many others including those that partake in the Kerrville Folk Festival review (which is among one of my favorite events of the year).

Every concert there is a concert like the first that I attended when I knew no one in the city. You sit down and feel like you're a big group of friends that all know the artist on a personal level. You all enjoy the evening and don't leave feeling as though the artist was only there to make some money (because in a venue that big, you know he/she sure as hell isn't).

They still have the big stars who, like Robert Earl Keen, never forget their roots and continue to come back to play at this little hole in the wall, though I would definitely recommend just picking a random musician from the lineup and checking them out as the folks who run it have fantastic taste in music.

Plus as far as I know, its the only place on campus that still sells beer....;)
5 - Neal M.: This place is about as intimate as you can get.  The only weird thing about it, is the tables and chairs.  It really feels like a more "mature" place to see a show.  The sound was impeccable.
5 - L H.: You will never have a more intimate relationship with a performer than at the Cactus Cafe.  Go there on a second or third date.  If they don't get it, then they aren't the one (if you don't get it, maybe you aren't the one either).  It's the best place in Austin to fall in love or to be in love.

If you are an English Major, go there on a Saturday night, and when you leave, the musician's life story will be the novel in your head.
4 - Tee D.: Oh how I wish every band/musician I loved would play at the Cactus Cafe. That would be a dream come true.
5 - robin w.: Hands down, the best indoor music venue in Austin.
4 - Michael B.: I'm not much of an acoustic listener (unless it's jazz), but we decided to meet an out of town friend at Cactus Cafe last night. He's a huge fan of last night's opening act, Raina Rose. What a nice little bar right on UT's campus! I spent about 10 minutes lamenting the fact my college had nothing like this. And then looking at all the laptops on wi-fi around the Union, I got even more depressed about the time I was in college in the early 90s. Damn I missed all the cool stuff! 

Cactus Cafe is a dark intimate venue. Candles on the table and a small stage give it all an interesting atmosphere. It's small and tight. You have to be on friendly terms with your neighbors. After the show, it was really weird to walk out into the clean UT Union Building instead of some seedy-looking street somewhere in Europe! I'll be watching for more upcoming shows!
5 - Frances S.: I can't believe the Cactus doesn't have more raving reviews on here.

This is one of the best venues in town. They usually have a focus on Texas, singer-songwriter, folky bands, and have quite a musical history. Just check out all the old show posters on the wall outside the entrance. But they also have a spattering of good local bands too (that don't fit in the above categories), like {{{Sunset}}}, Balmorhea, Weird Weeds, David Garza, etc. I have seen Eliza Gilkyson play there 3 times, each time better than the last. It's such a small and intimate setting- almost as good as having a house show.  Even if you get a seat in the back of the room, you're still not too far away from the stage. The audience is really part of the show. Each time I've been there, it seems that the audience is a lot nicer than the general show-goer, because there is a camaraderie among fans of artists who tend to play here. People also understand that the Cactus is somewhat reverent, so it's clean and not ever trashy. The Union is also a pretty neat building, and the Cafe preserves a lot of the older architectural details with its worn old interior. You can really take a liking to this strange, but cozy little bar on campus.

The staff there is great, and Griff (the manager) is a character. He loves all things Bob Dylan and is really fun to talk to. The bartenders consist of a couple of old stalwarts, and a rotating cast of able students. The bar is decent, they've got a few good beers a tap, and you can get a pretty good cup of Irish Coffee on a cold day. 

They are cash only, so be sure to bring some or else pay a small fee to use the ATM in the Union. 

I frequented this place a lot as a UT student, since my best friend was a bartender there. I highly recommend it as a study or hang out spot in between classes. It's dimly lit by slatted windows in the day, so it's a welcome change from the awful glaring fluorescent lighting in all of UT's other facilities, and the bright sun outside. Good place to sit down with your lunch and a good book.

And I actually met my fiance at a Cactus show, so it'll always have a fond place in my heart.
5 - Cynthia W.: We saw Michelle Shocked at the Cactus last Saturday night. Our first concert in our new town.

WOW, did we love this venue!! Intimate, good sound, nice staff, and the drinks aren't over-priced!

We came home and immediately started going through their upcoming show schedule. We gotta get back there soon.
5 - paul s.: well I am PISSED OFF to read that UT has decided to close this venue.  I was just there tuesday evening, ever so thankful to have such a warm intimate venue.  a real gem there in the UT student union.  I shudder to think of what great plans they have for the space, I sure hope it does not involve covering the historic walls with huge flat panel tvs to display sports.

I feel sick.
5 - Mark H.: THE BEST place for live music in Austin if you want a place where everyone really pays attention to the musicianship. SAVE CACTUS CAFE!
5 - Joe S.: Best music venue in the city.  Some of my favorite shows in my life were at this place.  Alejandro played songs in the middle of the room, the back of the room, both left and right aisles.  Oh and he played on the stage too.  They all sounded great, regardless of location.  Jimmy LaFave is golden here.  Charlie Robison was awesome.  It's a better venue for those that like acoustic, singer-songwriter, country, folk, than for those who like hard rock and loud amps.
5 - Wiley K.: The Cactus Cafe is as intimate and legendary a live music venue as it gets.  In January, the Texas student union management (where the Cactus Cafe is located) announced they were closing it because it loses what was revealed to be about $30,000/year.  

Needless to say, folks aren't happy with this decision, nor the reasoning behind it.  You can learn more about this ongoing story and support the fight to save the Cactus Cafe here:  http://SaveTheCactusCafe.org
5 - Shannon B.: Knowing that this place still exists pleases me to no end, even if I rarely get the chance to enjoy it in person any more. When I was a student at UT throughout the 90s, I spent many happy evenings here in the smoke-free environment (this was before Austin's smoking ban) listening to amazing acoustic performances in a perfect space for true music lovers to be up close & personal with the performers.

Just this week, I had the great pleasure to hear Chip Taylor (acoustic guitar) and Carrie Rodriguez (fiddle), along with their friends playing upright bass, electric guitar, and pedal steel.  The crowd (all ages, but heavily skewed to the baby boomer set on this night) was pleasant & engaged, the acoustics were amazing, and the bar served some stout cocktails at a very cheap price. It was a wonderful evening, and we were on our way home by 11:30pm, extra nice on a school night.

We had decided on the spur of the moment to attend this 8:30pm show on a Wednesday night and we were pretty lucky to get in. When we arrived at 7:45, there was a line at the door, and we nabbed the very last two chairs in the house right before they cut off entry. Next time, we'll plan ahead and make sure we're there by 7:15.  

Good to know:

Many Cactus shows do not offer advance tickets, and doors open 30 minutes before showtime. 

It's on the UT campus, just about directly east of the University Co-op store, so you must park wherever you can find a space in the adjacent area. We paid $8 to park at the UT garage on San Antonio by Whole Earth Provisions and then came in the back entrance of the Union off 24th.

UT students showing ID get $3-5 off the ticket price, generally $15 for touring acts, $10 for local acts, and (gasp) *free* for some events.

Join the email list to get advance notice of upcoming shows here http://www.utexas.edu/universityunions/texas-union/scene/cactus-cafe-music

This link provides the advance ticket sales http://cactuscafe.thundertix.com/
5 - Mason R.: One of the best places to grab a drink and get up-close and personal with some quality music.
5 - Catherine D.: My husband has been saying we need to see a show here for a while. Now I know why. When we saw that Citizen Cope was playing here we grabbed tickets for the whole family. This is one of those rare musicians that is so talented that I don't know who loves him more, me or my teenage son. We got there early and my husband parked himself at the front of the line while the kid and I strolled around the drag a a little. Getting there early ensures things like getting a front row seat. That being said this venue is so small and intimate there isn't really a bad set in the house. Maybe it's because we sat front row which felt like Citizen Cope was serenading us in our living room , but this place is nothing if not 5 stars. Now I see what all the ruckus was about when they talked about closing. You know what they say about the family that listens to Citizen Cope together. Yep, its true.
3 - Miguel S.: Good coffee!  Good environment!
5 - Randall K.: Intimate setting for a great show.
4 - Pi W.: I really like the atmosphere here for small concerts and talks, good wine & beer for its size.  I'm a sucker for the nerds who come there.
5 - Nao I.: If you are a music lover, This is the one for you!
5 - Katy M.: Most delicious vodka tonic in town. $3 wells during happy hour (4-7PM on weekdays).
4 - Sam s.: Been to the place and really liked it.
5 - Steve C.: Great place to see live show!!
5 - S H.: Every time I see a show here I am up close and personal with a performance is sure to please!  I love this place-----
5 - Mel G.: Visit the Cactus Cafe if you're on campus -- especially because there have been a handful of attempts to get the place shut down/converted into something else.  A big piece of UT campus history.
4 - Tara D.: Great venue, very small and intimate. I love the low lighting, the bartender is cooler that the other side of the pillow and the drinks are reasonable. 

If you are sitting right in front you will feel like you are onstage with the band. You can literally touch them, if this closeness makes you uncomfortable sit in the middle it is still amazing but you have a little space.
5 - Nicole L.: It's tiny, so no matter where you are sitting, you aren't very far from the performers.  And you can def. see some great acts at the Cactus. Lately I've been going for the Views and Brews series by KUT - a donation only live performance of classic jazz music is a real treat, and especially in such an intimate venue. If Austin allowed indoors smoking, it would be your quintessential small smoky jazz club atmosphere.  The 20th century was a different time, alas, but the Cactus is a good approximation of that live music-bringing-people-together kinda thing that is so cool about art.
And the bartender is really nice.
5 - Hayden B.: I have see two spectacular concerts (Balmorhea and Hello Wheels w/ Wild Child) at Cactus Cafe and am always on the lookout for more shows to go see here. The acoustics are great and it's a nice change of pace to be sitting down at a show, quietly appreciating beautiful music. It's such an intimate venue that you leave feeling like you and everyone in the room, including the band, are friends. Shows sells out quick and for good reason so buy your tickets early. Cactus Cafe is a gem for The University of Texas campus .

Cactus Grill - Champaign, IL (40.0998407, -88.2443513) ()
4 - Sarah L.: Dude how could I not be a fan when my first experience with this place is that they hand me a gigantic, free chicken burrito??  I hope that they get some spillover traffic from the Subway next door, because I can tell the locals that own the franchise are workin' hard and I don't want them to get eaten by economy like so many other local businesses (i.e., papa george, sweet indulgence, pages for all ages)
4 - Allison G.: The service is really great and the food is tasty.  I wouldn't give them the full 5 stars because the burritos are a little dry.  However - they do know how to make a fish taco and the fish they use is delicious!
3 - John K.: The service is pretty good.

I've tried their tacos and burritos, both the chicken chipotle and steak varieties. Neither really has much flavor. You can try to compensate by adding a lot of toppings, like everyone does there, but then they just taste like undressed salads.
4 - Lisa B.: I had the honey grilled chicken burrito.  I thought it was good.  You can choose white rice, spanish rice, pinto beans, black beans to add to it.  You also have the choice of tomato, onion, lettuce, hot sauce or mild, sour cream.   The people working there were very helpful and let me try samples of the chicken before ordering.  I didn't give it 5 stars because I don't think it's there yet.  Also, the fish tacos are really awesome.
4 - Meta S.: Good tofu burritos are hard to come by in Champaign-Urbana. In fact, the Cactus Grill offers the only one I know of at a restaurant in town ... with some nicely grilled veggies. It's an independent, tasty burrito joint in Champaign, IL, so of course it's not quite what you might find in Arizona or California or whatever -- but the food is good and the folks behind the counter know how to use a tortilla.
3 - Katherine C.: As someone who works in the Neil Street area, I am dismayed that most lunch times options are limited to typical restaurant chains.  Luckily, I can count on Cactus Grill when I want a fast lunch that is less corporate than a McBurger.

The quality of the food is near mediocre; some ingredients really shine, but others somehow always disappoint.  Many of the meats (chicken, steak) are chewy and dry, though they're left to soak in their juices before service (doesn't help, unfortunately).  For my meat option, I usually stick with the fish, which is deep-fried in a panko-like batter.  The fish dishes also usually come with a drizzle of creamy chipotle sauce, yum.

Recently I bought a burrito with cilantro-lime rice and black beans.  The rice is an unmistakable (but poor) imitation of the rice from Chipotle, with cilantro that is never mixed in evenly.  When I bit into the beans, I realized they were still...undercooked?  I was pretty surprised by this discovery as most places use pre-made, canned beans rather than beans cooked in-store...so compliments to homemade beans, but disappointment at undercooked beans.

Despite my criticisms, I still return to Cactus Grill every other week to pick up food.  It's not luxury, but I don't expect too much from lunch on a weekday.
2 - Ernie T.: I *really* wanted to at least add a star to my review of Cactus Grill on a return visit, but I'm very disappointed to say that I can't bring myself to do so.

It happens to be very convenient to my work to go, so I decided to go on a day when burritos were the special of the day.  Wednesday's special is  Steak Burrito for $4.99, so I went with that, even though everyone who DOES like this place says that the Honey Grilled Chicken is the way to go.   Since I was getting the special, I decided to get a side of chips and salsa, thinking that just in case the burrito was terrible, at least I could snack on the chips.

To their credit, the burrito was much better fare than my previous experience with the tacos.  I got the cilantro rice and black beans, but the steak just does not have that much flavor.   I got the spicy green salsa, and this salsa does carry some heat with it when you have quite a bit of it at once.  It had very little shredded cheese on it, which could have at least been a saving grace if there had been more -- they should think about going with a cheese sauce (ala Qdoba's Steak Queso burrito).  Overall, it was food and probably a decent deal for the $5 special, but I wasn't impressed on taste.

So...the chips.   These were not even close to the life preserver for which I was hoping.  The chips were cold, HARD, and downright inedible.  They were only barely salted, and honestly, I was afraid I might chip a tooth.  I ate about 4, and that's all I could bear.  I got the hot salsa with those as well, and even tried soaking them a bit, but I ended up throwing most of them away.

I'm sorry to those who do enjoy Cactus Grill and can't understand why I'm down on them.  Like I said before, I would like to see them succeed.  There is a severe lack of variety for lunch on south Neil near my work, and this would be a nice location if the food was more up to par.  I will give it one more shot with the chicken, just because i like burritos but refuse to fight the campus parking/traffic.  If it improves significantly, I will post an update.
4 - Mark W.: Really like this place.  Daily lunch specials are my regular choice, $4.99 each.  The burritos are tasty and a good size and everything is fresh.
5 - Rerra S.: Oh Cactus Grill. I love your lunch specials, and the fact that you deliver. I'm pretty sure the average newborn is smaller than their burritos. I especially love that if you ask nicely on your online order they will draw a unicorn on your burrito wrapper. NOMZ.
4 - Amy S.: I love that Cactus Grill offers tofu as a filling in their tacos and burritos.  The quality of the vegetables is a plus.
2 - MK H.: I really do dislike writing bad reviews for anything, but I feel this experience merits a warning. I just moved here from south Texas, was really craving Mexican food, and felt too lazy to go sit in a restaurant, so delivery it was. I ordered a cheese quesadilla (with onion and tomato for a sad attempt at pico de gallo), and chips and salsa.

The quesadilla was incredibly greasy, the tomato chunks were quite large, and the onion was far too overpowering for my taste. The chips and salsa were another matter. The chips were edible, but they weren't my favorite. And warning with the salsa, if you order the spicy salsa, expect green salsa. I'm used to red, so the possibility of green didn't even cross my mind. I'm not a fan of green salsa, so my dislike is likely an artifact of my dislike of green salsa in general, not this specific salsa.

Plus side? The food was delivered about half an hour earlier than estimated.

Looking at the rest of the reviews, it doesn't appear that Cactus Grill is ALWAYS bad, so maybe mine was just a bad experience, but still...

TL;DR: greasy quesadilla, hard chips, green salsa, searching for another Mexican restaurant

Caesar Martini's - Waterloo, ON (43.4728811, -80.5340398) ()
3 - Tracy B.: It was fun while in University, but if you're past that stage it's just the locals... the line ups are long during the hot nights and it's not really worth the wait if you don't know everyone inside.
1 - Nikolaos N.: Eeek! You can feel the testosterone in the air at Caesar's. Look someone the wrong way and you've got a flying fist coming straight for you face. 

The music lacks variety and they play the music waaaay to loud! Maybe I'm just too old for this.
4 - Sarah B.: I am not a student (I'm 34) so thought I would offer a different perspective on Caesar's.   I went there on Tuesday night to try their half-price appetizers.   Each appetizer cost around the $5-6 mark so half of that seemed like a good deal.   The portion size depended upon the appetizer ordered, but overall good value for money!  Each person at the table ordered 3 appetizers and left feeling full.    The caesar salads were really good, as well as the soups.

Not a lot of people there at all on Tuesday nights but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't go any other night.

Cafe 140 South - Pasadena, CA (34.143311, -118.131842) (Pasadena)
4 - Ryan K.: This is great "comfort-food"... nothing too adventurous but they do everything well and the prices are reasonable... 

Also, here is a little known secret: this place makes one of the best margaritas in LA... the server leaves the entire shaker at your table, along with a side shot of Grand Marnier! 

Oh, and plenty of outdoor patio seating too...
4 - Larry V.: OK - yes, the restaurant looks like it's a chain. In a way, it sort of is if you count two locations as a chain of restaurants. But you have to get past that. Crocodile Cafe is very good.

Owned by the Smith Brothers, the same gentlemen who give us Parkway Grill, Arroyo Chop House and Smitty's, Croc demonstrates the same attention to detail and taste as its pricier brethren. I've sampled just about everything on the menu and I've never been disappointed. If you save room for dessert, try the carrot cake. It's our family favorite. They also have skilled bartenders who make great drinks. My personal favorite: the Heradura Margarita.

So pay no attention to the cartoon crocodile on the sign, this restaurant is for grown-ups and it's delicious.
4 - Lee H.: Crocodile Cafe - kind of a wierd name for a restaurant but don't let the name fool you! More of a nice meeting eat spot whether it be lunch or dinner! Great regular spot for couples to sit and just chit chat while enjoying the nice weather in the patio area! The service is real quick and prompt and so friendly! And now for the food it is real superb!
I had the Grilled Chicken Sandwich which was delicious! The chicken was moist and grilled to perfection! The bread was soft and warm and all the little ins and outs of it made it very very pleasing! The fries accompanying it wasn't as bad either! 
Again, great place for a quick eats with the gang or quick business meeting. Also great usual eat spot for couples as you can enjoy the nice patio outside! And for you sport enthusiasts they have plentiful TV's to soothe your sporting needs! I didn't really care much as I went during the SuperBowl! LOL! But just a tidbit of info for everybody! They have a bar too - haven't tried any of the drinks ...maybe next time!
5 - Oro O.: Came here for a business dinner tonight and I had a fabulous time.  The staff was excellent and attentive to our needs and inquiries.  The food and drinks were of very tasty, nicely presented, and served timely.  Everyone at our table were extremely satisfied with their entrees (Some dishes included the Chinese Pot Stickers, Quesadilla, Grilled Ahi Tuna and Tiger Shrimp Salad, California Cheeseburger, Pizza, Crocodile Stir-Fry, Thick cut grilled pork chop, Homemade Country Meat Loaf, Caramel Apple Torte, Extra Rich Cheese Cake, and Chocolate Raspberry White Chocolate Mousse Cake-- that's a lot of happy people!)

Definitely a pricey and very good date place.

Located in a classy industrial part of Pasadena.  The nearest major cross street is Lake and Green and there are two parking 'areas'.  A pay 2 hour parking (9am-7pm ? ) across the street on the west side of Lake, and another validated multi-story structure on the same block as the restaurant.
2 - Gerald S.: I've only been here a couple of times and I was not impressed either time.  The decor is nice and you can have the option of sitting in the patio area, where you can people watch on Lake Avenue.  The food is really average at best and the service could probably be better.  I had the chicken stir fry on my most recent visit and it was just... eh.... I could make a better one at home.
1 - Alex V.: Doesnt look Like a chain restaurant, the atmosphere has been average all 3 times. The service is below average especially from the same male waiter and the food is comparable of a high end deli (if such a place exist). Try green st. cafe across.
3 - Chris C.: I was really craving for some good ole' crocodile meat, but I guess it's just the name of the place, and turns out they don't serve croc at all (not funny? booo!) But I did have a nice lunch here with my mom, brother, and sister today. Ordered the Asian Chicken Salad, which was good and a cup of clam chowder which wasn't so good. We also shared the calamari appetizer over curry salad, and the apple pie with vanilla ice cream. There were other items on the menu that looked really appetizing, so maybe I'll try them another time. I also noticed that some items on the menu are a bit pricey, but the portions are quite big.

Overall, the place is clean. The food presentation impressive.The staff is friendly and our server Tony, was great....and most of all, they DO validate parking!
3 - Mack S.: Ok not as great as i had hoped, if i didnt have perfect company I would tell you the place sucked. Food was nothing to write home about either. Might be for some, but is isnt for this SO CAL chap.
4 - David W.: This place is pretty nice.  They were able to accommodate our party of 20 without a problem.  Parking for this place is difficult if you've never been, and that was the case for me.  It was raining so I had to round the place a few times to find something.  I ended up a block away and it wasn't too bad.  At least the parking free.

The restaurant itself is in a little boutique plaza which is somewhat quint.  I wouldn't had had a better impression if it wasn't raining.

The food here was good.  I had the special - Lamp Chops over risotto, which was actually pretty good.  The DESSERT however WAS PHENOMENAL.  I got the Dark Raspberry White Choclate Moose Cake and it as great!!!!!

The wait staff was also wonderful.  Our waitress, Janelle was cute and very tentative.  Always with a smile she got all our orders right on.  The food selection itself was not that expansive, with a New Orleans style the food seemed limited (to me though).

Cool place to try if you like a small selection of Cajun food.  it's mostly American food.  But the food is made and prepared well.
4 - Cynthia D.: One of my favorite cafes in Pasadena. Mainly fro the pizza style bruschetta.  But, also for the cobb salad. Which, is probably one of the most fattening alternative to a typical salad. 

I wouldn't recommend going with a large group.  But, if you do then call ahead and you shouldn't have a problem. 

If it's packed and you don't have time to sit here...then go to Wheat Berry across the street. Which is quick and delicious =)
4 - Austin S.: I've been here plenty of times having grown up in the area and I usually never have a problem with the service or the food.  This is a great lunch or dinner spot, either with family or a small group of friends.  They do have a semi private dining room in the back for larger parties, so I don't necessarily agree with the reviews that say it is not a good place for larger, private parties.

As I mentioned, the food is typically very good.  Though last time I went, I had the Oakwood Chicken and it was mediocre at best.  At least now I know what not to get is what I always say.  But I just came back from having lunch with my mom and this time made up for that sub-par chicken of last.

We got there at prime lunch time and the place was packed but luckily no one waiting.  The hostess quoted us a 10-15 minute wait, which being a former host myself, I thought was safe to overquote and not underquote (that's another story in itself), however we were seated within a quick couple of minutes.

My mom got the warm steak and wild mushroom salad, a more than big enough portion for her small frame.  The steak was cooked a perfect medium rare, which is funny because that's how she ordered it yet still gave me the rarest pieces saying it was too rare... weird, I know.

I got the thick cut bone-in pork chop, which was quite tender and juicy and cooked to a nice medium doneness, which despite the misconception that pork needs to be cook to welldone, it actually nowadays is quite safe to eat at least medium.  It came topped with caramelized shallots and apples and paired with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables, both good as well.  The mashed potatoes seemed to have more garlic in it than at most places, but not too strong, and that's the way I like it.

As I mentioned, this time around and my selection reminded me why you can't go wrong with an All-American restaurant like Crocodile Cafe
4 - Carole G.: What a cute little place this was! Stopped in last weekend with a friend for an early dinner after visiting the Pasadena Showcase house. She touted me with the lovely outdoor patio they have and I must say, it would certainly have ranked very high on my outdoor dining top spots had it not been so darn windy! Heaters notwithstanding, the wind was just too much for me.

So, we ventured back inside and took a spot by the windows to pretend we ate outside. After perusing the menu we settled on sharing   the Crocodiles 3 Section Pizza. An oblong pizza with three sections of their most popular pizzas; BBQ chicken, Sausage and Spicy Pepperoni and 4-Cheese. Our friendly server brought our Paradise iced teas after taking our order and we were all set.

Pizza was delicious and cooked just right. It was plenty of food for a light, evening meal and each section was a stand-out. My favorite was the spicy sausage and pepperoni. The meats were cut up and crumbled and unlike an Italian pizza of the same name. It was quite tasty.

The place filled up a bit after we got there. In addition to the great front patio where you can dine and watch the downtown goings-on, they also had a side patio as well. The bar area looked like it took in a lot of  evening action and would be a fun place to hang. I can imagine this place being pretty busy at night; which would be fun. If you go, keep in mind they seem to only have one-stall restrooms and plan accordingly.

I would love to come back here on a summer day and spend a lazy afternoon out front enjoying the downtown view and a good meal and drinks. Definitely something to keep in mind next time I'm in town. I'm giving 3.5 stars here; rounded up.
3 - fran d.: this isn't a bad place but the service can be spotty and it doesn't really stand out in any particular or special way. the food is alright. some meat dishes here, some fish dishes there. mostly american cuisine and mostly forgettable.

the place is clean. it can get crowded. it's one of those restaurants that it seems everyone goes to but you can't quite figure out why. this isn't the place to come to for a quiet, intimate dinner.

not my first choice but not my last either. it's a very, VERY middle of the road restaurant at best.
4 - Marie Y.: The cupcake store in the same plaza was closed, so we walked a few paces over to Crocodile Cafe for some coffee and dessert.

Girlfriend and I shared a peanut butter and chocolate brownie sundae.  It was very yum!  I'm a huge fan of peanut butter, so this was the perfect way to end our evening.

It was pretty close to closing time when we arrived, but our server was gracious and still took good care of us.  So I tipped her extra for being so cool.
2 - Tim S.: Crocodile Cafe is one of those places you want to like, the area, the food, but the 3 out of 4 times I've been there has been consistent..  

Consistently bad.  Each time we get shown a table it's right in the middle of the traffic area, waitresses and customers walking by, we felt like we were in the middle of the la freeway eating dinner.   Service was subpar.  The food looked good, but was average at best.   I mention 3 out of 4 because the 4th time, the waitress tried to put us in the traffic area again and looking at my wife's disappointment, I told them no thank you, and we left to go to a restaurant we knew would seat us appropriately.
3 - justin d.: Good food, good service and good location.  Just like the old Crocodile Cafe.
3 - S F.: Been here only once (for lunch), so I haven't observed this place a whole lot.  Decent enough food, good service.  I had the cheese and spinach ravioli that was the special that day, it was okay but the portion could have been bigger.

Sit outdoors on a nice day, they have umbrellas for shade and it makes for good people watching.  It's a little weird because the sidewalk is a couple of feet higher than the dining area, so you're kind of looking up at people walking by.
4 - LA Sunshine M.: I really liked their crab cakes and pasta dishes.  The place is unassuming and the price is reasonable for Pasadena.
5 - Lu W.: I can't believe I've never been to this place after 6 years living down the street from this place.  It could be the subconscious fear that I would become a crocodile  meal, instead of having a meal at the Crocodile.

But it was REALLY good. I ordered the jambalaya fettuccine, and it was quite possibly the best food that bears the name jambalaya since Lyndon Johnson. My friend's angel hair w/ shrimps was very good too (according to her).

The waiter was nice and friendly. The bread was fresh off the oven and very tasty.  Located right on a trendy spot off Lake Ave., you feel "wrapped" in a cozy corner. 

They could call it "A Crocodile's Hug" to remedy the fear factor, whatdya say?
4 - Marilee V.: This place has friendly and attentive servers and staff. The onion rings and fresh Mojitos are amazing! 

Dinner menu is extensive--nice variety to select from. I had the Chicken & Spinach Ravioli Special, my beau had the Swordfish special. The Ravioli was good--nothing spectacular, but good. My beau said the Swordfish could have used more seasoning, but he enjoyed it nonetheless. 

Generous glass of wine (not the little shot-glass-with-a-stem that you often get at other restaurants)--nice house Cab. 

No room for dessert, but will try to save room next time.
3 - Caitlin C.: "Crocodile like the animal?" "No crocodile like the country?"

My stepmother had called information for Crocodile Cafe's hours, and the woman at the other end of the line was a little more then confused. Either way we headed over at around 11am. It's only 5 minutes from my parents apartment in Pasadena. Got seated right away by the patio windows on a blustery stormy day. I could feel the cold through the glass, but nothing switching seats with my boy friend couldn't fix.

Our servers were attentive, if not a little confused about which section they were supposed to be working seeing as we got asked for drinks twice and orders twice. Perhaps someone had a little too much partying the night before, came in late, and screwed up the assignments. We waited about 30 mins for food, but in a nice sit down restaurant that had only just got it's kitchen up and running for the day, I wasn't really surprised. 

I had lemonade and the Apple Pork Chop that comes with mashed potatoes and vegetables. It's traditional to splurge when your parents are paying. Anyway my chop was thick cut and juicy as all heck, but it wasn't seasoned much at all. The apple were tasty and who ever the hell thought of apples and pork way back when is a genius, I swear I could kiss them. Mashed potatoes needed salt, but I really liked the vegetables for some reason. Anyway, the lemonade was kinda weird, it was really...faint, is really the only word I can think for it.

My dad really enjoyed his pork sandwich, and my boyfriend thought he burger was satisfactory, my step mom claimed the crab cakes to be really delicious. I stole some curly fries and found them bland, and in need of ketchup which is the cure for all lame french fries. 

I'd definitely go back if I had the money to pay for myself, and I lived within walking distance. It's decent enough. 3.5 stars if I could.
4 - Emily Z.: I went here for lunch with my cousin. It is a nice restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating and considering it was such a nice day we decided to sit outside.

Upon entering, the place smelled delicious and really sent my appetite into overdrive. After being seated and having our drink order taken, the waiter gave us ample enough time to look over the menu and chat for a bit. When it came time to ordering, the waiter informed us of the specials of the day, and when it was pointed out that I was a vegetarian he offered  me the option to create my own pasta, which was super nice. So I ordered the fettucine alfredo and my cousin and I split a cheese pizza.

Before the meal arrived, this hot, fresh, delicious bread was brought to the table. mmm. Then, our pizza was served and it was really really good and unlike other cheese pizzas, you could actually taste the different cheeses in this one. It is a thin crust type pizza with the tomatoes on top, not an actual sauce. It made a great appetizer, and I even had enough left over for lunch the next day. 
After the appetizer our entrees arrived. At the time I couldn't figure out what it was about the pasta, but the sauce was basically a butter and cream sauce, so it was kind of heavy, but it was soo good :) 

So all in all, this is a good place to come to have a nice lunch. They have a nice menu and the wait staff was attentive and accommodating.
4 - Karen N.: this is a good place for lunch. not located on the busy colorado blvd, but on lake ave in pasadena, which is more quiet and relaxing, with outdoor seatings. it was my first time going to that part of pasadena, and found that there are quite a few restaurants on that street. this just happened to be the busier one. 

since we sat outdoor, there was only one server taking care of about 6-7 tables. we got neglected for a few times. it's not a big problem thou, the food didn't take tooo long to be delivered, and as long as it's still fresh and hot, i don't mind too much. i ordered a steak and warm wild mushroom salad, and it was huge! the presentation looked really nice and appealing. and it tasted wonderful! the steak was cooked to the right doneness and the mushroom was great! loveee mushrooms! we also ordered the angus beef pot roast, it comes with egg noodles, red wine reduction and orange carrots. i think it's alrite, not as good as expected. the beef was tender, but the flavor is just not "perfect." btw, the carrot really tasted like orange juice thou. 

i would come here again for lunch, just because the area is nice and the food is good and price is reasonable. plus, it's a good walk from paseo =]
4 - Erik B.: Note: this place has changed names to "Cafe 140 South". Despite slightly slow service (we ate between 1600 and 1730), the pastrami panini and slaw was awesome.  Also, my wife's ravioli was awesome.  Carrot cake is some of the best I've had.
4 - Tyson H.: Crocodile Cafe is a nice place to go to in Pasadena. I have never had to wait very long for a table, and the service is great. So far I have been here twice and enjoyed both my visits.

I have ordered the Ahi Tuna Sandwich twice and both times they tasted great. The fish quality could definitely be better but overall it is great.

I have also tried the pizza. They have about 6 different types of pizza's. I have tried the BBQ Chicken pizza and another pizza that I cannot remember the name of right now. Before I give my review of the pizza's, I have to say that Crocodile Cafe has come up with the best pizza dough that I have ever eaten. It is very light, original and soft. I usually eat the pizza and rarely eat the dough, but it is not the case here, I eat the whole slice every time.

Onto the pizza's. The BBQ Chicken pizza is top notch. I definitely prefer it over CPK's BBQ Chicken pizza, heck, I prefer it over any pizza from CPK.

The other pizza that I have tried (Sorry I cant remember the name), is quite unique. I believe there is chicken on it, and towards the end of the baking process, they drop an egg in the middle of the pizza. It is definitely a weird take on pizza but it works well. I recommend trying this pizza for anyone who plans on visiting the Crocodile Cafe.

Overall, I am a big fan of the Crocodile Cafe, (I believe they might have changed their name) and I recommend it to any fan of good pizza.
4 - Guy D.: OK, this place was formerly the Crocodile Cafe, I understand it is under the same ownership, just now a dfferent name and restaurant.

I was unaware of the change when some friends suggested on the spur of the moment we go out to grab something to eat on a Saturday evening.

We arrived, and lucked out in that there was no wait, and we opted for a patio table as it is quieter there.

The restaurant has been redone if you were familiar with the prior operation, and I would describe the ambiance as very friendly American Shiek.  

The menu was not at all lengthy, but had many nice selections of pastas, appetizers, Pizza's, Salads, Sandwiches and other entrees.  There was also a limited, but nicely varied wine list.

We were two couples, and opted to order two pizza's and one of their salads and a bottle of wine, we shared.

The salad we ordered was the Asian Pear and English Stilton salad.  I would say this was an entree sized salad, and worked well for the four of us to share.  I thought it was seasoned very well, and give it a definite thumbs up ... but then, how can you go wrong with the combination of pears and stilton ...?

We ordered two pizzas.  They were about 10" across each, and each was cut into 6 slices.  We ordered the Procuitto de Parma Pizza and the Roasted Onion (which also has sausage) pizza.

Now let me tell you about the pizzas ... being 100% Sicilian descent, I am a bit particular about pizzas.  There are two seperate elements to be evaluated, the first element is the crust.  The Cafe 140 pizza crusts were very good.  They were light, thin, but still chewy.  To me nothing is worse than a cracker crust that is just that ... a cracker.  They bake the pizzas in a wood burning pizza oven, so you not only have the texture of the good pizza dough, but the finish that only a very high temperature wood oven can provide.

Next is the topping, in both cases, the topings were in the right proportions, and well distrubted on the pizzas.  Believe it or not, you can put too much on a pizza as well as to little.  I think the chefs here hit on the right combination.

We washed it all down with a great Argentinan Melbac ... it turned out to be the perfect compliment to the pizzas.

For two couples (both of us guys are pretty good eaters too) the quantity of the food was just right.  The total bill for the four of us was $73 and change (before the tip) ... the bottle of Melbac was $26, so the food is fairly priced.

The service was excellent.  Our server was very friendly, not afraid to answer our questions and even gave a few suggestions.  She did not rush us at all.  

What started as an impromptu dinner with good friends turned into a wonderful evening.  We will definitely come back.
1 - Pat R.: Ordered the Ahi tuna and shrimp salad for dinner.  The tuna was dry and way overdone and there were 3 sad shrimp.  Not worth the nearly $16 spent.
2 - Kimi O.: This place was formerly the Crocodile Cafe. Same owners as Smitty's and Arroyo Chop House, so I had high hopes.

My coworker and I ordered and shared a pastrami panini and roast beef panini with curly fries and salad. The salad was tossed and had jicama, carrots, and pine nuts. Interesting combo, but tasty. The curly fries were so plain and not fresh. The pastrami panini was dressed with honey mustard aioli which was way too sweet and overpowering! The roast beef panini came with horseradish (yum) and onions (yum), except the onions were pickled! Gross! I did not like either panini.

My other coworker ordered a burger with fries. He wished he had gone to the Counter instead.

Before the DBA name change, I came here to order a fiesta salad (blackened chicken, roasted corn, tortilla strips) and it was delish. Is this all this place is good for? Salads?

I may be ordering the wrong thing, but how many times must I got back to order the RIGHT thing? The only thing I haven't tried on the menu is entrees...

Not sure if I'd come back, and I only work up the block.
3 - Jimmy P.: Just happened to stumble across this place. Glad we did. 

Atmosphere was pleasant and friendly; you get a view of the woodfired oven....at least I think that's what it was. Either way, the outdoor sitting is pretty good as you can people watch as you dine.

The bread roll that they give you is amazing....bread was fresh and piping hot!!

I had the B & B (burger and beer) special. Burger was done perfectly (medium rare) and beer was a local brew, so it was a refreshing lunch. Fiance had the grilled chicken sammy on Italian roll. Both meals were tasty. Curly fries were lacking as they didnt seem to be fried enough....I like mine crispy.

Overall, good service and good food.
5 - Lucy H.: nice place to have lunch. 

had the burger and beer special for only $12 and beef steak and mushroom salad. 

very delicious and service was great.
4 - Jason H.: Have only had their burgers here, but it's reason alone to come here regularly.  A very tasty burger, meat seasoned and cooked very well, and for $10 comes with a large side of curly fries.  Now someone had reviewed saying the curly fries werent crisp enough but that must have changed because these fries were really crispy with no greasy limp to them.  The burger itself is large, the bun holds it all well, and it easily is on par with burgers that cost $15+   Also recommend the butterscotch pudding, which is something I havent had since I was a kid and it came out of a Jell-O box but their pudding would put a smile on Mr Cosby's face.  Service was excellent as well, attentive and on the ball.

**have since come back and had the steak salad quite a few times. I NEVER order a salad for a meal, but this is probably the best salad I've ever had.  Nice size piece of steak, always been cooked perfect with good seasoning.  Rest of salad is lettuce, tomato vinagrette and sauteed mushrooms.  This is a no mess no fuss just pure impact way to serve a salad that eats as a meal, thanks to the good amount of steak in it.
2 - Richard M.: My wife and I had dinner here with some friends when we were back in Pasadena for a visit.  I had the tortilla soup and a sausage pizza.  My wife had the fish.  The soup was a bit cold; seemed like it had been sitting in the back for a while.  The pizza was pretty good, but nothing spectacular.  The menu is similar to the old crocodile menu, but some of my favorites are missing.  Service was fine.
3 - Dgs S.: I have had pizza and pasta there before.  I have eaten at this location and the old Colorado location, think it's closed now.  It's not outstanding but it's good food for decent price.  I don't think you will be disappointed.  
I saw Jorja Fox,formerly of CSI, there a few years ago.
5 - Jim E.: We arrived at the cafe after viewing the Rose Parade floats. Ordered the burger and brew special and the steak and wild mushroom salad. Our waitress Loren was personable and polite. The food arrived in less. Than 5 minutes! Wow ...on a Sunday afternoon no less ... The Stella was cold and filled to the brim.

All in all a perfect choice for Sunday afternoon dining in downtown Pasadena!
4 - Michelle C.: The steak and wild mushroom salad is DELICIOUS, as is the warm bread.  Very reasonable prices and nice presentation.  I live in the area and will definitely go back!
1 - M R.: I really just don't understand how a place like this can stay in business. We went here TWICE, ordered different entrees each time and the food was consistently awful. I mean, how can you screw up a pizza? Ask the chef at Cafe 140 South. He'll tell you to add three times the normal amount of salt, use Smart & Final saugage bits, omit any tomato sauce, and voila! the Italian sausage pizza. I was really hungry and forced myself to eat it. If I could have purged the meal and dined again elsewhere I would. And the prices that they charge for this substandard American fare reminds me of being in some touist trap area where people have no other choices. 

The service was fine and a manager came by to ask how we were doing. I didn't feel like telling him the truth.  The fact that the place was so empty on a Friday night speaks for itself. Hopefully it will go away this year.
4 - mindy n.: I only have had the B & B special here...the burger and beer special(stella artois)...so my review entails Yummy stars for the burgers and the special (11.50$)--very satisfying.  The service is nice and ambiance is cozy.
3 - Christina L.: When a place gets so desperate for "revamping" that it changes it's name to something so incredibly generic and redundant like it's address...you know it's time for someone to take over the lease. 

The Smith Bros have definitely hit home runs with Arroyo Chophouse, Parkway Grill, and Smitty's...but Crocodile and Cheval Blanc are sadly not a part of the dream team. Cheval was just debuted a few months ago after it's attempt at "comfort" food with Spitfire Grill went horribly awry. It's seriously about location, location, location. That ill fated, cursed for the rest of time place also known as Union Cattle/Pasadena Brewery/Brix 42 is right across the street from Chavel...and I think it's touch and go with which one is gonna go to Has Been Restaurant Ever After, first. My major issue with Crocodile is that they don't have a lunch menu. In a world of lunch menus, why would I go here to pay $13+ for a salad I could get anywhere else on Lake for half? And it's not on the menu, but you can order 1/2 salads. 


On to the food:


My personal fave is first and foremost, that damn steak and mushroom salad. It is by far, one of thee best salads I've EVER had. And I've had plenty in my day. 4 or 5 thick slices of steak cooked to order, romaine lettuce, home made tomato vinaigrette, and a trio of sauteed button, shiitake, and portobello mushrooms on top. Then to top off the deliciousness, they adorn the top with french fried onions, which I usually opt out of cuz of this damn low carb kick. 

Heads up: Order these damn salads TO GO. Their 1970's esque ghetto glass salad bowls are 1/3 of the size the to go salads are. 

House Bread: Crispy on the outside, soft and searing hot on the inside.  Bleached flour overload delicious. 

Pizza: Who gives a flying hoot what a oakwood oven is...their pizza is BOMB.  And SOOO fattening.  They actually have one that has bacon, full milk cheese, and a cracked egg on top.  It's clogging my arteries even as I type.  My personal fave is their margherita pizza.  

Their menu is out of it's freaking mind.  They have pot roast, burgers, pasta, pizza, salad, panini's, and then marsala.  Make up your freaking mind!!  It is NOT California Cuisine....if you want real CA cuisine throw some carne asada on that shiz.  

By the by: for the particularly ornery people, this place's motto is "The House of Yes" so for you delusional, should have just stayed home and just cooked if you were gonna be this damn annoying and still tip 8%, substitution/modification loving mother tubbers...this is the place to do it. I actually saw a lady make the server make the chef BLEND her a pesto sauce when they don't even have it on the menu. Not even something close. You can take endless iced teas, butter, bread....the clothes off their back to go.  No limit, no matter what.  This place thinks that bending over and taking it in the kitchen will provide some sort of sustainability in reality it will end badly just like it does when a guy walks all over a girl and takes her for granted; soon...Cafe 140 will be gone.
4 - Ellen C.: This place use to be Crocodile Cafe. The decor is still the same and so is the bread they give in the beginning. Don't get me wrong....I enjoyed the warm sourdough bread with pads and pads of butter. I gotta get chubby somehow...right??? 

We ordered the special salad. It was alright. A little bland. 
We shared the Kobe beef cheeseburger. It had lots of flavor and was messy as hell. The Gouda and prosciutto ham went well together. 

The drinks were delicious. I ordered the Cucumber Martini. I usually do not like Gin, but it was refreshing and I just had to order another one. I was feeling a bit tipsy.

They have a beautiful outdoor seating, great for people/car watching. 
Service was amazing. She was attentive and fast.
3 - Nadia F.: Patio seating is fantastic!
Food: okay, a little overpriced. Not very exotic, pretty bland. I had one of their hamburgers ($13), it didn't strike me with an impression, really. It was just okay.
The bread they serve at the beginning was delicious! We asked for more. 
Fish tacos that dad ordered weren't special at all. He would have enjoyed the Mexican truck fish tacos more.
Desert: Chocolate German Cake -- DELICIOUS. 
It was nice to try the restaurant since I walk by it so frequently. Wouldn't really go there for a dinner, but to sit on the patio and enjoy a desert, definitely!
Ohh, if you're looking for a good place to relax with a drink, that wouldn't be it... their alcoholic beverages are TRIPLE the price than they are at a bar.
4 - R L.: I don't know and care about anything else but have to say the burger is the bomb.  They have a hickory grill so I would imagine anything off that mutha would be very good.  Wife and kid enjoyed their salad and hot dog with curly fries as well.  Don't f*^k around and just try the burger!
2 - Michael O.: Went on a Wednesday night. Ordered the ceasar salad and onion rings as an appetizer. Salad was typical, not great but not bad either. Onion rings had tons of batter with red onions (a first for me) and ranch. They were very good. For the meal, ordered the Black Bean Tacos with no meat and the Veggie Pannini. It had eggplant, zucchini, mozzarella, and red bell peppers. The meal was extremely bland. No flavor at all. I was very disappointed; the pannini had a weird, strange flavor to it. Boxed it up and took it home to throw out. The service was good, and the bread they serve at the beginning tastes homemade. Not planning on going again.
3 - Erica W.: I went here with a friend for a burger. We each had the $11.95 burger and beer special. The beers we could choose from were the three on tap. The burger was big and juicy, charbroiled and burnt in places. Overall it was pretty plain. The fries were dry too. Considering these factors though, $11.95 is a pretty good price for a beer and a burger. It was 8:30 on Friday night and very busy inside. The one big draw back of this place is that it closes at 9 pm on the rest of the week nights
3 - Sam V.: Possibly the best chili in LA county.  When it's hearty food I'm craving I go here.  They serve their "Steak Chili" topped with fresh tomato salsa and avocado.  The aroma of the cilantro, the onions and the steak is sublime.

Parking is free in the lot one block away.  South Lake Ave. is a nice place to walk.  Outdoor seating is fine but ,at my height ,the table top and chair height were not compatable.  Perhaps this is something done to encourage people to leave.  The table was up to my chest.

The lunch menu they brought me was dirty.  I pondered this.  They weren't that busy, perhaps they could sort the menus so that the clean ones are used first, or, instead of paper use plastic protected menus.  

If you're a chili lover try the chili at the San Marino Grill on Huntington Drive in San Marino or  let me know your favorite.
3 - Les L.: The best decision the Smith Bros. ever made was rebranding the Crocodile Cafe into Cafe 140 South.  Regardless of what the restaurant served, I never wanted to patronize it because I kept confusing it with Rainforest Cafe - that hokey, themed restaurant inside malls for children with the roaring animatronic alligators and lions.  With its name change, I was finally willing to come check it out.  The Smith Bros. own the popular Pasadena restaurant group that is responsible for Smitty's, Parkway Grill, and Arroyo Chophouse. 

When you are first seated, hot from the oven BREAD BOULES are brought out.  These are so good that I could eat them with butter and be happy.  It has a great crust and a bit of a dense interior but there's a hint of sourdough to the bread -- so good that I asked for a second boule halfway through the meal. 

I ordered a bowl of the STEAK CHILI, served in a wide shallow bowl and topped with diced avocados and pico de gallo.  The meat is tender but the chili is a little too refined for my tastes.  I guess I'm not used to clean little bites of steak in my chili. 

The ROAST BEEF PANINI was a disappointment.  It was one of the lunch specials of the day.  It was as if they took deli roast beef and paninied it.  No good. 

The CHOPPED SALAD (half size) was tasty but a hot mess.  If I were a judge on Top Chef or Chopped, I'd ream the person who made it for their lack of knife skills.  The iceberg and radicchio were haphazardly slashed with a machete.  There was some salami, cheese, tomato...and a good italian dressing but I don't know that I'd ever order this again.  They serve it on some tacky flower shaped glass plate that looked so cheap, like straight from Sizzler.
4 - Rena S.: Love the Pear & Stilton salad.  You can order it as a "small," even though it's not listed on the menu.  The Margarita Pizza is also tasty.  Their bread and passion fruit iced tea are delicious! Definitely get the carrot cake for dessert...no raisins!
1 - Sue P.: When this place was Crocodile Cafe, the food was good.  The atmospher was great.

It's now Cafe 140 and it's no longer good. It's over priced for casual dining. The last time I was here, I was upset at the waiter for something. Ohh, it was for bad and slow service. 

I don't care for the food. So I've rate it accordingly.
4 - Katie C.: They kept a lot of favorites from the Crocodile Cafe menu, and added a bunch of great new items.  I have to say, I have never been disappointed, and since it changed over, still not.  Service was great, food still fantastic, and you can count on it to be just fine.

Wednesdays they have wine specials, and you get to try all kinds of fancier stuff for $5 a glass.  That's a great deal.
2 - Art A.: Somewhat unimpressed. The food and service were good.. but forgettable. The menu was nothing special (except the decent selection of beer) and plates were over priced.

Nothing was bad, but nothing was great.. and I have experienced better. No real reason to want to go back.
3 - Steve M.: being generous here.
Parents said pizza was to die for, so I had the prosciutto with aragula, mozzerella and split cherry tomatoes. Was not impressed, not disgusted. Great crust and flour, barely any prosciutto ony it but it was very good. Aragula and tomatoes, love in a salad but made pizza have an identity crisis. Asked for pizza sauce which doesnt come with this model, I could barely see or taste it. It was so-so all together, and sadly CPK would crush this. Calamari was rubbery, not crispy and coated with a weird chile-red color batter/sauce. Good location, very forgetable food. Waste of calories for mediocre taste. Parents got a sausage pizza with red and sliced green onions (gross). They have 4 pizzas on the menu and ALL of them have something wrong on them. On bright side, coldest beer I have been served ever, including sushi bars.
1 - Christopher D.: Horrible service! Had to walk to the mgr to ask for another Sri k and for water our server was nowhere to be found for 20 minutes!
2 - Paul C.: My wife and I discovered this place while shopping in Pasadena.  She had the cucumber martini and I ordered the Key Lime Pie Martini that I read about, but it wasn't listed on the menu.  Our waiter cast doubts upon both of our drink selections as it was dependant on the availability of certain fresh fruits at the bar.  He was going to check for us and let us know.  Fail.  You should know beforehand if you've run out of fresh grapefruit.

I did not know that this was formerly a Crocodile Cafe, so a lot of things that are obvious in hindsight struck me as unusual.  For example, the hostess knew nothing as it was her "first day".  My advice to anyone who is starting a new job as a hostess... never give excuses... just say, "let me go find out".

The fresh bread was welcome and delicious.  The food was as expected and the service and atmosphere was good.  I ordered the two tacos (which doesn't sound like much) and the portion was huge.  Too much food.  I can't imagine how someone could consume three tacos.  There was a bit of sticker shock when I got the $72 bill for a late afternoon lunch for two.  I didn't expect that at all as everything that led up to that moment (getting the bill) told me that this was a $45 meal.
4 - Gwen P.: A lovely go-to place in Pasadena.. we didn't have a reservation on a Friday/weekend night but still didn't have to wait that long for a table. My partner-in-crime/self-proclaimed foodie couldn't keep his hands off the bread, or maybe that's at all restaurants...

We ended up ordering a salad, no meat, and a Margherita pizza. Both were actually very good - especially the pizza, perfectly baked. We had enough room for dessert, a HUGE slice of German Chocolate Cake! It was too much, that we had to take it home and ended up eating it the day after, and the day after that. 

The service was also very good, they helped as pick some great wines and the recommendation for the cake was perfect! 

Overall, this place is definitely a must-try! It's one of those things were you have to save your energy for the end, or else you'll never get the full impact of pleasure, I mean dessert.
4 - Danny E.: Thank you Jennifer for sharing a nice lunch with me.

I can say I always enjoy outdoor seating, especially on a nice warm day such as today.

The service here is quite superb, the staff is friendly, nice and attentive.

The pizza here while small is quite savory.  We got the spicy pepperoni which comes with pepperoni, sausages, and mushrooms.  I really enjoyed the crispy firm yet soft crust and soft then dough.  I more often than not choose not to eat all of the crust when it comes to pizza, but today was definitely not the case.

We also decided to split a salad because the pizza was not enough for the two of us.  We got the steak and mushroom salad based on the recommendation I got from someone else.  The salad comes with romaine, a medley of mushrooms, fried shoestring onions, and perhaps an 6 to 8 oz steak cut into medium strips.  The steak could have better and maybe juicier.  We got ours medium rare.  The salad is decent and definitely holds up on it's own.  I don't know about having it for $13.50 though.  Must be an inside joke the restaurant is having with the patrons.  

The passion fruit ice tea despite it's brownish red autumn colors tasted exactly like water.  Maybe you can taste a hint of tea in there for those of you with more sensitive palates.  I'm sure this is probably a case by case thing and I caught a bad batch.

Definitely a relaxing place to come enjoy a meal and past a few hours.
3 - Sara R.: There's more yay than nay, and this place gets an A-OK!

The first time I saw the old Croc Cafe's new name, I was like..  heck yeah!  Why I thought that, I am not so sure yet.  But new stuff is fun, right?

One of my friends and I decided to have lunch here on Saturday (the #1 lunch spot in Pasadena - which is.. drumroll please.. McDonald's!!, lost in the shuffle of bets on where to go..  I know, that's a major rebellion right there).

Actually, he wanted Ahi, and I gave him a short list of non-sushi Ahi offerings in Pas. - and he made me pick this place against my will.  I really wanted a McChicken and the ambiance of hard, yellow and red plastic booths and artificial lighting - paired with the smell of french fry grease circulating the air, as I consumed the scrumptious hormone and preservative-ridden McChicken.  And so I lost.  Ok, only 5% of the above actually happened.

Saturday lunch time and plenty of street spots.  Metered.  Max one hour.  

The interior is simple - a la So-Cal style - whatever that means, but I think I probably read it on their website.  Outdoor seating is recommended (says me) - as it's one level below street level, so you get the fresh air without any sun burning your retina, or ghostly pale chest.  

Service is an A+!  The hostess was super pleasant and our waiter was funny and down to earth.  

Menu time.

"Oooh look, short rib sliders", said the girl.  

"We should split those", said the boy.  

"Ok", they said.  

So how were they?  The fillings were yummy, just like tender and fatty short-ribs usually are.  They had a slice of tomato, which I could have done without, and they had caramelized onions.  Maybe.  I'd replace the tomato with some spicy ketchup or something.  Wait, they did have some type of a spicy sauce.. like a bbq type sauce.  Very good, but your napkin usage will yield to resemble a six hour-old murder scene.  The buns were super cute and tiny, but they weren't your soft, pillow-y, typical "slider bun".  Methinks with the typical slider bun/soft roll, these would be the bomb.  Oh, and they only give you three.  And they're very little.  Don't they know that apps are shared and three means that one person usually gets the crappy end of the deal?  Although not in our case, because I was glad to let the boy have the second and last one - he's probably ten feet taller than me and needs more calories to exist anyway.  

I think this place bakes their pizzas in a wood stove/oven thingy, so I went with it like a good little advertisement follower.  

The Margherita.  And, they're totally accommodating with making it a thin crust if you prefer.  This isn't an Italian resto, so you're going to be getting a California version of it, which is great, but just know this in advance.  Just in case you see Cafe 140 South, stop, walk in and think, "I'm feeling like some Roman pizza" .   It's not a very cheesy pizza, which was refreshing because I like it that way naturally..  and it's pink - hm, interesting.  The tomatoes on top were small, and just ok for it being tomato season.  It was sprinkled with a chiffonade of fresh basil - which really stirs up the frilly girly-ness in me. (aka, I liked).  

Now, let's arrange our seating to get a better view, because we are going to speak of the fish tacos.  

So my friend decides to go with it.  No Ahi?!  No.  Psh.   

"Two or three", asks our waiter.

"Um, threeeee!!!!  Of course!!!!", said the boy.

"::confident yet subdued laughter from our waiter:: Ok, three it is.  Do you want all fish?"

"How about two fish and one chicken?", asked the boy.

"No problem."

**  La la la - Tacos arrive **

"Wow, this is a lot of food!", exclaimed the boy.

(You could use a few extra pounds, thought the girl)

These tacos looked pretty freaking yummy.  They were bursting with meat and veggies and good taco things.  Two, soft, flour tortillas (I think they were flour, based upon observation) used for *each* taco.  Did you know that equals approximately 300 calories each taco, from the tortilla alone?  

He said they were good.  But upon taco #3 - the chicken one...

"I think I'm full now".

"Haha," laughed the girl.  "And you gasped at our waiter's emphasization of anything less than three tacos".

"Shut up"

Ok, he didn't really say that, but he may have thought it.  

All in all, it's a chill place to chill - and the food is satisfying, albeit not wow-worthy.   The pricing is between $11-15-ish, per person-ish, unless you get an app.  Etizer.
3 - Tiffany T.: I have a soft spot for this place as this place has been serving consistently good staples since it was Crocodile Cafe back in the 90's, and it was one of the places my family frequented. After so many years, I decided to re-visit memory lane and found the food tasting just as delicious as it did 10+ years ago.

My 2 favorites of all time are the steak salad and the prosciutto arugula pizza (I prefer thin crust but regular crust is not bad either). Although the deliciously fried onion crisps on the salad doesn't necessarily make it "healthy" as salads should be, it makes it all the more yummier. It also has mouth-watering warm mushrooms, and the steak is grilled to your order. Their chicken mushroom ravioli is also something consistent, and you can never go wrong with ordering. Their seared ahi tuna & grilled prawn salad is also very light and enjoyable (actually "healthy" compared to the steak salad haha). Although you can make your own artichokes....their grilled artichoke is something yummy and great to share!

All in all, a great place for a lazy weekend lunch if you're in the area.
1 - Dreamcast P.: Food was mediocre and service was just plain bad. Would not go back again. The only thing good is the fresh bread. Avoid.
4 - Pinkie C.: Came on a cold rainy weeknight with a party of 5 for Dine LA.  Free parking after 6 PM on the street made it easy to run in, and validated parking in the back lot is bonus.  Every table has a nice view of the open kitchen, while the patio would be enjoyable on a warm low traffic period.  There were at least 6 tables on this night which let us converse about the food and catch up.  

The pre fixe 3 course meal was $26 which we passed on.  The Port Short Ribs were THE hit of the table, over mashed potatoes and a spinach with basil side.  The Prosciutto and Arugula pizza was very good with a light crisp crust, soft mozzarella and grape tomatoes. The Ahi sandwich wasn't seared as described by the waitress and came on a tasty cheese bun.  The California Burger was great with smoked bacon, avocado and tender patty.  The grilled artichoke kept coming up; how good it was, how do they cook it, the smoky flavor.

The hostess was very nice, our waitress eager, and the staff professional.  You can try Smittys next door also owned by the same people and part of Dine LA .  The Counter burger place is also on the back side as is Wine Detective to sample 1 oz pours and great tapas.
5 - Gail A.: I loved this place when it was the Crocodile Cafe, and I still love it since it changed slightly (some menu items and the name).  They still start you off with their small hard-crusted loaf of bread (or is it a giant roll?), which is fabulous.  They still have a house salad that I love.  The menu has gotten a bit more adventurous.  I had a watermelon gazpacho which was good, but it was the sliders that wowed me.  Three small "burgers" filled with delicious, tender, short rib meat.  The waiters there are always attentive and friendly, and you can eat out on the front patio, and watch the world walk by.
5 - Janine P.: Great place for lunch! Attentive staff and we happened to go during LA Restaurant Week's price fixe menu. Amazing watermelon gazpacho soup and delectable ham and chicken sandwich.  My family ate my carrot cake and said it was amazing.  Warm bread in the beginning was mmm mmm good.  :0) Our tummys were full and our tastebuds were satisfied!
2 - katherine s.: Service Sucked! The Shrimp in the Angle Hair Pasta was way over cooked, as the waiter sat my plate in front of me, he asked " Do you want ketchup?" I looked at him like "what", then realized my friend had ordered the Kobe Burger and had fries, just kinda weird. They might have been just having an "off- night".  I can say that the ambiance was nice and it had a great feel, I just wish the service and food was better!!
2 - David T.: The wifey and I went here for the first time during the October 2010 dineLA week. We were both very pleased with the food and the service, so it saddens me to say this, but I was disappoint with my appitizer, but more so with my entree. The wifey enjoyed both of her's.

She revisted her dineLA week meal of the steak salad and a whole articoke this time. She enjoyed both, just like the first time. However, like I said I wasn't so lucky.

I started with their short rib sliders with curly fries. The fries were good, but a little on the dry side. The short ribs were perfectly cook, juicey and tender, but the bun was super dry (to be honest it was a theme for me the entire night). For my entree, I ordered their pizza special for the night, a flank steak pizza with corn, alvacado, mozzarella, red onions, and ranchero cheese. I thought it sounded just wonderful. I was asked how id like the steak cooked, I asked for medium (didn't want blood all over the pizza) which is where I think I went wrong. When I got may pizza it was so not good. The steak was way too dry to be enjoyable, and well, I just didn't like my meal.

I'll still give this place a chance, but, just not the steak pizza again.

So for now, remember to live well, but eat better.
4 - Stephanie H.: For the record I never dined here when it was still Crocodile Cafe so I have no comparison but regardless Cafe 140 South is fantastic.

The place a bit of a classy vibe - tablecloths, initimate lighting in the evening, trained servers, nice wine list (try the cupcake cab!) The bread they give you is better than Cheesecake Factory.

We started with the calamari which was served with your basic tartar sauce as well as a spicy-zing sauce rather than a tomato sauce. I've also had the artichokes which are heavenly - including the dipping sauce. I got the kobe cheeseburger with smoked gouda and prosciutto (delish). My husband got the autostrada sandwich which wasnt anything to write home about. 

Great place for romance on the fly. And don't forget to have your parking ticket validated.
2 - Clay W.: Tried Cafe 140 South on a typical Saturday afternoon. It was not very crowded but the service was very very slow. Food was rather poor. I ordered one of their signature cheeseburger and my wife ordered a salad. The food was bland. I should have noticed that the restaurant next door was full with a huge line while this place was half empty. The menu was quite simple american cafe. Nothing fancy but thought also meant can not mess up. Boy was I wrong. In conclusion there are many other choices on Lake avenue in Pasadena. Would not want to return. Will only recommend this place to people I don't like. Stay away. I dined before at the Crocodile cafe several times. This place is definitely worse. I don't know if the owner is the same. At least the chef and staff are not.
4 - Dawn M.: Crocodile Cafe was ehhhh, but Cafe 140 South is yummmm. Delish burgers and seasoned fries. Wine list is respectable and service is ok, can be lackluster at times. The Smith Bros. know how to make a menu though and this is a great mid-price place for their famous food styles.
4 - Ken B.: Good cheeseburgers and onion rings. Staff friendly.
4 - Vanessa H.: Had a nice business lunch here. The restaurant rolled out their new "signature" burger, which includes short ribs and another kind of ground beef and topped with blue cheese, which all my dining companions ordered and enjoyed. Comes with curly fries. I initially had the tomato soup, on special, which tasted like salsa thinned with broth and the waitress graciously exchanged it with the chicken tortilla soup, which was delicious.   I also had the garlic mashed potatoes on the side -- there are no sides listed, but anything accompanying entrees can be ordered separately.

Outside, we were treated to the sound of wild parrots feasting on the berries in the tree.
3 - Mika C.: my overall comment: meh....
the bread was good.  the onion rings are really heavily breaded and heavily fried.  it was good, but kinda made me sick after awhile.  
everything else was not memorable.  i ordered the steak salad.  it wasn't memorable.  i probably won't come back here although i live down the street from it.
3 - Meredith E.: The atmosphere is good, young and upbeat.  Really nice to sit outside.  Service was great.  Food was ok.  I have had the ahi tuna salad and the pizza.  The ahi tuna salad had to be sent back because instead of searing it, they cooked it all the way through. 

Pizza seems the way to go here.
2 - Marion G.: First the Mahi Mahi arrives as my friend and I are starting our appetizer. Then $20 isn't accounted for in the cash given to the server.  (rest of bill on credit card) First credit card bill is "voided", sign 2nd one and leave thinking the nightmare evening is over (Did get free dessert an a new dinner.  They thought we'd enjoy the first dried out version that sat under the heat lamps for 20 min) When I got home, I checked my credit card online and saw that I had 2 pending chgs to Crocodile, neither of which were the amt. I'd signed for. I called and the manager told me that the credit card co (theirs, not B of A) adds a tip to pending charges and then when the actual charges are signed for, it drops off.  What??? It took over a week for the pending charges to disappear and the correct amt. that I actually signed for to appear.  A conversation w/the Smith Brothers secretary didn't help either.  She didn't understand the issues, didn't apologize, and hasn't called me back. No thanks, not going there again.
3 - Sabyne F.: Stepped inside this little snazzy spot for lunch yesterday with the Man. He said some nice things about this place so I decided to take his word for it. I loved the open kitchen and the little intimate tables. The bar area was nice too. Not too big and showcased the expansive collection of wine. The Hostess was very pleasant as she showed us to our table with a smile. Our server was equally friendly as well. We decided to share a BBQ chicken pizza and a grilled chicken panini. Our pizza was alright....the dough wasn't crisp enough and the sauce needed a kick--or a tang--something. It wasn't something to return here for, sadly. The panini was alright as well. The pesto mayo was good, not great, but good. The chicken was dry. I did enjoy the melted Swiss and dried cranberries. The sweet potato fries were a saving grace. I ate the food because I was damn near starving. Oh yes, they serve a cute little round of bread too. The management should really consider rethinking their menu and pricing. The execution of this food is certainly not warranted by the cost patrons are shelling out. If I do return, I promise, it will be simply for the alcohol. And nothing more. Hopefully they can serve that up better than the food.....
2 - candie s.: Met up with a girlfriend for a laid back, mid-afternoon lunch.  It was around 3 o'clock on a Friday afternoon, so the place was fairly empty.  Walked in and stood around for a while before anyone greeted us.  Finally, [whom I believed was] the manager came over with a mouthful of food and asked how many in our party when consequently we were the only two standing in the doorway.

Once seated a freshly baked, warm sourdough roll came to the table.  It was a heavenly piece of bread.  Sadly, it was the highlight of our meal.  I ordered the grilled chicken (which I was informed required additional time to cook because it was a quarter of a chicken) and my gf ordered the fish of the day over some mixed greens.  My chicken was a bit dry and rather lackluster.  My gf commented that her fish was mediocre.  Our bill came out to be around $45 + tip.  Ouch!  Considering the only libations had were a tall glass of water and a plain virgin iced tea.

Being part of the Parkway Grill family, I guess I expected a bit more.  I really wanted to like the place ... maybe it was the time of day.  Mid shift kitchen workers perhaps?  Whatever the case, doubt I'll go back.
3 - H. J. W.: Went today for Easter Sunday brunch. I thought I'd check it out since I haven't been here since it used to be Crocodile cafe. I had heard it was kid friendly, and open table showed there were tables available. 

Upon arriving at the restaurant, we were seated immediately. The greeters and the servers were friendly and smiley. A plus. 

We were served sourdough bread that came out warm and tasty. The bread was very delicious and I had my share of bread and butter. Another plus. 

When I had to change my daughter's diaper, I took her to the restroom, only to discover there was NO CHANGING TABLE. WHAT?! Is this the only restaurant in Pasadena claiming to be kid friendly while not having a changing table? I had to change my daughter on the sink. A HUGE negative.

The food was tasty. We started with the calamari and the short rib sliders. The calamari were thick 1.5" (at least) thick. Not like those thin rings you get in other restaurants. They were crispy and not too greasy. I wasn't impressed with the short rib sliders though. I had the steak and warm mushroom salad. It was the same salad I used to get when this place was Crocodile cafe. Yum. My husband got the california burger (burger with avocado, arugula, and bacon) and my brother got the special burger. The buns on the burgers were extremely tasty. (what do they do to the breads in this place?!) 

Would I return? Food was decently good but definitely not until they install a changing table in the restroom.
3 - Alex H.: This is a decent little restaurant full of salads, pizzas, burgers, and some pasta dishes. 

The artichoke appetizer was delicious. This was probably my favorite part of the meal. I ordered a whole one and refused to share. It comes with lemon and a dipping sauce - both were tasty.

For dinner, I had the California Burger with fries. The burger was HUGE. One thing I appreciated was that it was clearly a hand-made burger. It was lopsided and was certainly not made in a press. I appreciated this. The bacon was delicious as were the avocados. I have to say, however, that the portion size was off-putting and the sheer messiness of the burger was challenging. I only managed to eat 1/3 of the burger and a handful of fries. The fries were mediocre, but they were crispy so that was a plus. 

For dessert, we had the Apple Tart which was very good. It wasn't spectacular, but a well made sweet. 

Overall it was good, but nothing spectacular. I'd go back again if wanted a beer and the artichoke again.
5 - Terry S.: Great food and casual atmosphere.  Everything I have had, from seafood to burgers, to salads, have all been excellent.
4 - Jade R.: GREAT FOOD!!! Nice ambience. Slow bartender and service. If you are in the mood for unhurrried great food, try this place. My husband and I really enjoyed it. I got yummy shrimp and he got the salmon. They have this awesome artichoke appetizer thats great too. (I love artichokes.) Only bad thing I have to say is they took too long getting us our drinks.
2 - Wendy R.: I always felt that Crocodile Cafe was just o.k. when it was around so my expectations weren't that high for this place. I ordered the roasted tomato soup which was very good and the three short rib sliders which were terrible. The meat was very dry and flavorless. The house bread was good so I ordered some more of that to dip in my soup. I got a slice of carrot cake to go and even that was nothing special. I think the carrot cake at Stonefire is much better. The ambience was nice and the service was friendly but I don't think I'd go back.
2 - Karen Y.: They have a nice street-side patio, which would be fabulous if they had a tastier menu.  I was initially shocked at their prices (something about a $25/glass wine special being advertised on a placard near the door didn't help), but I did see that they had a collection of small plates less than $10, so it seems they are all over the place with the price thing.  I got the braised short rib tacos, which weren't bad, but the marinade (sauce?) didn't compliment the dish very well for me.  I'm a bit surprised about this place not standing out better as they are part of the Smith's Brothers Restaurant group.  I feel like I owe them more chances, we'll see.
5 - Laura T.: This place serves up the BEST Cobb Salad in TOWN! 
NO. JOKE! 

I really just come here for their Cobb Salad ($12.95). My best friend, Jenny and I, both are huge fans of their Cobb. When she is back in town, we would come here to have our lunch dates, and that's what we always order.

As for the second item, we decide to switch it up each time. Just to name a few.
- Regatoni Arbiatta ($13.95)
A plate came with 5-6 regatoni, it was a bit warm, I was expect it to be hot pasta. Very little sauce.
- Flank Steak Panini ($12.95)
Our bread was a bit too hard. Little meat as well. Wasn't as filling as expected. 
-Margherita Pizza ($12.50) 
Fresh herbs, the tomatoes was very sweet. Will order this dish again for sure. Can serve up to 3 people.
- Blue Corn Tostada Salad ($14.95)
This salad has a the southwest touch, crunchy chips, a lot of corn. Tangy dressing. Can serve up to 2 people.

Oh yeah, they always start with warm bread and butter. The bread is very warm inside, you can just see the butter melt on it. Rolling down, all over it. Delicious!

You can make reservation online, a few day in advances, they call you the day before to confirm your reservation. They are also very nice and flexible when you call in to push your appointment back.

Decor is very warm and comfortable, you can see the chefs prepping your food. While dining, you server will occasionally come in to check on you, which is a plus. Making sure everything is going well.

God, I am now craving for a Cobb Salad now. Going to text my besties to schedule another lunch date!
4 - Danica K.: I really loved this place! No wait, great ambiance and great service. The food was delicious and the drink selection was light and summery, perfect for a dinner in May! 

Loved the bread before dinner, so soft and warm! I ended up getting a burger, a staple in my diet, and it was delicious and I remember they had quite a menu of different burgers. 

Their prices were a little high but I checked it out online before I went so I was prepared. I stopped by here with my mother in law to enjoy dinner after visiting a florist out that way and we both enjoyed our meals and time here.
5 - Alexandra S.: I've grown up eating at this restaurant (formerly known as Crocodile Cafe) and still come here at least once a month. As a kid I looked forward to their perfectly seasoned curly fries and the chicken tenders, which are made fresh and way better than the frozen crap usually served to children. Now I love their signature burger, salads, onion rings, and southwestern blue corn taquitos. They have excellent fresh squeezed lemonade and their warm bread is perfect with a generous pat of butter. Service is always friendly and efficient, and the restaurant has a beautiful open kitchen. It's also on Lake, which makes after dinner shopping at Macy's an enticing possibility.
4 - Karen L.: I would definitely eat here again and again.
The outside Front patio is great for people watching.  The Side patio is quieter and faces the courtyard.

The pizza is great!
LOVE the Steak & Mushroom Salad.  
The burger is sooooo good...pricey, but good.
Good wine and cocktail selections.

The menu is simple, simply good.  
I am sure We will work our way down the menu.

The minus 1 star is for the overworked wait staff (or not well organized).  They were too busy  to be attentive.
4 - Jim H.: Was a Crocodile till Sept. 2010.

Current decor, menu, very similiar to Croc.

Cordial hotess,  good waiter, good food.

I had very good Garden Burger, my GF had a Chicken Brest diner she liked, good bread without asking.

I had 2 Heinekens, GF 2  wines, bill with tax was very reasonable at 57.80.  Probably low for this place because garden burger was 10-11 $.

Will definitely return.




Cordial hotess, helpfull  waiter
good food.

Good bread without asking.

I had an excelent garden burger, GF a chickdn brest plate she liked.

With my 2 Heinekens, gf 2 house Fume Blancs bill with tax, but before tip was 57.80, kept low because garden burger was $10 -11.

All in all, a good experience, will definitely return.
2 - Mimi B.: Smith Brothers, you let me way down.  What a bad note to end a perfect day at the theatre.  I was a fan of Crocodile Cafe.  I was surprised  that around 5:00 on Sunday there were only a hand full of diners when we arrived.  This should have been my clue.  The hostess never spoke or smiled.  With at least 20 empty tables, she escorted us to the table next to the register by the door?????  We did not accept that and she seemed to be mad.  My guest and I went to Cafe 140 for cocktails, salads and heavy appetizers.  To our dismay many of the appetizers, salads,& favorite entrees are gone.  I understand downsizing the menu to improve the quality of those remaining,  But this was not the case here - at all. 
     First we had cadillac margaritas that were so weak, it may as well have been weak lemonade.  We ordered side salads, which were basically lettuce.  They forgot to put the pine nuts on mine - I had to get up & ask for them myself.  My friend had tortilla soup (we told them that it was for her dinner, but still it came before the salad.   The soup was not good at all.  Too much chili powder.  I ordered 3 soft tacos.  They came while just starting my salad. I asked him to hold off & keep it warm until I ate my [ lackluster] salad... but he just left it on the table and said he would get my waiter.  Did'nt happen. 
     The the chicken taco was just okay.  The beef taco was too way too salty.  And they forgot to put the fish in the 3rd one! It was all peppers & onions. They remade the fish one.  The smell was offputting, so I did not eat it.  The black beans had no flavor at all.  The rice was the worse.  White rice, no flavor, and very dry.  The tortilla had hard spots so I could only eat the inside one.  Only the bread was up to par.  The waiter was friendly, but what can he do with bad cooks, bad food, a bad bartender, an unfriendly hostess, a wait staff that seemed confused, and a manger that was clueless?   She came over, we told her what all was wrong.  She was perplexed.  She offered no solutions, or apologies.  She just smiled, said thanks for the feedback, and said she was new - and left.  We paid for everything we ordered... and left vowing never to return.  When we got to the car - unfulfilled and unhappy, we noticed that both our laps were filled with white lint from the napkins!  We both had on black.  So we had to cancel dessert plans elsewhere.   How bad can a dining experience get?  Go to Cafe 140 and find out..
3 - Ross W.: This used to be Crocodile Cafe.  Actually, the decor and menu remind me a lot of Crocodile Cafe.  They served the same bread, a big round bun.  I tried Shrimp Linguine in Soy Cream Sauce.  It was pretty good, but there were only 2 real shrimps, the rest bay shrimps.  The dessert menu is limited, so my friend & I ended up going to a nearby Corner Bakery for some sweets.
4 - Dina K.: I just love this place! Their seared ahi salad is one of my favorite things on the menu. But honestly everything is great. They have great appetizers, artichoke and tamales are just great. Also, gotta try their pizzas. Friendly service. Sit outside its just beautiful on their patio.
4 - V E.: The service and the staff were great, and, surprisingly, so was my spicy chicken sandwich, which was reasonably priced and came with a side salad. I also tried the pasta, but it was too garlicky for my taste.

This is a nice place for patio dining on a cool summer's eve, and the atmosphere is cool enough not to be trendy. I would definitely come back.
4 - H T.: Free Pizza offer is what brought me in. 

Didn't particularly like the crust, but the toppings were awesome! sharp stinky blue cheese, arugula, figs and prosciutto. the only thing i would change is make the crust thinner and add a brick oven. The thick crust takes away from the awesome ingredients fresh ingredients. 

Maybe this isn't the best place for pizza... yet... 

Kobe Burger is freaking amazing! nothing much to note, a bit more cooked then I had asked for but the juice still ran like the cow was still mooing. 

Sweet Potato fries has got to be the BEST I've eaten anywhere. A nice crusty outside with soft inside. Only way to eat this is to eat in. DO NOT order it to go, I made this mistake and it cost me dearly. What I ended up with was mushy, oily, limpy fries. 


Cheers, 
-Herbal Tea
4 - Albert G.: They have the BEST burgers in town.  There is absolutely no doubt in my mind.  They only issue I have with them is their pricing.  I seems to be going up every month or so.   Went from $10.95 burger & beer combo 3 months ago to $13.95 today ?!!   service is good and the decor is good too.  Recommend it for dinner too.
4 - Dave F.: 4.5 stars!

Another excellent meal and I was determined to try the burger. They did it again: Brought the dang hot, home-made bread causing me to order Pizza as I knew the crust is incredible.

This time I opted for the Wild Board Italian sausage and gave away 2 slices, so I could try their watermelon Gazpacho. OMG, both were incredible. 

Great service, and the ambiance outside was human-aided by the heaters which kept us warm and cozy on a really cool day.
4 - Mark D.: Solid place.  Good food (portions a little too big), for a reasonable price given their location on Lake.  Nice spot to sit outside and have lunch.  Good burgers.
4 - Kelly C.: This is a nice spot in Pasadena for a casual meal and a great sidewalk-type cafe.  Prices were reasonable for a good selection of new american fare.  We had the artichoke appetizer, burgers, and short ribs all of which were very good.  Service was friendly and attentive.
4 - Peter C.: Went to Cafe 140 for the last day of dineLA, and I had forgotten how much I missed this place.  The layout is very much similar to when it was Crocodile Cafe with an open kitchen and nice tables.  A rundown of the very affordable 3-course meal for 2:
grilled artichoke - slightly smoky, and such a welcome change from the normal steamed artichoke.  Nice sauce on the side, that tastes a lot like tartar sauce
onion rings - AMAZING.  Not breaded onion rings like the ones you get at The Hat,  A beautiful batter that is perfectly cooked, and I think the onion rings might be red onions, but they aren't too strong tasting.
steak & mushroom salad - really surprised me how good this was.  The mushrooms are cooked rather than raw, and the steak had tons of taste without drowning in dressing or sauce
BBQ chicken pizza - very CPK-esqe, which is to say excellent
carrot cake - good.  I've had better, moister cake but the frosting was quite good
butterscotch pudding - awfully sweet.  Have a few bites of this, eat something else, and that something else won't taste like anything.

However, one of the highlights has got to be sitting in Jonathan's section.  He's a terrific server who stopped by often to check on us, refilled drinks, bought Mrs. C not just hot water but lemon and honey in a dish, boxed our food and (here's the key) *even labeled it*.  In all of the times that I have gotten a box for my food, I've never had anyone label the containers.  A thoughtful touch that shows how much this guy thinks of his customers.  Excellent main dishes, and I rarely order dessert anyway, so can't wait to come back.  Kinda mad that it took me to long to try this place.
5 - Marisa H.: This is my favorite restaurant for several reasons...the bread is the best ever! The sangria is amazing! And everything on the menu is made to perfection. My new favorite is the BBQ chicken pizza. The hamburgers are made on a special bun the chef developed, its great, you just have to try it. Its not very expensive either, they sell a burger fries and beer for about 11 dollars. And on my husbands birthday they made this special ice cream with delicious cookies and strawberries. I am going to be sad when I no longer live close to Cafe 140, and I am sure I will drive over an hour from temecula to come for a visit.
4 - Kai R.: This is a Pasadena landmark - I've been going there for decades now.  I love to sit out on the front patio and have a nice lunch.  Not sure why they rebranded Crocodile Cafe to the new name (the menu is identical to the old one).  This is a cut above CPK and the food for the most part is very good.  Their burgers are to die for and well prepared.  Don't pass on the Carrot Cake for desert (if you don't mind spending the next month in the gym to work it off!).
3 - Jadore J.: If it wasn't for the "Free Wood-Fired Pizza on us" with drink purchase card that we received from dining at Arroyo Chophouse, we probably would've never ventured out to Cafe 140 South (which used to be Crocodile Cafe). Apparently Arroyo Chophouse and Cafe 140 South are owned by the same owner so they were giving out free pizza cards to the customers to promote Cafe 140 South. The restaurant is located in the same complex as Lemonade and across from Green St. Cafe. There is an underground parking structure where you can park and Cafe 140 will validate your ticket for up to 2 hours.

Checked into Cafe 140 South on a Sunday for lunch around 1pm. We were seated immediately by the hostess. The crowd was on the older side (mid 50's-60's). There's a bar area in the front of the restaurant. The ambiance inside is very modern and simple. The selection of wood-fired pizzas were surprisingly nice. There was the BBQ chicken pizza, Prosciutto and Arugula, Wild Boar Italian Sausage Pizza, etc... All the pizzas ranged from $12-13. We got the Wild Boar Italian Sausage Pizza. Their pizzas are good to share but probably won't be enough if that's all you're going to order for 2 people. There's around 6 slices per order. The Wild Boar Sausage had a nice smoky flavor. I asked for a side of BBQ sauce and it went perfect with the pizza. I like my pizzas thin crust but the crusts on the pizza here are super thick. 

The "Steak and Wild Mushroom Salad" was also good but it was almost $15. That's pretty steep for salad. I like how they put battered onion rings on top of the salad, which made it more delicious! In total, it was around $20+tip for the salad and drink. The food is pretty good, just on the pricier side.
4 - Matt A.: To me, this place will always be "Crocodile Cafe" even though the name has changed.

Parking is in the back, there is a structure and they validate so to that end you should be covered.

First they start you off with some freshly baked bread which is just awesome, it has a fluffy heaviness to it, add the butter and you have some really great bread (and I'm not a bit bread eater).  Food here is a really problem for me and that is because while they have a lot of other great options, each time I regret not ordering the burger and I am usually back within a couple days to get what I should have.  Again, their food is realyl good all around from what I've had but you get this burger craving....

The food is always consistent, every time I've been here, the burger is bad the same wya.  I get the california burger which comes iwth Avacado and bacon...mmmm...bacon.... and the fries with a side of blue cheese.  The buger is fantastic and has a smoky flavor I just totally dig.  I suspect they bake their own hamburger buns since they make their own bread adn if not, they select the right type because they are really good compliemnts to the burger and soaks up the juciness from the patty.  The rest just tops it off really nicely.  

They have a great fresh lemonade too worth trying with your meal.
5 - Jeff R.: I loved going here with my family when it was Crocodile Cafe.  They remodeled, making it a little more upscale & renaming it Cafe 140 South.  They added some new dishes to the menu, but all of the great dishes that my kids & I loved are still there.  My favorite is the marinated flank steak, but everything's good.  Great restaurant!
4 - Alex C.: Decided to come here to grab some dinner with my dad the day after Christmas. I've always passed by this place, but never decided to give it a tray. 

Upon entering, the restaurant has a dimly lit atmosphere. The hostess seemed ok, but the waiters were nice. 

I decided to try the Stout Braised Short Rib, and my dad had a Beef and egg noodle( I forgot what it is called...Bourgning or something). We both paired our meals with a beer, but that's besides the point. ( In case you're wondering, my dad had a Heini and I had a Craft winter brew). Both our dishes were delicious. The short rib came with a side of spinach and mashed potatoes, which paired with the meat well. Speaking of the main course, the short rib was extremely tender and flavorful. I didn't need to use my knife at all. 

My dad's dish was also good, although he said it was a little heavier than when he normally had it. 

I will definitely come back here. The burgers on the menu looked good as well.
5 - Mike k.: I went to his restaurant for the first time They are known for their oven roasted food.. I loved the location of the restaurant. after eating you can take a walk on their famous Colorado Blvd right next to the restaurant. i would recommend getting their pizza or their burgers.
5 - Sasheen R.: I really love this place. My mother and i go here all the time. the best time to go is around 2:00-3:00pm. Not so crowded. The service is great and the food is soo good.  I have already tried the Kobe Burger sooo good!! and the spicy chicken sandwich i love the roasted red peppers they add in it. my mother always gets a pizza they are great portion for two people to share!
 Parking is not bad, there is a structure in the back and if your lucky you can get street parking. the patio is a great place to eat. and the servers are all there to fill our glasses right when we finish them. All in all i have had a good experience every time i have come here to eat.
1 - Rick S.: This place has really gone downhill. I have been eating here since it was the crocodile and it is just terrible now. Service sucks! Food is never right or good. The only two things I like are the bread (not enough butter though) and the fresh lemonade. My opinion--shut down and start all over.
4 - Bernard A.: I really like this place.  Yet another Smith Brother's restaurant located in the Common's.  Casual lunch or dinner, with fresh garlic-y bread that comes right out of the oven. I like their tomato soup or tortilla soup - both of which are seasonal.  Grilled artichoke - yum. Good selection of fresh fish as well.  Also, they let me sit outside with my dogs (not on the street side patio, however.) so they are cool with me!
5 - Sonya B.: Bread, Amazing. Mahi, Amazing. Love this place!!!
5 - Isabel G.: I work near this restaurant and have developed a little Thursday afternoon ritual of taking my lunch break here.  I have a long work day on Thursday and it is a treat to walk over to this sweet restaurant and enjoy some lunch in their patio area.  I enjoy soaking up some sunshine, relaxing, doing some reading, and just hanging out
after enjoying a delicious lunch meal.

This is not an exorbitantly priced restaurant, but it is not inexpensive either especially if one orders drinks, desserts etc.  I usually order water, and keep my bill limited in this manner.   However, I think that one is paying for good food, and good service in a nice corner of Pasadena. 

They have delicious bread, (and I would come here just for the bread) very pleasant and attentive service, good food and a nice, relaxed ambience.  For my Thursday lunch ritual I tend to order the same thing most times:  the Cuban grilled chicken.  This is a grilled chicken dish with rice, black beans, and delicious lightly caramelized fried bananas served with a touch of sour cream.  The bananas are not plantains which is the vegetable used in Cuban dishes, yet along with the other side dishes, the flavors meld beautifully and are reminiscent of my mother's cooking.  Sometimes, to make this dish a little lighter I substitute sauteed spinach for the rice.  The flavors still work together very nicely.    

I have ordered other dishes, and have not been disappointed.  Their burgers are really good, and they also have a delicious portobello mushroom burger for those of us who avoid red meat, and like vegetarian sandwiches.    

I have been here enough times that the staff are starting to know me and are being extra nice. :-)  Given that I am in the health field, and that by Thursday I am usually starting to feel a little burnt, it is really pleasant to encounter such lovely smiles and attentive service.  

Overall, my experiences in this restaurant have been really good.  Keep up the good work!! :-)
4 - Keith J.: I hadn't been here since it was Crocodile back in the early 90s! My buddy Cyrus took me here for a birthday meal.

I'll make it quick. I had a Wild Boar Pizza. Perfectly cooked woodfired pizza. Great palate-pleasing size, and the topping were outstanding. Crust texture was perfect. Had a glass of Pinot Noir, not the best I've had, but ok. Bread at the start of the meal was warm, outstanding, tasty bread, and offers to replenish were given by our excellent and attentive server.

We sat on the patio and people-watched and talked about computers and politics.

All was good, and I was very happy with my meal and the experience.
4 - Missty W.: Stopped to eat in Pasadena on the way home for a day shopping in Los Angeles on Saturday 2/11/2012.  parked and walked around and saw Cafe 140 South, and thought we would give it a try.  YUMMY!!  The food was great and the service was awesome.

I ordered the Marinated Oakwood chicken -  Oh My Gosh!  So good.   It was chicken marinated in a balsamic viniagrette, then served with roasted potatoes and sauteed spinach!  All was perfect!  My husband ordered the Beef Bourguignon.  I tried a bite or two, and it was very very tasty.  The beef was tender and it had a great flavor with the mushrooms and noodles.  (the noodles looked and tasted like maybe they were freshly made, but not sure)
The bread was great, I could of ate another loaf... but restrained myself.  We are always in Pasadena, and will be back here soon.
1 - Ellerton W.: This place sucks.  Asked for medium rare filet and got medium well.  In fact, everyone at the table got medium well, regardless of what they asked for.  My side dish (garlic mashed potatoes) was cold.  Weak.
4 - diane l.: This was my second time at Cafe 140 South. Today we ordered burgers. The burgers were juicy and cooked just as we asked (one medium, one medium rare). I had the California burger which came with avocado, cheese and bacon. You get a side of fries or salad with your burger. Burgers are priced between $11 and $15 depending on which you choose. 

I also highly recommend the butterscotch pudding. Didn't get it this time, but still remember it from last time. 

I prefer the outside seating. Only complaint is that the service is way too slow. From taking orders, orders coming out and getting the check. Especially during lunch, this is a hassle.
2 - Nicole B.: Update on this. The manager read my review and I got an email regarding the poor quality. She apologized and told me that she had a convo with the kitchen. I understood her justifications for the food being in the state it was in being that we picked it up and did not eat it.  It makes sense that in transit the bun on the tuna burger would be soggy from the juices of the fish but as for the flavor.. HMMMM. SOOOOOO... She also sent me a gift certificate for 3 so we will try it again AND I will update on the experience
5 - Justin L.: Jeez what can I say. The food was extremely tasty and and the overall experience was superb. One of my biggest pet peeves is waiting too long after being seated to be greeted by a sever, but not so here. Our server Johnathan made his approach within a minute to take our drink orders. So already they were off to a good star in my book.
The entire menu looked amazing so by Johnathan's about 4th trip to take our order we finally just felt bad for the guy and asked if he could make some suggestions to a couple of indecisive fattys lol. We were in the mood for spicy and rich so we tried the Penne Arabiatta pasta and the Spicy Pepperoni pizza. They were both delicious. The pizza even came with sausage which i did not mind one bit! For dessert we got the "Killer" Carrot cake. Which was so huge and decadent it took me 3 days to finish it... but i finished it.... hmmm lets see what else? It was a Friday night at about 8:30 and it was busy but we didn't seem neglected at all. The managers even had time to come by a chat a little bit. That's a sign of a well run self contained ship and did not go unappreciated.  
Also the pre-meal bread was fantastic. i ordered more to take home (although not as good not fresh)
4 - Susan M.: Eh.... Can I have more bread, PLEASE?
4 - Nora M.: Visited for the first time yesterday, and had a nice, relaxing, and fulfilling lunch. Pleasant atmosphere and located in a great spot in Pasadena. As I've mentioned before in several other reviews, I'm always looking for healthier menu options, and while this isn't exactly an eatery, the prices aren't that far off from it, which is nice. I ordered the ahi tuna and tiger shrimp salad and their excellent unsweetened passion fruit iced tea. Only complaint was that their bread roll was really just a giant ball of dough. Otherwise, very good/friendly service, *very* reasonable portion on the salad (extra kudos for that), and the tuna/shrimp were prepared just right. I'll be back to explore some of those sandwiches and paninis, which sounded great.
5 - Laura D.: Everything on the menu is to-die-for. I've been coming here for my whole life and holy moly, I never want to go anywhere else when I get the craving for onion rings. You get a MASSIVE appetizer of sweet onion rings with amazing ranch. Hands down the best onion rings I've ever had. Love the fresh bread that comes STILL HOT from their oven. Great pizzas, amazing lemonade, but my absolute favorite dish is the angel hair with shrimp. A truly unique soy cream sauce sets it apart from any dish I've ever had, plenty of shrimp and loads of great fresh veggies. I could seriously eat here every week and never get tired of it. A must visit when in Pasadena
4 - Persilla A.: This location took over where Crocodiles Cafe used to be in Pasadena. I used to love Crocodiles, so I was sad to see it go out. However, Cafe 140 South is a great replacement. They even serve the same appetizer bread as Crocodile's (which is one of the best I've tasted).

Great classy elegant but casual atmosphere, and the service is fantastic. The only person I would complain about is the hostess, she's not very friendly and is rather slow. Don't let that detour you though, as all the waiters/waitresses I've had have been attentive and very friendly. 

Ordered the steamed artichokes as an appetizer, great! Cooked to perfection and is accompanied by a delicious dip!

I'm hooked on the Blue Corn Tostada...very fresh greens, with corn, a couple tortilla chips (I emphasize a couple, as I usually don't like having my salads over loaded with tortilla chips), a good portion of grilled chicken, and a flat tortilla shell (with other veggies included). Its a good portion, I usually finish all of it, and don't feel over bloated after I eat it. It feels like they use very fresh ingredients.

My friend has ordered the appetizer sliders. These are good, but super small, if you want these as a meal...I suggest ordering a side dish as well. 

The carrot cake is good too...very heavy though, so make sure you have room for it!
3 - White C.: THE EXPERIENCE:
Our waitress was polite and attentive, but awkward. Perhaps she was tired, or perhaps she was new. But everyone was friendly enough. Almost too friendly -- we had probably 5 people say "Thank you" or "Have a nice night" within moments of each other as we left the restaurant.

The patio is pleasant. It provides a view of the street and some nice jazzy swing music in the background. The outdoor heaters were appreciated, and they even brought out a candle to set on our table as the night turned dark.

We didn't eat inside, but we did get to smell the woodfire oven as we left. Wonderful. The style of the interior is nice, and it seems that, while more obscured from the hustle and bustle of Lake Avenue than the patio, the inside dining experience would be enjoyable.

THE VALUE:
The price is simply too high for the food given. Burgers range basically from $11 (the most basic) to $16. Keep in mind -- they're just regular burgers. They have less flavor and character than those at Red Robin or Islands. Why should I pay so much money for them?

The bread helps here, at least, in giving you a way to make sure your stomach is filled to the full. You can walk away, having spent too much money on the food, nonetheless satisfied or stuffed.

THE FOOD:
We ate: "Spicy Chicken Sandwich" and "Ranch House Burger"

First, the bread:
The bread was definitely good, but as for the people raving about it here on Yelp...have they never had fresh baked bread before?
The bread was brought out to us fresh out of the oven. It's a welcome way to begin the meal, and you can have as much as you'd like for free. They serve it with two butter packets per loaf, which is a good enough butter-to-bread ration to satisfy the vasy majority of people. The butter is also fairly soft and spreads easily enough. If you want it even softer, just let it sit under the roll for a moment or two more.

Summary: Good, fresh, unlimited bread with butter. But certainly not "amazing".

Now, the meals:
The "Spicy Chicken Sandwich" was alright. Aside from the spicy sauce, there wasn't much flavor to it. Even the red onions were tasteless. Perhaps they should use carmelized yellow onions instead? I recommend eating the sandwich with just a dab of ketchup with each bite. The ketchup flavor mixes with the spicy sauce in such a way as to give the sandwich a much more enjoyable taste.
As for preparation, the sandwich was cooked perfectly. Moist and white chicken. Nothing was burned or dry.

The "Ranch House Burger" was a good burger, but it was nothing special, and it certainly wasn't what we were looking for in a Ranch House Burger. In fact, it tasted like a regular hamburger (even came with with mayo and mustard), just with bacon on top and with a ranch-bbq sauce on the side. ON THE SIDE. The name of the burger is Ranch House, and you put the special ranch sauce on the side? We were seriously considering that they had given us the wrong burger by accident, but it was so plain and not at all what we were expecting. And the sauce the burger was named for was ON THE SIDE (it took us a while to realize what the stuff in the sauce cup even was).
But the preparation for this burger was good, as with the spicy chicken sandwich. Nothing burned or dry.

The curly fries were, compared to what most restaurants give, pleasantly tasty and served in a relatively large portion.

The barbecue sauce used at this restaurant is good. Sweeter more than smokier, for those wondering, and didn't leave my mouth feeling gross like some of the cheap HFCS sauces can.

One major warning: The menu is not informative. As with the Ranch House Burger, for instance, we had no idea mayo and mustard, pickles and tomato would come on the burger. We had no idea the sauce the burger is named after would come on the side. We expected the burger to have a certain flavor and character, but it did not. Keep this in mind as you're deciding on your order.

SUMMARY:

The overall experience was positive. The service is friendly, they create a nice atmosphere for dining, and the food, while nothing to write home about, is I suppose sufficient. The little things -- the fresh bread, the better-than-most fries served with sandwiches, the music and atmosphere -- do a lot to make up for what would otherwise be (left up to the food) a rather "meh" experience.

We'd keep this on the list of options for places to take visiting friends or family. It's not amazing, but it is enjoyable, and it's certainly better than Cheesecake Factory.
5 - Tracey B.: I love this place.  Nice wine menu, especially if you like reds.  Full bar, so, don't whine!  Get anything from the wood fired oven, especially the artichoke or wood fired pizza, yumsters!!!  The dessert menu needs a major makeover, but hey, just don't save room for it!
2 - Mariko B.: There is absolutely nothing wrong with this place.  The food tastes good, the waiters are friendly, and the atmosphere is al right.  There's just the certain little something missing, the pizazz.  It's a nice place to come for a coffee or have a meeting, but don't expect to be inspired.
5 - Valerie J.: This is my go to restaurant for birthdays and special occasions. The bread is to die for and the seafood rocks! You wont leave hungry.
5 - Julie C.: I used to come here when it was Crocodile Cafe.  So glad to see that the menu still has many of the same items.  I ate dinner here with my boyfriend a couple of nights ago.  The bread is so awesome!  I had the Blue Corn Taquitos and he had the Grilled Ahi Tuna.  The food was just as amazing as I remembered!  I am very allergic to sour cream and had forgotten that the taquitos had sour cream drizzled on the top.    When I asked the waiter if he could replace it with one without the sour cream he didn't even flinch and said "not a problem".    I was very happy that it didn't take a long time to get the replacement.  In my opinion.. the prices reflect the service that you have at a restaurant.  If you want quality service.. you pay a quality price.  It wasn't outrageously expensive.  It was fit for the quality of the food and the service.  We sat out on the patio that had such a great atmosphere.  I was worried that it might be a bit too cold but the heat lamps worked well at keeping it at a comfortable temperature.  All in all it was a great experience.  We will definitely be back!
2 - John A.: Arrived Friday evening (June 2012) at 9:20, after movie. Place was still fairly busy (closing is 10) with a crowd challenged to carry on table conversation over the Great American Marching Cymbals Band, cleverly disguised as "kitchen". 

I have never in my life heard such a clatter of banging pans and dishes! It seemed a conspiracy (perhaps employees mad at managemen ?) - even a server clearing an adjacent table managed to drop everything he'd picked up back onto the table at least once.

The kitchen's cacophony destroyed what was intended to be a pleasant 'date night' hour and warranted a call for the manager, who explained that since it was past 10 now, the kitchen was simply doing its clean-up chores (never mind that it'd been going on for an hour), and it was to be expected from a restaurant with an open kitchen, and it was really coming from the back of the kitchen, and he didn't notice because he was in the back doing paperwork, and on and on. 

Otherwise, it's a mediocre restaurant. Pleasant staff, pleasant facility, decent but uninspired cooking, reasonable prices.  I expect that the problem will be solved before too long (we come fairly regularly, and this was a new behavior) but given the choices in the area we're not holding our breath for a chance to go back and see.
2 - Katie B.: 2.5skies

It's overpriced for the quality of the food, but not for the portions. That being said, they were huge... a little too overwhelming for someone with no self discipline. I felt that I would be wasting a ton of food if I didn't finish the whole thing at that moment (I wasn't in a position to package it up for later as the food would have just melted from sitting in the heat in my car), so then I was forced (by me, of course) to eat the whole thing which made me feel disgustingly full.

I had the $15 Cafe 140 Special burger (custom blend of short rib and brisket with bleu cheese). I was excited about the patty blend, but it was quite lackluster, there weren't any firecrackers bursting out of the bun. It tasted pretty standard, but at $15, you want fireworks, a sparkler, something. The only standout flavor bursting from the meal was the bleu cheese. The side salad (I should have gotten fries) was a meal on its own, but again, not a meal you would have jumped for joy over. 

The complimentary bread looked fresh and plump. The patio is a nice place to post up at lunch time, but unless you get to expense the meal, prob just stick to a refreshing beverage.
1 - Rob S.: A group of six of us ate there last night.  The restaurant was not busy.  After waiting 10 minutes, we asked if we could at least get some water at the table.  The water showed up 10 minutes later.  I ordered a glass of wine.  The glass was delivered and had lipstick on it.  Not a little, but a big smear.  The food was not very flavorful.  My wife ordered the yellowtail.  It was overcooked and extremely fishy.  The rest of the meals were bland.  The service was awful.  The server didn't know anything about the menu when asked questions.  The only redeeming item was the desserts, which were pretty good.  I will not go back.
3 - James T.: I was here over the weekend and ordered the angel hair pasta with shrimp.  Was not what I expected.  The pasta tasted like egg noodles and was yellow.  It was very saucy like in a soup with a bunch of small pieces of shrimp and 2 medium shrimps.  I added pepper and parmesan but didn't improve the taste.  This plate is something you can definitely whip up at home and nothing special.  My friend ordered the chicken sandwich that I had a bite of which was not bad.  I would come back here to give this place another shot.
2 - Lillian C.: I came here for lunch during DineLA and I have to say... it was... ehhhh. I mean for the area and the price, the portions were huge! But even if the portions were big it doesn't make up for the lack of flavor. The blue chip tortilla appetizer was pretty good, but the bed of salad that it sat on top of was not very fresh... The onion rings were HUGE, but the batter was nothing special. I ordered the margarita pizza and although it was filling, it was really plain and lacked FLAVOR. My friend ordered the burger and it was just messy. However, I do have to say that the bacon on the burger were really thick slices and SOOO DELICIOUS! 

I doubt I would come back again given the prices and the food...
5 - Andrew M.: Really a great restaurant; Jazmin was our server and she was great. Very thorough and very prompt with her service. I had the Cafe 140 burger, it was really great, although my friends California burger kinda looked AMAZING! Not gonna lie...haha! So yes would most definitely come back and really enjoyed the atmosphere, the service, and the food.
3 - Kevin T.: I looked over the menu again and there's a house burger with a patty made of a combination of ground brisket and short rib, topped with blue cheese and I thought, "I probably need that in my life..."

I ordered the aforementioned burger only to discover, once it arrived, that it was missing cheese.  

"Everything is fine, except my burger doesn't have any cheese on it..." 
Waiter: "Where did it go?"

That's an excellent question I thought, but as the patron, short of me hiding it like that game patrons are known for in such establishments I felt like I might be the wrong person to ask this question.  

Evidently, he did in fact suspect me of being one of these crafty patrons because he suggested that "maybe it was hiding..."

After all of that was sorted out (which I found more entertaining rather than damning) and a second burger appeared (totally unnecessary, really all I was looking for here was cheese, which was in fact not present in my defense), I was let down.  There wasn't much blue cheese and that patty, _that patty_, was over-cooked and really just tasted like any other over-cooked patty.  

Not really what I was hoping for with a 15d _special_ burger.
5 - Tim M.: Out Standing, that's all I really need to say.
Some of the best fish and chicken tacos I've had in a long time, along with an excellent margaritas.
This is my second time here.
9/12/12.
3 tacos 2 margaritas. "I was feeling pretty good"

Carne Asada Tacos (2)  excellently cook steak, they couldn't of been seasoned better. Tender chucks of steak with onions, guacamole, tomatoes and a lite red salsa. Corn tortillas nicely warmed 2 on each taco. Excellent. 5

Swordfish Tacos (1) grilled fish with a fresh taste not to fishy, grilled perfect with onions, Aioli sauce and tomatoes. Another awesome taco. 4.5

9/17/12

Chicken Tacos (2) just look at the pictures, yum,yum yummy.
Grilled chicken perfectly cook, tender and juicy meat, seasoned just right, seemed to have a little sweet BBQ flavor to them, with onions, guacamole , tomatoes with corn tortillas. 5

Ordered another swordfish taco, just as good as the first time. 4.5

Cafe 140, has a excellent patio area, always spotless, inside it's shows that it's an upscale restaurant with good prices. Great for lunch or dinner. I'll be going here at least once a month or whenever I'm in the area.
5 - Fawzi K.: One of my favorite restaurants in Pasadens. Great food and service. The best Pizza around!
3 - Richard L.: Returned to Pasadena after almost 13 years and this was the first place I ate.  I remembered the place as the Crocodile Cafe.  Missed the color tile by the kitchen but much of the interior (except the wall color) and menu remained the same.  I was given the familiar  round hot bread with butter. The items was piping hot but a little over baked (dark brown on top) for my taste. After eating half I noticed other people getting better pieces but I didn't ask for more bread as my meal was forthcoming. I ordered the Cuban chicken another holdover from the previous named restaurant.  The meal came with the black beans which I had asked them to omit. The server apologized as the meal was sent back to the kitchen and quickly replace.  The food was fine but not extremely favorable, though I did enjoy  tropical ice tea. The restaurant was very clean too.

Cafe 1842 - Waterloo, ON (43.4670262, -80.5230279) ()
4 - Andrew N.: They have the same menu as downstairs for breakfast except they also have the cafe options (smoothies, coffee) and you order before sitting down. If you are going here for a quick breakfast then you will also have more options for coffee than you would downstairs. The food is tasty and the coffee is great.

Cafe 2115 - New York, NY (40.803468, -73.956475) (Harlem)
3 - Dee F.: Weird experience here. I went here with my parents on a weekday morning because Society Cafe across the street wasn't serving breakfast yet.

My parents, who are much more restauranty than I am, were really happy to find this place because it offered a traditional feel. However this was far from a typical diner experience.

First of all, we had serious language difficulties. Everytime we ordered something, the waitress would yell to the cook about something and then say they didn't have it. They brought things we didn't order to our table, but we're pretty easy going so we just ate it.

Anyway, it was not bad... but a little unusual.
4 - Aris F.: Cafe 2115 has now become one of my favorite West African eateries in the city. (Their menu also offers American standards, such as burgers and Philly cheesesteaks, although I haven't tried them.)

I passed this diner I don't know how many times in the past, not realizing they serve exactly the kind of food I like. Then the other night, as I was waiting for a takeout order in another restaurant nearby, I began chatting with a customer who was also waiting and asked for suggestions of other good restaurants in the area. That conversation led me to Cafe 2115.

Order from the steam table or from the kitchen. The rich stews are delicious - try an okra stew (suppu kandja), or maybe a sauce claire (tomato-based stew with carrots and cabbage), for instance.

There are enough staff on hand that the wait to be served and for your food to be prepared should be pretty brief. On my first visit, the owner of the restaurant himself welcomed me and helped me place my order (I didn't even find out he was the owner until afterward).

You can see pictures of the dishes on the menu at their website:
http://www.mycafe2115.com/harlem/Home.aspx
2 - Aaron S.: I just tried this place for breakfast on Easter Sunday.

The pancakes were above average.  But the service was lousy.  Despite my being the only customer in the entire place, the staff ignored me for fifteen minutes before I could flag them down for the check.
3 - natalie m.: i've walked past this place a hundred times, and finally decided to give it a shot today. 

first off, i had no idea they served w. african food until i got inside. i might come back on a different night to try it, but tonight i was in the mood for something more basic.

service was above average for the area - we were seated promptly and service was attentive and friendly. food took a pretty long time to arrive considering we were the only customers, and it was HOT - definitely no AC in that joint. 

but it was worth the wait. i ordered the burger, which - judging by the rest of the menu - was not their specialty. it's on the smaller size, but it was served on a fresh, delicious kaiser-like bun, with really fresh tomato and lettuce and some mayonnaise. it was different from other burgers i've had, but i found that i really, really enjoyed the smaller size and the bun, which had a crispness and a chewiness. my date enjoyed his cheese steak.

apart from the stifling heat and the slow service, i was pleasantly surprised by my experience here and would go back.
3 - Michael W.: This hole in the wall makes the best Sauce Clair with meatballs. The Sorrel juice is extremely thick.  Although there were hardly any customers, service was a dismal lag. Until a couple of regulars happen to venture into the spot. Service becomes impeccable.  The energy is communal, festive, and strong.  Either way, anticipate an hour experience for a single course.
1 - Phil K.: Went here on Sunday morning around 9:30 to get breakfast. 

In short, it was a terrible experience.

The service was incredibly slow and the two omelets we ordered took over 35 minutes. We were the only diners in the place and were virtually ignored the entire time. While the prices were incredibly reasonable, the actual food was sub-par. No only did we have trouble communicating with the waitress/cook's attention, simple requests seemed rrrreeeeaal difficult. As in, "can you bring some jam or butter for the toast" was being heard as "can you build a full-size replica of the Empire State Building from toothpicks"

The kicker? When we asked for the bill, we were just told the price. No bill. No receipt.

Perhaps good for other occasions, but my advice is to avoid. Moving forward, I know I will.
4 - Charles B.: It's interesting to see the mix of reviews about this place.  I'm a fan of Cafe 2115, but it doesn't necessarily operate like a normal American restaurant.  

For starters, I've only been there for lunch, and I would never even think about ordering anything off the menu.  The trick is to show up, smile at the friendly West African (Guinean and Senegalese, I think) women behind the counter, and take a look at the steam table to see what they've cooked up.  They'll usually offer three or four different "sauces" or stews on a typical weekday.

Trust the friendly women and their creative inspirations.  Eat whatever they tell you to eat.  If they say that the okra is good today, eat the okra.  If they tell you that the cassava leaves or the groundnut (peanut) stew or the fish sauce is the best thing on offer, eat it.  They'll never steer you wrong.

Again, I can't speak for the American stuff on the menu, and would be surprised if the menu items are anywhere near as great as the daily specials.  Stick with the West African goodies, and you'll be more than fine.
1 - Matt B.: Stopped here for breakfast with a friend of mine who lives nearby.  We had an awful time.  Service was horrible, despite the restaurant being nearly empty.  My friend never even got anything to drink.  Our breakfast (one egg sandwich and one order of grits and toast) took at least 20-25 minutes to reach our table.  The grits were cold.  My friend's sandwich had bacon on it, even though she asked them to hold it.  They scraped it off, but offered no other recompense.  

From reading the other reviews, this seems like the sort of place you just don't drop into.  They were just completely unprepared to deliver any sort of a favorable restaurant experience.
1 - Mr F.: Stopped in here for dinner recently.  A terrible experience all around.

First, the setting.  It is not the most pleasant experience to enjoy a meal.  The decor resembles a cafeteria, which isn't really that big of a deal.  When we went there were a group of guys hanging out right outside the cafe.  They were loud and making rude comments to the passers-by, which we found quite unnerving.

The service, as others have noted, was very slow, and basic requests had to be repeated due to their being incorrectly carried out.  If I'm sitting at a fine restaurant I prefer a more drawn out meal, but not here.  Frustrating, but we were willing to overlook all of this, if the food was tasty.

The food is sub-par, and that might be generous.  The sauces looked congealed, and the stew was unappetizing.  Too many other quality places nearby to stop here.

Cafe 3 - Berkeley, CA (37.867417, -122.260408) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
3 - Patrick C.: The reopening of Cafe 3 was something needed for all the people in Unit 3.  The inside is amazing with a sleek look and all new everything. There are some noticeably great things about Cafe 3.  Omelet bar is the best creation ever.  The make your own waffle is also amazing.  Pizza is also not bad.  The big screen is nice for not having to talk to people.  Now the bad... terrible sushi and blue plate 80 percent of the time.  Salad is okay with some ingredients missing from time to time.  Pho station is just kind of weird tasting.  Also non and low fat milk seems to run out every time I go there, which is characteristic of all the dining halls though.  Not bad... just not good.
2 - Kenneth R.: This DC is well liked by students, but the sushi is really abysmal and the place feels very cramped.  When I'm here, I feel like I'm in the snack bar of a hovercraft that's about to cross the Channel.  There are relatively few food stations -- limited choice and long lines.  I'd much rather go to Foothill, Crossroads or Clark Kerr.
3 - Ada T.: By the end of two years of mealpoint based subsistence, Cafe 3 was one of the only dining halls I would go to. They may not have as many stations as Crossroads does, but it doesn't really matter when half the stations at Crossroads are inedible. Its menu has an Asian slant (oh god that was not supposed to be a racist pun) on most days of the week and it tastes reasonably good. The sushi is not terribly great nor terribly awful -- what are you expecting anyway? It's an ~$8 buffet. 

Caveats:
-If you like the dessert they are serving that day, get it immediately. Don't wait until the end of your meal because it will not be there. 
-If you're in any way tall or even normal-sized, snag one of the few tables that have real chairs. Seriously, some of those low couches and chairs and tables remind me of the children's section at Ikea.
1 - Mina A.: ewwww, just gross and disgusting and bad.
 the food lacks flavor, and is monotonous, and sickening. most of the vegetarian or vegan options are terrible and gross and over-salted and lack any other flavor. the "celebration roast" is especially terrible. 
I guess they should get some points for having an all organic salad bar and organic milk, but the salad bar doesn't have much variety and the dressings are bad. the desserts are okay, sometimes, they're really the only thing i can eat with getting totally sick.

ewww, i can't even think about this place anymore.
i'm gonna go throw up now
1 - Michael L.: Quality only a notch above crossroads in the Asian food section, the rest is arguably worse. Its smaller selection is also a downside. Only good to go to if you a) live in unit 3, b)don't like the crossroads menu one day, c)crossroads is too crowded, d)you want to watch ESPN while you eat. Actually the decor is the best part about Cafe 3, with several different festive sections to liven things up, and a lot of TVs to use.
2 - Stephen H.: Café Tré, as my floor mates used to call it, seemed better than Crossroads at first.  I'm talking decor, food, flat screen tv, etc.  But after a whole semester eating lunch there with my friends because it was convenient, I was convinced that Crossroads was actually better than Café Tré.  When it comes to lunch, Crossroads isn't actually that bad.  But for Café Tré, there's always brunch.  Which means that their main entree is usually something involving eggs or macaroni and cheese.  You get sick of it very quickly and I normally mix in salad just so I don't feel sick afterward.  Also, if you don't grab a piece of fruit or dessert before 7pm, don't even think about it because there won't be any left except for some gritty red Washington apples.  Waffles and omelets are the only plus.  BTW, the omelet bar did not arrive till spring 2009.  Finally, the design of the tray kitchen area is very poor.  I've been to Crossroads more times than Café Tré, but I've witnessed many tray accidents at the latter.  In fact, I've done it three times there and I'm not that clumsy!  There you have it, Café Tré.
4 - Amiee H.: Ok, I know everyone must think I'm INSANE for giving Cafe 3 FOUR stars......but here's the reason why.......READ ON!! 

Food: 
BUFFET style so it's different every night but here's what I had tonight--
-Chicken enchilada casserole: The chicken was soo good and super tender!! The baked cheese on top was crispy and chewy! Just enough sauce in between all the layers! It was super YUMMY! I had like 5 helpings! I would have had more, but for some reason it wasn't self serve and someone had to keep serving me and I was afraid she would recognize me cause I kept going back for more, so I stopped getting more helpings......

-Penne Pasta  with Garbanzo Bean curry sauce thing?: I'm kinda biased because I LOVE penne pasta so that was automatically like YUM! The Garbanzo Bean curry sauce thing was pretty good. I like saucy things so that was just like a big sloppy goo of goodness! 

-Salad Bar: Had a wide variety of veggies and so many toppings! It was almost like a mini souplantation! Everything seemed very fresh and healthy and tasted really good too! I was especially into the onion, cilantro, cherry tomato, corn salsa that you can top your salad off with! That was super TASTY! And then there's a variety of dressings like "tomato basil" that were unique and added an extra kick of flavor to your salad! Not to mention there were some sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds that you can also add to make it extra special! Totally digging it!

-Soups: 
--Spicy Lemon Thai soup and Italian Wedding Soup: Neither of which were very good...have to say, they were down right sub par from what I was expecting. Looks can be so deceiving.....that's all I've got to say....

-seaweed salad: So this is normally pretty expensive, so when I saw that they had this, I went crazy and downed this stuff like there's no tomorrow..only to find that it  was a bit too salty. I bet they did that on purpose so there's only a limited amount of this stuff anyone can eat before they go into a hypertensive shock from an over consumption of salt!! 

-shrimp fried rice: honestly, sounds better than it tastes. Rice too soggy, shrimp not fresh/big enough. Relatively bland tasting, not all it's cracked up to be. 

-drinks: wide selection, but i'm not a big drink person. The only thing that caught my eye was organic soymilk and lemonade...everything else sounded like sugar + water to me (aka: sodas and juices). 

-desserts: brownies, cakes and froyo, oh my! I LOVE brownies! YUMMY! The blueberry cake looked good, didn't try it. The FROYO (only vanilla and chocolate flavor) was ok for being all you can eat froyo! There's only like three toppings: wannabe granola (which I really think was some variation of Kashi cereal), crumbled oreos (my favorite!!!), and sugared up cherries. I honestly don't like vanilla and chocolate flavored "soft served ice cream" froyo that much but since it was all you can eat......it made up for it!

Overall: So after having been to crossroads and now eating here, I really feel like Cafe 3 is just a toned down, miniaturized version of Crossroads. Obviously, not as much variety but who said a ton of variety is a good thing? I mean, when you go to Berkeley Bowl and you look at the overwhelming mounds of 30+ varieties of apples they've got in stalk don't you just drop your jaw and think: "dude, where do I start???" I don't know about you, but when there's a surplus of variety, I always end up making the wrong decision because my brain is so overwhelmed I don't even know what to look at or what to choose. So think of Crossroads as "overwhelming" and Cafe 3 as "manageable options". Don't get me wrong, variety is a good thing, but not in SURPLUS. 
Due to less variety, Cafe 3 has less traffic so it's a more intimate dining environment. It gives you a more cozy feel. Nice place to sit down with a pal and just chat all night and keep indulging in their endless supply of food! That's exactly what I did! Ok, enough about food...let's move on.....

Ambiance:
So I really wanted to give a positive review on the ambiance here because I felt like half of my positive dining experience there tonight was due to the ambiance!! I really liked how it was decorated. Some areas has cute little booths for two people (which is what I sat in), some stools with high tables (to make it look like a dinner), and some cushioned benches. There were TV's and quirky/modern designs on the furniture. It was really unique and unlike any dining hall I've been to or seen. At crossroads I really felt like it was so mainstream and high efficiency factory like dining hall. But Cafe 3 really has a homey feeling to it and it's quieter so you can carry on a conversation without shouting! :)

Price: ~$8 for and endless supply of food.....how do I get in on this?!?!?! I honestly feel like I ate $50+ of food and paying only $8 for it made me realize: "So this is why our school is on a budget crisis and they are spiking our tuition! I get it now!" 

Service: you bus yoursel
1 - Furai X.: Cafe 3 (or Cafe Tre, as I like to say) used to be the bomb diggity when I first lived in the dorms but sadly, quality has dramatically decreased over the years.

When I went in today with my stomach literally rumbling, I expected palatable food. But apparently that was too high an expectation.

I got the omelette from the omelette bar with everything except cheese. It was basically ham, onions, and bell peppers when it used to include spinach and mushrooms. Anyway, it didn't taste like anything and made me wonder if it was made from real eggs or from the generic liquid mix. 

There was nothing else appetizing so I followed my flavorless omelette with a salad and grapefruit. 

You can't muck up fresh ingredients but when the best part of a meal is baby carrots + peanut butter, especially at an all-you-can-eat establishment, there's a problem. 

Sure, the glitzy decor is fancy and all, but I'd rather have better food than wall panels that change colors ever 2 seconds.
2 - Rocco D.: They have pretty good breakfast, which I usually came here for.  They mostly have Asian food but the variety isn't very great however.  Really hit or miss.  Also, limited hours and not open everyday of the week for dinner.  At least that was the deal when I last went a couple years back.

Cafe 44 - Princeton Township, NJ (40.3560082230766, -74.6646577119827) ()
5 - Stephen W.: This new cafe is off the beaten path near downtown Princeton but it is worth the walk or drive. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The food was very delicious. The omelets are sizable and come with perfectly seasoned home fries. The challah French toast was very tasty and very big. The coffee was delicious. Free wifi is always great and they have a nice sitting room with couches and games. This is a great addition to the area.
5 - Jay G.: Wow.. Prepare to be impressed, because I was caught off guard.. I was passin through the area and found this gem on yelp and stopped in for some breakfast. Their Eggs Benedict with a "New Jersey" twist was absolutely phenominal.  Very friendly staff too. Will definitely be back when I'm the area again.
5 - Bruce P.: This restaurant that was previously Tortugas - a Mexican restaurant that moved directly across the street. The ham and sausage omelette was the best that I have ever eaten! The staff was very friendly. 

Parking is very limited and you must pay cash in that they do not accept credit cards.

I intend to go there again to recommend it to my friends. It is a wonderful addition to the Princeton area.
Bruce
4 - James B.: A wonderful western omelet served with delicious home fries and excellent toast and coffee.  We will be back.
5 - Amie T.: What a fantastic addition to the breakfast and lunch options in town!  Great quality fresh food well prepared.  The menu has excellent choices and everything is of the highest quality.  And the people running it couldn't be nicer or more accomodating.   Don't be put off by the location - the ambiance is lovely - fresh, light, inviting and very clean.  This will be one of new favorites!!
4 - Mike K.: we live 50 yards from PJ pancakes. its very small, the tables, the room, but the line goes to the movie theatre. i never understood why? Cafe44 we found on yelp, and this is our 3rd weekend in a row going for breakfast. the place is much bigger and has a 2nd room with leather sofas, tables, people eating, reading, drinking coffee, friendly. Everything PJ's is not. Nevermind the prices are HALF as well. Just try it. If not YELP me and I will pay your bill. From nassau drive down witherspoon and right in front of the hospital make a left on leigh ave. and its on your left.
5 - Nick N.: Cafe 44 has really delicious food for being a cafe. We stopped in on a Saturday morning and ordered the omelets. The vegetables and ham were cooked remarkably well, the flavors worked extremely well together, and the eggs were done up just right. Had an Americano to go with my meal, and I have to say that their coffee is second only to Small World! Loved the service and the atmosphere, I will definitely be back and may even start getting my morning cup of joe there.
4 - Ava R.: Food took a little while to come even though it wasn't crowded, but once it came I knew why.  Everything tasted so fresh, very well cooked and over all delicious.  The mushrooms in my omelet were stellar, and I was not mad about the hash browns either.  Perfect breakfast!  I snagged a cupcake as my reward for checking in and ate it the next day.  It red velvet, and a yummy little beauty.  I love the couches and bookcase in the side room.
4 - rich c.: Has a lot of potential and i think they just need a few tweeks - 
1) french toast should include some sort of powdered sugar and fresh fruit.  Serving two pieces of french toast with pseudo syrup is not doing it justice.  would be a hit if they would dress it up and could even charge the extra dollar and not make the fruit optional
2) home fries needs to be seasoned a little better
3) need to get some of their own fresh baked goods.  if they can figure out some fresh muffins or other fresh goods, i think they would be loved and gives the additional charm to this place
4) make your own preserves.  get a ton of berries from terhune and just make your own jam and serve with everything.  would go great with the toast and french toast.  brings some classiness.  
5) get a little more help - they seem to get backed up VERY easily and forget things.
6) omlets are very good but need to be dressed up even a little more.  if it costs 50 cents more to the customer, i think if it is just a little bit more appealing, it would be great.  

definitely, some of these things are tweeks, but i think they will go a long way.  look forward to the next time and seeing this place just get better and better.
5 - Karen M.: Truly a hidden gem in Princeton and a quaint little cafe I was delighted to frequent during my recent work vacay.  Only a few doors down from where I was staying, this homey establishment offers generous portions of breakfast and lunch with all the baked goods one would want.  I had breakfast here 4 or 5 times and each meal was fresh and tasty.  My omelettes were hot and savoury, my oatmeal was just right, my cookies and cakes were full of enough caloric guilt to last me for years.  :)  Service is friendly and wifi is free.
4 - Lesley R.: Came here because of high Yelp reviews. Not disappointed! Tried the Western Omelette, French Toast & Home Fries. Yummy! We will definitely be weekend regulars! Glad to get away from the PJ's crowd for breakfast.
5 - LR G.: I live in Princeton and wanted to try some of the local fare so I used Yelp and found this place.  The food was very good, like I cooked it myself if I'd had the time.  My only suggestion is that they should add grits to their menu.
5 - John C.: This is turning into our Sunday stop for breakfast. It's great to finally have a nice neighborhood restaurant for coffee and breakfast. They now take credit cards, so it's even more convenient.
1 - Dan O.: Make sure you don't order the peasant omlette unless you want potatoes with your potatoes. you get more sausage in a jimmie dean sandwich and that won't cost you $9 bucks......not worth it. I really wanted a better experience since I like to support local business but this is not up to par for my standards. especially with the price tag!
5 - Maria M.: Really nice simple comfortable place!  Breakfast, lunch or tea works great.

Cafe 88 - San Diego, CA (32.8876966, -117.2436256) ()
3 - Lloyd W.: Cafe 88.. 88 is the Logo for SCRM! (I know u don't know wut I'm talking about)
Long story short, I'll go to Bistro that's just across the street..

JK ~ it's perfect for quick snack and grab n' go sandwich
(all your favorite pre-packaged de-lish)

Whole assortment of pastry and dessert
(but sry no hot food...)

There's some up sides, it's right next to the ocean!
so you got your nice parking lot view (unfortunately, it's too far from the Big Blue)


However, they do serve awesome Starbucks Coffee!
So, all in all, it's A-Alright~

ps. they've got the best music playing, Michael Buble, Colbie Callait.. Smooth and Jazzy! I'll give them a 3.5 stars for that
2 - Jason R.: I work at the Sanford Consortium, and we've been anticipating this cafe's opening for several months. It's finally doing business, and after eating lunch there recently my only reaction is disappointment. Where to start? Their "menu" is extremely limited. There actually isn't even a menu right now, just a "grab & go" style offering of cold, pre-made sandwiches and salads. The coffee cart outside the Salk offers a better selection of these items than Cafe 88. And for what is offered, the prices seem a little high. The only hot offerings are soups, even though there appears to be a full service kitchen in back. It would be nice if they made use of it. If you want a tasty sandwich with a great view, you'd get more value going to the Cliffhanger Cafe at the Torrey Pines Gliderport. If you're looking for a delicious, hot meal for lunch (or breakfast!), go to the Come On In! Cafe at the nearby UCSD Torrey Pines Center. And with all of the great, independent coffee carts like Art of Espresso located on campus, it's a shame Cafe' 88 exclusively offers Starbucks. Talk about a missed opportunity.

When it was first discussed, it seemed like this cafe was going to be something special. There was talk of hiring a chef that would run a bistro style cafe. That would be great, or even if Cafe 88 just made use of their kitchen with a real menu of hot items (burgers, sandwiches, pasta dishes, etc.). Even just having sandwiches made to order would be an improvement over the pre-made items they currently have. And it would be great if they had a limited selection of beer & wine for sale. Several labs have organizeed wine & cheese parties in recent months in an effort to promote interaction with neighboring labs. I think if Cafe 88 offered alcohol and a Happy Hour menu of hot appetizers, it would spontaneously engender socialization amongst workers at the Consortium. Let's hope its "trial run" results in some major changes getting made, because as it exists right now Cafe' 88 just doesn't seem to fit a world class scientific institution.
1 - Stephanie H.: Cafe 88 is a HUGE disappointment. This place was meant to be a convenient place for people working in SCRM to get a nice lunch, a good coffee, or a quick delicious snack. As it stands, this place only offers mediocre pre-packaged sandwiches, crappy coffee, and a limited selection of snacks. Unfortunately, the cafe is run by UCSD, and in general, UCSD food is not great, but I definitely know they can do better than this (ie: Club Med, Goodies, Home Plate). In this brand-new, cutting-edge research facility you would think that the researchers would be provided with better food and coffee options. For now, people are better off walking over to the Salk Coffee cart, up to Home Plate, or over to the Come on In Cafe in Torrey Pines center south - all which have much better options. 

I will change my rating to 4-5 stars if:
1) They served breakfast food - not just pastries, but warm breakfast sandwiches or even omelets like they do next door. 
2) They served warm lunches, like made-to-order sandwiches and pastas. Really anything made-to-order would be an improvement.  
3) They served coffee that is better than the "Starbucks" they have now. 
4) They served beer - at least on Friday afternoons!
2 - Eric O.: Overpriced pre made sandwiches featuring stale bread, wilted lettuce, and one package each of mayonaise and mustard.   Featuring no hot food and Starbucks coffee (really?).   Can get the same for less at 7-11, no wait, the coffee would be better.

Cafe Addis - New York, NY (40.8124011, -73.9551986) (Harlem)
1 - ayinde c.: Crappy old - stale food.  Bad Service, Awful coffee.  I thought Harlem was coming up?
4 - Charles B.: Don't get confused, kids:  Cafe Addis is NOT a restaurant.  I get the feeling that the sandwiches are served pretty much only in case of emergency.  If a bar patron is getting bombed, they can stuff a sandwich down his throat to absorb the alcohol.  

So unless you're bombed, don't bother with the food.  

But if you're there to get bombed or jittery, you're in the right place.  It's a clean, friendly Ethiopian-owned place that serves a decent shot of espresso.  Underrated spot for a quiet happy hour drink or a quick coffee or to catch some good live music.
4 - Alexay C.: Cafe Addis is a nice, clean, friendly and local spot. Part of what i like about it is that they are so honestly still learning the biz. Great guys own this place and they employ lovely people. The clientele is always warm as is the staff. This is a great small business to support.

Cafe Agora Midtown - Atlanta, GA (33.7807828, -84.3846166) (Midtown)
5 - Jason Y.: Great service and awesome food!!
5 - Carlos D.: For me, the best turkish place in Atlanta. I was a regular at the East Paces Ferry location, and will be a regular here now. Their regular gyro is awesome. Personally, I really like their gyro meat because of how it's grilled, it's a little crispy almost. The tsatziki sauce is thick and creamy, and there's enough of that there along with the other marinated veggies in the gryo. It's awesome. The kebabs are great too, and Al's service adds to the experience.
5 - Katherine P.: I went there for lunch and I have to say, they have the best lamb gyro you will ever eat! Service is great and the owner being there was very friendly. He let us try stuff in good amounts and even gave us free rice pudding with cinnamon sprinkled in top: YUM!
4 - Hieu H.: A Taste of the Mediterranean in Midtown Atlanta.  

The bustling corner almost makes you forget that you're in Atlanta, but a real city with a vibrant street culture.

I've never tried the original Cafe Agora in Buckhead, but everything tasted fresh and light.  

Loved the Mixed maza platter which lets you sample a lot of the dips like the smooth hummus (never getting the store stuff again!),  Havuc Ezme (a mix of carrot and yogurt), Tabouli, roasted eggplant, Baba Ganoush, and more.

Also had the Adana Kebab - a kebab of seasoned ground lamb served with rice pilaf and lightly seasoned salad. 

Will definitely be back.
5 - Mark C.: Only good falafel in Atlanta. These guys make their own instead of frying up shit that comes frozen from Sysco. In addition their tabouli is mostly parsley and not the bulgar filled crap you get most places. I am promoting this place to 'heavy use' on my lunch rotation. 

If you doubt me, keep in mind I lived in NYC so therefore I know more about food than you, especially falafel. If you dont know what falafel is, dont go to this place, you dont deserve to eat there.
4 - D. J.: This place is the real deal.  100% Turkish.  Got a lamb & beef gyro takeout tonight.  Spiiiicy...but deliciously so.  Extremely flavorful.  Tzatziki sauce is thick and perfect with lots of cucumber.  I would have liked to see the vertical spit grill, though...it needs to be out front & visible.  The pita was not big enough to hold all the contents, impossible to pick up, so good luck being neat.  Dude made me a nice salad/hummus sampler while I waited and it was terrific.  Outside tables and some upstairs seating.  Good spot, too, just off Peachtree across from Taco Mac.  I also had a lil' piece of baklava and some rice pudding.  Excellent meal.  Will be back to test the rest of the menu.
1 - Sophia S.: Turkish food is my favorite, I went to Turkey last year and stuffed my face the entire trip. Cafe Agora did not measure up. I was so excited for them to come to midtown, but I was very disappointed by the food. All the spreads were mushy and tasteless. All the grilled meat was dry and chewy. The rice pudding was great though!
5 - Andrew J.: This is a fabulous addition to Midtown!!   Best Turkish/Greek around.  Will soon have their liquor license.  Kind of a small "hole in the wall" kind of place.  We love it!!

Have parking over by Delta Credit Union next door.
4 - Song S.: I've had their other location bookmarked for ages and now I get to try it within the convenience of my own neighborhood? WIN. 

It's a smallish place with upstairs seating, but it's clean with a display case of prepared foods. I think I got chills when I saw their uncooked kebabs in the display case on metal skewers. Am I the only one? To me this signifies freshness. This in addition to how bright all the veggies looked in the parsley salad and ezme - I clearly had trouble deciding what to try. But lucky me, because the server made me a small sample plate of the hummus, parsley salad (is it tabbouli? where has this version been in my life??) and ezme. I liked the consistency of the runnier hummus, how fresh the tomatoes tasted, and how nothing had a strong lemon bite. I found it harder to make a decision after that. 

I decided to go with the lamb gyro over a salad, which was good with fresh lettuce and tomatoes. I also had some baba ganoush, which was pretty delicious - I could've eaten another serving of it, easily. But part of me wants (needs) to go back and try their platters and falafel and really see what they can do. I like what I see so far! 

This place is pricier than your fast food gyro place, with sandwiches around $10 and entrees around $15. But if you want a step above overcooked meat and iceberg lettuce, give this place a try.
2 - Ray B.: Overall score: Needs Improvement

The staff entices you with samples of the salads in their deli case when you first enter the Cafe ... and they are exceedingly friendly but then there's a disconnect... 

If you want to order a gyro or sandwich, there are no sides available. There are not even "to-go" portions of the salads available (on the menu particularly) but then they want you to buy a three-(or more) salad plate (with pita) to go along with your sandwich. Why not offer "side order" size versions of the salads or offer a side with the sandwiches since those are already somewhat pricey ... 

I decided to order a chicken gyro ... my dining companion picked a beef gyro. The gyros arrive looking good but very "Street Food"-esque, wrapped in foil and plopped on a paper plate (and these are old school paper plates, folks, not "Chinet")... 

There is more-than-ample iceberg lettuce on the sandwich but woefully little of anything else. The servings of meat on either gyro were exceptionally stingy IOHOs and so was the slight smothering of tzatziki ...

The thing is: we knew there food was good because Cafe Agora dropped off some huge catering platters at the office we have been working at for a 'upper-level' meeting ... that was great to be able to try the left-overs (barely touched!) and test drive the flavors at Cafe Agora but the reality we found didn't meet the fantasy...

My dining companion asked about the possibility of a salad-based or vegetarian gyro and that puzzled the staff at first but then they told her "of course, anything you want of course..."

I may have had false exceptions after reading all of the stellar Yelp reviews about this location (and the first incarnation of) Cafe Agora. (That can be a problem when an establishment front loads Yelp reviews with tons of four- and five-star writings...)

I'm basing my experiences with this food on places like Mediterranean Grill and Jerusalem Cafe, with a similar price point but much more food served and choice...

It's a tiny space, reminiscent of little restaurants of this size that are scattered around major cities like New York. There is a cute upstairs with a bar area (that doesn't appear to get much use ...) I have to wonder what this place was previous to Agora moving in...?
4 - Michelle B.: Went back for the lamb kebab today...OM Luscious Stars! Perfectly seasoned and grilled, with freshy fresh salad and tasty rice. Had to have the amazing ezme and hummus to go with of course, and both ewre fresh and Yum. Yeah, they don't offer the sides independently, but if you ask...well, I got them that way with no problem. Besides, don't you really want the entire experience? They have so many salad/sides that picking one is like picking your favorite pair of shoes. Just take several, and you'll have enough left for your next meal, 'cause the portions are generous and the food is just that good!

Cafe Allegro At the College Inn - Seattle, WA (47.6551964, -122.3132618) (University District)
5 - Zarah M.: Excellent food!  Open for breakfast and lunch but I think only until 3pm.  I'll have to look into that.  I had breakfast here and it was good.  Great coffee too.  I'll have more on this place as soon as I visit again.  Photos too!
4 - Brycelaine P.: Great place to grab lunch!!  Service is good even when their busy and the food, well the food is excellent.  I rather enjoyed the atmosphere, low key, not trendy but better yet...Cotswold-like.  Recommended.
3 - Annalisa S.: This cafe is small, but I like it.  I especially like the large black and white pictures on the wall that depict ther remains of a burnt theatre ; it's very boheme noir.  The cafe has the usual fare--coffee, tea, muffins, bagels...  It's a nice place to study if you live in the South End dorms at the UW.
3 - Margaretta L.: A nice cafe stop - they have great daily soup specials. Their caribbean tomato soup was so good I asked for the recipe.  Among cafes, however, it's pretty typical, and lacks the historic feeling of the original Cafe Allegro.
4 - Katie O.: The cafe here is pretty small, but the food is good.  You have the option of getting coffee and pasteries at a walk-up counter, or you can seat yourself for a meal.  I have always found the staff very friendly and attentive.  This is a great place to have conversation with friends over good food.  The decor is nice (I'm a sucker for exposed brick walls), and the art on the walls changes every month.  Overall, I will continue to go back there for the atmosphere and food.
4 - megan d.: tasty soups and sandwitchs and pasteries , tasty coffee and a nice cozy place to chill located to next the college inn. its a good stand by.
5 - Kristin S.: I get my coffee here! They have the best decaf americanos in the area (and regular americanos too). I like their pastries and their tea selection. They also put on a good breakfast spread and I like their hummus plate. Unf. you can't really study here around lunchtime. It gets too busy and they kick you out. Oh well. I still like their coffee A LOT!
3 - Geoff N.: Mmm... nothing satisfies my powerful hunger quite like a salad log. If you too have a craving for salad logs, Cafe Allegro is the place! I went in for lunch today and ordered a mushroom swiss burger and a side caesar. When the food arrived, the burger was over-mayonnaised with a bottom bun soggy from mushroom juice and the salad contained two giant lettuce logs! I was unaware that lettuce came in log form. I believe the folks in the kitchen gave me the heart of the romaine in my ceasar, but forgot to break it into edible sized portions. As a result, I had two logs of lettuce in my salad that were about as long as my thumb and almost as thick as a Twinkie! Someone should tell the makers of Gogurt that the folks at Allegro have come up with a new king in the disgusting to-go snack department.

This was my second time eating at Allegro and I was disappointed, especially after my first visit for dinner about a month ago when I got to experience their bacon meatloaf for the first time. It's meatloaf wrapped in bacon!!!! 

The lesson I have learned from this is: The chef at Cafe Allegro suffers from a Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde complex. By day he makes the horrible abomination of lettuce logs, by night... BACON MEATLOAF!
2 - Juliann B.: Here it goes.  My disappointing brunch. 

Let me start with the positive- nice ambiance- you feel like you are in someones modern, chic dining room with the art and whatnot.  Also the coffee is very good and smoky and, I have to admit, the side potatoes are wonderfully tasty and addicting.

The problem really was that the whole experience was very rushed because it was crowded.  Unfortunately, as a result, I think both the service and the food suffered.  I ordered a smoked salmon omelet and my fear was that it would turn out too dry.  And so it did, with none of the promised herbed cream cheese inside and no flavor besides dry, chewy salmon.  It was a real heartless attempt by the chef.  I think I would have forgiven them if someone stopped by our table to see how we were doing.  But no, we were ignored throughout our entire meal.  I hate feeling ignored!

Maybe if you go at a time when the place isn't crowded (like lunch/dinner) you will have a better experience.  But all in all, I feel there are better brunch places in Seattle.
5 - Chris C.: I love this place.  I use to skip class and come here for brunch and to study.  Don't even think about studying in here during peak hours though.
4 - Michelle B.: Sometimes I just want food. Plain old food. Not nouveau American, not Asian fusion, not hot dogs, not sushi. Just good old fashioned food. 

I finally found "food" at Cafe Allegro...ok, well Kaitlyn found it, but I am the happy recipient of such knowledge. They've got soups and salads and sandwiches and a few other simple food items and everything there is pretty darn cheap. My tuna melt was huge, on really good wheat bread, and contained delicious cheddar cheese - such quality for only $6.95 with chips and a pickle.

The atmosphere is simple and cozy and our server really hustled making this the perfect place for a simple lunch. 

Oh, I'm so glad I found food.
4 - Meagan T.: Great simple American classics.  It's perfect for brunch on a lazy weekend. Service can be lacking and slow though.
4 - Corey W.: -good lunch place with interesting art on the wall.  I've eaten and drank here too many times to count.  
-GREAT little bar (~10 people can sit in there) with good beers.  Nice little hideaway for happy hour that few people realize is there... most go to the downstairs, windowless college Inn pub.  

-I love the BLT here. 
-good salads...chicken Caesar salad is recommended.
-decent soups that vary daily
-coffee is solid
-Service has usually been pretty good to great.  
-tight fit....I wouldn't recommend going in groups larger than 4-5 particularly during lunch.
1 - Ema N.: I ordered a beans and rice meal to go one afternoon. When I left and sat down to eat, I found 2 tiny boxes each packed with black beans. I did not see any rice in the boxes. So I walked back to the restaurant and asked if they forgot the rice. The waitress actually told me that she did not want to bother the chef because he was busy.

Seriously?
1 - Katy P.: Dear Bitchy Baristas at Cafe Allegro,

I am sorry that we inconvenienced you by coming into your establishment.

If it is such a bother to explain which pastries are which in your case, maybe you should consider putting signs into the case to save yourself the irritation.

I understand that we had a miscommunication about the size of my drink. For a second I thought maybe I really had misspoken, until you also got our pastry order wrong.

Regarding the size of my drink: I understand that you thought I ordered a short, however, upon my simply asking if the drink you were making was a tall, your response was "YOU ORDERED A SHORT! Do you WANT a TALL?" When I responded with, "Only if you made enough, other wise a short will be fine," you proceeded to slam a tall cup down on the counter in front of me, and then toss the remaining beverage into the cup, spilling milk everywhere.

You know, I get having a bad morning. I was a barista for almost 7 years and sometimes it fucking sucks to have to get up at 5 in the morning and deal with people. I totally get that. But honestly, I was perfectly nice to you. I smiled, I said thank you, I would have WAY overtipped you guys, and you were just mean for no reason.

Honestly, if you're going to be THAT rude, you should at least make a good drink. Our Americano was mediocre at best, with weak tasting shots that had mere remnants of a crema on top. The foam on my drink... if you can call it foam, was full of giant bubbles and the milk was had a burned flavor.

My suggestion to the Baristas: If you're going to try and act like you're such hot shit that you're better than everyone you're helping, actually make coffee that's good enough to bring people back despite your attitude.

To everyone else: Think twice before subjecting yourself to the bad energy of the employees at Cafe Allegro.

Sincerely,

A Much Nicer Barista, Who Makes Way Better Coffee Than Those Bitches
2 - Marianne G.: Great location but snarky service! I know it gets busy, but guys - please be nicer.
3 - Jane A.: i've only ate here twice...

but they have some banging bagels.
3 - Chelsea S.: Ever just need a place to get away from the Noise and Study? GO TO CAFE ALLEGRO!  Be sure to order their Chi. If you ever need a break from studying really hard,. Come visit upstairs and join the "Open Mic" opened to all ages, Hosted by Seattle's very own "Youth Speaks" Sign ups at 6 and the mic turns on at 7, every third Sunday of the month.
1 - Katie R.: A Special Place in Hell

Apparently, the Café Allegro at the College Inn will be closing its doors as of August 15th.

A place that once rocked eggs and coffee 7 days a week, where no one blinked twice if you ordered a shot of Jim Beam with a bowl of oatmeal back and where everyone knew your name--even if it was punctuated with "high-maintenance prick"--Café Allegro was a neighborhood institution.

It is all but gone now, brought down not by Big Business, The Man, or University development, but by a strutting trust-fund baby wrapped in hipster clothing. I suppose this man cannot be blamed for the devastation he has caused by ripping out the livelihoods of his entire staff from under their feet; we live in a world driven by a free market system and it is his business to play with as he sees fit. What puzzles me is that this man would purchase a potentially incredibly lucrative café, ignore it until it drowns in its own filth and reopen it as the 11th Thai restaurant in a 10-block radius.

This is just one more blow in the slow decapitation of community in my neighborhood. Generations of relationships were built in this café. Families were created and fell apart within these walls; art was produced, shared, lauded and ridiculed. Now the walls are bare and no one talks above a whisper, the kitchen is cold and the door hangs lose and undisturbed in its perpetually crooked posture.

Up the street there is a park across which no one is allowed to walk. High-rises with just-add-water urban hotspots elbow in to the oldest blocks in the city, and fill its open windows with dust, garbage and shitty coffee served straight from the veins of starving farmers. People still come and go but the faces are hard, tired and unfamiliar. At some point, we'll all stop fighting.

There is a special place in hell for those who destroy a man's livelihood. There's a place close by for those who disregard the sanctity of community. In between, though, they serve a mean Tom Kha and the wifi's always free. 

Melodious Thunk
4 - Stacy L.: Personally, I loved going here for Sunday morning breakfast. The staff is laid back, the food was good, and the jam might be my favorite part. If the review below me is true, and they are really closing, well then, I need to go eat there before August 15.
5 - Anna C.: The loss of Cafe Allegro quite possibly marks the beginning of the end for the Ave.  It was your signature study group and coffee in the slow part of the afternoon, parent-student weekend breakfast any time of day, and by far the best breakfast within walking distance to south campus.  Also, fresh pastries and coffee any time of day.  The people there are great, as long as you're as easy going as they are.  The nice young man working the counter last time I went in informed me that it was converting to a Thai restaurant...  He said he didn't think it was a good idea, and I'd have to agree.  Definitely more a student hang out than a yuppie and kid day out, and too small for large groups.

Cafe Ambrosia - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2784679, -83.7422389) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
4 - Mae S.: nice, teeny-tiny cafe for very secret meetings (or not).
3 - Jana T.: This is really the only place in Ann Arbor that deserves to call itself a coffee house.  The employees wear the clothes they like and play the music they like.  It isn't some second-rate Midwestern attempt at a European street cafe with the accompanying outrageous prices.  It isn't Starbucks or a Starbucks-clone.  It isn't uncomfortable and dingy.  

There doesn't seem to be much of a social scene there, which is a shame.  But they have good coffee and it has a mellow likable atmosphere.  You can work easily there or chat with a friend.  They also have chocolate chai, which recommends it to my roommate.

So, if you, like me, moved to Ann Arbor expecting something decent there, Cafe Ambrosia's about it for the coffee scene.  I'd suggest supporting a local business that provides a decent, if not perfect, service rather than one of the faux euro places on Main or the Starbucks row over by State and Liberty.
3 - Katy W.: Love this place, but sadly I can only offer 3 stars with good conscious.  

Issues:
1) Waaaay too much syrup in flavored drinks.  I have to remember to ask for just a little tiny bit.  Not such a big deal, but my fav is practically undrinkable the way I receive it from Ambrosia.
2) Baked goods are really lacking.  Not that most other coffee shops downtown have particularly great pastries (with a few exceptions).  None the less, Ambrosia could really use some improvement here.  I need a fresh pastery/muffin/bagel selection to round out my morning coffee

The upsides:
1) Cozy atmosphere.  Unlike another reviewer, I do feel like there are "regulars" here and a relatively social atmosphere.  Way laid back... hope you don't mind the groups outside sitting on the sidewalk and smoking.  Folks behind the counter are always nice without being "service with a smile" fake-perky obnoxious.  
2) Most drinks way tasty and good - they make a mean cappuccino & iced soy mocha.
3) Locally owned, non-chain.
3 - Keiko S.: I liked my double espresso and the friendly servers, but not so much of the over all space. It may be a comfortable spot for many patrons (mainly students), but definitely not the cleanest. For instance, they could use a new trash can. 

I also agree with Katy W's comment on the baked goods. The selection is quite limited. They don't make or carry fresh deli, but have some wrapped up sandwiches and pastries that have been sitting there for...who knows how long.
4 - Aaron B.: If you are around campus then this is probably the best cafe to get coffee, hang out, and attempt to do work.  There are sofas and tables and chairs with plenty of power outlets all around and free wireless.  The coffee is slightly above average and the people who work there are rather cool.  The addition of a large downstairs section more than triples the seating capacity of this place.  With new IKEA tables in the main room and lots of sofas and recliners downstairs (as well as plenty of plugs and wireless) makes this clearly the overall best cafe in Ann Arbor.

The music varies from the awesome through the ignorable to the annoying as hell.  It has rotating exhibits of some pretty good local artwork, which is especially nice if it covers up that lame fake-brick wall.  And the worst thing about it is clearly its filth.  Well, I wouldn't actually call it filthy by any means, but it definitely has more of a gritty diner feel to it than all the other cafes.  But then again all the other cafes are big chains (or a wanna-be big chain) with a whole design team to figure out how to get customers to buy more and stay less.  Ambrosia just is.  

And if you're hungry they offer some real food instead of just pastries.  Not much, but more than most.  I especially like the hummus plate and Dannon yogurt.  I'm still waiting for them to implement my beef-jerky latte idea but in the meantime I will still use Cafe Ambrosia as my mid-day hang out close to campus.
4 - Clarence C.: Coffee is good at Ambrosia, if I'm on this end of town, I'll pick up a cup there rather than anyplace else. 

I've always liked it as a place to kick back and read, because it is hidden away back there on Maynard Street, and not as crowded as some of the other coffee shops. 

If you happen to be a student, that area of secret shops (Ambrosia, Madras Masala, the bike shop) are only a block away from campus, if you shoot through the arcade.

I've never been enticed by the food at Ambrosia--or most of the other coffee places. I treat it as a place to get a cup after lunch or after work.
4 - Sarah W.: The coffee is the best you can find around here. Regular coffee tastes really good. You can also access soy milk which they have sitting out with the other creamer choices. They can make a proper cappuccino. But the best thing here is the Chai! They make theirs from scratch, not from a box. It's really good hot or cold. One of my favorite things.

The food is not really great here, almost all of their baked good are bought. They do have these really good tiny caramel cake things which are worth a try. Cheap and tasty. 

I have not really spent time sitting in here, cause I usually get it to go. But there are tables and couches. Not always crowded. And they have wi-fi. They use punch cards here too.

Take note, if you wanna gossip, don't do it here. Your going to run into some you know always here.
4 - Lisa W.: I want to give Cafe Ambrosia five stars, but I can't because I do not like a lot of their pre-packaged then un-packaged baked goods and there is also no air-conditioning.  I feel bad saying that, but I'm only trying to speak the truth here!

However, I do think they have really good coffee and espresso drinks, especially if you get it made by the right barista.  Try Jimmy, who is a seasoned barista, or Matt who is also awesome.  They make a mean iced chai which isn't some boxed mix -- it's their own special creation.  And if you like matte, try their matte latte -- they used to make it for me and the first time it kicked me harder than espresso.

Plus, did you know they have basement seating and sometimes have shows downstairs?  Fabulous.  Also, if you sit outside, you're right next to a parking structure.  It gives this town a city-like atmosphere.

If you become a regular here, you'll probably land a crush on someone who works here.  And if you do, you'll probably get to sit on the cozy bench outside together, if you're lucky, and bum smokes and lights from one another.
4 - Sam S.: I don't have enough tattoos to be a regular here. I make up for it, however, by faking an attitude of ennui and tedium so as to be accepted by the patrons. A kind of a quaint nihilism: nothing is ever interesting, all that surprising, or all that cool. Often this entails sitting outside and articulating cryptic tautologies about the human condition, international affairs, and the socio-economic situation of the proletariat, all the while praying no one finds out I'm regurgitating half-read Wikipedia articles I downloaded when I was stoned. Yet, everyone nods affirmatively at my insightful comments and I am accepted into the group. Such bliss.

Besides name-dropping Sartre, I recommend the iced chai, either hot or cold; the coffee dudes here make a decent brew. Also, as a cautionary tale, this place is very incestuous, kinda like "90210" or "Melrose Place", everyone's sleeping with everyone else.

Whatever you do, don't say the place is "dirty", they really hate that.
4 - Jared P.: A pleasantly low-end coffee shop with friendly staff and decent coffee. Probably not the place to go if you want expensive pastries or a great macchiato but it is good place to study or just hang out. Probably my favorite coffee shop in AA.
2 - Leanna G.: The reviews are full of fanboys...looks like I'm gonna buck the trend. This place reminds me of the cafes I went to when I was 16 and that's really not a good thing. It's dingy and dirty and smells funky and the bathroom is gross and the basement is really gross and depressing. It's dim and boring with white walls and uninspiring decor. What can I say? I'm a sucker for ambiance and I lost my taste for hip psuedo-intellectuals while I was getting my bachelor's in philosophy. Oh yeah, and the wireless sucks.

Coffee's good though. I gave them two stars based on their coffee, which is actually pretty decent and is one of the only two places in town that makes a latte I enjoy and think is delicious (the other being Primo).
2 - lara s.: I honestly don't know why people go here so often. It's cramped and in the winter it's cold because the door is thin and often gets stuck open. The chairs are small and uncomfortable and so are the tables. The coffee is fine and the tea is ok too. I haven't eaten anything from here because I've never wanted to stick around that long. There aren't great coffee shops in Ann Arbor, so maybe that's why people hang around this one. It feels kind of like a hip place until you try to sit and make yourself comfortable, which for me has never been possible.
2 - James C.: Cheapest coffee at $1 for a cup (75 cents if you bring a container), but this place is built on atmosphere.  The coffee isn't great, a little watery and  weak compared to Sweetwater's and even Starbucks'.  Same goes for the espresso drinks.  Of course here, the consumables aren't what bring the regulars. Good music, dingy location and plain interior (square tables and chairs, fluorescent lights) lend an air of authenticity that gives way to hipness couched in Ann Arbor.  It's like a diner of cafes, including its new 24/6 hours.  It's for a certain crowd, but not the coffee-tasting one.
4 - Shachar P.: This place is far from being prefect. It is somewhat trashy and dirty, The food is not the freshest. However, it is a REAL cafe, which is certainly lacking in Ann Arbor with all the chains. The coffee (by RoosRoast) is fresh and  very good. Some (but not all) of the baristas know what they are doing. The atmosphere and the clientele is eclectic - a mixture of teen-aged punks, students, professors, professionals and all kind of mostly interesting people. It is fun to sit, read, write and converse there and enjoy the coffee. I'm glad Ann Arbor has Cafe Ambrosia.
4 - Nilda R.: I almost forgot how screwed we were getting for parking in the garage all day.

Delicious coffee- check.

Reasonable prices- check.

Friendly barista- check.

Whoa, vegan sandwiches and cookies? Love.
2 - B B.: Pluses:

Comfortable seating, friendly staff, good music, cheap coffee, amazing vegan chocolate chip cookies.

Minuses: music is too loud, coffee is way weak (If I were Roos, I wouldn't let them tell anyone they used my coffee), obnoxious hipsters, cramped space

Ultimately this place is a lot like Starbucks: it's reputation is way inflated and people who don't know anything about coffee think it's great, but really it's more about the image you project than having a quality beverage. Actually, the coffee at Starbucks by and large is better than that at Ambrosia.

People mainly go to Ambrosia, I think, because for whatever reason it's perceived as the cool place to go. They use good coffee beans--RoosRoast is awesome-- but they must make it really weak or leave it sitting too long, because it is not good there. If you want good coffee, go elsewhere; if you want to sit someplace thinking you're cool, this is the spot.
4 - Jonathan S.: The hipster capital of Ann Arbor. You'll never walk past this place without at least one 20-something smoking a cigarette, or listening to the latest Swedish disco electro clash. Unreleased, of course.

Seriously though, I love the vibe in this place. Especially the basement... in good company. I find myself going here in stressed out -- doing late-night homework binges or stopping in for a quick cup between work and class. But when I do get the chance to lounge in here, it's really a great place to chill and have good conversations. I work right around the corner, which is also nice, providing me location utility and--of course--peace of mind, knowing that I'm supporting local business :) :)
4 - Morgan D.: Why do I love this place?  Its mostly that a cup of coffee is less than a dollar if you bring your own mug- its something like 73 cents.  Cheapest coffee around as far as I know, and its good coffee- and they always have a fair trade selection.  Bringing my own mug is nice because in 2010 my motto is "no new plastic"- we'll see how that goes, but Ambrosia's helping me out.  Plus free wi-fi, the people who work there are super friendly and they don't (seem to) mind if I hang out for a while and do stuff.  The downstairs seating is also a plus.
4 - Megan B.: SO cheap and delicious coffee. The staff is very friendly and the bake goods are usually tasty (except the scones).
1 - Maxwell C.: Amazed at all the overwhelmingly positive reviews for this place. Maybe not so much--perhaps the hipness of those who frequent it has blinded them from good taste. I've been here a handful of times in the past few years and always wonder why I return. Usually it has something to do with it having decent coffee shop hours--at least more so than the places in Ann Arbor worth getting coffee from (Comet and Mighty Good). Every latte or cappuccino I've had here has been overly milky, with a fine silt at the bottom. Maybe the brewed coffee is out of this world, but no cafe that fails to make a drinkable espresso beverage deserves a rating above mediocre. One extra star for the hours and prices.
3 - Jason B.: Coffee is mediocre, customer service is good. Last time I was there in the summer they didn't have air conditioning, which I could see making it pretty uncomfortable in the summer.
3 - Elizabeth S.: Ambrosia is my go-to place for getting work done in Ann Arbor. 

Sure, it's full of "hipsters" (I think I'm one, myself?), the internet is always slow & the bathroom is half-lit - but it's comfortable, there's usually good music & the basement is a great hideaway. Also, the tables in the front window are good for people watching & getting a bit of sunshine. 

While no coffeeshop can compete with Comet as far as quality, I'd pick Ambrosia over Espresso Royale or Starbucks any day.
5 - Beth D.: Good coffee. Excellent Baristas. A great place to spend a ridiculous amount of time reading/studying/chatting, and super cozy in the winter.  Also a wonderful place to hold meetings of any sort (the basement is quiet and big). 

check it out and don't forget to tip because the staff deserves it.
2 - Sam G.: When I first came to Ann Arbor I spent a few days a week for a few months here just because I couldn't find anywhere else. Now I've found my home-away-from-home cafe elsewhere.

That said, pretty decent chai and an alright selection of teas. Their espresso ain't bad either. Their food selection is lackluster but it's there. 

Outdoor seating in the summer but you're right on the street in a not-so-lovely concrete environment. Extra seating in the basement. And you have to turn the bathroom knob hard - it often feels locked but isn't. There are also frequent-drinker cards - 10th cup (I think) is free. $5 minimum on credit cards.

But the service and ambiance... oh no.

The baristas are removed and dead-panned even if you're a regular. There is plenty of seating here but unfortunately the feel of the place is a  mixture between dorm room furniture, dry wall, and vinyl tiling.

I'm confused by the comments of this place being 'hipster' - I think people have different definitions of this but I see Ambrosia as a hang out more for awkward right out of high school teenage misfits, instead of cultured, albeit sartorially cloned, artsy 20-somethings. The music should be an indication that there is nothing cutting edge about the place.

Probably a good place to stop in and grab a beverage if you can brave the aloof (without being sassy or clever) attitudes of the clientele and barristas. Staying inside is not for me.
3 - Joseph W.: First A2 coffee shop I actually find myself wanting to spend time in.  Probably the only Metropolitan Tea Co retailer in the area.  Great location, decore.  Unfortunately, some of the staff are quite amateurish when it comes to preparing tea.
4 - Heidi M.: This is my regular place, and definitely one of my favorite spots in Ann Arbor to hide out, get some coffee, and do whatever I need. The coffee is good, and you can't beat the prices. Their tea selection is very good as well. The baristas are nice, but not overly so. The morning and evening vibes are pretty different, and I love them both. There's a big basement that's really quiet where you can have meetings, or where you can chill out by yourself. Also, the vegan chocolate chip cookies are the best thing ever.

The only thing that isn't perfect is that the internet is a little slow. Also, I'm giving it four stars only because, while everything is very very very good, it isn't the "best" in town. I go here though because it's a great space, with a great atmosphere, and really cool people. I've had a lot of great conversations, and made a lot of friends in Ambrosia.
4 - David H.: I love Cafe Ambrosia! Their coffee is fantastic and their vegan cookies are delicious. The atmosphere is a bit rustic. But, this aspect does make the place unique.
3 - J M.: Inexpensive (Affordable!  In Ann Arbor?!).  Big, good people watching.  It is dirty, though, which is really sad, because other than that, I love it.  But, yeah, the bathroom is ick, ick, ick.
3 - Kate R.: Best latte in town.  Good baked stuff, too.  My friends love the vegan cookies.

Cafe Amrita - New York, NY (40.801053, -73.958433) (Harlem)
4 - May L.: It's a good space to get some work done, as you'll find many other people hanging out with their laptops and books during the day. And it's generally a welcoming atmosphere for that, though there are no outlets....so charge your batteries before you goo!

food is average and a bit overpriced. But it's a reliable spot to go to for free wifi and comfortable seating. 

They have happy hour specials, too, although I don't think they really succeed in turning the space into a bar/night spot. The folks with laptops just get annoyed when they dim the lights and bust out the candles!
2 - Tempest B.: This place used to be called Saurin Parke Cafe -- don't know if they have a new owner or just wanted to change their name, but they seem to have the same menu, bar, and setup.  I gave Saurin Parke 4 stars but have to downgrade to 2. 

The food here isn't great, particularly not for the price.  The seating isn't that comfortable, either. But the thing that really galls me about the place is their hostility toward laptop luggers. 

There are no outlets and on the weekends the wi-fi is off.  I have never bought the idea that having free wi-fi and outlets is somehow bad for business.  If you don't know how to make your cafe work with these things, you don't know how to make a cafe work.
2 - Mark D.: The next time I have to put a code into the door of the bathroom, I'm going to have a freak out.  Unfortunately, the only decent place down the hill.
4 - Shar B.: This is a cozy lil laid back place that's perfect before/after a jaunt in neighboring Central Park.  Casual, tasty food, inexpensive.  I've read a few reviews that the staff is indifferent but I can't say I've had a similar experience at all, quite the opposite.  Also have been here only in the daytime - around lunch/brunch/afternoon snack time - so can't vouch for it as a nighttime spot.  But so far, been very pleased here!
4 - Tony S.: Good grill food with a great laidback atmosphere. The staff play music from their personal collections and there's even a bookshelf full of paperbacks in the corner. Seating can be scarce on a nice day. It's a great place for getting a drink, having an informal meal with a friend, or working on your computer with a coffee.
3 - Brian H.: charming, laid back place to veg out. a bit out of place for the area, but welcome all the same.
4 - Katie V.: Stopped in today for brunch and it was delightful!  The wait was a little long to order, but our food was prepared quickly. Great coffee/hot chocolate and food (mostly sandwiches, wraps and salads), and a full bar. For brunch, they have a special menu with pancakes, omelets, and cheap Bloody Marys. I felt like I had wandered into a little nook in Havana (maybe because of the salsa music playing and the signs promoting the homemade guac).  

Seems like it would be a great place to get work done (just the right amount of background bustle), if only there were outlets...the only one I could find didn't work so I had to take my laptop elsewhere. I'd love to see what the scene is like at Cafe Amrita at night -- could be a chill spot to get a drink.
4 - Tiffany S.: Wonderful, tasty soups and sandwiches. I try their soup every time because it's always so good. I like the atmosphere there! Good place to hang out and there's free wifi. There are not many outlets though... bummer. Overall, I recommend it!
4 - S A.: i love the atmosphere of this place.  it's on my way to school so i go here to get work done before, between, or right after class from time to time and usually get phenomenal amounts of studying done.  i always go here right before exams because it's quiet and filled with other grad students writing and reading.  

they don't have outlets so i know that is a limitation if you're writing so i don't do much paper writing at this location but it's great for reading, research, and studying.  

my major complaint is with the food.  i love the coffee but i'm a bit unimpressed with the food because it's fairly expensive and not that great.  last time i was here i got the french onion soup (which i know is salty) but it basically tasted like a bowl of salt so that was disappointing.  

overall, great place to study get reading done.
4 - T C.: Cafe Amrita is a great place to hang out, drinks some coffee, grab a quick bite and get some work done.  During the day the place is fairly quiet and many people come here with laptops and books.  They serve inexpensive and decent soups, salads, and sandwiches.

The added bonus to Cafe Amrita is that fact that they show futbol and have happy hour everyday from 4 to 8pm.  Last time I visited I was able to get a nice large pitcher of Stella, and fresh homemade guac and chips for $20.  I am pleased.  Thank you!!
3 - Dan T.: Understaffed & overly busy--trying
Girl with her hands in many pots--overextended
Service remained friendly & energetic
Tasty cookie just short of a dollar--perfect to tip said
trooper

Vibe wasn't entirely for me, but surely a nice respite amidst the hullabaloo and gentrification of the area.
1 - Jacquelyn R.: The RUDEST bartender at Cafe Amrita served me and my friends last night! I will never go there again because of this! It's really too bad too cause it looks super cute in there and it's great location. The owner/manager should know that they have really rude staff on hand.
3 - Brenda M.: Comfortable place to study at during the day with wall seating and mistmatched chairs and tables. Coffee is ok but they lack a variety of pastries at night. Had the guac with chips (sm $5) and it was good but not exceptional. I think the menu is pricey but on par with NY. Sandwiches, salads, wraps about $8. Coffee about $2. No table service which is nice but they should bring the food to your table instead of having to keep getting up to get it from the counter. Also you need a code for the bathroom door, makes you feel like you are a gas station bathroom. They are open late but not a good place to study after the sun goes down= tooo dark. They have dim lighting with candles, while this ambiance is good for drinks, not good for studying so I had to leave early as I could not see anymore. I would come back for a casual coffee/drinks date but not to study. 

$10 min for CC
3 - Christopher T.: Pretty nice and cozy place on the cirlce just off central park.

Ordered a sandwich,chips, and four beers and it wasn't a bad price at all.
Great place to relax with some friends or could even see it being good chill spot if you were alone and just wanted to get out of the house.
4 - Lauren B.: I live across the street from this place and keep them in business with hot coffee and veggie delight sandwiches. It's a great neighborhood cafe/bar!
5 - Megan P.: Wonderful neighborhood cafe with yummy sandwiches and salads.  Incredible lattes and usually really, really good iced tea (depending on who's working!).  The brunch is awesome - try the pancakes or waffles.  Don't expect super fast food service when they're busy (like on weekends) cause there's just one cook.  But it's worth the wait to me.  

Really good happy hour.  They recently added traditional Sangria to the menu too, which is delicious and will definitely give you a buzz after one glass.

Love the vibe.  Music varies depending on who's working, but I've loved the mix of things every time I've come except the one night when it was randomly all reggae all night!  One reggae song, great, two, fine, ten... a bit much!  :)

This is definitely a coffee bar/sandwich place by day and a chill bar at night.  They aren't trying to be anything else, and I like that they can wear both hats convincingly.

Love to Cafe Amrita.

(P.S.  The suggested credit card minimum is just $5, not $10 as someone else posted.)
3 - Melissa M.: This is definitely a 3.5 stars kind of place but I guess I'm just not feeling super generous so we are opting for 3. It's a very cute, quaint little place on the UWS, where you just go up and order your food and then pick it up and bring it to your table. I got a turkey avocado wrap which was good but not seasoned at all... I had to put my balsamic dressing from my salad on it. And I thought it was kinda on the expensive side - a turkey avocado wrap and a Diet Coke (a can of coke, not even a cup with ice on the side) was like 11 bucks. Maybe I'm just being nit-picky. It was definitely good and satiating, I guess I just wanted a bit more.
3 - Topher B.: Pretty slick mix of pub and coffee shop. Flatscreens above the bar showing sports, but it doesn't feel like a sports bar. Espresso machine on one end, which was regrettably broken when I stopped in.

Entire front wall opens up. Great on a sunny, breezy day. I will return.
5 - Zack F.: First off, the sign at the register says, "$5 minimum on credit cards requested whenever possible." if you don't enjoy adorable self-irony, we're probably not friends. And you should not continue reading this.

I love this place. Just "visiting" New York, aka I'll be living here. Asap. This place definitely helps to entice me.

Killers on the music, definitely staff-pick. Wood, French Bistro-bar interior, with three open double doors to the street to solidify that atmosphere.  Transient-like populace, drinking coffees to themselves, reading papers, looking for friendly conversation from someone daring enough.

From the looks of the bar, and coming from a well-educated self-proclaimed alcoholic, good selection. 4 tap basics: Guinness. Stella. Sam. Blue Moon.

And this chai latte is simply divine. I will be back.  Many times.
2 - Aaron S.: It doesn't suck.

But it's barely acceptable anymore.  I do live close by, but whenever I have the time I would even prefer the Starbucks at 118th above this.

- Blueberry Scone for several dollars:  GUMMY.  I am sure I could make 24 gummy scones with a Jiffy mix for half the price.  What a shameful waste of money.

- Understaffed.  When I walked in, I thought "cool, only one person ahead of me in line."  10 minutes later, I placed my order.
2 - Rodney J.: Not great. This location used to house Saurin Park which was a good neighborhood place to relax and have a coffee. This new place has food which is just average and service to match. The OJ was lukewarm and the bagel just ok. Although they have fee Internet there are no plugs so watch your time before you are done. 

In this neighborhood there is not much so this may be your best or only bet for early am coffee but it is just ok.
4 - Connor G.: Cafe Amrita. Nice little place that could be perfect.

Great location, right near the train at 110 / CPW. Close to the park, Morningside, and SoHa; a great meeting place for uptowners.

The food is pretty good, seems pretty fresh and is quickly prepared. I've been before, but this AM I had a bacon/egg/cheese sandwich on a bagel and a huge coffee. Delish, but It's kind of hard to F up that combo.

I went because I was finishing my taxes (I should totally be judged for this so go ahead) and wanted a place where I could distract myself with wifi. I like procrastinating.

The whole thing is counter service. Kind of weird, but it's actually much faster than if there was table service. This is a good thing as I've worked brunch as a waiter and everyone expects coffee at a Starbucks pace. 

Got my food and asked about the internet password. No internet on weekend. ugh. I sat and watched the place all morning. While it got crowded, most of the turnover was pretty quick and they were never at total capacity.

So there it is. Great place but 4 stars for no internet. And could have been a little cleaner. 

totes.
3 - Jess L.: This is a cute neighborhood cafe/bar with singer-songwriter music, a couple of beers on tap, and some nice looking muffins. They have a happy hour before 5pm, even on the weekend, which was a pleasant surprise. ($4 Blue Moon!) They enforce a no-Internet weekend policy, which is well and good but not always great for me personally. The coffee is pretty weak, but there's lots of seating and many reasons to stick around.
4 - Meredith M.: Whenever I'm in the area this is a great place to stop for a coffee, tea or glass of wine. It's a good place for me to get a little work done. Quiet, but not too quiet. Good music. Good ambiance. Service at the counter so when you take a seat you will be left alone. Very close to the train at CPW and 110th so great for meeting up with people in that part of town.
4 - Cindy L.: Great neighborhood coffee shop/bar with the most amazing chai latte.  The coffee is excellent as well, but it's hard for me to stray from my usual chai.  There's a good wrap and salad selection, and the oatmeal raisin cookies are divine.  Good ambiance, and I love that the music selection basically sounds like my iTunes library on shuffle (Stars, Phoenix, The Xx, Florence & The Machine, etc.)  It *can be* a great place to get some work done...

which leads me to my one complaint... I get it, you're trying to be both a coffee shop and a bar.  But is it absolutely necessary to dim the lights at 4:45pm, causing me to completely strain my eyes to finish the chapter I'm in the middle of reading??  That seems excessively early, plus the dimming of the lights becomes an annoying multi-stage process.  By 5:30 the place is practically pitch black, so you can forget about getting any work done if you're there sin laptop.  As someone who returns from work at 4 to face hours of studying, it is frustrating that I can only comfortably get an hour of reading done here after work.

Despite this annoyance, I don't have the heart to take away more than one star.  Overall, I think this place is great, and I will keep coming back.
5 - Caroline M.: I love the atmosphere, location, people, coffee, and food. 
A++ 
Could use more seating though. 
I sat here for several hours, drank coffee, and did my homework.
4 - Marilyn S.: This is a great little cafe which turns into a bar at night.  Perfect for Sunday afternoons when you want food or coffee that someone else prepared, and you want to be around other people who are quietly engaging in homework or reading.  Then you get a second wind and want your friends to come watch the football and have a beer with you!  Best of both worlds!  I just wish they stayed open later and that their menu was a little more adventurous.
3 - Alexis G.: Stumbled in here with a date after having a few drinks elsewhere. Cute atmosphere, but why did the football game need to be so loud? Cafe vibe, but with a big screen TV with the game on. Weird.

That being said, a glass of decent cabernet was only $5, and there was plenty of comfy seating where I could actually hear my date and there was a fair amount of space between us and other couples. The bartender was a little spacey, but left us alone, which was nice. After the game, he put on his iPod and proceeded to play top 40 hits from six years ago. We were listening to Usher's "Yeah," which was hilarious and also a little bit sad.

I wouldn't go out of my way to go back here, but it was pretty nice for what it was. My date told me that their brunch is pretty good too.
1 - Benir k.: well - as a Londoner visiting NYC, you expect basic New York-style service at any pub. Amrita did NOT deliver. Indeed, a good m8 of mine and I ordered guacamole and chips - and specified salsa on the side, cos we were hungry.

instead, we got extremely salty, plastic tasting, chips - apparently from a bag of Doritos or a cheaper store brand - and lumpy guacamole!  

ultimately, an order of salsa was delivered as a plastic cup of sour cream and a sparingly chopped up sliver of a stale tomato. Incredibly LOW standards. 

... as you must be thinking: what the HELL?? we complained and were subsequently chucked out as trouble makers. I never felt so much like I was in the Red Square -- except, maybe in the Red Square - the food is much better.

Trust me, the ONLY reason u will end up here is if you are stuck in Harlem and can't find a decent pub. Thus you WILL be taken advantage of.
3 - Michael W.: It is a very quirky and territorial joint. I went on a weeknight. They had the lights dimmed. I was using my word processor, with a book light. There was that awkward silence from the server, like I wanna say something, but...The melted Brie and tomato on firenza long with Fresh Avocado was stimulating! It paired well with a Lemon Ginger Tea. It is a cool and quiet spot after you break in and stake your place.
3 - Jennifer S.: Wish this place were a little closer to my apartment - would prove to be an ideal study-spot!  Lots of space, very chill environment, and good selection of food at a reasonable price.  I ordered the broccoli and cheddar quiche that comes with a side salad.  It was quite yummy.  At first I was afraid it would be a small slice and something they just popped in the microwave - but I couldn't have been more wrong.  It was a good portion and, although I am sure they simply heated up one from earlier in the day, it had clearly been made fresh there.  It also just felt nice there - seemed like everyone knew each other and were regulars.  Who knows, perhaps since I will be at Columbia next year, I will become a regular...
3 - Rachel G.: I love the atmosphere at this place - very laid back and homey, which is ideal for catching up with friends. I went for brunch and it wasn't too crowded, The food was reasonably priced but not out of this world; I also found the portions a little small. Good service though you have to order at the counter. Good place if you just want a coffee and to chat.
3 - Elizabeth C.: I've been to Cafe Amrita many times and 9 times out of 10, it's great.  It's a nice spot to meet up since it's accessible from a few subway and bus stops.  While I haven't had a meal here, the coffee and wine have always been good.  

So much to offer, Cafe Amrita...  So tell me why, why, why at 7 PM on a Wednesday the music sounded like a cheap club?  To be fair, it didn't seem like the motivated laptop crowd minded (ear phones all around).  But it was not going to work for a conversation.   The music was so loud that the guy handling the kitchen was really screaming out people's orders and names.   

It had seemed strange that the guy at the register gave us our coffees in to go cups while everyone else had mugs.  Maybe he was reading our minds... Coffee to go it was.
4 - Julia G.: When I first moved to NYC over a year ago I searched desperately for a place where I could get a small bite to eat, coffee, and sit with my computer and do work.  I looked desperately around for a place I could call my "spot" with no luck, until a cold winter day when I found myself lost in Harlem looking for what would be my first NYC apartment.  

Cold, tired, and hungry, I busted out my IPhone in hopes of finding a nearby coffee place where I could escape the cold for a moment.  Cafe Amrita was one of the first places that popped up, and with good reviews I made my way over, unaware that I was about to find my "spot" without even trying.

The warm, cozy atmosphere greeted me as I entered and I knew almost immediately that I had found it!  Besides the great food and drinks, Amrita became a place where I could go to read a book, work on my lap top, watch a game, and hang out with friends!

The only downside to this place is their lack of electricity plugs, so make sure you computer is fully charged before going!  Also, I dig the fact that they let their staff pick the music they play, therefore it can really vary, but they often play it quite loud (including sports games as well) and that might not be your cup of tea. :)
4 - Jordan S.: Real nice outdoor feel with an open front. Excellent breakfast (cheap), and brunch on the weekends. Coffee is solid too.

Lunch is average. The panini's are decent but I hate that they cook them with the lettuce already on...ruins it.

A lot of soccer games shown here, if that's your thing.
3 - Neil R.: This place is all around good, but nothing more than that. The coffee was good and my croissant sandwich with cheddar, bacon, and scrambled egg was also good. The service seemed a little burnt out on the job and just wasn't very friendly. The young woman working the counter just seemed like the last thing she wanted to be doing was working there (understandable in the service industry on a Sunday). She definitely let it show though by making me feel like every question I had was taxing on her and I didn't see her even give a fake smile the entire time I was there. The food was good, the service was O.K., and I liked the ambiance but it was definitely a crowded area with one too many tables for the size of the seating area. Overall I would go back there if I was close and wanted some coffee and breakfast but other than that I wouldn't go out of my way to go back here. I also would not go there with a group of more than 3 people considering they only had one cook and 2 people working the counter (one primarily making espresso drinks); when they get hit with a rush, things are gonna take a while to come out.
4 - Celia S.: Had a sandwich here for lunch and was very pleasantly surprised!  The place is sort of a super casual coffee shop meets dive bar.  They have wifi and a full bar and a few bottles of low end but decent wine like astica.  They are open pretty much all day and you order at the counter.  Definitely recommend for a casual lunch or some Internet surfing with a coffee!
4 - Urban F.: I walked passed this place several times and always crowded. Great location and a really chill and cool vibe. No table wait service which is great...order from the cool azz cashier and food and drink comes out quickly...they also have a bar if u want a drink or 3.....dive bar meets diner.....cool place with no tude....
5 - Aaron B.: This is one of the best places to read/study/catch up with friends, in Manhattan Valley...or really West of the park. They have a bar that is open at all times, they have coffee drinks that are available at all times, and they have a decent selection of food (coffee shop-like food)...available at all times. 

The noise isn't loud, so it makes for easy studying. I would say this is not the best place to have an incredibly personal conversation, well, at least not in the mornings. But every time I come here at night, the music is going, the tvs are on, and the atmosphere is always really really fun.

The only thing is that if you are planning to bring a party greater than 4, I would go else where.
3 - Evan G.: This place is a great neighborhood bar and cafe. I really love the atmosphere of the place, it's a hybrid between a coffee house and a bar. I also really enjoy the food and beverages, I've never ordered something I didn't like. I think this place is perfect to chill with friends or just to come by yourself and relax. Why only 3 stars? The service. On multiple occasions I have experienced  very slow service or had the barista forget to make my order. That and some of the female baristas there are just rude. Snide comments, mean looks, that sort of thing. Overall though I like this place and would recommend it.
2 - Rachel V.: Very slow service.  I waited over 20 minutes for a simple breakfast sandwich, and saw other people wait very long for toasted bagels.  When I finally received my sandwich, it was incorrect.  People are friendly, but budget plenty of time if you plan to purchase anything other than a cookie.
4 - Lindsey F.: it has a cool atmosphere if you are trying to read a book or study, but if you are just grabbing a coffee its excellent for that as well. they make the BEST mocha's! delicious!
3 - Imke v.: Its a good place to have in the neighborhood - if your to lazy to cook your own breakfast or lunch(bagels, wraps, panini, salads), you can come here and not break the bank. Its close to both Morningside and Central Park - so its great to pick something up and eat it outside.  They offer free WiFi during the week, which means the place is crowded with Columbia students doing their homework. 

They show soccer, as one of the few places around, and they also try to turn themselves into a bar at night - offering happy hour deals on beer and tacos. If you are looking for any of the above and happen to be in the neighborhood, this is a good place to go.
3 - Mike O.: I'm rating this place as a bar. It took too long for these baristas to serve up a cool Guinness! I shouldn't be so hard on this place, for it's rare to find a coffee shop/bar hop in one locale. There should be more, but I guess the clientele wouldn't mix too well. People jacked up on caffeine are so annoyinggg.
5 - Joseph F.: Love this place - wish there were more like it in every neighborhood. I have only been here twice, but they serve, hands down, the best cafe mocha I have ever had. They melt actual chocolate....wow. Definitely worth it to stop in. Perfect place to waste away a rainy day. Will definitely be back when I'm in the area.
4 - Clara L.: i do not ever... everrrrrr hang out above (and even this is a stretch..) 79th street. im not elitist or exclusive.. just lazy. 

our paths (my and cafe amrita's) crossed one fateful night when i hung out with one of my (then new) good friends. (i seem to really be feeling the parentheses today..) it was our first hang out everr (my good friend and I) and its been good times ever since. (i realize the excessive use of parentheses is evidence of poor writing... but forwards and onward!..)

  its a great little place, good beer prices and even though i didnt try the food, it looked and smelled awesome. it was low stress, the crowd was low decibel and the owners were low maintenance. the lighting is dim, which makes it cozy. the wooden, rustic decor is comfortable. TVs around are good for just solo chillin and with all the laptops whipped out along the side wall- seems they have accessible wifi. 

for one of the only places i've ever hung out on the foreign soil that is the UWS, it was a good place that.. if it were closer to home, i'd definitely make a point to come here regularly.
3 - Jennifer H.: I would classify this as a "neighborhood joint." It's not a place tourists would put on their lists (or in my mom's case, excel sheet), it's not even a place a person living +30 blocks away would consider visiting. It's not because the cafe is BAD but because there is probably already an establishment just like this one that he/she is already familiar with right around the block. And thank goodness for that. This place is not meant to be trendy, it's meant to be your next-door neighbor that happens to serve you your coffee and morning breakfast. 

My boyfriend and I arrived at Cafe Amrita on a chirpy morning after flying red-eye and riding a long train ride from JFK. Neither of us had slept very well, our stomachs were grumbling, our suitcases tailed behind us as we stepped in the door. I ordered chai latte, he ordered cafe latte, and we split a breakfast sandwich of sausage and eggs on a croissant. The drinks and sandwich were a-ok, nothing to brag about, but it sure hit the spot after hours of travel.

The staff is great. They don't bug you, they let you do your thing, and overall pretty friendly when you do talk to them. As far as I know, they don't menacingly come tap your shoulder to say "hi, sorry, but you've surpassed your seating time and there's other people waiting." (Which is so common at other trendy and popular coffee shops.) Everyone's just there with their laptops, books, school work, etc. (And in my boyfriend and my case, our luggage.)

Plus they play good music! My boyfriend and I were trying to shazam their songs, but we failed because we were too far from the speaker and coffee machines make a lot of noise. So overall, we had a warm start to our trip!
4 - Kay A.: This is a great cafe. The sausage, egg, & cheddar on an everything bagel is the best I've evere tasted - and it's not hard to get that easy dish wrong, but it's even harder to get it perfect! The music on Saturday & Sunday AMs is perfect for sitting with a good cup of coffee, reading a great book, and window watching. And their coffee is excellent. Great location - steps from Central Park & only a block from Morningside Park (during the late summer & fall Morningside Park has a nice sized farmer's market). The only reason they only got 4 stars is because 1 of the baristas (who I seem to always get) seems a bit cliquey - she likes her regulars, but isn't friendly otherwise. And they get REALLY crowded for brunch. Definitely a must go to place!
3 - Jiin C.: Cozy atmosphere and yes, good coffeeshop music (Norah Jones, Tegan and Sara, etc). I went a little past noon on a Saturday and it was pretty full but not packed. The lighting is dim towards the inside, but the street-side half of the cafe gets enough sunlight for reading.

My only frustration was the fact that the "free wifi" is only free Mon-Fri. Otherwise, the Brie & Tomato panini and Black Forest Ham panini we had (just under $8) were pretty good. I could see myself working here for hours without a problem.
4 - Kathryn P.: I am overwhelmed with the cuteness of this place. I went with two people on a Tuesday night for just one little nightcap and perfection-booze, beer, coffee and too cool folks sitting at the bar or on their laptops. Not too too cool, but just chill.

Albeit, I've just been the once at night, but I loved the atmosphere and the bartender was friendly; I look forward to going back!
3 - Katie C.: I was looking for a place to go for wifi, a bathroom, and a caffeinated beverage after work for a few hours and this place fit the bill. The wifi was pretty fast and it was a quirky atmosphere with soccer playing in the background, a few hard core fans rooting on their teams, and a few students reading or working on their laptops. I ordered a chi latte that a saw them pore out of the box, but I wasn't expecting much more than that. I will return if I need some wifi because starbucks is too crowded.
4 - Hashem D.: Lovely little place near the north end of the park, i ended up coming to this place for the first two times this past weekend as my girlfriend and i looked for a place to sit, relax and enjoy some coffee on a rainy NY day. The baristas are super friendly, and even the customers are quite nice, i ended up having a conversation with two random strangers, something that doesn't happen every day here! The coffee is delicious, and the bagels are very tasty, we've had (over the 2 trips) the plain (with butter), sesame (with cream cheese) and wheat (with bacon, egg and cheese) bagels and all were really filling, with the latter being very VERY good! 
Most importantly, this place is quite cheap, and taking into account the comfortable atmosphere, the TVs for watching sports events, and friendly environment, I am sure we have stumbled on the perfect little neighborhood cafe at which we plan to become regulars!
4 - Shauna D.: Amrita is currently petitioning to get an outdoor patio for the cafe which would be wonderful! The only thing better then their paninis are paninis that I can eat outside.

However during the week they have wireless so there are tons of people who decide to camp out with their Mac, take up a whole table, and work on excel spreadsheets for 3-4 hours which is really annoying. During the week if you walk in after 5pm you'll have to elbow a local teacher group out of the way to get a table.

 But I am happy that this place seems to be thriving and is always busy. I think its a unique place with its atmosphere, menu, diverse crowd, good music and liquor. The paninis are really good even though they're a bit pricey ($9), they come with a side salad and I always go for the Club and a $5 house wine.
1 - Turku I.: This place is F-I-L-T-H-Y. The floors look like they haven't been swept in months. (Think subway platform.) The interior has that distinctive dried puke smell that dimly lit pubs acquire over time. The tables are sticky so think twice before putting your elbows down. Every piece of furniture seems to wobble (not a good idea for a place that sells hot beverages). The edibles they sell look pale and stale. It looks like management has simply given up. This neighborhood is aching for a proper coffee place - some would-be Brooklyn coffee entrepreneur, please look this way!
3 - Jillian N.: Really nice atmosphere, fast friendly service, convenient location, and exactly what I ordered. Just right :)
4 - Lewis B.: This place looks nothing like a sports cafe/bar, other than the two large screens on the walls.  It sports couches and small tables and book shelves filled with, well, books.  It feels like a coffee house/slash bar with breakfast-y, bar-y food.  Thing is, it's an AWESOME place to watch sports, especially soccer.  Watched the Euro Final there today with a loud, friendly crowd.  The sound on the TV was good, which is kind of rare at sports bars.  The owner tried to accommodate as many folks as possible and rearranged the furniture in the process.  After the game, when the crowd thinned out, my friend and eye enjoyed a nice panini and salad as the place magically turned into a kind of indie-feel cafe.  Very good place.
5 - ken N.: This place is a great place to grab a coffee and snack. Great relaxing atmosphere...I just wish that it was closer to my apartment.
1 - Stephanie D.: While I used to love Cafe Amrita because of the ambiance and the people who were the servers at night and for brunch, I have to say that they do their brunch scene all wrong for when there's a game playing (mostly for soccer/euro football). 

Boyfriend and I wanted to watch the Eurocup with some coffee/beers/delectable goodies, and we were all "Well, Cafe Amrita usually has it playing... it's like 3PM, brunch should be ending now! Lets goooo!"

Upon arriving we noticed that there were two seats at the bar and we began to (almost) happily skip to them - until we noticed the big sign that put a damper on our moods and our Soccer-driven giddiness: 

"RESERVED" 

For who, you might ask? No one! Management puts a reserved sign up whenever there is a game and freely gives them away whenever they want to! How do I know this? Because some random bloke came into the cafe, seemed to be just as puzzled as us at where to sit, and the baristas were all "Hey (insert name of bloke), need a chair?" and promptly sat him at the reserved section. We even asked the waitress when did she think a table would open up, anything open up and she was all "well, they're all here for the game..." which was sort and sort of not true, since there were clearly people finishing up meals/not paying attention to the screen. We left in a haste and quickly went to Panini di Parma instead over on Amsterdam, literally running up Morningside Drive to grab a stool. 

Not cool Amrita. Not cool. Now I know why I shouldn't be coming for that coffee shop
4 - Amrita P.: Not to be biased based on the name of the cafe (let's face it...Amrita is a wonderful name haha) but I surprisingly enjoy this quaint little place. I remember spotting this place during the NYC Aids Walk and telling myself I have to make a trip there soon. Although the coffee and desserts were good, this isn't somewhere I would totally go out of my way for but it is nice for a quick stop after a nice walk in Central Park.
5 - Dana M.: Best little neighborhood cafe I have frequented in a long time.  

I moved to the area a year ago, and it is so nice to have one place where the staff knows who you are, and asks how you are doing when you come in.

The breakfast food is on-par for a dash-in before work croissant/bagel, or a more sit-down and enjoy omelette or quiche.

Finally went after work recently and tried the Sangria, which was also very good.

Will continue to come back here at least 3 times a week for as long as I live here.
3 - Jessica D.: I really, really want to love this place. But I just can't. On paper, it seems awesome. Cafe style but with a full bar, decent food and TV's for sports games. But if you aren't a regular, the service is awful. And not like, the girls are overwhelmed and just busy and can't get to you, but trying their best and give you a smile. No, they are usually quite rude and standoffish. For me at least, it gives the place a weird vibe, and I've heard that from several other locals. What really irks me though, is when I come with my best friend. She comes all the time, they now know her by name and when we walk in together, it's all smiles. Sigh. 
Gotta give them 3 stars though, cause i'll still keep coming back for the awesome coffee.
3 - Nana Ama S.: Came here to study on a random morning after the love of my life, Society Coffee, left me. It was alright. The decor is a little dark, and the large tea I'd ordered came in an enormous mug with a small interior. Definitely did not get more for my money. I prefer local places like this to mega coffee shops like Starbucks, but I just couldn't get with Amrita's vibe. Maybe next time.
4 - Charlie B.: Great spot.  They have the Olympics on two TVs--beer, coffee, decent sandwiches and wraps, and a super-friendly staff.

Cafe Aroma - Waterloo, ON (43.4648096, -80.5238819) ()
4 - Joshua H.: Aroma Cafe is the only cafe in KW that roasts their coffee daily, so you know it's always a fresh roast. They are also the only place I know of that sells the raw coffee for home-roasters. Great atmostphere if you want to sit in, but also decent prices if you roast at home. Decent prices for green coffee, but not a huge selection of origins.
5 - Guy S.: By far the best coffee to be found in Waterloo.  Coffee is freshly roasted on the premises.  Where else can you get coffee served to you in a Bodum?  Their Lattes are fantastic... not too milky and watered down like the big boys. You still get a little mud in yer cup!  Their beans are great to take home and brew... mmmm Sumatra.  BTW.. they have a lot of gluten free items on their menu.

Cafe Bagutta - New York, NY (40.8100338, -73.958675) (Morningside Heights)
4 - Erin L.: This place just opened a couple of days ago. I stopped by to see what they got. They have breakfasts until 11:30 am, lunch from 11:30-4pm and dinner afterwards. Breakfast items include muffins, scones, cupcakes, egg platters, croissant w/ ham and cheese, oatmeal, and so on. Lunch has items like soups, baguette sandwiches, paninis, salads, pastas, and different lunch special wraps. Dinner has both pastas and main courses like beef stew, seafood, chicken.

They ran out of ham and cheese croissants when i went in today :( so i just got an iced soy latte. The latte was decent. People there were nice. There were quite a bit of tables and space in there. The interior was tasteful and clean, I liked the atmosphere.

The only thing that kind of dissapointing was that I read on some website that said:

"...that doesn't mean bring your laptop. Despite sharing the neighborhood with a major university and its thousands of WiFi-hungry students, Cafe Bagutta will not be offering its tables as a makeshift study lounge.'This is not a place where you come with your computer and hang out for five hours," Bagutta explains. "I want this to be a more creative, artistic place. I want this to be a place for people to express their individuality.'"

I actually think that it would bring them more business, especially nearby Columbia, if they provided internet & welcomed people to cafe study. Just speaking from undergrad experiences that all the cafes near campus were always full, and when people are studying they get hungry & thirsty every 5 minutes, haha. 

Anywhos, I'm going back early to try their ham & cheese croissants next time. Oh they don't accept credit cards until next week. This week, cash only!
4 - Rita E.: Went here for lunch during the week with a friend who works at Columbia.

Bagutta is charming but definitely a restaurant and not a student lounge-y hang out like Hungarian Pastry Shop. It's a sandwich, coffee and pastry place; they have table service or you can grab pastries and drinks to go at the counter.

We both ordered lunch specials: soup plus a wrap; I had the $9 hummus wrap special and my friend ordered the $10 chicken wrap lunch special. Both of us had the carrot ginger soup which was absolutely delicious and topped with cream (which they hadn't mentioned). I could barely taste the ginger but the soup itself was creamy and addictive, even after I skimmed the cream off. We split the red velvet cupcake with buttercream frosting for dessert. It was good, but not $4.50 for a large cupcake good.

There was a wide variety of muffins and croissants, and only a few cupcake options. They have crepes too!

Service was slow and inattentive but I chalked that up to the waitress who said it was her first day. 

All in all, nice fairly inexpensive place to grab a bite, but not for a quick grab-and-go lunch if you're in a hurry.
5 - ssameer s.: oops, didn't realize there's a character limit. anyway, my review got cut off, so i want to summarize some key points why i rated the place so highly.

pros:

*BYOB -awesome
*great prices ($15.95 for a prix fixe where the entree alone could be that much)
*excellent lighting for food
*friendly and fast service (i didn't experience anything wrong at all with my service like others have posted. our server was a beautiful and charming black girl from columbia, md, and a nice south american runner)
*nice, non pretentious decor, with big glass windows, and a french bistro feel to it
*delicious food and beautiful presentations
*quality glasses, tableware, and silverware

cons:
*no black pepper grinders on the table, although i forgot to ask if there was a large one for the dining room. most places don't have personal pepper grinders, but they should, so no points lost for lack of one here, i just think that's the way black pepper should be served.
*not open very late. we went fairly early, by my standards, and when we left, the café half of the place was already closed down; but they are open early for breakfast, so...

i figured i'd give this place the max stars because my dining experience was just about as good as it gets, but when you consider the value of the place (byob & good prices & quality ingredients), it ranks as one of the best places i've been to uptown... easily. also felt they needed a bump up from the not so good reviews and lower rating. my dinner experience and staff was great, could be a totally different story for breakfast and lunch. i think most chefs/cooks hate breakfast though, and a place with the creative touches like i saw at dinner, i figure would feel stifled with something so boring as breakfast, and who wants to be up that early anyway. that's my opinion.
3 - Crystal F.: Went here for lunch with a friend.  It was...A-OK.  The staff was very friendly & attentive.  I ordered a sandwich & my friend had a burger.  The bread on my sandwich was...chewy.  Like, I felt like a rabid cheetah tearing apart a gazelle, chewy.
4 - Maggie T.: This place would get a 5 if it only did dinner.

The prix fixe at 15.95 is so good, I'd go there once a week.  The service at night was great.  Even though the wait for the food was long, I felt it was because there was only one guy in the kitchen  and he was making each dish one at a time.  The food is great.

But the regular coffee/pastries counter service during the day sucks.
3 - Kristin W.: I only ever get coffee from here, so the 3 stars are mostly for service.  I have gone there with friends for lunch and their meals all looked good though none of them raved about it.  So what can one say about drip coffee?  well it's better than dunkn donuts and i find it fairly good, but i've never been a huge drip coffee fan - I just drink it for the caffeine.  

the service here is always pretty slow whether sit down or take out, so if you are in a hurry and there is already someone at the register ordering, i suggest you get your coffee fix elsewhere.  Today for example, it took about 10 minutes to get my coffee when there was only one person in front of me (who had ordered his coffee and pastry before i even walked in).  meanwhile there was someone who i took to be a manager of some sort standing there behind the counter chatting with a waitress and not getting my coffee.  when their conversation ended, the table waitress continued to stand there fiddling with her hands and looking into space and STILL NOT GETTING MY COFFEE...  I'm sorry, but "not my job" excuses don't work at 8am when people are in a hurry.  

so basically, decent coffee, terrible service, very slow.  I will still go here on the way to class though as it is very conveniently located for columbia students.
4 - Kim D.: I sit at Cafe Bagutta with two of my friends, every week, at the same time, and usually the same seat.  The staff is usually very friendly (not the woman we've had lately -- she seems pissed that we even came in) but the other staff knows us by now.

I like the muffins and cupcakes, especially the red velvet cupcake!  I also enjoy the Hot Vanilla, as opposed to the Hot Choco, but it's very sweet.  Ask for light syrup and you'll love it!
5 - josh w.: I wasn't going in because the previous cafe was not good, but I did finally chance in -- for dinner -- and was more than pleasantly surprised. There is a prix fixe of about $16, with appetizer, main, and dessert. The food is excellent - not Per Se, maybe, but really quite good. The atmosphere is pleasant. I like it enough I've been back once  a week for the last several weeks.

Also -- Bagutta is BYO and Vino Fino is across the street. A nice dinner for two, and a bottle of wine, with tip, for less than $50. Best price/quality ratio in morningside heights, by *a lot*

The only issue is that they stop serving early, so get in there by 9ish.
2 - Silvia K.: I've gone several times now, have had coffee, the baked breakfast pastries, and a lunch item.  I love the atmosphere of it and the service has been great every time I've gone, but the food is really not very good.  The pastries have been a bit tasteless and dry, the sandwich I tried was too heavy on the bread and bland, and the espresso drinks are served in those giant fun bowl-like cups but the espresso/coffee itself is a bit rough and tastes like it's made with cheap beans.  Overall I go because it's a very convenient location for me and it's large enough that there's usually a free table, but that's about it.
4 - Sandy P.: My favorite coffee spot in the neighborhood. As I've seen in other reviews, the BYOB is a great option; really drops the price of a trip out to study.
The place usually isn't slammed off-hours, and the service is always nicely quick.
3 - Dan T.: Went here when it first opened and got lunch and a pastry. Service was phenomenal, and you get 10% off w/ your CU ID, as you do at many places. Despite being so close, though, nothing spectacular about it that would entice me to return.
2 - Brian P.: Went for dinner.

The food was kind of disappointing in that it wasn't imaginitive. The food serves its purpose but isn't necessarily inspired.

Waiter messed up my friend's order, which was fine, they were happy to bring out a replacement of what she wanted. 

White-ish walls inside with oak hardwood floors deceive you because at night, it looks much more quaint from outside so it would make you suppose inside is just the same. 

I have very little to say about the food as I can barely remember it. Friend had hanger steak which was drowned in a salty and balsamic-y sauce. Sauce might have been better in moderation, but I doubt it? I had seafood pasta; the few shrimps were beyond tough, sauce was thin-skimpy-flavorless waste of tomatoes.
1 - Lis K.: Dear waiter,
You sort of reminded me of that guy Santino who was on Project Runway a few years ago, and I am not only talking about your hair; you were sort of a jerk. Maybe you partied too hard the previous night, or you had the flu, or maybe you are new at being a waiter; but still, it wasn't that busy inside of this little cafe this afternoon, and your attitude when my friend asked for our food to go was a bit sour. 
I'm sure you understand, Mr. Waiter, that my friend and I were running late (after waiting 10 minutes to get our orders taken), and we were very hungry. We were also a little confused that it took so long, for our order of: a slice of pumpkin loaf, a slice of zucchini bread (both which were tasty but not worth the wait), an espresso, and a cafe au lait took a little more than 10 minutes to get,  and that was only after we came up to the counter to tell you that we needed our order to go. 
So, Mr. Waiter, please do not take this as a personal attack, just see it as a sign that you are not supposed to be a waiter. Try going into fashion design. 
Regards,
Lis K
1 - Justin D.: Been there twice.  First was bad, but another time I was desperate for a quick bite and thought I'd get it second shot, but to no avail.  The place is a tad pricey as well given quality.  

The first time I was there for lunch shortly after the place opened.  My friend and I both had sandwiches, about $10 ea.  We both had the chicken and agreed that it tasted like it had been frozen and microwaved:  it was dry, tasteless, a but mushy.  Quite a disappointment.  

During my second visit I had a pastry and some coffee.  For the life of me I can't remember the pastry, which probably says something.  But I do remember the coffee:  I had the large cappuccino, which consisted of a shot of espresso and a soup-bowl size amount of steamed milk with burnt-milk froth.  It was disgusting.  Now granted, few places in this neighborhood--or for that matter, all of Manhattan--can make a digestible cappucino.  

The other thing I remember from this second visit was the service.  It was abysmal.  It was a pretty rainy afternoon, so I was one of only two other customers in the restaurant.  So since my stuff was soaked and clearly nobody was nearby, I chose to hang my coat and bag on the chair at the table beside me rather than, say, the floor where it would get dirty.  I had to wait a good 10 minutes before my server could find the time to come give me the menu, and when he did he moved my stuff off the chair without even talking with me about it--as if to save the table in case 50 customers swarmed the place.  Moreover, it took forever to get my food, I had to repeatedly go up to the counter to ask for water refills, and I had to go up to the counter to get by check because they were staff were too busy goofing off to notice me trying to get their attention.
4 - Hubert H.: Very nice and decently modest place to grab a cup of coffee. The Belgian waffles I ordered were also splendidly fluffy and delicious enough, though slightly overpriced at $8.

True, service could use a little work, but I really like the modesty of this particular place. The window seats are comfy as well.

Great place to finish up that paper you should have been working on last week.
4 - Brett V.: After 2 visits to Cafe Bagutta (one for dinner and one for brunch) I have one definitive observation: the quality surpasses the price.  I'd chalk it up to the location, but the bevy of other trendy eateries that seem to be popping up along Amsterdam Ave. seem to indicate otherwise.  In any event, you could expect to easily pay twice as much for comparable food elsewhere in the city.  Any review that claims this food is pricey either does not live in NYC, or might just need his head examined.

I did a double take when our waitress handed us the $16.95 prix-fixe dinner menu.  Considering the fare they offered, it just seemed to cheap to be any good.  Thankfully, I was proven wrong.  I opted for the carrot ginger soup as my app.  It was rich and creamy, served with a dollop of whipped cream.  A bit too sweet as an appetizer for my tastes, but good nonetheless.  My entree was the hangar steak with soy reduction and oven roasted potatoes.  The meat was divine.  Although cooked slightly more than the medium-rare I ordered, it was incredibly moist and flavorful, and I found myself sopping up the soy reduction with any vehicle I could find, be it bread, a fork, or in a last ditch effort my finger.  The presentation was beautiful as well, with the sauces drizzled in artistic swirls on my plate, and the food placed in a very deliberate manner.  The biggest disappointment of the meal were the poatatoes, which I found to be overcooked and without much flavor.  Topping off the meal was a creme brulee that was velvety smooth, heavy on the vanilla, with a crunchy carmelized crust.

Brunch was equally good.  I tried the salmon eggs benedict with a side of bacon.  The eggs were perfectly poached puffs with yolks that oozed out deliciously when poked with a fork, and the bacon was a great blend of crispy and chewy.  Be aware that brunch is BYOB, though, as Cafe Bagutta does not serve alcohol.  A quick trip to the liquor "supermarket" on 127th and Amsterdam fixed that, and 3 $5 bottles of Andre completed our brunch experience.

If you live in Morningside or relatively close, don't miss out on this low-cost cafe.
1 - SJ M.: This place sucks so bad that I'm starting a review while I'm still here.

DO NOT EAT HERE. IF I COULD RATE IT ZERO STARS I WOULD

Why? Because:

Horrible service
Rotting/yellowing/slimy lettuce
Hair on plate
Cold coffee (then returned too hot to drink, coffee running down the sides as if it had been microwaved for several minutes, plunked on the table with no comment)
Horrible service (all food, check, etc was plunked on the table with no comment, no check back)
cold eggs (ok, slightly lukewarm, as if reheated)
Dirty condiment containers
All the food tasted like three day old leftovers: 
dried rubbery potatoes 
chewy, rubbery omelette 
you could bounce the French toast
Did I say horrible service?!

The water was good and the glasses were clean
The busser was somewhat attentive and seemed kind but inept

The only reason I ate at all is because I was starving and I didn't have time (or money) to wait in line at the Kitchenette.

Seriously, I know it's hard to be picky about breakfast in this neighborhood because it's all basically subpar, but this place made the Deluxe seem fancy, and Tom's gourmet.  I'd rather have "diner gut" from greasy eggs anyday--at least they're served hot.  

I'm actually depressed after eating here and dealing with such an obviously hateful server who needs to work somewhere where she doesn't have to talk to people.

Wow.  That sucked.
1 - snafu m.: I really wished I owned a little spot on Amsterdam or Broadway in Morningside Heights because apparently you can serve complete dogshit for food and treat your customers like crap and still make enough to pay the bills. I've been to this place twice, the first time just to grab a coffee and pastry. The coffee tasted like reheated grounds, the pastry was a week old and I waited 10 mins for the staff to 'prepare' my elaborate order. The second time I went with my wife for brunch, the place was almost empty, maybe 6-8 people sitting looking glum. We sat for 20 mins before a surly server decided to get off her damn cell phone and grant us the honor of coming to our table. No greeting, no smile, no apology for the wait, just plunked down some water glasses,  and walked away again. We looked at each other aghast and then promptly got up and left and happily waited 20 mins for a table at Kitchenette where they actually appreciate your business. This place is shit, unbelievably rude, its like they actually hate their customers. There are 100s of places in that area where NICE people will serve you GOOD coffee and food, don't waste your time on this shithole. The people giving this place good ratings are probably all out of state Columbia students with no clue who just assume this is the way it is. If I could give it zero stars I would
2 - Robin H.: Worst waste of my student budget in NY so far. Ok, let me first admit that I've been here before. As a student at TC, it's convenient and to be fair, they have a decent brunch on the weekend (which is why they get two stars). It seems like the kind of place that would have Wi-Fi (being one of the few college coffee shops in the area). Oh well, not the point. here's the story. I walk in from the heat on the hottest day of the summer. There were 6 other people in the restaurant.  I sat for 20 minutes and watched four waiters stand in the corner laughing and looking at pictures on somebody's phone. When I did finally get one's attention, he gave me a look of disdain and an attitude like "What?! can't you see I'm busy laughing and not paying you any attention?!" Already irritated I ordered the $7.95 shrimp cocktail. What I got were 5 tiny overcooked shrimp, a uselessly thin wedge of lemon and a dollop of cocktail sauce fresh from the can, still in it's cylindrical shape, ridges and all. I didn't wait to see what else I'd be disappointed by. Don't go if you don't have to. The service is horrible and the food is overpriced. It's not worth it, especially if you're a student on a budget.
3 - Lia S.: Nothing to jump up and down about, but a perfect addition to this neighborhood.  Cafe Bagutta has warm, friendly service, a casual atmosphere, and you can't beat the price for the food quality.  They are super accommodating and deserve more patronage than they seem to be getting.  Definitely a good place to stop for a casual breakfast before a day of studying in the library.

Recommend: 
Signature Salad - Dinner-sized delicious salad with an incredible balsamic reduction for less than $7! 

Spinach and Goat Cheese Omelet is also delicious.
3 - Melissa S.: Three stars mainly for the food, proximity to my house, and the fact that it owns Café Fresh (the establishment that used to be there) a hundred times over. The food is consistently good, and I like the space, even though it's typically pretty dead, which makes the lukewarm service a lot more prominent than it otherwise would be. I've been there for lunch and dinner--lunch seemed overpriced ($10 for a sandwich? I still don't get that), but dinner usually has the prix fixe option for $15, which is a good deal, all things considered.

On the other hand, the service, I would agree, is usually subpar. I've only ever seen three servers, and none of them are particularly warm or gregarious. I usually feel like I'm being rushed by the waitstaff, which isn't a good feeling when you just want to have a leisurely meal with a book. The food comes out quickly enough, but I have consistently felt like the waitstaff couldn't care less. C'mon, guys, you don't have enough traffic to warrant the I'm-tired complaint--cheer up a bit.

My other main beef is that the hours in the summer are really inconsistent. Morningside Heights is one of those neighborhoods that does suffer from the lack of students in the summer, but it really would be nice if they posted clearer year-round hours for those of us who stick around.
3 - Nicole S.: Some friends and I stopped here for lunch after making a quick stop at Columbia U. on our way to the Cloisters (yeah, it was an awesome NYC day!).  This footed the bill for exactly what we were looking for, a little soup and sandwich.  They had a nice selection of sandwiches and soups as well as salads (which I'll try next time).  The lunch specials were a good deal too, $9 for a half sandwich, bowl of soup, roasted potatoes and salad - sold American!  

When I asked the waiter what he recommended, he actually told me what sandwiches went best with which soup... I think my heart melted a little (call me - wink!).  His recommendations were spot on.  The Turkey avocado sandwich was delicious and well paired with the extremely fresh minestrone.  I took some tasty bites of my friends' lunches, and the prosciutto panini was delish!  The red pepper navy bean soup was rich and delightful.  The lentil soup left a lot to be desired, it was far too thick and the pico de gallo on top didn't help.  However, all in all, this was a great choice!  Plus the waitstaff was helpful and nice, the restaurat was cute and had lots of natural light... That's always a nice touch.
2 - Dimitrios D.: I was going to give this place a solid 3 stars, but decided against it for the following reasons.

The atmosphere is pretty generic.  If you've ever been inside a standard "Italian restaurant/cafe" in the US before, then you get the idea.  
In addition, it was sweltering hot inside and humid.  Definitely not pleasant during my particular dinner there.

As for the food?  The salmon tartare kind of tasted like how cat food smells like, and felt oddly mushy.  And I love raw fish- I eat sushi all the time.
The main course was almost as mediocre- I ate some type of fish with "vegetables" (which apparently is code for potatoes and lettuce).  To make it even worse, the potatoes were hard and chewy- which made me realize that they were probably cooked a day or two before and re-served.

Definitely not worth visiting.
3 - Jess L.: A bit underwhelming but did the trick. The menu is not particularly imaginative, but each of you will find something you want. The chef was nice and accommodated my friend's request for the sweet potato mash, which was supposed to come only with the special. The grilled tofu was decent and filling, but I could have made it myself. The same thing goes for the chocolate crepe, but I was particularly not impressed with the chewy dough.

With that said, I'd definitely come back here and work. It's a bit dark, but I like the cafe feel. 

Our waiter was pretty chill. He joked with Adjoa T. about her love of Trey Songz.
5 - Stephanie D.: I love Cafe Bagutta! Disregard what the other reviews say about this place not being a spot to relax, enjoy tea, finish a paper.. it is definitely that place. In fact, I was there for about 3 hours one day and ordered a latte (one the best I have had in the city by the way) and the waiter came over to bring me a cookie on the house because he could tell I was working hard! 

That being said, this is definitely not a place for a really quick bite, in and out in 20 minutes, but for me that is part of the charm. If you have a little bit more time and are able to enjoy a nice lunch or coffee, this is your place. Also, their carrot ginger soup and lentil soup are to die for. 

The service is personable and the food is good and well priced. Fantastic!!
3 - Megan C.: Cafe Bagutta is one of the better lunch spots around Columbia. The people who work there are generally very nice (though they are pretty stringent about table rules--table service only--and credit card splitting--not fans), and the food is quite good. They have a wide variety of foods, from pastas to wraps to quesadillas, and it's all been good in my experience. Cafe Bagutta is also an inexpensive spot to stop for coffee on your way by.
4 - Jaimie M.: Cafe Bagutta is a nice small little restaurant good for breakfast and lunch. I don't know what they are like for dinner but their menu doesn't seem to be too full of options for a final meal.

The beverages and food is good and the prices are reasonable. Nice atmosphere as well.
4 - Carol S.: Stopped in for lunch/dinner (is that linner?). Anyway, nice playlist, one waiter with very good service (reminded me of the ipod game-Diner Dash), pretty good hamburger (but might have been out of a box) and impressive brand of tea (Harney & Sons). Note to self: a pot of tea for $2.50 is only a cup and a half. Will definitely drop in again when I'm in the neighborhood.
5 - Stephanie D.: I love this place SO MUCH. 

Been here 3 times now, and each time I have never been disappointed with the flavor and the presentation of the food! Once for lunch I had the prosciutto panini with pesto and tomato, and boyfriend had the tuna with avocado and swiss! Both were diviiiine! Of course their 3 dollar pot if coffee is a steal (and SO good!), the only down side is that they close so early on Sundays!

Out with friends one night I had this amazing hummus and a sip of my friends' hot chocolate - both were great, the pita was warm and the meal, though an appetizer, was big enough as my dinner, and my friends hot chocolate wasn't sweet which I thought made it taste even better! Would have been awesome with whipped cream, but it was still delish!

I will totally be back!
4 - Lisette S.: Ok so I go to TC and I have never been to this place even though it is across the street but  I found a Tenka deal so thought I would give it a try.

It was amazing! I had the hummus as an appetizer and my friend and i ordered their Mac and four cheese and the basil crusted chicken.  They were both amazing! I can't believe I haven't tried it sooner.

The service was ok, but could be better 

We had a strawberry chocolate crepe for dessert which was especially delicious! 

I recommend this place I had always thought of it as a coffee shop but woah their food is definitely worth trying! :)
3 - Jackie K.: I'm glad Yelp prepared me for the service.  It was exactly how it was described in most of the reviews.  The person I went with did not read reviews and was annoyed for most of the meal.  My meal was ok--not great and service was bad.  I had the tofu panini--overall fairly bland even with the pesto sauce.
1 - Sue M.: May 1, 2011
We went to brunch this morning with a cousin from out of town.  Our son lives on W. 123rd, so it was convenient.  Smoked salmon eggs benedict was cold, and soggy, but after waiting almost 45 minutes, I was hungry.  Big mistake - suffered a really bad upset stomach later.  My husband ordered French toast, which was served COLD, and when he sent it back, it was returned to the table still cold!!  We have eaten there before, and knew the service was S L O W....but today was the worst.  We will not go back.....McDonalds would have been better.
4 - Svetla M.: I loooooooooove Cafe Bagutta! I lived right next to it for a year while I was doing my MA at Columbia and god knows how many times I have skipped class to have brunch there. I recommend the eggs benedict and the pancakes. Delicious!
2 - Cathy C.: this place is now closed
4 - Ashley D.: This place had the best minestrone I've tasted - a lunch favorite. I'm sad it's closed.

Cafe Caliente - Troy, NY (42.7763063, -73.6763728) ()
5 - Frances G.: Cafe Caliente opened up just recently in Troy, New York. The owners of Cafe Caliente are so nice and professional. They are a great asset to the Troy area. I had the potatoes and scrambled eggs special and it was great! The coffee was fresh not stale tasting coffee. I really like their lunch menu. The Samosas are extremely good. The atmosphere is quite enjoyable and the waitress is very pleasant. I can't wait until Sunday for their breakfast.
5 - Terry T.: I stopped in for the first time with some friends visiting from out of town.  The building sets a great impression right off the bat.  It's nice to see a business in Lansingburgh taking great care with looks.  Inside is just as fun.  Nice decoration with good attention to detail.  We sat ourselves in the middle of the place.  The waitress was sweet and quick with our drinks.  I got an orange juice.  It was the most sour gross thing I've ever had.  Thankfully the spicy breakfast burrito made up for it in spades.  It was literally the most delicious thing I've ever eaten for breakfast.  When the girl first put it in front of me I was terrified.  They blend all the meats and eggs together into this bizarre looking mash.  Needless to say thats the way I will be making all of my homemade breakfast sandwiches from now on!  I'm so excited to try lunch here.  I'm even more excited that there is a new amazing eatery right around the corner from me!
4 - Amanda M.: A great little place. You can smell and watch them cook the food. Although it took about 20mins to get our food, and there was only 1 person in front of us. (deducted a star for that) However the food was great. I got a simple turkey on a bagel, however i was expecting like a new york bagel, but received a lenders bagel. My boyfriend got some eggs, toast, and home fries which were really good. My coffee was tasty as well. The guy who owns the place was super friendly and always made sure we were doing good and if we needed refills. The owner said they're going to soon try and start serving spanish/ india cuisine for dinner, i will defiantly be sure to try it out. I also want to try out their lunch as well. Will be returning!

Cafe China - Cambridge, MA (42.363427, -71.087075) (Kendall Square/MIT)
5 - Pat T.: I've heard that they are now closed, but let me just say one thing.

China Cafe did something that, as far as I know, no one did before or since. They solved the key problem with all Chinese restaurants - dessert.

Chinese food is so wonderful and so varied, but the desserts are always meh. Fortune cookies? Orange slices? Please!

Cafe China hit upon something great. Please sit down so that you can receive this knowledge without hurting yourself.

Are you ready?

Chinese food and Swiss desserts.

Did this combination rock? Yes, it did.

It's been 10 years since I lived near Boston, and I would love to find another restaurant that even attempts what China Cafe pulled off. Yelpers, I look to you for your advice - is there any place in the US that combines Asian food with European desserts?
5 - Tamarleigh G.: Yes, I was really bummed when they closed. It was the best chinese restaurant in the area, I thought. I loved the fusion of the international couple (one was Chinese, one was Swiss) and never had anything but great food there.

Cafe Choklad - Providence, RI (41.827703, -71.408864) (College Hill)
5 - Justin S.: Café Chokolad is an excellent place to have a cup of coffee, a sandwich or soup and some of their awesome chocolate or a dessert. The décor of the café is authentically Swedish (I can attest to this having been to Sweden several times), meaning it's cozy and colorful with a cast iron fireplace (lovely on cold winter days) and there is lots of Swedish folk-type art to look at. 

The people working the counter are super friendly and helpful, and there is a menu with soups, salads, sandwiches, etc. as well as a large case with all kinds of gourmet chocolates and a good assortment of pastries and cakes as well. The chocolates were great - You can choose from truffles, caramels, plain chocolate and some gourmet creations. My sister and I shared some filled truffles and a huge piece of chocolate-covered marzipan (which I really miss as it is very common in Scandinavia). The coffee is served in huge cups and my sister had a hot chocolate infused with chili, so they also have an assortment of nice drinks. 

It is definitely a casual place where you can go and sit for hours reading a book, or to enjoy a great meal or just a cup of coffee and some conversation. Excellent and highly recommended.
5 - Blaise F.: Fresh ingredients, nice atmosphere, friendly.

My peach muffin was only $2 and very fresh tasting, airy, and had real peaches in it; not overly sweet either.
4 - Nicole B.: ahhh cafe choklod! this place screams cute little country bakery with it's lace curtains and pale walls. however, the menu is anything but! even though i want to devour the SMORES PANINI all on my own, the past two times i came here was with people i didn't know so well so i had to act adult and order the caprese panini. it is delicious with it's crusty country bread, pesto, moist chicken, and tomatoes. however, as far as sides go, i'm going to get picky. my choices were carrots or chips. carrots are too healthy, chips are not healthy enough. a nice fruit option would have done nicely for me. the baked goods look as good as they tasted! i split a ginger cookie with white icing with my guests and i almost bought another (dozen or two). so good! it's homestyle with a slight upscale twist.

this is a great place to meet in between classes at brown or RISD. or on the way home. the meals are hearty too! i had lunch around two and i am still feeling satisfied around 7 (okay fine i had a banana when i got home but you get the point).
4 - steel m.: "Cute" cafe that happens to have very delicious food and high-quality coffee/espresso.  Great pastries, too.  A little pricey.
4 - Mckenzie G.: I was able to spend 2 hours at this cafe today,  only 2 hours unfortunately because that is what parking allotted for me. 

 I ordered a breakfast sandwich that was served on yummy thick bread with the eggs just gooey enough to sop up with the bread without becoming too messy and a cup of tea (not loose leaf, but still fancier than the run of the mill grocery store options)

I enjoyed one of the tables along the long bench on the wall near the cozy fireplace.  

I really like the light that this place has, the temperature (even on an extremely cold day) and the calm vibe of the place.

The downsides (the tea came in a small mug and the parking situation).  Outside of that I'll be back and ready to try one of the exciting sandwich options or a desert.
4 - Anees S.: Nice décor. Friendly service. Good prices. Great lunch stop
4 - Carolyn L.: LOVE Cafe Choklad.  They've got amazing sandwiches and great salads, and a good selection of pastries (I do remember trying a particularly delicious cupcake...)

They also make a wonderful hot chocolate, all thick and creamy, with the right amount of bitterness.

I've gotten the Cafe Choklad Classic Salad (mixed baby greens, mandarin oranges, cranberries, pecans, gorgonzola cheese, honey-balsalmic dressing).  Everything is fresh and served lightly tossed, perfect salad-dressing ratio.

For sandwiches I normally get the Brie-Black Forest Ham, served on cranberry pecan bread with lettuce and honey mustard.  Again, all the toppings are very equal, so that with each mouthful you've got a harmony of flavours.  I love the cheese they use.  So delicious! 

It's clean, with green decor, quaint paintings, and little lace curtains, bench seating on the side, very comfortable.  It gets quite busy around lunchtime, so I don't often see students come in and work (besides it closes quite early).  Great to grab lunch with a friend.  I miss this place!
2 - Sarah E.: Walked over to Cafe Chokolad on my lunch break on desperate search for iced coffee and a place to sit outside.

I found both at Cafe Chokolad but most likely will not be venturing back there. My iced coffee cost $3.75!! Much more than my co-worker's cappuccino. I was told it cost more because it was flavored and it's 20 oz. More like 10 oz of coffee and 10 oz of ice. 

If you're looking for an iced coffee, look elsewhere. Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Honeydew, Cafe la France are cheaper, bigger and more delicious.
4 - Jay E.: We stopped by Cafe Choklad for a quick lunch and we were quite impressed. We sampled a few of their sandwiches, a soup, and one of their brownies. The sandwiches were quite small but were delicious, the corn chowder was salty but edible, and the brownie was very moist and tasty. Well worth a visit.
4 - laura W.: I enjoyed a lovely homemade black bean burger with pepperjack cheese on a delicious brioche bun for $8. it came with a side of chips.

the hot chocolate is also particularly delicious...

a nice little cafe with homemade soup, sandwich and salad options!
5 - Annie J.: I can't believe this place doesn't have more reviews!  In my mind, Cafe Choklad is the perfect lunch spot.  The interior is bright and cozy, and they even have a fireplace!  The Shanghai chicken salad wrap is a reliable favorite.  Today I went for the corn chowder, which was crazy hot (just the way I like it), and the perfect hearty meal for braving a cold day in Providence.  

The portions aren't huge, but that's ok because it just means you have more room for dessert.  And their desserts are amazing (cookies, brownies, etc.).  In fact, I dare you to make it through the checkout line without buying one.  

Vibe is a good mix of students, business people, and ladies who lunch.

The only downside to this place is the parking situation.  Sometimes you can luck out and find street parking, but overall, you're better off just heading here on foot.
5 - Claudia L.: I live closeby, so its super convenient for me to drop by for a quick breakfast or lunch sandwich. This place may not be cheap, but damn the ingredients are as fresh as you can get! 

PS the staff are super nice
1 - oak t.: I walked over to the cafe thinking how a great hot chocolate would hit the spot in this 30 something degree whether. The special of the day was pulled pork sandwich, bumping the hot chocolate off the list. A sweet young person behind the counter takes my order and helps me sort out what to prioritize.  THEN, I come to pay and the lady (being extremely generous here - older with glasses) rudely refuses to give me a cup of hot water. She looks at me up and down and says 'we don't do that here'. REALLY? Worried that I might steal a cup of hot water and dip my secret bag of tea. She reluctantly gave me a cup and didn't apologize. What bad taste to insult your patrons this way, I'll never go there again. And who cares if the sandwich was tasty after being treated that way.
5 - Scotty G.: Best chowder ever.
4 - Jen C.: I used to work in the jewelry district of Providence for years, I would walk by Cafe Choklad on my walks, or driving around town and was always intrigued. I finally went for the first time today and am so bummed I no longer work near here. This place was amazing!
 I went with a close friend and ordered the mocha- my drink of choice anywhere, she ordered the spicy hot chocolate and a peanut butter cookie. EVERYTHING was delicious. The mocha was decadent (I ordered with whole milk), the hot chocolate was very spicy and also very rich (half whole milk, half soy), the peanut butter cookie, although simple, was one of the best pb cookies I've ever had.
Definitely a place I will go to when I get a chance!
4 - Sarah V. M.: While they do have  a fire place, which I love, the lighting is way too bright and music imperceptible.  Easy fixes, if you ask me.

What I will return for time and time again is what I take to be a perfect duo on steroids: 1 peanut butter cookie paired with a wicked hot chocolate.  The cookie is perfectly sized (not too big and not too small), it's soft and made with real butter - topped with full sized peanuts.  Something I couldn't have made better at home. The wicked hot chocolate came with an amazing amount of cayenne, which burned and then melted in my mouth. I was back for alternating sips immediately.

Perfect for a rainy day hide out.
5 - Bec S.: Jessica knows my order by heart! Everyone is really nice and the food is good! The pastries are really fresh and they make great sandwiches. I come here at least 3 times a week since it's right next to studio.
4 - Wow K.: This place is awesome. It's a little pricey, but the sacrifice is quite worth it. Their breakfast menu, which lasts from 8am until 11am, is to die for. I personally am not that big of a fan of their regular menu, but the pastries that they have all day are amazing if nothing else really sparks your interest. Their drinks are also great. The Wicked Hot Chocolate and Harney's teas are perfect for winter.
5 - Jean R.: Great little corner cafe at the bottom of college hill.  Super yummy breakfast, tunafish and all of their cafe sandies are fresh and delicious!  I love a lunch mtg downtown at this little cafe on the corner!
5 - Galya T.: New favorite place to come for a cup of coffee

The best banana berry muffins in the world

Best hot chocolate in providence. And friendly people. Love them!

Cafe Cine Citta - Los Angeles, CA (34.024465, -118.278367) (South Los Angeles)
4 - Sam Y.: Nothing like an early morning recession breakfast. 

The inside is nice, staff friendly, service good and fast. It's an Italian diner and the food is pretty good and offer things in the menu for those suffering from the recession.

FTR this!
4 - jin y.: 3.99 recession breakfast = one pancake, one sausage, two eggs, one bacon. Way better than Denny's and you won't feel overloaded. Free refills on coffee. Yum! They also have beer, for all you alkies.
4 - Nick W.: This place is GREAT.  I desperately want it to succeed, because they have good food and are willing to dabble in a variety of food genres.  It replaced Eat Street Grill, which was not very good, and over priced.  Cine Citta has good food and good prices!  I love their pasta.  You'd never expect it here, but it's top notch.  If they could just stay open for longer hours, I'd go twice as often...

Cafe Colore - Monmouth Junction, NJ (40.3654694, -74.5979036) ()
2 - Ray R.: Let me preface by saying this is a review for their pizza shop, which is connected to their restaurant. Pizza Colore used to be my go-to pizza place on my way home from work. Sadly, the pizza is not what it used to be. Maybe they changed their recipe, or maybe the new workers aren't making them the same way I remember.
3 - Premal P.: Its a small Italian restaurant - a change from the Italian mega chains.  The food is good; although expensive.  Its also doesn't have much ambiance - located in a strip mall...
2 - Jeremy G.: Stopped by during lunch with a co-worker and picked up hot sandwiches from their counter takeaway. Food was tasty: cheese steak was flavorful. The also were great about packing up our order into a box to take back to the office. However, we probably waited more than 15 minutes for three hot sandwiches (apparently they had to send the order back to the restuarant's kitchen.)
2 - Eric O.: hard to get a good read on this place. at first, I felt the pizza was good. unfortunately, the last time I visited, the pizza was lacking and the chicken roll was cold. nothing really makes this pizzeria stand out above the others in the area.
4 - Grace R.: We like to come here often for the daily specials the chef offers.  The prices are reasonable, and the food is always fresh.  It's true the location isn't great, but we enjoy the food enough to keep coming back.  We especially enjoy the special soups offered.  I recently had a great melon gazpacho that was so light and refreshing.
The dishes are a bit on the heavy side, a little more oil than I would like.  I usually just bring my leftovers home, and separate the oil the next day.
We've gotten take out and pizza from the pizzeria section a few times, and are always very happy with our order.  
The kids menu is a bit limited, but our son has favorites he always gets so it's not an issue for us.
4 - Jessica H.: New Jersey Italian! Reviewing only the take-out sandwiches:  Surprisingly good! We were hungry, road-tripping, and escaping the Turnpike via Rt 1. Pulled in here in the snow following the garish "PIZZA" sign to the back of the plaza across from the Home Depot.

It turned out to be a real restaurant in the back, where folks were eating lunch, but we just got sandwiches to go. I had the special, prosciutto with cheese and roasted red pepper, and my dining partner had something more boring off the normal sub menu. Both were good, though mine was more flavorful.

They put the subs in the oven, which I didn't expect, not being from the area. It was very New Jersey. "You want I should take them out??" "...no, no, I'll wait, that's fine."  "Ok, here. ::puts sandwich on a paper plate, stuffs it in a thin paper bag:: You come back soon!" "Um, ok...."  But seriously, the subs were good.
3 - Lauren T.: I frequent the restaurant side of Cafe Colore every now and then.   The food is good and the service is fast and friendly during lunch time.   Today I had the lobster ravioli with mushrooms in a cream sauce.  I ate every last bite!
5 - Laura H.: I drive here from Pennsylvania solely for the deliciousness that is the Chicken Monte Carlo!  Full of fresh spinach, mushrooms and peppers. I've also tried the Chix Marsala over penne (amazing, the penne was not saturated with sauce) and 4 cheese farfalli (a classic for those less adventurous).  The portions are generous and the staff is knowledgeable and accommodating of large groups. They also understand the concept of a 'lunch break' and their fast service reflects this. 

This BYO place is overlooked due to its location on Rt 1 (strip mall by the Home Depot), but once you get inside, you can enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and gaze at the ever-changing art on the walls, all for sale and done by local artists. 

I'll definitely be going back... soon!
1 - Barbara J.: Just ordered take out dinner special the other night and the food was really sub par. The chicken marsala and franchise was overdone and the sauces had no flavor. Only got 1 1/2 chicken breast, and needed to ask for the bread that was included with the special. Pricey, and help was rude. Never again!!!!
3 - Eric Z.: Decent italian in a convenient location.
4 - Vivian S.: Only reviewing the pizza . We come here to pick up pizza every once in a while, really good NJ italian style pizza. Highly recommended.

The dine-in part is another story, it's average and pricey , not trying it out twice. Just go for the take out pizza.
3 - Dominick R.: This review applies to the "pizzeria / to-go" side - not the restaurant, which i have never eaten at. Food is hit or miss - usually not too bad. Pizza is decent enough with fairly thin crust and fairly good cheese. (A pie straight from the oven doesn't resemble a pool of oil and the cheese don't slide off a hot slice). Large pie (plain) is $12 which isn't bad but toppings are pricey at $2 a topping!
Subs are OK - chicken parm is a little thick. Meatball parm is good too. Garlic knots are very good!
2 - Anne S.: SO so disappointed in this place!  I've been going here for about 7 years on and off and always raved about how delicious everything is!  I was addicted to their spaghetti bolognese and pretty much everything else. 

Well, it's been a while since I last ate there so hubby and I decided to have a dinner date.  I ordered a pasta dish with chicken, arugula and tomatoes in a champagne creme sauce and he ordered the spaghetti bolognese.  Both dishes came out quickly, BUT the sauces were so watery.  My dish was especially bland (VERY bland).  The chicken pieces were clearly frozen-out-of-the-bag pieces as they had those fake grill marks on them.  They were very dry and chewy.  Since we were in a hurry, I didn't bother telling the waiter, which I now regret.  Hubby said the bolognese was not the same quality he remembers either.  Both dishes were "adorned" with generous (not in a good way) sprinkles of paprika and herbs on the side of the dishes.. alittle much.

We did get a basket of bread that contained warm foccaccia pieces, and those were really good, and the salad that came with the meal was fresh.  The server was very friendly and attentive.
I later heard from him that the restaurant changed owners and chef not too long ago.  This explained everything!  Though I do not expect to go there anytime again soon, I truly hope the owners will realize that quality is everything.  Until then I will have to find another 'fave' italian place!

Cafe Corsa - Los Angeles, CA (34.0314755, -118.2738939) (South Los Angeles)
5 - Eric H.: This ain't no Starbucks! This ain't no Coffee Bean!

This is a homey coffee bar near USC, where your cup of coffee is brewed to order and you are invited to sniff the beans before they are grinded.

Its run by a local character who puts together interesting Sunday afternoon musical performances with local psychedlic acts like Spindrift, The Stevenson Branch Dividians, and Eagle Winged Palace.
5 - Cynthia B.: When was the last time you had a cup of coffee freshly ground in front of you, brewed by one of the most high tech machines around, and handed over to you by a guy who knows his coffee? Because for me, it was today. And it was delicious.

Caf Corsa is one of the few places in Los Angeles where you can experience the Clover coffee machine in action. And, it's probably the least pretentious. From what I understand the coffee is brewed the opposite way of using a French press, with some kind of vacuum action. 

Tucked away in an odd little strip mall, you won't find many frills. What you will find is the owner behind the coffee bar who will remember you name and how you take your coffee, and offer you suggestions. I think the coffee beans change often, and they're always fair trade. 

If you don't like coffee, try some and see. If you still don't like coffee, Caf Corsa also has the complete line of Lindsay's Teas. If you stay to drink your beverage, you'll even get to drink it out of a real ceramic cup.
5 - Steve M.: Prepare yourself for a whole new level of coffee aficionado ...ness. Cafe Corsa is a decidedly "un-LA" kind of coffeehouse. It's not big on hype and glamour, and it certainly isn't mass-produced. No, this is the wine bar of coffeehouses, and it even comes complete with its own "so- that's- what- a- coffee- aficionado- is- like" guy behind the counter.

Rick's love for coffee will begin to draw you in from the moment he opens up one of his eight to ten canisters of fresh, imported beans and first invites you smell them (noting the wafts of cocoa, hazelnut, citrus, or what have you). He then proceeds to make your coffee in his Clover machine, (don't know what a Clover machine is? Google it -- you'll be glad you did) and then out comes the most delicious cup of coffee you've ever had.

So what I'm saying is go here. Go now. 

And my guess is once you've met Rick and the kind of coffee and atmosphere he's serving up, you'll be going often.
5 - Jim W.: WOW!!!  I came here on Steve M's review...was in the area for work and thought I would try it out!  The smell of the coffee beans was coming out the door before I even approach it...gotta love that!!!  I, too, asked about the Clover machine and got a huge smile and an ear full telling me all about it...I had to laugh to myself because he (the owner, I think) kept going on and on.
Not your usual LA coffee spot.  This is a small place with a comfortable atmosphere...a few people sitting around...almost felt like I was in a distant land and I loved it!
This is the best coffee I have ever consumed in California or anywhere in the US of A.  This is a stop you must make if in the area...WTF...just make a special trip...you will NOT be disappointed....so, get off you lazy butt now and go!  If you love good, good, good coffee...this is the place.
5 - Brooke W.: Don't tell anyone around here, but I'm a Bruin.  Going into Trojan territory, I had to keep one eye open at all times.  I did not open my mouth due to fear that a "BRUINATION" would slip out.  I spoke to no one.  I didn't even bring my Bruin card with me, just in case. 

North of UCLA , you'll find Bel Air.  North of USC, you'll find some shady neighborhoods.  It's definitely a different environment.  But there's no excellent coffee north of UCLA and, for that, I had to travel a very long distance (or what seemed like it) and wear a disguise.

I don't drink coffee that isn't freshly-prepared by the cup, so when I found out there was a place that made coffee on the Clover and didn't have an LA Mill-type environment or an Intelligentsia-style line, I ran over and I mean RAN.  And, boy, was it worth it.  I'm thinking about transferring to USC just to be closer to Cafe Corsa.
5 - Daniel B.: Spinach Croissant             5/5      Try it warm with mustard.
Pecan Roll                          5/5      Not too sweet. Great with coffee. 

Price:                                    5/5      Great for gourmet coffee. 
Ambiance:                           5/5      Cool. Cozy. Great acoustics.
Service:                                5/5      Genuine. Warm. Amazing. 
Parking:                                5/5      Large lot in back. Small in front.
Wait time:                             5/5      It's a cafe. Not drive-thru.

** Rick will tell you anything you would ever want to know about coffee. Bring your appetite for gourmet coffee and interesting conversation 
**Catch one of his live shows!!
**My favorite drink is a hot cup of the Guatemalan!!
5 - Annie J.: Cafe Corsa has definitely become a Saturday morning tradition for me...a French Roast and a poppy seed muffin! Sooo tasty!

As other reviewers have mentioned, the Clover machine is awesome! Well, actually, the quality of the beans the owner uses is amazing--the Clover is just there so you can get the most out of them :) I've also had the best latte here too, so the espresso drinks are definitely worth a try.

If you want to go to a cafe where the owner is truly dedicated to making a great cup of Joe, where you feel cozy and welcomed, and where parking is ample--this is definitely the place for you!
5 - Jim G.: I am quite lucky to live next to the greatest coffee shop in Los Angeles, possibly the entire country.  If you love coffee, you have to come here, there's just no better place.  

But if you just *like* coffee, then it's even more important to come, because you will fall in love.   See, you've been screwed by all the big coffee chains for years and have never experienced great coffee.
5 - Sean H.: Living in Silver Lake and being a coffee nut, I tend to spend lots of time (and too much money!) at Intelligentsia and LAMill.  I am also a part-time grad student at USC, which requires me traveling down there about once a month.  I could never drink the terribly brewed starbucks that they sell on campus, so I would find myself picking up coffee in my 'hood before heading south.  Not anymore!  I have been blessed with the introduction of Cafe Corsa.

Everything about this place is great.  I am a black-coffee kinda guy, so I haven't tried any fancy drinks, but what I have had out of his coffee selection is always fantastic.  He's got something for everyone there, and is quite talented at getting a good brew out of his clover.  Coffees are about $2-$3 for a 12 oz and $2.50-$3.50 for a 16oz depending on the varietal.  That's another nice feature - you cannot get 16oz clover brews to-go at any other place around. 

If you work downtown, I highly recommend you travel a mile south and check out this top notch cafe.  If you are a USC student, I suggest you move into the lofts above.  If Cafe Corsa had been there while I was an undergrad, I would have been properly caffeinated every day.
5 - Julia A.: I love this place!  Great drinks, great food, great people, and if you're lucky GREAT music!!!
5 - Jared S.: If you consider coffee a religion, then this is Mecca. This is one of a handful of shops that actually has the super luxurious Clover coffee maker. No matter which bean you chose, the clover brings out all the flavors and aromas perfectly, making a truly unique coffee experience.

The beans used are of the highest quality, and if you don't believe it, the owner will let you individually smell each batch while explaining the complexities and depth to each bean.

The coffee isn't the only thing that's great here though. The pastries are delicious and the conversations you'll have with the owner will leave you wanting to bring all your friends to show off this quaint little shop. On second thought, maybe it's better to keep this gem to yourself.
5 - Ben G.: We have a winner.

I meant to bump into Cafe Corsa today, and I'm SO glad I did.  Before I get into my review.........

"this is the BEST cup of coffee "not espresso" in Los Angeles."

First off the parking, it's a horrible parking lot there are signs everywhere saying they will tow your car except for a few 10-minute spots in the front "that is where I parked."  I'm of course thinking in my head no coffee can be worth this parking mess and I was ready to dock a star or two, but I was proved wrong.

I headed into Corsa and was greeted by Rick the friendly knowledgeable owner of the place.  I ordered a regular coffee black and Rick grinned and pointed to the menu, there were about half a dozen to a dozen different beans and roasts.  "obviously this guy loves coffee I thought"

I asked him for his suggestion and he recommended the Guatemalan coffee "the most expensive" 4.50 for a regular cup, or the Columbian "about 2.50."  Most of the cups are only 1.50-2.50 for a regular.  
He let me smell both of the beans, the Columbian is a dark oily roast, the Guatemalan is a medium roast but it has a more complex smell.  I went with the Guatemalan.

Obviously at this point I'd realized I might have just walked into a mini paradise for coffee lovers, since both of his beans smelled spectacular.   I believe a good cup of coffee can be just as complex and amazing as a great glass of wine, and I'd say 60 percent of coffee~wine is the smell.

As he began to grind it the beans I noticed a Clover machine "11,000 dollar coffee machine, google has one too in Santa Monica."  I think I hopped backwards a little seeing this.   I mean you don't really expect to see such an expensive machine in such a cute little shop on the outskirts of the city.  Rick said that he was the first person in LA to get the clover.  So I shut up so he could make my cup of Joe, he used the clover to make it and then serves it to me, and then watches my face to see if I liked it haha.  I tasted it without any sugar since he was watching haha, "you know I love me some sugar" and it was unbelievable.  It's probably the best cup of coffee I've had in Los Angeles ever.  It was smooth, rich, complex, fruity, and nutty.  

I ended up chatting with him for a few minutes about the clover machine; apparently they were recently bought by starbucks.......  I guess starbucks wanted to monopolize the machine.  Obviously starbucks uses sh** beans though which are burnt; Rick told me this was done to cover up their imperfections.  

They also have a selection of baked items, the brownie looked really good, but I was able to hold myself back.  Simply put you can not get a better cup of coffee in LA, Blue Bottle in san fran may be better I'm not sure it's a close call.

Almost forgot, Rick said to ignore the parking signs in the back lot, and that it's OK to park there when you're at his shop."
5 - Joe R.: Not only GREAT coffee but the atmosphere is extremely relaxing.  Live Jazz on Sunday's and for those who follow the coffee religion, they make brew the beans using a CLOVER. For those who dont know I suggest looking it up. I did a full write up here: http://2wheels2nuts.blogspot.com/2009/04/cafe-corsa.html
5 - Michael M.: This is a quaint little coffee shop, tucked away from the street in the back of a shopping center with a somewhat upscale feel to it. I was getting my car serviced down the street on a Saturday morning and many of the visitors appeared to be friends of his.  Therefore the place had a cozy, community feel to it. The owner is very knowledgeable about coffee and will randomly spark up conversations about it with you when you order.  My girlfriend and I stuck around for several hours and he was nice enough to give us complimentary Madeleine's!! Mmmmmm. Great cafe, with a cool owner. I'd go there more often if it was in my hood.
5 - Colin D.: Amazing. The coffee is brilliant, especially from the Clover. Lately I've been getting the Bolivian, but the Sumatra and several others are great as well. The espresso is quite good too, though it's just a touch below Intelligentsia and Groundwork.

Also, as has been stated repeatedly, Rick is the ideal owner - always in the shop, always helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. One of my favorite places in LA!

If there's one thing to pull it down, it would be the prices, but for me, this is specialty, gourmet coffee, and since I can't spend $2-4 every day for coffee, it's the perfect special treat.
5 - Noble M.: Definitely a hidden find right before you get to downtown LA. Rick (the owner) offers great customer service and is very knowledgeable about coffee. He makes every cup fresh to order and will answer any questions you have about the menu of drinks. He let me smell all of the different options before I settled on one. The best part is that it's on my way to work so I can conveniently drop in for a cup as I start the day. If it's your first time and you mention Yelp, he will give you 20% off!! Enjoy!
5 - Michelle B.: Checked this place out this morning and it is hands down the best coffee shop downtown. The owner is soooo passionate and knowledgeable I felt more like I was tasting wine then coffee. He explains the whole process (he has this crazy expensive rare machine) and the different types of beans he has. It was a lot of fun and a unique coffee experience. Also the price is totally reasonable (about even w/ starbucks) even thought the experience is so much better. We mentioned Yelp and gave he gave us 20% off. The croissants are great as well.  Oh and you don't pay till you are ready to leave.
5 - William H.: This is the best coffee in all of Downtown.  

You order a French Roast Coffee (my favorite) and allows you smell the quality of the espresso bean.  Once he has your nod of approval, he proceeds to grind the coffee and brew it.  

Meanwhile he offers you to have a seat and read the paper for free.  

He serves you at the table and also gives you freshly poured creamer.

Don't try to settle the bill until you are ready to leave.  He'll say, "I trust you man.  You can pay me when your done."

Richard is a rock star turned coffee shop owner.  He rides dirt-bikes, plays guitar, and catches rides on private jets with celebs.  He's seen it all and he has pics on the wall to prove it.   Ask him to share his memories.  It's like meeting an intelligent Forrest Gump at a bus stop.

This place is an oasis compared to the filthy franchises all along the Figueroa Corridor.
5 - Ronjini M.: I'm so glad that this place has such great reviews. I came here for the first time yesterday. I was actually stopping at wingstop to pick up some early lunch. While I was waiting, I decided to walk over to the Cafe and to my surprise, I had probably the best vanilla late in my life. 

The atmosphere is cozy and I can see myself working from the store in near future. The owner is very welcoming and I can't wait for this store to have longer hours.

Its both good and bad that its located in the corner of this hidden shopping plaza, its not over-run with wannabe's but I just found it yesterday. When I want a professional cup of java, I know where to go. The latte was sooo good that I licked all the foam from inside the cup. Yea!
5 - The B.: Quite simply the single best cup of drip coffee that I have ever had in my life. And I lived abroad in the very heart of Coffeeland for many, many years. It was like a fine wine, changing flavors as it glided over the palate, opening up with a swallow and kaleidescoping through the senses. I'm looking for an excuse to head back to downtown, just so I can get another cup. This time it was the Honduran, roasted two days before. It will be necessary to drink one's way through the whole tropical world. The chocolate croissant was also simply outstanding. Rick is an institution. Don't ever change!
5 - Chris L.: I just love going to a coffee spot where the owner is right there behind the counter. He really cares about coffee -- and so should you, if you go here. This is for sure my number one suggestion for a quality coffee spot in LA. Classy coffee spots can also be ridiculously over-priced, but Cafe Corsa is reasonable for such a quality product. 

If all you care about is a place to hang out, it's got that too. Plenty of room. WiFi was decent.
4 - Ginger F.: I was looking at my receipt and I think there might have been $1 knocked off the price of a cup of coffee I bought ($2 instead of $3).  And, the beans I bought are delicious (but still crazy expensive).
5 - Shyam N.: awesome place. spectacular coffee both in terms of variety and quality. owner is really cool and knowledgeable. you are allowed to pay at the end (which an awesome feature to me). most cups of coffee are quite inexpensive as well. beans are sold here and he will grind them for whatever device you use. great place to go if you are someone who loves coffee. also a great place to go if you don't know anything about coffee, but like it and want to learn more or just enjoy a good cup. my personal favorites are the guatemalan and the ethiopian in that order. after going here a little more two more notes. first, they get new coffee in pretty often which is awesome if you like tasting new coffees. second, i had the espresso. it is absurdly good.
5 - M N.: I've never felt compelled to review anything on Yelp before, but my experience at Cafe Corsa was just so wonderful I can't resist.

The owner Rick is truly a coffee connoisseur who is more than willing to find you the best selection for your tastes.  The coffee is exquisite. I had no idea coffee could even be that amazing. And it's not expensive for the quality you receive. 

Wonderful service, fantastic coffee, free wifi and a sense of community among the local clientele....what more could you want in a coffee shop?  I look forward to returning often.
5 - Teresa F.: Stopped by for another tasty latte.  

I'm going in and having my caffeine fix whenever I am in the area or get a chance.
5 - chuck n.: I love this place. 

It's a little our of my way to go back too often, plus I'm kind of a loud phone user & the owner politely asked me to skidaddle - but all around I've recommended it to a few friends. 

C
5 - Oh E.: While doing some late night studying, I decided to take a break and do a little leisure research on a good coffee place to hang out during my breaks near school. Thanks to Yelp and previous reviewers, I found one.

All that's been said is TRUE. 

I came in a tad bit apprehensive since I'm not really big on coffee. After a calm welcome from the owner, I chose the French Roast, as recommended by a previous reviewer, along with plain croissant and jelly. 

I took out my reading material and kept to myself.  But after some of the regulars came in and conversed with him, I decided to get over my shyness and learn more about the owner and his coffeehouse.

RICK = AWESOME GUY. 'nuff said.
might I add, a very intellectual man. 

it's the perfect coffeehouse.

Rick, you're the man.
5 - justin l.: As other people have noted, great coffee, great local neighborhood vibe, and great owner.  The Clover is a plus, but the espresso is fantastic.  Support your local businesses and check out Corsa!
5 - Eddie S.: Went there yesterday morning, found out it was out of biz.  

Plz see photos.  

Will try back with the new owner...   

As for now, RIP Cafe Corsa...
5 - Andrea U.: They're back in business!  Came in today and had a really good chai tea latte, and I plan to come back and try out the rest of the menu.  They give student discounts as well, which is great news.
5 - Keila N.: This was closed for a very long time.  I thought that it wouldn't re open.  I stopped in today and ordered a mocha with soy milk.  Don, the new owner, was very friendly.  It was like visiting an old friend.

It was precisely 4:10 when I went in, which was 20 minutes to closing.  Don was very welcoming.  The mocha was delicious.

Free wifi here.  I may bring my computer here and chill out next time.
3 - Jess A.: My boyfriend likes it cos he likes bitter coffee.

I don't like it because it's got like a soury aftertaste.

Guess I'm not a serious coffee drinker, eh?
5 - Samantha M.: Wow. The people who work here are so friendly. When I'm dragging my feet in at 8 in the morning, feeling grouchy and in serious need of a caffine kick, the staff just perk you up with a huge smile and a sincere hello. They take great care in making their coffee and the quality is great. The menu is simple: latte, cappuccino, mocha, espresso and a range of other drinks like hot chocolate and italian soda. They didn't have non-fat milk but were gracious in offering me soy milk for no extra charge.

I'm very close to coming here for the second time today. Very close. But I should'nt drink too much caffine.

But this is taking a huge load of self control on my part.
4 - Daniel K.: Nice little place. Calm, quiet and makes REAL coffee. Cappuccino was quite good. Free WiFi. You'd barely notice it if you didn't know about it but its a good place to go if you're tired of long USC lines and generic Starbucks. Peaceful atmosphere inside. Parking can be problematic but I think it's worth it. Staff is friendly. Apparently the Clover espresso machine is quite unique and rare. Can't comment on that but the cappucino was just about perfect.
4 - Kate C.: Espresso is AMAZING, free wifi, and they have a parking lot! What more could anybody ask for? The Batista was very friendly, and it's a good place to sit and do your work. Only drawback is the ambiance isn't great,  which is too bad b/c it's a cute shop. When I went there, the store was pretty empty, but maybe it was b/c it was a slow hour. Anyways hope this was helpful!
5 - Cloe A.: Definately a worth wild place. Great for groups. Sundays are packed. Long waits. 

Enjoy
3 - Alexander M.: Corsa is a cute hole-in-the-wall cafe in the Texere Plaza shopping center at 23rd and Fig. For a while, there was some yelp speculation that they had closed but I think they just went on hiatus (and the eccentric owner doesn't seem to be around anymore). Interestingly, they were one of the first coffee shops to order the $11,000 Clover coffee maker (how they could afford it I don't know). Their espresso, especially iced lattes, is delectable. The only problem is that they don't offer much in the way of pastries or other goodies, and the sitting area isn't the most enticing spot to hang out or study or do any of the other things people like to do in a cozy coffee shop. 

Excellent coffee, no extras, best ordered on the go.
5 - Yvette O.: Don from Cafe Corsa is probably the nicest coffee guy (or guy period) you'll ever meet.  

In this area of town it is really important to note that there is a FREE PARKING LOT!  Also, Cafe Corsa offers free wifi too!

They serve INTELLIGENSIA DIRECT TRADE COFFEE so you know that I have to give it a five star rating for their commitment to quality not only in taste but fair trade practices as well.  

Can't wait to come back when they have cake too!  Don't forget to become a Facebook fan: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Los-Angeles-CA/Cafe-Corsa/134381406578975?ref=ts
5 - Jane K.: I was in the area about a week ago waiting for my friend.  I was early so I went into the cafe to get a coffee.  I must say I was surprised at the genuine niceness of the people there.  They also have superb deserts and coffee!  
The free parking wasnt bad too!!
4 - Kaitlynn S.: After an excruciatingly long breakup with Cafe Corsa due to closure, then change of hours I finally made up with my favorite coffee spot in LA. 

I walked in and immediately noticed the change in feel and decor. There are still ducati accents and some personal photos left on the wall from when Rick owned the place, but the soul of the Cafe Corsa I knew was gone. In it's place is a moderately decorated coffee shop with African artwork along the walls and a new owner by the name of Don. A very friendly guy, but he's not Rick. 

Processing all the changes in my head, I prayed to the Coffee bean god hoping that the coffee was still as good. After ordering an Ethiopian to go, I sat in the car, took a sip, leaned back and smiled. Although the look and feel of the place has changed, the coffee has not. The strong, robust flavors of this roast had wonderful finish. 

Only open during the week, it will be a long while before I can come in for another cup of delicious coffee.

Taking one star out, because Cafe Corsa isn't the same without Rick.
3 - E.D. O.: 2.5 stars
Honestly, considering all the rave reviews about this place, I was pretty disappointed. In and of itself, it's not a terrible place. But it's not one of those "regular-coffee-shops-I-frequent" coffee shop. The coffee was in fact tasty. But, I'm sorry, if I'm going to pay over $3 for a small iced coffee, it better have a divine-feeding-of-the-five-thousand-self-refilling effect. 

The shop was very small, limited seating, limited menu, and unsatisfying pastries. Furthermore, the big screen, which was gaudy and loud, was blasting the Maury Show. Terrible combination. 

The staff was friendly. 

I probably won't return, but I am glad that I learned that the hard way.
3 - Nancy D.: This place isnt that great..i've had several drinks here, but they werent worthy of more stars. This place is just good when it's the closest place for you to get coffee. bleh.
3 - Justin L.: Stopped here on the way from Inglewood to Union Station. Pretty good blend of Colombian coffee, which I had after asking the server's recommendation. I was the only one there, and had the couch all to myself. The wifi was spotty, and it cutting out after 30 minutes was my main reason for leaving. If I were in the neighborhood again, I'd stop by for a good cup of coffee - the staff was also nice - but it's nothing I'd travel out of my way for, especially given other coffee pickings in LA.
3 - Caye B.: This place had such amazing reviews that I had really high expectations. The hours are very limited - I tried to stop by  this place again and again... but it was always closed! 

When I finally made sure it was open beforehand, the shop was surprisingly tiny and the selection was scant. I really like places where I could sit down and study, and I was attracted to the free WIFI here. However Cafe Corsa just didn't have enough space/big enough tables for comfortable studying so I had to go elsewhere. 

The latte was yummy and it's a nice and quaint hole-in-the-wall.  I wouldn't mind picking up a quick coffee here if I'm already nearby... but I wouldn't particularly plan my schedule around coming here again.
1 - John R.: Sucks...tiny, hot, and horrible hours...
4 - Basile B.: Great coffee, it's not big enough for studying, but it would be great for a short sit down
5 - Carrie S.: 4 star for the coffee, 1 extra star for the friendliness! 

The owner is such a sweet dude and he greeted every customer with great attention to details. Each time he insisted that I had a sip before leaving the spot to see whether I need some adjustment of the flavor. They use Intelligensia Coffee, so people who are already familiar with that brand can tell its good quality stuff. Also, cheaper compared to most coffee chains or gourmet coffee places.
5 - Andrea S.: Cafe Corsa is an excellent coffee shop located pretty close to USC in Downtown Los Angeles; Being the huge coffee fanatic that I am, I was thrilled to find this place so close to where I work. The coffee is delicious and the service is pretty great. I am now obsessed with Chai Tea Lattes, which I couldn't stand before (probably because I have never had a decent one up until now). They have a state of the art coffee machine tooooo :) Cafe Corsa also has wi-fi so there's an additional plus for students looking to get some work down outside of traditional school areas. Great place, love it!
5 - Roberto S.: Good coffee costs good money. That is a fact. And in this case it is really true. Don't waste your money on Starbucks if you are near downtown or SC because you will just be feeding the beast instead of supporting a real business. This place is great!
4 - Vinh N.: Not being a coffee connoisseur I just needed a shop with halfway decent drinks and free WiFi to kill time.  What I ended up getting was great service and Honduras beans brewed with a Clover 1S (Look it up, it's kind of a big deal).  Though the tables aren't that big, decor is a little lacking and the hours are a bit off, how can you hate on a quality product made from a quality machine with some quality service?  Oh... a complimentary top off on my way out?  Why, thank you!
2 - Ralph L.: Three times I've made it out here, and two times they were closed during business hours.

What. It's 7:10am. I need coffee. Your sign says you open at 7am.

The one time they were open when I needed it, the coffee was great but not at the level of Handsome, Demitasse, etc. Coffee nerds should go at least once to check out the Clover machine, though.

Cafe DNA - Stanford, CA (37.4316764800169, -122.175006866455) ()
4 - Tracy D.: Quick service, strong and inexpensive coffee, and a decent selection of snacks to select from when you're on the go.  I like their smoothies as well.

Although the actual cafe is in the basement of the building, high ceilings and skylights let light in, so it's not a bad place to hang out with your laptop and take advantage of the wireless while getting your caffeine fix.
4 - David S.: Cafe DNA used to be the best kept secret on Stanford campus... Mysteriously enough, no one seemed to be aware that the best lunch deal was sold in the basement of this med school building. For $5 or so: delicious sandwich on grilled panini bread (not typically a panini since they're not pressed), side of salad with dressing of your choice, and side of potato chips. Oh yumminess! To boot, the guy making the sandwiches was all friendly and chatty and would bring your food to your table. So why only 4 stars: the sandwich guy changed last year, and both the food and the service suffered... Still not a bad place to eat, but not what it used to be.
3 - Sushi S.: Closed. Gone with the Human Genome Project...

Cafe De Bangkok - Blacksburg, VA (37.2303009, -80.4141098) ()
1 - Misono A.: Is this place still in business? I hope not. I remember it was one of the most horrible dining experiences I ever had when I lived in Blacksburg. The service was incredibly slow and the quality of the food was just horrible.
1 - Linsey M.: My spouse took cooking lessons in Chiang Mai, and we have hit dozens of Thai restaurants in the San Francisco area and Seattle, so I have some idea of what real Thai food should taste like, but this is not it. The dishes bear a passing resemblance to Thai food at best. The pad thai is ketchupy, the curries are one-dimensional, and the other attempts at Thai food go astray with odd, inauthentic, and diluted flavors. If you are not looking for authentic Thai food but could be satisfied with a general Asian-ish meal, then you may well enjoy your dinner. Service has been fine, and the ambiance is pleasant: modern, clean, with a hint of hip. If you want good Thai food, go to Thai Continental in downtown Roanoke.
1 - Pete and Mel R.: The food here is really bad.  I've been here 3 times, just to give it a chance, but each time I was vindicated in my previous disappointments!  I'm not quite sure what they're doing in the kitchen, but something is wrong.  You can buy a can of thai curry paste and a can of coconut milk, mix them yourself and end up with a much better sauce than what comes out of the kitchen here.  

It's a shame, because I love thai food and this is the only thai place in town, but I won't be returning.
2 - Garret N.: I have had good experiences here in the past so it pains me to write a negative review but Cafe De Bangkok let me down badly.  I showed up for dinner with several friends only to find that the restaurant was "closed for the holidays from 12/24 to 1/02".  Ok, that's fine, I understand a holiday closing.  The only problem was, I showed up on 1/03 and they were closed.  Staying closed another day would be fine, just change your sign.  I was extremely disappointed.
3 - Danielle P.: I felt compelled to write a review because I really don't think this place is getting a fair shake.  I frequented Cafe De Bangkok when i was living in Blacksburg (through May 07) and I honestly can't say I ever had a bad experience.  Was it authentic, on point Thai food? No. Of course not. It's a little, cheap restaurant in SW Virginia. That's like asking if Olive Garden tastes like real Italian food or if your local Chinese take-out is what you would get in Beijing.

That being said, I always found the food tasty, particularly the yellow curry.  And it saved me a trip into Roanoke in search of slightly more authentic Thai.  It is rural college town Thai and I liked it.
2 - Elizabeth M.: Not great- worth driving to Roanoke to visit Thai Continental.  The food here is not like any other Thai I have had before- very disappointed with the prices, portion and taste.
5 - Lauryl S.: Last year I went there at least three times, and every time we enjoyed the food. The ruby curry, with tomatoes, pineapple, and fried tofu, was delicious and I've made buckets of pedestrian orange curry trying to duplicate it. There was also enough food that we took some of it home in boxes.
3 - Sheena F.: I've tried really hard to like this place because I really really really love Thai food. But there's always something lacking or just not good whenever I went. 

First off, as far as food goes, it's not even average. And for the price, it's not worth it.

While the atmosphere is welcoming and warm, I haven't gotten that same feeling from some of the staff. 

Also, if you're going to serve a Pad Thai, one it shouldn't come with rotten food (tomatoes when I ate in there last) nor should it take over 40 minutes to get out (when I tried going to them for take out). 

Overall, I'm beyond underwhelmed with this place.

** edited on 7/31/2010 ***
So I changed my rating from one start to three stars. I went there with a bunch of girlfriend and had a really good time. Our server, Brian, was great! The food was still just ok, but this last visit probably the best that I had going here.
3 - Alan H.: A Thai restaurant in a small rural college town in southwest va.

I've had the chance to eat here at least 8 times before writing this review just to get a good idea of how this place really is before making any judgements or review.

Proz:
-nice ambiance (just a lax environment with more 'modern' decor and a much needed break from the college-town bar-food restaurants and eateries)
-servers are very friendly and willing to talk to you about the menu
-food overall has been very tasty and seemingly 'authentic' enough at least for blacksburg
-never really that busy in comparison to the rest of the restaurants in blacksburg

Cons:
-prices are a little high for the portion sizes of the meals ($11ish for tofu ruby curry- about 10 cubes of tofu, 4 chunks of tomato, and 5 chunks of canned pineapple mixed into a curry sauce with a small amount of rice)
-despite it never really being that busy, service can be quite painfully slow
-thai tea is $3

Bottom line: This place is a nice break from the rest of food in Blacksburg, is never really that busy (although expect a wait in service), and isn't bad thai food considering it's in a small rural collegetown in southwest va.  My suggestions would be: the tofu pad thai (pretty standard pad thai with tofu, they're pretty skimpy on the tofu but the flavors of the pad thai make up for it), the ruby curry with tofu (again skimpy with the tofu, but to stretch the meal out just order 1 order of the curry and take it home and make several cups of rice and eat forever) I say come here for lunch and save yourself a couple of bucks.

Rough estimate spent on a date(dinner):
-$6 for 2 thai teas (sweetened black tea with half and half)
-$11 for 1 order of tofu ruby curry (comes with rice)
-$11 for 1 order of tofu pad thai 
-$3 for tip

=$31 mehhhhh
1 - Carmen L.: I've gone to this place a few times and each time I'm disappointed.

While the place itself is nice the service and the food are mediocre and bordering on pretty bad.

Each time I go the wait is really long, despite the place not being busy. The servers have always either had a very blase attitude or they simply forget to bring you things you ask.

The food itself is very mediocre. I've tried a couple dishes and they all have lacked taste and mainly just taste like a bunch of spices thrown together. Granted, I'm not an expert in Thai food, but I definitely feel food should have a general taste to it.

The prices are also pretty steep and not worth it in my opinion. While the portions have increased since I first went there the quality of it is still aggressively mediocre.

I don't think I'm interested in going to this place again unless I absolutely have to for like a meeting or something.
3 - Jessica W.: I'm giving this restaurant three stars because although the food is good thai, the service is horrible! Really at any given time you can expect to be waiting awhile or just plain ignored.... Or both! I've gone plenty of times during busy hours and had poor service so then I went during off hours, still horrible. I've gone during my college years and after, and one thing is for sure,their bubble tea you must get! So tasty and weird! Can't find it very often in other cities. Overall, this place would be a great stop if only the waiters cared about how you were doing.
2 - R. M.: Overpriced, overseasoned, low quality "Thai" food served in tiny portions (a fact that proved to be a hidden blessing). The pad thai sauce is not even tamarind based and the vegetables all taste like they came frozen in a bag. The basil they use isn't thai holy basil, but rather the variety you might expect to find on italian food. They may be trying, but they are cutting way too many corners on quality ingredients to rightly charge $12+ per entree. 

Those that are claiming this resembles anything authentic being served in Thailand should probably get their heads checked. I'll give two stars just because the owners are very sincerely friendly... I just wish they put the same amount of energy into quality control that they do into being nice people.
4 - Chris B.: Pretty good thai food for a fair price. Not bad for rural virginia. One of my favorite places in blacksburg.
2 - debbie a.: Ughh...

What happenedto this place?!  I know its been awhile since I first reviewed it, but the second time showed me that the cook was changing and now ... the food is just.. blah.

I wish this place brought back the chef that was cooking when i went the first time.

The service managed to survive without that familiar faced-server, but the food is suffering.
2 - Derek V.: I love Thai food, and wanted so badly to love Cafe de Bangkok.  But after 5 tries, I've given up.

The curries are pretty decent, especially the panang.  But prepare to be disappointed by everything else.  Prime example:  All of the noodle dishes taste like they are flavored with watery ketchup, rather than actual Thai spices.

Service is reliably slow, even by the lowered standards of Blacksburg.  Worst case involved a 20-minute wait for drinks, even though only 2 tables were occupied at the time.

Price point ($10-15 entree) is way too high for the quality of food and service.

Avoid unless you're desperate, and even then, stick to the curries.
1 - Brennon B.: Why can't I give it negative stars?

I moved to Blacksburg in January, and had heard rave reviews of Cafe de Bangkok since I moved here.

I have NO idea what all the fuss was about.  We've given it three tries since January 2012, and the service and food has continually gotten worse each time.  Our last visit was several weeks ago.  There were four table seated in the dining room, and our appetizers took 47 minutes.  Yes, I really timed it.  When they finally came, I had to go back to the kitchen to get someone's attention so that we could get some silverware.  By the time someone eventually emerged from the kitchen, our appetizers had gotten cold.  Ravenous, we ate them nevertheless.

When our entrées came about half an hour later (didn't time those...), we were let down once again.  I had the drunken noodles.  The noodles and chicken were tough and chewy--completely overcooked.  Flavor was balanced, but the technique just destroyed the dish.

This place is beyond atrocious.  If you _actually know_ what decent Thai food is, you won't put up with this place.  If you are, say, from southwest Virginia and are just interested in something different, go ahead and enjoy--but please, stop giving me recommendations on where to eat...

Cafe DeWitt - Ithaca, NY (42.441115, -76.498296) ()
5 - Kenny L.: I am honored to be the first to review this hidden gem in Ithaca! If you haven't tried it, I would camp out (or at least wait until their next business hours) for it. Located in the same small DeWitt Mall as Moosewood Restaurant, this cafe is a must for Ithacans and the like. They are best for their Saturday and Sunday brunch, but they serve other days as well. Be sure to call for hours. They have specials everyday written on blackboard and all very delicious! If I could give special six Yelp stars, this would be the place. Please read what others have the say:

1. Hidden inside downtown Ithaca's small DeWitt Mall, Cafe DeWitt serves up delicious breakfast, lunch, and dessert fare with a European flare. Lined with fish tanks, mirrors, and odd lite-brite installations, the cafe looks a bit like a small, modern cafeteria. While the cafe isn't strictly vegetarian, the veggie options on their menu stand out in terms of quality. They serve up lots of egg dishes, pastries, and pannini sandwiches. Plus their desserts are amazing. Not the best place for vegans, but good if you eat dairy and eggs.

2. Located in the same downtown Ithaca shopping center as the Moosewood Restaurant, this Euro style cafe excels at brunch fare. The place is somewhat easy to miss - the space is kind of open-air towards the back of the DeWitt Mall. The mirrors and fish tanks make it look like there's more to the space than just the eating area.
The food at Cafe DeWitt is excellent. Their egg dishes are great and the veggie pannini I had was delicious. I think their pastries are made fresh every morning. The dessert menu is also mouth-watering. I had a yummy lemon pound cake, but the day I was there they also offered lavender creme brulee, some special meringue cakes, a couple of chocolate items, and some locally made ice cream.
Cafe DeWitt only does breakfast and lunch, so you have to get there before they close in early afternoon. Big thumbs up from me!

Source: http://www.vegguide.org/vendor/view.html?vendor_id=1867
4 - Angela N.: The long wait and the frenetic ambiance aren't especially appealing, but the eggs are quite nice, the yogurt fresh and the coffee keeps coming.
4 - Susie O.: A great place for brunch or breakfast.
4 - Rebecca W.: A great brunch with tons of daily specials.  Some of the lightest, fluffiest omelettes I've ever had.
4 - J S.: Best lunch/brunch, by far...
4 - Lola B.: This is neat cafe with an unlikely location but they manage to pull of something unique that suits the Ithaca scene.  I think that if lived in the Dewitt building I would surely eat here every day.  In fact, when you dine there, you will notice how heavy their crowd of regulars is.  I think one of my favorite moments there was a server very nonchalantly headed towards a blind patron as he approached, taking his arm and leading him right to a table (it seemed pretentious upon first site for me, since the cafe is essentially in a hallway between all of the first floor shops and is not always a person's destination when walking through - but it became clear that this was the man's intention).  She knew what he wanted but asked politely if he wanted something different that day.  It was clear that he is there often, and that the staff know and treat him well.

The menu has the appearance of being healthy - I couldn't vouch for whether or not this is actually the case, but I tend to want to go to the Dewitt Cafe when I don't want fried or otherwise greasy food (ok I always want fried and greasy food - I should say that I go there when my *husband* wants to eat a healthier meal).  Portions are on the smaller side in comparison to most restaurants - but of course in other words, this means that they bring you about as much as you actually want to eat, instead of a gluttunous portion that ends up with half of it going to waste.  

I enjoy the food here - it is simple and it is well done.  The regular menu items as well as the many specials are always good.  In fact, I don't believe that I have ever had a bad meal there.  And I love the desserts - I think this is where they excel the most.  The variety is key - a dessert menu that always changes is a way to guarantee that I will appreciate a restaurant!  (don't even get me started on some of the restaurants in town that change their small dessert menus only once every 5+ years!).

The service is interesting.  I know, not an adjective that a manager would want to be hear as the only descriptor.  It is beyond laid back - it is almost aloof.  Everything ends up happening fast enough, but you just always wait a little longer than you want to, or seems necessary.  In some ways I appreciate that it's not a hustle and bustle crazy scene (seeing servers run marathons around you can be rather distracting in its own way), but especially when the cafe is packed (on weekends!), you just start to wonder why there isn't a little more jump in their step.  It's not a huge issue for me, but again, I just find it interesting.

Prices are perfect, if not generous.  Be aware though that they do not take credit cards!  They'll take checks, but who carries checks around these days?  (well I suppose I do, but only because Gimme also does not take credit cards!).
4 - waiching w.: The question at Cafe Dewitt (if you can manage to find your way there) is always: what do I get?  Everything on the menu looks great, so--what to get? 

My answer?  Apple Hash! 

What IS an apple hash, you ask?  Well, its layers of potatoes, onions, sausage, apple and love baked in a white shallow dish.  A sunny side up egg sits regally on top.  You crack the egg, and let the gooey sunshine melt into the hash.  You devour until you see the bottom of that white dish while protecting that dish from your friends (who will inevitably be trying to get their nasty forks in for a bite!  don't let them! haha) 

It's a great way to start the day.  Cafe Dewitt gets brunch right and hits a perfect note in Ithaca.
4 - Sarah G.: Breakfast with the fishies!  A friend took me here for a lovely Saturday brunch -- 10:30, no wait, cute little table in the corner surrounded by goldfish and adorable bottom-feeders.  At the recommendation of the table next to us I ordered the apple hash and YES Waiching W. -- it IS all you've described and more!  I love this new greasy spoon favorite -- delicious egg, sweet apple, running together with some red potato, sopped up with some yummy multigrain toast.   The coffee though...

Moving on, awesome brunch place for my once-in-a-while travails with Southeast Asian Studies friends in Ithaca!!
4 - Jaclyn W.: The atmosphere is absolutely awful. There can be incredibly long waits. But damn their brunch is good. I once had creme brulee french toast that was out of this world (similarly to most of their french toast/pancake concoctions). The omelettes never disappointed and the service is always good. If you can tolerate the surroundings, it is a great place for brunch. Get there early, because sometimes they run out of exactly what you would have ordered (which sucks).
4 - Barry U.: The food here is excellent.  I would have given it five stars except I think they need to ramp up their regular menu a little bit.  

The two times I've been there I've had the specials which were excellent.  I can't quite remember exactly what I had now that I think about it but they were both savory and delicious.  Yes delicious isn't the most descriptive word but it'll have to do for now.  

One thing I do remember was the hash.  It was a mixture of potatoes and sweet potatoes with a flavorful curry added to it.  Awesome.  

Best piece of advice is to get here early so they don't run out of stuff and you can actually get a table w/out waiting forever.  I also think they need to sharpen the wait staff somewhat.  I think they're all doing too many wasted moves (I worked in a restaurant for a while).  

I think this is some of the best in Ithaca.
1 - Alex G.: I will NEVER eat here again-and not for the food. I just experienced one of the worst brunch, no wait, dining outings of my life. Eating a breakfast sandwich from McDonald's would have resulted in friendlier treatment from the owners-I am sure Ronald McDonald would have been more gracious and happy to have our business.

I am visiting family in Ithaca and as a former server at Cafe Dewitt I like to  stop in on my trips home and sample what used to be the best brunch place in town. I took my brother here for breakfast this morning and we had a very nice breakfast-the food is  good, I won't knock that. And our server was friendly and attentive. My mother then joined us as we were finishing our meals and ordered a very unique omelet that was quite delicious-that is until she was halfway finished with it and the owners wife/hostess marched over and announced rudely to us that I would have to leave at that moment (I believe the sentence was "You're going to have to leave now") because she couldn't seat a table next to us as we were "crowding" them. She continued to bully us to leave, towering over us at the table (until we just asked for the check) and turned what was a fun pleasant brunching experience into one that will certainly not be forgotten for all of the wrong reasons. 
Let me recap, we were all paying customers who were enjoying our dining experience until we were asked to leave while one of our dining companions was still enjoying her meal. I guess we overstayed our welcome at the cafe, no worries, we won't ever be back. 

But you know what they say, a satisfied customer tells two people how much they enjoyed their experience, a disgruntled customer will tell ten.
4 - J. B. M.: I've been here about 8 times.  I love the food.  It's always fresh and interesting and delicious.  The service is hit and miss, and there is a big hallway in between the main dining area and a few other tables. When they stick me on the far side of the hallway, I feel like I'm eating my food outside on a crowded street...and not in a good way.
4 - Jennifer G.: Cafe Dewitt is a little pricey for lunch, considering you're sitting in an open mall (a cool mall, but still a mall).  However - this is one example of getting what you pay for - the food is phenomenal!  I had the corn chowder (the soup of the day) and I literally wanted to lick the bowl clean.  My egg salad sandwich was also perfect - a great amount of egg, mayo and spices on fresh, homemade bread.  The warm drinks aren't bad either.

Bottom line - it's worth the extra $5 for a truly exceptional lunch experience.
4 - Irene L.: No credit cards. 

I experience a small existential crisis every time I come here because everything on the menu looks so incredibly, ridiculously good. It's a little on the expensive side for brunch, but it makes the perfect weekend treat. All the omelettes are ideal, the breakfast potatoes are delicious, and that little bread basket they put out for brunch is phenomenal. Granted, I'm a fool for anything that can be used as an excuse to consume butter, but those little breads/scones/baked things are pretty great.

My favorite item on the menu is the michel sandwich, I think. Brie, bacon, cranberry relish, spinach, and garlic aioli. Did the chef read my mind?

It's also great to see local companies and foods on the menu.

Not surprised to hear people unhappy with the owners/waitstaff. I've never experienced anything like that firsthand, but I think some of the folks there are their own kind of crazy. It's worth the risk to eat the food, though.
4 - Matthew S.: The girlfriend and I had gone for a late-breakfast at 10am this past Monday and were more or less delighted that we had.

We had seemed to have hit one of the "magical" lulls when we went since there weren't very many people at all, and we definitely did not have to stand in a line to be seated (as instructed by the signs), as some other reviews commented about the place tending to be jacked all the time. I guess we got lucky.

The menu wasn't exactly what one could call "expansive" but they seem to put an interesting twist on every dish--at least for their breakfast choices.

I had ordered the Farmhouse: 2 eggs, toast with jam, and homestyle rosemary red potatoes. Oh how I do love an interesting-yet-simple potato dish, and, those were by-far some of the best and most surprising breakfast potatoes I've eaten. Very unique. The rest of the plate was done well, too.

My Farmhouse deliciously pictured:
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/33nfauIJqAZb-Cy01BWwrw?select=FGC_Xxg6NdP9Euguibm6Hw

The atmosphere was a touch on the skeevy-side it's true, but by the nature of the mall complex you are basically within the confines of a building with shops and restaurants attached around the edges and around the core of the walk-about and as such, so too is DeWitt with maybe a dozen tables seated inside its open-air style cafe setting (its walls lined with an interesting aquarium setup) and a line of tables planted along the outside of the mall's indoor walkway where shoppers parade through, but overall that was fine as the mall itself isn't exactly booming from what we experienced.

If we're in the area again, I think this would definitely be an option for us.
4 - Nat R.: The brunch here is great despite the crowded atmosphere and lackadaisical service.  Be prepared to pay at least $15 (cash only) per person.  My husband can't stand it here for that very reason so I only go with friends.

They always offer creative daily specials which all sound delicious and can make deciding what to eat a time consuming endeavor.  Today I finally settled on the morning glory breakfast sandwich which consisted of a scrambled egg with bacon, cheddar and tomato chutney on multi-grain bread.  Sounded pretty basic but tasted AMAZING!

If you are a brunch lover, this is the place to go in Ithaca.
3 - Alexandra C.: Cafe DeWitt is a Euopean-style cafe situated on the first floor of DeWitt Mall. They don't accept credit cards, and the service can be spotty, but they food is usually delicious, and if you imagine away the fish tank and the Lite-Brite things along the banquette, you could be on a sidewalk in Amsterdam.

They do have creative and tasty specials, and I am rarely disappointed. Their French Toast is a favorite of mine, served with 2 fried eggs and bacon, making it a filling breakfast and a very good deal. Someone else here mentioned a bread basket that comes with brunch - they either don't do that any more, or they didn't give us one. I don't recall ever getting a bread basket at brunch there, though.

I usually love CafeDeWitt, but my experience yesterday makes me think they might be slipping. I ordered the Omelette Hans, which comes with home-fried potatoes and toast. The potatoes came up rather dry, with the edges burned, and my omelette was thick and rubbery. Maybe they had a different chef that morning, but it wasn't up to the quality standard I associate with Cafe DeWitt.

Overall - this used to be a consistently great place for lunch/brunch, but now, you take your chances: you might get an exceptional experience or a so-so one.
4 - Matthew H.: I'm on a two week trip in Ithaca and I've eaten at Cafe Dewitt every day for the last week. I keep thinking I should try other places, but after a mediocre experience at Ithaca Bakery, I'd rather stick to what I know is delicious.

I haven't had any problems with the service, and I've been there during the very busy Sunday brunch twice. The prices are quite reasonable, averaging around $11 for me.

My only complaint is that the omelet size is reduced by maybe 60% when you order it made with egg whites, especially since there is a $1 upcharge.

Even with that downside, the flavor is worth it.
1 - Peter E.: This place goes into my top 5 absolute WORST experiences at a restaurant. Food was decent, though nothing to write home about, and would normally warrant 3-stars from me if not for the incredibly rude and disorganized staff.  We arrived at 10 AM for Sunday brunch and were told it would be a 20 minute wait as there were 3 or 4 other parties waiting for a table.  We had an appointment at noon and decided to wait.  What was supposed to take 20 minutes took over an hour!  An older couple came in 15 minutes after us and was called to get seated with only a 10 or 15 minute wait.  I went up to the hostess to remind her we had been waiting for 30 minutes and that I didn't understand how the couple should be seated before us. She defensively told me it was because they had a table available for a party of 2, not 4 - yet she sat them at a table with 4 chairs!  Then, as we started to get anxious given our noontime appointment, I noticed that 2 tables in the restaurant were just sitting empty for some time.  Again, I went to ask the hostess why they weren't seating those tables and ask if we could take them.  She informed me that she was waiting for those parties to return!  Return?! We had been waiting for nearly an hour at this point and they were holding tables for people that might have left!?  I almost lost my cool here, but then, after more than an hour waiting, we were finally seated.  Now, I also have a food allergy to nuts, which I have found it is good practice to always inform your server in advance.  When coffee and bread was brought out, I told our server who then informed me that some, but not all, of the bread had nuts and simply took it away.  Upon her return, she informed me that they wouldn't serve me anything from the griddle or fryer (which is the entire menu)!  Now, I have dined at enough restaurants to know that this is completely unreasonable and unnecessary.  I have never had a restaurant basically refuse me service because of my allergy - they always (and I mean always, this was a first) find a way to accommodate me in a reasonable way (like cook my meal in a separate fry pan for instance).  So after waiting more than hour and stressing about my appointment at noon, I sat down and was treated to a bowl of cold cereal - which they still charged me for!!!  Unbelievable - as a student in this town, I have told all my friends of this story and encouraged them not to visit.  Horrible.
2 - Grace P.: The food is are ok here but the service really stinks. If you enjoy eating in a windowless old mall with hippie servers that have an attitude come to Cafe Dewitt. 

example of their stellar service: 
me: do you have orange juice?
hippie: yes, fresh squeezed and tropicana
me: well what's the difference in price?
hippie: um...one is more expensive...

Also my boyfriend and I both got terrible heartburn, which is not something i suffer from regularly.
2 - L H.: The food  is delicious and the service is mediocre to atrocious. I once had the experience of eating there with someone who was friends with the waitstaff and was astonished at the level of friendly service they were capable of-- I certainly never experienced that on any other occasion. Even though there are very few breakfast/brunch sites in Ithaca, the service keeps me from going often.
4 - Masha P.: After the closure of the beloved ABC Cafe and then its reincarnation, The Giving Tree Cafe, the discovery of Cafe Dewitt was a welcome surprise for me. Though it does not have the cool, rustic ambiance of ABC/Giving Tree, their brunch menu is highly superior. Everything I've had there is scrumptious, but if I had to choose a favorite it would be their eggs florentine: A perfectly poached egg coated with hollandaise laid over a bed of spinach and rosemary foccacia? Yes, please! I will, however, order the lemon souffle pancakes when my sweet tooth calls. As many of the other reviewers have noted, this place is packed at brunch-time, so get up early--you won't be sorry! Food like this is why breakfast is my favorite meal!
3 - Holly C.: 3.5 stars

Great place for brunch. It's a little pricey, and the service is a little slow but I think it's worth trying. You don't feel rushed to leave and can enjoy catching up over some delicious food.
3 - Ryan B.: Overall not the worst place in town, quite nice food. I wanted to echo the comments about the poor service. In contrast to the friendly, attentive staff at the Carriage House Cafe, this was a shock. It's a shame, because the food is good.
4 - Hunter Z.: You don't come to Café DeWitt if you want a quick meal or typical ambiance. I'm not going to dispute anything that others have said in this regard - it's a café in a basement in which there are often long lines to be seated. If you're okay with sometime waiting a bit and, window views aren't your first qualification when it comes to come food, come to Café DeWitt. If not, Carriage House on Stewart has a good brunch (though also often has long waits) as does Simply Red Bistro at La Tourelle (pricier and more full of itself).

So, you don't mind waiting sometimes and you're okay with not having a window view, what can you expect out of Café DeWitt?:
-Really, good creative specials 
--they're not always your typical brunch fare, but among the often offbeat ingredients of the specials, there are always one or two gems. The lemon zest blueberry pancakes and some of the omelets are my favorites - though read the omelet ingredients carefully, they often contain a handful of unexpected ones. 
-Good standard fare - if you feel like an egg sandwich, or just eggs and potatoes and toast, it's all solid. 
-Good people watching
-seriously, the place if full of hipsters, college kids and local Ithacans. It's fun to watch people and wonder what they're up to. 
-Fun fishtanks. Though I wish they decorated them a bit more.
5 - Chris C.: My favorite place in Ithaca for brunch.  The food is fresh tasting, and there are always new specials.  I've gone there quite a bit since I moved here, and it's always a pleasant experience.
4 - Mariko F.: I love Cafe Dewitt! I go here almost every weekend with my boyfriend because we live right up the road. We have tried almost everything on the menu and except for one dish, it's all been delicious. I can't really tell the difference, but my boyfriend's only complaint is that the coffee could be better.

The only reason I give it 4 stars is because there are a lot of places like Cafe Dewitt in big cities, but for Ithaca it is certainly special. The owner, a German lady, is really great. I saw her speak at Standard Art Supply and it was great to learn more about her philosophy on food and nourishment.

Most definitely a better place to go to than Moosewood (nobody paid me to write that)!

Definitely try the "energy drink," it's like a delicious green smoothie!
3 - Melanne S.: 3.5 stars
It's not the food, it's really not the food that warrants Cafe DeWitt 3.5 stars. It's the service. I'll do this like a sandwich, a negative sandwich with positive bread. Positive: To speak in general terms about the food, it's always been excellent. Omelets are fluffy and perfectly filled with just the right amount of stuff. Great choices. Home fries are crispy, flavorful, not greasy. Coffee is dark roast and good, refilled frequently. The option of fresh squeezed o.j. is always nice and,  overall, the menu, including specials are a neatly contained pantheon of good quality, locally sourced foods that you want to eat for breakfast, lunch or brunch. They don't try to do too much in their tiny space, and what they do they do well. Portions are just right, plates are attractively presented. In sum, there is nothing that smacks of Denny's of the place, including the quaint location. 
Negative: The service. Blasé, inattentive, and strange for so few tables easily in view -- there are mirrors everywhere. Maybe they rest on the food and the central location to bring back customers.  A typical example: The restaurant is not busy, so our hip and social server is across the not-very-big room talking with his back to us to two girls, apparently friends, who are at another table. I have Squirmy Kid with me, and it's Time to Leave. I'm sending pointed looks over in their direction for maybe 10 minutes, hoping the his friends will alert him that a customer wants something. Instead, they shoot me "WTF is she looking at?!?" looks and say nothing to him. Eventually he wanders over, oblivious. Expect this. The place is often jammed. What's another customer or two?
Positive: I went with my mom mid-week around 11. No wait, fantastically attentive and conscientious server!  Sweet! Wonderful food, as usual. 
Also: I don't think it's too pricey for what you get by the way. It's the quality and the menu that keeps me coming back.
3 - Joy Y.: 3.5 stars....I've been to Cafe Dewitt on three occasions and their food is solid.  I've gotten the Lemon Souffle Pancakes with blackberries, the Omelette Oliver with Dill Walnut Pesto, chives, tarragon parsley and feta, and the Omelette Acapulco with cheddar, avocado and homemade salsa and each one is exactly as amazing as it sounds (although I'd have to say the Acapulco is my favorite.)  They have a revolving menu of specials and their coffee is always spot on.  I've never tried this place for lunch, but I imagine it is probably equally delicious.  Oh, you should also get the bread basket (which used to be free, boo) which is awesome and full of homemade corn bread, scones, etc. etc.  My only issue aside from the no longer free bread basket, is that the service is spotty at best.  It was the worst yesterday when there were no water/coffee refills unless we flagged out waitress down, which was pretty annoying.  Also, we waited close to a half hour for our food (really?!?)  Although in the kitchen's defense, when we were there, there were two dudes stuck in a tiny closet-like kitchen looking like a well-oiled machine, which was kind of impressive in itself.  Oh, one more thing, cash or check only... guess that knocks them down another half star, you should probably go anyway though, the food is totally worth these petty annoyances.
5 - Vanessa W.: One of my favorite Ithaca eateries! Thoughtfully prepared dishes and consistently delicious!

Cafe Deli-Icious - Troy, NY (42.7356264, -73.6874788) ()
3 - Danika A.: Cute little cafe on slowly-but-surely developing River Street. They have a good sized menu with reasonably priced breakfast options, sandwiches, salads and soups. I really enjoy the eclectic interior lined with witty signs and slogans, oddities, candies and knick-knacks. There is a "secret" area that contains some off color items, but I won't ruin the surprise :P (just be aware, parents lol). 

The food teeters on the fence between good and okay. Portions are not particularly large, but sometimes that's a good thing, especially for lunch. The chicken in the grilled chicken salad kind of reminds me of canned chicken, but I'm not entirely sure. Definitely not what I imagine when I think of grilled chicken. The Hot Guy (smoked turkey with cran-mayo, lettuce, apple slices, bacon & cheddar cheese on grilled wheat bread) is very tasty. 

It's not my go-to lunch destination, but it's part of my rotation. I enjoy my trips to Deli-Icious.
5 - Anton Z.: I'm someone who loves everything and never wants the same thing twice. 
When I go here I order the Roman and let them get creative and make me something ridiculously good and random. I've never had combinations of food like they've given me but its always mouth-wateringly delicious at deli icious. 
Today I got the Roman and it was a grilled cheese with tomatoes, bacon, and turkey. 
Absolutely amazing.

I'd recommend this place for lunch any day. For ~7$ you get the sandwich and a choice of a bag of chips. Takes them about 5 minutes to make it. 

Go!

Cafe Durant - Berkeley, CA (37.8680114, -122.2583343) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
5 - Michael T.: Hands down my favorite breakfast spot in the East Bay.  Everything here is great, and the combination meals allow you to have a little bit of it all--pancakes, crepes, fresh fruit, omelettes, you name it.  Top it off with fresh-squeezed OJ or a smoothie and take it outside to eat on the deck.  As much as I love living in SF, there are certain things about East Bay living that I really do miss, and this is one of them.
4 - Allison K.: Food's pretty good, the coffee decent (however, a bit overpriced).  My main complaint is the upstairs area which feels like you're in a back alley of North Philadelphia.  The place is not super clean but the crowd is always interesting...if you can score one of the three tables in the front winidow you can just enjoy the world passing by and people watch to your heart's content.
5 - Max B.: Get something with crepes. One of the five "value breakfasts" or whatever they're called has many different items. You can get a huge, delicious breakfast for like $6, and even though the orange juice is $3, get it; you won't be sorry. The outdoor 2nd story patio is awesome.
4 - Jim L.: This is a great little breakfast joint with a real Berkeley college-town feel.  They have the best most amazing mixed fruit pancakes I've ever tried and a great sundeck to enjoy them on.  A wide variety of choices including breakfast, sandwiches and mexican.  Really reasonable prices, partly because it is quasi-self-serve, where you walk up to the counter to order, seat yourself, and then they bring it to you.
3 - Roshni R.: i had brunch out on the deck one early afternoon last summer, and it was a great way to start off a lazy saturday, soaking in the rays.  the food was very mediocre and the place is pretty dirty, but it's cheap, and the proximity to telegraph etc is pretty convenient.
4 - adam m.: breakfast, lunch, or breakfast for lunch,
and you can sit outside overlooking Durant st., very relaxing in good weather.
good food, good prices.
4 - Dave K.: I loved going to this place in the weekend mornings when I was in college.  It was always busy, but it was usually worth the wait.  They had great breakfast combos that I never seemed to get tired of.  You know it's good when you still come back to the places after you've graduated from college and now live more than 10 miles away.
5 - Michael B.: One of my favorite places to take visitors of Berkeley.  I love sitting on the deck on a nice day and eating either some really good breakfast, or some really good Mexican food for a nice brunch.  I know the owner has changed, but hopefully nothing will change.  Great place.
2 - Kat C.: This place is horrendous. It only gets 2 stars for sheer convenience. Two food poisonings and it isn't even all that cheap. Ick.
5 - Stacy B.: Great little joint for Breakfast. Really inexpensive and pretty large portions. 

Gotta try the pancakes if you're there!
3 - Arun C.: A good place for breakfast, I'll second the motion for the fruit filled pancakes.
2 - Ben T.: okay, the lack of stars is not for the food, do not get it wrong. the food is actually quite delicious, which redeemed itself one star higher than what i wanted to rate. 

i went in with a friend after receiving a flyer on the street for one of their breakfast specials, and decided to order otherwise, ordering the chicken burritos, which i specifically asked for no sour cream, and with black beans. the price written on the board was 5.50$, but the guy then proceeds to charge me 6.50$ per burrito, plus tax (~14). puzzled, i ask him, "um, did the black beans magically add a dollar to each burrito or something?" he then looks at me equally puzzled, and then says "oh, 5.95, board." he then asks me for 13$. 

i then look at him even more quizzically, and point at the board, and ask him "isn't the chicken burrito 5.50$?" he says "oh, board wrong, should be 5.95, 12 dollars." i hand him twelve dollars more confused than pissed off, until i calculated that 5.50 x2 plus tax only 11.96. bastard stole 4 cents, without asking if i wanted to give it to them. 

on top of that, both of our burritos had sour cream, cheese, and pinto beans. what a bunch of jerks.
5 - Mark P.: I've only been here for breakfast. For years it was one of my favorite breakfast places near campus.  Well designed and diverse combo plates are surprisingly cheap, including items like crepes, pancakes, french toast, roasted potatoes, fruit salads, etc..  The joint is well hidden up a flight of stairs but worth the searching.  Plus, on nice days one can sit outside on the balcony.  They also serve traditional diner fare like burgers as well as Mexican food, neither of which I've tried.
4 - Kathleen M.: This place looks like it should be terrible. It's located up some worn concrete stairs and decorated with fake vines. But the breakfasts, oh the breakfasts. Their white chocolate pancakes were my favorite breakfast near campus, and I reserved them for special occasions. They also come in crepe form.
3 - Merrill H.: Cafe Durant is a great place to start your morning off right-- with a good breakfast and a nice, tall glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Their fruit pancakes are superb!
5 - Lindsay T.: I just love this place!  I go there all the time between classes because I know I can just sit for hours and do work, ordering eggs here or fruit there.  They have a great balcony for sunny days too!

Beware that they're not open for dinner!
4 - Lucy M.: Hole in the wall.... Wait more like hole in the attic. 

Look carefully or you'll miss it. Once you discover it, your weekend brunches will not be the same. This place is a great place to study, congregate, loiter, etc. The patio deck creates a very relaxing atmosphere. I love hearing the old traditional Mexican songs playing in the background.

Food is pretty decent. I love the chilaquiles and the yummy sides that ususally come with the entrees: either pinto and black beans, rice, home fries and/or tortillas. The portions are good for the price; most entrees are about $5-$7. Fruit pancakes especially tasty. I recently had a burrito and was not impressed, but that's one miss out of a bunch of hits.

Place looks a bit beat-up (germphobes beware) but overall it's a great little place.
4 - Pete C.: The paradox of Cafe Durant is that it's neither a cafe nor is it on Durant. (Ok ok.. I kid. It is on Durant.. sorta.)

If you're a poor college student but you feel like having a decent brunch, Cafe Durant is a good option to have. This place is bizarre is that you can order anything from enchiladas to strawberry-banana crepes to a burger. These chefs know no-boundaries.

They have a pretty sweet deck which is perfect to eat on when the weather is nice. 

Also, it's nearly impossible to find. You have to go into a small alleyway where you half-expect to find a group of crack addicts.
4 - Judy L.: i've began to really like this place. i've had the mexican breakfasts both times that i went and i liked it quite a bit. the atmosphere is great and the place is very cozy and cute. the portion is more than enough and kept me hungry well pass a second meal. the people there are quite professional and nice. the only thing i find weird sometimes is the cheese in the tortillas... i don't like that too much.
3 - Catherine H.: not fusion food...just a confusion of different breakfast/cafe offerings. decent, affordable offerings. sort of creative - i had white chocolate strawberry pancakes. they also have crepes. and nachos.
4 - Dorothy S.: I remember going to this cafe with two good friends for a carb filled breakfast, which was delightful.  It's your basic cafe with many combo platters and deals to choose from.  It's very college oriented in the sense that there's a 'Breakfast Club Card' you can use and many students getting their last minute studying done or finishing up that paper.  

A combo minus one star.  Minus half a star for being across the bridge from me (living in SF - boo!) and minus another half for the lack of decent parking.  However, if you're doing a bit of shopping, you will definitely get some energy from the food offered at this establishment.
3 - Emily D.: Cafe Durant and a Bloody Mary are all you need to get rid of a nasty hangover. Their menu is 1/4 diner fare, 1/2 Mexican and 1/4 crepes. It is the only place I have ever been that has a combo plate with crepes, pancakes, an omelet and a fruit cup. Don't go to this place if you are a carb watcher/carb hater/complete idiot who still thinks a low carb diet will shrink off your freshman 15. 

The deck is big and wonderful when it is nice outside, but only if you can drag your ass there before 10am on weekends; after that the place is crawling with Cal students and becomes annoying, as most places that are crawling with Cal students tend to be. Oh, and they take credit cards.

Long story short, this place was designed with the poor hungover college kid in mind. I'm a poet and didn't know it. Word. Get the OJ -- it's fresh squeezed.
5 - Joy C.: Lovely outdoor deck, great service, and great food. I love their crepes, their breakfast combos, and mexican combos. It's a favorite of mine in Berkeley.
3 - Shelly S.: The menu nearly gave me an anxiety attack.....breakfast, lunch, dinner, all of the above?  

So, I went for the breakfast which was decent; nothing to write home about but it worked.  The real happiness came from the AMAZING margarita....it was really good and tasted pretty authentic. 

I loved the patio..I couldnt imagine NOT eating on the patio!  The place looks pretty shabby but the prices are reasonable so "it's a give n take."

I'd go back...
2 - Nick H.: I generally like Cafe Durant alright, but after eating lunch there the other day (I had chicken enchiladas) I endured a night of rather unpleasant stomach issues. I've been food poisoned before, and it wasn't like that, but something in the food made my stomach and bowels rather vengeful. I eat Mexican food all the time and don't have any problems with it.  I would have given Cafe Durant 3-4 stars, but questionable quasi-food poisoning knocks that down to a sub-par score for sure.  If I was positive I had been food poisoned by them I would obviously give them a 1.  So I've definitely had good meals and great fresh squeezed OJ here in the past, but I'm afraid to go back and have another "special" following night.
4 - Dave L.: Oooo a rooftop cafe!

My first impression when I came in was like... whoa, it feels like Mexico! Hola amigos! Friendly people. The food was good, but the most appealing aspect is the rooftop deck. It's a great view and a nice escape from the chaos on Telegraph/Durant. Sorry Hector, I had to dock 1 star... it's kinda ghetto up in there.

Tips: Can't find it? It's upstairs. Look for coupons passed out on the street.
2 - Megan K.: it's sunday.  i have woken up quite late but have no fear!  brunch is here!  gleefully clutching the address of the new to me cafe durant, i wait for the bus.  each minute that i wait for the bus is another minute my anticipation mounts.  not even the bus lurching into action as i deposited all my laundry booty into the money eater making me trip all the way back to my seat next to a very stinky person could sway me (metaphorically; literally it did thus) from reaching my destination in good spirits!

i reach my destination.  i follow the arrows.  i arrive at: a cash register?  a man takes my order quickly and disappears just the same after thrusting a pokey numbered thing at my partner.  coffee?  oh coooooffeeee?  i look around.  i see the serve yourself water.  i see the salsa bar.  i see the coffee fixins.  i get it!  you get it!  but i didn't think it appropriate to step behind the counter to give myself some coffee!  upon return, the curt fellow gives me a cup.  it is tepid, but it is coffee, and i nurse it back to health with a healthy dose of sugar and cream.

perched on the lanai in a spot closest to the edge, i think, this might not be over yet.  the weather is on my side, i have what i think is the best seat in the house, and it looks like the pancakes come with chocolate chips by default! alas, forty-five minutes later, another crappy cup of coffee later (and i mean really crappy, i have a special place in my heart for crappy coffee and this was worse than that), three parties who came AFTER me getting their food BEFORE me later.  the food arrives.  i immediate jab my pointer finger into the middle of my pancakes.  COLD.  i put my pointer finger in the scrambled egg.  COLD.  i point my pointiest of pointy fingers at the... turkey?  is that even turkey?!?!

maybe i ordered the wrong things.  maybe they made me extra special pancakes and i waited just for them because cold pancakes are special.  but i have never before in my life felt like throwing an adult temper tantrum.  you know what i am talking about?  the kind your dad has thrown after receiving his food and the froth that lands on the face of the server, who has nothing to do with said plated crap but must endure the rant, is so embarrassing that all you can do is wish you had more tinkerbell peelable nail polish to pick at?

i really, really wanted to.  and if the person i love most in the world hadn't been sitting across from me, i may have.
1 - shane c.: Unfortunately this is another one of those  "approved" places that our group goes to for lunch. So sometimes I get stuck eating here.  The burritos are terrible and greasy.  Its like a taco bell burrito covered in red sketchy sauce. It has the same old shitty nor cal steamed tortilla (why is there a phobia of grilling tortillas up here?). The enchilada thing was less offensive but it was far from good.  If i get sucked into coming to this place again, I will follow the lead of two of my coworkers who only get burgers and breakfast. I give Durant three stars for the cool patio and two anti-stars for the food.
2 - Paola L.: it gets 2 star for the upstairs view..and yes u see some interesting stuff happening on the streets of berkeley. 

The food is gross, i am big on quality deli meat, i was excited for my fabulous turkey club and when i get it its freakin OSCAR MYER MEAT! nasty. If i wanted cheap processed turkey i would have just gone to the golden bear. I got nasty wonder bread, oscar myer turkey crap, ice burg lettuce and flavor less tomatoes.  and it wasn't that cheap, i mean i get some quality sanwiches at Cafe Milano (which is closer to campus may i add) AND i get a freakin salad on the side.

This place sux, i hate it because they fooled me into thinking the sandwich in the picture was the one they actually serve. On the other hand i hear the breakfast is good i am not that fond of checking it out...i have my own breakfast place that claims my arteries. That place u may ask is the one and only Anne's Kitchen. duh.
1 - Veljko S.: This place panders to everyone and of course pleases no one. It's like meeting one of those dudes who agrees with everything you say. At first you take a liking to him and think that you are that special and interesting, only to realize he does that to everyone and there is not an ounce of sincerity or authenticity to be had. 

Well, save the time on this one and skip the introduction all together.
5 - Melissa T.: i love breakfast foods and i love cheap food. cafe durant is great - i got the sundeck combo and it made me pretty full. i don't really like their homefries very much, but that might have been because i was so excited to eat the rest of the meal. their fruit pancake is WONDERFUL. one of the best yet. their french toast is small but good. their omelettes are pretty good too. there's tons of veggies in it, tons of fruit in the pancake - i like how it doesn't feel like they are skimping. we sat outside, which was ok because it wasn't sunny, but i don't know what i would do if it were raining. it seems pretty crowded inside. the service is average. we bussed our own tables but i have seen people bus tables for you. everything on their menu looks really good. i kind of want to try it all
5 - Arlene M.: I used to go here a lot when I was a starving student.  I remembered this being one of the best breakfast spots I've been to.  Now that I'm older and been to plenty more places, a lot of my fave college spots just don't hold up.  But this one does!

We wanted to go to the Crate & Barrel outlet in Berkeley, and since my football-mad hubby's would rather wake up early than miss the 49er game, we just decided to have breakfast there instead of dropping by in the afternoon.  He's also been craving strawberry crepes for a while, and after an unsuccessful attempt to go to IHOP (who knew they were so popular) last week, we actually decided to check this place out again.  We've been here numerous times while I was still in college and he was visiting for the weekend, but we haven't been here in at least 5 years!

I gotta say it's still the same divey-looking place, that serves both breakfast and mexican food(!) of all things.  And man, does the breakfast live up to my memories!  My buttermilk pancakes were perfectly cooked, with that very nice crisp edge that you only get if they're home made and from scratch.  Definitely blew McDonald's, Denny's, IHOP, and my own homemade pancakes out of the water.  The side of bacon I had was good, perfectly crisp...bacon always tastes good to me though!  Though I don't like fruit too much, my hubby's strawberry-banana crepes looked very tasty, and he enjoyed them a lot.  I think I wanna try some of their savory crepes next time (tomato and avocado!).  He also got a 2-egg breakfast that came w/ hash browns, toast, and sausage.  We got all this for under $20!  

We had a nice table outside where we can people watch and reminisce about when we were still in college.  Still the best breakfast I've ever had in the bay area!
2 - Mark D.: The best thing going for Caf Durant is its breathtaking view of the Telegraph area. Hopefully that will be enough to distract you from the terrible food. Most dishes--and there are a lot on the menu--will leave you reaching for the salt and pepper. I've always lived by the rule that if the menu is more than five pages long beware. There a lot of Mexican and American dishes to choose from so no one goes home hungry. In between bites of your meal, enjoy the music that pumps through the speakers and the cool Berkeley breeze. Saturday and Sunday mornings are the best time to visit Caf Durant when Telegraph is eerily calm.
4 - Stacy F.: Popular place for breakfast. The ambiance is cozy - a deck, self-serve water and condiments, lots of paintings and colorful tiles. They play spanish music all day - one of the small handful of words I know is "corazon", which I hear a lot when I come here - so romantic...

Food is cheap and tasty - the breakfast food outshines the rest. I had a phenomenal veggie omelet here. The pancakes come with super sweet toppings - strawberry, white chocolate, bananas... I like the sundeck combo's a lot, but, looking around, people order all kinds of things on the menu.
4 - Rachel K.: The only bad part about this place is how long it takes you to decide what to order. With prices made for students, and a menu a mile long, Cafe Durant is the perfect college town establishment. The ambiance might be grungy, but the breakfast burrito kept me going back every Sunday morning when I lived in Berkeley - and it keeps me coming back even now that I live on the East Coast!
3 - Jenn C.: I love this place for the White Chocolate and Strawberry pancakes ($5!! $2 extra for Bacon) while the husband opts for Sundeck special. This is the best spot on a warm sunny morning to absorb some Vitamin D on the outdoor deck.  I must say I am continually thrown off by the entrance and atmosphere of this place - as it looks like shit and I am thrown off by walking past the sketchy chinese places leading up to the Cafe. Past the exterior, this place is a gem.  Granted I have only had the pancakes - why stray from a sure thing!?
4 - Emily M.: Been flashing back to my college years, since a former roommate from those days was living back in Berkeley for about a year. The few times I visited her there (she has now moved to a friend's place in SF for a few weeks before leaving for a journo gig in Nepal - crazy woman!) we visited spots from the olden times.

Cafe Durant is one of them. We never lived far from this place during school years and sometimes we stopped in for a tasty cheap breakfast, whether at breakfast time or not.

Their menu is huge, with burgers, breakfast, and Mexican food. The atmosphere, as others have noted, starts out bad at the entrance, but once you climb the stairs and order your food, the patio is quite nice on sunny mornings/afternoons.

On my latest visit I had fish tacos... which were edible but nothing to write home about. I still think their breakfast items are the best things to have and should have stuck with that.
2 - Jean K.: all their savory stuff is pretty greasy (but expected at a mexican diner). 
also i dont know what they did with my pancakes in the morning (i got the one with slices of strawberry inside) but it was so gross! cold and stale!!
3 - Sarah G.: Cafe Durant is one of those places you go to because you love it inside of you. This is one of the best brunch places to go to in Berkeley because their menu is so huge and you get so much food for what you pay. They have a whole outside patio with umbrellas which are always cute to sit under while you eat, and their breakfast specials that come with eggs, crepes, hashbrowns and sausages will fill up anyone!! Great spot to go on a slow morning/afternoon after a night out, but don't expect the food to be spectacular. It is just a little cafe in berkeley that students love for the value and convenience.
2 - Christine A.: Cafe Durant doesn't have the best food, but I do like the place itself. It has a patio where you can sit and eat while observing the hustle and bustle of Berkeley. It has all kinds of food, and the portions are filling - they're not HUGE, but they're definitely good enough for the prices they charge. My friend recommended their crepes, and although I've heard a lot of people that like their sweet crepes, I think they're average... not the greatest or anything. The potatoes that they serve with their savory crepes tasted kind of weird too. But I do like their selections under the Breakfast section.
3 - Ada T.: I think one of the primary draws to this place for me is that I feel completely comfortable showing up on Sunday around noon, wearing an oversized Cal hoodie and pajama pants with monkeys on them. Because, let's be honest, Cafe Durant isn't really the classiest establishment. 

It has a decently wide selection of breakfast items, combo plates, and drinks at a reasonable price. The portions are just right, and you get to enjoy them on a lovely outdoor patio, where you have a wonderful view of campus-area Berkeley landmarks like House of Curries and that sad, empty complex that used to house La Val's. After you consume your food (while avoiding the somewhat sketchy looking bits of fruit that come on the plate), you take the rickety staircase down and start dealing with that enormous pile of Sunday homework.
2 - Jen S.: The food just wasn't good. I love the patio, though, and the cashier guy was friendly and accommodating! My chicken fajita caesar salad with a diet coke wasn't worth the almost $9 I paid for it. It was as if the iceberg lettuce was washed (yay!) but never rinsed (boo!) so the salad was afloat. The dressing didn't taste anything like a caesar, though the ocean below certainly didn't help. I might go back, just to sit out in the sunshine on a nice day, but ti's definitely not my first choice in Berkeley cuisine. Cafe Durant is perhaps a jack of all trades, master of none.
4 - Jeff L.: List: Berkeley's Cheapest Eats

OK, so you can't eat here for under five dollars.  But, I still think it's Berkeley's best value for brunch.  For about $7 you can get a big plate of any number of breakfast items (steak and eggs, waffles, crepes, whatever) and a coffee.  Their roof-top patio is the best place on Telegraph Ave. to find yourself on a sunny Sunday morning.  Of course everyone else in Berkeley has the same idea, so show up early if you don't want to wait for a table.  Four out of five past due notices from Sallie Mae.
5 - Gabe F.: I like a lot of things about this place. The out side deck is great on a sunny day, you feel like you are out in So America .,,,, or so I would think   , Ive never been there.

The food is good and even though their prices went up a little , their quantity stayed the same and the quality is good too. If its cold out, you can sit near the fire place and warm up. The coffee is good and they have a nice selection of teas if thats your thing.

You can get a nice Macho Buritto for only $4.50. Thats enough to fill you up if you feel like a buritto in the morning. If your pocket lets you, I would recommend the green cheese enchilada plate. Its $5.75 but worth it. They also have fresh orange juice! Their horchata is not bad either.

Great place to go out on Sunday morning, just be sure to get there early, they are a popular place for the students to go.
3 - Traci C.: food's pretty good considering the price.  lots of seating and the patio is really nice on warm days.  the freshly squeezed orange juice is pretty tasty and goes well with breakfast.  very affordable, pretty good taste, good atmosphere.
3 - Esther Y.: If you need a hearty breakfast, Cafe Durant is a pretty good and convenient place to get it. I got strawberry pancakes, short stack. Not the BEST pancakes I've ever had, but they were well made. There's a lot of variety here. Prices are a little on the higher side, in my opinion...
4 - Katherine M.: I always used to come to this place last year to treat myself after a gruelingly early Thursday 8 AM UGBA discussion.  I love sitting outside on the sunny upstairs patio, lingering over delicious chocolate chip pancakes while ponderously filling in the Daily Cal crossword.  If you're a Cal student, there's a student specials board with discounted prices.  Always a plus in my book.

I went again this weekend with a group of friends from out of town, and tried the Enchilada plate.  It came with two cheese enchiladas, one in red sauce and one in green sauce, plus your usual bean/rice/lettuce sides, for less than $5.  Decent price, amazing enchiladas.  I'm still craving those enchiladas days later -- I tried some at Wahoo's today and they just didn't live up to the perfection of Cafe Durant's.

Conclusion: "Yay! I'm a fan."  This is a great little place, yet sadly unknown to many passersby who frequent this area of Durant.
3 - Karen W.: Great place to grab a large and yummy brunch! The menu is huge and full of both Mexican and American style breakfast and lunch options. I stared at the pictures for several minutes, trying to decide what to get: And omelet or a crepe? A quesadilla or a sandwich? Prices are around $7 and everything is self-serve--water, napkins, utensils, etc.

Finally, I settled on the Club Sandwich, and my Brunch Buddy got a Sundeck Combination (omelet, crepe, and pancakes?) I got a lot of food--the Club Sandwich came with home fries on the side. It was quite yummy, much to say...turkey (or ham?), bacon, lettuce, cucumber, sprouts, and tomatoes between wheat bread. I had to take it apart though--it was too fat to fit in my mouth. We ate on the cute sun deck.

I will probably be back at some point, once I get my hands on the Berkeley Coupon book, which apparently has Buy 1 get 1 free Coupons for Cafe Durant.
5 - Joyce Man H.: This is one of my favorite restaurants in Berkeley. Don't judge.

It's cheap, fresh, and really tasty. I love the chimichangas and fresh squeezsed OJ and deluxe combo D with the chocolate banana pancakes and the perfect little omelette and a strawberry banana crepe and a fruit salad. oh baby baby, how can you not just start salivating copious copious amounts of saliva? You can also get a margarita or pina colada in a cute little ceramic pot for only 5 bucks! There's a lovely patio that you can sit out on too. I can't think of anything else they could add to make the place better. The location is also a little secret because you have to go up these shady stairs, but that just makes it seem like even more of a treasure! i *heart* you cafe durant have my babies.
3 - Eric R.: I've eaten here twice.  I like sitting on the balcony looking over the street.  The food is fine, the pricing is fine, the wait time is fine - but it's just that.  It's not going to blow you away, but shouldn't be a big disappointment either.  I'm not in a hurry to go back, but I wouldn't object to it if the proposition came up.
5 - Michelle C.: My first date with my boyfriend was here at Cafe Durant.  Today we relived out one year anniversary by going back.  We forgot how yummy it was here.  The menu kept making us change our minds while we were in this long line.  As we got closer to the register, we caved into the best deal on the menu, their sundeck combos.  You get for options for just $6.95!  We have only ate out on the deck, because you can get fresh air and look around at the city.  Next time I'm going to get their Mexican food, should be good.
4 - Ramon E.: Good for brunch, or afternoon hangouts. Pre-veganism, I used to frequent this place with a friend for fruit pancakes and beer on weekday afternoons. Sit outside and love it.
3 - Allisoto P.: Diner food on southside, hmmm, where to go? There are basically 2 options, here and Ann's. I like Durant Cafe more, it tends to be less greasy. 

It is an okay breakfast place, friendly, relatively quick service. The coffee tends to be fresh, although sometimes it's not. I too like the sundeck combos, but they lack flavor. The homefries could be larger cut and be moister. The pancakes lack any flavor beside the skillet grease. Overall, the mexican breakfasts taste better and fresher. 

I also enjoy sitting on the deck, and I love the cumbia music they play.
4 - Connie C.: What a nice place to just sit and enjoy the outside! The outside-roof-balcony thing really adds to it, it was my favorite part about this place! Although it would've been nice if I could see straight down from the railing instead of at a gutter. 

I tried their Chicken Guacamole sandwich, and it was very yummy and filling. Haven't had guacamole in a long time.... their prices are very reasonable too, around $6-$8. Huge variety, they had crepes and breakfast foods and other delicious-looking Mexican stuff. 

Very good experience for my first time, I'd never noticed this place before when walking by. I will come here a lot more in the future!
4 - Kevin G.: its a bit tucked away, so not the easiest place to find, but definitely worth the visit.

its got a large 2nd floor patio with a view of the uc-berkeley/telegraph area, and the inside is large and spacious and well-lit.

food was good, and service was fast. i got a mushroom burger (i think) which was definitely bigger than your run-of-the-mill fast food fare. the fries were good too.

pretty much everytime i've come, there's been a sizable line - its definitely worth the wait and you can't complain about the prices.
4 - diana v.: I like to get breakfast here and eating on their sundeck is pretty nice on a warm sunny day. It's about one of the rare places around the southside of campus that you can get pancakes so that's a plus for me. I didn't really like how their syrup containers were open outside --saw a bee crawl around one -_- but I would still go here again
4 - sharon m.: Chilaquiles!!!  Ghetto looking place but it's nice to sit outside on the upstairs patio.
2 - Noel M.: This hidden little place is alright for a relaxing breakfast.  If it didn't have the patio I doubt it would still be as many people's choice.  It's pretty cheap considering the portion sizes but I prefer places where I don't have to refill my own water.
5 - Juliana C.: I don't know what these bad reviews are for! 

The french toast here is awesome and the home fries are my fave ever of any place. The fruit pancakes are also fluffy and delish. 

And for those that can't get their own water/utensils/condiments...this is a casual, cheap but good eats, college student kind of place. Go elsewhere for your pampering!
3 - Trystero T.: 12/16/2006 
for the price, not a bad place to get breakfast. good benedicts, bad pancakes..but again, can't really complain. having said that, they could really do a better job with the bacon since it's such an essential part of a good breakfast dish. i've been here twice, probably wouldn't go back anytime soon unless i'm really pressed for time.
4 - Betty H.: Like everyone else is saying, for the price, it's a solid place. You can't really complain about things like runny black beans and watery salsa when the portions are bigger than texas and you're a college student who likes to turn one meal into three. I'm gonna try their french toast, because they seem to be the talk of the town, but I ordered huevos rancheros and they were runny (but in a good way) and just totally satisfying. Just don't eat too fast. I'm throwing in an extra star because it's really quite pleasant if you sit outside on the patio/deck.
2 - Charles L.: So I went back here and had a Mexican Combo, which ended up being a variation of all the same dish. Fackkkkk.

Chicken Burrito: rice, beans, chicken
Chicken Tostada: rice, beans, chicken, some leafs of lettuce, chips
Chicken Quesadilla: chicken + cheese
Chips and Salsa

As you can see, it's not very.... varied. Luckily there's a salsa bar there now so I had to mix and match my sauces to taste anything different from all of them. I should have gotten the pancakes.
4 - David B.: The pictures on the wall coming into this place do not do the food justice...  it is killer.  Cafe Durant also has fresh squeezed orange juice at a good price, and a worm sunny patio with lots of tables.
2 - Andrew P.: I had the eggs benedict.  It was overpriced, greasy and small.  It wreaked havoc on my digestion afterwards.  I can't speak for the other dishes but the one I had really did not encourage me to return.  I don't think it deserves to completely fail but there's definitely room to improve its pull for student customers.
4 - Brian M.: One of my default places to go when I was a student. It had breakfast food AND Mexican food. Yummm!! I used to go an omelet of sorts along with an horchata and there aren't many places that give you that luxury.

I wish I it was open all day, but they close in the early afternoon. booo.

But, they're balcony is a great place to eat and people watch during good weather. 

4 stars!!!
3 - Rohan N.: Reasonable place for breakfast. Hueva a la Mexicana were solid and Eggs Florentine were impressive, though the egg was fried instead of poached. You get free coffee with a student ID. You have to get our own water, napkins, and utensils and I think you have to bus yourself (well, we did). Right in the 3 star range.
4 - Cristofer P.: I wasn't expecting very much from Cafe Durant but I got a steak breakfast burrito and I pleasantly surprised by the taste and size of the burrito. It was friggin HUGE!! The side of home style potatoes was unexpected but downright tasty. They get a bonus point for the sheer size of their menu - there's tons of breakfast and lunch options to choose from.
4 - Briana S.: Pretty decent breakfast grub for the telegraph ave area. We deifintely timed it well by arriving around 10am which seemed to be just before all of the undergrads wake up. After we ordered and I had realized that I forgot to get coffee the line was already snaking around the restaurant. The food was good enough for my picky taste buds. I had the french toast, he had some combo with a fruit filled pancake, a crepe, and a veggie scramble... all looked really good, I was just too full to bother tasting any of it. I love that they have fresh orange juice to order. We will definitely be back sometime soon.
3 - Lauren S.: Why is there cheddar cheese in my enchilada? 
I really don't get it.
The enchilada gravy was sort of flavourful, however.
I did eat it but then again, I did have the munchies.
4 - Tai W.: The chilaquiles and machaca are a reliable breakfast and for a good price.  It is nice to sit on the patio and watch the passers by on their way to school while enjoying a breakfast that would be considered brunch if I hadn't just gotten up.
4 - Jennifer W.: An enchilada plate (red cheese or green cheese) and a glass of horchata is $9 even. A glass of horchata is bigger than a glass of fruit juice. It's not very sweet either.

There is plenty of seating during a normal weekday lunch. The tables are big and there are a shitton of outlets, so it would make a good place to study.

I like the fake fireplace, but it's always on so it must waste a lot of electricity...
3 - Jennifer S.: The food is so-so, but the location is pretty good.  You can sit outside, on the rooftop and overlook Durant, watching the crazy people screaming or the hungover freshman wandering down the street.  I usually just go with the usual combo of bacon, eggs, and toast and they don't mess it up, so I can't complain.
2 - Mina A.: this place was okay, fine, they were on the good side of okay.

first of all, the outdoor patio, although a nice idea in theory, is kinda run down, dirty, and dingy

I have only been here for breakfast, and I ordered the sundeck D combo, which consisted of a strawberry crepe, a veggie omelet, and a chocolate-banana pancake. 
here's the breakdown:
- the crepe was good, i'd say it was the best part of the meal, but this is probably because it's hard to make a crepe taste bad, i mean it's fried batter, strawberries, and whipped cream
- the veggie omelet was on the small side, and it was kinda bland. i mean i liked the veggies it had in it, but it was just lacking flavor somehow. i'm not quite sure why..... also, this was the first thing on the plate that i ate, because i like my omelets hot, so i literally ate it the second the server put my plate down, but it wasn't even that hott. it wasn't really even that warm, so that was dissappointing.
- the pancake was just totally average, it just tasted like warm, sweet bread with bananas and chocolate mixed in. it wasn't bad, but it definitely wasn't anything special.
- latte, definitely not worth it. the latte was served lukewarm, which i was not happy about, and the coffee was not especially tasty or strong

so overall, this place was pretty mediocre
the prices are pretty cheap though so i guess they have that going for them

also, I have never had the mexican food from here, but I've heard that it's good, so maybe i just didn't try the right thing
it's worth a shot to try the mexican food i guess, but whenever I'm near this place i always opt for asian ghetto instead, it's just better
4 - Sony M.: Horchata! Beans! Crepes! Enchiladas! Enormous pancakes! Eggs! Potatoes!

I am ALWAYS a happy panda when I come here. They have great variety and their prices are unbeatable. You can get 2 huge pancakes, potatoes, and eggs for $6.95. I enjoy their Mexican breakfasts a lot (even if it is a bit more on the Tex-Mex side). Plus, the deck seating is fabulous. What better way to spend a sunny, Saturday morning in Berkeley? 

Post-meal I usually realize I ate too much and go into a food coma. Then I don't get any homework done until late that night. BUT SO WORTH IT!
4 - Andrei D.: Great omelets and margaritas! I love that place. If you ask for a strong margarita, they make a strong margarita :)
4 - Jennifer P.: This place is awesome!  You can always find a table, portions are huge, and they have a wide variety of breakfast items to choose from.  I usually share a fruit crepe and the eggs Benedict or the eggs Florentine with a friend.  Cafe Durant is close to campus, making it a convenient place to meet with friends for breakfast/brunch.

Prices are very low!
4 - Christina K.: YUMMY! Mexican food is the bomb! Actually, I came here for breakfast and got the veggie omelet. At 6.95 with lots of veggies and not a whole lot of oil, this is great. I would love to come back and try their mexican dishes. YUM YUM.
4 - Br C.: I love cafe Durant. Whenever I'm up at Berkeley we always end up here for Breakfast. They have a large selection of food including breakfasts, Mexican foods, burgers, sandwiches and the like. The place is always very iconic I've actually been here with a total of 4 different group of Berkeley and Non-Berkeley friends and they have all pointed to this place. So it just seems like a must if your around the Berkeley area.

The place is large, good selection of food with pictures, decent priced, large portions, parking in the structure, its right next to UC Berkeley, and has a nice patio area. For me this is a definite go if I'm in the area.
4 - James C.: Not many places for good breakfast in the Berkeley area. This is my fall back hangover restaurant. Nothing beats sitting on their patio, drinking fresh squeezed OJ, having their fruit topped pancakse or their lunch menu after a night out. The prices are reasonable but they tend to be pretty busy on the weekends. Remember to go early otherwise, be prepared to wait in line with all the hung over people
4 - Tizz W.: Hangover, meet your kryptonite (and on the cheap, too!).

Also: the $5 shakes?  COMPLETELY worth $5.  (Yeah, I had a Pulp Fiction moment the first time I ordered one.)
3 - Bella M.: OH I love this place. My cousin took me here and it was delicious. I don't even remember what I ordered but I know I ate the whole thing. Prices are reasonable. I just feel like I'm going to fall either going up or down the stairs when I use them.
4 - Sean B.: This place confuses me. Crepes, breakfasts, late-night, Mexican, burgers, and shakes. I don't know how to define that theme... but I like it.

Not super-slammed at lunchtime. Reasonable prices. My burrito was big and fat and when I said extra spicy they gave it to me with both barrels. I'm diggin' it. Especially the outdoor patio.
4 - Andrew M.: Whenever I come here, its normally for breakfast/brunch. The food here is pretty good in general and there is nowhere else in Berkeley that serves the same selection of food quite the same as Cafe Durant. I usually make a point of getting the fresh squeezed OJ here from their on-site juicing machine they have. Beware though, several times i've gotten the Sundeck Combos here thinking they taste delicious at the start but overwhelmed by the sweetness by the end. The other plates are great though, and don't suffer from the same drawbacks.

The sundeck seating area is pretty good too. I can always use more sun.
4 - Tiffany C.: The only thing I'd ever gotten here was the Huevos Rancheros but that is because it is so damn good. It comes with eggs with salsa on top, beans, and rice, with a side of tortillas. I usually mix it all together and scoop it up with a piece of tortilla but I guess you could eat it separately. Also, their horchata has just the right amount of cinnamon.

There is a nice patio area with shade which lets you forget for a while that you are eating on Durant Ave. Maybe you are vacationing in a Mexican villa next to the ocean. Maybe. Prices are reasonable for brunch, and the portions are so large that it's worth it.
4 - Kameron K.: Ah Cafe Durant, our typical sunday brunch place to eat, especially with a hangover from the night before.

The prices are really cheap and the food is pretty good.  Lots of vegetarian options.

I usually get the vegetarian breakfast buritto, but the crepes and pancakes are really good too.

If you are looking for good, cheap eats, Cafe Durant is the place to go.
3 - Christina N.: food was okay. food is cheap. they have a variety of food. it was a nice sunny day and i sat outside so that felt nice. i didn't really think it was anything special tho.. =P
3 - terra d.: i would like to go back just to sit on the sundeck. but for this visit, i just ordered the sundeck (A): eggs benedict, french toast, fruit salad, home fries. the eggs appeared to be on a small pancake rather than an english muffin and the home fries were probably the worst ive had. the french toast was alright and the fruit salad small but fresh. but for $7, its not a bad deal. try the mango juice, though, its amazing! 

its a hodge-podge kinda place. you can order a burrito or burger, crepes or fajitas, pancakes or enchiladas... beer or smoothies. its upstairs past the korean restaurant (and past a swarm of always-there flies) and has a sky light. yay for skylights! 

ps apparently cafe durant has $1 taco tuesdays, thirsty thursdays and tgi friday $3 margaritas! they are also avid cal fans. go bears!
4 - Kevin T.: Not a bad place for brunch! I headed here with my cousin around 2 on a Tuesday, so there was absolutely no one there. We sat outside and relaxed under the sun, and had a nice view of meter maids patrolling the street below and gangster wannabes walking around with fitted caps and popped collars. A full Berkeley experience!

I ordered a chorizo breakfast burrito that was served like an enchilada, which was kind of weird. It was smothered in sour cream (gross) and guacamole (not bad). Not the best breakfast burrito I've had, but it was huge and very filling, and the crisped potato cubes on the side were delicious! A hearty breakfast (er...lunch), very reasonably priced, and a cool place to chill.
5 - Wendy L.: I love getting breakfast/brunch here on the weekends! Portions are large but not so big that you feel like you need a nap right afterwards. I love their eggs benedict and french toast - not really Mexican, but it's very consistently yummy. I haven't tried any of the lunch (and now dinner) items, so I can't comment on those, but definitely go if you're looking for a relatively inexpensive, delicious breakfast!
5 - Stephanie S.: if i wasnt so ravishingly hungry, i would probably still be standing there right now reading the entire menu. i can see this being a really popular spot on weekends during the school year for a quick and cheap brunch stop. albeit slightly hard to find for first timers, the upstairs patio is great for observing the commotion of street-life below. 

i had a veggie breakfast burrito, which was ginormous, and definitely not the kind that is wrapped in aluminum that you can eat reasonably with two hands. no, imagine more of small child, or a normal person's limb on your plate. it was exactly the mexican savoriness i needed to start my day! if i lived nearby, i would be here weekly for a guilty indulgence.
3 - Charles L.: The food here was just ok, wasn't amazing or anything. But they are now open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner now!

But the only reason why'd I would come here again is for the view. The spectacular view on the 2nd floor outside let's you see quite a bit of a city view.
3 - Betsy P.: The sundeck special B was amazing!! The pancakes and crepes were soooo good! The huevos rancheros were bad! The eggs runny and the beans and rice didn't have much flavor. We ordered an extra side of bacon and chicken and both were really good. The lime margarita tasted like water and the strawberry margarita tasted like cough syrup! Yuck!! The chips and guacamole were good. The sundeck seating area was charming.
5 - Gabe R.: Finally checked this place out after a year of wanting to go. Its kinda hard to find since you have to go inside and up the stairs to the left. It was Sunday night and it was pretty empty, maybe most people come here for breakfast.

I ordered the Green Chicken Enchilada Plate for $8. Really good, almost as good as the Mexican places in SoCal. Way better than La Burrita which is across the street. The food was warm. I would have liked a bit more rice but overall it was a good meal and two types of beans black and pinto which was unusual.

Also the self serve is a plus for me since I don't have to leave a tip and I get to get as much salsa or water as I want.
4 - Anna M.: Cafe Durant is most certainly, the shit. Every time my friends wanted to meet up for a quick brunch before class or to feel alive again after an epic night of drinking, we always ended up here. The prices are awesomely cheap, the food is so delicious and comforting, and the balcony view of Durant and Telegraph is fun. I love their combo plates -- you can get fruit salad, eggs, and pancakes all on one plate! Their sandwiches are so satisfying too -- I really like the salmon. And half of the menu is Mexican food, so with items like huevos rancheros and breakfast burritoes, you can't go wrong either way. Oh, and their coffee is the perfect amount of bitterness. Nothing like Starbucks that tends to burn the beans. BEST HANGOVER BREAKFAST EVER!
3 - Sherelle V.: Went during happy hour (3-7) to get my $5 grub on. I got steak fajitas, my bf got a chile verde burrito, chips and salsa, a pitcher of beer, and horchata. The plus is that we got everything for about $20 and it looked pretty. The downside was that the food wasn't very good and made us feel bloated. Haha. The 2nd floor deck is super nice though. I would go there again, but maybe get breakfast because their Mexican food wasn't all that.
2 - Eric L.: I eat here for the novelty, not for the food. Club sandwich is decent, though I wish it came with real fries as opposed to potatoes. Seems like their sides are just based on potatoes, toast, or an assortment of beans. The $3 cup of mango juice that costs $5/gallon at Costco? nothx.
4 - Kristina s.: I like this place. Good food better prices
4 - Jean L.: I used to come here almost every wknd for brunch (using good life to berkeley coupons =P)

They give you big portions.  Fresh squeezed orange juice and horchata are my favorite drinks here.  Something about their huevos rancheros..it's jsut delicious.  Crepe/pancakes/french toast combo plates are also recommended for those with a sweet tooth.
1 - Linda Y.: I tried this place after hearing some of my friends recommend it. God, I would not come here again. I ordered the steak burrito and it was really gross. They put guac and salsa all over my burrito, thus making eating it extremely hard and messy. The meat also tastes kind of weird - definitely not fresh. I kind of lost my appetite and took the other half home, and now it is all soggy.
3 - Jenny W.: Where else can you find a place that specializes in Breakfast, American food, and Mexican food?  Cafe Durant of course!  I love sitting on the balcony on a sunny day with just a view of the buildings and not the dirty streets below haha.  

I tried the steak and eggs here and it was NOT good.  The steak was cooked with onions, as it said on the menu, but the menu did not say there would be some weird red sauce that it is smothered in.  It was gross and kind of hard to eat, but if you like that kind of sauce, it's actually a really good deal because it comes with rice and beans and corn tortillas.  My friend and I gave the guacamole and chips a try, since it was so cheap, but the guacamole tasted like there was too much lime in it.  Not good.  My friends both got breakfast dishes (I don't believe in eating breakfast foods until it is dark) and kept on raving about the good ass pancakes.  They said they were light and fluffy and amazing and then talked about them all day; I guess I should try them when school starts again.  There is a salsa bar, which was nice because it salvaged the chips we got with the disgusting guacamole.  

The menu is very extensive and everything is really cheap, so I will definitely come back to try more items.
4 - Allie C.: Okay, so my friend dragged me to Cafe Durant because he has something against La Burrita (yes, I gave them 4 stars too). I'd been twice before, but only for breakfast, which is mediocre but fairly priced.

The mexican food is pretty good! I'll give them that, with all the authority I have as a half-mexican (hah). I ordered the steak tacos, my friend ordered his usual wet burrito.

We went outside on the patio, and it was a beautiful day! If the weather's good, sit outside because it's great; it may even be why I gave them an extra star!

The presentation of the food is great. Worth the extra dollar I would've saved going to the place across the street. My tacos were BIG and bulging with meat and toppings, with some chips and guacamole on the side. The only thing I was missing was some authentic spicy salsa. But what can I say... some like it hot.

So to all you gringos, come give it a try!
1 - Leo C.: Okay, so, I don't exactly have high standards for food. Usually, I can just eat anything and be a-okay with it. Since I've gone to UC Santa Cruz, I've been complaining and crying about how freaking ridiculously terrible the food is. Not once have I ever thought in my entire life, that there could be food that actually sucks more than dorm food, and then I came upon this "cafe". I ordered the Sundeck Combo E which was supposed to come with some sort of pancake, eggs, sausage or bacon, and some potatoes. I ordered the WHITE chocolate chip pancake, scrambled eggs, and sausage. My pancakes weren't white chocolate, in fact, there was NO chocolate. I guess in this ghetto looking cafe where the stairs are about to collapse, they don't have chocolate chip. Not only that, but in the picture, they have a nice little bowl for a little ball of butter, but this time, they just found a stick of butter that looked like it was picked off the side of the street and threw it with my pancakes. The scrambled eggs were just trashy, tasted like they came from a cardboard box. The potatoes just sucked. The sausage was oily, but okay. Overall, this place sucked. The architecture was interesting, definitely unique, but it wasn't very attractive. I wouldn't recommend going here anytime soon.
4 - Marisa R.: I live in the Telegraph Ave. area and it's hard to find a place with good all-day breakfast around here. The omelets are AMAZING! I recommend the veggie omelet...of course. Pretty much everything comes with these delicious home fries, which are super flavorful and go well with everything. The Mexican is pretty good too...they have HUGE portions...I can never finish it all. One of the best parts about it though is the great view from the sundeck. In the spring and summer the patio is the best place to be!
4 - Eugene B.: I ordered the club sandwich and it took seriously forever to come, but it was definitely worth the wait. It cut into four parts and each part was the size of my fist! It was so freaking good too. The bacon inside the sandwich was so orgasmic and crispy, i thought i died from bacon euphoria.

A lot of ppl get their breakfast/mexican dishes, which are also pretty good, you see the club sandwich is GREAT
3 - Pamela C.: Great college town food.

Decent food. Ridiculously cheap prices. If I had gone to UC Berkeley, this place would have been on my standby list. Cheap prices for decent food (quality & taste) and good portions.  They seem to be known for their pancakes and they appear to be quite tasty.  You'll leave satisfied, maybe not wow'ed, but satisfied and not feeling like you got ripped off or like you need to eat something else.
3 - Anna T.: I really like this place for the large portions.  My bf always leaves here full and I guess the value is what brings me back here.  

Their sundeck specials are a great delicious deal, but I don't like the pancakes.  

Their burritos are huge and come with a lot of chips with unlimited salsas so that's why I think it's a steal.  You can totally fill up with that!  But the burritos aren't as good as Pancho's downstairs in Asian Ghetto in my opinion.  The flavors of the meat just aren't that clean and I feel way too heavy after I eat even 1/4 of the burrito.  

Good place for breakfast served all day!
4 - Sam K.: Breakfast here is great. Cheap, fast, and tasty. Definitely appreciate that the homefries are fresh and tasty rather than coming out of a freezer bag, and my eggs benedict tasted good even though the eggs were fried instead of poached. 

Definitely would be great hangover food, and makes a good quick and inexpensive alternate to doing brunch at one of the Shattuck standbys.
2 - Nehal N.: I haven't been here in a while, so I thought I'd give it another go while on southside on a monday morning. I used to be a fan of the sundeck combos (but usually its during hangover mode), now coming here for a regular lunch was eh.....nothing special. 
Got the huevos rancheros, which turned out to be just some eggs and beans with rice. Whatever happened to the tasty red ranchero sauce that makes those huevos OH so good! 

So its a little sad to see such a simple, yet great mexican breakfast dish turned into something boring! And $2.50 for a small orange juice WHAAA??? wayyy to expensive. Maybe you should just reserve this place for hungover and too lazy to reach Venus or La Note!
4 - Michelle N.: Happy hour from 3-7 from Monday to Friday?! I'm there! The food is delicious and you get good-sized portions. There's also lots of tables and always places to sit.
3 - David L.: Taste: 3
Value: 3
Service: 3

Had lunch here a while back, and it wasn't anything special. The food was pretty mediocre college food, and I ended up having some plate of average Mexican food.
2 - Amiee H.: Food: 
-strawberry and nutella crepes: I really think they use the same batter from the pancakes for their crepes...but they just make the crepes thinner. They drench their "crepe" in syrup, which made it unbearably sweet and way too soggy. Worse crepe ever!  

-sundeck breakfast: It came with two chocolate/banana pancakes, a veggie omelet, strawberry crepe,  and a fruit salad. The two pancakes were pretty good. The omelet wasn't bad either. The fruit salad was gross because the fruits tasted really old. The crepe again was soggy and WAY TOO SWEET. 

-berry smoothie: tasted more like sorbet. Too icy and not enough of the creamy, smooth texture smoothies are suppose to be like. 

Price: $6.95 for both the entrees. Not that cheap for the quality of the food and definitely not worth it. 

Service: you bus yourself 

Ambiance: Flies everywhere. The table was sticky. It just seemed very dirty all around. I was afraid to eat the salsa from the salsa bar. I really had this bad feeling that I was going to get food poisoning from here! It did have this nice fireplace there, but the overall feeling I got from the place was run down and dirty. 

Overall: Not a great experience. Not going to come back. For this price, there are other places that offer a solid meal. And you won't be eating in fear that you are going to get sick afterwards!
4 - Fernando H.: Thee epitome of a hole in the wall restaurant. Loved their food, loved their prices, loved their location (near the UC campus) pretty amazing. Everything on their menu looks/sounds good. 

I was impressed by the assortment and selection of breakfast items.
I had the Sundeck Special C, wow! They can even accomadate requests for egg whites only. Their crepes were nothing special, but they were pretty good. I loved their pancakes, complete with bananas and chocolate chips baked into them, that was off the hook!

And you cannot beat the prices 6.75 for something of that magnitude, it was a lot of food, and best of all it was filling :)
3 - Michael L.: Large menu + good prices + good view + best bathroom in Berkeley + possibility of eating Mexican food and breakfast and hamburger at same time + pretty big portions = added to our starting rotation of berkeley restaurants.

Although after a while you kind of realize that all the food sort of has the same mediocre/stale/bland quality to it.

This place has the best daily deals around. Happy hour all entrees are 5$, and beer is 2$, before 7. Amazing.
3 - Angel S.: Cafe Durant has a soft spot in my heart, though not necessarily in my stomach.  It reminds me of my college years, when I used to visit at least once a week for no other reason than this place was kind to my negative bank account.  In a way, it's good that my review is coming long after my college and law school days, so my nostalgia wont cloud my judgment (not too much at least).

On the plus side, the location, prices, and overall atmosphere were delightful.  I love sitting in the outdoor patio on a sunny day surrounded by liberal Berkeley-heads like me.  They have an extensive selection of breakfast, sandwiches, and mexican food.  I can't say much about the quality, however.  Breakfast is more like a slight upgrade of Denny's.
5 - David R.: This is one of my favorite places to eat in Berkeley. It's a little pricey for what it is, but they do have fantastic sandwiches and really good breakfast options. I usually came here with my friends on lazy Sunday afternoons and I loved the outdoor seating area. 

Yeah the tables could use maybe a wipe down a little more often, but seriously, as long as you aren't a priss then you won't have a problem with bussing your own dishes or having the ambiance get in your way. It's on Telegraph and Durant, let's not pretend this is northern Shattuck where everything is more beautiful.
2 - Chia-Fen Y.: I wandered in here thinking it was a Mexican restaurant, but after looking it up on Yelp, I guess it's supposed to be good at serving everything.

I had a breakfast burrito with chorizo. It came with potatoes. Burnt potatoes. My sister had a breakfast burrito with chicken. It also came with potatoes. Burnt potatoes. The burritos themselves were nothing special and were topped with a scoop of guac and sour cream.

My sister wanted to sit outside to soak in the sun, but it was dirty, and the network of power-lines right outside ruined the outdoor mood. It was decent on the inside, though, with two flat screen TVs on opposite sides of the room.
3 - Chuck N.: Sunday, 11:00AM. 

Neophytes to the Durant Food Court will guess this joint offering only good Mexican food. Locals know that it's solid for brunch too, especially after a late night of partying.

It's tucked upstairs next to the DFC. The canorous, Latin tunes will lure you in. Bright, colorful wall menus will tease your eyes. 

Some notables:
+Sports on the big screens (usually soccer)
+Sweet view from the balcony to enjoy the weather and check out Durant's strip

Grubbed on:
1. Red enchilada
     +Lotsa' cheese on top and filling
2. Veggie omelet 
     - tomatoes were dry

And then...?
Thankfully, I didn't need a hangover subterfuge to enjoy brunch here. Bring the crew and grab a quick meal on the balcony.
4 - James H.: This is a great cafe to eat anything from Mexican food to
breakfast food to American food.  Recently me and some 
pals were watching soccer on TV.  The vibe is great inside
when there is a crowd.  I've ate at this
joint a couple of times, there enchiladas are superb, as are 
their burritos!  Plenty huge portions
Outside it can get hot on the roof but it is scenic and they do have
tables with umbrellas.  I've ate at this
joint a couple of times, there enchiladas are superb, as are 
their breakfast burritos!   And there fajitas as to die for.
I think I am also madly in love with their desert crepes. 
They are mouth watering yummy!  I'll have one anytime of the day.
3 - Doreen H.: Hmm, 3.5 stars.  4* for the food, -0.5* for the cost.

This place used to be super-cheap when I was at Cal in the late 90s.  I think it used to be about $3-$3.50 for crepes.  Agree with the other person's nostalgia, haha.  That's why I came back here a few weeks ago.

DAMN the crepes are good.  I believe they're filled with liquid crack.
3 - Amanda N.: Everything on the menu *sounds* really really good, but it's hit or miss.  I think the egg breakfast dishes were my favorite... I'd avoid the regular Mexican food (like the flautas & tacos).  Crepes are okay too, but not as good as Crepes-a-go-go.  Sandwiches are huge portions & a little bland.  Prices are very reasonable and there's a lot of seating, which is nice.  Overall, a decent, cheap sit-down place for breakfast or lunch.  I guess I'd describe it as a Mexican Denny's...

One of the hidden beauties of Cafe Durant is actually happy hour.  One day, Beat the Clock was ridiculously full, so we headed to Cafe Durant & ordered a few pitchers of beer.  They also serve regular & strawberry margaritas - it was cheap and pretty good.  I don't think they're equipped to handle a lot of people at once, since they tapped out of beer that day... nonetheless, it's a fun & cheap alternative to Bear's Lair.  The balcony is especially nice on a sunny day.
4 - S H.: Great breakfast cafe :) I had this ridiculously HUGE breakfast burrito which came with potatoes (a bit bland, but there's salt on the table so no problem) on the side. You definitely get your money's worth for your serving portion! 

I also like the interior. When you first walk in, the place may seem a bit tiny but you'll notice as you look for a table that the cafe actually expands as you go around the corner. Another (+) for their patio seating, but too bad I haven't been able to eat outside yet because it was raining the first time I came here :T

Definitely coming again!
3 - Kathleen W.: I was very fond of this place when I was a student at Cal ... a young, impressionable, poor 17 year old.  I'm bling now and the Cafe seems to have lost some of it's luster.  

Came here for brunch after practice.  I forgot that it was a Mexican place. The boy ordered 3 egg breakfast with corned beef hash and I got the salmon omelet.  I ended up eating all my toast and only half my omelet.  The side of bacon was fully consumed though.  Free wifi (that's an upgrade!) and lots of flat panel TVs.  I didn't sit outside since I'd had enough of being cold and outside already that day.

The food was average ... but cheap.  And while people watching is fun, listening to awkward kids half my age gets irritating - FAST.  The nostalgia has faded.
2 - Albert L.: First things first, there are a LOT of things on the menu. Every time I come, I am simply overwhelmed by the number of choices. Ever heard the expression, "jack of all trades, master of nothing"? That pretty much describes the food at Cafe Durant. I've never been blown away by the food here, and most of it is pretty forgettable. Mexican dishes usually come with rice and soupy and oversalted beans, and are generally overcooked and fairly dry. The omelets are also nothing to write home about. You do get a LOT food, but I'm not really sure if you'd actually want to eat all of it.

It's recently been renovated, and the new TVs are pretty nice. I've heard good things about Taco Tuesdays - cheap food and cheap booze make a combination that's pretty hard to screw up.
1 - Jay P.: Decent fish tacos, and one of the few places near campus that serves taco salads. 
Go during happy hour. The only time the food is worth the money.
2 - Jazmine S.: I just ordered hot wings from this place and they were pretty unimpressive. I really don't know how to describe them. They weren't completely horrible and inedible. They certainly weren't stellar. They also weren't Okay. They were...indescribable...but not in a good way. 

Other than the fact that they were a little dry, I don't really know what was wrong with these wings...I just know that nothing was right with them... I certainly won't be back to order them again.
1 - Maggie L.: Stopped by to grab something to eat with the boyfriend before class. It serves basic american breakfasts, crepes, and a huge variety mexican food. I wasn't in the mood for mexican foods so I decided to go to with 2 eggs breakfast with bacon. Not very good.

Maybe it's because it's because it's a mexican place so so they specialize more in mexican foods, but is it unfair for me to expect them to at least cook the potatoes right? Everything came out semi warm. The toast, the eggs, the bacon, and lastly, the potatoes. And the potatoes were burn to a crisp. I mean, come one now. If they're burnt so badly, they HAD to of been heated up to the extreme, right?! Why is it that burnt potatoes aren't even hot?! The bacon also looked pretty old, like someone had fried it beforehand and then left it there to be microwaved and served whenever it got ordered. The toast wasn't even warm enough to melt whatever little amount of butter I tried to apply on it. Boyfriend got the eggs benedict breakfast and hated it too. But at least his eggs were hot.
5 - Nuveen D.: The food is pretty tasty and Cafe Durant definitely became one of my favorite places to eat over my time at Berkeley. The Mexican food is pretty Americanized, but if you can get over that, it's not bad. Sometimes, they have a barbecoa plate as a special menu item, and it's BOMB.

If they don't have that, I usually get the steak fajitas or the Mexican combinations. I've also gotten breakfast combinations, which are pretty good, but not as tasty as their chilaquiles if you're looking for egg dishes.

This place gets five stars for the following reasons:

1. The Deck
The deck is amazing on sunny days. It's a great place from which to people watch when there are a lot of people out, like on gamedays.

2. Happy Hour
Five dollar pitchers! Beer pong tables!

3. Recent remodeling. 
The new tiles look nice. They made a nice new bathroom that connects to the dining room too (you used to have to go through the kitchen to a pretty sketchy looking bathroom). New HD TV's that you can request to be set to the game of your choice.

4. The Management
The people who run it are really nice and responsive.
4 - Kevin L.: Great Mexican food, I love their enchiladas. The green salsa is super tasty. Big portions. The breakfast is a little pricey, but it tastes great! The chocolate chip pancakes are sooooo good!
3 - Henry T.: I come here for the $5 entrees happy hour (M-F 5-7p). I usually get a burrito. The burrito is pretty large and it comes with chips. They put guacamole and sour cream on the burrito.

The place has TVs so if you want to eat and watch a sports game, this is a good place to go. Or if you want to eat and chill out on the balcony if the weather is nice, that's an option too.
3 - Aurora P.: I must say that this place has the quirkiest decorations and a huge menu you can pick from ranging from breakfast to deserts... can't expect any more from a place in Berkeley. haha

I thought the service was good and the workers were nice. Self-serve for water and condiments. I got the Diablo Burrito (?). I think that's what it was called. I just know that it was REALLY REALLY freakin' spicy! and then I found out the English translation was devil or hell burrito... something like that. Let's just say my mouth was on fire! But a good kind of "on fire".

Good size portions, reasonable prices, friendly service, I'll consider coming back whenever I'm in town. :)
4 - Joyce C.: I don't know why I don't come here more often, they have some good deals. Taco Tuesdays for example: $1 tacos and $2 bottle coronas? count me in!

In addition, I think they have something similar to beat the clock (bear's lair) but better. From 5-6 pm = $5 pitcher, 6-7pm = $6 pitcher and so forth. I don't know their entire beer selection but that sounds good to me.

I've really only been here for breakfast and lunch, and I'm always happy that their salsas and jalapenos are stocked and that you get TWO different types of beans (for the entrees). At my most recent visit, I had flautas (YUM) but the chicken tasted kind of rubbery. That's why I can't give this place 5 stars. Everything else was pretty decent though. I now know to take advantage of their beer deals in addition to their beans and their breakfast plates...such as: banana pancakes, french toast, crepes... their selection is pretty amazing. Most plates come with home fries too, and those are cooked really well (i.e. soft on the inside, crispy on the outside :D)

FYI - It's located upstairs down a hall on durant ave. Nice deck for when it's warm and sunny outside.
4 - Jess G.: Cafe Durant is a solid option that provides decent food at moderate to ridiculously cheap prices. Ridiculously cheap: Taco Tuesday's - $1 per small taco and $2 beers. They also have a "beat the clock" equivalent on Friday's for better prices than Bear's Lair. What's more, there is a balcony that overlooks the street as well as a huge indoors with big tables (good for bit parties). I give it four stars because if you limit your goings to Taco Tuesday or their version of beat the clock, you are bound to enjoy yourself & do well for very little cost. As for any other occasion -- ie, going out to lunch or dinner -- I'd put it at 3 stars.
4 - Gypsy J.: Café Durant is my favorite place to eat in Berkeley.  It's not perfect, but it's my favorite.

There are so many options!  It takes me five minutes to decide.  Amazing sandwiches, great enchiladas, potato dishes, tempting crepes.  Hands down the best Mexican mocha around.

Sometimes I wish the food were warmer.  I've switched to La Burrita for my burritos and Smart Alec's for my salads, and sandwiches are always a tough call, but there's no place but Café Durant for a tostada.

My friends make fun of me for liking Café Durant so much, because, of course, it isn't quite as good as homemade Mexican food!

But under an umbrella on the deck or indoors, I like to eat here.  The tables aren't all clean, but I can find a nice spot, enjoy a conversation, study or watch tv by myself.  I can stay for hours.  It's pretty, calm and warm, and the light is just right.  The bathroom is swell.  Café Durant is like home away from home.
4 - Leslie L.: I'm really a big fan of cafe durant. Many a sunday morning i will come in here with a friend and enjoy their 2-egg plates and a huge glass of homemade horchata. The plate comes with 2 eggs, toast, whatever meat you like, and potatoes. The eggs are perfect, the potatoes are delicious! And this is the only place i know that has corned beef hash (which i love!).

Their whole wheat pancakes are not good, though. i don't know why i thought it'd be a good idea to try a healthy, easy to get wrong breakfast option when they have delicious alternatives.
4 - Harmeet S.: This place is delicious. The authenticity of the food is unmatched and their Huevos Rancheros are to die for. Their homemade horchatas bring back memories of my time in Guadalajara. Two thumbs up!
2 - Diana C.: I was a little disappointed today with Cafe Durant. I usually like their other food plates but I had their chorizo con huevos plate today and it was a little bland. I had to add Tapatio sauce for it to taste better. I was also not a fan of their use of the microwave to heat up tortillas and beans, but maybe that was because I was probably one of their first customers in the morning.
5 - Loretta C.: This place is great for brunch, and gets really busy on Sundays especially. It's located in the upstairs part of a Korean restaurant; not sure if that restaurant changed, but it's next to Lotus House and near Asian Ghetto.

The restaurant has a very homey and cultural decor. There are television sets showing Animal Planet or something, and there's a patio for those who want to bask in the sun and observe students and homeless people wandering about. The best dishes are the Sundeck Combos and the Mexican combos. The food is very filling!! Their horchata's really sweet, but the food comes to you very quickly.
4 - Pat P.: Cafe Durant is a bit pricier than the other alternatives along Durant Avenue. Nonetheless, I think it provides a solid brunch on the weekends or on the weekdays if you and a couple friends don't have morning classes.

I'd definitely come here again for brunch if I were in town. The french toast is quite memorable and the pancakes can compete with just about any other pancake in the area. Check it out!
3 - Pam S.: Nothing fancy, but good when I'm randomly craving breakfast food and am in the campus area.  I usually default to one of the breakfast combos, and it does the trick.
3 - Carolyn Y.: Decent brunch place, especially for its proximity to campus. I got the Sundeck Breakfast Combo with French Toast, Veggies Omelet, fruit salad, & home fries. The home fries were a bit salty but pretty good (not soggy at all) and pretty comparable to the one at Ann's. I really loved the french toast - perfectly toasted and it stayed unsoggy and had the right amount of powdered sugar. The portion size is smaller than Ann's Kitchen but I think it tastes much better; plus the options for pancakes (lots of fruit pancakes) is better here.
3 - Melody L.: Delicious brunch food. LARGE servings, though expensive. I've always gotten the Sundeck combos, which I think offer the best deal. They also have a stamp card, and have a discount listed on the Cal Press Card some years.

Pros:
You can elect to sit out on the patio area, which overlooks Durant street OR you can sit inside and watch TV
You can have as much water as you want to drink, since they just have these water pitchers out for you to take to your table

Cons:
The restaurant people are scary and get annoyed easily if you aren't ordering quickly and intelligently
The servings in the Sundeck combos are growing smaller
You have to bus your dishes (okay, maybe not a NEGATIVE per say, but I still don't really like having to do this at a restaurant)
3 - Kim L.: I'm having a hard time deciding whether I should write a single review with a mediocre rating or multiple reviews rating different aspects of the restaurant and their appropriate ratings. Oh well, read this list:

HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS? 5 STARS, especially for Berkeley. Cheap brewskies, food deals and an outdoor rooftop patio.

MEXICAN FOOD? 4 STARS. It's tastey. I know the legitimacy of "Mexican" style food is a very personal and touchy subject for people, but I'd eat it here again and again. Not super authentic or mind blowing, but decent with a decent amount of veggie options.

BREAKFAST? BOOOOOO. 1 STAR. Worst eggs florentine ever. I know, I know, it's my fault for ordering it at a place with happy hour and great mexican food, but still. If you can't do a good job, quit trying. The breakfast potatoes? Also piss poor. Somehow they're overly crisp, underly hot, and ugly.
3 - Heather C.: This place is random. The menu is all over the place. Prices are good, the outdoor seating is nice. I will have to try them for breakfast as I wasn't too thrilled with lunch. But its a good place to go with a group of people since their menu has a variety of offerings.
3 - Alvin D.: 2.7/5 it is what it is.

if you're not a first year and can ask your legs to take you beyond the campus perimeter, then there is a world of great food awaiting you. but for every other occasion, i guess this is what people put up with. 

it's whatevs, really.
4 - Randall S.: This is a great place that is kind of hidden. I didn't realize it was there until one of my buddies showed me where it was. But the enchiladas here are awesome. Didn't agree with my stomach too well but it was worth it. Will be back to try some other dishes soon.
1 - Jason P.: Pass. I used to go here now and again, and came back recently to give it another shot. People working there are pretty unfriendly and the food (particularly breakfast) is slightly below mediocre. I had some really poorly cooked eggs, a couple of unpleasant pancakes, and a burned grilled cheese. Coffee is always burned. Yup, pass.
4 - Andrea A.: YUMMMM!  So bummed I found out about this place so late in the game.  It's like a little hidden gem amidst nasty Berkeley food.  Ok, ok, it's not the BEST breakfast---but a breakfast you want to cook at home, but are too lazy to do so.  It's a yummy mixture of a  bunch of stuff you want but don't have time to cook.  Good food. YUMMMM.

OH, and totally affordable!!!
4 - jacky k c.: this place has good breakfast items, and the shrimp and steak tacos are awesome because they actually put slices of avocados on them which is a really nice touch.  my old high school classmate owns this joint which makes it even better.  both the american and mexican foods are consistent across the menu.  there's alot of choices to eat downstairs, but why eat downstairs when u could eat in the upstairs balcony with heatlamps?  

tip: no waiters really, just a cafeteria style ordering kinda deal, nonetheless very efficient
3 - Karen S.: I have never been here before even though I had been living in South Berkeley for over a year.  Mostly it's because I couldn't find the entrance.

The place is sort of dim & feels kinda greasy (think oily smudges on the glass table tops).

The food is fine.  I would advise against the orange juice because it was about 3 fl. oz. for $3.  You can get a lot of oranges & therefore juice for that price.

The price are slightly high for the mediocre quality of the food served ($7.25 for overcooked chicken in overdone, over'salted eggs).

Everyone has those days where they want some greasy comfort food.  If you find yourself having that kid of a day & you happen to be in South Berkeley, then Cafe Durant might just be your stop.
2 - Vicky R.: I am not a hipster- I swear!

But meh.  I've had better.

The place is nice and cozy.  They have a fake fireplace, the tables are neat, and the paint job is nice.  I haven't eaten on the patio, but I've seen torches turned on at night- pretty cool.

The food is pretty bland.  The club sandwiches aren't good, and I really don't like their spiced potatoes.  I have tried their banana, strawberry + nutella crepe, but it was too sweet to be enjoyable.  The Mexican food is a BIG no-no (but then again, almost all Mexican restaurants outside of Mexico are usually a disappointment).

Their hamburgers are good, though! Once in a while (like once every 1-3 months) I drop in for an avocado- bacon burger and for some Chocolate Abuelita.   That's it.
4 - Bonnie Z.: Great place for brunch after a night out. 

Get: salmon omelet (they don't skimp on the fish and the capers and feta cheese go perfectly together) or any of the sundeck combos if you want a mix of sweet and savory. I personally think their Mexican dishes/combos are alright...not the best but pretty decent given the price.

Happy Hour: how did I not come here for this earlier in the semester? M-F 3-7pm: $5 entrees and $2 beers. Came here on a Thursday with my fat sociology reader in hand and enjoyed a Corona and pale ale while I did some reading. When it's sunnier and warmer outside, I'll come back to do my finals studying! -- epitome of studying for last semester at Cal (plus there's free wi-fi!)
4 - Kay K.: Came here for the first time today. :D

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to dine in, so I wasn't able to experience the atmosphere of the place.

I ordered a Cabo Wabo Burrito in the spinach wrap, and it was pretty darn tasty. The potatoes and green beans were a nice surprise, and the mango salsa was absolutely DELISH. However, it wasn't put together too well and the rice/mangoes fell out as I was eating. :[
The order came with a side of chips... didn't get as many as I would have liked, but the price was good, so I mustn't complain.

I'm looking forward to trying their breakfast menu items in the near future. :]
3 - T L.: Really cheap happy hour. How did I not know this before?? It's only $5 for everything on their menu! Go Monday thru Friday from 4-7pm!
4 - Katy O.: I've only come for the super cheap beer.  It's cheaper than beat the clock but not as crowded, a little less watered down and you actually get a nice place to sit most of the time.  And what other place in Berkeley beats $2 coronas?  

Have not tried the food, but I'd like to.
2 - Jennifer K.: I've only ever gone to this place for breakfast, so I can't say anything about lunch or dinner, but overall, I feel that this place wouldn't be my first pick. 

The breakfast combos/entrees are roughly $10, plus or minus $3. I always get the sundeck combos since they have variety, like eggs+ potatoes+ fruit, etc. But I've tried a good number, and it's pretty substandard.

Their french toast is more like plain dry toast, with powdered sugar on top. The omelets look like you could've made it better yourself, and a waste of my $10 bucks if you ask me. I might as well go ask a freshman to swipe me into Cafe 3, the dining common right down the street, which makes delicious, fresh, loaded omelets right in front of your eyes. The eggs benedict looks and tastes like a McMuffin. The crepes are dripping with oil (butter?), and kinda small. 

The Mexican food garners the two stars for this place, since number one, the horchata is DELICIOUS (just the right amount of cinnamon-y sweetness ^^ ), and number two, it has a self serve salsa bar. Those always get me. Yummy yummy fresh salsa. 

The burritos, enchiladas are alright, not great, and the beans and rice look like they're been scooped right out of a can, but still, I'd go for their Mexican food, than other "American" breakfast item. 

But their daily specials (i.e. Taco Tuesdays) and Happy Hour prices are ridiculously cheap, so I'll still come back to try those.
1 - Huong N.: I use to go here often back in college...I came back here for the first time in a long while...omg the service stinks!!! I ordered a side of onion rings... and it took 5 reminders to the waiter, walked up to the counter with the cashier telling me they ran out and the waiter was suppose to tell me... the waiter never bothered but kept ignoring me....and it took another 10 mins just for regular fries. who waits that long for just a side order??!

you would think with service like this they would offer you a free meal and return your money...they should either being getting new employees or better service.
1 - Andrew C.: Came here with a large group of friends after a long Saturday. They primarily serve Mexican and American food but also enable you to bring food from the other nearby places. This is part of their open seating / cafeteria-like policy. You order separately (like a Pluto's or Sonoma Chicken Coop) and get an order number so they can deliver your food. It was very convenient for us, but unfortunately the convenience ended there.

After all ordering, we sat at our big table and waited. They had some TVs on and we chatted up, anticipating a separate wait time for each of our dishes. But then the wait got longer. And longer. And no one approached us if our food was coming. We had to ask them.

Theoretically the first person who ordered their food should get their food first (unless the dish takes longer to make). Well that didn't happen for all of us. Some of my friends who ordered in the front of the line got their food LAST. After a 40-PLUS MINUTE WAIT!

One of my friends ordered Onion Rings. She waited and asked several times. They told her it was coming. Then after the 40-plus minute wait, she went up to the counter and asked where her Onion Rings were. They told her they ran out. After 40 minutes of telling her they would come out! ARE YOU KIDDING?! She decided to change her order to regular fries and got no refund or discount for it. Seriously?! This just tells me that they are disorganized, unprofessional and uncaring. She was nice about it and let it slide.

I ordered the Avocado Cheeseburger. The burger was decent. However, the side order of fries...was insufficient. They gave me like 10...individual fries. Seriously?! I thought maybe it was just my plate, but when my other friends got their burger they received the same amount. You might as well say a side order of very little fries.

I also ordered a Peach Smoothie. I was hoping the smoothie would bring a nice relaxing finish to my meal. It didn't. It came out after I was done with my burger. Thanks waiter. Someone ordered me a beer (which came BEFORE my smoothie) so at least I had something to wash the burger down with. When I finally received my smoothie, I instantly regretted it. I was already full and the smoothie looked diluted and icy. In fact, it didn't even look like a smoothie, more like a Slurpee from 7-11. Except it was bland. Since it took so long and tasted so icy and bland, I wouldn't be surprised if they just melt flavored popsicles in the back for their so called "smoothies".

This place is horrendous.
4 - Rick C.: I used to come here only for lunch to share some nachos or munch on a burrito while I pretended to read for my afternoon classes. Now I actually do my reading and come here more often!

The food is pretty decent and they have gotten a lot better about coming and getting your food since I used to come here as a freshman. They must have hired new (and more!) people in the three years that I have been here. I was here at this year's Cinco De Mayo where the place was packed and they had four people scouring the dining hall making sure no dining numbers were still waiting so they've definitely gotten a lot better then they used to be! 

I would recommend their breakfast burritos, although their home fries kind of suck. They're just seasoned potatoes and not "real" home fries like I've had at diners. The nachos are pretty good (and definitely sharable) and I love their happy hour specials of $5 entrees and $2 beers. A word of advice on the beers though: they only have PBR and Bud Light (or Miller Light) on draft. If you can handle that, come here for their beat the clock knock-off on Fridays: $5 pitchers at 5 pm, $6 at 6 pm, etc. If you want to come here for Coronas, make sure you come during TACO TUESDAYS $2 Coronas and $1 tacos that's what's up! Margarita-wise, do not get the pina coloda. It's seriously a pina coloda flavored margarita not a pina coloda! 

Seriously, just come straight up for the specials. Taco Tuesdays rock. Happy Hours are great. And Wing Wednesdays with 45 cent wings are decent too and with their patio and some couches in the middle of the dining room, the place is actually decent to hang around with friends and chat it up! This place is cheap-ass student approved!
3 - Liz W.: Maybe I'm not a fan of breakfast food, but I think I can make everything they sell here at my apt.  However, I do really like their breakfast crepes (the sweet one with banana, strawberry, and nutella), and their mexican lunch/dinner dishes.  The best part of cafe durant is HAPPY HOUR.  On the days where beat the clock at Bear's Lair is just too crowded, just come over the Cafe Durant and get your $4 pitchers...or was it $5?  Either way, GREAT price for beer.
4 - James R.: Happy hour is excellent.

Pitchers of PBR and Coor's Light are $5 at 5, and any entree is $5 (sadly, these are considered good prices for Berkeley). I recommend the suicide pitcher, which is half PBR and half Coor's Light.

If you order pitchers, they only give you 1 cup per ID, but children can obviously use self-serve water cups.

Sometimes they have beer pong, which along with the light beer gives this restaurant the potential to become its own frat.

Superior to BTC if you want to hear anything your friend is saying, but sometimes I don't.
3 - Audrey C.: Brunch and mexican food! What a funny sounding combo. They have good combos that come with a good serving of food. Happy hour also has great deals. Try the orange juice if you come for brunch! They squeeze it fresh and it tastes delicious.

Great place to watch games with friends on their tv (place extends to an outside deck and further back into the room)
4 - Esty B.: Frequented this place all the time while I was at Cal. 

Super cheap, filling breakfast. Best thing is you can customize/mix and match side dishes and they don't mind.
3 - Joan K.: I'm updating my first review (worst review).

1) They give you SO. MUCH. FOOD. --cheap too!
2) The place is cutesy but it's SO hot...
3) The service is ehhh
4) They have 3 TVs. They don't need 3 TVs.

hmmm... that's all! Aite then lates! :b
4 - Jing P.: Cafe Durant is a great place for brunch. The food is homey and filling, and the pancakes (all kinds, but my favorite is the banana chocolate) is SO FREAKING GOOD. The crepes and scrambled eggs/omelettes are good as well, and it's always nice to eat on the balcony/patio on a nice sunny, lazy Sunday.
4 - Angela S.: In the middle of Berkeley's Asian ghetto, up a flight of stairs past a dim sum place, is the Cal kid - laden rooftop haven that is Cafe Durant; a place where you can choose from a huge menu of breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes, as well as Mexican food, all while admiring sweeping views of Berkeley campus housing, and the north Oakland hills in the distance. 

Cafe Durant is quite a unique place. where you get in a line to order, and they bring your food to you. Service is often quite slow, to be honest, so don't come here if you're in a hurry. 

They have a beer pong table sometimes, and there are often bros in there, being bros, but that's just part of the whole thing, and they never really get that rowdy. They also have super cheap pitchers, if you go during happy hour. The have TVs so you can watch baseball, and a random cast iron stove in the corner. 

Their sandwiches are bomb, and their mole burritos are, as well. You may have to wait a little while, but for a nice, cheap meal, it's worth it. They also let you bring in (non alcoholic, I think) beverages from other places, so you can get boba down the street, and eat it with your bomb - ass brunch.

Also, the tiki torches and rooftop seating at night? Love!
1 - Alex S.: SUCKS!

Overly priced tacos were disgusting. I seriously didn't know what I was eating. Not coming here for Mexican cuisine again.

Jeez louise.

P.S.: If "The Client is #1" you would acknowledge my existence at the counter instead of looking at me like some fucking retard. Learn how to talk, assface.
4 - Tina A.: Taco Tuesday!!

$1 Tacos: Chicken, Steak, Barbacoa, Carnitas -   
- All the tacos were good and nearly legit taco-truck quality with plenty of flavors [spicy, salty, tangy, savory] and packed with onions and cilantro.  All the meats were juicy, and it is not the typical dry/grilled steak, or the boiled/pulled pork/chicken.  They might have stir-fried it with the sauce.

The best one hands down was the steak taco because of the sauce flavor, and it is cut like asian-style beef.   

Sit outside on the patio for a view [or to people watch =P]
5 - Andrea S.: $1 Tacos on Tuesday with a choice of Steak, Carnitas, Barbacoa, and Chicken.  The steak tacos are soooo good.  The carnitas are not bad either, but the barbacoa and chicken were a little dry.  But for $4 you can try them all for yourself!

I also had the shrimp fajita on a non-taco tuesday and it was pretty good too.  Overall 5 stars for the price and food.
3 - Maria Z.: This place is alright, it's a little low-rent for my taste, but the chorizo omelet is good, and I had the enchiladas and margaritas once, and it was okay. I wouldn't run over, but the place isn't half bad.
2 - Kellen F.: I'm pretty surprised this place gets four and five star reviews, but I figure it's because it is being compared to places like Steve's Korean BBQ and Mandarin House in the Asian Ghetto...

I had the Cajun omelette and a cup of coffee, with a strawberry and nutella crepe. The food was alright in the sense that it tasted fine... but I think anyone who can cook could make the same thing or better with ingredients at home. The omelette was a bit oily with some spicy sausage and jalapeños, nothing special. The crepe was a crepe. Again nothing really great about it, but not bad per se... 

What gets this a 2 instead of a three is the coffee. This was coffee-machine flavored tea, if anything. Any human who has ever made coffee before should know that coffee is not supposed to be that clear, even if they didn't taste it first. It was honestly terrible, even at 8am when I was in dire need for a cup... I couldn't finish and I gave up. 

I guess it would be an acceptable place to go if you a) don't like to go to the grocery store, b) really don't like cooking in the morning and c) have no other options. But I think for most people, that's not the case.
2 - Timothy M.: For those of you at Cal in the 80's (and maybe before and after) this is the Manuel's successor.  Great for cheap beer.  Great happy hour.  Turns into a satellite frat house on a regular basis.  But dont' go there for the food, and especially not for breakfast.  Denver omelet and a cup of weak coffee for $10.01? At an "order at the counter" place?  At least the server didn't have the nerve to give me $9.99 change, and just handed me a $10.  Would have been one star if they had dumped a bunch of pennies on me.
4 - Jenny M.: Awesome and underrated place for brunch or Mexican food! 

The stairs up to Cafe Durant are kind of hidden and always overlooked because people go to Asian Ghetto by default. However, I love Cafe Durant! They have really good brunch plates, with pancakes, omelettes, crepes, and a fruit bowl, all for around $7 :) Great pick-me-up in the morning.

The Mexican food here is slightly above average, but when you take price into consideration, it's definitely worth it. I once got a burrito and chips and a taco salad for $8. The burrito was really big, too!

I definitely recommend this place for group brunches or lunches. Go on a nice day so you can sit on the patio outside!
4 - Christine C.: I'm writing this review now because I just discovered Taco Tuesdays..although I have been coming here for the past 4 years during college. $1, $2 beer. nom nom.. they always have such good deals!! their food is OKAY but the portions are big and I love sitting outside on a sunny day. I'll definitely come back for Taco Tuesday when I'm in Berkeley.
1 - Rachel M.: Been here once and will never come back again.  First off the cashier was a total B****.  She was rushing us to order and giving us an attitude when we had questions about some of the ingredients (my friend is allergic to several things).  The food is kind of pricey and take forever to come out (there was only one other table in the restaurant).  I ordered crepes and it had some kind of after taste of garlic! I'm not even kidding, all my friends tried a bite and they all said it tasted like raw garlic fell in the batter or something.  I left hungry and will never come back.
4 - Edward W.: Happy Hour is 3-7 on weekdays. All entrees are only $5!! I didn't find this place until my junior year, but it's definitely a cheap and convenient place to have group gatherings. They have giant TVs everywhere for easy sport viewing and cheap food to keep you satisfied. The cheap food isn't bad quality either as every item I've ordered from the menu has always satisfied me. (the standard burger, sandwich, burrito) I've almost always gotten full off one entree unless I was starving although that was extremely rare.

TL;DR; Great hangout for groups and super cheap food especially during happy hour. Go right before 7 on weekdays.
3 - Amy H.: I feel like I have to give Cafe Durant more chance because they offer so much. This might turn into a disaster, though. 

TIP: Come hungry. You could technically order a Breakfast Combo and share, because each combo comes with four different items. 

Why might it become a disaster, you ask, if I give Cafe Durant more chances? Because if everything else turns out like my first experience, then I will have wasted a bit of cash. But you will read my warnings, and I will save YOU some cash. ...Anyway. 

My boyfriend and I came here for brunch on a sunny late August Sunday. Fairly standard setup to speed things up--order at the counter, take a number, sit down, get your own utensils and water cups. The food came quickly.  I ordered Breakfast Combo B.

It was a lot of food, but I wasn't satisfied. There just wasn't any flavor. The fruit combo pancake looked crazy--think ooey gooey banana slices, strawberry slices, and blueberries and their juices melded into a pancake--but tasted alright. The texture was off though, very rubbery. The french toast just tasted like fried bread, even with syrup and the powdered sugar sprinkled on top. The vegetable omelette was bland in taste, even with pepper sprinkled on it, and rubbery and tough in texture. The vegetables inside were okay. The fruit cup had strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew--pretty standard. 

It was all just very... okay. Thoughts running through my head: "Alright. Cool. I'm eating a piece of this pancake... but I don't taste it. Okay, how about this omelette? Hard to chew and I don't really taste it. French toast... fried bread. Hmm."  

So why do I think I'll end up giving them more chances? It was decent for the price ($7). It's a good amount of food if you're really hungry. There are so many other things on the menu to try--maybe breakfast just isn't that good. They have what looks like a decent happy hour. But--and now you know why--it could end in disaster. Stay tuned.
3 - Austin W.: Man I HATE Cafe Durant for posting that they open at 7:30am when they clearly DO NOT! RAGE RAGE RAGE!!!!!

Anyways... I ordered the Don Burrito today here and it was good as usual. However! Instead of small shrimps, they used full size ones. Gasp! Looks like they're stepping it up! The Don Burrito for $7 and change is definitely very filling and I highly recommend it. The steak inside is GOOD.

My friend gave me a bit of his Pesto Chicken crepe and it was pretty good. I would've liked it more if the pesto flavor was stronger but the chicken was tender so no complaints there.

Would come again, but NOT at 7:30am -_-
3 - James L.: Flavors do not flow with the portions served. Nice atmosphere. Wouldn't come back...
3 - Brian K.: Pretty good food for a reasonable price with the best and fanciest coffee in Cal, I recommend it except for the bitch of a waitress and her daughter that work there.  They seriously need to learn how to smile and stop being such rude ass faces
2 - Sheeva G.: i love breakfast, and i really hated this place. i came here expecting pretty decent food and the place is on durant, aka, asian ghetto. i really thought the food was horrible. decent view from the upstairs balcony, but i really hated the food. bleh
4 - Dongwan K.: Great place for poor students lol

Do not miss out on their wing Wednesday
Each wing is 45cents!!!

Their Taco Tuesday, thirsty Thursday seems pretty good too although I can't say much cuz i never tried this place on these days.

I'm not 21 yet so I haven't benefited much from their happy hours but I know many ppl go out their for chill drinking on weekdays

Food is pretty good with huge portion.  And they have multiple TVs so it's a great place to cheer for your team and they also have decent wifi too so u can see students trying to get their work done.
4 - Phan H.: You want fast and cheap mexican food? Come here. I came here on taco tuesday and ate 10 tacos. They were fantastic and not your average taco bell hard shell type. Beer is also cheap, but my complaint is the service is pretty rude though, but they are fast.
3 - Chris W.: Nice hidden place

had the cajun steak burrito

really filling but it wasnt of very high quality.

food also took forever
4 - Erika C.: Oh mannn.  If I still lived near this place, I would be here all the time.  It is so damn cheap, with just the right portions for someone who needs savory and sweet dishes.  I usually get half of an eggs benedict with one choco chip pancake.  This is the only place that does a benedict combo with pancake or french toast!!!  All brunch places should do this.  Why don't they!?  Now I have to order a whole benedict and whole pancake item like a fatty and box up the rest to go.

I like sitting out on the deck.  It doesn't get much more chill than a wknd brunch on Cafe Durant's deck, watching people below.  I think the three star ratings should really be four... people aren't thinking about how cheap this place is.  To be fair, they don't make a real benedict; their egg is fried not poached.  For the price, though, who cares?  It's still an egg.
5 - Buddy W.: This is the ultimate place for delicious food and hearty portions...it's great for breakfast/lunch/dinner/late dinner...whenever.  I've gone here for breakfast more than any other time I've been in Berkeley and every time, I have left full and happy.  If you are craving pancakes, crepes, french-fried potatoes, omelettes, breakfast burritos, and any other Mexican-style breakfast dishes, this places serves up the best and the presentation of their dishes is also definitely worth mentioning.  Come hungry and you will leave happy.
4 - Michelle Z.: The breakfast burrito...the strawberry+nutella crepes...my favorite!!! Not too expensive ... 

It takes about 10-15 minutes to get your food, even if it's not busy...but I've never had a bad meal here.
4 - Olga S.: Have been to this place on many occasions including to watch World Cup Final of 2010 (great choice btw). Place is great for breakfast, lunch or casual dinner. They have a pretty extensive menu with burgers, sandwiches, burritos, tacos, both American and Mexican breakfast, meat plates, and drinks as well. My favorites would have to be green enchiladas, wet burrito, breakfast plate D, crepes, and club sandwich. They have ample seating both inside and outside and there are several TV screens usually showing sports (soccer most of the time) - I believe you can even ask them to change to a certain channel (esp if it's for a game). The location is very convenient next to Asian Ghetto and in the heart of Berkeley Telegraph area. The workers are pretty nice and service is reasonably fast, prices are also typical of a similar place. Overall one of my favorite casual spots in Berkeley and if you enjoy watching a soccer game while eating this is a great spot. Highly recommended to those fond of casual Mexican/American dining.
1 - Kelly E.: Sorry, I just don't see the appeal of over-priced, mediocre and (at times) stomach-pain-inducing Mexican food. 

Maybe Cafe Durant is okay for eating Wednesday night Wings but beyond that the appeal is zilch. 

If you do wind up going here, avoid getting a mimosa! It looks like a frothy mix of lemon tang and believe me you could do much better walking a little further to Henry's for a properly made drink.
1 - Andrea F.: Our order sounded delicious - chilaquiles, home fries, mocha, and orange juice. It was not. The chilaquiles were a mess of cold eggs over soggy chips and the home fries were cold and not crispy at all. The atmosphere is kind of dive-bar ish and the outdoor umbrellas were falling on top of guests. I rarely regret a meal, but that was one of them.
4 - Nadia G.: I'm a regular here, and the workers are really friendly. For the most part, I like Cafe Durant. Most of the food is good, it's super cheap for the amount of food you get, and they have a good variety. I also like that they have TVs and always have soccer games playing. I had a lot of fun watching the world cup here. The only negatives I have are that sometimes I don't like the ingredients they use. The grilled cheese is made with regular, shredded cheddar and mozzarella. And the french toast is made with regular bread and tastes really bland. I wish they would use better ingredients, but it's not going to stop me from coming here. Overall, it's pretty good.
3 - Emily P.: I like coming here after a night out but the prices are a tad high for berkeley students and the portions are not as large as I'd hope for. Still delicious and I hear the happy hour deals are great (although I haven't been yet). I like this place for the most part and continue coming back.
2 - Anthony C.: Good place to get some beer with friends. Great rooftop outdoor seating, but other that it's nothing special
5 - Tilo L.: I don't know what's up with all these snobs coming on this page complaining about the smallest details of their meal. I for one loved my 5 dollar enchilada plate (in green chile). Speaking from a Mexican-American standpoints, these enchiladas are the best one I've had on South Side so far. Then again I may be biased considering the price. 

The place is really comfortable, across from my table are four other students laughing their butts off and continuously ordering cheap pitchers of beer. There's internet, there's three TV's with different games on. Pretty cool tunes, too. 

I'm wondering to my self why I never came here to eat in the past. After a long day in school, go after 3pm for their $5 entrees. You won't regret it. Or you can keep going to the same old places you go eat to. 

I give this place . . . . two . . . thumbs up!
3 - Furai X.: Quick service, generous portions, great price (especially the Sundeck portions), and open at 7:30am every day of the week!

Unfortunately, the quality and taste isn't the best...I mean, definitely okay but nothing to rave about. 

I usually get the Sundeck Combo B but opted for the Californian omelet last weekend. It barely had any flavor! The egg looked and tasted fried and I was deeply disappointed by the 3 slivers of avocado hangin' out inside. 

The home fries were similarly listless and tasteless. I strangely enjoyed the toast though. Perfect texture and crunchiness.

BUT it's $5 per entree at happy hour and for THAT price, I'd go back.
3 - Christina H.: "Happy Hour! Mon - Fri $5 Entrees 3pm - 6pm 
All entrees included except for combos

Taco Tuesday - $1 Tacos 5pm - 10pm
Chicken | Steak | Carnitas | Barbacoa | Veggie

Wing it Wednesday - 45¢ Wings 5pm - 10pm

Thirsty Thursday - $2 Beers $3 Margaritas 5pm - 10pm

TGI Friday Pitchers! - Countdown 5pm - 8pm
$5 @ 5pm | $6 @ 6pm | $7 @ 7pm | $8 @ 8pm"

Yup. What more could you ask for?
4 - Ancy D.: Would definitely recommend this place. Most items are between $6-8, but the portion sizes are really big so it's definitely worth it. I've gotten a burger here and a turkey avocado sandwich, and they both came with really large servings of fries and left me feeling super full. 

Also, there's almost never that many people here so it's a nice place to catch up/have a nice conversation with friends (especially towards the side of the restaurant, where there are comfy sofas surrounding a coffee table). There's also an incredible variety of breakfast foods, Mexican food, desserts, beverages, and more. So overall, the food is okay, but the nice environment, fast service, and huge portion sizes definitely make this place worth a visit.
1 - harold w.: Yuk! Yuk! Yuk!

Too salty and the beans were cold.  The day I went was cold and raining and the restaurant needed heat.  It was cold inside and then the food came and the beans and rice were cold, almost if they had just come from the refrigerator.  Terrible. Don't Go.
3 - Adele F.: || B A C K G R O U N D ||

Came here to do some interview prep over lunch. You walk up the flight of stairs and turn right to place your order. To the left is the dining area, with a good number of tables and good light from the plexiglass doors. Food is ready in 7 minutes or so, and everything else is self-serve.

|| F O O D ||

DON DIABLO BURRITO: steak, shrimp, onions, Don Diablo sauce, with rice, beans, cheese, guacamole, and sour cream [$6.95]
- Comes with a complementary side of nacho chips! You can ladle some salsa from their small salsa bar.
- The steak and shrimp are yummy and tender, although the rice and beans were much more plentiful. The shrimp is quite delectable, though.
- The Don Diablo sauce is SPICY. To the point it made me tear up. Sniff sniff ;___;
- The guac, sour cream, Don Diablo sauce, and cheese are drizzled on top of the burrito, not inside the burrito. I would have liked the guac inside, but then they would have had to give me more than the little mound on top. Oh mann, that Don Diablo sauce was so taste-bud-inflaming Q__Q

SUPER NACHOS: nachos with melted cheese, fresh salsa, jalapenos, black & pinto beans, drizzles of sour scream, and a dollop of guac [$6.50]
- A large portion that looked tasty! And my friend confirmed that they were c:
- Not too much cheese, which was a bummer. But there was a good balance of the other toppings, so s'okay.

|| C L O S U R E ||

Decent food at decent prices, but there are better places that offer better food. Like the Stuffed Inn omgoodness. But if you want space and time (DIMENSIONS), they have their outdoor patio and late night hours. They also have happy hour and other specials (http://www.cafedurant.com/offers.html), so I could be persuaded to come here again for those reasons only.
4 - Mason T.: Cafe Durant is a really solid selection if you order at the right times.  I try to take advantage of their happy hour deals, when all entrees are 5 bucks.  My favorite is the Don Diablo burrito, which, for 5 bucks, blows la burrita and panchos out of the water.  They also have a decent salsa bar on the side should you choose to dine in.  The menu is extensive and diverse, so if you're the type that likes to mix it up, this is the place for you.  It always boggles my mind how many upperclassmen have failed to try this place, despite the fact that it's situated at the heart of the berkeley food scene.  My only supposition would be that people are just too lazy to walk up the flight of stairs -.-  Still, for the thrifty college student I highly recommend this place.  If you have the chance, try to take advantage of their daily deals -- mostly notably "taco tuesday's" or "wing wednesday."  I've tried wing wednesday (45 cents/wing) and i must say that the wings were much better than I expected -- well sauced and of respectable size.
2 - Greg M.: I've been here twice for brunch-type occasions.  

Pros: Nice vibe and environment.  Plenty of seating.  Good for groups. Food has generous portions.

Cons: Food isn't that great.  I had the Cajun omelette and it wasn't very good.  

I've heard that the sundeck combos are good and a lot of people come here for taco tuesdays.  However, I'm not a big fan of sweet breakfast foods so I enjoy omlettes and such.  But with my two experiences ordering omelettes, it tasted like something I could make at home and there wasn't anything special about it
4 - Anna K.: New discovery as a senior at Cal. This place ain't half bad to study at! IF and this is a big if, you come on a weekday early to lunchtime-ish. Breakfast foods, big tables, beer, and free wi-fi! Perfect combination for a study session. Minus the beer. Replace with a new drink I invented today that I dubbed Mexican Horchata Cold Chocolate. It requires a half drunk Horchata and Mexican Hot Chocolate, put it together and voilà! New drink. If you do not like cinnamon, do not try this. It's like a drink version of the cinnamon challenge. Except do-able and delicious. I'm pretty sure this is the first Mexican Hot Chocolate that I've tried that is authentic because I saw the blended bits in the drink, and from the limited knowledge I have from my friend, making of this drink involves blending...with a blender.  

Tried the Sundeck Combo with Chocolate Chip Banana Pancake, fruit salad, strawberry and banana crepe, and veggie omelet. A lot of food! I thought everything was very yummy and liked the fact that I could use the fruit from the salad on my crepe. It did get kinda sweet but I snuck a couple of savory and deliciously filling bites from the breakfast burrito. That thing is monstrous burrito with lotsa fillings, generously topped with salsa, guac, and sour cream. Don't think I could ever tackle that on my own, but it was SO GOOD. Bf was full from this meal the whole day. 

Don't think that I would make this my regular studying spot, but will come here time strategically and when I'm craving breakfast. Who knew my hangover spot could also be an occasional studying spot. :)
4 - Amy G.: How have I not reviewed this place yet? I've been getting cheap Mexican food here since before college. It's a cool location looking over Durant and Telegraph, especially when they light the torches on the balcony at night. As always, I can't order anything other than burritos when they are available on a menu. The don diablo burrito is yummy, with really flavorful steak and shrimp in generous portions. All the burritos come wet style, too, for the sauce-lovers out there. The super nachos are tasty too, and definitely more than enough for a filling meal.

In my indulgence of 21+ privileges, I came for the happy hour for the first time last Friday. I've never seen the place so packed! Despite the noise and commotion, the servers remained friendly and attentive. One iffy thing in retrospect was the pricing: I thought that a pitcher of beer was $6 after 6pm and my burrito was no more than $7 (in fact, I thought entrees are supposed to be only $5 during happy hour), but somehow the two together came out to ~$16. My friend and I didn't question it at the time, but we should have. Nevertheless, I'm sure I'll be back in the future, among other cheap Mexican places in the area, when I need my regular burrito fix.
2 - Gilad B.: Food ok, very bad service and rude people.
4 - Derrick H.: HAPPY HOUR. TACO TUESDAY.

Cafe Durant is my go to place to pre-game for BTC. $5 entrees during happy hour and $8/$10 pitchers all day, every day. Not too shabby. The breakfast foods aren't too bad either.
4 - Debbie L.: Come here for Taco Tuesdays ($1 chicken, beef, or veggie tacos) and happy hour ($5 all entrees plus $2 off a pitcher of beer)! The tacos themselves are tiny (much smaller than the $1 fish tacos you can get at Looney's) and do not have much toppings (ie veggies)... very expected for $1. I suggest getting their $5 entrees... split some nachos at your table and get a couple tacos each and it's worth it.

Great place (love the balcony) to chill with friends, grab a beer, share some nachos and eat some tacos!
5 - Denise A.: How have I not written a review for this place already?!?

I love this place! There are so many great memories here for me, so I am biased.  I think I would regularly give this place 4 stars, but it earns 5 for some great memories.

In sum:
- Great deals (cheap, tasty food is always a plus)
- Wide variety/selection
- Combos (Such as sundeck combos) available for people like me who want a little of everything
- Friendly service
- Delicious food
- Can be a fast meal (not waiter service) or you can spend a long time hanging out/talking there (some people come and go, and no one will bother you about it)
- Outside patio great when sunny/good weather
- Indoor seating available too
- Casual
- Accepts credit cards
- Convenient location for Cal students
4 - Donna M.: Cafe Durant is a dive bar, sports bar, and cafe all in one. While a bit dingy and servers could be a little nicer, this is one of my favorite spots in Berkeley to pre-game, watch a game, and/or post-game!

They have a wide selection of bottled beers at a decent price, but come for the beers on tap during their happy hour. There isn't much to choose from by it's hard to say no to a pitcher of Blue Moon for about $7. Their margaritas are also pretty good (the kind that tastes good now, but will hit you hard later) - definitely get the strawberry!

As for the food, it's better than most places (on Durant). I'm a fan of their breakfast combos, Mexican breakfasts, and MIMOSAS. The nachos are also pretty good for sharing amongst friends. 

Watch a game, sit on the balcony, and enjoy!
4 - Keith C.: Cafe durant's a great place to grab a cheap bite to eat, especially for all you poor Cal students.  They have a bunch of different happy hours that vary depending on the day of the week, but the 3-7pm weekday happy hour is always $5 for any entree, which is an incredibly cheap meal IMO.  The food is pretty good, nothing special, but a great value and usually pretty filling.
Recently I've only been here to get drinks, which has been great.  The deals make it very cheap, so keeping the pitchers flowing for a table full of people doesn't even cost much, though if you like beer you might be a bit disappointed by their selection (though Blue Moon's always a nice default).  
If you're going with a large group of friends you might wanna send a few people to go earlier and grab a table, especially if you want to sit inside.  There's usually always seating, but finding a table large enough to fit everyone inside can be tough, especially on weekend nights.  Speaking of which, it can get LOUD in here, so be prepared for that, especially when everyone's partying for the weekend, but if you go during lunch or non-peak hours you should be fine.  

A great place to grab drinks or a cheap meal and watch a game on TV (there're at least 3 or 4).
1 - K P.: Breakfast burrito? More like I am angry at you and throwing s**t in a box and then going to sling over the counter at you.

To Quote Yelp: Eek! Methinks not.
4 - Isabella L.: I love this place. Their balcony, the cheap beer, the yummy $1 tacos on Tuesdays, and occasionally their wings too. oh and their nachos with steak!!

Since discovering their amazing happy hour each day, I have been a huge fan of this place. On a nice day, their patio is amazing. Their food is pretty good especially their nachos and I really enjoy their tacos.

Complaints:
-get more flavors of wings on wednesdays!! 45cents is good but i dont wanna eat only buffalo wings
-the tables can get pretty dirty especially when people dont clean up after themselves so maybe they need more workers
-the service isnt good -- theyre actually kinda rude

I come here for cheap beer and pretty yummy food.
4 - Valerie A.: TACO TUESDAY!!!

What more do I have to say? Actually, a lot.

1. Taco Tuesday is fantastic! $1 tacos? YES!
Cafe Durant has a good selection of meats which include steak, chicken, carnitas, ground beef, this one that's slow cooked beef that I seriously can't remember the name of, and my all time favorite--CHILE VERDE!
I recommend you get here early because it gets packs. Cal students hangout here all night and continue to get pitchers of beer. The line does get long so just order as much as you think you can eat to avoid the line.

2. Margaritas!
I believe they're $4.75? A little more than $5 when you add the tax.
Mango, Strawberry, Lime and Peach is what's one their menu I believe.
I just wish they sold them in pitchers like Chevy's. Then my days as a Cal student would have been complete!

3. Breakfast
So many breakfast options. Personally, I just get chilaquiles (skip the sour cream because it's a lot). 

4. The A, B, C, D, combos
What is great is that you can get Mexican or American breakfast. It's a win win situation if you want both. For example, go on Wing Wednesday ($0.45 each!) and then order a combo with it. 
The combos have these options: tostada, burrito, taquitos, quesadilla, and enchilada ( I think). It's a huge meal for under $7. Eat half before your meeting or dance practice then save the rest for later! Trust, you'll finish it all.

5. Location & Ambiance
It's close to campus and they don't care it you're loud. It's always loud except for in the mornings.
I'd have meetings here with folks and it worked out great because there's lots of seating. The outdoor and indoor options are really nice on sunny days or rare hot Berkeley nights (or just when you drink lots of beer for your alcohol jacket).

Now I'm not giving it 4 stars for just the food. Most of the food is pretty standard, it's not over the top. But, I love the tacos.
Sometimes you need loud places that can hold a lot of people, namely college students.
I like the tiki torches and umbrellas. It's comfortable to me.

One more think. there is only ONE (1) bathroom so beware if you're out for a night on the town. Just run to campus. It's not too far!
4 - Justin A.: Cafe Durant is my favorite breakfast spot  in Berkeley. The food is good and the prices are great. There is a nice outside seating area that overhangs Durant St., where a lot of people get work done or browse the internet on the cafe's free high speed wifi over lunch or breakfast. I highly recommend you check it out.
4 - Jason T.: I wish I could love this place more. I haven't tried anything other than their wings, and they have so much flavor to them! For $0.45/wing for happy hour (Wednesdays) you can't beat the value. However there are inconsistencies in the quality of the wing (quantity of meat per wing, tenderness of meat). As much as I try to not come here, I find myself wanting to come back precisely for their wings. I do want to give them credit for knowing the way to appeal to the college crowd with their happy hour selection. 

Wing flavors: limon, BBQ, hot

I like spiciness, and the hot wings are sufficiently hot. The BBQ wings are often slathered in BBQ sauce, and that's awesome. The limon wings could use some more kick and more flavor, but definitely try them out as well.
3 - Cheston W.: I definitely consider this place a super chill and fun place to meet up with friends over a few drinks and some cheap and decent eats. Cafe Durant has a ton of space for people to mingle (with both an outdoor patio and indoor seating) with quite a few TVs for people to watch games on. 

One of the best parts about this place is that they have great deals for Happy Hour (basically every day) and their regularly priced food options are already pretty reasonable! The food isn't amazing, but with a cheap beer and some good friends, this place does the job just fine.

Basically if you're starving or need to grab a bite to eat and don't want to wait out in the cold down in the Asian Ghetto, this place works just fine! But yes, Happy Hour here! Good and cheap (and there's a good variety of options)!
3 - Lucy C.: Cafe Durant is starting to become my go-to place for breakfast food. Their bacon is delicious and I'm a pretty huge fan of their Three Egg Breakfast!

Today, though, they drop down to 3.5 stars in my book. There wasn't very much business (or very many people), but I still found myself waiting for nearly 10 minutes in front of an empty cash register! Several times, different waiters passed by me on their way to and from the kitchen, but not a single person stopped to ask if I had been helped yet. Terrible service!
2 - Jennifer K.: I don't like their breakfast dishes. I ordered sundeck combo with pancakes, egg, and sausage....came out really bad. I couldn't believe I just paid for this meal...so disappointed.
2 - Josephine H.: I've been here multiple times and today will probably be the last. I've never had a problem with Cafe Durant until today. Today is the first Cal football game of the season and we were hoping to catch the game here and have a nice bite. When we first get to the register, there is chaos already. Another patron comes up and demands for a refund because his friend who ordered his food 30 minutes prior to him received their food and he is still waiting. Should have taken that as a sign to leave already. But the place was pretty empty so I thought it would be nice to be able to sit and watch the game. But I also should have taken that as a sign to leave.

We ask the lady at the register if they were going to broadcast the Cal game later. She replies "No." Then, quickly mutters "Yes, yes.." Well, okay if you say Yes, then I'll stay and order my food. Well, 12pm comes by and the channel on the TVs are still on ESPN, not PAC-12. We ask the server if they're going to broadcast it. She replies, "do you know the channel?" Well no, we didn't.. but she mentioned they have Direct TV. So with a quick internet search we realize Direct TV does not have the PAC-12 network. I sit there grumpily eating my lunch. What kind of restaurant in the heart of bear territory doesn't have the PAC-12 network?? And to lie to us about it saying that they'd show it just so they'd have our service? Unacceptable.

Good riddance Cafe Durant. We're done.
4 - Alli Q.: I only come here for Taco Tuesday and it's probably the best time to eat here! Tacos are literally $1 (seriously, what can you get for a dollar?) and even though they're small, they're pretty good. Pitchers are also $8 (for Lagunitas, at least).

If it's your first time going, it might be hard to find. You need to walk up some sketchy stairs to get there because it's on the second floor so look out for signs from the street! This is definitely an undergrad spot on Tuesdays so it can get really crowded and really loud. Still fun and worth going!

Cafe Espresso Experience - Berkeley, CA (37.8684351, -122.2606426) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
4 - Captain V.: "Their sandwiches restore my faith in humanity."
5 - Yasmine G.: I miss you bulgogi sandwich...so toasty and flavorful...a sweet memory of my Berkeley days.
5 - Erica C.: The best sandwich ever!  You'd think that in LA's K-town I'd come across a place that sells bulgogi sandwiches but no... I have to go back to Berkeley to get my fix!
5 - esther o.: I've eaten everywhere there is to eat in Berkeley, but the bulgogi sandwiches from Espresso Experience are what I miss the most.
5 - Sunim K.: More Berkeley kids need to know about this place to support this unknown cafe. Their bulgogi sandwich is just THAT good. Cult following right here for this thing. It's strange how I've never heard of such a concoction in my life until coming to Cal. There's jalapenos in the sandwich which gives it a kick. It's a hot sandwich with a toasted bread. The perfect bread for this sandwich! Haven't tried anything else and I don't think I want to. Hm, maybe I'll get one tomorrow! :)

They serve other hot sandwiches as well. Coffee, tea, pastries, etc. Try this place out!
5 - J L.: toasted bread, bulgogi, mayo, lettuce, and some other stuff  =  glorious euphoria unequaled by any other sandwich experience, ever. 

people, this is good stuff.
5 - eriin w.: been coming here since i first went to berkeley, um, years ago. you have to try the bulgogi sandwich- best ever. in fact, the ONLY place i know that serves it. now if only they open longer hours on the weekend...it's anti non students--i can't catch them on weekdays!
5 - Dave L.: It's all about the Bulgogi Sandwich.

Don't be a fool and order a generic turkey sandwich. Get the mighty Bulgogi Sandwich. There's no other choice. It's a little overpriced, but totally worth it. I used to motivate myself to go to the RSF by letting myself have one afterwards. So awesome. Now I'm crazy ripped. Aw yea! Just kidding. But seriously the Espresso Experience is one of my top ten fondest college memories.

Tips: Hurry! This family owned shop closes down for summer vacation.
4 - Andy M.: The espresso isn't much of an experience - I tried it. It tastes kind of like coffee.

The bulgogi beef sandwich or the teriyaki chicken sandwich, however, are quite delicious. Imagine a Korean cheese steak and you're getting close.

They just remodeled and it looks nicer but has lost a little soul in the process. Still, cheap and delicious.
5 - al l.: I had an English GSI who had a thing for this establishment because Michel Focault supposedly frequented the coffee joint during his Berkeley escapades of the '60s. Well, I no longer come here due to its Foucaultian history, but rather for their sumptuous eats.

While they may be called ESPRESSO Experience and have a full coffee bar complete with affordable lattes and teas, their main selling point must be their sandwiches, which are perfect for a light lunch that won't give you a severe food coma in lecture afterwards. I especially recommend the chicken terryaki. The price of the regular size (below $5) is very reasonable. Highly recommend that you try it, they're very addictive.

The cafe itself is owned by a Korean family that's really friendly and almost kow-tow when serving you...kinda weird but nice that they appreciate your business. They just opened a few weeks ago after a renovation and I like the new, more sophisticated atmosphere. Though it's not crowded at all during the summer, it does get busy during lunchtime throughout the academic year with students opting for the signature bulgogi eats.
5 - Karen W.: My first Bulgogi Sandwich...and it was YUMMY.
Hot tasty beef, mayo (a yummy sort, i usually hate mayo), lettuce, and tomatoes sandwiched in a white deli roll. 

Other stuff here:
-Chicken Teriyaki Sandwich: Yummy! Lighter tasting than the Bulgogi. The chicken is very fresh and tender.
-Edamame: 1.25 a box! Yay!
-Potato Salad: Similarly cheap. Not bad, great portions.
-Shaved Ice: Pass on this one. It was heaping, but the quality was so-so. Not enough Adzuki beans or other toppings, and NO CONDENSED MILK. Craziness. Also, the Ice was very hard. It needed to be chipped off. Unsatisfactory.
4 - Susan H.: Food:  A-
Value:  A
Service:  B-
Decor:  Americana style cafe
Rate of Return:  Often
Best Time To Go:  anytime they're open

BULGOGI in a SANDWICH ... who would have thunk it.  It's super affordable and worth a few trips a week for a college student.  But it's definitely a must try for anyone living in or visiting the bay area.
4 - Wonnie K.: The bulgogi sandwiches are great, but too small.  It would be a 5 if I wasn't still slightly hungry afterwards.
4 - Maple L.: We'd go here just for the yummy bulgogi sandwiches, with carrot sticks and jalapenos on the side, this boy and I.

We'd go for the coffee and tea drinks, this boy and I, now my boyfriend.

We'd go to snag a seat by the big windows that fold out, this boy and I, now my fiance.

We miss this place, this boy and I, now my husband.

We have had nothing but a love affair with Espresso Experience.
5 - Ada T.: Good lord, I'm obsessed with their bulgogi sandwich. The idea of putting Korean beef into a perfectly toasted sandwich -- totally brilliant. The owners of the place also seem extremely nice, which is why I'm able to forgive the fact that a fair amount of time passes between when I order a sandwich and when I'm finally able to take a huge, delicious bite. 

Really not much else to say, considering I've never tried any of their other menu items (and why would I do such a thing?) The place is clean and bright for studying, it probably gets AirBears, silly $0.50 charge for credit/atm card...but really, who cares about these details. Bulgogi sandwich = everything. More people need to know about this place!
5 - Dave K.: Oh, how I miss the bulgogi sandwich.  $5 for a mouthwatering mound of sweet Korean barbequed beef on a crunchy roll.  Sweet baby Jesus I just had Christmas dinner but I want this now.  It's a little on the small side, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in taste.  I came to this place to study in my college days and they were always nice to me, probably because they knew me and I gave them a decent amount of business by bringing dozens of friends here throughout the years.

I went back a few months ago and it looks like they've got new ownership, but I think they've carried on the same tradition of great customer service and good quality food.

Who's coming with me next time?
5 - Jeff C.: I came here a while ago, but I just now remembered to yelp it. Awesome place to get a great Bulgogi sandwich. There isn't much meat, but its all about the flavor! Sweet BBQ'ed beef on a great roll. The bread perfectly complements the rest of the sandwich.
My only problem is that its far from where I usually am. Its not really Cafe Espresso's fault, so I cant take off a star for that, but if more of my classes were closer to the southwest side of campus I would come here a whole lot more often. Maybe its time for a change of major to get closer to these sandwiches!
2 - Ann S.: Don't mean to be a spoil sport but when I saw this in the top five in the Best of Berkeley list, I had to complain.  No way it is in the top 15 best places to eat in Berkeley.  

If you're a vegetarian, this is not a great choice for you.  They have hot-dog-topping-style veggies: my veggie sandwich tasted like a McDonald's salad on bread with Italian salad dressing.  Does that sound exciting?  Considering that the sandwiches are smallish and not that filling, they are rather pricey.  The ambiance is a bit clinical: clean, but without personality or style.  

However, the staff are really nice and it is always refreshing to see a clean, well-lit, non-seedy looking cafe in Berkeley.  I would bump up the rating if they had better veggie sandwiches.
5 - Vivian H.: The bulgogi sandwiches are delicious, though it is true there isn't a whole lot of beef (but health-wise, we could probably do with less red meat). 

But really, the lady is so warm and friendly! She always remembers that I like jalapenos on the side :).  The cafe is such a nice little nook with chaotic Telegraph a turn away that I really recommend this place very much! Ever since my boyfriend introduced me to the sandwich, I'm allll about it.

Update 1/08: I went today for lunch (DELISH) and my bulgogi sandwich had the perfect amount of beef in it! SWEEET.
5 - brian m.: Came for a quick lunch after hearing all the compliments from fellow yelpers. It sure didn't disappoint me. The bulgogi sandwich was great and the owner was very nice. Good price, wi-fi, clean interior, great food, and what else.... I'll leave it there. Will surely go back soon.
4 - Steven T.: Oh how I would have given this place 5 stars because nothing was wrong with it.  The place was clean, access to air bears, bulgogi sandwiches (gosh I love the toasted bread here) 

So I am in trying to get my usual order and ask for the bulgogi sandwich (2 to be exact) with no mayo on either one.  Needless to say, she put mayo on each one and realized she wasn't supposed to afterward.  Instead of doing what most places would do and either 

A. move the stuff to a new bun
B. make a new sandwich all together

her eyes light up and she makes the "oh no" face and proceeds to wipe off the mayo with a napkin. Lucky for her we didn't ask for no mayo for allergen reasons as there was still hints of mayo left that my friend and I were exposed toooo argggggggg! Lucky for her I let it slide that day =p
3 - Brad L.: Truth be told, Berkel Berkel a few blocks down Telegraph does better bulgogi, but not in convenient sandwich form. Esp Exp's is kinda like a Subway sandwich, except with surprisingly decent bread. Given that it's reheated, the bulgogi is about as good as it can be.
3 - K M.: EDIT (1/14/10):  ** They have raised their prices so now the regular order of a bulgogi sandwich is $5.95.  I've eaten at Espresso Experience for the last two years and the quality seems to have gone down while the prices have risen.  The bulgogi sandwich I had today barely had any meat in in.  While the bread is still nice and crispy,  the sandwich itself lacked it's old flavor and it didn't wow me as usual.  I probably won't be coming back anymore, the sandwich just isn't worth $6 when there are few ingredients and the meat is scant.    

The famous bulgogi sandwich is so good and cheap!  A regular order is only $4.80!  ** They have raised their prices so now the regular order is $5.95. ** The bread is also very crispy and just the right texture.  They serve coffee drinks and sushi here as well.  I have never tried the sushi but I've seen some very happy customers dig into them, the rolls look delicious.  Now they offer shaved ice and it is heavenly!  Bananas, strawberries, mango, grapes kiwi, mochi, red bean, cereal, and a scoop of ice cream  = very yummy!  The only negative would be that service is kind of slow, but then again that means they take their time with each order!  I got the shaved ice to go and it came in a HUGE container.  Totally awesome.  The owners are so so nice too.  I will be back for the sandwich though!
4 - Emmanuel K.: I've been a fan of the bulgogi sandwich since I first had it in 2000.  The owners have been super classy ever since, and continue to provide quality service and food.  Their spicy tuna rolls are good too, and have a good amount of tuna - more than at most restaurants.  I haven't had much  else here because I always get the bulgogi sandwich - you just have to try it.

It seems as though they changed the recipe, however.  Back in the day, they used to include julienned carrots, which gave the sandwich a crunchy texture as well as sweetness to complement the beef.  Still an outstanding sandwich, though, especially with jalapenos.

It's a great place to study and read, as it gets a lot of sunlight.  Not sure if they still have them, but the sliding glass doors by the tables at the front were also a nice touch.
3 - Jean K.: i didn't find anything special with their bulgogi sandwich. maybe because i am korean and so accustomed to the taste of bulgogi. but i can see how others might like it.
5 - Jen S.: Cute little cafe! The bulgogi sandwich was better than I expected, because honestly "bulgogi" sounds like it's gonna taste like feces or worse. Rest assured, you're in for a great lunch. The cafe is cute and in a convenient location and the sandwich is less than $5. As others, I really liked the bread. No complaints, give this place a try!
5 - -- -.: I'm not sure I would have gone to this place if my curiosity had not been piqued by the rave reviews of this "bulgogi" business.   For that reason alone, I had been meaning to go here for a while.   I finally dove in today, and I am psyched about it.   Thank you, fellow yelpers, for introducing me to my new favorite easy campus lunch stop.   I usually have trouble finding food I really like around campus.   I will have trouble no more.

Here's the run-down
First impressions:  the cafe was totally clean and friendly.   And by friendly I mean both the service AND the customers were very pleasant to be around.   The cashier asked how I was doing (standard) but in a very genuine way and with a huge smile on his face (not so standard).   
Ordering:   Ordered the regular bulgogi (sans mayo) for $4.80.   Please note, I never eat beef.  I don't particularly like it, I never want it, I don't see the point.  I ordered it here because I felt I owed it to yelp to try this famed bulgogi sandwich.  It took a little longer than I expected for it to be ready but there were a lot of orders in front of me and the cute lady behind the counter was making each item fresh and with care.
Taste:   holy crap.    The first bite was amazing, mind you, but I swear it got better with each bite.   I lost myself in this simple little sandwich.   It didn't LOOK like a sandwich I would normally eat--shredded lettuce, toasted white bread roll, and, again, beef--but after trying it, I'm pretty sure this will be a lunchtime staple for me.   The bread was the perfect texture (not what I would expect from an everyday white bread roll!), the meat was perfectly thin and had great texture, the lettuce was crispy juicy good, the tomatoes weren't the mushy flavorless slices of crap you'll find at Subway, but fairly flavorful and juicy (good considering this is not their season).   The beef has a slight sweet flavor which is clear in each bite but not overpowering (THANK YOU.  No bigger turn-off than over-sweetened, drowning-in-sauce teriyaki items).    


I adored the food and the atmosphere.   I will definitely be back.   Bonus: I don't have to feel guilty for spending  all of my money.   Delectable but simple sandwich for less than five bucks?   Yes.
5 - Yuchen M.: To Stephanie L:
You might want to do a bit more research before bashing a traditional Korean dessert that is rarely available in Berkeley. I don't know, maybe the fact that the cafe is owned/operated by a Korean couple, the fact that they offer Korean BBQ as a sandwich meat, AND the picture of the papingsoo (shaved ice) WITH Korean letters next to it (which is clearly visible on the store window) doesn't give a hint that it's going to be WAY DIFFERENT than your typical 10-cent Torani shot mixed into a bowl of crushed ice. Your review seems a bit too provincial for someone who's "been around the world."

Anyways, after that wall of ownage text aside, the sandwiches from this place is totally worth it. For any sandwich, there's 3 elements which attribute to its kickass-ness. 1) meat, 2) bread, 3) sauce. I've had the Bulgolgi as well as the spicy chicken sandwich, and they were easily some of the better sandwiches I've had at Berkeley. 

The owner is a nice old Korean lady (I have a penchant for nice old Korean owners), who I guess owns the place with her husband. The interior of the cafe is nice and cool; the building and lack of side windows provide an excellent shady location which is a perfect getaway from the ass-kicking heat that's been making Berkeley a literal living hell (during finals week too).

So in conclusion, don't come here if you're looking for a normal shaved ice flavored with cheap shots of artificial syrup; DO come here if you're looking for an ass-kicking sandwich (jalapenos included) that actually fills you up.
3 - Traci C.: EE is a pretty good sandwich place.  Their bulgogi sandwich, if anything, is unique, and I love eating it with the jalepenos they give with it.  They do have off-days, when it doesn't taste as good, so if you had a bad experience, I wouldn't completely write this one off.  Their coffee is usually pretty good too.  I think I've had the cafe latte and the cafe mocha, and I remember both of those being pretty good--not too strong and not too sweet.  The patbingsoo I'm actually not that fond of.  I actually found it rather bland and the ice was really chunky.  The owners are really nice.
3 - Nuri K.: One day I walked into Espresso Experience after having heard loads of good things about the bulgogi sandwich. Perfect, I cried, it holds the two culinary entities that I love the most: Korean barbecue and bread-and-cheese. Completely expecting to be floored by this marriage and having seen other customers each with two large-ish halves which I misinterpreted to be the large, I decided to order one, myself. While simultaneously wondering how Espresso Experience could charge almost five dollars for a measly half-sandwich.

Five minutes later at my little table, out come four halves of this bulgogi-bread wonder. I can feel people doing double-takes, politely trying not to look but flabbergasted at the piles of meat and carbs presented in front of lil' ol' me. A lightbulb-d'oh experience that still leaves four halves of a sandwich waiting to be consumed.

So, to my (and, I'm sure, now your) horror. I ate it. All. In that one sitting. Before rolling off to work across the street and then falling asleep in my chair at the office sometime later. There was something irresistible about this melding of East and West, but I soon discovered that though it was in part the bread, it was mostly the concept that was so alluring.

Soft, spongy, crunchy-on-the-outside grilled bun and choice of (what I think might be--has to be) provolone (could've been white American, fine) aside, this sandwich was poorly executed. I saw the beef being cooked on one of those portable griddles, slices stacked atop one another in large piles, which will lead to no browning whatsoever. The meat will just boil in the marinade, which at EE is bland, unpleasantly sour, and too black peppery. The beef is the star of this sandwich, and should shine like one! How about some char-broiling or something to get a little caramelization on these bad boys. Plus, the meat is of low quality; too much fat and gristle stays on the pieces. Traditionally, bulgogi (not galbi) does leave a little room for fat and the like, as it is prepared with less pricey cuts, but this was a bit much. I know my eating the equivalent of two sandwiches had a lot to do with it, but it was also the beef that left me feeling nauseated. Additionally, something was off about the shredded lettuce.

I'm in love with the idea of this sandwich, but not so much the item itself at Espresso Experience. I will definitely not be shelling out nine-plus dollars next time, and I'm very reluctant to try it with even 4.60. However, the location is convenient if you're around campus and they make a pretty good cappuccino. 

I'm actually fantasizing about the perfect homemade bulgogi sandwich, this time using marinated short ribs, which I happen to have in my freezer. I would chop it up like cheesesteak, sprinkle some fresh black pepper on it, lay a piece of provolone on top, stick it in the salamander until the cheese melts, and top it off with shredded lettuce (maybe blended with a little cabbage), tomatoes, and thinly-sliced, white balsamic-pickled onions and jalepeno. I just have to find some quality bread on which to smear some mayo and I'm good to go.
3 - Ralph L.: Visited on Wednesday around 6p, ordered a Bulgogi sandwich. Cost: $5.20, tax included.

Pros:
-Tasty bulgogi sandwich. Bread was crispy, tasted fresh
-The bulgogi meat was similarly fresh-tasting, juicy, tender, and quite delicious.
-Satisfying portion. Half of the sandwich (it came cut in half) would be a rather light, but tasty lunch. Both halves made for a great filling dinner, without the point of becoming heartburn. to the guy above who got the $9 portion instead, I have no clue how you ate that thing.
-Great location for students or those tied to public transportation. Directly across the street from the south side of the Cal campus, and a few major AC Transit bus lines: the 1, 51, 52L, F, 7, etc. Parking is decidedly less convenient but there is a short-term garage a block away on Durant.
-Restaurant was unusually clean for southside Berkeley with attractive furniture, lighting, etc.
-Free water seems to come from an outside source (a Sparkletts-like machine) instead of the tap. I realize this is a strange personal preference but years of drinking bottled water has trained me to hate the taste of tap water.
-Friendly staff.

Cons:
-Does not accept ANY credit cards. $0.50 charge for debit cards. If they took American Express, I would probably go twice a week for lunch (hint hint). Minus one star.
-The lady behind the counter failed to ask whether I wanted mayo on the sandwich (I didn't), and it dripped over my hands. They didn't have a restroom on site, which kind of ruined my original plan of reading at the table after my sandwich. To her credit, she tried to open up the restroom around the corner of the restaurant in a nearby alley, but couldn't get it unlocked :(
5 - Jenn C.: One of my favorite sandwich places in Berkeley. Started coming here when I was still going to school across the street and I still head out here for lunch every once in a while. The chicken teriyaki sandwiches are still my favorite. It's because of this place that I have a higher standard for sub sandwiches (always need to be toasted) and I now need to have jalapenos with them. Their subs are a good portion - everyone who's gone here for the first time is always surprised by how much you get. I love how the sandwiches are toasted perfectly. Bulgogi and beef teriyaki sandwiches are both also very tasty. It just depends on what I feel like eating that day...
4 - Sean B.: I never heard of a bulgogi sandwich before, and I was inrigued. I ordered the small which was about $5.00 and it was plenty big to fill me up (and I'm the guy who's never ordered the 6" at Subway, always go for the 12". 
Really nice flavor, unique yet familiar. I'll definitely be back.
5 - Pete C.: Two words: Bulgogi Sandwich.

Yes, I'd hate to repeat what all the other reviews have said but a simply truth cannot be denied. You come here for the Bulgogi Sandwich. The beef is tasty, the bread is toasted, there's a decent amount of veggies inside so you're not just eating beef between bread and eaten with pickled jalapenos that add a nice zing to the flavors in your mouth.

I really miss this place and have never found a similar substitute for it. The place seemed to be family owned and the owner and her daughter (?) are really nice people. 

I have no idea how anything tastes here (including their coffee since they are a cafe after all) because it was love at first taste with the bulgogi sandwich. Back when I was there, the price was decent.
5 - Sherry W.: Oh Espresso, Espresso!
Let down your hair!
I crave the secret of bulgogi
Please share!

That's what I'd say if I knew how to cook, anyway. Since I can't cook, I eat out, then I Yelp. My first bulgogi experience was about a year ago, and let me just say.... roast beef has never been the same. The bulgogi has a slightly sweet flavor and is full of warm juices and tender goodness. The bread is crusty and fresh, and the mix of sliced carrots and some pickled veggies makes a refreshing contrast to the warm meat. I also love how they give you all the sliced jalapenos your tongue could ever take. For less than $6, you can easily fill your tummy with 6'' of  yummy! And for $9, it's twice the yummy, but if you're by yourself it would probably leave an ache in your tummy.

The food at Espresso Experience is great, and the owners are hospitable beyond belief. I was meeting some friends all day there, and they did not mind at all while I surfed their free WiFi for 6+ hours on a rainy day. I only ordered a chai latte during that time and had water from their cooler for the rest of the day, but they did not mind me sitting there at all! Some other cafe owners might get antsy, but they welcomed me back with smiles over the next few days and c'mon, who wouldn't give them business after that?
5 - Lydia P.: Really yummy sandwiches and came here every Friday with my roommate for their Patbingsu!
3 - Melissa S.: It is what it is.  Their spicy tuna is decent, but nothing else has ever caught my eye...well...other than the paht-bing-soo, which seems waaaaaay overpriced to me.  It'd be nice if they came in mini sizes that were more affordable.
4 - Juliana C.: Yes, the bulgogi sandwich is delish! Also had an iced mocha bianca today that was pretty good. Like everyone else has said, the Korean lady is super nice. 

Just eat your bulgogi sandwich soon because it gets soggy fast!
3 - Quyen N.: Everyone says to try the Bulgogi sandwich so I did. It was pretty good. $5.20 for a small (about 8") sandwich? It's definitely worth walking the extra block past Subway. Besides, sandwiches are better toasted.
5 - Peter J.: I forgot to write a review of this place.
Now 3 months later here it is.
Right across from UCB campus.
Bulgogi Sandwich!
Order of california rolls.
Mom and Pop's Joint.
Simple and Sweet spot to drop by for lunch but parking might be hard if you're not paitent.
5 - Angela W.: I LOVE their Bulgogi sandwiches. I always try to finagle a trip out to Berkeley when I need my fix. The sandwiches are always toasted just right and always hit the spot. They've remodeled in the last year or so, so it's even more cozy.

Side note that the owner admitted the "Teriyaki Sub Sandwich" and "Bulgogi Sandwich" are actually the same since some people didn't know what "bulgogi" was. Weirdness. You'd think of anyplace, people in Berkeley would know the difference. Oh well. Still a good sandwich!
5 - Pam S.: I can't speak for the rest of the menu, but their bulgogi sandwiches get 5 stars from me!  It is also nice that for Cal students, Airbears is accessible here, and many of the tables are next to outlets if you need to plug in :)
3 - Andrew Y.: I could be wrong, but  I feel like the bulgogi sandwich used to taste a little better. In any event, it's still a very good sandwich at a reasonable price. The owner is very nice and this place is worth coming to for a quick bite.
4 - Mary C.: I used to come here all the time during undergrad years.  I STILL have cravings for the bulgogi sandwiches... with jalapenos. yummy.

Does anyone know their hours?  I'm trying to come back but can't during M-F lunch time.  Every time I call the number it goes straight to voice mail.
5 - Esther Y.: I rediscovered this place after my first visit last year (my friend studying for a year here from Korea took me here)...and I remembered why I liked it. Bulgogi sandwich = HEAVEN. Not just the meat, but even the bread is really nicely toasted (not too crunchy, not drenched).  Now I go here at least once a week. I used to always forget it was there...because when I think of "fast food" in Berkeley, I usually think Asian Ghetto. But I'd almost rather go here now! My favorite cafe in Berkeley, hands down.

Another thing I tried recently...the ddeokbokki (the spicy rice cake). SO delicious. You'd better have desensitized taste buds though because it'll leave your mouth on fire for 10-15 minutes after...I was seriously crying by the time I got to my last bite. But it was worth every moment of pain. And also the 10 cups of water I had which caused me to have to use the restroom every 10 min after I left. :P I'll put up a picture of this tantalizing goodness!
4 - Jane S.: Last time I had a bulgogi sandwich or burger was at a McDonald's in Korea some odd years ago. You think it would be so tasty, right? Just because it's from the motherland doesn't mean anything, homie. I don't know how bulgogi can be...so square and thick, but it sure as hell was and coated in too sweet of a sauce. Well, it's McDonald's after all. But I digress.

Bulgogi should be shredded meat and should carry a balance between slightly sweet and savory pretty well. I had Espresso Experience's bulgogi sandwich today, and it hit the spot, especially after a squash match. Yes! I defeat the purpose of working out by gorging immediately after. Who's with me?

Anyway, the bread was perfectly toasted. The bulgogi itself was good except I wish they had added a little more to the sandwich. But overall, with the jalapenos to kick up the spiciness, I was very content. I also got to score some points by conversing with the kind ahjuma (lady) who actually knew what the hell squash was. Hey, I gotta brush up on my Korean. I'll be sure to come here more often for lunch.
3 - terra d.: turkey sandwich is alright, nothing special. they charge for debit use and do not accept c/c. friendly staff.
5 - Jin C.: I have been craving one of their bul ko gi sandwiches for hella days, but they are closed on the weekend and close at like 5 on the weekdays, WTH?
4 - JJ R.: This place is all about the bulgogi beef sandwich.  It's good, reasonably priced, and very accessible.
4 - Michael P.: My #1 rule for eating out in Berkeley: EXPLORE! Never eat at the same place twice in a semester.  That's how I came across this cafe and its amazing BULGOGI sandwich!

I came in the store after a long tennis match and I told the sweet Korean lady "Hit me up with your best sandwich yo!" and she's all like "Bulgogi fosho!"  Conversation went down like that more or less.  

I had NO IDEA what a bulgogi sandwich even was (I think it's Korean BBQ beef or something), but man, if you want a juicy beefy sandwich on a sub roll, you must check this place out.  I lived at Unit 3 for a year and I walked past this place a MILLION times but didn't discover it until senior year.  wtf?  Don't make the same mistake as me.  Get off your lazy butts and try this place out!
4 - Jen C.: Just get the bulgogi sandwich.  

May have had a coffee drink at one time.  Nothing spectacular, nothing terrible.  Better off going the stone's throw to Musical Offering if you want a caffeinated drink.

But seriously.  The bulgogi sandwich is delicious and always freshly made.  And I think it's made with love.  That Korean lady is super nice and friendly and always smiles at you.  Maybe it's not made with love.  Maybe it's the hopes and dreams of a united Korea.
3 - Ken W.: Just go for the bulgogi sandwich, which was delicious, and the friendly service. But don't plan to stay... it smells kinda funny, poor ventilation I think.
5 - Mark B.: I go here because the menu and prices are reasonable, its convenient, the wait is minimal, and the lady owner is so sweet.  I feel like whatever I order is made with tender loving care.
2 - Jennie C.: I got the spicy Korean rice cakes here...it was...alright.  I've definitely had better and more authentic Korean rice cake. I was slightly disappointed! 

Not too sure how the other food is, but I heard the bulgogi sandwiches aren't too shabby!
5 - Jeff K.: This is one of those stores that I've always passed by but never entered and, to this day, I do not know why I didn't. I finally came at the recommendation of my friend and I must say, I was not disappointed in the least.

The bulgogi sandwich has been heralded here on Yelp and the masses were certainly not wrong. Freshly made with just the right amount of the other ingredients (lettuce, mayo, etc.), each bite was a sumptuous tidbit of Korean heaven in my mouth. The balance of the sweetness and saltiness was just perfect and I wanted more even after my last bite.

Since it was a cold, rainy day today, I decided to get their spicy rice cakes too. If you like spicy, you'll love the rice cakes. The spicy pain in my mouth was worth every bite. Served with tian bu la (I don't know the English translation...so here's a link http://edu.ocac.gov.tw/culture/chinese/cultureenglish/Cuisine/Ecuisine0504_11.htm) and a hardboiled egg, the amount was served was generous and I was stuffed by the time I took the last bite.

An added bonus to the great food is the owners are both really nice! Friendly and smiling throughout the whole transaction =]

In short, this is a great mom and pop restaurant that you should definitely swing by to try! I'll definitely swing by more often now for the bulgogi sandwich xD
4 - Will M.: I use to come here when I was an undergrad living in the studios above yogurt park. Great place to study, electrical outlets present, within range of airbears, and the food they serve here is pretty good.

I loved getting the spicy chicken sandwhich. It was made fresh and had a nice vinegar taste to it (so it's really more like mild vinegar chicken but whateva its good!). The shaved ice here is also incredible. It's nicely arranged when it comes to you, and you don't feel too guilty eating it - afterall it's just water, fruit, and some sugar syrup. Well actually it does have condensed milk in it, but it's probably not as bad as an ice cream...I think...well regardless its good! 

I love the location as well since its right across from campus. I will say that it would get 3 stars if you're not a berkeley student tho since it doesn't have its own wifi and just assumes their customers will use airbears instead. This makes studying here pointless if you're not a student. However, check it out if you're still a student.
4 - Alex T.: Don't be fooled by that generic (and kinda lame) shop name, this place is one of the hidden gems of Cal!  First of all, this place is technically a cafe, but I have never had coffee here, and they aren't known for their coffee either.  What they are known for are their bulgogi sammich!  In case you didn't know, bulgogi is Korean marinaded thin sliced beef.  The bread is nicely toasted and the beef is sweet and delicious!  Perfect for lunch and it's only 5.50!  Even though this sammich is definitely drool-worthy, my favorite dish from this place is their dukboki!  But I guess I'm a bit bias because dukboki is one of my FAVORITE FOOD OF ALL TIME!

In my dorm days, I would often get dukboki from Bear Ramen House.  And although BRH remains my favorite spot at Asian Ghetto, CEE makes a better portioned, spicier, and more delicious dukboki.  Chewy rice cakes, fish cakes, and a boiled egg smothered in a hot chili paste (or as I call it, red Korean sauce).  Get 5 bottles of water ready because your whole pie-hole will be burning!!! (but in a good way)

This place is seems to be family owned and operated, and they are always extreme nice.  Korean old little ladies (or ajummas) are always adorable. This place always make me happy for supporting the mom-and-pop stores.
3 - Lydia W.: Clean, usually can find a seat, can get Airbears, really sweet owners!  

The only available bathroom requires walking all the way around Musical Offering and behind the building... just hold it and go across the street to Eshelman Hall.  

Their coffee is decent - definitely a safe place to grab coffee in between classes.  Specifically I am talking about the soy latte.  

As for the food, I think the original concept of the Bulgolgi sandwich was super exciting to me!  I'm not sure if the novelty has worn off, but it didn't seem to be as good the last time I had it.  At 5.50 for a regular size, the price is not bad.  It's definitely still yummy, but it's not as good as it used to be.

The spicy rice cakes are pretty good too.  I think they are 6.50.  I love how hot it is, but it's a little too sweet for my taste.  However I don't think the sweetness is out of the ordinary.  I like sharing a plate of the rice cakes and sharing a bulgogi sandwich for a satisfying meal on a cold day :)
4 - Vanessa B.: Bobby Abreu. Bulgogi. 

Those are 2 words that when someone says them, I think they just threw up a little. 

That being said, this place has an awesome bulgogi (excuse me) sandwich. Very good. Warm ,soft bread, a good amount of meat, lettuce, tomato...yum.

It's takes a bit for them to prepare the sandwich, but that's cool. I tried their Hawaiian bulgogi, but I won't get that again. The difference: Add pineapple and an offensive amount of shredded cheese, nix the lettuce. 

Stick with the regular bulgogi (sorry) sandwich.
4 - Jennifer K.: The Korean lady here is a bit awkward. The other reviewers said that she was really friendly, and I guess she is, but when I asked what was good, what was popular, she had really vague, disinterested answers. 
-_____-
It tastes good though. The bulgogi burger is a bit over-hyped. It's good, but I've had better. =P
I tried the spicy tuna roll (there's two kinds, raw or cooked; I tried the cooked) and the chibbokki (I think the translation is the spicy rice cake with cheese) which is basically ddukbokki poured into a platter with white cheese spread over it and baked till its in melted perfection. yummm so good! The portions for the roll were big, too, and together (not the bulgogi burger) was about $14, if I remember correctly. 
The only thing that really sucks here is that they don't take credit card and they charge a fifty cent service fee for debit cards (but the lady didn't tell me beforehand, I found out in the receipt. Actually, it posted on the counter's surface, but honestly, who reads that?)
Overall, it's not really "authentic Korean food" since the taste/style has been altered to conform to other non-Korean tastebuds, but I'll definitely come again :D
3 - Andrew C.: I'll have a steak sandwich and a . . . steak sandwich.

Soft toasted roll. Shredded lettuce. Tomato. Mayo . . . hey, is there any Bulgogi (Korean bbq'd beef) in here? Overall the bulgogi sandwich was tasty, but ultimately the smallish size and skimpy meat portion left me unfulfilled. 

By the time I thought about ordering something else a mob of 15 Korean college kids had descended on the place. I ended up grabbing a falafel sandwich at Sunrise, next door.
4 - Connie C.: WOW. The bulgogi sandwich - I knew it'd be good, but I didn't realize it would be a combination of like every awesome taste/texture ever. Crunchy - toasted bread. Juicy - tomatoes. Crispy - lettuce. Meat - bulgogi. It was also sweet and tangy and I was very surprised. And only $5.50!!! Amazing. Too bad they only open on weekdays and it's cash only. 

Also took off a star because a fly landed in my water and they ran out of water. :(
3 - Joyce B.: I think this place is a little bit over-hyped. No offense or anything, but I didn't think their Bulgogi Sandwich was THAT amazing like what everyone else has been saying. 

Came here for lunch and ordered what everyone else recommended - The Bulgogi Sandwich. The regular sized sandwich is about $5.50 and large is twice the price, around $10, which I think is kind of ridiculous. So my order took about 15 minutes... I honestly don't think it takes that long to make a sandwich. 

It was way smaller than I expected and I felt like I didn't eat anything afterwards, and the taste was so-so/mediocore. Nothing amazing. Overall, I'd rather go for bibimbap from Toust or even Chipotle would at least fill me up. 

Bottom line: I certainly didn't find this a fulfilling experience.
3 - Peggy L.: 3.5 STARS 

I don't like to order the same thing from the same place more than twice, but every once of in awhile, I come here to satisfy my bulgogi sandwich craving. 

Being a big fan of Korean food (especially Korean MEAT), I have had better bulgogi. Their bulgogi are not made from the best quality of meat, not marinated in the best of sauce, and etc, but it hits the spot in terms of consistency. I think that's the beauty of Cafe Espresso Experience's infamous bulgogi sandwich. In my opinion, it's just a simple sandwich played well. It's got the lovely  freshly toasted bread, crisp shredded lettuce, thinly sliced tomato, right amount of mayo, and a relatively generous amount of bulgogi that's not too dry, too saucy, too salty, or too bland. All the elements just work well together. It's not spectacular or out of this world, but hey, if a poor college girl needs her above-average sandwich and cheap bulgogi fix in Berkeley, THIS IS THE PLACE. (Well, okay, I can also suck it up make some on my own, but sleeping always sound like the better choice) It is on the small side in terms of size if you compare it to your five dollar foot long Subway or chubby Chipotle burrito down the block, but it usually fills me up to a comfortable point. 

I've also tried the spicy rice cake. Well, same with the bulgogi sandwich, it's pretty good, not fantastic, but it hits the satisfactory mark for me. Though I do feel they could put more things in there asides from the sad onion slices and two pieces of thin fishcake. Not extremely spicy, but definitely stay away from it if spicy food is not your thing. 

As for drinks and desserts, the coffee is meh. I have had better and I have had worse. I'd only order it if you're desperate for caffeine. The shaved ice is also on the meh side. It's pretty and decorated with many fruits and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, but the shaved ice itself is way too rough and hard and I am not a fan of the artificially colored sugar syrup and the lack of condensed milk. I only had it because my friend bought it for me. 

Overall Cafe Espresso Experience is definitely up to par. Though not quite a solid winner, but it gets the job done when you're in the mood for what it has to offer.

They take ATM, but there is a fee.
2 - David L.: Taste: 2
Value: 4
Service: 3

I came here because of the good Yelp reviews, but the bulgogi sandwich I ordered came out soggy. Not sure what the hype is all about, but it was definitely not worth the high yelp rating.
5 - David S.: What's that you say?  A beef bulgogi sandwich?  Tender meat? On fluffy crunchy bread you say?  Why are we still having this conversation?
4 - Veronica D.: I used to work next door to this place, and it was a serious challenge to keep myself from grabbing a sandwich here every day. I always get the pastrami sandwich, and it's awesome!

I can't put my finger on what makes the sandwiches so great. They seem pretty mediocre on first glance... just bread and meat and iceberg lettuce... but for some reason they turn out delicious! I think it could be the bread? Whatever it is, it keeps me coming back.

The pictures of the Korean dishes look really appetizing as well, but I've never been able to work up the nerve to order any of them. I've also been meaning to try the shaved ice. It looks perfect! But, so far, I've always stuck to the sandwiches.

The woman who always takes my order (one of the owners, I assume?) is always really friendly. When I worked next door, she would remember me and remember my order, and I'm a sucker for that stuff!! =)
4 - tayen k.: it's a breezy socal night... 2am, i'd say.  my girls and i have a hankerin for some comfort food, slash insanity.  

let's drive to berkeley for some bulgogi sandwiches.

there's nothing like toasty warm baguette hugging pieces of home-marinated bulgogi embedded in melting swiss and veggies at 10 in the morning, after a 6 hour drive.  and the friendly service and reasonable prices don't kill you either.
3 - Chuck N.: Monday, 1:00PM. 

A coffee house with a Korean cuisine twist? Sweet! 

They accept debit but not credit cards. Technically no free wi-fi, but registered users can use AirBears provided by campus.

Did ya notice?
+Many outlets, along eastern wall (take a hint Café Milano!)
+Large cups for water

Grubbed on:
1. Veggie sandwich (large): cucumber, avocado, onion, lettuce, tomato, mozzarella 
     +Toasted wheat roll is a nice contrast to the cold ingredients

And then?
$10 for a large sandwich wasn't enough, was still hungry afterward. Decent place to make a quick stop prior to class or a Cal event.
5 - S H.: Although I'm Korean-American, I never tasted a bulgogi sandwich before so when I heard there's a place that sells it right across campus, I knew I had to try it. 

Mmmmmmm, first bite was delicious. In fact every bite just tasted like the first. I also had their ddukbokki and patbingsoo and both were also sooo good. Definitely a nice place to grab lunch with a friend in between classes!
5 - Tiffany N.: The only thing I have ever ordered from this place is the Crab Salad Sandwich. And there's a reason for that! It's really delicious and has just the right amount of toasty-ness in the bread. There are times when I'm craving that sandwich and have to go out of my way just to get it.

The service is great. The woman that is usually at the cash register seems pretty sweet and always has a smile on her face. And even on a bad day, I can't help but smile back.

I sometimes go there to study because it's a cute little cafe. Sometimes they open up their very large windows and bring in a nice breeze. So it's a good way to study "outdoors" without actually having to be outdoors!
4 - Dmitriy S.: After always walking by Cafe Espresso and hearing so much about it, I had to eventually try it out. I consider it a hidden gem amongst the more popular Korean options on South Side, although it's always pretty packed. 

I ordered the Crab Sandwich, which is the first thing that popped out to me after the Bulgogi Sandwich. I'll save that one for next time though ;-)

The Crab Sandwich was really delicious! There was a good amount of fresh crab, as well as a pile of lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. The bread was toasted to perfection, and the whole dish was just very well prepared for something so simple.

I also got a chance to try the rice cakes covered with cheese, which was pretty good as well. I don't know if I would consider Cafe Espresso absolutely amazing, but it's definitely up there. For $5, I was pretty full for the rest of the day, and I will definitely come back.
3 - Jennifer W.: I've only had their popular items here which are the bulgogi sandwich and the spicy rice cakes. I like spicy rice cakes, but I didn't like it here that much. It rice cakes were a little too hard. I attribute my dislike mostly to the sauce because it was too starchy and gloopy, if there is such a thing. On top of that, there was just way too much of it. As for the bulgogi sandwich, I can find no fault with that except that it does take them a while to make. It's not as quick as you think, but it's a great portable lunch item. Overall, the staff here are nice, but the food can take a while. There's a huge lunch rush and you can get no work done, much less have a conversation. Otherwise, other times of the day are fairly quiet and you can take advantage of the free wifi.
4 - Bonnie L.: This place exceeded my expectations!
I tend to avoid Korean places around campus because the food usually sucks and tastes nasty, and I prefer my own Korean cooking to whatever junk they sell near campus. (Seriously.... what a disgrace to Korean cuisine...)

I think I can safely say that Espresso Experience is the most legit Korean place I've tried near campus (even though it's fusion). I got what they're famous for: bulgogi sandwich.
Dang. It was pretty good. The bread was toasted to a very delightful texture that I completely did not expect. Mmm. The bread.... really wasn't expecting it to be that good.

Shaved ice was big (we shared it with 6 people). And slow. Like an elephant.

Overall, food here is very good, but it takes quite a while to come out. I kinda want to try their other food. 

FYI: Cash or Debit Card (processing fee applies) only. No credit cards.



---- Update!! (11/10/2010)

I had the spicy rice cakes w/ cheese (cheese ddukbokki, a.k.a. chibokki) today! It's $1.45 more to add cheese to the ddukbokki and I think I know the reason why - they use the entire $1.45 bag of mozzarella cheese to smother your food in! Ah hahaha! I really didn't expect so much cheese - I shared my stupendous wealth by giving half my cheese to a friend who got the regular (cheese-less) ddukbokki, and it was still more than enough. At least we know they ain't skimpin' on the cheese!! I enjoyed every gooey, warm, stringy mouthful... =)

BTW, their spicy tuna sandwich and hwe-dup-bab (huge sashimi bowl with rice and veggies) are also really good. Actually, I don't think you can really go wrong with this place.... I like!! =)
4 - Jay P.: Just tried the sandwiches and they are quite tasty.
I would recommended the Hawaiian bulgogi or the buffalo chicken sandwich.

They are not the most filling sandwiches and they are kind of expensive at $6 for a 6 in and $10-11 for a footlong.
Its worth a go.
3 - Cynthia P.: I've been eating their bulgogi sandwich for about 15 years now and I still love it.  I particularly like how they toast the bread for you and adding jalapenos in it. 

The issues I have with this place is 1) first of all, parking (but that's the same as every other place in Berkeley and no fault of theirs) and 2) price.  I love the bulgogi sandwich but $6 for a small one is just too much! It's just a bun, some meat, lettuce, tomato, and slices of jalapenos on the side.  I guess the price hasn't deterred me from eating there all these many years, but it does make me hesitate at times.  If it were cheaper, think I would go there even more often.  

As for everything else, I only find it so-so.  Nothing else particularly stands out.
3 - Rosemarie d.: I wasn't expecting much... but I was rather impressed with my bulgogi sandwich. Good luck trying to find parking around here... it's right smack dab in front of the college, so you are better off walking.
4 - Maggie L.: MMMMM I finally got to go try their bulgogi sandwich, as recommended by one of my friends and it was absolutely delicious!! Soooo good. They had a good balance of meat, cheese and veggies. Although, I don't think you can ever go wrong with more meat in a sandwich. ;D It's just extra yummyness on top of already MMM MMM goodness.

I also took the time to notice that they have sushi for sale on the menu too, and some korean shaved ice dessert. Must go back again soon to try them! :)
5 - Gypsy J.: The best, filling sandwiches.  I love the veggie sandwich, a salad on sweet bread, even with cucumber slices -- and I hate cucumber!  Prices are good compared to other places.  It's a quiet and comfortable shop.  And you can watch your food be carefully prepared, too!
4 - Tiffany L.: Despite the name of the place, I do not come here for coffee (which I personally do not think is that great). The food is great. Again, Berkeley lacks on good korean food but their bulgogi sandwiches are the best!
4 - Loretta C.: The sandwiches are filling and great quality. I've tried most sandwiches, and I'd have to say the best ones are the bulgogi, the crab salad, and teriyaki beef or chicken sandwiches. The coffees are pricey but good quality. It's at a convenient location and there's plenty of seating but I heard the prices have gone up lately.. so sad.
5 - paula p.: I'm a big cafe hopper, and I absolutely love this place for its nice calming atmosphere and its well-priced drinks. Most importantly though, I enjoy eating here for its sandwiches and have been coming here for the past few years as an undergraduate student.

It's a great place to bring your friends-- especially those who are interested in trying something different like the famous bulgogi (Korean bbq) sandwiches, or the Korean snack-like dishes: spicy-rice cakes or the sashimi over rice dish.

My personal favorites (in addition to the bulgogi sandwich): Egg salad sandwich & the Pastrami sandwich. All of them served on delicious toasted bread!
2 - Elaine L.: I have heard good things about their bolgogi sandwiches so I finally tried it yesterday. I cant say I agree with the past reviews about how good the bolgogi sandwich. There wasn't any jalepenos like the review said (maybe because I had to ask for it and didn't know). I felt like the sandwich itself was sweet. The bread was good at least. So all I can say is EH. The café is pretty big, that can fit like 30+ people and some of the salads look interesting. If I come back, I wont get the bolgogi sandwich or the Hawaiian bolgogi at that, since it'll probably be even sweeter!
4 - kat p.: come here for the shaved ice, bulgogi (SO GOOD) sandwich, and spicy chicken sandwich...you won't regret it!
5 - Dave N.: The bulgogi sandwich at Espresso Experience is an instiution. It was my post-finals celebration dish back in my college days. Even when my brothers went to Cal in the late 90's, they raved about the bulgogi sandwich. And I really think this place is one of the main reasons I eat all my sandwiches with japapenos now. Toasted roll with shredded lettuce...yeee boy

 I don't think I have ever come here for coffee, and I'm not even really sure why this place is called Espresso Experience when everybody knows what the real draw is...
4 - Tiffany O.: Took a break between paper writing to get some lunch with my roommate.

Atmosphere: There are a good number of seats. When I walk by on the way to class it's always busy around lunch time, but I went today for lunch around12pm and it was nearly empty.

Food: Bulgogi sandwich is pretty yummy! The meat is well-flavored, and the bread has just the right amount of toastyness (toastiness?) to it. It's about $6, and the portion is pretty accurate for the price (it's pretty filling). I remember having it about two years ago and not thinking it was that great, but when I had it today I enjoyed it.

I ordered a Green Tea Latte with soy as well, and I couldn't really taste the green tea, which was a bummer. That and my sandwich cost around $9ish.

Service: The lady at the counter is super nice and friendly.

I'll probably go again to try their other sandwiches - they have a lot to choose from!
5 - tammy h.: i came here all the time while i was at cal. their sandwiches are perfectly toasted and yummy, though a little on the small side portion wise. try the bulgogi sandwich for sure! they also have good pahtbingsoo (shaved ice) for a hot summer day :) every person i bring here falls in love with the sandwiches. i miss this place!
4 - Joan K.: CAFE ESPRESSO is probably one of my favorite places to have lunch dates! It is a cutesy place with yummy food! yummy Korean food! =)

Usually I am VERY picky with my ddukbbokee BUT Cafe Espresso DID NOT disappoint me! YAY! It was very yummy! =)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Bulgogi! I LOVE LOVE LOVE bread! put those two things together & add on some sauce here & there = BULGOGI SANDWICH! nom nom nom! I never had anything like it. Have you heard of it? Anyways... TRY IT! I usually get the regular Bulgogi or the Hawaiian Bulgogi Sandwich =)

HMM... one more thing!... I LOVE their shaved ice! It's so cute & yummy of course! It's not year round so when it's summer/spring... TRY IT! =)

The service = awesome! The lady knows me.. LOL she knows I don't like tomatoes in my Bulgogi sandwich && that I don't want jalapenos. ^^

Keep in mind: the place has weird times... sometimes it closes @5 or later... that is the only flaw.
4 - Audrey C.: It was ridiculously scorching today so I decided to come here for some Korean shaved ice that a friend recommended I get!!

SUCH A RELIEF. I don't know if people have tried Guppys in socal but this place is comparable, but much more authentic. A small size can easily feed 2-3 people (about half the size of a Guppys small though). It comes with ice cream, red bean, jelly, syrup, mochi, and some other toppings I can't seem to remember. I believe it cost 6-7 dollars. Well worth it if you split with a friend.

We all know Berkeley is usually cold, but this is a great escape for those random hot days global warming is bringing around!
4 - Elizabeth C.: This place is great for a laid back feel. I recommend their bulgogi sandwiches, chibokgi (cheesy spicy rice cake) and their shaved ice for dessert! 

The bulgogi sandwich is a nice fusion American-Korean sandwich with the korean marinated beef inside it. It has a good balance of sweet, tangy, and saltiness. Quite yummy with jalapenos! The cheesy spicy rice cake has a fusion-ness to it as well with the cheese on top of the traditional ddukbogi (spicy rice cake). Obviously if you're lactose intolerant, I wouldn't recommend it but you should try it if you can take some lactose at small doses haha. Love eating the cheese with the dduck (rice cake) and pulling on the cheese. It's a fun experience to try and eat it! Also, their shaved ice was surprisingly pleasant. I personally like my shaved ice with lots of fruits so that was a minus for me but the strawberry syrup made it more pleasant and the ice wasn't too chunky either.

I love the open decor of the place, with wide windows that let lots of sunlight come in. Definitely recommend coming here for a quick eat with your friends or for a delightful eating experience.
5 - Connie T.: LOVELOVELOVE their bulgogi sandwiches!!!!

I usually get either the regular bulgogi sandwich or the hawaiian bulgogi sandwich. The regular bulgogi sandwich has lettuce, tomatoes, mayo, and some bombbb korean marinated beef, while the hawaiian bulgogi sandwich has pineapples, onions, cheese, and of course bulgogi as well! Both cost $5.95, which is pretty reasonable for the size of the sandwiches (:

Also, if you don't want something in your sandwich or if you want to add something, just let them know - they'll gladly change it up for you! Last time I got a hawaiian bulgogi and I asked them to add lettuce, and they willingly agreed (: 

The bulgogi sandwich is one of the top things I crave when I'm in socal during my breaks.. so that says a lot!! (:

I've also tried their korean shaved ice, which has (on top of the shaved ice) strawberries, pineapples, bananas, red bean, colorful mochi, and a scoop of ice cream, with the whole thing lightly drizzled with chocolate syrup. It's a good amount to share with about 3 people (: 

The service is good, the workers are friendly, and the cafe itself is very clean and has plenty of seating! (: Definitely a must-try in Berkeley!
4 - Joanne C.: AHH Cafe Espresso is probably my favorite places in Berkeley. They have awesome bulgogi sandwiches, dukkbokkgi (spicy rice cake) and dumplings (mandoo).

I want to give it five stars, but I hate their random hours. They don't serve dinner, and they're closed on the weekends (I believe). There were a lot of instances where me and my friends walked up to the cafe, only to find that it was closed. I wish they had a more concrete schedule.

But they have the tastiest food, in my opinion. I love their sandwiches (bulgogi, Hawaiian bulgogi, sometimes spicy chicken) for the taste and  the price ($5-6 for a regular size), I love the dukkbokkgi even more ($6-7). The rice cakes are perfectly chewy, and the spicy sauce is JUST right (it tastes like the dukkbokkgi from Korea).

A lot of non-Korean people don't know about this place (which is sad), but Cafe Espresso has some BOMB food. TRY IT!
4 - Jenny M.: Really cute place to eat! I had never known about it before. I got the bulgogi sandwich - it was really delicious but I'm not sure if it was worth the money? I think this is one of the only places that's super close to campus that has REALLY GOOD shaved ice :)
5 - Jenny T.: Oh man these bulgogi sandwiches are so good that i want these things in my mouth at all times.

So here's the bulgogi-sandwich-eating-experience breakdown:
-first bite:  toasted bread, bite of lettuce and tomato, hint of the bulgogi that's about to amaze you, thinking "man I hope this sandwich is worth the hype"
-second bite:  "ok this is good, but I'm not sure if it's as amazing as yelp says"
-third to almost last bite: start to take bigger bites, eat a little faster than normal, stop talking to anyone because that means bulgogi is not in your mouth
-last bite:  "oh crap there's no more sandwich" and commence to order another sandwich

I'm serious.  Every single time I get this sandwich, I go through each and every one of these steps.  Especially the last one.  I can't think of how many times I ordered another sandwich simply because I didn't want to ever stop eating it.
5 - Anne L.: This place is so cute! 

The food is good, the prices are cheap, the atmosphere is warm. What more can I ask for?

Also, I'm not a fan of green tea, but I tried a green tea drink here that was amazing!
4 - Xtina L.: This place is pretty small and easy to miss, but it's portions are enough to be shared with one other person. I had korean shaved ice, which was full of all kinds of fruits like bananas, strawberries, pineapples, etc. It's really nice on a warm/hot day. Not only does it look colorful and appealing to the eye, but it tastes good too! They used to talk about eating 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day, but with this, you probably get 5 different fruits in one bowl, so you'll have plenty of good nutrients in your body!
4 - Chia L.: I tried their spicy rice cakes and bulgogi sandwich. I seem to always come back for the bulgogi sandwich though.

Something about the combination of sweet barbecue beef and crunchy french bread (maybe coupled with its incredibly short walk from campus) tempts me into going back. The sweet bulgogi meat is tender and juicy on a bed of shredded lettuce and tomatoes. When you bite into a bulgogi sandwich, you first get the chewy and crunchy bread that cushions the soft and warm meat, soaking up some of the meat juices. The lettuce is there to refresh your taste buds, in case you grow tired of meat or bulgogi's rather strong sweetness. A bulgogi sandwich, however odd it might sound, is honestly almost like a fancier and more exotic version of a burger.

The place is clean and relatively fast in serving. Plenty of seats to dine in, but they tend to fill up fast.
3 - Stephanie C.: This place has become one of my favorite places to stop by, get food (snack) and study.

My review has changed based on the preparation of the food and the bulgogi sandwich.However, the staff are super nice and the cafe is very close to campus which makes it convenient.
1 - Christina P.: This review is based on food. Particularly, their spicy rice cake.
I was absolutely horrified - HORRIFIED when I saw how they cook their food. 
You don't microwave liquidy food in microwave, in a disposable clear plastic container. I was afraid that I would be eating spicy rice cake sauce + molten plastic - There actually were holes on the container, because of this thoughtless microwaving. 
Judging by their carelessness and absolute no regard for the health of the person who'll be eating the food, I've made the decision to never to return to this place. I know that cheap price means cheap food, but I don't want to be paying to feed myself carcinogens
4 - Vi N.: I had spicy noodle rice cake and bulgogi sandwich. 
The sandwich is really good, especially the bread! It was crunchy and the taste is just right.
The rice cake was decent, and it was very spicy.
4 - Nicole G.: My friend took me here for my birthday lunch; it's a really chill environment and I now understand why I always see students studying in here. 

Prior to this day I had been told by others that they have the best bulgogi sandwiches. After 4 years at Cal and having walked by this place an infinite amount of times, I can now too say that they have the best bulgogi sandwiches. But wait, what am I comparing them to? Have I ever even had a bulgogi sandwich elsewhere? No, no I have not. But I am confident enough to go out on a limb and say they do have the best bulgogi sandwiches. 

The BEST part about this sandwich is.....the BREAD. Oh. My. Goodness. So soft yet crunchy, delicate yet firm, tasty yet not overpowering...MMM. it seriously put the icing on the cake....the bread on the sandwich...whatever.

The bulgogi was perfectly sweet, savory, and simply delicious. The tomato and shredded lettuce complimented the meat perfectly. 

I did add a little sriracha on the sandwich but even by itself it is delish!!
3 - Katarina M.: I came here for lunch with a friend. I ordered the bulgogi sandwich, about which I'd heard so much. It was okay. A good portion for the price, but the bread got soggy (from what?) and I could see white chunks of fat on the meat which made me a little eh. I think the sandwich could benefit from more solid vegetables. It was nice that they toasted the bread though.

My friend got the dukbokki, which was very spicy (good) but overpoweringly sweet. She also ordered the steamed pork dumplings, which I recognized to be the pork pot stickers from Trader Joe's.

However, the owners were very nice (could have been helped by Korean-speaking Korean friend) and they serve filtered water, not plain tap water! I readily drink tap water, but sometimes restaurant tap water tastes a little like disinfectant.

As for the cafe portion, it's a great place to study because it's so light-filled and you can take breaks watching people walking down Bancroft, but I didn't see a bathroom, which would limit how long you could park your butt there.  Also the surfaces (floor, furniture, walls) are hard and reflective of sound.
5 - Hanna H.: BULGOGI SANDWICH FOR THE WIN!!  Definitely get it and try it.  Sweet korean bbq style marinated meat in a toast roll with lots of lettuce.  It comes with jalepenos and although a little spicy, adds that extra kick to make the sandwich a perfect 10.  I've found a decent substitute in socal near Ontario but it will never compare to the original I've had here.

Regular is two halves and large is 3 I believe!
5 - Cindy X.: This is one of my favorite places to eat on the Berkeley campus!

Their selection is primarily limited to Korean BBQ sandwiches, and a few other Korean dishes, but it's soooo worth it.  The meat is tender and flavorful, the jalapenos (optional) add a nice spicy kick, the bread is toasted but soft, mmm...

Plus the owners are so cute and super nice!  I came here one Valentine's Day with my boyfriend, and since we were regulars and it was raining so hard outside, they gave us free hot tea to warm up with.

Ooooh, and their shaved ice is DEFINITELY worth a try, though you should probably bring someone along to help you finish it.  It's a veritable mountain of delicious fruit, fine ice chips, condensed milk, and red bean.  YUM.
3 - Albert W.: Came here a couple days ago hoping to get some shaved ice. I've read on Yelp and heard that the shaved ice here is really good. Unfortunately they don't serve it during the winter months, and the lady said the machine would be available in March. Womp womp.

Anyway, the large bulgogi sandwich is really two sandwiches (four halves), so if you're going with someone you should order the large, otherwise go for the small if you're going solo. The bread was toasted and crispy, the meat was juicy and succulent, but I'm not sure if it was worth the money. A large runs about 11.50ish while a small is $6.

Don't get the Italian soda; $2-3 for syrup + club soda is a ripoff. 

Make sure to bring cash. They don't take credit cards, and if you're going to be using a debit card they'll charge an extra 50 cents. Luckily Wells Fargo and Bank of America are close by.

Overall, Cafe Espresso is a good place to study, and is yet another place to have coffee or drinks for Cal students.  I'll be coming back for the shaved ice when it's available!
4 - Adele F.: For the first three years at Cal, I thought this place was a cafe catered to Asian people. I mean, it is, but it turns out that in Korea, cafes serve drinks AND food, unlike most cafes that specialize in drinks.

I first chanced upon this place when my friend ordered their rice cake dish. She invited me to try some, reassuring me that she had asked them not to add in anything spicy so that I could eat it. I was hesitant at first, mainly because I was sick that day, but after eating a few bites of the ricecake-egg-cabbage-pork dish, I couldn't stop eating. And what do you know, after a few minutes, I had eaten half of her food. Oops @__@

When we went back to lab, she also recommended their bulgolgi sandwich. I put it in my bucketlist, and the following semester, I whisked another friend there on a Thursday noon. Both of us ordered their bulgolgi sandwiches (total was around $14). 

After 15 minutes, our sandwiches were ready. Jalapenos and salt/pepper can be requested. We picked up our sandwiches from the counter and proceeded to satiate our appetites. The beef is well marinated, and the lettuce, tomatoes, and delicious mysterious sauce are wonderful complements. The bread is crunchy, and the serving size is just right! I seemed to enjoy my sandwich more than my friend did, but I still have to say that overall, the sandwich tasted like a superb Subway sandwich, Asianized. It was good, but not outstanding.

The cafe is right across from campus, has a good number of small tables, gets good light, and is a self-busing system. And cash only!
5 - Anna K.: This was my spot for lazy/gluttonous afternoons with my Korean girlfriends in Sophomore year. We had a reunion here today, and I realized how much I love this place. It's rare to find a place that takes me back to the days in Korea. I've even brought my cousins from Korea here, and they even thought it was good Korean food. 

Favorites:
Cheese Spicy Rice Cake: The regular one is awesome with rice cake, veggies, and an egg covered in sweetly spicy sauce. But when you add the cheese into the mix...it is magical. It is COVERED by mozzarella cheese and melted in the oven. SO GOOD. If you are a cheese lover like myself- try this! Tip: Buy dumplings and use it to dip it into the left over sauce/cheese.

Sashimi Spicy Rice Bowl: HUGE bowl. Lots of veggies and a decent amount of sashimi. You can add your own spicy sauce to accommodate your spicy taste buds. 

Shaved Ice: Huge..we were 3 girls and we had a lot left over. Imagine copious amounts of shaved ice, drizzled condensed milk, sweet red sauce. Garnished with bananas, pinapples, kiwis, strawberries, mochi, and red beans. Top it all off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Heavenly on an unusually sunny Feb day in the bay. 

There is also drinks, sandwiches, and CA rolls offered here, but the food listed above are a MUST TRY'S at the place. The Korean lady at the counter is just really friendly and sweet. She greets everyone as if she was like an aunt. It gets a tadddd bit loud at the cafe due to the Korean population (like myself) the cafe attracts, but I've studied here before and it was ok. Just bring earphones. :)
5 - Farrah N.: This is one of my favorite places for an afternoon snack and definitely a place i will miss after leaving Berkeley.

Staple foodings include:
-bulgogi sandwich
-hwae dup bab
-Korean shaved ice
-green tea latte (love it)
-cheesy rice cake (yum for the colder days)

Its good to go with friends or by yourself. Most visits I usually run into 2 or 3 groups of friends during my long lazy hours spent here. Its generally quiet and the cute Korean couple that run it are always sweet and friendly. Even if I'm not hungry, I often get to-go sandwiches and bring them home for later. 

Try it! You won't regret it.
5 - Jee C.: This spot is popular for their bulgogi sandwich.  but..!  I wanted give mega big ups to the macchiato!  not too sweet, not too plain. def. better than franchise version!
4 - Christian Y.: This cafe is so great! :D 
It's run by this (married?) couple and it's a great place to get Korean food. ^___^ 
The Bulgogi sandwiches are BOMB (for a low price), and the spicy rice cakes make me want to go to Korea again. :O
In the summer, order the shaved ice! It's like heaven. In your mouth.
4 - Joanne R.: It's so hard to find a good coffee shop/cafe in Berkeley that's quiet, not crowded, and friendly. Thankfully, this place totally fits the bill. The family that runs this place is so kind. Plus, the food is delicious!

If you must eat, definitely opt for the bulgogi sandwich. The meat is so flavorful and the sandwich just plain works! If you like it spicy, ask for extra jalapenos! Another thing I love is the spicy rice cakes. So delicious!

The drinks are okay. It's not the greatest, but the food more than makes up for it:)
4 - Diana C.: Very unique food. I've never had spicy noodle rice cake before. I fell in love with it. It was like eating spicy mochi. The spicy was very new to me. It was different from any spicy I've ever experienced before. It was sweet and spicy at the same time, but unique as well. The noodles were good too.
4 - Emily W.: Little hidden jewel across from campus :)

1) Innovative food.  Spicy rice cake with mozzarella cheese? Bulgogi sandwich? Yeah. AND... they're actually all REALLY GOOD. I know... Not an acquired taste either.   They also have the best takeout ware I've seen in Berkeley.  Unlike other places that use cheap clear plastic boxes that melt when your food inside is too hot, Cafe Espresso Experience has really high quality plastic ware for takeout.  

2) Cute and quiet atmosphere. 

3) Nice Korean couple/service. 

But the one-star off comes from the price range.  The spicy rice cake is $8+.. You can buy a whole bag of rice cakes for like $3.. 

The green tea latte is also made differently from the ones you get at Starbucks.  Cafe Espresso Experience mixes Tazo Green Tea with soy milk to get its own unique taste.  It's really good also.  But all green tea lattes are overpriced. 

Did anyone also notice they don't have a kitchen?  So everything we eat is basically pre-cooked and heated using their microwave.
4 - Kristen S.: I always hear about this elusive "perfect bite," never knowing what that means. I've had really good food before and I've definitely had food that's blown me away, but I never really understood the meaning of the perfect bite until I came to Cafe Espresso Experience.

The perfect bite is three words: "Spicy Tuna Sandwich." There is nothing more satisfying, more simple, and more delicious. The tuna fish salad is mixed with spicy sriracha-mayonnaise. The kick of the spicyness, the meatiness of the tuna, the crunchy onions, the refreshing lettuce, and the toasted bread all combine together to make the perfect sandwich. Yum!

The dokbokki is also good, but I usually only come here because I'm craving the spicy tuna. I also love this place because it's rarely ever super crowded and if you sit by the windows, you can use the Airbears internet, so it's a good place to study as well!
5 - Albert H.: Good food, great customer service, and quiet atmosphere! What more could you ask for?

If you're looking for a quick bite to eat that won't hurt your wallet and leave you happy this is the place to go! I have tried a few sandwiches here(pastrami, bulgogee aka korean beef, and spicy tuna) and they are amazing. The spicy tuna and bulgogee sandwiches are a must try! 

If you are looking for something warm and hot on the cold days, dukbogee aka cheesy rice cakes are your answer. The rice cakes melt in your mouth and the melted cheese is a good contrast to the spiciness.

On hot days, papingsoo aka korean shaved ice is an absolute no brainer. The korean shaved ice is packed with varieties of fruit and red bean. It will really cool you down and is not intended for 1 person, I learned this lesson the hard way thinking I could finish one on my own. But boy was I happy!

The quality of the food is great but I think the Korean couple that runs the place are amazing. You can tell the owners really care about their customers. They really put the extra care into the food and it shows. If you are looking for something simple and quick, or just looking to get together with friends and catch up this is the place! I highly recommend this place to my friends and look forward to my next visit!
4 - Alice H.: Tips:

The spicy rice cakes are SPICY, be warned.

-------------------------------------------

This small little cafe owned by a Korean couple is super cute with good food. I've gotten the spicy rice cakes and the spicy noodle rice cake. (The spicy noodle rice cakes have a majority of noodles so if you want rice-cakes definitely get the other dish because the proportion of noodle to rice cake is definitely not equal in the second dish.) It really is the spiciest thing I have ever eaten in my life. I was in pain. T_T Definitely not a good dish for weaklings like me that can't take spicy too well.

The bulgogi sandwich is SOO GOOD. The meat is so sweet and tender it goes GREAT as a sandwich. The bulgogi salad is also a great choice as well! It's kind of like a small bibimbap with a leafy salad, rice, and bulgogi. These 2 dishes are quite similar so they're good substitutes for each other if you really want some bulgogi.

The coffee on the other hand isn't the greatest, but that's okay because I don't really come here for the coffee anyways. I'd suggest to come here for food rather than coffee. There are a lot of other places to get coffee from that I believe are better choices.
4 - Audrey G.: Love their bulgogi sandwiches! The portions don't look that big, but the price is fair and the sandwiches are pretty filling. And it's pretty unique for the Berkeley area. They also serve some other Korean-inspired dishes, as well as regular sandwiches as well. 

The staff is also super nice, and there's always seating available.
5 - Stephanie W.: I love this place!!!! Can't believe I didn't discover it until a friend brought me here sophomore year!

This is my favorite place for dokbokki! I usually go for the dokbokki with cheese(!) since I am major weaksauce with spicy food. The cheese kind of balances out the spiciness of the sauce, but even without it, the dish isn't as spicy as other places. 

Their bulgogi sandwiches are also really good! But, I didn't really like their shaved ice. It was just okay, and it comes with these really weird gummy candies.

The people working here are always really nice! I like coming here to study during the day, since you can access Airbears, and there are a lot of outlets along the walls. They do close kind of early though (8p?).
4 - Jessica C.: Came here tonight for dinner and the location is really convenient since it's right across the street from campus! I had never really noticed it before, but I'm glad that friends recommended it. The Korean woman working the counter was very friendly and helpful!

What I ordered:
- Vegetarian spicy rice cake (dokbokki) ($6.25): http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/gYbX_IfkzWme4ItyXb_lgw?select=Yn8jvkbGnwiTy02j-Cf_TA#wkUyjkXMQLqTRJBrC9NTPA

I'd had dokbokki before at O.B. Chicken and I didn't remember the dish being that spicy, so I thought I could handle the one from Cafe Espresso Experience no problem. I generally enjoy spicy food as long as it's not crazily overboard and would rate my spiciness tolerance as pretty decent, but I surrendered to this dokbokki. The food came out hot, which coupled with the spiciness of the sauce, made it pretty hard to eat and I could only take half bites at a time. I probably would've needed 5 glasses of water to finish the whole thing, but I got pretty full by the time I had eaten 2/3 of the plate. The sauce and the dish itself was good though, but I just had to eat slowly. It also comes with a boiled egg on top which is nice! Next time, I'll probably try the dokbokki with cheese to balance out the spiciness a little!
3 - Augusto T.: Satisfying bulgogi sandwich and friendly service. .

I had walked by this place a few times and their comfort korean food items have always piqued my interest. I was hungry after working out and decided to give their "must try" bulgogi sandwich a shot.  

The bread was nicely tasted and the sandwich nicely assembled. The chopped jalapenos on the side were appreciated. Nothing mind-blowing, but just what I needed. They have both regular and large size options, but I was not sure 

Service was extremely friendly and warm. They unfortunately do not take credit cards though. They also serve a variety of coffee and tea drinks as well as Italian sodas.  

I will have to come back for their highly recommended cheese spicy rice cakes someday.
4 - Roxana T.: This place has a nice atmosphere, plenty of light. 

I really like the ahjumma who works there because she is really pretty and nice. She speaks to you in korean if you speak to her in korean. She usually welcomes people in korean. 

My favorites from this place is 

1) Spicy Rice Cakes with melted cheese 
2) Bulgogi sandwich

I haven't tried much else on their menus, but so far I like what I have tried. I usually order to go from here because it's convenient to just bring home. I don't really feel the need to sit and eat there unless I'm meeting up with someone. 

I have yet to try their shaved ice which looks good from pictures, but it is seasonal. Overall I like this place and will be going there from time to time if I feel like dukbokki  =)
4 - Johana G.: I have been to this place twice in the last two years. mostly because I try to eat at home. BUT I really like their ddokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and the patpingsu (shaved ice) I am from L.A and my expectations for korean food, and in particular these two dishes is kinda high. Its really good stuff though, it definitely hit the spot today when i went with my friend. The atmosphere is really nice and relaxing and the lady who works there is really sweet and welcoming.
4 - Beatriz U.: I love this place because it never gets too crowded and you can actually study in there and catch up with friends! It's also owned by a really kind Korean family (I'm pretty sure they love Jesus, which I also love).

+ Bulgogi sandwich - yes it really is good. If you're looking for quantity over quality though, just go to Subway or something because this is definitely on the pricier side for a sandwich (and a poor college student). Definitely try at least once.

+ Spicy Tuna sandwich - okay I must be the only person who gets this more frequently than the bulgogi sandwich but I just love it! They really lather on the tuna but it's not the mayo-ey type of tuna--it's more spicy than mayo-ey.

+ Bulgogi salad - don't let the word salad deceive you because it's literally just a bed of rice with romaine lettuce and bulgogi and some yummy spicy sweet sauce. t's more of a rice bowl than salad. I split it with a friend -- huge portions! It's no culinary breakthrough but I really like it! 

+ Pat bing soo - let's just say that socal does it WAY better. It's the only place in Berkeley that has it though but it's really disappointing if you've been to Socal Korean shaved ice places :( I feel like it only had mochi, fruit, ice and ice cream....oh well.

Bottom line: I like coming to this place to chill and eat. Never tried to study in here but it seems very doable! Also never tried their drinks, but do check this place out!
2 - Ava S.: This place is known for their bulgogi sandwich, and I don't know why. I found the sandwich to be too sweet and not satisfying. I've tried to get myself to like it on multiple occasions and each time, I am disappointed.

I also tried their shaved ice recently because it was a rare hot day in Berkeley. BIG MISTAKE. (see my picture) it had so much random stuff in there that it was disgusting and not the refreshing ice I was looking for. In fact, my favorite part of the dessert was actually the ICE. From what I remember, there was condensed milk, vanilla ice cream, bananas, strawberries, kiwi, pineapples, mochi, chocolate syrup. Talk about an overload of sugar.

I will never be back.

Cafe Express - Houston, TX (29.7257662, -95.3896095) (Museum District)
4 - Shana P.: When you're making a day of the museum district, your dining options are limited.  Thank goodness for Cafe Express in the Museum of Fine Arts.  

Unlike the McDonald's in the Museum of Natural Science, you'll get a good meal here.  You can even stop off if you just want something refreshing to drink.  Personally, I think the salads are divine and there's even stuff the kids like to eat when we go there. 

I'm so glad this healthy option is tucked inside the Museum of Fine Arts.  Nowhere in Houston is Cafe Express more appreciated.  Nice little lunch spot on a museum day.
3 - Jeff R.: This eatery has proven by its location to be incredibly convenient.  It's a nice thing to have right at the museum after a few hours of looking at artwork - which if you get into it can be a bit tiring and daunting.

The waitstaff is on-the-ball for the most part about paying attention to people who need service, and the buzzing things you get that prompt you when your order is done are good.  Awesome breadsticks, btw!

One needs to be careful about what they get here.  Due to the grease they use, I avoid their "fries", but gravitate to their spinach salad and veggie tart, their veggie burger being more like a bad mish-mash of beans and other veggie matter than a real veggie "burger".  

The atmosphere is nice, and on a cool and not-too-windy day, being in the shaded outdoor area is very pleasant, indeed.

Jeff
5 - Kimberly P.: Perfect place for a nice lunch, especially if you go on Thursday because after lunch you could go see the Art museum for free!  It can get busy and crowded during lunch time, but if you sit outside then its a totally different atmosphere.  I love this place because it is very college student friendly, college students get 10% discount(with their ID) off their meals! And if you're with another college Student and they have their ID you can get 20% off! Absolute bargain!  

My boyfriend and I went last week and he got a portobello burger and I got pasta w/ salad and 2 waters for only $13!  Yes, $13.  You dont have to tip because you pick up your own food and the food is first class, but w/ 1-star pricing, its great! There's also a self-serve bar with olives, pickles, and condiments you could ever imagine, it's there!

Love Cafe Express and it's my favorite one to go to out of all of Houston!
1 - Gretchen P.: Oh how I wish I could give this place a better review.  Actually all Café Expresses went drastically downhill when Wendy's owned them; this one led the pack.  One word describes this location: gross!  It looks like a fancy fast food restaurant.  Neon lights, large crowds are moved through so quickly and in such high numbers that tables, chairs, and the floor doesn't get cleaned properly, if even at all.  I don't think I've ever eaten here without fruit flies encircling my food.  In fact, the first time I ate here, I ventured outside (it looked nicer out there), but there were so many bugs, I quickly re-entered the fancy Wendy's and contemplated getting a refund for my food.  An employee who was taking a break in a far corner away from the bugs, had left the door propped open and a number of bugs were in transit to the olive/condiment bar and points beyond.  The other time I went (right?!  how smart!) was not by choice.  It was packed!  Kids running amok; parents didn't seem to care.  Thankfully there were not as many bugs, but I did see a used diaper on the floor.  Gross, again!

As far as the food, the quality is egregiously low compared to other Café Expresses, but not by much.  I always forget to get the dressing on the side, so my Turkey Cobb salad-soup only tasted of vinegar.  Each time.  They are consistent, I will give them that.  A wonderful way to cap off a day at the museum: I ate vinegar and drank a diet coke.  Yum
4 - Monica S.: I used to walk to Cafe Express all the time when I worked at the Children's Museum... I love that it's located right in the middle of the museum district. It's a great lunch or dinner spot if you're visiting the museums or the park! And you can pretty much expect this location to be like the rest - friendly and fast service and yummy eats. The main thing I love about this location is eating on the patio. It's pretty quiet and peacful as you listen to the fountain. I only wish they were open Mondays! :(
4 - Robert S.: During my latest visit from my igloo in Chicago down to Houston, I made a special trip just to eat in this Cafe Express.  This is the perfect museum eatery in a great art museum.  There are few restaurants I've been to in museums that are this nice.  Some museum restaurants are snooty and expensive (thank you, Art Institute of Chicago), hard to find and poorly managed (thank you, Field Museum), or just boring (thank you, Getty Museum).  Cafe Express has a great menu and is a treat to visit--clean, well lit, easy to access and unpretentious.  This is what our local Corner Bakery chain wishes it would become but won't.

And this is part of a chain?  Well, heck.  Get a few up to Chicago, pronto!
3 - Bryan H.: The quality here is better and the prices more reasonable than you'd expect from a museum restaurant.  There's also a street entrance, indicating that it's not catering exclusively to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston-goers.  The veggie sandwich was tasty, it included carrots and roasted tomatoes, but maybe a little heavy on the dressing. Nonetheless, I was glad to have it. The people working the counter and bussing the tables were uniformly friendly and helpful.
2 - J F.: I do not know what the deal is with this particular location.   In each of my last three visits, I ordered my usual, the usually scrumptious BLT, their tasty  burger and hearty chili.  And each time, I was greatly disappointed with the quality of the meal.  Last time, we were the only diners there at 7pm, and the staff consisted of a manager and cook.  The cook appeared to be servicing the vent hoods above the grill when we walked in.  One really does not want to see a vent hood being cleaned while the grill is cooking food.  The lack of other patrons and severely depleted staff is cause to wonder how much longer they will be open for business.
2 - Jeff S.: You just paid at least ten dollars for your meal. Everything looks like it should taste good, but it's all average to lousy, and prepared indifferently. The burger is very disappointing. The alfredo is tasty but how hard is it to make something unhealthy taste good?
2 - HART G.: Mrs. G and I decided to see the Sargeant Show at the MFAH then realized we should eat a snack first. It was 10:50 am and there was a huge breakfast display sign on the counter. My wife saw the sign and suggested I order some. The counter person cut me off in mid-sentence "Breakfast is over". "What time does it end?" I asked. "11." "Its 8 to 11 right...  "  She cut me off, "Or whenever we run out of eggs!"  Okay. I had never been told that in a restaurant but okay.  I suggested that they might take the display off the counter to avoid customer confusion.  The counter person was visibly annoyed. She raised her voice "I can't do that!"  The manager heard her and started to move toward us.  She said loudly "Breakfast ends at 10:30!"  Ok. I chuckled. "I'm really sorry. I'm confused. Is it 10:30 or 11?" The counter person  shouted and waved her arms with finality "BREAKFAST IS FINISHED!" Wow. The manager just stared at us as if she were watching cattle graze. The counter person literally backed away from me as if I had hand growing from my esophagus and told the other counter person to "take care of this".  I quietly ordered a burger and water. I whispered "Sorry that was so dramatic"   She sympathetically responded while her eyes darted back to the other counter person "Don't worry about it" Whenever I am completely starving in the MFAH or need a bit of abuse I shall return straight away.
3 - Daniel L.: You know that fruity breakfast cereal bar commercial where the woman starts making "better choices" during her day when she starts her day off with the bar instead of a donut? On days I am making "good" choices I will leave my dark cave in the skyscraper, walk on the street in the sun (not like a vampire in the tunnels) and come eat here.

There are a lot of people but they handle the crowds well - unlike Chipotle next door. I have never had to wait outside to shuffle through the lunch line. The overstressed employees also don't hassle you if you take a minute to think your order through.

I have tried several different things and they all were good. I usually always go with something salad-y but the turkey burger is also the best one I have found in the city outside of the Hobbit Cafe. If you go with a burger-y option the best part of the whole experience is the sweet potato french fries! I I would be happy with a bucket of those.

Another high point is that the "fixins'" bar is always well stocked at this location. Nothing pisses me off at a place more than not being able to get my jalapenos. That makes me rage out. This location has not yet made me rage out.

And finally the blackcurrant tea is amazing. I don't even like tea as a general rule, but I definitely like this stuff.
3 - Meghan B.: While visiting the Fine Arts Museum I stopped into Cafe Express for some lunch. It was extremely busy-all tables inside were taken. 

Although, they were very busy. There was little to no wait to order or to even get your food. 

The staff was extremely nice and friendly.

I ordered the grilled turkey and avocado salad-it was decent! It was a nice big salad with lots of turkey, avocado, and veggies. I did ask for dressing on the side and it ended up with it on the salad--my only compliant.  It made the salad a little soggy since they put a ton of dressing on it. 

I love the pickle and olive bar!!!
3 - Joel B.: Atmosphere: open space. Nerdy/well to do crowd. 90% anglo. Contemporary. Slightly dimmed lighting. 

Price: expensive. It is at the museum, so higher prices are expected. The problem is the portions were small. 

Food: I had the chicken tenders ($6) and an order of fries. I got four maybe five pieces the fifth is too small to consider as a piece. The other four were small. The fries were cheapish frozen fries which cost about $4. 
Both the chicken and the fries had a slight sweetness to them. I assume they fried something sugary just before. 

Service: counter service was nice and polite. 

My girlfriend had a chicken salad, she was very pleased. Overall we spent about $24 with what I've mentioned plus to bottled drinks. 

I would visit again mainly out of convenance, but just try something other than the chicken tenders.  3+ stars
5 - Renee C.: Fabulous food wonderful staff and great tea all located right inside the MFA.  We live in the neighborhood and eat here often.  I use the catering menu on a regular basis - prices are great and portions are appropriate.  The food is healthy and always fresh.  You just can't beat their Chicken Deli salad or the turkey chili.  Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4 - Scott L.: For museum cafe's I don't expect much, and admittedly I find the meals at Cafe Express shockingly bland and boring, but I was quit content with my half (turkey) sandwich, (baked potato) soup and (Cesar) salad combo for under $8.   The condiment bar, with homemade pesto flavored croutons, cornichons, pickles and jalapeños provided a free and yummy appetizer that I would've relished as a college student. 

Yummy cheap basic food considering it's "serving airport masses" type resemblance.
3 - Kirkwood J.: Burger done super fast...don't know what to make of that. Was decent at least, good chance to relax while at the museum.
4 - Carole G.: We have eaten here twice now and been really happy with it both times. It's nice to have convenient, healthy choices when visiting the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. 

Located below the first floor, this place was really crowded on free Museum District Day. However, tables were cleared quickly, guests got seated, and although there seemed to be a long line for ordering at prime time lunch hour, everything moved quickly and efficiently. 

We both tried the Petite sandwich deal which gave you a choice of three sammies, two salads and two soups. It was a lot of food for around $6.99. I was pleasantly surprised! And it was good too! I had a chicken salad sammie, potato soup and spring greens salad. The condiment bar is one of the nicest I've ever seen. There you can grab as many pickles, peppers, olives and breadsticks you want. They also have multiple mustard, ketchup and hot sauce choices. Everything is arranged nicely and it's centrally located far enough away from the ordering line so it's convenient without being in the way.

I loved the small slice of outdoor patio on the side. It was raining (believe it or not!) the first day we went but most of the tables were under an overhang so as to be out of direct sun and/or rain. That was nice. Plenty of seating room inside but a bit noisier there. And you know me; I do outside 100% of the time if at all possible. 

On my second visit the following week, husband had the same thing (so you know that was good!) and I tired a burger (which is not something I eat often so you know it must've called to me!). My burger was large and loaded with sundried tomatoes, avocados, grilled onions and oozing with melted cheese. Yum! It was actually more than I could eat. The fruit salad accompanying it was fresh and tasty.

This is the only food offering on site, but it's a good one. I would certainly recommend it. Also, they have an outside entrance and it appears that anyone can just pop in and eat there too without the museum visit so that is kind of nice if you're just in the area. Since we bought a museum membership; I know we'll be back.

Written in my travelogue: Healthy, colorful, tasty and priced right. Real mint leaves for the tasty iced tea too! Thumbs up!
2 - Gaby D.: After a not so great lunch here today, I realized I've never reviewed this place! I guess it's just one of those fast food places you don't think about. Sure, I eat it if it's there, generally satisfied, but nothing mind blowing. 
It's usually not terrible, a bit overpriced, but I've learned to stick to my Black bean soup sans cream and tortillas and a side salad. It's predictable, but not bad. I'm also a fan of freebies, as in the table with all the pickles and chickpeas and stuff. 
But other than my usual order, it finally dawned on me that the place could use a lot of work. I don't expect gourmet or mind blowing food from here because yes, it's still just healthier fast food, but the prices....well I could be going out to a nice restaurant for the price. 
The black bean burger, which is usually my fave thing at any place that provides it, is a dry tasteless puck. Kind of unbelievable, black beans are hard to mess up! 
The sweet potato fries at other locations are just ok, I've had (and make!) way better, and this location at the museum doesn't carry them. WHAT?!?! How do you not carry probably the best thing on the chain's menu? 
Today I strayed from the combo and got the Veggie chef, it was actually very good and colorful, I love my colors. I got it without the parmesan creamy gunk obviously. So I can't complain about my meal but my companions? ....oh boy. 
My mom's soup was cold. My friend's turkey burger without bread took forever....could it be the change to no bun? The other pasta with chicken dish came out eventually, and the chicken was just BAD. I don't know how to describe it since I didn't eat it, it wasn't that it was undercooked, it had just gone bad. So they took it back and the kitchen made them a new version with shrimp instead. Better, at least not poisonous shrimp, but still frozen.  
I think maybe part of it is that this location has zero competition, so when you're doing your museum thing and then suddenly you're starving, you're forced to go here so they don't really have to work for your business. However, next time I'll probably plan ahead so that I have time to get to one of the other dozens of good restaurants in the area before my stomach eats itself. 
This lunch just made me realize though that Cafe Express as a whole chain generally needs to step it up a notch or 10.
2 - Martha D.: Oh man, why oh why do I keep coming here. Oh because there are very few food options in the Museum District and it's nice to walk to lunch once and a while. Good thing is you can get into the Museum of Fine Arts for free with your lunch purchase from 11 am - 2 pm everyday. Which is pretty cool and you don't have to wait for free Thursdays. 

If you have to come here, do not ever ever come here for their breakfast. I am a huge abuser of salt, according to my cardiologist I need a crazy amount of it in my diet to live or at least keep me out of the hospital and it's cheaper and just as effective as heart medication. So I like salt, a lot of it, an amount that would make other people gag if they tried to share my food. Now with that explained their eggs are way to nauseatingly salty! So gross. Gross, gross, gross. For a normal person I would expect them to take one bite and throw it across the room in anger. 

Their lunch isn't that bad, but it's incredibly overpriced for the quality you get. I do enjoy the little sides bar of pickles, I could snack on those all day. 

Their hours of operation are very inconsistent. They usually follow the hours of the Museum of Fine Arts, makes sense because they are located inside it, but they will also be closed for no reason with no warning. 

The soda fountain always tastes like butt. Buy a bottle of water or coffee, if you waste your money on a soda you will be angry, I promise!

Cafe Felix - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2802832, -83.7485633) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
4 - Margot F.: I suspect my increasing affection for Cafe Felix is a sign of my re-adjustment to Ann Arbor and the midwest.  The euromutt tapas restaurant/jazz martini lounge/dessert and crepe cafe's identity crisis annoyed me at first, but perhaps simply because A2 lacks a sufficient number of all three types of establishment, I'm starting to find eating small plates of miscellaneous culinary origin amidst francophile clutter while prosaic jazz standards play sort of enjoyable.  The contrast between the pretense of elegance (the expansive hostess stand just inside the door and servers in the white collars and floor-length aprons of fine dining) and the flawed execution (canned tuna on the "salad nicoise" and a lemon wedge on the rim of the martini I ordered with a twist) is almost endearing.  Felix's near-miss attempts are less garish than someone trying to wear a Versace gown when they just don't quite have the figure for it.  More like an adolescent attempting to use sophisticated vocabulary without fully grasping the nuances of the words.  But I'm beginning to appreciate the versatility of its multiple-personality disorder.  Felix is equally well suited to solo reading over cafe drinks that emulate their French and Italian superiors, taking the parents out for a less conventional dinner that will still be in their comfort zone, having tapas and cocktails with a party of twenty friends, or getting dessert and/or drinks after a show.  The martini list has cute names and $9 does indeed get you 9 oz. of any of their concoctions (a safer bet than ordering a standard cocktail, at least with a "twist").  NB: Their brunch offerings (omletes, french toast) are only available until 1pm and the kitchen closes for about an hour around 4pm to prepare for dinner.
2 - Michael S.: Cafe Felix will remain an unexplored entity for me.  I couldnt' get past the fairly pretentious attitude and poor service of the waitstaff enough to really enjoy the food or atmosphere(  I guess that is part of the atmosphere). Also they need to replace the seating, I sat in a booth / banquette and sank within 16 inches of the floor and I am a normal weight adult.
1 - Susan L.: Cafe Felix is SO frustrating! It's a swanky French restaurant where Midwesterners can go to feel like hot shit. That's great and all except the place sucks! I went there twice and on both occasions, they seated us and then made us wait 30 minutes before anyone came to greet us. Were they busy? Nope. Were they short-handed? Nope. Five servers stood around the bar chatting while we sat there doing nothing. Now I've been to France and I know how they like to make your dining experience nice and SLOW but this is AMERICA! Don't do that!
2 - Chris S.: Looks inviting from the outside but feels a sterile inside. Decent place to share a bottle of wine and appetizers. Not impressive.
3 - Coco C.: Meeeh....nothing super special here. Went here for lunch, had a pretty tasty ham and cheese croissant - that I could have recreated in my kitchen. I also had a tasty side salad with dressing that's a dead ringer for Kraft brand Italian dressing. The whole lunch was similar to a high luncheon for Laaadies (anyone else watch Little Britain out there?).

So we went here last night for 1/2 off Martini Mondays. I hate specialty martinis for the most part, but if the martinis being served are interesting and well-made mixed drinks, I'll drink it if it's cheap....sadly, Cafe Felix has the sickest specialty martinis ever. I had one that was bright blue (I know, I know, but I didn't read the description close enough!) and seemed to have Mad Dog 20-20 in it. Oy! The second wasn't much better, but wasn't much different from a screwedriver, frankly.
My husband fared much better because he ended up getting sick of the martinis and ordering beer instead. And now I get to the dirty little secret of Martini night at Cafe Felix: The beer is the same price as the 1/2 off martinis, and much, much better. Wooo!
Other than that, they had really good music and the atmosphere was really laid-back - it was crowded but not so loud you couldn't hear the people at your table. Just stay away from the Mad Dog 20-tini!
1 - XOne F.: This place is terrible.  The food is bad, the service is bad, etc.  Do yourself a favor and go to Zola.
1 - Marty W.: Cafe Felix has inspired me to create a yelp profile, just to give them one star.  I just returned from having Brunch there.  Simply put, it was bad.  Really really bad.  There are bad places, which put you in a bad mood, and then there are really bad places, which you tolerate because they are supposed to be bad, and then there are really really bad places, which make you wonder how so many things could possibly go wrong.  Cafe Felix fits into this final category.

Six of us sat down for brunch inside.  The restaurant was not busy, and the waitstaff did not appear rushed.  We did not worry about the lack of silverware at the time, since we did not have food until later.  

About ten minutes later, we were brought water, and asked if we wanted anything to drink.  Four of us asked for coffee.  Ten minutes later, the server carries over a small glass carafe of coffee, and pours coffee for two of us -- the two men -- leaving the two ladies waiting.  He apologizes that the glass container of sugars only has about three packets in it - sweet and low and one regular sugar.  He returns later with coffee for the other two.  Later still, after plenty of time for the coffee to cool, he finds some other sugar packets.

Then it is time to order.  We all order - various crepes (their specialty) and an omelette for me.  Much later, without any intermediate service, he comes to bring bread, and apologizes for the wait.  The two children at our table are getting restless.  The youngest enjoys stacking things and playing with some pennies.  Upon request, he brings more coffee, again using the same carafe that only fills two cups, and leaves two waiting.  

Much later, he brings out three of the dishes (out of six).  He says that the other dishes are just being finished.  At that point, we ask about silverware.  He apologizes, and goes to look for silverware.  He finds two sets of silverware, and apologizes that they are all being washed.  Later, he brings three spoons -- a kind of consolation prize since the forks are being washed.  

Two more dishes are brought out later.  The previous dishes have already cooled.  One dish is not brought out until about 20 minutes later.  The final dish to come out is the banana-strawberry crepe, the breakfast of the youngest child.  The youngest child is incredibly patient, and never complains, even though he has had to wait until everyone else is finished with their meal before receiving his.  Around that time, the server finds three more forks - enough silverware for everyone to eat their food.  Coffee is brought out more regularly at this point.  

Perhaps, with service so bad, the restaurant could be redeemed by quality food.  But alas, no.  The crepes were dry.  My omelette - supposedly a southwestern omelette with chorizo and a spicy sauce - was a dry mass of egg, folded around a scoop of vegetables and ham.  No chorizo and no sauce.  Dry as a bone.  When I asked for some hot sauce, I got a small cold dish of salsa on the side.  Awful.  Simply awful.  

I am not bitter or in a bad mood.  It is a beautiful day, and I woke up on the right side of bed.  I will simply never return to Cafe Felix.
3 - Haroun K.: Your experience at Felix really depends on your expectations.  My suggestion: go with someone you're really attracted to.  Spend the evening gazing into his/her eyes - there will be plenty of time for this, because the service is dependably undependable.  The tapas themselves are pretty good, though they are always running out of ingredients.  To allay the disappointment, share a bottle of wine with your companion.  Imagine that you're there to chill out, and, hey! there's a random small plate brought to your table every 2 or 3 hours, like (broken)clockwork.  If you want better food + better ambiance + better service, take yo'self to Zola!
2 - Victor C.: PROS:  Feel like you are in a cute little French cafe; Good coffee drinks; light relatively French-cafe-like menu

CONS: Service as there really isn't any.  Like many other reviewers, I've waited 20+ minutes before a server appeared.  I went there on graduation evening, the place was 3/4ths empty, they had plenty of staff, and we still had to wave our hands foolishly in the air to get a server's attention - they were busy polishing the utensils instead.  Hey, I've got a tip for you:  if you don't wait on your customers, they can't order, and if they can't order, they don't have food, and if they don't have food, they don't need those forks and knives you are so busy polishing!!  I don't know who manages this place, but they should be embarrassed that all of these reviews on here say the same thing about their service!  Fix it!

RECOMMENDED DISHES:  The sandwiches are good, the crepes are fine.  The food isn't great, but it is good enough for a little cafe/wine bar.  I prefer it for coffee and a croissant or a light lunch as opposed to dinner.

AVOID:  Some of the more complicated hot tapas are hit or miss.

ATMOSPHERE: Nice French decor and feel, can be noisy when crowded, good outdoor seating for the summer.

PRICE RANGE: Sandwiches and omelets are around $8-9.  Tapas range from $6ish - $12ish.

BASED ON: Numerous visits
2 - Nathan A.: The food is pretty bad.  Everything sounds great on the menu, but at various times, the food has been too greasy, too cold, too salty, etc...  It feels like the owner bought a tapas cookbook and handed it to his unemployed college drinking buddy to run the kitchen.  Service is terrible but friendly.  It is an OK approximation of a French cafe, though, so I would recommend it for (albeit overpriced) drinks, just not for dinner.  Oh yeah, and brunch is terrible, too.  One plus - sometimes there's a DJ and the music is usually pretty good.
3 - Marissa B.: Overall, Cafe Felix is a fun place to meet up with friends.  There are certainly some problems though, but tradition ("Martini Mondays") keeps me coming back.  The interior is classy and there is a nice sidewalk area in front to sit outside on warm summer nights, watching pedestrians stroll past on Main Street.

Martini Mondays are one of their busiest nights, especially around 10pm and later.  1/2 off Martini's are the draw, and they have a pretty extensive list to choose from.  Unfortunately, it's my understanding that their liquor order comes in on Tuesdays... which is the reason for why they often run out of key Martini ingredients every Monday (i.e., Grand Marnier).  This can be frustrating and leads me to wonder why they don't just order extra every week, as this is a constant problem.  Furthermore, they often run out of Martini glasses and will serve you your Martini in a regular tumbler.  While it's the same size, same drink... it's just  not quite the same when it's not in the pretty glass.

Another problem that plagues Cafe Felix is consistency.  From one week to the next the same Martini ordered from the same menu will take on a completely different color and flavor.  In fact, one night a friend liked the Martini I had and asked for the same one.  Mine was pink and fruity, hers arrived red and sour.... and the waiter assured us they were the same thing.  Huh?!?

"Wine Wednesdays" are another busy evening - 1/2 off bottles of most of their wines.  Similar to Mondays, they often run out of whatever wine you're looking for.  The other problem I've experienced is that the servers aren't very knowledgeable about the wine list - they are unable to help you make a decision because they can't compare and contrast one to the next.  We had better luck simply asking customers at other tables what they were drinking and if it was sweet or not.  I've been here twice on Wednesdays and haven't had good luck with the wine either time.  Sadness!  

Bottom Line:  Despite it's problems, there are a few reasons that keep me coming back.  Tradition, ambiance, and the Monday/Wednesday  prices.
3 - becky k.: if i ever opened a cafe/wine bar it would look and feel like cafe felix.  i feel like the interior would be a tad too heavy some place on the coast like in san diego, but for ann arbor i think it's just perfect.  i also love, love, love the outdoor seating on spring, summer, fall day.

when i was an undergrad i would come out to cafe felix for a wine date or a coffee date or to feel cool.  so i came back and actually spent a lovely afternoon sitting at one of the sidewalk tables reading a book.  it was cool cause the service was chill and leisurely and it didn't bother anyone that i was just taking up real estate when i didn't order that much.  i must say though that what i did order was bad, bad, bad.  i had a cup of coffee that tasted like crap and a crepe that was not quite done, but still burned on the edges.  eew.  i also thought that it was slightly tacky and broke up the feel that my coffee was served with 1/2 and packets and my classic crepe was served with plastic tubs of butter and jam.  

so food wise--no stars.  but sometimes you just need a nice space to just be.
4 - Vi V.: Smacked in the middle of the trendier Main Street, cafe felix offers the Parisian chic to upper classmen at the University of Michigan. My favorite is to sit outdoors during the summer months, sipping on the delicious martinis (They offer a wide range with interesting names) with friends and simply take in the atmosphere. The interior is gorgeous and thus makes Cafe Felix an all-year round affair.
and the best part: Half Off Martinis (selected martinis) every Mondays!!!!!
4 - Ann B.: I can't speak to the service or the tapas, or even the atmosphere.  I was too tired from my trip out from Cali to notice any of that.  What I CAN tell you, though, is that the crepes are freaking amazing.  The Vanilla-Berry crepes in particular are just...well, I'm speechless.  Creme fraiche, mixed berry compote, strawberries and vanilla ice cream - what a perfect way to end an evening.  

I also had a martini (with Orangina in it) that was alright.  It was all a bit pricier than I expected, but the crepes were worth it.
5 - Dawn L.: I don't know why Cafe Felix doesn't have a higher overall rating on Yelp--it's a fantastic place to spend a few hours with coffee. Felix feels like a real Parisian cafe, with the exception that it's larger (cafes in Paris tend to be on the small side--there isn't much real estate to go around). In the summer, the outdoor area is wonderful. There's also live music (jazz) on some nights.

The staff is friendly, and they don't mind if you sit for a while (just leave a nice tip!). Lunch consists of light items like croissants, baguettes, and salads (the baguettes, which are usually very fresh, were the only bread I could eat coming back from France--even good grocery store baked bread tasted like cardboard). Dinner has a totally different concept--they serve small plates tapas-style. You'll want at least two. The food is all very high quality, and definitely worth having once in a while--now that I don't live in Ann Arbor, I stop in for lunch or coffee almost every time I visit.
1 - Sara P.: As a European who loves Paris, I feel it's really weird that all these reviewers justify the terrible service of Cafe Felix claiming that it's like in Paris! In Paris you might wait a bit longer than in the States, but waitresses are not fakely sophisticated and rude! They're pretty snobbish, of course, as many Parisians, but generally nice and authentically sophisticated! American waiters and waitresses at places like Felix (and there are many other similar places in Ann Arbor) are a good example of taking disadvantages from both cultures: lack of spontaneity and pretentiousness (from the American side- there are always exceptions, of course) and snobism and rudeness (from the European one). It seems having a "Parisian Cafe" in Michigan should imply nice, friendly and educated waiters, not these unbearably spoiled and annoyed kids who don't know what they serve, but show off their fake promptness for the sake of their (overpriced) tip.

But not only the service is bad. I was once there with a friend and ordered a plate of cheese. The portions were ridiculous. The slices of cheese were so thin that we coudn't taste the flavor! When we complained, the waitress said that those cheeses were expensive. But on one side, my friend used to buy them, so he perfectly knew the prices, and they weren't such to justify such a portion. On the other side, well, ask for a higher price then, but don't cheat the customers. I have to acknowledge that after we protested they reduced the bill, and that particular waitress was quite nice, but overall I don't think their food is particularly good, and it is definitely overpriced. 

Once again, go to Zola instead!
3 - Sophia G.: Cafe Felix offers outside seating during the summer that attracts many people.  They offer tapas for the dinner crowd.  I was most impressed with their desserts.
3 - Sarah W.: If you come here what your really getting is ambiance and location. Inside it is decorated beautifully. And in the summer you get prime outdoor seating location. But the service is not so great.

The coffee is really not good, except for the mocha. The menu is another quite interesting thing though! It rarely changes but that is not the funny thing. What happens is that the same item will arrived slightly different each time. Who ever knew how many ways insalada mixta could come out? Capers on top, capers blended in the dressing, asparagus mysteriously disappearing and reappearing....

But it is a great place to hang out and meet with friends. The half off martini Monday's are the best! And I love half off bottle wine night on Wednesday's.
3 - Michelle D.: If Cafe Felix's goal is to be a French cafe, then they have succeeded, at least in the area of service. My husband and I ordered a glass of wine and a beer, which didn't come for at least 10 minutes. When it came my glass was dirty and his beer came without a glass. We also ordered a pizza, which took about 45 minutes, and the waitress brought out to us without any napkins.

This said, though the waitress didn't know anything about the wine, it was good and part of a large selection. The pizza was also pretty tasty. There is also outdoor seating and we could bring our dog, which we always appreciate. Bottom line is if you want selection and don't mind slow service Cafe Felix is an alright place to go.
3 - Lisa W.: I can't hate on this place because I know they have two good happy hours, and those are half off martini Mondays and half off wine bottles on Wednesdays.  They also have outdoor seating that is beautiful, and special awning seats for the times that it's raining.  Those seats under the awning are prime for people watching.  I would hang out there by myself or with friends, smoke and drink away writing mini novellas about everyone walking by.  People will stop by to chat, bum a smoke, it used to be a very "scene" and "be seen" afternoon spot.

Their coffee is gross, but their espresso isn't.  Their espresso is actually really good, especially their mocha, which isn't made with powdery chocolate.  Try their espresso martini -- it isn't half off on Monday because it is super special, but it is worth the price if you are an espresso lover but need that voka kick to it.

Recently, I discovered that their pizzas are tasty in a fancy way.  I also really enjoy their calamari and their ensalada mixta.  They also now have a lunch/brunch menu that has a lot of great, new options.

Yes, the service has always been bad here.  It's getting better now, and it's actually weird to me.  I got so used to waiting 30 minutes for my meal.
2 - Brian R.: Great atmosphere goes a long way...since you will be waiting quite a while for service.  Good beer and cocktails and decent tapas.  Just a nice place to sit and relax, especially on a nice day.  Good pizza.
2 - Matt M.: Really not my kind of place.  It seems kind of stuffy by way of patronage.  Long wait for food and drink is barely offset by half-off bottles of wine on Wednesdays.

The best part about it is the small outdoor patio in front, which I have been on before...  it's really one of the best places to sit and hang out at which point long waits don't matter so much.  It was pouring rain the last time I went and a few people were comfortably chatting and smoking out there.  I'm not a smoker but I imagine they were glad to have the ability to go outside and not get soaked.

Waitstaff just sort of serviced us without maintaining us, like an unwanted car.  

Really, I just wasn't comfortable inside there.  It didn't match my idea of a good atmosphere because it just felt a little pretentious.
3 - Parisa K.: Cafe Felix is a cute little place in downtown Ann Arbor.  I like this place during the day, for a good bowl of soup and delicious sandwich.  Now this won't come cheap, but that's because it's actually a great bowl of soup (usually) and a fancy, delicious sandwich.  

Now if you aren't looking for soup or a sandwich, they offer good selection of Tapas, as well as several tasty salads and pizza (which I've never tried).  They also have great coffees and espressos and several yummy desserts.
1 - Mike M.: Awful. Seriously, this place is terrible.  I'd shudder to think what the kitchen looks like if they think it's ok to send food out that looks like it does.  The only thing this place has going for it is it's sidewalk cafe.  But there are many others on that same street, so go there! Should you decide to go there, only order drinks, and avoid the food.  The service is horrific, and the hostesses are well, basically awful. They told me there would be a 40 minute wait tonight for a table of 1 on the patio.  But there were 2 open tables that remained open for 10 minutes. hmmmm...just awful.  This would NEVER fly in Chicago or New York, so they need to get it together if they think they're gonna last.   The croque monsieur was "blech" bland bread, a simple slice of bread, no sauce, and the "salad" on the side was grocery store week-old lettuce and brown tomatoes. Seriously, I haven't been to such an awful place like that in years.  An awful way to end my work week in Ann Arbor...I wish I had gone back for Korean again tonight...this was BAD.
2 - Cecilia P.: Slowest service. Ever. And the drinks are overrated.
1 - Tasha M.: The outside appeal is overrated.  We were seated in the very back of the cafe even though it was nearly empty.  The dishes were mediocre and definitely not worth the price (not according to Ann Arbor's standards anyway).  Save yourself the time and the waiter/waitress the embarrassment.
1 - Julia F.: run away. RUN.

having been a waitress in the past, i have a lot of sympathy for servers. i cut them slack whenever possible. but the service at cafe felix is unacceptable.

the restaurant was practically empty, but it took an HOUR to get our burgers. had to take our empty diet cokes to the bar ourselves for refills. and the waiter never once came back to our table after taking our order. 

overall, horrifying. you're better off swinging through a mcdonald's drive thru.
3 - ChianWen T.: I used to like this place A LOT.     It has really gone downhill in recent years.  The service really can suck and they can really make the bathroom a bit nicer.

Seriously, what happened to you?
1 - Zach S.: This place is the absolute worst. The worst. The worst. The drinks are incredibly expensive and not at all good. If you don't like your drinks to instantly rot your teeth with sugar, stay away. I've never had the food but it sounds terrible and overpriced and everything I've heard confirms that. The service is so bad that it's ALMOST worth going once just to experience the worst service in the history of the world. The last time I was there, my girlfriend and I were seated and sat for 15 minutes without a server even giving us a menu. There were half a dozen staff members milling around doing nothing and the place wasn't even busy. We stood up and walked out, never to return. On a previous trip, they ran out of martini glasses and served us ours in highball glasses. WTF? The server never, ever came by for us to order more drinks, although we weren't really interested in them. Place is terrible. Everyone should spread the word so it goes out of business and is replaced by something that isn't a waste of a precious Main Street storefront.
2 - Nina B.: This place is either hit or miss.  I have been here a few times (mainly sat outdoors during the summertime).  

Service is spotty at best.  I think the waitresses really make an effort, but aren't nearly as efficient as they could be.  Most recently, I had a hankering for chicken, and was eyeing  a particular dish.  When I went to order, the waitress said "Sorry, we're out of chicken, so anything with chicken in it you can't order."  Seriously?  Who runs out of chicken?   So, I ordered the prosciutto and artichoke pizza, which was ok, but a little too salty for my liking.  

All in all, the best thing this place has going for it is the outdoor seating and light fare.  Don't go here if you're in a hurry, as service is very slow.  And certainly don't expect them to have all the ingredients on hand!
1 - Megan L.: The only good thing about this restaurant is the nice atmosphere/decor.  The menu is also something that looks nice, but the food does NOT measure up. The service - TERRIBLE. My friend and I were seated, and waited 15-20 minutes not just for a waitress, but for our table to be set. The hostess finally came over to set the table. She sprayed the table-cleaning solution all over as we were sitting there, getting some in my eye, and spritzing our clothes. 

We waited another 10 minutes for a waitress and then decided to leave. We told the hostess we were leaving, and she didn't even apologize, just shrugged it off. 

I have been there before and the food was not good. The salmon was raw in the center - most of the middle. The rest of the food was dry and not flavored very well, or way too salty. The other times I was there we waited forever for a waitress, and then forever for the food.

I really have no idea how or why Cafe Felix is still in business. Don't go there!!
2 - mariah c.: What I have to love about Felix is the happy hour pricing and outdoor seating.  However it was hard to fully take advantage of the happy hour because the service was pretty slow.  

There were a fair amount of people, but it seemed more like there weren't good systems in place rather than servers just being overloaded - there was a slight air of frantic-ness. 

I can't bring myself to completely dismiss Felix, and I'm sure I'll end up meeting friends here again, but I definitely have seen/experienced much better.
3 - Todd E.: Great for happy hour although service is always painfully slow (I think they're going for the authentic French dining experience). Never been to Felix for a full meal so I can't vouch for that.
3 - Marie H.: Cafe Felix can be the perfect choice--especially on summer evenings--but be prepared to take the bad with the good.

The good:  
1. Outdoor seating in the summer is perfect for people watching.  
2.  Nice interior, clean bathrooms.
3.  Beer choice is okay and  is reasonably priced.
4. The *lunch* menu is good. 

The bad:
1.  The staff seems to be hired solely for their ability to look mediocre in little black dresses.  You will be waiting to be waited on.  It is annoying.
2.  The evening food menu isn't tasty and is over-priced.
3.  The menu isn't detailed enough.  It isn't always clear what is an open-faced sandwich, what is toasted, et cetera.  Staff often doesn't know, either.
4 - Noelle B.: Tapas were great and the outdoor seating was prime. We had the Brie and fruit plate as well as the button mushrooms. Both great selections. The martinis were delicious and boozy. The waiter was attentive yet not all in your face. It was a tad expensive but worth every penny
4 - Zachary L.: My experiences at Cafe Felix have been consistently good. I love the outdoor seating (Main Street people watching!) and the indoor seating is cozy. 

The service isn't anything spectacular, but I've never walked away feeling like I was "under-attended." It is generally fairly bustling at Cafe Felix, so the staff usually do have a lot on their hands, but the wait staff that I have had has always done their best to be friendly and helpful.

The food is, for me, the highlight. Though I may be a little predisposed to loving a tapas place, Cafe Felix manages to stay on par with other tapas places that I have visited around the world (Barcelona, San Francisco, etc). My personal favorite dishes are the Garlic Potatoes and the Portabello Mushroom Caps (Mmm!).
1 - David R.: I've eaten here before, but never will again.
We waited at front desk for five minutes while staff walked by us without acknowledging our existence. Life's too short for that kind of attitude. 
We walked a block down the street to Vinology and had a great experience, both food and excellent service.
4 - Paul W.: While visiting Ann Arbor, it was time for breakfast and we came across Cafe Felix as we were walking in the downtown area.

It has a nice interior with dark wood, small tiles on the floor, and an old look to it.

We had omlettes, coffee, and baguette. We found it fine, service was attentive, and found discoving Cafe Felix to be a good experience.

Asking the waiter if this place is popular, he said yes. It was packed last Friday evening , the night before the Michigan football game.
4 - KJ H.: surprised this place doesn't get better reviews.  i shall boost its ratings.  

perfect for "just drinks"-- nice martini selection, half off on mondays!  sit outside if it's possible, it's fun to people watch on main street.

perfect for "just dessert"--love their carrot cake and anything chocolate they make.  also good crepes.  great for a big party late at night.  

perfect for "just dinner"--get a bunch of tapas and share.  you'll feel satisfied but not too full.  the tapas are good and reasonably priced, the ambience and decor make it worth the while.
4 - Jeremy M.: Food and Martinis were great.  There were three of us and we decided to order 5 Tapas (Pan-Fried Potatoes, Mushroom Turnovers, Tabla Mixta, Marinated Beef Tenderloin & Chevre Stuffed Chicken Breast).  This was just the right amount of food and we even left a little bit on the table, which I'm regretting today because of how good all of the food was.  It was a little pricey (we all had martinis and food), but the food was all cooked perfectly and tasted fantastic which makes it all worth it.  

The decor and atmosphere was really good as well.  Staff was helpful, but felt like he might have known more about the martinis than food itself.  That fact was ok though because we picked some really good dishes and our waiter recommended some great martinis to try.  I've read a lot of people enjoy eating outside and would love to do that when the temperatures warm up next year.

Overall, a great meal/drinks and doing Tapas made it that much more fun.  Had a great time and would love to go back!


(I would've given it 4.5 stars if I could have, but 5 in my mind is reserved for a very select few, and this wasn't quite there)
3 - Brad T.: My wife and I have always had a weird love/hate relationship with Cafe Felix, and that is entirely due to the uneven nature of this bar. While many people in these reviews talk about this in terms of it being a restaurant, I've always considered this place a bar with food, even if the food is very good.

The positives here are very strong positives, and honestly they've kept us coming back to this day. The martinis here are fantastic, truly the kind of booze-oriented masterpieces that make you forget about price almost immediately. If you are hungry, the desserts here are exceptional, and several of the dishes are well-worth a try (the mushroom turnovers and the beef tenderloin especially).

The negatives are not always present, so this part is harder to explain. At times we've had excellent service here, attentive and fun waiters and waitresses who help this place live up to the hip French cafe vibe that the decor gives off. But at times we've had truly awful service, the kind of stereotypical snotty college kids who act bored with you and avoid visiting your table in favor of chatting with the bartender. I'm not even exaggerating when I say that one night my wife had to go to the bar and ask our waitress to come to our table to take our order after we watched her make a cup of coffee for herself and then loudly talk to the bartender about their after work plans. This was a few years ago, but it ranks with some of the worst service I've ever had.

The other uneven aspect of this restaurant is the wait. You can almost always get a table, but we've ordered drinks here before and then waited up to fifteen minutes for our drinks to arrive. This aspect of dining here is the most uneven, but it is worth mentioning because it has certainly happened more than once. It's also worth mentioning that we last visited on Halloween and despite being packed they still made our drinks in mere minutes and the service was very good, so our most recent experience was just fine.

I really like Cafe Felix, so it's tough for me to give it a rating below 4-stars. But overall, if you added up our experiences here (and I'd say we've been here dozens of times in the last 6 years), we've certainly had some bad visits. In all honesty, I'd recommend this place to just about anyone looking for an upscale bar for a date or a night with friends with open pocketbooks, but if the service isn't that hot, don't be shocked, just enjoy your drinks and remember my review.
1 - B B.: I've literally never been here when they didn't have some major fuck up. The food, at least at night, tastes like microwaved leftovers. Apparently they have real food at lunch time, can't speak to it. 

Decor: aims for Paris cafe, ends up more an Eastern European, ersatz approximation of same. So THIS is what the Kremlin club room looked like.

1st time I went: Want a little alcohol with that sugar? They have a long list of speciality cocktails. But they are all bad. Extremely sweet! I tried to embrace it, the one with barenjager is acceptable, in that it is only very sweet, not puckeringly sweet. Do they realize there are liquors besides vodka?

2nd time: OK, they can't fuck up wine, right? Wrong, it smelled weird and tasted metallic. IDK if they aren't corking right, aren't cleaning the glasses enough, or what. 

3rdtime: Manhattan on the rocks. Tastes like tea. Made with ice like you get in a big bag for 99 cents. Of course, this promptly melts, making it even weaker.

4th time: OK, they can't fuck up a martini, right? sort of. The drink was fine, but literally had to argue with the waiter to get it. Initially he huffed back "OK, but it won't be half off like the others." Responded that it always had been before. "OK fine, I'll check." Goes back, asks the bartender, comes back 10 minutes later and says OK, we'll take a dollar off. How much does that cost then? Same as the half-price specialty (read: kool-aid infused) drinks. Waiter maintains a silent vendetta against us all night.

Shouldn't pick on that guy though, the service is laughably bad every time. They know nothing about alcohol or food; I think that pretty fairly describes the clientele as well. If you care about booze, do your self a favor and skip it. If you want to drink sugary vodka, save yourself some money and get popov and coke at the liquor store up the street. Failing that, go here. 

Why do I keep going you ask? Circumstances beyond my control, big groups that couldn't fit anywhere else. They could fit here, because it's always empty. 

OK, not always. It fills up in the summer, when the West Bloomfielders flock to town to experience some hip "urbanism" and shitty drinks without having to see any black people.
1 - Robert C.: This place used to be a good memory. One could enjoy great drinks and good food in a Parisian-like atmosphere on Main St. In the summertime, the patio was one of the city's best.

Now, it's merely a good location. Continue along your walk on Main St. and find someplace else to eat.
1 - genevieve e.: i'll just preface this review by saying that i have been in the service industry for half my life.  i am still a waitress who often takes orders for lobster at 2 minutes before closing.
i get it, it's a half hour before you close and you're not anxious to seat people, but we said we wanted to have one drink--one drink, you've got four other tables of guests in the place, it's not like we're asking you to stay open late for us or to re-open for us.  also--a half hour before you close is also known, by us folks in the biz, as "last call", not "snarky stabby glarey eye-roll call".  suck. it. up.   it's your JOB!
it was hands down the most uncomfortable drink i have ever had. 
my friend wanted an espresso, "well--we actually already wiped down the espresso machine"
and?  what you can't wipe it down again?  i've also worked as a barista and cleaning an espresso machine is not like, say, mopping the floor.
they deigned to re-wipe the espresso machine when she upped the ante to an espresso martini.  which makes no sense really, cause everyone knows a martini takes longer to drink than a shot of espresso...  whatevs.
i ordered a glass of the ridge three valleys zinfandel.  it was one of the most expensive glasses on the menu, but i've had it before, and thought it wise to stick with something familiar in this hostile environment.  it was corked.  hey--that happens, and i know it's not a reflection on an establishment.  i told our server and she switched it out for glass of something that i chose at random to avoid inconviencing her more than i OBVIOUSLY was already, "i'm just going to stand here while you taste your wine to make sure it's okay", she informed me in a condescending manner. 
oh, also the bartender--obviously the alpha female that night, kept on coming over and slamming chairs on top of tables and giving us death looks.
and guess what?  we even made it out before they closed!  who knew 4 people could drink one drink each in less than a half hour?  i guess that's just one for the record books, eh felix staffers?
upon reading other reviews i will concede that their fear of staying past close, (gasp), may have been founded when they usually take 10-20 minutes to deliver a drink.  well, we got ours promptly, so obviously they know how to bring things quickly, and our server stood at our table fake smiling with gritted teeth while i tasted my second choice glass of wine, so they obviously know how to be attentive too!  
i guess you just have to be there at the right time...
3 - Linda P.: I went here to eat during restaurant week. It was really one of the only places that had available spaces (not packed when I got there either). Every other location was completely booked for dinner.  I ordered the Chicken Boulouris (Grilled Amish chicken breast topped with Herbs de Provence, Chevre cheese sun dried tomatoes served in a fresh basil shallot beurre blanc. Accompanied by buttermilk mashed red skin smashed potatoes and almond butter French green beans). I asked the waitress if the chicken would be tender.  She responded by saying that it was and that it was also very flavorful. 

The dish looked good when it was brought out. The chicken was flavorful, but ended up being very dry. I had others at my table try it and they also agreed about the chicken being dry.  The mashed potatoes were very tasty and the green beans were a bit on the less cooked side.  For dessert, I had Nutella ice cream crepes. The crepes were unimpressive.  I would come here again on Monday nights for 1/2 martinis and possibly order a tapas dish I haven't tried.  However, I would not be the one to suggest the place for dinner.

By the way, the waitress was very friendly and attentive. We had a group of 7 people, so there was an automatic 18% tip added to the bill, which she had circled to point out.
3 - Maria P.: I also went here during restaurant week and the food was pretty good, but not fantastic. It was nice to have a leisurely 3-course meal, but I noticed that the normal prices were high for what you actually get. I have been here in the past for  1/2 off wine, which is a great deal: pair with some appetizers and you've got it made. The Nutella crepe desert might have been the best part of the meal, however the best part of the entire experience was our server: hilarious and still got the job done. I would go back, but would never pay full price for what is offered.
4 - N P.: Ann Arbor Restaurant Week was last month, and I had really wanted to go to Café Felix as their restaurant week menu sounded quite appealing. Needless to say, that didn't happen, but I did get the opportunity to go the week after.

This was my first time at Café Felix (definitely not my last!). The interior is classy (I mean, "Café" is spelled with an accent. It's gotta be classy, right?), cozy, warm and romantic if that's the context, cute and hip if that's the context. I'm sure it's a totally different vibe in the evening versus the afternoon.

JH and I got there around 9.45pm, just in time to beat kitchen close. We were seated at a small round table at the front window, which was nice when it started snowing by the end of our evening. Our lovely server brought over multiple menus, reminding us of 1/2 off specialty martinis as it was Monday night (my inside info for the readers, Wednesdays are 1/2 off bottles of wine). JH started by requesting a custom martini for me and rattled off select ingredients, to which our server very happily obliged. Something girly, but still boozy. We got something off the menu for him, with the assistance of the server's recommendations. I think it was the Lazy Limbo? I seem to recall there being coconut involved, and a second look at the martini list tells me that that is the only drink with anything coconut. In any case, it was not spectacular, and we both much preferred my custom concoction, which was actually pretty delish. As it was so late, neither of us were particularly starving, so we ordered off the tapas menu. Surprise, Nari isn't starving for once. I probably could have had an entrée off the dinner menu, but I suppose I should be a lady and restrain from gorging alone when my dinner companion wants to take it light. I think I made the correct decision because our selection was absolutely divine. We got the Giant Portobella Mushroom Caps, two large portabella caps with gorgonzola and a sage cream sauce. I don't think you understand. It was to die for. I love portabella mushrooms, I love gorgonzola, I love sage, I love cream sauce, put them together and it's a delectably polygamous marriage.

If length is a sign of endorsement, I wish I could make this review longer! But I didn't sample a whole lot that night. I was definitely more than pleased with my experience, and there are many other items I'd like to try off the tapas, dinner, and martini menus. I also think it would be fun to get outdoor seating in the summer and do brunch. Crêpes, yum!
4 - Scott W.: Cafe Felix is a great spot to meet with friends for drinks and hang out on the front patio.  I haven't had any problems with bad service, I've actually had very good service here.  The arugula pizza is excellent.  The beers on tap offer a good selection of international and local brews.  I like the big and roomy interior.  

I don't know how to describe it other than I feel at home and comfortable when I am in the Cafe.
1 - Sara C.: I just want to comment on some previous reviews that laud Cafe Felix's "martini Mondays". Just because the drink comes in a martini glass does not mean it's a martini. I'm not specifically dogging Cafe Felix for this, because most bars use this terminology, but it's especially grating to me for a business to promote a half-off martini special WITHOUT INCLUDING REAL MARTINIS! 

Sorry for yelling. I'm just so very upset. Cafe Felix does have real martinis (of both gin and vodka variety) on their menu, but they aren't included in the half-off special. 

Based on a few visits for drinks alone, I really have nothing else new to contribute to the comments made by others giving this place 1 and 2 stars. The service really is that bad. Take their word for it.
3 - Stacie F.: I find it odd when restaurants incorrectly mix cultures. Tapas are Spainish and Cafe Felix's shtick is "French Tapas". Hmmm...okay. Well, the few that we ordered where good, so their lucky... Their martini list is really extensive but a tad pricey. ($10) However, my friend told me that once a week their $5. 

What I really liked most about this place is the atmosphere. It's very cozy and nicely decorated.
1 - Red G.: I stopped by Cafe Felix around 7:15PM today to get some dessert and coffee after having an early dinner elsewhere.

The first problem was the hostess. The had her head down the whole time and didn't seem to recognize us until we asked her for a seat, even though the place wasn't busy at all except for some outdoor seating. We were seated by the window, that was good, but the two cappuccinos and a latte took forever that our dessert crepe arrived earlier than our coffee. When we tried to get the check, we could not get a hold of our waitress so we tried to call the hostess who happened to be a table away, and of course she had her head down and never heard or saw us until we walked up to her and asked for our waitress/check.
2 - Mary H.: I woke up this morning shocked that my husband and I spent $45 for brunch yesterday with the sinking feeling that we got ripped off. Trying to find a breakfast nook on Main St., Cafe Felix looked promising. My husband had an asparagus omelet and I had the crab cake eggs benedict. The thin and very sour hollandaise didn't meld well with the crab cake which was a bit mushy sitting on a flat croissant. Coffee was so so. I had the Nuttell crepes for dessert. Hmmmm. The crepes were cold and rubbery bordering on stale, although my husband's cherry chocolate cheesecake had a nice light texture and tasted good. Service was pretty good but there was no one else in the restaurant (big red flag) The whole experience was very forgettable and somewhat regrettable.
3 - emeril l.: This place has a great feel to it.  They have a very solid lunch special consisting of a burger, fries and a beer for only $10.  The burger is still calling my name...
4 - David M.: Cafe Felix seems to be having a rough time on Yelp!  I can't argue with the rating, as today is the first time I've ever been, but I was at least lucky enough not to have suffered the poor service that many Yelpers complain of.

We showed up at 7:20 or so for Martini Monday (1/2 priced martinis) with three people and told the hostess that two more would likely join us later.  They were easily able to accommodate us, and after reading the reviews here I can see why, but it was a good thing for us.  The flavored martinis we tried were all very good, taste- and strength-wise; I sucked down quite a few of the bloody mary version while others went for the sweeter ones.  At $5 I'd say they are a pretty good deal, but on any other day they would be $10 and I would probably be drinking elsewhere.

Also, as Sara C noted below, you can't get any martini for 1/2 price on Monday, just select ones, and while the variety is very good (there must be around 12 or more choices), a regular gin or vodka martini cannot be had for 1/2 price.

The night ended up being quite expensive, despite the good deals, due to our choice of mussels and a cheese plate along with the drinks.  The cheeses and bread were very good, and plentiful enough for our group, but the mussels (which came with fries) were not as numerous as I would hope (and have received at other establishments), given the $14 price tag.  Oddly enough, I would have to say that Cafe Felix does have the best fries in Ann Arbor, but it's also not the kind of place I would regularly go for good fries.  But I will probably be back on future Mondays to be irresponsible and suck down some bloody marys (with Gorgonzola-stuffed olives!).
1 - M L.: I wish I could have given it half a star.  

went there for last night of restaurant week.  1 hour before dinner rush, open tables still available for reservation-- should have taken that as an indicator that this restaurant SUCKS. 

here goes: 

1) cocktail shrimp appetizer.  frozen shrimp grown on steroids, tastes worse than what you get from meijer. 

2) companion had the seared scallops with wild-mushroom risotto.  risotto was crunchy, sticky, "wild-mushrooms" were canned and of the button variety, scallops were obviously frozen and cooked until it had the texture of an eraser.  my companion, who was a carnivore, commented "this food is so bad it makes the side dish shine", and the side was plain spinach. 

3) my pork tenderloin was dry to a bone, and i could not stomach it.  Yes, pork has a tendency to be dry, but people! it's a tenderloin!  They must have baked it for a whole day; i could have played the drums on it!  It was also supposed to be stuffed with chevre, but.. I guess they forgot!

4) the tiramisu, which was part of the restaurant week set menu, comes from a plastic box set on the bar.  every time a waitress needs a portion, she scoops it out right at the bar, in plain view!  Talk about unappetizing!  And, fyi, the tiramisu comes shipped to the restaurant frozen, and in a cardboard box.  yes, i even saw the bartender pull it out fresh from it's carboard box.  yummeh!

5) the bread has to be cafe felix's saving grace.  it comes slightly warm  but obvious that it's factory made.  well, at least it's edible.  

my companion filled up on bread, contemplated a dine and dash for the first time ever because the food was such a travesty, reluctantly signed the bill and left. 

not coming back.  

people, the location is great, the frontage is inviting, the name sounds warm, the decor looks nice, but just take a peak, sigh, and get out.
4 - Kate K.: It is beautiful here!  Service Excellent. Food very reasonable and tasty! Try the John Daly Martini - it's a spin on an Arnold Palmer beverage, John Daly style!
3 - Molly H.: As a disclaimer, this review describes a few visits where I was grabbing a drink during off hours, so I can't speak to a full experience.

The atmosphere is somewhat cold and not overly inviting. Decor is French cafe all the way, lots of glass and stone. Drinks and prices are fine-to-expensive. I've had decent service, although the other night I dropped in with a group of about 12 people who had been there for a while enjoying the half-off "martinis" on a Monday evening. I was there for maybe half an hour and just ordered a beer. I got up to leave and cash out well before anyone else and the server wouldn't cash out my beer separate from the rest of the tab. I totally know what it's like to serve a big group of people who are only drinking right when you're trying the get the hell out of work at closing time, but come on. It's not that hard to take the ONLY beer off of the tab and let me cash out.

Anyway, what I think would be great is to come here at the beginning of happy hour on a weekday, before everyone gets out of work, and sit in their excellent outdoor section on a summer day. That's about the only scenario in which I see myself returning, although I am kind of curious about the food. 

See you in June, Felix!
2 - Meghan C.: I wish I could give Cafe Felix a higher rating. I used to enjoy going there for a couple small plates and drinks. I like the decor and they almost have a Paris in the 20s feel to it. Their seating out front under the awning is a fun place to watch thunderstorms roll by in the summer. 

I've stopped by there twice in the last couple months and I've been so disappointed both times. The first time, we wanted to get a couple small dishes and drinks around 5:30 mid-week. We were seated near the front window and sat there. And sat there. And made lots of eye contact with lingering waitstaff at the bar. And sat there. After about 15 minutes without a waiter, I was too annoyed to even ask for service and we left and went to The Earle. 

We tried to give it another shot recently a couple weeks ago and they've changed their menu. Why? It is much shorter and I couldn't find a lot of small plates that sounded appealing. They no longer have pizzas. The cheese platter, which I always enjoy, was bland and boring. We tried the tequila scallops, and they lacked taste. The calamari was just okay. 

What used to be a fun place to treat ourselves to is now just an overpriced mediocre restaurant with poor service.
1 - Illi F.: Well, looks like the owners of the establishment flagged my review and got my photo of their cooking deleted by claiming it violated the "terms of service." All I will say is this: good businesses are transparent in dealings with their customers. This behavior just serves as further evidence of the poor customer service offered by Cafe Felix staff and ownership. Many businesses will use Yelp to rectify situations with disgruntled customers--- but not Felix! Hey Felix-- Instead of making announcements that your 5-star reviews all got filtered, why not admit there are some issues with your customer service and strive to IMPROVE? That's what will get you those ratings you are wanting!
3 - Lisa R.: I give Cafe Felix three stars because I like the atmosphere, and it's nice to go for a glass of wine. It actually feels a teeny bit like Paris, if you squint and block out next door's Mongolian BBQ patrons... Some reviewers have complained about the service, but I think it's quite friendly and responsive, if only compared to French service... The food, however, would never live up to French standards. The bread was stale; when we sent it back we were told there was no fresh bread. What?!  Anyway, it's not France and that's ok, I can still go here for coffee or a glass of wine.
3 - C L.: Hi management. Please change 1 thing: you need a new chef. Your outside location is great for people watching and light romance, the size of your wine / martini list is respectable and your waitresses are attentive and cute. Unfortunately, my mussels were really puny and shriveled looking. Make better food, throw some $ into promoting this, and voila - you could be a shining beacon in the sea of mediocrity that is dining on Main Street.
2 - Dean S.: It's always frustrating when you order a drink listed on their menu and it takes multiple members of the service staff to tell you what is actually in the drink....

My first thought is how open and cold the interior is in the winter. In the summer, sure, its spacious, but the open, mirrored look serves to make any cold air from the front door blow through the entire establishment. That's not too great.

It took an inordinate amount of time to get our food on one visit, and on another they forgot some of what we ordered. In both cases it was a head-scratcher as it wasn't particularly busy and we didn't have a particularly confusing order ("may I have a side of bacon" doesn't seem confusing to me). 

Another reviewer mentioned that they don't seem to have good systems in place, and I couldn't agree more. The disappointing thing for me is that the food was pretty good both times. But for a place behaving (and charging) as a higher-end establishment, there seems to be a significant lack of attention to detail. That's surprising and disappointing and gets you shuffled to the bottom of my "good ideas to visit again" rolodex (which of course I mean list on my smartphone, come on).
1 - Beth H.: I know that Cafe Felix doesn't typically serve a black hair in their mushroom soup, but it does happen, apparently, and I am still ill-feeling since my lunch visit.  

Unfortunately, I visited this place with my husband, for brunch, some years ago.  We weren't impressed.  So when Cafe Felix was suggested for lunch today, (co-workers got a Groupon) I thought I would give it another chance.  I expected overpriced, small portions and long wait times as before.  Still overpriced, the special was small but the wait time was better. Perhaps the place being empty had something to do with it. 

The waiter was nice and apologetic, to the added ingredient in my soup, but the smell of 'cigarette break' wafting off him, didn't help my nausea.  Who the hell goes for a cigarette break in the middle of service?
4 - Bridget K.: My boyfriend and I had a really good time.  We had a groupon so it was an especially good deal.  The service was fine.  Our waitress was very friendly and attentive.

We both enjoyed our sandwiches and fries.  I had a croque madame that was a little awkward to eat, and he thought his burger could have used some more salt.  But we both enjoyed our lunches overall.

There was a bit of a debacle when I ordered a martini.  I ordered a dirty martini which evidently they make as a default with vodka.  The waitress changed it out though with a minimal fuss. For the record though the International Bartender Association says a martini is made with gin.

I totally plan to go back.  I loved the atmosphere.  We had a good time and a good casual lunch.
4 - Jessica W.: Perhaps I give eateries on Main Street a bit more leeway than those by South U, but I thought Cafe Felix was pretty nice.  I came with some other future lawyers on Half Bottle Wine Wednesdays and found that the servers were terrific and accommodating, the atmosphere was pleasant and calming, and the wine was lovely.  There was nothing truly spectacular about the place, but it may become my default destressing bar, at least on Wednesdays.
2 - Nancy K.: I want to like this place so much more than I actually do.  Probably because my very first experience here was perfect.  The first time we came in, about two years ago, we got a cheese plate and drank some wine.  May have gotten one other small plate.  It was magical.  There was snow... we sat in the window... there was no one else there (because it was late and I imagine the snow kept people away).  Since then I've been in for brunch, which was awful and two nights ago we came in for dinner - and that was the last straw.

Cafe Felix wants to be better than it is and might be trying too hard to be good at too many things.  The end result is mediocrity and a lack of attention to detail.  There are little things that would make a huge difference that Cafe Felix seems to be too clueless (or lazy) to do.  Like making sure the bread on the table is warm.  And having attentive waitstaff.  

Very few veg options make it incredibly difficult for a vegetarian to eat here and I can't even imagine a vegan pulling it off.  The tomato soup, however, is incredible.  Unless it's wine, a cheese plate and tomato soup, I suggest you skip Cafe Felix.
1 - Sam G.: First visit was near-catastrophic, second visit was tolerable. Something is just off-kilter here. Whether it be overcharging for an item on the final bill, having amateur waiter service, or your meal coming out differently than what is listed on the menu... small things add up and can thoroughly peeve you.

The restaurant inside, during the evening, has a nice atmosphere. Especially during the holidays when they have lights and a large christmas tree indoors. During the day it looks a little over-designed - a look that's forced (think faux). Can get a little empty at times during the day - it doesn't feel anything like a cafe to me. 

The waiters are strangely "bro" which really clashes with the ambiance of the whole French old-world look. 

Best food had so far? The burger. Not so French! Just make sure they grill your onions because that helps make it. Not the best burger in the world, but flavorful and satisfying. The pizzas are blasé to the extreme - the menu-listed fresh slices of mozzarella come out to be standard shredded cheese. The crust is so-so. The ingredients bland.

The salmon always smells a little fishy and when I got my salmon sandwich, it tasted fishy, too. Loading up with lemon juice is a must. The sauce and the 'arugula' (plain lettuce), were almost imperceivable. 

Oh hey, though, they have Strongbow on tap. Plus.

I've given this place two tries for dinner and two times for some coffee. Besides that, I don't think I'll be coming back.

Merci, mais non.
3 - Victoria K.: I went in with a high hope but came out disappointed.
I had a tomato soup, a mushroom risotto and half a dozen of escargot.
I wouldn't say the tomato soup is foo salty but its taste was being so strong that I took quite a while to be able to taste my risotto and escargot after. 
The mushroom risotto could have sent me to heaven if it could have just one or two drips of truffle oil. 
The escargot could use just a tiny little bit more of salt. 
It's a pity I didn't get to enjoy the food. Hopefully I will be served better dishes next time since I really love French food.
4 - Phil M.: Nearby cafe's were railed so we decided to try Cafe Felix. Their breakfast was better than anticipated and the service was prompt and friendly. Would definitely recommend. The coffee was delicious!
1 - Kyle T.: I've tried Cafe Felix numerous times and I'm always disappointed.  The most recent time included bad service and fruit flies swarming the table... Seeing as it is almost February that means the fruit flies are reproducing in the food in the kitchen, how appetizing.  Main Street Ann Arbor restaurants are supposed to be somewhat prestigious compared to others in this region/market, and this restaurant is an epic fail.
2 - Amy B.: I recommend Cafe Felix for a few glasses of happy hour wine with a small group, and that's about it. From 4-6 p.m. on weekdays, wine by the glass is priced at a 50% discount. This is a great deal, and it allows you to enjoy the elegant Cafe Felix decor without eating the food.

Given how lovely the physical space is, it's very disappointing that the food is not equally delightful. I would not call the food here bad, but rather unremarkable. The few items I specifically remember stand out for negative reasons, like the dry and overcooked chicken pesto pizza I ordered when I last came for drinks (pizzas are only $5 during happy hour). For Cafe Felix's price point, and with so many great restaurants within walking distance, it's just not worth having your meal here.
4 - Tom C.: NOTE: this review was written on mobile last summer. I strongly dislike that Yelp holds mobile reviews in queue.  Just post it. When I wrote it.  So beware, this info may be out of date.

Revision: apparently the wine list has changed (which was already good), but they also have a new chef and new menu coming in 2 weeks. Regardless, I had the best service in years at Felix with Casandra. Shhhh, don't tell anybody. I want to be sure to get one of her tables. Is it possible they are looking up?
4 - Ryan Y.: I thought the food was excellent.  I had a mushroom crepe and it was cooked perfectly.  The service sucked and I thought they would have fancier tea for a French place.  They only had Tazo tea bags.  Good atmosphere and right next to a fairy door.
1 - Stephen K.: Hate to diss this place, as it used to be better, back when the pomme frites were thin and crispy. Something has changed here, and it's not for the better. During my most recent visit, I sat in the back past the bar area. There was a waft from the bathrooms that (thankfully) was like dirty floor cleaner. Many tables in the center were unused and not set, giving the place a feeling of being closed for business. The shaken martini was quite warm, as if there was an ice shortage. The English muffin style bun on the bistro burger was stale and judging by it's unmelted state and lukewarm temperature, the patty had never been in the proximity of the cheese while hot. I did not want to complain to the awkward, casual young manager/host, as he had an overly casual attitude that was well, awkward. Overall a weird, disappointing experience.

I spy: (Pay attention to the trompe l'oeil mural. Most of it is quite well done, save the woman depicted in the last booth in back--she looks like a slightly bloated corpse. You'll see what I mean...)
4 - Garrett G.: Haven't been here much except for drinks, and food reviews haven't been great but I had a living social so went with my wife.  

Very pleasantly surprised.  The bistro burger is one of the best burgers I have ever had.  It is probably a little smaller than at Grizzly Peak but it has a fried egg on it (which I love) and the medium rare burger was cooked perfectly.  My wife had the crab cake sandwich which was also really excellent.  The pomme frites are pretty good.  

Decent wine and beer list.  Comfortable but nice and unique atmosphere.  Worth a try for dinner.
4 - levramosis H.: I went to Cafe Felix for the first time a few years ago. It was distinctly forgettable, and that is just what I did. With some many interesting restaurants in the area, why go back to someplace forgettable. 

I do however have an addiction to livingsocial (and groupon and google offers, I need a support group) and livingsocial offered a deal to Cafe Felix a while back and I went ahead and purchased it. This morning we went to use the deal, as it expired soon. I had heard they had obtained a new chef recently and my review of the website this morning revealed a new site and new menu as well.

Overall while the experience was certainly not flawless, it was definitely memorable and I will be back. 

The hostess seated us in the back of the restaurant near a large group accompanied by a loud HVAC system and flickering lights. A sensory overloading experience, and not in a good way.  There were plenty of tables available in the front and middle of the restaurant, so it was not an auspicious beginning. 

We ordered an omelette, bananas foster pain perdu, pain au chocolat and a side of bacon.  The only hiccup in the food was cheese in the omelette that was not ordered, expected or desired (I love cheese but the boyfriend is allergic) I always order potatoes of any kind extra crispy and the home fries that came with the omelette were a perfect first bite of food. Perfectly seasoned, golden brown and delicious. The bacon was also perfectly crispy and delicious. The bananas foster french toast was delicious and the addition of lightly toasted pecans added a necessary lovely crunchy texture. But the absolute star of brunch was the pain au chocolate. It is a favorite of mine, and this was one of the best I have had...possibly ever. I would go back for those alone.

I ordered a strawberry basil lemonade from the bar. It was tasty even if it wasn't quite properly balanced. With so many great cocktails locally available now, the bar menu could definitely use an update and the bartenders some inspiration.

There is still plenty of room for improvement, especially in the front of the house, but the kitchen is sending out some great food. Those who haven't been recently should give it another try. I know I will.
3 - Brooke U.: My food was pretty good, but I think I would have liked it more if it weren't for the unprofessional waitress and dirty lipstick stained glasses.  I don't think I'll be coming back.  There are many better options nearby.
2 - Stella W.: Went here the morning after a long night with a hall full of people and some mango flavored liquor of some sort, I really don't recall which. 

The waitress seemed bored. Tried the tomato bisque, it didn't even taste like tomatoes. It tasted like peanut butter, I am not kidding you. Mixed with garlic and rum. 

I honestly don't even remember what entree I ordered. The soup just turned me off that badly. 

Also it was expensive, $7 for a bowl of soup?? Don't go. Just don't go. The only reason I give two stars instead of one is because my friend enjoyed his meal, but I can't even remember what he ordered since the soup was just that bad. That was a few months ago, and I'm terrified to go back.
4 - Dustin H.: It's a weird feeling checking yelp on your phone while waiting for your food and seeing so many bad reviews before you've been served.

we showed up today around lunch, and it was pretty dead inside. It was 3pm so the rush was over, but the outside patio was pretty packed. 

we sat inside and after placing our orders i checked yelp. i got really nervous due to all of the one star reviews, and i get it ... the service is NOT fast. but thankfully at lunch, on a dead hour, it's not a huge issue because the staff is not overwhelmed. 

I ordered the eggs beni with crab-cakes swapped for the english muffins. It came with a salad (or potatoes) and i have to say everything was absolutely perfect. My wife had a salad with some toasts with melted cheese and she loved it as well. 

The atmosphere is very "french-bistro" and I can imagine it would be fun to be there when it's packed in the evening. 

Disregarding everyone's complaints about drink prices and service, if you visit on a weekend afternoon for a late brunch / lunch I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!

Next time we're in Ann Arbor, we'll be back!
2 - Lanell J.: Cappuccinos were great, but tiramisu was served smashed in a martini glass and the nutella crepe was chewy and served in a bowl-like dish (hard to eat). We sent them back and they credited the desserts, but I would not do it again.
2 - James P.: The food is mediocre. The service simply sucked. We sat at our table for over 20 minutes. On top of that we asked to sit outside, it what is in the 80's. Otherwise nice in the shade, but not in the direct sunlight. The host sat us originally in direct sunlight. We asked if we could move to a shaded table. She looked at us and said you should have just sat inside then. We went for brunch. The pear mimosa was the best thing there, but not worth $6. I won't go back.
2 - Janis Joko S.: Ordered a Caesar Salad to start. The cheese on the salad  was like Kraft grated Parmesan, the dressing tasted like bottled dressing and the Romaine lettuce was black and mushy, I sent it back after one bite.

Ordered Saumon En Court Bouillion.  The Salmon was over done, horseradish mashed potatoes were dry and kinda bland and the green beans just tasted funky, they were not over-cooked just strange.  My friend ordered the Pan-seared scallops and they were very over-cooked and tough.

The best part of the meal was the bread and butter and our wine!
3 - Jiah C.: Went in on Labor Day for some noshing and mimosas. Ordered a couple sides (frites, green beans) and split a margherita pizza. Fries were delicious, green beans were nothing special at all, the pizza wasn't bad. The best part about all of this was that we had an assortment of sauces that our server brought out, and being the sauce freaks that we are, absolutely enjoyed them all. I liked that they made the blue cheese dressing for me when requested-- kitchens should be able to do that. 

Our cocktails weren't bad either, with the exception of the Persephone (a pomegranate martini), which tasted like cough syrup :( We had our mimosas with orange and grapefruit juice, and the service was continuous.

All in all, I wasn't quite impressed but I had a lovely time, and our server was great. I enjoyed the ambiance as well, I'll probably be back for happy hour.
2 - Rob L.: I want to like this place, I like the physical space, but my sense is that its a very poorly run establishment.  I do like the happy hour wine and cocktails nights, but frankly, the wait staff has been very young, inexperienced and constantly new.   We wait a long time for food, the kitchen is not well run and the food is very inconsistent.  Again, I don't want to be negative here, but today was kind of a nadir, slow/error prone service, badly prepared food.  I do not blame the kitchen or the waiters, but the people who run/own this place.   And yes, of course, its not French, its mid western "french-like"
2 - Brooke D.: Let me start by saying this: Years ago I would frequent Cafe Felix, especially for half-price martini night as they had very good martinis.  In recent years the quality of the martinis has gone WAY down--their martinis now remind me of places that make their drinks with low quality bar mixes, the quality I expected as an undergrad on a budget.

My past few experiences at Cafe Felix have been less than thrilling, with the last visit severely disappointing.

One evening visit with a friend: included wine that was average quality and priced correctly, and two orders of Moules et Frites which were about average, however, the fries were overcooked and almost stale tasting.

A second visit my boyfriend for brunch/lunch: ordered the Salade du Salmon and a Crabe Melt Sandwich.  The salad was very well prepared and presented very nicely--it was as expected, a good combination of flavors/tastes, and a nice portion for a light lunch.  The Crabe Melt was good but not spectacular, and priced accordingly.

My most recent visit within the past week was with my boyfriend for brunch: he ordered a Crabe Melt Sandwich and I ordered the Organic Greek Yogurt, Fresh Fruit, and Warm Honey with the additional Granola.  It was the Yogurt, Fruit, Honey, Granola that forced this review.  The quality of this dish was worse than sub-par and reminded me of something that would come out of a cafeteria at an airport--it was basically, it was a medium sized bowl with a bunch of semi-fresh fruit thrown in, a glop of yogurt on top, with a minute sprinkle of stale granola (The details: The yogurt was certainly *not* Greek yogurt, it was thin and bland except some generic sweetness, all of which make me wonder whether it is organic.  The fruit left something to be desired, especially for the price, it was mostly just melon with maybe one cut-up strawberry and a few pieces of pineapple.  Finally, the upcharged ($2.95) "granola" was disgusting and stale, but the most ridiculous thing is that the "granola" was nothing more than that gross stuff that you find on the top of some individual yogurts at the grocery store.  Beyond these things, the warm honey was *completely missing* from the dish.)  I don't think I've *ever* seen a worse presentation and dish at a brunch place--it was terrible.

Overall, I question the quality of Cafe Felix based on my last three experiences and they make me not want to go back.  It is certainly a place I won't be going for a weekend evening dinner as I feel the quality is poor, beyond this it is certainly *not* a place I would bring out-of-town family and friends.
1 - Gary S.: Three of us ordered the Moules et Frites (mussels and fries) and sent them all back. Not fresh, not open, not good. Lost interest in eating but ordered some appetizers to get us home. They were average or less. We won't be going back. Too bad. Beautiful room nice staff. Too expensive for not good food.

Cafe Francaise - Providence, RI (41.829243, -71.413282) (Downtown)
4 - Layla P.: So this cafe is inside the Providence train station and you will come to know it well if you are trying to get the shuttle to the Providence airport since it only comes once an hour. Train station food usually sucks, but this place is really good and it's your only choice. I got a tomato, basil, mozzarella sandwich and it was made fresh in front of me. The bakery items are good too. Every table was full around me and I kept hearing people comment on how delicious their food was. The people are nice and it passes the time until your train, shuttle, or ride comes. *Cash only
4 - Grace R.: Have you ever thought a sandwich shop in a train station can be any good? I didn't and I was so wrong.

I randomly ordered a "prosciutto, fresh mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and pesto, some fancy name" panini sandwich because I was hungry and needed something to kill time on the boring one-hour train ride up to Boston. Let me tell you, their sandwiches are out of this world! They use fresh focaccia bread and I noticed they drizzled the sandwich with extra virgin olive oil before sending them on the grill! If you close your eyes and indulge that sandwich, you will quickly forget you are at a train station! It's amazingly fresh and tasty.

I notice the sign "Seven Stars Bakery" on their counter so maybe they use bread from Seven Stars? If that's really what they're doing -- GENIUS! (see my review for Seven Stars...)

The only drawback is good sandwiches take time to make. If you go few minutes before the train leaves, like me, you will surely be in a rush or might miss the train. I waited about 10-15 mins for them to make my delicioso. Usually 10-15 mins is no big deal at a restaurant but it's totally different when you have to catch a train. If you want a sandwich from there, give yourself few extra minutes for this heavenly sandwich. You will not regret it.

Cafe Fresh - New York, NY (40.809916, -73.95844) (Morningside Heights)
2 - lauren a.: cafe fresh, i feel this is the start of a beautiful friendship:

-four types of coffees to choose from, so i get to decide what i want each morning.
-i don't even really know what being organic entails, and never select organic by choice, but i'm impressed at the fact that almost all your food is organic.
-oh my god, absolutely delicious homemade muffins? 
-fancy vegan sandwich options.
-some of you are so nice to a girl! makin' me feel all welcome in a new city. (others of you, the older ones, are kinda... interesting. but i can ignore it).


***update. um i went in the day after i wrote a five-star review, and you guys were totally not able to handle your shit... like all overwhelmed and not exactly nice about it. it's cool, i understand, but you were almost downright rude... so i'll give you the benefit of the doubt (it was first weekend of campus opening and whatnot) but i gotta dock at least a star for that...***

***second update! you people are crazy. i don't know where you find your staff, but people got ISSUES. sooo disappointing.***
4 - Ethan C.: Wow. Some people have really strong opinions of this place! My first trip was this past Sunday with a friend when we were looking for somewhere close to eat for brunch. I had noticed the place on the corner many times and was excited to try it out. They serve brunch until 4:30 in the afternoon, which I think is excellent so I can get brunch after partying until 4:30am. It was moderately priced, about 7-12 dollars each. The service was not very good, with two people running all over the place and barking at each other, definitely understaffed. I ordered the southwestern omelet, which was fantastic with onions peppers and cheese, and came with really good home fries. My friend ordered pancakes with fruit, she really liked them. We ordered a side of sausage, which turned out to be really good Italian sausage. The cups of coffee were huge and really good, and my friend (who works in a coffee shop herself) said they had the best cappuccino she's ever had. Good experience, I will be going back.
5 - Sam P.: Being stranded in the deserts of Manhattan above 116th Street, Sam looked up to the Gods of Morningside Heights and said "Please, oh kind gods!  Grant me a cute cafe with organic coffee, free wi-fi, yummy sandwiches, and plenty of places to sit that's close to Riverside Church, where I'm currently rehearsing.  Because seriously if I have to go to that crappy deli on the corner of 121st and Broadway one more time I'm going to kill someone."

And the Gods heard his prayers, and rained down the abundances of Cafe Fresh upon him, where he contentedly sipped a mocha, ate a cookie, and checked his e-mail on his break from rehearsal.  And where the staff didn't seem crazy, but really nice, as they spotted him $1 since he was short and they don't take credit cards (almost took a star off for that one).  And Sam saw that it was good, and would certainly return soon to prepare an appropriate offering.  Mostly likely in the form of $10 for a sandwich and a coffee.
2 - Emily L.: The coffee here is pretty good, as are the sandwiches and the baked goods (especially the pumpkin loaf!) but the service is totally lacking!  The staff seems to be constantly turning over, which does not bode well for any establishment and the owners seem brusque and oddly defensive toward patrons and offensive toward employees.  I've actually seen them scold employees in front of patrons.  It just gives the place a bad vibe I think. 

It's a shame because there really is a lack of good cafes in the area.  I'd take Max Cafe right down the street or even a cup o' joe at Panino Sportivo over Cafe Fresh though.  So kudos to tasty, organic food and beverages but boo to long, slow lines and socially awkward staff and owners.
5 - Mike W.: Cafe Fresh consistently puts me in a better mood when I go there. For one, I want them to offer a Guatemalan coffee IV drip. Also, the free soy milk. There's a lot of seating, including stools at the window and a window banquette on the other side with big plush pillows. It gets a little busy around lunch, but there's always a beautiful lull from four to close that is perfect for chilling out in the window and watching the daylight subside.

And! The curl-topped barista is perhaps the friendliest person I've encountered in a customer service position since moving to New York. I believe he makes some of the desserts, and it should be at a felony in most states not to try his apple pie.

The only teensy downside is that it's right next to my school, so it provides little refuge from my classmates. And we social workers can be quite the Chatty Cathys, too. But I won't fault the cafe for that. Love it!
1 - Ben C.: Update:  Staff is argumentative and rude.  Clearly their goal is not to please the customer.  Perhaps the staff should brush up on their culinary knowledge and, more importantly, their customer relationship skills.  Regardless of the decent food and prices I won't be visiting again anytime soon.  

                ***********************************************************

Original review (3-stars due to lackluster service):  Nice location on the corner of Amsterdam and side street and big windows makes for good viewing.  Soups and salads are prepared with fresh ingredients and are delicious.  Entrees are tasty and served in ample portions.  The quality of food and relatively cheap prices make you feel like you're getting a good deal and eating well at the same time!   With that said, I must admit, I wasn't crazy about the spinach pie, which was a bit bland and soggy ... but I was studying for an exam that day, so maybe I'll give it a second chance at some point.

Otherwise, brewed java is decent to good.  One of the better options in the area.  Haven't tried the espresso yet.  Part of the reason is that I fear ordering an espresso beverage because the staff is s-l-o-w and, in my opinion, tend to be overly chatty with customers.  I'd rather spend *my* 10 minutes walking over to Oren's than waiting in line, hearing a drawn out conversation b/w staff and customers ahead of me.  Speed it up!

Overall, very comfortable place, good food, good prices.
4 - susan j.: "When In Rome, Do As the Romans Do"

I came to NYC for Thanksgiving weekend to visit my friend who attends Columbia University and so for the couple days I was staying with him I became a student (once again). Being a student entails coffee shops and eating cheap. Sounds good to me!

Down the street from where we were staying was Cafe Fresh (CF).  A cute little cafe with the usual cafe treats. Sandwiches, wraps, salads, and pastries. Our afternoon ritual for my trip consisted of daily visits to CF and soon discovered my absolute love of their chocolate chip cookies and lemon cake. A great afternoon treat and completely affordable! Hmm..maybe I can go back to being a student again...Nah!

Service is a bit slow here, but the workers are very friendly (also helps that we got a free cookie and discussed the importance of Shakira in pop culture) :) Otherwise, a cute hangout for students, great dessert, and friendly place for cheap good eats!
4 - Franc S.: I came to NY for a business trip - took a redeye to JFK from SFO, arrived at 7:30, had a lunch meeting in the area, and then was back on a plane to SFO that afternoon. I went on yelp to find a nice refuge (with Wi-Fi) where I could sip some of the best green mint tea (organic) I have ever had and found this place. Not bad.

Tea and Soup:
        The tea was great and the lentil soup was warm and really made you feel good. Their bottled herbal drinks are also good. I would definitely come here after a long trek acorss the country again.

My Experience:
        My Wi-Fi experience was not the greatest. The connection kept coming in and out. The location was great but I did run into the lunch crowd. I was hoping to have a conference call in here, but that was not going to be possible at all. Half a star for the murals on the wall.
4 - Tempest B.: Cafe Fresh, you are almost everything my heart desires.  Organic coffee, nice atmosphere, free wifi, nice seating.

Why the heck are you so far out of the way, then!?  Sheesh.

This place is great for those who live near it or go to Columbia.  But it's far more of a trek from the subway than I'd like.  Too bad, for it is lovely!  But I'd only come here for writing if someone desperately wanted to be here.
4 - Ryan C.: we wanted to get the chinese breakfast tea with milk but they were out. how can you run out of tea! so we got english breakfast with milk instead and an almond croissant. the croissant was not notable at all, and the tea was all right but not hot enough. the atmosphere was pretty good and the server was reasonably friendly. a lot of students like to hang out here.
1 - Adam P.: My shock at the number of stars given to this place led me to stop being a Yelp lurker and join the fold.

This is the flat-out worst service and attitude of a business establishment I've ever seen -- and I'm a lifelong New Yorker.

Prices are fairly high, and pastries sit out, uncovered all day. 

The owner simply does not care- she is rude, brusque, and my guess is a horror to work for given how often the staff turns over.  I always feel like I'm imposing when I stop in and spend money.

The hours are ludicrously limited for a coffee shop in the same building as a University.  They could make a ton of money if they stayed open in the evening.  But not only are they not open late, they rush you out. At approximately 4pm on a recent Sunday, they "closed" half of the restaurant and started telling people they were closing....2 hours later. 

The only plus side is the location and lack of coffee shops with decent lighting (hint hint Caffe Max and Hungarian)

Also, they do not have free wi-fi, unless you count the wifi you can steal from Columbia or sometimes Panino Sportivo.
3 - Ben L.: This place is a mixed bag. 

On the one hand, I've been unable to find many spaces to settle down and work in my short time here. This cafe is serviceable for that purpose: there's wifi, a solid menu of pastries and sandwiches, and self-serve water. 

On the other, the tables are small. It's not a comfortable space in part because there always seems to be some sort of bureaucratic drama occurring amongst the labor. It makes me anxious, which isn't terribly good for productivity.
2 - Frances W.: This place is a bit overpriced and underwhelming. It has a comfortable atmosphere, but the coffee just isn't very good. I still come here once in a while because it's so convenient, but every time I do I go away wishing I had spent my money somewhere else. Once I got a latte and the milk was burnt! That was a big disappointment.
4 - Olivia B.: a bit overpriced but food is pretty good
1 - Jared M.: Had very, very slow service and way undercooked eggs.  We were lured in by the seemingly great prices on scrambles.  "How could this be?" We thought.  "This might become our new breakfast place."  Sadly, we soon learned why the prices were so low: they scrimp on staff.  Too few workers and the ones that were there seemed grumpy.  We could not finish our eggs because they were both bland and of unpleasant texture.  AVOID.
2 - Mel M.: After the irresistably hyperglycemic pastries and cakes on the front counter, everything else amounts to a giant sugar crash.

Service was a half step above DIY.  In fact, I probably could have served myself faster and more reliably.   I think they were having staff issues, but nonetheless your employees reflect your business so hire accordingly.  My companion's tea simply never arrived, and our will to proactively coach the server fizzled out by dessert, so the banana bread went unsampled.

The quiche was not poor but not memorable.  And apparently they only have one salad dressing?  I mean literally, a single dispenser of salad dressing.  We were presented with oil and vinegar - only to have it swiftly reclaimed for a neighboring table.

I would disagree about the the reasonableness of the prices - $1.75 for a meager sized, slightly dry oatmeal cookie is not my idea of a deal nor did the quiche.

Given the choice, take a pastry to go or head to Max or Lyla.

This said, the homemade stuffed peppers looked tempting but only if one is willing to take the risk that a server can find it from the kitchen and back to your table before hunger wracks you senseless.
4 - Cherepaha B.: my wife and I had brunch there this morning, and while we concede that the place has some problems, all of them are negligible to the wonderful charm of the place (it's very colorful), the music (instead of loud rock, they play things like Buena Vista social club), and the ambition to use organic ingredients. Where else can you get a mostly organic omelet for $9.50, served with organic salad?

Sure, the owner is a bit brusque and curt - but it's part of her unmistakable Eastern European charm. It reminded us of home.  But she also has a kind heart -- when we asked about a dish containing spinach on the menu, she mentioned that they had run out --- and asked one of the servers to go to the supermarket and pick up more spinach.  I can't imagine this happening at Babbo.

Go! it's cute.
3 - Erica C.: Nice place to have a bite and get some work done outside of the house or meet a friend.  Is the service perfect?  No.  But the food and drinks are good, and I like supporting the businesses in that area.  I appreciate a place where the owner is working behind the counter, and Morningside Heights is good for finding that.
3 - Dee S.: A decent place to grab a bite to eat, but you won't be wowed.  Muffins are quite good, and the coffee is decent.  I found my eggs to be underwhelming, but the prices are fair.  I say stick with the pastries and coffee, it's nice to have a cafe in this neighborhood that isn't Starbucks.
1 - Meg D.: I'm so glad this place closed. I'm so glad it closed that I'm writing a review like two whole months after the closing. They had health violations from here to New Jersey and the owner was horrible. Once I was there for brunch and our waitress quit between taking our order and serving our food. She was completely justified in this action. When we left, we went around to the kitchen window and tipped the kitchen staff directly. I mean it wasn't their fault. 

Plus never trust a place that has a Help Wanted sign in the window all. the. time. 

Farewell, Fresh. May Cafe Bagutta wring your memory from my mind.

Cafe Habana - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2804436, -83.7468037) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
4 - Shawn S.: Something Fresh! Something New! Something SAMBA! (I think). This place really impressed me. The atmosphere and lighting is really spectacular. I don't really like sitting at tall tables like I did, but the chairs are comfortable and they don't overstock the tables with stuff so you can't fit your plate. 

I had the fish tacos, with raw ahi tuna. I've never had fish tacos with tuna, and it definitely exceeded my expectations. Came with a vinegar and a citrus sour cream, which was delicious. The flat potato cakes that came with the fried chicken were tasty and the corn looked really nice too. 

In the chips and salsa, the green sauce is bland, but the red sauce is a semi-spicy with fried chili peppers. Tasty!
1 - Alissa L.: This place was a HUGE disappointment.  As one of the first cuban restaurants in AA (that i can think of), I was super excited to try it out.  Overall it just doesn't deliver.  The decor is awesome, i felt like I was transported into some swanky NY bar going in there, which is great but the service is AWFUL.  I have been there twice now, and both times have had rude and slow waitresses. I am usually really patient in restaurants but I am talking waiting 20-30 minutes for a drink, even when you can see the drink waiting at the bar.  Also, for a cuban places where drinks should be thier forte, they just aren't great-they don't even mash the mint leaves in the Mojitos!!  The food that I had was pretty good...I ordered the tacos al pastor from the appetizer menu, which had big chunks of pork, pineapple, and carmelized onions.  For my entre i ordered Arepas, which were corn meal cakes covered in pico de gallo, and goat cheese, which were a little bland and flavorless, and usually if something has goat cheese in it i'm sold!
I have been there twice and will definitly not return.  This place has the potential to be a fun downtown Ann Arbor hot spot, but it will not survive if service continues the way it was when I was there.
5 - Andrew L.: First time I've ever had Cuban food...go figure. This place gives very generous portions that are delicious to the last bit. Also, their happy hours always seem to be going on when I get there (they either cater to students' schedules or they put a tracking device on me; either way I love it!). 

The drinks are pretty cheap compared to other places which is great. I went there one night and a friend and I spent $10 on sangria that filled 3 cups for each of us. The mojitos have a lot of kick which is good if you want to get fudged up, but if you're looking for some taste all you're going to get is rubbing alcohol.

I'm iffy about the wait staff. I had a great waitress the first time, but the next time was really crappy. He was a too anxious to tell me about all their specials (yes, I get it, now let me choose something I want, not something you want). So, it's a crap-shoot. The food belies the service you get if you get the waiter I got that day. 

Aesthetics are awesome here. The music makes you want to dance while you're eating your food, and the lighting is sexy and dim.

Great for dates and awesome for bar hopping (ABC, Heidelberg, and the Monkey Bar are only a block away), so definitely check this place out!
4 - Theresa F.: Will most definitely add to the list of affordable, staple restaurants for us to visit in AA.  This is a modern (yes, modern, I wouldn't say this is traditional) Cuban restaurant with modern food to match.  Decor is very clean despite its de-centralized feel -- haute couture + toulousse latrec/moulin rouge + 1920s decadence (look at those chandeliers!).  We had great service and tasty food...my hanger steak sandwich was cooked to perfection!  And the prices for both breakfast and lunch are very reasonable -- which is hard to find in AA!
They offer breakfast every day of the week, with the exception of brunch on Sundays.
3 - Marissa B.: A fun new spot in downtown Ann Arbor, serving both Cuban & Latin American dishes.  The restaurant decor is funky, yet elegant.  Mismatched chandeliers hang from the ceiling and the walls are textured.  With the high ceilings and nothing to absorb the sound, it can get a bit loud in here when the place is full.

Service has been inconsistent, some servers were poor to average while others were very good.  During a recent dinner visit the server was outstanding and very knowledgeable, even offering tastes of all the different sauces used by the restaurant and a sample of the soup!   A contrast from another server who needed to be reminded to do water refills. 

The menu is fun to read because it is so foreign and different.  All sauces the server let us taste seemed fresh, homemade & were outstanding.  There is only one vegetarian entree & one veggie sandwich on the menu, a few vegetarian appetizers are offered but none are big enough to substitute as an entree.  They don't take reservations for dinner, but you can call ahead.

Overall, the food has been a hit with our groups.  The value is good, the prices are on point for what you get.  While the flavors are generally good, I would like to see a little more creativity in the plate presentation.  

Hearts of Palm Salad:  An unusual combination of papaya, raisins and pepitas.  Excellent!  Baked Goat Cheese Appetizer: Melted goat cheese served with tortilla chips and a tasty tomato topping.  A good choice!  Spinach Empanados Appetizer:  Also very good, not a large serving, three wonton-sized spinach filled pastries.  Ajiaco (Cuban Stew): It's appearance was non-descript but it was very flavorful.  One diner really liked it, one said they wouldn't order it again because the pork pieces were much too fatty.  Ropa Vieja:  This was a big hit!  Shredded beef in a nicely seasoned sauce.   Carne Asada:  Described as wonderful!  Arepas (Vegetarian entree):  Cornmeal cakes with melted goat cheese.  On the dry side, but still good.  Cuban Vegetarian Sandwich:  Served warm, just off the sandwich press.  Has a flavorful black bean & avocado spread and roasted veggies. 

Cafe Habana offers a full bar but their drink menu focuses on tequila and rum-based drinks.  The margarita was very good, served in a jumbo sized glass.  The mojitos were also good, and served with a strip of sugar cane, which was a nice touch.  Happy hour from 3-6pm and also after midnight.   Happy hour offers discounted Mojitos & Beer or $1 off all other drinks.  

RESTAURANT BOTTOM LINE:  A fun addition to the downtown Ann Arbor restaurant scene.  They offer a creative menu with dishes you won't find anywhere else in town.



UPDATE (12/27/07):


MOJITO LOUNGE:  The lounge in the downstairs area of Cafe Habana just opened.  The lounge offers ample seating, low ceilings, and is dimly lit.  Exposed brick walls, a few funky chandeliers, candles on the tables, and booths with velvet drapery makes for a sexy atmosphere.  

No food is served downstairs (which is a bummer) so you have to head back upstairs if you want to eat (and no, you can't get carryout and take it downstairs, we tried). No smoking at the upstairs bar (which I like) but it can get smokey downstairs in the lounge.  

Drink specials begin at midnight, offering 1/2 off mojitos  and sangria or $2 beers.  Our waitress seemed a little confused about the complimentary chips and salsa that are offered after midnight, but we eventually got our snack.  Ick, though, totally not worth the hassle... the "salsa" tasted like very watered down bean dip and the chips were overly greasy.  

Another night we asked the bartender for the chips and salsa.  We got the same bean "dip" and, right after taking our dirty money, she reached into a tub of chips right in front of us and just used her hands to pile them in a dish she plopped in front of us.  Mind you, I've worked at a restaurant so I know what goes on behind the scenes... but I'm pretty sure this isn't how food should be handled right in front of people.  Blatant health department violation, arrgh!!  

Service downstairs mirrors the restaurant's problems.  On the several occasions I've been here it's ranged from a non-friendly waitress who at least was efficient, to a mildly-friendly waitress who (despite the place being virtually vacant) spent so much time chatting with other staff/customers that we practically had to send up flares to get drink refills.  Also, they have a pay-as-you-go policy that is annoying, requiring a credit card to start a tab or an individual paying for each drink as it's ordered.  This isn't Scorekeepers!!  I imagine the number of people wanting to skip out on their tab at a place like this is pretty low... so it ends up just being a nuisance.  

MOJITO LOUNGE BOTTOM LINE:  The service wasn't spectacular, to say the least, but hopefully they'll work out the kinks.  Besides that, I like the atmosphere, it's a fun new spot to add to the circuit....
5 - Dan W.: Great food.  I highly recommend the baked goat cheese appetizer.  The arepas are pretty tasty for an entree.  

Their drinks are pretty awesome as well.  The caipirinha wasn't the best, but it was strong and the cuban libre was very good. I didn't try the margaritas, but my friends did and they said they were great.  I heard that they have a happy hour, during which their mojitas are just $3 a pop and the chips and salsa are free.
5 - Nia H.: I'm always on the lookout for a good happy hour spot and this place hit the nail on the head. Excellent drink specials ($3 mojitos and sangria and complimentary chips and salsa!) and the decor is such that you can shake off the work day in seconds flat just by walking through the door. 

Happened into this place for happy hour and dinner with some lady pals and was not dissappointed. Sampled the regular mojito (delcious!) and the "Volcanic" (mango and pomegranate, also fabulous!). We  had the baked goat cheese appetizer which was mighty tasty and highly recommended (by me, its my review.) I had the Hamburguesa Cubana, comprised of sirloin and chorizo topped with shoestring potatoes and onion with 1000 Island dressing. It was fantastic...perfectly cooked and very moist, albeit a bit rich for me as I'm not a regualar beef eater. Very good though. Friends had the fish tacos and the only complaint was that the ahi tuna was a bit overcooked but was overall a good meal. And reasonably priced which is hard to find in Ann Arbor.

Service could be a bit slow at times but we didn't much care as we weren't exactly there for a quick in-and-out meal. The place was hopping when we left and I can imagine the late night happy hour is a good time, will definitely be checking that out. 

In sum, thouroughly enjoyed my experience and will be going back again soon (and likely often) for more.
4 - Naim F.: While out and about in Ann Arbor on a Saturday night a friend suggested we try the new Cuban place that opened up just off of Main. I always like trying new restaurants, I like Cuban food and I like doing things with my friends. What could go wrong?

Nothing went wrong, this time. The moderately upscale, but comfortable restaurant was busy with diners and drinkers, the large high ceilinged room alive with the chatter of dozens of conversations. It was the kind of environment that was instantly welcoming. A lot of other people must have also felt welcome though, because we had to wait about an hour for a table.

But that's not a particularly big problem here, because the basement is a very cozy and capable bar. The dim, tavern like feel of the basement bar was really great. Not only was the bar itself beautiful, but the use of (what appeared to be) original brick, and dark wood tall tables really gave the place a nice look. The space itself was nicely used, with plenty of private alcove tables with curtains that can be drawn.

The drinks and service that delivered them to us were great. A nice selection of premium tequila and rum was appreciated; mojitos are always better with the good stuff. They also had a solid (but not huge) selection of cerveza. The wine list had all the basics covered but wasn't anything to rave about.

Once our table was ready our party headed up stairs and surveyed the menu. Everything looked great, although not all of it was Cuban. I was particularly surprised to see a lack of tapas on the menu. Still, everything we had ranged from good to excellent. The bread with chimichurri, fried plantains and baked goat cheese "aperitivos" were all great.

For the main course I couldn't resist the Cuban sandwich. It's just one of those things that, to me, is better than the sum of its parts. I was definitely satisfied with what they gave to me, but it definitely wasn't the best Cuban sandwich I've ever had. The arepas, carne asada and arroz con pollo that I got to try were all very nice, the arepas especially. The arroz con pollo was quite nice, but I thought the sauce was slightly flavorless compared to what it could have been.

Cafe Habana earns a solid four stars in my book. The menu could use a little work to be a bit more authentic, and the food is quite good but not perfect. On the other hand the place has a undeniable charm and warmth to it. Praiseworthy service and reasonable prices are also pluses, while the basement bar alone is worth a visit for cocktails. This place is new so perhaps the menu issues will resolve themselves with time.
4 - Andrew M.: Stopped in for lunch one day. Great tasting Cuban sandwich, but I'm not sure how close to the traditional Cuban cuisine the rest of the menu is. 

I'll be back to sample more of the menu.
3 - Chris S.: When this place opened I was kind of excited just to see a new place to try. That depressed me because I'm used to big cities where the foodie landscape changes often, but alas, this is Ann Arbor. I like Habana's atmosphere and my girl likes their mojitos. The food tastes like that of Grizzley Peak or Vinology, but with a "Cuban" twist. All those spots are related by owner and you can taste it in the food and feel it in the setting. Nothing special here.
2 - Art K.: The space is nice, with good decor and atmosphere, if a bit loud. The food was nothing special. One dish was okay, just a bit bland, and the other was dry and not good at all. Better to come to hang out the bar and have some chips. It's a typical Ann Arbor restaurant, a bit trendier than the average Main St. place, and the food is a bit below average.
4 - Sarah W.: I am very impressed with this place. The food is excellent!

My favorites are the vegetarian sandwich (inexpensive $7 w/fries), corn on the cob (sprinkled with chili, lime, cheese) and the cafe con leche (coffee with milk). 

I have also tried the chicken croquetas which are tasty also. And the arepas, which are corn meal pancakes, a bit heavy but very filling! Don't forget to try the desserts, bread pudding is hot and delicious.

The decor is really nice, you really feel like your in a "big" city here. It's a dark and warm atmosphere and you can choose seating at tables, booths or bar tables. There are two floors, the restaurant upstairs or the bar downstairs.

There is a full bar here and they have two happy hours. One starts from 3-6pm. The other starts after midnight and you can choose any Latin beer for $2, half off mojitos and Cuban sangria, and $1 off all other drinks. Really good deals!
5 - Clarence C.: I couldn't resist the Cuban sandwich, although several people told me there were better things on the menu. 

It was a great sandwich. 

The bread was perfect--hard crust bread, like a baguette, but grilled on the outside. Sometimes people look at me funny when I talk about the bread, but there's no way to make a nice sandwich from a mediocre loaf. How'd you like to try your favorite fixings from Zingerman's--between two slices of Wonderbread?

Anyway, the sandwich was full of melted cheese and two kinds of meat, mostly roasted pork, but also a slice of ham under that. I'm not a big fan of roasted pork--because no matter what you do to it, it can taste bland, sauces tends to mask the flavor rather than improve it. In this case, the slice of ham adds just enough seasoning without hiding the other pork.

I have heard good reports about the bar, but I didn't try it on my first visit because this was a mid-day lunch. 

When I checked back in with the other lunch authorities at work, I was told that the steak at Cafe Habana is better than the Cuban sandwich. Maybe they were talking about the carne asada. I'll have to check this out on the next visit.

I think Cafe Habana deserves a better storefront. It's really hard to spot from the street, because of that tiny sign.
4 - Jess R.: -Solo business traveler on this visit

Service was pretty slow, thankfully I brought a magazine.

The Goat cheese appetizer was wonderful, but the quesadilla was a bit ordinary.

Was a nice change of pace to standard fare
4 - Tony C.: Now that I've been there twice, I think it's safe to say that this place is worth a good review.  The first time there I had the fish tacos and the second time, just recently, was the baja burrito.  Both are seafood dishes, which I have heard from many sources is the way to go.  Beware of the level of spice in the baja burrito though.  I have quite the stomach for strong spice and even the baja burrito had me drinking extra water.

The service isn't horrible, but it's not great either.  Depending on the waitperson you get, you'll get a wide range of service.

Ambiance:  Not bad.  I don't stay out late anymore, but the first time I ate relatively late in the evening and it looked like the bar area was getting hopping.  I'd assume that this place gets pretty packed on Friday and Saturday nights.

Booze:  I had the mojito.  Probably the best one I've had in town.  Expensive though, but then again, fresh mint is expensive.

Overall, go eat here.  You won't be disappointed.

N.B.  Strangely, the Cafe Habana in Royal Oak sucks.  That's why it took me so long to try the one in A2.  I was afraid of the suckage so I avoided it until dragged there by friends who insisted this one wasn't sucky like the Royal Oak one.
3 - Matt M.: I met a friend downstairs just as the Salsa lessons were ending.  It was fairly spacious when I got there, but by the time we left at around midnight there was a long line of people waiting to take our places.  So if you plan on going late on a weekend, prepare for that wait, or adjust your plan to accommodate showing up early.

I can't speak for the upstairs area, but we had a very helpful waiter who basically patrolled the entire patronage making sure they were satisfied.  He provided surprisingly quick service even though there were quite a few people packed in there.

The crowd had a pretty good vibe, and was extremely diverse which was pretty cool.  I regretted missing the Salsa lesson!
1 - Lexy B.: I was absolutely shocked to see that Cafe Habana had such high marks on yelp. I've eaten here three times, and every single time the service and food was just terrible! The atmosphere is cool but I'm only giving it one star because when I weigh the price, food and service into account I know I won't be coming back.

There is something seriously wrong with the rice here too, it lacks flavor and is consistently soggy. Not to mention one time I ordered carry out during a slow day, and my bread had mold on it. I was really irritated since I spent my entire lunch break walking over to retrieve the food. The third time I got fish tacos my fish was super undercooked.  I am not a picky eater so it's pretty hard to disappoint me as many times as Cafe Habana did.  

Avoid Avoid Avoid!! There are too many good places in Ann Arbor to eat at, and you can do so for much better food at better prices.
4 - Tyler B.: I wasn't sure what to expect from Cuban food.  That's not true, I had some idea.  But man was I impressed once the gaps were filled in.  I've had nothing but stellar service and food here.  Spicy, delicious entrees that are well proportioned and not outrageously expensive.

And I LOVE the bar downstairs.  Very chill, cool place to hang out.  Plus, they have both regular and 'late night' happy hours.  Highly recommended for spendin' some time with your lady, or even a small group of friends.  Ultra cool, uber cheap (during HH) and class and service to spare.
2 - shishi s.: On the positive side: A for ambience. Service was good. 

On the negative side: Portions, food quality. 
 
I had the Ropa Vieja. The plaintains were very dry and cold, tasted like they had been fried yesterday and had been sitting around for a while. The entire entree itself tasted kind of bleachy, like they didn't rinse the soap off the plate. There was some fatty portions of the beef and overall, it was too soupy and not very flavorful. I've had WAY better Ropa Vieja and was very disappointed. 

My partner had the Shrimp Skewers. This was actually pretty good, but the portions were smaller than we expected and the shrimp was slightly overcooked, which made them kind of tough. The sauteed spinach was pretty good. 

For dessert, we had flan, and it was average, good but pretty small, although it was only $3.
2 - Ronny E.: The atmosphere of Cafe Habana is really nice.  The downstairs is great and so is their late night happy hour.  Their food, however, is over-priced for the portions you get.  I ordered a Baja burrito for $15 that was supposed to have fish and shrimp in it, along with a side of black beans and rice.  What I received was a large plate of black beans and rice and a TINY burrito.  I would have been more satisfied with Chipotle.  Their sandwiches are also lacking in substance.

Go there to have a drink and socialize but skip on the food.
4 - Brad T.: Went for my fourth visit last night and I was not disappointed. While it was on a work-related matter this time around, they could not have been more helpful and nice when it came to our needs (we're a video production company who needed to catch some restaurant footage). While we were eating, the waitress had very good timing, as I would expect from this well-staffed restaurant.

The food was, as usual, excellent. Nothing that I would accuse of being healthy, but the arepas (goat cheese pancake thingies) were outstanding, the chicken croquetas are the very best appetizer they have, and the churros with chocolate calliente (cuban doughnuts with chocolate dipping sauce) are a must-try desert. In previous visits I've also been very impressed with the cuban sandwich and the hamburguesa cubana, which is essentially the most unhealthy/awesome hamburger in town (not including the amazing Blimpy Burgers).

At times there can be a very long wait, which is a big turn off if you're either hungry or don't want to stand in a doorway for 40 minutes, and the surrounding bars are hard to spill over into if you do have to wait because they're either just as busy or too far down the street. That has only affected me on one of my visits, but I know other people who claim that they won't even eat here because of some wait-related story, so it's worth mentioning.

Disregarding what is basically someone else's complaint, I love this place, I love the food, and I'll certainly be back for more drinks and dining in the near future.
3 - Cristina S.: I may have added a star for the sheer fact they are a Cuban restaurant in Michigan but here are my thoughts on last night's trip to AA for Cuban food. Despite the fact Ann Arbor was PACKED due to the Michigan/ Michigan State, we didn't wait at all for a table. 
The mariquitas were sliced a bit thick; the mojo needed more lemon to water it down. That sauce isn't supposed to be a dip, it's supposed to be on top of the mariquitas! The warm bread with chimichurri isn't authentic Cuban, but very warm & delicious. The tacos al pastor (Mexican) are delicious with the right blend of spices on the pork & small pieces of pineapple. 
I ordered the ropa vieja as an entree & was dismayed when I swapped the yellow rice for white rice & it turned out to be Uncle Ben's rice. Nothing against the Ben man but it's not the white rice I enjoy at home. The meat was served over ALOT of this rice, but it was tasty. Ropa vieja is NOT a spicy dish, so the don't let the menu's "spicy tomato sauce" turn you off of this classic dish. (Cubans really don't eat many spicy foods!) We order yucca fries as a side but they were a little stale. They had the idea right so I'm sure that on another day, it would hit the spot!
The churrasco my BF ordered was a bit undercooked considering they even asked how we wanted it cooked (churrasco is normally cooked medium well... it's not an option). It was COVERED in chimichurri so if you go, ask for it on the side so you can taste the meat first & then the sauce as you desire! The churros with chocolate were crispy, sweet & delicious for dessert (we brought some home for breakfast - WOOHOO). The mojito's didn't have crushed mint which means there leaves floating in seltzer water until I added sugar.. specify to your waiter & make that bartender work it & crush those leaves! LOL
Marvin our waiter was very nice & efficient. He ensured we had our dishes quickly & mentioned the Thursday night salsa when we told him we were from Miami. We'll trek out to AA some Thursday to check it out ;)
4 - Mae S.: Really enjoyed a dinner here.
4 - Leanna G.: This is one of my favorite restaurants in Ann Arbor. The decor is well-done and it has a really nice ambiance, and the food is great. This is, as far as I know, the only place in Ann Arbor to get churros, so although they aren't perfect, I'll take them. Their sangria is tasty and appropriately strong, their mojito is stellar, and they actually have cuban coffee which is a plus. The arepas are fantastic, the plaintains are good, etc, etc, you get the idea. Unfortunately the food is so good that I can't help but eat myself sick...the mouth says yes and the stomach says no!

The service definitely kind of sucks though. Every time I've been there, the waitresses disappeared on us or were rude to us or waited half an hour to bring us our food in an empty restaurant. This is kind of puzzling considering that they actually seem kind of overstaffed, since the place is kind of small but there are always at least half a dozen waiters and waitresses standing around talking. I'm thinking this lends credence to the theory that if you want to get something done, give it to a busy person.
4 - mariah c.: I've had a handful of really tasty meals here.  Some favorites? The fish tacos and the veggie sandwich -- both reliably delicious. Those skinny fries with the sandwiches are pretty great, too. To start? Get the goat cheese and chips - yum!

Service is really hit or miss. Sometimes, waitstaff are super-attentive and other times (even when things are not that busy), they seem a little hard to find.  On a recent visit with a pretty large party of 8, none of us had our water refilled throughout the entire meal. 

If I could bump off half a star, maybe I would, but I'm not stingy, and I do want to give Cafe Habana the benefit of the doubt, since I've enjoyed pretty great food and solid service there before. 

I don't know too much about Cuban food, but I tend to think of Cuban food in general is not being too vegetarian-oriented. If you're vegetarian, I would recommend trying brunch first, rather than the dinner menu -- there seem to be a few more veggie-friendly options there.
3 - Maura F.: Let me start off by recommending that you avoid the Sangria here at all costs! It tastes like vinegar and Malibu Rum. I have found the mixed drinks here very inconsistent in general. That being said, I recently tried a drink that sounded interesting (tequila + grapefruit juice) but tasted horrendous. The bartender noticed that I looked less than enthusiastic about my beverage, and happily made me something else. Happy Hour here is fantastic! All beers are $2 after 11pm! The warm goatcheese here is to die for, but I can't say the same for the rest of the menu.
3 - Erin G.: I went to Cafe Habana when it first opened, and then a couple of times thereafter, and I think they were just getting their footing at first. From what I've experienced, their meals are just so-so, good but not well-seasoned. I got the ajiaco, which is evidently the national dish of Cuba, and found it to be underseasoned. It was basically bland. I got the arepas, corn cakes with goat cheese, avocado, pico de gallo, and other things. I was pretty excited about this dish when I ordered, but I actually didn't finish it because it wasn't really what I expected, and it was all one consistency/texture--mushy. There wasn't excitement or variety in the dish, and again I felt it was underseasoned--certainly not what I expect from Latin food. Because of the food, I haven't returned, but I might in the future, because it does have these things going for it: ambiance--wonderfully decorated, really warm-feeling, muted lighting but not in a cheesy way. Downstairs is amazing! It's like a grotto or something, with all these little alcoves with tables in them and really cool lighting. I'm only 20, but if I was 21 I'd hit up that bar a lot, it's some classy cool shit. I have had their mojitos (I have my ways...) and they're fantastic. Really great, I mean it. They garnish it with a piece of sugar cane, which is interesting/cool and yummy to munch on. Lastly, their churros and chocolate. I would go back just for that. They are amazing, all warm and sugared and you dip them in melted dark chocolate. You must get them if you go. I plan on giving this place another try, hopefully the food improves with time and practice.
2 - Jennifer S.: I've just edited this down to a two-star for two more reasons: the service has gotten even worse, and the Mexican salad I ordered was mostly limp lettuce. 
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I've been to Habana easily a dozen times -- I work just down the street and there has been many a night I don't feel like cooking. 

Habana is ok -- fine for an after-work meal, but I wouldn't go out of my way. The goat cheese appetizer is good, the shrimp with cane skewers also good, and the cuban sandwich not bad. Avoid the baja burrito and the burger.

I noticed someone mentioned they got a new bartender -- hope it is for the better. My previous mojitos there were terrribly watered down.

Also have to agree with the comments on the service. The waiters have a habit of disappearing and on one recent visit got my friend's drink order wrong three times.
3 - Adelais T.: The atmosphere in this restaurant is very nice. This is a great place to go for something new and different.
4 - Lane M.: I went here for the first time the other day around 8ish and it already seemed pretty busy.  The downstairs has a really cool atmosphere...either a spy or vampire movie could shoot some scenes in that place :P

The waiter was a great guy and knew what to recommend.  And the food was delicious!

The only big downfall was that after 10pm the crowd went from your standard group of people to "dress like a whore" crowd.  I was amazed.  As we were leaving we went past a giant line of girls who looked like they were auditioning for a music video or something.  I guess we got out of there just in time.  

Is this place some kind of meat market late at night?
3 - Ellen C.: This was another stop on my 21st birthday tour.  I didn't get a chance to eat the food- we were there at about 1am, but I got to have a Caipirinha, one of my favorite drinks.  It was pretty good, too, on the scale of Caipirinha's I've had at various establishments.

I think I'll go back sometime to try the food.
4 - Kate S.: Cafe Habana is beautifully done on the inside... every part of the place adds to the ambiance. The chandeliers are all different, and so are the chairs. The food was pretty good-- very tasty and nicely presented. We were there mid-day, mid-week, so it was very quiet, and a great place to sit and enjoy an afternoon chatting with a friend. My only complaint about the place is that the benches in the booth seats are very low-- I felt like my chin was almost resting on the table. If you're short, I recommend a table instead.
2 - Susan K.: First off, I agree with all the other Yelper's - don't go here for the service.  It wasn't necessarily BAD...but it wasn't good either.  We had a fun event where my daughter's new boyfriend spilled an entire glass of Coke on my husband's lap. (Yes, close your eyes, you can imagine it.)  It felt like the entire wait staff looked away and ignored it.  Even though I'm certain 2-3 staff members witnessed it, we still had to ask for towels, then extra napkins, then (many many minutes later) a replacement drink.  Seriously.

The food was just OK.  I've had stellar Cuban before, and this really wasn't that caliber.  

I stuck with the sandwich because most of the tables I saw on the way in had ordered it.  It was OK.  My husband had the steak and while he really liked the chimichurri, I thought (knew) there was WAY too much and it was overpowering.  Words cannot describe the yellow rice - but I will attempt to by using "chemically" as a descriptor. What WAS that?

My daughter (birthday girl) had the stew and while I didn't taste it, it looked mediocre.  Not a lot of meat, very saucy.  She didn't complain but didn't eat a lot of it (or the left overs) either.  She did like the complimentary churros.  They looked as yummy as fried, sugared dough can look.

Based on reviews we ordered the goat cheese appetizer and I thought, of everything else, that was pretty good.  Not outstanding mind you - but flavorful and plenty for the four of us.

Sadly, I can't say I'll be making the trip back to this particular 'raunt when I head to Ann Arbor.  Right now I'll be making my Cuban at home until I find someplace worthy.
4 - Zach S.: I've eaten at Cafe Habana probably 20 times since it opened. I think it's one of the better restaurants in Ann Arbor given what it's trying to do, although there are qualifications.

The food is very good and VERY fairly priced considering that the portions are gigantic. I dare you to finish an entire $11.50 plate of ropa vieja by yourself. I've done it once and I thought I was going to die. It's just a great, great dish for an affordable price. The grilled hanger steak with chimichurri is probably the highlight of the entrees. I've had it many times and the steak was always cooked perfectly to medium rare. Sometimes they go heavy on the sauce, but I happen to love the sauce and don't have a problem scraping a little off with my fork. I would recommend substituting black beans for the greens, though. The greens are perfectly fine, but their black beans are fantastic and mix very well with the delicious yellow rice. Supposedly the fish tacos and chicken dishes are very good, although I've never ordered them. The baked goat cheese appetizer, which is a newish addition to the menu, is excellent. We also very much enjoy the "tres salsas" appetizer, although we could usually use more chips. The Cuban sandwich is a good example of a Cuban sandwich, from what I can tell, but it does nothing for me. I don't think that's the kitchen's fault though.

As far as drinks go, stay far, FAR away from the mojitos. They are borderline undrinkable. The caipirinha is much better. I think their sangria is delicious and waaaay better than the swill Dominick's peddles across town. If you can get it for half-off during happy hour or late at night, it's one of the better drink deals in town. I dislike the beer selection, but that's mostly because Latin American beers kind of suck.

9/10 of trips I've had good service from the waitstaff. Sometimes it takes a while to get drinks from the bar, but that's about the only problem I've ever noticed. The staff seems to be well trained to me.

The ambiance and decor of the restaurant is excellent too. The downstairs bar is one of the cooler joints in Ann Arbor and totally worth visiting on its own for a few drinks.

The bad: the food can be inconsistent. The main problem, to me, seems to be too much variation in their sauces from night to night. The salsas are the biggest offenders here - sometimes the green salsa is smooth, spicy, and delicious, sometimes it's like green water. Similarly, the chimicurri sauce is a little different every time, although it's never not tasted good. Sometimes the ropa vieja is too soupy, as well. And the fried plantains have never been the same on any of my trips.

The bottom line: check it out. I think Cafe Habana is one of the most fairly priced mid-range restaurants in town and the competent service and excellent atmosphere have made it a staple for my girlfriend and I.
4 - Kate B.: Great place for drinks and appetizers - darkly lit, comfortable interior that can be very crowded on weekends, but the high-ceiling upstairs will still any impending attacks of claustrophobia.

I am a fan of the corn-cakes with goat cheese plate -- very filling,  you will want to split it with a friend as it's very rich. Also like the fish tacos, Cubano sandwich, and strangely enough -- the iceburg lettuce and avocado salad...Iceburg lettuce? Yes! I usually wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot fork but for some reason, the cold/crisp watery lettuce, creamy avocado, and the pineapple citrus dressing really hits the spot as the temperature goes over 75. Could I make it at home for 1/10 the cost? Yeah...but sometimes I'm just lazy :O)

I've had good luck ordering cocktails of the fruity/tropical variety here...standard cocktails like Manhattans or Gin Martini are another story (aka, YUK). Service has improved mightily since they first opened, which is a good thing.
3 - Heather C.: So, I've been here a few times now, and felt I could write an accurate review. I don't love the place, but it's not so bad, either. 

The majority of times I've come to Cafe Habana were for dinner; the chimichurri steak was really good, the ribs were bleh, and the arepas were better. Although I'm kind of a sucker for anything with goat cheese and sliced avocado... I also tried my friend's mahi mahi, and that was good, too. As far as alcohol goes, I enjoyed the mojito but the sangria was really awful. 

And as others have mentioned, service has been spotty. I've never had a bad server, but more often than not, they are pretty aloof, or just too cool to be there. 

I don't know, the restaurant is really pretty, and I would go here again... it's just not anything extraordinary.
2 - Darin E.: Ok, now that I have had my nap, maybe I can write this review without being too much of a grouch.  We got a personal recommendation from a friend, and I love exploring new-to-me places anyway. 

I walked in with anticipation and fond memories of a trip to Puerto Rico, which were spurred by the Latin/Caribbean decor and music playing.  It is a nicely decorated place with a definite island vibe.  Good service too: We were seated promptly (the place was empty) and our server got our drink order and food order cheerfully and quickly as well.  

I figure for lunchtime at a Cuban joint, there are two things you have to try first, the Mojito and the Cubano sandwich.  Since I am having a 'staycation' this week and didn't have to get back to the office, I splurged on a classic Mojito.  It was a good drink and it probably saved an otherwise 1-star review.  Real sugar cane garnished the bright mint and lime base on this well-balanced concoction.  It was good drinkin'.

The Cubano was another story.  I'm sorry but this was a real disappointment.  The pork was bland, with that kind of gamey taste when you microwave a leftover piece of pork roast.  Quality and execution were off as well - my co-diner had to pull two big chunks of fatty, gristly, mess out of hers. It almost put her off her lunch.  Again on the execution side, I had to deconstruct and reassemble mine to avoid eating half my sandwich devoid of innards (don'tcha hate biting into a sandwich and getting nothing but bread?)  The pickles were flaccid and tasteless.  The bread was more like a French baguette, and it was toasted rather than press-grilled.  Well I guess it could have been press grilled by a really anemic sous chef or something, but it wasn't recognizable to me as a classically prepared Cubano.  I would rather have the Cubano at Bahama Breeze.  

All in all a rather disappointing visit.  Maybe there are better dishes on the menu, and maybe this place really hops at happy hour time.  I'm not sure I will be back any time soon to find out.
3 - Nick H.: When I'm with a group friends and everyone is either too indifferent or on opposite ends of the spectrum on where to go, Habana is always a safe, yet uninspiring choice. By the way, I don't think there's anything Cuban-esq about the place, besides the food. Using Cuban themes for marketing is such a cop-out. I can see the decision making process now: "No one's been there in 47 years! We can buy everything from IKEA and call it Cuban! It's perfect!!!" But, alas, there are no stray dogs, cigars, free health care, or 1950's Chevy's anywhere in the place. 

The basement has a good vibe, I like it dark and there are nice partitions for intimacy for a place that crowded - providing you can find one that is open. But there's always too many people and it takes forever to get a drink, which are slightly overpriced. They do have good mojitos, but not as good as others have made them out to be. Putting raw sugar cane in a mojito does not make it excellent. 

All in all, Habana is a good, safe bet - but unoriginal.
2 - Shawn T.: Food was average at best. Waitress was helpful, but somewhat new and untrained. Would definitely not come back there.
1 - Karl H.: I've been here more than once, NOT out of choice but someone had a b-day party the 2nd time. To call this food Cuban is a joke. The waitstaff was also really rude and inattentive and the bartender made the worst tasting Ciapirihna I've ever had. Please call this Cafeteria Havana (or maybe Cafe Mierda) and slash the prices in half.
4 - Donald D.: I found out about this place's Happy Hour on A2HappyHour.com, and I love it!  I had two beers for $4 (total) and free chips and salsa.  The salsa is amazing!  (Especially for the price!)  The info about the happy hour is on that site.  I'm really happy there's at least a few times one can get cheap beer in Ann Arbor.  I wish it were less smoky though.
4 - Melissa R.: Good: food has NEVER disappointed. I could drink their chimichuri sauce it's so good! The downstairs bar is a nice retreat while you wait for a table (no reservations allowed). Decor is obviously a priority and you hardly find so much thought put into style in Ann Arbor restaurants anymore. 

Bad: NO reservations! So annoying when you have a group of ten! It's always packed too. The smoking is also annoying but luckily many A2 restaurants are banning indoor smoking. It's usually loud and I've never received great service; the servers are way over booked it seems.

Overall: go if only for the drinks and food. Do not pass up the chimichuri. I could make a meal out of their amazing apps! Just set aside some time because you can easily wait upwards of 45 minutes for a table.
4 - Will B.: J'adore this establishment! Happy hour half-off sangria is always the highlight! Great menu and descent price. I've tried the quesadillas and they're yummy.  The quinoa salad is also yummy... maybe over portioned but still good! The staff is very friendly and patient! I haven't been downstairs but I heard it's a riot with all the salsa dancers both legit and wannabees.
2 - s g.: some of the most mediocre food i have ever had in ann arbor. the restaurant is really not where they make their money-- and you can tell because 80% of the tables are consistently empty. they serve this microwaved tasting yellow rice that is laughably bland and overcooked. the fish tacos were over-fried, bland, the slaw on top of them was limp and drowning in mayo, and the mayo they serve alongside it was flavorless additional calories. yeah, kinda sucked.
5 - Jon C.: OK- new to yelp and on a roll. Absolutely love love love Habana. I think they need to change their menu up a bit more and try to be a bit more unique with their food. What they currently serve is fantastic but they needs to change it up a bit more . Salsa night is a blast to go to, even if you don't dance- you will never catch me out there, ummm not a pretty site. Again, mix up the menu a bit more and it will be one of my favorites. Food is not really Cuban(although some items are), really it is a celebration of Latin Culture and Food.

Disclosure not an owner but helped them open the place a few years ago.
3 - Riki L.: Their chimichurri sauce is out of this world. I also deeply enjoy the baked goat cheese. Love it hardcore. 

What I don't like is the service 80% of the time. I'm not sure why their servers are so surly. For example, my bartender this evening requested that I not order wine because he didn't feel like finding the wine key. That was OK since I'm usually a hard liquor kinda gal, but otherwise.... whatever.

I recommend the hanger steak. I do not recommend arroz con pollo even though every one of my friends loves that dish. I think their rice tastes like dirty dishwater. I MIGHT be alone in that thought.
5 - Toni C.: This place is sexy! I love the lower level bar, ornate mirrors, dim warm lighting, rich wood tables - nice! It had such a good feel to it and the servers were very cool. I was particularly impressed with the volcano mojito that I got. It was so flavorful and the sugar cane stir is a nice touch. Get the goat cheese appetizer with plantain chips - so good!
3 - Stephen H.: Their chimichurri sauce is out of this world. I also deeply enjoy the baked goat cheese. The fish and balck bean dishes are awesome, no doubt. Both full of cilantro

What I don't like is the service 80% of the time. I'm not sure why their servers are so surly. For example, my bartender this evening told me I should not assume when I had asked the waitress for  a 7/7 tall and didnt get the order straight, making an excuses about it..... whatever. The host sucked as well. 

The hangar steak is good. Outdoor seating could take up to an hour wait...
4 - Sarah A.: Fish tacos yay! These are some rockin' fish tacos because Cafe Habana is the only place I have found good fish tacos...that aren't deep fried! Hello seared Ahi tuna! I have yet to order an entree here that is not tasty.  The chimichurri is on point, and the ropa vieja is deliciously food coma inducing. Share the ropa vieja with a friend- it's enough to feed two people! The yuca is great too. 
I have to agree with all the other yelpers that the service is hit or miss, as well as the mixed drinks. The sangria was not delish on either occasion that I had it.  Habana does however offer a late night happy hour from 10 till midnight with some pretty decent drink specials!
2 - Emily G.: I've been coming to Cafe Habana since its started- both for dinner and their Thursday salsa nights.

Although I have nothing bad to say about the thursday salsa nights, Cafe Habana's food has gotten really crappy over the years.

Heres what we ordered, how it used to be, and how its now:

1. The churrasco con chimichurri:
BEFORE: Large piece of steak (perfectly cooked) with a spoon-full of chimichurri sauce and a handful of cooked spinach. 

NOW: 3 bite-size pieces (meat portions are half the size as before), drowning in a sauce of what they call "chimichurri" sauce. The sauce is pasty and heavy, but the REAL chimichurri sauce is supposed to be light and oily - more like a dressing than a pesto. The wilted spinach leaves were overly salty and the tiny pieces of meat were over-cooked.


2. The Pork loin with rum raising sauce and polenta.
BEFORE: big piece of juicy and tender pork loin, served with a mound of polenta and spinach leaves.

NOW: the tiny 3 pieces of pork loin were DRY and hard (which requires a lot of effort, because its real easy to have juicy pork). The rum-raising sauce did not taste like rum OR raising, and was an overly sweet milky sauce spread all over the plate very sloppily. The polenta was fine, but the spinach was overly salty (once again).

3. The Tres Leches (dessert)
BEFORE: super super creamy, falls apart, milky cake with lots of sauce.

NOW: it was the hardest piece of cake ever... to the point that I couldn't  put my spoon at the top and pull it all the way down. It was not milky nor did it taste anything similar to what a 'tres leches' is supposed to be.

The service: I am sorry to say that our service kinda sucked too. We had a party of 10 and we all finished eating at the same time. Once we were all done eating, the waiter took 2 of the plates and then left for 20mins, until we ASKED him to pick up the rest of them. WTF?

Sorry Cafe Habana, I used to love your food, but you've obviously cheaped out on your quantity and quality without giving us lower prices. You need to pull better food out of your ass, or get ready for more reviews like this one.
1 - Shail G.: Margaritas were good. Food itself was ehhhh.  Specifically the rice was crunchy like it hadn't been cooked.  I would not go here again for the food
2 - Becca A.: Inattentive and occasionally rude service, largely unexceptional food, and watered-down drinks. This feels like a place that would rather squeeze every last dollar out of its patrons than provide an enjoyable experience. 

Drinks are standardly delivered very slowly during happy hour, and a server once refused to bring my table free chips and salsa (advertised as a happy hour special) because we had not specifically requested them. Overall, unsatisfying and impersonal.
2 - Barry T.: There used to be many things I liked about Cafe Habana.... but now  I completely echo Emily G.'s review below.

I came here several times a week for happy hour in the summer of 2008 - because their mojitos were wonderful and cheap, but the quality has significantly gone down, as well as increasing the happy hour prices of their mojitos...

For one - their mojitos are really hit or miss these days. Sometimes, you order a mojito - and you get flat soda water with some rum and a few mint leaves that aren't even muddled. (plus they've done away with the sugar cane stick!) - just this past week, my friend got a mojito that was completely unpalatable. In an effort to save my happy hour drink orders - I ordered a capirinha, which previously has been tasty - but the drink I received instead had over half an inch of granulated sugar just sitting at the bottom of the glass - completely undissolved and clearly oversaturating the drink.

The food - my experience with the sandwiches has never been good. The ropa vieja is sub par. Their spinach this past week was drenched in a pool of oil.

The good: the goat cheese appetizer. oh my gosh - this is seriously the only reason why I would even consider coming here ever again, and what keeps me going back, despite the visible and gradual decline in the quality of their drinks. The arepas entree (which is cheaper during brunch? for the same exact dish..) is very tasty as well - goat cheese between cornmeal pancakes.

All in all - Cafe Habana was one of the first places in Ann Arbor I can say I've been to more then two dozen times - for some consistently good goat cheese and drinks at the time. But now, the drinks are meh... but thankfully, the goat cheese is still there to save it from the deep abyss of a single star review...
3 - Paul N.: I'd rather rave over something I really love than rant about something that bothers me.  I love the black beans and rice at Cafe Habana.

I went into Cafe Habana for dinner alone at the bar on my birthday. The fish in the fish tacos was deep fried and had too much spicy mayonnaise - I should have ordered them with seared ahi tuna.

{RANT}
A bartender upstairs at Grange Kitchen had told me that you could get a good cocktail at Cafe Habana. The night that I went to Cafe Habana I got 2 drinks - a mojito suprema and a daiquiri - bland and imbalanced.  The bartender was bored, disinterested, ignorant and generally lacking in talent either for making drinks or dealing with the public. No personality, no banter, did not know the menu.  I think he works at some other venues. He probably thinks he's a good bartender because he can flair a bottle to impress the chicklets.
{/RANT}

I love their black beans.
5 - david b.: One of my favorite places in Ann Arbor. The food is great and so is the beer here. The beer comes from their sister restaurant the Blue Tractor BBQ next door. The staff here is great!!! The basement bar has a great nightlife, but the only drawback is you need to get there early to get a seat. P.S. they also make great mojitos, ask for Brian.
2 - Chris F.: I took my fiancee to Cafe Habana for Valentines Day after having a few good lunches there after the past couple years.  She liked the atmosphere; we both liked the goat cheese appetizer ok; my second Mojito ordered specifically with dark rum was good... but the staff made about every mistake possible.  We asked to be seated away from the door and the hostess took us first  to the booth CLOSEST to the door.  It took two tries to get our drink order straight.  We ordered the lobster tail special and got fish instead.  When we returned the plate and got our lobster it was ok, but the rice wasn't cooked properly and we couldn't even chew it.  The staff responded to our requests and was apologetic, but didn't bother to comp us for anything.  I don't  think I can get my date to go back there, so I'm writing this to help out the management - Please do something to fix your establishment.  It could be great, but having such a total FAIL on Valentines Day is inexcusable.
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Update - the management did send us a gift certificate after getting our comments... and we did use it weeks later for drinks and appetizers.  Better than our Valentine's experience, yes.  But not great.  I suggest coming here if your goal is to drink and socialize- dining secondary.
2 - Laura K.: This place was awesome when it opened a few years ago. The atmosphere is great and the happy hour was second to none in the city (1/2 off mojitos etc.). However, the happy hour now has been reduced to a few bucks off the mojitos and other drinks, and the mojitos are now horrible. They used to be served with fresh sugar cane and sweet and strong. Now they are bitter with old mint. Truly a shame.
3 - Sara C.: I hosted the rehearsal lunch for my wedding at Cafe Habana. Why would I host all my friends and family (100% of whom were from out of town) at a restaurant I only give three stars? Because the downstairs bar is killer and was absolutely perfect for my needs. 

The goat cheese appetizer is awesome. But I lived in south FL for 14 years, and the other dishes just don't live up to my expectations of Cuban food. I can't expect the Cuban to be stellar in Michigan. What I can expect, however, is a decent drink. Mojitos aren't hard to make. Rum, rum, rum, simple syrup, mint, and lime. That's it. One mojito should make me feel warm, two should make me drunk. I was very disappointed by both the strength and quality of the mojitos at Cafe Habana. 

But I'll definitely go back, because the downstairs is beautiful, the service is good and the music makes me smile.
4 - Bethany H.: Yum! I get the hanger stake or the Vegetarian Cuban sandwich and I love love love them! After hours they have a bar in the basement that is  really cool, but it attracts a lot of douchebags, so ladies beware. I prefer Habana for lunch or dinner.
2 - Jonas L.: I used to totally hate on this place, but I think they actually improved significantly since they opened.

Of all the dishes sampled in a large group, I would recommend the porky ones the most. (It's true that it's hard to go wrong with pork and fat.) The Cuban nachos are probably not particularly Cuban, but delicious nonetheless. The roasted pork just melts in your mouth. The braised pork shoulder sandwich is just as good, for similar reasons. They offer some vegetarian options, but none too appetizing.

Their downstairs area is not a bad place to hangout when it's not too busy. It's cozy. My favorite drink is the mojito with peach and pomegranate or whatever (sorry purists!) but I have a hard time recommending their mojitos in general. Too expensive, not enough mint, and hey, where's the sugar cane?
1 - Meesh C.: their ahi fish tacos made me sick. then again, the fact that i ordered semi-raw fish from a "cuban" place in michigan makes me sick. what was i thinking?

this place owes me a friday night. 
the lone star goes to their lime soda.
3 - Heather G.: Let me go through what I like about Cafe Habana.  First, I love the ambiance, it is romantic and classy.  Second, the prices are pretty reasonable.  My problem is that this place is so hit or miss in terms of service and quality.  Some examples:

The Mahi-mahi Fish Tacos.  I have had them before when they are made with thin strips of moist yet crunchy fish and I have also had them when the chunks of fish are dry and tasteless.

The Sangria.  The first time I had it I thought it was great:  sweet, fruity, and a hint of coconut.  Then I went with a bunch of friends and we ordered a pitcher.  It was so bad that none of us could finish a glass. To make matters worse, the waiter was obviously doubtful of our claim and reluctant to take it back.  On further inquiry he learned that the bar tender had deviated from the usual way of preparing the sangria and several others had already sent theirs back.

The Veggie Burrito.  Usually quite good but inconsistent.  I have had it served with no sauce, green sauce, red sauce, sauce inside, sauce on top.  I prefer the salsa verde on top, which is how it is usually served but the lack of consistency makes me wonder, "do they get a new cook every week."  The last time I had it the side of rice had large dried out lumps of rice.

In short, when I get a good meal here, I feel like I got a good deal.  When it's bad, I feel I've been ripped off.
5 - Sylvonna R.: Ahh yes, authentic Cuban food, and great drinks, in a restaurant decorated so wonderfully you feel like you might be in Havana!

I discovered this place right when it opened and I have been a fan ever since.  It's grown in popularity and it seems to be quite a busy place on the weekend nights!

I highly endorse the pan cubano, tres salsas, ropa vieja, and any of their sandwiches.  And their drinks (alcoholic and non) are also very good.  Sangria is phenomenal here!

This place is definitely unique for serving Cuban food and it is also in a great location.  If you find yourself asking where you should go next when hanging out downtown on the weekend...this place should be it!
3 - Irene L.: The food is 'meh' at best. ***
And the happy hour deals used to be so much more awesome (half off mojitos, $2 latin beers...... BRING IT BACK!!!!!)

My friends wanted to go there to drink last night, and I was like "ehhh... whatever."  However, I ended up having a pretty good time (read: ended up pretty drunk).  I impressed the bartender with my pronunciation of "caipirinha" so much that he proceeded to  pour me the stiffest drink ever.  AWESOME.  It didn't taste as good as it usually does (typically, balance is key...), but it was certainly worth my $7.  So yeah.  I guess Cafe Habana is "A-OK" in my book.

***  The veggie Cuban sandwich served with fries is a pretty yummy deal if you are forced to eat here but don't want to spend a ton of money on a most likely disappointing entree.
4 - Barbie M.: Went here on a early Saturday afternoon and it was GREAT!

I wish I would have got our waitresses name she was so fun and made great recommendations.

Me, my BF, and 2 friends had just finished doing a 5k and were starved and what better way to top off a 5k then with a mojiot and some cuban food!

Oh my goodness we all got something so good. My vgiie burrito was  perfect oh and the beans and rice! The beans and rice!! FAB!! My BF got the veggie cuban sandwich and it came with fries and who would ahve thought the fries would be great at a cuban place and they were! the sandwich was full of all sorts of fresh grilled goodness. 

My 2 friends got the traditional cuban sanwish and the apreas. The jicima that came with the apreas was sooooo good!!

I wish I lived closer I would certainly be a regular here. The food and service were on point! The decor is a bit busy but still real nice.

I need to make an excuse to go back to Ann Arbor so i can eat at Cafe Habana again!!
2 - Jason C.: I'm not sure why people love this place so much... the food is okay and service really sucked.  

My friends and I got seated by the kitchen door, then we asked to be moved and got moved to the another table.  We ordered our drinks and starters... got the baked goat cheese, which I really love.  

We then ordered our dinner... about 30 minutes later the waitress came back and confirmed our order... it seemed the waitress forgot to put in our order, so she came back to confirm and we saw her going back to the terminal and putting in our order.

So we waited about an hour from the time we got seated to the time we got our food.  I had ordered braised pork shoulder... the meat itself was hard and tough to eat.  

The waitress never came by to check out on us.  Overall, I was very disappointed with their service, the food and overall experience.  I think they can do better in terms of food and service.  Unless someone can give me a good reason to go back, I won't be back.
4 - Matt M.: Happy hour at Cafe Habana is one of the better deals in Ann Arbor.  Free chips and salsa and $4 mojitos (complete with sugarcane!) are solid.  Their sangria is sweeter than most, and definitely very citrus-y.  

Make it a point to head  to the basement, though.  It can be very loud, so not the best place for deep, meaningful conversations.  But grab a couple seats near the wall at the bar if you're looking for the best place to talk.  Otherwise, head in early and grab a table.  Even later it's easy enough to steal one of the tables directly in front of the stairs to stash your stuff on.  The chairs have probably been stolen already, but during the winter it's better to throw your coat there than carry it around.

Definitely a place to stop if you want to avoid the SouthU scene or the brewery-pub alternatives in the same area!
2 - Andrea M.: Oh Cafe Habana, my sweetheart, how you have fallen into despair...

My recent visit to Cafe Habana for dinner was very, very sad.  This was a place that I have had dinner in many times and had once given 4 stars. 

Now? no, sorry to say.  
Things are on the down slide. Let's see why:

DRINKS: The bartender (when he was even standing at the bar) takes about a year to make 2 drinks.

FOOD: The kitchen now takes about a year to make 2 plates for dinner (NO, we did not order an appetizer).  Also...there was way too much corn in my fish burrito, as there used to be waaaay more fish and rice.  I have eaten this particular dish about 5 times in the past 2 years, so I know how it's supposed to taste.  (I think they're cutting corners...sorry to say.) 

SERVICE:  if the staff seemed any more uninterested in the very few guests they have to take care of in this almost empty restaurant, I'd have to serve myself. 

Cafe Habana- WHAT HAPPENED? 
Dancing in my seat to the music is all the sweet memories we now have. boo hoo.

Love, 
Broken-hearted Me
5 - Joe P.: Friends, we need to talk about Habana's 3.5 star status on Yelp. It just won't do. 

I am slightly biased toward the establishment, though. When reflecting on my experience at Cafe Habana, my memory is tainted by the presence of our waitress, Emily. Even if the food had been "meh" (it wasn't), it would have immediately been ameliorated by the presence of Emily.

Equal parts Zooey Deschanel and Frodo Baggins, Emily is the kind of waitress who is deserving of her own reality television show. To wit: heretofore I have never laughed about cilantro. Emily made me and my dining companion laugh about cilantro for five minutes straight. I'm not even slightly exaggerating. 

But enough about the service, let's talk about the food.

First of all, treat yourself to Cafe Habana's mojito. It is served with an honest-to-God stick of sugarcane, and it is life-altering. Let that bad boy sit in the drink until there's just ice, then suck the rummy goodness right off the sugarcane. It's a near pornographic experience.

For an appetizer, you can't do better than the mariquitas. "Big deal," you think. "Salted plantains with a lime dipping sauce." Right. That's what I thought. Then I tasted one and my tastebuds did a tango. Right there in the restaurant. It was a very magical moment.

Follow that moment with either the utterly smashing Ropa Viejo (I wish I knew why this dish translates into 'old clothes') or the Arepas (which I think translates into OH MY GOD I WANT A TROTH OF THIS SHIT). 

Some have boo-hooed over the "fall" of Cafe Habana, and not being a resident of Ann Arbor, I cannot stake a claim on whether it's fallen from grace or not. I also cannot state for the record that Emily didn't sprinkle Magic over our food before serving it to us. 

Only she knows for sure.
2 - Sara G.: When you walk in during happy hour and hear pins breakdancing on the floor, that usually isn't a good sign. 

The quality of both food AND service has lessened enormously as of late. The menu has changed and it seems the chef/s have as well.

I've always been annoyed by the rather laggard service during happy hour, but yesterday's bout with a surly waiter cinched the deal. In a near-empty restaurant you still act as if we're putting you out? I'm sorry my friend's dietary restrictions kept you walking back to the kitchen. I'm sorry our presence kept you from flirting with the other waitress.

One good thing is that we got a free "happy hour" basket of chips and salsa.  Too bad the salsa was all spice-heat but no flavor. Nice touch but this won't beckon me back anytime soon.
4 - Nycole K.: We've been to cafe Habana 3 times now, and all have been good experiences. The steak with chimichurri sauce is amazing, and everything I've had has been good. But, one of the best things about Habana is the Mojito Suprema.  The Sangria is also incredible.  The atmosphere is fun and the service has been good. Sitting at the bar up by the windows is also a nice experience. If you go downstairs to the underground bar, the crowd really picks up after midnight on weekends. They have great happy hour specials downstairs from 10 - 12 at night too, which can bee a great way to end the night or get it started.
4 - Jackie H.: Food here is pretty good, though typically pricey for downtown Ann Arbor. The Cuban sandwiches are excellent! What is really worth writing home about is the $5 mojito happy hour. The atmosphere downstairs is perfectly cozy and the crowd is pretty ok.
4 - bob c.: This is a place worth going out of your way to visit.  Very good food; a little different without being to far out of the norm for American palates (Cuban spin on some traditional dishes).  

Very good service.  Decor is interesting; have outdoor seating. 

A little off the usual Main Street scene, so if you are looking for a place to go after a game, the wait is likely to be less here than in other spots.

I will revisit.
4 - Robyn T.: I agree with Joe that the 3.5 rating for Cafe Habana needs to be reconsidered.  I've been here a few times and have never had a bad time.

My most recent trip was with my family and we have a blend of adventurous and conservative eaters.   Everyone was happy with their choices and said they would come back in a heartbeat.

For me, it's all about the steak with chimichurri sauce.   There is something about the marinade and flavor of that steak that sends me straight to my happy place.  It's SO GOOD!!  The chimichurri sauce adds the perfect tang.  You also get yellow rice and sauteed greens and everything blends wonderfully!   If you are into dessert, I would probably avoid the white cake though.  There's moist, and then there's dripping wet.  Ours was the latter.

Cafe Habana also has good and strong mojitos so be careful because it's hard to order just one.   

The service was absolutely fine.   Nothing to tell grandkids about, but certainly nothing to complain about either.
3 - Nina N.: Hnm. I've only had a handful of things here, including the arepas, baked goat cheese, churros and a handful of their cocktails. 

Now I was silly in ordering arepas (venezuelan) at a supposed cuban eatery... and I got exactly what I deserved. Basically, two "corn cakes" (really I think it was bisquick) served with a sour cream filling. I was not so much a fan, mainly because I was hoping I could recreate my arepa experience with a venezuelan's friend's mother right here in ann arbor. 

The goat cheese is excellent, although a little strange with tortilla chips. 

The drinks and decor are what really make Habana a standout. Definitely recommend for a night out with friends or for a date (take advantage of their Thursday nights! Dancing!) Very easily the best mojito in town for all you mint-loving alcoholics!
2 - Sean M.: I came here a couple of times right after they opened, hoping for at least a solid Cuban sandwich. Now, maybe my expectations were unreasonable, coming off a summer living blocks away from Paseo in Seattle (home of easily the best sandwich I've ever head), but these were... not good.  After the second visit, I vowed never to return. 

So, flash forward to present day. One of my housemates was a Habana fan, and I made a face every time he mentioned the place. Determined to settle our differences, we set out, with four others, for the late happy hour at Habana. 

We should have followed Nina's advice and avoided the arepas. Her description is accurate - basically, something very sour/creamcheesey smashed between two pancakes and covered with some tomato. Not bad, but not good, and it left us feeling full in not-so-good-way.

We also decided to give their sandwiches another chance, this time ordering a torta puerco. The bolillo roll tasted like Jimmy John's bread that had been left out in a dry place for several days. I don't know if this is the way it is supposed to be, but for us, it was not worth finishing. 
 
Another in our party ordered the soup, which, curiously, was Tuscan. Asked to characterize it, he noted that it tasted like it had not been made there, and had been sitting around for a while, but was, overall, "not a terrible soup."

Drinks: You should know that the beers on tap come from next door (the equally sad Blue Tractor). Even the staff seem to know that this is not a good sign, and when describing the beer offerings, our waitress defensively characterized one (and only one) as "actually really good."

Our mojitos were also disappointing. The mint seemed barely muddled and the drinks were not sweet enough. We found ourselves pressing the mint and sugar cane around in our glasses to make them drinkable. 

The service started a little inattentive (not taking orders from the whole party, not aware of the time (relevant for happy hour)), but it got better as the night went on, and was friendly.

There are a lot of places in Ann Arbor serving somewhat overpriced food of mixed quality. This is at the lower end of the quality spectrum - a nice concept, but poorly executed.
3 - Lilly L.: We were excited about going as we love Cuban food. We went when they were serving brunch and were excited by the menu. Unfortunately the execution was not there and we will likely not go back unless to try a mojito in the future...so many other better places in ann Arbor to eat at.
3 - David M.: I've been here thrice now, for a Yelp event, for dinner, and most recently for lunch, and yes, it is a sin that I am only now reviewing.  The event was obviously awesome, as all Yelp ones are, and the food there was great.  The dinner, well, their Caipirinha has cleared my mind of any memories from that night.  So I am obviously here to talk about lunch (or, "brunch" as it were).

The food at Cafe Habana is excellent, and the prices decent too, so on the food-price scale I would definitely go with 4.5 to 5 stars.  But, as has been mentioned before, the service can be quite spotty.  Being Sunday, January 16th, it was of course the beginning of restaurant week, so my much better half and I went with our mutual friend to enjoy some $6 cuban sandwiches.  One problem: our waitress had no idea what this 'restaurant week' thing was.  After consulting with a manager, who I have a hunch was actually just another waitress, we were informed that the specials were only for dinner.  But the internet never lies!  Needless to say, my world was turned upside down like I was one of those poor souls trapped in a snow globe being cursed by a cruel wizard.

Long story slightly shorter, I ended up ordering the half-Cuban sandwich with a bowl of soup.  The soup, pork and red beans, was delicious, as was the half-sandwich, though I sort of felt like I got the smaller half (mathematically impossible, I know!).  I also love the chippy thingies you get here, and the limeade was delicious.  

My friend ordered a ham and jack cheese omelette, since it was brunch after all, but instead of getting the all-American order she had placed, she got an avocado and goat cheese omelette instead.  I would be quite pleased with such an item, but to each their own, and one should obviously get what one orders.  This sort of thing happens all the time at restaurants, so I understand, and her new omelette came out so quickly as to arouse suspicion.  But it's good to note these things in reviews so that others can spot patterns and avoid such misfortune.

3 star rating aside (quite low by my system), I will definitely be back here at some point, but it won't be right away; the awkwardness with the waitstaff will have to fade out of my memory first.  And what a troubling catch-22 that is, since the best memory-cleanser I can think of right now is a big glass of Caipirinha!
2 - Amy B.: Cafe Habana is wildly inconsistent. On a good night, it's a 4. On a bad night, it's a 1. Unfortunately, over the many times I've gone there, it's more often been a bad night. Averaging it out, I'd give Habana a 2.

So let's break it down:

1. The downstairs bar. I like this bar. It's basically a candlelit cave with several nooks for more intimate seating. It also accommodates larger groups pretty well, at least on less-busy nights. The major problem with the bar is that when Habana gets crowded (like on a weekend night), it's really tough to navigate this small space.

2. The food. Oy. I like the fish tacos a lot, if they manage to cook the fish rare as I request. A lot of times though, the fish comes out well done. I'm not talking about slightly overcooked. It's basically either perfectly rare or totally cooked through. So there's always a gamble. I think the Cuban sandwiches here are awful--basically a regular ham sandwich at an inflated price. I like the chicken chilaquiles, although they are essentially nachos in a bowl and therefore not a healthy dinner choice. I've had their ropa vieja at Taste of Ann Arbor and thought that might be worth a try the next time I eat here.

3. Drinks. Again, wildly inconsistent. I've had awesome mojitos here. I've also had mojitos so poorly made that I need to ask the bartender to remake them (once, I was convinced there was no rum in the thing--it tasted like seltzer only). Their sangria is pretty good, but there are some mixed drinks on the menu that are just bizarre. I had one that layered different colors and flavors (gorgeous) but then discovered the pretty green layer was Listerine-minty. Ugh. Lately I stick to beer here (Blue Tractor supplies the beers) even though I find it only ok.

4. Service. This is probably the most consistently good thing about Habana. It's sometimes better than others, but I can't recall ever having truly bad service here. They can be slow if you have a large group for lunch and need separate checks, but I think that's probably an exceptional circumstance and a pain in their butt.

5. Happy hour. This, this is why I keep coming back. Habana has some fantastic happy hour specials ($3 mojitos!). In the summer, it's so nice to sit outside on the sidewalk sipping on a cool beverage watching the crowds stroll by. Sitting outside is where it's at. Get there right at 5 to increase your chances of snagging one of the few tables.
3 - Chad C.: Nice setting with good use of space.  Food was satisfactory, but not stellar (though it gets near there after a couple of their margaritas or mojitos)!
4 - Tom and Angie X.: Good ambiance, great food.

The hanger steak with chimichurri is to die for here. Tender, flavorful, delicious! Worth the trip just for some hanger steak anyday.
The cuban sandwiches are not bad either.

Can't say much about the other dishes here because the only thing I need from this place is their hanger steak and I'm in steak heaven.
3 - Dom P.: My first and only trip to Cafe Habana was during lunch time with 6 coworkers. It was quiet and it looked like there was another group of professionals there for lunch. Other than that, it wasn't very busy.

An order of Ceviche Habana was ordered for the table. It was gone pretty fast, which I took to mean that it was tasty. At least 3 of us had the Vegetarian Cuban which I remember being both savory and filling. Someone had Ropa Vieja which I was told was seasoned to perfection; not too spicy and not bland.

Seems like a nice place. I've heard that it gets better at night with music and dancing. I'm looking forward to checking that out sometime.
5 - P W.: I came here with a group of people I met at Alley Bar because the girls wanted to salsa dance. I did not order any food. This bar kind of made me want to move to Ann Arbor. There was a nice mixture of people. I got to meet a guy from Spain who flies cargo planes for a living. He currently lives in Chile and flies all over the world dropping stuff off. He said how domestic flights were too boring and flying all over is the way to go. I thought this guy was pretty cool. There were some very pretty ladies in there. It was kind of like the UN. That greatly appealed to me. The beer was on special for $2. This was even at like 11 pm until 1 am? The pilsner and IPA were alright. They were brewed next door at the Blue Tractor or whatever. For $2, I really have nothing to complain about. Even if I didn't really like the taste all that much. A good place to have some drinks and meet people.
2 - cyndi s.: Ordered the Ropa Vieja with yellow rice & tostones.  The Ropa was ok nothing to brag about & the rice was under cook.
2 - Brendan K.: I have had better, the drinks are nice, but the environment is a bit odd, and the food is just okay.  It is pretty expensive, however the staff is pretty attentive and it isn't the worse place in town.
1 - Kmc D.: The only thing cuban in this restaurant is the name.Every thing else is nothing but dressed up version of texmex. The food was horrible and the service was even worse.We went with group of friends for drinks and dinner.The drinks were overpriced and nothing special to boast about. A total nono.
4 - Kendra L.: We went here last night for my step-dad's 79th birthday.  I was a little surprised that they weren't busier.  There were only 4 other tables taken in the restaurant.  Not what I would have expected on a really nice summer Sunday night.  The service was AMAZING!  Our waiter was great with our three kids, the fact that we were vegetarian, AND that my husband has a garlic allergy.  Everyone loved what they ordered.  We all agreed that we would come back.  From the other reviews, I guess we got them on a good night!  Yay for us!
4 - Kristin W.: This place is great!  I have been here 4 times and have always had great food and drinks. The Caipirinas are awesome, the hanger steak is incredible and the arepas make me super happy. Nice decor and i love all the chandaliers...(they could use some cleaning) but the atmosphere is really fun.
3 - Dora C.: "Alcoholic" Drink: Coco Mango = Mango Smoothie 
Appetizer: Goat Cheese w/ Tortilla Chips = Heaven in Cheese Form

That was the lesson for the day.
2 - Jason L.: Haven't been here in a while. The location is great, as well as the ambience (feels warm). However, service and food is NOT. I've had a chicken quesadilla for dinner once and a mexican omelet for breakfast once. The quesadilla was kind of soggy and the chicken was a bit stringy. The omelet was the same deal, and my stomach was not very accepting of the idea of having black beans in the morning.

But the experience that was most outstanding (not in a good way) was once I accidentally underpaid in tips, and the waiter gave me a very cold stare, came back, and slammed the check down right in front of my face. I put an extra dollar bill down, but his countenance did not change at all. There was no sense of professionalism (it bordered on childish behavior); outright hostility is really not acceptable at a restaurant like this (this is no McDonalds!).
2 - Ray L.: I want to like this establishment, but I just can't. Bar is ok & the churros are great. However there is always something lacking. Sometimes the service is horrible and the kitchen is slow. Other times the food is lacking flavor or comes out wrong. There's better in Ann arbor.
2 - Jennifer V.: I'm VERY underwhelmed by Cafe Habana. It's most unfortunate. I've been here 2 or 3 times, and once or twice the rice was undercooked. The service has always been REALLY slow, and I've actually never had a NICE server. They've been civil at best.

The upshot is that the drinks are usually good.
2 - Brian G.: Disappointing.  Reallybfelt like some Mexican food (good Mexican food) but in this desert of culinary delights decided to try Cafe Habana, Cuban and some pretty good reviews.  Should have smelled a rat when the pub next door was packed and Cafe Habana was almost empty.  At a stretch I MIGHT have given my pork rum/raisin dish 3 stars (a stretch) but my wife's cornmeal avocado vegetarian was 1 star at best. Also I thought the mojito was a slam dunk for a cuban restaurant - not here - the classic mojito was watered down and tasteless.  The "cuban bread" (seemed like toasted white bread to us) and chimichurri sauce was decent and tasty - but why serve the sauce is a cheap plastic cup (like ketchup at McDonalds)???  I didn't order to go!

Will never return - suggest you do the same.  We paid $50 and it was worth less than $25 in my opinion.  Stay home!
3 - Aaron B.: I came here because there was a huge line at Blue Tractor and I was too hungry to wait.  Turns out that was a good choice.  I looked over the entree menu and wasn't interested in anything, but the appetizers all looked good.  I decided to order five different appetizers (which were all very good) and more than twice what I could eat.  The place's ambiance is very cliche "date restaurant/bar" with no real character.  The place is obvious trying to carry itself with the wanna-be trendy midwesterners who don't know any better, and all that is lost on me.  But it was clean, and the food (though not authentic of anywhere) was quite good for the price, and the service was nice and informed on the menu.  I'd go back for sure, but I wouldn't go out of my way to go here.
3 - emeril l.: The ambiance in the basement bar area can not be beat, nor can the frozen margaritas!  Delightful!
4 - Gloria W.: We only went for drinks on a cold friday night, so I can't talk about the food. The ambience in the basement is great, love the decoration, excellent beers (it's a brewery). I felt I was somewhere else but in Michigan. I want to go back already.
2 - James B.: I briefly considered a 1-star review, but the general vibe in this place is fun and the bar downstairs is pretty unique for Ann Arbor. 

Other than that, ouch. 

I mean, if you're trying to be a good Cuban joint, make the mojito the star of your restaurant. The bartenders should be trained to hand muddle them, and they might take a while, but they'd be great and people would pay more for them. Instead, they squirt a little simple syrup into some rum and mint and serve it to you. They don't even taste like mint.

I ordered ahi tuna tacos once, which I ordered rare. They came out cooked through, and the rice they were served with was crunchy. I'm not sure they even press their Cuban sandwiches. 

It's really a shame that this place isn't better, it has a prime location and there are no other Cuban joints around. But it's kind of obvious that the owners/managers are content that it be a party destination and not put any effort into distinguishing the food or drinks.
3 - John D.: Those were some really good Mojitas! We ordered some of the cactus appetizer..YUCK! it tasted like cardboard. The ambiance was nice, but they could have turned the lights down a little. I was a little scared to try Cafe Habana because of the reviews on Yelp, but the service seemed pretty competent. Best Mojitas I've had though!
5 - Hymae W.: I have been here twice and both times I was very happy with my meal. Wait, not only was I happy but so was everyone else i went with. On my most recent visit I had the baja burrito. It was hands down the best burrito *besides the ones my girlfriend makes me* that i have ever had. And i am sure that i have reviewed more Mexican restaurants then any other type on my yelp account. I can't remember what my vegetarian girlfriend got but I do remember that she loved it.
4 - Nat E.: Anyone who criticizes a restaurant for the quality, or lack thereof, of its service is missing the point. Waitrons (see Tony Bourdain) are transients - in a University town, doubly so.
That said, happy hour Sangria pitchers are a main attraction. Mojitos not so much.
Seviche is always terrific, all the sandwiches are excellent. Bang for the buck is as good or better than anything else in AA.
Only reason it's not 5-star is that I reserve that for outstanding, upscale place. But if I decide on eating out in AA, just because I feel lazy, Habana is always a possibility.
BONUS! Weekend Brunch Coupon online = 1/2 off entrees!
4 - Rob Y.: Wow.. we must have gotten this place on a good day.. a VERY good day. My dining companion and I stopped in on a Saturday afternoon and yes.. the place was not that busy... but the diners were all hidden behind the big booth chairs.  It was an odd dining hour.  

first off...  these deco posters are very nice.  I had to stop and look at every one in the place.   I love deco! So they get a star just for the decor.  

I had a Cuban sandwich and I have got to say.. as Cuban sandwiches go this was one of the very best I've ever had.  It wasn't pressed but the roast pork was the most generous portion of meat I've ever had.  It was the first sandwich I've had where the mustard, pickle and cheese didn't overwhelm the meat.   It was also the most expensive cuban sandwich I've ever had but I feel the quality of the food was worth it.

My dining companion had an interesting cornmeal pancake, goat cheese, salsa, white sweet potato, spinach dish.  We have never seen anything even close to this anywhere but it was mighty darned good.   Our service was good...  

We were both very pleased with our lunch at Cafe Habana.  We would easily go back and dine there again.
3 - Shawna F.: I love the goat cheese here. It's fantastic. The only problem is they have a different menu on weekend. We went for the goat cheese and they let us know they only offer it on certain days. Their 3 different types of salsa appetizer is fantastic. The mojito had my friend needing a designated driver. I've been here about 5 times and the wait staff isn't always the best. There are times when I wonder if they get lost in the basement. I would definitely recommend getting the goat cheese appetizer, 3 salsa appetizer combo, and a mojito.
4 - Ryan B.: We've always really enjoyed are food here.  The goat cheese app., the steak and the ropa vieja.  Also if your food does not come with bonito, get a Side of it, it's like a slightly sweet mashed potatoes.  I really like the Sangria, which has a pronounced coconut flavor.

Cafe Habana - Ann Arbor, MI (42.2796811, -83.7487635) (Downtown Ann Arbor)
3 - Jesse C.: The vibe here is good, and the crowd seems really great, but I'm not exactly sure what the owners are going for. The concept is muddled, and the place doesn't really feel like it places patrons first. 

Overall the bar looks like Scorekeepers meets Restoration Hardware. Someone put a lot of thought into the decor, and then someone else thought that flat screen tvs could only improve it. I think this is supposed to appeal to couples who can't agree on whether to watch the game or go out dancing, but it makes me want to do neither. 

My major complaint is that there are staff everywhere. Part of the problem is that the dance floor entirely blocks the bar from the tables, making the servers have to plow through the dance floor with armloads of drinks, over and over, all night long. Also there are bouncers lurking/shambling around *everywhere*, there must have been fifteen of them. I know that they just paid a lot of money to install really expensive light fixtures, but really management needs to relax a bit. The net of all of this is that there are always staff who are in your way, or worse, make you feel like you are in the way of them doing their jobs. 

I have high hopes for this place. The people seem nice, the drinks are well thought out, and the concept seems like a good one. We'll see what management learned from the first version of Habana (so far, not much), and whether they can pull it together.
5 - Brad D.: What a surprise.  I didn't even know that this building had a downstairs and to walk down and see the caverns under the sidewalks, amazing atmosphere, wow!

The drinks were outstanding, and the service was great.  Music was great!  I highly recommend it!
5 - Natalie G.: Has awesome VIP rooms
1 - David B.: I had been to the old Habana and thought it was ok, but good for the price. Just went to the new Habana last night and it was a huge disappointment. My meal was twice the price and 1/3 the portion. I could accept the portion if the food was decent, but my hen was way overdone and so dry it was barely edible and way under-seasoned. I'll usually give a place a 2nd chance, but I at $25 for this abysmal plate I think I'll not be back.
1 - Jessica W.: What happened to you Habana?  I loved you at your old location, but even though the decor is nicer on Main St, the service has gone out the window.  My recent visit was lackluster in every possible way:
-The food (I got the Pulled Beef Brisket Tacos, the boy got Cuban Sliders) was overpriced for the quantity/quality and completely bland.
-The atmosphere was bizarre (four security guards standing around for some unknown reason).
-The service was some of the worst I've had in AA (we basically had to beg to order from our waitress, who was nearly impossible to flag down though didn't seem terribly busy).

I don't even want to go back for mojito happy hours, and that says something.

Cafe Hookah - College Park, MD (38.9818021, -76.9383594) ()
2 - Nick L.: tl;dr - the place is comfortable and well-decorated, and our waiter was great, but the management doesn't seem to grasp either economics or customer service.

I was very excited to see a new hookah bar opening in College Park, especially at a more convenient location than either Prince or Mosaic.  I was hoping that this hookah bar, unlike many others, would treat their customers as if they actually cared about them and the business they brought.  After my first (and last) visit to Cafe Hookah, I can say that it is indeed convenient, but it is certainly not customer friendly.  

Let me start by saying that our waiter was great.  I didn't get his name, but he was wearing big, wayfarerish glasses.  He was attentive without being annoying, friendly while still seeming geniuine, and was just a good guy.  However, he, like all waiters, was bound to the commands of his management - management that could stand to learn a thing or two about customer service, and the internet.  

When I heard that Cafe Hookah had a two person per hookah limit, I was peeved but understood.  You don't want five people paying huddled around a hookah paying 3 dollars a piece.  On the other hand, the policy seemed a bit like those found at many hookah bars, putting the bottom line in front of customer experience.  

Cafe Hookah has two levels of shisha.  The "regular" shisha includes all the standard flavors; apple, mint, mango, etc.  The "premium" shisha seemed to be mostly blends and special mixes.  Regular shisha is 12 dollars, premium is 15.  We opted for a regular apple and mint mix, which came at no extra cost over the 12.  Upon receiving the hookah, I quickly noticed that it didn't taste much like the flavors we ordered - instead it tasted very strongly of liqourice.  I've had my share of shisha, and I know that some flavors tend to taste more like liqourice than others, so I asked the waiter, for future reference, which shisha flavors do not taste like liqourice.  I was told that the regular shisha is  a different brand than the premium, and tends to taste a lot more of liqourice - a taste I have long associated with cheap shisha.  In light of his explanation, I asked if we could switch up to the premium shisha, obviously paying for the difference (at this point we had had the hookah for about 3 minutes).  The waiter said we could have the premium shisha, but we would also be charged 12 dollars for the cheap stuff, because, "there's nothing that we can do with that shisha now."  I asked to speak with the manager about it, as it was obviously his call and not our (again, lovely) waiter's.  

The manager was friendly enough - he shook my hand and didn't seem standoffish.  After calling me into the back so that we couldn't be heard by other customers, he explained that he could not let us switch the shisha without paying the 12 dollars for the stuff we didn't want.  He offered to charge only 12 for the premium, rather than 15.  24 dollars to get shisha that wasn't crap - very generous.  He told me to imagine I were at a restaurant and didn't like the taste of my food - he claimed the restaurant would of course charge me for the food I didn't want.  I'm not sure where he goes to eat, but any restaurant that cares about its customers would do the switch and knock off the cost of the unwanted food without blinking an eye.   When I realized he wasn't going to budge, I gave in and we finished our shisha so our 12 bucks wasn't for nothing.  

At a restaurant, as at a hookah bar, the cost of the raw ingredients is very low.  What the customer is paying for is the experience of going out to eat, having the food prepared well, and getting good service.  They tried to rationalize that they had to charge me for both because they didn't want to lose money on the sale.  Please.  

Besides the uncaring management, the place was fine.  The music was good and at the right level, the decor was fine, and they have a heavily carpeted and pillowed area where you sit on the floor - I like that.  But at the end of the day, I don't want to patronize a place that doesn't value me as a customer, and Cafe Hookah certainly does not. 

Oh and I asked the waiter if they had a Yelp page, because I couldn't find one.  He asked the manager and said neither of them had heard of Yelp.  Surprising.
4 - Martin B.: Most hookah bars are total ripoffs. They charge an arm and a leg for the hookah and then make you pay an exorbitant amount for food and drink. One time I went to another hookah bar in College Park with two friends, one of whom didn't even touch the hookah. The guy at the counter charged for all three of us ("ten dollars per person") even though he didn't smoke. 

Thankfully, Cafe Hookah has seen the light. While it can get pricey (they have a limit of two people per hookah) it's still cheaper than Prince. They have a wide variety of standard flavors for $12 a hookah and for $15 you can get some exotic-sounding flavors of Starbuzz shisha. The service here is pretty attentive although I usually have to wait a minute for someone to come up to the register. While some of the employees could be a little better, they generally do a good job of keeping the coals fresh. The $12 mint shisha tastes great and actually hits me pretty hard, which makes me wonder if they blend it with some Arabic as well. 

So come on down and sit back and relax. There's usually music playing but not so loudly that it overpowers conversation. This is definitely my new go-to place for hookah around here.
4 - Sheila s.: Should have done this review alot sooner, but hey better late then never. 

I went here with a group of friends probably a week after it opened, the environment was nice, our waitress was great, she was a little slow when we asked for more coals but hey no one is perfect not gonna hold it against her. 

We got three flavors of hookah, watermelon, mint, and mango. All three were pretty good, watermelon was the best in my opinion.  There is only a 2 person per hookah rule but me and my friends didnt mind. 

The owners seemed very nice, I believe one of them owns Krazi Kabob as well. they got a live performer, were dancing with people and just having a good time. 

Overall I would def. go back.

Cafe Intermezzo - Berkeley, CA (37.8661704, -122.2588105) (Telegraph Ave, UC Campus Area)
4 - Beth V.: I've never tried the salads because the freshly baked bread is too much to resist!  Best tuna sandwich in the east bay.
5 - Jeremy S.: Can you say value?!!! Monster salads for about $5, great sandwiches, and delicious fresh bread too. This is what all college towns should have...top notch eats for little green...Palo Alto are you listening?
3 - Paul H.: You come here for a salad lunch, and you'll have enough to last you for another meal the next day.  Perfect for the starving student.
2 - maiko h.: I used to eat the salads here, with the poppyseed dressing.  But my friend who worked here relished telling everyone about the rats and other nastiness that plagued this place.  I'm sure this isn't the only restaurant on Telegraph with a rat problem, but knowing what I know, I started getting my big salads down the street at Smart Alec's...until I hear about health hazards there.
4 - Ayumi I.: After all these years they still have the best sandwiches and salads.  Their bread is sooo good!  Definitely one of the places that I miss in Berkeley.
5 - Andrew K.: This place COULD be a franchise and make tons of money. Everything is HUGE, ORGANIC, tasty and fun. I love the combinations, and especially the poppy seed dressing and the chicken salad (though it could use a tad more salt, so I add bacon to it) I seriously love the concept though, and it's pretty amazing that even with such a long line, I can always find a place to sit. Long live the avocado!
4 - t. han s.: GIANT SALADS!
5 - Roshni R.: i'm a huge salad buff but i tend to resist buying salads outside b/c i'm rather vain about my own salad-making abilities.  intermezzo's salads are irresistible though.  i always get the half sandwich tossed green salad combo ($5.25 + more for avocado) where you get a great sandwich (on super scrumptious whole grain bread) and a *huge* side salad.  try their house poppy seed dressing...soooooo good, it's making me hungry just thinking about it.  they have decent strawberry lemonade with free refills too!
5 - Ryo M.: There's a reason why there's a constant line outside the store during lunchtime with businessmen and broke college students alike. The interior is very calm, with plenty of seating and a moderate amount of space between them. Fortunately, the number of people ordering take-out helps to alleviate the crowd, and it's pretty easy to find a seat even during the lunch hour rush.

Order their $5.25 combo, which gets you an incredible load of salad and half of a sandwich (with a thick slab of bread to boot).

The salad is hard to complain about - huge portions and tasty dressings - I prefer their poppy seed, which is sweet but doesn't overwhelm the taste buds.

They have some healthy drinks, like strawberry lemonade (which a tad watery), which range from $1-$2.

Cheap and filling veggie food.

A note of warning for those who like to eat late (after 8:30pm): They run out of ingredients. According to the guy who was preparing my salad, they've had cases where they ran out of regular salad with two hours to go.
5 - steven c.: Salads always taste better when someone else makes them, especially when they are topped with the world's best poppy seed dressing and a huge half of a sandwich. When you pay less than six dollars for said meal, you might as well go home and go to bed, as you're not going to make a better decision for the rest of the day. I guess you could always walk down the street to Mario's La Fiesta later. That would be a smart decision, but then you'd also be a horrible glutton...a horrible, dirty glutton.
5 - Jill k.: if you're in the mood to eat like a rabbit, go to cafe intermezzo for their gargantuan salads and uber healthy sandwiches.

consider sharing the salad.  seriously.  it's A LOT of green.
4 - Liza P.: Nothing like getting your weight in lettuce and bread for just about $5.oo.
Typical Berkeley student feeding ground- super fresh, super good and dirt cheap.
5 - Bob H.: Cafe Intermezzo keeps their food simple, fresh, and delicious.  It is well worth the wait and the hunt for a free table spot during the lunch rush.  My favorite is the salad/sandwich combo, which is really like a full salad and a hefty half sandwich.  The fresh ingredients and the soft bread really make the sandwiches, and the homemade poppy seed dressing is the best.  Somehow they also keep the prices down.  This is my favorite salad and sandwich spot in Berkeley.
5 - Roger L.: The salads here are tasty, and so HUGE that my girlfriend and I often split one for lunch and still end up taking some home.  There's always a line, and it's always packed, but I've somehow never had to wait for a table.
4 - Shyam P.: Everything here is really huge.

Sandwiches:  I think they're around $5 each.  They use fresh ingredients and pile everything very high.  They make their own honeywheat bread (or something of that nature) that is soft and delicious.  The turkey and roast beef sandwiches are great as is the chicken salad.

Salads:  so huge that I've yet to finish one.  They have the veggie salad with avacado, egg, beans, sprouts, tomatoes, etc. and a chef salad that has all the veggies and a pile of any of the deli meats.  They have a few varieties of dressing with my favorite being the poppy seed.  

I would say to avoid going there later in the day because the fresh ingredients are not so fresh anymore.  Lunchtime is probably the best but expect long lines.
5 - Kattya B.: Cafe Intermezzo...Ahhhh good times...brings back fond memories of being a starving student.  One gets a huge filling salad with a huge piece of bread and a drink for under $10.  The salads are so big I recommend to split it with a friend.
4 - Debbie Y.: One of my favorites in Berkeley.  Not only is the food super good, it's super good for you and that makes me feel super good.
4 - Nat K.: I really never thought I could crave tuna.  But I do now.  If I had to choose between the tuna and the bread, I would choose the tuna.  I've tried replicating it at home, but I don't think it's possible.
4 - Kerry N.: i love intermezzo! HUGE salads that are fresh and filling. Highly reccommened: french onion soup, poppyseed dressing, and the God of all that is green and tasty, the Chef's Salad. It has your standard mix of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, etc, along with sprouts, avocado, garbanzo and kidney beans, hardboiled egg, croutons, your choice of meat (tuna salad, ::drool!::) and dressing. Also comes with a hunk of their dense, sweet, honey-wheat bread. Am I missing anything? I dunno..whatever. Fact is, it's the yums. And for under $7, it's a steal too.

Minus points for long lines (which I guess they can't really help..), perpetual (and inevitable) lack of seating, and the inconsistency of salad-creation between workers.
4 - eric g.: this place is quality with a capital k. this week i finished one of their  veggie delight salads for the first time. i have started them many times, but i actually finished it this time and boy did i need it!  its a great salad in both size, taste, and quality. also, they mix it all up for you and they don't put too much dressing in. 

i know lots of people love the sandwiches, but come on...that bread was not meant for sandwiches.  a lot of people have told me that i have a big mouth and i can barely fit the sandwiches in because the bread is so freakin' thick. bread on the side of the salad, ok... but the sandwiches are ridiculous. and don't tell me to take the sandwich apart to eat it...that's not a sandwich.
3 - michael c.: Look, I hate to rain on the Intermezzo parade, but the food there is not great. Hell, it's ok, but come on, their bread?!? What is that? Probably good for tiling a roof or building a hearth but not for a sandwich or as a "light" salad accompaniment. And the salads? The same package lettuce mix with the same tired dressings. It get's three stars for the coed eye candy only.
5 - Lauren G.: This is my favorite place to eat.  The salads are so fresh and so generous you can do what I do and order one salad for you and your friend.  Meanwhile, you can eat and eat and eat and still have left over salad!  And I am a big eater!  You can feel the vitamins in your system and the jump in your step out the door. I wish I could eat there every single day.
4 - Andrew W.: The food here is California sandwich, soup and salad fare. The servings are very generous and the tastes are fresh and endearing. Personally, I think they over-due some of the sandwiches sometimes but in general this is a place to stopby for lunch every one in a while. The prices are good, the service is fast, and the location is nearby lots of stuff to do.
4 - Herbert S.: Great food, and open late (By Berkeley standards).  If you're out wandering on Telegraph, after all other stores have closed, Cafe Intermezzo still draws a crowd for its cheap, filling and undeniably tasty food.  However, owing to the fact that its often one of the only things worthwhile open late, the lines can be nearly unbearable.  Its easy for the chefs to get swamped, and the lines to back up out the door.  Even with this backlog of service, the person making my drink took the time to experiment, try to improve it.  I appreciate the effort, but its cold outside and people want their food.
4 - Rachel R.: This salad and sandwich joint is a Berkeley staple.  The portions are nice and big, and often so is the line.
4 - Angela N.: The seating is fair but the salad's aren't as good as friends hyped them to be.  I didn't like the roast beef sandwich and their honey wheat bread is too thick and quite stale in comparison to the honey wheat at Bancroft Cafe, which is just a few blocks down.

Even with this in mind, Intermezzo makes the BEST - P.B.H.B's - EVER.  I have gone there every other day this week for a P.B.H.B. and an iced coffee.  It's exactly what I need to pick me up in the middle of a sluggish afternoon.

(PBHB - peanut butter honey banana sandwich)
5 - Dave K.: This became one of my favorite places to go in the entire Bay Area.  It's all salad, all the time, with the occasional soup.  I have to come back every so often to get my fix, and I bring out of towners here whenever possible.  Half a mile south of the Berkeley campus is one of the best salads you'll ever have.  Fresh ingredients, made as you order, great bread.

I always get the chef salad, which is basically the big salad with deli meat.  The deli meat is really high quality stuff, and I usually get the pastrami.  Your salad comes with lettuce, avocadoes, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, egg, croutons, tomatoes, cucumbers, and alfafa sprouts.  They have various dressings, which you can get mixed in or on the side. These salads are so ginormous, most people can't eat the entire thing in one sitting.  So it's advisable to get the dressing on the side to eat the rest of the salad later.

I've been out of school for 8 years, and it's a relief to see that nothing about the place has changed.  The lines can be long, but they move relatively quickly.  There is only seating for about 40 inside, but I usually get it to go and sit and people-watch on the Berkeley campus.  For about $6, you can get the full-blown salad, and add the deli meat for another $2.00.   Seriously, this salad is easily 2 meals for most people.

The soups are pretty good, and you can get the sandwiches with their totally awesome bread.  Most women I know don't even bother and just pull it apart and each with a knife and fork.  The salad comes with a huge slice of the bread, so you can just get the chef salad and make your own sandwich.  My fav dressing is the herb vinaigrette.

OK, now I've talked myself into getting it this weekend.  See you there.
1 - Kat C.: I hate everything about this place. Every time I'm forced to go, I feel like bolting and going home to shower after the experience.
1.) The food is not that great, yes it's cheap, but it's thrown together as if it was slop in the most unappealing way. 
2.) It's always packed and LOUD and has that pushy Berkeley atmosphere.
3.) The employees, though understandably are in a hurry, are ALWAYS, ALWAYS rude. 
4.) There is always a strong smell of B.O which is at the top of my list of appetite ruiners. Gross.
It's overated and has a cult like following which I'll never understand.
5 - Joshua G.: Big-Ass salads that are out of this world!!!!
3 - Miriam W.: While many are enchanted by the trough-size salads, I cannot count myself among them.

I first discovered Cafe Intermezzo while working in West Berkeley. My friend and co-worker, a Cal grad, loved the place and suggested we get salads for lunch.

Yes, they are huge. But I'm for quality over quantity and I just don't think the balance is here.

And in the end, there's more to salad than lettuce alone.
4 - Will M.: If you need a good healthly meal (to cleanse the system) this is the place to go! Good food, large portions, cheap, and fast! What more could you want?
4 - jenn h.: Why don't we have salads and sandwiches like this is San Francisco? There's a lot of other yummy food in Berkeley too, but I what I always miss most is Intermezzo.  I love getting greens with poppy seed dressing and then hanging out on campus, pretending I'm skipping some class or another.  Just like the good ole days.  

Maybe if Intermezzo didn't exist, I wouldn't have had as much reason to just hang out and eat.  Maybe I would've gone to more of my classes.  Maybe my grades would've been better.  Maybe I'd be a millionaire by now because of the awesome job I would've gotten due to those stellar grades.  Damn you, Intermezzo!  Damn you.
3 - Harsh K.: When I want to eat a pound of lettuce after waiting in line for 45 mins, I come to intermezzo.  The salads are pretty good, but given the rat problem that whole side of telegraph has ( from blondies down) it's definitely not worth the wait
3 - Kathy K.: So this is a veggie lovers dream, and a neat freak's nightmare. The food is large in quantity, decent for salad (then again how does one mess up a salad?!) and not  too bad in terms of service, they do get you your food quickly. HOWEVER, sometimes the method of prep is suspect I cannot lie. My suggestion? Don't look and you'll be in ignorant bliss.
5 - Jackie N.: When I'm feeling all gung-ho about eating healthy (eh, who am I kidding -- healthier), I'll order one of their ginormous chef salads without getting any shit from my server for ordering the meat as "half bacon and half tofu."  

When I really want to grub, I'll order a BLTA and stare at the big brown bowl of densely crunchy yet never greasy big ol' strips of bacon while standing in line.  Since I'm a food weirdo the last bite on that bad mofo always has to consist of pure bacon and avocado bliss.

Seriously, you can't find a better place to gorge your fill (for cheap!) yet still have mounds of food waiting for you in your fridge the next day.  For a poor college kid, that kind of awesomeness is truly heart-warming.  Like, it's almost Hallmark-ian and shit.  Yeah.

Note: It's cash only and you might as well ask for a take-out container while you're paying for your food...especially if you're lazy like me who thinks that trotting back up to the line after I've already eaten a portion the size of my ass is way superfluous and totally annoying.
4 - Derek G.: The marinated tofu is incredible (and I'm not vegetarian), try it on the chef salad for a $7.20 lunch for two.
5 - Anna G.: It may seem to the naysayer that simplicity in food items is something one can easily imitate at home, and therefore the more complicated culinary creations should be left for our favorite restaurants to accomplish.  That may be why the menu at Cafe Intermezzo seems unexciting at best - chef's salad, peanut butter-and-banana sandwich, vegetarian chili, to name a few.  There is much more to be said, however, to how much a restaurant can push the envelope of simplicity in order to achieve something virtually inimitable.  At Cafe Intermezzo, the so-called "simple" salads are HUGE - the bowls holding the pile of fresh lettuce, beans, sprouts, tomatoes, cucumbers, egg, avocado, and whatever else could easily fit a soccer ball any other day.  The sandiwiches are hearty, made on thick honey wheat bread and filled with a variety of concoctions, and the soups are savory and fresh.  The most important part about the menu at this place, however, is how incredibly healthy everything is.  Nestled in amongst the greasy pizza and Thai and burger places on Telegraph Ave., Intermezzo allows me to leave a meal full and satisfied and not feeling like my arteries and intestines are going to simultaneously burst from the pressure.  I especially appreciate a trip to Intermezzo after a weekend of too much booze and late night fried food.  And at an average of $6-7 a meal, it doesn't get much simpler than that.
1 - Allison C.: It seems to me that the Intermezzo frequenter's idea of a fresh salad is violently skewed.  The salad lettuce is consistently leathery and looks like a cave man writhes around in it each morning.  Their tomatoes are unripe and always sliced, unpalatable for a salad and obviously cut that way to make it convenient for the sandwich-making.  Props for the half avocado and boiled egg, but too many goddamned beans on the salad (Don't order salad to go unless you want to wear bean pants for the rest of the day).   Intermezzo's dressings are the pedialite of salad dressings: perfectly unoffensive for the newborn or almost dying, but lacking the tang and life university students need.  Just entirely uninteresting.  Sandwiches are decent because of the honey whole wheat bread.  But don't be suprised if they can't make the sandwich you want because they're 'out' of a certain ingredient.
4 - Bert T.: Two things to describe the food- BIG SANDWICHES and BIG SALADS!  The prices are great and portions are even better. I usually get the half sandwich and half salad. The half a salad is literally the size a large everywhere else. They also bake their own bread. I suggest the honey wheat if you want to buy a loaf from them . GOOD EATS!
5 - Elissa D.: Remember in Seinfeld when all Elaine wanted was "a Big Salad"?

Well Intermezzo has it. I mean it. It's gigantic. It has everything in it, it's delicious and it's cheap! Surely Elaine would approve!

Also, they have peanut butter; banana and honey sandwiches on fresh baked, thick sliced bread.

I love this place.
5 - Jim L.: Also my all-time favorite salad hole. The poppy seed could be the best dressing of all time.  The salads are absolutely humongous and are very cheap to cater to the Berkeley student crowd. I love the assembly-line style of preparation, especially since they obviously have a policy that the service counter area can just be cleaned up at the end of the day. They make quite a mess!  By the way, stories about rats are heresay until you actually have SEEN rats or have evidence from a credible source, not just a disgruntled friend who probably got fired for using the dressing as a body moisturizer or something.
5 - Dan Y.: Cafe Intermezzo only serves three items: sandwiches, soup, and salad which fails to reason why there is always an extremely long wait to get food. Nothing is cooked in a true restaurant sense. This is one of those restaurants where I feel like everything is controlled by hippies and I feel bad for ordering meat and anything non-soy/wheat/organic. 

Flashback to the Davis co-op: If at dinner you so much as mentioned a penchant for the taste of animal flesh they would flash you the condescending look of disgust. I was once demonstrated how instead of silverware we can use two fingers as the ultimate utensil since it is more dynamic and doesn.t need washing!

I'll cut to the chase, the sandwiches and salads are top-notch although they are massive, dare I say Dan-sized. Dan-sized is actually a misnomer since I eat like bird. I can only imagine that if I had my stomach stapled and took the limit my apetite would approach 0. 
The negative aspect of such large portions is that I feel bad leaving sizable portions on my plate left uneaten. The feeling is doubled by the palpable feeling of hippies looking over my back.

My paranoia of hippies is probably largely unfounded; I mean they've probably got better things to do than waiting to tell me how I'm ruining the earth. Wait, who am I kidding?
4 - Malika K.: Intermezzo = deliciouso!! There is no bs when it comes to this cool spot on Telegraph, what you see is what you get. Basically all your gonna get is either soup, salad or a sandwich. Let me tell you though, you may not be able to eat your whole meal cause the servings are hearty! My fave is the hummus sandwich which is made with the most zesty hummus recipe that I've ever tasted. They also have the best homemade honey wheat bread! The only downfall is that you will usually have to wait in line (you order at the counter) and seating may be limited during peak hours. Also I found the soup to be slightly bland (maybe I shoulda added salt, who knows). Check this place out you shouldn't be disappointed.
4 - Janice Y.: Intermezzo is the place to be if you're craving large portions of fresh veggies. Your can literally drown in their salads. When I was a starving college student at Cal I would have an order of their salad for lunch, dinner, and then save the piece of bread that comes with the salad as my mid-night snack... all for 6 bucks a day!
5 - Wendy H.: Back in college days, every time I had nightmares of gaining 5,000 pounds from chugging so much beer, I'd come to Intermezzo hopeing that these salads (which come in the size of my head, literally) would be my best remedy.  My must-have here is the turkey salad, which is not only yummy but comes with all sorts of healthy greens.  I really miss going to this place, wish there was one here in the city.
5 - Stephen H.: Huge salads!  Must try the Poppy Seed Dressing and their veggie delight, but beware, I don't believe one person can actually finish the whole thing by themselves
4 - Kat M.: Definitely THE best place in Berkeley for salads and sandwiches. You can't beat the prices and their honey wheat bread is to die for. The huge salads are perfect for sharing.
5 - Cynthia C.: Freshly prepared salads and sandwiches loaded with sprouts for mere pennies.  My knees get weak and my salivary glands work overtime for Intermezzo!
5 - Jess H.: Intermezzo salads make me feel clean inside.
5 - Amanda H.: I will never forget day many years ago I first spotted this place.  I grabbed my notes, books, pencils, and financial calculator - stuffed them all in my Jan-sport backpack and strolled into this spot on the first day of class.

I sat in the corner with my Veggie salad and strawberry juice and watched a bunch of Buddhist Tibetan monks walk in, a screaming schizophrenic shouting about Clinton, and a ton of vegans bitch that the peanut butter on the menu wasn't authentically organic.  And I thought to myself - Oh yeah, I'm going to fit in just nicely around here....

And this place has never let me down since - a great spot to see the locals and alum's just chalking up another day in paradise for under $5.  A great overall experience..
5 - T-Bag S.: This place is so good and healthy that it attracts the healthiest, punk/street-kids.  I swear they only accept Intermezzo left-overs  . . . unless, of course, you offer them pot.  
The salads are so big that you'll definitely have some left to give to them if you're feeling generous.  However, I am not generous and so usually I gorge myself in the window while staring intently in their eyes.  Just kidding about staring at them, but I do gorge myself.  
Bring cash.
4 - Elaine C.: This place is AMAZING! My friend introduced me to this cafe last summer, and consequently I visited it at least once a week during my time up in Berkeley. I usually ordered a sandwich, as I'm not a big salad person, but regardless of what you get, the food is fresh, great tasting, large portioned, and won't put a strain on your wallet. The bread there is delicious, and if you go early in the morning, you can buy a whole loaf of fresh baked bread. Mmm... My only complaint is I have yet to sit down and eat at the cafe, rather than taking my orders to-go, as the place is always so crowded! It seems like a great place to hang out with friends and do some people-watching.
4 - Arun C.: I always take friends from out of town here because it does a good job of illustrating Berkeley to newcomers: large portions of unbelievably cheap & healthy food served by flaky flaky people.
5 - Anna P.: There needs to be more places like this!  It's true - they do have the best salads... I usually get the veggie delight salad, not tossed, with the vinaigrette on the side - the salad has lettuce, red cabbage, sliced tomato, sliced carrots, halved avocado, a hard-boiled egg, sprouts, croutons, kidney beans and garbanzo beans; I chop everything up some more, add dressing as needed and this lasts me three or even four days sometimes.... so good - and it's really basic stuff, I don't know why other restaurants don't do this.
5 - John M.: First of all... if you're ANYWHERE in the neighborhood, it's completely worth stopping by...

You will NOT leave this place hungry.... HUGE salads (and I understand that I'm using a lot of caps in this review... it's because the portions are HUGE...)

I have eaten here numerous times and have never been disappointed... excellent sandwiches... great salads... fresh ingredients... low cost... the best food deal in the Bay Area. 

How do they do it?... I'm not sure but my guess: VOLUME.
5 - teddy m.: I used to get salads here so often, my blood-type was poppyseed dressing.
3 - Michie D.: I completely agree with Miriam W.'s review here. I went with high expectations on a hot day when all I could fathom eating was a delicious, refreshing salad. I guess it's a good deal when you're paying around $5 for a salad that could feed a family of 4, but it could have been so much better. Too much lettuce, too little zest. And what up with no vegan dressing (the herbal vinaigrette is the closest you can get if you're ok with eating honey)? My man's marinated tofu sandwich was pretty tasty, though. I guess I'll stick to the sandwiches next time.

Um, overrated? I think so.
4 - Sarah L.: Holy crap--That's a lot of salad for $5.85!  Dinner and lunch the next day.

Lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, avocado, hard boiled egg, kidney beans, garbanzos, sprouts, cucumbers, croutons and dressing all served in a huge bowl that can certainly feed two.  And the bread, the yeasty, molasses-y bread!  I love its dense, sweet, bready goodness!

Minus one star for the slow slow slow service even though it is friendly.  I waited ten minutes at 9:15 at night!  Come on, people, just take my order.  Once my order was taken I received my food very quickly.

Best place to go when you are craving a salad.

Tip:  Order dressing on the side if you want to save part of the salad for the next day.  Soggy salads are sad.
4 - Mark P.: Due to the large amount of business they do, this is the best place for salads in Berkeley.  (They go through enough salads that their ingredients can always be fresh.)  And the salads are cheap and easily ample enough for two meals.  Personally I've never been a large fan of the sandwiches or the dense honey-wheat bread for which they're famous.
5 - Flora B.: Sandwiches to die for. Peanut butter-banana-honey sounds like an odd combination, but it's actually good. So is their bacon-lettuce-tomato-avocado sandwich. Really good soups and huge salads. Watch out if you go between 12 and 1pm - the line is out the door! (and you will probably be accosted by the addicts who hang out on Telegraph).
5 - S. K.: The best food in berkeley and definitely the hippest staff.

The best compliment i could ever imagine is someone saying, 'do you work at intermezzo?'
5 - Daniel C.: Great sandwiches. The bread is absolutely amazing. It's baked fresh daily, so as you walk by, you smell the sweet aroma of honey wheat or french rolls, which is what attracted me into it in the first place.

The sandwiches are made in front of you, and all the sandwich-makers pack lots of good stuff into it. Alfafa sprouts are my favorites. All their sandwiches are pretty big portions. And if you're into salads, this place has the HUGEST salad ever. It's damn near impossible to finish one of their big salads.
2 - bloopie s.: everytime i walk in to intermezzo, i can't help but think there's something off. i mean, ok so they ARE cheap salads...BUT are they even worth the $6 you paid for them? their poppyseed dressing is lackluster, the few "veggies" they put into the salads are underripe, and i don't consider lettuce a healthy staple. i have friends who love it so much, i'm really beginning to question our friendships....i just really don't see the hype. the bread is OK....on a good day. Overall, not a fan.
5 - Aric W.: great sandwiches and salads. Unique and fun.  I dont even like salads and i like this place.  I dont even like people who eat a lot of salad.  People who eat a lot of salad seem to have BO.  Heck-ya
4 - N. B. K.: berkeley sucks ass! if for some reason i have go to berkeley i wear a desguise just for the microscopic chance that i might get recognized by any of my poor friends that has to live tthere.

have you ever tried to eat a huge pastrami sandwich and even huger (i know its not a word... shut the F* up stupid berkelenites) salad with a fake handle-bar mustache? i have, and it sucks, but id do it again tomorrow because this place is just that good!

cheap as your mom, but much fresher, this place does salad and sandwiches to perfection.

*note -i will not be doing a review for cheeseboard pizza or zacharys, but along with intermezzo, the only reasons ever to be caught dead in berkeley.

*edit 8.29.06: i will be going to cheeseboard pizza this weekend so ill probably end up doing a review. if youre in berkeley and you see some guy with a crappy mustache desguise: 1) ask yourself why youre in berkeley 2) say hi so i can slap you!

*edit 9.4.06 i did not go to get cheeseboard, but had one of their half cooked pizzas brought to me. i cooked it the rest of the way... and though it was good... the toppings werent as good or diverse as they usually are. i will reserve a review for when i actually go there.
3 - Peggy w.: I used to eat here a lot because it'd be like a week's worth of fresh veggies in a bowl.  i recommend getting their sandwiches on artichoke rosemary roll bc it's the best.  but smells kinda funky inside and lines can be longgggggg.  their soups aren't the best but they're popular with vegetarians.  all in all a great sandwich shop but salads are better here.  alternative is sufficient grounds over at Durant because their fresh focaccia bread is to die for.
5 - Kolya R.: How could I have lived in Berkeley for 25 years - worked on the campus for 10, no less - and never eaten at  Intermezzo?    I guess I was too satisfied with La Fiesta next door, plus the concern that a restaurant on Telegraph might not be sanitary ... at any rate, I had a terrific Chef Salad there, which was so big I had to take some home.     The woman who took my order was slightly rude, and I was put off by the loud Devo music, but the salad was great.
4/19/08 update:    I've been here twice and both times a really rude asshole prepared my food.      They can get away with it because the food is so great, there's lots of it, and the price is very reasonable.     I had a "BLTA" today - yummy, and saved the salad for tomorrow.     I am updating my rating to 5 stars based on value for the buck.
A minor complaint:  they only accept cash.    Why?
4 - Lisa N.: This is my new favorite sandwich shop!!!

Sandwiches here are made with tons of fresh veggies and tasty fillings. My friends and I tried the hummus and egg salad sandwiches. They were both absolutely delicious!! The honey wheat bread is sliced thick and is very dense. And did I tell you??? A sandwich here will cost you with tax -- $5.25! Super deal for lunch on Telegraph!
4 - Abendigo R.: I like big salads loaded with hummus, homemade bread, et cetera.

If I'm Telegraphing, Mezzo's all right with me.  The coffee's solid too.
5 - Diane I.: Contrary to Suchie B.'s review...Cafe Intermezzo's poppy seed is fantastic.  I would eat here everyday if I still lived in Berkeley.
5 - Corey C.: The best salads in the bay area (the poppy seed dressing is phenomenal), for an unbelievably low price.  And they are BIG!  'Nuff said.
2 - Jonathan Y.: Okay their salads may be good, but my sandwich was awfully dry and lacked taste. NOT worth the line. I think Hummingbird's sandwiches are a much better value.......
5 - Nikki c.: This is one of the places I miss the most after moving out of Berkeley.  The bread is AMAZING, and the poppy seed dressing is so good i would [and have] eaten it off of a spoon.  if you get the soup sandwich combo, it's easily two meals. I think that being tattooed, pierced, or having non-corporate hair is a criteria to getting a job here.  This is one of the few places where you will hear the staff discussing needle size in reference to tattoos while they make your grub.  You will also find punks rocking out to 50 cent's latest song while they make a sandwich to your specs.   

After writing this review, I think it's time for a special trip to Berkeley tomorrow for Intermezzo!!!!

ps - if you really like the bread, and you're not doing Atkins, ask them if you can buy some "ends".  They'll give you a bag full of the bits they can't use for sandwiches for less than a buck!!!
5 - Kathleen M.: Caffe Intermezzo has a ridiculously big BLTA (the A is for Avocado) sandwich that can feed 2 people for $5. More importantly, it's delish.

I recommend getting the half sandwich, half salad deal and getting that with salad with their signature poppyseed dressing.
3 - Mags L.: fantastic energizer salads that just keep going and going and going...

oh, and the sandwiches are delicious too.  but, back to the salads.  cafe intermezzo puts garbanzo and kidney beans in its salads, lending the salads texture and rich flavor.  you can't really go wrong with any of the combos.  i always think "there won't be enough food", but i swear that i eat and eat and eat, and still have enough for another meal.

the line can get ridiculously long tho.

oh, and they make a 6-shot in drip coffee.  for dirt cheap.  just ask.
4 - Jade C.: this place makes me happy

their bread is way fabulous, all homey and grainy, salads, ugh so so yummy, it's fast and cheap and i always leave happy
1 - Monica T.: It's your run-of-the mill college lunch stop: all quantity, all bang-for-the-buck, and little much else.

Though they'll throw together a 'fresh' salad right in front of your eyes, the assembly is about as fresh as you're gonna get.  Nine times out of ten, my lettuce is wilting, browned on the edges, and in general, not too green.  Add-ins aren't noteworthy and the dressings don't impress.  However, servings are large--one saran-wrapped container that bursts open when you remove it usually lasts me a few days.

I will put in a vote for their bread--not the kind that comes with the sandwiches, but the slice they serve with your salad.
4 - David O.: Oh my god, the salads at Intermezzo are out of this world!   Their bread's good, but I promise you, grab a salad here and you will not be disappointed!

This coming from a guy who can often be overheard saying:  "Honey, there's something wrong with my food.   There's some green colored stuff in there.  The red here's the meat, the white's the yellow's the mac n' cheese.  What's that green stuff there?"

Let's just say I'm not a salad junky, but if I were to start freebasing salad, Intermezzo would probably drive me to it!
4 - Pumpkin K.: Delicious salads and sandwiches at reasonable prices. Since it's pretty studentful, it's a nice place to go for lunch when you want to be on your own, and just bring your book or magazine with you.

I went once with a friend who liked to take their bread and just stick her face in it. I mean, really, she'd just like shove the whole bottom half of her face in there and inhale. The bread really is good, but that was kind of embarrassing. I have some left over Intermezzo-avoidance after that. Hopefully I haven't passed any of that on to you, because you really should try it out.
5 - Alyssa S.: Intermezzo is the standard by which all salads and sandwiches should be judged. Fresh ingredients, delicious dressings (poppy seed rocks!), enormous portions. You can eat here every day without breaking the bank or getting tired of the food.

I don't see why it only has four stars on Yelp. If I could give one place more stars, it would be this one.
4 - Elvina L.: for the price, their portions and quality are wonderful! 
$7 for a chef salad that can feed two adults, COME ON. 
i could barely finish half a sandwich. that is why they are always filled with people

2 complaints though: the soup sucks--they give you so little and it is watery, not good soup. 
secondly, the sanitary/hygene of the kitchen is questionable. if you've been there u know what i mean. u see them treat the ingredients more like materials in a factory manufacture line. kinda sloppy.

but they deserve a soild 4 stars for their cheap, tasty food!
3 - Mari J.: Yes, the salad I had was very large and could feed many people.  I was not impressed with the poppyseed dressing everyone seems to rave about.  Something else I wasn't impressed with: the loud raucous employees.  I just wanted a salad and then to be on my way.  Yes, it is dirty there as everyone else has said.  I don't think I would get a salad again, but I did like their honey bread and the looks of the hummus veggie sandwich.  This place always seems pretty crowded too, but I guess the line went kind of fasy.  Overall, mediocre.
5 - Lindsay T.: It's all about the enormity of the salads that creates value for this place.  I bought two salads for $10, where three friends and I split the two, and we still had leftovers for me to eat the next day.
4 - Seong P.: when i was a broke college student and could rarely afford to buy meals, intermezzo was the place of choice when i decided to splurge.  i was a vegetarian at the time and my favorite meal was the 1/2 salad with poppyseed dressing and the 1/2 veggie sandwich on yummy wheat bread.  i could usually get 2 meals out of it. 

the lines can be alarming but they move pretty quickly.   it's still my place of choice to eat when i go to berkeley.
5 - Angelina J.: I love Berkeley and Intermezzo.  I miss this place so much when I'm craving a great salad.  They're prices are very reasonable for the amount of food they give you, and I always manage to eat every bite even though my eyes are always bigger than my stomach.  I love the crisp and cool vegetarian delight on a warm day.
4 - Roger G.: Enormous salads and sammiches that make it impossible to forget that you're in Berkeley.
3 - Jane C.: Intermezzo sells one of my all time favorite tofu sandwiches, and I love their half sandwich/soup or half sandwich/salad combos (I have decision making problems and always opt for samplers/tasters/combos rather than full portions - meaning i'd prefer tapas-style for almost anything). The tofu's slightly over-marinated by itself but with the thick honey wheat bread, sprouts, tomatoes, etc, it makes for a delicious and satisfying meal. 

I also like the variety of soups they have. Recently tried the thai chicken noodle soup with udon noodles - interesting since the udon seemed to have stewed for a long time and gotten mushy, but was still surprisingly satisfying. 

As a final note, I knew someone who used to hang outside Intermezzo and swoop in on unfinished sandwiches or mondo salads when they were short on cash. I have no opinion. I'm just saying. Oh college.
3 - Tina T.: The salads were decent but not anything special. Still, it's pretty much the only place in the area where you can get a fresh salad, so go for it.
5 - Matthew C.: Hearty and healthy sandwiches at a good deal. My favorite is pastrami and cheddar on their awesome honey wheat bread. Sometimes I contemplate buying a loaf there. I love how they put a piece of fruit in the wrapping around your sandwich. The half sandwich, half salad (which is really good), will fill you up like an entire meal and a half. Don't mind the line out the door, it should move quickly. And for space, just take it to Memorial Glade on a sunny day to people-playing-frisbee watch and maybe take a snoozer before class. -Matt
4 - Aimee M.: what I love most about cafe intermezzo is the bread, the honey nutty wonder that soaks up the deliciousness (is that a word) of the marinated tofu..

I love their salad, their quick and easy preparation, fresh ingredients and the bohemian feel.  I miss you... wish I was close.. Chicago can't contend with Intermezzo...
4 - Lucy M.: healthy and grainy are sooooooo not my thing. which is why i hate admitting that i almost love this place. (and yes, i do feel an identity crisis coming). there is just something about the sandwiches that drives me nuts; it could be the bread, the proportions, the sprouts maybe?

the variety of sandwiches is pretty good. you have vegan and vegetarian options, plus carnivore galore (my only anti-health nut solace). i loooove the salami sandwich. and yes i'd recommend the vegetarian chili as well.
don't mind the line tooo much as long as it is not raining.
5 - Jesse C.: When I moved to Oakland from SF I realized I was so much closer to Intermezzo and it made me smile for the first time since I decide to move to Oakland from SF.
4 - Evan K.: Despite the fact that I'm a vegetarian and a student at Cal, I've only been here once.  The food was actually quite good, but not good enough for me to once again brave the long lines that you will find at this cafe.

I think the other reason that I've only been here once is that as a student, I'm fairly cheap, and don't eat out that often.  When I do, I'm usually aiming for something a little less healthy, and the fare at Cafe Intermezzo is bound to be healthy, all natural, and a little bit bland.  If the super healthy organic thing is what you're into though, Cafe Intermezzo is a great place.
4 - mychelle k.: I am FAR from a salad kind of girl, but theirs is to die for. Their homemade wheat bread is super tasty, and their BLTA is heaven in between two slices of clouds.
5 - Jeni Y.: I love this place. If you are a freak for sandwiches on chunky grainy bread and fresh salads in huge bowls, this is your heaven. Huge portions, unbelievably affordable. I can't walk by this place without stopping by everytime I visit.
1 - Roseanne W.: Update 11/6/07:
My love affair with Intermezzo is officially over. I don't think I  can ever return. This place is dirty dirty dirty and should be paid a visit by the health department. I've seen mice now, twice. Once on the counter where they were preparing food. A customer mentioned it to the person behind the counter, who just shrugged and kept making a sandwich.  This past Friday, I was in the area, so I called ahead and ordered a salad. I picked it up and carried it back to lab, totes looking forward to the tasty treat. However, when I opened it up, both the dressing and the beans were rancid and inedible. GROSS! Sorry Intermezzo, but it will be a long time until I'm back. 


Orignial Post:
So Intermezzo is another place I have a bipolar-love-hate relationship with. 

I'll start with the bad. 
The place is pretty dirty. One time, I saw a mouse. The friend I was with just told me to close my eyes and focus on salad. 
The people that work there are huge stoners. One time it took an hour to get from the door to the counter (usually it's never that long). The guy behind the counter when I was ordering was making one of their delicious PBHB (peanut butter, honey, banana) sandwiches. He had a knifefull of peanut butter in one hand and a banana in the other. He stops what he's doing and looks at the banana, then the peanut butter, and then back to the banana. Then a foggy little light bulb pops up over his stoned little head, and he covers the banana in the peanut butter and takes a huge bite. I think that's why it took an hour to get a salad. 

All of that being said, I still go back at least a couple of times a month, and occasionally wait an hour for a salad. Nowhere else are you going to get a ridiculously proportioned mound of lettuce, veggies, avocado, turkey, egg, and two kinds of beans for $6.35. It's like crack. I keep going back. In fact, I ate an entire chef salad last night. It was at home with the roomies, and took 1.5 hours. I'm not proud of it, but it's just that good.
5 - Renee R.: Intermezzo is definitely one of Berkeley's treasures. I have loved everything I have ever tried from this cute little cafe! Their salads and sandwiches are huge and oh so tasty. Not only is the food extremely tasty AND healthy, but the low prices make your meal even more satisfying! You get a lot of bang for your buck, that's for sure. 

What I love about Intermezzo (What you should try):
Their fresh, soft, and hearty honey whole wheat bread
Their creamy, sweet poppyseed dressing
Their fresh chicken salad sandwich--AMAZING!!!
5 - Robert V.: Very Cheap. Very delicious.

My friend's salad was huge. I got a roast beef sandwich for $5.35 with tax. It was jam packed with roast beef. 

Best sandwich I've had in a while---excluding those of my own creation.
3 - tyrannosaurus x.: six bucks for a sandwich is not unbelievably affordable, believe it or not. but it's worth every cent! they make you very generous portions of food. you could probably feed your family with one sandwich. i had a blt and it was pretty good.
5 - William Morgan H.: Well you've all read the reviews other Yelpers gave this place.  I can only add to everything that has been said.

Salads - HUGE. Best bang for the buck by far.  I usually go in here with one or two other people and three of us can feast off just one salad.  You can add marinated tofu on top of it or sandwich meats.  Around $6 but the thing is a MOUNTAIN.

Sandwiches - I'm a vegetarian, so I haven't tried any of their meat sandwiches.  My favorite is Eggplant al amor on foccacia.  so good.  make sure you don't get any newbie workers making your sandwich - sometimes they put weird things in sandwiches that aren't supposed to be there.

Coffee - mediocre.

Soup - Vegan chili!!! THE BEST.  split pea so-so.  Other soups aren't really worth mentioning. 

The atmosphere is really hustle bustle. Always a lot of people in this joint, but I always manage to find a seat.  I enjoy sitting by the window and watching the bums walk by and other interesting characters pass me by.  There are a couple of bums that walk into Intermezzos occasionally to snatch some food off leftover plates.  I sometimes snatch honey wheat bread that's not eaten b/c a lot of ppl don't even touch it.

oh. honey wheat bread secret: If you like their honey wheat bread, throw a quarter into the tip jar and ask for more bread.  They'll usually give you 3 large chunks of bread ends.  If you tip a dollar and ask for bread, they give you a brown paper grocery bag full of honey wheat bread...
5 - Sari O.: Because the portions are so huge, I get a half sandwich and salad.  I get the sandwich to go and eat the salad there, then I have leftovers for another meal.

Everything that I have eaten there tastes very fresh.  The price is reasonable, considering that I am able to split my meal into two.  Definitely a Berkeley staple.
4 - Cat S.: Gigantic garden salad (with carrots, tomato, & cucumber) for less than $4, substantial cup of delicious soup (Tomato Bisque) for less than $3, both served with an extremely dense chunk of fresh baked bread and a diminutive slice of pineapple were on my menu today. The salad was big enough to be lunch and dinner (mind you, I am a slim vegetarian), which brought me a great deal of satisfaction. They also have a great selection of vegetarian sandwiches, plus a full espresso bar to boot! Always busy, but I've never had a problem finding a table. They didn't make 5 stars because a) they take cash only, and b) the guy with the long hair preparing food behind the counter always stirs up images of long, dirty blonde hairs marinating in my meal. Ew to that.
4 - Rodney W.: What is important to me is that at the end of my meal I am satisfied. Cafe intermezzo exceeds this basic expectation. For under ten bucks you get more food than you can finish in one sitting. Most cheap eats are pretty unhealthy however cafe intermezzo provides quantity and quality.  I style myself as a gourmand not a gourmet, and if you have an appetite like mine this place hits the spot.  Cafe intermezzo always passes the crowd test, so it's obvious they're doing something right.
5 - Roachie D.: Giant salads and sandwiches.

Vegan/Vegetarian Options.

Decent Prices.

Location is hard to park around if you're a car person.

Totally worth all the BS and waiting in line (although I never waited more than 5 minutes)

Five stars.
4 - jen n.: Huge salads.  Huge.  Like ginormous.  I like the poppy seed dressing.  It takes me hours to eat these salads and I still can't finish them.  I like the bread too.  I haven't tried anything but the salads.  But for about 5 bucks, you can't really go wrong, it's a hell of a lot of food.
5 - sara l.: an incredible tuna salad!!!! However, sometimes a long line:(
4 - Eartha K.: I am very thankful for this place.  It always has the same general menu, and I'm happy for it.  Everyone needs a reliable place for the basic sandwich-soup-salad meal, and Intermezzo has something for everyone.  They don't skimp on the veggies, their salads are nearly bursting out of the take-out containers, and their breads are soft and thick.  My favorites are the Berkeley special sandwiches and lentil soup.  The line is consistently long, but the method of service is efficient in both speed and packaging.  Your foods will not slosh in your car: 4 layers of plastic wrap will make sure of it!
5 - sara p.: I've been coming here since I was a pizza-faced goth snot in highchool.  It was the perfect food to grab and smuggled into Cafe Milano when we were studying for finals.  And if you get the Veggie Delight salad for takeout, you've got food for a couple days, easily.

I've never found the salads to be imbalanced, really.  For some reason I always have the great luck of the avocado half being just fine, there being enough kidney and garbanzo beans, there being enough carrot and cuke and tomato and sprouts and let's not forget the croutons.

Sound advice though, commit it to memory: get the dressing on the side.  I always get the bleu cheese dressing.  Good stuff, Maynard.  But get it on the side, otherwise the dread-locked guy or gal who is carrying on a conversation w/ his or her best friend in line behind you is going to drown the salad, and the croutons will be doing the backstroke and spitting dressing up at you, when you unravel the miles of plastic wrap and crack open the takeout container.
2 - Karen W.: i don't get it.
this place is PACKED.
my suitemate brought a bunch of us here a year ago, and...maybe i ordered the wrong thing. my roommate and i both thought the poppyseed dressing was gross. our sandwiches were decent (mine was eggplant) but gave us stomach problems, which did not make me a happy camper.
thanks to classical conditioning, i will not be coming here again.
4 - becky s.: Found a stringy black hair in my to-go salad and yes the poppyseed dressing does suck so go to Smart'sAlec's for that. Otherwise, I like having a huge salad b/c I can get all my veggie servings in one sitting. Bread was pretty good and service was decent. They were offering free drinks on friday.  Once I get over the hair thing I think i'll make this my new  fav salad stop b/c the Cheese n' Stuff inside Bear's Lair had to keep on f*cking up w/ forgetting my bread or having rude service.
4 - Megan S.: The veggie delight and a cup of vegan chili keeps me fed for 2 days! And together less $9. The line can be sloow and service inconsistent, but for this cheap and delish.... worth it.
3 - Yelper Y.: Hey, this place used to be a 5-star(er).  But in the last couple of years, they have really cheapened their ingredients.  Damn you, corporate America.  Their turkey used to be deli-style & now I'm sure it comes from some imitation Oskar Mayur turkey crap.  The humus sandwich is too salty for my taste.  Their dijon tastes different too.  What happened?  The humus is too salty for my taste.  Their bread is still excellent, as are their portions.  You can also order wine/beer/coffee to go along with your salad/sandwhich.  I have never tried any of their soups.  The dressing (from what I remember) was very tasty but oily.  Now, I tend to eat healthier, so I bring my own low-fat dressing.  The line sucks.
4 - Steve S.: If you're really hungry but want something cheap and wholesome, this is the place to go. I like the simple menu structure: pick a soup, salad or sandwich, or a combo of any two. There's usually a decent sized line and you will be hurried along the counter, but you will get a big plate/bowl of healthy food at a great price. People aren't kidding about the portions: I think the salad bowls are gallon size.
3 - alexa c.: Well, I guess most people know this to be "the salad place in Berkeley", to me, it's a coffee shop. I lived in the east bay for 14 years, 8 of those in Berkeley. I worked on campus for 6 1/2 years before discovering the true charm of Intermezzo. After years of mediocre salads, it was the "made to order" coffee that won me over. My morning ritual began with a generous selection of coffee choices (did I say "made to order" ?) and pleasant morning chit chat with the staff. It was truly the highlight of my mornings. 

As for the salads, , , , they're huge, they have plenty of topping options and offer great dressings, but I have always found the quality to leave some to be desired. It's cheap though so you're certainly getting your money's worth. 

3 *'s for food, 4 *'s for the coffee! 3.5 *'s

btw - the bread is excellent!
4 - Tina P.: This restaurant offers salads, sandwiches, soups, baked goods, and made-to-order coffee. The first time I came here I ordered a roasted turkey sandwich. The sandwich was decent--it came with a piece of pineapple and the bread was heavenly, but I found a piece of lettuce in it with some funky brownish goo in it. I wonder what it was... 
My second time here I ordered a tossed green salad with poppy seed dressing on the side. It came with a piece of pineapple and a thick slice of their heavenly honey wheat bread. In terms of size, the salad was above average. It came with more-than-enough croutons, and the dressing was delish, but I noticed that it was mainly lettuce, croutons, and a bit of tomatoes, onions, and bean sprouts. Oh well, you get what you pay for. I didn't eat my croutons and I didn't use all my dressing--I saved the croutons to snack on the next day and I used my dressing in a sandwich I had the day after. Cut down on the calories and save food at the same time--pretty economical, huh? I would definitely come here again for salads and sandwiches. I love sandwiches :D...
2 - Lily L.: i remember this place being much better than it is. i came back here yesterday to reminisce the good ole college days.
there was, not surprisingly, a line out the door. it's spring break, for goodness' sake! a line?! the horror.

in addition to the line, there was also a shortage of open tables. so, you do what you gotta do. one person orders, the other hovers over the tables of patrons who are done with their food but not yet ready to leave. they get the hint. ;)

i finally got the food -- a sandwich/salad combo of roast beef sandwich and poppy seed dressing salad. and while the poppyseed dressing, their speciality, is as i remembered it, nothing else was.
the bread kept breaking in little pieces - almost impossible to eat as a a sandwich. 

my friend gave up and just threw the sandwich into the salad and ate it together. another friend just started scraping his chicken salad sandwich with a fork since he gave up on eating it like a traditional sandwich.

we left so unsatisfied that we all headed over to Top Dog. happily, that was everything we remembered it to be. =)

two stars for the memory. one for reality.
4 - Carolen M.: I'm giving this only a 4 since Domenico's has such better quality sandwiches and really I have seen the light.  The combo with half a sandwich and salad is the best deal since the salad is gigantor and could last 3 days if you wanted.  The one thing I miss here is the poppyseed dressing.  The thai curry chicken soup is the best and rarely on the soup menu.  Great place to get your soup, salad, or sandwich craving for the best price.  Lines can get really long so go early or later for lunch if possible.
5 - Grace K.: Hmm.
How to describe how much I love this place.... I get exactly how many words?

OK, let's keep it simple, lest "Michael M" decides to bust on the length of my reviews again.  (Haha... thanks for the compliment.  Appreciated.)

I have always had to travel at least an hour to get to this place, and now, nearly two hours.  It's worth the drive when you're looking for fresh food that will fill you up to your esophagus, but not weigh you down, as it's so light and healthy.

I first ate at this place many years ago, when I was brought here by someone with whom I loved to eat.  Long after I no longer wanted to eat with him, I still love coming to Cafe Intermezzo.  It's a great place to be when the weather is just right - and you don't mind waiting in line and waiting for a seat while your stomach glues itself  to your backside from hunger pangs.  Always worth the wait... or you can do like I do and go past lunchtime.  This is not a "drop by and grab a quick lunch" place during your lunch hour, unless your lunch hour is 2 hours long.

On my first visit - I scanned the menu and gave a cocky snort at this ridiculous "half-sandwich" or "half-salad" deal.  Half?  Ha!

Now, this girl can eat.  This is no lie, and no exaggeration - and I have never hidden this fact.  When the food is good, Grace can eat.  So naturally, I ordered a full salad and a full turkey/avocado sandwich, and stood in line, excitedly waiting for the college kids to prepare my grub.

Uh-Oh.
What was that?
This girl just whipped out a bowl the size of a XL SINK to throw lettuce in.  I think that's MY salad.  
Then she pulled out two pieces of bread, both the size of a little country, and schlapped on the meat and tons of veggies... overflowing. 
Uh-Oh.  Me thinks Grace finally met her match.

Upon sitting down, I took two bites out of my enormous sandwich.  Fresh and tasty, it's exactly as I would have hoped.  But then I must now make an informed decision..... I obviously cannot pack my salad to go as it is already mixed in with the dressing, so I sadly put aside my sandwich and start on my salad.
This thing is HUGE.
I felt like a giant rabbit after I was done but if nothing else, it's fresh and filling.  YUM.  I could barely get up to ask for a way to pack up my sandwich  to take home with me.

Some 8 hours later, I spent 3 hours eating the sandwich.  HUGE.  Still good, too.

For the nominal cost at Cafe Intermezzo, I was able to feast the whole day.  A good deal on any day of the week.

Needless to say, for my next visits, I have always ordered the half sandwich/half salad deal - -  and it's STILL tough to finish sometimes.

Sidenote:  On a few visits, I have noticed that the bread is substandard compared to my previous visits.  I suppose this can be expected since the bread is made daily by people.... but the majority of my visits have consisted of good to great bread.  Meat and veggies have always been topnotch.

I've always meant to try the hummus sandwiches - - but one glance of the roast beef or turkey and I keep changing on my mind....

Incidentally, I have always claimed (and continue to do so) that if I owned my own deli-style restaurant, I'd have it take after Cafe Intermezzo.  I so wish one was closer to me!

OK, so even when keeping it "simple", I'm too wordy.  
Gimme a break, Michael M....  :-)
5 - Patrick C.: An amazing place with the hugest salads I've seen.  One of the best places for a college student because of its spacious interior and homey food.  The salad I ordered was gigantic and came with half a bread loaf and a huge slice of pineapple.  The whole thing was wrapped in plastic wrap and I ate it for three meals.  Well worth it!
4 - Jenn H.: one of my favorite spots in Berkeley
5 - Joy C.: HUGE salads and great sandwiches. There's always a line out the door, and for good reason. Lots of bang for your buck.
5 - Dave C.: Hell yes. I became a born-again vegetarian after coming here.

Marinated tofu never tasted this good. However, you're pretty safe with everything on this menu. Really.
4 - Jay H.: This place has been saving my ass during Lent on Friday's since I was a kid.  

A big ass salad with hella greens, hella everything!  It even comes with a slice of the honey wheat bread.  That bread is hella fucking dope!  I was craving that bread so bad one day that I walked in there and bought a WHOLE loaf.  

Now I'm not a healthy hippie or anything but this place is great.  There is almost always a line but those hippies move hella fast to get your order. 

So:

Salads...dope.
Sandwiches....dope.
Coffee......dope.
Bread.....Mutha' Fuckin' Dope!

Minus one star: Blue cheese dressing is nasty watery.
3 - Melanie C.: Massive salads and tall thick sandwiches on housebaked bread.  The flavor isn't that super great, but for quantity and price it's a hungry student's dream come true.

Van Halen and G n R blasting...
5 - Parisa G.: ahh yumm!! pretty much every saturday i crave a veggie delight salad with the vinaigrettes oh my goodness. i swear they put crack in their dressing, it's addictive... though ever since my first time here, i never tried any other dressing besides the vinaigrette. hmm
service is fast and simple, while you have to not be afraid to yell out your order.
the whole wheat bread you get on the side is amazinggg it makes me want to cry.
mmm..
ooh! and their sandwiches are yummy too,though i recently started getting them. I've had the tuna, pastrami and the turkey, which are all yummy!
4 - Jenny S.: I'm surprised I don't drive out to Berkeley more often just for my Intermezzo veggie salad, it's that good.  I can say though that I have made more than one detour heading home from anywhere that requires a drive north on the 80.

I lived off this salad in college.  $5 feeds you for a day.  I've tried to replicate it at home for the past five years but it's never quite right.  Such a fantastic deal, and I love the wheat bread.  Somehow the tomatoes are always disgusting but everything else keeps me wishing there was one around the corner from my place in SF.

I think they may put crack in the poppy seed dressing.  That would explain it.
5 - Mike S.: Just love the tossed green salad with beans and poppy dressing. I've been dozens of times over the past decade, and have never not ordered that, and I usually like to try out the whole menu....
5 - Lance K.: COLOSSAL
ELEPHANTINE
PRODIGIOUS
HUMONGOUS
MASSIVE
WHOPPING............................................SALADS.  

You could seriously make two meals out of the salad.  But it's not just big.  It's good too, and not that expensive.  TONS OF SPROUTS!  Delicious bread and ham and other veggies.  

Their sandwiches are decent too but I definitely go for their salads.
5 - Janet K.: delicious, never had a bad experience...ever.  typical berkeley joint, don't expect any hand holding.  don't be shy and make sure you shout out your order, it's loud in there and they're almost always busy.  but don't let the long lines fool you, it goes by pretty quickly and when you're done, you'll leave with the biggest, simplest and most delicious salad ever.  

they have a pretty simple menu but i always stick with the regualr green salad or the veggie salad.  it will easily be 2 meals, or 3 or 4.  poppy and vinagrette dressings are great.  be prepared though, they put a LOT of sprouts and kidney/garbanzo beans so order without if that's not your cup of tea.  speaking of which, they also have fresh strong coffee.
4 - Ann S.: I have decided to completely rewrite this review because Intermezzo is the kind of place that one appreciates more the longer one lives in Berkeley.

Why?

Because if you intend to eat a healthy meal, it is probably the cafe from which you are most likely to emerge having done just that.  Unlike nearby self-proclaimed healthy eateries, Intermezzo puts your money where your mouth is: huge salads and sandwiches that are filling, tasty, healthy (if you so desire), and really quite reasonably priced.  

When you consider that you can mix and match sandwich, salad, and soup options, there is no lack of choices even though the menu is not huge.  

High points: I love the vegetarian sandwich (though I prefer it with cheddar, rather than cream cheese); also love the herbal vinaigrette - IMO, the best salad dressing in town; love that I can get several meals out of one of the big salads; love the pace at which the line moves and, in general, the efficiency of the staff; love that the salad ingredients tend to be fresh.

Few qualms: Apparently, they will only sell you loaves of bread just before closing.  This is a shame because - while I would happily buy one - I can't see myself going there at 9PM solely for that purpose.  Also, it's a shame that the place isn't a little bigger.  I am usually not willing to duel for a table during lunch and dinner hours, so I get my order to go.
4 - Jen S.: Three things come into play: quality, quantity, and value. The quality is questionable sometimes; I have mixed feelings about people wearing latex gloves fixing my food. It's not BAD, per se, and is probably better than a bunch of germy hands, but I'm feeling the every-other-meal fresh glove donning, nay? 

Quantity is obscene. I don't think I've ever finished a meal at Intermezzo and I can pack away some food! Even the smaller, plain salad is too big to finish. I do also love the ginormous hunk of bread-that-tastes-more-like-cake, as well. 

Value is superb. Less than $6 for two meals worth of food? If only it kept better, I'd happily turn it in to two meals, but see "quality" above. Just so much food, it's best to go with a companion and share!

I love the poppy seed dressing. It's more of a vinaigrette than the dressing they call "vinaigrette" I think. The vin is too sweet and damnit vinegar is sour and therefore a vinaigrette is not supposed to be full of sweetness. It needs some tang!

This place is crazy shady but I love it anyway.
5 - henry s.: BIGSALADS from Godzillaville. AWSHIT can't catch Mothra NO MO'. TAIL TOO FAT, draggin' ME DOWN... need to lightun up and eat salad SAAALAAAD!!!!

Yeah the salads are BIGHUGE here and on the cheap. Maybe they own a million acres of lettuce in some backlot in Berkeley, or Telegraph is lined with truckloads of the green shit at 3AM. Beans and greens and veggies and sprouts (and meats if that's your take...) and if you order one, it all gets tossed and mashed in a big ass mixing bowl with dressing and you get to eat it. Intermezzo has some kind of divine connection to the Salad Gods because no other salad I've tasted blows out my taste buds like the one's here. When I eat it I'm in such a feeding frenzy there's a three foot radius of salad shrapnel all around. The meal also comes with a hunk of tasty bread. 

They also have soups and generous sized sandwiches but it's the salad that's the main score for me. 

This place does get crazy packed with all forms of Berkeley denizens and you might get matched with a wacked server at the order counter but that adds to the unique vibe right? Godzilla nods a BIGUP TOO!
3 - eliz r.: big salads, cheap prices, bad dressing, bad variety.

i'm just not into big chunks of unripe tomatoes on my iceburg and mixed green lettuce combo,

the vinaigrette was oily and not very flavorful. i could make a much better salad!
4 - L C.: Here's my 4 reasons for rating cafe intermezzo with 4 stars...
1. Asparagus leak (the ass leakage), Vegan Chilli (only sissy don't get the cheese, mmm beer) & corn chowder! Holy salty bacon chunks! This stuff is always hearty, made every morning, and is served with love.
2.HOLY Honey wheat bread! This amazing decadent bread is super great, the smell is intoxicating, the crust is great, topped with sunflower seeds and glazed with a egg-wash.  This bread is heaven sent, and is sprinkled with dreams.
3. Cheap cheap cheap, did i mention cheap?  Drinks are alright, reasonably priced for sure.
4. Ok , the salads rule, garbonzeys, kidneys, avos, fuck the egg, but those goddamn beefcake tomatoes rule, and are especially great for throwing at people you dislike... and any dorkus who says the salad mix is boring, I'd like you to tell me another place that mixes 7 different kind of salad green in their bowl?
by the way im an insider to this place, and I know all the behind the scenes, sure the building is old, but they most definately spend alot of time cleaning it up, the place passes all health inspections and the people there are sweeter than the poppyseed dressing they make everyday for the non-stop line out the door!
5 - Dave L.: Geez! 180+ reviews!

I'm just going to leave some tips...

Tips: Don't be alarmed if you have a green bowel movement after consuming their salad. This is normal. If you can't finish your food, don't toss it -- box it and deliver it to People's Park.
5 - Faye P.: goddamn it. i wish we had an intermezzo in san francisco. i have an insatiable appetite for those honey-crack bread and mondo salads. or that godawfully delicious tuna sandwich. so much food for a great price and i love those kidney beans!
5 - ali c.: i love the sandwiches here!!!  the honey oat bread is thick and so good!!  they are huge too!  whenever i come to berkeley, i have to eat here.. conveniently located on telegraph where there is always a huge line out the door.  they also have great salads!  fresh tossed with fresh ingredients!  sometimes they add too much dressing though.. good cheap prices especially for a starving student at cal.  a healthy alternative for lunch or dinner!
4 - Yoomi C.: If you want sandwiches the size of your face and salads in a bowl the size of your torso, this is the place to go.  Good prices for great sandwiches,but always expect a line out the door if you're going around lunch time.  Yummy BLTA (gotta have the avocado).
4 - Mortiche W.: Yes honey, they have rats, and they probably have cockroaches too. *steps on soapbox*

There isn't really a single establishment in any major eating area that doesn't have them. I had apt mates that worked at Blondie's and I've heard horror stories about what happened to the vermin there. Get over it, quit your whining and sit yourself down to a lunch of chopped veggies and one of the most flavorful tofu sandwiches ever. 

If you're one of those people that is of the "outta sight outta mind" mentality, then you best eat food you've grown yourself. The FDA allows a certain number of insects and rodent fecal matter in nearly every food product mass produced. Don't get me started on imported food- I hope you like lead as a seasoning!

*steps down from soapbox*

Ginormous portions of salad that you really need to share in order not to waste half of it, sandwiches made on their thickly sliced honey wheat bread (Jesus Bread, as it was known to my friends and I in Jr. High). It's college food with a slightly Berkeley twist, at college food prices (cheap) and extreme portions ( again, large).

I've been coming here for almost two decades, I'm embarassed to admit. I'm an old fart.  I like their bread. I like their poppyseed dressing. I like the fact that I can stuff myself on a sandwich made of tofu yet it tastes so unbelievably good, that many carnivores order it instead of the roast beef. 

If you don't feel like drinking  a caffeinated beverage, try one of their versions of "agua fresca", they usually have watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberry and pineapple in addition to lemonade and strawberry lemonade.

Some things never change, and if I want a salad that's truly larger than my eyes and possibly stomach can handle, I come here.
5 - Lisa A.: I love this place. Yeah, the line sucks, but the food is worth it and the prices are great.  The best thing to do is have one person stand in line to get the food while another person (or persons) hover as inconspicuously as possible near diners that appear to be finishing up so they can grab up their spot before someone else does.  Otherwise, you can stand around forever with your food and have no place to sit and eat it.
4 - emmie k.: big salads.  big, big salads.  astronomically, gut-wrenchingly big salads.  their sheer scope defies the bounds of language.  when you come home from work and think to yourself, "damn, i want to eat something so large i'll have to unhinge my jaw to accommodate it," this is a good place to satisfy that urge.  the food is nice enough.  this is their thing, they do it well.
4 - Catherine R.: I freaking LOVE this place, and have ever since I was 14 and had friends who worked there and was hanging out on telegraph as a kid(when there was stuff to do there).  Salads bigger than your head, idiots in front of you who don't know how to order properly (and keep MOVING DOWN THE LINE PLEASE... ) and sandwiches to quench most cravings for healthy stuff.  Cant say much for their coffee or drinks cuz I never get them, but man this place is cheap and healthy - things that rarely go together... And yeah the staff are a little pissy sometimes, and they look hella dirty sometimes, but damned if Im going to do a better job on my own for the price- thanks guys, keep it up!!
4 - Nate C.: I first experienced Cafe Intermezzo when my oldest sister started CAL. I love their sandwiches and salads. I love how they bake their own bread and serve it on thick slices of breads. I haven't been there in several years, but I'm sure it still rocks! I don't remember much of this spot per I've never lived up north, but it's good. I guess it's a good spot for college students per low cost + HUGE portions = GREAT DEAL. =]
4 - Zain K.: Okay, I probably didn't need to read the review about the rats.  Sure, all old buildings in Oak/Berk probably have them crawling through the substructure , but it's a visual I don't want to associate with Intermezzo...

This place doesn't make anything that you couldn't quite easily prepare yourself at home, but there are days when you just don't want to chop this quantity and variety of produce, and on those days I'm really glad for this place.  It's uber-healthy (try the fat-free salad dressing if - like me - you're into that sort of thing, though I've been told it isn't terribly popular), fresh, filling, and inexpensive.  You usually have to deal with traffic, parking, and a line when you come here, but it's worth it.
4 - Rachel B.: If I were invited to a dinner party and asked to bring salad for 5-7 people, I would buy a veggie delight from Intermezzo and claim it as my own. It's that big, and pretty good. $6.00 gets more salad than you can eat (trust me I tried) and a beverage. I felt very rushed to order like I was bothering the staff which would be pretty annoying if I had wanted to omit anything.
3 - Lemony B.: Not worth waiting in line for a sandwich - the sandwiches are decent but the line is outrageous - but the coffee is better than pete's and very cheap with your own mug.

i did once spy a very cute and small mouse cruising from table to table here. i still go back, but just for coffee and coffeecake.
3 - Michelle K.: We went to Cafe Intermezzo for lunch today.  It was good, but not great.  I had the Roast Beef Sandwich and Corn Chowder.  My date had the Italian Sandwich.  Our total was $13.50, and was good but not worth that much.  Too many sprouts, some attitude from the people that work there, and the overpricing makes me think I will probably not go back (although I don't like to judge a place based on one visit).  At least there were free refills on the Coke.  :-)
2 - Ayanna A.: My husband, Wonderful Wayne, turned me on to Cafe Intermezzo's a few years ago, and I was HYPED. I loved the quality of the salads (delish beans, good greens, avocados, eggs) AND the quantity. The honey whole wheat bread was super yummy, and last year I discovered an even BETTER combo, the 1/2 salad with 1/2 sandwich (the eggplant/roasted red pepper option is FAB). What I wasn't lovin' was the fact that they want cash only, the parking sucks and the cleanliness of the servers was questionable at best. Now, I'm reading about how Cafe Intermezzo's is the Berkeley version of Ratatouille, and I'm quite disgusted. Soooooooooo, it looks like I'll have to rethink my fave salad hot spot--Thanks, Yelpers!
5 - Robert H.: This place rocks.  The service, the food, the people watching!  Tops in all categories.  I find the seating to be a little dainty but i'm like 6'4" 200lbs so.....get the 1/2 sand, cup (which is really a bowl) of soup and a salad....you'll leave stuffed.  And the bread???  Its the best!!!!
1 - John L.: The people making up the long line coming out the door are either first-timers or are simply unfamiliar with what decent (let alone good) food is like.  Really, the cult following this place has boggles the mind.

The food is far from fresh, and anyone who knows a good salad knows that freshness is the most important ingredient.  Then as others have mentioned there's the problem of under-ripeness.  This all translates to a giant bowl of flavorless vegetable matter which is (to paraphrase Douglas Adams) almost, but not quite, entirely unlike a salad.

But don't let the lack of flavor fool you.  If you're a vegetarian you may be overjoyed to notice the last flavor you'd expect to find in a garden salad: meat.  Apparently they cut their vegetables with the same knives they use to cut meat, so if the blandness of the vegetables doesn't turn you off, this surely will.
2 - Nick H.: I DON'T like Intermezzo, but a lot of my friends do. I think their sandwiches and salads are bloated and bland. My friends love them. I try to avoid it, but don't take my review to heart because you might just have similar taste to my friends.
3 - eric k.: Big sandwhiches, big bread, big salads.  

If you are looking for quantity... this place fits the bill... and that's what a lot of college kids are looking for.  

Most of the time, it's good to share the portions between a couple of people.  Half sandwhich/half salad is really about what 2 people should be sharing anyway... unless you are a gi-monster... or as fat as I have been lately.

So... holy crap, 199 reviews... that makes mine #200?  cool.
4 - Roy L.: Do they make the best salad I've ever had?  NO!  Are the salads humongous?  Damn straight.  Whenever I feel like I haven't eaten enough veggies, I grab a salad here and hope it makes up for all of the fast food I've been snarfing down during the week.  The honey wheat bread they include is tasty.  Personally, I think the sandwiches are better than the salad here.  If I were judging the place on taste alone, I'd be going with a 3. The extra star is for massive portion size and affordability for even poor students.

Be prepared to deal with waiting.  Since the portions are huge and the prices are cheap, there is usually a line to the door if not out the door.  Of course, now that it's summer time the lines are shorter because most of the students are gone.
4 - Angela K.: Echoing everyone else, the salads are HUGE (and CHEAP!).  I tried to finish mine and it took 3 meals to do it.  The tuna fish sandwich is delicious (though I could only finish half because of the size).  Their homemade bread, which is slightly sweet and has sunflower seeds, is great.
2 - john g.: i've eaten here three times: once the sandwich (berkeley special) was really good, the other two times it was bad. all three times service was about as ridiculously bad as it can get without making you want to walk out in the middle of your order. the first time, they were "out" of onions. how does a salad & sandwich shop run out of onions? the hummus is disgusting.

anyway, even if the food was consistently good, the consistently horrible service would make me stay away. i can understand maybe if the people preparing the food are surly, but what's with the counter dude?
5 - Alex G.: After eating here over 15 years ago as an undergrad at Cal and turning my relatives into fans as well, I came back recently to relive those glorious days of yore.  I chuckled when I used to think it was impossible to be stuffed just by eating salad. 

I got the combo meal (half roast beef sandwich on honey wheat) and tossed green salad with poppy seed dressing for $5.75, and a cup of their house blend coffee for $1.50.  This was for two people.  We split the salad, which was still huge for each person and as delicious as I remembered it, and split the half sandwich which made us almost teeter on the edge.  And, this was after a quick brisk walk around the campus to check out the new buildings.

I am so happy that this institution is still around after all these years.  Although I have long outgrew the grime and grit of Telegraph Ave., I love the fact that I can still count on Intermezzo serving healthy salads and wholesome filling sandwiches.  May you still be around for many many generations to come.
4 - Steven L.: Wow. What a forest of a salad. I don't even know where to begin to rate this place, I'm still overwhelmed by the size (that's what she said). So this is what happened..

They top off your salad with half an avocado, which is one of my favorite salad toppers. When trying to take a bite of the avocado, it fell into the salad, and I lost it. I had to eat like a third of the salad to find it. Then I got full and boxed the rest of the salad to go.

Well, for me, it was a total ordeal, but still somewhat satisfying. Great value nonetheless.
5 - naomi p.: So I graduated from Berkeley already, and you'd think I'd be nostalgic about the classes, Sproul, the GBC, etc.  But no, I'm nostalgic about Intermezzo.  This place saved me for 4 straight years.  Whether I was having a veggie day, a fat day, a carb day, a juice day, a tuna salad day, whatever.  It satisfied me 100% always.  The salads went up in price last year (they used to be $3.29 for those huge things), but when it was cheap, it was more than worth the money.  Omg, that huge slab of wheat bread (although it was soaked in honey and probably weighed a pound) with the mountain of veggies tossed in the amazing balsamic dressing??  Seriously, I miss it.  And you can't forget the fresh cantelope and watermelon juice waiting down by the register.  When is this place ever going to become a chain??
1 - Tsada K.: I love the idea of this place (nice big salads, veg food, good prices) which is why I have eaten here many times even though I get VIOLENTLY ILL each time I do.  The salads look good but I swear they put something in the food that makes me really sick.

I used to work near this place and just the smell by would send me into a nauseous tailspin.  I am surprised it's always so busy because I know a lot of other people who have experienced this unpleasant phenomenon with Intermezzo.  I swore the place off some time ago.

Incidentally, I believe the staff is on a bi-monthly bathing schedule.  Not clean.
5 - Peter C.: With the salad, get the poppy seed dressing. 

For a sandwich, get the BLTA. 

For the bloated and full feeling that inevitably follows, get TUMS. 

God I love this place.
4 - ross g.: Big salad, little price. 

This place has stuck with me though my many phases and moods. I once asked out a girl who worked here after she gave me a cup of croutons. The date didn't turn out very well: she talked to her dad on the phone while I sat on her couch and looked at a photo album. 

After making sure she didn't work there anymore, I was able to go back and order the classic: a mixed green salad with beans and marinated tofu. Hold the mealy tomatoes. Dressing on the side.

Over the years, the marinated tofu went from amazing to really good. They pile it on though, so it's better to have a lot of really good than none of amazing. 

The line is usually well out the door and every seat is taken, but hopefully you have a dining companion so you can do the tag team order-and-sit method. Or bring it home, but then you'll have to empty your kitchen trash since those to go, see-through clamshell containers take up a lot of space.
2 - Joe O.: O-V-E-R-R-A-T-E-D

They are known for their huge salads.  Yes...they are huge, but they don't taste that good at all.  It's like any other salad you've ever had that was average to forgettable.  If you want a tasty salad go to HPR! 

People rave about Intermezzo like it's the second coming.  Their sandwhiches are pretty good from what I remember, but please...it's just a bunch of leafy greens with dressing.
4 - Mary F.: Yes, Berkeley is one big hippie ass commune. We braid flowers in our hair, eat granola, raise our kids in psychic churches and our hobos jump in and bare their ass and balls when tourists try to take pictures. OK, I'm overreacting/joking (except for the psychic church part, and the picture.... it's in a frame), but Cafe Intermezzo is a place that will kind of make you feel like that.

Case in point:
Thing's I've recently bartered for my big box of a leftover  salad/sandwich combo ($5.50):
item a) a song with my name, the words unicorn and shiva, written for me by a 15 year old runaway
item b) an "aura reading". WTF?
items c &d) 2 almost mint records: Getz/Gilberto, Ellington- Indigos, 2 of my favorite records of ALL TIME... for FREE. 
item e) a couple hits from this hobo's blunt... and I didn't get the O.Herps! 
I am bullet proof!!!!

Oh. And true story, the hobo balls incident happened in front of this spot a few years ago, so bring out your camera kiddies.
4 - Pancake ..: I'm definitely taken aback by the enormous salads.  They are actually a little bit difficult to take back to my desk at work because stuff falls all over the place.  However, all the food I've had there has been delicious and I'll be going back a lot.  Love the huge chunk of honey wheat bread.  The staff makes the line move fairly quickly.
3 - Swarup B.: for food, this place is great.  fresh salads that are huge, great sandwiches and nice soups.  the agua fresca is, as one of the cashiers put it, the bomb.

for service, this place is horrid.  who the hell gave this people the license to be crabby!  they all have the same look of dread on their faces and their attitude stinks as badly as all the crazy homeless people wandering telegraph ave...
4 - K C.: So I called in an order (mainly because i don't want to deal with the stoned workers and occasionally long lines) and they tell me 15 minutes. Great. I get there around then and have to wait another 15 before it's actually ready. Basically, I should have waited in line and I would've been in and out of there in like five minutes.
When I pay, the guy tells me, "Sorry about the wait but you didn't look like you were in a rush." Um, what the fuck? Regardless of whether or not I "look like [I'm] in rush," have my food ready when you say it'll be ready.
Other than the rather incompetent staff, I like Intermezzo a lot. Half a sandwich, a huge salad and fruit garnish for $6.25...I can't complain.
Even though the salad features some iceberg lettuce (eww), it's tolerable and the poppyseed dressing is divine.
Beware of Down's Syndrome staff.
4 - K W.: Good ole' student prices.  Can't be beat.
4 - Maximillian M.: Fantastic, hearty sandwiches. Chicken salad on whole wheat with avocado...mmmmmm.... And a glass of cantaloupe juice too.
4 - Leon C.: A fantastic place to eat healthy. I love this place because it's a good break from fast food and other oily greasy foods. The portions and price are terrific. I'm a big eater and have trouble finishing a whole sandwhich here. A half size is just enough for me. Salads are great too. Really good for one's system. The only thing is the long gets too long and seating can be hard to get at peak hours. Plus sometimes the service can be a little dense. Probably college students, hopefully not from Cal.
5 - Ravena F.: It is my goal to someday eat an entire veggie salad here in one sitting.  These are big salads full of all the yummy salad toppings you could want: 1/2 an avocado, a hard boiled egg, beans, etc.  Very hearty & delicious.  The closest I've come to finishing was a few years ago.  To make it easier on myself, I ordered no croutons & didn't eat the bread (which was difficult, since it's so heavenly).  But I was focused.  I parked myself at the bar by the window, brought out a good book to read in between bites.  I ate slowly & confidently, but after an hour (this is not an exaggeration), there was still about the equivalent of a normal side salad left.  And I was fit to burst.  I just couldn't do it.  
Someday I will though, and it will be gooooooood.  I'll probably have to make an afternoon of it though.  And they'll probably have to roll me out of there.  And I guess eating till you're that full sort of negates the healthiness of this restaurant.  But these are trivial distractions to my great objective.
4 - Sierra S.: Intermezzo's is a must for lunch. Large salads and large sandwiches usually leave plenty of leftovers and make eating here worth every penny. Get the BLT and watch them grab a gy-normous bowl of bacon. It may be a heart attack waiting to happen but it looks freaking delicious. Be prepared to fight for a table or take your things to go, it's always busy, the tables are almost always full, and there's generally a pretty decent sized line. Again, one star off because like a lot of places around campus, it's cash only.
5 - Carrielaura p.: Two near-thirty-somethings fuddy-duddies visiting famous college town just-because.  I asked a student for a food recommendation, and she recommended this place.  When it comes to eating, my partner and I couldn't be on farther realms of the spectrum, he opting for ham and cheese sandwiches and me opting for vegetarian and things I've never tried before.  

This place was able to satisfy us both and was really, REALLY good.  Crowded for lunch even at 11:30.  I had the tofu madness sandwich on a foccacia roll.  Heavenly.  I don't know what flavorings they used on that tofu but it was awesome.  Sort of like Soy Vay or teriyaki.

He had a ruben which looked also very delicious.  

Free refills on tea if you can make it back to the counter, and the tea was great.  

Probably one of the cheapest and most filling places we ate all week.
4 - Jamaica Y.: I really like Intermezzo and would eat there even if the portions were smaller.  I absolutely love their salads, and I think it's crazy for someone to complain about something like how many beans they put in the salad. They are making it right in front of you!  Just ask for fewer beans!
2 - Andrew D.: The thing with Intermezzo is that they're not consistent in service or quality.

Sometimes you'll get a nice person who makes a good sandwich that tastes fresh and great. Sometimes you'll get a person who is utterly bored with their job (or absorbed in conversation with one of their coworkers), messes up the order, and is working with subpar ingredients.

On the whole, the food is usually pretty good and the service is usually decent. Intermezzo is the best sandwich place near campus, but when you're choosing between Intermezzo and Subway, it's kind of hard to lose that contest.

The long wait is usually worth it. Except when it's not.
4 - Annie T.: Cheap - $3.85 for a salad the size of your head. Fresh - greens, sprouts, tomatoes, cucumbers, all of it crisp and deliciously fresh. Did I mention  cheap? I forgot how great some places around campus were. Are. Continue to be. I shall return.
2 - Helen C.: Can't understand the massive popularity of this place.  The basic salads without protein are cheap, sure, but you really do get what you pay for.  There have also been issues with the cleanliness of this place.  In fact, when I was there, the servers were making salads in already used & uncleaned mixing bowls.  I suppose that doesn't bother some but it just seemed unkosher.
5 - Jo S.: Sandwiches and Salads Bigger Than Your Head: The vases are glued to the tables, but this place is packed and rightly so--you get a LOT of food, regardless of what you order, for the money. A Berkeley must-see when you visit.
3 - Brad L.: Went here for the third time in my four years in Berkeley this week; had the salad and half sandwich combo, $6.25 inc. tax. My green salad was indeed huge; I finished it but I'd prefer something more sensibly sized with slightly yuppier lettuce. For what it was, it was pretty good: vinaigrette was refreshing if one-dimensional (that dimension being vinegar), croutons were distractingly stocky. The turkey in my sandwich was undistinguished. The honey wheat was fresh and better than the bread at any other sandwich place around here I can think of, and not nearly as good as the bread at any number of local bakeries. Where's the closest sandwich place that uses Acme or similar?
4 - Lei T.: If you get the half sandwich, salad combo the portions are huge and able to fill two people for lunch. I like how much meat they give you for your sandwich. It's usually well made, but sometimes the lines are too long, if you're getting it to go, might as well just call them. their salads are awesome and i like the garbanzo beans. not a big fan of the sprouts though.
5 - Irene L.: Great sandwiches, huge salads, both of which are easily 2 meals worth for a great value. The eggplant al amour is a favorite, as well as the BLTA. I get mine on foccacia or the rosemary roll, bring it home, and toast it to melt the cheese (on the eggplant one). I've had their marinated tofu sandwich as well (not as fond of it), their turkey sandwich (without mayo, lots of meat), and salad (very tasty and filling). Everything is made in front of you, and the workers are eclectic and fun (though occasionally you'd get one who wraps the sandwich with the pineapple slice directly on top of the bread). 

The decor is funky and very berkeley-esque, the lines are usually out of the door (but service is quick), and the music is so loud that it's hard to hold a conversation. Get the food to go and have a picnic on memorial glade, or just eat it during your next lecture to keep from falling asleep.
5 - matthew w.: The perfect cheap lunch spot in Berkeley.  Special bias for my love of bean sprouts and their ability to put them on everything.  Split a salad with a friend and get a sandwich, you'll be stuffed.  Just to note though, they give you massive salads and such because they use less expensive ingredients.   Expect diced up romaine, not mixed field greens.  If you want a $12.00 tiny salad go somewhere else.  If you want a pile of tasty stuff that you probably could have made at home but are too lazy to cook, go here.  It' s worth it not to have to do the dishes afterwards.
5 - Maryanne R.: I had the sexiest veggie sandwich here for 5.29. At first I was not up to eating at a "Salad" joint (I hate the assumption that vegetarians only eat salad....Salad is totally wimpy! GRR). But they have hot and cold sandwichs on the menu, coffee and pastries too. And ohmygod that sandwich was BOMB. 

The reason I call this sandwich sexy is because it was not too much and I was not left wanting more... I wish I could give that sandwich a high-5 for being the most perfect lunch ever!
5 - Alanna B.: So I live in LA.  But I used to live in Davis.  And I used to go to 924 Gilman and shop at Amoeba and such because of the lack of stuff in Davis.  Which is how I found Intermezzo.

Every time I am near Berkeley in any capacity I go to Intermezzo.  It has the best, cheapest, bottomless salads.  It has the best bread.  It has the best soups.  It has some employees who are grumpy.  But that's okay because it has the best, cheapest, bottomless salads.  And you get to watch the sometimes grumpies make the salads so they can't spit in yours if you piss them off by asking for extra kidney beans.
5 - Melissa T.: Delicious sandwiches! Great service, lovely atmosphere. This is the place I decided to take a friend, because I knew it could not possibly disappoint. I like the marinated tofu sandwich, but everything else looks great too. I love how they put alfalfa sprouts in it - you don't see that very often. Even guys would like this place because they give giant amounts of meat in the sandwiches. If you're a vegetarian, they have great veggie sandwiches too. Fast service, decent prices (especially for the quality of food). I would highly recommend this for anyone who is hungry. Go alone or go with a friend, or go with a group! It's great for everyone. The line can get pretty long but it clears up around 7:00
5 - Kreativess ..: This place FUCKIN ROCKS!  Im not even a vegan or a hippy and its still down right awesome!  They have the BIGGEST salads ever full of all types of good shit!!  The sandwiches are absolutely to die for, so huge, so much meat, so much goodness. 

ANYWAY go here.  I dont care who you are you'll love it!!
4 - Michael R.: Intermezzo is a salad factory. It's also a refuge for the terminally pierced, tattooed, or otherwise fashion-edgy folks that are sick of working in coffee shops, but whose artistic endeavors haven't quite achieved economic lift-off. 

Intermezzo is also one of the best Berkeley people watching spots on the Ave. Pull up a mini-bench at the window and watch the show. Maybe you'll be blessed by the stoned rasta-queen who planted a big sloppy kiss on the mirror in front of me. 

This is the place where you go when you need a massive infusion of greens on the cheap. Even a small salad is big. And the chef's salads, with your choice o' sandwich meat, is almost big enough to wallow in. No, it's not organic. No, they don't take credit cards, ATM cards, nope, nothing but cold, hard cash.

This is because Intermezzo's all about speed, like any other good assembly line. You'll see a line out the door, so popular you might wonder if it's a pot club (they're a few blocks down on the same side of the street). Don't be discouraged, take your place at the back of the line, and watch the saladistas power through buckets of produce. Each worker takes the order of one person, satisfies their needs and yells "Next"!

Take an extra napkin so that you can give your utensils an extra  wipe. Wanna look like a local? Drop something on an empty spot to claim it. Scan the menu board on the wall so you're not one of those idjits who gets up there after a 20 minute wait without a clue. 

Then tell them what you want, the dressing, if you want dressing mixed in or on the side, for here or to go, pay at the register while it's being made (don't forget to tip...these guys don't make squat and you're getting a deal!), and you're eating  a pile of roughage that would make Dr. Koop proud of you. Guaranteed, you won't leave hungry unless you're a close relative of Jabba the Hutt.
5 - James N.: This place is always packed when you go for lunch. Even though this place might be so packed, the workers behind the counter works very efficiently. I always like to order their sandwich here. Everything they do is out of scratch. They even bake their own bread for the sandwiches.
3 - Master C.: 5 stars for hearty, homemade bread, cozy soups, generous (HUGE) but cheap sammies/salads.

-2 stars for lines out the door and not taking credit/ATM cards.
5 - Thuyvi T.: Free wi-fi, fresh baked foccacia bread, amazing smoothies- essential components to what I call a true cafe.  I visit this place even till this day; that's how good it is.
4 - Tracy Y.: Okay, I suppose there are vegetarians out there that need to eat something besides eggplant and cheese sandwiches. This is pretty close.

Big huge salads piled high with sprouts, earthy sandwiches with healthiness in every bite.  Good place to go after you've eaten at Zachary's for a few meals in a row and feel guilty but not enough to *not eat.* You are beautiful and plumpliness is next to godliness (or so I'm told by Jared, the subway dude).
2 - Rachel B.: Honestly, I don't understand the buzz about this place.  Yes, they have huge salads, but I'd go for a Smart Alec's salad any day.  The sandwiches are too salty and soup is too bland.  Everything is really ju